Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Clenching his hands on either side of his bathroom basin, Dennis watches as milky pink froth swirls down the drain.

“What the...?”

His eyes flick up to meet his reflection. Light auburn curls damp and dark from the shower, plastered to his forehead, and the bags under his eyes look even worse than they did yesterday. Like deep purple bruises.

He curls up his lip, his teeth covered in the remains of the toothpaste he just spat out. His gums are tender, and he guesses he must have brushed them too hard, bleeding into his mouth maybe. Leaning forward, he bares his teeth at the mirror. Yep, that’s blood. He stifles a chuckle, anyone else making this face in the mirror would look so tough, he thinks. He just looks like he’s got some weird tropical disease. Shit, maybe he does.

“The hottie mobile is leaving in five Huckleberry, hurry the fuck up!”. Trinity bashes on the bathroom door as she walks past. Their mornings are always a rush. He got so stressed in the beginning, before he settled into the routine. She just needs to feel late to get moving, doing everything at the very last minute. Snoozing her alarm over and over in the next room before bolting out of her room pulling her shirt down and hopping down the hallway shoving a sock on her foot. His mouth quirks up fondly, he’s so glad she found him on that abandoned floor three months ago. He’s never had such a good friend.

He spits again, leaning down under the faucet to wash his mouth out, before firmly placing his scent patches on the base of his neck. Not that he needs them, even for a Beta his scent is barely there, but he’s found it’s just safer to keep himself covered, some of the older fashioned patients get prickly or handsy at the sight of an uncovered gland. It’s a blessing really, that his scent is so mild, it means he’s been able to get away with the cheapest patches they sell, as really they’re just for appearances in his case. There’s no need to mellow his hormones or cover the associated smells they produce.

There’s a crash in the kitchen, that’ll be Trinity dropping her thermos. Dennis potters out of the bathroom to quickly pull on his undershirt and scrub top. Scooping up his backpack and flinging it over his shoulder. It twinges, his shoulders are tense and tender. He figures he must’ve pulled something transferring a patient.

He joins Trinity in the kitchen, she’s currently chopping a salad with one hand whilst pouring condensed milk into her coffee with her other one. Dennis rifles around in his box of protein bars, grabbing two and shoving them in his pockets before picking up his shoes at the door.

“Two minutes Huckleberry!”, Trinity calls to him, like she’s not the one who needs the reminder. Dennis is already half-way down the stairs from their third floor apartment.

When his shoes hit the wet pavement, he immediately shoves his hands in his pockets. It's a windy day, and he wishes he’d dried his hair a bit better. His skin prickles up, goosebumps making him suddenly sensitive all over. Maybe he should have worn a long sleeve under his scrubs, but he’s been running hot the last few days, and he figures he’ll work up a sweat as soon as he gets to the Pitt. It’s cold in the ER, but the adrenaline warms him up well enough. He rounds the corner to Trinity’s pick up, bending down to re-tie his poorly laced sneaker just as she races around the corner. A toasted sandwich shoved in her mouth, eyes wild. Dennis is so fond of her.

“You ‘ook ‘ike shi’”, Trinity muffles out from around her breakfast.

“Aw, thanks Trin, really appreciate the morning pick-me-up”, Dennis teases back as he pulls himself up into the passenger seat. The engine rumbles, Trinity’s sandwich now out of her mouth and half crushed in her hand on top of the gearstick as she wrenches her body around to reverse out onto the busy street.

“Just telling it like I see it Huck, you weren’t up all night on your phone again were you?”, she finishes reversing and turns back to him, a leering smile showing off her dainty Omega fangs. “Not texting a certain chief and attending again?”

Dennis coughs as an answer and Trinity throws her head back in a barking laugh. “Oh my God you are so easy. Just ask one of them out already!”

“It’s not LIKE that,” Dennis huffs. “I told you, Robby has just been giving me advice about specialties, and Abbot was giving me tips about charting with my dyslexia cos he has it too-“

“Oh, Robby and Abbot is it, not even Dr or Sir anymore, you’re down so bad.”

“I am not!”, he sputters.

“Yeah, sure, and they’re texting all their med students to ‘just give advice’.”

“Well, maybe they would if everyone was as obviously pathetic and in need of assistance as I am.”, Dennis jokes, pouting. He’s found that making fun of himself usually works at diffusing awkward conversations.

“-only the cute ones Huck, only the cute ones.” She mutters back at him, giving him the up down as she says it. Dennis rolls his eyes as his cheeks darken. He knows she’s teasing, being a card-carrying lesbian and all, but it’s nice to hear a compliment all the same. It’s been her favourite thing to tease him about for the last six weeks, and when she found out he’d started texting them last week? Well, he can’t get her to talk about anything else.

Trinity isn’t exactly wrong about his feelings for his two attendings. His crushes are making him a little extra pathetic these days. Dropping things, running into equipment, speaking without thinking. He squirms with embarrassment in his seat, remembering the looks his attendings are often throwing his way, looking at him with their eyebrows up like ‘it’s a miracle you’re still alive let alone about to graduate medical school’. 

Trinity sees him wriggling and must mistake his embarrassment for arousal when she claps a hand on his shoulder, “Oh man, you are so gone, this is the best!”

“Can we PLEASE just get to work?!”

“Oh, they’ll put you to work alright!”

“TRIN!” he shrieks, face flushing, head in his hands.

+++

Miraculously, they’re a few minutes early to their shift. After depositing their things in their lockers, they head out to find a new night shift nurse Dennis hasn’t met yet filling Dana in on some charting at central. Dana gives them a smile, gesturing with her head for them to go down the corridor. There’s husky laughter coming from Trauma 1, and inside are Drs Robby and Abbot, Robby leaning on the wall chuckling, while Abbot reenacts some sort of fight, an IV pole above his head like a spear as he laughs loudly and mimes prodding it at the gurney in between them. When he lifts his arms up higher, Dennis catches the line of his Calvin’s sitting low on his hips, peaking out above his scrub pants. A line of tan, muscled skin below his shirt. Dennis heats up and immediately looks anywhere else.

Robby drops his head at Abbot’s antics, fondly rubbing a hand along his forehead and through his hair as Abbot raises the IV pole again, pointing it at Dennis and Trinity, mock seriousness on his face.

“Intruders! Children in Trauma One” Abbot deadpans at them and Robby chuckles harder.

“Children? Trinity’s nearly 30!” Dennis replies, indignant. That just makes the two older men laugh harder.

“I believe that’s Jack’s point exactly”, Robby turns to them both, folding his arms in front of his broad torso and crossing his legs at the ankles, still leaning against the trauma room wall. His hoody is rolled up to his elbows and he looks soft and warm, like he’s only recently peeled himself out of a comfortable bed. His face is fond, smile lines on full display. God, Dennis wants him.

“Santos, I’d like you to start out in chairs this morning, divide and conquer with King when she arrives. Whittaker, Dr Abbot is going to finish his shift by doing some actual work and handing over the patient in 3 for you to chase some labs up on.” He claps his hands, rubbing them together as he pushes off the wall with his broad shoulder, nodding a goodbye to Abbot, and placing a solid hand on Dennis's shoulder as he moves past, fingers squeezing, making Dennis release a tight strained breath.

Robby halts, “You ok kid?”, taking a step back to look at Dennis’ face, his hand still squeezing his damn shoulder. “You been moonlighting as a removalist or something? You're all tensed up”, Robby asks, concern flooding his face. Jack immediately walks over too, leaning down to be face to face with Dennis, bringing his hand around to cup the back of Dennis's sweaty neck. “He’s flushed too Mike, you in pain Dennis?”

Dennis feels like a deer caught in headlights, Robby in front on him to the right, Abbot to the left, hands on him, both looking at him with such concern and they’re so close. His neck and shoulder where they’re touching send a hot thrum through him, sizzling and aching up to his jaw and down to his stomach. His hands itch, his gums ache, and he feels a bit lightheaded. Oh, right, that’s cos he stopped breathing. He supposes he should start doing that again.

He should probably say something too.

“Oh, yep, I mean, no, no moonlighting haha, guess I just slept funny. I’m totally fine!” Dennis hears himself answering, his voice unusually high and clipped, he can feel Trinity standing next to him practically vibrating in amusement.

“If you say so.” Abbot says, squeezing his neck before giving him a pat on the back as he heads down the corridor. Robby takes a bit longer, worry creasing his eyebrows. Dennis hates that he’s the cause of it.

“I’m fine, really” he breathes out, cocking his head forwards so he’s looking up at Robby through his eyelashes, submission written all over him as he tries to soothe Robby’s concern with a softened voice and pleading eye contact. It’s a cop out of a move, appealing to Robby’s Alpha like this, but it works all the same. The older man’s face softens, and he clears his throat. “Well, alright then Whitaker. Santos, with me”, and Robby is gone with one final squeeze to his shoulder. Trinity follows behind him, jogging backwards so she can face Dennis and mouth 'Oh My God You Slut' at him. Dennis groans, rolling his head back, staring blanky up at the water stain on the ceiling, flexing his hands at his sides as he takes a huge exhaling breath and closes his eyes for a moment. His body hums.

It is going to be a very long shift.

Chapter Text

When Dennis was a pup, his Ma always snuck him extra helpings after his brothers had all run off to play. He was so much smaller than them, with milky skin and big wet eyes, his knees scuffed. His curls cut short, neat for Sunday service.

Now that he's been at the Pitt a few months, Dennis has grown his hair out a bit. He doesn’t go to church on Sundays anymore.

PTMC is different to what he expected. There’s so many different kinds of people working together, with lots of different religions and cultures and all sorts of differences Dennis never even knew about. People just do things here because they want to, God be damned. He fiddles with a curl at the nape of his neck. His mother wouldn’t approve of the length.

She wouldn’t approve of a lot of things. Of his living with a queer, unmated Omega woman. Of him working with people of all different races and genders. She certainly wouldn't approve of him being gay. It's been a few months since they last spoke. Dennis never knows what to say anymore.

While he nibbles on a sandwich from the trolley, his Ma's voice reminds him to not eat too quick. It's the exact opposite of the advice everyone at the Pitt would give, to wolf down whatever you can as fast as you can, but he’d nearly choked a few times as a kid and he'd never forget how scared he was, everyone screaming, their hands all over him, trying to get him to breathe by pushing and pulling at him and shaking him through the air. He gulps, not tasting his sandwich.

The warm prickle he's been feeling all day is still gnawing at the back of his neck, the skin under his patches itching. It's distracting, but as far as patients go it hasn't been a horribly busy day so far, so he thanks God for small mercies and quickly sips on some water before heading back out of the break room.

"Whitaker!" Mckay spots him and calls him over, "Got a new case for you."

Dennis rushes over, taking the chart she hands him and following her down the corridor.

"19 year old Female Omega, fell down her stairs and has a head lac and a possible broken shoulder. She's a bit skittish, so I figured she'd do better with you than me." 

Dennis furrows his brow. "Why?"

"I kinda reek Alpha, y'know?"

Dennis does know. It's not on purpose; it's not like she tries to force her scent out or uses her Alpha voice like some of the asshole knot head patients who come through the Pitt. She just has that Alpha vibe, like she knows exactly what she's doing here. Dennis can’t even imagine what that must feel like.

"She started stinking up the place every time I got close. Figured a Beta closer to her age might have better luck, you ready to meet her?" McKay smiles, totally unaffected by the fact that she might not be the right physician for her patient. Dennis likes her, she's a good Doctor. He nods, and McKay leads him in through the curtain to meet his patient, tucking a clump of stray hair behind her pointed ear.

"Clara, this is Student Dr Whitaker, if I took a tumble down my stairs, this is the guy I'd want fixing me up!"

Dennis smiles at Clara, who, yeah, she does seem skittish. He ducks his head, another little submissive gesture that he didn't even think about before he does it. Two in one day, he’s got to put a lid on that. Clara gives him a small smile, and McKay heads off back to chairs.

"So, Clara, how'd you end up in our lovely ER this morning?"

She doesn't meet his eye as she shrugs. "Clumsy I guess, fell down the stairs"

"Oh, I'm super clumsy too, don't beat yourself up about it". Dennis leans forward to check her forehead, noticing she flinches a bit when he gets close. "Don't worry, this shouldn't hurt", he mutters with a smile as he looks at her head lac. It'll need stitches, but it's not too bad. He leans back, pulling out his pen light to check her pupils. All good there, likely no concussion.

"Do you have a headache Clara? Double Vision?", She shakes her head no.

“And today is?”

“Tuesday”

"Sure is. Ok, and hold out your arm for me if you can."

Clara shifts in her bed and tries to unfold her arm from where it's held tight to her chest. She grunts out a small cry and shakes her head quickly. 

"Hurts"

"Ok, that's ok, I'm going to take a look at it. This might hurt a little, but I promise I’ll be gentle, ok?" Dennis lowers his voice, soft and soothing, making eye contact and waiting for her to agree before he touches her. He can see she's terrified.

She makes a tiny nod, and Dennis reaches out and lightly manipulates her arm away from her chest, immediately seeing the deformity at her clavicle that was hidden earlier. He runs his gloved hands down her arm from her shoulder. No more deformities, likely just the collarbone then, but she'll need an x-ray in case. His hand is at her wrist now, and he notices some fresh bruising there. Fingerprints, nail indents. Someone grabbed Clara's wrist, hard, and wouldn't let go. He looks up at her, and she's staring at the bruises too, and then at him. Her eyes well with tears.

"You're safe here Clara. I’m going to get you some pain medication, and then, if you're ready, you can tell me more about what happened, only if you want to". He holds her gaze, ducking his head again and cocking to the side a bit, baring his neck just a little to show he's no threat. She nods, and he places her arm back across her chest how she had it earlier while he asks her about allergies and if there’s any chance she’s pregnant, which gets a snort from Clara. He wheels himself around to open the curtain, quickly spotting Mohan, who he checks his game plan with and gets the go ahead for pain meds, sutures, and an x-ray. He flags Jessie down, ordering the meds and the x-ray, and asking him to come in when he returns.

"She caught me", she says to Dennis’s back. He wheels back around to find Clara is quietly crying. "She, she saw us, and, and she got so mad"

"Who was mad?"

"Um... my mom. When I presented last year, she was so excited to set me up with an Alpha boy, but, um. I never really liked any of them." Dennis is quiet while she talks. 

Jessie comes through the curtain with her meds, and Clara tenses up, he’s tall for an Omega, but she sniffs and gives him a small smile, letting him into her space to get her a cup of water to take the medication and to start getting the suture tray ready for Dennis.

"I was, my friend Sally was over studying. And I didn't mean for it to happen, but we just..." she goes quiet, staring at her lap.

"You can tell me and Nurse Jessie.” Dennis quietly coos at her.

"We, we were kissing. And my mom saw. She screamed at Sally to get out, she was so, so mad.”

"Because you were kissing a girl?”

"An Omega girl."

Dennis sits back a bit, shocked, not sure what to say. He’s learned that it’s almost common in the city for people to have relationships with the wrong secondary genders. No, not wrong he corrects himself, different. There are even other countries where they can get married, Trinity backpacked through a few of them after high school, there’s photos on the fridge of her beaming with her friends overseas, Omegas holding other Omegas. Alphas with other Alphas. An Alpha and Beta pair with their newborn on the Alpha’s hip. They were all at a Pride parade together. Smiling and happy.

Dennis remembers the old man in Broken Bow, Crooker, who everyone avoided. Noone eating from his dish at the church potluck or buying his eggs at the market. He’d heard his brothers joking that old Crooker used to shack up with another Alpha. That his Alpha lover had gotten sick and died for his sins. His dad had come home then and told them all to stop laughing about such filth. “His sin’ll infect you if you ain’t careful.” He’d spat, “God punished that dirty old pervert. Just like he punishes all filthy sinners.”

Dennis was terrified of Crooker as a child, and then in his teens and early twenties he wished he’d sought him out before he’d passed. He thinks that maybe they might have had a few things in common. He could have asked him what to do about Rory, the boy from the farm over with the rosy cheeks and toothy grin. Rory had always had Dennis’ attention. When he presented as an Alpha Dennis couldn’t wait to present too. He didn’t expect his parents to let him marry an Alpha boy of course, knowing they’d prefer a traditional male/female pairing, but he still daydreamed about Rory, about stolen kisses behind the barn in the spring sunshine. About being a good Omega for him. But that never happened. And he still wanted Rory, but of course Rory didn’t want him back, and Old Crooker was long dead. Dennis never even knew his partner’s name.

Jessie coughs softly, making a face at Dennis who has been quiet for much too long, and kneels by Clara's bedside, taking her undamaged hand in his. "You didn't deserve that Hunni. You should be able to kiss anyone you like who likes you back without anyone hurting you or making you feel bad. You hear?"

Clara looks at Jessie with her big green eyes, and then at Dennis. "But, my mom, she thinks an Omega shouldn't ever, shouldn’t be with another Omega. Not like that. I didn't mean to, I just, I like her so much." Tears are rolling down her face now. Jessie holds her hand tighter.

"Oh hun, that's just not true. If you like each other that’s all that should matter. What did your mom do?"

"She grabbed me, and yelled and I just wanted to get away, she was saying such nasty things, and I fell down the stairs trying to get her to let go of me and then I ran here", she hacks out great big sobs now, openly weeping, and Jessie is up and holding her, letting her cry on his shoulder. He turns to look at Dennis, eyes furious with him. Dennis doesn’t know why he’s in trouble with Jessie, but he backs away from the protective Omega and rushes to the bathroom for a moment to himself.

He heads straight to the basin, splashing the cool water on his face. It doesn’t help.

Chapter Text

There was a four car pile up on an overpass a few blocks over, with all 7 victims coming through their trauma rooms within minutes of each other.

Dennis has gotten used to this. He feels confident after so many weeks in Emergency, about where to stand and what to do during a trauma. How to not get in the way, but to still be ready in a second if a senior resident or attending wants him to jump in. Right now, he’s on suction while Dr Collins tries to stabilise a massive neck wound on a 42 year old Alpha. He’s not sure they’ll be able to save him, even though she’s a brilliant Doctor. There’s just so much blood.

They call it a few minutes later before racing in the next patient. A five-year-old girl, still in her car seat. Robby bursts in to take over. He’s always right there when there’s kids involved. They pull her out of her seat to find a jagged glass shard by her spleen, her lung is punctured, and she’s too quiet. Robby calls Dr Mohan in to help. They save the girl.

Next is a 53 year old beta who refuses to get off his mobile phone, screaming at his lawyer about suing the other drivers. Collins grabs the phone off him and throws it into the hallway so she can stop the bleeding coming from his severed ear that he’d failed to notice while Robby orders a CT for a suspected pelvic fracture. How the guy wasn’t screaming his head off in pain is anyone’s guess.

They get the pile up patients all out of the way just in time for a helicopter to bring in a couple who were rescued from the bottom of a ravine. The first man is dead on arrival. His husband goes shortly after from massive internal bleeding.

Dennis tries to meet his eyes, but Robby purposefully avoids his gaze. Ripping off his gloves and gown and looking like he’s going to punch something as he storms out of the room. He doesn’t wait for the moment of silence.

Dennis wonders if the men fell, or if they jumped. He says a silent prayer for them either way. 

They all filter off back to their regular patients, Santos coming to find him to gush about all the cool procedures she got to do with Mel and Mohan. Dennis lets her talk, flexing his fingers. His nails feel tight and achy at the end of his hands and he wonders if Emergency Medicine is really for him after all. He wasn’t lying when he told Trinity that’s what he’d been texting Robby about a week ago. They’d been chatting at work about Dennis’s next rotation, Family Medicine, and that got them onto the pros and cons of different departments, a subject that Robby seemed to have very strong opinions about. Robby got called away mid conversation, so he yelled behind him to Dana to give him his number so he could follow up. Dana’s eyebrows had shot up to her hairline, slowly turning towards Dennis with a smirk on her face and her phone held out for Dennis to copy off.

The profile image was a picture of Robby with one of those kawaii face filters on. Dennis giggles and Dana couldn’t help but chuckle back.

“Don’t tell him I showed you that.”

Dennis nods, smiling.

He’d texted Robby that night.

Dennis: Hi Dr Robby, it’s Whitaker. Dennis.

Dennis: Dennis Whitaker

Dr Robby: Hello Whitaker. Dennis. Dennis Whitaker

Dennis: hi 🙂

Dr Robby: … what can I do for you Dennis?

Dennis: oh yeah, right! um, you told Dana I could have your number to keep talking about placements? I guess I was wondering how you knew Emergency Medicine was what you wanted to do?

Dr Robby: I didn’t really. I went into my rotations pretty blank canvas. EM was the last one I did, and turns out I’d never felt so alive in my life. Never left.

Dennis: wow. Ok, so maybe my order is all wrong, it’s the second one I’m doing 🤔

Dr Robby: you didn’t quit after Pittfest, I know Gloria offered to put all the students on a different rotation. You stayed. That means something

Dennis: ofcourse I stayed!

Dr Robby: why?

Dennis pauses. He knows what he wants to say, but he's not sure if Robby will like it.

Fuck it.

Dennis: …i still had a lot to learn from a wise man

Robby hadn’t replied again that night, but two days later, Dennis gets a text that wakes him just from the edge of sleeping.

Dr Robby: settle a bet for me, when horses are born, are their feet all soft and covered in tentacles?

Dennis just stared at his phone. Was he hallucinating?

Dennis: um, yeah, sort of! They have these sort of floppy horse slippers to protect the mares when they’re birthing

Dennis: here’s a photo! It’s of our foal Bonnie from a few years back, you can see her slippers.

Dr Robby: Great, thanks

His phone pings again, this time, it’s from a number he doesn’t have saved.

Unknown Number: what the hell are those Lovecraftian horrors?!

Unknown Number: horse tentacles! as if that’s a real thing

Unknown Number: ridiculous

Unknown Number: you just cost me ten bucks kid!

Unknown Number: it’s Abbot. Jack. Jack Abbot, btw

That’ll be who Robby was betting he supposes. His breath is shallow and his hands are all shaky. Like the first time he did a chest tube. Nervous.

Dennis: oh, hi Dr Abbot. I owe you $10?

So, his attendings are hanging out tonight it seems. He wonders if they’re both at work, or if they have the night off. Either way, why are they texting him? He supposes he’s the only person they know who’s been around a newborn horse. Why they needed urgent 2am horse facts is anyone’s guess though.

Dr Abbot: don’t worry, i’ll let you make it up to me

He has no idea what to reply to that.

Dr Robby: Ignore Jack, Dennis, he can’t hold his liquor and is a sore loser

Dennis’s eyes bulge. Ok, so they’re definitely not at work. And are apparently showing each other the text messages they’re sending him, whilst drinking somewhere.

Dr Abbot: lies, i’ve never lost anything in my life

Dr Robby: Except the war

Dennis claps a hand over his mouth. That is not the kind of joke people are supposed to make. He looks around his empty bedroom, feeling suddenly self-conscious that he’s being spied on and is about to get in trouble. There’s no one there, obviously. He reads the last few texts again and smiles wide. He likes the joke, likes that Robby told it to him. He’s not sure why. It feels forbidden somehow.

Dr Abbot: ignore Mikey, Dennis, he can’t hold his liquor and is an insufferable winner

Mikey

Dennis threw his phone across the room like it burned him.

Chapter Text

Around 3pm, Jessie comes to find him while he’s entering some charting about a 68 year old with reflux into the computer.

“So, I gotta say, I didn’t take you for a bigot.”

Dennis nearly chokes on his own tongue. “What?! I’m, I’m not!”

“Then why did you move away from Clara like she’d give you cooties the second you found out she kissed another Omega?” Jessie asks, eyes cold.

“I, I didn’t mean to. I was just surprised.”

“Surprised about what?” Princess chirps from behind him, her sixth sense for drama beckoning her towards them.

“Whitaker here was ‘surprised’ by a queer patient, and basically stopped treating her when he found out”, Jessie grumbles. Princess’s mouth hangs open.

“That’s not what happened! She’s still waiting on Ortho!”

“It sure looked like that’s what happened to me.” Jessie looks hurt, and Dennis realises he really, really fucked this up. He's starting to feel like he’s chasing after a runaway train, his heart beating in his ears.

“Look, Jessie, I’m really sorry. I was shocked, I grew up… it doesn’t matter how I grew up, I promise I have no problem with anyone wanting to kiss anyone, and it won’t happen again.”

As if things couldn’t get worse, “What’s this about Huckleberry wanting to kiss everyone?” Trinity interrupts, a grin on her face. Where the hell had she come from? Dennis grinds his palm into his eye socket. Why is this happening to him?

Jessie rounds on her, “Oh I don’t know about that doll, Dennis here has a thing against same-designation relationships.”

“Ha! No, he doesn’t, he’s just a repressed idiot whose brain isn’t connected to his mouth, aren’t you Huckleberry?”

Thank god for Trinity. She didn’t even pause before defending him and he feels warmth seep through him knowing she understands he didn’t mean anything bad.

Wait a minute.

“I’m not an idiot!”

Trinity looks at him like ‘really, that’s what you’re going with?’ before responding, “Just the other two things then.”

“I…, I guess I am a bit, yeah. Jessie, look, I’m really sorry. Thank you for being so great this morning. I’ll do better, I just, I’ve never been around this kind of stuff before.”

“What kind of stuff?” asks Princess rudely, “People?”

“Yes, people!" Dennis feels out of control. He might be yelling, it's impossible to tell, he just needs Jessie to believe him so bad. "I've never had people around who aren’t like, married at 15 with a house-load of pups, people!” He’s really starting to panic now. The sweat in the short hairs on the back of his neck is dripping down to his collar and cooling uncomfortably. He can feel Jessie’s tension, how hurt he is. It’s almost physically painful.

Jessie considers that for a minute. It feels like it takes forever, Dennis wants to shake him. Wants to curl into a ball and die. To throw up. “I get that Dennis, but have you ever really even had to think about it? It’s just not the same for a beta, you need to put in the work man.”

He doesn't know. He's not the same. Can't know. He's wrong. Bad. Useless. “No, no, of course not … I know I’m, I’m not the same… I’m so sorry, I’ll do better.” Dennis’s eyes fill with tears. The back of his neck burns with shame and he just wants to disappear, biting his bottom lip. He's fucked this all up. The Omega is so cross with him. He's done such a bad job. “I’ll promise I’ll do better”, He holds his wrists out to Jessie and completely bares his neck, he needs the Omega to know he didn't mean it, i'm sorry i'm sorry please forgive me. He drops to his knees, whimpering.

Princess whistles out an awkward breath while Trinity rushes down to Dennis’s side.

Jessie squeaks in shock, eyes staring at Dennis, horrified. “Oh, oh Dennis you don’t need to do that, Hey, it’s ok. I got a bit defensive that’s all, I mostly date other Omegas and I figured everyone was cool with it and I lashed out when I thought you weren’t but I should have just talked to you instead of accusing you. Please, please get up!”

Dennis doesn’t hear him. He’s underwater, on fire, the shame is burning him up and he knows that he’s bad. That he’ll never be good. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Jessie is looking around for help. Dennis is shivering, terrified, glued to the spot. Trinity is trying to get him to look at her but he can smell her and Jessie’s distress and it’s just making it so much worse.

“Fuck, ok,” she decides something, turning and bolting down the hall.

Heavy footsteps follow her back moments later.

“Woh, hey it’s ok, you’re ok Whitaker.”

Suddenly Dennis is grabbed and hoisted up, held and warm, wrapped in delicious hot coffee and bookshop. Robby. He’s pressed tight to Robby’s chest, Robby’s arm around his shoulders, shielding him from the others in the Pitt. Dennis nearly chirps he’s so pleased.

“So, um, what the fuck is going on”, Robby asks to the group surrounding Dennis.

They all rush to speak.

“There was a disagreement, Dennis got upset-”

“I accused him of some things and he just started panicking-“

“- and tried to, um, to like, surrender to Jessie, I guess?-”

“-and, I never thought,-”

“-I’m his pack, we, we live together, but I couldn’t get through to him.”

“- I’m so sorry Dennis.”

“It was really sad”, Princess adds.

Dennis whines.

“Not like pathetic sad! Like, I’m sad that he feels so sad, sad, you know? I’ve never seen a Beta do that before.”

Robby exhales, slow and loud.

They seem to get the hint, everyone quietly waiting for Robby to say something.

“Ok, here’s what we’re gonna do. Jessie, come with me and Dennis so we can sort this out. Princess, Santos, get back to doing literally any part of your actual fucking jobs.”

Dennis hears them scurry off. He breaths deeply, tasting Robby’s rich scent. It replaces the boiling water in his brain with soft, warm, fuzzy light. He feels so much better, some part of him knows that the Alpha is protecting him, that Robby will keep him safe. Calm washes over him in waves. The itch he’s felt all day finally calming to a dull ache.

“Jessie, can you go ahead and check pedes is free please? We’ll be right in”

Jessie agrees, his footsteps retreating.

Robby’s hand on his back starts rubbing back and forth, Dennis breaths deeply, and there’s a pleased rumbling deep in Robby’s chest. Dennis preens, glad that his Alpha is pleased with him. He slowly starts coming back to himself. When he flexes his fingers he discovers that the back of his hands are against his face, Robby’s chest quivering in a deep chuckle. Oh, he might have accidentally just ticklegroped his attending in the middle of the ER.

This is a really weird day.

“Ok Dennis, I’m going to let you go now, and we’re going to walk down the hall and sit in a nice quiet room, ok. I’ll be with you the whole time, you got that?” Dennis thinks that listening to Robby talk from anywhere other than right here, next to his deep, soft voice, buried in his warmth, is just a complete waste of time. Three months he’s been listening to him from across the room when he could have been right here.

“Dennis?”

Oh, right. He probably can’t stay here forever because ohmygodthey’reinthemiddleoftheemergencyroom. 

Dennis quickly nods into his chest. Robby chuckles again. Dennis likes it.

“Ok then, here we go”, Robby places both of his hands on Dennis’s shoulders as he takes a step back, crouching so they're at eye level. His shoulders are still warm under Robby’s broad hands.

“Whitaker?” Dennis meets his eyes. “Hey, there you are. We’re gonna walk that way, ok? Let’s go.”

And they’re off, Robby leading him with a hand on his shoulder like he always does.

When they get to pedes, Robby opens the door for him and follows him inside. Jessie is standing in a corner ringing his hands. He looks worried. Dennis whines, he made the Omega upset. Jessie rushes forward.

“Hey, hey it’s ok, I’m not mad with you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Everything is ok.”

Dennis looks at Robby, who nods, encouraging.

“You’re not upset?” Dennis asks in a small voice.

“No. I was upset, but now I’m not.”

“I made you upset though.”

“No, I got upset. You didn’t do it on purpose. I forgive you, Dennis.”

Dennis takes a deep breath in, considering, before nodding at Jessie. He looks back at Robby who seems pleased.

Dennis beelines straight for him, collapsing back into his strong, warm chest. Robby laughs fondly, patting his back.

Jessie eyes Robby from across the room “I… I don’t know what just happened.”

“I think I have an idea. Thanks for coming and making sure he’s alright Jessie, I can take it from here. I, um, I trust he has your discretion?”

“Ofcourse! I just want him to be ok.”

“I know. And you’re alright?”

“Yes, yes. Thank you Dr Robby.”

Footsteps, and the door to pedes opens and closes.

The air circulation hums in the ceiling.

The fluorescent lights buzz.

Robby sighs. Dennis feels his chest move with his breath.

“Ok, let’s sit you down.”

He’s being gently pushed into a chair. Robby takes one too. Their knees touch.

“So, that was fun, huh?” Robby quips.

Dennis peers up at him like Robby’s gone mad, the older man stifling a laugh at Dennis’s face.

“Ok. No jokes. Can I ask you some questions? To figure out how to help?”

Dennis supposes that would be ok. He nods.

“Ok. Why did you bare your neck for Jessie just now?”

Dennis has been wondering the same thing. He just so badly needed Jessie to understand he wasn’t a threat. That Dennis didn’t mean to make him sad. That he isn’t bad.

He's not telling Robby any of that.

“I… I don’t know”

“Have you done that before?”

“No... well, not for a while. I did as a kid. My parents… everyone thought I would present as Omega, I guess I did too, so I did all the Omega stuff.” Dennis feels shame in his guts. The only Omega son, meant to bare pups for his family, useless after all, as he’d always suspected. He’d prayed to God about it so many times. About how he was meant to be a good Omega, that he would be so good if he could. But it just, never happened.

Where Dennis grew up Betas had Beta kids, and Alphas and Omegas had Alpha and Omega pups. But not him. He was a blight on his family.

Robby pauses, finding his words.

“But.. you didn’t present?”

Dennis sniffs. “No, I’m a beta.”

“…and you’re sure about that?”

Dennis huffs, gesturing to all of him, like it’s obvious.

Robby smiles, appeasing. “I mean, have you had a gender screen?”

“No.” Of course he hasn’t, not a real one anyway. There’s a woman who helped the Omegas birth back home who checked him over when he was about 17 and declared he was deficient. A lost cause. He’d never considered taking a proper test.

“So then, you could be unpresented.”

He huffs at that too, “I’m 27.”

Robby doesn’t seem to think it’s funny. “I know how old you are.”

Dennis doesn’t say anything.

Robby keeps going, undeterred. “I think we should get you that screen.”

Dennis is fed up with this. “Why?”, he practically spits it, instantly furious with himself for his temper. Robby doesn’t seem mad though. Good, that’s good.

He does look unsure about what he should say though. Dennis waits.

Robby wriggles a bit in his seat, uncomfortable. “Because I think you’re about to present. Probably in the next few days, maybe sooner.”

What?

Dennis doesn’t know what the fuck he's supposed to do with that. It’s absurd. He’s been a beta for 27 years and what, out of nowhere, his boss who he’s sort of obsessed with thinks he can just tell he’s about to present?

Robby continues. “You smell different.”

Now Dennis knows it’s bullshit, “I don’t have a smell”

Robby laughs, muttering something as his eyes dart around. He pulls his long limbs back in to cover himself, embarrassed. “You do, and I can tell you, it’s different today.”

Dennis tries to let that sink in. He knows it’s not like he has no scent at all. It’s just very faint, like all Betas. He supposes Robby could maybe pick up on it, he does have a pretty big nose after all, A nose that is currently sloped down at the floor, his face blushing. Bashful.

Dennis thinks he is one of the most beautiful things he’s ever seen.

Now’s really not the time to be thinking about that though.

So, Robby thinks he might be presenting. It would explain the weird heat and the aches he’s been feeling today. And his incredibly embarrassing breakdown, he really needs to get Jessie a gift basket or something. And he has felt jumpy and out of sorts the last few days. And horny. But that’s just because of all the texting. Probably.

But what if it wasn’t? Late presentations are rare, but certainly not unheard of. What if he wasn’t a sinful Beta all this time, and he was just a late blooming Omega?

The thought is dizzying. It would be so much easier to meet a nice, kind, strong Alpha. An Alpha who wants him. Who loves him.

Heat flares deep in his belly, his cock twitches in his boxers as his mouth fills with saliva, his heart racing.

Alpha.

Dennis lets out a whine.

Robby’s big brown eyes jolt up and latch onto Dennis’s. His fingers twitch, and Dennis sees his nostrils flare. Maybe he can smell him.

He takes a steadying breath.

“Ok,” Dennis starts, “You think I’m, what, suddenly, at 27, I’m an Omega after all?”

Robby exhales loudly, leaning forward and knocking his fist up and down on his knee. His eyes darting around, searching for words.

He clears his throat and steadies his gaze.

“Dennis", their eyes meet, electricity zinging through Dennis's body. "I think you’re an Alpha.”

Chapter Text

Every Friday, Dennis has been trading day shift for nights. He quite likes it, Ellis is sort of like Trinity, sharp and teasing, but less grumpy. And Abbot, well, Abbot is kind of like Captain America if Captain America had a death wish and a dark sense of humour.

Jack’s just so good. Robby is good too of course, he’s not comparing, he kind of thinks of them as a matching set. Dennis thinks Robby’s goodness is because his shoulders are heavy, because Robby's convinced he owes the world some cosmic debt for every decent thing that’s ever happened to him and every mistake he’s ever made. He’s a good man, and it hurts him.

Jack Abbott is good because he decided he wanted to be. Because life’s better that way.

His goodness is easy. Like laughing. Which he does a lot, on the good days at least. He brings people with him in it. Dennis laughs a lot on night shift too. It starts as a small soft thing, he’s self-conscious of making too much noise under pretty much any circumstance. But after a few weeks he doesn’t hide behind his hands or try to cut himself off. Jack laughs loud and full and Dennis thinks he’d like to be a little more like that too. The first time Dennis really lets go, barking out a laugh that has him bent over and giggling, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, Jack looks at him like Dennis has brought him some secret gift. His blush burns hot for the rest of the night and well into the morning.

It's not all easy of course. There are nights where Jack stalks the halls like he’ll never come back. When he tries and tries and then fails. Dennis sees how the sick kids slow him down, each one knocking the wind out of him, whether he saves them or not. How his hands are steady, but his voice shakes with the veterans, and the firefighters, and the cops. Not because Jack particularly likes cops, he regularly overhears him complaining with Ellis about the Police, but because the cops have families, and Jack cares about them. He tries, over and over, and teaches others to keep trying too. Dennis thinks that good men trying is what the world needs more of.

But mostly, Jack tries his very hardest to make things better for Robby.

He supposes it’s good manners, to try and clear things up as neat and tidy as you can for a shift change, but he’s never noticed anyone particularly caring about that on day shift, its just business as usual until you knock off. Night shift though, they work hard their last hour every night. Jack runs the ER like a drill floor, clearing as many beds as they can. On the good days, when Robby comes in for handover and they’ve not lost a kid or a Vet or a whole fucking family, Jack bounds over like spring has come early. He’s never happier than when he gets to lie to Robby and say it’s been a quiet night and he's set for an easy morning.

Dennis asks Ellis about it a few weeks in and she smiles slyly. “Abbot is an open book, man”. He doesn’t know what she means and he says so.

“You’ll figure it out, just use your nose!”

His nose has never led him right before.

+++

Dennis thinks this might be the dumbest thing he’s ever heard.

“You think I’m an Alpha?”

Robby nods.

“Me?”

“Yes”

Ok. Sure. Why the fuck not. If words don’t mean things. And he was a different person.

“Why do you think I’m an Alpha?”

Robby squirms, uncomfortable. He doesn’t want to meet his eyes.

“You… well I have, um. It’s my professional opinion.”

Dennis is not buying that for a second. “Your professional opinion of guessing the designation of your late presenting med students?”

Robby flinches at that. Good. This is stupid.

“… Yes? Look, if you get the screen done, then we don’t need to guess at all!”

“If I’m not presenting, I don’t need to do anything!” Dennis stands, he’s not sure what the plan is. Maybe he’ll start pacing. Yes, good. Momentum, movement, not looking at Robby, this is working for him. “Look, thanks for helping before. I freaked out. That wasn’t ok. I’ll apologise to Jessie and it won’t happen again. I promise. I’m ok to get back to work now so I’m just gonna go-”

Robby leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and somehow raising his eyebrows loudly. How does he do that. Dennis sees red. Does he think this is funny?

“Don’t look at me like that!” Dennis practically yells, much louder than he’d expected.

“Sit down, Dennis.”

And Dennis is sitting. Huh. He’s practically glued to the chair. Heat licks at his neck and Dennis realises he’s half hard in his scrubs. Fuck.

Did Robby just use his Alpha voice on him? And he just, went with it?

Robby seems to have realised the same thing.

“Oh shit. I shouldn’t have done that. Fuck”, it’s Robby’s turn to panic now, he’s out of his chair and pacing at the wall a bit. Trying to figure out his next move probably.

Dennis is ashamed, his frustration immediately overwhelmed with it. Getting hard when his attending was trying to get him to stop freaking out? Pathetic.

“It’s ok Dr Robby, I was being insufferable.”

Robby spins around, halting his pacing. “You’re not insufferable, Dennis. I’m the one who’s been… fuck, it’s my fault that happened, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Dennis waits for him to continue.

“Ok, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna get you screened, then, a reproductive counsellor will chat to you about, um, what to expect. Santos said you live together, are you two….?

“NO! Oh god no. We’re both super gay.”

Robby huffs at that, Dennis is mortified that that just came out of his mouth. Well, that bucket of ice water calmed his poorly timed erection situation down at least. Small miracles.

“Well ok then...”

Robby seems to be deciding between at least 6 different courses of action, each located in a different corner of the room. Eventually, he decided on the one on the ceiling, clapping his hands together loudly and causing Dennis to nearly topple out of his chair. “Let’s get you upstairs to gender services.”

+++Last week+++

Dr Abbot: hey, you still here kid?

Dennis: yes, sorry! I was helping the orderlies and sort of got covered in bin juice, be back on the floor in 5! Just drying my socks 😖

Dr Abbot: 🤣4am garbage water huh, lucky you

Dennis: think that’ll be on the exam?

Dennis: Dr Robby swears he got a question about the moon landing on his

Dr Abbot: I think he was trying to make a joke about being old.

Dr Abbot: It’s not your fault you didn’t get it, I’m the funny pretty one, and he’s the weird loner who can’t make a joke

Dennis: OMG He’s not old!

Dr Abbot: that’s what I always tell him! You’d think he’d listen to me since I’m so pretty, right?

Dennis: does he know you call him a weird loner?

Dennis: um. Yes. He should listen to you

Dr Abbot: of course he does, I tell him everything so he can experience some excitement in his life

Dr Abbot: you know, since we’re so old

Dennis: What?! neither of you are old!

Dr Abbot: relax kid, this silver fox is damn proud he’s still kicking. It’s not a bad thing

Dennis: do foxes kick?

Dr Abbot: this one does

+++

The next few hours are a bit of a blur. Robby walks him upstairs and sits with him in the waiting room. He’s on his phone most of the wait. To Dana. To Collins. He calls Jack in to help out downstairs. Dennis is thankful he doesn’t tell anyone why he isn’t currently running his ER, he just tells Jack he’s needed elsewhere for a few hours. Dennis wonders if Robby’s noticed that the hand not on his phone has been on the younger man’s knee since they sat down.

Dennis doesn’t say anything while they wait. He wishes he had his phone to do some anxious googling, but Trinity ‘confiscated’ it earlier. God, he hates today.

A smiling Beta woman with big curls and bright purple shoes finally calls Dennis back.

He stands, expecting Robby to follow him, but he stays seated.

“I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

Dennis supposes that’s for the best. It would be weird for Robby to come into his gender screen after all. That’s what mates do. Family.

The Beta woman’s name is Aishwarya, which Dennis thinks is so beautiful he tells her so without thinking, and she thanks him, beaming. She runs through the procedure on auto pilot. It’s a blood draw and a physical. It’ll take 20 minutes, and then his results will come through in a few hours. She gets his arm ready, remarking about how warm he is with a soothing expression. Dennis wonders if she sees this a lot.

She’s quick, sending off his bloods and getting him to change into a gown for the physical. Removing his patches isn’t fun, the skin is hot and irritated. She tuts when she sees his blotchy red neck and hands him some ointment from the cupboard that he applies quickly.

The rest of the exam is exactly as embarrassing as Dennis expected. Gloved hands first in his mouth, on his ears, his neck, his chest, then down lower, on him and in him. Taking measurements and temperatures. Pressing on his bladder. She talks him through it, checking each time before she touches him. It doesn’t make it any easier.

He changes back into his scrubs and then come the questions. What his home was like. When he moved out. Where he’s been living. The designations of the people close to him. His last sexual partners. Recent stressors.

Finally, she puts her tablet down and pulls her glasses off her nose to hang off a shiny gold chain around her neck. Dennis watches them dangle, not wanting to look at her face.

+++3 weeks ago+++

“Brother, it’s 10pm, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Dennis watches Robby head towards Jack across the Pitt. He’s wearing dark washed jeans and a brown leather jacket, carrying a motorcycle helmet under his arm, what the actual fuck. Dennis looks around, but no one else seems to be seeing what he’s seeing. It’s like spotting a rare bird, he needs confirmation, but he can’t look away because Dr Michael Robinavitch rides a fucking motorcycle and wears clothes that aren’t scrubs.

“I can’t find my fucking glasses man, I texted you to ask if you put them somewhere! Figured I’d come in and grab my work ones.”

“We’ve been swamped, haven’t checked my phone in hours. Did you look in your book?”

“Yes I looked in my book!”

“The book in the spare room, where you were reading this morning because I was sleeping for shift?”

Robby is silent. Jack crosses his arms and leans back, he’s enjoying this.

“… well. I will see you later then.”

“Oh, you don’t need to pick up your work glasses?”

“No, I um, just remembered where I put my other pair.”

“Well that’s great! Thanks for stopping by, Robby!”

Jack catches Dennis staring and throws him a wink. His nose itches.

+++

“Dennis,” she starts softly, “Would you like to know what I’ve found out from your screening?”

Dennis isn’t sure he’s ready for whatever she’s going to say.

“I’m… I’m not a Beta anymore, am I?”

“No, you’re not a Beta. Your bloods will confirm things, but I can confidently say that you’ll be presenting as an Alpha quite soon.”

His ears ring. An Alpha. Like his brothers. Like his father.

Dennis doesn’t mean to start laughing. He thinks maybe he’s losing his mind. Never had anyone considered that Dennis would ever present as an Alpha. He was a good five inches shorter than every Alpha in his family, had always been softer, sweeter. He tried to play rough, wanted to, but he always got hurt. It always ended in tears.

“Now, it’s very normal to be shocked at a late presentation. But there’s no need to worry. Once you’ve presented you can expect to be a perfectly normal, fully functional Alpha, you’ll catch up in no time.”

Catch up to what? To getting married to a nice Omega and pupping them up? To rough, violent ruts where he just takes what he wants? Dennis doesn’t want to be that person. We works so hard to be good, to be kind, to help, and he got so close too. He got out. Out of the farm and his family and Nebraska and the life where he was never enough. Away from his violent Alpha brothers, from their rough hands and mean tempers. He remembers the boys they were, and then the Alphas they became, how they changed, growing selfish and cruel.

He's studied so hard. Learnt to make friends. Learnt to share his opinions. Learnt to laugh. Learnt to have sex. Learnt to save lives. In just a few months he would have been ready, ready to really start a whole new life as a person he could be proud of. A person he’d made all by himself.

He thinks he might vomit.

“Have you got an Omega at home Dennis?”

Has Dennis got an Omega?!

He’s up and out of this room in an instant. The thought of him, an Alpha, going home to his Omega is so horrifying, so terrifyingly wrong that it carries him up down the hall.

He has to get out of here, to get away from what’s happening to him and what happens next. If he’s presenting soon, that means he’ll soon be in rut. His fangs and claws will grow and he’ll use them on the nearest Omega he finds. The thought makes him ill. Bile burning his throat.

He thinks Robby is yelling behind him, but he’s barely hearing anything but the blood in his ears. His legs are quick, racing down the ward and up the fire escape. He clears three flights no worries before yanking the level 8 door open and throwing himself down the corridor, to his old room. Safe.

Everyone else will be safe from him here.

Chapter Text

Robby is having a really weird fucking day.

It started off good, great even. His walk to work is brisk, the cool air waking up his skin. He slept well, got a full 7 hours even. When he gets to the Pitt, he learns Jack had an easy night shift, and he’s all smiles and stories. Robby loves seeing him in his element, joking with his team, saying goodbye to his patients with a smile and a mock salute. He’s so damn competent. He wonders if they might even be able to sneak away for a private moment before Jack heads home when his nose is flooded with what is quickly becoming his new favourite drug.

Whittaker is here. Robby’s chest rumbles, and Jack notices immediately, a sly smirk cocking up the side of his mouth. “Oh yeah? Has golden boy entered the building?”

Robby rolls his eyes at him. Jack’s nose isn’t as strong as his, and Dennis’s sent is mild, but Robby knows Jack doesn’t need the other man’s scent to be just as affected by his presence.

They really need to retake an ethics seminar.

It started off innocently enough he thinks. He was drawn to Whittaker from his first shift, but any good teacher would have been. The kid was trying so hard, and to start his day by losing a patient is a sure-fire way to lose all your confidence. So, Robby keeps an eye on him. It’s because he cares about his students. Mostly. The fact that the young beta smells like fresh milk and night blooming jasmine and cinnamon tea is completely irrelevant. The fact that he’s adorable, with big bright eyes and broad shoulders has nothing to do with the friendly hand he so often lays on him. He’s just being a good mentor.

Jack, of course, immediately noticed that he was not just being a good mentor.

“So, it’s great to see you finally eating right during shift brother”, Jack drawls at him in the break room a few days after Pittfest. “Seems you’ve gotten yourself a snack.”

Robby narrows his eyes, a warning.

 “Jack…”

“Kid’s cute as a button. Not exactly your usual type though.”

Jack reclines against the wall, reaching his arms up and over his head in a stretch, elbows bent, strong hands grabbing at his forearms above his head, they both know he’s stretching for Robby’s sake, showing off his muscled biceps and letting his scent out from under his arms, his strong Alpha blend of motor oil, fresh clean leather and spiced honey hitting Robby right in the gut.

“Jaaaack”, Robby growls at him.

