Was it irresponsible for an Omega to move in with an Alpha?
Extremely.
Tiza remembers at one point he had criticized Daniellla of doing the exact same thing. Yes, he could rationalize that the situations were different but not by much. All in all Tiza was eating his own words at this point. But Tiza, as prideful as he was, could admit to as much. Aosh also had such concerns, texting them instead of continuing with the phone call, much to Tiza's displeasure.
The Omega wasn't going to back down now, not after putting himself out there like that in the first place. He assured Aosh that his heats were very irregular, ever since he started having them, and they only occurred every three to four months give or take. The doctor said it could be caused by a number of things; from him being an early bloomer to this long winded eating disorder he's apparently had. Either way with Tiza's heat not being a real issue Aosh was convinced. The Alpha had already told him he could do whatever he wanted anyway.
The next issue Tiza ran across was his stuff. He really didn't want to go to Sean and Momo's apartment to grab his things. It would be a while until he felt up to that type of confrontation. But Momo...he could talk to Momo. So he called her after getting the final confirmation from Aosh that this was indeed happening. It only rang for half of a second before the call picked up.
"You are so lucky my doctor put me on bed rest or I would be up there kicking your ass." Momo's usually sweet tone was gone.
That was probably the maddest Tiza has ever heard her. It's enough to make a cold sweat break out under his collar. She continues with a huff and then a sniffle.
"You- At least call or something if you're okay! I- ugh! You can't do this to a pregnant woman! I'm worried sick over here and I can't even do anything!"
Her word's sound like they are getting stuck in her throat and she is on the verge of tears. As much as Tiza feels bad for making her worry he can't help but hold onto the warmth that seeps inside him hearing how worried she was. Tiza doesn't want to tell her too much all at once so he focuses on what he called for.
"Sorry about that. I'm okay for the most part, they are releasing me from the hospital tomorrow."
"Oh god good! I'll let Sean know and he can-"
"I...I'm not going back Momo."
The Beta has gone silent on the other end and Tiza continues through the tense lull in their conversation.
"I don't know how much Sean has or hasn't told you but...things happened, and I can't live with him anymore. I- I need some time to be on my own and figure things out."
"Where are you going to go?" her voice is small, like she is close to crying again.
"I'm going to stay with Aosh, my...er, friend. That's why I called, to tell you, because it would be pretty shitty of me not to. And also he might come by tomorrow to grab some of my things."
"I understand, honey, but Sean won't. I can tell you that right now."
"That's why I'm telling you."
"Okay…," she sighs, and even though she tries to make her voice sound happy Tiza isn't convinced, "Just take care of yourself and let me know what you want to take with you. And know that we both love you."
Tiza doesn't know if he has it in him right now to return that sentiment.
.................................................................
Aosh has never cleaned his apartment fast enough or meticulously enough since he moved in. Every square inch was thoroughly swept, dusted, and scrubbed until it looked spotless. He knows that Tiza has been in his apartment before, but he would be living here, so everything had to be perfect.
Oh god Tiza would be living here. With him.
It still didn't feel real, even as he walked into Tiza's hospital room the following day to pick him up. To take him home.
Dear god. How was Aosh going to survive this?
Tiza sits in the chair Aosh had slept in on more than one occasion, reading one of the books Aosh bought him. When their gazes meet Aosh is graced with a small smile. That alone is enough to take the breath straight from his lungs.
He wasn't going to survive this was he?
"It's about time you got here. I was afraid you were going to make me wait around all day."
"Are you ready to get out of here?" Aosh manages to say.
"Beyond ready." Tiza says, closing the book.
After one more embarrassing stroll through the hospital in a wheelchair, they arrived at the discharge area where Tiza was finally able to step into the outside world. Aosh helps Tiza into the car, and folds up the walker they are sending him home with in the back seat. Not long after, they pull up to Sean and Momo's apartment complex.
"You're sure you don't want to go in?"
"It would be too much of a hassle...using the walker." Tiza says, scratching the side of his face, dodging the question completely. He pulls out his phone to send a message.
