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We open on a charming Spanish-style bungalow in Los Angeles, California, home to the Diaz family. A tricked-out accessible skateboard is visible in the backyard, and so are the supplies for about two or three hyperfixations that fizzled out shortly after the supplies were delivered. As we look in on a bedroom window, we hear the sounds of a video game close to its end amidst interspersed coughs.
“Christopher! I know I told you that video games were supposed to be off right now!”, a deep voice calls from the kitchen.
Chris sighs, pushing away from his desk as GAME OVER flashes on his computer screen. He’s usually much better at those, but the headache he has and the persistent soreness he feels aren’t really doing him any favors. Grabbing his crutches, the young alpha makes his way over to the bed, burrowing himself beneath the warm covers. A tall blond man walks into the room quickly after, tutting at the state of the bed and at the sight of the red flush on Christopher’s face.
“Buddie, what have we told you about not taking care of yourself when you’re sick? Running away from rest is your dad’s thing, not yours.” Buck, Chris’s step-dad, jokes, rearranging the covers around Chris as he does so.
“Haha, very funny, hypocrite— don’t think we forgot what happened the last time you got a cold. We had to drag you kicking and screaming away from the station.” Eddie, Chris’s bio dad, shoots back as he enters the room carrying a bottle of cough syrup and a cup filled with the cherry flavored liquid.
Buck pouts, but the omega takes the offered medicine cup from his alpha anyway, holding it up to Chris’s mouth until he finishes the dose. “Alright, maybe it’s a Diaz family issue. But still! Chris, are you sure you’ll be okay tonight? You know one of us could still stay home if you need us to.”
Chris shakes his head. “No, no, I’ll be okay! I’m excited to see Carla, I haven’t seen her in sooooo long”.
Almost on cue, someone knocks on the door to the house. “I’ll get it!” Eddie says, but not before ruffling Chris’s hair and laughing as his son leans away from his hand with a put-upon look on his face. “Dad! I told you I’m too old for that.”
“I know, mijo, but a dad is never too old to embarrass his kid.” Eddie calls back from the hallway, laughing as he hears another annoyed “Paaaaapaaaa” coming from the room as Buck gives their son an over-exaggerated hug, rubbing the scent glands on his wrist up against his pup’s neck.
Opening the door with a smile, Eddie offers his own hug to Carla as the older omega walks into the house. “Hey! Thank you so much for being here on such short notice. I would’ve called his abuela but she’s got a cold right now too, and his Tía Pepa is out of town.”
“No worries, you know I’m always down to see my sweetheart.” Carla smiles, “Even if he’s feeling under the weather.”
After catching up and putting down Carla’s things — including a homemade batch of soup to match the one Buck already has simmering on the stove — they both make their way back down to Christopher’s room, smiling at the sight that greets them.
Even if Christopher thinks of himself as too old for some acts of affection, the pup still takes comfort in nesting with his family’s scents — Buck’s toasted butterscotch and caramel melding comfortingly with Eddie’s smoky cloves and rum. So, it’s not surprising to see him cuddling up with a blanket usually kept on the couch for movie nights that’s been thoroughly infused with Eddie’s, Buck’s, and his own scent, but it is adorable, especially when Buck himself is watching the sight with love clear in his pretty blue eyes.
Resisting the urge to take a picture of his family, Eddie clears his throat, announcing their arrival into the room. “Alright, if we have everything set up in here, we should be getting ready to head to the station. Anything else you need to grab, Buck?”
“Nope! I should be good to go.” The omega gives Chris a quick kiss on his forehead before coming up to greet Carla, thanking her as well for stopping by to stay with their son overnight before heading out to the front door.
Eddie smacks another kiss onto Chris’s brown curls and then follows his omega out of the room, grabbing both of their overnight bags from their spots on the floor before looking around for one last check. Finding nothing out of place, he calls out one last goodbye, locking the door behind them before he and Buck walk pressed together, shoulder to hip as they usually are, to his truck.
“Do you think he’ll be alright?” Buck asks, casting another worried glance back to the house.
Eddie chuckles, stashing both of their bags in the back of the car. “He’s a strong kid, one cold won’t take him down. I promise by the time we’re back home, he’ll be racing around begging us to take him to the zoo this weekend.”
By his side, Buck’s worried face quickly shifts into a grin. “That doesn’t sound like too bad of an idea. If he’s feeling better, can we? Please?”
“I should’ve known better than to bring up the zoo around you,” Eddie shakes his head with a laugh, wrapping his now free hands around his omega’s waist. “Yeah, I think that could be arranged.”
“And we can get pizza from Mahale Café?”
“Anything you want, mi vida .”
Meanwhile, back inside Christopher’s room, Carla sits down with a sigh at the edge of the bed, watching Christopher with raised eyebrows. “So — I heard from your dad that you haven’t been doing great at the whole rest and relaxation part of being sick.”
Christopher just shrugs. “It’s a Diaz thing”.
“Don’t I know it!” Carla laughs. “Luckily for you, I’ve brought a tried and true Price family remedy for boredom when you’re stuck in bed.”
Christopher lights up. “Really? What is it?”
Carla pulls out a well-loved novel from her bag and brandishes it in front of Christopher. “Tadah!”
“A book? Is it at least exciting?” Christopher frowns - he does love reading, but he would kind of rather be playing his games right now rather than being stuck in bed.
Carla chuckles, “Are you kidding? It’s got it all! Fencing, fighting, torture. Revenge! Geniuses, monsters, chases, escapes. ~ True Love ~ and miracles.”
“All right, that doesn’t sound too bad. I’ll try to stay awake.”
“Will you now?” Carla laughs again, tickling Christopher’s side. “Haha, I’ll even change the story a bit to make it more interesting, just for my favorite Diaz.” Clearing her throat, she flips to the first page and begins reading:
“ The Firefighter Bride , chapter one. Buck was raised on a small estate in the country of Florin…”