"Good morning, dear. It's time to wake up."
The middle-aged woman, Kelly, sat at the edge of the bed, lovingly caressing the half-awake Arthur's head.
"You will be late, son."
Arthur was well aware of that.
Of course, he was already late.
But...he wanted to sleep a little longer.
Just a little.
Two minutes, maybe five?
Tsk... He would just sleep and stay home today.
"Arthur, I've waited ten minutes. You're seriously going to be late if you don't wake up now."
Arthur opened his eyes, his senses slowly returning as he smiled at Aunt Kelly, who gently shook him.
"Aunty~ Mhm... Good morning to you too."
Arthur mumbled, giving in to the kind woman's warm hug, enjoying the comforting pheromones surrounding the two omegas as they embraced.
His mornings always started like this. It always made his day better.
"Gosh! Don't fall asleep again! Wake up!"
Arthur flinched and became wide awake at the smack on his back and Aunt Kelly's warning.
'Right, I can't be late for school.'
Now fully awake, Arthur knew that his waking-up routine- what Aunt Kelly calls it, was finally complete.
"I made you sandwiches for breakfast. Get ready and come down quickly, okay?"
Arthur nodded as Aunt Kelly caressed his head again and playfully pinched his cheeks, reminding him of breakfast.
Then she left after chuckling as he pulled her in for another hug and a shy kiss on the cheek.
'Haa... Why does school start so early?'
Arthur thought, complaining as he brushed his teeth and took a shower.
The young Arthur, who hated going to school, would never have expected he would become a teacher and return to the same place he dreaded so much every day.
It was funny how things turned around for him.
After hurriedly getting ready, he finally left his room.
"Aunty~ Your dear is here! Dear is very hungry and late!"
Arthur announced his arrival cheerfully, successfully drawing attention to himself, causing both people in the living room and kitchen to chuckle.
"You're late again, brat? Next time, I'm going to kick your ass if you don't wake up the first time! Kelly is spoiling you too much."
Uncle Kevin, who was watching the news in the living room, complained.
"Don't be loud, old man. Your Kelly will be angry."
Arthur pouted and mumbled in a low voice as he hurried to stand in front of Uncle Kevin. Then he took a seat on the man's lap, comfortably settling in as Uncle Kevin grunted in annoyance.
"For god's sake, Arthur. You're 24 and heavy! My legs!"
Arthur chuckled at Uncle Kevin's annoyance, then giggled when the man rolled his eyes.
"This is all Kelly's fault. She has spoiled you too much."
"You're being mean, Uncle. Your wife is just so kind and way better than you."
"I'm mean? You brat."
Arthur huffed and puffed, then pouted as Uncle Kevin smacked the back of his head. But he knew Uncle Kevin wasn't really mad at him.
"Uncle..."
"Mm?"
"You see~"
"I don't see."
"Tsk! Be patient until I say it."
"Then don't squirm so much. You're going to tear a muscle."
"Hmmph!"
"... Haa... What is it?"
"You see~"
"..."
"Ask me what, will you?"
"... Get up, you brat. I don't have time for this."
"You are so boring, Uncle."
"I am, I am. I am boring, I am mean, and this uncle obviously can't buy ice cream for you because of that."
Arthur scrunched his nose, visibly panicking, which caused Kevin to smirk.
He knew this little guy very well. He would never risk losing his 'ice cream tax'.
"... You are not mean. Who says that? I'm going to beat the crap out of that guy! Uncle Kevin is the best. The best alpha, the best old man, the favorite of Aunt Kelly!"
Arthur's expression turned sour as he watched Uncle Kevin laugh. Of course, he was laughing at him...
"No, no. I'm not falling for that today. No tax for you today. That's it."
"Come on! I'm going to tell Aunty you scolded me again."
"... Brat."
Then it was Arthur's turn to laugh as Uncle Kevin's expression soured next. But before he could laugh longer, Arthur received another smack to the back of his head.
"I'm sorry, okay? I don't even have to tell you! You are the most handsome alpha I have ever seen. And this little guy likes you soooo much too. So, my good rich uncle is never going to be mad at his cute son, right?"
Arthur pinched Kevin's cheeks as he groaned in annoyance, used to this routine every day.
