Chapter Text
Rules.
Jaekyung needed to establish some rules. But how were they supposed to work? After years of yearning to come up here, into what they called Jaekyung hyung’s chaebol penthouse, not only did his teammates make it but it was for a special occasion.
After a whole month only survived with pictures —all sent by the angel father, of course, the wicked side of the couple once again proved how little he cared about them when the last news they got was from an Instagram post— they were finally going to meet her.
His closest teammates came through the door with dozens of gift bags in hands, the coaches following their tails and a famous actor whom Jaekyung had, in his souvenirs, prohibited coming up here years ago. The bleached-haired alpha’s malicious and sufficient smile was enough to deduce how easy it had been to convince Dan to see his niece. But Jaekyung doubted the scheme the actor’s couple has been through because of his small comment a few months ago was easily forgotten and forbidden. He needed to stay alert, just in case.
They were all screaming and jumping excitedly. Everywhere. Touching random walls, furniture, paintings. Every–fucking–damn–things. And Jaekyung had to witness it in silence, jaw clenched from the annoying disturbance. To curse the promises he made to Dan to not let his temper ruin their daughter’s first social meeting… It seemed important for his sweet omega who, as irritating it was to admit, was the most excited out of every person present today.
"Guys, calm down a bit. A baby is sleeping… somewhere inside tho—Wait, Jaekyung-ah, why are there so many rooms?" Yosep's disbelief was clear in his voice as he looked up and saw an entire balcony up there leading to what looked like an infinite aisle of doors.
"Right!" exclaimed Heesung, "That’s the first question I asked him all those years ago! There is room for everything up here, except for his dense brain to make sense," Heesung 'whispered' conspiringly and winced at the grip a famous athlete quickly had on his shirt that was so well ironed, "Okay! Okay! It does make sense! Let me go!"
As they moved through the spacious rooms, Jaekyung invited them to sit down on one of the numerous couches and stood tall in front of all of them.
"First, and just because Dan will be mad if I don’t say it, but welcome everyone," a cushion was so quickly thrown at Daehyun for a simple snort, "He’ll come down in a bit. Please, c-can y’all— But—You—" Jaekyung frowned at his own stuttering, "Dan is… Fuck."
"Dan is what?" there was an indignant and general gasp filling the room in the most absurd symphony, "Is he pregnant again already?! Hey! What are you?! A bear in rut?!"
This time, Heesung’s throat was tightly and wildly squeezed inside Jaekyung’s left hand as he glared threateningly at him. All under his coach’s, Namwook, fond gaze.
"What Jaekyung is trying to say is that Dan must be really beautiful and that you all should get your heart ready. There is nothing prettier than an omega glowing from the post-partum," spoke Namwook in a gentle tone, "Also, no screaming. No pulling the baby into your arms like she is a doll. You’re a bunch of wild alphas. Be considerate of a gentle omega who has personally invited you to see his most protected treasure, alright?"
Jaekyung felt like he could hug his sensitive hyung for the first time in his life. When everyone finally closed their mouth and waited in comfortable silence, Jaekyung looked to the side even before his lover came through the double door. For the past twelve minutes, he has sensed him moving all over the first floor and closed the nursery door not even two minutes ago. Their daughter felt at ease and his mate awfully happy through their bonds. And this was enough to bring the dumbest smile on Jaekyung’s face.
"Hello everyone! Thank you for coming!"
They all looked absurdly dumb and ridiculous whisking their heads at the sound of the omega’s voice. Lemurs coming out of their dens. Their eyes were filled with stars at the sight of their favorite person and their faces broke in two with the wildest smiles when they noticed the little yellow bundle inside the omega’s arms. The long-awaited princess’ face was not seen yet, but the tiny hand emerging to grip her father’s chest was a precious sight in itself, enough to make them flap their hands in excitement.
Like a bunch of idiots.
The omega looked down, face drawn in love with the sweetest smile on that made his eyes wrinkle cutely, his voice sounding as soft as the entire imagery, "Are you ready to meet your uncles, my love? They are all so happy to finally see you."
Dan clicked his tongue a couple of times to stimulate his baby from whom a little coo was heard. His answer was immediate and the cutest giggle fell out of the omega’s mouth as he cheekily went down to rub the tip of his nose on his daughter's little chin, soaked in baby drool.
