Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A Day Unlike Any Other

1

Gulf moaned. 

Achy, sore, tired - everywhere. And super grossly icky . The white duvet partially covering his face was a godsend against the shimmering morning light; the warmth soothing against his naked arm hanging over the bedside. Well, his naked everything. He’s entirely naked. The duvet might cover his face, but not his back. At least one of his satin sheets was covering his bruised backside and thighs. The sheet felt nice against his gradually cooling but still so sensitive skin. His exposed shin and feet felt a bit cold right about now.

Heats were the worst. 

But it was just a part of life, a cycle just like any other one needed to go through. And his, thankfully, only occurred once every three months instead of monthly. 

Gulf moaned again and tried to curl into his body, creaky-like limbs after a strenuous heat week. He heard rustling and felt the sheet moved to cover his whole body. The duvet was lifted and he felt a brush of lips on his shoulder. A strong hand brushed against his skin, massaging the sore muscles down his back under the sheet. Warm hands pressed against his lower spine and caressed the skin right under his buttocks, his heat slick drying down his thighs. He’s still producing some fluid out of his tender and abused entrance, a common thing after his heats. At the end of the day, it will be gone along with all the heat-haze. A strong body covered his back, continuously pressing and soothing his sore muscles. It felt nice.

“Just go back to sleep. I’ll get you the heat pads,” the alpha’s voice rumbled against his shoulder, thick with sleep and exhaustion. The body heat went away and Gulf reflexively bunched up his shoulders, burrowing into the duvet. Cold.

Gulf lulled himself to sleep with the cluttering around him and sighed halfway into unconsciousness; phantom hands cleaned him up and putting heat patches all over his body. He was gone to the world halfway through the aftercare.

A Day Unlike Any Other

Gulf trudged gingerly towards the kitchen island, hand reaching for the stool. Plopped himself in front of the steaming mug of ginger tea already prepared for him. It was in his black mug with the picture of a sunflower and the customised ‘World’s Best Duck Doctor. I’m Calm Cus I Have Lotsa Patients’ written on the other side. It was a gag gift from his roommate a few years back and in retaliation Gulf handed the dude a customised yellow one saying ‘Watch Out I’m a Badass Weapons Engineer. I Thrive On Caffeine and Last Minute’. Funny enough, both mugs became their respective owner’s favourite. 

The first gulp, warm spicy tea down his throat, had Gulf sighing. He took a hot shower and put on his fuzziest ensemble, feeling a bit chilly and waiting for his body to readjust to normality. His sex still felt tender, his tush sore so he carried the plate ladened with croissants, butter and his favourite raspberry jam and his mug to the coffee table in the den. He doubled back for his after-heat pills before settling in the lush comfort of his sofa. 

His roommate’s door opened and out came the alpha, freshly showered. He went into Gulf’s room and came out with an armful of sheets and bed covering stained with their heat activity. He came back with a basket full of Gulf’s dismantled nest of pillows and their clothes. The other man started their shared laundry, never one to delay when it came to cleanliness, the neat freak. 

“Feeling better?” He threw at Gulf as he passed the slouching omega. The young doctor manoeuvred himself sideways and made himself comfortable lying down.

“Yeah, as usual. Hey, can you help me put on a new patch on my back?” Gulf replied his heat-partner as the alpha made himself one hearty breakfast - greasy and full of protein. 

Made the omega slightly nauseated at the idea of anything heavy in his stomach. Gulf could never eat a lot after his heat, his appetite only returning a full day after his heat broke. The alpha on the other hand, was the opposite - always ravenous after their heats or ruts. His roommate joined him on the sofa, lifting the tired omega’s legs to sit himself down before placing said limbs in his lap. It was kind of their tradition of never really eating on the island. Eating in front of the TV was always better. Lounging on their massive and comfy sofa bed. 

“Did you air out my room?” Gulf asked sleepily, glancing at the alpha who’s focused on the TV.

“Yeah, I opened your window. I’ll close it before I go. Need to get to work,” he grunted, shovelling energy food quick making his cheeks ballooning. 

Gulf hummed. “I thought you took today off.” 

“My emergency leave’s only until this morning. Gotta get in for the afternoon shift. Your heat did take us by surprise. I left in the middle of a project.”

Gulf snorted. “Sorry about that. Didn’t know why it came early, maybe I’m synching with the new guy. But thanks for the assist.” 

He felt his ankle squeezed in reply. “That’s okay. So, new guy?”

