Archive of Our Own ^beta

Steve Harrington was rarely surprised by the things he finds in his backyard. He has to, because otherwise he would be horrified on a daily basis. Because Steve has a dog named Dart, a beautiful Staffy that made it his mission to keep the squirrel population down to a minimum. He was always so proud when he would drop his trophies on either Steve’s feet or on one glorious and traumatic occasion- his chest. 

Being a professional nanny in his part of the neighborhood in Hawkins, he was used to seeing all manner of pups of varying age. Especially in the morning, where he runs a private daycare out of his house. He would wake up at five in the morning and have his coffee while getting breakfast ready for the early morning crowd, still wrapped in their blankets and close to nodding back to sleep. 

From opening til the last pup went to bed, the day was a blur of chaos, laughter, mess, and nothing fazed Steve because he’s seen it all. From gashes, vomit, potty accidents, wardrobe accidents, pranks, and paint, there is nothing that Steve hasn’t seen before. 

Except a pair of twins currently running around with Dart. 

He’s never seen these kids before in his life, and has no idea how they got into his yard. 

Not that it was a problem really, he’s trained for this sort of thing and being an omega, he’s naturally nurturing with kids. It’s just- strange children playing in a stranger’s yard with his dog was a little… alarming. 

“Why do they get to play with Dart an I can’t?” 

Steve looks down at the curly headed pup standing next to him, arms crossed and pouting. Dustin loved Dart, was at his house the day that he scurried into his yard and stayed in his life. Dustin’s mom had just lost their beloved house cat Mews, so naturally Dustin bonded with the rambunctious dog. It is for that very reason that he tries to keep an eye on the dog around the children. All of whom were accounted for not ten minutes ago, he had them all gathered in the living room to eat their lunch and watch a couple episodes of Bluey before nap time so he took the opportunity to let the dog outside. 

He was standing there long enough in shock, he had to get to the bottom of this mystery. 

“Hey buddy how about we join everyone else while I figure this out, okay?” Steve steered the reluctant pup around, keeping one eye trained on the kids that were letting Dart sniff dandelions, “Did you finish your chocolate pudding?”

All thoughts of playing with the dog disappeared at the mention of the young pup’s favorite treat, and with a short yip he hurried off to nestle between Lucas and Mike. Will was already blinking long and slow on the couch, thumb inching towards his mouth so Steve knows it’s not going to be long before they’re all in a cuddle pile. Which gives him leeway to take care of the issue currently at hand in his backyard. With a nod to his best friend and fellow omega Robin, he hurries back outside. 

He slides the door open quietly so as not to alert the dog or the kids, and pads out onto his back porch. Dart was on his best behavior, laying on his back with his tongue lolling out of his mouth while the little girl batted his nose with a dandelion. She giggles when he does nothing more than try to lick the delicate petals. The boy is on the other side, singing a song that vaguely reminds Steve of… No no, that’s Metallica. 

These two couldn’t have been more than six or seven, how did they know Metallica enough to sing it? Also, and more pressing: how did they get into his yard in the first place?

As soon as Steve quietly approaches them, he sees the break in the bushes leading to the house next door. The very same house that had been absent for years before it was bought by Wayne Munson. Odd, he never moved in or at least never made mention of moving. He’d have to ask him at Bowling Night later in the week. 

“Hey there little ones,” Steve keeps his voice calm and light, no need to startle them. He makes sure his scent doesn’t hold any sort of suspicion as he draws closer, “Where did you two come from?”

They blink up at him with the biggest doe eyes he’s ever seen, little freckles dusting over their button noses. The girl, a little strawberry blonde with a mass of curls smiles up at him showing all of her tiny teeth, “Hi! We’re new, we saw your dog. Is it okay that we play with him?”

The little boy was a bit more reticent, scooting closer to what Steve can only assume is his sister. He blinks up at him through his equally curly but darker hair. 

Steve keeps his smile, gentling it as he hunkers down so that he didn’t tower over them. He hears something, somewhere over his shoulder but he can’t decipher what it was. He shrugs and assumes it’s a dog barking before he shifts his attention to the kids again.

“Well usually it’s best to ask before we do something, because you never know if the dog is nice. Or if I’m nice.”

The little girl frowns, perfectly straight little brows scrunching over her eyes as she shakes her head, “No you’re nice. You smell nice and have pretty flowers.”

Steve has to stifle his laughter at her logic, “My name’s Steve.What’s-”

“MERRY! PIPPIN?!”

Suddenly the distant barking made a lot more sense. The kids didn’t seem to have any issues, the little boy opening his mouth to answer needlessly before there was a screech of metal.

”Merry! Pippin!” The voice on the other side of the yard was frantic, deep with a whining growl. A distressed alpha- must be their father. ”Where are you two?! Merry! Pippin!”

”Over here, daddy!” The little girl chirps as she pets Dart like this was just some sort of petting zoo. The ease in which this little pup travels through life charms Steve to no end. ”We’re playing with Steve and Dart!”

”Who’s Dart? Who in the hell is Steve? How did you- oh.” Steve would have laughed but then the alpha breaks through the bushes and-

Oh. Well. 

He’s. 

He’s frantic for one thing, and very young. But he’s tall, and very handsome. He sees where they get their curls, freckles, and big dark eyes from. On them it looked precious, but on him-

On him it was gorgeous. 

He was very lean, which instantly makes Steve’s inner omega want to feed him. He looked tired, dark shadows under his eyes and more than a five o’clock shadow. The poor thing looked dead on his feet and the immediate offer to help was on the tip of his tongue. 

The alpha comes to a complete stop, looking between his pups, the dog and Steve before pinching the bridge of his nose for patience. Patience, that was rapidly thinning if the vein in his temple had anything to say about it, “You guys. I told you that you can play in our yard, not the neighbor’s yard. We haven’t even met them yet.”

I don’t know if they are safe yet is what Steve hears that’s left unsaid. It doesn’t offend him, he would feel the same way if the situation was reversed. Not every alpha is protective of pups, and not every omega was nurturing. 

“Yeah huh!” The little girl argues, Steve doesn’t know who is whom, but he has some theories, and he thinks this one is Merry. “His name is Steve, and his doggie is Dart, and Dart likes flowers.”

”That’s all we know so far.” The little boy pipes up, eyeballing Steve and sniffing at the air. Either he can smell the cookies Steve just made or the little pup was scenting him. It was cute but not subtle in the slightest. 

“I do apologize,” Steve stands and approaches the alpha, trying his best not to seem threatening or like a creep. As soon as the alpha stepped into the yard he could smell the panic rolling off of him. “I was inside feeding the kids and didn’t see them back here until just a little bit ago. They asked if they could play with Dart while already playing and I told them that we should ask before we do something, you never know if we’re nice.”

“Are you nice?” He blinks back at him before his eyes widen and he wipes his face, “Just ignore that. I’m really sorry, I just got back from work and picking them up from Wayne’s and didn’t know there was a fuc-frickin’ gate between our yards.”

“It’s really no problem, and for the record, I like to think I’m nice.” Steve laughs as he waves off the gaff, more concerned with the alpha’s general well-being than his awkwardness. Looking at him, the way he holds himself as he watches the kids like a hawk makes it even more apparent how strong the Munson genes are, because he sees Wayne in Eddie’s profile, “You’re my new neighbor, huh? Are you related to Wayne Munson?”

The alpha relaxes and nods, “He’s my uncle. He helped me get the place because we just moved here from Chicago, I haven’t been able to stop working long enough to finalize all the paperwork, move everything, or ya know…unpack anything.”

“He told me you were moving back but never when!” Steve huffed, putting his fists on his hips for the want of strangling the man. Wayne was always the type to offer to help but never to ask for it. Damn alphas, fucking knotheads the lot of them. He looks back to see the younger alpha smiling so at least he didn’t offend him, “I told him I would help when you guys get here, but he hasn’t said a word.”

“Sounds like him, honestly.” The young alpha shakes his head before he shrugs helplessly, “I was supposed to just swing by his place and stay until the weekend but we couldn’t find Mr Glowworm and none of their clothes- It’s a mess.”

“You look like you have a lot on your plate- Eddie, right?”

“Yeah, Edward Wayne Munson, at your service,” He even does a jaunty bow that is honestly so charming. “Sorry for all the alarm, not the best first impression.”

Steve just smiles back and before he can stop it he finds himself saying, “Well Eddie, consider me charmed.”

He hears an impromptu rumble before it abruptly cuts off, refuses to mistake the flush of heightened blood pressure for a blush because that would be absolutely silly. Eddie is too young and preoccupied with children to be getting flustered in front of an old omega like him. He probably already has a pretty omega at home that wouldn’t appreciate an unmated omega who ought to know better sniffing around their mate. He’s probably anxious to get his pups home, fed, bathed and in bed.

But.

But he looks so exhausted already, so he couldn’t have a mate. Steve knows how long it takes to get one pup ready for bed by himself let alone two, and the Munson men were hard-workers. Eddie looked dead on his feet and it wasn’t as if adding two more pups to his roster was going to hurt anything for Steve, at least for a few hours. 

