Work Text:
“What’s happening here?” he asked when he stumbled upon Callum packing away his things. He had entered the tent to go on a supply run for Pearson with his friend, but instead he found the man’s tent barren.
Callum closed his crammed suitcase and looked up at Arthur with something that told him instantaneously that he didn’t want to hear what he had to say next. He had seen this man, with that same smile on his face, numerous times over the past few months, maybe a year now. Each time that full smile that showed off his surprisingly nice teeth adorned his features, Arthur wanted nothing more than to jump from the nearest cliff face.
It was for the female alpha that could love him without the stupid prejudice that came with male and male pairings. Even if they were both an alpha and omega, homosexual relationships between those of the same first sex were still frowned upon, somehow more than male omegas.
“I’m pregnant!” the male omega excitedly announced as he stood up. “I’m going to be a dad, Arthur!”
The one good thing about being the disgruntled ass alpha that he was is that when something like this occurred, where Callum was once more telling him something that made his heart ache, he could easily cover it up.
“That’s great. Doesn’t explain the sudden packing…” he grumbled, wincing as he saw Callum’s sickly sweet smile falter at his harsh tone.
Callum shuffled on his feet, frustrated with Arthur's disgruntled mood. “Whatever. Why the fuck should I tell you if you're just gonna be an ass, Arthur?"
“What is it, Callum? Just spit it out already.”
“Jane and I are leaving.”
Arthur sat up, gasping for air as he clutched his heart, trying to slow his breathing before it woke someone up.
But unfortunately, he wasn’t sleeping alone in the small single-person tent. When he sat up, he had jostled awake the half-naked man that had previously been using his chest as a pillow. “Arthur? Did you hear something? Is it a bear?” Callum slurred, sitting up for barely a minute before leaning his head in Arthur’s lap, scenting him lazily.
He began to run his fingers through Callum’s curls, reminding himself that the man was still there. He may have left, but he was back, and now he resided in Arthur’s arms as he had yearned for all these years.
“It was nothing.”
“Yeah, right. You’re not very good at lying,” Callum murmured, rubbing his face into Arthur’s thigh.
Arthur laughed at the comment and the man’s ridiculous behaviour in his half-awake state, curled up in the strangest position that made Arthur’s back pinch. “Is that right, Callie?”
“Don’t call me that, Artie.”
The other lay back down and brought Callum’s head back towards his chest, so they were spooning in their original position once more.
“It was just an old memory.” He was going to leave his comment there, but he knew Callum would jabber on about how Arthur needed to talk through his emotions more, so he added, “When you left for Valentine with… With Jane…” he murmured.
Callum nodded, not fully paying attention to what Arthur was saying, his mind hazy with sleep that he was very quickly descending into once more.
“I missed you… Those years you weren’t here. I can’t believe all these years and–”
“Arthur,” Callum grumbled. “I swear if you’re using me being nearly asleep as the perfect time to tell me things with emotional depth, I’ll beat your ass tomorrow. Tell me when I’m…” he was cut off by his own yawn, nuzzling into Arthur once more. “When I’m awake.”
“I know, I know. I’ll try,” he murmured, nuzzling into the scent gland that bore his mating mark decorating the soft skin. It was located on the opposite shoulder to the now faded mating mark left by Callum’s last mate.
“Wonderful. Can I sleep now?” he asked.
“Excited to see Andy tomorrow?"
“Of course I am,” Callum murmured.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
“Daddy! Papa!” Andy shouted as he waddled up to Arthur and Callum, who had just walked into camp, carrying the deer they found on their shoulders. Arthur cringed as the young boy referred to him as if he were a parental figure.
But Callum had this beautifully bright smile when he looked over to the recently turned four-year-old, who Tilly quickly scooped up so the men could drop off the deer to Pearson.
“You hear that, Papa?” Callum teased, bumping hips with Arthur.
