Chapter 2 #4
“Sorry about that. I had to fight for my life back there, but I found a straggler! They signed up for the bar crawl late.”
The friend, whom Koda assumed was Hollis, cast Koda a quick look before smirking at Jae. “A straggler, huh? Did they sign up after meeting you?”
“Obviously,” Jae said easily.
Hollis laughed and held out a hand. “I’m Hollis, glad Jae was able to drag you along for the ride.”
“Koda. I’m glad to be here. Jae has been very welcoming,” Koda said, internally chuckling at the way Jae bit his lip.
“I bet,” Hollis said, but before he could say more, a beta shifter called the whole group to attention. It seemed like it was time for them to make their way to the next bar.
Koda made sure to stick close behind Jae but with enough space that it hopefully didn’t feel like they were looming over him.
Koda tried to hang back enough that they wouldn’t be intruding at all, but any distance Koda tried to put between themself and their fated mate made their skin burn like they’d spent too long in the sun.
The two friends chatted easily, as they all spilled out onto the sidewalk. It took around two blocks before Jae began to shiver. Koda was barely phased by the cold, and it seemed like Hollis was faring okay, but Jae wrapped his arms around his exposed middle and cuddled against Hollis’ side.
“Do you want your big, new alpha friend to keep you warm?” Hollis asked, his voice low as if he was trying to be stealthy.
Koda’s bear grumbled, because they would love absolutely nothing more than to hold Jae and keep him warm. Koda wanted to give him time with his friend, though.
Jae glanced over his shoulder, and Koda almost did step forward and wrap an arm around him, but Jae snapped his attention back to Hollis. “You saying you don’t want to keep me warm?”
Hollis slid their arm around Jae’s waist, cupping his exposed hip bone in a way that was almost tender. Koda had immediately liked Hollis. Something about his energy was playful and kind, and watching the way he interacted with Jae solidified that assessment.
“I’m happy to, darling, but—” Hollis lowered his voice even further but still nowhere near low enough for Koda to not be able to hear it. “If Koda is only your first of five tonight, shouldn’t you take advantage of them while you have them?”
Five what, hookups? Had that been Jae’s plan for the night? That didn’t seem to match with the frazzled man Koda held in the bathroom.
Jae cringed and quickly shook his head. “I was just kidding. There’s absolutely no way I’m trying for five hookups—or five anything.
” Jae leaned in closer and whispered in Hollis’ ear, “Besides, I think I might be pretty fond of Koda. I just want to hang out with them—and you! I promise I’m not going to ditch. ”
Hollis sighed loudly, not bothering to lower his voice. “Well, I suppose one is way better than none, and Koda does seem nice. You’re still drinking all ten drinks, though.”
Jae’s entire body sagged in what looked like relief. “Are you letting my two gin drinks count, then?”
“Grudgingly, yes,” Hollis said. “But you do owe me a drink at the next bar.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” Hollis said, pressing a kiss to Jae’s cheek.
Koda’s bear was impressively unbothered by the platonic display of affection. While Koda hadn’t ever been a jealous person, it was good to know their bear wasn’t either. They both valued friendship and knew that love, in all its shapes and forms, was never something to begrudge.
A gust of wind blew through the line of shifters, and Jae shivered violently. Koda’s bear forced them to quicken their step until they were right behind Jae, there in case he needed them.
Okay, so no jealousy issues, but perhaps a bit of a protective streak.
“I don’t know how you’re not freezing your tits off, darling. If you’re not going to take advantage of Koda, I will,” Hollis said.
In a quick move, he released Jae’s shoulders and maneuvered under one of Koda’s arms. He smelled like apples and spice, plus the usual sweetness Koda associated with omegas.
Jae glanced up at Koda with wide, questioning eyes.
Koda’s bear sat up and mimed gathering both omegas up, so Koda followed their lead.
They held up their other arm, and Jae quickly slotted in against them.
While Hollis had both his hands stuffed in the pockets of his tiny denim shorts, Jae threaded his arm in between Koda’s overalls and their bare back.
His hand was freezing, but Koda didn’t mind, because as they continued their walk, Jae began tracing soft patterns into Koda’s skin.
When his hand slipped lower, tracing the top of Koda’s boxers, they shivered.
“Oh no! Are you cold, too?” Hollis asked, real concern clear in his voice.
“I’m alright, little one,” they said, accidentally using the playful nickname they had for Ronan.
Hollis stumbled on his next step, and Koda tightened their hold on his shoulders. His cheeks were tinged pink, and he had a slight pout to his lips.
