"How is the coffee?"
"It's…it's good." Elliot replied, staring at the cup in his hand. In front of him was his former boss with his boyfriend, while besides him was Blaze. The alpha's legs were longer than Elliot's so their knees bumped slightly as they shifted – as Elliot shifted to find a more comfortable position on the wooden chair he was on.
Elliot wasn't sure how he ended up in a small but comfy coffee shop near the park. This coffee shop was owned and run by Harry, Gideon's boyfriend, a young beta who was clearly an optimist and kind. Henry invited them to visit his coffee shop. At first Elliot thought he should decline the kind offer, but Blaze agreed. So Elliot, who was still stupidly wanting to know more about the alpha, agreed.
Henry didn't hesitate to lead them all toward his coffee shop, which was a bit special since the dogs were alloed to go in as long as the owners could keep them quiet and still, and no pooping, of course. At first Elliot was afraid that Flipper might piss in the shop, but she might be very sleepy, because she immediately laid down under his chair and slept.
As Elliot looked up from Flipper to the people around, he just realized that he was now sitting beside Blaze, with Gideon in front of him. The alpha's dogs were well behaved. Silver, the Belgian malinois, just laid down and dozing off. Cooper, the more energise one stayed still, with its ears flips toward every sounds in the shop. Elliot had a feeling that the German shepherd was having fun.
Henry quickly got with the coffees. Elliot said he wanted nothing, but Henry was persisting, so he finally had to say something as simple as 'cappuccino'.
"Your coffee is the best." Blaze said, sipping his beverage. "Hm… how I miss your coffee." He sighed.
"You should," Harry chuckled. "I haven't seen you for a while! How is your work by the way? You're now working at Green Leaf Hospital?"
"Yes," Blaze nodded, smiling. A smile Elliot found himself liking more and more. "Briana had finally succeeded persuading me. However, I've got to admit that my new work place is very nice." The alpha continued. He looked so relax, as if the crashing of E-Corp didn't affect him at all. E corp manufactured computers, phones, and tablets, and maintain a banking and consumer credit division. They are very important to most people, does this collapsing not affect Blaze at all?
"Good, I think you are the very lucky one. No offense." Gideon sighed, but he was smiling. Elliot knew what the beta was going to talk about. The collapsing of E Corp brought down AllSafe as well. It's the only thing that made Elliot regret his decision to take down that conglomerate.
"Non-taken." Blaze nodded. "I don't use E Corp's product ver often; that's why I don't think I have an advantage nor a disadvantage from this situation. Hospitals aren't going to close because a large conglomerate has fallen." He shrugged. "By the way, Harry told me you start working with him." The alpha changed toping quickly. Elliot had a feeling that Blaze didn't want to talk about E corp because the alpha thought it would hurt Gideon.
He is a good person, for now at least. Elliot thought, mentally smiled. He wasn't sure if all of this was a pretending or not. But Blaze seemed to be honest with Gideon and Harry as Elliot had been watching so far.
"Yes," Gideon replied, he seemed to be happier talking about his present life. "I help him with these and that in the shop, still an apprentice though." They all laughed at that joke while Elliot smiled. Well, that's the greatest thing he could manage. Besides, half of his concentration was on Blaze.
Harry then changed the topic to other stuff, liked the weather, famous valleys of Switzerland, etc. Elliot all but kept to himself to stay still and answer only when they asked him to. His main focus was on Blaze. As he had hacked the alpha's computer and found nothing, so he decided to start from something physical instead.
The conversation went on, mainly focused on Gideon and Harry. Elliot tried to relax himself against the chair and listen to Blaze asking and listening to Gideon and Harry's stories. He tried to extract as much information as he could from Blaze. He had learnt that Blaze was Harry's school friend. Blaze and Harry met each other at the football club. Blaze was the quarterback while Harry was a Wide Receiver. Even that sport wasn't his strong point, Elliot still knew about football. And the fact that omega mostly liked alphas who played sports, it could not be help that he felt like touching Blaze's arm.
"What about you Elliot, what are you doing right now?"
