Chapter Text
Beomgyu froze, staring blankly at Yeonjun as his brain short-circuited for a hot second. He wasn’t even sure if he should be grateful or mortified at the random, unexpected, proposal. Yeonjun was a beta, and even though betas didn’t have very developed scent glands, their pheromones were the most effective when it came to soothing heightened emotions and de-escalating tense situations. Essentially, they were really damn good at relaxing the other two, more emotionally unstable, subgenders.
Therefore, having Yeonjun scent him would most definitely help Beomgyu get a good night of sleep in this unnerving house. However, the idea of having him so close, especially after everything that had happened between them, made his stomach churn and his heart flip.
“I think I’d rather take my chances with the hurricane,” Beomgyu muttered, suddenly feeling a little too warm, despite the cold air around him. “No, thanks.”
Yeonjun chuckled, amused. “You’re sure about that? You would seriously rather not get any sleep than go through a tiny bit of harmless scenting?” He took a careful step towards Beomgyu.
With the space between shortening, Beomgyu stepped back in panic, almost tripping in the process, his heart racing in his chest. “Yeah, I’m good.” He couldn’t understand what inhuman force was forcing him to act up so dramatically, even if Yeonjun’s sharp, foxy eyes looked as though he could eat the omega alive at any moment it didn’t mean he actually would… right?
Yeonjun tilted his head, carefully studying the visibly exhausted and stressed omega before him. “Seriously, Beomgyu. You really look like you could use it. Your scent right now is practically screaming ‘omega in distress’,” he said, his playful tone shifting to something a little more serious, more caring.
Beomgyu gulped loudly, the weight of Yeonjun’s words sinking in. It was probably more obvious than he’d hoped, how badly he needed some quality rest. Not just from his goddamn snitch of a scent, but also his heavy, weary eyes, and his overall sluggish movements. He really was exhausted. Maybe… maybe he should stop being a coward and just accept the offer.
C’mon Beomgyu, it’s just some scenting, it’s no big deal.
“Ugh, fine. But only for a few seconds,” he agreed, trying to act casual about it, hoping the other couldn’t tell the way his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
After Beomgyu’s acceptance, the tension between them thickened, and for a few moments, Beomgyu wondered if he’d made a mistake by agreeing. Should he go back on his word while he still had the chance? Claim that his acceptance had just been a moment of weakness, the result of his exhausted brain not fully processing what he was agreeing to?
Yeonjun finally nodded, setting his unused cup and bottle of juice aside on the counter. His eyes revealed a spark of surprise, he most likely wasn’t counting on Beomgyu accepting the suggestion with so little resistance. To be honest, neither did Beomgyu…
The beta moved toward the kitchen island, tapping it lightly, signalling Beomgyu to sit there so the omega could be more comfortable and for Yeonjun to have better access to his neck.
Beomgyu hesitated, staring at the spot Yeonjun had tapped on, feeling like an obedient puppy getting called by his owner. The kitchen suddenly felt too quiet, the eerie howl of the storm outside the only sound breaking the silence. With a soft sigh, he moved towards the island, hoisting himself onto it with a slight grimace. His legs dangled as he adjusted his position on the cold surface, feeling uncomfortably exposed under Yeonjun’s intense gaze.
Yeonjun stepped closer, his movements deliberate but not rushed, and Beomgyu tried not to flinch as the beta stopped just a breath away, feeling like a prey getting caught. Beomgyu could feel the warmth radiating off him, his presence both grounding and overwhelming all at once.
“Try to relax a bit,” Yeonjun said softly, his voice lower now, almost soothing. His hand reached up, hovering just above Beomgyu’s shoulder, as though asking for permission before making contact.
Beomgyu nodded stiffly, touched by Yeonjun’s carefulness, his eyes flicking to the side to avoid the beta’s piercing gaze. He tried to ignore the butterflies flying around his belly.
The beta’s long hand settled gently on his shoulder, his grip firm but not overpowering. Beomgyu instinctively tilted his head to the side, exposing his flushed neck to the older boy. Beomgyu’s gripped the counter, the vulnerability of the position making him feel a little dizzy.
Yeonjun leaned in, the tip of his cold nose brushing against Beomgyu’s scent gland, sending an involuntary shiver coursing through the omega’s body. This close, the beta’s scent became unmistakable, freshly brewed coffee with a deeper, smokier undertone. It was warm and almost sensual, wrapping around Beomgyu in a way that made his breath hitch.
“Your scent is stronger than before,” Yeonjun murmured, his lips grazing the sensitive skin behind Beomgyu’s ear. His voice was softer now, almost intimate. “Much stronger…”
Beomgyu swallowed hard, fully aware that the motion was probably obvious against Yeonjun’s parted lips. Anxiety buzzed in his chest, but the beta’s calming scent quickly dulled the edges of his uneasiness. “Does it smell… heaty?” he asked hesitantly, borrowing Taehyun’s earlier term. It felt awkward, but what other way could he describe it?
Yeonjun hummed thoughtfully, his lips brushing against Beomgyu’s neck. “I’m not as sharp at picking up on that stuff, but… you do smell sweeter.” His tongue flicked out, licking a patch of skin and tasting the omega’s scent. “Tastes sweeter too.”
“Fuck,” Beomgyu muttered, his voice catching. He wasn’t sure if the curse was from the press of Yeonjun’s tongue against his neck or the creeping realisation that his heat might actually be starting soon.
Yeonjun took Beomgyu’s lack of resistance– him not pushing the beta away and/or kicking his ass– as an open invitation and kept kissing his neck. He lapped on the omega’s skin, his wet lips tracing slow deliberate patterns and savouring Beomgyu’s scent. The omega wasn’t sure this was even considered scenting anymore. He should google the definition of it later.
Despite the small heat waves starting to travel to Beomgyu’s lower regions, he had to admit Yeonjun’s calming pheromones were indeed working wonderfully, numbing the sharp buzz of his anxiety and exhaustion as they slowly enveloped his body and stuck to his skin. The scent of coffee slowly, but surely, was marking his body and relaxing him in the process– which was pretty ironic now that Beomgyu thought about it, how caffeine was doing the exact opposite of what it normally was supposed to be doing.
A small bite on his scent gland made Beomgyu hiss in surprise. “Why are you worried about your heat anyway? Aren’t you on suppressants or something?” Yeonjun asked between warm kisses on his neck.
Beomgyu’s arms circled Yeonjun, his legs parting to fit the older boy better between them. He didn’t even listen to whatever Yeonjun was asking, his scent and lips were way too pleasant for him to focus on whatever the beta was yapping about.
As if realising something, Yeonjun pulled back slightly, his eyes locking onto Beomgyu’s with intensity. The omega almost whined in protest at the loss of contact.
“You don’t have suppressants here with you, do you?” Yeonjun’s tone was edged with concern now. “That’s bad…”
Beomgyu actually whined this time, his forehead dropping onto Yeonjun’s shoulder. Yeonjun was supposed to be cutting through his nerves, not stressing him out even more. Also, why did everyone have to remind Beomgyu of how bad the situation was? He fucking knew that already.
