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Liu Woods scowled at the door.
It was a very unassuming door, set in a suspiciously normal looking house in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. The road was calm with little traffic, the grass was green if a little overrun. Very charming. Very picturesque. Also the biggest lie Liu had ever seen because there was nothing charming or picturesque about his brother. If houses were like their owners, Jeff should be living in a condemned haunted house or something. Him and that beanstalk he lived with.
Liu didn’t want to go in.
But he’d promised.
And to add insult to injury, he had to hunt down the spare key since he hadn’t been given one for emergencies like this. But then, that was for friends and family wasn’t it? Not Liu. Of course not. Not like he had spent the last three months completely kept out of the loop on how his brother was doing. He only knew Jeff was alive because two weeks ago he’d gotten a text saying “everything’s fine”. Almost an hour later he got “it’s a boy”.
Great. Awesome. Everything he wanted to know in five vague words.
The feeling of resentment was an old friend, Liu wore it like a coat against the chilly air. He inhaled slowly, let it out in a resigned sigh, and unlocked the door. Might as well find the little jackass who couldn’t bother to call him and send Jack a proof of life photo.
The urge to slam the door shut behind him was tempting, but he was a better Alpha than that. Certainly wasn’t because he’d let go of the handle, the metal knob slipping from his fingers, at seeing his brother laying on the floor like a dea- limp noodle.
Impossible to miss, with his dark hair and clothes against the pale grey carpet. Jeff was curled up on his side with one arm under his head and the other wrapped around his stomach. He hadn’t moved the tiniest bit when the door opened, nor when the door closed and Liu stood there with his mouth gaping open.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Nothing.
There was an odd humming sound that Liu thought was the air conditioner, before spotting a strange sort of cradle-rocker thing in the corner. It swayed from side to side in a way that must have been soothing enough because the baby wasn’t crying. Which was great because the idea of dealing with a crying baby made Liu want to turn around and leave.
Jeff still hadn’t moved.
Jack had asked Liu to stop by during his lunch because Jeff wasn’t answering his calls or texts. That he was probably asleep, but could Liu please do him a favor and go check on him? It had been the strained desperation in his tone that made Liu agree, biting his tongue on the fact that Jack had asked it as a favor. Not as a visit to meet his nephew, or a visit as a worried brother, as a favor.
It was fine. Whatever. Some Alphas got ridiculously paranoid over their pregnant mates. It was fine.
Or it had been fine five minutes ago. Now Liu was crouching down to grab his brother by the shoulder to give him a rough shake. Heart in his throat because Jeff was pale as milk and didn’t seem to be breathing...
Liu had his hand pushed away, Jeff uncurling the arm from around his stomach to do so. He rolled onto his back to squint up at Liu with unfocused blue eyes. “Th’ff?”
“Why are you on the floor?”
Holy shit his brother was thin. Weren’t Omegas supposed to be glowing or something? Carrying a few extra pounds from eating a lot? Jeff’s cheek bones were sharp enough to cut someone, the circles under his eyes like dark purple thumbprints.
“Sleeping.” Still mumbling, but Liu understood the response this time. And was still bewildered. Why was Jeff sleeping on the floor?
“That’s… come here.”
There was a perfectly respectable couch like three feet away. It was dark blue and massive and looked a lot more comfortable then the floor even if the carpet seemed soft enough. Liu slid an arm under his brother's shoulders and knees and hefted him up. Hefted a little too hard, underestimating just how little Jeff weighed right now, but he recovered from his stumble and got the haggard Omega onto the couch.
“Stay there while I make lunch.”
Forget the audacity of Jack calling Liu for a favor, how had he managed to leave the house this morning? Because Jeff looked half dead on his feet and Liu was going to kick Jack’s ass next time he saw the man because he’d thought better of the Alpha than to do this.
…it was unnerving how silent Jeff was being. Not a single peep under the manhandling and command to be still, and that just wasn’t his brother. His brother was argumentative and sarcastic.
Forgetting kicking his ass, Liu was going to kill Jack if this was his doing.
Leaving his brother in the living room, Liu rummaged through the kitchen until he found some soup. Growling under his breath the whole time. Warming it up was quick work, and since this was his lunch break, he took a few minutes to make himself a sandwich. Bringing bowl and plate back to the living room… Jeff was still right where Liu had planted him.
The only change was that Jeff was leaned up against the arm of the couch, arm once more wrapped around his midsection. The baby was still fast asleep in the rocker, so Liu set the dishes down on the coffee table and crouched down in front of his brother. He could catch a whiff of blood now, and when adding in the pinched lips...
“Where are your pain pills?”
“Dun have any.”
“What do you mean you don't have any? You just gave birth, they must have given you something?”
Jeff shook his head, eyes dull.
=====
“It’s small, but that just means it’s cozy!” chirped the realtor, a Beta who was holding onto her good cheer by tooth, nail and the promise of a good commission. It was rather impressive how quickly she’d recovered from their initial meeting.
Seeing the side-eye Jeff gave her, Laff draped his arm around the tense shoulders and placed a kiss to the top of the man’s head. Keeping to a whisper- “be nice. She’s trying.” Earned him a scoff from his little boyfriend, but the snarky comments stopped. Or at least paused.
To be fair, they weren’t exactly the easiest clients to show around. Though to be even more fair, Laff was a perfectly reasonable human being with only a few things he was willing to stand ground on. Like doorways he wouldn’t have to duck to get through, and bathroom showers that wouldn’t hit him mid-chest. Tall as he was, those were very important to him if he was going to be buying a permanent home.
Jeff on the other hand would discard a house if he didn’t like how the front door opened.
“It creaks. Like a fucking haunted house.”
Or because the windows were too big.
“Yeah, cause you want to flaunt all your valuables to every passing thief around. Good call.”
But aggravating as it may be for their realtor? The snippy little comments filled Laff with hope. Because as much as Jeff insisted this was going to be Laff’s house, that he wasn’t moving in, for the Omega to be so vocal about his dislikes had to mean something. That he wasn’t entirely against the idea.
Either way, this was the best option they’d seen all day and without any comments from the Realtor about how it was perfect for starting a family. Bigger than he’d thought from the outside; there were three bedrooms upstairs, which meant he could have an office (an office!), a two-car garage, and (most importantly) the upstairs bathroom had a tub large enough to fit Laff and Jeff comfortably.
That part had Laff sold the moment he saw it. He liked the layout and he liked the location, but he loved the bathtub and could only imagine how fun it would be to coax his boyfriend into taking a long hot bath with him… oh yes. But getting the Omega to see the good points of the house without riling him up would be tricky.
Jeff wouldn’t care about the garage, he didn’t have a car. Maybe point out the high ceilings? Entirely too believable with Laff’s height, he wouldn’t even need to say anything, only reach up and not touch the textured plaster. The window seat in the living room maybe?
The “trick” was almost accidental. The realtor led them through the kitchen, keeping her mouth shut about it being the Omegas Domain, and Laff noticed something about the center island. How tall it was. Meant for barstools perhaps, so people could eat or watch meals being prepared.
“Hey, Babe?”
“What.” The tone so flat it could never be called a question. Prowling through the cabinets restlessly, Jeff was letting them bang shut as he moved around the room.
“Come here for a moment?”
Jeff eyed him suspiciously, but left the poor cabinets alone for the moment to come closer.
“What?”
“I just want to see…” and without giving a warning, Laff grabbed his boyfriend around the waist and hefted him up. Too surprised to protest, Jeff’s hands landed on his shoulders and the Omega stared at him for a few seconds. Being this close together meant Laff could see the exact moment Jeff realized that they were perfectly eye to eye. A rarity unless Laff was holding him up against a wall… Something that obviously came to Jeff’s mind going by the suddenly red cheeks.
Jeff opened his mouth… and closed it. Only after Laff leaned in to brush the most chaste of kisses against his lips, did he finally find his voice. “...kitchen is… uhmm…. a good size.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
It was little moments like this that reminded Laff how young his baby was. When such a little thing could make the tense, easily aggravated Omega go all soft and flustered. Forgetting where they were completely, Laff tilted his head to kiss him again; this time long and slow.
By the time they came up for air, the realtor had wisely decided to leave and give them a moment. This meant that instead of bristling at being caught acting like a silly little House-Omega, Jeff stayed relaxed and almost cuddly. A win on all accounts in Laff’s books.
“Do you like the house?”
“I could get used to it.”
=====
“You need help.”
Laff bristled at the blunt statement but Liu continued to meet his eyes squarely. Unhappily so, but he didn’t back down even as he had to tilt his head to look up.
It caused a twinge of pain to run through Laff’s chest because the stubborn frown was just like the one Jeff wore when he was digging his heels in. Eyebrows drawn down, lips pressed together. When Jeff was feeling especially bratty and wanted to argue for the sake of arguing, his nose would get this little crinkle of annoyance.
Far, far different from the expression of wary exhaustion he wore on a daily basis now.
“I’m managing. We’re managing.”
“Managing a car crash. You think things will get better when you’ve burned yourself out? Jamie will be crawling soon, and then what will you do? Trust Jeff to make sure he doesn’t break his neck on the stairs?”
Laff broke first, eyes dropping to the side. It was an awful feeling to know he couldn’t trust the person most dear to him, but… Jeff was still sick. Could barely get out of bed in the morning and only mouthed at his food when prompted to eat. But Laff had to go to work, they couldn’t live off their savings forever.
Jamie shifted in the crook of his arm with a small whine, reminding him that he was trying to feed the infant. A bottle of warm formula, a few pats on the back, and Laff was able to put the infant back in the rocker. He still had to finish the laundry, maybe run it again because he couldn’t remember when the wash had been started, and he needed to check the mail in case he’d missed a bill or two. He needed…
“Let me bring my mother over. She’s dying to meet Jamie and would love to watch him for you.”
Later, Laff would blame his tiredness for taking a moment to consider the idea. Someone to tend to the baby while he looked after Jeff. While he got the house back into order and organized. Took a nap. And then he remembered who they were talking about and the wishful thinking crashed to a halt.
“That woman will never step one foot into my house.”
“Jack-”
“No. Jeff doesn’t need the stress.”
“You’d put his petty grudge over his health? Jamie’s health? For god's sake Jack, she’s raised two kids! She can be trusted to look after a baby!”
“I said no.” This time, Laff wasn’t going to back down. He drew himself up to his full height and made sure he was too far in Liu’s personal space while staring him in the eye. Daring him to keep talking. This was his house and he was not going to allow another Alpha to tell him what his priorities were or how to take care of his Omega.
“Ning is not welcome here, ever. She had her chance to play nice and ruined it, so I don’t want to hear another word.”
