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A piece of leather shouldn’t be this heavy, but Robby is having a hard time holding it.

The muzzle isn’t anything offensive. It’s shaped like the masks they wear at work, but in a handsome brown leather with small holes at the front for airflow.

“I just thought, you know…” Jack is talking with his hands more than usual. “Because of what happened last time. And that was your heat; I wouldn’t want to risk anything when I’m the one—“

“I get it,” Robby snaps. He doesn’t mean to, but the fabric is so offensive it nearly burns. If Jack is so insistent on not mating Robby that he’d rather muzzle himself during his own rut than risk biting him, why even share their cycles? There are plenty of omegas that would love to take care of him. Robby’s omega cries at the thought. Jack is his.

But he isn’t. Even after a decade’s worth of shared heats and ruts, Jack has never offered to court Robby. Of course, he hasn’t. Robby is a terrible omega. He’s too tall, too broad, too hairy, and that’s just what everyone can see. Jack is too smart to ever consider mating someone with Robby’s fucked mental state.  Hence, the muzzle.

Robby’s heats have become vicious since he turned fifty. They’re shorter, only three days instead of five, but he’s more insatiable than ever. Constantly begging to be mated and pupped, presenting himself and locking on Jack’s knot as if they’re young, which they certainly aren’t.

During his most recent heat, Robby’s begging had overwhelmed Jack to the point that he nearly got the mating mark he was pleading so desperately for. At the last second, Jack managed to divert his fangs to the skin next to Robby’s scent gland.

Robby had been an inconsolable mess for the rest of his heat. Jack dealt with his whining like a champ, licking the literal wound and whispering false promises into Robby’s ears.

“I will mate you,” he had said. “If that’s what you want when you’re out of heat. I swear I will.”

Robby knew he had only said it to calm him down, and it worked. When Robby came out of his heat, he apologized and assured Jack that he didn’t expect anything like that out of their arrangement. Though he’d had a blessed few weeks where he could look in the mirror, or press his fingers to the spot on his shoulder and pretend his alpha really was his.

And now, here in his hands is a reminder of how much Jack doesn’t want him.

“Is this necessary?” Robby twists the leather buckle that’s meant to clip behind Jack’s lovely grey curls.

“I got really close last time.” Jack’s voice is almost a whisper; the tone doesn’t comfort Robby the way it usually does. “I don’t want to…” he trails off, but Robby hears it. I don’t want to be mated to you.

“Right. I get that, but—“ the material is stiff and uncomfortable. “It’s your rut. Don’t you want to have a good time?”

“Well, yeah,” Jack smiles. “That’s why I’m spending it with you.”

“Funny,” Robby offers a flat smile. “I could’ve bought a collar.”

Jack’s shoulders slump. “I don’t want you in a collar.” His fingers tease the edges of Robby’s neck before he yanks them away. “Sorry. I like— it would make me—“ Jack takes a deep breath. “This is my problem, not yours.”

“If you’re sure,” Robby passes the muzzle back to him. “How long until it really starts?”

“Couple hours?” Jack fiddles with the straps.

“Enough time for a nap in the nest?”

Jack jumps up, “You know it.”

Robby chuckles. Of all his uncertainties, one thing he knows for sure is that Jack loves his nest. It’s a steadily growing collection of clothing and blankets that they’ve curated together over the last ten years. Technically, it’s in the guest room, but Robby can hardly ever bear to part with it, so it’s turned into his main bedroom, and the actual main room is nothing more than where he keeps his scrubs and toiletries.

Jack adores the nest. For years, Robby felt guilty for how much he kept of Jack outside of their cycles, but when Jack got a particularly nasty flu about seven years ago, he’d called Robby in a fever-ridden haze and asked if he could spend his time healing there, and Robby’s omega had jumped at the chance to take care of his alpha. Since then, the nest has become more than their shared space for cycles, with Jack frequently coming by to cuddle inside whenever one of them has a harrowing shift.

“I like what you’ve done with it,” Jack says.

A few old shirts and two pillows have found their way inside since the last time Jack was here. Hardly anything special, but Robby still preens. “Thank you.”

