#hambone

Eddie...wasn't sure when it started, actually.

It certainly wasn't there during their Roundtable and Murderfist days. He was cordial and friendly with everyone, especially Marcus. There wasn't anything to it, basic, quiet friendship and camraderie among comedians with a penchant towards the dark humor of everything. Marcus being an Omega wasn't strange, considering Jackie was, as was Holden and a small handful of their other friends. In fact, Eddie being the fascade of a lumbering knothead while having the mind to actually have brains was a bonus for their group, as he could keep any rogue Alpha away from them (especially when Henry would run his mouth and land them in some unforseeable trouble).

But now that he was a permanent part of the Last Podcast Network and constantly baraged with close proximity of Marcus and Henry, something definitely changed.

With Marcus.

Eddie couldn't pinpoint why. He was older now--they all were--so he shouldn't be paying attention to the baser part of his Alpha-ness, the one who wanted to rule the roost and make themselves a constant in any Beta or Omega (especially Omega) pack circle.

But he would catch himself sometimes, either bringing Marcus a snack and a drink when it was a scheduled livestream night, or wrapping a plaid over shirt (that totally didn't come from his desk that totally didn't belong to him) over his shoulders when he would shiver in the slightest. The worse contenders for most embarrassing show of instinct was when Eddie knew Marcus was nearing his heat. It had to be hard, being off suppressants because of how they didn't react well with ADHD medication, and his heats packed more of a punch due to long COVID.

Eddie knew this and just wanted to be a good friend. So what if he would immediately smell the slowly growing scent and immediately rush to the break room to get Marcus' favorite snacks, then leave it at the shorter man's desk in a show of provider instincts? He's just being an awesome friend! So what if he goes out and sees a new soft, squishy toy in the shape of a square piece of cheese and bought it and immediately set it down in front of Marcus? The Omega loves new fidget toys! It was not to be interpreted as anything but being a good fucking friend!

It wasn't just being a friend, now that Eddie was staring longingly at Marcus in his office. He watched the other man shiver, his now long hair shielding his face away from the world as he bowed his head closer to his desk while wrapping his arms around his middle. His instincts weren't wrong when they said that something needed to be done, quick and immediate. There was an Omega in need of comfort, and he was the one to do it.

"Hey, Marcus," he gently said as he stepped into his office as quick as he could on his feet, "You doing okay? You're...woah..."

The sharp tang of citrus combined with the sting of mint became aparent, surrounding the small interior of the office and feeling so heavy that it could almost seep into skin. Marcus looked up at him, his eyes narrowed and his mouth pulled into a grimace from the discomfort.

"Yeah, I know," he grunted, pushing himself away from the desk but keeping an arm wrapped around his middle, "This fuckin'--shit! Fuck, it hurts like hell."

Eddie swallowed, trying to keep his baser instincts at bay. That part of him didn't need to scare away Marcus, just as it had done with others in the past before he got himself more under control. "You want me to bring you something? Water? Painkillers? You need to go home, I can take you home, if you want."

Marcus shook his head, then raised a hand to point at his black backpack sitting on a chair against the wall across from him. "Can you give me my bag? I have some of my own meds that'll help me."

The taller of the two nodded and immediately grabbed the bag, placing it on Marcus' desk but careful to avoid the keyboard and the assortment of scribbled notes that were placed in different piles, each one written with a different colored ink. He hummed as he began to unzip the bag and dig through it while Eddie stood by and watched.

Marcus needs to be taken care of...his heat'll tear him apart...it always does and he always spends it alone.

Eddie had to shake his head, trying very hard not to let his thoughts linger. He wasn't some Alpha knothead and Marcus wasn't a fucking subserviant Omega that needed a good fucking knot in him to be satiated. He didn't enjoy infantililzing Omegas, and the other man had always, always, vehemently state that being and Omega didn't mean he "needed to be taken care of like some fucking pet or something".

The younger of the two pulled out a black pillcase, opening one of the compartments and spilling a little pink pill onto the middle of his palm, with Eddie frowning at the sight of it, as it was pretty fucking large, almost as big as a thousand milligram metformin pill. "Goddamn, you really have to take that horse pill? What is it?"

Marcus popped it in his mouth, wincing as he pursed his mouth and closed his eyes. "I have to hold it under my tongue for a few minutes," He responded, his mouth making an odd sound before adjusting himself. "And yes, it's something new that my OB-GYN wanted me to try since I've been off suppressants for a while. It tastes like complete shit, but it works."

Eddie nodded, taking a sigh before plopping himself down in the now empty seat, leaning his elbows on his knees and trying to regain some of his rational thoughts before the instincts reared its ugly head once more. "The offer still stands, y'know. Henry's good, he'll understand if you need to go home. We can just put out something that's just me and him and you'll have some time to rest it off."

The younger nodded as he shoved his medicine bag back into his backpack and set it down on the floor next to his feet, then leaned back with his arms back around his middle, no doubt trying to soothe the ache that had started there. "I know he'd understand but I can't let it get behind. This research is kicking my ass and it's because we keep hitting walls no matter where we look. I mean, I got one intern that looks like they're going to hang themselves from the ceiling."

"Oh that'll make a great Last Stream," Eddie said with a bit of a smirk, "'We got someone that's dying to hang around with us on air!'"

Marcus started to chortle a little, the little wheeze of his laugh drawing repeatedly until he stopped and groaned in pain. The protective instinct in Eddie flared up again, his hands ready to do anything that his Omega wanted him to do. Then, he had to pause himself.

*Wait, did I just refer to Marcus as mine? No. No fucking way.*

"Don't make me laugh, fucker!" He exclaimed with false irritation. "It hurts to laugh..."

The older bit his lip. Hard. *I'd never want to hurt you...I love your laugh...I want to hear it everyday...*

Marcus leaned back in his office chair, resting his head against the back and closing his eyes once more. "I hate instincts man...I wish I never had 'em."