His Heart Cherishes Firsts

Chapter 1: If I Had a Heart to Give

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Humans have no way of telling if something is wet. They simply do not have the necessary sensory receptors. The detected change in temperature is what causes the ‘wet’ feeling. However, if the liquid happens to have the same temperature as one’s skin there is no change to signal.
It can be a weird sensation, but San always quite liked it. Something interesting that is worth noting. That minute he could see that his arm was coloured red and dripping but he did not feel it. It was fascinating you know?

The man before him groaned. “Just f*cking end it already you sick f*ck. Never seen blood before or what?”

San turned his attention back to business. It was always back to work, to the same old routine. But at least practice makes perfect.

“You do know that it is not very nice to insult one’s host, right?” he mock-pouted. “Do you speak like that to Yeji as well?”

San did not need to mention the captive’s mate, since the man already served his purpose. Nonetheless, the alpha liked to test his informants as well. Yeosang had apparently done a good job.

He could see the man, a beta, blanching before him—not that there had been much blood left in general—and he immediately started screaming again. “How do you know about her? Listen to me if you dare to…”

Honestly, San stopped listening. He knew the spiel. They could never fathom how he found their *insert daughter/mother/brother etc. here*, he would regret this bla bla bla. Stupid. How did they think one makes it to the top? And stays there? The alpha built his empire with his own hands, and they had been as covered in blood back then as they were now.

“Yunho,” he called the other tall alpha who had been blending into the shadows until now.

“Wolf,” he stepped forward. One of the few people who were allowed to call San by his name, but Yunho would never be so disrespectful to do it in front of others. Ironically, one of the reasons why he earned this privilege.

San walked over to a surprisingly clean sink in the corner of the room to start the process of getting rid of the blood.

“You finish up here. I need to call the others and catch the flight back” He raised his voice in order to be heard about the water. And the screaming of course. “I have everything I need from him so— “

One second to the other the screaming cut off. When San turned around, he found Yunho hovering above the beta, who is now, at least quietly, choking on his blood, favourite knife still raised in his right hand.

“You said you have everything you need” the other alpha said with a face devoid of emotions.

San inclined his head towards the other. The highest praise he doled out on occasion. “Take care of things here and send him to the Snake as a message. Then you may follow me as well.”

There was no need to exchange more words, so they didn’t. Yunho was the same. He understood. Drying his now clean hands, San left the room just as his phone started vibrating.
Seeing the caller ID he groaned internally, but some things could not be helped.

“Yes?”

“How about hello? How are you? We haven’t seen you in a week San-ah.”

San’s hand went up to rub his nose bridge. It was almost a conditioned response at that point. There may be only three people in this world allowed to say his name, but this specific omega always tested his patience.

“Hello, Seonghwa hyung”

“Thank you. I just wanted to ask whether Hongjoong and I are going to see you tonight?”

San did consider it for a moment. Truly. They were what one would probably call friends. Still, the alpha could not afford to do weaknesses. Seonghwa and his mate Hongjoong (and Yunho while we were at it) were in his life because they always had been. No active decision on San’s part. Still, despite his generally cold demeanour he knew he would care, at least to some degree, if something were to happen to them. Therefore, he at least tried to strike a balance between staying professional and being smothered by Seongwha. Hongjoong was no help. The alpha usually just did whatever Seongwha wanted. San really didn’t get it. Entirely unhelpful.

“Hyung, I’ll be in Seoul by the evening but no promises,” he answered instead of what he really wanted to say which was no. He was tired and not the best with maintaining friendships in general. Sue him.

“Perfect! Hyung will make you some food don’t you worry! So make sure you come straight from the airport, hm? “ As always Seonghwa only heard what he wanted to hear. Did San mention he was tired?

“Oh that’s Hongjoong. I gotta go! Safe flight San-ah.” The line went dead.

San stopped rubbing his nose and straightened up. He picked up his jacket on the way to the door. There was still some business he needed to take care of before he took his flight back to Seoul and he had never been someone afraid of getting his hands dirty.

Chapter 2: But I Am Alive Now

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Stepping off the airplane San walked straight towards the exit. Head held high, shoulders broad, radiating alpha and ‘don’t test me’ even to those unaware of his reputation as The Wolf. Clad in a black leather jacket and black jeans, he steered through the arrival hall towards the parking garage, which houses at least three cars that belong to the business, at all times.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong often complain when he leaves Yunho behind. Arguing that he has too many enemies to walk around so carelessly in public. First of all, San was always alert—and deadly, his upbringing made sure of that. Secondly, and as he kept mentioning to Seongwha: no one ever even tried. God, sometimes he would have loved for them to attack him out in the open. Call it a big ego, but the alpha was that sure of himself. He would always come out on top. f*cking try him.

Unfortunately (he could hear Seonghwa scoffing in the distance), everyone else seemed to agree with him, as he has been going out alone ever since he took over the organisation. Which means that for the past five years Seonghwa has had exactly zero dangerous situations to support his nagging, not even some light harmless stabbing.

Despite the smugness San felt thinking about it, he was also very much aware, that while he might not agree with the omega when it comes to this topic, Seonghwa was also not completely wrong. Over the years there have been many situations where he almost exchanged greetings with the devil. The scars beneath his all-black wardrobe spoke volumes. Still, no one ever attacked him at the airport. Told ya, hyung

A part of San was always checking his surroundings if he happened to be exposed in the open. So, when is brain recognised a shift in the scents around him, San immediately whipped around. There was something here.

Being surrounded by people there was always an almost indistinguishable scent cloud hanging around everyone. Alphas, omegas, betas a bit more subdued but still there, even the unpresented pups with their milky smell of childhood. Nothing new to San. He didn’t necessarily enjoy other people’s scents, but that was just part of living in society. However, right then one scent superseded all the others by the second. It kept surrounding the alpha until there was only one thing he could smell. A bit flowery and also sweet. Definitely omega and the alpha in San raised his head.

As fast as all the muscles in the alpha’s body had tensed, they also seemed to liquify.

The new scent was not dangerous instead it was…

…good.

Huh. That’s new.

Later San would have loved to rationalise his next actions with him gathering intel on such a powerful scent or even just a healthy amount of curiosity, because he usually did not react to scents at all. So of course one would feel the need to investigate.

Yet, Choi San had never been one to lie to himself so he would have to admit (privately of course, lying to others was definitely and always on the table) that he had not been thinking a single rational thought when he turned away from the exit, caving to the compulsion and walked back to the arrival hall.

On some level he did feel a bit wary. An alpha who prided himself on self-control simply could not help himself. He needed more of this.

Not roses, not tulips, cloves perhaps?

He was still going through a (rather short) list of all the flowers he was familiar with, wondering which would match the scent when he spotted the source— and stopped dead in his tracks again. Honestly, it was a miracle that no one had run into him yet.

It was the utmost cliché because San truly could not believe his eyes. A few metres in front of him stood the most beautiful person he had ever seen. San managed to notice that the omega is male but otherwise just. Pretty. Stunning. Sheer perfection. And he smelled like that? The alpha was gobsmacked again. Maybe his mouth hung open a bit.

Seonghwa had been right. Pride does go before the fall. San’s arrogance had lured him into a false sense of security and one of his enemies got the drop on him.

Whatever drug they had given him hit pretty hard, because there was no way that an omega who looked like he walked straight out of one of San’s wet dreams was just standing at the airport holding a hand drawn sign with…his name on it?

And…was that a cat next to it?

Yeah no, the sign definitely read ‘Choi’ and right next to his name, in the top right corner: a tiny kitty head, sketched with the same pen and smiling at him. What is life.

The scent got even stronger and whoever invented the phrase ‘too much of a good thing’ had for sure never met him.

Suddenly, the strange omega stood right in front of him and San noticed three things.

The omega was only a few inches smaller than him, but somehow managed to just look so cute and tiny in a way that should not have been be possible. Witchcraft whispered some voice in the alpha’s brain, since the rational part appeared to be out of commission still.

The omega seemed to be very nervous. Fidgeting with the sign and not meeting San’s eyes although they were now standing right in front of each other. Focusing a bit, it was also noticeable in his scent. A hidden, slightly sour undertone and San wondered whether he was making the omega nervous. In every other situation it would have made sense, but surely, the other must be able to tell that a strong wind could take San out right now? Surely.

The omega was talking to him.

“Mr. Choi?”

The question was unsure with a slight wobble to it, but of f*cking course he had a nice voice as well.

“Yes?” San could not help but answer because that was him, right?

The next thing that came out of his mouth however immediately negated the perfectly normal answer he gave before.

“Is that a cat?” he blurted out.

The omega’s eyes, which at least made it up to his chin by that point, immediately went straight to the floor again. His scent wilted with his posture.

“Oh, do you not like it?

He looked so sad. Like a little kitty himself, San thought.

“I just thought it would be nice…and I didn’t have a printer and…” he didn’t end his sentence, just turned away more to mumble something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “I knew it was stupid.”

His scent was still the best thing San ever smelled, but the rotting component became almost suffocating with the omega’s mumbling and that just would not do.

San never cared about other people’s feelings, but he knew that he needed this omega to cheer up. Otherwise, the alpha inside him threatened to claw outside his chest and do something himself.

“No! No, I like cats!” he exclaimed.

The omega’s scent immediately spiked with something sweeter and hit San square in the face. He finally made eye contact with the alpha and coupled with a tiny smile on his face San felt a bit week in the knees. His drug theory was not off the table yet.

sh*t, was that a tiny mole on his lip?

“Okay perfect, Mr. Choi. I am so glad you like it and found me well. My name is Jung Wooyoung.” He followed it with a polite bow and while he stills seemed a little bit unsure of himself it was still much better than before. San just stared.

Wooyoung.

“Yes exactly!” Wooyoung beamed. “Please, follow me.”

Huh. Apparently, he had said that out loud. The alpha still felt a bit dazed, but hearing the other’s name made it better. It made him more real. Jung Wooyoung. Not a fidget of his imagination but a real person with a real name.

Wooyoung turned around and started walking, whispering under his breath “I can do this.”

Without a conscious decision do to so San trailed after him. Of course he did. What? Was he supposed to not follow the omega that smelled like magic and dreams and sin while looking like that? As if. Wooyoung had even said please!

His alpha wholeheartedly agreed. According to him following the little omega his exactly what they should do in any given situation.

Although San simply must see where the omega was leading them, he did question himself and his actions. Wooyoung was just so intriguing, and San realised, while looking at the back of the omega’s head and finally leaving the airport through a completely different exit than originally planned, that he was still the master of his body. It did not feel forced. He could walk back and find one of his cars… he simply did not want to.

Wooyoung stopped at an inconspicuous black car and opened the back door for him with a small smile, which San instinctively mirrored. That in turn caused another tiny spike in the omega’s scent. Getting in the car San was aware enough of the significance. He did not smile at people. Full Stop. But he assumed it was okay to make an exception for Wooyoung if he was so richly rewarded by it. His alpha rumbled in agreement.

San had just finished fastening his seatbelt out of pure instinct as Wooyoung spoke up from the driver’s seat.

“Don’t worry. Mr. Choi I will get you there safely!”

The car sprung to live and suddenly they were out of the parking garage and on the open road.

San checked the time on his phone out of habit and froze up for the third time that day. Only this time it was with actual distress. Not even Wooyoung’s sweet scent, which was slowly covering every square centimetre of the car, was able to calm him down.

His phone had no signal. They were still in the city. There was absolutely no good reason for his phone to not have signal.

His phone had no signal.

No one had even the slightest idea where he was.

He was unarmed.

San just willingly and without so much as a peep got into a car with a complete stranger.

A stranger who was currently happily humming and driving to God knows where.

f*ck.

Seonghwa was going to kill him.

Chapter 3: I Go to Seek a Great Perhaps

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Wooyoung was riding on an all-time high. He did not remember the last time he felt this hopeful. He could really make this work. He could do this, he absolutely could.
Repeating the affirmation in his head in an endless loop, he still could not believe that his luck had turned around, since it had never happened before.

Wooyoung cherished good firsts, because there weren’t that many.

The first time he had tried hot chocolate. The first time he got a scent free blanket or any blanket at all that could only be his. The first time Sonjoon left for a week.

He collected all the good firsts in his memory because usually they stayed singular.

When he woke up this morning, lying in his place next to the couch he was a bit stiff, nothing unusual. Sonjoon already left the night before, but Wooyoung would not dare moving up to the couch. The older alpha might be his former foster parent on paper, but he has never acted caring towards another living soul—least of all Wooyoung. So he learned his lesson and Wooyoung stayed on the floor.

Still, Sonjoon was not here at the moment and Wooyoung started his chores with a lighter heart than usual. Finishing with the household chores the omega moved on to ‘the office’. Nothing office-like about it, but it had a computer and telephone. Still, why Sonjoon insisted on calling it office despite using it for drinking with his friends the majority of the time was beyond Wooyoung.

The omega sat in front of the computer and started tackling the emails. Wooyoung never understood what it is exactly that Sonjoon does. Highly illegal that is for sure. Firstly, because he expects nothing less from the alpha. Secondly, he is not that dense no matter what the alpha says. But how it works? He had no idea. All he knew is that every day a changing number of emails arrived at this exact computer and all of them contain tasks for the omega. They can range from ordering flowers to a hospital patient whose name he never heard before, to picking up packages at the oddest locations (a bubble tea shop for instance) only to then dump them in the second trash can from the right at the other end of the city.
The only thing the omega knows with absolute certainty is that the tasks need to be executed flawlessly by the end of the day. So they are. Wooyoung learned his lesson.

The view through the window displayed a sky with heavy clouds. It looked like a storm was brewing outside. He hoped it would not interfere with his tasks. The weather forecast had not mentioned anything.

The phone rang. Immediately an impeding sense of doom settled over the omega. The one where he can actually feel the fear spreading over his body with his heart settling like lead. Nothing had happened yet, but his inner omega’s instincts were strong. He had kept Wooyoung as safe as possible considering the hand he was dealt in life. Wooyoung trusted his wolf implicitly and right now every fibre of his being was signalling that this call would ruin his day severely. Well, nothing good ever lasts.

Taking a deep breath, because Sonjoon hates when he is a ‘whiny bitch’ on the phone, Wooyoung answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, listen. Tell Sonjoon I’m not going to pretend to be his little driver today. I’ve got better things to do.”

“What?! No, I need you to drive this client to the accommodation!” Wooyoung gasped. Do no cry. Do not cry. “He said this one is important and and and…” he started hyperventilating. “Please! He’s going to think this is my fault!”

“Though luck, kid.” The voice on the other end sounded completely unbothered. “If it was your job to organize a driver, I am telling you, you don’t have one. Guess it is your fault. You should be thankful I even called.”

Wooyoung opened his mouth to argue or more accurately, beg more, but the line went dead before he had the chance. Not that he had a good argument anyway. He never had any leverage or power.

Hunched over on the uncomfortable plastic chair, still in front of the computer, Wooyoung stared down at his jean clad knees. He saw the tears more than he felt them. Drip, Drip slowly creating little dots on his trousers. Sonjoon always says he is such a crybaby, but even when he hurts Wooyoung solely because of the omega’s tears he cannot stop. No matter how useless Wooyoung’s tears were, he was always quick to cry.
His tears are useless, and he is just as. Maybe that’s why.

He always tries to be good and useful he really does. Nevertheless, Sonjoon is right once again. He is dumb. Useless. A bad omega. The alpha had been telling him for weeks how he needs to impress this client. How Wooyoung cannot f*ck this up—or else.
And stupid, stupid Wooyoung really thought he got this. His tasks were not that difficult: book this specific cabin outside of Seoul for two weeks. Check. Book a flight for Choi Beomseok from Sendai to Seoul. Check. Organize a driver to take Mr. Choi from the airport to the cabin on the day of. Check. He even confirmed the date with the driver a few days ago.

He did everything! Wooyoung thought bitterly and still he is the one who will have to take on the brunt of Sonjoon’s anger. Sometimes he thinks he should be used to the beatings. He is only twenty-two but it had been years by now. Still, he cries and shakes every time. Crybaby.

Suddenly a tiny voice popped up in Wooyoung’s head. He had not f*cked up yet. The f*ck up would be if this Mr. Choi does not make it to his rented cabin. There is still time. Sonjoon luckily allowed Wooyoung to get his license otherwise he could not run all these different errands for the alpha and this was exactly that, was it not? He could take the fancier car from the garage and just pretend to be the driver. Right then he decided to be the best driver this Mr. Choi has ever had and then Sonjoon could be happy with him for once.

Drying his tears with his sleeve Wooyoung hurried to get everything in order.
Sonjoon told him that the day Wooyoung stops being useful on his feet he can still make money with the omega of them. The boy feels the panic attack coming whenever he thinks about it, so he just doesn’t. Avoidance worked so far, and truth be told there is not much else he can do in any case. He just had to prove the worth of his work to his tormentor. He will not f*ck this up. He simply cannot.

Firstly, he stopped at the bathroom to wash away the tears and calm some of the blotchiness that appeared on his cheeks. The next step was dressing more appropriately but Wooyoung owns three shirts so there was not much he could do. By the time he made it back to the office a few minutes later his mood was considerably higher. He knew he needed a sign so this Mr. Choi could find him in the crowd. Unfortunately, there was no printer which means he was unable to make a professional one. Instead, he wrote down ‘Choi’ as neatly as possible on a blank piece of paper.
It looked…well, handmade. Maybe Wooyoung should play into it? Like pretending the lack of professionalism was on purpose? He could draw a little smiley or something and with some luck the client would think they were just going for a more personal touch? Wooyoung always enjoyed arts and craft (well the few times he had a chance to do something like that) and he decided to just go for it. Sometimes Sonjoon’s guests were much kinder than the alpha. Which does not necessarily mean much with that frame of reference, but Wooyoung had already started this fantasy how he was going to pick up the client and the man would make a comment how he really liked Wooyoung’s sign and all would be well. He was starving for a little praise. Moreover, this Mr. Choi would even tell Sonjoon how good Wooyoung was and then he would not be sold! Yes, it was just perfect.

Wooyoung focused so hard that his tongue was peeking out a bit and with the utmost care he drew a tiny grinning kitty head next to the name. Everyone likes cats, right?

Careful, so as not to damage his creation, the omega hurried to the car. He could finish most of his other tasks before then making his way to the airport.

***
Standing in the arrival hall of Seoul Airport a few hours later most of the hopeful confidence had already left Wooyoung. It was already unusual to have an omega be a driver and combined with his less than stellar clothes and his stupid cat sign Wooyoung felt five centimetres tall. However, it was too late to change anything.

He knew that Mr. Choi’s plane should have landed by now and he kept scanning the people walking past, holding the sign and wondering who it could be. The one thing Sonjoon’s acquaintances usually had in common were their subgender and power. Wooyoung’s captor despises the weak and in his world view omegas and betas were the epitome of puniness by nature.

Therefore, Wooyoung should look for an alpha, probably male, who radiates dominance.
As soon as he finished that thought he notices a man standing a few meters in front of him who looked as if Wooyoung manifested him. As if someone took the thoughts right out of the omega’s brain and multiplied it by a thousand.

Powerful, everything about him screamed dominance even though he was not even doing anything—he just stood there and stared back, which gave Wooyoung the chance to notice how gorgeous the other man was. If Wooyoung had not already been captivated by his general aura his face would certainly do the trick. Handsome was not a big enough word to encapsulate his perfect face. And then his scent. As soon has Wooyoung breathed him in, and he just knew that it was him and no one else, he wondered how he could not have noticed it sooner. Alpha, definitely, one would not need this male’s scent to know that.

However, usually Wooyoung hates alpha scents. They are overbearing and give him a feeling of uneasiness. Not this one though. This scent was alpha, yes, but also just so lovely woody and a bit musky. The omega in him argues that if they could just get a tiny taste he…that takes Wooyoung right out of his stupor.