Arthur felt warm vibrations from where he and the other had touched, but he also couldn’t help but cringe a little. Their being, well, a couple outside of the safety of their tents and hunting trips was still new. Callum had quickly adapted to the change, as he was always flexible like that, but Arthur had been really struggling..
When Arthur heard Micah groan behind them, he felt his stomach drop even though in any other situation he wouldn’t give two shits what that beta’s opinion was.
But this was different; this was personal. His relationship with Callum was something so precious to his heart that the thought of anyone in the gang judging them still made him feel uncomfortable, even after being open about their relationship for nearly three months now.
“Hey, Pearson!” Callum happily greeted, dropping the deer on his table. “I also have a satchel full of poultry and meats!” he announced cheerfully to the camp cook, who seemed intrigued by what he had to offer.
Arthur just dumped what he didn’t want, or wanted to donate to the camp, on the table next to all the spoils that Callum was showing off and made his way to the wash bucket to remove the grime.
When he finished up, he made his way over to Tilly and picked up his son from her arms. “Thanks, Tilly,” he said, gratitude clear in his tone as he gave her a small smile.
Andy excitedly yelped as Arthur lifted him into the air. “How are you doing, boy?” he asked, bringing the boy down for a quick nuzzle to his hair, then his juvenile scent gland like any parent would. It brought both the parents and the child comfort, whilst strengthening their bond, to regularly scent one another, especially after long trips.
“I’m doing good, Papa! Jack and I fished with Hosea yesterday! Still boring!” he excitedly informed Arthur, earning a wide smile from the older man.
He was relieved that when he and Callum decided to inform Hosea and Dutch of their relationship, he hadn’t been immediately shunned from the gang and kicked out. But he was also glad that Dutch and especially Hosea had really taken a shine to Andrew. Those two saw Arthur as their own son, and that love the two alphas had for him seemed to extend to Callum and Andrew as if they were their son-in-law and grandchild.
He never knew how much he was truly missing out on until Andrew told him about his adventures with his grandpas, much to Dutch’s displeasure at the sound of the title the boy had given him.
Callum wrapped his arms around Arthur; he had removed his jacket after he had cleaned off the blood. “Mmph, I’m exhausted,” he grumbled, nuzzling into Arthur’s scent gland where his own mating mark embellished his skin.
“Dad! You promised we would go look at the farm animals today!” Andrew whined, bonking his father on the crown of his head with his little fist.
“Ow,” he whined, too tired to respond with his typically exaggerated performance. “Tomorrow, baby. Daddy just wants some sleep.”
“But–”
Arthur quickly interjected. “I can take you to see the horses?” he offered, making Andrew beam.
“Horsey! Horsey!” he chanted excitedly.
Horsey was this stupidly large shire that Arthur had been keeping in a pen for the last few months, as he had recently been needing a smaller horse to maneuver around the busy streets of Saint Denis. Its ridiculous name was the product of Andy’s babbling when he was no older than two. The name stuck when Callum started also referring to the horse as such.
“Yeah, Horsey. He will be so happy to see you, Andy,” Arthur cooed.
Callum sighed, muttering a soft “thank you” into Arthur’s ear before making his way over to their shared tent.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
When Arthur returned to camp a few hours later, much later than he had initially meant because Andy wanted to take Horsey out for a ride, camp was as loud as it always was. Callum seemed to be still holed up in the tent. Arthur groaned at the thought of how much he was going to complain about his shit sleep later in the night because he decided to sleep all day.
Andrew hopped off and ran over to Hosea. “Uncle Hosea! Look at the horse I got!” he joyfully shouted as he showed off his new stuffed toy to the older gentleman. “Papa Arthur got it for me from the store.”
“That was awfully kind of your Pa. Have you named him yet?” he asked, crouching down to the young kid’s height.
Andy’s face scrunched up in thought, similar to the adorable look that Callum had when he was trying to decide what he wanted to buy from the grocers.
“Iris!” he announced all of a sudden before running off to the tent his father was sleeping in. “Daddy!”
