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“Hyungs are at it again.”
Seungmin looked over from where he sat on his bed to where Jeongin was standing at the doorway, a silent invitation for him to continue despite knowing the exact words that would come out of his mouth next.
“They’re fucking on the couch.”
It always started off innocent enough. Two of their pack members would sit on the couch to watch a show together, snuggle up, breathe in each other’s pheromones, and start fucking when one of them gets even the slightest bit horny.
Seungmin didn’t get it, and Jeongin didn’t either. It wasn’t that they were asexual or anything, they could be frequently found in compromising positions themselves—it was the reactions to pheromones they couldn’t comprehend.
They were betas.
Whenever one of their packmates had a heat, a rut, or was visibly affected by pheromones, their biological reaction and instinct was to ensure that packmate’s comfort and well-being rather than having their bodies prepare for procreation.
And, as the only betas in the group, this could get frustrating sometimes. While they know they are equally as loved as everyone else, it just felt different. Not having that innate understanding of what it’s like to react to pheromones in that way is hard—lonely even.
It wasn’t something they questioned much during their first year as an official pack. Everyone had a role, and their role was to provide support. But it’s so hard sitting back and accepting that when they hear their packmates around them talk about how vulnerable and deeply bonded those moments can make them feel with the people they trust most.
Seungmin and Jeongin had no real gripe with that at a physical level. Having or taking a knot just sounded like a pain in the ass—in both a literal and figurative sense—the amount of prep that went into it, the pain during the first few times a knot would be taken, not being able to move afterwards for at least 20 minutes. Rather, it was the emotional aspect of it they grieve.
While they're not necessarily helping out in a physical sense during heats and ruts, their roles as betas can be equally as taxing as any other role. Despite this, the two betas feel as though their role in their pack isn’t as recognized.
He may never admit it out loud, but Seungmin would like to be told he did good, too. It would be nice receiving that verbal affirmation that he was able to effectively help his packmates during their cycles.
He’d watch with flickering eyes of envy as Jisung clung to Hyunjin, thanking him for a heat well spent. Or when Minho pretended to reluctantly accept Felix’s affection when the younger’s rut ended. Seungmin would even go as far as saying he did a good job at hiding those feelings.
But Jeongin knew—he always did—and would tell him such during the late hours of the night in the privacy of their room.
Sometimes he would hold Seungmin close, run his hands through his hair and whisper words of praise for taking care of Changbin so well during his heat. Other times, he would rock his hips in such a teasingly gentle way while whispering tender affirmations as they made love, praising him for knowing exactly what Chan needed in his rut. And Seungmin would always do the same for Jeongin, because he knew he needed it too.
Words didn’t always need to be spoken between them, they just knew. But sometimes, in the spaces between their pack’s ruts and heats, they’d confide in each other.
Maybe that’s how he found himself relying on Jeongin so much, and Jeongin on him—because as the only betas in their pack they understood each other almost perfectly.
─ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* ﾟ☆･ ﾟﾟ. ─
“Hyung?” Jeongin called out. His face was in the junction of Seungmin's neck, breathing in the soothing and aroused scent of mint ice cream. “Do you ever think it’d be nice to like… get recognized for contributing to our pack’s heats and ruts? Because I think that sometimes, so I’m just curious what you think about it.”
Seungmin leaned back to hover a bit over Jeongin, his gaze trailing from Jeongin’s eyes down to where his dick was disappearing into Jeongin’s ass, as if to ask ‘are we really doing this now?’, but seeing the genuine look in Jeongin’s eyes had him slowing his hips to a halt to mull over his answer.
“I mean, yeah of course.” Seungmin admitted, his voice a bit softer and more serious than usual. “I think it’d feel great to be recognized for our contributions, but I don’t know if us asking for recognition would like… I don’t know—overshadow? Our hyungs and their heats and ruts that they just finished, you know? I just don’t want to take away any attention they might need during those moments, I feel like that would be selfish of me.” He said.
Jeongin nodded along with his statement and wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s neck, pulling him closer—if that was even possible. The invisible weight Jeongin had felt lifted from his chest simply from knowing they understood each other, but of course they do—they always did.
Jeongin found himself playing with the hairs on the nape of Seungmin’s neck. “It’s not like I’m not fond of my subgender or anything. I love being a beta, it’s who I am and what I know, but…” Jeongin trailed off slightly in search of the right words. “I think it’d just be nice to be noticed for our role as betas sometimes.”
“Yeah.” Seungmin agreed, “It’s hard when we don’t have an equivalent to a heat or rut to gain that same recognition.”
“Yeah, I get that. I guess with Hyunjin Hyung’s rut having just ended the thought was on my mind.” Seungmin hummed in agreement with Jeongin’s words, only remembering his position when he felt a sharp clench from Jeongin around his cock, an unspoken gesture Seungmin had no trouble understanding.
“Someone’s Impatient.” Seungmin teased, a tug appeared at the corner of his lips as he started to continue where they left off.
Jeongin’s face relaxed into a mix of pleasure and content at the feeling of Seungmin’s dick rocking against his prostate. The headboard creaked as their skin slapped together, their breaths mingling together in each other's spaces, and their scents swirled around each other in their own little bubble. The combination of pomegranate and mint ice cream scattered lustfully in the air, as if nothing else mattered than that current moment.
“Honestly,” Seungmin panted in Jeongin’s ear. “I don’t mind too much—not when I get to have you like this.” Seungmin leaned into Jeongin’s neck, and planted a kiss on his scent gland, causing Jeongin to flinch at the unexpected contact with one of his most sensitive spots.
Jeongin wasn’t normally one for praise—if anything, he found more pleasure in giving it than receiving it. But he couldn’t stop the involuntary moan that slipped past his lips at the spoken words. Seungmin looked at him like he was the only thing that mattered, and that alone was enough to have Jeongin’s hand wrapping around his own cock, using the slick, glistening liquid trailing down the side to guide his pumps in time with Seungmin’s thrusts.
It didn’t take Jeongin long to reach his climax. His eyes rolled back as his mouth hung open from the overwhelming pleasure as his cock sputtered cum all over his hand and stomach. Seungmin followed not long after, the sight of Jeongin orgasming in front of him as well as the clenching around his cock enough to do him over—spilling his cum into Jeongin’s hole.
─ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* ﾟ☆･ ﾟﾟ. ─
Seungmin blinked, unsurprised at the news. “Already? We just barely got it dry cleaned last week.” He pouted with furrowed brows. Granted, the couch was fairly old, and Jisung had already spilled some apple juice on one of the cushions since it’s been cleaned—but there are only so many times a cushion can be flipped to hide a stain, and Seungmin isn’t really looking to get the couch dry cleaned again anytime soon.
“I mean, it was bound to happen at some point, especially in this household.” Jeongin replied, closing the door as he entered more into their shared room. Seungmin scooted over in his bed to make room for Jeongin—already knowing for certain he’d be joining him in his bed instead of going to his own.
“Fair enough.” Seungmin said. “I just hope they clean up after themselves.”
