It's no secret (Not Anymore)

by dangertronic

Summary:

Within a year of living together Eddie knew something was off with Richie. He seemed more jittery around the three month mark when he would go to see his parents, especially if he was late setting out from the apartment for the two hour drive back to Derry, but when he returned he was fine - relieved even. It was like there was some tense reason for his visits these days and it made Eddie curious. It was a tension that was never there before and it was sparking something inside of him - something protective.

Richie had always been one hundred percent sure of what his presentation would be ever since he was a child. Everyone in his family had presented as either an Alpha or a Beta as far as he was aware of, so it was only natural for him to assume that he would be just the same as the rest of them. It just made the most sense to him.

And that’s why when Richie hit his presentation at sixteen years old as an Omega instead of an Alpha or Beta, it had taken him by surprise and shook him right down to his very core. There was no way he was this . It wasn’t possible - it didn’t make sense . He couldn’t even trace an Omega anywhere in his still living family. His family had always prided themselves on that. It wasn’t presenting as Omega wasn’t the part that shook him the most though. Richie was now a male Omega, and male Omegas were rare . They were so rare that society was constantly split on how to feel about their existence. Some people thought that it was an honour to have a male Omega, while others felt it was unnatural and disgusting considering an Omega’s ‘job’ in life. 

As rare as they were in the world as a whole, they were even rarer in Derry. It wasn’t like he lived in a city where there was an eighty percent chance that the people around him didn’t care or that there were some others just like him in the crowd. This was a small town practically in the middle of nowhere with a small mind which hated things that were different to the rest of them. He couldn’t tell anyone what he was - not even his small group of friends. 

They’d constantly talked about how shitty it would be to present as a male Omega, and to Richie, that had registered in his mind that they would think he was shitty too.

Wentworth had stepped up to his son’s aid the moment he could, taking Richie to a doctor after his first heat had passed and he was back to normal. The doctor had prescribed him with special scent blocking deodorant and some medication to prevent preheat slick so he could pass for a Beta. It dulled his Omega senses down too, stopping them from being too affected by any Alpha scents he might pass in the street. Richie got used to the new routine pretty quickly. He’d wake up, use the deodorant, take the medication, and once every three months he was taken out of school for family related things that no one questioned because as far as they knew Richie was a Beta. 

He worked himself through the heats alone with toys for five days and then returned to school feigning the guise of a Beta. He didn’t nest during the hets - couldn’t risk anyone seeing that he had - and he didn’t act Omega like outside of having a Heat. It made his guise all the more easier to maintain - especially when it came to moving out for college. 

Some higher force had absolutely been looking over him when it came to the dorm housing, because somehow, with some weird stroke of luck, he’d managed to land Eddie as his roommate. There were two upsides to this situation. The first was that Eddie didn’t ask questions. He didn’t ask Richie about the bottle of pills with the label torn off in the bathroom that only had his name left on it, or why Richie insisted on keeping his deodorant in his damn underwear drawer of all places, or even why Richie still left every three months to see his parents for a week. 

Eddie just took the pills from the bottle and arranged them into a tub with the days of the week on them to make sure Richie didn’t miss one and left him to it because if there was one thing that had been drummed into his head since he was a kid it was that it was important to remember to take medication. 

The second upside was that Eddie was an Alpha. Eddie broke the usual Alpha trope. He wasn’t built large or muscular. He was small, but he could still kick the ass of anyone who even looked at Richie in the wrong way which though odd was a relief to Richie because Eddie was really attuned to him. They were best friends. He knew when someone was making Richie uncomfortable without Richie having to say anything to him. He knew how to get Richie away from an uncomfortable situation, though none of this explained why Eddie had growled at Bill for sitting a little too close to him in the library once. 

Richie had almost told Eddie his secret on numerous occasions, but every time he came close to telling him, to opening up that part of him he’d been keeping buried deep inside, he backed out at the last minute. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Eddie, he just didn’t want Eddie to be angry with him, so it became easier just to lie, to hide the truth deep inside of him and resist whatever weird urges crept into him whenever he was around Eddie. 

So he kept his secret even when he moved into an apartment with Eddie after their mandatory dorm year. It became even easier to keep the secret when he had his own room. Eddie had only three rules for the apartment. Don’t leave the apartment a mess. Keep out of each other’s rooms. Do your own laundry. They were simple, easy to follow and made it so much easier to hide the Omega smell on his bed from Eddie which meant saving a lot of deodorant because he no longer had to use it on his bed.

Within a year of living together Eddie knew something was off with Richie. He seemed more jittery around the three month mark when he would go to see his parents, especially if he was late setting out from the apartment for the two hour drive back to Derry, but when he returned he was fine - relieved even. It was like there was some tense reason for his visits these days and it made Eddie curious. It was a tension that was never there before and it was sparking something inside of him - something protective .

Richie smelled weird, too. It wasn’t a bad weird, in fact Eddie found the smell quite pleasant , but it was confusing. Richie had never smelled like this before. It wasn’t like an Alpha scent that would repulse his instincts, or even a Beta scent that made him feel at ease. No, this was something… sweeter , but Eddie knew better than to think it was an Omega scent. 

Because Richie wasn’t an Omega. He was a Beta .

“Did you get a new body wash recently or something?” Eddie asks, adjusting the basket of his laundry under his arm on his way to the kitchen one morning as Richie leaves the bathroom. “You smell different than usual.”

There’s something in Richie’s eyes, almost panicky, but it’s gone too quick before Eddie can work out whether it is or not. “Uh, yeah, my mom sent me some new stuff because apparently the other stuff smelled gross.”

Eddie laughs, curling his fingers around the edge of the basket as he catches a whiff of the smell again. “She’s not wrong. This smells better, a lot better, but um… you might wanna get something a little less sweet unless you’re trying to smell like an Omega.”

Richie swallows, drags his towel up over his head and conceals his hair. “I’ll keep that in mind, Eds.”

As Eddie heads off into the kitchen, Richie makes a beeline for his bedroom, closing the door quickly and leaning against it with a heavy exhale. There’s something there in the pit of the instincts that he’s been bottling down for years - something pleased. It’s pleased because Eddie complimented his smell, and damn does it make Richie hate his Omega brain which is fluffing with pride right now. He tosses his towel onto the bed, grabs the plain spray can from his dresser, and covers himself in the scent blocking deodorant. 

Eddie can’t know what he is. As long as Eddie doesn’t know what he is, Richie doesn’t have to admit the bigger secret he’s been bottling down - the one that wants Eddie in every way possible - that’s been in love with his best friend for years.

Hiding what he is lasts until the day before Richie’s twenty-first birthday. Richie has always been the kind of person who gets excited around his birthday. Eddie’s always found it cute. He’s like a puppy waiting for some kind of big treat, and this year more so than usual because he’s finally caught up to the rest of them. He’s no longer a year behind them and he can legally drink in a bar with them whenever they want to go to one. He’s so excited about this, in fact, that he’s pushing other things from his mind - important things - things like scent blocking deodorant and medication. 

He doesn’t mean to forget about them, he’s just so wrapped up in the plans he has tomorrow that his brain is moving all over the place and he isn’t focusing on what he should be. He doesn’t take the medication, and he doesn’t put the deodorant on, throwing on his clothes and heading to class.

Eddie’s the one to notice that Richie hasn’t taken his medication today. He’s brushing his teeth when his phone buzzes on the counter with a text from a classmate, and he spots the clear plastic container that’s next to the bottle of pills lying on the sink unit with Wednesday’s lid firmly closed and two pills sitting inside. Eddie doesn’t know what the medication is for since he’s never asked, but it sends a wave of concern and panic through him. The only part of the bottle’s label not ripped off says kzapine and Richie’s name along with the dosage he needs to take. He grabs his phone and sends Richie a text, shoving it into his pocket once he’s done and he grabs the plastic container which he tucks into his hoodie pocket.

Richie’s never felt a dread like this before. Eddie’s text about his missed medication sparks a panic within him more intense than he’s ever felt - even more than when he’d presented. People have been looking at him weird all morning, and now he knows why . The knowledge of the missed medication makes him wonder - makes him consider the possibility that he forgot the deodorant too - something he needs to check quickly. He subtly brings a hand to his face when he’s sure no one is looking at him, sniffing at his wrist. The minty soapy smell hits his nose, and there’s something else there - something sweet like honey, and it makes his entire body tense. 

His scent is coming out, there’s nothing to hide it, and people are starting to notice.

