"You look really hot!"

🌔

Seriously? I got a deal?" Teddy says in surprise. He wasn't expecting Mani to agree so readily.

"It sounds reasonable, why not?" Mani shrugs. He wasn't going to let on how impressed he actually was with Teddy's idea.

"Great. So I'll pick you up later after class?"

"What?"

"I'm gonna take you on a date, just a drink, nothing OTT. Teddy grins widely as he gets up from his seat. He gestures a hand forwards. "Give me your phone." Mani subconsciously hands over his phone to Teddy, his mind still processing the word. 'Date' 'tonight' and 'drinks'. "There, you have my number now and I have yours. I'll text you when and where." He pushes his chair in and leaves with Mani speechlessly waving him off.

A date this evening. Reality suddenly hit him. This would be his first date with someone… ever!

***

As he gets closer to the bar Teddy had suggested, Mani can see what looks like Teddy standing near the door. He looks different from how he is in college. He had on some dark blue jeans, rolled up at the ankle slightly to reveal some black vans high tops. His top half consisted of a red woolly oversized jumper and a long navy coat over the top.

Mani doesn't know why he's surprised...he didn't expect him to wear his gym clothes out on a date, but wouldn't have put it past him, but now he's seeing a different side of him, he couldn't resist biting his lower lip when he saw him. He was really... really handsome. The omega questions whether this was fate or pure natural attraction.

Teddy takes a step forward as he approaches. "Hey, I wasn't sure if you were gonna come."

"Course I was gonna come!" He didn't need to know about the earlier crisis. He had panicked down the phone to Jojo, who then had to come to the rescue to help style him out. Jojo was apparently an expert at it.

Mani gives him a big smile, which must be infectious as the alpha smiles back, adding,

"You look really hot!"

Never in his life had Mani been described as 'hot.' He knew for a fact that he was beginning to feel hot, as his cheeks were blushing like two cherries. All he can say is "Uh, thanks...so do you." Mani feels this sudden outer body feeling, as if the words were not his. Did he actually just say that? Call his mate hot?

"Why thanks!" He smiles and looks down at what he has on. Teddy looks up and sees Mani's awkwardness as he adds "Let's go in."

As soon as they were through the door, Teddy took charge. "I'll get us a drink. What are you having?" Mani tries to protest. He really wanted to get Teddy a drink in an attempt to not fit the stereotype omega.

"Will you let me get them?" Mani asks, but Teddy has his mind made up. He puts his hands on Mani's shoulders applying enough pressure that he sits on the stool beneath him.

"What are you having?" He looks down at Mani with a smile. An overpowering smile. Teddy was indeed an alpha right now, Mani was definitely an omega.

"B...bud...bud light please." Mani was determined not to get wasted in the company of a male, who he already had instinctive desires for. Teddy moves his hands and heads over to the bar to get the drinks.

Mani doesn't have to wait long before Teddy returns with his beer and his regular bud. "I really wanted to buy you a drink." Mani says, with a hint of sadness.

"You'll just have to find another way to pay me." He raises his eyebrows playfully at Mani.

Teddy then takes his phone from his jacket pocket and gestures for Mani to get closer to him. "Do you mind? I wanna take a selfie of us, you know, for the memories. The start of our story." Mani nods as he shuffles in, leaning his shoulders closer to Teddy's chest, Mani keeps his hands under the table on his own legs. Teddy boldly puts an arm around Mani's back and places his hand on Mani's left shoulder. His face now only inches away.

He didn't know if Teddy could feel it but his touch and proximity felt like electricity to Mani. He felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. He felt scared but safe at the same time. There was something about his masculinity that made Mani feel protected.

"Say cheese!" He suddenly says. Mani has to summon up all his strength to not show his true feelings on his face, opting for a clichè cheesy grin instead. As soon as the picture was taken, Teddy moved away as quickly as he'd approached. Mani felt a little sad by the lack of contact, but at least he could now take a breath.

Teddy looks at the picture, then shows it to Mani smiling. "Looking good. Thanks."

He smiles back. It was true, they did actually look like a handsome couple, a hot couple even.

Two bottles of beer in and the chat is flowing nicely. Mani feels a little bit more at ease that he could at least buy Teddy a beer. Mani wasn't ready to give in to Teddy's alpha powers just yet, they'd been chatting for an hour and Mani feels light headed, the beers taking a bit of an effect. Mani was starting to want air, so with his two bud lights willing him on, he heard himself suggesting "Do you fancy going for a walk?"