Work Text:
Andrew clicks around the Bureau of Alpha Affairs website’s resources on “How to Care for Your Omega in Heat,” for probably the fourth time. He knows generally what to expect – the slight fever, the increased sex drive, the constant itch to be knotted, the heat haze – but he’s never actually seen it fully firsthand before.
Even for Julia’s very first heat, once her symptoms had manifested, Smurf had kept him out of the bedroom, sending him off on a job with Baz to case some jewelry store. He’d wanted to stay. Julia had said that she wanted him to be there. But Smurf had shook her head, leading Andrew away. She’d hugged him tight, whispering that Julia had confided that she didn’t really want Andrew there, didn’t feel safe with him so close.
Andrew wonders how much of his childhood memories are simply Smurf’s lies. Now that she’s dead, he’ll never really know.
His phone buzzes on the table, a call coming in. Andrew leans over to check the name. It’s Craig. He lets it go to voicemail, returning his attention to the laptop screen.
Dennis had said that morning that he’s already experiencing pre-heat symptoms, and that his heat leave is all approved. He’ll have four days of official leave, plus an extra day he’d traded shifts with Trinity for. Andrew’s been slowly stocking supplies at Robby’s house, making sure they’ll have enough food, electrolytes. He’d bought a knotted dildo, still unsure whether or not he trusts himself to not lose control at the first breach of Dennis’s body. Over the last two days, he’s been scenting pillows, blankets, sheets, and towels as much as he can, so Dennis can build a nice nest.
He glances over at his phone. His curiosity wins out and Andrew reaches for it, tapping over to listen to the voicemail.
Craig’s voice is loud and annoyed. “Pope? Pope, answer the phone. C’mon, man. Where are you? Are you coming back? Deran said you were leaving town, but you didn’t say when you were coming home. Pope?” Craig sighs and there are a couple seconds of silence. Andrew thinks he can hear waves in the background, and he imagines that Craig is calling from the beach. “Just call, man. C’mon.” The message ends and Andrew hangs up the phone.
He hadn’t wanted to explain to his brothers where he was going or why, before he’d left. He’d told Deran the bare minimum, just so they wouldn’t worry that something bad had happened to him. It’s been weeks since he’s been in Pittsburgh now. He’s surprised to realize that, aside from the Pacific, the longer he’s away from Oceanside, the less he misses it: the stress, constantly looking over his shoulder. He loves his brothers, truly he does. But everything’s so different now. The family’s barely a thing anymore.
And now there’s Dennis.
His chest tightens when he thinks about leaving Dennis, about going back to Oceanside. Leaving Dennis isn’t an option, but neither is taking him back to become enmeshed in the Cody family. Andrew doesn’t want that for him. He wants Dennis to stay here, being a doctor, helping people.
He checks the time. He’ll need to hurry a little if he’s going to get to PTMC in time to be waiting for Dennis after his shift. He closes the laptop and quickly ties his shoes. Everything else can wait.
***
“You doing all right?”
Andrew looks over at Dennis, who’s giving him a soft and tired smile. “Yeah. Sure. Why?”
Dennis shrugs, squeezing his fingers wrapped around Andrew’s even tighter. “You seem like something’s bothering you.”
He turns to face Andrew as they wait for the light to turn green.
Andrew shrugs. “No, just. Just want to make sure you have everything you need for your heat.”
The Walk sign lights up and they cross the street. Even with the sun sinking in the sky, it’s a warm day, in the 80s, at least. The warm humid air reminds Andrew of Oceanside, though he misses the salty breezes.
“I’ve gone through many heats. I know how to handle them.” Dennis lets go of Andrew’s hand to slide his arm around Andrew’s waist. “But I am glad that you’ll be here for this one.”
The way he says it, it sounds like Dennis doesn’t expect that Andrew will be around for another heat, like Dennis is assuming that Andrew will be leaving soon. His brow wrinkles and he opens his mouth to ask about it, but they’re already walking up the sidewalk to Robby’s townhouse. Dennis tugs him inside, the cool air a nice contrast after the walk from the hospital.
As they’ve done each day Andrew has walked Dennis back to Robby’s house, they first take a moment to slowly peel off each other’s scent blockers. Andrew breathes in a lungful of Dennis’s vanilla and sweet oranges, enjoying the way that Dennis’s usually clear eyes darken as his own patch comes off.
“Are you hungry?” Andrew asks, ready to go into the kitchen and make some supper.
Dennis hums and winds his arms around Andrew’s waist, burying his face against Andrew’s chest. He mumbles something, but it’s lost in the fabric of Andrew’s shirt.
“What was that, pup?”
“I don’t want you to go to the trouble,” Dennis says again, turning his face slightly to expose his mouth.
“It’s no trouble. I made some soup earlier. Just need to reheat it.”
Walking to the kitchen proves more difficult than usual, as Dennis is very reluctant to disentangle himself from Andrew. It must be the approaching heat, Andrew thinks, as he goes about fixing the soup, putting a small loaf of sourdough in the oven to warm, all while maneuvering around Dennis’s body.
Andrew eventually steers Dennis to a chair in the breakfast nook, afraid of accidentally burning him. Dennis tracks Andrew’s movements, sending him a pout whenever he thinks Andrew’s looking. His tune changes dramatically when Andrew sets a big bowl of soup and a platter of warm bread in front of him. They eat for several minutes in companionable silence, sneaking looks at each other while they chew.
