Work Text:
“Will you stop riding my fucking dick?”
Darko grabbed the closest thing on the desk to toss at Nigel — a rolled-up magazine bouncing off his face.
“I’m not riding anything, dickhead.” He snapped his head to the side to avoid Nigel’s return throw. “I don’t want you to fuck this up.”
“I’m not a fucking amateur, I know how to make a successful deal go down, Jesus Christ, I’ve been doing this for almost two decades—“ Nigel huffed.
“Yeah you’re old, I can see that,” Darko snorted. “But the Donovan’s don’t like you, remember? They want to deal with Bogdan, so you’re second best. Third best.” He flashed his most irritating smile in Nigel’s direction.
“No fucking way they like you more than me,” Nigel scoffed, slipping a fresh packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. “Even your own mother would rather eat my Ciorba de Perisoare.”
He managed to dive out of the chair to avoid the stapler that flew toward his face, laughing like a maniac. “Make the deal, asswipe.”
Nigel chuckled all the way to his car, a fresh cigarette dangled from plump lips. He started up the engine, not a tense or anxious bone in his body. Sure, he had old man aches and pains. Who doesn’t? But work is work. He was fucking good at negotiating, always had been. He knew how to charm a stupid American into parting with their cash.
What he didn’t know is why Darko was being so uptight about the whole thing. The man met his soulmate on one of those DNA finders two months ago and had been living a blissed-out, fuckfest fantasy with his little Omega, ever since. Nigel snorted, remembering how often Darko had bugged him to do the same.
He didn’t need a ten thousand dollar test to tell him that his soulmate – a fucking bitch – was long gone.
✨
"Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck - cunts!"
Blood poured from the open wound on Nigel's thigh, soaked his pants and coated his trembling fingers in deep red. He stumbled down the alleyway, seeking somewhere to lay low and avoid attracting any unnecessary attention.
Pain radiated through his side and he slid down the wall behind an oversized dumpster. It was a disgusting spot but one that hid him from the street. He would be safe for a moment.
His mind ran over a few scenarios, and he hissed through his teeth, trying to dig out his phone. His heart dropped when he found his pockets empty. It was sat on the table, in that fucking apartment, with that fucking dick and his stab-happy fingers.
This can’t be how it ends. Alone in an American piss-hole.
Nigel Banyai was no quitter, but he could do with a little miracle right now.
✨
The week turned into the craziest one Adam had experienced in a while. Since his father had passed away and he'd been left to deal with the uncertainty that came with grief, life had evolved to become comfortably predictable. That was exactly how he liked it. Get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed. Rinse and repeat.
Things, however, took a dreadful turn when his boss unexpectedly handed him a box to pack his things in and sent him on his way. Unemployed. He'd never been fired before. What would Harlan think?
The next few days had been a stressful blur of job hunting, stressing over the increased rent, and arguing with Beth. This entire attempt at dating was getting to be too much for him. The first time she had made it clear that she wanted to go out with him, he had simply stared at her.
"Why?"
Her chuckle then, only added to his confusion. "Because I like you?"
"But... wouldn't you rather find your actual soulmate and date them? Or an Alpha?” His little brows had creased up, turning her words over and over in his mind.
"Well, yes, if it were that simple. But I don't know who they are." She'd shrugged. He'd immediately warmed to her. It was so refreshing to meet someone who wasn't obsessed with finding their pre-destined other half. It was bizarre to him; this idea that, biologically, only one person in the universe was perfect for him. It seemed... impossible.
They had been on a few dates since then. He'd even kissed her. It was fine; not exactly the ground-shaking, fireworks-starting spectacle that they appear to be in cheesy old movies. It was fine. She was a Beta, which suited him nicely. The Alpha’s he’d met at work were either intimidating, bullies, or both.
A disagreement with Beth had escalated into a full-blown argument and triggered a meltdown for Adam. She’d said awful things, and he'd gotten angry. He wasn't sure what the next logical step in their relationship was. Did they break up now? Why couldn't there just be a guidebook for this stuff?
