Chapter Text
Upon entry, Oscar found himself feeling out of place in the grand ball that had been set up by the Queen herself. From the door, he could see Her Majesty where she sat on the overly decorated dais, atop her throne. Queen Claire was an intimidating presence that settled over the room and kept it at bay. She watched over the exchanges between guests and the dances taking place in the center of the floor. The Queen wore a mask, true to tonight’s masquerade theme. However, she wore a handheld one with the ability to remove it whenever she pleased. It served as a reminder to the power she held. While the guests had to keep their identity hidden behind their masks, the Queen could remove it as she wished.
Like any other guest, Oscar followed the crowd of newcomers towards Her Majesty and bowed in respect before sauntering off to enjoy themselves. Although, Oscar currently did not believe this night would be of any good to him. And as the night went on, it proved to be true. He drifted further and further away from the groups of nobles and settled next to the wall.
Oscar could carry a conversation had he wanted to, but if it was not obvious enough, he had been forced to join this particular social event and was not in the mood to be talking to snobs. And then Baron Webber himself had the audacity to not even attend and give Oscar some company here.
They had spent the day together before Mark had to leave the house and went off to his own estate for a check over. Admittedly, Oscar had been disappointed that Mark had, in a way, stood him up, but no matter. Oscar was here now. It was not as if he could not leave if he wanted to. But he had promised Mark he would participate in the Season. Oscar was nothing if not an opportunist. He could take this opportunity to scout for a capable Omega. The pool could not possibly be that terrible to the point that every Omega present was only able to be a decoration to be draped over an Alpha’s arms.
And so, Oscar’s gaze moved across the room.
He saw many fine Omegas, though their masks hid their true faces, literally and figuratively.
There were many he could not recognize behind a mask, but there were also a handful who were too well-known to have not been easily singled out.
George Wolff stood tall with his respectable family. The Earl Wolff had his wife’s arm hooked around his own, talking to several Alpha suitors for his Omega son. George himself was entertaining his own group of Alphas with his older brother, Alpha Lewis Wolff, as his chaperone. The youngest Wolff, Kimi, was nowhere to be found. It was no surprise as he was still too young to attend balls.
Near the dance floor, Oscar could spot the powerful Stroll family. He never cared much to interact with them. Unlike Toto Wolff, Lawrence Stroll always seemed much more interested in absolute power rather than connections. The Wolffs were a family. The Strolls were a business. It was not as if Oscar would have ever considered them, but it seemed that their Omega, Lance, had already caught the eye of the Alonso family.
Fernando had been married before. His previous Omega had passed away due to an illness and he had been in search of a new lover ever since, participating in every Season for well over a decade. The Alpha was an old man, but kind, as far as Oscar was aware of.
Oscar could care less to evaluate every Omega his eyes landed upon. The ballroom was filled to the brim with mediocre people dressed in jewels. He was not going to spend hours reviewing whether or not each Omega would be worth his time. But of course, there was one more family that stood out and caught everyone’s eyes. And by everyone, he meant everyone.
The Leclercs.
Of course, Oscar had heard of them before. His family was a lower class, yes, but they had not been living under a rock. The Leclercs were a large family with many Omega children to be wed. Their oldest, Alphas Lorenzo and Oliver, seemed to be the chaperones for their eligible Omega tonight, the Diamond himself.
Charles Leclerc somehow had a way of stealing the spotlight in a room filled with people that were always so full of themselves. His smile charmed many suitors and families. No doubt, his beauty was the envy of the ton. After all, who would not want the hand of the Season’s Diamond in marriage?
Well, not Oscar.
That was for sure.
Many Alphas were waiting in line to even be considered by Charles, but Oscar took a single glance at the Diamond, scanning from head-to-toe, and he found that he felt rather disappointed. Not my type.
Charles was bold and bright, like the Diamond he was rightfully named. But he was not someone that Oscar could take as a life partner. They were not compatible. Not because Charles would outshine him. No. Oscar could care less about that. But because Charles shone too bright by himself, and that was unwanted attention that Oscar did not fancy having in his life ever.
Oscar himself had not attended the presentation where the Omegas displayed their elegance to Her Majesty to be graded like it was an exam, which perhaps it was. His sisters were not yet of age to do so and he had no reason to be present if his sisters were not. But he had read the papers written by the anonymous Omega author. The successful publication was an impressive feat, in Oscar’s opinion. With three Omega sisters, he had always known that Omegas had the potential to be just as — if not more — successful if given the same chance as Alphas.
Although, Oscar could have sworn that the Leclerc family had not one, but two eligible Omegas this Season.
