Chapter Text
“Ok, this is us.”
They step out of the elevator from the parking garage into the ground floor hallway, Robby leading him to apartment 3. A shiny red door, like a barn in a children’s show, Dennis thinks, with a heavy brass knocker. Robby unlocks the door and pushes it open, but steps aside for Dennis to enter first. He ducks his head and enters Robby’s home, still completely overwhelmed that he’s here.
The second he’s over the threshold a wall of scent hits him. The smell of Robby, his coffee and books and something much richer, treacle maybe, but it’s mixed with another strong, masculine scent, like a mechanics, but spicier. He’d caught a whiff in the car, but it’s so much stronger here. Dennis feels heat lick up his neck again, his breath growing heavy. He opens his mouth to take steadying breaths, but that means he can taste the incredible scents too, not just smell them, and he feels the tenuous grip he has on controlling whatever it is his body is needing slipping somewhere deep and primal. A rolling purr erupts in his chest, warming him and releasing some of the energy that’s suddenly zinging through every part of his body, looking to get out. He shakes his head, trying to dissipate the fog that seems to be settling in his brain, and he shakes his hands a bit too, for good measure.
The door clicks closed behind him, the sound grounding him. He’s in Robby’s home, he needs to keep a grip on himself.
“Just dump your shoes wherever by the door. Are you hungry?”
Dennis is still as Robby toes his shoes off behind him, placing a hand on his back as he brushes past in the hallway. Robby gets halfway down the apartment hallway before he must realise Dennis hasn’t moved. He whips around, taking a quick breath in when he takes in Dennis’s appearance. He isn’t sure what he looks like right now, but he feels feral, feels ripped open and raw. He wonders if that’s what Robby sees.
“Dennis?”
His breath is still heavy, in and out through his mouth. He feels a drip of something rolling down his bottom lip, it tickles.
Robby takes a few long strides back towards him, bringing his hand out towards Dennis’s hip. He reaches into his big hoody pocket that's wrapped around Dennis. Robby pulls out a handkerchief, which he slowly lifts up to Dennis’s face. His other hand grasps Dennis by the chin, and he cleans the blood dripping from Dennis’s mouth with his hanky. The smell of Robby on the fabric is strong too, and he feels the fog in his head grow heavier. Robby looks him over, and absent-mindedly licks a corner of the hanky and brings it back to Dennis's face, scrubbing a bit to get the dried blood off his skin.
He thinks Robby might be saying something to him, but he’s not really sure. He’s not sure of a lot right now, except that he needs to touch the older man desperately, the fingers holding his jaw are not enough, not nearly enough. Dennis flexes his fingers before bringing his hands up to grab Robby’s exposed forearms. The heat of Robby on his palms is intoxicating, and he flexes his fingers to indulge some more. Robby’s breath hitches, and Dennis realises that his new claws are pressing small sharp points into Robby’s skin. He releases him in an instant, mortified.
“Dennis, It’s ok.”
He whines, he’d scratched Robby. Robby should be mad at him.
Instead, he feels a large, warm hand cup his cheek. He leans into the touch, eyes fluttering closed at the contact. God, what the fuck is he doing in Robby’s house.
“Everything is ok.”
Everything doesn’t feel ok to Dennis. But, Robby is much wiser than him, so maybe it is. With Robby’s hand on his face, thumb gently stroking at his cheek bone, he thinks that anything Robby says must be the truth. That it all, suddenly, makes perfect sense. This is exactly where he’s supposed to be.
“Alright, kitchen first, I’d like us to eat something. Would that be ok?”
Dennis hums a yes, Robby wants to feed him, so, Dennis wants to eat.
Robby looks pleased when Dennis finally opens his eyes again. He drops his hand from his face to his shoulder, and gently pushes Dennis in front of him, placing him where he wants him just like they’re at work, leading him down the hall.
“That door there is the spare room, the master is just up here on the right. Bathroom, it’s got a tub, aaaand here’s the kitchen and lounge. Just dump your stuff on the table. Do you like Thai? There's leftovers.”