The slamming door jolted Jeff upright, confused eyes swinging around the room. “L?”
“Nothing to worry about, Love. Go back to sleep.”
The faintest of frowns drifted over the pale face, but it was gone again in seconds. Jeff settled back down into the couch, a low hiss escaping through his teeth as he wrapped broth arms around his stomach. Laff touched the dark hair with his fingertips, more for himself than Jeff, and chewed on his lower lip.
The worst part of it? Liu was right.
They needed help.
=====
“Why would I need an office?”
The genuine puzzlement had Laff stifling a grin.
“Doesn’t have to be an office, Babe. It can be whatever you want it to be. Room for your paintball gear, games, nest-”
“I don’t need a nest.”
The absoluteness of the denial had the Alpha pausing, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized he’d never seen Jeff nest. Wallow in a pile of blankets perhaps, yank Laff down onto the couch to demand cuddles, but nest? Never.
That was a question for a later time though.
“Like I said, it doesn't have to be anything. But we have the space, and I want you to have a room that you can do whatever you want with. You could even do some of those paint… splatter… things we saw at the fair.”
He tried, he really did, to keep the disdain out of his voice but clearly he’d failed when Jeff started laughing.
“You are such a snob, it’s modern art.”
“Babe, Light of my Life, I know modern art. Shooting paint pellets at a canvas is laziness, not creativity.”
“Snob,” Jeff repeated affectionately. He sidled closer to Laff and nudged at him until the tall Alpha obligingly wrapped his arms around Jeff’s shoulders. Tucked the dark head under his chin with a very discrete rub of his scent gland into the hair until their scents mixed.
“Hush peasant. As I was saying - you could make some paint splotches, or even paint the walls completely. You like blue, we could paint it blue. I could draw you some art to hang up. Maybe the completed design of your back?”
That would look pretty good… dark blue walls, maybe a lighter blue for the walls with windows. Get a desk and chair, some shelves. Did they make stands for paintball gear? It was mostly stuff like knee and elbow pads, but Jeff’s helmet had been customized. Display cases for guns? Maybe some fancy skull-shaped bottles for his paint pellets. Or would that be too much? He didn’t want to make it a showroom, it should be usable.
If that’s what Jeff wanted at least. Could be a little library. Or a-
“...decent size for a sex dungeon.”
“Or a sex du- what?”
The question came out in a squawk not unlike that of a goose being strangled, and now he had to bear the full weight of his boyfriend as Jeff started laughing so hard he lost his balance. It was a very slight weight though and it took no effort at all to simply pick the man up. Now Laff had his arms full of an Omega nearly crying with laughter.
He couldn’t help but grin, because even if it was at his own expense it had been a funny sound.
“You are a menace,” Laff said as Jeff tried to smother the cackling into his shoulder. “An absolute menace. Now I’m going to be thinking about that all day and the movers are going to be here any moment.”
“And yet you still love me.” Nearly breathless, Jeff wiped the tears from his face with a hand before leaning in closer to give a nuzzle to Laff’s cheek. Then nipped him. “Put me down so we don’t horrify the people moving your fragile belongings.”
“I should lock you in the basement.”
“You can fucking try.”
The low growl Laff made at such a blatant challenge had Jeff cackling all over again and what could the Alpha do? Apparently kiss his boyfriend until the doorbell started ringing under an impatient hand.
Oops.
Movers were here.
“Menace,” Laff repeated as he set Jeff on his feet.
=====
“That is one obnoxiously cute baby,” Brian announced after some time, staring at the infant in fascination.
Toby made a small noise of agreement. It might have taken him a few tries to get the baby settled comfortably, but it was worth it because Jamie was adorable. Those big eyes and full head of hair, content to be held as he sucked down a small bottle of formula… One could almost see the little hearts floating off Toby's head as he gazed at the small infant in his arms.
Jamie looked like Laff with his gangly limbs, but the nose was all Jeff. Both men had black hair so that was hardly a surprise but it was so thick. And fluffy. Toby wanted to eat those little chubby cheeks from the sheer cuteness.
“You are going to b-break all the hearts,” the Omega crooned.
The third member of the triad wasn’t watching Toby or the baby, but had his eyes on the slumped Alpha. Jack had dropped onto the cushions like a puppet with cut strings, head dropping back at an uncomfortable angle with a heavy sigh. Tim could smell the exhaustion under the dried milk, ink, and lingering wafts of sickness.
“You good?”
Jack waggled his hand in the air in a vague gesture of “ish”.
Tim could imagine. He’d not seen Jeff since the Omega had been put on a strict bedrest, but if he was anything like the pale creature Tim remembered then Jack had every right to be tired. And that was without having to care for a newborn on top of it.
“And where is Crankypants? We brought him lemon bars from the cafe.”
“Resting. He wanted to be here when you guys came over but he was falling asleep on his feet. I told him not to worry about it, not like you can’t come back and visit later.” Jeff hadn’t even tried to argue, letting Jack gently push him towards the bed to be tucked in like a child.
“We do live down the street.”
Tim hadn’t meant it to be a dig, but seeing how Jack winced at the comment- the Alpha had heard it that way.
“I’m sorry, things have be-”
Tim shook his head. “No, I get it. Whenever Toby gets a cold I have the urge to bundle him up into a closet and keep him away from the world for a while. Being an Alpha, I’m sure it must be a lot worse for you, especially now. You know, I’m actually honored you asked us to come over so soon, little guy is what… three weeks old? Doesn’t even have a scent yet.”
“Yeah… about that...” Jack sat up now, hands rubbing at his face. “I have a favor to ask. I know it’s a huge one, and I don’t want you to think you have to help, but I am running out of options. Liu wants to bring Ning over so she can help out, bu-”
“No. Absolutely f-fucking not.”
Both Tim and Jack’s head swung around with wide eyes at the interruption.
“Toby, you’re holding a baby,” Brian scolded, the Beta reaching over to place his hands over the infant’s ears.
“Brian, you've n-never met this woman. I talked to her for all of ten m-minutes and wanted to brand “not a fucktoy” across my f-forehead. It was like talking to a higher pitched version of my d-dad, which let me t-tell you wasn’t a pleasant reminder.”
Here Toby lilted his voice into a poor imitation of Ning Woods. “‘Oh aren’t you a pretty little Omega. Are you mated yet? Why not? How many babies are you planning to have? You won't be young forever you know, you better start now or you’ll regret it. What do you need school for? Alphas don’t like Omegas who are too smart or too independent.”
“God, I thought Jeff was going to have an aneurysm that day. Or kill her,” Laughing Jack chuckled weakly. Jeff hadn’t talked to his mother for three whole months after that incident, an act that had taken Liu even longer to forgive him for. As if it had been Jeff’s fault that Ning couldn’t keep her damn mouth shut.
Toby shuddered. He passed the infant over to Brian, flustering the Beta who found it just as awkward trying to find the right position to hold the baby against his shoulder. He started to very tentatively pat the baby on the back like he was trying not to set off a bomb.
“Traditionalists m-make me sick. Why is Liu threatening you with S-satan?”
“I don’t think he really meant it…?” Or Jack hoped Liu hadn't meant it. It was hard to tell with Liu sometimes. “But he’s right that we need help. Jeff isn’t... doing great.”
“Then I’ll come over. I have the t-time, so I can spend the after n-noon with Jeff and help look after the baby. It’ll be fun!”
“You have class,” Tim reminded him gently, only to have his words brushed aside with a careless shrug.
“I can do them online, just like you’ve been p-pointing out. At least if it’s online n-no one will be able to tell I’m an Omega and throw my p-papers right into the trash.” Toby leaned back on his palms and tilted his head so he could see Laughing Jack over his glasses. “That’s why you asked us over isn’t it? Of c-course I’d help, I miss hanging out with J-jeff and I’ve been worried about him. I’ll even p-promise to stay out of the kitchen if you’d like.”
“Hah…. Maybe just stay away from the oven.”
=====
Laff never expected to open the front door to his brand new house to the smell of smoke. Add in the shouting and the shrill beeping of a fire alarm? His heart jumped into his throat.
“Babe?”
“KITCHEN.”
There was no panic in his boyfriend’s tone, merely exasperation. There was also laughter now, which was helpful in staving off Laff’s heart attack, but almost as confusing.
There was no time to hang up his coat and keys, Laff loped through the living room and dining room to get to the kitchen. Which was indeed full of smoke and the overwhelming smell of burnt food. Jeff was by the oven using what looked like a baking sheet to fan the smoke towards the wide-open glass doors to the back yard. Standing on the kitchen island was a stranger with fluffy brown hair and orange tinted glasses. He was trying to wave smoke away from the shrieking alarm with a towel and kept bursting into laughter every time Jeff swore at the oven.
Neither looked hurt, so- “why are you trying to burn the house down?”
“Don’t even start with me, the fucking pizza overcooked.”
Overcooked was an understatement. Jeff pulled out something that might have once been cheese and vegetables on bread, but now was a solid black brick.
“Babe…”
The alarm finally stopped and Laff looked up at the stranger standing on his counter in one blue sock and one yellow. The stranger waved at him with the hand not holding a dish towel..
“Hi! I’m T-toby. I brought the pizza and beer.”
An Omega? Hard to mistake that sweet scent wafting off of him. Amazing that Jeff hadn’t slammed the door in the guy's face. On the other hand- pizza and beer? “Nice to meet you, I’m Jack. Do you need a hand down?”
“Nah. I’m f-fine. The beer is in the fridge if you w-want one.” Toby sat down on the edge of the island and hopped off easily. “But the pizza is going to n-need a funeral and not a viking one.”
The grin on Jeff’s face had Laff deciding he could let it all pass, since nothing had been harmed and he had a happy Omega. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll order some Thai for dinner. Will you be staying, Toby?”
“I should go h-home actually. Pizza was for lunch but we got a little d-distracted and Tim is gunna be w-wondering where I am. I k-kinda sorta forgot my phone at home, so I should go keep him from calling the p-police.”
Lunch was five hours ago. No wonder the pizza had been turned into a slab of concrete. Jeff was looking embarrassed now, eyes darting all around the kitchen as his cheeks started to turn pink, and it was adorable when he finally admitted-“I was showing him my guns and then we started talking about video games.”
Laff tried not to melt. Or coo. He’d have to see how Toby dealt with Jeff’s moodiness before he could fully approve, but this was great news. They’d only moved Laff in last week and Jeff had already made a new friend!
Once Toby had left, waving his arm where he’d scribbled Jeff’s number on his skin with a borrowed sharpie, Laff turned back to his still-red faced boyfriend. “Video games, huh?”
“Shut up. He brought over food so I had to be neighborly. He’s funny.”
