The Way It Burns

[doubled_speed]

If there was ever anything he hated it was this part of himself. He'd been enough of a disappointment to his family before he was a mutant. Being an omega on top of it had been like, the final blow. In the end he hadn't been shocked at all that his family had abandoned him.

At least, with time, he had managed to learn how to deal with his... unique status. How suppressants hadn't worked on him. How he couldn't control any of this shit. The only advantage was that, as a speedster, his body worked different from that of most other people. It wasn't like he smelled so much like an omega. Not like he acted like one. So it was fine, right?

He was fine. This was fine.

Except... It wasn't. It wasn't even remotely fine. The worst part of not being able to predict your cycles is when you find someone. Someone great. Someone from another world who isn't an alpha or an omega or anything. So of course Tommy had, as soon as he'd realized what was gong on, locked himself in his room. Easier to pretend that no one was there to deal with him, to need to deal with him. Shutting himself away to deal with it was easier, especially when he'd stocked his room with food and water and snacks and other... necessities. Toys to make it easier, to help it pass.

The only issue with this heat? Well, it often drove a lot of logic out of his mind. Like the part that would remind him that he had long since given James a key to his room. Just in case he got stupid and refused medical treatment after a mission. His room where Tommy was on his bed, naked and writhing as he stroked himself, not yet ready to deal with the slickness between his legs.

Comments

[capson]

James didn't have any built-in assumptions about omegas other than what Tommy was feeding him. He just knew that his inner Alpha wanted to take care of Tommy, and thought Tommy was amazing, so that's what he was doing.

He made a pleased sound as Tommy hugged him. "Maybe a bath? For the sore? If that would help? But don't be. Embarrassed, I mean. You're ... that was ... you're just kind of perfect, and it was amazing. I wish you weren't sore though."

[doubled_speed]

"Dude, after how many times you fucked me, are you surprised I'm sore?" Tommy asks, rolling his eyes. And he looks up at James, trying not to... look vulnerable. There was still just enough Omega instincts in him right now that he had to wonder if the wishing meant his Alpha regretted it. Stupid fucking instincts.

"I feel weird, being that damn desperate."

[capson]

James blushed, even if he felt sort of proud too, and it showed. His hand came up to smooth through Tommy's hair.

"Okay," James said. "I mean ... you can feel however you feel but ... it's just me? I'm your soulmate, I love you, and I thought you were beautiful and amazing. Plus don't I get like that too? You called it something different. Uh ... rut? I think? But it's kind of the same, right?" James hesitated, because he really didn't want to, but after a second he still offered. "Do you want me to stay away? Next time?"

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah, you'll have a rut. It... isn't nearly as bad for an Alpha as it is for an Omega. Basically you just need to get your rocks off a bit. It's not days."

Wait, what? Stay away next time? Tommy glares up at him.

"Don't you even fucking dare. That was the easiest heat I've ever had you asshole. Toys don't compare to getting railed by a strong Alpha. And, fuck, the bite... it'd be hard to get another Alpha for it now."

[capson]

"I felt pretty desperate during that too." James shrugged a little, bending his head to kiss Tommy's shoulder. "So ... still not just you. I know it's not the same. But ... I don't know. I mean, I don't want you to feel bad about it?"

He laughed, shaking his head quickly. "No! I mean, I don't WANT to not be there. I just meant if it was making you feel weird, then I could stay away. I want ... god, Tommy, I really want to." He tightened his arms around his soulmate and growled very softly. "Maybe don't talk about another Alpha?"

He kissed the mark he'd left on Tommy's neck. "Is that okay? The bite?"

[doubled_speed]

Geez, he never expected someone to be this possessive over him. And... Well, he kind of WANTS it. Wants to be possessed. So badly.

"I mean, I would have wanted to wait a while before doing it, but... if it's you, yeah. It's okay. I didn't.. I didn't know you were an Alpha. I didn't. I'm sorry I kept so many secrets."

[capson]

James couldn't really help it. He didn't have years of working with his own hormones or inclinations to go on, he was still all instinct. So he didn't always know when he should try to batter something down and when he should just let it happen.

