Archive of Our Own

In the end, people’s warnings were just that. Warnings. And his routine wasn’t particularly disrupted. Life had changed, drastically so, but Dex was already used to adapting and surviving. He’d had to do it his whole life, under far worse conditions than this. Compared to his childhood, this was absolute paradise. 

The apartment isn’t that big, but it has an open kitchen that makes it feel spacious. The living room is nicely furnished, the bathroom has a comfortable tub, and the main bedroom has simply the most perfect lighting ever. It’s located near Hell’s Kitchen, dangerously close to Clinton Church. It’s on the top floor and has a balcony with a wonderful view. It’s an apartment fit for a lawyer with his own firm, ignoring the fact that the lawyer and his partner are fresh out of bankruptcy, and it’s undoubtedly a huge upgrade from that damned psychiatric ward.

It’s possibly the most comfortable cage Dex has ever been in. Though of course, it’s not a cage. It’s his home, as foreign as that word may sound. It’s been his home for a year and a half now, almost two. You can tell by how his distinct scent of roses and milk permeates every corner of the apartment.

The clock reads eight o’clock; outside, the sun is shining brightly, trying to squeeze its light between New York’s skyscrapers, and the wind blows at just the right temperature. Oh, it would be a perfect morning if only Dex had woken up in his alpha’s arms, but the scent fading from the sheets is just another sign that Matt didn’t spend the night at home. Or the night before.

With no reason to stay in bed, he starts his day. He does his morning exercises: three sets of twenty push-ups and four sets of fifteen squats. He makes breakfast: fried eggs with toast and tea, washes the dishes, and makes the bed he shares with Matt. The clock strikes nine as he’s folding clothes, and with the precision of a swiss watch, a cry is heard from the other room in the apartment.

Dex smiles at the sound and leaves the clothes half-folded to head toward the small room. There, in the middle of the white-walled room, lying in a crib, is a tiny creature. A baby less than a year old, wrapped in a salmon-colored onesie with flower patterns. At the sight of Dex, her crying eases a little, but doesn’t settle down completely.

“Good morning, Maddie. How’s my little miracle?” the omega greets her, as he picks her up and brings her close to his face to brush his nose against the baby’s cheeks and bathe her in his scent.

Smelling her mother’s scent, the baby finally stops crying and touches the scar on the omega’s face with her tiny fingers. The touch tickles Dex, and he pulls his pup away from his face so he can look into her eyes, big and round, and as intensely brown as her father’s.

“Do you like my scar? Your daddy gave it to me,” says Dex, gently rocking Maddie. The baby laughs, and he laughs along with her. “That’s right, Maddie, your daddy is a very funny alpha. He was supposed to mark my neck, but he marked my face instead. Silly alpha.”

And now that Maddie is awake and ready to start her day, Dex can continue with his routine. Change her, feed her, put her down for a nap, and wait together for Matt to arrive.

The warnings had really been just that. 

Unnecessary and ridiculous warnings.

Madeline Margaret Murdock is the name of his pup with Matt, the product of their union as mates. His little miracle, a living example of the power and resilience of an omega’s body—of Dex’s body. A gift from God to a couple destined to be together like Matt and him.

Maybe he’s a little biased because Maddie is his, but Dex believes she’s the most perfect baby in the whole world. He adores her completely, from the blonde locks on her head to her tiny little feet, so small they are almost useless. He adores the deep scent of milk that emanates from the crown of her head, a reflection of Dex's own scent. Maddie is too small to have a scent of her own, so she takes refuge in Dex's, perhaps a bit too much.

He loves dressing her in cute dresses and onesies. His personal favorite is a white dress with light blue polka dots. He always pairs it with light blue bloomers that cover her diaper and a cute blue cardigan he crocheted during his pregnancy—apparently, those crochet hooks were good for more than just being thrown at AVTF officers.

And, oh, not to mention, of course, the collection of hair accessories and little shoes the girl had. She was a spoiled little princess, but there was no way she wouldn't be. Not when she was the daughter of Matt Murdock, the prodigal son of Hell’s Kitchen. When the grannies and omegas of the city found out that Counselor Murdock had become a father, they filled his office with knitted items and handmade clothes for the baby.

Dex would have loved to thank them in person for their affection toward his alpha and his pup, but Matt had insisted that it was a bad idea for Dex to go to the firm, since Kirsten was upset that the office looked less and less like an office and more like a flea market because of the sheer volume of gifts they received as payment.

And like most of the things Matt decided, it had been for the best that Dex hadn’t met the knitting grandmothers. In one of the packages was a card congratulating Matt on his baby with Miss Page. The rage Dex felt was so overwhelming that he smashed all the dishes in the apartment against the wall, and not even Maddie’s crying would calm him down.

It wasn’t until Matt came back that night and held him tightly in his arms that Dex was able to snap out of it.

But that doesn’t matter, those misunderstandings are in the past, and Maddie is completely and utterly his daughter. And it’s not as if anyone else could be a mother to the baby, not when Dex is simply perfect for the role. I mean, that’s what he was born to do, right?

Right?

And he’s excellent at it. He knows the exact position he has to hold her in to get Maddie to stop crying. He knows her bottles have to be exactly 210 ml so she won’t be hungry. He knows she tends to roll onto her left side at night, so he has to place pillows on that side of the crib so she doesn’t end up face down.

He knows that without him, Maddie wouldn’t survive a single day. He tested it once. He left Maddie in her rocking chair in the living room and stepped out into the apartment hallway. He waited there, standing still in front of the door, glancing at the watch on his wrist, greeting the neighbors as they passed by. It took the baby an hour to start crying, and as soon as she did, Dex rushed into the apartment and pressed her tightly against his chest, showering her with roses and milk. According to his research, she was well below the average of what a baby could endure without her omega parent, but that didn’t worry Dex. It just meant that his adorable pup loved him as much as he loved her.

“If only your dad loved me as much as you do, Maddie,” he says to the baby, watching her drool all over a wooden block. They’re both lying on the living room rug. After a few seconds, he can’t take it anymore and snatches the block away, throwing it without looking. It bounces off the wall and lands in the toy basket. “Don’t do that—you’ll leave everything smelling like drool. That’s why you have a pacifier.”

Dex sighs. He was hoping Matt would arrive soon, or he’d start to get bored. As wonderful as she was, at the end of the day, Maddie was just a baby.

But he knows Matt won’t be arriving soon, he isn’t lucky enough to see his alpha anytime soon. Matt will show up around dinnertime, and that’s if he’s early. Most of the time he comes back late at night, and there are days when he doesn’t come home at all, like the last few. Dex hates those days. He’d much rather have those few times Matt comes home in his suit, his body covered in wounds, so sore that he has no choice but to stay in bed to be pampered by his omega.

His bad mood is soon replaced by a soft, rosy feeling that fills his chest and makes him laugh. It’s been a while since Matt came home injured, it would be nice if it happened again soon… He loves Matt’s whiskey scent mixed with his blood. It’s an intense, sharp fragrance that tingles his entire body. Maybe when he gets home this afternoon, he could bite him a little. If his alpha is feeling kind, Matt will let him, and he’ll be able to bite his neck and reaffirm their bond.

And if he’s really lucky, Matt will say no, and he’ll have to get what he wants through slightly more violent means.

Oh. The idea delights him so much that his scent becomes sickly sweet, like strawberry milk and chocolate-covered roses. There isn’t a single spot in the room that doesn’t smell like that. An ecstatic smile spreads across his face, and he squints his eyes. Maybe if he imagines it hard enough, Matt will materialize right in front of him.

The thought is abruptly cut short, as Maddie, who’s already crawling very well and is learning to walk while holding onto furniture, throws herself onto his chest, planting both hands against him. The Matt of Dex’s imagination—tall, charming, and ever-present—disappears, and the giddy feeling dissipates just a little. Dex opens his eyes, and his strong arms are quick to grab Maddie and start lifting her up and down again and again. Maddie’s laughter is high-pitched and melodious, very much like her father’s, the real one, flesh and blood. Not quite as tall, not quite as charming, and somewhat absent.

