Chapter Text
The tension in the air was palpable as Chanyeol practically dragged Sehun to their bedroom. He had a million thoughts all at once and each one seemed to ricochet off his fear. Once Sehun had crossed into the threshold of their room, Chanyeol locked the door behind them and it inflated the bubble of panic in his chest.
He stood rooted to the spot and racked his brains for a reasonable excuse to leave but the determined way in which Chanyeol was preparing to sleep intimidated the words out of his throat. Of all the times the stupid alpha had chosen to be stubborn why did it have to be when Sehun was sloshed. He could barely resist Chanyeol and the pheromones he exuded when he was sober but to do it while he was intoxicated was torture.
What if Sehun groped the alpha?
What if he woke up with a boner?
What if he cuddled him?
The what ifs kept flooding in and Sehun's knees wobbled unsteadily. Try as he might he couldn't fathom why his husband had insisted on him sleeping here tonight when Sehun had refused outright. Did he think if left unsupervised Sehun would make a run for it at the thought of his parents coming over?
Sehun and Chanyeol were good at charades, so good that none of their friends and relatives suspected that the couple were not exactly the portrait of marital bliss like everybody presumed.
Of course brushing a stray lock of hair behind his ear, pulling his chair out for him, holding his hand as they crossed the street and the the little things he did to take care of the omega went a long way in convincing them. Sehun had a hard time reminding himself that it wasn't true given how persuasive Chanyeol could be.
It made him wonder if his husband had ever done these things simply because he wanted to and not because he had to. If those actions were begotten from love, not obligation and his chest ached. He had no right to feel that way. Chanyeol had said as much in not so many words yet here was, jealous of his husband's ex lovers for having a part of him that Sehun didn't and probably never would.
Sehun reluctantly gets on the farthest edge of the bed not caring if he fell off. Actually he wished he'd fall off, that way he could be sure he wouldn't do anything to Chanyeol by forcing his usually well hidden desires onto him. He creates a makeshift wall of pillows between them, just in case and hears Chanyeol scoff in disbelief.
"Why?"
"I don't want to be that pervert who preys on innocent men while they're sleeping" Sehun whispered to himself and ducked under the covers.
He rouses to the shrill sound of the alarm by his husband's nightstand and wondered if the man had a kingdom to run or a war to wage that he insisted on waking at the ass crack of dawn every single day. He grumbled at the disturbance and nuzzled into his pillow to tune out the noise. He had nothing to do this early in the morning so he was counting on sleeping in for as long as possible. But no. Chanyeol's stupid alarm had to ruin it.
"Shut it off for the love of God" Sehun groaned loudly.
"I would, if you weren't practically smothering me with your hands and legs" Chanyeol sounded exasperated.
Sehun's very bones seem to freeze and a foreboding chill creeps down his spine. He knew it. He knew this would happen, which is why he had taken all those precautions but it seemed like it wasn't of much use. He had still ended up doing something he shouldn't have. He could guess how angry the alpha would be considering how he constantly kept Sehun at bay.
Slowly and carefully, he lifted his head off Chanyeol's chest which he had mistakenly assumed was a pillow and peered down at his husband in confusion. Sehun's nose had never failed him before and he should have been able to smell the alpha even in his sleep. It was not something Sehun could overlook, it was always at the back of his mind.
Maybe he'd slept this close for so long that the smell hadn't jolted him awake. Chanyeol's face was a blank slate as always but Sehun had learnt to read beneath. The subtle furrow in his brow and the reddened tips of his ears told a different story. It was safe to assume that he was not thrilled about their situation.
"Where are my pillows?" Sehun frowned, noticing the absence of his makeshift wall.
"Lying by your side. Where you thew them" he exhaled loudly, summoning patience from deep within.
"Oh" Sehun cast his gaze around.
"Don't bother looking for them" Chanyeol said sarcastically.
"Well why didn't you push me away?"
"Believe me I tried but you came right back" he huffed and Sehun feels the heat crawling up his face.
"I'm sorry" Sehun hurriedly untangled himself from Chanyeol and wondered at what point he had decided to shove his whole leg between the alpha's long limbs. He quickly ran out of apologies while he retrieved his hand from underneath Chanyeol's nightshirt. His fingers pulsed hot from where they were splayed over his husband's bare torso and Sehun checked if they were on fire.
When he tiptoes into the room from a scalding hot shower and a thoroughly self-deprecating lecture, Chanyeol is nowhere to be seen. He thanks the heavens and heads to the kitchen to feed his grumbling stomach.
"Good morning Master Sehun"
"Good morning Mr. Lee"
"The cook wants to know what you would like prepared for the evening meal. Did you have any dishes in mind?"
"Chanyeol said he had discussed it with you yesterday"
Sehun is confused. Hadn't he been informed that everything had been handled already?
"Master Chanyeol's orders were to consult you before making arrangements. He left it up to your discretion" the old butler smiles.
"He did?"
Was his husband extending the olive branch because Sehun had snapped at him or was it another ruse? Either way he wasn't complaining.
