Chapter Text
The man standing right in front of him is Max.
He knew he can’t avoid him anymore, especially after potentially saving his (or their) son from missing.
“Verstappen?” George called his name while the Alpha stood with his mouth open, ignoring the phone call he currently had. Max didn’t make any rushing attempt for someone who’s about to miss their flight. There’s still time if they want to run, and this is exactly what George was about to do.
“You know me?” Max asked awkwardly like he wasn’t a million euro footballer, “No, that’s silly. Of course you did.”
“I am. Thanks for the help, by the way. Theo goes absolutely crazy about the practice a few days ago,” George replied, still confused on how to react.
“It’s fine, um,” Max replied, “I know you from somewhere.”
“You are probably imagining it,” George quickly replied, “Can we go now?” he says a little annoyed when he saw the Alpha had no sense of urgency until he saw the Alpha sat down, walking to the stall limping.
Max was in a lot of pain after running to save his and Theo's ticket, “I’m good. You can go ahead. I don’t think I should run there.”
Oh yeah, the injury. George remembered it.
Max was massaging his legs and cursing under his breath. He was still on a phone call with someone he calls Carlos that yells at him in Spanish. Theo just looks at him confused, like he was distressed and he was about to bawl.
“Let’s go Theo, we don’t want to miss the flight,” George was ready to go. His hand holding Theo’s tightly, “Let’s say bye to Max. We’ll see him next time.”
And there comes the waterworks. Theo was crying seeing him in pain, while the two just stared at him confused.
“Baby? Hey, It’s ok,” George gets on his knees and stares down at Theo who’s currently bawling, “We’re fine, I’ll hold your hand and we can get on the plane now, and we’ll see Max next time. Okay?”
“No!” Theo is still crying, “Max is upset and it’s because of me.”
Max, with his ankle still cramping, now looks at George confused. He shook his head, because he was the one who insisted on carrying the boy and in no way he was mad at Theo. “I’m not upset at him,” Max whispered to George, who was still comforting Theo on his hug.
“Max isn’t upset, he just needs a rest after helping you,” George tries to reason while Theo starts bawling again. Maybe he was cranky after a long time waiting at the airport.
“But Max’s smell upset,” Theo answered, “He was hurt because he ran with me, and Max probably couldn’t play because of me.”
“And Dad also smells upset because of me,” Theo sobs. George is still focusing on hugging the pup and trying to scent him. He might be seven, and he’s currently in a period where he always reminds George that he’s no longer a baby.
After all, in his eyes, Theo is still very small. He went through a phase a lot of young people will go through, getting emotional and a little distance from their parents because they are trying to form their own identity. But when his days are a little dark, or maybe his match doesn’t go according to his plan, George’s arm will always be there to catch him. Theo could identify their distress because he was destined for it. A young pup could notice the difference in scent of their parents, and vice versa. They might not realize it, though, since a young pup's nose is very sensitive, so they thought it was normal for everybody to feel it.
This decision might be stupid for George, but when Theo’s crying and his scent is off, he’d get a little sick. Besides, being rushed to the airport is distressing for the young pup. The last thing he wanted to deal with after a long day is Theo’s being moody on the plane.
George was ready to let go of the ticket. He cracked open a bottle of water for Theo who’s now calming down, his face was red and mouth still pouting. He was sweaty, so George combed it back with his hand softly so his hair will be tidier.
“We’ll stay here with Max, if that will make you less sad,” George wiped out his tears, “I’m sorry for rushing you like that, baby.”
-
Max sat so close to the two of them. He could almost reach out to them and comfort the boy who’s apparently upset because he was visibly in pain, but he didn’t know if his dad would like it if he did it. But something inside of him told him to find a way to do it. His eyes were transfixed at the sight of the tired boy and his dad, who’s currently calling his office and had opened his laptop to search for another flight that would take them to California.
Besides, Theo’s father is probably annoyed at him. It was not his fault that all of a sudden his ankle was cramping like crazy, and his stupid Alpha brain decided to restart and started to ask stupid questions like ‘I know you from somewhere’ when it was a situation where no child should be present to know, and they were running like crazy to catch a flight.
“Max!”
