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Slade was ready to take a shot, an oblivious target sitting in his office just one building across, when the call came.
"Yes?" he answered without thinking, because few had a direct line to his comm for dire emergencies.
His finger steadied on the trigger, his heart and breath slowing down...
"I'm pregnant." the shot went wide, shattering the glass. His target fell off his chair screaming and covering behind furniture.
"You are what?"
"Pregnant" bit out the angry voice on the other side and then the line went dead. Still dead. Heavy dead. Slade slowly put his riffle aside and rolled over on his back. The vast New Jersey sky above him was mockingly bright, the blue nothing alike familiar paleness of Arizona. Somewhere in the distance the tail-tell cries of police sirens raged, coming closer and closer. Some part of Slade’s brain that wasn't stuck on the words respected their reaction time. So unlike Gotham or gloomy Bludhaven. Fuck, Bludhaven. He will have to move his base of operations there, wouldn't he?
Slowly getting up, Slade sighed at the sight of helicopters swarming above. The news came per usual first, the reporters almost falling out, pointing down cameras and trying to capture the best angels. Nothing out of the ordinary, Deathstroke dealt with them every time his target was somewhat of a big fish. It was annoying sure, but normal. What wasn't normal is that Slade stayed so long in place of failed assault. Usually, if his contract failed for whatever reason (such a rare occasion he has to say) he vanishes within moments. Now though...
'I'm pregnant'
The words were mellowed out, heavy and deep, as if there was something unsaid there, buried within, hid behind. Slade slowly picked up his riffle zipping it back in a case, his mind musing over the words over and over. The sound of them was almost hunting, because back in years... two times over... Adeline said them too. With the same buried anger. With the same dread. With the same fragile hope.
Slade jumped over the buildings ledge, just in time for the FBI helicopters to swoop overhead. The way down was simple and well-remembered, as Slade went over extraction routs over and over before mission, hammering it into his brain with iron will and persistence. It was easy to avoid police, to hide among shadows, to disappear. It was easy to reach the airport and roll his private jet on the runway. It was easy to get it into the skies and punch Bludhaven coordinates into the navigation system. It was easy to set the plane down hour later and reach his omegas apartment.
It was damn hard to knock.
"Slade?" the omega stood behind the open door, Slade’s own T-shirt , too big for him, hugging him loosely. It smelled like Slade, Dick smelled like Slade. And Slade’s self-control almost went to shits.
"Dick," he greeted and almost growled as omega tensed. "May I enter?"
Dick nodded stiffly and stepped aside offering Slade a direct entrance into his home. Considering how stiff he was Dick agreed more out of not wanting to cause a public scene than out of real willingness to have Slade in his territory.
The door clicked quietly behind them and Dick moved to the dinner room.
"What are you doing here, I thought you had a contract?" he asked faking nonchalance, the empty glasses in his hands that he took out of cupboard clicking loudly. He looked innocent like this. Entirely oblivious to the reason of Slade’s unexpected visit.
"I had," Slade dropped his gear at the door, toed off his boots and followed his omega into apartment beelining straight to the couch. "You called".
He heard Dick freeze in the kitchen, his omegas heart beating violently in his chest. Then he heard Dick exhale. Slow and deliberate.
"I did," he walked around the couch setting Slade’s glass full of whiskey in front of him on a small table and climbed onto the nearby armchair, curling on himself. Out of the corner of his eye, Slade noticed his hand moving to hover over his stomach briefly before Dick laid it on the armrest. Deliberately relaxing it. "You shouldn't fret over it though."
Dick shrugged and Slade’s hand froze, his glass halfway to his mouth.
"What do you mean? "
Dick shrugged again, not looking.
"It was a mistake. Neither of us wanted to have a child. But know what?" he chuckled bemused, "I guess accidents happen no matter what you do to avoid them."
Slade set his glass down and looked the omega over. Really looked. Dick seemed nervous -expected- but he also seemed resigned and determined in a way that told Slade he had already decided. No matter what Slade says there is no way on earth, in heaven or hell that he will change his mind.
"Okay,” Slade leaned back and Dicks brows furrowed, confused. He was smelling somewhat confused and strange in a way that Slade noticed only now.
”Okay? That’s it? "
Slade shrugged.
