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Willy let out a shaky breath as he ran his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time that evening.
It was seven minutes until eight. Seven minutes until Liam was supposed to pick him up for their date. Art was out for the evening. Something about a serious work meeting. Or maybe just a regular meeting? Willy was too nervous to remember the exact reason.
The omega sighed, and he checked his reflection over once more.
His hair was styled—well, it was styled. It was a bit mussed from his nervous tick, but it was still neat enough. He was wearing a pale yellow shirt—soft, not stiff, that flowed nicely over his bump with buttons and delicate floral stitching over the collar. His pants were made of cotton—light and loose and comfortable.
He looked...dare he say...cute.
He wondered if Liam would think so, too.
Willy blushed at the thought of the handsome alpha, smoothing his hands over his shirt once more. According to P'Dean, yellow was the man's favorite color.
He supposed that made sense. The color suited him. It was warm and happy, much like Liam himself. And the apron he always wore at the bakery was yellow as well. Of course it would be his favorite.
His own favorite color was lavender. Soft and pretty and soothing. It was a peaceful color. Not offensive. Not arrogant. Not rude.
It wasn't any of the things that Willy didn't like, and it was a lot of the things that he did like.
And...
The omega thought with a small smile on his face.
Yellow is nice, too.
The doorbell rang, and Willy nearly jumped. He fixed his hair for a final time, gave his reflection an approving nod, and he made his way over to the door.
He held his breath before opening it, and once he did, all the air escaped from his lungs at once.
"Woah," Liam breathed, a warm blush settling over his cheeks at the sight of the omega in front of him.
"I mean, ah..." The alpha cleared his throat. "You look...nice. Really nice."
"Thank you," Willy said softly.
His eyes wandered over the alpha's outfit, taking in his dark washed jeans, and his cleanly pressed shirt. The lavender sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing several scattered about tattoos and highlighting his muscular arms. The top few buttons were undone, and Willy could see a hint of another tattoo peeking out near the collar.
In one gutter-minded moment, the omega wondered what the alpha would look like without his shirt. Exactly how many tattoos did he have? Were his abdominal muscles as defined as his arms?
Willy flushed pink at the thought. "You look really nice, too!" he exclaimed, the words rushing out.
"You think so?" Liam let out a nervous chuckle, fidgeting with his collar. "I wasn't sure about the shirt. I don't usually wear purple."
"Oh..." The omega said quietly. "Well, I think it suits you."
Liam's blush spread over to his ears, and he stretched his arm forward, holding out a mismatched bouquet of flowers.
"Here," the alpha said. "These are for you."
Willy's eyes widened slightly, and his lips parted open in surprise. The bouquet was full of reds and blues and pinks and yellows. The omega couldn't count how many different kinds of flowers there were. And they were absolutely perfect.
He accepted the offered bouquet with a soft smile. "They're beautiful," Willy said.
Liam practically beamed at that. "Shall we get going, then?"
The omega nodded, and the two of them made their way into the warm night.
Willy's lips spread into a wide grin as he looked around the night market. There were people everywhere—vendors selling everything from handmade trinkets to delicious smelling food, performers dancing and playing instruments, couples holding hands, children laughing in delight as a colorfully-dressed man tied balloons into different shapes. The thing that stood out most to the omega, though, was the large ferris wheel at the end of the street.
"This is incredible," the omega breathed out. "I can't believe I've never been to one of these before."
"I thought you might like it," Liam stated happily.
Willy looked up at the alpha, prepared to say something else, when a loud shout cut him off.
"Liam!" An accented voice exclaimed. "Over here!"
Surprised, both men turned towards the noise. A man was grinning widely and waving them over to a market stall on the other side of the street. He was tall with dark, curly locks and well-trimmed facial hair. His skin was lightly tanned, and his eyes were strikingly blue. His outfit was vibrant—full of clashing colors and mismatched patterns. Willy wasn't entirely sure where to look.
Willy felt a gentle hand press against the middle of his back, and he blushed.
"Come on," Liam told him with a smile. "I want you to meet someone."