Seven mouths agape, a sudden warmth and thunder of pheromones invaded their house as fast as a starstruck and left a bitter taste inside Jaekyung’s mouth.
Yet, who was he to blame his friends?
Splashing cool water on his face to find his senses back was his new routine.
Because, damn, Dan has never been so... ethereally beautiful.
Not only physically.
Not that the glow of his skin, his plumped cheeks, and the serenity his smile brought to his entire precious face didn’t make Jaekyung almost kneel and worship his sweet omega at any hour of the day. Compounded by the fact that the omega now walked around the house only wearing his alpha’s sweater and underwear for the past month, letting his legs roam free for Jaekyung to appreciate.
And what about how dashingly stunning Dan looked resting inside their nest? Jaekyung doubted it was the greatest timing to think about his lover, all cute spread inside it, half-naked, with their baby never leaving the crook of his neck as he patted her back. The sight was adorable, really, but—Fuck, his thighs were all meaty after his pregnancy and Jaekyung found it even more cute to be true.
So to put it briefly, Dan’s beauty dazzled like it never did before.
And it would have been okay, sort of, if his character didn’t also evolve for the better, an even more angel-like persona.
Dan now acted so much softer, tender, terribly more more more lovelier, his voice sounding smoother than any bells welcoming you to Heaven. Regardless of his weak state the first couple of weeks at home, he never once let the lucky baby bean out of his arms. She somehow ended up not too far away from her Dada’s cuddles. Even during the nights when the alpha attempted to fulfill his role to perfection and let his mate have full nights of rest by being the one in charge of Sooha’s fussy nighttimes. Feeding her, bathing her, changing her, reassuring her, playing with her. Ask him anything, Jaekyung was already a pro.
If his sole presence were perfect to calm the crying newborn by keeping her close to his heartbeat to soothe and tame her tears, getting her back to sleep in less than five minutes, Jaekyung still felt like something was missing.
The first few nights it happened, he tried everything he could. Changing her three more times just in case; check. Massaging her little feet, ankles, legs, belly, anything, he even went as far as to massage her entire face, rubbing her cheeks until she dozed off; check. Kissing her endlessly; check. Singing her crazy stupid little lullabies and changing his tones to suit the characters like a stupid degenerate person; check. Nuzzling her little hands and cheeks to smell her fresh scent, gently mixing their pheromones into one familiar pleasantness; check.
But fate once made Dan call for her name amid the silence of the night.
And their world abruptly filled up completely.
And Sooha felt like the fluffiest happy cloud inside his arms, smiling gently and falling back asleep in peace.
She was such a whipped girl for her Dada.
The present only acted as a testimony to this. Jaekyung huffed when Dan stood beside him and he immediately saw Sooha’s gummy grin and obsessive look at her Dada’s face.
The newborn eventually joined her Daddy’s bigger arms. The yellow blanket fell down to reveal a lovely little girl dressed in a fluffy and warm dark wolf onesie, the hood over her head decorated with fluffy ears.
Sooha was adorable.
The onesie looked ten times too big for her, and sort of added more cuteness to her overall sweetness. Her diaper-padded butt seated on her Daddy’s forearm, she was kept upright against his bigger chest to face their guests.
And those assholes all had to squeal loudly despite the previous warnings.
And mind you, Namwook was the loudest one.
"As a Joo, you can not be rude, Sooha. Bow to your elders," and Jaekyung made her bow to the stupid people in front of them, "I know, I know, she is extremely beautiful even I can’t beli—"
Jaekyung stopped mid-sentence as an annoying alpha stood up quietly and came to bow down in front of the curious wide-eyed newborn. Forefingers playfully rubbed the chubby cheeks then gently dabbed on the tip of her nose bud.
"Nice to meet you, pretty Sooha. So, Joo Sooha it is… I’m Uncle Sungsungie and—To tell you the truth, I’m holding back tears to not cry in front of your Daddy since I don’t want to be at the end of his mockeries for the next eighteen years but," Heesung sniffed loudly and found no force to glare at Jaekyung when the latter openly laughed at him, "I’m so happy that you’re finally here and healthy, little girl," Heesung gently kissed her covered knee as he friendly tapped the Daddy’s shoulder then went for a warm hug to the omega. A hug perhaps a bit too tight and intimate, but what a great little revenge it was on Jaekyung. "She is insanely beautiful, hyung. You did a perfect job."