“Wow, thanks for that. Didn’t think it was bad until you said so just now.” His dry tone should’ve been enough for Yeonjun to drop the subject and go back to sucking on his neck. But unfortunately, it wasn’t.
“Does Taehyun have some?” He pressed. Beomgyu only answered with a small nod, not raising his head. “Can’t you just take his?”
Beomgyu shook his head against his shoulder with a quiet groan, before pulling back to meet Yeonjun’s gaze. He really wasn’t expecting to be giving this man a biology lesson today. He released his hold around Yeonjun and placed his hands back on the island counter, leaning his body back.
“His suppressants are different from mine. The ones I take stop the heats completely, while his just makes it more manageable; less intense, fewer symptoms. They are just a small dose of hormones that keep the cycle schedule more regular and the heat less… awful, I guess.” Yeonjun nodded with shiny curious eyes. He seemed genuinely interested in the explanation. “So me starting to take his suppressants during the lockdown would not prevent me from going into an awful heat. Also, it’s probably super unhealthy hormonally to swap suppressants so suddenly.”
“I see.” Yeonjun looked down, absorbing the explanation, letting his hand casually rest on Beomgyu’s leg like it wasn’t setting the younger’s thigh ablaze. “Why do you think your heat is going to be awful, though?” So many questions and so little scenting, Beomgyu was this close to ask for a refund.
“I’ve been on suppressants for years. I haven’t had a heat in forever, so if I go into one now, it’ll be… bad. Like, full-force bad. Even if I suddenly started taking Taehyun’s suppressants.”
Yeonjun hissed under his breath, his thumb absentmindedly caressing Beomgyu’s thigh. “Maybe you shouldn’t have taken them for so long.” Oh no, not another Taehyun.
“Thanks, mom. Lesson learned,” Beomgyu answered with a frown. Yeonjun leaned closer to him with a smirk, but Beomgyu cut him off before he could say something stupid. “I will not be calling you daddy.”
The beta pouted dramatically, looking genuinely offended. “That’s not even what I was going to say.”
“Oh, really?” Beomgyu arched a brow, the challenge in his tone barely masking the way his breath hitched from Yeonjun’s closeness. “Then what? Pray tell, what were you going to say?” It was a bit hard to keep the banter going when Yeonjun’s hand was still gripping his thigh, but Beomgyu was trying his best.
Yeonjun leaned in even closer, his smirk deepening as his lips hovered over Beomgyu’s. “Something totally funny and charming, obviously. But now you’ll never know because my feelings are hurt.”
Beomgyu couldn’t help but giggle at that, the sound soft and genuine. Despite the tension, Yeonjun had a way of lightening the mood, his casual teasing grounding him in a way Beomgyu didn’t know he needed.
“Anyway,” Yeonjun continued. Even though he claimed to be hurt, his arms wrapped around Beomgyu’s waist as he pulled their bodies flush together. Beomgyu tried not to linger his concentration on how Yeonjun fitted perfectly between his thighs. “I can’t fix this whole situation for you, but as the frat leader, I’ll make sure no one bothers you while you’re here.”
“Gee, thanks.” Beomgyu rolled his eyes, but the hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “My poor weak omega ass couldn’t have possibly survived without your help.”
Yeonjun held Beomgyu tighter, trying to seem somewhat threatening. “Don’t be annoying, I’m trying to help you!”
Beomgyu giggled again at his side being squeezed. Damn those beta calming pheromones really did wonders to him, got him all giggly and shit.
“Okay, I’ll admit that’s kinda sweet.” Their faces and bodies were too close, making Beomgyu’s thoughts get a little less coherent. “You know what would be sweeter, though? If you scented me like you said you would, instead of yapping away.”
Yeonjun rolled his eyes. “Sure, Your Majesty.” He was teasing him, of course, but Beomgyu lowkey enjoyed the pet name.
The beta didn’t wait for a reply, dipping his head back into Beomgyu’s neck and kissing his scent gland right away. His lips moved softly around the skin, gently tugging it and slightly brushing his hot tongue against it while his warm hand travelled up Beomgyu’s thigh and finally settled on his hip.
Bomgyu’s legs tightened against Yeonjun’s body, an involuntary reflex to having the beta’s amazing mouth back on his sensitive neck. It made Beomgyu miss the way it felt on other, more sensitive, parts of him. Yeonjun’s hand tugged at Beomgyu’s shirt, lifting it slightly to brush against the bare skin of his back. The beta’s lips didn’t linger on his scent gland, trailing upwards until he was kissing his ear, his jaw and his cheekbone.
He made sure to imprint his smoky, relaxing scent on every inch of Beomgyu’s skin that his lips grazed. Beomgyu felt his body soften against the counter, his grip on the cold surface weakening. In an attempt to steady himself, his hands found their way to Yeonjun’s nape, fingers tangling in the long strands of dark hair as if they already knew their rightful place. By now, it was obvious he had a thing for Yeonjun’s pretty hair…
Yeonjun’s lips travelled a path dangerously close to Beomgyu’s lips and Beomgyu’s face angled just a bit too perfectly to face Yeonjun’s. Beomgyu wasn’t sure who even made the first move, but in a split second their lips were meeting in a kiss; not too heated or aggressive, because Beomgyu didn’t have the energy for that, but still with the right amount of passion to make the omega quiver against the counter.
The beta’s strong arms brought Beomgyu impossibly closer, crushing his waist in the process. Beomgyu squealed in the kiss. “Can you stop squeezing my waist so hard?” He whined.
“Make your waist less squeezable then,” Yeonjun quickly answered before kissing him again, not giving the younger boy the opportunity to answer back.
Beomgyu muttered a protest against the kiss, annoyed at Yeonjun for not letting him fight back, but not enough to actually pull away. There was just something so undeniably satisfying in the way their lips interlocked, the way they fit together, making Beomgyu get lost in the kiss. One of the omega’s hands cupped Yeonjun’s face, his thumb absentmindedly brushing over the soft skin of his jaw, feeling the subtle movement of the muscles beneath the pad of his finger.
Beomgyu was getting too tired, incredibly sleepy, his mouth was no longer able to keep up with Yeonjun’s rhythm. Noticing that, Yeonjun didn’t speed up the kiss, letting Beomgyu set the pace as the younger boy moved his lips leisurely against Yeonjun’s own. Their tongues met in slow deliberate licks into each other’s mouths, the slow intimate kissing, bringing warmth to places of Beomgyu’s body that really shouldn’t be heating up at that moment.
Eventually, after a few last nibbles and small bites on Yeonjun’s bottom lip, Beomgyu broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Yeonjun’s. His hand left Yeonjun’s jaw, his fingers softly tracing down the line of Yeonjun’s neck, around the bump of his Adam’s apple, across his collarbones and finally resting on his shoulder. Beomgyu wanted to touch every inch of his soft skin, Yeonjun was so warm, like a cute plushie Beomgyu could cuddle to sleep with. The frat boy probably wouldn’t be too happy about that comparison.