“Yeah, there’s a new nurse in my dept. He started like about a month ago. Didn’t I tell you about him?”

“Oh yeah, what’s his name again? Newt?”

“Nat. Cute omega, on the young side. Surprised me when I first saw him. He looks like a teenager. If it weren’t for his scrubs, I would’ve thought he was a patient. Oh, ow Mew!”

The alpha looked at him in alarm. “What’s wrong?”

“Cramp. Shit. My foot, press between my second and third metatarsals please. Ow.”

“You know I don’t get it when you talk anatomy so I’m just gonna press down the muscle. Which foot?” 

Gulf moved his right foot. Him lying sideways, and pressing down his right leg must have had triggered the cramp. His roommate was already taking off his sock and massaging the pad under his cold foot with amazing accuracy that the bloody cramp was going away. The alpha massaged his shin too. Gulf was usually prone to leg cramps after his heat.

“Better?”

Gulf sighed in relief and nodded. He pulled his foot away and turned into the sofa, letting the sock be slipped back onto his foot. He was exhausted and maybe needed some more sleep and he really was just so comfortable… 

Sometime later he was woken up with a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes landed on his roommate who was looking at him, already in his work garb and his lanyard hanging around his neck, his ID in his breast pocket.  The alpha’s hair combed and gelled back in his usual side parted work hairstyle. There were two rubber water bags in his hand which he then put in between Gulf’s stomach and the sofa.

“Hey, I’m going out soon, alright. I already put the big patch on your back, just don’t leave them on for too long. You haven’t eaten your pills yet so go eat and take them soon.” He tilted his head to the coffee table where Gulf’s untouched breakfast and his meds were and dragged Gulf’s afghan off the back of the sofa to cover the sleepy man’s feet with the white and blue throw. 

He looked at the omega seriously, tapping Gulf’s chin for attention. “And hydrate. I’m leaving water and electrolytes here too.”

“‘kay,” Gulf croaked and promptly fell back to sleep.

A Day Unlike Any Other

The loud and frantic knocks jarred him awake. By habit, his eyes landed on the wall clock and registered 6:49 pm. 

“I’m coming!” He called out and heaved himself off the sofa.

Immediately the knocking ceased. Gulf frowned when he didn’t see anyone through the peephole so he cautiously opened the door. There was nobody in the hallway either, weird. Then his eyes landed on his mat, and what he saw made his blood ran cold. 

There was a bloody baby, wrapped in rags. Eyes closed, still. It was small, perhaps literally was just born. 

He dropped down in panic and checked for its vitals. When he found the pulse he immediately scooped the thing into his arms and almost ran into his house. 

Working on instinct, he checked the youngling for any signs of injury. Relieved when his check-up proved nothing worrying and that the baby boy (it was a boy!) was healthy, Gulf sagged in relief, looking forlornly at the baby he laid on his sofa. By his estimate the baby was less than a few hours old. And there was a folded piece of paper just inside the rag. His trembling hands opened it and read the blood-stained letter. He whimpered when he finished reading it.

“Oh my god,” he breathed. It really was a newborn, freshly out into this brave new world. He unwrapped the cloth further.

His heart was pounding still as he worked to properly cut  and tied its umbilical cord and covered it again. After making sure the baby was secured, he went into the kitchen. He silently filled up a basin with warm water and proceeded to get a few towels and a blanket. Dispatching the sleeping baby of its stained rag, Gulf gingerly lifted it-him and began bathing the baby, as gentle as he could. The young one made some disgruntled noises and the omega shushed him back to sleep.

“It’s alright, I got you. Will get you clean and fed soon. Oh my god, you need to eat.”

Gulf worked himself into a series of emotions as he bathed the boy and by the end of his panicked thoughts, he already had a short-term plan for the newborn. His priority was milk, and since he couldn’t just magically lactate right now, baby formula was needed. And newborn nappies, for obvious reasons.

Once the sleeping baby was cleaned and wrapped securely in a blanket (oh he needed so many things for the baby), he rushed to grab his phone and shoot a text to his roommate. Glancing at the clock, he knew the man was going to come home soon and a detour to a supermarket would help them in this situation. Gulf let himself sit on the sofa, looking at the baby unaware of the world or what was going on in his new life. Gulf stared in silence as he waited.

Oh my god, there was an unknown newborn in their house right now, left on their doorstep, or more accurately doormat. And this absurd situation was finally sinking in. 

There was a baby who needed to be fed soon because Gulf doubted that whoever the mother was didn’t feed him and who knew how long it had been. And the baby needed to be fed right now. What if it had been more than four hours? The poor thing would be too hungry.

