Work Text:
Grace has a new neighbour.
He doesn’t know when the young alpha moved into the unit next to him exactly, but it was a Wednesday two weeks ago that he had met him in the elevator of their building for the first time. He had been struggling with the big pack of dry food he had gotten for Rocky, barely being able to see in front of him without spilling the whole thing while trying to feel out where the buttons of the elevator were. To his surprise a hand had suddenly reached out and helped him stabilize the heavy bag. He barely noticed leather covered fingers before a surprisingly soft voice reached his ears.
“Which floor?”
“Oh, uh third floor! Thank you.” He scrambled to answer, still a bit surprised.
It didn’t happen often that he actually got to interact with people in his building. Most residents and their visitors here tended to ignore each other or to keep the interactions to simple but polite greetings.
From the corner of his eyes he could see shoulders the same height as his shift as the other person reached out to press the buttons. He got the feeling that the other man was watching him from where he stood leaned against the elevator wall as a shiver ran down his back. God, he wished this bag weren’t so big so he could at least see the other person as well. From the scent he could guess it was an alpha, even if it was a surprisingly subtle scent of leather and cotton.
The ding of the elevator ripped him out of his musings and he scrambled to get out on what he hoped was the third floor. To his surprise the man also stepped out behind him. To his even bigger surprise he seemed to follow him until he stopped at his own door and the man went to the door of the apartment next to his.
He set down the bag of dry food to take out his keys from his pocket and finally got a glance at his mystery neighbour. What he saw surprised him once again, as the other man was younger than he expected. He must have been in his early twenties at most.
He caught the young man’s eyes as he looked back at him and Grace startled in surprise, feeling like he should say something.
“Um, thanks for earlier again. And hey, we seem to be neighbours! I didn’t notice that anyone moved into the unit next to me,” he rambled, feeling a bit awkward under that penetrating gaze. “I’m Grace by the way. Well, Ryland Grace but most people just call me Grace!”
His new neighbour didn’t say anything in return and just kept looking at him. Grace chuckled a bit awkwardly at the silence. “So, um, what’s your name?”
“Driver,” came the short reply.
“Driver?” Grace chuckled in confusion, “Is that a codename or something?”
“Or something,” the young man answered before giving him a small smile in return.
And suddenly the whole atmosphere shifted. Driver’s edges seemed to soften and his intensity to lessen and all Grace could see in his new neighbour was a young and shy man who must have just moved into his very first apartment of his own. The teacher inside Grace felt his heart melt at the sight of that small smile.
“Welcome to the neighbourhood then, Driver. If you need any help with something, my door is always open for you!” He smiled brightly at the young alpha, hoping it seemed reassuring and not like some old crook of an omega coming onto him.
Driver’s shy smile widened and Grace grinned back in return as he unlocked his door. Before he could even say goodbye, Rocky was already jumping at him, probably impatient from having heard him talk in front of the door without opening it for some while. When he lifted his gaze back up from Rocky again, his new neighbour was already gone. What a polite but shy young alpha.
And that was their first meeting. At least on Grace’s side.
A shuffling sound wakes him up from where he fell asleep on the couch. The TV is still running and his phone says it’s 2 AM when he checks it with bleary eyes. He groans into his hands. He really needs to stop falling asleep on the couch in the evening. At least it’s the weekend so he doesn't have to go to school early tomorrow.
When he looks over his shoulder he sees Rocky sniff around the door, his brown and scruffy tail standing at attention.
“What is it buddy? Do you need to use the loo?”
He rubs at his eyes behind his glasses before he stands up and grabs the leash as he walks towards his dog. Rocky looks up expectantly at him, shuffling his small feet almost nervously as he opens the door. The cute sight distracts him enough that when he looks back up, he startles back with a small yelp at the person in front of him. He didn’t expect anyone to be out and about in the hallways at this hour.
Driver stands in front of his door, taking a small step back as if surprised in afterthought.
“Oh, good evening, Driver, or should I say good night?” Grace greets him as he leashes Rocky. Unexpectedly the normally curious dog steps back to stand a bit behind him, looking up at the alpha from between Grace’s legs. Huh.
“Back late from a party?” He asks, still a bit surprised by his dog.
Driver also watches as Rocky gives him a side eye before smiling shyly at Grace. “Late shift at work,” is his short reply.
What a hard working young alpha. “What do you work as, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I mostly work at a garage, but I also drive part-time.”
“Drive?” Grace quirks his head to the side while he scratches Rocky behind one ear. “Like taxis or limos? Wait, is this why you’re called Driver?”
He laughs in disbelief and Driver gives him a small but amused grin back, so he takes that as a yes.
“I drive stunts, for the movies.”
“What, really? That’s so cool!” He exclaims in disbelief. “My brother is also a stunt man, maybe you’ve met each other.”
“Is that so?” Driver smiles in interest before he takes a small step forward.
Suddenly Rocky jumps out from behind his legs and growls at Driver. Grace quickly pulls him back by the leash, apologizing profusely.
“Hey, Rocky buddy, calm down!” He tries to sooth his dog as he starts shuffling nervous circles around Grace. “I’m so sorry! I’m new to this and don’t know why he’s suddenly behaving like that.”
