Chapter Text
The next day...
Grant rapped his knuckles against Coulson's office door, Leo shuffling up behind him. "Come in!" The Omega inside called. Ward slid through the doorway, holding the door open for his boyfriend. They both sat in front of his desk, Grant crossing his legs. "Yes?" Coulson asked, slowly dragging his eyes up from his paperwork.
The Alpha's eyebrows twitched down for a moment. "Leo and I were wondering if we could get some time off to go on a trip. Like, three days?" He started.
Coulson leaned forward on his desk, crossing his arms. "Why?"
"I think Leo needs a change of scenery. He's couped up in the Bus all day and has developed an-" Grant paused, glancing at his Omega. "An aversion to blood."
Leo nods, looking at their superior. "Well, I never really liked it in the first place, but now that I'm pregnant, seeing blood just makes me sick."
Coulson didn't say anything for a beat. "Where were you thinking?" Grant spoke excitedly about a destination as Coulson grabbed a sheet of paper from a drawer. He filled out the form before sliding it over to Leo and Grant. They both initialed the bottom before Leo excused himself and rushed to the bathroom.
"He alright?" The Omega asked, taking the handed-back form.
"Just fine. Random urges to pee. At least I know he's drinking water." Grant stood, ironing out the wrinkles in his dark jeans.
The older man nodded. "When are you leaving?"
"As soon as possible, I suppose. A rented car should be here in a few hours."
"Alright, well, have fun. Keep Leo safe and stay out of trouble." Coulson warned, his inner Omega still worried for Leo's safety with this older Alpha.
Grant nodded, "Yes, sir." He pushed in his chair slightly and walked out of the room.
A day and a half later...
Grant opened the cabin door, heaving heavily. He went straight to the fridge, grasping a cold water bottle and chugging it. His heartbeat slowed, and the brunette wiped his mouth with a sweaty hand. A bump from the bedroom made him pause, calling out, "Leo?"
The hairs on his neck stood straight in the cold silence before a weak "Help" was the reply.
"Oh my god," Ward said, forcefully setting down the bottle before rushing down the hall. He found Leo sitting on the bedroom floor, his t-shirt riding up and tears falling down his pale cheeks.
The Omega sniffed and put his hands in the air. "I slipped off the bed." This claim was confirmed by the bed scarf half on the carpet. "My back hurts." Fitz rubbed his eyes, lip trembling. "And now I can't get up!" He wailed.
"Oh, baby." Grant cooed, grabbing some tissues from the nightstand and crouching before his boyfriend. The Alpha wiped at his tears, whispering sweet nothings to calm the scientist down. Leo sniffled again as he looked into Ward's deep brown eyes. The other smiled, tilting up the shorter's chin and kissing him. Grant licked his lips when he pulled away. "Mmm. Flavor?"
"Cherry." The younger held up a tube of red chapstick pulled from his pocket.
The Alpha hummed. "Makes you even more delicious." He got up, reaching down his hands for Leo's and pulling.
They both worked Leo to his feet, Grant pulling Leo in for a hug. "Ah, Grant, you're too sweet. And sweaty." Leo wrinkled his nose, pushing Grant away. "God, take a shower."
Ward dropped his mouth open in mock offense. "Hey, you used to like me like this. I saw you before we started dating. All the staring." Ward gripped the hem of his shirt, pulling it off.
"Just...couldn't...help...myself." Leo swooned as his boyfriend stripped down to his boxers, looking at all of him. "How do you think I got this way?" He asked, gesturing to the growing bump of his belly.
"Am I just that," Grant paused, striking a pose. "Irresistible?"
Leo sat gingerly on the bed, giggling to himself, "I'm just here for the muscles; sorry, babe." He grabbed a book from the side table, shifting more into the center of the mattress.
The brunette made an offended sound from the connected bathroom as the shower started. "Tell that to the 'I love you' you said earlier."
"That was just because you made me a sandwich!" Fitz shouted over the running water. Eventually, the handle turned, and the pitter-patter ceased. Grant walked out, a towel around his middle and one in his hand, drying his hair, droplets of moisture dripping between his abs.
Leo groaned when he looked up, "Okay, can you stop being sexy for, like, six months, please? Seriously the next time we have sex, I will get pregnant again, just because you're so damn attractive."
