An Omega's Desire

Chapter Eleven: "Forever Strong"

Sean let Nathan guide him back to the Festival site. Taking him over to the row of food booths. The different smells filled Sean's noise and made his stomach growl. There were so many booths cooking varieties of meat or fried foods that Sean wanted a little of everything. Although, he didn't think his stomach could handle it all. A lot of people sat at the picnic benches to eat or drink as they watched the puppy games. As they passed though, a few of the locals gave Sean questionable looks. It made him uncomfortable to see their disapproving glares. Nathan didn't notice them though as he made his way up to one of the booths and began to bark orders to the large man that was grilling meat. The large man used tongs to put a few more giant turkey legs on the grill, then smothered them in what smelled like a tangy BBQ sauce. Sean smiled at how excited Nathan was to see the giant turkey leg and other meats. His smile faded though, when he saw Ethan and his friends were looking at him. They whispered and glanced at him with disgusted faces. Any joy Sean had was fading fast and the urge to go home was creeping back up on him.

Everyone here just seemed to disapprove of him. Beside him, Nathan accepted some drinks from someone behind the booth, while telling him without looking at him. "If you keep staring at them. They are going to keep staring at you." Sean turned to face Nathan, mumbling out guiltily. "I wasn't staring at them." Nathan snorted, handing him a cup of something as he said gently. "Sure." Sean used the straw to stir the drink absently, retorting a bit sourly from being called out. "Doesn't it bother you?" Nathan put his straw in Sean's drink, then took a swig of his own drink before honestly answering. "Nope. They can think what they want about me. I'm not changing myself for anyone. You either like me or you don't. I don't waste my time on the ones that don't. There is no pleasing them." Sean put one of the straws to his lips to sip his drink and coughed a little. He hadn't been expecting the alcohol in it. Nathan chuckled as he asked him with concern. "Too much for you?" Sean shook his head, taking another timid sip. The drink was sweet tasting like tea, and he liked it. He just wasn't expecting the burning aftertaste. He'd never had alcohol before, but he didn't want Nathan to know that.

After another sip, Sean asked him openly. "Does anything bother you?" Nathan accepted the paper plates with meat, gesturing Sean to follow him to a table as he replied swiftly. "Oh, sure. Plenty of things bother me. I just pick my battles. No point wasting energy on the little stuff." Sean sat down across from Nathan, hugging his drink a little, when he said timidly. "Must be easy for Alphas and Betas... To shut things out like that." Nathan's eyes looked up from the food to give Sean a guarded expression. Sean tensed a little, thinking he might have offended him. Only to watch Nathan pick up a leg and push the plate with the other toward him. Giving him a small smile, Nathan informed him seriously. "It's not about shutting out emotion. Live a day in my shoes. I get challenged daily by the young and old wolves that think they can go toe to toe with me. People that want nothing more than to knock me down. Make a reputation for themselves. Prove a point to their friends. If I accepted every challenge that was presented to me... What does that say about me? That I enjoy fighting? That my ego is so fragile that I have to fight to protect it? By picking my battles. I fight the ones that matter. Otherwise, I'm just wasting time that I could have spent doing other things. Things I enjoy."

Sean licked his lips, nervously asking him. "What are the fights that matter to you?" Nathan licked off some BBQ sauce that ran down his wrist, before grinning at him. Something about the grin made Sean blush and lower his eyes to his own turkey leg. Sean tore pieces of meat off the bone with his fingers to eat it like he always had. Which prompted Nathan to chuckle out. "You're killing me." Sean put a piece in his mouth, his eyes meeting Nathan with worry. Nathan was tearing meat off the bone with his teeth, smearing BBQ sauce across his mouth with every bite. Sean blushed a deeper red, mumbling out shyly. "We don't eat like that in the Valley..." Nathan shrugged, asking after he swallowed. "Why not?" Sean could only shrug. He'd never asked. Nathan pointed to the leg, coaxing him sweetly. "Try it." Sean's cheeks burned, until he had to look away from him. He couldn't do something like that... or could he? Nathan didn't give up, teasing out coolly. "Oh, I see. Afraid to get dirty? That is a shame." Locking eyes with Nathan, Sean lifted his chin and picked up the turkey leg. He hesitated to bite it but did it just to spite Nathan.