Work Text:
Alan watched Jeff as he focused intently on his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He didn’t understand when his gaze started to drift to the younger, why it always seemed to lock on him. Something about him was so addicting. It had been so long since anyone had challenged Alan, since an omega had stared him down. It excited him to no end.
An arm flung around his shoulders, and he smelled him before he saw him. Babe leaned in, and in a teasing tone, asked why Alan was staring at Jeff. He forced his gaze away, plastering a smile on, and making a show of yelling at Babe to get his arm off of him and mind his business. Said alpha laughed, his gaze falling onto Charlie, who had gone to sit near Jeff, pulling his laptop out to work.
As if sensing his stare, Charlie looked up and smiled at Babe. Alan could feel him melt and for a second, he could not believe that this was the same reckless boy he had taken in. A simply smile from his boy was enough to render him breathless and God. Alan was so relieved someone could handle Babe.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Way shift uncomfortably at the sight, fixing a glare at Charlie who was ever the oblivious boy. His heart went out to Way, the poor alpha was gone for his best friend. But he had ten years to confess, ten years to win his favour. He had wasted time pushing Babe onto others, what did he expect to happen? He had brought on his own undoing.
Alan allowed himself to get lost in his work, to drag Babe along to the track, to fall back into a familiar routine, to shove the thoughts of the doe eyed omega far out of his mind. It was a hard task as the boy’s scent tickled his senses, his laugh ringing in his ears (Why could Charlie make him laugh? Why did he not deserve to hear that angelic sound directed at him?). He was hyper aware of the boy’s every move, his every shift, his presence taking the majority of his thoughts.
But, for an hour or so, he could ignore the way his heart clenched as he saw Jeff talk to Charlie, he could ignore the way Jeff leaned away from North and Sonic’s touches, he could ignore the realisation that Jeff no longer leaned away from his touch.
His break from focus wasn’t his fault. Not this time. It was Way urgently storming up to him and Babe, phone waving in hand. He seemed distressed, furious, but underneath it all, Alan couldn’t help but detect a glint of mischief, a whiff to satisfaction. But it was only for a second before it was carefully locked away and hidden, gone so fast that it may not have even been there.
“You guys need to see this.” Way proclaimed loudly, shoving the phone into Babe’s hands. He was loud enough to have captured the attention of the whole garage, who were looking on curiously.
Alan fixed his gaze onto the phone. A video showed Charlie getting off at a condo after paying the driver. “Way, what is this? Did you follow Charlie to his wor-“ Babe cut himself off abruptly as Charlie seemed to approach another figure on the video. He threw his arms around the other, a wide grin obvious on his face. Moving the arm not around the figure’s shoulders to ruffle the other’s hair. A soft “Phi” and giggle could be heard. It was unmistakable. This was Jeff.
“He’s cheating on you with none other than Alan’s boy too. Since when did Jeff allow others to touch him?” Way added fuel to the fire, loud enough to catch Sonic’s attention. Sonic took this as an opportunity to grab North and make themselves scarce. Jeff and Charlie remained oblivious to the commotion, too focused on their respective jobs.
Alan looked up at Babe only to see him try to school his expression into practiced nonchalant. He was fuming, his scent having gone sour. He then turned to look at Jeff, surprised to see him already staring at the group. He seemed curious, but the older mechanic wasn’t dumb. He could pick up the underlying scent of worry, of fear, the omega was projecting at Babe.
In any situation, he would’ve stormed over to protect him, but now, for some reason, he was hurt, furious that Charlie could touch his omega (his?!) while he could only steal a few brushes.
“I told you he couldn’t be trusted. He probably gets a power trip knowing he’s tricking you.” If Way could just shut up for a few moments, then Alan could get his head straight, focus on what to do, how to handle it. But it was so fucking hard to stop staring at the way Jeff and Charlie were interacting.
Babe crossed the space separating them, stepping right in between the two, effectively managing to shove Jeff away. He didn’t know how or when, but his hands were now around his omega, stabilising him, growling at Babe. He could pick up the scent of distress, but he no longer knew from whom it was coming from.
The atmosphere was tense, as the two alphas stared each other down. Babe was the first to break contact, turning to face Charlie, “Didn’t I make it clear to you? I do not enjoy fucking sharing.” The younger alpha’s face turned into one of confusion as he tried to question the meaning behind this accusation.
“Don’t pretend like you have no clue what I’m talking about. You’ve made a deal with me while you’re going behind my back to fuck the intern.”
Charlie and Jeff almost immediately let out a loud sound, clearly shocked. The omega was the first to speak, demanding to know what he was saying.
Alan was the one to respond, “Way saw you. You were letting Charlie touch you, get close to you. Even I can’t do that. It’s quite clear you’re together.”
“What?!” Jeff took a step back in shock, while Charlie’s jaw dropped.
Alan stood his ground, “If there’s something between you two, just tell us.” Babe stared at Charlie, a guarded layer of hurt present in his stance, one only his boy would pick up on.
The omega swirled around to look at Alan, “You’ve misunderstood. Nothing can happen between me and Charlie.” His eyes were looking at him urgently, begging him for a sign, begging him to believe him.
Babe scoffed, “As if that sentence means anything. Why couldn't there be something between you?”
Charlie let out a soft breathe, risking a look at Jeff, who just nodded in return. It was silent for a moment, up until Charlie broke the eye contact, stalked up to Jeff, throwing an arm around him, “Because we’re brothers.”
“We were born of different blood, but he’s the only family I have.” The omega nodded in confirmation, watching as the clear relief washed over the two idiotic alphas.
“P’Babe, why would I ever cheat on you? I’ve told you time and time, it’s only you for me.” Babe sheepishly smiled, leaned forward to drag Charlie into his space and drop his head on to his shoulder, choosing to whine himself into the other boy’s favor, “Charlieee, puppyyyy, it’s because I’m too taken by you.”’
The boy let a smile take over, dropped a kiss onto his alpha’s head, before the smile turned into a look of confusion, “Wait but why did this matter to P’Alan? Why was he so affected by this?”
Alan pinked, not knowing where to take this without setting off his omega’s older brother. Hell, he didn’t even know why he was so affected. At the end of the day, Jeff was just his worker.
“Hia, uncle has been courting me for the past week or so. I guess his alpha didn’t enjoy the idea of someone getting my attention.”
Babe’s eyes widened at the omega’s words as Alan chocked on air. Jeff turned to Alan once more, “I’ve picked up on it and I haven’t put an end to it. I think that should be good enough to tell you where I stand, P’Alan.”
He brushed past him, allowing himself to linger slightly at the touch between them, before leaving behind a rather red alpha, who was barely processing the information handed.
Charlie smiled at Alan, “So, when were you going to tell me that you’ve taken an interest in my younger brother? Rather, when were you going to ask me if it was okay to court him?”
Babe burst out laughing at the words, clearly amused at his alpha’s protective brother display. Whereas Alan? He has never known fear as this. Taking one look at Charlie, he chose the safest route. To run.
Babe hit his hand as he fell to the ground, laughing. He couldn’t race for another week.