the book of fluff (that usually isn't)

lost and found

Scott completely fell apart when his beloved Omega was taken. He needed him. It wasn't like one of those things where he just missed him and thought he needed him. No, he actually did. He physically could not function without his Mitch.

He spent his days curled up in his and Mitch's bed, usually cuddling with one of Mitch's shirts or sweaters. He switched every few weeks when they lost Mitch's scent. He hadn't been out of the house in forever, and he rarely ate. The only reason he hadn't starved to death was his friend Nicole. She regularly came over to force him to eat and shower and clean the house. While Scott didn't tell her this, he was grateful for her.

Scott was an Alpha, and he was once one of the strongest. After all, his Omega was a male and therefore incredibly valuable; other Alphas would often try to get Mitch to come home with them instead. He had to be strong to fight them off. However, when Mitch was stolen, his strength quickly diminished. His instincts as an Alpha kept him strong before, but now they refused to let him do anything. He fell into a depression that could only be broken when Mitch was found and back in his arms.

Nicole tried her best to keep him alive. At first, she'd tried to introduce Scott to other Omegas, but Scott wouldn't even look at them. Now, she usually gave him food and helped him find a reason to live.

Today was one of the days she was set to come over. Normally, she would just give him food and keep him company for the day, but now, she was determined to get him out of the house. She let herself in with the key he'd given her and immediately opened the curtains before she made her way down the hall to Mitch and Scott's room. "Alright, get up," she said, pulling the covers off of him. Scott forced his sad eyes to focus on her, and he held that month's sweater tighter to his chest. "Why?" His voice was soft and weak from lack of use. Nicole crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him sternly. "Scott. You have been cooped up in this house for months. I am taking you to get some fresh air, so get up and shower." Scott sniffled and shook his head, burying his face back in Mitch's sweater. "I don't wanna."

"And I don't care." Nicole sighed and sat on the end of the bed, resting her hand on his leg. "I know you miss him, Scott, but you can't hide here forever. He would want you to be happy."

"Stop talking about him like he's dead," Scott snapped, but his voice broke and he had to bite his lip hard to keep himself from sobbing. "They're gonna find him."

"I hate to break it to you, but it's been a year. Chances are, they won't. I'm sorry. He's gone forever."

Scott bit his lip even harder, furiously blinking back the tears. He refused to believe her, though deep down, he knew it was true. "Can we just get it over with?" he asked weakly, clutching helplessly at Mitch's sweater. Nicole smiled sympathetically and nodded, giving his leg a comforting pat. "Of course. Go shower."

An hour later, Scott was following Nicole into Starbucks. Nicole had forced him to go without his Omega's sweater, and it was the first time he couldn't smell Mitch at all in a year. In a way, the lack of Mitch made him feel naked.

He stuck close to Nicole as she bought him a coffee, feeling like everyone was staring at him. He wanted to hide. He wished she would just give him the coffee and let him go home, but of course, she led him to a small booth in the corner of the shop and sat him down. "Drink up, Scotty. You're not going home until tonight. I want you to have some fun," she told him, giving him his coffee. Scott sighed and reluctantly took a sip, but immediately, his throat closed up with tears and he had to dig his nails into his wrist to keep himself from crying. All he could think of was how much Mitch loved to go to Starbucks. "I'm- I'm going to go to the bathroom," he forced out, and he didn't wait for a response before he got up and rushed away.