by Aiden Bates
"You look like you've been to war," Jay said, crouching down next to him .
Luke laughed. "I feel that way." Rolling to his feet, he let the omega drag him upright. There were grass stains all over his shirt and jeans, and when he ran his hand through his hair, a wave of dead leaf fragments drifted down .
"You've got a..." Jay motioned to the side of his head and scrunched his nose. "I think it's a lollipop ."
"Fuck." Luke put his hands to his temple, and they came away sticky. "Great," he groaned. "This is going to take forever to get out ."
"At least it's not gum." Jay grabbed his arm, herding him toward the house. "Do you know where the bathroom is ?"
"First door to the left of the entrance. Save me some cake," he said to Teddy and Marcus as they passed their table. Cody was asleep, propped up on Teddy's shoulder, not even stirring when one of the little girls screamed about not getting a corner piece. Nikolai's jacket was tucked around him carefully .
"That's a good look on you. It goes with the whole grass-chic that you've got going on," Kurt said, laughing until Teddy put an elbow in his ribs .
"Do you want any cake, Jay?" he asked politely, his voice pitched softly despite the fact that Cody could probably sleep through a bomb going off .
"Yes, please," Jay replied, shoving Luke ahead of him through the doors. "Stop touching it, you're just making it worse ."
Luke jerked his hand away from the sticky mess in his hair, guiltily trying to wipe the sugar off on his jeans. "It itches ."
"Seriously?" Pausing in the middle of the living room, Jay rolled his eyes. "You're being a baby ."
Nate stuck his head around the door and rattled off a familiar phrase in Russian, grinning big enough to show the gap where he'd recently lost one of his teeth .
"I am not being a cabbage," Luke said, sticking his nose in the air. He marched past Jay, taking refuge in the calm quiet of the front bathroom. It had been cleaned up for the party, but there was a bag of bath toys hanging in the shower. The tiles that Nate had scribbled on in permanent marker had never been the same, either .
Teddy had done most of the renovations, using the house as a thesis project for his architectural degree back when Nate was in kindergarten. All the guys had flown out to help, and Luke had installed the built-in vanities, fresh from Uncle Robert's warehouse. He rested his hand on the scarred surface as the water warmed up. He'd have to get someone in to refinish them soon .
"Why did that kid call you a cabbage?" Jay asked, leaning in the doorway his nose crinkled in confusion. "Was that Russian ?"
Luke laughed. "I forgot that you’ve never met Greg. It's a Russian insult. A very childish Russian insult. Greg's mother came over from Moscow before he was born, and both the boys speak Russian. Nikolai practices with them ."
"That's impressive," Jay said. "Stop picking at that ."
"Yes, Mom," Luke said, peeling his hand away from the lollipop with a disgusting squelching noise. He ran his hand under the water, satisfied that it was warm enough .
"Don't just dunk your head in there ."
Frozen halfway to the faucet, Luke turned to look at the omega. "Why not ?"
Rolling his eyes, Jay grabbed the no-tears shampoo out of the shower. "Because it will take a million years to get that thing out of your hair if you do it that way. Hold still ."
"Since when are you an expert at this?" he asked. Cold hands shoved his head aside to get to the water, and he grumbled .
"You'd be amazed at the places you get candy stuck if you spend enough time at a carnival." He said it idly, but there was something dark underneath it .
Luke swallowed, clearing his throat and hoping that Jay would just chalk it up to the awkward position. "Oh ?"
For a moment, it seemed like Jay wasn't going to answer, small, nimble hands winding their way into his hair. The smell of the shampoo mixed with something sweet washed over him every time he moved .
"We were always traveling, you know?" His voice was steady but so quiet that Luke could barely hear it over the rush of the water. "It was like being a retail worker at some fast food chain, but worse because you're not a neighbor or someone's kid. You're an outsider, and even if they're happy to come and enjoy the games and rides, they don't want you there. I had kids throw food at me while their parents watched. Parents spit in my face because their kid didn't win a game. One lady, I remember because we had to call the police, she beat the snot out of one of the kids working the Ferris Wheel because she didn't think the ride was long enough. Duck your head a little more ."
Warm water and suds flowed over Luke's cheek, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut as some trailing bits headed for his nose. Casting about for something to say, he muttered, "That sucks," and ended up with shampoo in his mouth. "Oh, yuck ."
Those soft fingers cupped his cheek, turning his head so that he wouldn't get more soap anywhere sensitive. Jay was stronger than he remembered, holding him in place even as he tried to lift up so he could wipe his mouth. "Stop flailing ."
Luke gave in with a grumble. "How long were you with the carnival?" he asked, smacking his lips and wishing for some mouthwash. There was no answer, and he tried to turn his head again, earning himself a vicious yank as the lollipop tried to remove a patch of hair. "Ow ."
"I tried to warn you," Jay said. "I was with them for a little over two years. I saved up enough money for paint supplies and a studio, and when they headed back east for the third time, I stayed." There was another wash of water, a chunk of glistening sugar candy chiming as it fell into the sink. "There. Let me rinse all this soap out, and you'll be good as new ."
