Archive of Our Own ^beta

He wasn't even sure how he got this job, it would be ridiculous to think it was just because he was a peacock, just because his species was good looking doesn't mean they'd just hire him. He knew close to nothing about make-up, sure he was born a girl, used to feel pressured to wear it sometimes, but he's not a girl anymore, he colors his feathers, he wears those fake tail-feathers, he passes, and that's the end of it. He's one of the only guys who works there, and he doesn't mind it. The customers go to the girl workers for make-up questions, so he isn't bothered by the customers, it made the workday so much better. He'd usually work the register or would stand by the door to make sure no one was stealing, it happened a lot for some reason. The mall the store in wasn't usually all that busy, which meant they usually weren't all that busy. 

He was able to spot and remember 2 very reoccurring customers, a sleek black cat named Gwen and a not very smart golden retriever named Lindsay. They both seem to come in every few days, buying almost the exact same thing every time, how much make-up do those girls go through? He almost never saw a guy enter the store, and if one did, they were usually buying something as a gift? How does he know this? The male customers always go to him for questions, which he found odd, he didn't have knowledge on this stuff like the girl workers do, but maybe they just prefer to talk to another guy instead of a girl. He remembers a fox came into the store and asked him the difference between 2 similar looking eyeshadows, like he would know.

Another slow day, one, maybe two customers have come in, but other than that, nothing, and it was getting close to closing time. He'd been sitting and reading behind the register the whole workday, and he didn't mind it whatsoever. He loved reading, and at this point, he was getting paid hourly to just read. Not that long before it was time to close for the night, a customer came in, of course. He looked up from his book to see a new face, someone who's never been to this store, a bull. He looked at the female workers to see them all staring at him, no surprise they found him attractive, they find almost all the men who come in attractive. He looked back at the bull to find him looking his way, Noah just blinked and returned to his book.

The bull was larger than other bulls Noah's seen before, he had on a nice pair of silver hoop earrings, they match the large silver ring at the base of his left horn. His horns seem polished and shined slightly in the bright store lights. He had green eyes and a larger nose than other bulls, Noah was surprised he didn't have a septum piercing like the other bulls he's ever seen. He had a rough patch of fur on his chin and longer rough fur on his head, trailing down his neck.

Noah looked back up from his book to see the bull walking around slowly, he looks at the clock and lets out a small groan. "This bull better not be here when it's actually time to close..", even when he said this quietly as he could, the bull looked his way once again, Noah noticed, making his feathers stick up slightly, he quickly looked away, embarrassed that he obviously heard what he said. The bull didn't take his eyes off the peacock, he stopped walking completely and glared. 'There are female workers who can't take their eyes of him, why is he staring at me.' 

Out of the corner of his eye, Noah sees the bull slowly walk towards him, he can hear the quite voices of his co-workers. He just rolls his eyes and shoves his face into the book again, hoping maybe this bull would get the hint and leave him alone. It seems like it didn't work as he felt the footsteps draw closer. "Oye chico pavo real, ¿tenemos algún problema?" Noah isn't sure why, but that voice made his feathers stick up again, but not like how they did before. "Sorry, I speak English." his voice was flat, no emotion showing, the bull smirks "Do we have a problem here, peacock boy?" Noah looked up from his book, staring back at the bull, "Are you talking about what I said a few minutes ago? Yes, I have a problem. It's almost time to close, if you're not buying anything and are just here to walk around, then leave, bull man." This causes the bull to laugh lightly "¿El chico pavo real no me quiere aquí?" Noah doesn't respond, ignoring how his voice makes him feel. He sees the bull's tail sway slightly, seems like he's enjoying this. "Buy something or leave." 

The bull looks him up and down, "May I buy one of your feathers, they're a very nice color chico pavo real" Noah's eyes widen as he hears his co-workers giggle at this. "No you cannot buy one of my feathers." The bull smirks and turns around "Then I'll be on my way, hasta mañana chico pavo real." Right before he walks out the door, he turns back "The name's Alejandro, no need to call me bull man." Before Noah could respond, he walks out, right at 8pm too, right at the time they close.

