#ScentMates

[estrellami-1]

March Mating Madness

Day 24: Arranged Marriage/Mating of Convenience & Day 25: Scentmates/Soulmates

North Dakota

Ao3 Link

“Munson,” Steve Harrington says, standing on his doorstep, because apparently this is the bullshit the universe is throwing at him today.

He sighs, steps outside. Leans against the doorframe with crossed arms and feigned nonchalance. “I don’t sell from home,” he tells Harrington. “You wanna buy, you can do it at the table behind the school.”

“No, I- I’m not here to buy,” he says. Eddie looks closer, realizes the confidence is feigned bravado. He’s scared.

Eddie narrows his eyes. “Then what are you here for?”

“A mating, hopefully.” He sighs, runs a hand through his perfect hair. “Listen, can I come in? Can we not discuss this outside? ‘Cause I know El’s here with Max and if I know them as well as I think I do, they’re spying on us.”

Eddie blinks, flicks his eyes over to the Mayfields’ trailer. Sure enough, a curtain slots back into place.

Eddie narrows his eyes again, but steps inside, holding the door open for Harrington. “Shoes off. How do you know Mayfield?”

“She’s pack,” he says simply, toeing his shoes off just inside the door. “They both are. There’s some boys too, you might’ve seen Lucas before? Sinclair? He and Max are dating. We’re all pack.”

Eddie motions to the couch, sits down. “You said you’re here for a mating.”

Harrington looks down at his hands, clasped in his lap. “Yeah.”

“I think I’m gonna need a little more than yeah, Harrington.”

He winces. “Um. My parents? They’re trying to marry me off to the highest bidder.”

Eddie’s brow hits the ceiling. “You? King Steve? No way.”

He winces again. “Could you please not call me that? I get that you hate me, and you have every right to, but I’m trying not to be that guy anymore.”

Eddie tilts his head in thought, then nods. “Alright. Still doesn’t mean I believe you.”

Irritation flickers over Harrington’s features. “Why the fuck else would I ask you to mate me, dude?”

Eddie shrugs. “A dare? Laugh at the Freak when he says yes? Any number of reasons, really.”

He scrubs his hands over his face. “I was really shitty to a lot of people,” he starts quietly. “And I get that this might be, like… cosmic judgement, or something. But I refuse to mate the person my parents want me to.”

“Why?”

He sighs. “Take your pick, man. It’s a business deal. He made a joke with my dad about, like, smacking me around, and… compliance, or some shit. He doesn’t see me as a person, he sees me as an object. Some… thing to have sex with whenever he wants it. To hell with whether or not I want it. He’s controlling, manipulative, and I know he won’t be faithful. It’ll be a miracle if I don’t get rejection sickness within the first year.”

Eddie blinks, sits back. “Shit, man.” He thinks for a moment. “And you’re asking for a bite because?”

“If I’m mated, my parents have no recourse, legal or otherwise. A bite should be enough to get them off my back.”

“And if it’s not?”

Harrington shrugs. “I run, I guess. I’ve got- y’know Robin? Buckley? From band?”

“I know of her, sure.”

“She’s… she’s my best friend. Like, in the entire world. She knows what my parents are planning. And if it comes down to it, we’ll run. We’ve got some savings tucked away, but it’s not much. But my whole life is here, my pack is here, and my parents aren’t. Much, at least. I don’t want to leave, at least not without my pack.”

“So why not ask her for her bite? She’s an Alpha too, right?”

“She is, but…” he shakes his head. “I can’t. Mostly because she’d do it.”

“And that’s a bad thing because?”

“Because it would fade. Or we’d separate, because as much as we’re gonna be in each other’s lives for the rest of our lives, we’re not… like that. We’re not meant to be together like that. And I can’t put her through that pain and heartbreak, if I have to bite her too.” He quirks a corner of his lips up. “Plus she’s a terrible liar. My parents would see straight through her.”

“And how do you know I’m a good liar?”

Hazel eyes flick over to him. “You were in theater. I took an educated guess.”

Eddie snorts despite himself. “That’s fair, I guess.” He tilts his head, sighs. “I’m still not sure you’re telling the truth, but say I believe you. What would I have to do?”

He works his lip. “It should just be a bite. That should be enough for them.”

“And if it’s not?”

He shrugs miserably. “I run, I guess. I go to Robin and we run.”

“And you think you won’t get isolation sickness from leaving your pack so quickly?”

“What other choice do I have?” He bursts out, an angry whine tearing its way out of his throat. “I can’t do what my parents want and if I stay in this town there’s no way for me to get away from them! I probably will end up sick but it’s better than fucking killing myself!”

“Shit,” Eddie whispers.

Steve puts his head in his hands. “I can’t,” he whispers. “I would. I’d find a way to kill myself because I know my parents and I know my dad’s friends. There’s no way I’d make it one step out of the door before they find me again. It’s running or suicide but I don’t actually want to die.” He sighs, long and drawn-out. “Yet.”

“Okay,” Eddie decides.

Steve peeks up at him. “Okay?”

“I’ll bite you. If your parents want to meet me, you’ll bite me. We’ll find a way to dissolve it after that won’t end up in sickness.”

Steve studies him. “You mean it.”

Eddie spreads his hands. “What gave it away?”

He cracks a smile. “Mostly the lack of any jokes.”

Eddie snickers, stands. “C’mon. I was about to make lunch when you showed up. Hungry?”

“Oh,” he says. “Yeah, actually. Thank you.”

Eddie makes mac and cheese, silently daring Steve to say something about the box, but he just meekly thanks Eddie when he’s handed a bowl.

“Y’know,” Eddie starts, mouth full, “you’re not who I thought you were.”

Steve blinks down at his bowl. “Um. Thank you?”

Eddie grins. “Yeah, it’s a compliment.” He swallows, looks down at his bowl to scrape together another bite. “Thought you were perfect, in the worst sense of the word. You’ve got the hair, the looks, the car… people of every secondary gender lusting after you. What could you possibly not have? Especially that I do?” He shrugs. “Choice, apparently.”

Steve huffs a breath out. Eddie thinks it might be a laugh, or something trying to be one, in any case. “Yeah. Most castles are also dungeons.”

“Shit,” Eddie murmurs, leaning back in his seat and regarding Steve with wide eyes. “You’re kinda metal, Harrington, you know that?”

He looks up at Eddie uncertainly. “Is that a good thing?”

“Hell yeah that’s a good thing,” Eddie agrees, stuffing another bite into his mouth. “You want the bite today? Or was today to just pitch the idea to me?”

“No, I- if I can, if you don’t mind- today, please.”

Eddie leans back, looks at the clock. “You got anywhere to be in… six-ish hours?”

“Um,” Steve says. “No?”

“Cool. I live here with my uncle, and he’s chill, he won’t mind, but he’ll definitely mind not knowing about it.”

“Oh,” Steve says. “Okay, yeah. Makes sense, I guess. So… you want to wait until after you tell him?”

“After we tell him. If you don’t mind telling him.”

“No, I don’t mind.”

“Okay. Until then,” Eddie grins, “I’m pretty sure you should know your Alpha more than just surface-level. Your parents are gonna have questions, right?”

“Probably,” Steve agrees, looking vaguely nauseous.

Eddie tilts his head. “Can I ask a question?”

“You just did,” Steve retorts, then colors. “Sorry. Yeah.”

Eddie snickers. “You’re kinda bitchy. I like it. Do you wear blockers because you want to or because you’re forced to?”

Steve’s breath catches in his throat. He glances at Eddie’s neck, his uncovered gland. “It’s- it’s not proper,” he starts, then bites his lip.

“That what your parents tell you?”

Steve nods.

Eddie hums. “I don’t mind. Wayne won’t, either. If you want to take the patches off.” He frowns. “Do you- wear them at home, too?”

Steve sighs, won’t meet his eyes. “I think, maybe, me being an omega is the improper thing.”

“Well fuck that,” Eddie says, grinning and winking at Steve. “C’mon. I’ll show you mine?”

Steve giggles, glancing at Eddie before looking away and peeling the patch off.

In just a minute, a new scent starts to filter through the trailer. Peaches and raspberries, and something a little sour from the anxiety starting to show on his face.

Eddie sends out reassurance, calm-happy Alpha scent. He knows from Wayne that it smells like pine and petrichor, and as soon as Steve gets a sniff he begins to calm down. “Oh,” he murmurs, glancing at Eddie’s neck, then back away. “You, um.” His cheeks flush. “You smell good.”

Eddie chuckles. “Thanks. You too. I like fruit.”

“Um,” Steve says, confused, “I like fruit, too?”

“No, ‘cause- ‘cause of your scent? Peaches and raspberries.”

Steve shakes his head, brows furrowed. “Robin says I scent like marshmallows,” he says. “What, um- what do people say you scent like?”

Eddie’s heart slams double-time in his chest. Says quietly, “I’m guessing to you I don’t smell like pine and petrichor?”

Steve’s eyes widen as he shakes his head again. “You scent like the beach, to me,” he whispers. “And, like- sunset? I know that doesn’t make sense, but-”

“No, I- I get it. The moment when the sun goes down and it gets cooler?”

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs, eyes still saucer-wide. “Are we-”

“Looks like it,” Eddie agrees, glancing at Steve’s neck and leaning over, extending a hand, stopping just before he touches. “Can I?”

Steve nods, eyes wide, so Eddie does, rubs their glands together. His eyes widen at the feeling that zings through him. He keeps a tight leash on his scent until he smells the peaches and raspberries bloom, sweet and floral and fruity. His eyes widen even more. “You’re… happy?”

The fruit suddenly turns, goes bad. “Um.”

“No, shit, I-” he scrambles over on the couch, grabs Steve’s hands, lets his own scent bloom and fill out, tangible happiness. “Steve.”

Fruit turns ripe again as Steve’s eyes meet Eddie’s. “You are too?”

“I’m a fuckin’ idiot,” Eddie tells him, “but yeah.”

“You are not.”

“Mhm. So is now a good or a bad time to tell you about the embarrassing crush I had on you starting your junior year?”

“No,” Steve gasps. “Really?”

“Yup. ‘Course, I a little bit hated you too, but that’s a separate issue.”

Steve snickers. “Of course.” He softens as he watches Eddie. “I am glad it’s you,” he says softly. “Out of everyone.”

“Why?”

Steve looks down at their hands, still intertwined. “The Alpha my parents chose for me wouldn’t let me make my own decisions. Would decide everything for me. Probably enforce a strict regimen for me. I’d be… nothing to him. He wouldn’t see me as a person. But you will.”

“Of course I would,” Eddie bites out, scent going tar-sharp. “Because you’re a fucking human being.”

Steve shrugs, squeezes his fingers a little. “He wouldn’t see it that way. A lot of people—Alphas, really, especially in the business world—still see omegas, especially male omegas, as… secondary. Sub-human.”

“Which is fucking stupid.” Eddie sighs. “Wayne’s a beta, so he… kinda gets it, y’know? So I kinda get it, like, by proxy.”

Steve hums, shifts. “Yeah. Okay, this is a complete one-eighty, but… I mentioned Robin, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. She’s my absolute best friend in the entire world, we’re closer than anyone. She’s an Alpha but we’re not, like, together. Is that… going to be a problem?”

Eddie makes a face. “What the fuck? No! Be friends with who you want to be friends with!”

“Oh, thank god,” Steve whispers, sagging against the couch. “We’re basically siblings, except we tell each other everything, and I do mean everything, and-”

Eddie snickers. “You wanna call her and tell her we’re scentmates.”

“Yes!” Steve exclaims, then pulls back. “Unless- is that-”

“It’s fine, is what it is. She’s probably gonna threaten me, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. Uh. She might threaten you. Sorry in advance if she does.”

“Steve,” Eddie says quietly, “you don’t ever have to apologize for someone loving you so completely.”

“Oh,” Steve whispers, staring at Eddie.

He inclines his head with a small smile. “Phone’s right there. Want me to talk to her after?”

“I- yeah, she- like we said, she’s gonna want to talk to you.” He frowns at Eddie. “You really don’t care?”

“That you’re friends? No.”

“We’re, like- it’s not just friends, though. She’s my soulmate.”

Eddie snickers. “As long as she’s not your scentmate. That would merit a talk.”

Steve smiles. “No, we’re not scentmates. Just… closer than any non-bonded people have any right being.”

“Steve,” Eddie reminds him, “my nickname is the freak. I’m pretty sure you can’t out-freak me.”

“You’d be surprised,” Steve murmurs, walking over to the phone and dialing Robin’s number.

They speak for a few minutes before he calls Eddie over. “Please be nice,” he begs her, then hands the phone over.

“-talking about, I’m always nice,” Robin retorts.

Eddie blinks. “Hello?”

“Eddie.”

“That’s me.”

“You’re Steve’s scentmate.”

“I mean. Yeah?”

Robin hums. “How do you feel about it?”

“Honestly?” He smiles at Steve. “Really good. I’m really happy.”

“And he explained how close we are?”

“He did.”

“What did you say?”

“He apologized for you threatening me, and I told him he never needs to apologize for someone loving him so completely.”

“Oh, shit,” Robin says knowingly. “Did he cry?”

“Almost,” Eddie chuckles. “Listen, Robin, you can properly threaten me later, but he wanted to call you as soon as we found out, so we haven’t really gotten a chance to talk yet. Maybe the three of us could do lunch later this week? My treat?”

“If you’re trying to bribe me out of threatening you, it’s only a little bit working. Lunch sounds good. Tuesday?”

