Alpha Assignment (BL) Chapter 27 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Sunday morning, Quinn's early rising offered him the time to plan a date.

There was a lot he didn't know about the practice - all of his knowledge in human love and 'courting', as they called it in old-time TV shows, came from just that: TV. It left a lot of questions, with no one to ask for answers. Was it still called a date if it wasn't two humans? What denoted the difference between a coffee date and a dinner date? One seemed more serious on TV, but how would Quinn know that they had moved from coffee daters to dinner daters? At what point could you break free of the four sacred places: movie theatre, coffee shop, restaurant and amusement park, and be openly romantic in other public spaces? And... after how many dates was he expected to tell the humans in his life that he was going on dates?

A deep crease in his forehead admonished him in the reflection of his laptop screen, reminding him to relax. This was supposed to be fun, for both him and Remi. And Remi wasn't physically capable of being at ease if he thought Quinn was even slightly off baseline. He blew out a long breath, holding it in a slow stream deliberately until his lungs felt completely empty and scrunched up like used balloons, and clicked 'PAY NOW.' He watched for the email pop-up in the corner to tell him the tickets were confirmed.

Amusement park was completely out of the question, the crowds and intense entertainment might just send Remi into a fainting spell. A coffee shop date felt awkward, and invited staring from all the humans sipping around them while they struggled to maintain a conversation suitable for weaker ears. There was a restaurant Quinn wanted to show Remi, the same from the work dinner, but their reservation system implied it was highly unlikely they would secure a table in the next week or two. Their names were on a waiting list - he had given Remi his surname for the form. It suited him.

Quinn groaned into his fist. His reflection was mortified, then horrified, then scolding. There was nothing wrong with feeling this way, his feelings were reciprocated! But still a part of him felt guilt when he fantasised about the little man upstairs. There would always be a power imbalance, and he couldn't allow himself to be ignorant of it. Instead, he forced his mind onto planning for the day ahead.

The movie started at two, and they would want to arrive early to buy popcorn (according to the parents in Quinn's office, the prices were extortionate), and also get into their seats early so that Remi could feel settled (Quinn had purchased four in a row at the very back, to ensure they had ample room), and he would want to get a good parking space in case Remi found the experience distressing and they needed to leave quickly...

"Alphaaa..." a sweet voice called into Quinn's ear. He jumped in his seat, turning to a disshevelled Remi bent over the table corner, leaning his face in close with a sleepy smile.

"I didn't hear you come in," Quinn laughed awkwardly. "And... why are we back to 'Alpha'?"

"Because I said 'Quinn' three times and you didn't react."

"Oh. Sorry."

Remi smiled wider. "It's fine, what were you concentrating so hard on?"

"Planning our date."

"What's a date?” A tilted head brought the topknot to a ninety-degree angle. “Jordan said that before, too."

"It's what humans do with people they like, in a mate-kind-of-way, to spend time together and continue the relationship."

"Oh, and then they get married when they've completed all their dates, right?"

"I don't think there's a set amount... but otherwise I think that's right."

Remi stretched his torso further over the table and his pj top rode up to show a mouth-watering strip of soft tummy. He whispered, chin in palms, "Are we getting married?"

It is unknown where Quinn found the strength not to scream, "YES. PLEASE YES. I ALREADY ADD MY SURNAME TO YOUR NAME ON PAPER AND IN MY HEAD." Instead, he said, "If we were mates, then it would make sense to follow human traditions later." He flushed and looked away, staring through the glass doors into the garden. "My intention was to date to become mates..."

A quiet giggle drew his gaze back. Remi had retreated back across the table.

"When do we do our first date, then?"

Quinn smiled through warm cheeks. "Today. We're going to watch a movie."

The popcorn was extortionate, especially since they bought both flavours, but the image of Remi cradling a cardboard box bigger than his head would remain in his heart forever. They were seat-searching while the lights were still on and the enormous screen was black, and not a single other person had come in to sit, yet.

Remi took the steep steps one at a time, bringing both feet together on each one. Quinn followed behind, carrying a popcorn box in each arm.