“Remind me, what is your type, Mikey?” Jack teases, breathing deeply so Robby can see his stomach muscles shifting under his scrubs. Robby quickly sniffs and looks around, noone’s nearby, immediately crowding Jack against the wall, one hand holding his arms firm above his head, the other sweeping around to the small of his back.

“You know damn well,” he purrs in Jacks ear.

Jack laughs fondly, rolling his hips into Robby who shudders at the contact. They’re at work.

“Oh, do I? Seems that twinky little Betas do it for you now, Alpha. You can’t keep your hands off him.”

The teasing is light. They both know that their relationship is solid. Three years they’ve been everything to each other,  after 15 plus of friendship. Brothers, friends, lovers, mates, saviours. It’s good. Robby’s never had something so good. He can’t believe he got so lucky.

He growls in Jacks ear. “That’s rich coming from you sweetheart, didn’t I see you staring at his arse, what, 5 minutes ago?”

Jack bites his lip, caught out. He didn’t know Robby had noticed that. But Jack Abbot is quick on his feet, especially when he’s following a good thing. And this conversation is good.

“Why do you think I’m bringing it up? You know I’ve never had a problem treating myself to the finer things in life. What’s a little perving between ethically-fucked-up-teacher and student, huh?”

That was the wrong thing to say. Robby immediately retreats, exhaling long and pained, carding his hands through his hair.

“Hey, woah, it’s just talk Robby. It’s just us.” Jack makes eye contact, bobbing his head around to follow Robby’s darting gaze. “It’s fine. You haven’t done anything wrong man.”

Robby laughs at that. “I don't know brother, this all seems pretty fucking wrong to me.”

Jack crosses his arms and clenches his jaw. “Yeah, nah. You and me, nothing you could ever say to me is wrong babe, you know that. This is an anything goes zone. But hey, we don’t need to mention it again if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Robby thinks, and nods once at Jack. “Yeah, let’s, Ok, I’ve gotta-“ and he trails off, itching to distract himself with work.

Jack takes a step forward, hand cupping the side of Robby’s skull, bringing his head down as he leans up on his toes, pressing a firm kiss to the taller man’s temple.

“I’ve got you, always.” he whispers into the kiss and Robby’s shoulders drop. He feels his eyes crinkling in a smile. Mission accomplished.

“See you at home, Fruitcake!” and Jack’s off.

Robby curses through the swinging break room door. Fucking Myrna.

That was almost three months ago now.

Jack had been true to his word, he hadn‘t mentioned Dennis again in that way.

For about two weeks.

They’re making out on the couch, Robby’s day off and Jack home fresh off a shift. Jack came home wired, pulling Robby’s coffee out of his hands to climb onto him on the couch. Tongue in Robby’s mouth in lieu of a hello. He’s grinding slowly in Robby’s lap, Robby’s got one hand firmly kneading Jack’s ass and the other in his hair, squeezing the warm skin of his scalp through his thick curls. Fuck, he loves this.

“Was thinking about this all night.” Jack sighs into Robby’s mouth.

“Yeah? What were you thinking sweetheart?” Robby loves how chatty Jack is. Well, not all the time, sometimes it’s stupid annoying (in a cute way). But in bed, Jack Abbot’s talking really does it for him.

“Was thinking, fuck, the kid was on shift, and he nearly slipped over, and I had to grab him round the middle to keep him from cracking his damn head open. Made me think of you, grabbing me, manhandling me with your, fuck, you’re so big Mike, fucking love how big you are.”

Robby wasn’t expecting that, but he can’t say he’s not into it, Jack does love it when Robby uses his size in the bedroom. He goes for Jack’s throat, replying between open mouthed kisses and bites to the hard columns of the tendons in Jack’s neck.

“Yeah baby, want me to wrap you up and take you? All damsel in distress, just like you manhandled Whitaker?”

Jack grinds down hard, picking up the pace. “Fuck yes. Can you imagine. He’s shorter than me, shit.”

“Imagine what baby?”

“You, with him. Your hands on him. Fuck. He’d be such a good boy for you.”

Oh, ok, so that’s what’s got Jack going. Robby’s so hard and hot he immediately turns off the part of his brain screaming ‘Danger, Turn Back’ and instead groans into the hot skin behind Jack’s ear as he lightly scrapes his fangs there, Jack shivering under his touch.

“I could, I could help him,” Jack pants into his mouth. Hands all over Robby, not settling in any one place, just grabbing and squeezing wherever he can get at him. Hard cock grinding against him through his scrub pants. “Show him what you like. Get him all warm and ready for you, Alpha”

“Oh shit, fuck, Jack!” Robby is right on the edge alarmingly quickly. The combination of Jack’s filthy fantasy and his body heat all over him has him completely lit up.

“Yeah? You’d like that huh?” Robby nods frantically as Jack rides him, hands now firmly holding Robby’s neck to give himself better leverage to grind into him. “Dennis and me, both on your lap?” Jack bites Robby’s shoulder, Alpha fangs piercing his skin and burning, right by his mating bite, sucking a deep bruise there, licking and pulsing the skin as he grinds down faster, chasing his release.

Robby closes his eyes, on the edge, and Dennis Whittaker’s flushed, panting face is right there. He imagines Jack sucking the bite into Dennis’s neck instead of his, Dennis shaking and coming apart in his lap.

He comes with a shout. Hands flinging down against the couch, his release fast and hot in his pants. Jack is moaning and mewling in his lap, every muscle tensed as he chases his orgasm, so close to falling apart.

Robby shoves a hand between them, grasping Jack’s weeping cock, massaging the red-hot knot that’s forming at the base, using his Alpha voice right in Jack’s ear.

“You made such a mess of me, Alpha.” Jack whimpers into Robby’s neck at his words. Voice high and thready, ready to snap. “Cum for me.” and one, two, three more strokes and Jack does, stuttering out his release and twitching all over with a high-pitched whine.

They both lean into each other as they come back to themselves. It’s not every day you cum in your pants on the couch at their age. It takes a minute to figure out what the fuck just happened.

Jack’s the first to laugh.

“Oh my god, wow, ok. We are SO doing that again.”

Robby pouts, “You’re washing these pants for me.”

“Haha, oh as IF. You were so into it. Fuck, that was so hot.” Jack leans forward for a kiss. Licking into Robby’s mouth slow before giving him a final peck, and rolling sideways onto the cool leather of the couch, spread out like he’s just run a marathon.

Robby chuckles at him. “Tired, sweetheart?”

“Nah, 12 hours on one leg and an orgasm has me up and rearing to go, let’s go hiking.”

“Haha, so you are trying to kill me?”

“Nah brother, it was me tonight that was hanging on by a thread, the good kind. Kid had me all kinds of hot and bothered for hours. Lucky I didn’t have an aneurism or something.”

So they’re talking about it when they’re not lust drunk as well. Shame washes over Robby, they shouldn’t be doing this. Jack though has no such reservations, the cocky shit.

“I can see why you like him so much.” Jack admits fondly, patting Robby on the chest, something earnest in his gaze.

Robby doesn’t know what to say to that so they sit in silence for a bit.

“Don’t worry Mikey,” Jack eventually sighs, “I like him too. You just say the word and I’m in.” Jack leans over and pecks him on the shoulder, before he’s up and off down the corridor to the shower. “I’m beat, wake me up at 11 for brekkie yeah?” He pauses in the doorway to the bathroom, giving Robby the space to think about what he just said, or ignore it completely.

Jack Abbot is a meddling little shit, and fuck he loves him.

“Yeah, yeah. 11 it is.”

Jack seems happy with that. “Great! You’re making me waffles. With lots of thick, hot, syrup” Jack drawls, dragging a hand down his chest suggestively, laughing lewdly before he’s off to shower and sleep the morning away, leaving Robby alone to his thoughts and his ruined pants. Fuck.

The noble part of Robby wishes it was just that one time. If he was a good boss, a good person, it would’ve been just that once.

But fuck, being good is hard.

Dennis Whittaker started making frequent hypothetical visits into his and Jacks’ bedroom. And couch. And floor. And the men’s room at work. Fuck, he was so screwed.

It’s two weeks before Dennis is due upstairs to be bored out of his mind in Family Medicine and Robby is on his knees, Jack’s dick in his throat in the staff bathroom. Jack’s hands are rough in his hair, half fucking his face, half letting Robby takes what he likes. A steady stream of filth whispered low from his mouth.

“Can you imagine Mikey, if he came in right now and saw you like this? Fuck.”

Robby can imagine, he’s imagining it right fucking now, his hand palming his hard cock in his pants at the thought of Dennis seeing him being so very, very good for Jack.

“What do you think he’d do? Maybe he’d touch himself. Think he gets all pink, blushing all over? I bet he’s got a pretty cock, just like you do, pull it out, show me your cock Mikey.”

Robby does, Jack groaning at the sight of him fucking into his own fist while he sucks him off.

“Reckon he’d lie on his back so you could fuck his mouth while you suck me, baby? I bet he would. Bet he’s gagging for it. Right on the filthy floor, fuck.”

Robby can imagine the heat of his mouth. The sting of Dennis’s teeth.

“Or maybe you’d like him to join you, huh? Suck my cock with him, make out with him around my dick?”

Robby moans, vibrating around Jack’s cock. Jack gasps.

“Oh that’s it huh baby? Yeah, I think that’d be his favourite too. You two, jerking each other off while you suck me. All sloppy and wet. Think you could get him to swallow my knot? He’d panic, but you know how to take it don’t you Mikey? You’d know how to help him, keep him calm around me.” Robby is hurtling towards his release, taking Jack deeper and faster, gagging on him. “You’re his teacher,,” Jack’s hips start to stutter, and Robby can’t get enough. “Help him be so good for me, just like you are. So good. Both my good boys. FUCK!”

Jack’s cumming down his throat and Robby shoots across the floor, swallowing Jack down.

“Oh holy shit.” Jacks breaths in quick and lets out a laugh. Like he can’t believe what just happened.

“Fuck, Baby, you’re so fucking good at that.” Jack lightly pats Robby’s cheek, like he’s a donkey who just carried his pack for him. He fucking loves it. “Been a while since we couldn’t even wait to get home, huh?”

Robby lets Jack out of his mouth and leans back, propped against the bathroom stall door. Taking big gulping breaths, feeling his red sweaty skin cool slowly. Jack steps forwards to keep lightly carding his fingers through Robby’s hair while he comes back to himself. Back to earth. Back to Jack.

“There’s my boy.” He can hear the smile in Jack’s voice even though his eyes are closed, “C’mon, let’s get you up off your knees. Thank God your shift finished ten minutes ago.” Jack helps Robby up from the tiled floor, holding him steady while he stretches out his cramped muscles. They really are too old for this sort of thing.

Jack waggles his eyebrows at him. “Worth it?”

Robby huffs, his throat raw. “I’ll be feeling this for a week.”

“Hot,” Jack replies, like it’s obvious. “There’s Epsom under the sink. Take a bath, babe.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Jack knows that tone. “Baby, if I wasn’t working you know I would make you, so please, for me, just go home, do as your Alpha says and take the god damn bath OK?”

Jack doesn’t ask him for much, so he leans down and pecks him on the cheek. “Yes, Mommy, I’ll take a bath.”

Jack’s eyes darken at that. Robby cannot believe him sometimes.

“Really?”

Jack laughs. “Hey man, my mate’s a hot as fuck Alpha Daddy ok, life’s good, don’t yuck my yums.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“I know you don’t babe.” Jack leans in for a kiss with laughter in his eyes. Robby smiles into it.

So, yeah, it maybe started innocently enough, his thing about Whittaker, but Robby is very aware that things had gone MILES past that. It was still just him and Jack though, just words. Until last week when he gave the kid his fucking phone number. They’ve texted most days since. About work, yeah, but also just about, fucking nothing. He’s texted Dennis about the weather for fucks sake. And he knows Jack and him have some weird game they’ve started where they send each other moving pcitures of animals that remind them of their coworkers, which is probably an HR violation in itself. The whole thing is an HR violation. He is so royally fucked.

Which is why it’s so wildly wrong that he has gotten so finely attuned to Dennis’s presence, his unique mannerisms and his delicate smell, that he knows before even seeing him that something is different today.

Their playful encounter in Trauma 1 with Jack and Santos played on Robby all morning. Dennis was running hot and he smelled, well, he smelled fucking delicious. Strong and masculine, with a depth to his scent that was brand new. Like a lightning storm, maybe. Robby had seen his patches were firmly in place, maybe Dennis hadn’t been home last night, hadn’t showered? But he came in with Trinity, so he was most likely coming from their apartment. Maybe he’d brought someone home with him then? Scents can increase with sex after all. Robby doesn’t like that idea. Of course he wants the young man to get laid, objectively, that’s what your 20’s are for after all. Or so Jack tells him, he was more of an awkward bookworm himself. Anyway, something is off.

The morning passes relatively quickly. He even has time to get paperwork done as he supervises from afar. Gloria will be fucking elated. His phone vibrates; it’s Jack sending him a picture of a wet cat with the word “Denny” underneath. He snorts and immediately checks that no-one’s close enough to see his cell phone.

One text couldn’t hurt.

Robby: Hey, sorry if I got too worried this morning. You sure you’re feeling alright?

Dennis: Oh, yeah, everything is fine!

Dennis: Thank you, for caring. And Jack too

Dennis: Dr Abbot. Thank Dr Abbot I mean

Dennis: actually don’t worry about it forget I said anything please don’t mention it to him

Robby chuckles to himself and puts his phone away. The kid is too fucking cute.

His stomach growls, it’s just about lunch time, a time he’ll get to spend eating actual lunch for once if things continue as they have been, the ER comfortingly quiet. He makes for the break room when he nearly gets bowled over by Santos racing down the hall, a phone held aloft in her hands, Dennis running behind her, begging her to give it back.

Robby makes a mental note to stop texting Dennis.

+++

Jack’s mid chin up when his phone trills, it’s Robby’s ringtone with a few hours left in his shift, so he’s across the room in an instant.

“What’s happened?”

“Nothing bad, don’t panic. I just need to be- I’m busy for a few hours, can you come in to cover the end of my shift?”

“Yeah, of course, I’ll be there in ten but, Robby – what the fuck?’

“Yeah, great, thanks Jack, I owe you.”

And the phone’s disconnected, what the fuck? A million horrible scenarios all careen through his head while he grabs his things, none of which account for why Robby wouldn’t tell him why he needs him to cover the Pitt. Unless he couldn’t talk? Hostage situation? He would have used their danger word (it’s crumpets) to let Jack know to call the damn cops. So, what else?

A text notification dings.

Mikey: Dennis Alpha dropped, he needs me on the 5^th floor.

Fifth floor, Gender Services. Alpha drop?! Jack releases the tension that had crept up his spine. Fuck, ok. So, Dennis is a Beta no longer. Fuck. That tracks really, he’d never been into Betas before so if Dennis just hadn’t presented yet, but was close, well, that makes the last few months make a whole lot more fucking sense to be honest. His heart breaks for the kid that he dropped in the middle of a shift, it’s happened to Jack a few times, never at work luckily, and it really fucks with your head, although it’s different for everyone. PTSD mixed with hormonal fluctuations has kicked his arse into a drop, it left him unmoored and frantic, especially when he hasn't had another Alpha in bed to help keep him even keel. He’s glad Robby’s with him. Maybe his presence will help Dennis like it helps him.

Heat flares. His mate is looking after Dennis. Gets to smell his newly blooming Alpha scent. See his eyes go wild. He wants to be there, needs to see Dennis too. To scent him and touch him and -

No, fuck! He doesn’t need to do that, what he needs is to calm the fuck down.

It’s not like that. Yeah, they’re half obsessed with the kid, all big sad eyes and soft neck and strong limbs. But right now, it’s not about that. It’s about emotional support. It’s about being older and wiser and being there for a brilliant young man who deserves to be cared for. That’s all it should be. Until, if and only if, Dennis ever wants more.

Chapter Text

“Is he here?” Robby comes racing out of the elevator, arms swinging and nostrils flaring.

“Is who where, Cap?” Dana immediately stands at attention. She knows what it looks like when Robby means business.

Robby’s voice is rough and dangerous. “Dennis! is he here?”

“Not since before Abbot came in."

“You LOST him?” Jack stalks toward Robby from across the room, clearly pissed off, pushing an inconveniently placed gurney out of his way that quickly smashes into a wall.

Robby bristles, looking like he’s seconds away from baring his fangs at Jack. Jack stands a little taller at the challenge.

“Where’s our fucking med student Dr Robinavitch?” Jack spits. Robby licks his teeth.

“He fucking ran off, Dr Abbot.” They're still sizing each other up, and Dana rolls her eyes at the Alpha posturing.

Robby’s anger starts peeling away slowly to show what's really behind it, Robby is deathly afraid. “He’s really not here? I’ve looked fucking everywhere."

“Brother, we’ll find him, he’s got to be stinking up a corner of this place somewhere, yeah?”

“It’s been like, 30 minutes since he ran off, Jack.” Robby looks stricken, he’s barely holding it together, ringing his hands and he keeps looking around, like Dennis is just going to appear somehow.

“HEY, ROBINAVITCH, WHAT THE FUCK?”

They all turn around, Jack, Robby and Dana, to see Trinity Santos with murder in her eyes, Omega fangs bared, bright blue ringed irises flashing, grasping a phone in her hand.

“Ok, you three need to get into a damn room NOW”, Dana strides across the floor and opens the door to the family room, no space for argument on her face. Robby and Jack scramble inside, with Trinity stalking behind them like a jungle cat, ready to pounce.

Dana closes the door loudly on the three of them.

“Anyone care to tell me why Dennis just got a text message from gender services confirming his screening results?” Trinity snaps.

Robby rushes her. “You’ve seen him? Is he ok?”

“No, I gave him to YOU to look after, and now here you are, with no Dennis, who’s apparently a fucking Alpha all of a sudden and is about to go into rut? What the fuck Dr Robby?!”

Robby is looking around in confusion, before his eyes settle on her hand, and what's in it. “You have his phone.”

“Obviously.”

“Why do you have his-”

“BECAUSEYOUKEEPFUCKINGTEXTINGHIM. Fuck”

Robby deflates, scolded. “He’s not here?”

Trinity is spitting, murderous. “Apparently fucking not, where the hell is he!?”

Jack is sort of pretending he's invisible, hoping they don't notice he's here too.

“I don’t know! He was getting screened, and then he just fucking ran out of the room and down the hall. I chased him, but the whole stairway smelled like him and I’ve been looking for him ever since.”

“Shit, ok, where have you looked?”

“On call rooms, closets, heat rooms, the basement, the roof…”

“The 8^th floor?”

“what-”

“That’s where he is.” and Trinity spins on her heel and is out the door, Jack and Robby following behind her out of the room and down the hall.

Dana calls behind them. “Excuse me, attendings #1 and #2? Where do you think you’re going?"

Shit.

Jack stops following, Robby turning to give him a pained look.

“Go find him Mike. I’ve got it here.”

And they leave. Jack staying behind. Waiting.

The elevator takes forever. “How do you know he’ll be on the 8^th floor?” Robby is rocking back and forth, practically shaking with adrenaline.

“Because I know HIM, better than you do.”

Robby and Santos ride the elevator to the 9^th floor in silence, and then Santos leads them to the fire escape, and they climb down one flight to the 8^th.

The second they open the fire door onto the floor, Robby knows she’s right. The smell of distressed Alpha is everywhere.

“Well, that’ll be him.” She recognises his scent too, of course she does. She’s an Omega, and his roommate. Robby lets her lead the way.

“It’s this one.” She mutters as they come to one of the rooms. “Huckleberry, it’s me, I’ve got to come in ok?”

There’s no response.

Trinity opens the door anyway.

Dennis is curled up in the far corner of the room, there's scratches all up his arms, there’s blood on his lips, and his eyes are wild and rimmed red. His hair is wet with sweat and sticking up messily, like he’s been rubbing his head against any hard surface to get some relief from the throbbing itching heat of his oncoming rut. Robby knows the feeling.

“Oh my god Dennis” Trinity rushes towards him, but Dennis locks eyes with her and growls.

“Stay the fuck away from me.” It’s broken and raw, Alpha voice breaking through into his words and Trinity recoils, backing up a few steps, her hands up.

“You can’t be here Trin. You’re an Omega. It’s not safe.”

“Bullshit, you won’t hurt me, idiot.”

Dennis starts growling again, trying and failing to get her to leave. When he realises it’s not working, he starts breathing hard and fast, bursting into tears. He turns on himself, scratching his arms with his claws between huge hacking sobs. Robby is across the room in an instant, grabbing his hands and holding him steady.

“You aren’t going to hurt anyone, including yourself.” Dennis’s face looks pained, desperate to get out of Robby’s grasp.

“Please, please. She’s not safe.” Dennis pleads, writhing against Robby.

Despite how alarming the sight and smell of Dennis in such distress is, Robby keeps his voice steady, calming himself right down. He rubs slow, firm circles in with his thumbs where he’s gripping onto the terrified man’s wrists.

“Shhh, shhh. Dennis, do you think I know what I’m doing?”

Dennis is still wriggling, but it’s not as desperate now. He nods at Robby’s question.

“That’s right. Now, Trinity is going to take a few steps forward and Dennis, I want you to take a few slow breaths with me, through your nose. Go on.”

Dennis’s eyes are glued to Robby, hanging on his every word and slowly following through. It’s a heady rush, to have this talented young doctor completely absorbed in Robby’s instruction. He feels the weight of it, of what Dennis needs from him in this moment. Needing him to know what to do. To keep him calm. To instruct and protect him when he’s vulnerable. Robby is desperate to do it right.

“That’s it, very good Dennis. Now, tell me, what does Trinity smell like?”

Dennis thinks for a minute. “Like menthol cigarettes and caramel.”

Robby smiles broadly. He’d describe Trinity’s smell similarly, “That’s right, have you smelled her before?”

Dennis nods, “Only a little.”

“And it’s the same isn’t it? Just stronger now, because your nose is growing more sensitive.”

Dennis nods again.

“Now, do you feel like hurting her, when you smell her?”

Dennis looks shocked, like the very idea is abhorrent. Robby keeps softly smiling at him.

“That’s right. No part of you wants to hurt her Dennis.”

Dennis whimpers, “Are you sure? You have to be sure Robby.”

“I’m sure. She’s your friend. She’s your pack. And she’s worried about you.”

Robby finally releases his hold on Dennis’s hands, the young Alpha looking down, alarmed by his small claws growing from his nail beds, he’s shaking.

He turns his big blue eyes to Trinity, who’s own eyes flash Omega blue. She crosses the room and kneels next to Robby, handing out her wrist to Dennis, who flinches away from it at first. So, she takes his hand gently, and brings it towards her face. Sniffing his scent. Showing him it’s ok. He does the same.

“See? You smell safe to me Den. Like family. I’m not scared of you.”

“You too.” Dennis looks awed, Robby guesses this is his first time pack scenting with someone. His chest swells with pride for the young Alpha, knowing this will become an important memory for him.

“Trin, I’m so sorry.”

In a moment she’s got her arms around him in a hug, before pulling back, embarrassed. “I can take you home?”

Dennis whines, eyes immediately meeting Robby’s. He shakes his head frantically.

“It’s not safe, please, please I can’t.”

Dennis throws himself torward Robby’s chest, knocking the breath out of him. Dennis immediately starts breathing his scent in deeply, rubbing his face in his hoodie.

“He can go with you then.” Trinity says.

“What? Me?”

“Obviously. He can't stay here. You clearly calm him down right now, so take him to your place until he can look after himself and then we never need to talk about this ever fucking again."

Robby doesn’t really know what to say to that. Of course he’s noticed that his presence seems to be calming the young Alpha down. He knows why he hopes that is, but is also aware it could be admiration or his status as an older Alpha with authority in Dennis’s life that's helping calm him. Whatever the reasons, Dennis clearly feels safe with Robby, which makes him bristle with pride. He must be doing something right.

"But if you do ANYTHING to him that he doesn’t want Robinavitch I swear to fucking god I will hunt you down and rip out your insides. You got me?"

“I’ll take care of him Trinity.”

She searches his eyes, and seems to decide that he’s not a threat, nodding.

Trinity breaks eye contact with Robby and looks down to Dennis, lightly grasping his shoulder.

“Den, I’m going to go, ok? If you need ANYTHING, you call me straight away. Huckleberry, you call me. Or I will never let you hear the end of it.”

Dennis turns his head to peer out at her. Eyes glazed. “Yes. Ok. I promise.”

She nods again in agreement, sending a loaded look to Robby before she’s out the door.

It’s suddenly very, very quiet. The tick tick hum of the air vent filling the room.

Robby lets out a long breath, running his hand through Dennis’s hair figuring out what to do next, and the younger man melts, his eyes fluttering closed and a deep purring rumble springing from his chest, it shocks him, and he jumps back a bit, putting an end to it. God he’s cute.

“Quite a purr you’ve got there.”

Dennis flushes, embarrassed. Robby is completely enamored.

“Hey, it’s not a bad thing.”

Dennis frowns at that, barely shaking his head.

Robby continues, “You think it’s bad?”

Dennis brings his big blue eyes up to meet Robbys. The red around his irises is gone for now, but Robby knows it will be back soon. Dennis is presenting quickly, he’ll be in full rut in the next few hours at the most. He needs to get him the hell out of the hospital.

“I don’t want to be an Alpha.” Dennis whispers, more to himself than to Robby.

Robby doesn’t say anything, he just reaches out in front of him and goes back to stroking his hair, this time while facing each other, waiting for Dennis to continue.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

Robby’s heart breaks a bit. Firstly, that Dennis is so worried he’ll hurt someone, and secondly, that Dennis seems to be afraid of Alphas more generally. Is he afraid of him too? He doesn’t seem to be, he’s been letting Robby comfort him, but maybe that’s been more to do with Robby, and less to do with him being an Alpha. Maybe that’s a part of him that Dennis is afraid of. Suddenly Dennis is whining, his hands on Robby, checking him for what’s wrong.

“Hey, woah. What's up?”

“You smell wrong. Are you hurt?” Dennis’s eyes are darting everywhere, scenting the air, confused about Robby’s distress.

“I’m ok, I’m sorry, I wasn’t controlling my scent as well as I should have. Usually I’m pretty good at it, you will be too with practice, I just… I’m not great at keeping my emotions in check with you it seems.”

Dennis slows down, taking in what Robby is saying. Cheeks heating up.

“Why are your emotions making you smell hurt? Was it me? Oh my god I completely ruined your whole day I’m so sorry, shit-"

“-Hey no, it’s nothing like that. I’m just worried. It made me sad that you are so unhappy about being an Alpha, that’s all. I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

Dennis seems to cautiously accept that. Bringing his hands to his lap. Robby realises he’s going to be on the floor for a while, so he grunts as he slides off his sore knees, and sits down properly on the floor. Dennis just watches.

“That’s better. Old bones.”

“You’re not old Dr Robby.”

“You say that a lot kid, doesn’t make it so.”

They sit for a moment. Just thinking. Dennis’s brow is furrowed, like he’s trying to work things out. Robby is smitten.

“You know Dennis, being an Alpha doesn’t mean that you’ll hurt anyone.”

Dennis inhales and pauses. Choosing his words. “When my brothers presented, they changed. They got mean.”

Robby’s heart breaks for the kid. He’s imagined that Dennis likely had a complicated family life. Robby had one too, so he can spot the signs.

“Some Alphas are assholes, that’s true. But that’s not got much to do with presenting. Some people just take any excuse.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“Are you, um, are you scared of all Alphas?”

Dennis looks shocked at the question, Robby hurries to finish, worried he’s making things worse. “It’s alright if you are! Anything you’re feeling is alright.”

“No! No. I’m not scared of um, other Alphas. Not generally.”

Robby relaxes a bit at that, Dennis cocks his head to the side, he leans forward, placing his hand on top of Robby’s.

“I’m not scared of you.”

Robby nods, embarrassed that his insecurity was so obvious that even in his distressed state, like usual, Dennis knew exactly what he needed to hear.

Robby looks down to Dennis’s hand in his lap and turns his own hand to lightly brush the underside of Dennis’s wrist. “May I?”

Dennis let’s his hand’s weight rest fully on Robby’s, giving permission. Robby lifts his fingers, looking at the inflamed nail beds. They look sore, but there’s nothing unexpected. They’ll hurt for a few days as they grow, then be able to retract at will. He should give Dennis something for the inflammation though. He looks over his other hand, and then his arms. The scratches aren’t deep, thank goodness. He runs his fingers across them as softly as possible, checking for debris that might need to be irrigated. Dennis shivers, his breath shallow.

Robby leans closer, his hands reaching the younger man’s neck, gently turning Dennis’s head to look at his ears. The tips are red and a little swollen, his Alpha points well on their way to growing in. He knows not to touch them, instead, rubbing his fingers firmly along the tendon at the base of Dennis’s skull behind his ear whilst using his thumb to rub the join of his jaw. Dennis moans, it’s sore and tense, Robby’s fingers slowly working to relive some of the strain. Dennis watches his face as he works, pupils blown large.

When Dennis’s jaw is finally loose, Robby trails his fingers down both sides of his jaw and up, to feel the skin around his lips, pressing around his teeth from the outside. Dennis whimpers, they must be sensitive.

“Wait here ok, I’m going to get some gloves-“

Dennis’s hand shoots up, grabbing Robby’s wrist before he can pull away. He’s firm, guiding Robby’s ungloved hand back to his face, opening his mouth in invitation.

Robby thinks his pupils might be getting a little blown too, but he tries to keep a lid on it. To keep the arousal out of his scent so he doesn’t overwhelm the young Alpha. This isn't about him.

He lightly lifts Dennis’s top lip, looking before touching at his swollen gums. His canines are particularly red, as he suspected, with new sharp teeth coming in above his current more blunt ones. Robby looks at Dennis, asking for silent permission, which Dennis gives with a pleading look. Robby cups his jaw with one hand, using his thumb from his other hand to slowly touch Dennis’s teeth, before running up and over his sore gums. He feels Dennis shudder into the touch, his breath hitching, as he applies slightly more pressure to the skin around his canine, high up into his mouth, massaging.

Dennis’s head is turned, giving Robby room to press harder. Dennis’s fingers flexing on Robby’s forearm. A mixture of pain and pleasure on his face as Robby massages the tender skin around his new fangs. They bleed just a little, and Dennis’s tongue darts out to collect the blood, licking along Robby’s thumb in the process. Robby’s breath hitches.

Dennis is watching him intently now, waiting to see what Robby will do. God, he wants him, wants him so badly he can practically taste Dennis’s blood on his tongue.

But he slowly pulls his hands from Dennis’s mouth, and pretends the betrayed look on Dennis’s face isn’t affecting him.

“Your fangs aren’t quite ready yet, they’ll come in in a few hours I think. Do they feel a little better?”

“Yes,” Dennis squeaks out before coughing to make actual words. “Yes, Thank you.”

“Good, I’m glad. Your ears are coming along too. They suit you.”

Dennis blushes again, ducking his head and bringing his own hand up to lightly graze the top of his sensitive ear, shivering at the touch.

“Dr Robby, what happens now?”

Robby chuckles. “I think we can stick with just Robby for now, yeah? We’re not at work.”

Dennis giggles “We are like, totally still at work though.”

Robby smiles fondly. “Fair point, I’ll give you that one. Well, that’s what happens next I guess. If it’s alright with you, I spoke with Trinity and we thought it might be best you come and stay in my guest room for a few days while you… acclimate to things.”

Dennis’s face immediately looks to the floor, forlorn. “She won’t want me at home anymore.”

“No, that’s not it at all. We’ll get her to pop by and bring some things of hers for you, so you have her pack scent if you’d like it. She just thought, um, given today, how… given how we were able to help you calm down today, that you might prefer to be at my place.” Robby does his best, not wanting to say ‘since you keep pressing your face into any part of me you can reach to stop yourself completely imploding’. He thinks Dennis might get embarrassed by that.

Dennis searches Robby’s expression, mulling things over. He seems to come to a decision, and nods once.

“Yeah, that makes sense. Are sure that’s ok?”

“Of course, I’ve got more than enough room. Are you ready to go?”

Dennis shrugs. “Ready is not the right word.”

“Haha, another fair point. Alright let’s smuggle you out of here!”

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 8^th 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?”

Chapter Text

Jack is having a fucking weird day, man.

He compartmentalises though. He’s kind of a pro at it. Basic training may have been almost 30 years ago now, but it was damn effective. He’s got 'missing Alpha Dennis' neatly tucked away somewhere in the back of his skull while he supervises Mel palpating an atypical distended abdomen. Her technique is sound, and she smiles bright at his nod of approval, excusing himself to check on the rest of the floor.

Collins is doing excellent work next door on a PE that just keeps crashing, he stops by in case she needs him, but she’s got it all covered. Further down the line, McKay and Mohan are chatting with a group of five sorority girls, two of whom are curled up with emery bowls and IVs, trying to figure out if it’s food poisoning or something environmental in the sorority house. Jack foolishly hovers too close, and suddenly he’s got a bunch of 21 years olds trying to scent him and get him to feel their foreheads and listen to their lungs. McKay takes pity at his pained expression, clapping her hands loudly and herding the girls back in behind a curtain, saying Dr Abbot is much too busy.

Jack wishes he were fucking busy. There’s nothing to do in this damn ER. Fuck.

Dana seems to sense his unease, appearing on his left with her nose in a chart, but she’s not really inputting anything, it’s just a prop.

“All ok, Jacky?”

“Fine, you know me.”

“Hence why I’m asking.”

“Yes ma’am, nothing to report, thank you ma’am.”

“Oh save it pretty boy.”

“Aww, you think I’m pretty?”

“Pretty full of it, yeah.”

“Some people think you’re scary Dana, but I don’t know what they’re talking about, you always say the nicest things.”

“Hunni, you’re creeping about this place like you expect the curtains to explode at any moment, I’m not the scary one.”

Ok, that’s genuinely a problem. Jack straightens up, hands immediately making their way behind his back, feet shoulder width apart. At ease, soldier.

“Noted boss, thanks.”

She pats him on the shoulder leaning in close.

“The kid’ll be fine love. Don’t worry.”

So, maybe his compartmentalising is a little rusty.

The rest of the shift starts passing in the comforting grind of one task at a time. Chest tube, consult, fight with Garcia, get the kids to order a blood gas. Trinity rejoins the floor, fobbing him off when he tries to make eye contact. She’s here though, and she’s not stabbing anyone, so he figures they found Dennis and he’s doing ok. He thinks he feels a bit lighter after that.

Eventually, Robby resurfaces too. He walks up to Jack looking rumpled, sans hoody, fiddly. His hair is all flat like he’s tried to neaten it up with his palm only seconds ago.

Jack is desperate for an update, for any info on what the hell has been going on.

What he gets though is a heated stare and a hand around his bicep, dragging him behind an empty patient curtain.

“He’s coming back to our place.”

“Ok. Yeah. So he’s….?”

“He needs somewhere to go, he doesn’t feel safe anywhere I’m not, it seems.”

“Well, lucky you.”

Robby gives him a look. Ok, not the time for teasing. Got it.

“Is…. is he ok?”

“Fuck man, I really don’t know. He’s… maybe?”

“Ok, alright. Let me get my keys, you can drive the pickup.”

“Yeah, yeah ok”, Robby slumps against the wall while Jack takes off to his locker and back again.

When he returns, Robby is crumpled forward, holding his trunk up with stiff arms, hands on his knees. He looks bone tired.

“Robby, baby, are you ok?”

Robby looks up at Jack, his eyes sparkling and Jack’s pulling him up into an embrace.

“Fuck, Jack, I was so scared. He’s all scratched up. Crying and frightened and desperate. I left him in the fucking stairwell because he’s, there’s no way I could bring him out here, he’s a mess.”

“Shh, you’re doing such a good job Alpha, helping him, keeping him calm.”

Robby leans back. “I dunno what I’m doing, man.”

“’Course you do. You do what he needs, ok?”

“Yeah? But what if-”

“You do what he needs.” Robby gulps, nodding. He takes a few steadying breaths while he digest’s Jack’s words. “Now, go look after our boy.”

Robby’s face changes from overwhelmed to touched in a moment. “He, fuck, he kinda is, isn’t he? Shit, do you think he... that he might…?”

Jack knows what he’s asking, does he think that Dennis would want that, to be theirs.

There’s attraction, he’s sure of that. He sees the way Dennis moons after Robby, and feels the heat of his gaze when the younger man looks at him on nightshift. But having a crush or two and wanting to shack up with your mated attendings are totally different ballgames. And the kid's just presented. And he and Robby really haven’t actually talked about it, although it does seem like they’re maybe on the same page.

Jack cups Robby’s cheek, “That’s not important right now, just look after him, ok?”

Robby nods.

“Good boy, I’ll see you both soon.”

He watches Robby go, back into the fire stairwell and hopefully, out the quiet side door with Dennis. Who’ll be wrapped up in his warm car in no time. Good.

Jack’s got about two hours left of Robby’s shift to cover, and he realises exactly what he needs to get done in that time frame.

First, he studies the board, and assigns a handful of new cases to the residents to work up, that should keep them busy for a while.

Then he grabs his mobile and pulls up his grocery app. Orders the essentials. He pops in some snacks too, chips and chocolates and the like, in case Dennis likes those, he knows Robby does. He sets delivery for a few hours from now.

Next, he logs on in central and finds the damn rut leave forms, filling out one for him, and one for Robby, it’s the easiest way to get a few days off in a row, no questions asked, and they usually take them off together anyway, so it’s not an unusual occurrence as far as HR is concerned.

Dennis though.

Jack calls upstairs. “Hi, Ollie! Listen, I think you’ve just had one of my MS4s up there, late presenting Alpha, Whitaker? That’s him. Obviously, the kid’s gone home now, I figured I’d handle his paperwork for him, but remember that damn seminar last year? Yeah, yeah, direct supervisors not signing off leave requests, exactly, so I was wondering, reckon you could pop his request through to HR, since you guys charted him up there? Yeah, great, thanks. What are you guys recommending for a late presentation these days? 4 days huh, sounds good Oll, thanks again!”

Done, there’s only one person left that he needs to –

“You’re a dirty old man, Abbot.”

Jack actually JUMPS, and maybe makes a sound that could be described as a squeal. “Jesus fucking Christ, Santos, where the FUCK did you come from.”

Santos is right behind him. Jack spins around, backing up as much as he can against the computer terminal to try and put a few centimetres between him and the Omega’s ice-beam stare. Kid’s got spunk, Jack’s always liked that about her. Until right now. Now, he thinks it’s kind of terrifying.

“I literally just walked here, you just weren’t paying attention.”

“’Cos I’m so old, right? My hearing must be going.”

“That’s what I assumed, yes. Your face is off, like Christmas came early. I don’t like it.”

“Can’t I be in a good mood Santos? I may have one foot in the grave, but the other foot is, well… I don’t have another foot, it’s late, I’m meant to be at home sleeping right now, and now I’m being insulted in my ER by interns, what do you want.”

“I want you to not be a dick to Dennis.”

“What? I’m not a dick!”

“Right now, Dr Abbot, Dennis is in your seedy apartment with your secret boyfriend, and both of you have been wanting to jump his twink bones for weeks. Dennis might be completely oblivious, but I am not. As his best friend, it is my job to make sure that you”, she pokes him in the chest, “know that I know. And since I know, I will also know if you or Robby does ANYTHING to pressure him or not treat him with the respect and care he deserves. I don’t know what the hell you two think you’ve got going on, but whatever it is you will.not.hurt.Dennis. Nod once if you understand me.”

Jack nods.

“Now, take this with you,” she hands him a plastic bag. “It’s got a spare sweater of mine in it, in case he needs pack scent, his favourite protein bars, and his phone. His phone that he will use to call me if you do LITERALLY ONE THING that he doesn’t expressly want.”

“Jeez, Santos I’m not going to attack the kid-”

She growls at him, baring her fangs.

“-Ok, yeah, yeah, absolutely! If I do anything he doesn’t enthusiastically and unequivocally consent to, which I won’t, he will call you with his phone that I will personally give to him, and you will have my full permission to murder my family. I understand-”

Trinity smiles, all fake sweetness and light.

“- Can we go the fuck back to work now please, Jesus Christ.”

“Of course, Dr Abbot.” And she’s spinning off and practically skipping down the hallway.

“And my apartment isn’t seedy!”

Maybe Santos is right, he is too old for this shit. Fuck.

By the time Shen finally makes it in, slurping infuriatingly on his trash coffee, Jack is practically vibrating to get the hell out of here. He’s got three days off, and two Alphas at home to take care of. Jack has places to be.

He hands over and says goodbye to day shift, Santos giving him a nod when she sees him heading out with her bag in his hand.

He jumps in an Uber, trying to make polite small talk and failing abysmally as they weave through traffic. Jack tips in cash, and the driver beams. It seems despite his weird backseat energy his perfect customer score will remain intact for another day.

And finally, he’s at his and Robby’s apartment.

Now that he’s at the door though he doesn’t know what to do.

Should he, like, knock? That would be weird, right? To knock at his own house. He should just let himself in. A normal person would let himself in.

Yeah.

Jack is unsure about what he wants to find on the other side of the door.

Robby had been worried, that much was obvious. The kid had Alpha dropped, then ran away and hid in an abandoned hospital wing and apparently scratched himself all up in the process. Not the best day, granted.

But also, when Jack was holding Robby earlier, he could smell the desire, both Robby and what must’ve been Dennis’s, all over his mate. So, not a totally bad time for Dennis either. The kid’s upset, and confused, but he’s also probably in rut by now. He’ll be needy and demanding. Knowing Dennis, probably adorably polite about the whole thing. Maybe he’ll be in the spare room taking care of things by himself and Jack can chat to Robby and get more info on what’s been going on, or maybe Robby and he will be… well. He had given Robby permission, more like ordered him actually, to help in any way Dennis might need. Jack doesn’t think Robby would go very far with that, it would likely take some serious begging on Dennis’s part, so, it’s not like Jack’s worried he’s going to walk into anything particularly shocking. Maybe some hand stuff. That would be alright.

No, what’s keeping him on the wrong side of the door is what all this could mean. For him and Robby, and for Dennis.

Obviously a poorly timed rut is just that, it happens. People get together, and sure, sometimes maybe they wish they hadn’t indulged and things are a little awkward for a while. Or they hook up and they keep hooking up, that’s obviously the more attractive option, but not without its complications as well. Especially with the work situation, that’s awkward times 10, and yeah, Jack pretends he doesn’t worry about that sort of thing, but even he can acknowledge that this one is a doozy. People will excuse nature and hormones, but only so far. Two quarter of a century age gaps and more than a couple of levels of workplace seniority is probably way too far for most people. If anything happens behind that door, and who is he kidding, he thinks that something probably will, might already be happening right now, it’s going to open a big can of worms.

And then there’s the non-work complications. Dennis is so much younger, only just starting out. Yeah, he’s an adult, but he’s also presenting. It’s his first time as an Alpha doing anything. First time walking and talking and every single thing with a changed body and new awareness. That’s precious. That’s important. Jack will not fuck that up.

This is precious. Dennis is precious.

Jack’s got 1 million reasons to enter his apartment and be kind, understanding, and completely professional. Be a mentor.

If Dennis wants anything more though, well, Jack will completely disregard every single one of those very good reasons in a heartbeat.

Dennis Whitaker, in just 10 weeks, has Jack Abbot completely blow-up-his-whole-life fucked.

He smiles to himself as he unlocks his front door. Jack did always like getting fucked, after all.

The door clicks open, and as he quietly steps inside the delicious scent of Alpha washes over him. Between Robby and Dennis, it smells a bit like a horny bakery in here, and Jack becomes aware that he’s completely famished. He kicks off his shoes and dumps his bags by the door, the sounds of heavy breathing leading him just the few steps down the hallway to the spare room, with its door wide open.

The sight he’s greeted with is straight out of the Abbot/Robinavitch fantasy playlist, Robby lounging on his back, hand on Dennis’s hip, guiding him as Dennis frantically humps him in short, sharp movements, licking up Robby’s arm. Their clothing is all firmly in place, Dennis swimming in Robby’s hoody. Jack thinks Dennis’s rut must have just started, this is the first of many times the kid will need to get off in the next few days. He remembers his own early ruts, how overwhelmed his teenage brain was until he’d manage to get himself off, the relief and clarity it brings before the hot haze would return. It’s mellowed out a bit with age, but it’s still intense letting your inner animal take the lead over and over, and then quietly tucking them back away again.

He also remembers how insanely good it feels in those early ruts to touch and be touched, every nerve firing. Dennis must be feeling that now, he looks ready to snap, and Robby is gazing at him with dark eyes that betray how affected he is too. Dark eyes that are shifting off Dennis and settling on him.

Jack should move out of the doorway, let Dennis finish without intrusion so they can all have this conversation when the young Alpha’s brain is a little less clouded. But, hey, he’s had a long day, and his Alpha brain isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders with a show like this in front of him.

Dennis turns his head to follow what Robby is looking at.

"Don't let me interrupt."

Dennis scrambles, practically levitates off the bed in shock, like a startled cat.

He lands across the bed facing him, and Jack gets the completely delicious view of a front on, horny as hell Dennis Whitaker. His hair is wild, lips red and swollen, blush all the way down his neck to his collar. And his dick is tenting his scrubs obscenely. He’s gorgeous like this.

Dennis doesn’t seem to think so, he’s scrambling to cover himself with a pillow, taking great heaving breaths that suddenly stop mid inhale, the shock on his face replaced again with blatant desire. His nostrils flare, eyes tingeing Alpha red.

Dennis is up and on him before Jack has any idea what is happening, but oh boy he is so onboard. He’s crowded against the doorframe roughly and ok Whitaker has some muscle on him and his face is in the crook of Jack’s neck inhaling greedily. Ripping his patch off with sharp claws and shit, he can feel him shaking out with each breath against his skin.

“Well, hello to you too, Denny.” Jack teases, completely charmed by Dennis’s display of dominance and surety. He get’s it, Jack’s a new Alpha in what had been Dennis’s space, space he’d been spending with Robby. He’d probably do something similar, maybe with less nuzzling.

Dennis pulls away then, taking a step back to get a handle on his instincts. The red in his eyes is replaced with Dennis’s usual brilliant gold centred blue, pupils still blown wide and dark.

He’s looking between Jack and Robby, and Jack’s not really sure what to do next. He wants to go to him, would Dennis want that?

Luckily, Robby is clearing his throat to hopefully get things back on track.

“Um, Den, I hadn’t quite gotten around to telling you who my mate was, had I?”

Jack can feel his jaw dropping comically as he rounds on Robby, pissed as all hell.

“I’m sorry Michael, he didn't already know?! Why didn’t you TELL him?!”

“I, sort of, there wasn’t a good time.”

“Oh yeah, great, you’re right, cos this, right now, this is a great time!”

“…no time like the present?”

“I swear to fucking god Mikey-”

The smell hits them both at once, distressed Alpha filling the room, Dennis is backing up against the cupboard looking like he’s just hit someone’s dog with his car.

“You’re mated, omg, fuck, I knew you were, fuck, Jack, fuck, I’m so sorry, it really wasn’t Robby’s idea I was begging him and he was just trying to help and fuck I am so, so sorry”

Jack’s a foot away from Dennis as quick as his legs will take him. He’s got his hands out, desperate to touch, to comfort, but not sure if it’s welcome, if Dennis wants Jack anywhere near him at all. Robby seems glued to the bed, shocked about what’s got Dennis so upset so suddenly.

“Dennis, hey, Dennis, there’s nothing to be sorry about, ok?”

Dennis is looking at Jack with huge wet eyes, and Jack doesn’t know what to do. Doesn’t know how to help.

“Dennis, can I touch you? Please?”

“I’m so sorry!” Dennis is shaking now, and if this is what he's been like all day, he can see why Robby was so distraught.

“Shh, baby, shhh.”

Jack doesn’t think Dennis is going to give him verbal permission, Jack can see he's disociating, so he takes a gamble, may Santos strike him down. Touch always helps Jack, brings him back to himself. He drops his hand to Dennis’s arm, loosely holding onto the outside of his bicep, steadying him.

Dennis gasps at his touch. Right, poor kid’s still in rut and fucking desperate for it.

“It’s ok, you’re ok Dennis.”

Jack slowly drags his hand up to his shoulder, thumb barely scraping the delicate skin at Dennis’s collar, hoping just a sliver of skin to skin will help bring Dennis back to this room and out of his head.

“Jack I’m so sorry, please.”

Dennis’s flushed skin up close is so pretty. All spider webbing veins along smooth pale skin, blotchy and so damn endearing.

“Please what, baby? You’re ok, what do you need?”

Dennis whines, searching for words.

“Please don’t stop touching me.”

Jack thinks he can do that.

He leans forward, lightly pressing against Dennis, cupping the side of his neck with one hand and bringing the other along his cheek and into his hair, lightly stroking along his newly pointed ear. Dennis moans into his touch, shuddering out an exhale that goes straight to Jack’s dick.

“Dennis, baby, you didn’t do anything wrong ok, I’ve got you.”

Dennis’s hands are on him, grasping his forearms like he doesn’t believe him, like he’s scared Jack is going somewhere. The idea is fucking hilarious. There is nowhere Jack would rather be right now than here against this damn cupboard touching Dennis.