He’s not sure how he makes it through the remaining hour of his lecture, but the second it’s over he’s grabbing his bag and shoving his books into it as he rushes from the room, almost knocking Stan over in the process as he does. He rushes for the main entrance, crashing into Eddie in the quad who clamps his hands on Richie’s arms to stop him from falling. Richie always gets whiffs of Eddie’s smell around the apartment or in the car, but here, standing this close to Eddie without the help of the medication, its smells the strongest. It’s like Eddie is wrapped in a blanket of lavender, coconut and the cleaning products he uses to scrub the apartment down and keep it hospital Operating Room tier clean.

Richie’s surprised at how quickly Eddie’s smell is grounding him too, and it’s pulling him, drawing him closer to his roommate. Did all Alphas smell this good? Did Eddie always smell this fucking good? “Eds -”

“I brought your -” Eddie stops suddenly and sniffs at the air. What the hell is that minty smell? He leans forward, sniffs again and his body goes tense as his eyes widen a fraction. That smell is Richie - mixed with a smell so sweet that it makes him feel dizzy. He leans closer to the source of the smell, his nose inches from Richie’s neck, and he inhales. “Holy shit Richie, you’re a -”

Richie opens his mouth to say something - anything - to shut Eddie up before he can finish speaking, but the only sound that comes out of him is a quiet whimper that takes him by surprise and forces him to clamp a hand over his mouth because Eddie’s smell is hitting him too strongly, because he’s too close - almost touching him. Eddie doesn’t finish his sentence, levelling Richie with a look of confusion because he can’t work out how Richie is an Omega, but it does explain why he’s jittery every three months. 

It’s his heat cycle. 

The confusion fades into concern quickly when he registers the panic rising in Richie’s eyes, mixed with… pain ?

“Richie? Are you -” Eddie’s cut off with a hiss from Richie who drops a hand from his mouth to curl his arm around his stomach - his fingers pressing into his side with a muffled ‘fuck’ behind his other hand. The smell hits Eddie again - stronger now - and he gets it . His heat has been triggered. “Shit you’re -”

Richie drops his other hand, reaches out for Eddie, and sinks his fingers into his hoodie sleeve to keep himself balanced as a wave of pain floods his stomach and he doubles over, forehead slamming against Eddie’s shoulder. “Can’t - not here - not this week - it’s early -”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay Richie. You’re okay.” Eddie assures him, curling an arm around Richie and drawing him closer. Eddie’s always been good at resisting his instincts, it’s something that he prides himself on, and it’s how he knows that he can get Richie home safely before anything can happen to him. “I’m gonna get you home, okay?”

Richie nods, completely lulled by Eddie’s scent which has relaxed him. Richie’s never felt this level of ease before, and it’s exactly what he needs right now because it’s keeping him rooted to reality. Eddie releases him temporarily, unzipping his hoodie hastily and yanking it off his body. He tugs the sleeves over Richie’s arms and pulls the hoodie on him tightly so he can zip it up before pulling the hood up over his head where he carefully tucks the dark curls into the hood, nose wrinkling as he does. 

This is the safest way to get him back to the car. He can still smell Richie but it’s dulled by the strong scent from the hoodie, and that’ll have to do. It keeps people away as they head for the parking lot across the college campus, one of Richie’s arms curled around Eddie’s neck as it becomes difficult for him to walk. There are a few people who turn to look at them, mostly curious as Eddie is practically dragging Richie along the campus grounds. A few Alphas heads turn as they catch Richie’s scent when they cross the parking lot, but they’re quickly diverted by the warning growl that comes from Eddie. 

He manages to get Richie to his car, making sure that he’s settled into the passenger seat before slamming the door shut and rushing around the driver’s side. Riche groans, wraps his arm back around his stomach and curls forward as an aggressive twinge settles in place. He barely registers Eddie climbing into the car, only able to focus on the weird fog that’s starting to settle into his head, and he hates it. He hates his stupid Omega brain, he hates the heats. He hates that he’s about to make the next five days hell for Eddie on top of the fact he’s lied to him for years.

“Hey.” Richie jumps at the feel of a hand on his arm, soothing against the area. Eddie is sitting next to him, body angled towards him with concern radiating from him as he tries to soothe away the distress that he can feel spiking in Richie. “How are you feeling?”

“It… it hurts.” Richie complains, voice only coming out as a low pant. 

“I know, Rich. It’s okay. I’m gonna get you home and then we can get you into bed, okay? You’re gonna be fine. I promise. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”

“‘Ka - fuck .” Richie curls again, willing the cramps that are taking over him to stop. “‘M’sorry. I should have - shit - told you about this.”

Eddie’s expression shifts from concerned to something softer, and he squeezes Richie’s arm comfortingly, brushing the material of the hoodie against his heated flesh. “It’s okay . Don’t worry about it. I get why you wouldn’t - didn’t - tell me. I’m not mad at you - promise.”

Richie takes in a sharp breath and then nods shakily to show he’s listening. Eddie is handling this way better than he ever thought he would and it makes him wonder why he backed out of telling him all those times he’d wanted to. The grasp that Eddie has on his instincts is admirable, even more so right now but Richie doesn’t know if this is just Eddie or if keeping calm enough to get him home is part of the instincts. He’s never asked Eddie about being an Alpha in great detail before. He just knows it’s better to let Eddie take over right now. Eddie knows what he’s doing. Eddie can help him. He just needs to let him help. Richie tucks his hands into the sleeves of Eddie’s hoodie once the car is moving and brings his hands to his face so he can use the scent to ground him. 

The scent sparks something inside of him that makes him squirm - makes him want Eddie - and he’s not sure how to feel about that .

It feels like an eternity has passed before they’re pulling into the parking lot of the apartment complex and Eddie comes to a sharp stop in his space. Eddie rushes out of the car once he’s parked and shut the engine off, yanking the door open and helping Richie to climb out carefully, keeping a firm grip on him so he doesn’t fall. The smell is even stronger and sweeter now, and he can feel the distress that’s radiating off Richie who is pressing a hand tightly into his stomach. Eddie doesn’t blame him for being distressed since his heat has been triggered early. He rushes Richie into the building the best he can and up the three flights of stairs to their apartment, almost breaking his key in the lock as he tries to hastily unlock the door and get Richie inside as quickly as possible. 

Eddie knows he can’t keep him outside the apartment for too long. He can’t risk another Alpha in the building crossing them on their way home or going out. Richie teeters on the spot as Eddie closes the apartment door behind them, whipping around quickly and grabbing him before he can fall. He can feel the sweat that’s seeping through his clothes now, starting to dampen the hoodie, and if he doesn’t get Richie into his room now he’s going to pass out from feeling too overheated.

“Come on.” Eddie soothes, leading Richie down the hallway to his room. “You’re almost there. You’re doing great Rich.”

Finally managing to get Richie into his room and to his bed, Eddie comes to a sudden halt. Richie’s room reeks of the Omega scent, and he wonders how he’s never picked up on it whenever Richie opens the door. He grounds himself quickly though, slowly sitting Richie down on the bed and bringing his hands to his face to remove his fogging glasses. He folds them carefully and places them on Richie’s nightstand, turning his attention back to his roommate whose fingers are flexing against the edge of the bed, hands curling and the tips of his fingers pressing against the bedsheets. Eddie can’t imagine how uncomfortable Richie is right now as he tries, and ultimately fails, to find a comfortable position to sit in; constantly shifting or twisting on the spot.

“Hey, Richie, look at me, it’s okay.” Eddie assures him, placing his hands to Richie’s shoulders, his nose scrunching at the feel of the dampening hoodie. “We have to get this off though okay? I don’t want you to overheat so we’re gonna strip you down a little so you’re cooler.” 

Richie is resistant as Eddie unzips the hoodie, surprisingly so, his hands refusing to move from their purchase on the edge of his bed and his body tensing - almost making him deadweight. It makes it impossible to remove the hoodie completely. Eddie knows it’s the haze of the heat that makes him stubborn when it comes to even the smallest of tasks since his brain only wants one thing right now, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating to deal with; pushing and pulling at Eddie’s own instincts.

“ Richie .” Eddie doesn’t mean for the tone to come out so authoritative , but it does, and Richie’s head snaps up to look at him, eyes wide. He’s never heard Eddie speak like that to anyone before. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come out like that. I’m just trying to help you okay? I’ve got you, but I need you to cooperate with me a little.”

Richie relents with a nod and slowly relaxes his grip on the bed, letting Eddie pull the damp hoodie from his body followed by the soaked shirt. Tossing the shirt into the hamper, Eddie returns to the bed to help him get his pants off which have become so damp that they’re clinging to his legs. Richie opens his mouth to speak, to thank Eddie for helping him and getting him back to the apartment safely, but the only sound that drags from his throat is another low whimper. His hand instantly shoots up to his mouth, covering it while his eyes widen, a silent plea in them for Eddie not to mention the sound that he’s just made twice in the space of an hour. 

