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Hongjoong wakes up to a gentle touch on his shoulder. Someone is softly shaking him awake.
"Yeah, yeah, what? Did I oversleep?" He sits up immediately, squinting his eyes in the darkness, trying to spot the night-time visitor. One of the members or the manager he thinks to himself.
The night-light clicks, and dim light illuminates Hongjoong's small room, as well as the face of the man who woke him. Yunho is sitting unnaturally straight on the edge of the bed, his hand still resting on Hongjoong's shoulder. He looks paler than usual, though it seems that being anemic as the tallest member is his lifelong destiny. His gaze glimmers with alarm, reflecting the beams of the star-shaped nightlight.
The digital clock says ‘Saturday, 3:56am’
"Hongjoong... hyung," Yunho calls softly as Hongjoong rubs his eyes and tries to figure out why he was woken up so early on a weekend.
“What happened?”
It's not a good sign that Yunho woke him up this early.
“Mingi’s in rut” he whispers, apparently so as not to wake Jongho behind the next wall.
Hongjoong exhales all the air from his lungs.
“...How?”
He means, "How could this happen if they're all taking suppressants consistently?", but Hongjoong is so confused that he forgets how to pronounce all those words.
Yunho bites his lip and looks away.
“He was taking medication, I swear,” he says quickly, “you know, we all...”
Hongjoong nods. Get to the point.
“Last month he developed an allergy to the suppressant he'd been taking for the past couple of years, and the doctor prescribed him a different one. I don't know... maybe the problem was the change in medication, or... we've been arguing a lot lately. Maybe it's something like a hormonal surge? I don't know.”
Yunho's voice trembled with worry, and Hongjoong finally noticed how alarming the scent had been around him all this time. What good was whispering when Yunho smelled like he wanted to announce his anxiety to the entire neighborhood?
"Calm down," Hongjoong grabs Yunho's wrist and strokes the soft skin, trying to distract him. He wants to think he's controlling his scent, but in reality, Hongjoong is simply following the instincts of the pack's luna. He's trying to make everything normal, like it was five minutes ago, before he woke up. A dream about school and the certainty that his pack is safe. He thinks of the sweet-smelling sweater belonging to Wooyoung on the back of a chair, which he'd forgotten in Hongjoong's room a couple of days ago. And no rut. No problem they have to worry about solving at four in the morning.
Because this isn't just a trivial problem he has to deal with as captain and luna of the pack. In his tiny, safe world, Mingi's rut is nothing less than an international catastrophe.
Hongjoong, frankly, has no idea what to do with this other than breathe heavily, lie down, and die. But for now, he simply sits up in bed and puts his arm around Yunho's shoulders, at least to relieve his panic.
“How is he doing?”
“Badly…”
What did Hongjoong want to hear?
“I just... I don't know what a rut without suppressants is like.”
Hongjoong doesn't even remember what it's like to go into heat without the help of suppressants — the first and last time he experienced it was at seventeen. And for the next few years, he simply popped a raspberry-flavored chewable tablet into his mouth once a week, following the alert from his calendar.
All the alphas he's had sex with have taken suppressants. So Hongjoong really has no idea what exactly it is. Something scary, something that requires a lifetime of searching for the right pill flavor to avoid medicines that would cause nausea after a couple of months of regular taking. Something animalistic and dangerous.
Maybe Yunho, as an alpha, knows a little more, although he himself probably has never stopped taking suppressants.
"Mingi says it hurts," Yunho bites his lip and looks down. "The rut started a few hours ago. He's had a stronger smell for the last few days, but I thought it was because of training... or because we were arguing these days."
"You know it's not your fault, right? You were arguing because of his pre-rut."
“Now I understand.”
Yunho takes a deep breath before continuing.
"I tried to help, but I'm an alpha too... he only gets angrier with my presence. I..." he pauses for a few seconds before continuing, "I tried. He's in rut, he can dominate me."
Yunho averts his gaze and pulls the collar of his black shirt down to his shoulder.
“Oh fuck…”
Hongjoong's stomach clenches with some primal fear when he sees the shallow fang wounds above Yunho's scent gland.
“I tried.. but dominant marks are very painful. And humiliating.”
Hongjoong gently nuzzles his shoulder, trying to erase with his tenderness the terrible feelings Yunho was experiencing.
He understands all the difficulties Yunho and Mingi face as a couple of two alphas, but Mingi's rut, the dominant markings he'd only heard about in theory and which made no sense if the alpha pack's hormone levels were regulated by suppressants. Hongjoong sees the wounds on Yunho's skin inflamed by Mingi's attempts to place one of them. These aren't the problems a normal couple should have. Hongjoong, despite the fact that his relationship with Yunho is strictly platonic, barely resists the urge to lick these humiliating wounds for such a powerful alpha.
“I don’t understand how conscious he is: one moment he’s whining and asking for help, the next he’s growling and biting, and the third he’s apologizing.”
Hongjoong listens, his own fear growing. He can't be angry at Mingi. Of course it's not his fault that the damn suppressants didn't work. Hongjong's anger is something abstract. It’s at the unknown doctor who prescribed those suppressants, at an alphas nature and the rut, at God — at anything that could in any way negatively impact the comfort of his pack.
“I just gave him some more pills, but they hardly helped. I left him the toys and went to you.”
“Hm…”
Thank God that Yeosang stayed with Wooyoung today.
Oh god! Yeosang!
Hongjoong's entire body tenses for a second before relaxing. Yeosang, their omega, is safe with Wooyoung on the first floor of the dorm. Hongjoong had only seen them giggling in the kitchen that evening, trying to find a sauce for their nachos and which movie to choose.
He can't imagine how things would have turned out if Yeosang had been in the next room from Mingi.
“He needs an omega,” Yunho says sharply.
“Maybe…”
Hongjoong considers calling a doctor, but immediately realizes that all a doctor can recommend in this situation is to find an omega. There's no cure-all that can stop a rut that's already begun. All Mingi can do is use omega pheromones and find a place to knot. Hongjoong frowns at these thoughts, feeling a phantom pain between his legs. No omega in their right mind would agree to a knot.
"Do you guys have someone?" Hongjoong asks directly.
He knows Mingi and Yunho have never been a monogamous couple when it comes to sex (thanks to Mingi's shamelessness and his inability to keep quiet about his sex life). It seems they mostly had one-time partners, but there were also regular ones, whose names Hongjoong has heard enough times to remember.
“I mean... your fuck buddies,” he specifies.
"No, no, listen... Hongjoong, they won't agree," Yunho mumbles the answer under his breath, "I already asked. Not when Mingi is in his rut."
Hongjoong nods, trying to figure out what they should do in that case.
“I know you have to arrange things in advance, but maybe someone who provides that type of service… if we can draw up an NDA?” Yunho asks.
"That's... God, no, Yunho. They do not provide anything for alphas in rut," Hongjoong can barely stop seeing the wounds on Yunho's neck, visible on the backs of his eyelids. "It's absolutely unsafe for omegas," he wants to say, Yunho turns him toward him. And from the look on his face, he realizes — Yunho understands everything. The complete hopelessness of the situation.
“But there are probably other agencies we don’t know about,” Yunho asks, defeated. “Maybe we can come to an agreement... Please, we can’t leave him like this.”
Hongjoong's heart aches because he has to say no. There are no such agencies, such services are illegal, and no omega deserves the pain an alpha in rut can cause.
And at the same time, he's heartbroken by the thought of what Mingi must be going through right now. As a teenager, Mingi was so terrified of a rut that he started taking suppressants in middle school and never even experienced his first. His body isn't accustomed to the sudden surges of alpha hormones, which would make his rut even worse than it is for other alphas.
"Gather everyone. I can't make decisions like this alone," Hongjoong finally says.
Yunho gets up from the bed too abruptly and quickly and looks at Hongjoong with a still broken look.
“You'll figure something out, right?”
Hongjoong nods with all the confidence he can muster, though he doesn't really have a plan. Yunho seems to understand this, but says nothing, trying his best to trust their Luna.
Hongjoong quickly gets ready with an effort of will, he forces himself out of bed, rubs his eyes, and straightens his sleep-tousled hair. He searches in the darkness for a warm sweater, because the temperature in the kitchen drops so much at night that the peaches on the dining room table are sometimes covered in frost by morning. He closes his eyes, irritated from lack of sleep, for a few seconds and massages his temples before heading down to the kitchen, where sleepy Wooyoung and Yeosang are already sitting at the table.
The silence, interrupted by the rhythmic sound of drops breaking from a leaking tap, lasts for several seconds.
"What happened?" Yeosang finally asks, not trying to hide his worries.
“Let everyone gather.”
Seonghwa is the last to arrive. He wraps himself in a cloak that hides his silk pajamas and sits down on a creaking bar stool.
"I hope you woke us up for something really important..." Jongho grumbles.
Hongjoong completely shares his displeasure, so he decides to explain everything as quickly as possible.
“Yes”
"And are we going to wait for Mingi?" San interrupts.
Hongjoong chokes on air and glances at Yunho, who is huddled in the corner of the kitchen unit.
“No, he... he is the reason why I urgently gathered you.”
Five pairs of eyes (Yunho, on the contrary, lowers his eyes) are directed at Hongjoong.
“What did he..”.
Hongjoong waves his hand in the air, silencing Wooyoung.
“I don’t know why, but his suppressants stopped working,” Hongjoong begins carefully, not taking his eyes off Yunho, “and he’s in rut.”
A series of worried sighs passes through the kitchen.
"Rut... like a real rut?" Wooyoung asks.
“Yes,” Yunho replies from his corner.
All eyes immediately turn to him.
“I came to Hongjoong to ask him to find someone from the agencies who can help Mingi.”
"No," Seonghwa interjects, "Mingi's in rut. No one will provide him with such services."
Yunho nods in understanding.
“We can look for other agencies. You know… Please…”
"What about the non-disclosure agreement?" interrupts Wooyoung.
“I think we can postpone its registration,” Yunho mumbles.
"It’s illegal!" Seonghwa protests.
“I know, I know…”
“Who can agree to this?”
"Idiot, we're idols. Almost any omega would agree."
“Do not abuse your position!”
"If the omega will not sign the agreement, and the media finds out that we're allowing ourselves to abuse our position for such purposes..."
Hongjoong starts to feel dizzy from the noise around him.
“Shut up!”
The kitchen is plunged into silence.
"There are several options," Hongjoong continues. He'd considered a few things while waiting for the pack members. "Option one: we urgently find an omega willing to provide Mingi such services... in his condition. The NDA will have to be signed retroactively."
"No," Seonghwa slams his palm on the table, "It's not safe for us or the omega. Mingi is out of control right now."
"He's suffering!" Yunho practically screams.
"And that's why the omega has to suffer too?" Seonghwa grins, showing his fangs.
They stare at each other defiantly for a few seconds before Jongho gently nudges Seonghwa's shoulder to tell him to stop — Seonghwa is still just a beta, and Yunho is so worked up right now that he might actually do something rash.
“Option two,” Hongjoong interrupts them when he senses the tense atmosphere, “we leave it to Yunho.”
Yunho turns around abruptly, his eyes wide with surprise, but Hongjoong sees despair beneath them.
Despite his reaction, Yunho simply nods.
"Can you help him?" San asks incredulously.
Yunho shrugs and shakes his head before pulling the collar of his shirt back to reveal the fang wounds above his scent gland.
A flurry of subdued sighs sweeps through the kitchen.
“Oh, my God,” Yeosang covers his mouth with his hand and presses himself against Wooyoung.
Hongjoong only turns away so as not to look at his wounded shoulder again.
"I tried... I can try again, but it's difficult. And I'm afraid that even if Mingi manages to subjugate me, it will still be useless. Mingi doesn't need me, he needs the omega. He needs different pheromones, he needs to knot" he whispers the last words so quietly that Hongjoong has to count them on his lips.
Even if Yunho were to submit, allowing Mingi to use him as a substitute for the omega he needed, it could be completely futile. Neither of them knows if Mingi can knot with another alpha. Or if Yunho himself can handle it. Thinking of himself as an omega, Hongjoong isn't sure that even his body, literally designed by nature to withstand an alpha's rut and be fertilized by the knot, is truly capable of it.
