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Seonghwa feels excitement vibrating off of his body. It’s one of those days where Wooyoung has a day off, where he would accompany Seonghwa out on a picnic and they spend half a day relaxing, chatting, and munching on food. Even if sleep eats at his consciousness due to him being awake since early hours of the morning, Seonghwa brushes it away. The deserts he has made with sweat and tears sit snugsly in his basket, ready to be devoured. He bounces on his feet while locking the door of his little cottage, balancing the basket of sweets with one hand. Having the keys secured on his fluffy side bag, Seonghwa neatens the fur of his floppy ears a final time before making his way to their usual picnic spot.
It's only a few minutes away from his place, deep into the forest, calm and peaceful. A small clearing near a pond that he absolutely adores. Seonghwa skips through the forest. Usually, he’s the one that arrives at the place first, cleaning it up and arranging it till Wooyoung comes. Since Wooyoung makes most of the food, Seonghwa has taken it upon himself to prepare the dessert and clean up.
The forest’s damp, earthy smell brings a small smile to his face. It’s a soothing smell that he finds comfort in, with the jittery nature he naturally has. He looks at the scenery around him as he walks: the remnant dew drops hanging off of leaves after the morning shower, the fully bloomed white flowers adorning the sides of the path he walks, and the birds that chirp energetically. He doesn’t notice a particular spot of muddy ground as he goes forward, too enraptured with his surroundings.
And oh! He slips, with an embarrassing yelp, no less. Tears spring to his eyes as pain shoots up his back.
Seonghwa finds himself sat on the muddy ground, his legs bent awkwardly, his basket askew. His butt is directly planted on top of the mud, quite possibly smearing the brown, sticky substance on his white shorts. A second passes in disbelief before he shakes his head to wave off momentary confusion.
“Need a hand?”
Someone asks, and Seonghwa looks up to see Kim Hongjoong hovering over him, and he lets out another embarrassing squeak, his floppy ears automatically covering the lower half of his face—an attempt to hide his reddening cheeks. He smells like sunshine and wood, orange hair falling over his forehead, a few strands sticking to his skin. The concerned eyes look over him as he bends down, holding a hand out to Seonghwa.
Kim Hongjoong is the tiger hybrid that arrived in town a couple of weeks prior, on commission to clear a section of the forest for wood under the mayor’s orders. Seonghwa knows he’s working with a small group of hybrids in a deeper part of the forest, all because of the gossip that is enthusiastically being passed around in town. The ‘accidental’ meetups in the forest, sometimes escalating into spicy trysts, the way Hongjoong makes those interested—and not interested—in him swoon—he has heard it all.
“Hello?” Hongjoong waves a hand in front of his face, his striped tail swaying the same way his hand does. Seonghwa blinks, coming back to earth only to scramble to get up.
Then, he slips again.
He hears Hongjoong sigh and wants the ground to open and swallow him whole. Humiliation burns through him, his face feeling hot under his fluffy ears. He lets Hongjoong help him up, squeaking in surprise when he is easily picked up like he weighs nothing. When his legs stop wobbling, Seonghwa slowly twists his body to look at his back. His shorts, his butt, his short tail, and the back of his thighs are covered in mud, making him coo sadly.
A rustle of clothing.
Then, something soft and warm got wrapped around his waist, hiding the dirt and mud.
Kim Hongjoong’s blue flannel shirt.
“T-Thank you,” Seonghwa stutters as Hongjoong fastens the shirt, eyeing the rippling muscles in the alpha’s exposed arms and chest through his tank top. “U-um…” He rushes to collect his basket, seeing that the desserts he has prepared are half mushed against the inside of it. Oh no! Now he has nothing to give to Hongjoong in gratitude. Wait… Wooyoung will bring food too!
“W-will you p-please stay for a while with me?” Seonghwa asks, internally cringing at his own nervousness. His stutter isn’t that bad usually, but it’s probably the lingering shame that eats at him.
Something changes on Hongjoong’s face unexpectedly. The easygoing demeanor he has had turns cold as he steps away from Seonghwa.
“My friend will bring some food and—“
“No,” the tiger hybrid says, small round ears twitching among his orange hair. “I swear, I need to stop falling for these traps. What is it going to be? Are you helping out your friend? Or are you just stalling my time till your imaginary friend doesn’t come?”
“W-what?” A faint quiver starts to shake Seonghwa’s body. Hongjoong is shorter than him but broader, stronger, and intimidating with regard to the genes he was born to.
“I know what you’re doing,” the alpha practically growls, causing Seonghwa’s breathing to hitch. “No, I’m not going to court you or let you court me. No, we can’t have any ‘private bonding’ times. I’m here for work. So, you can go on your way now, without bothering me. God, I really can’t catch a break with these damn omegas.”
Seonghwa is speechless. He has just been hit by a hurricane of words as if it contains the depths of Hongjoong’s frustrations that have left him malfunctioning. What has he done to deserve such harsh words? Nothing. Except maybe falling on his butt unexpectedly. He had only wanted to gift Hongjoong something to show his gratitude.
“I-I’m not-“
“I don’t need to hear excuses,” Hongjoong cuts him off, gathering the toolboxes he has put aside earlier to help Seonghwa, and Seonghwa almost cries at the sharp tone of the voice. He has always been too quiet, too soft, and too caring, to the point Wooyoung has taken the role of being his protector since they were young.
“Hwa!” Wooyoung’s voice echoes from the back, and Seonghwa feels so much relief that he almost staggers.
“Wooyo,” he mumbles, his voice wet, and immediately the fox hybrid comes to him, concerned. He skips over the spot of mud on the path, of course, because he is not clumsy and absent-minded like Seonghwa.
“What’s going on? What happened? Who do I need to fight?” He asks, gaze switching between Hongjoong, who’s about to leave, and Seonghwa, who’s about to cry. Without getting an answer, Seonghwa grabs Wooyoung’s pretty pink basket, rummaging through it until he finds a box of neatly packed meat buns. He takes one of them and more or less shoves it at Hongjoong’s chest.
“Thank you.”
Seonghwa doesn’t wait to see the tiger’s eyes widen as he realizes the mistake he has made. He drags Wooyoung away, intentionally stomping his feet on the ground to show that he is indeed frustrated at what had just transpired between him and Hongjoong. Who would like to be called desperate and salivating for an alpha that he has never even met?
“What a jerk!” Wooyoung exclaims after he hears the full story from Seonghwa, his mouth full with one of the berry tarts that the bunny prepared. They have arrived at their spot by the pond, cleaned as much of the mud as possible from Seonghwa’s shorts and thighs, and had their food.
“Still,” Seonghwa fiddles with the hem of the picnic cloth under him. “I wonder what made him say that. Do you think people bother him that much?”
“Probably do. Since he’s a tiger. He still shouldn’t have run his mouth like that. He may have a rare gene, but he’s not that special. And you,” Wooyoung jabs a sticky finger against Seonghwa’s cheek. “Stop trying to sympathize with him. I don’t want you to get tricked and be taken advantage of by alphas like last time.”
“I’m not!” Seonghwa defends, but then wonders again. “What do you mean he’s a rare gene?”
“When is the last time you saw a tiger?” the fox asks and receives no answer. “Exactly. That’s why half the town is chasing after him. Whether he has actually entertained them or not… only God knows.”
Seonghwa hums, giving up wasting time on an alpha that doesn’t even like him. He remembers the last time—the only time—he got into a relationship with a bear hybrid, where he had to provide accommodation, food, and money for the alpha. He had fallen for the charming smile and gotten smitten with the way the alpha always said the right words at the right time. Except when his heat had come, the alpha had suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth, saying that he couldn’t handle a responsibility like Seonghwa.
Since then, Seonghwa has kept himself away from alphas.
In comes Kim Hongjoong, assuming that the bunny is desperate for him.
In his dreams!
“Tsk,” Wooyoung boops his nose with a finger. “You’re still thinking about him.”
Seonghwa lets his ears cover his face to hide the embarrassment. “I’m not!”
“Right,” the fox chuckles, brushing away the floppy ears from the bunny’s face and squishing his cheeks. “Sannie says he’s going to help out with that guy’s work. He’ll be the one transporting the logs to the carpentry.”
San, the cat hybrid Wooyoung is courting, is the son of the town’s best carpenter, so the news isn’t something surprising to Seonghwa. What actually disturbs his mind is that, being outgoing as he is, he will have no trouble making friends with Hongjoong’s group. And that means that Seonghwa may have the chance to meet him again. Not that he likes it. But he keeps in mind to remind San that he will not partake in any outings with him and Wooyoung if Hongjoong is going to be a part of it.
