BITE ME.

Baby come down to the bottom of the stairs There's a reflection I want you to see Our history and loneliness has defeated our devices Come down, it's time to stop and stare There's a successor I want you to meet His misery and loneliness have exceeded...

[cadence-adler-blog]

Cadence liked that as similar as they were and how many assumptions were made about his gender, that he could still shock the taller man. It kept them both on their toes. Especially when he was surprised right back by the cigarette being stolen from him. A soft protesting noise left his mouth but he was easily pacified by the man settling in next to him, close enough he could feel the heat from the other seeping through his side. He was even more pleased to find the cigarette being offered back and decided that he liked sharing even better. He took a puff before handing it back with a little nod. “He was in a share-house, but there were too many omegas, and he wasn’t being fed right, so yeah. I kind of um unofficially took him in. It’s a secret though.” Cadence shrugged at the next words having pondered over that himself. “I guess it comes back to … I’m not real popular among omegas.” He felt the alpha stiffen and followed suit, ready to take rapid steps back if need be, looking up to see what startled him and was floored to figure out it was him. “I don’t.” What was he… of course alphas weren’t going to listen to him. That didn’t mean he was going to lie down and take it though. It took him a few moments to realize he was talking about the Chief. “No, he um, he was angry at the magazine, not me. My face just got in the way. It’s okay. You don’t have to …” Now his cheeks were really red, thoughts going a mile a minute as his body heated up unexpectedly. Braydon’d got all tense and flustered and upset because he wanted to protect Cadence. How the hell was he supposed to resist that? He was quite literally wired to find that just about the hottest fucking thing in the world. “I’ve never had someone … you…” he was at a loss for words, so he just laughed, shaking his head and letting himself be jostled into. “My day has taken a big turn upwards, yes. Thank you.” Biting his lip, he stole the cigarette back as he tried to accept what he’d just seen before giving it back and tilting his head slightly as he made eye contact. ”You weren’t joking in there. You really….you wanna look out for me?” That’d never happened before, someone deciding he was worth protecting. Could he even ask Braydon to do that? 

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon pressed his lips together and nodded. he really didn’t know too much about how omegas lived. the fact that they had to depend on other people, strangers, to put food on the table. there weren’t too many opportunities for omegas to work, and the thought of braydon’s brother in a situation like that made his stomach turn. at least emerson had cadence and vice versa. cadence seemed so fiercely protective of the other male, but it made sense. he was the only one who had emerson’s interests in mind. but it just meant that cadence needed someone to look after his interests, as well. braydon wouldn’t really mind being that person, though cadence didn’t seem like the type to want someone to look after his interests. maybe he could be the one to look with him. “i won’t tell anyone, promise. he’s got a dog, right? does the dog live with you too?” braydon furrowed his brows but nodded. he could see why cadence wouldn’t be popular among omegas either. his job probably didn’t sit well with many people. omegas could see him as giving their gender a bad name, or seeing him as impure just like the alphas might. people could be very cruel. “that’s probably why we get along so well,” he murmured. braydon was only popular among omegas in bed, but when it came to personality they repelled each other. braydon was abrasive and couldn’t stand sensitive people. that tended to aggravate most omegas. braydon made a good partner for the night, not for life. braydon felt a rush of disappointment when cadence stepped away from him. he liked being so close, it was comfortable in a way he didn’t have with other people. but he must’ve said something over the line, or else cadence wouldn’t have pulled back like that. “i don’t know if that’s better or worse.” at least it wasn’t a specific attack on cadence, but if the gossip magazine was literally thrown in his face that meant it was a physical attack, so to speak. it was hard to tell which was worse in his mind. he watched cadence carefully as he tried to say something, but the other male couldn’t seem to complete the thought. “you’re welcome.” braydon was a little stunned by cadence’s question. “no, i wasn’t. i don’t.... i don’t get along with people, generally. when i do, i get very protective because they’re special to me. that’s kind of really alpha-y, sorry.”

[omegaemerson-blog]

emerson was a fair bit surprised by rosebud’s curiosity. usually he avoided alphas or hated them on instinct. he was sorta like cade that way. but maybe it was the cat perched in his lap that was giving the pup the confidence to investigate. nice to pets meant nice overall, at least in em’s limited experience. he even felt his smile grow at the greeting the alpha used, wondering if it had made rosebud’s tail wag. he was too busy focusing on the exchange with the omega behind the front desk, pulling up prices that made emerson’s head spin. apparently, omegas weren’t meant to have pets – or at least they weren’t meant to take care of them properly, with how expensive even just the introductory shots had been. cade had given him some extra money, but even so, he’d only probably be able to afford one of the three immunizations that rosebud needed. “i… um,” stammered the omega with a fierce blush of embarrassment cropping up on his cheeks. “just the one then… the cheapest, please. i’ll save up and bring him back for the others though. i promise.” emerson cast a sad look on his pup who was now sniffing at the alpha’s shoe (figures, rosebud loved shoes). he hoped he hadn’t been overheard both by the pup and by the amiable alpha. an omega’s position of financial inadequacy wasn’t exactly news but that didn’t mean emerson wasn’t aware enough to feel self conscious about it. “c’mere ‘bud. we’re gonna get you all nice and healthy. leave the nice man and his butterball alone.”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon knew the omega was busy dealing with things at the desk, so braydon made sure to keep a sharp eye on the dog. he wasn’t particularly worried about rosebud wandering off since there weren’t many places he could go, but there was a lot he could stick his nose in or put in his mouth that wouldn’t be good. it didn’t seem like the dog wanted to be too far away from him either, seeing as the pup was sniffing at his shoes. butterball seemed a little more tense with the dog so close, his bright, orange eyes following rosebud carefully. braydon continued on with the nose stroking trick emerson had taught him though, and soon enough butterball was relaxing in his lap again. the alpha couldn’t help but overhear bits of the conversation between emerson and the omega behind the desk. it made his stomach twist uncomfortably. no one wanted their money troubles out in the open, but braydon could’ve guessed. there weren’t too many jobs that offered omegas a livable paycheck. and pets were expensive, braydon was learning that firsthand today. but braydon also had a fat alpha check written for him, unlike emerson. he didn’t want to make it his business, but emerson seemed so upset about not being able to provide for his dog, and braydon didn’t want anything to happen to rosebud. “you know, if you want i can pay for his shots and you can just pay me back later. it’d probably just be easier to get it over and done with now for rosebud’s sake.” he didn’t want it to seem like he was pitying emerson or giving him handouts.

