Archive of Our Own

The moment Sunoo makes eye contact with the Alpha smoking in front of his apartment building, he drops a bag of groceries.

It isn’t a purposeful, I-lost-my-ability-to-function moment caused by the Alpha’s attractiveness or anything. Not that he isn’t attractive; what he isn’t is Sunoo’s type. Tattoos, intimidating, serious. Cigarette. Sunoo’s been extra sensitive to smells he doesn’t like, so his nose wrinkles automatically. Cigarette mixed with strange Alpha is not a good combination.

So it isn’t his attractiveness that causes the grocery bag to slip; it’s Sunoo’s precarious hold on the four bags in each hand, none of which are very light. He knows he overdid it, but he’s stubborn if anything, and he couldn’t bear the thought of a second trip to the store tomorrow. He just wanted to get it over with, hand strength be damned.

“Fuck,” Sunoo mutters, watching the bag split open on the pavement.

Of course, it couldn’t have been the bag of dry food that split open. Out spill the most obvious of his grocery items: nipple cream, a belly support band, prenatal vitamins. It isn’t that he’s embarrassed, rather that he doesn’t want some strange Alpha looking at his personal things.

He’s going to pick them up, he is, but he has to stand there for a minute with the weight of the world crashing down on his shoulders before he does. He’s tired. Unfortunately, the minute is just enough for the Alpha to crush his cigarette beneath his boots and head straight towards him.

“Let me help you with that,” he says, reaching a hand out. Sunoo stares at it. There’s a tattoo on the back: a swirling array of flowers. Sunoo looks up. The Alpha has big, pretty eyes. They’re softer than the rest of him.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Sunoo says stiffly.

He sets the bags down and tries to crouch to pick up the fallen items. Unfortunately, crouching with how large his belly has gotten is a little hard. In the time it takes him to get down, the Alpha’s already beat him to it. He scoops everything up and distributes them into the other bags efficiently.

“It’s no problem,” he insists. “You shouldn’t be carrying so much weight when you’re this far along.”

Sunoo bristles with brief annoyance that some Alpha is telling him about what he should or shouldn’t do while pregnant, but he tampers it with a sigh. He’s right, after all. Sunoo shouldn’t be carrying this weight. He should have taken two trips. He’s just tired of going to the grocery store, of walking on aching legs and dealing with all the staring.

“My sister just delivered a few months ago,” the Alpha offers. “I’ve been hearing about this stuff nonstop.”

Sunoo sighs again. “Okay. Thank you.”

The Alpha helps him to his feet with a respectful hand on his elbow before he grabs all of the grocery bags with envious ease. Sunoo stares at the veins in his arms bulge, at the tattoo on the back of his bicep. It looks like a tiger. Sunoo gets the door before he can do that, too, and waves the Alpha in before him. The Alpha hits the elevator button with his elbow.

“My name’s Sunghoon,” he says. He peers over at Sunoo curiously, and Sunoo doesn’t miss the way his eyes flicker to his neck like everyone else’s. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t ask where his mating mark is. He just waits for Sunoo to answer.

“Sunoo,” he says. The elevator dings and they slip on. Sunoo hits the number 8.

“We’re neighbors,” Sunghoon says, one eyebrow raising in surprise.

“I’ve never seen you around.”

“I just moved in yesterday.”

Sunoo blinks. “Room 832?”

“Yup.”

“We really are neighbors. I’m 834.”

A college student had been living next door, but she’d just graduated. Sunoo had been sad to see her go; she’d been a courteous neighbor, and she was a Beta. He’d been nervous that the new neighbor would be an Alpha. Living with the smell seeping through the walls didn’t sound like fun, not when he’s been so sensitive to it.

Sunghoon smiles. It’s a cute smile, lights up his whole face canines on display, makes him look less standoffish. “Well, I’m glad to have someone I know.”

Sunoo offers a tentative smile in return. They fall into a slightly awkward silence, though it isn’t quite uncomfortable. The enclosed space heightens the smell of cigarettes and Alpha, and Sunoo tries very hard not to be obvious about the way his nose twitches. He can’t help that everything makes him nauseous these days. In the pregnancy books, they always say the nausea fades eventually. His hasn’t let up at all.

They leave the elevator, and Sunoo keys in the code for his apartment. Sunghoon slips his shoes off and follows him to the kitchen, setting the bags on the counter. Sunoo looks around with a wince; his apartment’s a mess.

“Do you need help putting anything away?” Sunghoon asks, but Sunoo shakes his head.

“I’m good. Thank you so much for your help.”

“Sure thing. I’m right next door, so let me know if you ever need anything, yeah?”

Sunoo has absolutely no intention of doing that, but he nods anyway. “I appreciate it.”

Sunoo’s half waiting for Sunghoon to ask, now that he’s been in his apartment and seen the evidence, seen that there’s no way Sunoo’s living with anyone else. Where’s your Alpha? he’ll say, and Sunoo will feel justified in turning him away and never speaking to him again.

But Sunghoon doesn’t ask. He bows politely and leaves Sunoo’s apartment without so much as an unnecessary glance around. The heavy door swings shut behind him, locking on its own, and for a moment Sunoo stands there, stewing in the sudden silence. His feet hurt. He rubs his eyes and starts to put his groceries away, every step a burden.

His phone rings, and he puts it to his ear while he tries to shelve some of the pots and pans in the drying rack. “Hey, what’s up?”

Jake’s voice comes tired and low down the line. “Hey, Sunoo-ah. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. You sound exhausted.”

“It’s been a hard day. I’m really sorry, but I couldn’t get time off for your appointment.” He sounds truly regretful. “I know I promised, I’m so sorry. I tried so hard to get a couple of hours, but there aren’t enough people on the clock that day.”

“No, it’s okay!” Sunoo exclaims, panicked on his behalf. “It’s totally fine, I understand. Thank you for trying.”

“No luck on getting the appointment rescheduled?”

“Nope. They’re packed, they’ve got nothing else. But it’s really okay, I don’t mind going alone.”

“What else is new?” Jake sighs. Most days are late days for him. “Was work okay for you? Kids give you any trouble?”

“Well,” Sunoo ponders. “One of them started sobbing his eyes out because he thought he lost the picture he was gluing onto his worksheet. Turns out he was sitting on it.”

Jake snorts. “Kids.”

“You?”

“Well, there was almost a death this morning. So that was fun.”

“Yikes.”

“I gotta go, they need me in one of the wards. I’m really sorry again, Noo, I know this’ll be hard on you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sunoo says easily. “I’ll talk to you later, hyung.”

He sets his phone down and stares at the dishes half put away. It’s hard when his only friend in the city has a job so demanding he can hardly ever be around. Not that Sunoo needs him to be. He’s fine on his own. It’s just that sometimes it’s nice to have someone by his side. Jake tries his best, Sunoo knows that, does more than he needs to.

He sighs for what feels like the millionth time and returns to cleaning up.

♥

Sunoo sees Sunghoon a few mornings later, revving his motorcycle in the parking lot, a bruise in the midst of blooming across his cheek. He raises his hand in greeting, and Sunoo smiles back, tentative and a little stiff. Sunghoon hasn’t done anything to make him uncomfortable yet, just has an air to him, and Sunoo doesn’t really like Alphas. He’s been at the receiving end of too much unwanted interest - especially after he became pregnant, absurdly enough - that he can’t bring himself to trust Sunghoon’s intentions.

Maybe Sunoo’s a cynic, but people aren’t nice . They don’t just help you out of the goodness of their own hearts. If Sunghoon’s being helpful, it must be because he wants something.

Sunghoon doesn’t seem bothered by the lukewarm treatment. He zooms off on his motorcycle - it’s so big it makes him look small, even though Sunoo had been very aware of how much larger he was when they’d been standing next to each other in the elevator - and that’s that. Sunoo takes the bus to work and shows up an hour early like always so he can get the classroom ready for the day.

His coworker from the classroom next door shows up while he’s writing a morning message on the board. He’s carrying a large tumbler of coffee, and Sunoo’s mouth waters at the smell. One of the (many, many, many) cons of pregnancy is the lack of coffee. He really fucking misses coffee.

“Don’t come in here and tempt me like that,” he complains, and Jungwon grins.

“How’s it going, Mama? How many times did you throw up this morning?”

He shoots him a glare but ends up answering anyway. “Once when I woke up and then after I put my clothes on.”

“That’s better than last Monday.”

“When you say it like that, my life sounds like a shitshow.”

“Isn’t it?” he teases, stepping into his classroom so he can flip over the attendance sheet by the door for him. He always forgets. “There are cookies in the lounge, want me to bring you some?”

He groans, knocking his forehead against the board. “I shouldn’t.”

“Just one cookie won’t matter.”

“Won’t it?”

“You know my mom ate cup noodles every week when she was pregnant with me? I lived.”

“That explains why you are the way you are.”

“Yah, you brat.”

He waves him off, and he laughs on the way out of his room. Part of him had been worried he’d get fired when he told his bosses he was pregnant. Working in a private kindergarten where mostly wealthy students enrolled, he knew they wouldn’t take kindly to an unmated pregnancy. But they hadn’t fired him, and he wonders if that’s mainly because he’ll have to quit anyway.

They aren’t progressive enough to offer any leave, so once he delivers, he’ll have to leave his position. He’s just lucky he’s due over break so that he can at least finish out the school year before he quits. Some of his coworkers have been a little shady about it, making snide comments like they think he won’t have a snappy comeback prepared. But mostly it’s been alright, and the kids are endlessly fascinated with his pregnancy, especially once he started showing. He’s even set up a reward system around touching his belly.

The kids start arriving before long, and Sunoo stands at the door to greet them as they enter with their little backpacks bouncing. Minhyuk waits for everyone else to pass so he can have Sunoo all to himself. He’s the star student of the week, so he has special belly-touching privileges.

“Go ahead,” Sunoo says when Minhyuk stares at him wordlessly.

He pats Sunoo’s belly tentatively, like it’s a squeamish animal he’s trying to coax out of hiding. Then he looks up at Sunoo with a solemn expression and says, “I’m sorry you don’t have an Alpha.”

Sunoo has to hold back the snort that threatens to escape. “What are you talking about, sweetheart?”

“My dad was saying it’s probably very hard for you because you don’t have an Alpha.”

Sunoo sighs and ruffles his soft hair. “Thank you for worrying about me, Minhyuk, but it’s not hard. I’m doing just fine.”

It is hard, but that’s because being alone is hard. Two heads are better than one and all that. It isn’t that he can’t do it alone because he can, just that it’d be nice not to have to. It’d be nice to have someone to pick up the slack around the house when Sunoo’s too sick to do it. Nice to have someone to hold back his hair when he’s bent over the toilet.

The day passes fine until he’s hit with a wave of exhaustion in the half hour after lunch. That’s usually when he reads to the class, but he’s tired and nauseous and honestly not sure if he can manage. He puts Minhyuk in charge and pops his head next door to see if Ni-ki’s around. He’s in the process of sitting his students down on the carpet, a book in his hand.

“What’s up?” he asks, meeting him in the doorway.

“Can my kids join yours for storytime? I’m so sorry. Just for one book, then I’ll be good to go.”

He rubs his arm sympathetically. “Not feeling so hot?”

“I just need a power nap. I’m really sorry.”

“I got you, hyung. Bring them over.”

He extracts promises that they’ll be on their extra best behavior before leading them to Ni-ki’s class, thanking him quickly, and booking it back to the lounge. He lies down on the lumpy couch in the back and tries to get his bearings. He hasn’t been working here long enough to be extremely close with his coworkers, but despite that his neighbors, Jungwon and Ni-ki, have been awfully kind to him during his pregnancy. He’s planning on ordering them a nice lunch before he quits to thank them for all their help.

The power nap doesn’t do much, but it’s enough that he manages to force himself through the rest of the day. He picks up takeout on the way home - something healthy - because he deserves a reward for making it through another shitty Monday. He’s going to get home and run himself a nice bath with lots of sweet-smelling oils, and then he’s going to binge a TV show for the rest of the night.

With this determination, he marches up to his apartment building and falters when he sees Sunghoon smoking out front again. It makes him uncomfortable, has him wondering if Sunghoon’s always going to be out here, if he’ll have to start going through the back to avoid him. Sunghoon nods, and Sunoo nods back.

Sunghoon stubs his cigarette out and holds the door open for Sunoo to pass through. He follows Sunoo to the elevator, and Sunoo swallows harshly. Sunghoon gets in first, stands toward the back, leaving Sunoo right by the elevator doors. That eases some of his tension.

“That smells good,” Sunghoon says conversationally, hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket. Sunoo glances at him and away, catches a glint of light touching the piercing in his ear.

“It does,” Sunoo agrees.

That’s the extent of their conversation until they make it to their apartment doors, where Sunghoon wishes him a good evening and Sunoo murmurs a response. He kicks off his shoes and settles at the counter to shovel down his takeout as fast as he can without making himself sick. Then he fills himself a bath with a layer of bubbles, sprinkling in a generous amount of his favorite essential oils.

Stripping down, he slips carefully into the water and sighs as the warmth eases the stiffness in his muscles. He pats his swollen belly gently. “It’s nice, huh?” he asks, and fancies that he can feel her stir in response. “Hope it’ll make you sleepy. Then we can both get some rest tonight, yeah?”

He closes his eyes, feeling a little like he’s melting in the best way possible. He can hear the shower going next door - their bathrooms share a wall. Sunoo listens to the steady noise of the shower absently until quiet humming joins it. Then he starts to focus, listening carefully to the sweet sound of Sunghoon humming. He sounds like he’d have a good singing voice. Then there’s a thump like he dropped something and an accompanying fuck .

Sunoo giggles before he can stop himself. He claps a hand over his mouth, eyes wide, knows the walls are paper thin and prays Sunghoon didn’t hear it. This is kind of creepy now that he thinks about it. Not that he can help it. It’s not like he’s trying to eavesdrop.

For a few minutes, there’s no sound but that of water hitting the tub. Then the humming picks up again, and Sunoo relaxes.

He soaks until the water grows too cold to be comfortable before finally leaving his bath, lotioning up and snuggling into bed. He’d been worried about Alpha scent permeating the walls, but so far that hasn’t really been a problem. Sunoo sets up Netflix on his laptop and settles in for the rest of the night, feeling far more comfortable than he had all day.

♥

Assembling furniture shouldn’t be this hard.

It shouldn’t. This piece goes here, that piece goes there, hammer a nail in - simple, right? Or it would be if the instructions weren’t so goddamn useless. And on top of that, Sunoo’s pretty sure he’s missing a few nails and one of them isn’t even the right damn size . He’s about to damage the wood trying to hammer it in anyway.

Sunoo has always prided himself on being handy with putting things together, unlike Jake who can’t follow instructions to save his life. But this crib is a fucking nightmare. He supposes it’s his fault for splurging on a fancy wooden one instead of just buying the plastic ones that probably take all of ten minutes to put together.

He’s had the crib sitting in a box leaning on the wall of his living room for months - he’d gotten it on sale but hadn’t found time to assemble it until today. Now he’s regretting throwing away a Saturday he could have spent relaxing on this ridiculous fucking crib.

Except he isn’t really regretting it because his daughter’s going to need a crib and he’s going to have to put it together eventually. He’s just upset and hormonal and the lack of success is really frustrating him.

Sunoo abandons the nail that doesn’t fit for another one and tries hammering it in instead. Only he’s too hasty about it and brings the hammer down on his thumb. Honestly, it isn’t that bad. It doesn’t hurt that much. But it’s a sudden shock and Sunoo’s already upset, so he bursts into tears on instinct.

“Fuck you,” he sobs, flinging the wooden piece of crib at his wall. It connects with a thud then slips to the floor, leaving a mark in its wake. That only has Sunoo crying harder.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there, bawling, before there’s a knock on his door. His sobs stop almost immediately. He sniffles, surprised, wondering who the hell could be visiting him right now. Jake’s working today, and anyway he always forgets the code to Sunoo’s building.

He pushes himself to his feet, scrubbing his face off on his sleeves, and opens the door. It’s Sunghoon. He’s standing there in a white t-shirt that hugs his chest and sweats, hair mussed, looking like he’d just been lazing around. He also looks slightly alarmed.

“Are you okay?” he asks, gaze roaming over Sunoo like he’s looking for an injury.

Sunoo sniffs, blinking his wet eyes, lashes clumped together. Of course. Their walls are paper fucking thin. Sunghoon would have heard his meltdown. Then Sunoo groans. Like a fool, he’d thrown the wood right at the wall he shared with Sunghoon. “Oh my god,” Sunoo says. “I’m so sorry. Did I wake you up? I wasn’t thinking, I just threw it - ”

Sunghoon holds his palms up to stop him. “No, it’s fine, I wasn’t asleep but - are you okay? Did you get hurt? I heard a thump - ”

Sunoo sighs, leaning against the door frame. “I’m trying to assemble a crib and hammered my thumb. I’m just an idiot, it’s all good.”

Sunghoon peers over his shoulder at the mess on Sunoo’s living room floor. “Do you need help? I’m not that great at assembling things, but two heads are probably better than one.”

“No way, I’m not about to take up your Saturday like that. I’ll figure it out.”

“It’s really no problem.” He shrugs. “I’ve literally been playing mobile games since I woke up, so.”

Sunoo bites his lip, peering over at the crib and then back at Sunghoon. “Are you sure it won’t be any trouble? You’re not just trying to be nice?”

“It’s no trouble at all.” The corner of his lip curls up in a smile. “Promise.”

“Okay. Come in, please.”

Sunoo steps aside and lets him in. He isn’t wearing any shoes, just socks, so he pads right over to the living room and crouches to examine what Sunoo’s got so far. “Damn, is this a crib or a war machine?”

Sunoo snorts. “Judging by how complicated the instructions are, definitely a war machine.”

He joins Sunghoon by the mess of crib materials, sitting with some difficulty. It’s always hard getting up and down now that he’s growing bigger. “Is your thumb okay?” Sunghoon asks, glancing up.

Sunoo peers at it. It’s a little red and the skin around his nail is peeling. “Okay enough.”

“Maybe we should be setting this up in your bedroom,” Sunghoon says dubiously. “How were you planning on moving it into there once it’s assembled?”

Sunoo winces. He honestly hadn’t even thought of that.

“Sorry,” Sunghoon says, misinterpreting the look. “You probably don’t want some random Alpha in your room.”

“No, it’s just - ” he starts, then realizes it’s true. He doesn’t. “Not really. Sorry.”

“We can try setting it up in parts?” he suggests. “Build one part then carry it into your room and then just fit everything together in there. That wouldn’t take too long.”

That does sound better. “Okay. Thank you.”

Sunghoon settles in cross-legged, the instructions in his lap, and starts to piece things together. He mumbles as he works, pointing out what Sunoo’s done and what he has left to do. It’s kind of endearing. Sunoo tries to help but really he’s reached the extent of what he can do, so he sits back and watches Sunghoon work.

“Hand me the hammer?” he asks, and Sunoo does.

The t-shirt fits snug around his muscled arms as he hammers in a nail, brow furrowed as he frowns in concentration. Sunoo’s probably obvious about the way he stares, trying to make out the tattoos swirling down his forearms. The white of his shirt doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination, either. Sunoo catches hints of dark tattoos on his chest and ribs, too.

Sunghoon fixes a leg to the side and grins in triumph, stretching his arms behind his head. The shirt hugs his pecs. Sunoo licks his lips.

Then Sunoo flushes in embarrassment and mutters something about making them tea, fleeing to the kitchen. Sunghoon’s wasting his Saturday helping Sunoo out, and here Sunoo is admiring the way his chest looks. Being pregnant is like a rollercoaster. There are days when even thinking about someone touching him makes Sunoo cringe, and then there are the horny days.

Those days are, unfortunately, a little more frequent than the other ones.

Sunghoon might not be his type, but Sunoo has eyes . And god, Sunghoon’s really fucking hot.

“I think they fucked you over,” Sunghoon calls over his shoulder, holding up a nail. “This is the wrong size.”

“Yeah, that’s what I realized.”

“I don’t think we can finish this without the right one.” He stands up and turns around. “There’s a hardware store just down the street. I’ll run over and get some extra nails.”

“Oh, are you sure - that’s a lot of trouble - ”

“Nope, no problem. It’s like a two minute walk.”

