by Dakila Reed
"Plan?"
Rustom nonchalantly inserted his hands into the pockets of his black trousers. "He wanted to give something to the little kids. I didn't know he'd do it so fast."
There was a hint of amusement in Rustom's voice that as much as angered Skye, hurt him as well on a much deeper level. "We don't need it Rustom. Tell him to take it, or we'll send it back. Give it to some other nursery in Sierra Nadre if he’s so insistent on ‘helping’."
Rustom shot him a perplexed look. "What? Why?"
"Those are pups, ages two to four," Skye started, willing himself to explain and keeping his voice from shaking. He knew he was failing miserably. "They should learn to play under the sun, learn to socialize with others, build friendships and experience the wind on their faces rather than get stuck under a shed playing some game!"
"Skye..."
"They could have those gadgets when they're older. But they're kids. They should experience what we had back then! They should know the feel of a page when they turn a book to read. They should get comfortable writing their names with a pencil than dragging their fingers on a screen. They should—"
"Aren't you being close-minded to the situation?" Rustom cut him off in a voice so severe Skye suddenly felt cowering. Alpha voice. The voice Rustom had never used on him. He was hearing it now, a pure rumble of strength to show anyone their rightful place. Skye shivered, against his want his other foot took a step back. Rustom must have seen what he'd done and very briefly closed his eyes. When he started talking, his voice was much calmer. "No one is telling you or the entire nursery to rely on those tablets alone. You can use those tablets as a complimentary tool. It's not like we couldn't have provided it ourselves, and in fact the council had been talking about this for a while now. Eventually an order will be passed that will be directed to all nurseries here in Sierra Nadre. Why can't you just accept what has been given to the nursery graciously?"
Skye shook his head as he stared at Rustom. He couldn't believe what was happening.
"It's because it's Reece isn't it? It's because he's the one who sent those devices that you don't want to take action—"
"Skye, what is there to take action of?" Rustom asked with an exasperated air to it.
“Our nursery have its own vision for the kids we take care of... getting exposed to devices isn't one of them. James and I made sure we're going to provide a traditional learning experience for those kids before they enter elementary."
Rustom ran a hand over his face and exhaled loudly. "Skye. Don't make Reece's action sound like it's a crime. He did it with good intentions. Now can you just try—"
"Oh now it appears. You're just humoring him aren't you? You would allow him to do whatever he pleases—"
Rustom who was behind his desk suddenly was right before Skye. His golden gaze which usually carried warmth when looking his way was just pure ice. "Why do you antagonize Reece?"
"Antagonize...?"
"Yes. I can feel it Skye so don't you go telling me otherwise. He's been nothing but amicable to you and to everyone else so I don't understand why you act this way towards Reece. He's my other half!"
Skye forced his knees to stay strong. He felt them shake and almost give out. It might have hurt less had Rustom slapped him instead. Those words cut through like sharp knives.
He stood there, still sweaty from the running and the heat, his eyes he knew was wide from shock, pain and confusion all in one messy compounding panic that was starting to brew in his chest.
All those times of their fooling around. The friendship. The protectiveness. The touches. The act. Skye at least held on to them thinking they had more meaning than met the eye. That over the years he at least matter differently. Twenty-five years was a fucking long time. But as he stood there, watching Rustom fume at him just because he said something he didn't like about this so-called destined omega of his, Skye could think of nothing else.
Clearly he'd been a pathetic assuming idiot.
Skye stormed out of the room, refusing to cry in the open where a lot could see. He refused to show his miserable, longing and pathetic self-pitying to anyone. After all they weren't mated. Who was he to stop the supreme alpha from being protective to his so-called fucking destined mate?
* * * *
"Okay. So I over reacted. Fine."
Skye rumbled and grumbled as he walked on his way home.
"I over reacted. I acted like a kid. I acted like I had no sense."