“Can I ask you something?” Dennis says after his soup is nearly gone. “You can say no, or tell me to mind my own business, or – ”
“Just ask, Den,” Andrew cuts in, amused, a hunk of bread halfway to his mouth.
Dennis clears his throat and wiggles in his seat. “You said you’re always taking rut suppressants.”
“Yes…” Andrew says slowly.
“Well, would you ever consider stopping them?”
Andrew sets down the bread and tries not to tense up too much. “Why are you asking that?”
Dennis’s hand comes down on top of Andrew’s, his fingers curling around to brush against the gland on the inside of his wrist. It calms him, and he feels his shoulders start to relax. Dennis’s expression is open. There’s no judgment there, just curiosity.
“I know you said that you were worried about hurting me, but…” Dennis swallows and looks away, a blush painting his cheeks.
“But what?”
Dennis takes a deep breath and brings his eyes back up to meet Andrew’s. “What if I wanted you to?”
Andrew’s mouth drops open and all he can hear is the blood rushing in his ears.
“Not hurt me,” Dennis rushes to say. “I mean, just, like… I want to see you lose control, like you’re overcome and just have to have me. Even if it’s a little rough.” His voice is small as he finishes, his eyes cast downward again, like it had taken a lot out of him to say the words.
Andrew blinks, staring at Dennis, who he’d admittedly been thinking of as some kind of innocent. It’s not that he’s never thought about it, what Dennis is saying. But it would be a big step to stop taking the suppressants. And what if Andrew genuinely hurt someone, hurt Dennis?
“I’ll think about it,” Andrew says quietly, offering the only thing he can.
Dennis nods, the tension in his face clearing.
“Why don’t you go take a nap?” Andrew suggests as he starts cleaning up the remnants of their food.
Dennis tries to hold it back, but lets out a loud yawn. “That’s probably a good idea. I bet I’ll be fully in heat when I wake up, so,” he shrugs with a small smile playing on his lips, “maybe you should take a quick nap, too.”
Andrew watches him leave the kitchen, hears him go up the steps to the spare room where Dennis plans to build his nest and spend his heat. The food he’s just eaten roils in his stomach. He’d thought he was ready, but now that Dennis’s heat is imminent, he’s swarmed by nerves. What if he does a terrible job? What if Dennis gets hurt? What if Andrew hurts Dennis?
Dennis’s question about rut suppressants bounces around his mind. He’s been on them for so long, if he stopped taking the pill, it would probably only take a day or two before he goes into rut. Maybe less with Dennis’s heat in full swing. He glances up at the ceiling, imagining Dennis laid out in bed, resting, innocent.
With the heat getting closer and closer, Andrew’s dreams have turned darker, more possessive. He fantasizes about pushing into Dennis’s body, hearing him moan and scream as Andrew fucks him hard. But shame always finds him in the morning. Dennis is precious. He deserves to be taken care of, protected. That’s what an alpha should do. That’s what Andrew should do.
He putters around the kitchen, cleaning the counters again, soothing himself by ensuring everything is sanitized and ordered. Dennis has complete faith in him, in his ability to get him through the heat. And Andrew finds comfort in that confidence, even if he doesn’t quite feel it in himself.
He walks down the hall to the guest bathroom and opens the medicine cabinet behind the mirror. The white bottle sits on the shelf, between a bottle of aspirin and one of cough syrup. While heat suppressants are controlled substances, requiring a prescription and a doctor’s detailed rationale, rut suppressants are cheap and available over-the-counter. Andrew’s never had a problem getting his hands on them.
The only issue he’s had with them is that one time, after Lena had been taken by social services. It had been such a low point in his life and then his body had betrayed him, showing the unmistakable signs of pre-rut. In his panic, he’d answered the door to an unfamiliar knock, finding an omegan sex worker waiting for him.
It had been a horrible experience. The sex worker had been nice, but Andrew hadn’t been able to pop a knot, his symptoms raging until the omega had fled, mumbling something about Smurf hiring her, but not paying enough to deal with a frustrated alpha. Andrew still can’t be sure that Smurf had switched out his suppressants for something else, but the experience had put him off the idea of going into a rut ever again. The look of barely concealed disgust on the omega’s face had stayed with him for weeks afterward and he can still remember the overwhelming feeling of self-loathing that still prickles whenever he thinks about it.
Andrew slams the medicine cabinet closed, leaning over the sink. Dennis isn’t that sex worker. He isn’t some random omega. He’s Andrew’s omega, in everything but mark now. Andrew is the alpha who looks after him, who cares for him and about him, who makes sure he’s safe. It’s Andrew who Dennis smiles at, touches, scents. It’s Andrew whose body Dennis’s has found pleasure in.
He walks out of the bathroom, feeling more secure, more resolved. He’s about to head into the living room when he hears movement upstairs. Dennis must be up from his nap. Andrew instead goes into the kitchen and drinks a glass of water, leaning against the counter. He wonders how long it’ll take for Dennis’s heat to fully start.
“Andrew?” Dennis’s voice calls out. “Are you ever coming up here?”
Andrew huffs a laugh, shaking his head. He finishes the water and drops the glass in the sink.