“Lemme give you some cash.” Sunoo rifles through his wallet, but Sunghoon shakes his head.

“Are you kidding? It’ll hardly cost anything.”

“I don’t feel right letting you pay for it. Come on.” Sunoo pulls out the cash and holds it out.

Sunghoon’s hand wraps around his. It’s bigger, swallows his up, and he pushes Sunoo’s hand gently away. “I don’t feel right taking money from you for something so small.”

Sunghoon lets him go, and Sunoo’s too shell-shocked from the touch of their skin to keep protesting. He stands there, and Sunghoon leaves his apartment with a cheerful, “I’ll be back soon!”

The baby kicks, and Sunoo jolts. He puts a hand on his belly. “What was that about?” he asks her, but of course she doesn’t have an answer for him. He imagines one day she will, that one day he’ll get to ask her something and she’ll chirp back a response, and one day she’ll be even older than he is now and probably a whole lot smarter. He starts feeling sappy, a lump in his throat, and sniffles.

“Sunoo,” he tells himself, “Get your shit together.”

He rubs his eyes and sets to making them some snacks to accompany the tea. Just like Sunghoon said, he makes it back quickly, barely in half an hour. Sunoo’s pushing the coffee table he’d moved out of the way to make room back into the center so he can set it up with the snacks and tea. Sunghoon knocks, and Sunoo lets him in. He’s holding a baggie of what must be the nails.

“Did you find them easily?” Sunoo asks, pouring him a cup of tea.

“Yup. Hopefully these will actually fit.” He sits down and eyes the snacks. “Thanks, you didn’t have to do all that.”

“It’s nothing,” Sunoo insists, and it really isn’t. Just some finger sandwiches he whipped up and whatever side dishes he had in his fridge.

Sunghoon grabs a sandwich and downs it in about two bites, then he sets back to work. Sunoo helps hold the board in place while he attaches the other leg. “So how many months are you?” he asks curiously past the nail he’s holding in his mouth while he adjusts the leg’s position.

“This is my seventh month.” Sunoo glances down at his belly unconsciously.

“Did you find out the sex yet or are you keeping it a surprise?”

“She’s a girl,” he says, shy and proud. “Her delivery date is July 18.”

“Wow,” Sunghoon breathes, eyes endearingly wide. “That’s so exciting.”

His eyes are so pretty; Sunoo finds himself blushing as he smiles. “You said your sister just delivered?”

“Yeah, back in February. A boy, and he was huge - ten pounds. Cutest cheeks you’ve ever seen.”

“Ten pounds!” Sunoo exclaims. “Oh, I hope she’s not that big. Sounds hard to push out.”

“My sister is pretty sturdy herself, so he was okay. But for you, yeah. You’re tiny.”

“I’m not that tiny.”

Sunghoon makes a show of examining him up and down. “Mm,” he decides. “You’re pretty tiny.”

“Hey,” Sunoo grumbles, and Sunghoon laughs.

Sunghoon takes a sip of tea, humming appreciatively. He shifts to pull his phone from his back pocket and scrolls through it for a minute, then holds it out for Sunoo to see. “My nephew, Jinwoo.”

He really does have the cutest cheeks Sunoo has ever seen, swaddled in an orange blanket. Sunoo coos, feeling sappy and emotional again at the thought of his own daughter and what she’ll look like. “He’s adorable. Your sister must be so happy.”

“She is. And stressed,” Sunghoon says wryly. “She was having a hard time coping with the pregnancy solo, so my parents picked up and moved in with her. They’ve been helping out a lot.”

“Oh,” Sunoo murmurs, fixated on the solo . He doesn’t want to be nosy, especially when Sunghoon’s been so respectful of him, so he doesn’t ask despite how much he wants to.

Sunghoon offers an explanation anyway. “Her Alpha passed away not long after he found out she was pregnant,” he says. “He was in an accident.”

Sunoo’s heart wrenches. He can’t imagine that kind of pain, can’t imagine how Sunghoon’s sister made it through her pregnancy with that kind of loss hanging over her head. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” he says earnestly.

Sunghoon nods. “It was really hard. But she’s doing better now. Having Jinwoo helped ground her.”

Sunoo wraps his arms around his stomach. The heart wrenching feeling doesn’t go away. He’s frustrated to find he can’t hold back the few tears that slip out.

“Hey, don’t cry.” Sunghoon sounds alarmed. He turns to him, eyes wide. “Things are better now - ”

“Don’t comfort me,” Sunoo blurts, swatting his hand away. “I should be comforting you .”

Sunghoon stares at him, confused, then his worried face melts into one of amusement. He snorts a laugh. “You gonna comfort me while you’re sobbing your eyes out?”

“I’m not sobbing my eyes out! I’m just teary!”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m really sorry to your sister. I really can’t imagine how hard that must be.” He sniffles, gathering himself, and brushes the few tears away.

“What can you do?” Sunghoon shrugs. “Life is what it is.”

“Yeah.” Sunoo sighs, patting his bump comfortingly. “That it is.”

They work in companionable silence for a while longer, and the crib starts to come together. Now that they have the right nails, figuring the rest of it out isn’t so bad. Just like Sunghoon said, two heads are better than one.

“Where do you work?” Sunghoon asks when they’ve sat back for another break.

“I teach,” Sunoo answers, munching on a sandwich. He used to make them with chicken salad, but chicken salad seems to be one of the (many) things he suddenly can’t stand after becoming pregnant. Now he uses egg. “Kindergarten.”

Sunghoon whistles lowly. He looks impressed, though Sunoo can’t really fathom why. “You must be all ready for a kid then. You’ll know exactly what to do.”

Sunoo snorts. “As if. My students come to me potty trained and speaking sentences. I’ve gotta figure out how to get my kid to that level first.”

“You’ll do great,” Sunghoon says easily, waving him off. “You already seem like you’ll be a great mom.”

“How do you know?” Sunoo huffs.

“I know.”

He finds himself blushing. What’s Sunghoon so sure for? They don’t even know each other. “Anyway. What about you, what do you do?”

“Video games,” Sunghoon offers. “I work with an indie gaming company. We mostly do adventure games.”

“Wow,” Sunoo breathes. Now he’s the one impressed. “That’s so cool.”

Sunghoon grins. It’s a little smug, but Sunoo can’t begrudge him that. Now that’s a job to brag about. Sunghoon stands and stretches, arms above his head, his t-shirt riding up to show off a strip of smooth skin and the hint of a tattoo. Sunoo swallows.

“I’m gonna run out for a smoke break. I’ll be back in five and we can start moving everything to your room.”

Sunghoon slips out of the apartment, and Sunoo starts to clear away the remnants of their snacks and tea. He stands with his hands on his hips to survey their accomplishment. They’ve got the headboard and footboard done, the sides assembled. All they have to do is nail them together. He’s embarrassed that Sunghoon had to witness his meltdown when this hardly seems like any work at all now that they’re doing it together.

His apartment smells like Alpha, seeping into the corners, mixing with his own scent. He finds it doesn’t bother him quite as much as before, now that his Omega has decided Sunghoon is harmless. Sunghoon has a nice scent when Sunoo isn’t so defensive over it - a little like cinnamon and vanilla.

Sunoo’s dozing off on the couch when Sunghoon knocks. He sits up, yawning, and runs a hand through his hair, feeling a little self-conscious. Sunghoon looks so good in his lounge clothes, and Sunoo looks - well. Maternity clothes are expensive. Sunoo had found it easier to just buy oversized regular clothing, none of which are all that flattering. It doesn’t help that he’s bloated and generally not looking his best when Sunghoon’s out there just looking like that .

“Okay, let’s do this,” Sunghoon says when Sunoo opens the door, rubbing his hands together. His eyebrows are scrunched in seriousness. Sunoo’s hit with a wave of cigarette smell, and his stomach rolls. He tries to be discreet but can’t help the way his nose twitches; all he can do is pray he doesn’t get hit with a wave of nausea.

Sunghoon grabs the headboard and carries it in the direction of his room after Sunoo points him over. The headboard is no light thing, but Sunghoon tucks it under one arm like it weighs nothing. The veins on the back of his forearm bulge. Sunoo hovers in the doorway while Sunghoon sets the piece down, his lips twisting.

“You don’t like the smell?” Sunghoon asks, and Sunoo’s eyes flicker up to his in surprise. “The cigarette smell,” he clarifies.

Sunoo flushes, ashamed. He hadn’t meant to be so obvious. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

Sunghoon shakes his head. “It’s fine. I noticed your nose always twitches.”

“It got worse after the pregnancy. I think it’s probably because the secondhand smoke isn’t good for the baby, so my body naturally reacts badly to it.” He sighs. “Sorry.”

Sunghoon suddenly looks stressed. “Sorry. I can run and shower - ”

“No,” Sunoo blurts. “It’s okay, it’s not dangerous like this, it’s just the smell - ”

“I know, I can still - ”

“It’s okay, really. Let’s get the footboard?”

Sunghoon looks like he wants to argue, but in the end he follows Sunoo to the living room. They put the rest of the crib together, Sunoo holding the pieces up while Sunghoon hammers in the nails, and they’re done in fifteen minutes. They step back to look at it, the dark cherry wood cutting a nice contrast against Sunoo’s light walls. It looks perfect, nestled just next to Sunoo’s bed. The room suddenly feels much smaller, but it isn’t in a bad way.

Sunoo finds himself sniffling again.

“Good?” Sunghoon asks.

“She’s - she’s really gonna be here,” Sunoo whispers. He wraps his arms around his belly. “She’s gonna sleep right there.”

Sunghoon’s answering smile is soft.

Sunoo dashes away a stray tear and turns to Sunoo. “Thank you so much for all your help. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

Sunghoon shrugs it off. “It was no problem. I’m glad I could help.”

“It’s almost dinner, do you wanna stay? I can whip something up?”

“I’m going out with a friend, actually, but thanks for the offer.” He backs out of the room, heading toward the front door. “Lemme know if you ever need help with anything.”

“I will. Thanks, Sunghoon-ssi.”

Sunghoon waves and slips out, and Sunoo leans against the closed door with a drawn-out sigh. The apartment feels abruptly empty without Sunghoon’s presence filling it up. Sunoo feels strange.

He rubs his eyes and decides he needs a nap.

♥

Sunoo sees Sunghoon just a few afternoons later when he’s coming home from work. Sunghoon’s sitting on his motorcycle with a cigarette dangling from his lips and phone pressed to his ear. He has a black eye and a split lip. As soon as his gaze lands on Sunoo, he drops his cigarette and crushes it firmly beneath his boot. Sunoo’s caught off guard; the cigarette wasn’t even half-finished.

Sunoo waves, and Sunghoon lifts a hand in response. “Don’t worry,” Sunoo hears Sunghoon say as he nears. Sunoo lingers in the doorway, staring at Sunghoon's injured face, wanting to ask him if he’s okay. “I fucked him up real bad,” Sunghoon continues, brow furrowed. He’s turned his attention away from Sunoo, glaring down at his bike. It isn’t on, he’s just sitting on it, jaw set tight and legs spread wide.

Sunoo frowns. Did he get in a fight? He keys in the code and enters the building, heading for the elevator. Sunghoon had been so sweet when they were fixing the crib that Sunoo had forgotten there was more to him than that.

Sunoo walks to his door in a daze, feeling troubled. He’d let Sunghoon into his apartment without thinking it through. That was stupid. He’s a stranger, an Alpha, and Sunoo has his baby to think about. He can’t risk putting her in danger, but he had. The door slams shut behind him, and Sunoo stares at his empty apartment.

♥

Sunoo's in the middle of a staring contest with his kitchen over whether he should get up and start cooking or not when there’s a knock on his door.

He opens it without thinking, and Sunghoon’s standing there in a leather jacket and shredded jeans. “Hey,” he says, and Sunoo blinks.

“Hi.”

“I’m heading out to get groceries and wanted to see if you need me to pick anything up.”

For a moment, Sunoo flounders. He can’t find the words to answer. Sunghoon has no reason to offer him that, he isn’t his Alpha or his friend, but here he is. Offering. “You don’t have to do that,” Sunoo finally says.

“I know,” Sunghoon says easily, eyebrow quirked. Sunoo tracks the movement. “So what do you need?”

I fucked him up real bad. Sunoo swallows. The black eye has almost faded. “You really don’t have to do that, Sunghoon-ssi. Thank you.”

“Ah, come on.” Sunghoon leans in, hand on the door frame above Sunoo's head. He’s close like this, and Sunoo looks up at him with wide eyes. There’s no cigarette smoke masking his Alpha scent, the cinnamon and vanilla. Sunoo feels a little hazy. “Don’t be like that, Sunoo-ssi.”

“Be like what?” Sunoo says, almost a slur, his brain disconnecting from his mouth.

“I know you probably need something,” Sunghoon insists. “I’m not going out of my way. Let me help.”

“You’re always helping.”

“So?” Sunghoon's shoulder lifts and falls. He stares at Sunoo, waiting, and the weight of his gaze makes it hard to think.

Sunoo steps back to clear his head. “Fine,” he says, if only so Sunghoon will leave and Sunoo can breathe. “But you’re not paying.”

“Sunoo-ssi - ”

“Nope. Not a chance.” He fishes his wallet from his coat pocket, hanging by the door, and retrieves a wad of cash. Sunghoon looks like he doesn’t want to take it, but Sunoo glares at him until he does. Their fingers brush. “Okay, whole milk, bread, eggs, oranges - ”

“Woah, slow down,” Sunghoon laughs. He whips his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Sunoo. “Put your number in. Text me a list.”

Sunoo eyes him, lips pursing, but he takes his phone and puts his number in anyway. Sunghoon takes it back and shoots him a text; Sunoo feels his phone buzz in his pocket.

“I’ll get going. Text me, okay?”

Singhoon waves and backs toward the elevator. Sunoo sighs and takes his phone out to text him, his stomach swirling with something he can’t quite name. He pats his bump. “Sorry, baby,” he murmurs. “I’m probably making you feel weird, too.”

Sunoo walks briskly back-and-forth across his living room as he waits for Sunghoon to return. Walking is a chore with his aching back and swollen feet, but his doctor says it’s good for the baby, so he tries to walk every day. He likes to talk to her while he does, telling her about his day and musing about their future together.

“He’s being nice now,” he tells her thoughtfully, “but he probably won’t feel so genial when you’re born and he hears you crying through the walls all day.”

She kicks as if in protest.

“Mom always said I was really good about crying, though,” Sunoo says. “Maybe you’ll be like me.”

He sighs, shoulders weighing down like they always do when he thinks about his mother. How he wishes she were here with him. His daughter would have made her so happy. She would have been stressed in the beginning, though, upset that he would have to struggle the same way she had, pregnant and alone. She would have hated that. She’d wanted him to have a better life than her.

But Sunoo doesn’t feel like he’s going to have a bad life. She’d been much younger than he is now when she’d had him. He and his mother had struggled, especially when he was younger, but he’d grown up closer to her than anything. They’d been okay together. And Sunoo's going to be okay, too. He’s going to be happy, and his daughter will be, too.

There’s a knock on the door, and Sunoo rushes to answer. Sunghoon’s weighed down with groceries, too many bags to count, and Sunoo steps out of the way so he can set them on the counter. He huffs as he lets go of the load, separating the bags that are Sunoo’s.

“I found everything, I think,” he says.

“Thank you so much,” Sunoo says, peering into the bags. “You’re amazing.”

“Yup.” Sunghoon sets his change down, too.

“Can I make you some coffee or something?”

Sunghoon considers, glancing between the door and Sunoo. Then he nods. “Lemme just drop my groceries off.”

He leaves with his bags, and Sunoo props the door open so he can come back in. Then he puts on a cup of coffee and puts his own groceries away. Sunghoon’s back before long; Sunoo can smell the cinnamon before he even hears him enter.

“Damn, this is you?” Sunghoon calls from the entryway. Sunoo peers around the corner and finds him bent over to examine one of the photos sitting on the table by the coat rack. It’s from Sunoo’s ballet years. He’s flying through the air in his leotard and tights, glitter on his cheeks.

“Um, yeah.”

Sunghoon looks over at him, eyebrows raised and lips slightly parted. He looks impressed, and Sunoo's cheeks warm. “Damn,” he repeats, and Sunoo blushes harder.

“Stop,” Sunoo says, almost a whine. “Come tell me how you want your coffee.”

Sunghoon makes a show of staring at the photo for another minute while Sunoo squirms, holding back a real whine, before he joins him in the kitchen. “So, ballet?”

“I used to dance,” Sunoo mumbles, busying himself with pulling out a mug and his sugar bowl. Sunghoon leans on the counter and watches him, his hair falling loose into his eyes.

“You don’t anymore?”

“I had to quit. Got injured in university, so I switched to an education track.”

“You wanted to teach dance?”

Sunoo nods. “I just couldn’t find a job out of college. I ended up teaching kindergarten instead. Which is good, now that I think about it, because working while pregnant would have been harder if I were teaching dance.”

“I can imagine.”

The coffee’s done brewing, so Sunoo pours Sunghoon a mug and slides it over. “Damn,” Sunghoon says again, staring at the mug without moving. “Ballet.”

“Oh my god,” Sunoo says. “ Stop .”

Sunghoon grins. It’s a little wicked canine peaking out. He pours milk into his coffee, and Sunoo watches it turn light with amusement.

“Is that even coffee anymore?” he teases. “It’s just gonna taste like milk.”

“I like it like that,” Sunghoon huffs.

“So you don’t like coffee.”

“Sunoo-ssi, mind your own business.”

Sunoo giggles, coming around to sit at the counter with Sunghoon. He pours himself a glass of milk. “How old are you by the way Sunghoon-ssi?”

“I’m 24.”

“I'm 23 so that makes me younger" Sunoo says. 

“You can call me hyung,” Sunghoon suggests, and Sunoo smiles. Next to each other, the injuries on Sunghoon’s face are a little more obvious. The black eye is almost gone, but it’s still there. There’s a bruise on his jaw, too.

“Did you get hurt?” Sunoo ventures, pointing at his own eye in explanation.

“Yeah, got an elbow to the eye,” Sunghoon says easily. At Sunoo’s confusion, he continues, “I do MMA.”

Sunoo’s mouth shapes an oh . “Wow, do you compete?”

“I do local tournaments when I want, nothing big. It’s just a really good hobby, keeps me busy and active.”

“That’s really cool,” Sunoo says, and he means it. He’s relieved, too, that Sunghoon isn’t some troublemaker out there picking fights. He feels more comfortable having him in his house knowing that isn’t the case after all.

And he feels a little guilty for judging him so quickly.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but you’re not from Seoul, are you?”

Sunoo shakes his head. “I’m from Suwon.”

Sunghoon nods his head. “I lived in Sunwon for a bit when I was younger.”

“Yeah?”

“My family’s lives in Namyangju now, my hyung, too. I go back and visit all the time.”

“That’s great. I haven’t been back to Sunwon in years.”

“How come? Is your family here?”

Sunoo points at Sunghoon’s coffee, which he’s forgotten about in all the excitement. He takes a sheepish sip. “It was just me and my mom, but she passed away when I was in university.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” There’s genuine feeling in Sunghoon’s voice, and Sunoo appreciates it.

“Thank you.”

“It must be hard.” Sunghoon gestures to his belly. “You must wish you had her for advice.”

“Yeah,” Sunoo sighs. “I really wish she was here. She would have been mad as hell though, me getting pregnant without a mate.”

“I can imagine.” Sunghoon fidgets, glancing away, and Sunoo can tell he really wants to ask. He’s been so good about it so far, so careful not to pry, but of course he’s curious. Everyone always is.

Sunoo pats his arm. “You can ask hyung.”

“I don’t wanna be rude,” Sunghoon blurts, and Sunoo finds himself smiling again. He’s endeared.

“It’s okay, I’m giving you the opening.”

He fidgets anyway, and Sunoo tries not to laugh. “Where’s the baby’s Alpha?” he finally dares, peering at Sunoo carefully, like he’s afraid Sunoo will change his mind and be mad at him regardless.

Sunoo groans, laying his head on the counter. “I was just an idiot,” he whines. “I had a one night stand. You know I like never have one night stands? And the one time I get pregnant.”

“Are you serious?”

