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

17

A WAILING CAME from down the hallway. High pitch and cracking in their desperateness. The shrillness made Steve's ears ring and a shiver run down his crooked spine. His body's way of warning him to stay away despite how the cry beckoned him. And ultimately, Steve never put his own safety first. Especially not when there was something more precious needing him, and what was more precious than a baby?

Rolling out of bed, Steve glanced over at his sleeping husband. How Hodge managed to go undisturbed was something that Steve envied as much as he adored it. Most days, he just wished that he could sleep that deep and soundly. All Steve got was restless sleep and strange dreams of a dark silhouette watching him, getting closer and closer every night.

Another impatient cry broke through the darkness and Steve turned to leave their bedroom. In the darkness, he continued down the hallway towards – towards where? To a nursery? But they didn't have a nursery. Not yet, at –

WAAAH, a shriek caused Steve to jump, completely unaware how such tiny lungs could be so strong and loud.

Heart racing, Steve hesitated. Holding his breath, he debated whether he should return to his bed and to his husband. Glancing back in the direction of the solo bedroom, something inside of him was screaming, yes! Turn back now!

"But the baby," Steve reasoned as the noise grew louder, pounding in his ears more aggressively than the blood rushing in his veins.

Turning to face in front of him, Steve was confronted with the den door. There was a Hundred Acre Wood sign hanging on the door, letting everyone know that this was the nursery and that the baby was sleeping. Steve reached out to touch it, to trace his fingers along the name. The name that he couldn't quite make out in the dark.

WAAAAAH, WAAAAH!

Reaching for the doorknob instead, he didn't need to touch it. It opened on its own. Not completely, just a crack, but that was more than enough to make Steve pause.

Don't be stupid, Steve, he heard a voice akin to Sam admonish, you know you should turn your white ass around and go back to bed.

"But the baby," Steve repeated, pushing the door open the rest of the way.

Moon peeking through the floor to ceiling windows illuminated the sparsely furnished room. Shining a spotlight on the bassinet as it rocked in the center of the room. The cries had eased, matching the creaking of the wooden floor beneath Steve's feet.

"Shh, shh," Steve softly soothed as he crossed the room. "You're alright now. You're alright. Papa's here now."

Finally reaching the bassinet, Steve was at a tug of war with himself. Half of him wanting to run, the other half easing into his place beside the black taffeta sleeper. His sleep-addled, hindbrain rationalized, "But the baby."

In the darkness of the bassinet's hood, the baby's face was shadowed. For a moment, Steve imagined Hodge's blond curls and blue eyes. Imagining that cute little chin quivering as another cry erupted from the little bundle.

Going off instinct, Steve unbuttoned his sleep shirt before lifting the baby into his arms. Guiding their little face to his chest and only briefly wincing when they finally latched. Easing into himself, Steve could admit to himself that this was what he always wanted.

The moonlight shone brighter, revealing a plush glider beside the bassinet. Sitting, Steve started a gentle sway as he gazed down at the baby. At his baby. A precious little cherub of a blessing with rosy cheeks and blood-red lips. As they nursed, their little hand came up to cup Steve's chest. Steve couldn't help but admire the little hand, even if their little claws were too sharp as they dug into Steve's flesh.

Wait.

Claws?

Staring down at the baby, they opened their eyes. Their completely black eyes. Deep and monstrous and not their father's eyes!

Pulling the baby off his nipple, the milk dripped down a dimpled chin. No, not milk. Blood. Steve's blood!

In shock, Steve stared in horror at the evil creature as it started to scream in distress. Their white skin turned blotchy before breaking out in a deep red, like a rose. Little horns sprouting from their dark hair while they scratched at Steve's hands and kicked their hooved feet.

Their hooved feet!

He couldn't help himself, he screamed. His screeching was almost as loud as the baby's. This is wrong! This is WRONG! THIS IS –

Stevie?

STEVIE!

Jerking awake, Steve took a moment to try and catch his breath. His heart was racing as though it was trying to escape him to get away from the dream. And that was what it had been, a dream. Just a dream, Steve reasoned even as he buried himself deeper in his husband's strong arms. Nothing could ever hurt him when he was in his alpha's arms.

Alpha?

Freezing, Steve inhaled deeply, hoping that the dream had just messed with his senses. However, he got a nose full of deep, musky alpha. Instantly, Steve pushed the man away as he scurried back to his side of the bed.

Big steely eyes blinked at Steve as though the omega had grown an extra head or something. Reaching for Steve again, Bucky asked, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" Steve's voice rose into hysteria, "What are you doing in my bed?!"

Trying to grab onto Steve and pull him closer, Bucky started, "Stevie –"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

Stunned by Steve's scream, Bucky held his hands up in surrender. The brunet admitted, "You're scaring me."

"I'm scaring you?!" Steve screamed, putting more and more space between them.

Sleep rumpled, Bucky nodded, confirming that, yes, Steve was scaring him. Hell, Steve was scaring himself. What the fuck was going on? Where was Hodge? Why was Bucky in his –

Landing on the floor with a loud thud, Steve rubbed at his sore bum. Cursing himself for not kicking the interloper from the bed instead. And cursing himself even more that he had toppled over the edge of the bed.

"Babe?" Hodge's voice came from the bed as he looked down at Steve on the floor. Switching the light on, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Standing, Steve looked at the bed. Everything was the way it had been when they had gone to sleep. Just him and his husband and their bedding.

"Sorry," Steve apologized and yawned after the muscular blond did.

"It's alright," Hodge said, moving back to his side and beckoning Steve to join him.

Throwing himself at Hodge, Steve was relieved to tears to have his husband, his beta beside him in their bed. Sobbing, Steve buried his face between the crook of Hodge's neck. This was where he was safe. Nothing could touch him here. Nothing and no one.

Hodge hesitated for a moment before wrapping his strong arms around the petite omega. Kissing the top of Steve's sweaty head, he assured, "It was just a dream."

Steve nodded, nuzzling into that warm, sun-kissed skin. Repeating, it was just a dream. Just a dream, Steve soothed himself, despite the heavy emptiness he felt in his unoccupied womb.