Except he didn't just say that to be polite. Delaney has been in his pajamas, hair in a loose messy bun, and wrapped up in a blanket with his phone practically glued to his hand.

It started at 9 in the morning...

[Hospital Alpha: I hope I'm not disturbing your sleep]

[Hospital Alpha: Unless you went out with another alpha, then in that case I hope I'm waking you up]

Delaney sends some cheeky reply that is met with an even more sarcastic response that has him spluttering around his coffee to choke back a laugh as he reads it. Then by noon, Eli genuinely asks,

[Hospital Alpha: Are you taking care of yourself? You don't need to tell me what happened or how you're feeling. I've just been a bit concerned.]

[Hospital Alpha: God that came out creepy, I hope you know it's not creepy. Why would I be concerned about a stranger. Hahaha... unless... it's okay to be concerned?]

[Delaney: God you suck at this.]

[Delaney: Yes. I am. Thank you. And I was concerned too]

[Hospital Alpha: Aww you didn't have to be but that's sweet]

[Delaney: For me. I was concerned for me.]

[Hospital Alpha: 🙄]

Delaney snorts loudly, shocked at his willingness to engage in playful banter with someone he doesn't know...at all, but enjoying it nonetheless.

By late afternoon, he's spent all day texting Eli. The summer sun begins to set, giving way for the moon to rise when Eli inquires,

[Hospital Alpha: Can I convince you to meet me today? If not, I'll understand]

Delaney hums, contemplating quickly before he sends a reply.

[Delaney: When and where?]

Eli sends him a time and address and bids him goodbye. Delaney, seeing that he only has two hours to get ready and drive across town to meet Eli at the restaurant, hops up and busies himself with getting showered and dressed.

He tames his thick golden blonde curls, securing them back with a black headband and fluffing his hair around his shoulders. He carefully selects black jeans that are ripped at the knees (and that hug his ass and thighs just right), a lilac, short sleeve button down (with the top three buttons undone) and a pair of black boots that become iridescent when the light hits them. Usually, he'll go all out for a date; adding eyeliner, curling his naturally long lashes, dusting a bit of highlight on his cheekbones and across his clavicle, but he doesn't feel the need to do that for the "Hospital Alpha". After all, it's not like Delaney can ever be what Eli needs, so why even bother?

He finds himself grimacing as those thoughts take hold of him. Delaney had been able to push them to the side all day, but now they're hard to ignore as he has no distraction other than driving across town. He exhales a shaky sigh as he grabs his keys and locks his apartment behind him. He's the only one in the elevator and he's grateful for, yet despising, the immense quiet. By the time he's reached the parking garage, his thoughts are racing and he's halfway ready to cancel and spend the next few days holed up in his apartment. His phone vibrates, the sharp buzzes jolting him back to the present reality, and he pulls it from his pocket to see Hospital Alpha flashing across the screen. Delaney answers,

"Yes?"

The sound of dinnerware clinking together and running water is the background music to their conversation as Eli replies, "You seem like the type to flake."

Delaney turns back towards his vehicle, putting more space between him and his apartment as he denies the mischaracterization. "I resent that. I'm in my car right...now." He huffs as he closes the door behind him, a little louder than he usually would, proving his point.

"You don't have to slam the door to prove your point, Delaney," Eli teases.

"Are you calling me to purposely talk yourself out of enjoying my company for the evening? Or..." he trails off and finds himself smiling when Eli's deep chuckle sounds in his ear.

"I'm actually calling to let you know when you get here, pull into the back. The front of the house is crowded. It is a Friday night after all. There will be someone there to greet you."

Delaney is perplexed and he mentions as much. "Wait, why would I need to—,"

"See you soon!" Eli cuts him off, ending the call abruptly.

Delaney stares at his phone for a few minutes before shrugging off the conversation. As long as the food is good and the wine isn't cheap he'll gladly follow the instructions.

The food is rich and decadent and quite possibly the best thing he's ever eaten. His eyes roll shut as he moans softly around another bite of rosé pasta.

When he arrived, he was a bit skeptical of the apparent secrecy of their dinner, but after he was shown to a private room and given a wine list with the explicit and encouraged request to, "Pick anything. The price is of no concern of yours," he felt the skepticism ebb as if it were never there to begin with.

Now, Eli sits across from him, his own dish forgotten as he watches Delaney with an intense gaze and a small smirk. This would have made Delaney uneasy, had he not been paying more attention to the food before him. He finishes the last bit of pasta with a content sigh followed by the last small sip of white wine. He blots his mouth with the cloth napkin and sets it on the table, slowly becoming aware of Eli's gaze. Delaney clears his throat, a little embarrassed at the sounds he just made, and attempts to engage in conversation that doesn't revolve around his dining experience. "How did you find this restaurant?"

Eli's voice is slightly husky as he ignores Delaney's question to ask his own. "Do you often enjoy food in that manner?"