“How about I keep them over here for a few hours, so you can get comfortable and maybe take a nap?” He holds up his hands as Eddie moves to talk, “Eddie you look like you’re going to drop, and under normal circumstances we would have an interview process and all of that but for an hour, two? They’ll have fun playing with the other kids-”

“Honestly that sounds amazing.” Eddie slumps, a little whine coming out which isn’t endearing at all or so Steve tells himself. “Normally I would be way more…um. I can’t think of the word right now, but I don’t usually-”

“Leave your children with an Omega you just met? Or take help when it’s offered? Gee, that really doesn’t surprise me at all.” Steve smirks at the huffing alpha and gestures back to the bushes, “Come back in a couple hours after you’ve changed, napped and relaxed and they’ll be as safe as houses.”

“I’ll knock on your door this time.” Eddie chuckles as he slowly walks backwards to the bushes. He looks sharply over Steve’s shoulder at the two giggling pups and commands gently, “Be good for Steve, don’t make me regret letting you outside.”

The two pups rush him, scentling him quickly and getting their hair ruffled before they run back to Dart who soaked up their attention like the daffodils soaked up the sun’s light behind him. 

“Steve, I-” Eddie stops just before going back to his yard, hunching his shoulders docilely which Steve tried really hard not to titter at. He bit his bottom lip and smiled, “thanks. I really appreciate it.”

“Always,” Alpha, he wanted to say. But that was stupidly desperate. Steve just smiles back, “Sleep well.”

*

In the past two hours, Steve has learned a lot of things. Mostly from Merry, who apparently doesn’t know a stranger at all and has talked Steve’s ear off the entire time. He quietly jokes to himself that she’s his little shadow, and Pippin is Merry’s shadow who quietly follows them with eyes wide, taking everything in. 

He prepares a late afternoon snack for the pups and finds out that the twins love celery and peanut butter, and they can’t drink milk. Which was fine because they requested water with ice, which only makes Steve laugh because the other pups are completely floored. Some of the pups, like Mike and Dustin, are sent to Steve’s with lunches and snacks already packed. Mike’s was always something fancy consisting of bits from the food pyramid, while Dustin’s snack was chocolate pudding and goldfish. 

No judgement on either snack choice, even though Steve never got the chance to be a parent he knows that a fed pup is a happy pup. They were all so active and Steve never let any of them starve. 

But to present them with veggies was questionable and made the twins very interesting. Will sat next to Pippin and quietly watches him chowing on the celery stick before tentatively grabbing one himself. His eyes almost bug out of his head at the crunch and buttery texture, and Steve suspects he likes it. So if Will tries it, that means…

Oh, what a happy surprise. 

First it’s Mike, frowning at the three and Steve isn’t sure if this is anxiety of his place with Will now that he has new friends, if he’s suspicious of the questionable snack, or if this was just Mike’s overall personality with new people. A part of Steve thinks it’s just general Mike, but the young pup surprises him by grabbing a stick and taking a big bite as if by doing so, he was cooler than the new pups. 

Then Lucas and Dustin each take one, the three chewing slowly due to the thickness of the peanut butter. Mike doesn’t seem too impressed and looks to the others to show that it’s not cool as they thought, but the other two just ignore him and munch happily. Lucas questions if the next time they could have crunchy peanut butter because he likes that best, and Dustin theorizes that raisins might taste good, but only if they are the yogurt covered kind. He doesn’t like to see the wrinkles and Steve feels that’s a fair compromise. Honestly he’s just touched that they are enjoying something healthy that’s a bit more filling until it’s close to their dinner time and their parents pick them up. 

Which was soon, he needed them to clean up a little and get their shoes on. He hears a car park outside and looking out the window, sees Joyce’s lime green Ford Pinto parked at the curb. He smiles as she jauntily waves at him while hurrying to the door, the omega was always in a rush to somewhere. However, as soon as she enters the foyer, she takes a deep breath while shrugging off her jacket.

“Work was hell today,” she kicks off her shoes and takes the drink that Robin silently holds out, mouthing a ‘thank you’ as she follows the adults into the kitchen, “Hopper’s going to pick us up in a half hour, is that okay? He says he wants to take us to Enzo’s, isn’t that cute?”

“Oh you can’t go wrong with Enzo’s,” Robin says drily, smirking at Steve as she slides onto a bar stool, “When are you going to put that Alpha out of his misery?”

“Never,” Joyce hums, she lays her delicate hand on her youngest’s thin shoulder and places a kiss on the top of his head, “I’m enjoying this courting thing he’s trying to do. It’s different than how it was with- with Bob. I just. I want this to last, ya know?”

“Meanwhile he looks at you like the sun shines out of-” Steve darts a look at the little eyes and ears gathered at the table, “your eyes. And growls at any man that gets near you, me included. Have you guys…?”

Joyce simpers and rolls her eyes, awkwardly laugh-huffing as she scoots onto her own barstool, “Jesus, Steven. No.” She looks over at the pups and mouths, ‘not yet’, “It’s kind of difficult to do any furniture rearranging with the kids around. Jonathon is a little older and is always out with that alpha Argyle, but he always comes home. And Will is young so. We just don’t get a lot of time to spend together at the house with just us.”

Steve nods, stirring at the red sauce that was going on the ravioli he decided to make for dinner. He hoped that Eddie was up for a bit of company, his inner omega kept whining at the memory of his rangy frame hidden as it was by the dark Henley the alpha was wearing. He has the overwhelming urge to take care of him, of all three of them and if he could help by feeding them then this had better be the best damn pasta he’s ever made. 

He wasn’t showing off, he’d do this for anyone. 

And he was going to keep telling him and his inner omega that. 

“Why don’t we just have a sleepover here? Do either of you have a day off in the near future?”

“…You’d do that for us?”

“Well why not, it sounds like fun!” Robin’s eyes light up and it looks like the gears are already turning, it seems like Steve wouldn’t even have to lift a finger. That was fine, she was great at planning these things and he had such a big house with no one to fill it with. 

He’s long since made peace with that, which was why he offers in the first place. 

He lets the other two omegas plan the sleep over while he gets the pups washed up. Karen arrives to pick up Mike, already whining that he was starving despite eating four celery sticks. She’s onto him and winks at Steve when he calls the pup out for it, thanking him for his help and letting him know he might have another friend visiting soon. 

His chest doesn’t hurt like it used to when he gets that news. 

He hugs her and promises to have tea later in the week so they could talk more about everything. They leave and a few minutes later the Sinclairs arrive with their recent pup. Erica was going to be a delightful menace he can already tell, big brown eyes sharp and observant. Her maternity leave was up soon, and he already has a bassinet and rocking chair ready in his father’s old study. It was the perfect quiet room that they had set up as a nursery, away from the playroom that was set up down the hall. 

He waves his finger at her, laughs as she just scowls back but that was okay because she’ll warm up to him. They all did eventually. 

He liked to think it was his superpower. 

Lucas wanted to stay to talk more with his new friends but at the mention of pizza for dinner he was out the door within seconds. Amazing how food driven these pups were, one would think they were never fed at all. 

Claudia was running a little behind, giving Steve a kiss on the cheek and pressing a plate of cookies into his hands for the pups tomorrow. Dustin had to practically be dragged out the door, reading Steve his riot list of infractions as he saw it and demanding he gets to play with Dart for ‘a whole hour Steve, I’m not kidding’ and that he gets to choose their movie. Both things Steve will definitely let the pup get away with but he told him he’d think about it and if he was good then Steve would let him. Couldn’t let them know how wrapped he was, otherwise it would be anarchy. 

Steve bundled the last three pups on the couch, cheers for Bluey all around. Will shows the twins his big box of crayons which immediately grabs their attention and soon the three are quietly drawing and trading colors. Steve kept his eye on them even as he padded into the kitchen to join the other two omegas at the island. 

Joyce was quiet for a few moments, her keen eyes watching him slowly and carefully stir his signature sauce, “So…making all that sauce just for yourself?”

“No, its for-”

“For Wayne’s alpha nephew,” Robin interrupts him smoothly, giving their friend salacious eyebrows, “He was over here today.”

“Oh!” Joyce’s eyes widen and the two females stare at him in surprise while trying to hold in their laughter, “An alpha you say!”

Steve rolls his eyes before he leans against the counter, “I know it’s been a long time since there has been an alpha in my backyard-”

He snickers at Robin’s ‘I didn’t need to know all of that’, and Joyce’s interested questions- mainly how cute did he look. 

“-but honestly he seemed to be struggling so I figured to keep his pups for a little bit and make them some dinner.” He throws up his hands at their faces, “What? He just moved here I highly doubt-”

“Knock, knock!”

Steve could kiss Hop right now. 

The alpha strides into the kitchen, pristine in his security guard uniform. His eyes looked brighter than ever, his facial hair neatly trimmed, and he was smiling. Joyce and the boys were good for him, the feisty omega was definitely taking care of him or at least inspiring him to take care of himself. It was a very welcome change from the widower alpha that he befriended a long time ago. 

He presses a kiss to Joyce’s temple, who purrs at the contact and patting his arm, “Just in time, Hop. Steve was telling us about the new alpha that just moved in.”

