Chapter 5
The Apex Alpha had gone unusually quiet. Steve waited for his input, waited for the possessive growls to fill his head but nothing happened. No headaches sprung in the presence of either Brock or Bucky, though the Apex was observing, a tactician working out a plan of action now Steve had made it clear murder was not permitted.
Brock was on the mend, sat up in bed with his omega caring for him. Each time Brock met the omega’s eyes, Bucky grinned in reply. Relived omega and satisfied Alpha breezed through the room, and Steve didn’t like it, didn’t know why when it was ten times better than Bucky’s anxious scent. Bucky smiled at Brock, sat beside him with his arm upturned so the Alpha could rub at his wrists, mingle there scents together. The interactions were small, unnoticeable to the nurses or doctors, but for Steve they were the most uncomfortable displays of affection he had ever witnessed. Nausea swelled in his stomach, as well as a bottomless pit sensation in his guts.
Brock couldn’t recall what happened to him in the apartment block; he stayed on the bed with a furrowed brow and told Steve not to blame himself, it wasn’t his fault. Steve pressed his lips together tight, fearing what confession might slip out from them if he didn’t, instead he shook his head and Brock clacked his tongue with sympathy in reply.
More words of reassurance, and when Brock lowered his tone softly, Steve hit his limit. He excused himself, stomping his way down the corridor and pinching his forehead with a harsh growl.
He couldn’t decide which annoyed him more, Brock and everyone’s constant reassurances or Bucky doting on the sick Alpha.
The elevator door shut behind him and he clutched at his hair, turning towards the mirror and glaring straight into his own eyes.
“You there?” he mumbled.
There was a shift in his irises, a sharpening of his pupils and then the voice of the Apex filled his head.
‘Of course I am’
It was easier to imagine the Apex rather than look back into the blank space of his mind. The rugged Alpha had his arms crossed, eyes narrowed and lips twitching in an amused fashion. Steve had no idea why he looked so god-damn smug.
Steve bowed his head at his reflection, seething with something he couldn’t put his finger on.
‘Jealousy.’
The Apex supplied with a smirk, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Was it jealousy, self-disgust, guilt, he didn’t know the emotion but it itched the inside of his mind and no amount of clawing at his hair was going to relieve it.
“I should get myself locked up, make sure you can’t hurt anyone else...you tried to kill Brock, you’ve been stealing time-”
The Apex sighed long and loud in reply, ‘don’t turn your bad mood on me. I said I won’t murder that dog of an Alpha and I won’t...why don’t you admit to yourself and me why you’re so pissed.’
Steve frowned furiously at his reflection, “you seem to be the expert, why don’t you tell me?”
The Apex in his head chuckled, running his fingers over his bearded face.
‘It bothered you seeing our omega caring for another Alpha.’
Steve dropped his gaze, shaking his head as the words sunk in. They were true, it bothered him, he didn’t like it but there was nothing he could do about it. Bucky belong to Brock in this messed up world, and the omega seemed content with the life he had signed up for-
‘Wrong.’
“It isn’t wrong, did you not see him? See him smiling at his Alpha.”
His own bitter tone startled him and he drew back from his reflection, he was sounding more like the Apex, the Apex that found what he was saying amusing, cackling in the back of his mind and calling him stupid.
“How am I stupid?” Steve demanded.
‘Did you not see he only smiled when his Alpha watched, did you not see those smiles didn’t crinkle his eyes or brighten his face, did you not see how each time that Alpha rubbed his disgusting wrist against his, he shuddered? You didn’t see the finer details I could.”
“Whatever, he’s Brock’s-
‘He’s ours.’
The doors opened and Steve stomped his way out, grumbling and growling to the smirking in his head. The Apex plotted in the dark corners of his mind, places Steve couldn’t see.
‘It will be even sweeter to steal our omega right from under that dumb Alpha’s nose.’
“No killing.” Steve whispered under his breath, and the Apex did his best ‘what, me?’ expression.
Steve did his very best not to think about Bucky, about his flushed face and rushed apology for getting aroused. The Apex retaliated by playing the memory of the scenting on repeat till Steve whined into his pillow and relieved himself with a fast moving hand.
“Damn you!” he yelled at the Apex afterwards, “I hate you.”