“What’s up, Mads? Do you like heights?” he asks the baby.

He doesn’t bother to use a baby voice. Ever since she was born, he’s spoken to Maddie in the same tone, even though Claire and Soledad recommended he use a softer tone. Unnecessary, right? His whole body had already changed for this little girl, why would he have to change his voice, too?

“Of course you like them—you’re Daredevil’s daughter,” he answers for her. Even though Maddie has already given her answer, bursting into another fit of laughter, completely captivated by the game. “I like them, too. It’s impossible to miss when you’ve got the high ground. Up there, even gravity is your ally… Not that I'm capable of missing a shot anyway.”

Maddie stops laughing and starts yawning, so Dex finishes the arm movement and instead begins to gently rock her, holding her close to his chest where she can feel the steady comfort of his presence.

“Don’t you think it’s a little too early for the first nap of the day, Maddie? We’ve only been awake for a couple of hours.”

The clock on the wall shows it’s barely ten o’clock. Maddie usually takes her morning nap at eleven. The little girl isn’t one to deviate from her set schedule, so Dex can only assume that the surge of his pheromones has worn her out prematurely. Well, what’s done is done, and in mere seconds his pup is fast asleep. Carefully, Dex gets up and lays her down in her crib.

Maddie has thrown his whole schedule off with that unexpected nap, but he hasn’t reacted badly. He hasn’t scolded her or forbidden her from taking a nap. Isn’t he a good omega?

It would be lovely if Matt were here so he could congratulate him with a kiss that leaves him breathless, or scold him for messing up Maddie’s schedule and refuse to touch him, all while enveloping him in his scent.

And the rosy feeling returns with such intensity that Dex can’t help but daydream about his distant alpha.

(...)

Maddie’s nap lasts exactly one hour and fifteen minutes. Dex wakes her before she reaches an hour and sixteen minutes, he fears the baby won’t fall asleep at all that night if she sleeps longer than necessary. Not to mention, of course, that she still has her four o’clock nap to go. Babies sleep too much for Dex’s liking, but he has learned to appreciate the time he has without Maddie clinging to him.

He carries the baby out to the apartment’s balcony, where they have a small table, a couple of plants, and a mini play area for Maddie. The railing is enclosed with mesh to prevent Maddie from crawling through the gaps and having an accident, but the top has no extra barriers—Matt sometimes comes in this way when he returns from patrol. Dex thinks it’s a good place to take a twenty minute breather with his little one, so he grabs his discman, the day’s newspaper and sits down to soak up the New York sunshine.

Billy Joel’s voice fills his ears, calming his mind and putting him in a pleasant state of tranquility. A cup of coffee would make everything much better, but it’s not exactly advisable to expose the pup to caffeine. He turns the page; in the sports section, the Yankees lost again. Dex grumbles, maybe he should go and teach them how to pitch a perfect game. It’s not that hard, it’s just throwing a ball—there’s no science to it.

He turns the page again and smiles at the sight of Matt’s face on the paper. He looks so handsome in a suit, especially with that red tie with burgundy polka dots Dex had given him. Come on, Vanessa Fisk—may she not rest in peace—wasn’t the only one who could dress her alpha. The headline talks about attorney Murdock’s excellent day in court in the grueling trial against that vigilante who was becoming famous. The one who stuck to walls and dressed in red… Anyway, Matt was defending him against charges that were no longer valid, since along with Fisk, the anti-vigilante law had also gone away. And as the last trial under that law, it was turning out to be quite a media spectacle.

Dex wasn’t complaining, photos of Matt were always welcome.

Maddie tugs at his leg to get his attention. He pauses Billy Joel and picks up his daughter. The pup is quick to open her mouth and latch onto his chest, leaving a circle of drool on his blue cotton shirt.

“Madeline, how many times do I have to tell you that I hate it when you drool on my clothes? Laundry isn’t cheap, you know?” he snorts, annoyed, and Maddie couldn’t care less. She just looks at him with her huge brown eyes, unaware that her mother is angry. “Are you hungry? It’s too early for lunch. If you’d taken your nap when you were supposed to, you wouldn’t be hungry.”

That’s what Dex says, but he still takes off his headphones and settles Maddie against his chest, lifting his shirt just enough so the baby can reach his nipple. Maddie doesn’t waste a second looking for her food.

“Try not to bite me, okay? Or I’ll give you the bottle,” he warns. The little one’s first teeth have come in, and there have already been a couple of incidents during feedings. Maddie blinks, that’s enough of an answer for Dex.

With both hands occupied with the baby, he can no longer read the newspaper, so he observes the world around him. Maddie’s hair is a little long… should he cut it? No, she might lose those cute little blonde curls, but lately she’s been pulling at her hair when she gets bored. He’ll decide with Matt when the alpha arrives.

Hopefully it’ll be soon. Once in a blue moon, he comes over for lunch. Could they get lucky today? He doesn’t think so, not with this whole “insect boy” business.

That reminds him of something.

“Maddie, we need to go buy ingredients for dinner. I have something in mind for your dad, and we don’t have a single thing I need to make it.”

Maddie looks at him and then ignores him again. Nothing is more important than milk.

“Madeline Margaret Murdock, you should care a little more about your dad,” he says, gently pinching his pup’s nose. “He works so hard so we can have a nice home in a nice neighborhood, with nice neighbors…”

The click of a camera cuts off Dex’s train of thought. It’s a rather subtle sound, one only his military-trained ears could pick up. Instinctively, he goes on alert. Is someone watching him and his pup? Maddie whines at the change in position, and Dex tries to calm her with a hug of roses and milk. The click sounds again—okay, they’re definitely the camera’s target.

The omega settles into his seat and tries to pretend he hasn’t noticed he’s being photographed, while his eyes scan for the source of the sound. A couple of seconds pass without incident, and then... Click! Dex has found his target.

From the building across the street, the resident of the third apartment on the fifth floor—a beta IT intern and neighbor of the sweet, newly licensed nurse who always recommends probiotics for Maddie—hides behind the curtain, camera in hand, waiting for the right moment to photograph Dex feeding his pup.

A deep revulsion rises in Dex’s stomach, rotting his very essence in an instant. A beta man, a techie who sells bitcoin and objectifies omegas… Dex had to admit it bothered him to share a street with such scum.

He looks down and smiles at Maddie. “Let’s try not to date betas, okay?”

Without letting go of Maddie, he pulls the CD out of his discman and, with his trademark precision, flings it straight at the beta neighbor’s camera. The CD hits the camera lens, sliding through the beta’s fingertips. The pain and shock cause him to drop the camera, and, oh, the five-story fall destroys it completely, along with its SD card.

“Well! That’s enough milk for today, Mads, or you won’t want lunch later,” says Dex, getting up from his comfortable chair and carrying Maddie inside the apartment. “What a bummer. I really liked that CD.”

Ten minutes and twenty seconds away from the apartment is a grocery store that Dex loves, since it has just about everything. Including an elderly couple who own it, who are always happy to see him when he shows up with Maddie and give him discounts on his purchases. It’s the kind of family-run shop that gives a neighborhood identity, the type that likes to interact with the community and build relationships. It’s the same with them, and as soon as Dex walks in pushing Maddie’s stroller, they greet him with a huge smile.

“Tony! Come here, son,” says the owner, calling him by his fake name. Giorgia, an argentinian immigrant, who used to work as a seamstress in her home country before her husband convinced her to seek a better life in the United States. “Let me see little Madeline.”

Without a word, Dex rolls the stroller over, and Giorgia is delighted to see the baby, who, knowing she’s the center of attention, is all smiles.

“You’re just in time. I was just telling my sisters that the famous lawyer Mateo’s omega shops here and that they have the cutest little girl in the neighborhood. Dios me bendiga a la nena.”

There are a couple of women standing next to Giorgia, all very much like her, who are also smiling and doting on Maddie. A little way off from them, tending the register, is Giorgia’s granddaughter, Violeta—perhaps the only person in her family who isn’t a fan of him and Maddie—, a teenager with heavy eyeliner and black-painted lips. 