Heat spreads, like a wildfire, across Delaney's face, tinting his bronze complexion raspberry, before rawling quickly into his chest. Despite being embarrassed, his voice is steady when he fires back, "Are you teasing me, Eli?"

"On the contrary. I'm trying to figure out what exactly I need to feed you in order to hear those noises again."

Delaney dips his head to hide his blush, mumbling, "Shut up."

"I'm serious," Eli leans in, favoring a small smile that has a deep dimple flashing in his cheek. "I've never seen someone enjoy food in quite that way."

"Well," Delaney snaps, "When you can cook as well as the chef and pair the appropriate wine with the dish, then maybe you'll be able to witness that again. Maybe."

Eli nods, smiling broadly as he leans back in his seat. "Duly noted."

Delaney successfully shifts the conversation. "How are you able to mask your scent? This is the second time I've been around you and I haven't picked up on it yet."

Eli lifts his wrist, exposing a black bracelet that fits snuggly against his gland. He reaches up to his collar, tugging at the neck of his shirt to show a flash of a thick black choker, made from the same material of the bracelet, that rests firmly against the gland on his neck. "Innovation." Maybe it's the wine and the heavy food resting well in his stomach, but Delaney actually giggles and Eli's entire face lights up. "Patches are cumbersome, don't always work well, and seeing as how I don't enjoy having the hair ripped from my body each time I change the patch, I decided to look for something else."

Delaney points to Eli's wrist and neck. "I've never seen those in any store."

"Probably because they aren't...in any stores?" Eli coughs lightly and reaches for his glass of water. When he places it back on the table, he's carefully maneuvering the conversation away from himself and back to Delaney. "So, Delaney, what do you do for a living?"

"I tell people how their business can improve and when they refuse to listen, tell them why their business failed."

"Consultant."

"It's rather boring, honestly," Delaney sighs softly, "But I'm good at finding the small details that often get overlooked that then turn into large, monumental issues down the line. What about you, Eli?"

Eli hums softly as he runs his finger along the stem of his wine glass. "A little bit of everything. Whatever moves me, I guess."

"That's not suspicious at all," Delaney states with a small roll of his eyes.

Eli lifts his glass and finishes the last of the wine. As if they had been perched and waiting in the shadows, a waiter moves forward without prompting to fill their glasses and disappears back into the still darkness. "What if I told you my life is one big tragedy?"

"I'd call bullshit again," Delaney huffs.

"What if I told you that being a world renowned chef was my passion, my dream, but my parents and my eldest brother felt the need to dictate my life and because of my refusal, I'm virtually cut off from a family that is disappointed in me following my dreams?"

"I would say it sounds like you watch too many dramas."

Eli huffs a small laugh through his nostrils and smiles fondly at Delaney. "Maybe."

Delaney checks the time and yawns behind his hand before announcing, "It's getting pretty late. I have several consultations tomorrow, so I need to call it a night." In a flash, Eli is behind his chair, helping to pull it out for him as Delaney rises from his seat.

"Let me walk you to your car."

"They insisted I park valet."

"Then allow me to walk you to the valet stand?"

Delaney can't help but to smile up at Eli as he teases, "Eager for a goodnight kiss?"

Eli holds open the door for Delaney and waits until they're both outside to sincerely respond, "I wasn't aware that was on the table but if it is, I will say yes. I am definitely eager."

Delaney's cheeks redden under the unfiltered honesty. "I—we just met..." He trails off, falling silent as Eli steps in, moving close within his space. A warm hand rests against the side of his face, thumb lightly tracing over his cheekbone before it moves to the back of his neck. Delaney is pulled in just as Eli moves in, both of them closing the minuscule distance between them.

The kiss is unlike anything Delaney has ever felt. Eli's mouth moves languidly, easily, as if he is hesitant. However, once a wine sweetened tongue breaks the seam of Delaney's mouth, slowly parting his lips, Eli moves with a sense of quiet urgency as if he doesn't know if he'll ever get to do this again, slowly taking in the taste of the omega; not just the wine from earlier but the very essence of Delaney.

It ends all too soon, with Eli placing a chaste kiss to Delaney's lips before pressing one to his forehead. "Let me know when you get in." He looks over to the valet and jerks his chin forward, guiding Delaney by the small of his back to his car as it's pulled up. Eli reaches around him to open the door, softly offering his thanks. "I appreciate you agreeing to come out tonight. I look forward to seeing you again." He closes the door and waves goodbye before disappearing into the restaurant.

Delaney, still kiss drunk, touches his mouth with the tips of his fingers. "What the hell just happened?" He asks himself, his body trembling slightly. He presses a hand to his lower abdomen, willing the heat to die out and leave not a single smoldering ember. He forces himself to think about anything other than the way Eli kissed him and thankfully, he's successful.