Eddie’s doesn’t mention it - thankfully - and just settles for stroking a hand against the dark sweaty curls that are starting to stick to Richie’s face. “Do you feel better now?”

Richie nods, swallowing as he slowly lowers the hand from his mouth, somehow managing to locate his voice again long enough to try and speak. “A little. Thanks… for… this . I’m sorry I kept it from you for so long.”

Eddie sighs, crouching in front of Richie and tilting his head back to look up at him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have thought any different of you because of it. This is just a part of who you are. It doesn’t change anything. You’re still my friend - my best friend - nothing can change that.”

“All I ever heard growing up was how unnatural male Omegas were, and how it would suck to be one from you guys. I didn’t know how you would take it if I told you I was one but I - I wanted to tell you - so many times. It’s just… I’d already made out to everyone I was a Beta by then and I thought that everyone would be mad at me if I told them I’d lied. It just… it became easier to keep the lie going than admit what I was.”

Eddie’s expression is soft as he places a hand to Richie’s leg, giving it a firm gentle squeeze. “It’s okay Richie. I told you this doesn’t change anything. I mean it.” He drops the hand from Richie’s leg and slowly climbs to his feet. “Okay, I’m gonna leave you to your nesting and stuff. I know that it’s important. I’ll check on you later okay?”

Richie swallows, voice quiet as he speaks. “I don’t nest.”

“You don’t nest? All Omegas nest for heats, Richie. It’s okay.”

“No, I really don’t nest. I uh - I’ve been fighting every stupid Omega instinct I ever had since my presentation. I don’t actually know how to be an Omega. I -” Richie pauses, swallows again, and tilts his head up to look at Eddie. “I need help. Please...”

“I am helping, Rich.”

“No, no. I mean… all my stuff for this is at my parents. I need help like… from an Alpha.”

“Richie are you sure about this?” Eddie asks, taking a seat next to him. “I don’t want you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable just because you think that’s what you need to do.”

“I trust you Eds. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t. You don’t have to. You can say no. I’m not gonna get mad at you or anything.”

Eddie thinks it over, reaching out and curling a hand over Richie’s sweaty one to help ground Richie. Richie hadn’t even dated anyone - let alone done anything sexual with them. If he had that person would have been able to tell what he was. Richie wasn’t only giving up a first time - but also a first time during a heat . There was no way he could do that to Richie. His first time couldn’t be in a heat - though there were alternatives he could use to help him through the heat spikes and make this as painless as possible.

“Okay. I’ll help you.”

Richie opens his mouth to speak, overcome with another cramp that makes him hiss, forcing him away from Eddie to wrap his arms around himself. Eddie reacts quick to this, scrambling to his feet to help lower Richie onto his side on the bed. Richie finds that it helps to ease the pain, especially when Eddie crouches next to the bed and strokes the hair from his face. It’s relaxing, and Eddie kind of likes how Richie is reacting to him right now. He’s trusting Eddie completely. Sure, Richie has always trusted him with everything, but this is different. 

Richie is trusting him at what is considered to be his weakest point ever, when he can barely do even the most basic of tasks for himself, and that’s a big thing that Eddie would never let himself take advantage off. All he wants to do is make sure that Richie is okay. 

He manages to soothe Richie to sleep like this, with his fingers stroking gently through his hair, exhaling in relief once he has. Richie needs as much sleep as he can to get ready for when his heat hits, and considering he’s already in his preheat, that means his actual heat can hit him at any moment. Eddie takes this time to fill their cooler bottles with water, knowing that getting fluids into Richie will be one of the main priorities over the next five days and it’ll be easier to have it close by instead of leaving him. Richie is still sleeping when Eddie returns to the room, breathing heavy and somewhat laboured from the preheat that’s spiking through him even while he’s sleeping. 

He hates to see Richie like this; uncomfortable and in pain, but at least while he sleeps he’s not aware of it. Eddie places the bottles on the nightstand carefully, never taking his eyes off the sleeping Richie. The next five days are going to play havoc on his instincts, Richie’s too, and he needs to be careful. He hates that Richie felt so bad about what he was, partly with him as one of the causes over a stupid comment made when he was sixteen, that he’s been hiding this for years. 

Eddie knows he’s not the sole cause, but still, he was the one who had said being an Omega male would be shitty - helped drive that negative mentality into Richie’s brain. It wasn’t meant the way Richie had taken it though. It was a personal jab at himself - that it would have sucked for him because it’s what everyone in the damn town had thought he would be. Eddie can’t imagine how terrified Richie must have been when his presentation had finally hit after that comment.

But for Richie this presentation was absolutely perfect . Richie has always been good at taking care of people - of taking care of him . He’s so good at it, in fact, that it’s more Omega-like than Beta now that he thinks about it. Eddie recalls every time he’s been really sick. How Richie has always jumped at the chance to help him, bundling him in blankets on the sofa and bringing him food and medicine to take care of him. Eddie recalls his presentation - how hard the rut had hit him - and how Richie, unpresented at the time, had never once left his side.

Richie shifts in his sleep, nuzzling his face into his pillow with a soft exhale as he curls his body slightly and it stalls Eddie’s heart in his chest for a moment because it’s just so damn adorable . Part of him wonders how he’s never noticed something like this before during their dorm sharing year of college. It’s like he’s seeing a whole different side of Richie now, one that he’s sure is recent because he distinctly remembers that teenage Richie always hogged ninety percent of the bed because he slept like a damn starfish and not like a cat. He considers just leaving Richie alone to sleep, but he knows that if an Omega in heat wakes up alone without an Alpha nearby they freak out which can lead to a crash. 

Sure, he’s not Richie’s Alpha and he never will be, but he’s the only Alpha that Richie’s freshly full awake Omega instincts are aware of right now, and that can register badly if he wakes up and he can’t immediately smell Eddie in the room so he leaves only long enough to grab something he can change into to sleep in comfortably later and his laptop which he sets up on on Richie’s desk. It’s too early for him to get some sleep, but he needs to be near Richie. Richie needs to be able to either see or smell him if he wakes up, and considering that Richie can’t see shit without his glasses on, he’ll be relying on smell. 

Fortunately for Eddie, Richie’s desk is at the foot of his bed, allowing Eddie to look up from his college work periodically and check on his sleeping friend. Richie’s preheat alone is fucking with Eddie’s instincts, drawing out something more protective that wants to keep Richie safe even from his own instincts. He’s never felt this desire so intensely when it comes to Richie before and he’s not sure how he’s supposed to handle it.

The sound of a groan and movement from the bed catches his attention and Eddie’s head snaps up so he can look over the laptop to check on Richie just in case it’s his heat finally hitting. Richie is still sleeping though, now lying on his front with his head tilted towards the window. Eddie’s attention falls back to his work, focusing on trying to get as much done as he can before the heat hits, and when the heat doesn’t hit by ten that night, Eddie calls it a night and heads over to the bed to get some sleep. He considers waking Richie up to get some food into him, but he doesn’t want Richie to be in pain - can’t let him be in pain with the preheat - so he decides against it, climbing onto the bed next to him carefully so as not to wake him. He can just make a bigger breakfast in the morning.

Richie is covered in a thin sheen of sweat now, no doubt grateful that Eddie decided to leave him in just his boxers. The less clothing he has on during a heat the better, so he doesn’t run the risk of overheating. Eddie reaches over the sleeping Richie for the remote on his nightstand, pointing it awkwardly at the fan in the corner of the room to turn it on. The cool breeze that cuts through Richie’s scent is nice, giving him a whiff of cool and somewhat fresh air once in a while. Eddie reaches across the bed and finds Richie’s arm, curling his hand around his wrist. It calms his instincts when he can feel the pulse there, but not by much. 

He hears Richie inhale, his subconscious picking up Eddie’s scent, and he moves his head to find the source. Richie is loitering in a half awake state, relying on his sense of smell to lead the way. He finds the source eventually, nose brushing at Eddie’s fingers which are still curled around his wrist. He moves closer to the smell, and Eddie rolls onto his side, watching the furrow of his brow right before his eyes flutter open. “Eds?”

Eddie reaches out with his free hand and brushes at the hair that’s sticking to Richie’s face again. “Right here.”

“Can I -” Richie pauses, seems to change his mind, and settles for bringing his other hand to his face, covering his nose. “Nevermind.”

“Hey,” Eddie carefully pulls the hand away from Richie’s nose, lifting it into the air when Richie fights his grip. “Talk to me. What do you need?”