“Tuesday?” Eddie asks Steve, who thinks, then nods. “Tuesday works,” he confirms.

“Tell Robin I’ll pick her up,” Steve whispers.

“Tell Steve he’s picking me up,” Robin says.

Eddie blinks, then bursts out laughing. “You two just said the exact same thing at the exact same time.”

“Yeah,” Steve nods.

“We do that,” Robin finishes.

Eddie shakes his head. “Damn that’s freaky. Okay, see you Tuesday, Robin.”

“Yup.” She hangs up, so he does the same, then pulls Steve back over to the couch.

“So.”

“So,” Steve parrots.

“We should probably talk more about your parents.”

Steve groans. “Probably.”

“If- if you don’t want to-”

“No, it’s- I can, just-” he bites his lip, looks at Eddie, looks away.

“What?” Eddie asks softly.

“Can, uh. Like, the hands is nice, but can we-”

“Oh,” Eddie says, catching on, “yeah, sweetheart, come here.”

Steve trills softly as he settles by Eddie’s side, leaning on him, resting his head on Eddie’s shoulder. “So. What do you want to know?”

“I think it’s more a question of what they’re going to want to know about me. I know the type of person you’re talking about. I know I do my best to not associate with them.”

Steve scoffs. “Sounds like a dream.”

“It takes some work, but it’s worth it. You hopin’ to distance yourself from them?”

“I think so. Especially now- I never thought…”

“Yeah,” Eddie murmurs, pulling him in closer, as if he could protect Steve from the thoughts in his own head. “You never think it could be you until it is.”

“Exactly,” Steve murmurs back, then sighs. “They’re going to want to know that you can provide for me. Not because they care about me, because they care about their image.”

Eddie snorts. “They’re going to love the fact that I’m a drug dealer, then.”

Steve giggles. “Probably not. Anything they’re going to want to know about you… they’re not interested in getting to know you. They’re interested only in their status, in how other people see them. In the stories they can bring back to their friends to prove that they’re better.”

“Well ain’t we just a slap in the face,” Eddie mutters, lip quirking up.

“We really are,” Steve agrees. “I don’t care, though. Once we’re bonded… you’re my Alpha. They have no legal recourse.”

“Would they try something illegal?”

Steve sighs. “Maybe. Probably. Depends on how much this Alpha was gonna pay them.”

Eddie’s silent for a minute. “I’ll have to talk to Wayne, but it shouldn’t be an issue. Space’ll be a little tight but I’ll find a job, I know the mechanic’s hiring and Bill’s a friend of Wayne’s, owes him a favor I think.”

Steve shifts back to look up at Eddie, brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Eddie blinks at him. “You moving in.” He waves a hand around. “If they’re gonna try something illegal, it’s gonna be a hell of a lot harder to do if you no longer live in their house.” He pauses suddenly. “I mean, of course, if you’d rather not move in, I get it-”

“You were right,” Steve says, snuggling back in to Eddie’s side, happy omega scent blooming. “You are an idiot. Of course I want to move in with you.” A pause, then, “you’d get a job?”

“Course I would. I need to take care of you, don’t I? Buy you sweet things to make you smile? Your favorite candy just because? A flower because I like the way you blush?” A blush crawls up Steve’s cheeks, and Eddie leans in to nuzzle it. “All those things cost money, darlin’, and dealing is a nice hobby, but it ain’t gonna cut it as my only source of income.” He shifts, shrugs. “‘Sides, uh. I dunno if you want pups? But I know what growing up as the son of a dealer was like, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Steve looks up at him, wide-eyed. “But not- you said-”

“Not Wayne,” Eddie soothes. “He’s my dad’s brother in name only. Dear ol’ Pa, may the devil be tap-dancing on his soul, was the drug addict of the family. Taught me some things, though. Like how to hotwire a car.”

Steve snickers. “Please don’t.”

“What if it’s your car? And you’re right there watching me?”

Steve wiggles around, turning where he sits to face Eddie and cup his face in his palms. “Eddie,” he begins, eyes wide and serious. “My car is my baby. You are not touching her.”

“Noted,” Eddie agrees. “Idea forgotten.” A pause, “your parents’ car?”

Steve collapses in laughter, leaning forward so his forehead rests on Eddie’s shoulder as he shakes with the force of his giggles.

He calms down a few minutes later, relaxing into the feeling of Eddie running a hand up and down in his back. “In all seriousness,” he tells Eddie, “they’ll definitely have you arrested for that. And it’ll be a hell of a lot easier to do what they want with me if my Alpha’s locked up.”

Eddie’s scent sours. “I was due for a pickup in about a week or so,” Eddie says thoughtfully. “I’ll tell Rick I can’t make it, won’t be his gofer any more. We can smoke the rest of my stash, it’s just weed. I’ll talk to Wayne tonight about talking with Bill sometime soon.”

“Eddie-”

“Steve,” Eddie interrupts softly, shaking his head with a small smile. “I was pretty done anyways. It’s no secret I had to retake senior year twice, and it’s a badly-kept secret that I’m a dealer. It doesn’t take much to put two and two together, even if it’s not right. People weren’t really buying anymore anyways.”

Steve looks up at Eddie. “Why did you have to repeat twice?”

Eddie hums. “Honestly? I kept forgetting to turn in my homework first go ‘round, and the second I decided I just… didn’t really care. This year I stepped it up, turned in my work, actually came to class… hell, I even participated in gym. I want to be the first in my family to graduate.”

“You will be,” Steve whispers. “I believe in you.”

Eddie hides his smile in Steve’s hair. “I’m glad.”

They spend the next hour or so talking on the couch until Wayne gets back, blinking at the boys cuddling on the couch, then moving on to the kitchen. “I’m makin’ grilled cheese, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“Sit down,” Eddie calls back, laughing. “That’s your tired meal, old man, you can’t hide from me. And we wanna talk to you anyways.”

Wayne sighs and sits in his chair, nodding at Steve. “Hello.”

“Hello, sir.”

“Wayne,” he corrects kindly. “I recognize you.”

“You, uh. You probably know my father.”

Wayne smiles. “Probably. ‘Ve been here long enough, I recognize just ‘bout everybody.” His eyes turn kinder, somehow. “Who’s your father, boy?”

Steve looks down. Eddie tightens his hold on Steve’s shoulders. “Richard Harrington.”

Wayne hums. “Yeah, I know ‘im. Knew ‘im, more like, left soon as he was able. Came back with a pretty little wife from the big city.” He leans slightly, catches Steve’s eye. “In this house, we don’t judge based on who your daddy is.”

“Thank you,” Steve whispers.

Wayne leans back, nods. “Now. Eddie?”

Eddie shakes his head. “It’s his story, Wayne. What I can tell you…” he looks down at Steve, smiles. “We’re scentmates.”

Wayne inhales sharply. “Well then,” he says, smiling at Steve again, “welcome home.”

Steve immediately tears up. “Shit,” he mutters, pawing at his face. “Sorry, I’m- thank you, I’m sorry, I don’t-”

Eddie shushes him, pushes his hands down, gently wipes his face. “Hey, sweetness, it’s okay. A little water never hurt anybody.”

Steve sniffles. “Hurt the wicked witch of the west.”

Eddie giggles. “Then it’s a good thing no one here’s a witch, huh?” He pushes out comfort, and Steve relaxes into him, letting his eyes flutter shut as Eddie wipes underneath them with his thumbs. “You’re home,” he whispers. “Wanna tell Wayne why?”

Steve looks up at him with hopeful eyes. “Can you?”

Eddie holds his gaze for a minute, then pulls Steve back in. “Sure I can.”

He tells Wayne what led Steve to the trailer earlier that afternoon. Wayne stays silent, then when Eddie’s finished, he nods. “Alright. So what’s for dinner?”

Eddie immediately looks to Steve, who shakes his head. “No, it’s okay. I’m not picky.”

“Steve,” Eddie tells him, “you’re both a guest and my mate. You get to decide.”

Steve’s eyes sparkle. “Then I decide that I don’t want to decide.”

Eddie narrows his eyes at Steve just as Wayne bursts out laughing. “You’re gonna be good for him, kid,” Wayne tells Steve, who grins back. “Grilled cheese sound okay to you?”

“Sure,” Steve agrees. “I can help?”

Wayne shrugs an unaffected shoulder. “You could,” he says. “Or you two could go into his room an’ make it official. And do whatever comes after that.”

Steve blushes at the implication, but can’t argue that he’s practically itching for Eddie’s bite. He turns to ask Eddie and is arrested by the look in his eyes.

“Up to you,” Eddie murmurs, hungry eyes tracking Steve’s every move.

Steve nods, stands, and approaches Wayne. He pitches his voice low as he asks where Eddie’s room is, and after Wayne tells him—also quietly—he glances back at Eddie, just once, before taking off.

He hears Eddie laugh behind him as he scrambles off the couch. “Oh, you fucker!” Eddie yells gleefully, chasing him into his room and tackling him onto the bed, laughing along with Steve up until he pushes his nose into Steve’s scent gland and inhales.

Steve whimpers loudly and pushes at Eddie’s chest. “The- get the door, please, Eddie-”

Eddie rolls off the bed with a half-hearted grumble and shuts the door before jumping back onto the bed, bracketing Steve with a grin. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Steve giggles.

“Are you ready?”

Steve settles his hands on Eddie’s waist. “Are you?”

“Almost,” he admits. “It feels a little weird, biting you before kissing you.”

A slight tug on his hips. “We can change that.” Steve leans up a little, nudges their noses together. Eddie pushes in until Steve’s laying down again. Eddie slides his nose off to the side, landing on Steve’s cheek as his lips barely brush Steve’s.

The grip on his hips tighten. “Don’t tease,” Steve begs, and Eddie acquiesces.

He pushes in harder, locking their lips together in a kiss that goes from zero to one hundred in less than a second as Steve parts his lips on a moan.

Eddie licks in between them with no hesitation. His aim is sucking Steve’s soul out from between his teeth, and based on the whimper that escapes, he’s successful.

He pulls back to pant out, “fuck, where’ve you been all my life, sweetheart?”

Steve gives a breathless laugh. “Right here, apparently, if it weren’t for my parents.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Eddie agrees. “Wanna bite you, baby, wanna show ‘em, give you my mark. Can I?”

“Fuck,” Steve breathes out, writhing. “Please, want it, Eddie, want you-”

“Yeah, I gotcha, baby, I gotcha, gonna mate you, omega-”

He latches his teeth into Steve’s skin and he goes boneless. “Alpha,” he whispers, horny and reverent, fingers pressing flower petal bruises into his hips.

“C’mon, ‘mega,” Eddie whispers back, blood in his teeth and sliding down his throat like honey. “Want your bite too, wanna complete it. Want you to feel me like I feel you.”

“Yeah,” Steve whispers, leaning up. “Yeah, please, wan’it-”

“Take it,” Eddie whispers, and slots his mark into Steve’s mouth.

Steve bites down and moans, and then Eddie moans, and he nudges his hips into Steve’s one last time—when had he even started?—and comes as Steve stiffens up, also coming.

Eddie collapses onto Steve, nudging his nose into Steve’s gland, as they both get their breath back.

“Fuck,” Steve breathes. “Shit. I didn’t know it could be that good.”

Eddie snickers. “And we haven’t even done anything yet.”

Steve looks at him mock-seriously. “I might actually die.”

Eddie laughs and starts sucking a bruise into Steve’s jaw. “Nah,” he pulls back to say. “I’ll be careful with you.”

“Fuck,” Steve mutters. “Eddie, can’t go again this soon.” He pushes ineffectually at Eddie’s shoulder, and Eddie moves away from his jaw, kissing up his cheek and over to his mouth instead.

“I wanna say something crazy right now,” he tells Steve.

Steve’s eyebrows raise. “I doubt anything could be crazier than asking an Alpha you barely know to mate them.”

Eddie crawls up Steve’s body and rolls them over on the their sides. Says into Steve’s hair, “I love you.”

Steve pulls back to see his face. “You do?”

Eddie nods. “I know it’s insane, and way too soon-”

Steve bursts into tears.

Eddie’s heart drops somewhere into his left thigh. “Baby?”

Steve cries harder, but he’s still scenting sweet as pie, and Eddie is thoroughly confused.

He decides to give Steve a few minutes, and eventually he calms down, wiping at his face and sniffling. “Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Eddie tells him softly. “I’m just confused.”

“I just…” Steve waves a hand around, laughs at himself a little. “I fall fast, and I fall hard, and I’ve never… I’ve never met anyone who falls like I do. And it’s always me getting left with the broken heart. So for you to say it first, and after, like, three hours… I mean, yeah, it’s insane, but holy shit, Eddie, I love you too.”

“Oh,” Eddie says. “Good.”

Steve giggles, pressing back into Eddie’s chest. “Yeah. Good.”

Eddie sighs, wraps Steve up in a hug. “Now there’s just one thing to figure out.”

“What’s that?”

Eddie hums. “It’s not really an if Wayne heard us. These walls are ‘bout as thick as paper. So the question is, do you think we can sneak out the window, escape to North Dakota, and change our names?”

Steve giggles again. “Change our names? Who’d you be?”

“Hm,” Eddie thinks. “I always liked the name Joseph.”

Steve pulls back. “No!”

Eddie blinks. “No?”

“That’s my middle name!”

“Oh, shit!” Eddie laughs. “No wonder I like it!” He nudges Steve’s cheek with his nose. “What name would you choose?”

Steve sighs, settles back into Eddie’s chest. “I like the name Elias,” he admits softly.

