Underline the Blue

***Underline the Blue*** is a *Fae Tales Verse AU* and part 5 of *Underline the Rainbow*. It is an omegaverse AU focusing on Nate Prince and Janusz Bodanowicz. Chapters are currently being published early on Pia's Patreon, but the serial has begun updating on Ao3 as well.

## Summary

Nate, an omega, has been sent to Hillview by his alpha partner who doesn't believe he's good enough to claim or bond with, and wants him trained up at an omega rehabilitation facility to be a better partner. Nate is paired up with the alpha Janusz, who soon realises Nate has been micromanaged and 'trained' already to the point of having his soul shattered, and a journey of slow recovery and rehabilitation begins.

The story is set roughly 2-4 years prior to *Underline the Black.*

## Characters

### Christian

#### Appearance

Christian has broader shoulders than Janusz, and is 'stereotypically handsome'. 'Christian’s scent could be soft and sometimes cloying'.

#### Personality

Christian is not religious. Christian controls all aspects of Nate's life, including what he wears and how he acts, such as his body language and when Nate can talk. He emotionally abuses Nate. Christian dislikes fidgeting, or at least when Nate fidgets. Christian asserts that Nate's behaviors hurt Christian in order to keep Nate in line. Christian can act charming to people who aren't Nate, though he can also be patronizing and inconsiderate, particularly to Janusz. Christian has PTSD. He's also manipulative, particularly towards Nate. Nate was initially drawn to him because Christian was the most self-effacing among other alphas, and seemed softer, but Christian trained this appearance in himself, since it 'put other alphas uncommonly at ease and made them easier to manipulate.' Christian is also cruel and mocking, particularly to Nate.

Christian can also be physically abusive to Nate, such as when Christian grips Nate so hard it hurts before leaving Hillview. Christian is abusive through food as well, forcing Nate to eat foods he doesn't like and pretend to enjoy it.

#### Life

Christian was seemingly physically abused in the past. Christian is Nate's boyfriend and alpha. Christian decides to admit Nate to Hillview three days before Nate's heat in order to make him more husbandly, and stays with Nate to meet Nate's assigned alpha first for Christian's approval. When Janusz arrives to greet him, Christian is charming but patronizing to him, and talks down about Nate.

### Enris

#### Appearance

Enris has a 'gentle face and compassionate smile.'

#### Personality

Enris attempts to be kind to Nate while watching over him.

#### Life

Enris is a nurse at Hillview. After Christian leaves to speak privately with Janusz, Enris comes in to watch over Nate. When Enris attempts to reassure Nate, Nate snaps at Enris, pointing out that Enris doesn't know how hard it is to be an omega at Hillview and/or in Nate's position, to which Enris agrees.

### Janusz Bodanowicz

#### Appearance

Janusz has 'dark brown hair in an Ivy League crew cut', and at least sometimes has beard stubble. Janusz is tall, 'but not broad through the shoulders in the same way as Christian.' Nate thinks that Janusz is not as 'stereotypically handsome' as Christian is. Janusz's 'was odd but pleasant. There was a metallic undercurrent in his sweat, but then something like currants or sharp red berries nearly ripe', as well as 'bright and clean'.

#### Personality

Janusz is very straight-forward and polite. He is also quite chipper. He prefers to prepare meals for his omegas. Janusz likes cars.

#### Life

Janusz has Polish ancestry. Janusz meets with Nate and Christian before Nate is fully handed over to Hillview. Nate notes that Janusz is seemingly taken in by Christian's act of being self-effacing, and doesn't think highly of Janusz for it. Janusz seems a bit confused and/or concerned by Christian's comments generally. After Christian leaves, Janusz goes with Nate to Janusz's unit at Hillview, where Janusz asks if he can scent Nate. When Nate becomes nauseous after seeing Janusz's bedroom, and Nate becomes evasive about Janusz's attempts to help, Janusz contacts his supervisor over the phone. Janusz talks to Nate about the exam Temsen suggests, and notes that he isn't seeing the low empathy Christian talked about. When Janusz tries to figure out if Christian physically abused Nate, and Nate says it's okay if Janusz physically abuses Nate as part of the rehabilitation, Janusz has to take a moment to process that.

#### Skills

Janusz ranks low on the possessive scale, which can be useful for letting omegas go at the end of their time at Hillview. He has 'one of the fastest turnarounds to graduation at Hillview'. Nate has a low opinion of his intelligence, but notes that Janusz is very perceptive. Janusz enjoys cooking.

