Chapter Text
It's well past dusk, the sun nearly gone from the sky when Eddie narrowly misses slamming his van straight into the man stumbling along the road.
"Oh, fuck!" His foot jerks to the brake, wheels locking up and screeching on the otherwise quiet road.
He thunks back into the seat as the van skids to a halt.
There's inches between the vehicle and the wide-eyed man. The stranger stares at him, trembling slightly, bag slung over his shoulder.
Eddie shoves his door open. Steps out angrily, slams it behind him. "What the fuck!?" he yells at the stranger. "I almost hit you coming round that corner, I would've killed you, what the hell were you doing on the road?"
The man - omega, Eddie's inner alpha helpfully notices - flinches away from him. Grips the strap of his bag tighter, eyes cast down to his feet. Shoes scuffed to shit and covered in dirt. Jeans shredded at the knees, the skin there torn and bloody.
Immediately, Eddie feels bad for his anger. It's just, he'd been so close to having this guy's insides all over the grill of his van, and that would've really killed his half-baked LA plans. "Sorry," he mutters, softening a little. He tilts his head. "What're you doing all the way out here, anyway?"
"Just walking," the omega mumbles.
Eddie frowns. "To where? We're miles from anything."
The stranger shrugs, sniffs.
Something's wrong.
Eddie's alpha springs to alertness within him. Focuses intently on the anxious-looking omega, on the blood on his legs, the exhaustion pouring off him in waves, on the way he won't meet Eddie's eye.
The omega reeks of fear and discomfort, the sour stench of it almost completely covering up what otherwise would've been a pleasant, sweet, honey-like scent.
"You, um…need a ride somewhere?" Eddie asks, without even really meaning to.
See, he's not an asshole, it's just…he hadn't exactly expected to come across an injured omega and there's no way this one wasn't in some sort of trouble. Trouble's the last thing Eddie needs right now - he'd put too much of it behind him already.
But he's got room, he supposes. His entire life had been easily squashed into the duffle bag and guitar case rattling around the back of his van. The last couple of days, he's only had his own thoughts and the open road for company, maybe it'd be nice to have anyone else along for the ride for a little bit.
"S'fine," the omega says, shaking his head.
Ok, cool. Eddie's done his bit, he's offered, he could leave now, conscience clean…
Help him, his alpha almost growls. Protect.
"You're sure? How about just to the next town, to a motel or something? It's gonna be dark soon. I'm looking for somewhere to spend the night anyway," Eddie tries.
The omega looks to the road ahead. Eddie can practically see the cogs turning in his head, weighing up the decision whether to decline the offer again or get in a shit-heap of a vehicle with an unknown alpha.
"Um, my name's Eddie," he adds, rubs the back of his neck. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you, just, you gave me a fright. I've got water in the van, and I can stop for some snacks if you want them." Great, now he probably sounds like some pervy alpha trying to lure a vulnerable omega into his van. "I promise I'm not some creep. I'm not gonna…try anything."
The omega looks at him then.
Pretty, Eddie's alpha croons.
And yeah, he is, Eddie admits to himself.
Very.
Soft hazel eyes, mole-spattered skin, thick auburn hair falling across his face. Taller and broader than many omegas Eddie had met, strong-jawed, handsome despite the dark circles around his eyes and the dust clinging to his skin.
"Ok," the man croaks, finally.
Eddie opens the back door of the van, gestures for him to toss his bag in, but the omega shakes his head and clings to it like a lifeline, gingerly getting into the passenger seat and holding the bag in his lap instead. The alpha shrugs, happy to just get on the road again.
"So…" he asks as he puts the van back in gear, "what's your name?"
"Steve." The omega stares out the window, at the farmland passing by.
"You, ah, you live nearby?"
"No."
Full of conversation, this one.
"What happened to your knees?" Eddie glances at them again, winces at how much they must sting - the grazes look worse up close, weeping and riddled with bits of gravel.
"I fell over."
"You're gonna want to get those grazes cleaned, dude, they'll get infected otherwise."
"I know." Steve hugs his bag to his chest.
"We'll stop next chance we get and grab some supplies, ok? Get them cleaned up." It's not Eddie's problem. He knows it's not, but…his alpha's practically pacing inside him, aching with the need to care and provide for this omega. He leans over, doesn't miss the way Steve flinches away from him again, and rifles around behind the passenger seat until his fingers close around a bottle of water. He hands it to the other man.
Steve takes it. Pops the cap and gulps down the entire bottle, several stray drops escaping his desperate mouth and trickling down his chin, making tracks in the dust.