Hosea laughed and stood back up. “That’s quite the boy you have there,” he commented, proud of the small family that Arthur had acquired. “You know, I’m so pleased that you found yourself them,” he admitted,
“Yeah, they’re pretty great.”
“You could’ve told us, Dutch and me. You didn’t need to keep it to yourselves for so long,” he said, looking over to the tent where the groggy voice of Callum was coming from. “You two seem… Happier… You seem happier.”
Arthur didn’t answer in words, but the look he gave Hosea told him everything he needed to know. Then he parted with a soft nod to join his son and partner in their family tent.
Callum was dreary and half awake, with Andy happily sitting in his lap, rambling about this and that about his day with Arthur and the horses. Callum was listening as he lazily scented his son, an instinctual habit that seemed to occur when he was exhausted and a foreign smell clung to his baby boy.
However, as Arthur watched the two, he was conflicted. The two having such a bond was adorable and made him smile, knowing that these two were his; they were his family now. But he was also concerned for Callum, who seemed to have become lethargic in the last couple of weeks. Sleeping for the entire day wasn’t something that the omega ever did.
What if something was wrong?
That night, Arthur was spooning Callum, constantly taking in the other’s scent as if it was going to answer his question. But he didn’t know what he was supposed to be looking for or what meant what. There was a slightly sweeter and cleaner tinge to Callum’s scent, but that was most likely the latest soaps he had acquired.
Arthur had tried telling Callum that he didn’t like the floral-scented soaps because he just liked his natural scent. Emphasis on the tried because Arthur never really stated it in those words or all at once; he just alluded to the idea.
Callum was the man who was good with words.
Arthur tried Callum’s scent once more, groaning as he couldn’t understand what was different, just understanding that it was. He hated this. He hated being an alpha blind to the changes in his partner; he was supposed to know these things, but no one ever taught him. He was born an alpha to two beta parents that he honestly barely, if ever, knew properly. He didn’t grow up learning what the changes of his omega parent’s scent meant, so it could therefore become applicable to his partner in the future. Hell, he was only ever attracted to one woman, and she was a beta!
He felt useless.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
“Oi, Callum! Help me out over here!” Hosea called the omega over, who quickly ran over to aid him.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Gotta get this darn moose off the horse and to Pearson, but I threw my back out getting it on the darn thing,” he grumbled, rubbing his sore back.
Callum walked over and threw the carcass onto his shoulder, making his way over to Pearson with Hosea following closely behind. “Y’know, you don’t need to go hunting all on your lonesome all the time. I would love to attend,” Callum offered.
“That’s sweet, boy. But I wouldn’t want to make Arthur jealous,” he jested, rubbing his knuckles up and down Callum’s spine.
Callum rolled his eyes. “I don’t think he’s really the type,” he grumbled.
“I would beg to differ,” he looked over at Callum once more, before confusion twisted his features.
“You okay?”
Hosea was about to answer, most likely to brush off Callum’s concern as well as his own confusion, but then something seemed to click and the older man lit up. “Oh! Congratulations, you two!” He suddenly shouted, patting Callum on the back. “You both must be pretty excited!”
“Huh?”
“Don’t pull my leg here; I may be old, but I know…” he looked at Callum and saw the genuine perplexity in his features. “Shit,” he grumbled, rubbing his temple.
“What? What’s going on?”
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
“Arthur! Arthur!” Callum shouted as he ran up to the exhausted and dishevelled cowboy.
The man in question hadn’t had much sleep over the last couple of days because of the guilt that filled his being for his incompetence as an alpha. When one is presented with an unknown change in their partner’s scent, it becomes a source of distress for the other. Since Arthur understood nothing about the scent changes of omegas, every change and shift was distressing.
Arthur didn’t answer; when Callum was within his reach, he grasped the other in a tight hug. His scent panged with distress.
“Oh, what’s wrong?” Callum asked.
He shook his head and began scenting Callum to remove the unknown change.
“Is the problem my scent?”
“I just don’t understand how or why it’s changed… Are you mad at me or something?”