Eddie’s quiet for a few moments. “Can I say something else crazy?”

“Hm?”

“I like Joseph Elias. As a baby name.”

Steve’s arms tighten around Eddie’s waist. “Yeah,” he breathes out. “Me too.”

A little over a year later, Steve holds Joseph in his arms as Eddie watches. “Our North Dakota boy,” Eddie murmurs, petting over Steve’s hair.

“Ours,” Steve agrees quietly, smiling up at Eddie.

[starshideurfics]

Off the deep end - part two

part one

Wet dreams are super common for both alphas and omegas in the months post-presentation. Omegas usually have it worse even though no one talks about it as much.

But Steve’s pretty sure he’s an outlier.

He only had a few bad nights at camp, but once he’s home it feels like every other night.

And the dreams he can remember are intense—blood and fire, teeth and claws, all turning soft and sweet, dark chocolate eyes and callused fingers. He wakes with soaked pajamas and sheets, his pussy aching to be filled.

He’ll use his fingers, try to find relief, but it’s never enough.

Usually, nights after he’s seen Eddie are less intense for Steve, like he’s sated the animal part of him that cries for its mate. At least a little bit.

A part of him—that same animal part—loves it, that his body knows what it wants and takes it. He wants to roll in his soiled sheets, make his scent as strong as possible, rub his slick into his skin to draw his alpha to him.

But a much bigger part of him is annoyed. His mother insists that he do his own laundry when it comes to this, that he keep his space neat and clean if he still wants to be allowed out of the house.

This has him washing his sheets constantly, defaulting only to his white sheets, the acidity of his slick bleaching the color from anything else.

Which leaves him with two sets that he rotates through, his laundry needs slowing down his mornings and often making him late to meet Eddie.

And when Eddie asks, Steve is honest. It earns him some *very* heavy petting and the closest to dry humping that Steve can feasibly manage. They remain fully clothed that afternoon.

It starts Eddie’s mind turning, searching for a solution, and he happens across it in a slightly racy fantasy novel. He presents it proudly to Steve in the week before school is set to begin again, placing soft, quilted cotton into his hands.

“Eddie, what is this?”

“A bed pad. I guess they make disposable ones now, but I figured a reusable one would be better for you.”

Steve flushes all the way to his ears. Bed pads aren’t talked about much, mostly gifted to newlyweds for use during heats. Which has him thinking about heats. About sharing his heat.

About Eddie sharing his heat.

Steve slicks so much that it overflows his pad, and Eddie’s nostrils flair.

“You got a rubber?” Steve asks, knuckles white as he grips the bed pad, nosing at Eddie’s neck.

“Yeah,” Eddie breathes, hands on Steve’s hips, holding him close.

“Good.” Steve drags Eddie to the nearest restroom, they fuck, and he changes his pad before they leave the stall.

💦💦💦

Steve’s first heat after he presents should be tolerable. Nice even. His mother says early heats are easier—less painful—to trick omegas into thinking pregnancy won’t be so bad.

Steve figures no matter how bad pregnancy is, he’d get a baby at the end. A pup of his own, his and Eddie’s.

Which he knows is stupid. He’s not even 16 yet, he doesn’t want a baby right now.

He just wants his boyfriend to knot him through his heat.

And he knows his parents would never let him, not if they can help it. That’s why he’s been making plans, talked with Eddie about saving up for a heat hotel.

Steve has his allowance, even though his father threatens to cut him off every time he catches Steve with Eddie upstairs.

And Eddie has a job, helping out at Thatcher Tire, so one of the cheaper rooms is perfectly within reach.

The only problem is early heats are unpredictable. It can take a few years for an omega to settle into a regular cycle. Some omegas go an entire year after presenting without a heat. Some will have a weak heat barely a month after presenting.

Steve’s doctor had warned him that his situation meant his heat was likely to come in the fall—having a compatible alpha around would help his hormones settle his cycle.

He just didn’t count on it hitting over Thanksgiving break.

His parents are home all week—no business meetings or holiday travel because his mother’s parents expect them on time for dinner on Thursday.

Too bad Steve would miss it.

Steve is tired on Wednesday, not having slept well the night before, so Eddie gives him a ride home from school, and instead of making out in his newly-acquired, but still old van, Steve nuzzles against Eddie’s hair and nearly falls asleep.

Eddie practically carries him to his front door.

Then he goes straight up to bed, falling asleep in his clothes, content to snuffle against the t-shirt he stole from Eddie’s room the last time he was over.

Steve sleeps for 13 hours.

When he wakes, his skin feels too tight, itchy and sticky as he struggles out of his clothes.

His panties cling to him, absolutely drenched with his slick. Only then does he feel the deep ache between his legs, how his blood must all be in his pussy, his labia puffy and sensitive.

A keening whine escapes his throat, crying out for help—for Eddie—but all he gets is his mother.

“I could smell it on you this morning, and I pulled the phone from your room, so don’t even think about calling him,” she says through the door, voice tight. “Without an alpha, you should be through it by tomorrow morning. I’ll bring you leftovers from Nona’s”

“You’re leaving?”

If they leave, he can call Eddie. It’s like she’s forgotten there are other phones in the house.

Steve forces himself to his feet and wobbles over to the door. His stiff fingers close around the knob, but he can’t get it to turn.

It won’t turn. He’s locked in.

“Mom?”

“Steven, you’re staying in your room. Dad is staying home, and I won’t be gone long. Kisses.” He can hear her on the stairs.

Steve tries the knob one last time before sobbing as he sinks to the floor, overwhelmed as he peels off his wet panties, and grinds against his hand, needing relief.

But relief doesn’t come.

His only relief is Eddie. He only wants Eddie. Instead, he pants and cries, aching and horny, fingers going pruney in his pussy, his floor covered in slick by the time his heat breaks 17 hours later.

His mother hires a steam cleaner to get it all out of the carpet.

💦💦💦

Eddie meets Rick at Thatcher. He drives like an idiot, needs things looked at regularly, but he’s easy-going. Friendly.

When he sees Eddie on a smoke break, he asks to bum one. It turns to casual banter, which turns to Rick asking why Eddie’s got this after school job, what with Al’s reputation.

Eddie bristles, but Rick laughs, says he’s impressed that Eddie bother’s with grunt work, that Wayne must be a really good influence, and how much does he make? $3.45 an hour isn’t anything to sneeze at, ‘specially not for Eddie, being so young.

“But you could make 10 times that, working for me.”

Rick ashes his cigarette and quirks his brow, waiting.

“Like hell I could,” Eddie scoffs.

“More even, if you put in the effort.”

And $3.45 an hour is more than minimum wage, more than Eddie expected when he was hired, but he only gets 10 hours a week.

He’s not stupid. He knows what Rick does. Knows what’s being offered. Wayne wants him focused on school, on doing better for himself than any other Munson has managed.

But Eddie already has. He’s got Steve, his scentmate. And he’s gonna take care of him.

Besides, even if Steve doesn’t care much about popularity, he still gets invited to Loch Nora parties. And by extension, so does Eddie. In one night, he could make months worth of his pay at Thatcher.

He could get Steve something real nice with that kind of money, go on a lavish date night with a little sexy something for after…

And he can still work at Thatcher…

He just can’t let Wayne know. Or Steve.

Steve was so proud when he got his job. Not that Steve would care, he and Steve have gotten high together, just once, and he’s been so sweet and floaty in Eddie’s arms. But Steve’s parents, if he knows, and they find out that he knows, they’ll flip.

Eddie drops his spent cigarette on the pavement and grinds it out with the toe of his work boot. “Okay, what do I need to do?”

“Swing by my place this weekend, I’ll get you set up.”

💦💦💦

The first Loch Nora party Eddie deals at is Alex Thompson’s Halloween party.

Steve does shots with the swim team, and again with the cheerleading squad, then grabs a solo cup of jungle juice. Eddie nurses a single Budweiser all night.

So, Steve is loose and distracted, dancing every time someone comes up to Eddie looking for weed or acid. He moves his customer to the corner, exchanges his goods for cash, and threatens each of them with being cut off by every dealer in town if they mention any of this to Steve.

Eddie leaves around midnight a few hundred dollars richer, with a cuddly, sleepy Steve hanging off his shoulder.

The cuddliness lasts until Eddie gets Steve home, the omega promptly puking in the driveway, multicolored liquid splashing on the pavement and over Steve’s shoes. Snots runs from his nose and he coughs, whining, “Eddie, never let me drink again!”

“Oh, Puppy, it’s okay,” Eddie soothes, rubbing his back. “Let’s get you some water and an aspirin.”

By the time he has Steve tucked into his bed, it’s after 1AM. Wayne expects him home, not trusting the shit teens get into on Halloween, wanting him safe. But Steve won’t let go of his hand.

He cries when Eddie stands up, and he’s too worried about Steve dehydrating himself more that he kicks off his jeans and crawls into the bed to spoon up behind him.

“I’m here, Puppy. I’ve got you. You’re gonna be okay.”

💦💦💦

Wayne grounds Eddie for a week when he gets home in the morning.

Not that grounding him does much. Eddie still goes to school. He still goes to work. He’s allowed to go to Hellfire because he runs the game and that’s a responsibility. But he isn’t allowed at Steve’s house, or band practice.

And Steve shows up at the trailer after school, and Wayne isn’t trying to punish Steve. (He should be, in all honesty, if he knew how drunk Steve got, just to further drive home how stupid binge drinking is.) Wayne lets Steve come in, telling him he can stay until 8, but Eddie’s grounded, they can’t go anywhere or do anything or even watch tv.

Most importantly, they aren’t allowed to hang out in Eddie’s room.

Steve doesn’t care. He just wants to be with Eddie.

Eddie doesn’t really care either. It’s a pretty light punishment for breaking curfew, all things considered.

The following Friday, Eddie takes Steve on a date to the drive-in.

They see Creepshow, and Steve spends the movie half-hiding against Eddie’s shoulder, his sodden pad crinkling in his panties every time he shifts in his seat. Eddie focuses on the movie—he wanted to see it after all—and has an arm around Steve’s shoulder, hand playing with his tit.

The credits roll, and Steve climbs into Eddie’s lap, licking into his mouth. “Can we go to something with less death next time?”

“Of course, Baby.” Eddie slides his fingers into Steve’s hair, and pulls him into another kiss. “And I got you a little something, as a thank you for going to my horror movies.” Eddie reaches into his pocket, pulls out a box. A jewelry box, long and thin. “I’ve been saving up for a while.” Which is true; it’s just his new revenue stream moved up his timeline on affording it.

Steve opens the box, revealing a simple, gold bracelet, the chain links a bit more robust, a little gold heart near the clasp. “If you want something else, we can exchange it, but I thought I could add to it as we go, tell the story of us…”

Steve plasters their lips together, overcome with desire. He grinds down on Eddie’s lap, waking up his cock. “It’s perfect.”

Eddie carefully clasps the charm bracelet around Steve’s wrist, and kisses him tenderly.

Steve crawls out of his lap, whispers, “Take me home.”

He and Eddie fuck in his bed, then again in the shower, falling asleep with their hands clasped together over Steve’s heart.

💦💦💦

part three

[mugloversonly]

Letterman Exchange

For @stmarchmm prompts: Day 1: Courting rituals Day 21: different designation day 25: scentmates rating: M summary: Steve wants to court Eddie Munson, the beta freak of Hawkins High. He just needs the opportunity. AO3

Eddie Munson stood tall on a lunch table ranting about the basketball team again. Pretty much everyone tuned him out at this point, but Steve thought he was the most magnificent person in the entire school.

“You’re staring.” Tommy sneered. Steve glared at the other alpha.

“I wasn’t.” He denied, even though he definitely was.

“Steve you were drooling.” Carol laughed meanly. “What were you picturing? That beta freak on your knot or something.” She snorted. “Oh, Steve! Steve!” She mocked. Tommy joined in her laughter as Steve rolled his eyes.

He didn’t care that Eddie was a beta, he didn’t care that the school thought he was a freak. Steve wanted to court the man and he’d find a way.

----------

His opportunity came the following semester. They shared gym class, which luckily happened to be their final period. Eddie always arrived a few minutes early and would already be dressed down when the rest of the guys entered the locker room.

But after class, he either waited until everyone was done; or on days he had Hellfire, he grabbed his clothes and changed in a stall. Steve thought it was a little weird, but with the way everyone talked about the beta it wasn’t a surprise he wanted to keep himself out of harms way. As far as Steve knew, he never showered. Which wasn’t unusual for a last period gym class.

Steve ditched the last ten minutes of the class before gym with an excuse that he needed to talk to his coach. The teachers let him do whatever he wanted and he used that to his advantage. He quickly ran to his locker and grabbed out the bracelet he bought for Eddie.

It was simple, black leather with small spikes. A first courting gift of jewelry represented a serious intention to mate. Steve wanted Eddie to know that it didn’t matter his designation, Steve wanted him. He peeled back the scent patch at his wrist to scent it thoroughly, reapplied the patch, before he headed to the gym.

He slipped into the locker room and slid the bracelet into Eddie’s locker before he hid around the corner. A few minutes later, Eddie came in, early as always. He opened his locker and Steve held his breath as Eddie saw the bracelet.

He held it up to the light, as if inspecting it then sniffed it cautiously. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked around the locker room, suspiciously. Steve ducked back a little so he wouldn’t be spotted and Eddie shrugged his shoulders.

He slipped the bracelet on with a small smile before he changed into his gym clothes. He sprayed himself down with some sort of scent neutralizer before he shut his locker and bounded into the gym.

