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Gabriel should really, really know better by now. He’s not young anymore, and he’s not a rookie anymore either.
All he can say in his defense is that the artifact was very shiny, and his inner magpie overrode his common sense. (He does have that, current evidence and his family’s continued insistence to the contrary aside. No, really.)
The moment his naked fingers made contact with the smooth surface, he knew he’d fucked up. That knowledge only intensifies along with the warmth spreading through his body from his hand, fast and insistent and familiar in a way that’s really unwelcome right now.
Gabriel curses and carefully sets the artifact back down before he turns around to peer up at his companion. “Oops?”
Lucifer clearly isn’t impressed, going by the glare he’s directing at Gabriel. He’s in full disapproving-boss mode, all crossed arms and flared wings, topped off by that glare that always made Gabriel spill the beans on whatever stunt he’d pulled as a fledgeling.
“How many times have I told you to never pick an unknown artifact up without gloves, Gabriel?”
“Often?” Gabriel ventures, feeling slightly guilty. (He knows exactly how often Lucifer repeated that lesson, sometimes while dragging Gabriel to the closest Healer. One hundred seventy-three times.)
Lucifer growls a little, and Gabriel shivers at that sound. (Fuck.) “What did you touch, and what did it do?”
“How do you know it did anything?” Gabriel asks, insulted despite the guilt. “I might just have remembered I should use gloves.”
Lucifer snorts at him, uncrossing his arms as he stalks closer. His wings are still puffy in exasperation. “Your wings are pretty much hiding behind your back you’re so tense, Gabe. I know you, something happened.”
Yeah, something happened. His fingertips are still stinging, and Gabriel tries to take shallow breaths as his Alpha boss stalks past him to crouch next to the artifact, because if this is what he suspects it is, the last thing he needs are those pheromones.
“It stung my fingers,” he mutters, crossing his arms so he can tuck his hands against his sides. Lucifer huffs and picks the object up – in his gloved hands – to examine it closely. It’s really pretty, Gabriel thinks as he watches. Shaped almost like a vase, nothing chipped or broken, the black surface still glossy. Even the runes are still readable where they’re painted on in what looks like actual silver dust ink.
Lucifer stands up, the object cradled in his hands. His wings, backlit by the setting sun, seem to glow with their own radiance. Tall and broad-shouldered, the Alpha is a sight to behold and Gabriel is willing to bet Lucifer would pin him down using all that strength, let him struggle to no avail before… Gabriel pinches the soft skin of his inner elbow, hard, to bring his traitorous thoughts back under control.
Lucifer must’ve noticed his wandering thoughts. “Are you sure you are fine?” he asks, frowning at Gabriel. “I need to take this back to the complex and see if I can translate those runes. Maybe they’ll spell out what it’s meant to do.”
Gabriel nods, using conscious effort to make his wings behave and appear relaxed. “I’ll just go wash my hands… and get a pair of gloves,” he adds, grinning as Lucifer huffs. He also makes sure to let Lucifer pass him before he heads to his own room and the promise of water and a little privacy.
A quarter hour later, Gabriel has to admit that washing his hands thoroughly didn’t help at all. He didn’t think it would, not really. By the time he reached the complex of block huts that houses both the archaeological research teams’ workplaces and the bedrooms, his entire body felt warm. It hasn’t gotten much worse, not yet, but Gabriel knows how a slow-building heat feels. He just hopes he has enough time to see what that artifact is meant to do before he goes and hides in his room for the duration.
Lucifer has already placed his find on a table, under a bright lamp, and several books open on the second table. He’s also leaning against the wall, arms crossed, glaring at the artifact.
Gabriel swallows.
“What’s the verdict?” he asks, to distract himself from how much that sight, that pose, makes him want to sink to his knees at Lucifer’s feet, nuzzle and lick until those strong hands bury themselves in his hear and hold him still… yeah, he needs a distraction. He’s feeling warmer already.
“You lied to me,” Lucifer growls, and Gabriel shivers a little at the tone. “And I can smell how much you lied.”
“…sorry?” Gabriel offers. “It’s not that bad, Lucifer. Not yet at least, and I can hide in my rooms until it’s over. Just tell me how long.”
The doors to the bedrooms are all fitted so perfectly no scent can get through if they’re closed and locked for that very reason. Gabriel’s not the only Omega working here, and cycles are sometimes unpredictable. Lucifer growls at him again and tightens his wings against his back. “Go read for yourself,” he invites, motioning to the books with his chin.
The sheet with Lucifer’s translation of the writing is next to the artifact, Lucifer’s wide, loopy script a familiar sight. He didn’t translate the language, just the alphabet, so Gabriel needs a moment to understand.