Richie sighs, and the fight leaves him. “Your smell. It’s… it relaxes me. I just - I can’t - I don’t want to -”

Eddie softens at that, and releases Richie’s arm with a reassuring smile. He reaches over the side of the bed and grabs the hoodie he’d been wearing that day, handing it over to Richie. He understands, really he does. Richie takes the hoodie with a quiet thanks, bringing it to his face. Eddie watches the way he inhales the scent and nuzzles his face into it and it’s in that moment he’s pretty sure Richie is going to be the death of him. 

“So it doesn’t bother you?” Richie asks, his voice muffled against the hoodie.

“What doesn’t?”

“That I’m… you know... this .”

Eddie laughs, the sound a quiet vibration in his throat. “It doesn’t bother me that you’re a male Omega. I’m literally a gay Alpha, Richie. Someone like you is like… the perfect match for someone like me.” Eddie decides to leave it that, opts to not spill his fucking guts about the fact he’s liked Richie since they were teenagers and never said anything because Richie always seemed disinterested in dating people. That’s not something Richie needs right now. “You should go back to sleep. The next few days are gonna be rough. Unless you’re hungry or something? I can go and get you some food.”

Richie shakes his head, closes his eyes, and draws the hoodie more against his face. “I’m not that hungry. Just… tired still.”

The smell on the hoodie isn’t as strong as it is on Eddie since it’s mixed with his own now but it’s enough, and it isn’t long before Richie has fallen back to sleep, his grip loosening on the hoodie held to his face. Eddie knows better than to take it away even though Richie’s sleeping. Richie needs it to soothe his subconscious while he sleeps, and Eddie has no issues with watching the way Richie brings it closer to his face in his sleep when it’s not pressing to his nose. He grabs one of the hoodie’s arms, curls it around the back of Richie’s neck and tucks it under the other side to lessen the chance of him losing it, spreading as much of it across Richie’s bare torso as he can.

Richie lets out a soft exhale, brings the sleeve to his nose, and curls up a little more. Eddie can smell the heat starting to spike, and the increased sweet smell knocks him off kilter. It’s thankfully not enough to wake Richie from his sleep, but it’s enough for Eddie to know that his preheat has ended and they’re finally in the actual heat part. Eddie sighs and rolls onto his back, closing his eyes. If he’s going to spend five days taking care of Richie, he needs to make sure that he gets some sleep too.

Sleep doesn’t come as easily for Eddie as it does for Richie. Eddie finds himself mentally going over things for the next week. The first day is easy. Heat spikes are few and far between, allowing the body to get used to them again after the three month break from them. The second day is rougher. There will be more spikes and Richie’s Omega brain will have fully kicked in. The third day is the lull day, a time for Richie to rest and actually eat. That’s the day that concerns him. From what he remembers from studies in school, male Omegas find it hard to hit the lull day without mediation or other aids like lulling lube. Richie not hitting a lull concerns him more than the peak day. Because if he can’t rest, it makes the peak even harder to get through. 

Day five is - thankfully - even easier than day one. The heat snaps away after the peak, and there are very few heat spikes as his body returns to normal over the course of the day. That’s the day he’ll have to make sure Richie gets rest if he can’t hit a lull.

Eddie hears Richie sigh, and tilts his head towards the sleeping Richie who curls slightly and buries his face more into the hoodie. Eddie can’t help but smile. It’s adorable, and it reminds him just how it was possible to have fallen for him in the first place - because under the loudness and the foul mouth there is a side to Richie that the others don’t get to see. It’s the kind of side that Eddie finds on their sofa at two in the morning when Richie can’t sleep, bundled in one of their spare blankets. It’s the side that lets Eddie into that blanket when he asks if Richie wants company and falls asleep on him. And Eddie can’t figure out how he’s never picked up the Omega scent on those nights. 

Were scent blockers really that strong?

Eddie goes over his mental checklist again for the next five days, making sure he’s prepared for everything - or almost everything. He has no idea what Richie is going to be like in a heat - especially if he’s been fighting most of his instincts for years to pass himself off as a Beta the best he could. He takes in the flush that’s covering Richie’s cheeks from the heat that’s settled in, and he shifts a little closer to give him more of the scent. 

“I’m gonna make sure you get through this Rich - I promise.”

The first day of the heat isn’t as bad as either of them had been expecting it to be. Richie is coherent enough when Eddie wakes up in the morning and leaves to make them some breakfast, though he still looks a little sweaty, and the flush that settled into his face overnight is still there. Unsure of what Richie’s appetite is going to be like right now, especially since Richie didn’t eat last night, Eddie settles for something simple - a stack of toast and some juice. The main thing is that he’s getting something into his system before the heat fully takes over. 

He’s sure to keep an eye on Richie for any signs of distress or discomfort when he returns to the bedroom. He seems fine for now, and better than he was yesterday so he places the juice onto the nightstand and hands Richie the plate of food with the instruction to only eat what he can manage before he leaves to retrieve his own. 

“How are you feeling?” Eddie asks as they eat, still keeping an eye out for any discomfort as Richie makes his way through breakfast at an oddly slow pace. It’s almost like he’s forcing the food down because he isn’t hungry. “Remember not to force yourself to eat. It’s okay if you’re not hungry. I only made so much because you didn’t eat last night.”

Richie pauses mid-bite, his attention settling on Eddie. “I feel… fine?”

“Richie, I need you to be honest with me about this, okay? I know you don’t like this whole Omega thing but I need to know how you’re doing. I have to constantly make sure that you’re okay. Do you have any pain? Discomfort? Slick?”

Richie chokes on his food, dropping the half eaten slice of toast back on the plate as he coughs. “I’m sorry what ?”

Eddie levels him with a stare that’s not unlike ones he gets from Stan sometimes when he crosses a line. “You heard me, Richie.”

“No... slick .” Richie forces the word out like it offends him, and considering how much he doesn’t like this Omega thing it probably does, picking up the slice of toast again. “There’s some slight pain though. It’s kind of… crampy, I guess?”

“ Richie ,” Eddie stresses, pinching at the bridge of his nose, “you need to be honest with me right away. I can’t help you get through this if you won’t tell me how you’re feeling. I’ll ask you one more time. How are you feeling?”

Richie groans, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling. Eddie’s right, and Richie knows he is. He needs to open up and just be honest with Eddie so that Eddie knows what he’s dealing with. “I feel hot, crampy… generally weird.”

“Weird how?”

“I don’t really know how to explain it… it’s kind of like… um… spacey would be the best way to describe it, I guess? You know… like… in my head? It’s like there’s a fog over my mind or something and - fuck. ” Richie suddenly doubles over, wrapping an arm around his stomach. 

“Richie!? Are you okay?” Eddie asks frantically, realising how stupid that question is a second later. Richie’s in a heat, of course he’s not okay.

Richie slowly opens his mouth to respond, but the noise that comes out isn’t words, it’s a whimper. The moment the sound leaves his mouth, Richie quickly clamps his hand over it, still not used to making those noises around Eddie or sure of how he’ll react. Eddie however is patient, letting Richie calm down and try again. “No.”

Eddie feels his chest twist at the way the word sounds almost broken when it falls from Richie’s mouth . “What’s wrong Rich? I need some specifics here.”

“ Eds I -” Richie chokes on his words, unable to form a full sentence. All he can focus on right now is the heat that has fully settled into his body, making it feel like he’s been set on fire. “ Please …”

Eddie’s stomach sinks at the desperate tone that comes from him. He’s never, in twenty-one years of knowing Richie, heard him beg before. “I’ve got you. I told you I’d help you.”

Eddie quickly removes the plates from the bed, setting them down on the floor, and then carefully nudges Richie onto his back. Richie’s scent suddenly hits him full force now his heat his spiked, and all Eddie can smell is the sweet intoxicating scent that radiates from him which draws him closer. Richie watches him warily, his unfocused gaze moving all over Eddie’s face. With Eddie this close to him, Richie can’t focus on anything but his scent. 

Eddie reaches out, carefully taking Richie’s glasses from his face and setting them back on the nightstand. The sweating is back, Richie’s hair curling even more than usual as it starts to dampen, while Richie himself looks on the verge of breaking down into frustrated sobbing. “It’s hitting you really bad huh?”

“Eds - please - it -”

Eddie dips his fingers into the waistband of Richie’s boxers and starts to pull them down. “I know Richie. I’m gonna make it better. Just like I promised.”