“Little one…” Hollis murmured, and Jae snickered on Koda’s other side. “You know, I haven’t really been looking for one recently, but maybe I should get myself a nice big alpha to keep me warm.”
Jae softly squeezed his fingers into the flesh of Koda’s back. “Your own alpha… right?”
Hollis laughed, leaning around Koda to stick his tongue out at Jae, who stuck his out in return. “Yes, darling, my own alpha. Although,” he glanced up at Koda. “Can I continue mooching off you and your warmth tonight?”
“Of course,” Koda said, their bear very unhelpfully miming collecting both omegas underneath them so they could lay on top of them to keep them warm.
Like they were some kind of nesting bird.
Their bear very unhelpfully provided a series of rapid fire thoughts about their little duck nesting.
Unable to hold all the warm, fuzzy feelings their bear was flooding them with, Koda lowered their hand down to rest on Jae’s hip, spreading their large fingers out over his exposed skin. Jae sighed happily, melting a little more into Koda’s side. “You feel really good,” he whispered.
“So do you,” Koda murmured.
Hollis huffed. “Will I be third wheeling for the rest of the night? It’s fine if I will, I just want to prepare myself.”
“I promise not to impose on you once we’re inside,” Koda said. “Between bars, though, I would like to keep you both warm, if that’s alright.”
Jae made a soft noise, and Hollis reached behind Koda’s back. Seeming to know what that meant, Jae extracted his hand from inside Koda’s overalls and grabbed Hollis’ hand.
“You’re not imposing,” Hollis said, tipping his head back to rest against Koda’s arm. “Honestly, I had zero expectation that Jae was going to make it through all five bars. Maybe with you here we can convince him to stay out.”
Koda didn’t have to be mated to Jae to feel the sadness emanating off him. “Hol, I’m sorry—”
“No more apologizing!” Hollis said, shaking Jae’s arm up and down so their hands bumped against Koda’s back. “The past is behind us—like all three of our gorgeous asses—and tonight we’re only allowed to have fun!”
Jae huffed. “Okay, but only because you said my ass was nice.”
“It is very nice,” Koda murmured.
“What about mine?” Hollis asked.
“They’re not going to rate your ass,” Jae huffed.
“Will you rate my ass?”
“Eight out of ten. You should come with me to the gym more often.”
“You haven’t been to the gym in months!” Hollis squawked.
Koda kept their mouth sealed tightly shut as the two friends bickered back and forth. Oddly enough, it made Koda and their bear feel right at home. Their Alpha father and omega pop used to bicker like this, throwing veiled compliments and loving teases back and forth.
As they entered the next bar, Koda wondered how they were going to take the news that Koda had found their fated mate—at a Fuck Fate bar crawl, no less.
Their Alpha father would probably nod and say that he always knew Koda was going to find their person.
Their omega pop would probably insist on coming down to meet Jae immediately, which Koda would try to deter, unsuccessfully.
His pop loved coming down to the lower 48, meanwhile their father hated going “outside” as he always put it.
It had been a while since Koda went home. The last time was for their thirtieth birthday four years ago. Maybe Jae would want to visit?
“Do you both like to travel?” Koda asked as they entered the second bar.
The place was styled like an old time saloon, the staff all wearing some combination of wide-brimmed hats, vests, and ruffled skirts.
The bartender closest to them was wearing dark eye makeup that contrasted with their blonde beard, but matched their black and purple corset and skirt.
Koda had never really wanted to wear a corset, but watching the way the bartender’s hips swayed to the loud ragtime piano music definitely had them intrigued.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Europe, but I think I’m boycotting the entire continent now,” Hollis said, picking up a bright pink bar crawl menu while Jae dragged a clipboard with the regular menu across the sticky bartop.
“You don’t have to boycott the entire continent,” Jae said, flipping past the beer and wine menu to get to the food. “And I like traveling. I’ve been to most of East Asia and would love to keep going into the South and beyond. What about you?”
“I like going back to Alaska, and there's more of Canada I’d like to explore. Other than that I’ve never left the country but would like to one day.”
Jae’s fingers tapped along the top of the menu. “I’ve never been to Alaska or Canada. I think I’d probably like it, though.”
“It’s beautiful. I don’t think there’s really any other word for it. I love this city and city life, but there’s something special about up North.”
Jae gazed up at Koda, his eyes reflecting the gas lamps hanging above them, obscuring whatever emotion he was feeling.