Archive of Our Own

Friday night, and Johnny's at the singles' bar.

"Johnny!"

Yuta's smile displays such brightness that even the ordinary faded wood of the bar surrounding him beams to life. His arms extend overhead, greeting him as though he were an old friend.

With as regularly as Johnny finds himself here, perhaps he is.

Either way, Yuta's energy is rather infectious or so the automatic upward twitch of Johnny's lips would attest as he pulls his way up onto the stool stationed on the other side of the bar counter.

"Just you tonight?" the beta asks, shoulders slightly hunched as his palms plant along the counter edge.

"Yeah, I've been so cooped up with work these past couple of weeks, I needed to escape before I went stir crazy." Johnny folds his arms atop the surface in front of him. "Or I drove my roommate crazy. Whichever comes first."

Yuta laughs, putting those pearly whites in the spotlight again then pushes off the counter. "No Jaehyun?"

Johnny shakes his head. "Nah, he's busy." Which is probably true. He just knows what answer last-minute plans have been giving him lately.

"Things are going well for him, then?"

"Oh, yeah!" Johnny nods. "He's as happy as can be. Doyoung's great."

Yuta turns toward the row of glasses, cocking a brow back in Johnny's direction. "The usual for you tonight?"

"Yes, please."

While Yuta takes out a cocktail glass and flips a bottle of amber liquid over it, Johnny's gaze automatically drifts down the length of the bar in that inexplicable way it does whenever he feels eyes on him.

Sure enough, around the corner, a rather sweet-faced young man has his eyes on him, which he quickly averts upon being caught, but the way he looks down and presses his lips together as though to conceal a grin doesn't go unnoticed.

Omega, by the looks of it.

Then again, Johnny knows all too well that looks can be deceiving.

Yuta sets down a sidecar on a napkin in front of him, and Johnny's attention returns to the bartender, one hand automatically lifting to tuck a blond lock behind his ear.

"Hey." Johnny tosses his eyes in the stranger's direction. "Can you put their drink on my tab too?"

"Sure thing, darling." Yuta winks before gliding down to the opposite end.

Pinching the stem of his glass, Johnny takes a sip of his drink, savoring the blend of alcohol and citrus, keeping his posture casual.

A couple minutes later, the stranger is sliding up on the bar stool next to him of his own accord. "Thanks for the drink!"

Johnny turns in his seat toward him. "Not a problem," he says with a lift of his glass.

A hint of fresh sweetness swirls through the air between them. Omega, it is, then.

"You new in town?" Johnny asks. "I haven't seen you around here before."

"Yep, I just moved in a couple weeks ago to start my new job," the stranger explains, taking a sip of his cocktail. One elbow props against the bar counter so he can rest his cheek on his palm as though absolutely devoted to giving Johnny his full attention. "I’m still settling in."

"You liking it so far?" Johnny asks over the rim of his own drink.

"Yes!" The stranger nods enthusiastically. "I like how busy the city is. Never a dull moment!"

A light laugh of agreement slips from Johnny's lips as he nods.

The stranger's expression smooths over then, something in his eyes shifting before he looks down at his cocktail rather coy-like. "I could use someone to show me around though…"

That has Johnny cocking a brow, his tone just as careful as he replies, "Oh? You accepting volunteers?"

"That depends." The stranger lifts his head from his palm, sitting up a little straighter, a little closer to Johnny. That hint of a shift in his eyes is more pronounced as he looks up at him, dropping his voice just a notch as he reaches over to gently trace Johnny's wrist with two fingertips. "Are you offering, Alpha?"

A somewhat breathless laugh slips from Johnny's lips before he can think better of it, but he casually collects himself a moment later, sipping his sidecar. "I am offering, but I'm not an alpha."

"Oh?" The stranger blinks, caught off guard. Then his nostrils flare in a not-so-subtle display, and Johnny can see the way the cogs are working it out behind his eyes.

The stranger’s posture stiffens.

Snatching his hand back, he turns away from Johnny, pointing his thumb in a random direction. "You know what, I'm actually meeting up with some friends, so I better…"

"No worries, I won't hold you up!" Johhny says quickly with an amicable lift of his unoccupied hand. "Nice talking to you!"

The smile that's returned to him is tighter, the nod more of a jerk, then the stranger flees.

Johnny turns back toward the counter, exhaling lightly as the smile fades and that all too familiar twist in his stomach settles its way in.

He looks down into his cocktail, picking the orange slice off the side and squeezing the juice into the glass. "Of course."

"My boss just sets all these expectations in his mind then gets mad when no one can just read it." Jaehyun's words cut off into a grunt as he pushes two dumbbells together overhead where he's seated on the gym bench. The strain in his expression and tone ease a moment later as he brings them back down to his shoulders. "Yet he refuses to actually do any work himself."

"That's annoying." Johnny exhales a heavy but controlled breath from where he's laying on a neighboring bench, extended arms nearly touching two equally as large dumbbells directly over his chest. "Can you switch stores?"

"Maybe." Jaehyun grunts again. His forehead reddens, the sweat glistening, though when he brings the weights back down again this time, he leans in to set them on the ground with a sigh. "But I feel like if it's not one incompetent store manager, it's going to be some other issue, and this store is at least nearby the condo."

Johnny sighs exaggeratedly before the sound cuts off into a grunt again as he brings the dumbbells back together. "Living the capitalistic hellscape dream!"

Ten murmurs agreeably from the pulley machine where he has a strap around his ankle tethered to a cable. The light weight clinks gently as he lifts his leg back up.

"But hey!" Jaehyun adds, peeking out from behind the towel he's using to pat his forehead. "About a month and a half before it's beach house time!"

"That's right!" Johnny manages a grin even as his face scrunches beneath the weight lifting.

"Speaking of which," Ten chimes in then. "Can I bring Kun?"

"Of course!" Jaehyun answers.

"What?" Johnny's head snaps over to his roommate. "No!"

"What?" Ten makes a face at Johnny's reaction. "He'll buy his own plane ticket?"

Sitting up, Johnny straddles the bench. He sets the dumbbells down in front of him, rubbing his forehead and muffling his groan.

Ten continues his leg lifts. "Oh my God, what do you have against Kun?"

"Nothing," Johnny sighs, reaching back to snatch his towel and dab his face. "I just know you and Jaehyun are gonna be attached to your alphas the whole time, and I'm gonna be the awkward fifth wheel."

"Oh, Johnny." Ten's defensiveness is gone. Leaning over, he tears off the Velcro from his ankle so he can walk over to him, draping himself across the back of his shoulders.

Ten's distinct sweet omega scent floods Johnny’s nostrils.

"We won't leave you out. Promise!" his roommate assures him.

Johnny tosses Ten a skeptical glance. "You said that at the beer festival."

"That was different!" Standing back up, Ten heads back over to the machine he'd been using, grabbing his water bottle from the ground. "Anyway, I won't leave you out." His eyes shift over to Jaehyun, staring right at him as he continues, "Some of us are capable of letting the knot deflate a little."

"I'm not attached to Doyoung's knot!" Jaehyun snaps, though as soon as the words slip from his lips, he seemingly remembers that they are, in fact, out in public.

His head ducks as if doing so might conceal the pink that's taken over his ears.

"More like he won't let you be," Ten murmurs.

Jaehyun flips him off.

Any other time, Johnny would've found this interaction hilarious, but as it stands, his stomach twists as all his hopes for this trip they’d been planning have suddenly dashed away.

"This was supposed to be the omega getaway," he sighs, slinging his towel over his shoulder. "It's like the alphas are slowly trickling in."

Taking hold of his dumbbells again, Jaehyun sits back against the elevated bench. "You can bring someone too!"

Johnny just drops his head and sighs.

"Whatever happened to that beta?" Jaehyun asks.

Johnny looks over at him with an arch of his brow. "He has a name."

"Yeah," Ten adds, kneeling so he can strap the Velcro to the other ankle now. "Asshole."

Johnny gives Ten a look. "Minjun." His head lifts, staring off at nothing. "I mean, things were great whenever it was just the two of us, but after a few months, it seemed weird that he wasn't introducing me to any of his friends. Definitely not his family. Long story short, when I pointed that out to him, he said, 'that's not what this was,' and that was that."

Jaehyun frowns, lowering the dumbbells. "Shit, man…"

"Fuck him," Ten scoffs. "I knew he was no good. I knew it. I told you!"

Johnny waves a dismissive hand. "It's whatever." He moves the dumbbells and kneels down to unhook the latches under the bench so he can prop it upright like Jaehyun has his.

"Still got a good month and a half before we go." Jaehyun grunts as he resumes pressing the dumbbells overhead. "Plenty of time to meet someone new."

"Ehhh," Johnny murmurs as he sits back down, hoisting his dumbbells up to his shoulders.

Ten tilts his head with an incredulous glance. "What do you mean 'ehhhh'?"

"I mean, I'm just kind of over it." His nose scrunches as he proceeds to push the dumbbells overhead, the veins rising along his forearms. "I'm thinking the mated life isn't for me."

"Please, Johnny," Ten persists. "You're hot, you're charming…"

Johnny snorts as he holds the weights by his shoulders. "But I'm still not exactly… ideal omega material."

That has Ten outright scowling back at him. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Setting down the dumbbells, Johnny broadly gestures to himself.

"Come on, man…" Jaehyun laments next to him.

"That's bullshit," Ten huffs.

"What? It's true." Johnny's shoulders hunch, but then he goes back to taking his weights, back arched as he gets them in position. "People always think I'm an alpha, and I'm like a head taller than ninety percent of the alphas and betas I meet."

"That doesn't matter!" Jaehyun says quickly.

"You're beautiful as you are," Ten adds. "Who fucking cares?"

"A good amount of the population, believe me," Johnny says, face going tight under the strain of the weights.

"Johnny." Ten sighs, the weight clinking as he steps back down to both feet. He faces him with his hands on his hips. "If some shitty alpha's masculinity is that fragile, they don't deserve you."

"You may be right, but that doesn't change the fact that there's a lot of fragility going around."

"A lot," Jaehyun adds then. "But still not all."

Johnny makes a noncommital sound that he hides under the grunts of weight lifting.

"Look at me!" Jaehyun sighs then, setting down his own dumbbells in front of him and gesturing to himself with one hand. "People say that I look like an alpha sometimes."

The younger omega smiles, and the roundness of his prominently dimpled cheeks kind of ruin the point he's trying to make.

"I guess…" Johnny gives in, lowering the weights back to his shoulders. "But I think you and Doyoung are the exception that proves the rule."

"Or!" Jaehyun replies quickly. "We're the proof those rules don't exist."

The skeptical frown that forms on his lips is lost under the face he makes as he pushes the weights up.

"Doyoung has this one co-worker that he's always talking about that's single," Jaehyun continues. "He's an alpha."

"No!" Johnny shoots down quickly. Late teens, early twenties Johnny may have been on board with the suggestion, but now that he's hitting that mid-twenties range, the idea of having to be set up to meet potential partners is feeling a little pathetic.

Thankfully, Jaehyun drops it.

Though Johnny soon realizes it was naive of him to think they'd moved on from the subject entirely as Jaehyun then suggests, "Why don't you try a dating app?"

Johnny shakes his head. "There's no way you can feel out chemistry through a screen."

"Doyoung and I have great chemistry and met through a screen!" Jaehyun points out.

"Once again," Johnny says without looking over at him. "The exception that proves the rule."

"Jeez, Johnny…" Ten complains, turning so that he can resume his leg work. "When did you get so cynical?"

Johnny frowns, unable to refute that.

From his peripheral, he can see Jaehyun looking at him. "I just think you should try it out. I mean, what do you have to lose?"

"Anyway," Johnny interjects, lowering the dumbbells in favor of taking his towel. "Ten, were you able to get that sale with the café?"

Jaehyun's eyes shift to the other omega then, and Johnny exhales his relief as the subject finally moves away from his love life.

Or lack thereof.

Later that evening, while left to his own devices in his bedroom, Johnny lies in bed, his face illuminated by the close proximity of his phone screen.

Music issues gently from his Bluetooth speaker off aside, underscored by the distant pass of traffic a few stories below, all blending together into a background ambiance acknowledged only subconsciously as he replays the conversation from the gym earlier in his mind.

Johnny pulls up a list of dating apps from the App Store, clicking 'Install' on the first one he sees, and the download bar extends across the screen.

He still stands by what he said about not being able to feel out chemistry through a screen—you can't even catch scents—but Johnny never shied away from at least giving something new a try before, and this is no exception.

It will prove him right if nothing else.

Once the app is downloaded, he opens it to be immediately prompted to make a profile of his own. After some scrolling through his camera roll, he chooses a photo then starts filling out the basic info.

Name, age, gender, second gender, etc.

His thumbs tap across the screen, filling out each field or selecting the appropriate choice from a list.

When he reaches the field labeled, 'Height,' his thumbs hover over the screen for a couple beats, a faint crease appearing between his brows.

In the end, he leaves it blank and swipes down to the next section.

Once it's set up, he's taken to others' profiles. A photo captioned with a name, age, second gender, and a little blurb underneath appears, and he's prompted to swipe right if potentially interested or left if he's not.

The first few profiles have him swiping left, and all it takes is a few seconds of this for Johnny to start feeling embarrassed.

It just seems so shallow. Maybe if he had encountered any of these people in real life, he might have uncovered some interest after talking with them. This all just feels so superficial.

Just as his thumb is moving on automatic with the left-swiping and he's starting to think his initial instincts had been right, a profile has him pausing, doing a double-take.

Taeyong, 24, Alpha.

His black hair is perfectly coiffed and emphasizes his rather prominent jawline and strong shoulders. It's enough to have Johnny's heartbeat picking up a notch in his chest.

Handsome and striking as the alpha is, Johnny can only imagine that every omega that's presented with his profile reacts this way. The alpha's DMs have got to be overflowing.

Johnny nevertheless swipes right for the hell of it, glancing at the time in the corner of his phone after and deciding that's enough shallowness for one night.

Turning down the music, he sets his phone on the charging station and rolls over, pulling his blankets over his shoulder.

It's the next day when Johnny pauses from his home office work to grab some lunch when he sees the notification from the dating app awaiting him.

It had been such an idle and noncommittal decision to give it a shot that Johnny had admittedly already forgotten about it.

Nevertheless, when he slings some of last night's cold leftover dinner onto the kitchen counter and picks at it with a fork, he swipes the app open to see a DM from Taeyong awaiting him.

His brows lift in pleasant surprise.

Taeyong 10:24 a.m.: it's a match~

Johnny leans against the counter whilst chewing, swiping out a response with his thumb.

Johnny 1:38 p.m.: it must be my lucky day!

To his further surprise, Taeyong must be online then because the typing bubble rolls out in the corner.

Taeyong 1:40 p.m.: OUR lucky day!
Taeyong 1:41 p.m.: hi, there! ^_^

Johnny 1:43 p.m.: hello!

Taeyong 1:44 p.m.: johnny, hm?
Taeyong 1:45 p.m.: a westerner?

Johnny 1:46 p.m.: born and raised in the states originally!
Johnny 1:46 p.m.: live in seoul now tho

Taeyong 1:48 p.m.: ooh!
Taeyong 1:48 p.m.: american boy~

A grin finds its way onto Johnny's face as the end of the tines linger between his teeth.

