Chapter Text
Alex found him chewing on his nails in the waiting area.
“Why didn’t you call?” He asked, frustration weighing his voice down. “Oscar, you have to let us know when there’s an emergency. He’s like family to us.”
“I’m sorry I just panicked and then…”
The flames. The Alpha. So closely intertwined Oscar couldn’t tell the two apart. Both brought pain and ruin to him.
“I’ll go talk to the doctor, see how he’s doing.” Alex didn’t wait for him to explain. “You sit tight, and here drink some water.”
Oscar kept stock still, twirling the bottle of water in his hand. Muscles coiled and alert, yet not able to put all the nervous energy to use. It made no sense. Mark was invincible in his eyes. His father never got sick. The last time he got the flu was probably when Oscar was in high school. He took good care of himself. Went out on a jog before work. Coached the neighbourhood kids cricket team on the weekends. He didn’t even have a sweet tooth. Didn’t drink, didn’t smoke.
Oscar could not figure out what could’ve caused the attack, minor as it was.
But as he sat there waiting, thinking back on his father’s behaviour the past few months, something struck out. He had been acting oddly the past month. Ever since Charles came to visit. Charles was not well acquainted with Mark. Oscar made sure to not leave them alone so as not to make things awkward between them. But now he wondered if something had happened in the few minutes he had been in the kitchen.
He could ask Charles. Then he would have to explain everything. And he might hear about it. Mark had no qualms with that man, but Oscar loathed the idea of revealing any weakness to him. Didn’t want him to think Dad needed him, or was not doing well without him.
He was so lost in thought he didn’t register the man sitting down next to him. Only when a steaming cup of coffee was thrust in his direction did Oscar raise his eyes from the hospital floor. Confusion swiftly gave way to anger.
“You- what the fuck are you doing here?”
It was only the fact that they were in a hospital that stopped Oscar from landing another punch on his stupid face. The fucking nerve to show up here and then look confused as a fucking kicked puppy. Why would an alpha even have such huge wet eyes? He had to put some distance between them, because those pathetic eyes were getting to him. He got off the bench but didn’t run away.
“How did you even know I was here? Are you stalking me?”
Before Oscar could threaten him with more bodily harm the alpha raised his hands in surrender. He looked haggard. A bruise blooming on his face where Oscar had struck.
“My car, it has a tracker.”
Oscar did not waste any more words on him. Threw the keys and gestured to him to get a move on.
“Get out of here, right this instance.” The alpha kept looking at him with those big sparkling eyes and a slight pout. Just completely mental.
“And if I ever see you again I’ll make sure you end up in the hospital,” a slight frown, finally Oscar’s words were getting through to him, “as the patient.”
The threat might have gone too far. Definitely the kind of thing that would give his Dad a heart attack. The alpha stood up and closed the gap Oscar had built between them. Alex arrived before he could get a word out.
“Doctor says we can take him home tomo- what are you doing here?”
The thing about Alex was, he was a giant teddy bear come to life. When he was in a good mood that is. He was kind even when he was annoyed. But when he was angry, truly angry he could be seriously intimidating. Oscar had seen people mistake him for an alpha at times. And right now, Alex had gone full big brother mode. So intense he made an actual alpha step back.
“My car,” the alpha said after assessing Alex for a minute, “he brought the patient here in my car. I’m just here to take it back.”
Usually, it pissed him off when Dad or Alex tried to shield him. Tired to act like Oscar needed their protection. But for now it was better that Alex acted as a barrier, or Oscar would’ve lunged at the alpha. Asshole acted like Oscar owed him something.
“I wouldn’t have needed to if you hadn’t burned down my car. Fucking asshole.”
“He did what?”
“That was an accident.”
Oscar did not care for his excuses, neither did Alex.
“If you walk out of here quietly, and leave us alone from now on,” Alex might sound calm to a stranger, but Oscar recognised the threadbare restraint in his voice, “We would not press any charges.”
The alpha seemed poised to argue. Then his eyes shifted from Alex. Oscar tried to convey as much loathing through his glare as he could. He earned a smile in return. Oh so he was proper bonkers then. He left without a word. Alex seemed satisfied. Somehow Oscar had a feeling that this was not the last he had seen of the alpha. But he had other things to worry about.
~~~~~
Unfortunately his mother was wide awake when Carlos walked in. Or tip-toed in really. He did not want to get caught.
“Carlito? Where have you been all night?” He turned the other way, inspecting a flower vase, making sure the bruise on his face was not visible. He was short on sleep though and a bit too slow for his mother’s watchful eyes. She gasped when she saw him and instantly took hold of his face to inspect it. Carlos winced exaggeratedly, fishing for leniency.