"Is that why you don't like kids? So many years of dealing with them all hyped up on candy?" He hadn't realized he was going to ask until the words were out, and he almost bit his tongue trying to stop them. They echoed accusingly around the sink, washing down the drain with the bubbly water .
Jay's hands paused, pressing at the spot just behind his ear that made Luke shiver. "I like kids," he said slowly. "I mean, I don't interact with them much, but I don't hate them ."
"You just seemed really uncomfortable today." Luke sighed in relief as Jay snorted, his fingers tugging a little as they went back to working the lather out of his hair .
"I bought these clothes to go to court in, and there isn't a single paint stain on them. I'm not about to let those little monsters rub grass and chocolate all over me." He patted Luke's neck. "If anyone's going to ruin my clothes, it's me. You're done. Let me get a towel ."
Out of nowhere, a memory reared up, loud and overwhelming, of fabric tearing as Jay got tired of fumbling with his shirt, the buttons plinking off across the boathouse. It was so vivid that Luke felt like it had to show on his face as he scraped the excess water out of his hair. He was grateful that his position curled over the sink hid the fact that his pants were too tight .
"Here. Hope you don't mind ducks," Jay said, turning back from the linen cabinet and dropping a bright blue towel on his head .
Standing up slowly, Luke stole a glance at Jay around the edges of the towel as he rubbed his hair dry. The omega was drying his own hands off on a more sedate washcloth hanging on a hook by the door. He looked flushed and pink from the steam of the water, his lips swollen where he'd obviously been biting them .
"Thanks," Luke said, draping the towel around his neck .
Jay looked at him in surprise, then looked away, hiding a laugh behind a cough. "You look like you got stuck in a tornado. Come here ."
Holding his breath, Luke stepped forward so that Jay could
smooth his hair down. He was close enough to kiss, his blue eyes flashing with amusement as he fussed with the front, the gentle tugs making it harder and harder for Luke to ignore the arousal beginning to warm his stomach. The dark dye that he used had started to fade, and at the roots, his red hair was shining through .
"Why did you dye your hair?" he asked, barely a breath of sound .
There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other, the eye contact unwavering. "I didn't want to be me," Jay said. "One of the artists that used to have a studio in the same building I do would dye his hair these outrageous colors. He said it made him feel like he could do anything. So I tried it ."
"I miss your red hair," Luke said. Against his better judgment, he was leaning closer, the warm puffs of Jay's breath drawing him in .
For the briefest of seconds, their lips met, and Jay gasped. His lips were soft and so sweet that Luke could have lived without cookies for the rest of his life if he had this instead. He groaned, licking his way into the omega's mouth, and Jay jerked away .
"We should get back to the party," he said, his voice shaky. He backed out the door and took off for the backyard without looking back .
"Shit," Luke said, scrubbing a hand through his damp hair .
"You said a bad word," Nate muttered, sitting on the living room couch with his feet on the table. Teddy was sitting across from him, both of them clutching pieces of the model in their hands as they stared at him .
"Not a word," he said, pointing at Teddy .
Pushing his glasses back up his nose, the architect nodded. "I didn't see anything? Did you see anything, Nate ?"
"I definitely did not see Uncle Luke making out with an omega in the bathroom," Nate recited, completely unrepentant when Luke growled .
"See if I ever make you cookies again," he muttered, stalking toward the backyard .
The backyard was significantly louder than it had been when he left, the cake-smeared children screaming as they whirled around like a sugar-fueled hurricane. They'd even gotten Cody out of his coma, and he'd joined Jay at the far side of the lawn, the two omegas leaning against the fence .
They were as different as night and day, and Luke couldn't stop staring. Jay's delicate frame and artist's hands were only emphasized by Cody's rough and tumble stature. He was very nearly the largest of all the brothers, strong enough to lift any of them without breaking a sweat. Usually, he loved to play with the kids, picking them up and spinning them around, but he looked ready to drop. The fact that he hadn't seemed to notice Nikolai's jacket still draped across his shoulders just accentuated it .
"Uncle Cody, spin me!" Kris screamed, running across the yard with a pack of other kids at his back .
Luke glanced over at the 'grown-up' table, catching Kurt's eye. The other alpha climbed to his feet, tucking his phone away in his briefcase. The lack of whining showed that he was just as concerned about how the military was treating their brother .
"You know," Kurt said loudly, walking over to join Luke, "you haven't paid any attention to me all day, Kris. I'm starting to feel neglected ."
Kris, clinging with his whole weight to Cody until the omega tilted off balance, turned to size Kurt up thoughtfully. "You don't spin as good as Uncle Cody ."
Jaw hanging open, Kurt pressed his hand to his chest. "That hurts. I'm hurt. Aren't you hurt, Luke? We've been slighted. Our honor has been besmirched. Just for that, I'm going to spin you till you puke," he said, scooping two kids up in his arms and starting to twirl in a circle .
"Please don't," Greg said mildly from the patio .