"But I'll understand if you choose that option," Yunho continues. "I'm his partner, and I promised to take care of him. It's just... it'll be difficult, though," he lets out a nervous laugh.
Even Seonghwa, who just a couple of minutes ago was ready to argue with him about the rights of omegas, comes up to Yunho and nuzzles his other shoulder, the one untouched by Mingi's teeth.
They all fade away, finally realizing how difficult the situation has become.
They can't afford to hire an omega because the reputational risks are too high, and even if you put aside strict pragmatism, Seonghwa is right. Such an offer would be terrible for the omegas: big money is at stake, but at the same time, there's a huge risk to their health. Are they in a position to refuse? Hongjoong isn't so sure. But leaving Mingi with Yunho, because he's his partner, seems like a cruel decision.
Hongjoong chews his bottom lip, desperately trying to force himself to think.
Suddenly a thought flashes through his head: saving and painful at the same time.
“And the last option,” after a few seconds of silence and attempts to decide whether to offer it or not, Hongjoong begins to speak, “one of the omegas of the pack should have a rut with Mingi.”
He feels everyone in the room turn their gaze to him sharply.
And Hongjoong instantly regrets making that suggestion.
The relationships within their pack are strictly platonic, aside from the established couples of Yunho and Mingi and San and Wooyoung. Hongjoong has never wished things were different as much as he did at this moment. If they were a romantic pack, Mingi's rut wouldn't be a problem, since he'd have three omegas nearby to help him. But right now, his proposal sounds too sudden, and he knows it.
"Sorry, that's a bad idea. I already realized," Hongjoong sighs heavily, "we're not in the right relationship to suggest that. I just..."
“No, no,” Yeosang interrupts, “that’s a good idea.”
And Hongjoong cautiously looks up at the pack. They all exchange silent glances.
"Mingi will be cautious if it's an omega from his pack," Yeosang explains, and everyone nods in unison. "He knows it's his family, after all. Even if he's not fully conscious right now... caring for the pack is a basic instinct for alphas."
"Besides, Yunho might be there too. The omega's pheromones will calm Mingi, and Yunho might be able to control him," Yeosang continues. "There won't be any issues with the NDA, and we're absolutely certain we had a choice," Yeosang says at the very end, referencing everything Seonghwa implied.
"And who...?" San asks cautiously.
There is silence for a few seconds before Yeosang takes a deep breath and says,
“I guess I can.”
Hongjoong catches several glances in a second. The whole pack exchanges glances.
“You’re asexual,” Seonghwa says quietly.
"I think it's even better this way," Yeosang shrugs. "I won't perceive this as anything sexual between me and Mingi. It's just to help.That way, the dynamics within the pack shouldn't change."
He falls silent for a few seconds.
“It's just... I've never had penetrative sex. So I'm quite nervous…”
"Oh, my god..." Hongjoong whispers, "You can't give your first time to an alpha in rut. Yeosang... he can't even take care of you."
Yeosang shrugs.
“If you and Wooyoung explain to me how to prepare properly, then I think everything will be fine.”
Jongho suddenly rises from his chair and grabs Yeosang by the shoulders.
"Are you out of your mind?" he hisses. "Are you ready to spend your first time with Mingi?"
“I don’t see it as sex,” Yesan reminds, “I just see it as help.”
“Yeah, and Mingi will just shove a knot inside you without any preparation, because you literally won’t be able to explain anything to him,” Jongho is indignant, “You can’t... It can’t be Yeosang.”
Jongho's gaze darts between Hongjoong and Wooyoung.
And finally, Hongjoong nods:
"Yeosang, you can't. I'm sorry, but this is too much for an asexual virgin."
“But then one of you will have to,” he mumbles.
Hongjoong understands this. He doesn't know if he could do this for his pack, so he glances cautiously at Wooyoung a second before he speaks.
"I could..." he's silent for a few seconds, "I had sex with San when he wasn't taking suppressants during his rut. I know what it is."
“Oh...” Yeosang echoes.
Hongjoong feels a "but" hanging in the air. And he knows what it is. San and Wooyoung are a monogamous couple. Besides, they gave each other mating marks a few weeks ago, and they haven't even had time to heal yet.
“I could, but not now, when I have San’s fresh mark on my shoulder,” Wooyoung slouches and bites his lip.
Noticing his anxiety, San puts his arm around Wooyoung's shoulders.
"Mingi... he's in no condition to handle the scent of another alpha on me. And I'm in no condition to be capable of sex with another alpha besides San. I'm so sorry, Hongjoong."
In the end, this really does happen to Hongjoong.
He's the last hope. He can't ask Yeosang to do this.
Hongjoong feels his head spinning.
He must share a rut, uncontrolled by suppresents, with an alpha. With Mingi, a member of the group, his friend, an alpha who is mercilessly and deeply in love with another alpha. And Hongjoong must have sex with him, become his omega, even if only for a few days during the rut, and take the damn knot.
Because it is their best (only) option.
“Okay... Okay, I'll do it.”
Yunho sighs in relief, but then covers his mouth and turns away shyly. A faint smile appears on Hongjoong's lips at this gesture. Well, at least Yunho doesn't mind. So Hongjoong shouldn't accidentally ruin their long-standing relationship.
"Are you sure?" Yeosang finally asks.
Sleeping with an alpha in rut... with their precious Mingi, who should never have experienced it in his life, who must already be in despair from the physical pain and loneliness Yunho had to leave him in. Hongjoong, as the Luna, must do everything in his power to make his pack safe and comfortable again — it's one of those instincts that makes everything easier. He must help Mingi. After all, unlike Yunho, Hongjoong is an omega, his body is bulit for an alpha in rut. Even if he prefers omegas, his body and mind should probably be able to handle Mingi's rut without a problem.
Hongjoong finally breaks out of his pragmatic thinking at some point: he can do this because he loves Mingi.
Platonically, as an integral part of their group and pack, but no less than Yunho loves him.
“I'm sure.”
The atmosphere begins to become less tense, and the bright, exciting scents are replaced by calmer, more subdued ones.
"Hongjoong, we need to talk alone," Wooyoung says, gently taking Hongjoong's hand in his own. "I'm going to tell you about the rut. Okay?"
Hongjoong nods, relieved. Wooyoung will help him, not leave him alone with all the questions about his immediate future.
"Go back to your rooms," Hongjoong waves his hand, signaling the meeting is over, "except Yeosang. You'll stay with Wooyoung."
***
Hongjoong blinks only once before finding himself back in his room. He's so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't notice the members dispersing to their rooms, nor Wooyoung grabbing his arm and urging him to follow.
The room is the same as it was twenty minutes ago, before the meeting in the kitchen. Hongjoong sits on the edge of his bed; the blanket is uncomfortably bunched under his hips, but he's too lazy to straighten it. It seems as if Hongjoong could just lie down and everything will return to normal. Wooyoung will say goodnight, pick up his forgotten sweater, and Hongjoong will close his eyes and dream about school again.
In his own room, Hongjoong tries his best to pretend that everything is normal.
Wooyoung opens his mouth to speak, and Hongjoong wants to turn to the wall, like a child, and drawl, "Okay, Mom, five more minutes," to entertain himself with the illusion a little longer.
“So,” Wooyoung inevitably begins to speak, “Mingi has a rut that is not controlled by suppresents.”
Hongjoong doesn't know why Wooyoung is stating the obvious — maybe he's trying to come to terms with it himself. Who knows. Wooyoung only seems brave.
"I won't ask you what you know and what you don't. Today is a crash course in sex education," he says quickly, with a nervousness in his voice that even Hongjoong, who's inattentive to social cues, can hear. "I can't say that this is how rut works for all alphas, because I've only had... well, that experience with San."
Hongjoong nods weakly.
Wooyoung pulls a chair from the corner of the room and sits down across from Hongjoong before continuing.
“Mingi, in a sense, is not conscious right now. You understand, right?”
“Yes...” Hongjoong belatedly echoes.
"It's actually shitty that things are working out this way," Wooyoung pauses for a few seconds before continuing, "The idea of spending a mating cycle without suppresents... trust is key here."
“I trust Mingi,” Hongjoong tries to assure, but Wooyoung waves him off.
“I know... I know, but that's not how it works.”
Wooyoung falls silent again, and Hongjoong can practically hear the gears turning in his head.
“Have you ever had any experience with BDSM sex?”
Hongjoong blinks a few times, trying to figure out what this question could possibly be for.
“Umm… No?”
“Anyway, imagine a situation where you've agreed to BDSM: you're tied up, there's a whip on the bed, a stun gun, and, I don't know, a urethral sound. And all of this could be used on you. And you don't have a safe word.”
"Oh my god, Wooyoung, what the hell?" Hongjoong rubs his temples. "Pervert!"
Wooyoung just snorts and crosses his legs.
"It's just an allegory..." he sighs. "Sex with Mingi will feel something like this: he can do anything and won't react to your 'no'. He doesn't want to hurt you, really. But you'll be completely at his mercy. And... for everything to work out, it'll take a lot of trust."
Hongjoong rubs the edge of the blanket between his fingers. His gaze wanders to the patterns on the carpet, which he can barely make out in the darkness, but he still chooses to look at them rather than at Wooyoung. Because he doesn't want him to notice how Hongjoong's breathing is ragged and how cold sweat is trickling down his temple.
"The main advice is to relax. He'll be more likely to respond and listen if you call him 'alpha.' I don't know why, but it works better than using his name. And maybe you'll have more control, like Luna. But I can't say for sure."
Wooyoung places his palm on Hongjoong's knee and gently massages it through the fabric of his pajama pants in a supportive gesture.
"Some slightly more awkward advice: prepare yourself in advance. On omega suppressants, your body... doesn't produce enough lubrication. You won't be able to explain that to Mingi. Stretch yourself, I don't know..." Wooyoung clears his throat, "And the knot. Yeah... it'll be bigger than you imagine. You might have toys with knots, so the real thing is bigger. But I don't know how it works either, maybe it's because of the pheromones, but you'll feel more elastic or something... so everything should be fine."
Hongjoong feels a phantom pain between his legs just thinking about the knot.
"And you can't force him to wear a condom," Wooyoung mumbles, "I just hope you're on some kind of birth control."
“I have an IUD...” Hongjoong responds, although he has a hard time remembering it.
"Fuck! When you…?" Wooyeong raises his eyebrows in surprise.
“Six months ago, probably.”
“I envy you…”
They exchange awkward smiles before Wooyoung gently pats Hongjoong on the thigh.
“Everything will be fine.”
“I would like to hope so.”
“Just... be careful with Mingi.”
Hongjoong nods and falls limply onto the bed.
“I guess that's it. I'll leave you alone, you know... yeah. Do you have any lube?”
“God... yes, I do.”
***
Hongjoong feels incredibly awkward as he lies down on the bed, pulls down his pants, and spreads his legs. There's no reason to feel ashamed — Hongjoong is alone in the room. But somehow, everything feels awkward.
Right now, when he's alone, there's no reason to worry, but Hongjoong's fingers feel like wood, the blood draining from them, and their pads growing cold. It takes him several tries before he finally opens the lube with his clumsy hands. Silicone, because it's probably best to choose something that won't dry out after twenty minutes.
The awkwardness, he thinks, stems from the lack of arousal. Hongjoong has never had to insert fingers into himself without feeling aroused. He's also never had to endure his own palms being so cold and unresponsive. Hongjoong also feels the need to hurry.
He circles his dry hole a few times with his finger before pushing it in a few inches and collecting natural lube. Clearly, he needs to be at least a little aroused to relax, so he moves his slightly damp fingers higher to rub his clit.
He tries to concentrate on the scents that usually arouse him. But it doesn't work. Wooyoung and Yeosang's scents are too weak, and Yunho's is so unsettling that Hongjoong only feels worse. Eventually, he nuzzles the pillow beside his head, trying to catch a trace of the scent of one of the omegas he used to spend nights with.
He pours lube onto his fingers. He overdoes it slightly, leaving an oily texture that won't wash off his hands for a couple of days, even on his wrist. He then lubes himself externally to remove any excess and make touching his clit less irritatingly dry. He rubs it with his thumb before inserting his index and middle fingers into vagina.
