Work Text:
Flirt Like A Bird
Billy has spent countless months spending all of his free time in the little dance studio in the city perfecting his dancing, learning a meticulously put together routine all for this moment. Only to stop in his tracks when music starts playing over the buildings loudspeaker, and Chad Felmore starts doing his own routine. He is ruining Billy’s moment, Billy clenches his fists as he realizes he is not just stealing his moment, Chad is also going after the same omega as Billy.
Steve is stock still in the middle of the lobby, eyes wide as he watches Chad's routine. Everyone is watching Chad. The lobby had been full, bustling with activity, but everything stopped abruptly as the music started, all attention now on the alpha presenting for an omega. Billy growls low in his throat, he cannot stand here and watch some other alpha make headway with Steve. Billy wants to walk over and cold clock the man, but he does not do shit like that anymore, he has been in therapy for a few years now, he is better than that. Billy turns on his heel and flees the building.
-
Billy decides he needs a different tactic if he is going to get Steve’s attentions on him. Billy stops by a department store he has avoided all his life, one full of flashy gaudy garments, specifically marketed towards alphas looking to draw the attention of an omega mate. It is all terribly hideous to Billy, and far from anything he would normally wear, but Steve does not have the best fashion sense at times. Billy has seen him in some truly heinous outfits, and some of the fabrics are similar, so he goes with a shirt that looks a lot like the paisley thing Billy saw Steve in just two weeks ago.
There is a small section near the checkout with smaller items, items omegas might like and Billy gives them a look over. Most of it is just as hideous as the rest of the flashy garments in the store, but Billy focuses in on one item. A pair of soft looking over sized knit lilac socks, similar to socks he has seen Steve padding around in at Robin’s apartment. Billy tosses them on the counter with the shirt when he gets to the cashier.
Billy does that, picks up things he thinks Steve might like, he has a whole trunk full of them tucked away in the corner of his bedroom. Billy has never actually given Steve any of the bobbles or little things he has picked up for him over the years, he has not worked up the courage to present Steve with any of them yet. He has seen what other alphas pick out for Steve, expensive things, luxury items, Billy has gone to that type of store on numerous occasions with the intent of picking something out in that vein but nothing there ever feels right.
-
"How did your dance recital go?" Heather calls as soon as he walks into the apartment they share, he can hear the laugh in her voice, smell it in her scent. Some days he cannot stand her, he can afford to live alone. why in the hell did he agree to share an apartment with her.
"It didn't, some other alpha beat me to it." Billy grouches toeing off his boots by the door, picking up the traces of omega in the air, Robin must have been here, the scent is too faint for her to still be here though.
“I know!” Heather is outright laughing at him now, he should really look into a new apartment, he does not have to stand for her constant mockery.
He is a little disappointed he missed Robin though he likes her, she is good company. "Where is your better half?" Billy asks as he makes his way into the kitchen where Heather is at the table sipping tea.
"She went to go rescue Steve, apparently his mother invited that alpha over for dinner and he is pissed about it." That peaks Billy’s interest, mood elevating.
"He didn't like the dance?” Billy tries to keep how hopeful he feels out of his voice and his scent, but he knows it is a lost cause when Heather snorts and rolls her eyes at him.
"What didn't stick around long enough to catch his scent going sour and him running off." Heather teases, and Steve had looked a touch uncomfortable now that Billy thinks about it, he had been too far away for Billy to scent how he was feeling.
"Did he?"
"Yeah told the guy off right before, apparently he won't leave Steve alone. You should have stayed." Billy snorts thinking about Steve making a scene just to tell the guy off, brow pinched cheeks red. Heather snatches his bag when he sets it on the table and immediately starts sifting through it and pulling a face at the shirt. "You don’t seriously think this is going to work." She clearly approves of the socks though, fingering the soft knit and Billy snatches them from her before her scent can soak in.
"You have a better idea." Billy growls, he just does not know what to do, he does not have the same swagger he did before the Mind Flyer possessed him. He has been in therapy for years now and he still never gotten back to what he was, sure of himself, capable of approaching the omega he likes, not turning tail and running just because some other alpha got their first. But it is not all bad he has also grown for the better, he will not make the same mistakes he did with Steve back in high school.
"Actually yes, and it's perfect, will totally work." Heather announces grinning like a maniac.