“Same.” Jeongin said as he rested his head on Seungmin’s thigh, curling his body into a little ball. He let out a sigh of content as he brought a hand to rest next to his head against Seungmin’s thigh, gently kneading at the plump flesh absentmindedly—something Jeongin always did when he was seeking the comfort of skinship.
“You sure you don’t want to join them?” Seungmin said. His eyes flicked down his body, noting both the unusual extra clinginess of his packmate as well as the outline straining in his sweatpants—that he was pretty sure actually belonged to Hyunjin.
While they may not be affected by pheromones, the sight of any of their packmates going at it was rather visually stimulating.
“Yeah,” Jeongin replied. “Too tired. Sex feels like a lot of work right now.” Jeongin closed his eyes as Seungmin rested a hand in his hair.
Seungmin hummed in response, running his fingers through Jeongin’s hair. The strands stuck out every which way, messy yet soft at the same time. Seungmin found himself absentmindedly smoothing it down. He grabbed his phone with his free hand to scroll through social media, intending to do so until he felt like going to bed himself.
“Can I hump your thigh? It feels very humpable.” Jeongin peeked at him with pleading eyes, ones that he knows Seungmin has a hard time refuting.
Seungmin huffed a laugh, the edge of his lip curling into a smirk. “I thought you said you were too tired for sex?”
“I am,” Jeongin insisted. “The prep and foreplay take a long time when there’s more than two people. I just wanna come in my pants, maybe change if I feel like it, then sleep next to you.” Jeongin explained as if it was the most logical thing ever. Which, to be fair, did make sense—there was a reason group orgies were a rarity, after all.
“You’ve always been impatient.” Seungmin said, suppressing a chuckle.
“I’ll let you hump mine after.” Jeongin enticed.
Seungmin mulled it over for less than a second. “Deal.”
Jeongin also had very humpable thighs.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Morning came with an unexpected heaviness in the air—the scent of maple syrup was thick enough to make Seungmin’s stomach turn and drown out the scent of pomegranate and mint that once clung to the sheets below him. The scent nearly felt tangible, as if the maple syrup clung to his lungs with its sticky sweetness.
There was no mistaking who this scent belonged to—it was Minho’s.
But that shouldn’t have been possible. Minho’s heat wasn’t due to start for at least another two weeks. Seungmin glanced around the room in search of Jeongin, but figured he must have gone off somewhere based on his lack of presence. Seungmin sniffed the air again, checking to see if maybe his nose was just having an off day, but he came to the same conclusion each time: Minho was in heat.
Seungmin briefly questioned if it was triggered from yesterday's events—as he’s pretty sure based on the heightened scents of Minho’s maple syrup and Chan’s fresh mocha it was the two of them that did it on the couch. Or maybe the display of affection and intimacy was merely a symptom of preheat they missed.
Shrugging it off, Seungmin made his way to the pack’s kitchen to get to work, finding Jeongin in the process of gathering and cleaning any containers they could use for their meal prep. Wordlessly, Seungmin opened their fridge to see what he could work with. It wasn’t a lot—not nearly as much as he would prefer.
Their fridge had plenty of food, sure—there was bound to be with so many people living under one roof—but in Seungmin’s eyes, none of it was suitable for an omega in heat.
“We’ll need to go grocery shopping.” Jeongin noted as he took his own peek at the refrigerator from behind Seungmin, drying a container with one of their many kitchen towels. Seungmin nodded in agreement as he dug around to see the type of produce they had.
“Yeah, we’ll need to get some cucumbers, a watermelon, probably some blueberries—” Jeongin quickly put everything he was holding on the counter and pulled his phone out as Seungmin started listing off foods for Minho’s heat, nodding along at the list of ingredients.
Fruits and vegetables with heavy water content to help with hydration, herbal teas to help ease nausea and cramping, eggs and chicken as good sources of protein that would also be easy for an omega in heat to digest—the list was nearly perfect.
“What about bone broth? He’s gonna be sweating a lot and will need something to replenish the salt he’s gonna lose.” Jeongin suggested.
Seungmin perked up. “Great idea. I know he liked the stew we made out of it during his last heat, so we can make that for him again.” He replied.
“Okay. I’ll add potatoes and carrots to the list then.” Jeongin resumed adding to the list on his phone. “I’ll also text the pack group chat to see if anyone else needs anything while we’re out.”
“Perfect.” Seungmin said.
The two continued seamlessly working together, having done this time and time again for their mates. It was a lot of work—ensuring that they had proper nutrients, taking personal preference into account, and procuring a perfect list of groceries that would last the entirety of the cycle so no unnecessary trips away from their vulnerable mate were needed—especially when everything was so last minute.
“Okay, I think that’s everything.” Seungmin said, taking a step back from the open fridge to double check if anything was missed. “Did you write everything down?”
Jeongin nodded. “I’m fairly certain I got everything, but check it over just in case.” He handed his phone over to Seungmin, who looked over the contents with focused eyes.
“Yup, looks perfect. Thank you, Innie.” Seungmin handed the phone back to Jeongin.
“Great, I’ll go get the keys.” Jeongin said, making his way out of the kitchen to the front door to grab said keys from the rack.
As Seungmin moved to join him, muffled voices and quick, muted steps sounded from upstairs.
“Oh good you guys haven’t left yet.” Chan said, stumbling down the stairs, most likely coming from helping out with Minho.
“What’s up?” Jeongin turned his head towards Chan.
“D’you need us?” Seungmin asked.
“Minho wants to see you both, he keeps saying he won’t ‘come back from the grave’ until he does.” Chan said, using air quotations as he spoke.
Seungmin and Jeongin’s confused faces quickly soured into dread as they froze in their place. Neither of them knew what to do—or knew what was best. All they knew was that a grocery run for their omega in heat was needed, and that the said omega was calling for them.
They were always the ones to go on these runs. It was one of the ways they showed their love, their devotion for their pack. One of the ways their instincts drove them to help.
This was exactly why they usually took the few days leading up to someone’s heat or rut to gather every necessary supply. Because now, here they were, standing in place doing nothing. And they couldn’t allow that. Not for themselves, not for their pack, and certainly not for their omega in heat. They had to be useful, to prove themselves helpful somehow, and standing here wasn’t going to cut it.
But their instincts were clashing, they weren’t sure what to do. Every fiber in Seungmin’s body seemed to split, equally tugging in two different directions. One tried to yank him toward the den, toward their omega who needed their comfort. The other tried to drag him to the front door, desperate to complete the promised grocery run to prove himself helpful.
Jeongin felt the same. His heart was racing, his throat felt dry, and his omega was calling for them—but his responsibility weighed heavy in his hands in the form of keys, a simple object that carried a reminder of everything they still had left to do. He was supposed to gather the supplies, to make sure Minho’s heat went as smoothly as possible—He and Seungmin always did that. And yet the thought of leaving now, of not being there when Minho needed them most, made Jeongin feel like he was betraying the pack for their own selfish wants.
Chan noticed the shift immediately.
“I’ll go to the store. You both made a list already, yeah? I know you did, you’re always so good about that.” Chan said, the unexpected praise warming both of the betas' cheeks. Chan held out a hand for the keys. “You boys take care of our omega while I’m gone.”
