Chapter Text
April 1941
Benny tries to hold in his sigh as Adam grabs his lapels again with a rough jostle to get him to focus. Dark chocolate brown eyes meet jade green ones, even though Adam has to tilt his head down. He’s only older by eleven months, but he’s always been a little taller, a fight that has been there since the dawn of time for them. There are a million marks on the wall in the front entrance of their parents’ brownstone labeling each year, sometimes even multiple months within that year with each boys’ height.
Adamino and Bernard.
Adam and Benny.
The wild ones.
That’s what they used to get called when they were knobby kneed little boys running around together. Easy enough to tell apart, made even easier when Adam presented. He shot up five inches, became broader than a house, and grew a knot. While Benny stayed small and that’s how they were told apart after that. 15 years old and they couldn’t get away with anything anymore. Everyone and their mother knew which brother was which brother.
It didn’t take much before that but when there are two streaks running past to swipe a piece of fruit or even some day old bread, dark hair can be misplaced. Even if Benny’s is curly and Adam’s is straight, and even if Adam is ivory skinned like their Mama and Benny is tan like their Papa. The true test was always the height and their scents after Adam presented.
“Benny, please for the love of Christ, listen to me.”
“I am Adam, Christ. Will you stop that? Anna worked hard on steaming my jacket,” Benny groans as he tries to brush Adam’s hands off of himself.
The alpha growls softly as he shakes Benny for a minute, but they calm as the soft scent of lavender blows their way. Both of them look over to see their Ma walking over with a toddler on her hip and a young girl’s hand in her own. Benny can see his other four sisters clustered behind their Ma. It reminds him of a mother goose and her goslings.
A sharp slap to his cheek has Benny turning his face back to look at Adam. He huffs a sharp breath, as Adam grabs his face before he runs his hands down Benny’s lapels. Benny realizes then that Adam’s hands are shaking just a little, he’s scared.
“Puffo, Ben, please Mama needs this. The girls need this. We’ve gotta get this shit done, okay? No more fucking around, keep your nose straight! I’m keeping mine on straight too. They need us, okay? We can do it, we worked so fuckin’ hard for this right? Now let’s go prove to those fucks that we can do this. Smile for Ma and the girls, they’re gonna cry when we get on the trains.”
Adam speaks softly in Italian before he taps Benny’s cheek softer this time. Benny wraps his arms around his brother’s waist to squeeze tight. Adam’s arms curl around his shoulders to hold and Benny’s nose tucks into Adam’s unmarked mating gland. Cedar, robust and slightly smoky around the edges fills his nose. It’s similar to his own but doesn’t hold the edge of bonfire smoke to it like Adam’s does, all alpha.
“Ti amo, Papito.”
“Ti amo, Puffo. Now let’s give our girls some kisses, yea?”
Benny sniffles softly as he nods his head a bit, this feels different. Basic training was eight weeks, but he was just up in Wisconsin for it. That was just a jump away but he’s going to Texas for this. For the next 12 weeks he’ll be away from everyone he knows. Then from there it won’t be a very long break before he has to go back to Texas for flight training.
Adam scuffs the back of his neck and rumbles softly, before Lenora’s squeal can be heard closer now. Adam and Benny separate from one another just for Benny to almost get knocked right over. The sweet smell of lavender fills his nose as Attore curls herself into Benny’s chest.
“You’re going to write every day, right?”
“Yes Addie, I’ll write to you every single day, okay? I’ll rack up enough postage costs to fuel the entire base,” Benny promises as he feels her skinny arms curl around him harder.
The ten year old sniffles into his chest while Benny watches Giada and Lenora curl around Adam. Five and three years old, the babies of their family, compared to Benny’s 18 and Adam’s 19 years of age. He can just hear Adam’s rumbles over the bustling train station before the soft scent of lavender fills his nose. He turns his head to see his Ma standing there.
Her eyes are staring straight ahead as she watches her daughters flood around her two oldest children. Francesca is next to wrap her arms around Benny, she’s only a few inches shorter than him. Chiara keeps her face buried in Benny’s ribs as she curls around his side. Alba comes to curl into Benny’s other side, while Anna purrs quietly and kisses Benny’s cheek. Alessia wraps her arms around Adam and the two youngest in a tight squeeze.
“Don’t be stupid, come home, okay?”
“It’s just training Anna, I’ll come home in between officers training and flight school okay? Just…take care of Ma okay? And the girls, I’m gonna send money home when I can. Adam and I both are. I love you Sorella,” Benny murmurs as he kisses her head. He can feel as she squeezes around his shoulders tighter.
“I love you too, Papito.”
He can feel the vibrations of Alba and Attore saying their ‘I love you’s’ into his ribcage on one side and his abdomen on the other. At ten and seven years old, they’re small but they can curl around Benny.