“Sleepy?” Yeonjun asked, his breath ghosting over Beomgyu’s mouth.
“Yeah,” Beomgyu muttered between two shaky exhales, the previous tension in his shoulders now nonexistent and his eyelids growing heavier by the second.
They stayed like that for a while, the air between them intimate and raw. Beomgyu could feel that his body was more relaxed than it had been in weeks, all the tension from the finals, the hurricane and the possible incoming heat melting away with the beta’s amazing scent.
“You look exhausted, Beomgyu. Want me to carry you up to my room?” Yeonjun offered, his tone teetering between innocent and flirty, making it impossible for Beomgyu to tell which it really was; especially with his half turned-off brain.
“What? So you can show me your Lego collection again?” Beomgyu teased, his forehead still resting against Yeonjun and his fingertips digging into his shoulder. God, he was so eepy. He could fall asleep right there, in Yeonjun’s arms on the cold kitchen island. “I’m not falling for that trick twice,” he muttered through a yawn.
“Wow,” Yeonjun remarked sarcastically, playfully mocking enthusiasm. “I really did want to show you my collection! It’s not my fault you only see me as a walking piece of hot meat.”
Beomgyu chuckled softly. His hands pressed against Yeonjun’s chest and with a weak push he gently shoved Yeonjun back so he could lift his head and meet the beta’s gaze. Their eyes met for a split second in the dark and Beomgyu ignored the way his heart did a backflip inside his chest.
Yeonjun was just too… gorgeous. Every detail of him was a contradiction in itself, Beomgyu wasn’t sure if he considered him pretty or incredibly hot. Yeonjun’s small mole perched just above the edge of his cheekbone softened his dark sharp fox-like eyes; that currently had a hungry gleam in them, looking like he could rail Beomgyu right on the counter at any moment. His lips, that were always stretched into an attractive, playful smirk, were so pink and plump; they were even prettier right now all glossy and slightly swollen from the kissing. The beta always adorned his ears with an array of simple, boyish piercings that lent him all that fuckboy charm, however, his soft black hair would often cascade over them in gentle waves, covering them; now Beomgyu wanted to tuck that hair behind Yeonjun’s ears, maybe play with some of the piercings.
The omega broke eye contact, shaking his head as he tried to push away his thoughts. Sure, Yeonjun was very attractive but let’s calm down a little... “Okay, that’s enough,” Beomgyu said, his voice firm as he forced a break in the spell between them.
Clearing his throat, he hopped off the island, his legs wobbling slightly as they adjusted to the motion. Yeonjun quickly held Beomgyu’s arm to help him steady himself up. “Thank you… really,” he said softly, the sincerity in his words tangible.
The omega felt like it was obvious he wasn’t thanking him for helping him get up, but for the whole scenting thing. Beomgyu believed there wasn’t any need for that specification; and honestly, he didn’t feel like specifying, it would make it too real.
Yeonjun smirked, leaning back against the counter with a casual ease that made Beomgyu’s heart pound annoyingly in his chest. “You’re welcome. Maybe next time, don’t wait until you’re practically dead on your feet to ask for my helpful pheromones.”
They both were actively acting like they didn’t know that kissing, technically, isn’t part of a normal scenting. But who even cared at that point?
Beomgyu rolled his eyes, brushing past him toward the stairs with heavy legs. “Don’t get used to this. I’m not about to make a habit of it.”
As he walked away, he heard Yeonjun laugh like a dork, the cute sound following him down the hallway. Beomgyu bit his own lip to prevent himself from smiling. It was frustrating how his face always seemed to react against his will when it came to Yeonjun. He really should be focusing on surviving the storm outside and not the one Yeonjun’s lips stirred inside him.
Beomgyu quickly reached Soobin’s room, carefully cracking the door open. Inside, he saw the alpha holding Taehyun close, the younger boy sleeping soundly in his arms. The strong scent of sweet tropical fruits filled the room. Soobin’s sharp alpha instincts caught Beomgyu’s presence immediately, his head snapping toward the door in alarm.
“Oh, Beomgyu! It’s you,” Soobin whispered, his voice softening as recognition set in. “Sorry, I’ll leave so you can sleep.” He began to shift, releasing his arm from around Taehyun. But the omega stirred, clinging to him even in his sleep and letting out a small, needy whine.
Soobin froze, his gaze dropping to the boy nestled in his arms. He looked conflicted, his brow furrowing as if unsure whether to let go or stay put.
Beomgyu sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “It’s fine, I’ll take the couch. He needs some Soobin monster cuddles tonight,” he whispered back with a tiny smile.
Soobin looked up, his lips pressing into a pout, his eyes shimmering with guilt. “Are you sure?” he asked softly.
Beomgyu shrugged, his exhaustion outweighing his aversion to the loud storm outside. Besides, the lingering calm from Yeonjun’s scenting session had dulled his nerves enough to make sleep seem achievable anywhere. Hell, he’s pretty sure he could even sleep in Kai’s tub at that moment.
“Yeah, no worries,” he said with a reassuring smile.
Relieved, Soobin smiled back, his expression grateful as he settled deeper into the bed, pulling Taehyun close again. The younger omega relaxed instantly, his breathing steadying as Soobin held him protectively.
That’s how Beomgyu found himself back on the couch, bundling himself up tightly in a blanket. As the storm raged outside, the comforting haze of the beta’s pheromones still clinging to him made it easy to drift off, even with the distant rumble of thunder. Perhaps the scenting really hadn’t been such a bad idea after all… Who could’ve guessed Yeonjun actually had some good ideas in that frat boy brain of his?
Beomgyu stirred awake to the sound of something crashing loudly outside, shattering the illusion of a quiet regular morning. His heart skipped a beat as he blinked against the incredibly faint rays of light seeping through the cracks in the boarded-up windows. Whatever it was, it sounded heavy—metal against metal, maybe glass breaking. He sat up slowly, his mind foggy with sleep.
He considered taking a peek, but with the windows blocked off, there wasn’t much he could do. The only thing greeting him was the aggressive noises of the wind outside and the muffled hum of activity inside the house. Letting out a resigned sigh, he pushed the mystery aside for now. The last thing he needed was to get worked up over something he couldn’t control.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Beomgyu swung his legs over the side of the couch and stretched, his joints popping slightly from the uncomfortable overused cushions. With a soft groan, he decided to head upstairs to Soobin’s room. He needed a change of clothes and a chance to freshen up before facing another day stuck in this frat house.
To his surprise, Soobin was already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed as he put on his shoes. Taehyun, on the other hand, was still curled up under the blankets, sleeping soundly. Being sad always made him extra sleepy.
Soobin, without even needing to turn around, sensed his presence immediately. “Good morning, Beomgyu.”