The Alpha laughed, "While I appreciate the compliments, babe, I'm sure the only reason you got pregnant this time is because the condom broke."
Leo's face screwed up into one of confusion. "What? No, we didn't even have a condom. I also told you I hadn't gotten another birth control prescription yet. But you said it was fine." He stopped looking at Grant, rambling. "Yeah, we definitely had too much wine that night. Wow, you really 'knocked me up,' huh? How have we not had this conversation earlier?"
Grant shrugged. "I guess we were talking about different encounters."
Leo shook his head, sipping on a cup of decaf tea.
Ward finished drying his hair and hung up the small towel on a hook. "Hey, um, I need to talk to you about something."
"Alright, but you need to put on some clothes first."
Grant rolled his eyes as he pulled on a shirt and basketball shorts, sitting beside his boyfriend on the bed. "I-" He stopped, taking a breath. "I really don't know how to say this."
The Omega frowned, setting his tea and book down. "Are you breaking up with me?"
"What, no. No! I'm not. It's worse than that. Just- don't interrupt, please?" Grant took a deep breath. "Do you know what Hydra is?"
Leo's eyes narrowed, and ever the educated student, responded, "A terrorist organization from Nazi Garmany. Found the Tesseract and fought Captain America, yeah. Why?"
"Well, Captain America destroyed it, right? During the end of World War Two?"
The younger was growing uncomfortable. "Yes? Grant, what is going on? You're scaring me."
Grant just blurted it out all at once. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is a lie. It's really Hydra, and I became Hydra when my old mentor, John Garrett, recruited me. I'm part of Hydra, Leo."
The cabin was silent for a good seven seconds. "What. What!" Leo picked up his book again and started hitting Ward over the head with it. The hardcover impacted with the other's skull loudly. "Why would you tell me that!"
"I wanted to tell you before I told Coulson and the rest of the team!" He managed between hits. "Ow. Ow! Stop, Leo! I want to get rid of them!"
Leo's eyes widened dangerously, and he increased the force of his beratement. "You want to get rid of the team?!"
"No, no. Baby, please listen!" Grant grabbed Leo's wrists, roughly pinning them above his head with great Alpha strength. He tossed the book to the side and knelt over his Omega. "I went to juvie for trying to burn my parent's house down. They abused me and my brothers. Christian-"
Ward's face turned to one of rage, releasing his boyfriend's hands and sliding off the bed. He faced the window, leaning against the wood-paneled wall. "My older brother would make me beat up my younger brother Thomas and- and- They sent me to a military academy. I was so mad I stole a car and drove home. I lit the place up, not knowing Christian was inside, and he almost burned to death. It's what he deserved. I got arrested, and he wanted me tried as an adult for the maximum sentence." Grant turned back to Leo, his eyes watery. "John came to the prison and talked to me, eventually breaking me out, to teach me 'how to be a man.'
"He took me out to the woods and then just left me there. For two months to survive on my own. He didn't come back for six." The Alpha glanced down at his wringing hands.
"Oh, Grant." Leo pressed a hand over his rapidly beating heart, the conflicting feelings of anger and sorrow confusing the Omega.
"Anyway, he came back and then taught me to be a cold-hearted killer. And I became loyal to him, and still am, I guess. But not Hydra. You softened me up, Leopold." Grant returned to the bed, cupping Leo's face and kissing him gently. "I'm loyal to you, my Omega, and now I'm loyal to our pup. And that outweighs everything. I love you, and I want to take down Hydra with you."
The brunette's tears fell against Fitz's cheeks as Leo pulled him in again, gripping Ward's wrists to press their mouths back together.
"God, sure, sure, baby."
-
Leo wetted his lips as Grant set the pizza box on the table. He sat opposite the dirty blonde. "Hey, how about the zoo tomorrow?"
"The zoo?" Leo asked, the box already open and a large slice in his mouth.
The Alpha chuckled quietly, pulling a piece of pizza onto his plate. "Yeah, I never got to go as a kid, and I've always wanted to see a polar bear." He twirled some of the stringy cheese on his finger. Leo looked at him disgustedly as his partner picked up a fork and knife, cutting into a slice.
"What?" Grant said around a bite.
"Why are you eating it so..." The Omega struggled to find a word. "Properly?"
"What are you talking about?" The brunette's eyebrows pulled together.
