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“Jaehyun,” the alpha stopped in his tracks at his father’s warm, authoritative voice. He turned, shoulders shrugged towards his ears, to see his dad standing behind him, flanked by his second in command and Jaehyun’s older brother.“You weren’t at the meeting this morning,” his dad said, wrapping a large, burly arm around his shoulders.Jaehyun groaned, knowing he wasn’t in trouble but not really wanting to explain himself either. And definitely not wanting to commit himself to what he’d actually been up, not in front of his brother, he’d never let him live it down.“You told me I didn’t have to go to those, that it was fine if I spent my time with the others, hunting...resetting traps,” His dad ruffled his hair, coaxing him into a small fit of laughter before he wrapped his arm around his dad’s back, walking with him back to town.“I know I did, I’m just teasing you kiddo,” his dad tugged him closer, “how was the hunt this morning,”Jaehyun froze. “Uh yeah, good, it was good. Lots of rabbits and things,”“And things,” his brother, Hajun snorted, laughing into his hand. He turned to shoot him a glare, begging him silently not to say anything or rat him out. He’d been on to him for weeks, he didn’t need his dad bugging him about it now too.“What kind of things Jae,” his brother poked him in the side, coming up beside him, good naturedly tugging Jaehyun out of their dad’s hold. He was still a couple inches taller than him, with their dad’s broader, extremely well-muscled build. Jaehyun was long limbs and toned muscle, where his brother had it packed on. And on and on. Alpha oozed out of every inch of his surface area. “Just things,” he hissed back, shoving him away, grinning triumphantly when he stumbled a little.Their dad shook his head, letting them fall behind him as they bickered.When he was out of ear shot, his brother started in again.“So how is he today,” Hajun asked, arms crossing loosely as he stopped moving. Their dad moved further and further down the worn cobble path towards the village center, back to the meeting hall likely to some important Head Alpha stuff, or whatever he did. Jaehyun wasn’t inheriting the pack so he didn’t pay too much attention to all of it. He busied himself with other things, hunting, border security, organizing scouting parties, building and repairing houses in the village. His current project was sailing along smoothly, the new schoolhouse for the pups, would be done by late spring, right on schedule for the new school year.“Jun- ““Oh relax, he can’t hear us, Jiwoo’s probably already talking his ear off about the re-cropping for next season,”“Christ, it never ends,” he muttered, his brother hummed, saying something under his breath that sounded like, ‘yeah you’re telling me,’.“So, Jungwoo, I’m guessing you spent you’re morning following him like a creep because you sure as hell didn’t go hunting,”“I checked some traps,” he defended.Hajun quirked an eyebrow at him, lips tipped up in a smirk. “Before or after the creeping,”“Shut up,” he dragged his hands back through his hair, hating that his brother had figured all this out. He’d never been able to have secrets from him, it was so annoying.“I’m just curious, you dedicate most mornings and the odd afternoon to looking after him from a distance, I just want to know how he is today,”Jaehyun sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be escaping this.“He seems good, he looked happy when he came out of the healers hut, he’s starting to move slower like he’s tired but--what?”His brother was staring at him funny, mouth gaping, eyebrows lost in his hair.“What, you asked,”“I know, I did, I did…just Jesus Jae, maybe you should chill a little, you’re approaching stalker territory here man,”Jaehyun shuddered, knowing he was being creepy and weird towards Jungwoo. But ever since the omega had come home from where ever he’d been for the last eight years, he’d been on Jaehyun’s radar. And then he’d found out that the omega was pregnant.That was like a bomb going off in the pack, Kim Jungwoo, come home after so many years, without a mate, without an alpha, expecting a pup. It was all anyone was talking about, the older omegas finally had something substantial to fill their webs with, spinning it larger and worse, till it was ugly and gross and nobody in the pack talked to Jungwoo. Instead they shot him looks when he hurried through the village to the healer’s hut, ducking quickly back home or into his mother’s cottage before someone could catch him to say something rude to him. Jaehyun had caught a few people whispering behind his back and quickly put a stop to it, being one of the head alpha’s sons did have some sway, he’d shut them up pretty quick and hadn’t heard boo from them since. And then there was Yuta, one of his very best friends, who he’d caught sneering about how Jungwoo probably got knocked up by some random, deadbeat alpha and had to come home because he didn’t have anywhere else to go, probably hoping to get a sympathy mate out of the whole thing. Jaehyun punched, square in the mouth for that. And Sicheng ignored Yuta for a solid week before Yuta begged the both of them to forgive him, swearing he didn’t mean it like that, he was just trying (and failing) to be funny. Jaehyun still kept him at arm’s length, bothered beyond belief that one of friends could think something like that about a boy they had known when they were children.And maybe it was becoming a little stalker-ish but nobody except Jungwoo’s mother and the healers were helping Jungwoo. He’d been nearly, completely alienated from the rest of the pack, nobody talked to him, nobody asked him to the pack dinners, nobody included him. He was treated like an unwelcome visitor in his own village. It was terrible. And Jaehyun was suffocated by his long-time crush, he could barely think whenever he got too close to him. For now, this is what he was left with, making sure he got to and from his appointments alright, watching out for his general health and wellbeing, because he cared and was curious and he liked him. “I know it’s bad,” he sighed, rubbing his face, “but nobody’s looking out for him, I need to, ya know,” he knew his brother wasn’t judging him for this, but he also knew what all this looked like. Hell, he was judging himself a little for all of this.Hajun smiled at him, patting his back, “I get it, I mean we all remember what a basket case I was before I started courting Kun,” Jaehyun laughed at that, remembering all too well his older brother’s constant spiraling when he’d caught feelings for the omega Jaehyun was good friends with. He’d almost knocked Jaehyun’s lights out when he thought that Jaehyun was trying to court him too, the fact that they were brothers faded to nothing as his standing as a potential mate for Kun was threatened, or so his inner alpha thought. The whole thing was hilarious on reflection but not so funny in the moment. “Just maybe, tone it down, or I don’t know…talk to him,” his brother exclaimed. Jaehyun stared at him, unimpressed, like that was easy.“Yeah right,”“I’m serious Jae,”“So am I, I can’t talk to him,”“Yes, you can, it’s so easy,”“No, it isn’t,” he crossed his arms, “you weren’t able to talk to Kun either so zip it,”“Yeah I know it took me a while but Jungwoo is sweet and alone and could probably really use someone friendly to talk to,” “No way,” Jaehyun huffed, ignoring his brother’s eye roll.“You’re your own worst enemy,”“Ok how about this, I’ll think about talking to Jungwoo if you tell dad you have no interest in becoming Head Alpha once he steps down,”Hajun stared at him blankly for a few seconds before saying plainly, “huh, deadlock,”He snorted, “exactly,”“I kind of hate you,” Hajun scowled at him, though it also looked like he was fighting a smile.“But only a little bit right,” he asked, starting to back away from his brother, away from town, maybe he could escape and have a few hours to himself before he actually had to do something with himself.“Like a tiny bit,” Hajun called out. “See you at dinner,”He waved back, taking off before anyone else could catch him….Dinner came quick, unfortunately for him. He’d gotten a couple things done with the rest of his day, reset some traps in the forest, ran some errands for his mom, drew up a couple plans for renovations he’d been contracted for, which meant he needed to get a crew together to gather some more lumber before it got too cold.He caught up with his brother again on his way back towards the village center, where most nights, the pack gathered to enjoy a meal together. There were fire pits and plenty of food that had been caught and dressed that day, fresh baked bread, fruits and some veggies. Jaehyun grabbed a chunk of meat and a couple rolls before making his way to the pit he and his friends usually sat around. His brother’s mate Kun was already there, picking away at his plate while Ten talked his ear off, ignoring his own food. Johnny, Doyoung and Mark were hunched together talking quietly while Taeyong comforted Donghyuck who was trying to gain back Mark’s attention with no luck.Jaehyun smiled, wondering where the others were before dropping down on the other side of Kun just to tick Hajun off, since Ten was occupying his other side.Hajun, didn’t seem deterred, he dropped down behind Kun, kissed down his neck while Kun beamed, reaching back to thread his hand into his dark hair. Jaehyun thought they were kind of gross, sweet sure but still gross. He also kind of loved that they had each other. Kun was gentle and goofy, he helped his brother loosen up and take it easy when he got too stressed or worked up. Where his brother was quiet, sitting on his own stewing, Kun would pull him out of his shadow, kiss his cheek and bring him light and laughter and comfort. They were so perfectly matched, it warmed Jaehyun up to see it, knowing that they always had each other, that they were well taken care of, that they’d found it and were happy. He liked that. And he also liked that ever since they mated, he’s gotten even closer to his brother and closer to Kun, it was nice seeing how love changed their family, made them stronger and better than before. His brother kissed his mate’s cheek before sitting back on his haunches, Kun smiled, turning to kiss him fully before he pushed him away, waving gently across the way to the fire burning a couple pits over where Hajun’s friends usually ate and caught up, since most of them were mated and their days were dedicated to their jobs rather than their friends.“You haven’t seen them all day, go,” Kun smiled.“I haven’t seen you all day either,” his brother whispered, nosing into Kun’s scent gland. Kun giggled before pushing him again, Jaehyun heard Ten make a gagging sound while Haechan awed from across the fire.“Mm, but you’ll see me later, all night long,” Ten gagged louder, throwing a carrot at Kun’s head.“Ack gross, Hajun please go away,” Jaehyun begged, covering his ears. His limits had been met.Kun laughed, tipping his face up for another quick kiss, stroking Hajun’s face before he moved away, winking at the omega as he went, turning back a couple times, making Kun blush lightly. When he was done watching his mate retreat Kun turned to him, smiling sweetly, eyes squinted like he had a secret.“What,” he asked, looking at his dinner, tearing a roll apart and shoving half in his mouth.“How was your day,” Kun set his plate on the ground, giving Jaehyun his full attention.“Good, yours,”“Really good thanks,” he smirked, counting on Jaehyun’s curiosity to make him ask. He knew him so well, dammit.He sighed, hanging his head, “why was it really good,”Kun bounced a little in his seat, leaning closer to him.“I may have run into a certain omega today,”Jungwoo obviously, “And,”“And we got talking, he has a creaky window in his house. And I may have let him know about this alpha I know who’s pretty handy and pretty handsome,”He groaned. “Did you say it like that,”“Not exactly but I recommended you to him, for his little project,”Jaehyun watched him for a moment, sitting in frozen silence as their friends chatted. Jisung, Chenle, Taeil, Renjun, Jaemin and Jeno came with their dinners, plopping down and digging in, sending quick hellos to everyone. Taeil took Taeyong’s face in his hands kissing him slowly before sitting down beside him, he smirked seeing Taeyong flush bright red, grinning at the omega with a dreamy look in his eyes.Kun poked his cheek, smirking when he startled. “You good,”“Yeah, just absorbing ya know,”Kun laughed, rubbing through Jaehyun’s hair fondly.“Well now you have a viable reason to talk to him, you’re welcome,”Jaehyun opened his mouth to answer when someone behind him snorted, Yuta.Yuta pinched his cheek, as he plopped down next to him, “He’s been back in the village for nearly a month and this dope hasn’t said a single word to him, face it Kun, he’s hopeless,”“Yuta, stop it,” Sicheng scolded, moving around the logs and taking the last open space across the fire next to Renjun, the omega wrapped his arm around the beta with a goofy grin.“Baby-” Yuta started but Sicheng cut him off.“Just leave him alone, if he wants to talk to Jungwoo he will,”Jaehyun smiled at the beta, silently thanking him for stepping in.“Chengie, I actually started it this time,” Kun interjected, looking to save the floundering alpha from his ticked off mate.“Yeah but he doesn’t have to butt in and be a jerk,” Sicheng turned, giving his focus to Renjun and Johnny after that but not before sending one more icy glare Yuta’s way. Jaehyun shuddered at the look, feeling a cold tingle work down his spine for his friend’s sake. He’d forgiven Yuta for the shit he’d said, they’d worked it out and it was better now but maybe he and Sicheng were still struggling with it.“Still in the dog house,” he asked sympathetically.Yuta nodded, “and then some,” he shook his head, letting Jaemin rope him into a conversation.Kun smiled somewhat sadly at the older alpha as he shot looks at his mate across the fire. Kun sighed, hands folding in his lap, “I didn’t mean to pressure you about it, just…it’s an open door if you want it,” he seemed upset which upset Jaehyun.“Kun, I’m not mad, just…you know how I am about him,”“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I hated it when my mom was on me about Hajun, like it had anything to do with her, I should be more understanding about it…anyway I’m sorry, I’ll keep out of it from now on,”Jaehyun smiled, “I didn’t say I wanted you to do that, you meddle because you love me,” Kun snorted, masking the end of it with a laugh, “I do love you, you big dumb alpha,”“Hey, I’m not as dumb as my brother,”“I think you guys are pretty evenly matched on that score, sorry,”“No, come on,”“Nope, I’m not touching that anymore,”“Kun,” he whined.“Jae, eat your dinner,”He laughed but did as he was told, glad for the out. Glad he didn’t have to be forced into facing his hopeless feelings for Jungwoo anymore tonight.….His mom is busy baking, utilizing the pheasants he caught for her to make her version of a game pie to bring to the pack dinner that night. She’s thanked him a dozen times, kissed his cheeks repeatedly and told him he was the best, sweetest second son she’d ever had. He managed to escape after dodging her attempts to feed him lunch for the third time, he told her he actually did have a couple things to do, which he did, and promised to stop by in couple days for lunch. She seemed satisfied with this and sent him on his way, wishing him a wonderful day, slipping a few pieces of boar jerky into his pockets so he at least had a snack. As he walked away from her house, he went through the mental list of stuff he had to do today.He wanted to check how the milling for the lumber stores was going, so he could organize a team to chop more trees if needed. He promised Jaemin he’d talk to a clerk about writing up a petition to put in place a bi-seasonal ban on fishing in the lake north of the village, since the population of trout was apparently getting low, according to the omega. Jaehyun figured he’d know, if anyone did, since he and his family had been fishing the lake all their lives.He had plans to draw up for the huts he and his team were constructing for this season’s matured wolves. And he wanted to get some more mud for his bonding mix, the clay at the river’s edge was perfect, so he needed to head out there.He decided to do that first, it was furthest away so he’d start there, and boy was he glad he did. When he made it to the line of trees that flanked the river, he heard a few voices, raised, agitated, their combined smell was strong enough for him to pick up from here, alphas, all of them.Jaehyun felt his stomach tingle, he moved quicker, knowing he wouldn’t like whatever he’d find. He broke through the trees and was hit with a scent he recognized, two of his favorite scents in the world, cinnamon and peaches. Only one person smelled like spiced peaches, Jungwoo.The omega was knelt at the bank, basket of clothes next to him, his back was turned to the three alphas as they crouched around him, poking him, he couldn’t hear what they were saying but he didn’t need to. He could imagine. His vision went red, who were they to say anything to the omega, he was perfect. And they were nothing, nothing but bullies. “Hey,” Jaehyun yelled, watching as the three alphas straightened, owl like eyes turning to look at him, “what are you doing,”The biggest of the three spoke up, looking about an inch tall and ashamed. “Nothing,”He nodded his head slowly, taking them in. He shot a look around them to see that Jungwoo was alright. He was moving slowly away from them, arms wrapped around his basket as he shuffled on his knees further down the bank, but he didn’t look hurt, thankfully.“Didn’t look like nothing,” he said, moving closer to them. They backed up, clumping together tighter.He crossed his arms, knowing he could be incredibly intimidating when he wanted and that his features, which were usually warm with happiness could be sharp and menacing if he was angry enough. And he was, how dare they hassle a wolf who was alone, dreadfully outmatched. 3 on 1, 3 pompous, irate alphas against one omega, hardly made for a fair fight.“I’m sure you guys have something else you could be doing,” he fixed them all with an unimpressed, angry look, drawing up to his full height to be as intimidating as one of the Head Alpha’s son was supposed to be. They all flinched, knowing they were screwed.“Get out of here,” they didn’t move, “and if I see any of you near him again, you’ll be sorry,” they still didn’t move.He growled low in his throat, sending out a furious, sour wave of his pheromones that had them scurrying away, like dogs.Jungwoo watched them run away with a small smile before turning his attention to Jaehyun. His eyes widened slightly when he met Jaehyun’s, but he masked it well, ducking when his cheeks grew pink, Jaehyun felt his wolf rumble, delighted in his chest at the flustered omega.“Are you alright,” he asked after he finished preening, wanting to make sure the younger omega really wasn’t hurt or too distraught.Jungwoo nodded, his hand came to rest gently over his stomach, the reminder made Jaehyun’s mind numb slightly.“Thanks,” he whispered.Jaehyun moved closer, debating whether he should offer to help him up or leave him be. He didn’t want to hover but if he’d been rattled enough, he might not want to be alone anyway. He wanted to say something, do something but it wasn’t like he could open himself up to the omega, they were pretty much strangers. And the omega wouldn’t expect to have a friend in him not since they’d never said more than 10 words to each other their whole lives. He couldn’t ask him any questions because he wasn’t supposed to know anything about him since they weren’t acquainted. He wasn’t supposed to know that Jungwoo had regular appointments at the healers or that he didn’t eat meals with the pack because he was harassed one too many times for it to be enjoyable for him, so he has dinner with his mom at her home. He’s a creep and he can’t let him know that yet. Should he introduce himself? Open that door since they’d never had it opened for them before? They grew up together, but it wasn’t like how he grew up with Taeyong and Yuta and the other alphas.Most wolves were separated by their presentation while they were young and developing. Once they were matured, they all blended, in school and in everything else. Jungwoo had already left by the time the alphas, betas and omegas were blended and any fraternization between them when they were younger would’ve been put to a stop, back then, when they were younger, any socialization wasn’t allowed. So, he admired the young omega from afar, thinking he was incredible and adorable, even as an alpha pup. He wondered if the omega had ever thought about him too, had he noticed him on his way home from school and thought he was cute, had he considered him at all, in any capacity.His dad had done away with the separation rules when he became the Head Alpha, not liking the alienation it encouraged among wolves who were meant to be pack. Jaehyun only wished he could’ve been in charge while Jaehyun was growing up. It would’ve made things a lot easier now. He could’ve at the very least had a past with Jungwoo, minimal as it likely would’ve been, at least they would’ve had a proper introduction. Now he had nothing. Starting fresh was a nice thought, introductions and friendship sounded good. This probably wasn’t what Hajun and Kun meant when they urged him to talk to the omega but oh well. “It’s Jungwoo right,” the omega perked up, nodding his head as he turned towards him. “Welcome home,” he said, “I know it’s kinda late, since you’ve been back for a few weeks but-”“Thank you,” Jungwoo smiled, saving him from his stupid word vomit.He smiled back, stomach swirling at that smile being directed at him, god it was so beautiful.“I’m Jaehyun,”The omega raised his eyebrows, “I know,” smirk settling across his mouth, “you’re the head alpha’s son,”He shook his head to correct him, “second son,”Jungwoo arched an eyebrow, smile still not fading.“You’re still his son though,” his response was laced with laughter.“Yeah but not like theson, second son ya know,” he shrugged, feeling like an idiot. Why was he so hopeless? What’s wrong with him? And this was why he didn’t want to talk to him, nobody understood how big an idiot he was, in practice he was horribly idiotic.Jungwoo laughed, shaking his head, “what does that even mean,” he turned collecting the few shirts by his knees, folding them and putting them in his basket.“It just means I’m his second son, sorry,”Jungwoo just smiled at him more, like he agreed that he was an idiot. Great. He held his hand out to help him up, which he took, whispering a quiet ‘thank you’ as he stood. He brushed himself off, turning to grab his basket only to see it already in Jaehyun’s hands.Jungwoo reached for it but Jaehyun shook him off.“May I walk you home…if you’re done,” he held his breath for his answer. Hoping he’d agree because he wasn’t ready to let him out of his sight after seeing him being harassed. Jungwoo thought about for a second before raising his shoulders.“I’m done and sure, I can carry that though,” he was watching him closely, like he was waiting for him to do something unexpected.“It’s okay, I got it, lead the way,” Jungwoo seemed to get that Jaehyun wasn’t going to give it back to him, he conceded and started walking up the bank to the trees. “Are you happy to be back,” he asked, when they were halfway back to the village and they hadn’t said anything more to each other.Jungwoo thought for a moment, “Uhm, yes and no,”“Why yes,”“Because my mom’s here, and it’s home,”He nodded, imagining how bad he’d miss his mom if he was away from her for so long.“Why no,” he asks before realizing that might be too personal. “Sorry you don’t have to answer that,”“It’s okay, the reasons are the same,”“Really,”Jungwoo hummed, kicking a rock and watching it sail a few feet in front of them.“I didn’t think I’d ever come back here,” he didn’t say anything about his mom, but he understood the good and bad to pack life, how it was comforting but also suffocating. And for Jungwoo who missed out on some much of the bonding that happened between the wolves as they grew and matured, probably felt like a fish out of water now. He didn’t like the thought of Jungwoo never coming back though. Didn’t like imagining that he’d never get the chance to at least try with him. Not liking the faraway, sad look on Jungwoo’s face he decided to change subjects.“You were going to school right,” he asked, “that’s where you were,”Jungwoo nodded.“Did you like it,” Jungwoo smiled, nodding again, his mood seemed effectively lifted though at his offered distraction.“The people out there are so different. It was in the city, so we all came from somewhere else and found out who we were outside of our small villages, I liked that, equal footing ya know,”Jaehyun looked at him, suddenly wondering who’d he’d be if he’d left the village to go to school. Would he be a totally different person? Or the same person with different problems?“This place is kind of suffocating isn’t it,”Jungwoo laughed, “yeah kind of,”Jaehyun watched the buildings of the village come into view through the thinning trees. He didn’t want their time together to end already but he also felt like their conversation as a whole wasn’t great, that it was making Jungwoo sad. He’d probably be unlikely to talk to him again after this, well unless he was in the mood to be reminded of all the things he didn’t want to think about. If you want to be sad, Jaehyun is here for you, he should commission a sign.He cleared his throat, watching Jungwoo’s head turn to him briefly, before he went back to watching his feet. “I’m sorry about earlier, I’m sorry that those idiots were bothering you,”“It’s okay, you stopped them,” Jungwoo shrugged, “I would’ve but you beat me to it,” Jungwoo smirked at him, blinking slowly.“I didn’t mean to assume that you couldn’t handle it…I just saw them standing over you and I kinda lost it,”“I know, I’m not mad,” Jungwoo hummed, “it’s kinda cool having someone from here stick up for me, didn’t think that would happen. I’m sort of like the local pariah.” Jaehyun watched him smile sadly, hating that he felt that way and believed it. These people, people from his pack made him feel like he didn’t belong when he had just as much right to be here as they did. Maybe more because he was warm and kind and didn’t make people feel like trash for fun.“You’re not,” Jaehyun said lamely, at loss for anything else. Not knowing what to say. Jungwoo shrugged again, he looked away from him, ears going red.“Tell them that,” he muttered.Jaehyun shook his head, “Jungwoo-”“It’s fine, really,” he looked back to Jaehyun, probably watching his eyes fade back to their normal brown, “It’s nothing I’m not used to, and nothing I can’t handle,” Jungwoo said quietly.Jaehyun stopped walking, his halt made Jungwoo turn around to eye him curiously.“That happens a lot,” he said, feeling his protective instincts flare. He already knew the answer.Jungwoo shrugged, “yeah, it’s okay,”“No, it isn’t,”“I mean it’s-”“Jungwoo, those guys harassing you is not okay, anyone harassing you…is wrong. You don’t have to put up with that,” he urged, “what’s their problem,” Jaehyun added the last part more to himself, but Jungwoo answered him anyway.“Hmm, let’s see, I’m pregnant, I’m unmated, the alpha isn’t in the picture, that’s three strikes for slut,” Jaehyun wanted to be sick. His stomach turned as the rest of him roiled, fuming that anyone would make an omega feel that way about themselves, furious that Jungwoo was even saying it out loud at all.“Did those idiots actually say that to you,”“What, tell me I’m a slut,” Jungwoo asked, unphased by saying it again. “Yeah, them and most everyone else in the village,”Jaehyun was ready to draw blood at this point, imaging that his eyes had darkened again with his anger. He didn’t know the circumstances, well he knows how it happened but whether it was a one-time thing or someone Jungwoo was dating in the city, it didn’t matter. Nobody had the right to judge him and be cruel to him like that, call him horrible names and knock him down, over something they never bothered to ask any real questions about.“Jungwoo, you’re not,” he knew people weren’t being super friendly to Jungwoo, but he didn’t think they were being so nasty and cold. His eyes were wide open now though.“It’s okay,” Jungwoo whispered, shrinking in on himself as anger radiated off Jaehyun in ripples, chest heaving slightly.“It’s not,” he growled, Jungwoo whimpered, backing away from him, hands resting over his stomach protectively. “Shit, Jungwoo I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t-”Jungwoo shook his head, smiling though he stayed where he was, and his hands stayed firm on his still flat stomach. He took a few deep breaths, actively trying to calm himself down so Jungwoo would feel safe, at ease and not like Jaehyun was a threat to him or his pup.“I’m sorry,” he breathed out again, watching Jungwoo relax, hearing his heart rate slow gently.Jungwoo started moving again, Jaehyun followed after a few paces to give him space.They reached his cabin shortly after, it was modest, small, built for one person and no more and Jaehyun wondered how cramped the small home would be once the pup was born. Though it wasn’t really his place and he shouldn’t be thinking about that at all, he couldn’t help himself. When they were stood on his front steps, which were in desperate need of repair, Jungwoo turned around, hand reaching out for his basket that Jaehyun realized he was still holding onto. Jaehyun handed it over, hoping that now that he’d finally had the chance to talk to Jungwoo, this wasn’t it. Had he burned his bridge before he’d even started construction?“Jungwoo,”“It’s okay Jaehyun, it’s fine, I’m-” he let out a heavy breath, “I’m just sick of everyone butting in, can’t my business just be my own, does it have to matter so much,”“No, it doesn’t, you’re right,” he sighed, “it’s not their business…it’s not my business,”“Thank you,” Jungwoo leaned back against his front door, eyes gazing down at his shoes, which Jaehyun noticed were worn and littered with holes.Jungwoo shuffled slightly, reaching around himself to open his front door, he smiled shyly before placing his basket down inside.“And thank you for walking me home, and…yeah, thank you,”“You don’t have to thank me for that,”Jungwoo smiled again, brighter this time, his stomach swirled.“Have a good night Jaehyun,” he said, hands tucking behind his back.“You too Jungwoo,” he stepped backwards off the small porch. Jungwoo’s voice calling his name stopped him from walking away. He turned around to see the omega still standing in his doorway, watching him with wide eyes.“Maybe this is weird,” Jungwoo said, shuffling forward, “but your friends with Kun right,”Jaehyun nodded, “yeah he’s my brother in law,”Jungwoo nodded.“He told me that you…that you fix things,”Jaehyun smiled, reminding himself that he’d have to thank Kun for this.“Yeah I’m a builder, what’s up,”“Well I ran into him the other day and he…he said you could fix my window,”Jaehyun stifled his laughter, wondering how exactly Kun managed to get Jungwoo to admit a flaw in the construction of his house in the short time they were talking after his appointment.“Sure, what’s wrong with it,” wolf dancing inside his chest at the chance to redeem himself and prove he’s not as stupid as he came off earlier, that’s he’s handy and valuable.“It creaks when I open it, it’s drafty and it doesn’t close all the way,” Jungwoo took a breath, “do you want to come take a look,”He stilled, knowing he had to answer, hoping his voice didn’t totally fail him.“Yeah sure,” he cleared his throat, hoping Jungwoo didn’t catch the crack. He took a deep calming breath as he followed the omega inside, his hut was modest, minimalistic which made sense since he’d just moved back in, and clean. Actually, it was pristine, there wasn’t a fleck of dust on anything, the chairs at the table were pushed in, pillows on the couch perfectly fluffed.“It’s in my room,” the omega said, drawing his attention back. “I wouldn’t mind it so much if it was in the kitchen or something and it’s not too much of a problem now but when it’s cold, it’ll be hard to ignore,”Jaehyun smiled at him as he moved down the tiny hallway, bathroom on the right, bedroom on the left. His room had nothing in it but a bed and a poorly built dresser that was listing a little to the right. Jungwoo pointed to the window across the room.He tested it and it did squeak pretty bad, but that was an easy fix. When he pushed it down it sat funny on the track, meaning it wouldn’t close or lock. He could replace the well and track but that might now solve the draft, or he could replace the window completely, fixing all the problems at once.“Do you want a new window,” he asked, turning to see Jungwoo sat on the edge of his bed watching him intently.“Sure, do you have to replace it,”“I don’t have to, but a new window would solve the creakiness, the draft and the not closing properly.”Jungwoo thought about it before agreeing, asking when Jaehyun would be able to come measure it, when Jaehyun produced a tape measure, he wasn’t usually caught without it.Jungwoo laughed, maybe he was laughing at him being a dork, but it felt really good making the younger boy laugh. He couldn’t describe it. When he was done Jungwoo followed him out of the room back to the door.“Do you have a day you want me to come fix it,” Jaehyun asked, watching Jungwoo swipe a hand across the clean tabletop of the round kitchenette table pushed against the wall by the door.“It’s not a big deal, whenever you have time,”“It won’t take long, 2 hours max, is Friday okay with you,”Jungwoo nodded, hand moving to brush his hair away from his eyes. “Oh wait, I have an appointment in the morning, is it okay if it’s later,”“Of course, is 1 o’clock alright,”Jungwoo sighed, “yeah that’s perfect, thank you,” “And thanks for doing this, I know it’s not a big deal but-”“It’s my job Jungwoo, I’m happy to help,”Jungwoo nodded, watching him reach for the door knob.Jaehyun hopped off the porch, avoiding the crumbling bits of the steps and turned. He smiled to the other, “let me know if Friday doesn’t work for you…if something comes up, just uh let me know, I’m around,”Jungwoo bit his lip, nodding again, “I will,”He waved, backing away, turning around when he hit the end of Jungwoo’s little stone pathway that led to his home. He laughed to himself, hardly believing what this day had brought to him. A chance to talk to Jungwoo, protect him from a bunch of idiots, fix a problem he had and potentially more if he was able to not be such a spaz and maintain a friendship, a normal friendship with the younger boy. But for now, it was back to business, he could collect what he needed to fix the window, order the glass from the shop in town. And then he could do any of the other things he knew he had to do today, but what else was there?What had he been doing before Jungwoo?…. A couple days later he’s just finished up with the town clerk, finally having drawn up the petition for Jaemin, since he’d forgotten the other day, he meant to do it and gotten reamed over dinner about it. After the scolding, they all freaked out, even a salty Jaemin, upon hearing what he’d been doing instead, actually successfully talking to the omega he couldn’t stop thinking about. To say his friends were proud of him was a glorious understatement, they’d cheered and shoved him around playfully, being annoying and goofy and embarrassing but Sicheng grabbed his face and told him that he knew he could do it, with a smile that made his insides seize up pleasantly. Kun hugged him tight, promising that this was the start of something beautiful for him, and he begged him not to push it or jinx him, Kun just ruffled his hair, called him ridiculous and passed him off to the next goofy friend in line. He’s folding the paper, planning to stop by Jaemin and Jeno’s hut before picking up the glass for Jungwoo’s window so he can inlay and seal it when he hears his name being called.Jaehyun turns and sees Jungwoo waving to him, hurrying down the path, narrowly avoiding colliding with a group of young beta boys who glare at him as he passes. Jaehyun growls lowly, smirking when they turn to see him and startle. Jungwoo skids to a stop in front of him, smiling at him.“Hi,” the omega said, staring at him in a warm way, it made Jaehyun’s insides tumble around.“Hey,” Jaehyun smiled back, “how are you,”“I’m good,” the omega breathes, hand pushing his hair back, it’s wavy and longer than Jaehyun wears his, reaching halfway down his ears. “How are you,” he asked.“I’m great, I’m picking up the glass for your window after I drop these off at my friend’s house,”Jungwoo’s expression darkens slightly, Jaehyun stiffens, wondering what he said that was wrong.“What,”“I…I’m sorry to have to do this but I think I might not be able to have my window fixed,”He tilted his head, “what does that mean, you’re not able to have your window fixed, I’m gonna fix it,”“No, I mean, it slipped my mind the other day when you were there but,” he sucked his lip into his mouth, hands wringing together.“What Jungwoo,” he asked, stepping closer to him as the omega looked at the group of betas’ who were still sat watching them.He startled slightly, looking up and taking a step backwards when he saw how close Jaehyun was standing to him. “I can’t pay you for it,”“That’s okay,” and it was, he hadn’t even thought about charging the omega, it was just something he wanted to, and could do for him.“No, it’s not,”“Consider it a welcome home present, it’s fine,”Jungwoo narrowed his eyes, “No, it’s not. I think I would rather freeze my butt off through the winter than accept your charity Jaehyun,” he huffed and made to storm away. Jaehyun was floored, shocked that his offer garnered that sort of reaction, he didn’t mean anything bad by it.  Jaehyun paled as Jungwoo started moving away from him, he reached for him and grabbing his arm. He dragged him around the clerk’s building, so they weren’t as out in the open and could have some privacy.Jungwoo squeaked and pulled at his arm, slapping his back just as Jaehyun let him go. He turned, watching Jungwoo lean up against the wall of the building, breathing measured, eyes still narrowed.“It’s not charity,” he argued.“Yes, it is,” Jungwoo hissed at him, chin tipped up, nose scrunching.He scrubbed through his hair, suddenly very affectionately annoyed with the stubborn, prideful omega in front of him.“I don’t want the window if you don’t let me pay for it, and I’m not working right now so I can’t pay you anyway which means no window for me,”“Jungwoo that’s ridiculous,”“No, it isn’t I can’t pay you, and I don’t want it for free,” he crossed his arms, standing up straight, eyes daring Jaehyun to try him.“It’s not free, it’s a present,”“I-” he started but Jaehyun cut him off.“How about this,” he held up his hands, watching Jungwoo purse his lips, waiting quietly. “It’s not a present and it’s not free, you pay me when you start working again. When you have the money you get me back, okay,”Jungwoo thought about it, chewing on his lip, fingers drumming on his arm. His quiet thinking gave Jaehyun the perfect opportunity to just look at him. Appreciate him. He was so incredibly beautiful, smooth skin that was spattered with light freckles, lovely, full cheeks, soft features on his lean face, dark, endless almond shaped eyes that held Jaehyun captive, interested to know more about him. He knew next to nothing and he wanted to know everything. Just from today alone he was seeing an entirely different, proud, fierce side to him, he couldn’t wait to see all the other sides too. He was intriguing and Jaehyun was fascinated.“I’ll put it in my records okay, I do it for lots of people,” he smirked when Jungwoo huffed, “and don’t think I won’t track you down for it either, no free windows here, no way,” he added to tease him, earning himself a light smack. He laughed, happy when Jungwoo smiled.“I will pay you back,” he said, uncrossing his arms.Jaehyun hummed, “yeah and I’ll come find you if you don’t. I know where you live so there won’t be any hiding from it,” he straightened up, taking Jungwoo’s hand and pulling him off the wall with a playful grunt. “So, Friday, for window fixing,”“Friday,” Jungwoo agreed, “for window fixing.” Jaehyun led him back around the building, wondering if it would be odd if he asked him to join him for the rest of his errands, if Jaemin and Jeno were home for lunch he could introduce them.He didn’t get the chance to ask.When they rounded the building the group of betas had been joined by a couple of the less friendly omega’s in the pack, who had no business being nearly as judgmental as they were.They sneered, laughing when they came into view. Jaehyun felt Jungwoo shrink beside him, the brave, proud omega was gone, replaced by a silenced, frightened thing, it made Jaehyun feel sick. He growled, moving forward to shut them up when Jungwoo grabbed his arm.He turned back to him, looking at the omega’s sad face, dark eyes no longer bright or playful. Jungwoo shook his head as he backed away from him, whispering a quiet, ‘see you on Friday,’. He hurried away, past the pack of losers that Jaehyun seriously wanted to chew out. He watched Jungwoo rush home sadly, wishing he alone could make everything better for him. When he turned back, ready for a fight, every single one of them had run away. Cowards.….Now Jaehyun didn’t want to jump any sort of guns or to any conclusions but things with Jungwoo felt natural, so natural it was unreal. They clicked, and he didn’t feel like that was delirium talking, he genuinely felt like they could talk to each other plainly, easily without any issue. About anything. About everything. For hours. It was so easy and comfortable. Sometimes you just get a sense about stuff you know?And Jungwoo, even though they’d only had two interactions so far seemed content in his presence, he didn’t appear frightened or put off which Jaehyun had sensed on him the day at the river with those three idiots crowding him and making him feel bad. It was reassuring to the say the very least and thrilling to say a little more.He prided himself on being approachable and easy to talk to, which all his friends had mentioned enough times for him to believe it. Though his friend Dokyeom had called him intimidating once back in school but apparently, he’d only said so because he was good looking, Jaehyun didn’t completely agree with that but laughed at him anyway when he said so and whenever he brought it up afterwards.When he’d mentioned to Kun that it felt easy with Jungwoo, like they’d been friends for years, Kun had said he shouldn’t question it. He should roll with whatever was happening because maybe it was working towards exactly what he wanted anyway.But Jaehyun didn’t have expectations. Of course, he wanted something more with Jungwoo, but they’d just met, it didn’t matter that Jaehyun had been aware of his existence for most of his life, missed catching glimpses of him after he moved away and felt that absence for reasons that kept him up at night. Reasons his wolf understood but he wouldn’t give a name to.So, he could take that they were naturally fast friends, it was easy, and he’d try not to dream up more only to be upset when they didn’t come true.He did really like that they so well matched and Jungwoo clearly agreed because he didn’t shy away from him, he talked and gave back to him as good as he got. He’d let them progress naturally. Let Jungwoo set their pace and ride this wherever it took them.And enjoy it.And be friends.Or whatever Jungwoo wanted.And not be disappointed.And not get his hopes up. Jaehyun almost laughs when the thought passes because what alpha in the history of time has ever not gotten their hopes up for the omega they liked? Omegas were smart, and goal oriented while alphas were emotional and volatile, they couldn’t help themselves not that they wanted to anyway. And between them existed magnetism and undeniability.Long story short, he knew Jungwoo wouldn’t be led, he was too smart and Jaehyun was screwed. But in the very best way.….Friday came quick, thankfully. Jaehyun would be lying if he said he couldn’t wait another second. He had all his tools; the window had been made, he just had to remove the old one from Jungwoo’s bedroom and install the new one.The only thing that was missing was Jungwoo. They agreed to meet at his hut at 1, giving him plenty of time to have his appointment and come home and he hadn’t come to find him again to change the time, so here he was. Granted he had been a little early, he was too nervous to wait around but now he definitely wasn’t early. He’d been sat on Jungwoo’s crumbling steps for a good 30 minutes waiting, probably more.Just when he was starting to think the omega forgot he came rushing down the dirt path towards him, stumbling over the stones of his walkway before stopping in front of him. He was flushed and slightly out of breath, wearing an incredibly apologetic smile.“I’m so sorry Jaehyun,” he sighed, shoving his hair out of his face with a huff as he moved around him, pushing open his door with a groan. Jaehyun thought his eyes looked wet, but he couldn’t be sure as he turned before he could get a better look.“It’s okay,” he said, standing and collecting his things. “Are you alright,” he asked, following the omega inside.Jungwoo nodded, dropping his bag down on the small dining table, an apple spilled out along with a very sad, slightly burnt loaf of bread. He didn’t say anything about it, not wanting to make Jungwoo feel bad.“Really,” he tried again, watching him whip around to stare back at him with fierce, narrowed eyes.“Yes really, why,”Jaehyun shook his head, “you just seem, out of sorts,”“Well if I am it’s my own damn business, remember,” Jungwoo hissed at him. Jaehyun stepped back, shocked. They stood in silence for a moment before he turned.“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he ducked to grab the window, hauling it into Jungwoo’s bedroom so he could finish his job and get out of Jungwoo’s hair. It took him 2 hours, like he thought it would. The whole time the omega didn’t come in to see how he was doing or say a word to him, staying in the small living area and keeping quiet. He tested the window, no squeaks, perfect slide into the well and it had been sealed properly by him, so it shouldn’t have any drafts.He cleaned up after himself, sweeping up the dust and wood bits he’d made, packing his things and moving out of the room.Jungwoo was sat hunched at the table, staring at the loaf of bread, a tiny chunk of cheese and the apple.“I’m done,” he said, clearing his throat as he stepped towards the door. Old window in pieces, wrapped in the tarp he’d brought the new one in.Jungwoo startled, turning away from him as he wiped his face. He was crying.“Thank you,” he sniffled, arms wrapping around himself as he shrunk in his seat.“You’re welcome, I’ll just-”“-Jaehyun I’m sorry,”Jungwoo stood quickly from the table.He took a deep breath, knowing the omega was upset and that he had made it worse in some way. And he really just wanted to leave before he could say something else that upset him or ticked him off or ruined this fragile, wonderful friendship they were slowly building.“Don’t be, I shouldn’t have pushed earlier, it’s your business, I know that,” “No, you were just asking, and I was a jerk. I’m sorry,” he wiped at his eyes, face pink, his hands were shaking.Jaehyun reached out his own hand, guiding him back to the table to sit again. He did with a tired huff, pushing the apple accusingly and grinning when it rolled off the table and landed on the floor.“You don’t have to, but you seemed really upset when you came home, and now you’re crying so if you want to talk about it, about anything I’m here, I’ll listen,”Jungwoo looked up at him, eyes welling up again.“My appointment earlier,” he shuddered. Jaehyun froze, the pup, was his pup alright? As far as he knew Jungwoo was barely 8 weeks along, still early but that was usually more stressful because it meant anything could happen and chances of miscarrying in your first pregnancy were pretty high. Something bad could always happen but he didn’t even want to think about it.“Is it the baby, are they alright,” Jaehyun asked, slightly panicked, he couldn’t help it. He had to know.“They’re okay,” he hiccupped, wiping his nose on his sleeve, Jaehyun reached in his back pocket for the folded handkerchief he always carried, usually more for sweat when he worked but he hadn’t used it today at all. He handed it to the other, who grabbed it to wipe quickly at his face, sniffling as he crumpled it in his hands.“The healers said I’m underweight. They said I should be putting on more weight now than I am, and I’ve barely gained a pound since my first appointment, four weeks ago. I need to be eating more, more proteins, more fruits, more everything but…”“But what,” he asked, reaching out to stroke his hand slowly, sending out some comforting pheromones to soothe the omega. He sighed and slumped slightly, smiling at Jaehyun sadly.“But I can’t,”“Why not,”“Because,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I don’t want to tell you,”“Ok,” Jaehyun sat back in his chair, flailing slightly when it rocked, unsteadily. He kept his hand on Jungwoo’s, stroking over his knuckles slowly, just to let him know he was there. They sat like that for a while, quietly, Jaehyun calmly holding Jungwoo’s hand while the omega sniffled, tears slowing to a stop. He sat and breathed for a while, eyes trained on the loaf on the table. Jaehyun wondered what it had done to offend him so badly.“I can’t afford any more food than this,” he whispered, Jaehyun felt Jungwoo’s fingers squeeze his lightly. His heart seized up in his chest, only now understanding just how many struggles he’d been facing, how hard everything has been for him.“My mom usually gives me eggs from her chickens, but they only produce one each, every couple days, and they haven’t been super productive recently. And she doesn’t have much else. So, no eggs for me. And the woman at the bakery I was going to stopped accepting my pickles for payment and nobody else accepts them at all so this is what I could get with the little money I have. Pathetic right,”Jaehyun shook his head, “no it’s not pathetic Jungwoo. Why don’t you come to dinner, that’s why we have it, so everyone can eat,”Jungwoo snorted, “oh please, I’m not welcome there,”“Says who,”“Jaehyun seriously, you saw those guys the other day at the river and then outside the clerk’s office, nobody can stand me. I’m not gonna be welcome there, I promise,”“Well, I say you are, that’s more than you need seeing as nobody can tell you, you can’t come to dinner. Pack dinner that’s for any and allmembers of the pack,”“I don’t have anything to bring though,”“So, half the people who go mooch off whatever the hunters have caught and whatever others have made. Not everyone contributes Jungwoo but that doesn’t mean they don’t eat.” “I’d feel funny,”“So, it’s okay to starve instead,” he asked, knowing the other wouldn’t appreciate his tone but needing to understand this backwards way of thinking. “Sorry, but I don’t think your pup would appreciate that very much,” Jungwoo stared at him, swallowing hard. “Come to dinner tonight, eat a real meal and don’t feel bad about it,”Jungwoo shook his head ‘no’.Jaehyun nodded his head ‘yes’, smiling when Jungwoo huffed out a small laugh.He leaned close, squeezing Jungwoo’s hand, “come to dinner tonight,”Jungwoo looked at him, eyes unsure, “I can’t,”“You can,” he smiled at him gently, feeling himself soften even more for the omega, so rapidly and easily it was almost involuntary. Except it totally wasn’t. He was so gone for the omega in front of him. The crush he had on the little omega he’d only ever saw in passing when he was a kid had come back full force upon seeing Jungwoo outside his mom’s hut a month ago, come back to stay and raise his pup in the village where he’d grown up. It was like he’d never left, like he’d loved him his whole life, which was wild, since he still didn’t really know him. But now his crush could turn into actual feelings as he learned about the omega and they got to know each other better. He was doomed, effectively and seriously doomed.He smiled wider, hoping to persuade the other without saying anything else.“Okay,”“Okay great,” Jaehyun clapped his free hand on the table, excited that the omega agreed. “So, can I ask a question, unrelated to dinner,”Jungwoo nodded, sitting up straighter, wiping under his eyes once more.“What do you mean you traded your pickles for bread,” he tried really hard not to laugh as he asked.Jungwoo grinned. “I pickle things, anything really, cucumbers, peppers, onions, watermelon rinds, it’s fun. I used to do it before I went to school, my mom and I did it together. I’m all out of veg though. I pickled half the stuff from my mom’s final harvest and now there’s no more garden,”“That’s,” he paused, kind of shocked, “that’s,”“Weird,” Jungwoo asked.“No, not what I was expecting but really neat. Are they any good?”Jungwoo fixed him with an unimpressed, slightly displeased look. “Of course, they are,” he huffed, getting up from the table. He disappeared into the tiny pantry in the kitchen, coming back with a jar filled with light greenish liquid and pickled cucumber slices. “But try them and let me know what you think,”Jaehyun took the jar, thanked him quietly, he wasn’t crazy about pickles, but he wasn’t going to deny a gift from the other, and wouldn’t tell him something he’d made for himself wasn’t great. Because it likely was but Jaehyun just didn’t like them.“I have plenty, but I can’t eat them anymore,” Jungwoo offered, pointing to his stomach, “because of them. They’re not too fond of them and I can’t stand the smell,” He made to sit down again before his hands gripped the back of the chair tight as he swayed. Jaehyun startled, reaching out to steady him with a hand on his waist.“You okay,”Jungwoo nodded, rubbing his eyes, “Yeah, I’m…I’m good. Just got a little dizzy the healers said that was normal with the fatigue I’m feeling,”“You’re tired now,” he asked, feeling silly as he did.Jungwoo smiled softly before whispering, “I always am right now,”“You should rest,” Jaehyun stood and offered him a hand which Jungwoo took instantly, likely still feeling unsteady. He led him to his room, proudly showing off his new window with a flourish as he gently guided him to his bed. The omega plopped on the bed heavily, eyes fixed on the window as he smiled.“Thank you again,”“It was nothing,” he promised, standing back from the other as he laid back. “I was happy to do that for you,”His wolf whined as Jungwoo laid down, probably wanting to either tuck him in or join him but he wouldn’t even touch that yet. Instead he stepped back, to leave the omega to rest. “Jaehyun,”He stopped, turning back at the door.“See you at dinner,” he smiled, snuggling into his thin pillow. He chewed his lip briefly, hand resting on his stomach, he looked at him, expectantly, liked he wanted to say something else but couldn’t.He wondered if maybe he was nervous about being a part of the pack that had done such a good job of alienating him, about seeing and sitting among the people who picked on him. Or maybe it was that he knew Jaehyun would introduce him to his closest friends, knowing they’d be overwhelming and a lot to handle.“Do you want me to pick you up,” he asked, voice small and not nearly as confident as he wanted it to be.Jungwoo nodded quickly, “would you,”“I’d be happy to,” he flicked the light off next to the door, “you rest, I’ll see you at 6.” The omega nodded again, eyes closing as Jaehyun left. He closed the door quietly, moved through the tiny space to collect his things, grabbed the pickles Jungwoo gave him and left, making sure to close the front door gently and not disturb the exhausted omega.Once he was down the road a good way, he let out a shocked, excited yell. Hardly believing he’d invited Jungwoo to dinner. And he said yes! Holy smokes, shit what was he going to wear? Maybe he should bathe. Yeah that sounded good, oh god he was going to die, Hajun was going to shit and Kun was going to throw a party. But first he needed to have dinner with Jungwoo, just once and then all that could happen. Dinner and then everything else.….He’d bathed, shampooed, soaped twice and scrubbed between his toes and behind his ears. He saw his mom outside her house when he passed, quickly kissing her cheek and apologizing that he couldn’t walk with her to dinner.She smirked, asking him why he was in such a hurry, holding her hand out for his dad who came out of the house and laughed at his beaming smile.“What’s up kid,”“Nothing, I’m just picking someone up, bye,” he took off, not wanting to keep Jungwoo waiting, missing his parents shared fond look, eyes following him as he disappeared down the path with a skip in his step. Jungwoo was just closing his front door when Jaehyun got to his hut. He turned, smiling brightly when he noticed Jaehyun standing there.“Hi,” Jungwoo said, skipping down his stairs, stepping over the broken bits, “long time no see,”“I know, how have you been, in the last uh 3 hours,”Jungwoo laughed, tucking some hair behind his ear with his free hand. His other hand, Jaehyun noticed, was holding a jar of pickles, he smiled.Jungwoo noticed what he was looking at, tucked it closer to his side with a shy giggle, “I had to bring something, I feel funny,”Jaehyun wondered if anyone else ever felt bad about not contributing to the pack dinner, or if they were fine to let others provide for them so they could eat. He didn’t mind the system, it worked, it had always worked. It was just interesting seeing someone like Jungwoo, who was so fiercely determined to be his own person, make his own way, react to it. He didn’t want handouts and he didn’t want others to think he was taking advantage of a good thing, so he brought something he had in order to level it out again. Jungwoo lived a little further away from the village than most. His own hut was more centralized, next to his parents’ and other pack officials’ homes, while Jungwoo’s was almost a 10-minute walk from town. Not many people lived out here, there were a few scattered huts but not many. The collection of houses got larger, thicker the closer you got to town, more people lived there than out by the edge of the woods. Jungwoo didn’t seem to mind it though, he seemed to really like the walk and the fresh air. Jaehyun worried a little though, how would he handle the walk when he got further along in his pregnancy? He already seemed tired, and he said his fatigue was pretty bad, what would it be like when the baby was bigger and sapping more of his energy? He didn’t have a plan for that, but he’d think about it.For now, the fires of the pack dinner were coming into view, chatter within earshot as they got closer. He felt Jungwoo slow, body going tense as he took cautious, hesitant steps.