His thumb swipes across the screen to pull up Taeyong's full profile, really getting a good look at it and specifically clicking into his photos.

In one photo, he stands in a suit looking rather polished and sophisticated, that jawline ever striking and his lips having a pronounced pout about them. He has a scar by the corner of his right eye that looks like a perfectly lasered out rose and highlights the sharpness of his features rather flatteringly.

In other words, he looks especially alpha and hot as fuck.

There's more though. Casual candids with the city as a backdrop, looking so very aesthetic. A photo of him laughing, his whole face lit up by a smile that could rival Yuta's.

Then the last one. Taeyong smiling while hugging a little girl, who couldn't be older than five. But what really stands out about this particular photo is how big and round his eyes are, gleaming and soft, all the sharpness gone.

Comparing it to the stoic first photo, Johnny would've never believed this guy could even look like this if he wasn't witnessing it for himself.

It tugs right at his chest.

Fuck.

How the hell is this guy here? How is he not mated already?

Johnny swipes back to their conversation and thumbs out a response.

Johnny 2:01 p.m.: you're way too handsome and charming to be on this app

Taeyong 2:05 p.m.: i could say the same for you!
Taeyong 2:06 p.m.: i live in seoul too, but work has me traveling often, so sometimes dating can be tricky

Johnny 2:07 p.m.: yeah?
Johnny 2:07 p.m.: sounds like a pretty sweet job perk tho

Taeyong 2:09 p.m.: oh, it is!
Taeyong 2:09 p.m.: has me in gwangju right now

Johnny 2:11 p.m.: very nice!
Johnny 2:12 p.m.: do you ever get to travel for fun?

Taeyong 2:15 p.m.: i'd like to!
Taeyong 2:15 p.m.: think i just need the right company~
Taeyong 2:16 p.m.: maybe a good photographer to commemorate the experience?
Taeyong 2:17 p.m.: quick glance at your profile gives me the idea you might know of one!

Johnny's teeth sink into his lower lip as the grin on his face grows, his fork forgotten in his slightly dented leftovers.

Man. This guy is smooth.

He swipes to his profile again. 175 cm. Educated. Music lover and a dog lover.

Yeah, this guy's inbox has to be fit to bursting. Johnny's not fooling himself.

Still, if he happens to want to talk to Johnny right now, too? He doesn't see what's wrong with that.

Johnny gives it a day or two before Taeyong moves on from him, probably zeroing in on some cute, petite ideal omega.

But two days pass, and Taeyong's still talking to him.

A couple more days pass, and Taeyong's still talking to him.

A week passes, and Taeyong's still talking to him with the same energy that he initially messaged him, and Johnny is vaguely surprised by just how easy he is to talk to.

They talk about their daily lives. Johnny tells him about his work from home life in social media as well as his photography hobby, and Taeyong talks about some business he's working with but mostly tells him about the restaurants in Gwangju and the different types of food he's tried.

Johnny learns that the little girl is Taeyong's niece and is—as the alpha puts it—the "love of his life."

They get on the subject of tattoos, and Johnny sends him a couple good shots of the floral pieces on his collar as well as his bicep and forearm.

Taeyong 12:18 p.m.: wow! your artist is so talented
Taeyong 12:18 p.m.: those are beautiful!
Taeyong 12:19 p.m.: they fit the canvas ^_~

Johnny's lips press together as though that will conceal his grin, which is a little silly given that Taeyong can't actually see him, but what's perhaps a little more disarming is the fact that this is definitely not the first time the alpha has gotten this kind of a reaction out of him over the last few days.

Taeyong 12:21 p.m.: gosh, i almost feel too embarrassed to show you mine…
Taeyong 12:22 p.m.: they're so small in comparison

Johnny 12:23 p.m.: nothing wrong with that! everyone's got their own style
Johnny 12:23 p.m.: i wanna see!
Johnny 12:24 p.m.: please

Taeyong 12:25 p.m.: well. since you're so polite about it ^_~
Taeyong 12:26 p.m.: incoming tatt spam!

Johnny 12:27 p.m.: ready!

A series of several photos showcasing Taeyong's tattoos come in, and for the most part, they do have a minimalist aesthetic about them, but they suit him.

Taeyong explains the meaning behind each of them, and the fact that he's put that kind of thought into each one just tugs at the omega's chest that much more.

Though if Johnny's being honest, he's a little distracted by some of these photos in general, like how well Taeyong wears a sleeveless top, how the definition of his arms is made for them. Or the one where Taeyong has his shirt hiked up to reveal the tattoo peaking up from his hip.

Fuck.

And Taeyong's hands.

How the hell can his fingers look so long and elegant when the veins visibly run down his arms to his knuckles like that?

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Johnny is rather grateful that they have the barrier of a screen as well as several hundred kilometers distance between them as the warmth of his heartbeat accelerates and his toes curl in his socks while typing out a compliment more respectful than the thoughts currently howling through his mind.

Only for that better sense to swoop in and ruin it by pointing out that Taeyong's probably sent these to the other omegas in his inbox as well.

But oh well. If Johnny's gonna admire these in the privacy of his own home, that really is his business.

The great thing about working a company’s social media and having a best friend that works at the Apple Store is that Johnny can claim the visit is to check out possible equipment upgrades, and Jaehyun can claim he's helping a customer, when in actuality, they're both getting paid to screw around.

Fuck the system before the system fucks you and all that.

"You gonna bring one of your cameras on the trip?" Jaehyun asks, leaning against the counter and watching Johnny idly swipe through the iPad in front of him as though he were paying any attention to it.

Johnny gives Jaehyun a look. "Nah, man. What would I possibly need it for when we're surrounded by a scenic beach view and lush hills?"

Jaehyun lifts his head. "Are you serious?"

Snorting, Johnny reaches over to lightly push Jaehyun’s shoulder. "I'm just fucking with you. Of course, I'll bring one. I'll bring some of my smaller equipment."

"Okay, good!" Jaehyun lights up, dimples sinking into his cheeks. "I'd really love to get some nice shots with Doyoung while we're there."

Johnny's brows raise, eyes unmoving from the screen. "The real reason you're inviting me along reveals itself."

It comes out a touch more bitterly than he intended.

Jaehyun stands up. "Come on, man. You know I don't mean it like that."

When Johnny looks over at him, the omega's eyes are upturned into that puppy dog expression, and Johnny just can't uphold his annoyance if he wanted to.

"I know." The words leave him in a breath, and he swipes out of all the apps he has opened on the screen before turning to face Jaehyun. "But like… it is a pretty scenic romantic spot. Maybe it would be better for you and Doyoung—and even Kun and Ten—if you guys just—"

"No!" Jaehyun quickly insists. "Come on, man, this is our trip! And me and Doyoung will have our moments, sure, but it's friends first! O's before hoes!"

Johnny arches a brow. "I'm telling Kun you called him a hoe."

Jaehyun's ears turn pink.

"Okay, I get it. It's our trip," Johnny gives in, reaching over to pat the younger omega's shoulder.

Jaehyun's all smiles again. "It's gonna be great! I'm telling you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Though…" Jaehyun goes back to leaning on the counter, fiddling with one of the cables that tether the display devices to it. "Doyoung does still have that co-worker…"

"No," Johnny says flatly, though it's not even his usual defensiveness that flares up this time.

Instead, the image of Taeyong pops up in his mind. He imagines him on the beach in one of those loose, sleeveless tops, the breeze from the ocean gently rustling his dark hair.

"Alright," Jaehyun amends quickly with a surrendering raise of his hands, and it's enough to snap Johnny out of his reverie before it has the chance to really start.

Because he can't really invite Taeyong. They're mostly strangers, and the alpha probably already has more enticing propositions from better-suited omegas anyway.

The crowd lining up for the Apple Store has grown, and Johnny takes that as the cue that they both should probably get back to actually working, leaving Jaehyun with a wave.

As Johnny heads back out to the city streets, a crack along the edge of the sidewalk with a bit of greenery sprouting out from in between appears in the corner of his vision.

He nearly sweeps along past it without much thought, but it's the little buds of red decorating the leaves that have him doing a double-take.

Johnny crouches down, inspecting the miniature vines and leaves peeking out from beneath the concrete. He could be wrong, but the tiny little crimson buds do look a lot like the beginnings of roses.

He doesn't have his camera on him, but he does have his phone, and he pulls open the camera app, fiddling with the settings a bit before snapping a few rather aesthetic shots.

Standing back up, Johnny grins down at the screen, opening Instagram on instinct to add to his public photo archive, but then he pauses, reconsidering it.

Exiting the app, he pulls up the messages between him and Taeyong instead, sending over the best of the photos along with the caption:

Johnny 2:18 p.m.: thought of you!

He barely makes it to the end of the block when his phone is pinging.

Taeyong 2:24 p.m.: what? that's gorgeous!
Taeyong 2:25 p.m.: omg, you are precious! ❤️

Johnny smiles down at the screen.

Two weeks pass, and Taeyong's still talking to him.

They talk about places they want to go, sights they want to see, and Johnny can't be too sure, but it almost feels like whenever they do this, there is this unspoken suggestion of doing so together.

Johnny isn't getting his hopes up though. Because although Taeyong is enthusiastic about talking to him and even about his photography work, he's never asking for his direct social media, which is fine. Johnny's just happy to talk to him.

And he does.

He starts to look forward to the good mornings, to the good nights, to the daily selfies.

Taeyong sends him a selfie in a suit Johnny hasn't seen him in before one particularly lazy evening when he's slumped on the couch with Netflix playing in the background.

A message follows:

Taeyong 7:48 p.m.: new suit!
Taeyong 7:48 p.m.: does this scream professional?

The suit is in full view through the hotel room's long mirror. Taeyong's dark locks are swept back from his forehead, slightly damp and tousled, as though he had just stepped out of the shower and ran a towel over his head.

Johnny's brows raise, and his teeth sink into the tip of his tongue.

Despite seemingly just tossing the suit on, the alpha looks as immaculate as ever.

He types out a response:

Johnny 7:52 p.m.: it screams sexy professional

His eyes remain locked on the screen as the reply bubbles roll across the corner.

Taeyong 7:53 p.m.: hahaha!
Taeyong 7:54 p.m.: let's see you!

Crumpled into himself on the couch, Johnny glances down at his hoodie and sweats, and the comparison to Taeyong solid and pristine in his new suit is enough to have the heat branching over his cheeks.

Johnny 7:56 p.m.: i'm unfortunately not currently selfie presentable

Taeyong 7:56 p.m.: sure you are!

Johnny 7:57 p.m.: i'm def in sweats rn, haha

Taeyong 7:58 p.m.: and?
Taeyong 7:58 p.m.: i bet you look comfy and cute!
Taeyong 7:59 p.m.: i wanna see! ^_^

He exhales an automatic laugh. Somehow even through text, Taeyong is so endearing.

With a slightly defeated sigh, Johnny wriggles where he's seated to rise up a bit. Pulling up the camera on his phone, he then holds it out, his other hand flashing a peace sign against his cheek as he puckers his lips and winks.

Not even a minute passes after he sends it when he receives a response:

Taeyong 8:08 p.m.: SO CUTE!
Taeyong 8:09 p.m.: i knew it! ❤️❤️❤️

Another laugh slips from Johnny, this one making his cheeks tense.

"Who's got you taking selfies and smiling like that?"

Johnny's attention snaps over to see his roommate making his way into the apartment, striding over to the kitchen counter to set down his messenger bag.

Heat flashes up his neck as he just as quickly looks away. Clearing his throat, he slips his phone into his hoodie's front pocket and sits up a little straighter. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"Sooooooo," Ten's inquisitive voice persists.

As the smaller omega's distinct scent grows more pronounced, Johnny knows he's moved in behind him. He glances over to see Ten leaning with his arms folded against the back of the couch, eyes alight with curiosity.

"Who is it?"

Johnny shakes his head before looking down, though he can't quite contain the grin tugging onto his lips. "No one."

"Bullshit!" Ten lightly shoves Johnny's arm. "Come on now!"

Johnny shrugs casually. "It's just this guy I've been talking to on this dating app."

"Johnny!" Ten takes a handful of the shoulder of Johnny's hoodie into a fist and gives him a shake. "Let me see!"

He gives his roommate a look, who only proceeds to shake him hard enough to have Johnny wobbling where he's seated.

With a light laugh, Johnny shakes his head and takes his phone back out, opening the app and pulling up Taeyong's profile. "His name's Taeyong. He's from Seoul, but business has him traveling a lot."

"A traveler~" Ten coos. His brow lifts suggestively. "That sure would be great for your Insta!"

Johnny rolls his eyes, though that grin he can't quite shake must surely ruin the effect.

"Let me see his pics!"

Turning his attention to his phone, he pulls up Taeyong's photo gallery and holds the screen up for Ten to see.

"Damn." Ten has let go of Johnny's hoodie, leaning into the arms propped against the couch. "That jawline."

Johnny looks at the screen, sharing his roommate's admiration. "Right?"

"And those shoulders!" Standing up, Ten proceeds to hoist himself over the back of the couch, seating himself next to Johnny and reaching up to take his phone. He browses through the photos, inspecting each one individually. "He sure does wear that suit well."

"I know," Johnny agrees, tone slightly pained.

Ten looks over at him. "Alpha?"

"Yep."

"Johnny!" Ten smacks his bicep, then leans into him and links their arms together before returning his attention to Johnny's phone, moving on to the next photo.

"Oh. Oh. Wait. Those eyes…" Ten coos, but then his voice turns curious. "Who's the little girl?"

"His niece."

"Fuck, are you kidding me?!" Ten blinks up at him exaggeratedly, but then his attention just as quickly returns to the phone as he muses aloud, "He has no business being this cute when he's also that sexy. I'm devastated."

Johnny's head drops back as he laments, "I knooooooow!"

Ten's face lights up then, the arm linked with Johnny curling tighter as he leans into him. "You're in love with him!"

Johnny looks at Ten again, brow lifted skeptically. "We're talking on an app. We've never even met."

"Okay, but. The way you were smiling at your phone." There's a devious glint in his roommate's eye. "You can't deny that he's making you feel a certain way!"

That has Johnny heaving a breath, eyes drifting back over to his phone. "He's making me feel something, alright."

His gaze lingers on his phone screen. Ten's swiped back to Taeyong's main profile, browsing over his bio info, and as his attention lands on the, 'Height: 175 cm,' field, Johnny's stomach twists as he recalls how he had left his own blank.

He quickly pushes that out of his mind though. Even Ten can see what an eligible alpha he is. Taeyong's inbox has got to be overflowing.

"You know," Ten says, handing Johnny his phone back. "His knot's gotta be like—" He holds up a fist, the grin on his face growing as his fingers slowly expand.

Huffing out a laugh, Johnny shoves Ten's shoulder with the back of his hand. "You're so sick."

Ten just lets himself fall to the couch cushions, overcome with a fit of giggles. "Don't act like you haven't thought about it!"

Johnny rises up before the heat has the chance to settle on his face. "Goodnight, Ten."

Three weeks pass, and Taeyong's still talking to him.

The good mornings, goodnights, and various photo exchanges continue, and now and again Johnny catches himself in small wonder at just how seamlessly talking to Taeyong has fit into his regular routine.

More and more, as the conversation shifts from basically getting to know each other to possibilities the future could hold, Johnny imagines himself doing those things with Taeyong.