It's still awkward. A nervous wank isn't a good wank. But Hongjoong tries.
He tries to think of something arousing: good porn he recently watched (maybe he should have turned on something now, but it's too late now( (both his hands are covered in lube)), omegas, the alphas he's had slept with. He even allows himself to think about Wooyoung. Hongjoong doesn't feel anything for the long-occupied omega, but Wooyoung is simply too good. Hongjoong's type, in a way. If Wooyoung liked omegas himself, he'd be priceless. Hongjoong tries not to think about Mingi, because thoughts of him can be completely unpredictable. It's only one step from the instinctively arousing fantasies of Mingi calling him a good omega to the deathly frightening thoughts of an alpha's cruelty in rut. Hongjoong decides not to experiment with his imagination.
In any case, he relaxes enough to insert four fingers into himself and spread them slightly apart.
He lowers his other hand to clit and pinches it between his fingers, hoping to coax his body into at least physical arousal if he's struggling with emotional one. It feels good. Hongjoong bites his lip and closes his eyes. He tries to push his hand a little deeper, stretching himself with his knuckles before the knot. It doesn't work — the entrance stings from the stretch, and Hongjoong is forced to stop and simply slowly move his fingers inside.
Wooyoung was talking about knotted toys. Hongjoong has some, one of which he'd set aside to replace his fingers. He rarely uses this dildo because it's too big for regular use, but right now it's just right. Hongjoong moves his fingers away from his clit to lift the dildo, holding it by the base. It's heavy. It bends at a funny angle due to its own weight. Hongjoong places it between his legs and generously pours lube onto the large tip.
In the dim light, neither the color nor the small details of the shape can be seen, but for Hongjoong, it's all the better because he can occupy his mind while trying to visualize the structure he holds between his fingers.
He'd bought it a long time ago and it seems he'd overestimated himself a bit back then. The dildo is red and black, though Hongjoong can't see that now. Lubricating it, Hongjoong enjoys the detailed silicone texture under his fingers. He moves it lower, stroking the large, imitation knot at the base. Hongjoong hadn't tried to insert it all the way before — the dildo's extended head was enough for him.
He tilts the toy and gently presses against the stretched entrance. The tip enters the pliant body. Hongjoong then lifts the dildo to find the right angle and, pressing his fingers against the smooth base, pushes a few more inches in before he begins to feel a slight tugging pain. The toy presses against the fornix of his vagina, and Hongjoong frowns at the sensation. He's still not quite aroused enough.
Hongjoong gently moves the dildo in and out, feeling the protruding edges stretch him with each stroke. With his free hand, he touches his clit again. The first soft moan escapes his lips. With each subsequent stroke, the toy sinks deeper, and the sensations of clitoral stimulation merge with faint flashes of pain when Hongjoong presses too hard on the base of the dildo, forcing it deeper than he can handle. He feels the wide tip of the knot press against his skin and inhales deeply.
He slows his wrist movements until he stops them completely, pressing down on the base of the dildo. It's absurd how much physical strength it takes to push the knot inside himself. It's no wonder he goes to the gym; at least his three sets of push-ups are producing some results.
The knot takes a long time to enter, painfully. Hongjoong deserved it — he shouldn't have tried to prepare so quickly. But as soon as the widest part disappears inside, Hongjoong drops his wrist to the bed and relaxes his whole body.
That's it. The dildo is completely immersed inside. Hongjoong breathes heavily, trying to adjust to the pulling pain, intense due to the toy's size.
For a second, he considers whether he should try inserting a couple more fingers, since Wooyoung said the fake knot was smaller than the real thing, but his insides clench with fear at the thought. Where could he even fit any more?
Hongjoong lies on his back for a few more minutes until the dildo starts to slip, and then he pulls it all the way out. A wet squelching sound is heard, causing Hongjoong's ears to rapidly turn red. Perhaps he should try to bring himself to orgasm, just to have something good this morning, but he decides it's better to hurry for Mingi's sake.
He adds more lube between his legs, making sure he definitely has enough. He closes legs, which ache slightly from the strain, and lies there for a few seconds, trying to gather his strength. Finally, he stands. He considers for a few seconds whether to put on underwear or not, but ultimately decides that yes. He'd hate to stain his new shorts. He throws a bottle lube in his pocket, just in case. He puts on his jeans jacket and goes downstairs, where Yunho has been waiting for him all this time.
***
They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. The atmosphere is stifling for Hongjoong.
“We can go,” he finally breaks the silence.
“Everything is fine?”
"No," Hongjoong wants to answer. Nothing's okay. He's literally forced to sleep with Mingi. And the problem isn't even Mingi himself — Hongjoong loves him and even feels attracted to him as an alpha because he's, well, handsome, strong, and so on. Besides, Mingi had the honor of appearing in several of Hongjoong's wet dreams. A couple of times, he'd even allowed himself to fantasize about Mingi in real life. But Hongjoong never wanted to actually have sex with him. He wasn't disgusted, but he also had no desire: not now, not in their current relationship, not during rut. He liked seeing Yunho and Mingi as a potential for great sex, something he'd never have the chance to realize.
Everything is not okay.
Hongjoong decides not to answer the question.
"Hey, hyung," Yunho calls softly, "what can I do to make you feel better? Please tell me."
Hongjoong chews his lower lip.
“I don’t want you to suffer,” Yunho continues after a few seconds of silence.
“I’m not suffering,” Hongjoong counters.
“I know it wasn't supposed to be like this.”
Hongjoong shakes his head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Come here,” he says, spreading his arms in an inviting gesture.
Yunho hesitates for a few seconds before eagerly and eagerly leaning into his embrace. Hongjoong strokes his back and nuzzles the crook of his neck, where Yunho's natural scent intensifies several times over. Still unsettling.
“I'm so sorry, I…”
“Oh, God, relax,” Hongjoong strokes his back through the fabric of his shirt, “it’s okay. It’s a bit of a weird concept for us, but packs often have sexual interactions. So it’s okay. I’m a little scared because Mingi’s in a rut, but…” Hongjoong thinks about how to finish his sentence, but in the end he just snorts, “Wooyoung survived. And Mingi’s hot. I mean objectively hot. It’s not that I’m against the idea… sorry, I’m talking nonsense.”
Yunho releases him from his embrace to look at his face.
“That's good... I hope everything is really as you say.”
Hongjoong doesn't want to admit he's not being completely honest with Yunho. He's telling the truth, but not the whole truth.
It's complicated. A choice without a choice. Hongjoong no longer quite understands what is his real attitude toward the state of affairs, and what he's simply convinced himself of over the past hour. He can no longer be objective — Hongjoong is entangled in his own mind games.
“I hope you won’t be jealous,” he shrugs.
“We aren't even a monogamous couple…”
“I just... I don't want to ruin anything.”
“You, on the contrary, will fix everything,” Yunho says with a soft smile.
Hongjoong shrugs. He's not entirely sure.
"Can you promise to take care of me?" he asks just before leaving. "Or is that too much?"
"Of course I can. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you and Mingi are okay. I am the senior alpha, after all."
Hongjun snorts.
This status means nothing in their inverted pack, but he still trusts Yunho.
***
Mingi is not well —Hongjoong realizes this the second he opens the door to Yunho's room.
He lies completely naked on rumpled sheets. If he were conscious, he would certainly have started making the bed properly (Mingi couldn't stand the texture of the mattress instead of silk sheets), but right now he had no time for that. Mingi lies in a forced position, curled on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily. Only after a few seconds does Hongjoong finally lower his gaze and then notice Mingi frantically fucking a transparent fleshlight. Next to him lie several more toys, already stained with lube and cum. Mingi sobs, groans painfully, and angrily squeezes the base of his dick.
Oh God, give Hongjoong strength.
He takes a deep breath and walks into the room.
Behind him, Yunho exhales a little too loudly, as if he wants to say something. But he doesn't speak. He simply squeezes Hongjoong's shoulder. And at that moment, Hongjoong seems to realize that Yunho is even more tense than he is. A bloody mark left by his teeth flashes before his eyes.
Mingi turns his attention to them, looking askance, ready to defend himself.
"Hi?" Hongjoong says tentatively, testing the waters.
He takes a few slow steps into the room, trying to discern the smallest details of reactions in the pre-dawn haze, still not fully understanding how Mingi should behave.
Mingi twitches his nose toward the door, sniffing. Hongjoong feels uneasy at how instinctive and unconscious the gesture seems.
"Omega?" Mingi's hoarse voice reaches him.
Hongjoong takes a step back, pressing himself into Yunho's chest. So Mingi is so out of it that he can't recognize him? Yunho could have warned him. The bitterness of the situation isn't even that Hongjoong is scared, but that he realizes he won't even be able to ask Mingi anything. He's still unsure if Mingi would have consented to sex with him if he were sane. He's unlikely to refuse, but Hongjoong would still prefer to know it for sure.
He could probably try talking to this Mingi, too, though Hongjoong isn't sure if it's the version of him he wants to hear. Does Hongjoong even know this Mingi? Because Mingi obviously doesn't know Hongjoong, which is why he simply calls him "omega."
Finally, Hongjoong takes a few more steps toward the bed. He can smell Mingi's natural scent on every cell of his skin: it clings, settles, and permeates his lungs so completely that he can't get it out. Never in his life had Hongjoong smelled such a strong alpha scent. It knocked his thoughts out of his head.
“Can I sit here?”
Mingi is silent, but with a viscous slurp he pulls the fleshlight off his cock. Hongjoong chooses not to look. But it looks as if Mingi will shove his freed cock inside Hongjoong the very next second.
"Alpha?" Hongjoong tries to address him, following Wooyoung's advice.
Mingi finally nods.
Yunho's excited whisper is heard behind him:
“Say you are the Luna.”
Hongjoong doubts it will help, but it's worth a try anyway.
He sits on the edge of the bed and peers into Mingi's face. His sharp features appear rougher in the darkness. Mingi watches Hongjoong's movements with intent and interest as he brings his hand to his forehead to check his temperature. His expression is somehow simultaneously distant and overly focused, as if one wrong move and he'll bite off Hongjoong's hand.
His hair is soft and damp with sweat under his fingers as Hongjoong brushes it back from his forehead. Mingi feels hot, like he's in a fever.
“I am your pack,” Hongjoong tries to speak in as simple sentences as possible, not holding out any hope for Mingi, “Luna.”
The other's dark gaze warms for a second, as if Mingi is beginning to understand, before becoming confused again.
“Where have you been before?”
Oh...
Hongjoong gently strokes Mingi's ear, trembling internally at his childishly offended tone.
But Mingi immediately seemed to forget his question. He raised himself up on his hands and buried his face in Hongjoong's shoulder, sucking in a greedy breath.
Yunho and Hongjoong exchange glances, unsure what Mingi is doing.
He simply inhales Hongjoong's scent greedily and whines. He presses his lips to the patch on his shoulder and groans in disappointment — instead of the epicenter of Hongjoong's omega scent, Mingi must have encountered a silicone patch. Hongjoong had anticipated that he would likely try to mark it, so he tried to hide the most "appetizing" part from his teeth. Mingi licks his tongue and tries to nudge the contours of the protective patch with his teeth, but it doesn't budge.
This attention to his glands is deeply intimate. Hongjoong breathes raggedly and tries to suppress a shudder, but the sensation of a warm, wet tongue on one of the most sensitive parts of his body, hot breath, and sharp teeth makes him instinctively arch his back. His own scent intensifies. Hongjoong feels a little ashamed of this weakness in front of Yunho, who has been silently watching them.
“Hush, hush,” Hongjoong moans.
Mingi presses his lips to the spot above the bandage, breathing heavily. He wraps his arms around Hongjoong's chest, enveloping him in a suffocating embrace.
This behavior leaves Hongjoong feeling confused: he expected Mingi to be more aggressive, but he's been inhaling omega pheromones for minutes now. That can't be all Mingi needs. Why isn't he touching Hongjoong the way nature dictates? It flashes through his mind that perhaps Mingi, accustomed to alpha relationships, feels confused when an omega is in his arms. But that shouldn't be true: Mingi, even if he was about eighty percent interested in alphas on the bisexual spectrum, he was still experimenting. Clearly, he should know what to do with Hongjoong.