The two betas nodded. Jeongin’s hand, still clutching the keys, hovered over Chan’s for just a moment too long. Dropping the keys meant letting go of his responsibility, and that was something Jeongin grieved, but Chan was a reliable pack alpha that earned Jeongin’s respect many years ago. So, he dropped the keys in Chan’s open palm before heading straight for the pack's den—knowing for certain Minho could be found there.
The front door closes with a thud behind them. “He’s probably gonna take twice as long as us, he doesn’t have the route memorized.” Seungmin spoke the second it closed, his scent spiking with anxiety. Jeongin placed a hand on his back, a sign of affection that usually gets Seungmin to calm down fairly quickly.
“I know, but that’s out of our hands now. For now we just need to care for Minho hyung.” Jeongin said, his hand on the door handle for the pack den, pushing it open.
“But what if he forgets the bone broth—?”
“I have risen.”
“Dammit Hyung you’re not Jesus.” Jeongin rolled his eyes.
Seungmin felt the knot in his chest begin to unwind the second his eyes landed on Minho. Their omega wasn’t flushed with fevered heat or drenched in sweat and slick like he’d feared. The worst of his heat hadn’t hit yet, and—recalling his past cycles—it seemed like it’d be at least another couple of hours until it did.
The realization settled into his instincts like aloe vera to a sunburn, easing the frantic tugging inside him. They had a little bit more time, time for Chan to fumble through the aisles of the grocery store, and time for him and Jeongin to be here where they were needed most. Seungmin's shoulders relaxed slightly, a small breath of relief finally slipping past his lips.
Glancing at Jeongin, Seungmin could immediately tell he had felt the same relief. His posture had softened, his gaze now filled with relief instead of piercing with duty as it had been mere moments ago. His pomegranate scent seemed to have gotten a pinch sweeter as well once realizing their hyung was alright.
“Where’s everyone else?” Jeongin asked, pulling up two of the chairs they kept in the den near Minho’s bed. The chairs were meant for times like this. They provided a way for packmates to stay close to an omega in heat without invading their nest if they didn’t want company inside. They’d even pulled them out for ruts before, when the body heat was too much to handle but their alphas still craved company and connection.
“They’re doing laundry.” Minho replied, trying to nonchalantly reach an arm out near Jeongin. Jeongin knew instantly what he wanted, and placed his hand on Minho’s arm, stroking it soothingly with his fingers. “The pure concentration of all their scents made me nauseous, so I temporarily put them all on probation.” Minho continued.
“It takes four people to do a load of laundry?” Seungmin asked as he sat in the chair next to Jeongin, interlocking fingers with Minho’s while Jeongin continued his ministrations on Minho’s arm.
“Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t take more.” Jeongin said, earning a snort from Seungmin and Minho.
Jeongin glanced at Minho again, the paleness of his face and warmth of his skin sticking out to him. “You doing okay though, hyung?”
“Yeah, hyung’s alright, baby.” Minho reassured with a small smile. “The doctor said this could happen, so I’m not overly concerned.” He said.
Seungmin and Jeongin’s eyes flashed with recognition.
“Oh that’s right.” Seungmin exhaled. “It’s been a few weeks, so I forgot they took you off of that birth control.”
“I know right.” Minho sighed. “It’s a real shame you can’t stay on that brand for more than five years. I really liked that birth control.” he pouted.
“But why did getting off it cause you to go into heat so early?” Jeongin asked, folding his arms across his chest.
“It was a hormonal birth control,” Minho answered. “Because I’ve been on it for so long, my body is trying to regulate itself without it. The doctor said it’s not uncommon for an omega’s body to push itself into heat as a way to balance out the hormones.”
“That makes sense.” Jeongin nodded thoughtfully.
“What did you need from us, anyway? Not that I don’t want to be here or anything—” Seungmin quickly corrected, hands raised in defense. “But Channie Hyung made it seem like it was pretty urgent.”
“Hm?” Minho faced away from the two, suddenly finding the wall very interesting. “Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to see my pups is all.” Minho’s ear burned crimson as he spoke—a giant, blaring sign that told the two betas their presence meant more to him than it might seem.
“Pups? Hyung, we presented ages ago.” Jeongin said, chuckling with Seungmin.
“I know, but you’ll always be my pups.” Minho turned his head back to them, though refusing to make eye contact out of his own embarrassment.
“Oh my god, Jeongin, he loves us.” Seungmin said.
Minho pinched the back of Seungmin’s hand in response, ears still shining just as red as before.
Seungmin and Jeongin grin at each other at his reaction.
The three continued to banter and tease one another as time slowly passed. Seungmin and Jeongin made sure to keep the conversation playful, filling the space with jokes and jabs as they knew it helped distract Minho from the discomfort his heat progressively built. In between the laughter, though, the two betas would send subtle messages to their pack leader, dutifully providing updates about Minho’s condition.
They watched as Minho’s complexion gradually lost its color, the healthy flush on his cheeks gradually fading to a pale white. Beads of sweat clung to his hairline, dampening the strands at his temple. His breathing remained even, which Seungmin was grateful for, but it became heavier as his body shifted uncomfortably and slowly settled into his heat.
“Join me.” Minho eventually said, tugging on Seungmin’s hand. “I’m lonely.” He added.
Seungmin knew better than to question an omega in heat, so he stood from his chair in favor of letting Minho guide him where he wanted him in his nest. Seungmin got tucked to Minho’s right side, the older linking arms together to have the proximity without as much body heat.
“You’re not gonna get sick of me and put me on laundry duty, right?” Seungmin asked, earning a flick to the forehead this time.
“Oh hush.” Minho continued fixing up his nest around Seungmin to ensure his packmate’s comfort. “Your scents are much lighter than theirs, they’re not as dense. It feels nice.”
Seungmin and Jeongin smiled at the praise.
Minho scented himself against Seungmin as he further tucked the beta in. “I love your scent, Min. Cools me off.” He said.
Seungmin smiled fondly at Minho’s words. Though this was not an uncommon statement given his mint ice cream scent—probably a placebo effect of some sort—it was different hearing it from Minho. It meant more, somehow, hearing those words from someone he was so used to bantering with.
When Minho felt satisfied he whipped his head over to Jeongin to stare at him menacingly. Jeongin stared back. Despite being confident enough to know exactly what his hyung was trying to get across, he was more instinctively afraid of making any sort of mistakes on what the omega in heat was after to act on his own assumptions.
“You too, dumbass.” Minho spoke in a dry, yet loving manner. Jeongin grinned, he was right.
Minho tucked Jeongin to his left side, doing many of the same ministrations he had with Seungmin, now sandwiching himself between the betas.
They laid with Minho, Seungmin and Jeongin chatting with each other to distract him from the growing pain, Minho being silenced from the discomfort of his cramps. Seungmin could hear Minho breathing deeply, and hear the occasional moan or whimper of pain as Minho inhaled their scents to soothe the uncomfortable aches. If Seungmin thought the pungentness of his scent from this morning was bad, he could easily say this doubled in comparison.