“Oh, Ed’s back?” Hopper rumbles in a deadpan. He moves Joyce’s glass closer, giving it a careful sniff before he shrugs and takes a sip, “Wondered when he was going to realize he needs to settle down. An alpha taking care of two kids and working? Unheard of.”

“Oh come on Hop,” Steve scoffs at him, flicking a dish towel at him for emphasis, “There’s been plenty of single parents all over the place-”

“Yeah and it’s worn Wayne out, can’t imagine how exhausted Eddie is.” 

“Which is why our sweet Steven is making the boy some pasta.”

“Oh?” Hopper shares a mock surprised look with Joyce before looking at Steve excitedly, “Is it your ravioli?” At his nod, Hopper’s eyes roll as he groans, “Kid’s not going to even have a chance. If this doesn’t lock him down-”

“Who says I want to lock him down?-”

“-then the kid is as dumb as I expected.”

“Well you know, for one thing,” Steve doesn’t know why every word he says seems like he’s biting it out. He has no real reason to be irritated by Hopper’s words, he just knows he doesn’t like their implications as good natured as they were, and most certainly didn’t appreciate the alpha shit-talking Eddie when he barely knew the kid. “I just wanted to do something nice, and usually food speaks better than I can. And for another, it’s not like my pasta has locked any alpha down that’s had it so he can rest easy.”

It shouldn’t have sounded as wounded as it did, and honestly, he’s happy just as he is. He doesn’t need an alpha, he doesn’t need a mate, he’s-

He’s lonely as hell but there was nothing that was going to change that, so it’s best not to entertain any wishful thinking even if Eddie looked like sex on legs. 

He’s saved from having to say anything else when the three pups walk into the kitchen, enticed by the delicious smells. Joyce tucks her son into her side, “You ready to go baby?”

He nuzzles into her hair and nods, “I’m getting hungry mama.”

Joyce turns and smiles at Hopper who chuckles, “I guess we better get a move on, same time tomorrow Steve?”

They file out, Robin being the last and offering to stay at least until Eddie gets there. She’s not the greatest at hiding her interest but Steve declines. He can handle two pups and their alpha father, and he knows that though Eddie might have been able to sleep there was no way he would be up to making pleasantries with someone else who was a stranger.

By the time he wrangles her out of the house with promises to call her later, it takes only ten minutes before he hears a short, steady knock at the front door. He has the twins go wash up before he takes the sauce off of the burner. He wipes his hands on the towel he tucks into an apron pocket before hurrying to the door so he doesn’t make the alpha wait. 

And if he thought Eddie looked gorgeous before as exhausted as he was, he looks more angelic after a bit of rest and a shower. He beams at Steve, holding a bouquet of spring flowers and ferns. Steve is momentarily frozen, absolutely touched at not only the gift but at the sparkle in his eyes. He’s wondering if he should call Robin back, only so that he doesn’t make a fool of himself in front of such a handsome alpha. 

“I hope you don’t mind flowers,” Eddie looks down bashfully, completely unlike the other alphas of Steve’s youth and the total disconnect of that thought shocks Steve. “I hate showing up at someone’s house without anything, especially when they’re so nice.”

“Certainly pays to be nice, come in,” Steve steps aside but it seems not far enough as Eddie almost crowds him, brushing gently against him. Steve’s eyelids fluttered at the scent of mahogany, teakwood, and vanilla. His scent is so soothing that it almost makes Steve dizzy. His dazzling smile doesn’t help at all, sharp teeth and deep dimples carved into each side of his charming grin. Steve laughs lightly to dispel the intensity of the moment, “Thank you for the flowers. They’re so beautiful.”

Eddie was still staring at him, his deep eyes twinkling, “Yeah, they’re alright.”

“Daddy!!”

Whatever they were about to say flies away as the twins barrel into Eddie’s midsection, the alpha pretending to be bowled over by his little missiles. He chuckles deeply, mirth rumbling in his chest as he ruffles their curls, “I hope they behaved for you.”

“Oh they were perfect angels!” Steve enthused, stepping back to allow Eddie to take his shoes off while the kids jabbered in practically one breath about their day, “Hey guys why don’t we let daddy get situated, okay?”

Steve ignores the high whine he hears, assuming it’s one of the twins having to quell their chatter for even a moment. He looks over his shoulder to witness the alpha scanning his home and wonders if he likes what he sees. Not that it mattered in any other sense than a parent observing the space where their pup has been. His expression is unreadable but…soft, interested? And did he see his cute nose twitch?

Was he scenting Steve’s den?

Okay, by now Steve knows he needs to reign in his silly thoughts because he was sounding more and more like his friends and that’s just- 

-too much wishful thinking, isn’t it?

Steve smiles as the two pups immediately start setting the table, Eddie leans in the archway to the kitchen in confusion. His nose twitches again, and his whole expression softens as he looks over at Steve, “Is that-”

“I made dinner,” Steve blurts out inelegantly then laughs softly at himself, “I hope that’s okay? I didn’t want to send you guys off hungry, and figured a home cooked meal might be nice after working so hard-”

“It’s perfect,” Eddie rumbled, his head ducking sweetly. Steve’s heart thumps in his chest that such a simple gesture or two would make the alpha so pleased. “I haven’t had real pasta in a long time. It’s been like…Mac and cheese, or that microwave stuff. Something easy you know?”

“I understand,” Steve murmurs gently before he brushes past Eddie to get a vase. “It’s difficult being a single parent, but for what it’s worth you’re doing great-”

He doesn’t realize how close Eddie had drawn, but as he twists around to place the vase on the counter after filling it he’s startled and almost bumps into the alpha. Eddie’s grins, his warm hands covering Steve’s nerveless ones. God, he’s so warm, and his rings are twinkling under the light. His ring finger was bare, but he’s angled in a way that he couldn’t see any mating mark on his neck. 

Not that any of that information should matter to him, Jesus fucking Christ.

“I appreciate you saying that,” all Steve can focus on is the soft rumble of Eddie’s voice, pleased beyond measure that he’s made the alpha happy, “It’s been really difficult with just me, we thought moving back here close to Wayne would be good for us. Seems like that was a great idea.”

Steve hummed in pleasure before turning back to the pasta, trying his best not to infer anything in what Eddie was saying. It does benefit them, they’re closer to family, have a house already, and a neighbor that is already getting attached to the pups. 

Maybe that last part wasn’t exactly a perk but it never hurt to have an omega as a friend at least. 

~*Half an hour ago, next door*~

Eddie was going to hell. The fact he was already in hell didn’t matter at all. No, he was going to a special hell reserved for horny knothead alphas that perv on their sweet omega neighbors.

His sweet, unmated, omega neighbor. 

Speaking of sweet, he’s never smelled someone so good in his whole life.

He smelled like cinnamon rolls, lilacs, fresh linen, springtime. 

He was so nice, snarky with the kids and had such a beautiful tenor voice. And he took care of himself too, got lots of sun by his golden tan speckled with freckles and dotted with moles that were so mesmerizing they were like stars. He wanted to see each one, kiss and lick them to see how each one tasted.

He could see it now, the older omega stretched over the middle of Eddie’s bed-

No, wait. Laying on his back in the middle of his nest, so Eddie could be surrounded by his scent. All for Eddie to mingle his scent with Steve’s, so that he would be forever stamped on the omega’s mind, burrowing like vines deep inside so he couldn’t escape if he wanted to. 

Which he wouldn’t because Eddie was confident he could ruin the omega for anyone else.

Eddie groans as he palms his leaking cock, feeling evil for fantasizing over such a nice and unassuming person. 

He can’t help it, he’s been alone for so long and hasn’t had the pleasure to just exist for a few moments and fucking turn his brain off. He hasn’t been able to fully relax since-

He honestly doesn’t want to think of that right now, so instead he turns onto his side, facing the cracked window. He knows it’s dangerous to do this, knows that it’ll bleed his scent everywhere, probably down the street with how desperate he feels at the moment but he can’t seem to care enough to stop himself. 

All he can think about is curling around his blessedly furry body, sniff at his pits, his neck, trail his tongue over the line of his throat, maybe even nip at it a little. He always liked to test his bedmates, he wanted to see what they liked best because sometimes they were too afraid to say what they really wanted. 

He liked hearing their soft breaths, their moans, sweet little chirps and keens were music to his ears. He couldn’t explain it other than it gave him pleasure to give pleasure, in any way that was. 

He wonders if Steve would tell him what he likes, if he would tell Eddie how to touch him and where, maybe correct him if he does something wrong. Eddie whines, pressing his face into the pillow and stripping his dick. His hips twitch, legs tangling in his sheets and blankets. Eddie wonders how Steve would go about teaching Eddie how best to please him, would he be sweet and tentative? Whisper desperately and maybe cry a little, unable to contain how much he enjoys what Eddie is doing to him? 

Eddie nips at his pillow, his thighs shaking as his toes curl with pleasure. He’s steadily leaking precum all over his fist, the sounds wet, dirty, absolutely filthy accompanied by the chirping birds outside. 

Oh but he’s struck by another thought. 

Steve was older.

“Ohhh fuuuck,” Eddie moans. He presses his face into the pillow and yowls at the thought of Steve taking a more…authoritative approach.

