Arthur would look cute in his sweatshirt.

Alfred decided this as he let his eyes smooth over the top of the tousled blonde hair beside him, daring to tighten his grip on Arthur’s hand as he kicked a pebble down the sidewalk.

That elicited a pleasant smile from those soft lips, so Alfred deemed it a win.

“It’s kinda chilly out here, ain’t it?”

“Maybe for you.” Came the playful response. Alfred watched amusedly as Arthur wiggled away from his grasp. With a few longer strides than his normal pace, Arthur turned to walk backward, facing Alfred with a smug smile and a twirl. “But I’ve got a huge pullover!”

Alfred feigned a smile and buried his cold fingers deep into his jacket pockets. Arthur was indeed wearing a sweater- and Alfred had no problem with that. It was oversized and warm and dreadfully cute hanging from his slightly smaller frame.

But it wasn’t Alfred’s.

It shouldn’t have bothered him to this extent. Arthur could wear whatever the fuck he wanted and Alfred should’ve been okay with it, but it wasn’t Arthur’s sweater either.

It was Allistair’s. And that somehow made it not okay.

“You’re not as sprightly as you were, old man, take it down a notch before you bust a hip.” Alfred snorted, and Arthur gasped in mock anguish, stopping abruptly to crash into Alfred’s chest as the alpha continued his strides.

“I’m not that much older, just a year and a half, mind you.”

Alfred wanted to scoop him up and kiss him. The way his brows scrunched up when he told Alfred off, the way his nose, his cheeks and the tips of his ears pinkened in the cold…

“I guess that makes you a cougar, Artie.”

Arthur’s face soured and Alfred had to laugh, looping his arms around Arthur’s waist as the omega fought him off feebly.

“You’re terrible.”

“I know.” And then they were warm, truly warm, with his arms wrapped around Arthur’s shoulders and Arthur’s head tucked in the crook of his neck.

Arthur hated PDA, but he seemed rather touchy that morning. That was how it was- one day he’d be annoyed if Alfred breathed a fourth of a decibel louder, and other days he’d pull Alfred into bed and demand to cuddle. That was the life of a teacher, it seemed. Children, though delightful, Arthur said, were often hair-pullingly annoying. That fact kept Arthur irritable at times, but there was nothing a good back massage or words of whispered adoration couldn’t fix.

Or in their case now, a quick walk to the nearest café to spoil Arthur with some gourmet hot chocolate.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to loosen their embrace just yet, though. It wasn’t often Arthur would agree to curl up in his arms in public. Alfred wanted everyone to see- He wanted them all to know what belonged to him, and who he belonged to.

It wasn’t the same case with Arthur, of course. He couldn’t be seen doing something above friendly with a different alpha. Seeing as, well…

Alfred blinked as the feel of a cool engagement ring swept across his cheek with the fingers that wore them. Arthur’s brows furrowed in confusion as Alfred stepped away awkwardly, attempting to swallow around the knot in his throat.

“We better get a move on.”

He shifted to the other side of Arthur. He didn’t want to hold the hand that sported the glinting gold band.

“Alright then.” The cafe rolled into view as the two walked along silently, breaths puffing out in unison- soft, foggy clouds.

They entered and left the café in a blur, a jagged, foggy memory to-be, where Alfred was sure all he’d remember of it was the smile on Arthur’s flushed, plump lips, or the surprised quirk of his brows at the price, one Alfred offered to pay. 

He walked stiffly, a bag heavy with pastries in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other that warmed his icy fingertips. Arthur hovered beside him, sipping on his hot chocolate idly before looping his arms around Alfred’s busy arm to relish the silence in shared heat.

It was a good kind of blur.

A blur that got so much clearer when they got back into their little apartment. Alfred put his bag down and Arthur sprawled on the couch, pressing the buttons on his remote to the first show that caught his eyes. 

