Author's Note: Hey everyone! Welcome to my new story and my first attempt at writing ABO :) I'm currently trapped inside my house from a snow storm so I figured why not post a new story lol XD This is also my first time writing a Luffy x Nami story, my first love amongst all One Piece ships. Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy it!
GENERAL WARNINGS:
- Non-traditional ABO dynamics
- Modern AU
- Basic ABO stuff (i.e. scents, mates, heats, etc.)
- Gang violence
- Mentions of drug use
- Possessive behavior
- Blood/violence
- Toxic friendships (though they won't stay that way)
I also wanted to note that though there will be references to mature themes in this story, there will be NO explicit scenes. I intend to keep it at the T rating if I can (though I will raise it if I feel that it is necessary).
Also, these are some other pairings that make appearances in this story (more to be added as the story progresses):
- Usopp x Kaya
- Zoro x Hiyori
- Sabo x Koala
Now, on to the story!
Dressrosa, the city of passion.
In many ways, it lived up to its name. With such a large population, there was a very good chance to find a mate amongst its many lounges, clubs, and bars. However, it was not all fun and games for those who called Dressrosa home.
Ever since the betas outed the local alpha leadership that had been in power for generations, the power balance became lopsided. It became more and more difficult for alphas to find a job and slowly but surely, they were drawn to the allure of the underworld, where they didn't have to feel oppressed or discriminated against.
This, in turn, meant increased crime and danger for the innocents just trying to survive.
The betas did their best to maintain order, but they simply didn't have the natural ability to lead that alphas were born with. And so, Dressrosa was thrown into turmoil for many years, trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of civil war. However, a shaky peace was established thanks to the creation of three special law enforcement groups run by the new beta leadership.
The first was the Beta Protection Unit who specialized in keeping betas from harm in a city of 'predators' with no self-control.
Second, was the addition of the Omega Protective Services to the Department of Home & Family Safety. This included individuals who were trained in proper omega handling and de-escalation techniques.
Finally, the Alpha Control Unit, which earned a lot of backlash from the alpha members of the community. This was a specialized tactical unit of alpha soldiers whose only job was to deal with other alphas who were seen as 'suspicious' or potentially dangerous.
Despite the system's flaws, the betas were pleased with how effective the triad was at dropping crime rates and continued to push for their permanent installation in the city's law enforcement offices. While the government worked to create a utopia for betas, one free of the 'constraints of secondary characteristics', many members of society fought back, wishing for a return to the old ways where alphas led and betas followed.
Alphas cast out by betas who used to support them resorted to forming gangs and earning power in less than legal ways due to the intolerance growing around them. Eventually, one group came out on top to lead the underworld of Dressrosa, the Donquixote Family. They swept through the city like a wave, absorbing smaller gangs and destroying those who wouldn't yield.
When the betas realized that not even their prized Alpha Control Unit could stand against them, they stopped fighting the gang, allowing them to spread their influence all throughout the city. With this, the power balance re-formed, albeit unnaturally. The Donquixote Family owned the darkness, and the government basked in the 'light', struggling to maintain their fragile hold on the trust of the people.
Luffy woke to the unfortunately familiar sound of screaming from the apartment next door. He groaned and covered his head with a pillow in an attempt to drown out the sound. It was way too early for this…
After almost thirty minutes of straight fighting, courtesy of his neighbors who desperately needed to go to some counseling, Luffy gave up trying to sleep and rolled out of bed, hoping a nice hot shower would help him feel better. When he flipped on the light to his bathroom, he winced at the brightness and squinted at his disheveled reflection in the mirror.
Luffy wasn't very tall or broad…no, he was 'fun-sized'. Or at least that's what his brothers told him. But, even if he wasn't big, he was lean and very proud of the strength he'd managed to build over the years. MMA was a passion of his that he'd taken up at a young age despite presenting as an omega.
According to all the textbooks he was forced to read in school, omegas were always physically weak, home makers, and submissive, which Luffy thought was stupid. Why did a book get to decide that? Though, he attributed some of his abnormal traits to how he was raised.
Luffy never knew his parents and was raised by his grandfather, Garp, along with his two adoptive brothers, Ace and Sabo. Both of his brothers were three years older than him and were the greatest siblings EVER, at least in Luffy's opinion. They always looked after him and were strong fighters, never ones to back down from a challenge. He vividly remembered how mad Garp had been when he found out Ace and Sabo had taken Luffy to a boxing match.
It wouldn't have been so bad if Luffy hadn't accidently fallen into the ring and disqualified his grandfather's favorite fighter.
He giggled softly to himself at the memory as he turned on the water, allowing it to warm up. That felt like so long ago now…he'd been twelve at the time. Now both his brothers lived elsewhere while Garp was buried at the Dressrosa National Cemetery. He died after a bout with pancreatic cancer two years ago.