As they approached the stall, Willy took the time to look it over. A table was set up behind the man, lined with large bottles and a bucket filled with colorful rings. Stuffed animals hung from hooked shelves above the table, varying in size and style.
Liam spoke up once they reached the stall.
"Willy, this is my friend, Seb," he introduced. "Seb, this is Willy."
The man—Seb—gave Willy a polite bow. "It's nice to meet you," he said.
Willy returned his greeting, and Liam continued with the formalities.
"Seb and I met in culinary school," the alpha said. "In France."
The omega nodded in understanding. So that explained the man's unique features.
"Where's Tawan?" Liam asked, looking around.
"Ah," Seb smiled. "He took Jules on the ferris wheel. They should be back soon."
Liam leaned close to Willy, whispering a short clarification. "Tawan is Seb's mate, and Jules is their son."
He turned back to his friend. "So how are things going with the restaurant?" Liam asked. "Figure out a name yet?"
Seb rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. "Not yet," he admitted. "But everything else has gone smoothly. We should be set to open in a few weeks."
"Only if someone actually finishes filling out the paperwork," a voice chided from behind them.
Willy turned to see an older omega standing there. He was pretty—tall with delicate features and a warm smile. Tawan, Willy presumed. Next to him was a young boy who Willy could only assume was Jules. He looked to be about eight years old, and he was the spitting image of his mother, save for his eyes. His eyes were the same bright blue as his father's.
Jules grinned brightly, his hands flying down to grip the push rims of his wheelchair before he propelled himself forward.
"Khun Liam!" he exclaimed. "Ma let me ride the ferris wheel!"
"So I've heard," Liam told the boy with a fond smile. "Did you have fun?"
"Uh-huh!" Jules confirmed happily. "I'm gonna ride it again later with Pa!"
"Sure thing, kiddo," Seb told his son with a soft smile. Then, he looked between Liam and Willy. "Now, back to business!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I wanna see if this guy's ring toss skills have improved at all since last year!"
Tawan smiled, walking around the stall to join his mate. He gestured towards a glass jar on the front table.
"Three tosses for only one hundred baht," the omega announced. "Although," he winked playfully. "Extra donations are always appreciated. All the proceeds go to the children's hospital. Land a ring around a bottle, and you win a prize!"
Willy hummed, and he reached into his bag to pull out his wallet. Liam's hand caught his arm, and he looked up in surprise.
"I can pay for you," the alpha offered quietly.
The omega gave him a small smile. "It's okay," he whispered. "I want to donate something."
Liam's expression softened, and his hand lingered for a moment longer before he pulled away to reach into his own pocket. Adter they'd each dropped their baht notes into the jar, the alpha gave him a playful grin.
"Don't get too disappointed when I beat you," he teased.
"Oh?" Willy laughed. "Is that right?"
The alpha nodded. "I'll have you know that I'm the ring toss master," he claimed.
"I don't know..." Willy trailed off with a mischievous smirk. "I have pretty good aim."
Liam waggled his eyebrows, and he handed Willy a set of three colorful rings. "We'll see about that," he said.
Willy grinned, and he took the rings from the alpha's hand.
"You're on."
Willy held his breath as he steadied his aim, practicing the perfect shot. He moved his final ring back and forth a few times, visualizing it landing around the bottle in the top left corner of the stand.
He released his breath slowly before making his last attempt at the game.
The bright pink ring flew through the air for a short moment before clattering against the side of the large bottle and falling to he ground. He let out a sigh of disappointment.
"I thought you said your aim was good?" Liam asked.
Willy rolled his eyes, playfully swatting the alpha's arm. "And I thought you were the ring toss master," he laughed. "You haven't made any shots either."
Liam shrugged. "I still have one more ring," he pointed out.
"Then by all means..." Willy leaned in, whispering softly. "Prove me wrong."
The alpha's eyes flickered down to his lips, and he gulped at their proximity before nodding. "I will," he said.
Suddenly embarrassed by his own boldness, Willy backed away, his cheeks burning pink.
Liam took a shaky breath and lined up his next throw. The alpha closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on the task before him. He looked between the ring and the bottles once more before tossing his final ring.