That was odd; scent patches were required at school and betas normally had a pretty neutral scent to begin with, why would Eddie need to mask it more? He couldn’t think of a reason for it as he waited for the bell to ring and the rest of the class to enter the locker room.

He dressed down and went into the gym, his eyes settled on Eddie as he talked to some of the girls in the class holding his wrist up so they could smell it. Likely, he was trying to find out who left it for him. Robin Buckley, a really uncoordinated junior, pointed in his direction with a shrug.

Eddie’s eyes snapped to him and Steve raised his hand, wiggling his fingers a little. Eddie nodded in confusion but turned away. The gym class continued like normal and like every Wednesday, Eddie grabbed his clothes and changed in a stall.

As he left the locker room, his gaze stopped on Steve. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were narrowed. Steve assumed that meant Eddie didn’t want to court and that was fine. It stung, but he understood.

-------------

The next morning, Steve went to his locker to grab his text books and found a hair tie with Eddie’s scent on it in his locker. Eddie accepted his request.

He ditched the period before lunch and ran to the store to get Eddie some flowers. Before the end of the period, he taped a handful of roses to Eddie’s locker. Flowers as a gift, told him he wanted to have every moment of joy no matter how fleeting with him. He peaked around the corner again as he waited for Eddie to find the flowers.

Instead of the curious excitement from the day before, Eddie quickly pulled the flowers down and shoved them into his locker. His eyes darted around until they fell on Steve, hiding around the corner. He very deliberately, but subtly, tilted his head to the side before he turned and walked down the corridor.

Steve took the hint and followed at a casual pace, doing his best to seem like everything was normal. Eddie exited the building out the back and walked into the woods with Steve far enough behind, no one would guess they were together. Eddie disappeared but Steve knew where they were headed.

A few minutes after he entered the woods, Steve stumbled to the bench Eddie did his deals, but it was empty. With a rush of movement, Steve found himself pinned to a tree with a switch blade at his neck. His hands went up in surrender and he bared his neck in submission as best as he could.

“What are you doing, Harrington?” Eddie growled. Steve stared in confusion before he spoke.

“You signaled like you wanted me to follow you.” He said but it came out like a question. Eddie’s blade dug a little deeper into Steve’s neck and the beta bared his teeth.

“Why the bracelet yesterday and the flowers today?” He asked. He pulled Steve forward a bit before slamming him back into the tree. “Huh?”

“They’re courting gifts! I thought you accepted, your scrunchy was in my locker!” Steve explained with his hands still raised. He was so confused right now. Eddie’s brow furrowed too.

“Can I see it?” He asked calmly as he backed up and put his knife away, satisfied that there wasn’t a threat. Steve nodded and pulled out the piece of elastic. It was black and had little skulls on it. Eddie took the piece of fabric and inspected it carefully.

“I didn’t put this in your locker.” Eddie said. “But, I know who did.” He sighed and moved to sit on the bench.

“Who?” Steve asked as he too took a seat.

“Gareth, my band mate. I told him about your bracelet yesterday and I guess, he took matters into his own hands.” Eddie rolled his eyes. Steve deflated, his shoulders bent inward.

“So, you don’t want to court then?” He asked sadly. That sucked. But Eddie quickly jumped up and stared at him, his eyes big and pleading.

“No, I do! I told Gareth last night that I wanted to and he told me I should give you a gift in return but…” Eddie crumbled back to the seat. “I’m scared.” He admitted softly. Steve thought about all the beta had to endure, especially from the jocks, and he could see how that may be terrifying.

“Of me?” Steve whispered. Eddie turned to Steve and held his gaze.

“A little, yeah. I’m scared this is a joke to mess with the freak.” He whispered. Steve took Eddie’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the scent patch there.

“It’s not. I would never do that. I really like you Eddie, I think you’re fun and loud. You stand up for your friends and you just have this beautiful smile with these dimples.” Steve said. Eddie’s face lit up into that smile he loved so much. “There it is.” He said as he poked Eddie’s cheek. Eddie turned away shyly before the smile slid off his face.

“What about your friends?” Eddie asked accusingly.

“What about them?”

“Will they be okay with the King dating the Freak or will they make my life hell?” Eddie made a good point but it still made a growl build in Steve’s chest.

“I’d never let anyone hurt you. No one will fuck with you or anyone in Hellfire.” Steve promised. Eddie nodded thoughtfully.

“There’s one more thing I have to tell you before I can accept.” Eddie took a deep breath. “Promise you won’t tell anyone, even if it changes your mind?” Eddie held his gaze again, his eyes were big, wet, and wide.

“I promise.” Steve agreed even as he knew there wouldn’t be anything Eddie could say to change his mind.

“I’m an omega.” Eddie whispered. He reached up and pulled the scent patch off his neck. The faint lavender scent that had been present on the scrunchy bloomed out in full force with the softness that marked Eddie as omega tickling Steve’s nose for the first time.

“Holy shit.” He whispered softly, a little lightheaded by it. He leaned in closer to smell right at the source. His eyes dilated a little before he clawed off his own scent patch. His pine forest and fresh dirt scent wafted out and Eddie gasped at the rich alpha scent. He tucked his nose against Steve’s neck practically huffing the man.

Eddie whimpered when Steve pulled away but tried to cover it with a cough. His body heated a little and slick flowed between his legs. He saw Steve in a similar state. The alpha’s cock hardened visibly and his pupils were ringed in red. Eddie could only assume his were rimmed in gold.

“Scentmates?” Steve whispered.

“Scentmates.” Eddie agreed. A cramp hit his stomach. “Steve, I think I’m going into a false heat.” He gulped. In heath, they learned when alphas and omegas found their scentmates, there was a high chance one or both of them would go into a false mating cycle. It’s why scent patches were required at school. With the dazed look in Steve’s eyes, Eddie could assume Steve was in the same boat.

Steve blinked distractedly at Eddie until his alpha instinct to protect his omega kicked in. He knew his body would hold off the rut until his mate was safe, but they had a time limit. Steve hoisted Eddie into his arms and carried him through the woods. A quick look around guaranteed there was no one in the parking lot; class must have started. He sprinted to his car and deposited Eddie in the passenger seat.

“My van.” He whispered as another cramp hit him.

“We’ll get it later, I promise.” Steve said as he climbed in.

“If you someone fucks with it, you’re paying to fix it.” Eddie warned.

“Deal.” Steve laughed. “Do you want me to take you home or my place?” Eddie thought about it before ultimately deciding he wanted his nest.

“Steve, I’m not sure I’m ready to spend my heat with you, even a false one.” Eddie admitted. The alpha in him whined but logically he understood. They never really talked before today and Eddie deserved to go at his own pace.

So once he got to Eddie’s trailer, he didn’t get out. Eddie shuffled to the door but before he went inside he jogged back to Steve. He took the bandanna out of his pocked and rubbed it along his neck, scenting it thoroughly. While he did that, Steve stripped off his polo, then his undershirt, and put his polo back on. He scented the fabric and exchanged it for Eddie’s bandanna.

The scent exchange from the omega was an agreement to court and from the alpha it was a promise to keep Eddie safe. Eddie brought the shirt to his nose and moaned softly at the spicy scent of rut.

“Okay, I have to go inside before my slick turns my driveway into a slip and slide. Or should I say, a slick and slide.” Eddie laughed.

“That was terrible.” He chuckled even as he groaned deep in his throat at the image. “I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow.” Steve promised.

“Bye, alpha.” Eddie said suggestively. Steve made sure the omega got inside safely before he drove home as fast as he dared, the rut now settling into his body. His knot was already swelling with Eddie’s arousal still permeating the air.

Once he got home, he dropped his mouth open to drink in more of Eddie’s scent. His hips jerked up and he grunted as he came untouched in his boxers. As he caught his breath, he cracked the windows and sighed. It was going to be a long night.

--------------

By the next morning, the false mating cycles had cleared from their systems and Steve stood by his car, waiting for Eddie to lock up. Normally, he’d knock and walk his omega to the car, but Eddie was already on the porch when he showed up, so as not to disturb his uncle.

He opened the passenger door, with a hand out to assist Eddie inside even though he didn’t need it, and closed the door after him. He headed to the driver’s side, and slid in to head toward the school. They didn’t speak for a few minutes until Eddie took a deep breath.

“I accept your courting Stevie, but I don’t want to come out as an omega. Is that okay?” Eddie asked, suddenly unsure.

“I thought you were a beta anyway.” Steve said. “I’m not going to make you change that for me. You have your reasons for hiding you designation; and while I’d like to know why, I wouldn’t force you to tell me or out you.” Steve promised.

“Thanks, Stevie.” Eddie smiled. Steve took his hand and rested them both on his thigh.

“I do have a request.” Steve said as he glanced over. Eddie gave him his undivided attention. “Wear my Letterman?” Steve asked. Eddie grinned.

“Want the whole school to know I’m yours, Harrington?” He teased.

“Maybe.” He mumbled. Eddie removed his jacket and grabbed Steve’s Letterman from the back seat. He slipped it on, and Steve’s alpha rumbled in approval. When they got to the school, Steve ran around and opened Eddie’s door. Eddie stepped out of the car, holding his vest.

“Wear it, Harrington. It’s my Letterman.” Eddie smirked. Steve didn’t hesitate, he slipped the vest on and popped the collar slightly.

“How do I look?” He asked. Eddie threw his arms around the alpha’s shoulder and leaned in to press their lips together for the first time. His blood sang as he hands settled on Eddie’s hips.

“Like mine.” Eddie sighed against his lips. The warning bell forced them to end the embrace and head into the building. All eyes were on them as Steve walked Eddie to his locker.

“Can I sit with you at lunch?” Steve asked. Eddie leaned against his locker, almost shyly.

“As long as you don’t mind sitting with us Freaks and Geeks.” Eddie smiled. Steve dropped another kiss on the man’s lips.

“Not at all.”

------------------

Later in the cafeteria, Steve moved toward the Hellfire table but was stopped by Tommy.

“Dude, what the hell? First you wear that Freak’s ugly ass vest, then you sit at his table?” Tommy sneer. “Are you pranking that loser beta or something?” Tommy asked gleefully. Steve growled loud enough that the whole room quieted.

“That ‘loser beta’” Steve began, the quotations evident in his voice. “Is my beta. I’m courting him and if you value your life, I suggest you leave him and his friends alone.” He bared his fangs at the other alpha and turned to the rest of the room. “That goes for everyone. Keep my beta’s name out of your unworthy mouths or I’ll knock your teeth out.” He snarled for good measure and walked to his omega with his head held high.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Eddie said with a chunk of hair pulled over his face to hide his smug smile.

“I know.” Steve answered. But his alpha preened. His omega was pleased and Steve would do whatever it took to keep him safe and happy.

“So, Harrington?” One of the other Hellfire guys said; Steve thinks this must be Gareth. “Did you really do a body shot out of Heather Co-” the rest of the question was cut off by Eddie throwing an eraser at the guy.

tags

@katyawriteswhump

buy me a coffee

[underthestarlight1]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Claudia Henderson/Wayne Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, The Party (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson, Claudia Henderson, Steve Harrington's Parents Additional Tags: Omega Steve Harrington, Alpha Eddie Munson, steddie, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, Baker Steve Harrington, Barrista Steve Harrington, Writer Eddie Munson, ScentMates, soul mates, Soul Bond, First Meetings, First Kiss, Steve Harrington Has Good Parents, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Modern AU, Fluff, Happy Ending Summary:

Small town coffee shop/ bakery owner Omega Steve Harrington was living his life, running his shop with his business partner/ platonic soul mate fellow Omega Robin Buckley when his scentmate moved to town. Meeting his perfect match was something he never thought would happen to him.

***

Alpha Eddie Munson was ready to move out of hectic Chicago to a quieter town. What better place than Hawkins, Indiana where his beloved Uncle Wayne had settled down? He needed a distraction from writing as he had been going non stop, so why not open a book/ gaming store. And if he meets his scentmate, that's about the best thing that could happen to him.

[mugloversonly]

I'm sad rn so I must give the boys a happy ending to make myself feel better. Eddie stands shocked at where Steve stormed off. He's so fucking stupid.

He thought all Steve's attempts to befriend him were just because the little sheepies asked him to, he never thought for one second that Steve actually liked him.

And then, he's pissed. He storms after Steve and grabs him by the wrist spinning him around.

"Eddie leave me alone." He frowns. Eddie doesn't let go instead he gets a little closer.

"Did you know the whole time?" Eddie asks. Steve sees the fire in his eyes and even though he's angry, he gives a nod. Eddie deserves that much, he guesses.

"You're talking all this shit about how you wanted someone to like you for who you are but you only tried to get to know me because you knew we were scent mates!" Eddie yells. Steve deflates at that.

He knows Eddie's right and he has no excuse. He knows he wouldn't have befriended Eddie if they weren't fated together.

"God, I'm such a hypocrite. Aren't I?" Steve whispers. Eddie finally lets him go. He's made his point. But Steve doesn't move, he doesn't say anything.

Eddie, never one to sit in silence for long breaks the quiet.

"I have a huge crush on you." He admits. Steve's eyes find his and there's disbelief and confusion. Eddie takes a notebook out of his back pocket. It's tiny, likely something he carries around to jot ideas down so he doesn't forget. He turns to a page in the middle and turns it around.

There are doodles of their initials surrounded by hearts. A "Steve Munson" is written into the corner followed by "Eddie Harrington" Eddie deciding it didn't fit as well. Tears well up in Steve's eyes.

