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Joe finds Nicky in the bathtub.
For a whole minute, Joe just stands by the door, trying to gather the words to describe the scene in front of him. He fails, watching in utter silence as Nicky cradles his bump, peeking just above the water’s foamy surface. Joe’s eyes sting with unshed tears and he takes in the smell of lavender soap mixed with the soft scent of pregnant omega, and only then he allows his whole body to relax after being apart from his mate for what felt like a small eternity.
It was for a good cause, of course. Nicky wanted madeleines, pickles and apricot jam, and they did not have anything of the sort in the house. Since Andy had been nursing a twisted ankle from their training and Nile was still learning her way around the island, Joe thought that going alone would be faster. Yet, he had to try four different shops before he found everything and the satisfying feeling of accomplishment for a finished task has been battling the uneasiness of being separated from Nicky.
Now, Joe only breathes and stares as his mate rests his neck against the edge of the tub. Nicky’s hair is wet and his eyes are fully closed as he hums some song under his breath, a lullaby maybe, something too precious he isn’t ready to put into words just yet. The corners of Joe’s mouth twist in an involuntary smile, even if his chest feels a little too tight. They had come so far and he wants to hope, he does, but he dares not. Not yet.
“You are staring,” comes Nicky’s voice. He sounds tired but also amused and that’s enough to lighten the weight clinging to Joe’s heart.
“Guilty as charged,” he replies easily.
Nicky has not moved from his spot, eyes still shut, head slightly tilted back, his neck bared and bonding mark exposed and Joe finally takes a step inside the bathroom. He relishes the feel of the cold tile under his bare feet and sits on the edge of the bathtub, fighting an urge to reach out for the exposed parts of Nicky’s body, for his broad shoulders and the tips of his knees.
“It’s just...” Joe starts, licking his lips as Nicky finally opens his eyes and stares back at him, a soft smile on his face. Joe feels his heart skip a beat. “May I say that my mate looks exquisite this evening? I can scarcely believe my eyes.”
Nicky shifts, a hand still over his bump in a shielding gesture Joe knows his omega cannot help. Still, Nicky’s face is anything but guarded as he looks at him and a warm feeling runs through Joe’s body as he senses something else under the scent of soap and pregnancy, something that is just Nicky and that makes his mouth water and his pulse quicken.
“Well, I guess you will have to–” Nicky smirks as he stretches one of his legs over the edge of the water, toes covered in foam pressing against Joe’s clothed thigh, “–use your other senses then.”
“What a hardship,” Joe chuckles and grabs Nicky’s ankle, pulling his foot onto his lap, and starts to massage it without a second thought.
Joe notices Nicky’s ankles are less swollen than they had been the day before and he’s glad for having insisted that his mate to stay in bed for the whole day, his feet propped over a pillow. He kneads Nicky’s ankle without taking his eyes off his face and appreciates the red blush that suddenly covers his omega’s cheekbones as he digs his thumb into the sole of his feet. Joe cannot help a grin when Nicky parts his lips in a half-contained moan.
“I brought your treats, my heart,” Joe says, suddenly breathless. He wouldn’t like anything more than to lift Nicky out of that tub and carry him to bed, but he will not let his desire cloud his priorities.
Nicky has become less active since entering his last trimester, and as each day gave them a new taste of hope, Joe had grown accustomed to waiting for his mate to initiate things, which he hadn’t done for at least two weeks. Joe didn’t mind in the slightest, always happy to just snuggle close to his omega every night and early morning. It was more than enough to rest his hand on Nicky’s swollen belly and to press his face against the nape of his mate’s neck every time Joe felt life stir and shift under his fingertips.
“I’m craving something different now.” Nicky sounds a little raw and Joe immediately stops massaging his feet.
“Will this new craving of yours require me to go foraging around this island again or–” Joe smirks, not trying to hide the smugness in his voice. Still, he groans deeply when Nicky’s heel is suddenly pressed against his crotch. The feeling of his cock stirring inside his pants makes his breathing catch on his throat.
“Yusuf,” says Nicky in a quiet, but warning tone and Joe nods with a smile, leaning so he can press his lips against the side of Nicky’s ankle.
