Chapter 3: The Green Couch

They ended up at Liam's place, with Mar flopping down on one side of the couch and Liam on the other side. It's not a very big couch. It's hideously green and fluffy, and their legs tangled up as they laid down opposite to one another.

The TV playing some weird music is the only sound in the room, coupled with the occasional sip from their beer cans. The lights were down low, and all eyes were on the screen, watching a music video transitioning between some guy singing on a roof top and a girl having a mental breakdown in her bathtub.

Those beautiful magenta eyes are on it, at least. Blue eyes are more focused on what's in front of him, not the TV, but the sight of a pure breed alpha bearing his vulnerability in front of Liam. Mar threw his latest empty can of beer into the trashcan; his movement was enough to ruffle up his hoodie, showing more lightly tanned skin on his toned abdomen. Liam kept his eyes on the hoodie zipper, black metal framing and digging into those beautifully sculpted pecks. He knows exactly how much work Mar put into making himself look good, and his workout routine was burned into Liam's brain since day two after they moved here.

"Hey." Someone finally said something, and Liam snapped his eyes up to meet the other alpha's. Magenta eyes were blinking at him, tanned cheeks coated in a layer of red, both from the drinking and from catching Liam staring.

Shit, say something, you dumbass...

"I..." Liam ran his hands through his platinum blonde hair, pulling it out of his face. "Sorry, I was staring."

"No need to apologize." A sigh escaped the other alpha's lips, sounding more like a gasp. "I need to tell you something."

That caught Liam's attention, and he sat up straighter on the couch. His little fantasy of his best friend confessing his love to him before Liam could ever say anything came ringing in his ears like an alarm, but after all, fantasies are just fantasies.

"Laura and I talked."

Blue eyes widened a little as he snapped himself out of his head. Fantasies are just fantasies, he needs to grow up. Liam forced himself to smile at his best friend. "Did you two befriend each other again this morning? Made up?"

"No." The black haired alpha scoffed, his eyes cast to the floor. "No, Liam. It's before the break up. She said she's only dating me because she can't have you."

"What?" Liam frowned, and he leaned in closer to his best friend.

Mar didn't move from his spot, his lifeless eyes didn't move away from the floor either. "She first approached us when we were hanging out. She and her friends did annoy you for a while, didn't they?"

Suddenly, everything made sense. Laura immediately went to Liam's place after she broke things off with Mar. Laura and her gaggle of friends were asking really invading questions when they first met, and the platinum blond alpha made it clear that he had no intention of courting anyone or doing anything remotely related to dating. So, Laura went for the next best option, the black haired alpha that Liam always cling too in his sparse free time.

His best friend didn't say no when Laura kissed him, and everything spiraled from there. Now that they're not together, Liam could see—

"I wasn't that into her either. You know how I am, trying something to see if it sticks." Mar sighed, his slender fingers picked up the remote and closed the TV. "She started it, it was great at first, and I really really wanted everything to work. My father approved of her, you don't give her the cold shoulders like you do with the other omegas."

Where is this conversation leading? The alpha kept his blue eyes on his best friend, his heart hammering in his chest and his mind was running faster than he could catch up, but the suspected conclusion was there: Mar wants to break their friendship. Liam would be angry too if the person he's courting is actually getting close to him so that they can get his friend.

Fuck, and who is he to stop it? Liam can't tie the other alpha down to their relationship, and he can't let go of his best friend, the only person he even hangs out with, like this. All because of an omega.

"I wouldn't mind if you get with her." Mar threw his head back on the couch cushion, his magenta eyes looked up at the ceiling. "Laura will be good for you. Any omega will be good for you really, I know you're kinda into men. Don't let me keep you from having a boyfriend—"

"Mar." Liam's voice came out heavier than he intended. "The number of hours I'm free from my study and work per week can be counted on one hand, and who am I spending it with?"

Magenta eyes widened, and slowly they turned to see him. Liam can see his own reflection in those eyes, and he was close to crumbling right there.

To be honest, Mar has a point. The taller alpha barely talks to anyone else outside of class and lab time, and when he does, he's either ordering or eating out with Mar or eating at Mar's place or they're at the gym at the wee hours of the morning. Shit... Liam was screaming internally. He's too clingy, and his best friend noticed. With the exception of their mutual omega family friend, Mar hangs around with two people from his class, and they're in the gray area between friends and acquaintance, but at least Mar has other people that's not him, and Liam only has him.

Those plump lips opened for a few seconds before any words came out. "That's why I said don't let me stop you. Even if my father still pays you to play with me, I'd still let you have a relationship, you know. I don't own you."

"Your father arn't paying me to hangout with ya..." Liam said back. It's one of their rare arguments, is it? They don't really argue, so when they do, the possibility of their friendship ending is always on the table. "Anymore. Not anymore. I... You're my best friend, alright?"

Magenta eyes squeezed shut, and Mar turned his face away from the taller alpha.

"Why me, Liam?" His voice was small, barely a whisper. "Out of everyone else, why me?"

Before Liam could answer, the other alpha turned to face him. Their eyes held each other in place, and he could see tears welling up in his best friend's eyes.

"I get it, there are lots of benefits that come with being my friend. You get a free vacation every summer and my father literally paid you to be around." A laugh escaped those plump lips, and Mar's voice cracked. "Still, don't I stop you from being with other people? Like right now. You can be back at the party, having the time of your life, and yet you go along with my bullshit and end up having me monopolize your time again."

In that moment, Liam opened his arms and engulfed the shorter alpha into an embrace. Dark hair tickled his neck, and the taller alpha kept himself from burying his face into his best friend's shoulder. He could feel Mar's hands trembling as they slowly made their way around Liam's torso. Then, their bodies collided as Mar fully hugged back.

Vetiver made Liam relax in his hold, and the platinum blond began releasing his own pheromones. It's more common for omegas and female betas to share pheromones like this when they embrace and comfort each other. Alphas aren't known for doing it, but it's not impossible either.

His best friend's scent has an undertone of old paper and ink, that one specific calligraphy ink that they both impulsively buy online and totally forgot about it until it arrived. Mar still uses the same brand, and sometimes he gets some on his skin. He loves the ink enough to smell like it, and Liam loves Mar enough to smell it on him.

Liam wishes they can stay like this forever, drenched in each other's pheromones and embracing one another. It's weird that two alpha males like to comfort each other like this, but then again, Liam is actively attracted to this one specific alpha, so he dug his grave deeper and crawled in.