"Then, why were you so standoffish and angry?" He asks. Eddie sighs and wraps his arms around his chest.

"I didn't think you liked me Steve. You never talked to me in school and if you did, it was just to say something mean." Eddie shrugs. "I figured you were only nice to me now because of Henderson."

Steve doesn't know what to say. He's holding proof in his hands that someone likes him for him, well before they were even friends and...

"I'm sorry." Steve whispers. "I did only start talking to you because of the scent mate thing." Eddie's shoulders deflate and he seems to try to curl up even more. "But Eddie. You're amazing."

"What?" Eddie asks, his eyes widening.

"You're smart and funny. You have an amazing laugh, you're good with the pups. You protect them from bullies and even though you didn't know what my motives were, you didn't outright run me off." He steps closer to the other boy, holds out his hand in offer. Eddie takes it.

"You're amazing too, Stevie. A badass defender, with great hair. You're goofy and funny and...your smile makes my heart soar." Eddie says as he too steps closer.

"I should I have told you, what we were." Steve admits.

"I don't disagree. It could have saved us a lot of time sweetheart." Eddie chuckles. Steve looks away, his cheeks turning pink.

"So, what now?" He says softly. Eddie cups his cheek with his free hand, leans close enough that Steve goes crossed eyed trying to look at him.

"I think we should start with a kiss. Then go on a date and get to know each other for real." Eddie smiles. Steve leans in and closes the gap between them, sighing at the warm feeling spreading from his lips to his toes. They break apart slowly, neither wanting to be too far.

"I'd like that."

Omegaverse scentmates fic where Steve wears scent blockers (patches that cover the scent gland in this case) because he wants someone to love him for him. Eddie doesn't wear scent blockers because they're expensive. Steve knows they are scentmates but also knows that Eddie doesn't like him because of who he was in high school. Eddie doesn't know they're scentmates.

Steve spends the fic trying to befriend Eddie to no avail. Eddie will NOT budge on whatever grudge he's holding. Which sucks because the more Steve learns about Eddie, the more Steve likes him beyond the romantic idea of Scentmates. He likes that Eddie isn't afraid to be his honest self, likes that he's loud and in-your-face and slightly obnoxious. Likes that he's genuine friends with the Party outside of Hellfire. Likes that he's not afraid to make a fool of himself to cheer someone up or get a smile out of them (not that he's ever done this for Steve but he had done it for Max and Dustin that Steve was around to witness). And that's just the start of the list.

There would eventually be a confrontation ala "I'll never be good enough for you, will I?" From Steve and Eddie scoffing in response. It turns into a fight where Eddie finally yells, "what do you care if I like you!? Is having the rest of of the world on your silver spoon not enough?"

And Steve just rips off the scent blocker and stares Eddie down until he sees his scent register to Eddie; Eddie's eyes widen and he takes in several deep inhales like his (secondary gender of choice) can't let Eddie stop smelling him. It's only once Eddie opens his mouth to say something that Steve speaks. "This! This was why. I want to be with someone who wants to be with me! And you've made it real fucking clear that's never happening. Have a nice life, Munson." And then he leaves.

Because if Eddie's going to be interested in him now that he knows, Steve doesn't want it. If Eddie couldn't like Steve for who he was, then Steve not even going to pretend to entertain the idea of letting Eddie near him just because they smell good to each other. Steve would rather be with someone whose scent makes him gag but who laughs at his jokes than settle with someone who would just be tolerating him.

Eddie is left standing there trying to figure out how to prove to Steve that he does like him, and has liked him for a long time. Eddie was just trying to protect himself and couldn't let himself believe Steve's interest was genuine.

How does the fic end? Your choice if you write it <3 (please tag me if you do)

[jezunya]

"scentmates"

the laundry industry is finally targeting ABO fans

[lexirosewrites]

Crescendo

steddie omegaverse | kid fic | rated: T | 9.7k words

Steve is trying desperately to keep it together for the sake of his daughter. Ever since his mate died, neither one of them has smiled very much.

Eddie, an elementary school music teacher, sees a lonely pup in need of a friend and a beautiful omega longing to be cared for again.

They learn to make new music together.

This is also a late submission for @stmarchmm : Day 22 Pups/Children, Day 25 Scentmates/Soulmates, and Day 28 Broken Mating Bond!

[matchingbatbites]

it all comes down to you

Explicit | 4k | Omegaverse; Alpha Steve, Omega Eddie | Divider Credit

Written for @stmarchmm Day 12: Mating/Bonding Day 15: First time/First kiss Day 18: Knotting Day 19: Heats/Ruts (though this is just a false heat) Day 25: Scentmates/Soulmates Day 31: Biting/Marking

Full tags + Read on Ao3

Eddie knows as he stands at the edge of the forest, that this could be his only chance to find a mate. As a maleomega with no dowry and no real standing in society, there's very little reason for an alpha to ever actively choose Eddie. He's more likely to end up at the whore house, submitting to any alpha or beta willing to pay the price, and that's not what he wants. 

Call him a romantic, but Eddie wants an Alpha, wants someone to love him and care for him, someone he'd be glad to call his mate.

That doesn't mean the run isn't a risk. He knows that he could end up just like his mother- saddled with an alpha that treats him like garbage, that takes what they want and leaves Eddie to put himself back together. An alpha that cares more about money than family, that would just abandon their children if anything were to happen to Eddie.

Yes, he knows firsthand exactly how bad it could be.

It could be good, though. 

It's at least worth the try.

Eddie ties up his hair as the full moon rises above the treetops and the chill night air settles on his bare skin. The elixir they fed him earlier warms him from the inside out; it heightens his instincts, increases his scent and his need to run, to be chased. The false heat will be upon him soon, and while Eddie does want to be caught, he intends to make his future alpha work for it.

A horn blows in the distance, low and foreboding, and Eddie bolts, darting off into the trees. He runs as fast as he's able, trying to cover as much distance as he can with the little head start he gets. It feels like barely any time has passed when a second horn sounds, the signal that the alphas have joined the run.

Eddie keeps his distance from the other omegas, wanting to keep his scent distinct as he weaves through the trees. He occasionally reaches out to touch the scent gland in his wrist to one, leaving a trail for an alpha to follow as he moves deeper and deeper. A low growl and footsteps coming up behind him kick Eddie's instincts into overdrive and he darts forward, the chase truly on. 

He doesn’t know how long he runs, but he can hear the alpha break off at one point, leaving to find easier prey, and another takes their place, their steps different as they hunt Eddie down. After a third alpha abandons the chase, Eddie wonders if he should just shop, should just let himself be caught. 

The feeling increases as he can smell the matings happening around him, the blending of scents as omegas are caught and claimed, one after the other. His steps slow and he takes a moment to catch his breath, even as his instincts urge him to continue running, telling him that it’s not over, and he should know better than to ignore those feelings. 

He doesn’t hear the footsteps approaching until it’s too late.

Arms snatch Eddie around his waist as a body collides into him, and the sudden momentum sends both him and the newcomer tumbling to the ground. The rough landing steals the remainder Eddie's breath, but he still tries to scramble away as soon as they roll to a stop, his instincts still driving him to run until he’s properly claimed. 

He gives it his best go, but the alpha’s hold on him is unwavering as they tussle on the forest floor. The only thing that stops Eddie’s relentless squirming is the set of teeth that latch onto the back of his neck. He goes lax under the pinch of sharp canines and finally realizes that the game is over; he has been hunted, and he has been caught. 

A low growl vibrates against Eddie's skin before shifting into a purr as hands roam over Eddie's sides, spreading the alpha's scent over his skin. It's woodsy and smokey, but crisp, like walking through the forest on a clear autumn night. Eddie can't help but trill as it fills his nose, something about it settling deep in his soul, and he hopes that his own scent is just as pleasing to the stranger. 

The alpha ruts against him and Eddie’s mouth waters as the man’s heavy cock slides against his naked ass. He keens and arches his back, pushing into the touch as the teeth release his neck and move to scrape over his mating gland.

“Been looking for you, Omega,” the alpha says through the purr still rumbling in his chest. “Could smell you on the trees. Needed to find you, my perfect omega. My true mate.”

It's not until the alpha says it that Eddie realizes, but that is what this is. This thrum coursing through his body, like is very soul is singing, calling out to the alpha above him.

When Eddie came here hoping for an alpha, he never would have dreamed that he'd find his perfect match, his scentmate. It's something that only happens in stories and fairy tales, in dreams that Eddie stopped believing in once his mother passed. But here he is - Eddie's destined Alpha, in the flesh. 

Eddie's scent blooms around them, apple and honey and warm spice filling the air as his purr starts in his chest. “You found me, Alpha. I’m yours, need you, please.”

“I have you, lovely. I'll give you what you need.” The alpha sits up and Eddie whines at the loss, only to be placated by hands that run over the plane of his back. The touch is gentle but firm as it follows smooth skin down to the swell of his ass. “Gonna mate you, Omega. Claim you and-”

Something slams into Eddie's alpha, sending him flying to the side and leaving the omega suddenly exposed to the elements. Eddie is confused until a different set of hands grab his hips, bigger and rougher than his alpha's. They pull until Eddie is forced to present, his back arched and ass in the air. The unfamiliar scent of linen and musk floods his senses, like he’s just been pressed face first into dirty, stale bedding, and it’s just so intrinsically wrong. 

Eddie can’t stop the high, distressed keen that rips from him as he scrambles forward, trying to escape the stranger’s grip. Nails dig into his sides as the alpha tries to keep him in place and Eddie cries out as they catch, ripping at his skin until the omega can smell his own blood mixing with the scent of his fear.

The snarl that cuts through the clearing is enough to make both Eddie and the stranger freeze, and then suddenly the hands are gone as the alpha is ripped away from him. The sound of fighting is unmistakable and so dangerously close, and Eddie moves away from the brawl as quickly as he can, not wanting to get caught up in it. It’s only when he’s a safe distance away that he turns to watch, thankful for the moonlight that shines into the clearing.

The two seem to be pretty evenly matched. Eddie’s alpha - and he’s not sure how, but he just knows which one is his - is a bit shorter than the other, but he’s got some muscle and is clearly well trained, his movements fluid in comparison to the other alpha’s rage-fueled attacks. Eddie watches as they struggle, and there’s one terrifying moment where Eddie’s mate gets pinned beneath the bigger man. 

Everything within him screams to jump in, to get this man off his alpha, but before he can even move their positions are flipped and Eddie’s alpha is landing blow after blow on the aggressor. There’s a sickening crunch and a loud yelp, and Eddie can smell the tang of fresh blood even from where he sits. Eddie's alpha growls low and threatening as the loser scurries off, and he makes sure the threat is gone before turning to face Eddie.

The omega stays where he is as the man stalks over and drops to his knees between Eddie’s legs. Eddie finally gets a good look at his face - hazel eyes, a strong nose, and a scattering of moles across tanned skin - before he's distracted by the bruise already starting to bloom on one sharp cheekbone. Eddie whines in sympathy, and his alpha must be thinking the same thing, because he reaches out to brush his fingers over the scratches on Eddie’s hips. The touch pulls a soft hiss from him, and his alpha growls low. 

“Should have killed him for hurting you, Omega. For drawing blood that isn’t his.”

Eddie shakes his head. “You stopped him from claiming me, you kept me safe. Just need you now, Alpha," he says, and receives a low, pleased rumble.

“And you have me. What’s your name, lovely?”

“Edward- Eddie.”

The alpha smiles and mutters “Eddie, my dearest. My name is Stephen, but those closest to me call me Steve.” 

Steve. Eddie's beloved is named Steve, and he can feel the name etching itself onto his very soul as Steve dips down, pressing a chaste kiss to the line of Eddie's jaw. He nuzzles the underside of it before his lips trace down the side of Eddie's neck, and the omega tilts his head in submission as he lets himself fall back onto the earth. Steve follows him down, unrelenting in his task to- to taste Eddie? To scent him? Eddie isn't entirely sure, but he purrs loudly at the attention.

“Alpha, Steve.”

Steve hums and nips at his collar bone as he makes his way down, kissing and licking his way over Eddie’s chest until he can lave his tongue over the scratches left on pale hips. Eddie shivers at the sensation and digs his fingers into the leaves beneath him as Steve focuses on the wounds, his own big hands pinning Eddie’s thighs to the ground.

He doesn't stop until he's cleaned away any blood that had spilled across Eddie's skin, and then he licks over Eddie's smaller, omegan dick, causing the man to jerk in his hold. Eddie gasps and his hands snap up, pushing into Steve’s hair. He briefly marvels at the softness of it before tugging on the locks as Steve licks him again.

“Steve, please kiss me," Eddie begs, and when Steve relents and moves up to seal their mouths together, it feels like coming home, like something that's been missing has finally slotted into place.

Eddie doesn't have a lot of experience. He's kissed before, has let a couple of hands find their way into his pants and done the same to a few others. But he’s never had this, never had someone’s full attention on him like this. Steve kisses Eddie like he wants to consume him, like they'll merge into one person if he only presses closer, kisses harder. It's instantly addictive- even moreso when Steve's tongue presses into his mouth, deepening the connection.

Steve's hands begin to wander, moving over Eddie's thighs and hips and thumbing unexpectedly at his dick, making the omega whine. The hand moves down and the alpha rubs at his entrance, feeling the slick that's steadily leaking out of him and spreading it around. When Steve pushes two fingers into him without preamble, Eddie trembles at the intrusion.