Carlos suddenly shows up while the plane should’ve taken off right at that time. “Carlos? I told you to just go without me.”
“Not quite, somehow the plane engine decides to fall off the bones like some jackass bullshit when we’re about to take off,” Carlos replied, “If the plane actually took off, your survival story would sound like a final destination movie.”
“Talk about cinnamon toast theory,” Max answered, “Like there’s some obstacle before you go through some disaster so you get saved.”
“I don’t think it’s cinnamon toast,” Carlos replied, “It’s something else, like when there's an ambulance getting stopped by a train.”
“The patient will die than saved, dumbass, that’s a whole different euphemism,” Max answered, “Anyways, when did you think the-”
“It’s burnt toast theory,” The man who’s currently sitting next to them chimes in, “The cinnamon things you just said, it’s burnt toast theory.”
“Oh yeah!” Carlos clicked his finger, “It’s burnt toast theory. Not cinnamon toast. Max’s probably just hungry.”
Max stared at the pretty omega who had his pup sleeping on his lap. He might realize it since he shifted his body and covered the pup so he’s way more secured. “He’s been up since four this morning. Sorry, he might have been tired when he cried earlier.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Max told him, assuring him that he’s not upset at all after the pup’s outburst earlier, “I understand him, I was a crier too when I was a kid. It’s fine.”
His phone is still buzzing, with Microsoft Teams open on the laptop. He got a hot coffee that was left untouched. He was wrangling his laptop on his right thigh, with a pup sleeping on his left thigh. Max desperately wanted to help him, but he didn’t know where his courage went. The omega probably thinks he’s weird, and he could feel him staring at them. Fuck, Max feels stupid.
Sweet talk usually rolls easily from his mouth, but he was special. There’s something about him that left the Alpha speechless and enamoured. Max decides to ask after their awkward silence, “Theo’s told me your job is to interview people?”
George just nodded with a little laugh, “Yeah, I work for BBC Sports. Did he tell you that?”
Max nodded, “Yeah, he said his job is to interview people. I thought you were an HR manager or something.”
“God, no,” his laugh sounded so beautiful in Max’s ear, “I’m here to do my job and get paid, not just watching the England team.”
“Oh, nice. You’re in the same event as me, I guess,” Max responded simply, “Theo’s a great kid.”
Max actually asked to confirm that it was him that he met that night. The one intern who couldn’t put down his laptop even after they drunkenly arrived at Max’s apartment. Max is so certain, based on the blue eyes and soft curls falling into his forehead. He’s just older, and prettier.
And the scent, how could he forget it? Now that he’s not in any more distress, Max could smell the beautiful rose he was once intoxicated by.
“How come I never saw you?” Max decided to ask. Curious about why, because he was certain that he was trying so hard to gather piece by piece of information about the omega he met that night.
He just raised his eyebrow. “I mainly worked in the UK, reporting for the Premier League,” the omega answered. Max played for a La Liga club, but there’s Euro, and UCL. Max doesn’t think a reporter's job is just to stay at one place and go home to wait for another Premier match.
“You don’t do any reports for the UCL game? Or something else?” Max realized that he probably creeped him out and scared the omega away, but curiosity got the best of him.
“I mean, of course I am,” The omega answered. “Just like what I do right now, or back when it was Euro. Why do you want to know so much, Max?”
Max smiled shyly. “Maybe I didn’t look for you hard enough?” At least he heard him say his name again.
He looked confused, but Max could read that his pretty little head was trying to think about something to answer. “Looking for me? Why would you?” the omega laughed. “I’m just a reporter, there are thousands of sports reporters out there.
The Alpha thought he was ahead of his game, not knowing the omega rehearsed this scenario repeatedly in his head every night.
He stayed back, realizing he lost his own game. He didn’t even know his name yet.
-
The omega was closing his eyes after a while. Probably tired from his work and wrangling this kid all alone at the airport with hours of delay. Max could feel how tense his neck probably felt.
The delay is genuinely the worst thing that Max had experienced. If it wasn’t for the beautiful omega next to him, he’d probably be raging at the airport counter and making a scene. Or maybe he gave up and told Carlos to just fly them privately.
Suddenly he has an idea, also a way to know his name that Max was desperately trying to dig. “Hey, do you want to rest somewhere else more comfortable?”