“It’s okay,”“I’m just nervous,” Jaehyun rubbed his arm, offering him a hand. The omega had never turned down his touch yet, he let him comfort him earlier in his cabin, get close to him the day they argued in town about his window and allowed him to help him home after the river incident. Jaehyun couldn’t tell yet if he was just indulging him since alpha’s liked to be close to omega’s, liked being useful, or if he actually liked him touching him, likedhim maybe. He didn’t want to think about it too much, in case he jinxed it. “Don’t be,” he whispered to him, smiling when Jungwoo took his hand, “I’ll be there,”“Yeah,” he sighed, leaning into him a little, “I’m just…they don’t want me there. Nobody wants me there,”“I do,” Jaehyun stopped. His eyes found the omega’s, hoping they showed how deeply he meant it. “And I dare anyone to say anything to you while I’m there, and wait till you meet my friends, they’ll fight for you too okay,”Jungwoo nodded, pressing closer to him as they started walking again, slower this time, “Is this something your dad started,”“Yeah, well both my parents actually. They wanted to encourage bonding and community,” he said, stopping again when Jungwoo came to a halt, at the edge of the town’s center. “I promise you, it will be okay, come on,”“Jae-”“You and your pup deserve a well-rounded meal, c’mon,” he tugged him forward, keeping their hands wrapped together. He hoped Jungwoo didn’t hear the way the crowd hushed, holding their breath before they all started whispering. He ignored it as best he could and walked to the center spread where all the food was laid out on a long, banquet table, today there were heaps of wild boar meat, venison and dozens of rabbits, a few bushels full of roasted corn, potatoes and plenty of fresh breads, cheeses and fruits. He urged Jungwoo towards the table, encouraging him to put the pickles down for others to try.He handed the other a plate, smiling when he didn’t do anything but stare at all the food.“Do you like boar or rabbit,”“Rabbit,” the omega whispered, smiling when Jaehyun put a couple pieces on the plate for him.“Fruit,” he asked,Jungwoo nodded, watching him pick some grapes and berries, making a decent pile next to the meat.“Bread,”“One of those,” he pointed to a sweet bun, his mother’s actually, she’d be happy to see that.“Anything else,” he looked down at his stomach, wondering if this was enough for the two of them.He shook his head, shrinking slightly.“What,” he stepped closer to him, “what’s wrong,”“People are whispering,”“They’ll stop,” he promised him, shooting a glare across the table at the cluster of alphas’ watching them around their fire pit.“Jaehyun,”“You belong here too, it’s okay,”The omega took a deep breath, accepting the plate when Jaehyun handed it to him. He quickly made his own plate, meat and bread as usual, took Jungwoo’s hand again and led him towards the fire where his friends were no doubt waiting and watching. “Guys,” he cleared his throat, seeing them all smiling at them with wide, knowing eyes, “this is Jungwoo, Jungwoo, the guys, I know there’s a lot of them…I’ll let them introduce themselves and you know Kun,”Kun sent a wave to the other omega. Jungwoo smiled, returning the wave before waving to the others too. He sat down on the bench with Kun, leaving the spot between them open for Jungwoo which he took gladly.“I shouldn’t have to say it but, be nice,” he warned, rubbing Jungwoo’s back who was staring at his plate of food quietly.He leaned over to him and whispered, “you’re allowed to eat,”“God Jaehyun leave him be, you hovered over him enough haven’t you,” Kun laughed, turning to Jungwoo with a grin. “How’s the window,”Jungwoo shot a look at Jaehyun, “it’s great, no squeaks, it closes and it’s not drafty at all, that I can tell,”“You fixed his window,” Johnny asked with a smirk, turning to Jungwoo, “nice man. I’m Johnny, and this is my mate Ten,”“Hiya,” Ten smiled, stealing food off Johnny’s plate, earning a swat that was followed by a soft kiss to his forehead. He chewed happily on the roll he’d snagged, eyes moving over Jungwoo slowly. Jaehyun shot him a warning glare, knowing he had a mouth, hoping he wouldn’t use it when Jungwoo barely knew them.“You’re like ridiculously beautiful,” Ten said, arms draped easily over his crossed legs, he leaned against Johnny, smiling when Jungwoo blushed.“You really are,” Doyoung agreed, swallowing thickly when his eyes met Jaehyun’s, who was sending him a glare. The comment shocked him for more than one reason coming out of Doyoung’s mouth. The beta ducked, suddenly finding his dinner very interesting.“Thank you,” the omega squeaked. He looked over at Jungwoo, biting his lip, he really was so ridiculously beautiful, he could hardly stand it.“The other one,” he pointed an accusing finger at Doyoung across the fire, “is Doyoung.” The rest of them took turns introducing themselves, Renjun introduced his little gang seeing as the younger two were fixated on their dinners more and Jaemin was too busy sitting in Jeno’s lap, playing with his hair to pay attention to anything else.Taeil grinned at Jungwoo, saying it was nice to finally meet him, and apologizing with teary eyes that he hadn’t sought him out when he first came back to town. They were all guilty of that though. Taeyong rubbed his back, kissing his head when he looked like he actually might start crying.Jungwoo sat up straight, promising him that it was alright. “I kinda came back in a whirlwind, and I’ve been so busy settling in, making my place livable, going to appointments, catching up with my mom, it’s okay really,”Jaehyun smiled at him, never one to condemn anyone. Did the world know how lucky they were to have a sweetheart like Jungwoo walking its unworthy surface? Probably not, if it did, it’d treat him better, help him out a little here and there.“Are you settling in okay,” Sicheng asked, sitting next to Yuta today, surprisingly.“Yeah, it’s uh it’s good,” he pushed his food around, sinking a little, Jaehyun moved closer to him, rubbed his back. “There’s still tons I have to do, but yeah, I’m good,”The others smiled at him, as he nodded. Jaehyun watched them all alternate between taking in the new omega and eating their dinners. He noticed one person though who couldn’t take their eyes off Jungwoo. Donghyuck seemed completely enraptured, he hadn’t looked away from him since he’d sat down with Jaehyun. He smirked seeing Mark poke him, trying to get him to eat, wondering why he was acting like this. Maybe he was just excited to have a new omega friend. He smiled at Donghyuck who caught his eye and blushed, turning to Mark who was grinning at him goofily, reaching to tap the omega’s nose playfully as he swatted him. Jungwoo shifting next to him caught his attention back. He was still pushing his food around, had he even taken a bite?“Jungwoo,” he whispered.He sat up, “don’t look at me,”Jaehyun laughed, “I won’t,” and he didn’t, looking back to his own plate. “You haven’t touched your food, is it okay? Do you want something else?”Jungwoo shook his head.“I can’t,”“Yes, you can,”“No,”“Just one bite,” he pointed at the sweet bun, knowing if anything would get him to have another bite, it would be that.Jaehyun felt Kun watching them. He flicked him over Jungwoo’s shoulder, sending him a look. Kun just stuck his tongue out at him.“Just one,” he urged him, poking his side. Jungwoo shrugged, ripping off a tiny piece of the bun and popping it in his mouth. He ducked his head, chewing slowly, he let out a long breath after, sighing.Kun kept watching them worriedly and he could only imagine that the others were as well.Jaehyun didn’t really have the time for them though, needing to get Jungwoo to eat a real meal and hopefully not feel too bad about it in the process. And as he thought it, he watched a tear streak down Jungwoo’s flushed cheek.He shook his head, confused as he scooched closer to the younger boy. “What, what’s wrong,”Jungwoo released a watery breath, chin hitting his chest, head shaking back and forth.“Jungwoo, it’s okay,”“It-it doesn’t feel right,” he whispered.Jaehyun wanted so badly to convince him that it was alright, that he could eat, like everyone else did and not feel guilt from it. He didn’t know how to convince him, didn’t know what it would take to change his mind about all this. Thankfully he had Kun, who as an omega himself, clearly knew the right things to say, the buttons to push to get Jungwoo to listen. “Jungwoo,” Kun said, placing his hand on the other boy’s wrist, “can you do something for me,”Jungwoo looked at him, sniffling. He thought for a second before he nodded.“Can you allow yourself to be selfish for one evening and eat,”Jungwoo shook his head.“No, I know you can. If not for yourself, then for your pup. They need you to eat this okay,”Jungwoo whimpered but nodded, suddenly determined. Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo would’ve slugged him if he pulled the pup card?He smiled at Kun seeing Jungwoo starting to eat. Taking small pieces of meat at first, a berry or two at a time but slowly taking larger bites, the sweet bun gone within a matter of minutes. Kun winked at him, returning to his own dinner as the others started talking again, being loud and rambunctious as always, Sicheng and Kun involved Jungwoo in their conversation, asking him simple questions and lighting up when he asked them things back.It seemed like such a blooming success when he eyed Jungwoo’s plate and saw all the meat gone and only a small handful of berries left. He smiled at him when the omega turned, grinning at him shyly. He was about to say something when Jungwoo’s named was called. They all turned as Jungwoo jumped. “Jungwoo,” Jimin, the head healer came skipping over to their pit with a dazzling smile, alpha mate, Jungkook trailing behind him with their brood of 3 young pups like a line of ducklings, following their dad.“Jungwoo, hi, I am so happy to see you here,” he smiled wider, if it was possible. Jungwoo flushed and pushed Jaehyun to cover him, save him, do something. He only grinned, loving that he was getting positive attention from someone so vital and high up in their pack’s hierarchy.“Now which one of you absolute dolls do I owe for getting him here to eat a full, well rounded meal,” Jimin asked, turning at the tugging on his pant leg, he bent to pick up his youngest pup, bouncing him while he waited for an answer. The others all turned to look at Jaehyun, giving him away.He smiled at the older boy, sticking his tongue out at Jungkook who laughed at his expense, he was a sight with a pup hanging from each arm.Jimin’s attention focused on him then, coming forward to pat his shoulder, “Thank you Jaehyun, seriously. Now just make sure he eats like this every night till that sweet pup is born, got it,”Jaehyun heard Jungwoo groan next to him, “Got it,” he laughed, nudging Jungwoo gently.Jimin patted Jungwoo’s head affectionately, smile gentling slightly as he stared at the flustered omega.“It wasn’t so bad right, not so scary,” he whispered to him, eyes sparkling.Jaehyun watched Jungwoo shake his head, wondering how much he’d told Jimin about his transitioning back into pack life but happy he had somebody he trusted enough to talk to about his concerns.“It wasn’t horrible,” Jungwoo said, smiling at Jimin shyly, laughing when he rolled his eyes at him.“You know what I’ll take that,” Jimin smirked, introducing the little boy in his arms to a starry eyed Jungwoo. It was sweet seeing how excited he seemed, staring at the little boy, likely imagining his own life with his own pup. The omega’s faded into their own little world as Jungwoo smiled at the little boy, talking quietly to him while Kun shook his little foot, cooing when he giggled. Jimin made sure to show off his adorable pair of moccasins which Renjun perked up at. He worked at the tailors which doubled as a shoe shop, his personal specialty were shoes for small feet, pup feet. “Jimin babe,” Jungkook called, disturbing the three omegas and giggling pup, a helpless pitch to his voice, “sorry but…help?” They all turned to see one pup climbing up on his shoulders, hands tugging his hair as he hung on and the other using his bicep as a swing, kicking off the alpha’s ribcage.Jimin snorted, gazing at the group, “Well, have a good night you guys, duty calls,” waving as he turned, “should we save daddy peanut, he’s so silly,” the pup in his arms laughed, hugging Jimin’s neck as they moved to join Jungkook. The alpha laughed as the pup on his shoulders was helped down, he ducked close to give his grinning omega a gentle kiss as they lowered the pup to the ground to swing between them as they walked away. “Is it me or are they like the most attractive couple in the world,” Renjun asked, staring after the couple, there was a slight look of longing in his eyes but it was gone as fast as it came.“Excuse me,” Ten squawked, “Johnny and I are right here,” the others laughed at him, and laughed harder when Johnny shoved him, refusing to kiss him when Ten climbed on him. Jungwoo giggled next to him, watching his friends, the noise filling Jaehyun with warmth and hope. This could be normal for them, Jungwoo could be part of them too, without a problem.They sat enjoying each other’s company for a while longer, till they started dwindling off. The sky darkening above them steadily, Taeil pulled Taeyong up with him, saying goodnight to the others before they came around to say goodnight to them.Taeil stopped in front of them to make sure Jungwoo knew he really was sorry about not including him before. Jungwoo stood, shaking him off, reassuring him that it truly was okay. To Jaehyun’s surprise the omega opened his arms for the shorter boy, hugging him tightly, promising him that he didn’t feel badly about it.Jaehyun knew otherwise but his sore feelings weren’t necessarily Taeil’s doing so he wasn’t technically lying. Taeyong waved awkwardly to him, wrapping his arm around Taeil’s shoulders as they left. Chenle and Jisung left shortly after with Renjun and Doyoung in tow, who was yawning and complaining about his back, the four of them stopped to hug Jungwoo too. Jaehyun would bet he was sorry he opened that door for this lot. But looking at him, Jaehyun saw he was nearly glowing under the attention, cheeks pink but eyes bright, enjoying the hugs as he wrapped his arms around each of them tightly. Pregnant omegas thrived off touch even more than a normal omega and Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo was perhaps a little touch starved since he’d been pretty much alone since coming back to the village. That would also explain why Jungwoo didn’t shy away from Jaehyun’s touch, was happy to hold his hand or lean into his side. Kun stood as Doyoung followed the others out of their circle, saying something about finding Hajun and bringing him over to say hi before they went home. Donghyuck took this opportunity to take his seat.He smiled at the other omega in his classic, goofy way. “I know I said hi already, but I just wanted to like properly say hi, so hi,” he said. “I’m Donghyuck,”Jungwoo smiled, like he couldn’t fight it.“Hi, Jungwoo,” he answered, holding his nearly empty plate closer to himself.Donghyuck’s eyes shot to Jungwoo’s lap, traveling to his stomach before moving back up to his face. Jaehyun watched his shoulders stiffen from behind, he touched his waist to calm him, knowing Donghyuck didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable but Jungwoo didn’t know that.“Congratulations,” he said simply, “on the pup,” Jungwoo sucked in a breath, clearly not expecting that to come out of the other’s mouth.“Thank you,” he whispered, voice thick. “Nobody’s…nobody’s said that to me yet, not even my mom,”“She’s not excited,” Donghyuck’s head tipped with his question.“She is, in her way, but I think she’s more worried. And stressed on my behalf,”“Well pups are blessings and I’m sorry nobody’s said anything nice to you about it,” Jungwoo laughed, the sound was watery and relieved, and it made Jaehyun breathe easier.“I agree,” Jungwoo pushed some of the fruit around on his plate, truly done eating now apparently but needing to keep his hands busy, give himself a distraction and something to look at. “How far along are you,”“This is my eighth, well ninth week really,” Jungwoo perked up, clearly really happy to talk about his pup like it was a good thing and not taboo, since that was apparently the general consensus.“That’s so exciting, I literally cannot waitto have pups,” Donghyuck squealed, across the fire Jaehyun watched Mark choke, coughing violently for a few seconds before he swallowed, staring wide eyed at his mate. Donghyuck remained oblivious.“It is pretty exciting,” Jungwoo agreed.They chattered for a while, about simple baby related things, until the rest of them got up too.As they all started filing out, saying goodnight to each other when Kun came back with Hajun in tow.“Jungwoo, this is my mate,” Kun smiled, hand resting over Hajun’s chest, “Hajun,”Jungwoo stood, stepped forward, looking at Jaehyun next to him with a smile, “theson,” he asked with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk. Jaehyun winked at him, feeling brave and lifted up by Jungwoo’s brighter mood. He stuck his hand out to shake Hajun’s who took his with a small, secret smile, eyes shooting to his, smile widening when Jungwoo stepped back, into Jaehyun’s chest. He steadied him, smiled at him, patting his back and thrilling when Jungwoo flushed.“It’s awesome to meet you Jungwoo,” Hajun said, fumbling his way through his next sentence. “It was nice to see you here…here tonight…at dinner I mean,”Jaehyun snorted as Hajun stumbled over his words. It really was so comforting that he was a spaz too. Hajun glared at him, “did you have a good time,”“I did,” Jungwoo nodded, looking at Jaehyun over his shoulder, “not what I was expecting, which was nice.”Hajun arched an eyebrow at that, not understanding but smiling when Jaehyun touched Jungwoo’s shoulder. They started moving together, back the way they came when Jungwoo gasped. He moved quickly to the banquet table that had been effectively picked over. Jaehyun followed him, the others in tow.When he turned around, he was holding the pickle jar, empty, save for the juice inside. His eyes were watery and smile disbelieving. He met Jaehyun’s eyes, lips wobbling slightly.“People ate them,” he laughed, grabbing the lid off the table and walking slowly back to them.“Feel better,” he asked, watching Jungwoo glow over the empty jar.“Yes, much better,”The others were watching them oddly, but Jungwoo was so blindingly happy, nobody said anything. Donghyuck wrapped his arm through Jungwoo’s smiling up at the other’s bright smile, they walked arm in arm, leaving Jaehyun and Mark in the dust respectively. His brother tugged him into his side, smiling to Mark who hurried after the others. Hajun, once Mark was gone was quick to start teasing him about the omega he was so gone over. “Don’t think I didn’t see you making him a plate, holding his hand, what’s up,”“Nothing, shut up,” he hissed, swatting him as he eyed the omega giggling with Donghyuck and Sicheng ahead of them.“It’s good Jae, what’s wrong,” Kun asked him quietly, slipping under Hajun’s arm easily and wrapping his own arms around Hajun’s waist.“You guys are cute,” Hajun added, the pair of them grinning at him made him want to bolt, he knew those looks. He didn’t like those looks. They meant mischief which usually led to trouble for Jaehyun.“He’s not…I don’t think he’s ready for anything like that. He wants to settle in, find his place with everyone, so I’m not gonna push it or him,” he looked up to see his brother smirking at him.“What,” he asked, groaning.“Nothing,” Hajun said, burying his nose in Kun’s hair.“No what, you have that look,”Hajun stopped walking, tugging Kun with him, Jaehyun staggered, watching the others continue walking, unaware.“He’s sweet…and I wasn’t kidding when I said you guys are cute. But I think it’s smart, take it slow, let him come to you. It’s not exactly standard with him,”The because he’s pregnant with another alpha’s pupwent unsaid.Kun spoke next, “is he okay, do you think, he seemed-”“Yeah, he’s alright I think, he was just really nervous, but was pleasantly surprised. And happy to have new people to talk to that were friendly,” Hajun gave him a look but he wasn’t ready to go into details about it. Though he would one day, knowing his brother needed to know about the serious issue with the cliques in their pack being bullies, since he would be taking over in a matter of years.“Well,” Kun patted Hajun’s chest, drawing him out of his head back to them, “I was thrilled that he came. And thrilled he came with you,” he said as they started walking.“You’re never going to stop about it are you,”“Absolutely not, especially since you totallyfixed his window, and have yet to thank me for that in,”Jaehyun shook his head, pulling Kun out of his brothers grip and hugging him tight. “Thank you Kun, thank you, thank you, thank you, I’m a hopeless disaster without you,” he squealed, “happy,”“Far more sarcastic than sincere for my tastes but I know you are actually very grateful so you’re welcome Jae,” Kun snuggled against him with a laugh, tightening his hold so Jaehyun let out a quiet ‘oof’.Hajun laughed, tugging his mate back to him with a playful glare over his head. They left him soon after, living closest to town than any of the others. He rushed to catch up, smiling at Jungwoo when he peered over his shoulder at him. Sicheng and Yuta hugged everyone goodbye as they parted ways next, a bit of space between them though their pinkies linked after a few steps, Yuta stepping close to kiss Sicheng’s head. Jaehyun didn’t have to see either of them to know they were grinning blindingly, and he didn’t have to be a genius to know they’d figure it out and be okay.Then Jeno, Jaemin, Ten and Johnny all went their own way, down their own roads till it was only Mark and Donghyuck left with them. Donghyuck was still stuck close to Jungwoo’s side.When they reached the road, they lived on Donghyuck pouted but did relinquish his hold on Jungwoo, unwrapping his arm from the older boys sadly. He stepped back towards Mark’s open arms, “If you need anything Jungwoo just let me know, okay, I’m around,”Jungwoo nodded, smiling at Jaehyun when he came to stand next to him.“Thank you Hyuck I will,”“And if you change your mind about the baking, just come over okay. I don’t work on the weekends,”“Okay, I will,” Jungwoo smiled shyly.“It’s the hut with the blue shutters okay,” he said.Jaehyun hoped he’d take the other up on the offer, thought they were fast friends regardless. Donghyuck grinned goofily as he took one of Mark’s hands and spun himself under it to collide with his, giggling as he did. Jaehyun smiled at them, listened as Jungwoo sighed happily watching them.“See you tomorrow,” he asked as they backed away, the open invitation to dinner tomorrow left in the air between them.“Yeah, of course,”Jaehyun grinned, pleased beyond belief that Jungwoo had a good time. That his good time far outweighed the whispers and stares and that he was willing and excited to eat with them again tomorrow night. Such a good time in fact that when they reached his hut, Jungwoo turned, smile warm on his happy face, and hugged him.Just like that.Jaehyun faltered before wrapping his arms around his slim waist and squeezed him tight.“Thank you Jaehyun,” he whispered, breath fanning across his neck. “Will you pick me up tomorrow…for dinner,”“Of course,”He pulled back, backing up his walkway, waving to him as he stepped inside his hut and closed the door. Only after he’d been stood there for a good minute or two, frozen, did he realize he hadn’t even said goodbye to the other, letting him go inside without a word while he stood there like a loaf, letting his face hang out. That aside, he got a hug. A hug! He skipped home imagining all the other ways he could brighten things around here for Jungwoo, something so simple like dinner had made him so happy. What would he do when Jaehyun turned on the charm?And he could.He would.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun was happy.He was happy because Jungwoo had apparently really enjoyed dinner. And by extension, Jungwoo seemed happy. Which made him even happier.He’d told Jaehyun enough times in the span of a few minutes for him to understand how grateful he was, how happy he was to be included.The following day Jaehyun went to pick him up again, Jungwoo had eagerly rushed to tell him about his day. He’d spent it with Donghyuck, baking, which Jungwoo admitted he wasn’t great at but Donghyuck said he’d get better, he’d get the hang of it with time. When Jaehyun asked how bad he was actually, Jungwoo flushed and said Mark spit out the bite of the bread he’d attempted, since it was barely cooked, earning himself a smack upside the head from his mate. Jaehyun laughed at the image, loving how gone Mark was for his spitfire of a mate, constantly letting himself be bossed about and pushed around by the omega without a word or complaint. So, he’d enjoyed dinner the night before and had made a really good friend and was looking forward to dinner tonight. Pickles in hand he had a happy bounce in his step as he told Jaehyun how hungry he was. The reminder of how Jungwoo had been eating next to nothing because he couldn’t afford it and his mom’s chickens were being stingy with their eggs, was like an assault to his heart. Nobody deserved to starve. And beyond that, nobody deserved to feel like they deserved to starve because they felt unwelcome. Sad didn’t even begin to cover it. But at least now he’d gotten Jungwoo to dinner, he’d realized it wasn’t so bad, he was coming to eat again, and his friends liked him which hopefully would continue to improve things for him. And he thought maybe Jungwoo felt that way too based on his blinding smile when his friends erupted into happy chaos when they saw him, Sicheng, Kun and Taeil dragged him to sit with them, Donghyuck was quick to abandon Mark in favor of sitting on the ground to be with the other boys. This effectively left Jaehyun in the dust to take the last open space next to Chenle who grinned at him, mouth full and launched into a story of his own.He couldn’t find it within himself to be angry about it, why would he? When Jungwoo seemed so content sitting between Kun and Taeil, telling them about his day, combining everything on his plate to make a sandwich on his sweet bun, laughter light in the air between them. It was wonderful and Jungwoo was magical. He and the boys were effectively under his spell. He was so gentle and sweet and silly, and he’d never hurt a fly. But they’re loss was Jaehyun’s gain. He got more time with him and everyone else’s lives would be lesser for their lack of Jungwoo.But that only made him wonder more, how did people manage disliking Jungwoo? How was that even possible?And like the thought posed the question to the universe, a few days later he learns that some people are just hateful.…. He had just come back from hunting. He re-entered the village limits in no particular rush after he and the others had had such a successful morning, finding a large rafter of wild turkeys in the valley east of the village and that coupled with the deer that had been caught earlier in the week and set to dry, dinner would be great. He joined the boys as they washed up at the water pump behind town hall, cracking up as Johnny expertly weaved an exaggerated story about Ten to the other alphas, he wondered what they thought of Ten based on the extravagant, ridiculous tales he told about him. But he was entertaining if nothing else and Jaehyun imagined that Ten would like to know Johnny talked about him a lot, regardless of what he was saying. The thought made him laugh harder. The others asked if he wanted to join them for an early lunch, since they usually got fed at the storehouse when they brought back whatever they’d caught that day. And was going to when he caught a whiff of rotten peaches, hackles going up instantly.“Jae,” Johnny asked, probably sensing his distress.“Do you smell that,” he could feel the panic surging.“No,” Johnny answered, nose rising as he took a deep breath, “what is it,”“I…I think it’s Jungwoo,”“I don’t…Jae, wait,” Johnny called.“I gotta go,” he turned and took off not waiting for whatever else Johnny had to say. He couldn’t tell if he was imagining the sour smell or if he maybe just had Jungwoo on the mind, but he couldn’t ignore it either. What if something was wrong? What if he was hurt?He had to be close though, if he could smell him, he had to be in town. He could feel his entire body seizing as his worry grew, took over, making him think horrible things, imagining what sort of heart wrenching scene he’d find. But where? Where was he? The healers! Of course, Jungwoo was going to see if Jimin could give him anything for his headaches and wanted to do it as early as he could because he couldn’t stand them anymore.He skidded to a stop in front of the hut, threw open the door and took a breath, no, the smell was close but not wafting out from somewhere in here.When he stepped back, letting the door fall shut he caught another whiff, oh my god, he was here somewhere, he had to be. His panicked, rotten fruit smell was so strong it was making him feel ill.“Stop,” he heard someone cry, that was Jungwoo. His heart spiked, wolf whining, going frantic inside him. But he’d found him, he followed the voice to the alley beside the healer’s office and saw something he had hoped he’d never see -- Koo Junhoe and Kim Hanbin were towering over Jungwoo who they had pressed up against the wall, pale and shaking.“What’s your problem,” Jungwoo shouted at them, trying to shove Hanbin off him from where he had his nose buried in Jungwoo’s neck, hand around his throat. The other alpha didn’t like that, hand grabbed the omega’s wrist pinning him in two places, Jungwoo whimpered, teeth bared at the bigger wolf. Jaehyun noticed the tremor in his jaw, could see his eyes shining from here, wolf snapping into action before Jaehyun himself could.A growl ripped loose from the depths of his chest, feral and angry, a ravenous thing that would’ve frightened him if directed his way. He heard Jungwoo whimper again, scurrying out of their clutches when the two dropped into a crouch at the sound. They straightened when they laid eyes on him. Jungwoo took a deep breath, tiny whisp of a smile directed his way and even though he still felt murderous, his wolf preened for a second and he felt better, seeing Jungwoo out of their hands, smiling at him gratefully.Jungwoo stepped forward, making to shoulder past the two before Hanbin shoved him, knocking him back into the wall harshly. Jaehyun watched his hand press against Jungwoo’s stomach, the omega flipped. He snapped at him, hitting him square across his face with the back of his hand. Hanbin staggered and stayed put after regaining his balance a good foot from him, the first smart thing he’d done, avoid the omega defending his pup. There wasn’t a force in the universe more powerful than an omega protecting their pup.Junhoe, hadn’t been shoved and didn’t seem bothered that his friend had as he kept going, still stupid. “Brave now that helps arrived huh,” he snarled at Jungwoo. The omega, sturdy as ever, gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing as his nails grew into claws, he swung, slicing his forearm when he approached him.Jungwoo pushed both of them further away from him, his version of a growl hissed through his teeth, making Jaehyun proud.“I thought I was pretty brave before, I mean two on one that’s hardly fair,” statement punctuated with another shove and Hanbin stumbled again.Jaehyun felt himself start to smile seeing Jungwoo giving it right back to these two losers who were broader and bigger and a little intimidating. Jungwoo didn’t seem intimidated, he seemed strong and sure and even though Jaehyun was furious, it was also a little hot…seeing him like this. By the river he ran those idiots away so fast Jungwoo never got the chance to do anything, but here he’s standing up for himself, facing them down and it was awesome.“It wasn’t supposed to be fair,” Junhoe scuffed his foot on the ground, sending dirt pluming up towards the omega. Jungwoo didn’t seemed fazed by that, continuing to send Jaehyun’s heart and mind spiraling, he was so amazing.“Oh well, now it’s two on two, keep going, I’m sure he’d love to hear some of what you said to me,” Jungwoo sniffed, smile as menacing as he could likely manage.“Don’t let him-” Junhoe started but Hanbin barreled on.“-You really are stupid aren’t you,”“Oh, the stupidest clearly,” Jungwoo mocked him, stepping further away from him completely, towards Jaehyun, who took his hand and tucked him behind himself, safely away from them.“I really would love to hear something, just so I have a really good reason to knock your teeth out Kim,” he let another growl loose, smelled Jungwoo’s scent fade back towards ripeness rather than fully rotten, his hand tightened around his while the other gripped the back on his shirt.“Don’t Han,” Junhoe apparently knew a lost cause when he saw it.“Why not, look at him hiding, he’s pathetic,”“Yeah but he knows that, he’s gotta,”“He doesn’t,” Hanbin said, pointing to Jaehyun with a grimace. Oh, he’d love if they tried to change his mind, fucking idiots. Jungwoo tugged his hand, trying to pull him back but he was too busy letting his anger bubble into a roiling rage to be led away. These two deserved to be taught a lesson and after he let those three go the day by the river, this was well overdue. “Do you know Jaehyun,” Hanbin asked him.“Do I know what,” oh here we go.“How disgusting he is,” Hanbin spat, words dripping with venom.He growled at them, his other arm wrapping backwards around Jungwoo’s waist behind him.“Don’t even fini-”Hanbin caught him off and barreled on.“You should’ve smelled how excited he got when I started pushing him around,”Jaehyun shook his head, disgusted with him. He wondered if there was anything, he could do to make sure slobs like Hanbin and Junhoe never got the chance to mate and torment some poor omega. Nobody deserved to be thought of in that way.“That wasn’t excitement you idiot that was fear, I could smell it all the way from town hall,” the pair of alphas shared a look but didn’t comment.“Well, we all know he’s pretty keen on an alpha’s attention, seeing how he hasn’t let you out of his sight since last week,” Junhoe took over, “he just needed a reason, some poor sap to pay attention to him. Didn’t think it’d be you Jaehyun, thought your bar was pretty high, seeing as you’ve been single since your first season,”“Shut up Junhoe,”And then it was Hanbin’s turn again.“This is slumming it don’t you think, I mean he’s pregnant by another alpha, right?” he sent a scornful look Jungwoo’s way and the rest of his tirade seemed to be directed at him too, “Wonder where he went, that poor alpha you tricked into knocking you up. Maybe he got sick of whoring it with a slut,”“You don’t know anything about me…or him,” Jungwoo hissed, colliding with Jaehyun a little when he tried to escape to swing at him again, Jaehyun held him firm, not wanting him hurt. “You might smell sweet, but some things can’t be masked, we all know what you are. I mean where is he, shouldn’t he be here with you and his pup. That’s not a good sign. And it doesn’t bode well for you either Jaehyun sorry,” Junhoe added.“None of that is any of your business,” Jaehyun defended, he didn’t know the story and he didn’t need to if Jungwoo didn’t want to tell him. These two, who knew nothing, had no right throwing insults at him when they’d never spent a single second asking questions or trying to understand him. He didn’t really care what it boded, he liked Jungwoo and knew he wasn’t anything like what these people thought of him. “He’s disgusting Jaehyun, what’s wrong with you,” Hanbin asked with a disdainful scowl on his face.Jaehyun had heard more than enough, letting go of Jungwoo gently as he whispered for him to stay back.When he was a safe distance away, Jaehyun launched across the distance between them. Taking Hanbin’s by his middle, he tossed him into the wall, like he’d done to Jungwoo only with way more force.“Apologize, now,” he growled, hand taking his throat in a vice grip and squeezing. He glanced quickly to see if Junhoe was trying anything else, but Jungwoo was glaring at him hard enough that he was frozen in place. He also wasn’t trying to save his friend anymore, cowards.“No,” his voice was thin, raspy, probably running out of air. Maybe a little less would improve his attitude, he squeezed harder.“Now Hanbin,”“I’m sorry,” he growled, the very picture of un-apologetic.Jungwoo laughed humorlessly, arms crossing in front of him.Hanbin started choking, clawing at Jaehyun’s hand as his claws dug deeper into his skin, apparently that was enough payback for Jungwoo’s taste.“Ok, Jae,”But he couldn’t let him go. He was too disgusted with him, cornering Jungwoo outside the healer’s hut, the shit he’d said to him. And where was everybody else, there’s always people in town, they had to have heard something, and they didn’t do anything?“Jaehyun, enough please,” he was quiet but close, possibly right behind him. He shifted to see Jungwoo right over his shoulder. “That’s enough. Would you walk me home,” so a mere week of friendship and he already knew his buttons, his weak spots. But it did the trick.He released Hanbin, the waste of space and warned him that if he ever bothered the omega again, he’d be so fucking sorry. They watched them hurry away, shoving each other as they moved out of sight. Jungwoo rested his head on his shoulder after they disappeared, collapsing slightly but Jaehyun turned and wrapped his arms around him to keep him standing, whispering a litany of apologies and worries, asking him if he was okay. Jungwoo just whimpered, wrapping his arms around Jaehyun’s back and holding onto him tight.  “That was brutal,” Jungwoo whispered, voice so quiet it got a little lost against his neck.“I know, it’s over now though,” he held him tighter, partially to soothe the other and partially to soothe himself, he needed to feel him close, fine and safe in his arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here faster,”“Jaehyun,” he looked up at him, eyes disbelieving, looking at him like they were trying to say ‘shut up’ so he did. He figured he was just glad someone came at all. Jungwoo tucked his face back into his neck, breathing even as it tickled his skin, even though the circumstances were rotten he was glad he could be here now. Glad he could bring him comfort and safety after something like that. “Hey,” he heard an exhausted, out of breath huff. He shifted to look at the source of the voice while Jungwoo stayed hidden against his shoulder. He laid eyes on Johnny who was visibly winded. “You good,”“Yeah, what happened to you,” he asked fighting a laugh.“I ran after you, to help,” Johnny took a deep breath, coughing a little with it, “but I couldn’t find you man. I was doing freaking laps until Hanbin and Junhoe darted past me like their pants were on fire. You can move pretty fast, when you wanna…that’s, that’s good to know,” he heard Jungwoo laugh quietly. He turned his head, meeting the omega’s warm brown eyes blinking up at him, he seemed okay, still a little frazzled but okay.“You alright Jungwoo,” Johnny asked him, coming forward slowly to pick up the bag laying forgotten on the ground.“Yeah, I’m okay, just…just a little rattled,”“Are you hurt,” Jaehyun finally realized he should ask, he watched him get shoved but god only knew what they’d done before he got there.“No, I’m good, we’re strong,” he said simply, stepping away from Jaehyun with a hand placed over his stomach. He had dirt in his hair and on his cheek, which made him worry, imagining they knocked him down but if Jungwoo said he was alright he wouldn’t push it. He didn’t want to add to whatever those idiots had done by belittling him or questioning how well he knew himself. And he knew they were strong, Jungwoo was a pillar and his pup was lucky, Jungwoo would never jeopardize them, if he was hurt or worried he’d run right inside to get checked. Johnny handed him his bag, squeezing his shoulder as Jungwoo took it. The omega took a deep breath, brushed his hair out of his eyes, face transforming with a smile that had Johnny smiling back but Jaehyun could see it was a mask, a cover. He didn’t blame him for feeling horrible, after that but not wanting two alphas who were still new to his life see how hurt he was. Jaehyun really wished he could do more, that he’d done more, that he’d been faster to save him from that, from those idiots. Weren’t they all pack? Did that not matter? Apparently not. Maybe he needed to have a talk with his dad because it didn’t seem like he alone would be enough to stop this nonsense, even though he wanted to be. That was at least two times he’d been cornered and attacked, outnumbered since he’d been back. And that was just what he’d seen, what he knew of. That was unacceptable, once was too many times for this to happen to someone. He shook his head to clear it, meeting Johnny’s raised eyebrows and seeing Jungwoo watching him with a tiny smile. Jaehyun crooked his arm, extending it to Jungwoo who slipped his own arm easily through his.“Oh wait,” Jungwoo stopped, catching him and Johnny off guard. He patted himself down before whipping around, “Ahh,” he rushed back to where he was standing when Jaehyun found him, crouching to collect the small packet on the ground by the base of the wall.“My vitamins,” he explained, coming back to them, this time he took Jaehyun’s hand instead.Johnny walked with them most of the way, their back and forth seemed to put Jungwoo at ease and he seemed a little forlorn for his departure when they reached his road. Maybe his presence provided additional relief, the pair of them were such a contrast to the two alphas he’d encountered earlier.“I have a strange urge to see Ten,” Johnny said, deadpan voice paired with his own shocked expression was classic.Jaehyun snorted as Jungwoo quirked an eyebrow watching the taller boy, “why’s that strange,” he asked.“Because…I want to see Ten,” he said like it was simple. Jungwoo looked offended but he didn’t understand the more delicate nuisances to their relationship yet, in time he’d learn that they drove each other crazy and for them most days absence made their hearts grow fonder. All day without each other worked just fine for their dynamic, as far as Johnny said. He could only assume Ten agreed, since most nights he hung off Johnny like they were bodily attached, did nothing but tell him how handsome he was, kiss him and cling to him. Whatever it was worked for them, so none of them questioned it.“He’s your mate,” Jungwoo whispered, voice small and confused. Johnny’s face softened as he looked at the sweet omega.“He is, but it’s a little strange that I want to see him,” he said, “it’s only the middle of the day, I just saw him like 5 hours ago,”Jungwoo looked at him, clearly lost but must’ve decided he wouldn’t be understanding it anytime soon. Jaehyun smiled, shook his head and squeezed his hand, they waved to Johnny as he moved down the street, towards his home, towards Ten. He understood the need to see Ten, Jungwoo wasn’t his mate but he didn’t want to let him out of his sight anytime soon either.“Should I ask,” Jungwoo was watching Johnny walk away too, head tilted.“Nah, they’re weird,”“And that explains it,” he asked him, looking up at him with raised eyebrows.“Doesn’t it,” he tilted his own head, smirking down at the other. Jungwoo smiled, a tiny laugh huffing out through his nose.“I guess,” They walked the rest of the way to his hut in comfortable silence. He assumed Jungwoo wasn’t ready to be alone either because he invited him inside, asked him to stay for lunch, which was a loaf of rye bread from Donghyuck and some cheese, delicious, simple and paired well with Jungwoo’s relieved, thankful smile.“Dessert,” Jungwoo asked after the food was gone, plates clean.“Sure,” Jaehyun got up to follow him into the kitchen.He uncovered a plate to reveal a modest looking cake. Jaehyun smiled, only a few days being friends with Donghyuck and he was baking up a storm.“I haven’t mastered bread, we know that,” he did, any bread he’d tried to feed him had been any variation of raw dough or undercooked mush, “but I’m pretty good at cakes.”He cut him a piece, “taste,” he said quietly as he handed it over with an expectant look and a glimmer in his eyes. It was really good, chocolate cake with a thin layer of chocolate icing.“Hyuck got me the ingredients,” he whispered fondly, still waiting for his reaction.“It’s delicious Jungwoo, really,” he took another bite, and another watching the other’s face light up pleasantly. He cut himself a piece and dug in, he wondered if it’d be rude or complimentary to lick the plate, it was seriously delicious. He set his plate down in the sink, leaning back against the counter as Jungwoo finished his piece, eyeing the rest of the cake with a funny face.“You are okay right,”Jungwoo perked up.“Yeah,”He knew they were new friends, but he didn’t think Jungwoo would lie or mess with him. He felt like Jungwoo understood that Jaehyun cared, that he was asking out of curiosity not to get something from him.“Do you want to talk about it,”Jungwoo ducked, putting his plate in the sink, fiddling with his fork before putting it in the sink as well. He turned on the faucet, let the water run for a minute before recovering the cake, wiped his hands on his pants, tucked his hair behind his ears, refused to meet his eyes.“Not really,”“Jungwoo,”“You saw it Jae, there’s nothing to really say is there,”“I guess not, but there is if you want to talk about it,”“I don’t,”“Ok, then there’s nothing,” he returned Jungwoo’s small smile. He knew he likely had lots and lots he wanted to say, a few choice words, maybe a few complaints that would lead to tears but Jaehyun couldn’t make him talk if he didn’t want to. He couldn’t and wouldn’t force him. But a tiny part of him couldn’t let it go, it was so hard watching that kind of thing happen to him. He wanted to fix, he wanted Jungwoo to want to fix it.“Have you considered saying something to my dad, he could help,” he had to ask.“No,” Jungwoo shut him down pretty quick.“No, you haven’t considered it or-”“I haven’t considered it and I won’t say anything to him or anyone else,” another shut down.“Jungwoo,” he tried, reaching to pull him closer, maybe if he could feel he was there he’d feel better, safer.“They’ve never hurt me Jae, I can handle it. And you’ve been there to help so…it’s fine,”“It’s not fine Jungwoo, you don’t deserve to be treated this way. And just because they haven’t hurt you yet doesn’t mean they won’t, I wouldn’t trust them not to,”“And if I complain to your dad won’t that just make it worse? They’ll think I’m a weak loser who had to enlist the head alpha to fix a problem that I can handle. And then they’ll just be meaner, they already think I’m pathetic. And they think you’re ridiculous and wrong for talking to me at all, I won’t get your dad wrapped up in this too,”That was a lot. The truest thing he could say to that was, “I like talking to you,”“I know,” Jungwoo gave him a small smile, one side of his mouth tipped up sweetly.“Do you think I’m ridiculous or wrong,” Jaehyun wondered fondly, pretty sure he knew the answer.“No,”“So…” he obviously wasn’t ridiculous or wrong if Jungwoo, the person he was talking to didn’t agree with the idiots of the pack who knew less than nothing.“I don’t care what they say about me, but I wish they wouldn’t drag you into it, you’re just trying to help. I can’t imagine what adding your dad to the mix would do,”“It’s his job. Keep the peace, fix people’s problems. You have a problem, he can fix it,”“I don’t want to tell him Jae,” Jungwoo sighed, hand running slowly over his face.“Fine I’ll tell him,”Jungwoo’s eyes doubled in size at that, twitching closer to him, “Oh my god, please don’t do that,”He put his hands up to hold him off when it looked like he was going to strike, knowing that was the wrong thing to say even if he was only teasing him.“I was just kidding,”Jungwoo nodded, going quiet. He started chewing his lip, arms wrapping around himself tightly.“You know I can handle whatever they have to say Woo. I’m pretty strong too ya know,”“Mhmm,” he smiled at him, knowing he wouldn’t win or change his mind.“I don’t care what they do or say to me,” he held up a hand when Jungwoo made to cut him off, “But I do care about what they say or do to you. And I definitely care about what they say or do to your pup. When’s enough, enough, do they just get to keep treating you this way with no repercussions? What happens when the pup’s born, are they going to make their whole entire life hell?”“Of course not, I would never sit back and let that happen,” Jungwoo looked so offended at that Jaehyun almost felt bad for saying it.“But-”“Jaehyun please,” his eyes closed, exhaustion making itself known.  “I don’t want you to think that I like being treated like this because I don’t, I will deal with this, in my way, in my time okay,”He didn’t like it too much but again who was he to argue with him.“Okay. But don’t forget I’m here if you need me, or need back up,”“I know,” he took a deep breath, “you know I lived in the city for years, how do you think I survived,”“Hey, I’ve never said you weren’t capable, I mean I wouldn’t want to run into you late at night,” he poked his cheek and earned himself a swat, “but that doesn’t mean I like you being treated this way either,”“I know, thank you for that,” he whispered, “I can’t talk about this anymore,” as if on cue he yawned and that was Jaehyun’s signal to go.“Rest Woo, I’ll see you later, want me to pick you up,”“Uhm no, I think I’m just gonna stay home tonight,”“What no, what are you going to eat,” he asked panicked. Hoping this wasn’t all their progress eliminated. He’d be so upset; the boys would hate that and Jimin would probably kill him, if Donghyuck didn’t get to him first.“I have some more bread, or I can have the cake. It’s fine Jae, I just think I’ve hit my limit today,”“Jungwoo,”“I’ll probably just sleep okay, I’m fine,”He knew it was okay, he knew he was fine, but it just didn’t sit well. Jungwoo deserved to eat, he deserved to go and spend the evening with the new people in his life who were very fond of him. Those idiots didn’t deserve to rule the world and make him feel small and force back into the shadows, why because he was happy and finding his place did, they have to cut him down? It was infuriating. And that was just Jaehyun, Jungwoo’s friend talking, not Jaehyun the alpha who was head over heels for the omega named Jungwoo. Jaehyun, his friend. Jaehyun the guy who loved Jungwoo like crazy. “Okay,” he agreed finally, still very disturbed but knowing Jungwoo had made up his mind. He opened his arms, welcoming Jungwoo in. He snuggled against him, momentarily content, the smell of cinnamon and peaches was warm and thick in his nose, it made him a little dizzy, made his wolf go a little crazy.“You’ll be okay,” he said, words coming out like a question.“Oh yeah, I’ll be fine, cry myself to sleep and everything,”He paled, looking at him with wide eyes until Jungwoo started laughing at him. “I’m kidding Jae, I’ll be fine,”Jaehyun went back to squeezing him, trying not to think about Jungwoo alone, upset, cryingbecause that did unpleasant things to his wolf and his mind.“Tomorrow then,”“Sure,” he said to him, pushing his face into his neck one final time before letting him go. He walked him to the door, watched him walk down the path back to the road, waving as he went and the whole time Jaehyun felt like he should’ve said something, done something to change his mind. But what could he do against him once he’d made up his mind, he didn’t want to push the envelope on their new friendship, it was too soon. He let it slide but he couldn’t stop thinking about it either.At dinner the boys were up in arms that Jungwoo wasn’t there. Kun, Taeil and Donghyuck panicked thinking he was sick or in pain and didn’t want to leave the house. Johnny was confused but understanding, not delving into details about the afternoon he had and respecting that Jaehyun hadn’t shared it with them either. It wasn’t his story to share and he knew what the reaction would be, Jungwoo’s peaceful, no contact evening would be done with.Jisung didn’t like it at all, which surprised him in a warm, pleasant way. He stood up ready to make a plate for the omega and join him at his house when Jaehyun pulled him back, urging him to eat and relax, promising Jungwoo was okay, he just wanted some down time since he was fatigued. Jaehyun thought it was sweet though, liking that his friends were already so protective. His whole secrecy schtick was nearly shot to hell when Jimin rushed into their area, face flushed, fists clenched and eyes angry. He stood and guided him back out of the circle, so he didn’t start yelling about something he didn’t want to stress the boys out over.“What happened,” Jimin hissed, arms crossed over his chest as they hovered at the edge of the village center.“Jimin-”“I heard from Hobi, he works across the street, that there was a partial scuffle with Jungwoo and two alphas from Bobby’s band of idiots and then you showed up as he was coming over to help apparently,”His head started spinning, somany words all at once.“It’s-”“A patient came in just as he left…I didn’t even hear anything Jaehyun, is he okay, what happened,”“Exactly what Hoseok must’ve told you, Hanbin and Junhoe from Bobby’s gang cornered him outside the office. He was pinned when I found him, but he gave it to them, scratched the hell out of Junhoe’s arm and gave Hanbin a good smack…but fuck Jimin, you should’ve heard the things they said to him,”“They’re animals,” his comment gave no illusion to how disappointed this all made him. “It makes me sick to think that they just get away with treating him like that. Saying shit like that, and who knows how many times it’s happened since he’s been home,”“I…I know it’s happened for sure, prior to this but I can’t really…”“I know he’s your patient,” rights between a healer and their patient were sacred and vital. He wouldn’t touch that.Jimin’s breathing was heavy but his eyes were starting to regain their normal, warm brown color, it calmed Jaehyun as well. Watching Jimin come back down to earth made him feel better. And as quick as the calm came it went as Jimin shook his head, face pinching and eyes flashing.“Why didn’t he come back in, so I could check him over,” Jimin’s voice was rising with panic again.“Because he said they didn’t hurt him,” it sounded lame, but he also didn’t look or seem hurt.“But he’s still in his first trimester, that stress is so not good for the pup, they’re so little and fragile right now,”“He said he was okay, I didn’t want to push,”“Well please push him next time Jaehyun, he’s…it’s such a delicate thing, the first pup…it’s so unpredictable. He knows that he shouldn’t have taken that chance,”“I know that,” he promised, “I mean I’m hoping there isn’t a next time, but I’ll make sure he comes in to get checked if it happens again. And I know the stress is bad too. But he said they didn’t hurt him, so I believe him. I mean, maybe they actually do have limits. They’ll rip him to shreds metaphorically but won’t physically hurt him, since he’s pregnant. I don’t know. I don’t get what he did to deserve their hatred, but he did. They talk to him like he’s a stain, I have to do something for him,”“Well if you decide on something let me know, I’m in,”“Thank you, Jimin,”“Of course, he’s a magnificent person, he’s wonderful and kind and so, so good, I’m happy he’s here, home but I hate that this is what he’s come back to,”“I totally agree,” he sighed, looking away from Jimin for a moment, he caught his friends watching them, all of them whipped around when he made eye contact with him. He shook his head with a small laugh, turned back and saw Jimin watching him with a gentle smile.“What,”“I’ve been seeing him since his first week back and he is so, so much better than when he got here. I know it’s only been a couple weeks that you’ve been friends, but you’ve had an amazing, positive impact on him. That’s his healer speaking. His friend adores him and doesn’t want him hurt anymore, certainly not by someone he’s starting to trust. If you hurt him Jaehyun-”“I would never-”“-If you hurt him, I promise, they won’t find your body, ever,” eyes icy as they stared into his own, he’d never been more genuinely frightened for his life. And he knows, Jimin has the knowledge and the dedicated friends to help him make good on that.“Jesus Jimin,”“Just so you know,” he shrugged, like he didn’t just threaten to kill him. Gruesome as it was, he knew he’d do it for Jungwoo too, if the roles were reversed, if things escalated, if Jungwoo hadn’t stopped him he probably would’ve choked Hanbin to death and then ended Junhoe for the awful things he said too. Right there, in broad daylight, in the middle of the village, he would’ve done it. He’d never been violent, but the omega awoke something primal in him. In the worst sense of the word apparently, he didn’t want to be an animal like those alphas were but if it ever came to it, he knew he’d protect Jungwoo with his life and not think twice about taking one to save him. Dark. Dismal. Lovely, Jaehyun, truly lovely.“Is that how you keep Jungkook and the pups in line, power assertion and fear,”“No, it’s like a pinch of fear but definitely more subtle manipulation, loads of kisses and love, and where Kookie’s concerned, lots and lots and lotsof sex,” he made to cover his ears as soon as he mentioned Jungkook, but he wasn’t fast enough.“Great, I didn’t…I didn’t need that image Jimin!” he squawked, annoyance swelling when Jimin laughed at him.