Chapter Text
The omega lounge reflected a buzz of anxious conversation and excited pheromones. Shane could feel the presences around him, trying to decipher the environment through smell and hearing, which were his sharpest tools. From the variations of sweet and citrus notes floating in the air, he calculated there were about ten or twelve people there, but the noise of nervous laughter and the clinking of glasses made an exact count a secondary task. He preferred the safety of the sofa where he sat, anchored by the conversation of two women beside him. One of them, whose voice still carried the high pitch of post-adolescence, whispered that she had come hidden from her parents and treated the experiment as a necessary act of rebellion.
Shane smiled encouragingly, but his mind drifted to his own reasons for being there. At twenty-five, he was tired of being treated like a charity case in conventional dating. He remembered every hand that tried to guide him without asking permission and every voice that shifted to an infantilized tone the moment they noticed his unfocused eyes. He didn't want pity, he wanted to be the center of someone’s world for what he said and felt and he wanted love. Being there, in a place where sight was deliberately neutralized for everyone, felt like the only fair playing field he would ever find. Not to mention, it would be incredibly fun to see people thinking like him for a few weeks.
In the center of the room, the artificial lights emitted a heat that Shane felt on the skin of his face and indicated the position of the hosts. Nick and Vanessa began their speech with the precision of those who knew the script by heart.
"Welcome to another season of Love is Blind!" Vanessa’s voice projected, firm and optimistic. "The experiment that asks the question we’ve all asked ourselves: does appearance really matter when it comes to finding the love of your life?"
Shane tilted his head slightly. To him, the question was almost ironic. Appearance had never mattered, but others' judgment of his appearance was what always built walls. Not that the omega was unkempt; over the years, he learned that the best way not to choose the wrong colors in his wardrobe was simply not to own the wrong colors. His hair was cut very short to avoid messiness and he didn't have much body hair to maintain, likely due to his Asian heritage. People actually complimented him quite often, though it was always followed by a "wow, such a shame he's blind."
"Over the next few weeks" Nick continued, with his tone gaining a studied gravity "ten alphas and ten omegas will live in completely separate wings. You will talk through pods, where you can hear everything but see nothing of each other."
"You will only meet face-to-face if... and only if... you decide to get married" Vanessa added, sealing the participants' fates with an audible smile. "No physical distractions, no outside judgments. Just raw connection and you will truly discover if love is blind! Are you ready?"
Raw connection, Shane repeated mentally. He wanted exactly that, someone who wouldn't flinch at his cane but wouldn't make it the main subject either.
When the opening session ended and the omegas were directed to the pods for the first day of conversations, Shane felt his heart race. He stood up, with his carbon fiber cane in front of him like an antenna for the unknown. He didn't know who would be on the other side, but he hoped, from the bottom of his heart, that the person was ready to truly listen.
The hallway leading to the pods had a muffled sound, with a mix of anxious footsteps on the carpet and the constant murmur of production instructions that felt distant to Shane, who was more focused on not tripping over his own enthusiasm. He walked alongside Jacki, feeling the vibrant and slightly chaotic energy of the girl, who wouldn't stop commenting on how horrified her parents would be if they knew she was there. When she gently stopped and touched Shane's arm to let him know they had reached pod number 4, he thanked her with a genuine smile, feeling the cold metal of the door handle as he entered the small room.
As soon as he settled in, a smooth, well-articulated voice floated through the room and brought a calm that Shane didn't know he needed in that adrenaline-filled moment. He introduced himself as Hayden and he was an alpha who seemed to measure his words with an almost artistic delicacy, speaking about his passion for architecture and how he enjoyed observing the way light transformed urban spaces at sunset. The conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they were in a quiet café far from the cameras, and Shane found himself sharing stories about how the different textures of the musical instruments he taught could convey emotions that words often failed to capture.
"You know, Shane, I've always believed that the structure of a song and that of a building have a lot in common, both need a solid foundation for beauty to flourish at the top" Hayden said, with his voice conveying a serenity that made Shane relax his shoulders and lean closer to the dividing panel. "I like the way you describe your world, it seems much more vibrant and full of nuances than what most sighted people manage to perceive in their daily lives."
Shane felt a pleasant warmth in his chest, appreciating that Hayden wasn't trying to fill every second with invasive questions about his blindness, but was instead integrating Shane's perception into the conversation naturally and respectfully. They laughed together about the small mishaps of the first morning in confinement and agreed that, regardless of what happened in the experiment, the chance to have such an honest exchange was already worth the risk of being there.