### Nathaniel Prince ("Nate")

#### Personality

Nate often thinks in flowery language, mimicking how he likes to write poetry. Due to Christian's emotional abuse, he has low self-esteem and feels a need to please Christian in any way possible, but also that he is constantly failing at it. Nate wants Christian to be happy. Nate finds black clothing comfortable. Nate believes he might be 'unfixable'. He views having sex with Christian as bad. He doesn't like to eat anything when he's going into a heat.

#### Life

Nate is Christian's boyfriend. He organizes his life around Christian's needs and cooks meals for him. Around six months prior to the story start, Christian tells Nate that 'it would be better if Nate’s personality was erased, and they started from scratch.' Christian decides to admit Nate to Hillview three days before Nate's heat in order to make him more husbandly, and stays with Nate to meet Nate's assigned alpha first for Christian's approval. He is uncomfortable waiting with Christian, listening to Christian and Janusz talk, and snaps at Enris, pointing out that Enris doesn't know how hard it is to be an omega at Hillview and/or in Nate's position.

After Janusz takes Nate to Janusz's unit in Hillview, and while giving Nate a guided tour of the place, Nate sees Janusz's bedroom, realizes what Janusz is going to do to him, that Christian will make Nate recount it, and becomes nauseous. He rushes to the bathroom. Afterward, he apologizes profusely to Janusz, who tries to help, but Nate brushes him off, and offers to make food for Janusz. He is evasive of Janusz's attempts to help and get information. He agrees to an internal exam. When he pretends to like cars like Janusz does, and Janusz sees through it, Nate becomes more nervous. When Janusz asks if Christian physically abused Nate, Nate vehemently denies that Christian would do such things. When he then thinks that Janusz is asking to see if Nate is used to it so that Janusz can physically abuse Nate as part of the rehabilitation, Nate panics more, but says that would be fine.

#### Skills

Nate collects books on trauma. He writes poetry.

His parents left it up to his future alpha whether Nate would be allowed to learn to drive, and Christian says that Nate would be allowed once they got married.

### Ohlo Ohlo Temsen

#### Personality

Janusz notes that Temsen is very professional.

#### Life

Temsen is Janusz's supervisor at Hillview. After Janusz contacts Temsen for advice about Nate's behavior, they agree to set up a medical check-up for Nate that day, including an optional internal exam.

## Locations

### Hillview

#### Location

Hillview is the central location for the story, and an omega rehabilitation centre. It has manicured lawns, topiary, sand dunes, and trees.

#### Administration

Hillview allows alphas admitting their omegas to approve of the alphas being assigned to the omega. PTSD is quite common in omegas that live there. Hillview offers heat suppressants sometimes to omegas who want them, but this requires sufficient time to prepare.

### Janusz' on-site unit at Hillview

Janusz' unit has car paraphernalia around his unit, including posters. Nate has a room to himself, with 'a desk, a lamp, a comfortable looking bed, even nice curtains. It wasn’t overly homely, but Janusz pointed out that Nate would be expected to add his own touches to the space.' The unit has a fridge, cabinets of dishes, an electric kettle, and a linen closet with a box of blankets at the bottom for nesting. Janusz's room has a large bed with a black doona cover with an animal print on it.

## Omegaverse Worldbuilding

### Alphas

Alphas and omegas scent each other, to note their scent and sometimes even check their emotions.

### Omegas

'Bonding can be difficult when an omega is previously bonded and in a healthy relationship.' Omegas use blankets to make nests.

Omega parents can decide who omegas are partnered with, whether they're allowed to drive, and whether and where they can choose to study.

Omegas heats occur in cycles when they are predictable, in 2-3 month cycles.

## Quotations

* 'Christian glared and Nate struggled not to shrink back, because Christian said it hurt his feelings, and Nate didn’t want to do that, couldn’t keep doing it. Apparently all he did was hurt Christian’s feelings.'
* ‘Me hitting you would be fine?’ Janusz said. [Nate]: ‘Yeah. I mean I get it; I don’t expect it to be *nice*, and you only have a limited amount of time to…make it work*.* But it would be fine. If it works. Like, if it makes me better for Christian.’

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 not\_poignant. “Underline the Blue.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 16 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/45788023/chapters/115226131. Chapter 1.
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 not\_poignant. “Underline the Blue.” *Underline the Rainbow. Archive of Our Own,* 19 March 2023. https://archiveofourown.org/works/45788023/chapters/115412809. Chapter 2.