Willy watched as the ring soared through the air, seemingly in slow motion, before it landed perfectly around one of the bottles.
"Yes!" the alpha exclaimed, throwing his hands up in celebration.
Willy couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
"Congratulations," Seb said with a laugh. "You managed to get the closest one, which means you've one a level one prize."
The man gestured towards the shelf with the smallest of the plushies lined up. "Take your pick, oh Ring Toss Master," Seb teased.
Liam bit his lip before pointing at one of the prizes—a small plush bumblebee. "That one," he said.
Tawan smiled. "Good choice," he said before retrieving the alpha's chosen prize and handing it to him.
Liam accepted it gratefully, and then he turned to face Willy. His cheeks dusted pink, and he held the bumblebee out for the omega to take.
"Here," the alpha told him sheepishly. "For you."
Willy didn't believe it was possible for his heart to beat any faster. He could feel the heat spreading from his cheeks to his ears as he slowly took the small plushie from the alpha's hands.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I love it."
There was a beat of silence as the two of them stood staring at each other, and then someone tugged on Liam's arm. Surprised, the alpha looked down to see Jules next to him. The boy gestured for him to come closer, and Liam leaned his ear down.
"I like him," Jules whispered. "He's nice. And pretty, too."
Willy's blush deepened even further at that, and Liam let out a breathless laugh before meeting the omega's eyes.
"Yeah," the alpha said with a soft smile. "He is."
Willy let out a delighted hum as the cotton candy dissolved against his tongue. He pulled apart another piece of the spun sugary treat, smiling as he popped it into his mouth.
"Good?" Liam asked with a small chuckle.
The omega nodded before swallowing. "I didn't even know they made lemon flavored cotton candy," he said.
He took another bite as the two of them continued their stroll through the market. The sun has set, and the night was lit with street lamps and colorful lanterns. The moon was full in the sky, and the air was comfortably warm.
Their evening together so far had been...perfect.
They'd gone through just about the entire market, doing everything from playing games to watching talented performers to eating delicious street food. Willy didn't think he'd smiled so much in years.
The only thing bothering him...
His feet.
He'd tried to ignore it. The dull, aching pain that thrummed throughout his body from walking around so much. Physical activity was only getting more difficult the further along his pregnancy progressed.
He was having an amazing time, really. And he didn't want it to end. He was worried that if he complained about his feet, his date with Liam would come to an end.
As the omega finished his cotton candy, he couldn't help but wince.
"You okay?" Liam asked, concerned.
Willy cursed internally.
Of course he would notice...
"I'm fine," the omega tried to convince him.
Liam gave him a pointed look, and Willy sighed.
"Alright, it's just that...my feet hurt a little," he explained with a small pout.
The alpha's face fell slightly, and he opened his mouth to say something.
"But I don't want to go home yet!" Willy interrupted before the man could speak.
At Liam's bewildered expression, the omega's face flushed.
"I mean...I just..." He stammered before taking a deep breath. "I'm having a really nice time," he said softly. "And I don't want to go home yet."
Liam's mouth curled up into an adorable, dimpled smile, and Willy's heart fluttered.
"I don't want to go home yet, either," the alpha confessed.
There was a beat of silence, and then Liam's eyes lit up.
"I have an idea," he stated.
Willy furrowed his brow. "Huh?"
Before the omega could register what was happening, he felt a pair of strong arms surrounding him—one supporting his back, the other coming up behind his knees.
"P'Liam, what—" he gasped as he was suddenly lifted into the air.
"Hold on to me," Liam instructed.
Willy frantically flung his arms around the alpha's neck.
"What are you doing?!" he shrieked, his heart pounding violently in his chest.
"Your feet hurt," Liam stared matter-of-factly. "So, I'm carrying you."
"Put me down," Willy whined. "I'm..."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "You're..?"
Willy frowned. "I'm too heavy," he mumbled.
Of course he was. He was twenty-six weeks pregnant with twins. He certainly felt heavy enough. His aching feet could account for that.