Luffy huffed, slapping both his cheeks to keep the sad memories from taking over. He missed his grandpa, but Garp wouldn't be happy with him if he kept dwelling on the past. Stripping off his pajamas, he stepped into the tub, yelping at the dangerously hot water. Quickly turning the faucet, Luffy felt his body relax under the stream of (thankfully not scalding) warmth.
Yeah, that was better.
Grabbing his bright red loofa, Luffy lathered it with soap and hummed as he washed himself. He was particularly careful around his scent gland, knowing from experience that rough grooming could really hurt.
He grimaced slightly when he felt his stomach, feeling a bit swollen. That's right…it was almost time for his monthly heat. He'd have to take more suppressants than normal-
Luffy groaned in annoyance when he looked down and saw blood mixed with slick staining the bottom of the tub. Damn, apparently it was already here. Omegas had the unfortunate pleasure of going through monthly heat cycles every month. Back in the day, before modern medicine, omegas had no choice but to endure it, usually with the help of an alpha.
Nowadays, all he had to do was take medication and he could go about his business with just a little bit of discomfort. The only time omegas would go without suppressants was when they wanted to attract a mate or have a baby…or so he'd heard. Plus, with all the 'omega laws', it was technically illegal to go out in public during your heat without proper suppressants. According to the government, it was like walking around without any clothes on.
Luffy didn't really get it but knew better than to abstain. Besides, going through heat without suppressants really sucked. Garp made him suffer through his very first heat so he 'knew what it felt like' and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to do that again.
Sighing, he cleaned himself up and stepped out of the tub. Wrapping the towel around his waist, Luffy rummaged through the medicine cabinet, looking for his 'heat drugs', as his friends jokingly called them. While he didn't mind the teasing, some of his other omega friends found it offensive, saying other presentations couldn't possibly understand what they went through on a monthly basis.
Of course, alphas also had their own version of heat, called a 'rut', that happened once or twice a year. Unfortunately, there weren't as many suppressants out that were effective with ruts, meaning most alphas had to shut themselves away for a few days or risk hurting somebody.
Luffy remembered Ace's first rut well due to the fact that he'd punched Garp in the face and ended up locked in the shed out back for almost twenty-four hours straight.
Betas, strangely enough, were the only group that didn't have to worry about heats or ruts. They just…existed? Sabo said they were like the middle-man between omegas and alphas. Betas had scent glands and were effected by scents, but not nearly as much as their counterparts. As a child, both Luffy and Ace had complained to Sabo, saying he had it easy.
"There you are!" He chirped, pulling out a pill bottle with a bright red cap. These suppressants were almost two times stronger than the ones he used on a daily basis and would allow him to leave his house for the week of his heat. They would also keep his symptoms light, which was always a blessing. He'd usually have some cramps, fatigue, light leakage of slick or blood, and occasionally nausea, but nothing terrible.
Downing two pills, Luffy washed his face, fluffed his hair with a towel, and trotted back into his bedroom to pick out some clothes for the day. He worked in the morning and would see his friends for lunch…
Humming, Luffy ended up choosing a dark pair of cargo pants (because his employer didn't allow shorts) and a bright red tank-top. When the clothing was on, he placed a hand on his chest, over his scar. It was large, covering almost his entire chest. He'd gotten it years before when an old enemy of his grandpa's set their house on fire.
A beam fell on him and trapped him against the flooring, searing the subtle flesh with its heat. It didn't hurt anymore, but still earned him some concerned looks when he wore clothing that showed it off. Luffy also had a crescent shaped one under his left eye that he'd given himself trying to prove he was brave…his brothers had been pissed.
Luffy didn't mind the attention and, frankly, didn't care what other people thought.
Alphas weren't the only ones with scars.
Stretching his arms above his head, Luffy made his way into the kitchen of his tiny one-bedroom apartment, opening the fridge to see what he had to eat. Unfortunately, it was essentially empty. The omega pouted and shut the door dejectedly. Hopefully he could have some food at work. He wouldn't get his paycheck for a few days so he'd have to ask Sanji to feed him for a while.
When he walked back into his bedroom and made to put his sandals on, his phone rang. Putting one foot over his knee, Luffy pulled the phone across the bed and smiled at the caller ID. His brother had a weird way of knowing when he needed something or was in trouble.
"Hey, Ace!" He chirped while slipping on one shoe and lowering his leg to the floor, "What's up?"
"'Morning, Lu. Just wanted to call and make sure you were doing okay." Luffy chuckled softly, thinking his brother was a strange alpha, always calling to check on him with that 'motherly' instinct Sabo teased him about.
Not that Sabo was much better. Luffy got texts from him almost every day despite the beta living overseas with his mate, Koala.
"I'm doing good, just getting ready to head to work."
"What about your heat? That starts soon, right?"
