Chapter Text
If ever there was a biography of his life, this was definitely making it as one of the contenders for the section titled Top Ten Least Dignified Moments of Sung Hanbin as an Alpha.
Underneath him, Hao released an airy cry.
Scratch that first sentence. Make that a top three.
He didn't know how they came to be in this position, Hao moaning and gasping, pretty elongated neck all on display for Hanbin to scent to his heart's content. His alpha seemed to be very pleased with the whole situation, though, and he grinded his hips down harder. A breathy moan followed. Addiction might look something like this.
The whole thing was supposed to be an innocent scenting between pack members, like it was common to happen between people who were close. Hanbin had done it countless times before at this point, adoringly scented Yujin to mark the pup as one of his proteges, playfully and mutually scented Jiwoong as an act of camaraderie between two fellow alphas, scented Gyuvin with an arm around the big kid as a show of affection to the clingy beta, vigorously rubbed his nose into Gunwook whenever the young alpha was being adorable, and even, after the lineup was formed, scented a sketchy Ricky and a resigned Taerae a couple of times each.
Everyone knew alphas and omegas had a natural affinity to each other. Hanbin knew it, and completely ignored it for most of his life. It didn't matter to him a person's subgender, he was an alpha who was very secure and in control of his instincts. All of his omega friends had been scented by him, Matthew was the prime example of this, having been at the receiving end of one too many of Hanbin’s affectionate scentings, and nothing like this situation had ever happened before.
So, naturally, when a preheat Zhang Hao asked Hanbin, one of his closest alpha friends, to scent him to take the edge off his cramps a little, Hanbin accepted without a second thought. Cramps were a bitch, or so Matthew told him, and since being close to an alpha could alleviate an omega’s heat symptoms, he was more than happy to be of service.
What he didn’t account for was that the both of them would be all by themselves in the dorm, and that a cranky Hao would drag him by the hand toward his nest, sit them both down between the assortment of covers and clothes, - with one of Hanbin’s own shirts peeking from the pile, - and proceed to throw his head back, looking at Hanbin through heavy lidded eyes as his arms held the weight of his body.
At first, Hanbin nosed the juncture of Hao’s neck with stiff and contained moves. Hands rested by the linen of the bed. Restricted breaths, so that the sweet smell of jasmine tea wouldn’t overwhelm him. Steady. Movements not too large. Just enough.
Hao’s harsh exhales fell against his hair, body trembling with the contact.
Right from the start, it felt like a stupid idea. But Hanbin trusted himself, and Hao seemed to trust him too, if the way the fingers carding through the locks of his hair were anything to go by.
“Do you wanna stop?” Hanbin murmured against the side of his neck, because he had to make sure he wasn’t crossing a line. His lips lightly grazed Hao’s skin as he talked. The fingers in his hair clutched tighter and the omega seemed to pull Hanbin ever so slightly closer.
“No,” his Adam's apple bobbed. His breath hitched. “Keep going.”
If he was any smarter, Hanbin would have stopped.
He should have stopped.
Head light with the scent in the air, so intrinsically Hao, Hanbin placed careful hands over the small of his hyung’s back. They’d all seen how tiny Hao’s waist was, but holding it under the palms of his hands was something else completely. Hanbin felt dizzy.
Suddenly, scenting Hao wasn’t enough. He had to completely drench the omega in his own pinewood scent, and he wouldn’t settle for less.
“Why don’t you come here?” he breathed as his hands gently tugged Hao’s waist toward himself.
“To sit in your lap?”
“Yes.”
Hao whimpered, shutting his eyes tight. His scent was almost too much, impregnating the whole room with soft jasmine. Hanbin’s alpha went a little crazy. His own scent spiked.
Accepting his invitation, legs wrapped around his waist and, the next moment, Hao was straddling him.
In a way that was increasingly and worryingly defying Hanbin’s self-control, he drew in the smell of jasmine tea, letting his nose run up and down Hao’s collar in bold and large moves. One, two, three times, until, like a dam breaking, Hao took a lungful of air and choked a lovely ‘ Ah!’ that resonated loudly in the quietness . Hanbin had to listen to that again. A low hum rumbled deep within his chest as the omega’s nails dug into his shoulder.
It might have been him who pulled Hao so close their arms felt caging, but he was almost certain that Hao was the one who started the slow and shallow grind down on him. And Sung Hanbin was nothing but a weak alpha who had to reciprocate.
Dominance wasn’t a trace Hanbin showed often, but letting such a pretty omega be on top of him right then felt like a crime. The smell of jasmine tea was spiking up in a way that dared Hanbin to overtake it. Suddenly, Hanbin saw himself shifting their positions, throwing Hao into the mattress in one swift movement.