[omegaemerson-blog]

emerson sat up even more, happy that someone agreed. just because he was meant to be a fighting dog didn’t mean that rosebud didn’t deserve a beautiful, floral name. the omega’s smile grew and he ducked his head to hide it until he could compose himself a bit better. “butterball?” he couldn’t help but giggle, eyes glancing upwards once again, looking admiringly at the cat now perched in the alpha’s lap. “that’s so precious! i’ve never really seen a ball of butter but if there was one, i’d imagine it would look just like him.” it probably made no sense, really, but when did emerson ever stop to consider the logic of his statements. he lifted his free hand to tap between his eyes, stroking along the brim of his own nose. “cats like it when you pet here. it makes them nice and sleepy. if you hold eye contact with them a long time and really slowly blink, you’re telling them you love them.” in his pet owning research, he’d stumbled across a few things about cats that he’d thought were quite useful. sharing them with the first time cat owner seemed like a civic duty and also doubled as a way to make the omega feel helpful and at ease. the worker at the front desk called his name ‘emerson for… rosebud?’ and he could hear slight judgement in the tone. figures. not everyone was as understanding as cadence and this doppelgangar alpha. emerson got to his feet, shuffling up to the front desk and leaning up on tiptoes to seem more in control when, clearly, he was anything but. “hello, hi. um, i’m here for some immuno–immun…. shots. rosebud needs his shots. how much are those going to cost?” his cringe made it obvious that he was expecting the worst. rosebud, however, was busying himself exploring at the edge of his lead, sniffing at butterball’s crate with interest.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

the omega had an energy that made braydon want to smile with him. he seemed very innocent and bubbly, and it sort of melted braydon’s hard exterior. maybe cadence has changed his opinion on all omegas, it was a strange feeling. he laughed along with emerson, scratching behind butterball’s ears. the cat started purring lowly, which made braydon relax more into his chair. there was a reason he had chosen butterball from the pound. he was an awkward, dumb little thing, but he and braydon connected. butterball didn’t seem to mind braydon’s spiky exterior. he cuddled into braydon no matter how un-cuddly braydon was. “i haven’t seen one either, but when he’s all curled up he does look vaguely like a lump of solid dairy.” he listened carefully to emerson’s suggestions with wide eyes. maybe he was way in over his head with this whole cat business. he didn’t speak cat language like emerson seemed to be able to. the other male had a dog, too, he had no reason to be so good with felines. he just was. “okay, so, like this?” he asked, tracing his finger gently down where emerson directed him to. butterball didn’t seemed too stressed to be at the vet, but it would be easier for the both of them if butterball took a nap until the doctor was ready to see them. “it’s nice to know how to tell him i love him. i need him to like me.” he watched as emerson walked over to the secretary to settle what he needed to do with rosebud. while his owner was dealing with things, rosebud seemed to take an interest with that was going on with braydon and butterball. “hi pretty boy,” braydon greeted with a smile, watching as the dog poked around in the cage. he wanted to pet him, but his two hands were busy keeping butterball secured on his lap.

[cadence-adler-blog]

Huffing, Cadence returned the eye roll right back. “If toxic things are airborne at a diner, we’ve got bigger problems going on than what’s going in my mouth.” He pointed out dryly, completely unaware of the innuendo until it was out. Oh, God. Deciding that ignoring it was the best course of action, he just flushed more as the other decided he did make the wait for food worth it. It wasn’t often that compliments could get him preening, normally they were backhanded or rolled right off ‘cause he knew they were lies, but not in this case. His hand twitched in protest as the other said to give him a second but he managed to regain control of it and just forced them into his hoodie pockets. Why was he so fucking clingy today? It wasn’t like him. Still, he kept his eyes trained on the other until he was coming back and Cade could breathe again. “Yes, please.” He tried to keep in step with the other, having to take two for his every one but luckily they weren’t going far. It was better like this, away from the curious eyes that put pressure on something Cade didn’t even have a name for and was absolutely ignoring anyway. He had his own pack in his pocket but he was feeling brave and reckless and a little needy so he carefully reached up to steal Braydon’s with a devilish grin, leaning back against the diner as he slipped it between his own lips, surprise again filtering over his features as he wasn’t let off the hook about his day. “It’s not a terrible day.” he said vaguely, still trying to decide how much Braydon really cared to hear. “Em’s heat broke finally - m’here to get replenishments ‘cause I’m way too fucking tired to cook. Someone called the cops ‘cause he was too loud, so I had a beta at my door first thing then walking here I got the gossip rag thrown at my face by uh, …the…an alpha. So it’s been kind of eventful. I mostly just want to sleep for a week.” Hearing it outloud, it was kind of laughable, but compared to how easy it was for him to take care of his best friend, he struggled so much to take care of himself and he was feeling that now. It made everything feel so much worse ‘cause he was just so wrung out. 

[dvlbraydon-blog]

“why can’t you just trust doc?” he whined, trying to give the shorter omega a stern look. he couldn’t hold the serious look around him for too long, though. he could never be too serious around cadence unless the omega was upset. braydon’s lips twitched into a smile as he noticed the tiniest hints of a blush on cadence’s cheeks. he liked to think he had some sort of effect over cadence. lord knows the omega fucked with braydon’s head more than anyone else. he wanted to keep even with cadence in this relationship - whatever it was, he wanted to keep it equal. he didn’t want to end up whipped for the other man. braydon’s eyes widened with shock as cadence took his cigarette away from him playfully and bringing it to his own mouth. he wanted his cigarette, but it made him kind of want the omega as well. the sudden feelings took him by surprise, so he tried to shake it off by leaning against the diner next to cadence, their sides brushing together. he was quick to pluck his cigarette back from cadence. he didn’t mind sharing, really. he held the cigarette in front of cadence’s mouth so he could take it back. “you guys live together, right?” he asked. that wouldn’t be fun, having an omega in heat around. they were loud, and needy, and messy, and need help so they don’t starve. it seemed like cadence was really involved with emerson’s heat, as well. he knew they were best friends, but it made braydon curious about just how close the two of them are. it made a little knot of jealousy form in his stomach, but he didn’t want cadence to know that. he kept his face neutral and looked out at the street. “oh fuck, the cops came? that sucks. i didn’t know people weren’t like... used to hearing those kinds of things.” he stiffened when cadence told him that an alpha had confronted him with the gossip magazine of the town. that defensive, protective feeling welled up in him. “you said you didn’t need a bodyguard,” he reminded with a frown. “i mean, i know you can handle yourself, but still. if an alpha is being an asshole to you because you’re an omega, then i don’t think he’s gonna listen to you, no matter how right you are.” he was stressed when it came to cadence. he just had such a strong personality, it could get him into a lot of trouble. especially with alphas who look down on omegas so much. “your day can only get better from here, though. now that i’m here.” he smiled and bumped his hip against cadence’s. if an alpha was giving cadence shit, then braydon was going to be an alpha to make it better.