He paused briefly. He had been walking for some time now after his shift from the nursery and now standing there, he wanted to cry. Like really weep for all the jumbled mess in his chest he couldn't even begin to spell. Soft stream of water running mingled with the chirping birds. The shadows of the valleys covered a portion of the rice fields.
Looking behind, he realized his feet had brought him out of the district proper and was now cradled in the silence of the mountainsides. He shook his head. For him to wander this far without noticing, he must be seriously far gone out of his head.
Instead of going back, he continued walking. He continued following the trail until the dry ground changed into a patch of sharp wild grasses. The more he felt the rocks beneath his shoes, the more eager he became as though it was his way of confirming something.
A few minutes later a white wash of round and smooth stones greeted him. The water sloshed through gaps and corners. The river flowed where Rustom had found him and still looked the same. Skye brought his gaze slightly farther into the snaking flow of the river and slightly frowned at the other presence. He'd wanted to spend time alone. So much for that.
On cue, the stranger who was sitting on a large rock glanced to Skye's direction. A few meters still away, Skye already saw how bulky the man was. Like he was made of assembled stones himself, he exuded strength and intimidating independence that should have made Skye think twice of staying. It wasn't he didn't trust strangers. It was just that Rustom had always told him to distance himself from alphas he didn't yet know. Well the thought of doing something contrary to Rustom became a satisfying thought.
The stranger with a roguish appearance warily looked over when Skye sat on a bluish boulder two meters away. Skye noticed how the man shook his head before looking back at his fishing tackle.
"Why are you alone here omega?" the man asked, his voice so deep it sounded like a rumble.
Surprisingly, it wasn't the kind to scare someone. Skye relaxed on his boulder and pulled both his knees to his chest, staring at the river himself.
"I'm clearing steam." Skye glanced to his stranger companion, noting the hard angular jawline. "You a tourist?"
"Yeah. My first time here," the stranger replied.
"I see."
A few minutes passed where the sound echoing around was solely the river. Skye was lost in it so the sound of the stranger's voice made him jolt. "Again, I asked you a question. It's not a matter of you being weaker physically, just omegas shouldn't be alone. More so the likes of you."
"The likes of me," Skye repeated flatly. He was already angry at a certain alpha, he didn't need this other one.
"Look, that's not a low dig. I just don't... well I'm just a concerned citizen."
"Huh." It didn't sound flirting as much as how it seemed to be. Skye just shrugged, pulling a stone from the ground and letting the rough edges dig into his palm. "I know one with the same motto in life. But here I am right? Alone."
The man uttered nothing but Skye felt like carrying on.
"Is fated mates that big? Large enough that my existence gets pushed far back? Like nothing at all of the efforts I gave matter?"
The other man gave him a look that said the obvious.
"It's so romantic but it leaves a ton of broken heart pieces in its wake. Force that can't be stopped? Ha," he rolled his eyes, "Ridiculous. They just saw each other all of five seconds and suddenly, they've already created a world of their own. I've been on the sidelines for—" Skye groaned and hid his face on his palms. "What the heck
am I sprouting to a stranger?"
"I know fated mates don't happen a lot. But to those, it's a blessing. You can't blame them."
Skye nearly fell from his boulder. He hadn't expected to hear such vulnerability in a voice so rough. "So you're a fan too?"
"I have a fated mate. Had."
Skye knew he looked like a gaping fish. "H-had?"
The man looked away dismissively. "Heed my warning as a friendly reminder babe. You shouldn't go wandering alone."
Biting his lower lip to stop himself from saying something snappy, Skye instead chose to look back again at the moving waters. The ‘babe’ thing was annoying as hell. To the derogatory effect it should have caused, Skye only felt a rattling sense of irritation. If he had a blood brother maybe this was how it would be. He felt for the stone he picked earlier and threw it to the river. The splash was loud and the stranger turned to him with a scolding frown. Skye twisted and saw a second too late the shadows of fishes beneath the water surface fast swimming away from the bait. His eyes widened in horror after realizing what he’d done.
