Archive of Our Own

"It's almost Heat." Kevin reminded everyone one day after dinner. It was a relatively quiet affair, what with the entire group tired after days of practice preparing for a comeback. Even Eric, who usually never shuts up even when his mouth is full and ends up spraying his seatmate with chicken particles, barely said a word. "You guys know what that means, right?"

"You know, I'm actually really thankful heats only happen like once every two months." Changmin sighed, stealing a piece of chicken from Chanhee beside him. "Imagine if we have to go through it every month... we'd be losing a lot of practice time."

"Not to mention the numerous blankets that will be ruined and thrown out. Again." Hyunjoon sniffed. He gave Changmin a half-heated glare, to which the older responded with a whine that it was two months ago and I already apologized! Hyunjoon sulked, adding, "It was my favorite blanket!"

Sangyeon looked at Kevin, confused. "How did you know it's almost Heat? The managers didn't say anything."

"Well, Jacob-hyung has been stealing some t-shirts from everyone since yesterday-- don't give me that look, hyung, I saw you take a handful from Sunwoo and Juyeon's cabinet--" Kevin quickly added when Jacob whined in protest. "And I walked in on Changmin cleaning out our entire room, and he never cleans."

"I clean!" Changmin also protested, but he quickly deflated, realization dawning on him. "Sometimes."

They sat around the living room in post-dinner bliss for several moments in silence. Sangyeon was already thinking of which room to lock the omegas in their group, even considering going as far as calling the company and asking to use their heat room for their members, and after hesitating a bit, he asked the members about it.

"It's for safety. To avoid any... accidents, you know. We have a great difference in alpha-omega ratio here." Sangyeon reasoned. "I don't think three betas can hold back five alphas in rut."

"We can try, hyung." Haknyeon insisted. "The heat room in the company really sucks. Chanhee-hyung said it smells and the beds are uncomfortable."

"But staying in the dorm..." Sunwoo protested, fear showing in his voice. "Your smell, hyungs."

Juyeon inwardly groaned, recalling the one time no one remembered their heat schedule. It was just a regular day, Sunwoo's birthday was near and everyone was anticipating what he will present as. All twelve of them were just doing their mundane tasks around the dorm, and the next thing that happened was Hyunjoon prying Sunwoo away from Chanhee in the kitchen.

Chanhee had smelled of really sweet vanilla, and when Juyeon joined the others to see what the commotion was in the kitchen, the air in his lungs were punched out with how... in heat Chanhee looked. The younger's face was flushed, eyes wide with confusion as he stuck to the wall, away from Sunwoo still struggling with Hyunjoon in the middle of the kitchen.

They had locked eyes, Juyeon and Chanhee. The fear in Chanhee's eyes changed to panic as he started screaming for Juyeon to stay away. Thankfully, Kevin (what ever would they do without Kevin?) had just finished putting the other alphas in one bedroom to contain them as Haknyeon hurried to collect the omegas' stuff to bring into the company heat room.

Kevin had pulled Juyeon out of the kitchen just as Juyeon's inhumanly long patience and self-control snapped. He had argued with Kevin loudly, the alpha in him angry at being denied a perfectly ready mate in the kitchen, and Kevin had no choice but to hit the older with a book to knock him out as Haknyeon guided the omegas to their manager's car downstairs.

Juyeon's head throbbed in memory of Kevin's necessary attack, even if it was months later already. After that accident, Sunwoo was confirmed to have presented as an alpha, and Kevin started to religiously watch over the members, noting any slight change in behavior. Maybe it was borderline paranoia, but as the oldest beta, Kevin was burdened with the responsibility to keep things in order.

"Why are our heat cycles arriving earlier than expected?" Chanhee actually whined, slumping onto the table. "Is it because of the stress?"

"What do you even stress over, Channie? Calculus?" Younghoon teased lightheartedly. Chanhee retaliated with throwing a pillow particularly hard towards the older. Juyeon cracked a small smile at the interaction: though an omega, Chanhee was particularly feisty and will willingly fight any of the alphas in the group... provided he wasn't in heat, of course.

Compared to Changmin and Jacob, who could be identified as omegas immediately by their nurturing and soft nature, Chanhee was brash and he's never afraid to start choking either Hyunjae or Younghoon if the alphas get on his nerves. When Juyeon first found out that Chanhee was an omega, he waited for Sangyeon to say sike, but it never came.

Younghoon had probably sensed his confusion, because he sat the younger alpha down and scolded him (gently, as Younghoon never really loses his temper or that soft tone, and that led to Juyeon actually thinking Younghoon was an omega) about stereotypes. While inherently nurturing and comforting, omegas aren't always submissive in everything they do, according to Younghoon.