She's going through her punk phase, or so her grandmother says. Whenever he goes there, Violeta follows him with her eyes, as if she knows who he really is.

Some say that the noses of pups going through their transition are sensitive enough to smell when someone is lying. For everyone's sake, Dex hopes it's just a rumor.

“Go ahead and do your shopping, Tony, we’ll keep an eye on the little one.”

It’s not an idea that particularly delights Dex, but seeing as the three women already have his daughter in their care, he figures he doesn’t have much of a choice.

“Take good care of her, okay?” he says, winking at the three sisters, who laugh coyly.

“Ya entiendo cómo se robó al señor Murdock,” one of them says. “Es un omega encantador.”

Oh, thanks, of course he is.

Dex grabs a basket and starts looking for what he needs for dinner. Spaghetti, heavy cream, mushrooms…

He sets the ingredients aside when he sees that they’ve brought in Daredevil masks in the toy section. Wow, so Fisk really lost the support of the entire city, huh? He picks one up and looks at it with amusement. The material is pretty cheap, flimsy, and nothing like the real thing, but it serves its purpose, and when you look at it, you can picture the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

Would Matt get mad if he bought it? It would be a fun addition for a future date night. With a mischievous grin, he tosses it into the basket. He grabs a couple more items and heads to the checkout. The ladies are still captivated by Maddie, who’s now playing with a stuffed tiger someone must have given her.

Violeta begins scanning the items, very slowly, her eyes fixed on him. Dex smiles at her, calm, like someone who hasn’t done anything wrong—because, in fact, he hasn’t. His record has been clean for over a year. He’s a good person and a good omega.

“That’ll be twenty-five dollars and thirty cents,” says the teenager, after three minutes and eleven seconds that felt like an eternity. Dex hands her the cash, and she begins packing the items into paper bags. As she hands them over, she leans in close and whispers. “You know what? You can tell me you’re Bullseye. You’re a little rough around the edges, but you killed that fascist bitch Vanessa Fisk, so I’m totally down with you.”

Dex laughs. “Why would Bullseye come to a grocery store to buy a Daredevil mask and ingredients for dinner?”

Violeta shrugs. “The guy can’t spend all his time killing corrupt cops, someone has to take care of the house. That’s just the alpha-centric bullshit that’s been imposed on this society.”

“Oh yeah?”

The teenager nods, quite sure of herself. She’s so sure of herself that Dex finds it fun lying to her. “Don’t laugh so much. I saw the photos, and you look just like Benja Poindexter.”

“Benja Poindexter?” A new nickname, apparently. The girl’s argentinian accent gave his name a unique twist, which he had to admit sounded pleasant.

“Benjamin Poindexter, Bullseye’s real name. C’mon, you can find anything on Twitter. And you look exactly like him, no te hagás el boludo.”

“I’ve never seen this Benja Poindexter guy.” The nickname doesn’t come out as well for him as it does for the teenager —his accent was way too american. “So I couldn’t tell you if we look alike or not. And I don’t know if you remember, but my last name is Murdock, Violeta.”

“I don’t see a ring that says so, though.”

Ouch. Apparently, the teenager had realized she wouldn’t get anything out of him, and any positive feelings she might have had died, returning to her usual bored expression and harsh words.

“Violeta, déjate de joder a Tony,” says Giorgia. Dex’s spanish isn’t the best, but he’s grateful that Giorgia is sticking up for him against her fearsome granddaughter.

Violeta rolls her eyes and, before turning her gaze back to her phone, whispers one last thing.

“Keep playing the fool, fine, but if you ever have to go kill some fascist Yanks and you don’t have anyone to watch the little girl, you can count on me.”

Dex can’t hold back his laughter any longer and winks at Violeta. Adorable young lady. She’ll definitely be a beta.

“Let’s go, Mads, we have to cook for Dad.”

The group of ladies say goodbye to Maddie with great cheer and a bunch of compliments for her. Maddie isn’t smiling at them or doing tricks anymore. Apparently, she’s gotten bored of all the attention they’ve been giving her.

She knows how to handle people, but gets tired of them quickly. He figures she inherited that from him.

They leave the store, and Dex can finally stop smiling like an idiot. He’s also gotten tired of doing tricks.

(...)

It’s such a beautiful day that it would have been a shame to head straight home after finishing their shopping, and since they are ahead of their schedule, Dex decides to take Maddie to a park near Clinton Church. If they’re lucky, they might catch a glimpse of Grandma from afar. It would be fun, Maddie doesn’t know her, and Dex isn’t sure if Matt has told the nun that he had a pup.

Oh my God, now that he thinks about it, it would be hilarious to go to the church and show Sister Maggie the baby. “Hello, Sister Maggie! Do you remember me? I’m former Special Agent Poindexter, the one who killed Father Lantom. But I kinda regret that! Oh, this is your granddaughter Madeline, because our Matty decided that my punishment would be to be his omega. How are you doing?”

The idea makes him burst out laughing. He’d actually do it if it weren’t for the fact that Matt would probably beat him up for getting close to his mother. Maybe he should do it just so Matt can slap him around a bit, ever since Maddie was born, things in the bedroom have gotten a little boring. He understands that Matt now feels like he has to protect him because he’s the mother of his pup, but, hey! A little rough play in bed never hurt anyone.

Anyway, Dex stays on that park bench. The breeze is warm and carries the scent of flowers. Spring is fast approaching, and with it, Maddie’s first birthday. Soon the baby will want to run all over the place, and taking her out won’t be as easy as leaving her in the stroller to watch people go by.

It’s a bit risky for them to be so exposed. He has to admit that. The mix of scents could make Maddie sick and give her colic. Pups’ noses are especially sensitive to the scents of people outside their pack.

And oh, sure, someone might recognize him as Bullseye—someone other than Violeta—but that’s a minor detail. Although Dex knows Matt hates him spending much time outside the apartment for this reason, a little fresh air will do Maddie good, help her wash off the old-lady smell she picked up at the store. His pup needs some exposure to the outside world, her whole world can’t just be Dex. Though he doesn’t mind if it is.

Besides, if Matt wants them to stay in the apartment all day, he should at least be kind enough to be with them. What more does Matt want? Waiting for him at home is an omega who could kill for him—and has done so—and a healthy, cheerful puppy. And yet, Matt is incapable of getting home before dawn.

The thought angers Dex, and his anger makes his inner omega feel guilty for getting angry at the alpha who gave them a pup and a nest. That inner conflict frustrates him so much that his pheromones turn sour. The roses turn stale and the milk goes bad.

Maddie lets out a wail at the smell, and Dex shoots her a slightly annoyed look. She should understand how hard it is to live with a useless inner omega. Yet something inside him tells him that Maddie will be an alpha just like Matt. She’s possessive even as a baby, you can tell by how she tries to bite everything she thinks is hers.

Even him, but of course, Dex won’t let her. Maddie is his, not the other way around.

The baby lets out another whimper, louder than the last and threatening to turn into a tantrum. Yes, she’ll be an alpha. She’s selfish, if she were going to be an omega, she’d be purring to try to comfort him and make him feel better.

“You’re just like your father, you know?” he says. This time, not as a compliment.

“What are you talking about? Apart from Matt's eyes, she’s a carbon copy of you.”

The voice comes from behind him. It’s high-pitched, but not as much as it used to be. Time really flies, doesn’t it? And that’s why it’s no surprise that Angela del Toro is a little taller than the last time he saw her.

“Well, if it isn’t the little tiger. What brings you here? Did you come to sharpen your claws on a tree?”

Angela doesn’t laugh at the joke, instead frowning slightly in annoyance. She’s more mature now, no longer does she have that milky scent of a pup. Now her scent is of lemon and orchids, though still incomplete. It seems she hasn’t yet completed her transition to her secondary sex. Although it’s already clear she’ll be an alpha.

“It’s obvious I didn’t come to see you, Poindexter. I caught a familiar scent and saw that Maddie was here,” she replies. “I was hoping it was Matt who’d brought her to the park. Apparently I was too naive.”