"Nonsense," the alpha laughed. "You're as light as a feather."
Willy's cheeks burned red.
"But—" He protested, refusing to meet the alpha's eyes. "People are staring," he whispered, embarrassed.
It was true. And worse than just staring, a few passerbys were giggling at them.
Liam angled his head so that Willy didn't have a choice but to look at him. Their eyes met, and Willy's breath hitched.
"Let them stare," the alpha murmured softly.
Willy's heart skipped a beat. He felt warm, and painfully aware of his position. Pressed warmly against Liam's chest. Supported effortlessly by his muscular arms.
His words got stuck in his throat, and all he could do was give the alpha a small nod. Liam grinned, and he began walking.
And despite the crowded streets, in that moment, Willy felt as though they were the only two people in the world.
"This looks like a good place to rest for now," Liam declared confidently.
Willy looked around. They'd moved a good distance away from the busier night market attractions and towards a section where just a few vendors were left. A short stone wall jutted out just before a small bridge, and Liam walked him over towards it.
The alpha stood him gently on his feet, his firm hands still at his waist. Willy blushed at the feeling, and then he blushed even harder when he realized his arms were still wrapped around Liam's shoulders, and his belly was pressed up against the alpha's abdomen.
He took a shaky breath, and he looked up. Their faces were so close, their noses nearly brushing. Willy thought his heart would pound straight out of his chest.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Liam's throat bobbed as he swallowed, and he nodded.
Willy pulled back first, his cheeks still on fire as he took a seat on the short stone ledge. Liam sat next to him. Neither of them spoke as they simply watched their surroundings, taking in the glow of the full moon and the warmth of the night wind.
A young man stood across the way, his hands moving with practiced precision as he played a soft sounding melody on a violin.
"Romance," Liam stated suddenly.
"What?!" Willy exclaimed.
Why the hell is he talking about romance?
"The song," Liam told him. "Romance No. 2 in F Major. It's Beethoven."
"Oh," Willy said softly. Then, more curiously, "You know classical music?"
"I can remember the titles of a few pieces I grew up hearing," Liam explained. "I'm definitely not an expert, though."
"No?" Willy asked.
He shifted closer, urging the man to go on. Liam looked at him before laughing softly.
"My mom was a musician," the alpha said. "A concert pianist."
"Really? So you don't get your baking skills from her?" he teased.
"That would be my dad," Liam chuckled. "Anyway, I used to listen to my mom play all the time. Probably even when I was still in the womb."
Despite the alpha's playful tone, the phrasing settled heavily over the omega's ears, and he frowned.
Used to?
He remembered the wall of photos at the bakery. The couple that only appeared in the pictures where Liam was still a young boy.
Willy bit his lip, hesitant to ask. Should he...?
He studied Liam's face. The alpha had gone quiet, and he had a faraway look in his eyes. He looked almost...sad.
Willy decided not to ask for details. Not yet.
The night so far had been perfect, and Willy didn't want to ruin it by making the alpha relive painful memories.
"You must miss her," was all he said.
Liam gave him a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"A lot," the alpha admitted.
The omega reached out, and he gently placed a hand on Liam's knee. The alpha's eyes widened just for a moment, and then he relaxed. He tentatively reached out, covering Willy's hand with his own.
Willy's face warmed, and their eyes met. All they could hear was the soft melody of the violin, and the slow trickle of the shallow stream beneath the bridge.
"Willy," Liam began quietly, a pink blush dusting over his cheeks. "I...I wanted to say that—"
"Khun Liam!" a voice interrupted.
Surprised, both men turned to see Jules waving excitedly while Seb pushed his son's wheelchair from behind. The boy's lap was piled high with everything from sweet candies to oversized stuffed animals.
"You're still here!" Jules said happily.
Liam gave Willy an apologetic smile before turning to face the boy.
"I see someone had a fun night," the alpha said, gesturing towards the boy's collection of prizes.
"Uh-huh!" Jules nodded. "I rode the ferris wheel three times, and I played the duck game four times."
"And the ring toss game zero times," Seb sighed. "Because apparently, it's not as fun as the duck game."