His eyes scanned the suffocating crowd for the signature Leclerc colors that were in blues and greens. Charles had been dressed in a beautiful baby blue color, so the other Leclerc should be in pastel green. It was a shame that Oscar could not remember his name. He usually had such a sharp memory for this and was able to recall anything with ease. He did not like it.
The void in which the name should have been left an itch in his brain. An itch he could not scratch unless he remembered the Omega’s name. It was an irritating enough disturbance to Oscar that he finally unstuck himself from the wall he had leaned on all night to go and search for the younger Leclerc. However, finding him would be easier said than done. Oscar could not remember his name, let alone his face. He had never even seen the Omega before. But whatever force was driving Oscar did not listen to logic. There was this weird voice in his head that was urging him to find this Omega. Reasons unknown. But with the mask on, the already difficult task would be even more complex. At least Oscar finally had a reason to walk around the ballroom after being idle in the corner for over an hour since arrival.
It was safe to say that Oscar did not like crowds. Like, at all. His attendance in this ball only confirmed that fact. Having to walk past other nobles during promenades was uncomfortable enough. Squeezing through them, however, was even worse. Some sent glares made of ice his way as he muttered an excuse me and promptly walked off, not wanting to bother with them. He was glad that most did not care enough to even acknowledge him. That part came as a relief. Sometimes how stuck up these people were meant that he could easily pass by and nobody would even blink.
Oscar had been breathing a sigh of relief as he got through a particularly large group — a fucking nightmare scenario, by the way — when he heard someone let out a frustrated cry from his right. Curiosity bloomed in his chest. It was not his best trait, but it got the best of him and, with a raised brow, he fought his way towards the ruckus. If he were to be stuck here until midnight, he wanted to at least witness some form of drama to bring back to Hattie. That way, this night would not be so boring and for nothing.
The pushing and shoving from other nobles never got less annoying. Why were these people so insistent on blocking everyone’s path? An excuse me should be enough for people to simply get out of the way. But no, they just had to pretend that they did not even hear Oscar speak. Oscar was about to properly lose his mind if another Alpha purposefully elbowed him—
“Ah, please, forgive me, my Lord,” A soft voice spoke, “I shall be off to grab you a napkin for that spill.”
What?
Oscar broke through the crowd. Fucking finally!
His eyes first landed on the mess of bright red wine that was a stark contrast on the white linen of an Alpha’s shirt. It was not someone he knew, but shit, that would be a pain to wash out. Then he looked over to the Omega who had most likely been the culprit of said spill.
His breath got caught in his throat.
Dressed in a flowy sage attire, the Omega hurriedly ran off from the scene of the crime. The short train trailed behind him like a waterfall of stars, shimmering against the chandelier lights. His silky, bouncy curls were perfectly embellished with jewels that matched the sparkles cascading down his back. Oscar unfortunately did not catch his face, only the green mask that rested over his eyes. Eyes that he did not get a glimpse of either, but desperately needed to see.
His feet began to move where the Omega had gone before his brain could even form an objection. He could not lose this Omega in the crowd. Oscar had to meet him. He was still floating in his head, lost in his own world. It had merely been the Omega’s back he saw a glimpse of and he was acting like a fool, being drawn in like a moth to a flame. Oscar was just a few steps behind the Omega now who seemed to not be in search of napkins, as they had passed many tables already. He was not in a hurry to return to the previous Alpha. Oscar wanted to smirk at the Omega’s wits. So the wine spill had been a way to get out of an uncomfortable conversation. Very clever. Capable, too.
Okay. Oscar had better stop following this random Omega around before someone thought him a creep or a stalker. It was not like Oscar could pretend he had not been following him around. He was not even hiding the fact that he was tailing this pretty Omega.
With a sharp exhale, Oscar called out to him, “Excuse me! Pardon!”
The Omega promptly turned his body. And Oscar all but froze at the sight of him.
Beautiful. He was so beautiful.
Wide doe eyes stared into Oscar’s sharp chocolate ones. Ocean eyes, Oscar realized quickly. His eyes were like the beach, where the shimmering sand merged with the turquoise waters. Bright green and brown mixing together into a unique blend of color, its beauty unable to be explained with words. It reminded Oscar of old family vacations in Venice and Crete, back when he was still a little boy and had no worries of the future.
