Shaded Soldiers || Gay MxM || Omegaverse

2. Bitch Lace

They made me wait for almost an hour before another nurse called me in. I was glad to escape the suffocating waiting area, but then I entered the nurse's office and saw the lousy state the place was in. The room itself was straight from the old horror movies with green tiles covering the walls, and ruthlessly bright lights making eerie, lifeless shadows in the corners.

"So, you're here to get your uterus tied up, Mr. Steele?" the nurse said, her expression similar to the lady at the front desk.

"For the consultation," I repeated like a sheep as I sat down.

"Of course," she said, taking a look at my papers. "Well, let's begin then. You do understand that these procedures should not be your first option, correct?"

"Yes. I am on birth control pills, but–"

"And they're not working?" she asked, interrupting me.

"They are working, but in my line of work, there may be times I don't have access to them," I said.

"And what line of work would that be?" she asked, looking like she already knew the answer.

"I'm in the military," I told her.

"Oh, an omega? Working for the military?" she said, not believing me.

"Yes."

"I see," she said. "So in your... line of work... you can't get your pills, is that right?"

"No. I can take them, but in case something happens, like if I get captured, I won't be able to take them," I said, trying not to get frustrated.

"And how often would you say you'll be captured?" she asked, now clearly making fun of me.

"Look. I need this operation. My employer requires it," I said sternly. "Isn't that all you need to know?"

"Certainly, but," she paused. "I'm required to make sure you understand the dangers of this procedure, and that you should not get one done just because you want to have a little fun. You understand?"

"And I'm required by my employer to get this procedure," I repeated.

"All right then. Let's talk about the procedure," she said, hiding her annoyance behind her fake smile. "Up to twenty percent of patients will die after getting this procedure due to infections and other complications," she said bluntly. "Up to sixty percent will end up hospitalized during the first six months."

I was taken aback. "Twenty?"

"Yes. Which is why I'm trying to make sure you understand what you're asking for," she said, happy I was finally listening.

"But we're talking about Hochleng's procedure, right?" I asked, since I'd read about it and these numbers didn't match.

"No. It says here you're in for Brann's procedure," she said, pointing at my papers.

"But that's... Bitch Lace?" I asked.

"More commonly known as Bitch Lace or Omega Lace, yes," she said with a nod.

I sat in my seat in silence, trying to understand her words. But then I remembered what commander Stoll said to me.

"The army will cover the costs, but that means you won't get to decide which operation you'll have."

This was the cheapest possible operation there was. In this cheapest fucking hospital he could find. I wanted to walk out of the room right that instant, but I couldn't afford the better, safer procedures, and Stoll sure as hell wasn't going to pay for them, either.