“Hey, good morning. Did he sleep okay?” Beomgyu asked softly, his gaze falling on his best friend’s peaceful face.
Soobin nodded, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. “He did. What about you?” His cheery expression abruptly turned into a worried frown, his eyebrows brought together and his lips forming a small sad pout. “I’m so sorry for taking the bed...”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” Beomgyu replied with honesty, shaking his head. He’d slept great, sure the couch wasn’t the ideal support for his back, but he still had a restful, nightmareless, night of sleep. He couldn’t ask for much more.
Soobin’s gentle expression of contentment returned, clearly grateful for Beomgyu’s comprehension. “Thank you for being so understanding.” Then, his voice got a bit quieter, like he was telling Beomgyu a secret. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing he was sad and I wasn’t there for him.”
Beomgyu nodded, understanding the feeling. “I actually slept better knowing he had you.” Soobin’s smile deepened, shining so bright it almost lit up the entire dark room. “Don’t get your hopes up, lover boy. This doesn’t mean I fully trust you yet.”
Soobin didn’t drop his wide grin for even one split second, either not hearing Beomgyu’s second sentence or just choosing to ignore it. “That means so much to me, Beomgyu.” That much was obvious.
Beomgyu shook his head, a wide smile, matching Soobin’s, on his lips. Not his fault that Soobin’s happiness was so contagious. “Yeah, yeah. Just take good care of my friend or I’ll burn down your beloved yaoi collection,” he threatened. It was a fair price to pay for hurting his soft kitten-like friend.
“Believe me, if I ever hurt Taehyun I’d burn the whole collection myself.”
Beomgyu beamed, quite impressed with Soobin’s answer. “Good.”
He was glad Taehyun found someone that unbelievably whipped for him, that’s what his best friend deserved and no less.
Soobin got up from where he was sitting in the bed with a low groan. “I’m starving. Should we go eat some breakfast?”
“Sure, hyung” Beomgyu said, stretching in place, his muscles still a bit sore from the couch. The sound of some breakfast did sound appealing, his belly almost growling at the thought. “Let me just wash up first.”
“Of course!” Soobin replied. Then, as if a thought struck him, he added, “I should go wake Yeonjun hyung up! If I don’t, he’ll sleep the entire day and skip every meal.”
Beomgyu chuckled, pretending the mention of Yeonjun, especially after what happened last night, didn’t make his belly turn. “I’ll meet you downstairs, then.”
Soobin nodded, exiting the room with a small grin as Beomgyu headed towards the bathroom.
After freshening up, the omega went back downstairs and grabbed some breakfast. There were already some frat boys eating breakfast there. Beomgyu sat at the corner of the table, quietly nibbling on a piece of toasted bread while the storm continued its relentless assault outside. The soft hum of conversation filled the room as the small group lingered around the kitchen. His thoughts drifted aimlessly, his body and mind still well rested after a good night of sleep, but he couldn’t ignore the peculiar sensation prickling at the back of his neck.
Lifting his gaze, Beomgyu noticed a few alphas at the far end of the table glancing in his direction– furtive at first, then lingering a little too long. One of them even leaned over to whisper something to his friend, their eyes darting toward him as they exchanged a few words.
His stomach tightened. He quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in tearing his bread into smaller pieces. But the weight of their stares lingered, getting in his nerves.
“Hey,” Soobin’s voice cut through his unease. The alpha approached, holding a mug of coffee in one hand and offering a reassuring smile. “Wanna move to the couch? It’s quieter over there.”
The idea of some distance from the group was too tempting to pass up. He nodded and followed Soobin into the living room, settling into the couch, where he had previously slept, as the older boy sat beside him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Beomgyu chewed on his bread, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling itching his skin.
Finally, Soobin broke the silence, his voice low and cautious. “Beomgyu…” Soobin began, tilting his head to glance at him. “Have you noticed… they’ve been looking at you?” He asked rather awkwardly.
Beomgyu stopped mid-chew. He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry and the rough toasted bread scratching all the way down to his stomach. “Yeah, I noticed,” he muttered, keeping his voice quiet. “Why?”
Soobin sighed, his brow furrowing in concern. “Your scent is getting stronger,” he said quietly, leaning in as if to shield the conversation. “I noticed it back in the bedroom, but at first, I thought it was just me imagining things. Then Kai mentioned it– he could pick up on your scent just from you briefly being in my room and he has a pretty weak sense of smell.”
The omega’s stomach twisted. This was worse than he’d originally thought. He hadn’t even slept in the room, just used it to wash up, yet his scent was still noticeable enough for Kai to comment on it. If it was that strong to a beta, who wasn’t great at picking up on these sorts of things, how could the alphas possibly not notice?
Beomgyu felt heat crawl up his neck. “Are you serious?” he whispered, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. Soobin nodded with sad, worried eyes. “Great,” Beomgyu muttered sarcastically, burying his face in his hands. “Just what I needed. A walking neon sign for every alpha in this house.”
Yeonjun had already told him that his scent was sweeter last night, but a small hopeful part of Beomgyu wanted to believe that Yeonjun was just being a flirty idiot. But now, knowing everyone in the frat could sense his scent growing stronger, it was impossible to keep denying the truth.
“It’s not that bad,” Soobin tried to reassure him, his voice still soft, but noticeably more firm than usual. “I can’t do much to make you feel more comfortable, but I’ll do my best to assure no one bothers you during your stay here,” After a small pause he added, “I doubt anyone will even try, because they’d have to deal with the leader’s anger.”
Yeonjun has made it clear, multiple times now, how he didn’t want any drama involving the fraternity, therefore, him getting pissed at his frat members for making an omega uncomfortable during a lockdown made sense.
Beomgyu peeked at Soobin through his fingers, a small, begrudging smile tugging at his lips. “Thanks, Soobin,” his voice was quiet, but honest.
Sure, it was more than confirmed at this point that his scent was getting stronger– a clear symptom of pre-heat. However, that didn’t necessarily mean his heat would actually start while he was still stuck in this frat house, right? Typically, if not triggered by outside factors, heats tended to kick in a few days after the first signs, so maybe, just maybe, there was still some hope that it would hold off until the hurricane was over– and Beomgyu held onto that hope very dearly.
Soobin reached out, giving Beomgyu’s shoulder a tentative squeeze, trying to reassure the omega in a small, slightly clumsy way. “That’s what I’m here for. But maybe…” He hesitated for a moment. “It wouldn’t hurt to try staying close to me or Yeonjun for now. Just to be safe.”
The way Soobin still felt the need to warn him about staying protected was very suspicious and contradictory to all the safety he had previously assured Beomgyu of. The omega groaned. “I’m really a walking target aren’t I?”
“You’re not a target,” Soobin tried to say firmly. “You’re just… very noticeable right now. But we’ll keep you safe, don’t worry!”
Beomgyu sighed, nodding reluctantly. The idea of relying on someone else for protection grated at him, but deep down, he knew Soobin was right. “Fine. But if this gets even worse, I’m locking myself in your room until the hurricane’s over.”
