Work Text:
Gabriel had learned about the importance of scent when he was very young.
There were good scents, there were bad scents….The scents that came with the bouquet of fresh flowers his parents would exchange to share their affections, the freshly mowed grass at the high school football field, or the salty sea breeze of the Pacific Ocean at sunset.
Those types of smells were all different to the scents that people put off.
All kinds of scents existed in the world, and he had learned that they could all fall under different kinds of categories. Scent was a language all in of itself, and it could be a powerful tool of communication and reading people if one took the time to trust their formed intuition through the use of powerful scent receptors.
A person’s scent could tell a lot about them….their age, assignment, health, emotions, truthfulness, etc.
Gabriel loved classifying scents from an early age. He learned how to discreetly pick up on scents, how to read peoples’ scents, and why scenting with a partner or a family member was a crucial element to forming a trusting relationship. He knew to trust the people whose scent came off warm and comforting, and to avoid those whose scent reminded him of the cold or rotting vegetables.
Gabriel hated the cold.
His family had all smelled warm and loving.
He couldn’t name an actual smell to the scent; it wasn’t like watermelons or cherries or vanilla and sandalwood as the romantic comedies on television made them out to be.
Scent was more like a feeling- an emotion that fluttered through the system and connected memories of the past to the present. When he smelled his family, he thought of home and warmth. He thought of his abuelo’s fine leather shoes on a Sunday morning before church or his abuela’s freshly baked bread, still warm from the oven while he colored at the kitchen table. He thought of his mother’s singing while she gardened and sowed the black earth with her bare hands, and his sister’s rock music humming through the bedroom walls late at night. He thought of his father’s booming laughter as the man struggled to tell a joke without being in tears from his infectious joy that radiated through his aunts and uncles. The presence of his family felt so complete and whole.
Scent was a connection.
It was taught in schools since preschool; how to properly scent your family. What is the proper way to scent friends to understand their emotions without scent-marking.
Scent-marking was only reserved for romantic partners.
A person could scent someone through a hug, a handshake, or by being in their proximity long enough, but scent-marking was leaving a piece of yourself with another.
Creating a special connection romantically to let others know: ‘I love them.’
(For those of darker intent, to let others know ‘They are mine.’)
Gabriel had seen his parents scent mark one another before. On accident, when he was supposed to be upstairs in bed. He watched from the stairs as his parents had rubbed their necks against each other and bitten their necks.
It had looked...animalistic.
Gabriel had no desire to scent mark anyone.
Education on scent-marking was reinforced in his public school sex ed class, where the teacher went over and over the different physiologies and the importance of responsible scent marking and consent. The desire for it would start as puberty began and rage through as their hormones prompted them to grow.
They had scent glands on different, important parts of their bodies that served important functions.
Naturally their scents came through their sweat, but there were targeted areas at their fingertips, wrist, arm pits, the base of the neck, and in the groin area.
He had also learned in class that when he was going through puberty, his scenting would develop with the rest of his body to help him better read others sexually and to seek out the scent of a mate.
Mate.
Mates were established once a special gland was bitten and activated in the neck. It had to be very purposely done in order for it to happen, and it was usually very painful when the gland would first be bitten. After that, it was said that mates would find pleasure in that area and would be able to read one another.
There was also discussion of knotting and heats and ruts, to which Gabriel tuned out in favor of doodling in his notebook.
Through high school Gabriel had some relationships growing up, but they never went far. Something would be off in the scent or not strike him the right way.
Something was never quite right. Never quite attractive or alluring.
He could classify people in basic, which became incredibly handy when Gabriel wanted to know which people to make friends with, which to avoid, and which commanders not to piss off in order to keep good graces.
It helped him during his first real life battles in the Omnic Crisis when the scents of death and injury helped him to differentiate who he could save, and who was already a lost cause.
Gabriel continued to scent, to classify.
It wasn’t until Jack Morrison that everything suddenly made sense.
They met in SEP and the attraction and intrigue were immediate.
At first he had wanted to stay back and learn all of Jack’s mannerisms; all of the small things that made Jack…Jack. He was intent to observe and think over what he could see to figure out why it was that Jack was so different from all of the others.
Gabriel had smelled many wonderful alphas, betas, and omegas in his time, but he had never picked up on a scent as crisp and clear as Jack’s.
