Chapter Text
Ed checked his phone–1717 Bridgetown Ct, #26. He looked at the glossy golden numbers on the door. Yup. This was the right place. He placed his phone in his back pocket and wiped his hands on his pants–they were already sweating and his heart was fluttering in his chest. He’s not sure why he felt this way. Sure, yeah, he was always amped up before a rut, ready to go with that little thrill of excitement that laced the preamble, the build up to three days of wild instinct-driven sex. But this flutter of nerves? This anticipation?
It was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.
Instead of the standard chime that he expected, it sounded like a ringing brass bell you might find on a ship. It made Ed smile.
The door cracked open, and a wall of caramel and oranges marbled through with brandy hit him. His nose flared and he could feel a dark purr rumble up through his chest - it was like someone had mixed the scent explicitly for him in a laboratory. “Stede?” He asked, voice dark and quiet while he clung to his self control. This close to the edge, he was liable to storm in and pin the omega in front of him to the floor without so much as a ‘how do you do.’ Which. You know. Seems rude.
“That’s me. You must be Ed?” His voice was high-pitched and a little nasal, and his wide hazel eyes were glassy. He was shirtless under a golden robe wearing only a pair of magenta boxers, a fine sheen of sweat covered his chest and his blond curls were slightly damp like he had just gotten out of the shower. “Um, pardon my, uh, my appearance. I had to take a cool shower,” he explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “Please come in, come in.”
“Cutting it a little close?” Ed chuckled, but he honestly wasn’t doing much better. His lightweight joggers and t-shirt were nearly unbearable where they made contact with his skin and he felt a little bit like there was a physical force tugging him toward Stede. Instead of giving into that urge, he focused on removing his sneakers, wiggling his socked toes against the tile, enjoying the cool surface slipping under the cotton.
“A bit. I spent a little too long cruising the options on Cyclone,” he laughed humorlessly. “I’m glad I came across your profile otherwise I would be riding this out with a silicone knot and one of those synthetic scent sprays.
Ed smiled. He had used Cyclone for most of his ruts since he presented as an alpha first as a website, then as an app on his phone, not really having a long-term partner or anything resembling a mate to spend his rut with. He knew the struggle of needing to find someone and the limited options available during that window. “Well, I’m glad you found me,” he said.
He tried to contain himself as he wandered into the apartment. The air was cool and fresh and threaded through with Stede’s sweet scent as well as the scent of two pups. He looked around at the walls, and was surprised to see pictures of the man with two small children–on vacation, on a couch at Christmas with open packages littering the immediate area, outside a house in their Sunday best.
“Me too,” Stede murmured, closing the door and following him into the room. “And I’m glad your scent is as you described. You know? One time I had an alpha claim to smell of cumin? You know what they actually smelled like? A bean burrito.”
Ed made a face trying to fight back a smile. “And I suppose that wasn’t appealing?”
“Who wants their nest to smell like a fart for a week?” He asked, nose wrinkled. “I had to scramble to find someone else.”
He giggled. “Sounds like an old buddy of mine,” he mused, turning around. His own leather and sea salt scent was about as far from that as you could get, and this close to his rut, the edges were tinged with vanilla. One of his former rut partners told him he smelled expensive. His less charitable friends said he smelled like a tannery. He took the bag that was slung over his back and put it on the bar between the kitchen and living room.
“Yes, well. He got a very poor rating that month,” Stede snipped, looking down. “Um. Wow, 15 years of going through heat and this is still so awkward,” he giggled to himself. “Would you like something to drink?”
Ed smiled, “Nah, I’m good.” He unzipped his bag. “I did bring some, like, electrolyte drinks that I like, and snacks. Mind if we put them in the fridge?”
“No, by all means,” Stede replied, gesturing with an open palm to a sleek stainless steel refrigerator. “Feel free to move things around. I’m afraid it’s a bit overrun with the kids’ snacks.”
Ed put up his treats. “Oh, you have kids?”
“Yes…obviously they’re not with me this week, they’re with their mother.”
“And their mother didn’t want to spend your heat with you?” Ed asked curiously.