“You asked the question, I gave you the answer,”“Goodbye Jimin,” he threw his hands up and backed away, ignoring him calling his name, laughter loud behind him, shaking his head as he rejoined his friends. He finished his dinner without any more issue or interruption. The whole time, he missed Jungwoo’s presence beside him, missed his voice and his laughter, missed knowing Jungwoo was eating well, going home full and happy. This was not what Jaehyun set out to do. This was not what Jungwoo deserved. He just didn’t know how to make the other realize that. That this was horrible, and he needed to say something to stop it because they wouldn’t stop unless someone higher up than them stopped them. Jaehyun couldn’t imagine what this was like, he could sympathize and pretend he knew what he was going through but he’d never been hurt simply because of who he was. Jungwoo was okay, he was strong and brave and didn’t fear these people, but he also was only one person. When so many people are looking at you like you’re filthy, tell you you’re nothing, it’s only a matter of time before you start believing it. Jaehyun can combat it with attention and friendship and promises but who is he against all of that. He can’t make it go away. He can’t change this for him if Jungwoo doesn’t want it changed. And he won’t force him, he won’t become part of the problem, a reason for him to dread leaving his house and avoid dinner. He could just hope that Jungwoo kept his head held high, that he was enough to lift his spirits and change his mind. Keep him from falling into the pit that was open wide from the idiots who were trying to drag him down, he knew it wouldn’t always be easy, but he had to try. For Jungwoo, he had to try. And he had to be there.It wasn’t even a question anymore.It wasn’t something he fought or had to mull over.It was so obvious.He’d do anything for him.He’d fight the world for him.Oh, how he loved Jungwoo.…. Jungwoo was okay. He knew that. He’d lived in the city, on his own since he was younger and Jaehyun imagined that it probably wasn’t always easy. But that life helped him grow, it shaped him into he is now, made him proud and brave and strong. He was powerful and impressive and unafraid. And he could deal with these people in his way, level them with his words and fight for himself. He was also building an army of support to help when he needed it. Though Hanbin and Junhoe came from Bobby Kim’s gang of lunatics and their numbers were more substantial than he approved of, Jaehyun had more friends. He and the boys had Jungwoo’s back. And so, did Jimin which meant Jungwoo had the support of Jimin’s six as well.Which made Jaehyun feel better. Just knowing he had so many people there for him, made him feel better. Those idiots thought they had Jungwoo pinned, small and afraid, apparently, they didn’t get the memo that Jungwoo was really easy to love and had plenty of people up to that task. They’d be in for it the next time they tried.Jaehyun did trust Jungwoo when he said he could handle himself, he knew that. But he also knew being able to handle yourself didn’t mean you couldn’t be frazzled. And he had been.And now he was on guard, he was aware and on alert. It showed itself in little ways, he looked over his shoulder occasionally, when they walked to dinner the next few nights, he’d walk closer to him, hold his hand and his upper arm with his other hand, twitching at little sounds. And whenever he’d shut his door after Jaehyun he’d lock the deadbolt, something he’d never seen him do in the dozen times he’d been over in the last few weeks.Jaehyun had half a mind to ask if something else had happened because he was acting so jumpy, worse than his attitude from the other day would’ve warranted. He didn’t ask, figuring maybe he was just being cautious. Plus, he didn’t want to upset him by doubting him.And now, another example of his jumpiness, Jungwoo had asked him if he’d come along with him to run his errands.Jaehyun didn’t blame him for it. He himself was wary about people he’d never thought twice about before he found Jungwoo pinned in the alley beside the healer’s hut.He said he wasn’t afraid, claimed he just wanted company, but he didn’t really need a reason. Jaehyun didn’t mind, whatever prompted it, he was glad to help and be there and protect him. His alpha was practically singing is his chest at the prospect that Jungwoo felt safe with him. He was all sorts of crazy about that ideaThey’d stopped at the market, Jungwoo only needed two things, kale and potatoes and he didn’t let Jaehyun pay, which was annoying, but he didn’t press it. Their next stop was the bakery, he was learning to bake, yes, but he also understood that the things he made weren’t edible.Jungwoo sighed loudly next to him. He looked at him, but he didn’t say anything. Come to think of it he’d been quiet all morning, not saying much of anything since they’d been in town. He also hadn’t re-grabbed his hand after leaving the market. Jaehyun didn’t like that. Not one bit.So, he did it for him, smiling when he didn’t pull away but let him lace their fingers together. Maybe that was the boost he needed to start talking. Because he did.“Do you think your friends like me,” Jungwoo asked, randomly, stopping Jaehyun in his tracks. That was shocking and confusing, his friends loved Jungwoo.“Do I think my friends like you? Are you serious,”Jungwoo nodded, clutching his bag to his chest as they stopped outside the bakery.“Do I think Donghyuck, who is literally the textbook description of obsessed, likes you? Gee I don’t know Woo,”“Well maybe he just feels bad for me, pities me so he invites me to bake with him, I mean why do that? I suck at it,”“Because he likes you and wants to spend time with you and knows you’ll improve…at some point,” Jungwoo stuck his tongue out at him.“They like you, I promise,” he told him, moving to open the bakery’s door for him.“You don’t know that for sure though,”“No, but I know what they’re like when they don’t like somebody. And if they didn’t like you, you’d know it,” Jungwoo stared at him, he was just stood there holding the door open, probably looking like a dope as Jungwoo eyed him.“What,” he asked him when he couldn’t stand it anymore, tension built too high for him. Jungwoo made a quiet sound, he watched him swallow slowly, hair blowing gently in the breeze, leaves dancing around their feet.“Do you like me,”Jaehyun felt his whole-body throb, pulse picked up as his eyes bulged and his wolf raged. Did he like him? Did Jaehyun like Jungwoo? Was that even a question?“Seriously,”Jungwoo nodded, looking scared. So, he actually didn’t know. He let the bakery’s door fall closed, stepped close to Jungwoo, their toes touched, and he caught the movement when Jungwoo’s toes wiggled in his shoes. He was precious and perfect and everything.“Of course, I do,” he said plainly, sure and proud and watched as Jungwoo wrinkled his nose and looked away. “Hey,” he ducked to catch his eyes, hand grabbed Jungwoo’s that wasn’t clutching the bag in a death grip. “I like you,”Jungwoo refused to look at him, nose scrunched but he was smiling.“I like you,”“Jae stop,” he huffed, hands reached to push him back a little.“I like you okay,” Jaehyun repeated, knowing he wouldn’t be satisfied until Jungwoo agreed, knowing he was serious. Jungwoo sighed heavily, eyes rolling but he wore a smile he couldn’t fight, eyes warm, cheeks pink.“Okay,”“I mean it. Don’t even start with me on that,”Jungwoo huffed, truly trying to push him away now.“I get it, okay,”“You can set your clock by how much I like you,” he meant it, he did like Jungwoo with an intensity that shocked him, loved him in a way that would probably frighten the other with it’s enormity. It was reliable and constant and maybe it was more than just simple ‘like’ but Jungwoo deserved to know he liked him an awful lot. It had to start somewhere. Didn’t all great loves start with crushes and like before growing and changing and evolving, shifting into love and mating and lifetimes?“Jae,” Jungwoo whined, “I get it,”“Yeah, so what, you just wanted to hear me say it,” he teased him but felt his stomach sour when Jungwoo’s eyes darkened, sad again.“No, I just don’t believe it, everybody’s done such a good job making me feel hated, it’s weird that anyone from here doesn’t…hate me,” “There’s plenty of people who don’t hate you. And one day those idiots who harass you will be the minority around here because everyone will realize they’re wrong and stupid and you’re amazing, okay,”He hummed looking away from him.“Hey,” he said, finger crooking to tip his head back to look at him, “you believe me,”Jungwoo nodded, smile brightening.“Do you like me too…I’m curious,”“Oh, shut up,”“Well I don’t know the answer,” Jaehyun laughed as his blush reached his ears, “I could be kidding myself. So, you have to tell me,”“No, I don’t like you Jaehyun, not at all,”“What, come on, don’t-”Jungwoo’s smile cut him off, his eyes were twinkling as he patted his chest. He started laughing, loudly, freely, his hand came up to cover his mouth as he was taken over by his laughter.“You’re laughing at me,” he asked him, finding himself laughing with him, cheeks warming at Jungwoo’s giddy shift in mood.The omega nodded, tongue caught between his teeth as he cleared his throat.“Why,”“You should’ve seen your face,” Jungwoo gasped, giggling harder.“What’s wrong with my face,” he was trying to maintain his hurt feelings, but it was so hard.“For an alpha you’re really insecure,”His chest loosened back up at the reassurance that the other was just kidding. “That wasn’t nice Jungwoo,”“Sorry,”“You have a good poker face, I believed you,”“I’m sorry Jaehyun. Of course, I like you, everything you’ve done for me, you’re easily my favorite person around here. Actually, that’s Donghyuck, but you’re a very close second,”“Of course,” he stuck his tongue out at him and laughed when Jungwoo copied him. “So, since you were just so mean to me, I think it’s only fair that you let me buy you something,”“How do you figure,” Jungwoo asked, crossing his arms as Jaehyun moved to reopen the door to the bakery.He shrugged, “Not like a bigsomething, just a little something, like a muffin or a loaf of bread, please,”“Why,”“Because you hurt my feelings, now you have to make it up to me,”“You’re not gonna stop right,”“Nope, not till you agree,”“Fine, but only one thing,” he held up a finger as they approached the case. And he kept his word, he only bought Jungwoo one thing, a load of plain wheat bread. He did however, buy a few extra things for himself, 4 muffins, a couple baguettes and another loaf of wheat, which he may or may not have forgotten on Jungwoo’s kitchen table when he left that afternoon. And maybe Jungwoo scolded him later for it but he also grabbed his hand, laced their fingers and nuzzled his shoulder. Which was Jungwoo’s way of admitting defeat, accepting a gift and thanking him for it. So maybe he was sneak. But maybe Jungwoo also had bread for the week.Call him crazy but he didn’t mind being a sneak under those circumstances.…. A couple days later he was sitting on Jungwoo’s steps, his sad, pitiful steps, with him. It was so nice out, probably the last truly warm day before fall turned colder as winter moved in. Jungwoo was folding laundry, glowing in the sunshine, quiet and content. Jaehyun couldn’t take his eyes off him, but that was normal for him.“I need a job,”Jaehyun turned to look at him.“Have you been looking,” he knew Jungwoo needed to work to make money, but he didn’t think he’d be willing to find one when he’d only be able to work for a few months, before taking leave prior to the pup being born.“A little bit,” he sighed, “I went into the market today and asked if they were hiring,”“And…”“And you should’ve seen the look they gave me,”Jaehyun shook his head. It was still hard to believe how people were being to him simply because he was pregnant. He’d never witnessed anything like this, people harassing a pregnant omega because they were pregnant. It was wild. And you’d think people would be used to him now. He’d been back for over a month now and they still hadn’t found anything else to talk about? The more he stayed put the more people seemed to dislike him. Which was the exact opposite of the phenomenon Jaehyun was experiencing, the more time he spent Jungwoo, the better he got to know him the more he liked him, the more he wanted to be around him.“I don’t get it,” he huffed, placing the folded towel back in his basket. “Did people hate me after I left,”“What,”“Did people hate me after I left. Like was I the butt of the jokes, the kid the teachers warned the pups about becoming because I left the village to go to school, which nobody had ever done?”“No Woo,” he urged, wondering if Jungwoo could tell how Jaehyun was moments from begging him to stop talking like that, he hated it.“I didn’t go on my own, my mom put it out there, I thought that’s what was best because she was pushing it…I didn’t really get a choice though.” Jungwoo put his clothes aside, sighing as he stared across his yard, watching a squirrel run up the tree on the edge of his lot. “And now I’m a virus,”“You are not a virus,” Jaehyun swallowed, finding the statement disturbing. He reached out quickly and squeezed his knee, where they were tucked up close to him. “Someone will see that and hire you because they’ll realize you’re hard-working and reliable and smart,”“Yeah before or after I run completely out of money,” he laughed humorlessly at his own question, head hanging as he sighed.“I wonder if people would buy my pickles,” he wondered. He appeared to think about that, weighing the worth of the idea before he turned to stare at Jaehyun, “do you think people would buy them?”He’d never had one because he wasn’t a fan of pickles, though Jungwoo didn’t know that. His friends said they were wonderful, and they always got polished off when he brought a jar to dinner for the table. He imagined they’d sell pretty well, he could look into getting Jungwoo a table at the farmer’s market, it was off season now, since most people’s produce was long gone but lots of people still sold their baked goods or preserves, soaps and cheeses, he didn’t see why pickles couldn’t join the fray.“Yeah, why not,”“Because people don’t like me, I don’t want to waste my time,”“I think they’d sell fine Woo, let me, let me ask about getting you table at the farmer’s market, would that be okay,”“Would you,”“Of course,” he laughed, arching an eyebrow at him, “it’s like you don’t know me at all,”Jaehyun watched him blush, turning as his smile overtook his face. When he looked back at him, he was beaming, vibrating almost and he smelled so happy, peaches perfectly ripe, cinnamon thick and swirling around them.“What,” he asked him when he didn’t look away from him, just sat there smiling at him.“Nothing,” Jungwoo whispered, leaning his head on his hand, other arm draped over his knees.“No what,”He shrugged.Jaehyun couldn’t help but smile back at him, poking his side and laughing when the omega squealed.“Tell me,”Jungwoo thought for another moment before saying, “I just can’t decide why you do so much for me,”Jaehyun felt himself melt a little, for the other.“I told you I like you,” he watched Jungwoo blush a little more, “I thought you believed me,”“I do, it’s just…wrapping my head around it, I guess. And you, your attention is…”“Is what,”Jungwoo shrugged again, “nice, I don’t know, stop looking at me like that,” he was looking at him in a way that, he imagined if his friends were here, they’d poke him for and tell him his crush was showing in a big way. It wouldn’t surprise him if Jungwoo knew about his feelings because he really was an obvious sap about it, wasn’t he? But Jungwoo liked his attention so that was a whole other thing wasn’t it?He left shortly after when Jungwoo grabbed his basket and made for his door, telling him he didn’t feel well. Jaehyun worried, asked him if he wanted him to stay or go and get Jimin but Jungwoo promised him he was okay, just felt run down and nauseous. He offered to stay again but Jungwoo again, declined, turning a little green the longer he stood there watching him. He did tell him it was alright if he wanted to check on him later. Well he didn’t say that exactly, he said, he’d see him later for dinner. Which Jaehyun took as, come a little early to make sure he’s alright and up to dinner.So, not exactly the same but Jaehyun figured he got the jist of the message either way. He told him to feel better and went on his way, now on a mission to get Jungwoo a table at the farmer’s market.…. After Jaehyun secured a spot at the market Jungwoo decided he’d only sell on Sunday mornings, assuming it went well, since that was a good day, busy with foot traffic and would leave him able to work through the week when he found a job.Jaehyun liked the spot he picked, perfectly placed between the older beta couple who sold fresh cheese from their goats and a young omega named Seungmin who sold honey, both were popular vendors, so he figured Jungwoo and the pickles would get loads of exposure. It seemed at some point through the week Donghyuck had become a part of this venture as well since he and Mark showed up early Sunday morning to help to set up the table and move the pickles to the back half of the community center. The whole walk from Jungwoo’s hut to the market, he stressed about pricing, not believing Jaehyun that $5 for a jar was a fair price. They were home-made, and he needed to turn a profit.“Would you guys pay $5 dollars for a jar of pickles,”“Yeah but only yours,” Mark said, dodging Donghyuck’s attempts to kiss him while they walked.“But don’t you think it’s too high,” Jungwoo insisted, voice sounding stressed. Jaehyun shook his head, he’d been obsessing over it since Jaehyun told him he’d secured a table for him, and they’d spent most afternoons since talking logistics, labeling, should he make a sign and of course pricing. A point they didn’t agree on. “Jungwoo, stop worrying about it, please,”“But I think that’s too high Jae,”“Then lower the price but I run a business, I know a little bit about this,” and he did, he didn’t’ want to sound full of himself but he was running a fairly successful business, nobody liked to listen to him though, it’s not like he knew what he was talking about or anything.“Building houses and selling pickles seem a little different, don’t you think,” Jungwoo argued. His stress about all this was apparently making him a little irritable. Jaehyun didn’t and wouldn’t say anything about that though, Jungwoo had a ton going on and he was allowed to be in bad moods and have weird days. He took a deep breath, not wanting to fight or sound put off. “The principles are the same,”“Jungwoo, please,” they both stopped, turning to look at Donghyuck who had abandoned Mark in favor of falling back in step with them, “don’t start him talking about business he never shuts up,”Jungwoo laughed while Jaehyun balked, mildly offended. “Don’t pull that face Jung, or do you not remember the brick and mortar incident,” he heard and cursed when Mark laughed loudly ahead of them, readjusting the crate of pickles he was carrying.“What’s the brick and mortar incident,” Jungwoo asked innocently, curiosity sweet in his voice.“No, it’s nothing,” hoping the slight desperation in his voice would be enough to keep Donghyuck quiet. It wasn’t, he should’ve known better.“This one-time Jaehyun spent an entire 4 hours talking about brick and mortar vs his own binding mix to ward off the attention of this really snotty omega who was trying to get with him. She got bored a good 20 minutes in without him taking so much as a breath and left but he didn’t stop. I think he thought we were trying to set him up with her so that was our punishment, which wasn’t true Jae seriously she was a nightmare, anyway we don’t let him talk about his business anymore after that,”“That’s a bit of stretch Hyuck, don’t you think,”“No, it was horrible,”“4 hours,” Jungwoo asked, eyebrows raised, “what could you possible say about anything for 4 hours Jae,”“Oh, believe me there’s plenty, every tid-bit even more dry and exhaustive than the last. I’ve never thought ears could really bleed but mine did, that night,” he paused, eyes getting far away, he shivered and Jaehyun shoved him, he was so dramatic.“Okay, enough Hyuck, he gets it, I’m not allowed to talk about business, or anything even remotely related to construction,”“You’ve talked construction with me and kept it minimal,” Jungwoo smirked, expression questioning.“Yeah because you haven’t done anything yet that’s made him lowkey hate your guts, give it time,” Mark called, end of the sentence light with another laugh.“I can’t imagine you hating anyone,”“He has it down to a subtle, almost imperceptible art, it’s beautiful and scary,” Donghyuck stage whispered to the other, earning himself a kick in the butt and a playful glare, why did he agree to let them help today?Jungwoo and Donghyuck spent the rest of the time giggling to each other, trailing behind as he moved to catch up with Mark who grinned at him with all his teeth, filling the silence with stories and laughter and soon they were at the market, signing in, setting up Jungwoo’s table and displaying the pickles. Jaehyun had brought a small lock box, something he’d picked up his first year in business, to keep small payments in the shop, perfect for Jungwoo’s operation. He put in on the table, watched Mark come back with four folding chairs, setting them up behind the table.The market would open in about 25 minutes which meant it was time for Jungwoo to start stressing out even more. He and Mark sat in their chairs as they watched Jungwoo’s clean, almost compulsive nature take over. He wanted to help but didn’t want to get in Jungwoo’s way, which he felt like he would.Jungwoo couldn’t stop fixing the table cloth Donghyuck brought to help them stand out and arranged the selection in alphabetical order, then lined them up so perfectly Jaehyun bet if he had his level, the bubble would be smack dab in the center.He pulled a plate out of his bag while opening up a jar of the pickled hot peppers, a favorite among their friends, arranging them on the plate and stabbing them with toothpicks Donghyuck produced from seemingly nowhere.“What are you doing,” Mark asked his mate, eyes shifting to Jungwoo briefly.“Samples,” Donghyuck said like it was obvious. It hadn’t been but now it made sense.“That’s a great idea,”“A good business idea,” Jungwoo asked, smirking at him playfully before trading faces with Donghyuck who was snickering next to him.“Woo, we should’ve brought two plates,”“Why,” he asked Donghyuck, head tipping.“Because that way two of us can be doing samples and we can draw more people,”“I know but I don’t want to do so many samples that we run out and don’t sell anything,”“Good business,” Mark mocked them, looking at Jaehyun sideways and crossing his eyes, Donghyuck swore at him, swiping him across the table. Mark snagged his hand, pulling him around till he stumbled and landed on his lap, Donghyuck struggled briefly before looping his arms around Mark’s neck and nuzzled their noses together. He looked away from them when Mark started kissing him, not wanting to intrude on their overly affectionate pda, not wanting to see it either so early in the morning. When he turned, he caught Jungwoo watching them, mouth downturned, eyes sad, he wondered what he was thinking but his brief apparent sadness was gone as quick as it came, he shook himself and went back to organizing the table.The couple at the cheese table eyed their table critically, looked at Jungwoo for a long time before catching Jaehyun staring at them back and turned away. He wondered if that would be the general consensus, wondering if maybe that’s why Jungwoo had Donghyuck come too, he was a great distraction and with three other people at the table maybe they wouldn’t focus on his being there too much. He didn’t mind being his buffer today and he was sure the other two didn’t either.His worries were quelled slightly when the young omega at the stall on their other side came over to introduce himself. His eyes lit up when he saw the pickles, held his hand out to Jungwoo with a bright smile.Seungmin, who said it was an absolute pleasure to meet him. He introduced them to his mate too, Hyunjin who came up in the middle with two cups of coffee, he waved, eyes playful as he kissed the shorter boy hello. He pressed one of the cardboard cups into Seungmin’s hand and moved to sit behind his table, pushing the jars of honey forward so he could lean on the table.Jungwoo waved goodbye to the other with a big smile, when he said he had to make sure Hyunjin didn’t eat any of his samples, eyes twinkling as he left.Jaehyun watched his shoulders sag, clearly feeling a little better.He smacked Donghyuck at 10 to stop him and Mark from furthering their display, as the doors got propped open by the market’s organizer, stalls open for business.People started to filter in, bags in hand to fill with their weekly necessities that they couldn’t find at the traditional market. Donghyuck jumped up, swatting Mark’s wandering hands when he grabbed his waist to steal him back. Donghyuck pecked him quickly before skipping around the table, grabbing the plate of samples, plastering on his best smile and standing at the ready for the first person to cross his path. Jaehyun rubbed Jungwoo’s back in slow circles, smiling and telling him not to worry.Donghyuck did his job well drawing a crowd easily and making people feel comfortable with his goofy, easy laughter, easing them towards the table where they could have their very own jar of hot pepper pickles. The samples were ingenious because before they knew it, all the hot pepper pickles were gone, and people didn’t seem to mind paying $5 for a jar. The normal pickled cucumbers were also a huge seller, those were gone within the first 2 hours and they still had two hours left.The couple at the cheese stand seemed annoyed that the customers who had come to buy cheese were instead spending their time and money on Jungwoo’s pickles, the beta male looked ready to say something, but Mark shifted, glared him down and back into his chair behind his table, they didn’t bother them or move the rest of the day. Jaehyun smiled at Jungwoo who was holding hands with a young pup over the table, explaining to his dad, an alpha, how to get the perfect brine for the perfect pickle, the little girl was enamored and nearly started crying when her dad tucked their jar of pickles away and made to leave.“We’ll see him next week love, it’s alright,” he picked the little girl up, looking at Jungwoo pleadingly, “you’ll be here next week, yeah,”Jungwoo looked stunned and at a loss for words, he brushed his hair out of his eyes as he nodded, “yeah of course,”“Great, see hun, next weekend okay, that’s not too many sleeps, say bye,”“Bye bye,” she waved and tucked into her dad’s neck while they walked away.Donghyuck clutched his chest with a squeal, nearly losing the plate in the process, “so cute oh my god, Markie did you see her,”“I saw her babe, she was very cute,” Mark said, sounding tired. He wondered how many times a in a week he and Donghyuck went through this exact exchange.“I want one,”Jaehyun snorted, eyes widening when he heard Mark mutter under his breath, ‘yeah I’m working on it,’He watched Jungwoo’s eyebrows shoot into his hair as a blush colored his cheeks. Apparently, he’d heard Mark too.They were almost totally out of pickles by the third hour and he didn’t think he’d ever seen Jungwoo so happy and proud looking. He was absolutely beaming, it was amazing, and he was beautiful.And then Jaehyun caught sight of Jimin hurrying down their aisle with his youngest pup in his arms, Jungkook and their other two pups not far behind, the last three stopped at Seungmin’s table to try the honey while Jimin stopped by their table instead. He watched Seungmin get up to give the two young boys hugs, leaning into Jungkook’s side with a smile, clearly close and familiar with each other.Jimin’s excited voice drew him back to their own table and to Jungwoo.“I thought I heard a rumor about a new pickle table, and I thought, Jungwoo,really, I’m so glad you did this Woo, it’s fantastic,” he was rambling and grinning, letting go of the pup when he squirmed. Donghyuck crouched down slightly to talk to him, plate set down in favor of picking the pup up when they reached up for him.Jimin waved Jungwoo around the table where he collected him in a tight hug, “you did really well, only a few left huh,”“Yeah it was surprising,”Jimin just kept on beaming at him, all overwhelming fondness. “I don’t want to wipe you out, but we love pickles, Kookie don’t we…Jungkook,” he spun around, seeing the alpha trying to get their oldest pup to put the jar of honey back on Seungmin’s table. He turned, “one second babe,” he fished out some money and handed it to Seungmin when the pup wouldn’t let go, sighing and corralling them towards Jimin and Jungwoo’s table.“Hi guys, Jiho, Kimun, say hello,” Jungkook sighed, sounding tired“Hi,” they said in unison, while the oldest looked up at Jungkook, “daddy, samples,”“Ask baby,”The little boy huffed, turning to Jimin, “momma, samples,”Jimin laughed, looking at Jungwoo fondly. “Do you have any more samples Woo,”“Uhm,” he looked at the empty plate, noticing Mark already opening a new jar, they were pickled watermelon rinds but maybe they’d like them. He cut one piece into several little bits before offering the plate to the three pups eyeing it curiously.“What is it,” the oldest asked, looking at Jimin again.“Pickles baby, we like those, try,” he grabbed a piece and handed it to the boy who opened his mouth, chewing as he giggled.“Yummy,” he took it upon himself to take another piece, making them laugh.Jungkook smirked at him, “new haunt Jae,”“Yeah, maybe, we’ll be here every Sunday, tell your friends,” the other alpha laughed, he gave Jungwoo a friendly smile when the omega looked at him.They left shortly after, Jungkook insisted they only buy two jars to which Jimin complained and Jungkook held open his wallet which was empty save for the money he’d just handed over to Jaehyun.“Sorry Woo, next time, we’ll buy more,”Jungwoo laughed and shook him off, promising it was fine.Their youngest pup held his arms out to Jungkook who apologized to Donghyuck when he whined, the other two complained, attempting to climb on their father. “Why do you guys do this to me,” Jungkook asked the pups who erupted into giggles at their father’s fake cries. Jimin patted Jungkook’s head fondly, attention moving back to Jungwoo.“You don’t have an appointment this week do you,” he asked, finger tapping his chin. Jungwoo shook his head.“I don’t work Tuesday, do you want to come over for lunch or tea,” he asked, Jungwoo lit up before deflating.“I-”“Donghyuck,” Jimin asked, interrupting whatever Jungwoo was going to say, “tea, Tuesday,”Donghyuck nodded quickly, “Tuesday afternoon,”“Sure,”“Ok, I get out at 1,”“That’s perfect! Jungwoo, 1:30 tea, my house,”Jungwoo sighed, he met Jaehyun’s eyes for a quick moment, he winked at him, nodding back to Jimin who was waiting for an answer. Jaehyun wondered if anyone had ever said no to those eyes or that smile, he knew Jungkook had never managed it, according to everyone who knew him and the alpha himself.“Okay,” he agreed, Jimin squealed and shook his shoulders, giving him a tight hug before he plucked one pup off Jungkook’s hip, took the other’s hand and led them away, the little boys waved to the four of them while Jungkook grabbed his youngest’s hand, waving it around for him, kissing his head as he followed Jimin back to the front of the market.Jungwoo let out a long breath, moving around the table and dropping into his chair with a huff. He ran a hand through his hair, bit his lip, smiling when Mark laughed at him.“I can’t believe it,” he was looking over the table, there was only 5 jars of pickles left, 2 onions and 3 watermelon rinds. It went way better than he thought too, he knew it’d be good, but this was way more of a success than even he was expecting.“Hey guys,” they all perked up at Jaemin’s excited voice, he and Jeno were walking their way, grins, a matching set, fingers laced between them. “Oh my god pickles,” the omega exclaimed.“I didn’t know you guys were doing this,” Jeno said, eyes all but lost to his smile, he hurried to hug Donghyuck tightly when he stood off the table and opened his arms for him.“This was the first time,” Jungwoo explained while Jaemin surveyed the selection.He started pouting, “were there hot peppers,”Jungwoo nodded, “those were the first to go,”“Oh darn…I’ll buy the rest of the rinds then, I like those too,” Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo’s face hurt from smiling so much today.“If I knew we could’ve been buying pickles, I would’ve asked after the first time you brought them to dinner,” Jeno said from the circle of Donghyuck’s arms, the omega had yet to relinquish his hold on him.“I know right,” Jaemin agreed, grabbing Jeno’s wallet out of his coat pocket and paying for his three jars of pickles.“Thanks Woo, this is awesome,” he put them in his bag, groaning when he put it on his shoulder before holding it out to Jeno, who took it quickly. “So, a good first day,”“I think so,”“You think so, you sold all the peppers in the first two hours,” Mark defended.“Wow,” Jaemin looked impressed, not always an easy thing to do.“Did you want to stop for those cookies too babe,”“Oh yes,” Jaemin perked up, spinning into Jeno, who’d finally been released. “Thank you for remembering,” he tucked their hands back together, “See you tonight guys,” at dinner, they both waved and took off, towards the back half of the market.Jaehyun watched Donghyuck who was staring at the last two jars on the table, he shared a look with Mark, eyebrows raised, nodding at them as Mark sighed. He handed Donghyuck his wallet with a fond eye roll, Jaehyun watched Jungwoo remain oblivious.Donghyuck took a couple steps back from table, shaking his head before re-approaching with a smile. “Oh pickles, I love pickles,” a slow smile spread across Jaehyun’s face at his friend’s antics, Mark snickered, looking away from him.Jungwoo looked up at him with a confused expression. “What are you doing Hyuck,”“I’m your last customer of the day, 2 jars of pickles please,”“Hyuck,”“2 jars of pickles please,” Donghyuck repeated, laughter lacing around his words, he held out the money which Jaehyun took gladly, overwhelming fondness filling his chest.Jungwoo didn’t do anything. So Jaehyun did.“Here you go sir, thank you so much for your business,” he played along, laughing at Donghyuck’s cheesy grin.“No, thank you,” Donghyuck took the pickles from Jaehyun’s hands. He took a step away from the table, spun around and froze. When he turned back to them his face morphed, mouth hanging open, eyes wide when he saw the empty table, on the other side of Jungwoo, Mark was losing it.“Oh my god, sold out, Jungwoo great job,” Donghyuck exclaimed.“You’re ridiculous,” he whispered, shaking his head, but sagging back into his seat with a happy giggle. And he was a little ridiculous, but it made Jungwoo happy which Jaehyun assumed was the point. He was so grateful to Donghyuck whose entire purpose in Jungwoo’s life, it seemed, was to make him smile, make him laugh and make sure he was happy. There wasn’t a single thing about that that Jaehyun had an issue with. They had such a pure, loving friendship, after only a few days, he couldn’t imagine how close they’d be after more time, they already spent so much time together, talked about seemingly everything and Jaehyun as someone who cared immensely about both of them was so glad, they had each other. It seemed like Donghyuck’s friendship was exactly what Jungwoo needed.. When the market closed, they packed the table cloth and sample plate, Mark folded the table while Jaehyun returned the chairs to the closet at the back of the hall. When they returned back to their spot Jungwoo and Donghyuck were talking to Seungmin who was laughing with them, asking them if they’d be back next weekend. He came up behind Jungwoo who was excitedly telling the other that he’d have to pickle some more stuff but would definitely be back, since they’d be ready by then anyway. He hugged the younger omega, waving to Hyunjin behind the table and collided with Jaehyun’s chest, he caught him with a laugh and asked him if he was ready to go.Jungwoo nodded and made to grab his bag but Jaehyun was faster, throwing it over his own shoulder, telling him to take it easy since it was a long day. On cue the omega yawned, smiling at him thankfully.  Mark tucked the table cloth under his arm as Donghyuck tucked the lock box inside the bag on Jaehyun’s shoulder carefully. Jungwoo eyed it curiously, probably wondering how well they actually did. He hadn’t counted it yet, but he knew it’d be good, they sold out of everything, it hadto be good.Jungwoo had a silly skip in his step as they left the market, thanking the market’s organizer profusely and telling him he couldn’t wait for next Sunday to which the older beta grinned, shaking Jungwoo’s outstretched hand with a laugh, wishing them a wonderful day. And how could they not, after that? The sun was high, breeze cool and gentle as it blew through the village streets, which were thrumming with people running their Sunday errands, buying food for the week at the general store, rushing here and there, chatting in clumps around the fountain in the town’s center or on the steps of town hall, their energy only matched by Jungwoo’s who was positively glowing next to him. He nudged him, grinning when he squeaked.Jaehyun smiled at him softly, wondering if his own smell was as potent as Jungwoo’s right now. The omega grinned at him, took his hand and squeezed, leaning against his arm as they walked through town back to his hut. This confidence, this guy who took it upon himself to initiate things was thrilling and powerful and Jaehyun was getting weaker and weaker by the day.Jaehyun shifted hearing whining behind them. When he turned slightly, slowing down enough to take in the scene behind him, the sight made him and Jungwoo laugh.Donghyuck was hanging off Mark’s shoulder, feet dragging slightly as the older boy kept moving, not giving in to his complaints.“Markie,” he whined again.“Hyuck, you can walk, stop it,”“I just want to cuddle,”“But we’re walking babe,”“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to cuddle,”“Hyuck please,”Donghyuck stopped, pout firm, eyes annoyed. He was watching him and Jungwoo with narrowed eyes but Jaehyun didn’t know what they had done wrong.“You don’t hold my hand,” Donghyuck said next, arms crossed no longer walking. Mark stopped when he noticed the omega had too, oblivious to Jungwoo and Jaehyun watching them curiously.“Seriously,” Mark groaned.“Hold my hand,” Donghyuck insisted, next to him Jungwoo huffed out a laugh, giving his hand a squeeze.He squeezed back and watched his ears go pink.Mark huffed but took his mate’s hand much to Donghyuck’s excitement, the omega squealed and started walking again, catching up to them quickly with a skip in his step. Jaehyun caught Mark rolling his eyes but he also caught him lifting their twined fingers and kissing the back of the omega’s hand with a smile. Donghyuck snuggled against him happily for the rest of the walk, no issues, no minor tantrums just four wolves soaking up the gentle sunshine, enjoying their walk and the company. And if that wasn’t enough to make Jaehyun’s whole week bright, Jungwoo made $225 selling his pickles. He asked him if he’d be free the next day to come shopping with him, so he could buy some more stuff to pickle. Of course, he agreed. He felt like he understood Jungkook’s position a little better, watching Jungwoo blink at him sweetly, how could he ever say no to that smile?Answer, he couldn’t.Follow up, he didn’t want to.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

That night at dinner he watched jealousy take over each of the boy’s faces’ when Jaemin bragged that he had three jars of pickles at home from Jungwoo’s table at the farmer’s market. The looks he was fixed with after Jaemin spilled the beans were comical. Taeil was scandalized that they hadn’t told them, offended that he wasn’t able to buy pickles for himself, Johnny asked a million questions about how it went and Kun wanted to know what was so special about Jaemin that he got pickles before any of the others. Jungwoo put his hands up, eyes wide, he promised them that this was a last-minute thing Jaehyun helped him with, he didn’t tell anyone they were doing it and it was pure coincidence that Jeno and Jaemin were there too. Jaehyun laughed as the offended looks got turned to Jeno, who froze over his dinner, asking with his mouth full what he’d done wrong.And then Donghyuck came to Jeno’s rescue. He watched the offense fade when Donghyuck started describing how good of a day they had, all of their faces morphed, impressed he hadn’t said anything about it before now. Since it was mere hours since the market, that left plenty of time for Donghyuck to excitedly let everyone know about the latest adventure he’d had with his new best friend. Jaehyun himself was also impressed that Donghyuck hadn’t streaked through the village that afternoon making sure everyone knew about Jungwoo’s table for next weekend. Jungwoo tugged on Donghyuck’s hand, pulling him closer to himself as they ducked together, conversation about pickles and farmer’s markets effectively ended as Jungwoo hid his blush behind Donghyuck’s shoulder, the younger wolf waved his hands around to the others as if to say, talk about something else, go on.And they did, conversation picked up easily as Yuta launched into a story, they’d all heard a dozen times but never got old, and then it went around the circle, each of them trying to get everyone to laugh harder than before. Jaehyun watched Jungwoo giggle, coming back out of his flustered, shy, hide away behind Donghyuck, to pick at his dinner and talk to Kun quietly.He could see that the boys loved Jungwoo. He fit with them like he was always meant to be there, a piece they’d been missing. He fit with them, his presence in their life made so much sense it was a wonder they never noticed something was missing before.As time passed, he started to see it more and more.He found that Kun and Jungwoo got along like he knew they would, talking to each other in what sounded like a secret language. Jungwoo and Taeyong bonded over his life in the city, going to school in Seoul, a place Taeyong always wanted to visit. Jungwoo encouraged them to go, saying he and Taeil should take a trip there before their lives forced them to settle down and stay put for a while.Jungwoo and Sicheng got along great as well, the two of them and Doyoung could sit huddled all dinner long talking to each other without stopping and barely touching their food. The younger boys also loved him to pieces, Jisung, Chenle and Renjun stared at him with stars in their eyes. Jeno got a kick out him, fondly watching him and laughing at his jokes like they were funnier than anything else he’d ever heard.Jaemin thought he was adorable and was trying to get Jungwoo to take a job at his family’s shop, which sold the fish they caught from the lake. His reason was that Jungwoo would need more than strictly what his pickles could make for him. Jungwoo thanked him, not wanting to sound ungrateful but right now, he’d said, it wasn’t for him, he couldn’t stomach the smell of fish. Jaemin smiled and made him promise that once the pup was born, he’d give it serious thought. Jaehyun asked him after why exactly he thought Jungwoo would be so great in the shop and Jaemin looked at him like he was crazy. “Are you kidding me,” he had said, “you’ve seen him right, he’s adorable, I think he’d have everyone eating fish, wanting fish, needingfish, right,” he’d looked to Jeno and Renjun for confirmation, but the duo just rolled their eyes at him. Jaehyun laughed, thinking his friends reasoning was hilarious but also not liking that he wanted to capitalize on Jungwoo’s looks and sweet naïve personality. When he’d said so to Jungwoo, he smiled, rolled his eyes playfully but didn’t say anything more. Jaehyun wondered how many times in his life, had people discounted Jungwoo and his goodness because he was beautiful or innocent. Didn’t they realize those were merely additional qualities not his definitive personality traits, he was so much more.Jungwoo had talked about finding something casual too, to be able to put money away since he wouldn’t be able to work for a while after the pup was born. Door open, Yuta came through.Yuta taught physical education at the school and knew that they were looking for a new advisor for the young pups, it was more like a day care position but there was room for growth or change since most of the teachers moved around from time to time. Jungwoo adored kids and was instantly taken to the idea of working with them every day. He’d told Yuta he was interested so he set up a meeting with the principal for him.Jungwoo stressed, paced and freaked out for days before hand, telling Jaehyun he wouldn’t get it and he’d have to be content with what he made from the pickles. He kept saying, I won’t get my hopes up, I won’t do that to us, but Jaehyun could see him getting excited. He could see it growing as the day of his interview got closer, not wanting to set himself for something but also hoping for it anyway. Jaehyun did his best to encourage him, telling him it’d be fine, he’d be fine and if he didn’t get it, something else would come up.Jungwoo smiled, appearing thankful for his support but Jaehyun knew. He knew he wanted this. He wanted this normal, standard thing that would put him on par with everyone else. He wanted someone to give him a chance, so everyone could stop acting like he was a spore threatening to poison their water and infect their children. He needed this. And Jaehyun wanted it for him.He’d met Jaehyun after, who’d been pacing the courtyard outside the old school, with tears in his eyes.“What, what happened,” he’d asked, immediately assuming the worst, ready to storm inside and level whomever had made him cry. He wasn’t above that.“Nothing, he wants me to start next week, casual, like I wanted, just 2 or 3 mornings a week till after the pup’s born,” Jungwoo shook his head like he was stunned.“That’s good right,” he’d been so confused, not understanding what was wrong with this.“Yeah, it is…I just can’t believe they want me, meJae, to work there,” his eyes welled up. Still believing that he was the scourge of their society like so many tried to convince him of when he’d first come back. “I mean, I’d been hoping and dreaming since Yuta set it up for me but it’s happening, it’s working out…is it real,”Jaehyun laughed, “Yeah it’s real,” he squeezed his shoulders when Jungwoo bounced closer on the balls of his feet. “You’re wonderful, why wouldn’t they want you,” he smiled at him, tugging the omega close to hug him as he laughed through his happy tears.So Jungwoo had a job, a real job. Jaehyun knew this would happen eventually. That progress would be slow at first but sooner or later people would start to realize he wasn’t an infection they needed to ward off, he was just like them a wolf trying to make a life for himself, and he wasn’t going anywhere. People were, thankfully, starting to get tired of wasting their energy on pointless hate and instead were treating him with passive, subdued kindness rather than hostility.At dinner that night Jungwoo had hugged Yuta for so long that Sicheng actually stood up, eyes wide, looking at Jaehyun to do something. But he just let them have their moment as Yuta stroked his back, head tucked into Jungwoo’s shoulder as the omega thanked him profusely for giving him this chance and recommending him for it. They laughed when they pulled back, Yuta brushing the happy tears off Jungwoo’s cheeks, tongue caught between his teeth as he whispered about them being coworkers, getting to have lunch together and make fun of what everyone else was wearing. Jungwoo smiled back, asking him sweetly if he actually did that. Yuta shrugged, pulled him into his side and changed the subject, tugging Jungwoo down to sit with him as he asked Ten about his day, knowing the omega would fill the void expertly. He did. The others followed, jumping into stories and laughing with each other but Jaehyun, like always, couldn’t take his eyes off Jungwoo.Especially when he was so far away, in Yuta’s arms, of all people. He knew it was nothing. But the longer he watched the worse he felt. He knew that sometimes, reasoning escaped wolves, especially where alphas and omegas were concerned. Not that Jungwoo was his omega. Or that he was his alpha. They had a long, long way to go for that, if they even reached it at all, but looking at him, grinning up at Yuta, looking so content and comfortable, his chest ached. He felt, physicallyfelt his wolfs’ head tip at the scene, sit down on his haunches and watch them, much like Jaehyun knew he was doing. He imagined if his wolf were here with him, sitting beside he’d look like a giant, confused dog, head cocked, tongue out, ears down. Jaehyun took a deep breath, reminding himself and his wolf that he didn’t own Jungwoo, he could sit with other people, enjoy other people, especially other mated people.It was fine.He was fine.They were fine.His wolf whined but retreated, curling up inside him, snout buried under his tail, so he didn’t have to watch anymore. Childishly, he wished he could do the same. Would his friends think that was weird? Of course, they would, he’d think that was weird. Jungwoo would probably think he was nuts, so he didn’t do it. But it was really tempting. After Kun and Taeyong and Taeil and Yuta there was Donghyuck. Jaehyun already knew what they had was special, he’d witnessed it and thought about it. And still, even though he’d thought about it plenty it was still worth mentioning. Their bond was different and undeniable, where others learned about each other, asked questions and grew, Donghyuck and Jungwoo acted like they’d known each other for ages, their friendship was just effortless.Jaehyun watched them, fondly, maybe a little enviously. They were like soulmates. Which Jaehyun knew wasn’t true because Donghyuck’s soulmate was, without contest, Mark. But they were certainly well paired and enamored with each other, so perhaps soulmates in the platonic sense. Whatever it was didn’t really matter because they were adorable. And Jungwoo had a best friend so there was nothing to complain about honestly.They had nicknames and codewords, they laughed constantly, whispering to each other, spending most dinners together, wrapped up in silly stories like they didn’t spend the afternoons at Donghyuck’s house trying to bake.It was hilarious. They were hilarious. And so fond of each other, the others teased Mark saying he should be worried that Jungwoo was going to steal his mate’s heart right out from under his nose. Donghyuck snorted upon hearing this, saying it was ridiculous because Jungwoo already had it, safe and sound, sticking his tongue out at the flabbergasted alpha, kissing him to let him know he was teasing.Their close bond meant he wasn’t surprised when a couple weeks after the initial dinner, Donghyuck cornered him after dinner, finger shoved in his face, eyes narrowed and let him have it. Which is where he found himself now, watching Donghyuck talk himself up, challenging Jaehyun, admittedly he was a little frightened. Also, a little surprised it took Donghyuck such a long time to say something to him about it.“I know you’ve liked Jungwoo your entire life and I’m not sure what your deal is with him now, but I swear to god Jaehyun if you hurt him-”“Hyuck,” he held up his hands, pulling him aside so the others could pass them, eyeing them curiously before losing interest.“I might have been your friend longer, but I’ll end you Jung, if you hurt him, we’re no longer friends got it,”Jaehyun smiled, “Got it,”Donghyuck nodded, pleased, “I know you never would, I just wanted to make sure you knew…that if you screw it up, I’ll take his side,”Jaehyun stepped closer to him, wrapped an arm around his shoulder as they moved away from the fires, “I’m happy he has you Hyuck,” his hand reached to ruffle Donghyuck’s wavy hair. “And for the record, I have no intention of ever hurting him, and if he does get hurt, I’ll be right there with you in his corner,”Donghyuck smiled up at him, eyes bright in the dim, gentle night, “I’m happy he has you too Jae,”Jaehyun watched Donghyuck fade slightly, he wrapped his arm around him tighter, nuzzled his head fondly. Donghyuck laughed, wrapped an arm around Jaehyun’s waist as they started down the path away from town.“You know that’s the second shovel talk I’ve been given since becoming friends with him,” he admitted, smiling when Donghyuck giggled.“Really, I was hoping I’d be the first. Who beat me to it,”“Jimin,”“Dammit,” Donghyuck whispered, head ducked before he continued even quieter than before, “do you think Jungwoo likes him more than me, as a friend,”The statement surprised him. But he’d had a very similar conversation with Jungwoo about Donghyuck and the rest of his friends. It shouldn’t surprise him so much that Donghyuck needed reassurance and validation because Jungwoo did too, they were so alike, so well matched.“I doubt it Hyuck, he loves you,”Donghyuck beamed at that, “I love him too,” apparently that was good enough for him because he let it drop. They continued down the path till the shapes of the other boys came into view, Mark, Taeil, Taeyong, Johnny and Ten. He looked around briefly for Jungwoo before remembering he was busy in conversation with Kun and Hajun when Donghyuck absconded with him. He was fine, he was a grown up, he’d make it here on his own or someone would help him home if he needed it. He trusted them. But for some reason his absence made his stomach turn. Something didn’t feel quite right about it.Taeyong’s loud, goofy laughter drew him back to the others, as they met up with them. Jaehyun squeezed Donghyuck one last time, eyeing Mark in front of them who turned, watching them, shifting as if pretending he wasn’t hyper focused on his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulders.He lifted his hands placatingly when Mark’s eyes narrowed slightly, Donghyuck flushed, skipping into his mate’s arms with a giggle.“You good,” Taeyong asked, watching Donghyuck and Jaehyun smile at each other as Mark kissed the omega’s head, arms gathering him closer and closer.Jaehyun nodded, about to answer when crunching behind him caught his attention. He turned to see Jaemin, Jeno and Jungwoo coming towards them, down the path. He noticed Jeno’s arm around Jungwoo’s back, Jaemin holding his hand as they led him forward. Jaehyun stiffened, hackles going up instantly when he smelled the sour, panicked smell of rotten peaches wafting off the omega.He moved forward, holding his arms open for the younger wolf, Jeno, the newly matured alpha looked hesitant to let the omega go but released him anyway. Jungwoo stumbled into him, gripped the edges of his jacket, looking up at him with wide, panicked eyes. “What’s wrong, are you alright,” he asked, trying to keep his voice level, calm. Shadows passed over Jungwoo’s face, making him look sick and pale.He took his face in his hands, moved his head around as he scanned him, ears listening for the faint beat of the baby’s heart, calming instantly when he heard its steady rhythm over Jungwoo’s quick breathing.“I just, don’t feel right, my stomach…really hurts,” Jaehyun thumbed over his neck slowly hoping to calm him. He heard Donghyuck such in a quick breath where he’d moved to stand right next to him, eyes wide as he stared at his friend. The others came closer too, drawing in around them as Jungwoo’s breathing started to fray some more, unnerved and thin.Jungwoo’s eyes looked unfocused, even in the dark, Jaehyun could see his gaze seemed faraway.When he thought something felt funny this isn’t what he’d meant to happen, he just meant it was weird without Jungwoo there, walking with them, on his way home. This was so not what he’d been expecting. Jaehyun knew, like most everyone knew, that first time pregnancies could be especially unpredictable. The first trimester in particular, things for the developing pup and their mother were so unreliable, you couldn’t say for sure that something wouldn’t go wrong. The likelihood of losing the pup early on meant the slightest pain or discomfort led to panic. Jungwoo was very visibly, understandably in a panic.“Let’s get you to the healers,” Jaehyun shifted to wrap around his back, ready to guide him to the healer’s hut, wake someone up to look after Jungwoo and his little lime sized, ever growing, pup.“Jae,” Jungwoo reached for his hand, grasping it off his side, his hand was sweaty. “I’m dizzy,”“Ok Woo, it’s just a couple minutes to the healers, just take deep breaths,” he tried to reassure him but could hear from the quake in the omega’s voice that he was teetering on the edge, frightened, working himself up more and more.“What if something’s wrong,” he whispered, grimace pinching his face.“We’ll find out ok, I promise,” and they would find out, sending out a quick prayer to the universe that nothing was wrong with Jungwoo’s pup.“Oh,” Jungwoo whimpered, gripping his arm, nails elongating as he clung to him, it sent pain coursing through him as the omega impaled him, but he knew it was nothing compared to what Jungwoo was feeling.He tucked Jungwoo closer to his side, trying to pull him away, back towards town but the omega was rooted.“Ow,” he gasped, hand pressing tight to his stomach, tears welling in his eyes. “Jaehyun, it really hurts,”Jaehyun felt choked up. But pushed it down, that wasn’t what he needed to focus on now, not when Jungwoo needed him.“Jungwoo, listen to me,” Jungwoo closed his eyes, tears streaking down his face, but he nodded, to show he was listening. “I promise you we will find out what’s wrong, but we have to get you to the healers okay. Have Jimin tell you what’s going on,”“Jaehyun,” Taeil whispered, eyes trained on Jungwoo’s face. “I think he’s gonna faint,”He looked back, noticed Jungwoo’s face paling more, forehead clammy.“Woo, Jungwoo stay with me okay,” he held his face again, “I’m right here, you’re okay,”“Jae I’m scared, why…the pup Jae-”“I know Woo, I know, you’re ok,” he bent down, scooping the omega up with an arm under his knees, he was still so light. Lighter than he probably should be, understanding why Jimin was concerned about it.Jungwoo curled against his chest, arms cradling his still nonexistent bump as his eyes closed, breathing erratic, his heartbeat going crazy.“Do you want me to come with you,” Jeno asked, moving away from Jaemin who seemed upset to let the alpha go again.Jaehyun looked at Jaemin who’s expression was souring by the second. He smiled, “That’s okay Jeno, go home with Minnie, I got him,” Jaemin smiled at him, wrapping his arms around one of Jeno’s, nuzzling into his mate’s neck. “Thank you though,”He started moving away but not before he promised Donghyuck that Jungwoo would be fine when he seemed like he was going to come with them. He sent a hopeless look to Mark who stepped forward but didn’t grab the younger boy. “I got him Hyuck, I’ll come find you tomorrow morning when I know something okay,”Donghyuck didn’t seem completely pacified. Not until Mark hands started rubbing his shoulders when the omega crossed his arms, tears filling his eyes.“He’s in good hands love,” Mark insisted, nuzzling the crown of his head.“I am Hyuckie, it’s okay,” Jungwoo’s small voice whispered, even as frazzled and frightened as he was, he wouldn’t let his best friend suffer or panic because of him. The other omega softened completely, moving to pet his friends head.