They had consumed more popcorn than their bodies could possibly need by the time the adverts began. It was very loud. At the first rippling noise that ran around the darkened room, a small hand snatched Quinn's forearm. After ads for cameras, holidays, and a company that tutors human children in school subjects, the hand relaxed. It stayed pressed to Quinn's skin, though, warm and light and causing a thrum through his body that almost shook the salted popcorn out of his lap. Remi had much preferred the sweet version, so Quinn had taken the opposite.

A couple of people crept in right as the movie was opening with an overhead shot that looked like a bird had filmed it. Even by this point, there couldn't have been more than twenty people in the room with them. Despite his precautions, Quinn had a tiny ball of worry he was able to release at the realisation that they weren't going to have humans anywhere near them for the duration of the film. He glanced at Remi, a quick check before he let himself sink into the story, and found him nibbling on sugary popcorn, eyes lit up and transfixed on the giant screen.

The movie... was a little hard to keep up with. Quinn could only assume he was missing a lot of references, which meant Remi was undoubtedly missing even more. At least his ears had adjusted to the volume by the half-way point.

Much more amazing to Quinn than the acting was the moment Remi lowered his empty popcorn box to rest between his feet. There had to be more sugar and corn inside of his body than blood. Without the container in the way, Remi curled up on his seat and leant into Quinn's arm, never taking his eyes from the screen. His fingers curled around Quinn's wrist, second hand joining the first.

Quinn shifted under him, to Remi's immediate and visible disappointment, but he wasn't trying to throw him off. The now-free arm slid between Remi and his seat back, taking his waist in a squeezing hold. Remi smiled at the scene on screen and cuddled in closer, wedging himself into Quinn's armpit and resting his cheek on his chest.

Despite the many layers of chunky knitwear that Remi had covered himself with - over a pair of shorts, for unknown reasons, Quinn's fingers had little trouble navigating their way to warm waist skin. With every tickle of the tips of his fingers, Remi shivered, or nuzzled in closer. A reward for Quinn's teasing, an encouragement to keep going. He didn't have Remi's resolve to continue pretending he was interested in the film, he turned away from the screen and pressed a kiss to the crown of his fluffy head. The crown tilted back, lifting a round face, and dark eyes found Quinn's despite limited light.

He wouldn't cause his little one to stretch, so Quinn dipped in deep, curling over Remi and connecting their lips in a searching kiss, exploring plump limps until a tiny poking tongue invited him inside. The moment their tongues met, Quinn's arm around Remi's waist snatched him up and deposited him in his lap. His own popcorn box was knocked aside and forgotten. Remi's bare knees bumped Quinn's hips and the hands that started at waist-level quickly sank to Remi's behind, squeezing handfuls as they tasted each other. Salty and sweet. Remi's hands were less certain, they clung to Quinn's top, bunching the white material between thin fingers.

Feeling bold - maybe it was the dark of the room, maybe the noise surrounding them drowining out the harsh breaths they puffed into each other's mouths - Quinn took a nip at Remi's plump bottom lip, and felt thighs jump and squeeze against his own in response. He felt, rather than heard, the whine that Remi let loose, and it left Quinn with no other choice but to suck the swollen lip into his mouth an-

The room lit up.

Remi jerked back so fast he almost tipped off the end of Quinn's knees and his bottom lip came free from Quinn's mouth with a wet 'pop.' Their chests were rising and falling in sync, hard and fast. Quinn could only assume their faces were also synchronised: pink and guilty. Remi clambered free of Quinn's seat, crunching over the spilled popcorn on his way to the aisle of steps back down. Quinn followed, glancing about the room for unwanted eyes, but every other movie-goer was either politely watching the credits roll up the screen, or hurrying out as fast as their feet could get them.

Remi began his descent, but hesitated any time a human was closer than ten steps, waiting for them to move along before he continued. It had been the same in the snack queue, always shying away from the oblivious humans.

Progress had been made, though, in Remi's humanity tolerance and their dating check list.