Chapter 12
Two weeks after they brought Peter home, Steve could barely stand on his own two feet. He was so incredibly exhausted. Every time Tony got up to feed, Steve got up as well. The Alpha insisted on changing diapers and got up with the colicky baby whenever it wasn’t food the pup was after.
On top of that, he was driving Harley to school and back and still working part time at his Pappy’s gym.
So he blames his sleep deprivation when he was startled by a knock on their door late one afternoon.
Blinking a few times, he got up and went to answer the door. Surprised to see his parents standing there with matching smiles, holding several bags.
“Ma? Pop?” he asked as they pushed their way inside. “What are you guys doing here?”
“I invited them,” Tony said from behind him, carrying a sleeping Peter in his arms. The Omega carefully passed the pup to the older Omega, who cooed and walked over to sit on the couch.
“...I thought we were going to see them this weekend?”
“It is Friday, Stevie. Tony asked us to come stay for a few days to help,” his Pop said with a smile, taking what looked like packages of food to the kitchen.
“Wha?”
“Honey, you’re past the point of exhaustion. Your parents are here so we can catch up on sleep, spend some alone time with Harley, maybe have a date night where you and I go out and enjoy ourselves.” Steve’s inner Alpha perked up at that, his body making an involuntary grunt at that prospect before his mate quickly shut that down. “Oh no, my body is nowhere near ready for that, I mean just us, no kids, enjoying each other’s company.”
“But…” Steve said, his inner Alpha changing to being defensive. His mate seemed to catch on, grabbing his hands to further get his attention.
“Steve, you are the most amazing Alpha, mate and father. But if you keep going at this rate you will absolutely lose your mind. Trust me, okay? When Harley was born I tried to do everything myself and I nearly collapsed from the effort. I don’t need you to do every little thing, I need you well rested and at your best. You’ve been cooking, cleaning and taking care of me, Harley and Peter all while still working at the gym. Which - I called your Pappy and he said he doesn’t want to see you for at least a week.”
Steve mulled those words over in his head, wanting to protest even as he swayed on his feet.
“Harley…” he said, remembering the list of things he had to do - number one was to pick up their pup from school.
“I’m leaving now to go get him,” Pop said as she walked by the pair, grabbing her keys. “Stevie I know I raised a pair of stubborn mule-headed Alphas, but even your brother knows when to ask for help. No shame asking the grandparents to help, you know we’re happy to.”
“Thanks Pop,” Steve said with a blush, watching the woman leave to go get their pup.
“Go take a nap with your Omega, Stevie. Nanny has this,” his Ma said from the couch, eyes not moving from watching the sleepy pup. Steve looked at his Ma before turning to his mate, who was smiling back at him. Silently he walked over to his Ma and pup, kissing the older Omega on the cheek before gently rubbing Peter’s cheek.
“Thanks Mama,” he said before turning to his mate, smiling at the brunette’s outstretched hands.
“Come nap with me, Alpha,” his beautiful, intelligent and caring mate said, taking the Alpha’s hand and leading them to their bedroom. They woke several hours later when his Pop had dinner ready, their six year old greeting them enthusiastically.
“Steve! Daddy! I made a hundred on my math test!” Harley cried, running over to the two and giving each one a hug.
“I’m so proud of you bambino! How excited were you when Poppy picked you up from school?”
“She said they’re staying with us for a few days to help with Peter! And Nanny said he’d teach me how to make his chocolate chip cookies while they’re here!”
“That’s going to be so much fun baby! I was thinking you, me and Steve could go to the dinosaur museum tomorrow, just the three of us. How does that sound?”
“Can we?” Harley asked, demeanor changing a little when he turned to the Alpha. “Can we Steve?” The hesitancy had the Alpha realize Tony wasn’t the only one who noticed the change in Steve since Peter was born.
“Of course, bear. Maybe if we both behave tomorrow Daddy will let us get ice cream after,” Steve said with a wink, so happy to hear his son giggle at that.
“Alright boys, the food is getting cold. Come and eat,” Pops called from the kitchen, trying and failing to get the pup out of her mates arms. “Honey you haven’t put him down yet, why don’t I hold him while you eat?” Steve watched the two fondly, sitting down with his family and helping himself to some roast beef.
It was domestic and calm and all Steve had ever wanted. And as loath as he was to admit it, the Alpha could clearly use the help. So he decided to take full advantage of the situation and enjoy the next few days of rejuvenation.
Instead of just an afternoon, he decided the three should spend the whole day together. His Pop packed them a picnic that they ate at a nearby park. Then they went shopping and got Harley some new books and toys, where the adorable pup also picked out some stuffed animals for his little brother.
Then they made it to the dinosaur museum, the Alpha feeling close to bursting with happiness when the pup grabbed his hand to show him his new favorite dinosaur - the T-Rex.
“Did you know they were one of the last dinosaurs ever? T-Rex’s weren’t even alive when Stegosaurus’ were! Cause the T-Rex is from the Cretaceous Period, not the Jurassic Period! Did you know that?” Harley asked, practically skipping and making Steve jog a little to catch up.
They stopped in front of the T-Rex skeleton as Steve continued listening to his pup. He’d been to this museum multiple times, mostly as a pup. But now, with Harley, it was like he was seeing it for the first time. And through his eyes.
Wonder and warmth flowed through him, feeling so much love for his pup that he momentarily forgot about his mate. Steve looked around, freezing when he saw why Tony isn’t next to them.
He’s talking to Stone. And a woman who is dangerously close to his Omega.
Harley must’ve noticed Steve’s change in attention, as the pup not only quieted but suddenly melted himself into the Alpha’s side. When the pup’s hands clenched around Steve’s legs, the taller blonde finally looked down at the smaller one.