“No, I imagine not, and I think her new husband may have objected. She never did spend it with me anyways when we were married. She’s a beta, you see, and lacks a certain appendage that for some reason my body deems necessary to its survival every couple of months.”
“O-oh. And, um. So you just, what, used toys while you were together?”
Stede snorted. “No. Good lord, I tried, but they just don’t do it for me. So I’ve always used one of these services…or had a friend help out. She didn’t mind. Didn’t understand the physical need, but understood that I needed support she couldn’t provide.”
“Hm. So…she carried your children?”
“Yep. Seems I’m plenty fertile as a man,” Stede nodded. Omegas tended to have smaller penises and their testicles were undersized in comparison to their body, but they did still produce sperm. They generally had a lower fertility rate with betas than other betas or even alphas, but their second puberty also tended to be gentler on their bodies.
Ed turned to face Stede. They had already established their testing status, he shared that he had had a vasectomy over a decade ago, so all that was really left was to get down to it. “Shall we…go to your nest?”
Squeaking, Stede nodded. Anyone else may have missed how Stede was fidgeting already, but Ed could see his fingers twitching, and he’d have to have anosmia to miss the scent of his arousal coming off the omega’s body in waves. The brandy was so potent that he could almost taste it on his tongue–he had a wild mental image of himself getting drunk off Stede. He knew that in response the vanilla in his scent was getting stronger, softening the edges of the leather. He licked over his fangs, and bit his lip.
“It’s just through here. Mi casa es su casa,” Stede said, sweeping an arm towards his doorway. His shoulders hunched a little, cringing self-consciously as the words came out of his mouth. Well, that wouldn’t do.
Ed took his free hand and tugged him towards himself. “It’s a nice casa,” he purred, tilting his head in question. Stede nodded minutely and Ed pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. His skin broke out in goosebumps from the slight touch and his heart felt like it was going to do the salsa right out of his chest cavity. Clearing his throat, he spoke again. “I find that’s a better introduction than a hand shake or just shoving my knot in your hole,” he murmured against Stede’s soft lips. Then he turned his head to rub his neck against Stede’s, scenting him.
Stede’s eyes had fallen closed at some point during their kiss and once they broke contact, they fluttered open again. “Mmm? Oh, yes. A nice middle ground.”
Laughing quietly, he kissed Stede one more time before following him into the aforementioned room.
It was gorgeous, decadent with rich jewel toned fabrics draped around a canopy bed, the center of which had been cleared with a circle of fluffy pillows and thick blankets arranged ‘just so’. Ed was itching to get into the middle of it, roll around and drench the surfaces with his scent. More pillows and blankets were arranged around the sides of the bed, as though Stede was keeping a stockpile to add whenever he deemed his space not cozy enough. He stripped off his shirt and tossed it into the pile.
Stede’s breath caught.
“Oh, was that…was that not okay? I just thought it would help to mix my scent in there.”
Eyes dark, Stede licked his lips. “No, um. That was actually rather attractive.”
Ed smiled predatorially, sinking his thumbs under the waistband of his pants and sensually sliding them off his hips, rolling his body sinuously. He relished the way that Stede’s eyes tracked him. Finally, when the soft cotton dropped to the floor, he bent over to snag them and threw them into the nest as well. He walked slowly over to the edge of the bed and sat down, arms behind him, ankles crossed. “Like what you see?”
A hard gulp made Stede’s Adam’s apple bob. “Yes, um. V-very much.”
Smug, he let his eyes rake over Stede. “Your turn.”
“I’m practically nude already,” Stede demurred, pushing his robe off his shoulders. He hung it delicately on a hook on the back of the door and began to push his boxers down, then stopped. “Wait! I almost forgot.”
He disappeared into an ensuite bathroom and returned with two small foil wrapped squares and two bandage-looking packages. He opened one packet to reveal an alcohol swab. He looked at himself in a mirror above his dresser, cleaning the skin on his neck over his scent glands. He waved a hand over the damp areas, urging it to dry, then opened the bigger packages and smoothed the adhesive bite-guards over his skin. “I’ve used these before. I find that this brand doesn’t dampen my scent.”