What if he doesn’t bite hard enough? What if he doesn’t lick Steve where he wants him to, stroke him hard enough? Light enough?

“I think you can do better than that, baby. Show Daddy a good time, I might let you be my alpha.”

Oh god and that’s what does it. That’s what sends the bolts of pleasure down his spine, sending his fine hairs on end, his hand wet with precum. 

Or oh god, what if- what if Steve was impatient with him?

“Oh yeahhh, fuck that’s so good-”

He can just imagine it now, Eddie thinking he’s doing great and instead hears an impatient huff and a tsk. 

“Is that it? I can barely feel you. I thought alphas had more bite than this, or is it just you?”

He whines, mauling his pillow, thrusting hard into his squeezing fist. He doesn’t know what he wants, but each fantasy keeps layering over top of the other. He can only imagine Steve’s husky voice, can only wonder about how he would smell full of arousal, on the brink of ecstasy. 

He wants Steve to rake his claws down his back, he wants to bury his face in Steve neck, lick his sweat, nip at his skin near his mating mark-

The thought of claiming an older, experienced omega- that he would even want a young, hyperactive and traumatized alpha was enough to make Eddie cum so hard he blacks out. 

It’s when he wakes up five minutes later, balls tingling cause they’re so drained that Eddie decides he ought to explore this immediate infatuation he has for his neighbor. Was it probably a bad idea? Most likely. Was he going to try and court the older omega? Obviously. Eddie was tired of the younger ones, wanting their own litter and not connecting with his pups. They didn’t understand-

Their youth made them want their own pups, their own family, and some just didn’t want to be settled down with an alpha that’s already gone through it all and worries so much. 

They’ve questioned his alpha orientation constantly because most alphas were straight forward and tough, ready for a fight to protect their mate. And yeah, Eddie was feral enough for all of that but at the end of the day, he needs to be able to lay down his armor at the door. He’s tired of the games and the push-pull that came with them. 

He sighs as he rolls over to stare at his ceiling, questioning why he’s even in this situation. Post nut depression was so strong at the moment so he laughs self deprecatingly at his nonsense fantasies. 

It would be nice to just be friends with him, and maybe if Eddie was lucky, he might consider letting Eddie help him through his heats. 

Does he still go through a heat at his age?

Eddie whines when his sore dick gives a twitch at the thought, and decides to get dressed. No time like the present to find a suitable present for a suitably sweet omega. 

Just a polite thank you gift, nothing more. No one was trying to court anyone. No way. 

~*Present*~

Oh Steve was going to hell. He was going to hell swift and sure like the river that flows into Lover’s Lake. Because how in the hell can Steve just sit at the table normal as can be when Eddie is across from him and-

God, moaning. 

“Oh my god, Steve,” there he goes again, Jesus- Eddie’s dark eyes even roll into the back of his head while he chews, “This is so good. Where did you learn to cook like this? How do you not have your own restaurant?”

Steve laughs lightly at how enthusiastic and rapid fire his questions were. Normally someone talking with their mouth full bothers Steve to no end but Eddie made it seem so endearing. He was so pleased he liked the food, even the pups were so focused on eating that they didn’t once ask to watch something while they ate- almost unheard of in Steve’s line of work. 

“Well my grandmother was from Italy,” Steve supplies, thinking to just leave it there because there’s no way Eddie was that interested. He blushes when Eddie just nods at him, takes a drink of his water and gestures for him to continue, “Oh um- she taught me everything I know, really. My parents were very busy so I stayed with her a lot growing up, and I learned a lot. She wanted to have her own restaurant but being from the old country, omegas never really had property of their own, it’s all done through the alpha and her husband wanted her to focus on family.”

Eddie rolls his eyes at that, “I never understood that honestly, I know a lot of omegas who are incredibly business savvy. I hate the restrictions that are put on omegas. You have far more worth than being baby factories.”

Steve doesn’t think he could possibly like Eddie more than he already does and then he goes and says something like that. They barely know each other and logically he knows that Eddie might not believe what he says- he’s seen it before with lonesome alphas wanting to find an easy and amenable omega. He wants to believe Eddie isn’t like that because he was raised by Wayne who Steve has always believed was a stand up alpha. 

“I’ve never had the chance to really explore either option,” He says it easily, even though his throat wants to close up. He says it doesn’t hurt anymore, but then he hears a giggle, or scents the sweet smell of a new pup, or sees the proud smile of an alpha and it just floods back to how broken he is. He plasters on a smile anyway and takes a cleansing drink of his water, “unclaimed omegas can’t own property unless it’s inheritance, and unable to own a business full stop. My parents left me this house, and I love pups so the private daycare made the most sense to me.”  

“How are you still unmated?”

Steve knows the question is either rhetorical or entirely unbidden, because his dark eyes widen in alarm, “I am so sorry, you don’t have to answer that at all, just me and my big dumb mouth.”

“It’s okay,” It’s not, they both know it, but Steve is mollified by the fact that Eddie just shoves more food to keep from talking. But then by doing so, he’s lost in the heady flavors of garden grown tomatoes, crisp herbs, buttery pasta and savory seasoned filling. He hears a high whine and knows now that it's one of the alpha’s extremely pleased noises. Steve shifts in his seat, wanting to whimper back in answer. God this is ridiculous, “I’m unmated because I…I can’t have pups.”

It’s silent in the kitchen other than the ticking of the clock and the twins munching on their food. Eddie’s chewing slows, his eyes bright. He blinks rapidly and looks down at his half-empty plate and inhales long and slow. But he doesn’t want to hear Eddie say ‘I’m sorry’ again, or god forbid, ‘this was a mistake’. He’s heard it all before so he continues, “We-my fiancé and I tried but after the third time it didn’t work out we decided that…that um, it was best to just l-leave it. He stayed for a-a while longer but another, younger omega came along so-”

“Hey pups,” Eddie interrupts smoothly and the twins look up at him in varying stages of cleanliness. He smiles fondly at them, faint lines winging away from the corners of his eyes. Steve’s heart thumps hard in his chest at the sight, “Why don’t you two go to the bathroom and clean up? Let me and Steve talk?”

“Can we play with Dart, Dada?”

Dada. God, his heart hurts. 

“Yeah, that’s absolutely fine,” Steve wheezes out as he nods to the overflowing basket of dog toys. He doesn’t care if they use all of them, Dart would be in heaven and he could have the Staffy pick them up later, it was a little game they played. “He likes to run and catch the toys so go ahead and toss them around, he’ll love it.”

They wait until the twins stomp back into their shoes and zoom out the door, Dart already woofing at them happily. The door slides shut and all outside noise is muffled. Steve sets his fork down, not like he was eating any of it beforehand, being distracted as he was by Eddie’s enjoyment of the food. 

“I’m sorry,” Eddie started, waving away Steve’s immediate acquiescence. He takes his hand and yes they are still just as warm with callouses and Steve savors the comforting touch from an alpha that he hasn’t felt in a long time. “My mouth got away from me and you deserve more respect than that. I know better than to ask probing questions like that when it’s…difficult to answer them myself.” 

Eddie bites his lip and still Steve wants to say something but he’s caught in the moment, Eddie’s sharp white teeth sinking into his soft bottom lip. He’s struck with the desire to do that himself, even has the words hey that’s my job on the tip of his tongue. Instead he stays frozen as Eddie catches his eye, “Can I maybe… start over with you? I appreciate everything you’ve done and I’ve been so thoughtless. You deserve better than that.”

Why? 

Why is he still touching him, speaking so softly, even letting out a low rumbling purr? 

Normal alphas didn’t do that, not to an old omega that couldn’t even do the one thing they were created for. Steve was so confused, but then Eddie’s scent washes over him and he relaxes despite all reason to retreat. 

“I-I don’t know what you mean-”

Eddie takes a deep inhale through his nose before he leans forward, close enough for Steve to see the spray of freckles over his nose. God he has so many freckles.

“Hi.” The alpha says sweetly, a soft smile stretching across his face and displaying his charming dimples, “I’m Eddie Munson, Wayne Munson’s nephew. I just moved into the house next door a few days ago and things have been an absolute rollercoaster. My pups love your dog and tell me everyday how pretty your flowers look.”

He feels a warmth in his chest that he hasn’t felt since… well since he met Eddie and his pups. There was something about the surprise, the interest in these two little fairy pups drifting into his life, dragging along their sire that for all accounts is the sweetest alpha Steve’s ever met. And he’s still looking at him with interest in his dark eyes. 

“Well hello, Eddie.” Steve murmurs back, trying his best and probably failing at hiding his blush, “My name’s Steve Harrington, I’ve lived in Hawkins all my life and run a private daycare for hardworking parents from morning til evening. Your pups are truly the sweetest, they were a joy to watch today. We learned a lot about each other and I look forward to more.”

They talked well into the evening, the standard daycare interview questions evolved into stories about the pups, a tour of the public parts of the daycare he ran in his home. Steve added the pups to his roster, and together they decorated their new bins for their personal items, added Eddie’s schedule into his calendar and assembled breakfast for the next day with the twin’s help. He was impressed at how independent they were, and chalked that up to their alpha sire’s parenting. 