And his face. Absolutely flawless. With little moles and freckles dotting his cheeks. His skin was a warm tan — like sweet chocolate, Oscar’s brain supplied — that was quite the contrast to Oscar’s own pale complexion. Despite the deep skintone, the cheeks beneath his mask glowed a cute red blush — he was kissed by the sun itself — that matched the color of his lips. Soft rosy lips. His lashes were criminally long and luscious. The ocean eyes looking up at him through them would have been enough to bring Oscar to his knees had they not been in public. He felt dazed just looking at him. He had never felt this way before.
The Omega’s face shifted into a frown, “May I help you, my Lord?”
Shit. Had he just been staring at him this whole time?
Clearing his throat, Oscar shook his head, “Uh, no— I mean, sorry, I had not meant to— I, uh—”
Fuck, that was not smooth.
Then laughter. From the Omega.
He was giggling at Oscar, hand pressed lightly against his lips to stifle the wonderful sounds. Oh. Then the Omega fully turned around and it was impossible for Oscar’s eyes to not have snapped towards his waist, snatched and perfectly fit in his waistcoat. Considerably smaller than Oscar himself, he could not help but notice.
“Is that how you introduce yourself to everyone you meet? Or should I be offended that you seem to be unable to form a single sentence for me?”
Oscar had to recover from this. He inhaled deeply to calm his racing heart and bravely took the Omega’s gloved hand in his. He then bowed down to give a kiss to the back of the Omega’s hand, “Apologies for my rather terrible first impression,” Oscar smiled up at him, “You stirred up a lot of butterflies in my stomach that I had never known existed in the first place.”
As Oscar straightened his back, still hand-in-hand, the Omega huffed out a breathless laugh, “Well, aren’t you the charming one?”
“Only for the most beautiful Omega I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Then had the privilege to talk to as well.”
The Omega bit his lip, seemingly holding back a smile, “Hm. Consider yourself lucky. Not many Alphas tonight have been able to keep my attention for long.”
“This is already a victory in my books,” Oscar said, “And to whom do I have the pleasure of meeting tonight?”
“Lando.”
Oscar repeated after him, “Lando…” The way his name rolled off his tongue was like a taste of heaven, “And your family name?”
Lando smirked, “Are we not attending a masquerade, my Lord? I should not have even told you my given name.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
Oscar got lost in Lando’s eyes for those few seconds that passed without a word between them. He only snapped out of it when Lando caved in and gave his surname.
“Lando Leclerc.”
Oscar’s eyes widened, “Oh. You are a Leclerc? As in, Charles Leclerc’s brother?”
Lando — God, his name was perfect — raised a brow, “Is that a problem?”
“No, not at all. It’s just that, coincidentally, I have been looking for you all night, Lando.”
Oscar could get addicted to saying Lando’s name out loud now that he knew it. It was such a unique name, perfect for the Omega it belonged to.
“Have you now, my Lord?”
“The void of your name in my memory is the reason I walked into this suffocating crowd of people. Now, I have it, and I will never forget it. Lando.”
Lando chuckled, “Oh, my. Am I that forgettable that you did not know my name but knew my brother’s?”
Oscar was startled and his eyes grew wide as he stuttered, “Oh, um, I had not meant to offend— Uh, that was not what I intended—”
“I jest! Do not fret,” Lando cut him off, resting his other hand on top of their joined ones, “You flatter me.” Oscar’s eyes shot towards their hands, warm in each other’s hold, comfortable in this sea of madness and glamour. He felt his face growing hot and flustered, “And who might you be, my Lord?”
Insecurity built up in his chest. Eye darting towards Lando, Oscar did not want to reveal who he was. His house, his status. It did not compare to Lando’s family. What if Lando found Oscar incapable of providing once he knew that Oscar was of lower status than him? That Oscar was not worth his time to get to know better?
So, instead of returning Lando the favor by giving him his name, Oscar decided to deflect. He brought Lando’s hand up above his head and guided him into a twirl. He answered by saying, “The most fortunate man in this ballroom. Currently, I have the most precious gem in my hands.”
When Lando was facing him again, he chuckled, “That would be my brother. No gemstone is more valuable than a diamond.”
“That would be incorrect, actually.”
“Oh? Fancy giving me a lesson now, my Lord?”
“I couldn’t help but notice your family colors,” Oscar continued, “You and your brother, Charles’s, in particular.”
“And? Where are you going with this?” Lando tilted his head like a puppy. Cute, Oscar thought.
But before Oscar had the chance to reply, the master of ceremonies called out to the room, signaling the start of the next dance, “A waltz, please!” All heads turned, conversations halted, and people began to move towards the dance floor.
As the violin ensemble prepared the music, Oscar turned back to look at Lando, who was gazing longingly at the gathering dance partners. He glanced at the dance card wrapped around Lando’s wrist and gestured at it, “Blank, is it?”