The young alpha doesn’t seem bothered by it though, almost looking proud as he smiles at the nervous dog before looking back up at Grace. “It’s good that he wants to keep you safe.”
“Honestly, I don’t know about that,” he chuckles a bit helplessly and scratches at the back of his neck. Behind him Rocky presses his small head against his leg. “I took him in just a few weeks ago. Can you believe someone just dumped him and his litter in the alley behind this building? Poor guy was the only one still alive when I found him.”
He looks down at the small dog who meets his gaze with big brown eyes full of trust. Inside his chest his heart squeezes. “I’ve been reading up as much as possible since and hoping that I’m treating him right.”
When he glances back up the alpha is watching him intently. Something flashes across his face before it vanishes just as quickly as it came and his features soften again. “You’re treating him well.”
A startled chuckle escapes him at those words before he grins at Driver. “You truly think so? Thanks.”
Driver’s small smile widens almost imperceptibly, but it’s enough to make Grace’s ears redden, helplessly charmed by the young man in front of him.
“You’re a good person, Dr. Grace.”
When Grace goes to bed that night, it’s with a warm feeling swirling in his chest and tummy, warming him from the inside at the thought of the alpha on the other side of his bedroom wall. He groans and covers his face with the blanket. There is no way an omega past his prime like him is feeling butterflies for a young alpha like Driver. The poor young man barely did anything to deserve this except be a normal human being to him. Gosh, he feels like a cradle snatcher. Colt would never let him live this down.
On his chest Rocky is snuffling peacefully in his sleep, unaware of everything. He smiles in content at the sight before also closing his eyes.
Weird, is his last thought before he falls asleep. When did he tell Driver he has a doctor’s degree?
It’s 3 AM on a weekday and Grace feels like a robber or a stalker as he checks the hallway before quickly leaving his apartment. He carries his laundry basket with both arms, holding it secure like a ticking bomb during the elevator ride down to the laundry room. Gosh, he hopes he’s not leaving any lingering scent behind. Usually his heats weren’t that intense, and his pheromones would not spread out strongly. At the beginning this heat had started like any usual with only mild symptoms that he could sleep off. That is until he somehow found Driver’s towel by his bed.
It was the towel he had seen the young alpha use to wipe away his sweat as he worked on maintaining his car. He must have left it in Grace’s apartment the last time he helped him carry the groceries. And somehow it found its way into his bedroom. One subconscious and heat addled sniff later and he was a mindless mess on his bed, sobbing the young alpha’s name as he thrust three fingers inside himself with his face pressed against the towel. His heat had been in full bloom then like it hadn’t been for a long time now.
His face flushes at the mere memory of the strong musky scent of that towel, now hidden at the very bottom of his laundry basket and probably covered completely by his own scent now. Which is also the reason he decided to do his laundry during this late hour instead of his usual laundry routine. The routine that he shares with Driver. Driver, who cannot know what Grace did with his towel. The mere possibility makes him want to melt into the ground. The poor young man would probably be mortified if he knew what his weird old neighbour did to the thought of him. Or rather what he did to his weird old neighbour in said neighbour’s thoughts.
He’s glad there’s still a day left to his heat leave, otherwise he would have had to try and sneak his laundry during the day after work with a much higher risk of being caught by one of the residents. Or worst of all Driver. To his luck the laundry room is completely empty when he enters, the fluorescent light flickering ominously. He sighs in relieve before quickly scurrying over to the washing machine in the furthest corner.
His relieve doesn’t last long though. He has barely started putting in the clothes from the top of his basket when he suddenly hears quiet steps behind him. He quickly turns around and to his great mortification sees Driver walking in. The young alpha quirks an eyebrow at him when he sees his startled expression. Even worse he seems to be making his way over to Grace and his laundry of doom and shame. He probably wants to use the washer next to his, which usually wouldn’t be a problem since that is the normal routine they have started. Except Grace’s clothing probably still reeks of heat and not to forget the towel he definitely does not want his young neighbour to notice. Why is Driver even here so late?
“Alright?” Grace barely catches the soft question, too distracted by Driver suddenly zipping open his jacket and taking it off to reveal toned arms. Grace swallows.
“Yeah, um yeah, totally. Just- You know, doing a late laundry load since I didn’t manage to do it last time!” His throat was so dry, fudge. He hopes Driver doesn’t notice. Oh no, was his scent noticeable? His laundry must be stinking up the whole room with his pheromones.
He starts frantically stuffing his laundry into the machine while trying to avoid looking anywhere near the alpha. “So, what brings you here so late anyway?”
Smooth, Grace, smooth. Not at all bringing attention to the fact that he’s also here at this late hour.
Driver simply shrugs before throwing his jacket into the drum. Why is he only wearing a tight white t-shirt underneath? The gods are truly testing him so soon after his heat.
“Jacket got dirty during my shift.”
“Another late shift? That garage sure is wringing you dry,” he chuckles in hopes of covering up the slight tremor in his voice.
The other turns to him, leaning with his hip against the washing machine. Grace pulls his robe tighter around himself, suddenly selfconscious of how dishevelled he must look.