Rude. But necessary.
“Tell him to be careful,” Seonghwa mutters instead, breaking his train of thoughts.
“Hmm,” Wooyoung swishes his silky tail as Seonghwa lays his head down on his lap. The bunny closes his eyes, listening to Wooyoung yap on about the doctor at the downtown apothecary working his nurses to their bones and Yunho’s puppy starting school next week. After a day full of gossip, meat buns, and veggie pastries with lemon tea, and some roughhousing as they scent each other, Wooyoung and Seonghwa decide that it’s time to go home.
As they head down the same pathway they came from, hands linked and quietly giggling at Wooyoung complaining about work at his farm, Seonghwa feels like the day has gone quite well, despite the mishap that morning. And if he sees Hongjoong and his crew from the corner of his eye, going back to work after probably having a late lunch, he absolutely ignores it, even if he feels the prickles of being stared at by a certain someone.
…
Seonghwa earns a living by selling the sweet desserts he makes to the local bakery. It doesn’t earn him a lot, but enough to live by and have something nice for himself once in a while. Every two days, he visits the evening market to buy what he needs. Well-made butter cannot be kept out at room temperature for more than a couple of days, and fresh ingredients always make the food taste better.
He also loved making this short trip to and from his house to the market. Carefully choosing the ingredients, getting to taste samples, and engaging in hearty conversations about food are what Seonghwa thrives on. At least, that is one of the few times his stutter goes away, so he might as well enjoy the trip. Wooyoung always tells him that one day he will be married to his orange-glazed pastries, and sometimes the bunny thinks he’s actually right. Who can resist the flaky, soft, sweet pastry with a hint of zesty tanginess? It hits all the right spots on the tongue, and Seonghwa will have nothing more than getting to eat at least one of them every day.
Trudging down the pathway with a skip to his step and his trusty woven basket, Seonghwa hums a tune under his breath. He passes a few kittens on the way, playing ball as the sun is going down. A bit late to be out for them, but with their mother keeping an eye over them from her seat on the outdoor bench, knitting, they have nothing to worry about. Seonghwa’s ears perk as their loud chatter reaches him, lively and cheerful.
When he reaches the market, he finds it fairly barren, as it is still too early for the food vendors to be out. He takes the time to choose his list of ingredients, the basket gradually getting too heavy to be held. He grunts a little as he heaves it up to his waist, laying it against his hip until he pulls coins out of his purse.
“Seonghwa!”
He spins around, eyes wide and ears perked. Mrs.Cho rushes over to him, a hand over her chest as she heaves for breath.
“Mrs.Cho!” He greets, a shy smile stretching his lips. She has always been one of his best customers, the mother of a very merry family who threw parties for every happy occasion. Not that Seonghwa complained. People should live happily.
“Oh, Seonghwa, I was meaning to visit you tomorrow,” she pants, beads of sweat over her forehead, white ears with black spots twitching. “But I lucked out, meeting you out here.”
“Is it something urgent?” Seonghwa tilts his head, his small, puffy tail wagging slowly.
“No, no, nothing urgent. But…” She looks up at him with sparkling, hopeful eyes. “My youngest is having her sixth birthday next week. I was hoping that you would make her the birthday cake and some sweets for the party table if you’re not too busy.”
“A birthday party?” Seonghwa’s eyes sparkle just as much. “Of course I will, Mrs.Cho! I am not too busy to refuse your request. What type of sweets were you thinking about?”
“I want my girl and her birthday cake to be the star of the party,” Mrs.Cho smiles happily, clasping her hands together. “I’ll be making the savories, but I do want something sweet but not too sweet to pair with coffee for those who need it.”
Seonghwa hums, tapping his chin for a minute. Then, he perks up again. “How about cinnamon sugar doughnuts? They’re perfect for someone who doesn’t like sweeter things.”
Mrs.Cho gasps. “You mean the ones who sold at Macy’s last month? They were such a delight!”
Seonghwa shyly giggles, his floppy ears coming up to cover his red cheeks. He will never get used to taking compliments. “I-I will come to your house tomorrow morning. We can go through all the details by then.”
When Mrs.Cho bids him goodbye, Seonghwa looks at her briefly with a fond smile before turning back to his task. He needs to find oranges. Ones that are not too unripe that the peel is hard to take off and not too ripe that that the zest cannot be taken out of the peel. As he’s choosing the fruits, so absorbed in the mission to find the perfect oranges, neither his earsor his nose picks up the presence that comes up behind him.
Someone clears a throat a bit too close to him, and Seonghwa squeaks unattractively, startled. He almost drops his basket if Hongjoong—who has appeared so suddenly and alarmingly close—hasn’t caught it just before.
“Sorry,” the tiger has the gall to apologize, guilt flashing across his face as ears flatten on his head, meanwhile Seonghwa starts to shake like a leaf.
“W-what do you w-want?” Seonghwa asks, internally cursing himself for letting the stutter take over. But then, with a heart that’s hammering so loudly against his ribcage, he cannot actually put the fault in anything. Damn Kim Hongjoong and his pitiful face.
“To apologize,” the alpha takes a step back, creating a comfortable space between them so Seonghwa can gather himself, and scratches the back of his head. “I would have done it earlier, but you… have been avoiding me.”
Damn right he has been, Seonghwa huffs—not out loud in front of a tiger hybrid. Of course he has noticed Hongjoong trying to approach him a few times, at the same marketplace, at the bakery Seonghwa commissions for, and at the pathway of the forest where Seonghwa’s cottage is passed by. It would have made Seonghwa uneasy if Hongjoong didn’t back off after seeing his reluctance, but the tiger has always maintained his distance respectfully, much to Seonghwa’s surprise.
Hongjoong pulls out something small from his jean pocket. Seonghwa warily takes a step back, not knowing what to expect. In the tiger’s hand is a small wooden carving that is shaped like a star, with a bunny carved into the middle of it. It is small enough to be made into a pendant or a key chain for his purse, adorable, and kind of triggering Seonghwa’s cute aggression. Clutching the handle of his basket with both of his hands, Seonghwa peeks at Hongjoong, who shifts nervously.
“For you,” he says, cupping the carving in his hands like it’s something precious. “As an apology. I’m sorry. Truly. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. It’s just—“ he stops himself and lets out a huff. “No, there’s no point in giving excuses. I’m sorry, Hwa.”
Seonghwa’s ears twitch. His tail goes rigid. The alpha just called him by the nickname that only San and Wooyoung are allowed to call. “H-how do you know m-my name?”
“Um,” Hongjoong looks hesitant. “Your fox friend called your name that day.”
Seonghwa purses his lips, observing the squirming tiger, before reaching out and taking the carving into his hand. It looks even smaller on his larger hand, adorably compact. He feels the smoothness of the surface of the wood. Hongjoong seems to be good at what he does.
“T-thank you,” Seonghwa says, voice barely above a whisper. He likes the little gift so much that he hugs it to his chest, looking at Hongjoong with a grateful expression on his face. Something like relief floods the man’s face as he deeply exhales, a smile stretching his lips afterwards, tail swaying happily at the back.
“Need some help?” he asks, as if he doesn’t want to go yet. Seonghwa hesitates, just a little bit, and shakes his head. He needs peace when he shops. With Hongjoong next to him, Seonghwa’s heart is going to have a field trip. He may have apologized for lashing out at Seonghwa, but to the bunny, he is still just as intimidating as the first day he saw him. For some reason, the tiger hybrid looks disappointed, ears flattening again. It reminds him of a cat—an overgrown one—visibly disheartened after getting scolded.
“Hongjoong!” Someone yells in the distance, and both Seonghwa and Hongjoong turn to look. It’s the daughter of the bakery owner, Jiwon, her soft cooing voice cheerful until she notices Seonghwa next to him and frowns. Her small, beak-like mouth purses, her gaze switching between the two of them. The bunny has never had any trouble with her, making casual talks with the sparrow hybrid every time he visits the bakery. But somehow today just feels different.
“Fuck,” Hongjoong curses under his breath. “I’m… going to go. Something came up.”
Something actually did, Seonghwa thinks, his own gaze roaming from Jiwon to an uncomfortably fidgeting Hongjoong. The tiger doesn’t even wait for Seonghwa’s acknowledgement before he practically runs away, Jiwon trying to catch up to him as fast as she can.
Well… no wonder Hongjoong seemed to be on edge that day. If he has to run away every time an alpha chases after him, Seonghwa thinks he would be exhausted all day every day.
“Ah, young love,” Uncle Han sighs from behind the stall, shaking his head at the tiger that disappears around the corner.
