Sleeping With Giants

John could tolerate the morning sickness. Really, he swears. Throwing up every morning and feeling like your stomach is trying to backflip it's way out of your body is a small price to pay when you get a baby out of it in the end. But it's not just morning sickness. It's 'morning' sickness plus 'two in the afternoon' sickness plus 'four in the morning' sickness and occasionally the wonderful 'I don't care what time it is you're going to puke right now' sickness. He can't tolerate that. He refuses.

"Just kill me," he tells Alex, hands reaching up to grab on to his t-shirt as he leans over him and pushes his hair off his forehead. "Kill me. Really. It would be less miserable."

Alex rolls his eyes and pulls John's hands off of him as he reaches to flush the toilet. John cringes at the loud noise echoing in the bathroom. "Don't be a baby."

"Don't say that word," John groans, "Never say it again."

"Baby? Infant? Child? I could go on."

"I just puked my guts out all because your kid is doing God knows what inside of me. And you taunt me."

Alex smiles apologetically, reaching out to smooth John's hair down but John doesn't accept it and shoves his hand away. "Get my toothbrush."

He brushes his teeth as slowly as possible, just for the joy of seeing Alex stand up against the bathroom doorframe, arms crossed in front of him as he impatiently waits for John to finish. The guy refuses to let John out of his sight like, ever. John can use it to his advantage most of the time.

"Do you think you'll be able to eat anything?" Alex asks him, voice softer than it really needs to be. He reaches out and runs his hand down John's back while he rinses the toothbrush under the water. "Or do you want me to tell Sierra you'll try and eat later?"

"I just need some water I think...I don't wanna ruin dinner though so I'll come downstairs and attempt to eat some pasta," John tells him, nodding to himself as he stares at his reflection in the mirror. He looks tired. There are dark circles under his eyes and he looks paler than usual. It's been three weeks since he and Alex went to the first doctor appointment and he's barely been able to sleep. Or keep anything he eats down. It kind of really sucks.

Alex hums, letting John know he approves of that answer. He moves up closer behind him and wraps his arms around his waist, hands finding their place on his stomach. There's no real sign of a baby yet. According to his doctor, he's just starting his thirteenth week and he probably won't start showing until around the sixteenth or even as late as the twentieth. John doesn't care. He can tell he's gained weight and he can tell his stomach isn't as flat as it used to be and Alex has noticed too, finding every opportunity to touch him now. If John is honest with himself, he kind of hopes he starts showing late in the pregnancy. The last thing he needs is a baby bump giving an open invitation to super clingy werewolves to have their hands all over him.

"You're gorgeous," Alex sighs, pulling John's hips back so they're pressed up tighter against him. He kisses the back of his neck, moving down along his shoulder and John's breath hitches in his throat.

"It doesn't count if you say that now," John reminds him, covering Alex's hands with his own, ignoring how good his lips feel against his skin. "Say it when I've gained a ton of weight and can't get up from the couch without you helping me."

"I will say it then. Because it'll still be true."

Alex tries slipping his hand past the waistband of John's sweatpants, but John shoves him back, turning around in his arms to grin up at him. "Excuse me. Hands off. Sierra made dinner and Jack's boyfriend is probably panicking because he has to meet Jack's big bad Alpha and probably thinks you're gonna eat him."

"But what if we were really, really quick?" Alex persists, slides his hands down John's hips to cup his ass. "You want it. I can smell it. Come on-"

"I do not."

"You just lied."

Of course he lied, and of course he knew Alex would be able to tell. But they really, really shouldn't do this right now. John wants it - he always wants it - but not right now. They need to get dressed again and go downstairs for dinner and play 'meet the boyfriend' for Jack.

Alex can tell that he's not getting anywhere with this, dropping his hands and sighing in disappointment, nose pressing against John's cheek. "Fine, we can go downstairs," he mumbles, "This better be it for Jack because I don't think I can handle one more introduction dinner."

"How about you promise not to be grumpy and scary if I promise to blow you in the shower later?"

"Deal."

Downstairs, everyone is already in the kitchen, the boys watching a hockey game while Tay and Sierra interrogate Jack's boyfriend. He looks nice enough. He's shorter than Jack is, fits perfectly against his side as they lean against the kitchen counter, Jack arguing with Martin and Alex blushing about whatever Sierra is asking him. Everyone notices Alex and John coming into the kitchen before they've even stepped through the door frame, except for Jack's boyfriend. John finds himself happy about that fact - about time he isn't the only freak of nature around here.

Matt is closest to them and he stands up from his seat at the counter, pulling John into it to take his place. John scowls, hating the way the whole pack has taken to babying him and treating him like he's eighty years old and can't stand for longer than five seconds. But it's instinct for them to take care of him, to make sure he's taking care of himself. So he accepts it and reaches for a handful of chips from the bowl in front of him.

"Alex, this is...uh. This is Alex," Jack says, stumbling over the introduction as he pulls his boyfriend away from Sierra's investigation. "Alex Grieco. But you can just call him Grieco. Everyone does anyway. And this way it's less confusing."

John has to hide the laugh he wants to let out at Jack's nervous rambling, watching as Alex grins in ammusement and reaches out to shake the boy's hand. "Grieco? I can call you that?" He asks, and John makes a mental note to tell Alex later he should try sounding less like a dad.

"Yeah, Grieco's fine," he assures Alex, light blush creeping up the back of his neck. "It's nice meeting you."

"Oh - and this is John," Jack says, grabbing Grieco's hand and pulling him over to the bar counter. "I should have introduced you to him first - I totally forgot, shit-"

Alex interrupts his continued rambling, reaching out and brushing his hand across the back of Jack's neck. "Jack calm down," he says softly, "No big deal."

If the rest of the night goes like this, John is sure there will be some great entertainment.