“Yeah. Totally,” says Dex, not mincing words. “I mean, Maddie’s scent is my scent.”

Angela rolls her eyes and doesn’t bother responding. Instead, she sits down next to him on the bench and turns the stroller so Maddie can see her. The baby stops fussing when she sees her, her big brown eyes even light up a little. She knows Angela, her scent has accompanied and protected her since she was in the womb. She’s one of the few people Matt has allowed to get close to his daughter. One of the few people Dex doesn’t feel threatened by.

Maddie reaches out her tiny hand toward Angela, seeking contact with her. The young woman takes it immediately, offering her left pinky for Maddie to squeeze. Maddie does so with all her strength—which isn’t much—and without a second thought, she bites it.

“Ouch!” Angela cries out. “Maddie! When did you get your teeth?”

“Eighty-three days ago,” Dex replies. “First the lower incisors, and exactly a month ago the upper ones started coming in. You can imagine that breastfeeding isn’t as much fun anymore.”

“Like hell it is,” the girl agrees, rubbing her finger where the baby bit her. Four deep marks, but not deep enough to break the skin, now glisten on the reddened flesh. “Damn. That really hurt, Maddie.”

“She doesn’t mean any harm. Her gums are itchy, so she bites absolutely everything. It’s a two-for-one deal for her, it soothes her itch and marks her territory. How easy it is to be an alpha, huh, Mads?”

Somehow, Maddie looks at him and closes one eye. Dex laughs. Little devil, winking even at such a young age, she’s so much Matt’s daughter it’s almost painful.

“You think she’ll be an alpha? Yeah… I can see the vision. My auntie has a knack for these things. If you want, take Maddie to see her one day, and she’ll be able to tell you whether Maddie will be an alpha, a beta, or an omega.”

“Nah. I know she’ll be an alpha. I have no doubt about it.”

He says this and gently pinches Maddie’s nose, causing her to close both eyes and sneeze at the touch. Amused by her own sneeze, she claps her hands, proud of herself. Angela laughs at her sweet gesture.

It hurts Dex a little to know that since Maddie will be an alpha, their time together will be limited. One day she’ll meet an omega and leave without looking back to build a life with her partner. That’s what every proper alpha does.

That’s what Matt is unable to do.

But that’s because Dex isn’t a proper omega either.

The wind is blowing again. It has gotten cold.

The conversation with Angela is surprisingly pleasant, more so than Dex had expected. He returns to his apartment in a noticeably better mood, having completely forgotten any resentment he felt toward Matt. It’s impossible to hold a grudge after what Angela has told him.

“We all know that Daredevil is the heart of the city. But Matt Murdock is becoming the hope of New York, he proves that the legal system in this country can still be trusted.”

Dex’s stomach fills with butterflies as if he were a schoolgirl in love. His alpha is simply the best. Unmatched in New York or the entire world. And God gave Matt to him and him alone, so he must stop being ungrateful and wait for his arrival with open arms and a smile whenever he comes.

Dex turns on the radio and an old ballad starts playing, perfect for getting started in the kitchen. The clock reads 5:30; Maddie woke up a little while ago from her second nap of the day and is in a good mood. The omega picks his pup up and places her in her learning tower so she can join him in the task.

Of all the household chores, cooking is perhaps the one he likes the least. Cleaning has always helped him clear his mind, but for most of his life, cooking and eating were just chores. Another thing Matt changed in him. As he starts cooking the noodles in the pot, Dex chuckles to himself. Who would have thought?

Preparing the dinner he has been planning all day, hoping his alpha will like it so much that he’ll feel the need to never leave.

Who would have thought…

Maddie grabs one of the mushrooms and tries to pop it into her mouth, but she fails because Dex—now used to having eyes in the back of his head when it comes to his pup—snatches it away, earning a pout from the little girl.

“No, no, Maddie, mushrooms are eaten cooked,” he says, pointing to the vegetable in his hand. Maddie stretches out her arms, trying to take it from him. “Mushroom, can you say it?”

The baby babbles a couple of sounds, none of them close to “mushroom.” He figures it’s a very complex word for a baby. Dex returns to his task, peeling and slicing the mushrooms to make a white sauce. The spaghetti is cooking nicely in the pot; seven minutes and twenty-eight seconds more and it will be perfect. Calculating how long it will take to set the table, serve the plates, and freshen up a bit so they can eat dinner at its peak, Matt must arrive in twenty minutes.

It would be around 6:30. That’s a decent time to get home for an alpha with kids.

Dex slices the mushrooms more vigorously, trying to ignore that voice in his head telling him there’s no way Matt could get home by then. No, no, no, with a perfect dinner, Matt has no choice but to come back to them. He glances at the pasta timer, there are six minutes and fifty-six seconds left. He has to stay focused, they can’t be overcooked by even a second. He takes the pan off the heat and starts preparing the sauce.

15 grams of butter, let it melt. It takes one minute and three seconds. Add garlic powder. The pasta has four minutes left. To that thick mixture, add the heavy cream and the previously sliced mushrooms. Each slice 3.5 millimeters thick. Stir until it thickens. Don’t let the pasta overcook, don’t forget the pasta! Add salt… and that’s it! The mushroom sauce is ready.

He lets it cool slightly in the pan and turns off the heat under the spaghetti pot, just as the timer was about to go off. He tastes one and is delighted to find it’s cooked to perfection. Great.

“Excellent, Mads, we hit the mark in the kitchen again.” He smiles, genuinely from the heart. So much so that he gives his assistant—who has done nothing but play with the pasta box this whole time—a loud kiss on the cheek.

Maybe dinner will be so good that Matt will stay with them for a whole day. Two, if Dex really outdoes himself. Maddie is about to turn one, and she’s never spent twenty-four hours with her father, and ever since Matt bit him, Dex hasn’t spent more than two days in a row with him either… Matt is always busy. As a lawyer, as Daredevil, as a friend…

Never as an alpha or a father.

Violins threaten to cloud Dex’s mind, but he hurries to inhale and exhale to calm his thoughts. Everything will be fine, a perfect dinner will fix everything. Everything will be fine, and they’ll make up for lost time, for sure.

“Let’s get all dressed up for Daddy, okay, Maddie?”

Dressing up is undoubtedly a metaphor. Matt’s blindness doesn’t make it necessary for them to dress up. Anyways, Dex changes into clothes that don’t smell like food and puts Maddie in her pajamas, making sure she retains his scent. Scents are key, it’s Dex’s way of seducing his alpha.

He glances at the clock; it’s ten minutes to six-thirty. Good. Dex begins plating dinner—just the right amount of spaghetti and plenty of cream—sets it on the table, and opens the wine. He seats Maddie in her feeding chair and looks back at the table. Everything is in its place, just as it should be. The omega in his soul begins to feel the anticipation, he wishes he had a coin handy so he could release the extra energy in his being. He’s eager to see Matt, he’s been waiting for him all day, he’s been waiting for him all week. He glances at the clock—it’s already 6:30.

His dark eyes are fixed on the door with such intensity that they seem to burn a target into it. He waits, without blinking, in silence, barely breathing, as if even a single wrong beat of his heart could ruin everything. He fidgets in his seat, his foot moving up and down rapidly, tapping the floor and breaking the pristine silence of the apartment. Any moment now, Matt will walk through the door, ask for a welcome kiss, and smile at him for awaiting his arrival with dinner on the table.

Any moment now…

Dex looks at the clock.

It says 6:31 p.m.

Matt didn’t come home.

And unable to ignore all the rage coursing through his veins, he grabs the table knife and throws it at the center of the imaginary bullseye. There it lies, the simple knife, perfectly embedded in the center of the door.

He didn't come home. Matt didn't come home. Again. Once more, the outside world won over you. Matt is a jerk! What kind of alpha refuses to come home to his omega's arms? Matt Murdock isn't worth it.

No!

Think, remember, our alpha is always late. He's always been there when we've needed him. Give him a little more time.

The voice of his inner omega is right, and even though he’s still annoyed, Dex has to accept that Matt tends to be late everywhere. So he gets up and pulls the knife out of the door, tries to control his breathing, and shifts his attention to something else.