Then, one by one they greeted the little girl who smiled at every one of them. Dimples deep inside her chubby cheeks.
"Wow, your pregnant senses were on point! She looks exactly like Jaekyung hyung! She is so beautiful! Has a baby ever looked this good?" exclaimed Yoongu before making funny faces to the little one, getting nearer to her until he disappeared from her sight and then reappeared quickly. That earned him some cute excited wiggling feet.
"Hey Joo Sooha! Don’t be weak to men’s crappy attempt at seduction already!"
No one heard the alpha since they were all busy closely following and reacting to the baby’s every move and little sound.
Except for Dan who gave him a nasty glare. "Don’t talk about my baby like that."
And Jaekyung snorted, bending down on the side to steal a kiss from the omega, "Our baby." The nasty glare turned into an adoring, loving, and beautiful one for Jaekyung’s greatest pleasure.
The last one welcoming Sooha was the oldest alpha. Already a father of three witty children, he approached her with ease and experience. Despite this, he was met with the biggest unhappy pout and sniffling nose, lips already quivering from an incoming sob but Dan just had to bend down and kiss her cheek for her to find her dimples back.
"Aaah… You’re exactly like your father. Throwing a tantrum on me then calming down thanks to your daddy’s kisses."
"Dada’s, actually," Jaekyung smugly interrupted.
"What?"
"Dan is Dada. I am Daddy."
Namwook has never wanted more in his life to whip this shitty grin out of the too-handsome-face hiding behind this perfect little girl. At least, until Sooha was propped higher on one’s chest but facing the alpha’s this time. All words —insults— he wanted to throw in the daddy’s face all died on his tongue. Jaekyung playfully kissed her cheeks, sucked them between his lips, and nipped at them carefully, tenderly. Exaggerated sounds expressing how yummy they were came out of the cold-hearted alpha — or whom they all thought was cold-hearted until now. The champion’s hand looked ridiculously huge holding his daughter’s back and frail neck in its palm. The baby girl was curled inside, all relaxed. Then she suddenly threw her tiny arms and legs around and blessed them with purity.
Sooha laughed.
Such an innocent and raspy little laugh.
"Right, that’s more like it. Show them how funny and cute you are, sweetie."
And Jaekyung was a lost cause. They all couldn’t believe their eyes when he bumped his nose against his daughter’s then laughed even louder than her when she drooled over him the more she laughed.
"He is shining, isn’t he?" Dan curiously asked, meddling between the two elderly coaches, then added in whispers, happiness dripping out his voice, "There hasn’t been a day without him laughing like this. Let alone how chatty he is with her. Even with me, he doesn’t talk that much."
The coaches were part of the rare people who had seen all aspects of Jaekyung growing up. They’ve taken care of him like their own and supported the highs and lows. Perhaps that’s why Jaekyung referred to them as indirect helpers in what would become the alpha and omega’s beautiful relationship —trust them, having to deal with Jaekyung’s burst of anger because he was not ready to accept his feelings had been tiring and infuriating.
The pregnancy was a time of insecurity for both. They apprehended Jaekyung’s attachment issues. Dan reassured them all he could that the alpha was in fact already a devoted father but they were still as worried as mother hens. What if the baby, and eventually Dan, suffered because Jaekyung was not fit to share his feelings with ease? They knew he didn’t go through any more hurdles with Dan (still, it took them a wedding and tears into the champion’s eyes to be only eighty percent appeased), but an entirely new human being in their life? Who will take away his mate’s attention? It was hard to believe.
They both exchanged a hopeful look and gulped down their worries as of now.
•••
Besides dozens of empty glasses were deployed as many fruits and healthy snacks, half sitting within the athletes’ stomachs. A common feature of a get-together between friends, you might say. Minus the tons of toys and their colorful torn gift wrappings lying around on the floor.