Not long after, Seungmin and Jeongin could confidently say Minho was fully in the throws of his heat.
Jeongin sent another message to Chan, telling him as such—though, he’s sure that the overwhelmingly sticky scent of sickeningly sweet, aroused maple syrup that hung heavy in their home was enough of an indicator on its own. He turned his phone off and put it over to the side when he heard a whine from Minho, likely caused by the sudden bright light his phone was emitting, and gave him a small peck on his shoulder as an apology. Minho always did have a higher sensitivity to light in his heat.
Jeongin felt a hand run through his hair, pulling it back to expose his forehead before Minho’s lips made contact. If he had to guess, he’d say this was Minho’s way of accepting his wordless apology.
A knock on the door interrupted the cozy atmosphere. The knock was quickly followed by squeaky hinges, the opening door bursting the small, delicately balanced bubble of mint, pomegranate, and maple syrup.
“Hey.” Chan greeted quietly, stepping in the room with a sympathetic gaze targeted for Minho. “The boys said you’re fully in heat now, is there anything I or the others can do to help you, baby?” He said, closing the door behind him.
Minho didn’t respond, something Seungmin hadn’t quite expected.
He felt an arm—Minho’s arm—snake around his waist, and he thought he had felt a tug? As if Minho was pulling him closer, shielding him from Chan, almost. But that felt ridiculous. He must be imagining things, because why would Minho need to do that? Chan was arguably the safest person for Minho to be around, especially during his heat. He was strong, mindful, attentive, tender, levelheaded, and he was as hot as the inside of a freshly baked pizza roll.
Truly, he was the perfect partner, which was why Seungmin thought he was being silly.
Minho still didn’t respond, though, leaving Chan fidgeting awkwardly at the silence. He, too, recognized this was unusual for Minho—especially considering Minho was all over him the day prior.
“Can you make him a sandwich?” Jeongin intervened, catching Chan’s attention. “One on toasted sourdough bread with avocado—sliced, not mashed, he hates the texture of mashed avocado—lettuce, cheese—just whichever kind we have in the fridge, he’s not picky about that—a small amount of mayo, a light layer of raw spinach, a few pickles—the crinkle cut ones—and cooked chicken? Also, if there is extra chicken you can just put it on the plate, too. Can you also bring a banana and a gatorade?” Jeongin said, breaking the silence with what could only be described as Bubble Bass’s order. “I’m not sure if he’s eaten yet today and he’s been sweating a lot, so I want him to get some electrolytes into his system.”
Seungmin drew his attention to Jeongin as he spoke, and furrowed his brow—a habit of his when he became more attentive. For a brief moment Seungmin swore Minho had pulled Jeongin in closer, but figured he had to be hallucinating again. Because why did it seem like Minho was cradling Jeongin to protect him? Seungmin dropped the thought about as quickly as it came, because surely he was just being ridiculous at this point.
“Can you also grab us some more water bottles?” Seungmin added to the list of demands, bringing his gaze back to where Chan was now opening the door to leave.
“Of course. Can you text that all to me so I don’t forget? I’ll send one of the boys with the water while we get the food ready.” Chan said. He left before any of them could reply, his gaze that of a determined alpha.
As the door closed behind him Seungmin swore he felt Minho’s hands relax, as if letting his guard back down. He brushed it off, figuring it was his brain overthinking once again, and pulled out his phone to message the very normal sandwich order to their pack group chat.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Jisung ended up being the one who brought the extra bottles of water, which Seungmin thought was a smart move on Chan’s part. Jisung always worried and sat around anxiously during the other members’ cycles when he wasn’t able to help in some way. During really bad moments of anxiety in past cycles, Seungmin and Jeongin would distract him by giving him menial tasks—similar to the one he was doing now.
Jisung tip-toed in with five plastic bottles cradled in his arms, his scent of peanut butter infiltrating the room, and Seungmin felt Minho’s hands falter. They flinched on his back, as if debating whether to protect or relax. They settle for a strange in-between—his muscles tense, but not alert.
“I, um, brought the water bottles.” Jisung said, his gaze focused on Minho as he tried to scrutinize his fellow omega’s state, the older not offering any sort of greeting. His brows furrowed as—Seungmin could only assume—he noticed Minho’s odd behavior.
“Thank you Sungie.” Seungmin smiled. “You can just set them on the nightstand." Seungmin said, gesturing to the flat surface next to the side of the bed where Jeongin was.
Jisung did as instructed, and Minho’s eyes never left him. They trailed the omega, following every step he took—as if making sure he didn’t step out of line. Jisung tried to be quick as he set the plastic bottles of water down, but Minho’s piercing gaze made him feel slightly unwelcomed, uneasy, and out of place, and the weight of his gaze only made his fingers fumble as he set the water on the nightstand.
“Thanks, Sungie.” Jeongin said, his face was calculating and his tone unreadable as he gently reached for Jisung’s arm when the older stepped away from the nightstand. Jisung paused and let Jeongin grab him and guide him closer. Jeongin used his other hand to cup Jisung’s cheek as he pulled him into a kiss.
It was a bold move, going for another omega in front of an omega in heat—and in any other pack it would be considered a stupid one, honestly. But their pack had always strayed from what was considered “normal”.
Shared intimacy wasn’t something that really bothered Minho while he was in heat. He liked knowing his mates were being taken care of, even when he himself needed that care, which was why Seungmin found himself surprised at his response.
Minho’s reaction was immediate. He stared wide-eyed directly at Jisung—territorial, as if determining his intentions with his betas. His scent flared with raw, possessive jealousy. An unusual response, Seungmin noted, one that had his own instincts kicking in, wanting to diffuse the situation. Jisung stared right back, frozen with fear when he pulled away from the kiss, still half entangled with Jeongin as he tried gauging Minho's reaction, his peanut butter scent shrinking back with caution. Seungmin and Jeongin’s gaze drifted between the omegas—one glowering while the other was shrinking back—trying to determine if they’ll need to step in.
Seungmin could feel his heart pounding as his pulse counted out the silence. His body felt stiff as his beta instincts remained on edge, pumping out neutralizing swirls of mint.
One beat.
Two beats.
Three beats.
Four.
After the fifth beat, Jisung seemed to realize Minho wasn’t going to budge. He lowered his gaze, breaking eye contact, and tilted his head to the side—baring the vulnerable spot of his neck in submission. The quiet chirp that followed was soft, tremulous, and deeply apologetic if Seungmin had to guess. Step by step, Jisung began slowly backing away to the door.
The door had just slipped open when Minho finally chirped back. Though he didn’t exactly speak, it was the first thing he’s said so far to their other pack mates after his heat officially started. Even without Jisung’s beaming smile and happy responding yips, Seungmin could tell the chirp held a reassuring tone.
When Jisung returned later with Minho’s food, both omegas seemed a bit less on edge with each other. The tension had loosened, and Minho appeared more open to having him there. Seungmin supposed that whatever they chirped and yipped about was the reason.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Minho was acting very strange.
While Seungmin would describe him weird by nature, this was a completely different kind of weird.