“No arguments from me. I’ll order the food if you’ll keep airing out the kitchen.” Patting at his pockets, Laff couldn’t help but add- “maybe set a timer next time?”
Jeff sputtered and slapped him on the hip with the baking sheet. “It was an accident! You burnt pasta last week!”
Grappling for the sheet, Laff took advantage of Jeff’s unwillingness to surrender the item and drew the wriggling Omega in closer until he could plant a kiss to the side of his head. Got another smack from the flat metal pan, but once he had Jeff pinned against the counter there was no room to continue flailing. He was safe from the bake-ware at last.
With a few more kisses to Jeff’s temple, forehead, between the eyes… “I burnt the pasta, you burnt the pizza, why on earth did we buy a house with such a large kitchen?”
“Counter sex.”
“Ahhh yes… How could I forget.”
=====
Toby had warned them.
He’d come home from his first day playing Nanny with a face so somber that for a moment? Both Betas thought someone had died.
“N-no, no one died.” But there was an uneasiness to the words that was easily picked up on. “He’s just so… sad. And t-tired. And small.”
“Small?”
Toby walked around the table, pushing Brian’s chair from the table until he could straddle the Beta’s legs and push his face into the man’s neck. After a moment- “kn-know how you’re always surprised that Jeff is shorter than m-me?”
Brian wrapped his arms around him, hands rubbing up and down Toby’s back. “It’s the attitude, he comes off as being a lot bigger than he is.”
“You won’t be surprised any m-more.”
It was a thought that stuck with him, but Brian hadn’t fully understood what Toby meant until the barbeque. When the weather was warm but not hot, a cool breeze in the air but not so bad it blew the paper plates off the table. It was the first time that Laff had accepted the invitation for him and Jeff all summer, so the triad were happily going all out.
Out back, Tim was carefully checking and cleaning the third love of his life: a massive, silvery grill that held pride of place in the backyard. It had layers of racks for different meats, to both cook or keep warm. It had hooks for tools and massive knobs for the gas flames and Toby was terrified of it.
Which is why Tim was preparing the grill and Toby was inside helping Brian with the other food. So long as it didn’t need to be cooked, Toby could handle it; like cutting up the watermelon and washing the corn cobs. It was never less than hilarious that his mate could be so damn smart and yet burn water just by holding it within five feet of the stove.
Hearing the doorbell ring, Brian left Toby to continue half-slicing and half-eating the watermelon to let their guests in. And nearly swallowed his tongue as he pulled open the door.
“Hey! Uh, come on in. We’re almost ready to start cooking, but we’ve got some snacks out too. Want me to.. can I…” he found himself flailing his hands a bit, wanting to both take Jeff by the arm and afraid to touch him. It looked like it would take a single sneeze to shatter the Omega into pieces.
Hovering right behind Jeff with the baby carrier in hand, Laff looked as tired now as he had last week. “He should sit down. Do you still have that basket chair in the backyard?”
“Yeah. It always goes out the moment it’s warm enough. I’ll just… take him there,” gingerly grasping Jeff by the elbow to lead him through the house. Not that Jeff wouldn’t usually know the way, but there didn’t seem to be anyone home behind the dull eyes and Brian was a little creeped out.
Jeff was so small. Like Toby had said. As if Brian could pick Jeff up and put him into a pocket, made worse by how the Omega walked slightly curled in on himself.
It was without a word that he allowed Brian to lead him outside and into the basket chair, the one that Toby loved as much as Tim loved his grill. Watching Jeff move as if his whole body ached had Brian continuing to flail around, trying to adjust the pillows and blankets to help him settle in comfortably. It hurt to remember how Toby used to manhandle his ‘bestie’ into the chair to sit squished up in a tangle of limbs, making observations about Tim and his grill until the Beta got so flustered he burnt the hamburgers.
Just in case, Brian waved to get Tim’s attention so that he could keep an eye on Jeff while Brian went back inside. Not because he was running away, but because he needed to start bringing the food out. Honest.
Toby had the baby out of the carrier and cradled in the crook of his arm, swaying side to side while using his free hand to move watermelon slices into a bowl. Watermelon juice was dripping everywhere but that wasn’t what made Brian ask- “what the fuck?”
Sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, Laff didn’t even have to ask what he meant. “I know.”
“You said he was getting better. In what definition is that better?”
“The fevers have stopped, and his stomach is healing. The doctors say this is perfectly normal postpartum depression and he’ll perk up in a couple of weeks.” Laff didn't sound like he believed a single word of what he’d just said. He also didn’t move from his slump. “They do think he’s a little underweight though, and recommend we switch to bottle feeding.”
“But you’re already bottle feeding.”
“Yeah.”
Brian didn’t understand this at all. He looked to Toby for help but Toby just sent a pointed look towards Laff, and hefted the baby higher on his shoulder. He grabbed the bowl he’d finished filling with fruit and left Brian to talk with the clearly miserable Alpha.
Brian stared at the empty doorway for a moment. “It scares me some days, thinking about how they’ll treat us if Toby ever gets..” the beta cut off the rest of the sentence. It wasn’t a secret they were trying for a baby, but this was hardly the time to say it.
Laff understood all the same and shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll have the same issues. Toby wants a baby so the doctors will want to keep him happy and healthy. They couldn’t understand Jeff wasn’t thrilled to be pregnant, and decided all his complaints were for attention. Every visit they’d slowly drain the light and life out of him and I sat there and let them.”
Even though Laff was an Alpha. and one of the tallest ones Brian had ever met, he let his instincts guide him in moving closer until he could put an arm around the man’s shoulders. Leaned against Laff’s back because that’s what he did when Toby was upset, and it seemed to work just as well here. Something about pressure and calming scents. Brian was a Beta; he was all about calming.
Laff shuddered under him and his voice came out thick with repressed emotion. “All I wanted was to help him get better. They were telling me the fevers were putting a strain on his heart and it could give out any moment. They said getting him pregnant would fix it. They said.. and I believed… He was so ill.“
Brian remembered. Jeff had been all wild eyes and flushed cheeks. You could practically see the steam wafting off his skin as he panted like a feral animal no matter how frigid the room was.
“You did your best. Obviously something needed to be done and now… there’s time. To figure it out.”
The Alpha laughed bitterly. “Time. Right.” Shrugging out from under Brian’s arm, he wiped at his face with quick, rough movements. “I have no right to be saying all of this, I was the one who made all the decisions. I need to focus on Jeff and helping him get better.”
Brian refused to be removed so easily, waiting a few seconds before once more taking the role of a weighted blanket. More securely draped over Laff’s back and shoulders- “don’t be ridiculous. We’re here for you. All of you. Give us a call anytime, anywhere, and we’ll come.”
Laff’s expression crumbled. “I can’t ask…”
“You’re not. I’m telling you. Just call us.”
=====
“Open it! Open it, open it, open it!”
“I don’t know… Maybe I should wait till after dinner. Maybe a shower too.”
The ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ look on Jeff’s face had Laff’s lips twitching but he held strong. The package was wrapped in shiny blue paper with cheap tape along the folded edges and Jeff was all but dancing in place with impatience.
“I mean, it’s not my birthday yet for another couple of weeks, maybe I should wait till the party?”
With a sound that came startlingly close to a growl from the small Omega, Jeff grabbed him by the front of his tank top and yanked the Alpha down to eye level. “Open your fucking gift.”
Too bad for Jeff, rather than inspiring Laff to obey he was now distracted in an entirely different way because wow. The flashing blue eyes, the bared teeth, Jeff had no right to be that damn sexy when Laff’s Alpha senses should have been offended. Mmm… no, offended was the last thing he was feeling right now. The awkward angle did make his back ache though, so Laff did the next best thing- he ducked down even further until he could get his shoulder under Jeff’s stomach and stood up. Omega over one shoulder and birthday present in hand, today was really looking up.
In more ways than one.
He ignored the nails digging into his back, arm braced across the back of Jeff’s thighs to more or less keep him in place, and took his time going up the stairs. Down the hall. Carefully set his gift aside on the dresser before heaving Jeff onto the bed.
He didn’t give Jeff time to struggle up to his feet but crawled onto the bed until he was looming on his hands and knees over the delectable little morsel. “Happy birthday to me.”
“You… you…”
Laff could practically see the thoughts abandoning ship as Jeff’s eyes trailed over his throat and bare collar. His arms. The tanktop meant the Alpha’s tattoos were all on display and Laff knew how much Jeff loved his tattoos. Almost as much as Laff liked to run his tongue down Jeff’s spine and the delicately inked but anatomically correct bones.
One day Laff would give him wings. Long sweeping feathers to either side of the back tattoo, the one Laff had been working on since the day he’d first met Jeff at the parlor. His perfect little angel.
….fallen angel that is. A warm, wet mouth had attached to the side of his neck while he’d been thinking, and then teeth. Gentle enough to not break skin, but it was going to be one hell of a hickey come tomorrow.
Not that Laff was going to complain. Not when he could wind his fingers into the dark strands of hair and tilt Jeff’s head just enough to reciprocate. Gentle but firm, and now they’d both be marked in a way he dearly hoped to one day do for real.
They both forgot about the present for a while. And then a second while. It might have been forgotten until morning, but the shiny blue paper caught Jeff’s eyes as they lay there sweaty and panting, and he pinched Laff’s arm. Right over the smiling Jester tattoo, the brat.
“You didn’t open your gift!”
“Oh I opened it alright…”
Jeff smacked him in the face with a pillow. Then tossed it onto the floor with the rest of the bedding where it had all been kicked out of the way. “Open it, dammit! I’ve been waiting for this thing for weeks!”
“Babe, soon as I catch the breath you stole, I will open your gift and appreciate the hell out of it. Give me like… five minutes.”
Even with an arm over his eyes, Laff could see Jeff rolling his eyes. Just for that maybe he would take a shower first. Get something to eat. He’d barely gotten through the door when Jeff had come flying in, coat going one direction (tossed over the stair railing), his shoes another direction (kicked off at the couch) and backpack dropped onto the coffee table with a complete disregard for the contents. And then Laff had a wrapped package shoved under his nose without so much as a “hello” or “how was your day”.
Brat. Adorable brat, but still a brat.
The mattress shifted and something hit the sheets close to his head. Someone had gotten impatient and brought the gift to him instead of waiting for him to go get it. It was heavy, that was for sure, enough to make the mattress dip under it.
Rolling onto his side, Laff propped his head up on a fist and brushed his hair out of his eyes. He’d lost his hair tie at some point and now the thick strands were going everywhere. He only hoped he looked as good as Jeff did with his hair in sweat-soaked tangles around his face. He had a feeling he did as Jeff’s stare intensified but it could also be because he was finally reaching for the oh so important present.