Elliot was so focus on listening to Blaze that he nearly missed Harry's question. He looked up from his hands on his thigh and found that everyone at the table was looking at him.
"I…" shit. "…I do nothing." He replied as honest as he could, hoping that Blaze wouldn't think of him as a retard for no having a job.
"I'm sorry," Harry said. He was clearly feeling guilty for asking. It made Elliot felt bad. Harry seemed to be a good man, and he made Gideon happy, so Elliot didn't want to upset him. The omega tried to think of how to apologize or at least letting the beta knew that it's okay. There was no need to be guilty.
"It's okay…very…" Elliot gulped, looking away. "It's…it's okay." He insisted, looking back at Harry. The beta smiled and was about to say something when Blaze interrupted.
"Mr. Alderson," Blaze said; Elliot immediately felt a bit upset that Blaze didn't call him by his real name. But then again, he should be relived. If Blaze called him by his real name, Harry and Gideon might have a wrong idea, since they understood that Elliot and Blaze had just met. To be honest, Elliot was confused of why Blaze let Harry and Gideon understood that he and Elliot just met. For him; with social anxiety – Elliot didn't think he would be able to make more than 10 minutes conversations. His old days at Krista was the same, he listening – but didn't answer her questions. So there was no way he was going to be the one telling them their stories.
"There is one job open at the hospital; I think you might be interested." Blaze said. "Tech support – IT department. Since you have worked at AllSafe before, I think you will probably more than qualify."
No, I'm not going to go work there. Elliot told himself. I have to decline the offer. I don't want a possibility of seeing him every day.
"Thank you, I, um, I will send my resume."
Great.
Elliot sat behind the computer, looking at the screen.
He was allowed to wear a hood if he kept his ID card out for everyone to see, and as long as he was ready to move every time when called. However, mostly Elliot spent the time in the tech support room, doing nothing but scrolling through websites after websites. The other tech support did the same. There was barely anything to do at Green Leaf Hospital. No hacker attacks, only a few viruses which he was able to wipe them all out in less than an hour.
He had been working in Green Leaf Hospital for two weeks now. He hadn't told his friends about his new job – they did not need to know. Only Darlene and Angela are enough.
Thinking about Angela, he still could not believe she went to work with E Corp. Darlene was thinking about persuading her to quit, but Elliot knew there was no way Angela was going to. She could not quit. He knew.
Elliot met Blaze several time here, mostly at the cafeteria and the corridors. The alpha didn't try to talk to him – only a few greeting when they met each other on the corridor before moving on. Elliot was both grateful and disappointed. Half of him wanted nothing to do with Blaze, the other half wanted everything to do with that alpha.
Although Elliot hadn't met Blaze much, he did do some research about the alpha's friends. Elliot had done a research on Professor Lee and Briana Dolera, the two beta who persuaded Blaze to work at Green leaf. Briana was already married with one kid. Her husband was a male beta who owned an Italian restaurant not far away from Green Leaf.
Professor Lee was also a beta. He was already married with a female beta, and they now had three kids. He had taught at the medical school before moving to work at Green leaf Hospital. He was now the head of the Surgery department, and also Blaze's former teacher at the medical school.
"Hey, Elliot. There is a problem in the surgery department, something is wrong with one of their computers. Do you mind go check them? I get a call from the fifth floor, their wifi is not working."
Drake, Elliot's tech support co-worker, called from the other side of the room. Elliot perked up from behind his computer screen and nodded.
"Okay," he replied, and Drake was gone. Elliot sighed before getting up.
Surgery hm? Well, maybe I will meet Blaze, or maybe not. But do I want to meet him?
I do.
Elliot didn't meet Blaze at the Surgery Department. He was a bit disappointed, but immediately get to work. It turned out that the computer he had to check just get random viruses. Typical, most people got them on their computer without knowing. And he was too tired to tell them again that do not foolishly click 'OK' or 'Proceed' when some strange window pop up on to the screen with the word 'update'.
