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"Your tie is crooked."
The soft-spoken words drag him out of his thoughts, raising his gaze to glance at the man standing behind him through the mirror. His eyes flicker towards his tie, which upon closer inspection is indeed, very crooked. He places the hairbrush down and turns around, easily welcoming the slender yet slightly rough hands that reach out, gently taking hold of the silky fabric as they quickly adjust it.
"There you go." Natan exclaims with a smile once he's done, patting the other's shoulders affectionately.
"I suppose ties were never my strong suit." Aamon says with a soft exhale, picking up the hairbrush once more to finally deal with that wretched strand of hair that refuses to lay down. "I've managed to avoid them thus far, but it seems my luck has finally run out."
"Your excuses have run out my dear Duke, not your luck." Natan chuckles as he places the golden cufflinks on the sleeves of his shirt, a gift from said Duke from just a mere month ago. "You are mated now, and you need to set a good example for Castle Aberleen. I know you love to keep a low profile and stay out of such events, but unfortunately, tonight seems quite unavoidable."
"You speak as if you're not the main reason this event is occurring in the first place." Aamon huffs out in amusement as he slips on his light brown jacket, blending in nicely with his cream-coloured vest. "They're gathering to catch a glimpse of you, not me."
"..Speaking of that." Natan clears his throat. "What exactly is expected of me tonight?"
Aamon finally makes his hair cooperate as he nods in satisfaction to the mirror, before glancing at the grandfather clock in the room's corner, confirming they're just on time for the main event. He approaches the other man and scans him from head to toe; Natan is dressed immaculately as always, positively radiating an aura of elegance and intellect alike.
"You are to stay close to me at all times. Even if someone requests my presence in private they will be met with polite yet outright refusal." The Duke begins to recount as he opens their bedroom door, waiting for his partner to exit first before he follows suit. "You do not speak unless you're spoken to, we are not there to make small talk with the castle folk. You will introduce yourself when needed, smile, and nod along."
Natan holds back his smile as they walk down the corridor and towards the stairs, lightly shaking his head with a fond look in his eyes. "Yes Duke, understood."
"And above all," Aamon adds as they descend the staircase into the grand event hall of House Paxley, "you are my alpha and will behave as such. If your hand is not shaking someone else's, you will keep it around my waist." Natan's hand immediately does as instructed, sneaking its way around the other's lithe body and holding him firmly just above the hipbone as they descend the last few steps.
Not entirely unexpectedly, the spotlight is on them and them alone as they walk into the event, their entrance accompanied by polite cheering and light clapping. The Paxley family is the ruler of Castle Aberleen after all, and it is not every day the citizens have the chance to witness the head of one of the Empire's noblest Houses present their mate to the public eye.
But when it does happen with every new generation, it is always an extravagant and glorious event. After all, the Paxley Family is known to produce only omegan heirs, yet not your everyday run-of-the-mill ones. The omegas of House Paxley are pristine and noble, powerful and intellectual, not lacking in any field whether it be weapons or knowledge. They're not meek or timid as omegas tend to be seen, they're born leaders that have righteously represented Castle Aberleen for hundreds of years, known to produce only the highest quality offspring that is certain to have their name engraved in history one day.
Thus, it is no secret that many noble families of the Empire try their luck every time a new Paxley heir is of age, sending their finest alphas for a chance to be mated and wed with the prestigious omega. Aamon Paxley was thought to have been the one to finally break that cycle, given unlike the rest of his family he reached his late twenties and was still unmated, but today was the day to finally change that. It had been around a year since he first met Natan, during the whole Heart of Amina situation, though it was a few months ago when they finally bonded, and only today, that would be Natan's first public appearance as the Duke's mate.
Truth be told, while Aamon had his full trust in Natan, knowing your mate is being stared at from every single direction in an event as large as this wasn't the best sensation in the world. Unwanted feelings of jealousy, irritation, and a quite ugly possessiveness rumbled in the back of his throat, though he willed himself to swallow them all down, if only for the sake of keeping up appearances. The collar of his shirt was low enough to showcase the full extent of his neck, his hair short enough in the back to proudly display the well-angled bite mark placed upon his nape.
An identical mark rested at the back of the alpha's nape, placed there by Aamon the same night he received his own, though nobody present at the event was surprised at the sight of it. Bond marks placed on alphas were still quite frowned upon in the Empire, old-schooled nation as it was, seeing it as a sign of weakness or submission unbecoming of alphas. Though everyone knew that within the Paxley family, it was tradition for the omega heir to reciprocate the bite, a way to show that even as an omega they were still the leader, still the one in control.
Luckily for Aamon he never needed to explain all these old-schooled customs to his mate. Being a time-traveler from the future as he was, the era Natan grew up in was a whole lot more progressive than his own; pairs looked down upon in the Empire such as two alphas or two omegas were just as common and celebrated as any other pair, bond and mating marks on any neck that was willing to receive one with nobody ever questioning them. As far as their case goes, the night Aamon leaned his head down, baring his neck for the alpha to sink his teeth into the soft, spotless flesh of his nape, Natan was the one to request a mark right after in return. And of course, Aamon was more than willing to do just that.
That aside, and although Natan was the very leader of Eruditio in the distant future, that did not mean that he was comfortable with such events in the slightest. He was a man who stayed holed up in his lab, face buried in notes and archaic scrolls, whiteboards covering every surface the eye could reach with scribbled formulas all across. When he had to present a thesis or a discovery the words flowed naturally from his mouth without the need to overthink, the council of scientists ahead of him mesmerized by his lecture and hanging by every word leaving his lips.
Such an event, however, was a little too much for Natan's liking. He was a man of numbers and physics, not one of small talk and conversation with nobility. Thankfully Aamon's pointers seemed to be enough, as most people he was introduced to were satisfied with just an introduction and a polite smile.
