first came babies...then came love. (Closed with chrome)

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

"You haven't", Shawn replied with a smug little smile. He still held Kroy, who snuggled against his shoulder, thumb in mouth and followed Diesel and Lulu to the register.

At the spoken German, Shawn felt a little flush creep up his neck and he dunked his head so that it didn't show on his cheeks. Hearing such words made his heart kick up a notch, and hope spread.

"You're real sweet sometimes, Raven, you know that?' He replied instead as the alpha was turned away, swipping his card in payment.

However, hearing that they were now going shopping for them, had brought down the happy just a tad. "But I don't wanna shop for clothes for me. I like what I'm wearing", he pouted and didn't care that for all the world, at that moment, he sounded like a petulant child. The alpha snorted and walked ahead of him, know he'd follow.

And likewise, despite his complains Shawn followed, a bounce in his step.

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A scoff left Diesel's mouth at the reply. "Well that's a relief, I was about to question why you would bother to stay if that were the case." The words sounded rough but there was a teasing tone in it that showed he wasn't serious. The store was bright enough for Diesel to catch the redness creeping up Shawn's neck from the corner of his eyes as Shawn ducked his head away -- not fast enough for the winged creature's eyes-- and a small smug grin appeared on the blond alpha's face.

"Sweet?" Another scoffing laugh escaped him as he put away the card back into his wallet before accepting the bags with the boy's clothes in them with his free hand that wasn't balancing Lucifer. "I think you've gotten me mistaken for someone else."

Red eyes rolled at the omega's whining, knowing immediately where his sons were picking up the tone -- Diesel certainly didn't whine. "You like the clothes you're wearing now but you're not wearing them everyday. I'm not forcing you to change into the immediately, but adding a little taste into your wardrobe is something I'm determined to accomplish today."

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

"Fine, but if I don't like them, I'll not wear them", the omega snarked back in a teasing manner of his own. "I'll just run around nude an then you'll be glad for my thrift shop clothes".

Shawn had moved close so that they were side by side, each with a child on the opposite hip. He used that as an excuse to get closer and slipped his free arm through Diesel's.

"We totally look like a family right now", he said causally. "Now you don't gotta worry about other omegas hitting on you, cause you'll smell like me!" He said it as of he were doing the stoic alpha a favor, even though he was figured the alpha knew as well as he did, that he was pretty much doing it for himself as well.

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Diesel turned his head to raise an eyebrow towards Shawn. "You will not," he told him matter-of-factly. "It's bad enough the twins do it after bath time I'll not have a grown adult running around my home naked too." He shook his head at the thought. "Besides, I won't buy you anything that you don't like, that would be pointless. They have normal looking clothes, not everything is garishly printed with their label all over it." Thinking suddenly, Diesel turned his head fully towards Shawn as they walked. "Do you have a problem with my clothes?"

Of course he felt Shawn slipping an arm around his own but he didn't say anything about it, nor did he brush the omega off like he might have done a couple years ago. He'd gotten accustomed to the little things about Shawn and his curious need to show affection. Diesel wasn't ready for that yet himself but the simple act of not brushing him off or slipping his hand free told enough.

"I suppose we do," he mused, looking between the two children. "Though how two blonds created a child with red hair might raise a few eyebrows." A quiet sigh left him at that as he looked at Lucifer, though his quickly shook himself free of the negative thinking, focusing his attention on the next words out of Shawn's mouth.

Giving Shawn a deadpan look, Diesel frowned. "You're still sleeping in the same bed as me, even though the twins have had their own room for a year. If I don't smell like you already I'll be worried about the effectiveness of your scent glands."

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Shawn couldn't stop the snort that the alphas words brought to his mind, but he managed to keep a laugh contained, especially since the alphas question directed his attention.

"What! No, of course not. Hell...lo", he stopped himself as he caught sight of the blonde head on his shoulder. "I mean, heck no, you look great", he ran his single green eye and grinned. "You actually look like you stepped out of a fashion mag. But what looks good on you, what I like on doesn't mean it will on me, or I do on me, you know?"

He slipped his hand down to grasp the slightly larger one of the alphas in his own. "We'll tell them it comes from a grandparent or some such thing, or whatever", he snickered at he glanced at the red haired child. "That look of his is all you though", he tried to put on a scowl, but he couldnt quite twist his face into one when he was feeling so happy.

Especially not when Diesel said something Ike that so causally. Granted, all, they did was sleep, but any hearing passer by wouldn't know that.

