Phichit's leaving was the cherry on top of the fucking cake. Yuri was so tired of getting close to people only for them to be ripped away from him at the last moment. He was so beyond done now; absolutely no person was getting passed his impenetrable wall.
Three days after Phichit left, the House changed from "Temporarily Closed to Visitors" to "Closed until Further Notice by Order of the City of Saint Petersburg". Three more days and the majority of the staff had been replaced with fresh new staff, with the exception of a few food servers and grounds keepers.
The older, more experienced Omegas didn't really know how to treat these new staffers. They all seemed so nice, but, wary from their past staff, the older Omegas were careful around them just the same. The onslaught of new Omegas that had joined the House right when the illnesses began, were much quicker to trust, and although Yuri wanted to join in the seemingly light new air about the House, he couldn't shake the feeling that the other foot was about to drop.
The changes were small at first, new pillows for each Omega in their bed, scent blocking shampoos in the bathroom; then the changes grew. The Omegas were told that the House was going to be given a meticulous wash down, and the entire population of the House was sent to a local hotel that had been completely booked for them and their staff alone.
Some of the newer Omegas had found this to be fun, and they enjoyed the leisurely days at the pool and hot tub, eating hotel food and watching TV to their hearts content. Yuri had found it aggravating.
He understood why it happened, and he even appreciated that the city was taking an interest in the House's conditions, but why exactly were there no rules at this stupid hotel? It was big enough and had conference rooms, why weren't the younger Omegas taking Basics? They clearly needed them.
Yuri had picked up an annoying shadow called Minami during this 'vacation', and Minami was the walking example of an Omega who needed Basics. He was loud, giggly and much too open with his feelings. Yuri had never been quite as extroverted in his youth, but he could still see a bit of himself in Minami. The hopefulness, the devil may care attitude, but rather than making him want to take Minami under his wing, it just made him dislike the kid even more.
"Yuri!" Minami shouted excitedly on day, waving his arms about. "Come with us to the pool! We're going to have a race!"
Yuri scowled and turned down a hallway to avoid him.
"Yuri! There's a movie in one of the conference rooms tonight! Can I sit with you?" Minami asked, eyes wide and excitement buzzing through his small body.
Yuri hissed before he spoke. "No." He replied angrily. "Even if I were going, which I'm not, I wouldn't sit with you."
Minami laughed and shook his head. "Oh Yuri, you're so funny!"
Minami started seeking him out during meals, sitting across from him cheerily and making conversation. The first time this happened, Yuri had simply stood up, stalking off irritated. The next few times he flat out told Minami to sit somewhere else.
"I don't want to eat with you? Are you seriously so dumb that you can't see that I don't like you?" He said, aggravation evident in his voice.
"Look! I got tapioca pudding! Did you get tapioca? Oh…you have vanilla…did you want to switch? I don't mind vanilla!"
After a few weeks of the ridiculously cheery Omega, Yuri resigned to his fate, and stopped hurling abuse at the kid, and tried the silent treatment. This technique still didn't work, and after a while, he just accepted it. Though he never responded back or played along or made himself available in anyway, Minami simply adopted him.
The cleaning took 2 months, and by the time they returned to the House, it was barely recognizable. The dark gray brick of the outer walls had been power washed and were now a light silvery color. Greenery had been planted all around the building and fresh mulch had been brought in, giving it a lush fresh look with pops of color all around. Several trees had been planted and there was a large amount of construction behind the building that had a very large sign that read: "Coming Soon: St. Petersburg Omega House- Special Courses Building"
Above the doors of the newly washed House hung a very handsome sign that had a simple drawing of three wolves standing next to each other. The middle wolf was a dazzling grey with blue eyes and a massive size difference to the other two. On the left of the middle wolf was a smaller, black wolf standing proudly next to the larger animal. And on the right was a light tan wolf; green eyes staring seductively down at anyone who walked towards the building.
It was a very powerful image for all of the Omegas as they filed off of the bus that had brought them back to their new home. Minami, stood next to Yuri as he studied the image intently.
" Are they supposed to be Omegas?" The young boy asked, wide eyed.
Yuri rolled his eyes at the question. He hated it when Minami asked him questions, but the kid was an ocean of inquiry.