Luke grinned, scooping up another kid and completely ignoring Greg's resigned sigh. Soon the horde was too dizzy to do anything but giggle and stumble awkwardly around on the grass. Dropping the last kid lightly onto the grass, Luke waited for everything to stop spinning. Kurt was still spinning Kris, the little monster screaming for him to spin faster and laughing when Kurt begged for mercy .
"You're good with them," Jay said, appearing at Luke's elbow. He was chewing his bottom lip, his eyes warm as he steadied Luke with a gentle nudge .
"Thanks," Luke said, those blue eyes the only stable point in the world .
14
"C rap." Jay glared at his phone as they all piled through the door of the guest condo. "I missed a call from Piper. I'm going to go call her back before it gets too late." He listened to the phone ring as he headed for the bedroom he’d been using, muttering a prayer that he hadn't missed her .
It went to voicemail, and he knocked his head against the wall as he left a short message asking her to call him back. It was probably nothing. She'd promised to let him know as soon as she sent out the paperwork to halt the sale of the house, even though he'd told her to leave it until Monday. That was all it was .
His skin prickled, and he tried to convince himself it was just unease at missing a call. It had nothing to do with the sound of Luke walking down the hall to his room. Luke Carter hadn't made his blood pound since he was eighteen .
"Keep telling yourself that," he muttered, tossing his phone onto the bed .
He'd never been one of those omegas who saw a baby and melted. He liked kids, sure, but he also liked puppies. Seeing Luke with those kids, though, had made him wonder what it would have been like if they hadn't been caught that night. If they'd done the stupid thing and had unprotected sex. If it had been their kid playing rough and tumble. Luke was going to make a great dad someday. He was kind of surprised that he wasn't already .
Knocking on the door made him jump, and he slammed his elbow into the doorknob with a curse .
"I didn't mean to startle you," Teddy said, holding up an envelope. "This was just delivered for you ."
He only vaguely remembered Teddy from school. The other man had always been focused on his studies, and Jay had always found him a little dazed and distracted. He was the same way now, his pale eyes staring through people as if he could see equations and angles running under their skin that would make them make sense if he just tried hard enough .
"Thanks." He cleared his throat, glancing at Luke's door. "Can I ask you a question ?"
Teddy's eyes followed his, a faint smile creasing his freckled skin. When Jay wasn't dyeing his hair, they looked almost like twins, give or take a foot of height. "About Luke? I guess. I don't know any of the really salacious gossip. You'll have to ask Kurt for that ."
"Not gossip," he hurried to clarify. "Just... He's a good guy. Why is he still single ?"
It was startling the way Teddy's eyes snapped back around to him, suddenly sharp and focused. Jay felt like he was stripping back layers of skin to see all the way into his soul, and he shivered. If this was what having the alpha's attention was like, he was grateful that it didn't happen more often .
Whatever he saw in Jay's face must have meant something to him because his gaze softened. "I'd better come in," he said, waiting for Jay to decide if he was okay with that idea .
Backing up until he could sit on the bed, Jay watched him shut the door. He didn't lock it, but he did rattle the handle just a touch .
"This door jams if you're not careful how you close it," he said calmly, perching his long body on the armchair on the other side of the room. "Luke has a habit of walking into the middle of conversations when they're about him. We haven't figured out how, but he always knows ."
Jay picked at a hangnail, eying the door nervously. "Should we go get coffee or something ?"
Teddy laughed, a bray of sound that bounced around the small room. It was incredibly unattractive, but at the same time, it made him seem much more human. "I don't want to make him jealous," he said. "Besides, I'm not going to say anything that he w
ould be upset at me telling you. He just doesn't need to hear this all over again ."
"It was that bad?" Jay asked, his heart sinking .
"It was... Touch and go for a while. Not the way you're thinking. He just shut down. He stopped coming to dinners, stopped calling. He missed Nate's eighth birthday, then Christmas. It was a tough year ."
"He really loved him, huh," Jay said, biting his lip hard .
The alpha was silent, looking off to one side thoughtfully. "He thought he did," he said after a moment. "They'd been together for a couple years at that point. Liam came to some of our events, and they even hosted Easter dinner once." He shrugged, turning those too-sharp blue eyes back to Jay. "We came down for a week, even the kids. Greg wanted to take them to the parks, and we planned a few days on the beach. I didn't even see Liam until the third day we were there. He was holed up in his studio working on some commission ."
Jay winced, and Teddy smiled reassuringly .
"We didn't hold it against him," he said, but the tension in his jaw told Jay that it wasn't the whole truth. "We had Easter dinner with Luke's uncle, and it was great. Then Liam found out that Luke had to go in to work on Monday. We had all been warned; there was a big case that he was prepping or something, I don't remember exactly. We had plenty to keep ourselves busy, which was good because the screaming was truly impressive ."
He delivered all the information in the same calm, nonchalant tone as he would order a cup of coffee, and it took Jay a moment to process what he was actually saying. "They screamed at each other ?"
"Oh no. Luke's voice breaks if he raises it too loud," Teddy said, matter of fact. "Liam, on the other hand, could have sung in the opera if his heart wasn't set on painting ."
"Luke must have been humiliated." Jay wrapped his arms around his waist, trying to ward off the chill that rattled up his spine .
