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In all their years, the 118 had responded to a variety of life threatening calls. Whether it be car crashes, planes losing control, natural disasters that definitely weren't natural or blimps crashing into stadiums, they had seen it all.
So a call regarding a stranded cat was almost a shock to the system.
Buck had finally perfected his omelette and was plating the last one up, slapping his husband's hand away whenever Eddie tried to steal a piece of bacon, when the tones went off. The omega couldn't help but let out a tiny sigh of disappointment as Eddie pressed a kiss against his cheek. "They will be fine, baby," he reassured before taking his hand and leading him down the staircase.
Buck gave Eddie one last kiss before he went off to join Hen in the ambulance, having long since gotten used to the alpha being a paramedic and no longer his partner.
"So what's the call about?" Buck questioned as they pulled out of the firehouse and down the street, pressing his hands slightly against his stomach as a sudden wave of nausea washed over him. Ravi glanced over and raised an eyebrow, quietly asking the older omega if he was okay. Buck just gave him a tight lipped smile while Chimney answered.
"A kid potentially broke their arm trying to get a cat down a tree. His dad tried to get it afterwards, and fell backwards, knocking his head in the process," he replied, causing Harry to raise an eyebrow. "So we're basically going to help a bunch of people because they can't control a cat?" He asked, amusement growing in his voice as Chimney let out a small snort and was no doubt rolling his eyes. "Yes, Harry. Which is why I'm assigning Diaz onto the cat rescuing," he stated, and it took the younger two to realise that he meant Buck, not Eddie.
"I'm still getting used to that," Ravi commented as the nausea instantly melted away and was replaced by a flicker of happiness as Buck beamed. The omega absolutely adored when he got called 'Diaz', a name that he had mentally attached to the end of his pwn name ever since the day Eddie arrived at the 118 and he found himself yearning to be called by the alpha's last name.
Now, there were two Diaz's and it constantly threw the others off whenever they were out on a call and had to remember which one they were talking too.
They soon arrived at the location of the human attacking cat, a quiet cul-de-sac just off one of the new subdivision. It didn't take long to find where the injured parties were; there was a small cluster of kids surrounding a preteen boy, while what looked like the mother of the boy was kneeling beside a fallen beta. "Oh thank god. I told him that he shouldn't have used that ladder," the woman, an strawberry hair that gave off the faint scent of an omega, stated as soon as the 118 called in. "Alright, Hen and Eddie, you take a patient each. Buck, you're on kitty duty," Chimney stated as Buck shielded his eyes so that he could look up the tree.
Up ahead in the old oak tree canopy, he could distantly hear the soft meows of a cat. From the sound of it, the cat itself was young. Between the kitten and adult stage.
Ravi carefully angled the ladder and attached Buck on. "Alright, go and get that kitty, Animal Whisperer," he said to his best friend, slapping his back as Buck rolled his eyes fondly. It was a known fact that most omegan firefighters were naturally gifted with animals rescues due to their scent and demeanour being more calmer and nurturing. Before he climbed up, Buck could feel eyes on him and he looked behind him, finding that Eddie was giving him one of those "Don't Be Reckless" gazes. Shooting his husband a reassuring smile, Buck gave him a wink before he started to climb up the ladder.
"Here, kitty kitty. I'm here to help," Buck crooned up towards the top branches as he reached the top of the ladder. Pushing the branches aside and mindful to not cause too much of a disturbance, Buck could spy a tabby clinging onto one of the branches. The fur was chocolate brown, with a pattern of caramel, black and white stripes all across his body and a pair of bright green eyes underneath a little 'M' on his forehead. The cat's fur was bristled, no doubt due to the two unfamiliar humans tried to come to his rescue. Buck crooned softly as he slowly lifted his hand, removing his glove before he tucked it into his pocket.
"Hey, pretty kitty. Can I get you down this tree? You're being so brave," he said, gently snapping his fingers as he offered his hand out. From experience, Buck knew that cats had to show interest and come to the person first, rather than the person reach for them and grab them in the first place.