“Love you Woo, you and the little peach will be just fine okay,”Jungwoo nodded, smile small and tight, “Love you,” he gripped Donghyuck’s hand briefly before Jaehyun felt him seize up, breath whooshing out in a groan.“Okay, we’re going,”He started moving again, feeling Jungwoo sigh when the other’s called out choruses of good luck Jungwoo’s and it’ll be fines. Jaehyun took a deep breath, willing himself to believe that they were right, believing that none of the horrible things he was imagining were about happen. Hoping that his prayers and strong belief alone were enough.…. “They’re both fine you know,”Jaehyun startled hearing Jimin’s voice. He’d been too busy watching Jungwoo, who had finally fallen asleep after hours. He looked up to see the older omega smiling at him gently, he moved forward to readjust the blankets over Jungwoo, covering him better.“Are you sure,” Jaehyun asked, mind reminding him once again how touch and go an omega’s first trimester could be.“I’m sure,” Jimin assured him, cleaning off the side table and putting the unnecessary cloths and utensils back on the cart by the door.“How do you know,” he pushed, watching Jungwoo sleep and remembering how fitful he’d been, how difficult it had been for Jimin and the two other healers to calm the omega down, fearing he was losing his pup when his stomach cramped again and again, hips aching.He only relaxed when Jaehyun moved closer, ignoring the nurse who asked him to leave. Jimin had sent the nurse a look and waved him in, saying he could help.He took the open spot by the bed close to Jungwoo’s head, assuring the other he was in good hands. He relayed messages from Jimin to Jungwoo because it didn’t seem he was interested in what anyone but him had to say. Which was equal parts thrilling and upsetting, his alpha liked the trust of the other, but he didn’t like how worked up Jungwoo still was. He wouldn’t be feeling better anytime soon if he kept stressing and panicking, he needed to calm down and rest. The nurse handed him a bowl of brownish flakes that he eyed, she told him to feed them to Jungwoo who was asking Jimin, through his hysterics, why his stomach hurt so bad.Jaehyun was able to distract him, got him to eat a few flakes and sip some tea and then he had his focus. Jungwoo looked up at him, tears flowing endlessly down his blotchy cheeks as Jimin tried to take blood from his arm, one of the nurses prodded his stomach making him cry out, reaching for him and burying his face into Jaehyun’s sweater. He held him close, reassuring him, laying him down gently when Jimin told him they were done. He brushed his hair away from his eyes, stroked his tears away as Jungwoo whimpered, eyelids heavy. Jaehyun told him it was okay to sleep, rest for the pup so he did, taking Jaehyun’s hand and closing his eyes, frayed voice asking him not to leave. He sat closer, mission acquired, he’d watch over him and be there when he woke up.It was easily, one of the scariest things he’d experienced in his whole life. He’d never felt someone’s panic like that before but as Jungwoo freaked out, nerves going wild inside him, Jaehyun felt sick, dizzy and nervous and like nobody should be touching Jungwoo but him. He had obviously swallowed that urge down, knowing Jungwoo needed more than just his attention, needed medicine and healing. And now that he’d had it the feeling was less, less panicky and obsessive but still there. So maybe Jungwoo had been talked into relaxing but he wouldn’t be. He had so many questions, so many worries and Jungwoo was sleeping, finally, so he’d ask for him.He knew Jimin was the best, but Jungwoo trusted him. He had latched onto him so Jaehyun would of course, gladly, fill that spot, be there for him, in any and all ways he wanted him, and because of that he needed to know. He needed to be sure.“Because I’ve been doing this for a long time Jaehyun. I know what a miscarriage looks like, and,” Jimin sighed, looking away from Jungwoo, “and what one feels like. I know.”Jaehyun instantly felt like shit. It had been years, but he still remembers with stark clarity now how Jungkook had sat curled around the fire with his friends, looking for all the world broken and small and hopeless. It was like he was a child again, shy and quiet, unwilling to talk to any of the other young alphas in their class, afraid they wouldn’t like him, content to sit in the corner, nose buried in a book.That night, that dreadful night so many years ago, Namjoon had rubbed his back and promised him it would all be okay. Hoseok tried to get him to eat and Yoongi reminded him that Jimin was strong and resilient. He remembers stopping by their pit, watched Taehyung take the younger wolf’s face in his hands as he urged him to be brave because Jimin would need his strength, need him now more than ever. He was going to offer some comfort, maybe give his friend a hug when Jin came streaking through town from the healer’s hut, heaving quick breaths as he gasped that Jimin was allowed visitors and asking for Jungkook, they all stood and took off away from the center, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.Things for them changed after that. Jungkook, had doted and loved him in much more blatant, adoring ways and 5 years ago when their first pup was born, he’d never seen two people so happy. Tragedy was all too common in a first pregnancy, Jaehyun couldn’t believe he’d let himself be so insensitive. When he knew and remembered what his friend had been through.“I’m sorry,” that small statement didn’t feel like nearly enough.Jimin passed him a watery smile, shaking it away to make way for his signature crinkled eyes and toothy grin.“It’s okay, this too will make you stronger, right,”Jaehyun smiled, knowing it did make Jimin stronger.“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad Jae,”“I know, and I didn’t mean to make you feel bad either,”“It’s alright,” Jimin sighed, “I do know what I’m doing though,”“I know that too,” Jaehyun sighed, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes, realizing he’d been sat in this chair, monitoring Jungwoo’s breathing, listening to the baby’s faint heartbeat, for hours now, it had to be the middle of the night now. He’d been so terrified that something was seriously wrong with them. That the healers wouldn’t be able to fix it. That he’d lose them. When they weren’t even his to lose.“He just scared the shit out of me,” Jaehyun admitted, feeling small.Jimin’s face softened.“Big proud alphas reduced to sappy, little crème puffs for omegas and their pups, is my favorite thing,”“It’s your favorite thing because Jungkook is a big lug for you and your trio,”“Mhmm he is,” Jimin’s face flushed, he bit his lip as he smiled.Jaehyun looked away, back to Jungwoo, hand moving unconsciously to the omega’s cheek, as he stroked his fingers over the healthy, rosy skin.He could feel Jimin watching him and tried his best not to let that phase him or stop him from looking after Jungwoo, knowing the omega appreciated it and liked it.“He is okay though, I promise. I wouldn’t say so if I was worried about anything,”Jaehyun nodded, trusting Jimin even though it was hard, he believed him. Even though it was really painful watching Jungwoo panic and be in pain he knew that Jimin wouldn’t lie or sugarcoat anything, he wasn’t their head healer for nothing.Jungwoo had been experiencing stomach and back pain, due to what Jimin and the other healers concluded was ligament strain as his body grew and changed for the baby. The dizziness he was feeling, likely brought on by a spike in blood pressure when he started panicking from the pain as it got worse, thinking something was wrong with the pup. They gave him some valerian root tea to ease his pain and help him sleep, ginger flakes to chew on to help with the dizziness all the while promising him that the baby was just fine, that nothing was wrong, and they were both okay. This was all normal. Jimin said it was completely fine, that Jungwoo was fine.That’s what he’d been given so he trusted it. He had to.“When they came and got me, told me it was Jungwoo, I immediately thought someone had attacked him,” Jimin said, fried nerves making themselves known as his voice took climbed up an octave, squeaky and nervous. “Is that horrible,”“No, as far as we know Bobby and his friends have very few morals, we don’t know that they wouldn’t attack him, we just have to hope they won’t,”“Please, I don’t believe that you’re not prepared to do something before it comes to that,”Jaehyun smiled up at him, meeting Jimin’s smirk.“He doesn’t want me stirring the pot,” Jaehyun decided on, he knew he would do something, but he’d also promised Jungwoo that he’d behave, that he wouldn’t tell his dad or step in too much. Jungwoo liked having him in his corner but that didn’t mean that he wanted Jaehyun taking over completely. He didn’t want people seeing him like that.“So, you’re not going to do anything,”“No,” and he wouldn’t, “but I’d break their hands before they could ever touch him,” effectively not giving them the chance to try something. He could bend it a little bit if it ever came down to it.Jimin laughed.“What,”“Nothing,” Jimin responded, moving to pluck a pouch of lavender out of the cabinet on the wall to place next to Jungwoo’s pillow when the omega stirred. He backed up to the foot of the bed, pulled the blanket up to lay it over Jungwoo.“I’m not going to do something if he doesn’t want me to, but you and I both know if I think they’re going to do something, I’ll stop them,”“Regardless of what he’s asked,”Oh, that wasn’t fair was it? Go against Jungwoo. To keep Jungwoo safe. Jimin asked the real questions.“I think I’d rather beg his forgiveness than have something happen to him and live with that,”Jimin smiled at that, apparently liking that answer.The other was quiet for so long Jaehyun had thought he’d left, getting scared when he moved back into his field of vision on the other side of the bed.“I’m glad you’ve found him Jae. And so is Jungkook, he said so the day after the farmer’s market, that it was nice to see you out of your shop, in the world enjoying yourself for a change.”“Did he say that,”“Yeah, it’s nice Jaehyun. You’re always doing everything you can for other people, it’s time you had something for you. And I couldn’t have picked someone better for you,”“Thanks, Jimin,”“What do your friends think,”“They love him,” he said, like it was obvious, and it was. It was obvious that his friends loved Jungwoo, just like it was obvious that he loved Jungwoo. He was actually surprised that he was able to talk Donghyuck out of coming with him, surprised everyone who was there when Jeno and Jaemin helped him down the path didn’t try to follow them, make sure for themselves that Jungwoo was okay.Jimin must’ve taken his silence that followed as his cue to go or start to go.“Can I get you anything,” he asked him, moving back, closer to the door. Jaehyun looked at him, feeling safe and comforted by his permanent smile, half-moon eyes and general protective, caring nature.“No, I’m alright thank you though,”“I’ll stay here tonight, just down the hall if you need me. If he wakes up, come get me, he’ll probably be in a panic,”“I will,” he sent the older boy a thankful smile, attention immediately going back to the sleeping omega. Jungwoo, as if he knew Jaehyun was watching him, shifted with a small groan, arm wrapping around his stomach. He groaned again, head rolling to the side, free arm extending. Jaehyun squeezed his hand, free fingers stroking his wrist, thumb moving over his pulse, smiling when Jungwoo calmed, breathing out in a sigh.He brushed his hair off his forehead, smiling when Jungwoo moved into it, pressing closer to his touch.Jungwoo rolled onto his side, breathing even, “Jae,” he murmured, still asleep.He sat up, giving his hand a squeeze, fingers stroking over his face again, “I’m right here,” he whispered, “I’m not going anywhere,”Jungwoo stilled, smiling in his sleep, he snuffled, moving his head on his pillow so he was closer to Jaehyun’s voice and his warm, soothing smell.Jaehyun kept watching him, happy to bring him comfort when he had previously been so scared. He went back to focusing on his breathing, listening to his and the baby’s hearts as Jimin backed out of the room to give them some privacy.He was too wrapped up watching over Jungwoo while he slept that he missed the older omega’s gentle, supportive smirk.…. Jaehyun didn’t sleep.Not for a single second.He sat up in his chair by Jungwoo’s bed all night and listening to his breathing, counting the pup’s heartbeats to assure himself neither of them were going anywhere.His head slid off his hand where it was propped watching the other. Maybe the sound he made when his neck protested the move woke the other up because moments later, he heard the omega sigh, blinking up at him as he shifted.He watched him flail, visibly worried that he wasn’t in his bed, in his hut. He sat up, looked around, opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.“You’re okay Woo, you’re at the healers,”Jungwoo fixed him with wide eyes, shook his head.“You had a scare last night, do you remember,”Jungwoo took a few deep breaths laying back down. He touched his throat, opening his mouth again. Jaehyun nodded, moving to the cart by the door and poured him a small glass of water. He helped him take a few small sips, Jungwoo pushed his hand away when he was done.“My pup,”“They’re okay,” he promised him.“What,” his voice cracked off at the end, he went quiet.“You were cramping because your body’s growing, trying to make room for another person,” Jungwoo nodded at this, “and you got dizzy because your blood pressure spiked when you started panicking,”“I couldn’t help it,” Jungwoo defended himself. Jaehyun smiled at him softly.“I know, Jimin said that it’s normal, you got scared,”“He promised that they’re okay,” Jungwoo asked, expression a little disbelieving. He didn’t blame that, he wouldn’t trust his professional, medical opinion either.“Yeah, he’s still here, I can wake him up to talk to you, I know I’m…I don’t know anything,”“Jaehyun I didn’t mean it like that, I just-”“I know. And I know you’d probably feel better hearing from your healer. I just meant I don’t know anything about pups and pregnancies, this was new and terrifying for me too,”Jungwoo smiled at him, looking like he felt bad but also really relieved.“Thank you for staying,” Jungwoo reached out for his hand, he tugged it close to his body, rested it on top of his stomach, probably without even realizing.“You asked me to,”“I did,”He nodded, he wasn’t exactly coherent when he’d asked but Jaehyun took it to heart, not willing to abandon the omega when some level of him wanted him to stay with him.“I would’ve anyway, nobody could’ve tugged my butt out of that chair, not for anything,”“Thank you,”“Of course,” he whispered back, leaning over him before realizing what he was doing. He froze, blinking slowly before pulling back. He had been about to kiss his forehead, but that’s not something he should be doing. Jaehyun began internally kicking himself for his lapse in judgement, for nearly getting carried away. He looked down to see Jungwoo blinking up at him, large eyes warm and a little dazed. Jaehyun cleared his throat, standing up.“I’ll uh, I’ll go get Jimin,”He hurried out of the room before the omega could comment on his weird shift in mood or near slip up. Jimin was awake at the desk, standing in the circle of Jungkook’s arms, brushing his hair away from the alpha’s eyes when Jaehyun cleared his throat. They both startled.“He’s awake,”“Ah, perfect,” Jimin pecked Jungkook before pushing him back towards the door, whispering to go relieve Seokjin from early morning pup duty. Jimin turned at the doorway back to the patient rooms, waving to Jungkook as he left before staring at Jaehyun who was frozen by the desk.“Coming,”“Uhm, no I’ll stay here, he might want to ask you questions, I don’t want to make him feel weird,”“Jaehyun,”“It’s fine Jimin, I’ll be here when you’re done,”The omega nodded after giving him a strange look, leaving him to stew in the empty waiting room. It was still dark outside which let Jaehyun fall into weird, sad thoughts about almost taking advantage of the omega when he was so small and vulnerable. Sure, it was just a kiss on the forehead, almost a kiss on the forehead but Jaehyun had promised himself he wouldn’t cross any lines. He was adamant that he’d let Jungwoo steer them wherever they were going, and he’d stick to that.It felt weird.And it felt weirder and weirder the longer he sat in the chair, breaths echoing around him, darkness letting up in shades beyond the large window. One thought nagged and tugged and swirled repeatedly as he waited.Who in their right mind would want someone who’d tried to take advantage of a truly terrible situation, kissing people for the first time while they were laid up, being treated for ligament strain and hbp, what was wrong with him?Actually, don’t answer that!Jaehyun, honest to god, didn’t want to know.…. The walk back to Jungwoo’s took a little longer than usual, the omega taking slow, cautious steps, through the steadily brightening village. He seemed relieved when they got back to his hut, taking a long, deep breath and releasing it slowly.Jungwoo invited him in, made for the kitchen to grab him tea or coffee but Jaehyun stopped him.“You look exhausted,”Jungwoo sighed, head hanging. “I am,”“Then go to bed Woo, you don’t have to entertain me,”“Are you sure,”“Yeah, I’m sure, didn’t Jimin say something about resting before we left,”Jungwoo nodded, giving in.He backed up, away from the kitchen, towards the hallway before stopping again. He looked like he had something to say but hadn’t formed the thought yet.When he spoke Jaehyun had no way of knowing if that was what he wanted to say at all, or if he’d changed his mind.“Will you tell Donghyuck that I’m okay,”“Of course, I promised him I’d stop by anyway,”“Thank you,”Jungwoo was always saying thank you to him. He figured at some point he’d get used to him helping him, at some point it wouldn’t strike him as something so extraordinary and would just be normal. For Jaehyun it was normal. For Jungwoo, well they were working on it“You know you don’t have to thank me for everything right,”“I know, but if I’m grateful I’m going to let you know,” Jungwoo said, like it was obvious. Jaehyun liked that that was his reason, so sweet and simple.“But-”“Jaehyun, can we not argue when I’m so tired, you’d win because I’m off my game and that’s so annoying to me,”Jaehyun threw his head back and laughed, enjoying Jungwoo’s shift in mood.“Rain check then,”“Of course,” Jungwoo rolled his eyes before closing the distance between them, stepping into Jaehyun when he opened his arms for him, squeezing him around the waist for a while. He loved and lived for Jungwoo’s initiated contact.Jungwoo yawned against his shoulder after a few moments which made him yawn, brain reminding him hadn’t slept all night, too busy watching Jungwoo’s fitful sleeping instead. “You sleep too Jae, you sound like you could use it,”Jaehyun smiled down at him sheepishly, not saying anything, just hugged him for another few seconds before releasing him and making for the door. He waved to him as Jungwoo leaned against the door, smiling after him as he walked down his walkway, knowing Jungwoo would sleeping again in a matter of minutes. He decided to take Jungwoo’s advice, head home for a nap, after stopping by to Donghyuck’s and Mark’s place, to let them know how Jungwoo was doing.And then he’d sleep.…. That night, he knocked on Jungwoo’s door, one hand holding a large container of soup, carefully balancing it so he didn’t upset the foil acting as a lid. Jungwoo opened the door after about a minute, wearing a large sweatshirt, cotton pants that were too big on him, hair sticking up in the back, looking soft and warm and rested.“Did I wake you up,”“No, I’ve been up for a bit,”Jungwoo eyed the bowl as he passed him.“Kun made soup and Donghyuck made bread,” Jaehyun said, looking at his hands, realizing neither had the loaf in them, “which I’m just realizing I forgot on my kitchen table, shit,”“It’s okay,” Jungwoo laughed, shaking his head.“Don’t tell him,”“I won’t, what kind of bread was it, when he asks if I liked it,”“Uh, sourdough, I think,”“Probably, that’s my favorite,”Jaehyun smiled at the answer, feeling worse that he forgot to bring Jungwoo’s favoritebread. It would’ve gone so well with soup too.“So, you hungry,” he asked, moving into the kitchen to make them something to eat.“Yeah, starving actually,”“I hope chicken soup is okay,”“That sounds perfect,”Jungwoo stood at the counter behind him as Jaehyun grabbed a small pot, transferring some soup into it to heat on the stove. He turned to see Jungwoo watching him and smiled at him, knowing he had to still be tired if he wasn’t helping or pushing him aside to take over.“You can sit, I’ll join you in a minute,”Jungwoo shook his head, eyeing the counter behind him. Jaehyun’s heart plummeted realizing what he was about to do but Jungwoo was far faster than him, hopping up onto the counter before Jaehyun could help him or ask him not to do it at all. He smiled at him innocently after, watching Jaehyun clutch his chest.Jungwoo started kicking his legs, feet hitting the lower cabinet with soft thuds as Jaehyun moved around the kitchen, making him dinner.“Bread Woo, since I was a dope and forgot the one, I was supposed to bring you,”“In the box by the stove,”In the box was a few different loaves of bread and one fresh looking baguette, which he grabbed. He cut it into pieces on the cutting board next to Jungwoo’s leg, tossed them into a small bowl before moving to grab the butter dish by the fridge, moving it to the table.“Do you want to sit at the table,”“Sure,” he said, voice rising at the end like it was a question.He took the bait.“Couch,” he asked and Jungwoo nodded, smile spreading over his face quickly. He squeezed his knee before moving everything to the coffee table instead, butter, bowl of bread, spoons and napkins.He eyed the fireplace, noticing that inside was nothing but embers, he should’ve checked that when he brought him home this morning, he didn’t event think about it.“Your fire’s dead,” he said to him when he reentered the kitchen, watching Jungwoo’s expression turn sheepish.“I know, I was going to rebuild it when I woke up,”He shook his head at him with a fond smile.“You wanna watch the soup and I’ll restart one,”Jungwoo nodded, this time he was fast enough. Jaehyun stepped in front of him, took him gently by his hips to help him down. Jungwoo landed gently in front of him, hands sliding from his shoulders to Jaehyun’s chest slowly. Jaehyun swallowed thickly, feeling his insides warm up, heart begin to race.Jungwoo looked back at him, eyes big, lips parted, and it was like everything stopped, dropping them in a bubble with soup heating and Jungwoo’s delightful smell wrapping around his mind. He heard the other drag in a shaky breath as they looked at each other, his heart was pounding so hard he figured Jungwoo could probably feel it. Jungwoo’s blinks were slow, peering at him through his lashes in a way that made Jaehyun’s stomach tumble, wolf stand up and wag it’s tail.He’d almost kissed him earlier. Almost crossed the line he’d drawn for himself. And now it was happening again. He knew better than to let himself surrender to those thoughts, to Jungwoo because if he did, he’d never stop. But it would be so easy. So easy. And so good.“Jaehyun,” Jungwoo whispered, his name had never sounded like that before. It was maddening but he couldn’t get wrapped up in that. He shook himself, letting go of Jungwoo’s hips to step back. The space let him breathe, let his heart calm itself. His wolf whined, not liking that they hadn’t taken that chance, it was so perfectly presented for them. But it wasn’t right.He cleared his throat, feeling all sorts of weird and horrible. Twice in one day he’d compromised the omega, putting him a situation he likely didn’t want any part of. Not yet at least.“Soup,” he pointed to stove before scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Jungwoo swallowed, nodded as he grabbed the spoon from the counter, eyes never leaving Jaehyun.“I’ll…do, the fire,”“Okay,” Jungwoo’s voice was small, mouth downturned as he left the room.He wouldn’t think about it. He wouldn’t think about any of it. He focused instead on rebuilding Jungwoo’s fire to keep the omega warm. It was easily stoked since there were still some red embers underneath the cooler ash.Jaehyun was still sat there, legs crossed, building it up when Jungwoo came into the living room with two bowls of soup. He put them both down on the coffee table and plopped down on the couch. Jaehyun watched him wrap a blanket around his shoulders, tucked it around himself tightly before leaning forward for his soup and a spoon.Jaehyun joined him shortly after, satisfied with the fire burning brightly in the fireplace, ready to warm them up, he dusted himself off and grabbed his soup. Jungwoo smiled at him, humming as he took slow sips of his dinner, eyes bright.He looked better, maybe tired and worn out, but he didn’t seem like he was pain or any discomfort which was good seeing as last night he was in such a bad way.They didn’t talk much as they were eating, content to sit in quiet, listening to the fire crackle. But once they were done, Jaehyun eased them out of the silence, leaning back on the couch as Jungwoo tucked his legs under himself.“How are you feeling,”Jungwoo laid his head on his hand, propped on the back of the couch to look at him. “I’m okay, sore but it’s not as bad as it was yesterday,”“You’re still in pain,” he asked, worry spiking. “A little bit, but the tea they gave me helps a lot, and Jimin gave me some extra supplements to relax me if gets bad again,”“Did he say how long this would last,”“Probably a couple more weeks,” Jungwoo said, tucking his hair behind his ear, snuggling into the crook of his arm. “I think I’ve lucked out through this whole thing though, I didn’t get morning sickness too bad, I haven’t had half the awful side effects Jimin described when I first saw him, so if I’m having some pain now, if that’s it, I’m okay with that,”Just because he’d had such a mellow pregnancy so far didn’t mean he deserved to hit horrible, rough spots now that he was approaching the end of his first trimester. Maybe since he hadn’t had any scares, anything bad happen, the universe decided they had to play catch up before he was out of the woods, past his first trimester.Jungwoo didn’t deserve that, nobody deserved that.He had no idea what ligament strain felt like, had no clue if it mimicked a miscarriage, if it presented itself as the terrifying beginnings of one, if it was just scary enough to make you think the worst. He didn’t know what that felt like either. And neither did Jungwoo, because he hadn’t had one and as far as Jaehyun knew he’d never experienced that before in his life either. He wanted to ask if he was scared that that was happening, but he didn’t want to bring it up and upset him.“I’m sorry if I scared you,” Jungwoo whispered, hand reaching out to brush his fingers against Jaehyun’s shoulder. He reached up to take his fingers in his giving them a squeeze, wondering how the omega knew he’d been terrified last night.“You really did,” he admitted, poking him with their linked hands.“I’m sorry,” he said again, ducking close to him, falling into him till his head rested against his shoulder. Jaehyun swallowed, a cozy warmth settling between his bones as a strong feeling of content surged, wrapping its arms around the both of them.“It’s okay, I’m just glad you’re alright, both of you,” he let himself go, running his nose across Jungwoo’s forehead slowly, breathing him in steadily, spiced peaches stuck in his nose. As it should be.“It’s kind of exciting isn’t it,” Jaehyun continued.Jungwoo tipped his head back, they were so close that his features were out of focus. He was still so beautiful to him though.“What is,”“That they’re growing so much, or getting ready to,”Jungwoo giggled, “I know, I can’t wait,” and he sounded like he couldn’t. He wiggled down the couch a little, legs moving to prop on the table, bare feet narrowly missing the empty bowls. Jaehyun had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, which rose to fever pitch before fizzling out as Jungwoo rested against him, head tucked into his neck, hands still linked between them as his other arm wrapped around Jaehyun’s middle. He smiled, not entirely sure what to make of it, any of it.“Will you stay for a bit,” Jungwoo’s breath hit his neck, making goosebumps erupt all over him.He wrapped his arms around him, selfishly allowing himself to have this, since Jungwoo started it.“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered against his forehead, smiling when he snuggled closer.Maybe he didn’t have to make anything of it.Maybe it didn’t need an answer or explanation.Maybe he could just have something.Maybe he could even let himself enjoy it.…. That Sunday, he met Jungwoo at his house at 8, grinning when the omega let him in, blustering at him when Jungwoo tried to grab one of the crates, telling him to wait for Mark. And speak of the devil, he and Donghyuck, knocked on the door before letting themselves in, giving hugs good morning. Donghyuck brought breakfast, insisting they eat before their day, muffins and Jungwoo passed around coffee, herbal tea for himself, which they enjoyed quickly before making their way to the market to set up for their day.Jaehyun liked Jungwoo’s table at the market for all the obvious reasons but he really liked that this had become something he and Jungwoo, Donghyuck and Mark all did together. It was their thing now, after a couple weeks of it, this was routine. And they all seemed to like it. Jungwoo’s table was still extremely popular, they had regular customers and plenty of people who had heard of them from friends and friends of friends which meant business was good for Jungwoo. And Jaehyun was proud. Today, they were sat at their table, chatting before the market opened, Seungmin came over with biscuits and a friend, Jeongin, excitedly wishing them a happy Sunday and offered them each a biscuit with his special chili honey. Jungwoo passed, not trusting his stomach anymore beyond the half a muffin he ate earlier. Mark, looked at Jungwoo like he was nuts, turning down free food and gladly accepted his biscuit as well, with his cheeks stuffed and a smile. Jaehyun laughed at him, split his biscuit in half, saving one side for Jungwoo if he wanted a snack later. After Seungmin moseyed back to his table, giggling with his friend about something they couldn’t hear, Jaehyun pulled Jungwoo closer, rubbing his shoulder as he leaned into his side gently. Jaehyun really liked, that Jungwoo seemed even more interested in having him close recently. After the week he’d had, the event they’d shared, he felt close to him and it felt like Jungwoo agreed. Happily initiating more touches, eagerly accepting him and welcoming him closer whenever he was around. There wasn’t anything about that that Jaehyun didn’t like.He was busy watching Jungwoo’s hair rustle softly every time he breathed out, he was so close to him, when Donghyuck scarfed the rest of his biscuit and started talking.“How was your follow up appointment yesterday Woo, I didn’t get to ask at dinner,” Donghyuck asked, ignoring the open chair in favor of plopping in Mark’s lap, the alpha wrapped his arms around the other’s waist, tugging him close till his feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. The picture of them made Jaehyun smile, this whole experience was also bringing him closer to them, which he had no complaints about either.“It was good, baby’s as big as a lemon and I’m officially done with my first trimester,”Jaehyun perked up, happy to hear confirmation that he was done with the three months all omegas dreaded.“You are,” Donghyuck squealed, reaching out for the other, squeezing his hands as he wiggled, “that’s so exciting Jungwoo, congratulations,”“I-” Jungwoo whimpered, chin tucking close to his chest, hands layering over his stomach, Jaehyun moved closer to him, arm wrapping fully around his shoulder as he started to cry quietly. Donghyuck looked so guilty, horribly so as he covered his mouth and shook his head.“Oh no Woo, I didn’t mean to make you cry, I’m sorry, I was just excited,”“No, no, it wasn’t you Hyuckie, it’s okay, I…I was so scared last week, I was so close to the end of Jimin’s ‘danger zone’ and I thought I was going to lose them,”Jaehyun tugged him closer, moving his head over Jungwoo’s so he could tuck in against his neck. He wasn’t sobbing, it was just gentle, almost relieved tears. He imagined he was thankful, finally feeling like he could breathe easy. To feel so connected to something and fear you were going to lose them when you were so close to it not being such a big concern anymore. Less of a likelihood.“They’re okay Woo,” Jaehyun assured him, mouth moving against his hair as he spoke.“I know,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers curled into his sweater. “They just scared me,”“I’m sorry,” Donghyuck murmured, leaning back into Mark’s chest as he hummed, hands rubbing circles into his mate’s stomach, thumbs slipping under his sweater to soothe him.Mark kissed the back of his head, “he said it was okay lovebug,”“It is okay Hyuck, I was just…I’m just being emotional. I guess that’s starting now huh,”They all laughed, even Donghyuck who brushed a couple tears away, feeling better at his best friend’s reassurance.“No more sadness,” Donghyuck decided, clapping his hands together, “today is Sunday, it’s a good day, let’s talk about something else,” he thought for a moment. Jaehyun and Mark shared a look while Jungwoo’s scent grew strong, happiness swirling around them, mingling with Donghyuck’s which was toning down from sour, bitter, acidic lemons, to perfectly sweetened lemonade.“Oh, I know, Mark got a promotion this week,” Donghyuck sat up proudly, rubbed his mate’s chest and beamed at him.“You did,” Jungwoo sat forward, grinning.“No shit man, really,”“Yeah,” Mark said sheepishly, blushing.“To what,” Jaehyun asked him, knowing he’d been climbing the ladder steadily for a while, he had to be close to the top.“I’m managing distribution now, making schedules for hunting teams and routes,” Mark worked at the storehouse, where they kept any and all game caught for the pack. It was stored there then distributed to the families by designated hunter. He’d worked his way up like most hunters did, started by setting traps and hunting in a group with the others before deciding he didn’t like the brutal aspect of it and instead wanted to do something else. It was Hajun who had suggested he work at the storehouse, there was plenty to do and never enough people to do it all. Mark, had worked, drying meat, sorting it for those who distributed it to the families signed up, and then taking inventory when it came in, supervising skinning and cleaning. And now he was organizing hunting parties and deciding who got what and when. Mark Lee, moving on up. “That’s great Mark, congratulations,” Jungwoo smiled, reaching his hand out for Mark who grabbed it, swung it between them gently with a fond look.“It really is Mark, that’s so awesome,”“It came with a pretty good pay raise too,” Donghyuck turned, wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck and nuzzled the top of his head.“I told your Dad and Jun that it was too much, but they wouldn’t listen,”That sounded like his dad and brother. “You have an important job man, you make sure people get what they need and can survive through the winter, you deserve it,”“I don’t know,”“He’s too modest,” Donghyuck sighed, smiling at Jungwoo when he laughed quietly. “Maybe we can finally get our chimney redone honey,”“Whatever you want,” Mark looked up at the omega with stars in his eyes. Jaehyun looked away from them, giving them their privacy.Jungwoo looked up at him, whispered behind his hand, “do you fix chimney’s,”He held up his hand to cover his own mouth before whispering back, “no,”Jungwoo giggled, kept his hand in place when he whispered again, “ok, I was wondering why they didn’t ask you to do it,”Jaehyun smirked at him, eyes crinkling, “that’s masonry Woo,”He nodded but scrunched his eyebrows, “what’s the difference,”“I’m so offended by that question oh my god,”Jungwoo laughed loudly before composing himself. Back to whispering, “why do you make your own mortar if you don’t fix chimney’s,”“Because I usually do my own foundation work, and patching. I trust myself more ya know,”Jungwoo stuck his tongue out at him, “okay,”And the conversation dropped, Jungwoo content to sit quietly for a bit, easily ignoring the couple nuzzling each other next to them.“They’re ridiculous,” Jaehyun said, smile not dropping for a second. Sometimes they made him jealous, made him want more, with someone, but knew that wouldn’t be happening for some time and he was okay with that. If he wanted him too, it’d be worth the wait.“Yeah,” Jungwoo sighed, sounding sad and a little distracted.“What,”“Nothing,” he was already looking at him, so he caught it when Jungwoo peeked at him sideways, quickly turning back to look at the tablecloth. It clearly wasn’t nothing. But Jaehyun didn’t press him, knowing if he wanted to talk, he would. And Jungwoo looked like he definitely didn’t want to.He only had a split second to wonder if he was upset with him before Jungwoo leaned back against him, quietly telling him about his appointment, hands moving rapidly as he told him about how his mom was knitting his pup a blanket. How she was warming up to the pup after initially being so wary and worried for him. He was glad, Jungwoo came home to be closer to his mom, to have a place to land and he wanted her to be a part of this, and that pup deserved their grandma, truly and happily in their life.Jaehyun listened to him talk, smiled at his chatter till Donghyuck and Mark came back to the real world and joined in. He sat, content with the three of them filling their table with laughter and smiles till the market opened and their day really began.They fell into routine, Donghyuck manned the samples. Jaehyun handled the money, while Mark made sure the customers got exactly what they wanted, handing over their purchase with his signature goofy smile. And Jungwoo answered any and all questions about pickles, happy to have a hand in all of it, excitedly explaining the process to anyone who wanted to know.Their morning was going like all the others had before, easily, seamlessly. Until it suddenly wasn’t. And Jaehyun wondered who exactly was out there determining that Jungwoo hadn’t had enough to deal with the last couple weeks, because this was ridiculous.Donghyuck was trying to encourage a little boy to try a pickled hot pepper while his mom bought two jars of regular pickles, Mark was double checking that the couple in front of him got the right three jars they paid for and Jaehyun was giving the woman in front of him change, it’s then that he smells it. Jungwoo is standing next to him, frozen, sour, rotting peaches fills his nose and won’t leave.He looked around for a source of this development before turning up to see Jungwoo’s eyes huge as they stare down the aisle, towards the back of the market.“What Woo, what’s wrong,”“Why is Hanbin here,” he snarled.“Whoa Woo,” Mark laughed, waving to the couple as they left. “I mean he’s not my favorite person either, but he lives in this town too, ya know,”Jungwoo ignored him. “Oh my god, there’s more of them” Jungwoo turned towards him, burying into his chest with a whimper. This was different. Jungwoo had never reacted to confrontation like this, not that he’d ever seen at least.He looked back and saw them. Hanbin, Junhoe and three of their friends, the three from the river, stalking down the aisle towards their table liked they owned the place. Annoyingly people parted for them, probably thinking they’d shove them aside anyway if they didn’t.Jaehyun felt a growl work up his throat before he could stop it. Donghyuck spun to him in shock as Mark cursed at him, asking him what he was doing.“Donghyuck, come over here,” Jaehyun urged, hoping the other omega could tell he was serious.“What no, I’m doing my thing,” he argued. The words had just left his mouth when Hanbin slid up behind him. Jaehyun watched it play out in slow motion with bile in his mouth, the crowd at their table dispersed as Hanbin took Donghyuck by the waist, hand dragging up his side to spin him around. Mark stood with a growl. Hanbin ignored him, baring his teeth at the omega, who paled and shrunk, staggering out of his hold when Mark hopped the table to likely deck him. Jaehyun was quicker though, he took his friend’s fist in his hand and pulled him back.Mark snarled at him but sobered slightly when he saw it was him.“He’s not here for you man, calm down,” Jaehyun said, begging him to back down and not do something crazy, like pick a fight in the middle of the crowded farmer’s market.“The hell he isn’t, he grabbed my mate, that’s my mate you fuck,” he spat in Hanbin’s direction, the other looking smugger than anything while Mark fought against Jaehyun’s hold. “You’re a fucking pig, he’s mine,”He could only imagine the scene they were making. He’d have to fight like hell to make sure Jungwoo could keep his table after this, such a disturbance of peace, surely everyone would make a fuss about it. Because that’s what they did. Nobody had anything better to do, apparently. “Sorry about that, I just can’t help myself when I see something nice and soft and so sweet smelling,” his voice dripped with filth, it made Jaehyun’s skin crawl.Mark lunged but Jaehyun pushed him back, towards Donghyuck. And that seemed to do it, he took the omegas face in his hands, easing him out of Jungwoo’s tight grip and looked him over, whispering to him quickly before holding him close.Jaehyun turned back to Hanbin, the societal stain, felt a presence next to him and saw Jungwoo there. Bravery personified as he smiled at him gently. “They’re not here for you either you know,”“Package deal,” Jaehyun winked at him before stepping forward, a little in front of the other.“What do you want Hanbin,”“Pickles, you sell those don’t you,” his eyes never left Jungwoo, piercing, ringed in red, like it was supposed to impress people that he couldn’t keep his feral side in check enough to keep it out of his eyes.“I do,” Jungwoo took a deep breath, stepped back to the table, “What would you like,”Hanbin hushed his friends when they started laughing, Jaehyun wondered what their pea brains found so amusing about all this.“Whatever you recommend,” his smile was acrid and smug, it made Jaehyun’s wolf’s fur stand on end.He smirked when Jungwoo handed him a jar of pickled onions, easily the least popular thing he sold, though still well received enough.“$5,” Jungwoo held his chin up, jaw clenched. Jaehyun crossed his arms, catching Mark doing the same as Donghyuck glared the other down, no longer rattled.Hanbin handed over the bill which Jungwoo took, deposited it in the box and passed Hanbin the pickles. Hanbin passed the jar to Junhoe before stepping forward. Into Jungwoo’s space. He took a deep breath and watched Jungwoo stand firm, holding his ground. His eyes narrowed as Hanbin leaned closer, sniffing him, Jungwoo leaned back with it, shivering.“Tell me,” Hanbin growled, “where do you get off smelling like you do,”“Sorry,” voice a quake between them.“It’s annoying really, that you smell so good,”“Is it,” Jungwoo asked, hands braced against his chest, pushing him back slightly.“Especially since, I know what I’m in for. Get what you want from me, like you did from him,” he shoved a finger into Jungwoo’s stomach and smiled when he hissed at him. “You done milking Jaehyun dry yet,”Jungwoo raised his arm to swing at him but Hanbin caught his hand, tsked at him. Behind him Junhoe snorted, “guess that’s a no,”“Shut up,” Jungwoo whispered, whimpering when Hanbin squeezed his hand. Jaehyun heard Donghyuck whine for his friend but Mark held him firm. Jaehyun saw red when water welled in his eyes, sending him a panicked, apologetic look. That, that was quite enough for him.He was fine to let Jungwoo handle it because he was more than capable, but this was…this was finished.He stepped between them, gently tucking Jungwoo behind him and further away from the alpha. His handling of Hanbin was anything but gentle as he shoved him back, sent him staggering into Junhoe and Yoonhyung, while the other two watched with wide eyes.“You got your pickles, how about the lot of you pack it in and get the hell out of here,”“We weren’t talking to you Jaehyun,”“Doesn’t matter, I’m telling you to leave,”Hanbin growled at him, startling Donghyuck again.  “I’m not done with you,” Hanbin pointed at Jungwoo, eyes narrowed.“What’s your problem,” Jungwoo asked, voice rising. Jaehyun saw from the corner of his eye as the omega moved out from behind him, standing beside him again.Hanbin snorted, taking a step closer to them.“You are,”Jaehyun’s stomach dropped watching Hanbin reach out. Jaehyun swore, he felt his world freeze over. He stroked his hand under Jungwoo’s chin.“But don’t worry, we’ll fix that won’t we,” his fingers gripped Jungwoo’s chin tight before the omega snarled at him, swatting at him till he backed away. He had the nerve to wink at the other as he rejoined his friends. Jaehyun felt sick. He had no idea what to make of that. Was he messing with Jungwoo or did he like him and just had a despicable, degenerate way of showing it? Or was that his way of threatening the other? Whatever, it was, it didn’t sit well with Jaehyun.He heard Mark ask Donghyuck if he was alright, before saying something about Hanbin being a disgusting piece of trash, which Jaehyun agreed with wholeheartedly.He watched Hanbin saunter away with his pack, wondering where Bobby was, he always had them doing his dirty work, but never showed his face.“Jungwoo, are you okay,” Donghyuck stressed, coming forward to take his arm. At least Donghyuck seemed fine. Jungwoo didn’t say anything. Instead he stepped backwards into Jaehyun’s chest, he was holding his tiny bump gently, breathing evenly through his nose like he was trying to calm himself down. He never took his eyes off where the pack of alphas had gone, as if he could see where they were heading past all the people and the walls of the building.  Jaehyun rubbed his arms slowly, pushed out a quick wave of his scent to wrap around Jungwoo. Mark called Donghyuck back, telling him that Jaehyun had it handled. And he did. Or he hoped he did. He usually did okay with Jungwoo and this sort of thing. “Can I tell you something,” Jungwoo whispered, voice so thin and frayed it scared him.“Of course, you can,” he didn’t like this, didn’t like the way he sounded. He moved to wrap his arms around Jungwoo instead, gathering him close to lean back against his chest, figured that was the right move when he sighed.“They scare me,”“Jungwoo-”“They didn’t, not before but now. After last week, it’s so real, they’re so real and I can’t stop thinking, what if they do something to me and my pup gets hurt,” Jungwoo turned in his arms, looking at him with wide, frightened eyes. “I’ve been so reckless with them, so selfish, it hasn’t been just me for weeks now and I’ve been picking fights in alleyways and letting them push me around. They could’ve…they could’ve hurt my baby Jae,”“Okay, Woo, it’s okay,”“It’s not okay,” Jungwoo’s voice cracked with his yelp.His breathing picked up then, going quick and sporadic, his pupils narrowing to pinpricks as his scent soured slightly.“Mark,” he called, keeping a hand on Jungwoo while he reached for their coats off the pile next to their table.“Yeah,” the other picked his head up from where he was guiding Donghyuck into a chair, telling him to sit and relax while he did everything else.“Man, the table,”“Why’d you ask him to do it, I can do it,” Donghyuck squawked, looking at like he’d betrayed him. Apparently, he really was fine, if he could manage to be annoyed about that.“Both of you do it,” he stifled the groan, now too hyper focused on getting Jungwoo out of here.“Where are you going,” Mark asked.“Jungwoo needs some air, we’ll be back,”Donghyuck took one look at the other and nodded, wordlessly shooing them away.Mark called for them to take their time as he guided Jungwoo out of the market, into the cool early November air. When it hit him, Jungwoo took a huge breath and held it. He tucked his coat around his shoulders, moving them further from the building so they could sit at one of the picnic tables on the green behind it. “Jae,” Jungwoo said. He perked up, stopped where he was ready to help him sit down on the bench.“Yeah,”“I’m anxious,”He nodded, looking around them, “you wanna walk,”“Yes please,”He held out his hand, threaded their fingers together and pulled him away, down the path that led away from the village, an easy excuse to ignore it for a while..“Do you think I’m going to be a bad parent,” the question shocked him, he wondered if that showed all over his face, if Jungwoo could see it. When he looked at him, Jungwoo was looking across the river instead.“Not at all,”“But do you-”He took his hand, dragged him around to face him, there were dried tear tracks on his cheeks. When had he been crying? He didn’t hear that.“Not at all, I think your pup is going to be the luckiest little thing in the world to have you as their parent,”“But,”“No buts, you are going to be so good at this,” he promised him, knowing he would be so good. He would raise his pup to be kind and gentle and honest and fierce and true to who they were, he couldn’t wait to meet them and see how they grew, see who they grew up to be.“But I’ve been so careless with them, how could you think that,” ah yes, crying now. Jungwoo pulled out his grasp, pacing away.“Can I tell you what I’ve seen,” he asked him, Jungwoo turned around, he sniffled, wiped his nose on his sleeve but nodded.“I’ve seen the bravest omega I’ve ever met, standing up for themselves when they should’ve never had to,” he watched Jungwoo bite down on his smile, cheeks flushing immediately.“Jaehyun,” he ducked his head, turned away a little with a small laugh.“I’ve seen someone a pup would be proud to call their mom, because they’re strong and resilient and they don’t back down,”“Jaehyun,” a little more insistent but no less embarrassed.“I’ve seen you stand up for yourself and hold your own against people double your size, to protect yourself and your pup. I was there that day, in the alley, when Hanbin touched your stomach, you fought back, that was for your pup, how could you possibly think that you aren’t going to be good at this,” he reached out to brush his cheek, wiping the tears away before he could decide not to do it. “Because I’m not used to being scared. I’m scared of them Jae, it makes me feel weak and small and awful, they’d be ashamed of me,” the nervous energy was working off him in waves which Jaehyun didn’t like, he took his hands, swung them between to calm him, distract him.“I don’t think that makes you weak. You’re scared because you’re thinking of them, you’re considering them in your life and you don’t want to endanger them. I think they’d be thankful for that,”“But what,” he tried to argue but Jaehyun cut him off.“No, no more of that Jungwoo, you are going to be an amazing parent. I believe that. It’s okay to be scared, that just shows that you’re aware you can’t go getting into fights anymore, you have to be careful because it’s not just you anymore, it’s real now,”“So real,” Jungwoo breathed out like he didn’t believe it.“I know it’s scary but you’re not alone in this okay,” and he wasn’t. He never would be again.“I know,”“You have me, I don’t mind being leaned on,” and he didn’t.“I know,”“And the guys, they’re all here for you too,” and they were.“I know Jae,”“We’ll sort it all out, I promise,”“I just want them to stop. Now that they’re so…so,” he looked down at his stomach, which was a barely there bump to Jaehyun but probably seemed real and large and there to Jungwoo, hand pressing against it gently. “It’s not just me, I don’t care what they do to me, or I didn’t. But now, it’s both of us, I can’t stand it.”“I know,” and he did. Jaehyun swore if it was the last thing he did, he’d make sure Bobby couldn’t order his bullies around and that Hanbin, Junhoe and the rest of the ugly bunch knew their place, didn’t bother anyone anymore.Jungwoo was quiet after, content to take his hand and start walking back to the village, the long way. When they reached the community center, the doors were open, but the hall was empty, save for the vendors who were cleaning up their tables. They looked at each other before hurrying towards their side, Donghyuck was folding the table cloth laughing as Mark took slow steps towards him, flexing his muscles. Donghyuck clapped and oohed, asked him to spin and pose, giggling when Mark did. Donghyuck dropped the cloth on top of his bag, reaching his arms out for Mark who rushed to him, picked him up and spun him quickly. He kissed over his face while Donghyuck’s giggles filled the empty hall. Jungwoo laughed next to him.Mark must’ve caught sight of them then because he went bright red, set Donghyuck back on his feet, “Hi guys,” he called, voice cracking slightly. Donghyuck spun, lighting up.“Hi, Jungwoo,” he hurried towards them, took him gently by the arms as he looked him over. “Are you okay,”“Yeah, I’m good, just had a mild…a minor panic attack, I’m good though,” he promised.“After that I’m not surprised,” Donghyuck huffed while Mark hissed something along the lines of ‘disgusting dirt bags,’ both very true statements. Jungwoo smiled at them, shoulders dropping like he felt better.“How’d we do,” he asked, mood appearing much betterDonghyuck smiled, “all gone,”“Everything,” Jungwoo asked at the same time Jaehyun said, “Wow, again,”Jungwoo looked at him, thoughts passing over his face rapidly before he looked between Donghyuck and Mark, deciding something.“Even after…that,” he asked, to none of them in particular.“Yeah, people actually seemed bothered that Hanbin would do something here, while we were just working our table. It was nice, hearing people talk like that about them instead of…” “Instead of me,” Jungwoo asked, knowing what Donghyuck meant without him saying it. They all knew and had each heard different instances of people in the pack being cruel regarding Jungwoo and now that they were closer, they were all varying levels of sensitive to it. “Sorry, that…that is nice,”Jaehyun rubbed his back, feeling better that maybe everyone really was coming around. It was happening faster, without his doing anything, in larger ways than before. It was reassuring and good.Jungwoo sighed, looking at them all before speaking again.“You guys keep the money this week,” he said. Mark and Donghyuck gaped at him, sharing a quick look.“No Jungwoo don’t be silly,” Donghyuck argued.“You manned the table the whole time while I freaked out. You put up with Hanbin and his creeps, he got to you too Hyuckie, please, you guys deserve it,”“Jungwoo,” Mark said, coming to stand next to Donghyuck. “They’re your pickles, we come here to help, because we love you not because we expect to get something out of it. And that was…not great but we dealt with and it’s over now,”“Can we split it,”“Nope sorry, your pickles, your money,” Mark held up his hands, clearly not taking any more answers on the subject. “I’m sorry you have to put up with that kind of shit,”“It’s okay, it’s getting better actually,” Jungwoo said, looking over his shoulder at Jaehyun who smiled back him.Mark hummed before he opened his arms, Jungwoo sighed, shuffling forward to give Mark a tight hug. Donghyuck hopped on them after a couple moments, waving Jaehyun close, to join them. So, he did. He wrapped his arms around them, his goofy little trio, and held them close, breathing in Jungwoo’s happy peachy smell, mingling with Donghyuck’s smooth lemonade scent and Mark’s warm maple, together they smelled so good, so content. And Jaehyun could’ve stood there all day, wrapped around his friends, listening to Jungwoo laugh and feel good about himself. Jaehyun knew that in life every good came a bad. That was standard right, typical universal scaling. Everything stays even if you take a good with a bad.What he was finding more and more recently was that every good was really good and every bad was getting less and less evil looking. Or maybe that was just Jungwoo influence, turning to see him turn into Mark’s shoulder with a laugh as Donghyuck pinched his cheeks.All things with Jungwoo seemed really good and the bad seemed inconsequential.Jaehyun liked that scale a lot.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun felt even more responsible for Jungwoo after his incident the other night, health scare sending him for a loop and needing to know things with the omega were okay at all times. It was all too much. Jaehyun and his alpha were going crazy.As if he weren’t obsessive enough with him already. It felt like he needed to be doing more, any number of other things to help. To ease his burdens and make things easier for him when his life just continued throwing curve balls at him.This new level led him back to the issue of making sure Jungwoo was eating. It was such a simple thing but now that he knew for a fact how much the pup would be growing, Jungwoo’s scare evidence of it, he took it upon himself to make sure he was eating.Jaehyun hunted, which meant he could bring him extra if he wanted it. The problem would be asking him what he was doing for food Monday and Tuesday night, when there weren’t pack dinners. It wasn’t that he didn’t think he was eating, it was more he didn’t feel it was something he should have to think about. It was something Jaehyun wanted to take off his mind, take care of for him.He didn’t want to offend him.He imagined this would lead them that direction. Because he remembers his hesitance to accept any form of help or gift earlier on in their friendship, he’d warmed to the idea of being helped out, but he was still proud and determined to do things on his own. An offer would probably sound to Jungwoo like Jaehyun didn’t think he could take care of himself and his pup which wasn’t true at all. But he knew Jungwoo. He knew what he’d think.But he felt he had to ask.To be able to provide food for him, alleviate his mind to think about other things, leave him to spend his hard-earned money on things for the pup rather than food, he knew he had to give Jungwoo the choice. The option to say yes or no to the offer.Maybe it was a little old fashioned, an alpha providing for an omega, but he hoped Jungwoo wouldn’t see it that way or take it badly. He didn’t mean it badly at all, it was well intentioned.But he knew he’d need reinforcements.So, he asked his mom for a batch of sweet buns, which she was only too happy to provide him with. She appeared to glow when he told her who they were for, brushing his hair out of his eyes and told him to make sure they were eaten well. He knew they would be, Jungwoo loved them. And he may have also asked her for a few pieces of the chicken she’d made him for lunch the other day, if she still had some. She did. His mom wrapped them both up for him and sent him on his way. Tuesday afternoon rolled around, and he was sitting on Jungwoo’s steps waiting for him to come home from work. If anyone kept track of him, they’d probably wonder what Jaehyun actually did with his time these days. He was always with Jungwoo or doing something for him, was he working, did he have time for anything else? Yes, he just budgeted his time differently now.He was eager to make Jungwoo his offer, knowing it could go either way. They were on such good, equal footing at the moment, but he knew Jungwoo’s pride was a wicked thing, even now, after everything. If he wanted to win, he’d have to meet Jungwoo on his turf, make him feel like he had more to gain. And of course, he did, he was getting food! Or he would.Jaehyun crossed his fingers. Hoping that even if it went south, Jungwoo didn’t cut him out, he couldn’t deal with that. Jungwoo brightened instantly when he saw him, waving excitedly and hugging him before inviting him inside.