As if things weren't hard enough right now, he'd forgotten to get groceries on the way home. He was out of cereal and needed to get his routines back on track. The store was blessedly quiet and he had memorized the layout so he could get in and out as fast, and efficiently, as possible.
The skies had darkened and the rain came down in hard lines when he stepped back onto the street. He quietly scolded himself for failing to check his weather app before leaving the apartment. With his warm, dry apartment in the front of his mind, he weaved through the people in the street, pace a little faster than normal. The little white birthmark that sat just below his collarbone began to itch; a low, barely noticeable irritation which he scratched and ignored.
The rain seemed to stir up the smell of the streets of Manhattan. Humidity added to the pungent aroma of petrol and piss. The sounds and scents were overstimulating and he sped up, taking side roads to avoid the crowds of other commuters.
The moment he steps foot in the alleyway, he knows he isn’t alone. A scent unlike one he has ever experienced before – it’s so potent, it leaves him light-headed. Smoke, wood, a metallic edge. The laboured breathing from further down sparks anxiety in his chest. He follows the sound until the anxiety turns to panic.
He’s never seen so much blood.
The brown bag of groceries hit the ground, scattering his purchases. He scrambled for his phone, wet fingers struggling to unlock it.
“Fuck are you doing?” The stranger on the ground grunted.
“Calling 911. You need urgent medical help.”
The man pulled himself up on the dumpster, immediately regretting it when the world started to spin around him. “Fuck - no, you’re not - oh I’m gonna throw up.” His grip faltered and Adam almost didn’t move fast enough to catch him, groaning and frantically trying to recall a manual handling video he’d been asked to sit through at work. None of it seemed pertinent to this situation.
“Ow – you’re hurting me.” Adam groaned. The Alpha pheromones are overpowering when inhaled this closely, and the stranger seems to finally notice something about Adam. He leaned in close to his neck and there was nothing Adam could do to stop it without dropping the man.
“Oh my god, you smell…” The stranger seemed to be warring with himself over which is more important right now; the intoxicating smell of his saviour, or his imminent demise. “No hospitals. Take me home.”
✨
"Medicine. Then clean it. Then sew it up. Easy..." Nigel collapsed onto the couch with a pained grunt and tried to focus on Adam flitting around the apartment to force his eyes open.
No falling asleep.
His pretty new friend forced some painkillers and water down his throat with only a little spluttering mess. His world started to blur and he fought the swarm of darkness that threatened to take him under. He watched the boy work and tried to memorise his features. His sweet scent was incredible, his eyes like swirling pools of sparkling water, and those curls… he could almost see a soft glow of light all around him. Or perhaps it was some kind of blood loss-induced hallucination.
Is this what Darko had been banging on about? Nigel knew he was guilty of getting attached far too quickly, some might even call it unhealthy, but love at first sight? Really?
Just when he'd started to become accustomed to the steady pulse of pain in his thigh, the boy's trembling hands were cutting at denim and cleaning his wound. He hissed and it made Adam flinch. The boy was clearly out of his depth, and Nigel made a mental note to make it up to him once he was healed. Flowers or chocolates or blowjobs; whatever this angel wanted.
"You're doing great," Nigel managed to get out while gritting his teeth. Adam had a fierce concentration as he put the bloodied wipes aside and opened up a little sewing kit. He was repeating Nigel's words under his breath like a mantra.
"Medicine. Clean it. Sew it. Easy. Medicine, clean it, sew it..."
He had no idea how much time passed. In and out of consciousness, slurred words fell from his mouth.
"You are so fucking beautiful..." He muttered and everything went dark.
✨
The sun had moved across the sky several times before he woke. He took note of the steady beat of his heart and the dull throb in his thigh. His eyelids fluttered and the only sound was the hum of a television.
His pretty saviour sat nearby in an armchair, plate balanced on his knees and mouthing along the words to whatever he was watching.
"Morning, gorgeous." Nigel croaked and Adam’s head snapped around, his muscles tensing up.
"You should go to the hospital," Adam said quickly.