"My scent isn't really what I'd call potent though", he said, trying to distract himself from the thoughts the words had brought forth. "I smell like, I don't know, a cheap knock off candle or something", he shrugged his shoulder and frowned a little.

His scent was a mild hibiscus flower like scent or so he'd been told, and he suddenly worried if maybe Diesel didn't find it appealing. The alpha himself smelled amazing, like fresh rain and maybe something a little smokey, and something else just a little bit sweet that Shawn had yet to identify. Maybe it was something he'd discover later on, and that was something he found that he was looking forward to.

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Diesel could feel himself bristling at the scoff that left Shawn, suddenly feeling like he was about to be mocked, but he settled at the omega's words. An eyebrow rose for a moment at the near slip up of the word hell around the twins -- both of which had the horrible tendency to repeat new words, particularly bad ones. Diesel himself had been the one to stumble upon this fact about his boys when Lucifer had pulled a particularly long flight feather from one of his wings and Diesel had cursed in surprise and slight pain. That incident had caused both Kroy and Lucifer to go around saying 'shit' to everything, proud of the new word and amused at the frustration it brought out of their mother.

"I think you'll look fine," Diesel commented, tapping a finger against the back of Shawn's hand from where their hands were clasped together. "Better if you had some properly fitting clothes with a bit more style to them."

A chuckle left Diesel at the scowl Shawn was attempting to mock, a look that appeared far too often on both the alpha and red haired child. "You look constipated," Diesel commented on Shawn's face with an amused expression of his own.

They were walking into the store now, Diesel's hand leaving Shawn's for a moment to hold the door open, though unconsciously he reached for the appendage once again once they were inside. "I think your scent is just fine, you only think that because you can't really smell yourself. It's strong enough to be noticed don't worry. Some people just don't care and go after unobtainable things despite common sense," he added, thinking specifically of the store clerk in the children's Gucci store.

"Mommy!" he was distracted from Shawn for a moment as Lucifer tightened his hold on Diesel's neck, his way of getting his mother's attention. "Look!" The young boy was pointing in the direction of a white jacket hanging on the wall in the adult's winter collection, looking identical to the ones he'd purchased for the boys. "You can look like me and Kroy! Then people will think you're cute like us!"

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Properly fitting? Shawn was amused because most of his jeans were so tight they could be a second skin, then again maybe that's what he met. The faded T-shirt he wore was a bit outdated though, that he could admit.

"Yeah maybe you're right", he relented with a little laugh as he settled his face back into its relaxed state. "Let's say I let you dress me up like a doll with all those expensive threads, and let's say I wear them for the rest of the day", he started, looking the alpha in his gorgeous ruby eyes. "What do I get in return?' He ask playfully. 'A cup of cocoa? Or maybe a kiss on the cheek?'

Hearing that the alpha seemed to both like and approve of his scent had droused the flames of any doubt he'd beend feeling and he he would happily wear any outfit the alpha picked out for him.

Hearing Lulu demand his mothers attention to the coats he pointed at and the words that followed had the omega laughing out loud. "Adorable", he cooed and glanced back to the other man. "What do you say, Raven? Wanna look cute like the twins?"

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Diesel grinned, perhaps a little toothier than could be considered anything but dangerous. "Careful with those deals of yours," he warned. "If I really wanted to dress you up there are plenty of clothes here that would be..." he paused thinking of a good way of phrasing it. "Certainly not your taste."

He slipped his hand free from Shawn's grip to pat the omega lightly on the cheek that he mentioned he wanted a kiss on. "Maybe if you behave," he teased, using the voice he often used on the twins when saying the same thing.

Walking over to the jackets that Lucifer had been pointing to, Diesel cast a look back over at Shawn with raised eyebrow. "I'm always cute, I don't know what you're talking about," he told the omega before turning to his son. "Where do you think you get it from?"

Diesel browsed the coats for a moment, coming across one that was perhaps a size smaller than what he needed but would definitely a certain omega in the room. He held it up to Shawn with a devious look on his face. "Do you want to be cute too, Shawn?"

Lucifer bounced up and down in Diesel's arms and even Kroy was watching Shawn with clear expectation. "Yes! Let's all wear the jacket!" Lucifer demanded, taking the jacket from Diesel who looked at Shawn with a triumphant expression.

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

There was no way he could say no to any of them even if he'd wanted to. He decided that he'd take the challenge of letting Diesel pick out whatever he wanted him to wear, he really did have confidence in the alphas taste, even if he protested wearing such clothes.