[omegaemerson-blog]

emerson was nervous. he wasn’t sure if the vet would even see him since he didn’t have enough money for rosebud’s shots but upon doing his research on his pup, he realized he ought to have him checked out. the omega’s foot was tapping in agitation and he’d been nibbling on his lower lip since he arrived. with rosebud sat at attention between his heels – there were alphas around so he was protective, of course – at least em had a companion for the traumatic wait. he thought the dog would be his only companion for the afternoon until he was being addressed. lifting his gaze from the dog to the speaker, he found no alpha’s aggression on the other’s features. in fact, his brow furrowed in a frown. he could have sworn he’d run into this person – but wasn’t he an omega? like him? the smile eased away any potential tension at the dissonance and he returned it readily. “rosebud,” he answered, perking up in posture and taking notice, next, of the cat. nobody – alpha, beta, nor omega – could be a bad person with such an endearingly quirky kitty. “and thank you! he takes after his papa.” rosebud got a scratch between the ears affectionately, trying to calm him down from his alertness. “and what’s mr. kitty’s name?”emerson nodded towards the crate with a tilt of his head, breezy smile still on his lips.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon knew that hesitant, curious look from strangers. it came with the fact that he had another person walking around with his face who was so different than him. their features were identical, but the way they held themselves and acted was completely opposite. to anyone who didn’t know that there was two of them it would be confusing. but he didn’t want to address that. all he had to do was be himself and the male would know he definitely wasn’t grayson. the male himself seemed very similar to the puppy at his feet. he was gentle, and very loving to the pooch. they were a very adorable couple. it made braydon want that kind of relationship with his new little kitty. “that’s a nice name,” he replied with a smile. he nodded in agreement with a little chuckle. the two did have a very uncanny resemblance when it came to their cuteness. at the mention of his cat, braydon opened up the cage and set him on his lap. “this guy’s name is butterball,” he said with a little smile. it wasn’t a name he would’ve chosen, but it was the one he came with and it certainly fit the weird little bundle of fur. “i just got him today, actually. we’ll see how well we actually get along.” he wanted butterball to meet cadence, as well. it was because of him that he had the inspiration to get a pet, and cadence liked his friend’s animal so much. plus, cadence was very catlike in personality.

[cadence-adler-blog]

Cadence was barely breathing as the alpha continued to work but he also had the strangest urge to not let the alpha move an inch back. Flushing brighter at the realization he consciously curled his fingers so he wouldn’t reach out and do something even more embarrassing. “Things often smell worse than they taste. I’m not sure that’s sound advice.” He teased, but his smile was back, stress melting out of his back like a very good massage without all the touching. Was that a normal thing that happened for people? Or well, maybe not people but alpha/omega …friends? “Well, remind me to thank the kitchen staff then. I’d hate to have missed you by five minutes.” The question about his day was surprising, but the follow up one was more so, especially because Cade got the feeling it wasn’t just a joke. “No. No violence needed today, but good to know the doc doubles as a bodyguard if needed.” He glanced back towards the kitchen as he saw movement, unable to help the little frown that took over. “D’you have time for a quick smoke again?” Satisfying Em’s heat and then worrying over said omega between bouts had zapped pretty much all of Cade’s energy and then add in the run in with not one but two cops and he was very much in need of a cup of coffee and possibly a hug. 

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon rolled his eyes. “ingesting something is usually more deadly than sniffing something, though. what if it had been toxic?” braydon laughed and couldn’t help but nod in agreement. finding someone like cadence made it harder to get along with the alphas at his work. it was harder acting the cocky alpha who thought he was above everything knowing the omega was so strong and had to deal with snotty alphas looking down on him. it made him feel so guilty at every derogatory joke made at the expense of omegas. “i guess you do make the wait worth it,” he relented with a smile. he nodded, but a small frown still tugged his eyebrows together. the fact that cadence probably needed a bodyguard made him nervous. “a smoke? sure. give me a sec, though.” he strode back to the counter and let one of the waiter’s know he was going to be outside before returning to cadence’s side. “alright, let’s go destroy our lungs even more.” he could always use a smoke break, if he was honest. it just happened to be more fun when he had company. this time he had a lighter that worked, too, so as soon as he stepped outside he had a camel between his lips and smoke curling towards the clear sky. “so really, how was your day?”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon was never a very impulsive one. he really only went to the animal shelter to see if a cat was something that would be possible with his lifestyle. after talking to cadence about dogs and about how empty his house was, the thought of getting a pet nagged at the back of his mind. the omega at the shelter was sweet, and really helped braydon learn about what it took to be a pet owner. he even took him back to see the cats, which was how he ended up signing adoption papers for a little cock-eyed chubby cat named butterball. the new addition to the harford household was now sitting in a cat crate while the pair sat in the waiting room at the vet. he needed to register butterball, and make sure all of his shots were in order. braydon and butterball weren’t alone in the waiting room. the alpha’s eyes kept trailing over to the beautiful dog across from the room. he was a sucker for canines, especially bigger ones. “what’s his name?” braydon asked, his eyes flashing quickly to the owner with a polite smile. “he’s so cute.”

@omegaemerson

[cadence-adler-blog]

It didn’t take long for Cadence’s gaze to sweep over and dismiss the old men, the awkward teenagers, and settle on the boys with another resigned sigh. Can’t tell off pups for acting like pups. He went to raise his hand again to keep wiping the sticky off but a newly familiar scent drifted through his nose and oh no. Embarrassment started to color both cheeks pink as he fell still, allowing Braydon into his personal space and just watching with wide blue eyes as he reached out to clean off his cheek for him. Um? Was he supposed to be able to form words right now? Fuck his fucking looming heat. Swallowing hard, he tried to clear his mind and just shifted his weight from foot to foot as he caught himself leaning lightly into the touch. “Well, how else are you going to find out what something is if you don’t have a mirror?” Cadence challenged back with a teasing smile. “Hi. Fancy running into you here.” Given he was still in his work uniform, Cade figured he didn’t have much time and wasn’t available for kidnapping for the day again. Which was a shame, really. He’d kinda missed the alpha. “Having a better day than me, at least this time?” He quipped.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

he couldn’t look cadence in the eyes as he cleaned the sticky mess off of his cheek. this probably looked pretty intimate to anyone from the outside. braydon was crowded close to him, treating him like he was made of glass. the blond pulled back the napkin and checked to make sure he got everything off. that kid certainly had good aim. “you can smell it first, or just leave it up to your imagination,” he replied. “hi, cay.” it was still so strange to him how seeing cadence could brighten his day so instantly. he was already smiling a lot easier being in the omega’s presence. it’s been awhile since he’s seen him, too, so it was like a weight off of his shoulders. “it’s been fine, kind of slow. food’s taking forever.” he shot a little glare back at the kitchen before turning back to cadence. “what’s up with your day? is there anyone i have to go beat up?” he knew cadence’s job wasn’t kind to him. he had judgement and pressure on him from both alphas and omegas. there were a number of reasons he could’ve been having a shitty day. plus the cream to the face probably wasn’t a positive.