Nigel grunted and pushed himself up carefully to a sitting position. Honestly, it could have been a lot worse. The kid had done an alright job of stitching him up, of saving his leg and possibly his life.
"Trying to get rid of me?" He chuckled.
"Yes." Well. At least he's honest. Nigel had to admire that, and while he wasn’t writhing in pain, he was able to get a good look at his hero. Ocean eyes and dark curls that were begging to be touched. The apartment was immaculate, the bloody tools and wipes cleared away. The bookshelves were filled but not overflowing, and a glass cabinet held an impressive model of a rocket ship.
Nigel found himself leaning forward a little to take in a deep breath, getting a lungful of Omega and the lightheadedness returned.
"Help me clean up and get me a new pair of trousers and I'll fuck off and you'll never see me again, how does that sound?" Nigel tilted his head, studying the boy and idly scratching at his collarbone. He deliberately didn’t mention his plans to bump into this gorgeous specimen as soon as possible accidentally - he wasn’t getting rid of Nigel that easily.
Adam considers the offer for a moment, weighing his options.
"Yes, fine. That's acceptable. What's your name?" He demands.
"I'm Nigel, pleased to meet you and thank you for saving my life." Nigel gives his best charming grin. "Who are you?"
"My name is Adam..." He has the cutest little crease between his brows and "I didn't save you, you gave me no choice but to bring you here. You could still get an infection in that wound and die from it."
Nigel snorted. “Alright, don’t get too excited.”
He hobbled to the bathroom on his bad leg, and let out a satisfied moan when the hot water soothed his aching joints. Red swirling down the drain, he started to feel like himself again. Adam’s bathroom was as perfectly organised as the rest of the apartment and he was careful not to make too much of a mess.
Now, he needed to devise a smart way to spend a little more time with his pretty little friend.
✨
Everything felt wrong.
Not wrong, exactly, but everything felt … odd. Adam couldn’t explain it but Nigel came into his life like a whirlwind and it should be a total nightmare for someone like Adam. He’d completely disrupted his schedule; he’d brought blood and all manner of germs and smells into the apartment. He would never get rid of the Alpha scent on his couch.
Adam knew the stranger was an Alpha. As if he wouldn’t know just by looking at him, there was a distinct tang in his scent. Cleaning and stitching him up - something Adam had only ever seen in movies - was disorientating enough without the heady smell of Alpha hot in his nostrils. He was so nauseous by the end he had to go to his room and lie down.
What had truly come as a surprise was how naturally he’d taken to nursing the alpha back to health. He had changed bandages, washed his face, and poured glasses of water. He combed his hair. Watched him sleep and checked regularly that his make-do stitches were still good with no signs of infection. He’d read everything he could find on the internet about taking care of stab wounds.
But he’s still a stranger, a dangerous one. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that this was a bad man. A very handsome, nice-smelling one.
Adam found some clothes that he never wore but they would hardly fit Nigel. He had a bag of his dads' old things that he’d never gotten around to taking to Goodwill. A size or two bigger than his own. They would do.
He tapped his knuckles against the door. “Nigel? I’ve got clothes. They were my dads so they’re bigger than mine, they might not fit because he wasn’t as tall as–”
The words stuck in Adam’s throat. Nigel stood in the doorway, towel around his waist, his skin damp and hair tumbling over his eyes. Curly salt and pepper chest hair adorned with ringlets of water. His pure clean scent was the most mouthwatering piece of candy. Virile and decadent. Suddenly the room was too hot. His skin was too hot.
All of this was overwhelming for Adam’s delicate senses but the most tantalising was a little white star just below his right collarbone. A birthmark to match his own? Impossible.
Adam closed the space between them, eyes fixed on the mark and Nigel did not attempt to move away. He welcomed Adam this close.
“See something you like, gorgeous?” Nigel purrs, a thoroughly satisfied smirk on his lips.
“I…” Adam can’t find the words so settles for reaching up and tugging down his collar. Matching marks for matching souls. The energy in the room changed, and the air seemed to hum. Delicate fingers reached out to touch. The world in slow motion.