'I happen to think I'm pretty cute already, but I wouldn't mind being part of a squad", he said, reaching down a hand so Kroy could give it a slap. Then he turned his other hand to Lucifer who eyed the hand before giving it a resounding smack that had the omega flinching at the unexpected sting.

"Guess we're a gang now", he said eyeing the alpha with a little smirk. "Least we'll look adorable when we go for /Hot Chocolate/".

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Diesel rolled his eyes at Shawn's interactions with the twins, though he grinned proudly at the firm high-five Lucifer had been able to preform. They certainly had inhuman strength even for such a young age and they didn't really realize it themselves so poor Shawn often got the short end of the stick due to being a human.

Slipping the white jacket with Gucci stripes down the sleeves out of Lucifer's hands, Diesel tossed it to Shawn before reaching his free hand out to take Kroy. "Try it on," he told him, "I was only guessing with the size but it looks like it'll fit nicely. I'll find my size afterwards."

At the mention of hot chocolate, Lucifer wiggled in Diesel's grip and he watched Kroy's eyes light up in delight. "We're getting hot cocoa?" Lucifer asked, looking up at Diesel with expecting happiness. The alpha shot the omega a look, knowing Shawn had purposefully mentioned it in front of the children so that he was unable to say no.

"Yay!" Kroy grinned, giving Lucifer a high five across Diesel's chest where he held the twins.

Diesel rolled his eyes at the omega before answering, "I guess we are." he forced a smile on his face for the boys before adding. "And while you're up all night because you've had three times the amount of recommended sugar Shawn will play all the games you want instead of spending time with mommy. Does that sound good too?"

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Shawn's mouth dropped open just a bit and he had stopped with the jacket, which fit great and looked great, to blink at his...at the alpha.

"Say what now?"

He didn't mind playing with the twins, or even staying up late, but he did relish his nights with Diesel. It was then that they actually talked about random things, or just even just lay side by side in a comfortable silence.

"Maybe we can skip the marshmellows", he muttered as he zipped the jacket and stuffed his hands into the pockets.

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"You can't skip the marshmallows," Lucifer pouted, looking at Shawn with disapproving red eyes while identical red eyes belonging to the alpha looked at Shawn completely bemused.

"Yeah, that's the best part," Kroy added, sharing Lucifer's pout.

Diesel smirked knowingly, looking between the boys. "Are you really going to deny them marshmallows now? After all it was your idea....just look at their faces." Diesel attempted to mimic the pout but had to stop to stifle his own chuckling. "Anyway the jacket looks good, fits nicely. Is it warm?" He knew the human omega didn't keep heat like himself and the twins -- with their wings -- so he was genuinely curious as to whether the jacket would hold up during the winter for Shawn.

Setting the twins down Diesel looked through the remaining coats before finding one his size. He'd been to the store so often he didn't really need to try the jacket on but he did anyway for the amusement of the twins who were watching between Shawn and Diesel in their matching coats.

"Can I put mine on?" Kroy asked before Lucifer chimed in with a; "Me too!" The alpha nodded, reminding them to take off the sweaters they were currently wearing so they wouldn't overheat before getting the jackets out of the bags he'd been holding.

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

"Ya know, even when I win, I lose", Shawn sighed before shaking his head, "but sure, who would I be to deny my two favorite little demone their marshmellows". He ruffled each child's hair affectionalty then waited for the alpha to help his children out of their sweater and into their jackets before he likewise paid for their own.

They really did all look kind of adorable in the matching jackets, and both twins, had even decided to walk between them. Shawn wasn't sure if he'd actually seen Diesel's jaw drop or not when Lucifer had declared that he would walk with Kroy instead of being carried. Still, the little red haired toddler clung to his mothers hand tightly, then his brothers, and likewise, Shawn held onto Kroy's as they walked the marbled floors of the malls towards the 'Cocoa Hut.


The 'Cocoa Hut' wasn't so much a stall, as a little cafe that served all manners of chocolate drinks.

The Barista was a tall, handsome alpha who instinctly recognized the twins and Shawn from all their previous visits. His smile was wide nd friendly.

"If it isn't my favorite coustmers", he said, not much unlike the omega from the childrens clothing store.

"Hey Kolby, the usual, please", Shawn greeted happily as he sat each twin upon one of the high back bar stools.

