The transport touched down on the palace landing platform.
Thankfully, no reporters were allowed on the platform, but Torn knew they wouldn't be able to dodge them forever.
His thoughts trailed back to his conversation with Ashelin on the flight.
Fucking vultures...the whole lot of them!
Two hours ago
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Torn gave Ashelin a slightly irritated look. He really wanted to know what nonsense Jinx was saying to Jak, but the serious expression on Ashelin's face told him this was a tad more important.
"I'm giving you a warning." Ashelin started, her eyes narrowing, "I received several calls from my secretary. You guys caused quite a stir during the wedding."
Torn raised a brow, "How so?"
Ashelin gave him a dubious look, "Seriously? Jak, a Prince and an Alpha, tilted his neck to you and allowed you to mark him first. You know how that looks?"
"If you got a problem with how we played things-"
"That's not what I meant..." Ashelin sighed before continuing, "You know I don't care about things like that. But certain people in the city care a little too much."
Torn paused for a moment. He knew what kind of people she meant...Nobility, council members, pretty much every member of society that still clung to the old ways. The very people he had hoped to avoid, "Jak wanted this...it's not anyone's business how we conduct our relationship, so they should keep their fat noses out of it."
Ashelin gave a humorless laugh, "Amen to that...but unfortunately, they aren't going to let this go...not without a statement."
"What kind of statement?" Torn didn't like where this was heading.
"If you don't want rumors or slander being spread about Jak or even Spargus itself, you need to be careful how the two of you conduct yourselves."
Torn raised a brow, "Meaning?"
"I'm saying..." She leaned closer, "Watch Jak. He isn't familiar with how Haven's upperclass are. You know what a danger that can be. Pick your battles and keep him from making a scene that would hurt his chances of endearing himself to the rich snobs who influence the council. And...if you have to bare your neck to him or tilt your head, just swallow your pride and do it for fucks sake!"
Ashelin's words were hard to hear, but they were true. Jak already had a negative view of Haven...and if it showed, especially amongst the 1%…
He turned to glance at Jak, seeing the younger man already looking at him as well. He gave Jak a questioning stare that asked, The fuck are you looking at me for?
That seemed to get the kids eyes back on Jinx and away from him.
Instant submission...
Oh...
He suddenly realized the issue.
He turned back to Ashelin, "I...see your point."
Torn cursed under his breath as they entered the lift that would take them to the guest level of the palace, the rest of the party flowing in as well. Jak squeezed in next to him as he curiously looked around as if he'd never seen a lift before.
Well...maybe not one this shiny.
As they descended, Torn glanced down at Jak.
How the fuck would he keep this fiery little shit from blowing up at the first sign of possible sexism?
Did he even want to stop him? Honestly, it would be pretty entertaining to watch the little Alpha verbally maul some anti-Omega prick...even better if he literally mauled them.
Then again...
Ashelin was right. People already see Spargans as desert savages with radical ideals. No point in giving them actual reasons to back up those assumptions.
The doors opened and as they filed out, Torn heard loud footsteps hurrying towards them.
"TORN!"
He knew that voice, and as he turned to face the noise he was immediately wrapped in a tight embrace by Arippa.
"Ari!" Torn returned the embrace immediately, a genuine smile stretching across his face.
His older brother's grip was desperate, as if Torn would disappear the second he let go. Torn couldn't help but breathe in his brother's earthy Alpha scent...
...fuck it felt like he'd been away for years.
There was nothing like a familial bond, and he had gone without for three weeks now. Hugging his brother like this was like applying a band-aid to a wound.
Arippa pulled back and gently rubbed his and Torn's wrists together as he beamed, "It's so unbelievably good to see your face! Things were too quiet and peaceful around here with you gone!"
Despite the teasing mirth in his voice, Arippa's forest green eyes were brimmed with unshed tears and his bottom jaw trembled ever so slightly.
The older Alpha looked uncharacteristically disheveled, as if he hadn't slept since Torn left. His chest-length auburn plaits were tied messily into a large brain that was swung over his shoulder, seemingly looking well-put together...but Torn knew better.
Ari only tied up his hair when he was too stressed to style it like normal.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see your ugly mug again." Torn laughed softly, giving his brother's shoulder a gentle nudge, "The fuck happened to you these past weeks? You look like a fucking corpse."
Arippa rolled his tired eyes and smiled softly, "The council happened to me. And Grandm-…Countess Reista...has made it extremely difficult for any of us to contact you." His face fell a bit. "Torn...Tear and I wanted to be at the wedding. We wanted to show our support but she just..." His face crumpled in sadness and guilt, but Torn shook his head and just embraced him again.
"It doesn't matter...I'm here now." Torn felt Arippa wrap his arms around him, giving him one more squeeze before they parted and Arippa turned his attention to the nervously shuffling Alpha watching them.
Torn followed his brother's gaze and decided that introductions were necessary, "Right, I better hurry up with the intros before he starts pouting." He smirked at Jak playfully as Jak pouted, proving Torn's point, "Jak, this is my older brother, Senator Arippa Reista. Ari, this is my...my husband, Prince Jak Mar." It felt odd introducing Jak as his husband, but he would have to get used to it if they wanted to satisfy the masses and get the cameras off their back.
Jak stood up a little straighter and gave a respectful nod towards the older...taller...Alpha. He wanted to make a good first impression after all.
Arippa looked a lot like Torn...but whereas Torn's face was always in resting bitch mode, Senator Arippa seemed to have a permanent calm over him. His face was gentle, neutral, and very trustworthy-looking. He was a lot thinner and less muscular than Torn, possibly due to the fact that he's a politician and not a soldier. But the main difference is the way Arippa carried himself in comparison to Torn.
Torn's stance was always rigid, tense, and his natural walk seemed to almost be akin to a stalking predator.
Arippa seemed to almost float. He had an unconventional amount of grace and femininity despite being an Alpha, which struck Jak as odd since that didn't seem to be a desirable trait for Haven Alphas to possess.
Arippa walked up to him, green eyes scanned over Jak, making the younger Alpha feel very much exposed. After a moment, Arippa seemed to find what he was looking for and gave a serene smile, "Ah, welcome to Haven, Prince Mar!" He pulled Jak into a warm embrace which initially made Jak tense up like a statue. The other Alpha's gentle mannerisms and unintimidating scent were working to help Jak relax into the hug...though his aversion to strange people touching him overruled them.
As if he'd read Jak's mind, Torn coughed loudly and huffed, "Hey back off, he doesn't like the whole touchy-feely bullshit."
Jak felt relieved when Arippa released him. The older male glanced between him and Torn, a hairless brow raised curiously before he seemed to realize something interesting.
Jak didn't miss the very slight mischievous glint flash in the older man's eyes before it was expertly hidden.
Arippa glanced at Torn and teased, "Terribly sorry! It's just that he's certainly not what I expected...and that's a good thing!"
Torn nodded in agreement, "He's a weird one, that's for sure...but he's a good kid..."