Gulf’s hand came up to his breasts. They were the typical  size for a male omega and he knew his body. He was in his prime and his instincts would guide him. Before he knew it, he was already on his laptop and ordered a Spectra S1 electric best pump to be delivered ASAP. By his calculations, he would be able to nurse in roughly two months. He was going to induce lactation and no matter what anybody said, he’d breastfeed the baby himself. But first, he was going to do more research. The beeping of the door’s lock pad made him look up.

The front door opened accompanied by an incredulous voice.

“Hey, you wanna tell me why you need some newborn milk formula and diapers? I bought three packs like you asked and the cashier congratulated me.”

When the alpha came into view and stopped dead before the living room, Gulf looked up at him with sympathy. The alpha’s eyes bulged and they darted between Gulf and the baby in disbelief.

“Wha-“ the alpha almost growled.

“Yeah,” Gulf sighed.

“What?”

Gulf gestured at the baby. 

“Somebody left him on our doormat. Just a letter from a teen mom and no family to speak of. Somebody literally gave me a baby. So uh… say hello, Mew. ”

The shopping bag and the diaper packs the alpha was holding dropped to the floor with a thud. The baby made a tiny noise. 

“What in the hell, Gulf.”

Chapter Text

Previously:

Gulf gestured at the baby. 

“Somebody left him on our doormat. Just a letter from a teen mom and no family to speak of. Somebody literally gave me a baby. So uh… say hello, Mew. ”

The shopping bag and the diaper packs the alpha was holding dropped to the floor with a thud. The baby made a tiny noise. 

“What in the hell, Gulf.”

What Are We Going To Do?

2

“Ey, you finally knock up Gulf huh? A bit too early for a maternity leave application, don’t you think?”

Mew huffed and gave his smirking colleague, one Earth Pirapat, an unamused look. “That’s not even funny.”

He looked back at the screen and continued typing. Purposely clicking on the keys louder to ignore the other man.   

The unapologetic alpha swiped the stress ball off Mew’s desk and threw it up in the air, parking his butt at the edge of Mew’s slightly cluttered space and caught the squishy thing. Earth smiled, being slightly nosy as he tried to peek at the digital form. Mew turned his laptop away, glaring at the other.

“How do you even know I’m filing for a maternity leave?”

Earth scoffed. “Please, I fill it in way too many times. You know Mix will kill me if I didn’t finish this paperwork in time. I’ve seen it way too many times I can just tell from a glance.”

The ball landed in his palm and the other alpha froze, rethinking his joke as he did a mental calculation. Earth stared the other engineer down. “The question is, why are you filling in this form? Something you wanna tell me?”

Mew kept mum. Earth squinted at the screen, watching what Mew wrote while Mew pretended he was air.

“Shit. Starting next week? That can’t be right. I can still smell your fresh stank. You shared Gulf’s heat. I know ‘cause I pick up after you for the project. He wouldn’t have one if he were pregnant. You came back to work just two days ago-”

Mew smirked when Earth fell silent with a large frown on his face. Trying his best to figure out what was going on. He let the other man suffer to overwork his brain. No forthcoming questions were asked as the tanned alpha puzzled over Mew’s situation.

“Unless you knocked somebody else up. Is this like a surprise paternity claim? I’d think I’d know if you ever slept with someone other than Gulf. Shit, did you? You didn’t use protection? Come on, answer me man!”

Mew’s lips stayed zipped shut. And Earth frowned ever more as he watched the fair-skinned alpha. He watched the screen as Mew typed in his details.

“Meung, you spelled your street wrong.”

“Damn. Thanks.” He might have pressed the delete button a bit too hard.

“Okay I give. There’s something wrong. I can’t figure it out. So you’re just gonna tell me. Come on. What happened?”

Mew grunted but his fingers were still busy typing away.

Earth waited until Mew sighed and closed his laptop. With one big inhale, he looked up, worked his jaw in contemplation and exhaled harshly. He clasped his hands together, fingers jittery but Earth was slowly spreading his pheromones, not in a threat but in solidarity to calm Mew down. Mew didn’t even realise he was getting himself worked up until the scent registered and he relaxed.

“Gulf and I fought. I mean really fight, not like our, our squabbles or like cursing at each other over things the other person left on the floor and one of us trip over it. We… fought. Big time.”

Earth widened his eyes in surprise. “Wow. That never happened.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. What did you guys fight about?” 