“Sit, Jae I’m just going to change, I’m a mess,” Jungwoo said, pointing to the worn couch. He was a slight mess, he had green streaks down the front of his shirt and something powdery on the leg of his pants.When he came back, he was wearing a loose pair of cotton pants and a well-worn knitted sweater, both items a size too big for him. He was still so little, even 12 weeks pregnant there was hardly any evidence of his being pregnant, waist still so slim, though if nothing else, his face seemed fuller, which he liked. And he’d been healthy, well taken care of since his last visit to the healer’s, which had terrified Jaehyun enough that he paid extra close attention to Jungwoo. He looked out for any signs of his discomfort or overexertion, knowing some things couldn’t be helped but he was there for Jungwoo to lean on if he needed him. “What’s up,” he asked, coming to sit next to him, he tucked his legs under him, letting out a long sigh.“I brought you something,” he pointed to the wrapped box on the low table in front of the couch. Jungwoo narrowed his eyes but smiled. He reached forward, grabbing the package and unwrapping it quickly. His eyes lit up when he saw the dozen sweet buns, smiling brightly at him, hands stilling over the container with the chicken.“What’s this,” he wondered. He’d been getting better at accepting things but Jaehyun could see he still wasn’t completely comfortable with it, wanting to argue before giving in.“I told my mom how much you liked the sweet buns,” and he had, after the first dinner, “so she made some.”Hoping maybe Jungwoo wouldn’t turn down a gift from his mother. “And she made me this chicken the other day for lunch and it was awesome, so I brought the leftovers,”“Jae-”“You can say you won’t take them but I’m not taking them back, so they can sit here uneaten but they’re not leaving with me.” He crossed his arms, giving the omega a look when he raised his eyebrows at him.He sighed.“Does she like pickles,”He laughed, “Mhmm, you know not everyone expects something in return, it doesn’t always work like that,”“You hush,” Jungwoo got up from the couch, taking the sweet buns and chicken with him into the kitchen. He came back with two jars of pickles, putting them down on the table in front of Jaehyun, sweet bun placed on top which he started eating with a happy hum. Jaehyun watched him closely for a couple moments quietly before speaking again. “If I make you an offer, will you think about it seriously and not immediately shoot me down,” he asked. Jungwoo smiled at him indulgently as he got comfortable again.“Maybe, I think it depends…on the offer,” Jungwoo’s smile went softer at that, eyes glittering in the bright sunshine filtering into his living room. He had the windows open, the air outside was cold but not unpleasant as it wrapped around them on the couch, ruffling their hair and making Jungwoo move closer to him, unconsciously probably.He laid his head back, rolled it to look at him.“Can I hunt for you,” Jaehyun asked quietly, not wanting to break the easy, calm air around them. Jungwoo’s smile faded slightly as he sat back, “Now wait before you say no-”“Jaehyun,”“Jungwoo, wait please, can I explain why-”“No,” Jungwoo crossed his arms, shifting further from him on the couch. He scoffed, sitting up.“Please,” he said, taking his wrist and shaking him gently. The omega huffed at him, shaking him off with a small glare.“Fine, go ahead,” he turned his head, looking like he might be trying to ignore him.“I have plenty of people that I hunt for, just like all the other wolves who help provide for the pack. Just like Johnny. The hunters have lists of families they provide for, and we portion out what we catch, giving it to them based on request and I could add you to my list…easy.”“Jaehyun you don’t need to do that,” he sighed, playing with his fingers, “I’m eating fine,” “What were you going to eat tonight, if I didn’t bring that chicken,” he asked him, hoping it didn’t sound patronizing. But imagining it did anyway when Jungwoo flinched, standing from the couch. He paced briefly before stopping, staring at him, displeased.“I have bread from Hyuck and Kun and I went shopping yesterday, I have stuff,”“Okay,” he said, smiling at him as Jungwoo avoided his eyes, ears going red.“I’m making money now Jaehyun,” he huffed at him.“I know you are,”“I don’t need you to…to do this stuff for me okay,”“Okay, that’s fine, I just wanted to ask. Since I do it for plenty of people. Who, by the way, don’t ask us to do it, we just do it,” he said, watching him tuck his hair behind his ears, one hand dropping to settle over his stomach, the pressure drew the sweater tight to him, showing the slight outline of his barely there bump. “But if you don’t want me to, I won’t,” Jungwoo watched him closely before he shook his head, slowly, breath huffing out of him.“Don’t do that,” Jungwoo said, arms crossing.“What,”“Don’t make me feel bad for not accepting your offer, I can take care of myself,”He smiled, despite himself, wondering how he managed to get himself in trouble when he was giving the omega what he wanted.“I know you can,”“And I don’t like you thinking I can’t,”“I don’t think that at all,” he stood, moving around the table to stand in front of him, ducking his head when Jungwoo looked away from him. “I don’t,”“Please of course you do, why else would you bring me that chicken,”“Because I’m nice,” he said, Jungwoo wasn’t impressed with that answer, he tried again with his honest answer. “Because I thought you’d like it,” Jungwoo looked up at him, eyes meeting his reluctantly, “and because I care about you,”Jungwoo went red, looking away from him again.“I know you can take care of yourself, I don’t ever mean to assume you can’t but we’re friends and I thought friends could do nice things for each other, like bring them extra food and give them presents from their mom,”He turned, making to go sit back down on the couch when Jungwoo took a hold of his hand. He applied pressure to keep him turned around. Jaehyun smiled, wondering what he was doing. He came close to him, resting his forehead against his shoulder, Jaehyun’s heart kicked inside his chest, wondering if Jungwoo felt it from where he was pressed. “Is there a way to accept your offer without you judging me now that I’ve freaked out so bad about it,” Jungwoo whispered. Jaehyun smiled, squeezing his hand gently.“I’ll make you a deal,” he cleared his throat, “to alleviate your guilt.”“Okay,” Jungwoo said, head rolling, he imagined his cheek squished against him and his own face warmed at the thought.“You let me hunt for you,” Jungwoo nodded against him, “and you cook something great with it and let me come eat it with you,”Jungwoo laughed, “It sounds like this deal benefits you way more. You hunt for me, which is what you wanted, and you get a meal you didn’t have to cook. What’s in this for me, besides the food,”Jaehyun smiled, knowing he was making out like a bandit here, but also knowing there was plenty in for Jungwoo. Hopefully, he’d agree.“Uhm you get to spend time with me, knowing you’ve made me happy by letting me do this for you,” he knew his answer was pretty ridiculous, but he figured, well he hoped Jungwoo would find it funny, relax with his attempt at flirting.Jungwoo’s arms wrapped around him as he sighed. He shifted, wanting to turn and hug him back. Jungwoo squeezed him tighter, not letting him move. Jaehyun brushed his hand over Jungwoo’s over his stomach, smirked when the omega whined at him.“What are you doing,” he asked, trying to tilt his head back to see him. All he got was a glimpse of his hair.“I don’t want you to look at me,”Jaehyun felt his chest squeeze around his heart.“Why not,”“Because I’m blushing and I’m stupid,”Jaehyun bit his lip, giddy over everything that was happening to him right now. Jaehyun was much stronger than him and turned easily in his arms, promising he wouldn’t look at him, instead laying his head on top of Jungwoo’s as the omega tucked into his chest.“You’re not stupid,”“Yes, I am,”“Why,”“Because,”“Because why,”“Because I always think I’ll stick to my guns and you always make me change my mind. You probably think I’m a flake,”“The words Jungwoo and flake have never crossed my mind in the same wave length ever, I promise.”Jungwoo sighed heavily, rubbing his nose against his shirt. His wolf was going nuts, to put it lightly, he was freaking right out at all this attention from the omega they liked. It was almost too much. Almost. “You can hunt for me,” he looked up at him, “but I will be cooking you dinner, and you will eat every bite, and you won’t tease me when I burn something or wreck it, got it,”Jaehyun nodded, running his hands down his back as his smile grew.Jungwoo rolled his eyes, “You just got exactly what you wanted,”“I did,” he chuckled, squeezing him tight and laughing harder when Jungwoo groaned. “But now I’m kind of stressed about it,”Jungwoo looked at him funny, “why,”“Because…are you gonna poison me or something,”“No,” Jungwoo shook his head, “I mean I won’t do it on purpose,”Jaehyun laughed, loosening his hold a little and smiling when Jungwoo leaned closer.“That’s all I ask,” He wrestled himself out of his arms a few moments later, huffing and swatting at him when he tried to grab him back. He moved towards his tiny kitchen, shaking his head. Jaehyun stood frozen in front of the couch watching him.“Jae,” Jungwoo called from the kitchen. He peaked his head out, looking at him. “Are you staying to eat now,” he asked, quirking an eyebrow like he was testing him. Jaehyun smirked before moving to join him. They moved around each other easily, Jungwoo cut up two potatoes to fry up as a side, while Jaehyun grabbed a pan to heat the chicken.And they ate and talked and Jungwoo told him all about his day, about the pups, about how they clung to him, telling him he smelled nice and warm. They talked about his pup, how he was feeling and as he talked Jaehyun watched Jungwoo’s eyelids get heavy, stomach now full he could relax and rest. He guided the tired omega to the couch, laying the thin throw blanket over him and urging him to nap, promising he’d clean up.“You shouldn’t clean up, you’re my guest,” Jungwoo smiled, speech slightly slurred, already slipping under.“But you cooked, it’s only fair Woo, rest,”“Jae,”“I think I can manage a couple pans and dishes, rest,” he brushed his hand through the omega’s hair till his breathing evened out. His arms wrapped around his middle as he rested. Jaehyun stood, cleaned the kitchen, wrapped up the last piece of chicken they didn’t eat, knowing Jungwoo could have it for dinner tonight or lunch tomorrow. Maybe he’d been reluctant, but he had food and now Jaehyun would hunt for him, help him store plenty of food for the winter. He’d need it, eating for two was only going to become more and more important as the pup grew.Jaehyun, without any urging, made this his own personal mission, luckily Jungwoo was okay with it. Luckily, the omega didn’t seem averse to having him around.Jaehyun was even beginning to think, Jungwoo actually liked it.…. Jaehyun liked his new routine. He spent his days doing odd jobs and random things for other people. Some days he ran errands with Jungwoo where he’d treat him to lunch midday, carry his bags home for him with the omega happily chirping beside him. Then he’d go, busy himself with something else until he made his way back to Jungwoo’s to pick him up for dinner. So much of his time these days was absorbed with Jungwoo. Not that he minded that too much.Errands with Jungwoo, farmer’s market with Jungwoo, dinner with Jungwoo, hunting for Jungwoo, building a drying cabinet to store what he’s caught for Jungwoo, pretty much everything he did led back to Jungwoo.Before the omega came into his life, he had always thrown himself into whatever his main focus was at the time. Whether it was work, projects or helping other people, he had a knack for leaving himself no time for other stuff. He’d tried to balance his schedule better the last few years but even then, he would do so much for everyone else and then not have time for himself.Unless it was dinner, he’d always counted that as his free time indulgence. A few hours eating and laughing with his friends, that had always been all the wind down he required. His friends were distracting and goofy and always managed to be just what he needed.With Jungwoo it felt like every moment was for him, for them, where he was doing things he wanted to, doing things he felt proud of, spending his time for himself, not for anyone else.With Jungwoo in his life, he didn’t always need to be working, he didn’t need to exist in his workshop or in the woods hunting, he was allowed to take time for himself and just enjoy downtime.He loved it, but he’d admit he was being a little lax with his work lately. Not that he was neglecting things but there were certainly other things he could be doing. Projects he could stand to work on or draw up plans for. These thoughts plagued him most of the week until Friday came, and he made a deal with himself.After hunting, he’d head to the shop, let Minho, his business partner, go early and catch up on things. So, he did.Or he would’ve.Something had to be said for his intentions. Because he did wantto go into work. He was going to. But life had other plans.Other unexpected, terrible plans.…. He was leaving the store house with Johnny, shoving each other as they went when he caught a whiff of his brother’s panicked oaky smell and Minho’s rich coffee scent getting closer.He saw Hajun streak around the building at the end of the block with a couple pack officials and Minho in tow, all of them looking panicked.“Jun,” he called, stopping his brother in his tracks, “what’s going on,”“There’s a fire, at the school,”His stomach plummeted.Jungwoo had a shift at the daycare today.“The new school,” he croaked, feeling Johnny step closer to him as a pitiful, surge of hope tried to convince everything was okay.“No, the old one,” Hajun said, face paling as he too realized that Jungwoo was working this morning. “Johnny,”Johnny stood up straight, looking ready to receive an order.“Head back to town, my dad should be in the meeting hall, tell him there’s a fire and gather anyone you can. Jae, come on,”There he was, the alpha who was set to take over for their father. He didn’t always want the role but more and more he was filling those shoes. He was damn good at it too.As if he knew where his mind was going Hajun came forward, ruffled his hair softly before tugging his wrist.“He’s fine, come on,” Hajun assured him, pulling him along by his sleeve. They all took off at a run, hoping his feet would get him there fast enough.A simple Friday morning, all he wanted to do was try and get some work done and he still managed to get himself distracted by something Jungwoo related. He never minded that.But he definitely minded this.He could so easily be hurt.A fire?
A fire?!
A fire wouldn’t care about Jungwoo or his pup. A fire didn’t care what he meant to Jaehyun.Jaehyun tried not to think about that though.Instead he willed his feet to move faster.And begged the universe not to do this to them.…. The school sat a good 5-minute walk from the center of town, just past the community center. At a run, they got there in half the time, heart dropping to his feet, wolf running circles at the sight of the school building going up in smoke.The flames billowed out of nearly every window on one side of the building, left wing starting to cave as the flames ate up the roof.Instantly, as if on auto-pilot he started scanning the school yard for Jungwoo. He saw a couple of the other daycare advisors in the grass by the swing set, a good distance away from the burning building, distracting the little pups who didn’t understand why they were outside in the cold.“Seonghwa,” Hajun’s voice cut through their stunned, panicked silence.“Yes,”“Take a couple guys, find the buckets and pumps from the shed behind the school, we’ll need all of them,”Seonghwa nodded before guiding the rest of them away.“Do you want me to do anything Jun,” he asked, not totally conscious of the fact that he’d said it.“No, you can go find Jungwoo. And Yuta, make sure they’re alright,”“Okay, thanks,” he made to run across the yard, “be careful Jun. I’ll be back,”Hajun smiled, waving him away before he could say anything else.He rushed towards the group of young pups and their teachers, knowing Jungwoo was either with them or they’d know where he was. He began panicking again when he didn’t smell him, head automatically assuming the worst.He saw Wendy, the daycare’s director, crouched, soothing the distraught little pups, gently tapping their heads, she stood and continued moving her hand. Counting them.She whipped around, motioning for one of the other advisors.He approached her slowly, not wanting to scare her. “Wendy,” he said.She spun, eyes huge, forehead sweaty.“Oh Jaehyun,” she took a deep breath.“Have you seen Jungwoo,”She sighed, bending to pick up one of the pups who’d started crying.“No, and two of the pups are missing,”He backed up, towards the building. An odd sort of calm worked over him as he decided what he had to do.“He’s still inside,” voice nothing more than a croak. He had to get in there, get Jungwoo out.“Jaehyun,” she called but he was already on the move, towards the building.“I’ll get them Wendy, I’ll be back,”“No Jaehyun wait-”He didn’t see Hajun coming his way but suddenly he was there holding him back.“Jun,” he thrashed against his brother’s arms.“You can’t go in there Jae,”“Jungwoo’s still in there Jun, I have to,” he broke away from him.“Jaehyun, if you go in there, you might not come out, they have people in there looking, just hang in there,”Jaehyun rounded on his brother.“If Kun were in there you wouldn’t be stood here doing nothing,” at that Hajun looked sympathetic. He knew Jaehyun was right.“Jae,”“Let me go Hajun,”He did, but not before giving him a brief hug.Jaehyun was nearly to the doors, heat smacked him in the face from the flames burning mere feet away.  He froze as he reached the school’s entrance, hearing someone call out Jungwoo’s name. He spun and saw him and Yuta staggering out from the side of the building, a young pup cradled in Jungwoo’s arms while another held tight to Yuta as they rushed away from the school.They were okay.He was okay.He got out.His wolf collapsed inside him, relieved as Jaehyun rushed towards him.Yuta was quickly checking everyone over, having a quick conversation with Wendy as he handed off the pup in his arms to one of the other teachers. He was covered in soot, looking a little like he’d crawled out of a fire pit, while Jungwoo looked clean and unharmed, at least from here. Yuta saw him before Jungwoo did, pointed to him as he took the pup from Jungwoo’s arms easily.The omega turned around, eyes met his. Jungwoo appeared to deflate before hurrying towards him, tears rushing down his face as he collided with him. Jaehyun couldn’t quite describe the feeling that coursed through him at having Jungwoo close, now after he’d been so terrified of what was happening inside that school.Jaehyun lifted him off his feet slightly while Jungwoo buried against his shoulder, clinging onto him but Jaehyun wanted to look him over, make sure he was okay, ask him what had happened, if he needed anything. He set him back on his feet, shushing him as he whined when Jaehyun started pulling back from him.Jaehyun moved his head away from his jacket, held his face gently, brushed away some of his tears as he scanned him, shifting his head around to double check every inch he could see. The pups heart beat was faint and steady as always which was nearly the best thing, he’d heard all day, only rivaled by Jungwoo’s wet, relieved laughter.“You’re alright,” posing the question if Jungwoo wanted to answer it.“Yeah,” Jungwoo whispered, cleared his throat. “The fire started in the art room, by the gym. Yuta rushed to get all of us out, we didn’t even know there was a fire, it was on the other side of the school. He had to come back for me because Minhyuk wouldn’t…he wouldn’t leave without his teddy bear, which of course wasn’t in his backpack. And Jisoo wouldn’t leave without Minhyuk,”He looked over Jungwoo’s shoulder and saw the little boy cradling a small stuffed bear.“Oh my god,” a really irrational part of him was livid that a little boy could’ve cost Jungwoo his life and his pups life all for a stuffed animal. Jungwoo, maybe, could sense his anger rising as he thumbed over his neck, stroking his cheek.“I’m okay,”Jungwoo gave him such a reassuring, gentle look he couldn’t argue with it, instead he nodded his head.“Don’t do something like that again-”“-Jae-”“-for a teddy bear Jungwoo, really,”Jungwoo was quiet when he spoke next.“I’m sorry,”Jaehyun groaned, tugging him close to hug him again, tighter this time.“Good, you should be,” Jaehyun rasped, “sooner or later, you’ll get sick of scaring me,”Jungwoo laughed a little, fingers delving into his hair.“Thought you were done putting yourself and your pup in danger,” Jaehyun whispered, hands settling on the small of his back.“It’s not like I started the fire Jae,”“I know…I just,” the, I can’t lose you, went unsaid. Jungwoo pulled back to knock their foreheads together, stroked down the back of his head, through his hair.“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He knew. He had to.Over his shoulder, he watched Yuta start towards them. Then stop. Look away. Then start towards them again, like he didn’t want to but had to.Jaehyun cleared his throat, separated from Jungwoo a little. He didn’t like that though because he held onto him tighter, head moving to rest on his shoulder.“Sorry,” Yuta whispered when he got close enough.“It’s okay,” Jaehyun smiled at his friend, looking him over, he didn’t look hurt, but he was an absolute mess.“The healers just got here to look everyone over, and you and I should…probably help put this bitch out,”“Yeah, I’ll…I’ll be right there,”“Yuta,” Jungwoo called, stopping him, “Thank you,”“Anytime Woo,” Yuta patted his back, “but like hopefully not again, ya know,” he laughed to himself as he eyed Jaehyun when he tightened his arms around the omega, pulling him closer and away from Yuta slightly. Totally foolish and ridiculous but he couldn’t help it.Yuta smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. Morning spent fighting a fire and he could still manage to be a total ball buster to him.“I’ll be helping…over there, when you’re done,”He reached out to swat him as he passed, moving down the hill towards the school to help the others.“Jungwoo,” he tried, hands running down his sides to try and ease him back. It didn’t work.“No,”“Jungwoo,” he huffed, fondly exasperated. But barely. He could hardly find it in himself to be angry or annoyed with the fact that Jungwoo didn’t want to let him go.The other made a choked noise, tightening his arms around his shoulders some more.“Don’t go in there Jae,” he sounded strung out and desperate, like his worst fear was being realized. As bad as that made him feel it also had his chest warming up pleasantly, wolf preening inside him.He smiled against his neck.“I’m not, I’m just going to help put it out. I won’t go inside,”Jungwoo sniffled, peeking up at him.“You promise,”“I promise,”He didn’t think about it. It felt right. Necessary.Like they’d both been stressed out and needed to feel close.This time when he looked at him, got caught in those eyes he leaned close to him, pressed a kiss to his forehead as he rubbed his back. He didn’t second guess himself. He didn’t doubt it. Jungwoo sighed, eyes closing. He stayed just like that even when Jaehyun let go of him.Jaehyun wondered if a kiss on his forehead had been enough to toss him into a daze. Because he looked a little starry eyed.“You stay here though, I’ll be back,”Jungwoo opened his eyes slowly.“Okay,”Jaehyun squeezed his hand before hurrying down the hill towards the others who were busy filling buckets from the water pump at the far edge of the courtyard.When he reached the others, Johnny had gotten there with his dad and a few alphas from his council. Hajun was filling buckets, passing them down the line to refill another at his feet.Yuta was there getting his shoulders squeezed by Johnny, face washed off slightly, when he noticed Jaehyun there.Jaehyun smiled at him, thankful to see him now that he knew Jungwoo was okay.“You good Yu,” he stepped close to him to tug him into a hug, which the other sagged into.“Yeah man, you good,”He nodded, ignoring Yuta’s knowing smirk.“I’m great,” he answered, knowing he owed him a huge debt for what he did for him today, “thank you, for going back in there for him,”“Like I wouldn’t have, he’s important to me too you know,” it eased his nerves and his mind hearing that Jungwoo had such an unwavering spot in their lives now. He was vital to all of them, what they would’ve done for each other anyway, anytime, now included Jungwoo as well. It felt good to hear.“I know…but thank you,”“You’re welcome,” Yuta’s smile said, ‘and I’d do it again,’ and Jaehyun figured he would. For him and for Jungwoo.Yuta looked ready to say something else, mouth open when his dad came over, arm draping around Yuta’s shoulders as he looked the three of them over.“Hey kid,” his dad sent him his signature, wide, honest grin. The one that had him admitting to stealing his mom’s spiked cider when he was 16, the one he gave him when Jaehyun told him he wasn’t interested in anyone his mom was trying to set him up with. The one that made him feel safe and sound, like a pup who still needed his dad, glad he was always there. Even now.“Hi dad,”“You alright,”“Yeah, I came with Jun, to help,”His dad nodded, squeezing Johnny’s arm with his free hand.“Jungwoo alright,” his dad asked next, moving away from his best friends to instead give him a squeeze.Johnny and Yuta snorted beside him.“Yeah he’s good, thanks,” he kind of wanted to ask how he knew Jungwoo was working here but stopped himself, figuring he probably knew a lot more than Jaehyun gave him credit for.“I’ll make sure the healers know to check him over pretty good, for the pup,” Jaehyun smiled at his dad, liking that he was being so open-minded and supportive. He hadn’t even told him or his mom about Jungwoo yet. Mainly because there was nothing to tell, they weren’t official or set in stone. He was crazy about him, but everyone knew that. Everyone including his parents apparently, seeing as his dad was already clued in on his close relationship with the omega.“I’m sure Jimin will make that decision for you, he’d never…I’m sure he’ll check him first anyway,” Jaehyun smiled at his dad, watched his attention direct to Yuta again.“You good kid,” his dad asked him, ruffling the front of his hair, dislodging some pieces of ash. “I’m good sir, thanks,”“Sooman,” the school’s principal, “told me you kept going back in,”“I…I couldn’t,” Yuta’s eyes met Jaehyun’s, “just leave anyone in there,”“I get it, I’m sure there are plenty of parents and mates who will be very thankful for that,” his dad squeezed him, “maybe we’ll try and keep it from Sicheng though, right,”“Yeah,” Yuta laughed, kicking Johnny when he threw his head back with his own laugher, “he’s gonna kill me, when he finds out,”“He won’t hear it from me,” his dad smiled conspiratorially, “make sure you get checked too okay,”“Okay, I will,” Yuta ducked his head, smiling after him as he walked away to join the others by the water pump. Jaehyun noticed that his dad seemed glad to let Hajun run things, not butting in or taking over.“You should get checked man,” Johnny said, stepping back into his spot next to his best friend.“Yeah, just go now, I think we can manage without you for a bit,”As if on cue Yuta coughed, rubbed his eyes but shook Johnny off him, telling them he was fine. That he’d get checked after the others, after all the pups were cleared. He ended the would-be argument when he walked away from them, towards the pump and the others, easily falling in line to help.Jaehyun moved to follow them after one more quick glance back towards the hill. Where the healers were busy at work, looking over the pups and teachers quickly but thoroughly.Jimin sat in front of Jungwoo as he checked him over, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders to calm him.Each year had a full class worth of students. And now all of them were scattered across the courtyard, up and down the hillside to stay out of the way and be a safe distance from the fire. It was organized chaos, the older kids were terrified, knowing how close that could’ve been, the mid years seemed glad to get out of class and the littlest pups were divided between being blissfully ignorant to their surroundings and upset that they were outside, that their teachers seemed upset.He noticed after Jimin left Jungwoo, with a quick nuzzle that he got swarmed, two pups coming to sit with him, another plopping in his lap and another hanging around his shoulders and playing with his hair. The omega seemed truly content at that, smell mellowing out from what Jaehyun could smell over the smoke, glad to look after them, distract him from his own worries.With Jungwoo distracted he felt like he could finally help, without feeling bad about leaving him.He wasn’t leaving him he was fine.Jaehyun just liked to worry.…. In the time it took to put the fire out, half the school had been completely consumed, the right wing remained standing, a little charred but majorly untouched. He noticed that dozens of extra people had gathered in the courtyard of the school while Jaehyun and the others were fighting the damn thing, wolves with extra blankets and food, parents to collect their pups, all varying levels of terrified at what had happened.Jaehyun laughed when he caught sight of Donghyuck passing out muffins with his boss from the bakery, ditching his basket and the pups in front of him in favor of Jungwoo who had moseyed over to him. Donghyuck grabbed him, hugging him so tight that Jungwoo’s eyes widened. He ducked his head into his friends’ shoulder, body shaking as he cried. Donghyuck brushed his hair back, wiped his tears softly as he shook him and suddenly Jungwoo was smiling, wiping his nose on the blanket his was clinging to. He accepted a muffin from the other, agreeing to sit with him when Donghyuck started corralling him to sit on the edge of the hill again.He smiled at the pair of them, going back to collecting the buckets at his feet, when he saw Minho doing the same thing.His partner sent him a grin, looking tired and a little sad.“You alright,” he asked him as they made their way to the shed to put the buckets back.Minho nodded, “I guess it’s gonna be a rush to finish the new schoolhouse now,”“I know,” he sighed not looking forward to having to speed through the rest of the work, both he and Minho liked taking their time to make sure everything was done right. “I was looking forward to that being our early spring joint project. Finishing the little bits, we left for ourselves,”Minho laughed at him, dropping an arm around his shoulder as they left the shed, making their way back around the rubble of the school.“You think your friends would be interested in taking a couple days off work to help,” he asked. Jaehyun smiled, figuring they could be talked into it.“Yours too,” he said, knowing Kibum, Jinki, Yixing, and Chanyeol would be glad to help out if they needed it. He was sure if Minho’s mate, Taemin hadn’t just had their second pup a month ago, he’d be offering his help too.“They’re probably already out there, waiting to be given a job,” Minho said, breathing out a quiet, fond whisper of ‘idiots’. Jaehyun laughed with him, telling him he’d see him at the shop later to draw up some more plans. He was suddenly glad he’d been on top of the extra milling for their lumber stores before summer was over, they’d be needing it now.He watched Minho walk away, back towards the crowd of wolves still gathered to help, likely asking if there was anything more, he could do before taking off. They wouldn’t be able to enter the school till the rubble was cleared a little, building deemed safe to see if there was anything salvageable for the new school building. And rubble couldn’t be cleared till the mess wasn’t still gently smoldering. So, there wasn’t really much more any of them could do here.That thought in mind, Jaehyun decided to go check on Jungwoo, knowing Hajun or his dad would come get him if they found another job for him to do. Johnny and Yuta had made their way over to the two omegas pressed together in the grass. He smiled when he saw Jungwoo move to share his blanket with Yuta, cuddling close to the alpha as he put his head in his hands, eyes closing.He made his way to them, eager to be with them and hear what they were talking about.Donghyuck grinned when he saw him, busy rubbing Johnny’s shoulders as the other ate a muffin like he hadn’t eaten all day.“Hey,” lowering to the ground in front of them. Jungwoo looked at him, reaching out to brush the ash out of his hair with a gentle look. Jaehyun smiled at him, smiling wider when Jungwoo blushed a little bit.He looked at Yuta, “did you get yourself checked yet,” listening as Jungwoo made an upset sound next to him.“You haven’t gotten checked yet, Yuta, go get looked at,” Jungwoo started pushing his shoulder but Yuta didn’t move.“I’m okay, this muffin is working miracles,” he reached out and tousled Donghyuck’s hair over Jungwoo’s shoulder, sticking his tongue out at him when Donghyuck scrunched his nose.“You should get checked Yuta, you were in there for a long time,” Jungwoo pleaded with him. Jaehyun wondered if those big eyes and the gentle, warm, swirl of his smell had the same impact on others as it did on him. He figured yes when Yuta visibly melted, nodding as he stood. He draped the blanket back around Jungwoo and shuffled away, he flipped them off when Johnny made a sad ‘bwuhn, bwuhn,’ sound as he went.They all watched Jimin perk up where he was showing a pup his stethoscope, when Yuta approached him. He stood and looked Yuta up and down, face falling with whatever Yuta said to him before guiding him to sit and fussed over him for a while.Jaehyun looked back to the others in front of him, knowing Yuta was in good hands. Jungwoo was already looking at him, he sat up straighter at the attention. Jungwoo smiled, patting the spot next to him, lifting his blanket when Jaehyun moved to join him.His wolf did a happy little trot in his chest when Jungwoo immediately leaned into him, sagging as his arm wrapped around his back. He wasn’t sure if he imagined it or not but Jungwoo seemed to press his head close to him, snuggling upwards when Jaehyun’s nose made contact with his forehead. Maybe he was…asking for something. His heart fluttered a little at the thought.It wasn’t a huge change for them, they’d been affectionate with each other from the get-go but Jaehyun didn’t like assuming things were okay when they weren’t. And there was something odd and disorienting about asking, thinking about posing the question to Jungwoo. That seemed weirder than their genuine progression towards gentle, forehead kisses and touches that lasted longer. This was natural right? It seemed it to him. It seemed good.  And Jungwoo seemed to like it.He seemed like he maybe even wished he’d do it again.So, for the second time, Jaehyun didn’t let himself think too much more on it, knowing thinking got him into trouble, messed with him. Instead he leaned close to the other. Nudged his head up to press a kiss to his forehead, smiling against him when Jungwoo sighed, definitely worth not over thinking.“Jae, do you want a muffin,” Jaehyun turned to look at Donghyuck and caught him and Johnny looking at them with matching wide eyes and big smiles.“I’m okay, thanks,” he whispered, lips moving over Jungwoo’s warm skin as he spoke.“They’re good,” Jungwoo tucked closer to him.He smiled, nosed at his hair as it rustled, “oh are they,”“Yeah, blueberry,”“I guess I’ll have one,” Jaehyun stuck his tongue out at Donghyuck when he pulled a face at him. “You had one,”Jungwoo nodded against him.“Want the top,”Jungwoo snuffled but held his hand out, “I never liked blueberries, but the pup doesn’t agree with that,”They all laughed as he popped small pieces into his mouth, humming with each bite. For the moment the chaos of the morning had died down. Everyone in the yard had started dispersing, either heading home or back to the jobs they’d abandoned to help with the fire, teachers still managing to distract the kids who hadn’t been picked up yet knowing they wouldn’t be heading back to class today.Jaehyun was enjoying the calm, partly listening to Donghyuck and Johnny’s quiet chatter while the other part of him was counting out the pup’s heartbeats, smiling as his and Jungwoo’s synced for a couple beats. It was good and easy. Until a shout from across the yard startled them.Sicheng collided with his brother, shaking him as his gaze shifted rapidly around him, eyes crazed and scent sour.So much for trying to keep Yuta’s stupidly heroic actions from him. He already knew. Poor Yuta. Johnny stood seeing him, about to make his way towards him when Yuta’s voice called out Sicheng’s name instead. He stepped away from Jimin, down the hill towards his mate who visibly sagged seeing him there, alive and safe.Jungwoo and Donghyuck sighed dreamily when Sicheng raced towards the alpha, hopping into his open arms and quickly scenting him, nose pressed to the side of his head as he ran it up and down, clinging to him while Yuta tried to tell him he was okay.Johnny looked back at him, “guess they’re definitely better,”“Yeah now they are,” Donghyuck added, all of them watching them fondly. Yuta set him back on his feet gently, let himself be pushed around as the beta checked him over, brushed his hair back and scanned him. Sicheng started hitting him, swatting his chest as his mouth moved rapidly, he could only imagine the chewing out Yuta was getting.  Jaehyun heard Yuta promise him that he was in fact okay, Jimin said so, as he caught the beta’s hands in his own, kissed his knuckles. Sicheng seemed okay with that, sighing as he tugged him close to kiss him. Jaehyun looked away, meeting three other guilty faces as they all focused on anything but Yuta eagerly kissing his mate back.Wendy came over while Donghyuck was distracting them, trying to get Jungwoo to have another muffin which he scoffed at, whining that he’d already had 2 and a half, not even swayed by the sing-song way he said blueberry.“Hey Jungwoo,”Jungwoo perked up, sitting forward out of Jaehyun’s hold. The wolf inside him backed up, hitting a sore spot in his chest, where doubt lived, and panic reigned. Jaehyun shook himself, scolding the beast that lived next door to his heart for being ridiculous.He knew he provided comfort, security and stability. He knew that for them, Jungwoo and himself, that might be all he’d ever be, a bright spot in this weird, downward facing world they lived in. He might never measure up and be mate material for the other. Jaehyun could try as hard as possible to fit the standards and meet the expectations but never make it. That might be it.Sometimes that seemed silly because Jungwoo was so agreeable to having him around, so eager to spend time with him and return his touch. But other times…Things like Jungwoo brushing off his touch in front of other omegas, wolves he didn’t know too well, made his insides turn. Made him doubt. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. Things like this told him not to, told him that hopes were meant to be dashed.All his efforts could lead him right where he started. To platonic friendship. Strictly.If that’s what happened, if that’s what Jungwoo decided on, it would hurt but he’d be okay with it. He’d have to be. It was better than nothing.Jungwoo’s sweet voice pulled him out of the horrid shadows of his mind, plopped him back on the hillside by the burned down school, with peaches and lemonade hanging heavier in the air than the smoke that still clung to the space around them.“Hi, Wendy,” Jungwoo chirped, sitting up straight.“So, maybe it’s obvious but no work tomorrow,” she said sadly, mouth down turned. Jungwoo nodded, visibly upset by this. Jaehyun rubbed his back gently.“I’m gonna see tomorrow about maybe having the kids come to the community center instead. Just our kids, for daycare. They have art rooms and the gym, so it might work, at least they’ll have somewhere to go,”Jungwoo nodded.“I’ll let you know though,” she smiled, backing up, “but no work for you tomorrow, blessing in disguise maybe,”Jungwoo laughed a little, waving as she left, reaching her hand out for the line of pups waiting for her, she guided them down the hill to the pack of parents waiting for them.“Why a blessing in disguise,” Donghyuck asked faster than Jaehyun could.He heard him gulp a little.“I’m just having those pains again,” he admitted, looking at Jaehyun sheepishly.“Woo,”“It’s okay, I know what they are, and I have that tea and the herbs Jimin gave me and they help,”“But…” he asked, knowing there was more he wasn’t saying.“It’s really painful,” he whispered, wincing as he said it.“Are you cramping right now,”Jungwoo whined, “no,”Johnny laughed as Donghyuck reached out for his hand, Jungwoo gladly took it and squeezed, ignoring Jaehyun calling him a liar.They left shortly after, most of the school yard emptied out. The four of them met up with Yuta and Sicheng at the bottom of the hill, still pretty much attached, though no longer kissing so intensely.Jungwoo stepped forward, rubbing Sicheng’s arm as he spotted them and pulled away from Yuta.He tugged Sicheng into a hug, “don’t be mad at him Sicheng, he was so brave,”“I know, I’m not too mad at him anymore,” his eyes twinkled at the alpha.“All the pups he got out of there, we didn’t even know there was a fire. We wouldn’t have if he didn’t come to get us all out,”Jaehyun watched Sicheng watching Yuta. Eyes warm, smile gentle, as he reached back out for him, wrapping around him as they all made for home. Jaehyun did have work to do, even more than he did before. Which meant he was glad when Donghyuck decided to stay with Jungwoo for the rest of the day, taking it upon himself to keep him company and distract him from the bizarre, terrible morning he’d had.Jungwoo didn’t seem thrilled that he was leaving, grabbing his hand when he made for the door. His eyes met Donghyuck’s, silently pleading for a minute alone with the other. He stood up and went into the kitchen without any sort of fight or rebuttal.“I don’t want you to go,”“Jungwoo,”“I know you don’t like baking but it’s not all bad, it’s kind of fun. We won’t talk too much about boring, trivial omega stuff, I promise,”Well that was tempting as anything.“Jungwoo, I do have some stuff to do,”“Do it later,”He laughed at that, heart stuttering when Jungwoo smiled at his amusement.“Well I’ve been putting it off for a long time actually. I can’t do that anymore…not if the pups are gonna get back to school sometime this year. Not if you want to get back to work,”“Oh,”“I know, it sucks,” he whispered, brushing Jungwoo’s wrist with his thumb as he pouted.“Ok,” the pout got bigger, bottom lip jutting out more as he blinked up at him. “You’ll still be at dinner,”“Of course,” he smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze. He took a step back, towards the door.“Jae,”He stopped again, fondly wondering if he was ever gonna be let go.Jungwoo was standing there, wide eyes watching him, head cocked.“What,”He made a flailing motion with his hands that made Jaehyun smile. He stepped back to him, wrapped him in a hug and grinned when Jungwoo sighed. Clearly what he wanted.As he tucked him closer, Jungwoo’s nose moving over the thin skin of his neck, he caught Donghyuck’s eye where he was peeking around the corner of the kitchen with a smirk, giving him a thumbs up.He rolled his eyes at him but couldn’t help feeling good at his friend’s reassurance and support.“I’ll see you later,”“Okay,” Jungwoo said, arms sliding off his shoulders slowly. He brushed a kiss to his forehead, third on the day, earning an incredibly bright smile and a really thorough blush.And just like that, his doubts from earlier, his fear that Jungwoo only kept him around to feel safe went flying out the window Jaehyun had so diligently replaced for him.Under the warmth of Jungwoo’s smile, they didn’t stand a chance.And neither did Jaehyun.Not up against an omega with a smile like that.Not against Jungwoo.…. That night at dinner his dad got up, came to the center of the square and called for everyone’s attention. His friends looked at him, wondering if he knew what his dad had to say, but he didn’t, equally as surprised and in the dark as they were.His dad assured his pack that nothing was wrong, except for the fact that the school had burned down this morning. He asked for anyone available, anyone willing to come to the meeting hall tomorrow to sign up for a shift, either to clean up the mess left by the fire or to help with finishing the new school building. Across the square, he and Minho shared a look, Minho raised his eyebrows and looked extremely impressed.Jaehyun was too.Impressed that his dad was asking people to give up their tasks. Essentially giving them a free pass to miss work in favor of helping Jaehyun and Minho finish the school that wasn’t supposed to be done before the spring anyway. Now it was paramount that it got done, so the kids weren’t out of school for the rest of the year.Even more impressive than his dad’s insistence was the reaction for the pack. Plenty of people jumped up to offer their help, saying they’d be there glad to be put wherever they were needed the most. It felt nice. He’d had his fair share of issues with the people of the pack lately, with how they treated Jungwoo but when they were rallying to help, eager to do their part he was reminded why he liked living here. A feeling that was made better by Jungwoo’s quiet presence next to him, whispering to Renjun about something he didn’t catch.His friends all eagerly offered to be there tomorrow at the new school building to help in any way they could. Jaehyun smiled, thanked them all, took Jungwoo’s hand and walked him home, listening to his pup’s heartbeat, feeling relieved.He and Minho wouldn’t have to stress and rush too much on it at least.Which was reassuring.And another thing that was reassuring…he got some work done today. Sure, he’d only managed to do that after the school burnt down but he’d done something. And that was a win.He’d been productive, no one had been hurt in the fire, Jungwoo was fed and happy and going home to get a good night’s rest. And Jaehyun had conquered a fear, kissed the omega three times.On the forehead.Three times!In the same day!The forehead.Wow.Suddenly all the work that had to be done on the new school didn’t seem so bad or so daunting. Not when Jaehyun remembered the warm, happy look Jungwoo had on his face each time after he kissed him.A thing like that could make most anything worth it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The day after the fire was sort of like waking up in a nightmare. It wasn’t bad enough that the school burned down. Now he’d have to be subjected to the next several weeks, finishing the school, spending time with wolves who didn’t know what they were doing, who had no business on a build site, missing Jungwoo. All of it, he imagined was a specially designed, version of hell, just for Jaehyun.He and Minho met outside their shop, Minho handed him a cup of coffee before they headed towards the meeting hall to oversee the sign ups for jobs. They were already in agreement that they worked best together, just the two of them but knew they needed the help if they were ever going to get the school done anytime soon. So, they’d each head a team to work on different projects so at least they could know things were getting done the right way if they were each there to watch over it, have a hand in it.Not only did the new school need to be finished but it had to be expanded somewhat. The original plans weren’t meant to house all the pups who were still going to school, it was only supposed to be for the younger levels. Now, it had to be for all of them.Let’s just say there weren’t many things Jaehyun was actually looking forward to about these next couple weeks.When they got to the meeting hall the place was already packed. Dozens of wolves were stood around different boards or tables, offering to help wherever they could. It warmed Jaehyun up seeing so many people willing to give up their time but it also worried him. There was no way they needed this many people to finish the school.He saw Hajun and his dad stood at the front of the hall, he waved to Minho as he broke away from him, heading towards them as Minho spotted Kibum across the room.“Hey Dad,” his dad spun around, grinning when he saw him.“Jae kid, hi,”“Hey Jun,”His brother tugged him into a hug before he said, “You already look annoyed, how are you possibly annoyed, it’s so early,”“I’m just dreading these next few weeks,”“Oh,” a teasing smile stretched across his face, “why because you won’t see Jungwoo as much,” behind him, his chosen second in command, Seonghwa, laughed. He peered up at Hajun with wide eyes, panic rising inside him as he shifted to look sideways at his dad. His dad met his eye, sending him a look as he raised his eyebrows at him.“What,” his dad asked him. Oh, maybe he hadn’t heard what they were talking about.“Nothing…”“I wasn’t going to say anything about whatever’s going on with you and Jungwoo but if you really want me to…” his dad dragged out his sentence, both him and his brother smirking as he groaned.“I don’t, god I really don’t,” he covered his face, wishing the ground would open to swallow him whole. He wondered how Hajun endured their dad when he was courting Kun, he had a way of making you feel silly and small and embarrassed. Not in a bad way. Just in a really mortifying way.“I know, that’s why I didn’t say anything,” he patted his back shortly, knocking Jaehyun forward slightly with the force of it before turning and shifting into Head Alpha mode. “So, we have loads of people signed up. I’d just like you and Minho to check the list for the construction portion, I don’t want a dozen wolves who have no idea what they’re doing hindering the progress. I’m sure you don’t want this to stretch on and on for ages either. Sound good,”He nodded, accepting the list from his dad’s second, Jiwoo. He scanned it quickly, not finding any issues until he saw the three names at the bottom, Bobby, Hanbin and Junhoe, yeah, no way in hell were they stepping foot on his site. Admittedly he wasn’t really thinking properly, judgement clouded by everything he’d seen and heard and felt from them regarding Jungwoo, but he couldn’t exactly talk his wolf down at the moment.“Good kid,”“Uh, not really,”Hajun sighed next to him, held his hand out to Seonghwa who groaned put a couple bills in his hand with an eyeroll.“What’s wrong,” his dad asked.“I’m not…these three, can we move them to the clean-up crew instead,”His dad looked confused.“Why,” Hajun poked him, smiling saying he already knew why. He kicked him.“You know why,” he hissed at him, knowing Kun had shared plenty of stories with him that Jaehyun had made sure the others knew about in case he wasn’t around and Jungwoo needed back up.“I don’t mind moving them Jae, but is there a reason,” his dad put a hand on his chest, eased him away from Hajun gently.“I just don’t trust myself to work with them,”“Jaehyun,”“I know…it’s stupid and childish but it’s my site, my project and I don’t think I can work with them,”His dad gave him a look before taking his arm and pulling him away from the main room, towards the back, behind the tables.“Is something going on,” he asked. Jaehyun looked at him, wondering if he actually didn’t know what a member of his pack had been going through right under his nose, for months.His continued confusion answered that for him.Jaehyun sighed, rubbed over his face.“Hanbin and Junhoe have been harassing Jungwoo since he’s been back. And I know that Bobby’s behind it all because those two idiots aren’t smart enough to swing all this on their own,”“What do you mean harassing him,”“I mean, three on one, harassing him while he’s minding his own business. Cornering him outside the healer’s after an appointment. Pressing him till he snaps at them, touching him, touching his stomach and…and trying to scent him, not listening when he tells them to leave him alone,” he could feel himself unraveling a little, under his dad’s devoted attention, admitting all this to him. Something he’d always been trying to get Jungwoo to do. A part of him knew he shouldn’t be saying anything because he promised Jungwoo he wouldn’t butt in or tell his dad. And here he was. Butting in. And telling his dad. He couldn’t stop though, it just kept coming, like water rushing a busted dam.“They’ve showed up at the farmer’s market where he was just trying to make some extra money for himself…the names they call him dad, the shit they say to him would make you sick. It’s like he’s not a wolf just like them, I don’t get it,”His dad looked stunned and upset. He shook his head a little, like that was all he could manage at the moment.“How come he hasn’t filed a complaint. That’s what the council is for, have you told him that,”“Yeah, of course, but he doesn’t want to get anyone in trouble. He’s never done anything bad to anyone, he’s…he’s amazing and sweet and doesn’t deserve this and…I can’t work with them dad, I can’t,”“Okay Jae, I’ll reassign them, it’s okay,”So, he did.He crossed their names off the list for the build, added them to the clean-up crew without issue, told Jiwoo to go find them and let them know their hands would of better use cleaning up at the old school.Jaehyun was just glad they weren’t still there to bitch about it, knowing it wouldn’t end well for any of them.Maybe it was childish, but he couldn’t imagine having to see them every day for the next few weeks, put up with them. Granted it might have felt good to boss them around, he didn’t imagine that would make the possibility of them saying something bad about Jungwoo, worth it. He wouldn’t be able to take it, he wouldn’t be able to stay out of it or keep his word to Jungwoo if he had to exist in the same space as them.Jaehyun knows himself.And he knows what Hanbin is like, how he and Junhoe and Bobby operate.It would be disastrous.Sure, Jaehyun could’ve swallowed all their shit down and sucked it up but he didn’t want to. Instead it felt kind of good to take advantage of the fact that he was the head alpha’s son. Move them so he didn’t have to put up with them. And let’s be honest. The lot of them deserved to sift through ashy rubble, they deserved worse but Jaehyun had told Jungwoo he wouldn’t do anything. He wouldn’t abandon that.He couldn’t.Especially since he’d already broken one promise today.He couldn’t, wouldn’t break another.….Jaehyun was exhausted.Not from work or the crazy schedule.No.He was exhausted from all the people.He didn’t like being in charge.Actually, he hated it.He was absolutely not cut out for this kind of thing.His worksite was completely overrun with extra hands. It was nice having the help, he and Minho would never been able to finish this project on time by themselves, but they also weren’t used to working with so many other people. And he definitely wasn’t used to giving orders, he could organize plans and give jobs to people who knew what they were doing but the people helping didn’t. They weren’t construction workers, they weren’t carpenters or builders and if one more person asked him which side of the hammer was best for nailing down a shingle, he’d walk. Honest to god.Minho found him on the morning of their 4thday on the site, alone in one of the back classrooms, putting up the molding around the windows.“You good,” he asked him, voice sounding just as tired as Jaehyun felt.He sighed, sliding his hammer into his belt, and standing slowly.“Yeah, just needed a break from the madness,”“You and me both,” Minho uncrossed his arms, “anything I can help with in here,”Jaehyun pointed to the rest of the molding piled in the center of the room, waiting to be put up. Minho smiled at him gratefully, moving quickly to work on the other side of the room. They worked in their standard companionable silence till the room was finished. This was their speed, working together, not having to explain things a dozen different times to a dozen different people, they knew what they were doing, knew they were good at their jobs and did them. Simple.They moved around each other easily, on to the next room and then the next, zipping through their work like they usually did.Minho seemed at ease too.“I don’t want to seem ungrateful, for the help,”Jaehyun looked at him as they moved down the newly finished hallway, towards the doors where they’d probably find a clump of lost looking wolves who still had questions or didn’t want the job they’d been given.“But…”“But it’s kind of pain in the ass,”Jaehyun laughed, “we’re just not used to it, this, other people,”“Right. It’s just…”“Stressful?”“Exhausting,” Minho groaned, stopping dead at the open doorway of the school, warily eyeing the yard which was full of exactly what they were worried about.“Almost done Min, then it’s back to our way, not all this,” he waved his hand in front of them to the confused masses taking up space and not working.“I know,” he sighed, stepping sideways, likely to Jinki and Kibum who were stood at one of the tables off to the side of the courtyard that had food and coffee for them all. “But just to reiterate, I’m very grateful,”“So am I, doesn’t mean I’m not tired though,”“That’s why we work,” Minho laughed, reaching out to cuff him on the back of his head.