With a defeated sigh, Charlie walks out from his room and is met by Alan.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," he starts.
Charlie smiled shortly. "He's mad and he's gone."
Alan nods knowingly and taps Charlie's shoulder. "I expected that. He's really not the type to accept someone in his life most especially, his soulmate. It's something he dreads. So, please be patient with him."
"I will. I hope he doesn't hate me," Charlie says lowly.
"Well, I don't know about that. Hate is a strong word and you being his soulmate doesn't help so... I think he does. But he's a sweetheart! He's just like that since this is all overwhelming for him right now. I'm sure he'll soften up!" Alan reassures the enigma.
But despite Alan's speech, Charlie still feels hopeless and sad. He's like a puppy deprived of his owner or a puppy that was just scolded. He's really sulking right now. And Alan huffs a breath, thinking of what to do to help the situation.
"Wanna celebrate our win this season?" Alan asks cheekily.
"Uh, I'm not really in a festive mood. But you can go with the rest of the team if you want–
"Is that so? Well, I know a pub with a certain alpha that may or may not work there and may or may not be someone's soul–
"To the pub then! Let's go! Call them up right now– Wait, should I?–
"Did Babe drive off with my car!?" Alan shouts, realizing just now when he looked out the window and saw his car gone.
"Well..."
On the other hand, Babe, who is face-slumped to the bed, couldn't process the whole thing that happened yesterday. He couldn't take his mind off of Charlie and how much suffering he'll put him through.
He keeps questioning why it all happened on his birthday where everything was going so well. Why it have to be Charlie, an enigma. Why fate keeps fucking his life up.
He wonders if it's his fate to be miserable.
To be involved with enigmas.
Son..
Stop resisting!
Someday you're gonna crawl back here and beg me to—
"Fuck!" He stood up. He's breathing heavily from the sudden flashbacks.
He stares at his now shivering hands. "Fuck this."
Babe looks around for his cigarettes to calm him down but he can't find it. He starts panicking and searched his room and even the whole house but couldn't find a single one. And with labored breathing he shakily sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.
His mind wandered; he thought of every possible thing that could calm him. He reminds his brain to remember the feeling of smoking and the smell of the cigarette.
But it didn't help.
Suddenly, as he was breathing deeply, his nose caught a sniff of a familiar scent. Babe looks around and realized that it was his shirt.
Or was it?
"Fucking ridiculous," Babe cursed.
It wasn't his shirt.
It was that enigma's.
It was Charlie's.
His soulmate.
He smelled his soulmate's scent that was left on the shirt.
As ridiculous as it sounds to Babe but there's no denying that his once measured breathing and ruckus mind turned to normal.
He's calm now.
Because of Charlie.
"Fucking stupid asshole." Babe continues to curse as he's in disbelief.
"Shit!" He stood up and removed the shirt and threw it on the sofa.
He went to his room and took a bath to remove all the scent that covers him. And once he was done, he went to change and decided to go to work to get his mind off of things.
To distract himself. From everything.
From Charlie.
Night came and Charlie and the team arrived at this new pub Alan introduced them.
"They say they offer free drinks for new customers!" It was North.
"Where did you even hear that?" Sonic rolls his eyes upon his remarks.
"Uncle told me!" North points at Alan.
They heard the older laugh then was nudged by Jeff. "What? It was the only way he'd come!"
"That's true," Jeff agrees. "I don't know why he doesn't like going to other pubs," Jeff then wonders.
"'Cause he gets free drinks there since he basically promotes the bar with his every vlog," Sonic explains.
"Like a self proclaimed ambassador or something," Way joined in.
Meanwhile Charlie just smiles through their jokes, he's distracted and roaming his eyes as they enter the premise.
Jeff noticed his brother's unresponsiveness because usually, he'll laugh out loud and makes jokes as well but this time, he's silent.
"Hey!" Jeff went to Charlie's side.
The enigma turns to him. "Hey."
"You're quite. Is everything okay with you? Well, especially you and your alpha soulmate? Babe, was it?" Jeff starts.
"Oh. Uh, we– well, we didn't mate because I don't want to and I don't want him to hate me..." He trails off.
They're now inside the pub and in a few seconds they immediately found a vacant area where they can all sit.
"Did that go well?" Jeff asks.
The other shakes his head. "No. He still hated me for it and he hates me being his soulmate. He probably just hates me in general."
The concerned Jeff notes how as Charlie speaks about his soulmate, despite it being negative, he has a bit of smile on his face. Like he found that hatred as a challenge not an ending.
"Wait, why can't I smell your pheromones?" Jeff questions in confusion.
"I took pheromone blockers. It's only until our heat subsides. Well, if he doesn't smell me, he won't go to heat and suffer–
"But the side eff–
"The side effects. I know. I know that. I'm... handling it... I'm trying but I can take it." Charlie reassures his brother.