Noah did not want to go to work the next day, he knew his co-workers would tease him endlessly, which they did. He didn't even want to read that day, which isn't normal for him at all. The whole day, ever since he woke up, he couldn't stop thinking of that bull, his name was Alejandro, right? It seems like he zoned out, when a familiar voice brought him back, "OMGosh, are you ok Noel?" He slightly shook his head, seeing Lindsay at the counter, at least it wasn't Alejandro. "It's Noah. I'm fine, I think" She was getting the same stuff she always gets, no surprise there. "I've never seen you like that before, did something happen last night?" Noah looked at himself in one of the few mirrors in the store, he did look stranger than normal. His feathers were messy, bags under his eyes, and worse, the color on his feathers were staring to fade, he had to remember to get them recolored. "I'm fine Lindsay, probably just didn't get enough sleep last night." He tried to smooth his messy feathers out while checking Lindsay's items out. 

After handing her the bag full of items, she speaks up, words Noah didn't want to hear. "Have you seen that hot bull around here?" He didn't respond and looks away, he feels his feathers stick up, which Lindsay points out. "You're doing that thing cats do to make themselves look bigger, but you have feathers and you're a bird." Noah heard some of his co-workers giggling again. "I don't want to talk about this right now Lindsay." 

Noah could not wait for the end of the day when they close, he wanted to go back to his shitty apartment he can barely pay for. He was closing on his own today, all his co-workers clocked out an hour before close, now he was alone for an hour. He didn't mind working alone, especially during the last hour before close, no one usually comes in during this time, but Alejandro loves to do just that. "Hola chico pavo real, ¿completamente solo esta noche?" Noah doesn't bother to look at who walked in. "It's Noah, not 'chico pavo real', why are you here again, not going to buy anything, leave" Alejandro walks up to the counter Noah's sitting behind and leans slightly over it to get closer to the peacock's face, Noah moves his head back slightly. "I saw you in here all alone, I just couldn't let that happen chico pavo real, I've come to keep you company" His necklace shines in the store lights, causing Noah to notice it, a bull with a necklace of a... bull? "No thanks, I'm fine alone." Alejandro gets closer, almost making contact with the tip of Noah's beak, his green eyes staring into Noah's, he hopes the redness on his face doesn't show through his feathers. "I think I will stay here, don't want you here alone" Noah doesn't respond, Alejandro backs up slightly. "Have I told you your feathers are a nice color chico pavo real" Noah lets out an annoyed huff. "You have, and whatever this is you're doing is not working, so stop, and my name is Noah."

As soon as the clock hit 8, Noah got Alejandro out the store, but it was not easy, the bull said the only way he'd leave is if Noah would have lunch with him the next day, great. During work at 12:30, he told his co-workers he was going on a break to go get food from some place in the mall. He ignored their obvious confused and assuming expressions as he left to meet with that bull. Noah decided this will be a great time to try and talk to him about what he's doing and tell him to stop. He found Alejandro quickly in the kind-of busy mall, does he really stand out that much? He noticed he now has 2 large silver rings on his left horn instead of one. Noah walks up to him and doesn't say a word, crossing his wings and staring up at him, this made him feel like a child. Alejandro guides him to the location they'd be eating, it's not all that far from the make-up store. 

Once they order their food and are stuck waiting for a bit, Noah speaks up. "What's your plan." "My plan?" Noah rolls his eyes, "Yes. Why are you doing this, I find it strange and not normal. You physically refused to leave the store yesterday because you didn't want me to 'be alone' after I told you I was fine alone." Alejandro smiles. "I want an explanation." Noah smacks one of his wings on the table. Alejandro laughs "Noah, chico pavo real, two days ago may have been the first time I've walked into that store, but it may not have been the first time I've seen you. You're beautiful, I've seen nice-looking peacocks before, but you're breathtaking." Noah doesn't respond as he closes his eyes and sighs. After a long silence, during which their food was brought to them, Alejandro finally spoke again. "Can peacocks fly?" "Yes." Noah responds without opening his eyes. "Can bulls use their brains properly." Alejandro doesn't respond as he starts to eat, looking at Noah as he continues to sit there with his eyes closed, he speaks. "Alejandro, that's weird, why would you tell me something like that, I've known you for not even 3 days. I won't admit that I do find you attractive-" Noah's eyes open wide as he wraps his wing around his beak, looking anywhere but in Alejandro's direction. Alejandro smirks, standing up and leaning over the table to get closer to his face. "I had a feeling you did. Want to come over to my place tomorrow after you get off work?" Alejandro couldn't keep his tail from swaying while this was happening. Noah knew what he'd gotten himself into, he's not going to cave, he is not dating this bull.