"You are one of the least-mannered people I know, and you're eating your pizza with a fork and knife." Leo crossed his arms as he sat back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips.
Grant set down his silverware. "Am I not allowed to have some class occasionally?"
Leo snorted. "Class? For one, not one minute ago, you were talking with a full mouth. And, two, we're not in a fancy restaurant. There is no reason to do that if we're the only ones here."
"I don't like the grease, okay?" He sounded embarrassed. Leo snickered across the table when Grant's eyes narrowed, and he tapped a napkin across the surface of the pizza. He started full-out laughing when Ward picked a piece of pepperoni off it. "Stop laughing!" Grant tried around a hard-to-fight smile.
-
Later, after Leo had laughed at Grant while he ate half the pizza, after they got into a pepperoni fight, and after the dirty blonde curled up to his partner in the queen-sized bed, Leo brought up the zoo. "So, the zoo?"
Grant was tracing figure-eights into his Omega's skin. "Yeah, I know there's one around here somewhere. Could be fun." He replied quietly.
Leo closed his eyes after a long day. "Okay. I want to look in the gift shop for one of those giant giraffes for her. I always wanted one when I went with my mom." His voice became more gruff as sleep seeped into it.
The Alpha stopped listening after he heard, "Her?"
Leo's eyes snapped open as he realized what he had said. "Oh- yeah. I looked at the letter." His face flooded with guilt. "I couldn't wait. I'm so sorry, Grant." He shifted to sit against the headboard, turning on the lamp before laying a hand on his bump.
Ward broke a smile, pushing the covers back and kneeling on the bed. "Sorry?" He said in bewilderment. "A girl? We're having a baby girl?" He whispered, pressing his palms against his Omega's womb.
"Yeah," Leo nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. Ward sat up to hug him, kissing the side of his neck. "I can't wait."
They held the embrace for a while, with Leo stroking his partner's back in comfort. "I guess we should get some sleep." Grant groaned, pulling away slowly.
"Well, here." The dirty blonde reached to shut off the light and laid back flat on the bed, pulling Grant with him to lay on his chest. From this angle, the Alpha could hear his heartbeat, and in the deep quiet, he faintly heard their pup's as well. He shut his eyes and hummed in contentment.
--
"I guess it's kinda weird for just two adults to go to the zoo," Grant said to Leo as he smiled at the attendant and walked on.
Leo scoffed. "Nah, zoos aren't just for kids. Some of them have those ski-lift thingys."
"'Thingys?' Did Doctor Leopold Fitz just use the word 'thingys?'"
Grant laughed as his Omega lightly hit him on the chest. "What would you rather I say? Apparatus? Mechanism? Phenomenon?"
"Alright, alright." The brunette's hand slid into Leo's as they walked toward the first exhibit. "Let's go see the elephants."
The pair looked at all sorts of exotic animals - flamingos from the Middle East, giraffes from South Africa, lemurs from Madagascar - and took pictures with all of them. Leo was struggling to keep his lunch down from the smell, so they cut the visit short and headed to the gift shop.
"Hey, I'm gonna go find the bathroom. Are you alright?" Grant checked in with his boyfriend, some of the color returning to Leo's face after coming inside.
The dirty blonde took a few careful sips of water, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead." His Alpha gently kissed his temple before walking away. Leo slowly explored the shop, searching for the one thing he had come for. Although the shop was small, it was packed with souvenirs. Leo passed T-shirts, small metal tokens, a half-broken set of matching coffee mugs, and finally, the stuffed animals. He crouches to look at the bottom shelf where the stuffed giraffes sit motionless. In the row of various sizes, he chooses the largest one. The seated giraffe is about two feet tall and soft as fur. The Omega snuggles it immediately and returns to standing.
Leo hears muffled talking on the other side of the shop, recognizing his boyfriend's voice. He travels toward it and finds Grant and an older woman holding hands with a young pup. The pup is turned away from his grandma and is sucking on a lollipop. "Hey, babe," Leo says as he reaches the small group.
Grant lights up when he sees his Omega and turns to the woman to introduce them. "Marge, this is my Omega. Leo, meet Marge-" Marge and Leo shake hands, exchanging knowing Omega smiles. "And Marge's grandson, Jason." The pup swivels his head at the sound of his name. The Alpha continues to talk to the woman as Leo squats down to Jason's level.