[cadence-adler-blog]

There wasn’t a moment’s warning before he registered soft sticky goop applying itself to his face. Stunned, he let the door shut behind him before releasing a resigned sigh. It seemed to be his week to get consistently hit in the face with random materials, though given how this was a diner, he was at least pretty sure this was the first to be edible and vaguely nutritious. Bringing a small hand up, he wiped at the curious substance, nearly blanching when it came away white, before calmly licking it off as he glanced around to see where the blop had originated and perhaps discover why and how it’d landed itself on his face. 

[dvlbraydon-blog]

it was braydon’s turn to pick up lunch for the crew at the diner and it was taking a lot longer than usual. the blond had been seated at the counter for fifteen minutes now, when he was usually in and out within five minutes. he tried to entertain himself by watching the people around the diner, but there wasn’t much going on. a couple of old men were doing a crossword together, a young couple in high school were awkwardly avoiding eye contact across from the table, two brother were messing around with their food. he watched as the oldest, probably a boy around six, load up his spoon with the whipped cream off of his milkshake and launch it across the room. it landed straight on the face of braydon’s new friend, and he had to cover a fit of laughter behind his hand. braydon grabbed a wad of napkins before sliding off of the stool and walking over to cadence. “don’t lick things if you don’t know what they are,” he chided playfully, wiping the cream off of the omega’s cheek gently with a napkin.

[cadence-adler-blog]

A small smile tugged at his lips as the other joked about how spotless his house would be if could figure out a way to stress-clean rather than chain smoke. “But then you wouldn’t have been looking for a lighter and I would have kept walking right past you and neither of us would have had such an interesting night. So I guess it’s for the best you’re allergic to cleaning.” The words did loosen the knot in his chest, reminding him that the part of the reason he’d even agreed to come here was the easy companionship he’d felt with the other. He just had to get out of his own head, well aware it was his second worst enemy. He’d wanted to help the alpha relax and he’d been doing a poor job of it, but the more he smiled, laughed, and relaxed - so too did Braydon and maybe there was something to that whole being not so different thing after all. “I…don’t remember being four years old.” Cadence said after a moment of thinking about it. “But I definitely was not watching this.” He shifted, so he was facing the other more so than the tv, and let the cushions began to eat him as he reclined into them. “Cooking gene?” he repeated mock-offended. “I wish it was that simple. D’you know the shit you can get into burning things in baking 101? It takes practice. Or at least, it did for me. I just came here for dead things and to keep you company. Any food at all is a bonus.” His nose did unconsciously wrinkle at the mention of meatloaf. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll leave that for you and your neighbor.” he quipped. Though, he was vaguely curious how those relationships worked. Omegas were protective of their own, especially in housing, where no one else was looking out for them, but alphas were notorious for not being able to get along. “Are your neighbors all unmated alphas too or families?” He knew this was a movie that mattered to Braydon and in other circumstances he’d probably be riveted to it, but to be honest, the other was so much more interesting. It wasn’t often he could get someone from the ‘other side’ to just sit and talk and he was so curious about so many things. And judging by the questions being tossed back at him, he wasn’t alone in that. “Yeah?” Puzzlement filled his face for a moment as he tried to figure out what the alternative would be if he didn’t cook every day. “I mean, the diner makes grilled cheese in a way I haven’t figured out how to replicate so when I want to splurge and I can’t shake the craving, I’ll go there occasionally.” Screams drew his attention back to the screen and he lapsed into silence for a bit, unable to really tear his eyes away until Braydon said six words nobody’d ever said to him before. “Thank you.” He said after a moment of just turning that around in his head, half-wondering if he’d made it up. An understanding rueful little smile tugged at his lips again as the other confessed to not getting along well with omegas, though it brought up another uncomfortable feeling as he tried to decide whether or not he should share exactly what he was and watch the other’s interest in him snap. Was it lying to keep it back for a little longer? It was definitely selfish. “If it makes you feel better, there’s about two omegas I’d call friends. I’m not very popular among them.” He was quiet for another moment, taking in everything - the movie, the way the couch felt, the way the other smelt before he decided to offer up the last piece that kept him from fully relaxing into a new friendship of sorts. “When I said I work at a bar, you didn’t question which bar and I didn’t feel the need to tell you which one. I do now.” Shame and embarrassment tinted his cheeks a light rose as he dropped his gaze to the cushion between them. “I’ve worked at Crystal Palace since I was 18. I’m not…a decent omega.” S’what he’d been told year after year. “Just so you um, you know. What I am.” Before either of their hopes got anymore improperly and unfairly raised. Nobody’d mate an omega who was improper. He’d been told that his whole life, and convinced himself he didn’t care because he would never want a mate, but having a small taste of it tonight…maybe he wasn’t quite as immune to all that as he’d believed. And he’d feel bad about that later, but for now, maybe he could have this for just a little bit longer.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon nodded, his hand going to scratch at his beard thoughtfully. “that’s true, and we definitely wouldn’t want that,” he replied. the circumstances of the two of them ending up here were very strange, when he really thought about it. they had barely exchanged names and smoke before braydon had invited him over to his house. braydon was such a private person, and yet here cadence was. and braydon really wouldn’t change a thing. he didn’t really feel the need to be private around cadence. it was almost like talking with himself, he just got the other man on a very basic level. meeting him was kind of like meeting a missing part of his life, and that thought wasn’t taken lightly. braydon knew he wasn’t going to let this be a strange, one-time thing. he enjoyed cadence’s company more than anyone he’s spoken to in years, and he doubted he could just let a connection like this drop. cadence was too special. “to tell you the truth, i don’t either,” he whispered like it was a secret. “i don’t even think you should watch shit like this until you’re fifteen.” braydon was always an odd one, though, and he was pretty sure his love for gory movies helped desensitize him enough to handle his paramedic job. “oh fuck, you’re right, you guys had classes for that kind of stuff. at least you know how to take care of yourself i’m completely useless. i think alphas are expected to mate right when they move out so they don’t have to worry about cooking, but i’ve been on my own for a couple of years now and it’s getting pathetic.” braydon never really saw the omegas getting ‘housewife’ training as a negative thing. if he had known how hard it would be to live on his own he would’ve jumped at the chance to take a cooking class. but now he didn’t have the time to learn and his diet suffered greatly because of it. his wallet, as well, because takeout added up when you ordered it for almost every meal. sometimes he would treat himself by going to the diner to get an actual cooked meal, but lucas worked there and it always got awkward being around him so he tried to avoid it as much as he could. maybe he could convince cadence to come over for dinner. it would be awkward making the other man cook for him, though. the thought of cadence being so domestic in his kitchen made his stomach turn too, so he shook the image from his head. being friends with the omega was weird enough, he didn’t want to make this into something it probably would never become. braydon was a loner, and that was something that he knew would never change. he’d drive cadence away eventually. “they’re mostly families. i think that’s why my neighbor brings me meatloafs sometimes, because he knows i’m unmated and feels bad. his motherly instincts kick in i guess,” he explained. there weren’t too many unmated alphas around him. most of the alphas on his paramedics team were all older with families. he didn’t have many unmated people to relate to. braydon stayed silent as cadence explained exactly what he did for a job. it explained a lot of things about cadence, really. why he was so hardened and why he was scared of someone turning a lighter against him on the way home. the most upsetting thing about what cadence was saying was how he seemed to think of himself. cadence was the most magnetizing omega he’s ever met, he was far from tainted or broken. “i don’t think you’re any less for dancing at a bar,” he finally replied, biting at his bottom lip. “that’s just work, that’s not who you are. anyone who judges you for that is an idiot.” he’s met omegas with respectable jobs who were crude and aggressively sexual in his life, and they disgusted braydon. but cadence was the opposite. he had a job that was inherently sexual in nature, but he was confident and independent. his job didn’t reflect him in the slightest. “fuck those other omegas. they’re probably just jealous of you.”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