Oh God, what was happening. He was still trying to battle his inner omega into submission because he was NOT about to lick a stranger at the airport, when he realised something that makes the whole confusing situation so much worse.

The alpha fit the description, and he was staring at the sign, which ultimately meant that was his client. Wooyoung could not catch a break.

Deciding to ignore his inner turmoil the omega started to approach Sonjoon’s guest. He said he was not going to f*ck this up and he meant it! So what if the alpha smelled good? Perhaps this could be a positive sign even. The man looked like he could overpower anyone in his vicinity, but he smelled safe…and safe was good right?

When he stood directly in front of the alpha Wooyoung once again noticed how handsome the other man was. Maybe a few years older but not much. Those observations were entirely irrelevant to Wooyoung though because an alpha like him would never even look at such a wreck that is Jung Wooyoung. Therefore, if his omega could please tone it down a notch with the excited yipping.

“Mr. Choi?” he tried.

“Yes?” Okay so that was the client. Great. No worries.

Wooyoung was nearly done collecting his courage in order to introduce himself properly as the alpha in front of him spoke up again.

“Is that a cat?”

Stupid. So stupid. Why did he think someone would like the personal sign. Wooyoung knew that his disappointment was probably noticeable in his scent. Sonjoon never hesitated to tell him how much he stinks up a room, but he could not help himself. He really thought he could do well.

“Oh do you not like it?” he started and tried to explain why he did not have a proper sign. He did not get very far though before the alpha cut in again.

“No! No, I like cats!”

Huh? So the client did not hate the sign, but the omega’s drawing was just bad enough that the man needed to confirm what it was? Wooyoung could live with that. He already knew he had no talent even though he enjoyed drawing in theory.
Everyone likes cats. He knew it!

He was so glad that this could still work out. Having decided that there is no time to waste he managed an introduction with a proper bow and at least the alpha had his name now. Wooyoung just needed to get him to the car as fast as possible and then he basically succeeded already! The hard part was over. Therefore, he hurried and seized the opportunity to politely ask his guest to follow him. Before he got a verbal confirmation Wooyoung already turned around and started walking towards the parking garage. He could do this! He knew the alpha was behind him though. The scent was unmistakable.

Before long he managed to get the other man into the back of the car with himself in the front seat navigating in the direction of the cabin. The drive would take a while, but Wooyoung was too giddy care about such details. He actually did it! Without f*cking up! He just had to ignore that he was currently driving the most attractive man in the world while simultaneously ignoring his inner omega’s demand to bury inside said man’s chest and lick his neck.

They had barely left the airport, but the alpha seemed to be one of the nicer acquaintances of Sonjoon’s so Wooyoung dared to turn up the radio and hummed along under his breath.

Today was a good day.

Still, you should never praise the day before nightfall.

Chapter 4: Slowly and Then All at Once

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San did not make it to the top by brute force. More often than one might initially think, brains are much more effective than brawns. Therefore, even though several alarm bells were going of in San’s brain, he focused on deep breaths and controlling his scent. Lessons he learned long before he even presented.

He came to the conclusion that there are two options. The first one being that one of his enemies actually managed to find a weakness in San’s carefully crafted armour. However, how could they have known? San was still coming to grips with the fact that someone could have such an effect on him. If someone had been spying on him, they would know that he rarely engaged with omegas. It was just not worth the hassle.

San did not do feelings so on the rare occasion he felt like he needed to get it out of his system it was a one and done situation. He never even knotted someone, because the thought of being stuck in such close proximity with one of those omegas was San’s idea of torture. Even finally getting the right amount of pressure around his knot was simply not worth it. Ergo, his weakness was not omegas. It was this omega. And there was no way that anyone could have known. It would have been sheer luck.

Those were the facts. Highly unlikely, San could not help thinking, which left him with option B. Option B basically included the universe playing a big f*cking joke on him, because if Option A was nearly impossible it only left pure coincidence.

San really was just (un)lucky enough to stumble on the one seemingly perfect omega the universe had to offer. One who was actually a driver meant to pick up a completely different Choi, with the name being common enough, and one who probably would not be too happy to hear that he got the wrong one.

And on top of all that San just could not believe that Wooyoung was part of something malicious. His instincts told him that there was not a bad bone in the guy’s body.

Currently, the omega was still quietly humming along to ‘Boy With Luv’ as the display read. Of course, gang members could enjoy music, but Wooyoung was just so…good.

Having made his decision that he himself was not currently in immediate danger, it still left San with the question why his phone was not working. It might not be Wooyoung, but something was still wrong.

He cleared his throat before speaking up “Wooyoung, I am trying to reach some of my colleagues, but can’t seem to get a signal. Is that normal?”

San could sense the fast shift in the omega’s scent once he got his full attention back. Still the best thing he ever smelled, especially contained inside the car, but also slightly nervous again.

“Oh yes, I am so sorry if that’s an inconvenience for you, Mr. Choi” Wooyoung immediately rushed out. So he is probably nervous again about not doing a good job.

“Sonjoon once explained how it works to another guest. I don’t really know, but he had it specially made or something”, Wooyoung added.

Knowledge is power and San managed to uncover a tiny bit more of the bigger picture. Apparently, this car belonged to someone called Sonjoon who the correct Mr. Choi should be familiar with, at least based on the fact that Wooyoung just assumed he knew the name. Furthermore, this Sonjoon had this car specifically altered to probably reject signals of any kind. San may be biased with his line of work, but he couldn’t really come up with a non-nefarious reason for why he might do that.

Maybe San was not completely out of danger yet. The most important out of all the puzzle pieces that were still missing was now: what was Wooyoung’s connection to this guy? Partly, because acquiring this kind of information might help him in the long run, but being completely honest mostly because if this Sonjoon was an alpha—more specifically Wooyoung’s alpha—San might loose his sh*t. Like actually.

While already in the process of thinking as rational as possible San was also alpha enough to admit that he was more than interested in the omega. He never thought he might have an omega or even…a mate (yes, yes, yes chanted his alpha, but San tried to take one step after the other). However, if Wooyoung already had an alpha, someone who got to smell him, and scent him and touch, look into those pretty eyes and kiss that little mole on his lower lip and that alpha is not San..

“Mr. Choi, are you okay? I’m really, really sorry about the signal” came Wooyoung’s wavering voice from the front seat.

“No, don’t worry. Everything is alright” San was quick to reassure and also stop the growling he did not even notice coming from his chest at first.

It really was amazing how one tiny omega can ruin all the self-control he so painfully acquired.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your relationship with Sonjoon?” San could not help it. He needed to know.

That questions seemed to throw Wooyoung of a bit. San’s eyes went the omega’s knuckles which had turned white on the steering wheel.

“He uh, Sonjoon is my…employer?”

San and his alpha internally fist bumped. Wooyoung didn’t say alpha.

However, on second thought that pause and hearable uncertainty was awfully suspicious. If he had not already been 99% certain that Wooyoung was innocent that would have done it. That boy was a sh*t liar.

“You are lying.”

“I am not!” Wooyoung was quick to defend himself.

San tried a different approach “If I were to ask Sonjoon what would he say that you are?”

Which had apparently been the wrong question to ask, at least if he wanted to keep the omega happy and San would very much like to do that.

Before the alpha could even finish his question Wooyoung’ scent dropped with distress and he gripped the wheel even harder. The weather outside the car had been steadily getting worse and they were now on some forlorn road outside of Seoul. San was starting to fear for their safety. Wooyoung should definitely focus on the road.

“Hey shh, you’re okay pup”, San tried to call him down while subconsciously emitting calming pheromones “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Either his voice or his scent seemed to do the trick. Wooyoung lost some of the tension.

Outside, what used to be heavy rain somehow skipped some stages and became thick snow. The windshield wipers were still working overtime.

Momentarily distracted by the storm outside, San is back to full alert when he heard Wooyoung whimpering.

“Please, “the omega started “Please don’t tell him I messed up again. Please don’t tell him I said anything at all. We’re almost there and then everything will be okay.”

The last part sounded more like he was speaking to himself. San could not help wondering if this Sonjoon will also be ‘there’ and if so, there are in fact some things he would like to say to the man who apparently caused such fear in Wooyoung.

Though right now San’s priority was calming the distressed omega, who was still pouring out the scent of wilting flowers. He wished he could hold him, but apart from the fact that they just met they were also now driving through a full-blown snowstorm on top of everything. San really hoped they would arrive soon, for Wooyoung’s sake more than anything.

“Pup.” that got the omega’s attention and their eyes met in the rearview mirror. San tried to signal his sincerity with every fibre of his being, laced his voice with the kind of raw honesty he usually kept to himself.

“Pup, I am not going to anything that could hurt you in any way.” The ‘I don’t think I could’ went unsaid. “Do you understand?”

San believed to see something flicker in Wooyoung’s eyes when he looked back through the mirror. The omega’s “yes” was incredibly soft but still audible. His scent was blooming inside the car again and San got another taste of pure bliss. For whatever reason—San could only thank all the higher powers that might be out there—Wooyoung apparently chose to believe him. His inner alpha rejoiced; their omega trusted them.

Still, San needed to find out more as long as he could. “Would you mind telling my why you hesitated to call Sonjoon your employer? I am only trying to understand.”

Wooyoung was back to mumbling.

“What was that?”

A tiny bit louder, “The word employer implies there is some kind of payment involved.”

“What?! He is not paying you for your work!?”

“Kind of? But I deserve it, because after I came of age, he was not legally obligated to foster me anymore and nobody else wanted me. I’m pretty much useless and can’t get things right so Sonjoon is really kind to give me a place in his home.”

Pure unfiltered rage spread through San’s body. Anger of the kind he had not felt in a very long time, maybe ever. The grovelling had started up in his chest again and Wooyoung was visibly distressed by the whole situation, but in that second San was not able to get his animalistic side under control. Everything made so much more sense now.

This other alpha was taking advantage of the sweet omega, telling him lies how he was not good and did not deserve better while San knew for a fact that his omega deserved everything. He did not need to know Wooyoung a second longer to be sure of it. Wooyoung was so good, and it physically hurt the alpha to hear him speak so lowly of himself. Sonjoon was dead.

“Mr. Choi?” He could hear Wooyoung’s sweet voice calling his name, but it sounded muffled through his anger. “Mr. Choi? Beomgguk? Beomgguk, please you’re scaring me.” San could not have that, but he could not stand hearing the omega calling for another alpha. He needed to hear his name from these perfect lips.

“San.”

“Huh?”

“San,” he managed to grunt out again. Deep breathes. There was enough time to make Wooyoung’s tormentor pay. Right now, the omega needed him calm.

“You’re not Choi Beomgguk?” Wooyoung was nearly screaming and there was no way of distinguishing all the different notions to his scent. sh*t, San had momentarily forgotten that he had planned to break it to the omega more gently that he picked up the wrong Choi.

“No, my name is Choi San, I believe there was a mix-up, but that is okay we can—”

“No, no, no! It is not okay you don’t get it! If you’re not Choi Beomgguk that means the real Choi Beomgguk is still at the airport. He probably already called Sonjoon!” Wooyoung was full on crying now and the car was dangerously close to coming of the road, or at least the part of the road that was still visible. “He said that was my last chance to be useful and I blew it!”

The omega was nearly hyperventilating and in absolutely no state to drive them through a blizzard. Although Wooyoung’s sobs were tearing at the alpha’s heart he needed to get them out of immediate danger first.

“Wooyoung stop the car.”

He could have been talking to himself for all the reaction it got out of the omega. San really did not want to do this, but he infused his voice with all the alpha dominance he could muster, which was a lot.

“Omega. Stop. The. Car.“ He growled.

Luckily, Wooyoung’s wolf side seemed to be more interested in their survival. The car slowed down and came to a complete stop in the thicker snow at the side of the road. The omega, however, may not have realised, for he was clutching the steering while as if he was still driving. There was no way he got enough air between the sobbing and all the babbling. Shaking his head, he kept going on about being useless and Sonjoon and punishment and simply “please” over and over again. Wooyoung sounded like a fish that was slapped on cold concrete. San needed to intervene, but he was unsure what the best course of action would be. f*ck, this was not the time to start second guessing himself.

Within seconds he was out of the car and in the cold. San quickly closed the backdoor behind him and hurried to the passenger door in the front. Yes, it was the middle of winter, but this kind of weather was for sure not normal. In the small amount of time it took the alpha to round the car he could swear he nearly froze his knot off.

As quickly as possible San threw himself into the seat next to Wooyoung and closed the door behind him again. The omega was still stuck in his panic but now his repeated babbling also included variations off “Alpha, don’t leave, please don’t leave me.”

“Hey, hey you’re okay. I am not leaving. Nothing is going to happen to you” but San’s reassurance did very little to calm the distressed omega. Wooyoung kept mumbling while simultaneously gasping for air. For lack of a better idea San stopped wondering what he should do and just did what he wanted to.

Leaning over the middle of the car he scoped Wooyoung up as carefully as possible in the enclosed space and proceeded to pull the shaking omega into his lap. Once there he tried to get Wooyoung as comfortable as possible, directing his wet and blotchy face into his neck towards his scent gland and wrapping his arms around him to shield him from the cold. The alpha’s left hand carefully settled on the omega’s neck. Not a real scruffing, but close. That would probably go a bit too far, since Wooyoung was in no state to give his opinion on the matter and they were already closer than two near strangers probably should be.

San knew that.

However, he also knew that this just felt right. Simple as that. Wooyoung buried further into his neck as if he wanted to fuse into his scent gland, making a shiver run down the alpha’s spine and giving him a tiny bit of reassurance that he was not the only one that wanted this.

Despite the less-than-ideal situation San was enveloped by a peace he never knew. Covered in Wooyoung’s scent and with the omega’s sobs toning down to a whimper, he could not imagine letting go. His alpha claimed this omega and San was surprisingly okay with that for someone who had never been interested in anyone.

He felt that it was his obligation to ensure that Wooyoung never had to cry like that again. San needed to make sure that this was not one sided. He would do anything in his power to hopefully prove to Wooyoung that he could take care of him. He needed Wooyoung to want him to.

San dared to indulge himself a tiny bit and buried his nose into the omega’s black hair to get an even better whiff. Wooyoung at least smelled calmer. Still, the car got colder by the second with the engine being turned off and the storm raging outside the vehicle. He needed to get them somewhere warmer. Luckily, the navigation system displayed there where only about 9 km left. Hopefully, there was something at their destination to shelter them from the storm.

“Sweetheart, do you think you can sit on your own so I can drive us the rest of the way? We need to get out of the cold.” San decided not to spend too much time ruminating on where all the pet names were coming from. Plus, the only answer he got was Wooyoung clinging even harder to him if that was even possible. The omega seemed to be deep into his instincts, which were apparently telling him to seek protection from the alpha in his time of distress. It was only natural. Plus, it felt really f*cking good for San’ego. An omega he already considered as his, acknowledging the alpha’s ability to protect on such a primal level. He vowed to be worthy of it.

Unfortunately, right now that did not mean caving to Wooyoung’s non-verbal demands but rather doing what needed to be done. Although it physically pained him to see fresh tears in the other’s eyes San managed to open the car door and switch their positions. In spite of the biting cold he quickly took of his jacket in order to drape it over the omega who was now sitting on the passenger’s seat. When San leaned over to fasten the other’s seatbelt, Wooyoung took the opportunity to seek out the alpha’s scent gland once again. Letting out a tiny “Alpha”.

f*ck, why was this so hard.

Against all instincts San managed to free himself for a second time and closed the car door.

Once he had made his way to the driver’s seat, he noticed that his jacket, drenched in his scent, seemed to keep Wooyoung calm enough. The omega had pulled the clothing piece up to his nose and stared at San with misty eyes. However, he did not appear to be 100% consciously there yet.

“Listen Wooyoung, I’m going to drive us somewhere safer as long as the road is still clear enough.” Turning on the car engine, San immediately put the heating on blast. “You just keep being calm and as good as you are now. When you are feeling better, we can talk.”

“Good. I’m good.” It was a statement and a question simultaneously. Of course that is the part Wooyoung had latched onto. The poor thing seemed to be desperate for some praise.

“Yes, you are good. Doing such a good job staying calm, lovely.” San started up the car and took deep breaths. He needed to savour the change in Wooyoung’s scent that his words had evoked. If they still had their physical wolf forms Wooyoung would probably be wagging his tail.

Getting the car back onto the road was no easy feat and driving through the never ceasing snow proved to be just as difficult. He would manage though.

With Wooyoung failure was not an option.

Chapter 5: Alpha and Omega, Beginning and

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Wooyoung always enjoyed the liminal space between sleeping and waking. It gave him a few more minutes of respite from his life. In case he dreamed something good it was an opportunity to linger a few minutes longer in a fantasy that could never be truly his. In this instance he could not remember dreaming anything at all, but he was as slow to wake as always.

With every passing second he got more awake and the first thing he noticed that he was incredibly warm and comfortable. Halfway back to the land of dreams, because being this comfortable should be savoured, the omega’s internal alarm bells started ringing. His bed was not comfortable. He was never this toasty while in it. Sonjoon only ever gave him one thin blanket let alone multiple thick and soft ones like they were covering him now.

Slowly, to make as little noise as possible, Wooyoung lifted his head to spy over the edge of his blanket cocoon. He could see what appeared to be a living room with a simple woodhouse interior. From his position on the couch he spotted someone crouching in front of the open fire place. A head of black hair, broad shoulders leading to a narrow waist, and bare arms stoking the roaring fire.

As if Wooyoung’s other senses had waited for him to get his bearings, he only now realised the scent that was surrounding him like another blanket, saturating the whole room. So distinctively alpha. That got his omega to wake up as well, the primal part of him suddenly energised as if he had slept for days. The scent was mind-numbingly good.

Though, the memories that came with it were not. Suddenly, Wooyoung remembered everything: Sonjoon was going to take his beatings to a new record. The worst mistake Wooyoung ever made over the years left him unable to move for two days. This was so much worse. He would need to live with a few broken bones that was for certain. However, that was not the thing he was most worried about. Since he failed his last chance to prove his usefulness as Sonjoon’s, in lack of a better word, ‘assistant’, the alpha would surely start the bidding now. Wooyoung did not need to be good to at least earn him some money the older man had said. There were supposedly a lot of alphas ready to pay a hefty sum for any omega—a virgin at that. Wooyoung had enough imagination to fill in the blanks based on the way some of Sonjoon’s associates looked at him.

The omega never had any grand expectations for the future, being good enough at his tasks that Sonjoon would leave him alone for the majority of the time, that was as far as his plan went. There was not much more in the world for someone like him. But apparently, he would not even get that. To be violated on this new level…Wooyoung could not help the fresh tears in his eyes. Always crying, never better.

His vision was a bit hazy, but Wooyoung saw the alpha taking a deep breath in front of the fire before he turned around.

Their eyes connected and oh yeah… in his selfishness Wooyoung had started to wallow in self-pity and nearly forgot that he ruined this man’s day as well.

San. His name was San he had said.

Poor San was just collateral to Wooyoung’s stupidity. Probably some businessman who was also looking for his driver at the airport and Wooyoung in his eagerness to do a good job never confirmed the full name. He…he basically kidnapped the man!

And to add insult to injury he totally freaked out on the man and basically forced him to take care of him. Oh God, San was stupid attractive, his scent was the best thing Wooyoung ever encountered and on top of that he was too kind for his own good.

This was so incredibly embarrassing. Wooyoung clearly remembers pressing his nose into the alpha’s neck. The man must have been so uncomfortable and still San apparently carried him inside after Wooyoung had nothing better to do than fall asleep after his panic attack.

The alpha was currently making his way over to Wooyoung’s spot on the couch and still his face only showed concern—Wooyoung did not deserve it.

“I am so sorry, “he sobbed. “I am so sorry that I never checked whether you are the correct Mr. Choi. And…and…” deep breaths Wooyoung, he thought. He needed San to know of much he regretted the past events. “And that you had to take care of me. Just give me a second and I’ll drive you where you really needed to go and...”

