Work Text:
It all started with a glance at the boy. Hair and eyes of the same gray shade. The kid looked like he was perhaps a bit older than a year seeing how young he looked yet was able to walk, so Norton probably did not know him as he only got discharged from the hospital a few days ago. And yet, another face flashed through his mind when he looked at that boy. One exactly similar but older, maybe the same age as him. This was already a weird experience in itself but it only got weirder when that face he saw in his mind actually appeared in front of his eyes. He was most likely the kid's father seeing how he nervously took him in his arms and raised his face to him, ready to glare at the stranger who got too close to his son.
However, instead of what Norton expected, the man was rather dumbfounded when their eyes met. It only lasted for a moment though and the man with the glasses quickly bowed, muttering a sorry before turning away.
"W-Wait-!"
The gray-haired man flinched, still not turning around.
"...Yes?"
"Erm... I'm sorry if this sounds a bit weird but do we know each other? Your face seems familiar... You see, as crazy as it sounds, I just woke up a month ago after being in a coma and my memories are a bit blurry….”
Norton did not know why he was telling his life to a stranger but words were just flowing out of his mouth because of the man's presence. There was a short silence between them when the latter finally turned back to look at him, a sour expression drawn on his face.
"My bad, I didn't recognize you right away. You're Campbell, right. My name is... Aesop."
That first part was clearly a lie but he kept quiet.
"Just... Aesop?" He repeated.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you but- I'm a bit in a rush right now. If you need anything feel free to contact me. You should still have my number on your phone I believe." Aesop widened his eyes for a second before clearing his throat. "Or perhaps not. Let me give it to you again."
"Oh that would actually be helpful- To be honest my phone broke in the accident I got so I had to buy a new one."
Aesop did not answer and just kept silent as he typed his number on Norton's phone.
"Now if you may excuse me."
"Ah, of course- See you again then..."
This time, Aesop really walked away for good, the kid in his arms staring at Norton until they were out of sight.
Well, that was indeed quite a weird meeting. Aesop... This name did not ring a bell to the him of today but his heart twitched when he said his name in his head. What if he was an ex or something like that? Norton snorted as he resumed his walk to the hospital for a check-up.
“Everything seems fine with your health, now the only question is if you remembered anything else?”
The doctor backed away after being done with the examination, sitting on the chair behind her desk as she looked down at some papers.
“I think I did, but it was only a face so it’s not really enough for me to know what I did or what kind of person I was during these past years.”
“I see…” she hummed quietly.
“Dr.Dyer… Did that person say anything?”
The doctor frowned anxiously. Norton’s situation was rather unusual to say the least. Apparently, about one year and a half ago, he had gotten into an incident, resulting in him falling for a coma until a month ago, when he woke up without any memory of the years after he graduated from college. His only family had always been his dad but the latter died due to excessive smoking when he was young, leaving him to his own care ever since.
Or so he thought.
After spending a month in the hospital to recover, Norton discovered that someone had handled all the paperwork regarding his stay there and even paid for everything. That came off as quite the shock as he had absolutely no idea who did this. He tried calling all the numbers registered in his phone but no one knew anything and the hospital's secretary told him that his mysterious benefactor wanted to remain anonymous.
“His answer is still the same unfortunately, though he told me to convey that, he wishes for you to be happy and not feel tied to the past if you don’t remember.”
Still the same bullshit, huh.
Norton sketched his common superficial smile as he thanked the doctor before leaving the building. So it was a ‘he’. This was not much information but it somewhat reduced the possibilities. Norton thought that so-called benefactor was quite a selfish jerk to be honest. Why make it such a big deal? Why help him so much without wanting anything in return? He did not want that kind of pity, he could handle himself. And yet… Why did his heart ache this way? ‘Don’t be tied to the past’? But this sounds like he forgot something extremely important so how could he go on and ignore it!?
He stopped to sit on a bench to cool down his mind. Maybe he was getting worked up over nothing. Maybe that person was right. But… It felt… Wrong.
“Campbell?”
Norton’s eyes shot up in surprise, meeting with a familiar gray-haired face. Aesop.
“Are you alright? Why are you moping here?” Norton thought Aesop was a bit weird. Last time he acted like he did not want to interact with him but now, his voice sounded full of concern. “There’s a coffee shop at the end of the street, it’s starting to rain, let’s go there.”
Norton did not answer but still followed Aesop to the shop. They sat at a table in a quiet corner and the gray-haired man ordered two cups of espresso for them. After their drinks arrived, Aesop asked again if anything bothered him and once again, Norton found himself unpacking his whole life to the man.
“Maybe that person has their reasons…”
“It’s my life though. I should be the one to decide.”
“You’re not wrong either.”
Aesop quietly sipped his coffee and Norton was about to do the same when he noticed something strange.
“Don’t you think it has a weird smell?”
“Does it?” he said, tilting his head.
“It smells like… mint? Do they have some kind of family recipe?”