"The outer two are, yes." Yuri said, trying to push his anger aside.
"How can you tell?"
Yuri grunted annoyed at the question. "It's obvious!" He said a little too loudly. "See how large and muscular the middle one is? And then the other two are smaller, more delicate. And they're standing slightly behind the Alpha."
Minami nodded his head but didn't respond other than that, before getting distracted and wandering away. Yuri continued to stare at the new Insignia. It was nice. It actually felt like something they could be proud of.
"Omegas! Gather around the busses please!"
Yuri turned toward the voice and began moving toward the source of it. The young man, a Beta by the scent, was tall, slightly larger build than a typical Omega and had that ridiculous hair style where it was faded on the bottom and full on the top. He huffed under his breath as they finally all congregated around the busses.
"My name is Otabek Altin and I am the new Head of House. There are going to be a lot of changes over the next few months and I need you all to try and learn all of the rules to ensure your safety during this time. "
Yuri squinted up suspiciously at the man. Hardly a man, actually, he seemed very young. Still, he seemed confident and spoke well, and that was something that Omegas typically liked in other people.
"When you go inside, there are new room assignments. If you are not paired with your last roommate, and wish to be, please speak to any member of staff." The man went on with barely a breath, "There is now a dress code."
This was meat with sighs and even a few groans of disapproval from some of the younger Omegas. Yuri felt his stomach clench at the blatant disrespect, and he saw as the majority of the older Omegas subconsciously stepped away from the younger ones.
"Yes I know, poor you." Otabek said in a monotone, "Nevertheless, you will be expected to wear the wraps given to you. Each wrap is color coded to help staff distinguish the Omegas. It will help us keep you safer, so please—no switching."
Yuri could feel the mass sigh of relief from the older Omegas as the Beta—Otabek –simply ignored the disrespect and moved on. That was—different.
"The staff will be wearing robes while on campus, so when you go inside to see your room assignments look for the people in pale blue robes, like my own." He pointed at his robes and then went on. "The color coded emblems will be explained inside so make sure you listen when the staff explains it."
The man looked down at his hands which, Yuri now saw held several papers. "Classes are going to be different now, so when you have your robes, be sure to step aside and go to one of the staff wearing red belts. They will explain the schedules."
This was a lot of new information, and it was beginning to overwhelm Yuri a little bit. He fought to keep himself from getting fidgety and kept his eyes firmly on the Beta speaking.
"The Viewing process has changed as well. Those Omegas who were previously in Viewings will need a briefing. You'll visit the staff with yellow belts." He looked up then and looked at them all. "If you are supposed to be moving to Viewings soon, be patient. With all of the new changes, it may take a little time before we can move you up. If you get confused as to who you need to speak to, just ask any member of staff wearing the blue robes," He pointed to his own again, "And they will point you in the right direction. Alright, start heading inside."
When Yurio made it inside to see his new room assignment he was a little shocked to see that he was now on the second floor, and had a new roommate. He had told himself that a new roommate would be whatever. He wasn't planning on getting close to anyone, period. But it still shook him a little. Being that close to someone physically typically meant that a bond would happen. And he just—he wasn't ready for something like that again. He felt the need to keep himself to himself for a while.
He got into the line where he received his new wraps which turned out to be pure white, just like the other Omega's. The distinctions were the colors of the insignia; his had a green version drawn on the left corner just over his chest. Otabek had explained that the colors were just another way of keeping track of everyone.
The wrap or robe color told who you were in the House- Blue for staff, grey for servers and white for Omegas. Alphas were going to be given black robes upon their entering the House as well.
The different color insignias on the Omega robes meant their age range; blue for younger than 16 year olds, Green for 16-17, Gold for 18-20 and Red for 20 and older. This color code was posted on the halls down on the first floor so that the visiting Alphas would be aware of the color meanings during Viewings.
Minami came bounding up to Yuri with a large grin on his face, squealing annoyingly as he shook his new wraps.
"Can you believe it?! These wraps are beautiful! We're going to look so good in them!"
Yuri rolled his eyes and scowled, moving to step away from the younger Omega, but Minami had different ideas. He stepped back in front of Yuri and tossed one of his new wraps on with surprising grace. The material was some sort of cotton wool blend, but it flowed delicately like silk. It was nothing like he'd ever seen before, and he had to admit that Minami looked very good in it.
