Chapter 380: Get this man a horse
Andrew ended up helping Leo decide on a little drink mix that Maxwell had brought. The man had found some curated alcohol free cocktail thing that he meant to show off for Andrew, but of course Andrew was going to share it with others.
Leo ended up having a fancy peach bellini thing, while Andrew went with one that had blue raspberry and glitter. They giggled like little conspirators as they watched their drinks swirl and spin before Maxwell came back, a small black leather bag in his hand.
Then, with a bright smile, Andrew took Leo’s drink and watched the two omegas quietly head for a bathroom. Andrew was sure that the rest of the Proctors were watching what was happening, and had felt the gaze on his back of several concerned, watching family members as Andrew and Maxwell took away the smallest of them.
It was nice, actually, to know that the group would turn into a den of hungry wolves if they thought Andrew and Maxwell were going to hurt him. It put a good taste in Andrew’s mouth to know that the group of people that Kim and Jenny decided were their own were like that.
Maxwell and Leo were only gone for a second, and when they came back, Leo looked...relieved. He looked so damn relieved. It made Andrew’s heart squeeze in his chest for the young boy. He wasn’t even fully manifested and he was already struggling. He hated that.
It was supposed to be easier when you did it in your teens, so it was heartbreaking to think that the young man had suffered alone, even for a second.
Leo took his drink from Andrew’s hands, while Maxwell went for something a little hardier. He didn’t have to hold back on drinking, and it seemed that Kim had brought out some nice whiskeys, probably because she knew that Maxwell was coming. He took a healthy glass, before he linked his harm through Andrew’s and the trio headed over to where the rest of Leo’s family were chatting.
Kim and Jenny had their eyes on them like hawks, while also trying not to make it obvious.
Kim’s whole body jerked as she saw her little son laughing with Max and Andrew, his smile easy, and his shoulders weren’t hunched. It was clear that Andrew and Maxwell had done something, and it was for the better.
Andrew watched as her hand tightened on the wine glass in her hand, and Jenny? She looked like she was about to cry, but both women composed themselves as soon as Leo looked in their direction. He came over, tentative, smiling, and hugged both of his Moms. Jenny looked like she was going to have a breakdown, and Kim wasn’t much better.
He then asked if it was alright if he went and played with his cousins, and then asked if it was okay if he offered up some of the drinks that Maxwell brought to them because he wanted to share.
Maxwell got all serious, lowering himself slightly so that he could be eye to eye with the other omega, before he nodded seriously.
"Of course, but I expect you to give me a report on which one is the best." He told him and Leo grinned, nodded, and after giving his sister a quick hug, he was off. Being a kid again.
"What did you do?" Kim asked, unable to stop herself now that he was gone. Her eyes were wet, and Maxwell stood at his full height. Andrew pulled him in, holding him against his side as he pressed a kiss against his forehead. Maxwell put up a fake protest, but Andrew knew if he didn’t want Andrew to do that, Andrew wouldn’t have been given a chance.
"I told him we wouldn’t talk about it today or tomorrow. Just know, it’s something I’m familiar with, and has a relatively easy solution." Andrew knew that the only reason it had an easy solution was because Maxwell had made it so.
Before Maxwell and his company, sensitive omegas had lived a life full of hell. Isolated, having to stay home, unable to live normal lives. It had been a damn death sentence. Maxwell never let it show how sensitive he was, since the medication that he made worked.
Andrew squeezed the man in his arms, pride radiating off of him.
"Leo’s going to be fine. He was just...worried that it would cause a problem. We did our best to convince him that wasn’t the case. I blame the pheromones and hormones coming together in a perfect mix that would make anyone doubt anything." Andrew told the older women warmly. "I’m almost happy I didn’t manifest in my teens. I can’t even imagine what kind of terror I’d have been." Andrew joked, but Kim smiled at him.
"You, a terror? Where? Andy, don’t behave as if I didn’t hear your Mom bragging about how you kept getting into fights with dumb alphas who didn’t get taught consent, so you taught them in their parents stead." Andrew’s whole face went red at his dark knight past was brought up.
He hadn’t stopped fighting dumb alphas even out of his teens, but Kim didn’t need to know that.
"K-Kim, let’s not-"
"Oh, I heard of one time when your Mom had to be called out of a meeting and Kim had to continue talking to a client in her stead because you beat a group of alphas up. You had protected an omega who had gone into heat without anything, no drugs, and no warning on the omegas part. You had lectured not only the staff, but also the parents of the kids by the time your Mom arrived. Oh, she was so proud of you, and had then filed a formal complaint with the school board after that." Jenny said with pride. Andrew felt like he was a kid all over again hearing that story.
