One Time

But slowly as time passes, Max realized how utterly sweet and caring Charles is. How strong he was for caring and raising Oscar all on his own. He truly starts to see Charles for who he is. That's when the gifts starts being personal and handmade.

Charles who becomes increasingly more flustered the more gestures he received from Max, because he cannot be crushing on a man the same age as his son, but also he was so attentive and kind to him.... it was far too easy for him to fall in love with Max.

At the end, Charles eventually agrees to go on a date with Max because why not? Ofc, he doesn't tell Oscar of the news because he's to embarassed to do so. Meanwhile, Max is over the moon that Charles has accepted his invitation to date and plans to make it the most perfect date ever. He'd meticulously plan it to make sure the other man didn't have to even spend a dime or thought and just enjoy the day with Max <3

(Maybe they'll even get a little action at the end of the date 👀) (Also while writing this I'm imagining that one Vogue China shoot where Charles was wearing that disturbingly tight white shirt, so Max absolutely could NOT focus at all during the date as his gaze kept drifting down to Charles's chest 😭)

Hi Anon 🎁

Oscar's Mom Has Got it Going On: Lightening Strikes

Yes!! I love the concept of Max's initial attraction being purely physical but as he stalks/spends more time with Charles, he falls hard and fast for the sweet, sassy, competitive single mom who raised Oscar in a home filled with so much love and joy despite the fact he was only a teenager himself when his baby was born.

They have long conversations at night, when dinner's finished and Max is hanging around, helping Charles clear the table and wash the dishes while Oscar writes to his pen pal, an American by the name of Logan Sargeant. Max stands next to Charles, talking and listening and laughing as they rinse plates and cups and playfully bump into one another.

Max pours Charles a glass of wine as they sit outside in the Omega's stunning garden (everything grown and cultivated by Charles, no gardeners and no outside help). They look up at the stars and Charles tells him about his papa and his Jules, he tells him about Oscar's dad and how Charles slept with him out of grief after losing his godfather and then realized he was pregnant only a month after.

Max knows it must have been hard as hell to raise a baby, finish school, find work, and support himself and his son but the way Charles speaks? Max knows it was worth it, that Oscar means everything to the Omega and he'd do it all again for his baby.

It's this fathomless, unconditional love that hooks Max in and simply refuses to let go.

Max begins to wake up early to prepare breakfast so Charles has one less thing to do when he comes back from his morning run.

While on calls with employees and Board members Max vacuums the house, hauls soil to Charles's garden, weeds the flower beds, and sweeps the small stone patio.

He does laundry (after watching seven different how-to videos on YouTube and even then Charles giggled because Max didn't know what a spin cycle was) and brings home takeout after he and Oscar return home from a day on the water.

And one day, when Max and Charles are tipsy from too much wine in the garden, the Alpha looks at the rosy-cheeked beauty who's dressed in simple clothes and has a bit of crème brûlée clinging to the corner of his mouth.

His heart skips a beat, jolting Max into a realization he never anticipated:

Charles could dress in a paper bag with soil covering his hands and Max will still want him.

He'll still choose to sit there, under the hot sun, helping Charles weed flower beds and water his garden because talking with Charles—just being with Charles—is the very best part of Max's day.

The syrupy summer days spent in such close proximity has Max realizing its these small acts of service that he does—helping around the house, dinner and wine, driving Charles to work—that puts the sweetest smile on the Omega lips.

And once this epiphany hits Max, he hits the ground running.

Charles works at an architectural firm in Nice and Max doesn't hesitate to drive his Ferrari Monza to the front of the office building and wait for the Omega to step outside. People stare—how could they not? A tall, attractive Alpha dressed in Prada or tailored Kiton suits in a stunning sports car? Fuck, the socialites of France and Monaco hone in on him like a hummingbird to a rose.

But Max ignores them all—they're too frivolous, too silly, too young.

And they're not Charles.

Max wants Charles to look at him with desire—not just the amused fondness he gives because Max is a friend of his son. The Alpha wants Charles to see him as a man, not just a kid with daddy's money who can't commit to anyone or anything.

So Max decides the only way to make sure Charles becomes his wife is to act like the kind of husband Charles deserves:

When he sees Charles in the kitchen he places one large, veiny hand on the small of the Omega's back. He leans in close, murmurs good morning, schat in that low, raspy voice (that he makes a little huskier on purpose). He adds you look beautiful before grabbing the Moka Express and making Charles an espresso exactly the way the Omega likes.

Max drives over to Charles's firm in the afternoons with offers of lunch and dessert—the Omega is so surprised his boss is letting him take the whole hour off (and no calls interrupting them!) and has been treating Charles with so much more respect lately. (He has no idea Max called the CEO after buying a majority stake in the firm and telling him that Charles will be spending his lunch hour as he pleases and if he dares call the Omega while he's on lunch then he can kiss his CEO position goodbye.)

Max hires plumbers to fix the bathroom sink on the second floor of the house. He hires handymen to install a usable AC so Charles and Oscar don't have to rely on fans. He pays for renovations and when Charles tries to protest, he simply cups the Omega's cheek and tells him, You deserve all of it, Charles. And I want to make you happy.

Max lets Oscar drive his Aston Martin Valkyrie in exchange for an evening alone with Charles where they have dinner at a small, private bistro. He gifts Charles a fitted lemon yellow mini dress and after the tiramisu is eaten, he takes the Omega to the open town square filled with a small group of musicians. They dance under the stars, with Max twirling Charles around and around, listening to the Omega's delighted peals of laughter before Charles falls right into Max's arms.

He's breathless, and Max is barely holding on.

The Omega realizes the position they're in—face to face, chest to chest, lips only inches apart. "Max," his voice shakes, cheeks flushed from dancing and something else, "we shouldn't. I—I let this get too out of control, we need to go home—"

"Why not?" The Alpha's gaze is piercing.

"What?"

"You said we shouldn't. Why not?"

"I—you can't be serious, Max. You're my son's best friend, you're 19 years old—"

"Meaning I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions." The arm around Charles's waits tightens. "I know I'm younger than you, but that doesn't mean I'm unaware of my feelings." His voice softens. "Every time I close my eyes, I see us, Charlie. You and me—and our family. Oscar with his siblings, all of us together. A family, schat. All our own."

"I am far too old for you, Max. You should be with someone your own age, someone who you can grow with and live with and share every moment with—"

"I can't."

"Now you're just being stubborn."

"No." Max shakes his head, a small smile on his lips. "I can't do that with anyone else because I don't love them."

Charles freezes. "Max—"

"Give me a chance, schatje."

"What does that even mean?" He tries to deflect, tries to find some way to fight against this steadily building attraction that's now bubbling over, spilling and flooding every inch of his body.

"Mmh, schatje?" Max leans in, resting his forehead against the Omega's. "It can mean a lot of things. Sweetheart. Honey. Darling." Charles whimpers. The Alpha leans in closer, his lips brushing against Charles's own. "But I like the actual definition a lot better. It means my treasure."

And with that, the desperately built walls of his heart crumble—and Charles can no longer resist.

He closes his eyes, lets his heart guide him, and tells himself that this will be a one night thing.

Max will forget soon enough.