When the surface questions were answered, it seems as though Eddie felt more comfortable divulging more about them.

Eddie twists the wine glas between his fingers before he quietly says, “I used to have a mate. Her name was Chrissy, we grew up here in Hawkins when my parents moved here in middle school.”

The name ‘Chrissy’ jogs his memory, Wayne had talked of her and Eddie often when they would hang out after Bowling Night. It was always in past tense, gruffly and choked, sheen of tears in his eyes. They’d change the subject and often to the pups. Steve nods as he takes a careful from his own glass, “I heard Wayne talk about her sometimes, were you two married?” 

Eddie leans back and chuckles, “Oh had to be, really. It mainly was like, to piss her parents off? And man, were they pissed. Chrissy was their eldest and had so much pressure just heaped on her and in our senior year it just got so… I don’t know, worse I guess?”

He sighs and takes a drink before continuing, eyes a little far away and Steve just wants to take him into his arms. The more he talks about her, the younger he seems, slipping into that teen pup he used to be. It makes Steve’s heart ache because he knows what it’s like not being accepted, to have so much pressure heaped on his shoulders, feeling alone. 

“So we started talking a lot after lunch. I had a free period and I spent that time making deals at that picnic table-”

“Oh my god, I know just the one!” Steve slaps the table and laughs, causing the alpha to laugh along with him, “I used to meet up with Reefer Rick-”

”I worked for him!”

”Well, small world.”

”I’ll say,” Eddie chuckles and shrugs, “Anyway we were like, fast friends. Then one day after a real important game, for both of us really, I took her back to my place cause she was having problems with her boyfriend and…well, two young hormonal teens late at night…”

”Obviously playing a rousing game of Life.”

Eddie barks out a laugh, “And how. Man, when she found out we were pupped it was chaos. Her parents were so mad, and kicked her out, so I said ‘fuck it, let’s get married’ and next weekend we went out to Vegas. It was ridiculous, but for a while we were really happy.”

The smile fades, the edges softening to something more melancholy and wistful, “She would have really loved to see them so happy. We- I lost her, when the twins were born. There were so many complications and she was so hard on herself for so long that her little body was just worn out.”

Steve takes his hand, squeezing it in sympathy, “I’m so sorry, Eddie. That had to have been the most difficult thing to do, taking care of two small pups and mourning. You are so incredibly strong, your pups are fantastic and Chrissy would be so proud of you.”

Eddie’s eyes are bright and misty, he gives Steve a watery smile and a quiet thank you. They sit together and enjoy the wine, watching the pups run back and forth, Dart huffing with his tongue lolling out and having the time of his life. 

“They’re going to sleep good tonight, I’ve never seen them this hyped.”

Steve smiles over the rim of his glass, “Dart has a special power, saps energy from rambunctious pups.”

”I’m sure in about ten minutes they’ll be completely knocked out, we haven’t had such good food in a while.”

Steve wants to question what exactly the young alpha has been feeding them but chooses not to. He doesn’t want to offend him, and questioning his food choices might put him off. No matter, that’s what Steve was there for now, attempt to reign in his lust while feeding the alpha nourishment. 

Simple. Easy-peasy. 

They say their goodbyes at the front door, Eddie easily carrying the slowing blinking pups in his arms. The younger alpha dithers at the door, seemingly unwilling to leave but knowing he should. Eddie chuckles at a loudly yawning Pippin, “I’d better get these guys to bed. But uhhh- do you like coffee?”

Steve laughs at the abrupt turn of conversation, “Yeah I do enjoy coffee, why?”

Eddie shakes his head, hitching Merry a little higher in his arms, “No reason. Have a good night, Steve. I’ll see you in the morning.”

”Goodnight, Eddie. Sweet dreams.”

And maybe that was a little too forward for Steve to say to him but Eddie’s smile twists, his eyes traveling all over Steve as he purrs, “Oh they will be now.”

Steve shuts the door swiftly, shutting away the dirty cackle erupting from the alpha as he strolls away with bleary-eyed pups. His heart is hammering in his chest and he suddenly realizes why Hopper called the young alpha ‘trouble’.

*

Steve assumes that Eddie is just an affectionate person. Some alphas just never grew out of their pup-like exuberance, and he’s heard enough stories about Eddie from Wayne that told him of a very tactile creature that never grew out of his feral-like energy. And he isn’t complaining about the gentle way he hovers, the soft brush of his fingers when they pass each other the pups or other items, or that Steve notices every time Eddie’s nose twitches in the air whenever Steve is near. It’s sweet, Steve likes it. 

It’s just-

Steve is confused because this is the way an alpha would treat an omega that they are interested in. And Steve has been around a varied amount of alphas to know that they don’t act as buoyant as Eddie does, especially not around omegas. They’re more on alert, more authoritative. Even when Hopper was relaxed, happily toasted, there was always a buzz of danger- of alarm, as if the alpha was forever watchful of unseen foes. 

Eddie was a wrecking ball of chaos, in the most endearing way. 

It’s not just the way he acts around Steve either, he’s polite and respectful to the other omegas he meets at Steve’s upon pick up and drop off. Not once does he let his eyes linger on their forms, even the unmated ones, even the ones that show blatant interest in Eddie. Karen. No, the other omegas could be betas as far as how Eddie acted around them. But around Steve? 

Around Steve it was like there was an almost laser focus on the omega, everything revolved around Steve and his needs. The alpha would fetch and carry, even assist with the other pups just to continue to talk to Steve, to extend any amount of time he could before he had to go to Wayne’s, home, or work.

And then there were the gifts. 

Little ones, like coffee in the morning. Every morning. His absolute favorite in fact, from the coffeeshop down the street that Steve barely had enough time to get to in the morning. It was perfect every single time: A venti Caramel Macchiato, extra espresso, sugar free, with nonfat milk and extra caramel. Handing it over with a wink and an excuse ‘see they always make my order wrong, I can’t drink lactose milk. Looks like you’ll have to have this one, sweetheart.’

Then there is the evening tea, once again from his favorite coffee shop. First it was Jasmine tea with little squares of chrysanthemums and honey. Then it was Rose tea with orange peel and honey. Steve would always accept them with a smile, a soft thank you, and when Eddie would wink then go to assemble his pups Steve would take the lid off to watch the little balls of tea, flowers, and honey bloom and unfurl.  

Every Friday he brings Steve flowers, always with the excuse that it’s a thank you for getting through the week with his feral pups. Every Friday Steve would laugh and invite them to stay for pizza, or chicken, or pasta. Each and every time Eddie would accept, and it would be another night of chatting, feet knocking together, soft laughter in the golden light of the kitchen while the kids would chase Dart or cuddle with him in the living room and all three watching Bluey. 

Every Monday, Eddie and the pups would bring him a stone from the forest to where Steve had his very own goblin stash of pebbles, rocks and crystals from all around Hawkins. He keeps them in a small jar in his kitchen, smiles at it every time he sees it sitting next to his coffeemaker. He only has to use it now on the weekends. 

If it’s not the closeness, the gentle touches, the gifts, it’s Eddie forgetting pieces of his clothing almost every time he visits. First it was a hoodie that Steve questioned the thought process behind because the weather had been so warm, so why would the naturally hot blooded alpha need a hoodie? 

Next was a t-shirt he stripped out of while assisting with Steve’s car, knowing a startling amount of information of the care and upkeep for Steve’s particular model of Beemer. Suspiciously, as if he was doing research on the vehicle anyway, because his car was made before the alpha was a glimmer in his sire’s eye. After he was done, covered in delicious fragrant sweat and oil, he wiped the excess off the best he could and went to take a shower at his place before helping Steve with dinner that night. He never asked for the shirt back, and Steve meant to put it in the wash. For some strange reason instead of flinging it in the wash along with all the other clothes, Steve couldn’t make his fingers release the soft, fragrant material. 

He cursed himself for being a sap as he stuffed the shirt underneath his pillow. Eddie didn’t have to know, no one had to know because no one other than himself and Robin ever went into his bedroom to begin with. 

He soon finds himself with quite the collection: a hoodie, his t shirt, a pair of outdoor boots appears on his front porch, work gloves appear in his shed, a blanket with bats printed all over redolent with his scent, wooly socks that Merry refused to take off even though they went over her skinny knees, and an oversized cardigan that Pippin wrapped himself in one morning. 

He wants to believe in giving Eddie the benefit of the doubt that it’s just forgetfulness because these things happen, but in just the last two weeks it’s become almost too coincidental. He can’t say that he doesn’t like it, because Steve actually misses the young alpha when he wasn’t around. 

Steve has grown used to seeing Eddie and the pups every morning, hearing the purring timbre of his voice every evening. His chest aches with yearning, but he chalks that up to the heats that have gone away officially a few years ago. His doctors told him that the feelings might still crop up every now and then, and more frequent around an alpha, but not to take any stock in it. 

Not that Steve ever had. 

So he chooses not to see what’s so glaringly obvious right in front of him, for fear of being wrong. It’s better in the long run, for both of them. 