“Breath, sweetheart” San knelt in front of his wilted form on the couch and Wooyoung was truly f*cked in the head because he wanted to throw himself back into the alpha’s arms even though he knew that had just been an act of kindness from the other. Nothing he could ask for again.

“I really need you to calm down, you already overexerted yourself once today. We are both not going anywhere anytime soon.” Wooyoung followed San’s pointed thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the window. Although the only thing he could see was white.

“There is a blizzard outside. I managed to get a few snippets from the radio in the kitchen and apparently, it’s the worst snowstorm in the past two decades. Weirdly enough, no one saw it coming. The car is covered in snow and even if it weren’t, driving back through that kind of weather would be plain suicidal.”

San pinned him with his stare “We’re stuck.”

“But we can’t stay here! I might have booked this cabin for Choi Beomgguk, but I did so in Sonjoon’s name!” Wooyoung struggled to get up from the couch. How many blankets exactly did San bury him under? “San he will come here to find me and if he finds you too…you don’t understand what I pulled you into, but you definitely don’t deserve this.”

Wooyoung ceased his fight with the blankets when he heard low growling coming from San’s chest. “Let him f*cking try coming here and doing something to you ever again.”

God, what could Wooyoung do to make the other understand what Sonjoon was capable of?

At least the omega’s visible distress seemed to have an effect on the alpha, who immediately toned it down, made himself look smaller so as to appear less threatening.

“Wooyoung, sweetheart—” God, San really needed to stop calling him that. The endearments did things to the omega’s heart and the realisation that the man most likely used them with everyone hurt. “Sweetheart, can I touch you?” His hand hovered over Wooyoung’s smaller one, still laying on the blanket. He immediately started nodding, because while he knew that all good things had an expiration date, he was willing to take which ever crumbs of affection San was willing to give him. The other appeared to be relieved by the enthusiastic consent. Almost as if he had expected a different answer, which was ridiculous.

His warm hand covered Wooyoung’s, the thumb slowly stroking the omega’s pointer finger and when their eyes met once again, Wooyoung was brought back to the moment in the car where is panic attack got the best of him and he met the alpha’s gaze through the rear-view mirror. In that moment the omega inside him had been howling at him that San was trustworthy and ‘mate’. The mating part was taking it a bit too far. An alpha like San would not be interested in an omega like him, but he could at least believe that the other would not hurt him.

While Wooyoung was thinking all this, the man, who was still kneeling on the floor, waited patiently, never ceasing the slow caress. San simply allowed him to hold his hand and it felt so good that it crowded out all the bad things. It felt better than anything had ever hurt (Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell).

“It calms me too you know.” Huh? Had Wooyoung said that out loud?

His confusion must have shown on his face and thankfully he did not embarrass himself like that, since San noticed the need to clarify. “Touching you.” He inclined his head toward their hands. “I don’t know how or why or if you feel this to the same degree that I do, but I have this urge to keep you safe. I’m not saying I understand your life or your struggles, but I am saying that I can stop this Sonjoon asshole from tormenting you even a second further.”

Notes:

* As I have mentioned before I started writing this for me without any intention of sharing. Sometimes I included my favourite quotes. For example, this one is from Eleanor & Park.
I try to mark all the ones I remember to give credit to the rightful authors. If I accidentally skip something let me know! It shouldn't be too often only a few in between.

Chapter 6: The Chances Are Small But Never Zero

Chapter Text

Yunho’s voice was dangerously low “What do you mean you have no idea where he is?”

Yeosang and Mingi were clever enough not to look the alpha in the eye, so as to not aggravate him further. They were both sitting in front of Yunho who decided to remain standing in his office. Yunho had never been someone to lash out in anger, but they had also never been without their leader and these two betas were starting to seriously piss him of.

“You two obtained the security camera footage from the airport hours ago. How do you still not know where he is?”

Yeosang listed the facts, “The last footage of the Wolf was him getting into a black Audi. We checked the license plate but that was a dead end. According to the official government records it does not exist, forged most likely.”

“What about the driver? You said there was a man with him?”

“Yes, but he kept his head low at all times and his back to the cameras whenever possible. The few images we got are not clear enough for any identification software.”

“A professional that’s clear.” Mingi adds.

“Agreed. The only thing we can tell you right now is that we are not familiar with him. He does not seem to be one of the usual suspects. Our best guess is Snakes or Lions, but that is based on the fact that they have been threatening us for years and not anything we got from the footage.”

Yunho co*cked his head. He was looking at the informants like prey and they were visibly uneasy. “So, you two are telling me that someone managed to kidnap Choi San THE Wolf of Seoul and you’ve got absolutely nothing. You can’t even tell me how they got him inside the car!? I’d say you would need at least ten assailants minimum if you wanted to overpower him and you are telling me there was no evidence of a fight?”

“No,” Yeosang again. “We are sorry, okay?” Softer. “He is our leader too.”

Yunho turned his back towards them walking to the window on the other side. Watching the city being buried under a thick layer of snow, he spoke up again.

“Fine. I’ll take over.” San was out there somewhere, and he would find him. Whoever pulled this stunt of was probably mighty smug right now. They did what Yunho believed to be impossible. Otherwise, he would have supported Seonghwa’s demands that San should never travel alone. He truly believed no one would be stupid enough to challenge their boss in such a way.

“Both of you start preparing for war. Ready the cars and weapons. Take Jongho as well. It looks like we need everyone trustworthy we can get. Yeosang I still need you to make sure that this stays confined to the inner circle until we know more. We might not know who did this yet, but if the other gangs find out someone managed to cut of our head this could turn even uglier.”

The only answer he got was a synchronised “Yes” and the sounds of Yeosang and Mingi leaving.

Yunho was left mentally cataloguing all the people benefitting from San’s kidnapping. It was a long list. He had not been too surprised to hear about Mingi and Yeosang’s limited amount of intel. There was no one as capable and dangerous as San. Of course, the person he needed to track down had a masterplan and a refined skillset. The bastard would have needed to prepare every single detail in order to pull this off. Yunho could not help wondering how long this day had been in the making.

But don’t worry San-ah, he mentally sent to his oldest friend. Yunho was going to get whatever sick bastard did this to their leader.

Chapter 7: It's Rarely Real But When It Is

Chapter Text

This time when Wooyoung woke up he knew exactly where he was. His head still rested on San’s chest, slowly rising with soft breaths, but he had slipped down a bit, causing him to be further away from the source of the scent he had started to become addicted to. Bummer. The alpha smelled sweeter in his sleep with some citrusy undertones. Wooyoung did not want to risk waking the other by scooting up further. No reason to be greedy. Instead, he settled on looking out the window from his current position. The light outside indicated that it was the early morning. The tiny snowflakes bumping against the window belied their dangerous nature, which would probably keep them trapped for another day.

Good. If they were unable to leave, the same would apply to Sonjoon in the opposite direction. Wooyoung so desperately wanted to keep his bubble for a while longer. The alpha was so warm beneath him with their legs entangled. He could spend an eternity here.

Wooyoung’s body, on the other hand, had different plans. A rumbling from his stomach decided to remind him that his last meal was probably over 24 hours ago by now.

As if the man had not been in deep slumber just seconds ago, San was immediately waking up, stretching his muscles beneath Wooyoung and using his hand to push the omega’s hair back in a seemingly subconscious gesture.

“Woo?” His voice was low and still languid with sleep. Waking up with someone was so intimate. It sent a shiver down the omega’s spine. “Are you cold? Here you can take this blanket while I find out what we could eat for breakfast, baby.” Huh, that was a new one.

San started to sit up, but Wooyoung tightened his arms out of reflex. San chuckled. “The kitchen is right there and as much as I would love to lie here a while longer, you need food. Me too while we’re at it.”

He was right. Wooyoung was being selfish. The other man had let him sleep on him for God’s sake and now Wooyoung was asking for even more, because what? He had an emotional day?

“Whatever you’re thinking don’t.”

The omega met San’s eyes who was now standing above him.

“Your scent was happy a few seconds ago,” he clarified. “So whatever you were thinking: don’t.” Squatting down his face was on the same level as Wooyoung’s. “I’m going to see what this kitchen has to offer. Join me whenever you’re ready, hm?” The alpha offered him a sweet smile.

Wooyoung could only nod.

As soon as San had disappeared into the kitchen, Wooyoung hurried to the bathroom to freshen up. Neither of them had brought a toothbrush or clothes too change. Wooyoung, well, Wooyoung because he had expected to be back to his spot by the couch by now, but San…now that he came to think about it the lack of luggage should have been another indicator that he got the wrong alpha. Choi Beomgguk was supposed to stay at this cabin for over two weeks.

A quick glance in the mirror confirmed that Wooyoung looked grisly, he could only wash his face and hope for the best. Afterwards he went to find San in the kitchen and was greeted by the sight of a slightly panicky alpha and the smell of burnt eggs.

The imposing alpha looked sheepish and embarrassed. “I usually don’t cook.” He grumbled, a slight blush on his cheek. Cute.

Wooyoung could not help but giggle and seized the opportunity. “Let me cook! I do it all the time.” He can cook. He even liked cooking. He could do this for the alpha as a thank you. Take care of him in the same way he took care of Wooyoung. That way he would feel less…lacking.

San seemed torn between burning another pan and letting the omega do any work at all. “You don’t have to cook for me.”

“San, I want to.” He said earnestly, truly meant it. That was seemingly enough to make the alpha crumble. Without another word he handed Wooyoung the spatula. “Thank you.”

It was not for long before they were facing each other in the little breakfast nook, food spread out in front of them. It was weirdly domestic.

“That looks so good. I’m starving.”

Wooyoung was pleased. He did good. The omega could not wait for San to try the food. Cooking was the area Sonjoon would make the least number of negative comments about.

San stopped the food halfway to his mouth looking at Wooyoung. “You need to eat as well.” Right. He nearly forgot. Once Wooyoung took a bite the alpha was apparently satisfied and dove in.

After having cleared both of their plates San once again praised Wooyoung’s cooking skills and the omega felt like he was dangerously close to levitating to the ceiling.

Taking the last sip of his coffee San leaned towards the other with a serious expression on his face.

“Woo, I have been thinking and I wanted to discuss what is going to happen once we are able to leave.” Right. The alpha had a life he wanted to get back to. He did not want to play house with Wooyoung for the remainder of his days.

He was quick to reassure the other. “I am not going to tell Sonjoon about you, you don’t have to worry. I’ll figure something out.”

“Sweetheart that is not where I was going with this.”

“Sorry. I just assumed…” Wooyoung ducked his head.

“No, I don’t want you to apologise” San rubbed the hand that was not holding the coffee cup over his head. He looked tired. Wooyoung could not figure out what was expected of him here. Bad

“I feel like I just have to say it: Wooyoung, I want you to come and live with me.”

The f*ck? Wooyoung most definitely did not hear that right.

“From what I have gathered you have no place else you could possibly go to and going back to how you lived before and do whatever ‘I’ll figure it out’ means is out of the question. Sweetheart, I can’t let anything happen to you…I just…can’t.” San looked visibly disturbed as if Wooyoung’s wellbeing actually mattered to him.

The omega, however, was still stuck on the last part. “You...you want me to move in with you?

San winced. “If you say it like that it sounds crazy. I know we only just met, but I’ll promise I will take care of you.” There was fire in his eyes. “No one will ever hurt you again.”

The alpha reached out and took Wooyoung’s hand in his and that was just plain unfair. How was he supposed to make life altering decision with such major distractions?

“I have this big empty loft and as douchy as that sounds, more money than I know how to spend. Let me do this for you.”

That at least made more sense to Wooyoung. He had already assumed that San was some wealthy businessman. But to take on a whole charity case like Wooyoung? San must have more money than he initially assumed.

“Are you like a CEO or something?” Wooyoung looked at the other with big eyes and noticed how San’s smile looked a little pained this time.

“...or something.” Louder, “Kind of?

Slightly nodding to himself, Wooyoung finally understood. Rich people like San were often philanthropists, or whatever the correct term was, trying to invest their money to do something good in the world. Wooyoung was an opportunity for San to use his wealth to make a difference. That was not exactly how he wanted their relationship to play out, but he had always been aware of his limitations and beggars can’t be choosers.

That also answered his question why San thought he could do anything about Sonjoon. He probably had connections with the police.

Still, he had a few more questions. “How exactly would that work? Are you sure you really want me to live with you?”

“If you would feel more comfortable with something private, I could set you up with your own apartment including security.” It looked like it was physically painful for the alpha to utter the first part, but his tone carried the same honesty. “However, I would very much prefer for you to live with me where I can personally ensure your wellbeing. Hell, I don’t know how long we’re going to be stuck in this cabin. You could see this as a trial period.”

“Okay.” That was quick.

“You’re agreeing?” San looked far more surprised than Wooyoung was by his own answer. Of course he would agree. The other option was being raped by some of Sonjoon’s client. Wooyoung felt sick. That was the first time he acknowledged the threat in those words.

Plus, if he was being honest, he was willing to take everything San would give him. If that entailed living as the alpha’s personal charity project, so be it. Wooyoung never felt so safe, and he was not ready to give that up when San so selflessly offered. For someone who never had anything this was already a lot.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” San looked genuinely happy and relieved. Nonetheless, now that Wooyoung knew his place, the last part hurt.

He liked being pup and baby and sweetheart, but he needed to protect his heart. How could San possibly know how the pet names made Wooyoung feel, if the alpha had such a different perception of their relationship? He needed to say something, because he could not bear the constant reminder.

“San? Could you maybe not call me that?” It took all of Wooyoung’s courage to get the words out so there was nothing left to meet the alpha’s eyes. Instead, he started watching his fingers picking at his own cuticles.

“What? Sweetheart?” The alpha sounded hurt.

“Y-yeah. I’m sure you call a lot of people—a lot of omegas—sweetheart and pup and stuff, b-but..” God he hated how small he sounded “but for me that means something. And I know you mean no harm and I am being silly, but it makes me sad to be called all that and not, not…”

“Wooyoung.” There was so much emotion in that one word. The omega noticed movement in the corner of his eye. San rushed over to Wooyoung’s side of the table. Before he knew it the alpha carefully cradled his head in the palm of his hands, forcing him to look him into the eyes, forcing him to listen. “Wooyoung, pup, sweetheart, my darling, please believe me when I say that I have never called another soul any of these things. I am usually not known to be…kind. I am not an affectionate man, but with you I cannot help it. I call you these things because that is what you are and because you deserve all the affection in the world.”

And he said it with so much sincerity! How was Wooyoung supposed to protect his heart if San decided to bring the big guns? He only had a measly fence to begin with.

Having the reassurance that those names were at least special to Wooyoung, he could live with San not meaning them exactly how his omega understood them. He wanted to be special to San.

“Okay.” He really needed to come up with better answers

However, the alpha refrained from commenting on Wooyoung’s eloquence. San managed to pull him into his arms despite the tightness of the breakfast nook and sheltered by San’s scent, Wooyoung settled once again. Surrounded by warmth the omega remembered that San had also called him ‘Woo’ earlier. Could this declaring affection thing go both ways?

“Does that mean I can call you Sannie?” Nicknames were for friends. He knew that. He just never had somebody to put it into practice with.

San let out a genuine laugh. “You may call me whatever you want, sweetheart.”

_***

There was not much to do in the cabin. They spent the day simply talking about mostly meaningless things. Wooyoung felt as if they had silently agreed that that was enough of the heavy topics for a day. Therefore, he took San’s earlier words to heart and approached the day as a sort of preview on how it would be to share a space with the other man. Unsurprisingly, he found that San was perfect.

When they were not idly chatting and getting to know one another, they sat in amicable silence simply enjoying the other’s presence and staring at the flames in the fireplace. Wooyoung had even managed to convince San to play Monopoly with him after he found the game in a cabinet. The omega had never played before which is probably why San won. Wooyoung loved it. He had never been on vacation, but he imagined this is what it would be like. And underlying it all was San’s strong and comforting alpha scent.

Towards the evening Wooyoung put together another meal with the ingredients he found in the cupboard. He was incredibly glad that the rented cabin came pre-stocked, otherwise they would have had a major problem. With San praising his cooking skills once again, Wooyoung could practically feel his omega prancing around inside him, smug. He was being a good omega providing food for the alpha.

Maybe that is where he got the courage to stop the alpha a few hours later after San so gallantly offered to let the omega have the single bedroom.

“It’s okay I don’t mind sleeping on the couch for another night. I want you to have the bed, baby.

“Or we could share?” Based on the spike in the alpha’s scent he did not hate the idea and Wooyoung’s own answered in kind. “I mean we already kind of did it last night and it’s really cold outside so we should preserve body heat, right?”

San probably saw right through him but seemed ready to indulge him since he agreed rather quickly. “Yes, that sounds very smart. We should definitely do that.” A small smile.

So they lay down under the blankets, both on their sides, facing each other. Wooyoung would very much like to be closer, but he was unsure how to ask for it. If he tried to sleep on top of the alpha like last night and San were to reject him…

“Come here, pup.”

By now Wooyoung was like 85% sure that San could read his mind. He was certain that he had not shared his internal struggle verbally and yet the man was scooting on to Wooyoung’s side of the bed and proceeded to wrap him into his arms until he was completely sheltered from the outside world. With his nose pressed into San’s pectoral muscles he could practically taste, what had quickly become his favourite scent in the world. The alpha’s head was resting on his own while his free hand was drawing shapes on Wooyoung’s back.

“Is this okay?” Pfft. This was so much more than okay. Okay did not even begin to cover it.

As an answer Wooyoung gripped San’s shirt tightly so as to signal his commitment to putting up a fight if the other so much as moved a muscle.

They just stayed like that for a while until Wooyoung felt the need to share something. He knew that San was still awake since he continued drawing shapes on his back.

“Sannie, I’m not used to having a bed.” Being so closely intertwined enabled Wooyoung to feel how the alpha’s body tensed.

“What do you mean?”

“I had my own blanket” It was important to mention that. He was very proud of his blanket. “But my bed was just the space next to the couch. So this is nice” he mumbled into the chest in front of him

San smelled angry and sad again, but Wooyoung had not mentioned it to gain sympathy. He simply wanted to share more of himself with the other.

“Baby, what about your nest?”

“Didn’t have one. I had a bed before I presented. But afterwards Sonjoon said nesting is for good omegas and I’m not.” He could feel another wave of tears coming. It was never his intention, but it always ended with him crying like a baby. “I really tried, Sannie. I try to be a good omega you have to believe me!” His tears were now wetting the alpha’s shirt. San tried to put some distance between them which felt like rejection to the distressed omega and only made him sob harder. Luckily, San seemed to realise that rather quickly and instead pulled Wooyoung’s crying face into his scent gland.

“You are good, such a good omega, sweetheart, of course I believe you. I will get you the best nesting supplies. You can have your own nest, okay?”

San lifted his head and a second later Wooyoung could feel a set of soft and warm lips pressing to his forehead. In a way it was such a weird experience to be comforted while crying. Still, Wooyoung was determined to cherish his firsts. Even if they made him sob harder. Feelings were messy.

At least San did not seem to mind that he was such a wreck. The alpha just kept up a soft and reassuring mantra consisting of different variations of reassurance until Wooyoung finally succumbed to sleep.

Chapter 8: I Would Do Anything

Chapter Text

San woke up to a scream and a crash.

Wooyoung.

Hours of gruesome survival training immediately kicked in. San was awake and on his feet within seconds. Heart beating out of his chest he ran out of the bedroom towards the direction of the scream. It was the middle of the night and still dark but the adrenalin cursing through his veins heightened his senses to the extreme.

Reaching the living room the scene before his eyes made him let out a noise that sounded inhuman even to his own ears. Wooyoung was lying on the floor, hands raised towards his assailant as if to protect himself from a coming blow. Above him stood a tall alpha with his back to San, holding a gun. And did he smell…blood? Wooyoung’s blood. That was enough for San to go nearly feral with rage. In the millisecond it took him to catalogue all this he was already moving, crashing into the alpha who dared to lay a hand against his omega.