"We watched the ceremony on the Holovid." He turned his gaze back to Jak, smiling warmly, "It was very noble and generous of you to allow my brother to make the mark first. Knowing Torn, he'll never tell you how much that meant to him."
"Ari!" Torn hissed as he sneered, but Arippa only let out a soft giggle like a child who just got scolded for playfully teasing a friend.
Jak shook his head in response, "It really wasn't that big a deal. I like it when he takes the lead in things and so does he...it just seemed natural."
"JAK!" Torn directed the glare at him this time, "Stop talking about personal shit in public!"
"Oh?" Arippa raised a curious brow as his smile turned unabashedly mischievous, "So he often takes the reigns in your everyday interactions? No wonder he seems so endeared to you."
"And we're done here." Torn growled as he grabbed Jak and pulled him to his side, "If you wanna pry about my personal life, can you at least do it when we go see Tear later? That way I can get it from both of you at the same time instead of one after the other?"
Arippa gave him a questioning look, but decided to back off with the teasing for now, instead smiling at the two of them and saying, "Alright, I'll save the brotherly teasing for later. It was wonderful meeting you, Jak. And thank you for taking care of my baby brother, I'm glad he seems to be in good hands."
With that, the older man turned, "I'll let you two get settled then. See you this evening at the Hiphog Heaven Saloon!" He walked back down the hall with as much grace as Jak expected from someone among Haven's elite.
Honestly, Jak thought Arippa looked more like a Prince than him...
"So..." he started as he looked up at Torn, "Your brother's...nice?"
Torn gave a huff and smirked, "He's a diplomat...of course he seems nice. He was testing you...looks like you passed. Congrats."
"Testing me?!" Jak's eyes widened in disbelief, "He barely spoke to me! How the hell could he test me?!"
"Ari's got a sixth sense. He can read people as if they had their diaries written on their foreheads." He started leading Jak down the hall as he continued, "It's a rare and incredibly useful skill to have for a Senator...which is why he's still in that position." His tone became slightly darker as he bit out the next part, "If he didn't have it, he would've been tossed out on his ass years ago. Unlike me, he's too valuable to get rid of."
Jak scrunched up his brow in confusion, "Why? Is he not good at his job? He seems like he's really smart though."
"He's great at his job." Torn frowned, "But like me, he doesn't fall prey to societal norms." He leaned a bit closer to Jak and said a bit quieter, "He's in a relationship with another Alpha."
"Oh?...wait, lemme guess...thats' a bad thing in Haven?" Jak sneered in disgust. Of COURSE it was bad...
"Not bad...just..." Torn chose his words carefully, "...complicated."
"What the fuck is so complicated about it? Some Alphas like other Alphas. Some Omegas like other Omegas. I mean, you would know about that, wouldn't you?" Jak shut his mouth instantly. He accidently let his bitterness get the best of him and said too much, but it was too late to take back as Torn whipped around and backed him against the wall.
"What the FUCK did you just say?!" His eyes were murderous as he snarled down at Jak, "How the fuck do you know about that?!"
Jak shrunk in on himself a bit, knowing Torn would be more merciful if he acted submissively, "I, er...when I went to ask Jinx about your life in Haven before the wedding, he kinda told me you had a...relationship with an Omega in the guard. He said you guys made some sort of pact, but you broke it off after a while."
That seemed to calm Torn down a bit, but Jak could still feel the waves of anger and repressed sadness and anxiety.
The more Jak thought, the more this felt like he was missing a lot of the story.
Torn was obviously still hurting from that relationship.
What the hell happened with that other Omega?
Torn sighed, "I guess I did give you permission to ask...though I have no idea why Jinx told you about that."
"In his defense, he didn't really tell me anything more than that." Jak looked back up at Torn, "Are you mad?"
Torn shook his head, "I guess not...you just shocked me for a minute. Didn't think you'd bring that shit up." He crossed his arms and huffed, "If you wanna make it right, tell me what you and Jinx talked about on the flight."
Jak flushed deep and looked away, "N-nothing important! Just...I wanted his opinion on what's considered typical Alpha behavior. Since you keep telling me that I'm doing things Alphas shouldn't."
Torn stared at him, seemingly thinking about the vague summarization. He remembered times when he expressed shock at Jak's odd behaviors...he didn't think the kid would take it to heart. He grabbed Jak's arm and started pulling him down the hall again, "Look...I'm sorry if I made you feel abnormal...I'm used to a certain breed of Alpha, so when you start doing shit that sets you apart from the rest of them, I get a bit...confused."
They passed a palace maid who gave them a wide berth, bowing her head in respect, Torn continued in a quieter voice, "You haven't done anything wrong. I prefer you as an atypical Alpha anyway...so for the love of the Precursors DON'T change or I may kill you for real this time."
…
Torn's words caused a warm fluttering to grow in Jak's chest. When he glanced up at the older Omega, he saw that his ears were red, and his scowl became a bit softer than usual. He smiled and decided not to tease him.
Not when he just opened up to him a bit about his true feelings.
When they reached their palace suite, Jak noticed that their luggage had already arrived ahead of them, packed neatly near the door.
The room was unlike any Jak had seen before. Stark white walls and a dark blue carpet covered the expanse. Several decorative paintings dotted the white walls and a large crystal chandelier hung from the pale ceiling. In the center of the suite sat a living area with three plush white couches surrounding a large flatscreen with a glass coffee table in front.
To the right was a full kitchen area complete with a dining table and personal bar. And to the left was a large canopy bed with beautiful white and gold adorned pillows and silk curtains tied neatly to the four corner posts. Off to the side was a door that most likely led to the bathroom.
"Holy shit! Are we in the right room?!" Jak gawked as he stepped further in and looked around in awe.
Torn growled lowly behind him, "Unfortunately, yes. Dammit Ashelin...next time I see her, she's a dead woman."
"Huh?" Jak turned and stared at Torn questioningly.
"This is the bridal suite. Sometimes nobles will rent it out for wedding nights."
…
Jak nodded slowly as if he was trying to figure out how to respond, "Oh...that was...um...nice of her?"
"It's not nice, it's strategic." Torn crossed his arms and sauntered to the couch, "Speaking of, we need to talk, have a seat." He sat down and waited for Jak to plop down beside him before he continued, "Ashelin gave me some inside intel on the transport. The ceremony went viral and people are going absolutely out of their mind over it."
Jak raised a brow, "Huh? Why? It was just a normal boring wedding."
"You're kidding right?" Torn narrowed his eyes at the other, "First, there's nothing normal or boring about a royal wedding. Second...the marking caused a lot of...controversy."
"Controversy?!"
"You...a high ranking Alpha male, allowed a lowly male Omega to mark you first. Half the city sees you as a perfect example of how Alphas should be. The other half sees you as a perverse degenerate that is a threat to the masculinity of every Alpha." Torn couldn't resist chuckling at that last part, "And as hilarious as I find them being so intimidated by you to be, it may be a problem where the council is concerned. So, I'm going to lay down some ground rules for you before we go out into the city."