“Huh?” The omega was slightly confused, “To where?”
“You haven’t told me your name yet,” Max decides he needed to do what he had to do now that he got the perfect chance, “I just need your name first, then I’ll let you know.”
“It’s George,” he replied, “Can you just let me know what you’re about to do?”
“George who?”
“William Russel,” the omega gave his name away, “Max, what are you gonna do?”
“I’m upgrading you and Theo to first class,” Max replied.
“WHAT?!” George was in disbelief. He put the laptop first and took off his airpods.
“Can you give me any details about Theo’s name?” Max asked, still busy with his phone.
George rolls his eyes, “Max, come on. I couldn’t do thi-”
“So Theo will be sitting on economy then?” Max teased him so he could finally give in.
“Theodore Nicolas Russell,” George answered, “Are you serious, Max? We just met today.”
“I just had to do it, I know how tired you are, and I had so much fun with Theo earlier,” Max answered, “You deserve this, they have a premium lounge, so you guys could chill for a while.”
At the same time, the notifications that his payment had already gone through showed up on his phone, “Carlos already upgraded it.”
“Without my passport?” George replied.
“I mean it’s not Europe, don’t think they really care about it,” Max answered, “Now you have a premium lounge, and you can take a rest there. The golf cart is here.”
“He’s still sleeping, look,” George answered, “And I got all this laptop open with transfer news from your club. I should've just asked you about all this stuff, see if you know.”
“I can carry him if you want to?” Max replied, “Look, I know I got a fucked up shoulder, and busted ankle, but we’re not running there, we just sat on golf cart.”
“It’s not like I couldn’t carry him,” George said. “He’s just a light sleeper, he might wake up.”
“Are you guys coming or not?” Carlos who’s currently sitting next to the golf cart driver yelled, “Can we save the argument for later? I’m hungry.”
George handed the sleeping pup to Max. “Just be careful, he might cry if you injure your shoulder again.”
Surprisingly, Theo doesn’t wake up. His face just snuggled comfortably at Max’s neck while still asleep. The Alpha’s hand patted Theo's back comfortably. Theo’s just a tiny bit smaller than the usual seven years old, just like him back then.
He never thought he would think about it, but he wondered how it would feel to be a father.
-
The lounge has an amazing selection of food. Or maybe George was hungry. He stuffed himself down with selections of pasta and fresh fruits. Theo was asleep in one of the sleeping pods the lounge had, leaving George alone with Max who was currently reading something on his phone.
It was oddly intimate, George thought, thinking if this would be his daily occurrences if Max knew about Theo.
“Are you going to wake him up to eat?” Max asked, “Or do you want me to wake him up?”
Fuck. George felt like he was going to throw up. Why does Max have to be so nice? George was so sure that the Max he made up on his mind wasn't this nice.
“If you’re okay with it, I can wake him up for you,” Max asked nicely. George was not going to let his guard down. But he was so nice with it, asking like a polite puppy. Those were the eyes Theo sometimes used to beg for chocolate or toys, of course, George wasn’t immune to it.
“Yeah,” Fuck it, “If you don’t mind, of course. I’ll stay here with your stuff.”
George was playing on his phone anxiously, rechecking his email with nothing new loaded on his inbox. Not even ten minutes long, Theo was out from his napping pod, scratching his eyes, with Max behind him. His curly locks were messy, and he no longer smells distressed when George is trying to scent him.
“Where are we?” Theo asked him. Still a little out of it, but his eyes are eyeing the food already.
“The airport lounge,” George answered, “You have to say thank you to Max for upgrading us to the first class.”
Theo stared at George in disbelief, “Really? Are you serious?”
George just raised his shoulder, “Of course, we still have a delay because they have to switch the plane, Max insisted on putting us on the first class so you can have a good rest.”
Theo bolted from his seat, he stopped looking at the food to search for Max. The Alpha was currently sitting opposite of George, feeling shy when the kid hugged him to say thank you.
“Thank you Max,” Theo was hugging him tight, “Do you want to get food with me?
“Sure, what did you want?”