However, Elliot did meet Blaze. He was waiting for the elevator when someone stepped to stand beside him. Elliot had already remembered Blaze's scent, so he didn't have to turn to see whoever standing there.
"Good afternoon Elliot," the alpha said. Elliot didn't know of Blaze was looking at him or not, although he sensed that the alpha's eyes were on him. "How is your day?"
"Typical," Elliot replied, turning his head toward Blaze, to see if the alpha was indeed looking at him. And when that bright green-blue eyes looked back, Elliot knew he was right. "How is yours?" He asked back, trying to keep the conversation going. Well, probably the first time in forever that Elliot wanted to continue the conversation.
"Chaotic, as usual." Blaze chuckled. "But I love my job anyway." He smiled, and Elliot had to fight the urge to try to smile back. It's not that he did not want to smile. Elliot was afraid that he might creep the alpha out since he hadn't truly smiled for a long time.
"By the way, Elliot." Blaze continued, smiling. "I have a party at my house next Saturday, ummm, do you want to come?" The alpha seemed to be excited and nervous as he asked – the look which was very typical for a man asking someone he might have a crush on to go out.
Silly, that's impossible.
"A party?" He decided to ask, to make sure he heard it right. Blaze nodded quickly.
"Dinner and then movie party, to be exact." The alpha said. "Drake is coming too, do you want to come?" He repeated the question and Elliot mentally gulped. He was not the type of person who enjoyed party or whatever stuffs like that. Social anxiety.
"Sure, it sounds interesting."
Elliot, you are an idiot.
"Great, so I will see you on Saturday night then. Thank you Elliot."
Blaze smiled – beamed, to be exact - before he walked away. The elevator opened and Elliot stepped inside, feeling like knocking his head against the wall.
It was raining when Elliot arrived to Blaze's house. The alpha's house was in the outskirt of town, in a quiet but lovely neighbourhood. It's a two-story house, with a garage and large tress on its perimeter. A stony path leaded from the road toward its garage and the front door. Elliot could see the light coming from the inside, probably the kitchen and the living room. Overall, this house looked modern and welcoming.
Elliot forced himself to walk up the path toward the house. He stepped up the stairs to the wooden porch and rang the bell. He heard a bark, before the door was open. Blaze was in front of him. The alpha smiled and Elliot gulped. He started to regret his decision by now.
"Hi, I'm glad you can make it." The alpha smiled, stepping away to let Elliot in. Elliot didn't say anything as he stepped into the house and found himself in a warm hallway. On his left was the living room, and on his right was both the dining room and a kitchen. At the end of the hallway was a staircase, and a door that probably leaded to the backyard or a garage.
"Hi, um… good evening." Elliot replied, trying to sound relax. He could heard a laugh and people talking from the kitchen, and also a smell of cooked food.
"Good evening, make yourself at home." Blaze said, smiling as he made his way toward the kitchen. "We've almost finished the dinner. Come, pick whatever you wanted to eat. It's a buffet."
"Thanks," Elliot replied, hoping that he wouldn't regret this.
/
Twenty minutes later, Elliot found himself sitting beside Blaze and his dogs in the living room. And he felt like shit because now everyone was talking and he had nothing to say.
Well, the food was great, and he didn't have to talk much after introducing himself to everyone. Drak did most of the talking, his goofball personality had taken everyone's interests. But right now the dinner was over. Everyone had moved to the living room. Drake and the others took the largest couch, and Elliot was silently invited to seat with Blaze on the smaller one.
"Well, who pick the movie tonight?" Blaze asked as he stretched, obviously oblivion to the fact that his leg was rubbing Elliot's leg. Elliot wanted to pull moved away but there was nowhere to go. On the largest couch were Drake – his beta co-worker from the IT Department of Green Leaf Hospital, Mary Brown – the nurse he had hacked her mobile phone, with her alpha girlfriend, and Donald - Blaze's friend from the Surgery Department. And on the floor were Briana Dolera and the rest of Blaze's friends.
"I will." Drake said, smiling. "Let's watch Star Wars!"
"No, I want GIJOE." Briana pouted, "You have promised me that this time I will chose."