Dennis is placed onto a stool by the breakfast bar island, looking into the open kitchen. Robby leans into the fridge, pulling out plastic takeaway containers and sniffing the contents.
He looks around. The kitchen has lovely big windows looking out onto a small brick fenced courtyard with a paved patio, table and chairs, and a grill, with a big shady tree by the back fence. To his left is a heavy wooden farm table with bits of paperwork, a rumpled backpack, and some unopened mail scattered about, a couple of books are stacked in the centre next to a bowl of fruit. A few bookshelves line the wall, with a record player and some boxes of LPs between the books and nicknacks. He swivels in his stool, delighted to find that it spins. Behind them is the lounge, with a big leather chair and matching couch with a couple of throw blankets strewn about, a tv, an acoustic guitar, and a pile of heavy looking weights and some yoga mats shoved into the corner.
Dennis feels like an adventurer charting unexplored islands and civilisations. Like he’s in a strange land he’s not supposed to see. He spins around again on his stool, dizzy with being in Robby’s home. There’s a question gnawing at him though.
Robby laughs from the kitchen, “Glad you’re enjoying the furniture.”
Dennis knuckles the kitchen island, facing the right way again, feeling sheepish at being caught spinning around like a child. His stomach takes the opportunity to let out a loud growl. Robby laughs again, clapping his hands together. And popping some containers into the microwave to heat up.
“You know you haven’t said two words since we walked in yeah?”
Well, if Robby wants him to talk.
“Who else lives here?”
Robby freezes, just for a moment, before resuming his pottering in the kitchen. “You can smell someone else?”
"Mhm."
“Do you recognise it at all?”
“I, I didn’t have a very good nose… ”
Robby turn back to him and nods, understanding. “Until today.”
Dennis supposed he’s right. “Yeah, until today.”
“Alpha noses are still pretty hit-and-miss. Mine’s stupidly sensitive, I was always sneezing in my twenties, just a total nightmare. I thought I was going to faint my first emergency rotation, I was so overwhelmed by all the smells.”
Dennis considers what he’s saying. How sensitive is his nose? It’s certainly much better than it was. He supposes smelling Trinity is his best point of reference. He lives with her, metres away from where she sleeps without her scent patches every day, and he’d never smelt her anywhere close to as clearly as he did up on the 8th floor. Likewise, he’d gotten light whiffs of Robby’s scent before, but it was soft, barely there. Its… not like that now.
The microwave beeps, and Robby grabs their food and splits it onto two plates while Robby pushes Dennis’s plate across the bench toward him, grabbing his own and leaning back against the sink, quickly spearing some beef noodles into his mouth, groaning at the taste. Dennis sits up ramrod straight at the sound, trying desperately not to think about the arousal pooling in his groin.
Right. Food. Eating.
Dennis gets a bit of broccoli on his fork and takes a bite, smiling at the warm salty sauce. He chews, his mouth feeling clumsy. A bit of sauce dribbles out of his mouth, Robby quickly grabbing the handkerchief from earlier that’s now in his own back pocket, leaning over the counter to wipe Dennis’s mouth. Dennis stiffens. He feels like a little kid. He should be intensely embarrassed, instead, he’s halfway to hard in his pants.
“I used to spill too, when I was getting used to my fangs,” Robby coos at him, placing the handkerchief down by Dennis in case he needs to use it himself.
Dennis is staring at Robby's mouth. Obvious.
"Can.. can I?"
Robby looks slightly shocked, but magnanimously opens his mouth, showing Dennis his fangs. He's never gotten a good look before, Robby is always so careful. They're longer than he expected, and really, really attractive.
“When did you present?” Dennis is curious, so curious. He wants to know everything.
Robby thinks for a moment, before smiling, like he’s realised something funny. “I don’t usually talk about this stuff. But I’ve been asking you personal questions all day haven’t I? I’ll answer any questions you have, as long as you keep eating. Deal?
Dennis nods, taking another stab at eating without making a mess. He chews a strip of beef and swallows it with success. Robby beams.