Slowly, the cat's fur smoothed over and it took one tentive step forward, then another and another. Buck made sure to keep completely still, a feat that was near impossible for the omega, as the cat inched closer until it's nose touched his finger. The omega couldn't help but smile brightly as the cat nuzzled against his hand, a loud purr erupting from the cat as he nuzzled and rubbed against Buck's outstretched hand. Once he was close enough, Buck scooped the cat up and held him close to his chest. Then he melted as soon as the cat buried himself against Buck's turnout, the purring increasing as Buck started to climb back down.
"I got the cat!" Buck stated in his radio as he descended down the ladder, cradling the cat against him tightly. Once he had emerged from the treetop, there was a small round of applause for the blond as Ravi lowered the ladder down.
"And that is one cat who still has nine lives," Chimney commented as Buck carefully climbed down and stepped off the ladder. The omega was still patting the cat, crooning down at him as the cat nuzzled against his neck before an animal rescue worker walked over with a cage. "Hello, I'll take our little friend out of your hands," he stated as he opened the cage open and went to take the cat out of Buck's arms. The omega suddenly found himself fighting back the urge to step back, his arms tightly slightly around the cat.
Ravi glanced over and raised an eyebrow when he noticed the expression on his face. However, before he could question Buck about his sudden hesitation, there came a hiss as the cat raised one white socked paw and swiped at the worker. His ears were pinned back and he looked nothing at all like the sweet cat that had come to Buck without any issue.
Harry leaned back, having been standing right next to the omega and was seconds away from getting caught in the crossfire.
"Okay, I think that's a no," he said as Buck looked down at the cat. A soft croon escaped the omega as he lightly scratched his head, causing the cat to settle down slightly. He still glared at the worker with great distrust, looking like he was angry at her for daring to take him away from Buck. "It's okay, sweetheart. The nice man just wants to make sure that you're okay? They're going to take good care of you," he had said in a soft, dotting tone. A look of nostalgia appeared on Chimney's face as he recalled one of Buck's first calls with the baby that got stuck in the plumbing.
With much reluctance, the cat was placed inside the cage and Buck watched as the worker carried him towards the van. Suddenly, Buck found himself missing having the cat's warmth in his arms. Just like with Blaze, the omega found that he had quickly gotten attached to the cat.
So lost in his mind, Buck didn't notice Eddie slid in behind him until there was a pair of lips pressing against the back of his neck.
"You did good, mi vida. I'm sure that the cat will be fine," the alpha reassured as he nuzzled him gently. The omega fought back a shiver before he turned his head, kissing him tenderly before Chimney clapped his hands. "Hey, Lovebirds! Let's get these patients to the hospital before another call comes out,' he ordered, causing the pair to pull apart. Eddie caresses Buck's cheek before he flashed the omega a wink and a smile.
"See you soon, Eds," Buck said as Eddie blew him a kiss. "I love you, Buck," he called before he climbed into the back of the ambulance and closed the doors. Buck watched as the ambulance drove off before letting out a tiny sigh while he walked back to the rig.
Once the omega had climbed in, he buckled himself in before a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. Ravi and Harry instantly recognised the expression and both of them shared a look when Buck pulled out his phone. "Something tells me that Buck is about to do something that Eddie might not like," Ravi whispered, while Harry sighed softly and crossed his arms as a smile grew on the omega's face.
"Rav, I think you might be right."
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When Eddie stepped away from the gym, he immediately knew that his wife had done something without his consent.
And he will be proven right when he saw the omega happily trot into the loft, carrying a cat cage. Eddie almost dropped his duffle bag, his mouth seconds away from gapping as soon as he saw the bright, happy expression on Buck's face. The others looked over and knew what was inside it.