"Nope, I said next month, not next time." Drake grinned and Briana rolled her eyes. The others chuckled and they settled on Star Wars. Elliot felt like knocking his head harder against the wall. Really? Am I going to sit here all night to watch Star Wars trilogy?
At least you are seated next to Blaze.
That's very funny.
Elliot mentally grunted as he felt Blaze relaxed against the couch they were on. The alpha was smiling and talking about something called 'lightsaber'. He guessed it must be in the movie they were going to watch.
/
They were half way through the first movie when Elliot felt like yawning. He was so sleepy right now, purely from boredom. And the big heat source liked the alpha's body besides him was doing him no good. Blaze's body heat was making him sleepier every seconds passed.
Damn, I have never been like this since… since….
Well, can't remember. As always.
Elliot mentally grunted. He had thought that sometimes his mental illness was good; it made him forgot how much he missed his father – and how he used to blame himself. But now, when he needed some advices from the past, he could not have them. And now he had to figure out on his own, about how he could get out of this situation before he fell asleep on this small couch, with Blaze besides him.
He was way too deep in his thought that he nearly missed that May was standing up, whispering quietly to her girlfriend that she wanted a drink, and if she wanted some too.
That's my way out.
Elliot gulped, feeling relieved to finally find a way out. Well, normally he would have gotten out of this place since the dinner was over. He wouldn't care about what others might think of him. But this time he did, he cared about Blaze.
Shit, that's nonsense. Stop thinking about him already. You came to his party and that's it.
Wait. Why do you think you care about him? What make I care about him? Do I care about him?
My head hurts.
Elliot shut his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. He felt himself tensing up, and he knew he had to get out of this room before everything become too much for him to handle. He needed to be alone.
"I'm thirsty." He said quietly, half hoping that Blaze would not hear it. Half of him wanted to just get up and walk to the kitchen, and then again, he felt like didn't want to be rude.
"I think I have something in the kitchen that you might like." Blaze whispered back, already getting up. Elliot followed.
They reached the kitchen as Mary walked out of the room, holding too glasses of something alcoholic in her hand. She even flashed Blaze a knowing smile. Elliot could see that she believed there was something going on between him and Blaze, and she liked it.
No, there is nothing going on.
Yes, it is.
No, it is not. There is nothing between Blaze and me.
Just great, keep lying.
"So," Blaze opened the fridge, and pulled out two bottles of beer. "Does all of this, make you feel uncomfortable?" He asked, and Elliot was startled by the question.
Shit. He knows.
"No, everything is great." Elliot shook his head, trying to look at the wall behind Blaze than the alpha's face.
"Don't lie, at least to yourself." Blaze replied. His voice was soft, comforting in the way that Elliot both loved and hated it. "Elliot," he paused, making sure he was looking at Elliot in the eyes. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Elliot replied, surprised by how his voice sounded so unsure, so timid, as if this moment was the most fragile glass. He could feel the tension in himself. Something in him was calling, asking, demanding, for him to get closer to Blaze. To know what's behind the alpha's smile.
"For making you uncomfortable." Blaze said. His bright eyes had never left Elliot. And his stare had Elliot biting his lower lip. He felt something inside him slowly bloomed. Something yearning for Blaze's touch. Then Elliot realized what was all of this was about.
This is clearly not the problem from my heat.
I have a crush on Blaze.
The truth nearly shook him over. He gulped, looking away. He didn't know what to do - not sure of what to do. This was the first time he had a crush on anyone, as far as he could remember.
"Elliot."
Blaze's voice called him from his thought. Elliot snapped back to reality and found that Blaze was still looking at him. Actually, the alpha had never taken his eyes of Elliot.
"It's okay." Elliot abruptly said, trying to make up with something that sound believable. "I'm good. It's not a big deal. I can use this to work on my social skill." He added, looking away. "It's all good." He insisted.
After a moment, Blaze sighed and handed him the beer bottle.
"Alright." The alpha picked up his bottle, "but if I make you feel uncomfortable again, just tell me, okay?" His voice was soft and honest, which made Elliot felt worse for not able to be truthful with this alpha.