"Yeah, this morning actually." Luffy said, holding the phone between his ear and his shoulder as he pulled the straps on his sandals tighter, "Don't worry, I already took my meds."
"And you feel all right? Just let me know if you need your big brother…I can be there in a few hours-"
"Shishishi, you worry too much!" Luffy laughed, standing to his feet, "I'm nineteen, Ace, I can handle myself."
"I know, I know…but I still worry. Oh yeah, I've got someone here who wants to say hello…" Luffy grinned as the phone was shuffled around on the other side. "Say hi to Uncle Luffy, munchkin."
"Hiii~" A high-pitched voice squeaked, making Luffy almost squeal himself at how adorable Ace's little girl was, "Uncle Lu, Uncle Lu, guess what?"
"What?"
"I think Daddy misses you. He keeps staring at his phone when he should be playing with me!"
"Shishishi, I think you're right!" Luffy replied, giggling at Ace's indignant muttering in the background.
Ace was a bit of an anomaly in the alpha community. He'd had a bit of a rough start and ended up being pressured into a relationship with an omega when he was only seventeen by the local beta counselors who thought if they got young alphas mated early, it would somehow solve all of their problems.
At eighteen, Ace's partner got pregnant but hadn't wanted to keep the baby, saying it would somehow 'ruin her image'. Luffy hated omegas like her, those who thought they were so special just because the government said they were. As soon as Luffy turned eighteen, he'd started to get invitations from the local authorities, asking him to participate in scenting trials to 'further the alpha restraint effort', but he'd never called them back.
Eventually, Ace and the omega separated, though he did manage to convince her to keep the baby. With a brief word to them saying she was moving to another country to pursue…something or other, she left, leaving little baby Tama to Ace to raise. Personally, Luffy thought his brother was a great dad, alpha or not. It just goes to show that secondary genders didn't determine everything about you.
With all the new suppressants out, it was no wonder some omegas were rejecting the idea of raising a child, which went against their very nature. Though, privately, Luffy thought having a pup would be amazing. He was already preening over Tama, and she was just his niece!
"All right, baby girl, go get dressed. Daddy needs to say bye to Luffy." He stifled a laugh at Tama's objection, slowly dissipating into the background as she did what she was told.
"She's growing up so fast."
"Yeah…" Ace whispered, fondness clear in his voice, "She's almost five years old…can you believe it? You know what else is great, my new job comes with daycare!"
"Eh, that's cool." Luffy replied, checking the time. He'd have to leave soon if he wanted to make it to work on time. It was then that something clicked in his head. "Hey, wait, I thought you were getting in with the Whitebeards…are you saying you joined a gang for their daycare services?"
"Well, their cover business has daycare and good benefits, Lu! The government will have no idea I'm not legit!"
Ace lived in a city a few hours away from Dressrosa, one that was run by the Whitebeard gang, a group similar but all-together different from the ruthless Donquixote Family that ruled Luffy's home. They were known to be just, kind, and accepting of almost everyone. As an alpha with a child, Ace had started looking into them as soon as he arrived in the city.
It was ironic really, considering Ace had talked about taking them down when he was a child, but having a pup of your own really changes things. Tama was now more important than Ace's pride as an alpha.
"You know…you could still move here, Lu. Pops would take you in, no questions asked." Luffy sighed, having heard this before. Ace didn't like that he lived alone in a dangerous place like Dressrosa.
"All my friends are here, Ace…I can't just leave them."
"I get it, Lu, I really do…but that place is dangerous and your friends, well…" He understood Ace's feelings. Dressrosa was a hard place to live, especially as an unmated omega.
"I'll be fine, Ace." He reassured, "Listen if something happens, you'll be the first one I call, okay? You can even come pick me up." His brother huffed.
"All right, I'll hold you to that."
"Good, now I gotta go! Talk to you later?"
"Yeah, love you, Lu!"
"Love you too! Give Tama a kiss from me!" With that, Luffy hung up and stored his phone in his pocket. He grabbed his apartment key and rushed out the door, chirping a 'hello' to his neighbor. The beta waved dejectedly from where he sat against the rusty exterior of the building, likely kicked out by his mate again.
They were always fighting.
After locking the door, Luffy trotted down the stairs and stood at the cross-walk just in front of his building, excited to get to work and see what kinds of sweets his boss had already made. He usually let Luffy have the leftovers, which would also serve as his breakfast for the day. Once he'd safely crossed the street, he padded down the sidewalk towards the bus stop, very much aware of the many scents that permeated the air around him.
He could smell things like food, garbage rotting in a nearby alley, and even exhaust from passing vehicles, but as usual, it was the people that gave off the strongest scents. Even betas, who were known to have naturally miniscule scents, all had their own unique smell. A male beta who passed him while talking loudly on the phone, for example, smelled like…alcohol? It made Luffy's nose wrinkle in distaste.