The instant their skin touches, the world stops spinning on its axis. It's enlightenment, like someone has cracked open his heart and mind, and fit all the puzzle pieces together.
The moment stretched on, reaching back across their entire lonely lives, forward in time toward love, companionship, and peace.
Nigel broke what felt like a lifetime of silence but was probably more like a minute or two.
“Well, fuck.”
✨
Soulbonds are meant to be consummated.
To not fall into each others arms is unnatural and Adam's body knows it. But this man is a stranger, a dangerous one. They should get to know each other a little, so Adam can know what he's signing himself up for. What fate already decided for him.
He’d made Nigel put the clothes on and sit at the far end of the couch while they talked it out. He told Nigel about his father, about his diagnosis, and being fired from his job. He spoke about his uneasy relationship with Beth and how she didn't truly understand him. Nigel had growled and threatened violence. It made Adam's mark throb.
Then it was Nigel's turn and Adam wanted to know everything, it wasn’t unlike an interrogation. Nigel didn’t seem to mind this at all. He answered all of Adam’s questions about his life, his criminal activities, his dead ex-wife and that “fucking piece of shit” Charlie who’d shot him in the head. He’d leaned over and tucked his sandy hair aside to show off his scar and Adam had almost soaked his underwear.
“I need a shower,” he’d announced and practically sprinted to the bathroom.
He splashed some cool water on his face and tried to breathe deeply like his father had once taught him. Staring at his reflection, he saw the beginnings of what would be his undoing. Beads of sweat gathered under his collar.
Tap tap tap.
“Adam? You okay in there?” Nigel spoke softly from behind the door.
“I’m fine, go away. Go sit down.” Adam snapped. There was a soft groan from behind the door.
“I hate to break it to you kid, but I can smell you across the apartment. Hell, I could smell you across town…” Nigel’s voice is breathy and close like he’s pressed against the wood.
“Go lie down, you’re supposed to be resting! You could rip your stitches open, it's called wound dehiscence which can lead to infection and limb loss." His voice cracks and he shakes it off. He could fight this, he could control his stupid biology. He didn't need to throw himself into bed with Nigel, even if he was ruggedly handsome, with a beautiful voice and ... gosh. He had to shake it off. One step at a time.
He brushed his teeth, changed into his pyjamas and scrambled into bed.
Tomorrow they would figure this out.
✨
The apartment was like a sauna when Nigel woke. The air was thick and it made Nigel hot and hard. The scent of Omega was overwhelming and dragged Nigel, limping on his bad leg, across the apartment to Adam’s bedroom door. He knocked but no answer came at first. Then, a distinctly sensual moan. Fuck.
“Adam?!” Nigel’s chest rumbled with a low growl. He was nothing better than an animal, he pushed open the door and the sight took his breath away. The birthmark - soulmark - throbbed.
Adam on his back, legs spread and three fingers shoved deep into his soaked hole. God, he smelled fucking intoxicating.
Nigel’s fists clenched at his side and he tried to hang on to the tiny thread of humanity that hadn’t been beaten out of him years ago. Adam wanted space. He did not want Nigel climbing onto him and filling him with his knot.
“Alpha…” Adam whined and it was the saddest, most beautiful yet pitiful sound.
Fuck it, they could argue in the morning. Or for the rest of their lives.
Nigel sat beside Adam on the bed and pushed the sweat-drenched curls out of his eyes. His face was screwed up in pain and the white shirt was drenched, clinging to his skin. All the telltale signs of a heat. “Tell me what you need, gorgeous.”
Adam rolled onto his front, ass up and presenting.
“Fuck, baby…” Nigel stripped off his clothes in record time. He was careful climbing onto the bed with his bad leg but the dull pain was nothing compared to how desperate he was to be inside his soulmate. “Tell me. I need to hear it.” He whispered, cupping Adam’s pretty face.
“Knot me — please, Nigel, I need it, it hurts —“
Nigel kissed and licked the tears from Adam’s face, replacing the boy's fingers with his slightly thicker ones. He was hot, tight, and drenched. He’d never wanted something, or someone, so badly in his life.