Damn, this is not good. I'm having a crush on him and right now he is so good to me.
Is this his plan? Does he realise what I'm feeling? What does he want?
Shit, everything is getting worse and worse.
"Okay," Elliot nodded, and Blaze gestured toward the living-room, where the movie was still on. Mary flashed Blaze a grin, but the alpha shook his head, telling her there was nothing happened.
Elliot settled back on his seat, trying to enjoy the movie. Well, it was quite good. He though, leaning further into the couch and tried not to lean toward Blaze instead. The alpha's body heat was so welcoming.
Elliot didn't know how long he had been sitting like that, drinking and watching. Drake said something about 'lightsabers' which made Mary laughed. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and before he knew it, Elliot was fast asleep.
What was that sound?
A barking?
Elliot's eyes shot open. Bright light flashed into his eyes, which made him squeezed them shut again, before reopen them slowly.
He was in a room which was definitely not his apartment. He was wearing a pyjamas which wasn't his either. The room was plain, with only a bed, a night stand with white lamp, and a wardrobe.
Where am I?
He thought. The last thing he remembered was sitting in Blaze's living-room, watching Star wars. Then he felt liked he should close his eyes, and that's it. Right now he was in someone's room, with pyjamas on and tugged under a blanket, so comfortable he didn't want to get up.
Elliot pushed himself up to the sitting position and looked around again. Those windows at the end of the room were where the light came from - since their curtains were pulled to the sides. Elliot sighed and got up, feeling bad having to leave this comfortable bed.
Blaze's scent was in the air, but not so thick. Elliot nearly purred at the thought of Blaze carried him here, change him and tugged him under the cover. Since this place probably was Blaze's, Elliot was sure Blaze must be the one carrying him here. He blushed at that idea, before brushing it away.
The omega got up and make his way out of the room. He had to find Blaze, asked for his clothes back and went home. He had to go. He could not stay.
Well, actually I am too afraid to stay – too afraid that I won't be able to leave. His scent is so good.
Elliot mentally frowned as he made his way out of the room. His stomach growled and that's when Elliot realized how hungry he was.
He slowly made his way toward the stairs. He could smell something being cooked, probably scramble eggs and bacons. And a scent of coffee, and pancakes. Healthy breakfast – causing his stomach growl more, and his mouth watered.
"…hey, stop yelling. I'm not the one dealing with the Dark Army."
Suddenly, as Elliot reached the stairs, he heard Blaze said something. It made him frozen in place.
Wait, Dark Army? Chinese Hackers?
"No, no, I'm not a hacker and you know it, little brother. Stop causing problems toward yourself and then say that I'm the one in danger. You are the one in danger."
Brother? Blaze has a brother? But I've never seen it in his biography. What's going on?
Well, it's clear isn't it? Blaze has a secret, secrets he hides from the world. Everyone has one face they show only to themselves. Everyone has their bugs. And I just found Blaze's.
"Hey, listen to me, little brother; it's not about you being an omega. It's about your own safety. Sexes have nothing to do with you causing yourself more problems than you can solve."
There was a silent, then Elliot heard a tired sigh.
"He hung up again," Blaze murmured, his voice sounded tired and slightly stressful. "Copper, Silver, what should I do. Damnit, I've tried to warn him not to become a hacker. What did he get himself into this time?"
Then Elliot heard something that sounded like someone was cooking. He guessed Blaze had went back to cooking.
So… Blaze's brother is an omega, and omega hacker. And he has a problem with the Dark Army.
Elliot gulped, leaning toward the staircase for supports. He had to think, to calculate his move carefully.
Blaze knows about the Dark Army, I'm sure, but how deep does he know about it? Who is his brother? Surely that this guy must had wiped himself out of the internet completely, delete himself, just likes me.
Is it because I have something likes his brother, that he was drawn to me? Or does this is all just a coincidence?
What should I do? Should I pretend that I haven't heard anything?
Yeah, that's probably the best thing to do, for now.