"About time the Duke found someone to put him in his place- hic!" A baron Aamon forgot the surname of slurred once he approached them, the grin on his face almost as big as his belly, which was most likely filled with alcohol given the flush of his cheeks. Even his scent gave off a disgusting air of superiority everyone could tell he did not possess. "Every good- hic! Every good omega needs an alpha, can't go forward in life otherwise without us." The man continued on his drunken rambling, despite his flustered wife clutching his arm in a futile attempt to save face. His words didn't exactly strike a nerve with Aamon, it took much more than that to get the Duke going. Plus it was obvious the man was not in the best of minds, though the saying a drunk man's words are a sober one's thoughts wasn't usually off.
"I will assure you that my mate has no need of me putting him in his place. That aside, everything he has already achieved has been without me by his side, all the credit goes to him and him alone." Natan smoothly said, the hand gripping the omega's waist tightening momentarily as if in a quick flash of possession. Realising what he did Natan immediately loosened his grip, a thumb gently and slowly rubbing circles over the clothed skin as if in silent apology. Though when he turned his head to face the Duke, he found those glassy azure eyes gazing into his own, a hint of mild amusement evident in their depths alongside a subtle raise of the man's eyebrows.
"W-Well, that may be true.." The drunk baron slurred off, before his wife finally succeeded in dragging him away from the couple, bowing her head and mumbling apologies all the while in-between. Aamon paid no attention to any of them, he was busy trying to suppress the purr of pure satisfaction threatening to escape his throat, given all the praise his mate sang on his name just now. Of course, Natan didn't sugar-coat his words nor did he exaggerate, that was just the plain truth. But his secondary gender cared little about all that and focused exclusively on the feeling of praise and admiration his mate showered him with, threatening to begin emitting a sweet scent in response that thankfully he managed to repress.
"How annoying." Aamon muttered under his breath, though the words were easily caught by the man standing next to him.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it.. at least to say it publicly, that is. Don't hold it against him." Natan chuckled.
"Not that." The Duke replied, just as he spotted his younger brother in a quieter corner of the room near the beverages, idly chatting with the eldest son of Castle Gorge, and his mate, the young princess of House Alvin. They made for a nice-looking couple, he idly thought. A little too nice, given they both looked as if they jumped straight out of a book with romantic fairy tales.
"Young man." Aamon called out to his younger brother once they reached them, with Gusion raising an eyebrow at him in mild annoyance as their eyes met. "I assume everything has been going well for you tonight?"
Gusion rolled his eyes with a huff, shrugging a shoulder nonchalantly. "Apart from forcing me to attend this high-collar, snot-nosed event? Yes, everything else has been just dandy, thank you." He replied sarcastically, and the alpha by Aamon's side chuckled in amusement.
"Alas young Gusion, we must all make sacrifices for our dear Duke's sake."
"This one isn't on him, it's on you." Gusion replied with a raised eyebrow, yet shook his head right after before raising his glass back to his lips. "At least he chose someone normal for a mate and not a mindless noble." He added with a mumble into the glass’ rim.
"If Sir Natan's situation is something you consider normal, then I'm curious to know what you consider abnormal." Aamon flatly replied, yet the slight upward tilt of his lips was unmistakable. But enough of that, he was a host here to greet guests, not to banter with his younger brother. "Sir Lancelot and Miss Odette, I am pleased to see you both in good health."
"The pleasure's all ours, Duke Paxley." The eldest son of House Baroque, Lancelot, greeted warmly with a curt nod, flashing him one of his signature beaming smiles. "To tell the truth your invitation was quite the surprise, though certainly not an unpleasant one."
"Though our Houses are not in an alliance so to speak as of right now, that does not mean we are complete strangers. We do know each other since we were children, after all." Aamon smoothly replied as he also nodded his head back, though he maintained eye contact throughout the gesture. "Though that may hopefully change soon, given you are to become the next Duke of House Baroque. Once that happens do reach out to me, I am certain we can enjoy a rather fruitful conversation."
"If I may, Duke Paxley.." The stunning woman by Lancelot's side, Odette, spoke up, the smile painted on her peach-colored lips absolutely radiating, "I believe tonight's event does not include diplomatic conversations, yes?"
Ah, right. His mate. For a moment he'd nearly forgotten all about that.. Turning his head to the side, he was met with a knowing smile from the alpha, his azure eyes crinkling at the edges from behind the monocle.
"Do forgive my dear Duke, even in light-hearted events such as these his 'work mode' tends to slip in." Natan cut through the conversation, saving Aamon the trouble of having to explain himself. His calloused hand left Aamon's waist for a moment, firmly shaking Lancelot's hands before offering a deep, curt bow to Odette. She was an omega, after all, and mated alphas tended to keep a fair distance away from omegas other than their mate, purely as a sign of respect and devotion to their own partner. "My name is Natan, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"We've heard lots about you, Sir Natan." Odette giggled softly, the sound slightly muffled as she politely covered her lips with her slender, gloved hand. "From passing rumours, I must admit, though they were all good things I will assure you."
"I heard you hail from Eruditio, correct?" Lancelot added, wrapping an arm around his partner's lithe waist. "If I may ask, how did you and Aamon meet?"
Natan of course knew better than to reveal that truth. Other than those present at the Heart of Anima's events last year, he was instructed to remain discreet about his true origins of arriving at this Land of Dawn, lest he wanted unnecessary attention that could very well become a major hindrance. Not that he needed others to tell him, Natan himself was well aware of all that. Though this time, it seemed as if the Duke wished to repay his debt from earlier, because he was the one who ended up answering Lancelot's question.
Well, perhaps answering is a bit of a stretch. "Isn't it obvious?" Aamon asked instead.
"..In battle?"
"Of course, where else." The Duke crossed his arms in front of his chest, head slightly inclined to the side. "I had the pleasure of.. sparring, against Sir Natan, and he very much caught my eye."
'Sparring' was an interesting term to use, Natan mused in his mind. Especially considering they were fighting for their lives that day, all while trying to subdue their enemy by any means possible.