They were about two days into his heat, and for whatever reason, Minho had continually decided to remain silent to the rest of their pack, save for him, Jeongin, and that one interaction with Jisung. While it wasn’t all that uncommon for omegas to go nonverbal in their heat, it was weird for Minho. He would normally make weird noises when painful cramps washed over him, flirt with whoever graced him with their presence in bed, or would even provide updates on his cats to whoever’s knot was deflating in him—sometimes with pictures.
Seungmin and his pack knew Minho, and as such they knew that all of those were his attempts at both bonding with his packmates and lightening the mood, wanting to deflect their worry. Yet now, communication was sparse. Even when he did communicate with the two of them, most of the time it was through yips, chirps, and purrs.
While Seungmin had been around his omegas enough to be able to decipher the emotional nuances of the different chirps and purrs, he could never understand the overall messages they conveyed.
This has led to a decent number of facetime calls and videos sent to Changbin and Jisung—Minho’s fellow omegas. With them as their Minho translators, they’ve learned a few things: Minho yips sadly when he or Jeongin leave for the bathroom because he can’t visibly see them and make sure they’re okay, he purrs softly when his betas talk about his own needs during his heat because he loves listening to their voices, and he chirps in annoyance when the phone screen is too bright during a facetime call.
Something else Seungmin felt was weird about his hyung was how he hadn’t made a single request for an alpha or for a knot. Between his three omegas, Minho was always known to be the most sexually active—perhaps because he was their pack omega. So, for him to glare at, ignore, and shut out all the alphas that check up on him reassured Seungmin that he wasn’t going crazy and that his omega was acting out of the ordinary.
It was odd.
Was it because he and Jeongin were there? No, that hadn’t stopped him in heats past. Maybe he didn’t feel as horny this heat? Also no, his scent reeks of arousal, and he’s rutted against him and Jeongin more times than either of them could count.
Whatever the reason, it was unusual and it made Seungmin feel frustrated with himself. He was always able to read all of his mates, and of course that extended to Minho, so why did that suddenly change? Seeing him act so out of character made Seungmin’s stomach stir with anxiety, not from Minho’s odd behavior, but from not being able to make sense of it. He should know—he always knows. And yet, he doesn’t, and that made him feel powerless.
It felt like the more he tried to understand alphas, omegas, and their pheromones, the more muddled his perception became.
Perhaps if he were an omega, or even an alpha, he would understand.
But Seungmin was a beta, and he liked being a beta. He wouldn’t wish to understand these things if the cost was to give away his secondary gender.
Rather, he wished that Minho were speaking to them like normal. That way, Seungmin could put away his own guilt for not being able to understand his behavior.
Even though he knew what to do as a beta regardless of how Minho acted, he found himself longing for that sense of normalcy, because Seungmin liked normal.
Normal meant predictability. There was routine, and things came as second nature. It was normal for Seungmin to help with meal prep, it was normal for Seungmin to help bathe the omegas in heats or alphas in ruts when they started feeling gross, it was normal for Seungmin to help soothe one of his distressed omegas when the weight of their heat became too much.
Seungmin had a tendency to feel uncomfortable in the abnormalities—which was ironic considering his pack was full of traditional abnormalities. But, he liked knowing how Jisung always fell asleep after a meal while in heat, or that in rut Felix will cry out a whine if he’s not making physical contact with at least one person—it’s what makes him feel like a true member of his pack. He feels the knowledge he has of their unique quirks is what makes up for his lack of understanding pheromones.
So, for one of his pack mates to suddenly start a heat early enough to leave him feeling unprepared, and develop weird habits that have never come up before, left Seungmin feeling on edge. He wished he could feel comfortable in the discomfort of these feelings, but he knew that was something that would take time.
“Minnie, can you help me get hyung up? I think we should give him a bath.” Jeongin said. Seungmin snapped his attention to where Jeongin was sitting up on the nest, the younger being careful as to not disturb its integrity. He glanced at Minho, whose eyes were hazy with heat.
A sheen of sweat was visible at the omega’s forehead, his hairline damp and greasy from the moments unwashed. The sweat extended down to his neck and collarbone, despite Seungmin and Jeongin diligently dabbing it away.
Seungmin immediately sat up himself, and aided Jeongin in getting their, rightfully, grumpy omega up and out of his nest. Getting up seemed to have cleared Minho’s head a bit—a good sign, Seungmin noted.
“I’ll get started on the water.” Seungmin said before stepping out of their den and into the adjacent bathroom. At the click of the den’s door opening, he heard the quick pace of footsteps of one of his packmate’s—Hyunjin, if he had to guess by the scent of disinfectant alcohol.
Sure enough, his nose didn’t lie, and Hyunjin soon came into view and followed Seungmin into the bathroom.
“Are you giving hyung a bath? Is there anything I can help with?” Hyunjin asked, peeking over Seungmin’s shoulder as the beta started the water.
Seungmin turned the faucet so that the pouring water would be warm to the touch, but won’t add heat over time. He knew that Minho needed to cool down, but also knew the omega would protest getting in cold bath water.
“Do we have any more bathbombs? Those seem to keep hyung entertained and keep him in the bath longer.” Seungmin said, reaching his hand out to test the temperature of the pouring water.
“Oh, I’ve got plenty. I’ll go get some.” Hyunjin beamed, eager to lend more of a helping hand. He landed a quick kiss to Seungmin’s cheekbone before jogging away. Seungmin, who was mildly surprised that Hyunjin was so quick to offer his own, flinched when his lips made contact.
He was never one for physical affection while he was taking care of his packmates during their cycles, but he knew it was important to his mates so he let it slide.
Once satisfied with the water, Seungmin plugged the bath, dried off his hands, and opened the cabinets under the sink. As he remembered, the basket that normally held the bath bombs was empty. Seungmin reached past the basket and grabbed whatever bath salts and essential oils they had.
Seungmin sighed as he read the label of the oils: eucalyptus and lemongrass. Not terrible options—eucalyptus was a personal favorite of Seungmin’s—but he knew it wasn’t Minho’s favorite. He dug his hand back in the cabinet, looking at bottle after bottle, hoping to see if they had Minho’s favorite scent of tea tree.
If Seungmin had the proper time and warning like normal, he could have gone with Jeongin to stock up on their bath supplies, but that was guilt he’d have to live in the discomfort of. What’s happened has already happened, and Seungmin can’t just leave now to buy it. That would be selfish of him.
“I’m back—ooo, lemongrass, nice choice.” Hyunjin commented. He was holding two bathbombs, one in the shape and color of a honeycrisp apple, and the other a green shaped dinosaur.
“I’m looking for tea tree, but I’m pretty sure we ran out.” Seungmin said, removing himself from the cabinet. He ran a hand through his hair as he glanced back at Hyunjin. “Thanks for getting those, I really appreciate it.” He said.
Seungmin reached out a hand, motioning for Hyunjin to come closer. Hyunjin bent down to Seungmin next to the still open cabinet, assuming he was going to take the bath bombs, but instead the beta planted a quick kiss on the alpha’s cheek as a show of gratitude.
