Chapter 13 Crush Builds Killian A Nest
CRUSH BUILDS KILLIAN A NEST
Killian blinked. “My... nest?”
Crush frowned. “Do you not need a nest?”
“I... do,” Killian said slowly. “But it’s been a while since I’ve had one.”
“Hence my question. What would you like to have in your nest?”
Before Killian could answer, Naddie came crawling up to them. Crush moved to the edge of the booth seat, helping Killian lean over so he could scoop his daughter into his arms.
“Hey, baby. What mischief have you been getting up to?” Killian cooed, nuzzling her hair. He was always so happy to have her back in his arms.
Naddie smacked her drool-covered fingers all over Killian’s face. “Wa wa goo!”
“I went out and picked some grass for her,” said Hansel from elsewhere in the cabin. “And some blueberries too. Wonder Cart kept her in one spot.”
“Thank you,” Killian said, cuddling his daughter. She promptly stuck her fingers up his nose. “Augh!”
Naddie giggled and stuffed more fingers into Killian’s nostrils. Killian tried unsuccessfully to lean away.
“You should stick your fingers into Crush’s nose,” he said instead. “He’s gonna be a dad. He should know what it’s like to have a baby.”
When Killian looked up, he found Crush watching him intently. His stomach flipped.
“Here,” Killian said quickly. “Do it to him! I bet he’ll love it.” He turned Naddie around and held her up to Crush’s face. To no one’s surprise, her fingers went into his nose.
“Ugh!” Crush winced, jerking his head back. Naddie giggled.
“Now you know!” Killian said. “This is what you have to look forward to!”
Crush snorted. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s public education.”
Crush grinned, all roguish and handsome. Then he leaned in and scrunched up his face, making a honking, snorting sound. Naddie stared at him in fascination.
Killian had trouble tearing his gaze away.
“Your mouth is open,” the alpha murmured fondly.
Killian froze. He checked his mouth. “Crap! It’s really open! I... I was catching flies with it!”
Crush laughed. Only then did Killian think about what he had said.
“Fuck my mouth,” he whined. “I shouldn’t be allowed to talk, ever.”
“I would love for you to talk all the time,” Crush said, highly amused.
Killian leaned forward, thumping his forehead against Crush’s shoulder. Things got suspiciously quiet after that.
When he looked up, he found Crush and Naddie locked in a battle of wills. They were staring at each other, neither of them looking away first.
“You won’t win that,” Killian said. “She likes looking at things.”
“Well, I like looking at her,” was Crush’s reply. “She’s adorable. Her eyes are so round.”
Killian waited. And waited.
Crush began to blink. Once at first. Then a few more times.
“I’m... not great at watching one little face for a very long time,” the alpha admitted. “I don’t think I’m going to win this stare-off.”
“I could give you a consolation prize,” Killian said.
Immediately, Crush broke the stare-off to look at Killian. “Yes, please. What will my prize be?”
Killian blushed. “I didn’t think you would agree so soon!”
“Sweetheart. An omega I greatly admire has just offered me a gift. Which alpha wouldn’t jump on that?”
“G-greatly admire?” Heat burned through Killian’s cheeks.
“Didn’t you know that?” Crush trailed his thumb along Killian’s jaw. “I think you’re great. Great at sparring, talented with words—” Killian coughed “—a dedicated dad, and absolutely amazing in bed.”
“No one has given me so many compliments at the same time,” Killian squeaked.
Crush’s smile was bright and sharp. “Take it like an omega, sweetheart.”
“Oh, gods.” Killian’s face burned.
“Now, before we get further off topic, I want an answer,” Crush said. “What kind of nest did you have when you were pregnant with Naddie? Did her biological alpha parent build it for you?”
“Uh, my friends helped me with it.”
Crush narrowed his eyes. “Not the alpha who knocked you up?”
Killian shrugged uncomfortably. “It was just a one-night stand. I didn’t want an alpha trying to claim my baby.”
At that, Crush glanced at Naddie again. Or... was he looking past Naddie, at Killian’s belly?
More hesitantly than before, Crush asked, “Would you... let me build you a nest?”
Killian’s heart skipped. “You really want to?”
“Yes.” Crush gave him a meaningful look. “I told you I would provide for you. This is part of it.”
Killian tried to imagine the nest that Crush would build. He couldn’t, though. It was too big of a gift. “If you want to. I’m not gonna pressure you or anything. But a nest would be really nice.”
Crush lit up. “Yeah? Do you have any requests? Things I should pay attention to?”
“I just want it to be comfy,” Killian said.
“That’s it?” Crush asked incredulously.
Killian shrugged again. “I can live with very little.”
Except the alpha growled. “That’s not what I asked, bunny. The point here isn’t to make you settle for less. The point is to make the nest so good, it’s like a dream.”
Killian gaped.