*

“Robin, you’re killing me.” Steve groans, not just because his best friend has uttered the most ridiculous thing to-date, but his lower back had been cramping since early that morning and he just wasn’t in the mood for her insanity.

“It kills you to admit that I’m right, I get it.”

He directs a glare over his shoulder and sets the pan of brownies onto the stovetop, rubbing at the muscle with his other hand, “I highly doubt my twenty-five year old neighbor is trying to court me. That is the most ridiculous thing-”

“How can you doubt when you were literally sipping his courting tea not five seconds ago?”

“For one thing, do me a favor and don’t call it courting tea.” Steve rolls his eyes as he stretches to get the icing from the cabinet and holds in the hiss of pain. He sets the little tub on the counter and adjusts his glasses to glare at her all the clearer, “For another, Eddie is just a sweet young dad who is being nice to the old babysitter.”

“Will you stop being so mean to yourself?” He doesn’t expect the loud smack of her palm on the island, nor the rare fit of anger he can see sparking in her dark blue eyes, “So what if you’re older? Maybe he likes that kind of thing, would that be so wrong?”

He can’t really answer that. Because a part of him knows that he is objectively as old as Eddie’s father, so there should be no reason for Steve to entertain that thought. And even if he would-

God, he doesn’t want to think about it. All it does is just twist his insides with want, makes him weak at the knees-

He really needs to stop thinking about Eddie. There was no sense in putting his body into a false heat. He wasn’t twenty anymore, there wasn’t a handy alpha at the ready to get him through-

He absolutely squashes the idea of broaching that with Eddie. 

Rejection sickness was like a hangover but tenfold for him at this age, and Steve couldn’t risk that, not with the pups. They and their parents needed him. It was time to stop acting like a wanton omega and time to start acting like the adult he is. 

“It’s just best to not even entertain it, Robs. He’s young, lots of pretty omegas out there to choose from.”

“None of them are you though.”

Logically, yeah. He gets that. But a mean voice agrees, and also supplies that not many omegas were easy access for childcare, that by schmoozing an old, lonely omega would jump at the chance to get romanced by a young, virile alpha it would be so easy to get them to agree to anything. It was an awful thought, but it was there, and he was too afraid to extinguish it for fear it was true. 

He doesn’t want to believe that of Eddie. 

“Have you ever considered that maybe- just maybe, Eddie might want that?” Robin’s eyebrows climbed up her forehead, “That maybe having an older mate gives stability and peace for him and his pups. You know, not a lot of young omegas are willing to share their nest with another’s pups. Or if they do, it’s different.”

That gives him pause. He doesn’t want to admit it, but the thought was so… so hopeful. Sweet. 

He squeezes his eyes shut as he feels a strong pulse in his lower belly. He’s oddly glad that the pups will be picked up soon because all he wants to do is to soak in the tub for at least an hour. 

But that wasn’t happening any time soon. 

“As much as I’d like to join your thought train, I unfortunately live in the real world where I’m not that lucky.”

Robin rolls her eyes before she wipes it away to smile at a pup that wants her attention. He knows it's not the last he’s going to hear of this,  especially when she sends a look at him as she’s led away. 

It’s Friday, which means he’ll have the whole weekend to himself unless Joyce needs him. Hopper tries his best to get the weekends off, but with his line of work in security it’s inevitable that he would have to be called in on an off day.

It also means Flower Day, and Steve was thinking about grilling the chicken but with the way his back feels he’s thinking a call for pizza is in order. He hopes Eddie won’t mind, he’s just so tired, and so hot-

Jesus, hot flashes. Getting old was for the birds. 

Soon the pups were picked up except for the twins who had by now learned the drill: pick up their toys, put the cushions back where they were supposed to go no matter how much we love the pillow fort, and while Merry insists on watering Dart, Pippin has to put the kibble in his bowl.

He is grateful for the help, and what makes it more special is that they like doing it. They help each other and giggle, they take their time dragging the cushions but that’s to be expected with young pups. He didn’t even mind that Merry sloshed the bottled water a little, because Dart was right beside her to lap it up. Pippin did much better at scooping the kibble and slowly emptying the cup into his bowl. Dart supervised the entire time, forever watchful for a stray kibble to fly his way.

He looked so hopeful, blinking at his bowl and then looking sweetly at the boy. He chose the wrong child because Pippin is adamant that he follows Steve’s instructions exactly, cautious of causing any harm to come to the dog. Steve wants to assure the pup that the most that would happen is that there would be backyard issue at most but he felt it best not to cause Pippin anymore anxiety. 

Sure enough just as they finished putting away the supplies, Steve hears the front door open, “Hullo! Hope you guys are hungry!”

The pups scamper to the door and Steve hears the soft thumps of Eddie’s shoes being kicked off. He hears Eddie’s soft, wheezy laughter before he grouses, “Hey come on, y’all, let me get through-”

Steve shakes his head as he tests the brownies, his brow furrowing when he hears Eddie seem to skitter to a stop. Wiping his sweat beaded brow he turns to see Eddie standing stock-still in the doorway, a couple long bags in his grasp. Steve’s nose twitches, his belly grumbling as he realizes that Eddie picked up Subway. Oh god he could maul a sub, sink his teeth in the meat-

To his utter horror he realizes that he’s actually growling.

What the hell is going on?!

But Eddie’s not moving. He’s standing in the archway, the pups pressing at his back because they’re entranced by the smell of food. He’s gripping the edges of the wall with white tipped fingers, claws almost popping out. Steve can see his chest moving with his deep breaths, soft lips dropping open so he can… So he can taste the air. 

Steve shivers, but stays rooted to the spot. The energy in the kitchen crackles, this hasn’t happened to Steve in so long. He hasn’t been stared at quite so intensely, no alpha had been this interested to taste the air around him. 

Eddie edges around the archway, inching towards the phone hung on the wall and keeps the island in between them. The pups follow him closely, Merry jumping up to catch his attention and Pip’s watching the bag of subs like an absolute hawk. The boy may be very quiet most of the time, and cautious, but when it comes to food no one is safe. 

His shaking fingers knock the phone from its cradle, and Merry makes a very unimpressed face before she grabs it to hold it up for him. Steve grips the counter behind him, the growl still rumbling through his chest, sweating profusely, his lower abdomen cramping hard with every whiff of Eddie’s scent that crosses his super sensitive nose. 

Eddie is staring at him as he dials, holding it up to his ear until the other person picks up, “Wayne. I need you to come over to Steve’s and pick up the pups. No, they’re fine. No, I’m fin- yeah. Yeah, I’m going to take care of it. Just for a couple of days. Thanks, appreciate it- just no fucking ice cream every night, it gives Merry gas-”

”DADDY!” Merry is incensed, and normally Steve would laugh but he just can’t. 

Eddie’s sending the kids to Wayne’s? But why?

“I’m going to take care of it.” Take care of what exactly?

Oh god soon it’s going to just be Steve and Eddie. Eddie and Steve. Together. In his house. 

Alone. 

With each other. 

Shitshitshit-

Steve is in a fog, standing in the hallway while Eddie calmly sends the pups to the bathroom to wash their hands. He is the picture of ‘everything’s fine’ despite Steve’s growling and thickly blooming scent. Steve is in a daze as he hears a loudly rumbling engine outside, he watches Eddie twitch the curtain to the side and nodding in approval. 

The pups crowd around him whining that they are starving, yipping at the rustling bags and Eddie just smiles at them, motioning them to the door, “Hey guys come over here, I need to talk to you.”

“But daddy we’re hungry! The meatballs are callin’ my name!”

Merry is funny, but Steve needs the pups to go and immediately.

Eddie crouches down to get to their eye level and speaks gently, “I’m going to have you guys spend some time with Gruncle Wayne for a couple days.”

“Why?”

He smiles at Pippin, adjusting his jacket over his slim shoulders, “Well because Gruncle Wayne misses you guys jumping on him in the morning, and Daddy and Steve need to rearrange some furniture and it’s best that you guys steer clear for all that. Does that sound okay?”

Rearrange furniture Eddie is going to be the death of Steve. And also? Little presumptuous.

The pups seem fine with the change of weekend plans, giving their sire a hug, wishing Steve a happy weekend, snagging the bag of their subs before running up to Wayne who was leaning against his truck. At the sight of the pups, Wayne stubs out his cigarette and his craggy features smooth into a huge smile. He hunkers down as they run up to him, chirping and yipping happily to launch themselves in his waiting arms. 

It stabs Steve’s heart in the best way. 

Wayne shuttles them into their seats, making sure their belts are buckled before he waves at the two adults with a shit-eating grin, “Have fun ‘rearranging furniture’ kids!”

Steve kind of hates and loves Wayne. Knows he’s going to have an earful when he sees him again. 

Then… it’s just Eddie and Steve. 

Steve and Eddie.

A l o n e.

Eddie shuts the door almost soundlessly, turning slowly and sinking his teeth into his bottom lip. Steve sees the muscles working in his jaw and long neck as he swallows. He backs away as Eddie slowly stalks forward until he’s stopped by the counter behind him. Eddie skirts around the island, leaving the rest of their food on the glossy surface until he’s in Steve’s space. 

