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

21

STEVE WAS LATE. His period was due on Tuesday. Of last week. It was now Thursday.

Hodge entered the kitchen to find Steve looking at the calendar. The omega counted the days. Then counted them again. The beta poured himself some coffee and asked, "Everything alright?"

"Huh?" Steve blinked, turning his head in the direction of his spouse, but not taking his eyes off the calendar. He counted the days again.

"You've been checking every day since your heat," Hodge smirked, bringing the mug up to his lips.

"It was due last Tuesday," Steve said, taking a seat at the kitchen table across from him. He wanted some coffee, but he had read it was bad for the baby. And Steve was trying to be optimistic. Really optimistic.

"Was it?" Hodge mocked, playing ignorance.

Rolling his eyes, Steve couldn't keep the smile from his face. The part of him that didn't want to believe anything without some proof decided, "It'll probably come tonight. Or tomorrow."

"You wanna bet?"

Chuckling, "Sure. Why the hell not?"

"A quarter?"

"I was hoping for breakfast in bed."

"I can get behind that," Hodge smirked. Holding out his hand, "Deal?"

"Deal," Steve shook his husband's hand.

"You're gonna lose, babe."

"It'll probably come tonight," Steve argued, trying to keep his hopes reasonable.

Glancing over Steve's head, Hodge stood from the table and said, "Well, shit."

Quirking a brow at the beta, Steve watched as the man set his mug in the sink as he hurried for the door. Turning around, Steve glanced at the clock above the kitchen entryway. Hodge explained, "I'm meeting up with Duff to run through the lines once more before my callback."

"Break a leg," Steve smiled, leaning against the wall.

"Thanks, babe," Hodge pecked the top of Steve's head, but before he could run off, Steve pulled him down for a kiss on the lips. Smirking, the beta arrogantly claimed, "You're gonna lose though. Y'know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Steve dismissed despite the butterflies fluttering in his stomach, "We'll see about that."

Once alone, Steve headed for the calendar on the kitchen wall surrounded by all of the business cards, postcards, Christmas cards, and birth announcements. He counted the days again. And again. His heart pounding out its pleas that everything they had done had worked. That there was a little something – a little someone – there with them already. Making themselves comfortable in Steve's willing womb.

Although he didn't want to jinx himself, Steve grabbed his keys, phone, and wallet and left his apartment. There was only one way to know for sure.

As he headed down the hallway, he noticed that the elevator doors were just about to close and he picked up his pace, calling out, "Hold the door!"

Thankfully, the person did so and Steve entered, noticing Bucky. The brunet smiled warmly at him and Steve couldn't help but return it in kind. A calmness filled Steve and surrounded them. Bucky broke the silence, "How've you been?"

"Good," Steve smiled. "You?"

"Good," Bucky confirmed, his gray-blue eyes practically sparkling.

For a moment, the pair just looked at each other. Until Steve remembered that, not only was that considered weird, but that he was a married man – a married, mated man. So, he redirected his attention in front of him at the elevator doors, and he said, "You just missed Hodge. He has a callback today with your friend."

"Is that right?" Bucky glanced over at Steve. Beaming, he added, "I knew he'd be perfect."

"Yeah?" Steve asked, curious. A zing of amusement shot through him, and Steve tried not to make it noticeable that the bond was giving him a peek into his mate's emotions. It didn't happen super often – not as often as he heard others' doing – but when it did, boy, did it. Making him a little weak in the knees each time that he got a peek into his bonded's side. He made a note to ask Hodge how his day was once the beta returned home.

Bucky nodded, "He has Captain America written all over him."

"He does, doesn't he?" Steve chuckled.

When the elevator stopped at their floor and the doors opened to the lobby, Steve felt an uneasiness wash over him. A longing of sorts. He hadn't been around the alpha in a while, and for some reason that caused an ache to fill his chest. Just a little nagging. Almost like he missed him.

"Where are you heading today?" Bucky asked as they walked through the lobby. Noticing that he was empty handed, he correctly assumed, "Not the park."

Heat filled Steve's cheeks and he worried his lower lip, "Just picking up some things at the drugstore."

Bucky nodded, "Mind if I walk with you?"

"Not at all," Steve smiled.

The two men fell into step and Steve found himself easing into the moment. Realizing with a start that the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Of course, Steve didn't mind when Bucky did speak, "How's your, uh, art coming along? Hodge mentioned something about a gallery coming up."

"Oh, uh," Steve blushed, looking down at his feet. "I haven't really decided on anything yet."

"Well," Bucky suggested, "Let me know when the show is? I'd love to see your work."

"Yeah?" Steve looked up at the alpha. Bucky nodded. Steve said, "Yeah, okay, I will."

Bucky's grin grew and made his steel-blue eyes crinkle at the corners. Steve couldn't help but return the grin. Giddy, for some reason. Just walking down the street with an alpha he barely knew, but giddy about it. Like a pup again with a crush instead of a married, mated man in his mid-twenties.

Reaching the drugstore on the corner, the pair paused on the sidewalk outside. Bucky's hands were in his pockets and Steve was shuffling his feet. Feeling even more like a teenager right now than he was a moment ago. A part of him not wanting to say goodbye, causing the butterflies to flutter angrily with even the thought of walking away from the brunet.

"I'll, um," Steve sheepishly peeked up at the alpha, seeing that he looked just as reluctant as Steve felt. Averting his gaze to the store, Steve gestured towards the building, "I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Bucky nodded, hands still in his pockets. "See ya 'round, Stevie."

Steve smiled, turning and entering the store. He could still feel Bucky's eyes on him, and when he glanced back at the brunet, the alpha raised his hand to wave. Then, he was backtracking, heading the way they just came from. Steve couldn't help but be a little... touched... that the man had walked out of his way just so he could spend time with –

No!

Shaking his head, Steve refused – REFUSED – to think about Bucky like that. Why should he care if someone walked down the street with him? It didn't matter, Steve decided. Stomping the idea further into himself with each step towards Health and Wellness. It – stomp – didn't – stomp – matter – stomp – what – stomp – Bucky – stomp – did!

Letting out an annoyed huff, Steve crossed his arms and looked at the items in front of him. Different brands for different stages. Some cheaper, some more technologically advanced. Really, Steve wasn't sure what to get. During his late teens and early twenties he just went with the cheap ones. But things were different now. He was an adult. An adult, adult. With a capital A.

So, he reached for the ombre blue box. Fast & Accurate, the box proclaimed. Over 99% accurate! Worrying his lip, Steve really hoped that that was true. Looking down at his flat abdomen, he prayed, whoever's out there, please let it be true.