“I have the worst luck.” He shoots up, frowning, and pats his bump. “No, I didn’t mean that, sweetheart. You’re not bad luck.”

Sunghoon’s lips twitch. Now he’s the one trying not to laugh. “I’m sure she doesn’t know Korean yet.”

“Uh-uh, there are all these studies about how much babies can hear in the womb.”

“Right, but language skills? Probably not.”

Sunoo huffs. “Anyway. I told him I was pregnant, and he said it probably wasn’t even his baby.”

The way Sunghoon’s face transforms so quickly is almost flattering, makes Sunoo feel cared for. The playfulness in his gaze fades to anger, lips thinning to a line and brows furrowing. “What the fuck.”

“Yeah, fucking asshole. But it’s okay. I always did want to have kids, and I don’t need a mate to do it.”

Sunghoon nods. “That’s true.”

“It just sucks in some regards, like when I go to the doctor with her I won’t have a family history of illness for him and that kind of scares me? Like what if she’s got some susceptibility to some disease that could be preventable but we don’t even know so we can’t prevent it?”

“That sounds scary,” Sunghoon agrees.

“But it’s okay. It’s fine. I’ve got this,” he says firmly, rubbing his belly. She kicks in response, and he starts. “Oh. See? She’s listening.”

“She kicked?” Sunghoon’s eyes are wide and fixed on Sunoo’s belly. They’re sparkling with fascination. It’s so cute that Sunoo’s heart flutters.

“Do you want to touch?”

Sunghoon’s eyes stretch impossibly wider. He looks elated at the idea. “Can I?”

Sunoo angles toward him. “Go ahead.”

Sunghoon reaches out a tentative hand and rests it on Sunoo’s bump. He only has to hold it there for a second before she moves again, and his gaze shoots up to Sunoo’s, full of awe. He’s beaming. “I love babies.”

Sunoo laughs. “Do you?”

“And kids. I just love them.” He pulls his hand away reluctantly, still staring fondly at Sunoo’s bump. “Do you have any name ideas yet?”

Sunoo nods shyly. “Nari, I think. After my mother.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“You must be really happy your hyung had a baby, then, since you love them so much,” Sunoo says. “Jinwoo, right?”

Sunghoon nods happily. “Yeah, I am. He’s so fucking cute, you have no idea. I could look at him all day, his little hands? His fingers are so tiny.”

“Babies are tiny,” Sunoo says wryly.

“I know, but like, they’re so tiny?” He shakes his head in wonder. “I saw him a few weeks ago when I went up to visit, but I miss him already.”

“You’re so cute hyung,” Sunoo laughs. “You’re gonna be the best uncle.”

Sunghoon, to his surprise, blushes. “Nah, I wish I could be around more.”

God, Sunghoon’s adorable, his cheeks pink and his head ducked, talking about his little nephew like he’s the best thing in the world. Sunoo’s so endeared. His heart’s fluttering. He swallows, forces himself to look away before he does something stupid like ruffle Sunghoon’s hair or kiss his cheek. The urge is unbearably strong.

“I should probably get going,” Sunghoon says reluctantly. “I’ve gotta get some work done from home. Thanks for the coffee.”

“No, thank you for all your help. You really saved me so much time and energy.”

“No problem.”

Sunoo takes the empty coffee mug from Sunghoon’s hands before he can do something silly like try to wash it himself. He puts it in the sink and follows Sunghoon to the door.

“You let me know if you ever need anything, yeah?”

Sunoo nods. “You too, okay?”

“Sure thing. See you around, Sunoo.”

Sunghoon slips out with a wave, and Sunoo closes the door behind him. He wraps his arms around his belly and looks down. His heart’s still fluttering. He can’t keep the smile off his face. “Oh, gosh,” he says to her. “What’s wrong with me?”

♥

Lying with his head in Jake’s lap, the scent of coffee lingering in the air and Jake’s fingers scratching absently at his hair, is probably Sunoo’s favorite place in the whole world to be. If he were a cat, he’d be purring. He feels like he might start purring anyway, content down to his bones.

“You wanna take a nap?” Jake asks, his voice quiet so as not to disturb the atmosphere. “You can borrow my bed.”

“Nuh-uh,” Sunoo says, but it’s almost a slur. He really is about to fall asleep. “You’re not getting out of this that easy, Mister Jake.”

Jake snorts. “Getting out of what? There’s nothing going on.”

“I’m not sleeping until you text him.”

“Guess you’re never going to sleep again.”

Sunoo cracks an eye open to glare at him. “You can’t do that to me. I’m pregnant.”

“You’re the one refusing to sleep. I’m not forcing your hand.”

“If you don’t text him, I’ll never sleep, and then you’ll be sorry.”

“That’s emotional blackmail, Sun.”

“It’s the hill I’m willing to die on.”

“Die, then.”

Jake’s about as stubborn as Sunoo is, so they spend a loaded minute glaring at each other where neither of them cracks. “Stop being a commitment-phobe, hyung. Texting him to hang out isn’t signing your life away.”

“I’m not a commitment-phobe.”

“I’m beginning to think otherwise,” Sunoo huffs. “Can you at least show me a picture of him? I’ve been asking you for ages.”

Jake sighs, nudging Sunoo’s head aside for a moment so he can dig his phone out of his pocket. He scrolls through it with a pained expression, like showing Sunoo a picture of the guy he’s been crushing on for months is akin to breaking a limb. “Here’s his Instagram. Have at it. He doesn’t post a lot, though - ”

Sunoo’s already snatching the phone out of his hands. The first picture is a grainy shot of a laptop and a half-finished Americano with some caption about working late. Sunoo scoffs before scrolling to the next one. His eyes bulge out.

“Oh my god.”

“What?” Jake complains.

“ This is the Alpha you’ve been drooling over?” Sunoo nearly shrieks, shooting up and narrowly avoiding knocking Jake in the chin with his head.

“Are you saying that in a good way or a bad way - ”

“Jake hyung, I swear to God if you don’t text him I’m going to text him instead.”

“No you’re not,” Jake whines. “You hate Alphas.”

“I don’t hate them if they look like that, Jesus fuck.”

“Stop exaggerating.”

“Exaggerating!” Sunoo shrieks, peering at the picture again. It’s a shot of his head on a pillow, bedroom eyes and swollen lips, hair falling over his forehead. “You clearly can’t appreciate what you got so give me his number instead.”

“Are you trying to steal my man?”

“He’s not your man if you don’t text him.”

Jake snatches his phone back from Sunoo’s hand, holding it above his head so Sunoo can’t reach. “You’re evil, you know that?”

Sunoo glares at him, hands crossed over his chest, resting conveniently on his bump. Jake caves first, slumping into the couch with a dejected look on his face. He sighs.

“I really like him,” he mumbles.

Sunoo swats his shoulder. “I know you do, silly. You’ve been whining about him forever.”

“He’s just so - ” Jake makes a strangled sort of noise, tossing his head back. “He’s so fucking Alpha .” He squeezes his eyes shut, face scrunching up all cute-like.

Sunoo giggles. “So Alpha, huh? He got a big dick, too?”

“Shut up.” Then, quietly and with a touch of horror in his voice, “I bet it’s huge .”

Sunoo squeals, falling over with laughter. “Oh my god, you’re so gone.”

“You know the other day I fucked something up on my laptop - ”

“As usual.”

“ - and he came to fix it - ”

“Are you sure you’re not doing it on purpose?”

“ - and he just got it running in like a minute and I was saying thank you - ”

“Did you offer to suck his dick?”

“ - and he was like, no problem Jake in this gruff voice, oh my god.”

Sunoo practically shrieks with laughter. “This is amazing, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

Jake slumps over, resting his head on Sunoo's shoulder. “You gotta help me.” His voice comes muffled and still with a touch of horror.

“I’ve been trying,” Sunoo says, exasperated. “You can’t keep pining forever. You need to text him and ask him out.”

“But I don’t have time to date.”

Sunoo pushes him to look at him sternly. “We’ve been over this, Jake hyung. You just have to let him know time is an issue.” He pats Jake's thigh comfortingly. “He knows you’re a resident, he’ll understand.”

“What if he doesn’t wanna date me because I don’t have time for him? I wouldn’t blame him, I couldn’t even get a few hours for your appointment - ”

Sunoo makes a noise of discontent, tugging Jake in. “Stop feeling bad about that. You’re doing your best. We still find time to hang out, don’t we? It’s just about prioritizing. You’ll find time for him, too.”

“It’s not like I need to be in a relationship. I’m perfectly happy.”

“Of course you don’t.” Sunoo strokes his hair back from his forehead. “But would you be happy in a relationship with him, too?”

“Probably,” Jake mumbles.

“Then why not go for it? Just start slow. Ask him out to coffee, that’s it.” Sunoo fixes him with another stern look, gentler this time. “He obviously means a lot to you with how you’ve been acting. You can’t just push your feelings away and expect them to disappear.”

Jake groans. “Stop making sense. I’m supposed to be the one who makes sense.”

“Then start making sense,” Sunoo admonishes. “If this was just some little crush you could let it go, but this is obviously not some little crush.”

“It’s not,” Jake admits. “I really, really like him.”

Sunoo points at his phone.

Jake groans again, rubbing his face in his hands. “Okay,” he says, visibly steeling himself. “Okay. I’m gonna text him.”

Sunoo holds his hand while he shoots out a quick text about coffee. When he’s done, he looks relieved, and Sunoo pats him proudly. “See, wasn’t so bad.”

“Nah,” Jake agrees. “It wasn’t bad at all. Thanks, Sun.”

Sunoo beams. He tries to keep it on the downlow, but one of his great powers is matchmaking. And by everything Jake's told him about this Heeseung guy, they’re the perfect match.

Jake sets his phone down, clearly more relaxed, and pats his lap for Sunoo to lie down again. He does, humming with contentment. “I really do feel bad about not being able to make it to your appointment.” Jake resumes scratching his temples, and Sunoo doesn’t have to look to know he’s frowning.

“It’s not your fault. I’m a big boy, I can go by myself.”

“But you hate going by yourself. It makes you nervous. And this is a big one.”

“Well don’t make me more nervous.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Jake quiets. After a moment, he says, “What about your Alpha neighbor?”

“What about him?” Sunoo says suspiciously.

“Could you ask him to go with you?”

“God, no. We’re barely even friends.”

“You’ve been hanging out with him an awful lot.”

“We hung out, like, twice. And he was helping me both times. I can’t just ask him for help again .”

“Didn’t he say to ask for help if you needed it?”

“Yeah, but this is a whole entire appointment. Not groceries from down the street. It’s too much to ask a stranger.”

“I guess,” Jake says, but Sunoo can hear the doubt in his voice. “He seems like a good guy, I’m sure he’d be willing.”

“That’s weird,” Sunoo whines. “Anyway, I gotta get used to it. Pretty soon I’m going to have weekly appointments. There’s no way I can drag you along to all of those.”

“Sure you can. Did you talk to work about those, by the way?”

“The principal was being a dick about it, but he said I could take off if I needed to,” Sunoo huffs. “Wish I could quit already but. Money.”

“Don’t stress,” Jake says seriously. “I’ve got your back after you quit. You know that.”

“Hyung, you’re not making doctor salary yet.”

“I’ll manage.”

Sunoo sighs. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s eat now, I’m hungry.”

Sunoo had cooked dinner for them both and brought it over because Jake’s useless in the kitchen, and Sunoo’s happy to get him away from takeout whenever he has the chance. They settle down at his breakfast table and open up the containers.

“You know who’s really good at cooking?” Jake says.

“Let me guess. Your Alpha with the big dick.”

Jake doesn’t even rise to the bait. “Yup.”

“God, he’s perfect, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Jake says dreamily, and Sunoo giggles into his plate.

♥

For some reason currently unfathomable to him, Sunoo had decided baking 48 cookies to teach his kindergarteners math would be a great idea. And for some even more unfathomable reason, he’d decided on an extra 12 for Sunghoon next door. He’d just wanted to be nice after all Sunghoon had done for him, and he’d been baking anyway.

Now his kitchen’s covered in flour and trays of dough everywhere he looks, and his feet are aching terribly. He pulls the first batch out of the oven, wiping his forehead on the back of his hand, and trades it in for the next batch. While he waits for the first tray to cool, he checks himself in the hallway mirror to dust some flour off his face and straighten his clothes.

Not that it matters what he looks like. He stares at himself and watches pink spread across his cheeks as he realizes what he’s doing. “It doesn’t matter, Kim Sunoo,” he tells himself, patting his cheeks to center himself.

Then he collects half of the first batch in a container and heads next door.

Sunghoon answers after a minute, and Sunoo’s confronted with so much bare skin that his brain short-circuits. Sunghoon’s shirtless, gray sweats hanging low enough on his hips that they show off his sharp v-line. He’s got abs for days, muscled pecs and small, dark nipples. His tattoos are gorgeous - a cherry blossom tree on his ribs that travels up to fade into an octopus made of petals covering his pec.

Sunoo comes to, realizes he’s staring. He blushes all the way down to his chest. Sunghoon leans against the door frame, crossing his arms over his chest, and raises an eyebrow.

“What’s up?”

Sunoo clears his throat. “Your, uh, tattoos are cool.”

Sunghoon grins in that cute way of his, nose scrunching up. “Thanks.” He nods to the cookies. “Those smell good.”

“Oh,” Sunoo blurts, shaking his head clear. “These are for you hyung.”

He holds the container out, and Sunghoon takes it, looking a little surprised. “For me?”

“I was baking some for my class, so I made extra.”

“Thank you. They look so good.”

“No problem.”

There’s a tense moment where neither of them has anything to say and Sunoo spends most of his energy trying very, very hard not to look below Sunghoon’s neck. It doesn’t help that something about Sunghoon’s scent is spiked today, the usual cinnamon and vanilla coming off musky. Sunoo swallows.

“I gotta go check on the other cookies,” he says too quickly to be believable. “See you later.”

Sunoo turns tail and flees back to his apartment, kicking off his shoes and running to the kitchen just in time for a spurt of slick to leak from his ass. He leans against the counter, groaning in mortification, thanking his lucky stars that he’d made it back inside before Sunghoon could smell him.

“I’m fucked,” Sunoo whines, covering his face with his hands.

♥

Sunoo dreams about Sunghoon.

He dreams about Sunghoon’s voice whispering filth in his ear, about his hands tight under his ass as he lifts him onto his cock and fucks him in the air. He dreams about his knot, too, thick and big, pulling a shriek from Sunoo when he tightens around it. And he dreams about Sunghoon’s cum - a lot of cum.

When he wakes up, he’s humping the maternity pillow between his legs, hips rolling desperately. He’s too horny to be embarrassed, rutting faster against the pillow until he can feel himself growing close, his muscles tightening and mouth dropping open. Half-asleep, he doesn’t think to dig his teeth into his pillow to keep quiet. He moans when he comes, trailing off into a sob as he rides out the aftershocks.

It’s as he lies there catching his breath that he starts to feel mortified again. He just had a wet dream about Sunghoon, his next-door neighbor , who’s been nothing but kind and here Sunoo is, getting off to the thought of him. Cursing his horny pregnancy brain, he rolls out of bed to clean himself up.

“Can you come out quickly?” Sunoo tells his daughter as he shuffles to the bathroom. “I love you, but I’m sick of being pregnant.”

She bumps around in response, and he sighs. He cleans up and heads back to bed, but sleep is elusive after that.

♥

The package he’d ordered a few days ago is sitting outside his door when he leaves for work one morning. Sunoo has started to suspect that Sunghoon’s bringing them up for him; he appreciates being spared an extra trip down. He’s had packages stolen before because he doesn’t pick them up in time. Today, his suspicion is confirmed. A neatly-folded yellow blanket sits next to the package with a note on top.

Saw this while I was out and thought of you. The building gets cold! - SH

Sunoo stares at it for a long moment, reading and rereading, paying attention to the nuances of Sunghoon’s handwriting. It’s an emotional pregnancy day, so to his alarm, he finds himself tearing up. He picks the blanket up and hugs it to his chest. It’s impossibly warm and soft, and it smells just a little bit like Sunghoon. He slips back into his apartment to put it and the package away, but he can’t bear to let it go, lingering with the blanket tucked into his arms. Something about it makes him feel safe. Comfortable.

Eventually, he’s forced to put it away and head to work. He sees Sunghoon on his way out, but he’s already on his motorcycle leaving the parking lot. He waves in Sunoo’s direction, and Sunoo waves back, admiring the way his pants hug his thighs as he straddles the bike. Sunoo spends the bus ride to school resisting banging his head against the seat in front of him.

The other day, Sunghoon had run into him in the hallway and asked him if he knew anyone who might want a coupon to the new game his company had just released. Sunoo had taken a handful and promised to leave them in the lounge at school, so he stops there before he heads to class and arranges them on the table where everyone can see. He pops into Jungwon’s room personally, where he’s distributing scissors onto the students’ desks.

“Morning,” he chirps. “What’s that?”

He hands him the coupon. “My friend designs games,” he says proudly. “His company just put out a new one. It’s really fun if you want to try it.”

Jungwon waggles his eyebrows. “Is this the friend who helped you with the crib?”

“Why are you even assuming that? Like I have one friend?”

He swats at him. “I just wanna hear more about that friend.”

“Oh my god.”

“Which friend?” Ni-ki pipes up from the doorway. He strolls in and deposits a stack of papers onto Jungwon’s table. “The copies you wanted,” he says. “So who are were talking about? Hyung’s got that voice on.”

“What voice?” Jungwon protests.

“The I’m-trying-to-fish-for-gossip voice.”

Sunoo huffs. He hands Ni-ki a coupon, too. “My friend released a game and it’s fun. Here’s a coupon. I’m leaving.”

Jungwon grabs the back of his collar before he can start walking. “So is it the same friend or not? You didn’t deny it.”

“Does it matter?”

“Wait, who are we talking about?” Ni-ki interrupts.

“The bad boy Alpha who helped Sunoo hyung assemble the crib.”

“ Oh ,” Ni-ki says meaningfully, eyebrows raising.

“Who said he was a bad boy?” Sunoo exclaims. “I said nothing of the sort.”

“You did say he wasn’t your type,” Ni-ki says, as if that explains everything. He makes a face at him that suggests it doesn’t.

“Bad boys aren’t your type,” Jungwon elaborates. “He isn’t your type. I put two-and-two together.”

“I don’t remember ever saying bad boys specifically aren’t my type,” SUnoo grumbles, even though they’re right.

“Please, hyung,” Jungwon scoffs. “You’re prissy. Of course you don’t like bad boys.”

“Prissy!” Sunoo shrieks. Of all the appalling things they’ve said since the conversation started, that one has to be the worst. “I’m not prissy.”

“Okay, little ballerina,” Ni-ki coos, and he huffs.

“So he’s a game designer, huh?” Jungwon muses. “That’s kinda cool. How much does he make?”

Sunoo turns a scandalized look his way.

“What?” he says. “That’s a valid question. If he’s gonna support you and the baby, he better have money in the bank.”

“I regret ever telling you about the crib,” Sunoo whines. He’d thought it was totally innocent, just mentioned that he’d had trouble assembling it and his neighbor had helped. He’d just wanted to show them pictures of the crib looking all pretty in his room, but of course they hadn’t let it go. Your neighbor? Is he hot? Is he an Alpha? Somehow he’d ended up divulging more info than he meant to.

“Do you have a picture?” Ni-ki presses. “I wanna see him. How bad boy are we talking? He’s not like, bad bad right? Because you have a baby to think about - ”

Sunoo sticks his fingers in his ears and marches to the door. “I hate you guys!” he shouts over his shoulder, and he’s met with their ringing laughter.

The day passes relatively well in regards to health, at least compared to other days. He only feels slightly nauseous once, and for the most part his only complaint is an aching back and feet. The kids are alright, too, or at least alright as a gaggle of kindergarteners can be. He endures some more light-hearted teasing from Jungwon and Ni-ki at lunch, but a few of their coworkers seem interested in Sunghoon’s game, so he’s happy about that. He’d bought it himself and started playing last night, and he’d thoroughly enjoyed himself.

He might be a little biased, though.

It’s on the way home that his day goes to shit.

People will usually give up their seat for him on the bus, but today it’s packed and he isn’t lucky. No one’s kind enough to offer. He ends up asking a man to move, and he does, but at the next stop a woman who’s even more pregnant than him and clearly can barely stand straight gets on. He ends up giving her his seat when no one else bothers.