Richie raises his hips almost a little too eagerly as Eddie tugs the boxers down a little more, working on the instinct to make it easier for Eddie to pull them down to his knees. He can already feel the Alpha compliance that’s creeping into him as his Omega brain starts to take over, and his instincts are crawling to the surface of his brain. They’re encouraging him to be pliant, to let Eddie take control, to beg Eddie for sex. Eddie doesn’t think Richie’s smell can get stronger, but it does, and he has to swallow a groan at how good Richie smells to his Alpha brain right now. Eddie’s Alpha brain pushes at him, demands him to just shove Richie down and fuck him senseless, but Eddie knows he has to be careful. Richie’s heat needs to be handled carefully and his first time can’t be in a heat. It’ll overwhelm him too much which can cause distress and ultimately a crash.

Richie reaches for him, his fingers sinking into the sleeves of Eddie’s shirt. “Alpha… please...”

Eddie’s brain almost short circuits at the way the words fall from Richie’s mouth, desperate and pleading, but it is soon replaced by his prideful instincts over Richie calling him Alpha. He tugs the boxers completely down, tossing them aside to the floor. “Alpha’s gonna take care of you. Don’t worry.” Eddie assures, sliding his hand up Richie’s thighs. “I need you to be comfortable though first.”

Eddie pushes Richie’s legs apart, sliding his hand into the bend of Richie’s knee and settling into the space between them. He’s careful as he lifts one of the legs from the bed, draping it over his shoulder and using his free hand to keep the other straight. Eddie can already see the sheen of slick on Richie’s flesh, sliding his thumb through it against the back of his thigh. “Poor baby, you’re soaking . That can’t be comfortable for you.”

Richie lets out a whine, his fingers sinking into the blanket. “Alpha - need you - please -”

Eddie feels the tug at his instincts, wanting nothing more than to yank off his own clothes and give Richie what he wants. He pushes back the instincts back, thankful he has such a good control over them even now, and dips further down into the space between Richie’s legs. He’s constantly reminding himself that he needs to focus on relieving Richie in any way he can that doesn’t involve fucking him, and he trails his tongue through the slick, tasting the sweetness before he reaches his destination, sliding the tip of his tongue into Richie who cries out - one hand shooting up to grab at the back of Eddie’s head, fingers gripping at his hair. 

Eddie works his tongue fast, drinking in the sounds of the whimpers and pleas that fall from Richie’s mouth combined with the moans of ‘Alpha’ that echo in the air around them. Keeping a grip on the leg draped over his shoulder, Eddie presses his free hand into Richie’s hip, pressing his thumb down into the flesh and gripping the area. There is nothing more pleasing to his Alpha brain right now than having Richie like this, crying out for him as his body shakes with pleasure.

“Alpha - please - ah! - close - need -” Richie begs, his sentences broken and almost incoherent. Eddie slowly retracts his tongue from Richie, spurring a whine from him at the loss of something inside him. Eddie slowly slips his tongue around his mouth to rid himself of any slick that’s gathered on his lips, watching Richie’s chest heave with each breath, his eyes unfocused and hair a sweaty mess that’s either clung to his face or the pillow. 

“You look so good like this Rich.” Eddie praises, lowering Richie’s leg next to him and replacing his tongue with a finger. “Such a pretty Omega making those pretty noises.”

Richie lets out a quiet groan that’s a mix of both pleasure and embarrassment at the praise, tilting his head back against the pillow as Eddie slides a second finger into him; pushing them in so deep that Richie lets out a sharp gasp as they press against his prostate. “Alpha - need more - please - need your -”

Eddie growls, the sound low in his throat, once again fighting his instincts off as he moves his fingers faster. “Can’t - you know that -” Whatever protest is about to spill from Richie’s mouth trails off into a loud moan as Eddie pushes Richie over the edge into the sated state his heat infested brain is craving for. Eddie slowly retracts his fingers and brings them to his mouth to lick away the slick, using his free hand to soothe at Richie’s curls. “You were such a good boy for me. How you doing there?” 

“Good,” Richie’s voice is strained, but he sounds less heat driven now he’s hit a release, “ real good.”

It soon becomes apparent that Richie can’t hit a lull after six rounds, and it makes it difficult to get food into his system. It’s like Richie’s instincts are too aware of everything because he’s never given in to them before, and Eddie doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do in this situation to help. No amount of research on his phone helps him find anything useful, not that he really has much time between the intense heat spikes to really look for something. Eddie hates it, and he hates it more when Richie can’t sleep that night because that means Richie is suffering. 

The second day of the actual heat is worse than the first one. Richie still can’t hit a lull and there’s only so much Eddie’s mouth and fingers can do for him. Eddie knows there’s only one person he can get some help from - one person who won’t ask him any questions - Stan. He sends a quick text to Stan that morning and quickly turns his attention back to Richie to focus on working him through another spike. It’s two hours before Stan calls Eddie to tell him he’s there, and as much as Eddie hates the idea of having to leave Richie alone, he needs to, but not before reassuring him that he’ll be back. Richie seems coherent enough to understand, to know that he’s not being abandoned.

Stan doesn’t ask questions when Eddie meets him at the front door. He hands over a plain bag and Eddie hands him some money to cover the items. He doesn’t have to worry about Stan catching a whiff of Richie’s heat. Stan’s not like other Alphas. He’s a rare case just like they are. He’s an asexual Alpha and asexual Alphas can’t smell heats. They can’t be affected by them. The most that Stan is going to be able to smell right now is an Omega, and since Richie has been hiding what he is with scent blockers, there’s no way he’s going to be able to tell it’s Richie.

“How’s Richie doing?” Stan asks, and Eddie stalls at that. No. There’s no way that Stan can know that Omega smell is Richie. That’s impossible. “He’s sick right? That’s why we had to cancel tonight? That’s what Bev told me.”

Eddie recovers quickly and smiles. “Yeah, he came home from class yesterday and felt crappy. He woke up today with the flu so he’s sleeping right now.”

“So your roommate is sick and you’re -”

“My life doesn’t stop just because he’s sick, Stan. It works the other way around too. If I was sick, I wouldn’t expect him to drop everything. I told him if he gets too bad to tell me and I’m checking on him periodically. You know what he’s like when he’s sick. He won’t accept help unless he physically can’t move.”

“Sounds about right. He’s a nightmare when he’s sick.”

When Eddie and Stan finally part, Eddie heads back to Richie’s room, pausing in the doorway as he takes in the sight that greets him. In the time that he’s been gone from the room, Richie has apparently found enough strength to get up on his feet, grab every blanket that he owns, and pile them on his bed in weird angles that are almost barrier like. Richie himself looks unamused with the mess around him, sitting against the headboard with arms crossed over his chest and his mouth set into a thin line. 

Eddie, however, finds it almost amusing that Richie has nested in all of fifteen minutes, even if he is now sulking about it. This isn’t something that he thought he would ever associate with Richie. “Oh my god.” 

Richie shoots him a sideways glance, his expression never once faltering, but Eddie can see the distress lingering in his eyes and the tiredness that’s creeping in as his heat starts to spike again. “Not a word Eddie.”

“But Richie… you made a fucking nest ! That’s -”

“Stupid. I -” 

“It’s adorable actually.”

Richie’s mouth twitches, but Eddie isn’t sure if he’s going to smile or frown. “My instincts were going insane to do it because something was missing and thinks that’s why you left even though I know that’s not why you did. It’s a fucking mess and I hate it.”

Eddie tilts his head to one side, trying not to smile. It’s just too damn adorable that he’s acting like this. “I like it for a first nest. It’s very you. Chaotic.”

Richie huffs, resting his crossed arms against his knees which he draws to his chest. “I could hear you talking to Stan. You told them I was sick...”

Eddie sighs, approaching the bed slowly and crouching next to it. “I did. It’s not my place to tell them you’re an Omega. That’s yours, if or when you’re ready to.”

Richie glances to Eddie, watching his movements warily. “You uh… you can come in.” He shifts across the bed to make room for Eddie to climb into the nest and take a seat next to him which he does without hesitation to keep Richie’s Omega brain from spiralling. Richie looks exhausted, exhaling softly and stretching his legs out in front of him. “I’m so fucking tired . I haven’t slept in two days, everything aches and I’m pretty sure I can see sounds.”

Eddie leans against Richie and laces their fingers together, giving his hand a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Richie leans into Eddie, dropping his head to Eddie’s shoulder. “Thanks by the way… for not telling him - or anyone. I’ll tell them I just -” 

“Hey, there’s no rush for you to tell anyone.”

Richie’s always appreciated Eddie - but never as much as he does right now. Eddie hates keeping secrets from their friends, but he’s kept this one. And now he understands more than ever why he likes Eddie. “Hey Eds? There’s something I want to tell you now while I have a clear brain going on.”

“What’s up Rich?”

“I just… I want you to know I li- shit .” Richie bends forward, arm wrapped around his stomach as his heat fully spikes.