Right. They talked about bite protection. Ed was usually pretty good about controlling that particular urge, but he agreed it made sense to be cautious. No reason to risk tying themselves to each other (bah-dum-bum) after this week. He watched as Stede finished, twisting his neck and stretching to make sure they were secure. “Should be good,” he said, smiling. He approached the bed cautiously as though he was scared of startling Ed.
He patted his lap. “C’mere, omega,” Ed purred, holding out his hands to pull Stede closer, encouraging the other man to straddle his lap. He looked up at Stede as he perched over Ed, pushing golden curls back from his face. “Hello,” he murmured, pulling Stede into another kiss.
Unlike the first one, this was more heated. Stede’s skin burned under his finger tips, and he opened his mouth, deepening the kiss. Stede’s hungry tongue swept into his mouth and his hands wrapped around Ed’s shoulders with a desperate little noise. He broke free and kissed over Ed’s neck, burying his nose against Ed’s scent gland, nuzzling gently. “Hello,” he said, body relaxing against the other man.
Ed hooked his fingers under the edge of Stede’s boxers. “May I?” He asked in a low growl.
Stede whimpered and nodded, and Ed nudged the boxers over the small swell of his ass. He let one hand slip fully into the front of the undergarments and dragged his fingers over Stede’s hole. Slick already coated him, and Ed’s cock throbbed in anticipation of being buried inside the other man soon. Stede lifted up to allow Ed to slide his boxers off his hips.
Ed inhaled deep through his nose. “You smell like something I want to put in my mouth,” he said, nuzzling into Stede before he bucked up and rolled Stede to the side, blanketing the other man’s body with his own. He licked over Stede’s scent gland.
“Feel free,” Stede moaned under him, tilting his face so that the alpha could nip at his throat, protected by the bite guard. Ed smiled against his skin and pushed the underwear the rest of the way down Stede’s legs and threw them somewhere in the nest. He kissed down Stede’s body, letting his hands slide slowly over superheated skin, feeling like he could melt into the omega. “It’s encouraged,” he laughed quietly.
Pushing up, he looked over Stede’s body, writhing and squirming in the need for stimulation. “Gorgeous,” he murmured before continuing his path over the omega’s body. When he got to the omega’s small cock, he licked over it gently, savoring the precome already leaking from his tip, tasting like a sumptuous dessert: sweet, rich, and a little tart with the citrus edge. Stede moaned and his hips bucked. Ed prodded at his soft hole, letting a finger slide in at a torturously slow pace.
“Oh god, I need more,” Stede moaned above him. He planted his feet on the bed and pushed down against Ed’s fingers.
“You’ll get more,” Ed replied, his voice a husky growl. He loved this part of it, balancing on the edge of control while his instincts beat down on him. His thick alpha cock was already aching where it was trapped against the bed. “When I’m ready.”
He lapped over Stede’s cock and pressed two fingers in. Stede’s secondary sex meant that he was adapted to take a knot, spreading him open and locking him in place as they were tied. In comparison, two fingers were nothing. He scissored them apart, working the tight flexing muscle over as he sucked and licked. “Mmm, oh, Edward, if you keep going, I’m gonna–” Stede cut himself off in a high moan. He let his fingers drift into Ed’s hair, flexing and lightly scratching over his scalp.
Ed loved this part of it, making his omegas (well, not his omegas) feel good. He felt that starting off with a focus on his partner’s pleasure helped them relax, made them feel more comfortable with a strange alpha in their nest, let them give in to their instincts and just feel good.
Because one thing Ed was good at? It was making people feel good.
It wasn’t long before Stede was pulsing over his tongue, his come sticky sweet and delicious as Ed swallowed him down. The blond’s fingers tightened for a moment as he came, moaning and back arched, the sounds pouring out of Stede’s mouth makingEd’s cock throb. His hands loosened and Ed kissed his thigh. “You taste fucking delicious,” Ed whispered, pressing praise into Stede’s skin as if he could adhere the words to his body.
“Yeah?” Stede asked, voice warm. He sounded like he was floating.
“Yeah. Like a fucking dessert. Like a fancy little creme brulee or something,” Ed laughed. He pushed up so he could lay down next to Stede. “How would you like to start?”