Soobin chuckled, the sound warm. “Deal. But for now, let’s just try to remain chill, okay?”
“Chill,” Beomgyu echoed mostly to himself, taking a deep breath. “Right. Totally chill.”
Soobin eventually left the living room and Beomgyu flopped back against the couch, he couldn’t help but feel that ‘chill’ was going to be a lot harder to maintain than Soobin thought.
Despite his growing anxiety, Beomgyu had to admit Soobin’s words brought him some comfort, the alpha might be a little nerdy and embarrassing but he was good at giving comforting words and in making Beomgyu feel rather safe.
During Beomgyu’s reflection, the couch dipped as someone plopped down beside him. It was Yeonjun, holding a bowl of brightly colored cereal drowning in milk. “Can’t we just order pizza or something? I’m starving.”
Beomgyu let out a laugh, his shoulders shaking. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or if you’re actually that clueless.”
“Hey, no need to insult me! Especially when I came here to cheer you up,” Yeonjun shot back with mock offense, shoveling a big spoonful of cereal into his mouth. “Of course, I know delivery drivers can’t come out during a hurricane… right?”
“Right.” Beomgyu confirmed, trying to hide his smile. “And for the record, I don’t need cheering up.”
Yeonjun leaned forward, balancing the bowl in one hand. “Could’ve fooled me. I could smell your stress as soon as I came downstairs. What’s wrong?” He sure didn’t beat around the bush.
Beomgyu let his head fall back against the couch. “The fact that you could sense my scent from that far away is exactly what’s wrong.”
Yeonjun gave him a long, contemplative look before realization flickered in his eyes. “Ah.” He set his bowl on the coffee table. In Yeonjun language that likely meant the conversation was getting more serious. “I might just be more in tune with your scent than the others. I doubt it’s that strong for the whole frat.”
Beomgyu snorted, but his ears warmed at the comment. “I wish. Both you and Kai noticed the change in my scent, and considering you both are betas with weak senses of smell I’d say I’m straight up fucked.” His language was a bit crude, but can you blame him? He was stressed out.
Yeonjun rubbed the back of his own neck. “Okay, maybe it is stronger, but hey, that’s no reason to panic. It’ll be fine, Beomgyu.”
“I’m not panicking,” Beomgyu muttered, trying to believe his own words, like he definitely didn’t feel like he might combust at any second. “I just want to leave before it gets even worse. I need to grab some of the scent patches Taehyun gave me,” he said mostly to himself.
“Hey…” Yeonjun’s voice softened, drawing Beomgyu’s attention. Their eyes met. “I’m not an omega, so I can’t say I fully understand what’s going through your head right now, but it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It must be terrifying.”
“A little,” Beomgyu admitted quietly.
Yeonjun turned on the couch to face Beomgyu better, his presence warm but steady. “Alphas can be… stupid sometimes. Not all of them are great with self-control, so you have reasons to be freaking out.”
Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Wow, you’re so good at calming people down. Truly inspirational.”
Thankfully, Yeonjun didn’t mention the fact that last night he actually did help Beomgyu calm down. Didn’t bring up how he had omega’s relaxed, slacken body right underneath his hands and lips.
Instead Yeonjun chuckled, his grin spreading wide. “What I’m trying to say is, they might try to act up but I won’t let them. Like I told you last night, I’ve got you. I’ll make sure no one bothers you while you’re here.”
Beomgyu huffed a dry laugh, pretending Yeonjun’s words didn’t send a tiny ripple of warmth through his chest. “Alpha much?”
“I’m being serious.” Yeonjun’s tone dropped, steady and firm. “If you do end up having your heat here–”
“Don’t,” Beomgyu hissed, cutting him off.
Yeonjun ignored him, continuing resolutely. “If it happens, I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe, Beomgyu. So you don’t have to worry about that.”
Beomgyu looked down at his lap, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his expression neutral. Deep down, he already knew Yeonjun meant every word. Not just because he’d said it before or because Soobin had reassured him earlier, but because it was Yeonjun. Despite the flirty, cocky exterior, it was pretty obvious Yeonjun had a sweet caring soul. He wouldn’t hurt Beomgyu. Unless, of course, Beomgyu asked him to do it in a very specific, sexual, kind of way, but that was besides the point.
“Thanks, I guess,” Beomgyu muttered, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. Then, his lips quirked into a sly smile. “It’s the least you can do, considering I’m only in this mess because of you.”
“Me? What did I do?” Yeonjun asked dramatically.
Beomgyu leaned back into the couch. “Oh, nothing much. Just fooled me into seeing an inexistent Lego collection in your bedroom and eventually got me stuck in this house. No big deal.”
“Wow,” Yeonjun muttered, shaking his head. “The Lego collection actually exists, by the way. Not my fault you were more interested in doing other things in my room.”
Beomgyu gasped at the accusation. “Not only are you a liar, you are actually insufferable.”
“And yet,” Yeonjun said, leaning closer with a teasing grin, “you still tolerate me. Weird, huh?”
Beomgyu shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Yeonjun’s annoying charm, as much as he hated to admit it, was... helpful. It kept his mind off the whirlwind of stress he’d been dealing with.
Deciding to take advantage of the distraction, Beomgyu leaned back against the couch and glanced at Yeonjun. “So, how’d you end up being the big man in charge of the frat?”
“They voted for me,” Yeonjun replied, sounding proud. “I’m one of the oldest and apparently, I have the best self-control in the house.”
Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Don’t the alphas here get their enormous egos bruised knowing their leader is a beta?”
Yeonjun laughed with a confident grin. “I like to think our generation’s outgrown those outdated biological hierarchies. But yeah, I’m sure there are still some members who disagree with me being the leader.”
“And they’re just... okay with it?”
He shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “No one’s had the guts to bring it up to my face, so either they respect me, or they’re too scared to challenge me. Either way, I’ll take it.”
Beomgyu chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ve heard from Kai that you’re quite good at keeping the house in order. It’s impressive.”
Yeonjun also leaned back on the couch, stretching his arms across the backrest, one hand draped casually around Beomgyu’s shoulder. “Well, once I stepped into leadership, I made sure to lay down some rules to keep the frat from turning into a circus.”
Beomgyu’s curiosity piqued. “What kind of rules?”
“Nothing too wild,” Yeonjun said with an easy smile. “Minimum GPA requirements, a chore rotation for house maintenance, respect for every member, even during hazing. The basics.”
Beomgyu blew a puff of air, disappointed. “Boring. I was hoping for something a bit more interesting.”
Yeonjun’s grin deepened. “The main rule of our frat is confidentiality, so I can’t spill all our secrets, Gyu.”
“Come on, entertain me,” Beomgyu whined, nudging Yeonjun’s side playfully.
Yeonjun leaned in, his face getting closer to Beomgyu and his voice dropping to a whisper. “One night stands can’t be seen around the house in the morning.” He pulled back, but his hand remained on Beomgyu’s shoulder, fingers tracing idle circles. “It’s not just for the sake of secrecy between the members. It’s also to avoid any false hope and the potential for public messy drama.”