The alpha nodded, ringing the orders into the register. "Two classic cocoa's with marshmellows and whipped cream", he recited much to the twins delight, and then to Shawn and Diesel. "And I'm guessing that you're gonna order your friend the same you're having".

Shawn who had taken a stoll next to Kroy so Diesel could sit next to Lulu, nodded and grinned maybe just a little bit flirtatiously.

"A double chocolate, mocha expresso. We're gonna need be caffeine after this, I'm sure. And if you pleases, extra whip cream and chocolate shavings for me".

The big alpha nodded, giving Shawn a soft smile. "Don't I always, Blondie?"

"You do, and I appricate it bunchies, sugar pop".

Shawn then looked down at Diesel, surprised to see that alpha was watching him intently. "What? You don't like chocolate expressos?"

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Diesel watched the interaction between the blond omega and the alpha barista with an unimpressed expression; noting how friendly they seemed to be around each other. The grin on Shawn's face had the alpha's eyes narrowing in distaste and aggression, arms folding over his chest. He did not sit at the stool that Shawn left for him beside Lucifer, but offered his son his closeness by standing just behind him.

His head turned towards Shawn at the question, though he quickly turned away as he knew the aggression had yet to leave his face. He didn't bother to answer, not trusting himself to say anything remotely positive about the situation and instead offered Shawn a huff of indifference.

The heat in his chest caused by his own anger only grew into a stronger flame at the nicknames the two had called each other, though he kept himself together -- as best he could -- with the twins around.

It wasn't long before their orders were served up. Diesel looked at his drink sitting there waiting for him on the counter for a moment, the mere idea of the alpha that had been flirting with Shawn having made it almost an insult to him. He lifted the drink up slowly before turning and dumping the entire contents into the bin close by.

"Watch my children," Diesel told Shawn, though it came out a near growl that he didn't intend. "I'm going to the bathroom."

Walking away without a glance back, growls vibrating in his chest at the thought of being challenged, he threw open the bathroom door with much more force than was necessary. The following bang of the door smacking against the wall startled a man inside who quickly passed Diesel with a wide berth to get out of the restroom. Diesel, not really having to use the toilet, went immediately to the sink to wash his hands -- as if touching the drink brought some sort of contamination.

The growls had yet to cease and before he could really contain himself he threw a fist out and into the mirror shattering it in a rain of glass around him. "Sugar pop my fucking ass," he growled out to his fragmented reflection in the remains of the mirror.

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Shawn blinked, a little confused, and maybe just a little bit disappointed, and hurt, not by the alphas actions really, but his words. Why had 'my' children sounded as if he were reminding the omega that they were indeed not his own.

The barista snorted and Shawn frowned at the grin he saw there. "What's that grin for?"he demanded and the alpha lifted his hands pladating like. "Nothing, just seemed like someone might have been a little jealous".

Shawn's frown seeped ad he looked over at the twins who were tentively sipping their drinks and looking to where their mother had disappeared.

"I don't know what you mean. We aren't together, why would he be jealous?" He questioned, ignoring the fluttering feeling that the words jealous and together brought.

Kolby shrugged. "I don't know, I mean he was watching you the whole time, and maybe you got a little flirty...not that I minded", he continued when saw Shawn was about to argue. "Your pretty, you know, and your charming in a way that's hard to explain", the alpha continued and when Shawn furrowed his brows, he grinned. "It's not hard to see why a single alpha would be intrested. You also both smell like each other, and you all looked like a family. Maybe he liked thinking you all were", he shrugged as Shawn bit his lower lip.

"Were mommy?"Lucifer demanded and and Shawn sighed. "I'm gonna go get him, okay", he told the toddler and looked at the barista."Watch them for me okay, and I mean closely...I'll flay you alive if anything happens to them", he warned and the alpha snorted.

"You and your alpha both, I guessing. Well, go on, go after him. I'll keep an eye on the munchkins", he promised and Shawn nodded. Told the twins to stay put and behave and promised to return quickley, and he followed where he assumed the alpha had gone.

When he got close the restrooms, he could see some people standing outside and he could hear the sound of glass. "Shit", he muttered pushing his way through the crowd and into the restroom.

"Diesel! What the hell!? Are you alright, are you hurt?he demanded seeing the broken mirror and blood dripping over the white of the sink and the tile. Hurriedly, the omega grabbed a handfull of paper towels and grabbed the alphas injured hand.

"What the hell, Raven, why would you punch a mirror? Come on, we gotta run some water over this and see if there's any glass In there, then we'll probably have to take you to get stitches", the blonde babbled nervously, swallowing when the alpha continued to ignore him.

