Content Warning: This chapter contains discussion of a case of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Gabriel’s first week at work was a blur. The legal fund’s approach was two-pronged: to lobby for changes to the legal system and to provide free legal advice and representation to forced-claim and other trait-based-violence victims and their families. Gabriel’s work would be focused on the latter, which was what most of his volunteer work experience, his clerkship, his work on law review, and his master’s in counseling had all prepared him for. There was a massive backlog of Omegas out there in need of assistance, but Gabriel was more than ready to roll up his sleeves. He was limited to consulting and giving legal advice, though, until he got through the Maryland Bar exam, which he had been prepping for in every free moment.
Gabriel's colleagues who were working on on the legislative side of the issue were laser focused on a Minnesota case, Katzen vs. the State of Minnesota, that hinged on the constitutionality of a law that recognized forced-claim as a form of sexual assault rather than a form of simple assault. The law applied the much stricter penalties for sexual assault crimes, including placement on a national sexual offender registry, to those convictions. The case had run its way through the appeals circuits and the state attorney had written a cert petition, hoping to get the case before the Supreme Court. With four liberal justices sitting on the court, one of whom was the first Omega ever to be seated on the court, there was a real chance they’d make it onto the docket.
If the SCOTUS heard the case and decided in Minnesota’s favor, it would be a massive step forward for Omegan Rights and the precedent would grease the wheels for changing Maryland’s own laws. Gabriel had volunteered to pitch in in any way he could on Katzen on top of his more hands-on work. The number of things that needed doing was massive and intimidating, but Gabriel had never felt more exhilarated and hopeful that real progress was on the horizon.
At six o'clock on Wednesday evening, Gabriel was still hunched over his desk looking at the notes from a meeting he’d had earlier in the day with a client, Jaiden, a sweet sixteen year old Omega, hardly mature enough to be producing pheromones. A couple of months earlier, Jaden had been claimed by a twenty-seven year old “boyfriend.” The Omega, a high school sophomore, had hidden the claim as best he could from his father until finally, after a month, his Alpha father detected the change in his scent and pulled off his hoodie to find the claim mark. Jaden had been ejected from his dad’s home, the boyfriend had blocked his number when Jaden called him looking for a place to stay, and so Jaden had been couch-surfing for the past three weeks.
Gabriel made himself a little to-do list for tomorrow. His first concern was convincing Jaiden to go to the clinic for a general health evaluation, his second was securing funding for his treatment, and his third was finding the kid some reliable shelter. He’d call over to the clinic in the morning and see what appointments they had available– it was past time he showed his face there, anyway. Gabriel wondered if Teneisha still worked there. He hoped she did. She had been a lifeline for him when he was at the lowest point of his entire life. He made himself a note to pick up some kind of gift for her. What did you give a person who pulled you back from the brink with a sour apple lollipop, a hair tie, and a hand squeeze?
Jem poked his head into Gabriel's office. “Hey Gabriel… we’re getting ready to head out. Want to join us for a drink? We’re meeting some friends of mine and one of them is a very cute and very single guy who is not at all my type!”
“Yes to the drink, hard no to the cute, single friend. Save him for someone else. I don’t date anymore.”
“Wait. You just… don’t… date?”
“Yep. Single and not gonna mingle. I’m in total romantic remission. I haven’t even had a heat cycle in four years thanks to the magic of low-dose suppressant therapy and good luck. I don’t miss that roller coaster.”
“So… like… never. You never date?”
“Nope. I went through forced claim treatment a few years ago, right before I left Baltimore. That’s why I went to law school. It’s why I went to Berkeley for law school– they have some of the most forward thinking Omegan Rights legal scholars around on their faculty. That’s why I applied for this job– I was actually treated at the Anderson clinic, and I’ve always wanted to come back here and pitch in. This is full-circle for me.”
“Oh, wow. That’s… awesome. That’s super awesome. Way to take your power back!” Jem gave him a little fist pump.
Gabriel shrugged. “Yeah, trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear… anyway, I did the low dose suppressants for the first year, and between them and the trauma of the whole thing I just haven’t been interested since. By the time treatment was over with, I was neck-deep in law school and trying to get on law review and volunteering in Oakland and just way too busy to socialize. But also, just not into any of the people who asked me out. Which is fine.”
“Because I know people asked you out! Look at you! You are like a whole cinnamon-swirled snack!”
Gabriel made a face. “Yeah, well. I’m sure I look like hell at the moment, I’ve gotten like 5 hours of sleep max for the last three nights. Anyway, in the end, I just decided to make it official policy. I don’t date. It weirds people out, but it ends the discussion a lot more quickly than trying to make up individual excuses for avoiding individual dates.”
“Alright then! Well come on out, and have a drink, and 'don’t-date' my cute single friend.”
“Alright, I won’t!” said Gabriel, grinning and grabbing his bag.
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