Page 5 of Sanctuary
They sat in silence for a while, their legs dangling in the air below them. Ori moved over so his shoulder rubbed against Patton's and was surprised at how--interesting it felt. Interesting in way that made his cock stiffen and if he'd been planning anything to say, he couldn't think of it over the clamor of his body. He rubbed his fingers nervously over each other and thought about sewing and scrubbing and all the most boring chores he’s even been stuck with, but he knew that eventually he was going to have to say the thing he’d really come here to say.
Ori whacked his head against the tree trunk, hoping to knock some genius way of saying this loose in his brain, but got nothing but multi-colored stars in return. Patton gave him a look that clearly said, “Are you nuts?” and Ori sighed and dropped his head on Patton’s shoulder. Patton’s scent curled up into his nose and, instinctively, he huffed some in through his mouth to taste it through the scent organ in the top of his mouth. It made funny things happen in his body, uncomfortable things, and he sat up and breathed deeply a couple of times to clear his nose and mouth.
This is so weird. Then, Is this what being in heat is like? Was he in heat? That was awkward—better get this conversation over with, just in case. The older omegas had talked about heats—again, the truth or some version of it, and only when the adults weren’t around to shush them and tell them it wasn’t proper. But it kind of made it sound like he’d end up a ravening beast humping anything he could get his bits against. He glanced back up at Patton, who was watching him with the beginning of a concerned frown on his face. “So, I’m omega, right?”
Patton nodded cautiously.
Ori licked his lips and kicked his feet. “Maw says I can’t be spending time alone with you because it’ll ruin my reputation and I’ll never get a mate.”
Patton snorted. “Guy’d have to be stupid to turn you down because you have a friend.”
Ori shrugged, the words coming easier. “They’re really giving me a hard time.”
Lysoonka must have been hovering over Patton’s shoulder, because a look of comprehension grew over him, not replacing the concern, but blending with it. “’Cause you’re wanting to visit with me.”
Ori nodded. “I can fight with them, but it just gets me grounded.”
“Then don’t fight with them,” Patton told him and leaned over to bump him shoulder-to-shoulder.
“I don’t want everyone nosing into our business,” Ori complained.
Patton shrugged. “It’s pack, there’s gonna be some of that anyway. Doesn’t mean we can’t play the game. Sneak out like this every once in a while.”
“I—” The words got tangled up in Ori’s brain as the meaning of what Patton was saying sank in. “You mean it?”
“We’re friends.” Patton grinned. “And this was fun.”
Ori laughed and bumped his shoulder back against Patton’s ignoring the heat rising from his groin at the contact. “Yeah, it was.”
C H A P T E R F O U R
P atton pulled on his least mended jeans and then dug into his dresser drawer for the special t-shirt he'd been hiding at the bottom, the one his Da had proudly presented to him a couple of days ago. It was new. Not new to the family, but honestly right-from-the-store new. It was clean and unstained and a deep soft green like the aloes that lined the path to his front door, and he’d been saving it special just for tonight. He hoped Ori liked it.
At thirteen, this would be his first full moon running with the teenagers. Ori had done it last year, and had come to find him after, brimming with excitement over the games they'd played among the trees. Of course he'd had a chaperon, as had the other four older and still unmated omegas, to make sure that no one took unfair advantage of him, but the glow on his face said that he'd enjoyed himself anyway.
Lately, it had been harder and harder for Ori to come spend time with him. Either he had chores, or special omega classes, or he had 'visitors', which Patton gathered was the omega way of practicing for the courting that would happen when they were older. He didn't understand why it had to happen now--surely Ori had another four years to learn how to be courted? But that was the story, that he had to learn how to sit and talk to alphas and find ways to be interested in what they said, no matter how boring, because that was an omega’s job.
Ori told him once it was the stupidest thing ever.
"Pat, are you ready?" his Ma called.
"Coming," he yelled back. He gave his hair a last patdown with damp hands, vainly attempted to flatten the cowlick above his left eye, and exited the bathroom.
"You look nice," his Ma said. "Anyone special?" She looped a pack-woven basket over her arm and held out her hand to the littlest of the seven of them, his baby sister Pansy.
He shrugged. "Just didn't want to look like a hick."
Her smile implied that she thought there was more to it than that, but he wasn't going to explain to her that he'd suddenly discovered feelings for his best friend. His best omega friend. Which was awkward enough on its own, without his mother's unsurprising lecture about 'alphas for omegas, betas for betas'. He didn't want a beta--he wanted his best friend.
The lined up at the door, everyone taking the hand of the next youngest so that they walked across the enclave like a little toy train or a set of really dumb ducklings. He was the third oldest and no longer confined to the puppy grounds and it made him grit his teeth to have to walk across the town like he was still a toddler.
As soon as they reached the stretch of grass where everyone gathered for full moon, he dropped his brothers' hands and slunk off looking for Ori.
Ori showed up just before full dark, wearing a dark brown shirt that buttoned up the front. It looked expensive, as things in the pack went, and he giggled with the other single omegas as they walked in escorted by their chaperons for the evening. He almost looked like someone else, except the sandy curls still clustered around his face, softening the sharp bones of his cheeks and drawing attention to the hazel green of his eyes where they sparkled beneath the locks. Until he looked up and saw Patton and those beautiful eyes lit up and Patton’s Ori was back.
"Pat!" He broke away from his group and ran over. "Wow, is that a new shirt? It looks great on you."
"That looks like new too."