John ends up eating a piece of bread and pushing the pasta Alex told him to try around on his plate. He's lucky enough tonight that just the sight or smell of food isn't setting him off. But he's definitely nowhere near in the mood to actually eat anything more than bread. Alex is next to him, obviously not happy about how little he's eating, but he doesn't say anything. Which is smart of him. Because John is in a great spot to kick him in the shin.

Grieco is also next to him, and John has decided he totally likes him. He's quiet, but not in a shy way exactly. More in the way that he just doesn't have a lot to say. But he answers all of Tay's questions and Martin's interrogating with ease and while it might be obvious that he doesn't exactly frequent dinners with werewolves, he's doing a pretty good job handling it. John remembers when he first started hanging out with the pack - way back in high school - and being intimidated and nervous. And look where he is now.

After dinner, John revels in the fact that he gets control of the TV while everyone else helps clean up. Apparently, being pregnant with the Alpha's baby gives him immunity to all household chores. He spreads himself out on the couch, laying on his stomach and clutching a pillow close to him while he flicks through the TV channels, when Grieco comes in from the kitchen. He smiles a bit and holds out a can of ginger ale to John.

"Alex asked me to bring this to you," he says, "Want me to open it for you?"

John sits up and takes the can, shaking his head as he pops the tab. "I know everyone else in this house is under the impression that I can't do anything more than breathe, but trust me. This didn't require much effort."

Grieco laughs and sits down on the other couch, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Yeah I'll be honest - Alex told me to make sure you weren't doing anything strenuous."

"He acts like I spend my free time doing jumping jacks and pushups. I barely moved when I wasn't pregnant, I don't know why he thinks that's going to change now."

"I guess it's just something that comes with the whole werewolf thing, huh?"

John smiles after he takes a sip from the soda can and puts it down on the table in front of him. Some car show is on, but he really isn't paying it much attention. "They take some getting used to but I wouldn't trade them for anything. It's weird - it was always just me and my mom growing up. I never thought I was lonely until I was suddenly part of this pack."

Grieco nods, and John thinks he should probably continue talking about all of the good things that come with being part of a pack. He wants this to work out for Jack. He wants Jack to be happy. So he'll do whatever it takes to get this guy to give it a chance.

"I've never spent much time with werewolves before," he admits, looking down at his hands as the blush from earlier creeps back up on him. He smiles as he says, "But then Jack...he's really, really persistent. Which is nice because I'm not the most outgoing person so I would have never tried to go after him. But sometimes it's a little overwhelming."

"He talks about you a lot," John says, not even bothering to keep his voice down. Even if Jack weren't totally standing just inside the kitchen door eavesdropping, he would be able to hear it anyway. "He talks to the baby like, every time we watch Cupcake Wars together and you're the main part of whatever story he's telling nine times outta ten."

"He'd probably kill me if he knew I told you this, but he's so excited about being an uncle. It's all he talks about sometimes. It's kind of adorable," Grieco laughs, and John can't help but feel a little rush of affection for both him and Jack.

"Hate to remind you, but he totally already knows you just told me," John tells him, motioning towards the kitchen. "You know, freakish supernatural hearing abilities and all."

"Shit. Right," Grieco frowns, hiding his face in his hands. "I always forget."

"You'll learn pretty fast there's really no chance of keeping anything a secret around here. I mean, granted that we haven't totally scared you away yet."

"Nah, definitely not scared away yet."
There's the very obvious sound of someone clapping their hands together in the kitchen followed by a very enthusiastic and relieved 'yes!' from Jack. Grieco blushes again and John just smiles because yeah, he can definitely picture this relationship lasting.



"I am very confident in the fact that it's going to be a girl."

"Definitely. I have a really good feeling about it."

"Right? I don't know why but I just feel like I know, you know?"

"Totally. Oh, look how cute!"

John watches Tay and Sierra, completely baffled at the way they so easily look through racks of baby clothes and talk at the same time and somehow still manage to pick out things they're looking for. They insisted on a shopping day, because John has bought absolutely nothing in preparation for the baby, minus the crib, and he's already halfway through the pregnancy. They guilted him into it and now here he is, standing in the middle of the newborn section at Buy Buy Baby. He has no idea what he's even looking for.

Sierra tosses a few things into the shopping cart, not bothering to inform John of what they are because John is hopeless at this. He's glad he has Tay and Sierra to guide him through it (really, they're kind of doing it for him) because otherwise he would just be lost. He glances at Matt, who was dragged along because he was the only other one at home and Sierra claims they need one more guy opinion since Alex is at work.

John knows the real reason is because he's no longer allowed out unless a werewolf party of three or more goes with him. But he'll pretend for now.

"Why do I need so many of these?" He finds himself asking, reaching into the cart to pick up one of the packs Sierra threw in. They're plain white onesies. They come in packs of five. And there are four packs in the cart.

Sierra sighs, in that way that John has taken to mean she finds him so adorably hopeless. At least, he likes to think it's adorable. He hopes it is. It's all he's got going for him these days.

"I picked out three different sizes. You're going to go through so many of these. Might as well have a lot."

It makes sense, he guesses, so he lets them stay.

"I'm not going to pick out anything really cute yet, because obviously we don't know for sure if the baby is a boy or a girl. Plus, people are going to buy you cute things for the baby shower. We're just here for the basics and necessities. And maybe one or two things we absolutely cannot pass up. Like this."

Tay holds up a pack of animal themed bibs. John will admit it - they're adorable. And he's kind of totally leaning towards telling her that he wants the nursery to be animal themed. Or something like that. How could that go wrong? Little girls like animals just as much as boys, right? Totally gender neutral. Kinda.

Matt hasn't said much in response to anything the girls have been picking out and showing off. The most reaction he's had to anything was a small smile to a pajama onesie with whales on it. John knows he probably has no interest in any of this - John barely has interest and it's his own kid - but he also knows Matt is totally excited.