It hurts George that maybe if he wasn’t scared to try and reach out, he wouldn’t deprive Theo from the love he’s supposed to receive from his Alpha father. Seeing how attentive Max was to Theo pained his heart a little. Maybe life was supposed to be easier, but George was an overthinker by nature, sometimes it costs him, just like now.
He didn’t know if it’s already too late for him to tell Max, or if it would just add more to his burden, knowing that the athletes are currently deemed as underwhelming by many people. And this was the only time George saw him interact with Theo. One time interaction is different from daily life.
“You don’t want to eat anything else?” Max asked when they got back to their chair, “They have tiramisu, it’s really good, if you want to try.”
“Yeah,” George answered, he sighed heavily, “By the way, thank you for everything today.”
“Don’t mind it,” Max replied, “I had fun, never used to have any company except Carlos.”
“No, truly, you saved us today,” George had to be honest, “It was kind of hard for me today, my boss was giving me a hard time, and I just didn’t know what to do if Theo doesn’t meet you. Tons of bad people out there, but he ended up meeting you. What a crazy coincidence.”
Maybe the universe truly wants them to meet, deep inside his heart, George knows.
“George, I’m glad I could help you,” he replied, “I was having a hard time as well, for the last months. You work in the media so you will know.”
“I’m actually working on the sports not gossip, so I really did not care, Max.”
“You can just say you did and I wouldn’t bat an eye. I would too if I worked in the media,” Max answered. George didn’t know that he would be that affected by gossip and what the media says to him. He thought Mad Max would be full of ego and nothing could beat him down. “I just want to play like I used to, you know? This injury was holding me back.”
“Don’t say that, you can do it,” George replied, “You know, when your club was playing, Theo sat in front of the TV just to watch you? There are thousands of kids who still believe in you, Max.”
Max's eyes were watery. He gets emotional if he has to reminisce about his past, “I don’t know, I just feel useless, sometimes.”
“Everyone’s still rooting for you, believe me Max,” George reassured him again, “And I work in British media, you know how ruthless these people are? They know you still have tons of potential.”
Max sighed, “Thank you for the encouragement, by the way.”
George just laughed, “It’s the bare minimum I could help you with.”
This is a one in a million chance that Max could throw, “Maybe, you know, if Theo wants to watch us sometimes, you could just throw me a message.”
“Is this your way to ask me for my number?” George cheekily asked the Alpha who’s blushing a little bit, scratching his hair even though it’s not itchy.
“Please?” Max replied, “For my defence, I’m not using Theo for this, I genuinely love that little guy.”
George's heart had warmed a little bit, so he took Max’s phone to type out his number, “We’re waiting for a goal, Max.”
-
George couldn’t believe that after his disastrous trip from Dallas to California a few days ago, he’d be on a first name basis with Max Verstappen. The Alpha would text him stuff like ‘I’m out of practice, what did you do?’ or ‘How was Theo at his practice? Did he need something?’
Everything’s just happened so fast. George wanted to find himself complaining but he was lowkey happy. A smile plastered on his face every time he opened his message to see his text.
“Is that Max texting you again?” Lando asked, he was rolling his eyes constantly to see his friend smiling to himself again. It’s been a while since he saw George being obviously in love again.
“Shut it, Lando,” George doesn’t know what to do, “He just sent me a funny reel.”
“Already sending each other reels? After two days?” Lando asked, “What’s next? Marrying each other?”
“It’s not like that,” he defended himself, “He’s just genuinely a great guy, maybe he was a little lonely, you know? We all have been there, that’s how you get with Piastri as well.”
“Well, I’m actually eyeing Oscar and made the first move,” the younger omega had to say something, “What are you guys actually talking about?”
“Just the usual things, Lando. He just told me his ankle was okay, the physiotherapist works like magic here. You know I told you that he had a leg cramp in the airport,” George replied. “Can you stop with that face, Lando? I swear to God it’s nothing.”
“You never texted me that,” Lando teases him, “I don’t know what you have for breakfast today, do you know the schedule of my physical training, George? I bet you don’t know either.”
“We’re both bored, okay?” George rolled his eyes, “Let’s give him some grace.”
“Sure, sure,” Lando joked again, “Maybe he wants you.”