Jules laughed at that, and Tawan rolled his eyes playfully.
"The ring toss game is fun," the omega told his mate.
"You like it?" Seb grinned, and Tawan nodded.
"Of course," Tawan insisted. "It's a classic."
"Then..." Seb smirked, wrapping an arm around his mate's waist and leaning in towards his ear. "Would you want to put your ring around my bottle later tonight?"
Willy nearly choked at the euphemism, and Tawan's expression shifted into something that was both annoyed and amused.
"Maybe if you're lucky," he settled on.
Suddenly, Jules let out a small moan of discomfort. Immediately, his parents ceased their playful banter. Tawan knelt down next to the boy, resting a hand on the armrest of his wheelchair.
"You okay, baby?" the omega asked gently.
"I'm fine, Ma," Jules told his mother. "Just a little tired."
"It has been a long night," Tawan replied with a small smile. "Let's get you home so you can rest."
"Mhmm," Seb agreed with a soft hum. "It's past your bedtime, anyway."
"Wait," Liam furrowed his brow. "What time is it?"
Seb pulled his phone from his pocket. "Almost ten-thirty," he answered.
Liam turned to face Willy. "Your uncle is expecting you home by eleven," he said, sounding slightly disappointed.
"In that case..." Willy stood, extending his hand for the alpha to take.
Confused, Liam accepted, following the omega's lead.
"Let's go," Willy told him.
He began to guide Liam back towards the bright lights and glittering attractions.
"But the car is parked the other way," the alpha pointed out.
"I know," Willy replied with a grin. "But there's one more thing I want to do before we leave."
"The ferris wheel?" Liam asked, looking up at the ride.
"Yes!" Willy said happily. "It's been ages since I've ridden one."
"Oh...uhm..." The alpha bit his lip. "Are you sure it's safe to ride while you're pregnant?"
Willy raised an eyebrow at him. "It's a ferris wheel," he stated obviously. "It's not a rollercoaster."
"Right..." Liam trailed off.
"Come on, then!" Willy exclaimed, too excited to notice the alpha's hesitancy.
Liam looked up at the intimidatingly tall attraction once more. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and he nodded.
"Okay..."
Soon, the two of them were being guided into a creaky metal seat, and the attendant lowered the lap bar over them while explaining a few basic safety rules.
As the ride began to move, Willy's face lit up.
Liam tightened his grip on the lap bar.
The higher they were lifted into the air, the further the alpha's stomach dropped. He squeezed his eyes closed tightly, inhaling slow, deep breaths to calm the sickening feeling in his gut.
Suddenly, the ride jolted to a stop, and Liam's knuckles turned white.
"Look!" Willy shouted, gripping Liam's bicep.
The alpha's eyes shot open, and he immediately regretted it. The sky was too close. The ground was too far away.
"You can see the river from up here!" Willy pointed out. "And there's your car! And the cotton candy stand, and the—"
Willy paused. "P'Liam?" he asked softly.
The alpha had gone pale, his palms sweaty and trembling against the lap bar.
"What's wrong?" the omega questioned, concerned. "Are you sick?"
Liam laughed nervously. "Something like that," he answered.
Willy furrowed his brow, confused for a moment, and then his eyes widened with realization.
"You're afraid of heights," he said quietly.
Liam looked at him, his cheeks red with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry," the alpha mumbled. "I thought...I thought I could handle it this time."
The ride jolted again, and Liam cursed sharply, his arm wrapping around the lap bar as if his life depended on it.
"Hey," Willy said gently. "Look at me."
He reached his hands up to cup the alpha's cheeks, turning his face towards his own.
"Don't look at the ground," he instructed. "Just look at me."
Liam gave him a small nod, his eyes glued to the omega's face.
"Now, name every classical composer that you can think of."
"What?"
"Just do it," Willy insisted.
"Uhm," Liam took a shaky breath. "Beethoven. Mozart. Bach. Ah...Tchaikovsky?"
The ferris wheel continued to turn, making two more agonizingly slow rotations before settling their bench at the bottom.