Richie doesn’t hit the lull day. He doesn’t eat. He doesn’t sleep . Eddie can barely get him to drink water. He’s stupidly resistant, jerking his head away from the bottle whenever Eddie lifts it to his mouth because it’s not what his Omega brain wants right now. It forces Eddie to do something he doesn’t want to do - use his Alpha voice to make Richie compliant enough to drink. He hates it. He hates that terrified look that hits Richie’s eyes - hates knowing that he did that. The only good thing that comes from his Alpha voice is managing to get food and drink into him, and the moment Richie is done eating, the heat is back at full force.

They’re two heat spikes in when Eddie finally grabs the bag Stan dropped off to them, retracting a sleek vibrator from inside. The exhaustion is clear in Richie’s eyes as he struggles to keep them open while Eddie opens him up carefully with his fingers, completely overpowered by the intense heat that’s coursing through him that just wants to be fucked - hips lifting off the bed to push himself further onto Eddie’s fingers. Once he’s sure he’s opened him up enough, Eddie works the vibrator into him. He pushes it in slowly, avoiding the button that turns it on while he thrusts it in and out of Richie carefully so he can get it settled where it needs to be. He knows it’s in the right place when Richie whines as it presses against his prostate. Eddie stops moving the vibrator, sliding his thumb against the button to turn it on.

“F-fuck.” Richie pants, pressing his feet into the bed while Eddie leans over him, one hand still firmly on the vibrator. 

He works Richie through the spike with the vibrator, knowing it that it won’t sate his heat as well as one that knots, but asking Stan for one like that might have tipped him off. Richie looks even more exhausted than before, and Eddie hopes that the vibrator will work. He pushes Richie into an orgasm, and he’s positive that if it wasn’t for the exhaustion in his eyes that the panting flushed Richie would be the hottest thing he’s ever seen. Eddie pulls the vibrator out of him slowly, but he’s quick to replace it with the next item in the bag - a plug.

Having something buried inside of him seems to soothe Richie’s Omega brain, and he can see the exact moment the heat clears from his eyes. “Come here.” Eddie slips his arms under Richie’s back and rolls them over so Richie is lying on top of him with his head resting against Eddie’s shoulder. If he’s lucky - the plug combined with his scent will satisfy him enough to sleep. “Try and sleep.” He soothes, spreading his fingers across Richie’s back and kneading them against his skin. “I’m right here.”

Richie yawns, pressing his face into Eddie’s neck. “This is weirdly intimate. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Don’t worry about it, Richie. You just worry about getting some sleep.”

Richie does sleep, finally, a soft vibration drawing Eddie’s attention to him, confusion sinking in before he registers just what the noise is. It’s a purr . Richie’s nose presses against the juncture where Eddie’s neck and shoulder meet, the soft purring vibrating from his throat. Eddie curls his arms tightly around Richie, soothing his thumbs against his lower back. He moves Richie to lie on his side in the other half of his nest, rolling onto his side and drawing Richie back into his chest, hoping that his scent is enough to help keep Richie asleep for a little while longer. 

Richie finally wakes two hours later with a sharp gasp and a whine as his heat floods him to the point he can’t ignore it or the pain it brings with it, not even subconsciously. Eddie is quick to roll him over onto his back, reaching with his free hand for the vibrator. His heat, Richie decides through his fogged brain, is definitely something he could do without. It makes him too clingy - too needy - and he can’t stop begging Eddie for sex, and the impatience that comes with it is frustrating. Fortunately for him though, he has Eddie to help him through this whole thing. He knows Eddie’s done his research and he’s reacting quickly to his heat, knowing how it’s launching Richie’s brain into an impatient overdrive, overloading his senses. He clings to Eddie tightly as Eddie works the vibrator inside of him, nails digging into his back and his moans are desperate and needy, paired with begging for Eddie to go faster, deeper, to make him cum .

Eddie complies to every moan, every request, except for one - the one that begs for Eddie to fuck him.

“Can I uh… can I ask you something?” Richie’s voice is wary and Eddie hums to show he’s listening as he hands Richie a bottle of water and strokes some of the sweat soaked curls from his face. “Why didn’t you just get a hired Alpha for this?”

“You asked me to help you with this as an Alpha so I am. You think I’d let some strange Alpha into this apartment who wouldn’t be as controlled as I am or might make you uncomfortable? Those Alphas exist to come in, fuck you for four to five days, and then just leave. They don’t care about being careful as long as they get paid. The last thing that you need is to be manhandled by someone like that when you’ve never had sex before.”

“You’re not.” Richie twists the cap of the bottle a little too roughly. “You knew what I meant when I asked you to help and you’re not doing it.”

Eddie sighs, grabbing one of the other bottles for himself. “I didn’t want your first time to be in a heat, Rich. I didn’t know if that would overwhelm you… cause distress… or a crash. I didn’t want to do anything that would hurt you.”

Richie falters, almost dropping the bottle he’s drinking from, and there’s a look on his face that Eddie can’t quite place. “Even now you’re constantly putting my comfort first...”

Eddie can’t help but smile, tucking some of Richie’s hair behind his ear. It’s weirdly intimate, especially when Richie’s eyes close at the contact. “I care about you Richie - a lot.”

Richie’s fingers tap idly against the bottle. “Thank you. For taking care of me - for making this easier than my other heats ever were.”

“You deserve it You deserve to be taken care of - and taken care of right .”

“I’m sorry I’m being a brat sometimes.”

Eddie laughs, and nudges Richie’s cheek playfully with his fist. “It’s your right as an Omega, Rich. Don’t be sorry for being you.”

“God damn it, I fucking love you.” Richie registers his own words a little too late, spots the slightly widening eyes of the Alpha sitting across from him who drops the hand from his face, and slaps a hand over his own mouth as though it’ll take the words back. He’d just said that out loud - with words . “I’m sorry - I didn’t mean -”

“I know. Heat words. It’s okay.”

Eddie’s words hit Richie, and they hit him hard. Eddie doesn’t believe him - thinks he’s just speaking with his Omega brain - but this the clearest that he’s been able to think all week. The idea that Eddie thinks he’s lying sends a spark through Richie’s brain, a negative charge that spreads through his whole body. He’s felt it before in every heat that he’s spent alone, but he’s never felt it this intensely. The sudden shift in Richie’s scent hits Eddie like a truck, brings his attention back to Richie who is suddenly sobbing, and the horrible realisation sinks in. 

Richie’s having a crash.

“Shit.” Eddie scrambles forward, planting his hands to Richie’s face. “Richie? Hey, come on. It’s okay.”

The distress has built up too much - too strong - and Richie can feel the static building in his head. All he can focus on is the tone Eddie had used on him and what he’d said. He just had to open his mouth and fuck up. He can see Eddie there frantically trying to get him to snap out of the crash. He can see Eddie’s mouth moving, trying to talk to him, but he can’t hear him. There’s a horrified look on his face too and Richie doesn’t understand why - not until Eddie’s thumbs smear something damp across his face as they brush under his eyes. He’s crying. He doesn’t even know when that started, but now he’s aware of it he can feel his body shaking and his chest heaving with each sob.

“Richie!” Eddie’s voice finally breaks through the static, and Richie can hear himself sobbing now. “Look at me. It’s okay.”

Richie inhales, chokes on his sob, and finds himself reaching for Eddie. “Eds -” 

Eddie soothes his hands through Richie’s hair and makes sure not to move when Richie’s fingers dig against his arms like a vice. If he does, he’ll only make the crash worse. “Talk to me Richie. What’s wrong?”

Richie swallows his sobs back enough to speak clearly. “I - you think I’m lying -”

Eddie can practically feel his heart sink at that. He pieces together their discussion and how clear Richie had actually sounded. He shouldn’t have brushed it off. He was talking slowly - not the rushed babble of an Omega’s heat brain. “Sh, it’s okay Richie. I’m sorry I brushed it off. I shouldn’t have assumed you were running on heat brain. You actually meant what you said? It wasn’t your heat talking?”

Richie nods, slow and wary, slowly easing his grip on Eddie’s arms. “I meant it. I have done… for a while. I just didn’t say anything because it meant admitting I’d lied about being a Beta. You would have found out that I wasn’t and I was terrified of th-”

He’s cut off as Eddie surges forward and connects their mouths. It’s quick, more to make a point for Richie to shut up, and then he’s pulling away again. “Idiot. You should have just told me. I like you Richie, but you never showed any interest in anyone so I never told you and - and I’m gonna kiss you again because I’ve waited like five years for this.”