“Gross, he was just being nice,” George said. Trying to ignore how his heart palpitate every time he saw Max’s name buzzing on his phone screen.
“Are you stupid?” Lando asked.
George tries to brush him off. He doesn’t really want to get his hopes up. He knew what kind of guy Max was, “Can we just move from this topic and eat our lunch? We have less than thirty minutes before Toto terrorizes us again.”
“Max will play tonight, against Tunisia,” Lando chimes again.
“I told you to stop talking about him,” George sneered, “I’m bored from hearing his name.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” Lando had a cheeky smile plastered on his face, “Go check the post-match interview schedule, your name was there.”
“Fuck off, no I’m not,” the taller omega opened his file immediately, unfortunately, Lando wasn’t lying.
“Still bored?”
Not knowing what to answer, George just continued chewing on his stale salad.
-
The stadium was filled to the brim, with both sides of team supporters present equally. The shades of orange that the Netherlands national team supporters were sporting are not absent, even though today the team will be wearing their away fit. George saw Max on the side of the pitch. He’s warming up, despite his injury, he’s part of the starting eleven. It was impossible for him to play full time, so he might be subbed out after the first half.
He texted him good luck earlier while he’s still on his phone. The Alpha reacted and sent him a cute thanks, and asked if he could see him after the match. George told him that he’d be interviewing the Alpha so he shouldn’t miss the goal this time.
The last message Max sent him was the salute emoji, alongside the text that says ‘I promised you’
It brings him back to the day he met the Alpha in Madrid. When they’re both younger and reckless. He didn’t know their path would cross again today, with Max keeping his promise and George still keeping the secret he should have known.
The match started after a few minutes. George grabbed his drink and sat on the media pen, alongside some of his workmates and the British commentator. He was keeping track of the play, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Max who’s currently sharpening his attack.
In the first fifteen minutes, Max had made an attempt. The commentator said that they will probably see his goals after a while today.
Lando was teasing him on the text, saying that Max played so well because he was there. He refused to take credit for it, but his pride was soaring and he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Then there’s the goal. Max finally scored a goal. There were still fifteen minutes to go until the first half ended. Max did his usual celebration but his eyes wandered. His eyes met George who’s sitting on the side of the high balcony seats. He squinted for a while until he found him, waving his hand as if he was doing it for him.
“You know him?” his younger workmates whispered.
George just laughed, “I mean, who doesn’t?”
He’s back on his work, focusing on the match playing in front of him. Max looked more focused than his first match where the team drew against Japan. Maybe the physiotherapist he met truly works some magic on his shoulder and ankle. They added ten more minutes in the first half. Netherlands were objectively the stronger team in the match, they also possessed most of the ball and successfully shot on more targets.
Two minutes before it ended, Max scored another goal. George likes to think it was for him and Theo, who’s now probably freaking out at the hotel room. The coach subbed him out for the second half. Which is logical, since Max is actively recovering from injury and he scored two goals while doing so. George desperately wants to see him, but he can’t. Even though Max’s work is done, he hasn’t, and he will be seeing the Alpha when the match finishes.
Netherland is winning the match, considering there’s five minutes left after some extra time and there’s not enough time for Tunisia to equalize them.
George’s phone buzzed with his message. “How was it? I didn’t forget my promise, right?”
“Congratulations, that was a good one.” George replied, “Are you really desperate to see me after this? Haha.”
“Yeah, did it just for your interview,” Blush was rushing to George’s face.
-
Max was beaming when he was finally ready to be interviewed. This was unusual for him, who usually keeps a cool face, almost unbothered and ready to go home.
“Max! Finally, after a few months with your injury and no goals, you’re breaking your fast,” George greeted the Alpha, “How does it feel to be the man of the match?”
“Thank you, George,” Max winked, too fast for anyone to notice beside George who’s locking his eyes with him, “It feels amazing to finally be able to be back on the game. I’m still not 100% recovered since everything still needs to be fixed, you know, countless therapy here and there. But today’s match makes me feel amazing.”
George listened carefully to the Alpha’s words while his chest palpitate, “You should credit yourself for the performance, Max. It was amazing to see you back. I see that you ran so fast to catch Tijani’s assist for the first goal, how was your ankle now?”