“Please Jack.”

Jack untangles his left hand from Dennis’s hair, dragging it down lightly over his cheek, down his throat, fingers light over his heaving chest and eventually digging into the slight dip at his waist. All of Dennis’s soft, vulnerable organs are right there, under his burning hot skin. He’s so fragile, really, underneath it all. Jack presses his body closer, feeling Dennis’s relieved exhale as their bodies line up. Jack’s right hand is still holding Dennis at his neck, over his exposed scent gland, he shifts slightly to press firmly against the sensitive gland with his blunt finger tips, a come hither motion, sure strokes.

Dennis’s eyes close, and he lets out a ragged breath of relief at the touch. Jack can’t help but rumble deep in his chest, pleased at how the pretty young Alpha is responding to his touch.

“Dennis, you know you’re in rut yeah?”

Dennis nods, eyes clamped shut as he grinds into the V of Jack’s hips.

“Words, Dennis.”

“Yes! Yes I know. I’m in rut, fuck, I know.”

“So, you know that you need to cum, yeah, and then we can all talk after, that you’ll feel better.”

“Yes, please, yes, Robby said, um, ‘take the edge off’.”

Dennis’s head is tipped back, but his eyes slide open, like he wants Jack to see that he’s here, that he knows what he’s asking for.

“That’s right. Do you want me to help with that?”

Dennis’s hands are suddenly grabbing the sides of Jack’s face, fingers curling in his hair, the pinpricks of claws biting into skin.

“Jack, If you don’t kiss me right now, I think I might actually die.”

Yep, and there go all the excellent reasons why this is an awful idea. His hand shifts from Dennis’s neck up to his jaw as he brings their lips together, slotting in so sweetly before immediately turning filthy and wet as Dennis sighs into his mouth. Jack licks into him, tasting teeth and lips and breath and fuck it’s good. It’s so good. He turns his face to make more room for their tongues, because he immediately needs as much of Dennis in his mouth as he can get, and Dennis seems to feel the same. It’s rough and biting and so fucking good.

He’s hard against Dennis’s hip, delighted at Dennis’s tongue as it explores his mouth. Dennis is rutting against him, and it’s quickly less of a kiss and more just panting and licking into each other, Dennis is right back to where he was with Robby, so close to cumming he’s almost uncoordinated as his hips rut against Jack. They tongue and breathe and grind into each other for a few moments, Dennis completely coming apart against him. Jack takes pity on the kid and moves his hand from his waist down between where they’re pressed hard against each other. He squeezes his arm inbetween them, cupping Dennis’s hard, hot cock over his scrub pants.

“Fuck!”

And Dennis is groaning into his mouth and pressing his dick against his palm and pulsing in his pants. His whole body shudders, fingers gripping so tightly in Jacks curls that he hisses at the sting. Jack’s pressing back against him to hold him up as he spasms and gasps, knees buckling and mouth open wide as he grinds out his orgasm against Jack’s hand. It takes him a long time to stop twitching all over, his overstimulated nerves sending aftershocks through him and the whole damn time he’s breathing into Jack, moaning and whimpering and swearing, sucking on his lips, licking at him. It’s absolutely delicious.

As Dennis finally comes down from his orgasm and releases the iron grip he has on Jack’s hair, Jack takes a moment to study the younger man’s face. Eyelashes fanning across red cheeks, sweaty curled hair, kiss bitten lips. As he leans back further, giving Dennis space to breath, he takes in the long pale column of his neck, the sweat gathering along the collar of his shirt.

Big gold blue eyes are suddenly on him. Rut, for now, broken.

Jack gives him a small smile, lightly stroking at his cheek.

“Hi Dennis.”

Dennis blushes even more than he already is. A small smile quirking to the left of his pink mouth.

“Hi Dr Abbot.”

Jack can’t help but laugh.

“Really, we’re going with Dr Abbot?”

Dennis smiles, sheepish. Jack is impossibly charmed.

“Jack.” It’s like Dennis is trying the sound out in his mouth, like he hadn’t been begging his name only a few minutes ago.

Jack whispers to him. “Shall we go and check that we didn’t kill Robby? That was pretty hot, he might not have made it.”

Dennis’s eyes grow comically wide, and Jack can’t help but laugh again. He leans his body back, Dennis taking his own weight with shaky legs, and Jack quickly adjusts Robby’s hoody so it’s snug around him, it had started to fall down his shoulder. Jack takes a step back, one hand taking Dennis by his elbow, leading him back to the bed.

Dennis raises an arm, rubbing at the back of his neck, sheepish and shy.

And that’s when they both get a good look at Robby, who, apparently, didn’t stay to watch the whole show. He’d somehow snuck out in the, what, two minutes it took Jack to get Dennis off, and has snuck back in again with an absurdly large pile of fruit and water, which he’s placed in the centre of the bed. His sitting on the corner at the end of the mattress closest to them, looking impossibly young.

Jack goes to him, running a hand through his hair and giving him a soft, slow kiss to the cheek. Jack had taken lots of liberties with Dennis just now, and Robby had been excluded, really. Jack wasn’t sure how that would go, how Robby would feel about it, but what he sees is Robby doing what he always does, instinctively looking after others.

“Perfect Mikey, such a good boy for your Alphas.”

Robby hums in contentment at the praise before scooting back on the bed, patting the mattress and beckoning Dennis, a silent invitation.

Dennis looks at Jack, and back at Robby, repeating the movement again before deciding to shuffle forwards, towards the side of the bed that’s closest to Robby, sitting down at his side. He dips his head and exposes his neck, Omega like, looking up at Robby with big, wide eyes. Robby brushes the wet hair off of Dennis’s forehead, and Dennis smiles, turning his head to rub his cheek into Robby’s palm.

“Hey Den, welcome back.”

“Hey.” Dennis replies in a small, rough voice. Robby hands him a water bottle, which he eagerly takes a few huge gulps of, before eyeing an orange that’s sitting across the bed with alarming focus. Robby laughs fondly, handing it to him. Jack walks around the bed crawling up onto Robby’s other side, and grabs a water bottle for himself, content to watch the other two get reacquainted now that Dennis is feeling a bit more like himself.

They sit in silence for a few moments while Dennis uses his growing claws to get into the orange and start peeling off pieces, shoving them into his mouth and licking the juice from his fingers, completely unaware of the effect it is having on the other two men until Robby clears his throat. Dennis pauses with two fingers in his mouth, finally noticing what he must look like and shoving his hand behind his back. They all sit there in silence.

Jack can’t remember the last time he went this long without saying something.

“So, anyone seen any good tv shows lately?”

Robby responds by throwing a mandarin at his head.

Chapter Text

“Hey, watch the merchandise man!”

Jack teases back at Robby, pretending that the citrus that just whacked him in the cheek had somehow messed with his good looks.

“Oh, sorry Mr September, I wouldn’t dream of screwing with your impeccable bone structure,” Robby drawls, rolling his eyes.

“I’ve never heard you complaining about the structure of my bone before, Robinavitch!”

Dennis likes watching them like this. It makes sense. Jack and Robby, Robby and Jack. He supposes it should have been obvious to him weeks ago, but then, until today he’d never really met an Alpha/Alpha pair before, so maybe it’s only fair that he didn’t put the clues together. They fit though. They fit so well.

He takes the opportunity while the other two men are sparring to check in with himself. His lips are sensitive. He can still feel the ghost of Jack on him, he shivers a little at the memory. He’s never been kissed like that before.

His skin feels cooler than it has all day. He supposes that’s what Robby and Jack meant, take the edge off. He knows it will be back though. The hot, itching ache that turns him into a mewling, humping animal. It felt good, felt amazing. But with the haze in his brain gone, he’s trying not to let the great creeping pile of shame in his guts seep up and out of his skin. The fact that he’s got his rapidly cooling ejaculate all through his pants isn’t exactly helping with that.

He’d been getting off with Robby, and then in an instant, he’d just gone to Jack. He didn’t even consider how the other men would feel, he’d just done whatever he wanted.

He’d been so worried when he first saw Jack in the doorway. That he’d judge him, and then a minute later that he’d think Dennis was trying to make moves on his mate. Dennis would never want to hurt someone like that. But he had known that Robby was mated, and he’d not even asked if his mate would be ok with Dennis asking Robby to help in that way. He’d just decided to pretend Robby was available, even though he knew that he wasn’t. Maybe Dennis isn’t the sort of good person he’d always hoped that he was.

He’s not as strong as he hoped either. He’d wanted, and when there was the slightest bit of resistance from both Robby and Jack, he’d barged right through it, begging them to compromise what they wanted so Dennis could get his way. They were both holding back, he’d felt it, and he’d begged and begged until finally they’d given in. Given him what he’d wanted. Barely an hour into his first rut and he’s already selfishly taking.

He sniffles, ashamed at the kind of man, the kind of Alpha, he is now. How could he ever make it up to Robby and Jack? Would they even want him to try? They’re being nice now, but good people are often nice to your face.

There’s warm pressure at his elbow, and he notices that Robby and Jack have stopped talking, their eyes now on him. Robby’s hand grips his elbow, rubbing a soft circle with his thumb as he speaks to him, voice soft and concerned.

“Dennis, what’s wrong?”

Dennis doesn’t want to say. He wants to keep spiralling, to feel bad, worse than he already does. He deserves it.

“Please talk to us? We can smell you’re upset,” It’s Jack this time, he’s crawling across the mattress to cup the side of Dennis’s face, his eyes impossibly fond and Dennis feels like he might start crying again. Fuck, he’s so sick of crying.

Dennis looks down at his hands, too embarrassed to look at the other men. But he owes them honesty. To at least try and be good.

“I feel like a bad person. Like, I just walked in here and didn’t care about wrecking things between you two. I didn’t even ask or anything, I just took what I wanted.”

There is a long silence, and then Jack starts snickering, Dennis looks at him and he’s barely containing his laughter. Robby looks like he wants to push Jack off the bed or throw another fruit at his head.

Jack can’t help himself. “Seriously?! Kid, you know we’re completely obsessed with you, right?”

Dennis does not know that, and his face must advertise his thoughts because Jack doesn’t think it’s funny anymore. Sympathy and something warm and hard to name shines in his eyes, and he scoots closer again, to hold Dennis’s hand for a moment.

“We’ve wanted you here for weeks baby, you are definitely not wrecking anything. You didn’t take anything that wasn’t very willingly offered.”

Dennis hears the words, but it’s like they don’t compute. They want him here? Have wanted him here? “You… what?!”

Jack looks to Robby for help.

“You weren’t crossing any boundaries sweetheart; you’ve done nothing wrong. Your instincts were, you were just responding to the signals we were both sending you… Because Jack and I, if it were up to us, well, we want to be here with you.”

Dennis takes that all in. They want him here. For the next few days, he could be here, with them, instead of alone.

“For my whole rut?”

Robby’s cheeks darken. “Yeah. And… since we’re being honest, also, um, after that.” He sounds like he’s confessing to some horrible sin. Dennis knows the feeling.

“And before! Before, during, and after.” Jack adds, demonstrating with his hands, miming the three boxes of time lined up next to each other on the bed.

“So, always?” Dennis jokes.

It doesn’t land. Robby and Jack just keep looking at him.

“Wait, ALWAYS?!” Dennis feels like he’s being pranked maybe. This cannot be happening. Can it?

“Fuck, this is way too much way too fast, shit, talk about coming on too strong. Fucking hell -” Robby has both hands in his hair, stressed out.

Jack sits back on his heel, “My tv show question doesn’t seem so silly now, does it Mikey-”

“Oh my god both of you shut up for a minute!” Dennis needs to think.

Jack looks a bit like he’s been slapped and he liked it, Robby looks like he’s just watched Jack getting slapped and he liked it. How is Dennis meant to think through anything with these idiots being all, them.

Dennis takes a steadying breath. “Ok. So, let me get this straight.”

Jack actually looks like he’s going to explode before he blurts out. “Not really straight.”

Robby hisses, “Holy fuck can you shut the fuck up.”

Dennis continues, committed. “So, you two. You two are together. Mates.”

Robby responds. “Yes”, grasping Jack’s hand and squeezing.

“And you both, um, are also interested in, er, me.”

Jack barely waits for Dennis to finish. “So interested.”

Robby squeezes Jack’s hand again, hard this time, making Jack jump on the bed a bit in pain, to shut him up. “What Jack means, is, and we want to be really clear here - there is zero expectation, ok? Just because we… you don’t need to do anything any different ok? And you say the word and we are out of this room no questions asked ok? Right now, tomorrow, whenever.”

Dennis nods, acknowledging Robby. “OK. And… I didn’t… you both wanted to um, to ‘help me’, earlier.”

Robby nods. Coughing to clear his throat. “Yes sweetheart, of course we did. And keep, um, helping. If you want that.”

“I’ve always loved being helpful”, Jack leers.

Robby looks like he actually might kill Jack at any moment.

“All of us. Together. You guys and… and me.”

Robby nods, heart in his eyes.

Jack beams. “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

Huh.

Huh.

Dennis considers it. How impossible this conversation is. But this whole day has been completely impossible, hasn’t it? In the span of a few hours he’s an Alpha, he’s learned he can be an Alpha and still be with other Alphas, if he wants. And that the two Alphas he does like, they like him too. Some of it makes sense, but some of it still seems completely insane, like there’s huge chunks of information he doesn’t have that he needs to paint a full picture. And he realises what one of them is.

“Why me?”

Jack looks like he wants to answer, but Robby places a hand on his sternum gently, and Jack closes his mouth, letting Robby lead.

Robby crawls a bit until he’s in front of Dennis, leaning down slightly so their faces are closer to eye level. His brown eyes are so warm, Dennis loves that they’re looking at him, has always loved it. Sometimes, when Robby doesn’t look at him, he feels like screaming.

Robby brings a hand up to lightly lift Dennis’s chin, like he’s done over and over today when checking his teeth and wiping his blood and his tears and caring for him, and Dennis can feel his breath hitching as those eyes he loves look over his face, focussing on his lips a little too long, before meeting his gaze once again.

This time, finally, Robby leans forward and kisses him. His lips are soft, and his beard tickles a little under his nose. They barely even open their mouths, just a few soft touches of lips together, of sharing breath. Of warmth and a fluttering in his tummy and Dennis feels like laughing or dancing or running away, he’s not sure which, so instead he stays put and lets Robby kiss him, like he’s wanted all day. Like he’s wanted since they first met.

And suddenly it’s over. Dennis takes a long time to open his eyes, and when he does Robby is looking at him with that warmth that he adores so much and he finds that all of his questions have grown just a little bit quieter. Like they can wait.

Robby licks his lips before speaking. “I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to do that, Dennis. I’ve been wanting to though, is that ok?”

Dennis nods and Robby smiles shyly.

“Good. Um, I think, I think that we should do more questions a little later though. It’s been a long day, for everyone, but especially you. What do you say about having a hot shower and maybe a little rest before your rut kicks back in. You were only asleep for maybe half an hour before.”

Dennis thinks about his sweaty, aching, itching body. About how a little time to himself is a really, really good idea.

“Yes. Ok.”

Robby smiles at him again, leans forward and pecks him on the forehead quickly before he’s up.

“Alright! Dennis can take the main bathroom, there’s fresh towels in there and all the soaps and everything, Jack and I can wash up in the ensuite.” Robby’s pulling the piles of fruit off the bed and onto the side table.

“I’ll get you some clothes, you’re almost my size.” Jack’s up too, he pecks him on the top of the head and squeezes Dennis’s shoulder as he walks past him and down the hall to their room.

Robby walks towards Dennis, helping him up off the bed, not letting go of his elbow even once he’s standing, maybe enjoying the closeness. They’ve spent a lot of time together today, and mostly he’s been crying and freaking out. It’s nice to not be doing that for a minute. “We’ll be in the other bedroom, come get us when you… if you want some company?”

Dennis smiles, a small thing that feels funny on his face. Like a secret.

“If you need more time alone though, this room is yours, we won’t come in without asking.”

Dennis frowns. He doesn’t want Robby to think he’s going to hide from him, from this. He rises onto his tip toes and pulls Robby down by his neck to kiss him. It’s a simple kiss, just a firm press of lips before he’s releasing Robby and dropping back down on his heels, gauging the other man’s reaction, which seems to be to blush furiously and rub his hand on the back of his neck.

“Ok then, we’ll, uh, see you soon.”

Dennis smiles at him, fuck he’s cute, before spinning and heading to the bathroom.

Once the door is closed, he leans his back against it, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly. Oh my god he’d just kissed Robby, and Jack before that, holy shit. He feels giddy, in a good way. Sort of floaty.

But also really, really in need of a shower. He shrugs off Robby’s hoody, and peels off his scrub top and the undershirt that is completely stuck to him, sweaty and clammy.

There’s a knock at the door.

“Clothes delivery!”

Dennis opens the door, gladly grabbing the bundle from Jack, who’s not, for some reason, closing the door and leaving, and instead is just standing there staring at him.

Dennis is suddenly very aware that he’s shirtless and quickly presses the pile of new clothes to his chest, embarrassed.

“Have fun getting wet!” And Jack’s closing the door and scampering down the hall.

Dennis takes a moment before chuckling to himself, stupidly fond.

He places his clean clothes on the sink and goes to turn on the water to warm up in the shower. Waiting for it to steam up, he rifles through the draws. Finds a fresh toothbrush that he lays out for later before stepping out of his scrubs and peeling off his disgusting sticky underwear and his socks, bundling everything into the hamper. He hisses as he steps into the stream of the shower.

He stands under the water for a few minutes, just letting the warm water do it’s work to soothe his nerves and remove the sweat and dried blood and semen from his body. He really is quite disgusting right now, but slowly, he’s feeling more like himself. He grabs the soap and gets to work, quickly discovering that there’s quite a few things about his body that are starting to feel a little different.

He starts at the back of his neck and touches his much larger scent glands for the first time. They feel obscene to Dennis, but that’s likely because they’re so different to what he’s used to. They send jolts of arousal through him when he presses into them, remembering the way Jack had touched him earlier.

The scratches on his arms aren’t too bad; they sting a little when the suds get on them, they’ll probably look worse tomorrow.

Everything else seems normal until he reaches his groin with a soapy hand and oh, he should have expected this but, yeah, that’s different. He’s a little bigger than he was this morning he thinks, more sensitive than usual maybe from his body growing, and there’s two soft, delicate areas forming at the base of his penis. His knot. Holy shit. There’s not much to see right now, since he’s not hard, just sensitive skin that’s a bit of a different texture, but yeah, that is definitely not what he’s used to. He isn’t really sure how he feels about it. Just one more thing to add to the ever-growing list of shit to figure out later.

He continues his mission to get clean, washing down his legs and back up them, soaping his arse and trying not to think about the two incredibly hot older men who maybe want to have sex with him that are just outside the door as he cleans between his cheeks and the tight furl of his hole. This is somewhere he’s always liked to be touched by a partner, usually preferring to receive rather than give. Will that change now that he’s an Alpha? What do Robby and Jack do in bed together? His dick twitches at the thought and no, not now. He refuses to get hard AGAIN before he absolutely has to.

He washes his hair next, quickly shampooing his curls, rinsing, and then shampooing again for good measure, he was really sweaty after all. It’s a bit tricky, with claws, he still can’t seem to retract them quite yet, but he works around it.

He lets himself stand under the warm water for another minute before he decides he’s sufficiently clean and it’s time to get a move on. He can’t hide in here forever.

The mirror is fogged up, and he wipes a swipe of the condensation off with his hand, showing him his reflection in a thick curved line across the glass.

He’s still him.

But, undeniably different.

Dennis remembers the day after he’d had sex for the first time ever. This sort of feels like that. Like, it was just a normal day really, he’d stayed at his boyfriend’s dorm, and he’d finally done it, got naked with someone else for the first time, Dennis eagerly taking him inside of his body. It hadn’t even lasted all that long. But walking alone across campus after, every step felt different. He was so much more aware of himself in a way he hadn’t ever been before. Like his bones and organs and muscles had been pulled out and put back inside in slightly different places. Like he had grown entirely fresh skin.

Dennis loads up the spare toothbrush and completely forgets he’s got new fucking teeth growing, reminded by the sharp sting when he presses the brush too hard against them. He brushes more gently, spits and rinses, and checks under his top lip in the mirror, needing to wipe a fresh hand along the mirror where it’s fogged up again.

He can see his new fangs, the points of them are protruding over the tops of his current teeth on each side. They feel huge when he worries them with his tongue, but they’re really only maybe a quarter of an inch long right now, still shorter than his old ones, which are getting increasingly wobbly, ready to fall out soon. He doesn’t mess with them too much, not wanting to start bleeding everywhere again.

He thinks his lips are a little swollen. Still tender from kissing Jack like he was starving for him. His cheeks heat and a curl of arousal wraps around him. Instead of it fluttering away like he’s used to, it lingers. Growing hot in his groin and down his back and on his neck.

Rut, huh. So that’s how it starts.

Studying his reflection, he thinks his pupils are a little wider than a few seconds ago. He wonders if his eyes have gone red yet today. He’ll ask Robby and Jack if they noticed anything.

He unwraps the towel from his waist and dries his hair, accidentally being too rough with his ears, and he checks those too. It’s like the mirror is wrong, like the distinctive Alpha points on either side of his head are someone else’s. He thinks they look alright though, like maybe they’re kind of cute with his haircut. Robby said they suited him.

He’s stalling, he can feel the nerves in his stomach starting to multiply the longer he stays in the bathroom. He leans forward on the basin and stares at himself.

“Alright Whitaker, you’re going to put your hot bosses’ clothes on and get the hell out there.” He whispers it, feeling completely ridiculous, but needing to see his face talking back at him to really believe that the reflection in the mirror is indeed him.

He climbs into the soft pair of sweatpants Jack left for him, rolling them at the ankles a little. Jack hadn't loaned him any underwear, and honestly thank god as his dick is twitching just thinking about wearing the other man's briefs. He shrugs on a t-shirt next, it’s a little big, but that’s sort of the right size for lounging around the house, which he supposes is what he’s going to be doing.

Before he loses his nerve, he’s out of the bathroom and heading for Robby and Jack’s bedroom. The door is open, and inside the two men are sitting down on the bed and talking in hushed voices, both similarly dressed to himself except Jack’s pants are cut at the knees and his shirt doesn’t have sleeves. The sight of his completely obscene arms is doing something alarming to Dennis’s brain. He wants them on him and in him and between his teeth. Instead, he slowly breaths out. Control, he can control this.

Robby is casually rubbing Jack’s leg, soothing the calf muscles above his amputation as they talk, not even paying attention to the action, really. They must do this a lot Dennis thinks. Maybe every night when their shifts allow. He’s never seen Jack without his prosthesis before now. It isn’t weird though. It’s just Jack.

That swirling heat makes itself known again, he fights off a shudder with the intensity of it. The intimacy of being in Robby and Jack’s bedroom with them igniting a fire in him that he thinks he won’t be able to ignore for long. But he can for now.

Jack’s the first to speak. “Heya handsome. There’s a few things for you on top of that table there,” He gestures with his head to the bedside table to the left of the room. Dennis potters over and is confused about what he finds. A pack of protein bars, his brand, that usually live in his work locker, his phone, and Trinity’s favourite sweater. It’s pink and soft. Theres no way it would fit him though? Pack scent. She’s giving him her smell, in case he needs it. He picks the fabric up, inside the bag, just to hold it for a moment. That’s when he discovers an obscene number of condoms strewn through the bottom of the bag. He drops the sweater back in the bag and shoves the whole thing in a draw.

Dennis thinks he sounds more like a mouse than a man when he squeaks out an embarrassed “You… you spoke to Trinity?”

“More like she spoke to me. Actually, ‘spoke’ is such a reciprocal and wrong word for what we shared. More like, she threatened grievous bodily harm against me, and I agreed to do everything she said.” Jack laughs at the look on Dennis’s face. “I like her.”

Robby presses harder into Jack’s leg, eliciting a grunt from the other man. “Interesting. I also got a similar speech from Dr Santos.”

Dennis is actually mortified. “Um, do I want to know why she was threatening you both?”

“Well, she called me a dirty old man who wants to, and I quote ‘jump your twink bones’, wich I thought was very rude but also mostly accurate. She was just being protective.”

“You TOLD her?” Dennis knows Robby and Trinity talked about him coming here, but he doesn't know why Jack would A. implicate himself into that and B. Tell her what they were hoping to do with him here.

“I didn’t tell her shit kid, that girls’ got missile accurate gaydar. She knew Robby and I wanted you, and that we lived together."

Dennis can feel himself turning bright red. Jack and Robby want him. Want him enough that other people can tell.

He might be getting a bit giddy.

He might ALSO be having words with Trinity. Well, he’ll try to have words with Trinity. He’s sure she’ll have many words for him right back. He thinks of her in his old room in the hospital, scenting him and helping him to scent her. Family. Pack. He’s not mad at her, just a bit miffed. He’ll remember to text her later, though. Tell her that he’s ok. Ask her why she has immediate access to like 30 Alpha condoms at a moments notice.

Jack continues. “She just wanted to make sure we don’t do anything with you that you don’t want to happen. Which honestly, we should probably talk about that before your rut’s back in force, unless you want to sleep first. Do you… wanna sit down?” Jack seems nervous, like the fact that Dennis isn’t already on the bed is a bad sign.

Dennis quickly walks over and sits cross legged on the bed. “My uh, we won’t have long I don’t think, to talk.”

Jack’s smile spreads across his face slowly, eyes darkening. “Oh, is that so?”

Dennis nods, shy.

“Want to tell us what’s got you hot and bothered so quickly?” 

Jack's eye contact is intense, patiently waiting; it makes him squirm. Dennis does want to tell them. Wants to get good at this, saying what’s going on in his head. Every time he’s done so today, he’s been rewarded with care and kindness and touch. It’s good, he thinks.

“Your…. This is your bedroom.”

Jack nods. “It is.”

“Feels, feels nice to be here.”

Jack touches his knee, giving it a squeeze. “Mmm, it feels nice to have you here, doesn’t it Mikey?”

Robby’s relaxed, gravelly voice shoots through and curls around his nerves. “You have no idea.”

Robby is looking at him with so much fondness, desire, and something else he’s not really sure how to interpret, Dennis gasps out at the heat coursing through him again. He curls his toes at the feeling.

Jack can tell, whether it’s his scent or his squirming, that Dennis won't be interested in talking for much longer. He picks up the pace. “Ok, yep, let’s have this conversation quickly. So, we’ve established that we’re attracted to you Dennis. Um, very attracted. And well, we thought it would be good to ask if you wanted to establish any ground rules, about what you do and don’t want to happen next. You might ask for things in the moment that aren’t really what you might want.”

“There’s nothing you could do that I don’t want.”

“Is that so.”

Dennis has thought about them both, for weeks. He’s yet to come up with a single scenario that doesn’t completely delight him. Of course, he knows there’s more, um, adventurous things people do that maybe they would need to talk about first, but he doesn’t think Jack’s talking about that right now.

“Yep, pretty much. Unless you’re like, planning on bringing a leash or a whip out, I’d like to check in before that sort of thing. Otherwise, all good.”

“Jesus fucking christ kid.” Jack sounds a little winded. It’s nice to see the unflappable Jack Abbot taken aback. Dennis feels quite proud of himself for being brave. Robby on the other hand, sounds like he’s choking.

Dennis is in charge of this chat now, and he likes it. “What about you two?”

Jack seems shocked by the question. “Oh. Our main concern is doing what you want Dennis, we’re pretty good at taking care of ourselves.”

Dennis frowns. “I want to take care of you too.”

Jack smiles, and Robby jumps in, apparently able to breath and speak again. “Oh, you will darling, don’t worry. Just having you here is more than enough.”

Jack slaps his knee lightly. “Ok, how about this, at least for the next 24 hours, it’s probably good for things to not get um, too intense. Your rut will ramp up, and probably this time tomorrow you’ll need to be knotting to break through the heat, which, gonna be honest kid, can get pretty exhausting. So until then, it’s best to not get too tired and to take it easy, and Robby and I can help keep with that. Does that sound ok?”

“Please, yes. Let’s do that”

Jack laughs. “Well ok then.”

Dennis is fidgeting, his rut is making him itch, but also, he’s in Jack and Robby’s bed and no-one is touching him. It would be an untenable situation without the rut, he thinks. “How do we um… how do we get started? Because um...” Dennis wants to keep being brave, so he moves his hands away from where they're sitting in his lap, his erection immediately obvious in his sweats. He feels Jack's rumbling purr more than hears it. His gorgeous Alpha is pleased with him, his bravery rewarded.

Robby shifts up on the bed, so he’s seated next to Dennis. He places a hand over Dennis’s, trailing his fingers up until he’s lightly playing with the soft skin at his collar bone. It tickles a bit, sending little sparks through him. He wants Robby’s teeth there, he thinks.

His voice is low and raspy. Maybe Robby is talking to himself, he does that, rather than to him when he says. “Fuck you’re beautiful”, to Dennis’s clavicle.

Dennis blushes, he can tell he’s going to have to start to get used to compliments like that, the older men seem to love to give them.

Robby makes eye contact, speaking to Dennis now. “You look so good in our bed, Den. So good. Can I kiss you?”

Dennis’s heart beats so fast. Yes! Why aren’t you already!

He settles on “Please", instead.

Robby kisses his cheek, breathing in his skin as he moves closer to his mouth, a soft wet press right at the edge. Robby hovers over his lips, taking his time, and Dennis is ready to jump on him but finally, Robby is slotting their lips together, kissing him so soft, before pressing firm, breathing in as they do. Dennis wants him in his lungs and on his tongue, he opens his lips slightly, breathing slow, no hurry yet, figuring out the shape of each other.

Dennis can feel his brain fogging up, and he wishes he weren’t in rut right now, so he could fully remember everything about kissing Robby in his bed. But maybe it’s not so bad, it’s why he’s here. Why he gets to have this at all.

He gets greedier, licking at Robby’s top lip and the older man’s breath hitches before he opens wider and licks into Dennis, curling his tongue behind his teeth, Dennis shivers, a moan caught in his throat.

Robby leans into him, his long fingers threading through his hair, holding his skull so Robby can kiss him just how he wants. He whines, feels his hips rolling at nothing, fire burning across his skin. His hands are so big around him, it’s impossibly hot.

Robby pulls back and let’s his head go, soft kisses now, before turning to the side. Dennis doesn’t think before going straight for his now exposed neck, scent patches removed in the shower. Completely bare. Yes. His skin is thick and soft and his beard scratches and the hairs at his nape are so delicate and smell so good and oh fuck, he wants to eat him alive. Wants to bite him, wants to smear his cum into his skin. Scratch him and lick up the blood. Wants all of it.

“Jack, come sit behind our boy, won’t you dear?” Robby gasps.

“Fuck, yeah, yeah ok.”

The bed shifts and hard hot muscle is behind him, Jack’s legs hugging him on either side of his thighs, the long line of his abdomen and chest pressed to Dennis’s back, and nothing less than this could have torn him away from the expanse of Robby’s neck. He leans back into Jack, purring as he feels their bodies flush together.

Robby shifts, mouthing at Dennis’s neck and he throws his head back, onto Jack’s shoulder, hands gripping Jack’s legs. Could he cum just from this? It’s so good. Robby’s teeth dragging softly, his hot mouth licking and kissing, hands on Dennis's waist. Jack’s brought a hand up to turn Dennis’s face towards him, and now Jack’s kissing him too. Gentle at first, waiting to see what Dennis will do. Dennis moans, bringing his own hand up to grip the back of Jack’s head to shove their lips back together.

Robby chuckles, likely noticing what they are doing and liking the sight. Shifting lower, his breath ghosts over Dennis's clavicle. He places open mouthed kisses on the delicate skin, and scrapes a fang along so softly. Dennis feels like he might pass out.

He breaks his kiss with Jack, bringing Jack’s mouth to his jaw instead, needing to catch his breath, but Jack doesn’t stay there for long, he’s mouthing along his ear, hot breath and sharp teeth and wet tongue and Dennis is taught like a bow strong, thrusting at nothing, a filthy moan escaping his mouth. His body is floating and it’s too much and so not enough.

Robby leans back, watching Dennis fall apart at Jack’s licking up his neck and along his ear. And Dennis can only just make out the hungry look in his eyes before he leans back in against Dennis’s other ear to breathe on him and whisper.

“What do you want baby?”

Dennis jerks his hips in answer, hoping Robby gets the picture and takes pity on him. He chuckles into his ear and oh god that is so fucking hot, before withdrawing. Robby drags both hands down his sides, before raising the hem of his shirt just an inch or two, enough to rub his fingers along his stomach, playing with the fine hairs that lead into his pants. Robby’s lightly traces the waistband oh his pants with his fingertips, asking permission

Dennis nods urgently. “Please Robby, oh my god.”

Robby drags the waist band forward and down. Not off, just enough for his aching dick to spring free. Waist band resting just underneath his tight balls.

Robby groans. A soft “oh fuck me” whispered under his breath.

That gets Jack’s attention, and he’s off Dennis’s neck and ogling his dick over his shoulder. A hand wraps around Dennis’s middle, holding his stomach firmly as Jack rolls his own hardness into his back where Dennis is pressed against him.

Robby and Jack are making eyes at each other, and Robby brings his hand to Jacks mouth, Jacks licks his fingers, sucking them into the tight wet furl of his lips, before licking a broad stripe up Robby’s palm, getting his hand wet. Its one of the most erotic things Dennis has ever seen.

“That’s my good boy.” Robby purrs at Jack, withdrawing his hand and bringing it to Dennis’ weeping cock. The slide is so good. Knowing it’s Jack’s mouth and Robby’s long fingers is even better. Robby rubs his thumb over his head, gathering the fluid leaking out of his dick and stroking back down again, down to the root, holding him firm so his cock juts out into the air, and Jack swears at the sight, before bringing his mouth back to Dennis’s neck, this time with teeth. His kisses and bites are firm, so Dennis can feel the pressure deep in his throat, but not hard enough to mark he thinks. Dennis wants to be marked though. Wants Jack to chew him up and spit him out, and Robby can scoop him up and oh fuck his hand feels so fucking good. It’s Jack whispering to him now. Hot and wet in his ear.

“You look so good pup, can’t wait to get my mouth on you.”

Robby brings his other hand to squeeze Dennis’s balls while he begins to loosely jerk him off. Dennis is meeting his hand, thrusting into his loose fist with staccato little moans forced from his lungs with every thrust

“God, you’re so fucking gorgeous Den, so hot like this. Such a good boy for your Alphas.”

And Dennis is right there, so fucking close, and Robby can tell, his hand speeds up again, tightens a little, and Jack is raking his finger nails up his abdomen, lifting Dennis’s shirt to just below his pecs, Robby groaning at the sight of more exposed skin.

“He feels so fucking good Jacky.”

Dennis is panting, mewling and writhing in Jack’s lap, so sensitive under Robby’s skilled touch. His hands are so fucking big.

Jack hisses in his ear. “Cum for us baby, want to see you.”

And Dennis is nodding and thrusting and cumming. Spurting his stomach as Robby milks him, rolls his balls, Jack softly biting the meat of where his shoulder meets his neck, just below his scent gland. And Dennis sobs out his relief at the feeling. Of being held so completely. He feels himself smile as the last jerks of his orgasm leave his body.

Dennis thinks he might be laughing a bit. Euphoric.

“That was so fucking hot Denny, did such a good job for us.” Jack’s in his ear again. And Dennis can’t help but nuzzle against him, earning a fond chuckle from the older man who nuzzles right back.

Robby’s getting up off the bed and Dennis looks to him, why is he going?

“Shh pup, he’ll be right back. He’s a good Alpha, gonna take care of you.”

Dennis relaxes back into Jack, letting him take his weight, enjoying the light strokes of Jack’s fingers against his chest.

Robby returns with a warm cloth that he runs down Dennis’s neck. The scratch of the fabric is too much on his skin, but the cool clean feeling after it’s removed makes him sigh. His abdomen is cleaned next, getting Dennis's spend off his skin, and Robby is incredibly gentle with his softening prick as he cleans him and tucks him pack into his pants, although Dennis thinks he might much prefer to take his time, if the look on his face is any indication. He files that info away for later.

Robby gives his forehead a kiss.

“You’re perfect Den. Feel ok?”

Dennis purrs, nodding, he can feel a goofy smile on his face but he really doesn’t care. His Alphas are being so sweet with him. He’s warm and comfy and there’s soothing touches and kisses and coos of how good he is, how pretty and perfect. It’s like a dream.

Robby must have left again, because when he returns, he curls up alongside Dennis, leaning in front of him to give Jack a quick kiss before taking most of Dennis’s weight off Jack and bundling him up against him. Dennis sighs out contentedly.

“You must be starving brother. How about Den and I go to bed and you eat some damn food, what time is it for you?”

“Oh, you’ know, 9am? Whose counting.”

Robby laughs. “You took such good care of us both today. Didn’t he Den?”

Dennis nods into Robby's chest, feeling sleep lick at the edges of his consciousness. The smell of his two pleased Alphas lulling him. He’s not really listening to them now, just catching every other word.

“Jacky, really, you saved us.”

“Anytime my love. Anything for you.”

“Well, what you can do for me is eat, and then come to bed when you’re able to, yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ve got some groceries about to arrive actually. Oh also, we’ve got three days off, Dennis has four. It’s all sorted.” Dennis hums, pleased with his Alpha for getting everything planned for them. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I won’t wake you?”

Dennis whines into Robby’s chest. “Want you here.”, is all he says, and Jack chuckles, leaning down to kiss his temple.

“Ok baby, I’ll come to bed soon ok? Mikey’s got you for now.”

“mmmm. Thank-you Jack. Saved us. Love you.”

And Dennis falls asleep, completely unaware of the sharp intakes of breath from his two attendings.

He’s safe and warm and everything is absolutely perfect.

Chapter Text

There’s something moving around under his shirt.

Robby briefly thinks of the rats in the ER during Pittfest, before his sleep addled brain takes stock of what he's actually feeling. If it’s a rat, it’s a really big, impossibly cute one.

Dennis Whitaker is trying to get under his shirt.

“Well, what have we here?” Robby chuckles, Dennis has his legs tangled with Robby’s, his hands pawing softly at his stomach. He appears to be trying to stick his whole head under Robby’s t-shirt to get at his skin.

Dennis answers with his lips pressed against Robby’s skin. “Need you, need to feel you.”, It tickles.

“Is that so sweetheart?"

Dennis starts mouthing at his skin with a groan, and now the rest of Robby’s body is very much awake too.

“Please, please, I need it off.”

“Ok, ok, Tell me what you need and you’ll get it.”

Dennis stops his attempt to climb inside Robby’s clothes; he instead comes back up the bed to look at his face. The room is dark mostly, but they left the ensuite light on, so Dennis didn’t get disoriented in a new space. Robby’s glad for it, seeing the red burning in Dennis’s lust blown eyes. His pink cheeks. Dennis’s mouth is open, panting. Robby can see his fangs are almost out too. He looks dangerous and so fucking sexy.

“I need your skin and your, fuck, your hair. Need to smell you. I’ll take off my shirt too. Please, so we can, we can feel each other, while you touch me, like before. Is that ok? Would you, could we do that?”

“Good boy, saying what you want. Perfect.”

“I want to be good.”

“I know. You are. So good, sweetheart.”

Robby runs his hands over Dennis’s warm body. The younger man reacting incredibly to his touch. Slow languid rolls, deep breaths and sweet little hitches when he brushes somewhere sensitive. He tugs the hem of Dennis’s shirt up and over his head, dropping it off the side of the bed. Robby lets his hands take the same path they just took over his shirt, but now it’s all impossibly soft skin and Dennis’s breathing is so much faster. He’s gorgeous. Puffy pink nipples and a nice soft layer of fat covering his strong frame. He’s probably a little broader than Jack up top, the long slope of his shoulders particularly appealing to Robby. He could leave so many pretty bite marks along such a long expanse of creamy skin. Another time, maybe.

“Now, now, you.”

Robby could never deny him, even if he doesn’t quite see the appeal of his too flabby tummy and rapidly greying chest hair. He objectively gets it. He likes men, he looks like a man. But self-esteem never does quite meet logic sometimes.

When he pulls his shirt off though, Dennis looks at him like he's everything he wants, audibly groaning, red eyes blazing in the darkness. Dennis’s gaze darts around, from his neck to his sternum, his nipples to his soft stomach. He doesn’t touch though, not yet, just taking him in and Robby can feel himself blushing as Dennis slowly crawls over him, Robby laying back on the bed beneath him. He’s caged in, Dennis’s strong arms on either side of Robby’s waist.

Nervous, Robby shifts, tucking a hand behind his head so he doesn’t have to think about what to do with it.

Dennis growls, suddenly, with a singular focus. He dives down against Robby, mouthing at the edge of his pectoral before nuzzling into his armpit.

He’s breathing him in and rocking his clothed cock against him, his hands on his arms, gripping and stroking at his muscle while he basically makes out with his pit. It tickles a little, but it also sends jolts of arousal to his cock, which is slowly thickening at the attention.

Dennis is like a man starved, making all kinds of incredible noises that show just how much he’s enjoying the smell and the feel of Robby. So, Dennis wasn’t wrong earlier, Robby thinks, it certainly seems like he is indeed wired this way.

Dennis is talking to him, he realises. Soft lust filled ramblings into the skin of his armpit and his side and god, over his nipple, and Dennis is licking at him like a damn kitten, shit. “God, Robby, fuck, you smell so good. Taste so good.” Dennis is sucking his nipple now, and Robby can’t help but groan at the attention. He’s always loved being touched here. “Shit, so good. I can’t wait to suck your cock, God, I bet you taste like heaven.” And now Robby’s dick is definitely on board. He has no plans on Dennis touching his dick tonight, it’s not about him right now. But knowing Dennis wants to, well, that’s a real ego boost. He can imagine it, with Dennis sucking at his nipple like this, and he moans at the thought and the feel of him.

Dennis moves on, both hands kneading at his pecs and rubbing his thumbs over his nipples while he kisses Robby’s sternum, rubs his nose against the hair there. Robby’s beginning to see a bit of a pattern here. Whitaker likes his body and really likes his body hair. He wonders if it’s a rut thing, or if it’s just Dennis.

Robby’s been passive for too long, he decides, and runs a hand down Dennis’s back. Feeling his sweaty skin, the strong muscles of his upper back, the dip of his spine. He untucks his other hand, grabbing at the younger man’s waist, shifting him up the bed so they’re face to face before pulling Dennis down onto him, bringing them chest to chest. He licks deep into his panting mouth, Dennis whining when his tongue touches him. They make out like that for a while, Robby holding Dennis against him, fingernails lightly teasing and full palms grabbing at the skin of his back, Dennis is doing the same against his sides as they roll against each other.  Dennis shifts down a bit and fuck he’s lined them up so Dennis’ rock-hard cock is rubbing against his, two layers of fabric not enough to stop the heat of it from warming them both. Dennis practically cries out at the contact. And Robby decides he’s waited more than long enough.

He flips Dennis over and sits back on his heels so he can take in the sight of the young Alpha against his pillows, thoroughly debauched. Robby pulls off Dennis’s pants and dives down again, meeting his lips in a soft kiss as he runs his hand up Dennis’s thigh, scratching at the hair around the base of his dick, making him twitch and thrust in the air before taking him by the base and making long, slow strokes, grasping him tight. He’s wet, and the precum gathers as Robby works his foreskin, slowly coats him as Robby builds up a rhythm. He kisses down Dennis’ neck, sucking on his adams apple before tonguing at the dip of the collar bone that’s been driving him fucking crazy for weeks. He remembers the kid’s first shift, after who knows how many scrub changes he’d ran out of under shirts, and Robby nearly lost his damn mind at the v dipping down over his clavicles. And now he gets to taste them. Inhale his delicious scent, heavy with arousal.

He continues his mission to make Dennis fall apart, pressing a wet open-mouthed kiss over one of Dennis’s large, dark nipples. Robby sucks, Dennis’s hips lifting off the bed at the contact with a gasp. Good, he’d really hoped he’d be sensitive here.

He nibbles at the hardened nub with his lips, and when Dennis seems to like that, he gets his teeth involved, gently at first, to see how Dennis reacts, and shit, the noises the kid makes the first time he worries his nipple between his teeth, you’d think he had his dick down his throat. He wonders if Dennis could come just from his nipples. One day he might find out.

Robby picks up the pace as he works Dennis’s hot cock, remembering how Dennis particularly liked it when he squeezed him earlier, liking a firm touch, and he’s rewarded again when Dennis starts shaking.

“Oh fuck, Alpha, oh holy shit don’t stop.”

Robby releases his nipple, bringing himself up to kiss Dennis’s cheek, his other hand coming up to grab at the younger man’s fleshy chest. Fuck, he’s got gorgeous fucking tits. He’s so glad Dennis decided they needed to get their shirts off. Kid’s a genius.

“Never want to stop sweetheart, want you like this forever, fuck, you’re so pretty like this.”

“Always hoped, always hoped you would want me.” Dennis is staring at him, wet open mouth, big bright eyes. He’s a dream.

“Want you so much angel.”

“Oh god, oh god, oh god.”

And Dennis doesn’t make much sense after that.

After he’s cum, and Robby’s cleaned them both up, Dennis watching hungrily as Robby wipes the cum from his own stomach hair, he places the wet wipe in the bedside rubbish, noticing a couple of bottles of sports drinks on the nightstand. Robby smiles, Jack snuck in while they were sleeping, assuming something exactly like this would occur. Dennis has come three times so far, he needs the electrolytes.

“Here Den, have some of this and then we can go back to bed.”

Dennis’s hands don’t seem to be working right; he’s shaking a bit from the adrenaline. So, Robby opens the bottle and cups the back of his head, helping him pour some of the drink into his mouth. Dennis hums, Robby thinks he likes being taken care of, and that goes straight to Robby’s dick. He’s always liked this bit. Caring for his partner after sex.

After another big sip, and Robby taking a swig too, he pops the drink back on the table, grabbing Dennis’s clothes from the floor and re-dressing him since he’s sleepy and uncoordinated and also because Robby just kind of wants to. He goes to put on his own shirt, and Dennis whines, attempting to swat it out of his hands. Robby raises his eyebrows at him, and Dennis just stares him down, Robby gives in, of course he does, and bundles Dennis up, placing him on his bare chest near his armpit. Dennis snickers, knowing that Robby put him there on purpose. He rubs his face over Robby, who can’t help but softly laugh at how obviously pleased Dennis is, despite his embarrassment. Dennis keeps nuzzling, getting comfy, and mutters “shut up” into his skin, before giving him a playful bite.

“Hey! I didn’t say anything angel.”

“mmm”

Robby falls asleep smiling.

+++

It’s late when he wakes again. The bed shifting. Jack. He’s climbed into his usual side of the bed, Dennis in the middle, who seems to sense the other Alpha and rolls off Robby and onto Jack instead. Robby hears Jack chuckle, and the soft wet noises that are undoubtably Dennis waking up in rut and mouthing at Jack.

“Hey baby, sleep good?” Jack whispers.

“mmm, you smell so hot.”

“Oh really, you smell like Robby. Did you two get frisky while I was away?”

“mmhmm. Robby took good care of me. Robby smells hot too. Fuck, he smells so good. Want to smell like both of you.”

“Shh, you will baby, I’ll take care of you, can you be quiet do you think? So we don’t wake him?

At that moment, Robby feels Jack’s eyes on him, and Robby knows that Jack knows that he’s awake. He’s always been a light sleeper. His message to Dennis is really a message to Robby too. Can you stay still and keep your hands to yourself, Mikey? He can. Jack knows he can too. Kinky bastard.

Dennis whimpers, whispering that he’ll be quiet.

Robby hears the wet sounds of them kissing, knows how it feels now, to kiss both of them. Jack is a great kisser. Sometimes they just do it for hours. All hot probing tongue and rough stubble and sharp jaw. Dennis is softer. Small teeth and sweet lips and slack, open mouth just begging to be plunged into, his quick, clever tongue wrapping around Robby’s.

“Jack, please.” He hears Dennis breathe it like a prayer. The noises the kid makes are obscene. He could get off just to a soundtrack of Dennis whining and breathing and begging.

“What do you need pup?”

“fuck, your… your mouth, please.”

“Only if you think Robby wouldn’t mind?”

That question’s for him. Jack’s giving him a chance to ‘wake up’.

Robby thinks about it. He feels a little jealous of Jack maybe. Jack had been the one to kiss Dennis first, although he likely hadn’t known that at the time, and now he’ll be the first to taste him too. And earlier, although Dennis was out of it and surely doesn’t remember, he’d told Jack that he loved him.

Robby tries not to think about it. It’s not supposed to be a competition.

He wants Dennis to feel good, it’s what he needs right now, and Jack can definitely help with that. Jack Abbot is a self-declared A grade cocksucker after all. It’s also probably the quickest way to get the young man off, and it’s got to be past midnight, Dennis needs as much sleep as he can get. So yeah, Robby doesn’t move.

Dennis does though. “Robby might mind?! I don’t want, I…”

“shhhh, shhhh, shhhh pretty boy, it’s ok. I was just teasing. He wouldn’t want me to say no to a request asked so sweetly.”