"Oh! It's so warm and beautiful! And I love the blue!" He said, bouncing up and down eagerly. Yuri was just about to tell him to calm down when Otabek made his way over.
Up close Yuri was able to tell that he was definitely young, as he had thought, though maybe a few years older. Otabek smiled at the young bouncing Omega and then looked at Yuri, his smile fading just a bit.
"Do you not like the wraps?"
Yuri shrugged. "I haven't tried mine on yet."
Otabek nodded. "The older Omegas all seem a little more subdued than the younger ones about the changes, but I think once your schedules get into a routine, you'll enjoy it a bit more."
Yuri shrugged again, but nodded in a way that said perhaps. Minami caught sight of one of his friends and rushed over to examine their robe closer, bouncing the whole way.
"I guess it's hard to get excited about things once you've had to deal with so much." Otabek continued.
Yuri stared at him. Why was he talking to him? He guessed he was trying to distinguish himself from their previous staff, but it still seemed odd.
"I guess." Yuri responded softly. "I should probably go to my dorm now. We have classes in the morning and I don't want to be too tired."
Otabek nodded and turned away, making his way through the crowds of people without another word. Strange.
Yuri's new roommate was a girl who was closer to his own age. She had shoulder length red hair and gave him a quick nod when he walked into their new shared dorm. He had the intention of saying hello, but the first look at the dorm quickly pushed the greeting from his mind.
"Wow." He said softly.
The rooms were still quite small, but at least double the size of the previous dorms. There were the same small windows, though now there were two and the space between the beds was much more pronounced. His roommate nodded in agreement at his surprised look.
"I think they tore down walls in between every other dorm and made two dorms into one." She said, looking around as she sat on the bed. "It's nothing special, but it's kind of nice to have a little breathing room."
Yuri nodded as he examined the closet that was going to be his. It had enough space for all of his belongings as well as his new robes and still had space to spare. The color of the rooms had been changed as well, from the blank white walls (which had always been stained) to a warm tope color. They now had two bedside tables as well, which each had a tiny lamp on it.
"I'm Mila." The girl said, standing up and extending her hand. Yuri looked at her hand for a moment before extending his own and gripping lightly.
"I'm Yuri." He didn't smile, but he did try to release a friendly scent. Mila smiled at the gesture, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. He immediately felt like this could work. Both of them obviously having been there for more than a few months, meant that they had dealt with the House at its worse. And that meant, to Yuri anyway, that she would understand his reluctance to becoming friends.
/
Getting used to the new routine was slow going. There was not a lights out anymore, though they were told that it was highly recommended that they go to sleep before 9pm. Noise was not tolerated after 8pm, as there were some Omegas who would be getting up earlier than others, still, and they had to be courteous.
Showers were extended to 10 minutes per dorm, though it was still on a timer and would shut off if you went past. There had been no stories of punishment for anyone who wasn't out and dried off by the time the water shut off, but Yuri and Mila were both diligent about being fully dried and dressed well before that happened.
He supposed he would always have some sense of his shower's length after the past year, but he didn't mind it so much, now that they had a bit more time. The shower schedule was much the same as before, but that extra four minutes really helped with the overall hygienic conditions of the House.
Meals were no longer eaten in the classrooms; instead they were lined up by their Caretakers and taken down to the dining hall, which had existed before the renovations, though used only for staff. The food was not the best in the world, but it wasn't the worst either. It was different every day, and hot when they were served, and they even had a few options now, instead of everyone getting the exact same thing.
Several of the Omegas Yuri had known had begun to put on weight, and the glow of health began radiating from most of them. He didn't know it, but he had begun to change too. His weight loss after being sick had been drastic, but the new food, longer showers and better sleep quality had already brought the shine back to his hair and the gaunt grey color of his skin had dissipated back into his normal creamy complexion.
Even with all of the seemingly good changes, Yuri still tried to heed his prior lessons. Mila was kind, and she often tried to talk to him, though nothing as bad as Minami. He wasn't rude—exactly, but he made a point to keep things shallow. Mila was 20, her robes were white with the gold insignia and several months after they had moved back into the House, when the doors opened back for Alphas, she spent most evenings in the Viewing Room.