Finally, Yunho sits down on the bed. Hongjoong watches his actions closely: he gently strokes Mingi's cheek to get his attention.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asks softly, so as not to startle Mingi, who still seems unaware of the third person's presence in the room.
Mingi pulls away from Hongjoong's neck, sniffing.
“Why is he here?” he asks after a few seconds.
Hongjoong doesn't know what to answer. Absolutely.
"He's your alpha," he finally says hesitantly. Is that what Mingi wants to hear?
His expression changes from puzzled to even more puzzled, in a way that looks comical.
"Yunho?" Mingi asks, his voice devoid of awareness, as if he were just asking out of habit.
“Oh, do you recognize him?”
A smile touches Hongjoong's lips. Mingi is adorable when he looks lost. Like a big child, Hongjoong wants to shake that association as quickly as possible. Such comparisons aside, his cock presses against Hongjoong's thigh.
Mingi pouts, then turns his head sharply towards Hongjoong. His expression completely changes.
“Hongjoong?”
“Oh...” Hongjoong’s eyebrows rise in surprise.
“He comes to his senses sometimes...” Yunho comments quietly.
"Oh, fuck. Hongjoong..." Mingi repeats before finally releasing Hongjoong from his embrace and crawling away a few dozen inches.
This is... awkward.
This version of Mingi seems to be aware of everything. And Hongjoong feels doubly ashamed that he still trembles because of the attention on his neck.
"Go away..." Mingi croaks, casting a heavy, sideways glance at Hongjoong. "You can't see me like this. You can't be here. You're an omega... I don't know what I can do with you."
Wooyoung didn't warn him about this.
Obviously, alphas aren't supposed to behave like this.
“Is it because of the pills?” he asks Yunho.
He shrugs.
“Probably... he just comes to his senses sometimes. For a little while.”
Now Hongjoong understands: Mingi's rut comes in waves, and during the "low tides", the suppressants suppress it enough for Mingi to regain consciousness. But he still frowns and presses his lips tightly together, as if thinking clearly is a struggle. He shudders and pulls the blankets up over his hips.
“It’s okay,” Hongjoong places his palm on top of his, “I’m here for you.”
Mingi looks at Yunho, trying to find answers.
“Like an omega, he means,” Yunho says.
“I agree to this,” Hongjoong tries to smooth out the rough edges.
Mingi looks less confused, but remains silent. He closes his eyes and rubs his temples.
“How did you even come to this conclusion…”
“Well, you bit me,” Yunho begins.
“Oh, God…”
“Forget it, it's not your fault. Just... focus on Hongjoong.”
Mingi nods slowly.
A sigh of relief escapes Hongjoong's lips. Okay, "conscious" Mingi knows. That eases the moral issue. Hongjoong reaches out to put an arm around his shoulders.
In fact, everything feels simpler than Hongjoong initially imagined. Mingi's lips are soft and warm, surprisingly feeling just right during their first tentative kiss. Mingi pulls away as quickly as he begins the kiss and stares at Hongjoong for a few seconds.
"Are you sure this is normal?" he asks in a hoarse voice.
“Now yes.”
They kiss again. This time, Mingi's tongue slides between Hongjoong's lips, and he opens his mouth responsively. It really isn't that hard. By this point, Hongjoong is sufficiently intoxicated by the alpha pheromones to not take things so personally. Besides, Mingi is a very good kisser.
They break off again, and Mingi reaches out to kiss Yunho too. Hongjoong looks at them, confused, before smiling. They'll be okay.
“I’m sorry, Yunho, please, I’m sorry,” Mingi whispers against his lips.
“Don't think about it.”
Yunho kisses him on the lips, on the cheeks, on the forehead - wherever he can reach.
Hongjoong feels Mingi slipping away from them again: his scent begins to change, and his gaze becomes as if drawn by a slight haze.
All Hongjoong can do is bury his face in his chest, pressing his lips to the soft skin above his collarbones.
"Be gentle, okay? And take care of me... Yunho," he glances at him, "you take care of me too," Hongjoong orders.
“I'll do my best.”
"It's a shame I'll be unconscious," Mingi whines, "I'll miss the threesome with Hongjoong! And hyung is kinda really hot..."
“I’ll pretend you said that when you were already unconscious,” Hongjoong snorts.
He kisses Mingi again, and oh god, it feels so good. Hongjoong hates that they've never done this before. Because he wants to kiss Mingi endlessly. He's a bit over the top with his tongue and saliva, but it's so like him that Hongjoong actually likes it. And then there's the jagged texture of his teeth, which he can playfully slide his tongue over... Hongjoong falls into the sensation.
He feels Mingi's hands tighten around his waist, and Hongjoong pushes him down onto the bed to mount his wide hips. In this position, he feels in control of Mingi and hopes he'll let him continue. With each passing second of the kiss, Mingi grows more impatient. Instead of the gentle touches of lips they began with, he bites Hongjoong's lower lip with sharp fangs. The metallic taste of blood fills his mouth.
“It’s... hard to think,” Mingi croaks when they break the kiss.
“I know,” Hongjoong shakes his head. “Don’t think about it. Just do it. You’ll feel better.”
Mingi makes a whining sound.
“It hurts.”
Hongjoong presses his lips to his forehead, soothingly.
“This will pass…”
"It feels like my bones are broken... my whole body aches, and yet I still want to fuck. No matter how much I cum, the release doesn't come," he groans and closes his eyes, apparently feeling the oncoming wave of desire again.
"You just need an omega. Now that I'm here, you'll feel better this time," Hongjoong reassures him.
His own worries fade into the background as he focuses on helping Mingi. The alpha needs him too much.
Mingi buries his face in his shoulder again to breathe in the natural scent.
Yunho's presence is a little unsettling, as it doesn't quite feel like a proper threesome. Yunho simply sits on the edge of the bed and watches. His face even loses any visible emotion. He's focused on Mingi's actions, which can be discerned in the light of the nightlight. Hongjoong hopes that if anything goes wrong, Yunho will be able to take control. After all, Yunho was a dominant alpha, though he usually didn't show it. He is alarmingly high on the gender hierarchy. It seems Yunho wasn't particularly fond of this, preferring not to exploit his privilege.
"Don't you want to be more involved?" Hongjoong asks when Mingi stops tormenting his lips.
"I'm afraid I'll only anger him. I'm not sure he wants to share right now."
"Mmm... okay," Hongjoong says breathlessly, because Mingi bites his scent gland especially hard, causing a flash of pleasure to shoot through his body.
"Is he trying to bite through the bandage?" Yunho asks worriedly.
Hongjoong shakes his head.
“No... he's just playing around, I think.”
Mingi strokes Hongjoong’s thighs, squeezing his cheeks and sliding his fingers between his legs to tease him through the fabric of his underwear. Hongjoong knows his underwear is soaked with the lube he used earlier, but Mingi's touch makes him feel even wetter.
"Good omega," he says, and something in Hongjoong breaks. He sobs. A shudder runs through his entire body.
Mingi is drifting somewhere in his alpha space again. The tone of his voice is hypnotic, pulling Hongjoong somewhere beyond the surface of consciousness. He turns toward Yunho.
“Do you like it?” he asks cautiously.
Hongjoong thinks and nods hesitantly, a "yes" escaping his lips.
"Is this okay? This would be more than just helping Mingi, because... oh," he gasps as Mingi presses his fingers through his underwear, pushing in a few millimeters, "Fuck," he trembles with arouse.
“I’ll be glad if you enjoy it,” Yunho runs his fingers over Hongjoong’s ankle, “your pheromones must match well, so… enjoy it if you can.”
Mingi tugs impatiently at the waistband of his shorts, and Hongjoong tries to take them off, but his hands get tangled in the fabric of his shirt... He manages to remove it, though, when his position suddenly shifts. Mingi pushes Hongjoong onto the bed and pins him underneath him. He blinks in confusion as Mingi removes Hongjoong's shorts and underwear in one motion.
"Oh..." Hongjoong feels a slight panic, because now he has no control. Mingi spins him around in his arms as if Hongjoong weighs nothing.
He feels a soft, hesitant touch on the back of his hand — he looks down and sees Yunho's hand gently squeezing his wrist.
"It's okay. I'm here," he says right into my ear, lying down on the edge of the bed.
Hongjoong intertwines his fingers with his.
This makes him feel calmer.
Mingi spreads Hongjoong's legs so wide, the muscles ache from the stretch. Leaning forward, he traces a line with his nose along the inside of his thigh, from his knee to his groin, then inhales loudly, closing his eyes. It's unsettling. Hongjoong struggles not to close his legs.
Oh god, Mingi is actually sniffing him out there.
Hongjoong begins to worry that he might find the scent of the artificial lube unpleasant, even though Hongjoong chose a silicone one so as not to irritate Mingi's sensitive nose. Then Mingi presses his tongue and licks from the entrance to the clit, causing Hongjoong to writhe on the sheets.
Mingi pulls away from Hongjoong, stopping the torment of his lips and hot breath on the sensitive skin. He directs his gaze lower. Mingi parts his folds, slick with lube. Hongjoong feels shame flush his cheeks. Mingi's gaze... so sincere. No one has ever studied Hongjoong's there so thoroughly.
Despite his embarrassment, Hongjoong only pulls his legs closer to chest, trying to act attractive to the alpha.
“So pretty,” Mingi breathes out.
Hongjoong is surprised by the amount of foreplay, as he had expected much less. He looks from under fluttering eyelashes at Mingi's focused, handsome face, which looks completely unfamiliar due to the glint of desire in his eyes.
“I want to fill you up.”
Hongjoong nods.
Mingi's gaze wanders over his body before landing on his face.
Hongjoong grabs Mingi's wrist with his free hand and guides it so that his fingers slide into the wet insides, "You can do it."
Mingi plunges two fingers down to his knuckles. Hongjoong groans at the sharp sensation.
Mingi slides his fingers in a few times before pulling them out and, in one motion, lifting Hongjoong's legs over his waist. In this position, his hot, wet cock presses against Hongjoong's thigh, causing Hongjoong to squirm.
"Come on, big boy, prep Hongjoong," Yunho suddenly says in that commanding voice of his.
Mingi frowns and shows his fangs in displeasure.
“Prep him,” Yunho repeats firmly.
Hongjoong's head is spinning from the mingled pheromones of the two alphas. He wants to tell him he's ready for literally anything and that Mingi is probably about to go crazy with arousal. Even in the dim light, Hongjoong can see the inflamed skin at the base of his dick, where his knot should be. There's nothing pleasant about tolerating this feeling. Before Hongjoong can say any of this, Mingi abruptly inserts four fingers into him, knuckle-deep, and spreads them apart.
"Oh... fuck," Hongjoong screams.
Rough. Mingi's fingers, long and thick, spread Hongjoong. It doesn't hurt, the dildo was bigger, but it's just too harsh. Hongjoong barely manages to relax in time.
Mingi prepares him with careless movements, the lube sloshing loudly, making Hongjoong want to cover his ears. It seems he overdid it a bit, or perhaps his natural release was so overwhelming, which was even more disconcerting, since Hongjoong hadn't planned on being aroused.
“Good boy,” Yunho says, and an unexpectedly modest smile appears on Mingi’s lips.
Hongjoong feels like he's at the scene of a crime: he should never have known what was going on between Yunho and Mingi. But either way, it's too late.
Mingi's fingers leave his body. Hongjoong lifts his head from the pillows to look down. Mingi's cock is big. Bigger than the average dick Hongjoong's boyfriends have had.
"Wow, and he fucks you with this?" he quietly asks Yunho.
“Sometimes... he's usually smaller. Just a rut, yeah... you know.
Hongjoong nods, but still remains of the opinion that even without the rut, Mingi's dick would be one of the biggest Hongjoong has ever seen.
“If you want to know, we usually fuck without penetration,” Yunho continues.
Hongjoong nods, confused.
“Sorry if that was too much information... I'm just trying to distract you.”
Oh. That makes sense. There's plenty to distract him from Mingi's guiding his cock between his lips, ready to enter at any second. And Hongjoong would really prefer to be focused on something else.
“Are you okay with hearing about sex between two alphas?”