"I didn't really know what I was doing," James said, apologetically. "I'm sorry for doing it without asking or before you were ready. But I'm not ... sorry it's there? And you can still do it to me. Whenever you want." He made a little dismissive sound, face ducking to press into Tommy's neck, muffling his voice a bit. "I didn't know. How could you know? I don't think I was, at home. I think it's ... I don't know. Because I'm yours? So it's so I'm better for you? So you get everything you need and want. Since you deserve it."

He lifted his head to look at Tommy. "It's okay. You can tell me anything though, but I get why you didn't. If I'd found out that I had a knot on my dick when I wasn't with you, I might not have wanted to tell you, either, right away." Though it probably would have come up in context. Since James had no resistance to Tommy even when Tommy wasn't in heat.

[doubled_speed]

Nope, offering his own neck to Tommy is still hella arousing. Tommy moans and shifts away from James at the awkwardness of being hard. Again. Already. Fuck.

"Dude, when you offer your neck it's, like, fucking obscene."

And he's definitely not going to laugh at the idea of knots being shocking. James really didn't know what was going on. Hell they had so much education to give the guy.

[capson]

Oh, yeah. James could smell that now, even without that extra-sweet smell that James had learned to associate with Heat, he still could smell arousal. It was still pretty amazing smelling. He laughed and just stretched his neck out temptingly for Tommy, batting his eyelashes playfully and stroking a hand along his back. "So ... like when you were on your knees and I basically felt like I was gonna die if I didn't get inside you?" he teased. "It's okay. You can bite whenever you want, promise."

[doubled_speed]

He's really... Tommy just stares at James in shock, blushing.

"You don't get it, James. An Alpha accepting an Omega's mark is... it's like."

Wait. They're... soulmates. This is still a step down. This is what people who aren't soulmates do. Guess he just... has stupid instinct stuff going on. So he moves and licks over the bared skin.

"You want it?"

[capson]

James blushed constantly. He was pale and freckled and redheaded, it just happened. But it was so freaking cute when Tommy did it, and James loved it, leaning in to kiss him again.

James shrugged. "I don't know what Alphas do. But I don't care? I'm not an Alpha taking an Omega's mark. I'm taking YOUR mark. I'm taking my soulmate's mark. And yeah, I want it. I want everything from you."

James shivered when Tommy licked him, arm curling tighter around him.

[doubled_speed]

Everyone is going to know. And Tommy decides not to care. Instead he grazes his teeth against James' neck.

"I am a bit peckish."

[capson]

James hadn't really thought about everyone knowing. But if he had, he would have liked that anyway. He was kind of ridiculously proud that Tommy wanted anything to do with him. He loved the mark he had from Tommy, and another one that Tommy did deliberately - yeah, James wanted that.

He laughed at the words though. "Dork," he accused. Because Tommy wasn't, really. He was a million times cooler than James. But he also kind of was sometimes. "Eat up then," he said, neck arching, trying to be inviting.

[doubled_speed]

Very inviting. Tommy groans and finally sinks his teeth in, biting firmly and holding there to make sure the mark takes. Once he lets up he licks over the new, faint mark imprinted on James' skin.

"Mine," he mumbles, nuzzling the other man's neck, scenting him. He smelled so damn good.

[capson]

It hurt, but it was a sharp kind of hurt that somehow felt good, too. Felt right? James sucked in a sharp breath, pulse of aroused heat going through him with the bite. "Tommy," he said, thick-voiced and that kind of hopelessly enraptured he couldn't help but be with his soulmate sometimes.

His fingers found the mark he'd left on Tommy's neck too, touching there as Tommy scented him. "Yeah. Yours. Always," James promised.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy groans over the touch, shivering. James doesn't even know what he's saying there, but it's good.

"So you know, the team is probably going to want to throw a party for us."

[capson]

James didn't understand instincts or how things worked exactly. But he understood soul mates, and he understood what always meant just fine. So he knew what he was saying. It didn't really matter what happened - he'd always be Tommy's. Even if something happened and they weren't together, he'd still be Tommy's. But James didn't intend to let that happen if he could do anything about it. They had marks and now anatomy telling them they were supposed to be together. It meant something. James loved him, he wasn't half-hearted about that.