When the signal indicated that the time for that first meeting was ending, Shane felt a prickle of gratitude for such a light and promising debut and felt that the initial ice had been broken much more gently than he had dared to imagine.
"It was truly a pleasure, Hayden, thank you for letting me show you a bit of my musical universe" Shane said, already preparing to retract his cane and move to the next pod, unaware that the next meeting would bring a completely different energy and a rivalry he knew all too well. "I hope we get the chance to continue this talk about structures and harmonies soon."
"I hope so too, Shane. You’ve been the highlight of my day so far" Hayden replied with a sincerity that left a lingering smile on the omega's face as he felt for the door to exit, feeling that this place now seemed much less daunting and much more full of interesting possibilities.
[Hayden's testimonial about Shane]
"Shane is... intense, in a good way. I thought it was going to be awkward, you know? The fact that he can’t see. But he speaks with such naturalness that I ended up forgetting to walk on eggshells. He wouldn't stop talking about his music classes and I just kept thinking, 'damn, this guy has way more energy than me.' It was a down-to-earth conversation. We didn't overcomplicate things, we just talked about work and how hard it is to find someone decent these days. I liked him. He seems like a real person, no filter."
[Shane's testimonial about Hayden]
"Ah, Hayden is very chill. He has that voice of someone who knows what they're doing in life. I don't know, an architect, all organized... the total opposite of the mess that is my routine with a bunch of kids banging on a piano. It was good because he didn't treat me like I was going to break if he said the word 'see' or 'look.' We talked normally, like two people in a bar. I didn't feel passion at first sight, but there was respect. He’s a nice, centered guy. I want to see if he lets go of that Mr. Perfect side a bit in the next conversations."
[Back to the pods]
When he reached the next pod, Shane entered, lightly feeling the doorframe with a smile that seemed to light up the room he himself couldn't see, he settled in, letting out an excited sigh, and without even waiting to see if his companion had arrived, he began to hum a classic hockey warm-up anthem, drumming the rhythm on the arm of the sofa with the precision of someone who lived for music.
Before that, Ilya had been brooding in the silence of the pod. He had arrived a while ago and sat on the velvet sofa, feeling his palms sweat. For a programmer who spent fourteen hours a day dialoguing with algorithms, the idea of winning someone over with just his voice seemed like madness. He just wanted someone who wouldn't give up on him after the third silent date, someone who wanted a full house and the noise of a happy family, which he never had.
So, when the omega who walks in hums a hockey classic so well, Ilya couldn’t help but let out a "Woah."
"If you don't know the rest of the lyrics, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask to switch pods right now" Shane joked, with his voice velvety and full of a confidence Ilya hadn't expected.
Ilya froze for a second, with his eyes wide. He would recognize that melody anywhere, even if it came accompanied by the enemy.
"I know the song, but singing it out loud feels like treason to me" Ilya replied, with his voice husky and hesitant, coming out softer than planned. "Especially if you’re wearing Ottawa colors today."
"Oh, no..." Shane let out a clear laugh, tossing his head back. "Don't tell me they put me with a hater? Is this a social experiment to see how long it takes for me to lose my patience?"
"It’s worse than you think" Ilya let out a short laugh and gave the first sign of relaxation in his shoulders. "Besides the Bruins, my heart belongs to CSKA Moscow. So, if you were planning on a life of peace, I regret to inform you that our nights off will be filled with arguments over refereeing and disallowed goals."
"A Russian-Bostonian... you really like living dangerously, alpha. But you know, I'm a music teacher, so I value harmony. And as an Ottawa fan, I value resilience very much. I deal with people who don't see my potential all the time because of my blindness, so putting up with a Boston fan seems like an easy task in comparison."
Ilya fell silent for a moment, processing the casual way Shane mentioned his condition. He admired the lack of hesitation.
"I’m a programmer" Ilya said, trying to follow the flow. "I spend the day fixing errors, but I’m terrible at explaining how I do it. I... I have difficulty saying what I feel, Shane. That’s why I’m here. Because people usually lose interest when I can’t find the right words in English fast enough."
"Ah, that explains a lot" Shane began, with his voice full of genuine curiosity. "You said you're a programmer. You talk like someone who is proofreading a text before sending it. Every word seems... calculated."
Ilya let out a huffed laugh, the sound of someone who found it funny but didn't want to fully give in.