Stede looked down at Ed’s cock and whimpered. His spent cock was already plumping again as Ed kissed over his neck, licking and nipping over that goddamn bite guard.
“On our side? I find it’s easiest for the first tie,” Stede murmured, stretching is neck up to let Ed suck a bruise under his jaw.
“Works for me.” He wrapped his fist around his cock and he could feel the way his knot wanted to swell under the pressure. His eyes fluttered closed as he imagined how he would feel pressed inside that tight slick heat. Moving so he was behind Stede, he dragged the tip of his cock through the blond’s slick.
Whimpering, Stede leaned back against him heavily. “Please, need it.”
Ed groaned as he pressed in, Stede felt even better than he imagined. “God, you’re so perfect,” he moaned into the omega’s ear.
“No, you,” Stede replied with a smile, arching and pushing down to urge Ed onward. The alpha gripped his hip and held him still.
“I want to enjoy this,” he whispered, sliding in deeper with small thrusts. He pressed his hand against Stede’s belly, scratching the wiry red-gold hair that thickened the lower it went down. He kissed Stede’s shoulder, his ear, his cheek, until the other man turned his face to catch his lips in a hot biting kiss. With a little whine, he thrust the rest of the way in and paused, panting. He could already feel the swell of his knot forming, pressing against Stede’s walls. “Let me know when you’re ready, beautiful.”
Stede’s breath caught in his chest and he nodded slowly. Using his hands to help gain leverage, Ed slowly slid out and back in. Then again. Then again. He built up a quick pace, but kept each thrust nearly gentle.
“Harder, please,” Stede panted, reaching back to cup Ed’s head and pulling him close. He caught him in another filthy kiss, tongue plunging, hot breaths and moans passed between them. Ed pulled back and snapped his hips in, the start of his knot catching slightly with each withdrawal and again as he slammed into Stede.
He felt as Stede wrapped his fist around himself and he batted the other man’s hand away. “This is mine,” he growled, gripping it lightly and letting his hand slide lazily over his shaft.
Stede gasped, sounding dazed as he grabbed at the pillow under his head instead. “Fuck, that’s hot,” he admitted with a smile.
“My goal,” Ed purred, biting down on Stede’s scent gland, making the other man yelp.
“Darling, please,” Stede begged and Ed smiled into his neck. His heart fluttered in his chest at the term of endearment. He tightened his fist and thrusted in harder, pounding into Stede and making the other man mewl and cry out in turn.
“So greedy for it already,” Ed rasped, eyes nearly crossing at how good Stede felt each time he plunged his cock into that tight tunnel of his entrance. His knot was steadily swelling–not long now. “That first one is so demanding, isn’t it?”
“Yes!” Stede keened, throwing his head back in bliss.
“Just want to be knotted, don’t you?” he growled.
“Fuck! Yes, please!” He was pushing back against Ed once again, grinding down with each snap of Ed’s hips. The alpha sped up his fist until his hand was flying over Stede’s cock, smearing precome and slick over him, easing the glide. Fuck, Ed wanted his mouth on him again. He felt Stede’s body shaking and tensing up around him as his orgasm built.
A feral snarl slipped out of Ed’s lips and he bit down hard on Stede’s neck as the other man began to clench around him, spilling onto the sheets with his release. One, two more thrusts and his knot caught, expanding inside him, catching and locking him into place. He let out a punched-out groan and sank his teeth in deeper until he felt the pulsing in his cock subside, only the tie in place. He gently kissed and licked over the skin he abused, blinking at himself.
He’d–he’d never bit someone before like that. Like he had nipped at them or nibbled at their neck before, sure, but he hadn’t all out tried to sink his fangs into their necks.
Stede was panting beside him, looking satisfied with his eyes gently closed and a small knotdrunk smile on his face. Ed couldn’t help it, he kissed his cheek eliciting a deeper smile that made the dimple on the other man’s cheek stand out.
“So, are you a chatter or a sit in contemplative silence type?” Stede asked once he had come back into his body. They would likely be stuck like this for fifteen minutes or so as Ed’s knot deflated, then they would have an hour or two before their instincts drove them into another episode of frenzied sex.