For those he was close with, he could tell they were nearby with one whiff.
Ace smelled like the smoldering cinders of a fading fire while Sabo's reminded Luffy of that old book smell. Tama's hadn't developed yet, but he suspected hers would be sweet, just like her!
"Hey, watch where you're going!"
"Huh, you talking to me?"
Luffy glanced to his right just in time to witness two alphas growling at each other, foreheads almost touching. He huffed and kept walking, knowing things like that were pretty common in this part of the city. It was on the outskirts of town, so smaller gangs that wanted to avoid detection from both the authorities and the Donquixote Family would gather and subsequently clash.
Luffy subtly sniffed again, determining those two alphas didn't have much of a presence. They must not be that impressive.
When he reached the bus stop, there were a few others already there, waiting on the vehicle. Luffy smiled at a female omega who blushed and looked down at her shoes. She looked pretty young…maybe a high schooler?
"Hi, I'm Luffy! What's your name?"
"E-Erm…I'm Rebecca." The pink-haired girl muttered, pulling at her short skirt nervously. It was then that Luffy noticed a beta staring at the female with lust obvious on his face, the creep. People always assumed alphas were the major troublemakers, but betas could be pretty terrible too.
Keeping his smile, Luffy stepped in close to the girl and rubbed their scent glands together in a friendly greeting, making sure to release a big dose of his scent right into the beta's face. He watched triumphantly as the beta's eyelids began to droop and he looked away, as if lost in thought.
An omega's scent could do lots of things, but it was mainly used for soothing or calming people down. Luffy's scent, however, was particularly strong. So strong in fact, that when he was younger, he'd accidently knock people unconscious.
Rebecca purred against his cheek, returning his greeting. Luffy grinned and retreated, pleased he'd successfully helped someone and made a new friend! He looked over his shoulder when he heard a grunt and smiled sheepishly at an elderly alpha who was also waiting for the bus. Poor guy had a hand over his nose.
"Shishishi…sorry." Luffy whispered, earning a huff of annoyance from the alpha.
"It's all right, just be more careful flaunting your scent like that. Not all alphas have as much self-control as I do."
Luffy thanked the man for his advice and turned back to Rebecca. They talked for a few minutes while waiting on the bus and he learned that she was new to town. Apparently, her family had just moved there and today was her first day at the local school.
"Eh, that's so cool!" He chirped, stuffing his hands in his pockets and leaning forward as he smiled, "I bet you'll make lots of friends!"
"Y-You think so?"
Just before Luffy could reply, the bus turned the corner and pulled up the stop. When the doors opened, a few betas got off, leaving room for the newcomers to get on. The two omegas got on last, allowing the others to board first. Luffy kept his eye on the beta he'd suppressed, making sure he wasn't going to try anything. Thankfully, he said nothing and took a seat close to the front.
"OOOOOOWWW, LUFFY!" The driver greeted, startling Rebecca, "GOOD MORNING!"
"Hi Franky!" Luffy replied, sending the fiery beta a smile, "How are you?"
"SUUUUPPPER GOOD, BROTHER! LIVING MY BEST LIFE!"
Luffy laughed and helped Rebecca up into the bus. Franky was one of his older friends and he was always so funny to talk to. His wife, Robin, worked at the museum downtown and was super smart. She'd helped Luffy pass his classes back when he was in school.
While Franky closed the door, he scanned the passengers of the bus, searching for a good place to sit. Next to the creepy beta was a no-go, so he looked further. Eventually, he tugged Rebecca along to the second to last row where a funny looking alpha with a ring piercing in his nose sat.
"Hey, can we join you?" Luffy asked, causing some of the betas on the bus to gasp. He supposed it would be more normal for omegas to seek the company of 'non-threatening' people, but this alpha seemed nice enough. Luffy could just tell.
"Uh…sure." The green-haired alpha said, watching closely as Luffy sat next to him and tugged Rebecca down to his left. "You an omega?"
"Yep! So's she." He explained, causing Rebecca to nod politely. The poor girl was shaking under the alpha's gaze but Luffy released some calming pheromones in her direction, which seemed to help. "I'm Luffy, and this is my new friend, Rebecca."
"I'm Bartolomeo." The guy said with a puffed out chest, straightening slightly. Luffy laughed inwardly, immediately recognizing that the alpha was trying to impress them.
The bus ride actually went very smoothly. Bartolomeo was chatty, but nice (as Luffy expected) and seemed to enjoy basking in the scent of two omegas. In fact, he was fairly certain the entire bus tried to subtly sniff them at one point or another. It was just part of being an omega…people liked to smell you.
Luffy was used to it, but it was clear Rebecca was not, so he made sure to act as her support by allowing her to scent him whenever she liked to calm herself down. He could feel Bartolomeo's eyes on them whenever Rebecca would rub against his scent gland. Platonic scenting was fairly common among omegas but was considered incredibly inappropriate whenever others did it due to the intimacy of the act.