He wonders if Taeyong is a more traditional alpha.

Would he want to take him out? Would he gaze at Johnny with those big boba eyes against the soft lighting at some fancy restaurant? Would he take Johnny's hand?

Would he purposely brush his shoulder against Johnny's while they were out walking together to leave some of his scent on him?

What was Taeyong's alpha scent like? Would it blend complimentary with Johnny's omega scent?

Would he kiss him goodnight? Would he linger on Johnny's doorstep in the hopes that the omega might invite him inside?

And what would it be like to hear those good mornings and goodnights in person?

Would he say them or would he let his actions speak for him through the sleepy gaze of those big, round eyes? Perhaps, simply express the sentiment with a gentle press of his lips?

Johnny often wonders what they would feel like…

He knows he shouldn't think such things, that it's going to make the fall when Taeyong finally finds some omega suited to him hit that much harder.

Of that, he's certain he will, given even the suggestion of exchanging numbers or social medias hasn't even tried to come up.

Ah, but he can't help himself.

It occurs to him that he hasn't been out to the bar since he's been talking to Taeyong, but he chalks that up to the fact that with his, Ten, and Jaehyun's beach house trip drawing nearer, he's a little too occupied preparing for that to try to fit bar trips into the mix. Not that he's getting too attached to Taeyong.

He almost believes his justification until one particularly late night, Johnny flops onto his bed in a loose tank top and basketball shorts, his brow lifting in surprise when he sees a notification from Taeyong that simply reads:

Taeyong 12:31 a.m.: homesick ☹️

Taeyong's usually in bed sooner than this on account of how early his current work project has him waking in the mornings.

If Johnny's being honest with himself, the weight in his eyelids as well as the way his muscles meld into the mattress beneath him are certainly ready for bed.

However, something about Taeyong feeling lonely tugs at Johnny's chest in a certain way that he can decidedly put off sleep a little while longer.

Johnny 12:44 a.m.: i'm sorry ☹️

Taeyong 12:45 a.m.: oh, you're still up?
Taeyong 12:45 a.m.: i hope i didn't wake you!

Johnny 12:46 a.m.: you didn't! you're fine!
Johnny 12:47 a.m.: do you get to go home soon?

Taeyong 12:49 a.m.: good! ❤️
Taeyong 12:50 a.m.: as soon as the project is done, but idk
Taeyong 12:51 a.m.: sorry. i don't mean to put this on you. i just had a stressful day

Johnny 12:51 a.m.: no, it's okay!
Johnny 12:52 a.m.: i'm sorry you're feeling that way. i wish there was something i could do

Taeyong 12:54 a.m.: talking to you helps
Taeyong 12:55 a.m.: feels less lonely ^_^

A grin graces Johnny's lips, the simple texts tugging right at his chest.

His thumb hovers over the digital keyboard display, and he hesitates a moment, knowing in the back of his mind that he should not type what he wants to type.

However, his mind on the edge of sleep is a little foggier than it would've been a couple hours ago, and it makes those better senses yield to his emotional impulses more easily.

Johnny 12:58 a.m.: wish i was there with you
Johnny 12:59 a.m.: help you relieve some of that stress~

Johnny's heart launches into a violent escapade, eyes widening, hyper-aware of each and every last second that passes by as he stares at the screen awaiting a response.

There are no typing bubbles.

Only a few moments pass, but it's more than enough time for his more logical brain to come rearing its head in, panic slipping into his accelerated pulse.

Maybe, maybe, he can just play it off like a joke…

But then:

Taeyong 1:01 a.m.: oh~? 😏

One word. One little flirty emoji.

But it has the panic receding as the grin spreads across Johnny's lips, and he tucks the lower one between his teeth.

Well. He's already gone this far.

Johnny 1:02 a.m.: that's right 😏

Taeyong 1:03 a.m.: wish you were here too
Taeyong 1:03 a.m.: send me a selfie?

Johnny heaves a breath in an effort to quell the racing of his heart.

Licking his lips, he then holds his phone up. Raking the fingers of his free hand through his blond locks, he lets a few stray strands fall askew over his forehead, his hand coming to rest loosely against the pillow over his head.

He gazes up at the camera through heavy lids, lips glistening lightly with saliva quirking into the faintest tease of a grin.

Taeyong 1:09 a.m.: johnny…
Taeyong 1:09 a.m.: you're so beautiful

Johnny's once again grateful for the phone barrier as the warmth rises to his cheeks.

Taeyong 1:10 a.m.: you have really pretty lips
Taeyong 1:11 a.m.: i'd love to feel them

The grin on Johnny's face shifts into something devious. The further they enter this dangerous land of no return, the more confident he feels.

Johnny 1:12 a.m.: feel them where?
Johnny 1:12 a.m.: alpha~?

Taeyong 1:13 a.m.: … fuck
Taeyong 1:14 a.m.: where would you let me?

Johnny 1:14 a.m.: anywhere you want~
Johnny 1:15 a.m.: start with your mouth
Johnny 1:15 a.m.: then your neck
Johnny 1:15 a.m.: then your chest
Johnny 1:16 a.m.: keep going from there~

Taeyong 1:16 a.m.: you're making me hard talking like that

Johnny's toes curl, eyes positively glued to the phone.

Johnny 1:17 a.m.: may i see?

A minute later, Johnny's opening a selfie from Taeyong. His face is cut off from the angle, but he's seated against the giant white hotel pillows propped against the headboard.

He's wearing a loose white t-shirt, but what stands out more is the prominent bulge against the light fabric of his boxers, further emphasized by one veiny hand pressed into his innermost thigh, stretching the fabric in the opposing direction and confirming that what they say about big hands is true.

"Shit…" Johnny whispers, mouth watering at the sight.

The heat in his belly flutters, and as he stares intently at that strong hand and heavy bulge, he feels his own heart rate pick up.

Johnny 1:22 a.m.: fuck, you're so big, alpha
Johnny 1:23 a.m.: definitely want that in my mouth

Johnny wriggles against the bed sheets. As his heartbeat continues to accelerate, it's as though the room has risen several degrees in temperature in the span of a few seconds.

His own boxers grow tighter, but more than that, he's aware of the wet heat seeping between his cheeks and starting to dampen the fabric.

Taeyong 1:24 a.m.: fuck, baby
Taeyong 1:24 a.m.: you'd look so pretty like that

Johnny 1:25 a.m.: wanna get on my knees for you
Johnny 1:25 a.m.: make you feel good
Johnny 1:26 a.m.: ease some of that stress

Taeyong 1:27 a.m.: god
Taeyong 1:27 a.m.: where did you come from?
Taeyong 1:28 a.m.: you're so amazing
Taeyong 1:28 a.m.: touching myself thinking about you

The pulse of heat that branches through Johnny's veins then has him biting his lower lip to keep from whimpering, the muscles in his inner thighs and lower abdomen tensing.

Johnny 1:29 a.m.: yeah?

Taeyong 1:29 a.m.: yeah
Taeyong 1:30 a.m.: what about you, baby?

Johnny 1:31 a.m.: i'm getting so fucking wet thinking about that heavy cock

Taeyong 1:31 a.m.: god
Taeyong 1:31 a.m.: fuck
Taeyong 1:31 a.m.: touch yourself for me

It's just text on a screen, and yet it has a pleasant shiver running down Johnny's spine.

Johnny doesn't hesitate, all rationale gone in the wake of baser instincts. Sliding his free hand down, he stretches the waistband of his shorts and boxers to take hold of his own growing cock, sighing as he gives himself a few light strokes.

His hole twitches, wet and aching to be filled. Letting go of his length, Johnny reaches down further, the muscles of his abdomen tensing slightly as he curls upward, thighs spreading open.

As his fingers glide into the slick heat between his ass cheeks, Johnny's eyes flutter shut, and he tries to conjure the image in his mind of Taeyong over him, reaching down to touch Johnny between his legs.

What would those long, elegant fingers feel like touching him in a place so intimate?

It has the softest of moans exhaling from his lips as he curls a single digit inside himself.

Remembering that he has Taeyong on the other side of the screen, Johnny's eyes open, and he pulls up the camera app.

He aims the camera down the length of his body, clothing stretched open against his arm, his hard cock in full view, the bend of his wrist concealing his hand that is clearly curled to reach inside of himself.

Johnny 1:37 a.m.: this good, alpha?

Taeyong 1:38 a.m.: oh my god
Taeyong 1:38 a.m.: oh my god
Taeyong 1:39 a.m.: baby, fuck!

An image follows.

Taeyong's boxers are pushed down now, his erect cock thick, veined, the deepest pink, and oh so fucking hard.

The grip around his length is blurred slightly, clearly caught in motion.

A moan whimpers from his lips, both aroused and longing.

The heat of his body clenches around his submerged finger, wanting more. Johnny adds a second, his entrance tight yet still opening so very eagerly, craving that stretch, that feeling of fullness.

Johnny 1:45 a.m.: fuck
Johnny 1:46 a.m.: when you're done with my mouth
Johnny 1:47 a.m.: want that in me

Taeyong 1:47 a.m.: god, yes, baby
Taeyong 1:48 a.m.: i would take care of you so good

The hand holding the phone drops to the mattress as Johnny stifles yet another moan.

The back of his head digs into the pillows, heels sinking into the mattress as though determined to spread his legs further, submerging those two fingers to the knuckle, hot and absolutely drenched.

He fucks himself with his two fingers, reaching them as far as he can, spreading them as much as he can. His chest visibly rises with every increasingly heavier breath, arm and abdominal muscles straining from the angle, but that's easy to ignore with the sparks of heat continually pulsing through his veins.

Lifting his phone back up, he forces himself to concentrate on typing.

Johnny 1:56 a.m.: fingers not enough
Johnny 1:57 a.m.: want your knot

Taeyong 1:58 a.m.: fuck
Taeyong 1:58 a.m.: baby, you're gonna kill me
Taeyong 1:59 a.m.: just wanna bend you in half and fuck you right

The moan that bubbles from Johnny's throat is a loud clash to the filthy squelching sound as his hand smacks repeatedly against his ass while he vigorously fingers himself.

His hole clenches around his penetrating fingers. It's like a tease. So good but not enough, not nearly enough.

"Fuck."

Dropping the phone, Johnny then removes his fingers, hooking both thumbs around the waistband of his now wet boxers and shorts, hoisting his thighs back so he can peel the garments off fully.

Rolling over, he pulls open his bottom-most drawer on his nightstand, swiping the contents aside to reach for the purple silicone he has stored away at the very back.

He rolls onto his back again, the toy thick and heavy in his grasp, protruding with realistic veins and even swollen at the base to simulate a knot.

As good as having Taeyong here? He'd be willing to bet not. But still several steps up from just his fingers.

Pulling his thighs up toward his body, he glides the head of the dildo between his drenched cheeks. His other hand smacks around the mattress until he finds his phone, snatching it up and opening the camera.

As a rather obscene shot of his thighs and hard leaking cock next to the vibrant purple silicone disappearing beneath his body overtake the screen, there's a fraction of a moment where he thinks, perhaps, he should feel a little ashamed.

However, as he imagines those strong yet elegant hands holding his waist while Taeyong lines himself up against him, those intense eyes penetrating his own, that heat winding through his belly and rushing through his veins snuffs that thought out.

He snaps a shot to send to Taeyong.

Johnny 2:09 a.m.: thinking of you~

Taeyong 2:09 a.m.: oh, fuck
Taeyong 2:10 a.m.: please
Taeyong 2:10 a.m.: a video. please

Heat flushes over Johnny's cheeks.

He knows he just sent Taeyong a rather filthy photo, but something about the alpha wanting a video of such a lewd intimate display evokes a certain shyness that Johnny isn't used to experiencing.

Still, it's rather easy to move past given that the very idea that Taeyong is aroused by this and wants to see him has a rather prominent pride pulsing through his chest.

Gliding the toy along the cleft of his ass, Johnny coats it generously in his own slick. His eyes flutter closed, and his chin lifts as he reaches down to align the head against his opening.

He imagines Taeyong over him, wondering what it would feel like to trap his torso between his thighs, wondering what kind of sounds he'd make as he slowly sunk his cock inside of him.

A loud albeit relieved sound spills from Johnny's throat as the bulbous silicone stretches his opening and sinks inside. His closed eyes scrunch, and his mouth falls open, each breath growing heavier than the last as he pushes the toy in a little, then eases it back without fully removing it, then sinks it in deeper.

He works himself open carefully at first, taking his time to feel each and every last one of those little ridges. The stretch is so much more satisfying, the physical pleasure pronounced by the image in his mind of Taeyong propped over him, staring down at him with eyes enraptured by lust.

His pace starts to pick up, every plunge of the toy sinking in deeper and deeper, and it's when he's a little past the halfway point that he pulls up the video on his phone.

This time, he sets the camera to selfie mode, holding it way overhead to get a rather generous view of his torso. The hem of his tank top is pushed up enough to expose the lower half of his tensed abdomen, glistening slightly under the continuous dribble of precome leaking from his throbbing cock.

Wet sounds mix with his own heavy pants as he catches the image of the now drenched purple silicone disappearing into him again and again, his body opening and taking it greedily, determined to draw in more.

"Alpha!" Johnny husks out, the word punctuating from him every time he thrusts the toy inside himself, the knot smacking into his stretched ring.

"Alpha! Alpha! Alpha!"

It's not long before he receives a notification from Taeyong.

Taeyong 2:19 a.m.: fuck
Taeyong 2:19 a.m.: baby, fuck
Taeyong 2:19 a.m.: oh my god, you're so gorgeous
Taeyong 2:20 a.m.: opening like that just for me?

Johnny 2:21 a.m.: just for you

A few moments later, his notifications are pinging again, and this time, Taeyong has sent a video.

It's a downward view of the length of himself still seated in the hotel bed. The undergarments are gone, his cock red and hard and so deliciously huge in his generously pumping fist.

If anything, the veins along his knuckles bulge out all the more.

Taeyong's body jerks as he thrusts himself into his fist, panting harshly, streams of moans dominating the audio followed by hoarse whispers of, "Johnny. My good baby. So fucking good."

Johnny's eyes widen.

Fuck. Taeyong's voice. Saying his name.

A shiver runs down his spine, the flutter in his stomach so good it's painful, the next thrust of the toy into himself squelching particularly loudly against the gush of slick.

Taeyong's voice is this odd contradiction of soft yet commanding. And there's a certain inflection he puts on the first vowel when he says his name that has his extremities constricting.

Jyani.

Holding the phone next to his head, he replays the video again.

And again.

And again.

A harsh moan floods the space overhead that has Johnny rolling over to muffle the sound into the pillow on account of the fact that somewhere in the back of his mind, he recalls that he doesn't live alone.

The change in position means he has to reach behind himself to grab the base of the toy—which, given how his arm was starting to strain from the repeated motion in the same spot anyway, is something of a relief.

Clutching the phone in one hand, he hugs his pillows to his face burying all the sounds he makes into the stuffing as he resumes fucking himself with the toy, his ass pointed upward as his knees spread and his body squirms.

In his mind, Taeyong is holding him from behind, his scent overwhelming him, breath hot in his ear as he grunts out again and again, "Jyani, Jyani, Jyani," all while stuffing him with his cock, repeatedly assaulting his prostate.