But neither Uncle Kevin nor Aunt Kelly could resist him.
"Sneaky little guy."
Arthur closed his eyes as Uncle Kevin gently caressed his head, patting his back and signaling him to get up so they could go to the kitchen and check on the queen of the house, who was busy plating their breakfast.
"Ah! Did the dear come?"
Arthur rushed and leaned on the kitchen counter next to Aunt Kelly, excited that she had noticed him, although she sounded a bit sarcastic.
"Yes, yes. Your dear is here. And your other dear is here too."
Arthur pointed at Uncle Kevin as Aunt Kelly laughed looking at her husband, who had a so done look.
"Did you bully my husband early in the morning?"
Aunty asked, looking at Arthur.
Arthur gasped dramatically and pouted at her question.
"What are you saying, Aunty? How can anyone bully your husband? He is like a bull. Undefeatable!"
Kelly laughed, but it only seemed to annoy her husband further after being compared to a bull by this little brat.
"Now I'm a bull?"
Uncle Kevin acted offended.
Arthur shrugged, quickly turning his attention to the sandwich that Aunt Kelly had just handed him.
"Smells so good! Thank you, Aunty!"
"Anything for my cutie," Aunt Kelly said, smiling as she caressed his hair for perhaps the fifth time.
"Sit down first, Arthur," Uncle Kevin instructed and Arthur obediently sat down, munching on the sandwich slowly even though he knew he was already late.
He didn't worry too much, though.
Uncle Kevin would somehow drop him off just in time. Maybe…
"Hurry up, Arthur! At this rate, you won't finish eating that until tomorrow morning!" Uncle Kevin complained.
Arthur pouted at his uncle's remark, prompting Aunt Kelly to give her husband a disapproving look. Arthur knew he should seriously hurry and shouldn't mess around anymore, so he took bigger bites of the sandwich.
But just as he was about to finish, they all turned their heads toward the living room when the doorbell rang.
"Ah! It must be Shawn. I called him to meet me today, but he has never arrived this early before," Uncle Kevin said.
"Are you complaining, Kevin? You should be happy that at least one of your friends finally understands the value of the morning. Morning is the best time to start something," Aunt Kelly complained.
"Okay, okay, love. I'll go open the door."
Arthur watched the couple as Uncle Kevin then left the room.
"He and his friends... sigh... Here, eat this too. Now, of course, he's going to be late dropping you off, so take your time," Aunt Kelly said, handing Arthur a second sandwich. He nodded quietly as she patted his head and then walked to the sink.
Arthur thought about it.
Aunty was right.
He was going to be even later now. Maybe he should just stay home today? He felt lazy and wasn't well-prepared.
He was just ready, as in, he had put on his ironed trousers and the button-up white shirt, but no socks and no shoes.
Also, his hair needed some styling too since Uncle Kevin and Aunt Kelly had messed it up.
"Aunty, can I stay home today?"
Arthur asked.
"Why? Are you not feeling well?"
Aunt Kelly looked concerned, so Arthur quickly had to reassure her.
"No, no. I just... you know, I'm feeling lazy today."
"Is it okay to skip work like that, sweetie?"
"Well, as long as you give permission, it's okay."
Arthur waited expectantly and, as soon as she nodded, he raced to ask Uncle Kevin too.
"Uncle! Can I st—"
But Arthur came to an abrupt halt when he reached the living room, his words stuck in his throat as everything seemed to slow down around him.
"W-wow…"
They had a guest.
An unexpected one who certainly wasn't Uncle Shawn.
'Wow…'
Arthur thought again, his eyes widening.
It was her.
The girl with the black wavy hair, just like Aunt Kelly's, and hazel eyes, like Uncle Kevin's.
Except, she was no longer a girl.
Arthur's gaze wandered over the tall figure whose long, wavy hair hung freely off her shoulders and whose beautifully sculpted body hugged the suit she wore perfectly.
And those eyes...
He felt goosebumps as his gaze locked onto her so beautiful yet dangerously sharp eyes, making him feel exposed and judged.
And, a blush soon crept into his cheeks.
That girl…
She had grown into a stunning alpha...
'N-natalia…'
She was back.
She was back home.