Despite his worries, Jeff sees that Charlie is determined so he just lets him be. "You like him?" Jeff blatantly asks cause that's the only reasonable conclusion at the moment.
And with that, Charlie's mouth became agape as if he was caught red handed. He pursed his lips and shook his head.
"I don't know. It's not like I dislike him although he is still very much a stranger to me... I care for him. I think I just try to think positive of the situation because I can't get out of it anymore... Fate decided and I want to find the reason why it's him and I. Or maybe I'm just too naïve and gullible and stupid because I can't see anything wrong with it."
While Charlie basically had his little speech, Alan and the others had already chosen their orders. It was Jeff who chose for Charlie and Way offered to order for the team.
"Don't say that. You're just optimistic. Don't worry, that's how this soulmate thing works; fate basically forces the pair to be attracted to each other," Jeff tries to reason out.
"Forced attraction?" Charlie was oblivious if that's really it.
"Yeah, right now, you're just forced attracted to Babe. Don't think much about it and just let it flow!" Alan chimes in and Jeff nods in agreement.
I'm just forced attracted to him.
Am I really?
Charlie nodded to them and glanced quickly at Way's direction. But he immediately turns around because he saw someone.
Babe.
The enigma's heart skipped a bit out of excitement. He plans to talk to him tonight if he ever gets a chance. He wants to explain to him and wants to make things work for both of their sake.
Charlie is hopeful.
Moments passed and their drinks arrived but Way remained on the counter.
He was talking to Babe.
"To X-Hunter's victory!" Alan exclaimed and all of them shouts and clink their glasses then took a shot. All except for Charlie who was so not celebrating.
He takes a sip of his drink but his eyes were glued to that corner of the pub; eyes set on two people talking so happily.
On the other side of the pub, Babe was not happy at all by what's happening. He wanted to drown himself in work to distract himself.
But why is the distraction in his work?
He can't even focus on work since one: his crush is here talking to him and two: Charlie, who is apparently his soulmate, and is apparently the cause of his headache and misery, is also here.
And not only is he here.
He is also staring at him.
He can feel his eyes on him.
But he wonders why he can't smell him. Because if he did, just a sniff of him from miles away, he'll definitely bolt out of the door and leave.
But he didn't smell him nor felt his presence. It's only when he saw a glimpse of him that he confirmed that he was there.
"Why don't you go to our table?" Way finally broke into him.
"I'm working," Babe reasons truthfully.
"There's not much people here tonight. Just join us for a while, we're celebrating our win," Way tries again.
"I can't..." Babe really don't want to go near there.
Way chuckles. "Right... We'll, I'll just stay here then, you won't mind that, right?"
Babe laughs dryly which also surprised him. Because he should be freaking out right now.
Way's his ultimate crush, for Pete's sake.
He should be blushing and acting shy, right?
But why dit it irk him?
Maybe he's just not feeling well.
Maybe.
He clears his throat and said, "Yeah. You can do anything you want."
"Aww, you're not blushing. Am I not your crush anymore?" Way teases.
"What? No– I mean– Yes! Uh, it's not that–"
Way laughs at this. "Hey, calm down. It's alright. I just think you're cute. But... You have a soulmate, I can't compete with that..."
Hearing this, Babe just stood still. He can't believe his crush finds him cute and is flirting with him.
But he just can't find it in himself to be happy about this.
Fuck this soulmates shit!
While they talk, Charlie has mindlessly taken about 6 shots of something that the team keeps handing him. He didn't care about the contents of the drink and just drank it.
He's like a jealous dog because his owner is petting another dog.
But he can't do anything about it. He doesn't even know why he's acting like this.
Well, probably because Way has a higher chance of being liked than him. Not to mention, he's Babe's crush. And they're even talking and laughing with each other.
Charlie slumped his head on the table and it created a loud thud.
It was heard by the alpha and it made him look over that table. And since he was not quick enough, he locked eyes with the enigma he's been trying to avoid.
Babe, despite the neon lights and banging music, seems to see clearly how Charlie looked at the moment. He was dazed for sure, his eyes were sleepy, and he's looking very pissed.
Unconsciously, Babe chuckles.
But he immediately covered his mouth and bit his lips. He's shocked and annoyed to his self.
Although buzzed, that didn't escape from the enigma's eyes. Charlie was surprised when he saw Babe smile and chuckle while looking at him that he became sober.
That may be nothing to others but it's definitely something to Charlie.
It was a big deal for Charlie.
It's the first time he saw Babe smile because of him.
They didn't talk to each other the whole night and that was the last glance Babe has ever thrown in Charlie's direction.
Even so, Charlie celebrated along with the team.
He felt victorious.
Not because of their win in the race.
But because Babe smiled at him.
Author's Note:
Pitbabe episode 10 😭😭😭: 10/10
Pavel's acting: 10/10
Charlie: 💀/10