"First, do not try any of your usual grooming bullshit in public." Torn pointedly glared at Jak, "That'll draw unnecessary attention to us. Second, get used to people treating me like I'm not even there...or like I'm just your fancy arm candy."
Jak frowned at that, as Torn predicted he would, and growled, "I don't care what anyone thinks. I'm not going to treat you like you're my property."
"If you don't want people to think-"
"FUCK WHAT THEY THINK!" Jak unintentionally growled in his Alpha voice so ferociously that Torn tilted his head down from shock alone.
Upon seeing that, Jak tilted his head as well, "S-sorry..."
Torn growled as he picked up his head again, "You really need to control your voice, brat! I hate feeling that fucking urge to tilt my head to someone."
"I said I'm sorry!" Jak argued back.
Torn sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Look, I'm not asking you to treat me like shit. I'm just saying you need to try and act like a Haven Alpha when the cameras are rolling. Walk either in front of me or right at my side, refrain from grooming me, and for the love of Precursors do NOT try to defend me at all."
It was obvious Jak was painfully averse to following Torn's rules. The young Alpha was literally pouting like a scolded child, but radiated the anger of a pissed off adult.
There was no way the smell of pissed Alpha wouldn't draw attention.
Torn rolled his eyes and grabbed Jak's arm, pulling him over and tilting his neck to expose his scent gland, "Calm yourself down before we leave. People will smell your pissy attitude a mile away."
Despite his frustration, Jak immediately pressed his nose up against Torn's neck, taking deep lungfulls of air as he felt Torn's calming Omega scent enter his system. It didn't take long before Jak was starting to groom Torn.
Torn raised a brow and tsked, "Typical. Get it out of your system. You have 5 minutes before we leave."
Jak just "hmm'ed" in response as he ran his tongue slowly over Torn's mark, having access to the deeply indented teeth marks now that the gauze pad was no longer there.
Torn tried not to let himself feel the gentle grooming too much.
They had places to be.
There was suddenly a hard knocking on their door, and Torn pushed Jak away quickly before shouting, "It's open."
Jak huffed in disappointment and was about to lunge back across the couch to finish what he started, when the door to their suite suddenly opened and Commander Tess, along with two armor-clad guards, marched in.
Upon seeing Tess, Torn immediately beamed and slid off the couch. Tess closed the distance by bounding over to them and nearly tackling Torn in a hug. The blonde Omega giggled, "I still can't believe you're back, Torn! I missed you sooooooo much!" Torn returned the hug, gently petting the back of Tess's head as he let her regain control of her emotions.
When she finally pulled back, Tess turned her attention to Jak and allowed him to stand up before pulling him into a hug as well, hers being a lot stronger than Arippa's, "Welcome to Haven, Jak!" When she let him go, she piped up in excitement, "You ready for your tour?"
"Um...yeah I guess." Jak shrugged, "Where exactly are we going?"
"Today you're just visiting the Port to go spend time with Torn's brothers, but tomorrow we were thinking that you'd probably appreciate Lower Haven with all the shops and middle class people rather than hanging around the snobby upper class. After that, you have a special box reserved at the Stadium, and Ashelin made dinner reservations at the Golden Grove." Tess chimed as she turned back to Torn, "What do you think, Torn?"
Torn shrugged, "Sounds good to me. We have a squad escort?"
"Two, actually!" Tess motioned to the two guards standing behind her, the gold armor stating that they were both Captains, "Captains Bailda and Kal have volunteered their squads to chaperone you."
Torn gave a sigh of relief, "That's good to hear. Bailda and Kal are Haven's best Captains." He turned to Jak, "We'll be in good hands."
Jak raised a brow, "Thats nice and all, but two squads? Isn't that a bit overkill?"
Tess gave Jak a determined look and stated, "More like underkill! You two are VIPs! I should have assigned 4 squads to protect you, but unfortunately the protests have taken up more of my forces than predicted."
"Protests?" Torn narrowed his eyes, "Have things really gotten that bad over here?"
Tess sighed, "It was a long time coming, Torn. This whole arranged bonding scenario and Jak's bold display during the ceremony only fanned the flames that were already there. The O.R.A doubled their propaganda and have organized over a dozen protests in the past few weeks." Tess rubbed at her temples in exhaustion, "I've had to send nearly half our forces to protect the protesters and control the angry mobs that want them silenced."
Torn tsked angrily, suppressing a growl, "Fuck...I knew this shit would happen eventually. Didn't think you'd have to be the one to control it though...sorry Tess."
Tess smiled, despite the tiredness in her eyes, "Don't be. I can handle it! Learned from the best, after all!"
Even though Tess was smiling, Torn still felt a pang of guilt.
He should be the one dealing with this shit...not her.
Maybe he should've fought a little harder...
Maybe he should've tried to strike an accord with his Grandmother.
Maybe...
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Jak looking at him strangely...like he knew what was going through Torn's head at the moment.
It was almost creepy how convenient this brat's timing was.
Oh well...they've long passed the point of return now, "Alright..." Torn turned back to Tess, "When do we leave?"
The second they stepped out of their private transport and onto the Port's landing platform, Jak was memorized by the neon lights and bustling nightlife of the Port. The two armored squads encircled them immediately, and Jak felt Torn grab his forearm before leaning close to him and ordering, "Stay close to me, and remember...you either walk in front of me or right at my side. Act like you know exactly where we're going and escort me."
And it still sounded fucking stupid to Jak, so he huffed back, "And what if I don't know where I'm going?"
"Just follow the damn squad, idiot. Just for once, act like a typical Haven douchebag Alpha." Torn growled, his voice still holding that dominating undertone that made Jak shiver.
Jak fought back the urge to whimper in submission and instead tsked, "Whatever, Prick." He then shoved his way past Torn, walking in front of him as the guards led them down the shopping strip of the Port.
He hated this...felt like a complete asshole.
But it was what Torn wanted him to do.
So, if this would make his mate happy, Jak would play the part of the Asshole Alpha.
...at least until they got back to the Hiphog Heaven Saloon.
To take his mind off the uncomfortable posturing and the loud conversations of civilians taking rather unsubtle pictures of them, Jak let his eyes wander around the Port. It was surprisingly beautiful in its metallic structures encrusted with neon lights.
Just like Torn's painting...
The flashing signs lit up the dark grey streets and reflected off the black waters of the port, adding some life to the stark depths...however artificial it may be.
They finally reached what Jak recognized from Torn's art as the Hiphog Heaven Saloon...the bar owned by Torn's brother, Tear.
Upon approaching the entrance, Jak noticed that the "closed" sign was lit up. He nudged Torn gently, "Looks like its closed. You sure we were supposed to meet your brothers here?"
"Tear closed up early so we could have privacy." Torn muttered, his eyes fixed on the door. Despite his nonchalant attitude, Jak could tell that Torn was itching to hurry inside and see his family. He could see it in the way his ears lowered slightly and the corner of his mouth twitched upward in a suppressed smile.