It was his way to check on him, “Definitely still felt a little strain, but I’m not really pushing it. Cody was behind me so it wasn’t really a gamble for Tijani because he would have finished it beautifully as well. Two of my goals were after my friend’s assist so it was a huge kudos for them.”
"Great to see you today at the match, Max," George responded, "Who will you dedicate this goal for? do you have someone in particular?"
Max and George just smiled at each other. The few people who watched the post-interview will probably have questions. "Well, I promised two people some goals. Heard they were my biggest fans? I'll let some people have a guest."
-
When the night ended, Max took George out for dinner.
Just like what he did years ago, except this time, alcohol wasn’t an option. George had work in the morning, while Max thought it wasn’t the best option to have one after the match while he was still recovering.
Besides, it just feels nice to have each other with nothing intoxicating involved this time. Max could remember what George was saying, the crisp of his laugh, and the little comments he left after taking a bite of the food he was eating. He managed to get the last booking of a high-rated restaurant that George wanted to try. It's the pretty omega’s luck, to him, since it was so hard to actually get one in the middle of an international event where everyone was falling into the city designed tourist trap.
It was a long queue even after the bookings, though. George asked Max who was currently having his dinner, “You’re not tired?”
“Not really,” Max answered while taking a bite of his broccoli, “It’s hard for me to fall asleep whenever I’m high on adrenaline.”
George just laughed, “You might need to take magnesium or melatonin, it’s gonna affect your metabolism.”
Max just shook his head, “Not really working.”
“So what’s your solution?” George says.
“Tossing and turning, making scenarios in my head,” Max responded, “Watch movies, YouTube, something like that.”
George nodded, “You might want to have a sleep study.”
Max agreed. George was the third person to suggest it. Lately it’s getting worse. The last strange dream about the baby before he arrived in Los Angeles was the last strike, because he felt a strange instinct and irritation, everyday he woke up like a sticky Band-Aid ripped off his skin too quickly.
There was something missing that Max felt could be reached within his touch. He wasn’t the master of understanding his own feelings, but he knew it had something to do with George.
He’s now a hundred percent sure that it was George that he met that night. It was too uncanny if not, yet George never said anything to confirm it. Max didn’t want to push it, afraid that it might ruin the thing that he was having for the latest week with the Omega.
George was done with his food. Usually, a glass of wine would do a good job to end his meal, but Max is pretty persistent with his choice to be sober. “You’re going to order something else?”
“I think I’m good, do you wanna go somewhere?” Max asked, hoping the omega would take another clue so he doesn’t have to go home just yet.
“Dessert?” George asked, his eyebrows raised playfully, “Do athletes fancy themselves some ice cream?”
-
George is certain he still tastes the sweet vanilla ice cream on the Alpha’s lips.
One thing led to another, ending up in the same exact scenario as the last time when they barely knew each other. Max reaches out for his locks, pulling him deeper into his hunger-filled kisses. It feels like Max was searching for him forever, grasping for the air that felt tighter every time George’s lips met him.
Even though George tried so hard to forget the night Max barely remembered, he will admit that Max filled the night where he wanted nothing in his mind but a vivid fantasy. His drunken haze still remembered how firm his arms were, holding the dip of his hips, whispering sweet thoughts that could only be remembered if he took apart the nook of the bones of his neck.
He suddenly remembered what happened back then when he let himself get drawn too much, how they both sobered up when Max realize he fucks up but neither wanted to stop. His face was red under alcohol, hands on his head when his knot formed up. George was too high on dopamine to care, letting him know that he was under a pill that ended up proven to be ineffective.
“Fuck, you tastes so, so good,” Max uttered under his breath, “I want to stay forever like this, please, please...”
But tonight he couldn’t do it. It felt way too fast, with tons of things he kept to himself that Max was supposed to know. It didn’t go according to his plan. He couldn’t dislike the feeling even if he tried to, so he pulled away from the kiss quickly before it went south.
The drive-in theatre next to the ice cream shop had an odd lightning that illuminated through the crack of Max’s Bentley. George could feel his tears coming when he finally met Max’s unknowing and surprised face.