Maddie.

The pup is sitting in her high chair, playing with her plastic spoon. To her, nothing has happened—or if she did notice the sting of her mother's pheromones, she’s a pro at ignoring them.

“Daddy’s taking a while, Mads. Do you want a banana while we wait for him?” he asks, and the baby nods enthusiastically.

It’s fifteen to seven when Maddie finishes her banana cubes, and it’s seven o’clock sharp when the little girl finishes her dinner—Dex decided to give Maddie her food. Her schedule can’t depend on Matt. At ten past seven, he takes her out of her high chair because Maddie has gotten bored of sitting. It’s half past seven when he changes her diaper, which ends up being pointless, since she asks for milk immediately. He breastfeeds her for ten minutes and rocks her, holding her close for another five.

For the rest of the hour, they stay cuddled up on the balcony, Maddie nestled against his chest, not asleep but very calm and quiet, savoring the moment with Dex, who clings to her helplessly, knowing that this pup is the only thing in the whole world that is truly his.

“I’m sorry, Maddie,” he whispers. “I was a liar this afternoon. You’re always looking for a way to comfort me, aren’t you? Only you do it in that silly alpha way.”

“Mama,” the baby babbles. “Mama.”

It isn’t the first time Madeline has called her “Mama.” It isn’t the first time today she’s called her “Mama.” But for some reason, those two innocent babbles turn his scent into a sad one, like roses that never managed to bloom, destined to wither, forgotten by the world. They force him to accept that Matt won’t be coming home tonight. Just as he didn’t come home yesterday or all week.

Dex has accepted it. It was always like that with Matt. They could not see each other for months, but once they were together—ready to rip each other apart—the passion would ignite and everything would flow. That was enough for him, a lukewarm omega, but for Maddie, it wasn’t fair. She needed her father, not an idea of who he was. It’s eight o’clock when Benjamin Poindexter’s eyes fill with tears of sorrow, frustration, pain, and hatred.

“Should we look for another place to live, Mads…? Maybe it’s time to go back to Portsmouth. I hated it as a pup, but with you, I’m sure it’ll be so much better.”

Maddie says nothing, instead, she lifts her head and looks at something inside the apartment.

“Are you still hungry? For God’s sake, Maddie, pups don’t need that much food.”

“I don’t know. If I had a mother like that, I’d be begging for food all the time.”

Dex turns so quickly that the world seems to sway along with him. Two hands on his hips steady him and prevent a possible fall. Cradled against his chest, Maddie laughs, asking Dex to spin her around again, but the omega ignores her, his eyes fixed on the man in front of him. He’s still in a suit, but his hair isn’t as neatly combed as it was on the news, and he’s loosened his tie a bit. He has a faint odor of alcohol and worn leather, so he has been drinking, huh? And his brown eyes remain hidden behind his red-tinted glasses.

“Sorry I’m late, but I won the case and had to go celebrate. I'd owed Kirsten it for a while”

His tone isn’t particularly apologetic, nor is the brief smile he gives him. But for Dex, only one thing matters at that moment, and even with the baby in his arms, he presses himself against Matt, begging for a hug, for proof that he’s really here, that he chose them for tonight and won’t leave them again. Begging for their bond to be more than just a scar on their necks. And even though Matt only puts a hand on his back, Dex and his omega feel blissful.

It’s four minutes past eight when Matt Murdock gets home.

Dinner was a success. Sure, aside from what happened earlier, but that’s all in the past now. And the food was great, even though he had to reheat it. Dex prides himself on knowing his alpha’s tastes and knows that pasta is one of his favorite dishes. Of course, Matt has never actually told him that, but Dex was able to figure it out. It was trial and error, preparing different meals and observing which ones brought the alpha the most satisfaction. It was a bit—just a bit—complicated, because Matt wasn’t particularly expressive or talkative at home.

Elsewhere, as a lawyer, he was all smiles and compliments, but at home, Dex had to fight to get direct information out of him. Which didn’t matter anyway, he was excellent at getting information through other means.

And so, after two months of living together Dex discovered that Matt liked pasta. It was a discovery born from a slight twitch of his lips into something that was almost a smile. Well, that led him to try different types of pasta. He loved spaghetti and wasn’t a big fan of ravioli. With the type of pasta settled, he began to work out the details. How much salt, what seasonings, which sauce Matt preferred.

Trial and error.

Until eventually, he reached his masterpiece: a hearty plate of spaghetti in white sauce with mushrooms. So exquisite that even the sharp scent of whiskey softens as he takes in the dish’s aroma. Matt can’t help but smile, and his brown eyes seem to sparkle a little. He surely regrets having arrived late.

Dex adores watching him eat. His brown eyes are glued to Matt’s mouth, simply watching. How he moves his jaw, how he licks his lips to wipe away traces of the sauce, how his fangs cut through the mushrooms with such joy.

He loves Matt’s fangs so much. They’re a shade whiter than the rest of his teeth and so sharp you have to be careful around them. They’re the kind of fangs that command respect, that when bared during a growl make the enemy alpha reconsider. It’s not worth fighting this alpha unless you want to lose a chunk of flesh. The kind of fangs that bring an omega to his knees, begging to be marked by them.

Dex sighs and glances at the clock. It’s almost nine; fifteen more minutes and he’ll be able to put Maddie to bed and have Matt all to himself.

“Thanks so much for the meal, Dex. It was delicious,” says Matt as he sets his cutlery down on the table. His plate is completely empty, which delights the omega. He wholeheartedly hopes Matt has room for dessert.

Matt gets up from the table and picks up his plate to take it to the dishwasher, but Dex quickly grabs his hand to stop him. “I’ll take these. You spend some time with Maddie, her bedtime is soon.”

The alpha seems unsure of what to do for a couple of seconds. He’s usually like that when it comes to Maddie. For some reason, he’s never been able to give his all for his daughter. He must have inherited it from Maggie, that feeling of being uncomfortable with his own creation. Tied down? Trapped? Either way, Matt tries hard to be a good father and nods, lifting Maddie out of her high chair and sitting with her on the living room sofa.

While Dex cleans and washes the dishes, his gaze doesn’t leave the two people on the couch for a second. The lights of New York seep softly through the window and illuminate Matt, unnecessarily stiff in his seat. Maddie is on his lap, in a slightly uncomfortable position. She seeks support by grabbing her father’s shirt, but with her eyes calls out to Dex for help. Dex lets out an amused chuckle, finding it quite ironic that Matt is something of a novelty to Maddie, given that they live in the same house. He deserves it for not showing his face for a week.

“You can move, you know?” he advises from the kitchen, seeing how tense Matt is. “Lean back on the sofa and place her on your chest.”

Without a word, Matt obeys. Finally, something Matt actually listens to him about. The situation improves completely. Matt looks more confident and Maddie much more comfortable. They seem to fit together perfectly. Maddie demonstrates it by touching Matt’s face with one hand and stroking it. The contact is brief, as Matt’s stubble seems to scratch and bother her. She expresses this by tapping the alpha’s chest with an annoyed meow, which makes her father laugh.

“Sorry, Maddie, I guess Daddy’s stubble is a little rough for your liking.”

The baby nods, which impresses Matt.

“Dex! Did you see that? Maddie nodded at what I said.”

“Starting at nine months, they understand simple words and some instructions,” the omega explains, drying his hands. “Look at this. Maddie, where’s Mommy?” Like a well-trained pup, Maddie points toward the kitchen counter in his direction. Matt smiles, genuinely impressed by the trick—which Maddie has been able to do for months, but Dex wasn’t about to ruin the moment by revealing that information. “And where’s Daddy?”

In a way, it’s a bit of a jab at Matt that Maddie seems to take her sweet time before pointing her little hand at him. Unsure of who her father is? Impossible. Dex sings her odes and praises of her father day and night.

He doesn’t think Matt will get angry with him because the girl was slow to recognize him, right? He’s doing everything he can to make sure Maddie knows Matt exists. It’s the alpha’s fault if his own pup doesn’t recognize his scent.