Why are you a lil bitch?

why don’t you say that to my face and see how much of a little bitch i actually am.

[cadence-adler-blog]

Cadence glanced over at the other, both a little shocked and admittedly pacified by the gentle words. He’d gotten rattled by the sheer size of the house, the blatant reminder of what he was compared to the other, all while being thrown off by a foreign scent that for once didn’t have him bristling. His head was all over the place. In a space not his own, it was always dangerous to be who he was. He wasn’t the docile homemaker type. He wouldn’t ever respect an alpha that demanded respect from him, but he wasn’t stupid either. He knew how to play the game, knew what he had to do to keep surviving, but this was something he had no reference for. This was an alpha telling him he was a guest and that implied an honorable position which didn’t exist for people like him. Did it? “Don’t feel bad. My nerves needed something to do that wasn’t staring at your house so it was really a win-win for the both of us.” Besides it hurt his pride enough to have to defer to the other to order him something, the alpha could suck up a little cleaning. Though, the sheer distaste for the quip had Cadence starting to giggle again and finally dispelled the tension that’d settled on his chest since he’d walked in. “I meant it sarcastically! I don’t think you’re in the running for any mother of the year awards with movies about dead things and a take out graveyard in your living room. Don’t worry.” It was a little curious though, given his career was dedicated to helping people in need that he’d bristled at being considered motherly. That was probably a conversation for another day. The reasoning for buying him food as well was just as surprising as everything else the alpha did. Unseemly? He’d never met an alpha who didn’t knowingly or unknowingly flaunt their privilege gleefully. Certainly never one who was aware and almost…apologetic for it. “Fair enough.” Cadence would have made him something if he’d followed him home so why shouldn’t he expect the same treatment here? He took the cue to let his guards down a little as the other melted into the couch and brought his legs up, gently hugging them. He hadn’t seen many movies. Mostly just instructional ones in school and had no idea what to really expect. Granted, the title was Dawn of the Dead and he knew there’d be some kind of reference to dead people but he hadn’t … hadn’t put two and two together that it was dead people coming back. It was probably worrisome that he was equally horrified and fascinated. It was not a good trait in an omega - he should probably be shying away from violence and gore, but his curiosity had always been ramped up much more than others in his class. Granted, the jump scares got him pretty much every time but that just made him smother nervous giggles into his knee cap until he caught Braydon’s voice over the dialogue. Turning, he gave the male his sole attention as he denied the need to nap before his world kind of went topsy turvy again. Cay? Unasked for bursts of warmth were going off in his chest that really needed to go away right now. “Sorry. I know how frustrating it is to be judged by your gender when you don’t fit in that box. I’ve just…literally never met anyone like you before. I don’t mean to insult you, it just tends to go better as an omega if you can figure out what’s wanted of you before you fuck up and with you, I have no idea where the ground is. It’s all very confusing. But relaxing, okay. I can try that.” If he’d come to know Cade at all, he’d realize how next to impossible that was for the omega, but maybe he could at the very least lower his suspicions. Braydon meant him no harm. “What a curious concept. Zombies. Brings the fear of dying to a whole new level doesn’t it?”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the omega’s words. he didn’t want cadence to be feeling nervous. this was supposed to be a very relaxed hang-out session where they ate takeout and watched zombie movies. it was a healthier continuation of their smoking break, but this time braydon was wearing sweatpants which immediately made the situation better. but he could see why cadence would be nervous. he was in a strange neighborhood, in an alpha’s house who he just met that day. for all he knew braydon could be a dangerous man who lured him here to attack. so the nerves were understandable. it just made braydon feel bad that he didn’t do a good job of making his guest feel comfortable. “i wish i cleaned when i was stressed. this place would be spotless and i wouldn’t have such a smoking problem,” he teased. braydon wasn’t a very funny guy, but he was hoping humor would help diffuse whatever tension the other male was feeling. braydon was cozy himself, spread out on his couch and surrounded by his own scent. he was a homebody, and being in a location he controlled made him feel more confident with the other male. but it also gave him an unfair advantage that he had to be wary of. braydon was playing the home field in a game he didn’t necessarily want to win. but cadence was laughing again and it made braydon relax into the couch with a smile. he decided the omega had a very nice laugh. it was soft compared to his very hard exterior. “are you kidding me? i was watching this shit when i was four. actually, that might explain a few things,” he continued to joke. “i’m also not an omega, so the cooking gene isn’t present with me. if you’re looking for a nice meal you’ve come to the wrong house. my neighbor makes a great meatloaf, though.” he smiled again when cadence agreed with him. he was going to make cadence feel comfortable in his house if it was the last thing he did. he knew he was getting there slowly, but it would take a little more pushing and guidance on his end to get the omega anywhere near relaxed in this situation. hell, it was new even for braydon, so he was figuring out how to make it comfortable for himself as well. he was just praying that as soon as the food got here he could fill the awkward silence with orange chicken and lo mein. “do you usually cook your meals?” he asked, genuinely curious about learning more about cadence. he was a strange omega, in a very intriguing way, and braydon wanted to dissect exactly what made the other man tick. did he still have omega tendencies, or did his shun every stereotype that his gender brought? that’d be nearly impossible, having to live on his own and step delicately around alphas in his day to day life. as the movie picked up they fell into silence again, and braydon found himself occasionally mouthing along to the dialogue. this was probably his favorite movie. it wasn’t amazing, in regards to cinematography, but it was mindless gore that kept him entertained and distracted. “you’re fine the way you are,” he replied softly. “this is all pretty new to me too. i don’t really... interact well with omegas. but you’re different too, and i think that’s what makes this so easy. so just be yourself as cliche as that sounds, because i don’t really expect anything from you.” he rubbed the back of his head and focused his eyes on the screen. this wasn’t exactly easy to talk about. he was one of those asshole alphas that was too quick to judge omegas and expect things from them. he wanted to take a different approach with cadence. “makes it more interesting i think,” he mused. “the only afterlife is a bastard version of the life we’re already living.”