When he enters the spare room, he’s hit by a wall of scent. It’s Dennis’s vanilla and oranges, but it’s more. The vanilla has notes of spun sugar, the oranges tart and sweet at the same time, like he can taste them on his tongue. And there’s something else underneath, a musk that must be Dennis’s own natural scent, the heat amplifying it.
Andrew’s eyes sweep over Dennis’s body, nearly naked. He’s stretched out in the nest he’s made, surrounded by the pillows and fabrics that Andrew has been scenting. He turns his to the side, letting out a chirp as he rubs his cheeks back and forth on a pillow. His chest is bare and Andrew can see the scar lines under each pec glinting in the low lamp light. Dennis looks soft, but Andrew can still see the definition, the signs of his muscles underneath. When he spots Andrew, his face breaks into a loopy grin.
“I’ve been waiting,” he says in a tone Andrew’s never heard from him before. It’s half sigh, half whine.
Andrew swallows roughly as Dennis spins himself around and gets up on his hands and knees, holding one hand out toward Andrew. He’s smiling, his eyes slightly unfocused, but still bright, like he’s just so fucking glad to see Andrew.
Andrew approaches the nest cautiously, knowing that omegas can be territorial about their space. But as soon as he’s close enough, Dennis’s hand grabs his wrist, yanking him hard enough so that he falls right onto the edge of the nest.
“How are you feeling?” Andrew asks, not sure what Dennis might be needing now.
“Much better,” Dennis replies.
His hands start pulling at Andrew’s clothes, tugging and twisting, trying to get them off. Andrew inhales deeply, the scent of Dennis next to him so strong, and he realizes he’s made a major miscalculation.
He’d been preparing for Dennis’s heat in almost a clinical way, considering the changes his body will go through, what his state of mind will be, how he’ll feel, but all of it in a detached way. He hasn’t given any thought to how it’ll feel in practice. Or to how Andrew will respond – he’s totally forgotten about his own reactions.
Something warm starts to prickle just under his skin as his eyes trace over the length of Dennis, wearing only his underwear. Andrew can see a damp spot, right at the crotch of the grey boxer briefs. He pulls in another deep breath, and he can smell the slick. He quickly sheds his own clothes down to his underwear and returns to the nest.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Dennis says again, his eyes a stormy blue as he climbs onto Andrew’s lap. “Feel so empty.”
Dennis rubs his cheek against Andrew’s and Andrew slides a hand down Dennis’s back until he’s cupping Dennis’s ass. It’s thick, perfectly filling his palm. His other hand finds its way into Dennis’s hair, the strands curling around his fingers. He feels overwhelmed by the scent, the softness of Dennis.
“Gonna be so sweet for you,” Dennis mumbles into Andrew’s neck, his breath coming out in humid puffs.
“I know,” Andrew says softly, rubbing his fingertips on Dennis’s scalp. “I know you will, sweetheart.”
He feels the vibrations in Dennis’s chest before he hears the purrs. “I like that, you calling me that. Take such good care of me.”
“Yeah,” Andrew says, shifting in the nest so he can lay Dennis down on his back. “Yeah, I’ll take good care of you.”
Dennis spread out and squirming in the nest is a sight to behold. Andrew’s gaze drags over the bare skin, dotted with freckles. His brow wrinkles when he gets to Dennis’s briefs. Those need to go. Dennis’s constant movement makes it difficult to pull them down, but Andrew manages it finally, tossing them to the floor over his shoulder.
He lets out a deep rumble as he gets his first real look at Dennis’s cock, hard and jutting out from his folds. Coarse dark blonde hair covers his skin between his hips and down his thighs. Andrew raises a hand, pausing to flick his eyes up to Dennis, who nods frantically.
“Touch me, Andrew, please, please, touch me.”
Andrew does, a groan escaping his mouth when his fingers begin to trace a path up and down Dennis’s growth. The scent of slick gets stronger as the liquid spills from Dennis’s cunt. Andrew uses it to coat his fingers, Dennis’s cock, as he increases the tempo. He bends down, balancing one hand on the other side of Dennis’s shoulder, and takes one of Dennis’s nipples in his mouth. Dennis squeaks, his arms coming up to clutch at Andrew’s shoulder, his neck.
Keeping his fingers between Dennis’s legs, Andrew draws the nipple into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue. He gets lost in the sounds falling out of Dennis’s mouth and when he lifts his head, he hums at the sight of the swollen red bud. He moves to Dennis’s other nipple, wondering if Dennis has ever considered getting them pierced, if he would be willing to do it. Andrew lightly tugs on the nipple with his teeth, imagining the jewelry he could buy for Dennis just for his nipples. Then he feels his own cock harden even more at the thought of Dennis nursing their pup, his tits full of milk.
Dennis wiggles and lets out a chirp. Andrew brings his head up, licking his lips. “What’s wrong, pup?”
“I want your mouth on me.”
Andrew huffs a laugh. “It was just on you.”
Dennis shakes his head, giving Andrew a pout. “Down there.” He flicks his eyes down to where Andrew’s fingers continue to stroke.
Andrew noses at Dennis’s cheek, laying tiny kisses as he makes his way up to Dennis’s ear. “Down there? You mean your cock? You want my mouth on your cock, sweetheart?”
Dennis whines, his hips twitching, rising up against Andrew’s fingers. “Please, Andrew, please?”
“All right. You’re being such a good pup for me.”