"Mmmm," James agreed absently. And then registered what Tommy said and lifted his head. "What? A party?"

[doubled_speed]

“Of course a party,” Tommy rolls his eyes before rolling away from James. Sorry. A shower and nice clothes are totally needed. Figures people might just drop everything, talk Tony int getting them reservations somewhere nice. Or get something catered. Who knows, maybe Tommy could even find a way to pull strings to get at least Steve here for this.

“We’re not just soulmates. Alpha biting an Omega is possession. Omega biting back? Dude normally there’s weddings before that for non-soulmate pairs.”

[capson]

"Parties are still weird to me. It was just the few of us at home for stuff like birthdays. We usually didn't even remember them on our own. Now they mean so many people." James was getting more used to crowds and noise and people, but he could still get anxious with too many. It helped when Tommy was there, especially if Tommy touched him.

Oh. James hadn't realized just how serious it was. "Do you want to get married?" he asked. It was already forever to him. He wouldn't mind that too. They were probably too young - but if James had already done something that meant that anyway, he didn't really care.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy moves to his dresser and looks at himself in it, his fingers coming up to touch his neck. To touch the mark.

"Hate to break it to you, James, but effectively, we are. Like, not the legal rights shit, but the other stuff? Sorta yeah, that's what we got up to."

But he got it. James was the sort of guy that just committed to things.

"And our friends will want to celebrate that for us."

[capson]

James sat up finally, still lazy and sluggish but willing to move. He was watching Tommy mostly though, because ... well, he could. He loved to watch Tommy move.

He cocked his head though, frowning a little. "Are you upset? That I did it?" he asked. "And I get that it means practically married. I mean, I get that NOW. But if you wanted to be married too, I'd do that too. That's all I meant."

"A party sounds okay," James said. He stretched a kink out of his back and then walked over to stand behind Tommy, hugging him. It was just really hard to keep his hands off of him.

[doubled_speed]

There's a sort of grace that comes with speed and reaction times like Tommy's. Especially when he's not thinking about it. But mostly he's enjoying the look. His fingers glide over the mark again and he smiles.

This, right here, this is proof. That someone wants him. Tommy almost wants to cry.

"I'm yours," he whispers softly. "And I love you. And you want me. How could this not be okay?"

The married thing probably won't happen. That would just be tempting fate.

[capson]

James can't help the smile that lights up his whole face, or the way his arms tighten around Tommy. Hearing him say it is ... it's just amazing. He loves Tommy, that was probably inevitable from the moment he got Tommy's mark. But hearing Tommy say it back ... James just hadn't really known how lonely he was until he had this with Tommy, bonded and held tight and loved. He hadn't thought he'd ever have this, and he hadn't known to miss it. But now that he had it - everything was so much better. He missed his family, he worried about his world. But James couldn't give this up with Tommy, ever.

"You're mine," James affirmed, nuzzling Tommy's shoulder and hugging him tighter. "People can throw parties for that all they want. I'm never going to get any luckier than getting you."

[doubled_speed]

Oh god. Tommy's heart is pounding. Can James feel it. Can James smell it? This is amazing. He pulls James's arms tighter around him and smiles.

"No one's ever wanted me like you want me.]

[capson]

"How could they not?" James said, tightening his arms happily and hugging him closer, face pressing into the back of his neck, Tommy's back against his chest. "You're everything."

"You're smart, and you're funny, and you're heroic, and you're generous. You're sexy and you didn't have to be patient with me not knowing anything, but you ARE, anyway, even though it must seem like everything that takes me too long takes a million years longer to you. You're gorgeous and you care so much about your family and your team and doing the right thing, even if you don't want to seem it. You look REALLY good in your uniform and you make me laugh and you're just ... I'm really lucky you even gave me any time, Tommy. I'll always be lucky to have gotten you." Even if they got pissed off with each other, which they probably would since they both had tempers and could be stubborn. But it wouldn't change anything for James ever.