Heesung and Yoongu bet on a pretty baby mobile made of wood to entertain the baby girl whenever she’d play on the floor. Heesung’s special touch was brought into too many onesies —one size per product, suitable until she’ll be around twenty-four months old— all decorated with his face and pink flowers circling it, "Uncle Sungsungie loves me" cheesily written under it.
Daehyun and Junbeom, them, opted for a strawberry outfit made in crochet, simply because it was "perfect and cute for hyung’s baby."
Yosep surprised Dan with a brown bear plushie he knitted himself. It was so well-made and beautiful, as big as Sooha’s current height that Dan squished it with tears in his eyes —Jaekyung simply rolled his to mask how much he, in fact, appreciated the thought.
Namwook was the only one to judge that the newborn has a parent rich enough to buy her all the useless toys she might need to welcome life with fun. He preferred to wait until her first birthday to bring her something special, something that might turn him into the favorite uncle. Instead, he gifted Dan a big box of creams, post-partum supplements vitamins, and other stuff to help his healing body. All were selected by his wife herself. With them, small handwritten tips and shopping recommendations were gathered inside an envelope.
Namwook could feel his heart beat wildly from happiness at the sincere grateful smile, even as brief as it was, he got from Jaekyung himself.
Trying to fill the void inside his chest, Dan put Sooha’s new friend, Mr. Bear, on his lap and tightly pressed it against his belly. His gaze lingered on the two lookalikes sitting next to him and his mind wandered into madness as thoughts circled through his mind about how lucky was Jaekyung to have her lightweight heating one of his meaty arms, while the other was almost covered with Dan’s body.
His omega felt a tad bit envious through their bond and it was so rare to witness that Jaekyung almost melted in his seat. Melt by love and overwhelming obsession. He had to bite back his infatuation at Dan’s strong pheromones and love coating, marking, their little family. Otherwise, the dumb actor sitting on his left, like a prince, enjoying his privileged life by continuously stroking the baby’s thin-haired ; their coaches on a couch not too far away ; the three youngest sat on the floor in front of them ; all would have made fun of him. Well, he was aware that their gazes were more fixated on the dozing-off baby and not really on his dumb self… But better safe than sorry, better safe than to suffer from their nonsense. Even if it meant he had to gulp down the possessiveness forming a ball inside his throat when Sooha cooed loudly as she squirmed to sought for more caresses on her skull from that dumb actor.
Should I break his fingers, first? Or, shave his dumb bleached hair?
"She is so small..." the rest observed her intensely, listening to their eldest's worries, "Jaekyung sounded so agitated on the phone when he called as you were about to give birth, Dan. My wife and I were so scared," with his eyebrows pinched into a worried frown, Namwook almost looked like a little boy being scolded, "You don't know how much she had to hold me back from breaking in here to check on you. There haven't been any complications since then, right? Everything went smoothly, mh? Your idiot husband only gave me vague answers! This little punk, I—"
"Jaekyung? Agitated? No way," even Heesung frowned at this new piece of information, "How did he react to it?"
After what looked like another gummy smile from the newborn, the omega altogether cooed and bent down to kiss his baby’s cheeks. Dan was happy his friends visited them, truly ecstatic. But the more he looked at his beautiful daughter, the more he just wanted to cuddle her in silence, in their nest, protect her with his scent, and never let go of her. Surely, questions partly aimed at having something to hold against Jaekyung were the least of his worries.
"Sooha came a bit earlier than expected. We were both really… surprised."
Dan felt tears gather in his eyes when the little princess held his cheeks between her tiny covered palms. She was intently inspecting his face, her gummies showing. The love she reserved for him was worth all the fears brought on by the first contractions that surprised him as he was preparing his usual chamomile tea, waiting for his alpha to come back home from a quick errand —turnips wouldn’t buy themselves to satisfy the omega’s cravings. He counted them down like his obstetrician taught him to. The closer they got, the more he prayed for Jaekyung to come home faster. Uneasiness turned into desperation, an urgent call was made through their bond.
Still etched in his memory, images of an out-of-breath Jaekyung scrutinizing his body with his big dark eyes, searching for the reasons for his pain and his messed up scent as if the whale’s hump belly wasn’t the most obvious culprit.