“Papa,” the girl finally says, cupping Matt’s face with both hands, before letting go again, remembering why she’d done it the first time.

And it’s that tiny attempt at a word that makes Matt so happy that, for the first time in a long while—perhaps even since before he met Dex—the scent of bitter whiskey shielding the alpha like a suit of thorns steps aside and allows his softer aroma to return. Dex is stunned, and it is his inner omega who takes the reins and delights in the violet sprouts that are slowly taking root in the apartment, fighting against the tyranny of the roses. It’s a youthful and hopeful scent, a scent so unlike Matt that, at the same time, it makes him the only one in the world who could possess such fragrance. Perhaps for how many years had his true scent been hidden beneath layers upon layers of pretense and social masks, waiting for someone capable of seeing beyond all that.

Dex rests his hands on his belly. He should feel envy or anger at not having been the one to discover the field of violets on Matt’s skin, but no negative feelings overwhelm him. Not at all. Instead, an indescribable pride floods his being, Dex’s and the omega’s.

He has created the only person who can shatter Matt’s facade.

Shit, he really is a hell of an omega.

“Dex!” Matt exclaims again, this time with more emotion than Dex has ever heard from him. “She called me ‘papa’. Did you hear that? Tell me I didn’t imagine it."

“You didn’t imagine it. I heard her loud and clear,” he says, as he moves over to sit next to his alpha. He’s close enough that their legs brush against each other. It’s a test, and it passes when Matt doesn’t pull away. All right, today is a really good day, so he decides to take a little risk and rests his head on Matt’s shoulder. The scent of violets hits his face directly; it’s delicious, almost more so than the usual whiskey. “She likes you.”

Matt lets out a sigh. “I hope so. It must suck to share a last name with someone you despise.

Dex is smart enough not to ask if that’s the reason they haven’t tied the knot. 

He prefers to stay silent and rest hidden in the curve of his alpha’s neck. The night is quiet, the apartment smells good, his stomach is full, and his pup is behaving spectacularly in his mate’s arms.

That’s all he needs to live happily. Nothing else, no one else.

Ah, how easy it is to be an omega.

Maddie moves, breaking the tranquility of the moment just a little. She presses her nose against Matt’s T-shirt, searching, sniffing for something Dex knows the brunette doesn’t have.

“Give me,” he asks, so softly that even he is surprised. That is the voice of Ben Poindexter, the omega in love. Not that of Bullseye, the killer.

Matt hesitates for a second. Just one. Not out of refusal, but out of selfishness, not wanting to hand over the daughter he feels he has finally come to know. In the end, he carefully hands her to Dex, placing her against his chest.

The change is notorious. Maddie settles on him, pressing herself as close as possible against his shirt, craving skin-to-skin contact. Her breathing calms, lulled by waves of rose milk. It’s where she belongs, her true home. No, not yet. Dex presses even closer to Matt, their bodies sharing space and becoming almost one. There, protected between them, Maddie is truly home.

Matt doesn’t move, doesn’t pull away, and his pheromones don’t signal that he wants to flee as he does every night. His hand, which had previously held Maddie in place, rests on Dex’s shoulder. Such a small gesture, yet one that changes so much.

Today is different, Dex feels it in the air, in the warmth it carries, in the newly bloomed violets. Tonight, all of their sins have been forgiven, the ghosts remain in the past, and the future takes root.

Tonight, for the first time, Matt understands why he is his destined omega.

Dex closes his eyes and allows himself a moment of peace. Finally, his mind is at one. The battle against his omega is over. They’ve done it. They have Matt and they have the alpha. They have exactly what they wanted, this time, for real. He wants to etch the moment into his memory, to savor the fact that it’s not a dream, that it’s not an illusion created by narcotics and sedatives.

Soft sighs begin to escape Maddie’s lips, she has fallen asleep between them. More nights should be like this. Every night should be like this. Each fulfilling their role, obeying their nature. One is much happier this way, isn’t that right? Of course it is.

They stay like this for a few minutes—far too few for Dex’s liking—when Matt gets up, taking great care not to wake the baby. A desperate meow escapes Dex’s throat at the sight of his alpha leaving, but a hand that strokes his blond hair and ruffles it puts his world back in order.

“Don’t be dramatic, sweetheart. I’m just going to put Maddie to bed.”

Dex nods, feeling a little sad that such a wonderful moment has come to an end.

But no. He reminds himself that this was exactly what he wanted: Maddie asleep and Matt all to himself. There’s still something left for dinner.

It’s time for dessert.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, he goes into the room he shares with Matt and fixes the bed. The pillows and bedspreads already smell like him, but it never hurts to reinforce the scent a little more, right? Caramelized roses, whose scent invites only one thing: a precise death or, if you are the destiny's chosen, eternal devotion to their owner. Dex wonders which option Matthew Murdock will choose tonight. Both serve him well.

He can raise Madeline on his own, of course he can—he already does—he can take her to Portsmouth whenever he wants. He has survived a fall from a fourth floor and the destruction of his spine, he can survive a bond broken by the death of his alpha. But, oh, today he has tasted how delicious life is when Matt does little more than blink his way, and he doesn’t think an omega as good as him should be deprived of such ambrosia for the rest of his days.

The sound of the door catches his attention, Matt is standing in the doorway. The tingling sensation of mint indicates he’s already done his nightly routine. Well, apparently there’s no Daredevil tonight. Hell’s Kitchen had better have a damn peaceful night.

Dex looks at him from the edge of the bed, clutching the covers with his hands, crumpling them and ruining all his earlier work. He presses his thighs together, not keeping his arousal anymore. He knows he mustn’t take God’s name in vain, but God, he’s so wet. 

Feels his underwear stick to his attention begging cunt and all that Matt has done is look pretty in the corner of the room. Dex starts feeling frustrated, the alpha must have caught the neediness in his scent by now. So why is he doing nothing to devour him? 

He must be feeling shy. And maybe a little guilty? Come on, Dex has already forgiven him for being late to dinner.

Dex gently pats his thighs, inviting Matt to come lie down on them for a while. He’s horny, yeah, but Dr. Mercer taught him empathy, so he will lift the alpha’s spirit first and then he can get his prize.

Matt finally reacts and sits down next to Dex, though he doesn’t rest his head on Dex’s lap. At least he’s close. And if Matt won’t come to him, then Dex will go to him, just as always.

The omega lunges toward the alpha, ready to kiss him and show him there’s no reason to feel shy around his fated mate, but Matt stops him with a hand on his chest, cutting him off.

“Dex, could we talk?” Matt says. His voice is tense and a little… fearful? Dex sniffs the air; there’s no trace of the violets anymore. “I wanted to thank you again for the delicious meal today. And to apologize for not showing up all week, I really appreciate you taking such good care of Maddie.”

Dex’s omega purrs loudly, pleased that his alpha recognizes his efforts. Dex is also happy about Matt’s words, but a part of him wants to point out that everything would be even easier if Matt were a more present father in Madeline’s life.

Empathy, Dex. You don’t know what your alpha has been going through this week.

“You don’t need to apologize. You saw that Maddie and I are doing just fine,” he lies, since he’s an empathetic person. “Just try to come home more often.”

Matt grimaces. It’s a strange expression, as if Dex’s words were a very complicated request. He tries to form a sentence or two, but it’s clear how they die on his tongue, unable to express what he really wants to say. Dex looks at him patiently, waiting for whatever his alpha wants to tell him.

After twenty-five seconds of silence, Matt manages to muster the courage to start speaking. “Dex, I… I don’t think we can keep doing this."

The ideal environment for a rose to thrive is a place that receives sunlight for most of the day, doesn’t retain moisture, and maintains a warm but not stifling temperature. If you have all those factors, you can have a beautiful rose garden.

The master bedroom of their small apartment meets all those conditions.

Dex knows this, he can tell by how easily the roses of his scent seem to take root there. Once he leaves his scent anywhere in that room, nothing will make it go away. And if a single rose is fragrant, the hundreds of imaginary roses in that little piece of Eden are simply intoxicating.