At this point, Johnny is too far gone to attempt to type out text—and he imagines Taeyong must be too. He does lift his phone up though, holding it as high up as he can manage to catch the full stretch of his back, wriggling his hips back and fucking himself with the purple silicone as hard as he can, turning his head against the pillow so he can grit out, "Alpha. Want you. Want you to knot me. Please, please, fuck!"

He makes sure that he sends the video to Taeyong before his arm drops, and he goes back to hugging the pillow while filling himself with the dildo, his grip hard around the edges of the phone as though it were the alpha on the other side of it.

Fire pulses through his veins, sweat glistening all over his skin, the inside of his thighs sticky from the generous coat of leaked slick. The plushness of his pillows surrounds his face as he whimpers out a chant of, "Taeyong. Taeyong. Alpha. Fuck."

Precome oozes from where his neglected cock grazes against the sheets, though despite the pulse throbbing along his length, the way he works the toy inside him against his prostate is more than enough to push himself to the edge.

With the way the heat in his belly coils and winds the rest of his muscles tight, he knows the peak of that edge is rapidly incoming.

A notification goes off on his phone.

Johnny lifts it up, his head rising from the pillows just enough that through the haze of moisture over his eyes, he can see the new video Taeyong has sent.

He's pumping his cock, streaks of white erupting from the tip before splashing all over the back of those veined knuckles, all while he manages to grunt out, "Johnny. Baby. Fuck," through the pleasured groan cracking from his throat.

It's more than enough to push the omega over the edge. It's overkill.

He works the toy inside him against his prostate a few more times, holding his phone up and simply hoping it's a decent shot because there's no way he can check.

On the next thrust in, he pushes the artificial knot inside of him, the ring of his opening clamping around the dip between the swell of the silicone and the flare of the base.

An invigorating shudder runs through his entire form as a flood of ecstasy overwhelms him, body and mind, back arcing and writhing against the waves of pleasure overtaking him as he grunts out one last, "Alpha!" and makes a mess of the sheets below as well as his inner thighs.

Then the potency of the grip on him eases, and Johnny's muscles are melting into the pillows and mattress beneath him as he exhales a sigh and sends the video.

The silence that fills the room for the next several seconds is palpable.

The side of Johnny's head rests against the pillow as he blinks at the opposing blank wall, shoulders heaving as he pants for breath, the realization of what he had just done slowly seeping its way in.

His phone pings.

Johnny carefully brings it around to open the messages between him and Taeyong.

Taeyong 2:34 a.m.: fuck, johnny…
Taeyong 2:34 a.m.: can't even remember the last time i came like that

Johnny 2:35 a.m.: me either

And he means it.

It's a little embarrassing, the extent of how aroused and soaked he got just through a few text-exchanged words and videos, but somehow, despite never having met in person, Taeyong just has some kind of effect on him.

Taeyong 2:37 a.m.: you're incredible
Taeyong 2:37 a.m.: and so beautiful

A soft smile drifts across Johnny's face.

Between the words on the screen, the artificial knot fitted inside him, and the warm bliss settled into his muscles, Johnny's inner omega is utterly content.

Taeyong 2:38 a.m.: definitely relieved my stress

A gentle laugh bursts from Johnny's lips, and he lazily hugs the pillows against the lower half of his face and front of his collar, staring at the screen fondly while basking in the lingering full feeling of the silicone inside him.

Johnny 2:39 a.m.: glad i could be of service~

Taeyong 2:40 a.m.: 😉
Taeyong 2:41 a.m.: just wish i was there so i could hold you, you know?
Taeyong 2:41 a.m.: and kiss you softly

The smile on Johnny's face grows, and warmth swells in his chest, deep and soothing.

However, the longer he stares at the screen, the more the smile on his face starts to fade, that content feeling in his chest settling into something darker, acknowledging to himself how much he wishes Taeyong were here too.

How much he wishes Taeyong were his.

It's a few days later when Johnny receives the message he had been dreading.

Taeyong 3:21 p.m.: GUESS WHAT?

Johnny 3:23 p.m.: the weight of being the world’s most dashing alpha has finally crushed you?

Taeyong 3:34 p.m.: hahaha, what 😆
Taeyong 3:34 p.m.: the project is wrapping up!
Taeyong 3:35 p.m.: i get to come home!!

Johnny 3:36 p.m.: OMG
Johnny 3:36 p.m.: congrats!! taeyong, that's great!

Taeyong 3:37 p.m.: thank you!!
Taeyong 3:38 p.m.: are you busy this weekend?
Taeyong 3:40 p.m.: i want to see you in person so bad. take you out on a date
Taeyong 3:41 p.m.: maybe dugahun? do you like italian?

Seated in his home office chair, Johnny stares at his phone for several moments, expression blank, eyes unmoving.

He sees the words on the screen. They're right there. But his mind… just can't wrap around them.

Taeyong, an alpha, wants to meet him in person. Wants to take him on a date.

He genuinely did not believe that they would ever get this far.

It's so surreal that Johnny considers the possibility for a moment that Taeyong is just joking, just messing with him, but no, no, deep in his heart, he knows that Taeyong is being sincere.

And of course, it tugs at some part of his chest, some part that yearns to meet Taeyong in person as well, finally get to hear that intoxicating voice directly, gaze into those expressive eyes, feel those strong but elegant hands wrapped around his own, finally put a scent to the face and breathe it in deep.

He wants that. He wants that so bad, and sure, he and Taeyong have only been speaking a few weeks, there's still a lot they don't know about each other, but Johnny wants to get to know him.

Even through text, there's something there, and Johnny wants nothing more than to put his heart into it to discover exactly what it is.

But there's that other part of him. That more realistic part of him. The one that's all too familiar with the unpleasant looks of realization that omegas and betas get when they realize that Johnny is, in fact, not an alpha. The one that's all too familiar with that look of insecurity that other alphas get with him, attracted enough to be physical in private but never in public where other eyes might assume and judge.

Taeyong's eyes are so beautiful. Capable of being both intense and penetrating yet also so bright and unraveling.

Johnny can't imagine what they would look like when Taeyong finally saw that he isn't the perfect, petite omega he imagined him to be.

He's not sure he wants to find out.

The very idea has his heart thumping against the inside of his sternum, again and again, twisting the muscles in his chest so tight that it tugs at his throat.

Snapping back to reality, Johnny shakes his head and looks down at his phone, realizing he can't just leave Taeyong hanging.

Johnny 3:48 p.m.: you really don't have to take me anywhere that expensive

Taeyong 3:49 p.m.: i want to!
Taeyong 3:49 p.m.: you deserve to be treated

The smile that appears on Johnny's face doesn't quite reach his eyes.

He's pretty sure if his chest twists any harder his sternum might crack.

Taeyong 3:52 p.m.: what do you say? is it a date?

Johnny 3:53 p.m.: sure!

Taeyong 3:54 p.m.: can't wait! ❤️

Johhny sets his phone on his desk, running his fingers through his hair as he spins in his chair away from it, exhaling a heavy sigh.

The movement in his peripheral catches his attention, and he looks over to see his own reflection in the long mirror he has mounted to his bedroom door.

Even in a sizeable computer chair, he looks like a giant in a kid's seat, all broad shoulders and oversized limbs.

He wasn't supposed to meet anyone on this app. He was supposed to have it a few days at most, delete it, then tell Jaehyun, 'I told you so.'

The image of Taeyong's large, round eyes flashes across his mind.

Johnny's arm flops to his side.

Fuck.

At the gym, Ten hovers over Johnny's head while below him, the larger omega grunts, sweat prickling along his hairline as his tensed muscles tremble under the weight of the straight barbell he slowly presses away from his body.

"Come on, Johnny!" Ten says over him.

Gritting his teeth, Johnny puts more of his strength into his biceps and chest, but it's as though the weights are pushing back just as hard.

Ten claps exaggeratedly. "You got this! You got this!"

Johnny's elbows are still a little bent when he reaches the point he can't press any further.

Curling his hands under the bar, Ten helps him push it the rest of the way up until Johnny can set it into the rack.

A heavy breath blows from Johnny's lips as his arms flop down and hang from where he's lying on the bench.

Leaning over, Ten grabs Johnny's towel and water bottle for him, wearing a pointed look as he watches Johnny sit up along the side of the bench.

"You good?" Ten asks, a brow lifted. "You usually warm up with that…"

"Yeah…" Johnny sighs, accepting the towel and bottle with a nod of thanks, dabbing the sweat from his forehead.

Ten plants his hands on his hips. "Come on, Johnny. Talk to me."

Johnny heaves a breath as the hand holding the towel flops to his lap. He stares off at the opposite end of the gym where the televisions play in front of the row of treadmills.

"Johnny…" Ten presses.

Shaking his head, Johnny swallows. "Taeyong's coming back in town."

The smaller omega immediately perks up. "Ooh~!"

"He wants to take me on a date…"

"Oh my God! Yes!" Ten wriggles in his excitement.

Johnny looks up at him with a skeptical gaze at his roommate's inability to read his tone.

It seemingly registers with him a few moments later though, and Ten crosses his arm, regarding him with a curious expression. "Why do you look so bummed about this? Are you not into him anymore or something?"

"No, I am!" Johnny shakes his head quickly then sighs a moment later, staring off at one of the gym mats just up ahead. "I like him. A lot, actually…"

"So…?" Ten lets the word hang in the air with a vague shake of his head. When Johnny doesn't pick it up, he follows with, "This is where this was supposed to eventually go, right?"

"I guess? I don't know…" Johnny tilts his head back slightly as he finally squirts some water from his bottle into his mouth, letting it puff up his cheeks momentarily before he swallows it down. "A sexy, cute alpha like that… he really could have his pick of the litter. I figured he had to be talking to a bunch of omegas on that app and would move on from me eventually."

"But he didn't. He likes you."

The words twist in Johnny's gut.

Setting the water bottle on the bench next to him, Johnny buries his face into his palms and stifles a sigh.

"Why are you acting like this is a bad thing?"

Dropping his hands, Johnny blinks up at Ten. "I didn't put my height on my profile."

Ten stares back at him, expression difficult to read. "Okay."

"He's a hundred-and-seventy-five centimeters."

"Do you have a problem with him being shorter than you?"

Johnny shakes his head defensively. "Of course not!"

"Are you sure?" Ten's eyes narrow as though considering him more. "Because it kind of sounds like you do."

Johnny's next breath exhales from him slightly exasperated. "Taeyong and I hit it off really well, and it would really suck if that was ruined because I'm not what he expects me to be."

"First of all," Ten starts, shifting on his heels, and Johnny's already sighing, well aware that he's about to get hit with a tirade.

"You don't know what he expects. Second of all, from what you've told me, the guy seems classy and deep. I just feel like with the way you hit it off, it's going to take a little more than you being taller than him to spoil that."

"No offense, Ten, but you're like—" Johnny gestures to him with his hand, "—every alpha's omega dream. You don't know what it's like."

Ten's jaw drops an inch, eyebrows raised like Johnny just tossed cold water in his face, and the larger omega immediately regrets his words, lips pressing together.

"You think I haven't had to deal with my fair share of shitty alphas regarding me like a piece of meat?" Ten's shoulders hunch indignantly. "Do you know how fucking hard it is for me to find an alpha that actually sees me as a person and not just a walking heat cycle?"

Johnny bows his head. "Sorry…"

However, not even a moment later, Ten's placing a gentle hand atop one of Johnny's shoulders. "Listen. I know you have challenges that I can't fathom. And I don't know this Taeyong, obviously, but I just have a feeling he's not going to care that much."

Johnny lifts his head, staring past the blond locks that have fallen over his eyes. "Most alphas care."

Ten moves to sit down next to him, his hand lingering on his shoulder. "He seems different."

Johnny looks over at him. "How so?"

"Well, for one, he's very proactive with you. Remember how much you had to constantly chase after Minjun?"

"Yeah…" Johnny nods vaguely, seeing Ten's point. Still… "But I mean, Minjun wasn't an alpha, and he was still bothered by it."

Ten's head drops back, and he exhales a sigh. "If you're that worried about it, why don't you just tell him?"

"And what if it does bother him?"

"Then at least you know! Either way, it's better than making yourself miserable over the unknown like this."

Johnny huffs a breath, idly picking at his nails. "Yeah, I guess."

Later that evening when Johnny is finished with his nightly routine, he snatches his phone off the charging port as he flops back on his bed.

A notification from Taeyong awaits him on the screen.

Taeyong 9:33 p.m.: wish this week would hurry up already!
Taeyong 9:34 p.m.: i really can't wait to meet you!
Taeyong 9:34 p.m.: i can't stop thinking about it! ❤️

A small smile appears on Johnny's face.

Johnny 9:58 p.m.: yeah, me either ❤️

Taeyong 9:59 p.m.: ^_^
Taeyong 10:00 p.m.: i was thinking after dugahun, we could find some nice trail to walk?
Taeyong 10:00 p.m.: somewhere nice and scenic!

Johnny 10:01 p.m.: i'd like that

Taeyong 10:02 p.m.: i like you!

Johnny 10:03 p.m.: i like you too

The grin on his face fades, while that tug in his chest shifts into something increasingly uncomfortable with each passing beat.

He stares at the little round pixelated icon next to each of Taeyong's messages. Even so small, the vibrancy of his eyes shines through.

A knot turns in Johnny's stomach as the edge of his teeth worries into his lower lip.

Heaving a breath, he types out a message.

hey. so i know this is kind of random, and i know i should've said something sooner. i guess i just didn't expect us to reach this point. but i'm not… exactly your standard omega type. i'm a pretty big guy. over 185 cm, in fact. and i'm sorry i didn't say something sooner. i wasn't trying to deceive you. i just. idk. i didn't want you to be surprised when we met in person

Johnny's thumb hovers over the send button, heat branching through his veins as his heartbeat picks up.

And in that moment, every worst-case scenario races through Johnny's mind.

Would Taeyong be upset? Would he lash out with angry messages?

Or perhaps he wouldn't say anything. Perhaps he would just block him, and the extent of his reaction would forever remain a mystery, never hearing from him again.

Either way, he imagines the rather disappointed shift that would take over his eyes as he read the message, and for an individual he's never seen in person, Johnny's imagination can certainly conjure up what that would look like with striking clarity.

Sighing, Johnny presses the backspace button until the message is gone. He exits out of the app, pulling up the information about it instead.

Hesitating a moment, something grips him in the chest as though trying to stop him from doing this, but in the end, he knows that this hurt will be less by comparison. So with a heavy sinking feeling in his chest, he taps the 'Uninstall' button.

Over the next week, Johnny just can't quite shake the habit of grabbing his phone from the charging port every morning as though expecting to see a good morning message from Taeyong, but as his eyes fall to the screen lacking the expected notification, the reality hits him with an empty pang.

And it's like he sees Taeyong in everything.

His work has him trying out some new restaurants. His outdoor ventures have him running into roses at every turn. Ten has some new simplistic art piece that would make a great tattoo design.

All things he would've shared with Taeyong.

Johnny hadn't realized just how deep Taeyong had slipped into his life. They had never met.

Yet as he lay down in bed every night, the world silent save for the occasional distant rush of traffic passing from the streets below, now that he was gone, he could feel it.

On particularly masochistic nights, he'll wonder what Taeyong is doing.