Much like us alphas. I mean, Sangyeon-hyung's really comforting too but he's an alpha. Hyunjae likes doting on the maknae line, and have you seen me lose my shit? Younghoon had asked. The point is, everyone's different. Your secondary gender may of course hold something over how you act, but in the end, you can't really say the stereotypes are even true.

As time passed, Juyeon came to know Chanhee and everyone else better of course. After a year though, he still found himself unable to comprehend the complexity of Chanhee. Of course, it might have something to do with Juyeon's alpha instinct being drawn to dominate an unsubmissive omega, but there was also something else. Something Juyeon thinks he knows but chooses to overlook in hopes it would go away.

"Hey, hyung, are you okay?" Eric asked Juyeon, slightly poking the elder with the end of a chopstick to bring him back to the present. "You zoned out. We're about to rock-paper-scissors on who's going to clean up."

"Without rock-paper-scissors nothing would get done in this household." Hyunjae declared, holding his hand out. Juyeon quickly followed, avoiding eye contact with Chanhee, who was right in front of him.

After several round of rock-paper-scissors ("WHY DO WE KEEP USING THIS? THERE'S TWELVE OF US AND IT JUST TAKES SO LONG!" - Changmin), Sangyeon and Sunwoo were picked to clean up, with a lot of complaining from Sunwoo's part.

Juyeon helped them a bit by stacking the takeout boxes, still thinking about the upcoming Heat. Since the omegas complained about the company heat room, Sangyeon decided to not send them there and just use one of the bedrooms instead. Kevin also insisted on putting up a lot of locks in Chanhee and Eric's room (the one chosen to be the omegas' unofficial heat room), which he and Younghoon immediately started doing.

"I'm going to shower." Juyeon announced to no one in particular, but he received a grunt of acknowledgement from Sangyeon, who was trying to reach a crumpled tissue under the sofa.

After taking his towel and clothes with him, Juyeon headed towards the bathroom. Much to his surprise, Chanhee was there, brushing his teeth. Juyeon froze in the doorway, surprised. The younger noticed him and gave a little wave, spitting out foam before saying, "The other bathrooms are taken. You can shower now though, I just finished."

"O-oh." Juyeon slapped himself mentally. He made a beeline for the shower, putting his stuff on a shelf, then taking out his toothbrush. Chanhee saw and made some space for him in the sink as well. It was cramped and their elbows kept bumping, Chanhee somehow smeared toothpaste on Juyeon's forehead, and they were laughing.

It was comfortable, or so it seemed. Juyeon was actually fighting down an urge to press his friend on the sink and sniff at Chanhee's neck or sink his canines on the younger's soft-looking skin. Chanhee didn't seem to notice the internal struggle, didn't seem to realize he was smelling a little too tempting.

"Was your shampoo the apple-scented one?" Chanhee asked, rinsing his mouth.

"Yeah. I like the smell." he replied with a moutful of foam.

"I used it, by the way. I just ran out of my own. You don't mind, right?"

Juyeon almost snapped the toothbrush handle in surprise. He forced himself to calm down, though his hands were twitching to hold the other boy down and lock the bathroom door, and spit out the foam. "Yeah, I don't mind."

"Cool." Chanhee took his stuff into his arms and gave Juyeon a long look. "Are you okay? You looked pretty dazed during dinner earlier."

"I'm good, don't worry." Juyeon tried for a smile, though it probably came out as an unattractive grimace because Chanhee snorted out a laugh, reaching over to pat Juyeon's arm in what he presumed was supposed to be a comforting gesture. The skin contact was burning, and Chanhee's smell was so familiar and attractive.

It wasn't even heat yet, the fuck.

"Um, Chanhee?" Juyeon managed when Chanhee was already at the door. His knuckles were white with how strong he was holding onto the sink and the last bit of his resolve. The younger gave him curious, wide-eyed look, and Juyeon added, "Can you, um, lock the door when you leave?"

He had hoped it was subtle, but Chanhee obviously understood what Juyeon was about to do, if the dark dusting on Chanhee's cheeks were any give away. He nodded abruptly, almost stumbling over his feet, to leave. The door had closed with an audible click and Juyeon let out a long groan.

"Fuck."

The next two days were absolute chaos for everyone. Jacob had hoarded half of their clothes, piling them in Chanhee and Eric's room, much to Eric's great displeasure and much greater whining. Changmin had kicked everyone out from the kitchen for an entire afternoon because he cleaned the entire place and even put labels on the frozen food.

Younghoon was trying to calm Kevin down by reassuring his boyfriend there weren't any particularly appealing scents in the dorm yet except for the misty coffee scent that always follows Kevin around, but the eldest beta was still neurotic, constantly asking the others if they're feeling okay and completely disregarding Younghoon's reassurance by saying Younghoon's just biased to smelling Kevin.

