Chapter 400: That’s...how you dated people?
Andrew took a few deep breaths outside the door of Richard’s room. He kept the door open, so that Richard could see him, and so that they both could hear how more people were arriving into the house.
With each extra voice, Richard seemed to grow more self conscious and shrink further in on himself. While that happened, Andrew steeled himself. Richard was reaching out to him for help, even if there was a miscommunication. Andrew just needed to remind Richard that he was there for him, whether they were alpha and omega, or betas all over again.
He just needed to be there for his brother.
Andrew took another deep breath before he stepped into the bedroom again and watched Richard as he watched Andrew.
He was nervous, awkward, and he kept glancing at the door. Andrew kept it open, not because he didn’t want this conversation to be private, but because if emotions got high, there was a place for the pheromones to go.
Andrew sat back down on the desk chair, listening to it creak under his weight again. He scanned Richard, noticing as he gulped, before Andrew let out a soft sigh. Andrew crossed his arms and shifted, before he spoke.
"Again, I am not the kind of man who would care about omega and alpha shit, Richard." Okay, maybe he wasn’t as calm as he was putting on, but that was fine. He wasn’t spreading pheromones, so that was the best he could ask for given the situation. Richard flinched, before he let out a shaky breath of his own.
"Max made sure that I knew that, but I just...I got so inside of my head about it. I know that. I do. You’ve always been there for others, but..." Richard glanced at Andrew before he looked away. "I don’t know why I thought that it would be different for me. Maybe because I’ve been so strange compared to others." Richard said and Andrew could empathize with his words.
"Okay. Well, I don’t care. I’ve never cared. I am more worried about your wellbeing over anything else. I was worried that I was going to affect you given that you haven’t been around alphas before, especially true alphas. I have a heavier scent." Andrew said carefully and watched as Richard gulped and nodded.
"You do, but I don’t mind it. I...I think I know subconsciously that you won’t hurt me." Richard’s face turned a pink shade. "I...I worried for a minute that that might have meant that I was attracted to you in some way. Struggled with that for about a week before I brought it up to Max. He beat that thought out of me." Richard muttered and Andrew was shocked to hear that.
When the hell had that happened? And why hadn’t Maxwell told him?
"There’s no way you could ever view me that way, and even if you did, I would have turned you down immediately." Andrew told him firmly and Richard nodded.
"Yeah. I know. He explained the difference between good pheromones, pheromones of those we are attracted to, and safe pheromones. I got a good lecture on it." Richard promised and Andrew was glad to hear that.
"Good. I had to get a few of those." Andrew told him, and Richard nodded.
"I heard about that too." Richard confirmed. He shifted awkwardly. "Look, I’m really looking for advice on what to do with my situation. I’ve...never really dated before, and I don’t know what to do. While I don’t think you’ve dated another alpha while being one, you have been with everything in between, I think, and I need some advice." Richard said, trying to brush past the issue before them.
Andrew hesitated for only a second before he nodded. If Richard had already been lectured by Maxwell, then he’d already gotten a strong talking to. Andrew had already said his peace, so now he just needed to focus on the task at hand.
"Ellis said he wanted to date you with the intention of marriage, correct?" Andrew asked and watched as Richard looked relieved to be moving onto this topic. Andrew almost wanted to smile.
He shouldn’t feel relieved. Andrew was about to ask some rather awkward questions and he wasn’t going to like them.
"Yeah. That’s...what he said." Richard repeated, sounding rather flustered and shy. Andrew nodded.
"Alright. I’m assuming you two slept together, given our earlier conversation." Andrew said and watched as Richard turned a bright red. He nodded.
"Well, yes and no." Richard said and Andrew raised an eyebrow and Richard shook his head. "I...I didn’t..." Richard fumbled, shaking his head. "We had sex, yeah." He mumbled, clearly not wanting to explain himself further. Andrew tried his best not to smile in the face of someone who was so awkward.
"Do you like him romantically?" Andrew asked and watched as Richard paused. Richard played with his hands, his expression thoughtful.