Lando’s eyes snapped towards the card, then back up at Oscar. He simpered, “And that concerns you?”
Oscar did not respond immediately. Instead, he took a swift glance at the dance floor. The decision was made rather quickly. It was obvious that Lando wanted a dance, and Oscar was not about to take for granted that he was the lucky Alpha by Lando’s side right now. All that was left to do was ask.
With a bow, Oscar held a hand out and said the words, “Lando, may I please have the honor of your first dance?”
At first, Lando seemed surprised that Oscar had asked if the way he was staring at the hand that Oscar was holding out for him was anything to go by. Then Lando grinned — a genuine, unguarded smile that made Oscar’s heart melt — and accepted the offer by placing his own hand into Oscar’s, “I thought you’d never ask, my Lord.”
Oscar smiled back and without a second to lose, he led Lando towards the dance floor. Oscar felt giddy with a childish kind of excitement swelling in his chest as he walked. He kept glancing back at the Omega just to see the sincere happiness in his eyes behind the mask. It made him happy to see that Lando was this excited to dance — with me, his brain added.
They took their places beside each other on the outer ring of the dance floor, hands falling to their side. Lando and Oscar turned to face one another, gazing deeply into the other’s eyes, then Lando curtsied as Oscar bowed. There was a moment where everything around them stilled. Everyone else faded away until all that they could see was each other. All that they could focus on was the way they moved together. The music began as their eyes rose and met again. Like when the turquoise sea meets sienna land.
Both of Oscar’s hands reached out to hold Lando’s. Oscar pulled him in a bit closer, chests barely touching, before they gently swayed to the melody. Front then back. Left then right. Repeat.
Oscar raised his left and Lando’s right hand, twirling him around, mirroring their earlier actions. Lando couldn’t help the small smile that touched his lips and Oscar smiled at the sight of it. Left then right. Repeat. Oscar twirled Lando again and their hands reconnected as they were.
They extended their connected hands out to their sides and stepped closer. Even closer than before, until their chests brushed, face inches apart. With their height difference, Lando had to tilt his chin up to look Oscar in the eyes.
With the exception of twirling, they never broke eye contact.
The strings began a small crescendo, building tension in the room. Following the swell of the music, Oscar rested his left hand on Lando’s waist as Lando’s free hand rose to hold onto his shoulder. With his other hand, Oscar still held onto Lando’s. The orchestra peaked. A second of breathless silence where nothing but them existed. Then violins resumed and they began to spin around the room together, in sync with the music. Their steps blurred. Actually, the entire room blurred until all Oscar could hear was the sound of his own heart beating in his ears.
With the great volume of the orchestra, no one but them could hear their conversation, forming a small, temporary bubble of privacy the two now had.
“I’d like to resume our lesson, my Lord,” Lando whispered under his breath as they spun, “Before we were interrupted. What of me and my brother’s colors were you saying?”
Oscar’s brows shot up, “You’re interested in talking about that now as we dance?”
“Yes. Now, humor me.” Oscar was really starting to like how bold Lando was. It was refreshing.
He let out a chuckle, his voice lowering, “Well, your brother is the Diamond of the Season, as named by Her Majesty,” Lando gave a soft hum to show he was following, “And he wears the colors of a diamond.”
Lando nodded, “Light blue.”
“Yes. And what about you?”
“Green.”
“Mhm. Or, more specifically, jade green.”
“Your point, my Lord?”
Oscar let go of Lando’s waist to twirl him. Then, mid-twirl, Oscar pulled him in, Lando’s back against his chest, and raised a hand under Lando’s chin. He gently turned Lando’s head so that their eyes would meet.
“Jadeite is objectively far more valuable than diamonds,” Oscar muttered with a smile, “And guess who I have in my arms right now? The most precious jewel.”
A crooked grin found its way onto Lando’s lips as heat rushed through his neck to his cheeks. Adorable. Oscar’s flirting combined with the intimacy of their embrace — and the hand on Lando’s chin — overwhelmed him. It was too much. Lando couldn’t hold eye contact for much longer and dropped his gaze to the floor, biting his lip in an attempt to stop grinning like an idiot. Even though Oscar could no longer see his face from this angle, he could see that Lando’s ears were turning pink as well.
Oscar spun Lando back around, hand back on his waist, back in their previous position. As they continued to dance, Lando finally looked at Oscar again, “I cannot believe it.”
“Cannot believe what?” Oscar raised a brow.
“You!”
“What about me?”