San had never been so glad for his combat training.

He knew exactly how to make it hurt.

Not that it would have made a difference, but apparently, he had caught the other alpha by surprise. San through him on the floor and immediately started pummelling him.

Through his haze San’s brain vaguely registered that the man was trying to say something, but he was so deep into his instincts that it took him a second.

“YUNHO?!”

“San! What the f*ck!” Yunho’s words were hard to understand, since San was still kneeling on his chest, and he must have had a busted lip at the very least.

Just then the ceiling light was turned on and both men on the floor wiped their heads around towards the door leading to the main entrance. There stood Hongjoong, hand on the light switch and looking at them as if they had grown two extra heads.

“What the hell are you doing?! San get off him!”

What the hell was he doing? The f*ck were they doing here? A few minutes ago, San had still been peacefully sleeping with his omega…Wooyoung! In his haste to check on his baby he accidentally kicked Yunho in the rips, which led to another pained grunt from the alpha.

He had seen Yunho fight with far more grave injuries. He’d be fine.

Wooyoung was a much bigger concern. The omega was still in the same spot on the floor, trying to make himself as small as possible with his arms above his head. It broke San’s heart to see him so ready for the strike.

As carefully as possible he approached the frightened omega. Kneeling next to Wooyoung he dared to reach out, but the first contact of his hand with the omega’s shoulder made him flinch.

“Hey pup, are you okay? It’s me.”

“Sannie?” answered the tiny voice.

He ignored the confused “Sannie?” that echoed from Hongjoong’s direction. San would deal with them later.

“Yes, it’s me.” This was apparently all the confirmation Wooyoung needed, for he crashed into San’s arms with a speed that surprised even the alpha. Still, he did not hesitate to wrap the now crying boy into his arms and help him settle against his scent gland. A low grumble started in his chest, trying to further settle Wooyoung.

Above the sobbing omega’s shoulder, he could see the remains of what used to be glass spread over the floor and covered with a tiny amount of blood. It looked like Wooyoung went to get a cup of water before Yunho surprised him. He probably cut himself on the remains when he fell to the ground.

Wooyoung was still sniffling into his neck, but San could hear the two intruders talking behind him. Yunho had gotten off the floor and sat on the couch.

Based on the sound of his voice San for sure broke his nose. Yunho on the other hand sounded like he had a more urgent issue. “Hongjoong what the f*ck is going on? First, he attacks me and now this.” It sounded like he was gesturing towards the two men still sitting intertwined on the floor. Yunho’s voice was almost a whisper as if he was trying not to aggravate both of them further. Smart move.

Hongjoong sounded contemplative if anything “Honestly, no idea. I think we’re missing some part of the picture. But what I do know is that Seonghwa is going to love this.”

Seonghwa? That got San’s attention. Wooyoung was hurt and his hyung was their group’s doctor whenever needed.

“Hongjoong did you bring Seonghwa?”

“Yes of course, he is in the car. We expected you to be in a much worse condition San.”

“Get him in here right now.” San grunted, carding his hands through Wooyoung’s dark locks.

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow but turned without another word. “That sounds more like the you I know.” Yunho felt the need to add.

San just went back to rocking Wooyoung in his arms. Pressing his nose into the omega’s hair he instantly felt less on edge.

“San!” That was Seonghwa. His peace was short lasting.

“San, Hongjoong says you’re fine, but that you have an omega?” The older man rushed into the living room clad in a big puffer jacket. At least he was carrying his emergency bag. Once Seongwha spotted them on the floor he stopped on the spot. “Oh my god San he is so cute!” He looked like he wanted to tackle both of them on the floor.

San let out a warning growl. He needed Seongwha to check Wooyoung’s injuries, not scare him further. According to the alpha, Seongwha did not look sufficiently scared, but he at least approached them more slowly.

“Seongwha, this is Wooyoung. I think he cut his hand on the glass shards.” Then, addressing the omega currently looking at the taller omega with big eyes. “Wooyoung this is Seongwha hyung, can you show him where you hurt yourself? He will take care of it.”

“Hi Wooyoung,” Seongwha was pumping out the calming pheromones by the boat load and San felt a bit nauseous to be honest. It seemed to work on Wooyoung though who let out a small “Hi.” Before pushing out his left hand without further comment.

“Oh, that does not look too bad. You won’t need stitches.” Addressing San he added, “I think we should move this to the couch. It will be easier there.” The alpha only offered a grunt in response and proceeded to stand up with Wooyoung still in his arms. The omega startled with the fast movement, throwing his arms around him.

San came to a stop in front of the couch that was still occupied by a bleeding Yunho, who looked even moodier than usual.

“Move.”

“One could argue that my injuries are far worse, and that I am in dire need of Hwa hyung’s healing abilities.”

“You’ll live. Move.” Why was it so hard for Yunho to get with the programme? San knew that he was probably acting crazy from their perspective, but he also felt like he made it abundantly clear how he was feeling on the whole Wooyoung matter.

“Oh come on you big baby. I’ll mend your face after I took care of our little omega.”

Seongwha seemed to get it.

With Yunho gone San carefully settled his charge on the sofa and Seongwha immediately got started on cleaning the little cut—with San hovering of course.

Seongwha was sitting on the small coffee table in front of Wooyoung and proceeded to narrate all the steps to the younger. For all the times San wanted to rip his hair out thanks to the older omega’s overbearing nature, he was incredibly grateful for it now.

When he convinced Wooyoung to move in with him he knew that the other would have to meet the inner circle sooner or later, but he kind of imagined it differently. This situation was less than ideal. Hopefully, Wooyoung did not notice that Yunho and Hongjoong were armed.

In front of him Seongwha was finishing up with Wooyoung’s hand. His hyung reached out for a simple white plaster when the older omega apparently also noticed Wooyoung eyeing the box of penguin ones still in the med bag. If San remembered correctly Seonghwa had only bought them to piss off Yunho. But once the other had followed Wooyoung’s gaze he quickly proceeded to put one of the little penguin ones on the omega, has if it had been his intention all along.

As a consequence, Wooyoung’s scent got sweetest it had been after the attack.

That settled it. Seongwha was getting a raise.

Once that was finished and Seongwha had moved on the Yunho, San felt like proper introductions were in order. No use in delaying the inevitable.

Yunho and Seonghwa might still be busy with first aid, but Hongjoong had lowered himself into the armchair across from San and Wooyoung. The later was sitting a bit taller but still clinging to San’s arm which was laying on his lap—not that San minded.

Still, he wondered what the omega might make of all this.

“Woo, that is Kim Hongjoong” San gestured with his free hand. “He is Seonghwa’s mate.”

“The other one is Yunho. I’m really sorry about him he won’t do that again, sweetheart.”

“They are my….friends.” Yunho looked at him with genuine confusion in his face. Surely San had called them that before? And what else was he supposed to say to Wooyoung? These are my fellow gang members? Would Wooyoung still want to live with him if he realised San was, in a way, so much worse than Sonjoon? The omega seemed to judge ‘illegal activities’ and those were San’s strong suit. He never even officially got his driving license. Time is money. He learned to drive when he was ten, a plastic card would not change anything. Wooyoung might not agree.

No. It was better if he went with the CEO story. Technically, it was not a lie, he did own a few companies.

Now he only needed to shush the others before they gave Wooyoung the wrong idea while simultaneously finding out why these guys came here in the middle of a blizzard.

No use beating around the bush. “Why and how are you here?”

“What do you mean why are we here?” even Hongjoong sounded exasperated now. “We thought you had been kidnapped!”

That made San scoff.

“I’m fine.”

Apparently, Yunho could not stay silent any longer. “We were worried sick and you!” The tall alpha’s eyes flitted to the board game that lay abandoned next to the table. “You were playing Monopoly?!”

“Excuse you, I was winning Monopoly.”

That made Wooyoung giggle. San made him giggle.

Yunho looked like San officially lost it. “Seonghwa!”

The older alpha stopped rummaging in his back and turned to San. “Now we know that you’re okay. But you cannot just disappear on us San. There was no trace of you. No phone signal. No useful security footage. The car not registered. Care to explain what’s going on?”

San paused. He knew about the phone signal and came to his own conclusions about Sonjoon. The car having a forged licence plate just proved that he was right. He had to be careful, however, with what he was saying—or letting the others say for that matter. He did not want Wooyoung to grow suspicious about his true occupation. Time to play the leader card.

“We will talk about this later.” End of discussion. Easy Peasy.

“Now that you guys are here we might as well get going. Sweetheart, do you feel okay to travel?” He addressed the omega sitting next to him who was taking everything in with wide eyes.

“We’re taking the omega with us?” Hongjoong did not sound upset, just confused.

“Of course, we’re taking Wooyoung with us. He is going to live with me.” San declared proudly.

“Live with you where?”

“Where the ever-loving f*ck do you think? In the loft.” God, had his men always been this stupid? You act slightly out of character once and common sense goes out the window.

“You are actually taking this stranger to the loft to live with you?! San you barely tolerate us in the living room and that’s for business and now you want this omega…” San growled and Hongjoong quickly adjusted. “…Wooyoung to be there permanently.”

“Yes. Glad we talked about this.”

San could feel Wooyoung growing more uneasy next to him, so he should have seen this coming. “Sannie, it’s okay really. I always managed on my own. You can just drop me of somewhere in Seoul.” But his little choked up voice betrayed his true feelings while simultaneously cutting San’s own flesh. Turning towards the other, San freed his arm from Wooyoung’s hold and cupped the omega’s face with the utmost care. Using his thumb to stroke the soft skin beneath his eyes he tried to convey to the other how serious he was.

“Woo, they don’t have a say in this. They can f*ck off for all I care.” That was addressed to the rest of the room as well. The next words, however, were only for Wooyoung. “Please, let me do this for you. I want you there with me.” Connecting their foreheads. they just breathed each other in.

“Okay.”

“Okay.

“Oh f*ck me. I get it now.” Hongjoong seemed to have had an epiphany.

“Took you look enough. I was beginning to think I mated an idiot.”

“Well, I am still not getting anything.” Yunho pipped up. “Does that mean you two are supporting this madness? San the guy kidnapped you! The whole circ*mstances are shady as f*ck and now you want to bring him home?”

“Wooyoung is innocent in all of this and I would advise you to remember that.” San was running out of patience.

“Which upright guy drives an illegal car?”

“Pup, did you know that the car is not officially registered?”

“No! Of course not!” How could anyone doubt his sweet omega? He sounded seriously distress by such a minor offense. Well, Yunho apparently.

“Yeah, sure.” The tall alpha snorts. “You are just an innocent little omega who happened to accidentally kidnap one of the most influential men in Seoul? Sure.”

Wooyoung flinched at the hostility in Yunho’s tone and San was officially done. Within the blink of an eye he was in front of Yunho, nearly unintelligible through the growl in his voice. “If Wooyoung says he did not know then he did not know. End of discussion. He will come with us. He will be under my protection and that was the last time you ever made him flinch. Do you understand?”

Based on the look on his face it was only now coming to Yunho how serious San was about all of this.

“Do you understand?” San was practically waiting for Yunho to challenge his authority. His alpha was itching for a fight.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

San went back to the couch and pulled Wooyoung up by his hands. Once the omega was standing, he proceeded to drape one of the blankets around his smaller frame.

“I think that was enough for now. Let’s get going before the snow starts up again.”

Thankfully no one questioned him again and they got out of the cabin rather quickly. San took the opportunity when Wooyoung was bundled in the back seat of one of the two jeeps the others came with, snow chains and everything, to pull Yunho to the side. The other alpha was on his way to the second jeep and only offered a raised eyebrow in reaction to the hand on his elbow.

“I’ll explain more later, but, whether you believe me or not, me being here? Not pre-planned at all. Which means no one outside of our circle knows I was here, and I would like to keep it that way.” He shared a knowing look with the other. Yunho offered him a head tilt in acknowledgement. Good. Yunho might still be wary of the whole situation, but San knew he could trust him to take care of everything. The other alpha always had a certain aptitude for arson.

Seated beside Wooyoung and on their way back to Seoul, San felt oddly…calm? The omega was napping since he did not get much sleep that night. Bundled in his blanket and with his head resting on San’s shoulder he just looked so perfect. From a certain point of view the situation was very mundane but perhaps that was what made it so special.

In all the violence of his life, the alpha had finally found something that made it worth it.

San’s heart swelled to the point where it did not fit in his chest anymore.

Chapter 9: My Heart

Chapter Text

“My heart, are you awake?”

Wooyoung just gave a non-committal sound that, hopefully, sufficiently conveyed ‘Yes, but I am not ready to be yet’. San understood or at least he let him be. Wooyoung was sure that he got more sleep in the last few days than in the two weeks beforehand. That was crazy given the events that took place, but San’s scent just screamed safety to his omega, who seemingly decided to take full advantage of the fact he could finally lower his guard down.

After waking up from his little nap on San’s shoulder Wooyoung found himself still in the backseat of the jeep. Looking outside he could only see trees and snow. So much snow. That meant they had not reached Seoul yet. Wooyoung did not mind at all, in fact, he was grateful for the opportunity to sort through his thoughts before they reached their destination.

There was a lot to process, and he was unsure of he felt about all of it. Not about San—he believed that the alpha wanted to help him. No doubt in Wooyoung’s mind since his instincts had not led him astray before.

Yet, the alpha’s friends were a completely different story. Wooyoung was not a very resentful person, so he did not hold the accident with the tall alpha—Yunho—against the other. The whole group seemed to have been really worried that San had truly been kidnapped. The whole situation was just very unlucky. Hongjoong and Yunho appeared to be part of San’s official security team since they were armed and Wooyoung had no other explanation for it. Which again made sense, if San was an important and rich CEO logically there would be people who would try to kidnap him for real and ask for ransom, Wooyoung concluded.

Furthermore, Yunho did not seem to like the omega—at all. Wooyoung could not really fault him for that either, he was a stranger coming into their lives and practically freeloading of their friend. He would probably be wary as well, if he had friends.

Then there was Seonghwa. It was hard to not be intimidated by the older omega’s beauty. Wooyoung had been ready to hate him a little bit, as irrational as it was, because for a second he thought the other man belonged to San. It would have made sense for the alpha to be with an omega with a face like that. However, said omega was currently allowing the alpha driving the jeep—Hongjoong, his brain so helpfully supplied—to rest his hand on Seonghwa’s thigh and San had also confirmed that these two were mates. Even though Wooyoung had no right, it made his heart feel lighter. If he truly was to live with San, he would probably meet an omega the other was interested in at some point, but today was not that day and Wooyoung was grateful.

After acquiring that vital piece of information about Seonghwa, Wooyoung had been ready to listen to his inner omega who immediately took a liking to the older. This initial hunch had been proven correct, since Seonghwa had been nothing but kind and caring.

He even gave him the penguin plaster! Wooyoung had felt a bit childish initially, but back when he was little, he had always envied the other kids whose parents cared enough to get them the good plasters. Wooyoung was only ever told to wash of the dirt and stop crying.

So he decided to like Seonghwa, as well as Hongjoong by association he figured. He would try to keep out of Yunho’s way and all would be well.

On the backseat of the car covered in San’s scent he promised once again to not f*ck this up. This would be the first time he succeeded. It had to.

***

What felt like a short while later, Wooyoung was able to spot the lights of civilization. San must have realized that he was awake, but addressed him in a quit voice, nonetheless. “Do you need anything from your old place, pup?”

The omega’s head whipped towards the man on his left. “What? You said I can escape Sonjoon and never see him again! We can’t go back!”, he whimpered.

“For you. The plan for you is to never see him again. I, on the other hand, am not done with him yet.” There was a dangerous edge to the alpha’s voice. Wooyoung started to believe that San’s connections to the police might be influential enough to get Sonjoon. He looked determined enough. In contrast Seonghwa and Hongjoong exchanged a confused look in the front row. Right, they basically knew nothing about Wooyoung.

“So is there anything you want us to get you? Let me worry about Sonjoon.”

That was another incredibly kind offer from the alpha. Wooyoung was almost glad that he basically had nothing to his name. He did not want to be a bother, so he just shook his head. San’s brow creased. “It does not have to be something grand. If it’s important to you, we will get it.” The omega shook his head again. “Nothing at all? What about your clothes? A favourite sweater or something?” San was not letting it go and Wooyoung was embarrassed. Now he had to admit how truly pathetic his existence was. “I only have like two other shirts, and they are…they are a bit torn so like not really worth the effort.”

San looked devastated. He hissed something that sounded like ‘bastard’ under his breath. “Sweetheart, don’t worry about it we will get you new clothes.”

Wooyoung was very close to crying again but this time with gratitude.

“Thank you, Sannie.”

In order to distract himself he let his gaze wander through the car and noticed Seonghwa watching him through the rear-view mirror. The older’s eyes were full of pity and what Wooyoung felt was an unspoken promise. For what he did not know.

When they arrived at their destination, a fancy skyscraper in the middle of Seoul, the car immediately drove to the parking garage under the building. Wooyoung was so busy taking everything in that he almost missed the fact that the second jeep with Yunho was missing. When he asked San about it the alpha only said that Yunho had ‘some things to take care of’ and it was not really Wooyoung’s business anyway

He completely forgot about it when San led him out of the lift directly inside the penthouse apartment. Again, Wooyoung knew San was very successful with his career, his whole being and staying here kind of depended on that, but seeing it was a completely different thing. The apartment was huge as far as the omega could tell. The entryway led into a huge living room with floor to ceiling windows. He could see all of Seoul and the sun rising in the distance. He had never been so high up before. For a second he wondered if he was afraid of heights, but quickly decided it would be best to ignore that thought before it even fully formed. There was another hallway leading to the rest of the rooms and a big door to what Wooyoung assumed was the kitchen. The interior was definitely expensive with a lot of shiny wood. He had never seen anything like it and he was supposed to live here?

Reality smacked him square in the face, because that could not be right? He used to dream about someone coming and saving him from Sonjoon but even those dreams looked nothing like this. Wooyoung would like to think he was fairly realistic.

“Do you like it?” San was standing next to him in the living room and if Wooyoung did not know better he would say the alpha looked nervous. Wooyoung would have liked to be a more polite guest and reassure the other, but he was feeling a lot right now so he only managed a “Hm hm.”

“Here follow me I’ll show you the rest. You two may wait.” With a very welcome hand on the omega’s back, San steered him towards the hallway. Leaving Seonghwa and Hongjoong behind in the living room, Wooyoung vaguely remembers someone saying that San does not allow people further than that, but he might not remember that correctly.

San opened a door on he left. Behind it was a mostly bare room with a huge bed and another set of floor-to-ceiling windows. “This is your room. As you can see there is not much in it, because I didn’t use it, but at least you have a bed for now. The bathroom is through the door over there.” Wooyoung was still processing that he was offered his own room let alone his own bed, so he was not ready for that. “I have my own bathroom.” More of a statement than a question and a stupid one at that. Of course, this penthouse apartment had an en-suite.

“Yes, pup, everything in here is yours and I do mean that. If you don’t want me to come in I won’t.” San pierced him with his eyes. “I promise.”

“Do you think this is okay? We can obviously get you more furniture and the nesting supplies I promised you in the next days. What? What happened?”

San must have noticed Wooyoung’s distress in his scent. He immediately turned the omega towards him. “What is it pup? What did I do?”

No use in lying now, he might as well add to his humiliation. “Sannie, I don’t know how to nest. I’m a bad omega.” He sniffled.

The next second he was inside San’s embrace with his nose in the alpha’s scent gland. His favourite place.

“My darling nesting is instinctual. That asshole might have taken that from you, but I am sure you will built the best nest ever. You’re such a good omega your nest will be good by default.” In combination with San’s calming pheromones Wooyoung was almost ready to believe that. No one should be able to smell this delicious. It was entirely unfair.

San’s voice so close to his ear send a shiver down his spine. “Is the bed okay, sweetheart?”