He kinda had a point, but it was driving the other alphas to the brink of annoyance.

Chanhee had a different way of nesting, but he was definitely doing it too. He had wandered into Juyeon, Younghoon, and Sunwoo's room in the morning, took Juyeon's blanket even if the said boy was still using it, and went back to the unofficial heat room as if it was a normal thing to do.

"Chanhee-hyung, please give me back my pillow!" Sunwoo shouted somewhere in the dorm.

"No!"

"Hyung, please!"

"You know, Chanhee's never nested this intensely before." Hyunjae commented, amused with Sunwoo yelling outside the unofficial heat room and Chanhee yelling back from the inside. "At least Jacob just gets our clothes, but Chanhee actually steals things we use on a regular basis... like, he took Sangyeon-hyung's Snorlax stuffed toy, Younghoon-hyung's bed cover, and my cap. What did he take from you?"

Juyeon rubbed his stiff neck. "My fucking blanket."

Hyunjae guffawed at that, slapping his knee.

"How long do heats usually last, hyung?" Eric came up to them on the sofa and squeezed between the two visuals, resting his head on Juyeon's broad shoulders. "I want to be a beta. Kevin-hyung's two inches away from having a complete breakdown and I wanna help you guys."

"Thanks, Eric." Juyeon ruffled his hair, touched.

Sunwoo marched into the living room, red in the face. "I don't have a pillow anymore!"

"I don't have a blanket anymore either." Juyeon responded calmly.

"Chanhee took your blanket?" Younghoon repeated, overhearing. "Like, the one you've been using? Not one from the cabinets?"

"Yeah. Took it this morning. Why?"

Younghoon's face was a mix of surprise and a pleased expression. He pushed the younger into their room, glowing with excitement. Making sure the door was closed, Younghoon grabbed Juyeon by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Chanhee chose to be surrounded by your scent!"

"Technically, he still has everyone's scent---"

"No, no! Listen, he took your blanket." Younghoon shook him more intensely, dislodging the few braincells left in Juyeon's brain. "Don't you understand what that means? Has he done anything like that recently? Like mimicking your scent?"

"He's um... he's using my shampoo." Juyeon recalled. "And my cologne."

Younghoon kept looking at him expentantly, like he was waiting for Juyeon to continue and actually arrive at the same conclusion Younghoon was already at. When moments passed by and Juyeon still had a blank face on, Younghoon released him and let out a long, drawn out sigh.

"What was I supposed to say?" Juyeon asked, confused.

"I don't know, man. Read up on omegas, maybe you'll actually understand by then? Oh my god, Kevin needs to know this and you two need to sort it out. That would be one less omega to worry about in here." Younghoon then went out, leaving Juyeon in their room wondering if Younghoon thought he and Chanhee were fighting.

Sort it out? Sort what out?

Still, he decided to follow Younghoon's orders - he was older, after all - and sat down on his bed to browse the internet for whatever on omegas. He looked up nesting and omegas, intent on finding out what Younghoon was talking about.

Juyeon was on an article why omegas actually hoard stuff when they're nesting when Chanhee went up to him and sat down on the space beside him on the bed. "Is there something between us? Like, I don't know... are you angry at me? Because Younghoon-hyung just walked up to me and told me to talk to you."

"I don't have an idea on what he meant either. He just told me to look up omegas and nesting... I guess." Juyeon could smell his apple-shampoo on Chanhee even with the distance between them, but the younger had to lean in to read what was on Juyeon's phone screen, and Juyeon had never felt his heart clench so much before.

"I don't even know why I nest." Chanhee was muttering, scrolling down the article, completely in the alpha's space. His scent was invading Juyeon's already clouded mind, and without knowing it, Juyeon had his other arm wrapped around Chanhee as they read the article together on Juyeon's phone.

"You feel safe when you surround yourself with scents?" Juyeon read out loud, asking for confirmation.

Chanhee hummed, thinking it over. "Maybe? I don't exactly know how I feel, but I sleep better and the pain gets... duller? I think?"

"Wait, pain? What pain?" the older boy's tone was frantic and concerned. "Heats hurt?"

"Yeah." Chanhee unconciously snuggled closer to Juyeon's warmth, eyes trained on the article. "It just starts from the womb and spreads outward into the body. Sometimes it would be so hard to even walk... there was this one time when Changmin was so weak-- it was his first heat with us I think-- he couldn't even talk."

"How does the pain go away? Medicine?"

"Medicine sometimes helps but... it's a different kind of pain. Like, um..." Chanhee turned red, pulling away from Juyeon. He looked embarrassed, which Juyeon didn't understand. He realized he really had no clue about omegas. Chanhee took a deep breath and said, "It's the need to be mated kind of pain."