“Heavens, you’re such a pedant,” Lando bit his lip, embarrassed, “You’re a total bookworm and you succeeded in making me blush.”
Oscar laughed, “That was the intended purpose, Lando.”
“You made me blush over a fact!”
“Yes. You’re a rarity.”
Turns out, his face could grow a brighter red. Lando let out a squeak, “Ah! Stop flattering me! I’m flushed as it is!”
Oscar chuckled at the sight of Lando getting worked up over his hopeless arse. If you judged based on how flustered Lando was, Oscar did not seem like a terrible flirt. Though his sisters would not believe that Oscar succeeded in charming an Omega that was way out of his league. Lando looked away to calm himself down. Oscar just stared at him with such soft eyes that anyone who saw how he looked at Lando in that moment would know he was deeply enamored by him. And that he was right where he wanted to be. Together with Lando, holding each other close. He did not want this moment to ever end.
The world could be ending for all he knew. He wouldn’t know. In Oscar’s eyes, only Lando existed. Only Lando mattered. Only their bodies pressed against each other mattered.
The music was reaching its end. Only then did Lando smile up at Oscar, repositioning both his hands to hold onto Oscar’s shoulders. The final chord echoed throughout the ballroom and Oscar dipped Lando, his glittering train pooled at their feet like water shimmering in the moonlight. A silence settled over the room, similar to the one before the climax.
Lando and Oscar’s faces were inches apart yet again. This time, their noses brushed against one another’s. With the music gone, all they could hear were their heavy, warm breaths against each other’s lips and their heartbeats in their ears. Neither of them moved. They couldn’t. They felt as if they were frozen in time. At least, Oscar certainly felt so. He watched Lando’s lashes rest over his cheeks as his gaze dropped to Oscar’s mouth, watching the way his lips parted as he panted. Oscar felt his breath hitch at the sight. Inches apart, now only millimeters apart. It would be so easy to just lean forward and—
No. Oscar had to snap himself out of it. That would be unfair to Lando. To kiss him in front of a large crowd of people would be unforgivable. To do it at all without his verbal consent was so. Even though they were both leaning into one another. It could just be in Oscar’s imagination. After all, he had not been intimate in months.
Oscar pulled his face a safe distance away from Lando, who looked at him in confusion. There was a bit of hurt shining through that Oscar never wanted to see, nor cause, ever again. Oscar lifted Lando up from the dip, hands refusing to move from where it rested against Lando’s hip, and shook his head, “My sincerest apologies, Lando.”
Lando let go of Oscar’s shoulders, so Oscar followed suit and removed his hands from him too, despite the fact that he wanted to keep holding on forever and never let him go.
“No apology necessary, my Lord…” Lando whispered.
If Oscar was being honest, he could not stop himself from getting lost in Lando’s eyes each time he stared for even a single second. It took no longer than that to forget everything else existed. Oscar bit his lip, exhaling deeply while forcefully dragging his gaze away from Lando, specifically his eyes, “You must cease looking at me like that, Lando.”
That must not have been the right thing to say because it seemed that those words had only piqued Lando’s interest, “How am I looking at you?” His question came paired with wide innocent eyes and a teasing grin. He’s going to be the death of me. And Oscar would not even complain.
“With your eyes…” The sentence came out more as a breath rather than words, “Those mesmerizing eyes of yours.”
“Oh? Are they distracting you?”
“They’re doing a lot more than distracting me,” A pause before he added, “I fear what I may do under their spell.”
Oscar was sinking deeper, and deeper, and deeper into the ocean the longer that they spoke. And did he want to swim out? No, he absolutely did not want to get out. He did not need air. Who said breathing was necessary? Who needed oxygen when you had Lando looking at you like this? Certainly not Oscar.
“Well,” Lando started, his voice the only clear sound cutting through the haze in his head, “What if I wanted it too?”
Oscar blinked, eyes widening. Perhaps it was not a stretch to assume that Lando had liked him — was interested in him — as well.
Chattering and laughter around them had Oscar’s eyes darting towards their surroundings. It brought him back to reality and reminded him of where they were. The middle of the ballroom was not an appropriate space for them to continue talking so intimately. Someone would surely interrupt them soon if they stay in this position for much longer. You could call Oscar selfish, but he really wanted some time alone with Lando. Just the two of them. No guests nor chaperone.
“Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere, Lando?”
“Where do you propose we go? We are in the middle of the ball for the Season opener,” Lando slipped his right hand into Oscar’s as he said so. Unconsciously, Oscar started caressing Lando’s knuckle with his thumb, humming as he shifted. Then Lando spoke again, quietly, asking the same question he did before the dance, “What is your name, my Lord?”