It didn’t really matter, they weren’t going to be watching it. Arthur put away his hot chocolate as Alfred’s lips worked on his neck, warm, large hands inching off his fabric constraints. Arthur complained about the cold, but Alfred simply watched with a slight smirk as Allistair’s sweatshirt was tossed onto the floor.

“I love you.”

Alfred smiled, stretching his arms over his head and walking down to the living room, not knowing how, in his stealthiest of movements, Arthur could know he was awake.

It was a pale, drowsy morning, and yes, after the seething pit of jealousy Allistair’s nearing arrival had made of his stomach, those three little words were exactly what Alfred needed to hear.

The last thing he wanted was to be in the company of his lover and his lover’s husband.

“I lov-” He turned the corner to find Arthur curled up on the couch, cooing into his phone. Alfred’s words died on his tongue. I love you too.

“Oh- hold on Allistair, Alfred’s woken up.”

The omega leaned away from his phone, greeting Alfred with a small smile, “Good morning, love.”

Alfred walked into the kitchen to make himself breakfast. Arthur’s brows furrowed in confusion at the lack of a response but he turned back to his phone, chewing his lip as Allistair undoubtedly serenaded him with honeyed promises and adoration on the other end.

“Did you already have breakfast?” Alfred called, pretending the bowl in his hand was far more interesting than making eye contact with those green eyes.

“Um, no, I was hoping we could have the pastries from yesterday,” Arthur replied before whispering more words into his phone’s receiver with a laugh.

“I’ll plate one for you, you can go ahead and eat it while I make you some tea.”

“Al, I’ll call you back.” And Arthur set the phone down with a purse of his lips, padding down to the kitchen and wrapping his arms around Alfred from behind, “I was hoping we’d eat together.”

“If you want.” Alfred found himself muttering. It was selfish of him to bring Arthur’s mood down along with his, but it needed to be said.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

The line was taut enough already. It snapped.

“I don’t know, maybe Allistair wants to Skype you for breakfast? And while you’re at it, you can Skype for lunch, dinner, and maybe stream a movie. Tell me if you need popcorn.”

Alfred had meant to set the bowl down gently, but he hadn’t. It came slamming down against the countertop and Arthur flinched away from his hold, staring at him with wide eyes.

“I-”

“Am I just a toy you play with when your mate isn’t home?”

Arthur took a step back. “I- I didn’t know you felt that way, I-”

Alfred watched as the tranquil look on Arthur’s face morphed into one of guilt, lips trembling as if he’d forgotten how to speak.

“Well, I do.”

“It’s not like that at all, Alfred, I can’t live without the two of you in my life, I- I don’t pick sides, not even, n- tha-”

He was practically babbling now, his accent thickening and becoming more incomprehensible by the second, and Alfred couldn’t take it. His hands came out to nestle Arthur’s head into his chest. He was better than this, Arthur deserved better than this. Alfred should’ve been content with what he already had. “I’m sorry.”

“- that won’t change, even when Allistair comes home, I’ll care for you both the same, despite the fact that Allistair has the tendency to take me away for long periods of time-”

“Arthur, it’s… I’m sorry.” And he was. Alfred was sorry. It was a beautiful morning, and his beautiful, faultless lover didn’t deserve worry creases between his brows. “I’ll make the tea.”

“I’ll make the coffee,” Arthur mumbled in response, catching Alfred’s sleeve as the he pulled away,“Alfred-”

“What?”

He nuzzled deeper into Alfred’s chest, seeking the alpha’s heartbeat with his ear, “I love you. I love you undoubtedly, and exactly as much as I love Allistair, and I won’t have you thinking anything less.”

A hesitant, almost plastic smirk. “How about more?”

“Idiot.” Arthur smacked his chest with a laugh, and Alfred claimed a resolutionary kiss.

“I want both of you.”

Alfred paused, grip going limp against Allistair’s collar. It was unfair, so horrible and straining and unfair- Two alphas trapped in the nest of an omega in heat, an omega that didn’t seem to want to choose between them.

Alfred would’ve been patient any other time. Now was not the time.