As it was, Hanbin listened to the staccato breaths he was taking out of the omega as he rutted down his hips, and threw rationality out of the window.
“How much do you wanna smell like me, hyung?” he whispered against his collarbones.
“... hm?”
Hanbin repeated. “How much do you wanna smell like me?”
“Binnie,” Hao shivered. He seemed incapable of answering as Hanbin let out quiet puffs of air against his throat, rotating his hips just to tease him. “Wanna feel you with me all the time. Wanna smell just like you, please,” he begged.
The blunt edges of nails scraped at the back of Hanbin's neck, urging him on. Somehow, his hands had grabbed Hao’s thighs, opening up a space for his body to slide between his, grinding their clothed cocks together. It was a little dry, the friction was probably going to hurt like a bitch later, and the presence of clothes made it all worse, but they couldn't seem to know how to stop. In the back of his mind, Hanbin knew that all of the pheromones and their scents were making it all worse, and that they should take a moment to analyze the situation calmly, but then the scent of slick reached his nose.
Fuck, Hao was getting wet for him.
He wanted to fuck Hao so bad.
"Binnie ," the omega half sobbed, half moaned, the little edges of his claws scratching Hanbin in the back of his neck. “Don’t stop. I’m so close .”
And, really, who was Hanbin to deny him anything when Hao asked so prettily?
So his hands slid from their place in Hao’s thighs to pin his hips down. He was afraid there would be bruises tomorrow, but, as it had been happening for the past minutes, as soon as that thought was formed, it was quickly discarded.
Some very primal instinct took hold of Hanbin, to just take, take, take, until Zhang Hao was finally his, and he nibbled at Hao’s collarbones over his scent gland, the gums of his teeth aching with want. He shouldn’t be doing this. It was dangerous to play around with mating bites, but Hao was actively clawing him now, like omegas did when they wanted their mates to bite them, and he was gasping, desperate for Hanbin.
“Come on , hyung ,” Hanbin whispered. He licked the flesh underneath his teeth, tasting jasmine, and, just because, he gnawed a little more at Hao’s pretty neck. "Come for your alpha." The other man let out a dragged moan, as his hips stuttered.
Though pinned to the bed, Hao’s back arched like a bow, taut and delicate, and his legs squeezed Hanbin’s hips as if they could lock him there, and this was when his scent spiked for a last time, before Hanbin was groaning, gripping Hao’s hips even harder, and he was coming in his pants too, pine and wood finally overtaking the soft jasmine smell.
Clarity didn’t return to him at once, but a voice that sounded reasonable enough told him that they shouldn’t have done that. Louder, he listened to the inhales and exhales of their breaths. He felt good, despite the stickiness in his pants, and a little bit boneless too. Inside his chest, his alpha rumbled, pleased.
“You’re crushing me, Bin.”
“Sorry, hyung.”
He laid down on Hao’s comfy nest, head still too mushy to have any sort of coherent thought. They had to squeeze together. It was a small space for the both of them.
“Better?”
Hao hummed. “Much.”
“Good,” Hanbin spoke with his eyes closed.
They took another moment. The bedroom smelled like a wonderful combination of jasmine and wood, like their scents were meant to be meshed. Proudness bloomed inside him, for making such a good job on scenting Hao. He was going to be smelling like Hanbin for days.
“I think I’ll shower now. I feel sticky.”
“Okay,” Hanbin agreed, still half dazed. “I’ll go after you’re done.”
This should be scary, - the absolute peace he had while knowing Hao was completely drenched in his own scent, and that a shower would do barely anything to erase it. But he only took pleasure in the feeling.
“Hyung,” Matthew accosted him in the kitchen the next day when they were alone before bed. It was a little too late to be up, with the moon hanging high in the night sky, but somehow Hanbin always found himself going to bed way past their scheduled sleeping time. Leader's responsibility kept him up most nights, his natural anxiousness and the mental image of their schedule for the next day replacing the sleepiness that should be there. “Why does Hao hyung smell like he took a shower in your scent?”
What an interesting question, Hanbin thought to himself. Outwardly, he looked very politely interested. “Does he?” he questioned wisely around a bite of his banana chips snack. “Maybe your nose is just too good, Matthew. I didn’t really notice anything.”
That was a blatant lie if he ever told one, and he hoped that Matthew was not paying too much attention to him. Anyone with a working nose would know immediately that Hao was smelling like a pinewood forest, the strong earthy scent of an alpha, and not just because he’d been wearing one of Hanbin’s hoodies around the house these days.
“My sense of smell is not really that great, actually” Matthew said, with his brows furrowed. “It’s pretty hard to miss.”
