Noah, surprisingly, woke up first and watched his mates snoring beside him with a sad smile, unable to move due to his limbs being trapped in a tangle of blankets, arms, and legs.
Leah and Tobias fit together perfectly. His--no, their--Omega had her face pressed into Tobias' chest, fingers wrapped around his, while Tobias reached across her body, almost like he had been reaching for Noah's hand. He had a fleeting moment of jealousy before his guilt squashed it down. Untangling himself as slowly as he could, Leah mewled softly at his disappearing warmth. She turned and curled closer to their Alpha, unconsciously seeking his comfort.
It's only natural that she slots into the middle,
he scolded himself.
She's the smallest, she's Tobia--our--Omega.
Their arrangement wasn't doing any damage, even if Noah wished he could be the little spoon for a time. Her Alphas would ensure Leah's protection while watching her back. Besides, she loved feeling his beard tickle across her head when he rested his chin on her.
Slowly, cautiously, he shuffled towards the bathroom, stifling a yawn. They weren't doing anything wrong... though one thought kept rearing its ugly head. The more he thought about it, the louder it got, the harder it was to ignore.
For the last... god, he didn't even know how many weeks it had been now. Every time he walked in on Leah and Tobias, whatever conversation they'd been having would grind to a halt. It freaked him out--every time they saw him, they would abruptly change the topic, as if caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Was he doing something wrong?
God, was this what Leah dealt with all fucking day? This insatiable anxiety? How the fuck did she cope with it?
Noah knew he was reading too far into it, but he couldn't stop. So, he did the only thing he could do: ignore it and focus on himself. He could give the lovebirds time alone, it wasn't like he
needed
them all the time.
So why was there water trailing down his face? He hadn't gotten in the shower yet. He had no reason to be fucking crying. None.
A few minutes after he crawled his tired ass into the shower, the door creaked open. He could smell Tobias through the steamy water, though it didn't stop him from nervously tangling his hands into his beard.
"Noah?" Tobias' voice was close to the curtain now, his silhouette showcasing his slender stature.
"Mm-hm?"
"Mind if I join?"
Noah was glad the Alpha was on the other side of the curtain. Tobias couldn't see his mate's shocked expression from there. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Come on."
Clothing rustled for a few brief moments before the curtain parted. Noah stood under the spray, letting the water rain down on his face as Tobias slid behind him. He wrapped his arms around Noah's chest, cheek on his back for a moment before he pressed a kiss to the column of Noah's neck.
"Good morning, wolverine," he murmured into the taller man's skin. "Didn't know where you went until I heard the shower."
"I didn't wake Leah, did I?"
"Nah, she's still out cold. Gives us a chance for a little alone time." Tobias' hands trailed up and down his chest, fingers trailing through his hair. Noah shivered, biting back a soft gasp. Clearly, he hadn't managed to hide the fact that he tensed, because Tobias stopped after a moment, scent morphing to concern. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Noah lied, forcing himself to relax. "It's fuckin' date night for you and Leah, right?"
"About that..." Noah's blood ran cold at Tobias' words. He didn't resist as the older man turned him around, pressing their chests together under the spray and wrapping his arms around Noah's neck now. "Why don't we all go out tonight?"
The combo of Tobias' words and the fact that the very attractive man pressed against him completely caused his brain to short-circuit. "I--huh?"
"Am I... distracting you?" Tobias' voice dropped a bit as he gently squeezed Noah's ass with one hand.
"Fuck," Noah whimpered softly. God, he wanted this so fucking bad, but--
Before he could think, Noah was pulling away. Tobias looked on with confusion. "Noah? What's wrong? Fuck, I should have asked first, I'm so sorry--"
"No, it's fine!" He rushed to reply. "You're fine, fuck, I'm sorry. I don't know what's fucking wrong with me." Another lie, he knew exactly what was wrong. Even when it was just the two of them, he couldn't stop worrying about fucking this up. He just wanted them happy--preferably with him--no matter the cost. "Let's go out tonight." He decided to quickly change the subject.
Tobias regarded him skeptically, but merely nodded instead. "I'll tell Leah when she wakes up. She was hoping you'd say yes." He paused for a moment. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem, I dunno, sad? What's going on?"
I feel like an intruder because you and Leah are so perfect together and I'm just... here. I don't offer anything to this relationship, you don't need me.
"Nothing, just tired."
Based on the look the older man was giving him, he knew Tobias wasn't buying it. "If you're sure... You know you can tell me anything, right? I'll always have your back." Softer, pressing them together again, lips brushing against Noah's, he added, "I love you. You're everything to me. Absolutely everything."
But what about Le--
Noah's brain short-circuited as Tobias kissed him, soft and slow. One hand cupped the back of his head, nails gently scratching over his sensitive scalp as he pulled Noah closer. Their lips parted of their own accord, tongues melding together sweetly and making him weak in the knees. He whined when Tobias pulled away, eyes fluttering.
"I love you too," he finally managed.
"We should finish up before Leah wakes up to no hot water," Tobias said before leaving a kiss on Noah's nose.
"Too late!" A feminine voice called from outside the bathroom. "Don't make me come in there!"
"I--Fuck!"
Tobias' hands were steady as he stood in front of Noah. Standing in front of Noah, Tobias buttoned his shirt slowly, leaving Noah fighting to stay still and desperately attempting to shake his arm free of the wrinkles and fabric folds. Tobias had insisted on picking out both his and Leah's outfits, but of course he let their Omega dress herself while treating him like a damn Barbie!
"Stop squirming," Tobias growled, letting enough Alpha tone free for Noah to be affected. "I'm almost done."
"Could you fuckin' hurry up?"
"Seconding," Leah peeked over Tobias' shoulder. "We're gonna be late if you don't stop fussing!" Noah shot a grateful smile at her, watching her red lips curl up in response.
"Fine, he can have wrinkles," Tobias groused. "See if I care." The words held no bite, especially not after both he and Leah leaned in to leave twin kisses on his cheeks. Thankfully, the beard hid his blush.
"Ready?" Leah leaned against his shoulder, intertwining their fingers.