"See anything good?" He asks him when both girls are distracted by the clearance rack.

Matt looks up from the baby name book he's been flipping through for the past ten minutes, looking sheepish at getting caught. "No," he says quickly, snapping the book shut. "Nothing."

He tosses the book in the cart though, pushing it along to follow his girlfriend and Sierra and John can't help but smile and feel a little overwhelmed by how happy it actually makes him that the others are so invested in this. In him. And the baby.

They're in the middle of looking at all the different themed bedding when John feels it. He's just standing there, leaning against the shopping cart and trying to ignore the wave of nausea and the way his stomach feels like it's doing flips, watching Sierra talk about the pros and cons of an underwater animal theme. And that's when he realizes it's not the usual feeling he gets when his stomach has decided to freak out on him. It feels weird - like a feather brushing up against him and he will never admit this out loud, because nobody would ever let him live it down, but it's a little like butterflies. He's standing there, totally frozen and staring down at his stomach in awe when Tay calls him back to reality.

"Honestly, John, how are we supposed to get anything done today when you won't even pay attention!" She complains, rolling her eyes as she turns back to the display she was examining. "I like this theme the best. It would be easy for me to paint it."

John just shrugs. It's got all different kinds of cute zoo animals and it doesn't look too girly or too boyish and honestly, he thinks it's pretty perfect. It's the best one they've shown him today so he should probably pick it before he goes crazy. "I like it. It gets my stamp of approval."

"This could be a lot easier if you would just find out if it's a boy or a girl," Matt sighs, reaching up to the top shelf to grab the comforter that Tay points out. "But no. Alex has to be difficult."

They had another doctor's appointment just last week and after confirming that everything was going well and that the baby was healthy and developing as it should be, Dr. Milton had asked if they wanted to find out the gender. Alex said no almost instantly and John didn't care either way. Surprises are nice, he figures. Even though it's already going to be surprise enough finding out if the baby is a werewolf or not when it's finally here.

"Take up that complaint with your Alpha, not with me," John advises him, his left hand moving down to rest on the side of his stomach. He started showing just before the last doctor's appointment, almost overnight. He woke up to Alex feeling him up and trying to shove his hands underneath his suddenly too tight t-shirt, mumbling about John being gorgeous and perfect and wonderful. It was one of the better wake up calls he's had since meeting Alex (not quite as great as those mornings he's been woken up with a blow job but whatever).

He wonders for a second if the three of them can tell that he felt the baby move, takes in the way Sierra keeps glancing at him over her shoulder as they walk through the store. But none of them say anything and he knows by now that they don't hide anything anymore. Not since he threw his temper tantrum over everyone knowing he was pregnant before him. So they don't know yet. And he grins and feels a little bit excited about the fact that finally he knows something about this baby that nobody else does yet.

"We need to get you some new t-shirts," Sierra tells him later while they're paying for everything. He's pulling Alex's credit card out of his wallet as she smiles at him and puts her hand on his belly without even asking permission. He's going to have to get used to that, he realizes. "And jeans. We can go tomorrow."

"Or we can just go after this," he suggests, handing the card over to the cashier. He pointedly ignores the amount on the screen and hopes that Alex does not look too carefully at his credit card statements next month. "We're already out."

"Yeah but you must be tired. We've been out all day."

He's always tired, so he's not really sure why it suddenly matters so much. He was tired this morning when she woke him up at eight, begging him to get dressed so they could leave. He was tired two days ago when she forced him to go to dinner with her and Grieco so they could "get to know him a bit better without everyone else being overwhelming". And while it was nice, John's not sure how he kept his eyes open. So really. John being tired has never mattered to Sierra before.

"Alright fine," he agrees, signing the receipt that he's handed. "But don't wake me up before noon."

John manages to convince the three of them to stop for frozen yogurt on the way home. They don't look happy about it, considering Alex had put 'frozen yogurt and all soft serve ice cream' on the list of things John should be avoiding, considering how doctors are always telling their patients to look out for the cleanliness of places with self-serve options. But John doesn't care and he googled it and read plenty of articles from people who said they ate frozen yogurt throughout their whole pregnancy and their baby is healthy and on the honor roll and on the way to discovering a cure for cancer, among other wonderful and impressive things. So John does not care. He wanted frozen yogurt. And if he had to fake cry to get it, he won't deny it.

"It's not dangerous, shut up," he mumbles as he follows Sierra through the front door, watching her struggle with four plastic bags from the store. He offered to help but was denied so whatever. "And you don't have to tell Alex I ate it, anyway."

"Oh I'm not, trust me," she tells him, dropping the bags onto the kitchen table. "Except you totally already did because he's just pulled in and probably heard you."

"He only heard me if he was focusing on me and me only and - oh. Well then yeah. He definitely heard me."

Alex's overprotective tendencies, which before John got pregnant were relatively tame and John could easily handle them, have only increased by like, a million. He goes in to work these days only because he knows he has to if he wants to be able to provide for the baby and the rest of his pack and also because John would drive him up the wall if he had to spend the whole day with him. But that doesn't stop him from coming home and gluing himself to John's side, touching him constantly and focusing on him and ignoring the rest of his pack. John gets it - he's a werewolf and it's in his nature to have these kind of instincts - but it's times like these that he really wishes Alex would chill.

"What did you eat that you're not supposed to?" Is the first thing Alex asks when he comes into the kitchen, tugging on his tie and trying to loosen it. "Do I have to punish anyone for allowing-"

"Shut up. I ate frozen yogurt. It was vanilla," John tells him, "And it was great. I put strawberries and blueberries and nuts on it and it was the best thing I've eaten in days."