It was kinda cute, but Jak decided against teasing him in public. Instead, he grabbed Torn's hand boldly and smiled at him, "Well, what are we waiting for? Come along, my fair Omega. Let your big strong Alpha lead you into the bar so you don't get lost along the way."
He almost burst out laughing as he watched Torn's face twist in annoyance as he grit his teeth to suppress a growl. Torn's face looked absolutely murderous...but he really didn't have anyone to be mad at but himself.
He did tell Jak to act like a douchey Alpha, after all.
To Jak's surprise, Torn did let him lead them into the bar. Most likely because the flock of starstruck civilians had been trailing them this whole time, and a couple camera bots had joined in, most likely belonging to some hidden reporter.
When they entered the bar, half of their guard escorts stayed outside the bar to block off the exit and keep the nosy citizens and paparazzi at bay. Jak dropped Torn's hand once they were inside, trying to let the other man regain some of his dignity, and nearly jumped a foot in the air when Arippa ran up to him and pulled him in another gentle embrace.
The older Alpha laughed softly, "Jak! We're so glad you both made it here safely!"
Jak was frozen, the sudden touch causing his body to freeze up. Fortunately, he didn't have to deal with it for long, because he heard a feral growl behind him and felt Arippa being roughly shoved away from him as he was simultaneously yanked back against Torn's chest.
Jak glanced up at Torn and saw that his teeth were bared as he barked, "Stop that, you Moron! I told you he doesn't like being touched!"
Arippa raised his hands in defense, but to Jak, his expression was like that of a hawkat who ate the canary.
Almost like he was waiting for Torn to react in that manner.
"Oops! Sorry about that." Arippa chuckled, giving them a cheeky grin, "I suppose I am a tad overeager."
Torn narrowed his eyes, the growl still rumbling through his chest, "Can't you just go hug your own Alpha."
"Oh? My Alpha?" Arippa's smile turned slightly teasing as he purred, "Don't tell me you're afraid I'll try to snatch away your Alpha."
"He's not MY Alpha!" Torn's ears went up in flames this time at the insinuation, and Jak raised a brow. As Torn and Arippa traded quips, with Torn becoming increasingly more annoyed with the teasing, Jak focused on the strong grip Torn had around his shoulders as he pulled Jak tight against his side.
Was Torn being unconsciously possessive of him again like Jinx said back at Daxter's bar?
Did that mean...despite his protestations...Torn instinctively recognized him as his alpha?
For all his proclaiming of the opposite, Torn did seem rather...possessive of him. Ever since Jinx made him aware of the fact, Jak started noticing it himself.
He didn't get any more time to dwell on the question as he caught another person enter his peripheral vision. At first, he thought it was Torn...but then he remembered Torn was right next to him, still barking at his older brother.
Turning his gaze to this new person, he realized that while this other man looked nearly identical to Torn, there were quite a few obvious differences.
Logic dictated that this guy must be Tear.
He had the same height as Torn, so Jak still had to look up at him to meet his gaze, which he wasn't thrilled about. He had the same brown dreadlocks that Torn sported, only his were tied back in a high ponytail that trailed all the way down his back. He had the same light blue eyes, which displayed the same steely glare that he often got from Torn. And he had the same pale skin, albeit devoid of Torn's military tattoos, replacing them with a spattering of light freckles over his cheeks and nose.
The main difference between the twins seemed to come in the form of their body structure. Where Torn was hard muscle against sharp curves, Tear seemed to have a more typical Omegan body...being slender and rounded in his shoulders and hips.
Despite everything, Jak could tell by the Omega's folded arms, and a glare that seemed set on killing him where he stood, that Torn's twin did not think very highly of him.
Tear's icy blue orbs finally released him from their hold as he set them on Torn. Like a switch had been flipped, the other Omega's face morphed into one of pure joy as an ecstatic grin stretched across his face, "Torn!"
Jak finally felt Torn's possessive grip on him go slack as he moved to embrace the other Omega. Tear wrapped his thinner arms around Torn's broader shoulders, nuzzling his face right against Torn's scent glad, "I missed you so much!" Tear gave a small whine as a gentle purr started up in his chest.
Torn rubbed his hand over his twin's back soothingly, tilting his head up to allow Tear to bury his face deeper against his neck, "Missed you too, dumbass."
When Tear pulled away finally, he immediately went back to glaring at Jak, "That him?" His question was laced with unhidden disgust and mistrust as he looked Jak up and down.
"Yeah, that's him." Torn furrowed his brow and tsked, "And stop it with the stink-eye, will you? He's really not that bad."
Tear didn't seem convinced as he crossed his arms again and maintained his glare, regarding Jak as little more than dung on the bottom of his boot, "He's an Alpha, that's bad enough."
It was Jak's turn to glare now. Where the hell did this guy get off painting him with the same brush as these moronic Neanderthals Haven seems to breed? Brother or not, Jak opened his mouth to give Tear a piece of his mind before he felt a hand slam down on his shoulder from behind, effectively cutting him off.
When he glanced behind him, he was relieved to see that it was just Jinx.
"Aw, come on Tear. We're not all bad!" Jinx squeezed Jak's shoulder once and gave him a wink before moving over to Tear, who seemed to have settled slightly with Jinx's presence.
Maybe it was a good thing Jinx stopped him from losing his cool. Tear seemed like the type to hold a grudge.
Tear rolled his eyes and gave his boyfriend a doubtful side-eye, "Just because I tolerate you, doesn't mean I'm comfortable rubbing elbows with every Alpha I come across."
"Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it either, sweet cheeks." He casually wrapped an arm around Tear's hips and continued, "However, you may wanna make an exception for our pretty boy Prince." His voice lowered a bit, but Jak could still hear him whisper, "Remember what I told you about a couple nights ago, you know, when I called? The thing that he can get Torn to do? That should be proof enough for you."
Torn narrowed his eyes, "I can hear you, pyro. Exactly what are you talking about?"
Tear interrupted before Jinx could reply, "He said this shrimp made you purr, which I absolutely do not believe!" He frowned and muttered in a slightly saddened tone, "You don't purr...Jinx probably mistook your mimic growling for purrs."
Jak intervened this time, "Hey! His purr is nothing like his growling, and for your information he purrs a LOT when we scent and it sounds really cool!"
"JAK!" Torn nearly shouted before he cleared his throat and spoke again in a calmer voice, "Stop giving them too much information!"
"Oh my..." Arippa giggled as he watched Torn's ears grow slightly pink again, "Scent often, do you?"
Jak wanted to answer, but the look Torn gave him stopped his tongue.
Torn interjected, "As much as any mated pair, now can we please sit the fuck down and at least get some alcohol in our systems before the humiliation starts?"
"Not until you answer my question." Tear asserted, "Did this guy really get you to purr? Or is Jinx just trying really hard to trick me into warming up to...him."
Torn avoided the question curtly, "Hey, how about you make us some of those new drinks you were talking about before I left?"
"Torn..." Tear narrowed his eyes.
