Evening had fallen as Ash pedalled his bicycle quickly. On the carrier sat a dish packed with goat's stew and mashed turnips. His face was distant, lost in thought. This was the only chance left to trace my savior. How could Grandma forget his name? She suffers from blood sugar, not amnesia.
That afternoon, Ash had waited eagerly for his grandmother to reveal the name of the man who once saved him. But she only shook her head, saying she had forgotten. The disappointment weighed on him, stealing his appetite for the mashed turnips she had lovingly prepared. Still, not wanting her efforts to go to waste, he decided to carry the food along.
When Ash reached home, he went straight to his room for a shower, hoping to wash off the exhaustion. Afterward, he swallowed his suppression block pills and buried himself in homework. Only then did it strike him; he had left the dish in the kitchen, uncovered. It was still sitting on the flat counter, the stone surface where they usually placed food. If it stayed there too long without refrigeration, it would spoil.
Ash rushed downstairs, but froze at the doorway. Adrian was in the kitchen, eating happily.
"That's my food!" Ash blurted.
Adrian looked up, eyes wide with mock innocence. "Oops. I didn't know. I just found it here abandoned. Thought nobody needed it."
"It wasn't abandoned," Ash muttered, stepping closer. "I left it there to eat later."
Adrian shrugged. "But I was hungry now. You needed it later."
Ash exhaled sharply. "Urghh."
Adrian chewed thoughtfully before adding, "I usually dislike turnips, but this one...wow. Where did you order it from? I'd like to be their customer."
Ash shook his head. "That recipe's only from my grandma. You won't find anywhere else."
Adrian grinned. "Lucky you. A grandmother who can cook this? Now I'm jealous." As he wiped his mouth, Ash suddenly recalled the night before; the moment he had brushed his lips against Adrian's while he slept, only to wake up to a kiss in return. His cheeks warmed, and words stumbled out of him.
"A-about last night..." he muttered.
Adrian, now done eating, set the plate aside. His gaze sharpened as he stepped closer. "What about last night?"
Ash backed away slowly until his hips met the cool stone counter. Adrian was close enough now their breaths mingled. Ash's chest tightened, his omega instincts stirring restlessly.
Adrian's voice lowered, almost a whisper against Ash's lips. "Didn't you like it?"
Ash's reply came out unsteady. "But we're"
Before he could finish, Adrian closed the distance, pressing his lips to Ash's. The kiss deepened, Adrian parting Ash's lips with his own. Ash trembled, his instincts screaming making him surrender. His lips responded, hesitant at first, then yielding. Adrian pulled back briefly, his eyes locked on Ash's, before lifting him onto the stone counter. Their mouths found each other again, kisses urgent, hands searching for balance. Ash clung to Adrian's neck, his pulse racing as their lips moved in sync.
In their closeness, neither noticed the dish pushed aside until it slipped, crashing to the floor. The sharp sound startled them, breaking the moment. Shards scattered across the tiles, stew and turnips spilling across the ground.
They froze when a voice called from outside.
"Who's in the kitchen?" Ash's mother.
Adrian reacted instantly, pulling Ash with him to the side of the door. They pressed close together, hidden, their faces almost touching. Their breaths mingled in the narrow space, hearts pounding.
Ash's mother stepped inside, her eyes immediately catching the mess on the tiles.
"Tsk." Her tone turned sharp, disappointed "Catty...when I catch you"
A faint meow followed, just on cue, as though the house cat had decided to take the blame. Ash nearly burst into laughter, but Adrian clamped a hand gently over his mouth, holding him still until they heard the sound of footsteps moving away.
The moment stretched. When Adrian finally lowered his hand, his eyes flicked downward. Ash followed his gaze and flushed scarlet, realizing the arousal pressing against the fabric of his shorts. Ash shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes. Adrian leaned closer, his voice low. "Let's leave before she comes back."
Without waiting for an answer, he caught Ash's hand and led him quickly up the stairs, their footsteps soft but hurried, heading straight toward Adrian's room. By the time they reached Adrian's room, Adrian pushed Ash gently onto the bed. A faint shimmer of silver pheromones filling the air. His eyes carried the hue awakened aura as he leaned down, capturing Ash's lips again.
His hands moved with intent, loosening Ash's shirt buttons as his mouth trailed lower, leaving a trail of kisses along his neck. Ash's breath grew uneven, his body betraying the stir of heat inside him. Adrian's lips brushed over Ash's chest, his touch alternating between gentle and hungry, until Ash's voice broke into soft gasps. The closeness was overwhelming; heat and breath tangled together.
When Adrian's kisses wandered lower, he paused at Ash's belly button. The small golden navel ornament caught his eye, and he smiled, brushing his lips against it with reverence. But just as his hands slid toward Ash's waistband, Ash caught them, stopping him. His cheeks burned, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"You're engaged...it's wrong."
The words hung between them, heavy with conflict. Adrian froze, caught between desire and the weight of truth.
Adrian woke with a start, his body trembling, his breath unsteady. He sat up quickly, pushing a hand through his hair. "Go back to your room," he said, voice strained. Ash, startled, scrambled for his shirt and slipped out, the air between them thick with what had just been left unsaid.
Back in his own room, Ash leaned against the door, his body still burning, his arousal refusing to fade. He hurried into the bathroom and twisted on the cold shower. The water rushed over him, soaking his skin, yet it couldn't wash away the ache inside. His hand pressed to his chest.
Why does my heart ache for turning him down?
On the other side of the wall, Adrian sat at the edge of his bed, swallowing two Pressors, the small pills Alphas used to keep their instincts in check. He was only meant to take one, but tonight his control felt too fragile. The bitter taste lingered, heavy on his tongue, as though even the medicine resisted working.
He closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Why am I so madly drawn to him when he's just a Beta?
The questions lingered like a wound, one neither the cold water nor the pills could soothe.
...
Morning came with a soft knock at Ash's door. Still half-asleep, he murmured a reply.
"Ash," his mother's voice called," Lucien is downstairs waiting for you."
That name snapped him awake. Lucien? Waiting for me? Did I hear her right?
He rubbed his eyes, hurriedly pulled on some clothes, and went downstairs. At the dining table, Lucien sat casually sipping coffee. When he noticed Ash, he stood with a smile.
"Don't look at me like that," Lucien said lightly. "To keep you from getting bored, I came to take you shopping."
Ash blinked, puzzled. "Shopping? Did I ever say I needed anything?"
Lucien chuckled. "It's not about you needing something. Maybe your mother could use groceries." He glanced toward Ash's mother, who stood nearby, smiling in quiet approval.
Ash sigh inwardly. He's already won her over.
"Alright then," he said, turning toward the stairs. "Let me change first."
"Take breakfast before you go," his mother reminded him.
"I'm fine, Mom," Ash called back, already heading up the steps.
...
In the car, Lucien gripped the wheel while Ash settled into the seat beside him. For a moment, Lucien glanced at him, then shook his head. He unwound the scarf from his own neck and held it out. "Cover those marks," he said calmly. "Those devil's prints aren't meant for the world to see."
Ash blinked, puzzled, and slowly reached for the scarf. "Marks?" He tilted toward the rearview mirror above the dashboard. The reflection hit him like a jolt, reddish stains scattered along his skin. His eyes widened, and a bead of sweat slid down his temple.
"Hickeys."