Well, to be completely honest, Wooyoung would sleep on a too narrow couch again—or for the rest of his life for that matter— if it meant he could cuddle up to San in exchange. Yet, he did not want to appear needy or ungrateful. He was sure that San was looking forward to his own bed after the past two days.

The alpha loosened his arms around Wooyoung in order to take a step back and the omega instinctually let out a dissatisfied keen. Embarrassment coloured his cheeks red.

Thankfully, San only laughed. “Cute.”

Did San just call him cute? He probably meant like a puppy. Yeah, that made sense. He needed his heart to get the message too.

“Come, I’ll show you the rest of the apartment.” San led them back to the hallway and quickly opened the other doors. “This is my office as you can see. And this is my room.” When San opened the door to show Wooyoung his bedroom, the omega locked every muscle in his body in a way that was almost physically painful. It took everything in him not to dive straight in. Wooyoung should have expected this, but he had already known about his own stupidity. The room was saturated with the alpha’s scent. Wooyoung could feel it dripping from the walls. And there, with the headboard to the right side of the wall, the bed soaked with the scent and a musky undertone that made Wooyoung almost slick up. If not the thought of that happening instantly made him panic again to the point where all hints of arousal were curbed. Get a grip, get a grip, get a grip.

Wooyoung could only hope that his own scent was all over the place to the point where the alpha next to him was unable to pinpoint finer details. The way San took a deep breath next to him, diminished his hopes though. Thankfully San seemed to be gentleman enough not to comment on the omega who had such a pathetic crush on him. Internally cringing Wooyoung realised that at this point the other had to know, and the fact that he was still offering to put a roof over Wooyoung’s head spoke volumes about his character.

San cleared his throat. The whole situation was a bit awkward “Yeah, so. This is me. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to come in here. Whatever it is the answer is probably yes.” Looking up he directed smiled warmly. “This is your home now, my heart. I want you to have everything you desire.”

Wooyoung was a puddle on the floor. Someone come clean him up. San continued as if he did not just say that. “Please don’t go outside alone. At least until I took care of Sonjoon, but within the loft you can go wherever you want. Nothing is of limits to you.”

That was easy. There was no reason for Wooyoung to venture outside and every reason to stay inside. Still, when San says he can go wherever he wants, surely he does not mean this room right?

San was confirmed as a mind reading wizard for the nth time. “Yes, even my room with me in it. Come get me if you need me.”

Wooyoung was still struggling with the alpha’s generosity in general, so he filed that away as San, once again, being too nice for his own good and not taking care of his own needs. There was no possible way that he was fine with Wooyoung invading his privacy like that.

Luckily, Wooyoung did not have to come up with an answer since Hongjoong was calling from the other end of the apartment.

“San! It’s urgent!”

The alpha was rushing back to the living room, towing Wooyoung behind him. Seonghwa and Hongjoong were standing next to the couch, the later with his phone in his hand, gesturing towards the approaching alpha.

“They attacked the Kim delivery on its way outside of Seoul. Mingi just called.”

“What?!” San roared. The alpha’s quick explosion made Wooyoung flinch. More out of surprise than anything, but as if reacting instinctually San reigned in his anger. Putting a comforting hand over Wooyoung’s neck the alpha concealed his anger—but barely.

Voice pressed he turned to Hongjoong. “Talk.”

The smaller alpha threw Wooyoung a vary look. “We don’t know exactly what happened yet. Yeosang thinks that rumours got out about you being out of the picture and someone took the opportunity. They probably just intercepted the delivery for the sake of it; to see if you would do anything or if the rumours were true.”

“Damn right we are going to do something. These f*ckers. I’ve got better things to do.” With those words San fully turned to Wooyoung again who was a hell of a lot confused. Someone did something to San’s delivery? Because he was missing? That was a case for the police. Wooyoung did not really understand what San was supposed to do. Talk to the officers maybe.

“My darling, I am so sorry, but I’ll have to go and take care of some things. Seonghwa will get you something to eat or whatever else you might need.”

San was leaving. San was leaving him here. Wooyoung needed to stay calm. Was he breathing? Or was he maybe breathing too fast? He could do this. That was his first opportunity to prove to San that he was not a burden.

He tried to give San a reassuring smile but was not too sure that it came out well. “I’m okay Sannie. Go do your job I’ll be fine.”

Yeah, San was obviously not convinced but Wooyoung could also see that the alpha was in hurry.

“sh*t, yeah, okay. If something comes up Seonghwa can call me—f*ck we need to get you a phone—I will hurry back to you I promise.” San looked torn. He rushed and pressed a kiss to Wooyoung’s forehead. That was probably good because it dazed the omega enough that the next thing he consciously perceived was him and Seonghwa alone in the living room.

“Well, I don’t want to exchange places with the poor bastard responsible” Seonghwa mused.

“Let’s get you something to eat.”

Wooyoung followed him, might as well. They entered the huge kitchen and Seonghwa gestured for him to sit at one of the bar chairs at the island in the middle. All the kitchen appliances he could ever wish for were there. Wooyoung wondered if he was allowed to use them some day. He could make himself useful by cooking for San

“San doesn’t cook, but there should be some instant ramen somewhere.” Wooyoung smiled at the memory of the alpha burning their breakfast. “I’ve noticed.” The older omega threw him an inscrutable look and started preparing the ramen he found.

“So…San has been nice to you?” Wooyoung thought this was probably the part where San’s friends were trying to get a feeling for him. Thankfully, the question was extra easy. He gladly took the opportunity to sing the alpha’s praises. “Yes! Sannie is so nice! I don’t mind that he burned breakfast. He took care of me so well and is always so polite. I am so grateful that he helped me. My boss is not a very good man.” That was putting it lightly. “I promise I won’t make you regret this. I don’t want to imagine where I’d be without Sannie.” Wooyoung needed Seonghwa to understand that he would do anything to stay.

Seonghwa just looked at him with big eyes. Did he say something wrong?

“I am glad to hear that ‘Sannie’ behaved.”

At that point Wooyoung could not have known Seonghwa’s astonishment at hearing San being described as ‘polite’. The alpha never said please. He just took.

The older omega slid Wooyoung’s bowl with steaming ramen towards the omega.

“You’ve brought up your boss. Is that the Sonjoon guy San mentioned in the car?” Wooyoung nodded and shrunk into himself. He expected Seonghwa to be curious at some point, but he would have liked San to be here with him. Probably best to get it over with. He quickly filled the older omega in on mostly all the basics he had already shared with San. The further he got in his story the more acidic Seonghwa’s previously comforting vanilla scent turned.

Unfortunately, the other omega seemed to have follow up questions.

“First of all, Sonjoon is an abuser, and you did not deserve any of that Wooyoung.” That just made him tear up again. It was just so nice to have his feelings validated. It was so nice that Seonghwa seemed so ready to protect him within hours of meeting. This is what Wooyoung would have imagined an older omega figure to be like if he had been lucky enough to have one.

“I will gladly help San in taking him out—oh no need for tears you sweet baby. Come here.”

Seonghwa’s arms around him was not the same as San’s, Wooyoung did not think that anything could feel as good, but it was appreciated, nonetheless. It felt safe and almost parental. Not that Wooyoung would know. His parents died before his third birthday. Still, he would like to imagine this is how his mom might have comforted him.

“Wooyoung, can I ask another question? You don’t have to answer if you think this is too intrusive. I’m just trying to figure out how to help you best. And I guess I am your doctor for now if that’s okay with you.” Another nod. Seonghwa was safe. Seonghwa was good. There was not much competition, so Wooyoung quickly decided that the other omega was his second favourite person. Therefore, he would answer all the questions the man asked him. Easy as that.

“What happened during your heats…did…did he…” Wooyoung quickly figured out where the other was going with this. “No! No, he never touched me like that!” He felt sick just thinking about it.

“Oh thank God,” Seonghwa looked incredibly relieved and walked back to his own seat, but not before squeezing Wooyoung’s arm in reassurance. “I am glad. So as your doctor: are your heats okay? Regular? When is your next one? Just so we are prepared.” Heats were no joke, Wooyoung knew that—in theory.

“Sonjoon never touched me…like that. But I never had my heat. He m-made me go on suppressant shots the second I presented. “Wooyoung knew that this was not his fault. Still, not having had a single heat further added to his believe that he was not a good omega, because good omegas had heats and nests, right?

The new piece of information appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for Seonghwa, he was just staring at Wooyoung, mouth hanging open. Then:

“How could he?!” He seethed. “Not a single one? How old are you?”

“Twenty-two?”

“That’s what? Four years on suppressants?” Wooyoung could only nod. “Is that bad?”

“I don’t know.” The younger whimpered that was not the answer he wanted to hear. “I’ve never met anyone who had been on suppressants that long. It is highly illegal. I’ll do some more research but we’re definitely not giving you any more shots. I’m so sorry, but I can already promise you that your first heat is going to be brutal.

Wooyoung’s mind was racing a mile a minute. He was so scared. The average omega was going through a heat every three months. He never thought about long term effects because it had not been his choice to make in any case. Seonghwa’s words however were scaring him so bad. He should be used to pain but he wasn’t. He did not like it!

His inner omega immediately demanded San. The alpha could make anything better. Wooyoung knew from school that having an alpha helping you through your heat was immensely beneficial. Yet, no matter how much he wanted San in that way, in every way, he could not do this to the alpha. Asking San to help him through his heat if the alpha was not interested in him like that felt dirty to Wooyoung. There was no way he would take advantage of San’s kindness like that.

“Okay,” he addressed Seonghwa. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course, Wooyoungie. You can always come to me with things like that.”

Did he hear that correctly? He remembered: nicknames were for friends. Could this mean Seonghwa wanted to be his friend? He had to ask before he misinterpreted the situation.

“Wooyoungie? Does that mean we can be friends?” The other looked a bit confused as if he did not see the connection.

“Nicknames are for friends.” Wooyoung supplied helpfully and looked at the man across from him expectantly. Realisation flashed over Seonghwa’s face and he was quick to smile and reassure the younger. “Of course we can be friends! You may also call me Hwa or Hyung if you want.”

Wooyoung squeaked. Two friends! In such a short amount of time. Things were starting to really take a turn for the better. He was incredibly proud of himself and wanted Hwa (!) to know how much he appreciated it. “Thank you hyung! I am really happy that you are my second friend after Sannie.”

His words made Seonghwa’s scent sad again, but he did not understand why.

“You are so sweet Wooyoungie. I am sure you will have a lot of friends in no time.” Throwing another smile towards the younger who was preening at the praise, the older man also nudged his bowl closer to him. “And now eat.”

***

After Wooyoung had helped Seonghwa clean up the kitchen, the other disappeared for a few minutes and came back with some black, scentless clothes. Just a simple shirt and sweatpants. “Here you can have this. The whole building belongs to the business, so we always have extra stuff stored in the basem*nt just in case. We can get you your own stuff when the others are back.” Wooyoung held out his arms and took the bundle. At least the clothes appeared to be soft.

“I need to go, but I thought you could take a shower and just do whatever you want, watch TV or something. If San is not back by then I will check on you again for dinner, okay?”

Not okay. Absolutely not okay. He did not want to be on his own in this huge loft. However, he could not really say that. He just had to be brave and suck it up.

A minute after Wooyoung answered in the affirmative, Seonghwa was out of the door.

He tried to be okay with it. He really did. He knew that he should be incredibly grateful to be safe in a luxurious loft instead of being back with Sonjoon. Should be grateful about the food, the hot water that splashed on him in the shower he found in his en-suite, which was the seize of Sonjoon’s kitchen. Should be grateful about being clean and dressed in clothes without holes. Grateful that he could watch TV and just do nothing for once in his life. He really really tried.

He just couldn’t be good. A thought which only send him spiralling further.

Eventually he was just wandering around the apartment, occasionally staring outside the window. He knew that this was normal, people had jobs, but his omega was screaming at the separation from San. It was wrong. The alpha should be here with him. Wooyoung had been surrounded by the other’s scent for the past days and to have it taken from him so suddenly really send him reeling.

He did not realise how much time had passed when Seonghwa came back for dinner. Why was San not here yet? Should he be worried? He asked the older omega as much, but Seonghwa claimed that this was normal. Sometimes things took a bit longer and San should be the least person he should worry about.

Easier said than done.

Wooyoung remembered the promise to himself to not be a burden and pretended to be okay while they ate the food Seonghwa had brought with him. He made small talk to the best of his abilities and found out that Seonghwa and Hongjoong were living one floor down. All the while it felt like ants were crawling underneath his skin. His mind wandered to San’s room continuously. It would be so easy to go there and just get a good whiff to satisfy the craving. No, he had to stay strong.

So, he absentmindedly followed Seonghwa’s recollection of him studying medicine and hoped that San would be here soon. The alpha had promised he would hurry back.

When Seonghwa asked him if he wanted to watch a movie, Wooyoung tried to decline as politely as possible. Claiming he was tired when in fact he simply could not keep face any longer. Alone again he actually went to bed, might as well. It was as comfy as it was cold.

This time when the tears started coming, he had been expecting them. Fat drops wetting the pillow beneath him while his whole body shook with the sobs. What was wrong with him? His mind went back to San’s room repeatedly. No. No bad omega. San did not really want him there. He would prove he could be good. In the midst of his breakdown, he contemplated foraging the rest of the apartment for San’s dirty laundry.

He was still fighting an internal battle when he succumbed to a fitful sleep. Being on edge for hours on end was exhausting.

***

When Wooyoung woke up again he felt like he had been run over by a truck. He did not know what time it was, the middle of the night most likely based on the lack of light outside the windows. Reality came back to him the same second. He was alone in a strange loft and San was still missing. He whimpered and buried further into the blanket. He wanted to go back to the blessed nothingness of sleep.

He did try to re-enter the land of dreams, but his thoughts were back to going a kilometre per minute. Under the cover of the night Wooyoung’s inhibitions lowered and he was simply exhausted. The omega decided to try and find something with San’s scent. It did not have to be something the other had worn. Perhaps a cushion from the couch? Anything was better than nothing. The alpha wouldn’t even have to know; since he said he won’t enter Wooyoung’s room without permission. He could hide his shame.

Upon entering the hallway, Wooyoung immediately noticed the voices echoing from the living room. San was back?! He started running only to stop dead in his tracks a second later. San had not made his return known. Maybe he did not want Wooyoung there or was still dealing with stuff. There were other voices as well. Definitely Hongjoong but also a deeper voice he had never heard before.

Wooyoung was shuffling in place he simply did not know what do to. Bothering San was a legitimate fear but going back to bed without any sort of contact with the alpha made him want to pluck his hair out. He started breathing faster. God he was a wreck.

“Woo? Are you awake sweetheart?” Caught in his internal battle Wooyoung had not noticed that the voices ceased their talking. There at the end of the dark hallway, framed by the light of the living room stood San.

Wooyoung led out a choked sob. He could not do it anymore. Who cares that he was an idiot obsessed with an alpha he just met? Said alpha seemed ready enough to indulge him and Wooyoung was too weak to keep denying himself. Sprinting the last meters he crashed into San’s arms. The alpha did not stumble. He just caught Wooyoung in a tight embrace and allowed the omega to gulp in his scent. All was well again.

Rubbing his cheek against Wooyoung’s head San whispered in his ear. “I missed you.” That did not even begin to cover it for Wooyoung, but he said it nonetheless. “I missed you.”

“My heart, have you been crying? Did Seonghwa do something?” San’s voice was still so incredibly soft. He shook his head. How could he even begin to explain the absolute unproportionable emotions the alpha’s absence had evoked in him?

“Wooyoungie was fine when I left him, I swear.” The omega startled when Seonghwa’s voice came from behind the alpha. Looking over San’s shoulder he realised that he completely forgot the other people in the room. Seonghwa and Hongjoong were there, as well as Yunho, but there was also another tall blond man, a beta based on the scent, standing next to the sofa.

“Does he look fine to you?” San turned with Wooyoung still in his arms so that he could snarl at the older omega.

He needed to speak up because he did not want his friend to get in trouble because of him. “No Sannie. Hwa hyung was really nice. I like him.” San looked at him fondly. Oh how he had missed his handsome face.

The alpha’s expression changed to something more mischievous. “Fine, Seonghwa gets to live. But he is on thin f*cking ice.” He was obviously joking and Wooyoung could not help but giggle at that. It was such a difference to his state a measly thirty minutes ago and Wooyoung was ready to believe San was pure magic.

“Why thank you San.” Came Seonghwa’s dry response from the couch, which was completely ignored by the alpha. He simply nuzzled into Wooyoung’s neck and inhaled deeply.

Wooyoung yawned and San stopped. Nooo.

“How about you go back to bed pup. It’s still early. I’m sorry we woke you up.”

Gone was his fatigue. San wanted him to go back to the cold bed alone! No, no, no there had to be a way to stay with the alpha. Maybe if he was really quite, he could just sit on the couch. They would not even know he was there. However, based on San’s face he could smell Wooyoung’s distress. So much for going unnoticed. The alpha tried to meet his eyes. “What’s wrong? Is your bed not comfortable? Tell me and I will fix it.” He sounded almost as miserable as the omega felt. And Wooyoung was done being strong.

“It smells wrong.” He nearly whispered. “It smells wrong. I need it to smell more like you.” His face felt wet, but he stared back into the alpha’s eyes, imploring him not to judge him too harshly. “If I could maybe just get a shirt or something? I know it’s pathetic but maybe, maybe just a shirt?”

San looked devastated. “My darling, do you want to sleep in my bed? I thought you might want your own because you did not have one before, but I see now that I might have been wrong. Would that be better?” Wooyoung could not believe what he just heard. That was so much better than expected. Yes, yes, yes!

Did San mean what he thought he meant?

“In your bed…with you?” he tried to confirm.

“Yes, I would love to if that is okay with you.” Silly alpha. It was his bed and he was making Wooyoung the happiest omega on earth.

“Yes!” He tightened his arms around the alpha, hugging him in gratitude “Thank you, Sannie.”

“Anything for you, my heart. How about you go ahead and make yourself comfortable? I just need to throw everyone else out, okay?”

With the prospect of getting to sleep with San again, being good was much easier. Wooyoung stepped out of San’s embrace, had enough manners to direct an embarrassed “good night” towards the others and went down the hallway to the door he had been avoiding all day.

Throwing it open the smell was as good as he remembered. Not as good as it was straight from the source of course, but the source promised to be close behind so—details. Carefully lowering himself on the side furthest away from the door Wooyoung crawled under the blanket. Thank God San was not here yet because he outright moaned at the blissful experience. This was what he had been craving all along. His omega finally satisfied.

He pulled the pillow which San obviously favoured towards him, buried his nose into it and was out like a light.

Chapter 10: I'm Special?

Chapter Text

Earlier that evening San had still been seething with poorly contained rage when the group was on their way back to the apartment after having dealt with those who dared to go against him. He hated that he had to leave Wooyoung like that.

At least those snakes had made a good target for his anger. He had used them as a punching bag before letting Yunho step in to really drive the message home. This time Yeosang was the delivery boy for said message which would be delivered to their boss in…parts.

Now on the drive back he felt restless. Was his Woo okay? Seonghwa had texted that everything was fine, but what did his hyung know? Moreover, he did not want his heart to be simply ‘fine’ he needed him exceptionally happy.

Once back at the apartment he ordered Seonghwa, Hongjoong, Yunho and Mingi to stay in the living room. There were still some things to discuss.

Nevertheless, his first priority was finally checking on his omega after hours apart. His alpha had been restless the whole time, he was not sure how he managed to stay away for as long as was necessary. Every cell had screamed that being apart from Wooyoung was wrong.

The alpha came to a stop in front of Wooyoung’s door. He could hear him breathing. All was well. San desperately wanted to see him with his own two eyes but figured that Wooyoung might not agree that San being obsessed with him and his very existence was a good enough reason to disturb his sleep. As a consequence, he needed to be careful and keep the extent of his emotions to himself. It might be overwhelming to the omega, so he needed to go at Wooyoung’s pace.