Beomgyu’s eyes widened as he put the pieces together. No wonder Yeonjun had been so quick to tell him there would be no breakfast after their night together; it wasn’t just him being a total dick, he was also just following his own frat rules. Even though he did try to convince Beomgyu to stay longer…
“But I was here in the morning,” Beomgyu pointed out.
Yeonjun nodded with a shrug. “Eventually, the frat’s gonna have to vote on my punishment for breaking a rule.” There was no sign of concern in his voice, a playful gleam flickering in his pretty eyes. “I make the rules, but I play by them too.”
Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What kind of punishment are we talking about here Mr. President?”
Yeonjun shrugged, his fingers casually toying with the edge of Beomgyu’s sleeve. “It depends on the mood of the frat during the voting. But right now, everyone is more focused on the hurricane so they will likely go easy on me,” he said with confidence.
“Can I take part in the voting? Since I’m involved in the case,” Beomgyu teased, raising a playful eyebrow at Yeonjun.
The frat boy let out a chuckle, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Only frat members can vote, sorry Gyu. Unless you want to join the frat?”
Beomgyu gagged, his eyes wide. “No, absolutely not.”
Yeonjun’s fingers tightened on Beomgyu’s shoulder, his voice dropping to a teasing murmur. “There aren’t enough beds in the house, though. But that’s fine, we could just share mine.”
Beomgyu quickly stood up, making Yeonjun’s arm fall away from his shoulders with a soft thud. He mentally took back the whole ‘Yeonjun was a good distraction’ thing. “Lovely conversation,” he said, voice firm but strained. “I gotta go now.”
“But things were just getting interesting,” Yeonjun called out in a whine as Beomgyu walked away, the playful lilt in his voice.
“Bye!” Beomgyu shouted back, his heart pounding as he hurried up the stairs. He needed to talk to someone who didn’t make his stomach twist in impossible knots. Hopefully, Taehyun was awake.
Reaching Soobin’s bedroom, Beomgyu opened the door to find Taehyun and Kai deep in conversation. Kai was seated in the desk chair, turned toward Taehyun, who sat cross-legged on the bed. Both their heads snapped toward Beomgyu as he walked in, the atmosphere thick with an unspoken tension. Beomgyu hesitated, feeling like he’d interrupted something important.
Taehyun opened his mouth as if to say something but quickly closed it, his brows furrowing as he gave Beomgyu an inquiring look. “Why is your face so red?”
Beomgyu instinctively brought his hands to his cheeks, feeling their warmth against his sweaty palms. His whole body was on fire, and it wasn’t just from Yeonjun’s relentless flirting. The unmistakable signs of his preheat were creeping in, and the beta’s teasing really wasn’t helping at all. “Probably from anger. Yeonjun keeps annoying me with his obnoxious flirting.”
Kai chuckled, his expression lightening. “That’s Yeonjun hyung for you. He’s super flirty, but I swear he means well, he’s a sweet dork at heart. If you tell him it’s making you uncomfortable, I’m sure he’ll stop.”
Before Beomgyu could respond, Taehyun interjected with a pointed tone. “He doesn’t want him to stop.”
The older omega whipped his head toward Taehyun, mouth agape. “Excuse me?”
Taehyun shrugged, completely unfazed. “You don’t want him to stop.”
Beomgyu opened and closed his mouth a few times, searching for a rebuttal. “It’s not that I enjoy the flirting,” he finally managed. “It’s more like… I think it’s kind of entertaining? But also annoying? I’m not too sure...”
Kai raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Sounds like someone’s conflicted.”
“Very helpful, thank you,” Beomgyu deadpanned, rubbing his temples as he pushed himself off the door and walked further into the room. His steps carried him to the nightstand, and he rifled through a drawer until he found a box of scent patches. “I’m going to use your scent patches, Tyun.”
“They’re yours. I gave them to you,” Taehyun reminded him.
“Yeah, I know. But I still felt like I should let you know,” Beomgyu muttered. The stock was limited, and he figured it was only fair to inform Taehyun in case the younger omega might need them too.
Taehyun nodded, observing Beomgyu’s movements carefully. “Are you using them because your scent is getting stronger? I noticed it as soon as you walked into the room.”
Kai chimed in, looking thoughtful. “I actually talked to Soobin about it. Your scent is quite strong, hyung.”
At that, Taehyun glanced at Kai with a subtle expression, his eyes revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.
Beomgyu peeled off the backing of a patch and pressed it firmly onto his damp scent gland on his neck, letting out a soft sigh of relief as the tension in his chest eased. “Every alpha in this house has noticed it too, so yeah, I’m a bit stressed.”
“You think your heat is starting?” Taehyun asked, his tone more clinical than concerned.
Beomgyu swallowed hard. “It’s… possible.”
“Hm.” Taehyun rested his chin on his hand, eyes narrowing in thought. “It’s not surprising. You haven’t been off those suppressants for a very long time; and you’re surrounded by unmated alphas and their scents are… overpowering. Honestly, they all smell so damn horny.”
Kai’s eyes widened at Taehyun’s bluntness, his hand flying to cover his mouth in a half-laugh, half-gasp. Still, he didn’t disagree. The alphas’ scents in the frat were distinct, heavy, and charged with intent, clearly designed to attract.
Beomgyu scrunched his nose, visibly disgusted. “I doubt those scents are doing anything to my omega. Most of them just make me want to gag, to be honest.”
Taehyun tilted his head, intrigued. “That’s curious. I know you’ve never liked those types of scents, but I thought that maybe during pre-heat you’d find alpha scents more… appealing.”
Kai leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “Then what do you think triggered your heat, hyung?”
Beomgyu stiffened, forcing a casual shrug. “Not sure.”
But he was lying, and he knew it. A nagging part of his mind pointed directly at Yeonjun. The beta’s presence had been the tipping point, sparking the symptoms of his pre-heat. They had a great night together, and then, instead of staying away, they hung out, bantered and even kissed. Yeonjun’s scent was still clinging faintly to him like a mark of ownership from yesterday’s scenting, even though Beomgyu was pretty sure he was the only one who could sense the beta’s scent still on his skin. Truthfully, his omega felt claimed, a sensation Beomgyu tried and failed to shake off.
Shit.
Maybe he should tell Yeonjun to stop flirting with him.
“Well, do you want my opinion?” Taehyun asked, his tone still like he was diagnosing an illness rather than offering friendly advice.
Beomgyu crossed his arms. “Depends on what you’re about to say…”
“I think you should start befriending some of the alphas here, in case you might need a heat partner.”
“Turns out I don’t want your opinion,” Beomgyu shot back immediately, his expression flattening into a deadpan glare.