"Yeah..." Hongjoong inhales sharply through his nose and arches his back off the bed as he feels Mingi's cock press against his sensitive clit. "It's hot..."
“Mm, I didn’t know you liked that,” Yunho says after a short laugh, “I fuck Mingi more often than he fucks me.”
“Oh... well.”
“He looks very beautiful when he is bottoming for me.”
Hongjoong nods and squeezes Yunho's hand sharply as Mingi wraps one arm around his waist and uses the other to hold his cock in place, thrusting hard into him.
“Fuck,” Hongjoong arches his back, and the next second he cries out in pain.
The problem isn't the size of his dick, it's that Mingi, fuck him, doesn't know when to stop. Does he even know Hongjoong isn't bottomless? It's simply impossible to take the full length of his dick.
Hongjoong lifts his pelvis up, just to avoid the excruciating pressure on the fornix, and tries to wriggle out of Mingi's hands, which are holding him tightly by the waist, trying to push him even deeper.
“Oh, God, fuck,” Hongjoong feels his hand go numb as he squeezes Yunho’s palm.
He's met with a startled expression. Yunho's gaze darts between Hongjoong and Mingi.
“What...”
He doesn't have time to finish because Hongjoong interrupts him:
“Fuck, I have no idea, but it looks like he wants to stick his dick in my uterus, oh... ouch,” he writhes on the bed again, supporting his weight only on his neck and shoulder blades, “Fuck, Mingi, take it easy on me.”
Mingi doesn't react to Hongjoong's request at all, too focused on keeping the squirming Hongjoong in one place.
"It hurts, alpha," Hongjoong howls, "fuck," he's seriously panicking because the physical confrontation is completely pointless.
The next thing Hongjoong hears is a deep growl and a sharp slap. Mingi's head snaps back, and he releases Hongjoong. No longer held back, he slides off his cock and falls onto the bed.
Hongjoong breathes heavily, feeling only residual pain and rising panic. Mingi and Yunho look at each other, their eyes narrowed. Mingi's cheek, where the palm of his hand landed, quickly turns red.
Mingi bares his fangs, but Yunho casually grips the hair at the back of his head, pulling his head back.
“Don’t bother me,” Mingi croaks, straining his entire body to twist and shake off Yunho’s hand.
Hongjoong is starting to worry they'll end up at each other's throats, because they're both using so much pheromones that Hongjoong, still just an omega, feels pinned to the bed. And that gesture — holding the alpha by the hair at the back of his head — is very dominating.
"You hurt him," Yunho says loudly in his ear, "your pack. Your Luna."
“I need…” Mingi again reaches his hands to Hongjoong’s hips, which he hadn’t yet thought to close, although the muscles were already aching.
Yunho yanks the hair at the back of his head. Mingi howls and falls onto his hands.
Hongjoong is too terrified by what's happening to even try to comprehend it. While he'd been aroused before, lulled by Mingi's scent and touch, now a chill of fear runs beneath his skin.
Yunho holds Mingi by the hair and presses on his lower back, forcing him to arch. Mingi's nostrils flare from the weight of his breathing. Even though his body is tense as a string, Mingi makes no attempt to break free, and it's a little eerie. Hongjoong wasn't naturally sensitive to gender hierarchy, but apparently that's how it works. Yunho can, to some extent, render Mingi completely helpless.
“You won’t get him,” Yunho says harshly, “all you deserve is my knot.”
Mingi makes a pained sound from the back of his throat. Hongjoong can't see what's happening behind Mingi's shoulders, but he can tell by the sharp forward movement of his hips that Yunho has apparently pressed his groin against his cheeks. The veins in Mingi's temples bulge. Hongjoong locks eyes with him and realizes Mingi is looking to him for help. So desperately. Hongjoong himself almost whines, because he can physically feel the dominant energy emanating from Yunho. He has no way to do anything about the situation the three of them have found themselves in.
He wasn't angry at Mingi: after all, he was just an alpha in rut, and Hongjoong didn't expect anything from him other than the occasional pain (of course, there was a moment when Hongjoong believed sex might be more pleasurable than his previous suggestions, but Mingi was a little more lucid then). Hongjoong could handle it. At some point, Mingi would start thrusting, and it would get easier. Hongjoong wasn't angry. But Yunho obviously was.
This was where his usually hidden side as a senior, dominant alpha emerged. Yunho's chest burned with the desire to protect. Even if it meant protecting Hongjoong from the love of his life.
"You do not deserve Hongjoong's kindness," Yunho says, "you're not worthy of an omega. How can you continue to hope for his loyalty when you behave like this?"
Yunho looks powerful when Hongjoong finally peers over Mingi's shoulder with interest. His wrinkled white shirt and disheveled hair don't quite match the voice Yunho uses, but Mingi still has no clue how serious his boyfriend is about depriving him of release.
“Alpha…”
Hongjoong's heart sinks when Mingi painfully calls Yunho "alpha." So submissive. Hongjoong doesn't even want to think about the internal struggle going on inside Mingi.
"Ask Hongjoong for forgiveness," Yunho nudges Mingi in the back of the head, causing him to slam his forehead into the omega's sweaty chest.
A pitiful whine comes from his mouth.
“I’m so sorry... omega...” words escape from Mingi’s lips, and he begins to tremble.
Yunho finally stops using his pheromones so intensely, and Hongjoong is able to move. All he does is place a weakened hand on Mingi's head and run his fingers through the strands.
"I'm not mad at you," he repeats his thoughts, "but be careful. Don't hurt me again. Okay?"
Mingi nuzzles Hongjoong's scent gland again, saying nothing in response.
"Take control of him," Yunho whispers, still holding his fingers on the back of his head. "Now. While I'm holding him."
“How could I…” Hongjoong swallows the words that are about to escape his lips.
Of course he could do it. He'd done it dozens of times, just in different circumstances. He'd used his Luna pheromones on Mingi once before, taking advantage of the status that gave him. But that was so long ago it's terrifying to even think about. And Mingi was completely different then, a younger man, just emerging as an alpha, who simply didn't know how to listen to his elders. Hongjoong always felt ashamed of that time, because it was obvious that he, as the leader, should have found a calmer way to convey his opinion to the nineteen-year-old Mingi.
And now Yunho is asking Hongjoong to do it again.
To establish a clear hierarchy, which he usually fought against in their relationship.
“Come on,” Yunho calls, “tame him.”
Hongjoong's hand automatically finds its way to the back of Mingi's head. Mingi tenses in his arms again, turning to stone. Hongjoong doesn't squeeze his hair, but simply gently caresses the vulnerable spot.
He uses his scent, intensifies it and presses Mingi to his shoulder, forcing him to inhale it deeply and go even deeper into the alpha space.
He can practically feel Mingi go limp in his arms.
"Okay... come on, come here," Hongjoong calls, wondering if he can balance this out and not try to dominate Mingi completely. Because that won't make things any easier for Mingi. "Try again."
Mingi sighed heavily and bit his lip.
Hongjoong, smiling awkwardly at Yunho and Mingi in turn, reaches down and, with a gentle motion so as not to disturb the flesh, inflamed from prolonged arousal, grasps Mingi's dick mid-length. Running a loose fist down its length a few times, Hongjoong can't resist teasing the frenulum and the foreskin, velvety smooth despite the amount of precum released. Hongjoong has always had a thing for uncut cocks, enjoying teasing alphas with weightless touches to the most sensitive part of their skin.
He lifts his pelvis and guides Mingi's dick. It was a good thing he chose silicone lube.
"Come on, alpha. Take what you need," Hongjoong says, removing his hand from the back of Mingi's head, relying solely on the power of his pheromones.
Mingi slowly pushes deeper, stopping just as the large tip slips inside. Hongjoong hums contentedly, approving of his attentiveness.
“Go on, alpha.”
Mingi pushes in with measured movements until the end. And this time, Hongjoong, although he doesn't feel pain, feels discomfort.
"Not that deep..." Mingi goes out a couple of inches, "yeah, good. Good job."
Mingi thrusts first and groans with relief, as if having sex with Hongjoong had instantly relieved the ache at the base of his dick. He fucks quickly, holding Hongjoong under his cheeks to create a comfortable angle, and is much more careful, trying not to go too deep. Well, as deep as possible given his dick's size. Hongjoong still appreciates his efforts, though he frowns periodically from the mild pain.
They begin trying again to feel the atmosphere conducive to sex. Even if Mingi manages to physically maintain Hongjoong's optimal balance of pleasure and pain, Hongjoong's mental state is still far from arousal and pleasure after what happened. And he's unsure if he wants to try rebooting his brain again.
Yunho's presence makes everything even more complicated. Hongjoong feels ashamed to enjoy himself in front of him, especially during sex with his boyfriend. Even if Yunho says everything is fine. Even if everything really is fine. Hongjoong has never been interested in group sex enough to understand that dynamic.
Mingi shudders, pushing deeper than before, but this time Hongjoong feels no pain. He wraps his arms around Mingi's neck and whines with the pleasure that suddenly pierces his entire body.
“Oh, wow…”
Hongjoong's eyes widen, meeting Mingi's gaze — a relatively conscious version of him.
“I’m actually fucking hyung,” he turns his head, addressing Yunho, “wow...”
And still the friction continues. Hongjoong swallows his tongue, trying not to utter a single sound.
"Did you think we were joking?" Yunho asks, tilting his head to the side in interest.
“It’s Hongjoong-hyung,” Mingi finally freezes deep inside, biting his lip, “like... it’s really Hongjoong-hyung.”
Mingi squeezes his waist, looking at Hongjoong with an incredulous gaze, who can barely stand the degree of strangeness of what is happening.
"Yeah... it's really me," he says when the silence starts to get awkward, "Are you going to... you know, talk to Yunho when your dick is deep inside me?"
Mingi snorts and shakes his head.
"Don't you want to be on top? It's just that I get the feeling you're not really enjoying it..."
Oh... conscious Mingi is probably a pretty good partner. Even this version of him, the one who's gripping Hongjoong's waist so tight his knuckles are white, trying not to let go and keep fucking him, finds the strength to care about Hongjoong's feelings.
“That would be nice,” he decides.
Mingi flips them over abruptly, and Hongjoong jerks, unable to find his footing and sliding down his cock too far for his own good. Mingi notices this, placing his hands under his hips.
“You smell really strong...” Mingi finally comments.
Hongjoong feels ashamed of this.
“A necessary measure... trying to control you, like a Luna.”
“Oh…”
Hongjoong smiles nervously, wondering how Mingi would react to this. It's probably not quite polite to do so. Hongjoong prefers to talk about everything rather than use such primitive signaling systems. Although, what politeness is there with Mingi? Hongjoong lowers his gaze to where their bodies are joined. Nothing there anymore.
"It's hot," Mingi's lips curl into a smile, "I love being dominated. In different ways."
"Are you sure you don't want Yunho to fuck you instead of me?" Hongjoong winks, wondering if Mingi still remembers the moment when Yunho held him by the scruff of the neck and threatened to dominate him.
Hongjoong stops making fun of Mingi (there's no point in making fun of the familiar, clearly unhappy version of Mingi, hormonally overwhelmed. Just caring). So Hongjoong quickly moves up and down, hands on Mingi’s chest.
Three sets of squats in the gym clearly have a positive effect on Hongjoong's ability to have sex in this position.
"Is he proposing?" Mingi closes his eyes and bites his lips, savoring Hongjoong. He also unconsciously rubs the back of his head, as if feeling touches his conscious mind should have been ignored.
“Of course he does.”
Hongjoong throws his head back, and soft moans escape his lips — fuck Yunho's presence here. Mingi's dick is too good for Hongjoong to continue swallowing his moans and pretending to be impartial. And Hongjoong's assessment of someone who isn't generally attracted to dicks is worth a lot.
“I’ll happily let him do it next time,” he says, blowing a kiss to his boyfriend over Hongjoong’s shoulder.
Perhaps they should spend the brief moments while Mingi's mind is clear on more constructive dialogue. But for now, they're just fooling around. And having sex at the same time.
Mingi bucks his hips in time with Hongjoong's movements, and it's, oh, it's so good. It's as if he's figuring out Hongjoong's sexual preferences when it hurts just a little. Or maybe he just wants to push his barely-starting knot deeper inside him.