“Uh huh, leave me alone,” he ducked away from him, hitting his hand away with a laugh as his older friend took off across the new courtyard. Before he could even reach the table that he’d set aside for his tools that everyone at the site knew not to touch, he got swarmed. Three betas asking about the next thing they could do and two alphas who didn’t understand what it meant to ‘level’ a floor before laying down the floor boards, he took a deep breath, pointing the three to Mingyu and Seungcheol, who both worked part time at the lumber mill when they weren’t managing their masonry business through the winter. Jaehyun trusted both of them enough to deal out orders when he’d had enough and then the remaining two got smacked before he handed them his pocket level, pointing back to the building to do what he’d asked them to hours ago. This had been the longest week of his life. And this project wasn’t even close to being finished.He watched Mingyu flail across the yard, balking at Seungcheol before they got the three betas to carry lumber around the building for the next wing, busy work, smart. Smiling to himself he turned back around, catching sight of Donghyuck and Renjun by the coffee table.Maybe they were there with provisions, more food for them. Maybe Donghyuck had made cinnamon buns again, he made them the other day and they were amazing.He made his way over, catching sight of Mark, Jeno and Yuta doing the same thing.“Hey guys,” he said when he reached them, ignoring Mark bending Donghyuck backwards as he nuzzled into his neck, kissing the same spot on his throat repeatedly.“Hi Jae,” Renjun smiled, reaching out to pull him into a hug. “You look stressed,”“Bet he is,” Yuta handed him a cup, filled to the brim with steaming hot coffee, oh god it even smelled like it could fix his day.“I don’t like being in charge of stuff, it’s…it’s dumb,” he huffed into his cup, earning a laugh from Renjun and a sympathetic smile from Donghyuck over Mark’s fluffy head of hair.“Everyone has a question about something I already explained. Nobody knows what they’re doing. I love having the help because otherwise it would never get done, it’s just time consuming and exhausting,”“I knew I shouldn’t have signed up,” Jeno mumbled, mouth full of muffin, “I know I’m a hazard…and I ask a lot of questions,”Jaehyun smiled at him fondly, “It’s not you Jeno,”“You sure,” he asked, looking sad and guilty.“I’m sure. It’s everyone else, at least I know what to expect with you,”That made his younger friend smile shyly, eyes disappearing with it as he looked back down at his muffin.“Want me to spike your coffee,” Yuta asked, smile stretching teasingly across his face.“I actually think that might make this worse,” Jaehyun groaned.A drink did sound good, but he couldn’t afford to be useless when he was one of only a handful of people who knew what they were doing around here.“Hey,” Johnny’s voice came from behind him, his hand touched Jaehyun’s shoulder. “Can I ask you a question,”Jaehyun tossed his head back, “oh my god,”Yuta started laughing as Renjun reached out and pulled Johnny away from Jaehyun.“What did I say,”“Just don’t Johnny,” Renjun said dramatically, hand clutching his chest.“What is it man,” Jaehyun rubbed his eyes, a huge part of him wanting to pack his crap and be done for the day.“Nothing,”“Johnny,”“It’s nothing…I’ll ask Minho,” Johnny ducked behind Renjun, “oh cool, muffins,” he picked up one, devouring half in one bite as he gave Donghyuck a thumbs up, head ducking close to Jeno who was working on his second, cheeks full as he smiled.Jaehyun sighed, feeling horrible for making his friend feel bad. Johnny probably wouldn’t hang on to it, he’d probably already let it go, feelings forgotten for a muffin. He still felt bad though.“Johnny, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be an asshole,”“Who’s an asshole,”Jaehyun perked up, turning around quickly to see Jungwoo bundled in his thickest coat, hat on his head, mitten covered hands holding onto a wrapped tray. Well wasn’t he just exactly what Jaehyun needed right now. A distraction from his frustration.Kun was stood smiling behind him, carrying his own covered tray, not nearly as bundled up. Taeil behind him, waved to them all before he kept walking, probably on a mission to find Taeyong.“Hi,” Jaehyun said lamely, smiling at Jungwoo as he put his tray down on the table and tucked his hands under his arms.“Hi,” Jungwoo grinned, eyes never leaving him.“Hi,” Kun piped up, moving next to Jungwoo with a knowing smile, the one that got Jaehyun in trouble a lot. “I’m here too,” he whispered, leaning close to him. Jaehyun rolled his eyes before kissing his cheek, knowing he wouldn’t let him get away without doing so. Kun beamed at him after, clearly pleased with himself.Jungwoo’s attention was back on the table, uncovering the tray for Yuta who was peeking under the foil to see what he brought. He oohed when he saw cupcakes, bumping his shoulder with Jungwoo’s till he was pushing him away, shoving his hand back when he came at him with a glob of frosting. He laughed when he heard Yuta say something to Jungwoo about looking ready for a deep freeze. Jungwoo shoved him harder, face turning red.“You look stressed,” Kun whispered, rubbing his shoulder.“Shit, I must if everyone keeps saying so,” he dragged his eyes away from Jungwoo’s smiling profile to look down at his brother in law.“You really do,” Kun’s smile turned less teasing, more concerned. “Are you okay,”“Yeah, I’m fine, just don’t…don’t like rushing or being in charge,” he gestured behind him towards the half-finished building, “this isn’t really how I do things,”“You sound like your brother,” his next words were playful and light as he mocked his brother, “But KunI don’t want to be in charge, but KunI hate telling people what to do, but KunI don’t want to be like my dad blah. But ask him how it felt to be in charge of the firefighting last week and he’ll tell you it was awesome. I know this isn’t your thing Jae, but it’ll be over soon, it looks like it’s coming along,” his attention turned to the half-finished building before he turned back to him with a sheepish smile.He arched an eyebrow at him, “I know, it’s a mess,”“It’s a work in progress,” Kun patted his cheek, before tugging him a couple steps away from their friends.“What Kun,”Kun peered over his shoulder quickly, “So we were all baking this morning,” yeah he figured since they all showed up here around the same time, “we met at Hyuck’s but Jungwoo was late. Like really late, we got worried that something happened. Anyway, we had just decided to go check on him when he showed up,”Kun went quiet. Jaehyun really didn’t like this.“And…”“And his eyes were so red, he looked like he’d been crying for hours Jae,”His wolf stood up, like they could do anything. But Jaehyun understood, he didn’t like it either. Didn’t like Jungwoo being upset and not have a way to fix it or help him or make it better.“Did he say anything,” his throat was tight, voice coming out like a rasp.“No, he wouldn’t talk about it, just told us he was fine. He barely said a word all morning, he seemed better when we packed up and started over here but…I don’t know, I just feel like-”“Thanks, Kun, I got it,” he cut him off, stomach turning inside him.“Jae,”“I know,”Kun grabbed him, turned him back around to look at him again.“No, you don’t, I didn’t tell you, so you could ask him a thousand times what was wrong, try and wrangle it out of him like you do. I just wanted you to know that he had a weird morning, so you could be there for him. Because I think he needs you, needs your support and was looking forward to seeing you,”“Okay,”Kun nodded, looking off to the side.“Has he seemed like that a lot to you,”“I don’t know,” Jaehyun muttered, trying to think if Jungwoo had seemed distant and sad when they’d spent time together recently. The problem with that was they hadn’t been spending too much time together because he was so busy. They saw each other at dinners but that had been it. This new schedule had completely eaten up his time which meant he didn’t get to see Jungwoo that much. “You’ve probably seen him more than I have lately,”“He just seems upset, but he won’t talk about it. I’ve asked him,”“I’m sure he’ll talk, if he wants,” Jaehyun said as way of ending this particular conversation. Kun didn’t want him to irritate him and press him for information and yet he was here proving he was upsetting and making it seem like he wanted him to ask Jungwoo what was going on.Kun took a deep breath, “I’m just worried,”“Welcome to my life Kun, but something to know about Jungwoo, he won’t talk if he doesn’t want to, which I’m sure you’ve picked up on,”“Yeah I know. At least he has Donghyuck, I’m sure he’s told him something,” Kun scuffed his toes in the dirt, arms crossing in front of him before changing lanes completely.“Have you seen my Junnie lately,” he asked. Jaehyun wondered if Kun and his brother shared weird, telepathic powers because as the words left his mouth Hajun came around the building with Seonghwa and Chanyeol right behind him.“Junnie,” Kun yelled, hopping into motion towards his mate. Hajun perked up, standing up straighter, nose in the air. He shifted towards Kun, face splitting with a smile.“Hey cutie,” Jaehyun heard him shout back.They met in the middle, Kun jumping onto his brother easily. That was the last thing Jaehyun saw before looking away, not really interested in watching Kun make out with his brother. He smiled hearing Renjun mutter something about ‘disgusting mates being disgusting.’Yuta tugged the omega into his side, sneakily reaching to smear frosting down his cheek while his guard was down.Jaehyun reached out to pull Jungwoo away from them before he could get caught in their crossfire, he looked at him with a soft, intense sort of gleam in his eyes. Now that he knew he’d apparently spent his morning crying Jaehyun could see how puffy his eyes were, how tired he seemed. A massive part of him wanted to ask him what was wrong, needed to know if Hanbin or Junhoe or even Bobby had reared their ugly heads when they’d been quiet for a while now. But the smaller, more rational part of him knew he couldn’t. He didn’t need to fix everything, Jungwoo didn’t want him to fix everything for him. Sometimes it was nice just knowing someone was there, so he’d be there, like he always was for Jungwoo, in case he wanted to talk but definitely if he didn’t want to.Jungwoo stumbled a little, but caught himself on Jaehyun’s shoulders, mittens sliding over his coat.“I’m gonna take a break,” Jaehyun said, taking his hands in his and backing up, “join me,”Jungwoo followed him easily, “are you gonna eat something,”Jaehyun nodded, dragging him back to his table where his stuff was. He picked up the bag that had his lunch in it and held it up to show Jungwoo. Jungwoo smiled, snuggling his arm as they made for the tree line. On their way they passed Minho who had landed in the grass with his friends, eating an apple, cup of coffee steaming at his feet.“I’m taking a break,” his gaze caught all the lost wolves milling aimlessly in the yard, “far away from this,”Minho laughed, “hey that’s a good idea,”“No, no way, it was my idea, don’t follow me,” he rushed out, watched Minho smile at Jungwoo. Minho looked back to him, winked and waved him away, attention back on his rowdy friends.They settled a good way away from the work site, landing in the grass just in front of the tree line. Jaehyun split his sandwich, giving one half to Jungwoo, offered him a couple pieces of jerky from his mom as well as some of the cinnamon chunked apples, also from his mom.Jungwoo was being quiet. Unnaturally so. Their time together was always filled with chatter and laughter, he wasn’t used to silence from the other. Silence usually meant something was wrong. He knew something was wrong. But he couldn’t ask.Wouldn’t ask.“How did you know,” Jaehyun asked after a couple minutes of quiet.“Know what,” Jungwoo didn’t look up from the half of the sandwich in his hands.“That I was having a bad morning and really wanted to see you,”A smile worked over Jungwoo’s face quickly, eyes meeting his.“Did you,”“Of course,” he took a sip of his coffee, “I always want to see you,”Jungwoo bit his lip, looked back down at his lap but didn’t seem upset or lost anymore.“I wanted to see you too,” he admitted, voice small.Jaehyun tapped his cheek to get his attention back. “Really,”Jungwoo huffed, “yes really, you ego-maniac,”That made him laugh, shrug his shoulders when Jungwoo rolled his eyes at him.“I just like hearing that you like me,”“You better watch it if you ever want to hear me say it again,”He pulled a guilty, apologetic face which made Jungwoo push him.“Sorry, I’ll stop,”Jungwoo nodded at him once, took a bite of his half of the sandwich. “I was having a bad morning too,” Jungwoo admitted, voice barely more than a whisper.“Oh yeah,”Jungwoo nodded as an answer.Jaehyun watched his profile attentively, his jaw worked as he chewed, nose twitching a little. He smelled normal if not a little subdued, like the peaches weren’t ripe yet and the cinnamon had been watered down. It made him sad.“Do you want to talk about it,” he asked him, leaning back on his hand, feeling like Jungwoo wanted some space right now.He shook his head, attention still focused on his lap and his half of the sandwich.“No,” Jaehyun asked, just to double check.“No,” he looked at him, eyes sad, “but thank you,”Jaehyun smiled at him, sat up to squeeze his wrist gently, “we’ve talked about not needing to thank me for everything, right,”Jungwoo groaned but smiled back at him.“I know, I can’t help it,”“And you definitely don’t have to thank me for being willing to listen if you have a problem,”“I hear you, but I really can’t help it,” Jungwoo’s tone gave away how peeved off he was. He didn’t like him being upset but he didn’t like him being annoyed or upset because of him even more.“Sorry,” he said before they dropped into silence. Jaehyun hated the quiet in this instance, knowing it meant Jungwoo wasn’t distracted from whatever was bothering him, but instead was stewing. Kun said he seemed excited to come here, maybe excited to see him but Jaehyun wasn’t doing a very good job of improving his mood.The only thing at this point he could think of to make him feel better was to make him laugh. The best way to make him laugh was to tease him. Make him relax by loosening up and not being so serious. “You know,” he started again, knowing he’d get a swat, but he’d probably also get a smile. “It’s not that cold out,”Jungwoo huffed but grinned into his hand.“Oh my god,”“You’re dressed like you’re expecting snow,”“Jae,” Jungwoo whined.“Are you expecting snow,” he felt his own face scrunch with the force of his smile, cheeks and eyes likely completely crinkled.“No, I’m-”He leaned in close, whispering, “it’s not cold enough for snow,”Jungwoo laughed and pushed him away from him.“Stop it,” he pulled his hat down over the tips of his ears. “I was cold this morning and before you ask my fire was fine, I was just cold. Hyuck loaned me this hat which was dumb of him because he’s not getting it back,”Jaehyun smiled at him fondly.“So, let me get this right, you have to be begged to accept favors, but you’ll steal a hat no problem,”Jungwoo gave him a look. He stuck his tongue out at him, warned him that he’d hit him.He tapped his chest, “go ahead, you don’t hit very hard,”Jungwoo seemed to think about it. His hands came up as if to use both to shove him. Jaehyun caught his mitten covered fingers just before he made contact.“You’re being a butthead,” Jungwoo whined, fingers folding over his easily.“Am I,”“Yes,”“I’m sorry,” Jaehyun felt a little bad looking at his pout. “You can hit me, for real,”Jungwoo looked at him sideways, taking his hand back to ball it in a fist before landing it against the center of his chest. It didn’t hurt. He barely felt it actually.Jungwoo was looking at him expectantly.“Um ow?”“Oh, shut up,” he complained, but leaned into his side. Jaehyun ran his nose over his forehead, whispering an apology against his warm skin. He pushed the hat out of the way to press a kiss to his forehead. He really liked that he could do that now and that Jungwoo accepted it without any issue. It provided him comfort and it seemed to make Jungwoo feel good too. If the pleasant swirl of his scent every time he did was any indication.“Apology accepted,” Jungwoo took another bite of his sandwich, smiling around it, looking very pleased with himself as he did. When he finished, he leaned totally into him, took Jaehyun’s hand, lifted it to drape his arm around his shoulder. Bold and self-assured and Jaehyun liked it. He liked that they were steadily making their way towards a territory where Jungwoo wasn’t ashamed of things he wanted, wasn’t afraid to ask for it or take it. This new attitude from Jungwoo, this new confidence went hand in hand with his new habit of giving forehead kisses to the other. Jaehyun was a huge fan of both the confidence and the kisses.Jungwoo let out a heavy sigh, legs pressed against his own as he curled closer to him.“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it,” he asked him.“Yes, why,”“Because that was your, ‘I have something to say’ sigh,”Jungwoo looked up at him, “I have one of those,”“Yeah,” he smirked, “you just did it,”“Oh,”“So, do you want to talk about it,”“Not really,” he sounded like he did. But if he just wanted to sit here, quietly, not talking, Jaehyun would gladly give him that.So, he did.Jaehyun finished his lunch and his coffee peacefully before he watched the others in the yard start back towards the school. It didn’t immediately make him move but when he saw Minho slowly getting up, already vetting questions from the confused masses, he figured he ought to help him.“I should get back there Woo,” he whispered to him.Jungwoo hummed, hands falling away from the edges of Jaehyun’s coat, where he’d been hanging onto him.“Jaehyun,”He looked down at the top of Jungwoo’s knit covered head, nuzzled him a little.“Yeah,”“Thank you,” the other whispered to him.Jaehyun felt his face scrunch up with his confusion.“Woo we literally just had this conversation,”“I know but…just let me,”Jaehyun sighed knowing it wasn’t worth arguing about.“For what,”“Finishing the school,” he said. He felt his confusion grow, he had to finish the school, the other one burned down. There were dozens of pups out of school and several teachers without work or pay, Jungwoo included.“I mean…you’re welcome of course but-”“I know the other school burned down. And I know you and Minho were already building this one because the other one was old and getting a little run down, but this is a huge project everyone’s expecting you guys to get done in a couple weeks. In the cold no less. And it makes me sad that you’re just doing it, that everyone expects you to be fine doing all this work in such a short amount of time…it’s just a lot, so thank you,”Jaehyun smiled, kissed his temple again, “not really something you have to thank me for,”Jungwoo huffed at him.“I miss going to work, it felt normal,”“I bet, it was probably nice having a schedule,”“It was and now I’m just bored and sad,”“Don’t be sad, this place will be done soon, probably two more weeks and you can get back to your normal routine,”“Promise,”“I promise,”He stood up, brushed himself of before reaching his hand out for Jungwoo, to help him up. He groaned, putting his weight back on his feet.“My back hurts today,” he said when Jaehyun looked him over. He took his hand back to run it down Jungwoo’s back instead, stopping at the base of his spine and staying there as he guided him back towards the work site.“Do you still have those herbs,”“Yeah, but they’re not working great for this, I should go see Jimin, get something else,”Jungwoo stopped, taking a deep breath through a wince.“Jungwoo,”“I’m okay,” his voice was pinched and eyes misty.“You don’t look okay, do you want to go to the healers,”“No, Jimin said this was normal,”Jaehyun shook his head.“Jungwoo,”“I’m fine Jae, it was just a pain,”“And they’ve been happening all morning,” he asked, not liking that Jungwoo seemed to be downplaying this. Even though Jimin was telling him things were fine that didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to worry when he was in pain.“Yes but…”“Hey,” he tipped his chin up so he would look at him, “I don’t care if Jimin said it’s okay, if you’re worried, I’ll take you to see him, so he can double check. And you can blame it on me being stubborn and crazy when he tells you there’s nothing wrong,”Jungwoo smiled up at him, hands reaching out to touch his chest gently. He groaned again, moving closer to him. Jaehyun wrapped his arms around him, mouth brushing the edge of his hat.“They’re just moving higher up…I think,” his breath hit Jaehyun’s neck in a warm gust, sending goosebumps over his skin like a wave. “Pressing on my back as they get bigger…my mom said that happened with me early on,”He pressed his fingers against his coat, applying pressure low on his back. Jungwoo sighed, head laying down on his shoulder.“I’ll still take you, if you want to go,”“No, I’m okay,”Jaehyun didn’t say anything.“You want me to go,” Jungwoo said, moving back to look at him.Jaehyun smiled, nodding slowly.“I’m fine Jaehyun, some pain is normal, this isn’t exactly the most comfortable thing to happen to a person,”“I don’t like that you’re in pain though,”Jungwoo’s hands moved, framing his face as he looked at him like he was seeing him for the first time. He stepped closer, feet touching his, before wrapping his arms around Jaehyun’s shoulders.“I feel better,” Jungwoo whispered.“Liar,”“I feel better Jae, I swear,”Jaehyun shook his head as he hugged him back. Not believing that for a second. He didn’t want to make Jungwoo feel like he had to lie to him, had to keep things from him just because he was concerned. He couldn’t help it.Jungwoo was so important to him and as they got closer, Jaehyun just wanted to make sure he was okay.They walked back to the others in silence. Jungwoo hugged him again when they got back to his table, saying a quiet goodbye to him and promising to see him later at dinner.As Jaehyun watched him walk away, hand in Donghyuck’s, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d overstepped and made him upset. He noticed his scent fading, not in the normal, separated by distance kind of way. Instead it grew faint, like it was subdued again. He had seemed okay, not totally normal but while they were sitting, after talking for a bit he seemed comfortable. Now he watched his shoulders jump as he walked away. It was possible that he had upset him, maybe he was too pushy about him seeing Jimin, it wasn’t his place, he needed to check himself.Or maybe something had happened. Jaehyun wasn’t around too much lately, maybe in his absence Hanbin or Junhoe or Bobby saw their window to strike again. He felt like Jungwoo would’ve said something if it were about them but maybe not. Maybe he was pulling away and keeping secrets and stewing.Jaehyun had never been cut out of anything before but he imagined this was a little what that would feel like.Maybe it was ridiculous.Maybe it didn’t make sense, but he had the feeling.Like a sense.One he couldn’t shake.….That weird feeling stuck around till Jaehyun learned why Jungwoo was apparently upset the day he visited him at the build site.He’d freely admit to not spending a ton of time thinking about the life Jungwoo had before coming back to the village. Mainly because he liked having him here, home with all of them. He had a place here and it didn’t seem worth it to dedicate a ton of time worrying over when Jungwoo had never brought it up himself.His friends didn’t appear to agree with this thought because one night at dinner, he finds out a little about his life before coming back. Finds out about the alpha he’s tried his hardest not to wonder about.They were all sat around the fire, Jisung was laughing his way through a story about his drunkard boss at the smith shop’s, most recent catastrophe with a metal object and a high blood alcohol content that had them all snorting along with him. It was an odd night where Jungwoo wasn’t sitting next to him, having ditched him the second their friends came into view and latching onto Donghyuck and Taeil. He’s not sure how they went from Jisung’s story to Jungwoo’s pup, but they did.Jungwoo was sandwiched between the two, one rubbing his back while the other carded a hand through his hair, both whispering to him quietly. Jaehyun didn’t know what was going on but this whole week he felt like Jungwoo was cutting him out of things. It didn’t always feel that way and he liked that he trusted others and wanted to talk to them too, he deserved that. Of course. But Jaehyun was used to one thing with him and now it was the exact opposite.That was just difficult for him to reconcile.But maybe, if nothing else it was good that he was talking at all, dealing with things rather than stewing alone in his house.Across the fire, Ten didn’t like being left out of whatever the three omegas were talking about quietly.“What’s up with you three,” he asked.Donghyuck’s head whipped up. He looked like he wanted to hiss at the other, eyes narrowing. Taeil pulled Jungwoo closer, nuzzled the side of his head.“You could tell them you know,” he heard Taeil say to him. “It might make you feel better,”Jungwoo nodded, wiping his nose on his sleeve before looking up. His eyes met Jaehyun’s for a split second before he ducked his head again, when he finally spoke his voice trembled.“I feel…horrible,”They all sat up, leaning forward in unison.“What like sick,” Taeyong asked, head tipped, concern written all over his face.“No, like…I’m a bad person, horrible,”The unanimous response to that was ‘what?! No way Jungwoo,’. And Jaehyun agreed, heart aching as he watched Jungwoo shrink a little, face and eyes sad.“I am,”Donghyuck didn’t like that at all.“You are not a bad person Woo, I’ve been telling you that. None of this is your fault,”Jungwoo shook his head, covered his face as Jaehyun’s nose was filled with the scent of rotten peaches. His wolf whined inside him, realizing that Jungwoo had been struggling still and hadn’t told him. He understood that some things were probably easier to say to Donghyuck, they were both omegas. But Jaehyun had tried his absolute hardest to put them on the same level, be as harmless as possible, maybe he hadn’t been doing that great a job.“What’s not your fault exactly,” Kun’s voice asked next. He moved closer to Jaehyun on the bench, hand stroking over his wrist.Jungwoo shook his head some more, not coming out of hiding. Taeil leaned closer, whispered something in his ear, the other nodded, drooping into him like he couldn’t hold himself up anymore.“He wasn’t able to tell the pups father about them before he left the city and now, he’s feeling bad about it,” Taeil said, voice and eyes daring them to say something against that when he looked them all over, arm draped protectively around Jungwoo’s back. “Why weren’t you able to tell him,” Mark asked. The look Donghyuck gave him was a shade shy of murderous. The alpha paled a little.“I think the better question Mark, would be, should you have told him, were you guys close,” Jaemin had sat up, out of Jeno’s arms, fully interested and committed to this conversation.They were all quiet as they waited for the answer, while Taeil and Donghyuck shared a look over Jungwoo’s head. Jaehyun couldn’t understand what it was about. This was foreign territory for him. The only thing he’d ever said about the ‘before’ of all this was that he decided to come back to the village because he felt he needed his mom. Needed her through this, so he wasn’t alone. That’s all he said so that’s all Jaehyun felt he needed to know.Jungwoo had never said a word about the pup’s father. Maybe it was all coming to the surface now that all this was starting to feel real and undeniable. Maybe he didn’t want to do all of this without them and he was scared. Jaehyun was curious, had been curious from the start but didn’t want to pry. He also, honestly, had always talked himself out of his curiosity with all the horrible reasons he concocted for why Jungwoo left them behind.What if this guy had hurt Jungwoo? What if it was a one-night stand and the guy was better off left out?What if it wasn’t either of those but instead, they had been madly in love with each other and something happened to him?  What if Jaehyun didn’t stack up, what if Jungwoo missed this other alpha? What if Jaehyun, try hard, dedicated Jaehyun was only a terrible, pitiful stand in for the wolf Jungwoo really wanted?And now he was feeling bad about not telling him so didn’t that mean he was regretting leaving, wanted them back in his life? That’s what it sounded like to him.“Yeah,” Jungwoo finally spoke up, he had a small, sad smile on his face as one hand dropped to his bump, rubbing circles into it absentmindedly.“Like close, close,” Kun asked, his fingers started rubbing circles into his skin, maybe sensing his distress.“Yeah, we dated for 3 years,”Jaehyun’s chest tightened, this was probably why he never asked. The real reason, he didn’t want to know this stuff. His head didn’t need the ammunition for the dark moments when his mind and his wolf went at it.“Dated,” Jeno asked.“Yeah, things are a little different out there. It’s bigger and a lot more casual, people aren’t solely focused on mating and settling down,”“Less pressure,” Donghyuck added, eyes never leaving Jungwoo, who smiled at him. They all seemed to take that in for the moment.While Jaehyun stewed, Jungwoo had them all caught, Ten sat forward, “what happened,”Jungwoo shrugged, “we broke up,”“Because of the baby,” Kun’s voice was shocked and upset.“No, totally unrelated, we just broke up,” Jungwoo at least seemed at ease as the rest of them remained understanding and interested. “I mean we had problems, loads of them actually but I loved him, so I just sort of pushed our problems aside because I didn’t want to be without him. And I did that till I couldn’t anymore, and we broke up,”Taeil kissed his cheek when he slumped, letting out a long breath. Jaehyun heard him say ‘you’re doing a great job babe,’ to him, making Jungwoo smile.“So…how’s he the baby’s father if you guys weren’t together,” Mark asked. Johnny looked at him like he was a poor, simple person he felt bad for. Yuta rolled his eyes.“Sex Mark, duh, when two people don’tlove each other very much anymore, sometimes there’s pent up frustration and sexual tension and sometimes people act on it. Right,” Yuta’s explanation was met with snickers from the older boys and ooh’s and ahh’s from the youngest two. Mark just looked confused as they all turned to Jungwoo to see if Yuta was right.He sighed. Jaehyun kind of wanted to leave, he didn’t need to hear this.“Uhm, sort of,”“Jungwoo, you don’t have to tell us about this if you don’t want to,” Taeyong cut in, both his savior and potentially Jungwoo’s.“No, it’s okay,” Jungwoo clearly didn’t think he needed saving.Jungwoo took a deep breath, tucked his jacket tighter around himself.“After we broke up, we stayed friends. And there was tension, mainly because he didn’t agree with our break up. I realize now that maybe staying friends wasn’t the best idea. But he was important to me. Just because we weren’t together, I didn’t think that meant we had to cut each other out…he was always a weak spot for me,” he let the sentence fall away as Yuta hummed, raising his eyebrows a few times while Sicheng hit his arm and told him to shush.“Anyway, he                            decided to move back to Thailand to enlist, that’s where his family’s from. We got in a huge fight about it and didn’t speak for weeks. The night before his flight out we met up…and had sex. I went with him to the airport in the morning and he asked me to wait for him which he knew I wouldn’t do, because one night didn’t fix or change things. He was just…anyway. He left. I didn’t have an address or phone number for him out there and I have no idea if he’s done training or if he’s been stationed somewhere. I never met his family, so I can’t exactly write to them to see how or where he is,” another deep breath, tears back to choke him up a little.“When I found out about the pup, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get in touch with him to let him know. And even if I could’ve he couldn’t just drop his deployment and come home. So, I decided to move back here. I couldn’t afford the rent of my place on my own anyway. I sold most of my stuff to buy myself out of my lease and then spent what I had left on a bus ticket to get here. And that’s it,”They were quiet, taking that in.Across the fire Doyoung raised his hand, it made most of them laugh, Taeil gave him a funny look before pointing at him, picking him. “If you don’t have a way to get in touch with him anyway, why are you upset about it,” Doyoung asked him. “You’d clearly tell him if you could, but you don’t have a way to, so it doesn’t make much sense to be hung up on it, right,” he looked around at all of them for their agreement. Jaehyun agreed so he nodded but he knew Jungwoo. He was too inherently good to just accept that as the answer.“Sure but…”“But what Jungwoo, you don’t have a way to tell him,”“I know but it makes me feel bad,”“Okay,” Doyoung, their resident voice of reason continued talking the other down, “you’d tell him if you could and I think that counts for more than you think,”“So, he has to live his life without even knowing he has a pup. And I have to be okay with keeping that from him,”“You’re not keeping it from him, he left! And you didn’t know until after he was gone, what were you supposed to do,”Jungwoo seemed lost, a little annoyed at the insistence but also a little excited that his new friends seemed invested in this. And more than that, that they were all on his side.“It just doesn’t feel like a good enough reason,”Doyoung laughed, turned to look at Jaehyun then, “how do you deal with him,”Well wasn’t that question loaded? But he watched Jungwoo turn his attention on him, felt warm.“I put up with him, at best,” he smirked at the other, winking at him when shook his head. He smiled at him though, teasing, it worked every time. Ten groaned, threw a roll at him across the fire while Jisung muttered, ‘gross’. Next to Jisung, Chenle looked at the young alpha a little dejectedly, sighing sadly. “You should cut yourself some slack though Woo, it’s not your fault that he left. If there was a way to tell him, you would’ve found it and told him already,” Jaehyun said, watched his smile grow, become a little lighter as he sat up straighter. Around them their friends nodded their agreement and Kun squeezed his arm gently.“Do you think it would change things for you guys, if he knew and came back,” Donghyuck asked him, moving to wipe his cheek.Jungwoo thought about that. “No. I’d like to think that I wouldn’t crack and fall back into a doomed relationship with him just because we have a pup together. The fights we used to have…I would never want to put my pup through that. We all deserve more than that. But I’d like him to be a part of their lives, if he was around. He deserves to know them at least,”After that it seemed no one had anything else super pressing to ask, dinners remembered as Jungwoo calmed down.“This was fun,” Ten piped up, practically bouncing in his seat, hands tapping along Johnny’s thigh quickly. “I feel like I know you so much better now Jungwoo! Who’s next, Taeyong what about you, anything you want to share with the group,” Taeyong sent his best friend a death glare, hissing ashut upbefore shooting his mate a lost, apologetic look. Jeez, he had no idea what that was about but knew Taeil would deal with it.Kun’s next question pulled them back for a minute.“What’s his name,”Jungwoo’s smile came back, softer at the edges, eyes misting.“Lucas,” Jungwoo drew in a watery breath, hanging his head slightly, “I do miss him,” Donghyuck took his hand quickly, moving closer to him, “even though he drove me crazy he always made me laugh so hard,”“I’m sure he misses you too,” Donghyuck nuzzled his cheek, playing the best friend role very well while Jaehyun sat there, just happy to see him smiling again.Jungwoo huffed a small laugh, “yeah,”“You don’t think so,”“I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter, he’s not around anyway,”Jaehyun hadn’t considered it before but now he realized it was entirely possible that he was miserable without the pup’s father, Lucas.He thought he was happy, that things were good and maybe he was warming up to the idea of life here, with all of them, with Jaehyun. He thought things had improved enough that Jungwoo didn’t mind it here, maybe even liked it. The weird feeling he’d been having all week long was back. And stronger. Maybe that’s what is was, the reality that there could be other people out there who were better for him, that loved him first, who could love him again, in new ways. In better ways.Maybe Jungwoo didn’t want any of this or any of them. He could just be putting up with them. He was pregnant and lonely, and they all filled a void. Lucas could come around someday and remind Jungwoo that their problems didn’t matter, they made a life and that counted for more than rabbits and windows and tables at farmer’s markets.Those thoughts swirled and darkened until Jungwoo added on to his last statement.“I think I lucked out though, got this little one…and all of you,” Jungwoo said quietly, hand caressing his stomach as he smiled at them all, Jaehyun’s worries eradicated immediately. Yuta made a show of gagging while the others awed and Taeil turned away from his staring contest with Taeyong in favor of kissing his cheek again.Jungwoo laughed, “Sorry, that was cheesy,”“Yeah it was, do you want me to throw up my dinner Woo,” Ten choked out.Jungwoo laughed harder, “No, I’m sorry, I’m having…I’m having a day you know,”“Yeah raging hormones, emotional mess, I get it,” Ten sighed, waving him off.They all shifted to look at Ten with raised eyebrows, Johnny looked unimpressed. “Tell me babe, how do you know what that’s like,”Ten snorted through a glare, “shut up, I’m being sympathetic,”They all lost it then but Jaehyun had eyes only for Jungwoo who was wiping his cheek on the end of his sleeve, nodding to Donghyuck who was whispering something in his ear.Jungwoo leaned into him when Donghyuck hugged him and Jaehyun sat still as his friends carried on without him.The thoughts came back.What could Jaehyun give him that this Lucas character hadn’t. Sure, they fought and broke up and it was Jungwoo’s decision, but he’d said it himself, this guy was his weak spot. Jaehyun didn’t have what it took to be a weak spot.Jungwoo, on the other hand, was without a doubt his weakest spot. He’d do anything for him. Including let him have that life with someone else, if that’s what he wanted. He’d bow out. And try to make it graceful.The thought devastated him, turned his stomach a little and had his wolf ready to pitch a fit. But he’d rather keep him as a friend than push it, try to win over this Lucas, he didn’t want to put Jungwoo in that position.  He was still busy feeling sorry for himself when Jungwoo smiled at him later on, silently asking him if he was alright. Jaehyun nodded, smiled back. Jungwoo didn’t need to worry about him. He could keep on doing what he’d been doing. Keep keeping him safe and happy until he no longer wanted him around or till Lucas came into their lives to fix things, live his life with Jungwoo and their pup. He’d always have more with him than Jaehyun.And just like that the remaining bright bits of his week went up in smoke.He tried not to think about it.Of course, trying not to think about it only made him think about it more.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

To say Jaehyun was coping well since he learned about Lucas and Jungwoo’s relationship the other night would be a lie. A big lie.He knew it was dumb to dwell on and he’d tried really hard not to, but he couldn’t help it. Wasn’t it natural to think about it? This other alpha was, had been, in a spot that Jaehyun wanted desperately. And even though they weren’t together Jungwoo still thought about him, still worried and cried and let him impact him. That didn’t feel good from Jaehyun’s position.The alpha in him saw that as a red flag while the rational pieces of him worked hard to ignore that. He knew it was silly to see someone as competition when they weren’t around. Especially since he and Jungwoo weren’t together, they weren’t officially courting, he was just an alpha with a pitifully strong crush on an omega.Worse than that was that even if Lucas wasn’t here, even though Jungwoo said they didn’t work, and things ended amicably, he was still there. Without being there, he was there. Like an imperceptible force that existed and pulsed between them, not seen or heard but very real and very…very there. Now Jaehyun was very aware of his existence, pup growing more and more every day, Lucas was an unavoidable fact of life. And that was so frustrating because he was driving Jaehyun crazy and he was miles and miles away from them! Jaehyun had never met him, might not ever meet him and yet, Jaehyun was competing with him for Jungwoo’s heart, for his love, for a spot in his life.He didn’t like thinking about it like that. Jungwoo wasn’t a game. He wasn’t a prize that the alpha he picked would win. He was a person, who made choices and felt things and had expectations and dreams. Alphas competed for omegas all the time, had since the beginning of time. That didn’t mean that Jaehyun liked it anymore. It felt archaic and ridiculous. Jungwoo would either pick him or he wouldn’t, and he’d have to be okay with that decision.That said, he knew, if Lucas showed up or someone else from the pack decided they wanted Jungwoo too, he’d do anything and everything in his power to make himself the most appealing, most viable, most attractive option. He’d show Jungwoo he was worth it, that he adored him and would never, ever let him down. He could grandstand and preach about the wrong, backwards ways of the world all he wanted but he’d turn himself around for Jungwoo any day before counting himself out completely. As shameful as that is. He would. Who wouldn’t? If Jungwoo considered him as a potential mate, potential father figure for his pup, he’d do anything to prove himself.And wasn’t he already doing that? The primitive beast inside him told that yes, that was exactly what he was doing. On a very low, simple, honest level he was competing for Jungwoo’s hand. Every time he hunted for him, every job he did for him, every day he spent abandoning his responsibilities to be with him instead, he was presenting himself as a candidate to be his mate. Every hug he gave him, every wave a scent he pushed out to comfort the other, every kiss to his head, every instance where he shielded the omega from raging alpha’s by pushing him out of harm’s way, was him courting the other. Unofficial and potentially one sided as it was, he was at it already.Since that night though, he also can’t help but wonder if it was worth it. All of it. Was he just kidding himself? Lucas would always have more with Jungwoo than him. He could throw in the towel, be Jungwoo’s friend only, put himself out there for other wolves. It would break his heart, wolf raging in his chest at the mere idea of not being with Jungwoo. He’d wanted him for so long but what could he do, it was starting to feel like he was fighting a losing battle.Jungwoo wouldn’t want him.He’d sort of assumed that being there, taking care of him, watching out for him would make him appealing to the other but maybe it just made him pathetic. His wolf didn’t like that thought either, howling in his chest like a lunatic. Jaehyun chose to ignore him.He couldn’t ignore or escape his dark, depressive thoughts, they followed him, chased him around the village, lived in the quiet, gloomy places like spores.Because darkness feeds negativity, he started thinking maybe it’d be best if he pulled away from Jungwoo a little. Put some space between them so the choices could be Jungwoo’s. So Jaehyun could get used to the fact that he might have to live without him.Of course, as is his nature, his plan for space led him to Jungwoo anyway.He couldn’t help it.Like a mouse to a loaded trap, he’d always, alwaysbe led back.….Jaehyun wasn’t working at the school today. It had rained the night before and into today which meant work on the roof on the remaining wing couldn’t be finished, so he told the extra hands to go home. He and Minho looked at each other on the site, area empty and smiled, chilly drizzle falling around them.Minho threw his arms out to the sides and spun around with a laugh.“We’re alone,” he yelled into the cold open air, making Jaehyun hop up and down in his own excitement.“I…is it weird that I don’t even want to do anything though,”“Well it’s only fair we take our own advice, we let everyone else go home because of the weather,”Everything they had to do would still be there tomorrow, he figured that was as good a reason as any to take the day off.Minho grinned, tongue poking out between his teeth, “see you tomorrow,” he didn’t need any convincing.Jaehyun nodded, waving as his partner headed back home. He did seem a little anxious to spend time with his family, having said a couple times over the last few days that Taemin really wanted him home. It was winter, they were never busy like this past the fall, and he had a newborn pup, a mate and a 3-year-old, all of whom, likely missed him like crazy.He left the worksite and met up with Jungwoo at his house where he and Donghyuck were having a late breakfast.They both perked up when they saw him in the doorway. He reached Donghyuck first, leaning down to hug him and nuzzle his head, the omega arched up into him with a laugh.“You smell good,” he observed, turning in his chair to look up at him.“Do I,” he asked, stepping away as Donghyuck scanned him.“Yeah, fresh and clean,” he gasped, holding a finger out to point at him accusingly, “you were playing in the rain,”“I wasn’t playing-”“No way, I love to play in puddles Jae, you know that,”“No, you like splashing Mark…” Jaehyun raised his eyebrows at him, daring him to disagree.He smiled at him, muttering, “Still like to play in puddles,”Jaehyun sighed as Donghyuck pouted, arms crossing when he flopped back, “I wasn’t playing in the puddles Hyuck, I had to walk from the worksite, in the rain,” he smiled at Jungwoo who stood up, pressing up against him with a small sigh. He heard him sniff then sigh again.“You do smell good,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers pressing tight to his back before falling away. He moved to get him a cup of tea while Donghyuck continued whining about mean alphas playing in the rain without their friends.“Hyuck,”He pouted some more.“What,”“You could always tell Mark to go run around for a bit in the rain,”Donghyuck stuck his tongue out at him, huffing, “maybe I will,”With Jungwoo occupied he leant over to Donghyuck, tapping his cheek. He swiped at the hand, snapping his jaw a little. “What,”“Do I smell good, really,”“Yeah, I said so, why,”He shrugged. Donghyuck looked at him, eyes narrowing before he sat forward, smile lighting up his face. “Why Jae,”“He’s never said anything about it before,”Donghyuck looked a little surprised at that before schooling his expression. He muttered about rain to himself, hands cupping around his tea as he thought. “New moon next week right,”He nodded.“Maybe it’s that plus the rain, everyone always smells better after it rains,”Jaehyun nodded, that was true, but he never did understand why that was. As the silence stretched Donghyuck’s eyes started to sparkle, mouth quirking a little more. Jaehyun didn’t get to ask him as Jungwoo came back, sliding the mug of tea across the table to him. He thanked him, holding the cup to let it warm him up. “What were you two doing, you’re not at work I see,” he poked Donghyuck’s side.“Nah, Mr. Choi is…well I actually don’t know what he’s doing but he gave me the week off for something. He said,” he cleared his throat, face screwed up as he imitated his boss, “‘Donghyuck, have the week off my boy, do something with yourself,’” Jungwoo laughed at him, hand covering his mouth. Donghyuck shrugged, “Like, thank you Mr. Choi, seriously, what am I going to do with myself if I’m not working, at least you’re around Woo,” he smiled at him, attention dropping to his cup. Jungwoo sighed with a tiny smile, looking at Jaehyun a little sadly. He was around but not necessarily by choice these days, not that Donghyuck meant anything bad by that, he was just excited to have a friend to spend his week off with.Shortly after that they fed Jaehyun a couple pancakes and some juice and then talked him into going shopping with them. Jungwoo said he wanted to start looking for stuff for the pup, which obviously was enough for Donghyuck, and Jaehyun didn’t need much besides the smile Jungwoo gave him. Remember what he said about separation and space? Yeah that was really hard to do when the person he was separating from was Jungwoo. Who was perfect in every sense of the word and literally everything that Jaehyun wanted, the task was next to impossible. Laughable really, that Jaehyun ever thought he, with his massive crush and endless devotion for the other, could manage such a thing.The rain had stopped. Donghyuck glared up at the sky, muttering about how he wanted to smell good too, he tossed Jaehyun a look where he was waiting for Jungwoo to lock his door. Jungwoo had wrapped his scarf around his neck, hands slipping into mittens, hat pulled over his head, appropriate since the air was still cold and very damp. He and Donghyuck talked excitedly the whole walk into town, like they hadn’t spent the whole morning together anyway.Jaehyun laughed as they pulled away from him, moving into a shop down the street. This wasn’t his ideal way to spend a free day, but he was happy to be spending time with Jungwoo regardless and it was always nice hearing his and Donghyuck’s silly giggles.Jaehyun took a step forward, ready to endure this, with them when someone called out to him.“Hi Jae,”Jaehyun turned around to see Kun hurrying towards him, hood pulled over his head.“Hey,” he opened his arms when Kun got closer, pulling him into a tight hug. He pulled his hood down, sticking his tongue out at him when Kun whined that he didn’t want to have to bathe again if his hair got wet, the total opposite of Donghyuck who had been looking forward to getting rained on.Jaehyun held his hand out, palm up with raised eyebrows, “it’s not raining anymore,”“Must you always be such a butthead,” Kun muttered a couple curses under his breath, adding, “you and your brother are so annoying, never let me live,” he wondered what his brother did today to lower him down to his level. Poor guy.He laughed at him, kissing his cheek when Kun glared up at him. His face melted into a smile.“I’m shocked to see you out and about, aren’t you like laser focused on finishing the school,”Jaehyun smiled, “yeah, but Minho and I gave the crew the day off because of the rain and then he and I took it off too. It’ll still be there tomorrow,”“Do you a have a bit, to talk,” he asked him, hands smoothing down his arms.Jaehyun turned back, Jungwoo and Donghyuck hadn’t come out to see where he was or why he wasn’t behind them anymore. They’d probably be distracted for a bit.“Sure,”Kun nodded, quiet for a beat before he asked, “Are you okay,”“Yeah why,” Jaehyun felt his eyebrows jump with his confusion.“You’ve just seemed off since the other night when Jungwoo told us about Lucas,”Of all the people in his life, Kun just like all his other family members, had always been able to read him like a book. He could always tell if something was going on or if he needed to talk. Still that didn’t mean he wanted to deal with this now, today or ever. He’d reached a weird sort of understanding with himself, that this was what it was. He’d deal with it whatever happened, he’d be okay.
He so wouldn’t be okay, but he’d deal with that too.
“And…”“And,” Kun sighed, “I wanted to know if you wanted to talk about it. It couldn’t have been super easy to hear, and I bet no one’s asked you how you took all that,”Jaehyun groaned.“It doesn’t matter,”Kun tilted his head at him. “It does to me,”“I’m fine,” he could feel his exasperation working hard inside him, sparking and rising like a stoked fire.“Jaehyun,”“Seriously Kun I’m fine,”Kun stopped. His eyebrows drew close together before he said, “You knew he had a history,”Jaehyun groaned. Of course, he knew that. Jungwoo was pregnant for goodness sake, that can only happen a handful of ways. Though Jaehyun had been adamantly trying not to think about the most common way, not wanting to imagine Jungwoo like that…with someone else.“Yeah, of course,”“Then what’s wrong,” Kun asked him, mouth set in a pout. He imagined that was how Kun got his brother to crumble.“Nothing’s wrong,”“Then why do you seem sad,”“I’m not sad…”He raised his eyebrows, looked a little unimpressed with him.“Talk to me Jae. I know there’s something going on with you,”“Kun,” Jaehyun felt like his next step would be begging, begging Kun to stop.“I love you, you’re my family and I don’t like seeing you upset, so talk to me, please,”Kun ran a hand over Jaehyun’s cheek.“It doesn’t matter. I’m,” he felt overwhelmed. Sighing as dread and self-loathing filled him to the brim. Did it even make sense to be so bent out of shape over someone he didn’t know, someone he had never met? It was entirely possible that his position in Jungwoo’s life was unshakeable, that he was here and Jungwoo wanted him. There was just something about all of it that discouraged him, that told him to settle down and not let his bar set itself too high.“I’m nothing,” he whispered.Kun seemed floored, eyes huge, mouth set in a line.“Says who,”“Me, Kun. I say,” he shook his, stepping out of Kun’s reach, “You heard him, he misses this Lucas guy, he wants him to be a part of their lives,”“Yes, and I also heard him say they fought like hell and broke up. Jungwoo broke up with him,”“He’s his weak spot Kun,”“So,”“So?! So, this guy could come around and sweep him off his feet, step back in to live his life with Jungwoo and his pup. Meanwhile there’s me who is obsessive and crazy and still hung up on a crush he had as a pup,”“Jae,”“They were together, even after they broke up. You don’t have sex with someone when you don’t still have feelings for them,”“Yes, you with your vast relationship experience can speak to that,” Kun reached out to poke him but he was too agitated to let that make him feel better.“I imagine, you don’t have sex with someone you feel nothing for. Not like that. You don’t get over someone just like that,” Kun was quiet for a moment as he thought about that. The feelings that this conversation dredged up to the surface made his eyes feel tight, he twitched not wanting to cry. He’d always prided himself on being more in touch with his emotions than most alphas, his mom made sure he and Hajun were sensitive and kind before they were tough or prideful. But that didn’t mean he wanted to lose it here, now. Some things just can’t be helped, as a couple tears slipped free, rolling down his face like rivulets of lava, scalding him as they went.Kun stepped closer to him, he brushed his cheeks as he hushed him.“I agree with that. And he might not be ready to move on or into something new, but it also might not be for the reasons you think,”Jaehyun nodded, breath coming out like a wet burst.“I don’t…I don’t…want to think about this anymore,”“Okay, I hear you but consider this. All of that, that life is the past for him. He didn’t know you Jae, now he does. And it’s very possible, that you changed things for him. He might not be ready to move on yet but someday he will be, and I would be shocked if you’re not in contention after that,”Kun reached out wiping away his tears. Jaehyun closed his eyes and nuzzled into his hand.“I don’t think so,” he whispered, feeling a little sick as he sniffled.“I think so. Maybe you’ve been too busy admiring him that you’ve never noticed how he looks at you. How he looks backat you,”Jaehyun shook his head, not believing that.Kun smiled, shook his head back.“Now you’re just being stubborn.”“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about this anymore,”“Okay but can I say one more thing,”Jaehyun sighed.“Go ahead,”“Omegas are picky. You know that. One thing we’re extremely picky about is smells. I had lots of offers before your brother came along and I obviously liked everything about him but the thing that did it was how he smelled. I had never considered anyone else before him. We don’t usually give alphas the satisfaction of being around us if we don’t like their smell,”“We’re friends though, it…it isn’t anything… like that,” as he said it, he remembered Jungwoo telling him he smelled good just this morning. Huh. But that was the rain. Even Donghyuck thought he smelled good, he never thought anyone, but Mark smelled good. It was the rain. It had to be.Kun, as if he could tell where his head was taking him, stepped in.“Jae, he literally always smells like you. Which means he can smell you on him, he wouldn’t allow that if he didn’t like it. If he didn’t like you,”“Again, we’re friends Kun,”“If that’s what you want to call it,” Kun went quiet, smile shifting into something less serious. “Did you want to go see what they were up to,” pointing behind him, in the direction of the shop they’d gone into.“Not really,” he swiped across his face, to get rid of the remaining evidence, “they were just going shopping. They’ll come find me if they need me for something,”“Cool, cool. What were they shopping for?”“Pup stuff I think,”Kun perked up, eyes going a little twinkly.Jaehyun rolled his eyes, “You can take my spot if you want…think I might go home or go to the shop,”“No, no mister, you’re not getting away from me,” Kun smirked when Jaehyun groaned, “I want you to buy me a coffee,”“Really,”“Really, come on,” Kun pulled along, in the opposite direction, towards the coffee shop at the end of the block.The other two found them a while later, nursing their second cups of coffee, Kun making Jaehyun laugh so hard his sides were starting to hurt. Jungwoo smiled, sliding in beside him as Donghyuck got them something to drink.Across the table he watched Kun look over the omega across from him, eyes assessing him in a way he’d never seen him do before. Since Jungwoo had come home and Jaehyun had started working him into their lives, Kun had been nothing but supportive. Now he seemed wary and a little worried. It felt nice to have someone know what he was thinking, understand how this felt for him, have Kun who was protective and loved him fiercely any day of the week.It was funny seeing him look at Jungwoo like that. Like Jaehyun needed protection from him. He didn’t. He just needed to keep his eyes open, not get his hopes up. He could do that.The question was, regarding Jungwoo, would he?….Jaehyun was not great at staying away from Jungwoo. Fact.