‘Tsch, don’t be like that, we both know you don’t hate me...’
He wanted to hate him, wanted to be annoyed by the presence of someone else in his head, but what he lacked in the new world was company, company of the generation he was from. The Apex was that, they shared their mind, the Apex made him remember missions of the past, friends they had lost, adventures they had years ago. The Apex was trying to gain his trust by using the past, and at first Steve didn’t react, he sighed and ignored the insistent memories in his head, but one lonely night he gave in, listened to the Apex’s tales, a slightly more dominate take on what they had been through but it warmed the coldness in his chest, he wasn’t alone in this world, the Apex understood.
Two days later his phone blared with Brock’s name showing on the screen. He wanted to ignore it, pushing the device away, but a pulse of pain in his head had him scrambling for the device.
‘Answer it, our omega might need us.’
‘Not our omega’ Steve thought angrily to quiet the stupid Apex down. He did as suggested, though, schooling his tone to neutral as Brock’s panting voice wheezed through the device.
“I need another favour...”
“What is it?”
Brock huffed a laugh, “same as before. Can you take Bucky to the clinic, I don’t trust anyone else, no beta can defend against a feral Alpha and no Alpha would dare challenge you.”
‘He got that right...’
Steve shook the Apex Alpha’s thoughts away, pinching the top of his nose as he thought, “Can you not ask someone else?”
“No Steve, please. I trust you.”
The Apex burst out laughing, cackling into his palm before wiping amused tears from his eyes.
“Steve?” Brock asked, to make sure he was still there.
“Fine.” He spat. Brock didn’t hear his reluctance, only registered he had won their odd tussle.
“Thanks Steve, I owe you one...”
Steve ended the call and pressed the device against his lips. Being alone with Bucky was the mother of all bad ideas, but the Apex only nodded his head eagerly.
‘Stupid dumb Alpha, we’ll steal back our omega.’
Steve gripped his temples, trying to shut down the annoying voice in his head, but he kept on.
‘This is our chance...’
“What are you on about?” Steve sighed in the silence.
‘You wanted to woo him, woo him...’
“What?”
The Apex rolled his eyes, ‘you wanted to woo him rather than dominate him, here’s your chance.’
“He’s not interested in me; he’s content with his and Brock’s relationship.
‘Idiot.’
“Don’t call Bucky that.”
The Apex shook his head with a huff, ‘wasn’t talking about Bucky...’
Bucky shot a small smile when he climbed into the car, one that reached his eyes, the Apex informed Steve of that fact. Steve’s lips twitched in response, he wanted to grin back, but found he couldn’t.
The whole journey passed in silence. Bucky’s mouth opened, but each time Steve was sure he was about to speak his lips pressed together and he frowned harshly at his feet. Tension mounted between them, thick and heavy and Steve knew he could break it, sooth with his pheromones but he didn’t, he let it build until Bucky blurted out a wavering ‘sorry’.
Steve blinked, face wrinkling as that one word sunk in, “what? Why are you sorry?”
“When we were in the elevator, I didn’t mean to get turned on, I’m sorry...and now you feel uncomfortable around Brock and me, but you didn’t do anything wrong, it was me that reacted to you, I’m sorry.”
Steve proceeded to do his best impression of a fish, staring straight ahead even with Bucky’s darting eyes attaching to the side of his face.
‘Speak you dumbass.’
“I’m not upset at you for that...it was just scent, emotions...it happens.”
Bucky full-on turned in his seat, whole focus on Steve, “then-then what is it...why are you being off with me?”
“I just-I just-
‘Am an idiot’
-Tired, that’s all.” he growled the last words and Bucky frowned at the odd reaction. Steve huffed to himself before trying again without any interruptions, “I’m just tired...still hung up about what happened to Brock.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Bucky said quickly, hand springing out to settle on Steve’s thigh.
‘If it’s any consolation, it wasn’t, you keep your sparkling reputation and I’ll happily burn the world to keep our omega safe.’
Steve smiled politely before inwardly telling the Apex to shut up for a bit so he could think. The rugged image of the other Alpha held his hands up and backed away with a smirk.
“So...why the clinic again?” Steve asked.