“I’m gonna’ make the pain go away, baby, okay? But I need your help.” Nigel’s voice was strained and he was struggling to control his feral urge to mount and fuck Adam until the pair of them couldn’t walk. “Can you get on top?”
Adam’s movements are not graceful, he clambers on top of Nigel’s body, his cock flushed and leaking. He doesn’t waste any time rubbing their dicks together and the wet slide makes Nigel arch off the bed.
“Fucking hell, gorgeous…” Nigel momentarily lost the ability to breathe when Adam impaled himself on Nigel’s cock. He barely had time to react before Adam was moving; it wasn’t enough, the Omega needed more. He bounced and rolled, and squeezed at Nigel’s chest, caressing his pecs.
He hadn’t felt this… worshipped in a long time. He gripped Adam’s slender waist but let him take what he wanted. His skin was burning and Nigel was sure he’d been suffering alone for a couple of hours without calling for help.
Nigel licked his palm and wrapped his fingers around Adam’s cock causing the most erotic noise either of them had ever heard.
“Yes, please, Nigel—“ he whined and his body went taut as the first of a series of earth-shattering orgasms.
“I got you, baby, let me see you come.” All Nigel could think was that Adam had been made for this. He belonged in the throes of heat and pleasure and Nigel had a mind to keep him in this bed for the foreseeable future.
Adam collapsed onto Nigel’s chest, breathing heavily and satisfied, for the moment. Nigel combed his fingers through chocolate curls and pressed kisses to his temple. He gave a moments rest before rocking his hips up, chasing the rush of pleasure that Adam’s hole cradled him in.
“Mmnggg…” Adam made a feral sound and nuzzled against Nigel’s neck, taking deep breaths of his Alpha scent.
“Fuck, sweetheart, you want my knot?” Nigel growled and rolled them. He pressed Adam into the mattress and ignored the ache in his leg.
Adam’s only answer was a pathetic high-pitched whimper before Nigel was fucking into him. His speed picked up and wet slapping echoed in Adam’s little apartment. Nigel’s knot started to swell, he couldn’t hold back any longer with this beautiful creature writhing beneath him. It tugs briefly on Adam’s rim and then Nigel is having the most intense orgasm of his life. It seemed to go on and on. He felt Adam tense as he came once more and they clung to each other like they would never be apart again.
✨
The smell of hot peppermint is the first thing Adam noticed when he woke, three days later, the stupor of his heat cleared from his mind at last. His muscles felt like they'd just run a marathon. He was used to dragging himself to the shower and having a laundry day after his heat but the sheets underneath him were clean. Hm.
"Nigel?" He called out a couple of times, clearing his throat. His voice was rough and his throat sore. "Nigel?"
There was some shuffling in the kitchen and Nigel hobbled into view; a mug of hot tea in one hand and a cheshire cat grin on his face. "Morning, gorgeous. You feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. You should be resting that leg." Adam said firmly. His eyes roamed Nigel's bare torso and how ridiculously tight Adam's underwear was on him. It was stretched to nearly breaking point.
Nigel set the mug on the nightstand with a soft laugh. "Yes, boss."
He settled on the bed with an arm outstretched, beckoning Adam closer. He fell into Nigel's arms with no hesitation. It felt to Adam like his heart was stretched across the apartment and he hadn't even noticed until they were close again, and the tug on their bond eased up. It was comfortable. More than comfortable, it was bliss. He presses his cheek against the fuzz on Nigel's chest.
"I don't want you to die." He blurted out.
Nigel craned his neck to look down at him and pushed one of his big hands through Adam's curls.
"I'm not going anywhere, angel. You're not getting rid of me now." The look in his eye sends a shiver down Adam's spine.
"What if this happens again? You've been shot, and stabbed." Adam pouted. "and there's the constant risk of incarceration! Your world is dangerous."
His fingertips found the matching soulmark on Nigel's chest and traced it, causing a low purr to rumble in his chest.
"We'll figure something out, okay?" He presses a kiss to Adam's crown.
"It's all going to be fine. I've got you to look after me."