Nicky snorts and pulls his foot back as Joe motions for him to stay put. Joe stands, grabs a fluffy towel from near the sink and only then he offers his hands to help Nicky out of the bathtub.
The omega’s movements are slow and careful, and Joe takes his fill at the sight of his mate’s silhouette, marvelling at the new soft curves of Nicky’s hips, his plump ass and thicker thighs. He breathes in awe as Nicky takes one step closer, uncaring of his wet skin as he presses his naked body against Joe’s clothed one, arms around his shoulders, sealing their lips with a kiss.
Joe moans as their tongues touch. There’s a faint taste of the honey Nicky likes to use in his mint tea and Joe closes his eyes in bliss, letting himself be engulfed by Nicky’s warmth. Mindful not to press too hard against his bump, Joe manages to wrap the towel around Nicky’s lower back, trying to dry some of the dampness off his mate’s body as they walk towards the bedroom.
Nicky makes a disgruntled noise once they reach the bed and Joe breaks their kiss. He presses his lips against Nicky’s neck, right over his bonding mark, licking stray drops of water, savouring the taste of his mate’s skin. He swallows the deep vibration of Nicky’s moans and bites down gently, hungry for more.
“J-Joe,” Nicky pants, allowing Joe to help him to sit on the bed. He parts his knees and uses his elbows to prop himself onto the mattress, so his shoulders stick out, his bottom hanging at the edge of the bed. “Please.”
Joe nods and leans so he can kiss Nicky’s forehead, not really sure which one of them he’s trying to soothe with that gesture. It works anyway and Nicky offers him a half-smile as Joe hurries to put pillows under Nicky’s hips and back, helping him to recline on the bed.
It doesn’t take long for Nicky’s legs to find a place over Joe’s shoulders as Joe kneels on the bedroom floor, diving between his mate’s spread-out legs like a starving man. He peppers kisses on the inside of Nicky’s thighs, his beard turning the pale skin red, and he inhales his omega’s pure scent, humming with pleasure before he breaches Nicky’s entrance with his tongue.
“Yusu–” Nicky chokes and his legs quiver, a sudden tension against Joe’s skull and he feels himself grow a bit dizzy with the pressure.
Still, he doesn’t stop, licking and lapping at the furled muscle, coaxing Nicky’s slick out and Joe moans as he tastes it, inserting a finger so he can rub Nicky’s spot, making him wetter. He groans when Nicky’s walls become suddenly warmer around it, tighter as if trying to keep his finger inside and Joe only pulls it out so he can insert his tongue back in.
Above him, Nicky’s whimpers are somehow muffled and Joe mourns their absence, his own arousal quickly becoming a considerable distraction.
Without taking his tongue out of Nicky’s hole, Joe manages to open his own trousers and pull his cock out. He gathers some of Nicky’s slick on his hand and wraps wet fingers around his aching length, undecided if he wants to jerk himself off to completion as he makes Nicky come on his tongue or something else entirely. He squeezes the base of his dick, preventing himself from spilling out at that thought alone and uses his other hand to grip Nicky’s cock instead, starting to jerk him off with firm, precise strokes.
“Joe, I– I am go–” Nicky babbles, voice so small it squeezes Joe’s heart. Still, he can taste his omega’s arousal, sharp and pungent on his tongue, so he does not stop stroking Nicky’s cock and he keeps licking at his entrance until he feels Nicky tense up against him, before he comes all over Joe’s fingers, releasing a new stream of slick, coating Joe’s beard.
Joe groans and he preens when he feels the weight of Nicky’s legs become suddenly heavier on his shoulders, proud for rendering his mate boneless. He laps at Nicky’s hole a touch longer before leaning back so he can admire how red and puffy it looks and it takes him all his willpower not to just keep going. Joe wipes his wet beard with the side of his arm as he stands on shaky legs, allowing Nicky’s thighs to fall open over the mattress.
“You know, I’m afraid my eyes did deceive me earlier,” Joe says, staring at his mate sprawled on the bed below him. “My mate looks impossibly more stunning now.”
Nicky chuckles, weakly. There’s a mess of come and slick on the inside of his thighs, his omega’s soft cock an almost obscene sight right under his big bump. Nicky’s chest shifts with his ragged breathing, his pecs slightly swollen, his nipples dark and still hard and Joe cannot help wondering if Nicky has played with himself, plucking his nubs as he came on Joe’s tongue and fingers.