“Alright then. I presented at 18, just before college. I was like a bean pole, lanky, y’know? But I guess because I was tall my Bubbe always kind of figured that I’d be an Alpha, like my father had been.”
Dennis likes thinking about young Robby. His smile bright and brilliant, hair flopping in his face.
Robby chuckles, “I um, stayed locked in my room when I was presenting, that was pretty typical back then, but Bubbe forgot to do the window, and she had to drive around looking for me at 1am. She found me howling in a park 2 miles away.”
Dennis snorts. Looking at Robby with a mouth full of noodles. Robby smiles back at him, taking his own heaping bite too.
Dennis thinks that this is the best meal he’s ever eaten.
“You sound like you were a handful.”
Robby ducks his head, swallowing before answering. “I certainly had young and dumb in equal helpings. I like to think I’ve got a bit more of a handle on things now though.”
Dennis hums. Not sure if he’s allowed to ask all the questions swirling. He wants to know more about Robby. Wants to know everything. But he also has so many questions about presenting. About what to expect over the next few days. But one question in particular must be written all over his face, people can always tell when he’s hiding something, ever since he was little, because Robby puts his mostly finished food down and leans his hands on the counter towards Dennis.
“I mean it, ask me anything Dennis, it’s only fair.”
Dennis takes another bite of his food, it was Robby’s rule after all. He chews and swallows carefully around his sore teeth while he thinks about the best way to ask.
“Um. When you presented, you said, you didn’t have an Omega, you were in your room.”
Robby nods.
“So, is that why you snuck out? Um, is that… what’s it like? With an Omega?”
Robby clearly wasn’t expecting that question. He leans away from Dennis. Thinking.
“Y’know what? If we’re gonna have this conversation, I’ll need a stiff drink and to sit the hell down. What are you drinking, let’s move to the couch yeah?”
Dennis thinks that seems fair enough. “Just water thanks”, his brain is already far too jumbled to add alcohol into the mix, and he waits for Robby to pour himself a few fingers of whisky and grabs the offered water glass, heading to the couch. Dennis stands in the middle of the lounge room, not sure where to sit.
Robby puts a hand on his shoulder and nudges him down to the couch, sitting down next to him a second later.
“Ok, so, Omegas. Um, I have to be honest here kid, I am not a huge expert on the subject-”
Robby must be in his late 40’s or early 50’s. That’s, what, two to four ruts a year for 30 years? Maybe he’s just being modest, that’s his usual way.
“-but y’know, if you find someone, an Omega who you like, and they’re amenable, obviously, your Alpha biology and there’s is um, very compatible. It’s… it’s all just supposed to work, I guess. Natural.”
Dennis understands that part.
“Aren’t I supposed to like, I dunno, crave them, or something? Want to boss them around? When I was little, I was um, always taught that Alphas were drawn to Omegas. ‘Thalt shall obey thy Alpha. And Alpha shall command unto one’s own Omega, being drawn to them and into them and having them owed to thee; that is the will of the Lord.’ Is that… how does that happen?”
Robby shifts around a bit. His voice coming out thready.
“Ok, let’s see. Wanting them? Yeah, sure. But you always get a choice of what to do with those feelings. Remember what I said at the hospital, how some people use it as an excuse? It’s just like how some people use their bible or religion as an excuse sometimes. You’ll feel it, how true that is. How much choice you have, even when you’re half mad with, um, want, you’re still you. As for bossing them around, commanding? Not necessarily, only if they um, like it, y’know. If you both consent to that sort of thing. It’s not as much of an exclusively Omega thing as people pretend either. But, you’re a good person Dennis, so if you just follow your instincts, you'll be alright.”
Dennis agrees with everything Robby is saying, it all sounds true. He’s hopeful it’s true. That he might not be as much of a slave to his instincts as he’d always been told, but he’s still afraid.
“What does it feel like?”
Robby nearly chokes on his drink before steadying himself.
“Feel like with an Omega? Um, have you ever…?”
Dennis rolls his eyes.