Bucky shuffled back into his seat, picking at his nails with his eyes transfixed by the movement, “They’re testing my blood to predict when my heat will hit...Brock’s getting impatient...”
“I see...and you, how do you feel about that?”
“Steve.” Bucky said in warning, “please don’t do this again...Brock’s decision is final; when my heat hits, he has every right to bond me to him.”
“With or without your consent.”
“I have consented; I signed the contract, Steve. I am his.”
“He doesn’t own you...”
Bucky hissed towards the window and the hand anchoring Steve’s thigh vanished. The print of Bucky’s hand cooled fast, and Steve sighed towards the omega.
“I’m sorry, this whole arrangement takes some getting used to...”
Steve followed Bucky into the examination room, ignoring the worried glances the nurses exchanged. His scent spiked with annoyance and when the doctor suggested he leave a challenging smell got him to back away and busy himself.
Bucky wasn’t as nervous, whether that was Steve’s presence or the fact he wasn’t up on some examination table with his legs spread, Steve didn’t know.
Two vials of blood were all they took, placing them inside envelops to be sent off for analysis.
“Have you had any heat flushes?”
Bucky shook his head with his eyes on his feet. A scent of guilt tickled Steve’s nose, he narrowed his eyes at Bucky, trying to understand the omega’s odd reaction.
“Stomach cramping?”
Again Bucky replied with his hair flicking left to right, and the scent persisted.
‘He’s lying...’
The doctor frowned, tapping on his clipboard with growing confusion.
“You really should have by now...”
Bucky shrugged in response, which did nothing to ease the doctor’s concern. Steve inwardly glanced to the Apex, noting how the Alpha in his head had gone deathly still, eyes unwavering taking in every minute detail coming from the omega. The Apex growled suddenly, and Steve snapped his attention back to the present.
The doctor reached out, tugging at Bucky’s shirt to reveal his neck. The gland had swollen dark purple instead of pale skin. The doctor pressed down with a hum and the omega jolted away with a pained hiss.
Steve was on his feet, curling his lip up and glaring straight at the startled doctor.
“Touch him again and I swear to god I’ll throw you through that wall.”
The doctor paced away with his face turned, bowing to Steve’s superior scent and intimidating glare.
“I was only testing the tenderness.”
“I don’t care,” Steve growled, “you ask him before you touch him.”
The doctor wrote his notes hastily, scribbling while darting brief looks at Steve. Bucky tugged at Steve’s sleeve, not speaking but jumping his eyebrows on his face to get Steve’s attention. All the nurses had stilled to watch the odd display, and Steve eventually calmed enough to sit back beside Bucky, noting with a sense of satisfaction how the omega angled himself closer, smiling softly to himself.
Back in the car Bucky chuckled at Steve’s pissed demeanour.
“What?” Steve snapped; he softened his voice when he spoke again, “what’s so funny?”
“You...you’re gonna get banned if you keep reacting like that.”
Steve snorted bitterly, “I’m sure that’ll be the last time I go with you. Your Alpha will be well soon enough.”
Bucky visibly shrunk in his seat and the Apex Alpha made a slit throat motion with his hand. Any amusement Bucky had felt vanished under Steve’s words, and he cursed himself for souring the mood.
“So...urm, what’s a heat flush?”
Bucky picked at his nails and averted his gaze, “their like small heats...an hour at a time, my body getting ready for the real deal...”
“And you haven’t had any?”
Bucky frowned fiercely, “that’s what I said in there.”
“Well you didn’t exactly say it; you shook your head and smelled like guilt.”
Bucky’s eyes went comically wide, his lips opened but it took a few moments for any words to form, “guilt over my long waiting Alpha...”
‘Don’t push it,’ the Apex warned and Steve decided to listen to him, holding his hands up and whispering it was none of his business, he just worried for the omega.
“You don’t need to worry about me.” Bucky muttered fast.
Steve snorted, “Don’t need to, but I do...and your stomach was growling rather wildly in there, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re hungry...and that worries me, no omega should be hungry...can I get you something to eat?”
Bucky shifted in his seat, uneasy scent forcing Steve to crack open a window.
“You can say no Bucky, if you don’t want any-
“It’s not that,” he blurted, “I do...I just...I haven’t got Brock’s permission, he’ll be expecting me back.”