Once Noah got back to work, he could not pay attention at all. His mind was racing, along with his heart but he's trying not to think about that. He didn't even notice another regular customer enter before she said something to him. "You alright Noah?" He blinked and looked in front of him, there stood a black cat with a tuft of dyed fur on her head. Noah shook his head lightly as he put his wing on his forehead. A look of concern grew on Gwen's face. "What happened, you know you can talk to me." He sighed, wing still on his forehead. "This bull wants to date me, I think, I don't like it." "Alejandro?" His eyes widened and he looked at Gwen. "How do you know? Did he do this to you too?" She laughed "I've seen him around for a long while. We did talk a few times. I always see him pass this store, looking in. Never seen him come in though." Noah groaned and slammed his head against the counter, he wasn't lying about it not being the first time he's seen Noah.

"He isn't really my type. Is he your type?" Gwen smiles and asks. "Ye- no he isn't, no" Gwen laughs "If you say so, pick your head up and check this stuff out, I have somewhere to be." "He invited me over to his place tomorrow after work." Noah blurts out, Gwen smiles at him. "And I have a feeling after your time over there you'll have a boyfriend."

Noah tried to sleep that night, but he just couldn't. He just couldn't stop thinking about, Alejandro. He really got into his head and he hated it, it made his heart hurt, which made his top scars hurt too, odd. Would Alejandro change his mind if he found out Noah was trans? What if things get touchy (Noah hoped it would not come down to that) and he felt the scars. Noah shook his head, stop thinking about stuff like that, things won't get touchy. The thought of it made him shiver, yet made his body hot. That stupid bull, how do you call someone a bitch in Spanish, Noah needed to know. He looked at the clock, 1:49am, he decided he'd just call in sick from work that day.

He finally fell asleep not long after, sadly that bull found his way into his dream, he doesn't want to think about what happened in it. He woke up at around 10am to a messed up bed, he usually doesn't move in his sleep at all, but he seemed to have moved a lot last night. Yesterday he got Alejandro's number, he just didn't want to text him yet, it's not TOO late to decide to not go tonight. Yet without thinking, He texted him, asking him for the address, after he turned his phone off and put his head in his wings. He felt his phone buzz, but he did not want to look at it.

His apartment wasn't all that hard to find, this kind of building was the kind that had only stairs, and Alejandro was of course on one of the top levels. His feet hurt a lot by the time he got there, and the fact he hadn't trimmed his claws in a while did not help. Now he stood at the door, scared to knock. Why was he so scared and, nervous? Why did his face feel warm, why did his feathers stick up, why was he dragging his claws against the rough carpet, why did the thought of being alone with him in a private place make him feel like this.

While he was lost in thought, he heard the door open, making him jump. Alejandro laughed. "How long were you going to just stand there chico bonito?" Noah opens his beak, but can't find anything to say, he just looked away, causing Alejandro to laugh, Noah hopes his red face was well hidden by his feathers. "Move your b-big.. big body out of the way so I can get in.." what happened to him, why was he acting like this. He doesn't love this bull, he doesn't. Why was he looking at his body like this.. Noah shut his eyes tight them opened them up again as Alejandro moved out of the way, letting him in. Once he stepped in and Alejandro closed the door, Noah turned to the bull and immediately spoke. "I don't like you." This caused Alejandro to smirk. "It seemed like just seconds ago you were looking me up and down. Are you sure you don't like me chico pavo real?" 

Noah's face grew an angry expression. "You're so ANNOYING, I can't believe I'm even here right now!" "You didn't have to come here Noah." This was the first time Noah heard Alejandro say his actual name, his accent already made him feel warm, but his name being said with that accent, Noah felt something deep inside him. It happened all in what feels like a second, Noah couldn't take it, he put one of his wings around Alejandro's neck, pulling his head down to be on his level, and he smashed his beak onto his mouth. An awkward kiss, an avian kissing a mammal, beak on non-beak, but it was still wonderful to him. Once he pulled away after a few seconds, he stared at Alejandro wide eyed, Alejandro stared back with a smile. "I knew you liked me." Noah pushed him away and spoke. "N-no I don't I really don't. I don't know why I did that I shouldn't have-" He was cut off with another kiss from the bull. Noah's thoughts were all over the place, he couldn't think straight. The bull pulled away and Noah felt like he was going crazy.