…
Another day, another morning. Seonghwa pedals his bicycle, with a box full of rhubarb pies on its rack behind the seat. He’s late, courtesy of reading a light novel so deep into the night that he forgot that he was supposed to bake the next day. He's helpless against romance stories with princes sweeping in to rescue their princesses, so what of it? Hmph. He’s also a mess, still wearing the clothes he has hastily thrown on before baking with a few patches of flour on his face and body, but he can’t give himself time to care before dropping off the pies.
In minutes, he’s pulling the brakes in front of the bakery.
Tucked beneath a weathered awning of faded stripes, the bakery sits like a warm memory in the heart of the town. Stone walls, etched with the soft erosion of time, hold the scent of flour, firewood, and sugar. Its wooden sign carved with curling script saying ‘Macy’s’ and the image of a rising loaf creaks gently in the breeze, the iron brackets rusted just enough to be charming.
Seonghwa trudges up the stairs and goes in through the back door, the smell of freshly baked goods attacking his senses. Delighted by the rows and rows of golden, fluffy bread on cooling racks, Seonghwa inhales the warm smell of them. This is a second home to him, somewhere he can be at ease and drown his mind in buttery, flaky goodness without letting his nerves control him. Mr.Song, the owner of the bakery, greets him as he helps Seonghwa take out the pies one by one to examine them. Red and tart, with edges perfectly golden and crusty, they look good in the display with other pastries Macy’s is offering. The bunny’s tail puffs up in delight when he receives a loaf of warm bread and a few spinach and potato rolls in addition to the commission he receives.
After basking in the cozy aroma of breads and buns and helping out the workers a little to arrange shelves, Seonghwa bids them farewell when the bakery is about to open for customers. He is in need of a good shower and a change of clothes, even if he’s sad that the smell of bread will be washed off of him.
“Oh!” He gasps, almost falling off the couple of stairs as his eyes spy a flash of orange whizz past him and into the little space between the bakery and the tea and spice shop. The brief seconds of the moment leave a whiff of sunshine and trees. Hongjoong. Curiosity overcoming his nerves, Seonghwa steps into the small space as well, the pace of his heart picking up. “H-Hongjoong?”
Something grabs him by the hand and yanks him forward, a hand placing over his mouth firmly just before he lets out a surprised yelp. The shaded area gives the limited space between the two buildings a gloomy atmosphere, but Hongjoong’s fierce eyes bore into him, giving a sharp contrast. At Seonghwa’s wide eyes and heavy breathing, the tiger hybrid lowers the intensity in his gaze and places a finger over his lips. The bunny nods, heart skipping when Hongjoong’s hand falls off his mouth.
Hongjoong’s ears twitch as they listen to their surroundings, tail stiff behind him. Seonghwa also looks around, seeing nothing through the thin space. With walls around them, there is barely any space to freely move around. Seonghwa shifts nervously, the air between them thickening as his ears pick up faint sounds of footsteps. A bit of panic creeps into him. Is someone following Hongjoong again?
As the alpha’s face twists in anxiety, Seonghwa understands. He presses a bit closer to the tiger, in return Hongjoong pressing his back to the wall. Then Seonghwa places both of his hands over Hongjoong’s ears, covering them. It’s dangerous—what he’s doing—blocking an alpha’s senses where there is imminent ‘probable’ danger, but it’s the only way he can make Hongjoong focus on him, or so he thinks. Until he realizes that Hongjoong’s gaze is already locked onto him, roaming over his face and then dropping to his body in wonder. His cheeks turn pink, and Seonghwa briefly wonders why till he remembers that he’s wearing the flannel shirt Hongjoong gave him when they first met.
Breath hitching, Seonghwa feels his own cheeks warm up. He meant to give the shirt back—honestly—but it has felt so soft in his hands, so cozy and worn down, with the faint scent of sunshine etched into it, that Seonghwa’s inner omega deemed it his. The shirt fell loosely over his body, his collarbones and clavicle exposed due to Hongjoong having a broader frame than him, even if the alpha is shorter.
His trusty shorts that he always wears when he bikes only peek out from the hem of the shirt, his thighs and legs exposed for the naked eye. Covered in patches of flour and stained in rhubarb’s red, he’s utterly and wholly a mess. Hongjoong must be wondering why he’s so untidy. Seonghwa parts his mouth to explain that he’s not usually like this and that he will give back the shirt soon, but Hongjoong suddenly switches their positions and presses him against the wall. One of his hands grabs his waist to pin him.
Hongjoong’s other hand fits over his mouth again, wrenching his eyes away from Seonghwa with a pained expression and looking out. That’s when Seonghwa hears the footsteps again, a lot closer than before. Whoever it is could smell Hongjoong’s warm scent. Seonghwa grabs the hand over his mouth and pushes it down, gaining Hongjoong’s attention again.
“Trust m-me,” he whispers, waiting till the tiger hesitantly nods before rubbing his wrists’ scent glands over Hongjoong’s, an attempt to mask his scent. Then he moves onto the glands on the tiger’s neck, doing the same.
“Hwa-” Hongjoong breathes.
“Hush,” Seonghwa reprimands softly, rubbing his other wrist over the same spots. He feels incredibly warm, and it feels like it has nothing to do with the early morning sun.
The footsteps that are coming close stop, as if they couldn’t figure out which way to go. Seonghwa and Hongjoong hold their breaths. Then, they turn back, pause, and start walking again, the sounds fading. The bunny and the tiger let out a collective sigh, lock gazes, and giggle quietly to themselves.
Somehow, seeing Hongjoong’s easy demeanor, Seonghwa feels the intimidation that he has felt from Hongjoong before disperse.
“W-want a ride?” He asks, very uncharacteristic of himself.
Hongjoong stares at him for a bit before nodding. “Sure.”
With his bag slung over his back, Seonghwa guesses that the tiger hybrid is going to work. Since the forest is the same way as his home, Seonghwa can give a ride to Hongjoong. And the alpha probably spent days while making that little star trinket for him. It makes sense… right? He’s just giving back.
Seonghwa shakes his head, clearing nonsense from his head. He peeks out of the space just to make sure that the coast is clear and gestures for Hongjoong to come out. That’s when he hears the embarrassing sound of the alpha’s stomach grumbling, loud and clear. He looks back at a Hongjoong that has a face the same shade as a tomato in amusement. The poor tiger was probably on his way to the bakery to buy food. Seonghwa offers him spinach rolls.
“Take some.”
“No, no,” Hongjoong refuses, hands waving from side to side. “I owe you too much.”
Seonghwa shoves the bag of rolls in his hands instead, turning on his heels and getting on his bicycle. He pats the back rack, where he had carried the pies, wordlessly asking Hongjoong to take the seat. Mouth full of spinach rolls, Hongjoong looks over the seat, and at Seonghwa, and back to the seat again, before swinging his leg over and sitting on it.
“H-hold on tight,” Seonghwa instructs, though he wonders if he should have told the alpha how. Because when Hongjoong’s arms curl around his waist and he presses against his back, Seonghwa prays to gods that the tiger would not hear the hammering heart in his chest. The bunny paddles fast because they are still on their little escape mission. With the cool wind brushing past, Hongjoong feels extra warm on his back. He feels the alpha’s thick, toned muscles and soft breath, feeling something heated pooling in the pit of his stomach. Biting his lip to not let any sound escape, Seonghwa speeds up.
When he halts near his house and gets off the bicycle with Hongjoong, a strange sense of loneliness comes over him. He clutches a handful of the flannel shirt and glances at Hongjoong. If he’s being honest, Seonghwa doesn’t actually want to give the shirt back. He has grown used to it. The softness, the faint worn scent of it, the quiet reassurance it gives whenever he wears it. Seonghwa knows it’s wrong. Keeping it when it’s not his. His bunny ears droop further from their usual position.
“Hongjoong… Your shirt… I’ll-“
“Keep it,” Hongjoong says, a mellow smile breaking out on his face as if he understood something that Seonghwa didn’t. “I like it on you better.”
As soon as he says it, Hongjoong’s face erupts in a crimson blush. “I meant… keep it. A gift. You have helped me out today. So… as a thanks for that.”
Seonghwa hums. He’s just glad that he gets to keep the shirt. “Is it okay if I drop you off here?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Hongjoong dismisses. “It’s only a few minutes walk from here. Is this… your house?”
Hongjoong points at the little brown-wooded cottage that has a white picket fence around it. It looks cozy, a faint scent of pine emanating from it when the sun touches it. Primrose bushes peek out along the edges, yellow, blue, and white, spilling their colors into the trimmed grass. A stone path, worn smooth by years of footsteps, led to a crooked front porch.