Taehyun straightened up in bed, attempting to look more authoritative. “Hear me out. It’s better to be prepared for the worst, hyung. Spending your heat with someone you know is safer and more comfortable, yeah? Spending it alone would be awful, not to mention, absolutely dangerous and batshit crazy doing it in a house full of alphas.”
Kai joined in, his tone light but curious. “I don’t know much about heats, but isn’t it, like, way easier to spend it with someone?”
Taehyun nodded, his gaze not wavering from Beomgyu. “It is. Your heat will end way faster if you get knotted, Beomgyu hyung. It’s the easiest, quickest, and most painless solution.”
Beomgyu’s stomach churned at the thought, his body visibly recoiling. “I’m not letting some random frat alpha knot me,” he hissed, his voice dripping with disgust. The very idea made his omega instincts twist uncomfortably, fuck biology so bad.
Taehyun remained unbothered by Beomgyu’s reaction, his tone pragmatic. “I’m not saying you should just pick the first alpha you see, I want you to feel safe. That’s why I’m telling you to start preparing, get to know some of the alphas here. We need to be realistic, hyung.”
“I’m being realistic,” Beomgyu retorted, glaring at Taehyun. “Realistically, I’d rather die alone in a closet than get involved with one of them.”
Kai couldn’t help but chuckle, slowly stopping when he noticed the tension in the room. “Well, uh… I guess that’s an option too. But if you want, I can just introduce you to the nicest alphas of the frat.”
“No!” Beomgyu yelled, the word sharp and immediate.
“So melodramatic, it’s just a one-time thing.” Taehyun leaned back against the headboard, a teasing grin spreading across his face. “Acting like you didn’t have one of those with a frat boy literally two nights ago.”
Kai’s eyes widened in genuine shock, his jaw nearly dropping. “What? Who?”
Oh, great. Beomgyu froze, realizing a second too late that Kai didn’t know. He didn’t know Beomgyu and his hyung had fucked at the frat party. Now the awkwardness in the room was as suffocating as Yeonjun’s tongue down his throat that night.
“Okay, that’s it! I’m leaving you losers.” Beomgyu blurted, bolting toward the door as if his life depended on it, ignoring the protests behind him. He didn’t even bother looking back, focusing on escaping the room quickly before the conversation could spiral any further.
It was official: there was no safe haven in this godforsaken frat house. Every room was a potential minefield of embarrassment, unsolicited advice, or gorgeous flirty betas. He wasn’t safe anywhere.
The rest of the day was far less nerve-wracking, as expected, since Beomgyu had secluded himself in the basement of the house. The large room currently served as the frat’s makeshift graveyard, a dumping ground for anything potentially hazardous during the hurricane. There stood a ping pong table missing a leg leaned awkwardly against the wall, TVs and speakers that had once been mounted elsewhere, empty discarded beer kegs and some rusty exercise weights.
It was quiet there with no overwhelming, sharp scents of alphas lingering in the air, nor the grating voices of well-meaning people trying to help him. He knew the other boys were trying to help him and that Taehyun actually gave him some good, needed, advice, but gosh was his advice annoying. He couldn’t ignore that his heat was coming, and coming strong. His friend was right, Beomgyu knew that the most practical solution would be to ask an alpha for help, but the very thought churned his stomach with unease. Maybe he just had to tough it up and swallow his pride on this one. He should start talking to some of the alphas here.
He only went up the stairs to have some dinner– a surprisingly comforting ramyeon dinner, all thanks to the frat president’s inexplicable hoarding of instant noodles. After he was done eating, Beomgyu made his way back to Soobin’s room. He still wasn’t in the mood to socialize, he wanted to go straight into a soft mattress and try to push away all of his overthinking to the back of his mind.
“Hey!” A voice called out, stopping Beomgyu in his tracks as he walked down the dimly lit upstairs hallway. He turned toward the sound, spotting a room with bunk beds lining the walls. Four frat members, likely all alphas, were seated around a table in the center, the surface crowded with shot glasses and bottles of alcohol.
“Beomgyu, right?” one of them asked, a friendly smile on his face.
The omega nodded slowly, carefully. “Yeah, that’s me.” Only a few people stuck in the house weren’t part of the frat, so it wasn’t surprising that the boys already knew his name, but he still felt slightly uncomfortable.
“Wanna join our game?” another boy chimed in, lifting a half-empty bottle of whiskey. “You’ve been looking pretty sad. Seems like you could use a few drinks.”
Beomgyu hesitated, his eyes narrowing slightly. He didn’t love the idea that these guys had been paying enough attention to notice his mood, but he pushed the thought aside. Taehyun’s advice echoed in his mind: get to know the alphas here, in case of future needs. As much as he hated to admit it, Taehyun had a point. Besides, they weren’t wrong–he could definitely use a drink or two.
With a sigh, Beomgyu stepped into the room, offering a weak smile. “Sure. What are we playing?”
One of the boys grinned mischievously and motioned for Beomgyu to sit down at the table. “We’re playing a modified truth or dare. You take a shot if you skip a question or a dare. Oh, and no dares that’ll get Yeonjun hyung kicking us out of the frat. Deal?”
“Sounds fun,” Beomgyu admitted with a confident grin. “Let’s do it.”
As Beomgyu had anticipated, the questions and dares were… bold, to say the least. He sidestepped some of the wilder prompts by downing some overfilled shots, the alcohol quickly loosening his usual guard. Before long, he was tipsy, giggling at jokes that barely qualified as funny and considering doing some of the stupider dares. He was even tempted to do the ‘send a nude to the last person you made out with’ dare, but luckily he didn’t have Yeonjun’s number so he had to drink instead.
The alphas would sometimes get a little too brave and flirty with Beomgyu, coming closer to Beomgyu’s place and filling his nose with intense alpha scents that made him want to rub himself with alcohol– not the drinking type. He could feel the scents starting to cling to his clothes but he tried not to focus on that.
But overall, the guys weren’t as bad as he had assumed. Sure, they were rowdy and prone to over-the-top antics, but the camaraderie among them was oddly comforting and he found himself leaning into their banter. Beomgyu couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease as the night wore on. Or maybe that was just the alcohol running around his bloodstream.
To his surprise, he’d actually had a great time. Still quite tipsy, Beomgyu stumbled his way out of the room, giggling quietly at nothing in particular. He turned around to say a last goodbye to the boys.
“Thanks for tonight, guys,” Beomgyu spoke quietly, careful not to wake the two alphas who had already passed out during the game.
“Thank you for joining us. Feel free to join us anytime,” Jiwoong– Beomgyu thought that was his name, at least– said, his voice slurred but sincere.
“Yeah, don’t be a stranger,” the other alpha, Yunho, chimed in with a teasing smirk. “And you’re welcome to crash here if you want.”
Okay, that was Beomgyu’s cue to make his exit. He smiled, playing along but keeping the tone light. “That’s a generous offer, but I’ll have to pass tonight. Early classes tomorrow, so I should head home,” he joked, letting his voice carry enough humor to make it clear he wasn’t being rude.
