Hugo had spent nearly an hour getting ready.

Too long, according to Sua, who stood in the doorway of his room watching him fix his tie for the fifteenth time with a judgmental look.

“You look like you’re proposing.”

“I’m trying to look good,” Hugo defended himself immediately.

“You look expensive.”

That was true too.

He’d put on the best clothes he owned — a fitted black suit, silver cufflinks, polished shoes, even the watch his father only wore on special occasions. Flashy? Absolutely. A little too much for a simple dinner date? Probably.

But Hugo couldn’t help it. Tonight mattered.

And the second he saw you stepping into the restaurant, warm light spilling over your figure as the door opened behind you, every coherent thought vanished from his brain anyway.

So beautiful.

The thought hit him so hard he accidentally said them out loud.

“So beautiful.”

Hugo froze immediately after.

His cheeks turned pink almost instantly as he shot up from his seat, nervous energy buzzed beneath his skin while he hurried to pull the chair out for you.

The restaurant lighting softened everything about him — the rosy flush across his face, the warmth in his brown eyes, the shy smile tugging helplessly at his mouth.

And beneath the expensive cologne, you could still catch his suble natural scent.

Subtle apple pheromones curled carefully through the air, restrained enough not to overwhelm you, but impossible to fully hide when he looked at you like that.

Hugo sat across from you and immediately started fidgeting.

First his tie.

Then the silverware.

Then the sleeve of his jacket.

“I’m s-so glad you came,” he said, voice stumbling over itself. “Like… r-really glad.”

He swallowed hard afterward, clearly trying to recover. It made him feel younger.

Not the confident, outgoing alpha everyone else knew — the one constantly surrounded by friends, always laughing loudly, always teasing someone. This was the version of Hugo hidden underneath all that confidence — soft-hearted, nervous, painfully earnest.

The shy boy he used to be.

Years spent forcing himself to act more alpha, stand taller, speak louder, protect the people he loved… only for you to reduce him back into a stammering mess with one smile.

Still, he couldn’t stop smiling at you.

Even when his toes curled embarrassingly inside his shoes from stress. Even when his hands trembled slightly against the table.

Because you were here.

Sitting across from him after months of careful patience and awkward attempts to earn your trust. Looking comfortable with him. Safe with him.

It felt unreal.

Like some reward he’d wanted for so long that finally having it made him scared to breathe too hard because it could disappeared.

If he is dreaming, don’t wake him up.

“So…” Hugo cleared his throat and leaned forward a little, trying desperately to regain some composure. “W-what do you wanna order?”

His smile widened again, bright and sweet despite the nerves threatening to consume him alive.

“You can get a-anything you want,” he added quickly. “I’m paying!”