Dennis huffs in frustration as Andrew removes his fingers, but it’s quickly forgotten as Andrew helps Dennis reposition higher in the nest, reclining against a stack of pillows. He shoves another pillow under Dennis’s hips, knowing that his slick will probably seep into the filling of the pillow, and also knowing that this is the pillow he’ll be sleeping on for as long as he can.
When he makes his way back down between Dennis’s legs, he lets out another rumble, this one longer and deeper. The curls between Dennis’s legs are matted with his slick. His cock is swollen, flushed a pretty dark pink. Andrew can just barely make out the sight of his entrance, wet with the slick that’s still spilling out of him.
He bends down and gives in to the urge to swipe his tongue over Dennis’s dick, humming in satisfaction as he tastes his omega. “So good,” he murmurs. “Taste so good, sweetheart, just for me?”
Dennis nods quickly. “Just for you. Want to make my alpha happy.”
Andrew hums again as he mouths at Dennis’s dick, flicking his tongue against the head, before he starts to lick wide stripes up the side of Dennis’s growth. He’d thought his first sip of Dennis’s mouth had been the sweetest thing he’d taste, but Dennis’s slick is sweeter than honey, the vanilla and sweet oranges so strong alongside Dennis’s natural musk.
“Never get enough,” Andrew mutters to himself.
His own cock is hard, straining in his underwear. He feels the urge to shove the briefs down his legs and plungee his cock inside Dennis, pump him full of his cum so he can see his belly swell. But he hears Smurf’s voice in his head, calling him disgusting, telling him he’s dangerous, good only to be used as a weapon. He can’t be soft, he’s too jagged.
“Andrew?” Dennis is looking at him, eyes glassy, and Andrew realizes he’s been hovering over Dennis’s thighs, staring into space for a minute.
He flashes Dennis a tight smile and dips his head back down, renewing his efforts. He skates his fingertips over Dennis’s hip and slowly drags it between his legs. Dennis purrs louder as Andrew traces over the entrance to his cunt before allowing just the tip of his finger to press inside.
It’s so warm, the slick covering his finger immediately. With an unhurried pace, Andrew begins to thrust the finger inside Dennis, his mouth still playing with his cock. He smiles against Dennis when he feels him rocking his hips up, trying to encourage Andrew to move faster.
“Need more, Andrew, need your cock.” Dennis’s voice has a desperate tone, his whole body twitching.
Andrew pulls away again, breathing deeply through his nose. “I got something for you, something to fill you up.”
“Yes,” Dennis hisses, his head lolling back on his mound of pillows.
Andrew gets out of the nest to open the drawer of the nest-side table. He takes out the knotted dildo, thick with just the right amount of give. There’s a handle at the base so he can easily thrust it inside of Dennis. His dick pulses in his underwear, like it’s lodging a protest, but Andrew’s still unwilling to let go enough, still sure that he’ll go too far.
There’s a small bottle of lube that had come with the dildo. It’s viscous, thicker than the nectar Andrew had been drinking between Dennis’s legs. He pours some of the lube over the dildo and crawls back into the nest.
Dennis sighs when Andrew’s knee brushes against his hip, his hands searching for any part of Andrew to grab on to. Andrew positions the dildo next to Dennis’s entrance. Dennis gasps and looks down, his brow pinching in confusion.
“What… what is that? Andrew?”
“Shh… It’s ok, sweetheart. I promise, I’m gonna make you feel so good.”
Dennis’s lips are turned down in a frown and Andrew’s uncertainty floods back. Maybe he should abandon his idea of keeping Dennis safe like this, maybe he should give in to his desire to sink into his omega’s sweet cunt. But a memory of his last rut flashes behind his eyes, making him resolute once more. He can take care of Dennis like this. He has to.
Slowly, Andrew begins to push the dildo into Dennis’s opening, using tiny pulses to allow him to get used to the intrusion. The dildo is smaller than Andrew’s cock is when fully hard, but Andrew will be able to maneuver it easily, giving Dennis exactly what he needs.
Dennis chirps as he’s filled with the dildo. “Feels good, Andrew, feel full.” Dennis spreads his legs even more and Andrew bites back a groan when he sees more slick spill out of his cunt.
He works his way up to a steady rhythm, fucking the dildo inside. Dennis is rocking his hips back and forth, trying to take more and more of the length. Soon, it’s deep enough that the bottom of the knot is touching Dennis’s entrance. Andrew tugs at Dennis’s dick with his other hand, watching him writhe on the bed as he’s pleasured.
“Please,” Dennis moans. “Need your knot, please.”
Andrew is sweating, beads of it dripping down his forehead. His hand is cramping where it’s clutching the bottom of the dildo, his arm tired from the constant movement of fucking Dennis. With a final push, he plunges the dildo into Dennis, the knot popping in to hold it in place. Dennis’s body shudders and he lets out a chirp, louder than any before, a satisfied grin stretching his mouth. His muscles relax, his first orgasm of his heat accomplished.
The sight of the dildo still in his cunt has Andrew’s cock twitching, releasing another trickle of pre-cum. Dennis blows out a breath and lifts his head to meet Andrew’s eyes.
“Can I taste you?”
Dennis asks quietly, like he’s afraid Andrew will deny him. But Andrew isn’t in a position to say no to Dennis. He’s perilously close to his own climax and the question of whether or not he should stop taking his rut suppressants rises in his mind again. Despite everything, all his fears, he still wishes he could know what it’s like to be with Dennis like that.