…who shall celebrate the holy union before the altar… for the span of one path of the moon and sun across the sky… be true or perish…
When the meaning sinks in, Gabriel can feel the blood drain from his face. He manages to sit down on Lucifer’s stool by sheer chance, he’d have taken the floor, too. “Fuck,” he whispers. Not even the steadily growing warmth of certain body parts distracts him from that sort of shock.
“Very much,” Lucifer agrees, sounding strained. “We should get your Alpha here and let them touch that thing too, Gabe. I don’t want to see you die because of this.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. It’s a litany in Gabriel’s thoughts even as he turns to look up at Lucifer. He needs to see him, see his wings and his eyes because there are several strange undercurrents in Lucifer’s voice that he has no idea how to parse without the hints provided by those beautiful wings and expressive eyes. Taking a deep breath might be a mistake, but he has to do it anyway to settle his nerves.
Fresh pine, icy snow and just a hint of woodsmoke. Gabriel does his best not to let it affect him (lost cause, his heart is beating faster and he’s starting to feel the need to get rid of his clothes) and looks up at Lucifer. “I… kinda lied,” he begins, watches Lucifer’s eyebrows draw together in a frown. “There’s no Alpha, Luce. I was just so done with the constant flirting because my Dad is rich and famous. Nobody took me seriously when I said I wasn’t interested because every Omega has to be interested, right? It’s all we’re good for, after all.” Wow, that was bitter. He breathes out and doesn’t look away from Lucifer because he never flirted, never was inappropriate, never spouted any bullshit. He chews Gabriel out when Gabriel fucks up, and helps him when he needs help, and the only compliments he hands out are a “well done” or a “good job”.
“So I invented an Alpha I was seeing,” he says quietly. “Everybody backed off immediately when I mentioned him.”
Lucifer’s frown deepens. “You never smelled of a lie or nervous when you talked about seeing someone,” he observes. “You’re a shit liar, Gabriel.”
Seems like he has to come clean all the way. Gabriel sighs and manages a wry smile, ignoring the warmth beneath his skin getting worse. He’s running out of time here. “I wasn’t lying, per se.” He shrugs. “You’re an Alpha, and I see you every day.”
Lucifer’s reaction isn't quite what he was expecting after this. Lucifer blinks, then throws his head back and laughs. It’s a true laugh, amusement ringing out bright and free, and fuck if Gabriel doesn’t want to hear it again. Doesn’t want to be the reason Lucifer is laughing like this. He bites his tongue, hard, to keep his wings and his scent under control.
Lucifer calms down, shaking his head. “You’re a clever little shit, I don’t know why I’m surprised.”
“Thanks, I think?” Gabriel’s not sure if that’s a compliment, but he’ll take it. “Buuut… if you’re right with that transcript, I can’t just hide in my bedroom and ride this out, can I?”
It’s a frightening thought. Suppressants and medication have become so good, heats can be avoided entirely if an Omega is so inclined. Gabriel hasn’t heard of a heat getting out of control in decades. Lucifer sobers and shakes his head. “As far as I can tell, it was part of a ritual,” he explains. “An Alpha-Omega pair of priests who agreed to be locked inside the temple for a day and a night and… well, fuck each other’s brains out. I’m guessing fertility rite, but I haven’t gotten that far.”
“Touch-activated substance, right?” Gabriel rubs at his fingertips. “Must be pretty powerful if it’s still doing its job. I felt it immediately.”
“Most likely,” Lucifer agrees and grimaces. “Gabe, is there anyone you trust enough to help you through this? Anyone at all, I can and will get them here. You may be a reckless idiot sometimes but you’re also the smartest researcher here and you’re a good friend and I refuse to watch you die like this.”
Gabriel blinks. That sentence contained more praise than Lucifer usually hands out in a whole month… and though he sounds sincere, Gabriel’s not so far gone into heat-distraction that he didn’t notice how Lucifer’s wings tightened when he mentioned fetching an Alpha for Gabriel. Lucifer’s wings are maybe the most expressive part of him, and even if Gabriel is wrong, well… he’s pretty much out of options except to fess up, here. He could ask Sam to come help, but he doesn’t want to put that kind of strain on the man’s relationship.
“There’s a reason I don’t date that’s not just every Alpha I meet being more interested in Dad and his money and connections,” he starts and has to pause to swallow. He feels as if he’s running a fever now, his thoughts scattered and his clothing too restrictive. Fuck, this is not how he had thought this might go. (He hadn’t thought about it at all, not even daydreamed.) “I kinda… wasn’t lying when I said there was someone.”