It doesn't hurt; the false heat has progressed far enough that Eddie is dripping fluid and his body is eager to be filled. It's easy to arch into it, to grind his hips down to meet every thrust Steve gives him. Two fingers quickly becomes three, then four, and Eddie whines into the open air. "Need you, Alpha! Fuck me, fill me- make me yours, please!"

"You have me, Omega," Steve says as he pulls his fingers free. He hauls Eddie closer and wraps a hand around his dick, giving it a few pumps to smear Eddie's slick over it before he lines up with the omega's cunt. Eddie keens as Steve finally pushes into him, his cock so good as it stretches him open, filling him so perfectly. He clutches at Steve’s shoulders as the alpha rocks into him inch by inch until their hips are pressed together.

“Oh. So full, Alpha,” he gasps, and Steve rumbles as he grinds his hips forward, pulling a groan from the omega. Eddie can already tell that this isn't going to last long, both of them on edge already - Eddie from the elixir and Steve's touch, and Steve himself from the chase, the adrenaline from the fight.

“So good for me, my Eddie. Letting me have you like this."

Eddie nods dumbly and wraps his legs around Steve's hips, pulling him even closer. "Only you, no one else. My first and only."

Steve's scent sharpens at the confession and he dips down, pressing a bruising kiss to Eddie's mouth. When Steve finally moves it's only slow for a moment, just long enough to make sure Eddie is properly adjusted, before he speeds up.

Eddie’s never felt anything like this before, has never experienced the high that Steve's cock is giving him. He wants this every day. Wants to live the rest of his life stretched wide and stuffed full, with Steve bringing him pleasure over and over.

The rational part of Eddie’s brain knows that he won’t be able to get pregnant now, the elixir only sending him into a false heat. That doesn’t stop him from begging for it though, a stream of “Fill me, Alpha, knot me, breed me please,” as he gets closer to release. Steve growls low and snaps his hips harder into Eddie.

“I will, Omega. Going to pup you, mate you, make you mine.”

It doesn't take long after that. Eddie cries out as he comes, spilling between their bodies as Steve’s knot expands inside him. He shudders as the alpha grinds into him, pushing even deeper until he comes with a loud growl. Eddie keens as his insides are flooded with warmth, and he has a brief moment of disappointment because he knows it won't take.

The thought vanishes when Steve sinks his teeth into Eddie’s neck, breaking the skin and branding the omega with his mark. It burns like nothing he's felt before, like fire ripping through his skin before it settles into a pulsing warmth.

Steve tips his head to the side and Eddie doesn't hesitate before he leans in and places his own bite on Steve's neck, the alpha groaning as Eddie breaks the skin of his mating gland. Eddie can feel as the bond snaps into place between them, a bright, shining thread that ties them together. It’s an instant comfort, like being wrapped in a fire-warmed blanket on the coldest winter night.

He laps at the blood and ichor before it can run down Steve's chest, and he can feel the rumble of the alpha's purr under his mouth. They lay there for a moment before Steve pulls back just enough to press a sweet, bloody kiss to Eddie's mouth. “We might be here for a bit until my knot goes down.”

“I don’t mind. Like how you feel inside me,” Eddie mutters, and Steve shudders.

He brings a hand up to trace over Eddie's cheek, his fingers following the shape of his nose and lips. "You are so beautiful," he mutters, and Eddie blushes.

"Says you," Eddie retorts as he cups Steve's face in his hands. The moonlight shining down on them makes him appear almost ethereal. "You're so lovely, I'm sure the gods handcrafted you themselves."

Steve scoffs lightly and dips down to kiss Eddie again, and the omega smiles into it as he feels the warmth rushing to Steve's face. They kiss slowly, finally able to enjoy the action without the need to rush. Eddie thinks it's the best kiss he's ever had in his life, and judging by the warm, smoky scent that blooms around them, he thinks Steve might feel the same.

Eddie isn't sure how long they spend learning each other's mouths, but he keens when Steve finally pulls free, the combination of feeling empty and feeling Steve's release leaking from him making him wince. Steve coos and moves down, and Eddie jerks when the alpha laps over his entrance, tasting the mix of them in Eddie's slick.

Eddie gasps an "Alpha!" as Steve presses closer, as he slides his tongue into the wet warmth of Eddie's cunt. He doesn't stop as the omega whines and cries and begs, his mate set on some unknown task. The man only concedes when Eddie is shaking apart again and adding to the mess on his stomach - and Steve's face, he learns when the alpha pulls back, his mouth and chin wet and shiny.

Steve wipes his face with the back of his hand before pressing a kiss to Eddie's mouth. "You're delicious, my Omega. I can't wait to get you home so I can really savor you."

Eddie, flushes and shoves playfully at his mate's shoulder. "Speaking of, we should probably be getting back."

Steve nods and stands before helping Eddie off the ground. There's just enough light as Steve runs his hands over Eddie's back and legs, brushing away any stray dirt and leaves that cling to his skin. He even pulls a few out of his hair, and Eddie is glad that he tied it up before the run - after everything, it would have been a pain to brush.

Steve wraps an arm around Eddie's waist and tugs him close, offering both support and protection as they head back in the direction they came.

“We have a bit of a walk ahead of us. Tell me about yourself?” Steve asks, and Eddie smiles. He tells Steve about his home, his uncle who raised him, the reason why he came to the run in the first place. Steve just lets Eddie chatter on until they reach the edge of the forest and the familiar sight of lanterns dotted along the path leading back to town.

Others are getting back as well, pairs of Alphas and Omegas clinging to each other in a similar manner, all of them making their way back to the starting point for the whole event. They're not too far off when Eddie spies a woman standing off to the side, something fabric held in her arms, and she lights up as Steve guides them closer.

“Welcome back! I'm guessing you had fun?” she asks as she passes over what turns out to be two cloaks, one for each of them. 

“Just a little.” Steve grins and tips his head, showing off the fresh bite in the crook of his neck. The woman gasps before squealing in delight as she pulls Steve into a hug. Eddie smiles, watching the interaction as he pulls the cloak around his shoulders. It’s nice, clearly well made, and Eddie briefly wonders exactly who he’s found himself mated to that they can afford something so clearly expensive.

“Robin, this is Eddie," Steve says as he reaches out, tugging Eddie closer. "Eddie, meet Robin, my best friend in the world and my right hand woman.”

"It's nice to meet you," Eddie says, unsure just how polite he needs to be. The woman - another Alpha, he can tell - is clearly important to Steve, but also- Eddie is essentially naked. He supposes that formality may not be an issue in the current setting, and he's proven right when Robin gives him a bright smile.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Eddie. May I recommend finishing this conversation in the carriage, before your mate freezes, Steve?"

"Right! Of course," Steve says and ushers Eddie forward. "There's salve in the carriage, yes? Eddie has wounds that need attention."

"Salve and bandages. It seems like you'll be needing some as well, though," Robin replies as she reaches out to poke at Steve's bruised cheek. Eddie's mate smacks the hand away.

"I'll be fine, Birdie. There's more important things to worry about. Tomorrow, we need to travel to Forest Hills to collect Eddie’s uncle and all their things, and move them to the castle,” Steve says, and Eddie freezes in place. Steve and Robin continue on, and he hears his mate say “We’ll also need to appoint him a lady in waiting, but I honestly think Chrissy would-”

Castle? 

Lady in waiting? 

Who on Earth is this man?

Steve seems to realize that Eddie isn't with them, because he turns to look at the omega, clearly concerned. "Eddie? Are you alright?"

"Castle," Eddie replies, blinking harshly. "You said- Why did you say castle?"

Robin smacks Steve's arm in a gesture that screams of familiarity. "Did you not tell him?" she asks, and Steve flushes.

"I was waiting for the right moment!" he explains as he steps over and takes Eddie's hands in his own. He takes a breath, seeming to brace himself before he says "I'm the crown Prince of Loch Nora. My parents were in the process of arranging a mating for me, when I decided that I'd rather leave it in fate's hands than in theirs. Clearly it was the right decision, since the gods led me to you."

He punctuates the statement by reaching up to cup Eddie's face in his hands, and- Eddie can hardly breathe. Just hours ago he was a desperate man taking the riskiest chance of his life, and now he's mated to a prince. A prince who happens to be his scentmate.

"Am I dreaming?" he asks as tears well up in his eyes, and Steve coos. The alpha leans in and rubs their noses together, a sign of affection that only makes Eddie want to cry even more.

"Not dreaming, Eddie. This is real, this is happening. I found you, and you have me, my Omega."

They stand there for a moment, Eddie taking in his new reality as his mate surrounds him with the scent of a warm autumn evening, made all the stronger with Eddie's clove and spice. Eventually Eddie steps back, feeling lighter than he has in a long time.

"We, uh. We shouldn't keep Robin waiting any longer," he says, ignoring the slight roughness still clinging to his voice. Steve simply nods and takes his hand, leading them back over to where Robin is standing. Eddie laces their fingers together and listens to the soft drone of their voices as they discuss the logistics of moving Eddie's entire life into Steve's home.

"Are your parents going to be disappointed?" Eddie asks out of nowhere, cutting through the conversation and pulling the alphas' attention. A frown tugs at Steve's mouth even as he brings their joined hands up and presses a kiss to Eddie's knuckles.

"Even if they are, I promise nothing they say or do could ever make me leave you. You're my Omega, Eddie, my mate. I would give up the crown and run away before I'd ever give you up."

Eddie believes him. The conviction in his voice, in his face, lets Eddie know that Steve is telling him the truth. He would give up a life of royalty to be by Eddie's side.

He can't help but pull Steve in for a kiss, sinking every emotion he doesn't have the words for into it. It's brief but intense, and when they part he says "Take me home, my Alpha."

They continue their trek to the carriage, and possibly for the first time in his life, Eddie is genuinely excited to see what the future holds for him.

[katyawriteswhump]

scent of a (soul)mate 💖🍌💖

Rating: M; WC: 2722; CW: none; Tags: O!Steve, A!Eddie, fluff, scentmates, scenting, rejection sickness, mild hurt/comfort, snuggling and cuddling, matchmaking. For @stmarchmm day 10 prompt, ‘rejection sickness’ and day 11 prompt, ‘scenting,’ and @steddiebingo fill, ‘fruit.’ Summary: O!Steve has been dumped by Tommy and Carol, and is suffering from major rejection sickness. A!Eddie reluctantly rocks up to provide ��platonic’ healing snuggles… Read on Ao3

🍌💖🍌💖🍌💖🍌💖🍌💖🍌

“Let me get this straight.” Eddie discarded his notes and glared across the trailer at Gareth. “You want me to pause creating the most metal campaign in the history of D and D… and go snuggle the third most obnoxious student who ever doomed the halls of Hawkins High? Because he’s been dumped by the only two dickwads who were more obnoxious?”

“He’s not so bad,” mumbled Gareth, hilariously squirmy. “We’re friends now. Henderson adores him. It’s not like Steve was ever around when Tommy and Carol were slamming me up against the lockers.”

Eddie grinded his teeth at the memory. “No shit. Protecting you was my job.”

“That’s my point! You’re the best at looking out for Omegas. Without being threatening or trying to get in their panties.”

“You calling me unthreatening?” Eddie poked his tongue and clawed the air, grizzly-style.

“You’re terrifying, Eddie. Just… hear me out, okay?”

Eddie indulged his friend, as ever, and most of Steve’s history, he knew. Steve had been joined at the hips with Tommy and Carole since Middle School. When Steve presented Omega, and the other two presented Alpha, nothing changed.

Apart from that Eddie avoided Steve like a plague of frat-boy zombies, and not only because the Omega was a total brat.

Eddie got within ten yards of Harrington he was pretty much drooling. The Omega’s scent—not to mention that dumb preppy hair and those pretty eyes—drove him loopy, and there was no way he was making a fool of himself with Tommy and Carol’s bitch.

What Eddie didn’t know was that, since they’d graduated, Steve’s Alphas had been treating him like a toy they’d grown bored of.

A month ago, they’d cut him completely.

When his parents refused to cut short a business trip to care for him, isolation sickness had aggravated rejection sickness. In the end, Steve had been too poorly to come to the door. Robin Buckley got Chief Hopper around to break into the Harrington’s house and take Steve to the hospital.

Yeah, it was all deeply tragic.

As were Gareth’s huge, woeful eyes and his melodramatic telling of the tale, which rivalled Eddie’s best Dungeon Master act. Boo-hoo, poor little rich kid, cue the wailing violins.

Half an hour later, Eddie was at the store trying to figure out what gift to take to visit a sick and admittedly cute Omega who he didn’t actually like.

Oh, and getting weird looks from other shoppers for wandering around muttering to himself.

“No chocolates, no candy-ass flowers. Wroooong message, Munson. I mean, what are you doing getting a gift?” Truth was, some crazy Alpha instinct forced him to it, and fortunately inspiration struck. “Okay. Fruit. That’s what you take for sick Omegas when you have zero intention of jumping their bones… courting… whatever.”

He opted for a bunch of bananas and headed straight to Hopper’s place. The Chief took in waifs and strays of all designations, of which Steve was the latest. Eddie puffed out his cheeks, rolled on extra blockers, and got out of the van.

Instantly, he got a whiff of that insanely glorious… ahem, no, cloying caramelised-peaches-with-watermelon-and-vodka scent that used to drive him nuts at High School.  That’d had him trying to recreate it in a punch bowl for the past year and totally failing.

He should’ve run for the hills while he still had hope. Instead, finding the front door unlocked, he followed his nose and peeped in.

Steve was lying on the sofa bouncing a softball off the ceiling.