He leaves the dildo where it is and climbs up the bed on his knees, settling next to Dennis’s head. Immediately, Dennis’s hands are on Andrew’s thighs, then tugging at the waistband of his underwear. Andrew obliges and finally pulls them all the way off, returning to his position next to Dennis.
He hears Dennis moan and looks down to see him licking his lips as he leans in to press an open-mouthed kiss to the head of Andrew’s cock. Andrew can’t hold back the moan he makes as Dennis’s hand gently wraps around his shaft and he begins to kiss and lick along the length.
Andrew can still see the base of the dildo peeking out of Dennis’s cunt, and that sight sends a rush of pre-cum out the tip of his dick, which Dennis happily laps up. He watches as Dennis gives him the softest blow job he’s ever had, never deep-throating or pushing Andrew into his mouth. His eyes keep glancing up, like he’s gauging Andrew’s reaction to every move he makes, adjusting based on the expressions Andrew’s helpless to control.
It takes no time at all before Andrew’s right on the edge. Dennis is sucking on the head of his cock, while rotating his hips around so he can move the dildo in his cunt. It almost seems like an unconscious movement, like Dennis just needs the added stimulation but he’s not aware he’s doing it.
Andrew reaches over and gives the dildo a gentle pull, tugging the knot against Dennis’s entrance. Dennis moans around Andrew’s dick and he’s gone, pulsing ropes of cum into Dennis’s waiting mouth. He bends forward, almost wrapping his body around Dennis’s head as his cock gives one final dribble. He pulls out of Dennis’s mouth, then scoots down so he can lie on his side next to Dennis.
A deep rumble comes from the back of Andrew’s throat, and he eyes Dennis’s scent gland on his neck, the urge to bite down on it rising up. It’s then that Andrew realizes that he never wants to take suppressants again, if this is what it feels to be near his omega in heat out of rut. Looking at Dennis’s satisfied expression, he knows he can do better, give his omega exactly what he needs without the suppressants. He leans forward, clutching at Dennis’s waist with one hand, the other cupping the back of his neck, and licks a long stripe over Dennis’s gland.
“I’ll take care of you, sweetheart,” he murmurs into Dennis’s skin. “I promise.”
***
On the third morning of Dennis’s heat, Andrew comes back to consciousness with the weight of his omega draped fully over his body. There’s a fever simmering under his skin, beads of sweat lining his hairline, his fingertip marking glands tightening. Andrew startles fully awake, realizing that he’s gone into pre-rut. So far, it’s just a stirring, like a bass strumming in the background.
Dennis is still out, snoring lightly, his mouth hanging open. Andrew’s lost count of the orgasms he’s given him, hours of fucking bleeding together until he can barely tell how much time has passed at all. He only knows what the clock says, showing that they’d managed to get about five hours’ sleep, more than 48 hours into this.
Andrew gently slides out from under Dennis, climbing out of the nest to use the bathroom, then padding down the staircase naked. He goes in search of some water, and while he’s in the kitchen, puts together some sandwiches to take back upstairs with him. His head is starting to feel hazy, the urge to fuck whispering insistently in his mind.
He ignores it for now, stacking food onto a couple of plates. His phone buzzes on the counter, hooked to the charger he’d plugged in the day before. He scrolls quickly through his notifications, seeing texts and missed calls from both his brothers and J. He’s about to set the phone back down when it starts vibrating with a call from Craig. After debating a few seconds, he sighs and accepts the call, putting it on speaker.
“Pope? Jesus, finally. Where the fuck are you, man?”
“I’m in – ” Andrew cuts himself off before giving the city. For some reason, he doesn’t want his family to know exactly where he is. “Pennsylvania,” he finishes.
“The fuck you doing in Pennsylvania?”
Andrew opens his mouth but he doesn’t even know where to begin. “I met someone,” he settles on, a statement that is entirely truthful and yet eliding the most important details.
“You met someone. In Pennsylvania. Pope…” Craig sighs, a harsh push of air laced with frustration. “Pope, are you ok? I know Smurf’s death was – ”
“I’m fine,” he says, not wanting to think about Smurf, not in the headspace he’s at, which is increasingly cloudy. “I’m not coming back.” The words are out before he knows he’s saying them. He hears Craig exclaim on the other end of the line.
“What do you mean you’re not coming back?”
Andrew grips the edge of the counter with both hands, leaning over it toward his phone, like Craig is really there. “I need some time away. Need a reset.”
There’s a heavy silence between them. Then Craig asks, “This have anything to do with an omega?”
Andrew works his jaw, not at all willing to talk about Dennis. “I’m ok. I’ll talk to you in a while.”
He ends the call and puts his phone on silent, ignoring the call from Craig that immediately comes in. He looks over at the plates of food, then around at the kitchen. Sooner or later, they’ll have to make real plans. He can stay living at Dennis’s boss’s place forever. He’s still got money socked away, still got Smurf’s inheritance, such as it is.
He knows that Dennis has loans, that even when he starts making better money farther into his residency or once he’s an attending, that debt will still hang over them. Andrew should probably think about what kind of job he could do that doesn’t come with a risk of prison time.
“Andrew?”
He looks toward the stairs, smiling at Dennis’s call. He’s got more important things to tend to now.