"Hi, Jason, I'm Leo." The Omega puts on his best friendly smile, watching Jason fidget where he stands.
Jason shyly smiles back, taking the stuffed monkey off his shoulder to play with it. "Leo." He says.
"Yeah. How old are you, Jason?" The pup thinks for a moment before holding up six fingers. Leo gasps loudly. "Six?! I thought you were five!" Jason giggles, his bright blue eyes shining.
Soon enough, Jason and Marge leave, the older woman wishing them luck and handing Grant a gift. In the car, Leo grabs the gift bag. "What did she give you?" He asks.
Grant hits the turn signal, slowing down for a stop sign. "It's called 'Letters to My Baby.' It's full of prompts to write to your pup. I thought we could try it out. It sounds fun."
"Okay." Leo flips through the horizontal book. He stops at the sixth prompt. "'Your first home was like this...' Oh, Grant. This is amazing."
The Alpha throws a smile at the passenger seat and laces their fingers together on the center console. "You're amazing."
-
"Leo, honey!" Grant called, adjusting his dress collar in the hallway mirror. "We're going to be late!" He can hear shuffling from the bedroom and then a whispered swear. Leo steps into the living room, his hair slightly ruffled and hands on his hips. The dirty blonde's button-up is half done, and he looks mildly disheveled.
"Damn. Grant, have you seen my sweater? I swear I left it on a chair in the bedroom." Leo continues talking, moving around the small cabin and pulling up couch cushions. The Alpha has long stopped listening, only paying attention to the window of Leo's skin on display and how the tight fabric hugs his boyfriend's body: Leo's thin waist and starting-to-swell belly. The brunette's mouth has dropped open, and saliva floods it quickly. "Grant!" Leo shouts across the room, confused and worried about his Alpha's rigid stance.
Grant very suddenly strides towards the other, sliding a strong hand into Leo's hair and pulling him in for a bruising kiss. Leo, startled, slowly reciprocates, grasping onto Grant's suit jacket. The Alpha backs them up, pushing his Omega's back against the wall. "What has gotten into you?" Leo whispers breathlessly when Grant breaks away.
"Fuck, fuck," Is all Grant manages, desperately breathing in Leo's scent as he kisses down the Omega's pale neck. "Baby," He tries. "Baby, you look so hot. My pup in you- growing by the day." Grant sticks his leg between the shorter's thighs, rutting against Leo's warm figure. "So fucking... hot-"
Leo's jaw slacks, and his eyes roll back in his head. "G- Grant. Alpha-"
The brunette growls, biting the skin by Leo's clavicle. "Say it again."
Leo whimpers, his Omega's submissive side roaring up. "Alpha, Alpha, Alpha!" He chants. Grant grins, his canine teeth shining in the low light.
-
A few minutes later, both pairs of men's pants had been changed, and Leo ran a hand through his hair, only adding to the mess of his curls. Despite their effort, the dirty blond's lips are still ruby red and kiss-bitten, a few hickeys now decorating his throat. Grant shows no evidence that anything happened besides a wrinkled shirt and a smirk.
When they approach the hostess's stand, her eyebrows raise, and her eyes widen. Grant laces his fingers with Leo's, smiling wider. "Reservation for Ward?"
"U-um. Yes, sirs, please follow me."
--
"Ah, the lovebirds return!" Jemma exclaims when Grant and Leo enter the Bus. Leo sighs, having missed his best friend. Grant leaves them with a kiss to Leo's temple and a wave to Jemma, making his way upstairs. "So," she starts, throwing an arm over her friend's shoulders and leaning in. "Did you get laid?"
"Jemma! Oh my god!"
She grins, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just asking!"
"You are so gross!" Leo continues. He sighs again, not able to keep from telling the Alpha everything. "Actually, yeah, I kinda did."
Jemma squeals, pulling Leo into a chair and whispering, "Tell me everything."
-
Meanwhile, Ward is upstairs trying to find Coulson. Looking up from her spot on the couch, Skye says, "Hey, how was your vacation?"
Grant smiles, blushing slightly. "It was perfect. I-um. I think Leo and I really grew closer."
"That's great, Grant; I'm so glad you're happy."
"I am. Do you know where Coulson is?" Ward asks.
"His office, why?"
"Just need to talk to him. Thanks."
