Beta Complex-Chapter 57: Chestnuts And Castanea Leaves

Chapter 57: Chestnuts And Castanea Leaves
At the end of the show, both the professor and the design students come onto the stage accompanied by their models. Ethan immediately spots Max’s towering form next to Leo’s small one. The omega is dressed just as nicely, with a scarf around his neck and clip-on earrings on his lobes.
Leo grins from ear to ear as he searches the crowd, his hand linked with his model. When he finds Ethan, Roxanne and Zander seated side by side, his smile only grows wider. They all bow and accept their applause before the room lights back up and the music cuts off.
The room bursts into chatter as the crowd disperses to interact with who they came to support. Ethan turns to Zander, words forming on his lips, nearly forgetting that they’re not exactly on talking terms right now. However the alpha quickly reminds him of it when he is already walking away towards the exit, taking the smell of his fresh laundry with him. Though the other people cut between them, the dominant alphas’ tall figure stands out.
Ethan frowns at his retreating back, wanting to go after him. To grab his warm hand and demand that he listens to him. But does Ethan even have the right to do that? The beta purses his lips, he thinks that if Max wasn’t Leo’s model, Zander probably never would have come here in the first place.
They haven’t known each other for very long, but Zander has helped him in more ways than one and became someone he came to rely on, whether he noticed it or not. Ethan reaches up to run his hand through his hair but pauses. Right, he styled his hair for once, so maybe it’s better he doesn’t mess it up yet.
Turning his back on the retreating alpha, Ethan forces a smile when both Leo and Max come up. Ethan will talk to him later. Eventually, he’s sure. If he gained the courage to face Chris, then he’ll be damned if he chickens out now.
"You look amazing!" Roxanne gushes as she reaches up to fuss with the alphas’ tie. Max stands there awkwardly as he blinks down at the woman, his gaze shifting to Leo as if he’s asking for help as she fusses with his outfit. "Leo, you did such fine work."
The omega snickers into his palm as he watches and Ethan wonders if his mother ever interacted with Max personally when he wasn’t looking.
"I can’t believe you made that." Ethan smiles at Leo, his gaze shifting to get a closer look at the smaller details, "It’s beautiful!" As he scans the small chestnuts on the silk tie, it dawns on him. A previous conversation he had with Leo comes to mind.
Ethan had asked him what Max’s pheromones smelled like. Leo answered with nuts. When Ethan turns his gaze back to his friend, it’s with a new realization. Leo must really like Max a lot, huh?
"I know right," Leo sighs as he admires his work and the alpha in it. He reaches up to fiddle with the beige scarf wrapped around his neck, his head tilting. "I just hope it gets me a good grade."
"If it doesn’t, let me know." Max says as he bends over at the waist so he’s short enough to let Roxanne fix a loose strand of brown hair that has fallen out of place. She’s beaming, her cheeks red and Ethan has no doubt they hurt from smiling too much.
"Yeah?" The omega arches an eyebrow at him, "And what will you do about it?" Leo scoffs at him and cocks his hips to the side.
Max smirks and straightens back up once his hair is fixed. He fingers the cuff link on his left wrist, "I can easily get that professor replaced."
"That’s too extreme." Leo rolls his eyes and pats the alpha’s shoulder, "Don’t worry about me, I’ll get the grade I deserve. Professor Mondes is strict, but he knows art when he sees it." He turns to Roxanne and gives her a hug now that her attention isn’t solely on his alpha. When he pulls back, he glances around. "Where’s Zander? I saw him in the audience when we first started."
Ethan shoves his hands into his pockets and shrugs, hoping he looks nonchalant enough. Did he leave before saying hello because Ethan is here? He ignores the slight pinch in his chest, "I guess he left." He lifts one shoulder up in a shrug, "He stayed till the end, though. If that’s what you’re curious about."
Leo frowns at him before scanning the crowd once more. "He really left?" The question is murmured beneath his breath. "Why though? I figured he would come with us to dinner."
Ethan shrugs again. "Where are we going to eat?" he asks, hoping Leo drops the subject on the dominant alpha. He’s struggling enough without talking about him.
Leo glances back at Max, his frown deepening when he sees that multiple people are flocking towards his boyfriend like cats to fish, Roxanne right beside him. "Anywhere that’s not here." He scoffs. "Look at him, he’s relishing the attention."
Ethan chuckles, "Let him. The suit you made for him is immaculate."
Leo can’t hide his smile, "It is really nice isn’t it?" However when an omega gets particularly too close to Max, going so far as to put her hand on his chest, Leo’s smile drops. "Okay, he’s relished enough." He snaps before stomping over. He grabs both Max’s and Roxanne’s hand and drags them out of the center of attention.
"Enough dilly dallying, I’m starving!" He exclaims. Behind him, Max chuckles but eagerly follows his lead.
After dinner, Max drops Ethan and Roxanne at their home.
"I’ll call you tomorrow! Goodnight." Leo calls out to them just before they walk inside.
Max leans against the door of his car, his arms crossed over his chest. His green eyes are glued to the omega a few feet ahead of him. He grabs the edge of his silk tie and holds it up to eye view.
Chestnuts and Castanea leaves
. There’s the sound of shoes scuffing against concrete, and he glances up as Leo walks over to stand in front of him.