"Buck, sweetheart. Love of my life. Please tell me that that isn't the cat we just rescued," Eddie said as Buck just fluttered his eyelashes before opening the door and gently scooping the cat out. The tabby purred loudly as he nuzzled against Buck's chin, happy to be reunited with the omega. The alpha pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily as his wife pressed a dozen kisses against the cat's head, while Harry let out a tiny groan of annoyance before sliding some money over to Ravi. "Thank you kind sir," the omega stated happily while the beta rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile, Buck happily walked over, carrying with him the Diaz's new family member. "Meet Peppermint! Or Pepper for short. Isn't he cute, Eddie?" Buck gushed, wearing such a bright smile that Eddie could feel his resolve melting slightly the more he stared at his wife's happy face.
From the other side of the loft, Hen held back a snickers before looking over to Chimney. "I'm surprised you let him go pick the cat up during our shift," she said, causing Chimney to flash her a smirk as he lifted his coffee mug. "It's nearly the end of our shift. Plus, the calls weren't thar eventual, so I thought that we could entertain ourselves with Mr. 'Can't Say No To My Buckley' Diaz over here," Chimney replied, choosing to ignore the eye roll Hen gave him, no doubt thinking that it was like the pot calling the kettle black due to the fact that Chimney himself could never say no to Maddie.
Sighing softly, the group watched as Eddie gave Buck a small head shake before sighing heavily. "Buck, baby. You can't just take a cat that you rescued. He could have a family,' he started to say, only for Buck to give his husband a reassuring smile.
"He isn't microchiped or anything! He has no home, Eddie. One of the vets said that he's brought in regularly because he would get into fights with other cats over his territory. But apart from that, he's a complete sweetheart and has been looking for a home. He's healthy and has been fleaed, wormed and everything. Please, Eddie. He needs a forever home. The boys will love him, and….we're a family, what family doesn't have a pet?" Buck said, his voice warm and shrouding around Eddie like a delicious current of coconut, peaches and wildflowers.
Eddie took a deep breath, rolling his jaw as he crossed his arms. For a second, it looked like he was about to say no and that they weren't taking him. That he was more than happy to drop Pepper off at some animal rescue. Only for Buck to use his final weapon.
Batting his eyelashes, the omega tilted his chin downward slightly, making his eyes bigger and bluer. There was a pout blooming on his lips, and his voice shifted until it was a sweet, irresistible croon. "Please alpha. I was so sad that I couldn't have Blaze, and I've always wanted a pet. Pretty please," Buck begged, a hitch in his breath making the plead more soft and almost yearning.
"Three," Chimney whispered, folding down a finger that he had been holding up. "Two," Hen muttered as Eddie's shoulders loosened and his arms dropped slightly, while a look of defeat spread across his face. "One," both Harry and Ravi finished as a deep, heavy sigh left Eddie as he tilted his head back. He then straightened up before giving Buck a fond, exhausted smile. "Fine, but that cat is not going to attack me everytime I want a kiss," he replied.
"And that class, is the definition of a simp," Chimney commented in a tone that belonged to a professor teaching their class about a historical topic before a blinding smile blossomed on Buck's face. Eddie melted even more, and the tiny last thread that held any sort of self restrain or resolve snapped completely. Buck had always been Eddie's weakness, and as much as the alpha tried to say no, he never could.
Taking a deep breath, Eddie reached a hand out, narrowing his eyes slightly when Pepper growled at the alpha.
"He will get used to you, I promise," Buck reassured, lightly scratched underneath Pepper's chin, lulling the cat into a relaxed state. While it looked like Eddie was going to make a remark, he held it back as he moved his hand to lightly touch Buck's cheek. Only for a hiss of pain to escape him when a flash of claws pulled along his wrist, causing a small river of blood to dot along his tanned skin.
"Eddie! Pepper, be nice to your Dad," Buck lightly scolded as he grabbed a spare cloth and wrapped it tightly around Eddie's wrist.
While the omega fussed over his husband with one hand and cradled Peppermint with the other, the rest of the 118 could only watch with pure amusement at the sight. "Looks like Edmundo has a new love rival in town," Chimney stated as Ravi and Harry let out a laugh before Hen shook her head fondly. "It's the dog all over again," she commented as the others snickered. Chimney was right, this was the little pick me up they needed.
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Eddie had no hope in having any support in the arrival of their latest family member.