The moment was quick—as all moments were when a packmate had a cycle—but it still left a cheesy grin on Hyunjin’s face, even when Seungmin immediately stood and turned away to put in the essential oils and bath salts.
“I come bearing a tsundere.” Jeongin said, supporting Minho and his wobbly legs as they walked in the bathroom. Seungmin briefly glanced back, and felt satisfied when noticing that getting up and moving around seemed to have done Minho good. His eyes appeared more focused—more present in the moment with them.
“Perfect, the bath is just about ready, so let’s strip him down and put him in.” Seungmin scattered some more bath salts in the water before closing the container and putting it on the sink counter, planning on properly putting everything away after getting Minho situated.
Once Minho was eased out of his slick-covered underwear, the two betas carefully guided him into the warm bath. His body sank into the water with a sigh, but his gaze hadn’t settled. Instead, his eyes were steady, unblinking as they fixated at something behind them.
Seungmin followed his line of sight and was met with Hyunjin and the bath bombs in his hands. Perhaps that was why Minho was staring.
“Which bath bomb would you like? Hyunjinnie was nice enough to grab some from his personal collection.” Seungmin said, bringing his gaze back to Minho. Hyunjin lifted his hands to better showcase the two bath bombs.
Minho’s eyes flickered, just enough to indicate he was paying attention. After a long pause, he lifted his hand towards the dinosaur.
Seungmin nodded and dropped the bath bomb into the water, watching the different shades of green blossom and foam across the water. He looked back, expecting Minho to be admiring the fizz like he normally does, but rather his gaze hadn’t moved. He was still staring right at Hyunjin with sharp eyes.
It was just like earlier with Jisung. His gaze was deliberate, as if making sure the alpha didn’t step out of line. Seungmin felt he should be used to it by now—Minho’s strange actions during this heat that is, but he found that he wasn’t.
The strange action still had his instincts standing on edge. It felt as though he was reliving the first time he helped a pack member with their cycle. He was uncertain on how to proceed, hesitant to make the wrong call, and self-conscious of his own actions.
“Hyunjin, can you do me a favor and add hyung’s clothes to the laundry?” Jeongin asked.
Hyunjin nodded immediately, eager to please his mates, and started collecting the damp clothes scattered around the floor. Seungmin could tell from the faint stiffness in Jeongin’s tone that he had also noticed the way Minho’s gaze was locked on Hyunjin, tracking his every move.
Minho’s sharp eyes followed the alpha all the way to the door until Hyunjin finally slipped out of sight. Only then did Minho’s eyes soften, his attention shifting to the fizzing bath bomb dissolving beside him.
Seungmin eased out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. When his eyes flicked over to Jeongin, he noticed the younger beta was already staring back. His eyes shared the same uncertainty as Seungmin’s, and he found himself being grounded at the thought.
He felt so grateful to have Jeongin—someone who always understood his thoughts and could relate to him. He felt so connected with Jeongin in a way he didn’t with his other packmates.
Perhaps it was because they were both betas. Or, perhaps it was because they just had that silent, special bond between the two of them, one that couldn’t be replicated. One glance was all it ever took for either of them to understand each other, and that was something Seungmin cherished.
He could only hope that Jeongin could see his heartfelt appreciation for him. Words weren’t his strong suit, he found he could never spill his heart to someone through words. Rather, actions and physical touch were ways he communicated his emotions.
But he had a job to do—he could show his appreciation later.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Another day passed, and Seungmin couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
Usually, during cycles, their pack members would take turns with one another, giving each other space to eat, rehydrate, and reset so the betas could stay focused on the omega in heat or alpha in rut. It was a system that worked, and one they’d perfected over time. But this time, Minho had claimed his mark over him and Jeongin, treating them as part of his nest and refusing to let either of them leave his sight.
It wasn’t the first time this had happened—heat instincts could be unpredictable—but it was rare, and Seungmin never thought it would affect him or Jeongin to this capacity. But Seungmin didn’t mind, and he knew Jeongin didn’t either.
They were betas. They knew what to do in these situations. It wasn’t his own discomfort of his position that weighed on him. Rather, it was the knowledge that the rest of the pack didn’t have the same instincts as him and Jeongin. That wasn’t to say they wouldn’t be able to manage—his pack members have seen him and Jeongin work time and time again, and have experienced their help first hand. He’s certain they’ll have at least a vague idea of how to properly do things, but it still wasn’t the same.
His pack mates didn’t have the routine burned into their bones, they didn’t have prior experience, they didn’t have the proper instincts, and they certainly couldn’t figure out what nutrients Minho would need just by looking at him like he and Jeongin could.
It left Seungmin feeling like there were gaps, as if their pack was a well-loved teddy bear with small tears from years of use. He and Jeongin were the needle and thread, able to weave in and out, patching the gaps seamlessly. But, without them, those tears were easier to spot.
He supposed that’s where the guilt came from. Not from being here, but from knowing the pack was left to manage something that he should be helping with. Now, instead, they had three people to care for when it originally was only supposed to be one. Three people to keep fed and hydrated, and managing it alone without the constant help of their betas. It wasn’t fair to them.
‘It should be Jeongin and I in there.’ Seungmin thought, his gaze was glued to the den’s closed door. It had been for a while now. He swore that somehow, when he stared at it, he could hear the muffled sounds beyond it better. The clattering of dishes, the muffled voices of his packmates, and even their stressed out scents felt stronger the longer he stared. They were trying to navigate around his job, and all it did was make him feel the familiar, unwanted ache of uselessness.
Then, Seungmin felt warm lips press against his forehead.
He startled slightly, then glanced up to meet the glassy, heat-induced gaze of his omega. He looked much better today than the day before, but Minho’s skin was still flushed, and a fresh sheen of sweat twinkled at his temples, but his eyes held nothing but tender affection, love, and adoration. Seungmin grabbed a hand-towel he kept nearby and dabbed it across his forehead, as if peppering his own kisses through the towel.
“You’re so perfect, baby. My perfect baby beta.” Minho’s voice came out as a hoarse, tired whisper. It was scratchy from sleep, but not any less sincere. Another kiss landed on Seungmin’s forehead, lingering there for a moment as if trying to press the words into his skin.
Seungmin’s voice caught in his throat, the words catching him off guard rendering him speechless. He barely had time to react before Minho had turned his attention to Jeongin, shifting just enough to press a kiss to his cheek.
“I love my baby betas.”
Seungmin saw Jeongin’s cheeks flare with a deep pink. He always got shy when Minho, or really any of their mates for that matter, spoke to him like that, especially when the words were wrapped in such gentle affection.
Seungmin wondered what prompted his words. He wondered if Minho could sense his inner distress despite doing his best at hiding it, or if a side effect of his heat had him acting a little loose-lipped, speaking out loud the things he would otherwise leave unspoken.
Either way, the words held the same meaning. They were powerful, affectionate, and helped ground him away from his deprecating thoughts.
They were a good reminder that he was being helpful, that he and Jeongin had a place here. Minho needed their presence, and that was just as important as any of their other duties.