Taking out some other omega he met on the app, he bets.

Johnny's immersed in work one afternoon when his phone goes off.

A bright smile framed by a deep set of dimples takes over the screen.

Johnny swipes to answer it on speaker. "Hey."

"Heeeeeeey," Jaehyun's voice cheers through the phone.

Johnny's eyes remain on his computer screen as he scrolls through the page, multitasking. "Sup, man?"

"One more week until beach house time!"

A grin appears on Johnny's face at that. God, does he need the vacation. "That's right. Can't wait!"

"Hey, so, there's some horseback riding tour of the hills nearby," Jaehyun explains. "But you need reservations, and Ten said you might have someone to bring?"

The words are like a punch to the gut. So much for the vacation being a distraction…

Exhaling a sigh, Johnny abandons his work, sitting back in his computer chair as he rubs his forehead. "No, I don't."

The line remains quiet a moment, Jaehyun's voice a touch softer when it does come through, "Are you okay, man?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Johnny answers automatically.

Jaehyun doesn't sound convinced. "What's up?"

Leaning forward, Johnny takes the mouse on his desk, resuming his multitasking. "I was talking to someone on a dating app, but it fell through."

"Ah… I'm sorry, man."

Johnny frowns at the computer screen. "It's fine."

His features twist further into a grimace as he thinks about it. A horseback riding tour? Seriously?

Johnny shakes his head. "Look, you go ahead and get yourself reservations if you guys wanna do that though."

"Well, I don't wanna leave you out."

He heaves a breath. "I don't wanna impose on your trip. Maybe it would be better if—"

"Don't you dare bail!" Jaehyun interjects. "This is our trip! Come on, man, we've been planning this awhile!"

Johnny sighs, though he does have to admit, exasperated as he might be, Jaehyun's insistence is somewhat endearing. "I'm not going to bail, don't worry."

"Good!" Jaehyun goes quiet on the other line for a few seconds, then follows with a little more carefully, "If you want… I could ask Doyoung about his co-wor—"

"No!" Johnny drops his head, pinching the bridge of his nose to stifle his annoyance. He takes a breath. "Listen, I appreciate the thought, but I really am just not in the place for that right now."

"Okay," Jaehyun replies, and then his enthusiasm comes back to him. "We're gonna have a great time!" Johnny can practically hear the dimples on his cheeks. "Me, you, Ten… the alphas can figure themselves out."

And despite everything, a full grin spreads across Johnny's face for the first time in over a week.

Friday night, and the apartment feels particularly lonely.

Something about watching Ten leave laughing with Kun while also knowing tonight is Jaehyun and Doyoung's date night probably played a contributing factor.

So Johnny finds himself at the bar for the first time in nearly two months.

"Johnny boy!" Yuta greets, the enthusiasm of his tone matching that row of perfectly gleaming teeth.

Johnny grins, reaching across the counter to clasp the beta's hand. "Hey!"

Letting go, Johnny hops up on one of the stools while Yuta wipes down a glass.

"The usual for you?" he asks.

Johnny nods.

Yuta prepares him a sidecar.

Next to him, Johnny distantly registers the scrape of the neighboring stool drawing back. Then a rather warm alpha scent fills his nostrils as a body moves in his peripheral to occupy said neighboring stool.

Johnny's eyes widen, the tension he hadn't realized he'd been carrying in his shoulders relaxing.

Oh. That smells nice…

"Vodka gimlet, please."

Johnny freezes. That voice…

"Sure thing, handsome." Yuta winks before turning to snatch a glass and dunk it into the ice.

As Yuta sets the drink down in front of the stranger, Johnny's eyes shift over to him, and there he is. He would recognize that jawline and distinct lip pout anywhere.

"Taeyong."

He blinks over at him, those round eyes even bigger in person as impossible as that might seem, wide with shock as they lock with Johnny's.

Though perhaps not exactly gleaming.

"Johnny," he says. "Hi."

"Hi."

Their eyes dart away from each other.

Johnny looks down at his sidecar, picking it up and taking a swig from it more generous than he'd intended, a slight grimace tugging his brows together as he swallows down the burn.

The overhead music and general din of bar patrons fill the silence.

"I didn't realize—" Taeyong finally speaks. "Sorry."

Taeyong starts to turn on his seat, but as the alcohol churns unpleasantly in Johnny's stomach, he regrets ever coming out here tonight. Shaking his head, he slips from his stool first. "No, it's fine. I'll go."

His back is to the bar, but he only makes it one step when Taeyong asks, "Did I do something?"

Johnny stops dead in his tracks. Slowly, he turns back around to look at him.

Of all the ways Johnny imagined how those big, round eyes could look, it never occurred to him what they might look like swimming with hurt.

It's like a knife in his gut.

"If I said something to make you uncomfortable, or overstepped a boundary in some way, I really am very sorry," Taeyong says quietly.

"No, Taeyong. You didn't—" Johnny shakes his head, shoulders slumping a moment later. "Can we—" He gestures back to a corner with his head, "—step aside, maybe?"

Taeyong nods, slipping off the stool to follow.

Johnny leads them to one of the tables in a relatively secluded corner. They sit down across from each other.

"I'm sorry…" Johnny starts. "I realize I'm probably not what you were expecting."

Taeyong blinks, a crease appearing between his brows. "What?"

Sitting back, Johnny gestures to himself.

Taeyong's eyes trail down to his chest as though looking for something, but then a moment later, he’s looking back up to Johnny again, none the wiser than they were a moment ago.

"Sorry?" Taeyong vaguely shakes his head. "I'm not following?"

Johnny lowers his gaze, the heat rising up his neck having nothing to do with the alcohol he's drunk. He's really going to make him say it?

He swallows. "I realize… I don't exactly meet typical omega beauty standards."

"No, you don't," Taeyong says. "You far exceed them."

Johnny's eyes flit back up to Taeyong's.

Taeyong tilts his head slightly as though considering him. "Don't tell me that's why you went MIA on me?"

Johnny's shoulders hunch, eyes shifting to anywhere but the alpha's gaze. "Listen, I really liked you. I just…" Heaving a breath, Johnny runs his fingers through his hair. "I never put my height on my profile, and…" He shakes his head. "I just didn't want to ruin whatever image you had of me."

A breathless laugh slips from Taeyong. Then another, this one even louder, but as he shakes his head and rubs his forehead through it, the absence of humor in his tone is outright gaping.

He looks up at Johnny skeptically. "Don't you think if I was that concerned about it, I would've asked you?"

The realization of that truth curdles in Johnny's stomach.

"Johnny," Taeyong continues. "It's not like your proportions in the pictures or videos were exactly subtle. I definitely got the impression you were a big guy, but so what? You're so beautiful. Like a big teddy bear. What's not to be attracted to?"

Johnny’s features soften. His heart twinges in his chest, something sickly rising up to the back of his throat.

If he didn't know better, he would say Taeyong's eyes look glassy.

The alpha blinks rapidly. "But then you ghosted me, and I wondered… if I had done something wrong. Or if maybe you had never really shared the same interest I had in the first place. If everything you said to me had just been a lie."

"No," Johnny says quickly. He leans in, shaking his head. "No, Taeyong. I meant it. I meant everything I said. I just…"

"Didn't respect me enough to be honest with me," Taeyong quietly finishes for him.

Johnny bows his head.

"I really liked you, Johnny," Taeyong continues softly. "I wanted to take you on dates and really get to know you. But you did ruin that image I had of you when you disappeared on me high and dry with no explanation, and I have too much respect for myself to let someone disregard my feelings like that."

Johnny knows that he should say something. Anything.

But he also knows that not even a thousand apologies would be enough.

All he can do is nod, throat too tight to swallow the lump that’s swelled up inside.

"Enjoy your evening," Taeyong says before getting up from the table and walking away.

Johnny's not sure how long he's standing in the entryway when he returns to his apartment prematurely that night.

He stares off into the evening cityscape outside the large living room windows, Taeyong's eyes burning in his mind.

He had thought his imagination had a talent for conjuring up all the possibilities of worst-case scenarios, but he'd been wrong.

Because as it turns out, he had never even considered the actual worst possibility.

What would he be doing right now if he would've just hit send?

Would he and Taeyong have had an amazing date that weekend? Would they be out on another right now? Laughing over dinner? Seated close during a movie? Or perhaps, they would have forgone the fancy courting rituals and just had a cozy night in one of their places?

Johnny thinks he would have enjoyed that just as much.

And that warm, intoxicating scent… How well would it have blended with his own?

Johnny's nostrils flare as though he might be able to still catch a hint of it.

He can't.

His feet finally drag him over to the couch where he flops down, head dropping forward to rest his forehead against the base of his palms, fingers tangling into the blond locks framing his hairline.

His eyes sting as moisture wells along his lashes, the weeps tumbling through constricted airways, falling from his lips punctuated and shallow.

The front door bursts open, Ten and Kun's laughs overtaking the silence of the apartment.

Jerking his head up, Johnny sweeps his hair back and wipes his eyes then slings his arms over the back of the couch as casually as possible.

The laughter cuts off.

Johnny feels more than sees the eyes on him.

He forces the grin on his face as he looks over at their stunned expressions. "Hey, guys!" With a grunt, he rocks forward, rising up to his feet. "I was just about to head to bed. You can have the living room."

Without awaiting a response, he turns and makes a beeline for his bedroom door.

Ten's hushed voice speaks behind him, "Kun, baby, go to the bedroom. I'll meet you there in a minute."

Johnny enters his own room, grabbing the door to shut it, but something stops him halfway. He looks back to see Ten wriggling in after him.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Ten insists, looking up at him with a frown. "You're not shutting me out."

Johnny exhales his exasperation, lacking the energy for this.

"Johnny?" Ten shuts Johnny's bedroom door behind him, eyes filled with concern as he looks up at him. "Talk to me."

Johnny just shakes his head, blinking as new sprouts of moisture prickle at his waterline. "It's fine. Don't leave Kun waiting."

"He can handle it." Stepping forward, he takes one of Johnny's hands in both of his. "Johnny, it's not good to hold it in. You know you can talk to me."

Johnny shakes his head again, lips pressing together, as though if he did so hard enough, he could will that crackle of darkness in his chest away and Ten would just leave. But of course, he knows better than that.

He flops down in his computer chair, head hanging, shoulders wilted. "I fucked up, Ten… I really fucked up."

"Johnny…"

Ten runs his fingers through Johnny's hair before leaning over and hugging his trembling shoulders.

Johnny double-checks his luggage for the umpteenth time before finally deciding he has everything, zipping it shut and hoisting it off the bed to set on the wheels. Unlatching the extendable handle, he rolls it out to the front room where Kun and Ten are bickering over Ten's four overstuffed suitcases.

"Why would you need room in my one suitcase?" Kun’s voice borders on indignation. He gestures wildly to the omega's luggage. "You already have four!"

"I know! And I ran out of room," Ten says matter-of-factually.

Kun's mouth hangs open a moment before he finally, rather pointedly, follows with, "But you're bringing four, and I'm only bringing one?"

Ten just shrugs, arms folded over his chest. "I know. I need to bring more than you."

"What would you possibly need to bring? We're only going to be there a week and a half. One suitcase is more than enough."

"For you!" Ten insists. "I need options. Who's to say what I'm going to actually want to wear until I am there?"

Kun exhales a long-suffering sigh, his palm lifting to his forehead, but it's then he looks over and sees Johnny ready with his own suitcase.

Lowering his hand, the alpha clears his throat and grins. "You're all set, Johnny?"

Johnny nods, something of a forced grin appearing on his face instinctively.

Ten swirls around to face him. "Ahhh, don't look like that!" Heading over to him, he takes Johnny by the biceps, giving him a shake. "We're going on vacation!"

The grin eases onto his face a little more naturally then.

"We're gonna have fun, I promise!" Ten beams up at him, gently squeezing his arms before letting go. "You deserve the getaway! Get your mind off things."

Johnny nods. Ten's right.

Kun and Johnny respectively fit a few more of Ten's "necessities" into their suitcases, and then between the three of them, they wrangle all their luggage outside and call a taxi. The three booked their flights together, and the plan is to meet Jaehyun and Doyoung when they land, so the collective group can all head to the beach house together.

Ten lets Johnny have the window seat, and as such, Johnny is mildly forgiving about the fact that he spends the bulk of the flight leaning into Kun and giggling.

Thankfully, it's only an hour and overall pretty easy.

When they land, they shoot Jaehyun and Doyoung a text then head to the baggage claim.

Jaehyun meets them there.

"There you guys are!" he says.

Johnny hoists Kun's suitcase off the conveyor, rolling it over to him then blinks over at Jaehyun with mild curiosity when he realizes he's by himself. "Where's Doyoung?"

"Oh, there was a delay with our luggage," Jaehyun explains, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb. "He and Taeyong are waiting for them and then are gonna meet us."

Ice branches through Johnny's veins. He gapes at Jaehyun like a deer in headlights as though he can't quite process what he just said.

"Taeyong?"

Jaehyun forces a grin on his face, but the expression looks more uncomfortable than anything else. "Don't kill me… Doyoung brought his co-worker."

Johnny whips his head over to Ten, who's looking up at him with equal parts shock and alarm.

"Maybe it's a coincidence?" Ten suggests, shoulders hunching as he shakes his head, as though intent on convincing himself as much as he is Johnny. "Taeyong's not that uncommon of a name, is it?"

Johnny nods vigorously, as though if he and Ten agree then it might make it true, but the twist in his stomach is the more honest impulse.

"We're not trying to set you up with him though, I promise!" Jaehyun hastily continues. "Doyoung just really wanted to bring him along because he said he's been really out of it ever since he got back from his last project."

Ten closes in on Johnny's side, looking up at him with eyes slightly narrowed. "What did you say Taeyong did again?"

Johnny stares off, mouth somewhat agape as his mind tries to process all this but keeps stuttering and popping. His stomach squirms into a tangle of knots.

He looks over at Ten with a shake of his head. "I don't know. He was in Gwangju helping out some business. He said he had to travel to do that a lot."

Ten's expression drops. "You mean…" He leans in that much closer. "Like a business consultant?"

A business consultant.

Doyoung's a business consultant.

Shit.

Johnny tangles a fist into the side of his blond head, eyes wide and dumbfounded. "Oh my God, how did I never make this connection?"

Ten lightly shoves Johnny's bicep. "Idiot!"

"Uhh…?" Jaehyun's eyes dart between the two of them, his expression as vacant as his tone.

Johnny swirls to face Ten fully. "I have to go! I can't be here. I need to get a flight back—"

"Jaehyun!"

Everyone in the small group's attention shifts over the other direction to see Doyoung standing at the other end of the baggage claim looking slightly flustered.

"Could you guys help us with this luggage?" he asks. "There's quite a bit of it."

Jaehyun immediately moves in and Kun does as well.

Johnny just stands there, like if he were to remain still enough he might be able to dodge this situation, but his eyes betray him anyway, roving over to see Taeyong staring up at him with those big, round eyes as though Johnny were a ghost.

"Johnny."

And all Johnny can do is nod once, patting his hair down and turning to face him. "Hello, Taeyong."

That has Doyoung looking from one to the other with a lift of his brow. "You two know each other?"

"You could say that," Taeyong says simply.