Ed hummed. “Dunno. Usually just go with whatever the mood suits. I hate to say it, but some of the people I’ve been with were not sparkling conversationalists while my knot was inside them. Or otherwise, but I don’t have much of a sample size for that one.”
Stede laughed and it made him clench around Ed again and moan, making Ed moan. “Fuck. Well, I’ve been told I’m a chatterbox, so you can guess which way I lean.
“Alright,” Ed purred, kissing Stede’s neck again. “What would you like to talk about?”
Stede thought for a second. “Who do you think would win in a fight? A chupacabra or Mothman?”
That surprised a choked laugh out of Ed, which instituted a feedback loop of filthy noises as their bodies responded to the movements. “Under what context?” he asked.
“The chupacabras are encroaching on Mothman’s turf. He has to defend his territory, Ed.”
“Well I’m assuming that Mothman in this scenario is an extradimensional being–”
“Of course he’s an extradimensional being,” Stede interrupted with a bitchy huff. Ed grinned with fondness.
“Okay, well assuming that Mothman is obviously an extra dimensional being, he would obviously win.”
“Defend,” Stede demanded, taking Ed’s hand and tracing over his knuckles with his index finger.
“Well the chupacabra is limited by his corporeal body, right? And their main features are fangs and wings. They couldn’t possibly compete with a creature who makes bridges collapse for fun!”
Stede looked back at him with a bright smile, all his teeth on display. “That’s correct.”
“Oh, this wasn’t an opinion piece? Was there a right or wrong answer?”
“Of course there was a right or wrong answer! Well, there is only one right answer and a plethora of wrong answers. For example, another wrong answer would have been the Loch Ness monster winning.”
Ed shook his head. “That doesn’t even make sense, she wasn’t included in the original question. Not only that, but she is a peaceful being, unlikely to engage in combat unless her young were threatened.”
“Which is why it’s a wrong answer, Ed!” Stede exclaimed.
Ed buried his face in Stede’s neck again to avoid laughing.
~~*~~
“Stede?” Ed asked, as he slipped free from Stede’s hole.
“Mmm?” The sleepy omega hummed. He blinked and tried to find Ed. It was late at night, the room dark and quiet.
He felt a strong tug to take care of the omega. “I’m going to go get us some drinks and snacks, okay?”
“Don’ leave,” he whined, reaching out for the alpha. “Jus’ wan’ you.”
“Sweetheart, we’ve barely eaten and you need to rehydrate.”
Stede’s frown was barely visible in the low light. “Fine.”
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Yeah,” he replied, dropping his head heavily on the pillow. Ed kissed him before he slipped out to gather their goodies. The blond was snoring when he returned.
“Stede,” he nudged the omega. “You gotta sit up.”
“Nooooo,” Stede protested.
“C’mon, beautiful, you need to drink at least,” he urged him, helping the omega sit up and putting a straw to his lips. It wasn’t anything fancy, just an electrolyte drink, but Stede sighed happily as he took a sip.
“I was thirsty,” Stede acknowledged.
“Probably from all of that screaming,” Ed giggled, holding a grape up for Stede to take.
“Prob’ly.” He took a bite and let out a little moan that made Ed’s spent cock twitch. They just needed a snack, some calories, then they could get back to it. “You eat too,” Stede countered.
Ed took a grape between his own lips and bit in, the tart juice bright against his tongue. He smiled at the omega. “Satisfied?”
“Not until your knot is in me again.”
Laughing, Ed held up a cracker with a little square of cheese on it. “Noted.”
~~*~~
Stede laid on top of the alpha, his sweaty curls matted to his forehead as Ed traced lines up and down his bare back. His head rested on Ed’s shoulder and he shivered at the gentle touch. They were tied again and somehow got onto the topic of their childhoods. Ed was surprised at what he was sharing. It’s not like he was big into warm gooey feelings, and he would never have shared any of this with his other rut partners, but something about Stede made him want to pour his heart out into a baking dish and hand it to the omega.
