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Wonwoo knows that, most of the time, when the front door opens to an empty living room, Mingyu is having a late day at work. They’ve been both adjusting to that, though Mingyu mourns it the most. He complains that he misses coming home early, while the sun’s still out, preparing dinner with perfect punctuality: Wonwoo arrives when Mingyu’s hands are still cold from the tap water, though he lets him place them on his cheeks and kiss him every time.
After an unforgivingly empty day at work, Wonwoo finds himself missing that, too. His phone is in his hands as soon as he realizes that, sighing. He sends Mingyu a sad emoji, a wordless way to ask when he’ll get home. Wonwoo wonders what part of the housework he can get done before the weekend when he hears a ‘ping!’ from somewhere in the living room.
When Wonwoo walks over to the couch, he spots Mingyu’s phone, resting face down. A glance to the side shows him Mingyu’s shoes in the hallway, far apart, as if dropped carelessly. This worries him instantly; it’s unlike Mingyu to be anything but tidy. When he gets closer to their room, he can smell distress under Mingyu’s pomegranate scent.
He rushes his steps, then, and soon enters the room, the door left halfway open. He finds himself in darkness, his eyes slowly adjusting, but Mingyu’s shape on the bed can be traced as the street's lampposts let a small amount of light in. He’s covered in blankets, all of them big enough to hide in, but Wonwoo’s nose doesn't betray him.
Wonwoo steps out of his shoes and gets out of his blazer before stepping forward, wondering if Mingyu’s asleep or if he’s heard Wonwoo come in yet.
“Mingyu-ah,” He tries, voice low and soft. In a second, Mingyu makes a noise, a slight whine, and the lump of blankets moves, but his head doesn't poke out of them, “Hi, baby. Can I stay?”
Wonwoo takes note of Mingyu’s breathing pattern before he answers, a light ‘Yeah’. Mingyu must shuffle to the side, then, if the way the blankets move is anything to go by, but there’s still not a whole lot of space left for Wonwoo.
Regardless of it, Wonwoo sits down where he can, moving to lay down. As he does, Mingyu lifts up the blankets high enough to engulf Wonwoo, too, an arm going across his chest and resting on his shoulder, nose searching for Wonwoo's neck. Mingyu’s scent is tart, making Wonwoo’s heart race, his instincts telling him to soothe the omega. Wonwoo wraps his arms around him as best as he can, letting Mingyu nose at his scent gland, shivering slightly.
Wonwoo kisses his cheek, his nose, his hair, though he can’t see much, and asks “Can I scent you, baby?” because he’s afraid to do anything that could upset Mingyu further right now. But Mingyu agrees, nodding his head fast, leaning backwards to extend his neck.
Wonwoo can see a bit better, now, and he rests his weight on his knees and elbows as he takes in what he can in the darkness: Mingyu’s messy bed hair covering his eyes, his chest heaving, his hands on Wonwoo’s chest. Wonwoo coos at him, nosing at his jaw, adjusting his own weight on him. He knows Mingyu likes to feel him all around when he’s like this.
Mingyu preens when Wonwoo scents him, something they don’t do that often, unless one of them craves the feeling of safety. Mingyu’s hands go to his back, pressing, asking Wonwoo to get closer, and Wonwoo can’t really ignore his whines
It’s not often Mingyu gets like this, either. Though sweet, honest and emotional, Mingyu tends to not open up unless he can’t bear the weight of his anxieties anymore, trying to not worry his alpha with his ‘silly omega things’. Wonwoo’s told him before that that doesn’t matter, that they’re one and the same, regardless of subgender; that Wonwoo gets overwhelmed, too, and that they can share what they feel so it’s not so difficult to move on.
It’s not always an easy task, though, which Wonwoo understands.
He maneuvers Mingyu onto his side, letting the omega fit his body to Wonwoo’s, making himself smaller than he really is. Wonwoo lifts his hand to brush Mingyu’s hair away from his forehead, trying to make eye contact.
“Baby…” He kisses his eyelids, then his nose, brushing a finger against Mingyu’s lips when he sees his pout, “I’m here, baby.”
Mingyu lets out a mewl, omega-like, something Wonwoo’s never heard from him before. With that, Wonwoo feels anxious, thinking of what could’ve happened, though that doesn’t seem like a good choice of thought pattern to go through: Mingyu is sensitive right now, and he quickly smells his alpha’s displeasure, making him cower.
“I’m just worried about you, Mingyu-ah. That’s all, okay? Can you look at me? Can you be good for hyung?” And Mingyu looks up at him, obedient, which makes Wonwoo's heart ache.
Mingyu’s eyes are watery, and Wonwoo gently licks one of his wet cheeks, then behind his ear, his neck, releasing calming pheromones—something Wonwoo hates to do due to the strength of the effect, but can’t deny its effectiveness when it’s really needed.
Mingyu goes lax at that, body heavy, and Wonwoo takes advantage of that to keep taking care of the omega, rubbing their wrists together, biting him lightly. Mingyu murmurs when his teeth scratch at their mating bite, and Wonwoo pulls away to talk to him.
“Can you talk to me yet, baby?” Mingyu sighs at the pet name, but shakes his head.
“Sorry…”
Wonwoo rubs their socked feet together, resting his forehead on his hair, “Don't apologize. It’s okay, I just wanna know how you feel.”
They stay in silence after that, Wonwoo letting Mingyu organize his thoughts before he voices them out loud.
“I’m tired,” He finally spews out, voice cracking, “It’s a lot—It’s a lot a—at work, and I’m tired, and you haven’t eaten well lately because I haven’t cooked, and my mom called, and she’s still not happy I changed positions, and it doesn’t matter, like—however I explain it to her, she still doesn’t get it, and she thinks I’m being childish, and that I didn’t think of you, of helping you, when I chose a job that pays less. but I didn’t choose it, I didn’t choose what I like, I’m just—I’m trying to go after what I want, trying to be happy, but working there isn’t helping, so I’m thinking—I’m thinking she’s right, and it was a terrible idea, and I’m sorry I’m not home so much anymore… I’m so sorry, hyung."
Mingyu looks up at him with tears in his eyes after his speech, rushed words that hurt Wonwoo to hear. It must show, because Mingyu presses his shoulders together, visibly upset. Wonwoo takes his hand and kisses it, scenting and licking his wrist.
“I love you so much. You know it, don’t you?" Mingyu nods at the question, timid, and Wonwoo keeps going, “I’d do anything for you. Anything. That includes simple things, too, like hearing you when you’re upset. I worry for you either way, so please, tell me when something’s wrong. It kills me to see you suffering alone, it’s—I feel like I’m not doing enough.” _As your alpha_, he means, but doesn’t voice out loud.
Mingyu picks up on that without hearing the words, eyes widening. He bares his neck, pressing his face into the pillow, repeating “I’m sorry, hyung, I’m sorry. I won’t do that anymore. Sorry.”
Wonwoo sighs, remembering Mingyu must be too into his omega headspace to have a serious talk if that’s his immediate answer. He complies and leans forward to scent Mingyu again, so as to not make him feel like he's unwanted by his alpha. He kisses the skin, whispering that he’s fine, that he’s forgiven, that Wonwoo loves him—that he’s good.
Mingyu purrs when Wonwoo runs his hand through his hair, massaging, trying to lure him into sleep. He figures they can talk tomorrow, when Mingyu’s more awake—They still have time.