‘Don’t worry, I took care of that...he’ll be down for a good few hours...’
Steve froze with wide eyes-
‘Didn’t killed him, don’t worry, he’s sleeping’
That didn’t make Steve feel any better; the Apex had gotten to Brock without him even knowing, without him registering a jump in time.
‘Only took a minute.’ The smug Apex replied-
“Steve!”
Bucky had gripped his arm, pulsed his fingers around his bicep trying to get the frozen man’s attention.
“Steve, are you alright?”
“Yeah, sorry...” Steve said with a forced laugh, still concerned over Brock’s welfare, even with the Apex making a crossed heart motion.
“I um...I changed my mind, some food would be real good...”
Steve blinked in genuine surprise, smile growing over his lips, one that was matched by the wide-eyed omega.
“What do you fancy? Pizza place, cafe?”
Bucky blanched, shaking his head with an apologetic expression, “I can’t be seen with you out...will have to be in the car.”
“Okay...take out in the car...that good too.”
‘Tragic first date...’
Steve did his best to ask about the food Bucky liked, but he chose to list Brock’s likes and dislikes instead. Steve learned to phrase the question a different way, asking what he used to eat before he signed up to be a trained omega.
Reluctant at first, Bucky admitted what he liked and what he didn’t. A lover of chocolate, of pasta and pizza, not fond of olives, or lemons. Steve inwardly grinned as the omega recalled all he had loved to eat, growing more confident and happy as he did.
They pulled up to the booth ready to order.
Steve pointed towards the menu, “see, they got burgers, fries, stuff you like...”
Bucky’s joyous expression fell, “Um...salad...my Alpha likes me eating salad.”
“You can order what you want...anything you want.” Steve added.
Bucky licked at his lips, brow scrunching together as if pained.
“Steve...I can’t...”
“I won’t tell a soul, if you want something I’ll get it for you.”
Bucky frowned at the image outside the window, a milkshake, wanting it but knowing he shouldn’t have it was causing him pain. His face flinched, his eyes shook, and he whined harshly at the choice before him.
Steve held up his hand to sooth the panic ridden omega, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed...”
Bucky faced away, and Steve ordered for them. The salad the omega had requested, and the burger, fries and milkshake he had. He usually chose strawberry, but the Apex demanded he pick chocolate and he gave in to silence the annoying ringing in his head.
They parked up in the spot they had used before, Bucky crunching down on his unappetising salad and Steve wolfing a burger.
“I thought you’d eat healthier being Captain America and all.”
Steve shrugged, “my body burns junk food fast; beside it tastes good, a lot better than I remember.”
‘You got that right...’
Bucky darted looks towards the fries, and even once his salad had been finished his stomach continued to rumble with neglect.
“Can...can I have one?”
Steve paused mid chew, offering the whole box of fries to the nerve ridden omega.
“’Course you can...”
His hand trembled; he swallowed uncomfortably as he reached for the off limit goods.
“You don’t have to do this Buck-
He took one, shoving it in his mouth and biting down before Steve could finish his sentence. One fry down, he picked another, and another till he was grinning to himself with happy omega scent rolling off in waves. The trained omega couldn’t even choose the food he wanted, nor speak to order any. It angered Steve enough to scrunch his face, and he bit his burger extra god-damn hard.
He patted down his pockets once he had finished, tugging a key out for Bucky to see.
“It’s a spare for the car...” he said slowly.
Bucky glared at the sparkling metal, “right...”
“Brock’s going to be in the hospital a while longer, and I’m off on a mission soon...I want you to have it in case you need it.”
“Why would I need it?”
Bucky took the key, spinning it in his fingers as he waited for Steve to explain.
“If you wanna...be yourself...you can drive here, pick whatever music you want, I’ll stock it with whatever food you like but can’t have, books, whatever...if you want a place to scream, or a way of escape when I’m not here, this is it...”
Bucky’s eyebrows went sky high and his eyes bulged in danger of popping out.
“Steve...this is dangerous, it’s already dangerous me even speaking to you.”
“I know...I know...I just wanted a place for you to be you.”
Bucky opened his mouth, but no words came out, still gawping but not in horror, Steve considered it a win, and when Bucky snatched up the milkshake and sucked hard on the straw Steve smiled bright.