Hanbin carefully continued to eat, and stared at anything that was not in his friend’s general vicinity, as he sensed Matthew's scrutinizing gaze. Hanbin munched the chips, taking his time to look into the pack and fish for each single banana as if the action demanded his utmost attention.
“Maybe I’m the one who needs a nose check, then,” he laughed, and Matthew didn’t follow along, only hummed in interest, and, shit, he wasn’t buying Hanbin’s crappy excuse. “I scented him a bit yesterday,” he conceded to the chips, then he looked up, trying to appear more confident and bit less like he was guilty of robbing a bank or something. “Plus, it’d be hard for him to smell like someone else when he’s been wearing my hoodie around the house.”
Matthew’s eyes didn’t squint, but they definitely studied the older with some more consideration. He reclined back on his chair and crossed his arms. “I don’t know, I don’t think it’s that.”
“You’re just looking at things to prod at," but a more fitting line would have been ‘ don’t poke a wasp’s nest if you don’t wanna know what you’ll find there’ . So Hanbin only got up from the kitchen stool to store the rest of his snack for later. Or maybe Hao would feel hungry and want to take a bite of it as well. He craved salty things in his heat, and banana chips were pretty savory and tasty.
Like a good alpha, - and a pack leader at that - Hanbin tried to look out for his members. If he had a soft spot for the omegas (and the pups) it was all because that was how their dynamics were designed to work in the first place. Looking out for Hao was a compulsion caused by the way their subgenders worked, and nothing more than that.
Though they were all on suppressants, their dynamics had a tight grip on all of them and, one way or another, exerted power in how they acted with each other. It was natural that Hao’s heat was bound to make all of them a little haywire and crazy, since it was their first cycle as a pack. Hanbin wasn’t excluded from that logic.
Suppressants worked to improve someone’s functionality as a normal member of society during their heat or rut more than anything else. So the first and most important goal when using them was birth control. When used correctly, the pills deterred omegas from getting pregnant on their heat, and alphas from impregnating someone on their ruts.
Libido was also a great part of the problem with ruts and heats. Impulsiveness used to rule the dynamics when their cycles hit, with the unhindered instinct to breed being almost unstoppable. However, nowadays people could freely run through the streets during these trying times, without the fear of being overtaken by the sudden urge to jump a stranger thinking they would be perfect to carry their genes onto the next generation.
Other than that, Hanbin still felt compelled to stock piles of food under his bed and watch the door of his house like a guard dog during the night, as if someone would suddenly barge in to harm his family and, now, his members, and Hao seemed to nest and bundle up in warm and comfortable clothes, munching savory snacks through the apartment in his cocoon.
“Hyung, I really can’t stress enough how weird it is that Hao hyung is not smelling like himself right now, when he’s, what? One or two weeks away from his heat? I can say this because I’m an omega too, so don’t take this the wrong way, but this place should be stenching with his scent, and… are you okay, hyung? You’re twitching a bit. Are you sure you’re fine? Okay, well, anyway, don’t you think there’s something strange with your scent completely overtaking his? During his preheat? ”
It was something to be considered, but a big part of Hanbin wanted to scream that no , there was no problem in Hao smelling like him. A bigger part of him still actually had an ounce of thinking capacity left in him.
He scowled, supporting his weight on the kitchen counter so he could look at his friend. “No need to emphasize it so much, Matthew, I get that you don’t think this is normal.” Matthew eyed him, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction.
“It’s not,” he said, then tiredly rubbed his face and sighed. “What did you do?”
Hanbin threw his head back. How much would he have to spill before Matthew was satisfied? He prayed that the next answer would mollify him enough for him to stop questioning.
“It was just a scenting session. He should go back to normal in a while.” Bile kicked in his guts, and he felt nauseous with the mere idea that Hao’s jasmine scent would come through and overpower pinewood again, but he tried not to show Matthew his queasiness. “And even if,” he looked at Matthew, “I actually accidentally did scent him a bit more than usual, it was probably because it’s our first heat as a pack, and I didn’t want other people to think that I was a bad leader by letting him go with that much of a heat scent around.”
Skepticism was clear in Matthew’s features as he sat on a chair of the kitchen table. His hands crossed over his knees, as if he was taking all of this conversation very seriously. “So,” he faced Hanbin with an unreadable expression. “If it was me going into heat first, do you think maybe I would be the one going around smelling like you?”
An urge to recoil spread through each one of Hanbin’s limbs, as if just the thought of that disgusted him. There was something inherently wrong in the thought of Matthew going around smelling completely like him, like Hao had been doing, and he had to physically restrain himself not to flinch. He shrugged again.
“Could be,” he said, nonchalantly.