[graysonharford-deactivated20160]

Braydon was right about not everyone being as friendly as Grayson. More often than not, he ran into people who always seemed to be angry or upset. Sure, Gray got that way sometimes, but he wouldn’t be able to stand being that way all the time. For someone as emotional as he was, he tried to just control his feelings in order to not always be outbursting. Not everyone wanted to deal with a yelling or crying omega. “You’re right. You should hang out with him more. I know he’s quiet, but he’s fun once you get him talking. He really loves talking about stars.”

The sudden outburst from Braydon made Grayson raise an eyebrow, curious but he let it go. “I am, I’ve been nannying for a week or two? All the days blur together…” and it didn’t help that some memories were more outstanding than others. “His name is Scottie Horomia! His little son Liam is the cutest little toddler I’ve ever met.” Grayson smiled a real smile, bouncing on his toes in excitement. “I met him not too long ago and he needed the help so I thought, why not? I love kids and Scottie is really nice.”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

“hang out with ryder?” he repeated, his eyebrows shooting up. out of all of his brothers, braydon was the least close to the youngest of the harford clan. he was never really around after ryder was born, and he had such a shy, gentle nature. braydon really had nothing to relate to with the younger boy. “i don’t know anything about the stars. i’d probably say something mean by accident and make him cry, i’d be no good with him.” he wasn’t good at holding his tongue most of his time, and that didn’t really bode well with the younger crowd.

braydon’s nerves only grew as braydon spoke. there seemed to be only one parent around from the way that grayson spoke, and there was no way a single omega could afford or would need a nanny around. so he must be hanging around an unmated alpha all day. “i think i know scottie,” he said slowly. he could vaguely remember a scottie he went to school with, who was an alpha’s alpha. he was cocky, and impulsive, and a player. definitely not the type he wanted around gray. “i’m sure he’s nice to you,” he spat. “probably just wants more pups for you to watch.”

[dex-shattuck-deactivated2018022]

“I know, I know. It’s not my concern. But I feel kinda bad for them. Now that I’ve employed them, I feel some sort of vague responsibility for them.” He sighs and gives in, taking the deck of smokes from his pocket and lighting another up. “Like, I shouldn’t feel like that. I don’t deserve that.” He shakes his head and cracks his wrists, trying in some sort of childish manner to shake off the tension and stress. He laughs humourlessly at Braydon’s last comment. “Yep, family is fucking weird.” Dex knew all about that. He decided to leave it at that though - if the other alpha needed to get something off his chest like Dex had, Dex somehow knew that he would.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

“there are plenty of jobs they can take up. i’m sure the daycare could use more omegas, or the school. they could even work at a café or something. but working in a garage definitely isn’t good for you or them. they must get so stressed in a high demand job. you’d be doing both of you a favor,” he countered. “you don’t deserve that,” he agreed. “whatever. you need family as much as you need friends, which is not at all.” he was feeling particularly cynical today, it must be the stress. but having an alpha who was just as negative as him was refreshing. he didn’t feel so alone in his qualms. “i don’t think i’ve had a nice conversation like this in a long time,” he noted.

[cadence-adler-blog]

There was probably a good chance of that if his brother was destined to be an alpha. Actually, his whole family was probably pretty tall. But Cadence wasn’t going to press. It wasn’t his business. Besides, talking about families just made him sad anyway and he didn’t want to be sad tonight. Not when so many unfamiliar and wonderful things were going on. He tried to picture Rosebud and Em in such a big open spot at the quip and felt his heart ache a bit because they’d be so blissfully happy. They deserved a place like this to spread out and be comfortable. “I’ll keep you in mind when we need a dog sitter.” he offered outloud, trying not to get rankled about the town hierarchy they could do nothing about. How cruel was it to be born into injustice and be expected to toe the line? Still, he stayed put after the initial cleaning, already starting to beat himself up over it. It was rude to come in and touch things that weren’t his, and there was a good chance he’d be thrown out, but it was just…there was so much trash. Cade didn’t mind cleaning. It helped keep his mind quiet and he got into much less trouble with it occupied. But now there was a bundle of nerves tying themselves up in his stomach and no amount of fidgeting with his hoodie or hair would fix that. He had soft grey joggers on and a navy hoodie, having been on his way home to shower and crash, so at least he was properly dressed for a movie. His heart started to pound as he heard footsteps on the stairs and just shot a meek look up at the alpha who … actually seemed more shocked than angry. He could work with that. Letting out a slow exhale, he winced a little as he shrugged. “I’m sorry. I know I should have waited and asked, but I just - um, there was nowhere to put the menu and it seemed silly to just clean a part of it off and not do all of it. I didn’t mind. Just um, the bag was kinda heavy and I wasn’t sure where or when your garbage gets collected so it’s just by the door? I’m sorry.” To his complete shock, the other male just flopped down next to him, no lecture, no yelling, nothing. Again, he seemed to have misjudged and he should maybe try more actively to stop that. Lord knows he hated being lumped together in a group with other omegas, maybe he’d - well, maybe he’d found the alpha equivalent of himself. Someone who didn’t fit in the majority.  What did he want? He had no idea. How did eggs roll? What was a ‘mein’? He had hundreds of questions he’d never ask. “Um? I like vegetables? Surprise me.” He knew there were places that made food and then brought it to you, but he’d never experienced it before. It made sense. Unmated alphas had to eat and they weren’t given the same cooking lessons omegas were, but it was still kind of mindboggling. “I don’t have a curfew, Mom.” he teased. “I think I can handle 30 minutes of your company. But uh, thank you. You didn’t have to order me anything.” There was a bit of an awkward lull now that they weren’t walking or marveling at each other that had the alpha jumping up to put something on the tv and settle back down, further away this time. It was kind of a strange thing. Cade’d actually gotten used to Em being in his personal space as much as possible and being so far from someone seemed odd. But they weren’t even friends yet so maybe this is what it was supposed to be? Why was the thought to offer to sit on the floor so the alpha could lay down and nap even in his head? It was like suddenly being drenched in alpha-smell he was being brainwashed into everything he hated about his gender. “You can lay down if you want. I’ll move so you can nap, and I can wake you when the food gets here?”