"Like what build him a house?" Billy bites out and he is being sarcastic but Heather is just grinning at him wider, she cannot be serious.
"I am not building him a house, this isn't the fucking Notebook." Billy growls, even as the idea feels right. Building someone a house is not just a ‘hey please pay attention to me’ gift, it is basically proposing marriage.
"Why not it's perfect, Robin said it would work."
"Really?" Okay maybe living with Heather is not all bad.
"Look you've got the money why not give it a try, Robin even offered to help so you don't mess it up." She is right he does have the money, a whole slew of it doing nothing but sitting pretty in the bank, and he has a plot of land too, big and spacious could do a lot of stuff with that.
"Why does she think it's a good idea." Billy is not after Steve for a quickie, he is not just a passing fancy. Billy has been interested in him since their high school days, he will marry Steve if he lets him, bond him and put a ring on it, all of it.
"Steve says he's always wanted a home, that he has always just lived in a house, like it's one of those things he goes on about when he gets drunk or high with Robin. Having a home with someone."
Billy contemplates, everyone knows by now the Harrington's are not really the parental type, they only had Steve for the status. After he was born they promptly abandoned him to nannies for his formative years and during high school Steve put up a good front of being what they wanted him to be till he presented. Then Steve stopped putting on the show for daddy, he did not have to, could give up being king Steve and relax because Mr. Harrington was just as pleased to have an omega in the family.
Omega are not rare exactly but alphas definitely out number them, with betas being the majority. So an omega as a bargaining chip for marriage had been Harrington sir’s wet dream. Not that his wife let him get away with bargaining Steve away to further his own career, she may not care for Steve as a mother should but she has some protective instincts. However the woman has also become desperate for grandchildren in the last year or so, no one knows why, some delayed maternal instinct setting in or if she simply wants them as another status piece. So any alpha with the right family or money that takes an interest in Steve has an easy way of getting at him.
“Alright where do we begin?” Billy flinches when Heather squeals.
-
It takes a year before the place is up to the high standards Billy has set for it, Billy feels dread anytime he sees another alpha sniffing around Steve, but he always turns them down. Billy is finally ready to show Steve the house he built for him, hopefully for them.
Billy finds Steve as he is coming out of the dinner, nearly runs into him in his excitement. Steve just gives him a cock of his head in question, nostrils flaring as he scents Billy’s mix of excitement and nervousness. “What has you all worked up?” Steve asks his own scent going soothing, something he always does when Billy is around and worked up. It is one of Billy’s favorite things about Steve.
Billy does not respond to the question instead blurting. "Will you come with me? I want to show you something, promise it's not my dick or anything."
"You know one time an alpha did that back in high school, just showed me his dick and asked for a response." Steve says a little laughing, and Billy feels his cheeks going pink.
"How did that work out for him?" Billy plays along even though he knows the answer.
"Carol punched him in the dick.” Steve says grinning, scent bright.
"Sounds like he deserved it." Billy had definitely deserved it but his dick still gives a painful twinge at the memory. Steve hums in agreement with another laugh
“Well lead the way Billy.” Billy wastes no time leading Steve to the Camaro.
-
Billy is nervous the entire time he walks Steve though the house, showing him each room, the master bedroom, the two offices, and everything else. “Well what do you think?” Billy asks, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans as he shows Steve the sun room.
"Wow its perfect, any omega would be lucky." Steve’s back is to Billy and his voice sounds strained, scent off, Billy can smell it under the false cheer he is pumping out now.
It gives Billy pause but he has come this far, he is not backing out now. “It’s for you.”
“What?” That false cheer melts away to actual warm happiness and bright hope as Steve turns to look at Billy with wet eyes. “You built this for me, really?”
It gives Billy confidence as he crowds into Steve’s space. “Yeah pretty boy, been trying to figure out how to convince you to give me a shot for years.”
“You could have just asked.” Steve’s hands tangle in the fabric of Billy’s shirt as Billy's arms go around his waist pulling them flush.
“I guess you could show me your dick again sometime.” Billy lets his forehead fall against Steve’s shoulder groaning as Steve laughs, he is never going to live that down. “Kiss me?” Billy does not need to be asked twice. He has been waiting to taste those lips since the day they met.
-End