“Now, if I were to give you a stack of cash, what would you spend it on?”
“How much is in that stack of cash?”
The alpha rolled his shoulders. “A million? Two million? Ten?”
“Ten million dollars?!”
“Is that not enough? Crush looked concerned.
“It’s—too much,” Killian said, slightly hysterical. “I don’t even know how to spend that much money.”
Crush grinned. “So just tell me what you want in your nest, and I’ll make it happen.”
Killian fidgeted. When Crush continued to wait patiently, Killian mumbled, “Um, some food? Lots of food. All my favorite food! And maybe some books. Soft cozy lamps. A space for Naddie too.”
“Pillows, stuffies?” Crush suggested. Killian nodded. “What about my clothes?”
Killian froze. “Wow, that is a loaded question.”
Crush laughed. “You can have my clean clothes, if that’s something you want.”
“Or your used ones,” Killian blurted.
Crush’s gaze sharpened. “Your nest, your choice, sweetheart.”
Killian bit his lip. He knew what his answer was. But it was embarrassing, saying it out loud. Then again, Crush had been so accommodating this entire time; Killian knew he had to try.
In a voice so low, it was barely a whisper, Killian said, “Used.”
“Done,” Crush growled, his eyes dark. Killian’s heart stuttered under the intensity of his gaze.
Naddie growled too, a high-pitched thing that melted Killian’s heart.
Crush’s expression melted into sheer adoration. “She was trying to copy my growl.”
“It sure sounded like it,” Killian said.
Crush could fit so easily into Killian and Naddie’s family unit; it was such a wild idea.
Killian looked down, trying to think of something to say. He found Naddie chewing on the edge of his bathrobe.
The alpha straightened. “Does Naddie need some food? I can make her something quick before I work on your nest.”
“Um, hard-boiled eggs?”
“Sure,” Crush said easily. Since they were still knotted together, Crush carried Killian and Naddie to the kitchen counter. He pulled out a pot and filled it with water, then retrieved an egg carton from the fridge. He did it all with one hand; the other was supporting Killian and Naddie’s weight.
“Wow, you’re hot,” Killian blurted. Then he smacked his face.
Crush gave a wolfish grin. “I don’t mind you thinking that. In fact, I think you’re hot, too.”
Killian whimpered and tried to retreat into his bathrobe like a snail. “I’m so embarrassed.”
Naddie took the chance to smack Killian’s cheek, just like he had done to himself. Killian whined.
“Hey, don’t do that,” Crush said, a growl edging his words. He caught Naddie’s hand and held it still. “That hurts your dad. Don’t smack him.”
Naddie froze. Killian didn’t think she fully understood Crush, but when Crush released her hand and she tried to smack Killian again, Crush’s alpha growl was enough to make her stop.
“That’s so handy,” Killian blurted.
Crush cracked a tiny smile, nuzzling Killian. “Happy to help.”
Killian distracted Naddie by blowing raspberries on her palms. Naddie giggled and held her hands out to Crush; Crush blew raspberries on them, too. Killian could’ve melted.
After a while, Naddie squirmed and wanted to be set free. Crush crouched so Killian could release her onto the floor. Naddie promptly crawled over to Wonder Cart, where Hansel was stuffing several tiny rolled-up slips of paper into the holes of the cart’s basket.
“What are you doing?” Crush asked suspiciously.
Hansel’s gleeful smile was all but innocent. “Playing a new game.”
“Does that involve pickup lines?” Crush narrowed his eyes.
The butler cackled. “We’ll see, won’t we?”
He pretended to choose between several slips of paper.
Then he plucked one out with a flourish, unrolled it, and read, “‘When the moon rises tonight, my turgid love rod will rise along with it. The slit at my tip will open up and sing, my love for you shooting out like great big pulses of whitewater rapids.’”
Killian shuddered, trying to sink into Crush’s chest. “That is so horrible!”
“I agree,” Crush said.
But Hansel gave them a confident look. “Tell me that won’t happen tonight.”
Killian imagined describing Crush’s cum as ‘whitewater rapids’, and broke down giggling. “No. Just no.”
“How about you stuff some big eggs into your mouth, Hansel,” Crush said dryly.
Hansel waggled his eyebrows madly.
At that moment, Crush’s timer went off. He drained the pot and filled it with cold water and ice to stop the eggs from cooking. Then he sat down with Killian at the breakfast nook, peeling hard-boiled eggs.
Feeding Naddie didn’t take long at all. She wolfed down one egg and went back to playing. Killian ate the other egg.
“No need to make elaborate meals for that one,” Killian said dryly. “I think she’ll barely taste it before it’s in her stomach.”
Crush laughed. “Hey, wolves taste things before they go down. Now, I’m going to build your nest.”
“You have everything you need?” Killian asked in surprise.
Crush shrugged. “Why don’t we see?”