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon really wasn’t used to being cared for. it’s been so long since he lived at home, and even then he rejected being cared for. if he had to clean, he cleaned. if he wanted his room dirty, it was dirty. his mother and his brother were never allowed to make him feel weak and in need of help. but when cadence was picking up after him, he didn’t feel so stilted. it was like the other male genuinely wanted to do it for himself and not for braydon’s sake. it wasn’t patronizing, it was a gesture of kindness and self-serving. braydon didn’t know how to handle it. he was never that typical alpha to want and omega around to pick up after him and cook for him and dote over him. sure, he could probably use a good home cooked meal now and again, but he needed his independence. he wanted to be able to care for himself, it was a place of pride for him. cadence wasn’t the type of omega to try to impress braydon with his subservience, though. it made his stomach turn, from pleasure and from nerves. it felt like he was entering uncharted territories with this omega. he made him feel... normal. like they could live side by side and be happier for it. braydon always thought he was going to be alone forever, but cadence was making him question that. it wasn’t love at first sight by any means, but cadence was definitely opening his eyes to what was possible for him. braydon might not be a forever bachelor. “hey, don’t worry about it. it needed to be done and there was no way i was going to do it anytime soon,” he pacifies. “i just feel bad. you’re my guest, you shouldn’t be picking up after me.” it was weird how much of an equal he saw cadence. he was an omega, braydon was supposed to be looking down on him, wanting to coddle him or whatever. but cadence could clearly watch after himself. braydon felt like cadence had his life together even more than he did, even. it made his cheeks flush a dusty rose, so he ducked his face into the couch so the omega couldn’t see. “vegetables, that shouldn’t be hard. don’t worry i think i know exactly what to order you.” he felt an odd urge to impress the omega and provide for him a good meal. he got a variety for the other man, and he knew whatever the omega didn’t eat braydon could keep for leftovers. it was all yummy peppers and onions and other flavorful vegetables with a hint of sesame oil and soy sauce. the chinese restaurant did a good job of making their food taste authentic and not like takeout. maybe that was why he funneled most of his paycheck into their cash registers. the delivery people were kind enough to slip him extra fortune cookies though, so he knew his dedication was greatly appreciated. “i would hope not. oh god, i think i like doc better than mom. do i act motherly?” he wrinkled his nose in disgust. he definitely wasn’t the caring, doting type. he was distant, especially with his family, so being compared to a motherly figure wasn’t fitting at all. “of course i had to order you something. i wasn’t going to make you sit there and watch me stuff my face. that would be unseemly.” he could tell the omega wasn’t used to being treated with respect, which made his heart ache with sympathy. he felt such a kinship with the other man, he thought he deserved the best. he was the first omega who had earned braydon’s respect for god’s sake. if braydon was the first to treat him with this kind of kindness than cadence has suffered great injustice in his life. braydon spread his legs and settled into the couch more as the movie started rolling. it was definitely one of braydon’s favorites, and he found himself returning to the film whenever he couldn’t think of a new movie to watch. his eyes kept flicking to cadence though to see if the omega was enjoying it. “i don’t need to nap,” he countered quickly. the thought of kicking cadence off the couch so he could sprawl out was appalling. “just relax cay, i’m not gonna make you sit on the floor and call me sir or whatever. you’re fine.” tonight was already weird enough, he might as well throw out his usual behavior and treat cadence like an alpha. or like a person.

[cadence-adler-blog]

Cadence had to pout a little at that, because at barely 5′ 4″ yes, he was, and he was very aware of it, thank you. “Even for an omega, yes. I’ve been told.” he said dryly. He had truly believed everyone that he just hadn’t his growth spurt that everyone else had and now he was 22 and still waiting for it. “Maybe I’ll just call you giant.” He continued to grumble, but that faded quickly as the other got amused instead of the eye-rolling dismissal he’d been half-convinced he was going to get for the cloud comment. And not just that, the other immediately countered with a line that startled another laugh from Cadence, making him have to question his previously long-held beliefs that there being someone for everyone was complete bullshit. It took him weeks normally to work up to vaguely friendly with omegas - he’d never just….clicked with someone like this before besides Em. But even that was different. Em was everything that was good and precious and Cade wanted to keep him protected and happy at all costs, but Braydon, the alpha just seemed to get him. Even the prickly parts of him that needed silence and a cigarette and a moment to just fucking breathe and he’d never had that before. Certainly, never expected to find it in an a fucking alpha of all people. He nodded to show he’d heard the permission to keep calling him doc and wondered if that’d help. Giving him importance - no, stop. Why was his brain running away from him? It was just one fluke of a night and they were both running with it while they had it and then he’d leave and they’d go their own ways and live their lives. That was reality and he’d do best to remember it. “Well, I’d certainly hope there’s only one of me. But I’ve not met a Braydon before either. I imagine people try to call you Brandon a lot? I usually get Chris. or Candace.” He appreciated the slight conversational lull that fell between them because it was taking all his will-power to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. Apparently what he’d been marveling at before were beta homes and now they were in proper alpha property and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He knew just from having access to Crystal Palace how drastically fancy everything alpha was but he didn’t think their houses would be like this. His heart made some kind of uncomfortable jump in his chest as the other admitted it got lonely but he ignored it in favor of taking the invitation to slip in and now didn’t even bother to try and hide the awe on his face. There were windows bigger than Cadence was tall. “My best friend rescued a dog. They’re a lot of fun. Especially when you can give them back when you need some peace again.” But a freakin’ alpha worried about not loving a dog enough, Cadence really was having to eat his words. His eyes were still roaming about the sheer size of the house, he hadn’t even taken in the mess yet, until the other started to apologize for it. “Okay.” he agreed quietly, toeing his shoes off at the door before taking a few hesitant steps into the living room, still unable to quite believe what he was seeing. Cade’s whole place could fit in here like…four times. He froze as he was told to wait, half-expecting a plastic bag to be put down to protect the nice furniture but it was just a paper. He was going to buy Cade food? His eyebrow raised but he just gave the alpha a little smile and nod, before walking further into the living room. Everything was bigger. Which made sense seeing as how Braydon had like a foot on him, but it was still shocking to see. For a moment, he sat as told on the couch, but the menu was baffling. He could pick a few words he knew - vegetables, rice, and the types of meat but the rest was a mystery. So he went to set it on the table, but he couldn’t find a spot and leaving it on the couch would get it wrinkled and maybe…maybe he wouldn’t mind if Cade cleaned up just a little. The omega in him couldn’t stand to see such a beautiful home treated in such a way so he did peek around until he found a kitchen and then a little more until he found garbage bags and quickly cleared off the table and surrounding areas of anything that was old food or bottles, careful to leave any papers or anything important where it was before dragging the bag back towards the door and ducking back to the kitchen to wash his hands and settle back on the couch. It was only when he heard footsteps that he looked back with a slightly accusing look on his face. “Your couch is made of cloud too and you didn’t warn me.” he said mock-seriously. “How do you ever leave it?” 