Adam clears his throat and suddenly the girls are all swapping brothers, Lenora is slamming into Benny’s arms. The three year old headbutts into his collarbone as she starts to cry now. While Giada tries to climb up Benny’s side too so he stoops down to lift her into the crease of his elbow and forearm. Alessia wedges herself in between them to bury her face into Benny’s sternum.
Her soft and slightly spicy apple scent hits his nose, he won’t be surprised if she presents as an alpha in just a few years. She’d be just like Adam and their Papa, so far Benny is the only beta in their family.
“Shh don’t cry Bambolina, it’s okay. Mama will have you okay? It’ll be alright,” Benny promises softly as he kisses Lenora’s head, her sweet baby milky lavender scent fills his nose as he nuzzles close to her black curls.
“No go, you stay Papito.”
Benny smiles a slightly wobbly smile as he kisses Lenora’s head again and nuzzles close to her, his hand squeezes her side. While Alessia squeezes him even tighter, Giada sniffles wetly against Benny’s shoulder. He presses kisses to each of their heads before the train conductors are calling for the last stragglers.
Marie steps over to gently pry Lenora and Giada away from Benny, while the three year old starts to really cry. Benny takes a deep breath before he kisses his Ma’s head gently and nuzzles close.
“I love you Ma, I’ll be back soon okay?”
“I love you too Bernard…be safe Tesoro.”
Their heads bump together gently before Adam comes to kiss her head. Benny looks over at his train conductor before he squeezes Adam’s arm and slowly disentangles himself from his family.
He tries to watch them for the time that he can, before he picks up his rucksack and goes for the train doors. He hands over his ticket and waits for a minute before his eyes close when the slight breeze of someone walking past him makes a gust of sweet jasmine blow his way. It makes the hand holding his heart lessen for a fraction of a second. When his head tilts back he can see Adam running down the platform for his own train with his rucksack over his shoulder. Benny looks back at the conductor as he’s told where to go, before he steps over the threshold.
He goes for a window seat once he’s found the section he’s supposed to be at, there’s a few other men in military uniforms as well. Benny perches himself by the window as the train begins to move, and he watches his Mama and all six of his sisters grow smaller.
It feels like a chunk of his heart gets left behind on platform 33 of Union Station. Benny is going to Texas, to fly above the war. While Adam, his older brother, goes in the opposite direction first to New York, then off to Europe. He has no idea where Adam is going to end up, not until he gets there because Adam doesn’t even know yet.
The nerves have already eaten Benny's chest up once he found out Adam would be going straight to Europe to start fighting the fight already. He was going to be in the thick of it while Benny was going to be in giant tin metal cans in the air.
Adam had insisted that he take this one, they wanted young alphas for the front lines. He insisted Benny be a pilot, it paid more and he always said Benny was too smart to be on the ground. They both were going to be sending money home to their Ma and the girls.
This would be enough for them to keep afloat now, now that Benny and Adam weren’t out at night getting up to things they shouldn’t have. Annamarie would be able to go to school to be a nurse, Alessia could go to school to do whatever she wants, and Ma wouldn’t have to get a job. They could give her what their Papa did, they could keep all the girls safe and the brownstone paid for. They had gotten one bank notice and Adam had been out the door to ask the bank how much they’d need to keep the brownstone, while Benny had been out that night trying to get as much as he could.
It took them twelve of the fourteen days they were given to come up with enough money to pay the past due and to get them current. Adam had somehow come home with so much money that he prepaid for six months and then stashed the rest of it away for an emergency fund. But even then it was a constant game of catch up for them. Between himself, Adam, Annamarie's seamstress abilities and Alessia baby sitting neighbor kids, they managed just enough, but everything was still tight. That emergency fund was depleted faster than either of them thought it would be.
He never outright cheated when he’d play cards, or hustle the pool tables. He just knew how to count cards and anticipate the dealer's hands, and drunks are easy enough to rile up.
Benny’s knee jiggles slightly as he sits there, he’s gotta stay on the straight and narrow. He can’t do the shit he was doing before, he promised Adam. He promised Papa, when he stopped at his unmarked grave. That was the next thing on his list, to buy his Papa a headstone. He deserves that and more.
“Hey, you want a smoke?”
Benny looks up as a deep voice cuts into his internal battle. A wide grin, that crinkles the corners of the man’s deep ocean blue eyes, his smile takes up his entire face. It pushes up his cheeks which makes his large ears move a bit. The way the man’s curls fall onto his forehead make Benny envious for a moment, he had shaved all of his off for bootcamp.
Now it was growing back in but it wasn’t as long as it had been, it was at an awkward length. It had been the first thing Adam had commented on when he saw Benny a week ago. Their heads once again matched, Adam had buzzed his hair off too at bootcamp. They had been separated both at different bases for training. Benny was up in Wisconsin while Adam was in Georgia.
“I uh, I didn’t know we could smoke on a train.”
“Eh, keep the window cracked and they don’t care too much. This ain’t my first train ride. I’m John, John Egan. But my friends call me Bucky.”