Lando sounded genuinely curious. It was an innocent question. Nothing intrusive, really. But for whatever reason, Oscar wanted to keep anonymous for a little while longer. There was still that bit of fear in him, that bit of shame about his status. He just needed some more time to spend with Lando. He did not want to give it all up yet, if his fear were to come to life. So, he changed the topic of conversation yet again.
“The night is still young. I hear the gardens are lovely this time of year,” Oscar turned towards the hallway, lightly dragging Lando along with him, “Would you fancy a walk with me?”
This time, Lando paused. Maybe the lessons drilled into him for social events kicked in. The two of them have been interacting without Lando’s chaperone — Oliver Leclerc — and that was not very proper of either of them. Lando looked back towards the main area of the ballroom where guests were fraternizing, where Alpha suitors were flirting with Omegas accompanied by their chaperone. Meanwhile, in stark contrast, here were Lando and Oscar, standing a bit too close to one another, holding hands, without an escort in sight. And now, Oscar was inviting him to an even more private space to spend time together. Just them. Without anyone else to bother them.
It took a while before Lando moved from where he had been idle for a hot minute. Oscar was beginning to get worried that he had gone too far by asking that of Lando. He was about to apologize for being so crude when Lando suddenly rushed forward, dragging Oscar behind him instead of the other way around.
Oscar yelped in surprise, “Whoa! Be careful!” He quickly regained his footing and matched his speed to Lando’s, walking side-by-side.
“Trouble keeping up, my Lord?” Lando teased, “You were the one who invited me. I was hoping you would lead the way.” And Oscar just laughed, throwing his head back as they made their way out of the ballroom. Thank God for the masks tonight. Because of how fast they were walking, no one was able to recognize Lando Leclerc as he left the room.
Once they were in the hallway, thankfully away from the stuffy crowd, it was a lot more peaceful. Though there were still multiple wandering guests around, it was a great improvement from the ballroom. It felt a lot lighter for Oscar now that they were no longer blatantly out in the open for anyone to watch as they spoke to one another. He felt his shoulders drop and he let out a sigh of relief. To his left, he could see that Lando seemed a lot more comfortable now too, blinking a lot slower than he had earlier, facial muscles relaxing. Like finding cover from danger.
Lando must have felt Oscar looking because he soon turned his head and stared back. A soft, contagious smile found its way onto his face, which Oscar returned, “Not a fan of large crowds, my Lord?” Lando asked, “I myself am quite reserved. Charles, however, had always been a natural in the spotlight.”
“That, I have noticed,” Oscar responded to Lando’s statement about his brother then shook his head, “And no, I am not. I’ve always preferred my privacy over attending events such as these. In fact, my mentor was the reason I came tonight.”
“Ah. Feeling regretful of your choice now, are we?”
Oscar’s eyes lingered on Lando’s face. He quite desperately wanted to see Lando without his mask on — it was quite embarrassing how much he wanted it — but if he asked Lando to take it off, he himself would have to do the same in return.
“Well,” Oscar tilted his head slightly, raising his brows, “I believe meeting you was well worth being hauled out of my humble abode. I would not trade being here with you for the world.”
Lando beamed at Oscar’s words. He beamed.
Whatever it would take, Oscar would do it if it meant that massive smile being sent his way would stay on Lando’s face. His cheeks were bunched up, glowing pink. The way the corner of his eyes crinkled was adorable. And the cute little tooth gap — how had Oscar not seen it before? — that revealed itself behind his lips. He only just realized because Lando was grinning so widely and there was nothing to distract Oscar from him.
Suddenly, Lando brought a hand up to cover his mouth. Lando’s smile disappeared so fast that it stirred up some uneasy emotions in him. Oscar frowned. Seeing Lando so upset made him upset too.
“Are you alright?”
Behind his hand, Lando muttered, “Sorry, I usually avoid smiling like that.”
Oscar furrowed his brows in confusion, “Why would you do that?”
“My, um— My teeth aren’t as they should be. There’s a gap between my two front teeth.” He said it with such shame.
That just confused — and distressed — Oscar even further, “There isn’t anything wrong with that, Lando.”
Lando shook his head, ducking away, “I’ve always been conscious of it. I try to never smile with my teeth because of it. I need to look proper as an Omega should.” Oscar’s heart ached.
No. Oscar did not like how Lando was hiding himself from view, as if he were some hideous beast. That was the farthest thing from the truth. Gently, Oscar grabbed Lando’s hands and pulled them away from his face. There is that stunning face. They had stopped walking, facing each other now. Lando bashfully looked up at Oscar as he leaned his head down to get closer.
