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Don

Every day, Don Flamingle lived in awe that he had found such a wonderful family.

He still couldn’t believe it! It had been over a year since he had been adopted by the Blooms and, still, every single day he would wake up excited to say hello to all of the people he loved.

It was very different from when he lived with the mimic colony in the woods.

When he lived with the colony, he would wake up hungry and scared; wondering who was going to bully and bite him.

Now he would wake up to a bowl of tasty bacon off-cuts (all of the parts that Ken didn’t like to eat went to Don!) and loving scratches on the top of his head from Alpha Isa and Omega Isabel as they made breakfast together.

And sometimes, Alpha Becky would be in the kitchen, too! Helping to make something! And he could ask her to please boil some carrots for him— And she would!

Oh, oh! It was so amazing! So so amazing, that he could ask an alpha for something, and they would be happy to give it to him!

And now— Now, they were having a big party! A very very big party! Just so that his pretty pink Mimi could show everyone how much she loved him!

It made him so happy that he thought he might burst!

Don tapped his feet, eliciting a giggle out of Isabel as he wiggled in her lap— And then he found that he couldn’t sit still and stood up; pressing his face into the cold hard glass of the car window so he could watch the world pass by.

It was a very familiar road. Don travelled it with Alpha Becky and her boyfriend, Alpha Jareth, often. Every time Becky had to go see her doctor the three of them would take the hour-long drive there and have a date!

Don liked when Becky would go on dates with Jareth; because they’d go all sorts of places, and Don would get to meet all sorts of people!

And Don loved meeting people.

The more people he knew, the more people he would be able to make happy. And he loved making people happy! He was specially trained to help make people happy!

Though, he had to try and remember that his very important job was to keep Alpha Becky happy. And that he had to stay with her and not get too distracted by other people.

Becky was the only person he was responsible for. And he had to try and remember that he didn’t have to make everyone around him happy….

He was still allowed to be social and make people laugh, of course; as long as it didn’t disrupt his work with Becky, he could do anything he wanted!

‘Aw, he’s so excited!’ Omega Isabel commented, stroking down Don’s neck gently. ‘Are you excited to get married? Are you? You are!’

Don gave a honk of agreement, stretching out his neck to tap his beak against Isabel’s lips.

‘Mwah!’ she kissed him, and he gave a happy gurgle as he snuggled into her. ‘Naw, you are just the sweetest thing, aren’t you?’

Yes.

Yes he was!

And he was so happy to be in the car with Omega Isabel and his best friend Ken!

The only thing that could have made it better was if everyone else he loved were also in the car— But sadly, Alpha Becky and Alpha Isa had taken his pretty pink Mimi and their brood in the other car. They said it was “traditional” for him to not see Mimi before the ceremony (whatever all that meant; he still wasn’t actually sure he understood what a wedding really was, besides a party used to show people you loved someone)….Though it made him very sad. He wanted to be with his pretty pink Mimi all the time! And with his brood, because he was a good papa! A very good papa!

But his Mimi had wanted the wedding to be a real wedding and not a fake one in the backyard. So even if Don didn’t understand why they were doing certain things, he was happy to do them for his Mimi.

Anything to make his Mimi happy!

Oh, how he loved his Mimi!

Don pressed his face up against the glass window again, and gave a happy pant.

He would never have to live in those woods again! He had a home now. A good home, with a good family. He loved his family! And more importantly; they loved him back!

He was never going to be alone again!

Not ever!

Don gave a happy honk and pecked another kiss onto Isabel’s lips, before turning and trying to do the same to Ken.

‘No, my friend— I can’t kiss you while driving,’ Ken reminded the mimic. ‘Isabel, hold him in your lap.’

‘I am holding him!’ Isabel argued. ‘His neck is just— Really long!’

Yes. Yes it was! And he was very proud of it!

‘Ah, Isabel! You get more and more useless every day!’ Ken laughed and, without taking his eyes off the road, reached out a hand to bat at her in a teasing way. ‘Get a job! Get out of my house! Aah!’

‘Aah!’ Omega Isabel echoed, batting Ken back before breaking down into a fit of giggles. ‘Aw, no, though, Ken. I… I really appreciate you letting me stay with you. I know we haven’t always really… you know. Gotten along. So it means a lot that you’d let me stay.’

‘Ah, no. See; I don’t have a choice!’ Ken chuckled, his grin growing as he eyed his in-law. ‘I can’t just kick you out now; I would never hear the end of it from Becky!’

Don agreed; Alpha Becky loved Omega Isabel, and if Ken made her leave when she needed help, Becky would be very upset.

‘Still, though. I feel like I’m not doing enough,’ Isabel said. ‘Is there anything else I can do to help out?’

‘Die,’ Ken said, flatly. Then, he snickered and shook his head. ‘No. Non. I’m joking. Is there anything you are needing help with? Clothes? Furnishings— Barbra would have my head if she knew you were pulling furniture out of garbage off the curb! Let me buy you new things, oui? Clean things.’

‘Nooo!’ Isabel argued, and Don felt her shift in an embarrassed way. ‘It’s fine, Ken! I don’t want to be any more of a burden—‘

She was trying to make her tone playful, but Don could hear the anxiety underneath; that omega tone, where she wanted something, but couldn’t ask for it because it was her job to be good and submissive and obedient….

That tone was usually reserved for addressing alphas, though…. Did Omega Isabel see Ken as an alpha?

How ridiculous!

Oh, how ridiculous!

Ken was not an alpha!

Not at all!

Not in anything he ever did!

‘Besides, Moon says recycling furniture like that is good for the environment. Also! Old furniture is much sturdier than new stuff!’

‘Eh…’ Ken gave a shrug. ‘I sort of see your point.’

‘Yeah, and why would I make you pay for something new when I could get it for free?’ Isabel asked, scratching the crease where Don’s neck met his body.

It felt very good (Don couldn’t reach that spot, himself!) though Don knew it was a way for Omega Isabel to keep herself grounded. She was doing exactly what Alpha Becky would do and focusing on Don instead of what was making her upset.

That was okay; Don didn’t mind.

‘I don’t mind cleaning it up,’ Isabel told him. Then, her voice dropped, and she let out a sigh. ‘It…. Being self-sufficient makes me feel better.’

‘Better?’

‘Yeah. Dad used to always say that I…’ she paused, and Don saw her swallow.

She was nervous.

Anxious.

And Don couldn’t blame her.

He’d never actually met Isabel’s father before the man died. He was one of the very few people Don didn’t want to meet. Because Don knew that he was a terrible person. Terrible and mean.

The mimic could remember one time that he had been outside Omega Isabel’s old house, when Alpha Jareth and Alpha Becky had gone to pick Isabel up for some shopping, and they could hear the two screaming at each other from the street!

And that man had said terrible, horrible things to poor Omega Isabel. Things that had made the neighbours come out of their houses and look very worried as they stared at the house with their phones in their hands; ready to call for help if things got worse.

‘Ah,’ Ken said, softly. ‘Hm…. Well, uh…. Here we are?’

Don perked up his head when Ken mentioned their arrival— And he realised that yes!

Yes!

They had arrived at the wedding!

Don let out several happy honks and leapt to his feet; pressing his face tight against the window and panting as he looked into the parking lot.

There were lots of people here!

People he knew!

People he was friends with!

And there were all here for his wedding!

Oh!

Oh!

He couldn’t wait to greet them all!

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