Dan was aware that he married a good man, each day acted as the best reminder. Yet Jaekyung still proved him better. With a tender and reassuring kiss, Jaekyung simply dismissed the wetness running down from his waist, down his legs when Dan’s water broke the moment he was carried up and still found love to scold his omega for even daring to apologize. The omega sort of missed the encouraging words and the thumb rubbing his mating mark to comfort him on their way to the hospital when Dan started to worry about giving birth into Jaekyung’s last purchased car. The perfect family SUV—or so were the arguments used to convince Dan when he saw its price and almost fainted from it.
Dan hoped Jaekyung wouldn’t share more about the mess of that day. Particularly how he failed to hold back his tears and whined loudly because of the strange mix of pain and high levels of cortisol and endorphin created at the notice of the prettiest baby seat waiting wisely on the backseat, decorated with beautiful yellow flowers and cute little animals. Beside laid a bag —probably dumbly expensive— holding all the first few necessities for their baby and him, a black wolf stuffed animal reigning over it.
But Dan knew Jaekyung wouldn’t share his secret.
There was too much to lose.
Like how Jaekyung couldn’t stop crying over how small his little girl was inside his arms after her first cries.
"But I'm good, now. She is too, as you can see. She is very calm and growing perfectly well... She is a good eater, she won't stay small for too long," Dan grinned at Jaekyung's snort beside him and his mumbled "Wonder who she takes after".
"So how is it? Being parents?"
"Hard," Namwook sighed and made everyone laugh.
"It’s… different than being just the two of us. But because we work together, it makes it easier." Dan truthfully shared with them after a few seconds of silence.
Then Dan continued, with stars in his eyes, to explain how great it was to have newer interactions with her as days passed. How they slowly got to understand her and her needs. How amazing it was after all, being parents.
At some point, after a quiet moment spent focused on the cute newborn blowing raspberries on her Daddy's hand, Daehyun looked a bit embarrassed to ask what could soothe down his tormented mind, "S-Since y’all know, my girlfriend wants us to have a baby soon, too soon but—What does it change between you two? I’m kind of… afraid of this."
Namwook smiled knowingly at that but thought better than to interrupt the questioned couple. He was curious, too.
Jaekyung arched an eyebrow then looked down at the baby laying peacefully inside his arms with Dan’s hand rocking her belly, gently. What did it change between him and Dan?
Well, everything.
But Jaekyung was cut off before he could reply.
The sweet omega rubbed his face over his husband’s shoulder, his ordinary shyness showing up and he could feel Jaekyung smiling at him idiotically fond, puffing air onto his cheek. But Dan considered their younger teammate who had always been the one to respect their boundaries the most. For him to ask things meant that he was curious, desperately seeking help and advice. And Dan was weak to this, too damn weak.
"A lot of things naturally change. I don’t know if it’s because we waited a long time for her but," Dan smelt like a summer floral sprig in mid-autumn, "There sure is an intimacy we never shared before."
This got everyone’s attention, especially the other couple in the room and Heesung immediately used the opportunity to ask, "Don’t tell me Jaekyung has been heartless enough to torment you even after giving birth?! I mean, of course, you’re even prettier than before it’s und–"
The alpha, bitter after his ego was meaninglessly insulted, reached for the bleached hair, pulled on it and then plunged its head into the cushions at the back of the couch, triggering a general fit of giggles. His daughter's unhappy squeak to have his munching tool taken out of her mouth was the only thing able to stop him. He immediately gave her back what she wanted, rolling his eyes at the cascade of drool on his wrist.
Even that doesn't bother me. What have I become?
Daehyun remained the same, a glint of innocence in his eyes, he sat back on his knees, hands on his thighs, a way to make him look taller and more confident, "Right, but… What intimacy? Y-you still do… it despite having a baby, right? Like—Please, I’m so worried about this whole deal. I feel like fainting every time she speaks about it."
"You know that intimacy isn’t all about having sex, right?" Jaekyung sounded exasperated, as if his younger self was not thinking the same back in the days, "What's wrong with you? Didn't take you as someone who couldn't hold it in."