“You have a very beautiful smile, Lando. Inarguably the prettiest Omega I have ever laid my eyes on. I beg of you, do not let anyone tell you otherwise,” Oscar downright pleaded. He could not handle having Lando thinking he was anything other than beautiful. It was a crime for Lando to not believe so. He was ethereal. Oscar tucked a stray curl behind Lando’s ear and caressed his cheek, tracing his finger along his jaw, “You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
Lando and Oscar leaned towards each other more and more. Lando brought his hands up to grab hold of Oscar’s shoulders, bringing the Alpha closer to him. Lando’s head fell sideways as his lips parted. Oscar tilted his head the opposite way. They were breathing onto each other at this point. He used both of his hands to cup Lando’s face, pulling him in. Lando’s eyes were half-lidded already. So were his own.
He would have kissed Lando in that moment had they not been interrupted by footsteps coming towards them.
They broke apart so quickly that it gave Oscar whiplash. His mind was not his own at that moment. Guests were walking towards them. It was not his reputation he was worried about, but Lando’s. One of the perks that came with being an Alpha was how easily overlooked certain actions by them were, and yet had an Omega done the same, it would be ruining. Oscar would be able to walk away without harm. But Lando? This would hurt his — and the Leclercs’ — social status in the ton.
Without a second thought, Oscar took Lando’s hand in his and ran. He heard the surprised gasp Lando let out behind him, but he did not stop to look back. He made a sharp turn and ran down the corridor that would lead them out to the garden. Oscar briefly let go of Lando to open the gate, then he took his hand again just to bring him out of the building. Oscar swiftly closed the door behind them and spun around to face Lando. Lando looked taken aback, breathing unevenly, bug-eyed. Oh gosh.
Oscar winced, “I— Uh… Apologies for that, Lando.”
“It’s quite alright.” Lando replied quietly.
“No,” Oscar sucked in a breath, one hand on his own hip, the other pinching his nose bridge, “I should not have grabbed you so roughly—”
“My Lord, I really did not mind—”
“And abruptly! I just heard steps coming our way and did not want people to assume the worst—”
“My Lord—”
“I realize we were walking towards the garden either way, but I’m so sorry if the way I forced you out here was irresponsible—”
“My Lord!” Lando yelled, finally snapping Oscar out of his panicked rambling.
This time, Oscar shut up and listened. He closed his mouth, half-scared, half-intrigued.
“As I said, I am fine with this,” Lando continued, “You had me in mind when you pulled me along and I appreciate how thoughtful you were.”
“Yeah? That is good…” Oscar was quite at loss for words. He did not know what to say to break the ice this time.
“Also, thank you.”
Thank you for what?
Oscar just repeated his thoughts more formally out loud, “To what are you grateful I did?”
“Earlier. For comforting me. When I was talking nonsense about my self-doubt. You should not have had to hear that.”
“That was not nonsense,” Oscar frowned, disliking how Lando still talked down on himself, “And it was nothing. You do not have to thank me for that. It was the least I could do for you. It was also simply the truth.”
“You’re the first person — who isn’t my family — to tell me that.”
Oscar did not believe that, “That does not sound right. I, for one, do not believe that. How could anyone ever tell you that you aren’t a beauty?”
Lando snorted, “They do not say it to my face,” He rolled his eyes, “The ton still have some form of civility.”
“Then I shall be the one to say it again. To your face. You are gorgeous.”
Lando huffed a laugh, “Thank you, my Lord…” He blushed. But then his face suddenly looked determined. While Oscar was glad that Lando had been cheered up, he feared what might fuel Lando with such feelings, “I would really like to know your name. I grow tired of just calling you my Lord.”
Ah. Again. Lando wanted to know his name. Now, Oscar did not think he could get away with avoiding it another time. Especially when there was nothing to distract them anymore. At least, nothing that was not an obvious diversion, such as dancing. So, Oscar decided to play the game.
“Is there no other reason aside from that?” He teased. But he also wanted to know why Lando was so eager to figure out his name, aside from curiosity.
Lando sighed while smiling, “So many, my Lord. Firstly, how am I to know which caller to accept if I do not know your name?”
“Ah,” Oscar smirked, “You’re confident I will call on you tomorrow morning?”
“I should hope so. You’ve dragged me all the way out here, out of range from any other suitors I could get to know. You have been complimenting me, comforting me. And you have danced with me as well.”
Oscar nodded endlessly, “What are the other reasons?”
“I need a name to put on your face.”
