marint

Pebble day takes place on the Thursday of the first race weekend on the calendar. The paddock is always a buzz with excitement. Eager omegas who wish to get involved will leave an empty basket outside of their drivers room and alpha suitors will pick a pebble to drop into the basket of whichever omega they are interested in courting. 

Max has only set out a basket once, in his first year. He came back after a day of media duties only to find his basket empty and couldn’t decide if it was embarrassment or sadness that made tears prickle in his eyes. It was only an hour later that he discovered all alphas had been warned not to try and court someone yet to hit their eighteenth birthday but that one hour where Max thought that nobody wanted him was one of the worst he can remember and he has never wanted to chance experiencing that again.

This year though, this year he thinks maybe he is brave enough to try again. He is a lot older now, can cope with rejection if it comes his way. And he has seen so many couples get together through pebble day. So, on the Thursday of the first race weekend Max sets out a basket. It’s a simple wicker one, which he hasn’t gone through the trouble of decorating like some other omegas do. The least amount of effort he puts in the more easily he can deny actually caring about it.

Media day goes as is to be expected, slow and a little boring at times with the same questions being thrown his way. Fortunately the Red Bull team know him well enough by now to try and keep things entertaining so it's not all doom and gloom. Max can’t concentrate though. All he can think about is the basket he has left outside, wondering if its sat empty. 

As soon as Max is released from duties he heads across the paddock as quickly as possible without looking too eager. Around him he can see other omegas peering into their baskets to see if there have been any pebbles dropped in there. It’s old fashioned, certainly, but Max would rather like for an alpha to request courtship this way. 

As he gets closer to his room he takes a deep breath and then peeks inside his basket. His empty basket. Max's heart starts to sink. He’d prepared himself for this eventuality but deep down he thought someone might be interested. He’d heard some whisperings about his participation in pebble day but now he suspects everyone was laughing behind his back. 

Max grabs for the door handle but goes flying into his room as its opened from the other side. 

“Sorry mate,” Rupert gives Max an apologetic look, “I didn’t mean to go in but they asked me to tidy up a bit.” 

“Tidy up?” Max frowns, he most definitely didn’t leave his room untidy, he never does.

“The pebbles,” Rupert laughs awkwardly, “They were pilling up a bit. I’ve put them all over there.”

Max stares over to where Rupert is pointing towards a huge pile of pebbles in the corner. HUGE. Like almost enough pebbles to suggest every available alpha in the paddock has swung by today.

“Think you have quite a choice!” Rupert smiles and gives Max a friendly pat on the back before leaving him alone. Max immediately crouches down next to the pile, grabbing at pebbles. The first few he turns over immediately so he can see the alphas name carved into the back. After working his way through about a quarter he then starts to play a game to see if he can work out who has gifted him which one.

All pebbles arrive at the track in bulk and its the alphas job to pick out the one they think will be most attractive to their chosen omega. Max is busy starting at a pebble with a swirl of orange on it when he hears rustling outside the door. The omega immediately jumps to his feet and swings open the door.

“I didn’t know you were here!” Charles turns bright red as he retracts his hand from the basket. Max glances inside and sees a brand new pebble there - blue and red colours blended together. Its beautiful.

“I can’t believe I am first here,” Charles smiles embarrassed, “I thought it would be overflowing by now.”

Max shifts his weight between his feet, wondering whether to tell Charles about the stash inside his room. Unfortunately he doesn’t get a chance to decide because Charles glances past him into the room and sees the huge array of pebbles all over the floor where Max has been sorting them. 

“Oh,” Charles bites at his lip and takes a step back, “Sorry I -, yeah of course there are many. I was being stupid. Or hopefully maybe.” 

Max takes the pebble out of the basket and holds it in the palm of his hand. It’s small and simple in shape but the colourings are so pretty. It’s not really just about the pebble though, Max had never imagined he would receive so many offer but even more shocking is the fact that Charles is here. Offering to court him. Charles is interested. Max’s heart skips. 

“I should probably leave you to go through them all,” Charles’ face is still glowing red along his cheekbones.

“I accept,” Max blurts out, hardly eloquent and he’s not even sure Charles understands at first, “I mean I accept this". Max holds the pebble up and smiles shyly. 

“Really?” Charles sounds shocked, “Out of all them, have you gone through them all because I -“

“I don’t need to,” Max grasps the pebble tight in his hand, “There won’t be one I love more than this.” 

Charles’ smile widens and if Max isn’t mistaken then the alpha is rumbling happily. Max joins in, purring along to the rhythm. They sound good together.

“We should put this in a nest,” Max says gleefully. The second part of the ceremony where the omega takes the pebble of the alpha whose courtship they accept and places it in pride of place in a newly constructed nest.

“Perhaps not here though,” Charles nods towards the pebbles scattered all over the floor of Max’s drivers room and laughs, “My room?”