"I just sent you the list of things to take that I texted Momo. Can you make sure that everything is there?"
Aosh nods his head and leaves the car running to keep Tiza warm in the mid-winter weather. Knocking on the door, Aosh isn't surprised to see Sean open it; in fact he already prepared himself for it.
Sean glances behind the Alpha, the already somber look to his features falling further when he doesn't see Tiza accompanying him. What does surprise Aosh is that none of the hostitly Sean has held for him before is present or verbalized. The Beta sighs out an, "I'll go grab his things." and closes the door softly. Moments later Sean is back with a backpack and a large cardboard box. He sets both on the floor.
"You can check to see if everything is there."
Pulling out his phone, Aosh rummages through everything, double checking the list. Everything is there, and then some. He comes across a picture frame, with a woman holding a bouquet of peonies, and can't help but look at it a second longer than he should.
"You...really aren't a bad guy aren't you?"
The Alpha looks up to see Sean gazing at him, his face complicated. Aosh closes the backpack and box then stands up.
"What will it take to convince you?" Aosh says.
"Well you're completely different from me so that's a start," Sean kicks his foot back and forth with arms folded across his chest; eyes now trained on the carpet in the hallway, "He really doesn't want to see me does he?"
"I can't speak for him."
Sean nods his head, seemingly lost in his thoughts, "You'll take care of him, right?"
"I think he's tired of 'being taken care of'. I'm going to let him figure things out and be there for him along the way, if he needs me to be. You should do the same."
Sean doesn't look like he has anything else to say so Aosh slings the backpack over one shoulder, picks up the box, and leaves. Sean closes the door and trudges into the depths of the apartment, into Tiza's room. The emptiness of it haunted him, reminding the Beta of when they first moved to the States; that even when the two of them had nothing they had each other. Realizing Tiza not only didn't need him anymore, but didn't want anything to do with him was a hard pill to swallow. Everytime he tried to swallow it he felt like he was choking.
.................................................
The lights flickered on as the duo entered the apartment and as soon as Tiza set foot in it he felt like he was home. It was an entirely new feeling to him, one that he hadn't felt before. It was weird, but in a good way. Everything was exactly as he remembered it from months prior. Everything except for all the extra plants. Calling the apartment a jungle wouldn't be far off, but it did make the atmosphere not only more lively but easier to breathe.
Aosh sets the Omega's belongings on the coffee table.
"I'll help you unpack if you want me to. The place is yours, so you can put anything anywhere."
Tiza's legs were already aching from the trek from the parking lot. But being stuck in that stuffy hospital for so long really made him want to walk around and do things, unpacking his stuff in his new home being one of them. Aosh turns on some music and the two get to work.
They start with Tiza's rather large collection of horror memorabilia which took up about a third of the box. Bringing them to the bookshelf that sits by the tv, Tiza meticulously organized them with Aosh's books in alphabetical order; seamlessly blending romance and the macabre on the shelf.
At one point Tiza tries to put a book on the top shelf. Because of his height and that he can't get on the tips of his toes anymore, he just barely misses it and causes something to fall out of the book. Thin and delicately pressed peonies fall to the floor along with the photo strip from when they went to the arcade.
Aosh goes to pick up whatever fell without thinking.
"Are these the flowers I sent you?" The Alpha says, his voice caught between shock and awe. He turns them over in his hand gently.
Tiza holds the book open, but refuses to look at Aosh until he puts the flowers back in the book. The Omega's cheeks are hot and he keeps his mouth glued shut. He wasn't going to state the obvious! Of course he did, don't make him say it out loud!
Aosh sets the flowers in the book, closes it, and puts the book on the shelf with a grin.
"Did you want this in there too?" He asks, holding up the strip of photos.
"No, you can keep it. I don't need it anymore."
"You don't?" Aosh looks at the pictures with a small pout.
Tiza looks Aosh up and down. Smirking, he turns his walker around and heads back to his box of things, "Nope."
..............................................................
Aosh stands in the doorway to the bedroom befuddled.