"Where else indeed." Lancelot chuckled with a fond shake of his head. ‘’You aren’t the type of person to settle for anything less, after all. Not that this is a bad thing.’’
Of course it isn’t a bad thing, why would it, Aamon idly thought. Simply because he had a duty to his family and required a mate at some point or another did not mean he would settle for any mindless alpha of high status that knocked on his doorstep. Most noble families that sent an alpha in hopes of courting him were in fact easily accepted, though under one condition; to have a sparring match against him. If they won, or at least provided a satisfactory performance, given that Aamon was quite tough to triumph over, he would accept the courting. If not, they were to pack their belongings and leave House Paxley immediately, with no further attempts towards him. And given how it took twenty-eight years of his life and a man from the very future for him to finally accept.. He supposed they never had a chance to begin with.
And although Natan was utterly unaware of this custom of House Paxley, he was allowed to court Aamon all the same. Since he remained in this timeline they inadvertently kept meeting more and more, until Lunox requested whether it would be possible for Natan to be housed in the Paxley estate. Belerick and herself weren’t humans, she explained, so they had no need of sustenance or modern commodities, spending their lives traveling wherever they were needed through nature was normal for them. Though Natan..
Aamon easily accepted. The estate had more guest rooms than he could count, and an extra mouth to feed and house was no trouble for him. And yes, Natan playing a significant role in aiding him help his younger brother through the curse, and dealing with Valentina was part of it, as was Miss Lunox herself asking for that favour. And it was only a couple of months after Natan began living in the Paxley estate, that Aamon suddenly noticed the extremely obvious signs of being courted.
At first, it was little things, such as an obscure book located in the Paxleys’ library, that Natan informed him was quite popular in the future even hundreds of years from now, considered a timeless classical piece of literature. Aamon would raise an eyebrow yet still accept the book, and later on find himself pleasantly surprised by its contents. At other times, and through his office’s window high up in the manor’s towers, he’d catch a glimpse of Natan walking around the vast premises, following the gardeners in tow and eagerly lending a hand whenever one was needed.
‘’They aren’t working as volunteers, you know.’’ Aamon would lightly frown, watching the man head back to his quarters with mud up to his thighs, and small cut-out branches tangled in his white hair. ‘’They are being paid for their work, there is no need for you to trouble yourself.’’
‘’Ah, but this is a rare time of peace, Duke Paxley.’’ Natan would smile politely, and even look at his dishevelled state with a fond look in his eyes. ‘’I barely had time to indulge in a meal in my past, and now I find myself with more free time than I know what to do with. So please do not worry over me, I am certainly enjoying the time I spend helping the employees here.’’
Aamon wasn’t worried, so he shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly and went on his way. That might’ve not even been a courting method, perhaps Natan simply wanted to indulge in hobbies he never had time for in the past. The next thing the Duke noticed however, was a little harder to ignore. Nearly every other day, as Aamon walked through the manor, heading from meeting to meeting and from office to office, he’d catch a glimpse of Natan and his younger siblings spending time together in one way or another. Sometimes it’d be chess; chess of all things, something Aamon had repeatedly tried to rope Gusion into trying just for the younger to scrunch up his nose in utter disdain. Now they played for hours, or at least until Gusion had finally secured a victory against the spacewalker, though even then Aamon had a suspicion Natan allowed said victory a little too easily.
Other times he’d notice the man sitting in front of the large living room’s fireplace alongside his youngest brother, Eren, and just rambling on and on about topics related to space and science even Aamon would have trouble following. Yet young Eren appeared absolutely mesmerized by Natan’s words, following the conversation easily even if he asked numerous questions in between, questions that Natan welcomed whole-heartedly and explained further with ease. And after that, it was his other younger brothers, who while they were less interested in space or science, were more than just eager to have a sparring session with Natan. They found his skillset unique and unprecedented, which was of course understandable, given they had no idea he was from the future, and were completely unfamiliar with his way of using magic. At some point Aamon suspected there was even a queue between them as to who would spar with the alpha first; a queue that Gusion often tended to trample over as he was the one who enjoyed sparring the most, especially against someone with no prejudice towards Gusion’s own way of fighting.
Aamon almost believed he was overthinking this, that perhaps Natan had a soft spot for youth, and merely enjoyed spending time with them given his empty schedule. However, the truth remained that this was also a rather common courting habit; for alphas to show off their reliability and how trustworthy they are around kids. The confirmation of all his suspicions arrived just one or two weeks later, on a day when Natan headed off to Lumina city alongside Gusion, mainly to sightsee around the Empire’s main market streets.
They returned hours later in the evening, with the spacewalker carrying a suspiciously large burlap sack over his shoulder, little clangs and chimes echoing from within with each step he took.
‘’Did you pay for those?’’ Aamon asked his younger brother with a slightly raised eyebrow, watching as Natan hurriedly and excitedly skipped the stairway’s steps two at a time heading upstairs to his guest room.
‘’No. They were all spare or broken parts merchants had no use for and planned on throwing out, he asked if he could have them and they agreed.’’ Gusion replied with a shrug of his shoulders, though still ended up staring at the man slowly disappearing into the depths of the upstairs floor with a frown. ‘’..Now that I think about it, perhaps that wasn’t a very smart idea.’’
‘’Whatever for?’’
The look Gusion gave his older brother was incredulous. ‘’You think the first man to ever achieve travel through time and space having access to all these parts is a good idea? Who knows what he can make with them.’’
Aamon admittedly, did not think of that. Thus, he found himself knocking on the door of Natan’s guest room a few minutes later, politely asking him to refrain from creating a black hole or anything of that sort inside his bedroom. This time it was Natan’s turn to throw him quite the incredulous look, all while slowly nodding in confusion. Though as it turned out, Natan was most definitely not building a ‘black hole’, nor was he attempting to repair his busted time machine. And Aamon didn’t have to wait long to find out what it was that the man was working on either, because this same evening, just after sunset, the time-traveler sought him out in the manor’s garden.