"You've made your mind," he pointed out his observation and Dick frowned even more. Then slowly, hesitantly he uncurled.
"I..." he coughed, nervous smile creeping onto his face. "I didn't expect you to be so civil, honestly."
Ouch, that hurt.
"That hurts, little bird."
Dick chuckled and relaxed completely.
"I mean," he waved his hand. "You didn't want this pup, so..."
Slade’s brows furrowed. Dick sounded almost like...
"You are keeping the pup?"
Dick froze. He slowly turned back to Slade his eyes wide with something akin to panic.
"I..."
Slade took a deep breath. The air smelled sour and bitter, Dicks scent almost entirely corrupted with something Slade didn't want to identify as 'terrified'. So he took a breath, calmed his own scent and scooted closer. There was some distance between them, Dick purposely choosing not to share the couch, but still. They were closer.
Dick reeled back, bumping into the backrest of the armchair. This close Slade smelled his anxiety. His unsteadiness. Dick was much more nervous and unsure than he wanted to portray.
He chuffed, a small, unpracticed sound that Dick startled at, his eyes going wide und even more scared. Slade sighed.
"Look, I didn't mean that... I... I just thought you are not going to keep the child." Dick’s chest puffed out and his scent flared in indignation. He opened his mouth to bit something out and Slade rushed to press forward. "Not like that, little bird, it's just... Dick, you are young."
Dick scoffed.
"Slade, I'm almost thirty. I never thought about my own kids, true, but sure you know I'm almost out of my fertility window? "
Slade raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him.
"The same fertility window that lasts till omega is 50? And that I know you are still in the prime of? "
Dick blushed, his scent being sprinkled with hints of arousal, underlined with unmistakable smugness, suggesting that he was greatly pleased and flattered with Slade’s words on some instinctive level. Dick waved a dismissive hand saying 'not the matter' and leaned over his knees.
"I don't know," he said strangely subdued. "If I should to keep it."
Slade sighed and leaned over, taking omegas hand into his own and rubbing it soothingly.
"You are young," he said and Dick scoffed, so that Slade felt the need to press. "You are young," he told Dick again. "That means you still have years ahead of you to carry your own pups. Years to meet an alpha, who you want to be their dad and your mate."
He gently cupped the side of Dick’s face who was looking at Slade with wide shocked eyes.
"I don't care whether you keep it or not. But I was sure that you decided to terminate earlier, because I know it will be all kinds of hard to have a child with your enemy. To have a child whose father kills to make money. Child, who will live constantly in danger because their father is world’s wanted one. Whose father has a shit record of even keeping his kids alive not just save. The problem is not you being not ready to be a mother, you will make great one, just ask Damien, the problem is this child being mine."
Dick’s breath hitched. He closed his eyes and leaned into Slade’s touch, almost nuzzling.
"I know," he whispered brokenly. “I thought the same."
Suddenly he laughed.
"God, Slade, you have no idea how much I want my own kids. Damien is good, sure, Damien is mine, but he is not mine in that primal sense that matters. My instincts, my deep buried instincts scream at me all the time to get bred, to get pupped, to get claimed."
A single tear broke free and slid down, wetting Slade’s palm.
"I never wanted this child, but is so damn hard. I don't think my instincts will allow me to kill it. And I fear that if I do it, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
Dick threw himself forward, and Slade’s arms caught him instinctively, hiding his omega in their safe protective cage.
"And I'm afraid it will ruin everything." Dick murmured quietly into Slade’s chest-plate. "I'm afraid it will ruin us."
That was a confession. The ugly truth of their relationship. Slade never had a great record with kids and spouses. Dick never had great record with alphas and relationships. Slade chuckles at the realization. It was almost funny in that screwed twisted way of life's irony.
"Maybe we are not hopeless after all," he murmurs into Dick’s head, rubbing omegas back slowly. Even without sight, he feels Dick frown.
"What do you mean?" the omega detangles himself out of Slade’s arms to look at him, brows furrowed.
"We don't need to decide now. Even if you are along two to three weeks, there is still more than a month to terminate safely. So we can test and see."
"Test what? "
"Us."
Dick’s eyes went wide and he leaned as far back as Slade’s arms let him.
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting? "
Slade nodded and raised his hand to rub it over Dick’s mating gland.