“Hyung…” Matthew started, when the noise of a door opening in its hinges stopped him, resounding loudly in the quiet of the apartment. Heavy steps followed to where they were.
Jiwoong grimaced as he stepped in, probably guessing from their setup and the weighted silence that they’d been having a private conversation. “Sorry to interrupt, guys. I'll just grab a snack and be gone soon.”
“Don’t worry, hyung,” Hanbin assured him with a smile. “I was just about to go to bed.”
From experience, Hanbin knew Matthew would chew him out until he got an outright answer to his questions, but Hanbin didn’t feel like talking about whatever it was that happened last night between Hao and him to anyone yet. Maybe never. He was still lightly riding the high of having Hao bask in his scent in such a perfect way, like he was made to belong to Hanbin. Matthew didn’t need to know the details of them coming together, or anything at all that even slightly involved him and Hao. Not even as he whipped his head toward Hanbin, trying to subtly call out to his attention that they were not done talking.
“Okay. Have you checked if Hao needs anything?”
See? Jiwoong also looked out for the omegas. Last night’s behavior wasn’t weird, Hanbin was just a little overbearing, perhaps, but nothing extraordinary or out of the norm of care for an alpha to have with an omega of the same pack.
“You’re a mind reader. I’m gonna take a look at him now.”
“You do that.”
“Good night,” he called tracing light footsteps over the wooden floor to knock on Hao's bedroom.
Dreams were rare occasions for Hanbin, but, that night, he had one.
There was something strange in this quiet fantasy, like a whisper, something in the way sheets and quilts seemed soft, in pastel colors, in the clinic cleanliness of this imaginary setting. Jasmine petals were spread through the floor, their smell lulling a sense of fuzzy calmness on the room.
Sheets tangled up in a heap. There was something hiding in the midst of it, a soft body, milky and tantalizing skin, and, as they unraveled, Hao revealed himself, wearing nothing but pink lace lingerie and a golden collar around his delicate neck. Peeking underneath the gold, there was a fresh mark of teeth, still red and healing. Hanbin could feel the slight pain in his own neck enough to know who had etched that mark into the omega’s skin.
Blurry and slow lines made up this reality, and, as if this was underwater, Hao’s voice begged on his knees in the middle of the bed for Hanbin. To have his pups, to be filled with his cum, to take his knot, everything he could ask and more, he did. All the while, Hanbin stared at him from the headboard, taking pleasure in denying every one of his wishes. Real Hanbin would have liked nothing more than to give the omega exactly what he wished for, but Dream Hanbin liked seeing Hao beg, stripped of clothes and dignity alike. ‘Alpha !’ Hao cried, but still Hanbin wouldn’t even blink.
Zhang Hao’s tears spilled freely on his face, a small rain of stars falling down the earth, as he crawled on Hanbin’s lap to continue with his imploration. He kissed and licked Hanbin’s chest, neck and jaw, whining and whispering in his ear in a small voice ‘Won’t you knot me, alpha?’ ‘Am I not gonna look pretty with your pups?’ and, what seemed to break Dream Hanbin’s composure ‘Am I not your omega?’, to which Dream Hanbin finally stated, ‘Do you want my knot, Hao?’ The omega nodded with a pout. ‘So you’re gonna have to do as I say.’
Dream Hanbin bossed Hao around, as if he had any power to do so, reveling in the control. If this were reality, Real Hao would be giving him a piece of his mind. But this was nothing more than Hanbin’s perverted fantasy, so the man could only continue with his pleas, doing every single thing Hanbin asked of him. Some requests were innocent, just for the thrill of power that his alpha loved. Water, to be massaged, to have Hao feed him (grapes, because even in dreams Hanbin loved clichés).
Then the orders got bolder.
A lick on his abs, to have Hao’s teeth over his nipples. To have him take Hanbin’s cock into the soft palm of his hands. He ordered for Hao to stick one of his pale fingers into Hanbin’s ass (which was a whole other can of worms to unpack when he woke up), and then to take Hanbin in his mouth, and by this point of the dream tears ran freely on Hao’s face.
With increasing despair to have his wishes fulfilled, Hao sobbed and choked on Hanbin’s cock, until he couldn’t take it anymore and just had to stop.
‘ Who do you belong to?’ Hanbin asked, and all of the lights were suddenly off. Everything faded, and there was nothing in this illusion besides Hao and Hanbin, bathed by darkness.
The bite on his neck prickled. ‘ You,’ Hao said with conviction, tears shining in the corner of his eyes. ‘ I’m yours, Hanbin.’ And something flashed, a white light encompassing the whole space, blinding them, before Hanbin heard his own voice say back, in a soft contrast to this unholy dream, ‘ You’re mine, and I’m yours too.’