[dvlbraydon-blog]

“i’m pretty sure my eight year old brother is taller than you,” he continued to tease. “it wouldn’t be the first time i was called giant.” braydon hasn’t smiled this much in a long time. he was always a rather sour person, finding himself angry at almost every situation life threw at him. but that had all melted away, leaving him feeling content for once. all from an omega no less. he always dreaded interacting with omegas, since they were usually needy and whiny and entitled. but cadence wasn’t like that at all. he seemed to have the same barbed fence surrounding him that braydon did. he was cold, dry humor and bitter self deprecating jokes. not even braydon’s older brother related to him that much. maybe braydon’s view of omegas was narrow and blinded by ignorance. but that thought made his stomach twist. he had pushed away the one person that meant anything to him after he presented as an omega. braydon had put both of them through so much pain just because of his status, and if that was all for nothing he had a lot of forgiveness to beg for. but braydon didn’t want to think of his twin right now, not when he had cadence around. cadence, who made him feel something other than bitter and stressed. “i don’t think i’ve met a braydon before, either. oh yeah, i get brandon, brent, even stupid shit like bob. i think they see the b and make up the rest. chris? okay, that’s a bit of a stretch.” braydon looked over at the omega and took in his reaction to braydon’s house. he’s been to the omega complex a handful of times in his life, and he knew it was nothing compared to where he lived. sometimes he forgot how over the top his living situation was though, since it was just home to him. it was clear cadence wasn’t used to this kind of opulence. it made that tug of guilt in his gut flare up again, but it wasn’t his fault cadence was stuck in the omega complex. he didn’t make the rules for the town. “tell your friend he can come leave his dog here some nights and i’ll keep it company,” he joked. maybe he should get a pet of his own. of course a dog would never work because they needed too much attention, but a cat could work. they like their space, and were pretty independent, meaning he could be gone for double shifts and the cat wouldn’t even notice. he’ll have to go to the shelter some weekend he had off and get their opinion. he was sick of coming home to cold nothingness. even if he had to get a goddamn goldfish to fill the space he would. after he handed cadence the menu and made sure he was settled, braydon went upstairs and into his room. if his downstairs was messy, his room was a nightmare. he pulled off his clothes and left them in a pile by his door before shuffling over to his drawers. he rifled through until he found his favorite pair of sweatpants, all soft and worn, and he slipped them on. next came a tee-shirt, just a random black band one he had at the top of the pile. when he finished dressing he moved into the bathroom. his hair was a tangled mess, so he combed through his locks gently with his fingers. he didn’t know why he cared what he looked like. maybe it was so he wouldn’t look so sloppy to the omega downstairs. braydon splashed some water on his face quickly before making his way back down the stairs. he froze when he noticed how clean it looked. “did you pick up around here?” he asked, genuinely shocked. he hasn’t seen the coffee table so empty before. his eyes slid from the table to the omega with questioning eyes. “you didn’t have to do that,” he mumbled, scratching at his beard. he lumbered across the room and flopped down on the couch next to the omega. “so what do you want?” he asked. braydon ordered from the restaurant so often that he knew the menu by heart. he even had the place on speed dial. he plucked his landline out of it’s charger on the side table and called up the restaurant. he relayed their order breezily. “it’s going to be about thirty minutes, hope that’s okay,” he said as he hung up the phone. he didn’t really know what to do with omega now. this time was usually filled with him napping on the couch, or flipping through a comic as he waited for the food to come. but that would give the omega nothing to do but sit there on braydon’s couch. “oh right, we were going to watch a movie.” he pushed himself off of the couch and wandered over to his massive tv. ‘dawn of the dead’ was sitting in its case right on top of the dvd player, so he popped that in and sat back down, making sure to keep a respectful distance between him and the omega.

[dex-shattuck-deactivated2018022]

Dex nods, completely understanding what Braydon meant even without words. “Yep. I get you. I have to admit, I thought they’d be useful helpers for the small things, like fetching tools and office work. But now I’m doing all of the office work, and they’re around the cars fucking everything up. It’s stressful. Not to mention the amount of time they need off around their heat - because they really need that time away from the alphas in the garage - I might as well just sack them all. But I don’t know where else they’d go.” He sighs, wanting to light another cigarette but knowing he shouldn’t. “Seems like a bit of a sore spot.” He notes aloud. “I’ll drop it.” He tries his best at a friendly smile.

[dvlbraydon-blog]

braydon couldn’t picture omegas in such a gritty, demanding workplace. they were meant to do the easy work, like serving coffee and cleaning up and looking pretty. but being covered in grease and dealing with the complex inner workings of cars? it just didn’t make sense. “i don’t know how you do it man,” he said with a frown. “they can worry about where to go man, you shouldn’t have to deal with that. if they’re more trouble than they’re worth then they shouldn’t be getting a paycheck from you simple as that.” braydon shrugged, a grimace still on his lips. “it’s not really... sore... i don’t know. it’s just a weird situation. family is weird.”