Jack knows him so well.

“Really?”

“Mmm, I think so baby. Love it when you tell us what you want.”

And once again, Jack is right. They hadn’t talked about it, but they both have been prompting and rewarding Dennis all evening to ask for what he wants. The shyness is cute, impossibly adorable sometimes, but what’s even better is Dennis’s cheeks flushing as he asks for something filthy.

He feels the bed dip, and hears Dennis’s quick gasp, followed by the quiet wet noises that must be Jack with Dennis’s dick in his mouth. Dennis’s breathing is muffled, and he knows Jack’s got a hand over his mouth cos he uses that move on him all the damn time. Robby’s hard. Knowing how good Jack’s mouth is. Wondering how Dennis tastes. He knows what he feels like, Dennis has an exceptionally pretty cock, like the rest of him, dark red at the tip with a slight curve towards his belly button. Around average size, which Robby loves, the perfect size for exactly what Jack’s doing right now.

Dennis is having a hard time keeping still now, and he can feel the bed shake, faster and faster before Dennis let’s out a high-pitched wail behind Jack’s hand, and Jack must be swallowing him down, cleaning him with his mouth now, and the bed shifts, Jack telling Dennis how gorgeous he is. Dennis just mumbles something incoherent, breaths immediately steadying and deepening. Kid’s out like a light.

Robby expects Jack to go to sleep, but it turns out he’s not even in the bed, because it doesn’t move before he hears soft steps leaving his side and coming over to Robby’s.

Jack runs a hand down Robby’s arm, grasping his hand and tugging, asking him to get up out of bed with him.

Robby does. He’ll do anything Jack asks him.

Jack leads him by the fingertips into the ensuite, leaning around him to close the door behind them before he’s pushing Robby against it and kissing him.

Robby can taste the slightly bitter reminder of Dennis’s cum in his mouth.

“Mikey, baby, you did such a good job. You were perfect.” Jack whispers between kisses, he’s grabbing at Robby’s ass over his pants, rutting his erection against him.

“Thought you’d be tired.” is all Robby can think to say.

“Never too tired for this, for you. Fuck, I’ve been needing to touch you all day.”

Robby didn’t realise he needed to hear that, that Jack’s been thinking about him too, and maybe for most of today he didn’t need it, but right now, it feels really fucking good to have his mate wanting him so openly.

“Can I suck you? Want you to fuck my face and come all over me, Mikey.”

“Fuck, really? Now?”

“Yes, fucking now.”

Robby leans around Jack and picks up his towel on the drying rack, folding it a few times behind Jack’s back, arms wrapped around him while Jack kisses his neck. He holds it in one hand and lightly pushes Jack back. Jack looks confused until Robby hands it to him.

“Gotta look after my Alpha’s knees if he’s going to suck me on a tiled floor.”

“Is that a dig about work the other week cos you loved-”

Robby shuts him up with a hard pinch to his arse.

Jack growls, scrambling to the floor, getting as comfortable as he can, and quickly pulling Robby’s pants down.

Jack groans at the sight of his heavy cock and balls, runs his hands up his legs and suckles the tip immediately. Robby sighs, some of the days’ stress melting away under Jack’s clever tongue.

Jack takes him deeper into his mouth, his hands travelling up his body, one grasping at his stomach, the other over his pec, squeezing and kneading at him. He suckles at the tip again, licking into his slit, before ducking lower and mouthing at Robby’s heavy balls, Jack groans again, Robby knows he loves having the weight of him on his face. A grade cocksucker indeed.

Jack digs his fingers into Robby’s chest hard, wanting his attention on him as he bites at Robby’s inner thigh. Little shit.

“Hurry up and fuck my face, Robinavitch.”

Robby can do that. He threads his fingers into Jack’s curls and Jack moans at the contact, at Robby holding his head and taking control, and he’s bringing Jack back to his dick, feeding it to his eager mouth, just moving Jack on and off him at a lazy pace, getting Jack used to being slack and boneless under Robby’s direction. When he can feel Jack sucking harder at him, trying to take him deeper, Robby decides it's time to finally do as his Alpha asked, hips thrusting forward, taking him off guard and leaving him groaning and gagging. He knows that Jack loves it like this, so he thrusts again, and again, his hips and Jack’s head meeting closer and closer to the base of his dick, feeding himself deeper and withdrawing less until he’s buried in Jack’s throat and shallowly thrusting down against him, hard, rough, watching spit bubble up and out around his cock that’s completely filling Jacks’ mouth. He feels Jack’s fangs at the base of his dick, so he pulls out slightly, not so deep this time, letting Jack feel him withdrawing and filling him, making the other man moan.

“This what you want Jacky?”

Jack groans in response.

“Get yourself off, you have one minute, can you do that for me?”

Jack’s dick is out in an instant, his hand stripping his cock as he starts sucking harder at Robby, a silent request to pick up the pace.

Robby holds his head still, and starts thrusting quickly along his tongue, rubbing his sensitive head over Jack’s tongue and teeth and bumping against his throat quick and hard and fuck it’s good, Jack’s always so good.

The sight of him, completely blissed out, big brown eyes, a tinge of red Alpha rims, gazing at Robby as he's full of him, squeezing his own cock, is almost too much.

“Still want it on your face, slut? Or do you want to swallow me?”

Jack cums, it’s the ‘slut’ that did it, Robby thinks. With his free hand, he pulls Robby’s hips towards him, swallowing him down for a few moments while he works his dick through his orgasm. Robby is so fucking close.

Jack pulls off him, furiously jacking Robby off to replace his mouth, his cock pointing right at Jack’s face. Jack doesn’t close his mouth, keeps it open, his tongue heavy on his bottom lip and he’s so red, so wet, and his hands on Robby are so sloppy with all his spit and fuck, he’s cumming, hot spurts in Jack’s mouth and over his face. Clumping on his pretty eyelashes and red fucking lips.

Fuck.

They both breathe for a moment, before Robby leans over the sink to rinse a hand towel. He takes Jack’s chin in his hand, cleaning his face gently, Jack purring at his feet.

Once his face is clean, Robby helps get Jack up and rinses the towel again before cleaning Jack’s hands and dick, giving him a long, slow kiss, running his fingers through his curls, and wrapping an arm around the small of his back, bringing him close.

“That what you wanted Jacky?”

Jack hums in contentment. “Fuck yeah brother. You always give me just what I need. Now let’s get the fuck to bed before the kid freaks out and humps the mattress to pieces or something.”

Robby laughs. “I can’t believe this is our fucking life right now”

“Believe it babe.”

They pad their way out of the bathroom, Dennis is still soundly asleep in the centre of the bed, Robby joins him first while Jack sits on the edge and removes his prosthetic. Jack curls into Dennis’s side, flinging an arm over the kid’s abdomen. He’s out almost instantly. He’s always been good at that.

It takes Robby longer. His brain is going a mile a minute, even after an incredible and unexpected orgasm. He can’t pinpoint the thoughts though, it’s just a fast loud mess swirling about on the ceiling. So, he rolls over, cuddling up to Dennis and watching him for a bit. His brain starts to slow, breathing in the sweet scent of his two happy, content Alphas, all the comfort he needs to let himself go under.

+++

Robby wakes up slowly, delighted by a long soft body bundled up in his arms. Dennis is snuggled into his chest, head tucked under Robby’s chin, soft puffs of breath tickling his chest hair a bit. It’s funny, Robby thinks, to wake up so wrapped up in another person. Jack and he will often cuddle before sleeping, spooned together, or with one of their heads on the other’s chest. Maybe they even doze that way. But sleeping all night like that just isn’t practical usually. Jack is like a heater. And Robby’s shoulder always smarts if he spends the whole night on his side holding him. He usually wakes up on his stomach on top of a pillow or two, an arm thrown over the pillows and across Jack’s abs. There’s been more than a few occasions where his hand is in Jack’s pants, comfortably tucked into his waist band stroking Jack’s hip joint when he wakes.

So, having Dennis Whitaker safe, sleeping soundly tucked against him is a nice change of pace.

He looks even younger when he’s sleeping, and Robby is filled with way too many emotions at once. One is overwhelming affection for the young man in his arms. He’s been entranced by Dennis since they met. Of his beauty, yes, but also his hard work. His intellect and his kindness and his thoughtfulness. Another is undoubtably desire. He wants to pull the kid apart and then push him back together over and over.

But overwhelmingly, he feels the sinking pit of guilt settling queasy in his stomach.

Dennis is so young. An adult yes, he remembers his fourth year of med school, and he was undoubtably an adult himself by that time. But he also hadn’t slept with his 53 years old boss. If a similar opportunity had presented itself though, yeah, he probably would have gone for it. Daddy issues, he knows he’s got them. Does Dennis? Is that what this is?

Jack had joked earlier, about Santos calling him a dirty old man. Robby feels that way. He knows that Jack would make him feel better about it. He’d say you like who you like, and as long as you try to do no harm, then that’s all you can do.

He doesn’t want to harm Dennis.

But he knows it’s not that simple. People get hurt anyway. Knows that all too well. Adamson. Leah. Hundreds, probably thousands of others that he couldn’t save. He didn’t want them to hurt either, but it was his choices that harmed them, his hands that didn’t save them.

Hands that have been defiling Dennis.

He’s too old. Too warn out and broken. Dennis is bright and shining. He needs someone to amplify his shine, not ruin it. That’s why he’s so good with Jack, loves Jack. Jack’s so full of life, still much older, sure, but not in all the ways that Robby is. Robby’s old to his bones.

Jack and Dennis. That makes sense to him. Jack’s easy manner helps mellow Dennis’s worrying. Long term, Dennis’s wide-eyed wonder would keep Jack soft and smiling.

They wouldn’t really be missing anything without Robby. It would all be a lot easier really.

He feels his breath coming fast, thinks it has been for a while, and his hands start to shake. He rolls away from the gorgeous young man in his arms to face the wall, not wanting to wake him. His body feels hot and cold at the same time, vision going a bit fuzzy and the racing of his heart is what he deserves, the overwhelming fear and sadness fits. It makes sense. He deserves it. His hands go numb, and maybe if he stays here, the rest of him will as well and he’ll just disappear. His lungs burn.

“Robby? What’s, fuck, Jack!”

Someone’s shaking him, Dennis. He doesn’t want Dennis to be scared. He was already so scared yesterday, Robby was meant to protect him. His face is wet. He’s so sorry, Dennis.

He’s being hauled up, callused hands gripping his shoulders so he’s sitting on the side of the bed, hands grasp at the sides of his head.

“Michael, baby, you gotta breath with me.”

He shakes his head no, no he can’t. He doesn’t want to. Doesn’t deserve to.

“Come on Mike, you know how to do this, it’s just a panic attack, you breath with me.”

Jack’s counting, in for four, hold, out for five. But why should he listen to Jack? Jack never wants him to feel bad, always says it’s not his fault. It IS his fault. Robby SHOULD feel bad.

Jack’s always been too good for him.

Jack brings his head down, presses his forehead to Robby’s, kisses his cheek and his nose and all over his tear-streaked face as he counts out loud over and over. In for one, two, three, four. Hold. Out for one, two, three, four, five. Hold.

“Come on Mikey, slow those breaths for me.”

Jack kisses his lips, breathing slow in and out of his mouth, whispering the counts against him.

“Come on baby, slow down for me, breath with me.”

And eventually, Robby does.

It doesn’t feel like it’s making a difference, not at first, but the fizzy numb feeling in his body starts to recede, the racing in his heart starts to slow. The aches mellow. And he notices where he is. He’s on his bed, in his room. Jack is kneeling on the floor looking up at him, holding him close. Dennis is curled up at his side, his head on Robby’s thigh, rubbing slow circles into his lower back.

Fuck.

“I’m sorry”, Robby’s throat is horse and dry.

Both Jack and Dennis flinch at his voice, Jack pulling back to look at his face, eyes darting over him, Dennis kisses his leg before sitting himself up next to Robby, sort of facing the opposite wall, hand gently pressing along the base of his shoulders. Over his lungs, he thinks. Dennis is feeling for if his breathing has slowed back to normal. Jack’s hand is light on his forearm, but Robby can tell that he's checking his pulse.

Two lifelines in the dark.

Chapter Text

“I was just thinking it’s been a few weeks since either of us has woken up with a bang. Way to keep me on my toes, Robinavitch.”

Jack can see Robby trying to smile at his stupid joke, but instead he just starts sobbing, shit. Jack hoists himself up onto the bed, into Robby’s spot, and manoeuvres his mate to his side, taking the weight as he holds him.

“shhh, you’re ok Mikey.”

“You’d be better off without me, man.”

“That’s just the anoxic brain injury talking.”

“You would. You and Dennis.”

“No, no we wouldn’t.” Jack will not entertain Robby’s self-sabotaging bullshit. “Denny, can you grab the beta blockers out of the draw there please?”

Dennis is up, flicking on the bedside lamp and looking over the pill bottles in the draw.

Jack is thankful the younger man is here, and even more thankful that this didn’t happen on a night he was at work. Going into his shifts is getting harder and harder. Since Pittfest, Robby’s panic attacks have been coming more often, sparked by things that shouldn’t matter and sometimes by nothing at all. But Jack knows what it really is. Robby thinks he’s broken. Worthless. Beyond saving. Jack hates it.

Dennis is back with a pill bottle in his hand.

“Thanks pup, just one and a water bottle please.”

He does as instructed, handing them to Jack.

“Ok Mike, time for some meds baby, take one for me? You can be good for me, yeah?”

Robby swallows the pill and slowly drinks from the water bottle. Little sips, still pillowed on Jack’s chest.

He’s not crying now, just sniffling a little, exhausted.

Dennis starts heading for the door and Jack is worried they’ve scared off the young Alpha. Seeing your boss/lover hyperventilating at five in the morning likely isn’t what the kid signed up for.

Even so, Jack doesn’t want him to go.

“Denny?”

“I… I figured you two would want some space.”

Jack should lie, say ‘that’s very considerate of you’ and let Dennis go into the spare room. Add some distance into this situation that is quickly barrelling way off the rails from ‘let’s help the kid with his rut’ and straight into ‘please stay forever’.

When Jack looks at him though, he can’t help but be at least a little honest.

“If you want to stay, you can. This is just part of what things are like right now for us, so I, um, I get if you’d prefer to go next door. We won’t be mad.”

Dennis crawls back into bed, and Jack releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding, the younger man quickly curling up next to Robby again, head on his lap, gazing up at him.

“He’s so beautiful, Jack. Robby, you’re really beautiful. I just... wanted to make sure you knew that I thought that.”

Robby sniffs louder, looking down at Dennis with tear filled eyes, Dennis brings his hand up and wipes the tears from his cheek with his thumb, before bringing it back to his face and licking them off.

“Jack, what the actual fuck is wrong with this kid.”

Jack can’t help but laugh. He knows what Robby means. Sometimes, like now, it’s like Dennis can’t actually be real. All angelic curls and warm skin illuminated by the lamplight. Big eyes looking up at Robby with devotion and longing and fuck, it’s a lot.

Jack kisses Robby’s cheek before running a hand through Dennis’s hair.

“Such a good pup. He wants to take care of you, Mikey.”

Robby brings a hand down to brush his knuckles against Dennis’s cheek and Dennis trills, Omega like. It’s a cute little sound. Dennis lightly strokes Robby’s palm, fingers dancing in the air, hands touching hands above his face as they lightly caress each other, barely touching. Eventually, Dennis brings Robby’s knuckles to his lips, kissing each one before he curls Robby’s hand with his own, tucking them both in by his cheek.

With Dennis content in Robby’s lap, and his happy scent circling the room, Jack is sure Robby will start feeling better soon. He kisses his mate on the top of the head. Glad neither of the other men can see him shed a small tear. Seeing Robby struggle always breaks his heart. The stubborn asshole had finally agreed to try therapy at least, but he’s only two sessions in. They aren’t even his meds, they’re Jacks.

They stay like that for a long time. Jack holding Robby, Robby concentrating on keeping his breaths slow, Dennis in his lap, kissing his hand, nuzzling into his thigh and his tummy, trilling and purring occasionally, happy that his Alpha is feeling better.

Eventually, Robby yawns, the pill or the adrenaline crash taking effect.

Jack kisses his temple, whispering into his hair.

“Misha, ready to sleep my love?”

Robby nods.

Jack runs a hand through Dennis’s curls to get his attention.

“Hey pet, ready for another nap?”

Dennis smiles, giving Robby’s hand one last nuzzle before crawling across the bed, giving Robby and Jack room to lay back and get comfortable. Dennis curls up facing Robby, and Robby lies facing him.

Jack watches them looking at each other. No idea what they’re silently trying to communicate but smiling at them anyway. Dennis and Robby have always had a secret language that only they seem to understand. It’s drawn them to each other since the kid’s first day. He’s glad for it. He wants Robby to have good things. And Robby is an incredible man, he’s glad for Dennis too.

Jack leans over the bed and turns off the lamp. Curling himself around Robby to spoon him. Robby sighs, and Dennis shimmies his way closer to them, Jack lifting both his and Robby’s arms up to rest around Dennis’s waist.

Jack holds his Alphas tight. Feeling Robby’s lungs rise and fall against him as he falls back asleep.

A pair of red eyes blaze in the dark. Dennis snuggles closer again, eyes blinking, lowering, and finally closing. His purrs lull Jack to sleep.

+++

Jack wakes up a few hours later to sunlight streaming into the room. Weird. Someone must’ve messed with the blackout curtains.

He sits bolt upright. Not messed with, the curtains are completely gone.

He blinks, getting used to the brightness as he looks around. Robby is asleep in the middle of the bed, and Dennis, Dennis is building some kind of fort where the wooden bedhead used to be.

Well, at least Jack has located the curtains. They seem to be draped behind the couch cushions and a selection of Robby’s college sweatshirts. Huh.

“Good morning Pup, hard at work I see.”

Dennis rounds on him, only now noticing that Jack is awake. His eyes blaze red.

“It’s not finished.”

“Well, it looks very impressive to me.”

Dennis chirps at the praise, before pulling an entire drawer of clothes out from the closet and dumping it out onto the floor. Right.

“Are you feeling ok Denny?”

“Yes, thank you. Just have to finish this.”

“Of course. Need any help?”

Dennis doesn’t like that idea, he bares his teeth at Jack briefly before getting back to work, scenting the various gym clothes he’d dumped one by one.

Jack thinks this might be a great time to wake up Robby.

He leans over his mate, cuddling him awake, not wanting to startle him after his panic attack earlier. Robby rouses, enjoying Jack pressed against him if his sleepy smile is anything to go by.

“Morning baby. Denny has something to um, to show us.”

Robby cracks an eye open, just as confused by the daylight streaming into their room as Jack had been.

He sits up slowly, taking in the clothes and pillows strewn over the floor before turning to see Dennis tucking a series of socks into his mountain of pillows and fabric at the top of the bed.

Robby blinks a few times, to make sure he’s not hallucinating, Jack thinks.

“Huh.”

Dennis doesn’t seem perturbed by his audience, happily sorting through his materials while Robby and Jack share a look. Jack quickly moves to get his prosthetic on so they can talk in another room

“Dennis, Jack and I are going to make us all some coffee, ok sweetheart?”

Dennis makes a noise of agreement, paying them no mind.

Until, that is, they open the bedroom door.

Dennis is across the room in an instant. Slamming the door closed and standing in front of it like they might try breaking it down at any moment.

“Denny, are you sure you’re ok honey?”

“You can’t go.”

“We’re not going anywhere Den, just into the kitchen. You were in there yesterday, remember?”

“You need to stay here.”

Dennis is getting worked up. Jack will NOT have any more hyperventilating today, thank you very much. “Ok, ok then, great idea, Denny! We’d love to stay here!”

Dennis eyes them both suspiciously, before he nods and gets back to work.

They cautiously head to the far end of the bedroom, as far away from Dennis as they can get while staying in his sight.

Jack leans close before hissing, “Hey, so, Robby, the Alpha you brought home is real cute and all, but why is he keeping us hostage and building a nest in our bedroom?”

“I think that's a little dramatic, don't you Jack?"

“You’re the one who’s been with Omegas before, that’s what it is, right?”

“Certainly seems that way-”

“So, is he sick? Did we break him?”

Robby looks very done with his hysterics. Jack's not trying to be difficult though, he's worried.

“Look, yesterday he was really confused, not that he was presenting necessarily, although, yeah, that was a shock, but the big thing was that he presented Alpha. His whole family thought he was an Omega, mentioned he did lots of Omega stuff growing up, and then he just never presented. I got the impression that they weren’t very nice about it.”

Jack takes that in. Dennis does do a few Omegan things, sounds and gestures. Maybe he's always done them. It's not like Jack minds, he finds them all pretty cute, really. The nest seems like something next level though. Jack's had a lot of Alphas in his bed, and he's never seen this.

“That sucks. But like, he IS an Alpha, Robby.”

“Well yeah, but I dunno, maybe this just feels right for him? It’s not exactly a hardship.”

“Tell that to my curtains.”

Jack should be in bed with two purring Alphas in his arms and instead he's awake, Dennis is maybe losing his marbles, and all his shirts are on the floor. 

Robby smiles at him before kissing him on the forehead. “I think we can assume he’s fine and that this is probably just a Dennis thing, for now.”

A Dennis thing. Jack thinks that could be alright. He likes other Dennis things, like weirdly phrased text messages and overly tired wheelchair races at work at 5am.

“You think?”

Robby nods. Jack exhales, relived.

“Ok, well, alright then. God knows we’re fucking weird too. So, like, do I, how should I, man, I’ve never been in a nest do I have to like, do anything special?”

“I think we just compliment him on it and, um, enjoy having all our scents around us?”

“I can do that. But Robby, I also need coffee. Why can’t we bring the nest coffee?”

“Yeah, right.” Robby thinks for a moment, “Forget the nest for a minute, he’s an Alpha in rut, we’ve been spending it with him, and he doesn’t want us to leave…” He pauses, letting Jack catch up.

Oh! Jack feels like an idiot. “That I can do.”

Robby just look at him fondly.

“-Great, ok, yeah. Robby, the morning is saved! Nature’s coffee!”

He kisses Robby, feels Robby laughing silently at his sudden good mood.

“Coffee comes from natur- nevermind. I’ve gotta pee, maybe distract him so he doesn’t freak out.”

“OR he could be into that?” Jack leers at him, Robby looks very fed up.

“Not the time, Abbot.”

He’s got a point. That’s probably more of a ‘conversation first’ activity.

Robby sneaks into the ensuite while Jack heads over to Dennis, crawling onto the bed. He pulls his shirt up and over his head, holding it out to Dennis, who by now has red hot eyes trained on Jack.

“Hi gorgeous, would you like this for your nest?”

Dennis seems torn between completing the nest and crawling onto the bed with Jack.

The nest wins. He takes the shirt, breathing it in and tucking it in near the pillow he was just sleeping on. Jack can see he has Robby’s shirt from last night there too. Cute.

“Wanna come here, baby?” Jack pats the bed next to him.

This time Jack wins. Dennis crawls over to him quickly, climbing into his lap and straddling him as he greedily runs his hands up Jack’s exposed chest. His skin is hot, been in rut for hours probably, pressing the fire down to look after Robby earlier, and then sleeping through it until he woke up all instinct. And maybe that’s where the nest came from, Jack thinks, Dennis wants to make sure Robby is safe and protected.

Jack can’t help but kiss him.

Dennis whines in pain. Jack pulls back instantly.

“Baby, what’s wrong?’

Dennis opens his mouth, jaw going slack as he tips his head back a bit and Jack sees exactly the issue. Dennis’s fangs haven't quite dropped, his old teeth stubbornly staying in his mouth, not enough room for them both.

“Oh, darling. Want me to help pop those out for you?”

Dennis nods, groping at Jack’s chest in the process. Jack laughs softly, enamoured by how shameless Dennis is like this.

“Alright, tell me if it’s too sore.”

Jack runs his fingers over Dennis’s lips, top and bottom. That’s probably not strictly helpful for Dennis’s teeth, but sue him, he’s got a gorgeous mouth and Jack wants to play with him.

Next, Jack’s fingertips run along Dennis’s top gums, going up high under his lip where the root of one new fang is growing. He can feel the pressure there, and he thinks, with a bit of a rub and a push, he can get them fully engaged, which should knock his old teeth out of the way and feel a million times better for Dennis.

Both fangs at the same time he thinks, so he runs his thumbs out from the frenulum under Dennis’s upper lip, out to the left and the right, making a firm sweep over the top of his gums, pressing firmly. Dennis whimpers and moans, in pain, squirming in his lap.

“Sorry baby.” Jack knows it probably hurts.

“He likes it, Jacky.”

Jack hadn’t noticed that Robby was back, but he’s standing at the edge of the bed, nostrils flaring as he looks at Dennis. Jack follows his gaze and oh, Robby might be right, kid’s pupils are huge. Jack presses into his gums again, this time looking at Dennis’s face and not just his mouth when he does it and yes, fuck yeah, he does like that. Jack is one lucky son of a bitch.

“Oh, baby, does that feel good?” Jack rubs Dennis’s lips with his thumb again, letting him rest his jaw a bit. Dennis nods as he sucks Jack’s thumb in between his lips just a little. This kid’s dangerous, Jack thinks.

“Do you want Robby to come make you feel even better?”

Dennis shudders, eyes going wide. That's a yes, then. Jack makes eyes at Robby, who slides onto the bed, propping himself up behind Dennis, they’re basically both in Jack’s lap. Robby’s hands grope around at the younger man’s soft chest and stomach, kissing his neck, making him moan and grind his arse back into Robby.

“Ok baby, just focus on how our hands feel, ok?”

Robby breathes into Dennis’s ear “You can do that, can’t you sweetheart?”

Dennis whines, rolling his hips and leaning further back onto Robby.

Jack gets back to work, stroking and pressing along Dennis’s gums, back and forth, using his index fingers to hook behind Dennis’s back molars for more pressure. Dennis’s mouth is pooling with saliva, his eyes fluttering closed and CLICK. His left fang has descended fully, his old tooth popping out onto his tongue with a small gush of blood. Dennis whimpers, panting hard as Jack gently caresses his sore gum where it rests over his new fang. Jack collects the tooth off Dennis’s tongue and goes to pop it in Dennis’s pocket, getting temporarily distracted when he sees that Robby has a hand lazily playing with Dennis’s weeping cock. He watches for a moment before depositing the tooth, rubbing a thumb hard over the left side of Dennis’s jaw.

“Well done baby. You’re doing so good. Ready for me to finish the other one?”

Dennis whines, shaking his head no.

“Did it hurt too much baby?”

“No I…I want Robby to do one. Want one from each of you.”

Jack purrs at the idea, kissing Dennis’s cheek. Good boy.

Robby’s eyes are looking a bit wet, his hands leave Dennis’s skin to cover his own face for a moment, overwhelmed. Jack pretends he doesn’t notice as he pats Dennis’s thigh, giving Robby a moment.

“Alright pet, up, yep, that’s our good boy. Ok, let’s move this leg, there you go. That’s it.”

Jack shifts Dennis around so he’s on Robby’s lap now facing the older man. They’re face to face, maybe ten inches from each other, Dennis is perched on top of Robby’s thighs, the height difference evened out. Dennis waits for Robby to come out of his self-imposed cocoon, lightly dragging his fingers over Robby’s chest, touching his Magen David with reverent fingers.

Dennis whispers, like he’s forgotten he’s not alone, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.”

Robby shifts his hands from his face, not sure where to put them, just letting them hover.

“You… did you… how do you…”

“It’s... technically its my book too. Deuteronomy. Well, I’m not sure it’s really my book anymore. But after, after I found you on that first day, I wanted to know it. To know you.”

Dennis stops playing with Robby’s necklace.

“Is… is that ok?”

Jack can see Robby’s throat bob as he swallows down whatever he was going to say.

Robby’s hands travel the short distance up to Dennis’s face, along his jaw and up to his temple, down over the contours of Dennis’s brow, his nose and cheeks, stroking over his lips. Feather light touches, mapping Dennis’s face, the worried lines on Robby’s forehead fading away as he looks at the man in front of him. Dennis is smiling softly at the touch, big eyes on Robby’s, and Robby’s mouth quirks up in a small smile too as he runs a thumb over the centre of Dennis’s bottom lip.

Dennis’s hand shifts lower, pressing over Robby’s heart.

Jack knows what love looks like.

He feels a bit like he’s intruding. It’s not a bad feeling necessarily. He knows he and Robby are solid. That their love is steady and fiery and honest and good and abundant. They keep finding new ways to reinvent how they feel about each other. And… Jack has loved him for a long time. He wouldn’t know how to stop, even if Robby wanted to, and he doesn’t think Robby wants to. Robby loves Jack, he knows it deep in his marrow.

This love in front of him now is something different and new though. Delicate in a way his and Robby’s has never been. Holy, maybe.

Jack doesn't think he's every used that word before, but it seems right. Jack isn’t scared of its difference, he doesn’t think it will take away from what he and Robby have. It can just add to it maybe. They can make room for more.

In this moment Dennis and Robby might have all that they need as they look at each other, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t all have more than they need as well. Why the hell not? They can all live in abundance. Hell, they might even deserve it.

Jack shifts up behind Dennis, wanting some of their love for himself, so he places a gentle kiss to his neck. There’s a small mark there where he’d bitten him last night. Dennis turns away from Robby for a moment, and Jack thinks that a little of that delicate feeling is now shining at him through Dennis’s smile. Dennis gives him a quick peck, happy Jack’s there too, before he turns back to Robby, nodding, ready.

Jack helps, running his hand up and into Dennis’s curls. He loves that the kid’s been growing them out a bit. They suit him like this. Soft waves at the nape of his neck that he kisses, chaste, holding his neck steady so Dennis doesn’t hurt himself while Robby manhandles his mouth.

Robby kisses Dennis softly on the tip of his nose before reaching into his mouth, mimicking Jack’s earlier movements. Dennis rolls his hips, and Jack’s hand that’s not in Dennis’s hair wraps around his middle, holding his stomach, helping keep him grounded. Pleasure and pain can be a heady combination, it’s easy to float off, especially if you’re not used to it. He’s not sure how experienced Dennis is, could be a professional masochist for all he knows, but he suspects that’s not the case. Suspects that Dennis usually doesn’t have men’s fingers pressing hard against his soft flesh until he bleeds. He thinks it’s just him and Robby that get to do that.

“Here we go sweetheart.”

Jack can see the tension in Robby’s arm as he presses firmly down on Dennis’s fang, pressing hard as Dennis squirms until it finally pops down into place. Dennis releases a guttural moan as it does, panting and shaking a little, leaning back against Jack for support. Robby removes his hands from his mouth, copying Jack’s earlier movement and placing his fallen tooth in Dennis’s pant pocket.

Jack roams his hands over Dennis’s chest, kisses his neck, and drags his hand lower to - oh. Fuck me.

Dennis came from Robby’s fingers in his mouth, from the pleasure and the pain of it. Jack brings a messy hand up to Robby’s face, to show him, smirking. 

Dennis sees Jack’s hand and blushes, trying to push it away.

Robby growls now that he’s realised what’s happened, that Dennis came untouched in his lap, and he’s grabbing Jack’s hand and making a show of bringing his face to his fingers, licking the cum from them. He watches Dennis the whole time.

“Perfect, Denny, do you know how fucking perfect you are?” Jack whispers it into the young Alphas ear, and he can feel the goosebumps on his neck, Jack can’t help but get his teeth and tongue on the outer shell of his ear for a moment, wanting more of Dennis’s quick shallow breaths, the tiny hairs on his skin dimpling up at Jack’s touch.

Robby is similarly affected. He’s on Dennis’s mouth, kissing him slow and deep and filthy. Dennis is shaking a little between them, overstimulated, and that gives Jack a brilliant idea, bringing his hand back to Dennis’s groin, gripping his sticky cock, he’s still half hard. Jack squeezes, just on the wrong side of what most men would find too harsh but Dennis cries out into Robby’s mouth, cock quickly filling, nearly hard again. Suspicion confirmed, Jack thinks, puppy definitely likes a bit of bite with his bliss. Jack feels his eyes flashing, his Alpha wanting to claim him, breed him, and Robby sees it on Jack’s face, licks his lips before licking into Dennis’s mouth again, eyes on Jack as he kisses Dennis. Jack pushes Robby back a little, a mischievous smile on his face as he wraps an arm around Dennis’s middle and hauls him backwards, propelling them back against the bed, Jack laying down in the pillows, Dennis’s back flush against Jack’s chest.

“Robby, can you help Dennis with his pants please?”

Now it’s Robby’s turn to flash red, just for a moment, and Dennis whimpers at the sight of his Alpha towering over him with hunger in his eyes.

“That alright with you Den?”

“Yes, please Alphas.”

Robby wastes no more time, stripping Dennis of his pants before getting his hands on his shirt and helping Jack sit him up to get that off too before pushing him back down.

Jack runs his hands down Dennis’s abdomen, avoiding his prick that’s pressed up against his belly, dragging his hands lower to the inside of his thighs, pushing his legs open. Jack loops his own legs over Dennis’s knees, tucking his foot and his prosthetic under Dennis’s calves, effectively trapping his legs open with his own.

Robby growls at the sight of Dennis pinned open, leaning forward and kissing Jack hard and biting before turning his mouth to growl at Dennis.

“Den, I’m going to suck you, and Jack’s going to play with your chest. Tell us if that’s not ok.”

“Yes, fuck, yes.”

Robby goes straight to work, shimmying down and mouthing at the insides of Dennis’s thighs and balls before placing wet open-mouthed kisses to the base of Dennis’s prick. Jack forgets he has a job to do, too enraptured by the sight of Robby devouring Dennis.

Jack goes back to his new favourite spot, whispering filthy words into Dennis Whitaker’s ear. Biting at his neck a bit first, harder than he’s done before, now that he knows how much the kid likes it, making him groan.

“Look at him Denny. He wants to worship your pretty cock, doesn’t he look so hungry for you? That’s how hot you get him. Riling up your Alpha like that. Naughty boy”

Robby’s mouthing at his head now, licking and slurping over it indulgently where it peeks out of his foreskin.

“You’re still covered in cum baby, he has to clean you off. You got yourself all dirty.”

“Oh fuck, oh holy shit.” Dennis can’t stop staring at Robby, Jack can see him curling and flexing his toes, desperate to move something while he’s pinned.

“Mm, that’s what I thought. Don’t worry, we know you’re our good boy really. Show Robby how good you can be, how long do you think you can hold on until you cum, baby?”

“Uh, uh, I don’t know.”

“And what about if I do this? Hmm?” Jack presses his finger nails roughly into Dennis’s nipples, and that makes the kid shout, throwing his head back against Jack’s shoulder and thrusting up into Robby’s mouth. Jack rolls them, pinching a little more each time and Dennis is really feeling it now, breathing in time with Robby’s bobbing head, squirming at Jack’s touch.

“Robby, don’t let him cum baby.”

Robby groans around Dennis’s dick. Building up a rhythm as he sucks Dennis down and Dennis’s fingers are clenched on Jack’s biceps, his body going rigid, close, and Jack releases his nipples at the same time as Robby pulls off his dick, Dennis crying out and thrusting at nothing, frustrated whines filling the room as he desperately tries to get out of Jack’s hold.

“Good job Mikey, isn’t our boy beautiful like this?”

Robby hums in agreement, waiting a moment before returning to his task, licking up Dennis’s balls, making him twitch and swear, still so sensitive from not being allowed to cum only seconds ago.

“Good boy Denny, did so well baby. Are you ready for another one? Just once more, and then you can come down Mikey’s throat, would you like that?”

Dennis doesn’t answer, just rolls his head against Jack. Well, that won’t do at all.

Jack pinches his nipple, hard. Dennis shouts.

“I asked you a question, pup.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, fuck, yes, yes I can do one more.”

Jack runs soothing hands over his chest, lightly circling his nipples and then squeezing his pecs.

“Good. Robby’s been thinking about this. He’s wanted you in his mouth since he first saw you.” Robby groans around Dennis’s cock. “He knew how pretty you’d be all spread out for us. Do you like that sweetheart? Knowing he’s wanted to fuck you every single day at work?”

“oh FUCK, Jack”

“Don’t cum Denny, not yet”

Watching Dennis trying to follow his impossible request is a unique kind of thrilling. He loves doing this to Robby too, and it’s no less hot now, maybe even more so, getting to team up with Robby like this.

Jack can see that he’s close again, but he can take a bit more he thinks, so he flicks at his nipples, Dennis pushing out sharp little grunts at the stimulation. Robby pulls his mouth off him and starts stroking instead, hard and fast, his abdomen quivering, legs beginning to shake.

They take their hands off him once more.

Dennis starts crying, frustrated and over stimulated. Jack’s a little worried he’s being too mean, petting over his hair, but Dennis quickly gets his breathing under control and calms himself. Determined to do a good job. Jack always knew he was tougher than he looked.

“That was so hot baby, you’re doing so good. Robby, do you think our pretty boy deserves his reward?”

Robby climbs up his body, licking at his nipples and up again, kissing his lips, laying his weight on Dennis for a few moments, dragging his clothed erection against Dennis’s body, showing him how hard he is.

“Please, I don’t want to come yet.”

Well, Robby and Jack are a bit shocked by that.

“You don’t?”

“I can, I can do one more, Alphas.”

Robby growls into Dennis’s neck. “Good fucking boy,” before he’s biting at Dennis’s neck and stripping his cock with sure strokes.

Jack just watches, awe struck as Robby takes what he wants from Dennis and Dennis so willingly lets him, his body shaking and twitching all over now.

When he sees that Dennis is right there again, that he can’t hold on any longer, Jack taps Robby’s arm to let him know, and Robby’s hand is off him, his teeth releasing to place wet, open-mouthed kisses to his neck, tongue licking over the indents in his skin. Tears streak across Dennis’s cheeks, and Robby kisses them, grabs his jaw and bites it, Dennis hisses at the sting before releasing his death grip on Jack’s arm, grabbing Robby’s hair, shoving their faces together in a bruising kiss. He sees Dennis biting Robby’s bottom lip, sucking on his tongue, scratching at his neck, and Jack thinks this kid might just be a wet dream come to life. The way he surrenders so easily and then takes what he needs. Dennis Whitaker is a very fucking good boy.

Dennis pulls Robby up and off him by the hair, pushing the top of his head down to his nipples, and Robby is gentle as he laves at him, suckling and moaning as he does.

Jack catches his breath, he nearly came in his fucking pants at how hot that all was. “Are you ready for your reward now, angel?”

Dennis huffs out a laugh, hand running through Robby’s hair possessively, his other one digging claws into Jack’s bicep.

Jacks rubs circles on his stomach, playing with his belly hair where it trails from his navel to his cock.

“yeah, fuck. God.”

“mm, good,” Jack is licking into his ear, and Dennis chuckles and squirms, gasping.

Robby is making his way down his chest, dipping his tongue in Dennis’s navel before swallowing his cock down again, lazily sucking and licking at him.

Dennis rolls into it. Undulating his body in time with Robby’s mouth. Hand shifting from Robby’s hair to the back of his neck, Robby moaning at the contact.

Jack had no idea that edging the kid would bring out this quiet, commanding confidence. Dennis seems comfortable in his skin in a way he’s not witnessed before. It’s impossibly hot.

Dennis’s voice is wrecked. “So good Robby, fuck, you feel so good.”

Robby moans in response, very happy to receive Dennis’s praise. He starts to pick up the pace a bit, swallowing Dennis faster, down to the hilt, wrenching a grunt from the younger man that fills the room with heat.

Robby pops off him for a moment, replacing his mouth with his hand, watching, only inches away from where he jerks Dennis.

“Guess what?” Robby teases. “Think you’re about to pop your first knot.”

Jack groans. He can see Robby’s focussing on squeezing Dennis’s base. Jack can imagine the heat, the soft loose skin engorging for the first time. Shit.

“All for you, Alphas.” Dennis moans.

Robby looks positively gleeful. Licking up Dennis’s length, admiring the look on the young Alphas face. “Want you to knot my mouth, baby.”

Jack can’t help but groan again, grabbing Dennis’s pec, he needs to grab onto something, he’s so goddamn hard he can’t think.

Dennis digs his nails into Jack again, breaths coming quicker as Robby resumes his blowjob.

Dennis is growing needy again now, confidence replaced with a whiny demanding pace that Jack adores. “Jack, Alpha, bite me, please.”

Jack does, happily sinking blunt teeth into the muscle of Dennis’s neck.

He thrashes his head to get Jack off him. “No, your fangs, please, make me feel you. Make it hurt. I need you in me while I’m in Robby.”

Robby is moaning like a whore around Dennis’s dick at that statement, and Dennis is properly shaking again, racing towards his climax. Jack thinks about it, knows what Dennis wants, but there’s no way he’s biting Dennis’s neck with those teeth without a long fucking conversation first. He pulls up Dennis’s arm instead, Dennis’s fingers gripping into Jack’s hair, and he starts mouthing at Dennis’s bicep, dragging his teeth and wet tongue over him. There are a few vessels he’ll need to dodge, but his fangs aren’t all that long really.

Dennis is panting, moaning out on each exhale, thrusting up hard and fast into Robby’s eager mouth, and Robby shifts down the bed a bit, so it’s more like he’s sucking up along Dennis, allowing him to go deeper down his throat, so that Robby can comfortably take his knot.

There’s no fucking way Jack can wait any longer. Now that Dennis has begged him for it, his fangs itch, desperate to get into him. He wants to breed him and mate him and pup him, which is a new one for Jack but fuck it, sure. Its suddenly very fucking imperative that Dennis is full up with him and Robby.

And he can’t help but whisper it all to Whitaker, just to see what he does.

“Wish we were inside you right now baby, you’d take us so good, wouldn’t you?”

Dennis is nodding.

“Let us breed you -”

“Oh god.”

“- fill you up so full -”

“mmmmm”

“- pup you up.”

“fuck, oh FUCK”

And Jack’s biting him, fangs and teeth and tongue and he tastes Dennis’s blood just a little, smells his scent surround him as he cries out and cums down Robby’s throat. Hears Robby groaning at the sound and the taste of him, the stretch of Dennis’s knot in his mouth. Dennis moans long and loud and so fucking pretty as he just keeps going. Robby milking his knot over and over, Dennis shaking with each pulse down his throat, Robby humming, content at being filled.

Jack pulls his fangs out, licking into the wounds and Dennis whines at the sting of it, Jack’s delighted by the feel of the small wet holes against the tip of his tongue, and the red hot taste of his blood as his Alpha saliva slows the bleeding, helping his blood clot as he licks at him and into him.

Dennis is panting, repeating a mantra of ‘oh fuck’ as he twitches out his last few spurts into Robby, taking deep breaths as he comes down from his high, flexing his fingers in Jack’s hair.

Jack kisses his neck, watches Robby run his hands over Dennis’s thighs, waiting for his knot to ease a little before he lets himself off. Jack knows that Robby will be happy to stay down there for as long as they want him to.

Dennis runs his hand through Robby’s hair again, making the older Alpha whine at the soft touch.

“So good for me Alphas, fuck, so good.”

Jack kisses Dennis’s cheek. Happy to hear his Alpha is pleased and sated.

“Doesn’t Robby have a gorgeous mouth, Baby?”

“Yeah, he, shit, yeah.”

Jack laughs, nuzzling into Dennis’s neck, breathing in his relaxed Alpha scent.

“Come on Robby, need to kiss you, please”. Dennis coos at Robby as he strokes over his hair, and Robby slowly let’s himself off Dennis. Rolling his head onto his thigh. Dennis brushes his sweaty hair off his forehead, before feeding him two lazy fingers to suck on gently.

“Fuck, that mouth. Robby, wow. Can you, um, can you teach me to do that?”

Jack chuckles behind him, kissing his neck indulgently.

Robby’s red eyes eventually dim down to his usual deep brown. He playfully nips on Dennis’s fingers, letting him know he’s had enough, although he makes no attempt to move yet.

Dennis extricates himself from Jack’s chest slowly, sitting up and stretching his arms high above his head. Jack crowds back against him, grabbing his arm and holding it high as he inspects the bite mark, checking it over to make sure he hasn’t done too much damage.

Robby sees it properly for the first time, and he whimpers a little, crawling towards Dennis and manhandling his arm to kiss the bite. Wanting to sooth him and make sure he’s ok.

“Such a good Alpha,” Dennis whispers. He’s heard Jack and Robby say it enough, and it gets Robby’s attention in an instant. Face slowly breaking out into a grin. Fuck he’s beautiful when he smiles.

“He sure is.” Jack agrees.

Dennis places a hand on Robby’s cheek. “So good.” he says it to Robby’s face, earnest, before leaning forward and kissing him.

When they break apart, Dennis is smiling, he turns to Jack and gives him a huge wet kiss with a smack, nearly knocking them both over. And Jack laughs into his lips, Robby joining in at the sight of them nearly falling over themselves.

Dennis pushes off Jack to sit back upright, sending Jack into the pillows in the process, causing Robby to laugh again.

“So…” Dennis rubs his hands together, “who’s cooking me pancakes?”

Jack whacks him softly in the back with a pillow. “Oh, so we’re allowed to leave the room now?”

Dennis pretends to think about it. “Hmmm, yes, for now. If you’re good.”

Jack pinches him playfully. “You brat, you’re lucky your cute.”

“You’re one to talk!”

Robby intervenes, “Den, no! The last thing Jack needs is more people complimenting his looks!”

“Who’s complimenting? I was calling him a brat.”

“Oh, you cheeky-”

“Boys!” Robby is using his ‘I’m the boss’ voice, but his obvious enjoyment of their banter kind of ruins the effect. “Coffee and pancakes, let’s move. And Jack, put a fucking plaster on the kids’ arm before he bleeds on the damn rug.”

“Sir, yes sir.”

Dennis giggles, pulling his pants back on, ready to chase after Jack, who’s racing to the kitchen as ordered.

Dennis goes to steo off the bed, before thinking better of it and launching himself back at Robby instead. They fall back into the nest of pillows and clothes with an oomph, and Dennis is kissing him, laughing as he does.

Dennis pulls back, suddenly serious, his eyes are smiling though.

“I’m really glad that I’m here.”

Robby brushes the hair off the younger man’s face, “Me to.” he replies, giving him a soft kiss before patting his flank to get a move on.

Dennis is up and out the door, throwing a smile over his shoulder to Robby as he heads to the kitchen.

Robby is right behind him.

Chapter Text

Dennis keeps thinking he’ll wake up.

Soft kisses on his face, warm arms around him, sharp teeth at his neck, strong Alpha chest rumbles in his ear. It’s all too good. What he’s always wanted and never thought he’d get.

Any minute now he’s going to wake up in his bed at Trinity’s with an embarrassingly sticky crotch.

Except, he just doesn’t.

This is real. Robby and Jack are real. He keeps waking up here, in this bed. Strong arms hold him, squeeze him, make him fall apart. And then it happens all over again.

Dennis’s cheeks hurt from smiling.

His rut intensifies. The weird nest he built that the other two men are kind enough to not pry about stays up. He really doesn’t know why he felt compelled to make it, he just woke up knowing he needed to be good for his Alphas. To make a space for the three of them that was comfortable and safe. And they are. Jack and Robby hold him and kiss him in his nest, and they laugh and talk and sigh and sleep and he can’t believe he gets to have this.

He burns up, and they strip his cock and swallow him down and scratch him and lick him and then the burn eases. They feed him fruit from their fingers. Run cool cloths over his skin. Whisper how perfect he is. How good he looks. How well he’s doing.

It’s perfect.

Except they still won’t let him touch them.

They’d eaten breakfast outside in the garden. Dennis happily sipping on his three-sugar milky coffee that Jack kept side eyeing like it offended him (he takes his black, cup after cup after cup). Dennis thinks he did pretty well, getting through all of his pancakes and even doing half a crossword with them before the fact that Jack has been shirtless this entire time and that all three of them have their bare feet and patch free necks just out for Dennis to look at and touch and fuck, he’s sweating again, can feel what he’s starting to recognise must be the red Alpha flash to his eyes, his rut crawling back inside him with a vengeance.

He plonks himself on Robby’s lap, the other man wrapping his broad hands around him and kissing the back of his neck while Dennis runs his foot up the inside of Jack’s thigh.

Jack grabs him before he reaches his goal, the other man lifting his leg onto his shoulder, kissing the bone of his ankle before leaning forward, bending Dennis’s leg towards him.

He sighs at the lewd position, at the stretch, wanting Jack to finger him open and fuck him. To get Jack’s dick out and feel it on his skin or in his mouth. But now he can’t get near it because both of their bodies are infuriatingly in the way.

Dennis changes his tactic, while Jack kisses him on Robby’s lap he grips at Robby’s thigh underneath him, hand travelling up to Robby’s crotch, getting closer until Robby grasps his damn hand and tangles their fingers together. And ok, admittedly, that’s fucking wonderful actually, holding hands with Robby, but it’s not what he wants, he whines, begs to touch them and his Alphas just kiss him and call him a needy little thing (which yeah, ok, he really likes that too), and Jack sits back in his chair while Robby props him up for Jack to swallow his cock right there on the fucking back patio.