Alyssa, their oldest, was watching Andrew, sparkles in her eyes.
"Would I get in trouble if I did the same thing?" She asked and Kim laughed.
"Don’t follow in Andrew’s footsteps, alright? They’re big shoes to fill. At the Christmas party only a few days ago Andrew was surrounded by a bunch of omegas. Everyone who didn’t know Andy would think it was because he was close friends with all of them. I learned from your friend Maria, Andy, that the truth of it all was that you always had omega medication on you, would fight any alpha who was too stupid to know sense, and that you had even helped Maria when she was pregnant?" Andrew ducked his head, hiding his face in Maxwell’s hair.
Maxwell’s shoulders were shaking.
"My hero." Maxwell said and Andrew let out a groan.
"No. Don’t. I beg you. Don’t you dare." Andrew told him, his voice pained, and Maxwell kept shaking.
"Should I get you a white horse to go along with your knightly stature?" Maxwell nearly choked on the words as he said them, his laughter making it hard to speak. Andrew groaned, embarrassment flooding him.
"I can’t even ride a horse." Andrew muttered and Maxwell patted his side.
"I can teach you." He told him, and Andrew frowned.
"I’m no one’s knight. I’m just a guy. I was only doing what was right." Andrew protested quietly and felt a hand pat his shoulder.
"It’s alright, Andy. We know that. We just wanted to tease you a bit. I more meant that this behaviour of yours, helping others, is very second nature to you. Your Mom was always so proud when she got those phone calls. While she would sigh and huff and puff, she was glad you were the kind of kid who wouldn’t back down against something you didn’t think was fair." Kim spoke with affection. "I’m sure she’s happy with the man you’ve become, and who you’ve chosen as a life partner." Kim slid her gaze towards Maxwell, her eyes just as warm.
It was Maxwell’s turn to flinch.
"Ah, well, I’m certainly not a saint when compared to Andrew." Maxwell joked, and Jenny chuckled.
"Andy tends to rub off on people. I see how you’ve changed, Mr. Beckett, and for the better. Now, come here, I want you two to meet my parents, and my aunts and uncles." Jenny gave Maxwell a knowing look, dropping the topic only because Andrew could feel the gaze of others on him.
~
Thankfully, that was the most embarrassing moment that Andrew and Maxwell had for the night. There were a few close calls when Kim got to drinking a little more, but Jenny was pretty good at steering the conversation in a different direction.
Over the night, as Maxwell kept drinking, he got a little softer, a little more affectionate. Andrew, who had witnessed this happen at Ben and Amir’s wedding, liked watching as the man would sometimes just stare at Andrew for a long moment, before he’d sigh and reach for his hand. Like he couldn’t control himself.
It was so unbearably sweet that Andrew didn’t know what to do with himself.
The food was delicious, and the company was great. Everyone accepted Andrew and Maxwell into the fold easily, Alyssa and Leo spearheading the effort to include them in everything. Alyssa was a smart girl, with a good head on her shoulders. Andrew could tell that part of her reaction was because she had witnessed what Andrew had done for her sibling.
Andrew had a feeling that the same emotions that were riding him when it came to Richard were riding her when it came to Leo, but throw in teen hormones at the same time and it had to be a rather potent combination. She had probably noticed something was wrong with Leo a while ago, and was glad that someone was helping him since she didn’t have the answer.
Leo, now a lot sweeter since he wasn’t stricken by every scent that barely grazed him, made sure to report back how each flavour tasted, and made Andrew a few more drinks whenever he noticed that Andrew was low.
It was a sweet thing to do, and Andrew always made sure to thank him.
Everyone also appreciated Andrew’s baked goods, and the dinner went deep into the night. Andrew ended up having to carry Maxwell back home since the man was complaining about the cold. Kim and Jenny offered up their spare room several times, but Andrew was keeping an eye on the time, and on the status of Richard.
He had messaged him letting him know that he was staying the night over at his parent’s place, and Andrew just knew that Luis and Thomas would be pissed if they spent Christmas eve with Jenny and Kim, and then woke up Christmas morning at their place too.
So, Andrew bid everyone goodnight, a sleepy Maxwell in his arms and a group of guards around them as they left for the night. He was glad that they had gone, and while walking home, pondered about what traditions he could convince Maxwell to agree to. Sober, of course.