"Sorry," he said morosely. "I'm sorry for your fish. I'm just really tired and..." he exhaled and willed himself to relax. “Can you fish me a new bundle of brain and maybe a heart too? Because I seriously hate mine now.”
“Just shut up, be quiet, and maybe we’ll live in peace.”
Hugging his knees tighter, Skye allowed the hissing of the water surround him. Funny the deeper he plunged his attention to it, the louder the sound. He’d played on this riverside as a pup. With a mother hen teenage James, a spoiling Jules, and the bright sun Skye followed everywhere in the name of Rustom. Such were the happy times. When he wasn’t aware yet he was in love and that Rustom was very obviously wasn’t.
Many times at school and even Grandma Felice told him the mysteries of fated mates. They were the completion of one’s soul. They were blessings from the heavens. They were everything good.
“Is Rustom my fated mate?”
Skye grimaced at his wide-hopeful and innocent inquiry when he was six. Grandma Felice only had a sad but understanding smile on her face. As if she could already see where Skye was headed. Pure crushing heartbreak.
He stretched out his legs and looked up. Meeting the vibrant blue with traces of setting oranges from the sun. He imagined Rustom and that pretty omega Reece probably heading straight home. His life was slowly changing, drifting past him against his will.
“You know,” Skye mumbled, not caring if his companion didn’t give one shit of what he wanted to say. “My name is Skye. But I feel like I’m being buried six feet under.”
The stranger snorted. “Babe, my name is Wayne but I’m not exactly a billionaire.”
The cicadas had never bothered him this much. But as he sat on the window frame, his coffee a long forgotten drink that would soon be drained to the sink, he wanted to shut every single critter to oblivion.
Reece went home to Sierra Gena and would be back in a couple of days. The emptiness in his house was driving him insane. Rustom picked his black mug and took a sip of his coffee. It tasted so awful he threw the contents out, raining it down to the thirsty couch grass.
"Fuck... Skye..."
He ran a hand over his tired face and just looked out to the peacefulness of his district. He didn't intend going all alpha shit to his best friend. The look on Skye's face floored him. And now he was guilty as hell. He didn't want this kind of misunderstanding between them dragging for so long. But the day had been so hectic. Add the sleepless nights that were becoming a common occurrence to him the past few days.
He picked his phone beside his now empty mug and dialed Skye's number. After two rings, the call connected and Rustom was greeted with the faint familiar traditional songs in the background, most of which teenagers wouldn't be caught dead listening into.
"Skye? You still awake?"
"No. My phone charger happens to have a life of its own, accepting your call. Are you an idiot?"
Rustom's lip curled, but the relief immediately died down with the reminder of what he had to do. "About earlier..."
"Don't bother Rustom. James and I talked about it already and we're accepting Reece's kindness. You don't have to say anything anymore. We're cool."
"Why do I feel like I'm hearing those words through gritted teeth?"
The faint music in Skye's background stopped. Just a sudden piercing silence intensifying Skye's breathing. "Just. Don't do that again okay?"
Rustom ran his fingers through his hair, angry at himself for hearing the quiver in Skye's voice.
"That alpha voice thing. It's... it's not a good feeling to be the direct object of a supreme alpha's anger."
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to, really. And I wasn't particularly angry at you. There are just so many things bothering me lately."
“Bothering you?” Skye repeated sarcastically. “Last time I saw you you were everything but bothered.”
Rustom groaned inwardly. He knew that tone. He’d know that from a mile away. Skye was holding him for the many times he’d canceled on him. Food Expo. The regular meals. The usual routines that slowly but drastically changing their lives. And he was, admittedly, very guilty. How could he show that having found his fated mate was not the end of their friendship? He closed his eyes briefly.
“I’m sorry Skye.”
“For what?”
“For the distance,” Rustom breathed out. “But you have to understand that I have to make time for my mate. Right? We just met. And I want to know him. I want to understand him.”