Eddie leans back in, connects their mouths again, and Richie lets out a noise of surprise that vibrates in his throat as he’s pulled forward. Eddie is kissing him slower this time, more carefully, one hand dipping down to cradle at Richie’s jaw as he swipes his tongue against Richie’s lip; delving into his mouth the seconds his lips part, unable to hold back the soft growl that emits from him.

Richie quickly pulls back at the sound, eyes wide. “Holy shit did you just fucking growl at me?”

Eddie clears his throat, thumb stroking against Richie’s jaw. “Not at you, no. More like… because of you I guess? I waited a long time for you, excuse me if my instincts are a little pleased right now.”

Richie bursts into laughter, resting his forehead against Eddie’s, and Eddie realises how much he’s missed that sound. It’s been a while since he’s heard it sound so genuine. “Wow, someone’s getting a little territorial already.”

“Oh shut up.”

Richie attempts to respond, hissing instead and gripping at his stomach. “I fucking hate this heat right now.”

“It’s okay. I got you.”

The final day of the heat is known as the comedown, when the fog lifts from the Omega’s brain and they can think more clearly than ever. The heat is still there, and sometimes the remnants kick in, but for now Richie is fine. He’s quiet, ploughing through the breakfast Eddie’s made for them. His appetite has returned, and what he hasn’t been able to eat for most of the week, he makes up for now.

“You should slow down before you choke.” Eddie suggests as Richie continues to plough through his breakfast, his hunger matching the same intense level that his heat had been.

Richie slows down, lowering his fork to his plate. “I can’t help it. My body just keeps -”

“I know. It wants you to replenish your energy. How do you feel?”

Richie thinks it over for a moment, brow furrowing. “Better, I guess? I can still feel the -”

When Richie trails off, refusing to say the word, Eddie grins, lowering his fork. “You can say slick , Rich.”

“Nope. Not doing it. Fuck that word, fuck this nest, and fuck heats.”

“Do you really hate being an Omega that much?” 

Richie looks up at him, though it’s brief before he returns to eating. “This wasn’t the plan Eddie. I wasn’t supposed to be this . I was supposed to be like you ... like my dad...”

“I know that this wasn’t your plan Richie, and I know it’s really fucking with you, but it’s not a bad thing that you’re an Omega and not an Alpha. You don’t have to deal with ruts or the risk of getting into fights with another Alpha… and you don’t have to be constantly alert when you find a partner.”

Richie exhales heavily, pushing his empty plate away. “But why this ? There hasn’t been an Omega in my family for generations. Either side. It’s all Betas and Alphas. Why couldn’t I have actually been a Beta like Bill or Mike… or even Ben?”

Eddie reaches out and places a comforting hand to Richie’s arm. “I don’t know why you’re an Omega, but you need to know that it’s okay you are.” Eddie’s smart, he understands that the distress Richie feels over being an Omega is more than just his family being mostly Alphas or Betas. It’s the stigma that comes with Omegas - especially with the rare male ones. It’s how they’re seen and perceived by others that causes him distress. “It doesn’t make you just a breeding tool or something to be owned or… weird. You need to know that. You’re still you. You’re Richie - and I’ll spend every damn day reminding you if I have to.”

“That’s all an Alpha will see me as - a breeding tool.”

“I don’t and I never will,” Eddie gives Richie’s arm a gentle squeeze, a smile coming to his face, “and I’m the only Alpha that matters since I’m the one dating you now.”

“Oh, we’re dating now are we?”

“Damn right we are. I didn’t kiss you for us not to. Now get some rest. You haven’t been hitting enough lulls. I’ll join you once I’ve put everything away.”

Richie agrees surprisingly easy, and Eddie’s certain it’s because most of the heat fog in his brain has gone. He doesn’t put up a fight when Eddie takes his glasses and sets them on the nightstand before grabbing the empty plate, and he’s more than grateful for the blanket Eddie pulls over him. As an extra measure, Eddie tucks the hoodie into Richie’s arms to help soothe his still active Omega brain and Richie instantly nuzzles his face into the material and closes his eyes, a thanks muffled by the thick material he’s clutching to his face. 

Eddie gathers up his own plate and their glasses, and it isn’t until he’s at the door that Richie speaks again, pulling the hoodie from his mouth to do so. “I didn’t want to be this because I didn’t want people to look at me and instantly think I’m weak. I wanted to prove anyone wrong who said I was just like you did when you presented as an Alpha.”

Eddie places everything back on the nightstand and heads for the bed again, climbing into the nest and dropping next to Rihie. He can see the distress in Richie’s eyes which is intensified by his lingering heat remnants and still present exhaustion. “You’re not weak . The fact you’re an Omega doesn’t make you weak. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” He threads his fingers through Richie’s, a difficult feat considering he’s clutching the hoodie, stroking his thumb against the back of his hand. “Look how well you’re handling being an Omega. Every heat, you took care of yourself and… most Omegas who have a crash take hours or even days to recover from it and all you needed was for me to listen to you and you recovered. You’re stronger than you think you are.”

Eddie stays in the nest until the distress is completely gone from Richie’s face and he’s fallen asleep. He adjusts the hoodie in Richie’s grip so the material is just under his nose and climbs from the bed, grabbing their plates and glasses again before leaving the room. He shoves everything into the dishwasher and slams it shut before turning it on and heading back to Richie’s room, pausing in the doorway. Richie is still sleeping, cuddling the hoodie like it’s a comfort blanket. It’s adorable, and Eddie’s really starting to love this new side of Richie. He closes the door as he steps into the room, climbing back into the nest carefully and settling next to Richie.

The day after the final heat day, Eddie is the first of them to wake. Richie is still sleeping, no longer suffering because of his heat or a crash. One of Richie’s hands is tucked under the pillow, his nose pressed against the edge of his hoodie where it would have gathered the most of Eddie’s scent whenever it pressed to his neck. Richie’s nose wrinkles when Eddie moves, though he doesn’t wake, simply registering that Eddie is there. Eddie reaches out, brushing his hand carefully across Richie’s cheek, wondering just why the hell he hadn’t told him sooner - why he’s been denying himself this for so long when it feels natural to have him here like this. 

Richie’s head tilts, seeking out the scent from Eddie’s wrist until his nose meets the area and brushes against it in a half awake nuzzle and Eddie can’t keep back the soft laugh that comes from him. “You know you’re supposed to get some rest Rich.”

“Stop smelling so good then.” Richie complains tiredly.

Eddie smiles and wraps his arm around Richie to pull him closer until Richie’s face presses against his chest, tilting his head down and pressing his nose into Richie’s hair. He can smell Richie better like this, his scent becoming stronger without the scent blocker and the medication to keep it masked from him, drawing an instinctual soft and pleased growl from his chest as the scent registers to his Alpha brain. It’s Richie’s real scent, and he loves it. Eddie swallows the growl down before he can startle Richie like he’d done the day before, twisting his fingers gently into the blanket against Richie’s back. 

“That feels weird.” Richie speaks up, his voice muffled into Eddie’s chest. “When it’s still in your chest it kind of vibrates but… it’s not a bad weird. I like it.” He tilts his head, pressing his ear against Eddie’s chest as another involuntary pleased growl vibrates through him at Richie’s words. “It’s uh… kind of soothing actually. It sounds kind of like a soft happy kind of growling almost like an aggressive purr and not… territorial or something.”

Eddie hooks a finger under Richie’s chin, tilts his head back, and pulls Richie towards him, bringing him into a kiss. It’s not like the one during his heat which had been urgent and to make a point to Richie. It’s slow, soft, and careful. “It’s because I like your smell - you - I just want to smother you in attention, kisses,” he rolls over suddenly, pinning Richie under him and lowering his nose to Richie’s neck, inhaling with a soft growl, “and scent you.”

The noise that leaves Richie’s throat surprises both of them. It sounds like a whine crossed with a whimper, and Eddie can already feel the tensing of Richie’s body as the distress creeps in at the sound he’s made. He soothes Richie with a soft chuckle and the press of his lips just under his jaw as his nose brushes under his ear.

“Did someone happen to like the sound of that?” Eddie asks, brushing his nose down to the juncture of Richie’s neck.

“ Eds... ” 

Eddie slides a hand into the blanket, trailing it up against his side. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna scent you so much that you exude my smell.”

The process of scenting, Richie soon realises, is kind of a strange one. With the main scenting glands being located on the neck and wrist, it’s a somewhat awkward process to carry out, but it does explain why he’s been drawn to Eddie’s wrist twice in the last week. It was his instincts pushing at him, trying to alert Eddie that he wants to be scented. Eddie sticks to using his wrists for scenting, not wanting to break his eye contact with Richie when their eyes meet again, even when he leans in to peck softly at his lips. He brushes his wrist against Richie’s jaw, and Richie’s head tips back to allow him to trail down his neck. Eddie likes watching the content look that flickers in Richie’s eyes, sliding his wrist slowly along Richie’s throat.