“My dad was a dick. He was really into all that toxic alpha shit about how ‘might is right’ and liked to swing his knot around. He hurt my mum and called it being the head of the household. I hated him.” He pushed Stede’s hair back from his face and looked down into those hazel eyes. “My mum came from a super religious house. Didn’t believe in leaving your husband, even if he was an abusive piece of shit. Omegas were meant to be meek and mild, so she kept her head down. I used to be so angry at her for that.”
Stede made a gentle noise of understanding in his throat. “I’m sorry to hear that Ed,” he murmured, kissing Ed’s chest.
“Now that I’m older, I think I understand more, but she and I will never be close. I don’t–I’m not angry any more, but the way he treated us built up a wall there, and I don’t think I can tear it down.”
“Do you wish you could?”
“Sometimes,” Ed replied, his hand stopping. “Sometimes I wonder if she’s better off. My dad is long gone, lost a fight to another alpha in a bar when I was sixteen. Sometimes I wonder if she isn’t better just having a clean break from her old life.”
“Anybody would be lucky to have you in their life,” Stede protested. “I’m sure she loves you.”
“I think she does,” Ed agreed. “But I also think that loving me hurts her.”
“Why?”
“I’m worried I’ll remind her of my dad. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t also an alpha.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. She seemed,” his voice cracked at the memory. “She seemed scared. She didn’t say anything, but her face. Her eyes…” he brushed a tear away from his eyes. God, how fucking embarrassing. He tried to hide his face.
Stede pushed up so he could look Ed in the face and gently cleared away the tears with a thumb. “Hey,” he cooed. “It’s okay,” he said and he kissed Ed’s jawline.
“It’s stupid.”
“No, it’s not.” Stede laid his head back on Ed’s chest. “For what it’s worth, what little I’ve seen of you, I think she’d be proud of the kind of alpha you are.”
Ed huffed. “You barely know me, mate.”
“That’s true,” Stede replied, before moving his head so his chin was resting on Ed’s chest and he could look into his eyes. “But I also know you’ve been kind, polite. You’ve been gentle with me, unless I’ve asked you not to be.” He smiled. “You’ve made sure I’m eating and drinking enough. You care about whether I’ve had a nice time, made sure to try and make it pleasurable for me–”
“That’s the least I could do, Stede,” Ed protested.
“Trust me, it’s not,” he countered, frowning a little. Ed felt a flush of jealous protectiveness wash over himself, angry that people had this gift of an omega and didn’t take care of him. “You care about other people. You haven’t treated me as less than for my secondary sex. You’re a good alpha.”
Ed swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Nah mate, you make it easy.”
~~*~~
Ed groaned into Stede’s hole, echoing through the other man’s body, wrapping his hands around Stede’s thighs and pulling him flush to his face, tongue pressing into the tight heat. He relished the taste of his own spend and he licked over the sensitive flesh. He felt Stede squirm above him and smiled to himself.
“God, yes!” he cried out. “Edward!” he reached back and cupped the back of Ed’s head, holding it close to his body. Fuck he loved the way his name sounded coming out of Stede’s throat, wrecked from shouting repeatedly over the last couple of days. He could feel the frenzy of his rut passing, only a day or two before he was fully out of it. He pushed back the melancholy feeling that brought up in favor of focusing on Stede’s pleasure.
“You taste so good, baby,” he mumbled just loud enough for Stede to hear.
“That cannot possibly be true,” Stede protested.
“Who is the one eating you out right now?” Ed countered before burying his face back into the man.
“Fine! You’re the expert!” Stede shouted. “Just keep doing that with your tongue.”
Ed laughed.
~~*~~
“They all assumed I would present as an omega. I always liked softer things, pretty things. It was nearly a foregone conclusion. My father, well, he tried to ‘toughen me up’ with manly, alpha-making activities like hunting or football, but it clearly didn’t work.”
Ed kissed the top of his head.
“It probably is a good study of nature versus nurture. Couldn’t beat the ‘omega’ traits out of me.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” Ed whispered, hands sliding up and down Stede’s back. He purred as Ed pulled him closer into a hug and scented him, rubbing his cheek over Stede’s head.
“It is what it is. Shaped who I am.”
“You were a kid, you didn’t deserve to be treated that way,” Ed argued.