He’s left clutching a grab handle and leaning against the side of someone’s seat for balance. He’s already fuming by then, furious that everyone’s just avoiding eye contact and refusing to offer up their seats. Sunoo’s ready to ask someone else to move when the bus starts driving, and he decides that this time, he’ll just wait it out.

Then there’s an Alpha behind him.

His scent is pungent, and Sunoo isn’t subtle about pressing his nose to his arm to avoid it. He grabs the handle behind Sunoo’s, but he’s standing closer than he needs to. Sunoo can feel the brush of his body against his when the bus lurches at a stoplight. It’s happened before, people invading his personal space on the bus or train, usually Alphas. Sunoo’s used to shoving them off or sparing a choice word for them until they back off.

But it isn’t safe, telling Alphas off, and Sunoo’s pregnant. He inches forward, gripping the handle tight, until he can get some breathing room. The Alpha moves with him.

The rest of the bus ride passes in a hazy blur. Sunoo grips the handle so tight his fingers turn white, frozen in place as the Alpha presses against his back. He doesn’t do anything, just stands there, but Sunoo can feel his hard cock against his hip, can feel his breath by his ear. Sunoo breathes through his mouth, nose plugged, and tries not to cry. His whole body feels hot. He’s terrified. He can’t say anything. It would be easy for the Alpha to hurt him. He’d just have to push him over. Sunoo would fall right on his belly.

The Alpha shifts, and Sunoo can feel his cock against his ass now. He rocks his hips, and Sunoo can feel him rubbing against him, tries to inch away as much as he can but there’s someone in front of him, too, and he can only go so far. Bile rises in his throat. He makes eye contact with a man down the bus who’s staring, seems to have realized what’s happening. Sunoo pleads, but he looks away.

Sunoo squeezes his eyes shut, trembling, sweat dripping collecting at his temples, and tries not to vomit. The bus lurches, announcing the arrival of his stop. Sunoo tears off, shouldering people aside so he can leave the stifling heat of the bus. He’s fishing in his pockets for his phone, his fingers sweaty and shaky, casting glances over his shoulder as he speeds down the street. The Alpha doesn’t get off after him.

He keeps his finger over the call button but no one’s walking after him, and he makes it into his building and up to his apartment. It’s only once he’s inside, door locked behind him, that he breathes a shuddering sigh of relief. He presses his face into his hands, breathing hard, is hit with a wave of nausea and runs to the trash can to vomit. Wiping his mouth with a shaky hand, he moves to the bathroom and starts the shower, tearing his clothes off and leaving them haphazardly on the floor.

He wants his scent off. He spends the first ten minutes of his shower scrubbing himself thoroughly, frantically. The scent must not take long to go away, but for Sunoo it lingers, and he keeps scrubbing. Then he’s tired, exhausted, so he sits down on the rubber mat in his tub and lets the shower pound onto his head and shoulders.

Being an Omega means he’s always been vulnerable to these sorts of things, but it’s different now that he’s pregnant. Worse. He’s uniquely helpless with his daughter in his belly, afraid of doing anything to risk her safety. He’s always known it, of course, thought about it many times, that having a child means their safety will always come first. But now he’s confronted with the reality of it, that he’s helpless because of her. That he’ll take anything as long as it means she’ll be safe instead.

And part of him is filled with the sudden fear that these things will happen to her, too, and he won’t be able to protect her at all.

Sunoo wraps his arms around his belly and cries.

♥

He doesn’t sit on his balcony often, just doesn’t have time for it - there are always other things to do. That evening, he makes himself a cup of tea and just sits, the breeze lifting his hair. He feels listless, everything too much energy, existing too difficult. The worst part, he thinks, is that there’s nothing he can do about it. It happened, and that’s that.

And worse yet is that it could happen again tomorrow, or the day after that, or the day after that. Now traveling to and from work will be a source of fear, and he still has a month to go.

Sunoo smells the cinnamon and vanilla before he sees him, and part of him shrinks away. He doesn’t really want to deal with another Alpha right now.

“Hey, Sun.”

Sunoo looks over. He’s leaning against the railing, head tilted, a smile on his face. “Hey.”

Sunghoon stares at him for a minute, and the smile starts to fade. “Are you okay, Sunoo?”

“I’m fine,” Sunoo says automatically, but the tension in Sunghoon’s expression doesn’t lift.

“You smell upset.”

Sunoo shrugs, looks away, the lethargy weighing his face down. He wonders if he could ask Sunghoon for help. Wonders if Sunghoon would take him to work if he asked him to. But Sunghoon has a motorcycle, and Sunoo can’t ride on a motorcycle. Their work schedules start at the same time. That’s not enough time for Sunghoon to ride the bus to Sunoo’s job and then ride it back to his own.

Sunoo sighs, leaning his chin in his hand.

“Sunoo,” Sunghoon repeats, and he sounds worried, panicked even. “You really don’t smell good.”

Sunoo looks back over at him. There’s no point telling him if there’s nothing he can do to help. But Sunoo tries to be rational. Maybe Sunghoon will have an idea that Sunoo’s overwhelmed brain hasn’t thought of yet. Still, it’s hard to get the words out. “There was an Alpha. On the bus,” he tries.

Sunghoon’s scent spikes immediately. His fingers clench the balcony rail until they turn white. He looks like he wants to demand what happened, but he stays quiet, waits, and Sunoo appreciates that.

“He, uh, was too close.” Sunoo swallows, stomach rolling with nausea again. “And he was - was hard. He was trying to - ” He has trouble finishing the sentence, finds it hard to say it out loud when it had felt so awfully humiliating. “To get himself off.”

Sunghoon’s scent grows overwhelming, full of pulsing fury, and Sunoo winces. At the distress on his face, Sunghoon tries to reign himself in. “I’m sorry,” he finally says. “That sounds awful.”

Sunoo nods.

“What can I do for you?” he says. “Can I get you anything? Is there anyone you want to talk to?”

Sunoo shakes his head, sighing again. “No, I just - I’m worried about tomorrow. And if he’ll be there again.”

Sunghoon nods. “I can take you to work.”

He offers so easily. “I can’t get on a motorcycle, hyung.”

“I know. I can borrow my friend’s car, he’ll let me.”

“You can’t borrow his car every day.”

“Sure I can.”

“We have the same hours. You have to get to work, too.”

“I can - ”

“It’s not going to work. I have to take the bus.”

Sunghoon quiets, face scrunched in thought. “I can scent you,” he finally says. “Every morning before you leave. That would ward them off.”

Sunoo considers. “Do you think so?”

He nods. “I do. And I can drop you off at the bus stop, at least, pick you up too. So they won’t see you alone.”

Sunoo hates it, that he has to ask an Alpha to protect him from another Alpha. But he doesn’t see any other option. “Okay,” he says quietly.

“I’m sorry,” Sunghoon murmurs. “I know it’s not the best option.”

“It’s better than nothing.”

“Yeah.” He runs a hand through his hair, still clearly agitated. “Can I do anything for you right now? I can make you dinner?”

Sunoo shakes his head, managing a smile. “I think I just wanna be alone right now. Thank you for helping hyung.” He stands, bring his cup of tea with him. Just before he slips back into his apartment, he says, “And thank you for the blanket. It - it made me really happy.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Sunghoon says, soft and fond, and Sunoo closes the door between them.

♥

Sunoo’s just finished up his breakfast the next morning when Sunghoon knocks on his door. He opens it to find him dressed, and he looks a little awkward, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows.

“Morning,” he says, shuffling inside when Sunoo beckons.

“Morning,” Sunoo responds, and his voice is a little shaky.

He can’t remember the last time someone scented him who wasn’t Jake. He’s not even sure the guy who knocked him up had scented him properly. It must have been his mother. He trusts Sunghoon, so that makes it easier, but it’s still a bit strange. By now, at least he can say they’re friends.

“You ready?” he asks, and Sunoo nods.

“Go ahead.”

Sunghoon closes the distance between them, and Sunoo bares his neck with a nervous flutter of his lids. Sunghoon hesitates before he leans in, and when he does he’s careful, hesitant. His nose brushes lightly over Sunoo’s scent gland, getting him used to the feeling, and Sunoo clasps his hands behind his back. Sunghoon’s careful, respectful, keeps his hands firmly by his sides as he begins to scent him properly, nuzzling his neck thoroughly. Sunoo noses at him, too, brushing against Sunghoon’s scent gland and breathing in the spice.

It makes his head spin, has him leaning in unconsciously, his heart thudding in his chest. Sunghoon smells so good, and the touch of his mouth and nose against Sunoo’s skin has his breath coming quicker. He could get used to this, he finds himself thinking, then flushes subconsciously.

Sunghoon pulls away quicker than Sunoo wants him to, clearing his throat. “That should be good.”

Sunoo nods. “Thanks.”

“Wanna head to the bus stop?”

Sunoo grabs his bag, slips on his shoes, and follows Sunghoon out.

“My sister was telling me Jinwoo can roll onto his tummy now,” Sunghoon says on their way out, his voice light and conversational. When they hit the sidewalk, he rests a hand on the small of Sunoo’s back. “He’s even reaching for toys.”

“Really?” Sunoo says, trying to focus on the sound of his voice and the warmth of his touch instead of his fear.

“He’s been sticking his feet between the crib railings. She sent me a picture.” The bus stop’s up ahead, a small group of people already waiting. “It’s so cute, his little tiny feet.”

“You should visit soon,” Sunoo says, unconsciously curling closer to Sunghoon’s side. Sunghoon's arm slides around his waist, tucking him in securely. “You sound like you miss them a lot.”

They stop near the others, and no one so much as glances their way. Still, Sunoo curls even smaller. “I should,” Sunghoon agrees. “I don’t wanna miss all his milestones.”

“Can I see the picture?” Sunoo says, voice small, staring at their feet next to each other. “Of Jinwoo’s feet.”

Sunghoon tugs his phone out of his pocket and swipes through, holding it out so Sunoo can see. It really is an adorable picture, Jinwoo glancing over his shoulder with his little baby smile, feet stuck between the railings. “Maybe when I have her,” he says, patting his bump, “she and Jinwoo can have playdates.”

“That would be so cute.” Sunghoon lights up at the suggestion. Sunoo imagines two babies together would probably make him combust.

A bus drives by. It isn’t his bus, but Sunoo tenses anyway. Sunghoon’s grip tightens around his waist, then he’s leaning in to nose at Sunoo’s neck again. His smell is comforting, and Sunoo nuzzles into him. By the time he gets on, he’s going to be reeking of Sunghoon.

“Did you get hurt hyung?” Sunoo murmurs, touching the light-colored pain patch on his shoulder that’s peeking out from underneath his loose collar.

“It’s a nicotine patch, actually,” Sunghoon says.

“Oh. You’re trying to quit?”

He nods, and Sunoo hums, realizing that he hadn’t even noticed how Sunghoon’s scent wasn’t muddled with cigarettes at all.

“Is it hard?”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “But it’s okay. I need to quit.”

Another bus rolls up to a stop, and this time it’s his. Sunoo stiffens, but Sunghoon grabs Sunoo’s wrist and presses it against his scent gland, coating it thoroughly. “Keep your phone in your hand,” he says. “Call me if you’re scared.”

Sunghoon looks as reluctant to let him go as Sunoo feels to leave. Shouldering his way to the front of the line so he gets a good seat is usually too difficult to bother trying, but Sunghoon doesn’t let it go so easily. Sunoo doesn’t miss the way he seems to grow bigger, his scent spiking, growing a little aggressive, as he mutters excuse me’s and helps Sunoo onto the bus. No one wants to mess with him, and Sunoo gets onto the bus easily and carefully. He even finds a seat.

He leans against the window and waves as the bus pulls off, watching Sunghoon’s lone figure, his hands tucked into his pockets, until he can’t see him anymore. Then he sits perfectly still and clutches his phone so tightly in his hand it almost hurts. He makes it work with no problems, but he doesn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he’s inside the school building. Then he’s so relieved he almost cries, trying not to think about how there’s still another bus ride home, and by then Sunghoon’s scent will have lost some of its strength.

Jungwon steps into his classroom a minute after he does, his eyes a little wide. “Um, why do you smell like that?”

Sunoo sighs, sitting down at his desk. “It’s a long story.”

“You’re reeking of Alpha. I could smell you from my room.” He steps inside, pulling up a kiddie chair to sit next to him, comically lower. “Is everything okay?”

“An Alpha was bothering me on the bus,” Sunoo murmurs. “My neighbor offered to scent me to keep him away.”

“Oh no,” Jungwon murmurs, reaching out to take one of his hands between his own. He holds it carefully, stroking his knuckles. “I’m sorry, hyung.”

Sunoo nods, appreciating the warmth of his gaze.

“Wish I could do something,” Jungwon says. “But I take the bus, too. Ni-ki takes two.”

“Yeah. It’s okay. I don’t really have a choice.” He shrugs. “But hopefully the scent will ward them off.”

“It’ll definitely help.”

He leaves the rest of his statement unsaid; they both already know the caveat. It’ll help, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be enough.

“Just one more month,” Sunoo says, steeling himself. “Just gotta work for one more month.”

“One more month,” Jungwon mumbles, and they sit there miserably, holding hands until the students begin to arrive.

♥

The bus ride home passes as smoothly as the one to work, though Sunoo spends it frozen still and with sweat collecting on his collarbone. Sunghoon’s already waiting at the bus stop when they pull up; Sunoo can see him through the window, standing with his hands in his pockets again, his expression hard thick eyebrows furrowed. The sight of him fills Sunoo with so much relief that he bounds over as soon as he steps off the bus, burrowing himself in Sunghoon’s arms. Sunghoon takes it in stride, rubbing comfortable circles on his back, nose buried in his hair.

“Everything okay?” he checks, and Sunoo nods. “Let’s get you home.”

He wraps his arm securely around Sunoo’s waist, and they head back to their building. The stress of the day starts to fade with the safety Sunghoon offers.

One day down, many more to go.

♥

Like he finds himself doing more often than not, Sunoo’s going through his baby things. He’s done it a thousand times, but he checks the sheets on her crib and folds and re-folds her clothing, setting her little booties carefully in their drawer. It’s partially a comfort and partially an anxious tick, the way he keeps going through her things to make sure they’re perfect. He’s fiddling with a little mobile he’d gotten, listening to it jingle, when there’s a knock on the wall.

“Sun, that you?” Sunghoon’s voice comes muffled through the wall.

Sunoo snorts. “No hyung, it’s the baby.”

Sunghoon chooses to ignore him. “Come over, I’m making dinner.”

“What are you making?” Sunoo asks, nearing the wall and sniffing. Something does smell good.

“Come over and find out.”

Sunoo rolls his eyes at his imperious tone but puts the mobile back in its place and heads over. He wraps his yellow blanket around his shoulders and shuffles next door, Sunghoon opening before he even raises a hand to knock. The smell of his cooking wafts out the door, and Sunoo sniffs appreciatively.

“Wow, smells yummy.”

Sunghoon grins. He looks handsome today, like always, and Sunoo’s traitorous heart gives a flutter. He jerks his head for Sunoo to follow and moves over to the kitchen, where the rice cooker’s beeping and the stove’s busy. Sunoo’s mouth waters. Sunghoon grabs a spoon and stirs one of the pots, and Sunoo leans over his shoulder to peek.

“Veggie stew and stir-fry squid,” Sunghoon clarifies, gesturing to the pot and pan.

“Oh my gosh.”

Sunghoon beams. “Go sit down, it’ll be ready soon.”

Sunoo hasn’t been inside Sunghoon’s apartment yet, so he takes a moment to peer around. It’s sparse but mostly neat and clean, a small breakfast table in the kitchen and a couch and coffee table before a TV in the living room. The smell of the food is mostly overpowering it, but underneath Sunoo catches Sunghoon’s scent, powerful and clinging to everything. It makes him a little dizzy.

“I didn’t know you cooked,” Sunoo says, settling at the table with his blanket tucked securely around his shoulders. He’s pretty sure he sees Sunghoon coming home with takeout and bags of cup noodles most evenings.

Sunghoon shrugs. “Only sometimes.”

“You’re going all out tonight.”

“You know sometimes the mood just strikes you. I just felt like cooking.”

Sunoo contentedly watches him move around until the food’s ready. He brings it to the table: stew, squid, rice, kimchi.

“I double-checked so you should be okay to eat everything,” Sunghoon says. “There’s nothing in here you can’t have.”

Sunoo’s heart swells. He’d been thinking of him before he started cooking, then. Bothered to research what was okay for him to eat first. “That’s really sweet of you, hyungie.”

Sunghoon glances up from where he’s setting their bowls down, looking surprised. “Huh? It was nothing.”

Sunoo smiles down at his lap. Sunghoon gestures for him to start first, so he ladles himself bowlful of stew and waits for Sunghoon to do the same.

“That’s it?” Sunghoon reprimands. He reaches out and ladles more into Sunoo’s bowl.

Sunghoon’s blushing. It feels silly but he’s blushing and his heart feels all weird and woozy and Sunoo doesn’t really know what to do with himself. He eats and tries not to be too obvious about the way he can’t quite tear his gaze away from Sunghoon tonight.

“How’s quitting going?” Sunoo asks as an excuse for his staring, gesturing the patch on Sunghoon’s shoulder.

“Sucks,” Sunghoon groans, shaking his head. “Don’t even ask.”

“I’m sorry,” Sunoo say, frowning. “I’m proud of you for trying.”

Sunghoon’s cheeks tinge pink. He glances away and mumbles something that sounds like thanks. Sunoo takes a bite of the food and it’s delicious - Sunghoon’s really outdone himself.

“This is so good,” he gushes, and Sunghoon looks proud.

“Sometimes it doesn’t turn out great,” he laughs sheepishly.

“Well, it’s perfect tonight.”

“You must be my good luck charm,” Sunghoon says, and Sunoo’s blushing all over again.

They eat in companionable silence for a while, Sunghoon pushing more food Sunoo’s way whenever he starts looking low. He eats well himself but seems more concerned with making sure Sunoo’s eating better. All the attention is making Sunoo flustered.

Eventually Sunoo has to insist that he’s full for Sunghoon to let up. He helps clear the dishes away, and Sunghoon suggests Netflix since neither of them have much to do for the rest of the night. They settle in on the couch to watch some baking show, and Sunoo spreads his blanket across both their laps. He’s a little pleased that it’ll soak up some of Sunghoon’s scent.

“It’s gonna fall,” Sunghoon says, peering intently at the towering cake on TV. He’s so invested. It’s cute. “Look, it’s melting.”

Sunoo tears his gaze away from Sunghoon’s handsome side profile to actually watch the show. “It still looks yummy.”

“I need my glasses for this,” Sunghoon mutters, fumbling around the coffee table.

Sunoo giggles. “You have to watch it fall in HD?”

“Obviously,” Sunghoon huffs.

Sunoo glances back over at him, and his breath catches. The thick-rimmed glasses suit Sunghoon immensely, give him a serious, even more mature look. Sunoo swallows and looks away. He smells so good . He always does, but today there’s something sharper about his scent, something different.

They had started out sitting at a reasonable distance, not too close but close enough to share the blanket, but they’re closer now. Sunoo hadn’t even realized he’d shifted. Maybe it’s Sunghoon who moved. He bites his lip, peering at Sunghoon from the corner of his eye, and dares to inch a little closer. Sunghoon doesn’t react, doesn’t look at him, but he slips his arm around Sunoo’s waist anyway. Sunoo suppresses the happy flutter of his heart and leans into Sunghoon’s side.

He’s warm and solid and Sunoo could stay like this forever, wrapped in Sunghoon’s scent. “You smell so good,” he mumbles, nuzzling into Sunghoon’s shoulder. Then he freezes, mortified that he’d said that aloud, doesn’t know what came over him.

“Yeah, I’m, uh.” Sunghoon looks equally embarrassed, won’t meet Sunoo’s eye. “I’m pre-rut.”

Sunoo blushes harder. That explains why Sunoo can’t keep away from him tonight. “Oh.”

“I wanted to talk about that actually.” Sunghoon shifts to look down at him. “I rented a rut room so I’ll be gone for three days.”

