Work Text:
sunghoon sighs as he collapses onto his bed, curling up in his nest, pulling one of the many blankets close.
his body aches. he can tell his heat is about to start — he’s been nesting for a few days now, it’s well due.
he reaches for his phone on the nightstand and dials his boyfriend’s number. maybe joontae will be able to come home early.
the phone rings. and rings. and rings.
“your call has been forwarded — ”
sunghoon pouts slightly before hanging up, not bothering to leave a message. joontae’s probably just busy. sunghoon can try again later.
he rolls over so he’s lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. there’s a few glow-in-the-dark stars still up there that he never took down. joontae always complains about them, says they’re too childish and can’t sunghoon just get rid of them. sunghoon likes them, though.
sunghoon’s phone vibrates in his hand. he looks at it, hoping it’ll be joontae, and only deflating a little when it isn’t.
jay: hey u ok? just checking in u seemed off in class today
sunghoon finds himself smiling. leave it to jay to notice sunghoon isn’t feeling well.
sunghoon: yeah im ok!
sunghoon: preheat
jay: ah gotchu
jay: need anything? pain killers? snacks?
jay: hoodies? ik joontae doesn’t like it when u take his clothes for ur nest
sunghoon can’t help but laugh. sometimes it feels like jay knows sunghoon better than himself.
sunghoon: i think im ok for now
sunghoon: thank you tho!
sunghoon: ill let you know?
jay: yeah sounds good
jay: is joontae there?
sunghoon: no at work
sunghoon: i tried calling him but it went to voicemail
sunghoon: probably busy
jay: hm ok
jay: lmk?
sunghoon: ofc thx jay
jay: np
sunghoon smiles, feeling at least a little better after that. he decides to try joontae again.
this time it goes straight to voicemail, not even ringing once. sunghoon frowns.
his phone buzzes with another text. this time it is joontae.
joon: what’s up hoon i’m busy
hoon: sorry i didnt mean to bother you
hoon: just preheat
joon: i’ll be home soon
joon: you can wait can’t you?
sunghoon huffs. what, he isn’t more important than work?
he shakes his head. he’s being selfish.
hoon: yeah thats fine joon
joontae doesn’t reply after that.
his shift won’t end until seven, another five hours from now, sunghoon knows this. he also knows he’s on the precipice of his heat, his tummy starting to cramp and his head starting to pound.
sunghoon fumbles with his phone to dial jay’s number.
“sunghoonie? you okay?”
sunghoon almost sighs with relief at his best friend’s voice. “jay-ya, can you come over? ‘m lonely and my heat’s — ”
as if he’s spoken it into existence, sunghoon is instantly hit with a wave of nausea, and he groans as he curls in on himself.
“consider me there. hang tight, okay, hoonie?”
sunghoon hums in affirmation, too focused on not throwing up to form actual words. he knows jay knows that. it’s something that’s always bothered joontae, when sunghoon can’t use his words.
“okay, i’ll be right there, hoonie.”
the line disconnects, and sunghoon whines, his preheat hitting him full force.
sunghoon hates being alone when he’s in preheat, almost as much as he hates it when he’s actually in heat. he doesn’t know exactly what it is, most likely a mix of several things like being oversensitive, feeling rejected, wanting to be held. joontae complains about it a lot, how childish it is, how joontae can’t even leave sunghoon for a second, how sunghoon always expects joontae to drop everything just because sunghoon is lonely. sunghoon always feels bad, but there really isn’t anything he can do about it.
after what feels like hours, there’s a knock on his bedroom door.
“hey, hoonie, it’s me. i let myself in.”
sunghoon can’t help the needy whine that escapes his throat. “jongseongie,” he calls with a pout. the door opens, and jay steps in the room. he’s carrying two backpacks, one sunghoon recognises as his school bag, the other unfamiliar.
“hey, baby,” jay says softly as he sets down his things. “is it okay if i sit with you?”
sunghoon nods at the question. he loves it when jay asks permission to enter his nest — joontae never asks permission.
jay sits down on the edge of the mattress, and sunghoon moves a few of the blankets so jay doesn’t feel like he’s falling off. the elder cards his fingers through sunghoon’s hair, which is definitely way too matted and way too sweaty, but sunghoon preens under the attention anyway.
“how are you holding up?” jay asks, and sunghoon shrugs because he really isn’t feeling too great but having jay here makes it better. “m’kay, hoonie. have you eaten anything since you got home?”
sunghoon shakes his head then. “too nauseous,” he mumbles out. jay nods in understanding.
