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There something oddly calm about him, peaceful that Hendery can’t conceal. He’s a comforting presence, a safe ground for everyone but Hendery wants more. He wants to be that safe ground, soft embrace for the older but he has no clue on how he should approach him, approach this crush.
But Kun is dense, busy worrying over everything and worse, he still sees Hendery as a child. Which he’s not, sure he acts like one but only for Kun to notice him at least a bit. He’s far from being a child, if he was one, he wouldn’t have presented yet, standing straight in his alpha proudness. But even after this, after his first rut and his new overwhelming alpha scent, Kun still treated him like a pup. He knew that he was still young, not the most mature person out there but he was proud of himself and believed in his capacities to be a fitting mate to the older omega.
Older omega who was not only oblivious to him but to every potential courting addressed to him (unfortunately and fortunately). Not only he was kind, he was talented, smart with a beautiful voice and knew how to cook. And in addition, he was beautiful– cute button nose, dimpled with plump pink lips not forgetting his lithe body, small waist, narrow shoulders and round butt. The perfect omega indeed. But for obvious reasons, Hendery was not the only one to think so. Since trainee days, Kun has been popular and to this very day, everyone’s interest didn’t seem to calm down. He had seen countless alphas and betas coming around with clear intentions but Kun had been too busy preparing his dream and now that he was living it, a lot more people were interested but when in korea there was a language barrier, now in china, guys had no shame with flirting with him. And Kun, Kun the airhead he could be would just smile along, taking everything as courtesy while Hendery fumed.
The alpha in him growled at every potential “threat”, the deep wish of claim in his head. But he had to work for it, prove himself to the older. That he was a good alpha and that he would provide well for his omega, as old-fashioned it sounded.
He had made extra effort to wake up early, working out with Yukhei almost everyday, joining Kun into cooking and cleaning. Everyone saw change of behavior including Kun who would smile at him oh-so-softly and tell him to go play with the others, he can manage work alone but Hendery doesn’t want because he’s not a child anymore to play and Kun doesn’t have to endure all the work alone.
And tonight is no different. Everyone already ate, Yangyang and Xiaojun did the dishes while Kun is cleaning the table while Yukhei and Ten are out for practice and Sicheng is sitting in front of the TV. When everything is spotless, everybody goes to their room and Hendery can finally man up and ask Kun to watch a film with him tonight but as he sees the omega entering the laundry he groans to himself, questioning why he had to fall for such an hardworking and hardheaded person. He enters the room too only to see Kun loading the washing washing with clothes. He is humming to himself. He doesn’t mean to scare the older as he slips next to him, helping but Kun startles then smiles gently and Hendery already knows what he’s about to say.
“No, I’m not tired and yes, I want to help you.” he just says not even looking up from where he’s grabbing the clothes. Kun looks at him surprised for few seconds before chuckling to himself.
“You’ve been incredibly helpful recently. Anything guilty you want to confess or you’re just suddenly very adult ?” Kun says as he starts the washing machine before turning to a batch of clean towels and folding them. And yes, there’s something Hendery wants to confess but not this, not like that. The alpha just chuckles in response, “I’ve been an adult for quite a time now, gē.” his own response seems to surprise both of them since Kun looks up at him, eyes wide. It disappears right away though and he responds, “I see.” But Hendery is split into disagreeing because Kun doesn’t see him as a real adult yet, as a real man, a real alpha and sighing because for once, Kun didn’t actually laugh at him for wanting to be mature.
They fold the towels together, speaking in soft whispers.
As time pass and they get closer, it’s harder for Hendery to control himself. Every once in a while, he has to endure the numerous dumbasses trying to court Kun. He successfully slaps every offending hands away during interviews or shootings and might release few growls and alpha pheromones in the way.
But every two months, is when it gets rough. Kun’s heat kicks through and he’s miserable because first, Kun disappears for almost a week and second, his overly sweet scent lingers around the house, reminding him constantly of the omega’s state. And when usually he gets through it easily, this time isn’t as peaceful as the other times.
When he enters the house coming home from his morning run, he hears Xiaojun talk hurriedly then a sharp cry and he’s suddenly aware of the overwhelming heat scent. It’s obviously Kun’s, vanilla and cotton scented, coming from the bathroom. His heat is way earlier than expected (Hendery keeps track of it so he can plan everything the omega could need before his heats) but he had no time to think about it when another cry can be heard and his body acts on own. He takes long strikes to where the noises are from, the wolf within himself is howling, eager to get to his omega. He sees few of the members crowding the bathroom door with worried faces, the odor is now stronger and Hendery is growling unconsciously. It seems to bring attention to him– every heads turns to him, his own dizzy. He thinks he hears Xiaojun scream something before he feels Lucas slamming against him.