Usually, it was reserved for the mated…at least, that's what his brothers told him. Luffy wasn't a shy person, he scented his friends all the time, even the alphas. That wasn't to say he would allow just anyone near his neck. No, he had to feel like he trusted them first. Your neck was your must vulnerable and private area, it was dangerous to bare it to someone with potentially nefarious intentions.
It was where your scent originated from and where your mate would place their claiming bite.
"U-Uh…" Bartolomeo stuttered before clearing his throat as they arrived at their destination, "It was nice to meet both of you. I hope to see you around sometime."
Luffy giggled, finding the alpha's nervousness amusing. It was clear that politeness was not necessarily his forte but he was trying his best, nonetheless.
"Yeah, nice to meet you as well!"
"T-Thank you for allowing us to sit with you." Rebecca managed, bowing slightly.
Luffy and the young omega got off at the same stop, where he said farewell to her. The school was just around the corner, but he watched her go anyway, not wanting anything to happen to her on his watch. Once she was safely away and the bus was gone, Luffy inhaled sharply and took off in a jog towards his destination: Charlotte Sweets & Desserts.
A bell rang when he entered the shop, alerting its owner to his arrival.
"You're actually on time today…I'm surprised."
"Shishishi, my neighbors woke me up again." Luffy said with a chuckle, slipping behind the counter to put his keys away and grab his white apron. The uniform had the shop's symbol on it, a little dancing donut that he thought was just the cutest thing. "OH, get this Kata, I made some new friends on the bus today!"
"Oh?" Charlotte Katakuri answered while keeping his entire attention on delicately placing newly decorated donuts in the display case.
Luffy's boss was an alpha anomaly, just like Ace. He had a powerful presence but was always subdued and never lost control. It was part of the reason he was allowed to work within the city limits. The government couldn't find a reason to not let him run the shop. In general, most alphas fell in the 'moderate' spectrum, though some existed who Luffy would call predators.
Those alphas scared him, and not much could do that.
"Um…do you need to taste test anything?" Luffy asked, holding his hands behind his back and grinning sheepishly at the much taller alpha. Katakuri stopped what he was doing and examined him closely.
"You haven't eaten yet…have you."
"Nope, not today." Katakuri sighed and stood to his feet.
"Honestly Luffy, you should take better care of yourself. What will your brothers think if they come to visit and you've lost weight?" Luffy shivered at the thought while the older alpha stepped into the back and opened one of their many fridges. He drooled slightly when Katakuri removed a souffle, all done up with fruit and powdered sugar.
"Thank you!" He chirped, immediately digging in when the plate was handed to him. Katakuri watched him eat with disapproval, wiping frosting onto his matching apron.
"Don't make a habit of this, Luffy. I can't have my best employee collapsing from a lack of nutrition."
"I understand." He replied, mouth full of delicious goodness. Part of why he enjoyed the job so much was how caring Katakuri was, despite his somewhat intimidating appearance. There weren't many jobs available to omegas in the city that didn't involve…unsavory things. Luffy had worked hard to avoid those and ended up stumbling into the sweet shop, enticed by the smell of chocolate and cake.
Katakuri had listened to his story and hired him on the spot, saying he couldn't let a young, promising omega like him get involved in the darkness of Dressrosa.
Luffy purred quietly when his boss ruffled his hair and silently returned to work, preparing to open the shop for the day. For his part, he swiftly finished his breakfast and set himself up at the register, ready to welcome their first customers.
When lunch time rolled around, Luffy hung his apron up and chirped a goodbye to Katakuri, who simply raised his hand in farewell. It hadn't been a terribly busy morning but he was grateful to have a half day because that meant more time to spend with his friends.
Today, they were hanging out at The Baratie, where Sanji worked. The restaurant was pretty rough and tended to hire alphas who needed a job, so it required a bus ride outside of town due to 'restrictions' put in place by the government.
That is, unless you lived on the outskirts anyway. For Luffy, it wasn't too far of a walk.
He hummed to himself as he arrived, taking in the familiar sight of the restaurant's fish logo and broken windows. Apparently there'd been some fighting today, as usual. The building itself wasn't super nice but their food was amazing so many people didn't mind making the trip (if they were okay with the occasional scuffle between chefs and having their food served by an alpha).
Luffy pushed the door open, blinking when it completely fell off its hinges and onto the floor.
"Ah…oops."
"Don't worry about it." A familiar voice called, making the omega smile in greeting, "The damn thing broke earlier today."
Sanji looked impeccable, as always, in his suit and tie. The alpha valued his appearance very much and made sure to comb his blonde locks until they were sleek each and every day. According to some of his other friends, Sanji only dressed like that in an attempt to attract a mate…though so far, he hadn't had much luck due to his 'womanizing' tendencies.