Later, they’d been watching MASH reruns, Jack focussed on the screen and Robby focussed on Jack as he talks along with the characters, smiling at Jack’s enthusiasm for his favourite bits, fucking cute, and Dennis curls up in Jack’s lap, vaguely enjoying the show. He’s not seen it before, he likes the dry humour and how unimpressed with the war they all are, and he can’t believe there’s a man in a dress in it from such a long time ago, wow. Jack’s father was in Vietnam, he remembers him mentioning it at work. He wonders if they watched it together when Jack was young, before Jack went to war too.

They’re all squished on the slightly too small couch, since the other loungeroom cushions are otherwise occupied in the bedroom. Jack’s playing with his hair while Robby rubs his feet, and so, yeah, it doesn’t take long until he’s a drooling mess again. He tries to touch them, asks sweetly like he knows that they like, but they just coo at him to be patient, that they’ll give him what he needs, and they do but goddamit, it’s what he needs but not what he wants. They get him off again without Dennis ever getting a taste of them.

This happens three more times before he’s just about ready to snap.

It’s dark outside now, and Dennis is relaxing in their nest, pleasantly surrounded by his new favourite smells. Jack is in the kitchen doing some meal prep thing while Robby is down the hall swearing at the washing machine that won’t stop beeping, so Dennis is texting Trinity and blushing while she tries to get details out of him and he fails to sound normal about the whole thing.

The Holy Trinity👑: Yes I understand that you think that they are both insanely hot, I understood the first four times you told me.

The Holy Trinity👑: is this your way of asking me to send you more condoms? 😏

Huckleboner: NO

Huckleboner: how did you even get so many btw?

The Holy Trinity👑: I am very hot and mysterious

Huckleboner: We haven’t used any

The Holy Trinity👑: WHAT?! They better have shown you some SQUEAKY CLEAN test results I swear to god

Huckleboner: No I mean nevermind omg forget I said anything 🙈

The Holy Trinity👑: urgh I hate you so much for making me ask this. You are being safe right?

Huckleboner: We haven’t fucked Trin.

Huckleboner: like I’m being very well taken care of but they um, so far it’s just me having a good time

Huckleboner: if you get my drift

Huckleboner: …… you get my drift right?

The Holy Trinity👑: oh, so I need to send over some little blue pills? 😜

Huckleboner: OMG THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM

Huckleboner: NO

The Holy Trinity👑: then what are you telling me here Huck?

Huckleboner: in your heats, did any of your partners ever just like, not let you touch them?

The Holy Trinity👑: in my heats with my married male attendings you mean?

Huckleboner: yeah I suppose it’s not the same

The Holy Trinity👑: have you, like, talked to them? Or are you just moping to me

The Holy Trinity👑: …your silence is very revealing

Huckleboner: no its not!

Huckleboner: I’ve told them! Or I keep trying to but they keep just like redirecting me I guess. They definitely know though

The Holy Trinity👑: ok, this is more information than I ever wanted to know but since you are hopeless and I am amazing, have you talked to them about what you want with WORDS when you’re not actively trying to SPEAR YOURSELF ON THEIR KNOTS?

Huckleboner: OMG TRINITY

The Holy Trinity👑: well???

Huckleboner: I guess maybe not

The Holy Trinity👑: there’s your answer Huckledummy. They probs think you’re just cock drunk. Tell them when you’re sober

Huckleboner: I am sober!

The Holy Trinity👑: dick sober. When your rut it cooled down

The Holy Trinity👑: Hello?

The Holy Trinity👑: I DIDN’T MEAN RIGHT NOW

“Hey, um, can we talk?”

Robby pulls his head out of the dryer in the bathroom, with an armful of scrubs that he deposits into the laundry basket. “What was that, Den?”

Dennis rocks on his heels a bit. Why is it more embarrassing to say it a second time? “Can we uh…. When you’re done, can we talk? The three of us?”

Robby clenches his jaw, still bent over, not moving. It’s kind of creepy, Dennis thinks. “Jack. Can you finish up and come here please?”

“I’m in the middle of-”

“NOW JACK”

And Jack is behind him, wearing his ugly ‘kiss the cook’ apron that he’d vandalised at some point with a red pen to say “cock” instead, spatula in hand. “What’s wrong?”

Robby sounds off, like when he’s trying to be professional with Gloria. “Dennis would like to talk to us.”

“Den, are you ok? What happened?”

“You two are ridiculous! I’m fine! Nothing is wrong!”

Jack seems dubious. “… it kinda seems like there’s something a little wrong right now though, y’know. With the yelling.”

“I swear to god-”

 “We’re listening Dennis.” Robby still sounds like he’s at work and Dennis hates it.

“Jesus Christ. We are not talking in the damn bathroom. Come to bed, fuck!” And Dennis pushes past Jack, storms down the hallway and flops face first into his nest, pulling a few pillows on top of himself for good measure. Embarrassed beyond belief.

He feels the bed dip, first to the left, and then the right. “Baby, um, can you tell us what’s on your mind?”.

Dennis wishes he’d never said anything, “Just forget it.”

“We kind of, we can’t do that Den. We’re a bit worried now sweetheart.”

Dennis huffs, this is ridiculous. He rolls over to sit up, scattering pillows everywhere. Dennis is glaring at Robby, pointing at him. “The only reason you’re worried is because you made yourself worried! I just wanted to talk for a minute. It wasn’t anything bad.” Robby’s eyes dart around, realising that this is, infact, entirely his fault. Good.

“Oh. Yeah I… yes, I did do that.”

Dennis doesn’t want to look at his stupid, sad, beautiful eyes, so he directs the next bit to the ceiling. Exasperated. “And now I feel silly and don’t want to say. And honestly, screw you a little, Robby.”

Jack is waving his spatula around, catching his attention. “Denny, the thing about Robby, and I say this with lots of love for the guy, is that you really need to never listen to anything that he says-”

“Oh that’s rich coming from you Mr mile-a-minute JackRabbit-”

“-Because he’s an idiot, Dennis. Pathologically-”

As they continue to snipe at each other over who’s the worst listener and who’s the most emotionally stunted (Jack seems to think it’s clearly Robby on both counts, Robby keeps talking about ‘context’, like that’s going to magically change the fact that he was the one that absolutely freaked out for no reason). Dennis can’t help but feel a little better.

Maybe they’re all a bit hopeless.

They quieten down eventually, looking expectantly at Dennis. He realises that they were probably sniping on purpose to give him time to feel a bit better. Idiots.

“I can see what you’re doing you know.”

“You’re smart, of course you can sweetheart. And you’re right. I’m sorry, I um, I panicked.”

“Why?”

Robby bites his lip. “Ok, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I am quite literally waiting for you to tell me that you’ve made an awful mistake and that you’re leaving and never talking to me again.”

Dennis feels stricken at that. Has he not shown Robby, told Robby, how glad he is to be here? How much he’s enjoying being with him? With them both? He sees Jack reach over to put his hand on Robby’s knee, squeezing comfortingly.

“Denny, Robby is, I think what he means is that we, we wouldn’t blame you at all if you decided you’d um, we’d understand if you’d had enough of -”

Dennis feels like killing them both.

“Are you fucking serious right now?! I just wanted to tell you when I wasn’t rutting so you know that I’m not just dick drunk or whatever that I really, really want to touch your cocks and you should let me do that! Are you two actually for real thinking I’ll just up and leave?! Maybe go via Hospital HR on my way home? What the fuck!”

Dennis takes the rare opportunity of the two older men being stunned into silence to keep going. Frustrated and mad and actually, really hurt, honestly.

“If I haven’t been clear here, I thought we were on the same page, but maybe I, I’m not… If you two can’t tell how much I l…” Love. He wants to say I’m completely in love with you, but that’s nuts. Like batshit fucking insane, it’s been less than two days. He knows it’s true though, that the strength of his feelings is not going anywhere… but he also doesn’t want to scare them both the hell off. “…like, how much I really like being here, how crazy I am about both of you, then-”

Dennis doesn’t get to finish what he’s saying, because Michael Robinavitch is on top of him and kissing him senseless.

That fire is back, coiling around him at the feel of Robby on top of him but no, fuck no he is not just letting himself get horny and stupid again.

“Robby… beautiful… I need you to… give me a minute, ok?” He gasps out between kisses. Robby seems to get the picture, rolling off him and scootching up next to Jack.

“Ok, sorry, I needed you off me so I can be very explicit about something to both of you.” Jack and Robby settle, Robby sort of pulling Jack as much on top of him as he can get whilst technically sitting next to him, Robby’s hands are on Jack, like they’re on Dennis at work, he thinks. Maybe that’s why Robby touches him so much, it’s an anxiety thing. Reassuring. Like a human stress ball.

Dennis makes eye contact with them both one after another, deliberate. He needs them to listen.

“I am not going anywhere. This is more than I thought I could ever have, yeah, and I know it will be complicated, and that you two already have your own relationship together, I don’t want to affect that, or make assumptions about how I fit into it or not, but I need you both to stop any thoughts that I am just going to leave. Ask me, ask each other, for reassurance or whatever, but please believe that I wouldn’t do that. It makes me feel rotten, that you think that I could just walk up to you after all of this and say that I’m done out of the blue. Do you actually think I would do that? If you honestly do, then we have a really big problem.”

Dennis pauses for a moment to not get too choked up by how hurt he is just thinking about it. He’s glad that Jack and Robby seem to be equally affected. He wants them to feel bad.

“And if not, if it’s just you two being self-flagellating assholes, then fix whatever bullshit voice is in your heads saying that I’m too young or whatever stupid crap it is. I am in this, 100%. That is a fact. And on that fact, if you don’t let me start reciprocating in bed without a damn good explanation, like if there’s some secret fulltime kink thing you both do that you’re not telling me about or something, I am going to lose my mind cos if you… if you don’t want me to want you like I do then I don’t know what the fuck I’m actually doing here, ok?!  ‘Cos I’m not just here to get myself off, I’m here because you make me feel like I’m interesting and worthwhile and I want you to know how much I feel that way about you too.”

Dennis takes a huge breath. He feels a little winded, but he’s not finished.

“…I don’t know if I even can stop wanting you, but if I could, I really don’t think I want to.”

Robby and Jack are staring at him, Robby squeezing Jack’s arms while Jack looks at him with those intense eyes that completely undo him.

Dennis wonders if they’re waiting for him to tell them he’s done. He had told them to shut up quite a few times earlier.

“So… um. Yeah. That’s it. What do you think about… all of it?”

Jack and Robby look at each other, Jack rubbing Robby’s knee, some silent conversation before Jack extricates himself a little from Robby to lean towards Dennis, taking his hand.

Dennis is suddenly very aware of how incredibly vulnerable he feels right now. They could rip out his heart and fuck, he’d probably still stay, even if they don’t want him like he needs them to. Probably sleep on the floor and lick at their scraps if that’s all they wanted.

“Dennis, we feel the same way, baby. We really, really want you here.”

Dennis can feel himself tearing up, he lets out a shaky breath, a little sob comes out at the end, but Jack just waits for him to steady himself, rubbing soft circles on his hand.

“Our brave little Alpha, thank you for yelling at us. We deserved it. We will work on our bullshit. And you’re right, it’s not fair for us to be walking around expecting you to leave. It’s not about you, it’s our shit, mostly Robby’s,” Robby whacks him, “But me a bit too, we will work on it. Can you be patient with us while we figure out how to do that?”

Dennis nods.

“As for… reciprocating. There’s no fixed dynamic you don’t know about, quite the opposite, usually we switch it up a lot, it’s not… we just, fuck, we wanted to take care of you. I guess we forgot to ask how you like to receive that care though and we got carried away on the high of having you here. Maybe we thought because we’re more experienced and you’re in rut that we automatically know better. That was dumb. So, from now on, you tell us what you want, and we’ll listen.”

That makes sense, he thinks. He is, in rut, and that is technically why he’s here in the first place, and they’d said they’d take it easy at first. He can understand why they kept up with that plan, but that was before… before Dennis realised how much he needs more than that.

“I… It’s not like I don’t like… um, I like everything we’ve been doing, like, so much, fuck, it’s been incredible and I still want to do all that too. And I like that you know my body and what it needs right now. I just needed you to know that I’m not just here for my rut, you know? Like, just to get off or get spoiled or whatever. I want to be with you, both of you. All of you. In all the ways you might like. Would you… like that too? Would you tell me what you want, too? You know, um, equal?”

Jack clenches slightly, and Robby chokes up a bit when he says that last bit. Like they’re realising how there is maybe a bit of a dynamic here, and that it’s affecting Dennis in ways they didn’t mean it to.

Dennis squeezes Jack’s hand before beckoning Robby towards him, the older man crawling forward quickly and wrapping around his side like a koala bear hugging a tree, face buried in Dennis’s neck, and he can’t help but laugh a bit at how cute it is.

Dennis lifts his chin up at Jack, asking him to come in for a cuddle too, and he shimmies closer, leaning forward to kiss him.

“Fuck kid, you’re perfect, you know that?”

Dennis huffs, he’s not perfect. But with the way Jack’s looking at him, he can sort of believe that Jack might think that he is. It’s nice, to get that sort of feedback after getting upset and annoyed. It’s like all the bits of him are good, not just the easy ones.

“How the hell did I snag the two hottest guys in Pittsburgh, huh? Man, I must be pretty great!”

Jack’s tone is light, but his face betrays what he really means. That he’s enamoured. That he feels lucky. Dennis beams at him before wrapping his hand in his hair, bringing him forward for another kiss. This one’s a bit deeper, Dennis wants him to know how he feels by touch as well as words, and Jack hums against him before they part.

“Jack I, god, you’re incredible.” Dennis says to him, making purposeful eye contact, wants to make sure he understands how he feels about him. “Um,” he speaks softly to Jack, not meaning to talk about Robby like he’s not here, but he doesn’t really see any way around it, “but, with Robby… should we… do you think he and I should have some one-on-one time for a bit?” Dennis is nervous to ask, doesn’t want Jack to think he’s sending him away. Jack knows how to care for Robby though, he wants to know what he thinks. Instead of looking hurt at being asked to leave his own bedroom Jack breaks out into a huge toothy smile and surges towards Dennis for a loud, wet kiss, before shifting to press a long peck to Robby’s hair.

“Kid, how the fuck did we get so lucky. That’s… I think that’s… yeah. Just what the doctor ordered.” Jack waggles his eyebrows at his terrible joke.

Dennis is still nervous, he’s learnt that Jack deflects pretty much everything with humour. “You sure?”

“100%. I want you to… yeah. Ok! Fuck, this is the best. I’m gonna go make sure I didn’t burn down the kitchen. And I’ll cook us some dinner. Sound good?”

“Yeah that’s, that’s perfect.”

“Any requests? Mikey, want some dinner, baby?”

“Spaghetti” is Robby’s response, muffled into Dennis’s neck.

Jack cocks an eyebrow at Dennis in case he disagrees, he doesn’t.

“Alright, carbs it is, boys!” Jack kisses them both again before rolling off the bed, grabbing the spatula off the side table as he goes. Jack looks back at them when he’s in the doorway, shaking his head like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. Dennis mouths ‘thank you’ at him, and Jack ducks his head with a blush, closing the door with a soft look, giving them some privacy.

Dennis doesn’t try to rush anything. He shifts a little though, so that he’s as much wrapped around Robby as Robby is around him. Eventually, Robby seems ready to come out of his hiding spot in Dennis’s neck. Dennis leans in close, safe. Robby doesn’t need to be ready for the whole bedroom yet, just Dennis.

“Hi” He says stupidly.

Robby looks sheepish. Saying ‘hi’ back, nervous.

Jack had called him brave earlier. He’d like to try to be.

“Robby… Michael. I really like being here with you, you know.”

Robby looks pained. “I don’t know why. I’m sorry.”

“That’s ok. Do you believe me though?”

“I’m, yeah, I’m trying. It took me a while with Jack, too. He maybe also had to yell at me about it.”

Dennis smiles a little, he can see that. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, he… do you want to hear about it?”

“I want to hear about every thought in your head.”

Robby chuckles, rolling his eyes a bit at Dennis being so corny.

“Ok. He… we’d been friends you know, colleagues first I guess, for ages. Jack was married, and I was sort of friends with Andrè as well. Fourth of July’s, that sort of thing. But then he died. It was sudden and Jack, fuck, Den, it was bad. It was really bad for a really long time. I was so… I didn’t know if he’d make it. And one time, maybe like, two years after? Jack was wasted, we both were, drunk and sad, I’d just had a shit break up, Jack was antsy like, climbing the walls-”

“Yeah, I’ve met him.”

Robby laughs. “Yeah, you can imagine right? Anyway we, we had sex, and I, shit I thought I had screwed everything up man. I nearly pushed him away, my best friend, who was grieving, cos I was convinced I was so unlovable that just by sleeping with me I’d somehow ruined his life again or something. Like I was his rock bottom. But Jack just sort of refused to let me go.” Robby’s smiling as he says it, his face growing more animated. He likes talking about Jack, even when it’s about something painful.

 “Stubborn bastard kept being my friend. For years, it seriously took me years Den, I am completely hopeless. And then out of nowhere - or I thought it was nowhere, he tells it different - he kissed me. We weren’t drunk this time, it was maybe 9am on a day off or something and we’d just been volunteering at some vaccine clinic in the park or some shit, and he just kissed me. And I asked him if he was ok, and he just looked at me like that was the stupidest thing anyone could possibly ask him. But I didn’t get it. He said he loved me, and he was sorry if that was weird, but he couldn’t not tell me anymore and I swear Den, I had no fucking clue. My best friend had loved me for years and I had zero clue because I couldn’t understand why he’d like me, so it never occurred to me that he did.”

Dennis likes hearing Robby talk. Likes hearing about him and Jack. He thinks he can see the dumb face Robby would have pulled after Jack kissed him and told him how much he was loved.

“It’s a good thing he’s stubborn.”

“Right!? Dude made up his mind and just kept me the fuck around even though I was an absolute basket case. That was a few years ago now. Once I’d… once I’d realised, that he was for real and that he wanted to be with me, it got a lot easier, to accept it, to see the signs and to reciprocate. I’d always wanted that, but I’d done it wrong every time before. Mated to work or whatever. I don’t think I had ever been a very good boyfriend before Jack.” Robby’s eyebrows are furrowed with shame or anger at himself maybe. Dennis can be like that too, self-critical. He knows it’s something he needs to work on, that doing it too much is the opposite of helpful. Actually, he thinks Robby gave him that advice himself in his second week. His heart flutters, maybe they can help each other work on it.

“You’re kind and caring Robby, you’ve probably always been that way.”

Robby relaxes a little, snapped out of his head. “Yeah, yeah like I wasn’t, I don’t mean I was horrible or anything. Just. It was never like this. I wasn’t available, you know? Wasn’t as honest as I needed to be. It’s like… Jack’s been married before right, I knew their marriage, and it was good, those guys were so in love. And so when Jack says he loves me, that we’re good, that he’s happy, I kind of have to believe him, right, cos he knows what he’s talking about. He’s had it good, so he knows.”

That makes sense to Dennis.

“-Sorry, I’m talking a lot”

“I like it when you talk. You talking was the first thing about you that I liked.”

Robby blushes. “Not my enviable hairline?” Dennis wishes he wouldn’t make mean jokes about himself.

“I like that too actually, it’s masculine. Suits you.”

“Fucking hell Whitaker.” Robby looks pained at the compliment. “Anyway, I just. I mean, I’m telling you all this so you know I guess, that I’ve not ever been very good at following my own judgement when it comes to people liking me. So, with you, with this, I have no frame of reference for this. It’s, I can’t… It’s hard for me to trust it. But I do trust you, Dennis. You are one of the most earnest people I’ve ever met, and I do trust you. But there’s a few decades of me not trusting myself that I’m working through and I um… I’ve just, Jack finally got me to go to this, um, this therapist, and I’ll keep going. When I… what happened this morning… I’m really sorry you had to wake up to that.”

“I’m not.”

Dennis doesn’t even think before he says it, but its true. Since this morning the Robby he’s gotten to know is very different to the man he’d spent time with yesterday and the three months previous. Robby has his walls down with Jack, and in the same way Dennis presenting rushed this attraction they have into action, Robby’s panic attack this morning seems to have opened Robby’s walls up around Dennis too. He’s glad for it.

“-I mean, I’m sorry you have to go through that, but I’m not sorry I was here. Maybe it’s selfish, but I was in rut and seeing you in pain, it helped me control it, channel it. I just wanted to take care of you, to be with you in the way that you needed. And you let me. I think you’re amazing. You… the way you keep going? That’s strength. And the way you’re being honest now? That’s strength too. All of that is why…” why I love you. “… why I’m so interested in seeing where this goes. You’re amazing Michael Robinavitch, even if you are also kind of a gigantic idiot.”

Robby laughs. He grasps Dennis’s hand and brings it to his face, giving it a soft kiss. Gentleman. Dennis feels the soft fuzz of his beard contrast with his warm breath against his skin and he shivers a bit.

Robby looks like he has lots he wants to say, and maybe he decides to put most of it away for later. Dennis thinks that’s ok, they have time.

“It’s kind of strange hearing you call me Michael.”

Dennis was wondering if Robby had noticed, he’s not said his first name before this conversation. It just, it felt right, maybe. “I can stop.”

“No it’s not bad. I just don’t hear it often. I like the shape you mouth makes when you say it.”

“Michael was always my favourite angel. I think I thought he was a bit hot.”

“Oh man, you are so weird.”

“You like my weird.”

“I do.”

“Yeah?”

“You know I do.”

“…Do I?”

Dennis meant it to be teasing, light, but it maybe revealed a bit more than he intended. He’d asked the same thing yesterday, ‘why me’. Why do you like me? Why are you bothering with me? He’s been trying not to think about it, but it’s still there. And now Robby can see it.

Robby thinks for a minute, searching his face.

“You know Den, the day after Pittfest, Jack teased me about you.”

“Because you had the world’s most accident-prone Med student?”

“Uh, no. He teased me because I liked you. He could tell straight away. He just knew somehow. Infuriating of him, AND he was checking you out too, by the way.”

Dennis was not expecting this information. Robby liked him, they both had, since his first day?! Jack had mentioned something like that, but he figured it was just sex talk. Heat colours his cheeks and he feels like running around and whooping, maybe. But he tries to listen, he wants to know everything.

“Anyway, I got embarrassed. We don’t, it’s never been an open relationship or one where we talk about other people we find attractive or anything. Anyway, he could tell I was, um, interested in you, and I got weird about it, because of the teacher/student thing, so he said he wouldn’t bring you up again. That lasted maybe a week or two, very restrained of him honestly. This time, he brought you up when we um, when we were... you know.”

Dennis blushes even deeper.

“It was…Dennis it was, fuck this is embarrassing, but it was wow, I came impossibly fast. 14 year-old boy fast, just at the sound of your name, thinking about your eyes. He wasn’t even touching me really.”

Dennis gulps, heat licking at his spine. Jack had said they’d wanted him, thought about him. He hadn’t mentioned they’d never brought someone else home before though, Dennis sort of assumed that they had. But this is as new for them as it is for him.

He wants to know what they said. What they imagined. He wants to make it happen. Wants to see Robby come. Wants to make him.

“But it, Den, I felt bad, I mean, it felt good, obviously, but emotionally? That’s how I knew that it wasn’t just attraction. If it was just that, well then, who cares about a little fantasizing, right? But I felt so bad, because I wanted all of it, it’s not like Jack and me weren’t enough anymore or anything, just like, suddenly there was this new part that was empty that wasn’t there until I met you. And Jack, he said that he was in if I wanted to um… pursue you, I guess. Just like that! Like you were a totally fine thing to want! And after that there was no way that I could stop fucking thinking about you. I wanted your eyes looking at me all the damn time, when I taught you something new and when you’d tease me about something stupid. I wanted to know more about your family. About your farm. About why you wanted to become a doctor. I wanted to know about what books you like and about your horrible ringtone and what flavour of soda you prefer. To talk to you about God, about what he means to you and maybe what he used to mean to me, I dunno. And I wanted your goodness and your kindness to be near me, I feel like since that first day it’s rubbed off on me a little more every time I’m near you.”

Robby reaches for his hand, stroking it and entwining their fingers. Dennis heart is hammering in his chest.

“And now that I know you better, I want it all a million times worse. Because now I know that I also want your wit, and your temper, which I didn’t know about, but think is so hot by the way, and that exasperated look you get when me and Jack bicker, and the cute way you write text messages and send them immediately and then send like, four more in a row instead of just editing them first like a normal person. And I love that you tore my house apart to build a damn nest, just because it felt right for you and I’ve never really liked nests before, but I love this one, Den. Love feeling so safe with you here. And the way you cut out the inside of your pancakes so you could eat the middles first this morning like a lunatic, and how you liked standing on the grass in bare feet. I could see it. You, here. More mornings like this. I was sitting there, fuck, Den I was drinking my coffee this morning and just scrolling and I started searching for bird baths on marketplace, because I thought you might like one for under the tree. You’d been here for what, like, 15 hours and I was ready to start buying garden decorations on the off chance it might make you smile. Three years I’ve lived here, I hadn’t thought about the birds once.”

Robby is stroking his cheek now, and Dennis presses into the touch, lets his eyes drift closed for a moment. How did Robby know he loves birds?

“So, I’m not sure if that answers your question, but I hope it’s a start.”

“Yeah.. yeah.” He opens his eyes again, and all he sees is Robby. “It’s a really good start.”

And Dennis kisses him, to be closer mostly, not to start anything. Small kisses over each other’s faces and deep tongues rolling lazily over each other, hands on jaws and cheeks and softly in each other’s hair. And Dennis can feel it, that Robby means it. It feels like the way Robby looks at him when he’s off guard, how he looked at him this morning. He feels like there’s a warm soft fluttering inside him. Like he’s growing a special new organ in his chest to help him hold all the feelings he isn’t used to.

They break apart slowly, content to hold on for as long as they can.

“Den, I am really, truly sorry for freaking out, and for before that. You… I don’t want to make you feel like you aren’t equal ever again.”

“Thank you. I know it wasn’t on purpose.”

“And this won’t come as a shock now that you know how crazy I am for that total headcase in the kitchen, but I, um, I also, er, I really like a man who’s comfortable saying what he wants. So, um, thank you, for doing that.” Robby blushes when he says it, like maybe he’s thinking about other scenarios where Jack has told him what he wants. Dennis realises that includes him now maybe. They call him kid, but Robby sees him as a man, and Robby likes it when Dennis tells him what he wants. He’s blushing a bit too now, a million enticing scenarios immediately flashing through his head.

“I will… make a note of that, for later.” Robby’s blush deepens. “But right now, I kinda want to go cuddle up to that headcase while he cooks for us, what do you think?”

Robby laughs. “I think that’s a brilliant idea, and I can reveal, just to you and only you as a reward for telling us what you want, that Jack Abbot, known sometimes as JackRabbit, and on very special occasions, Bunny, is a little bit ticklish if you get him by surprise.”

Dennis laughs, squeezing Robby tight, breathing him in deep. “Bunny, huh.”

“mmm”

“That’s adorable. Suits him.”

“Yeah I know, he’s stupid cute huh?”

“Oh my god It’s actually ridiculous how cute he is! And how is he so hot as well?”

“Witchcraft! I have no idea. He drinks loads of super gross smoothies though.”

Dennis laughs again. “You know you saved me yesterday, right?”

Robby looks sheepish.

“- you were the only person that could... It would have gotten really bad I think. But you saved me. I feel really lucky, Robby”

“I feel lucky too, pup.”

“Pup. Jack calls me that.”

“Jack calls you a lot of things. Is it ok if I say it too sometimes?”

“Yes. Yes please. I like everything that you’ve called me.”

Robby bites the inside of his cheek, eyes smiling.

“Well alright then pup, shall we go annoy our Alpha while he’s cooking us dinner? Maybe see if you can find his ticklish spots?”

Dennis can’t wait.

++++

Dinner passes in a bit of a blur for Dennis. His rut’s hot in his head, but he pushes it down. He wants to focus on this. On sitting at the big farmstyle table, helping tidy the discarded books off it so they can eat eggplant and passata spaghetti (he’s never had eggplant before, it’s good) and drink a glass of what is probably the nicest wine he’s ever had.

This is a bit like a date, he realises. And he says so.

Jack snickers, like he’s quite aware of the fact. “We maybe did things a little bit backwards. You deserve to be wined and dined, gorgeous.”

Dennis blushes, taking another gulp of his wine to avoid asking the other men to fuck him right on the table.

Robby asks Dennis about school, picking up a conversation they’d started a few days ago about Dennis’s upcoming biochem case study that he’s a little worried about. Jack groans, he’d told Dennis once that he’d nearly flunked biochemistry. He reaches across to take Dennis’s hand.

“You’ll do great Den, you’re smart as. I’m not worried.”

“Jack’s right. Also, I can help you study if you like? It was probably my best subject.” Robby offers.

“Insufferable,” Jack whispers loudly.

“What was that dear?” Robby jokes.

Jack fakes a cough, “Nothing darling. Just enamoured by that big brain of yours.”

Robby smiles, turning back to Dennis. “Ofcourse, if you really want help studying, Jack’s the better Doctor in this house, he’s double board-certified, after-all.”

“You are?” He can picture it maybe, a young Jack, stubborn and determined and working his ass off.

“I mean, I did EM and Tactical Medicine, they’re pretty similar, it’s not like it was in paediatrics or something.”

“I can’t imagine double specialising. I feel like I’m barely getting by half the time. That’s really impressive.”

Robby beams at Dennis before pointedly giving Jack an ‘I told you you’re impressive’ look.

Dennis decides to play with him a bit.

“Why didn’t you double certify, Robby?”

And Jack nearly spits out his wine.

“Ha-ha, very funny boys. Honest though, I never even considered it, I had a pretty hard time in early residency, those old shift hours were murder, and I was eating a lot of rice and hot sauce. There’s no way I could have handled another specialty.”

“Tell me about it, before I moved in with Trin, me and the St Bernard’s were very well acquainted.”

The sound of forks on crockery pauses, and Dennis realises he’s let slip a lot more than he’d planned. St Bernards is close to the hospital, and it’s likely they know that it exclusively feeds folks who can’t feed themselves.

“That’s… thrifty of you.” Jack replies, a considered look on his face. He looks back at his plate while he continues, purposefully casual. “I’ve been down there a few times. A vet from my old unit is often between places, we grab some chow sometimes, it’s his regular.”

“Is that Max? How’s he doing?” Robby continues.

“Yeah, alright I think. He’s in a good program at the moment. His daughter’s a sophomore next year and he just gushes about her man, proud as punch.”

Dennis knows what they’re doing, purposefully smoothing over what he’d said with idle chatter, not wanting to pry. He appreciates it, it’s a lot to get into and it’s already been an emotional day. He’ll tell them eventually, soon, even. But it’s a long story.

The rest of dinner passes by comfortably. Their plates are empty by the time Jack and Robby are excitedly talking over each other as they tell a story about the time Jack dragged the ER go-karting as a team builder and Dana got so competitive they had to call HR the next day to mediate. Dennis snorts, loudly, and Jack looks at him like it’s the cutest thing he’s ever seen, causing Dennis to blush furiously.

Robby gets up to clear their plates and offers to make desert, which Jack looks like he’s about to agree to. Dennis absolutely has to put a stop to this.

“or…”

Robby turns, and Jack pauses with his almost empty glass of wine halfway to his mouth. Waiting for Dennis to continue.

“Or you could take me to bed.”

Jack downs his wine, and Robby dumps the dishes loudly into a messy pile in the sink.

“I guess that’s a yes.”

Jack’s up on his crutches, and Dennis walks around the table towards the other two, while Robby dries his hands hurriedly on a dishtowel.

“You’ll forgive me for not carrying you over the threshold, pup.” Jack jokes with a slight blush. He’s on one leg at the moment, and Dennis thinks he probably shouldn’t be lifting people even when he does have his prosthesis on. It makes sense that he wants to though, Jack seems like a throw-you-over-his-shoulder type.

Dennis likes that the older man is making dumb jokes at Dennis’s eagerness to get him to bed. He wants Jack squirming though, not just blushing. So, Dennis crowds against him, before dipping a bit at his knees and hoisting Jack up. He squeaks, dropping his crutches to grab around Dennis’s shoulders so he doesn’t fall, which he wouldn’t, Dennis has got him, hands firmly gripping his thighs next to his ass, Jack’s strong legs wrapped around his waist.

“What the fuck!” Jack shrieks. Dennis is delighted that yeah, he can carry Jack, no problem, he’s all heavy muscle but Dennis has 3 older brothers and grew up on a farm, he knows how to lift his own body weight and then some. It’s only a few metres down the hall.

Robby cackles.

“So, you said something about a threshold?” Dennis leers, showing off his new fangs.

Jack throws his head back, a bit of a laugh, a bit of a groan. Robby following them into the bedroom as Dennis carries Jack, who’s spluttering and indignant the whole way before Dennis basically throws him onto the bed.

“Seems like you’re the one taking me to bed, pet.” Jack laughs.

“Had to get my hands on that ass somehow.” Dennis drawls.

Jack likes that. “Fuck, have you always been this hot? Robby, has he always been this hot?”

Robby leans into Dennis’s space, wrapping his arms around him as he presses against his back, kissing his neck gently.

“Yeah, yeah he has.”

“You two are so gorgeous together.” Jack says it earnestly, eyes dark with desire as he watches Robby and Dennis standing at the edge of the bed. He can tell that Jack wants to watch them, but he’s seen Robby and Dennis together plenty, and now Dennis knows exactly what he wants.

“I feel the same way Jack, that’s why tonight I want to see you two together.”

Robby groans into his neck.

Jack squeaks again, his voice higher than usual.“Yeah?”

“Is that alright with you?” Dennis asks. He’s very happy to change the plan, he’s got at least 5 more in his back pocket that he’s just as excited to try.

“Yeah, fuck, yeah ok. C’mere first though.”

“Gladly”, and Dennis is pulling his shirt off, handing it to Robby as he stalks forward, slotting himself between Jack’s thighs where they’re hanging off the bed, leaning down to kiss Jack.

Jack moans into his mouth, travelling one hand up the back of Dennis’s legs to palm at his arse, the other along the skin of his back, and Dennis rewards him by deepening the kiss and tightening the hand he has in Jack’s hair.

Dennis pulls back just an inch, speaking into Jack’s lips. “I think we should all be much more naked. Robby, don’t you agree, sunshine?”

Dennis turns to look at Robby, who’s still standing where he left him with Dennis’s shirt in his hands.

Dennis tries again. “Michael?”

That seems to wake him up and he’s climbing onto the bed, grabbing at Jack’s shirt to start pulling it off him. “Let’s get these off you, Jacky.”

“You too, Mike.”

Robby does as Jack asks, removing his own shirt soon after.

Dennis closes his eyes for a moment, undressing yourself is different than when Robby or Jack does it, he feels nervous, but in a good way. Anticipation and his rut taking care of the last of his insecurities.

He drops his pants and steps out of them, bare. Letting the other men look at him for a moment before dropping to his knees.

Dennis hooks his fingers into the waist band of Jack’s pants, asking permission, and normally can’t-shut-him-up Jack Abbot just nods silently, biting his lip, eyes wide. Dennis shimmies his pants and briefs down his legs and off, leaving Jack deliciously naked.

Robby crowds in behind Jack, running a hand through his curls before kissing his cheek, his other hand roaming over Jack’s chest.

Dennis can feel his eyes flash red at the sight of Jack spread out on the edge of the bed. He’s all hard muscle and freckles, his dick is half hard, thick around the middle, tapering off and bending to the left a bit. Dennis is so glad they’re not eating desert right now because he has much more important things to be doing with his tongue.

He squeezes Jack’s quads just above his knees before running his hands up his thighs. They’re thick. As his hands get closer to Jack’s hips, he moves from the tops of his legs to the inside, gently pressing them wider apart.

“Can I taste you, Jack?” Dennis asks, looking up at him.

Jack blinks a few times as he processes Dennis asking him a question. “Fucking hell.”

Robby chuckles, sucking Jack’s earlobe. “I think that’s a yes.”

Jack pulls himself together, and Dennis is high with it, how much Jack’s affected by this, by him. “Yeah, yes. Fuck yes.”

Dennis smiles, kissing the inside of Jack’s knee before wriggling between his spread legs, nosing at the warm soft skin on the inside of his thighs.

Jack’s heady scent is strong here, and Dennis feels his mouth fill with saliva as he continues to rub his face against the inside of Jack’s thighs, nosing at his balls and breathing deep into the pubic hair between the crease of his thigh next to his cock.

He opens his mouth, kissing over his hips and balls, breathing heavy, wet mouth everywhere but Jack’s dick.

He keeps at it, pushing lower to lick over the crease of Jack’s balls and Jack moans filthy, shuddering a bit, and he starts to wriggle so Robby splays a wide hand over Jack’s chest, and that must mean ‘behave’ because Jack goes still again, letting Dennis take his time with him as he spreads Jack’s legs further, diving into his musky scent and dragging his fangs up the crease of Jack’s thigh.

“Denny, please, god-”

And that’s what Dennis was waiting for. He licks a stripe up the base of Jack’s cock before mouthing at his head, collecting the pre at his tip with a groan. And slowly swallowing him down.

It’s been a while since he’s done this, and he’s never done it with fangs, so he’s extra careful of keeping them out of the way as he starts to bob his head, getting Jack’s dick wet with his saliva, licking at him and swirling over his sensitive head. The sounds Jack’s making have Dennis rock hard, and he tugs on Jack’s balls, lazily rolling them as he makes out with his cock.

Robby nips at Jack’s neck, admonishing

“Jacky, don’t you want to tell your pup how good he’s doing?”

And Jack laughs, or he would if he had the breath in his lungs to manage it, it’s more like a quick wheeze.

“I’d fucking love to, except he’s fuck sucking my brain out through my dick and I’m trying not to cum in 30 seconds like I’m in high school.”

Robby growls at him, and Jack closes his eyes for a minute to regain his composure, Dennis starts to stroke him as he kisses the side of his dick.

“Can you do more than one round?” Dennis asks, licking up Jack’s dick obscenely.

“Shit, sometimes.”

Robby responds at the same time “He can and he will.”

“Then come however quick you like, want to see you fall apart.”

And Dennis swallows him down, Jack swearing as his dick presses up against the back of his throat, releasing a fresh wave of saliva that drips down Jack’s dick. Dennis just holds him deep in his throat, sucking him down with his cheeks and his tongue like he’s desperate for a drink before he starts sucking him up and down too, tongue stuck out below his bottom lip, flicking at the underside of Jack’s cock.

“Oh fuck, oh shit.”

Jack’s grabbing at Robby, and Dennis has to get a hand on each of his legs to stop him from clenching shut as he takes him faster, drool covering his crotch and Jack’s whining now.

Robby growls in Jack’s ear “Don’t you stop looking at him Jack, fuck, look at our boy, he loves swallowing your cock.”

And Dennis moans, he loves being their boy, loves the look on Jack’s face as Dennis takes him apart, the heat in Robby’s gaze as he bites at Jack’s neck, never taking his eyes off Dennis.

“I’m gonna, Den, I’m, fuck-”

And Dennis wants to swallow Jack down, so he does. He’s never been able to deepthroat, hasn’t had enough chance to practice, but he makes a swallowing motion as deep as he can comfortably get, feels Jack’s knot inflate somewhat, bumping against his nose, and Jack’s coming in his mouth and down his throat, and Dennis can‘t get enough of the thick hot spurts and the noises Jack’s making. Dennis watches him, and Jack’s trying to do as Robby said, to keep looking at Dennis, but he can’t keep his eyes open. Dennis doesn’t mind, the blissed out look of Jack’s pretty eyelashes fluttering as he pants out his release, Robby holding him steady, is so fucking hot Dennis is sure if someone touched him right now he’d come on the first stroke.

Dennis slowly lowers the suction on Jack as he can feel him twitch with over sensitivity, and he kitten licks at him instead, cleaning him up and enjoying the feel and taste as Jack softens a bit.

Jack lets out a shaky sigh as he releases one of his hands from its death grip on Robby, running it through Dennis’s hair indulgently, looking at Dennis with big dark eyes full of wonder.

“God. Baby, your mouth is absolute heaven.”

“You are. Think I leaked on the floor a bit.” Dennis admits, and Jack throws his head back and groans, whispering “Mikey, he’s trying to kill me”, which makes Dennis blush. Sucking Jack has been a real ego boost.

Dennis returns to lazily lapping at Jack’s slightly softened dick, enjoying as it twitches and Jack squirms a little. He tongues under the head, feeling a ridge he isn’t expecting, he pulls off, handling Jack’s dick to look –

“Do you have your fucking dick pierced?!?”

Robby laughs.

“Goddammit. Mikey said the same damn thing. Yes, it’s pierced, no, I will not put the Jewellery back in for you.”

“Trust me Den, I’ve tried.”

“Holy shit.” Did he wear a ring in it? Dennis has seen videos of men with them, fuck. He tongues at the hole at the base of Jack’s head, making the other man whimper and jerk.

“Denny, baby, I can do round two, but not right away.”

Dennis blushes, kissing Jack’s thigh in apology.

“Come up here, angel.” Robby asks. He’s holding a floppy Jack up against his chest, and Dennis rises before perching himself on the edge of the bed next to Jack. Robby grabs him behind the neck and pulls him in for a filthy kiss. He’s got his firm tongue in Dennis’s mouth in an instant, and he groans realising Robby’s after a taste of Jack too.

Dennis strokes Robby’s cheek, still tactile after sucking Jack, needing to pet at someone, and Robby seems happy to let Dennis stroke his beard while they make out for a few moments, before Robby pulls back, leaning his forehead against Dennis.

“Shit, you’re something else.”

“I don’t know what that means.” Dennis says dumbly, and Jack laughs, finally back in his body and he’s pawing at Dennis, pushing him down onto the bed to lean over him and kiss him slow, stroking over Dennis’s belly.

“Den, are you sure you still want to watch me and Robby, cos I would fucking love to take you apart darling.”

Honestly Dennis barely knows what he wants right now, his rut is burning him up. “We can do both.”

Jack dives into his neck and Dennis is on fire with it, loves having Jack’s hands on him and the long hot expanse of their skin touching. It’s so much fucking better now that they’re both naked. And Dennis remembers that Robby is still half dressed.

“Robby, pants off, get over here.”

And the bed shakes a bit before Robby’s broad body is on Dennis’s other side, kissing his cheek.

“Fuck, your skin feels amazing Alphas.”

Robby growls in agreement as he moves down to lick at Dennis’s nipple and Dennis shouts. Robby must be able to tell he’s a bit sensitive right now, so he mouths back up his chest to kiss him instead.

Dennis suddenly knows what he wants and he moans Jack’s name into Robby’s mouth, Jack pulling his face out of his neck to see what Dennis wants. Dennis turns his head, pulling Jack in to kiss him, before kissing Robby again, and slowly, the two other men get what’s he aiming for, and they’re both there, both of them kissing Dennis at once, lips and tongues opening Dennis up and kissing each other and Its so fucking good Dennis might pass out, honestly. His two Alphas pressed against him in his nest as they paw at him and each other, licking into him with sighs and moans.

Dennis turns his face away, overwhelmed, and Jack kisses his cheek while Robby chases his mouth, and Dennis fists Robby’s hair to pull him off him.

“Kiss Jack, please, want to watch you two.”

And Robby nods, smiling at Jack as he moves towards him above Dennis, it’s sweet at first. Slow and gentle, Robby runs a hand through Jack’s hair, stroking over the point of Jack’s ear which makes Jack smile into his mouth.

Dennis wriggles up the bed, sitting up to get a better look, and the other two men have more room now, Robby moving closer to get an arm around Jack as he deepens the kiss. Their chests are pressed together, and Dennis imagines his face sandwiched between them, the soft fur and flesh of Robby and the hard lines of jack. Jack strokes over the swell of Robby’s stomach, and Dennis wants to do that, didn’t think Robby would let him, and he lets out a little whine.  The other men break apart a little, to check on Dennis, and they see him staring at Jack’s hand on Robby’s stomach, with what he knows are red eyes that betray how turned on he is by the sight.

Jack knows exactly what’s got Dennis so worked up, he grips at Robby’s stomach a bit. “Isn’t he gorgeous, Den?”

“Yeah, yeah he is.”

“See Mikey, told you your body is hot. Just look at how worked up our little Alpha is from looking at you.”

Robby ducks his head and Dennis want’s there to be no room for confusion so he lunges for Robby, climbing around behind him and wrapping his hands around his soft tummy, running his fingers through the curled hairs there with a filthy groan, as he rubs his dick against Robby’s back a few times. His mouth is open and panting over the notch in Robby’s neck at the top of his spine, forehead pressed against the hairs at the nape of his neck.

“Robby, you feel so good.”

Jack purrs at the praise Dennis is giving his mate, and Jack moves in to kiss Robby again, to take his mind off the other two men’s attention on his body.

Jack brings his fingers to Robby’s nipples, and runs them between his knuckles, rolling his thumbs over the hardened nubs.

Robby sighs into Jack’s mouth.

Jack rolls away from Robby for a bit, grabbing the lube from the bedside table. He’s back on Robby, kissing him as he pours out the liquid onto his fingers, warming it slightly before stroking over Robby’s cock with it, making him groan. Dennis needs a better look, so he wriggles to Robby’s side, replacing his hand back on his tummy, this time from the front, and Robby laughs at Dennis’s blatant enjoyment of this part of his body. Jack crawls somehow closer to Robby, and they lazily rub against each other as they kiss. Robby grabs Jack’s ass cheeks to grind them together, and after letting Jack take the lead for so long he flips them. Dennis stays seated, enjoying the view of Robby manhandling Jack around the bed.

Robby puts Jack on his stomach, kissing down his back, holding Jack’s head down into the pillows as he playfully bites at his hard ass, making him hiss. Jack’s back muscles are doing something funny to Dennis’s brain. He’s never seen someone so built naked and up close before. He’d never been really into it before, but he is definitely, definitely into Jack. Robby turns to Dennis, to check in and he nearly comes just from being perceived, shit.

“Den, do you want us to keep going?” Robby asks, heat in his tone.

Dennis moves his tongue around a bit, remembering how to make words. “What would you… what happens next?”

“Well, tonight, I can tell that our pretty Alpha wants to get fucked, don’t you Jacky.”

Jack moans before answering. “Shit, yeah, yeah.”

“So I would open him up and take him.”

Dennis just nods.

Robby smiles, fangs peeking out and Dennis is so fucking hard. “Do you want to help pup?”

Dennis does.

“good, Jack, up you get” Robby is pulling jack up onto his knees, holding him around the chest so Jack is on display. He gestures for Dennis move infront of Jack, which he does.

“Jack, kiss your Alpha, he’s being so sweet for you.”

And Jack whines before he kisses Dennis, who presses up against his front, basically frotting together and making out upright on their knees.

Jack gasps into Dennis’s mouth, and Dennis sees Robby’s arm moving, realises he’s got a finger in him.

“Oh shit, Robby, I can take another.”

“Always so greedy, you might not know this Dennis, but Jack used to be a bit of a slut, didn’t you Jacky?”

Jack is smiling, pressing back into Robby’s hand as it stretches him. “Fuck you Mikey, what’s this ‘used to’ business.”

They laugh, Dennis didn’t know you were allowed to laugh and make jokes while you were fucking, he’s never done that before, he thought it all had to be serious.

“I’m still, fuck, still a slut for you Alphas, fuck, want your knots.”

Robby pants into his neck “Yeah?”

Jack looks at Dennis. “Den, fuck, do you want to?”

Dennis is scared. The idea is delicious, but he thinks it’s too much for him tonight. “I… I want Robby to, tonight, can we another time?”

Jack doesn’t miss a beat. Any shame Dennis feels for saying no immediately pushed away. “Fuck, yeah, yeah, keep me waiting. I’d wait forever. You want to watch Robby take me, huh? He’s so fucking big, fucks me so good.”

Dennis licks him before grunting into his mouth. “How do his fingers feel?”

“Shit, they always feel so good. He’s pent up today though, you had him so hot all day Den. Yesterday too. Did he tell you, what we did last night while you slept? After you came down my throat, sweetheart?

Dennis shakes his head. Robby groans. “Fuck, Jacky.”

Dennis thinks Robby might be adding another finger, because both of the older men moan out together before Robby’s arm starts shifting harder behind Jack.

“I made him shove me to the floor. I got on my knees and… fuck, Robby fucked my face. Came all over me.”

Dennis moans at the image. He wants to see Jack like that, wants to be Jack, fucked out and covered in Robby.

Jack presses back against Robby, slowing his rhythm and circling his hips with his eyes closed before looking back at Dennis. “Do you want to slick him up for me, baby?”

Robby does, if the filthy moan he lets out is any indication.

Dennis gets off the bed to head around to Robby, and Robby slaps Jack’s ass before getting up too. Dennis leans up to meet Robby in a filthy kiss, delighted by the feel of their naked bodies together. His knees feel a little week as he reaches down to stroke Robby. Dennis pushes him back a step and Robby makes a stunned little noise, like he’s surprised Dennis has the strength to move him at all. Robby cleans off his hand with a wet wipe and hands Dennis the lube and a condom from the draw behind him, Dennis sinking to his knees. He puts a little lube on the inside of the condom, so it’ll be wet and slick on Robby’s tip before he rolls it down along his prick. He’s long, like the rest of him, and thick and heavy too and Dennis can’t imagine how it must feel, to have Robby inside you. He wants to, but he might need to ask Jack about it first. It’s a lot.