He grabs the plates and carefully navigates the stairs. The spare room smells like exactly what they’ve been doing the last couple of days: Dennis’s and Andrew’s scents have intermingled, along with their body odor, Dennis’s honey-sweet slick. He sets the plates down on the nest-side table and climbs up next to Dennis, sighing deeply as the omega wraps his limbs around Andrew.
“I woke up and you were gone,” Dennis mumbles into Andrew’s chest.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I was getting some food. You need to eat, keep your energy up.”
Dennis hums, rubbing his cheek against Andrew’s pec. His eyes snap open then, his nostrils flaring. “What is that smell?”
“I made sandwiches.”
Dennis shakes his head. “No, not that. It’s like… it’s like your scent, but it’s better, it’s…”
He shoves his face under Andrew’s arm and Andrew laughs, feeling Dennis’s breath against the delicate skin. Dennis moans, nosing the hair under his arm, rubbing against it.
“Fuck, you smell so good now, like you – ”
Dennis pulls his face out and Andrew can see that his pupils have blown wide. The smell of slick gets stronger and Andrew inhales sharply at the sensation of liquid dripping onto his leg where Dennis is draped over it.
Andrew cups Dennis’s cheek, looking into those darkened blue eyes. “I stopped taking my suppressants,” he says, his voice low.
“When?” Dennis breathes out, his eyes widening.
“Two days ago.”
The purring starts, deep in Dennis’s chest, then it gets louder. Dennis starts peppering Andrew’s face with kisses, trailing his tongue in paths over his jaw, down his neck. He pauses every minute to bite at Andrew’s skin before soothing it with his tongue and continuing on. Andrew is content to lay back and let Dennis do what he wants for now, but the impulse to press him into the nest and take what he wants is growing.
“Food, pup. We need to eat.”
Andrew finally forces Dennis to stop his slow assault of kitten licks and nips. Dennis inhales one sandwich, and starts working on a second while Andrew watches, amused. Once they’ve finished eating, he stacks the plates back on the nest-side table. His body is covered with a sheen of sweat and the plates nearly slip out of his hands.
When he rolls back to Dennis, the omega is all hands. He touches everywhere he can reach on Andrew’s body, his mouth following.
“Wanna feel you inside me,” Dennis says between kisses to Andrew’s hips. “Want you to fill me up, make me yours.”
“You already are mine,” Andrew returns, sighing as Dennis licks a long stripe up his hardening cock.
Dennis crawls up Andrew’s body, sliding their dicks together like they’ve done countless times since Andrew had come to Pittsburgh. He gets lost in the motion as Dennis moans above him, his slick spilling out steadily, joining Andrew’s pre-cum.
“Don’t you want to fuck me? Put your cock inside me, fuck me so hard I don’t remember my name?”
“Jesus,” Andrew mutters, his cock twitching where it’s gliding against Dennis’s.
“Want that, want you,” Dennis whispers, leaning down to kiss Andrew, a soft chaste peck, at odds with the words falling out of his mouth.
He hovers above Andrew for a few seconds, their eyes locked. The urge to dominate, to claim, begins to take over Andrew’s mind, and in an instant, it’s all that he wants. He clamps his hands on Dennis’s waist and flips them over, so that he’s on top of Dennis now. He shuffles back onto his knees, pushing Dennis’s legs apart to kneel between them. He squeezes the base of his dick, hoping he won’t come the minute he’s fully seated inside Dennis.
Andrew’s cock is harder than he can remember it being as he stares down at it, poised at the entrance to Dennis’s cunt. He takes a deep breath and pushes his hips forward, the head of his dick sliding inside. Dennis’s head is thrown back and he makes a keening sound. His legs come up around Andrew’s waist, like he’s trying to drag Andrew closer.
Inch by inch, Andrew eases inside Dennis. He bites his lip so he doesn’t punch his hips forward, bottom out in one thrust. The sounds Dennis is making, though, the way he scratches at Andrew’s arms, it’s all making it so difficult for Andrew to remain in control, to not lose himself in the exquisite pleasure of Dennis’s cunt.
“I want you to, want to feel you lose control,” Dennis pants, and Andrew realizes he must have said that out loud. “Andrew.” Dennis’s hands come up to cup his cheeks, forcing him to maintain eye contact. “I trust you. Please fuck me.”
Andrew stares into those eyes, seeing his future reflected in them, and he gives up the reins.
He drives his cock into Dennis, sinking the last couple inches in a second. He lets out a low groan, feeling his dick surrounded by the soft, wet, warmth of Dennis’s body. He drags his cock out until just the head is inside Dennis’s entrance, then plunges back in, setting a brutal rhythm that knocks the bedframe against the wall.
“Harder,” Dennis moans. “Feel so good, such a good alpha.”
Andrew squeezes his eyes shut as he pistons in and out of Dennis’s cunt. He wants to stay here forever, wrapped in the slick heat of his omega. He wants to knot him, pump him full of cum, pup him and watch his belly swell, watch him being a dam for a whole fucking passel of pups.
“Look at me, Andrew,” Dennis says, his fingers pushing into Andrew’s hair and tugging on it. “Look at me when you’re fucking me.”