Okay, should Eddie knock? Cough? Say hi?

Too late.

Steve startled and tumbled off the couch, landing with a thud and a squeak.

“Shit!” Eddie rushed inside to help.

…

Steve slowly sat up then flopped his back against the side of the couch, head spinning.

What was Eddie Munson doing here? Why was he carrying a bunch of bananas—Steve’s favorite food—which smelled super-crazy levels of deliciousness?

“You okay?” Eddie dumped the fruit and crouched at Steve’s side, looking almost as spooked as Steve.

“Yeah,” panted Steve, hand over his still-racing heart. “Thought you were Hop. Figured he’d be mad I was playing ball inside.” To be fair, Steve’s jumpiness came from years of anticipating his father’s reactions. Hop would’ve forgiven him. Probably. “There’s nothing on TV and I’m bored out of my skull.”

“You always did love your ball-in-laundry-basket games,” said Eddie, with an only-slightly-derisive smirk.

Steve gave him a look, revving up to tell him he’d waaaaay rather have been playing his guitar. If he could’ve staggered far enough to fetch it from his room. Eddie got in first:

“I’m sorry. You’re cool. You happy on the floor, Sweetie, or you want a hand?”

Sweetie? Steve giggled and instantly forgave Eddie. That giant crush he’d had on the Alpha in senior year rushed back like it’d never left. “What d’ya reckon, shit-for-brains?”

A large Alpha hand hooked under his arm. Another found his hip, and he was carefully guided back onto the couch.

“What the heck are you doing here?” asked Steve, once nested back among his cushions and blankets. And still getting over the loss of that warm touch, which had sent shockingly pleasant shivers across his skin. “You looking for the Chief?”

“Nope.”

Eddie hovered a foot off and stared at him. Scarily intense. Steve faintly wondered why he wasn’t more scared about being alone, pretty much helpless, with a bad-boy Alpha, then dabbed his lips. Shit, maybe Eddie was staring because he had something gross on his face.

“Look, I’m gonna level with you, Harrington—”

“Steve,” squeaked Steve.

A smile twitched on the corner of Eddie’s lush lips, and… Wow, Steve hadn’t had much appetite for weeks and suddenly he was soooo hungry. Must be those bananas Eddie had brought with him, which Steve slid his attention to.

The aroma was incredible. There was a ton of muted scents drifting around this house, but right now… Nope, Steve only smelled banana, and it was the deepest, richest, creamiest banana he’d ever experienced, with dark salty undertones.

Wow.

“Gareth said you’d been struggling,” Eddie said, “and that the doctors pretty much prescribed platonic bodily contact with Alphas. So, yeah, not gonna push this or anything, but—

“I’m gonna kill him,” muttered Steve, facepalming. “Look, I appreciate it, um… Can I call you Eddie?”

“Sure.”

“Eddie, I’m on the mend. I’m past the so-sick-I-wanna-die stage—” and the humiliating can’t-stop-crying stage—“and to be ‘platonic’ I think you have to be friends. I know you hated my guts in High School. You don’t have to do this.”

“I never hated you,” said Eddie. “I hated your ex-Alphas. Gareth and Dustin say you’re a good dude. I trust them, and that makes us friends of friends, so… you want snuggles or not? It’s totally up to you.”

Steve peeped at Eddie from between his fingers, and somehow, he couldn’t lie: “I’d like snuggles.”

Eddie relaxed into yet another grin, this one deliciously wolfish: “Okay, Steve. You call the shots. How do you wanna do this?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

It was true. His parents didn’t believe in hugs, let alone snuggles. Carol and Tommy had only ever petted him after sex. He’d snuggled with Hop’s younger foster pups lately in the family nest, which had helped him start to heal.

He’d never had one-on-one snuggles with an Alpha before. Even platonic ones.

And now he was trembling like an idiot.

Eddie perched on the edge of the couch. “Nothing to worry about, Sweetie. We can take this slow, or I can leave, or—"

“No.” Steve grabbed Eddie’s wrist, and the strength of his grip shocked him. “I said I want snuggles. Please, Alpha.”

The awkwardness and furtive glances lasted only a few seconds. Then Eddie scooped Steve against his hip and enfolded both arms around him. Steve nestled his cheek on Eddie’s chest, and one of his own hands crept across to clasp Eddie’s shoulder. One of his knees notched itself up into Eddie’s lap, and he melted into Eddie as if they were born to fit together this way.

A caressing warmth literally seeped from the Alpha. Damn. He’d wasted nineteen years… without this?

“You okay, Steve?”

“Mmmmmm,” sighed Steve, as a wave of pure contentment washed over him. He wanted to sink into those hints of herby Alpha musk—into Eddie—like a hot bath. Okay, Eddie’s scent wasn’t quite as distracting as the bananas, which was a shame, but he wasn’t gonna complain. He was losing himself in a happy doze, when Eddie’s fingers started up gentle brushes on his hair, smoothing it behind his ear, then drifting to toy at his nape.

Steve no longer wanted to sleep. Eddie’s hand on his back was like warm oozing honey and Steve didn’t want to miss a thing. He burrowed so deep his nose was in danger of disappearing into Eddie’s armpit. It was clear Eddie was wearing blockers, which was a bummer. Eddie’s natural scent was complex, and Steve wanted to inhale as much as he could, as if to map it on his senses for a lonelier day. After all, the banana smell was out of this world, but it was Eddie he fancied.

Ooops! No, this is platonic. Keep those thoughts platonic, Harrington!

Eddie, meanwhile, was pretty chill. He chattered a bit, about D and D, and music, and all of it was actually pretty interesting. And he was so nice. Even though, one time Steve peeped up, Eddie was grimacing.

Spying Steve, he winked and grinned, and Steve decided not to ruin things by getting too anxious. Maybe Eddie was constipated or something.

That helpful thought didn’t dampen his attraction to Eddie for long. After a few more minutes snuggling, Steve wanted to purr his heart out. He managed to rein it in and then he was having thoughts that were so un-platonic that he bit his lip to the point of pain. Shit, if he got slick, or started to perfume, would Eddie get mad?

Think of something else, Harrington. Not about how hot he is, or how you used to fantasize about him fucking your brains out, when you were still with your exes. Oh my God, I’m gonna get slick! I’m gonna leak everywhere!

He tuned into the one thing that distracted him. The crazily potent scent of those bananas.

He imagined that firm stick of yumminess sliding between his lips, rolling his tongue around it. His stomach growled for it. Steve almost purred for it. And, fast-as-fucking-lightning, some primal need shoved aside all his skittishness and, apparently, his common-sense.

He sat bolt upright and fixed pleadingly on Eddie’s eyes. “I’m soooo hungry. Please, Alpha, can I have a banana?”

Eddie hooted. “Almost forgot I brought them.”

He reached to snap one from the bunch. As they sat side-by-side, he handed it to Steve. Steve pouted. If Eddie had chosen to feed it to him, who would he have been to argue?

With unsteady hands, Steve unpeeled the banana, then slid his lips over its rounded head. It tasted… okay. Kind of bland. Not as earthshattering as he’d expected. Maybe he needed more?

He shoved half the banana into his mouth, bit it off. And choked.

“Hey, take it easy,” said Eddie, rubbing between Steve’s shoulder blades.

Having gulped the thing down, Steve was not in the mood to ‘take it easy.’ He was so damn confused, and cranky that he’d not gotten what he craved, and if what he craved wasn’t that dumb banana, then it had to be…

His nose was at Eddie’s neck before he could stop himself, scenting then licking, and… Ooookay, the blockers and being unwell had thrown him. No banana could send him loopy like this. If his spinning head was sure of one thing, it was that irresistible smell was definitely Eddie. Who now cupped the rear of Steve’s neck—no real pressure, simply holding him in place with a devastating, featherlight touch.

“Sweetie, you okay there?”

No… or maybe, yes. Slick trickled in Steve’s panties, and he jerked his chin up: “Will you kiss me?”

Eddie blinked. Then he licked his lips. That grin Steve was growing obsessed with spread slowly, bunching his cheeks into delicious dimples.

“Hop’s gonna kill me,” murmured Eddie, then, narrowing his eyes, “Look, gonna level with you. Again. Snuggling you has given me one helluva boner. I tried to think about other things, keep it cool today, but… Don’t think my feelings for you are ever gonna be platonic.”

Steve’s pheromone-drenched Omega brain took a moment to process this, and he was incapable of being anything but blunt. “Do you believe in scent-mates, Eddie?”

“Okay, comin’ clean.” Eddie’s hands moved up to cup Steve’s face. “Been obsessed with your teasing lil’ perfume, since you presented in junior year. Let’s find out, huh?”

Steve scrambled into Eddie’s lap for real, flung his arms around his neck, and all-but crushed the Alpha to him. Nope, he couldn’t have done that half an hour ago, while he was lying here feeling exhausted and generally like shit.

Eddie kissed Steve like he’d never been kissed—thoroughly and possessively, and dammit, adoringly. That bland banana taste was gone in an flash. No blockers worked for kissing, and Eddie’s true taste flooded him. It was herby with bitter notes, all doused in that multithreaded sweetness Steve had been going wild for. That rich, creamy banana was a major, major strand of Eddie’s musk, in a heady, kicky Alpha kinda way.

No wonder Steve always liked that damn fruit. He only loved the taste of Eddie, which he literally got high on. He scrubbed his tongue against Eddie’s and did his best to give as good a kiss as he got.

Eddie was for sure Steve’s scent-mate, and he was Eddie’s. After a few more minutes of kissing, and a little more snuggling and scenting, Eddie confirmed that he one-billion percent agreed.

…

A month later, Gareth finally showed his face around Eddie again.

After a whirlwind courtship, he and Steve were moving into a cosy log cabin in the woods. Eddie was wheeling out Steve’s basketball hoop, and Steve was fetching their guitars from the van. Turned out, for the one hobby they didn’t share, there was plenty they did. Steve had even had to fill in for Gareth at D and D, after the other Omega mysteriously vanished to stay with an aunt, without even finding out if Eddie was mad or not.

Eddie growled, glancing between the two Omegas. “You wanna kill him, Steve, or am I gonna do it?”

“Don’t be a dick, Eddie,” said Steve. “He brought us together. He fixed my rejection sickness.”

He fixed us both, and I didn’t know I needed to be fixed. He sure helped make me a very happy Alpha.

“Look, I know it was a bit of a gamble,” said Gareth, twisting his hands. “I’ve had my suspicions, right from when you used to lay into Carol and Tommy for me. You said more than once that you always wanted to hit ’em harder. Something always pulled you back, some faint scent, even though those two repelled you. And then, I got to know Steve too, and Chrissy did a tarot reading that said you were fated. Even Robin said she had a hunch, and what with Steve being sick for so long… We played tic-tac-toe. I lost so I had to be matchmaker. I mean, it has worked out, and… You’re not gonna kill me, right?”

“No promises, Gareth,” said Eddie. “I mean, what took you? Why didn’t you bash our heads together months ago? And how could you run out halfway through my most totally metal campaign?”

“So, we’re good or not?”

“Jesus, Gareth, how many times?” bitched Steve, as Eddie beamed toothily between them both. “He’s being a dick! Hey, you wanna be my flower-Omega at our wedding next month?”

Gareth hung around for a beer and to help them finish moving in. When he hung around after that, Eddie gave him his very best platonic hug.

The type he could never give Steve Harrington.

“Now scram,” he growled, once he let Gareth go. “Thanks to you, I totally need to carry my future bride over the threshold.”

🍌💖🍌💖🍌💖🍌💖

Thank you for reading 💖 You can find my other steddie omegaverse fic on Ao3 here 💖

[inexplicifics]

I am loving your writing so much!!! For the WIP folder Ask game: L/A omegaverse hidden scents please!

Sure! Theoretically this one is going to go into fated-mate-perfect-scent shenanigans at some point, but it's barely 300 words right now:

During the winters, of course, everyone takes off their medallions - no need to worry about magic or monsters of the Conjunction kind within Kaer Morhen’s walls - and so Lambert knows that big quiet Aubry is in fact a beta, that Eskel is the alpha he resembles but that Geralt, far from being as alpha as his scentmate, is actually an omega, and so on and so forth. And they all know he’s an alpha, for all that he’s smaller than most of his brothers and doesn’t really look like an alpha the way, oh, Eskel for instance does. Not that any of that particularly matters in Kaer Morhen; they’re all witchers among witchers, and the important thing is how well they can swing a sword or form a Sign or brew a potion, not what’s between their legs. All of which is to say that of course Lambert doesn’t know what dynamic the Cat is, or what he smells like, and doesn’t much care.

[skullrockbi]

Short ABO thread, xposted to Twitter.

Secret omega Eddie is obsessed with a scent he can smell at Gareth’s house. He was worried at first it was Gareth presenting, but the scent is only near the basement sofa. Eddie wants to bury himself in the scent. He doesn’t believe in scentmates, —

But whatever this scent is smells like alphamatehome. Eddie pushes the sofa cushions around and finds a red sweater. The sweater is what smells so good. Eddie doesn’t even realize he’s putting the sweater on until Gareth asks if he’s cold.

Eddie thinks he makes an agreeing sound. “Dude there’s like 3 blankets within reach, why’d you find my cousin’s sweater?”

Eddie doesn’t answer the question, he’s gone a little feral. “Sweater. Mine. Keep.”

Gareth mutters to Jeff about not understanding why an alpha would want another’s alpha’s sweater. 

