"So good!" Saint's moan right then was positively sinful.
Sitting across from him at the dining table was Perth, who was smiling shyly at Saint. "Glad you like it P'Saint."
Saint paused in eating the delicious fried rice in front of him and pointed the spoon at Perth. "I didn't know you can cook."
The omega was really surprised when Perth volunteered to cook for him after he mentioned that he hadn't had breakfast yet (morning sickness also means he has no appetite in the morning, unfortunately). He had thought that the alpha was just joking. But then Perth proceeded to check his fridge and after a short pause began to whip up fried rice loaded with eggs and vegetables and ham. Saint had just watched in a daze.
"I don't. I just know the basics. Basically you're looking at the only dish I can make." Perth laughed. He then gently took the spoon from Saint's hand, scooped some fried rice and offered it to Saint. "Here, you should eat more."
Saint huffed and grabbed the spoon. "I can eat on my own, you know. I'm not some helpless omega." But he was internally smiling.
What a caring alpha.
"I know you're not a helpless omega, P'Saint. In fact, you're unlike any omega I know," Perth said calmly
Saint looked down. Too many years of people telling him he's not an ideal omega - too tall, too noisy, too unrefined - had made him terribly insecure.
'Oh Saint? He's an omega you fool around with, not the kind you would want to bond with.'
"Hey." Perth reached for Saint's hand. "Did I say something wrong?"
Saint shook his head. "Nothing. Do you really think I don't seem like an omega?"
Perth nodded. Saint's heart sank.
But then Perth began to explain. "I've seen you do a lot of volunteer work where you do heavy lifting or carpentry and stuff like that. Most omegas would turn up their noses at 'beta work' but you've never let your secondary gender define you." He smiled. "It's what I like about you. Well aside from the fact that you're incredibly adorable."
"Y-you like me?" Saint stuttered. 'Hey peanut, your Dad likes me!'
Perth stared right at Saint, his eyes solemn and sincere. "I haven't been able to sleep right since the night something happened between us. I thought I'd wake up with you in my arms but the moment I opened my eyes the next morning, you were gone - no note or message. So I thought it was pretty clear that you didn't like me." Perth shrugged - he was smiling but his eyes were sad. "You've had a lot to drink, I shouldn't have assumed."
"No that's not it!" Saint held on to Perth's hand. "That's not it at all."
Perth looked confused. "Then why did you leave?"
"I panicked. I don't usually do stuff like that and you just met me and I was afraid you'd think I'm an easy omega or something like that and-"
Perth cupped Saint's face in between his hands. "Breathe, Saint. You're hyperventilating."
Saint took a deep breath. "I swear Perth, I didn't mean to hurt you when I left. I wanted to talk to you but I got so shy because I thought it was just a one-night stand to you." He averted his eyes. "And you're always surrounded by omegas. I didn't think you'd even remember me."
"How could I forget you, my omega?" Perth gently caressed Saint's cheek with his thumb, the warmth of his palm comforting the omega who had never had someone treat him so reverently before. Perth was touching him like he was someone to be cared for, someone precious. Saint wanted to cry.
'It's the hormones, it's just the hormones.' "You called me your omega again." Then in a softer voice he added, "You said that that night too."
Perth's eyes lit up. "You remember?"
"I wasn't that drunk," Saint mumbled but he's pretty sure he's blushing. No matter how shy he was feeling though, he had to let Perth know that everything that happened that night was consensual.
"Then is it okay if I call you my omega?" Perth asked.
'No fair.' Saint thought as he stared into Perth's gorgeous eyes. How was he supposed to say no, how was he supposed to deny Perth of anything when he's staring right at him?
'Not that I have anything against him calling me his omega, of course.'
Traditionally, the term 'my omega' is only said by an alpha to his bonded omega but Saint had never been a traditional omega anyway so he had zero objection to Perth calling him that. Except maybe...
"Then can I call you my alpha?"
Much like with the omega, an alpha is only supposed to be called in the possessive way by his bondmate. In fact, it's even more rare for Alphas to be called that way by people that are not their bondmate.