Sunoo nose twitches in sympathy. The best thing about being pregnant (besides his daughter) is not having heats. For people who live in apartments, renting rooms designed specially for ruts and heats is the only option. Their building is especially strict about not spending ruts and heats inside apartments, given that the floors aren’t separated by subspecies.

“It’ll hit on the weekend but cross into Monday, so I won’t be here to scent you before work.”

“Oh.” Sunoo’s stomach twists into a painful knot. “That’s fine, I understand.”

“I asked my friend from work to drive you to school Monday.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Sunoo blurts, alarmed.

Sunghoon pats his waist soothingly. “I don’t want you to go on your own. He’s a really good guy, I’ve known him forever. He’ll just drop you off on his way to work.”

“I don’t know,” Sunoo frets. “That’s a lot to ask of a stranger, I can just go on my own for one day - ”

“It’s not. It’s just a ride, Sun. He didn’t even bat an eye when I asked.”

Sunoo quiets. Considers it. He doesn’t want to go on the bus without the security of Sunghoon’s scent, but - “Is he - is he an Alpha?”

Sunghoon nods. “His name’s Heeseung, he does tech support at the hospital and contract stuff for my company sometimes. He’s really - ”

Sunoo blinks, sitting up. Heeseung who does tech support at a hospital. “Lee Heeseung?”

Now Sunghoon’s the one who looks surprised. “You know him?”

Sunoo starts to giggle. “Yes. Well, no. Not technically .”

What are the odds? The hot, reserved Alpha Jake’s been crushing on for fucking forever is friends with Sunghoon. It’s a small world after all.

“What?” Sunghoon asks, put off by the way Sunoo can’t stop giggling. “Why are you laughing?”

Sunghoon’s pouting a little, and Sunoo leans into him in his laughter. “It’s Lee Heeseung.”

“What’s so funny?” It’s almost a whine, and Sunoo coos.

He probably shouldn’t go around spilling Jake’s secrets to one of Heeseung’s friends, but then again they have already gone on one coffee date. Sunoo figures it’s fair game. Still, he warns, “You cannot tell him what I’m about to tell you, okay?”

Sunghoon’s brows furrow. “You got the hots for him or something?”

Sunoo snorts with laughter, swatting at his shoulder. “ No , listen.” He pulls himself together. “My best friend has the world’s biggest crush on a Lee Heeseung who works tech at a hospital.”

There’s immediate relief on Sunghoon’s face. Then he starts to grin. “No way. Songdo Hospital?”

“That’s the one. His name’s Sim Jake, he’s a resident there.”

Now Sunghoon’s the one who’s laughing. “Are you serious? Sim Jake?”

“Oh my god, has he talked about him?”

“ Talked about him?” Sunghoon exclaims. “Literally all I ever hear is Jake this, Jake that, Jake’s such a clutz he short-circuited his whole laptop yesterday, Jake’s got such a nice smile- ”

“This is gold . Jake hyung agonized over whether to ask him out or not for months .”

“So did Heeseung hyung, he kept saying bullshit like why would he wanna go out with the random tech guy - ”

“Are you kidding, hyung thinks Heeseung hung the stars in the sky or something - ”

“Oh my god.”

“I can’t believe our friends are in love.”

Sunghoon’s laughter dies off, and he runs a finger under his eye to catch a stray tear. “Well, I heard they went on a date. So hopefully that means they’re getting their heads out of their asses.”

“Thank god,” Sunoo groans, cuddling back against Sunghoon. “Hyung’s angsting was too much.”

“Honestly, I was sick of it.” Sunghoon curls his arm around his waist again. “So it’s okay if he drives you then?”

Sunoo nods. “I really wanted to meet him anyway.”

They settle back into watching the show for a little while. Sunoo fidgets. There’s been a question knocking around his head for a while now, and he doesn’t quite know how to ask it. It feels like too much to ask, but Sunghoon is so sweet that maybe he won’t mind. And Sunoo’s been eating himself alive with stress.

“Hyungie,” he starts quietly. Sunghoon glances down. “I, uh, wanted to ask for a favor.”

“What’s up?”

“It’s kind of a lot to ask. So if you can’t, don’t worry. Don’t feel like you have to say yes or anything because I’ll understand.”

“Spit it out,” he says, but it’s gentle.

Sunoo swallows. “Um, I have a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday. Usually Jake hyung goes with me because I get anxious going by myself, but he can’t get out of work that afternoon and they don’t have any other appointments.”

“Sure, I’ll go.”

Sunoo flounders, mouth snapping shut. Sunghoon says it so easily. “I didn’t even ask yet.”

“You’re gonna ask me to go with you, right?”

“Yeah,” Sunoo mumbles.

“So yeah, I’ll go.”

“Really?”

“No, I’m lying,” Sunghoon snorts. “Of course I will. I’ll see if I can borrow Heeseung hyung’s car for the afternoon.”

“I’m sorry,” Sunoo says, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. How could he agree so easily? How could he do so much for Sunoo like it was nothing? “I’m always asking so much of you.”

Sunghoon snorts again. “Are you kidding? You never ask me for anything. I always have to pry it out of you.”

“Because you do so much already hyung!” Sunoo huffs, and Sunghoon laughs. He reaches out to squeeze Sunoo’s cheek teasingly.

“We’re friends, aren’t we? Friends help each other out.”

“Yeah,” Sunoo sniffles, resting his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Hey.” Sunghoon’s voice is softer, lower, and he fits his fingers under Sunoo’s chin to lift it so they’re looking at each other. His gaze is as tender as his voice. “I told you to ask me for help. So don’t feel bad, okay?”

“Okay,” Sunoo whispers, eyes locked on Sunghoon’s. He’s so close Sunoo can feel Sunghoon’s breath warming his lips. He swallows harshly, and Sunghoon’s gaze flickers down to his mouth. Sunoo’s heart stutters. For a moment he thinks it’s really going to happen, that one of them’s going to close the distance between them. But then there’s a loud exclamation of surprise from the TV, and the moment’s gone.

They look away from each other. Sunoo clears his throat.

“I should probably go,” he says regretfully. “It’s getting late.”

“You need your sleep,” Sunghoon says, tone light.

Sunoo folds up the blanket and shuffles toward the door. “Thank you for dinner. I had a really nice night.”

“Hey, take some with you.” Sunghoon disappears into the kitchen, and Sunoo hears him bustling around.

“Keep it for yourself, you can have leftovers for tomorrow.”

“There’s plenty for both of us.” He emerges with plastic containers of food and hands them to Sunoo.

“Thank you, hyungie. Good luck with your rut.”

Sunghoon smiles. “Sleep well, Sun.”

“You, too.”

Sunoo waves, every step out of his apartment and into his own heavy like lead. He won’t see Sunghoon for three whole days, and that feels like forever. Even if they don’t hang out every day, he still sees him in the hall every now and then or out in the parking lot. Sunghoon doesn’t close the door until Sunoo’s opened his own. He waves one last time, and Sunoo waves back.

Sunoo’s apartment door closes behind him, and he feels the emptiness acutely. He heads straight to his bed and adds the yellow blanket to his nest, hoping Sunghoon’s scent will carry him through the next three days.

♥

Heeseung’s standing at the entrance of their apartment building on Monday morning. Sunoo bursts out in a rush, afraid of keeping him waiting, and barely gets a look at him before he dips into a bow.

“Thank you so much for doing this,” he says, slightly out of breath. “It’s really kind of you and I appreciate it.”

“Woah, slow down,” he says, a hint of amusement in his low voice. Sunoo straightens. He’s even more handsome in real life than his Instagram pictures, hands tucked into the pockets of his slim slacks, and Sunoo can’t wait to tease Jake about it.

“Really, thank you,” Sunoo insists.

“It’s nothing,” Heeseung says lightly. “Nice to finally meet you.”

“Nice to finally meet you, too.” Sunoo’s lips quirk up into a sly smile. “You’re friends with Jake hyung.”

Heeseung’s ears tinge pink immediately, and Sunoo has to hold back a giggle. “Uh, yeah.” He rubs his nose. “My car’s over there.”

Sunoo follows him over and slips into the passenger side of Heeseung’s car. Heeseung hovers around him like he’s worried Sunoo will have trouble getting in, which makes him huff. “I’ll be fine,” he says, and Heeseung flushes.

“Sorry. You’re just. Really big.”

Sunoo snorts. “She’s about ready to pop out.”

Heeseung looks vaguely alarmed at the thought of that, and Sunoo can’t hold back the giggle this time. Sunoo slips on the wristbands he uses for motion sickness before Heeseung pulls out of the parking lot. Heeseung seems to know his way, so Sunoo only has to clarify a few turns. The car is naturally full of Heeseung’s scent, and it puts Sunoo on edge for about half the ride before he grows accustomed to it. After that, it’s pleasant.

“Jake talks about you a lot,” Heeseung says. “Glad I can put a face to the name.”

“He talks about you a lot, too,” Sunoo grins, and Heeseung’s mouth twitches. “Heard you guys went on a date.”

Heeseung’s so easily flustered that Sunoo can’t help but bother him. “We got coffee, yeah,” he mumbles.

“You know I’m his best friend, right?”

Heeseung nods, expression wary.

“So you know if you hurt him I’ll kill you, right?”

Heeseung’s expression eases, and he scoffs. “You’re so intimidating with your belly so big you can barely walk.”

“Hey,” Sunoo huffs. “This is temporary. I have a black belt in taekwondo.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Heeseung shakes his head, but he’s smiling, too, some of his awkwardness starting to fade. “I’d probably beat myself up first if I hurt him.”

It’s mumbled, and he looks embarrassed right after he says it, but Sunoo beams. He reaches over and pats Heeseung’s shoulder with amused sympathy. “I have to give you a hard time because it’s my job, but I’m really happy the two of you finally went on a date.”

“Thanks. Me, too.” At a stoplight, Heeseung turns a calculating look onto Sunoo. “Sunghoon talks about you a lot, too, you know.”

Sunoo blushes immediately. He stares resolutely ahead. “Uh-uh, we’re not doing this.”

“Can dish it out but you can’t take it, huh?”

“This is different .”

“Right.” Heeseung rolls his eyes.

Traffic inches at this time of day, and they settle in for the wait. Sunoo had had an inkling, but still he hadn’t quite realized how much he would miss Sunghoon when he was gone. It’s only three days, but it feels like forever. He’s grown accustomed to being scented by him, finds a level of comfort and security in it, and so does the baby. She’s calmer on days Sunghoon scents Sunoo, as if she’s adapted to Sunghoon’s scent too, and the past days have been hard on both of them.

“So when are you due?”

“July 18.” Sunoo pats his bump on instinct.

“You must be excited.”

“Very. And nervous.”

“I can’t imagine. Jake’s really excited, too, he’s always talking about it. He keeps collecting clothes and toys and things - ” Heeseung freezes, eyes narrowing. “Wait, I probably wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

Sunoo whines, collapsing dramatically against the window. “He isn’t .”

“He is,” Heeseung says solemnly. “He’s also terrified of holding the baby, did you know that? Thinks his butterfingers are going to kick in.”

“Oh my god.”

Heeseung looks so fond that Sunoo’s heart stirs. After listening to Jake talk about Heeseung for so long, it’s so nice to see those feelings reciprocated.

“So how long have you and Sunghoon hyung known each other?” Sunoo asks conversationally.

Heeseung has to think, brows furrowed. “It’s been forever. Since he started university, I think? I was his senior in the same program.”

“Wow, it’s been a while.”

“He’s a great guy,” Heeseung says fondly. “Just real good of heart. An honest, genuine person. Wears his heart on his sleeve”

“Yeah,” Sunoo murmurs. “He’s really sweet.”

“Even though he’s younger than me, I admire him,” Heeseung admits. “He’s always working hard and learning new things.”

“I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do,” Sunoo agrees.

“Yeah, and he’s good at calling you out on your shit, too. Which I need more often than I think,” he says wryly, and Sunoo laughs. “I’m lucky I have him. He’s pretty much all I’ve got left in this city.”

“It’s like that with me and Jake hyung,” Sunoo says. “Most of our friends from university have gone on to other things, and my mother passed away. He’s all I’ve got.”

“My mother passed away, too,” Heeseung says, and Sunoo’s heart warms with kinship. “You were close to yours?”

“We were best friends.” Sunoo smiles a little at the thought of her. It had always been just the two of them against the world, and she had always been so full of love. Sunoo had grown up looking at her like she was everything. “Were you close to yours?”

“It was complicated. But I miss her.”

“Yeah.”

They fall into a comfortable silence that picks up into casual conversation again after a while. They get along easily, and after meeting him Sunoo’s even more convinced that he and Jake are perfect for each other. They make it to Sunoo’s school, and Sunoo thanks Heeseung again for the ride with a wish that they meet again. He’s heading inside when Heeseung leans out of the window to call, “Maybe you and Sunghoon can go on a double date with us.”

It’s a cowardly move, saying it when Sunoo can’t protest. Heeseung grins and drives away, leaving Sunoo standing there with a furious blush on his face.

♥

“He’s courting you,” Jake says, a look of deep disbelief on his face as he stares at Sunoo across the dinner table. Tonight’s meal is a pasta the two of them had somehow managed to whip up together in a bid to try something new. It isn’t as good as the pictures, but it’s edible.

“What?” Sunoo blinks, a bite of pasta freezing the way to his mouth.

Jake keeps looking at him like he’s an idiot. “You’re an idiot.”

“What makes you think he’s courting me?” Sunoo takes Jake’s disbelief for his own, setting his fork down decidedly.

Jake raises his hand and begins to count off on his fingers. “He bought you a blanket, he made you food, he’s always worried about protecting you - ”

“These are all also friend things, that doesn’t mean anything - ”

“Not for an Alpha,” Jake says knowingly. “And who just gifts someone a blanket of all things? Have I ever bought you a blanket?”

“Maybe you’re just not that thoughtful,” Sunoo sniffs.

“He’s an Alpha, Sunoo. He isn’t going to do things that come off as courtship so casually. He wouldn’t gift you a blanket if he didn’t know what that meant.”

Sunoo’s lips twist as he considers. He’ll admit that he would probably never give someone a gift as intimate and personal as a blanket. Especially not an Omega, not with the association with scents and nesting and all that. But if Sunghoon’s courting him, he must have realized that Sunoo hadn’t caught on yet.

“Why hasn’t he said anything?” Sunoo mumbles. “I haven’t mentioned it. Why hasn’t he clarified if those are his intentions?”

Jake shrugs. “Maybe he thinks you aren’t an idiot. Rose-colored glasses and all that.”

Sunoo kicks him under the table. “Don’t think I won’t fuck you up just because I’m pregnant.”

“I have never once thought that in my life.”

“I still don’t believe it,” Sunoo says dubiously. “He’s really courting a pregnant Omega?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I dunno, it’s just - most people don’t wanna be saddled with a kid that isn’t theirs.”

“You said he loves kids,” Jake points out. “And from everything you’ve said about him, he doesn’t sound reckless. He wouldn’t have decided to court you if he hadn’t thought things through first.”

Sunoo slumps in his seat, playing with his food. The thought of it makes his heart feel like bursting, so he doesn’t want to think about it. What if Jake is wrong and Sunghoon isn’t interested in him like that? Or what if he is but it doesn’t matter, he isn’t committed enough, he changes his mind when he’s confronted with the reality?

Or what if Jake is right and Sunghoon wants Sunoo as much as Sunoo wants him?

Sunoo swallows, his face hot. “So what do I do?”

“You like him, don’t you?” Jake says gently, and Sunoo does. He likes him a lot. So much that he has to stop himself from dreaming too hard because he’s afraid he’ll just end up hurt in the end.

But sometimes, when his defenses are down, he lets himself dream. He lets himself imagine a life where Sunghoon’s arm is around him when he wakes up, where Sunghoon calls out for him when he hangs his coat on the hook, where Sunghoon holds his baby - their baby - in his arms and sings her a lullaby.

“I really, really like him,” Sunoo whispers, and Jake’s gaze is sympathetic.

“Then let him court you.”

That sounds easier said than done. There are just so many things to think about and Sunoo’s always been the type to think too hard.

Jake reaches across the table and flicks his forehead. “Eat your dinner, the baby’s probably hungry.”

Sunoo huffs and does as he’s told. “So you probably already heard, but Heeseung hyung drove me to and from work today.”

“I did hear,” Jake says. “He says you’re cute but also kind of a brat.”

Sunoo gasps in mock offense. “Did you defend me?”

“Is he wrong?”

“You’re the worst best friend ever. Didn’t anyone ever tell you bros before hoes?”

“Are you calling Heeseung hyung a hoe?”

“I might be,” Sunoo huffs. “Anyway, he’s really cool. I think you and him really fit.”

“Thanks, Sun. That really means a lot.”

“Of course. I mean it.”

“I hope I get to meet Sunghoon soon,” Jake presses, and Sunoo flushes.

“We’ll have to see about that,” he mutters.

♥

Sunghoon knocks on Sunoo’s door on Tuesday morning, and Sunoo flings the door open before he can get a second knock in. He’d been waiting with jittery fingers for Sunghoon to come, beyond ready to see him after three days apart. The sight of Sunghoon standing there, hand still up to knock, fills Sunoo with butterflies that are a mix of happy and nervous.

“Hey,” he breathes, but the word’s barely out of his mouth before Sunghoon  is pulling him in.

His arm wraps firmly around his waist as he buries his nose in Sunoo's neck, inhaling a shuddering breath, his lips tracing Sunoo’s skin. Sunoo shivers and falls limp in his hold, head dropping back to arch his neck. He can feel himself growing lightheaded as he takes in Sunghoon’s scent, still sharp and musky from the remnants of his rut.

God, he’d really missed him. The realization makes him emotional. To his embarrassment, he can feel tears welling in his eyes. He blinks them away quickly. Sunghoon scents him for another long minute, holding Sunoo against him, before he finally pulls back.

“Hey,” Sunghoon says, and Sunoo blushes. He’s still a little hazy. After his conversation with Jake, being around Sunghoon has him feeling all woozy.

“Hi,” Sunoo says again, uselessly.

“I missed you,” Sunghoon admits, and Sunoo blushes harder.

“I missed you, too,” Sunoo mumbles. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Sunghoon mutters, looking embarrassed. “You ready to go?”

Sunoo nods, grabbing his bag and slipping on his shoes. He follows Sunghoon to the elevator.

“Everything go okay with Heeseung hyung?”

“He’s really nice,” Sunoo says, trying not to start flushing again at the memory of Heeseung’s last words to him.

“I got back late last night,” Sunghoon tells him as they ride the elevator down. He sighs, prodding at his glinting ear piercing absently. “I wanted to come see you but I figured you were probably asleep.”

“That’s okay,” Sunoo says, realizing that he would have been completely fine with Sunghoon waking him up if it’d meant he’d gotten to see him earlier.

Sunoo’s really a goner.

Sunghoon’s phone starts ringing as they leave the building. “It’s my sister,” he says, and Sunoo nods for him to go ahead. It’s a video call; Sunghoon holds the phone out and answers. There’s a baby on screen, eyes big and feet wiggling. Sunghoon’s face brightens almost comically. “Jinwoo!” he exclaims. “Hi, baby.”

Jinwoo gargles. Sunoo leans closer to Sunghoon to see him, a smile spreading across his face in delight. Jinwoo’s adorable . He’s wearing a fluffy pink romper with bunny ears, and Sunoo feels like he’s going to melt into a puddle. He has to stop himself from cooing out loud, realizing it might not be polite for him to be a part of the phone call.

“You’re so cute,” Sunghoon’s crooning, leaning in to kiss his phone with a wet smack. Jinwoo giggles, tiny hand reaching for the phone in front of him.

The camera shifts, murmuring in the background before Sunghoon’s sister comes into view. She looks tired, dark circles under her eyes and face drawn, but she smiles at the sight of Sunghoo. They look similar, the two siblings. Sunoo leans away to make sure he isn’t on camera.

“Yeji,” Sunghoon says happily, and Yeji waves.

“Hey, oppa. You’re on your way to work?”

“Yeah, sort of. I’m walking Sunoo to the bus stop.”

Sunoo blinks in surprise at the casual mention of his name. He wouldn’t have thought Sunghoon had mentioned him to his sister before.

