Love Grows: Love Series 1 (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

16

TWO WEEKS UNTIL his heat, Steve still had no idea what to do for his next gallery show. He'd blame it on prolonged preheat, but he'd be dishonest if he did that since he didn't usually go through preheat until a couple of days prior. He could blame it on Hodge and his busy schedule with the beta rushing in and out of the house between rehearsals, shows, and even more auditions, but that had never stopped Steve before.

What it really seemed to be though was his current obsession with tea.

Specifically the fertility tea.

His mind was stuck on that damned tea. The stinky, bitter tea that never tasted good no matter what he added to it and, instead, made him pinch his nose just to chug it down. Not like that helped though, he still gagged. Then, he spent the better half of the day in a nauseous state.

But Steve knew that it would get better. It had to. It would. Even if he had to fake it until he made it. And he would make it. Make it as in a baby.

When the nausea finally eased, the lightheadedness and fatigue would creep in over him. Threatening to pull him into a nap. Sure, a nap always sounded good, and his work was thankfully based on whatever schedule he set. For the most part, at least. Even if Sam was hounding him about his next art show. But better Sam than the gallery owner, Thor. Laid-back or not, the lovable beefcake could be intimidating as hell.

Nevertheless, Steve tried to come up with something. Doodling teacups. Little ones, big ones, weird ones. Painting tea parties. Calm parties with perfect little cucumber sandwiches and scones. Chaotic parties reminiscent of the Mad Hatter and March Hare with broken cups and smears of butter and jam. Steve even debated calling up the ceramic studio to see if he could throw and make a tea set.

He didn't, in the end. But that had more to do with the waves of dizziness. The first wave came when Steve was doing the dishes. He shook his head to try and rid it, but that just made it worse. So, he headed for the kitchen table. Swaying the entire way until he could sit down. It didn't help much. Instead, he almost fell off the chair. He hadn't felt that unsteady since he was a pup and experiencing his first heat.

Eventually, it lifted and Steve went back to the sink. Pots and pans that had soaked after dinner last night. Cheap, sturdy dinner plates that had been rinsed nearly clean after being used before taking a bath in the hot, soapy water. Mugs from Steve's tea habit and cups from the milk and cookies that Hodge would occasionally have before bed.

The second wave of dizziness came when he was rinsing the tall, heavy glass cup that Hodge preferred. This time, the room started to tilt around him as though he was standing on a ship out at sea. He grabbed onto the counter with one hand and attempted to set the glass off to the side, but he didn't accurately judge the counter space and the cup fell to the floor, breaking on impact.

"Shit," Steve sighed, taking an unsteady step backwards, careful to not cut his feet.

Grabbing the dishtowel, Steve crouched to pick up the bigger pieces. Only, he landed on his bum and nearly sliced his calf open in the process of getting purchase beneath himself. However, that only caused his socked feet to flail and for him to fall backwards, hitting his head against the cabinet.

Steve? Can you hear me? Stevie?

Heavy lids, Steve forced his eyes open. Trying to blink the blurriness away, but it was difficult. He could feel the fatigue pulling him under. He could feel the throbbing in his head sync with the pulse of his heart.

As he sat there on the cool tile floor, a face came into focus in front of him. High cheekbones, dimpled chin. Tempting red lips in a concerned pout. Fear rolling through blue eyes like a storm coming to ruin a clear sky.