After their shift, Buck had begged Eddie to call into Pet Co before they picked the boys up from Bobby's. Eddie could only watch as Buck happily carried Peppermint around, pointing the cat towards all the different products and cat toys they needed. He had tried to keep his face from becoming twisted as the omega piled the basket in Eddie's hands with all sort of items.
"Now, I know Theo will have something to say about not coming to pick out some toys for Pepper. But for now, I think it's best to get him a bed, some food and at least a small basket of toys," Buck rambled as they walked through each of the aisles. Eddie was thankful for his weights training and general strength, because he would have crumbled from the amount of stuff Buck was putting into the basket. "Cariño, isn't this a bit crazy? Surely a cat doesn't need this much," the alpha stated as Buck picked out different cat food tins and nuts that the vet had told was the best for Pepper's age.
"He's been living on the street his whole life, Eds. Pepper deserves to have the best things money can buy," Buck had replied as he gave his husband a slightly quizzed expression, looking at him like he had the gull to something negative about their cat.
Eddie wanted to say that Peppermint wasn't even a fully grown adult cat yet, but once again, he found himself backing down as soon as Buck turned those pretty blue eyes onto him. Heaving out a sigh, Eddie could only shrug his shoulders. "You're lucky we got paid today, Buck," was all he could come back with as they finally finished their shopping and headed to the counter. The check out operator, a middle aged African American woman, instantly crooned as soon as she saw Peppermint. "Oh, look at this handsome boy. Aren't you the sweetest thing?" She said, reaching to touch Peppermint. "Wait! He scr-," Eddie didn't even get to finish his sentence as Peppermint tilted his chin up so that she could scratch underneath his chin.
Now he truly did drop his jaw and stared at the cat in mute shock, while Buck beamed as he held Peppermint over so that the woman could pat him. "Isn't he just? I got him out of a tree during a rescue and, when I learnt that he didn't have a home, I had to adopt him," Buck explained, bluntly ignoring his husband's look of shock as he positively glowed from the attention Peppermint was receiving. Meanwhile, Eddie just shook his head slightly. Okay, so that was one another person the cat liked. Peppermint still has yet to meet the boys. While Theo had a heart of gold, from what Eddie learnt via Buck is that Connor and Kam didn't have pets. As for their eldest son, Christopher moved around too much for Eddie to even consider having a pet.
Eddie could only hope that Peppermint didn't scratch their boys when they picked them up. After all, Peppermint did scratch the preteen that tried to rescue him, so who knew if he would even like another teenager and a child.
But, once again, Eddie will be proven wrong. Because as soon as they pulled into Bobby's driveway, Theo was already running out the door with his arms wide open. "Mama! Teddy!" He called, his eyes bright and smile wide as Buck kneeled down so that he could hug his son tightly. "Hey Spiderman! Were you good for Grandpa Bobby?" Buck questioned as he lifted the child in the air. Theo squealed and giggled happily as he nodded, wrapping his arms tightly around the older omega while Christopher and Bobbymade their way over.
Before he could ask how his parents were, Christopher looked in the back seat and noticed the cage. "Why do we have a cat cage?" He asked, and Eddie knew that the moment of truth had arrived. Buck carefully placed Theo back on the ground before kneeling in front of him.
"Okay, boys. You know how sometimes we see animals that don't have a home on the street?" Buck said, holding onto Theo's hand and looking between him and Christopher. The pair had been known in the past for trying to bring any stray dog or cat home, a trait that had clearly been taught and inherited from Buck. While Eddie was proud in the fact that they were raising two gentle hearted children, it did worry him the number of times Theo had tried to smuggle in various forms of animals into the house, while Christopher plead the fifth.
Taking a breath, Buck let go off Theo's hand before opening the cage up and bringing Peppermint out. Theo immediately let out a squeal, while Christopher gave his father a slightly quizzed expression. "Well, Peppermint here got stuck up a tree and needed some help. So I climbed up the ladder and we instantly became best friends. Now he's going to live with us, so you guys have to be extra careful with him," Buck explained as Peppermint looked between the two boys. Eddie waited with battered breath as Theo stood there, staring at the cat for a total of ten minutes.