She commented after her first night back, that it had changed since before as well. The Viewing had originally been a large room where the Omegas would gather and the Alphas would watch from a two way mirror. If the Alpha liked you, they would ask for a private Viewing and you would be taken to a much smaller, private room. Now, however, the room for Viewing was very large, and decorated with book shelves, games and a few TV's. It was connected to an outdoor space as well, so that during the warm seasons the Omegas could go outside and enjoy the weather.
The Alphas were let into this room, where they could interact with the Omegas. This, Mila had explained, gave the Omegas a little more power.
"If you see an Alpha that you like who isn't really speaking to anyone, then you can go over and say hello. Not like before where the Alpha was the one who did all the picking."
Private Viewings were discontinued though there were smaller rooms where an Alpha and Omega could go to have more privacy, but the Omega was always accompanied by a member of Staff, and they were able to leave whenever they wanted.
It wasn't long after they House had been reopened to Alphas that Mila had been chosen. She was of age and therefore able to leave immediately, but her Alpha had requested she stay and take some of the specialty courses that would be starting up in a few months. In the mean time, she and her new Alpha, Sara, were able to have private meals together, go on walks around the House and even go out into town—with a Beta staff member, of course.
Right around the time Mila was taken out of Viewing, Yuri received his slip that allowed him access to the Viewing Room. Upon receiving the slip, Yuri had been asked to go to Otabek's office for an evaluation.
It was complete DejaVu as he entered the large office on the main level. The desk, the windows, the ornate rug—it all reminded him of Victor's office, though he noted with bittersweet feelings that the scent of the strong Alpha was nowhere to be found.
"Plitsetsky." Otabek's voice was calm and confident, as it always was, and Yuri came into the room slowly, standing just in front of the desk.
"Have a seat, I just have a few questions for you."
Yuri sat down opposite the Beta and tried to keep his scent from perturbing anxiety.
"You're a transfer from Salks Omega House, yes?"
Yuri nodded, trying to keep the pain from his features at the memory of his brief time in Salsk.
"And you transferred here, a little over a year ago." It wasn't a question this time, but Yuri nodded again.
Otabek flipped through some papers and then looked intently at a specific section, reading it silently before looking up to meet Yuri's gaze.
"Are you comfortable moving from only classes to Viewings as well?"
Yuri hesitated. He was definitely ready to get out of this place. Even though the changes so far had seemed so nice, he couldn't deny his want for an Alpha. He'd be 18 in a little under a year and that meant he'd start having Heats.
"Yes."
Otabek stared at him for a long time; his eyes baring down onto Yuri almost like a physical force.
"Okay." Otabek sat back in his chair and folded his arms together gently. "You will be excused from afternoon classes to go to the Viewing Room." He reached over and handed Yuri a thin folder.
"This contains all of the information you need to know. Rules, regulations, and how to handle yourself around Alphas. If at any time, you feel like you don't want to continue going to the Viewing Room, you can speak to any member of staff and we'll remove you from Choosing Choices."
Yuri nodded as he took the folder, placing it in his lap delicately before taking a deep breath and looking back to Otabek. The Beta smiled at him kindly and then motioned for him to rise.
"If you have any questions, please ask a staff member or myself." The Beta said as he ushered Yuri out of his office. "We'll have another evaluation when you are of age. Until then, you're all set."
Yuri nodded again, standing up slowly and making his way back to the door. Everything about Viewing seemed so…professional. Which he supposed was a good thing, but it seemed to go against his primitive nature. Part of him wanted an Alpha to see him and just go nuts over him, refuse to be parted from him. He wanted the Alpha to just lose control and really just go for it.
He turned back to Otabek before he reached the door. "Thank you, Mr. Altin."
Otabek had been looking at some papers, but at Yuri's words he looked up and smiled, nodding his head once before looking back down. Yuri wasn't sure why, but he thought he liked Otabek.
/
Mila had been so ridiculously excited for him to go to his first Viewing. She was almost as bad as Phichit had been, though obviously she was only excited for him.