“I’ve had sex Robby, I mean, what does it feel like when an Alpha, um, craves an Omega. During rut.” Dennis is really confused about this bit. He can feel the heat of his oncoming rut, has for hours, but there is no pulling yearning to find an Omega and do something about it. The thought of leaving Robby to go find an Omega is actually laughable.
“It feels like any other craving I suppose.”
Dennis deadpans at him, face unimpressed.
Robby continues. “Ok. It’s like your mind is fixated on something, and your body doesn’t feel right until it’s yours. During rut you’ll um, feel sort of raw, exposed, like a nerve. The things that you might normally sort of like just a little, they’ll, well, you’ll like them a lot. With an Omega an Alpha might, um, smell their arousal, their slick, or taste it I guess, and it kind of revvs them up more than they already are. And your inhibitions aren’t as loud in your head, you go more by feel. It kind of feels like surrender.”
Dennis tries to picture it. Being with an Omega. He thinks of his previous Beta partners, there’s only been two, but they’d had a nice time together Dennis thinks. What would it have been like if one of them was an Omega? He pictures them with blue eyes, a downturned point to their ears, slick on their thighs. Dennis feels nothing. Maybe a little queasy, if he’s totally honest.
Robby must be able to tell that Dennis still doesn’t get it.
“Shit, I’m gonna be honest, I am maybe not the best Alpha to ask about, um, traditional dynamics. Of course I will try and help answer your questions, but, hmm ok yeah alright, I don’t really, um, I’m not really, personally, shit, ok.” Robby takes another drink of his whisky. “I’ve never really been attracted to Omegas myself.”
Robby doesn’t like Omegas. Robby doesn’t like Omegas.
“That’s an option?!” Dennis claps a hand over his mouth the second he blurts in out, excitement and relief making his voice way too loud.
Robby seems stunned for a moment, before his face cracks into a huge smile and he bursts out laughing. The nervousness of this awkward conversation breaking him open. It takes him a few moments to compose himself.
“Yeah, yeah kid that’s an option.”
Dennis’s head is swimming. “So you didn’t want to be with an Omega and so what, you just, didn’t?!”
“Oh, I tried a few times, but um no, it was sort of a disaster, to be honest. It’s just not really the way I’m wired. Does that make sense?”
“Yes. I think… I think it’s not really the way I’m wired either.”
“Well, ok then.”
Dennis slumps back in the couch, relief flooding his system. He’s presenting as an Alpha, but he doesn’t need to be with an Omega.
He can just be himself.
He feels the tears on his face before he fully realises he’s crying. Honestly though, he feels like laughing at the same time. Like a huge, horrible weight has released him and his body doesn’t know what to do now it can breathe. The festering coil of dread he’s been holding onto for hours, just, gone.
“I’m sorry, I just, I feel a lot better hearing that.”
“I’m glad.”
Dennis sobs, and Robby’s face is like the sun. Completely warm like sunshine, lit up and beautiful and god Dennis wants him, wants to tell him how much he means to him. How much he wants to touch him. But.
He doesn’t. Of course he doesn’t. Robby lives with someone. Another Alpha, Dennis knew that on some level from the second he got here. And now it’s basically confirmed. There’s two bedrooms - the master, and the spare, no space for a roommate. Robby has a partner. Maybe even a mate. It feels sour in Dennis’s mouth, but also, he’s happy for Robby. That he has someone. And happy for himself too. That maybe he’ll get to have something like this too one day, even if his stupid heart is a little broken about it.
He has a million more questions, but he reigns himself in, not wanting to push his welcome more than he already has. Instead, he lets out a huge breath, and he feels the exhaustion from the day catching up with him, the fuzziness in his brain is suddenly on overdrive. His eyes are so tired, wet and red from hours of crying and he thinks he might keep crying, just because he's spread so thin. The pain in his body throbs, the itch, the heat, the aches and his ears and his gums and his fingers and his arms and he thinks he might be getting a bit hysterical, because he feels his breath coming faster and his body feels all floaty, and Robby is holding him, wrapped around him and Dennis is so, so tired. He feels Robby move, and suddenly the spot next to him is empty and he’s frantically searching for Robby, why did he go.
“Shh, shh sweetheart, I’m right here.”