"So Ari, is Eryn gonna join us later? I kinda wanted to ask him how the other captains are warming up to Tess." Torn pushed past Tear and started making his way to a table when Tear rounded on him and gave him a glare that was less threatening and more pouty.
"Torn!" Tear gave his twin a confused look, "Will you just tell me 'no' already? You're acting like it's true that this Desert rat Alpha actually can-"
Torn pressed his lips together in a thin line as he tried to think of a way out.
"...make...you..."
He looked away from Tear as realization started to dawn on his twin's face. He gave a frustrated sigh and grumbled, "Fucking fine. Yes...the little shit somehow managed to bring out a purr I didn't know I had. Happy? Can we please drop it now?"
Tear's next expression made all hope of "dropping it" fly out the window. Torn preemptively sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched his twin's eyes go wide in shock, "OH MY GOD! No way! You have a purr?!"
Torn groaned as he scrunched up his nose in a cringe, "For fucks sake Tear..."
"What's it like?! Can I hear it?! Can you purr for me!?"
Jinx cut in with his two cents, "It sounds just like yours babe! Fuckin adorable!"
Tear grasped at his head with both hands and squawked in disbelief, "You have a purr and it sounds just like mine?! NO WAY! I need to hear it!"
"I can't control the damn thing!" Torn argued back, "It just comes out at the most inconvenient times."
As if he's suddenly forgotten why he didn't like Jak, Tear bounded over to him and grabbed his shoulders, eyes wide with determination, "Make him purr! I HAVE to hear it!"
Jak's face scrunched up in confusion and slight fear, "You acted like you literally wanted to set me on fire a minute ago, and now you want me to force your brother to purr?!"
Tear's face became a bit more serious, "I will take back everything I said about you if you do this ONE thing! Seriously! Torn has NEVER purred before! Not once! We didn't even think he was even capable of it! You must be...like... MAGIC or something-"
"Calm the fuck down, moron!" Torn roared, now thoroughly embarrassed, "You're gonna freak him out with all your hyperactive bullshit!"
"But Torn-"
"Shut it!" Torn stared his twin down, "If you want to get anything out of me tonight, you better start pouring some fucking booze...and not the cheap stuff."
That seemed to work as Tear shut his mouth, still bearing the determined glint in his eyes, and turned to look at Jak...this time with significantly less contempt, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in a jiffy." With that, he swiftly made his way to the bar, hastily getting out the materials he needed to mix drinks.
Torn nudged Jak and said, "Go sit down in that far booth, I'm gonna help out the dumbass." Without another word, he made his way over to where Tear was darting around behind his bar in a flurry.
As soon as Torn left, Arippa let out a burst of laughter, "Well, Tear's hatred of you didn't seem to last that long." He turned to Jak and smiled, "Though, I'm sure the fact that you are able to make Torn do something as amazing as purring helped sway his opinion."
Jak broke out of his stunned silence to muse, "Is...is that really a huge deal?!"
"For Omegas? Yes. For Torn? Even more so." Arippa motioned to a booth close to the bar and moved to sit down. Jinx slid into the booth first and Arippa slid in beside him. Jak followed and sat across from Jinx, making room for Torn.
Arippa crossed one knee over the other elegantly as he continued, "Do you know what makes an Omega purr, Jak?"
Jak shook his head, "Not really...I've only been around a few Omegas and none of them really purred."
"I'd imagine so..."Arippa leaned forward and said in a softer voice, "It's a highly intimate thing that Omegas only do while in the presence of someone they feel safe around or loved by."
That caught Jak off guard a bit.
Omegas only purr when they feel safe or loved?
He turned just as Torn sat down next to him, placing a drink both in front of himself and Arippa.
So...
Does that mean all those times Torn's purred for him...he felt safe with him?
...or...maybe he felt loved by him?
The knowledge made Jak's chest tighten and his heart thump against his ribcage.
He nearly jumped when a mug was placed in front of him, filled to the brim with a sparkly red liquid. He looked up at Tear who gave him a small smile and said, "Sorry for being a bit of an ass earlier. I had my heart all set on hating your guts, but if you really can make him purr you can't be all bad." He then narrowed his eyes and lightly threatened, "But if you step one toe out of line, there is no army that can keep me from kicking your shrimpy Alpha ass to hell and back."
For a man who looked about as intimidating as a crocapup, Tear certainly knew how to make himself seem threatening. Jak just gave a slight nod and turned his gaze back to the mug. As Tear handed out the remaining mugs to himself and Jinx, Jak picked his up and swirled the red liquid. He watched as the drink sparkled like it was filled with glitter before nudging Torn, "What is this stuff?"
Torn was already taking a large swig of the concoction, and when he placed his mug back down he replied, "Somethin' Tear's been workin' on. It's a hybrid brand of mead mixed with Scarlett berries and Glimmer Wumpbee honey."
Jak looked back down at the mug once more before he decided to take a sip. It was surprisingly pleasant! The flavor of the mead was dark and earthy, and was offset nicely by the berry and honey mixture, "Wow, this is unbelievable! If only Dax were here..."
"Oh?" Arippa quipped, "This 'Dax' is a friend of yours?"
Jak nodded, "Yeah, since we were little. He runs a bar with his Uncle, and he loves making new drink creations."
Tear's ears perked up a bit at the new info as he pulled up a chair to join the others at the booth, "Really? I'll have to meet him sometime. Talk shop and all that."
"For the love of all that is holy," Torn warned as he gave Jak a pleading look, "Do NOT let those two meet. Especially when alcohol is present."
Tear laughed and rolled his eyes, "Aw c'mon, how much trouble could two mixology enthusiasts get into?"
Torn sent his twin a glare, "Remind me again, how many times did you get fined during one of your drunken adventures with Jinx and his idiot friends?"
"Only three!" Tear retorted.
…
All eyes stared at Tear. Jak in curiosity, Jinx in sheepish guilt, and the brothers in knowing disappointment.
…
"Ok...12...but really who hasn't tried jumping the port with 3 jetboards tied to a zoomer?"
After several drinks and much more lighthearted conversation, Jak found that Tear had completely warmed up to him.
Enough to share some rather embarrassing yet hilarious stories about Torn when he was younger.
"And then, he waddled over to the Grand Duchess and fucking threw up all over her diamond encrusted bodice!"
Jak nearly spat out his drink as the room filled with laughter at the fuming Omegan soldier's expense.
Tear was nearly crying as he giggled hysterically, "You should've seen that old bitch's face! She fainted RIGHT THERE! Ever since then Torn hasn't gone NEAR any onion dips...literally avoids them like the plague!"
Jak finally caught his breath, "Geez, I don't blame him! That's just awful!" He glanced over to Torn and gave him a teasing smile, "Remind me to book a different room if you plan on eating something with onions."
Torn gave Jak an eyeroll, as he had long since passed the point of feeling humiliated. He knocked back what had to be his 8th drink of the night. When he slammed the glass back down on the table, he felt a bit lightheaded.
Jak turned to Torn with a raised brow, "You ok, Torn?"