"This new way is so great. You're going to love it! Even if no Alpha seems interested, there are games, and outdoor time, and T.V! And there's no way that you're not going to grab an Alpha's attention. You're so pretty." She said matter of factually.
Yuri scowled. He didn't mind being called pretty exactly; he just didn't like being auctioned off before he really even got started. He didn't really want to find an Alpha his first Viewing. Sure he liked the idea of an Alpha seeing him and losing control, but that was a fantasy. Reality was, an Alpha would be the end of his freedom. Even a nice Alpha. And as his first Viewing grew closer, he could feel his freedom slipping away.
It was actually a silly thought. He had no freedom. As an Omega his lot in life had been predetermined and there was nothing he could do to change it. He was at the mercy of those around him—always, and his main goal in life was to find an Alpha who would protect him as well as treat him decently well. That was it. Nothing else. But these past few months under new management had given him a taste of what he remembered from Salsk. Being an Omega and somehow, miraculously being free as well.
He stood up, startling Mila from her babbling. "I think I'm going to go skate."
Ah Skating.
The new Special Courses Building had taken 4 months to open. It still wasn't fully finished, but Otabek had insisted that it be safe for use sooner rather than later. The building itself was massive, at least the size, if not larger, than the House itself. It had regular classrooms on the upper level where Omegas could learn language, politics, art, healing, cooking, and other such basic trades, but the bottom levels had activity rooms where the Omegas could learn special skills. There was a pool, a rock climbing wall, a kickboxing ring and an ice rink. They had all been gathered for a tour of the new building upon it's unveiling and the moment they walked past the shiny platform of the ice rink, Yuri had stared at it in awe.
It was like discovering something that you never knew was missing, something that his entire being had been screaming at him to find, yet he was unable to place the pieces together until he finally sat eyes on it. Skating called to him, like a lovers voice; softly and inciting.
It hadn't been difficult to request rink time, either. Once he asked a staff member, they had checked his file to make sure he was at least 17, and his medical history. Then it was simply a matter of making sure he wasn't skipping classes or interrupting classes. He was given a pass that had the day and time frame for his allotted skate time, and the rest was history.
Shaky at first, but slowly becoming more comfortable, Yuri skated. He skated so often that Otabek had signed off on a special pass that would allow him in the rink any time as long as it wasn't during one of his classes or a class for those studying ice skating as a special course. It turned out that ice skating wasn't a typical area of study, so Yuri ended up being allowed to skate pretty much any time he wanted to outside of his own classes.
As he bounded toward the ice rink after leaving Mila in their dorm, he could feel the familiar pull in his stomach, the pull to the ice, calling his name, begging him to skate. He walked through the Special Courses doors and headed down toward the ice rink. The woman working at the counter smiled at him as she handed him his skates.
"Back already, I see." She said, making small talk. Yuri didn't smile at her; he simply nodded as he took the skates and then headed toward the changing rooms without a word. He made little work of changing his shoes for skates, and before he knew it, he was taking a deep, calming breath; letting the coldness from the ice roll over him as his blades hit the solid water.
Skating was euphoric for Yuri. After the falling, the getting back up, the learning to stop and go faster, learning to go backwards and twirling around, after the basics and a few tricks, skating was like breathing. The familiar scratch of blade on ice soothed his anxiety ridden mind, and he held his arms out casually as he swayed from side to side.
There was no music, but he didn't need any. He let himself zone out, imagining that he was on a lake back home, surrounded by gardens and trees and perhaps a large House in the background and a beautiful Omega and Alpha watching from near by.
Even thinking of Yuuri and Victor didn't seem as terrible while he was skating. Vaguely he was aware that simply enough time had passed that he could think about them without it shattering him, but his fantasy while on the ice just made it seem better all the same.
He turned his skates slightly, making a smooth turn and gliding up the ice easily. He pictured that it was spring, the gardens in full bloom with the aroma of honeysuckle filling the air, birds chirping and laughter coming from afar—it didn't matter that ice wouldn't be on the lake during spring, because he could honestly give two fucks.
He let his eyes close and he maneuvered his skates so that he was going around and around in tight circles, keeping his arms out and swaying gently to the inertia. God he loved skating. He could honestly skate forever.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he felt the beginnings of a dizzy spell hit him and he opened his eyes, wobbling slightly before bringing himself to a full stop. He was panting, sweating a little, but still feeling so much better than he had before, when a clapping sound boomed across the ice.