Harsh reality met him as his eyes bolted open. Nothing in that dream seemed more real than that mating bite, and Hanbin could still feel the edges of his skin itching, the ghost of a feeling to haunt him awake. His dick throbbed in his pants, though, so he rose to take care of that problem in the privacy of the bathroom. That weird prickle was easy to put aside as he seeked his release.
At the breakfast table, Hanbin took a sip of his coffee. Or he should have been taking a sip of coffee. The brew’s bitter taste eluded his taste buds. It took a moment to realize that there was also no liquid inside his mouth, and the mug was simply being held by his hand close to his lips, in a display to show he was busy doing something. Hanbin noticed this fact and made no move to actually drink his beverage.
Unblinking, his eyes busied themselves with the vision ahead.
In front of the counter, stretching his arms up, up, up - why did he seem to be moving in slow motion? - Hao extended a hand to grab a mug from one of their cabinets. The white hoodie he wore, another one of Hanbin’s, slid upward on his torso, and the curve of his waist was exposed to the hot air of the kitchen.
The expanse of skin just beneath his ribs seemed like the perfect place to fit the mark of Hanbin’s fingers. Thumbs right over Hao’s ribs, and the four remaining fingers of each hand on his back. The purple of the bruises would contrast with the omega’s white skin beautifully, as a token of belonging, and everyone would know he was taken. There might have even been enough space for the mark of his teeth as well, just to make sure people would understand the message.
As he rummaged through the cabinets, Hao was oblivious to Hanbin’s gaze. He seemed to have difficulty in finding a mug. The members ran through their glasses and mugs like crazy, what with nine people who had a tight schedule sharing one dorm and not enough time to wash their dishes. There was a maid, but they still ran out of them. And so Hao continued his search, in the depths of the kitchen storage.
Even with his height, he had to make an effort to reach the back of it. One of his hands rested on the counter, to support his weight better, and he stood on the tips of his toes, desperate to circle anything that could be used to hold his daily dose of caffeine, without having to resort to actually washing anything. The move lightly accentuated his ass, sticking back more prominently than usual.
Hanbin tried not to think about how Hao looked, hair messy and sweated, cheeks flushed, after they had semi-fucked. Fucked with clothes on, if you will. He tried to imagine what Hao’s ass would look like bare, and somehow in the middle of all of that thinking, his teeth came to bite on his bottom lip. The taste of blood flooded his tongue, but the bite shouldn’t even have been hard enough to hurt. It was strange, but then Hao stretched just a little further on his tiptoes, and his ass angled just so in the sweatpants he also stole from Hanbin, and Hanbin was drawn to the sight again. The Hao in his dreams had an ass like…
“Hanbin,” a voice broke his line of thought. It took a moment for him to place the tone, and who it belonged to. There was a fogged up feeling in his mind, and he felt clouded, teetering on the edge of consciousness. His senses were so attuned to Hao that he could focus on nothing else. “Are you okay? Your eyes are red.”
For a moment, that cloudiness clutched at his heels, holding onto him with a vice grip. His shoulders tensed as the scent of burning wood filled his nostrils. It was strong, too close, and it was threatening his territory and his omega. A scratch in his throat begged to be released to scare away the alpha who interrupted him. His terse neck turned to glance and take action against this intruder. His eyes turned to slits, and he was ready to pounce on the possible rival, when Hao finally exclaimed “Found it!” and the hazy fog around his brain dissipated, just in time for him to stop the growl stuck at his throat.
Growling was an almost surefire way to start a fight between alphas. While some betas may have growled back, they didn't tend to cause problems, preferring to stay level headed and out of harm’s way. This was the smart approach, and Hanbin liked to think that in normal situations he would be able to control his instincts back enough to do the same. But even though they were friends and packmates, Jiwoong might not have hesitated to attack him if he growled.
It was like a bucket of cold water was thrown over Hanbin’s head.
What was he doing? This was not like him. He was not an alpha who ogled omegas like their property, and he was definitely not an alpha that growled and tried to start fights. He considered himself to be above a caveman. His instincts existed, but they had never managed to exert control in him to make him forget about everything else.
Belatedly, the broken lip called his attention again. The cut stung, and he ran the tip of his tongue over it, in an attempt to clean up the red drops staining his mouth.
“Bin,” Hao tilted his head, eyebrows drawn together in worry. He strode to where Hanbin sat, and dropped his mug on the table. Hanbin’s own mug, which was forgotten until then, was released from his grip, and placed beside Hao’s. Dazed, Hanbin watched Hao run his fingertips over his cheekbones, until he was holding Hanbin’s face in his hands. Hanbin’s eyes drooped for a bit, and the hazy fog was back. “Your cheeks are red too. Do you think you’re coming down with a fever?”