And he also wasn’t great at not getting his hopes up. His wolf didn’t understand either of those concepts which was probably why he was no good at either of those things.They had picked Jungwoo. Everything from the mention of another alpha to the prospect of putting distance between them hurt. A lot.Now so much of his time was spent thinking about Lucas because his wolf was a nutcase who spent his time pacing circles inside him, tail swishing as he stewed, plotting the downfall of an alpha they might not ever meet. In his darker hours, Jaehyun was inclined to agree with some of his sentiments.Jaehyun had been there for him.Jaehyun had taken care of him.Jaehyun had helped him with anything and everything he needed.Lucas wasn’t here.Lucas didn’t know any of what he’d dealt with or been through.His wolf fed him this eagerly, not liking the idea that Lucas was out there, looming, ready to take back his spot without any work or effort. Jaehyun was here, his wolf was here, not Lucas, not his alpha. Who was he? What business did he have not being here? What business did he have to come back? Potentially, someday, after he’d missed so much.Jaehyun really did try not to think about it too much. His wolf did the opposite. He liked thinking about the other, liked being irritated, liked having something to obsess over, a reason to stretch his legs and show off his coat. They’d never really done anything like this before, so he was excited. Jaehyun knew that. But he also knew he was a total dope. They both were. He wanted to preen and show off, compete and prove his worth while Jaehyun just sort of wanted to spend time with Jungwoo panic free.Of course, as is the way, when his wish is granted it’s still tinged with the other alpha. With questions and concerns about him. About him and Jungwoo.What had he said all the times he made him laugh? Was he good to him when they weren’t fighting? Did he bring him gifts and flowers after they fought? Or did he rely on other methods to make things up to the omega? Questions like that. That reminded him how little, how insignificant he was in the grand scheme of things. It was heartbreaking and disturbing.He knew that Jungwoo had chosen to break up with him, wasn’t happy and wanted to just be friends. He knew that.He did.He was good.But then Jungwoo started acting strange. He hadn’t seen it this last week, since he’d been cagey and upset at the build site. And he’d seemed genuinely better after confiding in their friends about his worries and about Lucas. Maybe he wasn’t okay. Jaehyun wanted to ask, even though he knew it would probably lead to a conversation about Lucas, but he also felt like Jungwoo didn’t want to talk.Jungwoo was, had been quiet with him recently, not offering information or seeking him out. At first, he was able to claim it was Jungwoo’s continued closeness with the others in their friend group, which he liked but lately it seemed like more. He’d talk to Donghyuck or Taeil or Sicheng but shut up right away when Jaehyun sat down with them. Then he’d ask if they could reschedule dinner, claiming he didn’t feel up to it. But they never rescheduled it, so Jaehyun stopped showing up on Monday’s. And Jungwoo never mentioned it when he’d come over on Tuesday, just smiling and thanking him for the meat he’d left outside for him that day.It felt like there was a wall going up between them. And Jaehyun was forced to watch each brick be placed, obstructing his view of Jungwoo, keeping them divided, separated.The most recent example of this happened on a Tuesday. The last safe day, it seemed, for them to be friends. He was bringing him a large elk he’d caught, cleaning, skinning and chopping it up before bringing it over to the omegas house. He was home, Jaehyun could smell him inside the house.Jaehyun hung two large cuts in the drying cabinet, the rest he deposited in the ice box at the side of the house.He knocked on his door when he was done and waited.Jaehyun heard footsteps approach the door, shuffling and then a sniffle. His wolf whined.“Who is it,” Jungwoo called through the door.That was odd. He always just opened the door right away, since he could smell him too, sense a little stronger since he was pregnant.“It’s me Woo,”He didn’t like this. He was in his house, alone, crying, nothing else to do since he was still out of work.“I’m not really in the mood for company Jaehyun,”“Are you alright,”“Yes, I just kind of want to be alone today,”“Okay,” he took a step back before coming back. “Do you need anything,”He heard a tiny sob, “no, no I’m okay,”“Jungwoo,” he pressed his hand to the door, as if that would do or change anything.“Please Jaehyun, I’m okay,”“Woo,”“Go away Jae, please,” he yelled through the door. Jaehyun staggered a little, never having received something like that from the other.“Okay, okay, sorry,” he ran a hand through his hair, “I left you some elk meat, okay, it’s all cleaned,”Another sniffle, “thanks,”He left after that, stepped off his tiny porch and headed home. He wasn’t used to going home on Tuesdays, but he supposed that’s what he had to do now. He wasn’t spending tonight with Jungwoo that was for sure. After that he just sort of got the sense that Jungwoo was angry at him. A sense that proved itself correct a couple days later.….He’d left the site earlier than usual, Minho telling him he looked like crap and kicked him out. Jaehyun figured he probably did look like literal trash since he hadn’t been sleeping that great, hadn’t been eating the same as he usually did and hadn’t been spending much time with Jungwoo, with the work on the school so close to being done, he was sort of burning the candle at both ends. He was halfway home when he decided avoiding Jungwoo was ridiculous. He missed him. He didn’t like not seeing him. If there was an issue, if Jungwoo was feeling any sort of bad way towards him, it wouldn’t get fixed by avoiding each other. Which, yes Jaehyun realized he’s toyed with the idea of putting some distance between them, but this felt different. Ominous like he had done something wrong. If he had he needed to know so he could fix it.So, he turned around and headed back the way he came, towards Jungwoo’s house. Jungwoo opened the door a minute or so after he knocked. He looked surprised to see him.“Hi,” he said, staying pressed to the door, blocking his way into the house.“Hi, can I come in,” he didn’t usually have to ask. Jungwoo usually invited him in by now, yet another tip that something was going on.Jungwoo nodded, stepping aside slowly.He’d never felt like this in Jungwoo’s presence, he felt awkward, like he’d rather leave now than say what he came here to, not wanting to endure this tense, weird air anymore.But he had to say this. He couldn’t take it.He looked at Jungwoo, his arms were crossed in front of him, watching him intently. He looked tired but beautiful. His cheeks were rosy like he was warm and comfortable, and his sweater appeared a size too tight as it clung to him, bump very muchthere.“How are you,” he asked, suddenly remembering how sad he’d been lately, when he wasn’t giving off ticked off, leave me alone kind of vibes.Jungwoo nodded, “good, you,”“Good,”Jungwoo looked away, around his living room quickly, “did you need something Jae,”He reeled a little at that. Did he need something? Jungwoo never asked him that when he stopped by. It didn’t escape him that Jungwoo didn’t offer him anything to eat or drink either. He wanted to get rid of him, clearly.“No, I just had something…something I wanted to talk to you about,”Jungwoo sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, chewed on it briefly before telling him to ‘go ahead’.“I…I’ve had the feeling that you’re ticked at me since the other day, and I can’t take it anymore. I know I’ve been busy and I’m sorry if I did something to make you mad at me,” Jaehyun took a deep breath, pacing further into the room, Jungwoo took a step back when he got close. His chest tightened. If Jungwoo was mad at him, he couldn’t think of anything major he’d done recently. Unless, he had been annoyed at him the other day at the site when he was pushing him to go see Jimin about his ongoing discomfort. Jungwoo had seemed put off by that but he hadn’t said anything. He wasn't so sure that it was that but what else could it be?“I know I kind of overreacted about your back pain at the site, when you visited. I know…I’m not, we’re not, we’re friends and I don’t have any right to act that way with you, I know that. I just care about you, and I’m sorry if it upset you but I can’t apologize for caring and worrying about you,”Jungwoo looked at him for a long moment, chewing on his bottom lip.“I’m not mad at you for that Jaehyun,” he was looking at him like he was tired.“Oh, okay that’s-”“Did you tell your dad,” Jungwoo cut him off.“What,”Jungwoo sighed loudly.“Did you tell your dad about Hanbin and the others,”
Oh busted.
He’d totally forgotten he’d done that.Jaehyun closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. That was enough of an answer for Jungwoo.“Jaehyun,” Jungwoo sounded really disappointed.“Jungwoo I’m-”“I asked you not to say anything to him about it,” he tossed his hands up, backed even further away from him. Jaehyun swallowed thickly, wondering just how mad Jungwoo actually was at him for this and how hard it would be to work out.“That’s what you’re mad about,”Jungwoo gave a look, “I’m mad that you said something Jaehyun, I asked you not to,”“I know you did but…they were gonna…be on my site Woo, I couldn’t,” saying it now, to Jungwoo’s upset face and watery eyes it didn’t seem like a good enough reason. “I knew I couldn’t keep my promise not to do anything to them if they were so close, in my face all day, I couldn’t do it,” Oh god it really did sound so lame now, saying it to him. Jungwoo’s expression seemed to say he agreed.“So, you decided to blatantly do something that I asked you not to,” raised voice, shaking hands, furrowed eyebrows, pinched mouth, so really mad at him then.He’d only heard him sound like that when he was dealing with Hanbin and Junhoe, when he was angry beyond comprehension and so bent out of shape he couldn’t think.“It wasn’t like that,”Jungwoo huffed turning around, brushing his hand off when he reached to touch his shoulder.“Jungwoo,” he tried again.“I asked you not to involve him Jaehyun. Now he knows and he’s-”“-he won’t say anything Woo. I told him you didn’t want any issues, he knows not to do anything,”Jungwoo whipped back around, eyes huge and disbelieving.“He’s the head alpha Jaehyun. There’s a problem in his pack with wolves bullying other wolves and you really think he’s not going to do anything, what sort of head alpha would he be if he didn’t,”He took a deep breath, to calm himself down, feeling tension coil in his chest, like a snake ready to strike the wolf inside him.“Jungwoo please,” Jungwoo looked at him with watery eyes, “I’m sorry,”“For what,”Jaehyun paused, looking around for his answer, “For upsetting you,”Jungwoo’s eyes narrowed.“But not for saying something,”Jaehyun knew he was being tested. Knew Jungwoo was fishing. One answer would get him in more trouble. The other would fix this.But it didn’t serve him to lie to him.He’d just piss him off more and be exactly what he was probably fearing he was. A jackass alpha who pushed and prodded and got what they wanted, always, never answering to anyone, never accountable for the problems they caused.He wasn’t like that.He’d own this.“No,” he held his head up under Jungwoo’s scrutiny.He shook his head, arms crossed, displeased but Jaehyun noticed it was more than that, as the water escaped his eyes, a few tears rolled down his cheeks, mouth trembling.“I’m not sorry for that,”Jungwoo nodded, shaking harder. Jaehyun wanted to hold him, hug him, kiss his head but knew he was in a lot of trouble and couldn’t do it.“I’m-”“I’d like you to leave Jaehyun, please,”No.This wasn’t right.This was horrible.How was he supposed to fix this if he left?“Jungwoo,”Jungwoo brushed off his hands, stepping around him to kick him out.“I mean it Jaehyun,”His wolf was surprisingly quiet inside him. Maybe they just didn’t have any help to offer him, leaving him on his own to deal with his problem. He stepped up behind him, wrapping Jungwoo in his scent till his shoulders sagged a little, stepping backwards in to his chest. Jaehyun took one of his hands in his, dragged him away from the door, back to him.“Can I at least explain it to you,” he took his other hand too, pulling him closer till Jungwoo’s bare toes touched the tips of his shoes.“No,” Jungwoo’s hands were limp in his.“Jungwoo,” he tried again, reaching up with their linked hands to brush away some of his tears, Jungwoo bit his lip, closed his eyes and turned away from him.“I don’t want to hear you talk yourself out of this…” he took a breath, whimpering a little, smell souring by the second. “From the minute we became friends you’ve always made me feel like I had a voice when everyone else from here has tried to keep me quiet. You made me feel like I mattered. Like you care and listen and like what I have to say. I liked that. But this,”He pulled him closer and Jungwoo came. Jaehyun swiped his thumbs under his eyes again.“Woo,” he ducked close to him, lips connecting with his temple. Jungwoo sighed, let him kiss him for a second before pushing him back. “This made me feel like you didn’t care. Like you weren’t listening, I trust you but then you go and do this, when you told me you wouldn’t. Why tell me you’d do it at all when you never planned to listen,”“Because I wasn’t going to say anything,” Jaehyun’s heart dropped when Jungwoo moved away from him again, he rubbed his stomach, sobbing a little. “I tried to move them to the clean-up team instead, so I wouldn’t have to see them or work with them, but my dad asked for a reason. So, I told him. He would’ve kept asking, he can tell when I’m hiding something. I made that decision and I’m sorry that it upset you, but I’d do it again. I made you another promise that I wouldn’t do anything to them, that I wouldn’t attack them, but I knew I’d break that the second I saw any one of them at the school. I don’t regret it,”Jungwoo looked away from him, hands swiping at his eyes quickly with the ends of his sleeves.“You don’t get it Jae,” he whispered. Jaehyun did get it, he knew he messed up, but he thought the value of his promise not to fuck Hanbin up was worth more. He swallowed the growl that worked up inside him, unbidden, knowing that wouldn’t help him out any.“No, you don’t get it,” that stopped him dead. He looked up at him, eyes full of shock but he had his attention again, completely. “You asking me not to do anything to those assholes goes against every instinct I have as an alpha. But I did it, I’ve tried my absolute hardest because you asked me to stay out of it. I’d never do something to upset you like that, not intentionally but you need to understand how hard this is for me too. To avoid the people who’ve tormented you, who’ve caused you pain, who scare you Woo, do you know what that’s like? I want to snap them in half for making you feel like that, but I haven’t. Because you mean more to me than my stupid, backwards need for revenge. I told my dad the truth to keep my other promise to you. I’m sorry you don’t like that, but it’s done. I’ve done nothing but try to keep you safe and make sure you’re happy and fed and comfortable,”He took a deep breath, staring into the dark, anguished eyes of the omega who had his heart and all the other pieces of him as well. He’d do anything for him. He’d give him anything if he asked for it. What was he supposed to do? His best efforts weren’t getting him anywhere, weren’t winning him any points, that was so frustrating. And now Jungwoo was mad at him anyway.Great.“You’re going to be mad at me? Me? Sure, that makes sense Jungwoo,”“Jaehyun,”“I’ll go if you want me to, I will, and I’ll leave you be, but I don’t think it’s fair that you’re mad at me for trying to protect a promise I made to you,”“By breaking another one, you don’t get it Jaehyun,”“Maybe I don’t. But if I saw Hanbin at any point this week, while I was so pissed off at having to explain the difference between a screw and a nail to literally everyone I talked to, I would’ve killed him, I think. Would that have been better? Would you have preferred that?”“No but-”“My dad won’t say anything, and he won’t do anything to them. And I’ll leave you alone,”Jungwoo was quiet, hands lying flat over his stomach as he cried.“If that’s what you want,”Again, Jungwoo was quiet.Well that didn’t feel great.“Okay,” he backed up, “wow. Um…you can go to dinner tonight. I’ll stay home so you can eat okay, so you don’t have to see me,”“Jae-”He left before he could allow himself to be hurt anymore, shutting the door gently behind himself and hurrying away. He’d never in his life felt quite like this.His wolf was still taking on his new role as a mute.Maybe he was just as shocked, just as distraught.Both of them actually had no idea to what to do with what just happened. They didn’t speak to each other for a week after that.….The new school was almost finished, probably three more days of work left with the roof being finished, bathrooms fully installed and chalkboards, desks and books ready to brought in over the next few days. He was outside at the site with Minho, Chanyeol, Taeyong and Johnny taking a break. All of them being entertained by Mingyu who was getting scolded by his mate Minghao for leaving the faucet in the kitchen running all morning. Chanyeol was busy falling over with his laughter, being equally as entertaining to them as the couple a few feet away when Taeyong tapped him, pointing towards the path that led from town to the school.He turned and saw Jungwoo shuffling forward, Donghyuck a step behind appearing to push him forward every few steps.Jaehyun felt like a pup about to get in trouble for stealing something sweet before dinner. It was stupid, to be fearful of talking or seeing the other but the last time they saw each other it wasn’t great. And he’s spent the last week kicking himself, wondering what he could do to make it up to the other while reminding himself Jungwoo hadn’t come to find him or talk to him, which meant he didn’t want to see him. He said he’d leave him alone, so he had. And it was horrible.And painful.And it hurt.A lot.Jaehyun spun back to his friends, saw Taeyong and Johnny grinning at him fondly. Behind them Chanyeol leaned over to ask Minho if he was that bad when he was planning to start courting his mate. Minho scoffed saying something along the lines of ‘please, Baekhyun scared the shit out of you,’ Chanyeol groaned, shoving his older friend when Minho started laughing at him.“It won’t be so bad,” Taeyong promised, pushing him back a little. Jaehyun shook his head, not believing that, remembering how awful it had been to lose him the first time, to fight with him like that. Every time he closed his eyes this week, he was rocketed back to Jungwoo’s living room, with the scent of sour peaches wrapping around him and Jungwoo looking at him like he didn’t recognize him.“Yeah or it could be horrible. What if he’s here to tell me our time apart has shown him, he’s better off without me…that I’m stupid and overbearing and not worth it,”“I don’t think he’d bother coming out here to say something like that to you,” Johnny promised him.Taeyong seemed to agree saying, “Yeah he’s not like that Jae,”“Sure, sure,” he took a deep breath, ran his hands down the front of his shirt, readjusted his jacket on his shoulders, “do I look okay,”Johnny gave him an ‘ok’ sign and Taeyong told him he looked very handsome before shoving him again.He turned, taking a step, hearing Minho saying something about it being nice that he was finally fawning over someone. This wasn’t fawning, but he’d gladly start fawning again if Jungwoo let him back into his life.Donghyuck moved to him first, patted his shoulder as he reached him, whispering ‘be gentle Jae, he feels bad,’. Then he grabbed him, spinning him fully to face him, ‘I mean it, he feels bad so don’t be mean,’ he growled. Jaehyun smiled at him, through his momentary fear, he knew in his gut, after this week he would do anything to make this right.He missed him so, so much. “Hi,” he croaked when he got close enough to him.“Hi,” he didn’t like how shy Jungwoo looked, like this was the first time they were meeting all over again.“Want to go for a walk,” he asked, trying to ease the air a little. He stuck his hands in his pockets, so he wouldn’t be tempted to hold his hand or reach for him in some other way. Jungwoo nodded. So, they walked. Only stopping when they were far enough from the school that they couldn’t hear the chatter or ruckus caused by the remaining busy wolves.“I miss you Jae,” his quiet voice tucked around him much like his sweet smell.Jaehyun smiled at him, chest loosening up from the knot it’d been in for days, feeling like maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad after all.“I miss you too, have missed you, like crazy,”Jungwoo smiled a little, cheeks flushing.“Can I explain this…why I was so upset, to you,” Jungwoo stopped walking as he said it.“Of course,”He took a deep breath, pushed his hair away from his eyes, back under the brim of his hat, Donghyuck’s hat.“Well first, I want to apologize to you about yelling at you, the other day. I feel bad about it, but I’m also still really annoyed at you,”Such a Jungwoo answer.“Okay,”The other took a deep breath, looking at him with a soft look.“I can’t tell you that what you did was fine with me because it wasn’t. I asked you not to tell your dad and you did it anyway. I understand why you did it, I do but I’m still upset about it. Maybe you think I’m overreacting but…Jae,” he sighed, taking another deep breath. He looked down for a quick moment, when he peeked back up at him, he had tears in his eyes. Jaehyun stepped closer to him, on reflex. Jungwoo smiled before he continued. “One of my biggest problems with Lucas was that he didn’t listen. He never listened, and he didn’t respect me when I asked something of him. It was just one of our many problems, but it drove me crazy and…and it hurt a lot. So now, I just hate it, I don’t deserve that I don’t think,”“You don’t, you’re right. I’m so sorry Jungwoo, I never meant to make you feel like that,”“I get that,”“But…”“But it still felt like you didn’t respect me or my decision about all this, like you felt like you knew what was best. You are so different from Lucas, in so many ways…and I know it’s not the same, but I guess, that sort of reminded me of him. You’ve never reminded me of him before,”He felt his insides drop. That statement made him think that maybe Kun was right, maybe he had it wrong. Lucas wasn’t a problem and he was good. There were definitely bigger problems between them, things that Jaehyun couldn’t touch. He didn’t like that this other alpha hadn’t left the best taste in Jungwoo’s mouth, but he also didn’t mind thinking that he was less of an option. Jungwoo wouldn’t want to be with someone who he felt didn’t respect him, right? Right. He needed to take a deep breath and not worry so much.He just loved him so much it was way too easy for his head to get away from him, for his wolf to go nuts and for him to come up with worst case scenarios that were just the side of believable, enough to trick him.Jaehyun took another step closer to him, took his hand in his to drag him in the rest of the way. He decided not to mention all the Lucas stuff though, he could see and had seen how sore a subject it was for him.“Of course, I respect you. You are your own wonderful, independent person and you don’t need me or anyone else to fight your battles for you, I know that,”Jungwoo took a raspy, watery breath.“I’m so sorry. I swear to you that was never what I meant to do. I just wanted to help, and I started talking and couldn’t stop,”“Jae,”“I know, I know that’s not the point but what about this, he knows. He knows, and he hasn’t done anything with that yet, and he won’t. Nothing you were worried has happened so maybe it’s not an issue at all right,”“Jaehyun,”“All I’m saying is, maybe this isn’t worth holding onto,”“Maybe not. But do you get what I’m saying,”“Yeah, I think so,”Jungwoo laughed a little at that.“Hey, I do respect you Jungwoo, I think the world of you and I’m so sorry that I made you feel like I didn’t, don’t…I was upset but I know…I shouldn’t have said anything. It wasn’t my choice to make, I know that and I’m sorry I made it,”Jungwoo crossed his arms, smiling at him.“I thought you weren’t sorry about saying something,”“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. This week, not seeing you, not talking to you, not knowing how you are, has been awful. I wasn’t thinking about what you said when I told my dad. I was only thinking about how impossible it would be for me to stay sane if they were working on the school with me. It’s not…I’m sorry. I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything,”“I’m sorry for being a pill,”“You haven’t been a pill Jungwoo, I hurt you with what I did, you trust me, and I was an ass with that,”“No, you weren’t Jae,”“Yes, I was,”“No,” Jungwoo took his face in his hands, his fingers were cold, “you weren’t. Your heart was in the right place and I’m sorry I made you feel bad about doing something to protect me. You were right, you’ve done nothing but help me and make me feel wanted and cared about. So, I’m sorry. Can we agree to put this behind us, I don’t like not seeing you or talking to you and I really don’t like being mad at you,”“Do you forgive me,” he asked, pouting at him. Jungwoo’s hands slid down to his shoulders with a smile.“If you forgive me, yes,”Jaehyun nodded, grinning from ear to ear when Jungwoo did the same. He wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hugging him tighter than Jaehyun could ever remember being hugged in his life.“I really have missed you,” he whispered against his hair, feeling Jungwoo shudder a little, giggling quietly in his ear.“I missed you too,” Jungwoo’s arms wrapped a little tighter. He seemed to settle after that, pressing so close to him Jaehyun could feel practically every inch of him against him, it was maddening and amazing. The loon of a wolf in his chest was trotting around in circles, tail swishing happily.“Can I ask you something,”“Sure,” Jungwoo sighed, warm breath hitting his neck in a whoosh.“How did you find out that I told my dad,”Jungwoo stiffened in his arms, nose tucking against his scent gland. He took a big breath, making Jaehyun shiver as he took in his scent in such an intimate, undeniably affectionate way.“Woo,” he whispered when he didn’t answer after a bit.“Yeah,”“How’d you find out,”He sighed, “Hanbin,”Jaehyun felt his brow furrow, how’d he hear it from Hanbin?“He wasn’t there when I asked my dad to move them, they’d already left,”“I know, I saw him at the market, I was there with Taeil and he stopped me, asked me if it felt good being a bitch,”Jaehyun felt a growl start deep in his chest, work up his throat, he kept it inside though, as much as he could manage. Jungwoo’s hands stroked down the back of his head slowly, calm worked through him instantly as the omega wrapped him in his warm, luscious scent.“I asked him what he was talking about and he said you were a wuss and I was a bitch, told me that they were approached about moving to the clean-up crew instead. He said he didn’t give them a reason, but he knew it had to be you, because nobody else would have had them moved,”“Jungwoo,”He sniffled into his shoulder, face pressing closer to him.“He shut up when Taeil came over and asked him if he needed something…he growled at him, which Tae didn’t like. After that he told me I wasn’t worth having you and now your dad doing my dirty work, I deserved to spend my life alone, rotting with my filthy spawn,”Jaehyun kissed his head instead of letting another growl take over him, he squeezed him as his stomach rolled. Hanbin’s disgusting nature never failed to astonish him. He figured at some point it would stop surprising him. It hadn’t yet.“What’d you do,”“I punched him...have you seen him recently,”“No,” and wasn’t Hanbin a lucky s.o.b for that.“He has a black eye, Taeil was impressed,”Jaehyun laughed, “I’m impressed,”“I said I wasn’t going to fight anymore…but-”“-He deserved that,” Jaehyun finished the thought for him.Jungwoo looked up at him and nodded.“I didn’t believe him, about what he said. I’ve learned not to take what he says to heart, but…”“He was right,”“Yeah,” Jungwoo snuggled against his chest, nose warmer as it brushed his neck this time. “That made it worse I think but overall I was just more surprised,”“No, you were hurt Woo, you don’t have to pretend you weren’t just because we’re talking again,”Jungwoo smiled at him, eyes twinkling a little.“I don’t get him,”“What do you mean,” Jaehyun asked, feeling so soft for him in this moment he couldn’t stop his hand from brushing his hair away from his eyes where it was spilling out his hat, fingers stroking gently at the skin behind his ear and down his neck. The omega shivered a little, twitching but pressing closer to his touch.“He always knows what to say to bug me the most. It’s like he knows what’s on my mind and uses it against me. I just don’t get how he does it. I’ve been feeling so horrible lately, just with everything. I’ve been so down on myself, wondering how Lucas is and just worrying about him, I’m sad and bored and then I fought with you on top of everything else. This has been a horrible couple of weeks,”Jaehyun thought about that. Hanbin probably utilizes the same method Jaehyun does for gauging how Jungwoo is, his scent. You can tell a lot about an omega based on their smell. How they were, emotionally, physically, if they needed something, if they wanted something from you. It was a wonderful asset and a great thing to understand. Though where Jaehyun uses it to help, Hanbin does the opposite. Jungwoo’s smell leaves him exposed, he gives everything away.“He can probably smell when you’re upset,”“So, he can make me more upset,” he asked him.Jaehyun nudged his nose against his forehead, smiling when Jungwoo laughed quietly.“We know he’s horrible,”“Yeah…I keep thinking one day he’ll approach me and not be such an…” he dropped off.“Such a what,” so amused with the other right now.“Nothing,”“No, what, were you going to say,” Jaehyun ran his fingers under his chin, smirking when Jungwoo shifted his head away from his hand. “Say it,” he smiled against the blushing omega’s forehead.“Such an asshole,”Jaehyun laughed, “he’s a total asshole,”Jungwoo’s head moved against his neck as he nodded. He was quiet for a few moments before whispering a tiny, “Jae,”He looked down at him, “yeah,”“Will you come over for dinner tonight,”It was Thursday.They always had dinner in the village with the boys on normal weeknights.But going over to his house tonight implied dinner alone, just the two of them.Jungwoo looked at him, moving back a couple steps.“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.Jaehyun shook himself.“Sure, yeah, yes of course, sorry,”Jungwoo laughed at him, called him a dork before hugging him again. It felt as if he didn’t want to let him go, which was wonderful, Jaehyun didn’t ever want to be let go of. He knew what it was like being without him now. He didn’t want to do it ever again.He could use tonight to make sure they were okay. That Jungwoo knew he was actually sorry and knew he’d messed up and was committed to being better.Things still felt a little rocky, like they were standing on uneven ground. But at least they were talking again. Jungwoo wasn’t afraid of telling him exactly what he was thinking which meant if they had problems, they could fix them, talk it out.It felt good.But Jungwoo’s hand in his, head leaning close to his as they made their way back to the school felt even better.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun walked Jungwoo home the night before his first day back at the daycare. He listened to Jungwoo happily telling him how excited he was to be getting back to work. He missed it so much, missed the other teachers, missed the pups. But more than all that, he missed having something to do. Jaehyun was glad he could help with giving that back to him, help get him back to work. Jungwoo asked him inside that night, dragged him through his living room and down the hall, alpha inside him twitching when Jungwoo pushed him inside his room, telling him to sit on the bed.Jaehyun did.Gladly.Ignoring the ideas his head was feeding him, knowing he shouldn’t be thinking about any of those things. Not here, not now, not…it wasn’t like that. This wasn’t…going that way Jaehyun, calm down. Stop being a cretin, you’re better than that.Deep breath, in for a beat out for two.He could do this.He was fine.  But.Damn it.It smelled so good in here. Like Jungwoo’s natural, sweet scent times 10, every inch of this space was saturated in cinnamon and peaches, this was paradise. There was no way another place existed that could be closer to Jaehyun’s personalized version of heaven.He shook himself, sat up straighter, told his wolf to chill out as he focused on Jungwoo pulling open drawers at his dresser.He came back to Jaehyun with his arms full of clothes, face warm with a smile.“I know it’s silly, but could I ask for your fashion advice,”“Mine,” he asked, eyebrows raised as he looked down at himself, one of his many flannel shirts untucked and unbuttoned, t-shirt and worn jeans, his typical everyday attire, sometimes swapped for a thick sweater if it was cold enough out for him to bundle up.Jungwoo looked him over too before laughing at Jaehyun’s disbelieving face.“You sure, Ten or Kun or literally anyone else would be better to ask than me,”“But you’re here,” he said simply, hands twisting the hem of the sweater he was wearing, “and you always look comfortable,”Jaehyun laughed, deciding not to poke that comment too much in case Jungwoo thought of a term less tactful than comfortable. He nodded to show him he was game to help, give him his opinion even though he wasn’t sure it counted for too much.“So, what should I wear, tomorrow,”He grabbed a white turtleneck, laid it over his lap while Jungwoo moved other pieces around, held them up, made a face then put them back on the bed.“It feels like my first day all over again, I’m so nervous,” he whispered, moving again as he laid out a striped sweater. Maybe that’s why he wanted his help and his opinion because Jungwoo knew him well enough by now to understand that Jaehyun was always there to build him up and ease his worries.“I like this one,” he said tapping the blue and white sweater on the bed next to him.“No,” Jungwoo answered, taking the sweater off the bed and balling it up. He tossed it away both of them watched it land in the corner of the room.Jaehyun looked up at him, smiling when Jungwoo’s head turned slowly, gaze shifting around the space between them.“You picked it though,”“I know, I didn’t mean to…I…I don’t like it,”Jaehyun felt his face soften.“You don’t like it,”Jungwoo shook his head.“Why do you have it…if you don’t like it,”“Because I did like it, but I don’t anymore,” his mouth twisted for a second before settling in a pout.Jaehyun reached out to brush his hand, feeling like they were talking in circles. It didn’t really matter how or why Jungwoo felt a certain way about this particular sweater, but he was enjoying spending the extra time with him. And the warm flush on Jungwoo’s fuller cheeks, he was enjoying that too.Jungwoo looked at him out of the corner of his eye before quickly looking back at the pile.“What,” he asked him, squeezing his fingers gently.He sighed, pulled his hand away from him, both smoothing over his stomach, pouting down at his bump.Oh.“I’m not even that big yet,” he whispered. Jaehyun watched his shoulders sag, hopping up to close the distance between them before Jungwoo could be sad for another second. He wrapped his arms around him, running his nose through his bangs and down his temple, scenting him. Jungwoo hummed.“It’s okay,”“I know,” he murmured, hands curling into the back of Jaehyun’s shirt. “It’s just frustrating. It’s, half my clothes don’t fit already and I’m only four months along. I didn’t think my clothes were that tight but…”He went quiet, nuzzled his face against Jaehyun’s shoulder instead.“I bet you’re just not used to things being tight on you, right,”He nodded.Jungwoo looked up at him, tiny smile still in place.“It was my favorite,” he murmured, so freaking endearing in that moment that Jaehyun couldn’t help ducking close to him to kiss his forehead slowly, smiling against him when Jungwoo sighed, stepped closer.“I’m sorry,” he thought about saying something about clothes not fitting because his pup was growing and perfectly healthy but figured Jungwoo knew that and was just looking for an ear to listen to his most recent dilemma. Jaehyun, a little selfishly was glad that these were the things Jungwoo was dealing with now. He didn’t like that Jungwoo was struggling with his body image, as so many omegas did during pregnancy, but he couldn’t necessarily mind that he was dealing with this instead of bullies. Lack of proper fitting clothing or Hanbin and his horrible, disgusting mouth, easy hand off really.“It’s okay, just one of the many perks right,” he laid his hand over his stomach, a sweet look of tender exasperation passed over his face.Jungwoo nosed against his neck, sniffing quickly before pulling back from him. He brushed his hair away from his eyes, smiling as he looked back at the pile of clothes on the bed.“So, outfit, what do you think,”Jaehyun grinned, looked down at him till Jungwoo poked his chest, forcing him to focus on something other than the twinkle in his eye, the warmth in cheeks or the maddening fullness of his mouth. Right, Jungwoo was asking him a question, asking for his help. He could do that. He could focus.“Do you have anything that’s still…comfortable for you,” he didn’t want to say it in a way that would upset the other. He was so beautiful to Jaehyun, always had been. He knew now, was aware how endlessly attractive and captivating omegas were to alphas when they were pregnant, the pull they had on any normal day was tripled when they were expecting. It couldn’t be ignored or fought against, not that an alpha really had the proper equipment to combat that or wanted to.Jungwoo came back with a couple different t-shirts, one long sleeve shirt and one striped turtle neck, he looked at with a frown. He smiled at him while suggesting layering one of the shirts with a sweater or the long-sleeved shirt under one of his many jackets. He wasn’t sure if his suggestions were any good or if he was even helping in any way but Jungwoo seemed so content, so thrilled to have him here so he’d useless and unfashionable for him, forever.He wasn’t sure if he even settled on an outfit for the next day, not a concrete one but he figured Jungwoo was at least content with an idea because he pulled Jaehyun back towards his living room, offering him something to drink.“Oh, wait I made cookies yesterday…will, do you want to stay for a bit,” he asked him, stopped moving. Jaehyun nodded, made to follow him and help only to have Jungwoo’s hands land on his shoulders. He pressed him back towards the couch attempting to push him to sit, groaning at him when he locked his knees, staying annoyingly, stiffly in place against the omega’s weak attempts at pushing him around. Jungwoo huffed, giggling when Jaehyun nuzzled the side of his head, collapsing slightly against the hand at his waist. “Sit Jae, please,” he whispered, knocking his head against Jaehyun’s.He lowered to the couch right after he asked, smiling when Jungwoo stuck his tongue out at him on his walk into the kitchen. Jungwoo had been way more lighthearted with him since they made up from their fight. Playful and goofy and happy, content and joyfully at ease in his company, like he was trying to make sure Jaehyun had reasons to stay. As if he needed any. Jaehyun wasn’t going anywhere. Regardless of what was waiting at the end of all this for them, Jaehyun was here, invested. If they were friends, he’d be the best damn friend to him that he could be. If they grew into more, he’d be the best at that too. He’d love him and adore him and cherish everything about him and everyday be better at it than he was the day before.He wanted, to ask Jungwoo, if he knew that they were good, that Jaehyun was here, with him till he no longer wanted him around. But he didn’t. For an admittedly selfish reason. Jaehyun was just enjoying this. The ridiculous alpha in him absolutely loved having Jungwoo’s silly, fawning attention all to himself, it was great. It was perfect, and he didn’t want to do or say anything that would change Jungwoo’s behavior, shock or shake him enough to stop being this way with him.Jungwoo came back with a plate of cookies balanced on top of a glass of water, another glass in his hand. Jaehyun sat forward, momentarily bothered that Jungwoo didn’t let him lend a hand, reached for the plate to set it on the table as Jungwoo sat down next to him.Jaehyun enjoyed a couple cookies in the time it took for Jungwoo to settle fully next to him, blanket collected and wrapping around him. Jungwoo’s eyes met his, smiling and offering him the end of the blanket. To share. Jaehyun swallowed. It was warm in here, fire roaring perfectly in front of them. He’d roast under a blanket, pressed against a warm, happy Jungwoo.But.There were certainly worse things he, an alpha, could endure in Jungwoo’s company.….Jungwoo was, if you asked Jaehyun and probably their friends too, thriving. He’d had his first shifts back at the daycare since the fire and just seemed so happy to be doing something with himself again Jaehyun could barely take it. It was awesome. From here, it looked like everything was coming up Jungwoo, working, growing, happy, thinking positive thoughts and exuding an energy Jaehyun couldn’t find fault with.Of course, just because Jaehyun couldn’t find fault, didn’t mean others agreed. Because others were assholes, others were stupid and needed to go back to elementary school, relearn their manners and remember that presentation didn’t matter in this world, they were all the same at their core. Wolves. Every last one of them.The world had changed a lot and even though packs were way more forward thinking that didn’t mean that bad things couldn’t happen, and people couldn’t still have their own opinions. Even if those opinions were, if you asked Jaehyun, wrong.He knew this. And because he knew this, he kept his eyes open, tried to be aware and cautious, for Jungwoo’s sake. Now especially, Jaehyun was wary, always on guard, since Hanbin had decided to engage his basic sense of self preservation and keep away from Jaehyun. Avoiding Jaehyun, unfortunately meant cornering Jungwoo when he was without him.It was smart in theory. Since Jaehyun still wasn’t sure Hanbin should consider himself safe if he had to run into Jaehyun. He had reassured Jungwoo that he wouldn’t do anything, since he wasn’t looking to get into another fight, he was inclined to be good on that. But Hanbin was…he was Hanbin and he’d done more than enough to justify getting his ass handed to him by Jaehyun. Hell, Jungwoo had decked him. Jaehyun felt skimped, he felt he deserved a shot at him too.Regardless of that feeling, of Jungwoo defending himself, of Hanbin’s increase in mental capacity, he is still an idiot. An impatient, spiteful idiot and Jaehyun knows that Hanbin won’t be able to keep his distance forever, that he and his friends aren’t known to go down without a fight. Their lack of presence made him nervous enough to be extra aware of everything. Just in case.He does know that Jungwoo can handle himself, that he can take care of things when nobody else is around. He knows that, but he also knows he feels better when he’s with Jungwoo.Why wouldn’t he?He trusts himself more maybe, more than he has faith in the fact that Hanbin doesn’t want to get hit again.Sure, some could say that it didn’t make sense to stress or worry over something that hadn’t happened, that wasn’t happening but Jaehyun knew better than to trust these people, they’d proven themselves plenty, they didn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt.Maybe it was for his own benefit or Jungwoo’s. Maybe he just didn’t want to slip up and have something happen.Or maybe it was how incredibly, completely different things with Jungwoo had felt recently. Like all of this was bigger, he needed to be on his toes for him, because this was beyond anything it had been before.After their fight, after they made up, things were just so different between them. Granted it had only been a few days since but Jaehyun could still feel and notice the change. They were closer than before, talking freely and candidly to each other. They were open and honest and real, it felt like they had recognized the mistakes they’d made and knew what they meant to each other, weren’t willing to jeopardize or lose each other. It had been a good week so far.Jungwoo had gone back to work, giggling and talking excitedly all night long both Monday and Tuesday when he and Jaehyun shared dinner by his fireplace and Jaehyun was glad to not be working constantly on the school. Glad it was finished but even more so that Jungwoo was doing better than the last couple weeks, was back to work and was happy.This was why he worried though, because Jungwoo’s goodness just served to piss people off. It was only a matter of time till something happened. And the longer they stayed away from him, let Jungwoo flourish in his goodness, the more Jaehyun stressed about it.He knew he wasn’t the only one keeping his eyes open. Knew the other boys were there for him too, for Jungwoo.Yuta had his back at work, not that anything notable had ever happened while Jungwoo was working. Taeyong was distraught that someone had attacked Jungwoo in the market, hardly believing the balls that that took, while Taeil was with him. So, both of them were prepared to do anything for the omega if he needed them. Mark, fond of the other beyond belief having seen firsthand the audacity of Hanbin and his friends, would do anything for Jungwoo, no questions. And then of course there was Johnny who was also on guard on the omega’s behalf, always asking how he was, subtly checking him over for injuries any time he saw him. He’d been there after Jungwoo was attacked outside the healer’s hut, he saw that panic and supported Jungwoo, whatever he needed. This Jaehyun noticed, had Ten on edge, he wasn’t used to sharing Johnny with anyone else. But his momentary unrest usually faded to nothing once Johnny got a hand on him, content to have his touch and his attention. Ten was pretty good at maintaining both of those things, and he never did anything, loved Jungwoo and trusted all of them, especially Johnny enough to know he didn’t have anything to worry about. Jealousy tamped down pretty much the moment it surged in his eyes when looking at Jungwoo and Johnny smiling at each other because Jaehyun was there, distracting Jungwoo and Johnny was there for Ten, always.His youngest friend’s promise shocked him the most. Jisung, seemed game to do just about anything to defend the omega, young alpha blood and instincts fresh and feral. He allowed Jaehyun use of any and all tools from the shop if he needed it. And assured him the pit where he worked was hot enough to burn evidence. Jaehyun raised his eyebrows at him, stunned, smiling when Chenle hit his chest, telling him how horrible that was. Jisung said he didn’t care, he had their back’s. Jaehyun had yet to admit to anyone that he was mildly, lowkey terrified of Jisung.And then there was Jimin and his friends, who were smart and kind and didn’t buy into the town’s vicious gossip. They trusted themselves, trusted their own opinions, and were there for all of them if they needed anything.Jungwoo had an army of people behind him. Growing everyday but with that, of course was the reason he needed the support. Jaehyun believed that it could only be a matter of time before the hatred of the people in this pack reached a head, he knew sooner or later they’d make another massive scene, make their purpose known and try to hurt somebody.It just happened to be sooner.….He and Jungwoo were walking slowly towards the towns center, pickles secure in the omega’s grip. Jungwoo was giggling about a story Jaehyun was telling him about one of Yuta’s many failed attempts at courting Sicheng when they were younger. He had to stop a couple times as he doubled over laughing, clinging to Jaehyun’s arm as he laughed with him.When they reached the center, he felt an almost tangible tension in the air. He didn’t like it, knowing it wouldn’t be good.Jungwoo stumbled into his back with a quiet huff when Jaehyun stopped short, eyeing the gang of alpha’s huddled around the long buffet table. They turned at their entrance.Jungwoo squeaked, seeing the gang, giving off pungent, violent pheromones.Jaehyun reached for Jungwoo’s hand when he felt him shiver. He tried to assure him that it was okay, that everything was good, that they’d take care of it and have dinner, like always.He pulled Jungwoo forward with him, eyes narrowed at the alpha’s in front of them, daring them to be as stupid as he knew they could be.The biggest of them, Bobby Kim, the head of the snake, turned, arms crossing cockily as he glared over Jaehyun’s shoulder at Jungwoo like he was something that belonged on the bottom of a shoe. Hanbin and Junhoe moved to his sides, eyes flashing red as they glared the omega down.He obviously wasn’t a fan of Hanbin or Junhoe, after their shit they’ve pulled but he’d truly never liked Bobby. He was well known for doing things the wrong way, gleeful when someone got hurt or embarrassed because of him. He was always teasing the omegas in a way that resembled harassment more than flirting, he was arrogant and rude, condescending and narcissistic. And he knew Bobby had never liked him either. Their differences in opinion led them to fight when they were younger. And now they avoided each other at all costs, knowing they couldn’t stand each other, separation worked just fine for them. He wished Hanbin and Junhoe took Bobby’s cue, wondering what made them think they needed to involve themselves so much. Couldn’t they just make themselves scarce like Bobby has in his life, leave Jungwoo alone, keep their distance? No? Okay, cool.Jaehyun felt, rather than saw his friends join them, heard Taeil whisper to Jungwoo, Donghyuck squeezed Jaehyun’s shoulder before Mark took his spot telling Donghyuck to stay away from them, hissing out Hanbin’s name like it was a curse.“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, voice tiny and faded.“It’s okay Woo,”He let go of Jungwoo’s hand in favor of stepping forward to confront the other alpha, Johnny, Taeyong and Yuta flanking him, Mark, Jeno, Jisung and Doyoung behind them.Bobby took a breath but Jaehyun cut him off.“I hope you’ve thought very carefully about what you’re about to do Kim,” he growled at him.“I have,” Bobby snarled back.“Oh yeah, and you see where we are, you want to do this in front of all these people,” Jaehyun asked, knowing he actually didn’t care where they were, that he thrived in chaos and loved the attention.“I don’t care who hears this, it wouldn’t be anything they aren’t thinking anyway,” Bobby smirked, eyes red, like that was supposed to scare him. Hanbin stepped around his best friend, breathing heavy and ragged. “He,” Hanbin spat, pointing at Jungwoo through the clump of their friends, “doesn’t belong here,”“He has a name,”“Right, slut, I’m sorry,” face contorted in a smug, ugly sneer.Jaehyun lost himself, lunging at him only to be grabbed by Johnny who took him by the waist and set him back, whispering to him to calm down. At the same time, Bobby turned to Hanbin with a mild glare, hissed at him to let him handle it. Hanbin’s whole body rumbled with a growl, thrumming with annoyed, venomous energy.“I’ll kill him,” Donghyuck said next to him, having rejoined them. Mark eased him back again, with a tiny, fond noise, told Donghyuck to make sure Jungwoo was alright, knowing that would make him leave, check on his best friend.Taeyong’s strong scent filled his nose in that moment, bergamot thicker than he was used to. Mild fury making his smell heavy, like a weight. He stepped next to him, speaking up to defend his newest friend. “Jungwoo grew up here, he lives here, he’s a member of this pack and if he wants to eat, he has a place here. But whether he does or doesn’t…why is that something you get an opinion about,”Bobby snarled at him, fists clenching.Through the blood rushing behind his ears he heard Taeil whimper out an ‘oh babe,’ worried and stressed. He almost wished his friends didn’t hop up to help him, he could handle these idiots on his own. He didn’t really like all of them freaking their mates out so badly but then he reminded himself, through his rage that Jungwoo mattered to all of them. They weren’t alone. In this or anything else.Bobby’s focus dragged away from Taeyong after a long, charged moment. There was plenty of history there too, between Bobby and Taeyong knowing once upon a time in school, Bobby talked about Taeil like he hung the moon. And then he picked Taeyong and Jaehyun had never heard him talk nice about an omega since. His eyes flashed red, back to Jaehyun, seething in front of him.“Don’t talk to me Lee,” Bobby hissed, looking irater than before.“Oh, you can run your mouth but you don’t-”He wasn’t sure who grabbed Taeyong, but he got hauled back a few feet by somebody behind them, words cut off like he had a hand over his mouth. Bobby glared him down before barreling on.“You may not mind breathing the same air as him, sharing your food with him but I’m not crazy about eating among the trash, I have standards,”Every word got more difficult to listen to as Bobby’s stupidity registered, making his vision fuzz with anger.“You do,” he asked him sarcastically, “that’s funny, is that why you’re still single? Your high standards? Or is it that you’re disgusting and vile and no omega wants to mate with someone who looks like a pig,” he ripped himself out of Johnny’s grip, chest heaving, he could feel his nails digging into his palm, whole body twitching as the wolf in his chest thrashed, determined to fight for the omega they’d chosen.“That’s rich coming from someone who’s shacking up with another alpha’s sloppy seconds. He’s someone’s leftovers Jaehyun, I mean even you can do better than that. He’s fucking pregnant and you’re alright with that, maybe it’s you who has the issues not him.”The boys seemed to breathe in unison, each of them letting out warning growls.“I swear to god Kim-,”“You’re so pathetic Jaehyun you know that,” Bobby asked, “you’ve literally had half the omegas in this pack panting after you and you want him? Really? Why’s that, think he’d look real pretty hanging off your knot or what?”Jaehyun lunged, taking Bobby by the throat and throwing him down. He crouched over him, nails digging into his shoulders, “Say another word about him,” he pressed his knee against his breastbone, “and I’ll end you,”“Jaehyun,” it was Yuta, he took him by the shoulders, “he isn’t worth it,”“I think he might be,” he snarled, thrilling when Bobby’s face went red. Every, despicable, horrendous word he’d said, every piece of filth Hanbin and Junhoe tossed at them roared in his ears, filled him up with hatred for these animals who had the nerve to pass themselves off as alphas. They were horrible. Maybe he could save the energy, use it on something else, something productive but this was worth it. Because Jungwoo was worth it.“Hey Jae, stop,” his voice sounded a little panicked. Jaehyun shouldered off Yuta’s hold, pressing down on Bobby’s windpipe harder.“I can’t, all of them, have been torturing him Yu, they don’t…they shouldn’t be breathing, he’s…he’s-”“-I know Jae,”He shot a look over his shoulder.“I hear you, but he isn’t worth it. Come on, you don’t want Jungwoo to see this,” at the mention of the omega he stilled. He let up his grip on Bobby, stood slowly and dusted himself off. Bobby coughed, making a show of getting to his feet, like he was a victim, like he wasn’t just ripping an innocent omega to shreds.“Any and all of your problems with him, go through me, you leave him the fuck alone Bobby,” Jaehyun knew that wouldn’t be enough, but at least it was out there.“He’s scum Jaehyun, I can’t believe-”Hanbin’s words halted the second Jaehyun turned to look at him.“Hey, you want me to make your ugly fucking face symmetrical, because I will, make sure you match,” he tapped his own eye with a smirk. It was horrible looking, ugly in color as it began to heal. Jungwoo could throw a punch, damn.