"Shishishi, is that right?" Luffy answered, stepping over the broken wood, "Sounds like you've had a fun morning!" Sanji snorted.
"Yeah…I guess you could say that. You can go ahead and head to the patio. Usopp is already out there."
Luffy nodded and trotted through the restaurant, bypassing arguing chefs and waving to some of them he was familiar with. With how often he was there, most of the alphas knew his scent well and would stick their heads out of the kitchen to greet him. The patio, where their meet-ups usually happened, was empty of other patrons.
The only other person there was Usopp, yet another of Luffy's close friends.
"Oh, Luffy!" The beta exclaimed, waving his hand at him from where he sat at the table, "How was work this morning?"
"Good! Not super busy." Luffy answered, skipping up to hug his friend. He refrained from scenting Usopp due to the fact that he had a girlfriend, a sweet omega named Kaya, and it wouldn't be right for him to get near the other's scent gland. "What about you? How's Kaya doing?"
"She's okay…just sick again." Usopp said with a huff, sitting back down at the table, "I mean, she's studying to be a doctor but can't stop getting sick herself. It's kind of ironic really."
"Have you given her any medicine?"
"Yeah, and it seemed to help a little."
"What about…you know?" Luffy asked in a whispered, leaning forward slightly, "Have you started looking at rings yet?" Usopp sighed, scratching at his scalp and disturbing the messy ponytail that held his dark, curly hair together.
"I-I…just don't have the money, ya know? Rings are expensive."
Luffy frowned and leaned back in disappointment, having heard those words many times before. Usopp and Kaya had been dating for almost three years but the beta never seemed to be willing to take the next step, often claiming finances as a stumbling block.
Of course, what most people didn't know was that Usopp usually didn't have any money problems…except when he lost it all gambling at the local casino. The beta had a good job with benefits working at an art gallery downtown but had a nasty habit of losing his paycheck in less than an hour. Luffy encouraged him to stop and try to settle down with Kaya (who was very ready to do so) but addictions were hard to beat.
Especially when you occasionally won and doubled your weekly pay.
Before Luffy could say anything else, the patio door opened, revealing yet another familiar person.
"Yo."
"Zoro!" He greeted, all but leaping out of his chair so he could cling to his oldest friend like a monkey. The broad alpha caught him easily and allowed Luffy to rub their scent glands together delicately. "How are you?"
"Good. Sorry I'm late…damn place is hard to find."
Zoro was an alpha in every sense of the word. He was tall, broad, intimidating, and physically strong. His many scars added to his dangerous aura, though the green hair often threw people off. Of all Luffy's friends, he'd known Zoro the longest and greatly enjoyed his company.
That is…when he was sober.
"You probably just got lost again."
"I did not! I swear, the building moves or something."
Luffy giggled at his friends' antics and climbed off Zoro to take his seat again. All of them had known each other since high school (elementary in Zoro's case) and worked hard to maintain their friendship over the years, despite changing life circumstances.
While most of them had fairly stable jobs, Zoro worked on and off doing bodyguard stuff or bounty hunting. Luffy also knew for a fact that he would occasionally sign up for underground fights, just for the fun of it. The money prizes were a lure, but the alpha just enjoyed it, sometimes too much in Luffy's opinion.
Over the years, he'd had to bail his friend out of dangerous situations more than once.
"You idiots hungry?" Sanji asked, stepping out onto the patio with a tray of what had to be extra treats from the kitchen.
"Yes!" Luffy exclaimed, bouncing in place while the food was placed in front of them, "Your food is always the best, Sanji."
"Damn right." The chef affirmed, placing a cigarette between his teeth and lighting it in one smooth motion. Sanji had a similar problem to Zoro in that he had a tendency to get into fights, however, he now had an outlet for that at The Baratie. Luffy popped a stuffed tomato into his mouth, eyeing the blonde alpha's cigarette.
There had been a time when Sanji smoked things besides cigarettes. He'd also dabbled in other illegal substances during a particularly hard time of his life but claimed to have gone clean. Luffy was the only one in their group of friends that knew he occasionally came to his apartment, practically gnashing at the bit for a 'smoke of something'.
When that happened, it usually meant that the nicotine wasn't doing it for him. Luffy would let him stay for a while and calm him with his scent until he fell asleep. Usually, Sanji would feel better in the morning and leave without a word, obviously embarrassed that he had to ask for help at all.
'See Ace…this is why I can't leave…' Luffy mused, setting his jaw. His friends needed him. If he wasn't there, bad things would happen.
He knew his brothers would find it incredibly ironic that he of all people had to be the responsible one in their group, but that was just the way it was.
Zoro had a problem with authority but would usually listen to Luffy.