Seonghwa nods in response, suddenly feeling a little shy. His cottage may have been situated on the edge of the road, but he could count on the number of people who he allowed to visit with only one of his hands.
“It’s so you,” Hongjoong mumbles, but more to himself rather than to Seonghwa.
“Y-you can come over i-if you want,” Seonghwa doesn’t know why he says it. But he immediately lets his face hide behind his ears, squirming a little in his spot. Why would Hongjoong ever visit him? They aren’t courting. They aren’t even friends. They’re simply an omega bunny and an alpha tiger.
Tiger… yes… And Seonghwa just invited him to his house.
Before he realizes the depths of what he actually said, Hongjoong interrupts his storm of thoughts.
“I will take that offer, bun,” Seonghwa lets out a shuddering breath at the nickname. “But not now. It’s time for me to go. I’m actually… already late.”
“O-okay,” the bunny quips.
“You’re hiding your face again?” Hongjoong says. If Seonghwa has to say anything, the look on the tiger hybrid’s face resembles something like fondness. He feels his heart skip. “Won’t you say goodbye to me?”
Seonghwa malfunctions. His breath stutters, throat locking up. Wide, round eyes stare at Hongjoong incredulously, cheeks flaring red under the soft cushions of his ears. His tail puffs up again, for the second time of the day.
Hongjoong chuckles. Soft and breathy. And Seonghwa can’t help but admire how handsome he is, with his prominent stripes on his long and thick tail and black-edged round eyes. With his bow-shaped lips and almond-shaped eyes. With his silky-looking orange hair that Seonghwa wants to pet to see if it’s as soft as it looks. With his strong arms that held Seonghwa’s waist and the broad chest that pressed against him. And… that smile with a teasing edge to it. No wonder people chase him on a regular basis, though the alpha didn’t deserve such torture.
“Come on, Hwa,” Hongjoong softly urges, taking a step closer. For Seonghwa’s abrupt realization, he’s no longer intimidated by the tiger that Hongjoong is. Instead, his heart thrums with something more dangerous. Something that he’s reluctant to admit.
“Have a g-good day!” he chirps, a nervous mess. And he pushes his bicycle to the back of his house as a form of escape, face burning as he hears Hongjoong’s hearty laugh.
…
“Oh no!” Seonghwa exclaims on one Friday evening, eyes wide and ears perked in sudden realization. Wooyoung, who has just stepped into the house, mirrors his expression even if he doesn’t know what’s going on. “I think I like him!”
Wooyoung blinks at him. “Hongjoong?” Then his expression turns unimpressed. “You don’t say.”
“No, no!” Seonghwa panics, fingers deep in the dough he kneads. “You don’t understand, Wooyo. I like him!”
“Well, I figured it out when you gave him a ride on your bicycle through the town.”
Seonghwa blushes, tail twitching ever so slightly. “How can you come to a conclusion like that just because of a bike ride?”
“Hwa,” Wooyoung peers at him, shorter but feisty, hands crossed over his chest. “I know you love me very much, but in all these years you have never let me ride it with you.”
“Hey!” Seonghwa protests. “I took you to Uncle Bom when you fell down the hill and broke your kneecap in my bicycle!”
“That doesn’t count!” Wooyoung snaps before he composes himself. He rubs at his temple as if Seonghwa’s giving him a headache. “Anyway. I still don’t like that guy. He has to go through me if he wants to court you. Or if you want to court him… whatever comes first.”
Seonghwa pouts, but he knows that over the years the little fox has grown immune to his pout. He misses the days when just a jut of his lips earned him candy and food from Wooyoung, San earning the brunt of it. And when a simple pout caused his choice of game to be chosen to play on a specific day.
“By the way… what the heck are you wearing?”
Seonghwa looks down at himself and finds that he has worn Hongjoong’s shirt again. Somehow… he finds himself wearing it whenever he bakes. As ridiculous as it sounds, Seonghwa feels comfort in it.
“It’s… It’s Hongjoong’s ,” the bunny finds no use in lying because Wooyoung would have caught him in the act. He has never been a good liar anyway.
Wooyoung gasps dramatically, a hand over his heart. “Have you fucked already?!”
Seonghwa’s mind goes haywire. Alarms blare inside his brain, and he sputters, dough squeezing through his fingers as he clenches his hands tight. “Wha—no, no, no! He gave this to me that day when I slipped in the mud, remember? Y-you were there!!”
“But you should have given it back to him the next day!” Wooyoung counters, pointing a finger at him accusingly. “Or did you fall for that Casanova from the first day?”
“Wooyoung!” Seonghwa whines, wanting the earth to swallow him whole.
“And… and that! Are those from him too?” Wooyoung redirects the finger to the mess that is his vase, full of random wildflowers and lily flowers that Hongjoong probably left at the front doorstep of his house on many mornings.
“W-well… I think they are,” Seonghwa mumbles. Because he has never seen Hongjoong actually do it. Almost every morning when he opened the door, a sprig or two of random flowers had been laid on the woven carpet on his front porch.
“What else, Hwa?” Wooyoung grabs him, shaking his body. “Tell me everything he has given you.”
“Just…” Seonghwa gulps, helpless against the intensity in the young fox’s eyes. “Just that wooden star on my wall rack…”
Wooyoung rushes over to it, examining every detail of it. His face shows that he’s impressed by the skill but refuses to admit it as he hides it in the form of a scoff. “I still need to evaluate him before he touches even a hair of yours.”
Seonghwa averts his gaze, remembering the thick arms around his slender waist.
“So? What have you given him?”
Seonghwa visibly deflates, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Only food… that I didn’t even make myself.”
Wooyoung is silent for a long while, to the point Seonghwa is scared of looking at him.
“Hwa…” the fox says slowly, the sound of his bushy tail wagging reaching the bunny’s ears. “You do know that you both have been courting each other, right?”
“Huh?” Seonghwa drops the ball of dough on the kneading board with an audible plop. “I don’t think so… I mean… every time we…”
His voice trails off as he realizes it too. He is the one that started giving gifts. Though they have been gifts of gratitude, they may have looked like gifts of impressing and providing rather than a peace offering. Because they have been good. Then the gifts from Hongjoong. Showing off his own abilities, things that cause Seonghwa to think of him every time he looks at them. The way the alpha let the bunny scent him. The way Seonghwa has allowed Hongjoong to touch him and address him so casually. The way Seonghwa finds warmth and comfort in Hongjoong’s scent, clothing, and the things that he does…
Seonghwa’s breath hitched. He hides his face behind his ears, letting out an embarrassing whimper.
“Wooyo~” he whines, eyes wide and teary as he tugs at the fox’s shirt. “What do I do?”
Wooyoung all but sighs deeply at Seonghwa. “I heard he’s the type of person who doesn’t stay in one place. When he’s done here, he will leave. I don’t know about his intentions, Hwa. But…”
He takes hold of Seonghwa’s soft ears and pushes them away from his face, cupping his flushed cheeks. “But if you want to court him, you better make it clear to him. I don’t want you to get hurt like last time…”
Seonghwa coos, half in sadness and half in appreciation, nuzzling against Wooyoung’s short, pointy ears for comfort.
“But!” the younger suddenly exclaims, eyes fierce and words sharp. “Nothing happens until I approve, okay?”
Seonghwa lets out a watery chuckle at the protectiveness.
“Right. Now, finish that soon while I pick your outfit for tonight. I’m going to make you look super cute and breedable.”
“N-no, you won’t!” Seonghwa protests, about to burst with simply the implication of Wooyoung’s words.
…
The spring festival brings joy to Seonghwa at the mere thought of it. One would usually think that the festival is held in the daytime by the name of it, but as the sun sets, the town comes alive. Warm golden lanterns are strung up on trees, swaying gently in the chilly air. The ground in between the trees sparkles with bioluminescent moss that only grows and spreads during spring. Little bugs flit around, the flickering lights on their tails adding to the dreamy atmosphere.
But what Seonghwa loves is the people. Wooyoung’s family of foxes provides the music for festivals. He sees Wooyoung’s father and older brother holding handmade instruments while his mother softly hums from the side, her voice gentle but prominent throughout the town square. The people passing by greet them, their chatter quietened so that the slow music echoes in the air.
Little pups and cubs run around, wearing masks and marbles in hand, their laughter cheerful and full of mischief. Seonghwa breathes in the fresh night air, tinted by the smell of foods in colorfully tented stalls propped up around the plaza. The bunny’s tail puffs up in delight as he spots glinting jars of jams, spiced breads, sweet berry wine, and, of course, his own custard buns at Mr.Song’s stall.