He rests his hands on either side of Steve’s and leans in close, “You’re in-”

“No,” Steve shakes his head in denial, “there’s no way I’m in heat, the doctors said-”

He breaks off at Eddie’s deep hum, startled into silence as he leans even closer, running the tip of his nose over Steve’s neck. He’s scenting him, Steve can feel his warm, moist breath on his skin and feels the tingling bush of Eddie’s lips over his throat. The omega shakes with desire and nerves, screaming to yank him upstairs to his nest.

“The doctors apparently don’t know shit about omegas, because honey you smell too good for this to be a false heat.” His voice deepened, sounding like melted honey, a soothing balm to Steve raw nerves, “Let me help you, omega. I’ll be so good.”

“It’s not that I don’t want your help,” Steve is floundering. Waves of heat keep battering at him, and Eddie’s closeness, his scent, his offer is making him flood with slick for the first time in years. Eddie makes it incredibly difficult for Steve to say ‘no’. He huffs at the breathy whine his words evoke, “I’m sure you would make any young omega feel-”

“I don’t want any ‘young omega’ I want you.”

He says the words so firmly, so adamantly that Steve wants to believe him. But-

“You don’t have to be so kind with me, Eddie. This is just because there hasn’t been an unmated alpha around in a while, it’ll fade in time and you won’t feel so obligated-”

“Ob-obligated?” Eddie rears back, dark eyes searching Steve’s face for some kind of clarity. Already Steve can see the answering flush in Eddie’s face and he regrets throwing Eddie into a false rut over him. His brow furrows, “I’m not obligated at all. I thought- I thought you understood how I feel about you?”

How can Steve understand when he hasn’t said it?

“Eddie-”

“No, no! Don’t ‘Eddie’ me,” Eddie yips at Steve’s tone, taking offense at Steve sounding like he knows better than him, “I know you think you know what’s best for me here, Steve, but honestly? You really don’t. I’ve wanted you since we first met. I don’t give a shit about age, or whatever is in your head right now. I want you. Don’t you get I’ve been courting you this whole time?”

Fuck, Robin was right. 

He’ll never be able to live any of this down now. 

“You mean-”

“Steve, I memorized the manual on your Beemer the first week. I’ve left clothes, even got the pups-”

“You’re evil!” Steve hisses at him, finding it very hard to keep distance from the mischievous alpha, “I should have known, Pippin runs too hot to need that fluffy blanket.”

Eddie just smirks, crowds closer, purring as their bodies brush, “See? Now you know. I want you, my omega. Want to make you mine.”

Steve trembles, daring to pry his hands from the counter to tentatively skate his fingertips down his clothed chest. It was so warm, already damp with sweat. He could hear the faintest whine from Eddie, so keyed up and responsive. Steve’s never encountered such a response, it was incredibly ego boosting. “I just can’t see how an alpha like you would want me.”

“Let me have you? Please?” Eddie nuzzles under his jaw, pressing Steve into the counter. The motion would have hurt but all Steve can feel is the tremors of arousal, the hot bar of Eddie’s hard cock digging into his hips. “I’ll be so good for you, please omega.”

As much as Steve feels like he’s going to end up regretting putting his heart out on the line like this, but his body is more than ready to make his decisions for him. And honestly, when was the last time he had such an attractive alpha after him?

A long fucking time and he wasn’t able to do math at the moment. 

Steve can only nod, whimpering as Eddie risks a nip to his jaw, “O-Okay. Show me?”

Eddie shivers, whines into the sensitive skin of his neck as his hands run down the front of Steve’s shirt. He presses his lips along his neck, the omega overwhelmed as it feels like Eddie is consuming him already and he hasn’t even taken anything off yet. He snakes a lean thigh through Steve’s, groaning at the hot, slick dampened material. “So fucking wet already-”

“It’s been a long time,” Steve whispers, daring to cradle the back of Eddie’s head as he tastes his collarbones, unbuttoning his shirt to get more skin under his hungry mouth.

“Not for too much longer,” Eddie’s hands were busy, plucking at the buttons and distracting Steve as he buttons his jeans. He whines as the alpha to pull back, Eddie crooning gently at him as he slides his jeans off completely. The scent of his slick makes Eddie’s eyelids flutter, leaning his forehead on his shoulder Eddie whimpers, “You smell so fucking good. God, where have you been all my life?”

Steve’s laugh is more of a happy pant, the alpha’s fingertips are playing at the waistband of his boxers and he can barely think, “Here, I’ve been here, Eddie please-”

He gasps when his fingers dip under the flimsy material, sliding through his damp curls to run the tips along his slit. Eddie purrs as he teases, chuckling softly when Steve’s hands clench in his hair and whole body trembling at his touch, “Do you know what you smell like?”

God Steve’s not sure if he wants to know, but he has a feeling that Eddie is going to tell him, and it’s going to be the death of him.

Sure enough, Eddie licks a long stripe up his throat and nibbles on his ear lobe before he says, “You smell like fresh cut flowers, honey and spring and I haven’t been able to escape it even if I wanted to.”

Steve’s in utter disbelief because yeah, he’s been told he smells good before, but never like this. Like it was a secret, something just for them and not something to just mollify him into getting knotted. He exhales shakily when Eddie sinks to his knees, cups his hips and leans close to bury his face in Steve’s groin. 

He doesn’t know where to put his hands, can only clutch at his broad shoulders as Eddie roots through the thin, damp material. He mouths and plays his teeth along delicate skin everywhere but where Steve’s aching for the most.

“I could bathe in your slick, fuck its so sweet.” He tips his head back, face sheened with sweat and Steve’s slick, his eyes blown and far away, “Let me taste you.”

It was a request but feels more than that, it holds more weight and as much as he wants to use his words, Steve’s speechless. He nods, glasses fogging from heat and sweat and he wants to take them off but then he can’t watch Eddie pull down his boxers to expose swolllen cocklette and pussy to the cool air of the kitchen. 

Eddie doesn’t waste any time and dives forward, licking a hot stripe over his core to swirl around his cocklette, then dipped down to suck on his clit. The air is punched out of Steve’s lungs, all he can do is clutch a handful of Eddie’s soft hair and the counter, knees weak at the alpha’s enthusiasm. 

“I knew it,” Eddie pants hot and moist, fingers dipping in through Steve’s pussy lips to encourage more slick to flow, “I knew you’d taste as sweet as you smell.”

Steve’s legs are quivering, so Eddie guides a thigh over his shoulder and holds on to his hip to stabilize him. Steve’s never felt so fucking exposed, and in his kitchen. Where he makes waffles and coffee-

“Oh fucking god!” Steve wails as Eddie dives back in to nibble gently at his folds, lapping at his clit before suckling his cocklette between his lips. Eddie slowly pumps his finger inside, growling and whining as he works Steve’s body with his tongue and fingers. 

Soon the kitchen is thick with the spicy sweet murkiness of their combined arousal, heady with slick wet sounds making Steve feel so fucking filthy and yet so alive. It’s been so long since an alpha has taken him in hand (and mouth- Jesus) that it doesn’t take long for Steve to start quivering, mewling as his pleasure climbs higher with each sweet swipe of Eddie’s tongue. 

“Please, Eddie, fuck I can’t-”

”Yeah, Stevie, yeah you can. Cum on me,” Eddie rasps, adding another finger and plunging deep, spreading them inside, “Cum on my face omega. Let the others smell you all over me.”

He lets out a yelp of surprise when Steve shoves his face back to his pussy, riding his soft tongue and keening at the vibrations of Eddie’s laughter. Steve doesn’t have it in him to feel embarrassed or appalled at the thought of Karen fucking Wheeler smelling Steve’s slick all over this charming alpha’s face. He groans, shivering while Eddie hooks his fingers, finding that sweet hidden spot that makes Steve’s hips snap forward. He cums, squirting over Eddie’s victorious face and hair at the thought that after this weekend, Eddie’s going to smell like his. 

His alpha. 

He catches his breath, finding himself in Eddie’s lap while the alpha rubs his back. Eddie’s neck is moist and tacky, but Steve still tucks his face to breathe in their mingled scents waiting for his heartbeat to slow down. His face burns when Eddie laughs softly, “Well who knew this sweet little omega was so territorial?”

“Stahp,” Steve snickers. He feels some of the desperation ebb, even though he’s throbbing, feeling empty without- god, without Eddie’s long fingers inside him. Steve tips his head back to peek at the most satisfied smirk he thinks he’s ever seen grace Eddie’s rangy face, “Says the alpha that’s been leaving his clothes everywhere. No wonder why Hopper’s been sniffing and frowning at me.”

“Oh Hopper’s always grumpy,” Eddie assures flippantly. Without any sound at all, Eddie lifts them to his feet. He snickers as Steve yelps and wraps his limbs around him like an absolute shit, “Want to tell me where your nest is at, so I can take better care of you?”

“Better… care… ?”

Eddie nods slowly, smiling when Steve mirrors the action still lost in post nut fog, “Yeah I mean, you gotta eat and might want to take a bath after I’m through with you.”

“Oh.”

