Avery tried to carry Noël upstairs after finding him asleep on the sofa, but halfway up the staircase, the Omega stirred in his arms. His lashes fluttered before he mumbled in a sleepy voice, "Avery…?"
"You can keep sleeping," Avery whispered, adjusting his grip carefully so he wouldn't jostle him.
Instead, Noël clung to his neck, hugging him tightly. "I missed you," he murmured, his voice low but sincere.
Avery paused on the steps, startled by the sudden confession. His chest softened instantly. "I missed you too," he said quietly, brushing a hand against Noël's back before carrying him into the bedroom.
Once on the bed, Noël sat up, rubbing his eyes. Then, with sudden excitement, he reached for the plushy he had been holding all evening. He thrust it toward Avery with a childlike smile. "Look! I won this today!"
Avery's lips curved into a rare smile. "You won it?"
"Mm-hm," Noël nodded enthusiastically. "Even though I always have bad luck with these machines… somehow, I got it this time. I couldn't believe it."
Avery chuckled softly, reaching out to touch the bear's ear. "You don't have bad luck. Not with me." His eyes softened. "You're my lucky star, Noël."
Noël blinked, warmth spreading in his chest. "Your… lucky star?"
"Yes," Avery said simply.
The Omega's heart squeezed at the words. For a moment, he just stared, then shyly pushed the plushy into Avery's hands. "Then… I'll give it to you. So you'll always have your lucky star with you."
Avery looked at him in surprise. "You're giving it to me?"
Noël nodded firmly. "And—" He dug into his bag and pulled out a small packet of brightly colored candy. "I bought these for you too. They're really sweet. Try them later."
Avery accepted both gifts, clearly amused. "You're spoiling me now."
Noël grinned sheepishly. "I just… I don't know. Today felt like something I should share with you." His excitement returned as he rambled about the amusement park—the rides, the cotton candy, the lights that reminded him of Christmas. Avery didn't interrupt, only listened with quiet attention, eyes lingering on the way Noël's face lit up with every detail.
When Noël finally ran out of words, his head dropped against Avery's shoulder. "I'm really happy I got to go out today," he whispered.
"Good." Avery kissed his temple, pulling the blanket over them both. "Sleep. You'll need the energy for tomorrow."
Noël nodded, eyes drifting shut almost instantly.
________
The next morning, Jay woke up early, staring at the ceiling with determination. Today I begin, he told himself. Adrian's condition still rang in his ears—two months. He had no time to waste. He needed to start laying the groundwork now, making Avery look at him differently.
At breakfast, Avery was reading something on his tablet while Noël picked at his toast. Jay slid into the seat across from them with a bright smile. "Good morning," he said smoothly.
"Morning," Avery answered without looking up.
Jay poured himself some tea before glancing toward Avery. "That shirt suits you. Makes you look younger."
Avery blinked, lifting his gaze. Compliments weren't Jay's usual style, so the words caught him off guard. "...Thanks."
Noël looked between them curiously, biting his lip. Jay almost never praised anyone.
As the meal went on, Jay continued dropping small comments. "That new cologne...it fits you." Later, when Avery asked about some files, Jay replied, "Only you could have handled them so quickly."
Noël shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Avery to see his reaction. Avery seemed mostly indifferent, but Jay's sudden friendliness gnawed at him.
After breakfast, Noël suggested, "Maybe we could go for a walk in the garden later?"
"Sure," Avery agreed.
But when they stepped outside, Jay followed almost immediately, sliding his hands into his pockets casually. "Mind if I join you two?"
Noël's steps faltered. He never used to follow us like this…
Avery gave a small shrug, not particularly bothered, so Noël forced a smile and said, "Of course."
As they walked, Jay kept steering the conversation toward Avery. "You really manage so much at your age, it's impressive."
"I do what I must," Avery replied curtly.
"You make it look effortless," Jay added smoothly.
Noël glanced down, fidgeting with his fingers. Why does it sound like he's… flattering Avery?
Later, when Avery sat down in the living room with Noël curled beside him, Jay appeared again with a tray of fruit. "You've been working too much lately, Avery. You should take better care of yourself. Here."
He placed the tray in front of them with a bright smile.
"Thank you," Avery said, though his tone remained flat.
Noël, however, noticed the pattern. Jay was inserting himself into moments that used to be private. Moments that belonged only to him and Avery. It wasn't outright hostile, but it was strange. Different.
Noël bit his lip, telling himself not to overthink. Just days ago, he had been worried he'd crossed a line with Jay, so maybe this was just Jay being… unusually kind? He tried to convince himself, though something in his chest felt uneasy.
Meanwhile, Jay watched them carefully, every move calculated. Compliments, little gestures, lingering glances, all designed to chip away slowly, naturally, until Avery started to notice him. It won't look suspicious if it's gradual, he told himself. By the time two months pass, Avery will have shifted his attention…
He leaned back on the sofa, eyes glinting. "It's good we're all together today. Feels… like a family."
Noël froze at the word, unsure why it made him uncomfortable.
Avery didn't react, only placed a hand on Noël's shoulder protectively.
Jay hid his smirk. Step one: done.
______
Two days had passed since Jay's sudden change in behavior, and Avery sat slouched in the leather chair of the Linked office, staring at the reports laid out before him but hardly reading them. His mind was scattered, split between business and far more personal concerns.
The partnerships he had been fighting to secure were still unresolved. The deadlines he had set for himself were creeping closer, and though he hated to admit it, doubt was beginning to gnaw at the back of his mind. What if some of these corporations pulled out? What if the plan he had so meticulously built crumbled at the final stages? The thought of failure, especially with his father watching for a single misstep, twisted like a knife in his chest.
But that wasn't the only problem weighing on him.
His rut.
Avery leaned back, dragging a hand through his hair. Two weeks. That was all the time he had before it hit, and he knew Dr. Wu well enough to be certain that he would refuse to hand out more suppressants. The man was stubborn when it came to Avery's health, and Avery couldn't simply bully him into compliance. That left him cornered, forced to confront the one reality he'd been avoiding.
He clenched his jaw. The rut always made him different. More primal, more rough. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt anyone, least of all Noël, but his instincts took over in a way he couldn't entirely control. His body demanded satisfaction, and the more he resisted, the worse it became.
Could Noël handle that side of him?
The question haunted him. Noël, with his quiet strength and fragile edges, had already enduring so much during his heat. Avery didn't want to add to that burden. He wanted to shield him, not scare him away. But how did one tame something so deeply ingrained? Was there a way to be gentle, even during the height of rut? He needed to find a solution before it was too late.
As if his stress wasn't enough, another irritant had been worming its way into his thoughts. Jay.
Avery's brows furrowed. Lately, Jay had been everywhere. Every time Avery spent a moment alone with Noël, Jay appeared as if conjured from thin air, throwing out compliments or casually inserting himself into their space. At first Avery had dismissed it as coincidence, but the frequency had grown impossible to ignore. Jay was crossing lines now, testing how far he could push.
He thinks he's weaving his way into my life, Avery thought darkly. But he doesn't realize I'm already losing patience.
Just as that thought solidified, the faint sound of a door creaking open pulled him from his spiral. The door at the far end of the office swung open, and Avery's body stiffened at the familiar presence that emerged.
"So," came the deep, cutting voice of Mr. Cheng, "I see you've been enjoying your time off."
Avery's eyes snapped to his father, sharp and cold. Of all people, this was the last man he wanted to deal with today.