Sanji often came to him for comfort or support and Usopp needed all the help he could get.
"-uffy? Oi, Luffy! You listening?"
"Y-Yeah…sorry." Luffy stuttered, chuckling sheepishly at his long-nosed friend, "I zoned out for a second. What were we talking about?"
"We were talking about our next hang out. Apparently, Zoro can get us into Joker's Palace! Can you believe it!?"
Luffy frowned at the name of the club, knowing exactly which one Usopp was talking about. It was located deep in the heart of the city and was the most popular (and successful) lounge in Dressrosa. It always had a long line to get inside and you had to have an 'invitation' to be allowed in.
"Aren't invitations really hard to come by?" Sanji questioned, eyeing Zoro with suspicion, "What'd you do, assassinate somebody with a lot of money?"
"I didn't kill anybody, Curly Brow!" The alpha growled, snarling at Sanji, "I was invited by a friend and there just so happened to be extras."
"Uh…which 'friend'?" Usopp probed, tilting his head in confusion, "I'm pretty sure you don't have many other friends besides us." Luffy sniffed the air subtly, picking up on Zoro's nervousness. Determined to find out what was going on, he leaned in close and inhaled deeply, causing the alpha to try and push him away.
"Oi, Luffy, quit that!"
"Wait…is your friend…" Luffy's lip curled up slightly when he identified a sweet scent mixed with Zoro's robust one, "…a girl?" Usopp gasped while Sanji dropped his cigarette in shock. Zoro huffed and ran a hand through his hair, closing his one eye as he relented.
"All right, all right…you caught me. I might've met someone."
Almost immediately, they all started to pepper him with questions, wanting to know what she looked like, what her presentation was, and anything else Zoro would tell them. The alpha lifted a hand to quiet them down.
"Er, she's pretty, I guess."
"You guess!?"
"And she's an omega." Zoro continued, ignoring Sanji's statement. Luffy leaned forward giddily, wanting to hear more.
"What's her name? I might know her!" At that, the alpha looked down sheepishly.
"Uh, I don't actually know her real name."
They all froze.
"You…don't know her name?" Usopp asked, obviously perplexed, "What do you mean you don't know her name? Did you meet her online or something?"
"…I met her in an alley outside a brothel."
Luffy froze at that, honestly a bit surprised. Zoro had a bad habit of getting into fights and drinking, but he'd never frequented brothels. Maybe he'd gotten lost and ended up there?
"She called herself 'Komurasaki'." Zoro continued, leaning on his hand, "I wasn't sure what she was doing in the alley, but she was definitely in heat. I offered to call Omega Protective Services, but she declined. Guess she just wanted to get back in the brothel…so I helped her out."
Luffy hummed, watching Zoro's body language closely. If he could tell this omega was in heat, that meant she wasn't taking proper suppressants. He also inwardly applauded his friend's self-control. It wasn't easy for an unmated alpha to resist an omega in heat.
"Oi, oi, are you serious!?" Sanji exclaimed, grabbing Zoro by the collar, "You met Komurasaki!? And-and went with her into the brothel!?"
"You know her, Sanji?" Usopp asked, watching the alpha growl cautiously. He was getting worked up.
"Are you kidding, who doesn't? She's the most beautiful oiran in the city! I hear even Donquixote Doflamingo calls on her from time to time." At this point, Zoro had stood to his feet and was staring down at Sanji in challenge. "I just hope this oaf didn't-"
"-do what, Curly Brow? You got something to say?"
Luffy groaned, sensing the two alphas growing agitated. This was part of the reason none of his omega friends ever wanted to hang out with them…it was scary if you weren't used to it. Pushing his chair back, Luffy stalked up to his companions and grabbed both of their scent glands in a crushing grip, one in each hand.
Sanji immediately yelped in pain while Zoro grimaced and curled towards Luffy. Both of them collapsed to their knees within seconds.
"…you guys need to calm down." Luffy ordered, crossing his arms as he looked down at them. His friends nodded and took some deep breathes, inhaling the omega's soothing scent.
"Y-Yeah…sorry Luffy."
Garp had been the one to teach him how to handle alphas. Most of the time, a firm squeeze to their scent gland was enough to snap them out of their aggressiveness, at least for a moment, so that Luffy's calming pheromones could take effect. Of course, this didn't work on all alphas. The really strong ones would never let him get close to their necks.
"Uh…anyway." Usopp put in after clearing his throat, "I'm happy for you, man, really…but a prostitute? You're probably just another customer to her."
"No, I don't think so." Zoro argued, pulling himself back up into his seat alongside Sanji, "I can't really explain it…but we had a connection. Besides, if she wasn't into me, why would she offer up invitations to the most exclusive club around? She definitely wants to see me again and this time, I'll find out her real name."
