We were so happy Nathan finally woke up that the noise brought the doctors and the nurses inside the room. They had to kick us out for disturbing the patient.
I immediately called Aahmes and Reubert to tell them the good news. Later, Nathan got several tests to make sure that everything was okay. The Derejedo twins, on the meantime, had to leave for work. That afternoon, the doctors told us that Nathan could leave the hospital anytime.
Louie took care of all his paperwork, leaving the kids to pack up their stuff in the hospital room, meanwhile I went to the lobby to wait for my Habibi. He arrived with Reubert a couple of minutes later.
"Professor, how's Nathan?" Reubert asked as he ran towards me.
He looked much better than when I last saw him. His hair was properly combed to one side, showcasing his lilac eyes since he was no longer wearing glasses. He was also wearing clothes that actually fit him, compared to the wrinkled over-sized polo shirt he was wearing before to hide his muscular body. I guess he wants to look cool in front of my stupid brother-in-law. He's even wearing some perfume!
"He's doing fine, they're just fixing some paperwork," I answered before facing Aahmes who slightly nodded at me.
"So, did you two had a talk?"
"Yes, professor," replied my habibi. Reubert looked seriously at me.
"Good. They'll come down here any minute now."
"Thank goodness!" Reubert covered his face with his hands, heaving a sigh of relief. He even looked like he was crying.
"Did you come straight from the university?" I asked him.
"Yes, Sir, I left early, saying I had an emergency."
"Just remember what Aahmes and you talked about. I'll be leaving everything in your hands..."
Reubert kept silent. His eyes went past me. I turned around at the sound of running feet and saw Nathan rushing towards us. He leapt as he got near and landed into Reubert's open arms.
"Reubert!" he called to his professor.
Reubert replied by holding Nathan in a tight embrace. It didn't look like they were planning to separate, until Louie cleared his throat.
"And just who is that person with you, Eric?" he coldly asked me.
"This is my Habibi, Dr. Aahmes Abdel," I replied, an arm around Aahmes."You got a problem with that?" I asked, just as cold.
"I wasn't talking about your companion!" the idiot snapped at me. "Who is this man holding my son?!"
"I thought you already knew Nathan's Professor, Reubert Go?" I asked with a frowned.
"Eh?" Mercy was the first to react with Blessing by her side. "Oh, I didn't recognize him..."
The sisters looked at Reubert who finally let go of Nathan. I guess this is the first time they've seen his face properly.
"Mr. del Mirasol, sir," he said, holding Nathan's hand, "I think we need to talk."
"You bet we do!" Louie crossed his arms against his chest. "I've got a lot of questions for you, but this is not the right time and place."
We looked around the place, at the people who where watching us like a live soap opera.
"Then please find a place where we can talk properly," Reubert said respectably with a slight nod.
"I know a place," I said with a sigh. "Follow me."
I brought them to an old Chinese restaurant just a few minutes away. It belongs to Grinch's son, so I know it would be a safe place to go to. It's got good location, good food, and good at keeping secrets.
The Grinch used to take me here whenever we need a quiet place to talk about confidential stuff which are not exactly 'legal'.
"Are you sure this place is safe?" Louie asked as we entered a private family room.
"Yeah. A close acquaintance owns this shop," I assured him. "The food's good, too."
"Then I won't hold back."
Louie glared at Reubert.
"I want to know how you found my son in that place."
"Why don't you start from the beginning, Reubert?" I told my former ward.
"Yes, please, do tell us about your relationship," chimed Aahmes by my side.
"What relationship?" asked Louie. "And who is this guy again who's been chronicling everything that's happening in the room?" He looked irritated.
Aahmes tapped the recorder he placed in the middle of the table we were sitting on.
"Ah, sorry, do you mind? Should I issue a letter of consent first?" he asked, as insensitive as ever.
"This is Dr. Aahmes Abdel, a colleague of mine," I told him. "He's currently studying the behavior of certain omegas."
"Behavior of omegas?" asked Mercy. "is there another omega in the..." she stopped herself and looked at Reubert, her round eyes getting bigger.
"Are you saying that Nathan and Sir Go are..." Louie trailed off.
"No way, Dad, we're not like that at all!" Nathan quickly denied it. "There's nothing between us!"
As if they weren't hugging each other a few minutes earlier
"Nothing yet," Reubert corrected him before staring seriously at an uncomfortable looking Louie. "This is why I have decided to ask for your blessing and make it official."
"What?!" the father and son asked in unison.
"To tell you the truth, Nathan and I have already..." Reubert trailed off, "...done things. And as the older, more matured partner, I am here to take full responsibility..."
"Shut up! What the hell are you talking about?!" Nathan reached out to cover his professor's mouth. "Dad, don't listen to him! He's crazy! There's absolutely nothing between Reubert and I!"
"It's all my fault, I was the one who seduced him," Reubert continued, holding Nathan's hands away from his face. "I know that I am just another lowly omega, but..."
"What the hell?! Will you just shut up!" Nathan tried to stop him.
"I knew it..." we all turned to look at Blessing who gave a loud sob. "Sir Go, did Nathan threaten you? Did he hurt you in any way?"
"Haa?!" Nathan looked at her incredulously.
"Don't worry, Sir Go, we know what my brother is capable of, you don't need to cover up for him!" said Mercy.
"Just what do you take me for?" Nathan shouted in frustration.
I couldn't help but snort at his dilemma.
I guess you reap what you sow.
"Ahem..." I called their attention, "the room may be soundproof, but please keep your voices down."