As Wooyoung said: there's something more than just increased arousal that's allowing Hongjoong to adjust to the size of Mingi's cock. Hongjoong has no idea what it is, but he's forced to choose between pheromones and pre-cum. Mingi produces a surprising amount of it; Hongjoong noticed it right from the start, when he noticed the stains on the sheets and the fleshlights glistening with it. But Hongjoong himself is no better. He feels like he's practically leaking. This is definitely affected by the heavy musky scent that can be smelled from every inch of Mingi's body. Hongjoong can't call this natural scent, significantly intensified, particularly pleasant, but he still really wants to inhale as much of it as possible. The pleasant tingle somewhere deep inside his skull, as Hongjoong's sense of smell is overloaded with alpha pheromones, makes his hands tremble. In the air, saturated with Mingi's scent, he can detect a hint of Yunho’s. Hongjoong likes it too.
“Fuck, I just want to cum,” Mingi whines, squeezing Hongjoong’s hips.
His voice grows rougher, and Hongjoong begins to feel as if he is slipping back into his alpha space.
"Still far away, huh?" Hongjoong leans towards his face and kisses the corner of his lips.
“Sorry…”
Hongjoong just shakes his head. It's okay if Mingi needs more time. It's just that the thought creeps into his head that Mingi might be unable to pop a knot at all because his suppressants work in the strangest way. Hongjoong just hopes that the damned pills at least haven't robbed Mingi of the ability to overcome this state.
Suddenly, Yunho's hand appears before his eyes, stroking Mingi's head. He gently tucks his hair behind ear and tickles his cheek. Mingi narrows his eyes and leans into his hand.
"Go on. Try to pop a good knot for yourself. And for Hongjoong," Yunho says with a smile in his voice. This isn't dirty talk. Yunho is simply teasing Mingi's sensitive brain.
He inhales loudly. Hongjoong simply prays that Yunho won't continue this: Mingi isn't the only one here who's agitated. Hongjoong himself is becoming increasingly confused by everything that's happening.
“To be honest, I'm afraid that I'll lose my dick sooner... I just can't cum normally for so long that it's already something unhealthy.”
“You couldn’t because there wasn’t an omega as good as Hongjoong here,” Yunho lies down on the edge of the bed again and looks at his boyfriend’s focused profile.
God, he has no mercy for Hongjoong at all, who can't help but whine in response to what he heard, causing two smiles at once: Yunho is clearly amused, and Mingi is just... smiling with the last of his strength and clutching the sheets with his hands so tightly that they crack.
Hongjoong doesn't know how to help him, so he just keeps going down onto his cock, despite the fatigue he's starting to feel in his thighs.
Mingi's expression changes several times over the next few minutes, becoming focused and then completely confused. Sometimes his brows furrow in pleasure, as far as Hongjoong can tell, and sometimes in pain. In those moments, he tightens his grip on Hongjoong's waist and thrusts harder, deeper. Hongjoong takes it.
He feels himself slowing down, his calves practically shaking with tension, and he considers asking to change positions, but Mingi immediately pushes him back onto the sheets, apparently unsatisfied with the pace, and throws Hongjoong's legs over his shoulders, bending him in half and pressing him into the bed.
Hongjoong trembles from the feeling of the power hidden within Mingi's body. He's not the lightest omega, after all. In this position, Hongjoong feels unusually small: Mingi seems to surround him physically and mentally, filling the room with his scent, and with every second, this all-consuming pressure only grows stronger. Hongjoong clings to his shoulders, trying to find support and not drown in this feeling. He tries to catch Mingi's eye again – and finds that empty expression Mingi had at the very beginning. He simply fucks Hongjoong desperately, chasing release, thinking of nothing else.
Hongjoong moans and whines from the sensation. He feels Yunho's palm again, accidentally bumping into it with his unruly, trembling hand, and he grips it tightly. With the fingers of his other hand, Yunho begins to trace patterns on Hongjoong's forearm. This grounds Hongjoong and makes him begin to feel something other than the pleasurable sliding of his cock inside him.
Mingi bites him — not on the shoulder, thank goodness, just clicks his sharp teeth wherever he can, leaving his marks on his chest and neck. Hongjoong will smell like him for weeks after this, and the thought makes his insides clench. Because no one usually does that — even marks like these are significant enough that Hongjoong and his past partners avoid them. But a surprisingly pleasant feeling of belonging, of involvement, fills his chest as soon as he glances at the skin of his chest, reddened by the bites.
The movement of Mingi’s cock inside him isn't enough. Hongjoong feels a tingle of arousal beneath his skin. He considers for a few seconds whether he should try something about it, and experimentally, letting go of Mingi's shoulder, he reaches between his legs to squeeze his clit between his fingers. The touch makes him whimper. Mingi doesn't react at all, too caught up in his own pleasure and licking Hongjoong's neck through the bandage.
Hongjoong gently strokes between his legs, feeling all the arousal pooling in one spot.
He usually has a hard time coming during sex, his body too demanding of atmosphere and stimulation, but touching himself in time with the movements of his cock inside him is simply pleasurable. Hongjoong wants to take everything from this experience. He eagerly reaches lower with his fingers, spreading his lips and lightly touching Mingi's cock. A loud moan in his ear makes it clear that Mingi doesn't mind Hongjoong's hands there.
There's wetness between his legs. Pre-cum drips down his cheeks and soaks into the sheets. Hongjoong's fingertips trace the contours of his cock-stretched entrance, trembling from the touch of his sensitive, friction-irritated skin. With so much lube, masturbating is uncomfortable. His fingers slip, making the brief strokes feel like torture rather than release. Hongjoong whines, arching his back, trying to rub himself against the edge of his palm.
Mingi thrusts deeply. Hongjoong feels the base of his dick, already slightly swollen by the knot beginning to form, slip into him every other time, and somewhere deep down, the tip of his dick presses against his cervix. And it's an unexpectedly pleasant sensation, despite the faint pain that rolls through Hongjoong's body with each particularly deep thrust.
Mingi thrusts quickly. Hongjoong can't quite keep up with the rhythm and doesn't even try to match it, simply falling apart. Mingi doesn't need it; he wraps his arms around Hongjoong's slender waist so that his fingers practically touch at the center, and thrusts deeper when he needs to. Hongjoong's back rubs against the rumpled sheets as he finally slides off the pillows.
There is a lot of everything.
Even Yunho's palm, which had previously only soothed Hongjoong, becomes a new reason why Hongjoong chokes on moans. Yunho squeezes his hand so tightly, the fingers of his other hand sliding over the sensitive skin of his wrist. Yunho's palms are large, cool, and soft. A pleasant feeling.
Hongjoong unclenches his fist for a second, only to move his hand up a bit and wrap his long fingers around Yunho's and squeeze, allowing himself to think about how good Yunho must be at using them when it comes to sex.
Oh God. Hongjoong whines.
“Are you okay?” Yunho asks him.
Hongjoong doesn't even have the strength to turn his head in his direction, so he simply nods, staring fascinatedly at the line of Mingi's lower jaw.
“Knot...” he squeezes out when Mingi enters deep once again, making him feel the swollen base of his cock.
“You’ll be okay,” Yunho tickles Hongjoong’s cheek with the fingers of his free hand, and only then does Hongjoong notice that the skin on his face is wet with tears he hadn’t even noticed, “you’ll take him.”
Hongjoong bites his lip and desperately squeezes his hard clit between his fingers.
“I…”
He's not sure what he wants to say: that he wants this, that the knot will be too big, that he can feel the base of his cock rapidly expanding with every movement of Mingi's hips, that it's simply unbearable, or that...
“Last chance to stop,” Yunho suddenly says, “if you’re afraid.”
This is the first time Hongjoong has come this close to experiencing a true alpha knot. Yunho knows this and worries.
Hongjoong finds the strength to turn his head to the side and look into Yunho's eyes: still as sweet as ever, but unusually dark. He's also aroused. Hongjoong doesn't know how Yunho manages to do nothing but watch until the very end.
What would he do if Hongjoong said "stop" now? Grab Mingi by the back of his head again, just as he was about to reach his peak, and force him to pop a knot in one of his fleshlights at the last moment? In any case, Hongjoong wasn't going to stop now. Let Mingi get what he wanted.
“Everything is fine.”
A smile appears on Yunho's lips.
Mingi doesn't react to their conversation. He throws one of Hongjoong's legs from his shoulder to his waist, forcing Hongjoong to wrap his legs around him.
“Come on, alpha,” Hongjoong asks quietly when he manages to keep the moans from welling up in his chest.
Mingi lets out a growling sound from somewhere deep in his chest, throwing his head back and freezing deep inside. Hongjoong wants to scream, it's too much again, but he can't force a single sound out.
The knot expands sharply, trapping Mingi's cock completely inside.
Oh...
Hongjoong instinctively arches, trying to find some kind of tolerable position where the knot wouldn't feel so thick. Wooyoung was right. Hongjoong now realizes how wrong he was when he thought his dildo was big. What was really big was Mingi's cock.
Hongjoong squirms against the sheets, but Mingi only presses him tighter to the bed. Giving in, Hongjoong breathes quickly and shallowly, feeling the tension in his thighs as he grips Mingi's waist, and the contraction of his abdominal muscles.
Mingi breathes heavily into his ear, and sometimes his breathing turns into low moans.
Hongjoong opens his mouth. He squeezes Mingi's shoulder and Yunho's hand. He counts to three. And then convulsively exhales all the air from his lungs with a desperate groan.
Now he fully understands why no one in their right mind tries to fuck alphas in rut.
Up until that very moment, Mingi hadn't attempted to penetrate Hongjoong all the way since Yunho had used his pheromones. And even if Hongjoong's body had somehow managed to adjust to the length of his dick, the sudden, almost doubling of Mingi's cock's width at the base wasn't something Hongjoong could easily handle.
It's incredibly painful.
Hongjoong simply prays that Mingi doesn't injure him. He doesn't even want to think about all the medical consequences that could await him.
Mingi cums. Hongjoong feels the warm, wet cum filling him. And it feels like there's too much of it, too. And it's not pleasant at all.
It's all too much. Especially the sharp, nagging pain between my legs that refuses to subside even after several minutes.
“Breathe,” Yunho’s voice comes from the side, and Hongjoong turns his head with the last of his strength.
As if on command, Hongjoong swallows air through his mouth.
Yunho seems scared too.
"You forget to breathe," he says.
Hongjoong nods nervously and exhales, despite how hard it is for him to control his chest muscles to do so.
“Are you okay?”
Hongjoong shakes his head, but can't find the strength to speak. His mouth suddenly goes dry, and his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.
“Hurt?”
Hongjoong nods.
He doesn't know why he feels everything so strongly.
He had heard so many times that it could be pleasant, had read such scenes in erotic novels so many times, that in reality he simply looked at Yunho with fear and breathed according to his commands.
Hongjoong, who regularly takes suppressants, obviously doesn't mesh well with the idea of having sex with an alpha in rut. His body's physiology simply doesn't allow it. Even Mingi's scent doesn't distract him in the least, and Hongjoong experiences it all with complete clarity. And it's not pleasant at all. Not sexy at all.
And this will happen several more times before the rut is over.
The cock inside him throbs. Mingi is still riding out the prolonged orgasm, breathing raggedly and shuddering every few seconds. He moves his hips, and Hongjoong can only curl his lips, hiss painfully, and remember to breathe.
It's just awful.
Mingi licks Hongjoong's shoulder again. He smells the change and tries to soothe him as best he can. It's distracting. Just a little, but Hongjoong feels better. The scent gland is still sensitive, tingling pleasantly whenever Mingi's tongue slides over the surrounding skin.
Hongjoong moves his hand from Mingi's shoulder to his neck and pats him lightly.
Mingi presses his soft and warm lips to his shoulder, and a soft smile appears on Hongjoong's lips.
Before this happens.
Hongjoong feels his tongue over the patch again, sharp teeth tickling his skin as Mingi playfully bites down on it, and the next second, Hongjoong's eyes widen. Mingi's teeth are clamped into the flesh of his shoulder, despite the silicone bandage.