Jack tosses the muzzle to the edge of the nest. Robby squeezes his eyes shut and ignores its existence. He needs to pretend a little longer, let his omega think he’s napping with an alpha that wants him as something more than a continent fuck.

They snuggle together; Jack wrapped around  Robby’s back with his nose tucked against his scent gland. When they’re like this, Robby’s fantasies of Jack falling in love with him are almost tangible.

A few hours later, Robby wakes up to Jack licking circles over his scent gland and his hand in his underwear.

“Fuck,” Robby gasps. Jack’s fingers rub between his folds, playing in the wetness that’s gathered while he slept. “Alpha.”

Jack hums, lips still locked around Robby’s scent gland.

As much as he hates to ask, Robby needs to take care of Jack as well as Jack takes care of him. “Do you want to put it on?”

And unpleasant noise rumbles in Jack’s chest. He kisses his way down Robby’s chest and pulls off his underwear. It’s been a long time since Robby felt bare being naked in front of Jack; it’s natural, this is how they should always be, nude and pressed together in the safety of their nest.

Jack’s mouth finds its way to Robby’s cunt and kisses it like he does his mouth. Slow and gentle, happily licking deeper and deeper, tasting every inch of him as he greedily drinks every drop of slick.

“Jack…” That earns him a growl. “Alpha,” he corrects.

Another happy hum escapes Jack; this time, it ripples through his mouth into Robby’s cunt.

“Oh, God.” Robby grabs at Jack’s hair, sinking into the nest. Jack pulls him closer, burying himself deeper in Robby’s slick.

Robby trembles as Jack licks his way up, enveloping the cock nestled between Robby’s holds in the heat of his mouth. Two fingers slip inside easily, scraping against the soft walls of Robby’s pussy as he leaks down Jack’s wrist.

“Alpha, Alpha, I’m gonna—“

Jack keeps his hand at a steady rhythm but tightens the suction on Robby’s cock. Robby’s fingers twist almost painfully in his hair. With one last cry for his alpha, Robby spills inside Jack’s mouth, who happily drinks him down.

Once Robby collapses boneless against the blankets, Jack pulls his finger out, licks them clean, and lowers himself to gather the slick leaking from Robby’s hole on his tongue.

Robby knows what’s next. Jack never wants to knot until he considers the omega satisfied. Robby has been trying to convince him one is enough, especially as he gets older, but Jack never listens.

“Alpha,” Robby is already twitching with sensitivity. “Come up. I want you to knot me.”

Jack nods, but doesn’t move his head. Slick has already started to regather from Robby’s hot core.

“Alpha,” Robby tries again. “Please.” He uses one foot to try to push at Jack’s shoulder, but it has the opposite effect of giving Jack a better angle as he pins Robby’s thigh to his torso with a rough hand under his knee. It’s not long before Robby is shaking with pleasure again.

“Alright, up,” Robby commands after his second peak, his words trembling. “Knot me, or I’ll find someone who will.”

Jack’s growl has enough force to wake the neighbors. Robby would never actually leave, but threatening to is often the only way to get Jack’s mouth off his pussy without Robby passing out from too many orgasms for a man his age, especially outside of heat, and Jack needs to knot before it becomes painful.

“That’s it,” Robby encourages as Jack crawls back up. His heavy cock teases the outside of his cunt.

Jack plants a filthy kiss on Robby’s lips, the remnants of his own taste being pushed inside Robby’s mouth. When they separate, the horrible mask catches Robby’s attention from his peripheral vision. Miserably, he reaches for it.

When Jack spots it, his lustful face turns to a pout. A pup-like whine erupts from him, and he hides himself in the crook of Robby’s neck.

“Hey,” Robby says, petting his hair. “This is what you wanted, remember?”

Jack shakes his head and buries his nose closer to Robby’s scent gland.

Robby desperately wants to tell Jack it isn’t necessary. That they could risk it, and he’d be happy to if it made Jack’s rut better. But that would be selfish. If Jack wanted to mate him, he would have; instead, he went out of his way to muzzle himself so his wagon wouldn’t be hitched to Robby forever, and as miserable as it makes him, Robby understands.