Lucifer nods, the frown back on his face. “You said that already,” he reminds Gabriel gently. “How bad is it, Gabe? I’m not sure if medication will work for this but we can try until we can get someone you trust out here.”
Gabriel huffs a breath (regretting it immediately because he gets another noseful of Lucifer’s scent and Alpha pheromones and fuck. It takes willpower not to whimper.) and doesn’t close his eyes, doesn’t look away. If he’s wrong, it’ll hurt, but he’s not going to hide. “It’s not that bad yet,” he says and ignores the flush creeping over his body. It’s a little because of the heat building in his veins and a little because he’s embarrassed and fuck. “It’s you,” he blurts out, artless and honest as he usually never is. “It’s you, you bastard, I’ve been wanting a taste of you for years and you never even flirted you fucker, and that’s fine because I hate it when people do that and then you were my boss and shit would’ve gotten awkward and so I kept it quiet and fuck this is embarrassing, why aren’t you shutting me up damnit?”
Lucifer blinks at him. He’s gone entirely still, looking a little as if someone hit him over the head with something heavy enough to give even their species pause. “Mostly because you talk fast,” he finally drawls, giving himself a quick shake. “Are you saying…”
“Yes,” Gabriel interrupts, too nervous (and too heat-driven) to stay silent. “It’s you, I trust you and fuck, I’d want you even without having touched the stupid thing. Just tell me no and have it over with, okay?”
Lucifer’s eyebrows go up. “Why should I?” he asks, and his voice is different from before. Gabriel shrugs helplessly, and Lucifer’s lips tug into a wry smile. “I told you to name an Alpha you trust to help you, and you did exactly that. Along with a few insults, but I can ignore those.”
“You… can?” Gabriel squeaks, and clears his throat because that’s even more embarrassing than his earlier rambling. Lucifer nods.
“Well, I might feel inclined to make you pay for those later, once we’re both clear-headed again.” That damn grin, the one that made Gabriel’s heart speed up even when he wasn’t spiraling into a heat that’s going to kill him if he doesn’t get fucked. “If you’re into that.”
It must be the heat that makes him so slow, because it takes Gabriel far too long to understand that hint. When he does, he flushes and nods and flushes harder. Lucifer chuckles at him, and Gabriel blinks because when did he come closer?
“Later,” the Alpha tells him gently, his voice lower now. “Gabriel, if we’re doing this… I need to have your explicit consent.”
“Yes,” Gabriel says immediately, refusing to be embarrassed further by how eager he sounds. “Yes, I consent, Gods. Take me to bed, Lucifer. I’ll beg if I have to.”
“No begging required,” Lucifer promises, and his hands are big and cool on Gabriel’s skin. He’s being tugged up from the stool and wrapped in wings, surrounded by Lucifer’s scent. The woodsmoke is getting stronger. “I’ll take care of you.”
Gabriel doesn’t yelp when he’s picked up, cradled in Lucifer’s hold. He knew the Alpha was strong, has been carried like this before. Only before, he didn’t dare nose up under Lucifer’s chin, breathe in his scent.
Pine and snow and woodsmoke. Gabriel closes his eyes and lets the warmth pooling in his belly wash over him.
He’s fine. Lucifer will take care of him. He can let go.
Roughly 24 hours later…
Gabriel stretches awake with a hiss, feeling various body parts protest the movement. Aching muscles, the deeper ache of a few bruises, what he guesses to be a bitemark or two… and warmth all around him, soft over his side, firmer and warmer against his back.
Gabriel smiles sleepily and settles back into the body behind him. “Still here?”
“Still here,” Lucifer agrees quietly, sounding amused. “What, did you hope I’d slip out and let you wake up alone so we could keep stealing glances for a few more years?”
Put like that, it’s silly. Gabriel chuckles and turns his hand to pet the wing draped over him. Lucifer’s feathers are silky and sleek, and the wing trembles a little. Gabriel has a vague memory of Lucifer using his own wings to hold him in place, and if he wasn’t absolutely exhausted, he’d probably ask if they can do that again. As it is, he’s perfectly fine with resting in Lucifer’s arms for a few more hours.
“Hush,” Lucifer tells him, twitching his wing away from Gabriel’s fingers. It settles again once Lucifer has caught his hand in his own, bigger one. “We’ll talk about all the embarrassing stuff once you’re recovered.”
Gabriel hums and shifts until he’s turned around, his own wings draped over the bed and Lucifer’s wing still keeping him warm. His nose comes to rest in the crook of Lucifer’s neck, and he breathes in with a content sigh. Maybe forgetting to use gloves wasn’t quite as stupid this time.