Robby moans while Dennis gets him ready. Once the condom is on, he pours more lube directly onto Robby’s cock and he hisses as the cool liquid hits his hot skin, but it quickly warms up as Dennis jerks his cock lazily, slicking him for Jack.

“Ready Alpha?” Dennis purrs up at Robby from his spot on the floor, and he feels his dick twitch in his hand. Robby hauls him up for a filthy kiss before pushing him onto the bed with one hand.

“Denny, can you hold me up?” Jack asks sweetly, and Dennis nods immediately. Jack smiles wide, helping move Dennis to the head of the bed, with his legs out in front of him. Jack hovers over Dennis’s lap, his legs spread wide, wide enough for Robby to scootch up behind him for Robby to slot his knees in between Dennis’s and Jacks legs.

Jack cups Dennis’s cheek from his spot above him. “This ok, baby?”

Having Jack above him is a sight, he’s got a full view of his handsome face and his gorgeous chest and his demanding cock. Dennis’s legs are pinned together by Jack’s thick thighs and Robby’s knees and calves where he’s kneeling between Jack, kissing Jack’s shoulder.

Dennis nods, it’s more than ok, and Jack breathes out slowly, nodding a little to Robby. Dennis holds his breath as he watches Jack’s face as Robby slowly fills him. He must be almost all the way in, and suddenly Jack looks a little overwhelmed, and Dennis grips at his peck, which seems to help, Jack gabs at his hand, breathing out and relaxing again, and Robby moans against his shoulders before he starts to slowly move.

Robby grunts into his back. “Fuck Jacky, you really needed it huh baby?”

Jack whines, nodding.

“He feels so hot Den, so fucking good.”

Dennis can’t believe the sight of Jack getting fucked above him. “He looks good too. Jack, so fucking good.”

Jack smiles a little, eyes meeting Dennis as he decides to give him a bit of a show, rolling his obscene abs, pressing back against Robby, bringing an arm to the headboard between Dennis’s pillows to give him more leverage. Dennis can see the strong muscles of his arm and shoulder while he gets fucked, he’s beautiful.

Dennis helps hold Jack up as Robby fucks into him, Robby kissing his shoulders, grabbing his hair. They pick up the pace, Robby pushing quick little grunts out of Jack’s lungs, their skin slaps, and Jack starts glistening in a fine layer of sweat. Robby wrenches Jack’s head back, leaning around him and on him, pressing him against Dennis so Robby can lick into Dennis’s mouth, Jack trapped between them as he keeps fucking into him.

Jack’s moaning non stop at this point, his body going slack between robby and Dennis, and Robby slowly starts changing his thrusts, less hard and fast, more slow and deep, and Jack must like that because the ragged noise the rips from his throat makes the other two men moan.

Robby kisses Jack neck before turning back to Dennis. “He can take it so deep Den, he’s so fucking hungry.”

Jack just nods, rubbing his stubbly face agains dennis’s chest, leaving red marks there.

Dennis loves their dirty talk. It always makes everything so much hotter. He can see how much they both get into it, how hot it makes them. He wants to try. “How much can you take Jack?”

Jack whines at the question “Whatever you give me, Alphas”

Robby scrunches his face before letting out a hard breath. “Fucking clenching around me, shit, love’s you talking filthy to him.”

Dennis can feel his internal filter melting away. Rut and the encouragement of his Alphas emboldening him to join in. “Is that right Jack? You want me inside you too baby? Feeling all your sensitive spots? Telling you how good for feel?”

Robby and Jack are grinding hard and deep, Dennis’s dick is pinned against Jack’s stomach, and fuck he feels so good rubbing against him.

Jack is licking at Dennis’s chest as he whines back at him. “Yes Alpha. Want you to fuck me, show Robby how good I can be for you.”

Dennis is all heat, the words are just falling out of him now. “Mmm, so good for your Alpha. Do you think you could take my whole hand, to show Robby?”

Jack jerks tight against him, “Fuck! Yeah, yes.”

Dennis shoves three fingers into Jack’s mouth, and the sound that Jack makes feels like it’s being ripped out of him, it’s so raw.

Dennis scootches further down the bed, lies down almost flat squirming under Jack as Robby keeps Jack down onto dennis, there cocks are lined up now, rubbing together as Robby jerks Jack back and forth on his dick, effectively fucking Jack’s cock along Dennis’s. It’s knocking his breath out and Jack bites into Dennis’s shoulder, grabs onto him with sharp alpha claws, holding on tight while Robby pistons into him.

Now that he’s started, Dennis can’t keep his mouth shut.

“Oh shit, fuck, just like that Robby, he’s so close aren’t you, Jack?” and Jack is nodding his head, whining into Dennis and around his fingers as hot tears start to rub against Dennis’s skin. Dennis pulls his fingers out and grabs Jacks jaw to give him a biting kiss, and Jack huffs out a laugh. His eyelashes are wet, and he’s so fucking pretty Dennis can’t stand it. Dennis wraps his arms around him, holds him tight as Jack moans into him while Robby keeps fucking him.

Dennis whsipers to him, “Doing so good.”

“Shit love you, love you, fuck, I’m gonna, gonna.”

And Jacks’ coming, hurt spurts on Dennis’s crotch and abdomen and himself, mixing with their sweat. It’s so fucking hot Dennis needs to breath deep to stop himself from tumbling over the edge too.

Robby leans forward, kissing Jack’s shoulder, “Good boy, Jacky.”

Jack shakes his head no. Dennis is worried for a moment but Robby just smiles, pulling Jack’s hair so he’s held up a bit, a blissed out look at Jacks face.

“Oh, good girl is it? So fucking pretty for her Alphas.”

Jack sighs, smiling, wriggling in Robby’s grasp.

Dennis thinks it’s so hot, the way Robby and Jack can just sort of play. That they can read each other and exert or give power so effortlessly. And Jack, fuck, who is so undeniably masculine, apparently likes being called a girl sometimes, frequently enough that Robby can tell when he wants it. And Jack’s unashamed enough to let Dennis see. He didn’t know that would all be hot, had never thought about it before, but it really is.

Robby purrs into Jack’s neck. “Baby girl, I’m not gonna knot your cunt tonight, think you’ve had enough, want you to cuddle up to your Alpha, ok?”

Jack nods, sighing as Robby pulls out before leaning himself forward, kissing Jack’s cheek and placing his mate’s head on Dennis’s shoulder. Jack nuzzles into Dennis, kissing Dennis’s neck as Robby sits back and pulls off the condom before lying down to Dennis’s other side.

Jack’s  a bit out of it, face dazed and blissed out. It’s a damn good look on him. Her? Dennis thinks the change in pronouns was just for that moment. He’s not sure if he should ask. He supposes it doesn’t really matter either way, it’s still Jack.

Robby lightly runs his fingers along Jack’s sweaty back, making him smile into Dennis’s skin. Before he mumbles, “want to watch you now.”

Robby looks at Dennis to see if he likes that plan, and Dennis is biting his lip, he’s impossible hard, yeah, yeah, he likes that plan.

“Yeah, ok, yeah.”

Robby’s voice is rough, raw from his workout with Jack. It’s stupid hot. “What do you want sweetheart?”

Dennis doesn’t want to wait. He just wants to feel Robby, and keep staying right here with Jack cuddled up, fucked out and happy.

Dennis shifts jack to his side and wraps his other arm around Robby’s waist, drawing him towards him.

“Just like this Alpha, want to feel you against me.”

Robby nods. “Yeah, yeah I want that too.”

Robby hitches Dennis’s leg up to the side, so there’s space for him between his thighs, and he rolls his hips against him. His hot cock presses against Dennis’s balls and his thigh and his dick, and shit, the size difference is jarring, he loves it. They’re both slick, and Dennis brings his hand down between them,  extending his fingers as far as he can to rub them together slowly, making Robby moan.

Robby joins him, his larger hand covering Dennis’s, squeezing them together as Robby thrusts them against each other. Dennis swearing and moaning at the feel of them frotting against each other.

Jack lifts his head to watch, licking his lips. Dennis buries his other hand in Jacks hair to help steady himself, bringing Jacks head back down to his shoulder, so they almost have the same view of the heads of Robby and Dennis’s cocks disspearing Into Robby’s fist, occasionally obscured by the fur and flesh of Robby’s chest.

Jack licks at Dennis’s skin,

“Fuck, you two are gonna kill me. Gonna make our boy come, Mikey?”

Robby grunts, picking up the pace, and Dennis can’t help but writhe beneath him, feeling his own knot swelling against Robby’s. He’s so close.

Robby’s close too, jerking quickly against Dennis, his face pressed into the pillows as he moans and swears. Dennis feels the heat of Robby’s knot pop against his hand and he squeezes him, milking him as Robby comes with a shout, spurting all over them, and the feel of his cum and the sounds of his breath and the press of his stuttering hips have Dennis coming too, his orgasm wrenched out of him in waves.

When Robby and Dennis have stopped spurting and jerking against each other, all three of them flop onto their backs, legs and arms tangled up together and splayed across the bed as they catch their breath.

Jack whistles. “We are so fucking good at that.”

And they’re laughing, Dennis smacks Jack and Jack fucking tickles him, and Robby growls playfully, pushing Jack off Dennis before Robby’s on top of them both, and they giggle and kiss and touch each others rapidly cooling skin before Robby bullies them all into the shower, Jack pulling a spare set of crutches from some contraption strapped under the bed, ready for action, typical.

“How many of those do you have stashed around this place?”

“Gotta be ready for when some hot guy carries me from room to room like I weigh nothing.” Jack kicks him playfully with his shorter leg, and Dennis laughs at the roughhousing. “How much do you bench?”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Mikey, he doesn’t know what that means!” Jack whines as he plops himself on the shower bench.

“Dennis, stop accidentally emasculating our Alpha, shampoo?”

The ensuite shower is huge. It’s got two shower heads and a big open wall to walk into easily. It fits all three of them, and Dennis thinks he could definitely get used to this.

He happily moves towards Robby to let the older man shampoo his hair. It doesn’t need a wash today, but what’s Dennis going to do, NOT let his Alpha pamper him when he wants to?

Robby’s fingers on his scalp are soothing, and Dennis leans back against his Alpha indulgently, Robby’s body all wet and soapy and this might be the hottest thing that’s ever happened to him, he thinks. After Dennis is rinsed and he opens his eyes safely with no suds, he gets an eye full of Jack Abbot opening his mouth to let the water wash over him and soaping his absurdly ripped body.

Maybe Dennis makes a noise without meaning to, because Jack pulls his head out of the water stream to open his eyes in Dennis’s direction, his mouth quirking up to the side.

“You know sweetheart, you’ve been hard this whole time.”

“I’m in rut and you’re both hot. Are you saying it’s a problem?” He teases.

Robby has been soaping up Dennis’s chest, but he presses against him sensually now, less clinical, wrapping a hand around his front, dipping down to scratch at Dennis’s public hair.

“Definitely not a problem, pup.”

“Right now I can’t think of one single problem I’ve ever had in my whole life.” Jack jokes, stretching his arms and cracking his back, enjoying the view of Robby beginning to slowly pump Dennis. Jack squeezes himself as he stares, he’s not hard, but it must feel good because he moans slightly.

“Do you want to come again?” Jack asks, leaning against the shower wall, relaxed and confident.

Dennis isn’t sure. He’s been hard whether he comes or not for most of the last 30 hours, and right now it feels like a balm to Dennis’s soul to be touched and to touch right back, his inner Alpha wanting to be close to the two strong man that are taking such good care of him. But he’s also starting to feel a little raw.

He answers honestly. “I don’t know.”

Robby kisses Dennis’s cheek before moving his hand off him, going back to soaping Dennis’s chest rather than stroking his dick and Dennis whines at the loss. Making the other two men chuckle.

“Seems like you do, pup.”

“Yeah it’s just…. I’m a bit sensitive.”

“Hmm, if only there was a way we could make you come without touching your gorgeous dick, huh?” Jack teases, and Dennis’s eyes snap open, does that mean what he thinks it means?

Robby grabs at his arse and oh, that is what they’re talking about.

Dennis moans, pressing himself back into Robby’s hand and his Alphas seem to like that response because they’re both chuckling again. Robby manhandles Dennis further out of the shower stream, closer to Jack. Jack turns to the shelf next to him and hands a big bottle out for Robby, who then moves his hand from the globe of Dennis’s arse to the cleft, rubbing between his cheeks slowly.

“Is this ok baby?”

Dennis shudders. “Yeah, please”. He gets a quick kiss to his neck in response as Robby’s hand leaves his body briefly before returning slick and of course Jack and Robby have a huge bottle of lube in their shower. Robby rubs the pad of his finger over his hole and Dennis looks at Jack, who’s cleaning under his arms like this is a normal thing to be watching in the shower. He can see Jack’s affected though, his breath controlled, his eyes dangerous.

Dennis wants Jack to enjoy the show, so when Robby starts pressing gently against him, Dennis makes sure to show Jack what it feels like. He lets his eyes flutter closed as his mouth falls open, hitching into a satisfied smile when Robby’s finger slides inside of him. He sighs as he focusses on relaxing his body. “Fuck, you feel so good. Knew you would.”

Robby slowly pumps his finger, he’s got his other arm around Dennis’s abdomen, and Dennis is holding onto his arm as he slowly presses back against the finger inside of him, trying to take him deeper.

Robby’s voice is thick and hot. “That’s it baby, fuck, good boy.” He starts to rub a second finger along his rim.

Dennis shifts, lifting his left leg to place it on the shower bench between Jack’s legs, giving Robby more room.

“Holy shit”, Jack flinches, surprised to suddenly have some of Dennis’s body so close to his dick. He scoots closer to run a hand along the muscle above Dennis’s knee.

“Need you fingers, Alpha”. Dennis’s voice is rough, fangs bared, and he holds on to Robby with one arm and grips Jack’s hand with the other. Jack looks shocked, maybe he’s never held someone hand while they get fingered by his mate in their ridiculously bougie shower before. Fair enough. It’s working for Dennis though, Robby’s got two fingers in him now, and he’s slowing pumping them past his rim over and over.

“He’s so hot inside Jack, shit.”

“He’s hot outside too.”

Dennis squeezes his hand as he laughs a little at Jack’s stupid joke.

Jack rubs his thumb over Dennis’s hand. “Has someone done this with you before baby?”

Dennis nods. “Yeah, yeah but just as prep, never just because.”

“Well, that is a damn shame, I could finger you for hours, gorgeous.” Robby purrs into his ear, shifting the angle of his fingers so he’s rubbing over Dennis’s prostate. “Oh fuck, Robby!” His dick jumps, and Jack swears, knowing exactly the spot Robby’s now touching.

“Mm, I know baby, that’s the spot huh?”

“Yeah, yeah, shit, harder.”

“Our boy is so greedy, Jack”

“Good, he deserves it. Give him another one Robby. Do you want that baby? Want Robby to stretch you?”

Dennis is nodding non stop, his head’s going fuzzy and his legs are shaking a bit, it feels so good.

Robby removes the hand around his abdomen to reslick his fingers and Dennis falls forward a bit, leaning on his knee to hold himself up. Jack moves closer again to run a hand through his wet hair, cupping the side of his face.

Dennis feels Robby’s fingers dipping into his hole, shallowly playing with his rim and Dennis whines, shuddering, he needs it. Please please please.

Jack looks over Dennis’s shoulder at Robby and gives him a little nod and Dennis is stretched open by slick fingers, shallow at first, and then deeper until they shift to rub over the bundle of nerves that’s making him squirm. Dennis cries out, and when Robby brings his other hand to his shoulder, holding onto him and pulling him back towards his fingers with each thrust, like he’s fucking him for real, Dennis knows it won’t be long. In a few more thrusts he’s splashing over Jack’s leg and the shower floor, Robby milking him through it for what feels like forever.

Next thing he knows he’s got his hands on Jack’s shoulders, he’s bent forward on shaking legs and Jack’s talking him through it. Robby is rubbing slow circles over the small of his back.

“Such a good boy, you did so well baby, so good for your Alphas, that’s it, you’re alright…”

And Dennis didn’t realise he was crying a bit, but Jack’s wiping his face with his thumb before kissing the inside of Dennis’s elbow.

“That was a big one huh?”

Dennis whines. Yeah, it was.

“Wanna come sit here with me?”

No, Dennis doesn’t want to sit, he carefully lowers himself to the tiled floor instead, perching on his knees as he leans against Jack’s leg, resting his head on his thigh.

“Or on the floor. Whatever you want darling.”

Jack strokes his hair as he pours body wash down his back, leaning over Dennis to soap up his back, carefully cleaning the lube off him.

It’s not long before the shower is off, and he’s being wrapped up in a big fluffy towel, being towelled down, still leaning on Jack, rubbing his face on Jack’s strong thigh.

Robby swims in to view, he’s crouching down in front of him and holding his face in his warm hands and Dennis thinks that if Robby could just hold his face up for him all the time, that would be ok. His head is so heavy. It’s hard to hold it up himself.

“Dennis, sweetheart, it’s time to get up. Can you do that?”

Dennis thinks about it for a minute. If he gets up, then he gets to curl up next to his Alphas in his nest.

Yes, Dennis can definitely get up.

He starts to move and Robby helps him to his feet. Once he’s standing Dennis is walked back to the bed, and deposited into the centre of the sheets, his towel replaced with a soft comforter. He hears Jack’s crutches go from tile to rug before the bed dips, and suddenly he’s safely bundled in Jack’s arms.

“Puppy, can you drink some of this for me?”

He’s got a plastic bottle pressed to his lips, and yeah, he’s thirsty, so he takes a few gulps of the sweet and slightly salty liquid before happily snuggling back in to Jack.

Not long after, Robby is pressed behind him. Dennis is very happy to feel nothing but skin between them.

He settles into the bed to the sound of his two Alphas soft voices talking to each other, or to him, he’s not sure. He thinks he thanks them both before his deep purrs rock him to sleep.

Chapter Text

“…like equals.”

Dennis has been in his home for, what, a grand total of two fucking days and the kid has somehow managed to figure out the exact thing that Robby has been doing wrong in every single relationship he’s ever had: workplace, personal, or romantic.

He’s not sure if he should feel pissed off or supremely fucking grateful.

His exes had all told him that he’d kept them at a distance, and he’d always grumpily disagreed. Robby worked hard to listen to his partners, tried to give them what they wanted and always dealt with as much as he could by himself to keep things easy for them, not burdening them with his bullshit. He never understood how he could work so hard to please them yet be told repeatedly that he was holding back. How could they all think that he wasn’t giving enough when he felt exhausted from the constant effort. Maybe he just wouldn't ever be good enough.

Something had clicked during Pittfest. In the back of that ambulance with Heather, as she told him what had happened, Robby had felt the distance between them. The distance he had put there, and how it felt to be on the other side of it. She couldn’t even use the real words, that she had needed an abortion and hadn’t been able to tell him. Hearing that she had gone through it alone even while they were together and then kept going through it alone for years after they’d stopped seeing each other hit him hard. As she cried on his shoulder, Robby realised that his whole ‘I’m protecting everyone’ routine might not be protection at all. Maybe keeping people safe from his bullshit just keeps them away. Keeps them from telling him the truth.

He'd screamed at Frank that he should have come to Robby for help only an hour earlier. He’d been furious at him for going so far down the wrong path, for not asking for help. Robby would have done the exact same thing though, wouldn’t he? Does do the exact same thing. Frank was just copying his mentor, like he was meant to.

That was the distance. The secrets. The trying to hold it together alone. ‘Distant’ never made sense to him, it felt impossible to fix because Robby was always right fucking there.

Equal though. Equal makes sense to him.

He doesn’t know why he does it, or even how he manages it honestly. It’s a bizarre blend of thinking he’s lower than dirt whilst simultaneously being superior enough to expect himself to solve every problem and know every solution. He doesn’t know how those two contradictory beliefs can both exist within him so strongly, but now there’s a word that has something to do with it, that could maybe unlock some of his bullshit.

Robby holding himself on both a pedestal and in the gutter makes his partners feel unequal. Makes them unequal, because he places himself somehow above and below them, instead of beside them.

He doesn’t want Dennis to feel like Robby isn’t beside him.

He doesn’t want Jack to feel like that either. He’s sure that he has though. Robby has come a long way with Jack, but he’s aware there’s still plenty of room for improvement on his part. He still holds things close to his chest when he’s ashamed or thinks he should be able to handle everything. Doesn’t tell Jack things. Jack just knows things. That’s why it works. Jack’s got some magic built-in Robby interpreter that means he’s just aware of the crap he isn’t telling him. And he has spies everywhere in the ER of course, Robby knows Dana and Jack have a not-so-secret message thread labelled “recipes”, like they think that means Robby wouldn’t have found it (he clicked on it accidentally, otherwise it totally would have worked), where she snitches on him to Jack.

Dennis doesn’t have spies or a magic Robby interpreter. He doesn’t have decades of life to harden him into being sure of himself in the way Jack has. So, Robby needs to fix this thing he does for Dennis. And Jack shouldn’t need to have hidden messenger threads or to have to work out all of Robby’s secrets either. He wonders how much energy it must be taking up, for Jack to do all of that.

The view from the roof swims into view and shame swallows him at the memory. It’s the whole reason he went to therapy, not for the intensity of his feelings on that awful night or how far they’d actually led him, but because he’d gotten so close that Jack had had to talk him down. Robby had let the voices in his head get so loud that his mate had found him on the roof, stethoscope off, right at the edge. It wasn’t like when he finds Jack there, they both know what that is, that is Jack being honest. Dealing with his feelings. It’s a shorthand between them, Jack telling Robby ‘I’m not good right now, brother’, and Jack stays there until he feels better, always leaves a little bit stronger, comforted with the reminder that he doesn’t want to jump. Jack gets bad, sure, but he never gets that close, not anymore.

When Jack found Robby on the roof though, they both knew that Robby had little intention of leaving via the stairs.

Jack has lost a mate before. He’d told Robby that night, when they were home in bed, that he doesn’t think he could go through it again. So, if Robby didn’t want to go to therapy for himself, could he maybe go just for Jack?

Jack very rarely asks him for anything. So, he went.

Robby has work to do, and now thanks to the young man in their bed, all big blue eyes and creamy skin and cute smile, what that work actually is looks a little bit clearer. It’s easier for him to make out in the fog. Equals. That’s what Jack and Dennis deserve. Not by him removing himself from the equation, but by working to become the man they deserve.

So, when Jack leaves them to talk in private after Dennis’s very justified tantrum, Robby gets started. He talks. He figures that’s as good a place to start as any.

And its ok. Good. Once he starts its almost easy even. To tell Dennis all the silly thoughts in his head. And sure, he’s started with something simple, telling him about Jack, and then how he feels about Dennis, but still, it’s a start. If the blinding smile Dennis is giving him is any indication, the way the younger man looks more open as Robby tells him how he feels without excuses or apologies, leans towards him instead of away, it seems to be a good start.

Honesty. Sharing. Equals.

Huh.

He tries it with Jack too. He often shares with Jack of course. Tells him the truth. That he loves him. That he’s gorgeous and wonderful. But the good things he says are rarely just that. They’re ‘I don’t know why you put up with me, I’m so lucky to have you’, or ‘I’m sorry I snapped again, you’re amazing.’ A good thing to soothe the bad that is Robby. Two levels, one below for him, one above for Jack. So tonight, he whispers to Jack as he’s dishing up their pasta that he makes him the happiest he’s ever been, and the dazzling smile Jack throws his way, even if it’s immediately followed with an eye roll and a scoffed “sap”, is good too. It’s really good.

Later, after Jack comes apart beneath him and he loses himself in the two men he can’t get enough of, after he feels along Dennis’s impossibly soft insides and helps him cry out, moans echoing off the tiles before collapsing into Jack’s waiting arms, Robby tells Jack. About equals. About distance. As Dennis softly snores between them Robby reaches for Jack who sheds a few tears as Robby tells him how he’s going to do better, how he knows how to start now. How he doesn’t want to feel lower than Jack and also still hold himself above him anymore. He wants to be exactly where Jack is, beside him and with him completely. He didn’t realise he wasn’t, but now that he does, he’s going to work hard to fix it.

Jack’s gorgeous hazel eyes flit over his face, sparkling with unshed tears and the reflections from the streetlights outside, they normally never see them with the curtains drawn, and it make it seem like he has a constellation of stars in his eyes, aimed directly at Robby. He looks younger, He thinks. The handsome etched lines of his face still present, but like he’s lighter. Hopeful. Robby wants to keep making him look like that. Promises himself that he will.

His treacherous brain immediately tries to poke at him, tell him that he should’ve always looked like this, that it’s Robby’s fault he’s tired and worn, that Jack’s been burdened with him, but he knows now that the voice is taking him away from Jack, so he tells it to fuck off. He thinks Jack’s voice joins his own in his head, telling the thoughts to leave his mate alone unless he wants an orchiectomy. Dennis is there laughing, backing Jack up, spitting that he’ll gladly help with the procedure, it’ll be great experience for a student doctor.

Robby chuckles, and Jack furrows his brow, wondering what’s funny. And fuck it, equals, Robby tells him. Tells him what his brain thought and then how brain Jack and brain Dennis came to his rescue. Jack looks at him like Robby’s a beautiful mad genius, leaning forward to kiss him, and they smile into each other’s lips as they each breathe in the air of the man they love.

Dennis stirs a little between their chests, of course he does, he’s been jostled and now squished, so Jack rolls back to where he was, stroking Dennis’s hair as the younger man sniffles a bit before promptly going back to the tiny soft noises of a peaceful sleep.

They both watch him for a long time before Jack whispers, “When I was little, mum always talked about angels…”

Robby knows what he means, looking at Dennis. He’s even let the nickname slip a few times, angel. He must have got it from somewhere, there’s a million petnames he could have picked. Seems that Jack agrees.

Jack continues. “I mean, I don’t believe in… you know that, haven’t since I was, what, ten and Santa brought mum another black eye and me a broken arm. But, when I was properly little, I think I thought they were real.”

“Kid told me earlier that he used to have a crush on the archangel Michael”, Robby admits, and Jack snickers.

“Figures, he looks at you like… yeah. You know the look I mean.”

“Yeah, I know it. You’re looking at him with it right now, Jacky.”

Jack pauses at that. “Hmm… maybe I am.”

They’re silent again, just listening to Dennis breathe as Jack runs his hand through his hair. Robby likes that he’s grown it out a bit, the waves spill down his neck just a little, one precious curl swoops tightly, right at the base of his neck. The coil is just big enough for Robby to extend his finger through its loop and stroke the skin on the other side.

Jack’s breath hitches. “Robby, do you…”

Does Robby love Dennis? Does he know what they should do next? Does Robby mind, if Jack loves him too? Does Robby know that its way, way too soon for all of this?

“Do I what, love?”

“I don’t even know.” Jack laughs, “Man, did we bite off more than we can chew?”

“I’ve seen you chew an awful lot, remember that steak challenge at that conference in Texas?” Jack laughs quietly at Robby’s stupid reminder before Robby continues. “Are you... are you worried? Does it feel like too much?”

Jack exhales slowly, thinking about it. “No, it doesn’t, that’s the weird thing man, it should be way too much. But it feels like the easiest thing in the world.”

Robby agrees. “Yeah, I… yeah. It does.”

Jack nods. “Easy but, like… important. Really fucking important.” Jack goes back to watching his hand as he strokes it through Dennis’s hair. “Ok, so, what the fuck do we do next? It’s only been two days but it… shit”

Robby agrees. It feels like years and also no time at all. Like Dennis has somehow always been here but like he’s brand new as well, shiny and breakable.

Robby shrugs. “Maybe we just keeping doing what he asks us to? Seems to be working out pretty well so far?”

Jack considers that. “Go with the flow?”

Robby shrugs again.

Jack fake whispers, “Who are you and what have you done with Michael Robinavitch?”

Robby replies honestly, a smile on his lips. “I dunno man, I feel weird.”

Now it’s Jack’s turn to shrug. “Kid’s good for you.”

They both know it’s true. It’s sort of undeniable, the effect Dennis has had on Robby. He wants to make sure Jack doesn’t give Dennis all the credit though. “Only because I’ve had years of being loved exactly as I am to build on, baby.”

Jack’s answering smile is small and soft. God, Robby loves him.

“Is he… does he feel good for you too, Jack?”

Jack lets a puff of air out as he holds Dennis a little tighter. Jack squeezes his eyes closed and when he looks back at Robby they’re glistening.

“Yeah… yeah he really does. Like, I didn’t think I needed anything else but… He feels good. Feels right.”

“Looks right too, you guys together.” Robby admits, openly admiring his mate and their new Alpha snuggled together.

Jack rolls his eyes. “Curls get the girls. You’ve got a type, Robinavitch.”

Robby leans forward to kiss him. “Wasn’t that long ago you thought he was a ‘twinky little beta’, if I recall?”

“Yeah well, that was before he popped a knot and carried me around my own loungeroom. I’m bound to be wrong once every ten years I suppose. And you’ll recall, I still thought he was hot.”

Robby kisses him a few times, because he always does, when they get to fall asleep at the same time for a change. Maybe his good mood isn’t all Dennis, maybe it’s the combination of having time on the same schedule as Jack too. Robby cards a hand through Jacks thick curls, scratching at his scalp in the way that makes the other man purr, and sure enough, Jack’s rubbing against has hand and his happy Alpha scent coils around him, making Robby’s eyes droop and his lips quirk into a content smile.

“Ready to sleep my love?”

“Yeah, I had a bit of a workout earlier.”

Robby blushes. Yes, Jack did have a bit of a workout. And tomorrow is likely to be just as intense as Dennis’s rut reaches its peak.

“Love you, Mikey.”

“Love you too, Jacky.”

+++

Dennis wakes them before the sun is up. He writhes and wails in the centre of the bed, flush and hot until Robby takes him into his mouth and Jack kisses his greedy lips. The first time is quick, but Dennis is immediately ready to go again, so Robby holds him against his chest, stroking his sweat drenched curls as Jack fingers him, slow at first and then increasingly desperate as Dennis writhes in their grip.

“Do you need to knot baby?” Robby asks as Dennis cries out, jerking into Robby’s slick fist as Jack rubs against his prostate with three fingers.

“No. Need your knot Alpha, need to taste you please.”  

And well, Robby’s a bit surprised by that, usually it’s the other way round at this point in a rut, but if that’s what Dennis wants, then that’s what he’ll get.

Robby shifts up the bed a bit and Dennis greedily buries his face in Robby’s crotch, inhaling his scent and drooling all over him before mouthing at the base of his slowly filling dick. Robby nearly shouts when the kid gets his fucking teeth out just a little and presses them gently along the side of his prick.

“Jesus Den, fuck.”

Dennis licks up his length, over and over, like he’s something delicious and melting, and Robby throws an arm over his face, it’s so hot and mortifying he needs to hide from Dennis devouring him.

Until Dennis starts growling, that is. “Look at me”, Dennis demands, a tinge of Alpha command in his voice.

Robby removes his arm, takes in Dennis’s red eyes and panting mouth. Jack behind him, stroking his back as he fingers into him.

Dennis squeezes his balls, making Robby gasp. “It’s me making you feel good. You’re my Alpha.”

Robby nods, mouth open as Dennis bares his fangs before swirling his tongue around the head of Robby’s dick.

Dennis purrs around his cock, and the vibrations send a jolt all through Robby.

“Will you cum all over me?” Dennis asks sweetly before swallowing him.

He sucks him down, a hand stroking at his base to hold him steady, and he’s fully hard now. Robby’s got a big dick, he’s been told that enough to just accept it as objective fact, and Dennis is doing a great job at taking as much of him as he can. Robby tries not to jerk his hips, but it’s hard when the kid is so damn hungry for him.

Dennis pops off him again with a pained whine, pushing back against Jack and rolling his hips, panting against Robby’s soaked dick. “Alphas please. Jack I need your cum too. Need both of you.”

Jack and Robby share a look, Robby nodding at Jack to do whatever he thinks their boy needs.

Jack leans forward to kiss Dennis’s shoulder. “How do you want me Denny?”

Dennis reaches up and behind him, fisting into Jacks hair and dragging his face into his own for a biting kiss over his shoulder. “Fuck me, please Jack. Need you so bad.”

“Shit baby, you got it.” Dennis releases him and Jack pulls his fingers out of him to grab a condom from the bedside table. Dennis doesn’t like that though, he swats it out of Jack’s hand with a growl.

“I want your cum.”

Jack looks a bit shocked. “You sure? There’s no issues health wise; we mostly use them to make clean up easier.”

Dennis nods. “No condom, come in me, breed me, Alpha.”

Robby can’t help but groan at Dennis’s filthy demand.

“Fucking hell kid, yeah, yeah ok.”

Dennis rests the side of his face back against Robby’s groin, happy that Jack is going to give him what he wants. He turns his head as far as he can to watch Jack as he enters him.

Robby can’t look away either, his mate slowly presses into Dennis with a little ‘oh’ expression on his face. Robby feels Dennis’s hot breath against him as his fingers dig into Robby’s thighs as Jack stretches him. Robby knows how good it feels, to have Jack’s thick cock slide into you. The perfect length to just ram over that spot as he stretches you out, and when he knots, fuck, he can’t wait to see Dennis’s face.

Once Jack is fully seated in Dennis the kid finally starts to relax, his frantic need mellowing out somewhat, Robby can see the surprisingly strong muscles of Dennis’s back de clench as he lets out a long slow moan, circling his hips to feel Jack inside him.

“Thank you, Alpha.” Dennis purrs before resuming his attention on Robby’s cock.

Jack and Robby meet each other’s eyes as Jack slowly begins to move inside Dennis. Robby’s never slept with more than one person at a time, not before these last few days, and watching Jack slowly plunge into Dennis, firm and deep, the look of his strong muscles clenching, his intense gaze, it’s impossibly fucking hot.

“Our Alpha looks so good fucking you Denny. How does he feel?”

Dennis moans around Robby’s dick, pulling off to mouth along the side so he can answer. Such a good boy. “Feels amazing. It’s shit, it’s never felt like this.”

Robby tries not to let that go to his head, that his mate is fucking Dennis better than he’s ever had. That he’ll keep fucking him that well as often and for as long as the young Alpha wants.

“Mikey, shit, kid’s so goddamn tight. So fucking hot inside.”

Jack fucks him slow, Dennis rolls his spine as he licks at Robby, sucking him down slowly, content with being filled from both ends until he decides to take Robby deep, knocking his head against the back of Dennis’s throat and Robby can’t help but thrust up into that incredible slick heat. Dennis moans as he chokes a little, and everything speeds up as he slams back against Jack a few times. Jack get the picture to pick up the pace and Dennis happily lets his head loll against Robby’s thigh for a bit before shifting up a little with the momentum of Jack’s thrusts, lapping at Robby’s slit as Robby fists his hands into the sheets, trying not to come too fast.

After a few particularly hard thrusts that make Jack moan out Dennis’s name, Dennis gasps out and claws at Robby, scratching down along his chest, making him thrash and cry out at the sting. Dennis’s claws burn, but the sharp pain is immediately replaced with a spreading heat over his skin, a hum of adrenaline at the shock that makes him float and moan out at the pain and the pleasure of the young Alpha just taking what he wants from Robby’s body. Dennis is a man possessed, he pulls off Robby’s cock and scrambles up, taking Robby’s tit into his mouth and sucking hard, curling his hand around Robby’s cock and stripping him between their stomachs with a furious pace.

Jack fucks into him hard and fast now, knowing Dennis needs it, fingers gripping into his hips, as Jack lets his Alpha claws come out to properly grip into Dennis’s sides. The younger man cries out, open mouth panting over Robby’s nipple before he rubs his teeth and fangs over Robby’s flesh, testing how it feels.

Robby’s nearly at his breaking point. “Shit, Den, I’m gonna come baby.”

Dennis whines into his skin. “Please Alpha, please.”

Jack’s close too. “Fuck, me too, fuck, take it baby.”

“Yes, yes yes yes knot me pleaaase”

Jack’s strokes start to falter, from long and hard into quick little jabs deep inside Dennis as his knot catches, and Dennis cries out at the stretch. His hands scramble against Robby in a moment of panic before he sinks his claws into him, his open mouth biting into the swell of his chest with his fangs, sinking them into Robby’s already tender flesh from where he’d been sucking at him, and that sends Robby over the edge, spurting up onto Dennis’s chest and over his hand as Dennis sucks his nipple and the flesh around it into his mouth with bruising suction. It fucking hurts but it also feels so, so good, and Robby thinks he’s shaking a little as the last of his orgasm wracks through him.

Jack falls forward against Dennis’s back, panting as he wraps his arms around Dennis’s middle, slowly pulling him off Robby and shifting them to the side a little, still filling him with small little thrusts as he drains his knot that’s locking them together.

Dennis reaches for Robby, fingers running through as much of Robby’s cum as he can get from their bodies and rubbing it over his own chest. Once he’s covered, he runs his hand down to his still hard cock, red eyes locked on Robby as he strokes his sticky hand over himself, slowly tugging at his dick with his mouth open and panting, Robby’s blood staining his lips. Shit. Dennis rakes his eyes down Robby’s chest to his bite mark, whimpering at the sight and his hand comes off his dick, that must be hard, Robby thinks, Dennis is so impossibly hard it’s got to be torture to stop touching himself. He grips at the flesh of Robby’s chest, rough, smearing Robby’s blood over his hand before he brings it to his own mouth. Robby almost moves to stop him, its so un fucking sanitary, but he’s fixated, stuck on the look of bliss Dennis gets when he brings his fingers to his mouth and tastes Robby’s cum and blood. He rolls his body lasciviously, eyes closed, making Jack moan at the tug on his knot before Dennis stares at Robby again, bringing his hand back down to his hardness. “My Alphas”, Dennis commands, covering his red, hard cock in the pink streaks of Robby’s fluids as Jack mouths at his neck and Dennis strokes once, twice, three times more before coming across his chest with a cry.

They all stay put for a few moments, catching their breath, fucked out and filthy. Robby feels like he’s in shock honestly. His body is a bit numb and tingly, and the sight of Dennis getting himself off like that was really fucking intense. But the soft look on his face now, as he comes back to himself slowly, helps to bring Robby back too. Jack cuddles up behind Dennis, comfortably wrapped around him while they wait out his knot, and Robby feels so fond. He leans over and gives them both a quick peck on the forehead before excusing himself to the bathroom to clean himself up with a quick shower.

He takes a minute to stare at himself in the mirror before cleaning himself up. The water stings over his scratched and bitten flesh, but he feels good. Alive.

When Robby’s back out of the bathroom, he finds Dennis whining and pushing Jack off him with a pout.

“Kid, I really think we should shower.”

“Off you go then!”

“Robby, can you help me out here, man?”

“Dennis, what’s wrong, darling?”

“Jack wants me to wash it all off.”

“Ah, and you don’t want to?”

“Of course I don’t! I worked hard for it.”

He thinks he hears Jack mutter ‘oh my fucking god’  but it’s muffled into a pillow.

“Mmm, that’s true. Do you like smelling like your Alphas?”

Dennis nods, a look on his face like it’s obvious.

Robby nods. “Jacky, pass me that shirt of yours from behind that cushion?” Jack does. “Ok, how’s this, pup?” Robby takes the shirt and wipes a small patch of it up Dennis’s chest, collecting some of the fluids there. He holds it up for Dennis to see.

“You shower, and then you can wear this after. What do you think?”

Jack’s fully groaning into the pillows now.

Dennis thinks about it before nodding. Grasping behind him to haul Jack forward, pushing him off the bed and wrapping an arm around his hip to bully him into the bathroom, half carrying him in as Jack protests and splutters at him.

Robby chuckles and decides it’s definitely time for some fresh sheets. He leaves the dirty ones on the floor though near the head of the bed, not wanting to take the scent of their coupling away from Dennis’s nest. He grabs some sweats and an old t-shirt before yelling over his shoulder that he’s going to make a breakfast scramble. All he hears in response is a strangled “Coffee!” from Jack, who sounds like he might have someone trying to occupy his mouth with other things. Robby shakes his head fondly.

+++

It's mid-afternoon, the day had passed blissfully with good food, good sex, and now, a good book. Robby could get used to this whole extended sex vacation thing, he thinks. Usually, he and Jack go off their suppressants and rut together, but it’s sort of nice being in your right mind for a change while helping your partner through it, maybe they could change up their schedule a bit.

Robby and Dennis are stretched out on the couch, Dennis on Jack’s laptop reading a digital textbook, himself with a paperback while Jack finishes his PT and a workout on the mat in front of them. This is the third time Jack has tried to get through his full routine today. The first time, Dennis waited until about ten minutes in before asking Jack to let him join in, so they started again from the top and got most of the way through before all the breathing and grunting and stretching and sweat got to be too much Dennis. Things escalated quickly into Jack begging Dennis to fuck him right there on the floor over his exercise roller, Dennis pulling out at the last minute to come in his gym shorts. Robby had watched the delicious sight of his mate getting ploughed by the young Alpha and loving it, lazily tugging at his half hard cock from his front row seat. So, Jack’s now in a new pair of shorts and is finally getting to the end of his routine. Curtis Mayfield plays through the speakers quietly, Dennis had been having fun earlier going through their records.

Dennis slams the laptop shut with a groan, throwing his head back against Robby’s chest and rubbing his fingers into his eye sockets.

“Who even cares about the lymphatic system anyway. We have no fuckin clue how it works.”

The two older men chuckle, Robby ruffles a hand through Dennis’s hair.

Dennis wriggles against Robby, clearly wanting a distraction from his studies. “What are you reading? I can’t remember the last time I read an actual book.”

Robby hands the novel to Dennis to look at. “Giovanni’s Room. I come back to it every decade or so. Have you heard of James Baldwin?”

Dennis shakes his head, looking at the inside back cover at the Author’s headshot. “No, not a lot of novels by African American authors in Broken Bow, weirdly enough.”

And Robby laughs. “Not even by preachers?”

“I didn’t say there were none, did I?” Dennis teases.

“How about gay and black and from the 50’s? Although I think I remember reading that he resisted being labelled gay, too limiting or something.”

Dennis holds the book with a new reverence. Like he didn’t know such books existed. Robby supposes that maybe he didn’t.

“Want me to read you a bit?”

Dennis wrenches his head around to look at Robby with wide eyes. “Please” he gently hands him back the novel, which Robby roughly flips through, he’s had the book for almost 30 years, and it was second hand when he got it, it’s not precious in the way that means you can’t handle it.

“Ok, you’ll know a bit of this passage I think”, he says as he finds the section he’s after. He brings his hand to Dennis’s shoulder, lightly squeezing at his firm muscle as he begins.

“The body in the mirror forces me to turn and face it. And I look at my body, which is under sentence of death. It is lean, hard and cold, the incarnation of a mystery. And I do not know what moves in this body, what this body is searching. It is trapped in my mirror as it is trapped in time and it hurries toward revelation.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became I man, I put away childish things.
I long to make this prophecy come true. I long to crack that mirror and be free. I look at my sex, my troubling sex, and wonder how it can be redeemed, how can I save it from the knife. The journey to the grave is already begun, the journey to corruption is, always, already, half over. Yet, the key to my salvation, which cannot save my body, is hidden in my flesh.”

Jack has stopped stretching and lets out a long whistling puff of air. “Jeez Mikey, bit of light reading?”

Robby laughs, trying to thwack Jack with the book.

Dennis is quiet.

“Den? Sorry, I guess I picked a sort of full-on bit.”

“No, no I loved it. And yeah, I’ve heard that middle section before.”

“It’s sort of about what it feels like to lie to yourself for a long time. It’s set in Paris. Follows a man, his lover Giovanni, and the spectre of his maligned fiancée, Hela. Do you want to read it? I think I was about your age the first time I did.”

Robby hands the book to Dennis, who turns it over a few times before crossing his hands over it on his chest.

“Yeah I… yeah I would like to read it. You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all, as you can see from this place, I have about 12 on the go.”

“All the open books around here are yours then?”

Jack flicks a resistance band at them. “Yes, because I just read one book at a time like a regular sane person. Also, I can clean up after myself.”

Dennis laughs as Robby pulls the sweaty resistance band off his shoulder and flings it back at Jack.

“Robby’s just a perve. I remember there being some pretty steamy scenes in that one.” Jack responds, gesturing to the book in Dennis’s hands before going back to his planks.

Robby whispers in Dennis ear. “Jack says he’s all about sci-fi, but he secretly loves trashy romance.”

Dennis giggles. “Do you have a favourite book?”

Jack groans, “Oh noooooo do NOT get him started. He’s an indecisive bastard.”

Robby rolls his eyes. “Well sorry that not all of us pick our favourite book in our 20’s and never change it.”

Dennis chuckles. “Alright, what’s your favourite then Jack.”

“Easy, Emma.”

“Like… Jane Austen…?”

“Yeah, It’s brutal. Everyone thinks they’re the smartest person in the room and they’re all wrong. Austen’s a bitch, love her. Followed closely by Hitchhikers, of course.”

“My Ma likes her.”

“Smart woman.”

“I… um… I don’t think she likes her for the same reason you do.”

“Oh, she like all the tea parties?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“I’d probably like them too if I was stuck on a farm with no parties to go to.”

Dennis cocks his head to the side as he unclenches his arms a little. He’d tensed up when he’d mentioned his Mother, and Robby had been quietly watching to see what he’d do with Jack’s casual chatter. It’s a shame Robby never had a mother to introduce Jack to, moms loved Jack.

Dennis nods a little. “That makes a lot of sense actually.” He goes quiet for another moment before piping up again, this time with a grin. “But trust me, there were plenty of parties, parents just weren’t invited.”

“Oh really?!”

Robby squeezes him, poking at his sides playfully as Jack joins in, teasing him to tell them all about his raging farm parties. Dennis squeals, saying it’s on his cornhusker honour not to divulge any party secrets as he tries to tickle them right back.

Jack gives them both a quick kiss when the giggles subside, leaving to wash off his workout as Dennis settles back against Robby. Robby reaches down the side of the couch and picks up ‘Middlemarch’, which he thinks he was about halfway through on his last read, thumbing through until he finds a bit that doesn’t seem too unfamiliar.

Dennis opens ‘Giovanni’s Room’ and gets started.

He lasts four pages before the book is on the ground and Dennis is rolling on top of him.

Robby puts his book down. “You don’t like it?”

Dennis rolls his eyes. “I think we both know that’s not why I can’t read right now.”

“Do we?”

“Yeah, it’s almost impossible to do anything but kiss you when you’ve got those damn glasses on.”

Robby laughs. Jack likes his readers too.

“You seem to be managing right now thou-” and he’s got a face full of Dennis. He’s smiling as he kisses him, and Robby can’t help but make a pleased little noise into his mouth as he gently rubs up Dennis’s back, his shirt’s warm from where his back had been pressed up against Robby, and there’s something so domestic about making out on his couch. It somehow feels more intimate than when he’d had his fingers literally inside the kid yesterday, or had his dick down his throat this morning.

Dennis might agree, by the way he hums into Robby’s mouth, lightly running his tongue along the seam of Robby’s lips before barely licking inside, making Robby go slack beneath him. Next, he nibbles at Robby’s lips with his own, slow and unhurried tiny slow kisses as they map each other with hands splayed wide and firm.

Robby reaches to take his glasses off but Dennis slaps his hand away, breaking the kiss to look at him for a moment before Dennis removes the glasses himself and kisses the bridge of his nose, folding them carefully, twisting around to place them on the table behind him before laying out across Robby again and happily going right back to sucking his lower lip into his smiling mouth.

Robby thinks this is an excellent time to get a handful of the arse he’s been literally dreaming about, so he does, lightly squeezing Dennis over his sweats with both hands, he’s firm and soft and quite a bit more than a handful, and Dennis laughs a little into his mouth before he brings a hand up to stroke through Robby’s beard.

Robby squeezes and Dennis moans into his mouth, nipping at Robby’s lip to pay him back and Robby smiles as he chases his tongue, dragging one hand up the dip of his spine towards the soft curls at the back of his head. Robby hums happily at the feel of him.

“Have I told you I like your hair lately? Really suits you a little longer.”

Dennis smirks into his mouth. “Trinity said it was a condition of living with her that I let her be in charge of it.”

“Well, give her my compliments.”

“I absolutely will not.”

Robby laughs, kissing his cheek before licking along his top teeth for a moment, kissing him deeply before nosing at his cheek, liking the stubble growing along Dennis’s face.

“When I met Jack he was in his ‘screw the military’ phase so his hair was longer in protest, just frizzy red curls everywhere.”

Dennis pulls back, shock and delight on his face. “Red?!”

“Oh yeah, everything about him is flaming.”

Dennis laughs.

“Not you though?” Dennis asks between kisses.

“No, I’m the one classy thing about him.” He replies, moving to Dennis’s neck.

“Not what I meant.”

“So…?” He mutters between kisses.

