Page 15 of Full Body Hit, Part 2 (Alpha Omega Hockey #6)

Chase shuddered at the nickname, throat closing up, cutting off all those awful sounds that had been spilling out of him.

He took the water and just held it, unable to drink.

“Did something happen at the bar?” Auston asked lowly.

Chase shook his head. He wanted to laugh again, but his chest was all closed up. “Sorry,” he gasped. Maybe it was the only thing he could say now.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You just worry about breathing, okay? There’s no rush. Nothing else to do. We can relax.”

Chase shut his eyes, swaying in place. It wasn’t Aunix’s voice, but it was the same cadence. The same softness.

Auston made him feel good . Not just pleasurable, but as if he were good. As if he were worth being concerned about.

Obviously, he had other people who showed him that, but it was just different with Auston, so intense and focused that it penetrated all the doubt that had crusted around him over the years.

“Let me get you a blanket,” Auston said, getting up.

Chase’s muscles seized at the thought of Auston going away. His hand shot out, grabbing the hem of Auston’s shirt and pulling him in.

Auston went with the movement easily, stepping right in front of him.

Chase couldn’t help it, collapsing forwards and resting his forehead on Auston’s stomach, feeling the warmth there. “Don’t go.”

“Okay. Okay, baby, I’m right here.”

God, that word again. Baby . Heat and shame and delight and anticipation flared through him at the thought of returning the favour. Of meeting Auston’s eyes and calling him Daddy .

He pushed the thought away—this wasn’t the time.

Chase swallowed, the truth welling up inside him. “I…I miss you.”

A barely-there touch landed on his head, sifting through his hair. “I miss you too.”

“I…I don’t know if I should care more about you lying to me. You shouldn’t have done that. I know you take care of me, but you can’t treat me like I can’t handle things.” It was easier, talking this way—Chase hiding in Auston’s shirt, not having to see his face.

“I know. You’re right. I let my own fucking fear and bullshit get in the way. I didn’t want you to leave me for something I saw as a misunderstanding, but I know that’s your choice to make. That you have to do what’s best for you , not me.”

What was best for Chase? Every time he peered inside and searched for hurt and betrayal, there was only want.

Maybe there was something wrong with him.

Maybe this wasn’t as healthy as he wanted to believe.

The age difference—the vast gap between their experience and where they were in their lives—those weren’t distant things anymore.

They had to live through them now. Had to actually deal with this whole Daddy-baby dynamic in the real world.

Had to figure out how to add friends and a job and distractions and life to what they’d built over the phone.

All Chase knew was that Aunix made him feel bigger, and more talented, and more capable than anybody else had ever done.

As much as Aunix took care of him, he had believed in Chase’s ability every step of the way—Aunix had pumped him up through every problem at work, had convinced Chase that he could achieve anything he put his mind to.

His head was pointing out all the shady things Auston had done, the history between them and not Aunix. But…

Chase’s gut was telling him not to let go of this. He didn’t know how to listen to anything else.

“I think we should date,” Chase said, voice steadier than he’d thought it would be.

There was a pause. “Yeah?” The word trembled, a hopeful thing.

“Yeah. Just. Try it out.”

Chase could feel Auston take a deep breath. The hand on his head settled fully, a warm presence. “Okay. Yeah. Tomorrow? Wait, no, we’re travelling. The day after we get home? I can—”

Chase laughed, a real one this time, tingling all over. “The day after we get back sounds good.” He finally moved away and looked up, taking Auston’s face in.

There, on those familiar planes, was the softest smile Chase had ever seen, eyes glowing and tender.

Chase’s heart thumped.

God, he wanted this so badly.

“I’ll pick you up at seven,” Auston said.

Chase nodded, his body lighter than it’d been in what felt like a long, long time.

***

He was all over the fucking place during practice the day of the date, exchanging ridiculous looks with Auston, who seemed utterly revived—joking with the guys, bumping them into the boards and slapping them hard on the back.

Chase was just as jittery, although he contained it a lot better. He managed to act semi-normal until he went home and stared down five hours of waiting for the date to begin.

He showered at home again and took an age to decide on an outfit, watching his phone obsessively, half scared Auston would text and cancel the whole thing.

Instead, there was a knock at exactly 6:58.

Chase had to stand in his hallway for a moment, reality a warped thing around him.