He then reached for and placed a hand on Peppermint's back. Eddie tensed up, ready to pull the young omega away before he becomes another victim to the cat's claws. Only for him to be surprised again as Peppermint just closed his eyes and let out a content purr in response.
Buck beamed proudly as he stroked underneath Peppermint's chin, causing the purring to increase while Christopher reached forward to gently stroke the cat's back. "Do you know how long I have been asking Dad to get us a pet? Can we get him a collar?" He asked, causing Buck to beam as he nodded. "Of course!" He replied as Theo chipped in; "and he needs more toys! He has to have a green collar! The prettiest collar ever!"
While their boys immediately started plotting their next shopping trip, Bobby glanced over at Eddie and laughed as soon as he saw the shocked expression on his face. "You look surprised, Eddie. Did you expect the cat not to like your boys?" He asked, causing Eddie to look over at him and shrugged his shoulders.
"He attacked me and two people that tried to help him, and yet with Buck and everyone else, he's a little angel,' Eddie replied, causing Bobby to give him a knowing smile before he rubbed his arm. He gave him a pat on the shoulder, enticing Eddie to look over at her. "Most cats are like that towards alphas. When I was younger, we used to have a cat that be very affectionate to my mom and us kids, while she would fight my father if he so much as held my mom's hand. He will warm up to you, I promise," he reassured, giving Eddie a small smile. The alpha shifted on his feet before looking back towards his family, sighing softly when he saw the happy expressions on everyone's faces.
Like any true family man, Eddie adored and loved his little family fiercely. So if he had to put up with a temperament cat that hates sharing his wife, then he will put up with it. Who knows, maybe they could unite over their shared love for Buck.
Unfortunately, Peppermint seemed to decide then and there that he was going to make Eddie's life hell. Once they had returned home, Eddie was sorting through the washing while Buck started on dinner. When the laundry duties were completed, Eddie wandered on over to the kitchen, sliding behind Buck and kissed his neck gently while his hands gripped Buck's hips. The omega giggled before tipping his head back, stealing a kiss from his husband. "Since we're back in our own bed tonight, I think we have some catching up to do,' Buck whispered against his lips, smirking slightly when Eddie let out a small growl.
"Fuck, Cariño. Has it been 24 hours since I've been inside you? I need that pussy as soon as possible," Eddie muttered heatedly against his lips, his hand cupping the back of Buck's neck so that he can deepen the kiss.
Only to give out a startled cry when sharp, tiny fangs bit against his exposed ankle. "Fu-dge!" He yelled, only just remembering that they had little ears lurking. He glared down at Peppermint, who had moved back quickly as he glared up at the alpha. "No! We do not bite! Bad cat," Eddie scolded as he pointed his finger down at the tabby, who hissed back in response. Buck quickly picked up the cat before pressing a kiss on top of his head. "We don't bite Daddy, okay?" He scorned in a more gentle tone before Theo hurried over with his arms out stretched. "I'll take him!" He said as Eddie grabbed some paper towels and pressed them against his ankle, muttering in angry Spanish to himself.
"Eds, I'm so sorry! Do we need to get you checked out?" Buck asked, kneeling beside Eddie's ankle. Only for the alpha to pull him back up so that he could kiss him.
"I'm fine, bebé. That cat just needs a priest," he replied as Buck crooned before nuzzling him gently. "He will warm up to you, I promise," he reassured, giving his husband a couple more kisses. He then shuffled on over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer. "You go and sit down, babe. Dinner will be ready soon," Buck said as Eddie gave him a loving smile before giving him another kiss.
"If you need help, just let me know. I love you," he said before he made his way over to the couch. Christopher was playing a video game, while Theo was playing with Peppermint on the floor. Sighing heavily, Eddie sat next to his eldest as Christopher gave his father a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "You won't be in second place forever, Dad," he reassured, choosing to ignore the slightly offended look Eddie gave him. Glancing over at Peppermint and observing the way the cat played so nicely with Theo, Eddie could only shake his head.