He presses a kiss to Jack’s temple. “Come on, don’t you want to be good for me?”

Immediately, Jack nods. One of the benefits of spending so many cycles together is knowing exactly how to get a rut-brained Jack to act rationally. He mutters something Robby can’t quite make out.

“Say again?”

Jack lifts his head just enough for Robby to hear him, “Do you make the other alphas wear it?”

Robby is a little shocked that Jack managed a sentence that long. He usually has to fight to get coherent grunts out of him. “Other alphas? There aren’t any other alphas.” Robby gently tilts Jack’s face toward him; he looks on the verge of tears. “Hey, you’re it for me.” Jack has no idea how much he means it.

“You date.”

“When’s the last time I went on a date?” He tickles his nose against Jack’s. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

“…Don’t want to mate.”

Robby’s heart sinks. Heats and ruts are the few times a year when he feels wanted by the alpha his omega begs for. It was hard enough to have Jack present the muzzle to him, but to hear him say it out loud is cruel. “I know.” The buckles on the leather clack together. “That’s why we have this.”

This time, Jack does cry. Broken, half-bitten sobs and quivering shoulders.

“Hey,” Robby tries to wipe the tears from his face, but Jack goes back to hiding in his scent gland. His own chest constricts, and sharp tears prick at his eyes. “It’s for the best.”

Robby has never heard anyone howl before, but the noise Jack makes is pretty damn close. His poor cock still hangs hard between his legs.

“Come on, Alpha. Don’t you want to knot me?”

It comes with a harsh, wet sniff, but Jack nods and lifts his head. Robby feels beyond guilty locking a muzzle on his wet face, but once Jack is back in his true mind, he’ll be grateful.

The leather is a pretty brown, with beautiful, thick stitching. If it were on a jacket or a wallet, Robby would admire it, but currently, all it’s good for is hiding Jack’s handsome face and emphasizing his pitiful, glassy eyes.

The knot is good, it always is, but Robby misses being able to kiss Jack and feel him lick at his neck. He tries to make up for it by giving extra attention to Jack’s own gland and whispering praises to him.

It’s even more impossible to get Jack to eat and drink than it usually is because all he wants to do when the muzzle is off is lap at Robby’s neck.

Robby does his best to move him away; the last thing he needs is to see the disappointment of sober Jack if they accidentally mate. He sits on Jack’s face until his alpha is content and lays his full weight on him as they indulge in slow kisses. In these moments, Robby’s imagination runs wild. He sees himself pregnant and doted on by the most perfect alpha to ever live.

Then the muzzle goes back on.

They’re nearing the end of Jack’s rut. Robby can tell by the force with which Jack is fucking him, one hand pressing between Robby’s shoulder blades, keeping him in the ideal presenting position. Neck exposed.

“Come on, alpha,” Robby pants. “Do it. Knot me. Pup me.”

A pleased rumble vibrates through Jack. His hips keep their pace even as the start of the knot clips with each thrust. Jack leans down; it’s hard to hear through the mask, but it sounds like he says, “Mine.”

Regardless, Robby moans back, “Yours.”

The muzzle scratches at Robby’s neck, the leather making his scent gland raw with friction. Jack’s noises grow more frantic. Hot breaths escaping from the small holes at the front of the mask.

Instinctually, Robby stretches his neck further. “Please.”

Between frustrated growls, Jack tries to clamp his teeth around Robby’s neck, but the muzzle won’t let him. With each failed attempt, he gets more desperate, flailing and scratching at Robby’s ribs as he tries to bite.

“You got it,” Robby says. His knees are weak, but his desire to present for his alpha holds strong against his exhaustion. He reaches back to hold Jack’s hair, dangerously close to the buckle. “Bite me, Alpha.”

He does. It won’t take thanks to the leather, but even the dulled sensation of Jack’s teeth trying to make a mating mark is enough to tip Robby over the edge. Jack’s jaws stay firm around his neck as his knot locks inside, pumping waves of cum inside the omega.