He’d never seen Harley like this, he was...terrified. Steve momentarily wondered if he was suddenly scared of his father when another thought occurred to him.
“Harley...do you know that woman?” he asked the pup who was frozen with fear. Steve stole a glance back at the group, anger spiking his scent when the woman touched Tony’s shoulder.
“Sunset,” the pup whimpered quietly, shaking the anger out of the Alpha. Steve snapped back to his pup, instantly lifting the pup in his arms and making sure he wasn’t facing the woman.
The red headed Omega Steve suddenly remembered.
The one he’d heard about from Tony early on - who explained how toxic his ex was and how she’d only been after his fame and money.
The very cunt who Harley eventually confessed hit him. The reason Tony finally ended things with her. The woman who hurt their pup so much he had been skeptical of Steve since the day they met.
He thought of all of this as he continued watching the group, doing his very best to stamp down his inner Alpha that wanted to go over there and ring that woman’s neck. Before he could push through the bond to get Tony’s attention, Stone noticed him.
With a smug smile on his face, the other Alpha waved him over. Tony followed the man’s line of sight, settling on Steve and shaking his head no. With a smug smile of his own, Steve pushed reassurance to his mate before ignoring the other Alpha and pointedly walking away. He pulled Harley away from him to sit him on his shoulders.
The actions got the two things he wanted, a giggle out of his pup and a way for the pup to not see what scared him. Facing forward, the two blondes went further into the museum until they settled on the dinosaur Steve was looking for.
“Speaking of stegosaurus, they happen to be my favorite dinosaur,” Steve said, holding onto his pup’s legs and waiting for the inevitable debate. The Alpha didn’t have a favorite dinosaur, but he knew the best way to distract the pup was to bring up his favorite hobby.
“What? Seriously Steve?? Stegosaurus. You know their brain’s were the size of peanuts, right?” Harley asked, momentarily distracted as he proceeded to tell the Alpha just how wrong he was.
He listened for a few minutes before going where the pup directed him, telling him to change his answer to the velociraptor as they stopped in front of the skeleton. Steve just smiled, all anger gone as the pup trailed off, a happy scent wafting off him.
His anger returned a moment later when the smell changed to sad.
“Steve?” Harley asked shyly, hands resting on the Alpha’s head.
“Yeah bear?”
“Why was Father with that woman?” Steve sighed, squeezing the pup’s legs before answering.
“I’m not sure, Harley. But whatever happens, I’m here and I will always protect you.” He wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to say, but he smiled when the pup’s head rested on top of his own.
“Steve?” the pup asked again, which got a hum from the Alpha for the pup to continue. “Did you know...Father and I never built the dinosaur robot he bought me. He said he was too busy and had to work really hard. It’s still in its box.”
“No Harley, I didn’t know that. But I’m sorry.”
“If he’s so busy, why is he here at the museum, with her?” the pup’s voice cracked at the end, prompting the Alpha to gently pull him from his shoulders and back into his arms. Hugging him close to his chest and guiding his bear’s head to his neck to scent.
Steve wasn’t sure what to say to the pup. Part of him wanted to dish some harsh truths about the Alpha, while the other part wanted to spare the pup’s feelings and make up an excuse. But Steve couldn’t find it in himself to make an excuse for that poor excuse of a father, so instead tried to distract the pup once more.
“You know, maybe that could be a cool project to work with your Daddy in his lab. I’m sure he’d love to help you build an actual robot dinosaur that would be way cooler than some toy.” Steve waited a moment, smiling when he felt a smile against his neck and the tears stopped.
“Heck, your Daddy could probably make one you could ride and customize it to your favorite dinosaur. Maybe make a stegosaurus and ride it’s back with the dorsal fins,” the Alpha teased, smiling when the pup groaned against him.
“Steve,” the pup whined, drawing out the first ‘e’. “Those aren’t dorsal fins! They’re bony plates! Dinosaurs and fish aren’t the same thing.”
“Well now, you said some dinosaurs could swim!” Steve teased further, keeping a straight face when the pup pulled back to glare at him.
“That doesn’t make them fish, Steve! Dolphins swim but they’re mammals, not fish.”
“What’s this about fish?” a voice asked that approached the two, the blondes turning with smiles to see Tony standing behind them.
“Daddy!” Harley cried reaching over for the Omega to take him, which of course he did. “Steve thinks dinosaurs and fish are the same thing! And he thinks stegosaurus have dorsal fins! Even though they never went in the water,” the pup finished with a ‘duh’ attitude, clearly offended in the most adorable way possible.
“Um, were you there? Maybe a stegosaurus got hot and went for a swim?” Steve asked, loving the affront looked from his son. The pup looked back to the Omega, who was only beaming at the two, suddenly remembering his son was looking for his input.
“Don’t listen to him, Harley,” Tony said with a more sympathetic tone. “He wasn’t there either and doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Now, I believe there was earlier talk of ice cream? If you two behaved of course.”
“We behaved Daddy! I stayed with Steve the whole time,” Harley said proudly, shooting a glare undercut with a smile to the Alpha.
“Yeah,” Steve agreed before switching to French, “and I didn’t punch anyone in the face.”
“We will never see her again,” Tony promised before switching to English. “And you boys did behave, so I guess we should find a nearby ice cream parlor.” Harley cheered and wiggled down from the Omega’s hold, grabbing both Tony and Steve’s hands to lead them out of the museum. Steve let it drop for now, enjoying his family’s company and noticing no one he wanted to punch in the face was in sight.
Forgot all about them when they eventually made their way home, where he scented his younger pup before cuddling up with his mate to feed them.
Listening to the sounds of his happy older pup recount their amazing day with his grandparents.