Aesop’s eyes widened and he suddenly got up, making Norton flinch.
“Ah- Sorry- Hum, I just recalled I need to pick up my son so see you later-”
“Oh, uh, no worries.”
Aesop hurriedly grabbed his stuff and left a bill on the table before storming out of the shop, leaving Norton with his own thoughts once again. The kid he saw last time was indeed his son, huh. Aesop looked rather young though, the way he spoke made him sound like a single dad he thought. Maybe he was wrong but his gut feeling was often on point. It looked like Aesop had it rough. Well, he was no better either.
Anyway, it was getting late. Norton finished his cup of coffee and left the shop to go home.
“Hm? I just realized the scent faded after Aesop left. Could he…” He shrugged. “Whatever, that’s not my business.”
His apartment was a bit far from the hospital so coming back took quite some time, a real pain when he needed to go there for check-ups. He wondered for a second if Aesop lived near the hospital, in a matter of a few days they had met twice in its vicinity which felt a bit too much for it to be a coincidence.
“I’m thinking too much about him.” he muttered.
Norton walked up to his fridge to take a beer. He took off the cap to take a gulp and stared at his surroundings. He lived there for most of his life but this place looked so weird to him now. The fridge full of fresh vegetables when he went back to his apartment the first time after he woke up. These weird spots a bit all over the place as if something that had been there for a long time disappeared. It was obvious someone was living here with him and that person was most likely the same as the hospital benefactor.
A week passed after all these events. Norton had gone to see Dr.Dyer for a check-up and as always, nothing was wrong beside his missing memory. To be honest, he believed these appointments were useless but that doctor truly had a frightening way with words when it regarded health.
Norton walked down the corridor with his hands in his pockets when a familiar scent reached his nostrils. Mint again. Was Aesop here? Instinctively, he turned around to follow it. Soon enough, the smell had become stronger so Norton knew he was at the right place. But this was…
“Dr.Dyer’s office…?” he whispered.
Voices echoed faintly from the room all of a sudden and Norton quickly hid against the wall. The door was slightly ajar so he could hear their conversation if he was carefully listening.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell him, Carl?” said a female voice.
“And then what?” Norton recognized Aesop’s voice but it sounded bitter this time, almost… desperate. “He only remembers everything before college, right? We met after so it’s like I never existed for him. If I also added that other part…”
What other part? Norton wanted to ask but it still felt like now was not the right time yet.
“He said he remembered something last week, it’s only a matter of time, Carl.”
“How long?” He laughed. “A few days? A month? Until I die? It’s been more than a year already.”
“Aesop, I’m telling you this not as a doctor but as your friend. He deserves to know and you also think so deep inside. You can’t just hide forever- Or are you gonna lie to your kid your whole life and rob him of his dad-!?”
“I’m also his dad-!”
At last, Norton decided to barge in when the voices started to get louder. Both the doctor and Aesop seemed shocked when they saw him, perhaps afraid. It was obvious when looking at the situation that Norton knew what was going on. Miss Dyer realized it too and excused herself as she left the office to let him talk with Aesop.
“I’m not going to turn around the bush, I’m sure you know it’s not my type.” Aesop looked away, silent. “You lied to me, right? You knew about everything all along.” Norton slowly walked up towards him until he was pinning him against the desk. His hand went to the collar of his sweater to pull it down, revealing a bite mark. “Of course you’re an omega. Your scent can’t fool me.”
“N-Norton…”
“Norton? Not Campbell? You’re confirming my doubts.”
Aesop gasped as Norton bit his ear delicately. His cheeks then flushed into a deep red when he noticed the dark-haired man was releasing his pheromones. It smelled like musk and cinnamon. It was so fragrant and the way Norton’s breath brushed against his neck was driving him crazy.
“S-Stop that-! I-I-m sorry!” begged the other.
Hearing his plea, Norton stopped and stepped back, his fingers stroking the bite mark on Aesop’s neck before falling on his side.
“Did… Did I do that? Are we partners? Something more maybe, since that kid… is ours.” Aesop mustered up his courage to look into Norton’s eyes. Pain, anger, but also yearning filling those dark orbs of him. “You knew since the beginning, right. Why did you keep silent?”
“I… I was afraid to meet your gaze… Appear like a stranger… Can you even imagine-” He grasped Norton’s shirt almost desperately. “All that time- Waiting for you to wake up, hoping for you to say my name- But when you regained consciousness, everything was gone-!”
Norton was at a loss of words. His mind was a mess but he still knew what to do.
“I’m sorry.” His arms embraced Aesop’s body, it still felt unfamiliar but it made something in his chest tickle warmly. The gray-haired man returned his hug even tighter, burying his face in the crook of his neck as if to hide. “I’m back.”
This was a lie. However, it was the sweetest lie he ever told and Norton would not mind believing this lie either, then, who knows, maybe it will become the truth one day.