47Quick Author's Note: I'm going to put a warning about this story in a minute. READ IT. I don't want a bunch of idiots to start reading this and then get to certain parts and be all like 'EW GROSS' or something and comment on it. My story, my rules. For everyone else: thank you for reading (whether you continue after the warnings or not). Anyway, this is actually also up on AO3, but I figured it'd get a bit more traffic here (though it's suspiciously popular there). Anyway, when I finish this story, I'll probably do an overhaul similar to what I'm doing with Small Talk. Until, please ignore that it is short, sporadic, and so awkward in some places. It's not bad... I think?
Warnings: This may not start weird or anything but it will have (hopefully) very erotic chapters later on. This is an ALPHA/BETA/OMEGA Dynamics story (meaning there is knotting, mating/heat cycles, and male pregnancy, etc., etc.). There will probably be DUBIOUS CONSENT and AGGRESSIVE themes. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
Prologue
Derek
In 2035—30 years ago and one year before I was born—the inhabitants of Earth met a new race. In fact, we'd discovered aliens. Or rather, we'd been discovered BY aliens. Earth had discontinued programs like NASA years before during the Environmental Crisis of 2025, redirecting their resources towards restoration programs in an attempt to prevent the inevitable.
Regardless of their efforts, hundreds of thousands of people died and the world outside had not been able to support life no matter how hard we tried to fix it… we just didn't have the resources to pull toxin from the air. And that's where out good alien friends come into play. Their reason for coming—especially now of all times—and their entire existence was kept in a tight secret—it's still a secret even to this day—but regardless of why they came… they brought something that would help change the world for the better.
Nicknamed the "Suicide Tree," the space tree absorbed toxin from the air until it killed itself with the pollutants. Hence, the nickname.
Even 30 years after, the air outside still is too toxic to walk around without an air-purifying mask…but at least now we CAN walk outside under the sun; though we also have to be careful of the wreaked ozone which scientists are working to restore to its former glory.
These trees and the peace we have with the Neroians didn't come for free of course. Even though no government says anything, each one has a treaty with the Neroian's king. They return every now and then for reasons only those in the upper fields of government will ever know.
Of course, with all the secrecy around the 'visitors' came rumors that spread like wild-fire. As a child, born when the treaties were still new and the idea of aliens still fresh and foreign, I'd been fascinated by the rumors, by the idea of aliens, and by the thoughts of going into space. As I got older, I traded out those silly fantasies for more logical ones. I began dismissing the rumors, ignoring the silly fantasies I had of being an engineer on a space craft, and began embracing logical thinking, rational goals… These things were supposed to have landed me a semi-stable job and then a girlfriend, if not a wife…
By 29, I should have a good job—I have an engineering degree after all—instead, I'm still working in a Japanese-style host club like I had when I was in university. No matter the fact that I look several years younger than my age, I shouldn't be doing such a job…
And this is where I find myself. I sigh and look at the locker in front of me , check the mirror to make sure nothing is out of place and then close and lock the door before going out to see my first customer. She's a petite little brunette. Easy on the eyes, but she had a certain air about her that told him that she was not someone he would consider looking into… no, she was probably barely out of college.
Plus romancing with clients was a little bit difficult… Romance in general was difficult, since girls tend to get jealous of a job where you're supposed to flirt and 'love' your client.
I wish the girl a good evening and roll it on thick and smooth. She eats it up… and then she gives me the payback for making her feel so special by telling me all about her job as a government something or the other at some office of somewhere. I continue indulging her, pouring her drinks, and after two small ones she really lets loose.
"It's going to be such a terrible year," she whines, leaning against me and looking up at me with a pout. "The Neroians' king died recently and his son just ascended the throne… so he's coming to meet with our government…"
I gave her another indulgent smile, outwardly willing her to continue as I poured her another drink while inwardly wishing that she wouldn't talk about it. I didn't want to know. I didn't care. Unfortunately, she was new and obviously well-off, so I wasn't going to be rude.
"Don't tell anyone, but I'm actually going to be meeting with them," she said in a conspiratorial whisper to me, her lips brushing my ear. It didn't give me that same tingle that I normally got. I internally sighed, this was getting tiresome. I needed a steady job, soon. I wrapped an arm around her and fed her the drink in the most intimate way I could manage, trying to get her to change the topic to something less frustrating. I had no such luck. "I was put on the welcome committee so I've been studying hard so that I won't embarrass our country when I greet them."
This bit was said with such frustration that I lifted a brow at her. That was a little interesting. She actually got to learn about that mysterious race. Of course, she could be lying through her teeth just because she thinks it'll get her what she wants, but it doesn't matter much. I'm not really interested in her or her work or studies. I'm just really good at acting.
"It must be so hard on you," I said, sympathetically.
She giggled. I'm going to have to stop giving her alcohol at this rate; it's obviously getting to her.
"Yeah! It's horrible the things I've had to read! They use this 'Alpha-Beta-Omega' system, so they sniff people when they first meet them like animals! And they have this idea that they have 'destined mates' like some stupid porn novel." She said with outrage.
I mentally change 'porn novel' to 'romance novel' in my head, internally cringing with embarrassment as I find that they are my guilty pleasure.
"Like they're going to sniff me!" she looked disgusted, "And what if one of them claims I'm his mate! I don't want to be liked by an alien."
The sniffing thing I understood, but the last bit was a bit harsh. I mean, I understand where she's coming from… but that didn't really excuse it.
Instead of trying to say anything and interrupt her rant, I merely rubbed her arm soothingly.
"And there was this huge section on sex and safety in regards to the men, particularly the Alphas or whatever they are!" she said, practically growling her distaste at this. "And don't even get me started on the section on how to respect the king of those freaks!"
Definitely too much alcohol, I decided it would be for the best to cut this conversation off before it got any more heated.
"Darling," I said, looking at her with the 'worried lover' look I could manage, "I hate seeing you so distraught… Why don't we speak about something more…" I dropped my voice a bit and whispered the next words against her ear, "pleasant?"
Hook, line, and sinker; my plan successfully drew her from the conversation. Even though the younger hosts often wondered why I was still here at my age in the beginning, they soon stopped bad-mouthing me as my experience and more mature appearance made my clients swoon and most of the time, I was in a comfortable second to third place of the six hosts when it came to clients and sales. When I'd been a little younger and more into the job, I'd been the number one host easily for months in a row.
After the pretty brunette, the rest of the night passed by smoothly, and I was able to put all thoughts of aliens and their kings away from my thoughts.