Andrew grunts and pries his eyes open, finding Dennis’s. His face is wide open with pleasure, a wantonness in his expression that drives Andrew faster as he pounds Dennis into the nest. He’s in a frenzy, the rut taking him over. He feels a tingling at the base of his dick and he looks down where he’s pushing into Dennis, confused.
“You gonna knot me? I want it,” Dennis says, tightening the ring of his legs around Andrew’s waist.
“I…” Andrew doesn’t have words. He can only think about fucking his omega, pleasing him, giving him pups. The tingling gets stronger and Andrew gasps, feeling the urge to slam his cock into Dennis.
“Yes,” Dennis whines. “Want your knot, give me your – ”
Andrew shouts as he shoves into Dennis’s cunt as far as he can. The tingling feeling turns into something like burning, and he can feel the knot inflating at the base of his cock. He looks down again, seeing them connected, locked together, as Dennis’s knot-nest engages, contracting around Andrew’s knot.
That triggers Andrew’s orgasm, and he feels himself pulsing into Dennis, painting the walls of his cunt with spurts of cum. The haze recedes enough that Andrew moves his hand over to Dennis’s dick. It only takes a handful of strokes on it before Dennis is screaming his orgasm, too, his knot-nest clamping impossibly tighter.
Andrew tries to gently reposition them to wait out his knot, lying them on their sides with Dennis’s leg draped over his waist. He’s exhausted and happier than he can remember being in a long time. He strokes a hand through Dennis’s hair, his eyes grazing over every inch of his omega he can see.
“You’re so beautiful,” he tries to say, his voice gravelly and rough.
“Thank you,” Dennis whispers, a shy smile on his face. He huffs a laugh. “I mean, for the compliment, but also, thank you for trusting me enough to stop taking your suppressants.”
Andrew shakes his head. “It wasn’t about trusting you, pup.”
Dennis shrugs one shoulder. “I think it was a little bit. I think part of it was trusting that I was being honest when I said I wanted all of you, wanted you to lose control.” He strokes the arm Andrew has stretched over his shoulder. “That I wasn’t afraid of you.”
Andrew stares at him, not sure what to say to that. Maybe Dennis is right. He’s used to people being afraid of him. That’s what his role in the family had been – scaring people or hurting people who were a threat to the family.
But as he looks into Dennis’s eyes in the aftermath now, he doesn’t see anything close to fear. He sees hunger, he sees happiness. He sees something else that freezes his breath in his chest.
“I didn’t want to pressure you with the heat, make you think it was my hormones,” Dennis says, bringing Andrew’s hand up to kiss the palm. “But I want you to mark me. I want to bond with you, Andrew. Want your pup to grow in my belly.”
Andrew takes a deep breath, emotion overwhelming him. He’s surprised to feel tears pricking at the corner of his eyes.
“Yeah? You’re sure, sweetheart?”
“I don’t want you to go back to Oceanside.”
Dennis’s eyes are clear, despite the heat haze he must be feeling. Andrew can see the truth written there. He slides his hand down to Dennis’s belly, an awkward position since they’re still tied together on Andrew’s knot.
“I want you to be my pups’ dam.”
Dennis smiles at him, like a light shining from inside. He snuggles closer, tipping his forehead onto Andrew’s chin. They rest like that, Andrew bringing both his arms around Dennis’s waist. After a little while, he feels his knot begin to deflate, and then his cock slips out, followed by some of his release and Dennis’s slick.
Dennis has dozed off, tiny snores mixed with purrs filling the room. Andrew looks down at him in amazement. He’d always thought that he’d be a danger to any omega, that he couldn’t be trusted to go into rut, and certainly not near an omega in heat. But Dennis had shown him otherwise. He shifts so that he can pull Dennis onto his chest, resting a hand around his waist again, keeping Dennis’s body tucked right next to his.
The urge begins to stir below his skin, to fuck again, breed again. He can ignore it for now, let his body rest, gather his strength. He has a feeling that he’s more in danger of Dennis’s demands rather than his own body’s at this point.
***
“I’m glad I traded with Trinity so we could have this final day to recover,” Dennis says, his voice raspy.
Andrew chuckles and then winces as he tries to sit up in the nest. There’s a cramp in his leg, something half-dry and tacky on his stomach, and his hair is practically matted to his scalp. They both really need a shower.
It’s a trial to get Dennis out of the nest and into the bathroom. Despite Andrew knowing that his heat had fully dissipated the night before, the omega won’t put in any effort to help, leaving Andrew with the work of carrying him down the hall, setting him on the toilet lid while the water heats up, then dragging him into the stall. But when Andrew looks down at the loopy smile on Dennis’s face as he plasters himself to Andrew’s chest under the hot spray, he can’t stay annoyed.
The shower revitalizes Dennis, at least enough for him to be able to dry himself off and step into some clean sweats. They make their way down to the kitchen, not bothering yet to dismantle the nest.
Andrew rustles up a meal with the remnants of the food he’d bought for the heat leave, serving up scrambled eggs, sausage, and the last of the bread for toast. Dennis hums appreciatively and digs in right away. They don’t talk while they eat, but Andrew keeps glancing at Dennis to make sure he’s doing all right after the heat. He gets up to refill their coffee mugs.
“Are we going to talk about it?”
Andrew looks over at Dennis and knows exactly what he means. He sighs. “I was waiting for you to bring it up.”
“I meant it, what I said, Andrew.” Dennis’s expression is determined and Andrew knows he thinks he means it.