"Yes. We form a temporary bond. I move to Bludhaven and we try ourselves as a couple. "His hand stilled. "We try ourselves as a pack. If it doesn't work, if you decide you are not ready to bear this child, then you terminate and we can go back to what we had or start something new. If you decide to keep, than we proceed. If after birth something goes awry, there are options."
Dicks gaze was full of wonder.
"What options?"
"If you are ready to keep the child after it's born, then I will pay child support and be as present in their life as you want me. If you are not, I can raise them, or we can give them up entirely."
Dick frowned, but moved to nestle into Slade’s embrace once more. Despite his obvious displeasure at the described future, he smelled and looked far more relaxed. Having different options lined up in front of him did wonders to sooth his anxiety.
After several silent moments, Dick nodded.
"Okay," he said looking up at Slade. "Let's try being a family. Alpha."
And Slade’s world erupted. He leaned over, nuzzling into Dick’s neck and omega moaned, his scent righting itself, becoming once more something wild and free and entirely addictive.
“Now?” Slade asked nipping at Dick’s gland but waited till the omega swallowed and slightly nodded.
“Yeah. Will you…take me to bed?”
Slade rose his head to look him in the eyes. Without answering, he leaned in and kissed Dick hungrily.
“Without another thought, little bird.”
Dick laughed, an airy little sound that made Slade’s chest ramble. He went back no nibbling on Dick’s gland.
“You ready?”
“Yeah,” Dick’s hand tangled itself into Slade’s hair. “Go on.”
Slade bit. Not hard enough for a permanent bond, but enough to draw several drops of blood. He licked them instantly, basking in the long pleasured moan, escaping Dick’s lips, in the harsh metallic taste, in the taste of Dick’s skin and pheromones.
He gently manhandled his omega over, so Dick was sitting on his lap, chest-to-chest, easing long powerful legs on the either side of his own. Dick gave a little out-of-it chirrup, nuzzling into Slade’s neck and nipping on his gland. For such a short-time bond, they don’t need him biting Slade too, but Slade didn’t mind a little scarring. Considering that no other means could leave a mark on him, it was almost refreshing to have something on his skin.
Dick’s body shuddered, when Slade’s hand traveled over the curve of his spine all the way down. He moaned into Slade’s neck when the same hand reached lower under the hem of black shorts and into his pats.
“Someone’s eager,” Slade chuckled into Dick’s ear and nipped on his earlobe, coaxing another moan and a squeak. His fingers were gently rubbing over Dick’s private parts, feeling the increasing wetness and sweet-sweet heat. His other hand traveled up Dick’s front, fingers curling onto the hem of his shirt, riding it up and up and….
“Don’t.” Dick’s hand snapped out, halting Slade, and his eye flew open, wide and clear, no sigh of post-mating haze.
“Little bird?” Slade asked concerned as Dick tugged his shirt back down. He winced at other’s tone.
“Please, Slade. You can do everything, just not… not the shirt, please.”
Slade blinked entirely flabbergasted. Usually Dick liked when Slade played with his front and chest, so the eerily concern creeped over.
“Hey,” he gently coaxed Dick to look at him. “Little bird, what’s the matter?”
Dick winced once more and absolutely refused to meet Slade’s gaze.
“Just don’t…,” he protested weakly, making Slade’s instincts rear to the front. Not because of a disobedience (god knows Dick is the most disobedient omega in the entire galaxy and Slade loves exactly that) but because his omega didn’t feel safe enough to tell him what’s wrong.
“Okay,” Slade slowly moved his arm to lay it atop of the short. “I won’t.”
Dick relaxed instantly. His arms curled around Slade, his face tucked into alpha’s gland.
“Thank you,” he murmured pumping out ‘grateful’, ‘safe’, ‘mate me’. Slade kissed the top of his head, going back to previous ministrations. The sweet scent of arousal soon replaced the lingering bitterness and Slade trailed Dick’s covered body, trying to distract himself. It was somewhat easy when Dick picked up moaning once more and started humping Slade’s fingers meeting each thrust with his own. It was even easier when Dick’s lips covered his own, the clever little tongue so ready to fight and taunt giving up in this short battle for dominance. It was easy, when Dick’s hands snuck down and unzipped Slade’s pants, freeing his member and giving him a short blowjob. Short, because Slade wasn’t known for his extended patience.