A large hand thrusts out towards Benny, he swears it’s the size of his face. It’s followed by the softest hint of brown sugar tinged underneath, he must have been seeing his omega if the sweet smell is anything to go by. Benny looks at him for another minute, his uniform is pressed pristinely, the single gold bar on his collar shows his rank. It matches Benny’s own on his uniform collar.
Second Lieutenant.
Benny had unknowingly sat in the same compartment as another ranking officer. He reaches his own hand out to shake, just to feel calloused fingers curl around his. The shake is firm and warm as they sit across from one another on opposite benches.
He accepts the offered cigarette, even if he’s never really had a taste for them before. In bootcamp these were a hot commodity and Benny had partaken a few times. He knew his Papa would have skinned him alive, but the nicotine rush felt like it was worth it. A match is struck and Bucky lights his cigarette first then leans over to light Benny’s for him. He pulls in a breath through the filter and he could moan at the taste hitting his tongue. He lets the smoke fill his lungs and throat before he exhales slowly through his nose and parted lips.
“Bernard, Bernard DeMarco but my friends call me Benny.”
“Well Benny, welcome to the United States Army Air Force…I think you and I will get along just fine.”
Benny smiles softly as he turns his head to blow his smoke towards the window while the train begins to roll. He can see Adam’s train across the tracks and his eyes squint to see if maybe he’ll catch a familiar head of black hair.
He sighs softly as he sees different heads, until he just catches black hair moving through to a window and sitting across from a redhead. Adam must have done the same thing he did, took a window seat to try and watch their girls as they left the station. But even from where Benny is sitting, he can tell Adam is partially distracted by the redhead in his compartment.
Benny’s attention gets pulled back as Bucky starts to talk again, a continuous ramble really. It spans from talking of Manitowoc all the way to asking Benny where he’s from, where he’s heading. Just for Benny to find out they’ll both be at Kelly Field, Bucky’s going to help train cadets while he waits for orders.
Both him and a man named Buck Cleven, who went back to Casper to see his sweetheart Marge on their short leave. Benny’s curious on the correlation of their names. But he doesn’t mind listening to Bucky ramble away either, it’s helping to distract from the ache that’s formed in his chest and gut. It’s helped quelle the feeling of leaving something important behind.
The deep base of John Egan’s voice is what Benny listens to on almost the entire train ride from Chicago to San Antonio. Bucky even buys Benny dinner that first night, just a sandwich and a drink. But the way he does it reminds Benny of his Papa, the selfless way in which John moves himself.
Bucky moves across to sit by Benny at one point, which is how Benny finds himself sleeping on the older man’s shoulder. Both of them are dozing lightly as the train moves in a smooth glide. When Benny wakes up to find the restroom, he can feel Bucky’s chest shaking. Instead of rumbles like Benny would be expecting, John is purring quietly in his sleep. Like a mama cat would for their baby, the way an omega does for his pack mates.
Benny is shocked to find out that Bucky is an omega, and Bucky knows it. If the smirk on his sleepy face is anything to go by, Benny’s used to that too. Everyone assumes he’s an omega, the only thing that makes them stop is the spread of his shoulders. He isn't as broad as Adam, but he knows it makes people question his designation often.
It goes unsaid between him and Bucky, even if Benny does feel a little guilty for assuming. Bucky doesn’t seem to even be phased and their conversation doesn’t falter. The comradery that’s forming between them doesn’t waiver as Bucky continues to talk.
Benny’s going to have to buy the other man cigarettes once they’re down on the base, he’s sure they’ve smoked through at least one pack if not one and a half by the time they’re pulling into the station in San Antonio.
~~~
Benny tucks his hands into his jacket as he walks down the street. He has been in San Antonio for a whole 12 hours and he’s already going to the bar. He isn’t even old enough to get in but Bucky said he’d vouch for him if he got stopped at the doors.
Apparently this was one the older officer has been coming to since he had done his initial training. The bartender knows him and Bucky’s best friend Buck will be here along with some other men as well.
When he shoulders his way through the doors he’s pleasantly surprised to see not a single barback in sight. The sharp twang of bourbon and whiskey fills the air, along with the tinges of sweat and perfume. It’s familiar in a way that it probably shouldn’t be but it makes Benny’s shoulders loosen from their tight stance.
The live band is playing, and when Benny looks up he sees chestnut hair and broad shoulders. As the light catches the man’s hair, Benny watches him tip his head back to drink the rest of his whiskey.
The line of his throat makes Benny pause for a second before he adjusts his leather jacket and gives a subtle sniff. The soft scent of smoky cedar filters over mixed with lavender and the faintest trace of milky sweetness. Adam, Ma, and Lenora all combined still on his coat, it makes him pause for just a moment. Until he looks up again to see broad shoulders and chestnut hair again and he knows he’s gotta say something. If he doesn’t, he’s going to regret it, the way his Papa used to say to grab life by the horns. Benny’s doing that, he’s just going to say hi.