Hongjoong arches in pain. And at the same moment, he feels euphoria spreading inside his chest.
His whole body becomes weak and his consciousness slips away.
***
Hongjoong finds himself completely in omegaspace. The bliss, by his own sense of time, lasts for hours. For a while longer, he feels Mingi next to him, but then he stops. Hongjoong isn't sure if this is because Mingi is leaving, or because he's retreating so deeply into his own consciousness. He tries to open his eyes, but even his eyelids won't obey him.
Hongjoong feels his hips still trembling, as if he's having an orgasm. His shoulder, where his scent gland is located beneath the delicate skin, throbs pleasantly.
Hongjoong feels warm. Good. He turns over on the soft sheets and squints as the daylight irritates him through his eyelids. What time is it?
He feels hands on his body. The caring touches bring a surge of tenderness to his heart.
Something wet touches the skin of his stomach. Hongjoong frowns, but his expression relaxes as he feels lips press a light kiss to his thigh.
It smells like Mingi. For some reason, also Wooyoung and Seonghwa. And like alcohol wipes.
Hongjoong hears quiet conversations but can't make out what they are talking about.
Yunho's voice, quiet and calm, lulls him to sleep.
Hongjoong finds himself wrapped in soft blankets. He feels touches again, this time more insistent and demanding. Something cold touches his lips.
“Drink,” Yunho’s soft voice settles in his head.
Hongjoong takes a few sips of water before he loses control of his body again.
He smells food and instinctively reaches for it. A surprised gasp and a quiet chuckle echoes. It seems his actions have amused the person next to him. Someone is holding him by the shoulders and neck, helping him maintain an upright posture. It seems to be Yeosang. So Hongjoong can tell by the smell. On his tongue, he tastes a sticky substance mixed with something sweet and juicy. Strawberry porridge?
There are many voices around again. Hongjoong wraps the blanket over his head to block out the noise.
Mingi... Hongjoong feels longing for him. Where is Mingi?
The next time Hongjoong comes to, he gasps, confused about what's going on around him. This time, he opens his sleepy eyes, squinting against the light he can't quickly adjust to. Yunho carries him in his arms. Hongjoong snuggles into his chest and pulls legs closer. He hadn't even realized Yunho had the physical strength to hold Hongjoong so securely.
“It’s going to be wet now,” he warns.
Wet?
Hongjoong's eyes widen as he feels the warm water on his cheeks and feet. Yunho lowers him into the bathtub.
“Oh...” is the only thing that comes out of Hongjoong’s throat.
He feels confused.
“Are you awake?”
Yunho looks into his face, brushes his hair from his forehead and strokes his cheek.
Hongjoong nods uncertainly.
“Okay... that’s good,” Yunho says, “how are you?”
“I…” Hongjoong weakly clenches his fist, giving a thumbs up.
“In omegaspace? Nice, huh?”
Hongjoong nods. He runs his fingers through the water's surface, collecting a bit of bath foam on the tips.
“I'm going to wash your hair. Do you mind?”
“Okay…”
Yunho gives him a gentle smile. He squeezes shampoo onto the top of Hongjoong's head and runs his fingers through his hair. Hongjoong melts with concern and comfort.
After all this, Yunho has to lift Hongjoong out of the bathtub because, no matter how hard he tries, his legs won't obey him. He can't even keep his balance when Yunho sits him down on a chair. It turns out he doesn't have enough arms to simultaneously keep Hongjoong from falling and dry him off with a towel. Hongjoong asks something, though he doesn't immediately understand what exactly.
“Well... you didn't let Seonghwa touch you. That's why I'm alone.”
Seonghwa? Why didn't Hongjoong let him help?
"Where is Mingi?"
“I have no idea. Looks like he's trying to die somewhere in his room. Or at San's.”
Hongjoong's mouth drops open, confused as to what Yunho means. His shoulder itches. Hongjoong reaches out to touch it, but finds a bandage.
“Hurts?”
Hongjoong shakes his head. No, it doesn't hurt. It's just attention-grabbing. Why is there a bandage on his shoulder? Is he hurt?
"Mhmph," Hongjoong groans, trying to get his head to work. What's going on with him? Yunho helps him dress in cotton pajamas with mid-thigh shorts while Hongjoong tries to compose himself.
“Now I will pick you up again and carry you to the bed.”
This time, Hongjoong happily presses himself against Yunho's chest, burying his face somewhere between his shoulder and neck, where Yunho's natural scent intensifies.
Only when his back touches the sheets does he remember. Mingi. The mark.
He reaches for the bandage again. That's what's underneath. Hongjoong presses his fingertips against it, feeling a nagging pain inside his shoulder.
Hongjoong comes to his senses. Well, as much as possible.
He wraps his arms around Yunho's chest and pulls him towards him, causing him to fall onto the bed next to him.
"What are you doing?" Yunho asks with a hint of amusement.
Ah, really, what? Hongjoong turns his head and looks thoughtfully at Yunho. The question makes him feel strange at the moment when he's most vulnerable, on the border between omegaspace and rational thought. The events around him take on a seriousness, though his consciousness still seems hazy, where only Hongjoong and his "want" exist, which Yunho or Mingi must unquestioningly fulfill. But here he is, when "want" is complemented by his own "why." And at the same time, logic is thwarted by a longing for Mingi, caused by the mark he's been given and the fact that the alpha is currently absent.
Hongjoong feels himself split apart by these conflicting feelings.
In reality, he just wants to feel a little more of the warmth he so pathologically lacks. He doesn't want, and shouldn't, feel lonely and abandoned after everything that's happened.
“Don't go.”
“Okay. Should I lie down with you for a bit?”
Hongjoong nods, and Yunho lies down next to him. He doesn't even hug him until Hongjoong takes his hand and places it on his waist.
“Oh… okay,” Yunho presses himself a little closer to Hongjoong, leaving a measly few inches between their faces, which makes everything a little more awkward.
Hongjoong isn't quite sure what connects him with Yunho now, or what experiences they share. He slept with Mingi, Yunho's boyfriend, in front of Yunho and with the consent of everyone present, but even Hongjoong doesn't understand what that means for him personally. For Yunho, it's probably even more ambiguous. Moreover, Mingi has marked Hongjoong. Both of them, to be precise, because a similar bandage peeks out from under the collar of Yunho's jersey. They are now, in a sense, connected. Is Yunho jealous? Does he regret how things turned out?
Hongjoong feels a strange thrill when he looks into his eyes. A mixture of fear and worry — that he might find the answers to these questions somewhere deep within them — and the affection born from the marks left by the one man who has become their partner. Yunho's expression is relaxed, but when he notices Hongjoong's gaze, he instantly becomes interested.
And Hongjoong just... wants things to be easier, wants to return to his omegaspace. But somehow, he wants Yunho even more. Sex, marks, hormones, rational thinking, longing, the desire to feel warmth, and Yunho himself create a combination in which the only right thing for him is to say:
“Kiss me.”
Hongjoong doesn't ask. He demands. Because he feels like if he doesn't feel Yunho's lips on his, his heart will break.
“Oh...” Yunho tilts his head with interest, as if he doesn’t understand.
He hesitates, squeezing and unclenching his fingers on Hongjoong's waist several times, not daring to do anything.
“You want too?”
“Yeah,” Hongjoong says quietly, “it’s weird, I don’t know… everything is so weird… I thought I needed Mingi after he left the mark, but you’re here, and I realize I need you too… I have no idea how this connection between us works. I’m just having a hard time thinking. I’m half in the omega space, and half here… and, God, I’m so turned on. I’m going crazy, can you believe it?”
Yunho smiles at Hongjoong's attempts to explain everything.
“I can understand. I feel strange about all this too.”
“I just…” Hongjoong sighs heavily, trying to force himself to say at least something in his defense.
And then Yunho leans down and kisses him gently.
But this kiss is not what Hongjoong wants.
Hongjoong opens his mouth and slides his tongue between Yunho's lips. He responds by placing his hand on Hongjoong's neck and stroking the sensitive skin, causing him to shudder.
It's getting hot. He presses himself against Yunho and wraps his legs around one of his thighs to rub against him.
Yunho immediately breaks away from his lips.
“What do you…”
“Please,” Hongjoong whines and presses his lips to Yunho’s neck.
Yunho strokes his head and hugs him to his chest.
"You need to rest. You're not yourself," he whispers.
Hongjoong whines, disagreeing. He's sane enough to know what he wants. He's aroused. So aroused that his entire skin itches with the sensation. He needs Yunho so badly right now to feel better.
“I’m conscious,” Hongjoong whispers, “I want this.”
Yunho looks at him, confused.
“Why do you need to… do now?”
"I don't know," Hongjoong shakes his head. "But it feels right."
Hongjoong can't understand why he's so aroused after just one kiss. Is it the mark Mingi left behind that's affecting him?
“Okay... good,” Yunho nods to himself and kisses Hongjoong on the lips again, “is this really a conscious ‘yes’?”
Hongjoong nods firmly.
“Great... But I won't fuck you.”
"Huh?" Hongjoong blinks his eyelashes in confusion.
"It's been too little time since..." Yunho decides not to finish his sentence. Hongjoong already understands, "You know, it might be unpleasant."
“Okay... fine, what do you suggest then?”
Instead of answering, Yunho moves lower, tracing a line with his lips from the hollow of Hongjoong's collarbones to his navel through his shirt before resting his forehead on the very bottom of his stomach. He breathes evenly, the warm air irritating the sensitive skin between Hongjoong's legs. Yunho strokes the inside of Hongjoong's thighs, lifting his shorts. Hongjoong pulls his legs toward him and, curious, rises up on his elbows.
"Do you want it?" Yunho asks, without looking up, causing his voice to vibrate through Hongjoong's stomach.
“Yes…”
This is more than Hongjoong could have ever hoped for.
Yunho reaches for the waistband of Hongjoong's shorts, which he had helped Hongjoong put on just minutes earlier, and tugs them down. The velvety skin unfurls inch by inch, and Hongjoong watches Yunho's gaze, as always gentle and warm, roam his body. Yunho kisses his stomach, smiling at something. With his fingertips, he traces patterns on Hongjoong's thighs, moving down his sides and waist, and only then does Hongjoong notice that his hands are trembling.
“Are you worried?” he asks.
“No, it’s different,” Yunho shakes his head, “it’s... you’re awe-inspiring.”
Oh... wow. Hongjoong raises his eyebrows in surprise, not believing that Yunho is being serious right now.
"You recently saw your boyfriend screwing me with a knot," he snorts, "after that I shouldn't seem magical."
Hongjoong reaches his hand into Yunho's hair and strokes the top of his head, letting the silky strands slide through his fingers.
"It's an old feeling. You always make me tremble."
It seems like Hongjoong dies the very second Yunho says that line.
“How romantic.”
They're not themselves. Mingi's marks are affecting them both.
Yunho shrugs. He pulls Hongjoong's shorts down his legs and tosses them over the edge of the bed, where they, of course, fall to the floor. Hongjoong watches him through hooded eyes. The fog in his head makes everything simpler. As if there are no consequences, as if everything becomes unimportant except Yunho between his legs. Hongjoong is still experiencing the aftershocks of the euphoria from the mark on his shoulder.
Yunho lifts one of his legs and presses his lips to the foot. Hongjoong gasps, not expecting that.
“Oh God, don't do that. It's weird.”
As if on cue, Yunho kisses the exact same spot again. Hongjoong squirms, trying to avoid the embarrassing touch, while Yunho presses his lips wherever he can: the back of his foot, his ankle, and his shin. He giggles at Hongjoong's attempts to avoid the attention on his legs.
“No, no, stop,” Hongjoong weakly pushes him in the chest with his other foot.
Yunho responds by biting his shin, but finally stops fooling around and trails kisses from his knees to his groin. Hongjoong watches, mesmerized, as his large hands spread his thighs. Their skin contrasts perfectly. Yunho is absolutely perfect to him.
Finally, he leans down. His hot breath brushes against the most sensitive areas of Hongjoong's skin, and then Yunho teasingly traces a short line from his clit downwards with the tip of his tongue. Hongjoong sharply exhales all the air from his lungs and bucks his hips into the touch. His stomach trembles with excitement and arousal.