Robby finally relaxes, Jack’s body planted on top of him, a perfect barrier between the real world and his daze of alpha mated me.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “Thank you.”

The next time Robby wakes up, he’s lying on his side, tucked safely against Jack’s chest. When he looks up, he’s greeted by the entirety of Jack’s handsome face, and eyes more focused than he’s seen them in days.

“Good morning,” Jack says.

“Morning,” Robby yawns. “Feeling better?”

Jack takes a deep breath, “I guess. It wasn’t… I don’t know.”

“What?” Robby tries to sit up, but Jack pulls him tighter against his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“It just— I guess I don’t feel as… content? It’s fine. I’m sure I’ll settle in a few hours.”

Robby hides in Jack’s chest. As if never being mate material wasn’t bad enough, now he can’t even satisfy Jack during his rut. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Jack assures. “It’s that stupid muzzle. I couldn’t smell you right.”

That stabs at Robby’s heart. He tightens his own arms around Jack’s well-muscled torso as he turns it over in his mind. His scent is so perfect, so tempting, that not having it in full is enough to ruin Jack’s rut. Smelling him is all it takes for Jack’s instincts to say mate. It’s his personality that’s the problem.

Robby isn’t sure how much more of this he can take.

“Maybe you should spend the next one with someone else,” he suggests. The words are like acid on his tongue.

The hand stroking Robby’s shoulders stops. “What?”

Robby sits up, refusing to meet Jack’s eyes. “If you aren’t happy with me as your rut partner, you should find someone else. They’re supposed to be a good time.”

“I do have a good time.” Jack’s still raw scent goes off again, though he manages to tame it better than he had in the throes of his rut.

“You’ll enjoy it more without the muzzle.”

“I’d rather have the muzzle than…” Jack sighs and drags his hands over his head.

“You don’t have to decide now,” Robby says. “Let’s get showered and have a real meal.”

Jack agrees and lets himself be dragged to the bathroom. This is another one of Robby’s favorite parts. Standing together under the warm water, Jack insisting on washing Robby for him; it’s domestic in a way that plays perfectly into Robby’s fantasies. Especially with his neck still throbbing from the false bite, it’s easy to imagine the life that haunts him.

They keep their conversations on safe topics like work and the weather. Once the meal is done, Jack clings to Robby’s back as he rinses off their plates. “I think I need one more before it’s done.”

Thank God. Robby was hoping he would; one last round to close out the rut with Jack is back in his own body enough that he won’t need the muzzle.

This time, Jack fucks him nice and slow. Lazily kissing him like they have all the time in the world. His knot takes longer than usual to form, but Robby doesn’t mind. He scratches at the back of Jack’s head, encouraging him to explore deeper inside his mouth, reveling in the loose curls no longer hidden beneath the leather buckle.

Jack’s lips leave Robby’s own in favor of trailing along his jawline. He stops at the hinge, heavy breaths huffing at his own.

Robby tilts his head to the side. Jack’s rhythm is thrown off; he pulls back, “Don’t— don’t tempt me.”

“Sorry.”

“I just,” he licks his lips, eyes locked on the junction of Robby’s neck. “I’m doing my best, I swear.” His resolve is crumbling, mouth inching closer and closer.

“I trust you.”

“You shouldn’t.” A tiny dribble of drool leaks from the corner of his mouth. “I already bit you.” He grazes his thumb over the thin dent left by the leather.

Robby turns into the pillow to hide his disappointment, “It won’t take.”

“Yeah,” Jack looks a little sad, but Robby is certain he’s imagining it.

—

Menopause comes with the lovely addition of more heats, much to Robby’s and every other middle-aged omega’s chagrin. They’re blessedly short, hardly a full day, but still frustrating to deal with alone. Most omegas Robby’s age don’t have to worry about that. They’ve been long mated with at least one pup to show for it, while he stews by himself.

