Ivy #2
"Very." I hand it back to him. It's so heavy, my arm sags beneath its weight. "You're so fucking sweet. You were going to go in there without a hood because you thought I was cold."
I swear his ears turn slightly red. It's no big deal.
It's very much a big deal.
He pulls the coat back on and immediately adjusts the hood. His shoulders only loosen up when he's as covered as he possibly can be without an actual mask.
Do I look okay? he signs, dryly.
"More than okay. You're beautiful."
No I'm not.
"I'm the omega. I make the rules, remember?" I tease, bumping my hip against him.
And I mean it with all my heart.
I don't tell him he isn't just hot as fuck in his canvas jacket, he's cute, because a giant shy alpha is catnip for me, apparently. It's way too easy to fluster him. He's already flustered right now, just from that.
We walk in together, me slightly in front so I'm the first thing anyone sees, and when he pushes the door open over my head, the fucking cowbell over the door announces us to everyone.
Everyone turns out to be just four people, at least. A grizzled old alpha at the counter with his back to us.
A beta couple in a booth by the window, both of them looking up over laminated menus.
And an omega server leaning against the coffee machine with a rag over one shoulder, mid-conversation with the cook through the pass-through window.
The server sees me first and starts a smile.
Then she looks behind me, and up.
Her face drains of color so fast I actually watch it happen. The smile freezes halfway up and just stays there, frozen like a glitched out animation, while her knuckles go white around the coffee pot handle.
"Hi," I say brightly, stepping forward, and she drags her eyes down to me with visible effort, her throat working. "Corner booth for two, please?"
"Y-yeah," she manages. "Yeah, of course. Anywhere you want. It's… anywhere."
She grabs two menus and walks us over without once turning fully around, moving kind of sideways, her eyes flicking back toward Wraith's general vicinity without looking directly at his face.
She's trying to be polite, but she's making it glaringly obvious he's scaring her, even though he'd never be a threat to her.
All he's doing is keeping his head down and his hands in his pockets, trying to take up less space, which is impossible for him.
The couple watches us pass. The female beta's menu lowers slowly. The male beta turns back to his coffee, clearly deciding this is none of his business.
Wraith slides into the corner of the booth, back to the wall, facing the door. He's always facing exits and entrances, keeping me safe, even if it means his whole exposed face is now visible to anyone who looks over here.
I sit across from him, hoping my head and hair at least block some of it. But he's so tall, even sitting down, I don't think so.
The omega server sets the menus down. Her hand shakes hard enough that the plastic laminate rattles against the tabletop.
"Can I… can I get you drinks?" she squeaks.
I glance up at Wraith.
Iced coffee, please, he signs, even though her eyes go totally blank and she clearly can't understand what he's saying.
"Coffee for both of us, please," I say, keeping my voice light and carefree so she doesn't bolt for the kitchen before we can order. "Iced. He can't really do hot drinks—"
She nods too many times and leaves quickly.
Yep. Before we could order.
I smile at Wraith across the table. "See? That went fine."
He gives me a flat look over the table.
I nudge his boot under the table with mine. "It did! She took our order. Um. Part of it."
He huffs softly and picks up the menu. It looks ridiculous in his hands, this flimsy little thing between his huge scarred fingers.
The alpha at the counter turns around on his stool. He looks at Wraith for a long moment, openly. Wraith's eyes stay on the menu, but I see his jaw muscles tighten, the scarred tissue shifting over the bone as his sharp teeth press together slightly.
I reach across the table and put my hand over his.
Counter Alpha watches me lace my fingers through Wraith's and lean my chin on my other hand, completely relaxed. Then the guy shrugs to himself, turns back around, and goes back to his pie.
I can totally do this. I can show the room exactly how safe he is with how I act around him, and the room mostly follows.
The server comes back with our drinks, sets them down with minimal rattling this time, and takes our order. Pancakes for me. Wraith points at the garden omelet and the fruit cup, and she writes it down without looking at him at all, but as much as it bothers me, I don't think it bothers him.
She leaves, and I shiver.
The heater in here must be fighting a losing war with the mountain cold. I pull my coat tighter around my shoulders.
He watches me carefully.
I force myself to stop shivering, or try, grinning sheepishly at him. "Sorry, I'm just really fucking excited for pancakes. So excited I'm shaking."
He levels a completely disbelieving stare at me, then starts shrugging out of his canvas coat again.
Oh no.
"Really, I promise, I'm… okay, you're giving it to me anyway. But your hood…"
He shrugs like it's nothing, still holding it out to me, and places his palm against the center of his chest. He moves it in a small circular motion.
Please?
I gulp. "Are you sure…?"
He nods, giving me a thumbs up.
I take the coat reluctantly, guiltily, and pull it on, sinking into its heavy warmth.
Wraith reaches out with both hands and tugs the jacket's collar up around my neck, fixing my hair too.
As he pulls back, his hand brushes against the side of my face, and I lean instinctively into it, nuzzling his palm.
I catch the server watching us from the counter where she's loading a tray with our plates. She smiles to herself, and this time, when she comes up to the table and gives us our food, she's relaxed. Maybe still slightly shaken, but relaxed.
And finally, nobody's paying attention to Wraith.
I eat pancakes drowning in syrup and steal pieces of his fruit cup with my fork, and he pretends to fend me off even though he's making sure I get the best pieces.
He eats his omelet in careful bites, keeping his head turned and down, and I don't watch too closely because I know he hates being watched when he eats.
The beta couple leaves. Counter Alpha leaves. New people don't come in, and eventually it's just us, the server refilling my coffee and sneaking glances at Wraith with progressively less fear and more curiosity each time, even though he doesn't have his hood anymore.
By the third refill, and my milkshake, she says, "You two visiting family up here or just passing through?"
"Camping," I say. "He needed to show me the real mountains."
"Well, you picked a romantic weekend for it." She tops off my mug. "High chance of northern lights tonight."
My eyes widen. "Wait, really?" I ask, excited.
Wraith huffs a sigh that immediately makes me realize he knew about this, and I didn't, and he's been keeping it a surprise somehow this entire time.
"Oh, never mind," the server says, grinning and waving her hand. "You didn't hear it from me. Nothing but clouds tonight. Won't be able to see a thing. Can I get you two anything else?"
Wraith shakes his head, signing a thanks she nods and smiles at this time, because she's picked that sign up from my translations. And when she walks away, I catch him watching her go with this cautious, stunned expression, and I understand why.
Nobody's just talked to us before.
Out in public. Casually.
"Can we do this again?" I ask, sipping my milkshake. "I love it here. We could be regulars. Our secret place, just you and me."
He gazes at me, his eyes soft and warm, and for once, not disbelieving. Then he nods slowly and reaches across the table. He pulls my hand to his mouth and presses his teeth gently against my knuckles.
Tonight, I finally get to wear Wraith's mark.
And I'm not scared at all.