Aamon’s schedule was surprisingly empty after today’s noon, so he found himself sitting on a marble bench under a large maple tree south in the estate’s garden. He was engrossed in a book propped up against his crossed legs, yet another one of Natan’s obscure yet entertaining suggestions. He was so absorbed in its contents he nearly missed a second presence suddenly taking a seat by his side, though the unmistakable scent of freshly brewed chamomile assaulting his nostrils dragged him out of his focus.
‘’I figured your cup must be empty by now.’’ Natan politely exclaimed, holding out one of the two teacups towards him. Aamon glanced towards the cup by his side, which wasn’t entirely empty but was most certainly long cold by now.
‘’Thank you.’’ He politely accepted the teacup, bringing it to his lips shortly after. It was just the perfect temperature, not too hot enough to scorch his throat, but pleasantly steaming. With the corner of his eye, Aamon could easily spot the other fiddling with something inside of his vest’s pocket for a few moments, before finally removing it, holding it gently in his palm’s grasp.
‘’I have something to give you, if you’ll accept it.’’
That drew his attention, to say the least; Aamon shut the book after memorizing the page’s number before gently placing it aside, turning his body slightly to properly face the other. He allowed Natan to take hold of his hand, turning it around with the palm facing up to place a rather hefty round object into his grasp. Aamon lightly frowned at first, though quickly realized just what it was that he was holding.
It was a pocket watch, there was no mistake about it, and a rather beautiful one at that. The main body was a polished silver, with golden-hued arms that swept across calligraphic numerals behind the glass. If he strained his ear he could hear a soothing ticking sound accompanying each passing second, nothing like the usual mechanical cacophony that pocket watches usually came with.
‘’This is a rather beautiful piece.’’ Aamon finally commented after what seemed like minutes of silence, lifting his gaze to look at the other man. The smile he received from the other man was rather beaming, to say the least, and he could easily spot a tinge of relief in the man’s expression. But relief? Whatever for? Suddenly it clicked, and Aamon’s pale blue eyes widened ever so slightly.
‘’Did you make this, Sir Natan?’’
‘’I did, yes.’’ The time-traveler easily replied. ‘’I came across several parts today from blacksmiths and mechanics alike, and a pocket-watch seemed like the easiest and fastest thing to go for.’’
Easiest and fastest.. a pocket-watch? Aamon was quite certain that it took months for even an expert craftsman to put one together, and for a beginner it sounded like a virtually impossible task. For Natan to assemble one from scratch in a mere evening.. All the cogs, the springs, the mechanism.. Astonishing, to say the least. Though Aamon had no time to marvel at the trinket in his palm, for there was a more pressing issue at hand. A hand-made gift such as this, made with such diligence and thought behind it, left no more room for doubts.
‘’Is this a courting gift, Sir Natan?’’
Surprisingly, the man by his side remained silent for several seconds, his gaze set on the grass between his feet. For a moment Aamon wondered if he had somehow misunderstood, and this was all merely a way from the other to repay his debt to Aamon for letting him stay here. Eventually, Natan let out a long, deep sigh, leaning back against the bench with his hands firmly holding him steady. His scent was slightly sour, but just a tiny tinge amidst its usual notes.
‘’I apologize. In retrospect, I should have probably done more research on courting habits during this era.’’
That certainly caused Aamon’s eyebrows to furrow in slight confusion. So he had misunderstood? Of course, he hadn’t the slightest idea of how courting rituals took place in the distant future Natan was from, but surely they cannot be that vastly different, could they?
‘’..That’s quite alright. Even if it isn’t a courting gift, it is still a rather beautiful timepiece. I will treasure it.’’ Aamon eventually replied, lightly clutching the pocket watch within his slender fingers.
‘’It was supposed to be one, my Duke. Though it seems gift-giving isn’t that common of a courting method in this time-‘’
Aamon blinked a couple of times in confusion, the frown on his face deepening as he turned to the other man once more. ‘’What are you talking about, Sir Natan? Gift-giving has been a courting method for centuries now.’’
Natan seemed taken aback; though not from the sudden interruption from the Duke, but more so by the words leaving his mouth. ‘’I-It is? I thought you asked whether it was one or not because my methods haven’t been exactly.. obvious, to you.’’
‘’..I will assure you I’ve been well aware that you’ve been courting me for the past three months or so.’’ Aamon replied with a light scoff, arms crossed in front of his chest.
Now it was Natan’s turn to blink a few times in utter silence, before bringing up a slender hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, a light flush more than evident on his cheeks. ‘’..This is quite the embarrassing misunderstanding.’’ He admitted with a weak chuckle.
‘’I’m certain it is.’’ The Duke closed his eyes with a huff through his nose, lightly shaking his head as if in disbelief. ‘’I simply asked to make sure I was not the one misunderstanding things before I gave you my reply.’’
‘’Your reply?’’ That seemed to jolt Natan out of his embarrassment, pale blue eyes slightly widened in surprise as he immediately whipped his head around to face the Duke. ‘’You mean, you’ve thought about it?’’
‘’I’ve had several months to think about it, yes.’’ Aamon coolly replied, opening his eyes to meet the other’s. Kind of hard not to, given they lived in the same space and inadvertently got closer to each other as time passed.
‘’And, your reply is?’’
‘’That I am perfectly amicable to you courting me.’’
There was no point in lying to himself, so Aamon wouldn’t claim he fell in love with Natan at first sight, or anything of that sort. No, a pretty face wasn’t a rare occurrence, and he’d come across many of those in his life over the years. What was a rare occurrence, was the mind behind those sky-blue eyes staring into his own. Not simply rare, it was the rarest one Aamon would ever witness in his lifetime, and perhaps even the rarest one humanity would ever bear.