The joke seemed to land well, the two alphas laughing as Beomgyu left the room. The omega stumbled his way to Soobin’s room, his hand brushing against the wall for support, steadying himself as he navigated the hallway. He opened the alpha’s bedroom door cautiously, hoping not to disturb his sleeping best friend. But before he even fully opened it, the scent of mango and pineapple wafted through the opening, letting Beomgyu immediately know that Soobin and Taehyun were curled up together in bed, probably already sound asleep. Again.
Beomgyu let out a soft sigh, a mix of amusement and exasperation tugging at his lips as he quietly closed the door behind him. As a good friend, he wasn’t about to interrupt Taehyun’s cozy moment with his soon-to-be boyfriend. Well, back to the couch it was.
As he walked back down the hallway, his eyes caught Kai’s room. Hm. He sure could use some of those lovely, lovely beta pheromones tonight, especially with all these strong alpha scents lingering on his clothes due to spending too long on that room. Without another thought, he knocked lightly, half-hoping Kai was still awake. No one opened the door, so he let himself in. Beomgyu frowned, glancing around the room with mild frustration. Kai’s bed was neatly made, the blanket pulled up as if it hadn’t been touched in hours. The other two roommates were sprawled on their beds, deep in sleep, oblivious to the presence in their room.
Beomgyu pouted, the frustration clear on his face. He longed for a restful night, but he knew sleep would be hard to come by. His insomnia was already a challenge, and now, the looming possibility of having to endure his heat with a random frat alpha only made it worse. He just wanted peace, just for a few hours. The drinking games had helped but now he was about to return to the cold living room couch and not trying to think about his heat was about to get harder and harder. The thought made his chest tighten, a mix of anxiety and dread swirling inside him.
Fuck it.
He made his way to the last room at the end of the hallway, his steps more purposeful this time. Standing in front of the door, Beomgyu paused, his nervous gaze settling on it. The last time he’d been there, he hadn’t spared a thought for the door itself, too preoccupied with the soft lips trailing along his neck and the rough hands gripping his waist.
Now, with a clearer mind, he noticed the small details he’d overlooked before. The Mr. President nameplate affixed to the door had a tiny fox drawn next to it, its playful doodle surprisingly endearing. Beomgyu couldn’t help but smile faintly, it suited him. Of course, the ever-charming president would have something as unexpectedly cute as this marking his territory. It was fitting, in a way that only made Beomgyu’s stomach twist even more.
He gripped the door handle, twisting it as slowly as he could, only to wince at the sharp creak that echoed through the quiet hallway. Beomgyu froze for a moment, glancing at the bed. Despite the noise, Yeonjun remained sound asleep in his bed, his arms wrapped tightly around a fluffy white pillow. His peaceful expression and the soft rise and fall of his chest made Beomgyu relax just a little.
Yeonjun’s calming scent of sweet coffee immediately hit his nose and relaxed some of Beomgyu’s tense muscles. Fueled by liquid courage, he tiptoed into the room and made his way to the bed. Without overthinking, he carefully tugged the pillow out from between Yeonjun’s arms, replacing it with himself. He tucked himself under the sheets and between Yeonjun’s biceps, pressing his face against the beta's chest. Closer to the older boy, the warm scent instantly filled his lungs, smelling like a lazy weekend breakfast and safety.
Unexpectedly, Yeonjun’s arms instinctively tightened around Beomgyu, pulling him closer to his chest. The older boy shifted slightly, burying his nose in Beomgyu’s hair as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yeonjun groaned softly. “You smell like alphas…” he noticed, his words slow and raspy from sleep as he took another sharp inhale. “And alcohol too.”
Beomgyu stiffened, his heart leaping into his throat. He didn’t expect the beta to be awake. Still, he didn’t pull away or look up; instead, he buried his face deeper into Yeonjun’s chest, desperate for the calming effect of his pheromones to lull him to sleep.
“I thought you were asleep,” Beomgyu whispered, his voice barely audible.
If Yeonjun noticed Beomgyu changed subjects he didn’t comment on it. He chuckled softly, the vibrations of his chest against Beomgyu’s cheek making him shiver. “You thought wrong, princess.”
“Sorry for waking you up,” Beomgyu sounded shy, regretful.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours,” Yeonjun murmured, his voice soothing. He gave Beomgyu a gentle squeeze, releasing another rich caffeine wave of pheromones that instantly enveloped Beomgyu, easing further the tension in his body. “Just sleep, cub,” he added, sounding caring yet firm, almost like an order.
Beomgyu took that as permission to snuggle into the crook of Yeonjun’s neck. He inhaled deeply, his nose brushing against the scent gland, letting the scent enveloped his senses as he rubbed his face against the curve of Yeonjun’s smooth neck, like a puppy searching for warmth and comfort. His cold feet brushed against Yeonjun’s ankles in an attempt to warm them up, Yeonjun slightly flinched but didn’t pull away, letting the younger boy do whatever he wanted. Sleepy Yeonjun was so nice.
The feeling of Yeonjun’s skin against his cheek was soothing, and the subtle pulse beneath it was a tempting invitation. Beomgyu’s lips tingled with the desire to press against the soft skin, to taste the sweet scent that had taken over his senses on his tongue. The urge to leave gentle, playful kisses and nibbles grew stronger, a silent plea to claim the beta in the most intimate, primal way. The omega shut his eyes tight and his hand reached for the collar of Yeonjun’s tank top, gripping the fabric in a weak attempt to steady his own thoughts. He was going insane.
The omega had already figured out that Yeonjun’s close presence was likely triggering his approaching heat so, at that very moment, he was only making his situation even worse. Beomgyu really should be staying away from the beta, not hugging and scenting him to sleep. However, allowing himself this one little moment of peaceful sleep after everything that happened, seemed only fair. He deserved to treat himself in the middle of a goddamn hurricane with no suppressants for fucks sake. Most importantly, he especially deserved this after knowing what lay ahead, spending his heat, his weakest state, with some random alpha, someone he didn’t care for, someone who can’t offer him comfort or safety. Just some stranger with a knot.
Beomgyu whined at the thought, letting go of Yeonjun’s shirt to hug the beta instead, his arms tight around his torso. Like that, he was almost completely covered by Yeonjun’s body, the omega’s face hidden in his neck and the rest of his body covered by sheets and strong arms. Yeonjun didn’t mind the cuddles, nor commented on Beomgyu’s weird behaviour, simply responding with a sleepy, gentle kiss to Beomgyu’s hair. With that, Beomgyu allowed himself to rest his lips right over Yeonjun’s scent gland, not kissing it, but still satisfying his urges enough to calm down his racing heart a bit.
“It’ll be okay,” Yeonjun muttered against the omega’s hair, his voice thick with drowsiness, already half-asleep, but carrying an undeniable certainty.
Yeonjun’s tone was so sincere and raw, that Beomgyu felt his breathing steady as the words sank in, wrapping around him like a warm promise.
Beomgyu believed him.
It would be okay.