And he’s being heaved up to standing, but his knees buckle with the weight of his exhausted, floating body, and suddenly he’s scooped up instead, head on Robby’s shoulder, being carried, deposited somewhere soft. But then he’s alone again, where’s Robby? Why did he leave him? He curls himself into a ball, great heaving sobs wracking his body, before strong hands are in his hair, on his neck and his back, soothing with soft words that it’s ok, that he’s safe.
Slowly, his breaths start to slow. Enough for his brain to come back online at least, and Robby is on a bed with him, Dennis is curled into his lap, his knees to his chest, and Robby has his arms around all of him. Kissing his hair and stroking his back.
“shh, it’s ok sweetheart. You’re ok.”
Dennis nuzzles into Robby, so, so grateful that this man is here to help him through this. That even though he shouldn’t want this, can’t have Robby, he at least seems to get this. Robby seems happy to give him this comfort. And Dennis is so, so grateful.
“Den, it’s time to take some painkillers and have a nap, ok?”
Dennis nods into Robby’s chest, rubbing his cheek along the other man’s pec indulgently. Robby leans them slightly, picking up a blister pack of pills and a water bottle, pushing some pills out and handing them to Dennis. He swallows them, and chugs about half the water, which Robby seems pleased with.
“Ok, let’s get you comfy”, and Robby is cradling him as he leans him down into the centre of the bed, running his hands over his hair as his head hits the pillow, he gets up to leave, and Dennis reaches out for him instinctively. He knows he’s asking for too much, but he can’t help it.
“It’s alright, I’m just taking your shoes off.”
Robby pulls his sneakers off and puts them down somewhere, before settling himself back against the headboard of the bed, manoeuvring Dennis so he’s on his side, curled up half on the bed, half on Robby, Robby’s arms holding him, one slowly stroking his side, the other on his cheek as Dennis buries himself into Robby’s soft belly and purrs. Finally where he’s supposed to be.
Safe.
Warm.
Surrounded by Robby’s scent.
Robby’s.
Dennis sleeps.
And wakes up with a groan.
He’s not sure how long it’s been, but he’s thrust into wakefulness by fever coursing through his body, his erection straining against his underwear. He feels sweaty and so hot and fuck he’s never been so horny in his life.
Dennis thrashes, dragging his body against the long length of hot, delicious, soft and hard next to him, letting out a shuddering sigh at the contact. His skin is fiery hot, sweaty at the back of his neck, the small of his back. The hair on his forehead plastered down, droplets curling down his temple.
“Hey, shh, you’re ok little Alpha.”
Dennis whines, high and needy.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He knows he shouldn’t, that Robby’s not his, but he needs him so much, can’t think of anything else, and Robby isn’t pushing him away. He can’t help but turn his face further into Robby’s soft chest, inhaling his Alpha scent as well as Robby’s own smell, skin and sweat and 12 hours at work and however many more in this bed with Dennis. He’s mad for it. Wants to move up to Robby’s throat to taste his skin. Doesn’t think he can stop himself and somehow Robby knows because he’s bringing his wrist up to Dennis’s face, offering it to him instead of his neck.
Dennis was taught from a young age to take what he is given.
He rubs his face along the pale smoothness of Robby’s wrist, inhaling him into his lungs with a gasp. He looks Robby in the eyes and doesn’t know how to decipher what he sees. There is arousal, he’s sure of it, but also caution. Restraint.
While holding his gaze Dennis slowly, so slowly lets his mouth fall open, and he brings his lips to Robby’s wrist. Robby has time to stop him, he deliberately strings it out to give him the option, and when he doesn’t the thrill of making contact, of his open lips pressing against his skin, his tattoo, of him dragging them along the smooth pale expanse of Robby, is dizzying. He’s so hard in his pants its maddening, heat burning through him.
Dennis can’t help but lick his lips where they’ve dragged along Robby’s skin, the salt of him barely there, but when his tongue makes contact with Robby’s skin directly he lets out a filthy moan. He can feel Robby’s pulse with his tongue. Does all of him taste this good?