Nicky’s face is partially hidden by his left arm, but Joe can see the rosy blush tinting his cheekbones and he notices how Nicky’s lips look puffier where he must have bitten them red and raw. His hair is sticking in all directions and Joe would love nothing more than to pull his mate into his arms and brush the wild brown strands with his fingers.
“You, you didn’t come,” Nicky says, lifting his arm out of his eyes, staring back at Joe. His pupils are still dilated, but he looks suddenly very serious and Joe feels himself get harder and flushed under Nicky’s scrutiny. “Here, let me–”
Nicky props himself up as best he can, sitting back on the bed with much more grace than should be allowed, given his condition and the orgasm Joe has just wrung out of him. He also doesn’t seem bothered by the fact Joe is still fully clothed, taking Joe’s cock in one hand and sliding the other between his own legs to gather some of his slick.
“Nicolò,” Joe feels a pull on his belly when Nicky starts to stroke him, his touch slippery but strong and he almost comes on the spot when his omega looks up, eyes bright and adoring, a mirror of all the things Joe sees every time he stares back at his mate. “I want–”
“You want to come in my mouth?” Nicky asks, pressing his lips on Joe’s cockhead in a gesture that looks chaste and decadent in equal amounts. Joe feels his knees buckle, and his fingers tingle with the effort to not grab his mate by his hair and fuck his throat raw. “Or do you prefer to knot me? Want to breed me, alpha?”
“Nicky–” Joe’s pulse quickens at the suggestion, for those were words they rarely allowed themselves to be playful about. And he doesn’t know if he has nodded or if Nicky has read his very thoughts, but soon he watches Nicky let go of his cock with a pleased expression on his face.
The omega shifts around the bed, turning his back to Joe and arranging a couple of pillows over the sheets so he can rest his bump on them, plus a few others for his chest and head. Nicky bends, presenting himself, legs slightly parted, some slick slipping from between his ass-cheeks over his balls.
Joe uses every bit of resolve he possesses to not jump on the bed immediately and stick his cock inside Nicky. He takes a deep breath, glad his mate has decided to press his face onto one of the pillows because Joe doesn’t think he could resist in case Nicky decided to give him one of his smirks right now. Carefully, Joe removes his trousers, then his underwear and his shirt, willing his body to calm down so he doesn’t pop his knot the second he’s inside Nicky.
“Joe?” Nicky’s voice is slightly muffled by the fabric of the pillow, but Joe can pick up on the smugness in his tone and he cannot help loving his mate a little more for it. “Did you change your mind?”
Joe resists the urge to slap Nicky’s thigh. Instead, he licks his lips before replying. “Of course not, I am just... admiring the view.”
And he allows himself to feel proud of his self-control up until the moment Nicky’s whole body shifts. “Are you now?” His omega snorts, broad shoulders shaking slightly. “Allow me then-”
And Joe is not ready for the moment Nicky reaches behind himself, his back forming a perfect, curved bow as he presses two fingers between his cheeks, plunging them in and out of his hole a few times before scissoring his entrance open, stretching his puffy hole right before Joe’s eyes.
“You–” Joe thinks he will die his last death if he’s not inside Nicky within the next second, so he climbs onto the bed not caring about how desperate he looks. “Fuck, Nicky.”
And not even the pillow under his mate’s face is capable of muffling the sound that comes out of Nicky’s mouth the moment Joe enters him, bottoming out with one single movement.
Joe grips Nicky’s hips with a strength he knows will leave marks long enough for him to run his fingers all over them and Joe bites his tongue to contain the groan that rips through him. He feels like Nicky is almost strangling him, setting his soul aflame, and Joe’s mind clears for a moment right before he knows he will lose himself to that riot of sensations, so he leans forward, covering Nicky with his body, but bracing his arms, careful to not put any of his weight on him.
“Are you okay?” Joe asks, lips pressed against the shell of Nicky’s ear. “My heart?”