“If this is a sex toy, I’ll be very sad we missed the opportunity to try it out.”
Another rolling of the eyes, one that Jeff used his entire body to emphasize. “Open it!”
So he did.
It was… a book? A large book, with thick glossy pages covered in illustrations. Not just illustrations but…
“Oh.”
It was a history and collectors guide on Jack in the Boxes. Vintage and Modern. Old and shabby ones stored in museums, shiny and pristine ones still on the shelf. There were even schematics on how they worked and how to build your own.
“Babe…”
“I couldn't find the one you talked about. I couldn't even find something like the one you talked about, so I figured we could look through this and see if anything is close. That would give you a starting point, right? To find it?”
His Grandmother’s Jack in the Box. He’d played with it for hours as a child, slowly winding the crank, giggling when the monochrome puppet popped out at the right time. It had been a cherished toy until it’d been lost in yet another move.
Jeff had been searching for his childhood toy and had bought a fancy book that must have cost a fortune to help.
“Oh my god… don’t cry, L. It’s just a book.”
“I love you, so so much.”
“Such a sappy Alpha.” Jeff ran a thumb under Laff’s eyes and it came away wet. “If you’re going to cry over a little thing like this, what will you do when I move in?”
=====
It was disheartening to come home and find that Jeff was still spending most of his day sleeping upstairs. Laff had held a hope that Toby being around would perk him up, but depression had sunk its claws deep into Jeff.
Or, he hoped it was depression. Which was a terrible thing to think, but the other options were even worse because if it wasn’t depression, what was it?
Laff had read online that Postpartum Depression happened to a LOT of Omegas, some a little worse than others. Some a lot worse. He just needed to support Jeff and help him get through it. Somehow.
Toby met him at the door, chewing on a thumbnail and giving the stairs little anxious glances. “I was able to lure him d-down for a bit with Brian’s pasta, almost got him to eat a whole b-bowl!”
“A whole bowl?”
Toby nodded. “Yeah! Then he s-sort of... lost energy and wanted to go b-back to bed.” His expression reminded Laff of a dejected puppy, wondering why their owner didn’t want to play anymore. “I t-tried to get him to nap down here with me but then J-jamie woke up…”
Laff rubbed at his eyes. He could imagine the look on Jeff’s face when the crying started. Still, to know Jeff had managed to get a whole meal down was a blessing he’d not turn down.
“It’s alright. Are you okay with staying a little longer?”
“C-course! I’ll get Jamie f-fed and settled down, that should give you some t-time.”
Laff left him to it. He felt a little guilty at not checking on Jamie first, but Toby seemed to have it all in hand and he didn’t want to get in the way. Or so he told himself. Upstairs, the bedroom was quiet and dim and he could barely see the form curled up on their bed.
Jeff was curled up on his side under a favored blanket, the hand woven one with the oddly coarse texture. A gift from… Laff didn’t remember who. Only that Jeff liked how the thick strands felt under his hands. Carefully, Laff laid down behind him, getting as close as possible before putting an arm around the sleeping Omega.
Or not-so-sleeping.
He let his arm slide away as Jeff pushed himself upright, slowly turning over to face him and resettling. “Hey Love,” Laff whispered. No matter how much Jeff slept, the dark marks under his eyes never faded. A lesser person would think Laff had been hitting him. “How are you feeling?”
A shrug, barely a ripple under his hand. Even this close, it was hard for Laff to catch a whiff of the cinnamon–like scent that used to flow so freely. Now it was as faded as Jeff himself.
“Toby said Brian sent over dinner. I’m a little jealous, he’s a great cook. We should take him up on those lessons when you’re feeling better. If he can teach Toby how to make spaghetti, surely he can teach us how not to burn the eggs. We can-”
A hand covered his mouth, the pressure slight but intention clear. “Stop, L. Please?”
The alpha sighed. Instead of another question, he tucked Jeff’s head under his chin and held him close. He couldn’t stay for long, Toby had to go home soon, but he could spare some time to lay with his Omega and simply be.
“You’ll feel better soon, Love. I promise. You just need time,” he whispered.
=====
When the front door opened, Laff looked up expecting to see his partner with a coffee in hand and bag of goodies from the cafe. Jeff had texted earlier that he and Toby were running late but Laff hadn’t been worried. It was his day off and he’d planned to read a few chapters of his book while Jeff was out.
Laff was not expecting to look up to see Jeff covered in mud with a scrape on one cheek and a hair in bedraggled chunks around his face.
“Uhhh Babe?”
“I brought food.” Holding up the plastic bag with the Cafe brand clear as day. “Salad for you, and lemon bars for later. Tim says hi.”
“Hello to Tim…?”
“Fucking dog made me drop your coffee. Suffer.”
“Dog…?”
“Oh look at the poor little thing.” Jeff’s voice went higher, obviously imitating someone as he toed his mud-coated sneakers off.. “We can’t just leave him here all alone! He could get hit by a car!”
“Babe…”
Jeff continued to ignore him, hand waving in the air as he ranted. Switching hands mid-rant in order to pull his jacket off, but wave he did. “Damn dog took one look at us and bolted so OF COURSE we had to chase him. Up and down and up and down the street. And then you know what the little bastard did? He stopped running long enough for Toby to pat him on the head, and then juuuust when Toby nearly had him by the collar? He took off again! I’ve done more cardio in the last hour than all weekend at the Warehouse!”
Laff smothered a laugh before it could be heard, not wanting to add any fuel to the miffed fire.
He merely set his book aside and trailed after the Omega as Jeff stomped into the kitchen. There, Jeff set the bag on the counter and pulled out a plastic box with a fresh salad, box of lemon bars, and a wrapped sandwich.
The smell of wet dog, mud, and grass was a lot stronger now as Laff hovered over him, brushing a streak of dirt from Jeff’s shoulder. His reward was Jeff whirling around and jabbing a finger into his chest.
“NEVER trust a pouting Omega! I have mud in my ears thanks to that mutt dragging me through a puddle! I don’t care how many dogs we come across, I am NEVER helping him chase one down again! He can call his damned Betas next time! Or the Dog Catcher! I don’t care!”
“Liar,” Laff said, letting the affection shine through his tone. Only by pressing his lips together as hard as possible kept him from laughing at the utterly offended look Jeff threw his way. Capturing the hand that was still poking bruises into his chest, Laff kissed each fingertip.
“Babe, you love your friends too much to say no.”
=====
“You s-stink. You’re stinky. You’re like a ch-cheese that's been aged in the basement and I’m going to c-call you Gorgonzola.”
Toby loved bathtime. Even if it was tinged with guilt because he was having fun while Jeff slogged through therapy. Unable to drive yet, the sessions were done over video calls and seemed to be helping as much as anything else issued by the hospital. But what did Toby know? They were the professionals here. Supposedly.
Honestly though, it was the best time to break out the baby bath because Jeff’s sessions were an hour long and meant Toby could focus completely on Jamie without worrying where Jeff was. The tumble he’d taken down the stairs the other day had left a massive bruise on his hip and scared them both.
And.. well… Jamie needed the attention. Poor little guy was over a month old and he didn’t smell like Jeff at all. Not unless Toby swiped a shirt from the laundry to use as a blanket. A month old and Jeff still could barely stand to look at his son, shrinking away if Toby so much as hinted about him holding the baby.
Not that Jamie was neglected while Laff was away or Toby did his school work! No, Jeff was able to keep Jamie clean and fed when he had to, but there was no joy in it. It broke Toby’s heart because this was supposed to be the good part of being an Omega, and yet Jeff looked absolutely miserable every time he had to hold Jamie. And that was when the baby was content and sleepy.
Toby had known Jeff for nearly four years now, and the first time he’d ever seen the Omega cry was from the anxiety of hearing the baby wail in the next room. Jeff had curled up in a ball with his hands over his ears and if Toby could have torn himself in two he would have.
Instead he’d been forced to wrap Jeff up in a blanket with a promise ‘to be right back’, before leaving to deal with the baby. Who had needed a diaper change and a cuddle because the poor thing was feeling abandoned. Which… yeah.
Toby was doing his best. He knew Laff was doing his best too, trying to juggle work and the house and the baby and Jeff, but there was only so much of the Alpha to go around. Babies needed attention in order to grow.
So. Bathtime. Where itsy bitsy Jamsie got Toby’s complete and undivided focus. A bottle after the bath and then all the snuggles until the baby drifted back asleep. Carefully transferring him into the cradle, Toby noted that Jeff hadn’t come down yet for lunch. That wasn’t good because the skinny Omega couldn’t afford to skip any meals. Double-checking that the infant was truly asleep, Toby peeled himself off the floor and trotted up the stairs.
Heh, he was starting to know the layout of the home almost as good as his own. Right down to which stair to skip over because it creaked and the little hop to the side to avoid the doorknob of an awkwardly placed closet.
Once upstairs, he cocked his head to the side to listen for voices. Maybe it had been a super long session? But he found the office door wide open and the room empty. Laptop closed. Jeff’s office had a dusty, lonely smell to it, and the collection of paintball guns obviously not touched in months going by the thickness of grime.
Toby resisted the urge to draw something in the dust, and headed down the hall. No point in checking the Nursery, Jeff would rather cut his wrists before being caught loitering there. Toby had no idea if Jamie had ever even used the crib in said nursery with how Jeff avoided it, which was a shame since Laff boxed up his whole studio in order to make room. Jeff’s office would have made more sense logistically, but the Alpha had been firm about his decision.
Perhaps Jeff avoided it out of guilt? Toby didn’t really know, he’d not been able to have a heart to heart with Jeff in months. He was always sleeping these days or looking so miserable that Toby did his best to keep to lighter topics.
The first sign he came across that something wasn’t right, was the bathroom situated between Jeff’s office and the Nursery. Toby hadn’t meant to do more than a cursory glance since the door was wide open and no Jeff in sight, but he paused to take in the mess. Drawers pulled out with their contents dumped on the floor, medicine cabinet open and bottles filling the sink.
Ummm…
Toby kicked up the pace. The main bedroom door was open too, but there was no small, dark haired Omega to be seen. The next option was obviously the master bath, and unlike the others this door was shut tight. Rapping his knuckles against the wood, now he could hear Jeff talking to himself in a low voice that filled Toby with dread.
“-can’t do this...”
The door was locked. The door was locked. “Jeff? Can you let m-me in? Are you ok?”
“I…. I’m supposed to be happy.”
Nope, nope, nope. Everything was definitely not ok. Not with that tone.
“Let me in. P-please. Open the door and let me in. We can t-talk.”