"Yeah...just, the fucking ride to the city left me feelin' a bit jet-lagged. And then there was the ride to the Port...I can barely keep my eyes open." He rubbed his temples to punctuate his statement.
"Oh...If you want, you can, like, lay your head on me. I don't mind."
Torn grimaced at the notion at first, but upon sifting through his other options, it did seem like the most logical. After a moment, Torn turned his body away from Jak and leaned back to rest his head against the other's shoulder, crossing his arms over his chest as well.
Jak fought against the blush that was trying to color his cheeks and balked, "Wow...I...really didn't think you would take me up on that..."
"Just shut up and stop moving. My only options for a pillow are you or the hard table." He peeked open one eye to half-glare at Jak, "Don't get any bright ideas...you're just the slightly better option."
Jak gave Torn an eyeroll, "Whatever. Enjoy your nap, old man." Torn was asleep before Jak even finished his jab. He must've really been exhausted...or very tipsy.
When Jak looked back to the other men, he found all of them looking their way. Jinx looked intrigued, but also had this knowing look on his face. Arippa had a smug smile plastered on his, and Tear looked both confused and content as he mused, "Wow...he actually did that...seems you're quite the charmer, Jak. Either that, or you just make a really good pillow."
Jak just gave a sheepish smile, "Not really...if anyone's charmed, it's me."
Arippa laughed softly, "Still, I must say, we've seen quite a difference in Torn since you both arrived."
Tear nodded in agreement, "Much as I hate to admit it...seems like you could possibly be the right Alpha for him."
Jak coughed nervously at the insinuation, "Hah...I dunno...we just became friends, and Torn really doesn't want a relationship with me. I just want him to feel comfortable." He felt his throat get tight saying that out loud. Before he could see any looks of pity, he changed the topic, "So anyway, that incident with the Grand Duchess had to be like the most embarrassing thing Torn's done right?"
Tear snickered at the assumption, "Oh please! That's not even the worst thing! This other time, we were trying to sneak out to watch the races, when-"
A loud rumble filled the room and Tear paused. Everyone went quiet.
"What's that sound?" Arippa quirked a hairless brow as he sat up a bit.
Jak recognized the sound instantly and turned his head slightly to where Torn rested against his shoulder. His eyes were shut and a deep purr was starting to grow in his chest. This time, he did blush, "Oh, yeah...Torn sometimes purrs in his sleep. Or at least, he did it both times we had to share a bed."
Tear's eyes went wide and both he and Arippa leaned closer and perked their ears to hear the purr better.
Once it rose in octave to it's normal volume, Tear's eyes filled with tears and he had to cover his mouth to keep his voice steady, "I...I can't believe it...he really does have a purr..."
Arippa's face went soft and he also gained a melancholic smile, "Amazing...I thought he would never be able to do it...not after what happened that night."
"That night?" Jak questioned, "You mean...the night he was attacked by that Alpha?"
"So you know about it?" Arippa nodded at him, "Yes. You have to understand, Jak, Purrs are a very special thing for Omegas to do. Most of the time, they have no control over them...it's an automatic reflex that signals to someone, usually their partner, that they feel safe enough to let their guard down."
Jinx nodded and chimed in, "For us Alphas, if your Omega purrs around you, it's the highest honor you can ever hope to receive. That purr is their body's way of telling you that they trust you to take care of them when they are in their most vulnerable state." He gave a small wink towards Tear as the Omega wiped the tears away from his face.
"For Omegas who experience trauma, especially before they've experienced a heat, it's common for their purrs to never manifest. He was so angry and scared. It took years before he would even let me touch him." Tear's voice warbled slightly from the raw emotions, "He became so guarded and stoic that we gave up on ever being able to hear it." He gave Jak a big smile, "I never thought that this horrible affair would ever turn out so good. I guess we have you to thank for it."
Jak was honestly at a loss for words.
Here were these people telling him that he'd done something amazing, and yet he still felt like his and Torn's relationship wasn't anything near where they thought it was.
Sure, they were friends now. Torn already confirmed that with him.
Jak knew he liked Torn a lot, and Torn was aware of his feelings and already stated that he can't return them.
They knew what they were at this point.
They knew what they were going to be in the future...and it was unchanging.
So why did so many people continue to see something that wasn't there?
Thankfully, Jinx broke the silence and laughed, "Didn't I tell ya his purr sounded like yours?"
Tear laughed as he brushed away the last few tear trails, "Yeah, and you're tone deaf! It's nothing like mine! Or are you saying my purr sounds like a congested HipHog snoring?"
"Eh...more like a congested monkaw."
As Jinx received a verbal beat down by his slighted Omega, Jak tuned out all other sounds aside from Torn's purr. He focused on that strong, deep rumbling as it hitched up an octave occasionally whenever Torn's body shifted slightly.
Congested HipHog or not...that was a sound Jak adored hearing.
Torn woke up an hour after he'd fallen asleep, just in time to see Jak engaged in an arm wrestling match with Jinx.
Jak had somehow managed to not disturb him, since Torn found he was still resting on his shoulder. Jak was using his opposite, nondominant arm as he struggled against Jinx, trying to pin the other's hand to the table.
He lifted up his head and yawned as Jak successfully managed to slam Jinx's hand down. The younger Alpha whooped out a cry of victory, "And I win again! Just give up you old fart, I'm clearly superior."
"Ah, you got lucky the first two rounds." Jink rolled his shoulders one, "Now that I'm warmed up, time to school your pretty boy ass." He slammed his elbow back down and challenged, "Round three!"
"You're on!" Jak positioned his elbow again and the war began again.
Torn sneered at the display, "Typical Alphas..."
"I take offense to that." Arippa quipped, taking a sip from a recent looking cup of tea, "You don't see me brawling."
"Yeah, but that's only because you have politician muscles." He crossed his arms and smirked, "If you would last longer than 10 seconds you'd probably be doing it too."
"Why don't you play then?" Jak challenged as he turned to face Torn, already positioning his body to face him.
Torn turned to give Jak an incredulous stare, "Because I'm not interested in stupid shows of strength."
"Translation: I'm scared of getting my widdle soldier ass handed to me." Jak goaded.
"...I know what you're trying to do, Brat. And it's not going to work-"
Jak interrupted by imitating a clucken. Squawking out a few clucks and giving Torn a mocking smile.
Torn's eye twitched once...
...then he slammed his elbow down on the table, lining up his arm to where jak's would be, "Fine! If you're that eager for an ass-whooping, then lets go!"
"Ah shit!" Jinx jeered, "You're in for it now, blondie!"
Jak eagerly lined up his arm and grasped Torn's hand, "Ready, set, GO!" Jak pushed against Torn's hand with about half his strength.
Torn's arm didn't budge.
Jak pressed against him at full strength.
Torn's hand trembled slight but remained unmoving.
Jak couldn't help but stare at Torn's rather large bicep...
Fuck...if there is one undeniable truth in this world...
...it was that his Omega is built...