“okay, baby. i brought some extra clothes, do you want them?”
sunghoon nods. his nest always feels so empty with just the spare blankets, joontae’s scent barely clinging to them anymore. “mm, please.”
jay grabs the backpack sunghoon hadn’t recognised and unzips it, pulling out an assortment of sweaters and hoodies. sunghoon grabs them and immediately sets to work putting them in the right places. jay watches, a fond look on his face.
once he feels his nest is complete, sunghoon takes the last hoodie and tugs it over his head, inhaling jay’s coffee scent.
“do you need anything in particular right now?” jay asks. sunghoon shakes his head. “okay. i’m right here if you do, hoonie.”
jay leans down to unzip his school bag, pulling out his laptop to presumably do homework. sunghoon watches jay for a while before closing his eyes and cosying up in his nest, feeling comfy and content. his cramps have subsided, at least for now, and he doesn’t feel as lonely knowing jay is with him.
before he knows it, he’s drifting off to sleep.
***
when sunghoon opens his eyes again, the sun is setting. he yawns, sitting up as he stretches his arms above his head. looking over at jay, he smiles when he realises the other has also fallen asleep, back against the wall and computer still in his lap.
“jongseong-ah,” sunghoon says, gently nudging the elder. jay shifts in his sleep and mumbles something, but otherwise remains unmoved. sunghoon snorts. he shakes jay’s shoulder harder. “jongseongie, wake up.”
this time, jay blinks awake, and he turns to look at sunghoon with such a blank stare, the omega laughs out loud.
“what?” jay grumbles, rubbing his eyes.
“you’re funny,” sunghoon giggles. “sleep well?”
“i guess.” jay shrugs, moving his laptop to the side. “you?”
“mm.” sunghoon nods. jay gives him a smile.
“i’m glad. how are you feeling?”
“pretty good, actually. a little hungry.”
“well, then i better get prince charming some food.”
sunghoon laughs again, running a hand through his hair. “i’m gonna take a quick shower — wanna order takeout?”
“sounds good,” jay agrees easily.
an hour later, the two of them are back in sunghoon’s nest, munching on fried chicken and pizza, sunghoon’s hair still damp from his shower. he’s only wearing jay’s hoodie and a pair of boxer shorts, which normally he’d be embarrassed about, but between being in preheat and how comfy he feels, he finds he doesn’t care.
so of course then is when his hormones decide to be a bitch .
sunghoon winces as his cramps return full force, putting down his piece of pizza. jay zeros in on the movement, concern evident on his face.
“you okay?” he asks, wiping his mouth with a napkin. sunghoon swallows the bite he’d taken before answering.
“cramps again.”
jay frowns slightly. “is there anything i can do?”
“not really. you should probably go soon, i think my heat — ”
“i’m not gonna leave you all alone,” jay protests in an instant. sunghoon shakes his head.
“joontae will be home soon, i don’t — ”
sunghoon trails off. he doesn’t have to finish.
“right. joontae.” jay scoffs. sunghoon sighs.
“jay — ”
“no, i know. he’ll be mad i was even here, it’ll be worse if i stay.”
sunghoon watches as jay stands and begins to gather his things, his omega crying out for the elder not to go, but sunghoon just grits his teeth.
it’s for the better, he insists. joontae —
before he can even convince himself, he’s crying out, falling back onto the pillows. his entire body suddenly feels like it’s on fire.
“sunghoon-ah!” jay exclaims, rushing over to the bed. sunghoon whines, high in his throat, it’s hot, too hot —
jay’s coffee scent washes over him, and sunghoon melts just a little, whimpering.
“hey, shh, it’s okay, you’re okay, baby,” jay murmurs as he gently rubs sunghoon’s tummy.
“alpha,” the omega whines, and jay sighs.
“i know, baby. joontae will be home soon.”
sunghoon shakes his head. he’s burning up, his stomach hurts, he needs —
“alpha,” he begs, eyes watering. “alpha, please, need — ”
“hoonie, i can’t,” jay whispers, squeezing sunghoon’s hand tight.
rationally, sunghoon knows that. he knows jay can’t help him with his heat, sunghoon has a boyfriend, for god’s sake. but sunghoon isn’t exactly able to think very rationally right now, only able to focus on how wet it feels between his legs.
“sunghoon-ah, i’m — ”
jay freezes, turning to sunghoon’s now-open bedroom door where none other than kim joontae is standing.
“what the hell are you doing here?” joontae growls, rushing forward to grab jay by the front of his shirt.
“joontae!” sunghoon exclaims.