"I'll send the cook in after you've finished your breakfast Master Sehun"
He agrees and eagerly goes through the cookbooks his mother had sent him recently. He had earmarked the pages that had Chanyeol's favorites and took his mother's advice to dote on the grumpy alpha more.
The way to a man's heart is through his stomach Sehun. You must remember this. Feed his appetite, all of it, and your marriage shall thrive.
Sehun hadn't put much stock into it then because he wasn't quite sure she was referring to food.
"Mrs. Choi set the plates for four people" Sehun said to the cook.
"Don't you mean for 8 Master Sehun?" Mrs. Choi corrected him.
"No. It'll just be the four of us"
"Mr. Lee informed me that Master and Madam Park would be accompanied by Miss Yoora's family"
"What?" he didn't know this.
"Miss Yoora sent bottles of wine to stock the cabinet" Mr. Lee said shuffling awkwardly.
Chanyeol had only mentioned his parents and nothing about Yoora's family. It looked like his husband had conveniently forgotten. The bastard.
"For 8 people then" Sehun said, quickly recovering.
Sehun should have wised up enough to know Chanyeol didn't do anything without a reason. Letting him plan the dinner was his way of informing Sehun that Yoora would be coming as well.
Sehun didn't dislike her per say but he didn't entirely enjoy how she was the standard Sehun was measured against at every opportunity. It was stifling to have his achievements stacked against hers. Why must they be compared? She was successful and so was Sehun in his own right. He was extremely proud of what he had accomplished with his publishing house and the number of talented authors he had brought to light.
The Seoul Socialite and her husband were the power couple of the century. Yoora owned the biggest network company in all of South Korea and her husband was the CEO of Pandoras Entertainment, a top tier entertainment agency for idols and actors. They were a match made in heaven and Chanyeol's parents spared no chance to stress the point.
His mother in law was too eager to have Sehun follow in her daughter's footsteps if the number of times she had offered to make him a majority stakeholder in Yoora's company was anything to go by.
Sehun couldn't wait to get this evening over with and it hadn't even begun. He swore he would buy himself all the special edition novels that he'd been holding off on buying because he had the paperback versions, to complete his collection. If he survived tonight he deserved to be a spendthrift with an aesthetic bookshelf.
When evening comes, Mr. And Mrs. Park are the first to arrive and Yoora follows not long after. The chauffeurs trail behind them, carrying armful of shopping bags from Cartier, Piaget, Balmain among a few. Souvenirs from their trip abroad Sehun assumes and prays that most of it was for their son rather than him.
The dinner ended more pleasantly than Sehun had dared anticipate, the barbs were kept to a bare minimum and everyone seemed intent on reacquainting themselves after the time apart. They had gone months without meeting because Mr. And Mrs. Park had been forced to extend their Greece trip in light of the Covid travel ban.
Yoora's twins had spared Sehun from interacting with the adults much. Their never ending questions about everything under the sun and the need to touch anything in sight had him busy as a bee. He kept an eye on them to make sure they didn't knock into the furniture and hurt themselves. When the twins started running around recklessly Sehun hoisted them both up and spun around.
Their bright, hysterical laughter lit up the room and he felt a touch of pride for having done that. Once the kids got a taste of the game they couldn't stop demanding Sehun to keep spinning them and he soon got dizzy. Eventually he slowed down and flopped onto the couch huffing and puffing. The twins refused to slacken their hold on his neck, choosing instead to play with his unruly hair. Sehun giggled uncontrollably at that and the twins had all the ammunition to start tickling him.
"Hajoon, Minjoon no no, stop please stop!" Sehun squealed between breaths.
"Uncle Se no stop. More more more" they pressed on, their tiny fingers wreaking havoc. Were three year olds supposed to be this strong or were children built differently these days?
"Hajoon, Minjoon Uncle Chanyeol wants to show you the new fishies" Yoora said, rescuing Sehun who was now practically writhing. It's enough to capture their attention and they run towards the dining hall in search of their uncle.
"Thank you" Sehun gasped.
"I'm sorry if they were bothering you. I honestly don't know where they get all that energy from" Yoora sighed apologetically.
"Not at all, it was fun. They're too adorable and sweet" Sehun waved it off.
"Are we still talking about my kids because the boys are a menace and I'm at my wits end trying to outsmart them" Yoora groaned.
"Their teamwork is impeccable" Sehun chuckled.
"Oh its excellent. You wouldn't guess what they did the other day. Minjoon was distracting his father singing baby shark while Hajoon went to the pantry and made off with a box of choco chip cookies. We didn't catch them until they were half way through and let me tell you it was not pretty. They was chaos during bedtime and Sunghoon needed an aspirin afterwards" Yoora said.
"You've certainly got your work cut out for you"
Sehun wondered if he'd ever be the one regaling her with stories about Chanyeol and his children.
"How are things between you and Yeol?" she asked sitting next to him.
"Good. We're good" the lies rolled off his tongue naturally.