“Oh. You believe you will recognize me without the mask?”
“With all due respect, my Lord,” Lando jokingly grimaced, “That mask is not doing a great job of hiding your face,” Oscar burst out laughing, doubling over as Lando grinned at him, “What was even funny about what I said?”
Oscar recomposed himself, but was unable to stop smiling, “I laughed at how bluntly you spoke.”
Lando did not buy it. He scrunched up his nose, shaking his head, “No, I think you already like me too much, my Lord.” Oscar really liked how bold Lando was.
“Cheeky.”
“And correct.” Lando added.
Oscar laughed again, folding forward. He could spend all night out here with Lando. He would if he was able to choose. And it would be the best company — outside of his usual companions — he has had in years. Lando was funny, charming, and genuine. Oscar really liked him. He was hoping Lando felt the same about him, “Well, Lando, my name isn’t as special as yours. It’s common.”
“That does not matter. After all, it is yours. All that matters is that the name belongs to you,” Lando said softly, “That is what makes it special to me.”
And wasn’t that something special to Oscar? How much Lando cared about just his name. It made Oscar sound so important. More important than he actually was. Oscar stopped smiling, eyes softening as he watched Lando. He felt the heat rushing to his cheeks.
Do not say he did not try. At least Oscar did not fold right away. That was already a win. He tried to hold back from telling Lando his name.
Without warning, Lando tightly held Oscar’s hands in his and pouted, “Please tell me your name?”
How could Oscar say no to a face like that? Those rosy lips puckered, his eyes looking up at him in that way, sparkling like the stars that covered the night sky above them.
He folded. He could not help it.
“Oscar…”
Lando raised his eyebrows, “Oscar?” His rich accent made his name sound different. The R was silent. It sounded more like Oscah coming out of Lando’s mouth. He thought he was addicted to saying Lando’s name out loud. Now, he could not get enough of Lando saying his with that accent.
Oscar did not know what came over him, but he stepped forward, closing the gap to Lando, and cupped his cheeks, “Say it again.” He whispered.
For a second, Lando seemed surprised by Oscar’s reaction. Then his cheeky arse caught up and smirked. He covered Oscar’s hands with his own.
“Oscar.” Oscah.
Oscar fucking groaned at that. Lando perked up at the sound, breath hitching, eyes widening.
“You must stop before I become addicted.”
Lando bit his lip, “Your request, Oscar.” He reminded.
“Stop.”
“You do not want me to stop.”
Oscar paused, reconsidering it in his own hazy head, before nodding, “I do not,” Lando grinned. Oscar returned it with a crooked one, still unsure of where he should be directing this conversation. They are pressed too tightly against each other — in such an intimate position — with no one around to see them. He panted, “Lando, I fear what I may— Hmph!”
Lando did not give him a chance to finish his sentence. Whatever he had planned to say, Oscar no longer remembered. And it did not matter anyway. All that filled his thoughts now were Lando, Lando, Lando. All he could think of was how perfect Lando’s lips felt against his own. His soft, rosy lips. Lando was kissing Oscar. His eyes widened initially. But then he relaxed and kissed back just as hard.
Unconsciously, Oscar moved his hands to wrap around Lando’s waist and he squeezed, pulling their bodies flush together. Lando arched into Oscar’s hold, deepening the kiss. Lando had his own around Oscar’s neck, holding their faces against one another. Oscar never wanted to move. He never wanted this moment to end. He never wanted this night to end. He never wanted Lando to stop kissing him. He never wanted them to part.
But for all of Oscar’s talk about not needing to breathe, they unfortunately had to part to do just that. They pulled back and panted for much needed oxygen. Their faces were red. Cheeks, neck, ears. Oscar especially. His pale skin was not helping hide the blush. My body is a traitor.
Lando giggled, poking Oscar’s pink cheek, “You’re adorable.”
“Shut up.” Oscar grumbled, but he was bashfully smiling. They didn’t kiss again right away. That gave Oscar time to misread the situation. He frowned, “I’m sorry. Are we moving too fast for you?”
Oscar was ready to apologize and beg for forgiveness. He was a selfish man. He did not want to let go of Lando’s waist. But if Lando asked, he would leave. Thankfully, that did not seem to be the case.
“Do you jest?” Lando said breathlessly.
“Uh,” Oscar did not know what the right answer was, but he replied, unsure, “No…?”
“Oscar,” Lando whined. Oh, God. Oscar was a weak man for Lando, “Kiss me again.”
And who was Oscar to deny him? Their faces crashed together, connecting lips once more.
He really is going to be the death of me.