"Alright!" Ten presses into Johnny's side. "Our cab's here. We'll meet you guys at the beach house. Come on, Kun!"

The cab ride consists of a lot of Johnny tucking his head between his knees and swaggering between one emotional extreme to the next.

He sits up abruptly, raking his hair out of his eyes and draping his arms over the back of the cab seat. "It's fine. It's not a big deal," he insists. "I'm overreacting. We messaged each other for a few weeks. It's not like we actually dated or anything. It's fine. It'll be fine."

"Yeah!" Ten says at his side. "And I mean, it's a pretty big beach house according to Jaehyun, so you probably won't run into him too much? Maybe?"

Johnny nods, forcing a smile.

But he can only maintain it so long before that resolve he'd managed to gather crumbles, and he keels back over, whimpering into his knees while Ten sighs and rubs his back.

It is a large beach house, large enough for Johnny to have his own room, thank goodness.

The walls are mostly glass, overlooking a rather magnificent view of the beach, framed by all sorts of greenery that backs the house.

It really is comforting and zen enough that he considers the possibility of just hiding away here the duration of the trip, but then Jaehyun is at the door, grabbing him by the arm and insisting he come hang out with them.

At least Ten does him the mercy of immediately greeting him with an alcoholic beverage, which Johnny downs. The blaze down his esophagus really can't burn enough.

Ultimately, Johnny makes peace with the elephant in the room as they sit along the rooftop couches, accompanied by the gentle lull of the tide sweeping over the shore before receding back as well as the crackle of the fire pit in the center of the group.

If anything, Johnny finds himself feeling a little bad for Taeyong, who he registers sitting at the opposite end of the couches even if he can't bring himself to glance over at him directly.

These are all Johnny's friends, while Taeyong only knows Doyoung, and he can't help but notice that the alpha stays quiet while he nurses his cocktail amongst the rest of them laughing.

"So Johnny and I are walking around the city, looking for a place to shoot, and we find this alley, right?" Ten pauses to sip his own cocktail—and probably also for dramatic effect. His legs are pulled up on the couch, and he's pressed into Kun's side, all but sitting in his lap.

His story continues: "All this urban art covering the brick. Fire escapes. Abandoned appliances." Ten gesticulates with his hands throughout. "Totally the neon noir cyberpunk aesthetic. So I'm like cool, perfect! And I just walk on in there while Johnny's getting all his camera equipment set up at the end, and just." He shakes his head. "The whole alley reeks of piss."

Various noises of discontent run along the group, accompanied by uncomfortable shifts and winces.

"It was bad," Johnny vouches, sipping from his drink. "Even from the outside. I don't know how he went in there."

"Why wouldn't you find a different one?" Doyoung asks, eyeing Ten with his nose scrunched. His fingers idly run through Jaehyun's hair, who's taken to lying down with his head in the alpha's lap.

"It was PERFECT!" Ten leans over Kun slightly as though determined to make his point to Doyoung. "I had a very specific vision, and we'd been scouring the city for hours, you wouldn't understand."

Doyoung hardly appears convinced. "I understand that's disgusting!"

"What?" Ten frowns, curling a little closer into Kun and pinching the straw of his drink before taking a sip of it. "It's not like I stepped in it. Anyway, art is sacrifice sometimes, sweetheart."

Doyoung's eyes roll. "Or maybe you're just deranged."

"What would you know?" Ten asks defensively. "I saw the portfolio shots Johnny took of you. Nerd."

Johnny knows a cue when he sees one. Setting his drink aside, he rises to his feet, leaning over slightly and bending his arms in front of him in an unnatural way that mimicked Doyoung's unfortunate awkward pose from said shoot that none of them would ever let him live down. He makes sure to put on an equally as exaggerated over-serious expression to accompany the pose properly.

"It was only one pose!" Doyoung defensively snaps.

Taeyong bursts into laughter.

The rest of the group follows, but it's all just like background noise as Johnny's attention zeros in on Taeyong.

The alpha's smile dominates his face, eyes and nose scrunching under the authenticity of it, and the firelight dancing over his features only seems to make him glow.

And the sound.

Oh, the sound.

It tugs right at Johnny's chest, fluttering pleasantly, and he has to wonder yet again how the hell an alpha so striking is capable of being so cute?

However, after a moment, it's like Taeyong's reaction catches up to him, and he cuts off his laugh by clearing his throat, his expression neutralizing. He ducks his head, quickly sipping his drink as he looks out to the ocean.

Johnny averts his own gaze, sitting back down and grabbing his own drink.

It's the very next day when Johnny's friends do exactly as he feared.

They had all headed out to the beach late that afternoon with towels, chairs, and umbrellas. The pretense of hanging out as a group lasted only a few minutes when Jaehyun and Doyoung broke off to go run into the water together.

Johnny watches as the two splash until they're deep enough to swim and get tangled in each other's arms all gross couple-like.

He averts his gaze only to see Ten and Kun do the exact same thing on the other end. Kun scoops Ten into his arms bridal style, who hugs the back of the alpha's neck, laughing over the rush of the tide.

Leaving Johnny sitting on the beach at his lonesome.

Well, alone except for Taeyong, whose sitting on a towel several feet away from him.

Taeyong huffs out an extended, frustrated sigh, and Johnny looks over to see the alpha push himself to his feet, about-facing and stomping off in the sand.

Johnny quickly averts his gaze down to the towel in front of him, the heat creeping up his face noticeable even under the beam of the afternoon sun.

Perhaps he should try to find a flight back…

It's one thing for his friends to fifth wheel him, but this whole situation is really unfair to Taeyong, who had never done anything wrong.

Johnny twists to where he has his bag set aside, leaning over to try to dig his phone out, but then the waft of something warm and inviting catches his attention unexpectedly—which he has to say, blends with the sweet smell of sand rather pleasantly—and he belatedly registers the sound of incoming footsteps.

He blinks up to see the Alpha holding two glass bottles, who offers one to Johnny before sitting down on his towel in front of him.

Johnny eyes the bottle curiously. It's a hard lemonade seltzer.

"Not exactly a sidecar," Taeyong says. "But it's what was immediately available."

Johnny nods. "Thank you."

Taeyong nods in return, holding his bottle up to Johnny, who reaches forward with his own to gently clink it against the neck of Taeyong's. They then both throw their heads back as they take a generous swig.

Johnny sighs contentedly as he lowers the bottle.

"I figure there's probably going to be a lot of this happening," Taeyong then says, gesturing back to the couples.

Kun has taken to spinning with Ten in his arms, who laughs animatedly, while Jaehyun and Doyoung float facing each other, holding their hands between them and speaking God knows what disgusting sweet nothings.

"But even if not," Taeyong continues, looking up at Johnny. "I still would rather not spend the entire vacation being awkwardly silent and trying to avoid you when we're going to be stuck in the same vicinity this next week."

Johnny breathes a quick chuckle. "Yeah, I'd rather not either…" He takes a sip of his seltzer then tentatively asks, "How's your niece?"

Taeyong grins, sitting back and propping himself up with one hand. "She's doing great! She was so excited when I got back." His brow draws together somewhat sheepishly then. "Kinda felt bad leaving again so soon…"

Feeling encouraged, Johnny lightly shrugs. "Guess that means Uncle Yongie has to bring her back a souvenir!"

Taeyong nods and hums. "That little girl always makes sure my bank account never gets too comfortable."

"She's worth every last won, I know it," Johnny says with a wink.

"Absolutely!"

They share a laugh.

And just like that… the tension is gone. Taeyong is as easy to talk to in person as he had been through text.

As Johnny's laugh tapers, he takes another swig off his bottle then glances down, his free hand idly picking at the towel fibers. "I'm really sorry I messed things up before they had a chance to start."

"I forgive you," Taeyong says, the soft tone of his voice honest.

Johnny's eyes lift to him. "I hope any other omegas you might be talking to are more communicative and treat you as you deserve."

"Oh, I'm not talking to anyone," Taeyong says, sitting up straighter so he can wave his free hand dismissively. "When I realized you weren't coming back, I deleted the app."

That should've had Johnny feeling guilty, and perhaps, deep down somewhere it did. However, as he regards the alpha sitting in front of him, he's too caught off guard by that detail to feel much of anything else.

"You must've had other omegas you were talking to, right?" he asks.

Taeyong shakes his head. "When we connected and hit it off so well right away, I didn't see the point in looking at other profiles. It wouldn't have felt right anyway."

His expression shifts then, as though hit with a realization, those impossibly large eyes going all the rounder as he asks, "Were you talking to other alphas?"

"No!" Johnny assures him quickly, lifting his free hand. "No, of course not. It's like you said, we hit it off so well I didn't have any interest in looking at anyone else."

Taeyong nods, shoulders visibly relaxing as he sips from his bottle.

Johnny takes another generous drink from his own bottle, looking out to the horizon. "I don't know, you never asked for my social media or anything."

"You never asked for mine either. I just thought we were taking our time and would get there eventually."

Johnny nods. Fair enough.

"I guess I also just figured…" Johnny lets out a quick laugh, glancing Taeyong's direction. "An alpha like you could have anyone they wanted."

"I wanted you," Taeyong says, looking him straight in the eye.

The heat that branches through Johnny's chest reaches all the way to his cheeks, the reality of it sinking in deep.

He lowers his gaze, shoulders deflating as he exhales a huff. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

"I told you, I forgive you."

Johnny nods, though that swell of shame does little to ease.

The flow of the tide fills the silence, accompanied by the distant sounds of Kun and Ten's laughs.

"You know…" Taeyong speaks after a moment. "I'm kind of on the smaller side for an alpha."

That has Johnny snorting. "You're perfect as you are."

"And so are you."

Silently, Johnny is rather grateful for the overhead sun shining down on them on account of the fact that these flares of heat are going to continue happening at the rate this is going.

Taeyong continues, "And I apologize for any alphas that made you feel like you weren't enough."

Johnny heaves a sigh, staring out at the horizon, "It's not just alphas…"

"Then fuck anyone that's made you feel like less!" Taeyong says so sharply that Johnny's attention immediately snaps to him. "It's bullshit. You're enough. You're more than enough. You're so beautiful."

Then Johnny can't look at him, inclining his head as the smile appears on his face and his heart does a series of flips.

"And to be honest…" Taeyong's voice has settled back to that gentle tone. "I would still really like to take you out on that date. Get to know you."

Hope sparks through Johnny's chest, though after their talk at the bar, he's more taken by surprise than anything. He blinks up at Taeyong. "But I—?"

"Made a mistake. As we humans tend to do," Taeyong finishes for him. He looks down at the bottle in his hand, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips that looks endearingly shy.

When he looks up at Johnny again, those big eyes of his are especially soft. "You're not a bad person, Johnny. I can see that."

The giddiness that wells up in Johnny has him wanting to burst. He clears his throat, trying his best to keep it contained, though he certainly can't help the smile.

"I really want to get to know you too, Taeyong," he confesses. "You're amazing. You're so cute and sexy and smart and interesting, and I have so much fun talking to you." His grin widens, and he adds, "You smell incredible too."

Taeyong winks. "Back at you."

Looking down, he reaches over to cover Johnny's free hand with his. "Well, since our friends are pretty occupied, I think there are some nice scenic dinner spots around these parts…"

Johnny gently moves his hand beneath Taeyong's so they can lace their fingers together, his voice almost breathless as he says, "There are…"

"Can I take you to one?" Taeyong asks.

The smile that spreads over Johnny's face makes his cheeks tense. "I'd love that."

Taeyong returns the smile, then he leans forward, lifting up to his feet and taking a firm hold of Johnny's hand to help him follow.

They finish their drinks then brush the sand off themselves before Taeyong is offering Johnny his hand again, and Johnny takes it, their fingers lacing together as they turn to head away from the water.

Taeyong's hold is just as strong as he'd imagined it would be. And just as gentle.

However, they only make it a couple steps before the stream of Ten's voice is chasing after them. "Johnnyyyyyyyyyyyyyy~!"

He and Taeyong turn around to see Ten along with Jaehyun running up the sand toward them, dripping wet.

"We're ditching the alphas!" Jaehyun calls out. "It's omega night!"

Ten jumps up and throws a fist in the air. "Yeah!"

"Oh!" Johnny blinks. He looks down at his and Taeyong's joined hands, unsure if he should be touched by his friends' consideration or annoyed. "Um. Actually—"

But Taeyong just laughs, gently untangling his fingers from Johnny's before patting his bicep. "It's okay. You should have fun with your friends! I need to annoy Doie and get to know Kun a little more anyway."

"Alright." Johnny nods, conceding with a grin. "I'll make it up to you?"

Taeyong starts to back toward the beach. "We have plenty of more nights to go to dinner, don't you worry."

Jaehyun hooks an arm around Johnny's, laughing as he gives him a tug to steal him away.

Johnny and Taeyong wave to each other.

Ten backs up and tosses his middle fingers in the air in the alphas' direction. "See ya, losers!"

Johnny and Jaehyun laugh, and Ten hooks his arm through Johnny's free one as the trio then heads off.

A little over a month after they get back from their vacation, Johnny has a dream about his and Taeyong's first kiss.

They had been on that horseback riding tour through the hills when Kun and Ten broke off from the group, only for Jaehyun and Doyoung to follow in suit shortly after.

Johnny wasn't mad. In fact, he was rather glad for the opportunity for him and Taeyong to head off together without them having to be the ones to make the initial awkward scene.

With the way Taeyong eagerly went along with it, Johnny could only assume he felt the same.

"Let's go this way?" Taeyong suggested, giving the reins a tug to guide his horse up a different path.

Always eager for an adventure, Johnny guided his horse to follow. "Sure!"

Taeyong led them to a hill peak that stood well above the house, overlooking the whole beach, the horizon glowing orange in the distance in contrast to the sparkling blue ocean.

"How's that for a view?" the alpha asked, smiling over at him.

"I couldn't have found a better spot myself if I tried," Johnny replied, taking the camera he had against his chest hanging from the strap around the back of his neck so that he could get some shots of it.

He made what setting adjustments he needed along the back of the camera before holding it to his face, snapping shot after shot from every angle he could atop the horse's back.

Grinning playfully to himself, Johnny then pointed the camera in Taeyong's direction, stealing a couple candid shots of him gazing out to the horizon before he realized what Johnny was doing and looked over at him with something of an admonishing grin.

"What are you doing?"

Johnny lowered his camera, shrugging exaggeratedly. "Just catching a shot of the ever elusive most stunning alpha out in the wild."

Taeyong laughed that gorgeous laugh and shook his head. As it tapered off, he looked at Johnny with an equally as playful expression. "If you're going to do that, then I want some of you!"

Johnny nodded with dramatic resolute.

Grabbing the saddle, Taeyong swung his leg around and dismounted the horse, grunting as he touched down and leaning over to quickly massage his inner thighs—which, Johnny couldn't blame him. Horseback riding could give his leg day routine at the gym a run for its money.

Johnny gripped the saddle of his horse and swung his own leg over to find Taeyong waiting for him with an offered hand. He took it with a nod of thanks, and Taeyong helped him down.

Lifting the strap of the camera from his head, Johnny held it up so Taeyong could see the back screen display. Behind them, their horses snorted and took the opportunity to lightly nibble at the grass.

"I set it to auto-settings," he explained, then pointed to a couple buttons on the top. "This is to zoom. Hold this halfway to focus, and then—" He pressed the shutter. "Just like that!"

