Night came and Babe is currently working. He looks at his phone and reads that it's almost 2 in the morning and yet, someone still hasn't showed up. He furrowed his brows and put it back in his pockets.
Babe figured that he might not come tonight.
Which should be a good thing.
Right?
He's totally not waiting for him.
Totally.
"Can I get a drink?" someone cuts his train of thought.
Babe quickly faced his customer and to his surprise, it was Charlie.
Again, he couldn't sense his presence since he can't smell his pheromones at all. He wonders if this is because of their soulmates. But then again, why can he smell his scent on that shirt? Something must be wrong with him.
Charlie smiled when he saw Babe's widened eyes. He was clearly not expecting him tonight.
He tilts his head as a gesture that his question is still unanswered. "Babe?" He calls.
"W-what? Oh, yeah, sure," Babe was finally shaken awake from his trance. He even cursed mentally for stuttering. He took the enigma's order and started making it.
Okay, he admits that he did expect Charlie to be here since he's been coming here frequently or maybe only if he's just working. But he didn't expect him to actually sit on the counter close to him.
On the other hand, Charlie just follows Babe's every move with his eyes. He noted how Babe looked serious while making his drink. Well, he's unsure if he's serious or just annoyed by his presence. Also, it didn't escape his vision how the alpha glances at him once in a while.
While Babe is frustrated by how every time they make eye contact, Charlie smiles cheekily. Not even a hint of shame in his face.
Suddenly a customer showed up and he momentarily stopped making Charlie's drink and went up to the customer and took his order. Then, the second he came back to his spot, a male omega was now talking to Charlie.
He can tell he's an omega by his aura and smell. Of course, enigmas have really strong aura but it's really difficult to spot especially since alphas and enigma can have similar auras. However, Charlie has that mysterious vibe surrounding him; he looks cheerful but also enigmatic. Babe has very much witnessed countless scenes like this and he can say that a lot of omegas like that apparently.
He scoffs unknowingly and returns to what he was doing.
"I'll be watching the race next season," the omega announced.
"That's great!" Charlie enthusiastically replies. He's genuinely happy to meet a fan of his.
Meanwhile Babe silently snorted by how animated Charlie's answers were. It's like talking to an auto chat. He's clearly genuine but the omega seemed to be annoyed by his responses.
The next Charlie knew, a hand was snaking on his arms. He was looking at Babe's way but then abruptly turned to the omega with a questioning look.
The omega replied with a flirtatious smile. "So you ride cars?"
"Yep!" Charlie answers almost immediately.
"I also wanna ride..."
"Oh, you also want to be a racer–
"No, silly! I want to ride the one driving the car–
"Your drink, sir!" Babe practically exclaimed and placed Charlie's drink in front of him and spared a glance at the omega.
"Do you want to order, sir?" Babe dryly asked.
The omega just shot him a glare and also gave him a dry smile. "No," he declines and turns to Charlie whose entire focus was on Babe. He felt disrespected and scoffed.
"How annoying," the omega rolls his eyes at both of them and leaves the counter.
They stare at his retreating back and Babe rolls his eyes while Charlie shrugs his shoulders.
The enigma took a sip of his drink. "Thanks," he states.
Babe, who is making another drink, nods but doesn't face Charlie.
"Thanks for shooing him away," Charlie added, not averting his eyes from Babe.
"I didn't do anything."
Of course Charlie knows that it was because of him but he wants to talk to Babe so, here we are.
"You did. You look like you're about to bite him–
"What!?" Babe snaps, finally facing Charlie.
Charlie smirks triumphantly. "Kidding."
Then Babe once again rolls his eyes and goes to the customer to hand him his drink. As he came back, Charlie was still staring at him.
"Staring is rude," Babe finally says.
"I was observing–
"Still, it's rude. Ugh, you know what? Just say what you want to say and stop staring." Babe suggests.
"I don't have anything to say, though," he replies truthfully. He really doesn't have anything to talk about with Babe but he still wants to have a conversation with him.
Babe sighs in frustration. "Stop staring then."
"I'm sorry, I will," Charlie apologizes. He shifted in his seat and turned to where the band was playing.
He heard Babe grunt and cursed under his breath but he didn't say anything anymore. So Charlie just slowly sipped his drink and just listened to Babe's voice talking to other customers.
Moments passed and Charlie's drink is gone. He finally turned back to the counter and placed his drink. He searched his wallet and got some cash before placing it on the counter along with a tip. He handed it to Babe.
"Thanks," Babe trails off.
"Yeah," Charlie replies then he smiles. He was about to leave when Babe spoke again.
"Thanks for the gift, I appreciate it... But don't think that we're okay now, alright? My feelings and sentiments stay the same and–
"I know. I'll work hard then," Charlie locks eyes with Babe and genuinely says that. He doesn't want to hear Babe's actually hurtful words before leaving so he cuts him off unwillingly and finally says, "See you, Babe."