He had so many memories with an imaginary version of Auston.

Auston, The Idol. Auston, The Hockey Player.

And then there was Aunix. Chase hadn’t been fully aware of how bruised he’d been, how many tender spots he tried not to think about, avoiding them in a way that hurt .

Aunix’s kindness, his attention, his affection—it had helped Chase look at those bruises. Helped him take care of them instead of avoiding anything to do with his need for praise, his sensitivity to criticism.

There was the odd mix that was Auston, the teammate. A cold, cruel beginning suddenly transforming into the person Chase had always hoped he’d be—wise, patient, nurturing, dominant.

All of that—all those layers that made the complicated whole that was Auston—wanted him . And Chase had an opportunity here to believe that want.

To do something with it.

He took a deep breath, bracing himself as he opened the door, and there Auston was, holding a fucking bouquet of flowers. And not some cheesy red roses, either—it was a beautiful array of orange and white blooms that smelt amazing.

“Wow. Oh, my God.” His hands were numb as he took the offering.

Auston’s cheeks were ruddy, and Chase’s heart went wild with electricity, pumping away.

“Thanks. These are so beautiful.” He walked towards the kitchen. “Shit, I don’t have a vase.”

“I actually brought one for you.”

Chase turned to see Auston lift a canvas bag that had been sitting by his feet.

A laugh bubbled up. It was just such an Aunix thing to do, the idea of the person in his phone edging closer to the man in front of him. “Thanks. That’s…thanks.”

Auston hesitated before crossing the threshold into the apartment.

Chase hadn’t really tidied up, not expecting to have Auston there.

It wasn’t messy, but he couldn’t help but imagine it through the Alpha’s eyes—how the space was littered with his presents.

The blanket thrown over the couch, the pillows tucked at the sides, the candle on the coffee table, the slippers discarded by the hallway.

Chase was wearing another sweater Auston had bought, his underwear, his socks .

Auston helped him pull the vase out of the white box it was in.

Chase had no idea about these things, but the piece was beautiful. It was clear glass, tapering out and tucking into a neck and then flaring again, the collar uneven, as if the glass had bubbled.

Reality lost consistency as they worked together to cut the stems, fill the vase with water and plant food, and arrange the bouquet. He was in a dream, in some other version of the universe in which this was normal and not utterly surreal.

They stared at the finished product sitting proudly on the counter, brightening the whole space. Chase leaned in, sniffing the petals. They were fresh and fragrant.

“It’s really pretty. Thank you,” Chase said softly.

Auston cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.” A pause. “Do you wanna…”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Chase had been so busy worrying about the big things that he’d forgotten to stress about the little things, such as how fucking excruciatingly awkward the car ride with Auston would be.

Chase should have come up with something to say, something cheery and light, but all he could focus on was that the guy taking him on a date was both Auston Mazdaki, his idol , and Aunix , the guy who had spoiled and pampered and comforted him more times than he could count.

Chase had expected to end up in some high-end restaurant, maybe a sushi place that seated like ten people and gave you the pieces one by one. Instead, Auston ushered them into a perfectly normal diner.

They were seated by the window, each sliding into their booth on either side of the table. Chase took the room in, noting how crowded it was, a step and divider leading to another section also full of people. There was a big party sitting at a large, round table, laughing loudly.

“This okay?” Auston asked, drawing Chase’s attention back to him.

“Oh, yeah. Definitely. I—” He was interrupted by an older lady carrying two huge, laminated menus.

“Welcome to Trixie’s. Can I get you anything to drink?”

They ordered some water, and then Chase got caught up with the pages of items on offer.

“You in the mood for something savoury or sweet?” Auston asked.

“Oh.” Chase hadn’t even considered getting something sweet . “I don’t know. Um. Should I stick to my meal plan?”

“Damn, I hadn’t even considered what the nutritionist would say. Should I stick to my meal plan?” Auston poked, corners of his mouth ticking up.

He knew it was a joke, but Chase felt himself go red.

“No, obviously you don’t have to. You’re, you know,” he made a vague gesture towards the Alpha, blushing even harder as Auston’s smile widened.

“I just mean, you know, Omegas just put on weight a lot easier, so I don’t wanna lose my conditioning or anything.

My mom always says, cheat days are for cheaters.

” He tried to laugh, but it came out all weird and strangled.