Remi stepped over to Dimitrios and mouthed silently‘I’m sorry’as he handed the alpha the phone. Dimitrios looked at him with mild alarm for a moment, bringing the device up to his ear.
“Hello?” Dimitrios said.
“Hello! It’s so nice to talk to you. I’m Caliste, Remi’s Mom. Please consider coming to our house for Christmas, at least for a few days. I’m sure you will want to celebrate with your own family too, but we’d be so happy to have you here! I’m so glad that Remi found an alpha, but you know I still worry about him and want to make sure he’s in good hands. We’d love to get to know you and of course you can stay at the house, it won’t be an issue. What do you say?”
Dimitrios didn’t know how to respond. It had been so long since he’d had someone talk to him like this. Like… a parent. Even if he was over forty, that didn’t stop the void in his chest where his parents used to be. It made him long to go find his own parents and apologize. If they had appeared in front of Dimitrios at that moment, he would have done exactly that, pride be damned. He glanced at Remi, and the omega was looking at him with wide eyes, bottom lip pulled between his teeth.
“Uh… I… sure, I mean if there isn’t anything, I’ve forgotten…” Dimitrios said.
“Great! We’ll be glad to meet you! Could you give the phone back to my son for a moment?”
“Yeah.”
Dimitrios handed the phone off to Remi and the omega took it, putting it back up to his ear.
“Hey mom.”
“Alright, I know you’re busy so I’ll let you go for now. But I expect a call later with all the details about this new boyfriend.”
Remi wanted to facepalm at how shameless his mother was.
“Okay, Mom. I’ll call you later. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Remi hung up the phone and looked at Dimitrios apologetically.
“I’m so sorry about her.” Remi said, pausing for a moment. “Are you really going to come home with me for Christmas?”
Remi looked up at Dimitrios with eyes full of hope and something a little more wary, unsure if this was too much to ask of someone who wasn’t really his boyfriend. They were only pretending to date, but at the same time, he really wanted Dimitrios to come home with him. Remi didn’t want to miss out on two weeks with the alpha. The omega knew he was getting too attached, but he wanted Dimitrios to come with him. Remi was genuinely starting to care about him. He liked to believe that they were friends, regardless of what else they were.
“Is that what you want? I don’t want to infringe on your Christmas with your family. I kind of just agreed… Your Mom is very convincing.” Dimitrios said.
“She could guilt-trip the devil himself. But, I really do want you to come with me. Unless you have other plans? Aren’t you going to see your parents?” Remi asked.
“My parents and I… we had a falling out a few years back. We don’t really talk anymore.”
Remi felt bad for Dimitrios as he looked up at the alpha and saw the pain he was trying to conceal. Remi couldn’t imagine being estranged from his parents. He loved them so much, he couldn’t imagine not being able to talk to his family. The idea of Dimitrios all alone on Christmas, probably working, had a resolution solidifying in Remi’s chest. Dimitrios had done so much for him, the least Remi could do was bring him along for the holiday so he wouldn’t spend it alone.
“Well then, come with me. We’ll have a good time! We’re friends right? Friends spend the holidays together. We’ll just keep up the charade of boyfriends and we can see each other for those two weeks. No problem.”
Remi tried to hide the discomfort he felt at saying they were‘friends’. It felt weird to categorize such a complicated relationship that way, but that was really all they were. As fun as the fantasy of the weekend had been, it was time to get back to real life where he was Remi Laroche, overworked culinary student by day, sugar baby by night.
It had been a nice change of pace to just be Dimitrios' ‘little one’for a while, but that wasn’t real life. His real life was waiting back in his tiny, rundown apartment with its janky water heater, broken stove, and peeling wallpaper.
“If you’re sure, then I guess I’ll come.” Dimitrios agreed.
They loaded up most of the weekend’s purchases in Dimitrios' car, along with the few things Remi had brought with him. Remi left the less practical lingerie, as well as the high heels, since he only planned on wearing them for Dimitrios. The cuffs, collars, and other sexual paraphernalia were left as well. Even with his purchases condensed, the omega had no idea where he was going to put it all.
Dimitrios drove Remi home, and as he pulled up outside the rundown apartment complex, the alpha felt an immediate unease. He didn’t want to leave Remi there, but he had no authority to take him away.
Dimitrios parked and looked over at Remi, who was gazing at him with a small, shy smile, pretty in the diffuse light of street lamps outside. The alpha reached up and petted over the side of his face. Remi bloomed at this touch like a perfect spring flower. The omega softened as his petal-pink lips parted on a breath.
“You ready, pretty boy?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get all your things upstairs to your apartment then.”