Jack’s scent was like a storm coming down from the mountains to sweep across a quiet valley. It was warm and cool air rising and mixing in the clouds, causing thunder and lightening to skip across a wide expanse of sky. His scent reminded him of the static before a great storm and the fresh, cool breeze that left your skin in goosebumps.
Gabriel had always hated the cold.
He was confused at first, but couldn’t get enough of being around the younger man.
And it seemed Jack couldn’t get enough of him.
When he first took Jack’s bare hand in his during a training exercise, the scent hit him all at once. An odd feeling came over him and Gabriel looked at the blonde suddenly in awe; it felt like the missing piece to his existence had been found. That the world was suddenly more at peace even though they were at war.
Jack had laughed outright, just as shocked by the feeling. He had looked at Gabriel like he was seeing all of the colors of a sunset over the ocean for the first time.
“So it is you.” Jack had said, smiling in disbelief. “Of course it’s you.” He had pulled Gabriel in for a kiss and the other recruits had shouted and hollered in congratulations. The commanders gave them a few moments, obviously surprised by the unfolding events of their two most competitive soldiers.
It wasn’t often that one met their true mate in a field training operation.
Their first kiss felt like home.
Not a place, but a person; the feeling of being with them.
Gabriel was standing in that valley with the rain encompassing him and washing away all of his doubts, fear, and pain.
He learned to embrace it.
Over time, Gabriel learned all of Jack’s scents as a separate book with all of its own categories.
He could scent when he was angry and frustrated during the ropes course when his hands would blister and bleed, and he felt that at any minute he would fall down.
He knew Jack’s scent when it was doused with the acrid stench of decay while they suffered through the injections and chemicals pumped into their veins.
Both of them had changed through injections; Gabriel with a more keen nose that bordered on uncomfortable with the intensity of smells, and Jack with his sensitivity to touch.
Their scents changed again and mixed into a beautiful array when they finally mated. They exchanged the rough, lifelong marks on their bottom right neck where the mating gland was situated. From there, they became in tune to each other’s needs and the subtle changes that came with life.
Stress. Happiness. Exhaustion. Contentment.
Pregnancy.
Gabriel thought he had scented every beautiful and intimate part of his mate, but Jack’s scent blossomed into something so primal and fragile that it woke something up inside of him that he hadn’t known was there.
They hadn’t even realized it at first, but Gabriel had been more protective than usual and Jack more cautious than ever before. It wasn’t until Jack’s morning sickness set in that the doctor confirmed his mate’s condition.
Jack was touch and go for a while with extreme nausea and exhaustion in the first trimester.
It sent Gabriel into an overprotective frenzy.
Jack did much better when Gabriel was there with him, carding his fingers through his hair or running his hands along his back. He made sure Jack showered and ate proper meals; made sure he did all of the natural, organic remedies Jack had insisted on because they didn’t know if the fetus would be enhanced like them. Gabriel became a pro with reading ‘What to expect when you’re expecting’ and anticipating what his mate needed to feel better.
He would scent Jack to clue in on his needs and cravings, and feel pride when he was able to provide for him. Took pride in keeping his mate and child healthy and cared for.
Every step of the way, Gabriel made sure he was by Jack’s side.
His scent kept him anchored.
Gabriel often ran his hand over Jack’s extended abdomen. He kissed him and rubbed his scent there regularly, his instincts to love and protect finding a way to make themselves known while Jack was vulnerable and uncomfortable.
“I’m sure he can scent you just fine. You reek.” Jack chuckled while he rubbed at his mate’s scalp.
Gabriel kissed the side of Jack’s stomach where he felt a foot push through. It was still all surreal that after the Crisis, this was even happening for them. Jack was still busy in and out of the office, but the doctor had thankfully grounded him from any long distance trips for the foreseeable future.
With Jack’s enhancements, he was considered a risky pregnancy. They weren’t sure how things would turn out for their child.
“I can’t help it.” Gabriel roved his eyes over Jack’s form with appreciation. “Besides, you’re getting wet from the attention.”
Jack at least had the dignity for a pink blush to creep up his neck. “Like I said, you reek.”
His scent shifted and Gabriel ginned in amusement.