Grant walks toward the Alpha's office, wringing his hands nervously. He sees Coulson as a father figure, just as anyone else, and he knows news like this could break Phil's trust. The door is ajar when Ward steps into the hall. He is just about to knock on the door frame when a voice calls into the silence. "Come in, Agent Ward." The brunette does, entering the office and standing awkwardly.
"Sit, son."
Grant slides into the nearest chair. "How did you know it was me, sir?"
"Old man wisdom." Grant narrows his eyes and opens his mouth to disprove that theory. "I'm just kidding. May told me you two were back. How was your vacation? How is Leo?"
The young Alpha breathes a sigh of relief, some tension sliding from his shoulders. "It was good. Leo is great. We went to dinner and the zoo. It was really nice."
"That's good. I'm glad. Is there any reason you came up here, Agent Ward?"
Ah, the inevitable. Grant shifts in his seat. "Yeah, to tell you we're back- and- S.H.I.E.L.D. is Hydra!" He exclaims.
The room is silent for a beat.
"I-I'm sorry, what was that?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't S.H.I.E.L.D., it's Hydra. The Nazi organization, from y'know, World War Two?"
Coulson's expression doesn't change. "Why are you telling me this?"
Oh, right. Ward pauses. "Well, because, I'm part of Hydra, and we're kind of planning to take over the world."
Coulson rises from his seat and walks around the desk. "So, you're telling me that a terrorist organization from over seventy years ago is planning to take over the world, and you're somehow part of it."
"Yes, sir, and I know-"
The Omega's fist connects with Ward's face, and he falls to the floor, unconscious.
-
Hours later, Leo is getting ready for bed and realizes he hasn't seen his boyfriend for the better part of the day. "Hey, Skye," He knocks on the doorframe to her cabin. "Have you seen Grant?" She shakes her head, and Leo moves to leave.
"Ask May or Coulson." Leo sticks his head back in the door. "They probably know." He smiles, waving at the Beta as he walks away.
"Thanks!"
He finds May up in the cockpit, reading up on some thug they just dropped off. "Hey, May, do you know where Grant is? I haven't seen him all day." She slowly looks up from her tablet, leveling him with an emotionless stare.
"Welcome back, Fitz. Agent Grant is in the Cage with Coulson." The Alpha turns back to her tablet, clearly done with the conversation.
The dirty blonde exits the cockpit, his eyebrows drawing together. "Okay," he whispers to himself, holding the "o" for a moment. Leo makes his way towards the back of the plane. He pulls open the large door to find Coulson sitting across from a roughed-up Grant.
Leo's head cocks, and he lets the door slip closed, trying to connect the dots. He rushes to his partner's side, gently turning his Alpha's bruised face towards his own. "My god, what did you do to him?!"
Coulson sits back in the metal chair, crossing his arms. "He is a traitor, Agent Fitz; he does not deserve any other treatment."
The Omega blinks at him, appalled by the team leader's behavior. Pulling out a loose tissue from his jeans, Leo dabs at Grant's sliced lip. "He told you about Hydra, didn't he."
"Something like that." The other Omega responds, the smell of anger filling the air.
"You better stop that 'cause I can only imagine he didn't get to tell you the full story." Leo turns back to Grant, silently asking for permission to tell Coulson. Grant nods slowly, which doesn't help the pounding in his ears. "Grant had a... rough childhood." Leo flits his fingers over the other's swollen eye with a feather-light touch. With sorrow and gentle rage in his eyes, the Omega continues, "His older brother bullied him and his younger brother. His just-as-awful parents sent him to a military academy. And in a fit of I'd say justified rage, he went AWOL and burned his family home down. As Leo kept talking, but Grant could only focus on the love and acceptance of his past in Leo's eyes.
When Leo finishes, Coulson asks, "And you believe him?" The Omega whips his head toward the brunette, as if the idea of not believing his boyfriend had never occurred to him.
"What?"
"Agent Fitz, if he's Hydra, he could easily have just fabricated that whole story." Coulson leans in, gesturing at Grant like he's a piece of meat.
Leo is silent, turning to his Alpha. Grant sees the small question on his face and breaks eye contact. "No. No, it's the truth. I believe him." Leo presses a chaste kiss to his partner's lips.
Coulson sighs, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "Alright. If you believe Ward, I believe him too." Leo's face brightens, and their team leader moves to stand. "Let's get this party started."