Well, he could call Jack. He has before, but after what happened in his rut, Robby thinks this would be too much of a burden. So he spends his day off giving himself mediocre orgasms with a toy that hasn’t seen the light of day in over a year. It gets the job done, but he’s far from satisfied, and his displeasure bleeds over into the next day at work.

“Dana says you were being grouchy today,” Jack teases.

“Is that the word she used?”

“I thought it was nicer than ‘an asshole’,” Jack smiles. “What’s wrong?”

“Tired.”

“That all?”

“I don’t want to play this game; just say what you’re thinking.”

Jack leans down and whispers, “I can smell you through your scent patch.”

Robby’s face flares. “Excellent.” He beelines for the bathroom, Jack following behind.

“It’s subtle,” Jack says, the door closes behind him. “I know what I’m looking for; I’m sure no one else noticed.”

Regardless, Robby checks the patch diligently in the mirror. The edges are flat to his skin, no bubbling or rips, so he’s not sure how Jack managed to smell him at all.

“Do you have a heat coming up?"

“No, I uh, had one yesterday,” Robby’s cheeks grow hotter.

“You…” The crease between Jack’s brow creates a deep cavern. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“It was just a flash heat.”

“I wasn’t even on shift,” Jack says. “I’ve helped with those before.”

Robby sighs. Talking about his cycle is one of his least favorite topics; he would especially appreciate avoiding it at work. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal.” Jack’s chest puffs out. “You were by yourself. What if it had evolved into a real heat? What if someone came over unexpectedly?”

“Christ, Jack. I can handle myself for one day.”

“It could’ve been dangerous.“

“Well, it wasn’t.” He moves to leave, but Jack blocks the door.

“You could have hurt yourself, or been dehydrated—“

“I’m not a pup.”

“Someone could have broken in, and I wouldn’t have been there to protect you.”

“Protect me?” Robby laughs at the absurdity. “From what? The DoorDash guy? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, I’m not exactly a hot commodity. No one’s lining up to tie themselves to some fat, near-geriatric omega.”

Jack growls. Robby’s never seen him do that outside of rut before. “When you have a heat, you call me. Always.”

Robby laughs again. “Is that an order? You’re not my fucking alpha,” he spits.

All the fight drains from Jack immediately. His shoulders curl inward, and his eyes go wide and wet like a begging pup.

Robby shrinks, his omega claws inside screaming: apologize, apologize, apologize! But his pride wins. He pushes past Jack, grabs his bag, and sprints out of the ED.

For the first time in almost a decade, Robby doesn’t sleep in his nest. He opens the door to the room out of habit, but as soon as Jack’s scent hits him, bile rises in his throat; his omega is still miserable about upsetting its alpha.

Not your alpha, he reminds himself. Never will be. What he said about protecting Robby is nothing more than Jack’s instincts getting confused from so many cycles spent together; he’s being a good friend, he would worry about anyone like that. Still, it’s not enough to convince himself he’s worthy of sleeping in their nest. So, Robby crawls into his stiff, unused bed and attempts to count sheep.

It’s a restless night. Robby tosses and turns, unable to get comfortable in his punishment. His body naturally wakes at six in the morning, even with only two hours of sleep. Greeting him is a text from Dana that says “Fix this,” along with a screenshot from the night shift charge nurse complaining that Jack has been pouting ever since Robby left that evening.

A pathetic whine echoes through the empty bedroom. His omega is winning.

Robby is fresh, dressed, and out the door in less than ten minutes. It’s a mad dash to PTMC, with one stop to a bakery on the way. Hopefully, a snack will make his alpha feel better. Other than that, he’s on a single-minded charge to the ED.

“Oh, hi, Dr. Robby,” one of the doctors says. “I didn’t know you were on today.”

He suddenly feels like a complete idiot standing in the doorway with his bagged muffin.

He clears his throat, “I’m not. Where’s Abbot?”

“I think he’s finishing up in Central 6. Just a warning, he’s been in a bad mood all night.”

Robby winces and thanks them. He huddles at the hub and waits with his head ducked.

“What’d you say to him?” Lena asks.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“If you’d seen him tonight, you’d be worried,” she mutters. Robby sinks further in on himself.