After a few minutes. Jak grabbed Torn with both hands in an attempt to push it down, and it barely moved a half inch before Torn began pressing forward, easily shoving both of Jak's hands against the table.
Jak blinked in disbelief as Jinx laughed up a storm across the table.
Torn released jak's hands and stood up, "Now if you're done roping me into your juvenile games, I'm gonna go see if Tear has anything other than Alcohol in his storeroom. With that said, he turned and left the three Alphas at the booth as he entered the employee only room behind the bar.
As he entered the backroom, he immediately saw Tear brewing some tea from a kettle. His twin noticed him and smiled cheerily, "Come to escape the overwhelming Alpha posturing?"
"Nah, just wanted to spare the kid even more embarrassment after showing him how to actually arm wrestle."
Tear laughed at the boast, "That's my twin! Humiliating Alphas since birth. Not even his mate is safe."
Torn shrugged, "I will say this about the little bastard...he loses gracefully."
Tear gave a nod, his eyes looking elsewhere as if he had something to say.
"Alright...spit it out." Torn leaned up against some stacked crated with his arms folded, "You obviously have something you wanna say."
Tear shifted slightly before he muttered lowly, "He's a good Alpha..."
…
"A...good Alpha?" Torn repeated a bit slower.
Tear gave a frustrated sigh, "I mean, yeah! He's a good Alpha, but also...I dunno...he's a goodguytoo. I swear, Torn, I was all ready to hate him and prepared to face some entitled thug from the desert. But he's not that. He's nice and smart and he's so freaking cute in how he so painfully obviously adores you!"
Torn bit the inside of his cheek...he did not like where this conversation was going.
"I just..." Tear started, pausing to decide how he should phrase his next words, "I think if you gave him a real, genuine chance-"
"Just stop right there." Torn stated in a definitive manner, "I know what you're gonna say, and I'm sick and tired of hearing it from literally everyone. Yes, Jak is literally the best possible outcome this whole fucking shitshow could have had, and I know he's being very patient and respectful of my boundaries but I just can't-" He sucked in a breath through clenched teeth as he slammed a fist against the crate.
...
The silence filled the room quickly like a fog before Torn found the words he wanted to say...
"I can't do it again..." He whispered to no one in particular.
…
Tear approached him slowly and took the hand that had struck the crate, gently wrapping both of his slender hands around it before he said, "Do you remember what you told me...when Jinx started trying to court me?"
Torn raised his head to look at his twin, "I told you that he's not a complete douchebag, and if he tries anything you don't like, go for the balls."
"I mean the other thing." Tear furrowed his brow in slight annoyance.
Torn was quiet for a moment...he knew what Tear was referring to...
...but acknowledging it would force him to take his own advice or be labeled a hypocrite.
He sighed before relenting, "I told you that if you didn't give him a chance, you would be missing the meeting with what could be your soul mate."
Tear smiled at him, "Exactly."
He hated to admit it...but Tear really had a way of throwing his own words right back in his face.
Jak is...
…
...ah, who the hell was he kidding...Jak is perfect for him.
He's attracted to the little idiot, that much is obvious with the way his body reacts.
Not just his appearance, because anyone with eyes could see how hot Jak is, but his personality, albeit a bit irritating, had been what Torn felt the most attracted to.
Jak is confident when he's immersed in something he loves, he's smarter than one would give him credit for, and the sheer willpower he holds is admirable.
If Torn had a soul mate...
…
...he feels that it would be Jak.
…
But Torn doesn't believe in fairy tales...
He doesn't believe in true love...
...and he most certainly doesn't believe in Soul Mates.
He pulled his hand out from Tear's grasp and stated bluntly, "I should get going. I promised the little shit I would show him around the Port." After giving his twin a quick hug, he retreated from the store room, heading out to collect his husband and get his mind as far from this conversation as he possibly could.
Because he really couldn't fucking deal with this shit right now.
After they said their goodbye at the HipHog, with Tear making Jak promise to come back some day with Daxter, the royal couple were taken by their Guard escorts around the port.
"So, where are we going exactly?" Jak piped up as he walked in front of Torn, still abiding to his "Douchebag Alpha" rule.
"It's not that far," Torn replied, pointing at a large building near a pawn shop, "That building right there."
Jak followed Torn's gesture to a pretty large complex with a dark exterior and only one giant neon sign at its front. The sign was a large gun blasting a Metal head, and Jak suddenly got very excited at the insinuation, "Wait, are we going to some kind of shooting range?!"
"Sort of," Torn frowned at the simplification of the complex, "It's a training course designed to help the Guard hone their skills outside of work hours." He added on a bit quieter, "I...used to come here a lot."
Jak glanced over at Torn...
So Torn was taking him to a place that was important to him when he was still in the Guard?
Jak tried not to get too happy about it. Torn probably just needed to fill their time with something and assumed that he would also enjoy this, "Sounds sick! Lets do it!" Without sparing another second, Jak grabbed Torn's wrist and darted towards the entrance, forcing their guard escorts to break into a sprint to keep up.
"Slow the fuck down you idiot! It ain't going anywhere!" Torn nearly stumbled twice as Jak dragged him towards the building like a ragdoll.
Jak was too far gone at this point as they entered the building. He took one look at the gun options lining the wall, and took on the persona of a kid at an all-you-can-eat candy buffet.
Torn took the more responsible task of going to the counter and setting up a session with the computer running the course.
"Can we just take ANY of these?!" Jak looked as if he was mere seconds away from salivating.
"Yep," Torn replied as he finished paying for their time, "Just pick whichever style speaks to you."
As Torn settled for some pristine, blue-eco based dual pistols, Jak grabbed the rather beefy rifle. Torn observed his choice, "A morph gun? Don't you think you should go for something a bit...less advanced?"
Jak just shrugged, "You said pick what speaks to me...this thing was practically screaming."
"I'm gonna laugh when you shoot yourself in the ass."
"Hey! I'm a pretty good shot!" Jak retorted, rather miffed.
"Suuuuure..." Torn smirked in response.
"Wanna put your money where your mouth is?"
Torn's brow twitched up in intrigue, "You suggesting a competition?"
Jak motioned to a screen at the top of the course entrance, "They keep track of how many targets you shoot right?"
Torn nodded, "Yea..."
"So, we shoot as many targets as we can in 10 minutes. Whoever has the most points gets to ask the loser to do something."
Obviously, Torn had a feeling he knew what Jak was planning to ask him, "Nice try, but you're not getting in my pants from a juvenile bet."
Jak blushed and sputtered, "I Didn't-I wasn't thinking like that! I mean like our last bet. I just spent the last few hours listening to Tear embarrass the shit out of you. You could ask me to tell you a really embarrassing story or something. You know...to be even."
...
And suddenly, Torn felt a bit guilty for assuming that Jak's intentions were anything but innocent, "Ah...sorry. Alright, I'll take the bet."
Jak grinned evilly and cocked his morph gun, "Lets rock!"