There was no way he was being put in second place. In his eyes, he was here first. And no cat was going to take that away from the alpha.
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Never in Eddie's life would he assume that his love rival would be an animal.
After the kitchen incident, Eddie had gone to sit at his usual chair beside Buck, only to find that Peppermint had fallen fast asleep on the chair. Eddie had gone to move him, only for the cat to wake up at the last minute and hiss at the alpha for simply daring for trying to move him away from Buck.
In the end, Eddie had been forced to sit at the end of the table next to Theo and spent most of their dinner coaxing the child to eat his vegetables. While Peppermint gave up his seat eventually and settled against Buck's lap, kneeding against his belly while letting out little purrs of content. Then, when they went to have some sexy time as soon as the boys were in bed, Eddie barely got in before there came a meow and a small body jumping onto the bed. Eddie had let out a groan of pure frustration as Peppermint settled against Buck's side, nestling against the omega's stomach while Buck gave Eddie a tiny, apologetic smile before he fell asleep.
Since then, it appeared that Peppermint had a personal vendetta against Eddie. He would hiss, growl or try and claw the alpha for placing his hand anywhere near Buck, especially towards his stomach. Eddie had to literally look around before he could even sneak in a kiss from his wife.
Yes, Eddie understood that Peppermint had come from the streets and was needing to adjust to living with humans. But he was an angel with Theo and Christopher, simply lying there whenever Theo wanted to pat him or snuggled up against one of them whenever Buck was cooking. Hell, even Jee and everyone else got treated with more respect than Eddie did. And the alpha was at his wits end. Finally, it reached boiling point when Buck started vomiting throughout the week. Eddie wasn't blind; he had seen how the blond had turned pale whenever he smelt something that must not agree with his body. Or holding back what looked like vomit whenever he was cooking at the station.
Then, the worst of it happened during their day off. Theo was having a sleepover at Bobby's and Athena, stating that he wanted to spend some time with Grandpa Bobby and Grandma Athena. Meanwhile, Christopher was at Denny's because they were going to some comic con the following day.
Meaning that the two had the whole house to themselves. And instead of having sex in every corner of the house, Eddie was rubbing Buck's back while the omega spat out the last little bit of stomach bile. Buck collapsed against Eddie, groaning loudly as he closed his eyes tightly. "Fuck, Harry poisoned the chicken, I'm sure of it," he stated, voice rough and strained from his vomiting spell. Eddie pressed his lips against his head, then his birthmark before he carefully helped Buck stand up. He acted as the omega's support beam while Buck brushed his teeth and gagged on the toothpaste before he slumped against Eddie.
"Come on, mi vida. Let's get you into bed," Eddie said, picking Buck up and carrying him back to their bed. The alpha gently laid the omega down, kissing his head softly before climbing in after him. Buck rolled and rested his head against Eddie's chest, taking a couple of deep breaths to push down the nausea that had been building back up and combating against the increasing dizzy spell that was developing at the same time.
Eddie was quiet for a moment before he pressed his lips against the omega's, ignoring Buck's protest that he could still probably taste vomit or he could get sick. "Buck, I think you might need to make a doctor's appointment," Eddie stated, stroking his curls while Buck made a small whining noise before shaking his head. He took a couple of deep breaths, shutting his eyes tightly before opening them back up. "Not yet. It could be food poisoning," he replied, his face slowly regaining colour. The middle in between Eddie's eyebrows furrowed slightly before he took a deep breath. "Baby, you've been sick for ages. You need to get seen," Eddie stated firmly, his paramedic side and inner alpha surging through his voice as he held Buck in a protective embrace.
Just when it looked like Buck was about to protest, there was slight pressure on the bed, followed by an all too familiar meow.
Eddie groaned and rolled his eyes as Peppermint wandered over towards the pair and settled on Buck's belly. The alpha looked down, wanting for the cat to hiss back at Eddie. Only to frown slightly when the cat stared back at him while making biscuits on Buck's belly. The alpha reached down to rub Buck's stomach, a trick he usually did during the omega's heat and period cycles or whenever the boys were unwell. He let out a wince as Peppermint hit his hand, growling before resuming his biscuit making. Eddie waved his hand before he noticed Buck going still. "Buck? Everything okay? Do you need a bucket?" He asked, glancing down at his wife.