Juyeon actually choked on air. "Oh." he cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very hot. "Oh, um. Uh, is there any way to relieve it?"

Chanhee paused, thinking hard. Juyeon watched him closely, watched as Chanhee played at the hem of his oversized hoodie with his long, elegant fingers, watched as Chanhee chewed on his bottom lip, watched as Chanhee bobbed his head to one side and exposing an unmarked patch of soft skin.

There was suddenly a spike in smell. The apple scent became stronger, mixing with a little vanilla that Juyeon immediately recognized. The temperature suddenly became a lot higher, and Juyeon realized what was going on.

"Chanhee."

"I don't know if there is a way, Juyeon. I don--"

"Chanhee, get out of here."

"What?" the younger stared at him with wide eyes, confused and a little hurt.

Juyeon had the patience of a saint, Hyunjae always said. That patience and long, long line of self-control was being tested as Chanhee sat in front of him, smell so strong and inviting, looking so small and vulnerable. Juyeon's alpha was clawing at him to move and do something.

"Juyeon, are you okay?" Chanhee asked, reaching out to him. Fuck. "You're sweating."

Hyunjae-hyung is wrong. Juyeon let out a low growl, grabbing the hand coming towards him and sniffing the inside of Chanhee's wrist. He closed his eyes, enjoying the soothing, somewhat arousing smell of vanilla. Chanhee was offering zero resistance, and when Juyeon opened his eyes to look at the omega, Chanhee had a dark blush on his cheeks, mouth parted and eyes closed.

Dude. Dude, stop. Call someone! Juyeon's one last sane braincell was screaming at him but his body wasn't obeying. He pulled Chanhee closer, bringing him to sit on his lap. The younger let out a small gasp, not at all resisting. Juyeon began to nose his way from Chanhee's ear, working his way down to the scent gland on the younger's neck.

He lightly pressed his lips on the warm, white skin and Chanhee let out a mewl.

"Oh shit." Hyunjoon was suddenly at the door, eyes wide in alarm. "Haknyeon-hyung! I found Chanhee-hyung!"

Juyeon managed to jerk away, the cloud over his thoughts starting to fade away with the danger of what they could have done hanging heavy over him. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling at it slightly to gain more sanity and gasping for air.

Chanhee, on the other hand, was too far gone. His smell was spiking up so bad, it was all Juyeon could smell. He was whimpering, trying to get even closer to Juyeon though their bodies were already pressed flush against each other. Chanhee had buried his nose into Juyeon’s scent gland, breathing in the pheromones.

“No, Eric, stay there—you’re too young to see this, idiot, shut up—Kevin-hyung!” Hyunjoon was still at the doorway, screaming.

“Alpha.” Chanhee purred, and Juyeon could feel his small frame shaking, letting him realize the omega was actually crying.

“Chanhee, wait.” Juyeon’s patience was severely at its limit but he knew one stupid move could destroy their friendship (and in extension, probably their group) forever. No matter how much he wanted to pin the younger down and have his way, Juyeon shouldn’t. “Chanhee, look at me.”

He didn’t mean to use the alpha tone, but he was also at the brink of his proverbial cliff. It worked though, Chanhee stopped squirming to look at him with wide, hazy, but somewhat focused eyes.

“We can’t do this, okay?”

“Juyeon,” Chanhee whined, going back to snuggling his neck. “Please.”

At the back of Juyeon’s mind, he was laughing because once the heat is over after two days, Chanhee would probably never be able to face him again. The younger was so desperate and gone, so unlike the stubborn dongsaeng he knew. At the forefront of his mind though, Juyeon was also close to snapping. He needed to get away, fast.

“Juyeon, it hurts.” The younger suddenly whimpered, holding onto him tighter. “It really hurts.”

“You’ll be okay, Chanhee.” Juyeon found himself wrapping his arms around the omega. Fuck. “You’ll be fine, I’ve got you.” He locked eyes with Hyunjoon and glared. “Hyunjoon, I swear to fucking god, I will burn your berets if you don’t move your ass now!”

Thankfully the young beta was strong (and scared) enough to obey, prying Chanhee off the oldest and then forcefully dragging him towards the heat room. Alone, Juyeon could still smell the sweet vanilla wrapped around him like a mist. It was infuriating to be kept away from such delicious smell and inviting warmth, but his chest was also light with the thought that he had successfully averted a crisis.

[Did he? He did the right thing, right?]

Believing he had already cleared his head, Juyeon went into the living room, where the other alphas were with Eric. The others were holding up scented towels to their noses, and Eric wordlessly handed him one. Juyeon gratefully took it, sitting on the space beside Hyunjae.

“Chanhee’s the one with vanilla smell, right?” Hyunjae asked, frowning. “His smell was so strong. How did you…?”