"Alright." Taeyong nodded, accepting the camera. He then gestured to Johnny's horse. "Go stand over there."

Johnny did as he was told, lightly petting the horse's mane but turning to face Taeyong.

For the first few shots, he smiled, but then he proceeded to make silly faces, pushing his lips out for one, making an overly-sophisticated expression with his brows drawn in for the next, which earned him that adorable laugh again.

After, Taeyong looked down at the back of the camera to inspect his work, and Johnny then moved to stand next to him, equally as interested.

"Let's see."

Taeyong grinned up at him somewhat shyly. "Don't judge me too harshly, okay?"

An exhilarated tingle sparked through Johnny's chest as his arm brushed against Taeyong’s when he moved in to get a look at the previews. He bit his tongue to keep his emotions contained while they looked through them together. Taeyong had captured him with the horse as well as the beach out in the distance rather impressively.

"What's to judge?" He glanced over at him. "You're a natural!"

Taeyong grinned with a tilt of his head. "Well, I had some pretty great guidance, so I can't take all the credit."

He then turned to hand the camera over, and Johnny reached up to take it, but the alpha must've stepped on a rock because the next thing Johnny knew, his eyes were going comically wide and he was falling forward.

On impulse, Johnny lunged down and tossed his arms around Taeyong's torso, who scrambled for the camera that fell from both their grasps, though luckily, Taeyong caught it by the strap.

"Your camera!" he panted out. "I'm so sorry!"

"Forget the camera." Johnny shook his head. "Are you okay?"

Taeyong nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Should've watched my feet." A sheepish laugh slipped from his lips, the color rising up on his cheeks, and oh, if that wasn't the sweetest sight.

The alpha found his feet, yet he still lingered in Johnny’s embrace, their chests nearly touching. As their eyes met, Johnny noticed just how precise the details were of that little rose scar this up close, just how distinctly he could smell that warm alpha musk mixing with the sweetness of his omega scent, and he wondered if they were about to have a moment.

Taeyong blinked slowly, and when his eyes opened next, something about his lids seemed heavier, his gaze seemingly darker, and as Johnny's eyes trailed down to his lips, watching the way the tip of the alpha's tongue slipped out to wet them, his own heart ignited in his chest as he realized that, yes, they were definitely going to have a moment.

In fact, he wasn't even sure who moved in first, if he had ducked down or Taeyong had lifted on his toes. Perhaps they both had just automatically drifted to each other.

Regardless, all Johnny knew was that his eyes were fluttering shut and that cute little pout was slotted right up against his lips, and God, did it feel incredible.

Sparks ignited through Johnny's veins as those soft lips slipped so perfectly against his, that warm alpha scent overwhelming his nostrils, tugging all his senses, his omega instincts giving in and wanting to submit.

His hands curled the back of the alpha's tank top into fists as though determined to hold himself there, not trusting his legs to keep him supported by themselves as his lips gently slipped over the other's, fitting so seamlessly, determined to really savor as well as acquaint himself with them.

After a few moments, Taeyong then eased back, and Johnny took the cue, eyes peeking open just enough to see Taeyong looking up at him through a heavy gaze.

"Wow," Taeyong breathed, sounding as wistful as he looked.

Johnny smiled, lips pressing together just enough to taste the remnants of the alpha lingering on them. "I'll say."

Taeyong's smile grew, but then his expression settled into something a little more serious. "Johnny… Can I ask you something?"

Johnny nodded once. "Of course."

"If we're going to do this, can I ask that you please don't keep anything from me? If there's anything you're ever feeling insecure about or anything bothering you at all… please, tell me? Even if it seems trivial. I won't ever hold it against you for being honest with me."

With Taeyong looking up at him with those big round eyes, Johnny probably would've answered yes to just about anything.

However, he lowered his gaze humbly. It was a valid point to bring up after everything, and now that Taeyong was giving him this second chance, Johnny certainly wasn't going to squander it.

He met Taeyong's eyes again. "Yeah, I can do that. And that goes for you as well."

The grin returned to Taeyong's face. "Deal."

Taeyong handed over the strap of the camera to him then reached up, sweeping a few strands of hair from Johnny's forehead, tracing his hairline down behind his ear with such care that the omega could've melted where he stood.

Instead, he slipped the camera strap over his shoulder so that it would be out of the way, and as Taeyong's long, elegant fingers fit along the nape of his neck, he allowed himself to be pulled down into another kiss.

This one started out as sweet as the first, lips shifting and fitting together gently, eager to feel and taste.

However, as Taeyong rose up more insistently, that grip on the back of his neck curling in, Johnny's heartbeat picked up, that comfortable warmth in his veins growing into a hungrier heat.

Johnny's mouth pliantly fell open to allow the alpha the access he wanted, which he certainly took. Though as both Taeyong's hands tangled into Johnny's hair and Johnny's arms wrapped around his shoulders, it was still as though close wasn't close enough.

And so, rather shamelessly, Taeyong's hands moved to the top of Johnny's shoulders, and without even breaking the kiss, he hopped right up against him.

With a noise of surprise, Johnny caught him, arms wrapped around his torso as Taeyong proceeded to wriggle his way up until he had his legs hugged around Johnny's waist, and Johnny had to tilt his own head way back to maintain the kiss.

Breaking apart only a moment, they shared a light laugh, Taeyong taking the opportunity to gaze down at Johnny reverently, fingers running through his hair before his arms came back down to hug his shoulders.

They closed back in, more eager and less finessed, teeth scraping over lips and tongues lapping against each other, and everything in the world felt right.

When Johnny wakes that morning, his mind is a warm haze of the memory. He blinks gently up at the ceiling, the image of how Taeyong had looked that day tingling in the back of his mind.

Johnny presses his lips together as though he might taste him, nostrils flaring as though he might breathe him in, though of course, it had only been a dream.

That doesn't make the way the memory tugs at his chest any less real though, nor the way it sparks through his veins, his recollection of the vibrant sun shining on his skin warm and comforting.

Except… Oh.

Johnny's brows knit together.

And it's then he registers the tingle prickling over his entire body, the exponential growth of that warmth that's taken over him, and it has nothing to do with memories or even the comforters over him.

This is coming deep from within, like a furnace, and the more Johnny's mind comes back to the conscious world, the more aware he is of how each pulse of his blood is molten, skin outright sweltering.

With a grimace, he tosses the comforter off himself, the bedroom air smacking his sweat-coated skin in a cool rush, though what relief it grants him lasts only a moment, the stir of his core boiling over and flooding his veins.

Curling his head in, Johnny attempts to sit up, but he barely manages to roll his shoulders off the mattress when a new wave of heat ripples through his body, aching deep in his muscles, and he just as quickly falls back to his pillows, brows knitting together as a whimper tumbles from his lips.

Last night, he had felt that telltale prickle of the beginnings of his heat when he flopped down to his bed, but his eyelids weighed down so quickly he told himself he'd deal with it in the morning.

Usually, he had a good twenty-four to forty-eight hours from when the beginning hints of his impending heat began before it really started to hit, of which he would utilize preparing food, stocking up on water bottles, and getting together anything else he might need.

Granted, all those times, Johnny hadn't been spending time with anyone of any particular sexual interest, much less an alpha.

God, Johnny can't even remember the last time he spent a heat with anybody, but now that he has Taeyong around as much as their two schedules will allow, it's like all his instincts and pheromones are collaborating together to get that knot.

Which Johnny might be a little more embarrassed about if his mind were in any coherent state to consider that.

He does, however, have the alpha on his mind as he reaches down to sneak a hand under his boxers, wincing as he peels the drenched fabric from his inner thighs.

When he slips three fingers into himself, his body opens completely ready for them.

They're not enough, not even close, but his body is so sensitive, so fucking desperate for stimulation that even digging out the toy feels like too much work.

He really wishes he at least had something with Taeyong's scent on it to smother over his face, and he probably does somewhere, but as his thighs spread and those three fingers work their way into that sweet spot, he's not about to stop to look.

His three digits and thoughts of the Alpha, of those strong hands on him, of that sweet Jyani in his ear, will have to be enough.

And they are. Or perhaps his body is just that sensitive because it really doesn't take him long before his free hand is smacking over his mouth to stifle a groan, his back arching from the mattress before his cock spurts a mess all over his stomach.

Then he's flopping back to the mattress, panting for breath as his three fingers slide out of him, completely drenched.

Johnny blinks past the speckle of stars to stare at the ceiling.

He needs to grab water bottles, food, sheets, and towels. Lots and lots of towels.

But he barely gets through the mental checklist and potential plan before another wave is flaring up, and Johnny whines a noise that falls between frustration and discomfort, eyes screwing shut.

Fuck, his heat really didn't come to play this time.

His head falls loosely to the side, eyes landing on the screen of his phone.

Each and every last fiber of his being is screaming yes, yes, yes, call Taeyong. Call the alpha over now.

And he wants to. God, does he want to.

But, ah… he and Taeyong haven't slept together yet. Taeyong, as it turns out, is of the traditional variety, and he's been rather insistent about taking Johnny out and treating him as an alpha should.

Which certainly isn't something Johnny ever thought was necessary, but he can't deny that he likes being doted on like this.

Not only that, but Johnny knows that Taeyong has a very important conference this weekend. He doesn't want to impose.

Then again… he did promise Taeyong he wouldn't keep anything from him. Even if this probably isn't exactly what either of them meant.

Another wave of heat rolls through him, slick gushing between his thighs, and Johnny writhes, toes curling as he waits for it to pass, and when it finally does, that settles it.

Snatching the phone from the dock, Johnny wipes his slick-coated hand off on his boxers as much as he can, fiercely clinging to what concentration he has left to pull up the messages between him and Taeyong.

Johnny 7:37 a.m.: hey
Johnny 7:38 a.m.: sorry, i know it's early
Johnny 7:38 a.m.: i kinda have a situation

Taeyong 7:40 a.m.: hey, baby!
Taeyong 7:40 a.m.: is everything okay?

Johnny 7:41 a.m.: my heat started unexpectedly

The phone lights up with an incoming call, those rose-decorated boba eyes taking over the screen.

Johnny accepts it, concentrating all his effort into sounding collected as he answers, "Hey."

"Baby, are you okay?" Taeyong's voice is full of concern.

"Yeah. I just—" Johnny exhales a breath, the heat in his belly coiling as though his body knows Taeyong is on the other line and is reacting accordingly. He swallows audibly. "It hit really hard. I know we were waiting and you're busy this weekend, and I don't want to burden you—"

"I'm on my way."

The tension in Johnny's shoulders relaxes and his next breath comes to him a little easier. Still, he says, "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Taeyong says on the other line. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, baby."

The call ends, and Johnny loosely drops the phone to his chest, the thrum of his heart beating against the back of his fingers, surprisingly light all things considered.

Taeyong… Johnny really thought alphas like him only existed in movies. Or were otherwise long taken.

Another heat wave has him whining and writhing against the mattress.

Fuck, the seconds really can't pass quick enough.

He's in no state to try to get up and answer the door for Taeyong when he gets here, so he heaves a breath, gathering himself together to pull up the messages between him and Ten.

Johnny 7:55 a.m.: hey, can you leave the door unlocked? taeyong's coming over
Johnny 7:56 a.m.: also, you might wanna go hang out with kun for the next few days

Ten 7:58 a.m.: oh, i'm way ahead of you. i can smell you from several kilometers away
Ten 7:59 a.m.: i pulled down the linens and towels and left a pack of water bottles outside your door
Ten 7:59 a.m.: anything else i can bring you before i go?

Johnny 8:00 a.m.: no, that's more than enough. thank you

Ten 8:01 a.m.: enjoy that knot! 😘

Johnny 8:01 a.m.: 🖕

Haphazardly dropping his phone to his nightstand, Johnny then reaches into his boxers, pressing his fingers inside himself again, his head digging back into the pillows as his brow knits together, desperate for whatever fraction of relief he can give himself.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows he should probably be embarrassed by the idea of Taeyong finding him in such a filthy, unkempt state.

However, with the promise of the alpha being here soon, all his primal instincts outweigh his more rational thoughts, ready to sink his claws in and never let go the second he steps through that door.

He moans out Taeyong's name as he makes a mess of his lower abdomen for a second time.

After what feels like a torturous stretch of eternity, Johnny's bedroom door opens, and the thickness of Taeyong's scent greets him like a promise of salvation.

"Hey," Taeyong pants as though he had been running, swiftly moving to the side of Johnny's bed. He's got a towel draped over one arm and a water bottle in his hand. "Sorry, there was traffic. I got here as fast as I could."

He's wearing a tie and his hair is neatly coiffed, clearly having left work just to come to him, and Johnny wants to both thank him and apologize—and he will at some point, but right now in the alpha's direct presence, all his instincts are cranked up to their breaking point.

"Alpha," he whines, curling two fists around the lapels of his button-up to yank him down, crushing their mouths together.

It's a heavy messy kiss of lips, teeth, and tongue, all but swallowing each other down in the span of a moment. A low growl rumbles in the back of Taeyong's throat, and all of Johnny's instincts yield to him, the sound as pure heaven as the feeling of that hot, greedy mouth.

Taeyong, however, still has some of his bearings about him, a hand pressing to the front of Johnny's collar as he seals off the kiss, still panting as he blinks and looks him over.

"Oh, baby, you are burning up…" One hand lifts to sweep the hair away from Johnny's eyes, gliding down to trace the outline of his cheek. "You need water."

Cracking open the water bottle, his free hand moves to the back of one of Johnny's shoulders, urging him to sit up enough so that he can take the bottle, guzzling down half of it in the span of a few seconds.

He falls back to the pillows, panting for breath as Taeyong sets the bottle aside then runs his fingers through his hair. "My big baby," the alpha says affectionately then looks down at the towel over his arm. "I need to get cold water for this. I'll be right back—"

"No!" Johnny clutches Taeyong's arm before he has the chance to fully turn away. "Need you! Need your knot! Alpha, please!"

The thick haze of his heat-induced lust clouds his mind so potently that he neither registers nor cares how pathetically desperate he must look. All he knows is that now that he has Taeyong here in his immediate proximity, his alpha scent growing headier by the second, the very idea of parting from him even for a moment sounds outright unbearable.

Both palms slide down the length of Taeyong's arm to take hold of his hand. He rolls his thumbs into his palm as he brings the back of it to his face, placing wet, open-mouthed kisses over the back of his knuckles.

"Alpha," Johnny breathes softer this time, though no less wanting. His thumbs glide up to the back of Taeyong's fingers, and he moves his kisses to the pads of them. "I want you first. Need you. Please."

Wrapping his lips around two of his fingers, he sucks them into his mouth.

Taeyong's impossibly round eyes grow, all hint of color blowing out from his irises, and any trace of reasoning he may have had just as quickly fizzles out.

He presses those two fingers further into Johnny's mouth deliberately, lids drooping under the weight of lust, boring into Johnny's gaze so intently that he feels himself shrinking pleasantly beneath it.

"Don't you worry, princess," he says lowly. "I'm here. I got you."

Johnny moans around the intruding digits, lips wrapping intently around them as his tongue laves teasingly along their length.

Taeyong's eyes blaze as he watches Johnny's face while fingering his mouth, and he swears he sees the alpha shiver.