They traded the drink between them, Bucky beaming and Steve filling with a soothing warmth. He sniffed greedily at the happy omega scent, pumping out his own answering smell till they both basked in it, grinning like fools and humming in mutual contentedness.
‘This is all very sweet...but let’s take it up a notch...’
The ache swamped Steve’s head, black and stifling until unconsciousness softened the fall. He drifted in dead space, minutes stolen from him by the Apex Alpha....
.....Steve basked in the heavenly scent of turned on omega, so sweet each inhale left him dizzy and had his eyes rolling back. Heat, his whole body rushed with an inferno, but more prominent than that in his veins were the soft puffs of stickiness on his neck. Weight pinned him in place, not unmoving though, a rhythmic rutting brushed against him. A repetitive nudge against his engorged cock, he rocked back unable to help it, enjoying the friction, growling softly for more.
Fuck, it felt good; more than that it felt right, even with his consciousness not fully there he knew it felt right.
He opened his eyes forcing them to focus, and they blew wide with desire at the sight. Bucky was on his lap, moving with fevered desperation with his face shoved into Steve’s neck. Both still fully dressed, they thrusted against each other like desperate animals, too needy to remove the clothing between them. The moisture tickling his skin was Bucky’s panted breath; sweat had darkened his brown strands till they clumped on his forehead. Sweating, panting, with loose lips and reddened cheeks, Bucky was the definition of sex and Steve grumbled in approval, still not fully understanding what was happening, a dream? A fantasy?
His arms were caging Bucky’s back, drawing him forward onto his expansive chest and his hands had had delved down the back of Bucky’s pants, fingers curling inside his slicked body. Shit, he had his fingers inside Bucky, both hands working the omega on his lap open till he shivered and shook. Warm and soft, but resistance in the walls against his fingers, he moaned at the feeling, fantasy or not, it was amazing to be caressing, to be stroking and feeling how wet Bucky had got under his touch.
Sound came back last, and when it did it took all of Steve’s willpower not to explode in his pants. Bucky was begging him, pleading for more and once he realised Steve had frozen he whimpered harshly, the call of a desperate omega needing pleasure. Not a dream or a fantasy, but the real thing. Fingers inside, clothed cocks brushing and omega calling for his Alpha to answer. That Alpha being him-
‘Now do you believe me that he wants us...?’
“Please Steve-fuck, please don’t stop, ‘m-so close.”
The world tilted before snapping back into position. Shit, he was monumentally caught in two minds, the Apex spurred him on, growled words of ownership to get his fingers to move, to get Steve to finish what he had started, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know where he was, what had happened before that point, whether the omega in his lap had consented or the Apex had drowned him in his overbearing pheromones.
He removed his hands from in-between Bucky’s cheeks, and gripped the rampant omega’s wrists to get him to halt his movements.
“Stop, Bucky stop.”
“No,” Bucky begged, shaking his cloggy hair side to side, “please don’t stop, Steve.”
Dazed omega, drunk on lust, Steve kept him at bay, repeating his name till some of the haze had lifted.
“Bucky...we need to stop.”
The omega straightened with a confused expression, still flexing his hips weakly until Steve lifted him off and placed him on the seat beside him.
They were in the back of the car again, still in their layby with the empty food wrappers discarded in the foot well.
“We, erm...we’ve stopped.” Steve mumbled dumbly, not knowing how to proceed.
Horney omega was quickly drowned under a barrage of other emotions, guilt, despair, self-loathing.
Steve snapped his attention to Bucky beside him, the white-faced Bucky that was shuffling away and clawing at the door handle.
Steve stilled him, he reached to cup his face, but the omega batted his hand away.
“Bucky, I need to tell you something...I keep having blackouts and when they happen I lose control, don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m saying.”
“It happened just then?” Bucky asked softly, still trying to immerse himself with the door.
“Yeah...one second we were sharing a milkshake, the next we’re rutting on the backseat.”
He laughed to make light of it but Bucky glared angrily in reply. Scent sharping into aggression.
‘Here comes the feisty side...’
Bucky’s lip pulled up, his grey eyes narrowed ferociously and Steve noted even his pissed face was attractive.