But it seemed like Perth didn't care about traditions either because he just smiled and then leaned in. He made sure to telegraph his movement so Saint can move away if he wanted. Saint kept still.
The alpha was inches away from Saint when he whispered, "I have always been yours, Saint." He then closed the gap between them and captured the omega's lips in a sweet kiss that Saint reciprocated.
After a few minutes that seemed too short, Perth gently pulled away and rested his forehead against Saint, his eyes still closed, his lips curved in a smile.
Saint was pretty much the same, smiling giddily.
Later that day, the two are casually chilling at Saint's living room. The TV was on but the volume was low and neither the alpha or the omega was paying attention to it.
Saint was leaning against Perth's shoulder. He was almost falling asleep with the way Perth was gently running his fingers through his hair. In fact, his eyes were halfway closed when Perth spoke.
"Is it just me or is there something different about your scent?"
That woke Saint right up. He lifted his head from Perth's shoulder. "What? Why would my scent be any different? And my friends haven't mentioned anything. You must be imagining things." He laughed nervously.
Saint didn't know what made him lie. It was the perfect opportunity to tell Perth about his pregnancy. But even though Perth said he likes him, that still won't guarantee that he won't freak out and run once Saint tells him that he's carrying his child. Liking him is giant leaps away from accepting that he's about to be a father after all.
"Oh? I guess I'm wrong then," Perth accepted easily. He gently guided Saint to lie back down on his shoulder. He then resumed playing with Saint's hair.
Saint felt so guilty about hiding the truth from Perth, especially when he believed him just like that.
'One day, I'll tell you. Let me just enjoy these first few moments of romance with you. Let me be selfish with these moments that I know you're taking care of me because I'm me and not because I'm carrying your child.'
Unfortunately, the moment Saint started lying, it seemed like it was difficult to stop. That little white lie that day snowballed and affected other people.
First, he asked Mean to keep his mouth shut, which means that he asked P'Plan to lie for him too since his blabbermouth of a bestfriend apparently already told his bondmate.
Plan wasn't so happy about lying to his friend but he did agree that it was Saint's secret to tell. He did warn Saint though to tell Perth as soon as possible.
"The longer you put this off, the harder it will be to tell him," the older omega said when Saint visited the bondmates' condo.
"I know, P'Plan. I'll tell him soon," Saint promised.
But 'soon' was fast becoming 'later'.
What he and Perth had was fairly new and at first Saint really just didn't know how to tell him. How is he supposed to bring up the fact that he's pregnant?
'Perth can you pass the bread? Oh and by the way, I'm carrying your child.'?
But after that, it just progressively became harder to tell him. No, it's more like he didn't want to tell him. Things have been good between them and Saint didn't want to upset the status quo in case Perth treats him differently once he knows.
And so two more weeks passed like that, with Saint dating Perth but not telling him about his child.
'What a damn mess.' Saint thought as he buried his face in his hands. He was in class but his mind was on the alpha who stole his heart.
Meanwhile, the alpha in question was smiling like a total idiot while scrolling through his phone gallery. He liked taking pictures of Saint and sometimes he can even convince the omega to pose for him.
He paused at a picture of Saint pouting. That day, Saint only had morning classes so he was waiting for Perth during lunch at the Economics Building cafeteria. He was apparently bored enough to be making funny faces at his phone and Perth was right on time to capture the moment. Saint didn't like that picture but Perth thinks he looks so cute there so he kept it.
"Okay, cut it out. You look creepy," Perth's close friend and classmate, Best, said to the alpha.
They were hanging out in the classroom just after their last class ended. Most of the students were packing their bags and already leaving but Perth knew Saint's class will end a little longer than his class so he wasn't in a rush.
Perth lifted his gaze from his phone. "Huh?"
Best pointed at his face. "That. That creepy smile."
"My smile isn't creepy, you asshole," Perth retorted.
"Here they go again," one of their classmates, a beta named Namfha, teased. "Just get bonded you two!"
Perth snorted and went back to his phone. He opened up his messages and texted Saint 'text me once your class is over okay? Let's grab something to eat.'
"What's with the reaction?" Namfha continued. "I may be a beta but I can see you two match very well. Plus come on, you're an alpha and an omega who have always been joined at the hip since orientation. There must be something going on between you two!"