In all the years he knew Mew, since before they became colleagues, and by extension his omega roommate slash cycle partner, Gulf, he had never seen or heard of them even arguing. Or Mew ever complaining about the younger oncologist. They squabbled or nagged each other or remind things when the other forget, in that weird co-dependent thing they had going on. They acted more like a married couple than he and Mix who were the actual married couple.  

“I- I called him crazy….”

“That’s not-“

“And stupid-“

“Whoa- hey, rude!” The sarcasm in Earth’s voice.

“After he rejected my proposal. Af-after I asked him to marry me.”

“You did what now?”

“It’s just for the baby’s insurance!”

Earth’s phone rang as he gaped at his colleague. He glanced at it and held up a finger.

“Stop! I need to take this, it’s my brother. When I come back -  start from the beginning!”

What Are We Going To Do?

The door to the nursing station was opened and a nurse came in. When her eyes landed on Gulf, she gave him a look.

“Five more minutes,” Gulf pleaded, “please?" 

“Doctor, you really can’t stay here all day. You have some rounds you need to do. And Doctor Win is waiting for you, he needs to discuss a patient with you and he came here instead of you going to the ED. Which was what you were supposed to do ten minutes ago.”

“But-“

“He’s in your office. So you gotta go, now. Put on your clothes and give that lovely little boy to me. Right now, please.”

“Okay,” Gulf acquiesced, a slight whine in his voice, and made sure that his scrub was in place. His chest felt a bit tender, in a process of changing.

He neared the sleeping babe, its tiny mouth forming a small ‘o’, warmly bundled in one of the hospital’s many blankets, and caressed the boy’s downy head and placed a gentle kiss. The newborn still carried that distinct stinging  clean yet perplexedly soft sweet scent of a newborn, a lingering trace of vernix caseosa that soothed Gulf. It brought forth, or rather strengthened that maternal instincts in the omega. A part of Gulf’s mind knew that this was just his biology amplified, his heat hormones acclimating to normal got slightly diverted due to the newborn’s arrival.

“I’ll be back for him soon.”

“Oh, please take your time, Doctor. He’s safely cared for here, you know.”

Gulf chuckled and finally made his way back to his office. His nose flared as he registered the familiar scent as he stepped in.

“What is this?” The doctor almost snarled. 

The figure in his room was not who he expected as he stood up before Gulf.  

“Gulf.”

The oncologist closed his door, ignoring his roommate as he stood behind his chair. He was more hurt than angry actually. If his eyes could shoot fire, the older engineer in front of him would burn to crisp. Oh, he’d make sure of it. Mew’s words rang in his ear.

‘What can you even do alone? Do you think you can raise a baby alone? Don’t be stupid. Think for a second. You know you’re thinking crazy.’

‘An omega caring for a kid not even his own? Please, the baby won’t last a few month with no birth certificate. What exactly are you going to do? What can you even do? Nothing!’

 “Look-” the alpha began.

“If the next word that comes out of your mouth isn’t an apology…” Gulf cut him off.

Mew sighed and he almost messed up his coifed hair. He looked at Gulf pleadingly.

“I know, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight last night-“

“Not an apology. That’s an excuse.”

The both of them went silent, in a standstill Gulf watched the alpha.

“I’m sorry, Gulf. I really am. What I said to you was inexcusable. I was concerned, I am concerned. You should know that at least. I didn’t mean it in a…degrading way. Far be it… ‘cause you’re one of the strongest people I know. I guess I was looking at the bigger picture and too far ahead that I stupidly say all those things to you. Please.”

“…”

“Please talk to me. I’m sorry. Tell me how to make things better, I want to help you.” Seeing as the doctor didn’t react, Mew drew closer and stood in front of his roommate, pleading with his eyes. 

With Mew so near, Gulf couldn’t help but look up just to see his eyes. Nothing was spoken as they looked at each other. 

Gulf sighed. And covered his face. His lips trembled slightly, darn hormones. 

Without words, Mew pulled the younger man into a hug meant as a comforting gesture. Gulf returned it, desperate arms going around the older man’s waist, grabbing at the fabric. Gulf’s shoulders shook and he couldn’t help the tidal sobs that came, despite his attempt at muffling the noises on Mew’s shoulder. Let his tears and snot stain the alpha’s uniform. He deserved it.

It took a while as Gulf calmed down and his sobs petered off. In all that time, Mew said nothing and only patted the omega’s back, occasionally brushing his nose against Gulf’s nape, his pheromones signalling calm. 