So he watches Matt speak, but he doesn’t really listen to him. He knows he isn’t entirely sane, he’s spent too much time away from his omega’s scent and has lost his mind. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. 

All Dex needs is a little time for the roses to scatter their seeds into Matt’s heart.

“Dex, I’ve been thinking and… well, I…”

“What have you been thinking about, alpha? Me?” Dex asks, moving closer to Matt, close enough to rest a hand on his thigh.

The gesture makes Matt nervous. It’s cute how the small action causes him to lose his words. He takes a deep breath in and out, rubbing his face in an attempt to shake off the heavy rose-scented sweetness that seems to fill the room.

“Y-yeah, I mean, no… I… I’ve been thinking about you and Maddie.”

“Really? You’re an incredible alpha, Matthew.” He closes the distance a little more, close enough to rest his head on the alpha’s shoulder and give his neck glands room to release even more pheromones. “I’m so lucky to have you, you know?”

“No, Dex, what I mean is… I talked to Kirsten and… and… oh, God, we talked about something important… what was it…?” A slight frustration emanates from Matt. Apparently, his thoughts are getting lost in the middle of a maze of roses. “Ugh, shit, there’s something in the air. It’s too much–.”

“That’s my scent. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten it?”

“N-no, of course not… but… I can’t–I can’t think…”

“Then let’s not think, Matt,” says Dex, standing up to sit on Matt’s lap. He rests both arms on the alpha’s shoulders and brings his face close to the other man’s. “Leave everything behind, alpha. Enjoy what is naturally yours.”

And he waits no longer to steal a kiss from the scent-drugged Matt. It’s a kiss that brings Dex back to life. Oh, how he needed this. To feel Matt, feel his warmth, sense his presence…

He presses his tongue against Matt’s lips, demanding permission to go deeper. The alpha is still a little sluggish and takes a couple of seconds to react, but eventually, he grants him access. The kiss begins again, this time better. Matt returns the gesture, though not as intensely as Dex—who makes sure to leave no space inside Matt’s mouth unexplored.

You have to get him in the mood, Dex.

Pulling their mouths apart just enough to catch his breath, he runs his hands down Matt’s back, caressing and touching his muscles. His body is more toned than before, fighting as Daredevil does him good, and Dex enjoys being the only one who can see the results. With his fingertips, he traces the scars on Matt’s body, sending slight shivers through the alpha. He knows these are sensitive spots for Matt, spots he can press for his own amusement.

Slowly, he brings his right hand to the bullet scar Matt took for Fisk. It’s the last major scar Dex gave him —not counting his bonding mark. He presses down on it, digging his nails. The effect is immediate, and Matt lets out a growl of pain.

“What’s the matter, Counselor? Is a little scratch too much for you?” he teases, enjoying the way Matt frowns.

Matt’s hands suddenly go to his hips and Dex is taken aback. The grip is tight and a little painful, they hold him so tightly that Dex can’t move from his position. He looks back at Matt, who’s still frowning, but his eyes have a mischievous gleam.

The alpha positions him between his legs, and, oh, when Dex finds himself sitting right on top of something that starts to harden, he realizes what Matt is planning.

The hands on his hips start moving him against Matt’s crotch. The contact sends immediately an electric wave of pleasure through Dex’s spine, his attention begging pussy is happy for finally getting something. 

“O-oh, yeah, so good.” Dex moans, his hands go to Matt’s neck, looking for support. He’s so wet just by feeling Matt’s cock getting harder against his clothed cunt, that his underwear is starting to itch. 

Matt increases the speed, the friction is starting to burn. His cock grinds against Dex’s ruined jeans once, twice, over and over. Each time harder, losing himself on the rhythm, his grip on Dex’s hips becoming possessive. 

It’s so nice, so, so nice when Matt remembers that he’s an alpha. When he remembers that Dex is his omega, that Dex belongs to him and that he can do whatever he wants with him. And Dex is lucky that whenever Matt wants to do something with him, it will always be pleasurable, because Matt knows how to reduce Dex to a moaning mess.

“F-faster, alpha, please…!” 

And Matt is quick to oblige, now thrusting his hips as well. Dex rolls his eyes in pleasure, humping Matt’s boner with desperation. His breathing becomes irregular when in one of Matt’s thrusts, he rubs his clit against the alpha’s cock.

“A-ah, that’s– that’s it.” he moans, supporting his full weight on Matt so he can hump his pussy faster against his alpha’s dick. The stimulation feels so good, it’s almost as if they were totally connected. That's how intimacy works when you are a fated pair, every touch, every kiss, every single breath of the other feels like paradise.

Dex kisses Matt again. It’s so different from the earlier kiss, he’s desperate, a starving animal, both of them are. Their tongues fight for control, clashing with each other and licking every place they can touch, and it’s still not deep enough. Dex’s tongue licks Matt’s fangs, even more slick escapes from his cunt at the idea of them biting him tonight.

Matt buckles his hips on the fucking right angle and Dex feels it coming. That sensation that he has been yearning for so long, that he can’t get from his fingers or from a pillow, but that Matt can give him so easily that doesn’t even need to get his dick out of his jeans.  Dex’s humping becomes irrational, losing all rhythm, mindlessly seeking the orgasm that he knows it’s coming. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh god.” he babbles, head hazy from the kiss. “I’m gonna cum, alpha, I’m gonna–!”

And Matt suddenly cuts every single one of his movements. No more thrusts, no more grinding. Dex can’t even hump him, because the fierce grip on his hips came back, so strong that bruises are starting to form on his skin. 

Matt laughs, his voice silky and way meaner than it should be. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? A bit of edging is too much for you?”

And Dex should be mad as hell. He has been waiting for this for so long. He hasn't had sex with Matt for over three weeks, his stupid alpha has absolutely no right to be this much of a jerk. But instead, his fogged brain enjoys the bullying, he wants to cum, yes, so badly, but mean Matt is sooo hot and makes Dex feel like he’s melting on his alpha’s lap.

“You are so mean, alpha,” Dex says, trying to look sad, but he’s so fascinated by Matt's sadistic attitude that not even he buys his own fake tears. “What do you want from me?”

Matt falls silent, his hands still firmly clasped around Dex’s hips, but even if he could move, the moment has already passed. His orgasm disappears, turning into air. Not everything is negative, though, as Dex takes advantage of still being in Matt’s lap and rests his head on his shoulder, admiring his alpha’s attractive, pensive face from there with eyes full of hearts. Matt is the most handsome man he’s ever met. Everything about him is beautiful. His huge dove-like eyes, the shape of his nose, the contour of his lips…

“I’m sorry, omega, but I want you to come on my dick, me inside you.” Matt says, after a few seconds. “It will feel better than coming on your pants.”

Yes, he also loves his way with words and how thoughtful he is…

He loves everything about Matt Murdock. And how he wouldn’t when his heart is infatuated with his alpha. His soul, his scent, that blooms just for Matt Murdock and Matt Murdock alone, is making the room warmer, tender and softer. Yes, the rose seeds are growing strong and steady.

Dex plants a quick kiss on Matt's lips before pulling away from his lap and standing up. He slowly undresses, first taking off his shirt, then his pants and underwear––his boxers are totally ruined, soaked on his milky slick. He tries to make a show of it, even though he knows his alpha can’t see him—not directly, at least—but the intention is there.

Now completely naked, he lies face-down on the bed and arches his back. He presents himself to his alpha, declaring that he is ready to receive whatever he gives him. The position feels as natural to him as breathing. Serving Matt, being his object of pleasure, pleases him. His belly is heavy with expectation, his pussy twitching when the warm air hits it. 

“Please, Matt.” he begs, voice full of adoration. “I’ll be good.”

And that’s what finally drives Matt out of his mind, causing him to lose all sense of reason and hand over control to his alpha. How could he not? With such a perfect omega presenting right in front of him, begging to be fucked on his own nest. Matt doesn't take off his pants fast enough and nearly rips his boxers. Anticipation begins to take hold of him, Dex can tell from his scent—the whiskey has a hint of cinnamon that gives away the burning sensation in Matt's lower stomach.