"Given how you almost broke my nose, you should definitely get laid, dude," Heesung bent down at the newborn level to, first, gently kiss her cute forehead, then carefully put his hands around her ears under her hood. She smelt and looked like the most innocent thing, he needed to tame down his perverted words in front of her. At least until she was old enough to laugh about it with him, and even then, his protectiveness would put the biggest fences into their future relationship. His desire to be the coolest alpha uncle on earth to prevail over his reasons to break them, "Have you two even had sex since then? I, and Daehyun too understandingly, by the way, need to know for how long we’ll get blue balled before getting into it. My sweet little mutt said he is ready for it now."
Yosep and Namwook snorted behind their hands. Face flushed with embarrassment, Yoongu screamed indignantly at his mate, briskly climbed on his legs from his seated position to hit his chest and scold him with a simple glare.
Past restraints subsided within the room air under their friends’ curiosity and growing intrigue.
Jaekyung and Dan have been the hottest topic amidst the Team Black members’ "teas", former and newest ones alike. Years taught them who confessed first, who fell first and who fell harder ; Dan was the quiet one of the relationship but evidently knew how and when to thrill his power while Jaekyung was the clingy and wild party. They were not that dumb, just little observing skills were needed to understand their dynamic.
But sex was off-topic. The torture they had to endure after daring to ask simple stuff such as "How is it to have sex with an omega" was too vivid in their minds, they never once asked anything close to this topic ever again.
Seeing Heesung's free ways of talking meant the beautiful alpha knew more about it than any of them. Perhaps, because he was not risking any consequences. Anyway, their ears were opened to any new hot tea to be shared.
Yosep nonchalantly added, "Blue balls are not eternal. Look at Namwook-ah, three kids and he is still going."
Jaekyung made a gagging sound at his coach’s shameless blush, a timid but too proud smile on his lips as he tucked hair behind his ears —it was not even long enough to reach the top of it— and bowed his head timidly.
"Great. Sorry Coach, don’t know a thing about your sex life but I know this bastard and I share the same sex drive. Go on! Tell me!"
The little girl started to fuss, saving both her parents from embarrassing stories about how they had been sensitive at a simple touch, ready to explode barely after a heated kiss before bed. A light touch of their tongues was enough to make them see stars. There were plenty of making-out sessions, but none of them succeeded. Dan was still healing. May Dan hide his pain from him, Jaekyung knew all about the most insignificant ones. The little soreness he acquired on his left side every time he sat down, for example. Jaekyung hated to see him in this state, would never indulge him in more pain and it was not like he could… get hard anymore. Or more like, it died down the moment awareness rose to his heated mind.
Turned on, damn yes. Desiring Dan, fucking yes. Every hour, every minute. He felt like the most dangerous fire was annihilating the last remains of his sanity. Yet his dumb dick was making a fool of himself.
How was he supposed to talk about that with those… bunch of stupid humans?
"It depends on the couple. My wife and I started back at it when she felt ready for it. The only things you need to do is support your partner and be here for them," then a teasing sly smirk distorted his face when he looked at Jaekyung who only scoffed back, "Jaekyung is too whipped to even try something. I think he’d wait years if it were required. Am I wrong?"
Dan giggled cutely beside him. Those words sounded too close to what his husband told him a week after he came back home from the hospital. The omega’s hands curled around his daughter’s little body to bring her back to his chest and calm her incoming crying to claim food.
"That’s what I meant when I said he is the perfect alpha any omegas dream for."
They all agitatedly pushed Jaekyung around, teasing him with snarky comments while Dan excused himself and exited with his baby to prepare her food. The heated gaze Jaekyung reserved for Dan was noticed by everyone yet none talked about it, somehow feeling bad for the alpha and his god-like patience.
"You can answer their questions, it’s okay."
An odd silence invaded the room but Daehyun, Junbeom and Yoongu and even Heesung looked interested in something—the elephant in the room.
"Go on, ask whatever you want, you bastards. Can’t believe you’ve stunk up my house with your dirty pheromones at the first glimpse of my husband and my daughter. Assholes."
They all gulped down, clammy hands, somehow getting nervous.
"Can't believe a baby was all it took for the Joo Jaekyung to not get hard anymore."
Heesung screamed in pain at the fist meeting his upper, too close to his crotch for it to not be intentional. A threat to the future of his lineage. Heesung held up his fist in the air but was immediately stopped by a pinch on his calf—Yoongu’s last warning.
Amidst the mess, Daehyun raised his hand, full of discipline.