He steps up onto the left side of the alpha to perch against the bar and hail down the bartender. He doesn’t miss the way the other man flinches slightly at the proximity, the way that Attore does when someone is too close. Benny slowly slips a half step to the side, to put some distance between them.
Spearmint.
It’s sharp and stings in Benny’s nose, but it makes him want to roll his neck a bit. It makes him want to relax, it isn’t strong like the alpha isn’t purposefully pushing it out. Not the way most alphas do in a bar, where there’s so many people in the space that they need to assert their dominance. It’s more like he’s just resting and relaxing, and his scent is levitating in the space around him.
When he turns his face to look for the bartender, he almost chokes when he sees the profile of this man. A slightly sloped nose, a square chin, and his bottom lip that is a plush looking shade of pink. The curve of his ear is smooth and it leads down to an accented jawline that is sharp enough to cut someone.
Benny watches as the alpha raises his eyebrow in question before vivid sapphire colored eyes are aimed right at him. They make his breath catch in his throat and his stomach coil up tight.
“Can I help you?”
“What’s a pretty man like you doing in a grimy place like this?”
Benny can feel the blush heating up his cheeks, he really said that? Jesus Christ, but he can also see the glimpse of a smirk curve up the side of his lips.
He can feel the piercing dead eye stare that grazes from his shoes up to his chin. It makes Benny want to squirm, he knows his shoes aren’t the nicest, he didn’t want to scuff up his dress shoes. So he had worn the Iron Rangers he had bought with his first paycheck that he had some extra money with.
He’s in a pair of his nicer slacks, the ones Adam had grown out of that didn’t need any patches sewn into them. He has two pairs that Anna tailored to fit him, a dark grey and a black pair. Tonight he had worn the black ones, with one of his army issued long sleeved button up shirts.
The man next to him is dressed sharply, navy blue slacks with a white button up, his brown leather jacket accentuates the width of his shoulders. This man is an alpha if Benny has ever seen one, the confidence he exudes has something dangerous curling in Benny’s belly.
“Are you even old enough to be in here?”
“I’m old enough to know you’re gorgeous,” Benny responds, he’s good at this, he’s good at being smooth.
He knows how to smile so the dimple in his cheek pops, and he knows how to tilt his chin to show submission. He knows how to work his magic.
No. No this isn’t that.
Benny just really does like this man, and he can flirt without taking it too far. He can have some fun without it going past this, he can have a good time.
“Does that line ever work?”
“I don’t know? Is it working?”
A soft chuckle sounds from the alpha sitting next to him before Benny watches him drain the whiskey glass in front of him. The ice clinks in the glass as it’s set back on the bar top, right back onto the coaster. The bottom of the glass matches right up to the condensation ring perfectly.
Benny isn’t expecting it when the alpha turns his body to face him, but he can see the way his shirt stretches across his chest. The jacket shifts and Benny can see muscled biceps, where the short sleeves of the man’s shirt digs in slightly.
He's a big man, even bigger than John Egan is, he’s all lean muscle mass. Benny is positive this man could command a room just by walking in and staring at someone.
Benny brings his eyes back up to meet blue orbs, and an easy little smile forms on his lips. The dimple in his left cheek pops out and he watches as the alpha flicks his eyes down to stare for a minute.
~~~
Benny grunts softly as his body is pushed back against the brick wall in the alley behind the bar. A set of plush lips push against his while the scent of spearmint plumes into the air heavily around them.
His own cedar spreads out to mingle with it, burning and turned on, making Benny groan. Anyone coming down the alleyway would know exactly what they are doing by the way their scents swirl around them in a cloud. They would know that the alpha — John as he introduced himself — has his hand tucked down to harshly grip at Benny’s ass. They would know that one of his thighs is pushed between Benny’s own so they can grind and rock together. Benny’s hard in his slacks, he has been for what feels like ages now.
John bites down on his bottom lip, and the feel of sharp alpha canines nipping his soft skin has Benny’s hips jumping. It makes his cock ooze into his boxers and he’s going to have a wet spot. He knows if he isn’t careful, he’s going to finish this night much earlier than he intends. It wouldn’t be the first time though, and he can be good.
Benny disentangles their lips to pant harshly before he stands up a little straighter and tugs the alpha down more. He drags his nose across John’s sharp jawline to the hinge to kiss and nip while his hands tuck under his leather jacket. He squeezes at the alpha’s ribs as he works his way down before he brings both hands around to glide over John’s belt buckle. Spearmint, spicy and robust, floods the space between them the lower Benny takes his hands. He drags them down to bracket the bulge in the front of John’s slacks, just to give a little squeeze.
“You smell so good John…smell like an alpha,” Benny whispers as he drags his nose down John’s collarbone.