“You’re… are you gay too? Like Jack and me?”

Robby stills for a moment, moving back to look at Dennis and hoping this isn’t going to be a problem. “Uh, no, I’m bi.”

Dennis looks at him with mischief in his eyes. “But you read really gay books.”

Robby laughs deep and loud, and Dennis looks delighted. “Yeah, I guess I do. Would you believe I was still pretending to be straight the first time I read that?”

“It’s a really gay book, Robby. It’s gay by page two.”

Robby shrugs, kissing Dennis chastely. “I’ve read gayer.”

Dennis rolls his body against him before slowly licking his lips and whispering, “Yeah I bet you have.”

Robby can’t help but lick at his tongue before sucking it into his mouth, deepening the kiss for a minute, rolling their lips and their bodies together before Dennis pulls back to catch his breath. His eyes are dark, pupils blown wide, and he bites his lower lip. Robby runs a thumb over it.

“What is it, baby?”

“I really like it when you call me names like that.”

“Well, that’s good, cos I think I’d be terrible at stopping.”

Dennis kisses him again, quick little pecks. Working himself up to saying what he was really thinking about a second ago.

“So, I know you fuck. Watching you with Jack last night was… wow. Do you, um, receive, too?”

Robby chuckles, he wasn’t expecting that. He nods in reply, kissing Dennis’s cheek.

“Yeah, I um, I usually do, actually. We switch a lot though.”

Dennis is biting his lip again. “Would you… ever want to do that with me?”

Robby surges up to kiss him, sucking on his bottom lip where he’d been worrying it with his teeth.

“I would love to do that with you.”

Dennis’s eyes flash red for a moment, darting across Robby’s face, not sure where to look.

“…Now?”

Robby chuckles again, fuck he loves this kid. Shit, He’s got to put a lid on that particular train of thought though. “Sure honey, we can do it now.”

“I know we can… do you want to, though?”

Robby answers by grabbing his arse and grinding Dennis’s crotch down against him. Dennis’s eyes stay red this time.

“Den, angel. I want to.”

Dennis’s smile takes his breath away in the second before he dives in for a wonky kiss, teeth knocking and lips off centre. Yeah, Robby loves him. Shit.

Dennis realises that he needs to get up first, which he does on coltish legs that take a minute to steady under him.

Once they’re standing, Robby brings a hand to the base of Dennis’s spine, just above the swell of his arse, and presses their bodies together, dipping down to softly kiss his plush lips.

“I’m just going to use the bathroom for a moment. Do you want to go let Jack know what we’re planning?”

Dennis smiles and nods, rising onto his toes to kiss Robby quickly before rushing off down the hall to the ensuite where Jack is no doubt singing Springsteen in the shower.

Robby heads to the bathroom, pissing and quickly freshening up just a smidge before checking in with himself. It’s been a while since he’s done this with a new partner, and he breathes out slowly to calm himself. Dennis is a young man, and Robby really isn’t. It’s been a bit of a miracle how rearing-to-go he’s been the last few days considering how many times they’ve gotten each other off. He can’t remember the last time he’s been this hard this often. This sort of stamina was never going to last forever at his age. He tries not to spiral about it as he heads into the bedroom.

He stands in the doorway quietly, not wanting to interrupt Jack and Dennis, who are sitting on the bed with their backs to him, talking in hushed tones.

“So, something that might be a bit different is that he might not get off. I didn’t, when you fucked me earlier, but it’s still really hot, it’s not all about coming, especially when you’re older.”

“As long as it still feels good for him?”

“Oh, it does pet, and you’re perfect, it’ll be so good.”

“And, when I... at the end…?”

“You want to knot him?”

“Yes. If he wants to.”

“He will. Just press in deep, he can take you. It’ll feel intense, and you’ll want to move, just keep moving forward though instead of back. I can be here if it’s too much and you need a hand, k?”

“Yeah, yeah ok. So, he probably won’t be hard?”

“Not usually. It feels even better sometimes though, when you’re not hard. Promise.”

“Ok. Well, that’s fine then.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course! That’s the total opposite of a problem.”

And Jack leans forward to give him a quick kiss. Robby figures this is as good a time as any to make an appearance now that Jack’s gotten the potentially awkward stuff out of the way.

“What are you two scheming about?”

Jack turns and smiles at him. “You, you deserve to be schemed about.”

“I’ll keep that in mind”, Robby teases, taking a few steps towards the bed. He moves to take off his shirt but Dennis is up and in front of him and placing Robby’s hands softly onto his waist. Dennis takes both sides of Robby’s face in his palms as he leans up to kiss him, soft and sweet.

Dennis releases him, quickly removing his own shirt before slowly lifting Robby’s up and off too, tracing the flesh of his chest with his hands, running delicate fingers over the bruise that’s blooming over his left pec where Dennis had bit him. Dennis looks stricken at the sight of it, Robby agrees that it looks pretty bad, but it doesn’t feel that way. It felt amazing, at the time, and now it just feels tender.

He tells Dennis as much, and Dennis bends down to kiss along the edge of the dark marking before dipping slightly lower to lightly kiss over his bruised nipple. Robby hisses, it’s so sensitive, much more than usual, and his dick twitches in his pants.

Dennis kisses his solar plexus next, holding there for a long moment before stepping back and moving Robby to back up against the edge of the bed, kissing him again, arms on his waist, before eventually they fall back. Dennis presses an arm out to stop himself from head butting Robby as he falls onto him, and Robby laughs a little as his breath is knocked out of him, kid’s got some moves.

They crawl up the bed, him backwards, Dennis, over and around him, while they continue kissing. Soon Robby is pressed back against Dennis’s mountain of pillows and clothes, and Dennis is on top of him properly, like on the couch, but hungrier.

Dennis kisses down his chest, running his fingers along his waist band, looking up at Robby for permission, which he gives with a small nod, and Dennis is stripping him of his sweats and briefs slowly, kissing down his legs. He pulls his pants completely off, and hands them to Jack who crawls up the side of the bed and tucks them into the top of the nest for later. Dennis seems pleased at that, chirping happily. Jack smiles, leaning down to give Robby a quick kiss now that they’re so close, before he heads back down to the side of the bed, content to watch and help as they need him.

Dennis is staring, his fingers twitch a little, like he wants to touch Robby, but his eyes keep flitting about like he doesn’t know where to start.

He seems to decide after a few moments, crawling up between his open legs to kiss him just above his belly button, rubbing his face into his soft flesh and purring happily. He’d done this that first night, and Robby had loved it then like he loves it now. Dennis clearly likes his body, likes the feel and the smell and the look of him, and he might not get it, but he knows what desire feels like himself, and knowing that Dennis feels that way about him feels really good. He pictures doing the same to the slight swell of tummy on Dennis, and yeah, so maybe he does get the appeal. Dennis brings his hands to the swell of Robby’s stomach and grips at him as he kisses down to the soft skin just below, over his groin. He mouths at him there, two days of stubble rubbing at Robby and warming his skin. Dennis inhales his scent, purring louder.

“Robby, you’re gorgeous. I can’t believe I get to have you like this.”

Robby tries not to make a face, letting Dennis admire him without ruining it. Dennis runs his hands down the top of his thighs and back up again, looking up at Robby like he hung the stars, like he always does.

“Can I open you up?”

Robby exhales sharply, they’ve barely started and the air in the room already feels heavy and a bit intense. It’s good, though, really good.

“Yeah, yeah, Jack, pillow?”

And Jack’s grabbing one of the spare pillows and helping Robby wriggle it under his hips until he’s comfortable.

“Can I touch your cock?” Dennis is looking at him, eyeing his mostly flaccid penis like he wants him just as much as when it was hard and leaking earlier.

“Shit Den, yeah, it, I don’t think I’ll get hard, it’s been a busy few days, but yeah, you can touch me anywhere.”

“It… it still feels good though, yeah?”

“Yeah, yeah it oh shit yeah you feel good.” Dennis is palming at his soft cock, tugging down at his heavy balls before gripping him and jerking his dick a few times and fuck it feels nice.

“Oh, oh wow Robby. You… Jesus, Mary and Joseph.” Robby tries not to chuckle at how Nebraska the kid sounds and instead focus on the important bit, that Dennis likes him like this too, soft and pliant beneath him.

Dennis’s eyes are red and shining as he plays with Robby. He rubs his thumb around his sensitive head, stroking over his frenulum like he did earlier which makes his hips jerk and a hiss come out of his mouth.

“You ok?”

“Yeah, fuck Den, you feel amazing.”

Jack’s gravel rash voice sounds from beside them, husky and broken. “You two are something else, shit. You can go firmer on him Denny, if you want.”

Dennis looks at Robby for confirmation, and Robby nods. He likes a firm hand.

Dennis tugs at his balls slowly, squeezing him firmly and then just for a moment, hard and he’s panting. Dennis goes back to thumbing over his frenulum before running a nail lightly over the same spot which makes him cry out, precum wetting his tip.

“Fuck. Robby, I, shit, this is so hot, oh my god.”

“Come on angel, need you inside me.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmm, stretch me open.”

Dennis shivers. Robby can’t help but feel a little proud of how well the younger Alpha is responding to him. It’s a rush, knowing how good his body is making Dennis feel. If he keeps going like this he honestly might come the second the kid gets inside of him, just at the look on Dennis’s face.

Jack hands Dennis the lube, and Dennis uncaps it before turning and leaning over, pecking Jack on the lips, for courage maybe. Jack just nods back towards Robby, encouraging.

Dennis pours the lube over two fingers before shuffling closer to Robby, Dennis’s knees pressing his legs open. Jack grabs another pillow and pops it under one of his knees, and he lets himself shift to the side slightly, weight distributed comfortably. Robby gives his hips a small roll, making sure he’s stable on the pillows, encouraging Dennis to touch him.

Dennis does, with his dry hand, he spreads Robby, swearing as he gets his first look at him. Of course Dennis would like this, he’s hairy here too, and Dennis likes that about him. Likes it even more it seems as the hair around his hole gets wet and slick with his fingers brushing over and around him.

“Oh fuck, Robby, look at you.”

Robby has no clue what to say to that, so he just keeps making tiny circles with his hips, encouraging Dennis to continue exploring. He does, petting firmly over his hole with two fingers now, and Robby sighs a little at the added pressure. Dennis pulls one back, and slowly, a long slim finger breaches Robby, pressing in and in until he feels wide knuckles pressed against the outside of him.

Dennis pulls back out almost immediately before slowly pressing back in. Robby can feel the slight swell as the two knuckles of his finger enter and retreat from his hole, and he breathes out slowly, pressing back against Dennis to relax his body, and Dennis moans at the feel of Robby pushing back against him, opening softly around him as he inserts his second finger.

“mmm, good boy” Robby rumbles.

“I want to be, try to be good for you, Alpha.”

And Robby laughs a little, at the absurdity of it. Of Dennis thinking he has to try to do that.

“Oh you are baby, such a good boy for both of your Alphas, come on, give me another one.”

“Yeah?”

Robby nods, and Dennis begins to insert a third finger. Robby can feel the stretch now, the feel of his dry finger against the slight lube slick of his hole. He loves the pressure, the drag of the skin, and he moans to let Dennis know how good he feels, how much he likes it. Dennis is breathing hard now, three fingers fully in him before he slowly removes them, pressing back in quickly, angling his hand and curling his digits slightly, closer to Robby’s prostate.

He does it again, shifts his angle further and there he is. Robby feels his cock twitch as he rolls his hips to try and keep Dennis’s fingers there just a little bit longer, please, fuck! And he’s there again, and again, slower than he needs, the perfect speed and pressure to drive him insane. He’s openly moaning, deep and broken and spreading his legs further apart, to give Dennis room, to give him anything he needs to keep feeling inside of him and rubbing him and fuck it’s good. Dennis’s thin, clever fingers pull at his balls and press at his taint and shit he feels amazing, milky white liquid leaking from his soft prick as Dennis works him over.

Jack growls. “He loves it, Den.”

Dennis’s big eyes look at Robby for confirmation, “Yeah?”, Robby nods frantically, he almost laughs at how much he loves it.

Jack leans closer to get a better look, kissing Dennis’s cheek firmly. “Milking your Alpha, such a good boy.”

Robby rolls his hips, enjoying the way Dennis’s breath hitches at the sight.

“He, shit, Robby, can I, are you ready?”

Finally! “Yes. Need your knot.”

Dennis slowly pulls his fingers out of Robby, and Jack’s there shoving another pillow under his hips and kissing his knee. Dennis is pouring lube over himself, looking at Jack for reassurance, who nods once, which seems to quiet whatever nerves Dennis was feeling.  He leans forward, bracketing Robby and kissing him for a few moments, before whispering into his mouth.

“You’re beautiful. Tell me if I need to change anything, ok?”

Robby nods, kissing him back before Dennis is leaning back to get a good look as he guides himself towards Robby’s hole.

He hesitates.

Robby can’t have that. “Come on Dennis, I was made for you. Need you.”

The younger man groans, his whole body shuddering at Robby’s encouragement, urging him to finally slide in. God, Dennis’s cock is hard and slick and so burning hot as it enters him, warming him up as he slowly, so slowly seats himself inside Robby with a sigh.

“Oh.” Is all Dennis says as he stills, drawing out a little and sinking back in.

Robby rolls his hips just a bit, encouraging Dennis to move. He does, hands gripping at Robby’s waist as he starts to slide in and out, staring at the place where their bodies are joined, and Robby purrs a little at the feel of Dennis admiring him.

Robby can’t keep the grin off his face. He loves being fucked. Loves the stretch and the pressure and the feel on his prostate and the look on Dennis’s pretty face. The wonder and overwhelm is so completely delicious that he doesn’t know why the hell they waited two days to do this when he could have had Dennis inside him right there in the fucking abandoned hospital wing.

“Is this ok?” Dennis whispers, and Robby wants to kiss all the doubts from Dennis’s furrowed brow, so he beckons him with his finger, Dennis shifting to lean over Robby, sinking deeper and making them both puff out a gasp of air before Robby pulls their faces together for a kiss, barely able to reach with their height difference.

Dennis leans further onto Robby, and yes that’s good, Robby likes the weight of him, the feel of Dennis’s soft stomach against his balls, forcing his hips open wide as Dennis starts to roll his hips in time with the roll of their tongues. It’s not a good angle, really, but Robby’s not chasing an orgasm, he’s perfectly content to be filled and to feel the way Dennis gets more sure of his strokes, and he swallows the air Dennis pants out between kisses, sighing into his mouth to show him how good he feels.

Dennis pulls back, holding himself up as he starts thrusting harder, speeding up as he gets wrapped up in the feel of being inside another person. Robby wonders if it feels different, now that Dennis is an Alpha. Robby was a virgin when he presented, so he never knew anything else, he’s only ever had sex as an Alpha, but he wonders if it feels a bit like how it felt for Robby when he finally accepted that he only wanted to be with other Alphas. It all just clicked in a way it hadn’t before. Natural. Right.

“Doing so good, Den.”

And Dennis picks up the pace again, so Robby keeps praising him. Telling him how big his cock feels inside him, how he’s filling him up, how he’s wanted him and thought about him like this, and that one makes Dennis whine, pistoning into Robby as he starts to lose his rhythm, and Robby loves how wild he is, just chasing the pleasure Robby’s giving him. Robby’s panting in little soft bursts as Dennis fucks the air out of him with each thrust, speeding up until Dennis falls on top of him, quickly thrusting into him and whining against his neck. Robby wraps him in his arms and pulls him as close as they can get, getting lost in the sounds of their skin slapping and breath panting as Dennis starts to moan with each breath out, Robby can’t wait to feel him stretch him and fill him up.

“Such a good boy,” Talking is an effort, but he knows Den loves it so he sucks in a breath to keep praising him. “Fucking your Alpha so good.”

“Oh god. Ah, ah, fuck, Robbyyyy!”

“Fill me up, Baby.”

And Dennis’s knot swells, catching on his rim a few times so Robby grabs at him, pulling his hips flush with his arse to knot inside him, and Dennis grinds into him deep and quick as he swells and fills Robby so well, pressing against his prostate and making him moan, low and long, Dennis’s face panting into his neck, wet and hot and frantic.

Dennis cries out when he comes inside Robby, knot locking them together. Robby holds onto him, pulling him close as he goes slack and sweet in his arms.

Chapter Text

There isn’t a God, Jack is pretty certain of this on account of the horrors. The big man would need to be a real sadistic bastard. But on the off chance that there is a God, then Jack thinks he must be God’s special favourite. There is really no other explanation for his recent incredibly good fortune.

His mate is happy, or he’s on his way there at least. Robby seems to have his eyes properly open about just how stressed and sad he’s been for… maybe always, honestly. Jack’s heart is unclenched in a way it hasn’t been in a long time. He didn’t even realise how tight his chest had been. Robby really had been scaring the absolute crap out of him. Jack’s been trying not to make it seem like a big deal, knowing that coming on too strong would scare him off even more. But he’s really, really glad Robby finally noticed that it was a big fucking deal. Jack’s so pumped to help him get well. He honestly can’t wait. It’ll be hard, he knows that vividly, and he’s not looking for miracles, he likes his grumpy, soulful man as he is, he just wants him a little less on the edge. He thinks that’s achievable, now that Robby’s on the same page.

And their new… Lover? Boyfriend? Rescue puppy? Their Dennis is a ray of fucking sunshine. All cute expressions and squishable body and bitchy quips and pleading eyes. Kid’s got a pretty face and a prettier cock, but what’s really doing it for Jack is how fun he is, how kind and sweet and playful and so fucking good with Robby. Jack’s gotten more rest in the last few days than in fuck knows how long, passed out and happy and sleeping through the night for once, the scents of Dennis and Robby wrapping around him like a blanket, well fucked and warm.

Yes, Jack thinks he is undoubtably God’s favourite as he looks at his Alphas. He’s got Dennis and Robby on his left as they walk by the park towards the sports bar a few blocks from their apartment. Dennis’s rut was calm enough after knotting for him to insist he’d be ok out of the house for an hour or two, desperate to get out for the last little bit of sunshine before the sun goes down. Robby and Jack begrudgingly agreed, they can’t keep Dennis to themselves forever after all, and they’re now being rewarded with sunlit light brown curls shining in the day’s last light. They’re both in thick coats and jeans to keep out the November chill, Dennis in an old soft pair of Jack’s denims and one of his henleys (Jack’s trying to be normal about it), still running too hot for a jacket or the scarf Robby had tried and failed to talk him into wearing. Dennis is animatedly telling them about the time his cousins stole a tractor and tried to drive it into a pool, arms gesturing wildly as he talks. Robby throws his head back in a laugh, clapping a hand on Dennis’s shoulder before realising he can do more than that now, slinging his arm around Dennis’s shoulder. Dennis doesn’t bat an eye, like it’s the most natural thing in the world to walk pressed against Robby’s side between he and Jack. Maybe it is.

They all get beers at the bar and Dennis drags them to the pool tables on the back patio as soon as he spots them. Jack knows his way around a cue, so he’s keen to thrash the kid while Robby watches, his mate quickly picking sides, loudly rooting for Dennis. Traitor. It turns out Dennis has definitely played before, and it’s the closest game Jack has had in a good long while. The sight of the young Alpha in his clothes, leaning over the table invitingly and expertly sinking two balls on one shot does something to Jack. He’s always liked competence, and something about the cue resting between Dennis’s knuckles and sliding over them forcefully, the crack of the white, the pleased exhale of a shot well lined up, yeah, ok, they should absolutely make this a regular thing, Jack thinks. Or maybe they need to buy a pool table, so Jack can fuck Dennis over it. When Jack barely sinks the black first, barely scraping a victory, Dennis jumps on him in a hug and declares that the loser buys so it’s his round. Jack can’t remember the last time someone jumped on him. He thinks it’s probably from before he lost his foot. He liked it. Liked that Dennis wasn’t too precious with him, Jack can handle himself. It's not until Dennis comes back with new drinks and hands Jack his own wallet back with a wink that Jack realises Dennis had nicked it from his pocket when he was climbing on him.

“You little thief!”

“I would’ve won if the table wasn’t on a lean, it’s only fair that you pay.”

Jack’s jaw drops, and Robby thinks it’s the funniest thing that happened all week, ruffling Dennis’s hair and laughing.

“Catches rats, steals wallets - are you a Victorian orphan by any chance Dennis Whitaker?”

Dennis leers at Robby’s joke before rearranging his face into a very effective pout. “Hmm, I have been awfully hungry lately. What do you think sir, can I please have some more?”

Robby nearly chokes on his drink, Jack slaps his back as he chuckles.

Robby splutters, face red. “Jeez kid, you trying to kill me?”

Dennis smiles. “I’m sort of invested in keeping you around actually.”

Robby’s cheeks flush even more, somehow. Jack takes a large gulp of his beer. Sir sir sir sir, shit.

Robby gives Jack a pleading look as he raps his knuckles on the table and Jack gives up way too easy, rolling his eyes and fishing into his jacket pocket for the pack of smokes and a lighter, handing them to Robby who exhales in a relived sigh.

Dennis turns to Jack. “You smoke?”

“Nope. Neither does Robby, which is why I have to hold onto the pack, to make sure he behaves since he doesn’t smoke anymore.”

Robby rolls his eyes, “Yes, dear.”

“Right. So then, who exactly do I ask to bum one from then?”

“Think you’ve already done that with both of us today babe.”

Dennis groans and blushes at Jack’s joke. Jack snatches the smokes back off Robby, placing one to his lips and lighting, taking a drag, and then handing it to Dennis. It takes him a moment to take it though, he’s staring at Jack like he wants to climb onto his lap. Excellent.

Dennis shakes his head like there’s flies buzzing around him before taking the cigarette from Jack’s fingers with his mouth, inhaling with his eyes closed, holding it in his lungs, and slowly exhaling with a quiet moan. Jack can feels his cheeks get a bit warm at the sound.

“You still ok to be out, pup?” Jack asks.

Dennis rolls his neck, thumbs over his scent patch and takes another drag with his eyes closed. When he opens his eyes he’s smiling at Jack, nodding that he’s fine before taking a swig of his beer. “Yeah I’m good for a bit longer.” Good. Jack loves to flirt, make his Alphas blush, but he doesn’t want Dennis to be like, in pain and uncomfortable with his rut out in public.

“You know kid, when I was in medical school, they taught us that smoking is bad for you.” Jack teases.

Dennis takes another drag, relaxed. “Yeah well, most people would say fucking my bosses is bad for me too, but I have a few days of very compelling data that says otherwise. I could make a chart, maybe some infographics.” He wiggles his eyebrows, Jack loves it.

Robby leans forward in a cloud of smoke, about to reply, when there’s a crash and a whine behind him. Dennis is up first, being the lightest on his feet, rushing toward the distinctive sounds of a snarling Alpha and a distressed, howling Omega.

When Jack rounds the tables and gets to the bar Dennis is facing off against a much larger Alpha, growling and showing their fangs, claws out. The man is about Robby’s height, with a round beer gut and thick, red skin from what he assumes is a shit tonne of drinking over a shit tonne of years. There’s an Omega on the floor behind Dennis, arms over her head, cowering and whining, Jack’s not sure if he should check if she’s ok, or if he should pull Dennis back from getting into whatever he’s about to get into. The choice is made for him when the older Alpha swings at Dennis, Jack’s about to rush the guy, but Dennis ducks and gets a jab to his jaw followed by a body shot to the man’s right upper quadrant, causing him to yell out and crumple to the ground. Robby’s already squatting down to check on the Omega on the ground, so Jack goes to Dennis.

Dennis is looming over the downed Alpha with a very pissed off look on his face, shoulders rounded. Jack gets right in his face, hands up.

“Whoa, whoa Whitaker, he’s down man, you’re done, did good kid.”

Dennis is still baring his fangs, panting and growling, red eyes on the moaning man on the floor.

“Denny, the Omega is OK, she’s safe. Go look after her with Robby, yeah?”

And that seems to get his attention, Dennis retracts his claws before scrambling down beside Robby to check on the woman on the floor.

Jack scans the bar. There’s certainly a few people staring, but no other incoming threats. Robby tells the bartender to call the cops, the woman’s been bitten, and even Jack growls under his breath at that, kicks the Alpha on the ground just a little, piece of shit going after some poor Omega and biting her. He doesn’t appear to be getting up any time soon, but he doesn’t seem badly hurt either, just drunk and sorry for himself, so Jack thankfully doesn’t need to do anything noble like treat the damn knothead.

Must be a slow evening, two squad cars show up in no time, and they wrangle the Alpha in one while they calmly ask the Omega, Carly, it turns out, if she’d like to come and get checked out by a doctor and talk to them about pressing charges. She looks to Robby and Dennis, who nod, saying they think it’s a good idea, and she agrees to go. Dennis calls out after her as she starts to leave, “This wasn’t your fault Carly,” and she turns to him, sniffing and nodding, mouthing ‘thank you’ as the cops take her to their car. Robby reminds one of the remaining cops to get Carly to call a friend for support, or an advocate service, and the cop nods. Unwanted bites can mess with Omega hormones, sometimes for weeks, and she’ll need support sooner rather than later, the hospital will take swabs and hormone panels and all sorts, it’ll be a long night for her.

Jack’s a bit worried they might try and bring Dennis in too for downing the guy, but it seems they landed the four decent cops in Pittsburgh. They just need quick statements before they’re off. Jack releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Some cops can be real knotheads themselves, laws protecting Omegas have only been around for a few decades and old Alpha essentialists flock to jobs with that sort of power, he’s glad Carly got some of the ok ones helping her.

Once the cops are done, it takes less than a minute for Dennis’s adrenaline to crash. Jack sees him shrink on himself a bit, hands shaking as he wraps Robby into a hug, breathing in deeply before releasing him and pawing for Jack to do the same, which he gladly does.

“You ok Den?”

“Yeah, just, Alpha rage is no joke huh? I wanted to gut that guy!”

And Dennis is laughing, giddy and a bit shaky all over. Yeah, time to get home. Robby places a hand on Dennis’s cheek to calm him, which seems to help, and Dennis nuzzles against it before giving them both a quick peck.

Jack should have known better, thinking that was the end of it. He should have kept more of an eye out, fucking rookie mistake that he’ll berate himself for later. The pheromones in the air from that sort of incident are like a pressure cooker, so of course some patch free Alpha asshole was going to get stupid.

“What the fuck is this then?” The guy’s a bit younger than him, mid 40’s maybe. With a scraggly beard that looks like pubes glued to his face. “Bunch of Alpha faggots in our bar, Reg.”

Some guy on the stool behind him snickers, that’s Reg then he guesses, he doesn’t seem much of a threat, more interested in the TV.

“We were just leaving, man.” Jack tries to deescalate. He’s good at it usually but this guy is tasting the air like he’s forgotten he’s in public, fangs out, or maybe he just doesn’t give a fuck.

“No guesses who plays Omega bitch here, hey.” Despite calling them faggots, the guy’s looking at Dennis like he wants to eat him. The self-hating ones are always the worst, in Jack’s experience. He’d needed to defend himself more than a few times in the army after a completely consensual encounter that turned violent the second the other guy had gotten off. Denial turns you ugly and dangerous.

“No need for that, bar’s all yours’.” Jack tries again to diffuse the situation while Robby gathers their things to get the hell out of there.

“She’s a pathetic excuse for an Alpha, little thing like that. You gonna give us a turn with the little slut? Clearly doesn’t mind getting shared around.”

Shit. Dennis tries to go for the guy, snarling, but Robby’s quick and grabs him around the waist, holding him back as Dennis squirms, arms flying, trying to get to the guy to beat the shit out of him.

The asshole barks out a laugh, ugly yellow teeth leering as he fucking adjusts himself in his fucking pants. His scent fills Jack’s nostrils, asphalt and something rancid.

“It’s even better when whores fight back, hey fellas?”

Fuck deescalation. Jack punches the guy square in the fucking jaw. A sickening crunch rips through him and the asshole falls back against the bar, a stupid shocked look on his face. Jack’s had throbs a bit, but nothing’s broken. He can’t say the same for the asshole on the floor though.

Reg chuckles as he takes a swig of his drink.

Jack rounds on Dennis, hands on his shoulders, squeezing.

“Den, baby, we’re going, ok?”

Dennis is out of it, rage and rut clouding his brain. He’s desperately trying to get at the guy, looks ready to rip him apart with his claws.

“Dennis, Alpha, the cops are not gonna be as kind to me as they were to you baby, and I want to fucking kill that guy,” Jack’s not lying, heat is rippling through him. He wants to pummel him over and over, which is a very fucking bad idea. “I need you and Robby to take me home now, can you do that?”

That seems to work. Some of the fight goes out of Dennis, and he meets Jack’s eyes. Robby lightens his hold.

“Yeah.. let’s… yeah. Robby, let’s go.”

+++

“Hey, um, can I ask you something? Its… it’s a sex thing.”

It’s early afternoon the next day. They’d woken up slow and groggy after a long night of keyed up rutting and frotting and grabbing. Jack and Dennis were all frantic bite and claiming hands, Robby keeping them grounded, worshipping them, so glad that all three of them made it home safe and unharmed, mostly (Jack has an icepack strapped to his hand on and off). Robby’s strong steady presence mooring them all as they had rolled around and against each other for hours, working the anger and the lust and the fear from their systems. Then Robby had cooked them all steaks and mash at midnight before they fell back into bed full and exhausted, slowly waking up tangled into each other, softly scenting one another and kissing awake. All in all, a pretty successful end to a potentially disastrous evening.

Dennis is lounging in bed, his rut’s nearly over, and he’s snuggled indulgently in his nest. Jack’s enjoying watching him in their bed. He’s getting a little nostalgic maybe, a cloud hangs over the apartment – Jack has to go back to work tonight, and Robby tomorrow. They’ll have to talk about what happens next soon. But for now, they’ve all silently agreed to ignore it. So, Jack’s rubbing Dennis’s feet. Digging his knuckles into the flesh of his arch and making him jerk back in pain and laughing, swearing at Jack that he’s going to kick him out of bed. They both know he won’t.

“A sex thing huh? Shoot.”

“It’s about um… the other night… when Robby was topping you?”

Ah. Jack had wondered if Dennis would bring that up. He wasn’t ashamed about it. So he liked being called a girl sometimes, acting it out, big whoop. Jack had a few outfits that made their way into the bedroom sometimes too. Robby always indulged him, they both liked it. He remembers when he’d first brought it up, asking Robby to fuck his cunt instead of his arse, and Robby hadn’t even blinked an eye, he’d called Jack pretty, and well, Jack had really liked that, so they just kept going with it because what, Jack wasn’t going to get off on being Robby’s pretty little girlfriend? Yeah right. He’d sort of not really thought about it the other night, it was just natural for him to slide into that headspace, and when he’d felt the urge he’d decided to follow it down. He figured the kid had been very fucking vulnerable with them, it was sort of only fair that Jack show part of his soft belly too.

“Mhm, when he called me a girl?”

“Um, yeah. Is that… can you tell me about that?”

“Sure. We think it’s hot sometimes. Feels like, righter, for me sometimes too, to be his girl instead of his guy.”

“Righter?”

“It’s roleplay, mostly, playing a part. But other times I just, I want to feel that way, feminine or whatever, not just playing, so I want Robby to treat me accordingly, and when he does it like, scratches an itch inside me somewhere.”

Dennis considers that.

“Have you always…?”

“I think so. I have a younger sister, Patty, and when we were kids I really wished I got to be her sometimes. We were treated so different. She got to be soft and I wasn’t ever allowed. It felt unfair, that I had to be tough all the time. So sometimes it’s nice, to indulge that bit I didn’t get. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah… makes sense. So, its not an all the time thing, it’s just sometimes?”

“Yep. Like, when you fucked me yesterday, I was all man baby.”

Dennis giggles. “Mmm. Ok. and Robby likes women too, so that’s why it works?”

Oh, Jack hadn’t thought about that aspect of it. Maybe that is why it works. And Dennis is gay. Maybe it doesn’t work for him. Jack’s a little disappointed if that’s the case, but he’s sure they’ll find other things that they both like, no harm done.

“I can just keep the girl stuff for me and Robby, if you don’t like-”

“Oh, no no! I don’t mind it at all… its um… shit. I think... maybe I’d like it too?”

Jack perks up at that. “For me to be your girl sometime?”

“No, although we could, yeah we could definitely do that, but… I think I’d like to try… the other way around.”

Oh.

“Would you like to be our pretty girl, Denny?”

Dennis wrinkles his nose. “Not um… not a girl, I think maybe, that maybe it feels like I don’t want to… sometimes if you didn’t call me Alpha, maybe.”

Shit. That makes sense. Of course it does. Dennis has had a whole life of being a Beta. He and Robby had just gotten so wrapped up in him presenting that they steam rolled right ahead. What if Dennis was dysphoric about it? They’d never even asked about how he’d like to be treated, what words he’d prefer. Of course he wanted to still be a Beta.

But then a pit opens up at the bottom of Jack’s stomach. He looks at the nest on the bed and remembers Robby telling him about how Dennis assumed he’d be an Omega. A Dennis thing, they’d called it. They hadn’t even fucking asked him if it was more than that.

Jack picks his next words carefully, in case he’s got two days of damage to make up for.

“Is it, baby, is it only sometimes? Or is it all the time? We want you to be comfortable Den, with any way you want to identify, that’s the most important-”

“No! Sorry, no, um, I like it. Being an Alpha, and when you call me your Alpha. I really like it. I didn’t think I would but it um, it’s good. Promise.” Dennis pauses for a moment and Jack feels relief wash over him. They’ve not been misgendering the kid nonstop for two days, thank fuck for that.  Dennis takes a big breath in and continues. “But I think… I think I’d like to be your Omega too… and since you both aren’t attracted to Omegas maybe if you just didn’t call me Alpha sometimes, then-”

Kid’s steam rolling right past the good bit and going straight to freaking out about nothing, and Jack needs to set him straight immediately.

“Dennis, we like you. We liked you when we thought you were a Beta, you know that baby-”

“-but pretending to be your Omega, that’s different.”

“Sure. Not bad different though. It could be really nice to do that together. I think Robby would agree. You’re lovely Denny, Alpha, Omega, all of it.”

“I… really?”

“Yeah, really. And you’d be the sweetest Omega for us, I just know it.”

Dennis’s eyes go wide, pupils growing large. Oh yeah, he likes that alright. And yep, Jack likes it too. ‘Course he does, it’s Dennis. He can’t think of much he wouldn’t like.

“Get so wet for us. So slick for your Alphas.”

Dennis whines, shifting his legs open a bit, like he really is getting slick, which he obviously isn’t, but hey, that’s what lube is for, they can make it happen if Dennis wants.

“You like that baby?”

Dennis nods.

“Uh-uh, words please, pup.”

“Yeah, yeah I like it. I want that. If, if you’re sure its ok.”

“It’s more than ok. Fuck, you’re so fucking sweet, could just take a goddamn bite out of you-“

“I want you to.”

“…we should definitely get Robby in here.”

Dennis whines at the mention of Robby’s name. Of course, their needy Omega wants both his Alphas.

“Ok pet, ok. How about this. You drink some water for me and lay back in your lovely nest, and I’ll go get your other Alpha and let him know the plan. Does that sound good?”

“Yes. Yes please, but um… I have another question first.”

“Ask anything.”

Dennis sits up straight and takes a steadying breath.

“You… um, is… is it different taking um… ok, so, Robby’s bigger than I’m used to…” Dennis is bright red, but fair enough, Jack’s proud of him for asking.

“Never bottomed for someone his size?”

Dennis shakes his head.

“It’s not especially different. He’s not so big that you need to um… ok, this might be TMI, and not super sexy for a minute, is that ok?”

“Yeah. Yes. But also, you showed me how to pull a snotty battery out of a kid’s nose last week and I still thought it was hot cos your hands where, y’know, there and attached to your arms, so, you could literally say anything and I’ll probably think it’s hot.”

Jack laughs at that. Good to know. “Ok then. So, yeah, he’s big, aren’t we lucky boys, huh? It’ll take a bit longer to get warmed up and stretched, and then he’ll start really slow when he’s in you. It might make you a bit mental, how slow it’ll feel, but for the first few times especially it’s just what needs to happen. As far as preparing, I don’t usually need to clean out for him. He doesn’t mind, and neither do I, it’s not really a problem. Like, sometimes it’s nice to do that, or you feel like you need to that day,” Dennis nods, “If I ever take anything longer than him, we have a few toys like that, then I would usually clean out, for me anything longer and we’re going further up than where’s pretty naturally clean, yeah?” Dennis nods again, understanding. “Now, you’re not much shorter than me, but you’re all leg, and everyone’s anatomy is a bit different, it’s up to you if you want to douche or not, but you’ll probably feel comfier in your head if you do for the first few times. Standard clean should do the trick, you shouldn’t need to do the whole nine yards. Is that what you wanted to know?”

Dennis looks like he’s thinking, to make sure Jack’s answered all his questions.

“Yeah that’s… thank you, Jack.”

“Of course, baby.”

“I’m um… I already cleaned up a few hours ago - I found your stuff in the bathroom, I hope that’s ok, so, yeah, I’m good to go I think. I really want to try.”

Dennis must have been working up the courage to ask about this for hours then. Or maybe he’d always planned on getting fucked today, and the Omega thing is just an added bonus. Either way, Jack doesn’t plan on making him wait any longer. “Ok. We can deffs do that. When I come back in with Robby, is there anything specific you do or don’t want us to do or say?”

“I… just you calling me Omega and treating me like that, and just pretending that its real. For a bit. But, nice? Not like… not like yesterday.”

Jack thinks back to the assholes at the bar. Yeah, not like that. “Ok, baby. That’s perfect. And do you want us to keep treating you the same after?”

“After?”

“Yeah is there, like, do you know when you want it to end? Sometimes for me, I like to keep it going for a while. We even went to the pharmacy one time, pretended I needed Robby to buy me Plan B and everything. It was hot.”

Dennis whined, one hand rubbing at the base of his tummy without thinking. Fuck yes.

“Yeah? Want us to pretend you can get pregnant?”

Dennis nods frantically, crawling over to Jack.

“Ok, that’s an important bit huh, pup? Understood. And if we need to stop, what will you say so we know?”

“I don’t... I don’t know.”

Well, that answers that question. Dennis has never done any kind of negotiated scene before. Jack had suspected as much, but the kid’s such a natural at power play, at comfortably switching it up with them both, and clearly a little bit of a masochist as well, so it’s good to have it confirmed so Jack doesn’t accidentally get too carried away.

“How about just say Red three times and then we’ll totally stop. And if you need a pause, or to check in, Yellow, just once. What do you think?”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“And it’s the same for us too, we all look after each other.”

“Yeah, we do.” Dennis looks bashful as he says it, peering at Jack through his eyelashes.

Jack’s taken aback. He pushes how much he feels about it to the back of his mind for now.

“Good. Can you practice for me, red three times?”

“Redredred.” Dennis chirps, pleased with himself, it’s so fucking endearing Jack can’t help but ruffle his hair, which Dennis scrunches his nose and laughs at a little. Cute, so fucking cute.

“Perfect baby. Fuck yeah, ok. I’ll be right back with Robby, you ready?”

“Yeah.. yep, I’m ready.”

 Jack kisses him, a bit longer than his usual goodbye peck, so that Dennis knows he wishes he didn’t have to leave his bed. Dennis has a little smile on his face as Jack grabs his crutches and heads out to find Robby.

Of course he’s got his nose in a book in the lounge.

“So, Mikey, fun new development!”

Robby’s ears perk up, and he pops the book closed and takes his glasses off to look at Jack.

“Dennis was asking me about how I’m your girl sometimes. Turns out that he would like to be our Omega for a bit.”

“He…” Robby looks properly caught off guard, as several things seem to click into place in his head as he figures out what Jack just said. “…Yeah?”

“How do you feel about that?”

He drums his fingers on the table. “I… feel really fucking good about that Jack, as you no doubt have already guessed.”

“Yeah, thought you might. He knows the color system, and he wants us nice, no words that those fuckheads used at the bar.”

Both hands drumming now. Robby always gets fidgety when he’d rather be doing something else, and right now he’d rather be doing Dennis. “Yep, yeah ok.”

“So, ready to go?”

“…Now?”

“Right now, babe.”

And Jack turns, knowing Robby will be scrambling up right behind him.

Just before they reach the bedroom door, he drops what he knows will get Robby really riled up, as if he isn’t already.

“Oh, and he wants you to breed him.”

Jack opens the door with a smirk as Robby groans low and filthy from behind him. It’s definitely one of his mates’ favourite kinks.

“Oh, Michael, look at our beautiful Omega.”

It’s not even that much of an act to say it. Dennis has gotten naked and is laying on his side, propped up along his nest wall, the position naturally exaggerating the soft curve of his waist and swell of his thigh. His eyes were waiting on the door for Jack and Robby, pretty pink lips wet from where the kid has no doubt been nibbling on them in anticipation.

Robby’s voice sounds wrecked already. Jack knew he’d love this. “Dennis, baby, you’re so pretty. Smell so good darling.”

Dennis’s gaze flicks down for a moment, nerves and maybe a little embarrassment Jack thinks. That won’t do. He heads around to the far side of the bed, and Robby takes the nearer side while Dennis wriggles into the centre, knees to his chest. Robby coughs a little to stop Jack getting on the bed. “Omega, may we enter your nest?”

The sound Dennis makes is almost a sob, nodding frantically, overwhelmed at the question. Dennis’s eyes flit between Jack and Robby as they both crawl up towards him, laying along both sides of his body and kissing his neck, inhaling his scent together, hands gently roaming over Dennis’s soft skin as his breath hitches and he slowly unfurls himself to lay down between them.

Jack whispers in his ear, loud enough for them all to hear though, “Our perfect Omega.”

“He is, absolutely perfect.” Robby agrees, kissing down his chest to lightly suck at Dennis’s nipple, making him arch up into his touch.

Now that the kid’s distracted for a moment, Jack leans away to grab the lube and pull off his shirt, it’s one of his favourites, and with what he has planned he doesn’t want it to get ruined.

Jack kisses down Dennis’s body, all the way to his toes. He’s at the foot of the bed now, and he runs his hands up Dennis’s legs, spreading them gently as he slots himself in between, kissing along the inside of his thighs as Dennis gets comfortable, letting his legs fall apart further.

Dennis is looking at Jack, unsure of what his next move is.

Jack leans forward and licks at Dennis’s balls before taking his cock into his mouth as gently as he can.

Jack takes care to get him wet, wanting his saliva to drip down Dennis’s crease. For Dennis to feel the wetness. After he’s good and soaked and panting and Jack licks up the precum beading at the tip of his prick, he sits up slightly to see that Robby has moved back from Dennis’s chest, both nipples glistening and wet from his attention, to lick into the kid’s mouth, just holding Dennis’s slack jaw open as he dips his tongue inside, licking along the roof of his mouth, along his teeth, alternating from little dips of his tongue to plundering Dennis’s mouth slow and firm. Both of their eyes are open. Dennis’s red and wide, Robby’s full of heat.

Jack hates to interrupt, but he has a plan. “Den, you’re so fucking wet baby, your slick smells incredible, can I taste you there?”

Robby moves his mouth away an inch, slackening his grip on Dennis’s jaw so he can answer. It takes him a moment to process what Jack had said. When he does his eyes snap to Jack.

“My… my slick?”

“Mmhmm, you’re gushing baby, our juicy Omega, let me taste you.”

Dennis shivers, and Robby pets along his tummy to ground him. “What do you think Denny? Gonna give your Alpha his treat? Look how desperate he is for you.”

Jack massages Dennis’s arse cheeks together, knowing that Dennis will be able to feel the wetness of his saliva along his crease as he does.

Dennis’s brain finally seems to catch up to the sensation and to what Jack’s asking, and he nods, earning a kiss on the cheek from Robby.

Jack grins, wolfish, and gathers Dennis’s legs, placing them over each of his shoulders as he lays on his stomach, hands under the globes of Dennis’s plush arse, lifting his hips off the bed slightly and tasting the musky softness of his perineum and, slowly, down to his hole.

Jack can’t see really, face occupied as it is, but he thinks Dennis has thrown his head back into the pillows with a softly muttered “holy shit” as Jack gets to work, licking between his cheeks and tonguing over his entrance, slowly at first, getting him used to the sensation. Dennis is just so responsive, always so good at showing them what he likes with his noises and the rolling of his body, and it’s no different now. He sighs when Jack breathes hotly over his wet skin, whines when he prods the tip of his tongue around his hole, yips when he bites the inside of his thigh softly, and moans high and breathy when Jack spreads him wider, lapping over his hole like he really is leaking slick for Jack to taste. Jack can imagine it, Dennis would be sweet, he thinks. Like peaches. And fresh like gin and soda. His actual taste is divine too, clean and a little salty, his springtime musk fills Jack’s nostrils as he licks over him again and again, feeling Dennis start to push back into him as he gets more comfortable with the feel of Jack’s mouth. Jack’s pretty sure no one’s ever done this with Dennis before, and the Alpha in Jack is wagging his tail that he’s the first to taste him like this. That this beautiful man trusts him enough.

Jack massages at Dennis’s flesh, helping him to relax, as he starts to work his tongue inside him, making him mewl.

Jack loves this bit, the feeling of a tight hole clenching around his tongue. It never lasts long, that’s sort of the point, to get his partner relaxed, but right now, when he first breaches into him and he has to really work his way inside, jabbing and pressing, fighting to gain entrance, only to be rewarded with the heat and the pressure? He loves it. And Dennis feels so different to Robby, who’s all gorgeous hair and thick, dark scent. Dennis is softer all over. The delicate hairs here are sparse and soft, with most of his skin smooth and barely covered in downy soft fluff. His balls are smaller and tighter to his body, which is also different. Robby is usually all over Jack’s face when he does this to him, and he fucking loves that, that his heavy sack and thick cock cover Jack’s face as he tongues at his mate, but he likes this equally. Robby grunts and groans, decadent and filthy, whereas Dennis, he sighs, and it’s so fucking pretty.

Jack shifts his hands from Dennis’s arse up to the back of his knees, now that he’s fulling eating the kid out and doesn’t need his hands to help spread him, and he bundles Dennis up, lifting him a bit further and scooting forward, bending him so Jack is leaning over him, eating down into him, Dennis is doubled over at his waist, legs up in the air.

Robby groans as he sees the change in position, telling Dennis how fucking hot he is, how he’s a dream, the best Omega they could imagine, and he thinks he might hear the kid sniffling, so he kisses into his thigh to give him a break, to check in, and Robby is kissing softly all over the side of his face as Dennis cries. His eyes are bright and sparkling, a soft smile on his face as his tears fall and Robby pets over him, taking care of him and making sure he knows how cherished he is with his words and his touch. And Jack closes his eyes for a moment as he buries his face into the meat of Dennis’s thigh, needing to fucking compose himself before he says something stupid like ‘We love you, please never leave us.’

Instead, he spears his tongue back into Dennis, licking into him and circling his tongue before sucking at his rim, and that makes Dennis shout out his name, starting to repeat it like a mantra. And fuck yeah, Jack loves to hear it, the steady stream of “Jack, Jaaack, Alpha, oh my god” in between the sounds of Robby and Dennis kissing.

Eventually, Jack decides the kid’s had enough, and it’s time to continue with his plan. He grabs the fancy gel lube they usually use for deep anal play, and, as he moves to bite at the swell of Dennis’s arse where it meets his leg, Jack squirts a long stream of it into Dennis. He twitches a little, it’s probably chilly, but Jack’s sure it’ll be worth it. He lightly pets over Dennis’s slick hole, dipping his fingertip in slowly, in case Dennis wants to ask him to stop, he doesn’t, quite the opposite, he’s pressing up and against him, squirming as Robby licks at his chest. Jack’s obsessed with having Dennis in the air like this, loves the view and the look of him, and he greedily watches his finger sink into the younger man, dipping in deeper through the pool of lubricant that he’d filled Dennis with, slick clinging to his finger and spilling out over his hole a little as he drags his finger back out.

Jack moves slowly until he’s worked Dennis up to two and then three fingers, finally picking up the pace. Dennis is leaking everywhere, lube spilling out of him as Jack fingers him, and he make sure to rub over his prostate as he drags his fingers out, to show his lovers the sticky long rivulets of fluid pouring out of Dennis, clinging to Jack’s skin.

“Look, Denny, you’re so fucking wet for your Alphas.”

And Dennis does look. Sees the clear fluid connecting Jack’s fingers to his arse, how the skin between his thighs is wet and slick, and he whimpers, overwhelmed at the sight of himself covered with slick, Jack fucks his fingers back into him while Dennis watches, his red eyes glazing over a little at the sight, Robby nuzzling into his cheek and stealing glances at Jack’s fingers opening their boy up for him.

“Such a good Omega, getting so slick for us. You’ll feel like heaven baby, I can’t wait to get inside you.”

Dennis writhes at Robby’s words, his dick is dark red and leaking down his stomach and Jack can’t help but switch hands, getting two new fingers wet before bringing two from each hand to Dennis’s relaxed hole, Robby grabbing one of Dennis’s legs to hold him steady. Jack wants to pull him open, to see inside, and Dennis and Robby are just staring now, greedy, as Jack pulls at his hole, just a little, fingers hooked under his rim and seeing just a peak of the soft, wet pink of his insides, Jack’s dick twitches in his pants at how hot it all is. He spits into Dennis’s hole and Dennis covers his face with his hands, groaning.