The choking laughter he got in response had Toby whirling around to look around the room for something, anything, that would help break down the door. Nothing. He tried hitting his shoulder against the door, and found that it was not as easy as the movies made it out to be. He persisted, putting his full body weight into it but all the door did was rattle on the hinges.
“Jeff! Open the d-door! N-now!”
The laughter had been bad, but the pained gasps that followed was Toby’s breaking point. He didn’t even realize he’d dislocated his shoulder as he slammed against the door trying to brute force it open. Whether he’d worn it down or because he’d tapped into a higher power, it finally fell open and Toby nearly crashed into the ground in surprise.
Dimly, he felt his arm go numb, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was Jeff sitting on the floor with his face covered in blood that dripped all the way down his shirt.
“What did you d-do?” Only now did it occur to him to use his phone. Using his opposite hand to pull it out of a pocket when his other arm refused to move, his first thought was to call Brian. Brian was home, and home was nearby. Brian would know what to do and would call an ambulance and what had Jeff done to himself?
There was so much blood. It was all over Jeff, it was splattered on the floor, it coated the sink, and were those razors? Phone already in hand, Toby couldn’t grab Jeff’s arms to take a look. Should he bind them? That’s what you did for cuts wasn’t it?
“Toby?”
Jeff’s head raised at Brian’s voice, eyes glassy and unfocused and Toby wanted to throw up. It wasn’t his wrists, but his cheeks that were slashed open with giant gaping wounds. From the corners of his mouth going upwards, it was a bloody mockery of a smile and Toby felt the phone slip out of his fingers.
“What did you do,” Toby repeated numbly.
“I’m... I’m happy now.”
=====
Jeff stuck his tongue out, retracting it before Laff could grab it with his fingertips.
“No, I’ve never done drugs. Not that I wasn’t tempted, but people already hated me as I was, drugs would have made it a hundred times worse.”
“How oddly mature of you,” Laff teased.
“At least I’m not the one with a collection of AA coins,” Jeff snapped. Then looked ashamed. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t… I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s alright. I already told you I was very, very immature as a teenager. Ran with people who were even worse. I don’t regret it though, it got me a job I love and a career I cherish.”
“The tattoos?”
“Mhm.”
“What was your first?”
“Hmm… come here.” Laff tugged on him until the Omega obliged him by straddling his legs, Jeff’s knees digging into the couch as he seated himself on Laff’s lap. Once he was settled, Laff held his wrist up between them to tap a small spot right over his pulse. “See the little smiley face? That was my first. I was… oh… fifteen? Woke up after a party hungover like a dog and with an aching wrist. Story is that one of my friends' elder siblings was trying to get apprenticed and was doing free tattoos for practice.”
Jeff examined the tiny thing. He could have covered it with his thumb, the wobbly sort-of circle with two oval eyes and crooked smile. “It’s not even faded.”
“No, I fresh it up every so often. I keep it exactly as I got it to remind me where I started.”
Fair enough reason. It fit in with the other tattoos on that arm for all that it was a simple outline in black ink. Running his fingers up Laff’s forearm, tracing the whirls of color and intricate designs, Jeff could feel something else. He had to close his eyes so he wasn’t distracted by the dancing candies and jesters and ribbons of color. He could feel how the tiny ridges marched up Laff’s forearm like a ladder. Oh.
“Liu caught me cutting once, right after dad died and Mom was losing her mind. He went completely ballistic. He’d never screamed at me like that before, or since, and I don’t think he even remembers it with everything else that was going on, but I never did it again.”
“That’s a good thing Babe. It’s not healthy. You risk infections, blood loss, scars.. I don’t cover them up because I’m ashamed, but because I regret the headspace I was in to do them. The smiley is enough of a reminder.”
Jeff leaned into the warm hand as it cupped his cheek, bringing up his own to layer it against the back of Laff’s.
“You’re doing great Babe, no matter what anyone else says. I was a stupid teenager too, but it helped me become who I am.”
“I’m moody. And a menace. Everyone says so.”
“So? You’re my moody menace.”
“I’m not going to college, like Toby is.”
“You aren’t Toby. His wants are different from yours.”
“But…”
“Doesn’t matter. You are my baby, and will always be my baby, no matter how often you burn dinner or give me a heart attack. So I don’t care if Liu thinks it’s immature, I think you and Jane have an interesting plan. But why a warehouse?”
Back to a safer topic. While true that Laff didn’t regret his past actions, it wasn’t something he wanted to think about with his pretty little boyfriend on his lap. Especially when the question made Jeff’s blue eyes lit up with remembered excitement.
“Jane thinks we could portion it up as a range with targets for practice, and a space for gatherings. The back lot is huge, if we make the obstacles ourselves then we could have a whole arena set up for matches.”
“Can you two afford it?”
“I’m going to use the money my Dad left me. When he died. I think he'd have liked the idea.”
“Hmm…” Laff lowered his hand to wrap both arms around Jeff’s waist and pull him in tight. “I think you two could pull it off if you really wanted to, you’re both so stubborn when you want something.”
=====
It didn’t look like Jack was going to be getting out of the car any time soon.
Understandable. So instead of waiting for the man to leave the vehicle, Tim decided to join him.
First giving the window a soft rap with his knuckles to avoid startling the man, then pulling open the passenger door. Not for a second did Jack lift his head from the steering wheel as Tim took a seat beside him, leaving the door wide open to let in the breeze. If the cool night air was helping Tim’s frayed nerves, maybe it would help Jack too.
“You want to talk about it?” Tim asked carefully.
The hysterical phone call he’d gotten at the cafe had been hours ago, with Tim sprinting home to find Toby in hysterics and arm in a sling, baby in hysterics and both of them smeared with blood. Thank god for Brian who’d been able to explain it wasn’t their blood, they were both fine. Ish. After Toby had his shoulder popped back into place.
Getting one, then the other, out of their clothes and cleaned up had been a fight. Toby hadn’t wanted to put the baby down for anything, and the baby screamed bloody murder every time Brian tried to take him. It had taken both Betas, a drugged cup of tea, and stuffing everyone into Toby’s nest to get things calmed down.
Even so- Toby cried himself to sleep while tightly curled around the baby. The baby in turn clung to Toby with his tiny face against Toby’s throat. It reminded Tim of things he’d rather not think about. But now with Toby squished between the wall and Brian, the Beta obviously not going to work tonight, Tim thought it was safe to leave them.
Too awake and jittery to lay down with them, Tim prowled through the house room by room checking the doors and windows. He wasn’t an Alpha, and he couldn’t really understand what Alphas went through, but sometimes he thought he came close. He needed to make sure his partners were safe and secure and protected.
And he needed to get some air.
While he was at it, might as well make sure Jack’s house had been closed up. Did paramedics think about that while working? When they had a patient bleeding out in their hands, would anyone go hey, I should close the front door and lock it?’ He hoped not. He hoped their full attention would be on-
He’d go check. Last thing the Alpha needed was to worry about his home being left wide open to the elements.
Which was how he’d been in place to watch the car pull up. Tim had been starting to think it was time to go home now that he was calm, but it looked like it was his turn to look after the Alpha. And if Jack wanted to sit in silence for a little bit longer, Tim could be patient.
Eventually, Jack made a sound that might have been an attempt at a laugh. It didn’t work. Completely devoid of emotion- “They’ve committed him, three days of observation and rest. They fixed up his… They fixed him up. Kept asking me if I had noticed anything off about him, if there’d been any signs. As if he hasn’t been the walking dead for the last year.”
Tim stayed quiet, letting him get it all out.
“Jeff died on the operating table, did you know that? When Jamie was born. His heart stopped in the middle of surgery and it took them almost two minutes to get him back. And you want to know what else? When they told me, they weren’t concerned. Like it had been just a minor inconvenience to brush past while making sure I knew the baby was in perfect health.”
The leather steering wheel creaked as Jack’s hands tightened, knuckles going white. In a voice so low Tim could barely hear it- “That man is my world. He is everything to me, and to them he’s never been anything more than an inconvenience.”
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Tim protested. Though even he could hear how weak the words were against the last year.
“No. It is. Today the surgeon, while still covered in his blood, said it was such a shame he’d damaged his face. That he’d been such a nice looking Omega but now he’d be scarred for life. Because that’s what matters after emergency surgery to piece someone back together.”
“Toby said he’d…?”
“Carved himself up like a jack o'lantern? Yes. A psychotic breakdown according to the Psychologist, which is why they’re holding him in the psych ward. They’ll release him once they’re sure he won't hurt the baby.”
“Or himself?”
The bitter smile on Jack’s face didn’t offer any reassurance. Gone was the hopeful man who trusted the Professionals, and Tim couldn’t blame him. Every time Jeff went to the Hospital he seemed to come home ten times worse off.
“We should talk about Jamie.”
=====
It was supposed to be minor. Just a light touch of his lips against Jeff’s forehead as he headed off to work, to say goodbye and I love you even if the man wasn’t awake to hear it.
Laff had clients to prepare for, tools to check, stock to inventory.. all the usual things while opening up shop. If he left now he’d even have time to grab a sandwich before officially turning on the lights of the small tattoo parlor.
A quick kiss and then he’d go.
Instead, Laff found himself hesitating because as he leaned down to give his baby one last nuzzle, the heat was shocking. One hand resting on the bed for balance, he pressed the back of his other hand against Jeff’s forehead and nope, he hadn’t imagined it. Brushing the dark hair away, Laff could now see how flushed Jeff’s face was under the fever.
Shit.
Did he have the flu again? He’d just gotten over the last bout!
It was getting ridiculous- they’d both had their flu shot, Laff was always careful about his clients, and Jeff had barely been to the Warehouse in weeks thanks to the nausea and fevers that kept plaguing him. Stubborn as he was, Jeff had tried to go into the office when ‘feeling better’ and Jane had thrown him right back out. Laff hadn’t been happy to find out he’d taken a random taxi home but-
“I had five people doing target practice, and a group scheduled to come in for a game. I couldn’t just leave because he brought his stupid ass to work.”
Which was fair. And yet…
His back was starting to ache the longer he stayed bent at such an awkward angle, the curse of being a tall man, and Laff finally straightened with a small sigh. The time to stop for breakfast was traded in for grabbing some water bottles and fruit from the kitchen. Those went on the nightstand, and then he hit the bathroom. Didn’t they still have some of that god awful stuff the doctor had prescribed the last time Jeff got sick?
Hadn’t helped as far as Laff could tell, but he’d still give it a try. Maybe head things off before it got bad again.
Now sitting on the side of the bed, he gently shook the Omega awake. Got a whiney “fuck off!” with the initial attempt, but he persisted until Jeff was giving him a baleful glare. God how he loved those blue eyes… even if they were looking a little glassy.
