Now Ain't Nothin' but a Dream
In the battles, the frenzy, the dread
Of this ineffable year,
In this blur of the living and dead,
One word is unfailingly clear;
One word through the anguish of night
Gleams far in the heavenly dome,
‘Mid the shells in their horrible flight,
The dear, shining letters of “Home.”
“Home! Home!” in the trench and the mud
How maddening sweet is the sound!
“Home! Home!” where a tempest of blood
Beats hot on the desolate ground!
What longing, what hope and despair
From the field or the hospital roam
To that fairest of all that is fair,
The dear waiting doorway of home!
— “Homes, After the War” by Amos Russel Wells
Bucky immediately realized his mistake. “Sorry, that was rude of me.”
The Omega frowned.
“My uh sister’s an Omega,” Bucky explained. “I know a little of what it’s like.”
The Omega raised his eyebrows.
Bucky wanted to kick himself. “Well, I mean, I don’t… I can’t.”
“You’re an Alpha, so you can’t actually understand?” The Omega supplied.
“I can try,” Bucky offered.
The Omega chuckled. “I doubt it.”
“C’mon, give me a chance.” Hesitantly, Bucky started wrapping up the Omega’s bruised and bloody fists.
“Sorry, but I ain’t got any ‘o those left.” The Omega grabbed his backpack and headed for the exit.
Bucky didn’t know why he followed. “At least let me walk you home.”
“I can get by fine on me own.” The Omega didn’t even look back.
“The thing is you don’t have to,” Bucky said, keeping pace.
The Omega didn’t say anything as they walked a few blocks over to the Stark Tower.
“You live here?” Bucky asked.
The Omega shrugged. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Yeah, don’t mention it,” Bucky said softly, but there was so much more he wanted to say.
The Omega reminded him of his sister. And maybe, if Bucky had done more…
“Night,” the Omega muttered as he walked into the Stark Tower.
Steve was tired. No, he was exhausted and starving.
“My sensors are detecting blood,” Jarvis chided gently.
“Don’t tell ‘im,” Steve asked.
“I am required to tell sir if you are a danger to yourself or the pups,” Jarvis replied.
Steve snorted. “I just went to de gym.”
“There are gym faculties here,” Jarvis pointed out.
“I know,” Steve said. “But I needed some fresh air.”
The kitchen was well-stocked, but Steve was craving things from his time. Food tasted so different in the future. If it weren’t for the babies, Steve would likely skip several meals a day. He just didn’t have the energy to eat when everything tasted like ash. But for the babies, he forced himself to make grilled cheese and tomato soup. It tasted like ash. Sighing, Steve reminded himself of the babies...
“Are you alright?” Jarvis asked.
“I’m fine,” Steve lied.
“You should—” Jarvis’ broke off.
The lights flickered.
Steve bit his lip. Since he’d moved into the tower, there had never been a power outage.
“And what do we have here?” A strangely accented voice asked.
Steve had seen a lot of different things in his life, but this had to take the cake.
The man was wearing gold horns and a green cape. He cocked his head and studied Steve. “You are with child.”
Normally, Steve would take offense, but this wasn’t disdain from an Alpha, it was empathy from a fellow Omega. “You’re like me?”
“Once upon a time,” the man said. “I wish you and yours a softer epilogue.”
Loki bid the Omega to hide in one of the safe rooms. He did not want to be responsible if harm befell a mother and pups. If he were free, he would quit all this nonsense and go home to his own pups.
Steve could hear that something was happening, and a part of him longed to be in the middle of it. But two small flutters reminded him that he didn’t have to fight anymore. He hugged an old Captain America bear and fell asleep.
Tony was terrified. He’d just fought a god! And now, he was fighting aliens.
But then there was a nuke.
Bucky had been walking home when aliens attacked New York. He couldn’t stand on the sideline; he had to help.
But sometimes, help comes at a great cost.
***
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