He hears Jack before he sees him. Robby’s attention snaps in the direction of the sound, and the second Jack spots him, his footing warbles. He rebalances himself quickly; no one else notices, but it adds to the shame building in Robby’s chest.

Jack dismisses his resident and approaches Robby with the caution one would have for a wild animal. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Robby breathes. “This is yours.” He shoves the bag across the counter.

“Thanks…” Jack peeks inside, and his eyes get sad again. “You don’t have to apologize,” he whispers. “I’m the one at fault. I’m sorry.”

“No, I shouldn’t have—“

“Yes, you should have.” The bag crinkles under Jack’s grip. “You’re right. I’m not your alpha.”

Another punch to the gut. “Yeah, but—“

“Would you mind hanging around until after handoff?” Jack rushes out. “I need to talk to you.”

Dread rolls over Robby like storm clouds. “Sure.”

Robby drags himself to a bench at the park nearby. If Jack is going to end whatever they have, he’d rather not start blubbering on hospital property.

After the longest forty minutes of Robby’s life, Jack finally arrives.

“Hey,” he says again. “Thanks for the muffin. It was good.”

Robby’s voice is thick, “Glad to hear it.”

“I saved you some,” Jack passes the bag back. Inside is the top half of the pastry. About five years ago, Robby joked that it was the only part of a muffin worth eating, and since then, Jack has always kept it for him.

“Thank you.”

Jack fiddles with the hem of his scrubs. “So, uh, this is a conversation we should have had a while ago, but I was too selfish, and for that I’m sorry. You deserve better than that.”

Robby wiggles uncomfortably on the bench; he feels a bit like prey, sitting defenseless as his alpha ends things. He wonders how different the treatment for rejection sickness is for someone his age.

“I know I’m not your alpha,” Jack continues. Robby resents Jack’s insistence on eye contact. “But I view you as my omega. I have for years. I’m sorry; I know it’s inappropriate, and I shouldn’t have continued to agree to share our cycles after I realized, but…” He shrugs. “I’m greedy. I don’t have a good excuse. But know that I’m sorry, I never meant to make you uncomfortable or take advantage of you. And I understand if you want me to leave.”

Robby’s mind is static. He’s not sure he’s properly comprehending what’s being said. “Leave?”

“The hospital,” Jack clarifies. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t want me around either.”

“I’m confused.”

Jack takes a deep breath. “Guess I should start at the beginning. Before we started this, I wanted to court you, but after you said you didn’t want to be courted… I don’t know. I was still desperate to be around you. I thought I could be your friend, but then you said we could be cycle partners, and I said yes even though I should’ve said no.”

Robby’s head is spinning. Jack clears his throat and keeps going, “I didn’t think of you as my omega then; I still had some sense,” he laughs bitterly. “But as the years went on, it grew, and now I can’t— I’m going to bite you. Even with the muzzle, I’m worried my alpha brain will take over when we think it’s safe, and you’ll be stuck with me.”

“Stuck with you?”

“I’m sorry.” Tears stream down Jack’s cheeks. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Robby replays everything Jack has said; his mind swims. Surely he’s dreaming. “When did I say I didn’t want to be courted?”

He wipes his face with the back of his hand, “Before.”

“Before what? Our— this?”

Jack nods.

“I don’t remember that.” No way in hell Robby would ever have turned Jack down.

“That doctor asked to court you,” Jack says through gritted teeth. “You complained about it after and said you didn’t want to be courted.”

Robby knows exactly who he’s talking about. A nightmare alpha that insisted on courting Robby and only took no for an answer when Jack stepped in. “By him,” Robby strains. “I didn’t know him, and he ended up getting fired for harassing the nurses.”

“Yeah, but,” Jack fidgets. “Well, you never accept courtships, and you had just ended things with Janey because she wanted to mate and you didn’t.”

“We weren’t right for each other.” Robby isn’t convinced this is a real conversation. Maybe Jack rejected him, and now he’s in a coma dreaming about how he wishes it had gone.