“ Oh ,” Yeji draws out the word in interest. “I would have waited until the evening to call, but I wanted to show you Jinwoo’s outfit before he puked on it or something.”

Sunghoon laughs. “He looks adorable.”

“Turn the camera, lemme say hi to Sunoo-ssi.”

Sunoo flounders, casting a panicked look in Sunghoon’s direction, but Sunghoon just pats his waist and turns the phone toward him. “Hi,” Sunoo says, waving awkwardly. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Yeji says. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Sunoo flushes. “Good things I hope.”

“Oh, yeah,” Yeji says knowingly. “Great things.”

Sunoo shoots Sunghoon a look, but Sunghoon grins shamelessly back. “Um, Jinwoo looks really adorable. He’s five months now, right?”

“Yup.” Yeji sounds proud. “He can almost sit on his own now, and he’s starting to sleep through the night.”

“Wow, how exciting.” Sunoo feels a burst of excitement for himself, too, for the day he’ll get to see his daughter growing up. It won’t be long now.

“You’re due soon. You must be nervous.”

“Very,” Sunoo sighs. “Were you nervous, too?”

Yeji casts her eyes skyward at the memory. “God, it was already hard enough getting sleep without how anxious I was on top of it.”

“I feel that.”

“But from what Sunghoon oppa’s told me, you’re going to be a great mom. Don’t worry yourself too much.”

“Thank you,” Sunoo says shyly.

Sunghoon turns the camera back to himself to complain, “Can you give Jinwoo the phone? I’ve been looking at your face for 20 years, let him have a turn.”

Yeji snorts. “Can’t believe you don’t even care about your poor sister anymore. Fine, fine.” She shifts the camera back to Jinwoo, and Sunghoon coos at his phone for the next five minutes until the bus arrives.

He hangs up before helping Sunoo onto the bus. “Have a good day,” he says, looking as reluctant to let him go as Sunoo feels.

“I’ll see you later,” Sunoo says, unwilling to pull away.

“We’ll have dinner tonight,” Sunghoon tells him, and Sunoo nods before finally finding his seat.

He watches Sunghoon fade away through the window of the bus.

♥

Sunoo dreams about the Alpha from the bus.

In his dream he has a voice, harsh and threatening, and a grip that’s even harsher. In his dream Sunoo struggles and fights but it isn’t enough, only makes him angry, and then he pushes him and Sunoo’s falling face-first, right onto his belly.

He wakes up sobbing, drenched in sweat, fear tightening his muscles. It takes him a long time to calm down, drawing in deep breaths and forcing himself to take stock of his surroundings to ground himself. There’s his daughter’s crib. There’s the window and his yellow curtains. He shifts and feels the contents of his nest around him. He strokes his bump over and over to remind himself that she’s there.

He’s safe. He’s okay. He searches around for the familiar soft feeling of the yellow blanket and brings it to his nose, inhaling deeply to catch Sunghoon’s scent. There isn’t much of it left, but it’s enough to bring a little more calm to Sunoo’s heart.

♥

On Wednesday, Sunghoon picks Sunoo up from work in Heeseung’s car for his doctor’s appointment. Sunghoon seems to sense Sunoo’s nervousness because as soon as he slips into the passenger seat, Sunghoon leans over and scents him. The familiarity of Sunghoon’s scent helps relax Sunoo, and he settles in for the drive, reminding himself that it’ll be alright.

Sunghoon looks attractive driving, one hand on the wheel, sleeve rolled up to show off his tats. Hair falling into his eyes, focused gaze. Sunoo shifts a little, resting his head on the seat, so he can watch him.

“Why do you get anxious about appointments?” Sunghoon asks, glancing over. There’s no judgment in his voice, and Sunoo takes a moment to think before answering.

“A lot of reasons,” he finally says. “My mom was sick before she passed away. I spent a lot of the last year of her life in and out of doctors’ offices, so I have bad associations.”

Sunghoon hums to show he’s listening.

“And, uh - I guess I just get really worried that something might be wrong.” He picks at the hem of his shirt. “That this time I’ll go in and they’ll tell me about some complication.”

Sunghoon reaches over and pats his knee in comfort.

Despite his nerves, Sunoo loves his doctor. He’s wonderful and caring and because of that his office is always packed. There aren’t any seats available in the waiting room after Sunoo checks in, but a kind Alpha gives hers up for Sunoo, letting him sit next to her partner. The Omega looks even more heavily pregnant than Sunoo does. Sunghoon leans against the wall nearby.

“I want a bassinet,” Sunoo sighs, scrolling through an online baby store to distract himself. “Tell me I don’t need a bassinet.”

Sunghoon leans over to peer at the picture he’s looking at. “I want to tell you you don’t need one, but damn, that’s cute.”

“You definitely need a bassinet,” says the Omega next to him. “The one I got plays music.”

“Music?” Sunoo repeats, stars in his eyes.

“Logically,” Sunghoon interjects. “You have a crib.”

“What’s the logic?”

“You don’t need a bassinet if you have a crib.”

“Faulty logic,” Sunoo declares with a sniff.

“You asked me to talk you out of it.”

“I change my mind. I’m getting one, and it’s going to play music. You can’t stop me.”

Sunghoon casts his gaze skyward.

Eventually the Omega sitting next to him gets called in for her appointment, and Sunghoon takes her seat. He and Sunoo lean their heads nearly together as they surf the internet, mumbling occasional reactions out loud. Half the room is empty by the time the nurse emerges to call Sunoo’s name.

“Hey, how are you doing?” she says when he walks up with Sunghoon at his side, a protective hand on the small of his back. She’s usually the nurse on duty when Sunoo comes in, so they know each other well by now. “Looking big,” she teases, and he grins.

She eyes Sunghoon curiously but doesn’t ask, leading him into one of the rooms to take his vitals. Sunghoon stands awkwardly to the side as Sunoo takes up the only chair. When she’s done, she takes her leave and Sunoo shifts onto the table so Sunghoon can take the chair.

“Thanks for coming,” Sunoo says, noticing how Sunghoon seems a little out of his element. He glances over and smiles.

“It’s no problem, Sun, really.”

Dr. Park joins them before long, greeting Sunoo with her usual friendliness before turning to Sunghoon to introduce himself. “Where’s Jake-ssi?” he asks, accustomed to Jake always accompanying Sunoo.

“He had work,” Sunoo says regretfully.

He starts off asking his usual questions about how he’s feeling, and he fills him in with as much detail as he can manage. He measures his belly and squeezes around to check the position of the baby; this part always makes Sunoo nervous, but like always, he says everything looks fine. Then he preps him for the ultrasound to check the baby’s heartbeat.

Sunghoon remains quiet, though he perks up with interest during the ultrasound, eyes widening at the sound of her heartbeat. Sunoo’s a little shy about him being there, but part of him also likes it. Sunghoon makes him feel safe.

“Everything looks just fine,” Dr. Park tells Sunoo kindly, aware of how anxious he becomes before appointments. “Do you have any questions?”

Sunoo shakes his head. “I think you covered everything.”

“If only Jake were here, he’d have a million,” he says wryly, and Sunoo laughs. “There is one thing I’d like to talk to you about. Sunghoon-ssi, if you wouldn’t mind stepping out for a moment?”

Sunghoon hops up quickly. “Of course not.”

“You can go ahead and wait by the checkout desk. I’ll send Sunoo out in a moment.”

Sunghoon glances Sunoo’s way before slipping out of the room. The sigh of relief Sunoo had been about to breathe gets sucked right back in. “Is everything okay?” he frets.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he assures him. “I actually wanted to talk to you about Sunghoon-ssi. Are you involved with him?”

A blush spreads across Sunoo’s face. “No, no, he’s just my friend.”

He eyes him. “I’m not asking to be nosy, I promise. I do have a reason.”

“We really are just friends.”

“He’s been scenting you, though.”

“There was - um, I was being harassed on the bus to work. He started scenting me for protection.”

He sighs, reaching out to rest a hand on his knee. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Why are you asking?”

“Well, I just wanted you to know that babies do adapt to the scents that surround their mothers during the pregnancy,” he says. “When they’re born, they’re naturally in tune to the scent of their Alphas. It’s a comfort to them.”

“Oh,” Sunoo breathes, eyes a little wide. He’d never thought about something like that.

“Given how much yours and Sunghoon’s scents have mixed, I think that will definitely be the case in your situation.” he raises a hand to slow himself down. “But this isn’t a problem in any way. Your daughter won’t suffer for not having Sunghoon's scent around her when she’s born.”

Sunoo huffs a sigh of relief. “Okay, I was getting worried about that.”

“She’ll recognize it and she’ll like it, but if it isn’t there, she’ll be fine,” Dr. Park assures. “The reason I’m telling you this is that I know a common concern among parents bring someone new into the family is their scents. Children don’t always react well to the scent of a stranger when it’s mixing with the parent they love and trust.”

Sunoo nods; that’s definitely something he’d known growing up.

“Since yours isn’t born yet, she’s already adapted to Sunghoon’s scent. So that wouldn’t be a problem.”

Sunoo falters. “Oh,” he says again, understanding where he’s going now. He wants to insist that they’re just friends, that it doesn’t matter, but he can’t bring himself to protest. It would be a lie to say he hadn’t thought about this before.

“Just letting you know,” Dr. Park says, a smile tilting his lips.

“Thank you,” Sunoo responds, taking his hand to step off the table.

“Don’t forget to check out, and I’ll see you soon,” he says, and Sunoo leaves the room with a wave.

Sunghoon’s standing by the checkout desk, his expression lightening at Sunoo’s approach. “Everything okay?” he asks, and Sunoo nods.

“Everything’s fine,” he mumbles, feeling shy around Sunghoon after Dr. Park’s words. He can’t quite meet his eyes, stopping at the desk to check out and schedule his next appointment.

“Should I come to the next one?” Sunghoon asks, and Sunoo flushes.

“I can always ask Jake hyung - ”

“He has trouble getting off, doesn’t he? Don’t worry about it. I can make it.”

Sunoo glances up at him, eyes wide. “Are you sure?”

“Yup.” He turns to the man at the desk and starts to talk about availability. Now Sunoo can’t quite look away from him.

He does, eventually, blush still hot on his cheeks. They finalize the next appointment and head out, and Sunoo’s heart won’t stop fluttering.

“There was a lady checking out,” Sunghoon says as they walk over to Heeseung’s car. “Well, her mate was checking out. And she just pulls a bottle of ketchup out of her big ass bag and starts squeezing it into a bag of chips.”

Sunoo shrieks. “No, you’re kidding.”

“I’m serious. And she catches me staring and looks over and is like, ‘I’m pregnant,’ and I feel like I was going to explode trying not to laugh.”

“Oh my god,” Sunoo giggles, leaning against Sunghoon's side.

Sunghoon starts to laugh, too, shaking his head. His arm slips around Sunoo's waist, holding him as he stumbles in the midst of his laughter. Sunoo’s heart feels unbearably full.

♥

“Fuck you,” Sunoo hears Sunghoon growl through the paper thin wall of their bedrooms. Sunoo snorts where he’s sitting on his bed folding laundry. There’s a moment of quiet, then a thump and an annoyed, “Fuck this.”

“Are you playing a mobile game?” Sunoo calls.

Sunghoon falls silent. Then, “Sorry, was I bothering you?”

Sunoo giggles. “No, I was just laughing at you.”

“I’m working on code. This shit’s due at midnight.”

Sunoo glances at the clock on his side table. “Yikes.”

“I know,” Sunghoon moans. There’s another thump. Sunoo’s starting to think it’s his head against the wall.

“Want me to pop in with some tea? I can keep you company.”

“Please. You’re an angel.”

Sunoo laughs quietly. He lifts a stack of clothing and slips off his bed. “I’ll be right over.”

He puts the clothes into his drawer and heads to the kitchen to make some tea, scrounging a few snacks from his cabinets. Setting everything on a tray, he backs out of his apartment and knocks on Sunghoon’s door with his knee. Sunghoon opens promptly, dark circles under his eyes and hair mussed. He looks vaguely frantic.

“Smells good,” he mumbles, staring at the mugs of tea.

Sunoo brushes past him to set the tray down in his kitchen. Sunghoon shuffles behind him. “Have you even eaten anything all day?” Sunoo admonishes, and Sunghoon’s sheepish expression is response enough.

“I have a deadline,” Sunghoon whines, and Sunoo shakes his head.

“Drink your tea hyung.”

Sunghoon disappears to his bedroom and emerges with his laptop, which he sets down in the living room. Sunoo brings over their tea and snacks and settles in next to him.

“How much do you have left?”

“Not a lot,” Sunghoon sighs, leaning his head back on the couch. “But I fucked something up in the code. It’s not working.”

Sunoo pats his arm comfortingly and hands him a pack of dried seaweed.

“It’s probably a fucking comma,” Sunghoon grouches, taking the pack and opening it rather viciously.

“Hyungie fighting,” Sunoo chirps, and Sunghoon sighs again.

Sunghoon throws himself back into his work, sipping on the tea and snacking as he squints at his screen. He looks endearing when he’s focused, leaning toward the screen with his thick brows furrowed and lips parted, glasses taking up half his face. Every now and then, his nose twitches. Sunoo sits by him in contentment, warming his hands on his own mug and enjoying the comfort of Sunghoon ’s scent settling in around him.

It’s raining outside, has been all day, and the soft pitter-patter is soothing. It’s an awfully domestic moment, and that doesn’t escape Sunoo’s notice. He has the abrupt realization that he could stay like this forever - Sunghoon by his side, a sense of peace in his heart that isn’t often there these days.

Something about the realization is both comforting and jarring. He already knows his feelings for Sunghoon aren’t platonic. But to sit here and acknowledge with such certainty that he wants to be with him, wants to have moments like this, is a little scary.

But it isn’t scary in a bad way. Sunoo finds it welcoming.

Sunghoon makes him happy. It’s simple enough.

♥

On a lazy weekend night, Sunghoon and Sunoo decide to have a movie marathon in Sunoo’s living room. Sunghoon brings snacks, and Sunoo pulls out his yellow blanket to offer in case Sunghoon gets cold. His ulterior motive might be for the blanket to soak up more of Sunghoon’s scent, but he refuses to admit it to himself.

Sunoo’s antsy today, has trouble focusing, and sits through the first movie with little interest. Sunghoon looks good today, like always, in a t-shirt that makes him look bigger and shows off his tattoos. Sunoo keeps stealing glances at him, admiring the cut of his jaw in the light of the TV screen. He smells good, too, always does, and lately his scent’s been making Sunoo restless.

“That one was kind of boring,” Sunghoon says when it ends, grabbing the remote to sift through Netflix’s options for something new. “What do you wanna watch next?”

“You pick,” Sunoo tells him, and Sunghoon keeps searching. He finds something eventually, and Sunoo barely notices the title.

He winces when he stands, rubbing his sore back as he heads to the kitchen to pour himself another glass of milk. He’d always hated drinking milk - something his mother always teased him about in regards to his height - but he’s been downing it like medicine for the baby. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches Sunghoon turn his head away from the movie and over to him.

“You okay?” Sunghoon calls. Sunoo leans against the counter for a moment’s rest.

“I’m fine. My back’s been killing me, especially with standing all day at work.”

“I can give you a massage.”

Sunoo snorts. He waddles back over, setting his glass down on the table. Sunghoon’s looking at him very seriously from his vantage point on the floor, where he’s leaning against the couch.

“I’m really good at them,” Sunghoon insists. “Seriously, everyone’s always asking me for them at work.”

“Just watch the movie hyung.”

“Nuh-uh.” Sunghoon spreads his legs wide and pats the space in between. “Come here, I’ll prove it.”

Sunoo shoots him a dubious look, but he supposes even if Sunghoon isn’t as great at massages as he says, just the pressure of someone’s hand on the sore spots will be nice. So he lowers himself to sit on the floor between Sunghoon’s legs, making sure to shoot Sunghoon a few more looks as he does. Sunghoon puts his hands on Sunoo’s waist to help him down.

“Don’t press too hard,” Sunoo says, hoping he doesn’t sound as whiny as he thinks he does.

“Do you have any oil?”

This time he really whines. “I’m not getting up again.”

Sunghoon laughs, patting his side. “Tell me where it is.”

“Behind the bathroom mirror.”

Sunghoon extracts himself from behind Sunoo and disappears down the hall. He returns with a bottle of lavender essential oil, settling back in his spot. He rubs a few dots of oil between his palms to warm it up, and Sunoo sighs happily when the smell hits his nose. Being extra sensitive to smell means that scents bother him more, but the ones he likes are even nicer than before.

Sunoo’s so lost in the smell that he doesn’t notice Sunghoon’s hands slip up his shirt until they’re on his skin. He gasps at the touch, erupting in goosebumps, his veins sparking with sudden fire.

“Cold?” Sunghoon asks.

“No,” Sunoo manages, and Sunghoon’s fingers dig into his back.

His hands are big and calloused on Sunoo’s skin, warm and firm as he massages the muscles and fat. Sunghoon’s as good as he’d bragged, his fingers digging in with just the right amount of pressure, bringing a relief to the soreness that Sunoo hasn’t felt in what feels like forever.

“Oh,” Sunoo breathes, eyes drifting shut. It feels good. He’s good. And it isn’t just that he knows what he’s doing - it’s that he’s Sunghoon, and Sunoo’s imagined his hands on him before, thought of what they’d look like against his body. It’s Sunghoon, and he’s got his hands on him, and Sunoo's mind is drifting away.

Sunghoon’s hands drag up his sides, the oil slick on his skin, and Sunoo bites his lip, lashes fluttering. He’s leaning into Sunghoon unconsciously, and he adjusts when he realizes, arching to make sure his back is still easy to access. Sunghoon’s thumbs dig into the meat of his back and Sunoo gasps, jaw falling slack.

“You’re so good hyung,” he says, and Sunghoon hums. Sunoo can hear the smugness even so.

Sunghoon does something with his hands that pulls a pleased moan from Sunoo’s lips. He can’t quite keep himself up anymore, leans his head back on Sunghoon’s shoulder as he arches away. Sunghoon’s hot breath tickles his cheek.

“You like that?” Sunghoon’s voice comes low by Sunoo’s ear, and it sends a shiver up Sunoo’s spine.

He means to answer but Sunghoon’s fingers are kneading right above his ass, pushing the waist of his sweats down, and his response turns into a whine. His toes curl. He doesn’t know if Sunghoon realizes he’s doing it, but he’s giving off pheromones, the comforting Alpha kind, and Sunoo feels like he’s melting into his arms.

“H-Hyung - ” He huffs a sigh, craning his head back over Sunghoon’s shoulder, losing himself to the sensation. Breath tickles his neck, and he shudders, can feel the lightest brush of lips on his throat. He keeps his eyes shut, doesn’t know what’ll happen if he opens them and sees Sunghoon’s face on top of everything else.

“You’re leaking.”

Sunghoon’s voice has changed, full of something throatier, rougher. His hands still. Sunoo opens his eyes. At first he thinks Sunghoon means he’s leaking slick, and his cheeks warm in embarrassment, but he doesn’t feel any slick. Not that he’s far from it.

Then Sunoo realizes it. He isn’t leaking slick. It’s his nipples, wet spots on his shirt.

“Oh my god,” Sunoo squeaks, hands flying up to cover his face. “It happens.”

It’s been happening for a while, though thankfully it doesn’t happen often. He’s noticed it happen mostly when he’s aroused, or when he touches his nipples too much, thick yellow liquid seeping out that’s grown lighter over time.

Sunghoon’s hands close around his wrists, pulling them away from his face. There’s something dark in his eyes, his jaw set tight. Sunoo’s heart thuds hard when he takes in the way Sunghoon’s looking at him, like he wants to devour him. His scent has grown stronger, cinnamon and vanilla filling the room until Sunoo feels like he’s drowning in it.

Sunghoon noses at Sunoo’s neck, letting out a shuddering breath that tickles Sunoo’s skin. His hands grip Sunoo’s waist tightly, like he’s trying to ground himself. “Sunoo,” he murmurs. “Sun.”

He buries his nose in Sunoo’s scent gland, breathing him in, and Sunoo falls limp and pliant against him, baring his neck on instinct. Sunghoon mouths at his skin, tongue slipping out to lick a stripe over his gland, and Sunoo reacts with a full-bodied shiver and a whine. Now he’s really leaking slick, the back of his sweats growing damp, his body thrumming with a mixture of arousal and relief. He’s wanted Sunghoon for so long that this feels natural, feels right. Feels like a dam breaking, like he’s been waiting for so long that now he’s fit to burst. And with the way Sunghoon’s holding him, he must have felt the same way.

