"Arthur, sweetie, are you done? We only have about fifteen minutes to leave!"
It was already creeping toward 6 p.m, and Arthur — post-epic chat with Natalia — had retreated to his room about an hour ago. He had originally flopped onto his bed with the noble intent of thinking deeply about life.
What actually happened was fifteen minutes of giggling to himself like a lovesick squirrel, then unintentionally passing out like someone who had been hit with a tranquilizer dart.
Now, of course, he was extremely late.
"Gosh. This little brat must be the only one who can be late in the evening because he woke up late," came Uncle Kevin's voice from downstairs, followed by dramatic footsteps that clearly meant business.
Arthur was too busy feeling happy to feel guilty. He'd been warm, floating in some cozy, possibly rose-colored dream involving Natalia and… a giant bowl of ice cream?
He didn't even nap during the day. He wasn't a napping person. He had always silently judged people who napped. But here he was — betrayed by his own body and serotonin.
So yeah, something new.
"I'm done!" he yelled back, jumping up.
Arthur, as always, was in his trusty uniform: black trousers and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up like he was about to do someone's taxes.
He'd heard Uncle Kevin's complaints before — "This boy has more colored shirts than a rainbow threw up, but every time we go out, he picks the same ghost-colored thing!"
But Arthur liked the combo. It made him look neat. Serious.
Sure, he might look like a bland person.
But hey — they were his clothes. His aesthetic.
He wasn't trying to stand out. He didn't want to be memorable anyway.
Well... except maybe to one person now...
Before Arthur bolted downstairs, he did a quick mirror check, then ran ahead of Aunt Kelly. She gave him a warm pat on the back and took his hand with a fond smile.
Uncle Kevin trailed behind them with a groan, keys jingling like they were personally offending him.
Arthur glanced around casually, heart sinking when he didn't spot Natalia anywhere nearby. But his disappointment was clearly written across his face — Kelly and Kevin both noticed the sudden dip in his mood.
Just as Kelly opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, Arthur's face lit up like someone flipped a switch. A wide, involuntary grin bloomed on his face.
Kevin followed his line of sight and spotted her — Natalia, leaning casually against the car, arms crossed, her usual calm expression tinted with amusement.
He blinked.
'Since when did those two get close enough for Arthur to beam like that?'
Kelly glanced between the two, pressing her lips together to suppress a giggle. Her daughter and Arthur?
'They are definitely at least talking now, aren't they?'
Everyone climbed into the car, Kelly sneaking glances at the back seat where Natalia and Arthur sat — technically a seat apart, but visibly attuned to each other, exchanging subtle glances through the window's reflection.
Kevin somehow remained blissfully unaware of all the drama going on. His only concern was whether Kelly would let him have a couple drinks later with Mr. Josiah — Lily's dad, his good friend.
As the car started moving and Kelly became distracted talking to Kevin, the quiet bubble in the back seat finally bloomed into something private.
Arthur peeked over at Natalia, only to find her already watching him. Her lips curved into a small smirk as she mouthed the words slowly, deliberately:
"Handsome and so beautiful."
Arthur almost lost his breath.
Those words — for him? No one had ever called him beautiful. Or handsome.
Well... obviously, other than Auntie and Uncle. They'd raised him with love, kindness, and every ounce of praise a child could need — before anyone else had, or ever would.
But this...
'Ha... I never knew it felt like this... to be complimented. By an alpha. By her. By my alpha...'
She was his. His person.
'I can't believe I just thought that. But... it's true, isn't it? We're really... ours. She likes me too.'
Arthur's heart was pounding as he replayed everything in his head. His cheeks were blazing pink, and his lips curled into a big, stupid grin he couldn't fight back — a grin Natalia noticed immediately.
And she felt something stir in her chest.
Something new.
The way Arthur blushed when she spoke. The way he looked at her like she was the sun and stars wrapped into one. It made her want to—
'Mark him,' her instincts whispered. 'Protect him. Make him yours.'
And maybe... maybe that was how it was supposed to be.
Love — it should make you happy from the very beginning. Unlike... before...
'I shouldn't even be saying I 'like' him anymore,' she realized. 'I've already lost my mind over him...'
'I love him and I'll make him the happiest omega alive.'
Her eyes softened, though a twinge of guilt tugged at her as she thought back to the time she'd spent abroad — the years she hadn't paid Arthur much attention at all.
But that was the past. They hadn't known each other back then.
And even now, they were still learning.
But together...
Still uncovering each other — slowly, gently. Wall by wall.
'I want to know everything about him,' Natalia thought, watching as Arthur tried — and failed — to hide the grin spreading across his face.
"Cute," she muttered under her breath.
She'd used that word a lot lately. Especially for him. And no matter how much Arthur insisted he was older than her and "not a baby boy," she still couldn't get over how adorably hopeless he looked when he blushed.
He was hers.
She looked down at her hands, then back at the omega sitting quietly beside her, her heart skipping once.
'He's really mine,' she thought again.
And the moment she did, her pheromones stirred — subtly, instinctively — reacting to the flood of possessive warmth blooming inside her.
Then, just as she was trying to calm it all back down, Arthur reached out.
His hand brushed against hers — tentative, trembling. Then his fingers gently laced over hers, just for a moment.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"Y-you're g-gorgeous t-too. Mm... Th-thank you, by the way."
And just like that, he snatched his hand back and turned away as if the whole moment had never happened — eyes wide, ears glowing red.
Natalia held back a chuckle, watching him with a look that was half fondness, half hunger.
There it was again. That little spark.
She didn't just like Arthur.
She had definitely, undeniably fallen for him.
'Arthur... you're such a miracle,' she thought, her heart fluttering.
And no matter how slowly or shyly they got there...
She was going to love him right.
'I promise to make you the happiest, my omega.'