It took everything in him to turn around and walk back to the living room. The others were silently waiting for him to settle on the couch, since they were already used to his briefings. Mingi was not attending as often as the others but since he was already here San figured he might as well listen.

Resting his elbows on his knees he leaned forward. “All of you belong to my most trusted members therefore I expect you to take this seriously. Wooyoung will stay here, and I expect all of you to protect him with your lives if it comes down to it. Yunho, you will be acting as his bodyguard.”

“Hell no, I’ve got better things to do than playing babysitter for some omega.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do! Protecting you for example. How do you know this is not some elaborate ploy to catch you of guard? Do I need to remind you once again: the guy kidnapped you!” Yunho was on the edge of his seat and more emotional than San had ever seen him. Well, that makes two the alpha thought. He needed Yunho to understand and only years of trust kept him from lashing out.

The other members were wise enough to silently observe from their respective seats.

“Wooyoung, is not out to get me you knothead.” San growled. “Yunho. You can say whatever you want, my decision stands. My alpha has chosen.”

That made the other alpha splutter. “Wha—, this is what this is? You think Wooyoung is what your soulmate or some sh*t?”

Hongjoong decided to speak up. “I think the term you’re looking for is fated mate.”

San, on the other hand did not really care. “It does not matter what you guys want to call it. I intend to court and mate Wooyoung—if he’ll have me.”

“Oh I think that my Wooyoungie is not at all opposed to that.” San chose to ignore the ‘my Wooyoungie’ part and simply hoped that Seonghwa’s amused statement held water.

“If you want to protect me Yunho, you need to make sure Wooyoung is okay first.”

They stared at each other for some time until San could see that Yunho finally finally like actually got it. He was so relieved he let out a breath he did not even realise he was holding. Yunho was his most capable fighter, knowing his omega to be under the other’s protection got a huge weight of his chest

“Thank you.” San was not one to voice his gratitude and one could see it in Yunho’s face. Hopefully, it only further proved San’s commitment to Wooyoung’s wellbeing.

Having the most important part of the conversation out of the way, San leaned back into the couch. The lack of sleep and emotional stress from the day were finally catching up to him. He just needed to get this over with.

“Moreover, I want you to find out everything you can about Wooyoung’s former foster alpha Kim Sonjoon. Mingi you may let Yeosang and Jongho know so they can help but no one else outside this room will hear about Wooyoung or his situation. Understood?”

He let his gaze wander over their nodding faces. Good.

“I want Sonjoon alive. He will pay for what he did.” An involuntary growl started in his chest. “He might have started advertising an unofficial auction for an omega.” Seonghwa sucked in a sharp breath. So Wooyoung had not told his hyung about that. “I want everyone that showed interest.” He would make an example out of every person who even thought about hurting his darling.

Hongjoong was currently trying to comfort his mate, who seemed highly disturbed by the news. So, when the omega spoke up again San already had an inkling that it could not be good.

“San there is something else you need to know concerning Wooyoung’s heats.” Could he mean? No San wished for it to not be true. He believed that Sonjoon had not done that to Wooyoung, but based on what facts? The omega had not said anything. “No, no it’s not that!” Seonghwa was quick to assure him. Thank God. Deep breaths San. His hyung’s face was not helping though. “It’s bad in a different way.”

“Just spit it out and stop beating around the bush.”

“Wooyoung never had a heat. The bastard had him involuntarily on suppressant shots for the past four years. Obviously I won’t give him more, but there is no way of telling when his mating cycle will start up again. San, given your situation you need to be prepared and talk about what you both want to do about that, because one thing is for sure: it won’t be pretty.”

The alpha felt so helpless. What else had Wooyoung endured? His little omega was so incredibly strong, but he shouldn’t have to be, San should have found him earlier. He buried his head in his hands, simply needing a minute to process the new facet to the abuse Seonghwa had uncovered. If he could take the pain away from Wooyoung he would but the heat was something the other had to go through, San knew that. Wooyoung just had to inform him whether he wanted him there or not. Of course, he would have loved to assist the omega through a heat. San could probably come just thinking about a naked and needy Wooyoung begging for his knot, but—not like that. sh*t, they had so much to talk about. He wished he could kill today’s assholes again for stealing his time with Wooyoung.

Speaking of:

“Another thing, Wooyoung cannot know about what it is that we really do. So watch your mouths around him.”

Seonghwa looked like he had a thing or two to say about that, but he could honestly go f*ck himself. San would not risk it. Wooyoung deserved a life free of violence after everything he had endured.

Suddenly, as if speaking of him had summoned the omega, they could hear noises from the direction of Wooyoung’s room. Was he awake? Had he heard anything he was not supposed to? San stood up to investigate.

“Woo? Are you awake sweetheart?” Before he knew it he had his arms full of a quietly sniffling omega. God had he missed him. He needed Wooyoung to know that. This is exactly what he needed after such a day. However, after learning that Woo had been crying about having been cast of to his room alone he was torn between beating himself up about not anticipating the omega’s needs better and being giddy about the fact that Wooyoung was craving his scent just as much as San was craving his. Watching Wooyoung pad down the hallway, hearing his cute feet barefoot on the floor, he was sure he had a lovesick expression.

“You’re really letting him inside your room. I thought this day would never come.” Seonghwa sounded like a proud mother.

It was true that San did not even let housekeeping in there, his father’s lessons embedded to deep, but did his hyung need to point out every single thing. San sighed.

“You may go know. I’ll see you tomorrow at eight.”

“Ugh.”

He did not grace that with another response. They could let themselves out. He had the prettiest man in the world waiting for him in his bed.

San opened the door to his room as quietly as possible and took in the scene before him. Wooyoung seemed to be fast asleep in the middle of the bed, acting as if it was his (it kind of was, San thought, he wouldn’t mind). His dark hair fanned out over the pillow making him look like a little angle. He was that pretty.

After brushing his teeth and changing into his pyjamas, the alpha was lured to the bed by the enticing scent he had been searching out ever since the airport. He really needed to find out what flower it resembled. Having lifted the blanket in order to lie down next to Wooyoung he did not even have to do anything else before the omega crawled on top of him. Wooyoung nuzzled into his neck breathing out a soft “Sannie”.

He never thought a simple nickname could stir up that many emotions inside of him. He closed his arms around the other and made sure he was covered by the blanket.

“My heart.”

Was that? Oh. Wooyoung was purring.

Everyone knew that omegas only purred when they were truly content. It was not something that could be done on purpose.

Wooyoung was a gift that kept on giving, to grant San this honour…it was all a bit much for the alpha and it took him a long time to fall asleep after that, too absorbed in Wooyoung’s existence.

***

The next day, on his way to their headquarters San was in a foul mood. He had slept better than ever but having to extract himself from a certain delicious smelling, warm and extremely clingy omega could put a damper on one’s mood. San could still remember Wooyoung’s sleepy whine of “Nooo. Sannie stay.” And Boy he wished he could. Sleepy Wooyoung was much more vocal about what he wanted, and San loved it.

After he had gotten ready for the day he had stopped by his (their?) bed again to press a kiss to Wooyoung’s head and let him know that he was heading off and would be back in the late afternoon. He carefully left out that the majority of his day was reserved for illegal drug distribution deals.

“Seonghwa and Yunho will take you shopping later okay, pup?” That got him a non-committal hum from the other. Hopefully he was awake enough to remember that part later.

San’s thoughts went back to yesterday evening, and he felt the need to add something. “You can stay in this room and bed however long you want; you know that right? And come back to it whenever too.” San wanted to be as clear as possible. “I like knowing that you’re here. If I can’t be with you, this is the safest place for you to be. Even Seonghwa, Hongjoong and Yunho know that I would skin them alive for entering.” He paused. Wooyoung would probably just assume that was a hyperbole. It was fine.

Looking back at the bundle on the bed Wooyoung had finally opened his eyes and was staring at him. “But I can come to your room?” San chuckled. He should have known that this would be the important part for Wooyoung.

“Yeah, you’re special like that baby.”

“I’m special.” He said it very quietly as if he was testing the words out, looking a little smug. It was so incredibly cute. San could probably watch Wooyoung watch paint dry and be entertained for hours. He was that whipped.

Another kiss to his head and a hit of his scent for the way.

“Yes. Be good, pup.”

Wooyoung nodded and San forced himself to go

Leaving his heart behind was hard.

Chapter 11: A Lesson

Chapter Text

Seonghwa did not really need to be here. He was currently sitting next to his alpha at the table of the ‘office kitchen’ sipping a tea that was still too hot. The building was mostly a front for the illegal activities going on behind scenes, but the omega was often surprised by how many boring meetings the high ranking gang members regularly had to attend. Again, he luckily did not need to be here. He had simply followed his mate to work because he wanted to and had a plan that sat currently wrapped on the counter. Hongjoong was the one truly involved in the business. Seonghwa was usually content being the cliché of a mob wife and patching someone up when necessary.

San was in fact the head of some businesses, so it was not too surprising that he owned a few corresponding buildings as well. Their leader was technically a CEO. However, Seonghwa wanted it to be known for the record that he did not approve of lying to sweet Wooyoungie.

Hongjoong and him were in the process of talking about the omega, still not over the fact that San had found a mate when Yunho walked in and silently sat down at the table.

“So, I gather you think this is a good idea?” Yunho grumbled. He had never been a morning person.

“I think this is an incredible idea.” Seonghwa could not be more enthusiastic. This is what he had always wanted for San, but never thought would be in the cards. He had truly feared that the alpha’s upbringing had broken something inside of him that could not be fixed. But seeing him with Wooyoung…the hopeless romantic in Seonghwa had always believed in fate, love that was meant to be, all of it, but having the proof right in front of him…he was so emotional he reached out for Hongjoong’s hand. He needed something to anchor him. Luckily, his mate was already used to this.

“Haven’t you seen his eyes, Yunho?”

“What, San’s?”

“Yes. After he took over and the whole thing with his father. But ever since he came back with Wooyoung I can see our San in them again. The one we grew up with.”

Moreover, he genuinely liked Wooyoung. The omega in him had immediately recognised the other has someone he should take care of. And in contrast to the others Wooyoung seemed willing to indulge him.

“I truly believe he is good for San.” He left the ‘and for us’ unspoken. Yet, Hongjoong understood, squeezing his hand. His mate knew how desperately Seonghwa wanted them to be a real pack, a family, but San had been hellbent on being a lone wolf—until now.

Yunho looked deep in thought. Seonghwa knew that the other had understood that Wooyoung was here to stay, since San had been very clear on that. Still, Yunho appeared to be on the fence about it. The omega wondered if Yunho himself realised that he was simply worried for his friend (not that he would call San that) and that this was totally normal and did not mean Wooyoung was out to get them. Sometimes he was as emotionally constipated as San. Alphas.

“Yunho-yah, he even lets him sleep in his bed.” Their eyes met. They both knew how significant that was.

“But declaring his intention to mate? That sh*t is forever.”

Seonghwa absentmindedly rubbed the faded scar on his neck.

“When you know you know.”

***

They were used to a rather curt San. That is why Seonghwa was not too surprised that the alpha was even ruder than usual when he finally arrived at work half an hour late and did not even spare them a glance before disappearing into his office and slamming the door. The lower gang members flitting about had instantly bared their necks and scurried of before they could accidentally get in the way of San’s bad mood

“What the f*ck? Why is he even more pissed than usual? Seonghwa you claimed Wooyoung would improve his mood.“ Yunho accused. Rubbing his hand over his face Seonghwa sighed before getting his wrapped up ‘plan’ from the counter. God, he was surrounded by idiots.

“I’m surrounded by idiots.” Sometimes honesty is key.

Proceeding to unwrap the reason why he was here in the first place (apart from his handsome alpha of course) he spoke to Yunho over his shoulder. “Do you see Wooyoung anywhere? No? There you have your answer. Luckily, I brought something to make your workday a bit easier.” Turning around he presented the hibiscus flower he purchased earlier. “You can thank me later.”

“You think a flower is going to help us? A pink one at that?”

“Focus and smell it.”

“Why would—” Yunho took another deep breath. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

Hongjoong walked over to kiss him on the cheek. “My mate is so smart.”

He really was. Upon meeting Wooyoung, Seonghwa had immediately noticed that the most prominent baseline in the younger’s scent was hibiscus. Obviously, it was not a perfect match. No one smelled exactly like one thing, scents were far more complex than that, but this should do the trick.

“Now watch and learn.” He walked towards San’s office and trusted the other two to follow him. He knocked but decided to ignore the growled “No.” which could be heard through the door.

“What part of ‘No’ was unclear to you?”

Instead of an answer Seonghwa put the flower in front of San in the middle of the desk. The moment the scent reached his nose was obvious, the alpha’s pupils dilated, and his own scent lost the angry edge to it. When he started smelling the petals, Seonghwa’s heart squeezed. He looked so young.

“What kind of flower is that?”

“Hibiscus.”

“Hibiscus. I had been wondering…” There was no way that San was aware of the barely-there smile that currently lingered around his mouth. If he knew he would have stopped immediately. But Seonghwa saw it, he knew it was there.

“I need you to order more.”

“More?” Seonghwa did not expect that.

“Yes, hyung. More. I need you to order more for the office and maybe the cars while you’re at it. Can flowers live in cars?” the alpha sounded contemplative as he carefully stroked the plant in front of him.

Now don’t get him wrong, Seonghwa had plenty of experience with whipped alphas. Evidence number one: Hongjoong. But that was a level of excessive he had not anticipated. On the other hand, San had always leaned towards the extreme.

“Suuuure. I can do that.” He quickly exchanged a glance with Hongjoong who apparently also wanted to confirm that they were witnessing the same thing.

“Good. I also need you and Yunho to take Wooyoung shopping later. I can’t leave until we secured the new supply, and this can’t wait. Make sure he gets everything he needs even if he tells you he doesn’t.”

That would be no trouble at all. Seonghwa loved shopping. Yunho seemed less excited, but the omega figured you can’t always make everyone happy.

“No worries, San. I’ve got this.”

Chapter 12: What's Right in Front of You

Chapter Text

Wooyoung was confused. He was currently alone in the loft, exploring the kitchen after eating some breakfast, but opposite to yesterday he was feeling fine. Just confused. He felt like San was sending him some mixed signals there and he was very unsure about his place in all of this.

On the one hand, San had specifically told him that this was his opportunity to use his money for something charitable. Maybe he could even get a tax write-off.

On the other hand, San was really caring towards him in a way that felt personal and even though he had claimed to only use the pet names with him that still did not necessarily have to mean anything. Just because Wooyoung was ‘special’—he blushed thinking about this morning—that did not mean that he was special in the romantic sense. Seonghwa had called him a sweet baby but that was just friendly affection from the older. Yet, Wooyoung couldn’t help thinking that San was special in the romantic sense. He did not have much experience with alphas (read: none), but he knew that he wanted more. San had such pretty lips every normal person would wonder if they were as soft as they looked, tasted as good.

Still, San had never said anything like that or tried to touch him more intimately. Wooyoung’s excuse was that he was shy and inexperienced. San on the other hand was none of those things, the only logical conclusion was that he did not feel the same and Wooyoung needed to get a grip.

Moreover, he needed to make himself useful and prove that letting him stay here was a good idea. He was still trying to figure out the best way to go about that when he heard the door and Seonghwa’s loud “Wooyoungie!”

He rushed over to the entrance where he found Seonghwa grinning and anticipating him with open arms, Yunho one step behind. That was an invitation if Wooyoung ever saw one and he was so touch starved that he would never decline. He quickly hugged the older omega. “Hi hyung. Hi, Yunho.” At least the alpha reciprocated the greeting and looked more welcoming in general.

Seonghwa was currently busy squeezing the air out of him. Wooyoung wondered how quickly he felt comfortable around them. Not just San, Seonghwa too. Obviously, it was much less intense, but it felt a bit like he had been meant to meet them. Fate, if one was silly enough to believe in things like that.

Holding Wooyoung at arm’s length Seonghwa critically scanned him from top to bottom. “Did you eat?” A nod. “Great! We’re going shopping. We need to get you basically everything, so you need all your energy. Chop, chop.”

Before he knew it Wooyoung was wrapped in a borrowed jacket from Seonghwa and on the backseat of another expensive looking car driven by Yunho.

Seonghwa seemed extra bubbly in the seat next to him. “You need clothes obviously, bathroom stuff, nesting supplies..” The list went on and on and for someone who used to own like nine pieces of clothing total and a blanket it was a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, Seonghwa seemed to notice. “Don’t worry Wooyoungie. I’m an expert at shopping. Plus,“ and here he threw Wooyoung a mischievous grin. “using San’s money is the best kind of shopping.”

In the end Wooyoung was really grateful for his friend (his friend!!) who basically did everything, only occasionally checking in about the size or colours. The younger omega really did not care. If his clothes were warm and clean he was happy.

Only at one point when Yunho was already carrying way too many bags, having apparently made his peace with his fate, they were walking past an arts and craft store and Wooyoung could not help being curious. Seonghwa immediately noticed and pulled the protesting omega inside.

“I was just looking I don’t need anything, Hwa.”

“This is not about what you need, but what you maybe want. You could pick up a hobby!” The older looked so happy and Wooyoung wanted to keep it that way.

“Maybe I could draw sometimes?” He said shyly.

He should have known that Seonghwa would take the inch and run a mile with it. Wooyoung thought his comment would lead to a few pencils and a piece of paper whereas Seonghwa seemed hellbent to buy all the painting supplies in the store

Eventually Wooyoung managed to trade him down to a beautiful box with 30 coloured pencils and a block with creamy and thick paper.

It was still way too much. He was sure San had sent them out to buy essentials and he was worried the alpha would not like to find such unnecessary purchases on his card, rich or not. He tried to argue as much with Seonghwa, but the older was adamant. “Nonsense, you could ask for the whole shopping centre if you wanted to.”

Wooyoung would have probably liked to say something to that but was distracted by a sparkly plastic box to his right. There were so many different coloured beads, and they were all so pretty. The box read “DIY Friendship Bracelets” in baby blue font and oooh Wooyoung wanted it so badly. But he couldn’t! Begging for something after he had already gotten so much was not good behaviour and he promised San he would be good.

From his periphery Seonghwa’s hand came into the picture and put the box in their shopping basket without further comment.

“I was just looking. I don’t need—”

“Hush, don’t argue with your hyung.”

Wooyoung threw a desperate look at Yunho. The alpha was not his biggest fan of him, surely he would support the omega in his endeavour to not let the other spend more money on him.

The tall alpha looked slightly out of place with his dark clothes in the bright space of the store and decked out in shopping bags. Yet, he only shrugged his shoulders and answered Wooyoung’s silent plea for help with a non-verbal ‘What can you do’.

Wooyoung was outnumbered and Seonghwa bought the bracelet kit.

***

Back at the loft Wooyoung sat on the couch in the living room carefully unboxing his art supplies and admiring all the details. Yunho stood in front of the big windows watching the rain fall. As quickly as the snow had appeared it was also gone. Nature was odd. Seonghwa walked into the room after organising everything in Wooyoung’s closet. He had been adamant that they needed to let him work in peace.

“The weather outside screams cosying up on the couch and watching a movie. What do you think Wooyoungie?”

“I wasn’t allowed to watch movies after I presented, but before I really liked them.” That earned him a sad look from Yunho as well. The alpha had been more open towards him in general. However, right now he was not even looking for sympathy. He was just stating the facts.

“Great! And do you want to do that alone or would you rather have company?” What a weird question. Wooyoung doesn’t want to be alone.

“Company, please.”

Seonghwa’s smile was a bit unnerving and why was he walking towards the entrance? “Well, unfortunately I have some obligations that can’t wait, but Yunho will keep you company.” When did he put his shoes on? “See you later! And behave.” That last part was definitely directed towards Yunho.

The door fell shut and Seonghwa was gone. What had just happened?