"It’s the language, Shane. I am also Russian, if I speak too fast no one will understand me" Ilya explained, with his Russian accent becoming more evident as he spoke faster. "And also... I like to listen. People talk a lot and say nothing. You talk a lot, but... you have rhythm."
Shane flashed a wide smile, the kind that makes the eyes crinkle.
"It’s my job, after all. I teach people to find the right tone. But you know what has no tone at all? The Bruins' game yesterday. That was a hideous thing."
The alpha’s eyes widened for a second and mischief instantly sparked.
"Oh, no. No, no, no. You are not going to talk hockey with me if it’s to defend Ottawa" Ilya countered, with his voice rising in excitement. "That was strategy. You Sens fans think winning a game is just about skating pretty. We win with... strength."
"Strength? Ilya, you guys win by shoving!" Shane let out a clean laugh and leaned forward. "I may be blind, but I can hear the desperation of the Boston defense from here. It’s just a wall of noise, you know, yesterday even the commentary was lost."
[Shane's testimonial about Ilya]
"Ilya... wow. He has this 'just woke up' voice that is delicious and he’s decided he's going to be the most stubborn person in the world, you know? His accent is a charm, but the audacity to defend Boston after yesterday’s disaster is what really got me. He’s so funny and he doesn't let the language barrier affect his sarcasm, which flows so well with my personality. It’s strange, we just met, but I don’t feel like I need to measure my words with him."
[Ilya's testimonial about Shane]
"He is... loud. (Gives a short, lopsided smile). But it’s a good kind of loud. He talks like he’s always winning a bet, completely animated. I came here expecting to have to explain my accent or my quiet nature all the time, but in the beginning all he wanted to do was annoy me about hockey. I like that. It’s real and most omegas I've met tried to be... perfect. Shane is just Shane. And he understands the game, even being an Ottawa fan, which is a miracle. Ah, good thing he can’t hear that…"
[Back to the pods]
"Did you hear the commentary yesterday? Those guys are fools, Shane" Ilya continued, with his voice rising a notch and passing on genuine indignation. "They don’t know how to read what’s happening down there. You know what? Forget the TV. From now on, if we watch a game, I’ll do the play-by-play for you myself. At least I’ll tell the truth, I won’t go inventing talent where there isn’t any in that team of yours…"
Shane let out a loud laugh and threw himself back on the sofa, enchanted by the alpha's audacity.
"You want to be my private commentator, Ilya? That’s a tempting proposal, but I’m afraid you’ll be too biased and forget to call Ottawa’s goals" Shane joked, feeling a lightness he hadn't felt with Hayden, or any other man outside the pods. "But alright, I accept the challenge. It’ll be fun to hear you angry at the referee in two different languages. Or does anger make you forget English completely?"
"I am fair, Shane. If Ottawa scores a goal by luck, I will say it was luck. But I will call it" Ilya countered and the corner of his mouth turned into a smile that his voice betrayed. "But tell me... are you always like this? So full of energy?"
Shane softened his smile and let his hand rest on his knee while searching for the right tone to answer.
"If I don’t talk, people project what they want onto me. They think I'm sad, or that I'm limited. So I talk, I sing to show that I’m here and that I have a desire to experience things" Shane explained, with his voice becoming a bit lower and more serious. "But I also know how to appreciate silence, as long as it’s a shared silence, you know? Not that silence of being alone."
Ilya was silent for a while, but this time it didn't seem like he was searching for words in a mental dictionary and was instead absorbing what Shane had said.
"I understand" Ilya finally said, with his voice sounding deeper through the sound system. "I’ve lived alone since I got here and in the beginning it was good, you know? No one asking me to explain what I was thinking. But after a while the silence gets tiring. I want... what you want. A house that isn't empty."
Shane felt a flutter in his stomach that had nothing to do with the pod's air conditioning. It was the feeling of being understood without needing long explanations.
"Good to know, alpha" Shane said, returning to a playful tone to keep the mood from getting too heavy. "But I'm warning you now, I’m terrible in the kitchen. Do you cook, Ilya?" Shane asked, trying to break the emotional atmosphere with some lightness. "Because if you're as bad in the kitchen as your team is on defense, we’re going to starve."
"I make excellent tea and I know how to fry potatoes like no one else" Ilya replied with his sarcastic tone back. "The rest we learn, or we buy fast food. There are several on my corner."