Eddie finally tilts his head down to press a kiss to Richie’s jaw and then he follows the path he’s marked to make sure the scent is clinging there. It is, and Richie is starting to smell like a mixture of both of them. Instead of just the tobacco, irish soap and minty toothpaste he usually smells like, he now has a dash of the lavender, coconut and antiseptic in there. It draws another soft growl from Eddie as his other hand slides back into the blanket and he runs his wrist across his stomach. 

Eddie hears Richie let out a soft exhale, feels his body relax under the touch, and it brings a smile to Eddie’s face, his hand trailing around to Richie’s back. “Are you enjoying yourself there?”

“It’s -” Richie pauses, lets out another soft exhale as Eddie’s other wrist trails up the side of his neck, and practically melts into the mattress. “Oddly therapeutic.”

Eddie draws his hand back and props himself up on his arm, using the other hand to grab Richie’s own and bring it to his face. Richie watches him carefully, squinting without the aid of his glasses, but he can feel Eddie’s nose brush against his wrist before he’s moving it down to his neck, dragging his wrist against the area slowly. He’s scenting himself, Richie realises, and with his realisation comes a soft purring that vibrates in his chest and throat because Eddie wants his scent too - enough to do it himself.

“You’re purring.” Eddie points out, keeping his voice low.

“You can’t prove that.” Richie bites back, though there’s no malice behind his words.

“It’s adorable. I like it. It’s okay that you like this, Richie.” Eddie tilts his head and presses a kiss to the inside of Richie’s wrist, inhaling his scent. “Nothing’s changed just because you’re accepting the other side of you now and not fighting it.”

Richie grins, threading his fingers into the soft blonde hair he can feel tickling at his fingers. “Except the part where we’re together now.”

Eddie smiles, pressing another kiss to Richie’s wrist with a soft humming noise. “That’s an acceptable change though.” He untangles Richie’s fingers from his hair and brings the wrist to the other side of his neck to continue the scenting. “I’d planned to tell you eventually - that I liked you. I was waiting until you were out of the heat. You just happened to beat me to it.”

Richie lets out a breathy laugh, bringing his other arm around Eddie. “I’m sorry I took what I’m sure was a great speech away from you.”

Eddie leans down and kisses him; soft and slow. It’s a side of Eddie he knows no one else has seen before - and there’s something pleasing with knowing it’s just for him. That he’ll be the only one who sees it. “That’s okay. I still got you in the end.” Eddie curls Richie’s arm around his neck and moves his own hand down to Richie’s leg, sliding it up to scent the area. “I’m gonna make sure that it stays that way too.”

“Watch how high that hand is going you menace. I just had a heat.”

Eddie smiles, almost teasingly, and slides his wrist slowly against Richie crotch. “I said that I was going to scent you until you exude my scent, Richie. That means every last single inch of you needs to be marked.”

Richie attempts to groan, but the only sound that comes out is a soft purring as Eddie slides his wrist back down and removes his hand from under the blanket. Richie tightens his arms around Eddie, drawing him almost impossibly closer until he feels Eddie’s nose press to his neck. He closes his eyes, lets himself get lost in the feel of being scented, and when Eddie lifts his head from Richie’s neck at the feel of the lax grip on him, he finds that Richie is no longer awake, lulled to sleep by the scenting process. 

Eddie smiles, kisses Richie once, and then climbs off to settle next to him, pulling Richie onto his side as he does. It allows Richie to sleep to Eddie’s scent better, and also for Eddie to continue scenting him, sliding his arms against Richie’s back to do so. Richie stirs long enough to curl his arm around Eddie before he falls back into a deep sleep, nose pressed to Eddie’s chest. Eddie continues the process of scenting until he’s too tired to do so anymore, slowly falling to sleep with his nose buried in Richie’s hair. 

He stirs two hours later to the smell of Richie overpowering his senses. Richie is still sleeping, but at some point he’s rolled over so he’s on his front and Eddie’s nose is now pressed against his neck with his chin resting against Richie’s shoulder. Eddie slowly detaches himself from Richie, a much easier feat now that he’s not in heat and sleeping soundly, climbing from the bed and heading for the door so he can make some food. He pauses at the door, grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it off before he tucks it carefully under Richie’s face. Richie buries his face into the shirt as Eddie leaves, seeking out the area that’s gathered Eddie’s scent the most.

Eddie rouses him thirty minutes later to eat. Unsure of what Richie is able to manage right now, Eddie has settled for soup since it was something simple - something he knows for certain that Richie will be able to eat. Richie throws on some sweats and a baggy shirt before he dismantles his nest for Eddie to throw in the washing machine since he insists on taking care of everything now Richie is out of his heat, stumbling his way to the kitchen.

“You didn’t need to do this Eds.” Richie mumbles around his spoon, oddly alert as he glances around the kitchen continuously. “I can feed myself.”

“You really need to learn how to relax and let someone else take care of you once in a while.” Eddie counters, throwing the pieces of Richie’s dismantled nest into the washing machine. “Especially since your instincts are still all over the place right now because you’re fresh out of a heat.”

“Hey, I let you take care of me.” Richie defends tiredly. “And my instincts are fine .”

“You only let me take care of you whenever you’re too sick to do it yourself.” Eddie stands upright, slamming the washing machine door shut with a bang that makes Richie flinch. “That wasn’t directed at you, calm down.”

Richie relaxes and slowly returns to eating. “Okay maybe my instincts aren’t as fine as I thought after all.”

Eddie levels him with a stare and his tone is somewhat playful when he speaks. “No shit genius. If they were, you wouldn’t have reacted like that.”

Richie sticks his tongue out at him. “Hey Eds… would um - do you mind if we keep us to just us for a while? You know… until I tell the others I’m… this.”

Eddie takes the seat across from Richie at the table. “I kinda figured you’d wanna do that since no one knows you’re an Omega yet. You don’t have to tell anyone anything you’re not ready to either, and if that means I have to be a secret for a year or something, I’m okay with that.”

“It won’t be for that long. I want to tell them what I am - that I’m an Omega - and I want to do it kind of soon. I just don’t... know how to do that? Once I figure that out though, that’s it. I don’t know whether to just tell them all at once or one at a time.”

“Whichever one you choose, I’ll be there with you when you go to do it. You don’t have to do it alone.”

“Is that the Alpha in you or just Eddie?”

Eddie rolls his eyes and gently kicks Richie’s leg under the table. “That’s me asshole. Even if we weren’t dating I wouldn’t let you do something like this alone.”

After he’s done eating, Richie dumps the bowl into the dishwasher and stretches out his aching limbs with a groan. He needs to shower, badly, both to ease the ache thumping through his body body and to get rid of the heat smell that’s still lingering on him. He heads back into his room, grabs some fresh clothes, and makes for the bathroom. Eddie leaves him to it, focusing on stripping down Richie’s bed and replacing the sheets with fresh ones, opening the window to air out the heat smell that’s clinging in the air. 

When Richie emerges from the bathroom, Eddie gets a whiff of the Omega scent, stronger than it usually is, because it’s not being diluted by the remnants of the blocking deodorant anymore. It makes his attention completely zero in on where Richie is standing, and he’s the only thing that Eddie can focus on right now. They stand in the hallway in a silent staredown, Richie with the sweats and shirt bundled in his arms, and Eddie with the sheets he’s just stripped from the bed. The sheets fall from his arms and Eddie steps over them, stumbling towards Richie who isn’t sure just what’s going on, but his instincts tell him to stay still - to let Eddie come to him.

And he does just that. He remains perfectly still and Eddie stops directly in front of him, inhaling the smell that comes from Richie before he’s on him. The clothes fall from his arms as Eddie pushes him against the wall, almost tripping over the discarded clothes in the process, buries his nose into Richie’s neck, and inhales the scent even deeper than he’s ever done before. He could get drunk on how Richie smells. It’s intoxicating.

“You smell so good Richie.” Eddie breathes, and Richie feels his legs shake at that - feels the pleased electrical charge that floods his brain. Eddie likes the smell that radiates from him, pressing a kiss to his neck. “So fucking good.”

Richie practically falls pliant at the praise, a soft purring sounding in his throat as his head tilts back - a low thud sounding as his head hits the wall. “ Fuck .”

Eddie lets out a soft laugh, taking a step back. “Shit, sorry, are you okay?”

Richie nods, almost in a daze. He’s never felt better than he does right in this moment.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of The Omegaverse