Only to realise that Buck had fallen back asleep. It appeared that Peppermint's biscuit massage had lulled the omega back into slumber land.
A small smile grew on Eddie's face as he let out a tiny sigh of relief. He then looked out towards the window and saw that the sky was lightening up, telling Eddie that the sun was starting to rise. Eddie carefully reached for his phone and opened it up. Now, he normally didn't go on Instagram or TikTok. But since he wasn't going back to sleep, Eddie decided to have a look. He scrolled through a couple of videos before landing on one that showed a video of an omega and their cat.
Just when Eddie was going to think along the lines of Buck would like something like this, the omega went on to describe that his cat had become extra protective around him and particularly his stomach when he became pregnant.
The more he watched the video, the more Eddie started to connect the dots and a sense of realisation started to sink in.
Slowly, he looked down at Peppermint, who was sitting on Buck's stomach. Running his eyes over the cat, Eddie realised something; from the alert posture he was it, Peppermint appeared to be guarding Buck's belly. Eddie then started to think about all the symptoms that the omega had shown; nausea, vomiting, fatigue and the increased naps he had during the day with Theo. Then there was Peppermint's extra protective over Buck, especially whenever Eddie was nearby. Slowly, a small laugh escaped Eddie as he shook his head. "You knew this whole time, didn't you?" He questioned, causing the cat to slow blink at Eddie before burrowing his face against Buck's stomach.
While the two dozed, Eddie placed his head down and held Buck in a protective embrace. It was there that he had two moments of realisation: the first being that Buck was pregnant and he should really book his mate into a doctor's appointment. The second was that Peppermint had just looked at him and didn't hiss or growl at him.
Maybe Bobby was right. Maybe they were finally reaching middle ground. Taking a breath, Eddie gave Peppermint a little poke, and this time he wasn't meet with a swipe or hiss. Instead, the cat opened one eye and Eddie felt the corner of his lips turn up slightly. "Are we reaching common ground?" He whispered, feeling slightly crazy due to the fact that he was talking to a cat. The same cat that had been terrorising and hurting Eddie every chance possible. Now, he had an answer. And a possible bridge to build.
Who would have thought that it would be through their baby.
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"I still can't believe that you believed that video."
Eddie paused the show they were watching, glancing down at Buck as the omega stared up at him from his place against Eddie's chest.
On the coffee table, there was a big paper bag containing all sorts of prenatal prescription tablets and medication. Beside it rested a pile of pregnancy books and booklets for midwives, birthing classes and other pregnancy related courses. Peppermint sat on top of Buck's belly, guarding the twelve week old baby that was growing safe and sound inside their mother's womb.
"Well, it makes sense. Peppermint hated me going near you or your stomach, and it was all because he was protecting you and the baby," Eddie replied, causing Buck to smile while he rubbed the cat's chin, enticing more purrs to come out of Peppermint.
Eddie glanced over at the cat and slowly reached a hand over. A part of him still waited for Peppermint to claw him, or even hiss at him. Instead, the cat just purred and closed his eyes as he tilted his neck slightly so that Eddie could scratch his chin. Buck gasped and a smile slowly grew on his face as he looked up at Eddie. "Baby, he's letting you pat him!" He exclaimed in delight, feeling overjoyed for his alpha. Only for the moment to be ruined slightly when Peppermint turned his head and lightly bit the alpha's finger.
He flinched slightly before Peppermint started to lick against his finger. Buck gave him a sheepish smile, while Eddie just smiled softly in reply and gave him a kiss. "Hey, it's baby steps for now," he reassured, his hand resting above the top of Buck's stomach that wasn't covered by Peppermint.
While the expecting parents laid on the couch and planned on the basket they were going to set up to surprise their boys, they could only think of one thing.
Their baby was already going to have a guardian watching over them.