In his haste to prepare everything for Tiza's arrival, he had forgotten one crucial thing. There was only one bed. His bed. Originally, Aosh had planned for them to split the room, it was big enough after all, but since it was short notice there wasn't anytime to arrange for someone to move Tiza's existing bed.
"What's wrong?" Tiza asks from where he is standing behind Aosh. They were headed into the bedroom to put away the rest of his things and the Alpha just stopped in the doorway.
"Oh, uh," Aosh walks further into the room and sets the box on his desk, "I just realized that I'm going to have to sleep on the couch."
"Why?" Tiza grabs a handful of clothes out of the box and looks at the bed, "The bed is big enough for the both of us."
Wait, what? Tiza wasn't suggesting that they…? No. There was no way.
"I can sleep on the couch until we figure out a way to get your bed over here," he pushes.
Tiza sends Aosh a look as he makes his way towards the closet.
"You slept in a chair next to me for a whole week. You are not sleeping on the couch." Tiza left it at that as he started taking empty hangers out and setting them on said bed.
Why was Aosh being difficult? Shouldn't he want to sleep next to him? They had basically slept next to each other already, so what was the difference if it was in the same bed? Besides that...the feeling of Aosh's fingers intertwined with his and his thumb lazily stroking the back of Tiza's hand until he fell asleep…Tiza wasn't going to say he missed it; but it was definitely something he was looking forward to. What was so bad about sleeping next to him? Didn't Aosh...well you know, like him? Tiza didn't understand it.
.................................................
Now it was Tiza's turn to be befuddled.
An array of take out menus sit on the coffee table. He flips them over; each one looking more intimidating than the last. His gaze flits back up to Aosh who is looking up at him expectantly. The look, admittedly, made his appetite fly out the window. And maybe Aosh can tell by the way Tiza's face goes a shade paler.
The Alpha goes to sit next to the other on the couch. It had been a while since they had started rearranging the apartment to accommodate Tiza's belongings. Aosh suggested that they order out for dinner and without thinking laid out the options on the table. There's an uncomfortable vibe that has settled in the atmosphere, emanating straight from Tiza. This was a problem area for Tiza. Aosh needed to go about this in a different way it seemed.
He had very little knowledge on the subject of eating disorders, and Tiza hadn't come to the point where he felt like talking about it. He needed to eat, but Aosh found it counterintuitive to try and force feed him. Still...he would have to try something.
"Let's start over," Aosh picks up all the menus and set them beside where he sits, "We are going to play a game, ok?"
Tiza cautiously nods.
"I'm going to say two words and you have to tell me which one sounds better."
Tiza nods again.
"Sweet or Spicy?"
"Sweet."
"Soft or Crunchy?"
"Crunchy."
"Hot or Cold?"
"Hot."
"Meat or Veggies?"
"Meat."
Suddenly Aosh get's up, grabs the stack of menus, and heads to the kitchen. Tiza stares confused as Aosh dials a number on his phone. Was the game over? Did he win?
Thirty minutes later and there are two steaming hot to-go boxes sitting on the coffee table. Tiza eyes the white styrofoam nervously, and Aosh pats the couch cushion, urging him to sit down.
"Open the box." Aosh says.
When he does, Tiza is greeted with a sweet, honey-like aroma. Inside the box sits little fried morsels that are enrobed in a thick amber glaze. They sit atop a generous portion of white rice and steamed vegetables. It...was a lot of food, which made him nervous, but not enough for him not to be hungry.
"It's sticky honey glazed chicken. Sorry they didn't have a smaller portion, but I think it checks all the boxes; Sweet, Crunchy, Hot, and Meat. Don't feel like you need to eat all of it, just eat until you are satisfied. Then eat more if you are hungry."
Aosh grabs the tv remote, and puts on a movie for them to watch while they eat.
'He's doing it again,' Tiza realizes.
Not watching him as he eats. Aosh just tucks his legs under himself, opens his to-go box and eats; without giving Tiza a second glance. The movie starts playing and Tiza looks at the food once more. The thought of eating...it still bothered him, the instant regret of doing so still tugged at the corners of his conscience like a disease. But in this place, on this worn couch next to Aosh, corny horror movie playing in the background and honey filling the air-
Well the thought of taking a bite didn't feel like the end of the world.