Feeling very confused he looked towards the alpha still standing by the window who carried a similar expression. It took them a second, but Wooyoung could see that they came to the same conclusion: they had been played.

God, this was awkward. The way he interpreted the situation was that this was Seonghwa forcing them to get along. But Wooyoung was not the problem here! He would love to make a third friend, yet Yunho seemed to be the one wary of him. Why was the other not saying anything?

Wooyoung was still sat on the couch surrounded by his new possessions wondering what do to. If Seonghwa thought this was a good plan he could at least try. The omega let his eyes wander, trying to come up with a conversation topic. At least Yunho looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

“Do you like cats?” Everyone liked cats and it had worked with San.

Yunho only looked dumbfounded. “I guess so.”

Okay that was an answer, but also a dead-end. He could have offered Wooyoung a bit more to work with.

The baby blue of the “DIY Friendship Bracelets” caught his eye. Yes!

“What’s your favourite colour?”

“Red?”

Okay Yunho was not a man of many words, but Wooyoung could work with red. He had a plan. If he could only manage to get a friendship bracelet on Yunho’s arm, he officially made another friend without even having to ask. Wooyoung could not help making the mental comparison to handcuffs.

He would friendship-handcuff Yunho and that was final. He could tell that the alpha was San’s best friend—employed bodyguard or not—so he needed Yunho to like him. He could do this.

“So, what movie do you want to watch?”

Chapter 13: Nothing Less and Nothing More

Chapter Text

The only thing that San expected arriving at his loft was seeing Wooyoung again. However, the scene that currently played out in his living room was so absurd he had to do a double take.

The TV was playing and Wooyoung and Yunho were on the couch in front of it—both covered with blankets San did not remember owning previous to this day. The omega seemed to be focussing really hard to thread tiny beads on a string, tongue sticking out and all. What had made San pause though was that the alpha who had killed four men in cold blood without batting an eye just a few days ago, was copying Wooyoung. The only thing that made San believe that this was truly Yunho was the frustrated frown on his face. And was that Ponyo on the screen?!

“This is not working. The beads are broken.”

Wooyoung answered through his giggle. “They’re not broken, Yuyu. Your hands are just too big.”

“Yuyu?!”

“Sannie you’re back!” Wooyoung looked genuinely so excited to see him that his legs luckily worked without San having to do much. Carrying him to the happy omega and kissing his cheek. Wooyoung’s blush was just perfect.

Just as perfect as this opportunity to f*ck with Yunho. San sat down next to his omega and addressed the other alpha with a grin. “So Yuyu, what have you been up to?”

“f*ck off.”

“How about you pup? Did you have fun?” He could see the answer in the omega’s face, but he hoped to get more intel on the whole Yuyu-situation.

“So much! We went shopping but then Seonghwa had to go and Yunho introduced me to Studio Ghibli.” Wooyoung’s next words were dripping in pride. “We’re friends now.”

San felt like the other had skipped a few steps—like threatening Yunho to do this—but he could see the truth in the other alpha’s face. Yunho looked at the omega between them with equal amounts of exasperation and fondness. Wooyoung was just easy to love.

That was something San could relate to.

“Sannie, I think you’ve got chocolate on your shirt or something.”

That was most definitely not chocolate and San could not believe how stupid he had been to come back to Wooyoung with blood on his shirt. Thank God for the omega’s innocent mind.

“Oh yeah, your right. Let me just freshen up a bit and then we can eat. I brought takeout. And Yunho there is some work for you at the office.” He exchanged a knowing glance with Yunho, who nodded once and then proceeded to extract himself from the blankets. “Sorry Woo, we can finish Ponyo another time.” Yunho said while ruffling the omega’s hair who assured him that it was okay.

It was so incredibly bizarre to see the other alpha so…warm and kind. That was probably how Yunho had felt watching him with Wooyoung and San understood now why he had thought something was wrong with his leader. That sh*t was weird—appreciated, since it made his omega smile—but weird.

Making sure that Wooyoung was okay on his own for a few minutes San went to take a shower after Yunho left. In the time it took him to do that Wooyoung had already set the table and prepared everything.

Smiling, San gladly sat down at the place Wooyoung was pointing to. They started eating in silence, but it was not uncomfortable. The alpha noticed that the other was fidgeting a bit, looking like he wanted to say something. Deciding to just wait San put another piece of meat in his mouth. Believe it or not he was a patient man.

“Sannie, I have a question.” He knew it. San motioned for Wooyoung to go ahead.

“First of all, thank you for buying me all those things.” The alpha couldn’t help but smile at that. Seonghwa already updated him, and they had spent such an insignificant amount of money it was seriously not worth mentioning. His omega was so polite.

Wooyoung looked nervous though. “I know you saw the beads and stuff, but I’ve also got some pens and paper. And I just wanted to check with you if that’s really okay?” He rambled on.“ Seonghwa said it was but I wasn’t sure and I thought if I would just tell you up front it would be better than lying because liars get punished and—” San had heard enough.

“Let me stop you right there, pup. First of all, I can imagine where you might have gotten that from, but I will never ever punish you, whether you lied or not.” San was used to violence but the thought alone of hurting Wooyoung made him sick to his stomach.

“Secondly, Seonghwa was right you can absolutely buy whatever you want.” Wooyoung obviously never had the funds to do anything, and he realised once again that he needed to be more specific for the other to truly understand what he meant. “You could spend 5 billion won every day if that’s what makes you happy.”

Maybe San overstated his case with that example. Wooyoung looked like he was having a stroke. “Wha—No, I wouldn’t—too much—Sannie I wouldn’t!” he spluttered out. San just shrugged “That’s okay too. I’m just saying your allowed to.” Deciding to change the subject before Woo got too in his head about it, San thought this was the perfect opportunity to learn even more about the omega.

“You like painting?”

He could tell that Wooyoung knew what he was doing, but gratefully played along “I think so? I mean I’m not very good at it and was not really allowed to do anything like that, but I always just enjoyed the process of making something. Is that silly?”

“No, of course not, pretty.” Oh he blushed so deliciously. “What do you like to paint?”

From there it was easy. Talking about Wooyoung’s inspiration developed into a discussion about some famous paintings into the next topic and the next. Who would have thought that simple words could be so comforting. It wasn’t about the content.

“Oh, before I forget. I got you a phone” San said handing the device to Wooyoung. “My number’s already in there as well as Seonghwa and Yunho’s so you can contact them.”

This was apparently more significant for Wooyoung than San. He stared at the device. “Thank you.” A whisper. “I can text you whenever I want?” He questioned hopefully.

It was so endearing how Wooyoung’s focus wasn’t the fact that he now owned the most expensive phone on the market but rather that he could use it to talk to the alpha some more. As if the hours together were not enough.

“Whenever you want, darling. I would love that.”

***

The next morning they were on the couch cuddling. In order for Wooyoung to see the everlasting rain and the city it was drowning; the omega had agreed to sit with his back to San’s chest. The alpha had no time to enjoy the view since he was extremely busy cataloguing every single detail of their hug. His arms were around Wooyoung—obviously—but the way the smaller was playing with his finger was new. San liked it. It looked like he was studying San’s hands intensely, as if he wanted to make sure he could pick them out in a line-up, whatever situation that might happen in. It was sweet. He was sweet. His scent, that San was finally able to describe as Hibiscus and simply Wooyoung, was sweet. Everything was sweet; life was sweet.

Having Wooyoung warm between his legs was a little bit less sweet because he could feel the omega’s perfect ass against his dick through the layers of fabric. He was trying really hard not to think about it before his body could react in any way—scent or otherwise. Wooyoung had given no indication that he wanted their relationship to progress on a more physical level and especially in combination with the fact that Wooyoung had been having the threat of rape hanging over his head for such a long time, San could wait. And if all he ever did was wait that was fine too. Wooyoung already made him feel better than he ever had simply by breathing.San’s heart was living outside of him, so of course his chest would feel lighter.

Yet right now there was still a possibility that Wooyoung might want to be with him like that at some point and he could not help letting his mind wander a bit. At the end he was just an alpha with pretty omega sitting on his dick. Sue him.

To distract himself and Wooyoung, San decided to indulge himself and kiss the soft skin under Wooyoung’s ear. It was unclear how this was supposed to be distracting instead of adding to the impure thoughts, but what was he supposed to do? The spot was right there next to his face and so close to the scent gland and it was compulsory at this point.

The moment his lips touched the omega’s neck he could feel a shudder going through Wooyoung and his almost imperceptible gasp, which immediately made his co*ck twitch. f*ck who was he kidding that had not been helpful at all.

The door to the apartment opened.

“Wooyoungie? Your favourite Hyung is here to pick you up!”

San groaned. Of f*cking course. Seonghwa just had to come over right now, not even knocking, of course. f*cking co*ckblock.

He made sure to send the older his best murderous glare, channelling all the murder’s he actually committed, as Seonghwa made his way into the living room and stopped in front of their still intertwined forms.

Seonghwa didn’t seem to mind though. In fact, he completely ignored San as if he was just part of the furniture. Instead, he looked at Wooyoung expectantly.

“Wooyoungie, I thought we could do something together hm?”

San wanted Wooyoung to have friends and get along with Seonghwa. He really did. But do they necessarily have to get along while he and Wooyoung are currently busy? Still, he would never tell his Woo what to do. So, San just continued to glare menacingly and wait how it would all play out.

The way Wooyoung tightened his hand on their intertwined ones made him hopeful though that this would end in his favour.

“Hwa Hyung, I like doing stuff with you, but I also like cuddling with Sannie.” He obviously worried how to make everyone happy and started squirming in the alpha’s lap. f*ck, with Seonghwa showing up uninvited San had shortly forgotten about his slowly hardening co*ck and Wooyoung rubbing on it was making it worse. The omega, however, was oblivious to his plight.

“Sannie how long until you have to go to work?” he addressed the alpha over his shoulder.

“Never, I quit.”

“Choi San stop f*cking lying. I know you have another meeting today where your presence is very much needed!” Seonghwa was only a few years older than San why did it always feel like he was a teenager getting scolded?

“That’s still hours away! You can spend time with him when I’m gone. I’m not done yet.” He pouted and tightened his arms around a giggly Wooyoung. One of his favourite’s

“No, I’m already here. Surrender my baby!” The older omega uncrossed his arms and pointed at San, who only pouted harder and snuggled into the happy omega. “He is my baby not yours, right baby?”

“He is already your sweetheart and pup.” Seonghwa pointed out.

“And heart.” Wooyoung piped up. How could someone be so cute?

You could see how affection and frustration were fighting to be displayed on Seonghwa’s face. Affection obviously won. The omega was as wrapped around Wooyoung’s finger as the rest of them.

“Yes, and your heart so he can be my baby!” Seonghwa pouts.

San was just about to say that Wooyoung is his everything and he does not share when he saw something in the other’s eyes that made him pause. There was something there that reminded him that this meant something completely different for Seonghwa. An outlet for his omega’s desperate craving to nurture, one he never thought he’d have.

“Fine. He can be your baby too.” He cannot believe he actually said that. “But I am not letting him go.” Better. “You can stay here with us.” Based on Wooyoung’s scent he is very much on board with all of this

“We could all watch a movie together. Oh, I know I can text Yunho if he wants to come and then we can watch Ponyo.” Wooyoung seemed very much excited by the prospect of it all, looking for his phone he rolled around as if San was his personal playground. The alpha just let it happen.

Meanwhile Seonghwa had sat down next to them, apparently fine with the plan as well. “Wooyoungie we can watch Ponyo without Yunho too. I have a Netflix account too you know?”

Looking up from his phone, Wooyoung scrunched his nose very seriously and it was so adorable San could scream. “Hyung, we started the movie together and if I keep watching without him he’ll be upset.”

San could not help thinking that Yunho would not give a single flying f*ck and Seonghwa looked sceptical as well. “Right. I very much doubt that.”

“He’s coming! He’ll be here in 15 minutes.” Now Wooyoung just looked smug with his phone held up and displaying Yunho’s answer. “I told you Hyung.”

When Yunho arrived ten minutes later, he sat down on the unoccupied side of the couch and immediately threw a spare cushion at Seonghwa, who shrieked. “What was that for you brat?”

“Wooyoung said you wanted to watch Ponyo without me.” He accused. “How f*cking dare you!” He was clearly putting on a show for the younger omega, there was no way Yunho actually cared, San knew him too well. However, Wooyoung was laughing a high-pitched genuine laugh, so it was clearly working, which in turn meant that San approved. Maybe he should give Yunho a raise too.

Once everything had calmed down and Wooyoung had ensured that everyone was covered by a blanket, him sharing one with San of course, they could finally start watching Ponyo. Their cuddling position had changed a bit with Wooyoung now snuggling into San’s side and covered by his arm.

With such major distractions in the way San could honestly say that he had no clue what was happening on the screen. He busy admiring Wooyoung’s eyelashes when Yunho spoke up. “Is he…asleep?”

San smiled and deemed it best to whisper “Yeah, has been for the past twenty minutes, I think. He’s so cute look at the little scrunch his nose does.” The alpha had of course immediately noticed when Wooyoung fell asleep, he was too attuned to his scent to miss it mellowing out like that.

“Dude, seriously?” Yunho was at least whisper-yelling. “If you could stop making heart eyes at him for like two seconds you would realise that we were just sitting here watching Ponyo for no good reason!”

Huh, now that he mentions it. It’s true they were all only watching it for Wooyoung and with him asleep there was no need to continue. As an answer San used his free arm to pause the movie on the screen. Yunho only snorts and San decides to use the opportunity.

“Seonghwa hyung, did you know that he lets Wooyoung calm him Yuyu?”

“Yuyu!?” Seonghwa found this new piece of information exactly as ridiculous as expected, but his laugh is immediately shushed by the other two. Wooyoung was beginning to stir with the loud noise, and no one wanted to wake the omega.

Since this had worked in the past San covered Wooyoung’s neck with his free hand and started slowly rubbing. The omega’s breathing calmed down and San and the others relaxed.

Only to tense up again when a purr started in Wooyoung’s chest.

“Oh” that was Yunho who sounded stunned. “He is purring.” He apparently felt the need to point out.

“Oh, he is so precious.” Seonghwa coos. Another omega could probably understand the significance of Wooyoung’s purr on a different level.

San himself felt like a pile of goo on the couch, having his pretty omega purr in his arms was peak existence.

“We can’t let anything happen to him.” Yunho sounded close to a growl.

San only smiled. Of course he would not let anything happen to his heart. Nothing was more important than him. Still, it was nice to have the other’s feel even a fraction of his devotion. Wooyoung deserved it.

Chapter 14: Breaking Two Hearts in One Go

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Wooyoung got used to living in the loft. It had been nearly two weeks since the cabin and they developed a routine of sorts even though San worked the weirdest hours. Sometimes he stayed home the whole day and other times he came back in the middle of the night. It was very strange indeed, but Wooyoung had never met another CEO so what does he know?

If San was needed at work, Yunho or Seonghwa and occasionally Hongjoong kept him company. They went out to eat ice cream or go for a walk on a few occasions but only if Yunho was available since San had made it very clear that he should not go wandering around without security. It seemed that Sonjoon was harder to get a hold of than San had expected. The alpha had apologised to Wooyoung time and time again, that he had yet to fulfil his promise to him.

The omega did not mind though. First of all, because he had expected it and secondly, because for the first time he really enjoyed just living. The loft saturated with San’s scent made him feel incredibly safe; he honestly did not want to go out more. He got to be lazy and take naps whenever he wanted and for someone who had been sleep deprived since he was a preteen it felt like a dream come through. Moreover, the DIY bracelet kit kept him occupied for hours as well as the pens (he had yet to show anyone his drawings).

However, the best part was when San was not needed at work. Then he was home with him and Wooyoung felt like floating. Apart from the fact that San was always touching him in some way or another, he had also learned that the alpha was incredibly smart and funny if he wanted to be. Being with San was Wooyoung’s favourite past time.

He was honestly so glad that San was such a cuddly person, because it lessened his guilty conscience about taking permanent residence in the alpha’s bed. Sleeping in his own was unfathomable, but if San apparently needed as much human contact as Wooyoung did it was okay, right?

With a heavy heart Wooyoung avoided thinking about who had gotten to be San’s personal teddy bear before him—or even worse who still got to touch him in other ways. Whenever San came back in the middle of the night Wooyoung feared that this would be the day when he smelled someone else on the alpha. He knew he had no right—absolutely none—to feel this way, but that day would shatter his heart irreparably.

It has not happened yet, but Wooyoung was not naïve enough to think San was not getting his needs met somewhere. The alpha was too attractive to not have someone, he probably just showered afterwards. Swallowing his tears whenever he was alone and thought of it, he tried to convince himself that he was fine as it was. He could do this. He would not f*ck it up.

He had been dangerously close the day San had kissed his neck on the couch. Thank God for Seonghwa because Wooyoung was convinced that if his friend had not distracted him he would have started leaking slick all over San’s couch.

It was all Wooyoung’s fault because it was obvious the other had not meant anything by it. Seonghwa sometimes gave him a friendly peck on the head as well and Wooyoung showed no reaction.

San had kissed him so high up his neck it basically was the head. Just imagine giving someone a friendly kiss and being thanked with a slick stain on your ridiculously expensive couch and general embarrassment. Poor Sannie.

Currently Wooyoung sat on his own bed in his own room trying to clear his head from all of this. Staring at the wall he thought about what he should do with his day. Wooyoung was still hellbent on being useful and he had done basic cleaning ever since he arrived. Moreover, he had asked Yunho to help him with groceries and started cooking for San. It seriously was no bother at all. San made sure to praise him exceedingly and seemed to genuinely appreciate the meals. Being useful made Wooyoung feel better about all of this. He knew he was here because San wanted to use his money for good, but he still felt the need to thank the alpha somehow

San probably won’t be back for a while so he thought he could just vacuum, take a quick nap and then get started on dinner. The nap would have to be in San’s room of course. His was nice to get his thoughts in order because he was less distracted by the alpha’s scent, but sleeping without it? Absolutely not. There would come a day were San will find a mate and Wooyoung would need to leave. He understood. He would not want his mate to live with another omega, friends or not, either. So, he wanted to make the best of it while he could.

The nesting supplies were still neatly stacked all around him on the bed the same way they had been ever since his shopping day with Seonghwa and Yunho. He let his hand skim over the blankets. They were so incredibly soft. Wooyoung had never felt anything like it.

He sighed. The omega knew that San was wondering why he had not built a nest yet. Once even outright asking why Wooyoung hadn’t. He had only given an elusive answer at the time and San, being the gentleman he was, had not brought it up again, probably thinking Wooyoung was still unsure about the whole process since this would be his first nest.

In fact, it was the complete opposite. Wooyoung knew exactly what he had to do. They were right it was instinctual. This blue blanket would be the base and then the one right next to it would go towards the end of the nest, framing the pillow he was currently leaning against. He knew exactly what to do. However, his inner omega was stubborn when it came to step one. But Wooyoung could not do step one. Step one was building the nest in San’s bed.

No matter the restlessness inside him, that was a line he was not willing to cross. Building a nest in an alpha’s bed was for mates. And since whishing things into existences has never worked before for Wooyoung, he would have to suck it up. He never had a nest before. Can’t miss what you never had. (Lies).

The pillow that was meant for the top right corner of his nest was perfect for screaming his frustration into.

Putting everything back into neat stacks Wooyoung went to get the vacuum.

***

A clattering sound woke Wooyoung up from his nap. He wearily lifted his head from where he had it pressed into San’s pillow. Was Sannie back yet? Considering the time, it was way too early for that.

The sound of the vacuum made Wooyoung freeze. Was he still sleeping? Maybe his earlier cleaning activities had followed him into his dreams. He pinched himself under the blanket. Nope no dream. But even if San was back early, he would not vacuum. Wooyoung’s heartbeat picked up. What if it was a stranger?