His pack was strong. They’d be just fine handling their stress on the situation, and have already been texting Seungmin and Jeongin for advice on their own uncertainties. They’re a pack—a pack that has his absolute trust.
Seungmin glanced over to Minho’s other side, where Jeongin was still laying. He caught the way Jeongin’s expression had softened, the way his shoulders loosened a little. A nearly unnoticeable, content smile tugging at his lips. It reminded Seungmin that he wasn’t the only one who needed to hear it, and that thought provided a small sense of relief for him. Relief from knowing he wasn’t alone—that Jeongin would always be able to understand him, just as he could always understand Jeongin.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Seungmin was wiping sweat off of Minho’s forehead while the omega drank from one of the water bottles. He had appeared to be more in a lucid state, a sign that indicated he was slowly but surely reaching the end of his heat.
Jeongin was running the tips of his fingernails against Minho’s arm, an action that had the omega purring in content.
Just as Seungmin was screwing the cap back on the water bottle—the omega having handed it to him when he was finished drinking—a sharp knock sounded against the door. Minho’s purring halted when the door opened, revealing a smiling, peach-scented Changbin with a plate in his hand.
Jeongin practically beamed in pride when he smelled the eggs on the plate, he was always happy to give their omega in heat more protein.
“I made some eggs for hyung.” Changbin said. Seungmin could tell the eggs were mostly an excuse to see and hang out with them all for a bit, and that left a faint smile on his lips.
“This might be a bit much to ask, but do you think you could make him some soft boiled eggs?” Jeongin said, his eyes trained at the fried sunny side up eggs on Changbin’s plate. “I really appreciate you going through the trouble of making these for him, but I know he can’t stomach oil very well in his heats.”
“That’s no problem.” Changbin smiled, happy to be able to do something for his packmates, and turned to the door. “I’ll be back before you can say ‘Changbinnie is the cutest person ever!’” He said.
Just as Changbin was about to leave, Minho chirped after him. The younger omega quickly turned back around and sent a questioning yip back. Their conversation lasted for maybe six chirps back and forth, but by the way Changbin beamed and yipped before skipping away with the sweet scent of peaches trailing behind him, Seungmin could tell it had only been filled with positives.
Changbin came back about twenty minutes later, four plates with different types of eggs on each—which Seungmin quickly realized were all cooked to their own personal preferences. That must have been what they chirped about, because there was soft boiled for Minho, overeasy for himself, sunny side up for Changbin, and scrambled for Jeongin.
Suddenly the “in this economy?” comment Seungmin had faintly heard from downstairs made sense, because Changbin had easily used at least an entire carton of eggs. Minho’s plate had the most on it—some kiwis and cherry tomatoes placed on the side—which had the betas nodding in approval.
Seungmin tuned out the voice in his head telling him the different fruits and veggies he would have used instead, and let the thoughts get drowned by the sense of appreciation he felt for his packmates who were doing their best.
After passing out the respective plates, Changbin pulled up one of the chairs next to the nest, allowing them all to eat their food together.
As Seungmin ate his food, he could feel the rumbling of Minho’s purr's resume, and he smiled at the sense of normalcy that followed.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Three knocks on the door woke Seungmin up from his place in Minho’s arms. They were about four days into Minho’s heat, which would probably break by the next morning. Peeking over, Seungmin noticed that Jeongin was still peacefully sleeping—not unusual as he was known to be a heavier sleeper.
The door opened soon after, Felix’s scent of ocean breeze wafted through the door as his head hesitantly peeked through. Seungmin lifted his head off Minho’s shoulder, staring where Felix tentatively stood, curious what the young alpha wanted.
“Hey Seungmin?” Felix spoke up, noticing he was the only beta that was awake. His voice and scent were similar in the way they both felt warm and sweet.
Seungmin hummed in response, ready to answer whatever question he had in store, only to feel Minho’s hand guide him back to his shoulder from the back of his head—cradling his head as if protecting him.
Seungmin blinked, thrown off once again by his hyung’s unusual behavior, until he felt it.
He felt it before he heard it—the vibrations of a low rumble building in Minho’s chest, though it wasn’t from the familiar purrs he was used to. It took Seungmin a second to realize what it was, and even longer to figure out who it was directed at.
Minho was growling, his scent spiking in anger, at Felix of all people.
Felix froze, his question caught in his throat before he could even muster it out, and Jeongin startled awake, assuming something was wrong, but grew equally as confused when his frazzled mind wrapped around the situation.
The growl rang out in the air. It was unrelenting—a kind of warning none of them expected.
In the safety of the pack den, their mingling scents hung dense in the air and became a stable, safe haven that provided Minho comfort. But, without Seungmin or Jeongin realizing, anytime one of their other packmates entered, that haven felt threatened. The scents clashed like oil and water, and his instincts snapped to protect the nest he’d made with his betas.
Without even realizing, Minho had claimed the entire den as his nest and deemed Felix an intruder.
Felix was tense. His breath hitched, and his steps faltered. When he didn’t leave right away, Minho only growled louder, snapping the poor alpha out of his frozen state. He stumbled back, unable to blink back the tears as he shut the door behind him with a startled slam.
The silence that followed was thick and heavy, the closed door unable to hide the overwhelmingly salty scent of Felix’s unmistakable fear and flowing tears.
Seungmin couldn’t remove his eyes from the door. His instincts tugged at him to comfort his crying pack mate, yet they also urged him to stay with his omega in heat.
Seungmin took a slow, deep breath.
Everything would be fine. He had four packmates who could take care of Felix. His job was here, with Minho. He’ll be sure to message Felix privately later to check up on him, but until then he needed to focus on his omega in heat.
It was only then that he felt the trembling. Minho’s hand, the one that still cradled his head, faintly shook. Minho’s scent of maple syrup was still sour, but not with anger as it was before. Rather, it soured with regret.
When Seungmin lifted his gaze, he saw the tears streaming down Minho’s face, and saw Jeongin, who was just as wide eyed as he was, wiping those tears away.
The shock of the situation seemed to have snapped Minho out of his heat nearly instantaneously—his heat breaking earlier than it should have. His eyes were no longer clouded with heat, and instead held nothing but pure sorrow.
Minho’s breath hitched with a sob.
“Bokkie.” His voice cracked. “I need to see Bokkie.” He tried getting up from his nest, but his body was still weak. Seungmin and Jeongin only let him sit up before they stopped him from moving any further. The betas couldn’t even process the fact that their hyung had finally spoken actual words instead of chirps, too focused on the clear distress their omega was in.
“Can you take some deep breaths for me?” Seungmin coaxed, rubbing small circles on the omega’s arm. “We’ll go get Yongbokkie when you’ve calmed down a bit.” He reasoned.
Jeongin handed over a half-empty water bottle from the nightstand, urging Minho to take a few sips. The small acts of drinking water and taking deep, meaningful breaths seemed to help ground Minho, enough for Jeongin to feel comfortable leaving him to grab Felix.
Seungmin stayed behind, and spent the time tracing soothing shapes and patterns along Minho’s right arm. Minho leaned into the touch, resting his head against Seungmin’s shoulder, tears slowing down.