Eddie's eyes follow those little drops. Until the van swerves, and he jerks his attention back to the road. "Thirsty, huh? When's the last time you drank anything?"
"This morning." Steve holds the empty bottle, looking around, unsure. "Um, what should I…"
"Oh, just toss it in the back," Eddie tells him.
Several minutes pass by in silence. Darkness continues to settle, and Eddie notices Steve trembling lightly in his seat despite the late-summer warmth. Immediately, he reaches out and turns up the heating, ignores the sweat that starts to gather on his own brow in response. Clad in jeans and a t shirt, Steve was ill-equipped to have been out on the road at night - the days were hot, sure, but the temperature could plummet after dark. Maybe he had more clothes in his bag, Eddie figures.
But still - what the hell had he been doing out here in the first place?
"I'm gonna stop here, get you some stuff." Eddie pulls over at the gas station he's spotted.
"You don't have to," Steve says quickly.
"I know, I want to," Eddie counters. "Apart from some first aid stuff, any requests?"
The omega shakes his head.
Eddie hops out, leaves Steve in the van, and grabs his supplies - some antiseptic, wipes, scissors, bandages, and a few sandwiches that somehow manage to look both dry and soggy all at once. Despite drawing out pretty much his entire savings when he'd left home, he's still gotta be extremely careful with his money and make sure it'll last - so subpar sandwiches it is.
He uses the gas station restroom and washes his hands thoroughly. Carrying everything back to the van, he half-expects Steve to be gone. Taking his chance on the road again maybe, or choosing to wait at the gas station for a less intimidating ride than the beat-up van of a lone, battle-vest clad alpha.
But the omega's right where he left him.
"Ok, can you hop out?" Eddie asks, fiddling with the stupidly effective child-proof lid on the antiseptic.
"Why?" Steve asks, suspicion spiking in his scent.
"So I don't get this shit all over my seat." Eddie holds up the bottle as explanation. "You think you can roll your jeans up? Otherwise I can cut 'em."
Steve slides out of the seat, hisses as he tries to tug the denim up above his knees. The fabric clings stubbornly to his messed-up knees, and the omega's eyes screw shut in pain.
Eddie's alpha bristles.
"Hey, it's ok, I can cut them. That ok?" He quickly offers, squatting down on the forecourt. His leather boots creak with the movement, chain on his belt loop scraping against the concrete.
Stiffly, Steve nods. As gently as he can, Eddie cuts the fabric away, turning Steve's blood-stained jeans into a rough pair of denim shorts. A few squirts from a water bottle helps them peel the rest of the fabric loose, Steve gritting his teeth through the process.
Eddie inspects the grazes in the light from the gas station. Winces. "This is gonna really suck, I'm sorry," he says sympathetically, giving the antiseptic bottle a little shake.
"I know," Steve replies flatly. "S'ok."
Eddie drenches one knee with the solution.
Steve's body locks up tight, head thunking back against the side of the van, jaw clenched against pain.
"Sorry, sorry," Eddie mumbles.
His alpha growls and grumbles away inside as Eddie wipes away gravel and debris. Hurting him, his alpha rumbles. Pretty omega.
I'm helping him, Eddie retorts. Now shush.
Steve bites back a soft whimper as Eddie turns his attention to the other knee, and Eddie's alpha scrabbles away unhappily at the corner of his mind.
His temples start to throb in response.
Usually, Eddie could keep his alpha side well in check. It would come alive when needed - if Eddie or his friends were in danger, or during a rut - but otherwise, it was usually just a background hum.
In the presence of this pretty, injured omega however, he was barely keeping it leashed.
Suddenly, Steve's hand finds Eddie's shoulder. Grips it tight, keeping himself balanced.
Eddie's head shoots up. His hand pauses, bloodied antiseptic dripping down his wrist. The space between them fills with the sharp scent of whiskey and pine. Eddie hadn't meant to let that loose, but the omega's touch had triggered his need to soothe into overdrive.
"Sorry," Steve mumbles, face pale and clammy, and he quickly withdraws his hand.
"No, no, it's fine," Eddie practically splutters. "You do whatever you need to."
Slowly, gingerly, that hand returns. Settles on Eddie's shoulder more lightly than the first time.
Jesus H Christ, he needs a smoke.
Eddie continues. Tries to keep his scent under lock and key until Steve's knees are as clean as they're going to get. He fumbles a little with the bandages, wraps them over bruised and battered skin as tidily as he can and tucks the loose ends in.
"Much better," he declares, and pushes himself back to his feet.
Steve's shaky, breathing hard, frankly looking a little sick. "Thank you," he manages.