He lays his head on Eddie’s shoulder and quietly directs him around the corner, down the hall, up the stairs, and down another hall to the master bedroom. He breathes a sigh of relief at Eddie’s hum of approval; taking in the thick, deep red carpet, his mirrored closet taking up a whole wall right beside his bed, the big windows with the breeze wafting in. Sure it was a little dated, very eighties, but Eddie didn’t seem to care at all. He strides to the bed and gently lays Steve down right in the middle. Laying a quick peck on the tip of his nose he pulls back, “How do you feel?”

Steve sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, feeling ridiculous even as he says it, “Empty.”

Eddie’s eyes widen and it’s so comical how quickly he stumbles backward, struggling to get out of his clothes as fast as possible. Steve slips off his shirt, feeling the heat reach his face again that this is his last bit of armor before he’s fully exposed. It doesn’t seem to bother Eddie in the slightest, his eyes roving all over Steve’s form while he kicks off his jeans and underwear all in one go. 

So lean and sexy standing at the end of Steve’s bed, Eddie lets Steve look his fill. Skin so smooth and pale, littered with tattoos and freckles. His nipples are pierced and pebble under the cool air, sparse hair trailing from his belly button to a nest of neatly trimmed dark pubic hair framed by slim hips. 

Steve gulps at the sight of Eddie’s hard cock, his shaft thick and long with veins running along the length. The head was the softest rosy hue, already leaking, glimmering in the low light of his room. Steve’s mouth floods with saliva, releasing more slick at the thought of having that monster inside him. 

Eddie’s grin stretches seeing Steve press his thighs together, almost feral as he crawls along Steve’s body to get to his lips. Hovering over Steve he cocks his head, looking like an excited puppy, “As much as I want to bury myself right now, I really want to kiss you. Can I?”

He’s so sweet, talking so dirty, taking him apart in his kitchen, lifting him carefully in his arms and asks to kiss him so innocently. Steve cups his face, heart thumping wildly when Eddie relaxes and nuzzles at his palm. He pulls him close, making a happily creaking noise having Eddie’s full weight press him into the bed. Their noses brush, then their lips before Eddie kisses him once, twice so gently it makes Steve gasp at the tenderness. Eddie whimpers, pressing his hips closer, cock trailing precum over Steve’s hairy belly. 

It makes Steve feel braver, more secure knowing that Eddie isn’t going to leave, that he actually wants him. He slides his free hand from Eddie’s shoulder down his side to brush his fingertips along the dragon curling in black ink over Eddie’s slim hip. The alpha shivers, shifting his body to let Steve curl a hand around his hot length.

“God, Steve,” Eddie whines, arching his back to press into his hand, “Your hand, fuck feels so good.”

Steve can’t say anything because just as soon as Eddie says it he surges forward, taking his mouth with the same gusto as he did going down on him. Steve can taste his own slick mingling with Eddie’s saliva, moaning as Eddie sucks on his tongue, and nibbling at his lips. 

“Please,” Eddie begs brokenly into Steve’s neck, “Please let me fuck you, let me knot you, make you feel good, IswearI’llmakeyoufeelsogood-”

And fuck Steve feels so incredibly powerful, having such a virile alpha sobbing to knot him. He remembers back to his youth, such hurried nights, some stupidly confident alphas and how much Steve wasted his desperation on them. He’s struck by this gift of an alpha, someone more focused on what Steve wants than to just take. 

He shushes Eddie, cooing at him and claiming his trembling with gentle touches, “You can have me, but you gotta calm down a little, sweet one. So worked up you might cum as soon as you get inside and then where will I be?”

Eddie whines instead of answering, but Steve asked him a question and he’s answered every one of the alpha’s so it’s only fair that he catches Eddie’s attention. He tugs on a handful of Eddie’s hair, stopping his slow stroking to get Eddie to face him, “Where will I be, Bambi?”

“You’ll-you’ll be empty, omega.”

Steve nods, “Yeah I would. And I don’t wanna be, I wanna be full alpha. Full of your cock, and your knot.”

Eddie whines, high-pitched and needy and Jesus Christ Steve could have been having him in his nest this whole damn time. No time like the present then.

Steve gives his cock a gentle squeeze before he pulls his hand away and already Eddie’s hips try to chase him back. Steve shifts and spreads his thighs to let the alpha slide in between, both groaning as the head of Eddie’s cock slides between Steve’s sopping wet pussy lips, catching at his entrance. 

“Is- was only two enough for you? I can- I can try more-”

“Ssh,” Steve soothes, moaning at Eddie’s careful slide, “No Bambi, you’re doing so good, feels so fucking good.”

Eddie whines again as he sinks inside, pressing his teeth into Steve’s shoulder before he whimpers, “Holy fuck, you’re so tight. God, so tight and wet- fuuuuck, omega.”

Steve chokes, already feeling so full and he was barely in halfway. He tilts his hips, digging his head back into the pillow when Eddie palm circles gently over his clit, fingers sliding over his cocklette and smearing his slick all over. 

“Fuck, alpha,” Steve can’t catch his breath, his lungs burning while he pants. Eddie’s cock is hot, throbbing a steady pulse, stretching his inner walls and the ache is so delicious, so missed. He curls his limbs around him, overcome with the intensity of the moment, of the dance their bodies make together. 

Time could stop or speed up, the earth could split under them and neither one would care so lost as they are in each other. Eddie’s hips rock, the squelching sounds of their bodies meeting accompany the squeaking of Steve’s bed rocking and he’s missed that too. Their breaths are harsh, panting into each other’s open mouths, drinking in each other’s whimpers, moans, pleased chirps and growls. 

The confident way Eddie takes him in hand, hips snapping and burying his cock so deep in his pussy its making Steve reach his climax so quickly it takes him by surprise. His back arches, rocking his hips harshly to meet Eddie’s and fucking himself on the alpha’s cock. Eddie just beams into Steve’s shocked, sweaty face, “There you are. My omega. My hot daddy omega.”

And holy fucking shit the way Eddie just moans that makes Steve’s body shudder, flooding them in slick and soaking his sheets. He clenches hard, deaf to Eddie’s keening as his claws elongate and sink into his bicep and the meat of his shoulder. 

“Yeah fuck me daddy, make me beg to knot you, make me cry for your pussy lock down-”

Steve sobs, on fire as his pleasure climbs, Eddie’s cock sawing over his sweet spot and his talented hands playing with clit and cocklette it almost too much and not enough. He wants- He wants-

“Want your teeth,” Steve squeezes his eyes shut at the unbidden remark, unable to regret it as Eddie’s thrusts pick up, “Fuck it, I want your mark, Bambi. Want you to bite me, mark me-”

Eddie nods, sweaty curls clinging to his neck and face, “Want it. Want you to be mine, show everyone who your alpha is. Lemme knot you, daddy, please, please let me knot you-”

“Fucking do it, baby-” Steve can only suck a breath in before Eddie rears back and grabs his hips in a crushing grip before snapping his hips forward, his forming knot catching at his entrance. It happens so quickly-

Eddie cries out as his knot is swallowed, Steve clamping down hard in an iron grip. 

He falls forward, keening softly as his fangs sink deeply into Steve’s mating gland. 

Steve is flooded with cum and slick, blind and deaf to everything as his orgasm rocks through him like fireworks. 

He presses his lips over the faded scar, giving Chrissy a silent ‘thank you’ for sending Eddie to him before he bites down into Eddie’s mating gland. 

Eddie melts into Steve’s arms, lapping sweetly at the trickle of blood that flows from the wound, sniffing wetly and hiding his face. Steve holds him close, stroking his twitching back and letting the alpha come back to sense. Whatever has taken hold, be it false heat or not, Steve has never felt like this before. It’s a quiet, peaceful happiness. 

“I think we’re going to be here for a while,” Eddie croaks.

Steve laughs, making Eddie groan and whine ‘don’t move your going to make me hard again’, “Awww, poor baby Bambi. Did some mean little omega tucker you out already?”

“Fuck you.” It’s absolutely without any heat, because all Eddie does is slowly shift them into a more comfortable position before nuzzling his ear, “I left the food downstairs.”

Steve giggles at the feel of Eddie’s tickling lips brushing hotly over the shell of his ear, “Man, what kind of alpha are you? I’m gonna starve and it’s going to be all your fault.”

Eddie just makes an unimpressed face, “I’m the kind of alpha that fucked you so hard I’m on pussy lockdown. I’m not going to starve, I can just eat you all up.”

“If you eat me all up, then who’s going to lick icing off of me?”

Of course the prospect of food immediately takes his interest, “You made brownies didn’t you?”

”That’s what catches your attention?!”

”Well I mean yeah, of course I’d want to lick icing off of you, it’s the best combo of salty and sweet, but like…I’m hungry.”

Steve rolls his eyes as Eddie snuffles into his neck, being absolutely obnoxious now that the tenseness has disappeared, “You are an absolutely incorrigible alpha, you know that?” 

“Yeah but I’m your incorrigible alpha.”

It makes warmth bloom in his chest, the prospect of actually having a future, a mate. Someone who wants him, needs him just as much as Steve wants and needs Eddie. He has a home, an alpha, and pups. His life is full, complete now in ways he never thought it would be. The future looks so bright before him, like the sunshine that stumbled into his life all because of Dart.