Though it wasn’t just Natan’s bright mind that drew the Duke closer, claiming that was the case would also be just as much of a lie. That man wasn’t just a sharp tool that Aamon would find numerous uses to exploit. No, the most intriguing thing about him was simply how normally Natan treated and acted around Aamon. The Duke was used to glances filled with lust, envy, or greed, not eyes wrinkling in the corners alongside bright smiles. He was used to receiving gifts such as expensive jewelry, furs, the finest of silks and even brooches from precious stones, not hand-made trinkets put together by scrap metal, yet carrying tenfold the value of store-bought ones. He was used to being treated as the omega heir of House Paxley, not Duke Aamon Paxley.
Some may call Natan audacious, or even insolent for treating the Duke so casually without any care for noble formalities. But at the end of the day, it was neither audacity nor insolence that earned him Aamon’s trust; it was his courage and valour, from the circumstances he was brought into the past, to his participation in the Heart of Anima event with him sacrificing the artifact to save young Gusion's life, to him daring to take that first step closer to Aamon. Duke Paxley knew that only a fool would dare let such a man go.
And Aamon Paxley was no fool.
The grip around his waist lightly tightened, suddenly snapping him out of his thoughts. He raised his head to glance ahead, though found no trace of the Baroque couple, nor his younger brother.
‘’They went on ahead a few minutes ago.’’ Natan informed him, lowering the wine glass from his lips. Aamon sighed, raising a slender finger to rub gentle circles around his forehead’s temples.
‘’..How did I manage to zone out this badly? Unbelievable.’’
The alpha laughed warmly at that, leaning closer until his head tapped against Aamon’s. ‘’That’s alright, I’m certain they took no offense. I assume you were busy doing some reminiscing, hm? Only good things, I hope.’’
‘’There aren’t really any ‘bad things’ between us Sir Natan, you know that already.’’ Aamon replied with the faintest hint of a smirk, just before snatching the glass his partner was holding and bringing it up to his own lips. Red wine, a very expensive one at that. Not bad, though he was more of the white type of fan.
They spent the better part of the next hour greeting the remaining guests and introducing Natan to the noble families of the Empire. Thankfully the time-traveler still heeded the Duke’s advice, and kept the introductions short and concise. There was a dinner scheduled up next, with the most important figures of the Empire’s nobility, though luckily for the two of them, a quick excuse got them out fairly early into the meal, begging the need for some ‘fresh air’.
‘’..Did you have to claim that I am the one who cannot handle my alcohol?’’ Natan muttered with a small sigh, stepping outside the glass doorway that led into the manor’s garden. ‘’If I’m not mistaken it was your idea.’’
‘’Indeed it was Sir Natan. However unfortunately for you, this isn’t the first nor the last time these nobles witness me consume alcohol. Feigning drowsiness out of nowhere would fool nobody, I will assure you.’’
With Aamon’s busy schedule, it’d been a few months since the last time they could enjoy a casual stroll like this through the garden, the familiar towering maple tree now sporting bright red-hued leaves since it was long since autumn. Half of them were already on the ground, and Aamon figured by next month there might be none left at all. Well, no matter. Seasons come and go, they will all be back before they know it.
‘’We did say we needed some fresh air, but it’s rather cold, isn’t it?’’ Natan exclaimed as he took a seat by the familiar bench, before swiping away the fallen leaves with a hand.
‘’They can see us from the inside, so we may as well stay here for a few minutes before heading inside.’’ Aamon replied, inconspicuously glancing towards the large room adherent to the manor a fair distance away, glass panels revealing the grand dinner table and all the nobles still enjoying their meal. He felt a shift next to him, the unmistakable tremble of the alpha’s body by his side. Aamon did what any proper man would do, he removed his jacket and easily splayed it across the alpha’s shoulders, before sitting back down.
Natan stared at the fabric for a few short moments in silence, before smiling brightly at him, extending an arm across the Duke’s shoulders to pull the man closer.
‘’Thank you, my love.’’ Natan said as he placed a chaste kiss on Aamon’s forehead, right as the man leaned his head against the time-traveler's shoulder. Unconsciously, the Duke’s gaze drifted upwards, and given it was a cloudless night, towards the star-filled sky expanding endlessly right above them. The crescent moon shined brightly somewhere to their right, though the myriads of stars were definitely tonight’s lead actors.
‘’A nice view. Wouldn’t you agree Sir Natan, given your affinity for space, and all?’’
‘’It is a rather marvelous sight, though unfortunately, it holds no candle to the spectacle that is to witness the stars from the stream of time through space itself.’’ Natan mused, his lips tilting upwards in a teasing manner. ‘’Though, it is a close second.’’
‘’Not anywhere close enough, by the sound of it.’’ The Duke raised an eyebrow. ‘’Perhaps one day I’ll need to take a look for myself.’’
‘’Absolutely not.’’ Natan’s outright refusal came almost instantly.
Aamon did not reply, he simply hummed nonchalantly and decided to stay quiet and observe how long it would take his alpha to realize just how abrupt that reply was. Given Natan’s sudden jolt a few seconds later, it might’ve even been a new personal record.
‘’M-My apologies. What I meant is that if you were referring to my time-traveling machine, it was by a miracle that it was even able to support one person. Aside from the fact that it’s in quite the ragged state at the moment, attempting to transport not one but two humans through time and space would result in catastrophic consequences, namely one or even the two of us being reduced to quite literally smithereens of atoms, and that is without counting the consequences it would result in the time-space continuum-‘’
Natan’s words abruptly halted, though only when he noticed the familiar half-lidded gaze of the Duke as he watched him ramble, amusement evident in the depths of his blue eyes.
‘’..Are you teasing me again, my Duke?’’