“No, I didn’t. But it gave me the tools I needed to be a better father to my children.”
Ed made a noise of understanding. “Can’t say I’ve ever wanted kids.”
Stede hid his face in Ed’s chest. “I always wanted pups. It fit in with the plan my father had for me, so it made it easier. Of course, it was forbidden for me to carry them.” Ed felt a tear drop fall from Stede’s face onto his chest. “So Mary was the obvious choice.”
“Your father didn’t want you to mate with an alpha?” Ed asked.
“Not unless it was one of the specific alphas he approved of.” Stede huffed a mirthless laugh. “My childhood bullies.”
Ed growled, the sound low and menacing at the idea.
“My thoughts exactly. He finally stopped foisting them on me when I threatened to rip their balls off with my bare hands.”
A little laugh bubbled out of Ed. “I guess that’s a way to confirm you’d never have pups.”
“Which would have been a fate worse than death according to my father.”
Ed looked down at Stede. “That’s awful.”
“It is,” Stede agreed.
“What happened to your dad?”
“Nothing, I still work for him,” the omega admitted.
Ed startled and pulled his head back so he could look down at Stede. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish. He’s pretty much decided that I’m no longer worth his time, and with the births of Alma and Louis, I’ve done all I’m good for. So I work in my little cubicle and he pretty much ignores me now.”
“You deserve better,” Ed told him fiercely.
“Maybe, but I’m not likely to get it in this life.”
“It’s never too late to try.”
Stede looked up at him with watery hazel eyes. “You think so?”
“Yeah. You’re still a spring chicken,” Ed teased, poking him in his side.
“As long as I leave it better for my kids, I’ll be happy.”
Ed kissed the top of Stede’s head, not thinking about what he would ask for if he wanted ‘better,’ ignoring that the answer would likely be a pretty omega with a dimple and golden blond curls.
~~*~~
Ed sat on the bench by the front door, sliding on his boots. Their cycles had finally wound down after a record breaking (for Ed) eight days. His hair was damp and pulled back into a bun. Stede was finally dressed in more than a pair of boxers and a robe, wringing his hands.
This departure really felt like something was ending. The last shower they took together, they kept close, hands always wandering up and down the other’s body, not wanting to let go for a second. Ed was no stranger to post-heat clinginess from omegas he’d been with, but he’d never really felt that reciprocated need to be close. He wanted to climb into Stede’s skin and cuddle against his heart.
He knew he didn’t want this to be the last he saw of the blond. But Ed long ago reconciled himself to the fact that this was likely all he would ever get.
“So…” Ed said the same time Stede said, “This was…”
“You go,” Ed laughed.
“No you.”
Ed smiled softly. “So, um. This was fun.”
Stede grinned at him. “More fun than you usually have when hormones drive you to have intense sex for days on end?”
“Definitely,” Ed replied. “I, uh, well I think we’re well-matched.”
Stede nodded. “I’d agree with that.”
“Probably better than I have been with an omega before.”
“Is that right?” Stede asked, tilting his head. He made a thoughtful face. “I think I agree.”
“Oh, you think so?” Ed scoffed.
“Mhmm. Well I have at least a decade to consider.”
“Fuck off,” Ed laughed. “I was, um. I was wondering. Maybe for my next rut, since we’re on the same cycle–”
“I’d love to!” Stede blurted out.
“You don’t even know what I was going to ask!” Ed objected.
“Okay, sorry. Ask.”
“Would you like to spend my next rut with me?”
“I’d love to,” Stede repeated in a softer voice. He looked down fondly at Ed, following his gaze as Ed stood up and stepped closer to him.
“Great, it’s a date.”
A barely there nod.
“I guess this is goodbye,” Ed said, picking up his bag.
“Not a goodbye.”
“No?”
“Not really. We have a date.” The omega’s eyes sparkled.
Ed leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Stede’s lips. “I’ll see you later, then,” he whispered against the other man’s mouth.
“Mhmm,” Stede hummed dazedly.
Ed cracked open the door and slipped out, casting one more look over his shoulder as he went.
Until I see you again, Stede Bonnet.