“I honestly have no idea.” Juyeon breathed in the sweet, artificial smell of tangerines. Haknyeon probably brought those, he thought, watching Haknyeon himself spray artificial mist around the entire dorm. “It’s a miracle.”

Eric looked up at him. “Did you guys have sex?”

“Eric!” Sangyeon shrieked, horrified.

“No, we didn’t.” Juyeon replied calmly. The thought sent his mind reeling, but he needed to keep a straight face for the maknae. “But we almost did.”

He got a pillow thrown into his face, courtesy of Sangyeon. Eric was interested, though, and began his never-ending tirade of questions about a/b/o dynamics. Hyunjae decided enough was enough and distracted the youngest by offering to cook ramyun. Eric immediately followed and Sangyeon fixed Juyeon with a long look.

“Hyung, I promise. Nothing happened.”

“Yes, I believe you, don’t worry.” Sangyeon discarded the scented towel. “I’m just wondering how you managed not to do anything with… you know, that. Anyway, I’m taking Sunwoo and Hyunjae home for the next two days. Are you coming with us or do you want to go home? Younghoon’s staying here, but that won’t be a problem since Kevin’s here.”

“I think I’ll go home too.” Juyeon followed and discarded the towel, only to pick it up again and civer his nose again. “God, it’s still here.”

Sangyeon frowned. “No? There’s no hint of vanilla anymore?”

“But—“

Kevin slumped on the floor of the living room, completely drained. “Where’s my boyfriend?” he asked, interrupting Juyeon while laying lifeless on the floor.

“He took Sunwoo out on a walk to clear his head.” Sangyeon provided. “Are you okay? How are they?”

“Jacob-hyung went to sleep almost immediately. Changmin was crying again, but Hyunjoon managed to feed him medicine, at least. Chanhee, though…” Kevin looked at Juyeon. “Dude, what the heck did you do? He was crying so much and all he was saying was your name. Not alpha, just Juyeon. Please get Juyeon. You didn’t mark him, did you?”

“No!” Juyeon gaped at the younger. His eyes flitted to Kevin’s exposed collarbone, where Younghoon had sank his canines into and claimed Kevin almost two months ago already after a long, long, long period of pining and denial. “I didn’t even kiss him. His scent won’t leave me too.”

There was a long pause between all three of them. Juyeon didn’t know what to think; does he want Chanhee? Of course he does, he’s an alpha, who’s bound to get attracted to an omega [He could feel Younghoon slapping the back of his head at such stereotypical thought, but Juyeon was right anyway.] Does he want to mate with Chanhee? Definitely.

Does he want to have pups with Chanhee and spend the rest of his life with him?

Where did that come from? Juyeon shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He excused himself to pack; the sooner he gets out of the dorm, the sooner he can go back to pushing his feelings away from the surface. Kevin gave him a sad look, but Juyeon ignored him and closed the door behind him.

He spent the entire heat period at home, locked in his room. Though far from the dorm, he was still hit with a rut, much to his and his family’s confusion. Juyeon pretty much holed himself up, wrapped in a blanket and only ever leaving to actually eat. His mother tried to ask what had happened, but Juyeon didn’t want to talk in fear of snapping angrily at his mother.

Alphas in rut tend to be more aggressive and dominating, too much to the point Juyeon almost punched his own father when Mr. Lee asked what had happened in their dorm. [More specifically, what happened to their omegas. Juyeon had thought of Chanhee alone and delivered a punch to the wall, then walked back into his room after muttering a quick apology.]

“I’ve never had a rut for so long, mom.” Juyeon complained, rubbing his temples. He received a call from Hyunjoon that morning announcing that heat was officially over and the omegas are okay, but Juyeon might want to wait until the next day because Younghoon complained the entire dorm still stank with various scents.

Juyeon’s rut also ended, and after reassurance from his father that he did not act out of line at all and everything was good between them, Juyeon finally decided to talk to his mother.

“What do you think triggered it?” Mrs. Lee asked, serving him his second plate of pancakes. “Aigoo, are you boys eating at all? Every time I see you, you get thinner and thinner. I have half the mind to move in and cook for you boys all day but then, I don’t want to know half of what happens in your dorm.”

Juyeon chuckled, amused. “I think you don’t want to see Eric and Sunwoo fighting over a piece of chicken that already fell to the floor, mom.”

Mrs. Lee sighed, taking a seat in front of him. “Well? What happened?”

“I don’t know. Sangyeon-hyung called and when I asked if they had ruts too, he sounded so confused. Younghoon-hyung didn’t have one too, but he’s already marked by Kevin, so he probably shouldn’t count.” Juyeon stuffed his mouth with a big chunk of pancake. “What could have caused this?”

