cw: omegaverse, state coercion.
I've been slowly chipping away at an omegaverse thing alongside the Mafia AU (which I'm hoping to publish chapter 2 of by the end of the week, I just got in my head about it).
Price stared at the yellow envelope on his desk and felt nothing but numb resignation. He had known it was coming. Mac had called him into his office a week ago to inform him that the military exemption was being withdrawn, that restrictions on suppressants were coming. There was nothing he could do. Parliament had voted, the people had spoken.
Sorry, John. Really. Mac's face had been pinched.
He tapped his biro on the side of his calf, shifting his ankle across his knee as he turned a little closer. Needed to open it. Letting it marinate a little longer inside the envelope wasn't going to change the ink on the page. No matter how much he willed it to.
The biro clattered across the desk as he cast it aside and snatched the letter up. He had mentally prepared for it, but that didn't stop each word feeling like a punch in the throat.
“Dear Cpt. John Michael Price VC CGC DSO,
We are writing to inform you about the formal end to the military exemption under Article 4 Paragraph 3 of the Public Order and Welfare Act as of the 22nd April 2023. Following the repeal of the…”
His gaze blurred. His list of medals at the end felt like an added slap in the face. At least they had used his rank. He took a deep breath and forced his eyes to refocus a little further down, skipping the waffle about the democratic vote that had stripped him of his rights and dignity.
“...you will be required to mate formally within six months of the end of your exemption. If, for whatever reason, you remain unbonded by 22nd October 2023, your time in service will be concluded with full pension, and you will be retired to a pack house for further care.”
There are parts of it that are so hard to write. Like Nik wrestling with his happiness, almost sickened by it, because he finally has John but he can never be sure it's real because John's hand was forced, and John trying to prevent his resentment from spilling over onto a man that has only ever been loyal, patient and respectful. And not wanting to write Price 'giving in', but trying to find some kind of balance, some happiness, in a situation they're forced into.
This may never see the light of day. It certainly won't arrive before the Mafia AU is done. But... Yeah, I'm suffering.