"Don’t you ever feel… jealous? Of Sooha, I mean. I get that you’re on another level of possessiveness but I’m afraid my alpha won’t tolerate my girlfriend spending too much time with others."
"Others? It’s about your child we’re talking about, idiot. A baby you both created." Patience, Jaekyung. Be patient. "I’ve never felt jealous, no."
Namwook silently observed the nervous twitching of Jaekyung’s fingers. Try as he might to hide it, his coach knew him too well to miss out on this, even if he was acting disinterested throwing little side glances at the kitchen room. With only kindness in mind, he friendly stroked Jaekyung’s forearms and called out for his name.
"Kitchen is the worst, right? Then, comes the bathroom," Jaekyung anxiously looked at him and Namwook knew they both understood the message. The most dangerous places in a house, places where the risk of infantile accidents was the highest. Not only Jaekyung was understanding but his eyes were saying how attentive to any sort of words that would come out of his coach’s mouth. A first. "Then Sooha will grow up and you’ll wholeheartedly want her to discover the beauty of this world. Sitting, walking, grabbing, touching, smelling all sorts of… weird things. But you’ll grow to think that she can only be safe in your arms."
"She is only safe in my arms, though. Him, too."
Namwook chuckled quietly. Then to hide the proud tears gathering over his lash lines, he drew Jaekyung in his arms and hugged him close to whisper for his ears only, "You’re doing a great job, Jaekyung. I’m proud of you. Your baby is happy, and your mate is even happier, who would have thought you–"
"Hyung, don’t you dare to wet my shirt. Dan is still unstable with alpha’s pheromones."
This little bastard.
•••
Anxiety only subsided when Dan sat back down beside him. Sooha was sniffling, little tears slowly falling down her cheeks as she calmed down from her earlier frustrated fit by chucking down a warm bottle. Even her appetite was the same as Jaekyung, a little glutton who wouldn’t hesitate to let her tears fall if her hunger was not satisfied.
No one could hold a grudge against the embodiment of cuteness. The little bean’s pheromones still smelt like clean linen with a musc daisy scent. Dan thought her newborn’s scent would be bound to change throughout the days but it didn’t. It actually only got stronger, the cherry notes lying underneath got heavier whenever she ate ; the floral notes sturdy yet lighter as she slept. The baby powder Dan religiously applied on her sensitive skin wrapped her inside a fluffy cloud, calling for cuddles and endless kisses.
"She compensates the lack of conversation by looking this cute, isn’t she? She has already won our hea—" Yosep giggled loudly then covered his face in disbelief, "Guys, look at her feet. Just, look. Oh fuck. Can I take her home with me?"
Sooha was clenching and unclenching her tiny feet, paced by her gulps. As they were still covered by her faux fur, they looked like the cutest puppies’ paws.
Dan looked away from the little one only for a second, his smile big enough to replace the sun, "My baby needs to stay with me hyung, she can’t go with you," Dan was hesitant to pursue, but the safe environment surrounding his family gave him strength, "But if she wants to, and if you still want her to, she’s welcomed to visit all of you when she gets older."
Then he added, a bit out of sync, stuttering, "B-But only for an hour. Or h-half an hour… Ten minutes, maybe?"
And this.
This was probably one of the biggest marks of confidence an omega could show.
People were not expected to gather into packs anymore, mating constituted the last link formed to maintain their second gender’s happiness and well-being. And people were pleased with it. As a consequence perhaps, the protective aura around a pup was unwavering. More if it happened to be the first baby of a family, worse if an omega gave birth to them.
Omegas were obsessed with their puppies. The void inside their womb followed them until their last breath, or so the myth recounted. For Dan to grant something as big as this, Jaekyung could refuse all much he wanted, being as sulky as usual, it wouldn’t change a thing. Sooha and all their future babies would be welcomed into this big loving family where blood links were all mighty but affection overpowered it to gift them all a safe place to enjoy life to its fullest.
Sooha burped over Dan’s shoulder and welcomed everyone back with her deep dimples, all satisfied as if the biggest gulp of air came from her tiny little belly, now heavy with milk that gently rocked her towards the land of dreams.
Yosep hopped on the spot.
"Ten minutes won’t be enough, that’s for sure."