Everyone has dressed in light, flowy clothes despite the slight chill in the air. He himself—as chosen by dearest Wooyoung, who’s hanging off of his left arm—is wearing a knitted, oversized sweater dress that is a pale yellow, falling off of one of his shoulders due to the wide neckline. It has sleeves that went past his hands and gave him sweater paws. It’s a way to show off that he is a desirable, unmarked omega, Wooyoung has said, pointing to the unblemished soft skin of his neck. Little daisies are knitted on it in a messy pattern, giving it a certain kind of hominess that Seonghwa adored. Seonghwa has also threaded the little trinket Hongjoong had given him onto a black ribbon, tying it around his neck as a necklace, much to the dismay of the little fox. His white hair looks extra fluffed up in contrast to the neatly combed white fur of his floppy ears, which Seonghwa adored.
He pauses when he sees Hongjoong, a few stalls away at a gaming booth. He isn’t wearing anything fancy, just one of his usual shirts and denims, but Seonghwa can’t help but admire how he glows under the lantern lights. The tiger hybrid’s tail swishes around as if he’s preying, but Seonghwa sees that he is intently focused on the dartboard a few feet away. As one, two, and three darts all hit the jackpot, the little kittens next to him jump in happiness. The joy seems infectious, as Hongjoong starts laughing too, ruffling their hair as he was being clapped at for his victory. The prize of a shark plushie that Hongjoong receives is selflessly given to them, who squeals at it and thanks him before running away.
Something merry pokes at Seonghwa’s heart when he realizes that he’s not the only one swooning over Hongjoong. Wooyoung, who has been following his gaze silently all this time, tugs at his sleeve, but before he can say anything, they both lurch forward at a heavy weight on their backs.
“Hi~” San sings, slinging an arm over each of the omega’s shoulders. His white, pointy ears perk up excitedly over his dark hair, cheeks flushed from exhilaration. He has just arrived, yet he looks like he has been here for hours. As Wooyoung presses smooches against his mate’s cheeks, Seonghwa fondly brushes away the crumbs of something from around the cat’s mouth.
“You’re too excited, Sannie,” Seonghwa scolds gently, stepping away and giving the lovebirds some space. “You two have fun. I’m just going to walk around and see what’s for sale.”
“Hmph, you just want to go to your loverboy,” Wooyoung accuses with a pout, to which Seonghwa huffs.
“Hwa,” San grabs his elbow, worried. “Look… you… you should stay with us for a while.”
Something in his tone doesn’t sit well with Seonghwa. He tilts his head to the side. “I’m… okay with that too, but… why? Something wrong?”
San bites his lip as if contemplating his thoughts, but when Wooyoung makes a questioning sound, he gives in.
“Hyunwoo is back in town…”
Seonghwa’s stomach twists.
“I heard it’s only for the festival, but… I don’t want you to be alone in case he finds you.”
“Why didn’t you say it sooner?” Wooyoung hisses, looking around. The fox looks agitated, searching for Hyunwoo in the crowd as if he’s going to fight him.
“Then… then it’s better if we go separate ways,” Seonghwa says, ears drooping. “I don’t want you to get caught up in my problems.”
“He’s not your problem, Hwa,” Wooyoung says, with San gravely nodding in agreement. “He’s nothing to you. To us. We just don’t want you to meet him and ruin our night.“
“Well, look who it is!”
Seonghwa sighs. It’s already too late for them.
“Hey, pretty bunny,” Hyunwoo pulls up next to him, an unwanted arm wrapping around Seonghwa’s waist. “Still single?”
It happens all in a sequence. As Seonghwa tries to squirm out of Hyunwoo’s grip, Wooyoung hisses at him, and San snaps, “Get your hands off of him!” The next second, Hyunwoo is clutching his arm, from wrist to elbow scratched, beads of blood appearing.
“Back off!” Hongjoong growls, replacing Hyunwoo’s hand that has been on Seonghwa’s waist with his own and creating distance between them.
For a moment, everything is silent. San and Wooyoung stare at Hongjoong, surprised; Hyunwoo is clutching his arm to his chest, and Seonghwa is just as frozen on his spot. Hongjoong bares his teeth at the bear hybrid, although Hyunwoo is almost a head taller than him and broader.
“Guess not,” Hyunwoo answers his own question and looks Hongjoong up and down. “Seonghwa… You definitely managed to upgrade in terms of a partner. But does he know that you’re a downgrade?”
Seonghwa feels the arm around him tighten, and he glances at Hongjoong, who looks like he’s ready to pounce on Hyunwoo and rip his head off. He looks as if the only thing that’s stopping him is the palm carefully placed over his heart by Seonghwa.
“Leave u-us alone, Hyunwoo,” he says, tasting acid in his mouth. He quivers in distress, not liking the way the bear towers over him. “How dare you show up in this town after what you did?”
“I came here for a job. Not for you. So don’t be flattered.” Hyunwoo rolls his eyes, then stares at his slightly bleeding arm. “You do know that I can call the security over for this, don’t you, tiger?”
Hongjoong just stays still, glaring. By his side, his free hand is clenching and unclenching repeatedly , a low growl emanating from him. Seonghwa feels the air thicken with tension as seconds tick by, wanting nothing but to go home. Seeing Hyunwoo has ruined his night and has caused him to remember how he devoted himself to a useless alpha that took everything from him and gave nothing back. He had been so naïve and inexperienced back then…but not anymore.
“Leave,” he says, slipping out of Hongjoong’s hold to stand nose to nose with Hyunwoo. But before he does that, he gets pushed back, Hongjoong taking the place he intended to.
“He asked you to leave,” Hongjoong reminds him kindly again, the growl in his chest lacing with his words. That’s a tiger, an apex predator that is capable of what he can do. Hongjoong’s eyes glow in the low light, the back muscles twitching in expectation of pouncing on the bear. Seonghwa shivers, wondering how Hyunwoo can stare at him so nonchalantly and breathe the same air as him. Except…he isn’t. Only when Seonghwa tears his eyes away from Hongjoong does he see the faint tremble in Hyunwoo’s body, the eyes that struggle with thoughts. He’s more affected than he lets on to be, yet he impressively puts on a brave face.
“Fine,” Hyunwoo grits out, as if a great inconvenience has been done to him. “Just wanted to see if I can stay over for the night, but… seems like I’m not welcome.”
“Are you stupid?” Wooyoung asks, eyes wide with incredulity. “What makes you think Hwa will take you back in?”
“Whatever, fox,” Hyunwoo strolls out of their space, rolling his eyes, hands in his pockets as if he doesn’t have a bleeding arm. As if he still wants to stay composed in the face of imminent danger, that is Hongjoong.
“Are you okay?” Is Hongjoong’s first question as soon as Hyunwoo disappears into the crowd. Seonghwa breathes deeply, taking in the remnant warm scent of Hongjoong and nodding once.
“Who was that?” The tiger asks, tail swishing harshly as if he’s still agitated.
“Hwa’s ex,” San replies, an annoyed pout on his face.
“Thank you,” Seonghwa says, looking at Hongjoong. He doesn’t want to waste another second talking about an ‘ex’ that doesn’t matter anymore. His heart feels full, brimming with a warm emotion that he feels greedy to spill.
Hongjoong quickly takes his arm off of Seonghwa, and the bunny can’t help but feel a sense of emptiness. “Sorry, I… I jumped in when I had no right to. You looked uncomfortable, and… and I just…”
Seonghwa chuckles breathily, soothingly patting his ears after they twitched in unease just before.
“Kim Hongjoong,” suddenly, a short and fierce fox stands in between them, narrowing his eyes at Hongjoong. “I have seen you. And I have heard of you. And …” he glances at Seonghwa before staring a hole through the tiger. “You better not hurt my Hwa. You will find the stripes on your body gone if you do.”
Hongjoong cocks an eyebrow at the threat this bushy-tailed fox is spitting before his expression turns so sincere that it tugs at Seonghwa’s heart. “I will never hurt him.”
Wooyoung stares at him for a moment more before nodding in satisfaction. Then he turns to walk away, doing an ‘I’ve got my eyes on you’ motion to Seonghwa as he hooks an arm with San.
“See? I told you he’s a good man,” San is saying as he walks away. “All those rumors are bullshit. He’s not a promiscuous—“
“Seonghwa…”
The bunny’s attention is caught by Hongjoong. He flushes now that they’re alone and has all of Hongjoong’s attention on him.
“Want to take a seat?” the tiger asks, gesturing towards an empty bench nearby. Seonghwa nods, fiddling with his side bag as he follows Hongjoong. He lets a gust of cool air brush past him, messing up his hair a little, as he sits down.