“Sorry Babe. You can go back to sleep after you take something for that fever. Try to get some rest today, okay?”
The glare darkened. “You seriously woke me up to tell me to sleep?”
“Pills first, then rest. This is the third time this season, Babe. We should take you back to the doctor, you’re starting to lose weight.”
“Mmmf.”
With a little cajoling and a little more encouragement, Laff managed to get some water and medication into the Omega without the sleepy snit turning into a tantrum.
A glance at his phone said he’d better leave soon or he’d be late for opening the shop, so with great reluctance he peeled himself away from the bed. “Call me if you need anything. If you’re still feeling bad tomorrow, we’ll go to the clinic. Those flu pills are not doing anything.”
“And yet you still made me take them,” Jeff muttered as he flopped back down. “Go the fuck to work L, and leave me be. If I die I’ll text you.”
Laff just smiled fondly at him. “Drama Queen.”
=====
“You gave him that much?”
Looking at the paperwork, Laff was sure he was reading the numbers wrong. They were even higher than what Jeff had been given after his c-section, when they’d torn him open and sewed him back up. When going home, the nurse had simply said to take some plain Ibuprofen if he needed anything. This time? They’d give him enough drugs over the last three days to put down a horse.
“We wanted to be sure he was as pain free as possible. Facial wounds can be difficult and the less he fussed over them the better. It was that or…”
Laff didn’t want to ask. “Or what?”
“...or restraints. He kept trying to touch his face and he’d pulled out the first set of stitches by accident. I must warn you- the cuts he made were extremely deep. There will be very obvious scarring, but I can recommend several good plastic surgeons when he’s healed.”
He knew better than to get angry. It wouldn’t do anything but delay getting Jeff home. Though even if he wanted to be, Laff couldn’t find it within him to be angry. Or sad. He wasn’t anything at all but a vague sense of floaty calmness that kept his hand steady while signing through the paperwork.
“Any special instructions?”
“Keep the stitches dry and clean, so no showers but wipe them gently with a damp cloth. You’ll need to bring him back in a week to see about removing them.”
Simple enough.
Now it was time to collect his baby. His drugged baby. His drugged, fresh from the psych ward, badly injured, depressed baby that L hadn’t seen in three days.
. . .who bit him when he tried to help the Omega change out of the odd hospital pajamas. The pale pastel color looked unnatural on him, the material thin and oddly papery. And yet Jeff still took offense at being stripped of it, grabbing Laff by the wrist and sinking his teeth into his arm. Ignoring the sputtering nurse, Laff locked eyes with his irate partner and felt the eerie blankness of his mind crack.
He started laughing. He let Jeff keep a hold of his arm, the bite wasn’t that hard because Jeff couldn’t get his mouth open wide enough, more like a sharp nibble than a bite, and leaned forward to press his forehead into Jeff’s. “Little menace.”
How ridiculous that only now Jeff would show signs of life. In the middle of a hospital that smelled of cleaners and sickness, high on morphine and face taped in bandages. It was the funniest thing Laff had seen in weeks and it was so Jeff.
“There you are, Love. Will you let me take you ho- out of here?”
The blue eyes narrowed, examining Laff’s face from top to bottom. The teeth pressed harder into his skin then let go and Jeff released his grip on Laff’s wrist. The miffed little gleam never left his gaze but Jeff allowed Laff to help him change without a fuss. Or with very minimal fuss. The nurse watched them like a hawk, but anything they said went right over Laff’s head because he had more important things to focus on.
Jeff tolerated the ride in the wheelchair with his arms crossed over his chest. The silence was nothing like his silence from before, there was no passivity in this silence but a restrained seething that had Laff grinning like a fool. He shouldn’t be, he knew it was inappropriate, but the sheer relief had him feeling light as air.
They didn’t go home.
Instead Laff had rented a hotel room that smelled of nothing. No blood, no dust, no sickness. Beautiful bland nothingness.
“Need any help, Love?”
As Jeff eyed the distance from the car to the door of the hotel room, Laff was sure he’d refuse. Make Laff hover nearby in case his wobbly legs gave out. Instead Jeff heaved a sigh, eyes cast at the roof of the car, and lifted his arms. He looped them around Laff’s neck as the Alpha scooped him up.
“A nap will do you good. No people going in and out, no noisy machines. Just you and me and a great big bed. Sound good?”
A muttering little grumble.
One night away from home wasn’t going to solve their issues. Tomorrow they’d have to go and deal with everything, but for some reason Laff thought he could finally see the edge of the darkness that had enveloped them for too long.
Every noise of discontent Jeff made, realizing he couldn’t lay on his side like he wanted but had to be on his back. The whine of frustration when he couldn’t tell Laff what he wanted for lunch. The fit of kicking and flailing on the bed because he’d been picked up and dropped onto the mattress when he’d tried to take a shower…
Laff could weep- It was such a relief to see Jeff annoyed by something, rather than accepting it all. Him putting up a fight was a good thing, even if it did make him look like a five-foot-something toddler. So… Laff might have teased him a little. More than he should have with Jeff all muddled from the medication in his system, but the Alpha couldn’t help encouraging the belligerent attitude. Right down to the shoes on the bedspread.
Not that it lasted long, the drugs and over exertion knocked the Omega out cold for the rest of the evening. Moving carefully so as to not disturb him or his bandages, Laff tucked Jeff’s head under his chin and let himself finally relax.
Morning came too quickly. The morning and a million tiny beeps apparently. Laff rolled over to find Jeff already awake and texting madly. Using Laff’s phone no less, and whoever he was talking with was responding just as rapidly.
“Babe?” The old endearment slipping off his tongue without thinking.
“G’b’slep.”
Tempting… Going by the dimness it wasn’t time yet to check out, so Laff rolled over to put an arm around Jeff’s waist, pressing his forehead into a boney hip. The beeps became more muted, and he dozed back off with the smell of cinnamon under his nose.
=====
The office was stifling with the closed window, sunlight glinting off framed certificates and awards in a way that was giving Laff a headache. Not helped by the doctors sparsely worded declaration of -
“He’s in Heat.”
Laff blinked. Then blinked again.
“I’m pretty sure I’d know if he was in Heat.”
The Doctor shrugged, hands clasped on the desk in front of him. “I don’t know what to tell you. The fevers and dizziness are being caused by his unbalanced hormones, because he’s in continuous ovulation. It’s more passive, but still technically a Heat.”
Laff looked to his left where Jeff was slouched low in the chair. He glared back with a sour expression on his flushed face, arms crossed over his chest.
Sure, Jeff’s Heats had always been rough on him. And yeah, they did start off a lot like a cold for the first day or so with Jeff on the bathroom floor throwing up everything he’d eaten in the last 12 hours, but even so- a Heat was hard to miss. Not to mention…
“It’s been two weeks, his Heats only last a couple of days.”
“It’s not uncommon for an unbred Omega to start having longer Heats. Their bodies are built to carry children, and not doing so can throw the whole system into confused chaos. My suggestion would be to get him pregnant sooner rather than later, before it starts causing other issues.”
For the first time since the appointment started, the Doctor turned to the actual patient.
“Mr Le- Woods. You’re at the perfect age for your first pregnancy, and I can assure you that we’ll take good care of you. We have the best maternity ward and OBGYN’s in the state. You’ll feel better in no time.”
Other than a curled lip, Jeff didn’t reply to the patronizing words. Which Laff was thankful for because this was their doctor and Laff needed him to not be pissed off, but the continued silence all the way to the car had him concerned.
“I know it’s not what you wanted to hear…” Laff hesitated.
“No.”
“No?”
“If he’s right and it’s a fucking Heat cycle, then it’ll go away. If it’s a cold, then it’ll go away. I am not having a goddamned baby because he thinks it’s all Omegas are good for and fuck you for making me listen to all that.”
“I didn’t know that's what he was going with. When he asked to meet with us I thought he was going to say you had cancer or something, so this is… kinda good news. Isn’t it? We can handle a Heat. Yours have always been odd, so this is just one more.. quirk.”
The urge to lean over and sniff his partner was strong but he restrained himself. If it was Laff’s nose that was the problem then Toby would have mentioned something. Nor were Tim and Brian shy in letting it known when either Omega was about to drop, not after that one dinner when Toby’s pre-heat had triggered Jeffs. And Jane would never allow Jeff to stick around the Warehouse with all the players if she thought he was in Heat, she wasn’t that much of a bitch. Someone would have said something.
There was a derisive snort from beside him, and the click of the seat buckle. Jeff re-crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window. He refused to so much as glance Laff’s way even when the Alpha ran his hand over the dark hair in an attempt to comfort. Already the strands were sweat-soaked and limp, the skin underneath hot against Laff’s palm.
It was just a Heat. A very literal one, that’s all.
“Want to stop for ice cream?”
“I want to go to work.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”
Another snort and Jeff leaned harder against the door.
=====
When the time came to collect themselves and check out, Laff found himself exchanging a long, wordless look with Jeff. Instead of packing, he went down to the office to see about an extension.
The texting storm between Jeff and Toby had cooled off by the time Laff got back, his phone set aside to charge. Poor thing had been given a thorough work out.
“How’s Toby?”
It should have been ‘how’s Jamie?’ but to bring up such a thing when Jeff was looking so relaxed felt cruel. It was almost time to peel the bandages off to clean his wounds and that was going to be torture enough for them both. Laff had yet to see the full damage and wasn’t looking forward to it. The bruises peeking around the edges were bad enough.
Of course, asking Jeff to speak at all right now was probably not the best thing, as he was reminded by the little side-eyed glance he got in return. “Ah. Time for your meds isn’t it? One or two?”
After some consideration Jeff held up a finger.
One pill and one bottle of water carefully poured into his mouth, Jeff started fussing over the pillows. Once he’d gathered most of them up to prop up his back, Jeff patted his lap. And then again when Laff didn’t move, scowling this time.
Laff was big, but the bed was bigger and allowed him to stretch out his legs while using Jeff’s lap as a pillow. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into the new found peace.
Only for a little while. There was so much to do.
“I think we should sell the house.”
Fingers touched the back of his head and started to rub small circles into his scalp. Some Alpha he was, taking comfort from his sickly and pained Omega. He’d failed on so many levels, it was going to take years to make up for it all. Decades. And now he was asking to sell their home on top of it all.
“There are so many bad memories there, it doesn’t feel the same,” Laff whispered.
Scrubbing blood out of the cracks between tiles. Bleaching the sink until the red stains faded. Throwing out the towels used to mop up the mess.
Jeff staring listlessly at the ceiling once he’d been confined to the bedroom.