He can feel the rumble roll up the other man’s throat the way he knew it would, as he slowly sinks down onto the concrete. His knees meet the ground and he prays that he doesn’t rip a hole in his slacks as he fits himself between the spread of John’s feet.
When he looks up, he can see vivid blue eyes staring down at him. They’re tinged with the slightest bit of red, like he’s trying to control himself but can’t help it.
“Johnny…call me Johnny, only…people who don’t know me call me John.”
“Do I know you, Johnny?”
Benny undoes the alpha’s belt buckle and tugs it open to undo his slacks button and zipper next. He can feel the way Johnny’s cock pulses slightly under the material of his boxers. His spicy spearmint scent is tinged in charcoal the more his arousal pumps into the air and it makes Benny’s eyes roll a bit.
“You’re about to have my dick in your mouth Benny…I’d say you know me decently enough…fuck,” Johnny whispers at the end as Benny drags his hand up to squeeze over Johnny’s covered length.
He wants to face plant right into the apex of Johnny’s thigh where his scent is the strongest. Instead, he tugs the buttons open on the other man’s underwear to pull them apart. Benny’s hand dips in to tug him free and he can’t help the groan that falls from his mouth.
All alpha, that’s all Benny can think as he curls his fingers around Johnny’s cock. It’s thick and heavy in his palm, the tip is like a water sprinkler where the foreskin is pulled back, flushed a deep magenta color and the vein on the side pulses where Benny’s fingertips are resting.
Johnny’s alpha scent is headier here and it makes Benny’s mouth water and his own cock twitch in his pants. He flicks his eyes up again to watch Johnny as he spreads his lips and sticks his tongue out flat. He taps the tip against his tongue for a minute just to hear the growl that falls from Johnny’s lips.
A hand comes down to tangle into the gelled strands of his hair, and Benny can’t help the moan that comes from his throat. He looks up at Johnny again as he closes his lips around his tip and hollows out his cheeks to suck harshly. The alpha gives a growl and his hips jerk forward on instinct as Benny moves his hand down to the halfway mark of Johnny’s cock.
He squeezes Johnny’s length as he slowly sinks down, pulling back once he meets his fingers. Johnny groans above him as his hips try to jerk forward again, only for Benny to curl a hand around his trim hip. He flicks his tongue at the underside before he sinks down further, being mindful to protect his teeth.
Benny lets his eyes close as he focuses, his own hips push into the air slightly at the overpowering scent of aroused alpha. Spearmint and charcoal swirl heavy in the air and it has Benny’s pelvis curling with arousal. He wants to get a hand around himself but he also doesn’t feel like being gagged by alpha cock.
Johnny makes another sound above him as his tip leaks in steady rivulets down onto Benny’s tongue, before he inhales sharply when Benny sinks down all of the way. His hand goes down to press against the hair covering Johnny’s pubic bone. Benny holds it for a few seconds before he pulls back, while his eyes water at the intrusion.
“Jesus Christ…fuck that feels so good, don’t stop,” Johnny whimpers and Benny moans in response as his hand goes down again to squeeze at the band that makes up Johnny’s knot. He hears the growling moan come from the alpha’s throat, sending a shiver down his spine.
Benny feels as his skin pebbles up with goosebumps and his cock jerks in his pants. He can feel Johnny twitch on his tongue again and he swears he can feel the alpha’s knot pulse. It makes his insides turn into molten lava to know he’s got this much of an effect on the man standing above him.
When Benny opens his eyes again, he can see that Johnny’s staring down at him. The red has seeped into his irises more as he growls quietly and tries to rock his hips again. His tip slips down Benny’s throat and he can’t help the gag that comes up his chest. He pulls away to gasp for air and collect his bearings before he glares.
“If you’re going to do that at least fucking warn me, fucking shit. At least let me get ready before you shove your dick down my windpipe, alright?”
“Okay…okay, alright. Don’t squeeze my knot like that. I’ll blow and I don’t feel like milking a fucking knot in the alleyway.”
Benny stares up at Johnny for another minute before he swallows thickly and wraps his lips back around his tip. He flicks his tongue in the slit just to hear the stuttered gasp come from the alpha’s mouth. His hand that’s been curled around Johnny’s hip loosens its hold until he can brush his thumb across the bone that juts out a bit.
He settles himself on his haunches as he relaxes his throat and looks up again. Johnny’s hand curls into his hair a little tighter before he starts up an easy motion. He widens his stance slightly and Benny moans around him as he sucks what he can.
Benny can just hear the sound of Johnny rumbling out moans above him as he sets the pace. His hold on Benny’s hair isn’t aggressive, it’s more to keep him in place, to make sure he doesn’t hit his head on the brick behind him. He feels as Johnny’s tip slips lower into his throat and it takes him a panicked minute to remember to not breathe.
“Oh fuck…fucking shit, fuck that’s—oh fuck.”