“What is this? What happened? Did you get into a fight? Who was it? Who dared-”
“Mama, I’m fine.” Carlos reassured her, gently taking her hands away from his face and enveloping her in a hug. “Nothing to worry about.”
But worry she did, as always. Carlos disappeared into his room, determined to sleep away his troubles. When he woke up Reyes was still on edge.
“Good morning mama.” Carlos mumbled, rubbing his eyes and squinting at the breakfast his mother laid out for him.
“It’s two in the afternoon.” She pointed out.
Carlos sipped his coffee in response. Wondering if the omega had thrown away the coffee he had left. Or if he had accepted it, would it count as an acceptance of courtship?
“Are you going to tell me what happened now?”
“Are you going to keep it between us?” Carlos countered. “Because I really don’t need Teto and Gigi to tease me any further.”
His mother nodded in that awkward manner which told him that Teto and Gigi would be the last ones to find out, but find out they will. His sisters would be the first. If not his father.
“This,” Carlos pointed to the tender bruise, “was from the omega.”
Reyes remained quietly confused for a moment.
“Lando hit you?”
“No?”
“Then who?”
Carlos had the painful realisation that he had no idea what the name of the omega of his dreams was. He was not going to admit that so he had to change the topic.
“Why did you think it was Lando?”
His mother rolled her eyes.
“Is there any other omega in your life? And I am not talking about your flings. An omega who would stay by your side.”
“There is going to be one,” Carlos told her, unable to hold back a smile, “The one. I am going to court him.”
That set her off. A thousand questions, bursting forth like a fountain. She was up on her feet, gesturing wildly, jumping to the next thought before she could finish her first. Excited, but also apprehensive. When did they meet, how long has this been going on, when did Carlos decide to get serious, why wasn’t she made aware.
“But you must tell me this much - who is he?”
Carlos had gotten off the bed and changed into a proper daytime attire in the meantime. Now he circled back to his mother and took hold of her shoulders in a reassuring grip before answering her.
“That is what I am going to find out.”
~~~~~
Oscar was only mildly concerned when they were leaving the hospital. He knew his dad’s condition was not dire, and if they were a bit more careful there would be nothing to worry about in the future.
“It’s stress,” the doctor had explained, “he’s at the age when excessive stress can be detrimental. You are well aware older alphas are at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues. But your father is in remarkably good shape for his age. Just make sure he isn’t confronted by anything unpleasant for a while. The cause seems to be emotional triggers rather than his physical health.”
It was stress-induced. Something had happened in the past few months that had taken an emotional toll on him. Oscar could not figure out what. They would need to have a talk. It was annoying he could ask about it right away - what was bothering his father so much that it had made him sick. And why would he hide something so severe from Oscar. He held his tongue though. These things could wait until Mark felt better.
Oscar could be the calm, composed and sensible son his father needed.
His resolve was put to test when Logan went to get the car and an alpha came bounding up to them.
Alpha.
He was positively giddy when he saw them. Greeting Mark politely, with a firm handshake.
“You might not know me Sir, the car in which you brought to the hospital last night? That was mine. I do hope you are feeling better now.”
Oscar’s father sent him a mildly confused look but kept up the bizarre conversation.
“Yes, I am feeling better now, thank you for your concern, Mr…”
“Sainz,” the alpha said, as if that name was supposed to mean something, “Carlos Sainz Junior."
Oscar feared he would have to be hospitalised before they could leave with the way he could feel his blood pressure rise. His hands itched to grab the alpha and shove his stupid smile into the pavement. He had some nerve showing up here. Thankfully, Logan pulled up with the car before he could give in to his violent impulse. He herded his father away from the alpha as swiftly as he could. Getting into the car after sending a warning look his way.
The fucker had the audacity to close the door for him and smile.
“It’s good to see you discharged so soon Sir. I wish you a swift recovery.”
On their way back Oscar tried one of those breathing exercises that were supposed to help you calm down. It seemed to work. For all of five minutes. Logan might’ve been a beta, but Oscar had known him long enough to pick up on his emotions without any scent. The nervous glances he kept sending his way were starting to annoy him. His father on the other hand was an alpha, and never really bothered to keep his scent in check. The spike of curiosity all too insistent.
Oscar almost commended his father on holding himself back for ten whole minutes. They were so close to home and Oscar was so close to getting away with it. But no, nothing in his life would ever work out easily. Particularly when that alpha was involved.