“Have you been in any close contact with omegas these past days? Like, very close contact? Not necessarily with your friends at the dorm… or is it someone from the dorm?” Mrs. Lee suddenly asked, handing over a glass of orange juice. “Sometimes, ruts can be induced by an alpha’s omega-subject of interest.”

“Mom, I—“

“You know who I’m talking about, don’t you?”

Juyeon helped with the dishes, figuring it was the least he could do with how he had acted around the house the past days. Mrs. Lee didn’t press on for more answers, figuring Juyeon must already have understood what she meant. And she was right… Juyeon couldn’t help but think of Chanhee.

Somehow Chanhee’s heat triggered his rut.

Was it because he was in really close physical contact with him moments before his heat?

“You’re an idiot.”

“Thanks, hyung. That’s very helpful.” Juyeon felt his head ache with the intensity with which he rolled his eyes with. “Please, just tell me. Did Chanhee cause my rut?”

“No, Juyeon. You did.” Younghoon responded, along with a clatter of pans. He must be in the kitchen. “Kevin, baby, I can’t find the rice cooker!”

“What do you mean, I caused my own rut?” Juyeon waited for the clanging to stop. “What are you guys doing in there?”

Younghoon sighed from the other end. “Attempting to cook with half-dead betas and three omegas who could barely stand. The dorm is a nightmare, I swear. It reeks in here, too. Anyway, what I meant was, Chanhee’s not directly responsible—oW!”

Juyeon waited until the chaos from the other line simmered down. “Uhuh.”

“You like Chanhee. Don’t deny it.” Younghoon suddenly said. “I’m not the only one who noticed, too. Everyone has—except you and Chanhee, apparently. Which brings me to my point… you’ve formed an unconscious bond with him and—yes, baby it’s in the fridge. You can get some more sleep if you want, Kev, I’ll cook dinner— Juyeon, you still there?”

“Go on.”

“You formed an unconscious bond with him and maybe that’s why it triggered a rut from you and it caused Chanhee’s heat to really be difficult. Like, dude, he was in so much pain. Kevin said Chanhee wouldn’t let go of your blanket. It’s soiled and really ruined now, by the way.”

Juyeon pursed his lips, afraid to say anything.

“When you get back here tomorrow, can you guys talk? Please?”

“Yeah, I was meaning to talk to him.” I just don’t have any idea how. “Since, you know, something almost happened.”

Younghoon ended the call, saying he had to concentrate on making food for half the people left in their dorm. Juyeon didn’t get any sleep that night, opting to read the old books on his shelf, trying to distract himself from thinking of his bandmate, the inevitable talk, the uncertainty of what he was going to fucking say.

In the end, he did fall asleep, but it felt like a blink instead and the next thing he knew he was standing in front of the dorm, about to enter the passkey to the lock.

Then Jacob was at the door, opening it and looking at Juyeon curiously. “Hi! Are you okay? Why did you ring the doorbell? You didn’t forget the passcode, didn’t you?” Jacob asked, eyes wide in concern. “Juyeon? Are you okay?”

“Um. Yeah. I didn’t realize I pressed the doorbell.” Juyeon blinked, confused. Jacob laughed and ushered him inside, talking about how they changed everything in the dorms because it smelled really sweet so Juyeon has a new bedsheet and—

“You’re back.” Chanhee almost bumped into him, carrying a whole box that has been taped very securely. Juyeon knew what it was though… he could still smell it. “I, um, was just about to take the trash out. Old bedsheets. I ruined your blanket, I’m sorry, Juyeon. I-“

“Hey, it’s okay.” Juyeon couldn’t help it, he reached out to slightly squeeze Chanhee’s arm. “Hey, can we talk? I just, you know, to clear things up? Please?”

Chanhee turned pink, looking away. “Yeah, okay. I’ll just out these outside.”

“Let me do that for you.” Juyeon offered, taking the box. He kind of regretted it immediately, suddenly assaulted with a lot of scents. The sweet mango smell was probably Jacob’s, he thought, lightly wrinkling his nose, Changmin’s scent is probably the cinnamon. “You can take my bag instead and maybe wait for me somewhere?”

“And they say~ Chivalry is dead~” Hyunjoon whizzed by, singing loudly and not-so-subtly winking at Juyeon and Chanhee as he dragged a mop around the dorm. Juyeon gave him a half-glare, but he really couldn’t bring himself to get angry at the young boy, not when he still owes Hyunjoon an apology for snapping at him and threatening to burn his wardrobe.

“Your room?” Chanhee asked softly, picking up the knapsack Juyeon ungracefully left on the floor.

“Where can you get comfortable?” Juyeon asked, not wanting to act like the big, dominating alpha. He really wanted the stubborn, hard-headed Chanhee to come out. “We can even go out of the dorm, only if you want to.”