Johnny’s voice is clipped, stunted slightly as he seems to be working on staying quiet. Honestly if they were caught, Benny doesn’t know what would happen. Alphas use betas all of the time to get off, bootcamp EVEN encourages keeping the alphas happy. ‘Whatever it takes, just keep it behind closed doors.’ It helps keep everyone level headed and keeps everyone in the zone when they’re working as a team to make it through.
Benny moans again as he feels arousal curl in his stomach, while he lets his hand loosen its hold on Johnny’s knot. He doesn’t want to make the alpha pop his knot, it didn’t seem like something Johnny was interested in tonight. Which is odd, every alpha Benny has met very much enjoys popping their knot.
Johnny’s hips jerk forward again when Benny isn’t expecting it, and the squelching sound of excess saliva fills the air. It makes the alpha pause and Benny opens his eyes to look up, while he swallows the best he can.
“Do that again…fuck do it again, I’m gonna cum,” Johnny whispers as his hand tightens in Benny’s short strands of hair.
Benny hollows out his cheeks again as he pushes down further for a minute, he keeps his eyes staring up. Before he swallows again, loud and a little obnoxious but it seems to be what does Johnny in. His cock kicks in Benny’s throat and he moans as his chin tips forward onto his chest.
He knows he should push away, he doesn’t typically swallow, but the punched out sound that comes from Johnny’s chest makes his head spin. It would be cruel and unusual punishment to pull away just as he’s starting to orgasm. He can barely taste it with the way Johnny is shoved to the back of his throat.
Truly, the sticky ropes that fill his throat soothe the raw ache that Johnny’s left behind. Benny pulls back slowly and sucks on his way up just to make Johnny’s hips twitch forward.
Benny tips back into the wall behind him to pant as Johnny’s cock jerks again where it’s resting over his zipper now. Half limp and slick from Benny’s spit, Johnny’s hand shakes a bit as it leaves the wall to tuck himself away.
It’s silent for a moment aside from both of them panting, spearmint, charcoal, and cedar are all thick in the air around them. Benny isn’t expecting it when Johnny suddenly hauls him up off of his slightly numb legs. The taller man uses brute alpha strength to full body lift Benny off of the ground.
Johnny slams his lips down onto Benny’s, and he swears the alpha is chasing the taste of himself. It makes Benny’s hips kick forward slightly before Johnny drops his hands down to undo Benny’s button and zipper. Both of them work the material down with a frantic touch, as their lips stay locked together.
He moans when Johnny slides his hand into his boxers, he feels the alpha ghost his hand down over his aching cock. He twitches with anticipation, his ruddy tip brushes across Johnny’s forearm and Benny holds his breath.
His eyebrows furrow as he feels Johnny’s hand dip lower until he realizes what the alpha is looking for. Benny pulls away from Johnny’s lips to stare at the alpha, panting softly.
“I don’t…I don’t have what you’re looking for. So if you want to take your hand out of my pants, I’ll leave.”
Johnny looks at him for a split second before the alpha surges forward to kiss him again. The back of Benny’s head thunks against the concrete but he’s too distracted by Johnny curling his hand around his cock to notice the sting.
Benny rocks into the alpha’s hold as he moans in his throat, and his head slips onto the wall harder. His feet scrabble against the gravel under him as he tries to stay upright. Johnny squeezes around him and Benny’s hips jerk again as he groans.
He tilts his head to look up and watch. Spearmint and charcoal fill his nose as Johnny presses closer. Benny’s jaw drops as Johnny opens his mouth to drop a glob of spit down to coat Benny’s length. It makes a quiet splat sound as it falls onto Benny’s weeping tip.
“Jesus fucking Christ Johnny…yea just like that. I’m not gonna last long.”
Benny doesn’t know if it’s a threat or a promise right now, Johnny’s alpha scent has made his brain feel muddy. It’s made his balls tense up, his stomach is tight, and his pelvis is in a coil.
He damn well knows he isn’t going to make it more than a couple of strokes, and right now he can’t even find it in himself to be embarrassed. His eyes are drawn to the motion of Johnny’s arm moving as he strokes Benny rapidly between them both.
“I don’t care, Ben…I really don’t care,” Johnny states before he leans in and kisses him again.
Benny moans into Johnny’s mouth as he squeezes around his cock and swirls his thumb along the pearls of stickiness there. The sharp pinch of alpha canines into his plush bottom lip is what sends Benny careening into his orgasm.
His hand flies out to grab onto Johnny’s bicep as he gasps and moans long in his throat. His hips rock through his orgasm as the pleasure pulses through down into his fingers and toes. Benny pants softly as his head falls back against the brick wall behind himself again and his heart hammers in his chest.
“Holy fucking shit, John.”
“The sentiment is similar, Bernard.”
~~~
Benny tries to hold in his groan as he rubs his eye tiredly. After two drinks last night, his head is pounding. He supposes though he hasn’t ever really had a drink before this. A few shots here and there don’t really count. Bucky bought him two whiskeys just so Benny wouldn’t get carded.