"No problem. Sorry, I know that hurt. Y'ok?" Eddie's eyes search the omega's face.
Steve nods, leans on the van heavily.
"Let's go find that hotel, yeah?" Eddie suggests. "You look like you're gonna drop any second."
"M'fine," Steve insists, but he's weak as a kitten as he hauls himself back into the passenger seat.
"Uh huh," Eddie humours him, hands him a sandwich once he's back sitting behind the wheel. "For you."
"It's alright, I can't pay you back, so -" Steve tries to hand it back, but Eddie waves off the attempt.
"Eat it, Steve. I doubt you've eaten since this morning either, right?"
Looking away, Steve shakes his head again. And unwraps the sandwich, hunger winning out as he takes a huge mouthful.
Eddie's alpha begins to calm. After all, the omega that had caught his attention is bandaged, blasted by warm air, and fed. Now, they just needed to find him a bed.
It's nearly a half hour drive to the next town big enough for a motel. Eddie lights up a cigarette, blows hot smoke out the open window. They're somewhere in east Missouri, he's not sure exactly where. He hates to think what would've happened if he'd just driven on past Steve earlier - the omega would surely still be stumbling along in the dark, or perhaps he would've been picked up by someone else - some alpha with bad intentions and far less respect for omegas than Eddie.
Eddie's alpha bristles again at that thought.
He rolls his eyes. He's safe, he promises.
"You play guitar?" Steve asks, breaking the silence, tired eyes on the case propped up against the back of Eddie's seat.
"Sure do. I'm heading to LA, actually, for the music opportunities there."
"You have something lined up?"
"Well…no, not exactly, but there's a far better chance of finding something there than in bumfuck nowhere, Indiana."
Steve raises his eyebrows. Leans his head against the window, eyelids fluttering, clearly battling sleep but not entirely trusting the alpha sitting next to him enough to give in to it.
"Hey, it's alright," Eddie tells him. "I'll wake you up when we get to a motel."
"I don't have anything," Steve says quietly. "Nothing to…steal, or anything. So don't even try it."
"What, you really think I'd clean and bandage you up, give you food, then take your shit and…what? Dump you on the road again?" Eddie scoffs.
Steve narrows his eyes. "Well, would you?"
"No. Promise."
For a moment longer, Steve eyes him.
And then he's asleep, giving into exhaustion.
*****
The Motel 6 Eddie stops the van at only has one room available.
With one bed.
Eddie takes it, because it's the only motel in town and it's cheap - he can always sleep in the van, he supposes, or if he's lucky there'll be a couch in the room. Steve's having the bed, that much he'd settled on straight away.
He hates to wake him. Steve looks…almost peaceful, curled up around his bag in the passenger seat, face slack in sleep. But he'd be far more comfortable after a shower and tucked up in an actual bed, Eddie knows, and so he gently reaches across from the driver's side and gives the omega's arm a squeeze.
Steve jumps, narrowly avoids cracking his head on his roof.
"Hey, hey, it's alright," Eddie soothes, pine scent immediately filling the van. "I've got us a room. Well - there's only one bed, but I'll figure it out, don't worry about it."
Steve slides out of the seat, rubs at his eyes, and follows Eddie towards their room. It's a ground floor room at least - Eddie would've hated to watch Steve trying to bend his injured knees getting up some rickety staircase. He closes the door behind Steve and hits the light switch.
There is, indeed, only one bed.
And no couch.
Eddie's heart sinks a little. He's tired after driving all day, and while he was more than happy to let Steve have the bed, he now has to resign himself to a night of tossing and turning in his van.
"Alright, well, do you want first shower? I'll just see if there's some spare blankets or something I can take out to the van." Eddie steps towards the wardrobe by the bed.
"No, the bed's yours," Steve says. "You paid for the room, I can't just…no." He shakes his head.
"I've slept in the van before, it's fine," Eddie insists.
"I could sleep in there. Or I could just use the shower and then…go find somewhere to sleep."
"What, on the street?" Eddie challenges.
Steve shrugs. "Yeah. Done it plenty of times." His tone is a little defensive, almost daring Eddie to question him.
Eddie deflates. Shakes his head. "No, sweetheart." The pet name slips out without him meaning to, but there's a brief burst of sweetness in the air from Steve in response.
"We can share, then. The bed's big enough," Steve says resolutely.
Eddie stares at him. Recalls Steve flinching away from him several times, wonders just how comfortable the omega really is with the idea of sharing the bed. "Really? You're…ok with that?"