“That dress looks pretty on you,” Hongjoong compliments, his hands tightly clasped on his lap while his eyes roam over Seonghwa appreciatively. “I mean, you always look beautiful, but especially… especially tonight.”
“Thank you.” Seonghwa flushes even darker, mentally thanking Wooyoung for forcing him to wear the sweater dress even while he protested.
“And…” the alpha’s eyes pause on his neck. “You’re wearing the star as a pendant.”
“It’s… a little bigger than I thought, but,” Seonghwa thumbs at the wooden star. “I like it.”
Hongjoong’s gaze locks with his. Seonghwa almost shudders at the thinly veiled intensity of it.
“You’re not… stuttering…”
Seonghwa sucks in a breath. He hasn’t realized he has stopped doing that around Hongjoong. Probably because the alpha made him feel safe, whatever blob of anxiety he had around him had disappeared. Something bubbles up in his stomach. Smoothing a hand down one of his ears, Seonghwa tries not to focus on his burning cheeks.
“I… only do that when I’m nervous…”
Hongjoong chuckles softly, taking the hand Seonghwa is fiddling his ear with in his own. Warmth spread through Seonghwa as if someone were hugging him. A teasing smile stretched Hongjoong’s lips, making him look boyish. “So… you aren’t nervous around me anymore?”
“No,” Seonghwa replies, voice barely above a whisper. A smile remains on Hongjoong’s face as he nods, linking their fingers together. Seonghwa’s breath hitches at the raw intimacy of such a simple action that he gives a tender squeeze of his own as a response. “How come… I don’t see you running away today?”
Hongjoong presses a bit closer, his body warm against Seonghwa’s. “I don’t need to anymore. I told them that there’s someone I really, really like. And that I don’t plan to give up on them.”
Seonghwa falters. Briefly. Until he feels another squeeze in his hand, and an orange tail with black stripes curls around his waist, preventing his chances of escaping. No one can blame Seonghwa for second-guessing.
Hongjoong is a tiger hybrid. A rare gene. Wouldn’t he want someone just as exquisite as himself to be his mate? Then Seonghwa pinches himself on his thigh, pain and a bruise forming. He shouldn’t think of Hongjoong like that. Hongjoong is a living, breathing person with a will of his own. Not just a gene that everyone wants to covet and make a part of them. But he says he has someone he likes. Even with their hands held, Seonghwa can assume that it’s someone else, right? Maybe Hongjoong is just being friendly.
“Hwa…. Look at me.”
Seonghwa does. And freezes at the bare emotions on the tiger’s face.
“I… don’t plan on staying in one place more than necessary. Usually,” he adds. “I have had no reason to. Nothing to hold me down. No attachments, no interests, nothing under my name. Work to live, live to work, you know…”
Seonghwa deflates, looking down.
“Don’t hide your face,” Hongjoong gently says, letting go of Seonghwa’s hand briefly to touch Seonghwa’s ears. That’s when he realizes that his ears are covering his face again, as if afraid to hear what Hongjoong would say. That he would say thank you for being a friend. That he would say he has chosen someone to be his mate. That he would say he’s leaving.
A finger taps under his chin, and Seonghwa forcibly locks his gaze with Hongjoong’s again.
“It’s time to dance!” Someone bellows, breaking the tension between them apart. Seonghwa blinks, suddenly remembering that they are in public. Seeing that he has broken out of his trance, Hongjoong sighs, a bit of defeat in his voice.
“Want to dance first?”
Seonghwa looks at Hongjoong’s outstretched hand, hesitating only a moment before taking it. The moonlit dance that brings everyone together has started in the plaza, space in the middle of it emptied for the ones who are dancing. It’s how they end the festival, followed by fireworks. Slow, soft music resonates through the air, lulling the troubled hearts into a peaceful calm. A few couples are already dancing, Wooyoung and San also among them. Seonghwa is guided by Hongjoong to a corner, the alpha’s arms snaking around his waist.
The bunny locks his own arms around Hongjoong’s shoulders, allowing the alpha to sway them gently. The atmosphere feels serene, with a twinge of romance added to it. Mind addled with the words Hongjoong has uttered a few minutes ago, Seonghwa struggles with finding peace and enjoying the dance. That is, until Hongjoong practically hugs him, his face burying in Seonghwa’s neck. He feels him inhale deeply, taking in his scent.
Is this okay? Seonghwa asks himself as he cranes his neck slightly to the side. If Hongjoong’s going to leave soon, shouldn’t he allow himself to indulge in as little as this much at least?
Their bodies moved together, slow and deliberate, swaying gently to the music that seemed only for them. Every brush of their breaths, every subtle shift of their weight, felt like a quiet conversation that only the two of them were aware of. Seonghwa gasps lightly when he’s suddenly pushed back, only to find himself twirling and ending up in Hongjoong’s arms again. Despite the heavy heart, a giggle escapes Seonghwa’s lips. Why dampen the moment with his inner struggles? And Hongjoong absorbs that sound like a sponge, mirroring his expression. Then he twirls Seonghwa again, each turn pulling at something deep inside, aching and yearning.
Seonghwa laughs, finding Hongjoong with grabby hands and letting the alpha press against him again. The happiness that flows through him as their eyes meet could not be matched with any feeling Seonghwa has ever felt before.
Then, the music switches to a more upbeat and lively tune. It’s where the couple mixes in with the others, no longer a lulling sanctuary for the romance of their hearts.
“Hwa!” Wooyoung calls, coming towards him with San, merry grins on their faces. They all spin around, clapping in tune with the music, where only Hongjoong seems a little lost. Laughing, Seonghwa guides him through it, his heart finally beating gleefully wild. Only when they’re breathless and drained does the music fade to a stop, letting the townspeople catch their breaths.
A sizzle. And a two. And a three. Then… a bunch of booms. The sky lights up, a multitude of fireworks decorating the sky in reds and oranges. Seonghwa’s lips part in amazement because no matter how many times he has seen it, the beauty of fireworks still remains. As the lights of it draw patterns on everyone’s faces, Seonghwa turns to look at Hongjoong. His breath stutters when he realizes that Hongjoong is already looking at him, with a gaze so heated and dark that it burns. He inches closer, his fingers curling around Seonghwa’s hand through his sweater paws.
“Let me take you home.” Please?” He breathes, and Seonghwa looks into his eyes before nodding wordlessly.
“Go home safe!” Wooyoung shouts when the townspeople begin to disburse, most leaving to their homes after the festivities are over. The remaining vendors and buyers linger, though the absence of music leaves behind a hollow feeling despite the satisfied hearts.
When they start to walk home, pace slow and dragging like they don’t want the night to end, the happiness in Seonghwa’s heart starts to diminish. Just a few minutes later, Hongjoong would leave him by his door. He would spend the night alone, buried in his soft blankets and absentmindedly reading one of his novels with a teacup of chamomile in hand. The same thing would happen tomorrow. And the day after. Mundane. And repetitive. Never before Hongjoong has Seonghwa thinking of his days like that. Something aches in him as he gets closer to his cottage.
The chill in the air as wind picks up makes him hug himself, the sky lighting up with a crash of lightning. Is the sky about to cry with him too?
Seonghwa bites his bottom lip, edging closer to Hongjoong. The tiger’s tail curls around him as if sensing his discomfort, and it only makes Seonghwa push himself a little closer to breaking down. As he trudges up the stairs of his front porch, opens his door, and lets the lights flood out, he reluctantly turns to Hongjoong.
It’s time for the alpha to leave. But Seonghwa doesn’t want him to. And it seems neither does Hongjoong, with how tight he’s holding onto Seonghwa’s hand. So Seonghwa takes matters into his own hands. He cups the side of Hongjoong’s face, barely seeing the tiger’s eyes widening before he captures the lips in a kiss. He presses hard, moving firmly against the alpha’s lips until his own ached. Only when he’s breathless—where his lungs ached to the point of clenching—does Seonghwa pull back. His heart flutters wildly as he roams his gaze over Hongjoong’s stunned gaze. Has he gone too far? He should apologize, shouldn’t he? The shame that burns through him whispers nothings in his ear, making him take a step back.
Hongjoong’s hands shoot up to grab Seonghwa by his waist, gripping tight and unrelenting.
“Bunny…” He practically growls, pressing Seonghwa against the doorframe. “Do you know… what you have done?”
Seonghwa swallows, hands scrambling to find purchase on the tiger’s broad shoulders.
“Answer me…” Hongjoong peers into his gaze, making Seonghwa forget about whatever he was going to say. “Do you know the danger that lies with kissing a random alpha in the dead of the night? At your doorstep with no one around, no less…”
Seonghwa’s grip tightened on Hongjoong. “But it’s you… Hongjoong-nnh“-
“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong breathes, his hands sliding down Seonghwa’s body and behind his thighs. Seonghwa gasps as he’s suddenly lifted up like he weighs nothing. His legs lock around Hongjoong for stability. “I can feel you, bun. And I can smell you.”