They both stood in front of the starting door, guns primed and each of them eager to show up the other. Torn glanced at Jak and saw the sheer determination on his face...
Maybe this was a mistake on Torn's part...
So...
When was someone going to let Torn in on the knowledge that Jak had been professionally trained in weapon use? Specifically where the morph gun was concerned.
Because the smarmy little fuck was an absolute TERROR on the course.
At first, Torn slacked off, thinking that he would let Jak get a small advantage before he stomped him into the dirt.
Within the first ten seconds, Jak had already decimated 15 targets!
Torn found it extremely challenging to keep up with the little shit.
He sprinted through the course at full speed, using every trick in his book to rack up points, but Jak kept up pace with him easily.
It didn't help that the blonde brat was smack-talking him the whole time.
"You sure you don't want me to slow down? I can just use one hand if that'll make you feel better!" He barely dodged the piece of broken plywood thrown at him from an enraged Omega.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH OR I'LL SHOOT YOU IN THE ASS MYSELF!" Torn roared as he threw a roundhouse into a cutout as it popped up, easily splitting it in half.
Jak pretended not to feel the heat flood his belly after seeing that, and instead focused on showing his mate what he was capable of.
He lined up a shot and waited patiently before shooting off a round that blasted through one cut-out, ricocheted off the back wall and took out two others that just so happened to cross over each other at the right time. He rolled to the side and switched his gun into blue mode before releasing a large arc of electricity, taking out 5 more cut-outs in one burst and easily avoiding a civilian cut-out.
Jak turned to Torn and grinned.
Torn's mouth dropped slightly.
Damn...the idiot had some good aim...
Not wanting to be shown up, Torn made a running dash at a cut-out and leapt on top of it, shooting it once before hopping onto another one and shooting it. He continued leaping between the cutouts until he reached a very large one worth 100 points. He used the final smaller cut-out as a springboard and vaulted over the larger cut-out, shooting down at it in mid-air and effectively reducing it to splinters.
He then turned to Jak and returned the grin.
Now...it was on.
They rushed through the course, blasting through every enemy as the points skyrocketed. In their wake they left nothing behind but smoking splinters and unharmed civilian cut-outs. Once they burst through the door at the end of the course, they were both covered in sweat and heaving for air.
As soon as Torn was able to catch his breath, he glanced up at the screen...
"FUCK!" He dropped to his knees in defeat.
5 points...
Jak had beat him by 5 fucking points.
Once Jak noticed what Torn's colorful exclamation was over, he gave a small huff of laughter before panting, "Looks like...I win!"
Torn groaned in response.
Jak decided to do the nice thing and put both of their rented weapons back.
Who says that chivalry is dead?
When Torn finally rose to his feet, he sighed, "You won...what do you want?"
Jak thought for a moment before nervously asking, "Is there something you were allowed to eat growing up? Like a dessert?"
Torn raised a brow, "Why?"
"I've never tried Haven food...I just thought something sweet sounds good right now." Jak gave a shrug and added, "My treat."
"But you won." Torn reminded him.
"And what I want to do is experience something you like." Jak's flush deepened a bit after his statement, and Torn felt it wasn't just from the exercise.
Deciding that the young Alpha had made up his mind and it would be more energy to fight him, Torn just gave a resigned sigh, "Fine, follow me, I know a place."
After making a quick pitstop by the stand Torn led them to, the couple sat comfortably in their transport as they were driven back to the palace.
Jak curiously poked his spoon at the cold concoction Torn had brought for them to share, "So...its frozen Yakow milk with like...sugar?"
"I thought I'm supposed to be the one with no knowledge of junk food." Torn exclaimed, "I can't believe you don't know what fucking ice cream is!"
"I live in a desert, genius!" Jak huffed, "Not exactly easy to freeze shit." He prodded the white cream before gathering it on his spoon. He stared at the spoon for a moment before he caught Torn's expression.
He snorted as a bubble of laughter escaped him, "Oh my fucking god, will you stop staring at me so intensely?!"
Torn raised a brow at him as he argued, "I just want to see your face when you taste it. I've never met someone who's never had ice-cream."
"Says the man who's literally never had anything."
"Just put the spoon in your mouth and shut up before I just eat the whole thing in front of you."
Jak chuckled softly and relented, "Fine, fine! Here goes..." He popped the spoon in his mouth and immediately moaned at the flavor, "Holy shit this is good!" He shoveled another heaping spoonful in his mouth quickly.
Torn grabbed the paper bowl and growled, "Slow down, moron! You'll get a brain freeze if you shovel it down like that!"
"Worth it!" Jak reached his spoon over to scoop some more ice cream onto it, but Torn just leaned back and held the cup just out of reach.
"I didn't get a single bite yet, you greedy asshole!" Torn punctuated his point by angrily spooning a small amount onto his own spoon and into his mouth.
Jak pouted and nearly whined, "No fair! Come on, I let you have the lions share the last time we ate desserts!"
Torn gave Jak a pointed glare before rolling his eyes and relinquishing the cup to his bratty Alpha, "Fine, take it you big baby."
Jak happily began spooning the rest of the dessert into his mouth as Torn silently observed him.
After a while, Torn broke the silence, "So, is this how you felt when you bought all that shit for me on the beach?"
Jak licked his lips and shrugged, "Maybe. Why, do you feel super happy that you got me to try something I've never had before?"
Torn pursed his lips and turned away.
That was enough of an answer for Jak, and as he stared down at the now-empty bowl, he said, "Hey, thanks for today, Torn...I had a lot of fun."
Torn just grunted in response and Jak swore he could see his ears turning pink in the dim light of the transport.
After an uncomfortable silence, Torn softly stated what was on his mind, "I've never done this for anyone before..."
…
Jak paused and turned to face Torn, "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." Torn started before he sighed, "I took you to meet my family, showed you the place I used to go whenever I needed to work off steam, and shared the one thing I enjoyed eating as a child." He crossed his arms and stared out the tinted window of the transport, "I've never bothered doing that with..." He stopped himself and changed what he was going to say, "...anyone." He gave another sigh of frustration, "It feels weird..."
Jak took a moment to absorb what Torn just shared with him.
He couldn't lie...he was overjoyed to know that Torn spent their entire first day in Haven sharing the things he loved most with him. He felt that they have grown a tad bit closer because of it.
But this was a crucial moment, and he didn't want to do anything that would potentially push Torn away.
Instead, he decided to use actions instead of words.
He placed the empty cup on the floor of the transport and scooted next to Torn. He felt the older man tense up slightly, but then quickly relax as Jak wrapped his arms around him in a side hug.
Jak nuzzled his cheek against Torn's shoulder and emitted a higher pitched growl...almost mimicking a purr.
This was odd to hear coming from an Alpha, but for some reason, Torn suddenly felt so calm...
He relaxed and focused on Jak's gentle growls as the transport landed on the palace roof.
"You're gonna be the death of me...you know that, kid?"
Jak smiled as he began to smell Torn's pheromones begin leaking out, "Yeah...but what a way to die, right?"