Chanhee cracked a small smile. “The dorm’s fine. I’ll be in your room. I’ll kick Younghoon-hyung out too.” He turned and left, leaving Juyeon with the box in the foyer with a pounding heart. Haknyeon was leaning against the kitchen doorway, eating a bag of chips, and looking at Juyeon with a raised eyebrow.

“Is it going to be today?” the younger asked.

“Does everyone really know?” Juyeon groaned, embarrassed.

“There’s a really noticeable tension between you two, hyung. It’s not that hard to pick up on it.” Haknyeon gloated, wrinkling his nose at the box in Juyeon’s arms. “We really should start stocking up on blankets and pillows again.”

Juyeon sighed and did his task, berating himself for actually moving slower than usual. He was just trying to delay the conversation, but the more he procrastinates, the harder it would get. Juyeon closed the main door and took several deep breaths, aware of Eric grinning at him from the kitchen with Haknyeon. He gave them both the middle finger – behind Jacob’s back, of course – and padded towards his bedroom.

Chanhee was curled on his bed, facing the headboard and legs hanging off the side of the bed. Juyeon had to suppress himself cooing at the image, and went to sit on the space Chanhee left for him, leaning with his back against the wall and also let his legs hang over the side.

“So…” he started, awkward.

Chanhee glanced up at him, equally shy.

“How are you?” Juyeon asked, figuring it was the right way to start the conversation, and also because he was genuinely worried. Younghoon did say it was the worst heat Chanhee has had so far. “Does it still hurt?”

“Not anymore. I’m… good, I guess. This was really a bad one.” Chanhee mumbled, curling into a ball. “We had a chance to talk, us omegas. In between when we can actually think straight and we’re not, you know, dying of pain.”

Juyeon found himself drawn to running his fingers through Chanhee’s dyed blonde hair. He missed the black, of course, but the blonde made Chanhee look ethereal and much softer. “Go on.” Juyeon gently urged when Chanhee closed his eyes and sigh at the gentle massage on his scalp. “Don’t fall asleep on me now.”

Chanhee reached out to hit his leg playfully, a small grin on his face. “This heat was weird. I mean, there was so much slick and it was so wet and—“ he cracked an eye open to look at Juyeon. “I should probably not share that part.”

“No, it’s okay. You can tell me anything.” Juyeon argued, brushing the younger’s hair away from his face. It was very intimate, Juyeon thought. The whole scene was too intimate for two people who are just friends, but he realized, they can’t really help it. He doesn’t feel the need to hold anyone else just as much as he wants to hold Chanhee, not even his favorite maknae line member.

“I’m not telling you that part.” Chanhee decided, blushing. “Anyway, Kevin told me some pretty embarrassing things I did when I was in heat. I almost want the ground to open up and swallow me so I’d disappear off the face of the planet.”

“How much do you remember?” the older asked.

“Pretty much… just what happened here.” Chanhee muttered, the red on his face intensifying. He sat up abruptly, biting his cheek in worry. “Juyeon, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know I was going that far. And—crap, this is embarrassing…” he hid his face behind his hands. “I’m really sorry.”

Juyeon bit back a smile. Chanhee was too cute for his own good. He gently pulled Chanhee’s wrists down and away from his face. “And what did Kevin tell you?” he asked, just to be cheeky.

“That I kept calling for you.” Chanhee whispered, fidgeting.

“Did Kevin tell you I was in a rut?”

“You what?”

“Wait, wait. Calm down.” Juyeon had to pull Chanhee back to sit down because the latter suddenly started to pace the small space in front of the bed. “It’s fine. I was at home, away from fans or other omegas. I thought Kevin already told you.”

Chanhee deflated, though he was still fidgeting. “You were away from other omegas?” he took a deep breath. “Okay. Did I cause your rut?”

“There’s a big chance you did, yeah.” Juyeon caught Chanhee’s hand before the younger could scratch his own skin off. “Chanhee, hey, when you were in heat, did you um… did you think of anyone? Except for me… You did think of me, right?”

“I…” Chanhee trailed off, shy. “Yeah.”

“Both mom and Younghoon-hyung said I might have subconciously formed a bond with you.” Juyeon finally let out. He held onto Chanhee’s hand tighter, afraid the younger might drift off. “Um, I’ve always liked you, Chanhee. Ever since we met as trainees, I guess, but I mistook it for curiousity? When Sangyeon-hyung told me you were an omega, I almost didn’t believe him. You just totally challenged everything I’ve thought about omegas.”

Chanhee thankfully didn’t run away, but he wasn’t squeezing back, and that worried Juyeon intensely.

“I’m not as dense as everyone thinks, though.” Chanhee suddenly piped up, looking away. “I just didn’t want to assume that you… well, you don’t exactly treat me that differently. Heck, we barely interact on-cam too, but… I don’t know. I just feel it, but I didn’t want to assume.”