"...Brahms. Chopin. Debussy..."
The attendant lifted their lap bar, with Liam still nervously citing composers.
"Hey," Willy whispered softly. "It's over now. We can get off."
The alpha looked around, breathing a sigh of relief when he realized his feet could touch the ground once again.
Willy stood first, and he reached for the alpha's arm.
"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's get out of here.
Liam stood, and Willy gave the alpha a gentle smile before leading him away from the ferris wheel.
"I'm sorry," Liam whispered.
"Phi..." Willy gave him a sympathetic smile. "You don't have to apologize for anything."
The two of them were walking slowly together as they made their way back to Liam's car. It was safe to say that their time at the market had ended.
Willy's uncle would be worried if he was late getting home, and after the ferris wheel incident, he felt too guilty to ask Liam to do anything else.
The alpha frowned. "I ruined our date."
Willy shook his head. "You didn't ruin anything. If anything, it was my fault. I should've realized how uncomfortable you were from the beginning."
It was quiet for a few moments as they continued their stroll.
"How did you know that would work?" Liam asked.
Willy furrowed his brow. "How what would work?"
"You know," the alpha said. "The whole classical composer thing."
"Ah," the omega hummed. "It's a grounding technique. Used in cognitive behavioral therapy. An easy way to distract someone in situations where they're either nervous or panicking is to get them to make a list of something random. It helps take their mind off of whatever else is happening around them."
"Like...a ridiculous fear of heights?" Liam presumed.
Willy halted, his feet planted firmly in place.
"It's not ridiculous," he said.
Liam looked skeptical.
"It's not!" the omega insisted.
"Phi..." He turned to face the man next to him. "It's not ridiculous, and it shouldn't make you feel bad. Everyone's afraid of something."
It was silent for a moment as the words settled between them.
"What about you?" Liam asked quietly.
Willy breathed a deep sigh, his eyes downcast. Slowly, he brought a hand up to rest on the side of his bump.
"I'm afraid that I'll turn out to be the same kind of parent that my own were," he admitted. "That...even if I don't mean to, I'll end up pushing them away. And they'll hate me."
"Oh..." Liam trailed off with a small frown.
Willy raised an eyebrow, and Liam shook his head.
"Sorry," the alpha chuckled. "I thought you were gonna say something simple. Like spiders or snakes or something. I didn't expect you to get deep."
The omega flushed pink. "Well, that's just great," he huffed.
Of course.
He just had to go and be vulnerable, and now Liam was staring at him with some goofy smile like he was some kind of idiot.
"No, I didn't mean it like that," the alpha said.
He reached out and took Willy's hand, prompting him to turn an even deeper shade of red.
"I'm glad you told me," Liam said.
There was a beat of silence before the alpha cleared his throat.
"I'm afraid of failure," he said.
Willy's eyes widened slightly.
"With the bakery, I mean," Liam clarified. "It's the last thing I have of my family. I feel like...if I lose that, I lose them completely."
"Phi..." Willy said gently. "That's not going to happen. Everyone loves your pastries...There's no way you'll lose the bakery."
"And for the record..." he added, his lips curling up into a small smile. "I'm also afraid of spiders."
The alpha smiled then. Warm and genuine. "Thank you," Liam said.
"And for the record..."
The alpha ran his thumb across the back of Willy's hand.
"I think you're going to make an incredible mother," he said softly.
Willy's breath hitched, and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.
"You're smart," Liam stated. "And funny, and beautiful...and you care. So much. I know your pups will be lucky to have you as their mom."
The omega couldn't prevent his tears from spilling over. He let out a wet laugh, wiping his cheeks before turning back to the alpha with a smile.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "That means a lot."
Liam hummed, and the two of them continued their walk back to the car, hand in hand.
"There is one more thing I'm afraid of," the alpha said suddenly.
The omega tilted his head, confused. "What?"
Liam gave him a teasing grin. "I'm afraid of what your uncle will do to me if I don't get you home before eleven."
Willy laughed—a loud, carefree laugh that resonated from deep within.
He squeezed Liam's hand, and the two of them walked a little faster.