Nicky nods, squeezing Joe’s cock with his muscles before letting out a whimper. “Yusuf,” he breathes, fingers scrabbling to find Joe’s curls so he can pull him down for a kiss. The angle is tricky, but they make do and Joe feels so much lighter as he straightens his back, the taste of his omega on his tongue, his hands on Nicky’s hips, before he finally starts to push in.
The position allows Joe to fuck into Nicky deeper if he wants, but he tries to control his thrusts, aiming to rub against Nicky’s prostate, hopeful he will be able to make his omega come again. Very soon the room is filled with the slapping sounds of flesh against flesh, occasionally softened by Joe’s voice singing praises to Nicky’s body, on how well he’s taking Joe, on how strong his omega is.
Soon Joe feels himself too close to come, but he manages to bring himself back from the edge time and time again, breathing through his mouth and grateful for their position so he can reach out and caress every inch of Nicky’s body. He slides a hand under his omega’s bump to tug at his hardening cock, mapping the new curves on Nicky’s hips and also the soft mounds on his chest, taking a nipple between his fingertips and rubbing them until Nicky starts to leak.
Nicky comes for the second time when Joe brushes his thumb against his bonding mark, his cock still rubbing on his prostate. He does so with a soft whimper and another squeeze of his muscles around Joe’s cock, his silhouette against the rumpled sheets the most beautiful thing Joe has ever seen in the past millennia.
That vision alone is enough to make Joe’s knot bulge, finally locking them together and Joe groans without any shame, grateful, humbled and well-fed.
It takes a little manoeuvring for them to lie side by side, so there’s no pressure on Nicky’s belly while they wait for Joe’s knot to go down. As they come down from their high, Joe becomes hyper aware of the sticky feeling on his beard and between their legs, but their combined scent is enough for him to never want to move again. Still, he feels too giddy and in a teasing mood.
“We are filthy,” Joe chuckles against Nicky’s ear. “We could use a bath.”
It takes a moment too long for Nicky to reply and Joe thinks his mate has fallen asleep. Nicky’s voice comes out tired and satisfied when he finally speaks. “I just had a perfectly fine bath, you came and ruined it with your beautiful looks and your sweet words.”
“How awful of me.” Joe runs a hand against Nicky’s side and kisses his neck, muffling a laugh against his skin. “I’m so sorry.”
Nicky snorts, face hidden in the crook of his arm, every single limb relaxed. “You shou-” he starts, but his words are cut off by a large yawn and so Joe starts to rock their bodies in what he hopes is a soothing motion. It’s in times like these when he wishes he could purr. “You should be, my love.”
Too soon, the room is filled with the sound of Nicky’s soft snoring, something he has started doing for a few weeks now. Joe still hasn’t had the heart to tease him about that, aware that as the pregnancy advances, there will be new things that Nicky’s body will go through that neither of them will be able to do anything about. And Joe will cherish every moment he has now, every opportunity to lighten Nicky’s load.
Joe breathes the omega’s scent, unconcerned about his own weariness, running his hand over his mate’s naked body and finally settling over the swell of Nicky’s belly. He’s almost falling asleep as well when he feels something shift under his palm and Joe has felt that often enough to recognise their child’s erratic movements. And a testament to Nicky’s exhaustion is the fact he doesn’t even stir at that and Joe allows himself to cherish this precious, unique moment.
Joe knows that by now, the small life inside of Nicky would probably be able to thrive even if his mate went through premature labour, but still Joe wishes they could keep their child safely tucked inside until the last possible second. Even after 900 years, he doesn’t feel remotely ready to deal with what will happen next. He doesn’t know if he will ever be.
The gentle movement in Nicky’s belly continues as the minutes pass and at some point it becomes so strong that Nicky’s breath hitches up and Joe is afraid his mate will wake up, confused and maybe even in pain. Without thinking, Joe starts humming under his breath and soon he recognises the same lullaby Nicky had been singing in the bathtub earlier.
Slowly, the movements soften, and Joe keeps rubbing soothing circles against Nicky’s belly, his voice low. Once it settles, their unborn child falling asleep inside Nicky, Joe feels happy tears sting at the corner of his eyes. He finally allows himself to drift off, lulled by the steady beating of his heart.
“Your silhouette evokes the memory of a summer afternoon,
the colour of your eyes, reminds me of soft rain.”
Shahriyaar Qunbari