‘’Am I?’’ Aamon replied, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly in an attempt to appear innocent. ‘’I didn’t utter even a single word, after all.’’ Seeing the pout unconsciously forming on the alpha’s lips was rather cute, though Aamon wouldn’t voice those thoughts out loud. Yet it seemed that Natan caught on even without them being voiced, because the alpha lowered his head to the junction of the Duke’s neck, playfully placing a bite on the pale skin alongside a weak rumble of his throat.
‘’And what’s that for, hm?’’ Aamon huffed out, a gentle smile on his lips. ‘’Putting me in my place is it, like that noble drunkard said?’’
‘’If you keep pushing my buttons like this, I most certainly will.’’
Aamon did not take kindly to threats, though those words were no threat. It was a promise, evident by the near predatory glint in the alpha’s eyes, alongside the sudden switch in his musky scent, to something more.. carnal. Well, no matter. Duke Paxley always appreciated a good challenge.
‘’I’d love to see you try, Sir Natan.’’
Natan was practically dragged upstairs by the other man, and the glare the Duke gave to all the servants and maids they passed by got the message across crystal clear; that no one was to disturb them for the night. The door was locked behind him, and Aamon's hold on his tie was stone solid as he pulled him towards their large bed before quite literally shoving the time-traveller atop of the mattress.
".. Nobody is after us, my Duke. What's the hurry?" Natan asked with a knowing smile, watching Aamon kneel atop of the bed as he removed his vest, haphazardly throwing it onto the floor before loosening his tie with a slender finger through the knot.
‘’Cease with the unnecessary questions and kindly begin removing your layers, Sir Natan.’’ Was what the Duke replied with, dodging the question as he quickly popped his shirt’s buttons out one by one, before stripping the white fabric off his toned shoulders. ‘’It appears you are due to a reminder of who’s in charge here.’’
Natan of course could only chuckle, easily complying with the request as he stripped off his jacket and began leisurely unbuttoning his dark blue vest. He only got about half-way done before two hands suddenly seized his own, pushing them away before unbuttoning the rest with urgency. His tie was quickly unfastened, and Natan was left a little stunned as he watched Aamon grab the front of his shirt and pull the fabric apart with ease, even as it ripped and the buttons went flying.
‘’..That was a perfectly nice shirt, my Duke. Quite expensive too.’’ Natan huffed out with a laugh, even if he knew the Duke most likely could not care less about a mere shirt.
Those hands returned with fervour, running across his bare ribs from top to bottom, settling around Natan’s waist before Aamon leaned down over him, sealing their lips together in a passionate kiss. A soft purr rumbled in Aamon’s chest the moment he felt the other’s lips willingly part, granting him access to the warm cavity of his mouth. Tongues immediately sought each other out, relishing the lingering expensive alcohol from earlier mixing in with their own unique tastes, the combination long familiar by now. It felt hot, way too hot, yet none seemed to want to part from one another, their scents mingling in the closed proximity and clouding their minds.
Eventually they did part, gasping for air as they stared into each other’s eyes, right before Aamon’s fingers wrapped around Natan’s chin, turning the other’s head aside to bury his nose into the alpha’s scent gland. He wasn’t sure when this all became another routine, the Duke was known to be a level-headed man who didn’t allow his instincts to control him. Though ever since sharing his first heat with the time-traveler many months ago, that same night he received the bond mark resting on his nape, all reason and self-control seemed to jump out the window the moment the two of them had some private time behind closed doors. Aamon could simply not get enough of this man; his scent, his body, his mind, he wanted all of it. And what felt the best, was that he had it. He had it all.
Natan seemed to finally adopt his sense of urgency as well, given Aamon could feel those slightly rough fingers hook into the waistband of his pants, pulling them lower until they reached the omega’s thighs. He shuffled around to help Natan remove them, lifting his legs up one by one until they were discarded nearby. Almost immediately after he felt Natan’s hands roam around his lower back, fingertips pressing into the soft flesh and igniting fiery paths underneath his skin. Normally he’d pry those hands off him, he did quite enjoy making Natan work for it after all until he was finally allowed to take control of their pace, but this time he decided against it. If he waited any longer it felt as if he’d lose his mind.
‘’You’re so wet already..’’ Natan murmured, the sound flowing straight into Aamon’s sensitive ear. He felt slender fingers rub up and down across the crevice of his ass, the dark underwear soaked and the fabric stained. ‘’How long have you been like this, since dinner?’’
‘’As if.’’ Aamon scoffed, biting down on the alpha’s scent gland with a little more force than necessary. It earned him a hiss that trailed off suspiciously into what seemed to be a moan, a sound that went straight to his cock. ‘’Take off your pants,’’ He suddenly ordered, leaning away from the other man to unbuckle Natan’s belt, sliding it off before unzipping his fly and yanking the pants down. ‘’I want to be inside you.’’
‘’As my Duke wishes.’’ The alpha chuckled, lifting his legs up and easily complying with the request. He leaned against the fluffy pillows, finding a comfortable spot to just lay back and enjoy the sight of his omega fervently kissing the soft skin of his inner thighs, leaving behind hickey after hickey before biting down the cuff of his long black socks, and slowly dragging them off his slender legs.
‘’Spread your legs.’’ Aamon demanded next, right as he hooked two fingers into the waistband of his own underwear and pulled them down. Natan’s pale blue eyes looked absolutely ravenous as he watched him, and Aamon figured he must have a pretty good view of his slick dripping down onto his underwear as he removed them. He was usually lenient enough to allow his alpha to have a taste, but right now Aamon had a much better use for it in mind. He reached back with one hand, running his own fingers across his soaked hole, smearing his slick all over the digits before bringing them to the alpha’s entrance.
While alphas being on the receiving end weren’t uncommon, at least in the lifetime Natan grew up in, they certainly were in the current one. That was one of the main reasons Aamon was adamant about them ‘keeping up appearances’ in public, although it wasn’t as if anyone suspected them. Common or not, alphas were not exactly made to be receiving anything the same way omegas were, and Natan had once narrated to him how in his lifetime there existed a variety of lubricants specifically made for such purpose, with synthetic materials made to mimic an omegas slick for easier use.