He would be sure to see to all of Jack’s needs.
*
*
*
Gabriel thought that for all intents and purposes, he would be the one to have everything together when the time for their son to be born drew near. Jack had gone into labor earlier in the day and stayed at home in the comfort of their nest of blankets and pillows on their bed up until the contractions grew too close together and the doctor felt it was necessary to move Jack to the medical wing for safety purposes.
Jack refused the epidural and any medications other than an IV to make sure he stayed hydrated throughout the ordeal. The amount of medication needed to make him more comfortable was too at risk for the infant, so he was left to do things naturally.
Jack paced around the private delivery room and groaned and hissed while he worked through the contractions. His scent thundered and changed from resolve to distress as his body worked overtime.
Gabriel thought, as the alpha, that he would be the ever grounded vision of support and strength as he coached his mate and helped Jack through the pains of bringing their offspring into the world.
What Gabriel Reyes hadn’t expected was to lose his shit in a dizzy of panic and an overwhelming self-awareness that he had no idea what the fuck he was doing.
The scent of Jack’s stress and pain threw him off his usual calm reserve.
He growled at the nurses, unable to control the threat of his teeth and tightening of his knuckles while they checked over his mate. He never laid a hand on them, but the back part of his brain was pulsing with stress over Jack’s obvious frustration and agony.
Most of the nurses ignored Gabriel. They knew this was a common response for bonded mates, especially for alphas who were wary of extra hands on their mate when Jack was at his most vulnerable.
It wasn’t ignored when Dr. Ros got snapped at by Gabriel when she had made a comment that Jack wasn’t progressed far enough to deliver.
“Then fucking do something about it! How much longer do we have to sit here until your staff actually does something to help?”
The doctor looked him over coolly with a frown. “This isn’t about you; it’s about Jack’s safety. If you make this room more hostile, I will have you removed.”
“You can’t remove me. “
“Gabriel, don’t be an ass.” Jack grumbled, glaring at his mate. He was short of patience and on edge.
It finally came to a head when Jack all out growled and barred his teeth at his mate when Gabriel made a snide comment to the doctor, sending him out like a kicked puppy and not the proud commander of an elite special task force that he was.
It was 2 in the morning and Gabriel was sitting outside of Jack’s room with a special filtration mask over his nose and mouth to filter out the scents and get him level headed.
He was miserable, listening to Jack’s rhythmic breathing and groaning on the other side.
“I was wondering when they’d be calling me in.” Ana observed the annoyed alpha, hands on her hips while he sat stewing in his frustration outside the delivery room. Gabriel couldn’t smell her usual scent of warm summer days against the sand.
“Jack is being difficult.” Gabriel sulked.
“Jack is in labor.” Ana corrected, an eyebrow raised. “Omegas in labor are not to be trifled with. Were you smothering him again?”
Gabriel’s embarrassed pause was enough of an answer.
“I know you mean well and that you love your mate, but he has a single focus and can’t be worrying about you posturing your dominance to the medical staff.” Ana explained as gently as she could, though Gabriel didn’t miss the stern lecture of her message. “Jack is going through his own instincts, and that is to give birth and ensure his child’s safety. You both knew this might happen.”
“I know, but my brain-“
“Is also being dumped with instincts to protect Jack and attack anyone you might deem as a threat.” The older omega sighed, taking a seat next to her longtime friend. “This is why it is rare for alphas to be in the birthing room with their mates. It’s why many mates choose home births.”
“Jack didn’t want to deliver at home.”
“It’s too risky for him.” Ana pointed out, agreeing with the choice they made to be in the medical wing versus the familiar scents of home. “And besides, we still don’t know what the infant will need once he’s here.”
Gabriel frowned, his thoughts now worrying over the health of their newborn. The doctors had said everything had looked good throughout Jack’s pregnancy, but there was still plenty of room for concern on how the genetic modifications from SEP could come into affect. That, and the genetic heart defects that had plagued Gabriel’s family for generations.
Jack had always reassured that everything would turn out fine. He had been strong throughout the pregnancy; exercising regularly to keep up his strength and eating only the healthiest diet save for the typical craving of sweets and gelato in the evenings. Gabriel had done his best to attend to Jack’s sore body and care for him in the last few weeks when any position felt uncomfortable and the blonde was feeling the full strains of his body’s attempt to make it full term.
