Page 8 of Shifter Omegaverse AU

Was this Milo’s boyfriend? No, they’d said they had an ex, and…their ex had an ex? Or something? Was this the ex’s ex?

Milo laughed at something the barista said, their head thrown back and gray eyes almost entirely closed. As if by accident—or a trick of fate—Milo’s head lolled to the side, and their eyes landed on Rowan.

Milo’s body stiffened, and they jerked their chin down to stare at Rowan. Their friend—or whoever he was—noticed immediately, following Milo’s gaze over to Rowan. Recognition flashed across his face, and he whispered fiercely to Milo.

“Rowan, here’s your coffee,” a barista called, and Rowan stepped forward, also grabbing Troy’s drink when it was announced a moment later.

When he turned back around, he found the two shorter shifters standing right next to him.

“Hiya, stranger,” Milo said, waggling their fingers while the black-haired shifter stared at Rowan with wide, piercing green eyes.

“Hi,” Rowan gruffed, clutching the two coffees to his chest.

“Did you enjoy your pew pew, bang bang movie?” Milo asked, and the shorter shifter stopped staring at Rowan to roll his eyes.

“It was as good as any other action movie,” Rowan said as his hawk began bobbing his head up and down. “How was yours?”

“Horrid, but that’s what I was expecting, so I guess it didn’t disappoint,” Milo said, grinning widely at Rowan.

They had an interesting smile. It was a little too wide, just like they were wearing a few too many colors, and they talked a little too fast. And yet, Rowan’s hawk seemed happier than it had been all week. He fluttered his wings and bobbed his head like he was listening to music.

“Rowan?” Troy asked, coming up beside him, his neck craned down at a painful-looking angle to look at his phone. When he glanced up, he did a double take at the two shifters in front of them. “Oh, hello. Are you…friends of Rowan’s?”

Rowan hoped the others couldn’t hear the clear skepticism in Troy’s voice. He knew just as well as Rowan did that Rowan didn’t have any friends outside of his siblings. And sometimes, even the four of them would go days without talking to each other. Troy was the only person he saw on a regular basis.

“More like acquaintances in the running to becoming friends,” Milo said, their smile never leaving their face.

The more Rowan stared at it, the more endearing it became. He interacted with enough uptight business folk day in and day out to recognize a fake smile and false cheer. There wasn’t a speck of insincerity in Milo’s demeanor, as if they were genuinely happy to be there.

Troy took his coffee gingerly out of Rowan’s claw-like grip. “Do your soon-to-be friends have names?” Troy asked, casting Rowan an even more disbelieving look.

“Oh, yes, sorry,” Rowan said, wiping his sweaty palm on his slacks. “Troy, this is Milo. I met—”

Damn. Rowan had been using they/them for Milo in his head, but he didn’t actually know if that was what they preferred today.

“Sorry, Milo, is they/them okay for you today?”

Milo’s smile was replaced by a look of blank shock. The barista called out a name, and then another, and all the while Milo stood there with absolutely no expression.

Troy cleared his throat, and Milo seemed to snap back into themself, their grin spreading until it took up their entire face. “They/them would be great. I really appreciate you asking!”

The dark-haired shifter gaped at Milo, but Milo just smiled innocently back.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Milo,” Troy said, stepping forward to offer his hand.

“Lovely to meet you as well. Should I assume by your nice outfits that you’re on a very important business coffee date?” Milo asked, shaking Troy’s hand with gusto.

Troy’s eyes once again flicked to Rowan as if he could explain Milo and their eccentricities. “Hardly. We always grab coffee here on Wednesdays. A sort of mid-week reset.”

Troy turned to face the shorter shifter, and there was an awkward moment of silence before Milo straightened up and said, “Oh! This is Ray! Rowan, I think I told you about him?” They gestured at Ray like a game show host.

Ray shook his head but held out his hand to Troy. “I’m assuming that means Milo shared that at one point we were both dating the same guy and are now best friends who work together.”

Milo snorted derisively. “At one point, as in, at the same point, because he was a piece of—”

“Apple crisp latte for Milo and an unsweetened macchiato for Ray,” the barista called.

Milo snapped their mouth shut and pivoted on their heels to grab the drinks. In their absence, Ray held out his hand to Rowan.