Yunho moves his hands closer to his cheeks and uses his thumbs to spread his folds. Despite Yunho having seen Hongjoong in the most intimate of circumstances before, Hongjoong covers his face with his hands when he realizes Yunho is looking down between his legs.
Hongjoong is actually aware of what his vagina looks like (he checked it out in the mirror back in his teens), and it seems normal. Now, even this whole thing with Mingi coincided with Hongjoong getting a wax a couple of days ago. But he's still nervous because... well, being so open and vulnerable in front of someone is still awkward. And because he's unsure of how he looks after such intense sex with Mingi. Probably normal. After all, some time has passed while Hongjoong was in his omegaspace, but he still has doubts. He can't even comprehend how much time has passed. Or how many times he and Mingi have had sex.
"Can I say something stupid?" Yunho asks, looking up and resting his head on one of Hongjoong's thighs.
“Maybe?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you're pretty even here? I mean... well..”
Hongjoong counts to three, trying not to die of embarrassment.
“No…”
"Yes, I mean objectively. I don't know, color, anatomy... God, don't listen to me," Yunho squints, waging an internal war.
"Okay... I'll keep that in mind," Hongjoong says, "but don't you want to do something more productive than pamper my vagina with compliments? You know.."
Hongjoong doesn't have time to finish because Yunho licks his clit.
“Yeah... you're better at that than dirty talk.”
Yunho's tongue circles the hole, making Hongjoong whine and clench his legs, and he plunges inside a few inches. Hongjoong is more sensitive than he's ever been before. His entire body is electrified with arousal.
He can't stop himself from curling his fingers into Yunho's hair and pressing harder, forcing his tongue deeper. Yunho licks him from the inside. But then he turns his attention back to his clit, teasing it with the sharp edges of his teeth. Hongjoong writhes beneath him and whines as Yunho simultaneously pinches his clit between his lips and swirles his tongue around it.
Hongjoong never cums quickly. He usually can't do it without a vibrator, but now he's in a completely different state. The mark on his shoulder, the euphoria from the release of hormones, Yunho's pheromones (and Mingi's too, whose scent still lingers in the room as if he were there) are driving Hongjoong crazy. And Yunho is unexpectedly good. Hongjoong never expected this from someone who has been dating another alpha for the last five years.
“I’m gonna come,” Hongjoong says brokenly.
Yunho grips his thigh with one hand and reaches between his legs with the other, sliding two fingers inside. Hongjoong moans contentedly as he feels the pleasurable stretch. He's wet inside and still incredibly sensitive. Hongjoong grips Yunho's shoulder and arches his body, feeling every muscle inside him contract with orgasm. Yunho continues to lick him, even as Hongjoong trembles beneath his hands, stopping only when Hongjoong begins to whine at how sensitive he is.
Yunho breathes heavily. He pulls his fingers out, causing Hongjoong to flinch in response, and wipes them on the sheets.
"Wow..." Hongjoong says, falling apart.
“Yeah,” Yunho responds in a slightly hoarse voice.
He lays his head back on Hongjoong's thigh, and strokes and tickles his free one with his fingertips.
Hongjoong feels his orgasm make it harder to think, and the familiar haze returns to his head. He clutches Yunho's hand, trying to stay conscious.
"Huh?" Yunho squeezes his hand back, not understanding.
“I think I’m going to pass out again,” Hongjoong says, confused.
“You can…”
Hongjoong can. And he does.
***
When Hongjoong next opens his eyes, it's already dark outside. The haze in his head has completely cleared, and his shoulder aches mercilessly. This time, Hongjoong doesn't have to try to remember what happened, other than the time he spent in the omegaspace. He remembers that only in short fragments.
Hongjoong tosses and turns in bed: one side of him feels incredibly hot, the other feels icy cold. It's a strange sensation. He lifts his head from the pillow to figure out what's going on.
It's all simple: Yunho is pressed against his left, drooling on the pillow, and to his right is only an open window. Hongjoong senses something else. He peers over Yunho's shoulder and notices Mingi. Mingi looks up at the rustling of sheets from the other end of the bed. Their gazes meet. The glint in his eyes is all Hongjoong can make out in the darkness. Mingi blinks slowly and presses himself against Yunho's back, hiding his face.
Hongjoong has no choice but to plop back down onto the pillows. He does so with a loud noise, causing Yunho to open his eyes.
"Oh... are you awake?" he asks, his voice hoarse from his recent awakening. "Have you rested?"
Instead of answering Yunho's questions, Hongjoong asks his own:
“Why am I not in the center?”
No, he's genuinely interested. Hongjoong sincerely believes he deserves more care than Yunho, who's living his best life, surrounded by the warmth of two bodies.
“Mingi was afraid that you would strangle him at night.”
Hongjoong twitches his nose in displeasure.
“I want to lay between you,” the truth is that Hongjoong wants to go to Mingi.
“Okay then,” Yunho grabs him by the waist and pulls him over himself.
At that very moment, Hongjoong buries his nose in Mingi's chest, wrapping his arms around his neck. His soul immediately feels at peace.
Mingi awkwardly hugs him back.
He flicks the switch on the desk lamp — and how does Yunho even reach it without getting out of bed? It's hardly surprising, though; his arms are long, and Hongjoong has verified that his fingers are long, too.
“You don’t seem to be mad at him,” Yunho comments.
“Should I be?”
Instead of a direct answer, Yunho runs his hand over Hongjoong's shoulder, tracing the outline of a bandage. Not a silicone one. This time, a regular, medical one.
“I didn’t mean to...” Mingi answers choked.
Hongjoong giggles.
“Everything's fine. Probably... Did Wooyoung see it?
“Yes.”
“And what did he say?”
"That Mingi didn't perform the full ritual, so it means nothing. It'll just leave a scar."
Hongjoong had thought so. A mating mark isn't easy to place — it needs to be done on both sides, at a minimum. Hongjoong only had one, on the left. Yunho must have pulled it away the moment Mingi bit through the bandage. And it was the antibiotic ointment under the new bandage, not Mingi's saliva, that did the healing. The alpha hadn't had the opportunity to lick the mark for hours, turning it into something more meaningful than just a tooth mark.
“Great, did you say anything else?”
"That you'll be more attached to Mingi than usual for a while. A bite like that does create some kind of bond," Yunho continues.
So that's why Hongjoong missed him so much and can barely contain his urge to smother Mingi in his arms right now. Well, it's not that bad.
"What about yours?" Hongjoong asks when he notices Yunho has a similar bandage on his shoulder.
“Just a scar... I love Mingi even without any marks,” Yunho shrugs and smiles.
Hongjoong feels an unexpected pang of jealousy and clings greedily to Mingi. This temporary attachment to Mingi will drive him crazy... Hongjoong decides not to elaborate on his relationship with Yunho. Wooyoung probably doesn't know anything about polyamorous relationships himself, and it's unlikely he could tell Yunho anything, even if he asked.
They lie like that in silence for several minutes. Mingi hugs Hongjoong more confidently, just as Hongjoong wants. And Yunho's arms are long enough for him to throw one of them over both of them. Hongjoong thinks it's time to get up, even though it's probably the middle of the night. He's slept enough to last a lifetime, and there must be a ton of work to do by now: they probably demanded the day off while he was in a euphoric slumber. But Hongjoong can't bring himself to move from the embrace.
"What about your rut?" Hongjoong recalls. Lasting up to five days, it shouldn't have ended so quickly, but Hongjoong isn't sure if they had sex after Mingi marked him: he wasn't able to process the reality around him then.
"It ended..." Mingi says. "After the first knot. The suppressants must have had an effect."
Mingi is silent for a few seconds before adding:
“I'm very sorry that it turned out this way.”
Hongjoong shakes his head.
“The main thing is that you’re okay now,” he gives Mingi a weak flick, “but the mark, of course... I didn’t expect it at all.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Yunho reminds.
“But it can be seen...” Hongjoong finally realizes, “even though I almost always wore a bandage before so that the smell wouldn’t be noticeable... it’s okay, many people have marks... it just means that I have sex,” Hongjoong thinks out loud, “which was practically obvious anyway, considering my age.”
“With alphas,” Yunho adds.
“What?”
“It means you have sex with alphas.”
“This isn’t the image I wanted to create for myself...” Hongjoong groans in pain.
“You're okay, but what do I look like with an alpha's mark?”
"I'm so sorry about this. I really am!" Mingi whines.
Hongjoong laughs, sighs, and ruffles his hair. It's okay. They're all fine, and that's the most important thing.
Hongjoong rolls onto his stomach between the alphas and throws his arms around them, hugging them both at once. Mingi strokes his back and nuzzles his sharp nose into his shoulder. Hongjoong appreciates this small gesture of care.
Finally, he forces himself out of bed. Mingi reaches out to him, unwilling to let go, but Hongjoong mercilessly slaps his forearm. The sweet nothings are over; Hongjoong has to work. Even if all he wants out of life is to crawl into Mingi's lap and make out with him for a couple of hours. And Yunho, if he's up for it. He'd still like to know how this feeling works. And how long it will last. Does it work like an affection for his alpha’s alpha? Is this how romantic packs work? Hongjoong isn't entirely sure.
“We slept together…” Mingi states the fact for some reason.
“Yeah, something like that,” Hongjoong answers casually, looking in the mirror and trying to fix his disheveled hair: after all, he and Yunho were busy with something more important to remember about blow-drying, and now Hongjoong is suffering.
“And what do you think about this?”
"That I had a lot of discoveries in one day: my first threesome, my first time with an alpha in rut," he counts off on his fingers, "oh, and my first mating mark ever. Anything else I forgot? Well, besides sleeping with my friends, who I still have to work with, yeah... A lot happened."
Hongjoong is looking for a comb in Mingi's room. What a mess his room is!
"It's not bad," Hongjoong says after a long pause, "yeah, I mean, some parts weren't perfect... but you have a great dick. And Yunho has a great tongue. So..." he finally finds a comb, "good sex is cool."
Hongjoong tries not to think about how sex with Mingi was mostly an unpleasant experience. Not Mingi's fault, of course. If he'd been conscious the whole time, things would have gone much better.
He leans against the wall and finally looks up at Yunho and Mingi, who are still lying on the bed.
"Mingi and I were talking about it while you were sleeping," Yunho suddenly says, "it's just... we're not monogamous, and we were thinking about you as a possible partner for a while before. Just in theory. So, it's all good for us. I'm glad it was you."
This wasn't quite what Hongjoong expected to hear. What's worse is that it's mutual: Hongjoong had thought about them a couple of times, too, though perhaps more abstractly.
“I’m upset that I wasn’t conscious,” Mingi whines into his pillow.
"Are you upset? I was just watching," Yunho tickles Mingi, causing him to squeal and writhe on the bed.
Hongjoong wants to cry at the absurdity happening around him. Yunho and Mingi are idiots. And yet, he feels a full range of tender feelings for them.
"What are we going to do next?" Mingi asks when Hongjoong, unable to bear the melancholy, crawls back under the covers.
“Laying down, hugging…”
“No, I mean..”
“What?”
“Well... will something change between us?”
“It’s complicated,” Hongjoong shrugs, “we slept together, but I don’t know what that means for us in the long term.”
For the first time, he seems so unsure of the consequences of his own decisions.
"Would you like anything to change?" Yunho asks.
"I'd like to do it again, maybe. Without the rut, I mean. I’m not really into the whole giant knots thing. But yeah... everything else was hot."
In fact, Hongjoong thinks they'll have to do it again. Hongjoong's temporary attachment works so strangely that he can't last long without having sex with Mingi or Yunho.
And even if we ignore these temporary circumstances, they've already crossed the line that made the relationship purely platonic. Sex with someone from the pack is always more convenient than the one-time partners or sex buddies Hongjoong had previously had. It's very likely that this will happen again. The dynamic between the three of them has already changed.
It's not bad. But Hongjoong no longer has the energy to reflect on sex with Mingi and Yunho. He sighs heavily and drops his head into the pillows, deciding to deal with all this someday.
Hongjoong is enjoying the best hug of his life and can't think of anything else. Except maybe raising the possibility of their pack becoming less platonic. Maybe that'll get him to Wooyoung.