Jiwoong took a step closer, and Hanbin needed to breathe slower, through his mouth, to keep the smell of the other alpha out of his nostrils. He felt like he might do something stupid if Jiwoong was too close, like bite him (in a non-platonic, non-sexual, purely territorial and dumb way) or claw at his scent gland, to show him who was the leader and give him a permanent reminder of submission.
“Can you guys step back?” he gritted through his teeth. His words were harsher than they usually were, but the fear that his composure would slip put him on edge. “I need to breathe.”
Visibly displeased, Hao frowned but complied. Jiwoong’s burning wood scent receded from the stifling kitchen, and Hanbin relaxed minimally.
“Thanks.”
Eyelids fluttering shut, Hanbin concentrated on moving his diaphragm, making sure to inhale and exhale with his whole body, to force himself to relax. Hao’s concern was so palpable it made the air around them fizzle with nervous energy, he was almost vibrating out of his own skin.
Taking his time, Hanbin tried to take in his surroundings again. The fogginess was gone, and his vision seemed to return to him. The previous tunnel vision had made it hard to focus on anything.
As he suspected, Hao was pursing his lips, with eyebrows drawn together. To complete the perfect picture of worry, his leg bounced, hitting the floor in a rhythmic cadence. The first thing Hanbin wanted to do was assure him that he was alright now, that it was nothing to worry about, placing a hand on the omega’s knee just so he could make the incessant movement stop. Neither words nor comforting gestures were given, though. There was something about himself that he didn’t trust at the moment. His alpha was running too free, and he had to take back control of himself before he could do anything.
A little farther from them, Jiwoong watched the whole scene with rapt eyes. His gaze flickered from Hanbin to Hao, and back to Hanbin, in a quick succession. The older had always been observant, but to be the subject of his attentiveness was disconcerting. For some reason, the unflinching gaze made Hanbin feel jittery.
He cleared his throat. “Sorry for that. I think a shower will help clear my head.”
The others didn't seem too reassured.
“Do you need anything else?” Hao’s hands were intertwined, fingers restless as they dug through the flesh of his palms. Whenever he did that, it meant he wanted to have his hand held. Hanbin eyed that gesture for a beat too long.
“No, hyung. Don’t worry. I’m fine.” He shook his head and stood up. “Wake up the kids for me, please? Yujin and Gunwook need to wake up in time for breakfast, it’s not good for them to skip meals, and we can’t be late.” Hao nodded, wide eyed as he watched Hanbin leave. Jiwoong nodded too, less vigorously and more patient, that same pensive look on his face as he watched Hanbin. “Thanks, hyungs,” he tried a smile that didn't actually become one, and then did his best to make it to the bathroom like he was not running away.
As he locked himself inside, he turned to the sink and immediately poured water into his face. The water was cold, waking his senses. He felt a bit mad.
Lifting up his head, he stared at the mirror. The reflection stared back, eyes tainted a dark blood red.
The photoshoot scheduled for that morning was going as well as it could go. They had been doing so many of those lately that they lost track of what each of them was for. Posters for events, more versions of album covers than they could count, photo books, magazines and even some brand deals, they did them all, and all of the endless styling-dressing-undressing thing started to become a blur after a while.
Even though it was his duty as a leader to have their schedule memorized as well as his own security number, Hanbin wasn’t in his best form, the shower doing little to make him feel better. Though the weird cloudiness had mostly left, occasionally it would get to him again, making his alpha yell inside his chest, ordering him to do things that would have otherwise never crossed his mind. Like watching Zhang Hao like a hawk, paranoid some alpha would jump him and claim him for his upcoming heat. Or keep track of where Zhang Hao would step next, so that he could make sure there was nothing on the floor to make him fall. After all, he had a poor balance and Hanbin should be near him to catch him if he did eventually end up falling. Or maybe slip snacks into Zhang Hao’s pockets. Normally he would keep and give snacks to whoever member seemed to be the most hungry, but today, Zhang Hao drew all of his focus, and demanded all of his attention. His preheat status was making Hanbin kind of insane. He hoped his super wired and attuned senses would leave once the first heat of the group went by, and that he would be better prepared for the next ones.
It was all going well, Yujin had just finished his make-up, and Hanbin would soon follow in the make-up chair, when his alpha senses decided to strike at full force again.
As if wired to sense his presence, Hanbin’s alpha instantly turned on the spot, almost at the same time Hao stepped into the dressing room. Like usual, he looked pretty. Stunning, even. A light cotton white button shirt covered his torso, and colored cream pants made him look even more ethereal than he normally did.