Seonghwa keens, rolling his hips against Hongjoong’s. He’s wet. So wet that he’s trickling through his dampened underwear, wetting his thighs. It has been so, so long since someone who actually cared for him held him, and Hongjoong’s mere touch cannot be compared to any of the memories he had buried in his mind.
“Joong,” he whines when he’s deposited on the couch, sinking into the soft cushions as Hongjoong hovers over him. The alpha likes it, the nickname, as he lets out a groan of approval and slots himself between Seonghwa’s thighs.
“Hwa,” he growls. “Want to touch you… want to touch you so bad…”
“P-please,” Seonghwa replies against his lips in between Hongjoong’s kisses, taking his breath away again. Heat pools at the pit of his stomach as Hongjoong grinds down on him, the swell of his arousal growing prominent against Seonghwa’s core. Lips trail down his neck at the plea, mouthing over the sensitive skin of his neck and collarbone.
“You look so good tonight,” he hisses, grinding particularly hard against Seonghwa’s crotch. “Neck bared and vulnerable, were you trying to take an alpha home, hmm, bunny?”
Seonghwa hiccups, tears springing to his eyes at the need aching between his legs. “Only you, alpha… Only you… aah!”
Hongjoong takes one of his ears into his mouth, nipping at it playfully, teasing to make it know that no matter how harsh his words were, he would never actually harm Seonghwa. Yet the thrill of having Hongjoong, a tiger, a predator, hovering over him, a bunny, prey that can fall under the control of the tiger, has him gushing out slick. He wonders if Hongjoong will pin him down and have his way with him, a thought so perverse that he hiccups again.
He lets Hongjoong take off his boots, hands slow but firm, touch deliberate but burning on his skin. Yet the alpha rips off his leggings, a stark contrast to his earlier action. Seonghwa will never know what to expect with him. To have at least some form of ground, Seonghwa pushes him off gently before the alpha can touch his core. He twists around, pushing his hips up and head down, presenting to his alpha.
“Omega,” he hears Hongjoong say, voice rumbling from the depths of his chest. “My omega…” God, the bunny keens at his alpha. Seonghwa peeks behind as he lets the sweater dress slide down and bunch up on his midriff as he feels slick dripping down his legs. He sees Hongjoong staring at him with a hunger so intense that once he devours him, nothing will remain of Seonghwa. It makes him mewl, pushing his hips towards Hongjoong. Desperate. Needy for his touch. And it takes two seconds for Hongjoong to snap his comfy cotton panties off of him and bury his face in Seonghwa’s pussy, inhaling deep.
“So sweet…” he says to himself, licking a stripe off the dripping wetness and humming.
He pushes Seonghwa’s legs apart further, the couch only having so much space to move around, and laves at his pussy, eating him out. Seonghwa’s legs tremble as tingles of pleasure run through him, arching his back and pushing his ass against Hongjoong’s incessant mouth. When Hongjoong grips his bushy tail to keep him still, Seonghwa lets out a loud moan, nearly a sob that catches the attention of Hongjoong. He slowly loosens the grip on the bunny tail before wrapping his fingers around it, stroking it from base to tip. Seonghwa trembles harder, not having known that he’s sensitive in his tail as well.
Writhing, Seonghwa ruts his hips against Hongjoong’s mouth. He flinches when Hongjoong’s tongue finds his clit, tonguing it until it grows and peeks out of his folds. Eyes rolling to the back of his head in constant, incessant pleasure, Seonghwa bucks his hips against Hongjoong’s mouth, letting the tongue connect with his clit every time he slurps at his slick. He’s on the verge of cumming when he feels a sudden sense of emptiness. Hongjoong never lets go of the tiny tail as he pulls back, the skin around his mouth and chin obscenely wet from Seonghwa’s slick, sticky, and glistening.
Something else prods at his entrance, and it takes a second for Seonghwa to realize that they are Hongjoong’s fingers. Not one but two. They slip inside, short but thick, setting an impatient pace that is careful not to hurt him. It makes the bunny sigh in relief, the ache in his pussy lessening as something is filling him up, though not fully.
“Alpha…” he whines, rolling his hips against Hongjoong’s hands, feeling sparks of pleasure erupt from the base of his tail and the nerves of his insides. “Please… Y-you don’t need to do that… I’m already w-wet for y-you…”
“I know, bun,” Hongjoong pauses, just for a second, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss against Seonghwa’s ass. “Still don’t want to hurt you.”
“Hnngh,” is Seonghwa’s response before he flips over, causing Hongjoong’s hands to fall away from him. He stands up on wobbly legs, feeling slick drips down from his pussy, obnoxiously sticky against his thighs. Then he grabs a handful of Hongjoong’s shirt, pulling him up to his feet, dragging him towards the bedroom. Seonghwa all but shoves the alpha on the bed, climbing over him as he takes off the sweater dress, leaving only his star necklace adorning his slender neck.
Hongjoong drinks in the sight of his body, slick and damp from the thin coat of sweat covering the honey skin, until he snaps out of it when he feels Seonghwa’s hands on him. He all but rips the shirt away from Hongjoong’s body, the fierceness of the act almost bringing a smile to Hongjoong’s lips. His hands immediately go to Seonghwa’s tiny waist, thin and flat and hopefully round with his cubs in the near future.
Hands roam over the muscled planes of his torso, and Hongjoong lets Seonghwa have his fill as he grabs the bunny by the back of his head and crashes their lips together. The remnant taste of his slick coat coats Seonghwa’s mouth when Hongjoong slips his tongue between the bunny’s lips and lets him have a taste of himself.
Seonghwa whimpers, touching the bulge in Hongjoong’s pants. He pulls away from the tiger, fumbling with the zipper until Hongjoong gently pushes his hands away to release his cock. It springs up, heavy, girthy, engorged with arousal, red, and leaking, causing Seonghwa to salivate. He feels it in his hands, wrapping his fingers around it, stroking it, watching it leak precum onto the crumpled pants. He wants to taste it, but the need to have it inside him overrides his minor desires.
Lifting himself up with Hongjoong’s steady hand at his hips, Seonghwa sinks down on it. It stretches him out to the full, and now he understands why Hongjoong had wanted to prep him beforehand. Still, Seonghwa doesn’t regret when the head of Hongjoong’s cock presses directly onto his sweet spot, making him cum. He shudders, a yelp escaping his mouth as he cums. A wave of slick gushes out of him as his body trembles in the aftermath.
“Oh,” he whispers, embarrassed. Just when he tries to hide behind his ears, Hongjoong stops him, cupping his flushed cheeks.
“No hiding, love,” he says, looking into Seonghwa’s eyes, and Seonghwa suddenly can’t breathe. He needs Kim Hongjoong like he needs air; he doubts that after tonight, he would be able to let the tiger go.
“It’s okay,” Hongjoong breathes against his lips, pressing a feather-light peck against his swollen ones. Seonghwa takes a quivering breath and nods. The safety he feels in Hongjoong’s arms, the kind of warmth he hasn’t felt before, makes him melt. “Move, bun,” he tenderly urges, bucking his hips up. Somehow, another inch of him slips inside Seonghwa, and he gasps in sensitivity but does as his alpha says.
Prickles of pleasure rush through him as he rocks his hips, throwing his head back. Hongjoong supports him with arms circling around him, hips rising to thrust into him rough. The pace is slow but hard, dragging out an inevitable ending. Hongjoong’s lips trail over to the nipples that have beaded up, mouthing at a bud. Seonghwa threads his fingers through Hongjoong’s hair, pushing his chest into his lips, seeking more. When the tiger’s lips wrap around the bud and suck hard, his hips twitch, walls clenching down on Hongjoong’s cock.
The tiger curses under his breath, hot air fanning against the hardened nipple, causing Seonghwa’s moan to break. Hongjoong pulls him closer until they’re skin to skin, thrusting between the bunny’s folds harder. With the recklessness that his pace grows into, Seonghwa feels like he’s close. With the way Hongjoong looks at him, glazed eyes peering into his almost reverently, hands gripping onto his sides with fingers that might leave marks for days to come, and with the restless hips that cannot stay until Seonghwa grinds down, he feels like it.
But he’s taken by surprise when Hongjoong rests his head against his pec, breathing against his teased-swollen dusky pink nipple. “You’re so pretty, bun… So pretty… Riding my cock… taking me hard… You’re so beautiful…”
Seonghwa gasps, rolling his hips harder, causing Hongjoong’s cock to jab against his sensitive bundle of nerves inside of him. Another rush of slick pours out of him, dripping down Hongjoong’s cock as he slides up and slams down, knocking the breath out of both of them.