Of course, no such thing existed in this day and age, so they had to make do with Aamon’s own slick. They had discovered it worked much better than any lubricant currently available, plus the effect his pheromones had on the alpha was always a nice addition. Any discomfort on the alpha’s face from the usually foreign intrusion quickly vanished into thin air, his mate’s soothing pheromones easing up his tense muscles and urging him to relax.
‘’Lean closer.’’ Natan murmured through slow, heavy breaths, eyes half-lidded in bliss yet still pinned onto his own. Aamon of course complied, once more leaning lower and allowing the alpha to wrap an arm around his neck and drag him closer to seal his lips over his own. This time the kiss was slower, less lascivious, gentler yet still passionate as always. Aamon’s eyebrow twitched as he felt a rough hand wrap around his already erect cock, palm pumping the shaft vigorously as the tip wept precum down Natan’s slender fingers. ‘’Tell me if it’s too much.’’ He added as they parted for air momentarily.
It certainly felt like too much, omegas weren’t exactly known for their stamina after all, but Aamon would will himself through it. At least until he got the alpha sufficiently loosened up on his fingers. Natan’s getting impatient, Aamon can tell by the way he’s arching his back and trying to push his hips forward, eager to get this part over and done with so they can move on.
‘’Patience.’’ He coos into his alpha’s mouth, allowing some more of his pheromones to leak out and further soothe the man. It seems to work like a charm, just like it always does, because Natan closes his eyes and allows Aamon to dictate the pace. He hasn’t moved his fingers yet but he can feel the alpha clenching around him either way, bringing a smirk to his lips. Good behaviour should be rewarded so he finally curls them up, searching for the spot he knows will bring out Natan’s voice.
A shaky moan leaves the alpha’s lips once he finds said spot, the hand around Aamon’s cock slightly faltering. Aamon rubs the fingers inside, sliding over his prostate once then twice, before slowly pulling them until only the fingertips remain inside. He then pushes them back in at an agonizing pace, making sure to drag the sensation as much as possible before spreading them apart.
‘’..Enough already.’’ Natan suddenly snarls, and Aamon can hear a mild growl at the back of his throat. It appears he finally caught on that he was trying to tease him a little, so Aamon finally relents and pulls the digits out.
‘’Weren’t you the one telling me not to hurry?’’ Aamon huffed out, moving between the alpha’s spread legs. He wrapped an arm around one of them, lifting it up and bringing it closer to his own chest as he dragged their bodies closer. ‘’Breathe.’’ Is all the warning he gives, before aligning his cock with the alpha’s twitching hole, and beginning the excruciatingly slow push inside.
Natan’s tight, almost painfully so. Not because they’ve never done anything like this before, it’s a common occurrence after all, but simply because the man is an alpha. They both remain still for a few seconds, just until the man gets used to the sensation, before Aamon pulls his hips back and begins slowly pushing them forth once more. He takes in a shaky breath once he’s fully sheathed, and begins picking up the pace, slow at first but quickly speeding up. No matter how much mental focus and willpower he has at the end of the day he is an omega and he can’t last too long, especially in such normally foreign sensations.
He feels Natan raise a hand and run it across his forehead, wiping away the sweat before tenderly caressing his cheek. ‘’Does it feel good?’’ He asks, even though he knows Aamon isn’t really one to appreciate dirty talk. He nods nonetheless, eyes closed in bliss and focused exclusively on thrusting his hips. It’s all too hot, too wet, too tight and feels like his senses are overloading but he presses on, especially when Natan grabs hold of his arm and drag him closer, pressing their bodies flushed against each other. Immediately the alpha’s teeth sink in his neck, the sudden injection of pheromones straight into his scent gland clouding his mind and bringing his hips to a halt.
Though seemingly Natan’s determined to get this done with, because his other hand reaches out to latch onto the omega’s hip, fingers digging into the skin as he pulls him closer. ‘’Come on,’’ He huskily whispers, placing a gentle kiss on the bite-mark-riddled gland, ‘’Finish what you started.’’ That seems to snap Aamon out of his daze, his hips picking up a leisurely pace with the aid of Natan’s hands still pulling him forward. His moans come out strained and low, though they still sound like music to the alpha’s ears. It doesn’t take much more than a minute or so until Aamon buries his head into Natan’s shoulder and comes with a low groan, eyes shut and his senses exclusively focused on the scent filling his nose and the hands rubbing soothing circles on his hips.
‘’..Had your fill?’’ Natan chuckles as the omega’s hips grind to a halt, before he collapses atop of him. Natan didn’t come yet, not that it surprised anyone. Alphas do tend to have much better stamina than omegas, hence why he always lets Aamon have his fun first thing first. The Duke doesn’t reply to his comment, his face rests atop of the time-traveller's pecs though he does lift his head to gaze hazily at him. Natan of course, easily understands without the need for words, so his hands land on the omega’s waist to flip them around, carefully maneuvering the Duke to lay on his chest.
‘’Would you present for me, my Duke?’’ Natan asks as he nibbles on the other’s earlobe once he climbs over him. Aamon throws him a half-hearted glare over his shoulder, before leaning his forehead onto the pillows.
‘’..Don’t push it.’’ He mumbles into the fabric. Omega or not Aamon was still Duke Paxley, he wasn’t about to raise his ass in the air and wiggle his hips for any alpha, including his own. And that wasn’t a matter of trust, it was a matter of pride. The only exception was during his heats, but that was mostly because he usually did not remember the majority of it after it was over, and Natan wasn’t really the type to tease him about his behaviour afterwards.
But if the alpha was the one who would grab hold of his hips and raise them up, then Aamon wasn’t going to complain. And that’s exactly what Natan does, helping the Duke support himself on his knees, though his upper half remains lying down on the pillows. It’s no different than presenting, they both know it, yet none of them comments on it.