To John's surprise (and Sierra's, who's been pretending to be very preoccupied with reading the receipt from the store), Alex only shrugs and pulls the tie from around his neck. "That's good," he says, and really sounds like he means it. But then he says the words that make John realizes he's so dead. So, so dead. He's going to get lectures about why he shouldn't be eating things like that and God. Kill him now. "Come upstairs with me?"

"Um, I was going to help Sierra-"

"John. Come upstairs with me."

He's using his Alpha voice and although John has never really tolerated that from him before, Alex rarely ever uses it on him. So he figures this is an important thing and he should listen to Alex and get the lecture over with.

"You're lucky," he says while they're walking up the stairs, Alex's hand firmly pressing into his lower back, "I put all the healthiest things I could find on the froyo today. All fruit and no sugary things. So I have to get some points for that, right?"

Alex completely ignores him as he tries pleading his case, and John assumes it's pointless. He lets Alex walk ahead of him down the hallway, let's him push open their bedroom door and sighs loudly as he walks inside to sit on the bed and get ready to listen to yet another 'Healthy John = Healthy Baby' lecture. He just got one yesterday. What more could he possibly say?

Except, Alex actually doesn't say anything. John has just barely sat down on the edge of their bed, looking up at his boyfriend and just waiting for it, when Alex pounces on him. Like literally. John hasn't seen him move so fast in a while and it catches him off guard as he's pressed into the mattress, Alex's hands pushing up the hem of his t-shirt and his knees digging into the mattress on either side of his hips.

This is already infinitely better than a lecture about healthy lifestyles and Alex hasn't even gotten his shirt off yet. John relaxes, lets Alex push him further into the middle of the bed and he briefly acknowledges that Alex isn't nearly as unnecessarily gentle with him as he has been lately. He'll take it, though. He wraps his arms around Alex's neck and kisses him. It's messy and Alex bites down on his lower lip as he tries tugging John's shirt up his body, getting absolutely nowhere with the lack of coordination and focus.

"Just - wait," John says after he breaks the kiss, leaning his head back to avoid Alex's lips pressing against his chin. "Hold on, you crazy person-"

He's not complaining at all but he has a point - this is completely out of nowhere for Alex. Usually John is the one who just jumps Alex and can't control himself at all. But Alex is ignoring his request to slow down, pushing John's hands away so he can pull the shirt up over his head.

"Full moon," is all Alex says after John is free of his shirt. He grins down at him, eyes wide with lust and John gets goosebumps just from the way he's looking at him.

The reminder of the full moon explains it all. Alex is always twice as clingy and twice as horny right before it and John has no complaints. He smiles up at Alex, praising the moon cycles and the fact that Alex is never one hundred percent in control of himself on the day leading up to the full moon. Because it's been ages since Alex hasn't treated him like he's made of glass (the last few full moons, John hadn't even wanted Alex anywhere near him thanks to morning sickness and other baby-related ailments) so he's going to take this and run with it.

Alex's hands are all over him now. He's always touching him normally, but this is different. He leans down and kisses along his jaw, using his teeth and nipping at his skin every few seconds and John sighs, relaxes into the sheets and tries not to care that he's going to have an unreasonable number of bruises on his neck in the morning.

John lets him have control. He lets him mark him and lets him scent him and John just takes it, fingers tight on Alex's hips until he starts moving lower. Alex sucks a bruise above his collarbone on his left side, thrusts his hips against John's and John lets out a tiny gasp as he feels Alex's dick press against his thigh through his pants.

"You're so-" Alex mumbles against his skin, moving lower and lower and not finishing his sentence. He kisses just below John's belly button, one hand stroking his side as he plays with the waistband of John's jeans. "You're just so," he says again, shaking his head as he pops the button.

John rolls his eyes. He reaches down and let's his fingers tangle into Alex's hair, tugging a bit as Alex starts pulling his jeans down. "I'm so what? Did you forget how to speak?"

Alex drops the jeans over the side of the bed, looks back at John and his eyes flash red at the way John is taunting him. It's a brief moment and it doesn't do anything to unsettle John, but he knows better than to talk like that to Alex when he's like this. So he settles back down against the mattress, lets go of Alex's hair and tilts his head back, baring his neck the slightest bit.

He tries not to laugh as Alex noses along his jaw, his hands coming up to pin John's to the bed. "You're mine," he finally says, "Say it."

John doesn't hesitate, "All yours, caveman. All yours."

He feels Alex breathe out against his neck, resting most of his weight against John as he rubs his thumbs in circles on his wristbones. And while John is normally pretty content with this - cuddling and listening to Alex breathe - now is not the time for it considering his dick is pressing painfully against his boxers and he just needs Alex to fucking touch him.

He squirms a little, lifts his hips against Alex's to get him back into the game. Alex grunts and tightens his grip on John's wrists, leaning up to look at him and narrow his eyes.

"Can you like," John pants, struggling to get any kind if friction against his dick. "Fucking - fucking get on with it?"

"You want me to fuck you?" Alex asks, pinning John's hands above his head. He releases his wrists, gives him a look that tells him to keep them there. "Is that what you want?"

Uh. Well duh. But John won't say it like that. He'll be sensitive and polite. "I would really appreciate it if you could finish what you fucking started."

Okay, he tried.

"Please?" He tacks on after a few seconds of Alex looking unimpressed at his demands. It's taking all he has to keep his hands exactly where Alex pinned him and not moving them so he can get his hands on Alex. He knows Alex needs this - needs the control over something when he can barely control anything else. It's always like this before the full moon. John knows this by now. So he goes for his well-practiced 'helpless and pathetic and needy' face and begs, "Baby, please."

It appeals to Alex instantly and barely a second passes before Alex is pulling his shirt up over his head. He gets up from the bed to get out of his pants and John watches, leaning up on his elbows as Alex is uncharacteristically clumsy and fumbles with the the belt buckle. Alex flushes as he finally gets it undone, pulls it through the belt loops and drops it to the floor.