“Does this mean we’re both stupid?” Juyeon felt his jaw drop. “We’re both stupid.”

“I’m less stupid.” Chanhee quickly snapped back, a teasing smile on his face. “At least I knew.”

“You didn’t exactly say anything. You’re stupid too.” Juyeon argued, but there was also a smile on his face. “But um, that doesn’t exactly mean you feel the same way. I like you, Chanhee. I don’t know how or when I did, or why, but I do. I don’t want to push things too quickly but I’d also like to um… be your, uh, alpha? Mate?”

“Yeah, let’s go slow. I don’t want to have pups yet.” Chanhee actually laughed.

Juyeon blanked out for a few moments, staring at Chanhee in a state of shock. Did that really happen?

“Take me on a date first, maybe. Or just cook for me. I’m tired of eating Younghoon-hyung’s fried rice. I don’t even know how Kevin will be able to stomach eating that everyday when he and hyung will finally be able to live together. You’re going to cook, right? You shouldn’t really let me cook. I might burn our place down.” Chanhee just kept on talking, already holding Juyeon’s huge hand with both of his. Realizing the alpha was frozen, Chanhee leaned forward, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“You like me back?” Juyeon managed to choke out.

“I basically just told you we’re going to live together in the future, Juyeon. What the fuck?”

“Oh.”

Chanhee laughed. It sounded so good to Juyeon. He could listen to it everyday. The realization that he might be able to dawned on him and he gently pulled a grinning Chanhee to sit on his lap again. There, without the influence of pheromones or their secondary genders, Juyeon held him, arms around his waist.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Not until you make me food.” Chanhee’s reply was immediate. He laughed again when Juyeon let out a groan and let his head fall back to hit the wall. “What? You should have expected I’m not letting you get your way so easily.”

“Not even a kiss? I’m your boyfriend now.” Juyeon pouted.

Chanhee rolled his eyes, coming closer to rest on Juyeon’s chest and lay his head on the crook of the older boy’s neck and shoulder. “I thought you already understood I’m a unique omega, hmm? Was that a lie to get me comfy and snuggled up with you?”

Juyeon lightly pinched Chanhee’s side, causing the younger to squeal. “No, you being unique still stands. And I have the patience of a saint, I can wait forever. Well, not forever. I’d have to mark you soon to make sure no one else can get you.”

“Mmm. Possessive. I like that.” Chanhee yawned, curling further into Juyeon. “Can we lay down? My back aches from all the cleaning we did.”

“What? I thought I was going to make you food?”

“But I’m too lazy to get up. This is comfortable.” To prove his point, Chanhee tightened his hold on Juyeon.

“But I want my kiss.” Juyeon whined. Even as he said it, though, he rearranged themselves so that Chanhee was on top of him, comfortably laying down on the bed. He went to rub circles on Chanhee’s back, relishing in the pleased sigh coming from the younger. “Thank you, Chanhee.”

“What for?” Chanhee was nosing around his scent gland again. Without the influence of hormones, it just felt ticklish. “If it’s about not being stupid enough to run away from your confession, then eat it. If you weren’t going to confess today, I’d still have confessed by tomorrow anyway. Jacob-hyung was at my throat this morning complaining all he heard during the heat was me calling for you.”

Juyeon snorted, amused. “Calling for me, hm?”

“Shut up.”

“Did they record it?”

“Juyeon!”

“What? I wanna hear it!”

“I’m breaking up.”

“Yeah sure.” Juyeon held onto him tighter. “Try escaping first.”

Chanhee glared at him. “Okay, that’s unfair. It’s not like I’m going to actually break up with you. I’ve liked you for years.”

“You did?”

“Yeah.”

Juyeon could only blink in shock. “Um. Cool?”

“Oh my god, you’re terrible at this.” Chanhee groaned, going back to nosing his neck. “At least you smell really nice.”

“You’re going to stay with me… for my smell?”

“And your amazingly stupid personality. It’s really charming sometimes.”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“Whatever you say, baby.”

Haknyeon turned away from the door, fake-gagging. “Did Juyeon-hyung really just call Chanhee-hyung baby?” He looked at the rest of the group stuck with their ears on the door, amused. “Hyungs, I think we should stop eavesdropping, we might hear something else in a bit.”

He received a pillow in the face from Sangyeon for that.

“The next heat would be Eric presenting.” Hyunjoon sighed, joining Haknyeon on the floor, away from the crowded door. “I’m not sure I’m ready to look after another omega. He seems to be presenting as one.”

“Do we have a choice though?” Haknyeon sighed. “At least Eric can clean after himself, right?”

“Right. Hopefully.”

“Yeah. Hopefully.”