Kun is responding to his growls, he’s calling for his alpha, for him, Hendery knows it as he struggles against Lucas, feral. The taller alpha doesn’t let go and drags him forcefully out, away from here. He is sent into another house, 127’s dorms seemingly, in one of the cycles rooms. That’s when he notice that he was sent into rut.
Ruts are painful and annoying. His skin itches and feels incredibly hot. He is constantly covered in sweat and the arousal down there won’t stop. Thankfully he still remembers Kun’s heavenly scent and his high pitched whines so his imagination does the rest and makes the process easier. It finishes after five days, two more than usual before being released from this horrid room. 127 looks at him apologetically when he exits.
When he thinks he’s going back to the dorm, Sicheng and Xiaojun bring him to one of their practice room, extremely tense and serious.
“We won’t bush around what happened. In some way, Kun was sent into an early heat which triggered your rut,” Sicheng says. “Listen, we already knew about your little crush but now it’s way more than a crush and it’s getting out of hand.”
“Gē ! Be more... careful,” Xiaojun intervenes next to him frowning then returns to Hendery. “What we want to say is that you may have imprinted on Kun. That’s why he was sent into an early heat and probably made it stronger than usual,” the beta conforts Hendery while caressing his hand. “Right now he’s alright, a bit confused and dizzy from his heat but you guys will have to talk about it.”
“What about management ?” he croaks out trying to digest everything said to him,
“For now, only one manager is aware. We need both of you to settle whatever is happening and then, you’ll talk to management.” Sicheng says a bit more calmly now.
Everything’s a bit too fast for him, too sudden. Even more when he’s sent the day later into his room, Kun already sitting on the bed looking through the window. The closing door catches his attention as he looks towards Hendery, smiling lightly. The alpha feels extremely nervous now that they are together, everything he ever wished for was happening but not in the way he planned nor wanted and apparently it is obvious in his scent when he smells Kun’s conforming pheromones get stronger. He sighs once more before sitting next to the older. The face each other for few seconds and Kun dares to speak first.
“How are you ?” his voice is soft, a bit strained.
“I’m alright, i’m–“ Hendery struggles (he does that quite often these days) few minutes before finding his words. “I’m sorry. I dragged both of us in an incredibly uncomfortable situation and– I’m sorry that’s all I can say.”
“Are you finished ?” there’s a soft hand caressing his cheek while Kun speaks up, “You don’t have to apologize. Things meant to happen happened. I don’t think you have to blame yourself for something you cannot entirely control.” and that’s such a Kun thing to say. “Although we do have to speak about it.” Hendery knows and hums in response.
“Imprint they– imprint can happen unexpectedly and in our case I think it’s mostly due to the time we passed close to each other...” he pauses, hesitating, “But i think it is about something within us too ? We- we allowed it to happen.”
The alpha gapes at him when he says that, completely dumbfounded. Allowed it ? Us??? but he has trouble knowing if it is a good or bad thing. “And what do we do from now ?”
“It is either your choice if we want to continue– get on this way or not...” Kun looks to the ground, cheeks flushing.
Of course, Hendery wants to go this way, he would do anything to be with Kun but also for him to be happy and he doesn’t want to force anything on the older because he’s an alpha or any other reason. “What about you ? Is it okay with you ? Be honest with me here.”
He stares at Kun while the other squirm, cheeks reddening, “I– I don’t mind...” but Hendery frowns to himself. He doesn’t want Kun to “not mind it” he wants Kun to be part of it, not forced into it. “I want it.” he states one last time as he look into the alpha’s eyes.
Hendery relaxes immediately, his own cheeks blushing and there’s this fluttering feeling within him, as if his heart was ready to burst from all the emotions he’s been harboring feeling. They stare at each other for a moment, smiling.
“Can i kiss you ?” Hendery blurts out.
Kun’s lips are softer than he imagined, they taste like his cherry lip balm.
(They start dating after this and Hendery never been happier even though they had to face all the members about it, he receives countless threats on the way. Ten and Doyoung, indeed, do menace him of cutting his balls off if Kun cry one time, which he of course swear he won’t.)