Luffy envied Zoro's confidence but didn't want to get his hopes up. Something told him that this 'Komurasaki' had an alternative motive for asking to see Zoro again…at a club of all places.
"Then it's settled, we're all going clubbing tomorrow tonight!" Sanji, surprisingly announced, pounding his fist on the table, "There's no way I'm letting Marimo go meet a beautiful lady all by himself!"
Luffy whined softly at the suggestion. He really didn't like going to clubs due to the sheer amount of people, flashing lights, and smells. As an omega, he ran the risk of being overstimulated at places like that which was why he usually suggested they meet at restaurants or just watch a movie instead of going out.
"What do you think, Luffy?" Zoro asked, eyeing him with concern. He sighed.
"I…I don't really want to…" Luffy admitted, wringing his hands together in his lap.
"Aw, come on! It'll be fun!" Usopp stated, scooting his chair over so he could clap him on the back, making Luffy wince in pain, "You're the strongest omega we know, I'm sure you can handle it. Besides, I know for a fact Joker's Palace has an omega room."
Luffy made a face at that, recalling the last time they'd gone out. Some clubs and bars had what was called an 'omega room' that was basically a designated space for omegas to retreat to if they felt overstimulated. Unfortunately, that usually meant Luffy spent the night alone while his friends got to dance and have fun.
"Well-"
"Great, it's decided! Zoro will take care of the invitations and the details."
Luffy huffed as his friends began to talk about the next day in excited voices, recognizing that he had been out-voted. But maybe this was a good thing? It would be nice to get a chance to talk omega to omega with this unknown girl.
'I'll try to make the most of it.' Luffy determined, forcing a shaky smile onto his face. Besides, he'd like to be there to support Zoro, if at all possible.
And keep his friends out of trouble.
Later that evening, after Luffy had changed into his pajamas, he sat cross-legged on his bed staring at his phone. His friends, Zoro in particular, were really into the idea of going out together and having fun.
Luffy wanted to enjoy it but wasn't sure why they couldn't hang out somewhere quieter and less expensive. He was already having to mooch off Sanji and Katakuri, the former sending him home from The Baratie with some ready-made lunches.
He glanced to his phone again when a certain someone texted him. Luffy smiled tiredly at Sabo's message, having been waiting to receive it for a few minutes already. His brother was nothing if not punctual.
Sabo: Hey Lu! I hope you're doing well. Koala had another sonogram today…and let me tell you, our little pup is going to be so beautiful.
'He's going to be just as protective of that kid as Ace is of Tama.' Luffy decided, giggling quietly to himself as he pulled up the attached picture. Though the ultrasound was a big blurry, Luffy could see exactly where the baby's head was. So cute.
He immediately loved the picture and began to type out a response.
Luffy: Precious! I love him so much and we haven't even met yet lol!
Sabo: You're going to be the best uncle, especially since you already have practice Anyway, Ace told me you talked today. Your friends staying out of trouble?
While he debated telling Sabo about their plan to go out and his uneasiness about the whole thing, Luffy decided not to. Honestly, he was worried both his brothers would come running to Dressrosa ready to stuff him in a suitcase if they found out how bad things really were. So, he kept it brief.
Luffy: They're good, just the usual.
Sabo: …no violence, right?
The omega winced at that, suddenly reminded of the growing bruise on his back where Usopp had hit him. It had been playful and innocent, but still hurt. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about his 'omega skin' that would bruise if he so much as breathed on it wrong.
Of course, he knew that Sabo was referencing both unintentional and intentional bouts of violence that usually left Luffy nursing injuries for a few days. It used to happen more often, like when Sanji would get high and mistake him for an enemy or Zoro drank a little too much and refused to leave the bar. That day, Luffy had to beg the bartender not to call Omega Protective Services on him, worried Zoro would be thrown in jail for something he didn't even remember.
He still had the scar on his forehead, near the hair line, from the liquor bottle Zoro threw at him.
Luffy: No, all fine. No need to worry
Sabo: Ok, if you say so. Just remember that we're here for you if you need us.
Luffy: I know. Love you!
Sabo: Love you too, little brother.
Luffy put his phone away and went limp on the bed, moving so he was staring up at the cracked ceiling. He tried to smile, picturing his brothers, niece, and future nephew in his mind, but it quickly fell away. Whoever said having friends was easy, was a liar.
Making friends was easy…keeping them was hard.
The omega then situated himself under the comforter, snuffling into his pillow. Luffy blinked into the darkness of his room, feeling lonely like he did every night. Sometimes, he wished he had someone to share his inner thoughts with.
Someone he could talk to about all the issues and difficulties he had to deal with on a daily basis.
Someone who would hold him close and tell him that everything was going to be all right.
Suddenly feeling even more exhausted, Luffy drifted off to sleep, arms wrapped around himself in a tight embrace.
Being alone hurt, especially when no one else realized just how alone you really were.