Jeff curled up in a ball after Laff had…
Being left alone to face the memories while Jeff was hospitalized had shown Laff he wasn’t strong enough. He’d slept on the couch downstairs, cleaned up at the kitchen sink rather than using the shower in the master bath. The idea of going upstairs made him sick to his stomach and he was ashamed of himself; Jeff had more reasons to not want to go home but here Laff was making it all about him.
“Sell it.” Slurred, but clear.
“I don’t know where we’d go. It’s a stupid idea.”
A sharp rap of knuckles against his head. “Sell it.”
Easier said than done, but permission to go somewhere new and start over felt so good. Even if they didn’t find another house, an apartment would be enough. There were plenty of those in the area, so it wouldn't be difficult to find one large enough. Large… enough.
“We need to talk about Jamie.”
It was impossible to ignore the full-body recoil at the words, Jeff trying to wiggle out from under him. Laff made it easier on him by rolling off Jeff’s legs to lay beside them. He could see Jeff’s face now too, which would both make it easier and harder to get through the conversation.
“Love, we can’t pretend he doesn’t exist.”
Jeff’s expression was clear- ‘watch me’.
“Babe.”
To his horror, Jeff’s face went from sullen to teary in seconds. Too soon, he knew it had been too soon, but too late to take it back now. It was hard to find a way to hold his injured Omega without putting pressure on his face, but he managed. Now he could wrap himself around the Omega and rock him and hum soothing words into his ear. Anything to make the quiet, hiccuping cries stop.
“Shhh, shh.. I got you. I have an idea but we need to talk about it. I can’t make this decision alone. I never should have from the start. I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.” Over and over he apologized, even when the tears finally stopped.
=====
“How could you DO this to me?” Jeff balled up his fists and pressed them against his eyes until he saw spots. Feeling the weight of L’s hands on his shoulders, he shrugged violently to escape the touch. He felt like any moment now he might puke and pressed harder against his eyes.
“Babe...”
“Don’t fucking CALL ME THAT!” hysteria threading through the shouted words.
And to make matters worse, instead of being allowed to back away he was enveloped in a hug that was as suffocating as it was comforting. It made him want to scream. It made him want to cower. Jeff dropped his hands from his face to take a tight hold of L’s shirt, bunching the fabric in his fists as he tried to keep from hyperventilating.
“Don’t make me do this,” he whispered.
“Ba- Jeff, we don’t have a choice. This is killing you. You’re down to skin and bones, and they think your heart is being strained-”
“I don’t care! You promised! You promised I'd always have a choice and I don’t want to!”
The fevers burned him from the inside like a belly full of coals. It dried out his skin until it cracked, his lips were creased with scabs and his eyes ached with dryness. Some days it felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. Other days his knees would randomly buckle and send him to the floor. Everything hurt so fucking much but it still didn’t scare him as much as the supposed ‘cure’ his doctor had prescribed.
The doctor that had only spoken to L. The doctor who had ignored Jeff while he was the one in pain and sitting right there. The doctor that L was listening to instead of him.
The arms tightened around him and there was pressure against the top of his head, the kind that meant the Alpha was kissing his hair. A gentle side to side sway started and Jeff’s stomach dropped to the floor.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, but we don’t have any other option. Your hormones are out of control and-”
The rage won. It gave him the strength to shove his hands against L’s chest hard enough to make the Alpha stumble back a few steps, releasing him. “Fuck you. I am not your goddamn broodmare, so fuck you and fuck them. I won’t do it and you can’t make me.”
Laughing Jack was six and a half feet tall. Merely existing meant he loomed over his shorter partner without having to try, making Jeff bristle and bare his teeth. But then L did that thing he only did when he desperately wanted Jeff to listen to him- the Alpha dropped to his knees. It never failed to make the Omega’s brain go fuzzy to be literally looking down at his Alpha and L knew it, used it to pin Jeff in place with hands on his hips and forehead pressed into his stomach.
Jeff tried to hold onto his anger, but every protest died on his lips as the Alpha begged-
“Baby, please, please. Do not make me bury you.”
=====
Jeff couldn’t bring himself to face Toby in person. It was too hard. Meeting Toby in person would mean seeing Jamie and that made him want to shrivel up in horror at the very idea. The cries that pierced his brain like needles, the smell of nothingness. Even if it was his own fault for not scenting Jamie properly, he just couldn’t deal with it. And then there was his face…
All the same, Jeff desperately wanted his friend.
He’d never had an Omega friend during his school years. He’d barely had a friend. Even his ‘friendship’ with Jane had been after highschool. It never reached the level it should have been between an Omega and Beta, but they’d found each other tolerable enough to work through the contracted time. They were friends, business partners too, but they weren’t close.
So he texted. Had been ever since he’d been released from the ward.
Im sorry for scaring you
You should be!
I wasnt myself
No shit sherlock. I was there! Every day! You could have talked to me any time!
I couldnt
But why?
Because you wanted a baby and I had one and couldn’t stand it
There was a long pause after that one. Long enough for Jeff to set the phone aside and convince himself to finish the fruit shake L had made him. His cheeks hurt, but not as bad as anymore. Really, his stomach hurt more even though the cuts were fresher.
He remembered doing the cuts, sort of. He mostly remembered the flash of hot spite and cold despair and wanting everyone to stop talking. Stop telling him how he must be grateful for his caring Alpha. How he must be excited to have a new baby. How he must be feeling so relaxed with the pregnancy over with.
He must…
He must…
If he looked happy, then people would stop insisting he should be, right? That had been his main thought at the time. He needed to look happy.
Jeff ran a finger over the bandage cutting his cheek in half. Things were a little fuzzy after that, and he did feel bad about scaring Toby. Scaring L. But did he actually regret it? Not really. The doctors said he’d had a mental breakdown because of his PPD, but his mind hadn’t felt this clear in months. He almost felt like himself again, as if the act of violence had cut through all the fog and bullshit.
He was never, ever telling Laff that. His Alpha was already a worrywart, saying that would only make him panic and think Jeff would do it again. Which… fair.
L had been right to ask about selling and moving, as neither of them had slept in the bedroom since they got back. For various reasons. Good thing the couch was massive, though Jeff remembered the nightmare it had been to get the piece inside. Big enough for L’s long legs and for them to sleep tightly curled around each like a pair of cats.
Though if L tried to wrap Jeff up in one more blanket Jeff might smother him in his sleep.
Not really.
But he could think about it in the small petty moments that flashed through his mind in the night.
The phone chimed again and it was with a small amount of nervousness that Jeff picked it up.
I hate you a little for thinking I would hold that against you. I was worried about you and wanted to be there for you. I would have listened to anything you said and not taken it personally because at least you would have been TALKING about it. Shutting us all out was a terrible decision and I WILL require emotional restitution.
Well then.
Toby must be really mad if he was letting those college classes shine through. Who the hell used ‘restitution’ in common conversation?
Im sorry
Not good enough.
Really sorry?
Tim is banned from bringing you any Lemon Bars from the cafe.
bitch
Fuck you.
Did he deserve that? Probably. Maybe. He’d felt so lost and alone and like he was failing everyone with each step, remembering he had people who loved him had been nearly impossible. Even Laff had struggled to get through Jeff’s brain fog. Jeff was so, so lucky that they’d stuck around.
I love you
Jeffrey Woods I will come over there and slap the shit out of you.
I do tho. After L.
The string of angry emojis were followed by crying ones, and Jeff thought that was enough for the day. He was exhausted, mentally and physically and he was already laying down so this was a good time for a nap. It would make L happy to know he was still resting.
He’d forgotten Toby had a spare key to the house.
Jeff startled awake when someone far too small to be L laid down on the couch beside him, face a bare inch from his. Toby had taken his glasses off, and the sadness in his brown eyes had Jeff tearing up too.
“I’m sorry.”
“I f-forgive you.“
=====
Alone in the newly dubbed nursery, Laff grimaced to himself as an old internet meme wandered through his mind. Instructions unclear, dick stuck in a fan.
This was why he preferred IKEA, simple and easy to read instructions with lots of pictures. He’d meant to be done before Jeff got up, but Laff was still trying to puzzle out how to connect the drop-railing when the Omega showed up in the doorway.
Laff couldn’t let go of the crib or else he’d drop something and have to start all over again. “Hey Ba- Sweetheart. Hungry? If you can give me a few minutes I’ll make lunch. Sandwiches sound good?”
He congratulated himself for having the forethought in getting the balloons and gift bags out of sight before starting on the crib. Jeff’s mother had sent over a dozen of the pink and blue nuisances on long ribbons and it had been such a pain to deflate them all without making any suspicious noise. The baby clothes and books were stashed away for later but damn the woman. Damn Liu for telling her.
“This is stupid.” Still managing to look tired even after a nap, the pale blue eyes were wary as they gazed around the room at the various, mis-matched pieces Laff had collected. The mid-assembly crib, the changing table, the rocking chair…
“It’s kind of necessary, Bab- Love.” The word felt clumsy on his tongue, but seeing Jeff recoil in revulsion was all the motivation L needed to stop using the old endearment.
“Should have used my office.”
Laff sighed, and tried to set the railing down on the floor without dropping the screws awkwardly cupped in the same hand. Except he’d forgotten he’d been holding up the rest of the crib by pinning it between him and the rail, and in putting it down collapsed the whole set-up like a house of cards.
“Shit.” Now he’d have to hunt down each and every screw or risk the crib falling apart with the baby inside. “We’ve talked about this. This room is bigger. I can set up a workspace in the dining room, not like we ever use it.”
Jeff shrugged.
“I’ll be a little bit longer. Instead of sandwiches, why don’t you think about what you want to eat and order it in?” Everyone was allowed cheat days while on a diet, Jeff deserved a treat.
“Whatever you want is fine,” Jeff said dully. He gave the room one more look and shook his head.
Laff watched him away in dismay. The fevers had stopped but that was all. The light had died in Jeff’s eyes when his pregnancy got confirmed at the hospital, and nothing Laff did had brought it back. Jeff couldn’t go paintballing with Jane, couldn’t walk with Toby down to the cafe where Tim worked, couldn’t stay awake when the Triad came over for drinks and card games...
How did you cheer someone up when all the things they liked they couldn’t have? No spicy foods because of the heart burn, he didn’t wear jewelry or collect plushies for his nest, and flowers had always been a long running joke that they were more for Laff than Jeff...
Jeff didn’t like things, he liked actions.
=====
The knocking on the front door was loud and furious and damn near broke the door down.
Surrounded by cardboard boxes, Laff’s wide eyes met Jeff’s equally wide eyes. He knew he’d forgotten something.
“Uhmm….” Jeff said intelligently.