“So…”
Mark was terrible at acting non-challant. For a man his age, and seemingly the calm type, his father did not have a single casual bone in his body.
“Who was that young man? A friend of yours?”
Oscar could not fathom how his father had reached that conclusion. He decided to roll with it for now. It was easier to digest than what had actually happened. Mark should not be stressing out about an unhinged alpha. Oscar was perfectly capable of dealing with the asshole himself. So he gave a non-committal hum. Not straight up lying, but also not correcting him.
Mark nodded, and looked out the window for a long while. Enough for Oscar to believe he was off the hook and this matter was settled.
“He seemed like a nice young man,” Mark spoke again, as if reaching some grand conclusion, “a proper alpha.”
Oscar resisted the urge to scoff, or glare at his father. Proper alpha. Yeah sure, he was a proper alpha. The epitome really. Of the stereotypical alpha. Entitled, arrogant, and aggressive. And stupid to boot.
Nobody brought up the topic again. There were too many things to sort out. Oscar had come up with a story to explain the new car being burned to crisp. A manufacturing defect probably. The insurance would cover it. Nothing to worry about, Alex promised to help him out with it. His dad trusted Alex enough to entrust the matter to him.
Oscar had finally returned to his room for the night after tucking his dad in bed. Making sure he took the fistful of medication he was prescribed. He’d have to make sure Mark took his medication on time because that man could not be trusted to remember it all himself. He thought about taking care of himself too, and try out some of the skincare products George had gotten him despite protests. The omega had even done a demonstration for him. Oscar did not have a vanity like him, so he sat by his window after washing up. Enjoying the cool breeze while reading the labels and trying to recall the correct order in which to use the products.
It seemed bothersome after the kind of day he had had. Maybe he should just put a face mask on and go to sleep. As he made his decision, Oscar got up to draw the curtain on his window and call it a night. His eyes swept the street below without really seeing anything. He drew the curtains closed, put the dozen or so products away and was about to head to bed when something struck him. Something odd about the usually peaceful street.
Oscar traced his steps back to his window. Drew the curtains back carefully, and hazarded a peek down.
There he was. That damned alpha.
Stood there leaning against his car, arms folded, shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest. Stupidly luscious hair swaying in the wind. His eyes lit up when he saw Oscar. Waving his arm wildly in greeting. Smiling so brightly it gave Oscar a headache.
Oscar would give him the middle finger in response, but he might not be able to see it from this distance in the dark. Oscar’s room was on the first floor, window facing the front of the house. Mark’s room, though on the ground floor, was on the opposite side of the house. So the chances of him encountering this scene were negligible. But Oscar was not taking any chances. He made a gesture for the alpha to remain where he was and ran down the stairs as quietly as he could.
One of the things that had been drilled into him was that he was not supposed to be outdoors after dark. Which was obvious for an omega, but Mark had his own reasons for establishing this rule. When Oscar was younger, Mark worked overtime often, and couldn’t keep an eye on the kid. Oscar was home alone after school most of the time. So it was a simple rule, he could play outside as long as the sun was up, once the sun set he needed to be indoors and get started on his homework regardless of his father being there.
Oscar had grown up, was allowed to come and go as he pleased, but the habit remained. He was a couch potato, didn’t really care for parties. So leaving the house after dark felt weird. Like he was a thief sneaking into some mansion. When he was doing the opposite. A strange electric feeling ran through his limbs as he tip-toed to the fence lining their front lawn. Some of it was annoyance. But there was something else flowing through his veins. An unfamiliar, tingly feeling he had not the time to decipher.
The alpha looked different under moonlight. Softer, sweeter somehow. Smile dazzling and disarming.
Then the man moved away from the car and framed it in a tada! motion.
It was his car. The car his dad had gifted him. The car this alpha had torched.
And all his rage came crawling back up his throat.
“I know we started off on the wrong foot,” the alpha began, eyes downcast but not in shame, “so let’s do this properly.”
Oscar had been seething too much to notice when the alpha had closed the gap between them. Now he stood just one step away. The fence the only thing keeping them apart. A physical boundary Oscar gripped tight until his knuckles went white. He would not resort to violence. He would not cross this boundary until the alpha did. He could not afford to raise a racket and wake up Mark.
“I’m Carlos,” the alpha said, extending a hand, palm up, old-fashioned, “I am sorry I blew up your car, it was an honest accident. I bring you the same one as an apology. I hope you'll forget this little hiccup moving forward.”
For a moment Oscar was lost in those wide, earnest eyes. He almost found himself agreeing with the alpha. But then he dangled the keys to the car. Identical to his keys, but lacking the small koala keychain his dad had gotten for him. And Oscar snapped out of the daze.
