How long had it been since anyone touched him this kindly, anyway? Olivier couldn’t remember. He’d take any skin contact, but Eric... Eric had been his safe place, once upon a time. They’d curled up in bed together, and Olivier had slept best in his brother’s arms.
Olivier trudged to his car, unsure what he could even say. That was a good fuck? Sorry I lied to you all those years ago?
“Which pharmacy?” Eric asked. “I’ll follow in my car.”
“You don’t have to,” Olivier said.
“Gonna make sure you’re all right, damn it.” Eric narrowed his eyes. “You’re my omega now.”
Olivier’s stomach flipped. “The bite doesn’t have to mean anything.”
“Do you want it to?”
Eric’s stare burned into the side of his head. Olivier had no answer for him. If he acknowledged the bite... sooner or later, the truth would be discovered. Eric would lose his relationship with their parents.
So Olivier shook his head. “No. I won’t be your omega.”
“Okay.”
Eric sounded nonchalant, like he couldn’t care who Olivier was to him.
Just like that, Olivier’s heart cracked again.
He hunched his shoulders, trying to convince himself to stay away from Eric. Olivier unlocked his car door, climbing in. “I can do this myself.”
“I’m following,” Eric said. “I’m paying for the stuff you need. Meds, doctor bills, whatever.”
One glance at the back door of Olivier’s Strings, and Olivier nodded. With his failing business... he needed all the help he could get.
At the pharmacy, Eric parked next to Olivier, cutting his engine.
What would it feel like to have Eric’s lips on his again? Olivier shivered, pushing the thought out of his mind. That had been a fling, nothing more. Why would Eric kiss him, anyway?
And yet... he wished Eric wouldn’t leave tonight. Just so he could pretend they were young again, back when things had still been good between them.
Olivier climbed awkwardly out of his car, keeping his eyes fixed on the asphalt as he crossed the road. Behind, Eric followed, hands in his pockets. His gaze rested heavily on Olivier, and Olivier’s skin prickled.
Stop looking at me. You have better places to be right now.
They entered the store, the chime ringing to announce their arrival. Olivier jumped. He couldn’t help feeling antsy. If he did nothing... he could conceive this very night.
Inside, fluorescent lights illuminated the store. Medicine boxes crowded the shelves, and the aisles were empty. Olivier was vaguely familiar with this place. He visited sometimes to pick up his BC pills.
Behind the counter, an elderly beta beamed. Olivier froze, recognizing old Mrs. Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan was short and plump, peering at them through her reading glasses. It seemed as though she’d been working at the drugstore her whole life.
“Olivier!” she said, waving. “And is that... that’s Eric, isn’t it? Eric, I haven’t seen you in ages! How you’ve grown up!”
Fuck. Olivier froze, only now realizing how terrible this was. Mrs. Sullivan remembered them both. Worse, she was a terrible gossip.
And Olivier smelled like his brother, and sex.
Eric nodded at Mrs. Sullivan, glancing at Olivier for a cue.
“I’ll do this myself,” Olivier said under his breath. “Please.”
Eric looked as though he wanted to protest. But if he stepped any closer, and if Mrs. Sullivan realized they both smelled the same... She’d know what Olivier had done.
“Here,” Eric said, pulling out his wallet. “Take my card.”
He handed Olivier a credit card, with Eric Lancaster printed across the bottom. Olivier tried not to look at it, hurrying up to the counter. The sooner he could leave this place...
“Good evening,” he said. “I’m looking for an enema. And also... a morning-after pill, if you have one. Or two.”
Mrs. Sullivan opened her mouth, looking hard at him. “A morning-after pill?” she said disapprovingly.
Olivier’s face burned. He didn’t owe her an explanation. “Yes,” he said. “If I could have one, that would be perfect.”
She clucked her tongue, glancing at Eric. Olivier rubbed his thumb over the embossed letters on Eric’s credit card, his nerves pulling tight. If he could leave, if nothing bad happened after tonight... I shouldn’t have slept with Eric.
“Let me retrieve a pack,” Mrs. Sullivan said, turning to a shelf behind the counter. She took one box, then an enema kit, returning to the register. “Sure is nice of your brother to accompany you.”
Olivier couldn’t meet her eyes. Mrs. Sullivan scanned the items, and then her nostrils flared. She was smelling Olivier—of course she was—to try and guess who he’d slept with.
Olivier’s stomach shrank. He shoved Eric’s credit card into the card reader, noticing the way Mrs. Sullivan’s eyebrows crawled up her forehead. Does she know?
The transaction went through. Olivier wanted to melt into the floor. He wanted to grab the receipt out of her hands, and run out of the store.
He forced himself to wait.
“Well, good evening to you and your brother,” Mrs. Sullivan said, handing over the receipt.
Olivier took it and hurried to the door, the pharmacist’s gaze burning into his back. Eric left the store first, holding the door open for him. Olivier didn’t stop until he was back at his car, his heart pounding loud in his ears.
Did Mrs. Sullivan know? If the news spread about them... would he have to close his shop, and move out of town?
“Look,” Eric said, stopping just behind him. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry for anything,” Olivier snapped, his heart torn. He wanted to rail at Eric, wanted to vent his frustration. But he also wanted to be held, and just... not think about the consequences of today.
But how could he ask that of Eric?
He felt lonely, suddenly, with his brother just behind him, and no one to turn to for help.
Olivier hugged the tiny boxes to his chest, leaning against his driver’s side door. I just want to have things going right, for once. Is that too much to ask?
Warm arms wrapped around