Each ultrasound, each check-up, had been a step closer to this moment and Gabriel was missing it because his senses were going haywire.
Ana gave him an understanding rub on the shoulders.
“If it makes you feel better, I broke two of Sam’s fingers when I was delirious with pain. I also threatened to kick him out several times. It wasn’t my proudest moment.” Ana offered.
“I remember.” Gabriel smirked. “Are you saying I should let Jack break my hand?”
Ana shrugged. “Just let the medical staff do their job and take it one step at a time. He’ll be okay. They both will.”
“I don’t want to lose my shit.” The alpha ran his hand over his scalp and through his freshly cropped hair. His jaw tightened when he heard Jack cry out on the other side.
A few moments later, the nurse came back into the room.
“Your mate is wondering if you’ve calmed down. He’s asking for you.” The beta smiled. He looked entirely amused by the whole situation, but managed to keep a professional schooling to his face. “He’s almost to a 10, so it should be pretty soon now.”
“I’ll behave.” Gabriel replied quickly.
“Just keep the mask on.” The nurse advised. “For precaution.”
Ana was smiling. She patted his shoulder, “Good luck. I’ll be waiting right out here.”
Gabriel entered back into the room, feeling not unlike a kicked dog. Jack was standing hunched over the bed, breathing through a rough contraction while a nurse looked on in sympathy.
The alpha came up beside him and rubbed at his shoulder, kissing the nape of his neck.
“I’m sorry, Jackie.”
Jack nodded, eyes still closed while he breathed deeply through the pain. In deeply through his nose, and out slowly from his mouth. Jack wouldn’t admit it, but his mate’s scent made his body relax minutely.
“Can you stand with me?” Jack asked, his voice low and hoarse.
“Of course.”
They had practiced some of these moves with a private Lamaze instructor over a month ago. Gabriel stood behind Jack, his calloused hands on his hips while Jack moved his legs side to side, shifting his hips groaning while his body adjusted with each painful contraction.
Even with the mask on, Gabriel could still scent some of Jack’s pain and fear.
He could also scent the fierce determination that was natural in his partner.
Even in his pain, Jack was powerful and beautiful.
When the time came to push, Gabriel had experienced almost every scent of his mate. He took off his mask when the time came and felt his resolve connect with Jack’s; to coach him through and encourage him. He finally left his trust to the medical team as they focused in on his mate.
It was a scary, vulnerable admission.
Giving life was the last and most beautiful.
Gabriel never thought he would scent something more earth shattering than Jack, but the smell of their small, newborn son was overwhelming.
He was angry and wet and screaming with life when the doctor pulled him from Jack’s body. The blonde omega immediately reached out for him, ignoring the pain while desperation to hold the infant close took over.
The doctor cut the umbilical cord and laid him across Jack’s bare chest to take in his scent and establish their bond.
He looked so tiny against the omega.
Gabriel didn’t even realize he had tears in his eyes until Jack wiped them from his cheek, smiling proudly even though he was nearly drained of energy.
“He’s here.” Jack whispered in awe. Almost disbelieving in the moment.
His blue eyes were so clear in that moment.
Scent was a powerful thing.
Their son stopped crying while Jack’s body reacted to the sight of his son; the feel of such new life in his arms giving off a bright scent of family and love.
Gabriel’s own scent changed, and as they instructed him to take off his shirt and hold his newborn, it grew stronger with its permanence.
Everything came together.
Everything suddenly made sense.
His relationship with Jack felt indestructible, and the connection that they had created together had tethered them to the new life wiggling and breathing in his arms.
Their son smelled like them; like Jack’s powerful valley of strength and rebirth, and Gabriel’s heat of the scorching earth, the warmth of the soil from beneath.
Their son smelled of new beginnings and the innocence that came with new life.
He was the scent of a promise of patience, growth, and the future.
As Gabriel held his newborn son in his arms with Jack’s hand over his, looking at him with nothing but fierce adoration and pride, Gabriel knew that together, they had built a home.
Scent wasn’t just a smell; it was a feeling of the past and present connecting together.
It was a feeling of a future laid out before them; strong and secure.
In that moment, it was everything.
A new scent.
A new feeling.