“i was just leaving!” jay snaps and shoves joontae off of him.
“why does my omega reek of your stink? ” joontae demands. jay scoffs.
“wow, possessive, much?”
joontae bares his teeth. sunghoon reaches out to put his hand on joontae’s arm.
“i asked him to come over, joontae-ya, you don’t have to be so upset.”
“i don’t have to be so upset?” joontae echoes hotly, and sunghoon shrinks back at the alpha’s tone. “of course i’m fucking upset! i come home early to my boyfriend, who so desperately called me while i was busy at work, only to find him cuddled up with some other fucking alpha!”
sunghoon flinches, hands flying up to cover his ears, as if he can somehow block out joontae’s harsh words.
“sunghoon isn’t a fucking object, he can do as he pleases!” jay snarls, sick of joontae’s territorial bullshit .
“get the fuck out of my apartment,” joontae hisses.
“and leave sunghoon with an angry alpha while he’s in heat? i don’t fucking think so.”
“you little — !”
jay barely manages to avoid joontae’s swing, the other alpha’s fist making contact with the wall behind jay, hard enough to make a fist-sized hole. jay’s eyes widen as sunghoon shrieks for joontae to stop.
“joontae-ya, stop, please! i’m sorry, i didn’t mean to upset you, just don’t hurt him!”
but it’s no use. joontae’s eyes have flushed completely black, obviously his alpha colour, and jay swallows thickly, withering slightly under the other’s glare. jay has always been more bark than bite, never having quite lived up to his domineering alpha title.
joontae lunges forward again, and this time, jay isn’t fast enough.
“jay! ” sunghoon cries as the black-haired boy falls to the floor, groaning and clutching his jaw. jay manages to push himself back to his feet as joontae approaches him slowly, menacingly. sunghoon scrambles out of bed and grabs his boyfriend by the arm. “joontae, stop! ”
what happens next is a bit of a blur.
all of a sudden, sunghoon is the one on the floor, a pained yelp ripping through the air as joontae pounces on the omega, pinning sunghoon’s arms above his head.
“don’t you ever tell me what to fucking do, you hear me?” joontae snarls, and sunghoon nods his head desperately.
“yes, yes, i understand, i’m sorry, joontae, i — ”
“alpha,” joontae growls. sunghoon whimpers.
“i’m sorry, alpha…”
something jay snaps.
he growls, deep in his chest, eyes flashing pure gold. joontae’s dark gaze snaps to jay, but before he can react, jay grabs him by the back of his shirt, ripping him off of sunghoon and sending him crashing to the ground. sunghoon scrambles to his feet as soon as joontae’s hands are off him, quickly moving to stand behind jay.
“don’t fucking touch him,” jay says lowly, his words like ice. joontae grits his teeth.
“you’re nothing but a packless mutt. why should i be scared of you?”
“because he has something you never will,” sunghoon interjects. jay looks back at the omega, unsure as to what he means.
“oh yeah? and what’s that?” joontae taunts. sunghoon glares at the alpha.
“me.”
the temperature of the room seems to drop ten degrees. jay can’t help but smirk at joontae’s incredulous expression.
“what?”
“we’re done, joontae,” sunghoon says, firm and unwavering. “i’m not gonna let you push me around anymore, and i’m certainly not going to let you attack my friends.”
joontae sets his jaw. “you don’t mean that.”
“yes, i do. you just don’t want to believe it.”
god, jay is so fucking proud of sunghoon. “you heard him. get the fuck out.”
“excuse me?” joontae scoffs. “this is my apartment.”
“that’s funny, because the lease is under my name,” sunghoon retorts. “leave.”
joontae stares, as if he’s waiting for sunghoon to say just kidding! but sunghoon isn’t kidding, because now he finally has the confidence to say what he means — now, he has jay.
“fine,” joontae finally says, his cocky attitude faltering. “fine, i’ll go. i’ll leave. but you just wait and see — soon enough, you’ll come crawling back. they always do. you’ll see.”
“i’m sure they do, big guy,” jay quips, and sunghoon has to stifle his laugh. joontae glares at the two of them before storming out of the room.
as soon as the front door slams shut, sunghoon’s conviction begins to fade, and his shoulders begin to shake.
“oh, hoonie,” jay says, pulling the omega into a tight hug. sunghoon cries, and cries, and cries, and jay just holds him close, rubbing his back and whispering sweet nothings into his ear. “it’s gonna be okay, baby. we’re gonna be okay.”
maybe not today, or tomorrow, or even the next day. but we will be, eventually.