Then he removes his fingers from his lips and sits back.

For a moment, that panic flutters in Johnny's chest, and he reaches for him with a whine, but Taeyong simply places a hand on his shoulder and shushes him. "I'm not going anywhere, baby boy. You just lay back. Let me take care of you."

And with that assurance, Johnny nods, lying back and doing as he's told.

Kicking off his shoes, Taeyong moves to situate himself between Johnny's legs, taking the hem of his boxers and sliding them off.

As Taeyong tosses them unceremoniously aside, Johnny's thighs rather eagerly fall open for him, his cock hard and pulsing against his lower abdomen, never having really softened since he woke up in his heat this morning.

Taeyong hoists one of his large legs rather easily over his shoulder, a hand gliding down the length of his inner thigh and into the drench of slick between his cheeks, fingers sliding back and forth along the cleft.

"Fuck. Look at you," Taeyong whispers harshly, the heaviness of desire ever-present in his gaze yet his touch is reverent, worshiping. "My big beautiful baby. So fucking gorgeous."

Johnny would appreciate it, and perhaps later he will; however, in his current state of every molecule in his body begging, pleading, screaming to be knotted already, every second Taeyong takes outside of him is outright painful.

However, Johnny is past the point of coherency, simply reaching for Taeyong's shoulders as his eyes scrunch shut, droplets of moisture appearing along his lashes. "Alpha."

Taeyong takes the cue, breaching his entrance with a push of two digits, and Johnny's body greedily takes him in, the feeling of Taeyong's fingers so much better than his own.

Johnny sighs, the first promise of relief unwinding the muscles of his abdomen, but it only lasts a moment because even Taeyong's fingers aren't enough, not right now.

His hands find Taeyong's belt, hastily fumbling with the buckle, but in his current state of mind-muddling heat, his clawing fingers don't make much leeway with it.

Thankfully, Taeyong's got it, getting it open and undoing his fly. Johnny's eyes fall to his crotch as he watches him shimmy his pants down, his cock springing free, fully erect and sneaking out from the lower flaps of his button-up.

The head is thick and angry pink, glistening from what surely must've been a generous amount of precome in his pants.

The sight alone has Johnny's thighs quivering, his body growing even more disgustingly soaked.

Johnny's big, not even just for an omega but in general.

But Taeyong is bigger.

However, Taeyong pauses, eyes flitting up to Johnny looking momentarily serious. "Baby, you're on birth control, right?"

Johnny nods vehemently, because even drunk in his heat, he knows to take that much seriously.

"Need your knot," he rasps, each and every last second passing between them taking far too long. His thighs spread. "Please, please, please."

"Relax, big guy," Taeyong assures him, fitting a hand behind one of Johnny's knees and pressing the front of his thigh to his torso. "I got you. I'll take care of you."

Johnny nods. He's got him. He'll take care of him.

The words alone have his inner omega purring.

Leaning over him, Taeyong aligns the head of his cock against Johnny's opening and finally, finally enters him.

A heavy breath rushes out of Johnny's lungs, all his muscles melting under the pressure of Taeyong's heavy cock filling him so satisfyingly. It feels so good. It feels so fucking good. And as Johnny makes his eyes stay open so he can watch Taeyong's face—his own eyelids fluttering and brow knitting together as though straining under the pleasure overtaking him—that makes it feel even better.

The best thing that Johnny has felt since…

Well, ever, maybe.

It sure as fuck feels that way right now.

However, that desperate part of him still isn't entirely quelled, thighs drawing back so he can wrap his legs around Taeyong's torso—which feels cutely small, especially in contrast to the heavy cock stretching him open.

Eager hands reach for Taeyong's tie and yank it open enough so he can get the buttons of his shirt undone, wanting to feel every last inch of the alpha's skin on his, aching to submerge himself in his scent.

A feeling that must be mutual if the way Taeyong bends his body that much harder into himself so that he can lean in and bury his face into the curve of Johnny's neck is any indication.

He nuzzles into the glands along his pulse, smothering Johnny's scent with his own. A growl rumbles into the side of Johnny's neck, and there's something so low and possessive and unlike anything he's ever heard from Taeyong when he snarls out, "Mine," the next moment that has Johnny shivering beneath him.

Something akin to pride sparks in his chest then, subconsciously pleased to know that he could bring out this more feral side of Taeyong.

"Yours," he agrees in a whisper, hands disappearing beneath the collar of his shirt to claw at the back of Taeyong's neck, desperate to keep him right where he is, chin lifting to grant him all the access.

Taeyong takes him, scenting Johnny liberally as he grips the back of his knee, filling him to near completion when he draws back then pushes back in, extracting another satisfied moan from the omega under him.

As the roll of his hips starts to pick up, Taeyong has to eventually remove his face from Johnny's neck, holding his knees to his shoulders to prop himself up and thrust into him.

Which feels so fucking good that Johnny's mind purges itself of all else, and all he can do is pant out, "Alpha, Alpha, Alpha," in a mantra that punctuates each smack of their bodies meeting.

As Taeyong gains a steady momentum fucking him, he lets go of the back of Johnny's knees, pulling those long legs around his body so he can close in, a hand slipping behind Johnny's neck so that he can bring their lips together.

Johnny eagerly meets the kiss, fingers delving into the dark locks on the back of Taeyong's head, mouth falling open to allow the demand of his tongue to claim his own.

Taeyong growls into the kiss, gripping him hard and fucking him even harder, and Johnny just mewls underneath, all his instincts eager to give himself to the alpha however he wants.

The plushness of his lower lip gets caught between Taeyong's teeth, and each breath overwhelms his senses with the alpha's heavy scent, which is stronger than ever. It has Johnny shivering, the heat in his belly fluttering, as all his instincts imagine what those sharp teeth would feel like plunging into the side of his neck, claiming Johnny as his for good.

But that's all just drunk heat thoughts, and although Johnny does hope that day comes for them eventually, they still have a long ways to go before they get there, but that's okay. Because he's going to enjoy every last second of the ride.

Breaking the kiss, Taeyong exhales a shuddering pant against Johnny's lips. "'Gonna knot."

Johnny can feel it, the beginning hints of that swell teasing that much further against his already stretched rim as Taeyong repeatedly plunges himself deep into him again and again.

"Knot me, Alpha," Johnny pleas without a moment's hesitation, nails digging into the back of the alpha's neck, giving way to all his omega instincts without even a sliver of resistance. "Knot me, breed me, fill me with your pups!"

A particularly loud growl rumbles out of Taeyong then, eyes outright scorching, and his body rises back up, gripping Johnny by the back of the knees again so he can pin them to the pillow on either side of his ears and fuck him good.

Johnny's eyes all but roll into the back of his head as his mouth falls open and releases a stream of pure fucking ecstasy, adding to the obscene dissonance of his headboard pounding into the wall and their bodies wetly slapping into each other.

Taeyong fills him so deep he can feel him in the pit of his stomach, sure that his guts will be thoroughly rearranged by the time he's done with him.

"Fuck!" Johnny rasps, clawing at what he can reach of Taeyong's shoulders. "So good. Feels so fucking good…"

"Jyani."

"Alpha."

And just when Johnny thought he'd already been stretched to his limits, right on the edge of that breaking point, he's stretched that much more, mouth falling open into a silent cry as the swell of Taeyong's knot locks inside of him.

The alpha lets out a harsh grunt, his whole body tense and trembling as he unloads inside of him.

Johnny doesn't break. He outright shatters.

All he sees is white, and he can't imagine his own body has much left to release after coming twice earlier, but that doesn't stop the potent ripples of his pleasure from rushing throughout his whole body, that doesn't stop his extremities from curling tight and his own cock from pulsating.

When it passes, Johnny exhales a breath of real relief, the heat in his core and aching throughout his muscles finally giving way.

It takes longer for the fog in his mind to clear out, but that's okay. As he pants for breath, he's more focused on the alpha's scent permeating his own, on how beautifully they blend together.

Taeyong's body is warm and relaxed against his own, his knot still pleasantly nestled in deep, and if it were up to Johnny, he'd just spend the rest of his life like this.

His eyes sting when they finally blink open, legs relaxing and falling loosely so Taeyong can lean in closer.

The eyes looking down at him are soft, that warm, considerate gaze that speaks of care and security.

Yet the possessive, driven gaze of the alpha still glints in the back as well, and the combination of the two sends an exhilarating little shiver down the length of Johnny's spine.

Not to mention Taeyong looks really sexy with his hair all a mess now along with his shirt and tie hanging loosely from his collar.

It definitely won't be long until Johnny's ready for round two.

In the meantime, he's more than content with this little reprieve.

"Thank you…" he breathes when he can finally find his voice again.

A faint chuckle slips from Taeyong, and he lifts a hand to sweep Johnny's hair away from his forehead. "You don't have to thank me."

"Yes, I do," Johnny insists, voice still slightly strained. "I'm sorry to burden you with this."

"Baby." The amusement lingers in Taeyong's voice. "Missing work to have sex with my boyfriend is not what I would call a burden."

Johnny can't help but laugh despite himself.

Those affectionate fingertips continue to trace his temples. "You don't have to thank me or apologize. I want to take care of you."

Something warm spreads in Johnny's chest, though he finds himself glancing down sheepishly. "I'm usually a little more prepared than this. It just hit rather suddenly this time around—"

Taeyong shakes his head. "Don't even worry about it. I got you. Thank you for telling me."

A wry grin lazily spreads on Johnny's face. "I had a promise to keep, right?"

They share a breathless laugh, then Taeyong leans down, and Johnny curls in to rise up enough to meet him so their lips can reunite again.

This kiss is softer than the others, sweeter, but it's certainly no less indulgent.

Johnny settles back into the pillows, and a short while later, Taeyong's knot goes down enough for him to pull out, and Johnny sighs, clenching around nothing and already missing the feeling.

Taeyong takes the water bottle from the nightstand, moving to Johnny's side to help him sit up with his pillows against the headboard. Johnny accepts the bottle with a nod of thanks.

"Have you eaten?" Taeyong asks.

Johnny shakes his head, sighing as he lowers the water bottle. "I haven't really had the chance to do anything." That being said, he knows he should take advantage of this moment of reprieve for as long as it lasts—because if the stir of heat already threatening to grow in his core is any indication, it won't be for very long.

He starts to lean forward as though intending to do just that when Taeyong places a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you move a muscle."

Johnny blinks in confusion.

"You relax, baby, I'll take care of you," Taeyong promises, the pad of his thumb sweeping over his collar. A playful smile appears on his lips. "I didn't come here only to knot you."

Johnny exhales a light snort, but he nods.

Taeyong moves up to kiss his forehead, then gets up from the bed. He finds his boxers, pulling them on before hastily tidying up the area then heading out to the living room. Johnny watches him in a daze, wondering if maybe he hadn't woken up, and this is all part of some incredible fever dream.

Distantly, he hears him in the kitchen, then he hears the water being drawn in the bathroom, and it's not long before Taeyong is returning with sheets, towels, and breakfast.

He gets Johnny situated with breakfast and towels, then looks over his shoulder. "I better check on the water…"

Johnny's gaze lowers to the tray of food, the towels tucked around him, and he once again finds himself blinking as though he can't quite fully process all this.

It's not the first time someone has helped him through his heat, but Taeyong is already doing so much more than anyone else has, and the acknowledgment stirs warm in his chest, eyes blinking rapidly as a sting arises in them.

"The bath's just about ready." Taeyong is back. "And I was thinking I could—" He pauses, his expression shifting to one of concern when he sees Johnny's face.

"Baby?" Moving in, he sits down along the side of the bed, reaching up to sweep the tears from Johnny's lower lids. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Sorry." Johnny sniffs, roughly wiping his cheeks and inclining his head slightly. "Fucking… heat hormones. Embarrassing."

"You don't have to be embarrassed. Really." Taeyong scoots closer, both hands rising to cup either side of Johnny's jaw so he can lightly brush his lips to the corners of his eyes.

Johnny doesn't know about that, but he grins under the gentle attention regardless.

"I just…" He sniffs again, heaving a deep breath to try to contain his emotion. "Never thought I'd meet an alpha like you."

"It's bullshit that you haven't," Taeyong says resolutely, but then his tone softens. "But I have to admit, I'm pretty selfishly glad it led you to me."

How can Johnny do anything other than smile?

"You were worth the wait."

Taeyong smiles back.

Bass pounds from blaring speakers in the distance, neon colors flashing rhythmically to the melody and brightening the cool summer evening air.

Johnny pays for a round of six drinks, scooping the bottles into his arms only to turn and see Taeyong standing at his lonesome without the rest of their entourage.

Taeyong is quick to move in to help him with the drinks, and Johnny passes off a few.

He glances around, taking in the multitude of bodies wandering outside of the main crowd, though he recognizes none of them.

"Where'd everyone go?" he asks Taeyong, shouting to be heard over the music.

"They moved into the crowd to find a spot for us!" Taeyong shouts back. He glances back at the crowd then looks up at Johnny, those bright eyes wide with concern. "It's gotten dense though… I don't know if we can get to them."

Johnny looks over, sizing it up, then grins at his boyfriend. "Oh, don't you worry. I got this. Just hold on to me."

Taeyong shrugs and grins, shifting the bottles to one arm so the other can take Johnny by the hand, fingers lacing tightly together.

With that, Johnny heads into the crowd, shouldering his way through rather easily, clearing just enough of a path so that the alpha behind him can follow.

His nostrils flare. The mixture of scents of so many bodies in one area is almost nauseating, but he makes himself tolerate it until he finally catches the trail of his friends' scents, pivoting and clearing them a new path.

He spots Ten first, who’s sitting atop Kun's shoulders. From there, he locates Jaehyun, who Doyoung has hoisted on his back, arms curled under his legs.

The quartet greets them enthusiastically as Johnny and Taeyong make their way in, passing off the drinks. The group laughs, dancing and clinking their bottles together before turning their attention to the performance on the stage ahead.

Johnny turns toward it as well, and it doesn't take him long to understand why the alphas have the omegas on their backs. Given the flat-level area of the audience and the sheer number of people packed together, he imagines it was pretty hard for them to see.

Not Johnny though. His line of vision shoots over everyone's head rather easily.

Still…

Johnny looks over at Taeyong, who's right next to him holding his hand and straining up on his tiptoes. He leans over to his ear. "You want a boost up?"

Taeyong looks up at Johnny considering a moment then shrugs with a grin. "Sure!"

Letting go of Taeyong's hand, Johnny crouches down, letting the alpha crawl onto his back, legs curling over his shoulders.

Circling his arms over the top of Taeyong's thighs, Johnny stands back up, making sure he's secure. He feels a hand under his chin and lets his head be guided back so that he's looking up to see those sweet boba eyes gazing down at him upside down.

Taeyong then curls in to press a kiss on Johnny's lips, and the two laugh together before returning their attention to the stage.

Somehow, even in a crowd full of people, even with one of his favorite artists performing in front of him, it kind of feels like the whole world is tuned out, and it's just him, his boyfriend, and his favorite people.

He's surrounded by the sounds of Jaehyun and Ten's cheers over the pulsing music on either side of him, by the gentle weight of the alpha sitting atop his shoulders, his scent flooding his nostrils with promises of security and devotion.

Johnny breathes it in deep.

Yeah. There's no place he'd rather be.