Finally free of clothes, Matt strokes his rock hard cock, pumping it twice before getting on top of Dex, knees each one on the side of the omega. It’s happening, God, Dex shivers from pure expectation. With his free hand, Matt runs his fingers along his spinal scar. It’s long and deep, but the incisions were made with the utmost medical precision, and the marks left behind feel smooth and symmetrical beneath his alpha’s fingertips.

Does Matt wish he could see it? See how it breaks the perfection on Dex’s back? Dex doesn’t know that, but he does know that Matt can feel it tremble under his touch and that he delights in the sighs that escape Dex’s lips every time his fingers travel lower and lower along the line of his spine.

“Hurry up. I can’t wait anymore.”

“Patience, pretty, I still gotta prepare you.”

“No, I’m ready.” Dex declares. “Every night I finger myself in case you come home, so please, alpha–! Fuck me! I need your dick inside me now!”

“Goodness’ sake, Dex, to hell with it.” sighs Matt. With his left hand, he separates his omega dripping wet folds guiding his cock to the hole between them, sweet slick pours out of Dex’s cunt. It’s happening, they’re becoming one. He starts inserting it very slowly, careful not to hurt Dex, who moans at the first touch of the dick’s head inside his soft walls.  

And Jesus, Dex really has to control himself to not cum right there. Because, oh, it's the greatest feeling in the whole universe. The way his cunt hugs Matt’s dick is sending waves of pleasure to his brain. Yes, this is what he was born for.

After long seconds, Matt finally bottoms and a shaky moan escapes Dex’s reddened lips. It feels so good, the sensation so overwhelming for both of them that Matt has to brace himself with both hands on Dex’s hips just to stay upright. 

“So full…” murmurs Dex, already satisfied with simply having all of Matt inside him. “I feel you so deep inside, alpha, I don’t know how I will ever erase the marks you leave on me.”

And Matt lets out a hearty laugh. “Don’t be silly, omega. If you could erase me from you, we wouldn’t be here.” 

Then he pulls out almost fully, leaving just the head inside and, no losing time, bottoms in a single thrust. Dex gasps for air, his hands grabbing the sheets under him, looking for some type of support. 

So cute. Matt must be thinking that, because he does it again, and again, and again. Enjoying the way Dex’s whole body trembles under him, the sound he makes, the way he whimpers when his cock pulls out and meows in delight when it’s back. Dex feels his alpha’s eyes fixated on his back. Does he like the way it arches in pleasure? He does, all alphas enjoy a good, obedient omega.

They keep this rhythm for a while, before in a certain thrust, Matt hits something inside Dex and the omega falls apart in his hands, turning mushy and pliant.

“I found it, sweetie, sorry for the waiting.” he says, with a smile on his face.

Just then, he starts seriously fucking Dex.

Strong and ruthless, every thrust aimed to destroy that heavenly spot hidden inside the omega. Matt grabs Dex’s hips and pushes them toward him, making them slam hard against his cock. The wet slap of his balls meeting Dex’s pussy is the only sound resonating in that room. 

“A-ah, yessss–” Dex meows, tongue lolled out. “Y-you’re in the right place, Matty.”

“Not if you’re still talking, omega.”

There’s nothing else outside, there’s no Hell’s Kitchen and there’s no New York. No Daredevil and no Bullseye. Here, in this rosy room, just exists a fated pair driven by lust and desire. Tired of denying themselves from what their nature dictates.

But it’s hard. It’s so hard to stop hiding, from the world, from who they are, the things they have done. Shame still burns deep inside them, knowing that they shouldn’t be doing this, not with each other. 

They have no right to be playing house. 

Even so, when Dex’s myriad of whimpers and whines and hushed “I love you”s reach Matt’s ears and the alpha presses himself closer to his omega, tries to be deeper inside him, become one in flesh and soul… Well, the world can go screw themselves. 

At least for tonight, tomorrow Dex will worry about empty bedsides and absent alphas.

Matt’s rhythm starts to falter and Dex knows that this beautiful night is coming to an end. The hands on his hips begin to move upward, caressing his skin with more tenderness than he deserves. He feels Matt’s breath directly against his back, and his whole body trembles as he feels Matt’s lips scatter thousands of tiny kisses across the scar on his spine. Something inside Dex cracks. This level of intimacy is new, Matt kisses in all the right spots and Dex is a blundering mess under him. 

The unfamiliar sensation is overwhelming, his alpha kissing his scar with loving lips while kissing his insides with a devoted dick. This brand new desire is being fulfilled so intensely that his cunt starts to twitch, begging for release.

“I’m coming, alpha, I’m coming.” Dex babbles once again. “Please, please, please, don’t steal it again or I’m gonna go crazy.”

“Hold it a bit longer, love. Just a bit. I’m almost there.” murmurs Matt, right in his ear. And Dex has to bite his lips to contain his orgasm, how can Matt ask him not to cum and then start growling and moaning in his ear? Such a jerk, a stupid, handsome jerk.

The last thrusts aren’t as hard, but they keep being relentless against his g-spot. Dex grabs the sheets even harder, his knuckles turning white. Matt asked him not to cum so he won’t, he will be good, the bestest goddamned omega ever. So they can stay that way forever, intertwined with one another for the rest of their lives.

A subtle touch on this hand surprises Dex, one of Matt’s hands has abandoned his back to cover his clenched fist with it. It’s the first time their hands have joined during sex. Can actually this be called sex? No, they are making love for the first time ever. And it’s that thought that makes Dex incapable of holding his orgasm anymore.

“Matt, please, I need to cum, I–I can’t hold it longer…”

“It’s alright, Dex. Let’s come together.”

And a quick nip on the neck is all the warning Dex gets before feeling Matt’s fangs break his skin, right on his scent gland. The feeling of being marked is too much and he comes undone, his soul leaving his body for a second. Matt doesn’t stop thrusting and overstimulation eats Dex’s body, electricity running from the tips of his toes to his head.

“It’s too much–! M-Matt, it’s too much–! I-it hurts.” 

Matt doesn’t answer, mouth still closed tightly against his neck, making sure the bond is correctly renewed. But the next thrust is especially ruthless and makes Dex cry a few salty, euphoric tears. It’s Matt’s way of saying “but you love pain, don’t you, sweetheart?” And, fuck, he does.

Finally, Matt gets to his limit and cums, painting Dex’s insides white. The omega moans at the sensation of being so full, it’s a shame that Matt isn’t in rut so he can’t knot him. He doesn’t want to waste a single drop of his alpha’s divine seed. 

The fangs in his scent gland release him, and Matt’s soft tongue licks the fresh wound a couple of times to clean the blood oozing from it. The act helps Dex relax his body and his breathing; the renewed bond and Matt still inside him make him feel reborn. Matt’s arms give out and the alpha collapses onto Dex, panting right on his neck, exhausted from the exertion. 

“Let’s get into bed, Matty.” asks Dex, still under the alpha.

“Y-yeah, just gimme a sec to recover…”

“C’mon, old man, you came just once. Don’t be such a loser.”

“Shut up.” says Matt and bites his shoulder, deep enough to leave a mark. Dex suppresses a moan, he’s open to round two, but Matt seems to actually need rest.

After a few more seconds of silence, Matt pulls out. Being so empty makes Dex’s omega cry and Matt’s alpha immediately purrs to soothe him. That’s new, wow. Matt leaves the room a bit and comes back with a towel in his hands.

“Let me get you clean.” 

That’s also new. But Dex is tired and aftercare is a luxury he isn’t familiar with. Matt wipes him with the towel and when he’s done, throws it somewhere in the room, gets them some clothes and then they get under the covers. Dex presses himself against Matt’s chest, resting his head there, his body exhausted but his heart filled with joy and satisfaction. It’s been a wonderful night.

“You know? Maddie’s about to turn one. I’ve completely adjusted to her, and I think we’ve managed to establish a steady routine,” he says. “So we could try for a second one.”

Matt says nothing. He just closes his eyes and pulls Dex closer.

And Dex smiles, it’s okay if Matt doesn’t respond today. He has all the time in the world to accept that this is his destiny.