For all effects, there was nothing wrong with the outfit. But as soon as Hanbin saw him, a frown etched itself over his features. “What’s that ?” he questioned, as if the clothes had personally offended him.
Gunwook and Gyuvin, who had been silently waiting for the shooting to begin, whipped their heads so fast Hanbin thought they were watching a tennis match, attuned to all signs of trouble and gossip like it was a sixth sense. Silently sitting in the corner of the room so as not to mess with his look, Matthew scanned the scene with apprehension.
Hao squirmed in his clothes, scrunching his nose. It felt wrong to see him wearing something that wasn’t Hanbin’s, and it sparked a deep and unfounded rage within him.
“I don’t know, I know I should like it, but I don’t like it either.” He shuddered. "I think it’s my heat. It’s been telling me to wear… familiar things."
Hanbin had the impression Hao didn't actually mean to say familiar. He couldn't know what he meant to say either, but he wondered if it had anything to do with the fact his hyung had been wearing nothing but his wardrobe since preheat hit him. Hao’s whole body shuddered, as if something was deeply unsettling him. By the way he was scratching his arms, it was.
“I feel wrong,” he said, and bit his lip.
“You look nice, hyung,” Gyuvin assured him with a pat on his back that Hanbin didn’t like, even though Gyuvin was a beta. Rationality told Hanbin he was going mad.
Gunwook agreed with Gyuvin. “You always look stunning,” he said, and Hanbin liked that even less. His jaw clenched. Gunwook was a baby, but he was an alpha anyway. It made sense in Hanbin’s mind to be upset about the compliment.
Matthew stepped in. “You’re gonna be back in your own clothes in a bit, hyung, the shooting won’t take long. I have some snacks, you should have it, it's gonna make you feel better.”
“No. Thanks, Matthew.” Hao’s lips quivered.
“Hyung?” Gyuvin placed a hand on Hao’s shoulder. His mouth was halfway into forming the words “Are you okay?” when the end of the sentence was drowned by Hanbin’s warning hiss. That hand should not be on Hao's shoulder.
All heads turned to him, alert. Caught off guard, Gyuvin’s big hand floated in the air, suspended. Not only had he been scared by the hiss, but Hao had also actively flinched away from the touch, as soon as Gyuvin’s hand landed on his shoulder.
For a few seconds, everyone stared, paralyzed, trying to see if a fight would break between them.
Wide eyed and looking terrified, Gyuvin mumbled “ Hyung?” this time toward Hanbin.
Gunwook’s shoulders tensed, as if he was poised for a fight. In the corner of the room, Matthew froze. Zhang Hao looked outright scared.
Some lucidity broke into Hanbin’s mind. “Sorry, I’m not feeling well,” he spilled out in a low tone.
“It’s these clothes, right?” Hao asked, eyes watering. “You hate them.”
Quickly, Hanbin tried to convince him of the contrary. “You look lovely. As you always do. Doesn’t he look lovely, Matthew?”
This time, Matthew was slower in the uptake. “Huh?” Gyuvin made a gesture for him that Hao certainly managed to see. “Oh, yes, Hao Hyung, you always look so pretty. Today especially. Everyone thinks so too.”
“No I don’t,” Hao pouted, his lips downturned. “Everything is horrible and wrong.”
The stylists around made noises of frustration. Sympathetic, Hanbin had to suppress a snort for them.
Suddenly, Hao’s eyes were sparkling and wet, and he sniffed. His cute button-nose went up and down, and something in Hanbin was absolutely crushed at the sight. An overwhelming need to touch and appease his omega took a hold of him, and he had to take a moment to just breathe slowly through his mouth, since the scent of distress was messing with his instincts.
The breathing technique wasn’t good enough this time, and, somehow, Hanbin strode to where Hao was, next to the door.
Stylists, makeup artists, their managers, members and staff surrounded them. Protective, Hanbin’s arms wrapped around Hao, who still looked like he was holding back tears. Drawing him up close, Hanbin whispered “You really do look so nice,” into his ear. The reassurance seemed useless, though, as Zhang Hao’s lips began to wobble.
Comforting him in this space would be useless.
“Excuse us,” he told the room at large, deciding to drag Hao away until he calmed down. Better to cause a small scene now than to have Hao crying in front of everyone. Beside him, the anxious scent wasn’t subsiding, leaving a trail behind their backs.
The restroom was the only private place Hanbin could think of to take Hao, so his feet guided the both of them there. As they stepped in, Hanbin locked the door behind their backs, and Hao’s form draped all around him, releasing small pitiful whimpers. Hanbin took the older man into his embrace, cooing and ‘ shh’ to attempt to calm him.