Robby’s mouth has dropped open a little, and he shifts his hips a bit to better accommodate Dennis’s weight. Dennis who can’t take his eyes off of him.
“You’re in rut. It’s ok, you’re ok.”
Dennis rubs his cheek against Robby’s arm. “Are you going to leave?”
“I’ll just be in the next room. You have my hoody, for my scent, to keep you calm.”
“I need you.”
Robby closes his eyes slowly, turning his face away when he opens them, looking up at the ceiling, breathing deeply.
Dennis tried to steady his voice, to not sound as desperate as they both know that he is. “Stay. If… if you want to.”
Robby looks back at him. He doesn’t move away.
Dennis slowly presses his body back against Robby, this time with eyes open and full awareness of what he’s doing. He rolls his hips slightly, to try it out. It feels amazing.
Robby bites his bottom lip, Dennis lets his teeth drag across the delicate skin at his wrist in response, travelling up, up to Robby’s palm, where he places a kiss. “Alpha, please.”
“Fuck, are you sure?”
Dennis licks a broad stripe up his hand in response.
“Shit, ok, yeah.”
Robby is shifting his legs, bringing his spare hand to Dennis’s hip and twisting them so that yes. Robby’s slotted his thigh between Dennis’s legs, and Dennis can grind himself against him and oh FUCK he’s so surrounded by Robby, it’s dizzying. How does anyone stand this?
“There you go, Den.”
Dennis rolls his body, enjoying every point of contact. He starts lapping at Robby’s wrist, kissing and dragging his teeth, they’re pressed together everywhere and Dennis releases Robby’s elbow with his left hand so he can grab at Robby’s waist, feeling the softness there, the elasticity of his skin under his shirt, groaning, grinding down long and hard with his new leverage.
Robby’s eyelids flutter and Dennis whines at the sight.
“That’s it, good boy, take what you need.”
With a snarl Dennis does, his open mouth panting at Robby’s skin, grinding against his leg as he chases the friction, the heat, the closeness.
He can feel his orgasm building, he’s so sensitive, so desperate for relief, it hurts with how badly he needs to cum, and he’s so, so, close.
All he can hear is the blood rushing in his ears and his mouth panting against Robby’s wrist. He thinks Robby might be panting a bit too, and fuck he likes that. Wants his Alpha to be pleased with him, wants to make him feel good. He looks up at Robby with lust drunk eyes, but at that moment, Robby drags his eyes away from Dennis and looks up, out the doorway and into the hall, a slight look of surprise on his face.
Dennis follows his eyes.
Jack Abbot is in the doorway.
“Don’t let me interrupt.”
Dennis rolls away from Robby with a squeak, hands splayed at his sides on the bed, braced to spring up for an attack. Jack leans against the open doorframe, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face. He’s looking at Dennis fondly, dragging his eyes down and settling on his crotch, before snapping back up to his face, his cheeks flushing.
Dennis flails behind himself, grabbing a pillow to cover his tented pants. Whining in embarrassment.
What is Jack doing here? He knows he’s Robby’s good friend. Knows he covered for him. Maybe Robby left something at work, and Jack’s here to deliver it? And he has a key to get in?
Dennis breathes in to steady his thoughts, and that’s when it hits him, Jack’s strong Alpha scent, he’s never smelled it before, never been close enough.
It’s the same one he’s been surrounded by since the moment he walked through the door.
Dennis throws the pillow away and is up on his feet, his own Alpha now completely in charge of his instincts as he scrambles to Jack, growling, pressing him against the door frame and shoving his face in his neck, ripping off Jack's scent patch and inhaling him. It was dizzying just being in his home, but to get it straight from the man himself? Jack is all hard muscle and heat against him. Dennis almost comes in his pants.
“Well hello to you too, Denny.”
Dennis’s brain comes back online and he takes a huge step back on wobbly legs. Did he just sexually assault his night shift attending? His eyes flick back and forth between Jack in the doorway and Robby on the bed.
Robby coughs nervously. “Um, Den, I hadn’t quite gotten around to telling you who my mate was, had I?”