Jack’s back stiffens, the tears have stopped. “But, when you asked me to spend your heart with you, you insisted that it was just sex.”

Robby’s cheeks are hot again. He stands, “You had just lost your mate.”

“Five years before!”

“I didn’t want to overstep,” Robby says. “I know when I’m not wanted.”

“How could I not want you?”

Robby’s jaw clicks shut. He folds his arms over his chest, “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I?”

Robby shakes his head, “You don’t actually want to mate me. It’s the cycles. We’ve spent too many together, and it’s tricked your alpha.”

“Bullshit.”

“Think, Jack,” Robby snaps. He can’t let himself get too hopeful. “I’m old—“

“We’re the same age.”

“—I can’t have pups—“

“I don’t want them.”

“—you have worked with me too long to think I’m worth it.”

“I have no goddamn idea what you’re talking about.” Jack takes a step forward, “Working with you is how I fell in love with you.”

“Don’t say that.” Robby tries to back away, but the bench barricades him in.

“It’s true. If you don’t like it, I meant it, I’ll leave the hospital, I’ll leave the fucking state, but I love you.”

Robby stares at the floor and shakes his head again. It’s not possible. Jack’s brain is lying to him.

Jack carries on, “You’re dedicated and compassionate.”

“I’m impatient,” Robby corrects. “And clinical.”

“You run an ED.”

“And it brings out the worst in me. Don’t say things you don’t mean—“

“I’m not!”

“Mating me would be a horrible decision,” Robby’s chin wobbles. “Please think. Really think about it.”

“I have. Every day for ten years.”

“Jack—“

“Why don’t you believe me?”

Robby scoffs. “Why would anyone ever want to mate me?”

Jack’s eyes bug out of his head in a way that would make Robby laugh if he weren’t focused on not crying. “You turn down courtships all the time.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Are you serious? Just last week, that lady offered you her coat.”

“She was drunk.”

“Everyone you date— Do you not realize where they want to take it? You might want casual, but they sure don’t. And every time, I pray you’ll turn down their inevitable offer of food or clothes or whatever because it would kill me. Seeing another alpha take care of you would fucking kill me.”

Jack takes a deep breath in, holds it, and releases. He looks up at Robby, “If you don’t want me, that’s fine. But don’t say you can’t see how much everyone wants you because that’ll just piss me off.”

“I—“ Robby’s tongue is heavy in his mouth. Is that what’s been happening? No one has ever asked to court him before, so he figured they didn’t want to. “Do you? Want to court me?”

The way Jack looks at him breeds shame in Robby’s chest. Even spelled out, he’s still missing something. This has all been a hallucination, and he’s making a fool of himself.

“Yes,” Jack says. “Obviously.” He snatches the pastry bag off the bench and gets down on his knees.

“Jesus, Jack. Get up.”

He stays on the ground and bows his head, displaying the bag to Robby. This type of courting offer went out of style before Robby’s grandmother was born. Now it’s relegated to lessons in history class and grand displays in romantic movies.

“Michael Robinavitch, will you please allow me to court you?”

“Jack…”

“Michael Robinavitch,” Jack repeats. “Please give me the honor of courting you.”

The brown paper bag may as well be gold in Robby’s eyes. Slowly, he takes it in his fingers, holding it delicately against his chest.

Jack looks up at him, still on his knees.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m more than sure,” Jack smiles. “But you still need to accept.”

Never looking away from Jack, Robby takes a bite out of the muffin top. Jack rises back on his feet, beaming.

“Is your leg okay?” Robby asks through a mouthful. It’s the most delicious thing he’s ever eaten; he can’t get enough.

“Fine, just sore from being on it all night.”

“You should take it off.”

Jack shakes his head, “I still have to drive home.”

Robby swallows. “My place is closer.”

The crooked grin that lands on Jack’s face is more familiar; it settles something in Robby. “Seems a little early in our courtship for that, don’t you think?” He slips his fingers between Robby’s, making his stomach flutter with butterflies.

“In that case, I’ll walk home.”

“No, no,” Jack’s grip tightens. “I miss our nest.”