“What happened?” he asked quietly, next to Hao’s ear. Trembling, Hao shook his head.
“It’s nothing. It’s just my damn heat. It’s messing with my head. I feel stupid, and terrible and these clothes are just… wrong. Hanbin, I hate these,” his voice was weak. A stressed shiver went down Hao’s spine.
Hanbin ran a hand up and down his back to try to comfort him. “Why do you hate them so much?”
Hao disentangled from his arms, shaking his head once more and avoiding his gaze. “Forget it. Let’s go back. It’s silly and ridiculous.”
“I don’t think it is when you’re this stressed about it. Hao,” he cradled Hao’s face into one of his palms, while his other hand found the back of Hao’s neck. This act should concern him, no one but an omega’s mate should touch the back of their necks. But the action seemed to provide some sort of comfort for the older, who nosed him in return. Tenderly, tilting his forehead closer, Hanbin asked, “Can you tell me what it is? Please?”
The hand on the back of his neck, a soothing gesture for omegas, or the lack of distance, seemed to do Hao well, for his trembling stopped, and the tears receded.
“Can you scent my clothes?” Hao asked in one breath. “ Please,” he begged.
Not needing to be asked twice, Hanbin got away from him. Before the broken look Hao sported could marr his pretty features, Hanbin was taking his shirt off and extending it back to Hao. “Let’s change outfits,” he said. Hao eyed him incredulously. “We’ll dress them for some time and then we can change them back. They’ll smell like me,” he explained.
A vigorous nod, fingers unbuttoning his own shirt and the immediate relief flooded Hao, who extended the dress-shirt he had been wearing to Hanbin and, in turn, reached for the alpha’s white flimsy shirt.
They both got dressed, and Hanbin still felt uneasy somehow, until Hao uttered a simple “ pants ” and proceeded to slide the fabric down his hips. A bit slow as he took in the smoothness of Hao’s legs, Hanbin took a couple of seconds to understand that he wanted to exchange their pants too.
When they finished dressing in their new clothes, Hanbin finally felt it. Relief. It was right that Hao was wearing his clothes, as if they could both breathe in normally again. That weird itch wasn’t there under his skin anymore.
A long exhale left Hao’s lips. With a light tilt of his head, the gentle curve of his neck stood out, in what could only be an invitation, whether he was conscious of it or not. His arms stood limp in his sides, until Hanbin plunged forward, taking the older back into his arms. Their chests collided, and Hao took him in, as if he should have never left.
Hanbin could feel Hao’s shoulder tucking his head, and it would be so easy to turn and press his mouth to Hao’s skin. That jaw deserved a kiss. So he let his lips meet Hao’s neck, lightly trading between scenting and kissing him. This time, it was more about giving out comfort than getting relief. The scent floating in the air around them was a happy one now, and Hanbin felt delighted, rumbling low in his chest. Hanbin dared to playfully bite over Hao’s scent gland. Mine, mine, mine, he thought, completely content. If it was possible, Hao released even more happy pheromones, as a happy giggle bubbled out of him.
“Hanbin-ah,” he complained, voice still tinted with that hint of glee. “You’re gonna ruin your makeup.”
Hanbin didn’t care for what the makeup artists would say. Hao was happy, in peace and comfortable. “I haven’t done it yet. It’s okay.”
Hao frowned with a pout. He disagreed, but was also too comfortable to say anything.
Kissing and nipping underneath Hao’s ear, Hanbin was forced to halt as his head was guided with gentle hands, until his nose almost touched Hao’s. They were so close he got almost cross-eyed.
“Can you scent me again tonight?” he asked, coyly. The points of Hanbin’s fingers coiled on their own on Hao’s waist, bundling up the perfectly pressed silk of his shirt. The wolf inhabiting his chest all but purred in satisfaction. Some of that purr must have escaped him, and Hao smirked.
Hanbin bumped their noses together. “Of course,” he said. “Anything you want.”
Hao rubbed their noses together, touching their tips, as he basked in Hanbin’s complete devotion to him.
It was because their dynamics were opposite that they were acting like this. They were in the same pack, alpha and omega, so Hanbin was wired to please Hao and wanted to make him comfortable during his heat. In turn, Hao would please Hanbin’s alpha by letting himself be cared and provided for. Cycles tended to mess with the dynamics of a newly formed pack. It was normal that the first heat or rut would jumble things up a bit.
Blame Zhang Hao’s heat for whatever it was that was making Hanbin feel so protective toward him. That was messing with his system.
Carefully, Hanbin asked, “Can we change back now?”. Hao nodded.
They changed clothes again. This time, with the clothes smelling like Hanbin, Zhang Hao’s omega was appeased. Hanbin’s alpha was too.