He curled his arms under Dick’s legs and rose omega up, sitting him fully and properly on his lap. Dick moaned when Slade’s cock breached him, clawing at his shoulders.
“God, Slade, Slade, Alpha!” Dick came with a shout, shuddering in Slade’s arms, as he continued to fuck him into overstimulation. In the heat of the moment, Slade’s hands snuck under Dick’s shirt, trailing all too familiar path up his stomach to his chest. Slade teased and twisted Dick’s nipples, until the omega was a crying mess of slick and sweet shuddering through his second orgasm on Slade’s cock. As the warm rubbery walls tightened, Slade rummaged his cock up once more and came, letting his knot bind them together. Dick moaned at the feeling of warm come filling him. He smiled at Slade.
“Are you trying to pup me again?”
Slade snorted, whipping away tears from omega’s cheeks.
“Don’t worry. You can’t be more pregnant than you already are. Even you are not that fertile.”
Dick made an affronted sound, kicking Slade in the sheens. Then re rubbed his chest, grimacing.
“You are awful,” he grumbled, and rose his shirt to demonstrate his angry red abused nipples. “Why do you always…” he froze mid-sentence, looking terrified from his front at Slade and back. Slade felt dread curling in his gut.
Fuck. Fuck. He promised Dick he want that he won’t and then…fuck, fuck, fuck….
“Dick…” Dick’s entire face crumbled, the pure devastation leaking into his scent.
Before Slade managed to apologize, he said.
“You saw it, right?” he looked so upset, that Slade almost answered instinctual ‘no’ just to make him feel better, but then the meaning of Dick’s words downed on him. Because Slade hadn’t seen anything. Didn’t feel anything too.
“Saw what?”
Dick looked at him in resignation and slowly rose his shirt, revealing his abdomen.
“This,” he choked out, sounding utterly disgusted. Slade looked, and then run a cautious hand over Dick’s stomach, willing himself to feel the difference, if his single eye was finally betraying him.
There was nothing. The skin was smooth as usual, with tiny rough patches of scar tissue.
“Little bird, I don’t get it.”
Dick burst into tears.
“This!” he cried, grubbing Slade’s hand and putting it directly over…directly over…
Slade’s mind bluescreened. Because there under his fingers nestled between Dick’s sharp pelvic bones was a tiny-little bump. It was almost indistinguishable, so someone not accounted with the terrain of Dick’s body will never find it. But Slade, he knew Dick like no other. And now instead of the usual hollow there sat a bump. A tiny-little bump, directly where Dick’s womb was located.
Slade struggled for words.
Dick rose his head to look at him and whatever he saw on Slade’s face made him tug his shirt down aggressively.
“It’s awful isn’t it? And it will only become worse. I know that you like my body lean and muscular not…not fat and round like the pregnancy will make me.” He began to untangle himself from Slade and alpha’s arms snap out to hold him in place on instinct.
“That’s why… that’s why you didn’t want me under your shirt?”
Dick nodded sullenly and Slade almost laughed, relief flooding his systems. He didn’t, however, knowing perfectly well that it will set Dick off. He didn’t mention his ridiculous emotion outburst earlier either, as he knew that hormones made omegas react in the most absurd and ridiculous ways. Doesn’t mean that their emotions mattered any less however. As did they unfounded insecurities. So Slade leaned forward, bending almost in half and really testing his flexibility to leave a feather-light kiss on Dick’s stomach, directly over his womb. When he straightened, his omega was looking at him with round-wide eyes. Slade couldn’t resist his instincts to place a kiss over his lips too.
“I love you little bird. Lean and muscular, or heavy and fat, I don’t care. I like every ounce of you. Your every part,” he kissed Dick on the lips again, “your every scar,” he kissed an ugly mark from a bullet on his shoulder, “every imperfection,” kissed a long white line under his lower ribs left after a surgery. “I love you all.”
Dick was crying silently in his arms and Slade tucked him closer.
“Shh, little bird, its okay. We will figure it out.”
And in that exact moment Slade promised himself that he will preserve them. No matter the cost, he will keep right there, safe and protected in his arms and maybe, if he does well, he will have their child protected in his arms too.
Ah, what a fantasy.