He carefully brings the mugs of coffee back to the table and sits down, sliding his chair closer to Dennis’s. Dennis takes his hand and lays them on the table. He opens his mouth to speak, but Dennis jumps in.
“If you’re going to give me some bullshit about our ages or something, I’m going to be really annoyed.”
Andrew shakes his head. “It’s not that. Well, it’s not only that,” he amends. He sighs again. “I know you know, because I had to disclose it in the From Match to Mate questionnaire, but, I have a record. I’ve been to prison, Dennis. I served my time, but it’s still there. And because of that, there aren’t a lot of jobs I could get, things I could do.”
Dennis studies him, his eyes narrowed a little. “Would you do it again?”
“Do what?” Andrew looks at him in confusion.
“Whatever landed you in prison.”
Andrew thinks back to the robbery, to Baz running out right before Andrew had finished loading the money. Baz is gone, of course, and Smurf. The family’s shattered and the importance he’d given it in his life – putting the family above any of his own needs or desires – has fallen to a whisper.
“No.” He shakes his head. “But that isn’t the only reason why I think you could do so much better than me.”
Dennis doesn’t respond to that, but Andrew feels him squeeze his hand and start to rub his thumb back and forth over Andrew’s.
He swallows thickly. “I’ve done some pretty… some pretty fucked-up stuff. I thought it was the right thing at the time, I swear I did. But I… my dam, she…” He heaves a sigh, helpless to explain exactly what Smurf had been.
After a moment of silence, Dennis says, “I wasn’t born Dennis, you know. I mean, that wasn’t my name, at first. Dennis is my Uncle Caleb’s middle name. He was my sire’s brother, and he lived with us for a while, when he got sick enough that he couldn’t work, couldn’t live on his own.”
Andrew brings his eyes up to look at Dennis, now lost in memories.
“He had a hard life. Something happened to him when he was a pup, something bad. No one ever said what, but,” Dennis shrugs, “I’m pretty sure I could guess. Anyway, he drank. A lot. Eventually ended up with liver cancer. It was hell for him. He was in pain every day.” He clears his throat and Andrew scoots his chair just a little closer. “One day, I went in to sit with him. I’d already presented by then, and we were close. He was an omega, too. I’d already taken my new name, and he loved it.”
Dennis sniffles, shifting his gaze to look out the window. “He was in so much pain, and he begged me to… well. That was his last day. Before he went, he gave me such a look of gratitude. And I think, maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I did it for the right reasons.” He suddenly turns, his eyes shining with unshed tears. His voice cracks. “I just wanted him to not be in pain anymore.”
Andrew leans over and hauls Dennis out of his seat and onto his lap. He soothes his omega, rubbing his back, brushing his lips against his forehead. His heart aches for Dennis, the choice he’d made. It surprises him, that Dennis had been living with this memory, this pain, and yet Andrew’s only known him to be full of life and light.
He rocks Dennis back and forth in his arms, until he can hear steady breaths, and then low purrs. Dennis wriggles closer to Andrew, like he can’t bear to be apart even an inch.
“Why do you think I’d be a good sire?” he asks, images of Lena’s face, her shy smile, her wiggly tooth flashing through his mind.
Dennis looks up at Andrew, a small smile plays on his lips, his eyes bright again. “I think you’d always be there to protect your pups. And your mate,” he says softly, dropping his eyes. “I don’t – ” He shuffles around so that he’s straddling Andrew’s lap, his legs dangling on either side of the chair. “I don’t care if you’re a social butterfly or always know what to say. Don’t care what you’ve done in the past. I know you, know your heart. Can you… can you trust me? Trust me and believe me on this?”
Andrew takes a shaky breath. He wants to block the fear out, believe that he could just do what he’d told Craig: reset, start over. His eyes dip to Dennis’s belly, where there could be a pup growing already.
All the shit in his life, the heartache, the pain. At one time, he’d thought it meant something. Either it was important for the family, or it was his penance, or it was just because he was an awful person and he deserved it. But maybe… maybe there hadn’t been a reason for it at all. And maybe, he really could start a new life out here, settle down and grow a family.
“We’ll need to find a place to live. Your boss will be back, I assume.”
The smile that breaks out on Dennis’s face is at least 1000 watts. He throws his arms around Andrew’s neck, a cascade of trills vibrating against his skin. When Dennis has calmed down a little, he pulls back, his eyes dancing.
“You said you were worried about finding a job.”
Andrew nods.
“What if you were a house alpha?”
Andrew huffs a laugh, expecting Dennis to join him. When he doesn’t, Andrew pauses to think about it. If they’re smart about money, his liquid reserves could last a while, maybe until Dennis gets an attending gig. Andrew could always do odd jobs under the table, or maybe find part-time work at a garage.
“Well?” Dennis prompts, hope written across his face.
Andrew pulls closer and lays a soft kiss on Dennis’s cheek. He pictures a life full of Dennis, their pups, Andrew tending to the house, cooking, keeping a garden. It’s not exactly an exciting prospect, but it sounds absolutely wonderful.
“How soon do you think we could plan a bonding ceremony?”
Dennis squeals, pressing kisses over Andrew’s cheeks and along his jawline. Andrew chuckles, relishing in the feeling of his omega in his arms, the scent of vanilla and sweet oranges filling his nose.