“Shit, Jack, is he ready? Is our Omega ready to get fucked?” Robby looks feral, like he’s barely holding it together. Jack loves him like this. It’s how he gets in rut, desperate to please and to fuck.

“I think he’s still slicking up Mikey, want to come see? Help him get all the way there for you?”

Robby nuzzles between Dennis’s hands and kisses him filthy, followed by a chaste peck before he crawls to where Jack has Dennis’s hips held in the air, his arse pressed to Jack’s chest. Jack shows Robby how many fingers he can take, how wide he can stretch, how he squirms with he rubs at his prostate, and Robby moans, greedily looking his fill at the pale skin, marked up red with the pressure from Jack gripping his thighs and the burn of his stubble, at Dennis’s light brown hair curled and wet around his rim. Holding him open like this, Jack has an idea.

“Omega, clench up nice and tight for me ok baby? Go on, show your Alphas.”

And Dennis does with a whine. He can’t close his hole of course, with Jack holding him open, but the tightening of his inner walls has the lube Jack filled him with pooling and leaking out, forced out of his hole and down across his arse and balls. Dennis shivers at the feeling, and Robby groans like he’s the one getting fucked.

“Oh baby. Look at all that slick. Fuck.”

“Alphas, Alphas, please.” The kid looks totally wrecked. Red and twitching all over. It’s delivcious.

Jack leaves two fingers in him, wipes his dryer hand on his leg a bit and grabs at the lube again. Robby helps him with the cap, and he fills Dennis back up so he’s slick and cushioned for what comes next. He withdraws from inside Dennis, and lowers him back down, before using the slick still on his hand to coat his pretty cock a few times, he’s burning hot and shivers at his touch.

Now that Dennis is open and wet and lying back on the bed in one piece, Jack makes more room for Robby to take over and grabs some wet wipes to clean his hands. His mate has other ideas though, and Jack’s being scruffed into a biting kiss. All teeth as Robby fucks into his mouth with his tongue, groaning into Jack as he bends his neck back, Robby kissing down into him, making the most of the few inches of height difference between them.

Robby releases him with a soft thumb stroking over his cheek, completely at odds with the commanding, rough kiss, before replacing his thumb with his lips, sweetly kissing him next to his eye. Jack smiles, skin crinkling under Robby’s lips.

Robby turns back to Dennis, who’s panting on the bed watching his Alphas make out, one hand splayed over his tummy with his index finger just lightly teasing over the very tip of his dick where he peeks out of his foreskin, tiny strokes over the slit. Shit, he’s a wet dream come to life.

Robby’s voice is all Alpha, rough and deep and commanding, as he breaks through the sound of heavy breathing. “Omega, are you ready for me?”

Dennis looks to Jack, something close to panic on his face, “y… yellow,” he squeaks, and Jack’s at his side in an instant, quickly wiping his hands and chucking the rubbish on the ground so he can lie along Dennis’s body and stroke the side of his face, turning him to look only at Jack.

Jack’s bundled next to him, barely an inch between their faces. “Baby, are you ok?”

“I just… am I ready?”

“You are down there, but what about up here?” Jack strokes higher, over his forehead. “We don’t need to do anything more today, or we can shift to something else.”

“I want to. I just got a bit overwhelmed. I want to keep going.”

“Ok baby, what position do you want? That’s what Robby will ask next.”

“Can… can you pick, Alpha?” Dennis whispers, Jack kisses him.

“You’d like that?” Dennis gives him a cute scrunched up smile, clearly saying ‘duh, obviously’.  Jack kisses him again. “Ready?”

“Yes. Yep.”

“Ok, tell Robby green. And he’ll keep going.”

Dennis nods, turning his face back to Robby. He takes a deep breath, eyes closed. When he’s ready, he’s looking back at Robby with heat.

“Green, Alpha”

Robby purrs, massaging over his legs. “So good with your colors. Good boy.” Dennis nods, like he agrees. Like he knows he’s their good boy. Clever kid.

“How do you want me, Omega? This cock belongs to you, baby. Any way you want it.”

Dennis’s breath hitches, he grabs Jack’s hand.

Jack pecks his shoulder. “Mikey, our boy’s going to ride you, and then, once you’ve worn him out, he’d like to present for you.”

Dennis nods frantically, Jack thought he’d like that plan.

Robby chuckles. “Doesn’t our Alpha have the best ideas, Den?”

Dennis’s laughter bubbles out of him, and Robby smiles fondly, pulling his shirt over his head before offering Dennis his hands to pull him up to kneel in front of Robby in the centre of the bed. Robby wraps his arms around him and kisses him slow and Jack can see Dennis relaxing in his arms as he folds into Robby, breathing in over his scent gland at his neck. Robby takes the opportunity to glance at Jack, mouthing “OK?”, and Jack gives him two thumbs up before removing his pants to get more comfy.

Dennis paws at Robby’s tummy before shimmying his pants down to his knees, grabbing at Robby’s arse and rubbing their crotches together.

“Need you,” he whispers into Robby’s mouth.

“Mmm, need you too, Den.”

“Need to be yours. Make me your Omega, please Robby.”

They fall back in the bed next to Jack, Robby kicking his pants off and Dennis rolling on top of him.

Robby has his hands on Dennis’s face as they kiss, Dennis rolling his hips begging for Robby to hurry up and get inside him. Jack can help with that. He rolls down toward Robby’s legs, gripping his thigh and running his hand up, to let Robby know what he’s doing. When Robby doesn’t stop him, still enjoying his fingers in Dennis’s hair and neck, Jack soothes a hand down the base of Dennis’s spine to still him.

Jack grasps Robby’s thick, hard cock, and rubs it between Dennis’s cheeks, through the slickness there. Dennis keens, opening his legs wider to make room, desperate to feel Robby over his hole. Jack lines them up, rubbing back and forth, and Dennis slowly rocks back, He’s so slick Robby’s head breaches him easily.

“Oh god, Robby, shit.”

“That’s it baby, take me slow, you feel so fucking good.”

As Dennis slowly sinks down onto him, his breathing picks up faster than Jack would like, so Jack rubs a hand over his back again, stilling him from sliding down for a minute as his breaths slow and his body relaxes. Good boy.

“That’s it Denny, doing perfect. God, you were made for this, weren’t you Omega?”

Dennis likes Jack talking him through it, he’s nodding and whining as he sinks a bit lower. He’s got Robby about halfway inside before he raises himself forward an inch before sinking down again, working Robby in and out, going down a bit further each time. Jack releases Robby’s cock, Dennis has got this. He sits back on the foot board of the bed, enjoying the show of Robby’s cock sinking into Dennis, palming over his own chest, knowing how good it feels, to be inside Dennis, and to be sinking down on Robby’s cock.

It's all a bit of a blur from there.

Dennis takes a lazy pace, and slowly starts to hold himself up above Robby, working himself onto him, seeing what feels good. Robby watches his face, lips open slightly, puffing out little breaths of air each time Dennis sinks down over him. They kiss, Dennis picking up the pace with short little thrusts until he sits up to properly ride him, grinding down and enjoying how deep Robby is. Telling his as much, that’s he can feel him all the way inside, that he’s never felt so full.

“Made for me, Omega.”

Dennis moans, open and needy, chasing his own pleasure as he rocks and grinds and bobs, grabbing at Robby’s chest as he rides him, and Jack lightly palms himself, gently tugging his balls, enjoying the view.

“God, Jack, he’s fucking incredible, shit.”

Dennis speeds up, his shoulders turn pink, little beads of sweat making him shine. Eventually, he starts whining, and Robby asks what he needs.

“Need to see Jack”

“Well, flip around baby, let me watch your back while you ride me facing him. Give him a show.”

And Dennis lifts himself off Robby on shaking legs, turning around and sinking back down with a groan before slowly looking up and meeting Jack’s eyes. “Alpha.”

“Dennis, you look gorgeous like this.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah baby, you have no fucking idea. This is gonna keep me going all shift.”

Dennis whines at that, reminded that Jack won’t be here tonight. He straightens up, leaning back towards Robby to show off the full delicious line of his body, eyes still on Jack as he raises up on his knees before slamming down, knocking the air out of his and Robby’s lungs. Robby grabs at his waist, helping him up to slam down again.

“You’ll think of me, Alpha, like this?”

“Oh shit”, Jack’s fulling jerking off now, unable to resist, thinking about Dennis riding him, looking at the pleasure on his face as he fucks down onto Robby, rolls his hips and shows Jack his hard cock bobbing up and down. Dennis runs a hand down his chest, grabs at his tits, throwing his head back, enjoying Jack’s eyes on him.

“I want you to. Want you hard and thinking of me. I touch myself you know, for weeks now, imagining you wanting me. My fingers never went deep enough. Not like your hands, your cocks. Fuck.” Dennis lets go of his chest and runs his hand down his stomach and loosely fists his cock. He must clench up at the contact, because Robby swears at the same time, their movements jerky for a moment before resuming their deep, hard pace.

“Shit, I’m close, Alphas. Fuck, you drive me crazy.”

Robby huffs, “Ready to get bred, baby?”

“Oh god, oh my god yes, want your cum. Need it.”

“Robby, get the kid to present, now.”

Robby waits a moment, thrusting a few more times in case Dennis wants to disagree, but he doesn’t, so Robby pulls him off, chucking him down on the bed, and Dennis goes easily, head and arms outstretched on the bed, chest low, back arching up and arse on display. Before Robby can move behind him Jack’s up and over his back, licking into Dennis’s ear and thrusting against his sticky balls.

“You want your Alphas’ cum, baby?”

Dennis keens. Arching his back further and pressing back against Jack.

“Yes, yes, please.”

“I’ll cover you in it, and Robby will fuck it into you.”

“Oh my god, oh shit, yes!”

Jack leans back on his knees, fist flying over his cock, staring at Dennis’s pink, open, dripping hole. “Fuck, oh fuck, Denny.” Pleasure courses through him as he paints Dennis’s arse, dipping in slightly to get some inside. Dennis moans and circles his hips.

Jack moves away quickly, making room for Robby to line himself up. He fucks into Dennis hard and deep and Dennis howls, hands scrabbling to grab at the bed, to hold onto anything as Robby fucks him into the bed.

“Fuck Omega, so fucking hot, God, gonna fill you up baby.”

“Yes, fill me”

“Shoot my pups into you, fill you so round and full”

“Oh my god.”

“Keep you filled up, breed you every day till it catches.”

“Yes, yesyesyes”

“You’d look so hot, swollen with our pups. Mine and Jacks. I’ll fuck his cum deep inside baby, just for you.”

Dennis’s cock is leaking all over the sheets, the squelching sound of the lube is obscene, and the slapping of their bodies fills the room, punctuated by Dennis’s cries and Robby’s dirty talk.

Dennis is practically sobbing between moans. “Alpha, please fill me, mate me, need – fuck- to be yours.”

Robby groans. Jack does too. The thought of mating Dennis is consuming his every thought. That Alpha urge to claim, breed, mate, is overwhelming. Robby fucks into him faster, he’s got to be close.

“Oh, you’re ours, Omega, never letting anyone touch you again, this perfect slick hole is all – fucking - ours.”

Dennis is barely making sense anymore, just moaning and whining nonstop.

“Knot you up, fill you with pups. Fuck, Den, gonna-“

“Do it do it Robbyyyyyyyy”

And Robby’s knotting him, hips jerking tight as he fucks Dennis up the bed. Dennis is shaking and scrambling to get a hold of something to press back against Robby. Robby’s claws are sunk into his hips, and Dennis is thrusting back against him, milking his knot.

“GOD yes, Robby, Jack, mate me, please, please.”

And no matter how much self-control Robby has, and Jack knows it’s a lot, he’s completely overcome. His face is pained, Dennis is crying out for him and Robby knows he shouldn’t, he can’t, whilst desperately wanting to, his mouth is open, fangs bared. Jack grabs at Dennis, gripping a fistful of skin in his hand, a few inches lower on his back than his scent gland, and Robby looks completely relived as he bites into the offered flesh at  the same time that Jack bends over and bites Robby’s mating bite. He had to mate someone, the urge to claim Dennis was so overwhelming. Dennis cries out and shakes all over, his own knot popping as he comes all over the sheets, squirting his release over and over from his swollen untouched knot as Robby sucks his skin into his mouth, still twitching inside him.

Eventually, Robby licks over the bite and then wraps his arms around Dennis and places them on their sides, curled into each other, facing Jack, who snuggles in close, facing Dennis.

He can’t work out the expression on the kids’ face, and he supposes that that’s ok. everything they just did was a lot, the last few days has been a lot too, so if Dennis is working some of that out instead of being blissed out jelly, well, fair enough. Jack has to kiss him though, to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere bad. He’s mated to Robby, after all, he’s used to sharing a bed with an Alpha whose brain spirals off the tracks – he’s not sure if Dennis is like that too, but he thinks everyone can be sometimes.

Dennis reaches for him, pulling Jack to his chest, and he snuggles into his soft sweaty skin and tucks his legs between Dennis’s. Dennis whispers ‘Thank you’ into his hair, and he kisses his chest in response.

+++

Jack can’t believe he fell asleep.

When they stir from their nap, it’s only two hours until Jack needs to head in to work. So he kisses Dennis and Robby and hauls himself out of bed, showering and making himself breakfast. He could get used to this, he thinks. Not all the sex, that’s a bit unsustainable on the daily for someone his age, but whatever the feeling in the apartment is right now, that. He could get really used to that.

Not much is different out here really, the apartment is mostly the same. Except for Robby’s old anatomy textbook that’s down from the bookcase and open on the table with some Post Its Dennis had added. Except the granola bar wrapper with crumbs around it, from when Dennis and Robby had pulverized it this morning to try and attract the birds on the lawn.  Except they’re out of milk twice as quickly as usual. Except there’s three glasses in the sink.

Eventually, Dennis pads out and wraps his hands around Jack’s middle, pressing against his back as he’s washing the dishes.

“I should probably go home.” It’s said casually, muffled into the back of Jack’s shirt. Jack doesn’t feel fucking casual. He tries not to let his body go rigid, He’s sure his face looks like he just sucked a lemon, but Dennis can’t see that, so he thinks he’s probably safe.

“If you want to, pet, whatever you want.”

Dennis squeezes his middle, just for a moment before letting go and leaning himself back on the kitchen island.

“Tomorrow’s my last day before I have to go back to work, you’ll be sleeping during the day tomorrow, it’s probably a good idea to get back into my own schedule.”

Jack hates this idea. It the worst, dumbest idea he’s ever heard. Dennis doesn’t need his own schedule.

“That’s smart. We could drop you on my way in tonight if you want?”

“Yeah… yeah, ok.”

Jack spins around so he’s facing Dennis, taking two steps forward, he can feel the heat of his body through the sliver of air between them.

“Wish I didn’t have to work today, pup.” He cups Dennis’s cheek. He still can’t work out his face.

“Someone’s gotta save all those lives.” Dennis isn’t looking at him.

“And look damn good doing it.”

“That too.” Kid doesn’t even laugh a little. He looks pained. “I put your curtains back.”

Jack steps back. He tries to play it off as casual, like he’s just tidying the kitchen. “Oh, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I should have asked, before taking them down in the first place.”

You didn’t have to ask. I like that you didn’t ask. I like you here making a mess of my life. You’re good for me. “Not a problem at all.”

“And I put the other stuff back.”

The kitchen is spotless, except for the stupid granola wrapper. Jack doesn’t touch it. He vaguely thinks about framing it, to keep Dennis from removing it, too. “Oh, you… ok. I guess that makes sense.”

“So, I think it’s all back to how I found it.” Like I was never here.

Jack can hear the second half of that unsaid sentence clear as day, and he is not having it.

“You know Den, things can… we don’t need to go back to how things were, unless you want to.”

“I live pretty much on the way, so we shouldn’t need to leave any earlier. I’m just gonna grab my stuff together, I think Robby will be done in the shower soon.” Dennis kisses his cheek and scampers off, completely avoiding what Jack had said.

He bangs his fist down on the counter a few times. Shit shit shit.

When Robby gets out of the shower Jack keeps trying to pull him aside, but he doesn’t get a chance without Dennis hovering. He thinks they can both see what’s going on though. Dennis is pulling away, probably because he thinks he has to, that this was just some weird blip and they need to all go back to the way things were.

Do they?

Jack supposes in some ways it would be easier. The work situation being front and centre. Dennis is only with them for another week or so on rotation, and then he’s out of their department. Dennis told him last month that he’s keen on EM, and that he’ll be applying to match for his internship. So they’d need to keep everything a complete secret, from everyone, or Dennis could lose his match if he gets it in the first place, and Robby could lose his job, whether they keep seeing each other or not.

Once his internship starts though, they could just say it’s new, declare to HR, and Dennis will be assigned a new supervisor to oversee any grievances from the other residents or patients. Obviously they’d want to tell people by then. Because Dennis would move in, right? Because they’d mate him. Official at home and official at work. It’s not impossible.

Or, there’s the other option.

A blip.

That they don’t continue this, secret or otherwise. Dennis could be pulling away from them because his hormones have levelled out and he wants to go back to the way things were, or maybe he’d like them to pretend that’s what happened and try to behave accordingly. In most ways, it makes way more sense for them to call it three days of hormonal insanity, never to be repeated.

Dennis is fucking half their age. He’s not looking to get shacked up with some old fucked up Alphas who are also his bosses. He’ll be a fresh doctor soon, he should get to enjoy it, enjoy not being at school anymore, throw himself into his internship year and do all the stuff you’re meant to do, have a messy situationship with a nurse or two, stay out too late and sober up with a banana bag before a shift, all of it. You can’t do that when you’re mated to your bosses. You can’t do a lot of things. Like find an age appropriate husband and get age appropriate married and have age appropriate pups.

By the time they need to bundle into the car to drop Dennis and then himself off, Jack’s basically talked himself out of so much as looking at the kid ever again. He’s pretty sold that asking Dennis to continue whatever this is would be the single most unforgivably selfish thing he could possibly do. He and Robby had agreed to follow Dennis's lead, so that's what he'll do.

His heart’s been broken before, he’ll manage.

Jack gets out of the car at Dennis’s place, so does Robby, who hands Dennis his backpack and wraps him into a hug, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

“You need anything tonight just call, yeah? We’re not going anywhere.”

“Yeah, yeah I…. yeah.”

Jack kisses his lips, just for a few seconds, trying to commit the feel and the taste of him to memory.

“See you soon kid, get some rest, yeah?”

“Yeah, will do. Thanks uh… Thank you.”

And Dennis walks away from them.

Jack doesn’t want to move, Robby basically has to push Jack back into the car so that he isn’t late.

They drive in silence until Robby swings into the ER drop off at PTMC, the engine idling. There are ambulance sirens in the distance, getting closer.

“… Do you think he’s coming back?” Jack whispers it, staring at the glass of the windshield. It needs a clean.

Robby exhales long and slow, throwing his head back against the car seat. “I don’t know, baby.”

Jack turns to look at him. At the man he’s loved for half a decade, maybe more, if he’s honest. He looks unmoored. It’s a common look for him, these days. “Do you think he should?”

Robby chuckles, overwhelmed, like Jack’s asked him to recite the square root of Pi. It’s not a nice sound. “I don’t know that either.”

Jack squeezes his hand, and Robby tightens his in response. “Yeah… me either”

Chapter Text

Dennis has never felt like this before.

He’s been thinking about it. Thinking about Robby’s large, soft body. His long legs. How red his face and his chest get when he blushes. The gorgeous way his crow’s feet look as he moans.

Thinking about Jack’s muscled arms. His adorable freckles. His stubbled jaw. The filthy things that come out of his mouth. How his skin is a little loose over his firm body and how it feels amazing under his fingers.

Dennis wants to know what Robby and Jack feel like inside. He wants to fuck them.

It’s something he’s never been particularly interested in before. He’s topped, sure, but it was more just because that’s a thing men are supposed to want to do. It had felt good, but he didn’t really get all the fuss. He hadn’t thought about wringing his partner’s pleasure out of them slowly, or quickly, if that’s what they prefer. Hadn’t burned with how hot he’d get just thinking about being inside them, thinking about how it would feel inside him, in his chest, to slide into them deep and slow and have them moan because of him. He never knew it could crack him open.

It was never like this.

Jack’s first. It’s quick and dirty on the lounge room floor, it’s sort of like getting it out of the way, they’re both so keyed up that he can’t psych himself out and fuck Jack feels amazing. Dennis tells him, how perfect he is under and around him. How hot he makes him, and Jack grunts and sighs and fucks back onto him, occasionally glancing at Robby watching them, which makes the whole thing ten times hotter as his rut clenches in time with Jack’s tight body, Jack who’s fucking himself against Dennis over and over until he feels fire and panic and he has to pull out at the last minute before his knot catches, they hadn’t talked about knotting, so he comes between Jack’s firm thighs, and Jack doesn’t seem to mind if the filth that’s coming out of his mouth is any indication. Jack turns his neck and Dennis adores the creases in his skin, wants to bite them as Jack says he loved it, that Dennis fucked him so fucking good. And he kisses Dennis after with a smile and a laugh, puffed out and cheering like he’d just won a football game before whispering into his ear that he can’t wait to get fucked by him again, running off to get changed.

His rut doesn’t cool completely, but he pretends that it does. Wants to feel normal for a few hours before he surrenders again. He knows they wouldn’t mind it, if he kept them in bed the whole time, but he likes these bits almost more than the sex. The chatting on the couch, sharing meals and wiping down the counters after. It makes it all feel that much more real.

He fucks Robby next, and learns a few things about himself very quickly. First, he is probably ruined for younger men, after having first Jack and now Robby under him Dennis doesn’t think the sight of a body like his, young and smooth, would ever do it for him again. He loses himself in the texture of Robby’s skin, his heavy loose sack, and his soft fucking cock. How much Dennis liked that was a revelation. He wants it in his hands and in his mouth and on his face all the fucking time. It takes all of the decorum Dennis can muster to not just stare at Robby’s crotch for the rest of the day, knowing what’s under his pants and how much Robby likes it when Dennis touches him. Shit.

And then he nearly rips a man’s throat out.

Dennis has been mad before. Has felt rage and anger and fear, but he’s never been so close to doing something so unforgiveable about it.

When Dennis was younger, he was a biter. With three older brothers all bigger and stronger than him it was his last and only line of defence, other than running away, which he also employed often. But when they caught him, or he couldn’t get away, or they snuck up on him, he’d have to scratch and bite his way out. He’d been clipped over the ears by his father, as if the broken arm or sprained wrist or bloodied nose his brothers had given him wasn’t punishment enough. As he grew, he’d learned to use his fists and his strength and his speed too. His reach was shorter than most men’s, so he worked hard to make sure every punch that connected would hurt. He hated that he had to practice violence. He wished that running worked.

Last year, when Dennis had first discovered that school, hospital rotations, and holding down a job at the same time were absolutely not going to be possible, he’d been left with that same fear he’d carried as a child. His first night in an unhoused shelter he’d nearly gotten in the way of two different fights, just from proximity. He’d crawled under his cot, blunt teeth bared, awake most of the night, scared out of his wits. He’d tried a few different shelters that all had similar squabbles, people at their wits end, no money for scent patches and all manner of other challenges that inevitably led to violence. He’d eventually found a corner of the school library he could hide in and camp out the nights. Then, the hospital, with a bed and running water. And now, Trinity’s. It had been months since he’d last felt the need to nash his teeth in fear.

Until those fucking assholes at the bar. Until, if it hadn’t been for Jack and Robby, he could have just hit and clawed and bit without a moment’s pause.

So, he supposes he has to work on that. Jack might have some pointers for him, about cooling his violent Alpha impulses. He hopes it’s only this intense during his rut, that he won’t need to go through the world worried he’ll snap at any moment.

His teeth though, they ache and he thinks he knows why. Dennis wants to mate his attendings.

Is it irony, some kind of cosmic joke, or perhaps a special level of purgatory just for Dennis, he wonders, that has led him to this impossible place. His crush on his bosses was one thing. Trinity told him it was both hilarious and cliché, not the end of the world, common even. Then, they’d brought him home. Slightly less normal, but they were sort of exceptional circumstances. And Dennis’s crushes grew quick, stronger than he’d ever felt before. He knows he’s in love at the same time as knowing that he can’t be in love. It’s too fast, let alone falling for two people at the same time, he knows some folks do that, but he’d never thought he'd be one of them. And now, now he wants to bite into the scent glands of the two men that have cared for him and taught him and laughed with him and pleasured him and kept him safe. Scent glands that are not his to bite into, because Jack and Robby are already fucking mated.

Dennis has been taking and taking, he’s greedy with it and he just keeps asking for extras. And now his covetous brain is asking for this, demanding. And so, his teeth itch and ache.

Robby brushes his own teeth and sees Dennis in the mirror behind him, he smiles with foam all over his mouth, and Dennis wants to bite him. Jack idly hooks a finger into Dennis’s belt loop as he tells him a story as they stand in the kitchen, and Dennis wants to bite him. Robby brushes a hand through his hair, shaking out some stray water droplets, and Dennis wants to bite him. Jack laughs at one of his jokes, and Dennis wants to bite him so badly he has to look away.

And when they roll around in bed after the disastrous turn at the bar, gasping into each other, hands and tongues and hips grinding and sweating and falling over and onto each other over and over, Dennis wants to bite them. Wants to mate and be mated. Wants to stay here forever and be theirs and for them to be his.

He’s so fucking screwed.

So, how much worse can it get, really? Might as well go the full fucking hog while he has the chance. When he asks for Robby to fuck him, for them to treat him like their Omega, he’s fully aware that this might be the last time they ever sleep together. Dennis’s rut is over, and so there’ll be no reason for him not to go home soon. A home he used to really like, but now feels empty and cold and completely unnatural to think about. And surely, once he’s gone, whatever spell they’ve all been under will fade, and his Alphas will realise how much they don’t need this sort of drama and upset to their lives long term.

So, he asks. Begs for what he wants one final time. To be theirs, built by nature and anointed by God to belong to them completely and fully. A childhood dream come to life. And it’s better than he ever thought it could be, the sex, yeah, that was incredible. Jack licking and fingering him open, bending him in half with lust in his eyes, the feel of Robby stretching and filling him so completely. But the feeling of belonging to the two older Alphas, treasured and wanted and claimed - he doesn’t know if he’ll ever recover, now that he’s felt that.

He'd not meant to beg to be mated, he couldn’t help it though, lost in the sensations and their dirty talk, his brain had gone somewhere fuzzy and primal that he’s never been before. But Robby’s teeth sunk into him not on his gland, and Dennis had been shoved right out of that perfect fuzzy place and into the harsh light of reality. Being theirs is a fantasy, it’s not real life. Redredred. He should say it, so they can talk about it. I don’t feel ok. What do you want from me?

We all look after each other.

He lets himself pretend that ‘we’ includes him for just a bit longer, presses back against Robby and draws Jack to him, holds him tight. He will remember how it felt to be theirs for the rest of his life.

+++

Robby opens the door after dropping off Dennis and Jack and walks into an empty house. He paces about, not really sure what to do with himself. What does he normally do, when Jack’s on shift? He’s been doing it for three fucking years but somehow right now, he has absolutely no idea. He sits on the couch, flicks through the tv. He turns it off again ten minutes later after not picking anything. Grabs a book, gets a few pages in before realising he’s absorbed none of it. He throws it across the room in frustration.

“Fuck.”

No one answers him.

He pours himself a glass of whisky. It burns and that’s good, so he pours another which he carries into the spare bedroom. He can’t go into their room right now. His bed has been full of Dennis for three days, and he’s not ready to see it empty. He sits on the spare bed, sipping his whisky and staring at the wall dumbly. He crosses his outstretched legs, twinging his hip a bit, and suddenly the awareness of the aches of his body violently sweeps over him. His hips are sore, there’s bruises there from fingers and mouths. His back’s a bit tender too, from fucking Dennis into the bed like Robby’s 15 years younger than he actually is. He grabs some painkillers, they’re still on the bedside table from when Robby had given them to Dennis his first night here, when he’d massaged his sore teeth and Dennis had burrowed into his chest and begged him not to stop touching him. Robby’s skin shivers with the memory of him.

Robby digs his fingers into the bruises on his hips, hissing out at the pain before lying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, his eyes welling up.

+++

Jack’s twitchy and quick to criticise. He knows he’s being a bitch to his co-workers, can feel himself doing it as well as sense their eyes on him, wondering what the hell his problem is, but he can’t seem to get himself under wraps. Ellis tells him to pull the stick out of his butt and instead of joking it off he pops a bag of saline in his fist.

“Whoa, Cap, you need a breather?”

Her sincerity is worse than her annoyance. He swears under his breath and storms out of the room.

So, of course they all start gossiping. What the fuck is up with Abbot? Did something happen during his time off? He thinks he overhears one of the junior nurses speculating that he just found out he needs to get his other leg chopped off, and ok, he clearly needs to put some kind of stop to the rumour mill, and the quickest way to do that is to fix his shit. He goes to his locker, and heads outside for his first sober cigarette in 8 years.

He does feel a bit better after. It’s like a halftime pep talk. Get over yourself Rabbit, there’s a fucking job to do, it’s just a bit of heartbreak, you’ve still got a man you love waiting at home for you. Get it the fuck together. He stalks back in with his head in the game and gets to work.

The next few hours are a blur, but they’re ok, he thinks. Better. Normal, almost. Ellis kicks ass performing a pericardiocentesis, nurse Jones makes a great save catching some dodgy bloodwork, and his team eventually seem to stop scurrying away from him like he’s going to bite them. King of compartmentalizing is back, baby, Dana can eat her heart out.

He helps his students stabilise a 14 year old with a broken humerus, supervises some c-collars on two whiplash victims that drove themselves to the ED after a car crash, and orders every kind of anti-nausea treatment he can think of for a mother of 3 who’s on her 12^th round of chemo and can’t keep any water down.

He calls Walsh before remembering she’s on leave, her cover Dr Brite comes down for a trauma that’s two minutes away, a Beta couple who ended up on the wrong side of a semi-truck. The woman is not looking good. Her husband is stable, his crushed shoulder nothing compared to the massive internal bleeding of his wife. They manage to stabilise her, somehow, and Brite talks to the husband about the surgical options. He’s overwhelmed, he looks even younger than Dennis, Jack thinks, and wonders when Dennis became his benchmark for men in their mid-to-late 20s.

Jack can smell the frustration coming off Brite from the trauma room next door, so he heads in to help solve whatever her problem is.

“It’s a simple decision, you need to step up, grow up, and make the call.”

“I just… I’m not sure what she’d want.”

“Probably to make better choices in mates next time.”

“Dr Brite, may I assist?”

“I was just informing our young man here that married couples need to make medical decisions for each other and-”

“A fact which Mr Singh is no doubt well aware.” He cuts her off, turning to the injured man. “It’s difficult, to make these sorts of calls. Do you need any more information about the options, Mr Singh?”

“I just… Estelle usually makes the decisions.”

“Clearly not good ones.”

“Dr Brite, we’ve got everything we need here, thank you.” It’s a clear dismissal, one which Brite does not appreciate as she rips off her gloves and throws them down in frustration, storming out of the trauma bay.

Jack cracks his neck and sits down with Mr Singh as he revisits the options for his wife’s care, none of them particularly promising. It’s time sensitive, but not so urgent Brite needed to get herself worked up over it. The young beta in front of him fiddles with an unusual silver necklace as they talk. Oh, Jack thinks he’s figured out how to help now.

“What um, advice, would your wife give you, Mr Singh, if she were able to. You don’t need to tell me, just, in your mind.”

“Advice… I… I don’t know”

“Imagine her, what would she tell you to do, David?”

Jack sees him visibly relax, rolling his shoulders back into a straight-backed posture, clasping his day collar and taking a deep breath. When he opens his eyes, he looks calmer.

“Ok, yes. I, I know what to do.”

They quickly go over the particulars and Jack calls up to surgery to relay the info, it’s the right call. Jack hands Mr Singh off to a nurse to show him to the surgical floor and spies Brite floating near South 12 sending him daggers. Jack beckons her over with a jerk of his head.

“So, you managed to get the kid to pull his weight huh?”

“I managed to help a terrified husband make a difficult call for his wife, yes.”

“Oh, come off your high horse Abbot, you’re thinking the same thing as me - what’s a woman older than me doing with a kid like that. Huh?”

“I assure you I am not thinking that.”

“Come on, you can’t possibly expect me to agree that that’s normal! Maybe she’s his sugar momma or something, he might even make the more dangerous call on purpose just to get at her money! Not that he could make a damn call in the first place, he’s not even mature enough to make a fucking decision.”

Jack is seething.

“Shelley, I will say this once, that man is having the worst day of his life, and it has nothing to do with his age. I was 42 when I had to make that same damn call for my spouse, and let me tell you, it was no fucking easier for me than it is for him. In the end when it made no fucking difference anyway I at least trusted the doctors who’d tried to save him because they had shown me the compassion and respect that our patients and their families deserve. It is not your place to judge and belittle people’s relationships. I expect better from the surgeons in my ED. So, do we have a problem here?”

“I… shit, no problem, Abbot, I didn’t think-”

“Cool it, just, I dunno, work on your bias in your own time. Get upstairs to look after that poor woman. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah Jack. Got it.”

Jack leans against a blank patch of well and catches his breath. Maybe his compartmentalizing thing really does need some work. He took that situation too personally on multiple fucking levels. He wants to text Dennis for a distraction. He’s always up late studying, glued to his phone and quick to text Jack back when he needs a pick me up during his shifts. He knows it wouldn’t be welcome right now though, wonders if he’ll ever get to text him like that again.

He texts Robby instead. He’d normally be asleep by now, but Jack suspects it will be a long night. It’s not to distract him anymore though. He thinks he has an idea.

Jack Fap-it💦: Why do we work in EM again?

Robby: For the cute uniforms and enviable work/life balance.

Robby: Rough shift?

Jack Fap-it💦: I think it’s me that’s rough.

Jack Fap-it💦: Can I call?

Robby: 👍

+++

Dennis hears the front door open and a bag get dumped in the hall.

“Fuckleberry! Missed you round these here parts!”

He’s curled up in the corner of the couch with a blanket thrown over himself when Trinity gets home, cocooned and wallowing. He’s got a sweater of Robby’s and Jacks with him under there, he’d found them in the bag when he’d gotten home, they must have packed them for him. It makes him ache to think about.

“Oh wow, Dennis, I love your bold new look.”

Dennis wriggles a hand out from under the blanket to flip Trinity the finger. She laughs and flops down next to him.

“So… are you ok, Den? Do I need to kill someone?”

Dennis sighs, if he really wanted privacy he’d have stayed in his room, but he’s in the loungeroom, a part of him had been waiting for Trinity to get home from her date for the last few hours. He should probably actually talk, he thinks.

He pulls his head out of the top of the blanket.

She inhales a little when she sees his blotchy face and red teary eyes. “I think I’m the world’s biggest idiot, Trin.”

“And here I was I assuming it was like, a new problem.” She jokes.

“Trinityyyy”

“Ok, ok, why are you the world’s biggest idiot?”

“I fucked up a really good thing. The best thing. I just, I ran away.”

“Ok, so, run back?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Alright.” She cuddles up next to him. “Tell me what happened. Without details, I don’t need to hear about my bosses and their old man dicks.”

Dennis slaps at her arm.

“Alright, but it did sort of all start while we were having the best sex of my life.”

Trinity groans and gets up from the couch. “Ok, wait a minute, let me get a fucking drink first.”

“Or it might have been when I nearly killed that guy at the bar?”

“WHEN YOU WHAT?!”

+++

Robby’s phone rings almost immediately.

“Hey baby. How are you doing?”

He feels a little better, just hearing Jack’s voice. He should remember that, to call more. “Oh, y’know, having a swell time. You?”

“Why do you think he left?”

Robby sighs. “I don’t know, Jacky. He needed to go back to normal, maybe? It might just be for a couple of days, he didn’t say goodbye forever or anything. We do have a tendency towards the dramatic where he’s concerned, you know.” Robby’s trying to be reasonable, to help get Jack through his shift.

“I don’t think that’s it. I think he did what he thought he deserved.”

Robby picks at the skin around his nail bed. It bleeds a bit. “We told him though, how much we wanted him. And he told us the same.”

“Yeah but, see, I just realised, that was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before that asshole in the bar assumed Dennis was like, a fun toy for us to play with, and before we pretended he was our mated Omega and then didn’t do proper aftercare.”

Oh.

“… All of us had been kind of saying stuff like that in the heat of the moment all weekend though?”

“I think this time was different. He’d asked for that scene, his rut was over, he used his colours, and I didn’t check in with him after, Mike. We didn’t remind him afterwards that we want him as he is, not just playtime Omega Dennis, but real Dennis Dennis.”

That… that makes sense. Robby feels a bit sick. “So, you think he sub dropped and what, spiralled right back to Santos’s apartment?”

“I mean, yeah, maybe.”

“Shit. So this is all our fucking fault.” Robby can feel his eyes welling up again.

“It’s not about fault Mikey, it is our responsibility though, to make sure he’s ok.”

“It’s midnight, how are we meant to do that, brother? Pretty sure banging on his door won’t help things.”

“Yeah, yeah we should leave it for tonight. Hopefully if he’s not doing well Santos can look after him and remove our balls later. Let me… I’ll think of something, ok?”

“You’re working, I can-”

“I was running that scene Mikey, this is my fuck up. I’ll check in with a plan when I see you at hand over, ok babe?”

It’s an order, Jack doesn’t give them often outside of the bedroom, but when he does, Robby tries to listen, knows that it must be important to Jack. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I’m gonna fix this. He just, hopefully he just needs to be reminded that, y’know…”

Robby waits for Jack to continue.

“Reminded that we love him, and want him exactly as he is, if he’ll have us.”

His breath hitches. The tears spill over and down his cheeks.

“Does that sound ok, Misha?”

“I… yeah. Yeah, it does.” It sounds really good.

“Alright baby, do you think, wait a minute, what? Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right in. Ok I gotta go.

“Go, see you soon.”

Robby rests his head on the pillow. His hand that’s holding the whisky glass is almost numb, he’s been sitting here still for so long. Robby doesn’t want it anymore, so he gets up and shuffles to the kitchen and pours the contents down the sink, refilling it with tap water and downing the glass.

He’s halfway through his second one when he hears a tentative knock on the door.

He rolls his eyes, exasperated and impossibly fond. This would not be the first time his meddling mate has had food delivered to him in secret while he’s away on shift, Robby’s always been terrible at feeding himself, although this late at night is new. He shakes his head as he looks for cash for a tip in the mostly dark house before flicking the hallway light on, rubbing at his eyes as he opens the front door.

+++

By the time Robby arrives for handover, Jack’s got a pretty good plan to get Dennis back. The kid will likely be home today, he figures, so, he’ll have a shower and head to Dennis’s place with flowers, breakfast, and his own large print copy of ‘A little life’ with ‘Denny, we want you with us, as long as you’ll have us.’ written in the front with a copy of their spare key. It’s pretty full-on and sappy, but Jack has a suspicion that Dennis is into that sort of thing. He quickly runs it by Robby as soon as he sees him, who’s surprisingly chipper despite a clear lack of sleep.

“You didn’t return my calls, Jack.”

Jack checks his phone, and shit, yeah, the shift had gotten busy and he hadn’t even noticed that his phone had gone flat. Jack immediately tries to apologise and ask what happened, but Robby just brushes him off, says it’s fine now, and that he likes Jack’s plan.

He leaves a bit early, it’s quiet, and Robby insists he’s got things handled here and that Jack should get going. That extra few minutes early means the roads are clearer than usual too. All good omens, Jack thinks. He knows that Dennis could still say no, but he thinks he’d be ok with that, if that’s what he decides. At least he’ll have tried.

What they’d all felt these last few days was real, though. He’s sure of it.

The exhaustion of a long shift catches up to him as he unlocks his front door and, for a second, he wonders if he’s let himself in to the wrong apartment, Robby never leaves the lights on, he can barely get him to turn them on half the time when they’re actually there, the dude stalks around like a damn vampire. The scents of the three of them waft over him though, the calming smell of home. He hopes he can keep it that way.

As soon as he’s inside his knee makes itself known. He heads to the spare room where he keeps his chair to give his leg a break, taking his foot and his shoe off. He needs a coffee and a bite to eat before he’ll have the energy to shower, so he wheels into the kitchen to heat up something from the freezer.

That’s when he nearly runs into Dennis Whitaker, who’s dancing around his kitchen and frying something sizzling on his stove.

Well, that’s interesting.

Jack heart beats hard in his chest as he announces himself with a cough.

“Nice moves, Pup.”

“HOLY SHIT!” Dennis nearly falls over, spinning around and pulling his headphones out, throwing them across the room.

Jack can’t help but smile. “Think that’s my line.”

“Shit, I, man you got here fast, I thought I had another 15 minutes.”

“Another 15 minutes…to?”

“Oh! To make you breakfast. Dinner. Food. To finish cooking food.”

“Did I miss a few chapters, Den?”

“I…um?”’

Jack slows down his talking, so Dennis understands him. “What are you doing in our apartment, pup?”

“…Robby didn’t tell you?”

Robby. Ah. The missed calls. No wonder Robby had perked up when he sent Jack home, knowing that Dennis was fucking here, the absolute asshole.

“Apparently not. I’ll kill him later, care to enlighten me on what’s going on?”

“Oh. Uh. Well.” Dennis rocks on his feet, facing Jack but not looking at his face. “About twelve seconds after you guys drove off yesterday, I realised leaving was possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Except for the time I tried to teach myself tap dancing when I was eleven and fell out of the barn loft. I mean, I’d gotten mad at you for assuming I’d leave the other day and then that’s what I did. So I, um, cried a bunch, considered assuming a new identity in Alaska, flipped through Robby’s gay book and cried more, and thank god Trin got home and literally slapped some sense into me. Like, actual slapping. She said I was being a self-sacrificing idiot and should fight for what I want.”

He swallows.

“So, I came back to do that.”

Dennis has been looking everywhere other than at Jack so far. Until now. Now his stormy blue eyes are trained on him.

“I’m sorry I was distant. I got scared and weird in my head and convinced myself I was an idiot for catching feelings. That I’d imagined everything. That you’d never want me the way I want you. But I came back because I hoped, and um, well, I figured that hearing a no couldn’t possibly feel worse than what I was already feeling. So, here I am.”

He laughs, breathless, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, like Robby does.

“I said all of this to Robby last night, more or less shouted it from the doorway, actually. But he said you two were maybe doing the exact same thing? He tried to ring you, I think. Anyway, he said if I wanted to try this for real, we could.”

Jack doesn’t think he’s breathing properly, so he makes a conscious effort to both inhale and exhale while Dennis tells him the rest.

“I guess he didn’t warn you so that I would say the same thing to you as I did to him, or maybe he just wanted to torture me by making me say it twice, since I showed up here at 1am like a lunatic.”

His voice drops, steadier now. Eyes only on Jack.

“I love you, Jack. Both of you. I know it’s fast and probably stupid, but it doesn’t feel wrong. It feels really good. And I never should have left yesterday without telling you that.”

Jack’s stomach swoops. He’s got a lump in his throat the size of Arizona, and he tries to swallow around it to respond, but Dennis cuts him off first.

“- I think I’m being more coherent than with Robby, there was some crying and um, a story about a dog in heat, so that’s a win for you, skipping that bit. Also, it’s good you’re using your chair right now, comfortable, I mean, because I clearly cannot stop talking right now, like I feel physically incapable of-”

“Dennis…”

“- shutting up. Also do you always look this hot after your shifts? That, wow, that’s great, honestly. Like really –”

Jack feels so happy he could burst. It’s a funny feeling, the lightness and vibrating excitement of being loved by this ridiculous man, contrasted with the bone deep tiredness of his body.

“Dennis! Stop panicking and please come kiss me?”

Dennis’s head flicks to Jack, and he basically runs the two steps across the kitchen to jump onto Jack’s lap and kiss him, Jack’s chair rolling backwards a bit into the fridge from the inertia. Dennis’s hands immediately thread themselves through Jack’s curls as Jack cups his cheeks, grabbing at him like maybe he’s scared he’ll disappear again if he doesn’t hold on. They kiss each other breathless. Jack smiles into his mouth, and Dennis starts laughing happily. Jack holds him close, rocking Dennis on his lap before drawing back, kissing the younger man’s nose and each of his eyebrows.

“You know pup, I was about to show up at your house and beg you to take us back?”

Dennis looks like he doesn’t believe him. “Really?”

“Oh yeah. There were multiple gift stops planned on the way, the whole bit. We’re crazy about you baby.”

“Yeah?’

“Like, commit me, losing-my-mind crazy.”

Dennis has a small, shy smile. He watches his thumb as it strokes over Jack’s temple.

“So, what happens now.”

“Well, first, you should finish cooking my dinner, it smells great in here. Second, we text Robby and tell him he’s an asshole, third, I sleep for a few hours.”

“Can we sleep for a few hours?”

“Yeah love, I’d like that.”

“No sex. Just a nap.”

Jack barks out a laugh. “Thank god! The last three days have completely fucked me out”

“Me too. This, this isn’t just about that, for me.”

“Me either. On that though, there’s one thing that can’t wait. I fucked up yesterday. I should have checked in after we had sex that last time, I think you feeling bad was my fault, baby. I’m so sorry.”

“No it… I could tell it was happening. I wanted to say red, after, to talk, but I didn’t. I broke the rules. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Agree to disagree. We take care of each other, remember.”

“I sort of decided that didn’t include me. I’m sorry.”

“Do you know it does now though?” Jack lightly plays with Dennis’s curls, admiring him, touching him delicately. “‘We’ is me and both of my boys, ok?”

Dennis smiles, he must like the way Jack phrased that, he’ll make note to say it more often.

“Yeah, I know now. And if I forget again, I’ll tell you next time.”

“Thank you, baby.” Jack kisses his cheek, blinking fast to push the tears threatening to leak out away as he rubs his fingers over the point of Dennis’s ear.

“Alright, out of my lap, I need sustenance and a coffee.”

“But we’re about to nap!”

“Coffee is an all the time beverage, everyone who says otherwise is misguided and wrong.”

Dennis laughs as he goes back to the frypan. “I think that’s just your ADHD, Jack.”

Jack wheels to the coffee machine, there’s a notepad on the drip tray. If Robby ever needs to leave a note for Jack, this is how he does it. It’s been a while since he’s written to him. He picks up the pad with a smile.

Jack,

Since we won’t have much of a chance to discuss over the next few days with work, I figured I’d share my thinking now so you can tell me what you think too. Writing this while Den sleeps a bit, kid’s exhausted. These are just some 5am thoughts, apologies if they make no sense:

• I have the Mt Everest of PTO. Go down to 4 days a week for the next few months with it. Maybe hire new part time day attending too.
• therapist once a week, not monthly
• Maybe you could work one less night a week and switch to a day? Work one day together a week :). Would that be nice? Also more time off to have a day off together just us, and then one off with Den too
• Next year, if he wants to leave Santos’s place (who knows, he loves her a bunch) instead of Den moving in here – what if we bought a new, bigger place? We could get that hot tub you’re obsessed with. I’d like you all hot and steamy and naked in our backyard.

x Your Misha

Jack folds the note and puts it in his pocket. Hell, he might fucking get it laminated or something. He turns to look at the young man in his kitchen, cooking with his tongue sticking out between his teeth as he concentrates. Curls mussed, one socked foot rubbing the back of his calf through his jeans.

Jack wheels behind him and puts his fingers in his back pocket, dragging him down onto his lap again as Dennis giggles. Jack doesn’t need to eat right this second.

“Did I tell you I love you yet? Because I do. I love you, Dennis Whitaker.”

Dennis smiles so big and lovely. It takes over his entire face.

“Did Robby tell you, too?”

Dennis nods, shy.

“Good.” and Jack’s kissing him, his hand smoothing over his back as he licks against his tongue. He tastes like the morning. Like spring.

Like new beginnings.

+++

Jack Fap-it💦: You are in so much trouble Mikey

Jack Fap-it💦: I am going to do absolutely terrible things to you

Denny: Also we love you and will see you for handover 😊

Jack Fap-it💦: Yes, also that

Robby: Den, he was SO pumped to go and win your heart back, it was just too good, I couldn’t help it!

Jack Fap-it💦: Terrible things, Michael

Denny: Guess Jack’s a *real* romantic

Denny: You just thought I was the delivry guy

Robby: Delivering me everything I ever wanted, sweetheart.

Jack Fap-it💦: Gross, get a room

Denny: Ok, I pick your bedroom 😉

Jack Fap-it💦: Hope you gave the kid a tip

Robby: hmm, just a tip?

Denny: 🥵🫣

Denny: Jack needs to sleep now

Denny: he’s getting grumpy

Jack Fap-it💦: I’ve never been grumpy a day in my life

Robby: remind me, Den, to tell you about the time Jack ran the toaster over with the car on purpose

Jack Fap-it💦: GOODNIGHT MICHAEL

Denny: 🤣

Robby: 😚