The smell of breakfast filled up the Ragnarök household. Harald, Dragan, and Brave, all took their seats at the table. The butler, Sebastian had already placed the food out before the trio arrived.
"Breakfast smells delightful as ever. Thank you, Sebastian." Harald hummed.
"It's my pleasure." The butler bowed.
"I have always wondered how you ended up with an alpha for a butler when you are an omega." Brave said.
"Its because my family only hires alphas for everything." Harald simply said. "I am the only omega in my family. So that is how this situation came to be."
Harald took a sip from his tea before asking, "How is your courting going?"
"Courting?" Dragan glanced and scoffed at his red head friend. "Didn't he reject you?"
"It is a work in progress." Brave said. "Do you guys have any advice? I know he is a beta. So usual stuff won't work on him. What works on a beta? Treating him like an omega might upset him."
Harald raised his hand. "You are rambling."
"Try to impress him by showing him you can take care of him." Dragan suggested.
"Don't forget a courting gift." Harald added. "He may not be an omega, but it is one way to show you are serious about pursuing a relationship with him. Depending on the gift, it can be used as a way to mark him as yours. As you scent won't be retained on him."
"Oh?" Brave hadn't thought about the fact that he could not scent Crow, so he took Harald idea into serious thought. "That means I have to think about what to get him carefully."
"Add that's what happened." Crow finished explaining the events of his trip to Satellite.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Yusei murmured.
"Martha and Blister are both alpha's. Everything should be fine." Jack said.
Yusei still had an uneasy feeling.
"Trudge goes to the Satellite from time to time." Jack added. "Things will be fine."
"Hikari mentioned that they were looking for beta's" Crow said.
The boys attention was turned to the entrance. Akiza had arrived wanting to talk to Yusei. She did not give him time to protest as she said for him to meet at the café.
"That seems serious. What did you do?" Crow asked. Bewilderment on his face as he had never seen her upset like that.
"You best not keep her waiting." Jack nudged Yusei towards the door.
At the café, Yusei quickly met up with Akiza. She had on a much gentler expression now.
"Is everything alright. Yusei took his seat.
"I'm sorry for being forceful back there." She nervously fiddled with her hair. "I wanted to talk to you. About us. I haven't been subtle about my feelings for you."
"It's just that we got a lot going on now." With your studies and my research. I don't think it's the right time." He reached for her hand. "I think we have more important things to worry about."
"My feelings for you are important." She was not going to accept a flimsy excuse like that. "So what is the real reason?"
"I just don't want you to pass up an opportunity because of your feeling for me." Yusei sighed.
There was silence between the two. Yusei knew that Akiza's feeling for him will make her choose him over her studies. Seeing as she turned away from him, he was right on the target.
"Akiza your studies will take you far in life. You don't need to forgo that because of me."
"Then can we just enjoy ourselves in the moment right now? I am sure of what I want to do when the time comes. And I want you to be a part of my life no matter what." Akiza said as dusts of red coated her face.
"Akiza…." Yusei pulled her close and planted a kiss on her head.
It was sometime after lunch. No sooner had Crow arrived from break, the bell on the entrance rang. He did not have time so say the usual greeting as his guest was in his personal space. Eyeing him up and down.
"You are much cuter in person." His voice was low and flirty. He had on a fine suit. An aura of assurance radiated around him.
"Sorry, I don't deliver dead bodies." Crow tried his best to put some distance between them. Unfortunately, Crow had backed into a wall. The beta did not fail to notice how quickly the suit man was filling the space with his pheromones. Likely to ward off other people.
"The only thing I want you to deliver, is your heart to mines."
"Oh brother. Did you get that from 'Pick-up Lines for Dummies'?" Crow rolled his eyes. He started to create a bubble of pheromones around himself to block out the smell of the alpha breaking his personal boundaries.
The alpha chuckled. "Some of my clients will like your humor."
Crow's stomach churned at the word 'clients'.
"I want no part of your business. So why don't we go our separate ways."
"I can't do tha-" Before the man could finished his sentence, he was flung to the ground by Brave tugging the back of his suit.
"You can and you will." Brave didn't mean to practically throw the man. He might have used more strength than necessary to show off in front of the person he is trying to court.
"Ah, I see you have an alpha." The suit man dusted himself off like he wasn't tossed across the way.
"Yes! I am his alpha!" Brave growled. Goodness, it felt great saying that. Now, if he could make it true. "Now stay away from him."
"No matter. This changes nothing." The suit man had a self-satisfied smile on his face as he exited the building.
The red-haired duo knew full well that they will be meeting that man again.
After the man had left, Brave fell to his knees and covered his mouth. "Waste bucket please."
Crow was just in time to give Brave something to empty his stomach with.
"Are you okay?" Crow asked when Brave returned from the backroom.
"Yeah. Sorry you had to see that…." Brave was worried that this made him lesser in Crow's eyes. That he wouldn't be reliable, that he was weak. It stung to think about, but he would have to make it up somehow.
"There are still some lingering pheromones." Crow was filling the air with his pheromones to erase that man's scent. He wanted every indication that man was here gone.
"I'll be fine now. Going outside and you clearing the air really helps." Brave said.
Crow continued to clear the air within the building.
"What now?" Brave said.
"I guess I close up shop and do business from home again." Crow shrugged.
"And today."
"Business as usual. I have promises I can't break." Crow said.
"Then I'll help."
"Brave."
"You can't be alone. I am staying by your side." Brave's tone indicated that this was final.
Crow sighed but had no objections. He admitted that this was a safer bet.
The duo arrived at Poppo Time apartments. Crow parked his runner and returned to see Brave off.
"Thank you for earlier."
"I am an alpha. I am supposed to protect." He puffed out his chest.
"I feel that I should clear things up. You are not my alpha." Crow didn't know how to say it.
"Yet." Of course this was not enough to deter Brave.
"For saving me. I'll let you have that." Crow chuckled.
"If you need anything. Just let me know."
With that Brave returned to the Ragnarök mansion and Crow retired into Poppo Time.