The knocking stopped, and just as hope bloomed that Liu thought they weren’t home- it started up again and somehow even more mad. “Love, why don’t you start in the kitchen while I.. “
“Yup.”
Without letting Laff finish or even blink in hesitation Jeff vanished. The speed of which he ducked into the kitchen made Laff smile, though it was tinged with gratefulness too. A mere year ago Jeff would have had no issue going toe to toe with his elder Alpha brother, but right now Jeff was still too frail for such a thing. So honestly, Laff appreciated being left alone to deal with the pissed off Alpha.
He barely got the door open when a handful of papers were flung at his face.
“What the FUCK is going on?”
Oh hell no. Laff growled, a low rumbling sound that made even Liu pause in his anger. “Speak to me respectfully, or I’ll throw you off this property so hard you’ll bounce into the next state.”
Liu backed up a step, green eyes flashing. “Respectfully? You want to speak respectfully? Every time something happens, I have to hear about it from someone else. Jeff gets pregnant, I find out from the insurance bill. Jeff ends up in the psych ward, and I hear it from Jane during a finances meeting for the Warehouse. Either you two get fucking married or fucking TALK TO ME.”
Deflating a little, Laff had to admit that Liu’s anger was justified. In his defense- things had been a little crazy for… fuck, over a year now.
“Want to come in?” Holding the door open wider with a sigh.
Liu tilted his head back, first because Laff was that much taller, then because he was visibly trying to rein his temper in. Laff had done it enough times himself to recognize when someone needed a moment to count to ten so he waited it out, hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
They should have known Liu would be contacted. Laff was on all the paperwork to approve of him making medical decisions, but it had completely slipped his mind that he wasn’t technically Jeff’s Alpha- they weren’t married.
Which meant Liu had to approve the adoption. No, the Transfer of Guardianship.
“Does it help if I agree we fucked up? We didn’t mean to leave you out, it was just a very.. uh… personal decision.”
“Personal- Do you have any idea what would have happened if my mother had checked the mail? With an envelope stamped with warnings about it being an official document? She’d have taken you both to court for custody.”
Laff leaned back against the railing to the upstairs, letting Liu keep his feet planted on the welcome mat and door wide open between them. “She’d have needed you to back her up.”
“Being as I was left completely in the dark, would you expect me not to? I have no idea what's going on. I have no idea how suitable “Tobias Rogers” is. All I know if you’re trying to hand off my nephew to a complete stranger, who’s not even bonded.”
“He’s our friend.”
“You think that helps? I’ve met Jane too and I’d never hand her a plant, much less a baby!”
“Toby will make a great parent. He’s the one who’s been taking care of Jamie since you tried to shoehorn Ning in. He’s been bathing and playing with Jamie, giving him bottles and putting him down for naps. He loves Jamie.”
“He’s a single Omega.”
“Actually, he’s got two Betas that love him dearly; Brian and Tim. I can give you their numbers if you want to talk to them, I bet they’d even discuss visitation since they live just down the stree-.”
“Will you two get inside and close the damn door? Jesus Christ, we don’t need our neighbors to know everything we do.”
Both Alphas turned their attention to Jeff, arms crossed over his chest and fingers tapping an elbow irritably. He glared right back. “I already called Toby. They’re coming over and bringing the baby. If you can find a spot in the living room, get off your high horse and sit the fuck down.”
“Love, it could have waited.”
“No, it couldn’t.”
Liu was still staring. Liu, Laff realized, hadn’t known why Jeff was hospitalized. Why they had decided to give Guardianship to Toby and his Betas. In the bright light of the living room, the barely-healed cuts on his cheek and fading bruises stood out like a sore thumb. Add to that the Omega’s thinness and habit of wearing Laff’s shirts…
“Jeff…” the name barely breathed.
Jeff’s eyes went wide, hand coming up to his face. He leaned back then forward then back again in indecision of flight or fight. Eventually he bared his teeth in snarl - “Don’t you dare judge me. They'll be here soon so sit down and shut up,” and retreated back towards the kitchen. A compromise Laff could respect. Though now he’d have to play referee between the two brothers for the rest of the day. Just like old times.
“Uhh… Can I get you some water?”
Liu shot him a dirty look.
=====
“L, Jack, please. Don’t let them do this to me.”
Laff clutched Jeff’s hands tightly between his own, bringing them up to his face to press little kisses to Jeff’s knuckles. “You’ll be alright, I promise. You’ll fall asleep and it’ll be over like magic, and then I’ll take you home where I’ll wait on you hand and foot. You’re every wish will be my command.”
The beeping heart monitor was starting to pick up the pace as Jeff tensed, wide eyes darting towards the door when a Nurse in her blue scrubs walked in. Far more cheerful than either male considered proper, “we’re all set! Shall we go now? Daddy, you’ll have to wait outside, but don’t worry! There’s some comfy chairs just by the doors for you.”
‘Daddy’ tried to keep the grimace off his face and refocused back on Jeff, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind his ear.. Trying not to sound as desperate as he felt, Laff repeated himself. “You’ll be fine. I’ll bring you a hamburger for lunch and all the french fries I can find. You’ll be bathing in all the grease and salt you couldn’t have the last few months.”
The attempt at humor didn’t help, and Jeff whined in a high, plaintive pitch as the Nurse gently pushed Laff out of the way so she could wheel the chair away.
“L!"
He nearly caved, the Alpha biting his lower lip hard enough to taste blood as the nurse clucked her tongue. “Don’t worry! We do this every day,” sounding almost amused. “We’re professionals!”
The doors closed behind them and Laughing Jack didn’t feel like laughing as he slowly took a seat. He wasn’t allowed in the operating room, because ‘the blood might trigger his protective instincts’, so this was all he could do now.
Sit.
Wait.
Just like he’d been sitting and waiting for everything the Doctor had been promising. It was just a Heat cycle. It was just hormones. It was just a baby. It was… It was always something logical and easily explained with a pat on the shoulder and a “He’ll be fine!”
Laff was being over protective. Jeff was being dramatic.
These were the professionals who had studied and trained for this sort of thing.
So why did it feel like Laff’s heart was being torn in half?
Please, let this be worth it. I beg of you, whoever may be listening. Please let this be worth it.
=====
“This was planned. You planned this.”
“Yup.”
“I am not made of glass, L!”
“Perhaps a fine porcelain?”
It was always adorable when Jeff got all puffed up like a teeny tiny rooster. Of course, he’d failed to take into account that he still hadn’t been able to gain any weight and was as gaunt as ever. Laff could wrap his fingers around his wrist with room to spare. Hardly intimidating.
Jeff stomped a foot in sheer frustration. “Stop looking at me like that!”
“Like you are the love of my life and shine brighter than any star?”
The Omega glared, lips pressed together and nose crinkling and oh god how Laff loved him and his stubbornness. But they were on a schedule and had boxes to transport to their new apartment.
“I promised her you’d be there in an hour, Love. You and Toby better head out now as it’s a good, long drive to get there.”
Jeff growled and Laff smiled at him as sweetly as possible.
“Grab lunch on your way back. We should have the big stuff done by then.”
Toby, who was excited enough to make Tim look nervous, was already in the driver’s seat and honked the horn to make Jeff move faster. But the Omega still had things to say. Like-
“You're a dick. I can move a few boxes.”
“And there will be some left when you get back with my very belated birthday present. Try not to wear it out on the drive, antiques are delicate.” He used a finger under Jeff’s chin to tilt his face up and kissed his forehead. “Thank you for finding the Jack n the Box. It’s perfect. I love you.”
The pout didn’t fade away entirely, but the ruffled feathers had been soothed. “Fine. I’m going. I love you too, even if you do stupid things like this.”
Ah yes, poor little baby wasn’t allowed to carry heavy boxes off a truck and inside the building. Tim rolled his eyes hard enough to make Laff’s hurt in empathy. He assumed Brian would have done the same, but he was home with the actual baby to the relief of everyone present. Liu and Jane though, exchanged an exasperated glance and a “owe us a case of beer for this nonsense”.
They weren’t trying to move everything in a couple hours, that would have been impossible even with a couple of his coworkers on their way to help. Laff’s only goal was to move the heavy stuff because Jeff absolutely would have tried to help. And failed. And then felt bad about being useless until he started snapping at people. Honestly, Laff was only trying to save them all a headache.
Hence the carefully calculated drive to the next town over to pick up the long-awaited antique toy.
It was somewhere around the third load of boxes that Laff’s phone went off. Wasn’t a number he knew but was certified so he picked it up out of curiosity.
“This is Jack.”
“Jack Lebeaux? This is Dr Manning from General Hospital, and I had some questions about your Omega’s case file. Do you have a moment?”
=====
Laughing Jack peeled the gloves off his hands and tossed them into the garbage pail. “Just remember to keep it clean, moisturize, and don’t go swimming for a couple weeks or so.”
The woman beamed at him, an over-sized shirt pulled down to expose her shoulder. The thin plastic wrap didn’t obscure the brilliantly orange and yellow octopus wrapped over it, the freshly tattooed skin slightly red but otherwise perfect.
“You’re amazing! I’ll definitely be back for my next one!”
Laff laughed. “Six months then? I’ll pencil you in.”
Seeing her off, Laff returned to the front desk to meet up with his next appointment. Only a consultation, but those could be fun too! He liked helping someone pick out a first tattoo or design an addition to an existing one.
“Hi! I’m Laughing Jack, you must be Jeff?”
The faintly sweet scent of Omega hit him at the same time he looked up from the clipboard. It was at complete odds with the head-to-toe black clothing and intense glare, which was… new. Not that Laff was never glared at, it was just usually an Alpha doing it. Most Omegas were too cowed by his height to glare at him, and yet here was the prettiest pair of blue eyes Laff had ever seen staring at him in a way that was almost challenging.
It was shockingly attractive.
“...how can I help you?”
“I’m looking for something small, like a bullet.”
“Ok, let me grab my book and we can get started. Are you single?” Shit, he hadn’t meant to say it like that. “ I mean- did you come alone?” Nope, still creepy. “Is there anyone accompanying you we should wait for?” There. Completely professional.
“I don’t need a chaperone.”
The blue eyes narrowed in annoyance and Laff absolutely needed to get this man’s number. Without looking at his appointment information. Because that would be stalking. Do not stalk the pretty, pretty Omega, Laughing Jack, Jesus Christ.
“Of course not, you’re an adult. So uhh… Why a bullet?”
“I like shooting people. Especially oversized Alphas,” The Om- Jeff crossed his arms over his chest, chin tilted in defiance.
Was that a threat? That sounded like a threat. It was adorable. Laff found himself grinning at the pocket-sized brat dressed like he was going to a funeral. “Don’t we all?”