He had prayed all night hoping Allistair’s flight would be delayed, or that he’d be stuck at his job for at least a week more, but it had failed him. The stupid alpha was back just in time for his mate’s heat- just as it should’ve been, but not how Alfred wanted it to be.

And with Arthur flushed and panting with want, no- need, neither one of them deemed this a situation to draw sticks or flip a coin.

Allistair’s eyes flashed a dangerous green, “It’s me or him, Arthur.”

“I love you both.” Was Arthur’s trembling reply. Neither alpha was oblivious to the tears welling up in his eyes, or the sheen of Arthur’s pale, inviting skin- but the room smelled of thick honey and roses, mingled with the scents of two, bitter alphas, a scent that rose higher than the former.

And suddenly nothing else mattered, “It’s not always going to be how you like it, Arthur.”

Alfred didn’t know such a growl could fall from his lips, especially toward his sweet, sweet Arthur, someone he wouldn’t dare raise his voice against- someone so precious to him that the look on Arthur’s face in response to his bitter words was almost enough to snap Alfred out of it.

Until it wasn’t.

“Have you at least considered how it might be for us?” Allistair snapped, “How it might feel for me to share my fiancé with his bodyguard?”

Bodyguard. Alfred flinched. He was Arthur’s bodyguard, and whichever god, whichever fate decided to make him fall for his rich, distant employer’s sought-after fiancé- and whichever power decided to have Arthur reciprocate those feelings, was a power Alfred prayed to every day in his own selfish pleas of having Allistair disappear from their lives forever.

It was disgusting of him. Allistair did no wrong. He was the perfect mate, albeit a bit absent. He showered Arthur with gifts, gave him anything he could possibly want, never once hurt him intentionally.

Where did Alfred fall on that scale?

“It’s one or the other.” Alfred found himself saying, voice shaky, “Choose.”

Arthur was helpless, frail, eyes wide and wet, pleading.

And then they were cold, hardened, the thick scent of roses and honey charring and burning until it stung Alfred’s lungs with every inhale.

“Neither.”

“Arthur-” It was a tear in the atmosphere, a rare peek of a vulnerable, almost fearful Allistair.

A ring clattered to the ground, right where they’d been kneeling, or- only minutes ago, tearing each other apart over Arthur’s flushed, convulsed body.

“Get out.”

They hadn’t beaten one another into the pavement, like Alfred had expected to once they’d left the apartment. Granted, they both reeked of Arthur’s heat, and that alone was enough to fight to the death, but they were done, tired.

“He loves you a lot,” Alfred muttered, chest heaving as the fresh air cleaned the bitterness out of his system. Before him, what once was a threat, stood a lifeless, hollow man. It became clear what Alfred had to do to keep a once-happy couple the way they were before- and the way they ought to be for a long time to come.“You could go back in an hour or so, he’d forget all about this. I’ll leave and-”

“He loves you too.” Allistair grumbled in response, accent heavier, as it always got when he was upset, “If you left, he’d never forgive me.”

The two locked eyes, and even if it was only for a second, Alfred understood just what they were to do next.

And he was surprisingly okay with it. 

“I told you to leave.”

Alfred shut the door behind them, taking in a quivering breath at the roses and honey scent of Arthur in heat that sent pools of warmth shooting into every part of his body. Allistair was no different himself, seeing as his own pale cheeks flushed with color.

“Arthur… we love you.” The accent was thick, sincere.

Arthur’s dark brows furrowed in anger before they smoothed back out in confusion, “We-?”

Alfred pulled his shirt over his head, Allistair unbuttoned his.

And oh, that smile, that wonderfully sweet yet tart and naughty smile that sent shivers up Alfred’s spine. Arthur was smiling, grinning even- and it was everything.

Arthur was happy, so was he, and so was Allistair it seemed. The two locked eyes yet again before turning to face their mate.

“We love you,” Alfred said.

Arthur shifted, plucked and pushed at his nest, cheeks flushed with anticipation, “Prove it.”

And they did.