There is no warning or heads-up when Natan aligns himself with the omega’s slick-dripping hole and pushes himself in, not that Aamon needed one. And although omegas don’t really require foreplay for intercourse like other secondary genders do, usually they still end up indulging in it a fair amount since they both enjoy it. Though in times like this when Natan allows the Duke to ravish him first, they do tend to skip it altogether. No foreplay does not, of course, mean that the impending sex is rough, impersonal or anything of that sort.
It never is, not between them. No matter how cold or stoic any of them may appear in public, there are no secrets or keeping up appearances behind closed doors. Aamon relishes the feeling of Natan’s chest pressing against his back as he leans over him, the warmth enveloping him as soothing as ever. One of the alpha’s hands is pinning down his own as their fingers interlock, the other holding him firmly by the waist as he’s pulled back to Natan’s cock over and over again. There’s no slow beginning this time, it’s all fast and erratic and just the way they like it, the wet, squelching sounds and skin slapping skin filling their ears.
Unsurprisingly, Aamon soon feels the alpha’s tongue lapping around the bond mark on his exposed nape, teeth barely grazing it before peppering kisses all over the flushed skin. It wasn’t as if the mark was sensitive, it was the intimate yet gentle act itself that caused his flush to deepen, and by now he was quite certain it had reached from the tips of his ears all the way down to his shoulders. Aamon was hard again by now, the length of his over-stimulated cock rubbing against the white sheets with every thrust of Natan’s hips. It hurt a little, the line between pain and pleasure becoming too blurry for him to bear so he reaches his free hand between his legs to grasp the length.
Almost immediately his wrist is ceased by another hand, and his arm is twisted behind his back. He grunts hoarsely as the friction continues, though Natan’s grip is vice-like no matter how much he tries to break free, probably thinking the omega was trying to get himself off.
‘’It hurts.’’ Aamon huffs out, lip curled and eyebrows furrowed.
Instantly, all movement ceases in the room. Natan lets go of his wrist and sits up, his hips at a complete halt.
‘’What does?’’ The alpha asks, eyes quickly scanning the omega in front of him from head to toe with a concerned expression.
‘’My dick, Sir Natan.’’ Aamon hisses out with a roll of his eyes. ‘’It is rubbing against the sheets, and it hurts.’’
‘’Oh.’’ The time-traveler meekly blinks a few times. He gently reaches out to grab hold of the omega’s shoulder and turns him to lie on his side, slotting himself behind him as he holds one of his legs up with one hand. ‘’I apologize.’’ He says right after leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on Aamon’s shoulder, before picking up the pace once more as if there was no interruption in the first place.
Aamon sighs out in contentment, the unnecessary friction now gone and the strain in his upper half relieved from the new position. Though no matter how many positions they change Natan always manages to find the perfect angle right away, warm insides shaped to his size and easily accommodating him each and every time. Aamon knows it won’t take long for him to cum again given the way the alpha is brushing past his prostate with each thrust, and given the slight swell he can feel just inside of his rim he understands the alpha won’t take much more to finish either.
‘’Do not knot me. And finish outside.’’ He instructs with a low groan, a hand reaching out to grasp the sheets beneath them until his knuckles turn white.
Unsurprisingly, he easily catches the small frown on Natan’s face once he hears his words, the slight disappointment in his scent. He presumed it wasn’t something a bonded alpha wanted to hear from their partner, though of course, Natan doesn’t question him, because he never does.
‘’We were invited for horseback hunting early tomorrow morning, in case you have forgotten.’’ Aamon chooses to explain himself either way, albeit inbetween small moans and grunts. ‘’By Duke Vance, he said his daughter will accompany us.’’
The frown disappears from the alpha’s face, eyes flickering away from his own in sudden recollection before they return. ‘’I had indeed forgotten.’’ He admits, before leaning over the omega to capture his lips for a deep, sensual kiss, all while his hips reach a piston-like pace. One of his hands reaches to grasp the Duke’s cock, lightly pumping it so as to not cause any further unnecessary stimulation, knowing he doesn’t need much more than just that to cum. And cum Aamon does, with a muffled moan inside of the other's mouth, thick white ropes of liquid painting Natan’s grasp just as the alpha himself pulls out, his own seed landing on Aamon’s hips and stomach, slowly dripping from the pale skin.
They spent a good few seconds in silence just trying to catch their breaths, the only sound permeating the room being their ragged panting. Eventually, Natan puts the Duke’s legs down before collapsing on his back, right by the omega’s side.
‘’..How early exactly is that invitation for?’’
‘’Six in the morning, at dawn.’’ Aamon replies with closed eyes, his rapidly rising and falling chest slowly stabilizing. Natan raises his head from the pillows just enough to catch a glimpse of the grandfather clock across the room, proudly displaying the time as just a few minutes before midnight.
‘’Great.’’ He sighs dramatically, falling back down. ‘’Could we at least shower tomorrow morn-‘’
‘’Absolutely not.’’ The omega dismisses him sternly, sitting up on the bed as he turns towards him. ‘’I am not sleeping in these filthy sheets. I’ll have someone come change them while we shower.’’
Yet again, Natan has that look in his eyes, half pleading and half frustrated, though yet again, he does not argue with him. Aamon offers him a small smile, the kind he reserves for him and him alone, leaning closer to place a gentle, chaste kiss on the alpha’s lips. His hand reaches up to cup the man’s cheek, tenderly caressing the skin for a few seconds before he plucks the monocle off the man’s eye, placing it on the nightstand.
‘’Up, Sir Natan.’’
‘’Yes, my Duke, yes.’’ The alpha sighs, slowly sitting up before dangling his feet from the edge, stepping down and making his way around the bed. He easily picks the Duke up in his arms, who doesn’t look the least impressed by the act. Nonetheless Aamon doesn’t complain, and allows his alpha to walk them to the shower, eyes peacefully shut as his head lolls leisurely against the other’s lean shoulder.