"Shut up," he snaps as John laughs at him stepping out of the dress pants and laying them on the back of his computer chair across the room. "I don't want them to get wrinkled."

John bites back a comment and lays back down with his hands above his head just in time for Alex to settle on top of him, sitting on his thighs and playing with the hem of his boxers. He can't help but frown a bit at the now very obvious baby bump he's got going on. The past few weeks he's been bragging about how great he'd been feeling, considering his morning sickness had finally started to decrease in frequency combined with the fact that he looked the same as he normally did, as long as he was wearing a shirt. It was nice feeling like himself. Now he can't help but feel a little self-conscious.

"Stop," Alex says, fingers hooking underneath the waistband and sliding it down his hips. He keeps eye contact with John as he moves off of him, helps him kick the boxers off his legs. "I know what you're thinking."

John always wondered when the day would come when Alex finally admitted he could read minds. He didn't exactly picture it happening like this, but hey. He won't be picky.

"So do I need to apologize for all those inappropriate thoughts I've been having about Zac Efron?"

Alex glares at him. "Well now you do. Later. For now, stop thinking and just relax." He grabs his wrists again and presses them into the mattress, surely leaving bruises that John will have to try and cover up in the morning. "You're gorgeous and I clearly haven't been doing a good job making sure you know that. So just let me."

Alex is moving so slowly now, compared to how he was when they first got in here. John feels bad, wishes Alex would just let go and stop trying to control himself and not think about what John is or isn't thinking. But this is Alex. Alex is incapable of pushing what John wants or needs to the back of his mind so this shouldn't be surprising.

"I'll let you if you promise to let go and fuck me like you mean it," John mumbles, pulling his left wrist out of Alex's grip, bringing it up to rest on the back of his neck. "Deal?"

Alex doesn't answer at first. He bites his lower lip as he stares down at John, obviously not exactly fond of the idea. But John can feel Alex's nails digging into his skin on his other wrist, nails that are longer and sharper than they normally are. "I don't wanna hurt you. I couldn't - could never-"

Obviously words aren't going to do anything to convince Alex. So John just pulls him down and kisses him, shutting him up in a much more efficient way. It's enough to distract Alex, get him back into it, and Alex, while still managing to be slightly gentle, kisses him back hard and determined.

"I promise I'll tell you if I want you to stop," John tells him when Alex pulls away again, "Trust me."

"What if I don't listen?"

"Do you think that's realistic at all?"

And that finally gets a smile out of Alex, the older man knowing just as well as John does that John has a tendency to be make Alex do anything he wants him to without even really trying, despite Alex's Alpha status. "Alright. Fine."

John isn't sure exactly how much time passes, but it's not like it even matters. He's sweaty and sticky and Alex is between his legs, his mouth on John's dick and giving John one of the best blow jobs he's given in weeks. They're always good but somehow this time it's even better.

"Alex - Alex, come on," he begs, reaching down and tangling his fingers in Alex's hair, "Please."

Alex pulls away, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as he glares at John. John sighs and takes his hand back, opting to instead grip onto the sheets. Fucking werewolves and their stupid need for control and submission.

"Do something and I wouldn't have to shove you on my dick," John mumbles, lifts his gaze to the ceiling while he listens to Alex pop the cap on the lube he grabbed earlier. Even though he knew it was coming and they've done this a million times, he inhales sharply when Alex presses one finger inside of him, gently pressing as he pushes one of legs into a better position. Alex's lips press against the inside of his thighs, teeth nipping every so often and tempting John to break the rules and reach down to smack him. It's not exactly great waking up with bruises all along his legs when his pants barely even fit.

One finger turns to two and two turns to three and John has had enough, fingers digging into the sheets, trying so hard not to push back on Alex’s fingers and get him to press them in deeper and harder and actually fuck him like he promised. Alex just holds his hips down with one hand, smirking as he knows that he’s driving his boyfriend up the wall just with his fingers. John swears he can come just from this, wishes he had the voice to tell Alex to try it. But his voice is barely working and he can’t do anything more than whine about Alex not giving him enough and begging Alex for more.

“Okay,” Alex pants, twisting his fingers and thrusting them hard, hitting John’s prostate dead on, “Okay. Gonna-”

He pulls back and John suddenly feels empty, whining in the back of his throat in protest. He watches Alex fumble with the condom, trying to tear the corner of the foil with slippery fingers and suddenly John is asking, “Why the hell are we using a condom?”

Alex blinks. “We always use a condom,” he says, grits his teeth as he is so obviously irritated by being interrupted by something so pointless. “Because you complain about cleaning up-”

“Fuck it. Just fuck me.”

Alex doesn’t need to be told twice, tossing the foil over the side of the bed. He moves to cover John’s body with his own, has both knees on either side of John’s hips when John’s brain catches up to reality. “Wait! Wait – no! You’ll squish me!” he exclaims, scrambling back on the mattress as fast as he can manage. "I’ll flip over-”

He’s not even steady on his hands and knees before Alex is all over him, grabbing his hips and pulling him even closer. He plasters himself up against John’s back, hands stroking along his sides as he mumbles about how perfect John is and how much he loves him and John can only nod and make himself more comfortable by resting on his forearms instead of his hands. He feels Alex pull away from him for a split second, and the next thing he knows Alex is pushing into him, somehow too slow and too fast at the same time.

They've always used a condom while fucking and the lack of one right now is weird. John closes his eyes and focuses more on the way Alex is leaning over him, kissing the back of his neck and less on the way that Alex feels bigger inside of him somehow (which, okay, Alex is big enough as it is). And John totally just needs an extra thirty seconds to adjust.