There had never been anyone in the loft without San introducing them. The only thing keeping Wooyoung from a full-blown panic attack was the rational part of his brain telling him that people who broke into apartments and meant harm to the people in it would not start vacuuming beforehand.

The bed left behind Wooyoung started tiptoeing towards the door. He could be brave. Opening it and stepping into the hallway the omega paused. There was a girl, beta by the scent of it, vacuuming the floors Wooyoung just finished an hour before. She had his back to him and did not notice the dumbfounded omega at first. However, once she had turned around and they made eye contact her expression turned furious. Wooyoung had no idea what was going on. Why was a strange beta vacuuming the floors?

Their eyes met. “What the f*ck are you doing here?” Wooyoung should have asked the same question.

She abandoned the vacuum and advanced on him, caught in his stupor he could not do much except instinctually take a step back, closing the door to the bedroom on accident. He was backed against it, essentially trapped. The beta finally stopped with an accusatory finger raised. She was way too close for comfort.

“What are you doing in that room? It’s of limits and I would assume you knew that! Oh, don’t pretend you’re innocent with that wide eyes. f*cking answer me!”

“H-he said I-I could be in there.” Wooyoung was genuinely scared. The how and why of the girl being here ceased to matter and he could only see her anger and raised hands. This is how Sonjoon used to start as well.

“Stop lying you bitch! I’m not even allowed to clean in there and you want me to believe that such a pathetic little omega can just come and go as he pleases?” A drop of her spit landed on his cheek. Whimpering Wooyoung tried to make himself as small as possible.

“Now tell me how did you get in here?!”

“S-Sannie said I’m s-s-special and can—” he started to hyperventilate. If he had been a bit calmer, he could have figured out that this is not what the girl wanted to hear, but her uncalled-for explosion, going from calm to hatred in a minute triggered too many of Wooyoung’s memories. He had learned his lesson. Good omegas answer questions truthfully and in turn good omegas get hit less.

“Special? You?” By now Wooyoung had sunk to the floor, crying too much to keep himself up against the wall. The girl was hovering over him clearly uncaring about the distressed omega. “Why the f*ck would he let someone like you in there if he could have me?”

Even through his panic attack that made sense to Wooyoung. The girl was definitely prettier than him and even though she was a beta, it was not unheard of. She basically just voiced what he had been thinking all along. San should be with someone like her. Someone who was not a pathetic mess on the floor. Maybe he had been with her already and that is why she was so angry with him. The thought only made cry him harder. Today was the day San would get rid of him.

“Not, not like that he does not like me like that.” He got out through his sobs. “Please, don’t—” he was not sure what he was going to beg for, but an animalistic growl stopped his pleading.

He needed a second to fully comprehend the scene before him everything happened so fast. Through his tears he could see that San had the beta girl pressed against the wall, hands around her throat, the muscles in his arms bulging with the force he was using to choke her. Her face was already turning a different colour. Perhaps Wooyoung was lucky and San did not like her after all. Hongjoong was next to him screaming and trying to pull the alpha’s hands away from the beta’s neck.

“San! San stop it! You cannot do this here! Wooyoung is watching!” No matter how hard Hongjoong pulled San did not budge and the beta’s choking sounds seemed to lessen. “San you cannot do this in front of him! Look at him he is crying!”

San inclined his ear the tiniest bit in the direction of the omega’s continuous sobs. A few more seconds passed, but the sounds finally got through his haze. He loosened his grip on the beta’s neck who fell to the floor.

The alpha dropped to the floor next to Wooyoung and tried to pull him into his arms like they have done many times before. The omega was having none of that. He was still too much in his head, the beta’s words to fresh in his mind. He flailed his arms.

“No, no, no, no.” He could taste his own tears, reminding him that crying was useless and he still did it every time.

“Sweetheart what happened? Let me help you.” San sounded close to tears himself. His hands were still raised as if he wanted to appease a frightened animal.

“No, no, no.” He couldn’t pretend anymore. He thought he could, but he couldn’t. For a second he had thought San would make him leave for the beta and even if he had been wrong this time another will come. “No, no, no.”

“Woo, hey breath my darling. You need to breath. Let me hold you please.” The alpha’s voice broke. “I am so sorry you had to see that. I would never hurt you, my heart.”

Wooyoung tried to bury further into the door. His sobs turned even more desperate. “No, no, no you don’t like me like that. You don’t like me like that.”

“Like what? Like you like what? What do you mean?”

“She is right. I’m not,” Hicks. “not special and you will leave me. And I thought I could do it, but I can’t.” Might as well be honest now there was no way he could go back to pretending. He could figure this out when San was gone. “I’d rather get it over with now. It hurts s-s-so bad.”

San sounded like his heart was breaking but that was probably only Wooyoung’s echo. “No, no, Woo I would never leave you. Why would you ever think that? You’re my omega; that is forever.”

Oh, San was cruel. Wooyoung did not know he could be so cruel. Comforting him out of kindness was one thing but this was just mocking him.

“I know I’m not; you don’t have to lie to me. You don’t have to be nice anymore I can’t take it.” Wooyoung should be out of tears by now. In front of him San was nearly shouting. “What are you talking about!?” Then quieter, “Do you not want to be mine?” He looked so small and in spite of everything he could not stand seeing San so dejected.

“Of course I want to be your omega” he cried. “But you don’t want me and that’s okay.” He tried to smile. Be brave for San.

“I want you more than I want my next breath. Wooyoung there is nothing that I want more than you!” He took a deep breath and dared scooting a bit closer towards Wooyoung so the omega could see his watery eyes. “And it kills me that you apparently don’t know that. I thought I had been clear enough…”

Wooyoung did not know how to feel. San…wanted him….like that?

“What did you think we were doing here, pup?”

“I, I thought you just wanted to help me because you have the means and that all the cuddling was just because you like it in general.” His tears had calmed down a bit. Shock can do that to a person, but he still sounded so tiny.

“Wooyoung, can I touch you?” The omega just nodded dumbfounded, and San took his hands in his. “Listen to me very carefully, can you do that?” Another nod. “You are not here because I have a lot of money and I don’t touch other people. I don’t like touching other people. I like touching you. You are special I meant every word I ever said to you.”

Wooyoung needed a second to process the new information. San only touched him? That was too good to be true. He remembered every hurtful thought he ever had.

“What about the other omegas?”

“What other omegas?!” San looked genuinely confused.

“When you come home late do you not...” He had to look away, was too embarrassed and too scared to see the confirmation in San’s eyes. “…you know spend time with an omega?”

He felt careful hands turning his head towards the alpha who looked broken, in lack of a better word. “Woo, you thought that every time I came home late at night that I had been with someone else? And that I dared to come back to our bed?”

A tiny nod as much as the hands still cradling his head allowed. San closed his eyes “God, I’m such an asshole. Come here” he proceeded to pull Wooyoung into his lap. “When I am working late, I truly am just that. Ask Seonghwa or Yunho they would never lie to you. Hell, they would castrate me for doing that to you. But you have to believe me I don’t want anyone else. You consume my every waking thought. I would rather cut my own hand of than touching anyone else.”

Wooyoung was back to crying. “Really?”

“Really my love. I see now that I should have been clearer with you. I am so sorry I failed you.”

“No Sannie you don’t need to apologise.”

“Yes I do. But I plan to be better. So, Jung Wooyoung, just so there are no more misunderstandings in your pretty little head: I want to properly court you, will you let me?”

Wooyoung sucked in a breath. He could not believe it. San felt as warm and solid as always beneath him but there was no way, right? He needed to confirm.

“I’m not here because you feel obligated?”

“No sweetheart. I want you here.”

“I’m not an investment for your money?” he choked out.

“No, of course not. But that does not mean I don’t want to spoil you rotten” San tried to lighten the mood with a wink, but Wooyoung was too busy processing all of it.

“I’m n-not a charity case? You actually like me?” San pressed their foreheads together so they could breath each other in. So Wooyoung could smell San’s sincerity. “So much. I like you so much.”

With another sob Wooyoung threw his arms around the alpha and buried himself in his chest.

Chapter 15: All Yours

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Oh, San had f*cked up big time. All the metaphors about feeling one’s heart bleeding or hurting it in any way came to his mind and for the first time he felt their accuracy. Wooyoung was his heart and he had crushed it self-handedly

Carding his hand through Wooyoung’s hair and massaging his neck, he was stunned how quickly the day had turned south. He had been so excited to come home early, but as soon as him and Hongjoong had entered the apartment and he had heard the despicable beta’s words, smelled his omega’s fear it was over. He would have killed her without remorse, probably still would. Where his housekeeper, who he honestly forgot even existed, had taken the audacity to threaten his future mate in their home was beyond him.

Still, he was glad that Hongjoong had disappeared with her unconscious body so he could focus on Wooyoung. His darling did not need to see that.

I’m n-not a charity case? You actually like me?

The other’s words were echoing in San’s head while the omega was sobbing into his chest. He could probably cry too seeing his heart so overcome by sadness and knowing he was the cause of it. It hurt so bad. He would do better for Wooyoung, he had to.

He should have known that Sonjoon’s abuse had left the omega with enough mental scars to doubt his place by San’s side. But hearing that Wooyoung thought San was f*cking other people only to than come back to their bed…He could only imagine what the other was going through. If the roles had been reversed and it had been him who could only lie their imagining Wooyoung being pleasured by someone else. Taking them inside him, letting them kiss the pretty mole on his lips which San had excessively jerked off to just this morning in the shower. He could not fathom how Wooyoung did not turn insane. He would have started killing people.

Right now, San did not have the time to contemplate things like that though. Wooyoung should not be on the floor any longer. He would specifically allocate time to beat himself up over this. Right now he needed to take care of Woo.

The omega seemed calmer but still too catatonic for San’s liking. So he spent the evening swaddling him in blankets, feeding him and trying to reassure him with simple touches. By the time they went to bed, calling it an early night, Wooyoung looked more like himself, although he still clung to San as if the alpha might disappear on him.

They had been cuddling for some time, stuck in their own heads, simply witnessing the other’s breaths, when Wooyoung spoke up again.

“Sannie, I have another question.” That sounded serious so San tried to sit up more and meet Wooyoung’s eyes. The omega had other planes, trying to hide his face under San’s chin. “It’s embarrassing. I can’t look you in the eyes while asking.”

Huh, okay. San hummed while letting his hand wander over Wooyoung’s spine to show the other he was listening.

He could feel him take a deep breath. “You claim to want me like romantically and stuff, right?” The way he pronounced it, San felt like ‘and stuff’ was the important part here.

“Yes.”

“If that’s true, why have you never like…tried anything? I’m not saying you’re lying! I just thought because you’re always so self-assured that if you wanted to anything you would.” The whole thing was murmured so silently that San had trouble hearing him correctly. The sadness of the sentence was louder than the content. Talk about kicking a man while down. San really thought he was doing the right thing by keeping the extent of his feelings to himself. But how to explain this to Wooyoung?

“I am so sorry I made you feel unwanted my darling.” A kiss to his head. “With your past I did not want to overwhelm you. I want to go at your pace.”

A non-committal hum, the omega seemed to be deep in thought.

“Do you not believe me?”

“It’s just hard to do. I spent the past weeks thinking you see me as a friend or like a house pet. You suddenly thinking the same way as I do is a lot to wrap my head around.”

Thinking the same way? Does that mean his little omega had been thinking about ‘stuff’ as well? sh*t, he knew how his next shower was going to go.

“Woo, I’ve spent the past weeks thinking about kissing your perfect lips. I’m obsessed with that little mole here.” Wooyoung still had his head on his chest, but San traced his jaw until he found his lower lip. A feather-light touch. He knew exactly where it was. There were pressed so closely together that San could feel Wooyoung’s heart accelerate. But the thing that send shock waves through his system was the sensation of Wooyoung kissing the fingertip in front of his mouth, barely there.

“What else? What else have you been thinking about?” Did the alpha imagine it or did Wooyoung sound almost eager? He wanted to give him everything but how much of his depraved mind would be too much?

“I don’t want to be too explicit and scare you of sweetheart.” He tried carefully. “I was not lying when I said I think about you excessively and sometimes those thoughts are a little bit...less pure.” There, that was a good way to phrase it.

This time it was Wooyoung tightening his arms around him. “Tell me, Sannie. I think I want to know. Please.” If Wooyoung makes a direct request he does not think he was physically able to deny him. But maybe he should start small.

“I jerk off thinking about you.” Wooyoung sucks in a breath. “…every day.” San adds. If he was going to be honest might as well do it right.

“Really?” The omega sounded fascinated. He just confessed basically rubbing his dick raw and Wooyoung acted as if he told him an exciting fun fact. It was cute. Cute and hot.

“What do you think about?” The others voice was lower than usual, he probably did not even notice it. But San did and coupled with his usual fantasies the question summoned it was a lot. Because usually he had to imagine Wooyoung’s scent, his body. Yet, in this moment he was right there.

“Do you really want to know, pup?”

“Yes.” He smelled eager.

“I think about making you come on my co*ck. On my fingers. On my tongue.” f*ck he can imagine it so clearly

“On your tongue?” It appeared that this was a new concept to Wooyoung.

“f*ck yeah, with the way you smell I just know your slick would be delicious. Would be eating you out all day if I could.” His co*ck war rock hard by now. San could only hope Wooyoung was distracted by his confession, because with the way they were lying the omega’s face was turned directly towards the tent under the blankets. The words were spilling out of him now.

“Think about knotting you.” He grunted out. “f*ck I just know that would feel so good. Never thought I would knot someone, but I just know that feeling you so tight around my co*ck would make me come so hard.” This was such sweet torture. San put all his focus on not moving his hips to get some friction on his aching dick.

Which is probably why he missed Wooyoung’s shocked gasp.

“You’ve never knotted someone? I would be your first?” The omega had gotten of his chest and was now hovering over his side. Looking at him with glimmering eyes.

“Yes pup, only you.” San groaned. He could smell the spike in Wooyoung’s arousal. The omega wanted to be knotted by him, got off on being the only one. San was so glad he never went there with meaningless hookups. Only Wooyoung deserved it. The need to wrap a hand around himself flared up again. Thank God for the blanket or else Wooyoung would be able to see the stain from his precome that was undoubtedly visible on his sleep shorts.

Looking at Wooyoung’s face only intensified everything. The omega looked a bit hazy. When he let out a tiny whimper San couldn’t help himself. A trust, just one tiny trust upwards. Wooyoung had asked him to talk, nothing else. He needed to focus.

“Sannie, you smell so good.” It looked like Wooyoung was starring at his neck. As if hypnotised he leaned in slowly. More talking to himself than San. “I just want…a taste.” sh*t, he could feel the omega’s warm breath on his neck. The hand still on Wooyoung’s back grabbed the shirt involuntarily.

“Just…a tiny taste.” And then he licked him. Not a tiny kitten lick as San expected, but a broad stroke covering his whole neck and it was warm and wet and nearly turned San feral. He moaned and matched the sound coming out of Wooyoung’s throat. f*ck, can someone come just from this? His dick hurt so bad.

“Woo, you need to tell me what you want” He was breathing heavily. “Is this the pace you want?” San quickly sat up before his alpha took over and he started grinding on Wooyoung. They hadn’t talked about this.

Wooyoung was looking up at him from the sheets, hair splayed out and scent heavy with arousal and San was really going through it. The sudden loss of contact seemed to be enough to clear his head a little bit. San could see the horror spreading over his face.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry! I should have asked! Or not done that at all, I don’t know what came over me.” Wooyoung covered his face, hiding from San. In turn, the omega’s change in scent helped to clear San’s haze as well.

“Ssh, you’re okay, pup, I loved it. I hereby give you explicit verbal consent to do whatever you want to me. I’m asking for you. You need to tell me how you want this to go.”

At least his words got Wooyoung to look at him again. The face that was revealed to San looked torn and unsure. “I—I—”

“Take your time. There’s no rush.” San tried to reassure him. When Wooyoung got into a seating position as well, he scooted back on the bed to give him some space. Wooyoung however was having none of that and pulled San’s hand into his lap where he proceeded to play with it. The alpha tried to reign in his happy reaction to such a brave action from his omega, so as too not to disturb the other who appeared to be deep in thought.

He was content to watch him like that.

Wooyoung’s decision was quick though. It took him a minute and a deep breath.

“I think…I want to wait.” San immediately started nodding to signal that this was totally fine. “It’s just I never thought I would have this, and I think it would be nice to cherish every first instead of diving right in. I thought maybe we could also go on a date? I always wanted to do that, is that silly?” He looked like he just confessed a great crime when he posed his question, when it was San who had f*cked up. Admittedly he had never spared a single thought to the whole dating and courting business, but with a clearer head he feared that it was common sense to take your omega out on a date before nearly dry humping them into the mattress.

“It’s not. Going slow sounds perfect. I’m an idiot, Woo. I’ll take you on a date.” He smiled at him. “I would love to.

Wooyoung still looked sceptical, but at least he was meeting San’s eyes. Oh nevermind, he was pack to starring at San’s hand in his lap.

“Do you think I’m mean for making you wait?”

“No, you are so perfect, so good you could never be mean, my heart. Such a good omega.” San had learned even before this day what praise meant to Wooyoung, the blush on his face was beautiful. It reminded him that his dick apparently did not get the memo concerning the taking it slow thing. It was still achingly hard, and San feared that it would refuse to go down on his own. Now it was his turn to be embarrassed.

“Do you mind if I go to the bathroom really quick?” For a moment Wooyoung looked confused as if he did not get why San decided to change the topic. However, following the alpha’s gesturing hand, Wooyoung realised that this was very much on topic.

The omega sucked in a breath and basically stared at San’s barely concealed hard on. This was not helping at all. Having Wooyoung so unashamedly fascinated with the physical prove of his arousal made his co*ck twitch—like actually visibly twitch.

Wooyoung squeaked in shock. San’s groan was half embarrassment half pain. “I’ll be quick, okay?” Embarrassingly quick. This would take nothing at all.

The omega only nodded while still starring at the alpha’s lap as if it would attack him. Leave it to Wooyoung to be funny and cute in such a situation.

“Thanks, pup.” Leaning forward San pressed a quick kiss to Wooyoung’s cheek and proceeded to untangle himself from the blankets.

In the bathroom he was finally free to give into the urges. Standing in front of the sink shoved his pants down as quickly as possible. His angry red co*ck out in the open was better but still not enough. His left hand gripped the porcelain while his right closed around his aching co*ck. Having waited long enough he jerked off with fast strokes all the while thinking about Wooyoung’s scent, Wooyoung pressed on him, Wooyoung’s tongue on his neck all wet and warm, how the tongue would feel in other places…

San came into the sink with a grunt. Less than a minute. He himself was surprised by the amount of cum he pumped out and his inner alpha lamented the waste. That should be inside Wooyoung right now…his softening co*ck gave a valiant twitch. In response San used his clean hand to slap his face. He got this.

After he had washed his hands, San went back to the bed were Wooyoung was under the blanket and red as a tomato. San laughed, it’s not Wooyoung who should be embarrassed. Sliding in behind the omega he pulled Wooyoung towards his chest, nuzzling his neck. Wooyoung couldn’t see it put San smiled when the smaller grabbed the alpha’s hand. They fit so perfectly.

“Sleep, my heart. You’re safe with me.”

“I know.”

His Heart Cherishes Firsts - brialle (2024)

Chapter 1: If I Had a Heart to Give

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Chapter 2: But I Am Alive Now

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Chapter 3: I Go to Seek a Great Perhaps

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Chapter 4: Slowly and Then All at Once

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Chapter 5: Alpha and Omega, Beginning and

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Chapter 6: The Chances Are Small But Never Zero

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Chapter 7: It's Rarely Real But When It Is

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Chapter 8: I Would Do Anything

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Chapter 9: My Heart

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Chapter 10: I'm Special?

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Chapter 11: A Lesson

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Chapter 12: What's Right in Front of You

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Chapter 13: Nothing Less and Nothing More

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Chapter 14: Breaking Two Hearts in One Go

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Chapter 15: All Yours

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