Sunghoon lifts his head to look at Sunoo, holding his gaze with an intensity that makes Sunoo shiver. “Sun,” he breathes, his eyes finally tearing away from Sunoo’s to drop to his mouth. Sunoo licks his lips and then Sunghoon’s closing the distance between him, their mouths meeting in a kiss that makes Sunoo whimper. He kisses just the way Sunoo had thought he would - like he’s running out of time, like he wants every inch of Sunoo to be his and his alone. Sunoo loses himself to the kiss, his weeks of longing finally come to fruition, and it’s better than he’d ever imagined. Better than he ever dreamed.

Sunghoon breaks away first, cupping Sunoo’s jaw in his hand, panting for breath. “Wanted to do that forever,” he says, and Sunoo swallows, blush hot on his cheeks.

“I wanted it, too,” Sunoo whispers, running his fingers lightly over Sunghoon’s mouth. “I wanted you so bad hyung.”

Sunghoon leans in again, pressing soft kisses along Sunoo’s lower lip and down to his jaw. “God, you smell so fucking good,” he growls into his neck, pulling him tight against him, and Sunoo lets out a strangled noise. He can feel Sunghoon’s cock against his hip, and it’s big even half-hard. “Wanna taste you.”

Sunoo’s not sure if he means his slick or his milk but he’s nodding anyway, and Sunghoon’s hands slip under his shirt to help him pull it over his head and toss it away. Sunghoon lets go of his waist to run his hands carefully, reverently over Sunoo’s bump. He leans over to press a soft kiss to his belly, and Sunoo’s heart stutters. Then his hands find Sunoo’s breasts, thumbs brushing over his nipples to catch the dots of liquid.

“Look at you,” Sunghoon breathes. “You’re so wet, Sun. You’re leaking everywhere.”

Sunoo flushes. Sunghoon brings a thumb up to his own mouth, tongue flicking out to taste, and his lids flutter with pleasure.

“You taste so sweet,” he says. He wraps a hand around one of Sunoo’s swollen breasts and kneads carefully, eyes fixed on Sunoo’s nipple as milk starts to seep out. Sunoo whines, his breasts and nipples extra sensitive, pressing back against Sunghoon’s chest.

Sunghoon shifts Sunoo his arms so he can kiss his breast, tugging the fat between his teeth, sucking in a way that Sunoo knows will leave a mark. His tongue laves over the red spot after he makes it, soothing Sunoo's gasp away, and his mouth travels lower, attaching to Sunoo’s leaking nipple.

“Oh, hyungie - that’s - ”

Sunghoon sucks, and Sunoo’s words break off into a moan. His back snaps away from Sunghoon as he arches, eyes squeezing shut, mouth dropping open. He feels like he’s on fire, skin crawling with pleasure as Sunghoon’s tongue laves over his nipple and sucks again, his fingers massaging his breast to force out as much milk as he can.

“Oh my g-god, hyung - ” Sunoo whimpers, mind hazy and overwhelmed. “That’s - ”

Sunghoon pulls off with a pop, running his thumb over the abused nipple, Sunoo jerking in response. “That’s what?” he asks, his voice hard yet playful. “That’s what, baby?”

“That’s dirty ,” Sunoo whines, and Sunghoon laughs.

He presses a kiss behind Sunoo’s ear. “Trust me, kitten, that’s not the dirtiest thing I could do to you.”

“Oh my god.” Sunoo covers his face, mortified, and Sunghoon pulls his hands away again with another laugh.

“Don’t do that,” he admonishes. “I wanna see your face. Wanna see you fall apart.”

Sunoo stares at him, licking his lips, breath coming quick. Sunghoon shifts from behind Sunoo, pushing Sunoo against the foot of the couch so he can kneel in front of him. His gaze remains locked on Sunoo’s as he leans in to wrap his mouth around his other breast, cupping underneath to massage the skin as he suckles. Sunoo whimpers, hands pushing against the ground, feet pressing into the carpet, as he watches Sunghoon suck the milk from his breast.

“Shit,” Sunghoon breathes when he pulls off, his lips swollen, a dot of milk suspended from his chin. He flicks his tongue over the hard bud, working it carefully between his teeth until it’s red and swollen. “I could do that all night. Fuck, tastes so good.”

He strokes Sunoo’s belly, pressing soft kisses along it, at odds with how urgently he’d suckled from him, how desperately he’d scented him. Sunoo’s so wet he’s afraid he’s leaking onto the carpet, and he can see Sunghoon’s cock tenting his pants. It looks huge. Sunoo swallows, mouth dry, filled with want.

“Hyungie,” he murmurs, reaching for him, and Sunghoon comes easily, their mouths meeting for a kiss that makes Sunoo’s toes curl. He tastes sweet like Sunoo’s milk. His tongue scrapes the roof of Sunoo’s mouth and Sunoo moans, hips canting upward, his belly brushing Sunghoon’s.

“You smell so needy.” Sunghoon speaks the words into his mouth, and Sunoo can hear the smirk in them. He pulls back enough to look at him, eyes dark and wanting, lips curled upward. “Are you needy, little Omega?”

“N-no,” Sunoo huffs, just to be contrary, not wanting to feed Sunghoon’s smugness. But Sunghoon doesn’t fall for it.

He runs his hands up Sunoo’s thighs, spreading them, leans in until he’s face level with Sunoo’s crotch. “You sure about that?” he says. He tugs Sunoo forward, presses his nose into the damp spot of slick left on his sweats. Breathes in deep. “I can smell how much you want me.”

Sunoo curls his hand in Sunghoon’s hair, pushing his head up. “I can smell how much you want me, too,” he fires back, and he can. It’s thick, cloying, filling the air and arousing him even more.

“Omega’s got bite?” Sunghoon seems to take that as a personal challenge. He scoops Sunoo up, lifting him easily, and deposits him on the couch. “We’ll see how much bite you have left when you’re begging for me to fuck you.”

“Not gonna beg,” Sunoo insists, but part of him already knows he doesn’t mean it, knows that Sunghoon’s got him right where he wants him. Sunoo's already so horny he can’t stand it, and they’ve barely even done anything.

“Mm, you’re gonna scream,” Sunghoon says, a certain aloofness to his tone that has Sunoo squirming. He spreads Sunoo’s legs, kneeling on the floor before him, and tugs his sweats off. Sunoo has to wriggle to help him. “You’re gonna drool all over yourself sobbing for my cock.”

“Y-you wish,” Sunoo huffs, but he’s already a little breathy with Sunghoon’s hands on his bare thighs, pressing into the fat. He hadn’t been happy about how much his ass and thighs grew after the pregnancy, but Sunghoon seems to love it. He sucks a hickey into the meat of Sunoo’s thigh, slaps the other one to watch it jiggle.

“Your cock is so cute, Sun,” Sunghoon croons, and it’s mocking. He wraps his hand around Sunoo’s cock, barely visible beneath his belly, and kisses the tip. “Such a tiny little thing.”

Sunoo’s face flames in embarrassment. He can’t see over his belly, but he can feel the way Sunghoon’s entire hand wraps around his cock so easily. “Not my fault Alphas have monster cocks - ”

“Wait ‘til you see mine,” Sunghoon says wickedly. He tugs Sunoo forward so he can dip his fingers between his ass cheeks, gathering slick with a hum of interest. He brings his hand up for Sunoo to see that his fingers are coated, shining with slick. “Look at how wet you are.”

Sunoo doesn’t get a chance to retort because then Sunghoon’s mouth is on him, his tongue dragging between his cheeks to lap up the slick before he laves over Sunoo’s hole, flicking the rim, his nose pressed against Sunoo’s perineum. Sunoo gasps, hips jerking, but Sunghoon’s hands grip his waist to keep him still. When Sunghoon’s tongue enters his hole, Sunoo whines, head pushing back against the couch.

“H-Hyungie, I’m - ah, oh - ”

Sunoo dissolves to a mess of a gasps and whimpers as Sunghoon eats him out in earnest, sucking noisily over his rim, his tongue flicking against his walls. The sound’s obscene, wet and slick and filthy, and somehow it’s embarrassing and hot at the same time. Sunoo feels like the blood in his veins has turned to fire, every inch of him hot and alive, his fingers scrabbling for purchase on the couch.

“P-please - I’m - ”

Sunghoon’s fingers dig into his ass, pulling him to rock forward as his mouth stills. Sunoo catches on, throwing an arm over the back of the couch for leverage, one leg draping over Sunghoon’s back. He starts to roll his hips, riding Sunghoon’s tongue, finding a rhythm as he snaps his hips faster, slick dripping out around Sunghoon’s mouth.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna - I’m - Alpha , please!”

Sunghoon’s finger slips inside. Sunoo’s still moving when he pushes in, the slide easy from how wet Sunoo’s grown with spit and slick, and Sunoo barely feels it until he’s crooking his finger against his walls. Sunoo moans, hips stuttering, as Sunghoon presses another finger in and strokes his walls, searching. When he finds his prostate, he stays there, massaging it with the pads of his fingers, reducing Sunoo to a blubbering mess. Sunoo can’t keep up a rhythm anymore, hips falling limp as Sunghoon licks and sucks, the finger on his prostate merciless.

“Alpha,” he moans, and the pleasure starts to build to the unbearable, his hips snapping off the couch and his head arching back, mouth dropping open in a soundless plea. His muscles tighten until it hurts, feels like he’s going to strain himself, and then the noise comes back to him all at once. He moans long and low, gasps, squeezing his eyes shut and realizing they’re wet with tears.

Sunghoon’s mouth pulls off him, but his fingers don’t let up. “That’s it, Omega,” he rasps. “Come for your Alpha.”

Sunoo comes with a sob, collapsing onto the couch, his limbs falling loose all at once. Sunghoon fingers him until the aftershocks are through, until he’s too limp to even twitch in reaction. Then he pulls out and wraps his mouth around Sunoo’s tip, suckling his cock clean of cum, licking the underside of his belly to catch the stray drops. Sunoo whimpers, sensitive, and Sunghoon finally sits back on his haunches. His gaze roams over Sunoo’s body in a way that has Sunoo squirming.

“Stop,” Sunoo whines, and Sunghoon grins. There’s slick all over his face, on his chin and cheeks and nose. Sunoo can’t bear to look at him for long, cock twitching in interest.

“What, can’t I look at you?” Sunghoon demands. “Can’t I see how pretty you are, all fucked out?”

“No,” Sunoo sniffles. He rubs at his wet cheeks, feeling limp and drained. He hadn’t really cared before, but now he’s embarrassed that he’s ass naked and Sunghoon's still wearing all his clothes. “Stop staring.”

“Don’t wanna.” Sunghoon leans and starts to pepper sweet kisses over Sunoo’s belly, stroking around it carefully. “Hope we didn’t wake her up.”

Sunoo smiles, endeared. “She never sleeps,” he complains. “She’s always awake and kicking.”

“Stop giving your mommy so much trouble,” Sunghoon admonishes, but his tone’s too fond to sound stern, and he ruins it by kissing his belly again. Sunoo reaches out and threads his fingers through Sunghoon’s hair, pushing it back from his forehead.

Sunghoon crawls onto the couch to join him, hovering over him with a hand on either side of his head, careful not to place any weight on him. He kisses him languidly, like he wants to map out every inch of Sunoo’s mouth. Sunoo loses track of how long they lie there, breaking only when they have no choice but to breathe, tasting each other thoroughly. Sunoo’s hands roam over Sunghoon’s chest, stroking the muscles through his shirt, hard and firm as they look. He slips them under Sunghoon’s shirt to trace the dips in his abdomen, likes the way his touch makes Sunghoon’s muscles clench.

“What about you hyung?” Sunoo mumbles when they pull apart to breathe. He can feel the brush of Sunghoon’s cock against his leg when he shifts. “You’re still hard.”

“I can get off later,” Sunghoon says easily, but Sunoo doesn’t want that. He wants to see Sunghoon’s cock. Wants to touch it.

He pushes Sunghoon gently so that he knows to move away, and Sunoo slips off the couch. He pulls Sunghoon up with him, threading their fingers together, and leads him down the hall to his room. He tries not to be too self-conscious about the fact that he’s naked. It helps that Sunghoon reaches out to squeeze his ass as he follows with an impressed noise, undeterred by the glare Sunoo shoots over his shoulder.

They stop at the foot of the bed, and before Sunoo can demand that he take his clothes off, Sunghoon has his arms around him, pulling him in to mouth at his neck.

“So fuckin’ pretty,” he says, nipping at Sunoo’s skin. “With that fat ass and thighs. Make me wanna mark ‘em up.”

“Take your clothes off,” Sunoo whines, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Sunghoon's teeth sink into his throat and Sunoo gasps, arching his neck, shuddering as Sunghoon’s tongue laves over the spot. “Think you can tell your Alpha what to do, huh?”

Sunoo’s lashes flutter, face growing hot. Your Alpha . “Yes,” Sunoo bites, but it’s half-hearted and they both know it.

“You talk a lot of shit for someone who’s wet just from some kissing.” Sunghoon's voice is hard, his hands squeezing Sunoo’s ass, finger dipping between his cheeks to gather up slick. Sunoo’s cheeks flame hotter; of course that hadn’t escaped Sunghoon’s notice. “You know who gets wet that fast?”

Sunghoon pushes Sunoo onto the bed, leaning over him with dark eyes. Sunoo can’t find the words to answer, mouth dry, staring up at him with lips parted. His gaze flickers down to Sunghoon’s mouth and back up, can’t hide how much he wants .

Sunghoon takes Sunoo’s chin between his fingers, his grip unforgiving. “Answer me, Omega.”

“I don’t know,” Sunoo whispers, and Sunghoon leans in, his mouth pressing hot against Sunoo’s ear.

“A slut,” he murmurs, and Sunoo goes rigid, leaking slick right onto his bedsheets. “A greedy little slut.”

Sunoo whines, and the world goes out of focus, his breath coming quick, fingers digging into Sunghoon’s biceps. He’s hard again. “Alpha,” he breathes. “Please, Alpha.”

“Please what?” Sunghoon demands.

"Please, I - I wanna see your cock." He thumbs at the waist of Sunghoon's pants.

"Mm, what a good boy," he croons. "Asking so nicely."

He shifts them so he's on the bed, scooting back to lean against the headboard. Sunoo watches him, licking his lips.

"Go on, then," Sunghoon says.

Sunoo swallows harshly, gaze dipping down to Sunghoon's cock tenting the front of his pants. It looks so big that Sunoo's almost nervous to see it, the kind of fluttery nervousness that toes the line with giddiness. He reaches out tentatively, pulling Sunghoon's pants down and off. There's a wet spot on the front of his boxers. Sunoo feels a little smug. He thinks if he tries to tease, Sunghoon will wreck him, and the thought of that makes him stir with arousal.

"Shirt, please," Sunoo says, and Sunghoon tugs his shirt off over his head in one smooth move. Sunoo sits back, jaw slack, eyes flickering over Sunghoon's torso. He drinks his fill of Sunghoon’s chiseled muscles and the delicate art of the tattoo that travels from his side all the way to his chest. God, he's fucking hot.

He swallows, inching forward, peering at Sunghoon under his lashes to see if he reacts. Sunghoon just watches him, gaze dark, and Sunoo leans in to press his mouth to Sunghoon’s abs. His lashes flutter, tongue dipping between the bends of his muscles, tasting his sweat. If he’s being honest, Sunoo’s wanted to do this since the day Sunghoon opened the door shirtless.

Sunghoon’s fingers thread through his hair, but he doesn’t stop him. “You like that?” Sunghoon murmurs. “Like how I strong I am?”

Sunoo flushes at the smugness in his voice, but he can’t bear to disagree. “You’re pretty, Alpha.”

Sunghoon strokes his hair, and Sunoo’s mouth travels up to his chest, brushing over one of his dark nipples. Sunghoon’s hand tightens, pushing his head back down. “If you’re going to do it, do it right,” Sunghoon says, and Sunoo closes his mouth around his nipple.

Sunghoon’s sensitive, jerking under Sunoo as he sucks and licks, and Sunoo likes pulling such obvious reactions from him when he’s so otherwise in control. He laves around his nipple until it’s red and raw then he pulls back to admire his work. His eyes catch on the octopus on his pec, its tentacles snaking over his chest, and Sunoo’s mouth waters.

His tongue comes out and he licks a stripe over Sunghoon’s tattoo, licks down one of the tentacles to the space between his pecs. Sunghoon groans, tugging on his hair in a way that makes Sunoo whine.

“Really like those, don’t you,” Sunghoon says, a little breathless.

“I’ve wanted to do that forever,” Sunoo whines.

He turns around and straddles his waist, back to Sunghoon's chest. He lowers himself carefully, conscious of his balance, until he can feel Sunghoon's cock on his ass. It takes some shifting, but he gets Sunghoon's cock to slide between his cheeks, a fresh stream of slick dripping out to soak the fabric of Sunghoon's boxers.

“Yeah?” Sunghoon tugs his head back. “Had wet dreams about your Alpha?”

Sunoo huffs and refuses to answer. He rocks his hips instead, Sunghoon’s clothed cock rubbing between his cheeks.

"Came once and you're still so needy?" Sunghoon rests his hands on Sunoo's waist, guiding him as he grinds over his cock. "You really are a slut."

Sunoo sucks in a breath, rocking down for a slow drag, the pressure of Sunghoon's cock against his rim and perineum unbelievably good. "'m pregnant," Sunoo defends, but the slur of his voice as his hips roll again betrays him. "Can't help it."

"Bet you were always like this," Sunghoon says. Sunoo wonders how he can sound so conversational when he's hard, too, when Sunoo can smell how much he's affecting him. "Bet you always turn into a filthy, desperate mess with a cock in you."

Sunoo jerks on the next grind, lashes fluttering, and he's leaking again, ass and nipples both. He's wanted this for so long, driven himself wild with the thought of it, so horny he felt like something was crawling under his skin and nothing quite satisfied it. And it's only like this because it's Sunghoon, because he's Sunghoon who makes Sunoo laugh and feel safe and loved and happy. It's Sunghoon and Sunoo's wanted him so bad, all of him. Wants to be his.

"Look at all that." Sunghoon pushes Sunoo forward a bit so he can press his fingers between Sunoo's cheeks, scooping up slick. Sunoo looks at him over his shoulder, watches him bring his fingers to his mouth and lick around them. He hums like it's the best thing he's ever tasted. "You're leaking so much just from this? How pathetic."

Sunoo whimpers, hips stuttering, and his fingers dig into the sheets on either side of their legs. He's so hard it fucking hurts, and he's going to die if he doesn't get Sunghoon inside him. "You're so mean," he whines, and Sunghoon laughs. His hand threads through Sunoo's hair, tugging his head back.

"You love it," he says, kissing Sunoo's temple, and Sunoo does. He loves it.

He wants Sunghoon to ruin him.

Sunoo rocks his hips with more force, grinding against Sunghoon, lips parting as he starts to pant, the pleasure building. " Alpha ," he moans, long and low and a little exaggerated, but it does the trick.

Sunghoon pushes him forward, and Sunoo can feel him shoving his boxers down enough for his cock to spring out and slap Sunoo's ass. Before Sunoo can even relish in how it feels against his skin, Sunghoon's pushing inside him, the slide easy with how wet Sunoo is. Sunoo gasps, eyes widening, and he clenches around Sunghoon's cock in surprise. He's so big and thick and Sunoo feels so full, thinks he's floating out of his body with how good Sunghoon feels inside him.

"Oh my god," Sunoo gasps. "You're so big, oh my god."

"Can you take it?" Sunghoon murmurs, pushing Sunoo's sweaty hair back from his forehead. Maybe he means it to come out mocking, but Sunoo can hear the concern underlying his voice.

Sunoo answers with a strangled yes , afraid he'll come the second he moves, it feels so good. He holds still while he tries to gather himself, growing accustomed to Sunghoon's girth as Sunghoon's hands stroke the small of his back. He's too impatient to wait for long, Sunghoon's sheer size sending him to new levels of pleasure, and starts to move.