He focuses back on the Major standing in front of the group of men that have come in this wave of men. Every man in this room is going to go through officer training. They all worked hard to get here, and Benny already knows two of them.
A head of black curls stands at the front right next to a head of golden blonde locks. Bucky wasn’t kidding when he said Gale Cleven was angelic, his sharp facial features were bemused when Bucky had introduced them last night. A toothpick was stuck in the corner of his mouth and his plush lips were a deep pink color.
Benny had shook his hand and smiled, Bucky had even tossed an arm over his shoulders to tug him in. The older omega was heavier than he seemed, he had almost knocked Benny right over. He wasn’t sure if Bucky was already drunk or if he was drunk on being back with Gale. Benny hadn’t missed the way Gale had switched the toothpick to the opposite side.
It was hard to get a read on Buck last night, but truthfully Benny was only half paying attention. He had been pulled over to their table when Bucky had noticed him and Johnny had smirked. A level “Sounds like your friend is calling you pup” had made Benny cringe internally. He had always been told he had a baby face, but he liked to think he was mature for his age.
“I’ll call you by last name, two men per room, alphas will not bunk together. It will be alpha and beta pairings and omegas will pair together as well. Listen for your name, I won’t repeat it.”
Benny blinks a few times to clear his head as he listens, he’s usually at the top of a list. But then again he doesn’t know how this Major will call off names either. He listens as Bucky and Gale both get called, it makes his eyebrows furrow. He didn’t realize Buck was an omega too, he really needs to stop assuming things about other people.
“Brady and DeMarco, second wing, seventh room, room number 2G. Grab your sacks and go.”
Benny grabs his rucksack off the ground where he had it resting on his foot, he can hear Bucky rambling away to Gale. He realizes now that John talks enough for the both of them, and it makes him want to chuckle.
He begins to move through the crowd towards the hallway that’s been pointed out to him by Gale. Apparently omegas were higher up, Gale and Bucky were on the fourth floor. He rubs his eye again and blows out a deep breath, all he can do right now is send a prayer up that he doesn’t have to run any miles today.
“Well…I’ll be damned…”
Benny squints his eyes slightly, that voice, he knows that voice.
He heard it last night, multiple times last night, the strong scent of spearmint floods his way and makes his shoulders loosen. When he turns his head to look, he sees bright sapphire blue eyes and a half smirk.
His eyes trail over a strong jawline to a square chin and a set of pink lips with a perfect cupid’s bow. Benny is positive this man could fight Gale Cleven for his angelic title.
John goddamn Brady.
Both of them are silent as they walk to their room, and Johnny is the first to open the door. The silver signet ring on his left pinky shines in the light, he doesn’t remember Johnny wearing that last night. But he supposes Johnny wouldn’t wear it out, not many people would mug an alpha, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
“Listen to me DeMarco, what happened last night cannot happen again, do you understand me? That was a one off thing and I didn’t know you then alright? It’ll be a straight blue ticket home for both of us. And I don’t know about you, but I’m not looking for that. The rest of the world might be more progressive…but this is the fuckin’ Army. They don’t give a shit.”
Johnny tosses his rucksack onto the closet bed to the door. He whirls around to look at Benny as his hands clutch onto his hips. The stubborn set of his jaw makes his eyes look brighter, the broad press of his shoulders should intimidate Benny. All it manages to do is remind Benny of the way Johnny had looked over him last night in the alleyway.
Benny blinks again, just to clear his mind before his eyebrows furrow slightly. The tone in which the alpha has spoken to him clicks for him. Johnny sounds almost accusatory and aggressive.
“Listen here pal, I’m pretty sure you were a willing participant last night. And who even fucking said I’d want to do that again? Huh? You’re not special John Brady, you think I’d throw away everything I’ve worked for for you? You’re a fucking loon.”
Benny shakes his head slightly as he side steps around Johnny’s body to set his bag down gingerly on the mattress. He doesn’t have much in there, but the picture of his family is precious to him. When his Papa insisted they get it done three months after Lenora was born.
Now that Benny looks back, he thinks his Papa knew he wasn’t going to be alive for much longer. He had been adamant they get this picture, even though it had cost them a good amount of money. They have three copies of it, Adam and Benny both have a small one.
Then the large one that hangs above the mantel, the one his Ma had almost destroyed in a fit of rage three weeks after his Papa died. Adam and Benny had both woken up at sunrise to the sound of glass shattering and the acrid scent of burnt lavender and curdled milk all around the house. Adam’s chest had started shaking with the growls of a newly presented alpha pup.
Himself and Adam had gone running downstairs as Anna had gone to grab a screaming Lenora. Benny had hidden behind Adam as they had crept down the two flights of stairs to the living room. Neither of them could say anything when they had seen their Mama in a crumpled heap on the floor.