“Where were you?”
The soft question catches him off guard and he has to actively fight the flush working its way up his neck to his face. He clears his dry throat. “I-um, I was in heat.”
“Oh.”
They stand there in awkward silence, one trying to avoid eye contact and the other actively trying to make eye contact.
“Alone? Without a partner?”
The flush has by now fully taken over Grace’s face and ears. He must look like a real mess. Poor Driver. He’s probably pitying him while stuck here with him.
“Yeah, I was alone, but that’s not bad! My heats are usually pretty mild. I mostly just sleep through them. No one wants to spend a heat with an old omega like me anyways.” Yikes. That sounded too selfdeprecating even for him.
He laughs awkwardly. He probably said too much, it wasn’t really proper etiquette to talk about how you spent your heat to someone outside the family. Driver in turn just smiles softly at him and Grace feels himself finally relax a bit. Bless Driver and his kind nature.
“That’s not true,” the alpha answers.
His smile is still the soft and small one from before, but his eyes are intense, like he wants to convey his sincerity through them. They almost look like endless black pools under the fluorescent light that stab right through Grace’s heart.
“Anyone would be lucky to have you.”
The alpha steps closer as he says that and Grace feels himself press against the whirring machine behind him. There is only a small space left between them. He thinks he might be feeling Driver’s breath, the heat of his body, the pulse of his heart.
Oh gosh, he might have it bad for the young man.
He splutters, trying to find an answer to the words. His face is probably completely red by now if it hadn’t already been before. In turn the other just quirks his lips charmingly, smile turning crooked. Driver stuffs his hands into his pockets and honest to god winks at him.
Which what.
He feels his glasses slip down his nose as he realizes that Driver might be flirting with him. Surely, he’s wrong about this. Not sweet and shy Driver.
Driver groans at the memory of Grace’s wide doe eyes as he bracketed him against the washing machine. He wanted to take him right then and there. To rip off his robes and have his way with him. To mark him. To claim him. To breed him.
He bites back a groan and tucks on his cock faster, gripping Grace’s underwear tighter around his member. His tongue flicks out to lick desperately at the towel thrown over his face. If he concentrates, he can taste the remnants of the omegas slick on the fabric like he had tasted on his underwear. At the beginning he had only planned to steal a pair of Grace’s underwear for his upcoming rut, but when he noticed his towel at the bottom of the omega’s laundry basket his whole mind screeched to a halt. For a moment he had feared he would enter rut early.
He had left his towel behind drenched in his scent on purpose, to mark his territory, to ward off any alpha that might enter Grace’s apartment during his heat. But to smell their scents mingled so tightly together, to see dried remnants of Grace’s slick on it? For Grace to have used his alpha pheromones to help him through his heat? Not even in his wildest imagination had he dared to hope so far.
The new knowledge along with the memory of the small moans he had managed to make out from behind the wall separating their bedrooms is almost enough to make him cum. He squeezes the base of his cock, Grace’s underwear squelching in his tight grip, to stave off an early release.
He thinks back to when he first saw the omega. He had been standing in a dark alley, fists still trembling as he watched his would-be robber choke on his own blood on the ground. Sudden cooing noises behind him had made his heart squeeze. When he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of an omega crouching at the opening of the alleyway, his golden hair illuminated by the streetlight like a halo. For one heart stopping moment he thought the omega was cooing at him, holding out his soft hand to him. But then he saw a small bundle move towards the omega and it was only then that he noticed the scrawny little dog in the alley. He crouched down to hide himself and the body behind him further in the shadows, watching the omega in wonder as he gently, so gently picked up the small creature.
And Driver craves.
He wishes so desperately that Grace would have held out his hand for him in that alley. That he would have taken him in, patched him up, let him stay by his side to guard him.
Another memory of watching Grace walk his dog flashes before his mind, how he held the leash while praising his dog with a smile. He imagines Grace holding the leash attached to him instead, smiling at Driver. Driver would be so good for him, he would take care of Grace. He would guard him, protect him. Do anything Grace wants as long as he keeps holding Driver’s leash.
He strokes his cock almost desperately, licking and biting at the towel, trying to get as much of Grace’s scent and taste as possible. The base of his cock starts to throb and swell like it wants to knot simply at the thought of the omega.
He would give Grace anything that he wants. He could give Grace as many children as he wants, breed him as often as he needs. Grace would be wonderful with their child, he can see it in the way he treats his students and Rocky. If it were up to him the omega would never have to spend another heat alone again if he had a say in it. There would never be a time that his belly isn’t swollen with either their child or loads of Driver’s spend.
The image of Grace moaning, calling him a good boy as he pounds his knot into the omega is enough to finally drive him over the edge. He bites hard into the towel, imagining it’s Grace’s neck as he inhales their mixed scents. He squeezes the omega’s underwear tight around himself one last time as he cums, watching his cum soak the fabric and intermingling their scents in the room even further. His cock gives a valiant effort to pop a knot at the sight of the soaked underwear, at the image of Grace wearing it in that state, but luckily his rut is still far away enough to avoid that. He can’t be stuck here in his apartment for the next half hour.
After all, it’s laundry day.