“J-Joong,” he whines, unable to say anything else as his mind drowns in the pleasure. Hongjoong grips him at his waist, then at his thighs, again as he grabs handfuls of Seonghwa’s ass, finally settling down on his waist again as if he can’t let go of it for one minute.
“You feel so good, Hwa…” he growls. “You’re so good to me…”
And Seonghwa wants nothing more than to be good for him.
“Need you…. Need you, Alpha,” he chants, mind already dumbfounded with the way Hongjoong ruts into him from the bed, holding him as if he’s the most precious thing in the world.
“You already have me, bun,” Hongjoong says, chuckling raspily as he lightly teases Seonghwa. It earns him a whine, a wiggle, and the cutest pout. Hongjoong kisses him hard, heart hammering at the irresistible bunny in his hands.
Then, he flips them over, swallowing Seonghwa’s yelp in another kiss. Pulling back, he looks down on the bunny. Floppy ears strewn wildly on the mattress, kiss-swollen lips red and plump, eyes wet, skin glistening with sweat, he looks like a dream come true. Especially with his pink and puffy pussy wrapped around and clenching down on his cock.
Seonghwa squirms in desperate need when he feels calloused hands run over his neck, nipples, and down to the flat plane of his stomach. “Look at this, Hwa… It’s me… inside you.”
Seonghwa’s breath hitches when Hongjoong presses down on a spot at his abdomen, eyes rolling back as pleasure erupts from it. Hongjoong is so far up in his womb that he feels the head of his cock against his abdomen, something so carnal and sinful. He rolls his hips in response, showing Hongjoong that he still needs him, even more, spreading his legs. He shivers at the way Hongjoong’s eyes darken and watches with a hammering heart as the tiger slowly hovers over him.
Without breaking eye contact, he grabs a pillow and pushes it under Seonghwa, settling it right under his hips so that his body is angled up. Seonghwa whimpers as he adjusts, feeling Hongjoong’s cock twitch inside of him at the spread in front of him.
Hongjoong thrusts. Hard. Rough. Stealing Seonghwa’s breath. And almost his sanity. The new angle causes the cock to push even further inside him, directly jabbing into his sweet spot. Once Hongjoong has made sure of the reaction it pulls from Seonghwa, he starts to thrust again with reckless abandon. The bunny can do nothing but take him, legs uselessly fallen apart and hands twitching at his sides until Hongjoong grabs them by their wrists, pinning him to the mattress. Seonghwa breathlessly locks gazes with Hongjoong as he leans down, eyes so dark that he might see the stars in them.
“Mine…” He growls. “You’re mine, bun…”
Seonghwa brokenly moans against the tiger’s lips, tears finally spilling from his eyes as he frantically nods.
“Words, love,” Hongjoong growls again, a particularly harsh thrust making Seonghwa stutter. He feels something forming at the base of Hongjoong’s cock and feels a devastating craving for it.
“Y-yours,” he whispers, blinking away the tears. “Yours, alpha.”
His heart feels full, brimming, and about to spill with the rawest emotion he has ever felt for someone. He thinks he might be in love, but he saves it for another day. His heart cannot handle Hongjoong fully and wholly. At least not yet. Not now.
Still, when Hongjoong spills into him, his knot plugging up his entrance, all he craves is to say that he loves him. Loves his teasing smile, loves his soft, orange hair, loves his long, striped tail, and loves the soft way he holds him. But he surrenders to a release of his own, gushing a wave of slick out of him right after Hongjoong fills him up with spurts of cum. He whines in distress, seeing that his alpha’s cum is slowly spilling out of him.
“N-no,” he whispers, attempting to get up. “In me, in me, please, Alpha—“
“Shh,” Hongjoong soothes, his own body still wracking through the orgasm that tipped over his sanity. He presses a soft kiss against Seonghwa’s temple, pressing even harder inside Seonghwa, watching him shatter beneath him. “I’ll give you as much as you want.”
Seonghwa simply whimpers when Hongjoong’s cock stays hard inside him.
….
Seonghwa blinks his eyes open as sunlight filters through the opened windows. It feels cool, as if the spring rain has just showered the morning heat away outside, like every morning in this season. He groggily sits up under the chirping of the birds, yawning and scratching his left ear. As the blanket falls off, only then does he see them.
The plethora of marks, hickies, and fingerprints all over his body. The soreness between his legs. The ache in his back.
Then… the memories…
Hongjoong took him again and again, throughout the night, until he passed out from exhaustion. Then waking up again in the wee hours past midnight just to feel the tiger moving inside of him again…
Kim Hongjoong is an insatiable little tiger hybrid. Not that Seonghwa can complain. He’s just as bad.
Flushing, Seonghwa looks at the space on the bed, finding it empty. He places a hand over it, feeling it cold. Something jumps to his throat, clogging it.
Where is Hongjoong? Has he already left? Why? Does he not want to see Seonghwa anymore? Has he left to work? Or wordlessly slipped out of town after he had gotten what he needed?
Seonghwa shakes his head, disbursing the ridiculous trail of thoughts. He slides out of the bed with jelly legs, clutching the sheets around him as he slowly limps out of his room. Immediately, his nose is hit with the smell of tea, rosehip by the smell of it, and freshly baked bread. Trembling ever so slightly, Seonghwa walks over to the kitchen, finding Hongjoong at the stove, toasting bread. His tail wags slowly from side to side, ears twitching. He’s wearing the flannel shirt he let Seonghwa keep, since last night the omega all but ripped his off of him.
“Good morning, bun,” he says, without looking at Seonghwa, wholly focused on the task at hand. “I woke up early, so I went and bought bread for you since I didn’t know what else you liked. Hope you don’t mind having toast. What do you want on your toast? Just butter or… maybe pineapple jam?”
Seonghwa can’t answer.
“Seonghwa?” Hongjoong asks, finally turning around. What he sees is a tearful bunny on the brink of breaking down, barely holding onto a corner of his blanket. Cursing under his breath, Hongjoong rushes over to him, gathering him up in his arms and pulling a table from the dining table, sitting down on it with Seonghwa on his lap.
“What’s wrong, love? Did I hurt you? Did I go too far? Tell me what I need to do.”
Seonghwa finally burst into sobs, hiding his face under Hongjoong’s chin and spilling his tears onto the flannel of his shirt. “I-I thought y-you left…”
“Oh,” Hongjoong coos softly, petting Seonghwa’s ears with the lightest touch. “I would never, bun. I would never take advantage of you and leave. Don’t ever think that. You’re worth more than my life to me.”
“T-truly?” Seonghwa hiccups, big eyes staring at Hongjoong as he reaches a hand and caresses the short, round ears of his alpha and watches him tilt his head into Seonghwa’s hand.
“Truly,” he confirms, pecking Seonghwa’s lips. “Last night, I didn’t get to finish what I started to confess. I was going to tell you that… I’ve found someone that has become my reason. Reason to settle down. Found somewhere to call home,” Seonghwa almost chokes at Hongjoong’s words.
“Home?” Seonghwa asks, his body quivering ever so slightly. The subtle hum of the stove, the bubbling kettle, and distant sounds of the birds chirping all fade away under the intensity of Hongjoong’s gaze.
“Bunny….” Hongjoong edges a little closer, pressing against him a little harder. “You’re my home. My safe space. With you I can be myself. Will you give me permission to court you?”
Seonghwa malfunctions in front of Hongjoong. Again. His hand trembled against Hongjoong’s chest, a soft mewl escaping his lips. Hongjoong finding reason to stay within a lonely white bunny has Seonghwa keening. He cups Hongjoong’s face.
“M-me? Hongjoong… Are you sure?”
“I am,” Seonghwa hears no hesitation in his voice.
“Then… yes, alpha,” he breathes against Hongjoong’s lips, carding his fingers through orange strands. “If you allow me to love you as well.”
“Fuck yes, my bun,” Hongjoong says, holding him tighter as he kisses him hard. His arms circle around Seonghwa protectively, cradling him against his broad chest. He moans into the tiger’s mouth, parting his lips and opening his mouth to give Hongjoong the access he seeks. The bliss spreading through him feels dreamy and incredible, warm bubbles popping up in his stomach at the feeling of it. Seonghwa is about to melt into the embrace and fully surrender to his touch again until he smells something.
“Alpha,” he calls, eyes on a spot behind Hongjoong as the tiger noses at his scent glands.
“Hmm?”
“Your toast is burning.”