“I’m not a damsel in a tower Rustom. I understand where you’re coming from. I guess both of us woke on the wrong side of our beds. But you’re still an annoying prick, so,” Skye paused, causing a dramatic effect, “appease me.”
Rustom glanced over his shoulder, to the framed photo of him, Skye, Jules, and James all with wide grins knee-deep into the river. He never realized how heavy the weight on his shoulder was until it was lifted by Skye’s usual sass. His lips stretched into a smile as a sure win started shining in on him.
“What about a still untouched, sealed, and piping hot preview disc of Flightless Falcon?”
“No way!” the other exclaimed. “You’re a bluff. Liar. It’s not even released yet!”
“Dear, dear Skye. Supreme Alpha and distant cousin of the director privileges at work,” Rustom piped, waggling his brows even when no one could see. He could already picture Skye drooling all over the floor. The guy was a worshiper of the lead actor of the military tear-jerker. So much so it was a second away from creepy obsession.
“Don’t watch it without me!”
“Well…” Rustom teased. “Are we good now?”
“You appease like I’m twelve but yeah,” the omega huffed. “You got me at Flightless Falcon.”
“See you on Saturday then.”
“Saturday. Deal. And Rustom?”
“Yup?”
“Sleep. You sound like crap.”
Rustom chortled, putting his phone on his right ear from the left. "Since when did my voice become the gauge of my sleeping problems?"
"Don't be absurd. I can tell from your voice when you're constipated."
That had Rustom laughing. "That is seriously disturbing dude." Damn he missed this. This kind of easy, almost idiotic conversations. It hadn't been that long, but he surely felt the distance.
* * * *
Rustom could do nothing but to just stare at the kitchen towels lined neatly on the rack to dry. The light green towel had turned a darker shade from being damp, compared to the one beside it which was as dry as the heat outside.
He walked over the counter top, noticed the three mugs that should have been half-full of coffee by now. He glanced over his shoulder, giving him a full view of his large living room. The flat screen TV was turned off where the Flightless Falcon movie should be showing right at this moment. The glossy box was sitting idly on the low center table, still sealed. The remote at the very edge of the surface
, on the verge of tipping and falling to the carpeted floor.
He shook his head, left the kitchen and turned the lights off before completely heading out. It wasn't how he'd planned this night to be. But nothing was to be done now but crawl to bed with Reece, and hope that Skye wasn't brooding.
Two hours back, when the doorbell rang, Rustom pulled the door open in confusion. He'd already scented it as Reece. The man should still be at Sierra Gena with his personal business but it finished early, and here he was, happily back.
Five minutes after Reece came, Skye rang the bell. And that was when the odd atmosphere within his house started taking place.
"Oh, I didn't know we're having a guest tonight," Reece exclaimed, popping his head over Rustom's shoulder. "Hello... uh... Skye right?"
Skye looked up at Rustom for the briefest moments before nodding at the other omega. Skye was polite, nodding and extending his pleasantries. But Rustom had been far too long around Skye not to know those little smiles were forced. Uncomfortable.
"Come in," Rustom managed. He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt the slightest anxiousness as Skye came into the house with the faintest odd expression. Skye knew the Vera's house like the back of his hand. So Rustom couldn't shake off the sight of Skye looking so lost inside it.
"Uh... thanks for inviting me," Skye mumbled, a little too formally. This time Skye should be jumping to the couch, owning the entertainment area. But he acted as the proper guest he was and waited until Reece had gone to the living area first.
Rustom threw Skye an apologetic smile. He knew this night was supposed to be their night-out. Like the usual mode of them killing time and relaxing. But this was how it was going to be. There was no way Rustom would tell Reece he shouldn't be a part of this. And Rustom could not tell Skye to go back some other time either.
"I left the opening of the box for your pleasure," he said, hoping that would appease and take the surprised lostness in Skye's eyes.
"Thanks," was all Skye offered before going to the living room himself. Halfway across the hall, Skye halted. "I'll go make tea for all of us," he announced.