He looked toward the source of the sound and he froze in place.
"You're really good at that." The man said, walking up to the wall and leaning against it.
Yuri immediately recognized the scent of an Alpha and he struggled to keep his scent controlled. Yes, it was a bit odd to find himself alone with an Alpha, but the man didn't seem threatening. His scent was calm, not aroused and he had a wide smile on his face as he stared toothily at Yuri.
"Thank you." Yuri said in a monotone, staying toward the middle of the ice.
"How long have you been skating?" The man asked, still leaning against the wall. Yuri was grateful for that. Sudden moves would only make him anxious and he didn't want to offend the Alpha, but he also didn't want the man moving near him.
"A few months. Since the new building opened." He elaborated. The man nodded and then turned, slowly, looking around.
"It's very nice. They must have spent a fortune on this place." Yuri recognized the intentional break in eye contact.
With his back turned, Yuri suddenly felt safe enough to head toward the exit of the rink. He skated over to it and then glanced toward the man, checking to make sure he was still facing away. The man was older, but not by too much. Yuri put him in his late twenties, close to Otabek's age. He was tanned skinned; blue eyed and had a hair cut very similar to Otabek's. All in all, he wasn't a bad looking guy, and Yuri really did appreciate the subtle moves to make him feel more comfortable.
The Alpha kept his face pointed away from Yuri as he sat down on one of the benches and switched his skates for his shoes. And when Yuri was finished, the man glanced at him, but made no move to come closer.
"So do you have an Alpha asking you to take skating courses then?"
Yuri eyed the man. It probably wasn't considered forward to ask such a question, they were in an Omega House after all, but it still felt a little too personal. He wasn't sure how to react to it. So he just stared at him.
The silence stretched way passed awkward when the man finally raised his hands in a defeated gesture.
"Okay, my bad. Too soon. How about a name?" He asked, putting his hands down slowly.
Yuri eyed him again, though he really had no issue with giving his name. But he still didn't like how the man had just jumped the gun about asking about an Alpha. So he still remained silent. The man chuckled, shaking his head and backing up just a bit.
"Well, you're a chatty one."
Yuri made an angry face and then grabbed his skates heading back to the counter to turn them in.
"Oh hey, come on, I'm sorry." The Alpha said, following him quickly. "I didn't mean to offend, I was just teasing."
"Well don't." Yuri hissed as he stomped toward the counter.
The Alpha caught up to him, breathing a tiny bit heavier than normal as he walked to stay side by side with Yuri's quick pace. "Well look, how about I don't tease you if you be a bit more open with me?"
"Why would I be open with you?" Yuri spat angrily, "I don't even know you."
The man opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment the staff member behind the counter popped into view and she smiled at them as they approached. Yuri glanced at the Alpha angrily before stepping to put his skates up.
"I'm sorry sir, are you here looking for someone in particular?" She asked as she took Yuri's skates, keeping direct eye contact with the Alpha.
The man shook his head and looked around the rink again. "Just came to see how nice this place is now. Ran into this one while he was skating." He said nodding toward Yuri.
She nodded and smiled at Yuri. "Well I'm afraid I can't allow you to be alone with him. He's not officiated for Viewings yet."
Thankfully, the Alpha didn't push. He held up his hands in that same defeated gesture as before, and stepped away slowly.
"Absolutely! No problem, whatsoever. I need to get back to my hotel anyway." He looked at Yuri then and smiled. "It was very nice watching you skate. It was very nice." The Alpha's tone was sincere and it threw Yuri off having an Alpha be so compliant about the rules of the House.
It hadn't been a secret that many Alphas had disliked the new rules under the new management. The respect Omegas were allotted, the safety measures—a lot of their old Alphas flat out refused to abide by them, and therefore were no longer allowed inside. But this Alpha…he didn't seem to mind. He had been a little cheeky, that was sure, but he hadn't actually frightened Yuri, and he had taken the staffers first hint when being told to leave him alone.
Yuri glared after him as he walked away and out of sight. There was something strangely familiar about that Alpha.