“George?” Max scrambled, “I’m- I’m sorry. I got carried awa-”
“No, not your fault,” George says, “I was just…I’m not ready.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. It’s fine, I’m totally okay” Max replied, then the dam broke. George was in tears, not knowing where his courage had gone.
“I’m so sorry for ruining this night for you,” George says.
Max took a deep breath, “No, you’re not. I just- I took it too fast. I’ll get you home after this.”
“We’re good, I don’t wanna go home just yet. I just..” George sat in silence, “Can we just… stay? Not doing anything.”
His fear of Max knowing what he kept away from him was bigger than how his body was calling his name. Deep inside his heart, he saw a future with the Alpha. He doesn’t want that after all this year, the only thing that can reconnect the two of them is their hunger for each other’s body. George knew better than that. He knew Max’s track record, about how nothing in his life is truly a permanent fixture. There’s already a permanent string between the two of them. Repeating the same mistake he did seven years ago would just hurt him even more.
All he wanted for himself if things go sour was to not get attached.
In the middle of doing so, he realized that Max doesn’t have the same understanding as he was. He doesn’t know that Theo was his son. To him, George is just the same omega like the others he was hanging with. There’s no meaningful attachment.
After this summer was over, Max would be back in Spain, or probably somewhere else in Europe if Madrid ended up loaning him to some club. George will be back in the UK, with Theo back in school reminiscing about one amazing summer where he got to hang out with his favorite football player. It was his fault for falling too hard for the Alpha, his fault to realize that he might be doing this to everyone else, not just him. It was also his fault for not trying to explain the connection that he’d be having if he would just be honest.
The voice in his head got too loud. There was a silent battle that George knew is just how his mind works. Too much thinking, not enough optimism.
“Yeah, we can do that,” Max answered, putting his body back on the comfortable side of the driver seat after comforting the omega, “We can stay here and talk, I’m here if you need me, George.”
Max smells like comfort, it’s hard to brush off the smell permeating the car. “I just realized it’s almost midnight, maybe I should go back to the hotel.”
Max looks confused, “Come on, George. It’s fine. I wasn’t mad that you weren’t ready… The night still ended amazingly to me.”
George’s eyes are still watery. He can sense that Max was getting irritated. Maybe he’s right this time, he was ruining the Alpha’s perfect plan. “I can get myself an uber. We are good, Max.”
“Wait, why? I don’t understand, George,” Max asked, “If things go fast, then we can take it slower. I’ll do it for you! Do you not know how hard it was for me to look for you after all these years, George?”
George rolled his eyes, “Oh Max, you’re talking about this again.”
“Because you’re lying to me, you know it was you and it’s always been you!” Max says. His voice is shaking. “I know it, George. I felt it deep inside of me. I don’t know why you keep trying to play this guessing game?”
“Then why don’t you look for me after that? If it was so special to you, why don’t you try to look for me?” George asked.
All he remembers was that Max was seen to be partying with another omega later that month, after they met that night. George doesn’t really care either, he knew that a summer fling wasn't meant to last. It was supposedly a story he’d keep to himself, then pass down when he tried to be cheeky and tell it to his adult grandchildren when he’s older.
Max was supposed to be just another Alpha, but then Theo happened, and George knew the consequences, he just didn’t expect it to happen to him.
He knew that it doesn’t mean that much to the Alpha, as much as it was for him. So every time he thought about Max, he quickly came to his senses that the Alpha would not really care about what happened. George was supposed to be just another Omega.
“But you’re also lying to me,” Max tried to find a reason, his eyes were round with a question. “I was confused, and I don’t know. I just… I don’t know why you would lie to me? If it was you after all this year? All I needed was a literal answer, but you make it complicated.”
“Just save it, Max. Please,” George replied, “I’ll talk to you but not today. Just let me go home.”
“You’d just avoid me, George,” Max replied.
“I wish I really could, Max,” George whispered under his breath, “I’ll see you sometimes again.”
Max unlocked the car, letting George open his car door to get a breath of fresh air. He’d drive him back to the hotel, but the omega refused.
“Is there someone else, George?” Max asked, in the silence of the in-drive theatre where they currently have their credit rolled, “Or did you hide anything from me?”
George’s car is here, he left with his tears still rolling, and with Max still not having his answer.