"Just because we're alpha and omega doesn't mean we can't be just friends. That's a very old-fashioned way of thinking," Perth said without even lifting his eyes from his phone. He had heard the same sentiments so many times because he had quite a few omega friends - most of them unbonded - so he pretty much already knows what to answer.
Best just rolled his eyes. He's also used to their classmates teasing by now. He put an arm around Perth's shoulder. "Besides, as much as I am wounded - so so wounded - by the rejection of this oh so great alpha," Best began dramatically. He paused for effect. Then he grinned and snatched Perth's phone and showed his lockscreen - Saint's face - to their classmate. "He already has an omega."
"Best!" Perth nearly growled and swiped the phone back.
"Ooh he looks familiar," Namfha said.
Best laughed. "Of course he looks familiar, he's-" He happened to glance at the door and saw the person standing there. "He's here."
Perth immediately glanced at the door and smiled when he saw Saint standing there.
'My omega', he thought dreamily.
However, Saint was frowning, his eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar omega's arm around Perth. It was his first time to go to COSCI - Perth's college - because Perth had always been the one to go to Saint at Econs so he rarely ever sees Perth with his classmates. He certainly didn't think he would see an omega being all over his alpha. And Perth didn't seem to mind either.
He held his head high. 'I'm not gonna cry. I. Am. Not. Gonna. Cry.'
"Perth, I'm sorry for barging in. My class ended early so I thought...well it doesn't matter what I thought. If you're busy, it's okay, I'll go. I'm sorry."
Perth immediately stood up. "Hey no, don't go. I'm free. Last class just ended. I just texted you in fact."
Despite his shitty mood, Saint felt satisfied with the way the unknown omega's arm was dislodged from Perth's shoulder when the alpha stood up.
"Oh. My phone is in silent mode." Saint took his phone from his pocket. Sure enough, there was a message from Perth.
The alpha gathered his things and haphazardly threw them into his bag. "Gotta go. Bye!" He excused himself from his friends and walked towards Saint. He smiled at the omega and held his hand out.
Saint raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Your bag."
Saint sighed. "I told you-"
"You can carry your own things, I know," Perth interrupted. "But I still want to carry it for you. Humor me?"
"You always say that." But Saint still handed his bag to Perth.
Inside the classroom, Namfha whispered to Best, "I just remembered why he's familiar. Isnt he the face of Econ? He's Perth's omega?!"
"Yup," Best said. "There is no competing with that one."
The beta turned towards Best and grinned. "Why, would you like to compete?"
Best shrugged. "That's none of your business." He spotted Perth's pen that he dropped in his hurry to go to Saint. He picked it up, grabbed his bag and approached the two students talking quietly by the door. He tapped Perth's shoulder with the pen. "You dropped this, you klutz."
"Oh, thanks." Perth took the pen. "P'Saint, this is Best, he's a good friend of mine. Best, I'm sure you already know this because you're so freaking nosy but this is P'Saint, my omega."
Saint preened at the way Perth introduced him. 'Yup, mine. Back off.'
Best gave a wai. "Hi, P'Saint. Nice to meet you."
Saint smiled, in a better mood now. "Hi. Nice to meet you too."
Perth turned to Best. "Sorry, I can't take you home today. P'Saint and I have somewhere to go to."
"Hey it's okay. I'll take a cab. I'll be fine, Perth," Best said.
"Are you sure? Maybe I can ask someone else to go with you," Perth said worriedly. Even though he said he wasn't an old-fashioned alpha, he does still have the instincts to protect omegas and it flares up especially with the omegas close to him.
"Yes, you overprotective alpha. Calm your instincts." He shoved Perth lightly. "Now go. Don't keep P'Saint waiting."
Once he was sure Best is saying the truth, he nodded. "Okay. Be careful on your way home." Perth then casually reached for Saint's hand and intertwined their fingers. "Let's go."
All through the walk to Perth's car, Saint was just staring at their interlocked hands. He was pretty sure he had on the dorkiest smile. But the omega didn't care. He was walking hand in hand with his alpha. What more can an omega ask for?