Minho’s head shot up when the door creaked open. Jeongin walked right in, but Felix showed some hesitation following behind. The young alpha’s eyes were puffy, with tear stains flowing down his rosy, freckled cheeks.
Seungmin could see Minho’s usually sharp, playful eyes glisten with more tears at the sight. He could smell the guilt strengthening in his scent when he caught the whiff of hesitation from Felix.
“Bokkie.” Minho called out, voice wavering. “I’m so sorry Bokkie.”
“It’s okay hyung.” Felix sniffled.
“No it’s not. I shouldn’t have ever done that to you.” Minho said.
“You were in heat hyung, I shouldn’t have taken it so personally.” Felix said.
“I demand you rescind your acceptance of my apology.” Minho said, glaring through his watery eyes with a pout. “You deserve to feel sad and bitter about what I did.” He said.
“But I don’t wanna feel bitter.” Felix said, pouting back.
“So you still feel sad?”
“Well… yeah, a bit, but—”
“Then it’s not okay.” Minho said, crossing his arms, letting everyone in the room know he was being stubborn and putting his foot down.
“Fine. In that case.” Felix sniffled again, stepping closer to the bed. “I want a hug.” He demanded. “A hug’ll make me not sad anymore, and therefore won’t let you reject my acceptance of your apology.”
Minho blinked. “Then I guess I have no choice in the matter.” He playfully rolled his eyes, and reached for Felix’s hand to guide him in his nest in Jeongin’s old spot.
Felix curled into him with no hesitation, and their scents mingled together. The scent of hesitation, of fear, of regret, was quick to dissipate in place of the warm, sweet, combined scents of syrup and ocean breeze.
The two snuggled closer, and Seungmin made one last sweep with his rag. He wiped off the final remains of sweat off Minho’s forehead, before excusing himself from Minho’s nest, leaving a peck on the cheek for the cuddling pair as his parting gift.
He and Jeongin then both left the room, closing the door softly behind them to give Minho and Felix some peace.
Going downstairs, surprisingly, the first thing Seungmin noticed wasn’t the absolute disaster their kitchen was in. Rather, it was the stressed scents and faces of their packmates.
The creak of the stairs had them all whipping their heads, anxiously waiting for any sort of update the betas could give.
“Both Hyung and Felix are okay, they’re cuddling in the den now.” Seungmin said, figuring he should lead with that, which he felt was the right call when his other packmates seemed to sigh in relief.
“His heat broke, too—I don’t remember if I already said that or not when I came down earlier.” Jeongin added. “He already seems to be doing much better.”
“That’s good.” Chan said with a nod.
“I’m glad they’re both okay.” Jisung added.
“What exactly happened?” Changbin asked. “Everything just happened so quickly.” He said.
The two betas then explained the odd situation to their packmates—how Felix came in to ask a question, how Minho suddenly became territorial, and how the shock of the situation seemed to have made him snap to his senses.
The room fell in a temporary silence as everyone took in the story before that silence was broken by Chan.
“I’m so glad you guys were there.” Chan said. “I know I probably don’t say this often enough and this might sound super cheesy, but I’m so so grateful for both of my sweet betas. I have such amazing, kind, and reliable betas, and it means a lot knowing I can depend on and put my full trust in you.” He said, the hint of rich, dark chocolate from his mocha scent overpowering the bitter coffee.
Seungmin tried to bite back his bashful smile at the praise while Jeongin tried keeping a straight face, but they found themselves unsuccessful, something that didn’t sneak past the eyes of their other mates.
“You can’t even pretend you don’t like it.” Changbin teased, trying to pinch at Jeongin’s cheeks. The younger leaned away and swatted at his hand, causing Changbin to lean in with a grin and trap him in his arms.
“Being a temporary beta was no joke. I think I’m gonna be seeing onions in my sleep with how many I had to cut this week. I don’t know how you guys do it.” Jisung slumped against Seungmin, wrapping his arms around the beta’s waist and nuzzling his head in his scent gland.
Seungmin wrapped his arms around Jisung in response, knowing him well enough to know this was his way of vying for attention, which he thought was endearing. The remains of the tension he felt earlier melting away at the omega’s embrace.
“Aww poor Jisung, cutting onions must have been so hard. I bet you cried so much.” Hyunjin sarcastically remarked, wrapping his arms around the both of them.
“Well, duh. They’re onions, they make you cry when you cut them.” Jisung pouted, choosing to ignore the sarcasm.
Chan watched his mates interact with each other with a stupid grin on his face, appreciating for a moment the life he created with them, before sneaking up to where Changbin was still clinging to their youngest. Chan poked and prodded at the beta’s cheeks, calling him cute before joining in on the hug.
Seungmin could practically smell Jeongin’s fake annoyance at the attention he was receiving from Chan and Changbin. He didn’t need to look to know he was leaning away from all the physical advances and kind words, yet still grinning like a child on their birthday.
Similarly, attention wasn’t something Seungmin actively searched for (unless it involved getting manhandled by Changbin, of course). He enjoyed his fair share just like any other member of their pack, and had moments where he wanted nothing more than their praise, but he’d learned that he didn’t need it to know he was loved and cared for.
Still, he sometimes found that too much attention at once could feel overwhelming. There was something about the way the unprompted words of praise and appreciation left his cheeks burning, or how the teasing and loving gazes left him feeling shy, embarrassed, and seen all at once.
Maybe it was because he wasn’t quite used to it yet. Maybe that was why his cheeks were burning and why his throat felt tight with gratitude. But he figured that, just this once, he would let himself soak it in—no matter how hot his face felt, or how much his heart fluttered.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
“Fuck.” Jeongin gasped.
The betas were tangled in the sheets of Jeongin’s bed. They often found themselves in positions like this after helping one of their mates with their cycle. It felt nice to be able to release all the pent up stress and emotions that come with their roles as betas, and who better to do it with than with someone who understands?
Seungmin trailed his fingers down Jeongin’s nape, causing him to shudder and moan. The younger kept at a steady pace, rocking his hips with gentle precision.
“Do you think our mates have a better understanding of us now?” Seungmin suddenly asked, causing Jeongin to chuckle and slow his rhythm.
“You’ve been more talkative lately.” Jeongin pointed out.
“A habit I picked up from someone, I suppose. Is that a bad thing?” Seungmin teased.
“No, it’s just something I noticed.” Jeongin grinned.
“So?” Seungmin said.
“Hmm… not sure.” Jeongin said, lowering his head to rub against Seungmin’s scent gland, finding comfort in his scent. “ I guess we’ll just have to wait a bit longer to find out—Not like it matters all that much though.”
A lie if Seungmin’s ever heard one.
“Either way, we’ll always understand each other, and that’s honestly all I could ever ask for.” Jeongin said. His face flushed at his own confession, and Seungmin couldn't even tease him about it, knowing full well that with his own red face that Jeongin would, correctly, call him a hypocrite.
“You’re so sappy it hurts.” He said anyway, unable to resist the temptation. Jeongin lifted his gaze and huffed a laugh at his rosy cheeks before leaning in and connecting their lips.
“I love you, too.” Jeongin smiled.