“You’re right,” Gulf whispered, breaking the sombre atmosphere. He pushed the other man slightly and they locked eyes, a pair puffy while the other gazed in sympathy.

“What you said was right, even if you worded them wrongly, I get what you meant. I do. If I wanted to adopt the baby, I can’t unless I’m married. I can’t name him with my name just because I’m not an alpha and I won’t have any legal authority in anything. You’re right, without an alpha, I can’t even legally register him for anything.”

Mew patted his back as the two of them frowned at their situation. Both understanding that even if the world was a little bit kinder to omega kind than it was some twenty years ago, omegas were still restricted under the so-called ‘alpha protection’, diminishing their own identity as an individual - just because of their secondary gender. Even Gulf had listed Mew as his alpha in official documents that required said information. Before his roommate, it was his alpha sister.  

“Our law sucks. I wish it’s more progressive now.” Gulf moaned and rested his eyes on Mew’s collar. He pulled the alpha closer, trapping him with his gangly arms like a mole wrench.

Mew ran his fingers through Gulf’s soft locks. 

“Yeah I know. You know I didn’t mean to shit on your sex, you know I’ll never do that.” In which, Gulf nodded in understanding. “But I was saying all those in your best interest. You’re right, I could’ve worded them better but in the heat of the moment…”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

“So… are we okay now?” Mew implored hesitantly. 

“We’re good.” Gulf smiled. “By the way, fighting with you sucks balls.”

Mew scrunched up his face in disgust but nodded, “yeah, let’s not do it again.”

“And can you do the dishes when you get home? I forgot to do them last night.” Gulf said, biting his lip in guilt and turning up those teary eyes at Mew.

Mew chuckled, “alright.” And bumped their heads slightly, in truce. 

They both sighed, that mutual heavy feeling in their chest vanishing. 

“So what now? What do you want to do?”

What Are We Going To Do?

Mew smiled at the omega who was cooing at the drowsy babe in his arms. They had came up with an agreement. One step at a time. Of course they needed to go to the district office to register for Moon’s birth certificate. Yes, Gulf wanted to call their baby duangjaan. 

And wasn’t that an awkward thought - to think of a living, breathing small person as theirs. Technically, Mew was a father now. He didn’t know if that prospect scared or excited him. The more he thought of it, the future became a bit daunting.

But yes, one step at a time. They had a month to get Moon’s birth certificate submitted. In the mean time, their focus would be how to fit a baby into their life - with how demanding their jobs were. First, they agreed to take the baby home from the hospital a day before Gulf’s day-off. Gulf would bring Moon to work when he’s on call. He already signed him up in the hospital’s nursery. It was a good thing that his hospital had one that catered to the staff with young children. Gulf knew how difficult it was to find good sitters much less to hire an au pair or a live-in nanny. Mew’s eyes bulged when Gulf showed him the cost of the hiring process and the weekly stipend. Both of them were by no means poor, with their jobs making life more than comfortable but in a long run, having either a nanny or an au pair would put a dent in their current financial situation. Especially when they had only been working for a few years. They did not have enough room to put one in anyway in their current 3-bedroom apartment. The guest room they had was already in the process of being converted into a nursery.       

“I think we need to get a car seat.” Gulf’s quiet voice broke through his contemplation. 

Glancing at the younger man, the alpha could see the babe had fallen asleep, tiny pouty mouth making a slight O while the omega was staring at baby Moon with stars in his eyes. His fingers lightly hovered over a chubby cheek. The omega was already gone for the newborn.

“What for?” Mew asked blankly. And promptly made a face as he realised how stupid that question was. He tagged on quickly, “mall?”

The alpha kept half his attention to them as he carefully changed lane, driving as carefully as he could. Suddenly, the thought that there was a fragile pup in the car made him wary, his pheromones slightly leaking. Thankfully, he managed to reign in his more primal instincts before Gulf could comment on it.  

“Sure. Let’s just go to the one in our neighbourhood. I’m sure there are a lot of things we have to carry,” Gulf replied.

“You mean, what I have to carry. Are you going to carry bags and Moon at the same time?”

Gulf slapped his forehead and chuckled at his mistake. “We need a baby pram too.”

“A baby what now?”

The younger doctor sighed, taking his phone out carefully - Mew knew he was going to make a list.

“There’s no point in me explaining it to you now. You’ll see when we get there.” There was a hint of teasing in the omega’s voice.

Mew huffed in mock annoyance but a smile was in place - returning the jest.