“What the fuck are you trying to do here?”
The confusion on the alpha’s face almost fooled him. He took his hand back and worked through a pout to answer.
“I am trying to correct a mistake.”
He sounded sheepish. But Oscar did not care anymore.
“Oh fuck off!” he had to curl up his fingers until his nails dug into the wood to stop himself from throwing a punch at that stupid face. “I don’t know what you’re playing at - showing up at the hospital and now this -but stop it now. If you try to mess with me one more time I am going to…”
Oscar stopped when he realised he had raised his voice in anger. It was too late to be arguing with a stranger like this. It was definitely something that would stress his dad out. He better send this stupid alpha packing before anyone noticed he had been here. Before he could be dismissed, the alpha took the one final step separating them. Putting his hands on the fence, right next to Oscar’s own. Their faces only a breath apart.
The age- old habit of standing his ground stopped Oscar from stepping back. Why should he cede any space to this overbearing alpha? That was it. Not that he was too stunned to move. Not that the proximity had any effect on him.
“What would you do? If I do not stop?” The alpha whispered, eyes shuttering down and lips all but touching Oscar’s.
Actions would be better than words in this case. But Oscar shook with too many emotions for his actions to be swift and decisive. Indignation, annoyance, and an unfamiliar heat thrummed through him. Setting his skin alight with a sensation that he did not want to look too closely at.
“Then I will beat you to pulp and send you away in an ambulance.”
The alpha didn’t budge. If anything his smile widened. Eyes roving over his face, as if studying every feature with care.
“Leave.” Oscar could only grit out this one word.
“I will,” he spoke breezily, as if he had all the time in the world, “as soon as you accept this and forgive me.”
Once again offering up the keys. Oscar snatched them from his hand and threw them back towards the car unceremoniously. The alpha's eyes tracked his hand, at first with surprised delight and then childish dismay. He seemed so animated, so honest, so unlike how he had been during their first encounter. Or the second. It confounded Oscar enough to ask.
“Why are you here? For real.”
“I told you-”
“None of that. I am not going to accept the car. And I am not going to forgive or forget anything.”
Again those tender eyes, that infuriating pout.
“That’s rather harsh, don’t you think?”
This guy - seriously what was wrong with him?
“I am being harsh?” Oscar all but screamed in his face again. “You beat up my best friend for no reason, blew up my car and now you are just standing outside my house like a creep-”
“I was going to ring the doorbell but it was a bit late at night so I hesitated-”
“Shut up!” Oscar raised a threatening finger to silence his sulking. “Tell me honestly - why are you here? Why are you sorry now?”
He did not know what kind of answer he wanted. Only that he wanted an answer. He couldn’t figure out this alpha. Couldn’t make sense of his words or actions. Most of all he couldn’t understand his own feelings.
The alpha heaved a sigh. Eyes dropping to the ground, seeming to collect himself before looking up again. There was no playfulness left in those eyes now, just a firm resolve. The kind of gaze that made Oscar hold his breath in anticipation. Of what he could not tell.
“I am sorry now because I realized I was in the wrong.” The accent thickened in his voice, making him sound unguarded. “I damaged your car so I wanted to make it up to you with a new one.”
“Why do you suddenly want to make it up to me after all those threats?” Oscar had his hands on his hips, trying to channel his father’s disappointed stance. Trying to take control of this conversation again as the alpha took a couple of steps back.
“I…”
The alpha suddenly didn’t want to meet his eyes. Bottom lip stuck between his teeth, eyes, trained on the hedge Oscar’s dad meticulously trimmed. Fingers reaching out to pluck a tiny leaf, which he kept twirling as Oscar waited for him to go on. Maybe it was a play of the streetlight, but Oscar could swear he saw the alpha’s ears turn red.
“You, what?” Oscar prompted him. Leaning forward, tilting his head to hear better.
The alpha inhaled audibly, making Oscar realise he had taken off his scent blockers earlier. Too late to panic about it now, he better own it up.
“I came here to declare my intentions for you.”
Oscar felt his breath stutter in his throat as those sparkling eyes turned back to him. The alpha sounded like he was on one of those soap operas his babysitter used to watch. He knew what was coming next, heart clenching in anticipation while his mind was torn between dread and bewilderment. The words were a physical setback to him, making him stumble away from the fence.
“What- what intentions? What are you talking about you-”
“Oscar Jack Piastri,” The alpha’s voice was steady, yet sweet. “I, Carlos Sainz, intend to formally court you.”