“All the bullshit I’ve heard come out of Alphas’ mouths...that takes top spot, it really does.”
“It’s not bullshit...I had to stop what we were doing....I wasn’t sure it was what you wanted, you’re Brock’s-
Bucky shoved at Steve’s shoulder hard enough for Steve to collapse into the other door, “don’t you mention Brock, do you not think I know...you speak about making choices, how I should be able to...I chose to kiss you Steve, when you asked if I wanted to get in the back I said yes! Now you’ve taken that choice from me with some Alpha bullshit, and thrown Brock in my face. Stop messing with my head, Steve, why can’t you ignore me like everyone else?”
“I can’t do that...I can’t. I-I like you too much...”
Bucky yanked angrily at the handle and a sense of panic seized Steve, not just his own but the Apex’s as well. Bucky was an un-bonded omega, still scenting arousal and he was trying to stomp away from the car. Steve scrambled after him, reaching for the pissed omega but getting his hand batted away.
“Don’t touch me...”
Steve blocked his path, hands up in surrender, “Look, Buck, it’s not safe for you to go walking along the road...”
“And I’m safe in the car with an Alpha that has ‘blackout’s’.” Bucky rolled his eyes and attempted another storm past.
‘Alpha voice...’
“No!” Steve shouted, clutching his head to get the Apex to retreat.
The fear that someone would dare approach the omega, the horror that someone would try to take him had all the hairs on Steve’s arms raising, had his lips drawing back in a snarl against the imaginary conspirers. Murderous, afraid, he pumped out the scents, challenging the very cars that whizzed past. He needed to get the omega to safety, but didn’t want to force him, didn’t want use his dominance to control the omega.
He rushed in front of the omega dropping to his knees and baring his throat, “please...I beg you, get back in the car.”
Bucky’s mouth opened in shock, grey eyes softening as they attached to Steve’s throat.
“You’re afraid of other Alphas trying their luck? I’m no push over omega.”
There was no doubt he was a tough omega, having hit and shoved Steve hard enough for him to stagger back, but the fear and the threat made Steve crazy, let alone the Apex that was demanding the Alpha voice was used to get him out of harm’s way.
‘Our feisty omega can be an irrational one.’
“Bucky...if an Alpha comes near you, it’s more than likely I’m going to kill them in my current state.”
‘Too right...’
Bucky stopped his dramatic walk off, scenting the air to see if Steve was serious. His scent was deadly, murderous and had another Alpha even poked his head around the corner, even without the Apex cheering him on, he would’ve gone for them.
“Fine,” Bucky snapped, “I’ll get back in the car...you can take me home then leave...I’ll get a taxi back to the hospital.”
“Why can’t I just take you straight there...?”
Bucky shifted, cheeks flashing red and chin tucking under, “I smell like you, sex and frustration...think it’s best I shower first.”
“I can wait, take you there after-
“No, Steve...I can’t be around you...you’re making things complicated, making me...conflicted... please just...stay away...”
He nodded his head in reply; knowing agreeing was the only way to get Bucky safely back in the car. He feared no Alpha, but didn’t want to be responsible for any of their deaths, that was what he’d do if one was stupid enough to challenge, let alone what the crazy Apex would do if one even glanced Bucky’s way.
‘Tear them to pieces.’
The drive was silent; Bucky shutting down anything Steve tried to say with a swift shut up. The Apex prickled with irritation, an omega should respect his Alpha not constantly tell him to shut up. Steve reminded him for the hundredth time that Bucky wasn’t theirs.
‘His slick ass says otherwise.’
Bucky slammed the door harder than necessary, not glancing back once as he retreated into his house.
“Why did you have to do that?” Steve growled at the mirror, only for the Apex to growl louder back.
‘Me? He was happy being finger fucked, never have I heard such pitiful moans, or smelled such a mouth-watering scent, or felt such a glorious hole
“Shut up.” Steve snapped.
‘Why? You’re getting turned on?’
They both new the answer was a massive yes-
‘Well tough, you went and fucked it up for us...’
Steve banged his head down on the steering wheel hard, groaning when the Apex teased him with details of kissing Bucky, how sweet and soft his mouth and tongue were.
“I hate you.” Steve mumbled.
‘Right now I hate you too...’