"See what you're doing, Sir Go?" snapped Nathan in a much lower voice. "You're just making things worst!"
"Seriously, Nathan, I had no idea how little your family trusts in you," replied his professor.
"Sir Go, I should be the one asking your pardon," Louie said, rubbing the back of his neck. "My son is still in his rebellious stage, I should have taken better care of him to make sure he doesn't make a nuisance of himself. Truth be told, I sometimes wonder who he takes after..."
"Then, are you saying that you're not against our relationship?" Reubert asked expectantly, looking up at Louie with his glittering lilac eyes.
"A-as if!" stammered a red faced Nathan. "No way I'm having a relationship with you!"
"Really, Kuya Nathan?" it's Mercy again. "After all you've done to Sir Go, you have the audacity so say no?"
"What do you mean 'what I've done'? When he's the one whose been doing –!"
Nathan stopped himself a little too late.
The room went quiet.
"Ah... sorry..." Reubert covered his crimson face in embarrassment. "Sorry... I just couldn't help it whenever I get overwhelmed by your pheromones..."
Fuck.
Do they also teach military personnel how to act in the US Army?
I watched as a cold blooded killer wiggled in his seat in embarrassment, and can't help feeling the secondhand embarassment.
And I couldn't believe how my brother-in-law and nieces were eating it up!
They really believed that Nathan took advantage of his older professor!
Something tells me, it's the other way around, though.
"You!" Nathan sneered at him. "How could you blame me, when you're the dominant o– OW!"
Nathan glared at me for kicking from him under the table.
"Oh, my, Nathan, does this mean that you're the bottom?" asked his Ate Blessing.
Nathan's face got even redder.
"Kuya, are you sure you want to discuss that in public?" Mercy looked awkwardly at her brother.
Well, I'm just glad for the change of subject.
"Anyway," Louie butted in, "now that we know about your... situation, can you finally tell us what happened that night?"
The two finally got to tell us what happened.
That they had a stupid lover's quarrel, and how Nathan went running to his old gang to forget about Reubert.
He said he had no idea that Dan would drug him and keep him confined and sedated in his house.
"So, it really was that bastard Dan," Louise asked Nathan darkly. "And he kept you in his house `till Friday?"
Nathan nodded, his eyes cast down.
"It was a good thing we were able to track your phone when he turned it on for a while," I said, "but it got cut off in the bar district in San Juan."
"Dan probably turned it off when they got to the venue," said Louie.
"If that's so..." Nathan looked at his professor. "How were you able to find me?"
"I could smell you." Reubert replied.
Silence filled the room once again.
All eyes were at the gentle look on Reubert's face, and the teary eyes of my nephew who stared back with such longing for his mate.
"Tell us, how were you able to differentiate his scent from the other alphas?" Aahmes' voice suddenly shattered the silence, killing the moment.
"His scent is different... it was almost visible..." replied Reubert. "It moved like a solid trail that led me straight to him... it was the only thing I could 'see' at that moment..."
"...as if all the other scents around you simply disappeared..." Louie continued for him.
"Mr. del Mirasol, it seems you know the feeling?" asked Aahmes.
"Yes... just recently, with my omega partner..." Louie faced Reubert. "What do you smell when you're will Nathan?" he asked.
"I smell sandalwood, Sir," Reubert answered, "it's a memorable scent from my childhood."
"My partner smells of vanilla..." Louie answered dreamily as if he was in a different scenario all together. "He tells me that I smell like cinnamon." He looked at his son next. "And you? What do you smell from Sir Go, Nathan?"
"...Lilacs..." Nathan softly replied. "The dried flowers Papa Jonas used to add to our sugar back when we were still kids..."
"Does this mean..." Blessing trailed off.
"It means that they are fated pairs," Aahmes finished for her.
We had a lot more to talk about that day.
In the end, Reubert volunteered to look after Nathan for the time being, and Louie agreed without a second thought.
"Dad! Are you serious?!" Nathan gaped at him in disbelief.
"At least if you're with Mr. Go, he might be able to discipline you and care for you as your fated pair!" said his little sister Mercy.
"That's right, like the way Josh is taking care of Dad," his older sister nodded in agreement. "In fact he's currently staying in our home right now."
"Ha? Since when?" Nathan and I asked in unison.
How come no one told me Blondie was cohabiting with Louie?!
"Since Friday," replied Bless.
"Since Dad almost collapsed due to stress!" added Mercy.
"Huh, so now you're just throwing me away?!" grumbled Nathan.
"If that's what it takes to fix you up, then why not?" replied his father. "Anyway, cohabiting is common in this day and age, particularly for alpha-omega pairs, so I see no problem with you staying with Mr. Go."
My jaw dropped at what I heard.
Is this really my idiot brother-in-law speaking?!?
"And for your information, Josh is just staying in the guestroom for the time being. He just insists on taking care of me," he quickly added after he saw me glaring at him.
"Don't worry, Sir, I promise to take good care of Nathan for as long as we are together," replied Reubert with a dashing smile on his face.
"Wait a minute!" Nathan objected. "What about my opinion?! There's no way I'll agree to something like this!"
"Can you look me straight in the eye and tell me don't want to be with me?" his professor asked him.
"I..." the two of them locked eyes. "N... nn... Arghhh!" My stupid nephew screamed in frustration, unable to deny anything.
"That settles it then!" Louie stood up from his seat. "Mr. Go, I'm leaving Nathan under your care and supervision. Please take care of my son for the time being."