"I love you," Alex mumbles, lips still pressing against the back of his neck. His hands are on John's hips, tight enough to leave marks but not to hold him still completely. Alex knows well enough by now when John is ready and he doesn't waste any time, pulling John's hips closer, fucking into him a little harder than John is expecting.

John's hands form fists in the sheets as Alex fucks him, barely lifts his head from where he's hiding his face in his arms. Alex does all the work for him, pulling him back onto his dick every time he pulls out and all John can do is remember to breathe and plead with him to go faster.

"Alex - fuck! Alex, please, more-"

"Harder?" Alex asks, breathing hard against John's shoulder. "You sure?"

"I need - yes, harder! Please, Alex- fuck!"

Alex bites him. Right on the back of the neck and he doesn't use his (stupidly sharp when he wants them to be) canines but it still hurts and yet apparently, John is totally into that kind of thing. He comes without Alex even touching him at all, harder than he has in a while and Alex fucks him through it. Alex comes inside of him and it's a weird feeling and John is pretty sure condoms are going to be mandatory from now on, but for now he ignores it, let's Alex press his forehead against the back of John's neck and tell him how perfect he is and how much he loves him.

Alex cleans them up, somehow manages to change the sheets even with John laying right in the middle, half conscious and completely boneless and completely uncooperative. Alex manages to get him into a new pair of sweatpants before climbing back into bed and curling around him, one hand instantly splayed across his stomach.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, pressing his lips to the bite mark on the back of John's neck, "I shouldn't have done that."

"I apparently liked it," John points out, eyes closed as Alex rubs circles on his skin. "Not like you even broke skin. Or came anywhere close to like, you know. Turning me."

"You know how I feel about that. It's not up for discussion."

"Fully aware of that, yep."

"And we have no idea how you turning would affect the baby so that's just one more reason to add to my list."

John rolls his eyes. "I'm not going to be pregnant forever, caveman."

"I don't want to hear you talking about this again," Alex warns him, kissing him just to try and appease him. "I really don't want to get up right now but my stupid pack is apparently incapable of doing anything without direction and are waiting at the foot of the stairs for me."

Right. Full moon. Running. John nods. "Go, I'll be here when you come home," he promises, placing his hand over Alex's. "And don't pretend like you can afford to skip a month."

"Grieco is here." Alex tells him as he pulls away reluctantly, "I can hear him in the living room. So you're not alone."

Not that John cares if he's alone or not, considering he doesn't plan on moving an inch until he wakes up in the morning. But Alex seems to think otherwise, tossing John a t-shirt and a hoodie to pull on. John opens one eye, finds Alex staring at him and clearly waiting for him to get redressed to join society.

"Oh fuck off," John grunts, pulling his pillow closer and trying to pull the sheets over his head. "I'm exhausted. You just fucked me into the mattress and you expect me to get dressed and function normally?"

"It's not even late enough to be considered 'late afternoon', John," Alex points out, leaning over the side of the bed to manhandle John into a t-shirt. It's already over his head when he realizes it's not even his own. It's one of Alex's. And it fits much nicer than any of his own.

"It is so. Go howl at the moon or something."

Alex actually growls at that comment, and if looks could kill John would likely be dead. So just to appease the Alpha just enough so that he actually comes back to bed later and doesn't spend the morning moping downstairs, John gets up and promises to spend time with Grieco - after he showers because that would be extremely unfair to Grieco. He takes his time in the shower, letting the hot water help ease the ache in his back and by the time he's redressed and heading downstairs, it's almost seven and the pack is long gone.

Grieco is in the living room, lounging on the couch and watching a rerun of the Dodgers no-hitting the Phillies from last May. John sits in the recliner, reclines it all the way back before registering what a stupid idea that was. He has enough issues just getting out of bed now what with all the weight he's gained and how off-balance he is. He's going to be here until someone takes pity on him and rescues him. Because there is no way he's asking Grieco, the boy who has only been around for a few months and is still adjusting to this pack, to help him get up from a fucking chair.

"You wanna watch something else?" Grieco asks when the inning is over and the game cuts to a commercial. "I think Top Chef is on."

"No this is fine," John assures him, closing his eyes. "It's nice being the only two around and getting a say in what we watch huh?"

"Do they always leave this early?"

"No - Alex said something about the moon rising early or whatever. I don't know. I don't pay attention to that stuff. All I know is they usually come back at like, four or five."

Grieco hums, acknowledging that he gets what John is saying. "I asked Jack if he'd let me see his wolf form and he told me no. Was I not supposed to ask that?"

"They're weird about it," John sighs, "I've only seen Alex like, twice. I never ask, I just figure it's a werewolf thing."

Well, duh.

He and Grieco spend the rest of the night in silence for the most part, watching the rerun of the game and occasionally commenting on something to do with one of the teams. John falls asleep in the recliner, wakes up a few hours later disoriented and barely able to focus on the TV, which is now playing am episode of Friends. There's a warm weight on top of him, preventing him from being able to move his legs and he's fully expecting it to be Alex, glaring at him for falling asleep downstairs instead of in their bed, where it's comfortable and much safer.

And it is Alex. Except, shifted werewolf Alex. It's weird for a second, having a giant wolf the size of a bull mastiff - bigger, probably - squishing you into the recliner. John shifts, still not exactly fully awake yet, and moves his hand to the top of his head, scratching behind his ears and mumbling "Good puppy", under his breath, knowing how unamusing Alex will find it. Alex nudges his arm with his nose, but that's the only form of protest he gets.



Christmas has never been a huge deal to the pack at all. There's gift-giving and Tay attempts to cook something slightly different than their usual staples of macaroni and cheese and steak and hamburgers and peanut butter and jelly (John realizes they often eat like they're 5 year olds but he never brings himself to care) and Matt and Martin usually put up a Christmas tree and Sierra decorates it. They play along with the usual expectations of Christmas but none of them actually make a big deal of it. This year is different, though. Because Alex refuses to let his baby come into this world with absolutely no traditions and no photo albums that show off these traditions before it's born. So that's why John has been forced into the ugliest Christmas sweater he has ever seen in his life.