"I...don’t know. That’s the biggest problem. How do you know if you like someone? What is liking someone? I don’t think I’ve ever liked anyone before. If I’m honest...I didn’t think I was capable." Richard confided and Andrew glanced at the open door.
Now would be a bad time for someone to walk by.
"It’s different for everyone. I’m sure Maxwell said something along the lines of wanting to possess them or own them, didn’t he?" Andrew asked, a teasing smile on his lips and Richard wobbled his head in a rocking motion, signaling to Andrew he wasn’t quite right, nor was he wrong.
"Kinda. He did speak about possessiveness, but he also said that for him it was clear cut. I’m not having that experience." Richard told him and Andrew nodded. Andrew thought back on his times with others for a moment before he spoke.
"Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be of much help. I know you’re having this impression that I was dating a lot of people but honestly? I was mostly just sleeping with others, Richard." Andrew told him. "I’m more versed in helping you find out if you’re attracted to someone then dating them. While I have dated people, they haven’t been the greatest relationships." Andrew shrugged. "The last one used me in an experiment without permission and framed me for a crime." Andrew told him and Richard’s expression darkened.
"That’s...I don’t think many people would say that’s a normal situation. I’ll take anything I can get." Richard told him, and Andrew gave him a dubious look. If Ellis was looking for a serious, committed relationship with Richard, he deserved honesty.
Andrew leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at Richard. Richard looked even more nervous.
"First thing to note, this is going to be basic, but is important. Did you get hard when you two were together?" Andrew asked seriously. He wasn’t joking, and so even though Richard’s face warmed, he nodded.
"Yeah." Richard said and Andrew nodded.
"Okay. Good. That’s the first step. If you can find them attractive on a base level. Can you see yourself doing anything sexual with him again?" Andrew asked. Richard was flustered, but eventually nodded his head in confirmation. "Good. These are the first steps. They’re basic, and sometimes don’t mean anything, but they are what I used to gauge my interest with others when I was in my slut era." Andrew told him.
Richard seemed surprised.
"That’s...it?" He asked and Andrew’s lips turned up in a smirk.
"What part of slut era is not clear? If my dick got hard, I was ready to go. If they listened to my rules and guidelines and were into me, that’s all I needed to know. Relationships are more complicated. One of the best little ways that I was able to see if I was truly interested in dating someone or if I just wanted to be with them sexually was this." Andrew stared at Richard for a long moment before he continued.
"I would try to imagine a date. Whatever kind of date. Maybe it’s...going to a museum, or going for coffee. If I couldn’t see the other person who I was thinking about dating across from me or with me, that was my sign that I wasn’t actually interested in them. If I didn’t want to share my interests with them in any capacity, why the hell would I go on a date with them?" Andrew shrugged as Richard stared at him.
"That’s...did that ever change?" Richard asked and Andrew nodded.
"Yeah, occasionally. Maybe I got to know them better and my opinion changed, but most times, no. I think it’s a pretty good way to figure out my feelings even if I’m not sure what I want to label my emotions. It might be helpful to you, it might not be." Andrew said, shrugging. He leaned back, the chair creaking under him as he scanned Richard again.
He’d given him his suggestion, and now it was time to see if Richard even liked his opinions.
Richard seemed rather thoughtful, processing what Andrew had said. He didn’t seem too pleased with his words, but at the same time...
"It does help, I think." Richard told him carefully. "It’s at least a start for me to think things over. Max’s ’I just knew’ was a lot less helpful comparatively. I’ll have to do some thinking." Richard said, and Andrew felt that that was a positive outcome.
"Good. Now, are we ready to go back downstairs? Is he coming today?" Andrew asked, realising that maybe that was the whole point of this conversation. Richard shook his head.
"Max offered, but he had other plans. Before we...uh..." Richard flushed, awkward. Andrew let out an amused snort.
"Before you two got to know each other." Andrew finished, and Richard glared at him.
"Yeah. That." He agreed, getting to his feet. "We should go check up on the others. I’m sure Mom and Jenny could use your help again." Richard said, ushering Andrew out of his room. Andrew was just happy that this conversation had a good ending. He hoped Richard was able to work out his feelings, for everyone’s sake.