Callum laughed softly and brought Arthur’s face from his scarred scent gland so they could look one another in the eyes. “I’m not mad, furthest thing actually,” he said cheerily, rubbing his tanned, calloused hands along Arthur’s bearded jaw.
“I hate this,” he growled.
Callum laughed softly. “It’s okay, baby. It’s never too late to learn.”
“It’s not okay… Everyone else is good with their partners and understands their scents… Except Dutch; he’s a shocker,” he grumbled pathetically. He always felt raw and exposed when he and Callum embraced. The things he tried to keep buried would bubble up until they eventually spilled, each and every time.
“Well, I can always help if you just asked.”
“But I shouldn’t have to…”
Callum shakes his head. “That’s like saying I shouldn’t ride out and go hunting with you. We both know that secondary genders have nothing to do with what or who you are, Arthur.”
“What’s wrong with your scent?”
“Well… You like Andrew, right?” Callum asks nervously. “I mean, like being his Pa and all? You always seem to like spending time with him…”
“Of course? He’s a great kid.”
“Well… what if he was smaller and cried a lot and he…” Callum knew he was about to start rambling and avoid what he needed to say if he didn’t just spit it out in that moment. “I’m pregnant.”
Silence echoed through the woods they were standing in, a ways away from camp.
“Arthur?” Callum asked, scared that he had misjudged him. Maybe Arthur was content with how everything was and didn’t want anything more, as he saw it as a complication?
What if Arthur hated him for getting pregnant? What if he no longer found Callum attractive? What if he no longer saw Callum as an equal because it was now too obvious how different they truly were as an alpha-omega pairing???
“You okay–”
Arthur grabbed Callum by the hips and lifted him, spinning him around, and shouting out with joy. He had the widest smile that Callum had never thought he would ever see, he was scared that he may have broken the blue-eyed man. "A baby!" he shouted joyously. Callum squealed in shock at being lifted like he was nothing more than a sack of potatoes by his partner. “You better not be pulling my leg!”
“That’s what Hosea says; he noticed the shift in my scent and knew what it meant,” Callum answered when Arthur finally placed him down. “He says usually the scent isn’t noticeable until about six months before the baby’s due.”
“Holy shit, we’re having a kid! I’m gonna have another kid!”
Callum smiled so brightly at how Arthur saw Andrew as his own son, to the point where he saw this baby within Callum as his second child when it was his biological first. Callum smiled so widely his face hurt. “Another kid?” he asked, voice wobbling, just wanting Arthur to say it once more.
“Of course, blood ain’t got nothing to do with it,” he said plainly as if Callum was stupid. “But whoo-wee, another kid? Adam is going to make a great older brother!”
Callum fell into Arthur, nipping and licking at his scent gland. “You’re the fucking best… Did you know that, Arthur?” he sobbed into his neck.
“The hell are you on about?” Arthur grumbled, thinking quite the opposite of himself because in his head that spot was clearly taken by Callum.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
That night, they spooned in Arthur’s cot that had the best part of a month’s worth of their laundry thrown around the edges to create a nest of sorts for their small family. Callum was holding Andrew to his chest as the small boy snored; there was nothing more Callum enjoyed than co-sleeping with his baby boy. Behind him, Arthur was spooning him, hands cupping his stomach that barely had a bump.
“Is it supposed to be so still?” Arthur murmured into Callum’s neck, worried about the fact that he couldn’t feel any kicks. Everyone he’s known who had kids mentioned them kicking, so why wasn’t his?
Callum hummed in response. “Yeah… Andrew didn’t start moving until it was undeniable that I was pregnant, or that I had been getting into a bit more provisions than I should’ve,” he chuckled awkwardly.
“You looked beautiful when you were putting on that extra weight…”
“You’re a sap, Arthur.”
“We’re having a baby,” Arthur muttered, still marvelled by the thought.
Callum laughed and turned his head so he and Arthur could share a kiss before they fell into their peaceful slumber, excited for what was to come as their family grew.