The ABO Serum

You Did This To Me

Three of Mitch's partners were comatose. Another seven were not. When he finally made it back to the campus the morning after completing his assignment to create a written treatment protocol, the receptionist informed him that one of them came by looking for him. They left contact info and, according to the receptionist, they were angry. Mitch decided to go find them before they could come back and make a scene.

The partner who came looking for Mitch was another beta. That made sense. The alphas and omegas were too preoccupied with the drastic changes going on in their bodies to worry about finding the jerk that exposed them, plus quarantine limited their movement. Mitch finally found the guy in his dorm laundromat awkwardly trying to fold sheets. "Here, let me help you with that," Mitch offered.

The guy couldn't see his face so that's probably why he answered, "thanks." As soon as the sheet folded over small enough for him to see his helper, he let go of it and jumped back. "You!" He accused.

"Yes, me," Mitch confirmed. "I'm sorry," he offered, before the guy could recover his speech. "I didn't know it could be transmitted and I was angry and reckless and that doesn't excuse me, but I want you to know I am sorry." He finished folding the sheet as he spoke and then placed it in a basket nearby that already held a matching folded pillowcase.

The guy didn't answer right away. He stood there, shaking with emotion, likely fury. His eyes looked like they'd be shooting lasers if they could. When he finally spoke, he asked, "Mitch, what's my name?"

"Um, you didn't leave your name with the receptionist," Mitch was contrite but not sure where the other man was going with this line of questioning.

"You did this to me, and you don't even remember my name. That's the worst part. My friend drug me out to the club and I sat in the corner watching other people have fun while feeling too shy to get out of the booth. Then, this super-hot guy with glasses comes over and sits next to me and we talk about science and politics and all sorts of interesting things for three hours and I think I've fallen in love at first conversation.

"I have sex for only the second time in my life, and on a first meeting no less. Crazy out of character for me, but I felt like we connected completely. You even stayed the night. And you don't remember my name. Exposing me to some freaky genetic experiment is almost beside the point." Once he found his voice, the guy warmed to his subject quickly. He'd backed Mitch up against the wall of dryers as he spoke and now leaned over him menacingly. "I'm growing a womb!"

Mitch dropped his face into his hands, more ashamed of himself than ever. "So am I," he admitted aloud for what he suddenly realized was the first time. "And I don't know who did this to me. I'm just...I'm so sorry. I was so angry, and I didn't know what to do with it. You didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I remember that I enjoyed talking to you, too. We did connect. But that scared me even more, so I tried to forget it with the next guy. I was so awful...to all of you. I don't know how to redeem myself."

The guy still hovered over Mitch, trapping him against the dryers. Mitch was too frightened to look up and see his expression. If he had he would have seen it soften. But that softness didn't carry into his voice as he said, "you can't." Then, after a long pause, "my name is Auggie. I love the way it sounds when you say it so don't ever forget it again."

"Auggie?" Mitch tried it out, finally looking up. Auggie's face was so close to his that Mitch could feel his breath. Then, Auggie kissed him more thoroughly than he'd ever been kissed in his life. His brain lagged behind, so he didn't understand what was happening. He was accused...then kissed?

When he came up for air, Auggie clarified, "you did this to me. Take responsibility."

Responsibility? In what way? Mitch wondered as the kissing melted his brain and he realized there was also a pair of roving hands on his body.

Someone at the other end of the laundromat catcalling snapped them apart, but Auggie hovered a moment longer to ask, "help me finish?"

"Sure," Mitch squeaked.

They folded clothes in silence and when they finished Auggie picked up his basket and gestured with his head for Mitch to follow. Mitch glanced at the clock and started to excuse himself, but he couldn't get the words out. He followed Auggie up to his dorm room and ended up helping him make his bed.

"I had to wash your scent out of my sheets," Auggie confessed. "At first, I reveled in it, when I thought I'd found someone wonderful to love. But I didn't hear from you, and then my test came back positive and I was so angry. I couldn't sleep with your scent anymore." Mitch retreated at this revelation but Auggie wasn't having that.

"But," he continued, pressing himself against Mitch who'd backed up all the way to the door, "maybe I was right in the first place. Maybe you need someone to love you." At this, he dipped his head and recaptured the lips he'd been enjoying so much in the laundromat. He wasn't sure where this courage came from, but it might have had something to do with the open vulnerability on his partner's face.

He could feel the heat radiating from the tears flowing down Mitch's cheeks. Mitch's arms reached around Auggie, timidly, hesitantly, holding onto him with a feathery light embrace, unsure of his right to do so. Auggie's response was to pull Mitch into a hug so tight he could barely breathe. He pulled away from the kiss to get air and Auggie tucked Mitch's head under his chin as the tears continued to flow down his face and drip onto Auggie's t-shirt.

Clearly an emotional dam broke inside Mitch. The tears were out of control. Snot followed. This was ugly crying. "This is so messed up," he managed to say between gasps for air. "I'm so sorry."

The arms holding him kept him from coming apart completely. And Auggie's voice shushing him and assuring him, "it's okay. It's gonna be okay. I forgive you. It's okay. Let it all out. The beta thing is not your fault. You didn't know. It's okay. Let all the anger out. Don't run away. Don't push me away. It's okay to feel everything. Let it pass through you so you can get past it."

As the crying calmed down Auggie freed one hand to stroke Mitch's head and back. He rubbed in soothing circles like Mitch remembered his mom doing when he was little. Auggie's hushed admonitions changed slightly too. "That's right. It's gonna be okay. Come back to me. I'm right here. I'm gonna stick to you like glue now so you better get ready for it. You gotta take responsibility for making me fall for you."