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Diesel turned sharply at the sound of the door opening, ready to growl at whomever had walked in and scare them off. When he saw it was Shawn who had come in he immediately turned away -- trying to ignore the heat of flush that touched his ears at being caught having a tantrum like a child. He wasn't proud of his actions, nor the rumbling that continued out of him from anger. He'd been working on controlling his temper since the twins had been born, having been a puppet to his own aggression for as long as he could remember.

Maybe it was hereditary, his father was a cruel asshole too, or maybe it started when his older omega brother had shown him up and proved himself capable of taking over the family business despite being an omega -- forcing Diesel to build up his own 'dealings' from scratch. Either way it was a cruel mistress and it seemed he still occasionally fell prey to it.

Almost immediately Shawn was wrapping his bloodied hand in paper towels, red eyes glancing down to the near identical red seeping through the stark whiteness of the bathroom's towels. It seemed easier to watch the blood than it was to look Shawn in the face, ignoring the omega's fussing over the injury.

Without being able to stop himself he slipped his hand out of Shawn's, despite the strong grip the omega had on it in order to try and stop the blood flow. "Did you fuck him?" Diesel growled out, perhaps a little too cruelly. "Your sugar pop?"

Red eyes finally met the single green eye of the omega, there was hurt there but his anger was stronger than the timid guilt that sat in the bottom of his stomach. Blood slowly dripped from his hand, making small plopping sounds that seemed slow in comparison to his beating heart. "You seem to know each other well enough. Smiled at him sweetly enough."

His voice turned into a snarl as he swiped at the remaining glass still in the boarder of the mirror, thanking whatever Gods there were that he'd been in control enough to not swipe at Shawn himself. "Gefällt es dir? Ich fühle mich wie ein Idiot."

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Shawn was taken aback by the growl, the words stinging more then he had thought possible.

It hurt, that accusation deguised as a question, and Shawn let his eye fall from the angry red of the alphas, to the growing pub be of red n the white tile of the mall restroom.

He looked back up, eye glossy, and he flinched as Diesel snarled and swung back the remains of the mirror.

"Why?"Shawn found himself asking, anger warring with desperation, hurt, and sadness, everything felt like a ball in his chest.

"I feel that way 'cause you let me in? 'Cause for once you maybe saw me, for me?" he was trembling, his hands shaking and his balled is hands into fist.

"It's true that I ain't no saint, D. And i've been around sure enough, I admit that", he let out a breathe and narrowed his eye the alpha.

"But I haven't once even thought about anyone like that since I started living with you", he reached into his pocket and jerked out a white and black diamond patterned bandana before moving to stand back in front of his... of the alpha and grabbing his hand.

"You aren't an idiot, but I think I might be", he wrapped the thin clothe around the wound, pllig maybe a bit tighter then nessasary if the intake of breathe were anything to go by, and hastily tied it into place.

"I thought that after all these years, even if I was just playing 'nanny' to 'your' kids, that you knew me. I was stupid, and now I know it", he didn't bother trying to clean up the glass or blood, instead grabbing Diesel by his uninjured wrist and pulling him out of the room.

"As for, 'sugar pop', I wanted you to meet him, just so you know. I thought maybe you'd hire him as one of the guards for the boys", Shawn continued as he pulled the huffing alpha towards the Cocoa Booth. He fixed his face into something calmer as they approached, not wanting to upset the twins.

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Diesel didn't know how to respond to Shawn's words, so he didn't. Anything that tried to come out of his mouth either sounded like a dismissal or acceptance and neither one of those he was ready for. He enjoyed having Shawn around, not only to help with the twins, and yet obviously there were parts of him that were not ready for any kind of relationship -- the outburst had proven as much. Hauntings of who he'd been before, and what he'd done, still ate away at parts of his life and he didn't want to bring Shawn into that. Not until he had more control over himself anyway.

He was dangerous, especially when omegas were involved.

Shawn knew. Some of it at least, not all of it, and even then perhaps not the whole truth. Shea had not been the type of person to go telling everyone his whole life story even if most of it revolved around cruel mistreating at the hands of Diesel himself. What went around were whispers of assumptions and guesses, though there were facts woven into that idle gossip.

Part of Diesel wondered why Shawn even bothered staying around him if he knew, if he'd heard those whispers around the town and people they lived among. Perhaps Shawn was brave for an omega...or perhaps it was as Shawn had said and he was stupid. Either one didn't matter to Diesel really, he appreciated it. And he was trying to improve -- the blood on his hand that was strictly his own was enough to prove that.