Steve nods. Holds his bag close still, never far from it. His eyes leave Eddie, settle somewhere over his shoulder, and he clears his throat. "Um…you're not…expecting anything, right? Because, I know I said I can't pay you for the food and stuff and I can't pay anything towards this room either, but if you're expecting, like…something else from me, just tell me now and I'll just go, because I don't want -"
"Steve," Eddie cuts in, balking at the implication Steve's making. "I'm not asking for anything, ok? I'm not gonna touch you. Promise. That's…that's messed up, I wouldn't do that."
"So why are you helping me, then?"
The question is genuine, but it cuts Eddie deep. "No one ever help you before?"
"No. Not without expecting something in return."
Oh.
Eddie ducks his head. "Well, maybe I'm just not an asshole. Maybe I'm nice. Now, you gonna have that first shower? Think you need it more than me."
Steve looks down at himself, screws his nose up a little, and then stands. He looks between Eddie and his bag. "You won't touch my stuff?"
Eddie draws a little cross over his heart. "Nope, promise."
The omega reluctantly parts from his bag, making for the tiny bathroom. A few moments later, Eddie hears the shower turn on.
He stares at the bag. Wonders what could be inside, what could be so precious that Steve hated to put it down - but it's none of his business.
It's not long later that Steve steps out, wrapped only in a towel around his hips. "Sorry, um…clothes are all in my bag, don't know if there's anything clean, though, but can you pass me it?"
Eddie does his best not to stare too long. At tanned skin, at frankly impressive chest hair, at a narrow waist and a thick ass barely disguised by the shitty thin motel towel…Jesus H Christ.
His alpha purrs.
Eddie clears his throat, reaches for Steve's bag. "Yep, um, lemme just…wait, you said you don't have anything clean? You wanna borrow something? I mean, you'd have to put up with everything smelling like me, but I promise I'll grab you something clean."
Steve's tongue darts out over his bottom lip. "Um…ok. If that's alright."
"Yes, yep, give me a second." Eddie practically dives for his own bag, unzips it and rifles through, tossing clothes everywhere. "Any preference? Uh…these ok?" He grabs a pair of slightly ratty black shorts, ones he sometimes slept in, then remembers Steve shivering in the van. "Wait, no, you'll get cold in those. How about…these?" He holds up a pair of grey track pants for Steve's inspection, pairs them with an old band t shirt.
Steve smiles, a tiny thing, sheepish, but there.
Eddie's alpha chuffs silently.
"Sure, those are fine," the omega says, and disappears back into the bathroom with Eddie's offerings.
Eddie's not prepared for the feeling that hits him when Steve reappears clad in his clothes. He squeezes his hands into fists, nails making little half moons in his palms as Steve pads around smelling like him, hair still damp from the shower and skin fresh and clean of dirt.
Ours, Eddie's alpha croons.
He isn't. Eddie's firm with his reply, and his alpha rumbles and settles, but his attention never strays from Steve.
"I'm gonna have a shower. You should change those bandages, you'll need dry ones, there's more in the bag," he says quickly, retreating into the steam-clogged bathroom.
He scrubs himself under the dismal water pressure until his skin turns pink and tries not to think about spending the rest of the night lying next to the pretty omega wearing his clothes. He'd never do anything - he'd felt a little sick earlier at Steve's assumption that Eddie might think he's owed something - but still, it was going to be a long night of reminding his alpha that the omega did not belong to them, he thinks.
When he emerges from the shower in fresh clothes, Steve's already asleep. Curled up on one side of the bed, jaw slack, chest rising and falling slowly.
Eddie's not sure whether he's built a semblance of trust with the omega and that's what allowed him to fall asleep so quickly, or if it was sheer exhaustion on Steve's part, thinks maybe it's a little of both.
Still, he smiles a little at the sight, carefully lifts the covers a little higher over Steve, and slides in beside him. He stays on top of the thin blankets - he runs hot, anyway - and keeps more than a respectful distance between them, no matter how much his alpha whines about it. The urge to wrap himself around the other man, to keep him warm and close and safe, is strong - but outside of the peak of rut, Eddie's stronger than his hindbrain, and he ignores the desire.
Sleep finds him eventually, eased along by the soft sound of Steve's breathing. But several hours later, he's woken to the lumpy mattress shifting, cracks open a bleary eye to see Steve climbing out of bed in the glow from the light outside.
The omega tiptoes to his bag. Grabs something out of it - a small blanket, folded up - then returns to the bed. Steve hugs it to his chest and faces away from Eddie.
The alpha doesn't move. Pretends he's been asleep the entire time, that he saw nothing, gives Steve this seemingly private moment.
To the smell of honey and soft citrus, Eddie drifts off again, dreaming of holding the omega close in his arms.