Alejandro ran his hands down Noah's wings, causing him to shiver and Alejandro to smirk. Alejandro's hands started to wander more around his body, making Noah nervous, this is the one thing he didn't want to happen, he couldn't let him find out that way. Noah felt Alejandro's hands make their way to his chest area, he knew there was no avoiding it, he took in a deep, quiet breath and closed his eyes to avoid seeing it happen. He felt the hands stop once they landed on the scars, he held his breath as the hands didn't move. After what felt like minutes, they trace his scars gently, "you're so beautiful Noah, mi hermoso chico pavo real" That made Noah want to cry, but it would be a happy cry.

Noah didn't have work the next day, and Alejandro invited him to stay the night at his apartment, he was already there, no point in going back home. He kept telling himself he's not dating him, he's not dating a bull, he's not dating this bull, no matter how much they kissed or, touched, he only met him a few days ago. Now didn't seem like the right time for Alejandro to tell Noah that there was only one bed, because they were both about to go to bed.

"I'll sleep on the couch, I am not sleeping in the same bed as you." Noah threw himself on the couch, it wasn't very comfortable, but rather this than sleeping with Alejandro. "Noah it won't be a big deal, considering what you did to me earlier I'm surprised you don't want to sleep with me" Noah rolls his eyes as he sees Alejandro smile smugly after making that comment. "I kissed you, it was dumb I shouldn't have done it. Forget about it, it never happened, I'm not dating you." The bull let out an amused huff. Noah could see his tail swaying, seems like he may have been staring when Alejandro spoke up. "Says the one who's staring at my ass." Noah tried to hide the red on his face, Alejandro walked up to him and kissed his cheek, leaving it more red. "Guess it's time for you to sleep, you seem tired and your face is all red." Noah looked away as he spoke. "Yea and it'll get me away from you for a few hours." Alejandro laughed. "You can go home right now if you want.." "NO!" Noah wrapped his wing around his beak, the quick and loud response clearly gave off the feel Noah did not want to be away from Alejandro, the bull smirks. "If you say so, I'll go to my room for the night now, if you need anything just get me." Alejandro smiles as he leaves the room.

Noah groans as he lays on the couch. He had to figure out what to do, his feelings we're so complicated. He found the bull attractive he'll admit now, but he does not want to date him. First, it's an avian and a mammal, second, they met only a few days ago, third, he's a BULL. Noah tried to sleep, sleep would take his mind off this for a while, until he woke up and had to deal with the problem himself again. He tried for an hour, and he couldn't fall asleep, maybe it was the uncomfortable couch, or the fact it was oddly warm in that room. Another hour passed, his eyes felt heavy but they just could not close, his mind blurred by tiredness. That's probably the cause for what he did, he got up, wrapped up in the red blanket given to him by Alejandro, and walked slowly to his room. The sound of the door woke Alejandro up, he looked over to Noah at the door, but stayed quiet. Noah walked up and laid down in Alejandro's bed right next to him, causing Alejandro to smile. He saw Noah's tired eyes as he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. Maybe that's just what Noah needed, because he fell asleep almost instantly.

Once morning hit and he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself held against Alejandro, who was still sleeping. After trying to get out of his hold for a second, he stopped and realized how it felt. He liked this feeling, being this close to someone, being this close to Alejandro. "Maybe I do love this bull, this feels nice.." He said quietly to himself, but not quietly enough. "I'm glad to hear that amor." Noah felt his face warm up, he said that quietly to himself, Alejandro was asleep, how did he hear this? Noah took a deep breath. "Do you want to date me?" Alejandro smiled. "I thought it was obvious I did." "You're so annoying." Noah said, grabbing his face and pulling the bull into a kiss.

Noah got back to work a few days later, he decided to not tell Gwen and Lindsay he's dating Alejandro now, but it didn't take them both long to find out. Noah was dating a bull, the bull he said he didn't want to date, things can really change in the span of a few days. Noah loved nothing more than coming home from work to his new boyfriend, this was the happiest he ever felt. He let Alejandro start a collection of his feathers, but only the ones that fell off of him. 

He loves that bull.