"I'm getting overheated," he whines, tugging at the collar of the itchy, too tight sweater. "I'm going to pass out."

"You're not," Alex tells him, hand on the back of his neck. "You're the same temperature you always are. Suck it up and sit down."

John pouts, cursing Alex in his head not for the first time today. He woke up at five, thanks to Alex's offspring trying to kick it's way out of John's body and using John's bladder as a punching bag. He didn't fall back asleep until well after seven - only to be woken up at seven-thirty by Alex announcing the need for a family Christmas photo. Needless to say, this Christmas morning is turning out to be absolute shit.

"Are these really necessary?" Matt questions, looking down at his sweater and tugging on it. "I hate cats. I'm wearing a sweater with a cat wearing reindeer antlers on it. And you don't find anything wrong with this?"

Tay elbows him, but it's obvious that the thick material of the sweater kind of cushions it. Matt doesn't even flinch. "Shut up and sit down and smile for the picture. We have like, three photos with all of us in it. We could use a recent one, considering John isn't even in two of them."

Okay. Fine. Now John can kind of see the point of this. But that doesn't make the sweater any less itchy or horrendous and it definitely doesn't stop him from continuing to pout as he sits down on he couch where Alex has directed him.

"At least yours doesn't light up," Jack whispers to John as he sits, wasting no time in inching closer and resting his head on John's shoulder.

John looks at Jack's sweater, tries not to laugh at the lights on the Christmas tree. "You're going to create a glare in the picture," John laughs, not even flinching when Jack slides his hand underneath John's sweater. Boundaries don't exist in this pack. At all. Ever.

"Tell that to Alex, then," Jack mumbles, but then he sighs, splays his fingers out on John's stomach. "She's moving a lot," he says happily.

"You all need to stop asigning my baby a gender," John warns, pulling Jack's hand out from under his sweater. "It's totally unfair."

Alex is finally happy with the seating arrangements, standing in front of the tripod and grinning at what he sees. "Who knew that you all could look so cute in ugly sweaters?" He asks, looking so pleased with himself that John can't bring himself to be pissed off anymore. He moves closer to Jack, gives Alex enough space to sit beside him. Alex sets the timer on the camera, tells everyone they better smile and look happy or he'll toss all their furniture out the third floor windows, and then crowds up against John, arm wrapping around his waist.

John smiles like Alex told them all to, but it's totally not his fault that Alex pulls him in and kisses him right before the flash goes off. Maybe that was Alex's plan all along.



"We said no gifts."

John glares at Alex, glares at the tiny box in his outstretched hands and tries very hard not to smack it right out of them. They had both agreed - weeks ago - that they wouldn't waste their money trying to buy one another something for Christmas. There wasn't anything either of them wanted and it was mutually agreed upon. And yet here Alex is, a week after Christmas - fucking New Years Eve, when they're supposed to be doing something fun and exciting and special - cornering John in their bedroom with a gift. He definitely should have seen this coming.

"I lied," Alex tells him simply, shrugging his shoulders. He thrusts the box towards John again, who's sitting on the edge of their bed in his pajamas because nothing fucking fits him anymore. "Open it."

"No."

"John," he says, voice even and he's clearly not in the mood for John to be a little brat. "Open. It."

He's not dumb enough to not know that rejecting the gift again is only going to piss Alex off more. But he's never cared about that before, never cared that you're not supposed to piss off your Alpha and go against what he tells you to do. But while John will admit and accept the fact that Alex is his Alpha, John is human. He doesn't get that biological instinct to submit to him just because he says to. So shaking his head and turning around so his back is to Alex doesn't feel as stupid as it probably should.

Alex knows this by now. He has other ways. He gets up on the bed, sits himself behind John and runs his hands over his back, "I want you to open it," he mumbles, leaning in just enough to kiss the back of his neck. "If you don't open it now, I'm just going to save it for Valentine's Day. So you might as well."

"Fine," John caves, reaching his hand behind him, waiting for Alex to hand the box over. "I'll open it. Even though this is a serious betrayal of trust and I should hold this against you for the rest of our lives."

"I know we said no gifts," Alex says, pressing up against John's back, pressing the box into the palm of his hand. "But I couldn't help it. I've been wanting to give you this for a while. Because you deserve it."

John laughs as he pulls the ribbon off the box, tossing it over his shoulder where it lands on Alex's thigh. "I deserve a nap and maybe some nachos."

"Of course you do," Alex agrees, chin resting on John's shoulder as he watches him pull the lid off the box. His hands press against his stomach, fingers splayed out to take up as much room as possible. The baby kicks where his left hand is resting, and it never fails to amaze John at the way it clearly knows when Alex is near. "Baby also thinks you deserve those things."

"Shut up. I don't find it nearly as amusing as you do, that our kid is obviously a werewolf and obviously likes you more than me."

"We don't know that for sure," Alex reminds him, "It's likely, but not definite."

John laughs again, "Yeah, okay. So we'll ignore the fact that the past two full moons have consisted of me trying to ignore the way this kid is doing expert level gymnastics inside of me? And the fact that every time you touch me, it's more active than ever?"

"I don't like calling it 'it' anymore."

"Too bad, so sad," John mumbles, leaning his head back on Alex's shoulder as he finally pulls the gift out of the box. He narrows his eyes at the key, dangling it between two fingers in front of him. "You got me a key. To a house that I already have a key to?"