" Oh ," Sunoo moans when Sunghoon's cock grinds against his walls. He can hear Sunghoon groan, low and throaty, so he rolls his hips again and works to find a rhythm. "I'm so full," he says, almost a sob.

"Look at you, taking me so well." Sunghoon's grip urges Sunoo on, his voice rough and restrained.

Turned on as he is, it doesn't take long for Sunoo to get desperate. His hips grow sloppy as he tries to ride Sunghoon to orgasm, alternating between bouncing and grinding in circles, gripping Sunghoon's thighs tightly for leverage. He sobs, chasing an orgasm that he doesn't have enough energy to reach on his own, can't quite fuck himself fast enough. Sunghoon doesn't lift a finger to help, though Sunoo can hear him panting, can smell his arousal.

"Hyungie," he sobs. "I can't - can't - "

"What's that?" Sunghoon says, his voice infuriatingly level.

"Alpha, please ."

"Don't know what you want if you don't tell me."

Sunoo really sobs this time, at the peak of frustration, losing all semblance of rhythm as he snaps his hips back. "Please, I'm - I need it - "

"Need what?"

"Need y-you."

"You have me." Sunghoon turns Sunoo's head to look at him, running his thumb over Sunoo's lips.

"Need you to fuck me," Sunoo blurts. "N-need you to fuck me 'til I scream, please, make me come - I wanna come, Alpha - "

"Told you I'd make you beg," Sunghoon says wickedly, then he sits up so his chest is flush against Sunoo’s back.

“Wanna come,” Sunoo says, and Sunghoon holds his hips in place so he can thrust up hard. Sunoo’s whole body jerks, Sunghoon’s cock hitting him deep, crying out in surprise. “Yes,” he breathes, “Yes - ” But Sunghoon doesn’t fuck him again, holds him there, shifting his cock until it’s tight against Sunoo’s prostate. “There,” Sunoo whines. “Please - ”

Sunghoon fucks up again, his cock right on Sunoo’s prostate and Sunoo sobs, hands flying to grip Sunghoon’s wrists for leverage, leaning back into him. He tries to rock his hips back, needs the pleasure, needs to come but Sunghoon doesn’t let him, holding him in place with a bruising grip. He thrusts and Sunoo screams, his cock so deep Sunoo thinks he’ll feel him for days, dream about him for days.

“Alpha!” he sobs, tossing his head back on Sunghoon’s shoulder. “Please, please I wanna - I h-have to - ”

“Be a good boy,” Sunghoon says, lips running down his face. “Take your Alpha’s cock like a good little slut.”

“B-but - ”

Sunghoon fucks up, cutting him off, and Sunoo cries out, lashes wet with tears, so aroused that the pleasure his thrusts bring just hurt because they aren’t enough to make him come.

“You’re gonna wake the whole hall, screaming like that,” Sunghoon mocks. He thrusts and Sunoo’s toes curl, his back arching, his head falling to the side.

“Please,” Sunoo says, tears on his cheeks, nuzzling against Sunghoon’s cheek. “Alpha, I want - want your c-cum so bad, I dreamt about it for days - you filled me up so g-good, couldn’t even push your cock in - ”

“Shit,” Sunghoon mutters, and that seems to be enough because the next time he thrusts, he doesn’t stop. He holds Sunoo against him and fucks him at a hard pace, Sunoo bouncing in his lap from the force of his thrusts, his moans rising in pitch as he nears his orgasm.

“Hy - Hyung- ”

Sunghoon's hand closes around his cock, tugging in time with his thrusts, and Sunoo sobs, tensing from his toes to his neck. “Such a cute little cock,” Sunghoon coos, and Sunoo comes with a shout, Sunghoon fucking him through it.

He falls limp against him when it’s over, chest heaving as he pants for breath, his cum coating Sunghoon’s fingers.

“You did so well hyung.” Sunghoon kisses his temple and Sunoo leans into it like a cat, turning his chin up for a proper kiss. Sunghoon’s mouth meets his sweetly. He pulls away and holds his fingers out, Sunoo’s cum dripping down. “You made a mess,” he says. “Clean it up.”

His fingers press against Sunoo’s mouth and Sunoo’s lips part on instinct, letting him in. He sucks around Sunghoon’s fingers, licking away his own cum, salt on his tongue. Sunghoon pulls his fingers out and Sunoo licks a stripe over his palm, catching stray drops.

“Filthy,” Sunghoon says, and Sunoo shivers.

“You didn’t come,” Sunoo says. “I wanted your cum.”

“You still want it?”

“Uh-huh.” Sunoo noses against his scent gland, breathing him in, the scent of his arousal overtaking everything else. “Want it so bad.”

Sunghoon pulls Sunoo off his cock and lays him carefully on his side. "Okay?" he checks, and Sunoo nods impatiently, wants his cock back inside. He doesn’t like the sudden emptiness.

Sunghoon lifts Sunoo's leg up and fucks into him with one quick thrust. Sunoo gasps, lids fluttering, relaxing into the bed. He’s sensitive but he likes the edge of pain, the feeling that everything’s just too much. This is what he wanted, what he needed. Sunghoon's going to take care of him. He pulls out to the tip and fucks in, has Sunoo jerking in response, a throaty moan leaving him.

"Yes," Sunoo breathes. "Fuck me, Alpha."

Sunghoon grinds into him, running his lips down Sunoo’s neck, the curve of his shoulder. “You’re so pretty, Sun,” he murmurs. “So fucking beautiful.”

Sunoo pushes back onto his cock, forcing him deeper, and turns his head so his nose brushes Sunghoon’s forehead. Sunghoon catches on without Sunoo having to ask, dragging his lips back up to meet Sunoo’s, kissing him sweetly. He starts to rock his hips, fucking into Sunoo slowly at first, their kisses growing deeper and messier. Then Sunoo becomes impatient, rolling his hips back to meet Sunghoon’s, urging him to move faster. Sunghoon pulls away from him, a line of saliva connecting their lips.

“Such an impatient little slut,” he snarls, and something about the change from sweet to mean again, like flipping a switch, has Sunoo burning with desire. His skin’s on fire, eyes rolling back into his head when Sunghoon’s hips start to snap faster.

“O-oh, hyung- fuck - ” His fingers scrabble for purchase in the sheets, Sunghoon’s cock angling for his prostate, ramming into him until he’s seeing stars. It really is too much and Sunoo’s overwhelmed, his cock raw and sensitive as it brushes against the sheets. “Alpha, I’m - ah, ah - ”

“Good little Omega,” Sunghoon croons, his voice rough, “taking cock like you were made to do.”

Sunoo sobs, feels like he’s losing himself in the sensations, Sunghoon’s cock pounding into his ass and his voice by his ear and his hand stroking his thigh as he holds it up. He can’t hold himself together anymore, mouth open and drooling, tears clinging to his lashes, staccato moans falling from his lips that break on every thrust. He’s limp against the bed, can’t even fuck back, letting Sunghoon have his way.

“I can’t - I’m g-gonna - ”

Sunghoon fucks in deep and begins to roll his hips in circles, cock nudged against Sunoo’s prostate and he leans in to mouth at Sunoo’s breast, lapping up the drops of milk leaking from his nipple. “Mm, so sweet,” he says, sucking Sunoo’s breast into his mouth.

“Hyung,” Sunoo sobs, arching toward him as Sunghoon begins to suckle on his nipple, cock still rubbing incessantly against his walls. He’s growing, Sunoo can feel it, the beginnings of his knot stretching his walls.

Sunghoon doesn’t let him go until he’s sucked him dry and Sunoo’s nipple is raw and red. Then he pulls back, lifts his leg up, and starts to fuck him hard until Sunoo’s crying out, arching back. “Gonna knot you,” Sunghoon growls. “Fill you up, make you mine.”

Sunoo can’t manage any words, just a mumbled Alpha that’s more of a whine. His muscles tense, toes curling, and he clenches around Sunghoon’s cock involuntarily. Sunghoon groans into Sunoo’s hair and he’s coming, his cock twitching inside Sunoo as thick spurts of come fill his ass. They’re endless, his come filling Sunoo up until it’s dripping out and down his thighs, Sunghoon’s knot swelling to its largest.

Suunghoo was big enough already and with his knot he feels huge, Sunoo’s so full he can barely move. It catches around Sunoo’s rim, presses against his prostate just from the size, and Sunghoon’s hips thrust erratically as the last spurts of come leave him. Sunoo’s body curls tight and he can’t breathe, mouth open until he comes with a shout of Sunghoon’s name and falls limp onto to the bed. Sunoo can feel Sunghoon’s chest heaving where it’s pressed against Sunoo’s back. He catches his own breath in the meantime, coming down from his high.

“Sunoo,” Sunghoon breathes, littering kisses over his face. “Sun.”

Sunoo turns his face for a kiss and Sunghoon complies easily, licking into his mouth eagerly. His hands stroke down Sunoo’s sides then he rubs his belly gently.

“You okay?” Sunghoon asks. “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Sunoo says, nuzzling against his jaw. “You were supposed to make my back ache less hyung, not more.”

Sunghoon laughs, kissing his cheek. “Sorry, baby. I’ll give you another massage when I can pull out.”

Sunoo sighs, angling for another kiss. This one’s languid, and it’s nice. Sunoo thinks he could kiss him like that all night. “You were so good,” Sunoo murmurs when they pull apart. “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

Sunghoon’s grin is smug, but Sunoo doesn’t begrudge him the smugness this time. He really was amazing. Sunoo doesn’t think he’s ever been fucked like that. “I was good, huh?” he says. “Maybe the best?”

“Definitely the best,” Sunoo agrees, knows he’s inflating Sunghoon’s ego but he deserves it. He deserves everything.

Sunghoon looks pleased, nosing at Sunoo’s shoulder and stroking his belly. “You, too,” Sunghoon murmurs. “I could fuck you all day.”

Sunoo hums, wouldn’t be opposed to that, and settles in. All Alpha knots go down at varying speeds, and Sunghoon’s big, so he figures they’ll be there for a while. And he’s tired. He threads his fingers with Sunghoon’s, resting over his belly, and lets his eyes drift shut. He falls asleep to Sunghoon murmuring something sweet in his ear.

Sunoo drifts back with the feeling of Sunghoon pulling his cock out, doesn’t know how long he’s been asleep. His ass clenches around nothing, and he whines, missing the fullness already. Sunghoon soothes him with a soft kiss on his hip.

“Gotta clean you up, baby,” he says, and Sunoo whines again in complaint.

Sunghoon spreads his legs and Sunoo can barely see the top of his head over his belly, but he can tell Sunghoon’s staring at his hole. He can feel the wet of his cum dripping out, bubbling up at his rim and dripping onto the bed.

“Fuck,” Sunghoon rasps, leaning in and licking up the drops. Sunoo whimpers, and Sunghoon licks him clean before pulling away. “How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Sore,” Sunoo huffs, then softens. “But good. Really good.”

Sunghoon kisses his bump and slips off the bed.

“Where are you going?” Sunoo whines, and Sunghoon laughs quietly.

“I’ll be right back, kitten.”

Sunoo fidgets impatiently while he waits. Sunghoon returns with the bottle of essential oil they’d been using earlier and a damp washcloth. He settles on the bed again to clean Sunoo up properly, wiping his hole and the dried cum on his belly. Tossing the cloth aside carelessly, he wets his palms with oil and starts to massage Sunoo’s belly. His touch is gentle but firm, and Sunoo finds himself melting with contentment into the bed, eyes drifting shut.

“That’s nice,” he murmurs, and the baby’s lying still, too. “She likes it.”

Sunghoon hums, continuing his ministrations. It’s so relaxing Sunoo feels like he could lie there forever, and he can tell by the soft expression on Sunghoon’s face that he’s enjoying it, too.

“On your side, Sun,” Sunghoon says, and Sunoo shifts so he can begin massaging his back, too.

His hands take the soreness away, and Sunoo drifts in and out of a light doze. “Hyungie,” he says when he’s coming out of sleep, voice a slur. There’s a sudden panic taking over him. He’d dreamt something strange, can’t remember what it was, just remembers that he’d been upset and afraid. “Hyungie, this wasn’t a hookup, right?”

Sunghoon’s lips find his belly, kissing him over and over. “I don’t want it to be,” he says.

Sunoo can breathe again. “I really like you,” Sunoo mumbles. “So much.”

Sunghoon shifts so he’s hovering over him, his expression warm and happy. “I like you, too,” he says. “I’ve liked you for a long time.”

“I want - I want - ” Sunoo wants to find the words to tell him how much he’d like a life together, but he’s still half out of his mind and can’t find them.

Sunghoon takes Sunoo’s hand in his and kisses his knuckles one-by-one. “Let’s talk about in the morning, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sunoo nods, frustration leaving him as Sunghoon leans in to kiss him. They can worry about it in the morning.

♥

Sunoo wakes up alone.

He starts to panic for a moment before he registers noises coming from the kitchen; he isn’t alone. The room is so seeped in Sunghoon’s scent that Sunoo feels like he’s drowning in it. He buries his nose in his pillows, breathing Sunghoon in. Then he slips out of bed, forced to by the pressure on his bladder.

What he really wants to do is run to the kitchen and bury his face in Sunghoon’s neck, but he takes care of things first: uses the bathroom, throws on a hoodie and sweats, brushes his teeth. When he’s feeling less groggy and gross, he pads over to the kitchen. Sunghoon’s standing at the stove, humming as he cooks. It smells like egg, though Sunoo can’t see the pan over Sunghoon’s shoulder.

The sight of Sunghoon has Sunoo’s stomach erupting in butterflies. He swallows, hovering shyly by the counter. Sunghoon registers his scent and turns around, beaming.

“Morning,” he says.

“G’morning,” Sunoo mumbles, curling smaller in his large hoodie. “Smells good.”

“If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s making omelette.”

“You’re saying that like you aren’t good at everything.”

Sunghoon grins. Sunoo settles onto a stool at the counter and watches Sunghoon fold the first omelette onto a plate and start the second. There’s a conversation they need to have, and Sunoo’s nervous. It’s been rolling around inside his head since he woke up. They like each other, but Sunoo knows that’s not enough. Not with a baby in the picture.

“Hyung,” he starts after a little while. “Can we talk now?”

Sunghoon glances over his shoulder. “You don’t want to eat first?”

“I don’t know if I can stomach anything until we talk,” Sunoo admits.

Sunghoon’s expression softens. He plates the second omelette and sets them both on the counter before taking the seat next to Sunoo. “Okay,” he says, turning to face Sunoo. “Shoot.”

Sunoo fiddles with the strings of his hoodie. “I, um - I really like you. But I’m about to have a kid.”

Sunghoon nods, waits for him to continue.

“I need stability,” Sunoo says. “For her sake. I can’t - can’t just date you and have her grow attached and then have you walk out when things aren’t working anymore.”

“Sun- ” Sunghoon starts, but Sunoo shakes his head.

“I need commitment,” Sunoo tells him. “If we do this, we have to mate. And if you aren’t ready for that commitment, I get it. But then I think it’s better if we end things here.”

He inhales a trembling breath, glancing down at his hands. He doesn’t want things to end. He likes Sunghoon so much he feels like he’ll burst with it, but his daughter comes first. Mating doesn’t mean things will work out perfectly, but Sunoo needs some sort of commitment, some guarantee that Sunghoon will try to be there even if things get hard. He isn’t just signing up to be with Sunoo; he’s signing up to be a dad, too.

“I understand,” Sunghoon says gently. “I know what I’m getting myself into.”

“Do you?” Sunoo mumbles, throat tight. “She’s not even your kid.”

“She’s yours,” Sunghoon counters. “And if you’re mine then she’s mine, too.”

Sunoo’s face feels hot. He can’t quite swallow past the lump in his throat. “Are you really ready for that?”

“I’ve always wanted kids.”

“You’re only 24.”

“I’m an adult,” he says. “I have a job. 24 is old enough.”

Sunoo rubs his eyes. He doesn’t know why he’s trying so hard to convince Sunghoon that this isn’t a good idea when all he wants is for Sunghoon to be his.

Sunghoon takes Sunoo’s hand in his, thumb brushing over his knuckles. “Why do you think I’ve been courting you for so long? I thought things through first.”

“Jake hyung said you were but I wasn’t sure if you were courting me or just being nice.”

“Sun, seriously?” Sunghoon snorts. Sunoo nudges him with his knee. “I was being nice at first, yeah, but then I got to know you. I thought I was being pretty obvious.”

“I’m an idiot.”

“You’re an idiot,” he agrees. He pulls a hand away from Sunoo’s to tug down the collar of his t-shirt, revealing the nicotine patch on his shoulder. “I’m quitting smoking. And I’ve been looking into trading my bike in for a car. I know I work weird hours, but I’ve been talking to my boss about it, and we’re working out whether I can have a more normal schedule so I’m not always working at home. I know I’m not someone you’d look at as ideal for a mate and a dad, but I’m working on it. I didn’t want to approach you without proving that I was stable and consistent and someone you’d want around your kid.” Sunghoon swallows, glancing down. “So here I am. Proving I’m making an effort.”

Sunoo lets out a watery laugh. “Sounds like you got a PowerPoint presentation prepared on reasons why you’d make a good mate.”

Sunghoon grins, rubbing the back of his head. “I can make one.”

“Now you’re the idiot,” Sunoo murmurs. “Thinking you aren’t already ideal.”

Sunghoon flushes.

“Thank you for doing so much,” Sunoo says. “I’m - I can’t describe how that makes me feel, that you care so much. Hyungie, you’re really amazing, don’t you know? Anyone would be lucky to have a mate like you.”

“Then will you have me?”

Sunoo huffs, the tears finally slipping out. He rubs at them furiously. “Of course,” he says. “Of course.”

Sunghoon leans in and kisses him, his thumb brushing away the tears. Sunoo melts into the kiss, his heart fit to burst, can barely believe that this is happening, that Sunghoon wants to be a part of his life. They break apart and Sunghoon drops a last kiss to Sunoo's lips.

“Breakfast?” he asks, and Sunoo laughs.

“Breakfast.”

♥

Sunoo gives birth on July 10, eight days before his due date.

The contractions start during a classroom party. They’re at the last days of school, so Sunoo arranged a little party for his students and their parents to come attend after lunchtime. He’s been having contractions already, so at first he prepares himself to suffer through them. But they start to come faster and longer, and one of the parents registers the panic on his face and tells him it might be time.

He calls Sunghoon, and while he’s waiting for Sunghoon, he calls Jake, too. Jake, predictably, freaks out in as level-headed a way as possible. Sunghoon arrives faster than he should have if he’d been driving the speed limit, and he barrels into the lobby looking for Sunoo.

He looks frazzled, but the sight of Sunoo calms him down. Sunoo takes his hand and squeezes.

“It’s really happening,” he whispers, and Sunghoon squeezes his hand back.

Sunghoon takes him home first for the beginning of the labor. They spend it lying in bed together, Sunghoon stroking Sunoo’s hair and involving him in conversation to keep him distracted. Mostly, they talk about the baby.

When the contractions pick up, Sunghoon grabs the hospital bag and they’re on their way. The drive passes in a blur, Sunoo trying to breathe through the pain, holding onto Sunghoon’s hand in a vice-like grip. By the time they arrive, Sunoo’s sobbing every time a contraction hits.

He’s in labor for ten and a half hours, and every minute is agony. At some point, he isn’t sure he can make it, but everyone’s shouting at him to push and Sunghoon’s holding his hand and he really has no choice but to keep going.

When they finally put her in his arms, he’s relieved. Just relieved, exhaustion weighing him down to the point that he can hardly hold her. His arms tremble. He’s waited so long, and here she is. He waited so long he had almost felt like the day would never really come. And now she’s here, and he’s relieved because she’s alive and he’s alive and everything’s going to be okay.

It takes a few minutes for the emotions to really hit, and when they do, they’re overwhelming. He can’t think straight. He passes her off to Sunghoon, who cradles her gently in his arms and cries, face scrunching up and lip wobbling as tears stream down his cheeks. Sunoo stares at them, and then he starts to cry, too.

She’s here, and he’s afraid and excited and amazed and proud.

Watching the two of them together, Sunoo can’t help but think that universe has moved for them. This was meant to be. Everything’s different now, and Sunoo feels so lucky.