Meanwhile Babe was left with so many words yet left unsaid but he didn't mind being cut off. Deep inside, he knows how unnecessary what he said was and how childish it was of him. Yet, he still said it and now he's disappointed in himself and a pained looking Charlie.
For the next few days, Charlie hasn't showed up at the pub. However, the past few days when Babe hasn't seen Charlie, he received gifts from him.
There were flowers, food, random things, tickets to a movie, theater shows, amusement parks, basketball, football and even racing tickets. Basically, he was bombarded by Alan every morning for new gifts from Charlie and he's both confused and annoyed by it.
Two weeks have passed and he still hasn't shown up. Babe thinks that it might be because of him. He might've triggered him. He thinks that Charlie might've lied when he said he'll work hard, when in fact he meant he gave up.
But this should make Babe happy.
This should be a good sign.
Maybe he did give up and also didn't like the idea of them being soulmates anymore.
Of course, this made Babe happy but he's just confused about the sudden change of mind.
But he's happy about it.
Totally.
"Why am I here again?" Babe asked genuinely oblivious as to how he ended up hanging out with the members of X-Hunter.
They're currently at an amusement park after they dragged Babe's ass out of the bed on his day off. Charlie didn't send a gift today but he thinks he sent the team. And he's only left to wonder why.
"'Cause we're bored and we needed a plus one–
"What?" Babe cuts North off.
"Look! We ordered tickets for 6 but Ch–
"We wanted to have fun before the next season starts," it was Way covering North's mouth.
"And you're free so decided to tag you along–
"Are we that close already? I really wasn't informed–
"Of course! You're cool and we'll never know, you might join the team someday!" North chimes in.
The whole team gasped and was pleased by the idea then they looked at Alan. The latter shrugs his shoulders. "What?"
"Babe. Join. Team," Jeff explains.
"Oh. No– I mean, of course, if he passes all the requirements and training. You know, Babe doesn't want a free pass on everything especially, if he wants it. He likes to work hard on things he wants so yeah, let him work his way in the team." Alan states and they all nodded and also agreed. They all turned to Babe, excited.
"I'll think about it?" Babe answers, unsure.
The team cheered and they went on with the plan today.
The whole day, they went to every place they could have been: amusement park, movie theater, restaurant, arcade, and racing match. Their hopefully last stop is the pub where Babe works at.
They've been here for about two hours now and within those two hours, Babe was taking shots after shots, and the team were worried.
He's now wasted, to be precise.
"Babe, I think that's enough–
"No!" Babe protests and he steals the bottle and chugs again.
"Hey, slow down!" Alan scolds and steals the bottle back. They hid it from him, actually, they were not drinking anymore because Babe kept chugging their drink.
"He looks heartbroken?" North comments.
Sonic nods. "He looks like his dog went missing or something–
"Right! That's what he's giving off," North agrees.
Way on the contrary was amused by the sight of Babe. "He's flushed, look!" Way nudges Jeff.
"Give him more water," Jeff worriedly said.
Way, despite laughing, went to get some more water. Meanwhile, Alan is scolding Babe while he forces him to drink water. Seconds later, Way returned and gave even more water to Babe.
"Stop it!" Babe pushes the water away and releases himself from Alan's hold.
"You don't understand! He's so annoying! He's such an asshole! One day, he shows up and then the second thing I know, he ghosts me! How fucking rude! He gives me gifts after gifts like I'm some charity– I like them okay! But then he's ghosting me! Fine! I'm actually okay with it! I'll be so happy if he finally stops showing up in my life! He's really a bastard..." Babe rants and slumps his head to the table.
North whispers, "Oh, he's talking about–
"Where's Charlie?" Babe asked defeated.
Shock was an understatement of what they're feeling if you ask the team. Especially Allan whose a witness to all of that's happened between them.
No one mentioned Charlie's name for the reason that they don't want Babe's mood to turn sour if he hears the name.
Allan has never heard Babe called Charlie by his name so he's very much shocked because it's the first time he's heard him say it.
No one said a word for a while since Charlie told them not to say anything to Babe because he wouldn't care anyway. So they just cleared their throat and Alan even mindlessly drank the water that was meant for Babe out of shock.
Suddenly, Babe abruptly lifted his head.
"Charlie?" Babe calls faintly as he sniffs the air.
"Hm?" A voice answered.
Babe's head turned immediately to where the familiar voice and scent came from. Babe has become familiar with the voice and scent of someone he barely knows and interacts with and yet, it feels so familiar to him that he knows who it is just by it.
And with his drunk self, Babe's face brightened and he, for a second time, smiled because of Charlie.
Babe's eyes stared at Charlie's own.
"Charlie..."
"I'm home, Baby."