"It's not to this house," Alex explains, "A different house. A house that's in Key West and that we'll be spending a few days in after the baby is born and you can leave the house without suffering from separation anxiety. After we start going crazy because we haven't slept well in months and haven't gone out together in even longer. After we think we can trust the whole pack to watch our baby for more than a few hours at a time."

"I don't...get it..."

Alex hums, lips still pressed against John's neck, and John shivers at the feeling. "I bought a vacation house. In Florida. It used to be one of the rentals my family owned but I decided it would be put to better use this way."

"Oh."

John drops the key into the palm of his hand, stares down at it and inhales, tries to ignore the way his eyes are watering. He hates crying in front of Alex and lately, it seems like that's all he's been doing. But of course Alex just knows. He tightens his arms around John's waist. "It's alright," he says softly.

Except it's totally not, because John is crying on their bed because Alex bought him a fucking house in another fucking state and John can't offer things like that - can't offer anything, because they had an agreement and he was stupid to convince himself Alex would go along with it. But even if they hadn't agreed to it, nothing he could have gotten would compare to this. "I don't have anything for you," he sighs, bringing a hand up to wipe his eyes. "I don't-"

"Hey, don't do that." Alex presses his nose behind John's ear and his hands move to his sides, slipping underneath the t-shirt he has on. "Don't tell me you can't give me anything. You give me everything. You give me the best reason to wake up in the mornings. You give me something to look forward to after work - give me something to come home to. You're giving me a baby. I think that's plenty of things-"

"Sh-shut up," John stutters, laughing through his tears as he uses the back of his hand to wipe them away faster. "You're making me cry more."

Alex takes the key from John's other hand and puts it back in its box, putting it safely on their side table. "How about we take that nap you're so deserving of?" He asks, tugging on John's t-shirt to tell him to lay down against the pillows.

"It's New Year's Eve," John reminds him, "We're supposed to go do something fun."

But he lies down anyway - because really, who the hell denies a nap? - and Alex fits perfectly around him.

"You should talk to the baby," he mumbles after a few minutes, reaching out and running his fingers through Alex's hair. "Tell him or her to go the fuck to sleep."

While the rest of the pack has taken any and every opportunity that presents itself to talk to the baby and tell the baby about how awesome they are and how they'll totally be the favorite aunt or favorite uncle or just favorite pack member in general, Alex hasn't really gotten into that habit. John knows it's not a big deal - the baby reacts to Alex the second he puts his hand on John's skin or even when Alex says something loudly enough. But all the baby books John has read and all the blogs he's subscribed to online have told him that talking to the baby is good for everyone involved.

Alex shrugs. "I'll do my best," he sighs, sliding down so he's eye level with John's baby bump.

"Work your Alpha magic."

John watches Alex, dangerously close to passing out before anything even happens. He wants to hear what Alex says - if he even does say anything - but he also wants to sleep. It's conflicting. He runs his fingers through Alex's hair again and Alex actually blushes. "I don't know what to say."

"Tell the peanut to stop doing backflips, or whatever the hell it's doing, and take a forty-five minute nap."

"The peanut?" Alex laughs, one hand coming up to curl around John's hip. "Was that Jack's idea?"

"Martin's, actually."

Alex sighs again. "Okay. Hey peanut," he says softly, lips almost touching the fabric of John's shirt. "Um. Hi."

"Wow."

"Shut up. Um. I'm Alex-"

"You're not Alex," John rolls his eyes, collapsing back against the mattress in fake distress. "You're daddy."

"Why do you have to make everything sound dirty?"

"You suck at this."

"Sorry! God! Just shut up. Don't speak unless I tell you you can."

"Yeah, okay Alpha."

John doesn't feel bad about making fun of Alex, really. The guy can take it, especially if he broke their agreement and bought him a house for Christmas. He feels Alex's fingers gently push up the hem of his shirt, lips press against the spot right below his navel. "I've never done this before," Alex grumbles, and John's not sure who exactly he's speaking to, so he stays quiet. "But I'm...I'm supposed to tell you to stop the gymnastics routine and give your daddy a break. Because he wants to sleep and you're making that kinda difficult."

This was probably a bad idea, John decides, staring up at the ceiling with a smile. The baby is reacting the way it always does to Alex's voice and Alex's touch and John knows he totally isn't sleeping right now. But he can't bring himself to tell Alex to stop because this is adorable and he has a feeling it's just getting started.

"I'm excited to finally get to meet you," Alex continues, "Even though I'll have no idea what I'm doing. Which is why I really hope you're a werewolf, because that would make my life a thousand times easier."

John yawns, fingers tugging on Alexs hair as he stretches out a little. "Wrap it up. I need my beauty sleep."

Alex pinches his side and John totally doesn't cry about it.

"Your daddy is being a baby and is complaining about his lack of sleep. So do me a favor and go to sleep and stop kicking your daddy so hard," Alex finishes, pulling John's shirt back into place and inching back up the bed so he's next to John again. "Was that okay?" He asks, sounding almost shy about it.

"No more kicking," John informs him, resting his head on Alex's chest. "Guess the peanut only listens to you."

"She knows who her Alpha is," Alex says, and John doesn't have to be looking at him to know he's wearing a stupid smug smile.

"Her?"

Alex's arm tightens around him. "I don't know why I said that. I think...I think that's just the vibe I got? That it's a girl?"

John doesn't say anything to that. Maybe Alex is right. Maybe they are having a girl. But he's not going to put much faith in a vibe that Alex just so happens to get. He's not going to assume anything until the baby is born and in his arms and the doctor tells him. He knows every single pack member is convinced it's a girl, and now Alex is included in that betting pool. But Grieco told him last week that he thinks it's a boy. And while Grieco, like John, has none of the senses that any of the others have, he seemed pretty adamant about it. They'll find out for sure in April, and until then, John will just keep buying gender neutral things and adding to his long list of boy and girl names.