A bottle of their Papa’s favorite brandy was clutched in her hand, her hair was a mess, and her nightie was wet. The picture frame was shattered on the ground around her, and Benny had seen her hand bleeding. Both of the boys had gone running for their shoes and their Ma’s slippers before they had gone to help her.
Benny had lifted her up and helped her, he had cleaned her palm up before he had led her back to bed. While Adam swept up the living room with Alessia holding the dust pan for him. Benny had gotten his Ma into her room, just as Annamarie was coming in with a fussing Lenora. It had taken both him and his sister to help get their Ma and baby sister on their sides so Lenora could nurse.
Both of the boys had ended up sleeping in their Ma’s room that night. Benny was sitting on the floor with his hand on Lenora’s back and Adam was up on the bed so if Marie got up again he could help.
Benny blinks himself back into awareness as he hears the quietest growl come from Johnny. He refuses to turn and look at the alpha, even if keeping his back turned could be considered more dangerous.
“If I remember correctly, you’re the one who dropped to their knees for me last night.”
“And if I remember correctly, you were the one begging me to not make you knot like a newly presented alpha pup.”
Benny has to fight the smirk that tries to take over his face as he hears the huff leave Johnny’s mouth. He hears the way Johnny spins around again to look at his back, before Benny decides to turn around himself. He steps past Johnny to open the small wardrobe at the foot of his bed.
His uniform is pressed neatly, something Francesca had spent almost 30 minutes trying to perfect. While Marie had stuffed both himself and Adam full of ‘good’ food. They had apparently ‘wasted away to nothing’ while in bootcamp. So the four days they had home were meant to fatten them both up again.
“You are a fucking piece of work, do you know that?”
“I’m not the one who decided to start this shit man, I’m here to make money and survive. I don’t need you being a prick to me the entire goddamn time. You wanna ignore what happened, fine by me. But don’t treat me like shit because of some fucked up moral system you’ve got going on in your head John,” Benny responds in an even tone, something he’s perfected after dealing with toddlers.
Johnny’s angular face pinches up slightly, it makes his eyebrows scrunch up and his blue eyes look fiery. Benny turns back to his rack to grab the last few pieces of clothing that he brought with him.
Where Johnny’s bag seems to be packed full of different shirts, Benny doesn’t know why he’ll need them all. They are here to work, not here to party or go out constantly. Even if they do go out, most if not all of the men wear their uniforms out. Unless they’re trying to be discreet, which…if Johnny is…that would make more sense to Benny.
“What the hell do you know about morals? You’re the one who dropped to his knees within the first six hours of meeting a complete fucking stranger. And you’re going to shit on me for my morals? Alright Bernard, get off your high fucking horse.”
Johnny scoffs as he shoves past Benny to get to his own wardrobe. Benny feels white hot anger go down his spine before he whirls around on the alpha. His teeth are bared slightly and if he were an alpha, he’d be growling.
The motion is so fast that Johnny jumps a bit, but it doesn’t deter Benny from walking right up to the alpha. His finger jabs into the man’s chest as he cranes his neck up to stare. He backs them both up until the backs of Johnny’s thighs knock into the small desk on his side of the room.
“Don’t think I didn’t see that fucking cross hanging from your neck. You don’t fucking know me, but I know you. Big alpha who’s used to getting his fucking way at every turn, well fuck off John. Go pray away your sins, ask for salvation from the dirty throat fuck in a back alleyway. Maybe then you’ll still be welcomed at the pearly gates,” Benny snaps, his shoulders are puffed up as he glares.
He wishes suddenly that he was an alpha, that he had Adam’s height and build. Maybe then his point would come across the way he wants it to. That he isn’t to be fucked with at all, he’s here to make money to send home to his Ma and sisters. He’s here to survive and come home to them, to make them proud.
Both of them take a minute, before Johnny puts a hand on his chest to shove him backwards. Benny wants to plant his feet, he wants to put up a fight. But the sudden swirl of spicy and burning spearmint makes his stomach seize up.
He can’t get into a fist fight on his first goddamn day…they’ll send his ass home before they ever send Johnny home. They want alphas, betas are useful as a body to fill in the gaps. But an alpha can lead troops into certain death with the confidence that they’ll make it out on the other side. A beta is a follower, a man to follow that alpha into death and despair.
“You ever come at me like that again Bernard…I’ll lay you flat on the floor. Don’t fucking talk to me.”
There’s a growl in the alpha’s throat, but his eyes stay the same sharp shade of blue. No alpha command in sight, but it still makes something ugly snarl in Benny’s chest. It makes a cold sweat break out under his arms and at the base of his neck as he works to keep his cedar scent pulled in.
His own scent isn’t as strong as Johnny’s, but he doesn’t want the alpha to know he’s nervous. He doesn’t want Johnny to know that Benny knows he crossed a line by getting into his face.
“It’ll be my fucking pleasure, John.”