Jeff shrugs, “Maybe we should get your mom? Eddie seems a little weirder than usual.”

Jeff’s known Eddie since Eddie moved to Hawkins, if he says Eddie’s being weird than usual, Gareth is going to listen. He gets up to go upstairs for his mom, but she’s already halfway down the stairs with his cousin Steve.

“Baby, Stevie says he left his sweater here earlier this week, have you seen it?”

Gareth coughs, “I’ve seen it.”

“Can you go get it for us?”

“I’m not sure I can.”

“I swear to god Gareth Ezekiel if you caught that sofa on fire again, you’re grounded til you’re 40.”

“No sofa fires.” Gareth turns to go back down and figure out how to get Eddie to give him the sweater. He doesn’t realize his mom and Steve are following until Eddie lunges at Steve growling. 

[steddieunderdogfics]

for monday's challenge famous steve x regular guy eddie, I would like to nominate Online, Offline (Out of My Mind) by LexiRoseWrites. I was still somewhat new to omegaverse fics when I read this, but very quickly became obsessed especially with the neat way it influenced so many aspects of Steve's life and career. I really loved Steve and Eddie's courtship through the anonymity of online dating, and the way it allowed Steve to find love despite his fame(but of course there are some sweet complications and angst along the way) I'm glad this challenge reminded me of this fic, bc I'm definitely re-reading this soon💜💜💜

Online, Offline (Out of My Mind) by LexiRoseWrites

@lexirosewrites

Rating: Explicit

41,679 words, 10/10 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Eddie Munson, Omega Steve Harrington, Top Eddie Munson, Bottom Steve Harrington, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Famous Steve Harrington, Actor Steve Harrington, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Online Dating, Mechanic Eddie Munson, Secret Identity, Phone Sex, Virgin Steve Harrington, Loss of Virginity, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Bites, Knotting, Breeding, Closeted Character, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Minor Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Steve Harrington-centric, Angst with a Happy Ending, Panic Attacks, Anxiety Disorder, Eddie Munson Calls Steve Harrington Pet Names, Virginity Kink, Dom/sub Undertones, Monstercock Munson, Eddie Munson Has a Big Dick, Slow Burn, Mpreg, Secretly an Omega Steve Harrington, Intersex Omegas, ScentMates

Summary:

Online dating and scent-matching are used by desperate people who want to find their soulmate, but will settle for a compatible partner. Steve is more worried about what he’s going to say in the acceptance speech for his Oscar.

This rec is a part of Challenge Monday. The challenge this week was Famous Steve, Regular Guy Eddie.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[starshideurfics]

Ring my bell, part 7

part 6

steddie, omegaverse, flagging/signaling culture, there’s plot now, in the smut, mdni ��

Powell isn’t quite finished with them, asking Lucas a few more questions, including when he had time to call Eddie. “After Patrick called 911. I knew the you’d want to talk to Eddie and I’d need a ride home. I didn’t want my mom to freak out.”

“Pretty sure that ship has sailed, Lucas,” Powell says, not unkindly. “But I also do not want Sue Sinclair on my ass, so I understand.” He looks around, too many teenage boys with haunted looks are still waiting to be questioned all huddled together on the grass. When he turns back, his attention sticks to Eddie. “I have more statements to take, but I’ll be in touch for official statements from you and Harrington. For now the three of you are free to go.”

Eddie nods, easily pulling Lucas into a hug with his free arm. “Thanks, Chief.” He steers their little trio back to Steve’s car, opening the back door for Lucas to get in, then heading to the passenger side himself.

Steve turns the key in the ignition and starts on the way to the Sinclairs’ house. “Do you wanna talk about it?” he asks gently, not sure what Lucas needs. Not at all sure what actually happened.

Lucas surprises him by talking right away. “I must’ve passed out before it happened… You know how the team is, get the freshmen wasted. I’m pretty sure I puked more than I actually drank, but after I just laid down outside the bathroom in case I had to hurl again.” He takes a slow, shuddering breath, and Steve can tell he’s trying not to cry.

“No one saw it happen. She was in one of the smaller rooms, I vaguely remember her and Jason arguing, so she must have gone off for some privacy. And Jason was drunk, so he must have fallen asleep without looking for her… But a couple guys stepped outside to smoke, and when Chase was talking to Powell he said the lights flickered a bunch around one. Steve, what if it’s—”

“Lucas, no.” Steve has to cut him off, can’t bear the thought of more alternate dimension horrors. Moreso, can’t bear to drag Eddie into any of it.

“I saw her Steve! It didn’t look like something a person could do!”

Which just draws Eddie in more. “What do you mean?” he asks softly. He swallows hard and adds, “I figured she must have gotten something stronger and OD’d…”

Lucas shakes his head, curls in on himself, his breaths turning into short gasps. He’s having a panic attack.

Steve changes course, takes them towards Forest Hills instead. They’re better off having this conversation at Eddie’s, and Max lives a couple lots away now. Easier to rally the troops.

When he parks, he gets out and climbs into the backseat with Lucas, offers him a hand and instead the young alpha hides his face against Steve’s shoulder. “Every part of her was broken, Steve. It didn’t look natural.”

“Like… something got to her?” Steve asks, imagining a demodog, what its teeth could do.

“No, not torn up. Broken.”

“And there were flickering lights?”

“Yeah…”

“Stevie, what are you talking about?” Eddie asks softly from the front seat. Steve had almost forgotten he was there, still doesn’t want to expose him, but it’s starting to feel too late. Eddie’s involved, whether Steve likes it or not.

“You remember when Will Byers disappeared in ‘83?”

“Yeah…”

“And the mall fire?”

“That you were in? Yeah, Puppy, I do.”

Eddie saying that is enough to shock Lucas into calming down a bit more. At least enough for him to pull back and give Steve a look.

“We think this may be connected to that.”

“WHAT?”

“I’m gonna call Nance, see if she can pick up Dustin and Robin. They’ll do a better job explaining than I can.”

🔄🔄🔄

Steve’s right. Bringing in the others helps, as they piece together what they can while explaining the basics to Eddie so he understands just how dangerous it all is. It takes a little while to sink in, but as it does, Eddie reaches shakily for his pack of cigarettes. He can’t get his lighter to catch and Steve goes to help, lacing his fingers with Eddie’s free hand after, index finger stroking over the band of a ring.

It’s the first bit of affection between them in front of the others and Lucas hasn’t said anything yet, so somehow, no one questions Steve’s presence.

But this is obvious. “What the hell, why are you holding Eddie’s hand?” Dustin asks loudly, eyes narrowed.

“Because he’s my boyfriend, Dustin.”

“No, he’s not. Eddie’s cool.”

“I’m not cool?”

“Not like Eddie.”

“You’re very cool, Puppy,” Eddie says softly.

Robin makes a face at the pet name and catches Steve’s eye; he knows she’ll give him an earful the next time they’re alone.

“What the hell?” Dustin says again. “For how long?”

“Five months,” Steve answers, plucking the cigarette from Eddie’s fingers and taking a drag. “Can we cool it with the interrogation? We’ve got bigger things to deal with right now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dustin whines. “This is the best news ever!”

“Probably because he knew you’d act like this,” Max chimes.

Steve simply nods towards her in agreement.

Max sits down next to Lucas on the couch and grabs his hand, not even looking at him. Like she doesn’t realize she’s doing it. “We really should be focusing on other stuff, like what the hell happened to Chrissy. Plus, I’m starting to get a headache, so quit yelling.”

[talanashta]

Bidding on a Dream

For @metalsandwichbingo square C3 "omega auction"

Rating: T | No CWs | Word Count: 1,037 | Pairings: pre-Steve/Eddie/Billy | Additional Tags: Omegaverse

Summary: Steve puts himself up for auction through a reputable omega auction house, hoping to find the one. He wasn't expecting to find two alphas that were well-suited.

While omega auctions were slowly falling out of standard, they did still occasionally happen. Due to newer laws on omega protection, though, they were far divorced from their old methods of operation. That wasn’t to say omega exploitation didn’t still happen, but when it was caught, the people in charge were arrested for their crimes. Most omega auctions nowadays featured omegas who put themselves on the auction block or who at least consented when their family wanted them to do it.

When Steve was looking for a company to work with to put himself up for auction, he asked around to learn the reputations of the companies he was considering. A few he ruled out due to sketchy practices – nothing illegal, Hopper told him, but they were skirting the line. A couple he ruled out due to their policies – particularly the limited ability to turn down alphas and a penalty fee for doing so. Finally, he’d narrowed it down to one.

He’d gone through the process of getting registered with them, answering their questionnaires, getting a physical, sitting for photos, and scent-marking fabric swatches. In the end, the whole thing seemed like an expensive matchmaking service, all paid for by the alphas looking for an omega.

They’d explained to him that he’d keep most of the money from the bid as a bride-price, while the auction house made their money off their percentage fee from that bid. He hoped it would end up being a decently sized nest egg – not for himself, but so he’d have money to spoil his future pups.

His profile information reflected his desires too. Every alpha who bid on him would know he wanted a large family, and he’d turn down anyone who ignored that and thought they could have him anyway.

He needed this, but not at the expense of his hopes and dreams.

Come the day of his first auction, his nerves were a little jittery, but it wasn’t anything too unmanageable. Honestly, he thought Robin was more anxious about this than he was. He’d ended up having to reassure her multiple times the night before that everything would be okay.

He pulled up in a nice outfit sans scent blockers or colognes, as the people running the auction had told him to do. Quickly, he was set up in a side room with a few other omegas all waiting nervously to be called onto the small stage to be auctioned off.

One-by-one they were called out of the room; none of them returned after their auction. Even though Steve knew that was what was supposed to be happening, it still put him on edge, waiting for his turn.

When there were only two of them left, his name was called, and he was ushered into the wings.

“Just go out there with a smile and wave when they say your name,” the assistant whispered to him, before giving him a nudge on his cue.

He barely registered anything the host was saying as his portion of the auction occurred. All he could focus on was the undercurrent of one of the most alluring scents he’d ever smelled. It took all his effort not to drop his smile as he stood frozen on the stage, enthralled by the scent. One of these people in here was his scentmate, but he couldn’t make out who with all the other scents in the air.

He hoped more than anything they won the bid.

Soon, he realized the bidding was slowing down, the host calling out, “Sold!” and he was guided off stage by another assistant.

The beta led him to a small sitting room, containing only a small loveseat and an armchair. “Wait here,” she told him. “I’ll be back with the alpha who won.”

Steve paced the room a few times before finally seating himself on one side of the loveseat.

After only a couple more minutes, there was a soft knock on the door. When it opened, instead of the beta from earlier, an alpha with dark curly hair stepped in.

“Hey,” the man said softly.

“Hi,” Steve said back. He covertly scented the air to see if this man was the one he smelled during the auction. The first whiff he got smelled so good, but he realized it was only half the scent he had smelled. Did he have two scentmates? It wasn’t unheard of, but it certainly wasn’t common.

“My name’s Eddie,” the man introduced himself, still standing awkwardly by the door.

“I’m Steve,” he said back. “You can come sit next to me.” He patted the cushion next to himself.

“Well, I’d love to,” Eddie said shyly, pulling a lock of hair in front of his mouth, “but I don’t want to get your hopes up too high, if you don’t like what I’m about to tell you.”

Steve’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I…” Eddie hesitated. “My partner and I bid on you together.”

“What?” He had no idea what that could mean for him.

“His name’s Billy; he’s an alpha, too. We’ve been looking for an omega and decided to try this when the whole dating thing wasn’t working out,” Eddie said tentatively.

Steve thought it over for a second. “Was he the other one I could smell during the auction?” he asked Eddie.

“You could tell too?” Eddie responded, starting to look excited.

He nodded.

“We were pretty certain you’re our scentmate, but we wanted to be sure first.” Eddie had a broad grin on his face. “He’s just outside. We figured I was the better one to break it to you,” he said. “Can I let him in?”

Steve was starting to feel a little bit like a bobblehead with how fast and hard he was nodding.

Eddie turned and pulled open the door, sticking his head through and saying something that Steve couldn’t quite make out; he’d spoken too quietly, but Steve could make assumptions. As soon as he pulled back into the room, another alpha followed him in, this one broad with beautiful blond hair.

“Hi, Steve,” the man said with a wave. “I’m Billy.”

And now, with both of the alphas in the room, it smelled like home.

[aturnoftheearth]

“scentmates” sounds like an omegaverse thing but no. it’s from a gain commercial.

[billyharringson]

I managed to get something out for @stmarchmm or Stranger Things March Mating Madness. I'd had plans to write more for this month but then other fics kind of took precedence. Anyway, please accept my contribution to this event.

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Mungrove (Billy/Eddie)

Title: Not damage, just decoration

Additional tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alpha Eddie Munson, Omega Billy Hargrove, Mating Bites, Mating, fated mates, Soulmates, ScentMates, Biting, Claiming Bites, Established Relationship, Knotting, Miscommunication, Crying, Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, Gay Billy Hargrove, Soft Billy Hargrove, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Protective Eddie Munson, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Billy hurts himself during mating

Summary: As Eddie stared down at the boy beneath him, he knew deep in his bones that he’d fucked up. Billy’s eyes were clearing slowly, the haze of mating causing him to remain lax and content on the messy bed. He could only assume that the claiming chemicals swirling through the Omega must be delaying his reactions somewhat, but Eddie could already anticipate the mayhem that was about to unfurl. Eddie swallowed, the taste of blood still thick on his tongue, his eyes dropping to the fresh bite on Billy’s neck.

Right over his claiming patch.

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