"Does he still come home late? I keep telling him to take it easy and go home early but that boy is too much of a workaholic" Yoora complained.
"Couldn't agree more. He has made the company his world" Sehun smiled awkwardly.
Theirs had been a marriage of convenience. Chanyeol’s parents were keen on marrying into the significant influence that came along with Sehun’s name and family, and Sehun’s parents had wanted a part of the undeniable power that Chanyeol’s family held. Stepping into the marriage Sehun truly believed he had no illusions about that but apparently he was wrong. There was a part of him that relentlessly hoped Chanyeol would accept him someday.
Yoora suddenly grabbed his hand and spoke, "Is everything alright Sehun? You can always talk to me if there's something troubling you"
He wanted to say no. He wanted to tell her how Chanyeol hated being married to him, how much he disliked Sehun, how in the two years they were together he'd never once asked Sehun about himself or the things that he liked, how they had never touched each other intimately, how Chanyeol had secrets and stories Sehun knew nothing about.
But instead he said, "Everything is fine Yoora. I'm happy. We're happy. You have nothing to worry about"
"I'm here for you Sehun" she insisted and the look she gave him spoke volumes.
"Thank you. It means a lot" Sehun smiled. He didn't understand the anxiety in her tone but he didn't want to probe further. If she suspected that their marriage was rocky then things would turn ugly and messy soon.
"Honey are you ready to leave? " Sunghoon asked appearing in the doorway.
"Sehun why don't you and Yeol spend the weekend at our vineyard? We're opening bottles from 2019 and I'm told by our winemaker that they've aged finely" Yoora said.
"Yes, yes you should. It'll be a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the city" Sunghoon said.
"I would love to but it depends on whether Chanyeol can take time off work"
"Tell him I insisted and if he refuses I'll talk to his secretary" Yoora grinned mischievously.
Hugs and kisses are exchanged in plenty while the chauffeurs bring the cars around. Hajoon and Minjoon throw a tantrum about wanting to stay with the fishes because they didn't want to miss it growing up. Yoora looked exasperated as she tried convincing them but the twins were adamant.
"How about this, you go home now and I bring the fishies to your house next time? Does that sound good to you?" Sehun tried bargaining with the teary eyed boys.
"You pwomise Uncle Se?" Hajoon is the first to break.
"You no lie?" Minjoon sniffled and tugged on his wrist.
"No I'm not lying and I promise" Sehun said crouching down to meet their eyes and that seemed to do the trick.
"See you soon Se" the twins croon in unison and take turns pecking Sehun on the mouth.
"Good night my loves" Sehun said hugging them tightly before tucking them into their seats. The gates clanged shut and he heaved a sigh following Chanyeol inside. What a day it had been. He wanted nothing but a glass of wine and a soak in the tub.
"Fuck"
Sehun frowned and rubbed his throbbing nose where it had suddenly collided with the alpha's shoulders.
"What's wrong?" Sehun asked and checked for signs of blood.
"Do they do that often?"
"Do what?" Sehun moaned, scowling at his perfectly, squared shoulders.
"Kiss you" Chanyeol said.
"Yes?" Sehun answered, absolutely confused.
"You should be more careful with your behavior Sehun. They're young and susceptible. Imprints are easily formed at their age" Chanyeol lectured.
"They're kids Chanyeol. It's what they do. I cannot push their affection away. Besides I'm not their mother so you don't have to worry about them imprinting on me" Sehun scowled.
"Imprints can happen with anyone. They only need you to reciprocate their love for them to become attached. You shouldn't forget the fact that they're alphas" Chanyeol continued.
"I think you're over analysing this but even if what you're saying is true I'd need to be around them all day, everyday to form that kind of bond and I'm not. So you can rest assured" Sehun snapped.
"It won't be my responsibility to help you if it does happen" Chanyeol warned haughtily.
"Okay I'll just ask one of my other alpha friends to help me" Sehun retorted.
"You will do no such thing. Is that clear?" the alpha ground out, jaw clenched in anger and Sehun nodded, his witty remarks disappearing.
"I need a yes Sehun"
"Yes" he said because at this point the alpha's erratic behavior left Sehun dumbfounded.
"Good. Anything else?"
Was there anything else Sehun had to say to Chanyeol?
"Yoora invited us to her vineyard this weekend and insisted that we go or she'll call your secretary" Sehun recounted everything Yoora had said.
Chanyeol regarded him silently and rolled the sleeves of the pale blue shirt he'd donned for the evening. Sehun gulped. He had never in his life seen anyone pull off shirts and pants the way Chanyeol did. The simple clothes accentuated the alpha's natural features and fit around his toned body. He looked too good to be true.
"Do you want to go?" he asked after a full minute. Why was he asking? Did he want Sehun to say no?
"Yes" Sehun said. Not because he wanted to taste some stupid wine from 2019 but because it would be their first ever getaway if Chanyeol agreed. A date. Something Sehun and Chanyeol hadn't done in all this time. An important first finally being crossed off the list.
"Okay" Chanyeol said and entered his study.