Instead he stood still while Shawn tied up his hand, with a bandanna this time, still muttering things Diesel was really only half paying attention to. His own breathing had settled slightly and the growls had stopped. Perhaps because they would be returning to the twins soon enough or maybe it was the relief of Shawn's words that he had heard and registered. Either way he was glad of it.

They were almost near the Cocoa Booth when Diesel finally spoke, quietly. "I'm not hiring him." There wasn't a harshness in his voice this time but perhaps a pinch? Yes, that might have been the correct way to phrase it.

It wasn't that he didn't trust the alpha around his children, the twins seemed to enjoy the cocoa more than the man anyway, and it wasn't even that he didn't trust Shawn either. It was purely the thought of the alpha being around his home, around Shawn, able to chat and flirt casually while Diesel worked that made him tremble. The tremble wasn't caused by anger this time -- the rage seeped out of him like a squeezed sponge as soon as they left the restroom. This time the only feeling that remained was jealousy. Jealousy that made Diesel want to shut Shawn away in his house, lock him up, and throw away the key.

That feeling made him tremble.

Tremble in a kind of fear because he had acted upon those urges before. He had deemed someone property and shut them away from the world -- keeping them only for himself. Diesel knew he could be a selfish person with horrible and cruel urges and part of him wanted to turn to Shawn and tell him to run away before he slipped up and fell into past behaviors...but that selfishness wanted to keep Shawn close too.

It was a tug of war in his own mind that he always seemed to be losing no matter which side was winning.

[CeruleanSnowFlake]

Diesel standing behind him, head lowered and lost in thought, Shawn interceded the twins and swung Lulu onto his hip and placed a hand on top of Kroys head. "Mommy hurt his hand, so you stay with me okay, Taz", he said gently to the red haired toddler who had started to kick up a fuss, but at the words the boy quietned and instead turned a stare onto his mother, and Shawn decided that was the best he could ask for.

"What do we owe you, Kolby?" He ask the barista as he reached his free hand for his wallet. The alpha shook his head and gave a half smile. "Don't worry about it, Blondie, it's on the house", he said and then glancing at the other alpha, seeing the stained cloth on his hand and his stiff shoulders quickly added. "The boys were good as gold and I promised them a treat next time on the house. We'll call it even until then", he offered and Shawn nodded.

"Thanks man", the omega said and grabbed the bags that held the boys new clothes and moved back to his alphas side. "Come on, D, let's head home and get that hand of hours properly cared for, yeah?"

Walking next to the still so far silent alpha, one toddler on his hip, and the other just ahead of him, the omega lead them back to car, his own mind swirling with a whirlwind of thoughts.

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Diesel ignored Shawn talking to the alpha behind the counter, not trusting himself to meet the other alpha's gaze and not say something else he might regret -- he'd certainly had enough for the day. Instead he focused on Lucifer who was staring at him with clear disappointment at being unable to be carried in his mother's arms. Diesel forced a smile, hoping it didn't look as forced as it felt for the young boy, reaching his uninjured hand out to brush away red bangs.

The walk to the car was in awkward silence. Even the twins were quiet, as if feeling the tension between himself and Shawn which made that tiny feeling of guilt in the pit of his stomach grow stronger. Diesel clenched his wounded hand, the burn it brought to the cuts was a decent distraction from the situation around him. He could only imagine what the almost hour long drive back home would be like.

He waited until Shawn had gotten Lucifer buckled into the car seat before taking the passenger seat in front of him. Running his non-bandaged hand through his stark blond hair, awkwardly looking out the window while Shawn finished up buckling in Kroy.

"Mum," Lucifer asked, his voice smaller than it normally was. The sound of it hurt Diesel, worried that perhaps his son felt that he'd done something wrong when it was really the simple fact of Diesel having his own adult-sized tantrum.

Turning in his seat so that he was facing the two boys, he met Lucifer's matching red gaze. "Yeah, Lulu?"

The boy reached forward for Diesel's jacket sleeve, giving a light tug. "Is your hand okay?"

Diesel waved him off with his good hand, offering him a smile. "I'll be fine, kleiner Vogel. Don't you worry about me." He didn't bother offering his hand for the young boy to examine, knowing that it probably wasn't fine and would definitely need attention if the amount of blood decorating the ruined cloth wrapped around it was anything to go by.