He could let himself have that much.
.........................................................
All Aosh can think about is sharing the same bed as Tiza. He manages to make it through dinner even knowing that after the movie ends it'll be time to go to sleep. The Alpha can tell how fatigued Tiza must be; today has been the longest the other has been on his feet since his accident. The Omega looks to be assimilating with the couch cushions after eating half of his food, his eyes fluttering closed for more than a couple seconds here and there, his head leaning on Aosh's shoulder like a pillow.
It made the thought of sharing a bed with Tiza even more inescapable.
Maybe, if Aosh was sneaky enough, he could put Tiza to bed and come sleep in the living room. The credits roll and a gentle hand nudges Tiza.
"Hey,you should probably head to bed. You've had a long day."
Tiza nods his head, sleepiness evident in his eyes, " Yeah...let's go to bed."
'No!' Aosh thinks, 'Just you, by yourself, not me!'
Aosh pulls Tiza up to his feet and walks with him into the bedroom, dreading every step there. Coming to the bed Tiza almost collapses onto it, more than ready to sleep, but Aosh's touch guides him down to the mattress. When the blonde's head meets the pillow he groans happily and buries himself in it. Aosh's bed was definitely more comfortable than a hospital bed.
Tiza goes still, his breathing slowing down, and for a moment Aosh thinks the other has fallen asleep, so he quietly makes his way to the door.
"Where are you going?"
Aosh freezes. Tiza looks at him expectantly in the dim light the other room casts into the bedroom. He lifts the covers.
"Aosh, come to bed."
Throat suddenly feeling like he just ate sand, Aosh feels pulled back to bed by some magnetic force. Before he gets under the covers he is stopped.
"Aren't you going to change?"
"The-Then shouldn't you change too?" Aosh counters.
Something is thrown at Aosh and he just barely catches it before it hits his face. It's the pair of pants that Tiza had been wearing. When the other had shimmied them off he doesn't know but the thought of it happening while he was in the room makes Aosh's face set on fire.
"I usually sleep in a shirt and underwear. Can you put that in the laundry basket?"
Aosh can only find it in him to nod as he walks across the room to said basket. He pulls out clothes to change into and absconds into the bathroom. Stripping down he quickly turns on the sink to splash cold water in his face. The Alpha looks at himself in the mirror, wet and flustered. This was going to be harder than he thought, wasn't it?
Tiza had just been through one traumatic experience after another. The last thing he wanted to do was….take advantage of the situation; to take advantage of Tiza. Aosh didn't want to be in that club, the club of people who took advantage of Tiza when he was at his weakest.
Yes, he still loved Tiza, and everything happening right now was like a dream come true. But it wasn't right. Tiza doesn't need a lover or a fated mate right now, he needs a friend. Aosh had to be that friend. So he stuffed his feelings down as deep as possible. He wasn't going to run the other off again, even though in the back of his mind he feared that Tiza would leave him again anyway. He knew that Tiza would never see him as anything more than a friend, and as much as that hurt, Aosh would rather be by his side as his friend than not at all. If he kept to himself and didn't dare cross over the line he had painstakingly drawn in the sand of their relationship then maybe, just maybe, Tiza would stay. He wasn't willing to risk it, even if it was what he wanted most.
Slowly Aosh slinks out of the bathroom in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, two articles of clothing more than he usually wears to sleep, and his hair done up in a bun. Just barely can he see Tiza laying underneath the covers, and for a moment he contemplates leaving again, but decides not to push his luck. Stiffly he slides under the comforter, keeping a good distance away from the other body next to him.
The darkness plays with Aosh's eyes while he stares up at the ceiling. He tries to will his mind into a relaxed state but sleep seems elusive. He can feel the comforter shift as Tiza slowly breathes next to him, in fact he seems hyper aware of it. The Alpha is burning hot and it's not because of the extra clothes.
Tiza rolls over onto his side, brushing up against Aosh.
"I forgot, the doctor told me to sleep on my good side." Tiza says softly.
Tiza's cool touch seeps through Aosh's shirt as his hands roam until they find one of Aosh's hands. Slowly those fingers intertwine with his and a content sigh leaves Tiza, ghosting over Aosh's exposed neck. The Omega pulls himself closer, snuggling into him, then lazily drapes his leg over Aosh's hip, straddling him from the side.
"G'night." The sleepy Omega mumbles, before falling into a peaceful and content sleep.
'Dear god,' Aosh thinks.
He was in trouble.
....................................
Aosh awakes to an unknown weight on his chest. It makes his chest feel heavy in a way that eases the tension deep in his bones. Like he had just taken a deep breath and released it. The weight shifts and his nose is tickled by its movement. Thick eyelashes flutter open to see blonde hair brushing against his nose. One of Tiza's hands is splayed across his bare chest.
When...when did he take off his sweatshirt? Had he gotten hot in the middle of the night?
Sleeps still blurs Aosh's conscience, and the anxiety from the night before is a dull memory in the early morning hours. After sleeping in a chair for a whole week then dealing with an unbearable rut the next, this was probably the best night's sleep he's had in a while. Considering he's never shared a bed with anyone before, that's surprising, the fact it was with the love of his life was even moreso.
Maybe...Aosh could do this. Existing like this with Tiza. Platonically. If it meant waking up like this every morning.
Aosh didn't want to give this up, the feeling of Tiza in his arms, and refused the urge to get up and start his morning routine. But he also couldn't be so bold as to pull Tiza tighter against him, if that was even possible. His fingers twitch and he realizes that Tiza's hand is still held in his. With a thumb rubbing over his knuckles, Aosh's grip tightens, and he thanks whatever higher power was letting him have this. Even if this was all he was allowed, he wanted to cherish it.
At some point Aosh wakes up again, having been lulled back to sleep by the rhythm of the other's breath. This time he wakes up to fingers gently running over his scalp and through his hair, again.
Ah, his bun must've come undone during the night as well.
His eyes trace down until they meet veridian ones. Tiza still has traces of sleep on him, from his tousled hair, dewy eyes, and the familiar wrinkles imprinted on his arm that signify a good night's sleep. Caught in the act of combing Aosh's hair, the fingers only slow down how they work through the inky strands.
"Your hair gets crazy when you sleep." Tiza yawns as he fiddles with one of the many knots in Aosh's hair, "It's annoying."
Aosh catches sight of his hair tie around Tiza's wrist. Maybe his bun didn't come undone, or at least not by itself. Despite being annoyed, Tiza still combs through his messy locks, letting his fingertips rub against Aosh's scalp in small circles every now and then.
"Why are you doing this?" Aosh dares to ask. He doesn't want all this attention to stop, but with Tiza being so gentle with him, laying on his bare chest and in his underwear, he can't stop his stupid heart from doing flips. Everything just felt so perfect, too good to be true. What..what was this?
"I…," Tiza bites his lip, eyes tracing the peonies on Aosh's cheeks.
Why was he doing this? Could he be honest with himself and admit it was because…
Because he...
No. It's only been one day. One night together. He needed more time to know for sure, even though the answer seemed to be very clear. Like most things, Tiza wanted to ignore this...whatever this feeling was. The feeling that guided him into Aosh's arms and urged his fingers to comb through the Alpha's hair. The feeling was so complicated, so foreign, and heavy; it was easier to just let it guide him for the time being than gather up the courage to face it and understand what it meant.
"If you don't like it I can stop." Tiza grumbles, more annoyed at himself now than Aosh's knotted ends.
"No," he says quickly, hand shooting up to keep Tiza's wrapped in his hair, "I like it."
'Please don't stop,' Aosh silently begs.
That feeling inside Tiza stirs again, causing his skin to light up under Aosh's touch and his annoyance to melt away into something lighter and sweeter. Tiza's fingers begin moving again, and it's then he realizes.
He...he won't be able to ignore this for long, would he?