“That scum you speak so lowly of, got a damn good hook huh,”Hanbin stepped back, knocking into Junhoe. The other alpha hissed down at his friend, “Jungwoo gave you that, I thought you fell,” the comment made the boys laugh behind him.Jaehyun rolled his eyes, wondering how wolves so dense and stupid had survived for so long.He glared at the rest of them before turning, instantly laying eyes on Jungwoo who had tears streaming from his eyes, clutching his pickles to his chest like a security blanket. He was shaking, the sight made Jaehyun’s blood run cold. Yuta was right, Jungwoo didn’t need to see that or listen to them or exist in the same space as them when they were being that way. He shouldn’t have done anything, he should’ve just ignored Bobby and his goons, they would’ve dispersed eventually. Instead he confronted him, publicly and they’d made a scene and Jungwoo had to stand there and listen as Bobby spat obscenities about him in front of the whole pack. Of course, he was crying. It was too much.Jaehyun rushed to him, ignoring the stares from the other fire pits, the murmurs that swirled and surged as shock wore off and people decided what they thought about what they’d seen. He didn’t really care though, about what these people, who sat back and watched thought about himself or Jungwoo, their opinions hardly carried any weight. Right now, all he cared about, truly was Jungwoo, he had eyes only for him, brain power firmly focused on him and tasked with making him feel better.Jungwoo backed up when he came close, he reached out to him, but he shook him off. He took another step back, then another, stumbling.“Woo,”“Its…it’s okay Jae,” his head was moving back and forth, tears slipping down his cheeks quicker. It broke his heart.“Jungwoo,” he begged, reaching for him again.“That shit is why my mom doesn’t ever come to these, everyone’s nasty for no reason,”They’d never properly talked about his mom. He didn’t offer information about her freely and Jaehyun knew, from prior touches on the subject that Jungwoo didn’t really like talking about her. Their relationship was different and strained, he loved her of course and loved being here, close to her but…that was all he knew. Now, he was finding out, could assume from that statement that maybe Mrs. Kim had dealt with similar tactics of out casting. She didn’t involve herself in pack life, maybe that was the reason. Well he didn’t like that at all but he’d deal with it some other time, when Jungwoo wasn’t breaking down in front of him.He looked back at the omega, crying, visibly devastated and embarrassed, judging by the flush of color down his neck.“Jungwoo, please,” he floundered for a reason that would get him to stay. Their friends were quiet, though they did create a strong, impenetrable barrier around them. The surety they gave off pushed him closer to the other, reaching for his hand like he would in any other situation.“Woo, you need to eat,” he tried but he could see in his eyes, in the set of his jaw, the thin line of his mouth that there was literally nothing he could say that would get him to stay here now.“Believe it or not, I have no interest in staying somewhere where I know for a fact I’m not wanted.” See, he figured.“Jungwoo, it’s just Bobby, he’s an idiot. Just like Hanbin and Junhoe, all of them are, they’re stupid,”“But nobody else tried to stop him, Jae, just you…you guys. I’m the pariah, remember? The disgusting slut, can’t forget that,”“Hey,” Jaehyun stepped up to him, took his face in his hands gently, ducked close but Jungwoo turned his head away. “I’m sorry Woo,”Jungwoo whimpered, knuckles white around the jar before he pressed it into Jaehyun’s chest, stepping back. “Don’t apologize for them Jae…they’re not sorry, you know that,”“Jungwoo,” his hands fell limp when Jungwoo stepped away again. Jungwoo shook his head, helpless little noise leaving his throat.“I’ll see you later,” and with that Jungwoo turned, he brushed off Kun when he tried to comfort him, stood at the back of their clump waiting to catch him. Jungwoo dodged him expertly, hurrying away, back home. Where no one would yell at him or call him names.Jaehyun looked at his friends, all of them looking just as lost as he felt. How could people who’d never tried to get to know Jungwoo treat him so harshly?He looked around at the pathetic people of this pack, failures, really, who would let one of their own be treated like that, he wanted to scream at them. But maybe Yuta was right, Bobby wasn’t worth it, and neither were they. The problem was that Jaehyun knew that Jungwoo was worth it. So Jaehyun fought, and he would fight, he wouldn’t stop until people respected Jungwoo and he felt safe.He thought there had been progress. His friends were well known and integral in so many aspects of the pack and they loved Jungwoo. He thought that would have influence. And Jungwoo got a job, working at the school where plenty of the young wolves had access to him. Jungwoo said the other teachers were being nice, not extremely so but nicer than he was expecting anyway. He had a table at the farmer’s market and that was going much better than any of them were expecting, exceeding their expectations by leaps and bounds.All of this was really good, good positive developments for Jungwoo’s life in the pack. And then people had to go and prove him wrong. It’s because he thought about it. He shouldn’t have done that. He knows where thinking gets him. He knows.Jaehyun caught sight of his dad moving around his fire pit, eyeing the pack of alpha’s still stood around the table. His vision blurred as he took off across the center, towards his father. His mom stood, moving to brush at his hair, excited to see him while his dad seemed surprised, he didn’t usually join them for dinner.He smiled, offering him a seat which Jaehyun denied.He was shaking, really badly actually. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this angry.“Did you see that shit,” he growled. Swallowing, knowing his dad wouldn’t respond to his anger, he tried again, “did you see it,”“What,” he asked. Jaehyun couldn’t tell if he actually didn’t see it or was just playing the neutral party.“That Dad,” he pointed at Bobby who was watching him with wide eyes. At least he had enough sense in his pea brain to fear his dad a little bit. “With Bobby and his band of idiots, did you see any of that,”“Jaehyun sweetie,” his mom reached for his hand, he pulled out of her grasp, too angry to be touched and not wanting to snap and hurt her.“I told you what was going on, with them and Jungwoo. There, they treat him like crap and you’re over here…doing nothing,”He could feel himself losing his grip on things. His dad looked at him in his classic, placating way which meant he was probably about to say something he knew Jaehyun wouldn’t like. It was his first defense in preparing Jaehyun for the come down.“You told me not to get involved Jaehyun, you said that’s what Jungwoo wanted,”Crap. He did say that didn’t he?He sighed.“I know I did but…”His mom smiled, looking between them. “Honey, it’s okay,”Jaehyun turned to look at her, “no it isn’t mom. It’s awful actually, maybe you didn’t hear what they said but that doesn’t mean they aren’t saying it, being mean to him just for the sake of it,”She sighed, smile turning sadder. He looked back at his dad. He was annoyed that he hadn’t done anything to help but he hadtold him not to. So, he couldn’t exactly fault him for that, he was just doing what Jaehyun asked him to. Maybe he was even a little grateful for that, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what Jungwoo would’ve done if his dad had stepped in, broke up the pack of alphas causing a scene. That was something Jungwoo had very adamantly, assured him, he didn’t want. Hell, it was something they’d gotten into a fight over. He wouldn’t push the issue, knowing where it landed him before.“He’s never done anything bad to anyone, he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body and they treat him like he’s…like he’s a freaking disease,”“Jaehyun,” his father started, hands raised. He looked so sorry it made something inside Jaehyun thrum.“I just need you to know it’s happening. I know I said to stay out of it, and you should but…it just kills me dad,”He stepped forward, tugged Jaehyun into a tight hug, kissed the top of his head quickly.“I know kid, work on him would you, change his mind, we’ll fix it for him,”He knew he would but that’s not what Jungwoo wanted.Jaehyun nodded as a way to end this conversation. Jungwoo would never go for that, he’d know immediately that Jaehyun had a play and would shut him down. He wouldn’t do it but there wasn’t harm in letting his dad think he would.His dad’s next words made him think that he knew he was brushing him off to a degree.“Just make sure he knows he can bring this to the council anytime. If he changes his mind, we’re there to listen,”Jaehyun nodded, feeling much better but also incredibly tired.“Sweetie,” his mom reached out, brushed his hand with hers.He looked down at her, smiling, her warm eyes and tender smile made him feel like a kid again, at ease in her company, problems reduced to crumbs in the face of her love and support.“You should check on him,” she urged.He nodded, knowing that was exactly what he should be doing. Jungwoo might not want the company after that but Jaehyun wasn’t about to let him sit alone and sad for the rest of the night. No way.He leaned down to kiss his mom’s cheek, warming instantly when she kissed him back, tucking his hair away from his eyes.He turned to leave and collided with his brother.“Hey Jae,”He sighed, “hi,”“What’s wrong,”Jaehyun felt his shoulders sag.“Fucking Bobby Kim and his punks,”“Whoa, okay, what happened,” his gaze shot over his shoulder, to their parents.“We were just coming to have dinner,” he whispered pitifully.His brother picked up on his meaning, knowing he and Jungwoo always showed up together for dinner. Hajun breathed out a sad sound, “is he okay,”He shrugged, anger surging again as he remembered every horrible word Bobby had said, every disgusting thing Hanbin concocted in his demented head about an omega who’d done nothing to deserve his scorn.“He left. I mean of course he did, who in their right mind would hang around after that,”Hajun stared, going pale knowing what the mention of Bobby Kim meant in this context, “Wait, wait Bobby…I thought Hanbin-”“Oh, he was there too,”“They started something here,” his gaze panned over the village’s center, pits starting to return to normal, chatter picking up after the eerie silence they’d fallen into mere moments ago. “Yeah,” he ran a hand over his face, “he…he doesn’t,” he dropped off, not even sure anymore what he wanted to say. “Okay Jae, I know, let’s…let’s go,” Hajun wrapped his arm around him, making to guide him away from their parent’s fire pit.He nodded, feeling himself deflate some more in the strong, sure presence of his older brother. He wanted to leave, go see Jungwoo, make sure he knew he was loved beyond comprehension and wasn’t a single, horrible thing those idiots would have him believe he was.He looked back to Hajun, watching his face soften.“It’s okay Jae, come on,” He shook his head, “It’s not Jun. This, you should’ve heard the things they said to him,”Hajun gave him a look that said, take a breath. He did, took a couple, looked at his parents one last time before he let Hajun’s steady grip around his shoulder guide him away, asking him a dozen questions as they went. Jaehyun could barely form coherent thoughts now, he was angry and frustrated all over again for some reason. Couldn’t feel much outside of his clearest, baser emotions. Jungwoo was hurt. His wolf was mad. His wolf wanted to ease his pain and comfort him. They loved Jungwoo.Fury. Rage.Comfort.Protect.Love.He made his way back to the table, snarling at the alpha’s still stood there stupidly, they backed up quickly. Apparently seeing something that scared them. An alpha cut down to the root was a feral, animal for their omega, they weren’t to be crossed. Clearly, they realized that, rushing away from him instantly.“Junnie,” Kun breathed from somewhere next to him, he distantly heard Hajun kiss his mate, shushing his panicked gibberish, kissed him again.Jaehyun looked down the table, saw the pickles sitting there unopened, untouched, where he’d dropped them in his haste to go see his dad. He narrowed his eyes, grabbed a plate and began picking out Jungwoo’s favorites when Johnny’s grassy smell filled his nose.“Hyuck and Taeil followed him home,” he said to him. He figured if anyone would, it’d be those two. Jaehyun shifted, feeling Johnny watching his movements.“What are you doing,” he asked.“I’m going to have dinner with Jungwoo. He doesn’t deserve to be alone after that,” he looked at the rest of his friends, scattered, staring at him like they were still in shock. Why was Jaehyun not in shock, oh right because he was in love with Jungwoo and all too familiar with scenes like that. The fact that he was, made his heart jump into his ribs harshly.“Can we come too,” Jisung came forward, grabbing an empty plate. Jaehyun looked up at him, seeing worry and stubbornness mixing in his dark eyes, the line of his mouth said, I’m coming anyway. Jaehyun smiled at him gently, the calm, eased feeling was back again.He nodded to his youngest friend. The others followed suit, filling their plates and waiting to follow him to Jungwoo’s. On their way out, he asked Jaemin to grab the jar of pickles back off the table, these people didn’t deserve them.….Taeil opened the door, grinning from ear to ear when he saw all fourteen of them standing on the step, arms loaded with food.“He hasn’t stopped crying, Jae,” Taeil whispered, taking the plates out of his hands and putting them on the table before opening his arms for Taeyong who sagged into them with a long sigh, nosing along his neck and inhaling slowly like he couldn’t breathe if his oxygen hadn’t first touched Taeil’s skin. “I’m surprised you didn’t do anything to him love,”Taeyong snorted against his neck, “I wanted to, didn’t think you’d like that though,”Taeil hummed, “I do prefer you in one, handsome, unharmed piece, so thank you,”“Anything for you,”Jaehyun moved past them as Taeil started nuzzling him, scenting him enthusiastically. Beyond them, he had a purpose. Jungwoo.He saw his head of light brown hair, sitting on the floor at the coffee table. Donghyuck was sitting on the couch, rubbing his back, Jaehyun noticed he was crying too.Jaehyun moved around the couch, standing in front of the other wolf, who hopped up when he saw him. Jungwoo ran to him, burrowing into his chest as he sobbed, shaking apart in his arms, Jaehyun held him tight, hoped that was enough but knowing it probably wouldn’t be. Couldn’t possibly be.“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, nosing across his forehead, “not for them, for me, that you had to listen to their shit, that you have to deal with them,”Jungwoo whimpered, murmuring his name through a small sob. He didn’t say anything else just stood there wrapping him in soothing pheromones while making sure he could feel he was there and wasn’t going anywhere.He’s not sure how it happened, but they ended up on the floor, sat across the living room from everyone else, Jungwoo curled with his legs draped over his lap, sniffling quietly as he rubbed his stomach.Jaehyun drew him out of his hiding spot a little bit later, with a kiss to his head, smiling down at him when he stared back. Jungwoo startled seeing everyone else there in his home, laughing wetly when they waved at him. Jaehyun noted how warm and comfortable it felt with all of them there. The tight, cramped space that struggled to fit Jungwoo and Jaehyun some days, fit all of them, snuggly but perfectly.Taeil brought them the plates Jaehyun made for them, setting them down next to him as Yuta, Sicheng, Johnny and Ten came with their plates to sit on the floor with them. The others scattered on the couch, at the table or on the floor in front of the couch, chatter moving like it did around the fire, easily. Though tonight it swirled around a wobbly coffee table, laid across a threadbare couch, filling Jaehyun with warmth as Jungwoo held onto him, smiling against his skin.He hoped he knew how much they all loved him. How badly they all wanted to make things easier and better for him. Jaehyun hoped this, being there for him now was enough to show him.“Thank you,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers stroking his collar, head still laid on his shoulder.“One day you’ll stop thanking me for this because it won’t surprise you, I’m always going to be here, and I’ll always fight for you,”Jungwoo’s face was warm where it was pressed close to him, “Can I say something embarrassing,”“Embarrassing for who,” he whispered back, tuning out the others, who didn’t seem to be paying attention to them anyway.“Me,”He grinned against his hair, “sure,”“I like knowing you’re there for me, it’s…it’s…nice,”Jaehyun laughed, tone teasing when he said, “was that hard to get out,”Jungwoo pinched him, laughing anyway.“You have no idea,”Jaehyun chuckled again, kissing the omega’s forehead. Jungwoo nuzzled closer to him after, still not touching his food, not that Jaehyun minded too much, he really liked having all his attention on him instead. And he liked that after everything, he still was willing to smile, seemed happy to have him and their friends there with him.What he didn’t like was that Doyoung, Renjun and Jaemin were making these annoying kissy faces at him while the others laughed into their hands. Oh well, they were easy enough to ignore, he had a lot of practice with that and a great distraction, Jungwoo smiling up at him, eyes sparkling as he asked him what he brought him for dinner. When they all headed out, each of them stopping to wrap Jungwoo in a tight hug, several of them whispering that they loved him so much and weren’t going anywhere. Jungwoo cried into a couple different shoulders, promising Taeil and Taeyong that they didn’t have to stay to help clean up, having already brushed off Donghyuck and Kun for trying to do the same thing. He knew Jaehyun would stay to help, be with him for a little bit longer.And he did stay. Cleaned up the bits of debris left behind by their friends, plates piled in the sink to rinse and return to the community center for the next dinner, he laughed when Jungwoo groaned in the kitchen.“You alright,” he called, collecting the last few cups and a few more rogue dishes.“Yeah, just…tired,” he answered, hands buried in sink when Jaehyun came back. “It’s…weird,”“What’s weird,” he asked, back in the kitchen now.“How normal I feel,”“Right now,” he poked him, poked him again when Jungwoo flicked soapy water at him off his fingers.“Yeah,” he looked at him over his shoulder, “like I wasn’t just verbally assaulted, in front of the whole pack,” his voice shook.“Hey,”Jungwoo pulled his hands out of the water, wiped them off on his pants, before spinning and colliding with Jaehyun’s chest. Jungwoo made a sad, strained noise when he wrapped his arms around Jaehyun’s back. Jaehyun shushed him gently, promising him that it and he were okay. Nobody could or would bother him here. Jaehyun wouldn’t let them.“Do you think he was right,”He knew there wasn’t a single thing that Bobby or Hanbin were right about but needed to know what he’d said that worried him, lured him into doubt.“About what Woo,”“He said, he wasn’t saying anything people weren’t already thinking, do you think enough people still can’t stand me…enough to make him right,”Jaehyun nuzzled the top of his head, love and affection for this lovely, sweet omega threatening to choke him as it clawed up his throat.“No, I don’t,”Jungwoo nodded against his shoulder, willing to believe him.Next to them on the counter, sat the now empty jar of pickles, polished off by their friends. A reminder of the fifteen people who adored him. Of the countless people who showed up every weekend to buy a jar for themselves, who talked to Jungwoo like a person, eagerly got to know him better every Sunday from 10-2.“I think he’s stupid,”Jungwoo’s smile stretched against his throat, laughter whooshing out of him in a warm burst.“Will you stay Jae…for a bit,”Jaehyun pressed a kiss to arch of his eyebrow. Then to the other, to the bridge of his nose then to the space between his eyes, “I’ve told you already, that I’m not going anywhere,”Jungwoo snuffled, a happy, little sound.“For tonight, you’ll stay,”He smiled.“For as long as you want,”And he did.Gladly posting up on his couch, keeping him company while Jungwoo faded further and further from the world of the living. Did it, give him several different crisis’s over the course of the night? Absolutely.But he’d suffer through many more for this.For the omega pressed into his side, body warm in the crook of Jaehyun’s arm, having finally fallen asleep with him, on his lumpy, drastically uncomfortable couch, fire roaring, heart pattering away in time with his own.Crisis’s, in all their various forms, were totally worth it for this.….Jaehyun wasn’t stupid.He was actually very smart.Thank you.This meant, that he was aware Jungwoo would probably not be in the best of headspaces after being pulled apart in front of a pack of people he wanted so desperately to like him.And he wasn’t.Jaehyun hadn’t wanted to be right about that.He wasn’t stupid.He was smart, remember.And any person with a brain would figure that what happened at dinner, though not as horrible as some of the other ordeals Jungwoo had been through was still horrendous and unacceptable. To be put in that position, humiliated for just being yourself, doing your own thing, reduced to nothing because a group of alphas didn’t agree with his return or his pregnancy. Jaehyun couldn’t imagine what that was like. His heart ached for him, but he also understood he had no possible way of knowing exactly what that was like for him. He didn’t know, he could sympathize and try to understand but he’d never been through that himself. Witnessing it was hard enough. Jaehyun was struggling just from having listened to it, fighting them off, he couldn’t even try to know what this all felt like for Jungwoo, the target of their hatred. This struggle, the knowledge of his struggle led them here.….Saturday, Jungwoo’s house.He’d been helping Jungwoo clean out and organize his kitchen, saying he wanted to clean but didn’t want to climb on the counter to do so. Jaehyun wondered if this was actually something he wanted to do or if he just wanted to avoid the pack but also didn’t want to be alone. Whatever his reason, whether this was real or not, he was enjoying himself immensely and couldn’t find a reason to complain as he handed Jungwoo old jars of food from the top shelves of his cabinets, laughing at his grossed out faces when he checked the dates of the food coming his way.“Can I ask you where this came from,” critically eyeing the jar of brown liquid, god only knew what it contained before, probably something that wasn’t meant to be canned and stored for a long time.“It was cheap, when I came back, I didn’t have a lot of money, so I bought lots of stuff from the discount table at the market,”Jaehyun turned to look at him. Jungwoo was picking at invisible dirt on his counter top, “Woo,”He looked up at him, startled.“Yeah,”Jaehyun held up the jar, “someone sold you this,”He smiled sheepishly, “yeah,”Jaehyun tilted his head, “what was it exactly,”“Uh, wax beans…I think,”Jaehyun eyed the jar, there was no way this had been…wax beans, it was sludge. He raised his eyebrows, grossed out.“You think,”Jungwoo huffed, swiping the jar out of his hands. “Not enough salt,” he argued. Jaehyun smiled at him fondly, knowing if anyone knew how to properly preserve something, and the faults in its failures it would be Jungwoo.“This is depressing me Jae,” he whined before Jaehyun could poke fun at his vast knowledge of pickling, preserving and canning.“What is Woo,” feeling soft for the omega but what else was new? Nada.“This,” he pointed to the bin next to him, half full of food they were throwing away. Empty jars collecting at the edge of the sink. “I wasted my money on this stuff,” pout firmly in place as he said it.Jaehyun waved his hand in front of him, handing him another jar of unidentifiable brownish goop, “We’ll replace it Woo, it’s okay. With stuff you can actually consume safely,”Jungwoo nodded, took the jar, “oh, these were the wax beans,”Neither of them commented on the fact that Jaehyun had said ‘we’llreplace it’, implying that this was his business and responsibility now too. A month or so ago Jungwoo would’ve run out of air arguing with him about such an implication, now he just smiled, cheeks flushed a really pretty pink as he looked away from him. They stopped to have lunch a bit later, Jungwoo’s appetite not deterred by the sights or smells that come out of his cabinet this morning. They shared a loaf of bread, some cheese and elk jerky that Jungwoo had made from the meat he’d brought him a few weeks ago.As they ate, he was quiet. Unnaturally so.Jaehyun knew well enough by now what that meant. He was upset and wanted to talk but was searching for the words. He waited, patiently, quietly, not saying anything when time passed, and they didn’t get up off the couch to continue their task.Jungwoo sighed, listing towards him. Jaehyun held his hand out, laid it between them for support and smiled when Jungwoo dropped his hand into his without a moment’s hesitation. “I don’t…I don’t think I want to do the farmer’s market tomorrow,” he whispered, leaning closer and closer till Jaehyun’s side was covered with Jungwoo’s front. He took his hand back to wrap his arm around his back instead.“Why not,”He shrugged, twisted his head and refused to look at him.“Jungwoo, why not,”“I just don’t want to,” his fingers were busy pulling lint free from his sweater, depositing it off the edge of the couch.Jaehyun squeezed him, kissed the top of his head. “I won’t push you Woo, okay, you know that but if this has something to do with what happened the other night, you know that not everyone in the pack thinks like Bobby and Hanbin. So many people have come around and everyone loves your table at the market,” he kissed his head again, “you’re wanted and cared about and nothing they say, no matter how loud they say it, will change that. People adore you, so many people adore you and care about you and you don’t have to hide in your hut because they’re assholes and you definitely don’t have to give up your table because of them,”“It’s not about that Jae,” he defended but his voice was tiny, sounded like even he didn’t believe it.“Oh, it’s not,”Jungwoo shook his head against him, pressing close again.“Then what’s it about,” he asked, rubbing up and down his back in long, sweeps.“I just don’t think I have it in me this week,”“Why not, Woo,”“I don’t know,” he moved, instead resting his head on his shoulder.He kissed his head for a long, drawn out moment. “You can talk to me, you know,”“I know,”“About anything,”He nodded.“So,” Jaehyun kissed him one more time, “I guess, I’ll go tell Hyuck and Mark, that we’re skipping this week, I’ll make sure that the coordinator knows we won’t be there. But I know that your table always makes you feel better so whatever’s going on, going and spending the day with me, Mark and Hyuck, selling pickles, might be just what you need,”“I don’t think I can do it this week,”Jaehyun hugged him tighter, hoping that that would be enough to let Jungwoo know he was there, he supported his decisions and loved him. Jungwoo sighed.“I can’t stand how people have been looking at me the last few days. The girls at school are barely talking to me. Yuta’s been having lunch with me while the pups are at recess because nobody is willing to eat with me,” Jungwoo took a watery breath, “I thought things were getting better. With the table and my job at the daycare but then this, I don’t know. It’s like some people were reminded that they actually don’t like me. They were just suffering from momentary, delirium or something. I don’t get it, but I don’t really…after that Jae, I kind of don’t want to put myself through anymore of that,”“Okay Woo,”His arms squeezed around Jaehyun’s waist so tight, “it hurts Jae,”“I know Woo, I know,”“I didn’t do anything,”He knew that too. And he hated everyone who’d put him down even more in that moment. Why treat him with kindness, lure him in and befriend him only to turn around and remind him that evidently, nobody wanted him around? It was asinine. He didn’t understand it, he’d never understand it, their senseless cruelty. Bobby and Hanbin and Junhoe, repaving the way for mean comments and hatred of someone so good and sweet, it didn’t make sense. And it made even less sense that people bought into their garbage.Who were they? Honestly, what made them the authority on who got to eat dinner, who got to have a decent job, who got to have friends? Despite Jaehyun’s opinions, clearly, they were something because Jungwoo had been feeling like people believed them, the girls at school were suddenly not being so accepting and people in town had been giving him those looks again. Only it was worse now, wasn’t it? Because Jungwoo had been shown the other side of all this, had his situation improved somewhat only to be reminded about the nastiness that had followed him everywhere once upon a time. They weren’t supposed to go backwards, weren’t supposed to change their minds about him again! And they definitely weren’t supposed to go around making Jungwoo think he didn’t deserve to have things, do things and enjoy things that made him happy.He had as much right to a peaceful, problem free life as anybody else. That there were still people who didn’t agree with that was bullshit.Bull. Shit.Omegas were such blatant social creatures, having someone tell them they were disliked, unwanted is enough to send any omega into an emotional tailspin. Add to that pregnant and unmated, altogether that was sure to create emotional upheaval unrivaled by anything else in the world. Jaehyun was glad Jungwoo had their friends at least, had enough people around him to remind him that he wasn’t unwanted, wasn’t disliked, that it was very much the opposite actually.Still, it broke Jaehyun’s heart that Jungwoo had to go through this at all. “Can I ask you something,” words brushing down the side of Jungwoo’s head.He nodded a little bit.“Do you like your job,”Jungwoo pulled back to look at him, eyes red, cheeks a little wet, voice broken when he spoke. “Of course, I do,”He smiled, nodded, thumbs working against the long, line of his back.“Do you like your table,”Jungwoo tipped his head, corner of his mouth twitching as he sniffed. “Yes,”“Why,”“Why do I like my table at the farmer’s market,”Jaehyun nodded, moved his hands from the dip of his spine to his hips, squeezing him at bit till he twitched, the firmness of his stomach made contact with his side.Jungwoo took a deep breath, “I like…selling my pickles,”Jaehyun smiled down at him, “What else,”“I like, telling people the process when they ask, answering their questions,”Jaehyun nudged his cheek with his nose, feeling like Jungwoo wouldn’t need any more prompting to talk about this, he sighed. Jungwoo’s fingers tapped out a random beat where they sat on his chest, over his sweater.“I like seeing people and listening to Donghyuck hand out samples and hearing Mark ask everyone a dozen times if they got exactly what they paid for,” he breathed out a laugh. A tear rolled down his cheek slowly. Jaehyun brushed it away before it could make it very far, kissed his temple. “I like you, spending time with you,”Jaehyun felt his insides tighten before Jungwoo said, “and Donghyuck and Mark and seeing the same people every week, who are excited to see us too,”Oh, he sighed, knot inside his chest tightening for a split second before it unraveled. His wolf sat, tail still where it was wrapped around his front paws, a little disappointed, much like Jaehyun honestly. That felt, almost like a confession. But no, not quite.Deep breaths Jaehyun, you’re good, Jungwoo still likes spending time with you, he said it, it’s not the end of the world.Ask the dumb dog like being in his chest if this felt apocalyptic, though. It did. Jaehyun knew better, he was rational, most of the time. But wolves, alphas in particular were nothing if not melodramatic.He shook himself, focusing back on the omega in his arms, who was talking and sharing and thrumming with a gentle, apprehensive sort of energy. His smell was still fresh and mellow, he was alright.“That’s a lot of reasons,” he whispered to him, smiling to himself when Jungwoo laughed.Jungwoo peeked up at him, smirking like he knew where Jaehyun was going with this. He probably did, Jaehyun didn’t have too many tricks up his sleeve honestly.“If you like it, keep doing it,”“Jae,”“Hey,” he sat up, taking Jungwoo with him. He took his face in his hands, found himself staring deep into his eyes, “I won’t let a single person look at you sideways, I promise. We can go, sell out of everything like we do every time and you can enjoy the rest of your week knowing you made a ton of people happy with pickles and that beautiful smile of yours,”“Jaehyun,”“What,” he looked at him with big eyes, tried his hardest to appear as innocent as he could manage.Jungwoo clearly, wasn’t buying it. He shook his head at him, fond, maybe a little unimpressed but happy with him none the less. He looked at him for a long time, eyes big and warm as they took him in.“Nothing,” Jungwoo leaned closer to him, hand landing above his knee. Before Jaehyun could gather himself or think about what was happening Jungwoo’s lips were pressing to his cheek. He sucked in a breath, sharp and shocked as the omega’s action warmed him up from the inside out. Jaehyun smiled, feeling a glow fall over him like a blanket. The press of his perfect, plush, lips against Jaehyun’s cheek was brief but perfect. There and then gone as Jungwoo wrapped his arms around Jaehyun’s shoulders. Jaehyun hugged him back, still flailing internally but coherent enough to know he wanted to hold onto Jungwoo. Now. Forever.“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” Jungwoo’s voice came in a small murmur over his shoulder. Jaehyun had a million things to say to that statement. He, clearly, was the undeserving one in this. Meanwhile Jungwoo, hadn’t done anything, didn’t needto do anything. He was nothing short of a wonder in his eyes. Jaehyun was quiet, thinking about how he could possibly say all of those things in a single breath without sounding like a basket case, and then Jungwoo spoke.“You’ve changed everything for me,”Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo could sense the massive freak out he was having. This was, wow.“When I moved to Seoul for school, I had to grow up. I had to do everything myself, I had to be my own advocate for everything, nobody was going to do crap for me. If I had problems, I fixed them. If I needed money, I got a job, so my mom didn’t have to worry about it. When I met Lucas in school he helped, he reminded me that I didn’t have to do everything on my own, that I didn’t always have to be brave or strong because he was there,” he laughed a little, pulling back to look at him. “That of course, had its own set of issues but with you,”Jungwoo brushed Jaehyun’s hair across his forehead, fingers slipping behind his ears. Jaehyun kind of wanted to know what he looked like through Jungwoo’s eyes because he really, reallyliked how he was looking at him right now.“With you Jae, I know I don’t have to put up a front, I can be as scared or as broken as I feel and it’s okay. You’re there. It’s different,”Different sounded okay.Different sounded good.Different from Lucas, in this case sounded great.“Jungwoo,” he whispered, leaning closer.“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make it up to you…everything you’ve done for me,”He flinched a little at that, “Woo, you don’t ever…you don’t owe me a damn thing for caring about you,”“Jae-”“You don’t Jungwoo,”He shook his head, letting out a long breath.“You’ve just changed so much for me. You tell me to trust myself, that it’ll be okay, and I believe you Jae, I believe you when you tell me that I’m worth it-”“-Because you are-”Jungwoo sighed at him, thumbs working along each edge of his jaw.“I believe you,”“Good you should,” he smiled, loaded silence stretching between them. It was great to know he made Jungwoo feel safe, took care of him and made him happy. But it was even better knowing he was changing his mind, lifting him up and proving the self-deprecating beast that lived in all of them wrong. Even with the rough week he’d had, he was here smiling, willing to believe and trust Jaehyun over the animals that existed outside his door. That felt amazing. “You’re allowed to want things you know. You’re allowed to enjoy yourself and I promise you, you don’t have to feel guilty about any of it,”Only partially referring to the table at the farmer’s market now, mostly thinking about himself and Jungwoo and how he would’ve put money on the idea that Jungwoo wanted to kiss him. If he wanted to that, he could. Jaehyun wouldn’t protest that, at all. That tension and sense were palpable in the air between them, while peaches and cinnamon simmered. Jungwoo’s pupils were huge and consuming as Jaehyun’s rich cedar scent plumed, tucking the omega closer.Jaehyun took a deep breath. He needed to be careful, that headrush was just strong enough to fall into and his eyes, were just deep enough to get pleasantly, perfectly lost in.“I want the table,”Jaehyun pressed their foreheads together.Jungwoo cheeks indented with his smile, “And I’ll try to keep my head up and not let anything bother me, because you’re there…and I’m okay,”Jaehyun knowing this was still a very long road for Jungwoo, full of bumps and struggles, was glad he at the very least, knew he had Jaehyun there through it all.And no, he didn’t kiss him, but he had looked like he wanted to. He really had. God knows Jaehyun wanted to, he always wants to. But. Jungwoo did kiss his cheek. Which was wild and amazing. And he told him he trusted him and was accepting the changes Jaehyun was bringing about in him and for him.This was steps above Jaehyun comparing himself to Lucas. He wasn’t Lucas, they were different and Jungwoo liked that.This, was leaps and bounds from fighting with Jungwoo, keeping his distance and not speaking.This was good and right and real.Progress, friends, it looks like Jungwoo’s smile, his eyes, his heart that knew compassion and love and acceptance. His wolf, who’d known hate and anguish but still showed up for these people, let them into his world, strived for a better life, for him and his pup. Who looked at Jaehyun in a way that made Jaehyun think he, maybe, didn’t want to look away from him either.…. He showed up a little earlier to Jungwoo’s next morning, to see how he was doing, give him a really long, tight hug, reminding him he was doing this because he loved it and didn’t need to stop or explain that to anyone. Jungwoo smiled up at him, stayed molded against his chest till Donghyuck and Mark showed up a few minutes after him.Donghyuck, stepped easily between them, sticking his tongue out at Jaehyun when he pulled Jungwoo out of his arms and into his own, very visibly smug. Mark shook his head at them, patted Jaehyun’s back as he passed him, into the kitchen for the coffee Jungwoo had waiting for them. Jaehyun followed him as Jungwoo and Donghyuck started talking in their secret language, fixed himself a coffee and Jungwoo a new cup of tea while Mark grabbed an additional mug for his mate.He looked up when he felt Mark’s eyes on him, “what,”Mark shrugged.Jaehyun sighed, “what Mark,”“Is he alright,” head nodding in the direction of the living room where Donghyuck’s loud laughter erupted, following by a quiet noise of protest. He smiled to himself, knowing the answer to the question.“Yeah, he’s good now I think,”Mark nodded, face lighting up with a smile. “Donghyuck’s been over a couple times, to check on him,”Well that wasn’t unusual, but Jaehyun figured he would’ve run into him, how had he timed it perfectly every time where he didn’t run into him once with all the time Jaehyun had spent here this week?“Except,” Mark started again, “he’s come right home every time, saying Jungwoo was fine,”He was being baited, he could feel it. He returned his smile, head tilted, “how’d he know that, do you think,”Mark shrugged, “probably had something to do with the smell,”Jaehyun’s eyebrows jumped.“This whole street reeks of you, did you know that,”He didn’t, but he’d spent enough time here, assuring Jungwoo that he was cared about and adored to have likely layered the whole block in his scent. It made sense now that he thought about it. Alpha going to town scenting the area as a precaution, a barrier of defense for when he wasn’t around, a way to soothe the omega when he wasn’t there. If Mark and Donghyuck could smell that, then Jungwoo could too. The thought made his wolf glow a little, beyond pleased with himself.Jaehyun shrugged, “I was just-”“I know,” Mark smirked, grabbing the milk out of the fridge to stir a bit into Donghyuck’s coffee. “But it is really strong man,”Jaehyun flailed, “I couldn’t help it,” and he couldn’t. He knew he was doing it when he was in Jungwoo’s house, but he hadn’t intentionally been working out waves of his scent, so it hung around the whole quarter mile radius around his home.Mark nodded, mouth set in a funny purse.“What,” Jaehyun groaned.Mark looked out the door of the kitchen before stepping closer to him. “If I didn’t know better, walking up here today I would’ve thought you guys had mated,”Jaehyun startled, eyebrows drawn together. That, that wasn’t possible. That was an entirely different smell. He opened his mouth to say that when Mark cut him off.“They’re blended man, like perfectly,”Which is the exact phenomenon that happens when wolves’ mate.“I…they shouldn’t be,” he whispered, he felt his cheeks heat up which was ridiculous since he didn’t have anything to feel ashamed about, since nothing had happened. The implication was enough though, one of his best friends looking at him like that. Everyone knew what your scent merging with someone else’s meant, the subtle bits of maple on Donghyuck when Mark wasn’t around were always present because they’d been mated for years.“I know, why’d you think I thought what I did,”“Why,” he floundered, shaking his head. Mark made a helpless hand gesture, face showing he was just as confused as Jaehyun felt.They were both quiet, stewing, searching for reasons why that would’ve happened. Since it couldn’t have happened if they weren’t’ mated, and they weren’t. Jaehyun would’ve remembered that, obviously.Mark took a loud sip of his coffee before saying, “I think he likes you back,”Jaehyun stared at him.“He must right, if his scent’s blended with yours like that,”Mating and courting were choices your wolf made before you did, they picked their match and most often that choice was made based on the smell of the other, if you didn’t like their smell, then they wouldn’t get picked. Jungwoo’s wolf, Jungwoo’s omega could’ve picked him, allowed his scent to mix with Jaehyun’s. Oh god, that felt amazing. Better than amazing, it felt incredible. Incredible and shocking.Mark pushed him, surprising a laugh out of Jaehyun.“This is great man,”Jaehyun nodded, laughing again, louder, absolutely giddy with it. Mark started laughing too, practically jumping up and down with his excitement, he squeezed Jaehyun’s shoulders tightly, bouncing and giggling like a goofball.“Hey, what’s funny,” Donghyuck’s voice in the doorway startled both of them. They stopped, looking at each other before answering at the same time, ‘nothing’.He didn’t look like he believed them, giving Jungwoo a weird look when he came up behind him. Donghyuck crossed his arms, eyes challenging his mate with a look.Jungwoo giggled moving around him towards Jaehyun.“Jungwoo and I have inside jokes too, you meanie. Right Woo, tell him,”Jungwoo didn’t say anything, laughing again as he tucked close to Jaehyun, hugging him around the waist.“It really was nothing lovebug, I promise,”“Liar, liar pants on fire,” Donghyuck hissed at him, each word punctuated by a poke to his chest. He seemed miffed but still he let himself be tugged close when Mark pulled him in to kiss him. “Will you tell me later,”“Maybe,” Mark whispered, Donghyuck pushed his head back.Donghyuck whined, “no, don’t kiss me, heathen, I wanna know,” by the end of his sentence he was yelling, with Mark snickering as he ducked back against his neck.Jungwoo was busy laughing at them, head resting on Jaehyun’s shoulder. They listened to them a little longer, or Jungwoo did while Jaehyun breathed him in. He did smell like him, it was there. He and his wolf thrilled at that, at their scent, cedar trees clinging to peaches, rich wood mingling with fruit and cinnamon. He didn’t have an explanation to why that had happened but Jaehyun couldn’t exactly find it in himself to be bothered.Not when Jungwoo smelled liked him.Not when he was saturated in Jungwoo’s scent as well.Was he supposed to have an issue with that?He could save his questions and concerns about why it had happened for a time when Jungwoo wasn’t snuggled into his neck, when he wasn’t compelled to kiss the top of his head while Mark smiled at him secretly over his mate’s fluffy hair.Tomorrow.He’d worry about it tomorrow.Today, he had a table at the farmer’s market to set up, pickles to help sell and an omega who was happy and content in his arms. Yeah, tomorrow would work fine.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The day gets even better after breakfast, if you can believe that.His head is still spinning over how Jungwoo smells like him and he smells like Jungwoo and it shouldn’t be possible, but it somehow is? It floors him to even wonder about how it happened or why, because that’s…that’s what he wants. The implication, like Mark said, that this could be mutual makes his heart stutter in a way that can’t be considered natural, wolf howling away happily. And that makes his mind start working, plans whirring and forming with all he can do to help this along now that it seems that Jungwoo is interested and open to him.But for now, the day gets better, right. Improvement in the form of new friends and support, knowledge that Bobby and Hanbin do not speak for everyone. They’re probably halfway through their day, a little over half their stock sold to the seemingly never-ending line of wolves eager for pickles, the scents of two happy omegas is heavy in the air between Mark and Jaehyun at the table, when they hit a lull. The line gone, crowd dispersed somewhat, though being busy is nice, being able to relax for a second is equally as enjoyable. Next to him he hears Jungwoo take a deep breath, dropping into his chair, with a hand placed low on his stomach.He had been so unsure about coming back here, doing this today and Jaehyun is infinitely proud that he did. He’s deserved any and all things in this world if he wanted them and Jaehyun was glad that the was starting to take them for himself with little guilt. He deserved this.“Not so bad,” Jaehyun whispered, nuzzling Jungwoo’s head when he listed into his side, hair tickling his chin.“No,” Jungwoo sighed, hand rubbing small circles over his stomach, wearing a sweater, a new sweater, he noted. “I thought someone would say something…about the other night,”“But they haven’t,” Mark offered, arms folding on top of the table as he watched them. Jaehyun wondered if he had posed enough of an intimidating figure the other night that no one wanted to mess with him. He and Mark sat here, giving off subtle protective pheromones was likely enough to keep trouble at bay. Or, finally, people were realizing that the world didn’t revolve around Jungwoo’s being back, he wasn’t bothering them by being here, they could find something better to obsess over. Took them long enough, really.Jaehyun’s eyes met Mark’s, nodded at him when the other alpha smirked.“Weird right, it’s almost like Bobby and Hanbin were wrong,” Jaehyun said, smiling at Mark’s conspiratorial grin.“Yeah as if they’re assholes who don’t know what they’re talking about,” Mark continued.“Right, total assholes who don’t know you,”“Or anything about you,” Mark added, smile stretched the whole width of his face. He looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh as they teased the omega between them.“And don’t know anything-”“-about anything,”“Isn’t that strange Mark,”“So strange Jae,”Jungwoo looked between them, teeth digging into his lip as if he was fighting a smile of his own. His eyebrows drew together before he whined, “Donghyuck,”Donghyuck spun around, waving after the two pups who were giggling over their samples. “Yeah Woo,”“They’re picking on me,” he complained. Donghyuck gasped, glaring at them a little.“Stop picking on my Woo, or I’ll…I’ll,”Mark laughed loudly, “You’ll what babe,”Jungwoo giggled, seeing Donghyuck struggle, “I was thinking of something,” he paused, crossed his arms after putting the sample plate down on the table. “Why are you being mean to me today,” he huffed, pouting at him.Mark recoiled a little, looking back at his mate for a long moment while Jungwoo leaned closer to Jaehyun, muttering out an ‘uh-oh,’.“I have not,”“Yes, yes you have,” he pointed at him, before ticking off reasons on his fingers, “you wouldn’t tell me why you and Jae were whispering this morning, keeping secrets from your mate like a butthead. You’re teaming up on Jungwoo, which also makes you a butthead, and you wouldn’t let me wear my black pants this morning,” the last bit was murmured with a sad little sound.Mark groaned, dropping his head forward slightly.“Mean,” Donghyuck hissed, poking the air.“I haven’t been mean to you lovebug,”Donghyuck flapped his hands around, causing Jungwoo and Jaehyun to laugh a little.Mark made a noise of defeat as Donghyuck huffed, picking up the sample plate again, “I wasn’t letting you out of the house in those pants,”Jaehyun watched Donghyuck’s profile as it lit up with a smile. He was such a piece of work that Lee Donghyuck.“Because I looked good,” he asked, eyes twinkling.“Because you looked amazing,” Mark sighed.Donghyuck squealed a little, skipping around the table to him, samples abandoned again in favor of dropping in Mark’s lap and kissing him rather aggressively. Jaehyun looked away, ignoring Donghyuck’s simpering about Mark not being so mean to him anymore.Jungwoo’s head tipped back against his shoulder, face as happy as his eyes were sparkly. He looked so content but Jaehyun still had to know, had to make sure that he was having a good day and wasn’t just putting on a face for his benefit.“Are you actually happy you did this,”Jungwoo nodded.“Really, you’re sure you didn’t let me push you into it or anything,”“Pretty sure, yeah,” he snuggled into his shoulder, took his hand in his. “You don’t push me around,” he whispered. Jaehyun smiled down at him, ready to come back with his own playful comment when someone cleared their throat. They sat up and apart while Donghyuck and Mark remained attached.Jaehyun had an apology ready before his eyes landed on Minghao, Mingyu’s mate and Joshua, Seungcheol’s mate. He didn’t know if Jungwoo knew them or had met them, but he didn’t look uncomfortable so Jaehyun didn’t bother with introductions. The pair smiled at them, picking up a jar of pickles each, looking uncertain before Joshua spoke.“Jungwoo,” he started, Jaehyun wrapped an arm around the back of his chair, he knew Joshua through Seungcheol and Mingyu, but not necessarily well enough to know what he’d be likely to say. Or if it’d be nice. He was wary of everyone who wasn’t in his friend group these days.The omega next to him nodded, offering the other omega a small smile, while Minghao chewed his lip.“We both, just wanted to make sure you knew that, we, our friends don’t agree with a single word that Bobby said the other night. He’s stupid and inappropriate and,” he took a big breath, while Minghao grabbed his hand, “we, know what he’s like, how he and his friends can be. Our Seungkwan used to be one of their targets, or more specifically Junhoe’s target, before his now mate broke his nose,”Jaehyun snorted, covering his mouth. He remembered that, thought at the time that it was amazing and long overdue but was beyond surprised to find out that it was Vernon who’d done it. He shouldn’t be, knowing from experience that the most reserved and gentle of them could be reduced to feral, rage driven beasts if it meant protecting an omega they cared about. He didn’t know Seungkwan very well but knew he didn’t deserve what Junhoe and his friends had no doubt put him through.“We just wanted to make sure you knew that he’s an idiot and not nearly as many people agree with them as they’d all like to think,” Minghao finished for him. “If you ever need anything, we’re all around, okay,”Jungwoo nodded, looking grateful and a little teary eyed. “Thank you,”Minghao waved that off, picking up two jars and handing Jaehyun the money for them while Joshua patted himself down. “I didn’t…bring my wallet, where’s Cheolie, I-” he turned, colliding with his mate’s chest. “Oh, there you are, wallet, please,”“Wallet, why, hi guys,” giving them a goofy smile, cheeks flushing and eyes averting when they landed briefly on Donghyuck and Mark.Jungwoo smiled while Jaehyun said hello to him and Joshua argued, ‘because pickles honey’. Seungcheol sighed as he handed over his money, glaring at a snickering Minghao over Joshua’s black head of hair.“I tried to pickle once,” Seungcheol said next. Joshua turned his head, gave his mate a funny look.“No you didn’t,”“Yes, I did,” Seungcheol’s voice came out a little squeaky, Jaehyun smiled at Minghao who was rolling his eyes at them.“Really,”“Yeah,”“When,” Joshua sounding like he didn’t believe a single thing he was saying.“Just…once,”“Yeah right,”“I had a life before you, ya know,” Seungcheol argued, Jaehyun looked down at Jungwoo who was smiling between the two, chin resting on one of his hands.“Did you,”Seungcheol nodded, looking mildly offended but leaned close to the other anyway.“That’s funny,”“It was a weird, lonely life,”Minghao threw his head back and groaned.“Sure babe,”“What it was,”“Complete with failed pickle making and sweet, sweet singledom,”“Stop it,” Seungcheol argued back, wrapped his arms around Joshua’s waist, ducking for to nuzzle his shoulder.“Will you two knock it off,” Minghao growled at them, the noise made Mark and Donghyuck pull apart too. “We came here to make sure Jungwoo knew we were on his side, not flirt with each other. You can do that at home, stop,” He sighed at them before turning back to Jaehyun and Jungwoo, grinning slowly. “I’m sorry about them,”“Don’t be,” Jaehyun waved his hand in front of himself, “you see what we put up with,” pointing across the table at Mark who was hiding behind Donghyuck’s shoulder, mate beaming with flushed cheeks from his perch in his lap.Minghao laughed, “I guess it could be worse,”“We could make out,” Seungcheol said, hands curling over Joshua’s hips, “do you want to make out,” he asked his mate, Joshua smiled over his shoulder at him. He opened his mouth to answer when Minghao cut him off.“No, don’t do that, we’re going okay, bye guys, enjoy the rest of your day! And Jungwoo, I mean it, if you need anything, we’re around okay,”“Okay, thank you,”Minghao gave him a very gentle, bright smile, the one he’d heard Mingyu wax poetic about a time or two, before dragging Seungcheol and Joshua away, pushing them every few steps and hitting the back of Seungcheol’s head before they disappeared from view.He was really tempted to say I told you so, to Jungwoo, but didn’t want to be that guy. So, he ignored the urge, knowing it wouldn’t do anything. Jungwoo knew, Jungwoo understood he had plenty of people on his side and just like they’d been waiting for, people were warming up to him and didn’t agree with the dwindling masses who picked on him and treated him poorly. The show of support from people who, like Jimin and his friends, were higher up in the pack’s hierarchy, had their hands in so many different aspects of pack life that pretty much everyone knew them, liked them and respected them. It was a good thing, a great thing, a long overdue thing but still a really, really amazing thing.Their support meant this, Jungwoo’s being here, was accepted and normal. Sooner or later, Jungwoo wouldn’t have to worry or stress or feel like an odd man out. He and his friends loved him, Jimin and his friends would look out for him, Seungcheol and his friends were a large, intimidating force and they wouldn’t let anyone bother Jungwoo, not if they could help it.It felt so good, Jaehyun couldn’t even properly describe it.Jungwoo seemed to agree, where he was sat beaming, fingers spinning together as he laughed with Donghyuck about something, eagerly approaching people on his own when they came to their table, embracing the company and self-confidence that looked so good on him.….Of course, their lives moved on after what happened that night at dinner, easily, almost as if it didn’t really happen. But it did happen, Jaehyun wouldn’t forget that. And Jungwoo wouldn’t, hadn’t, seeing how he made sure to make him promise, again, that he wouldn’t go after Bobby and his friends. Jaehyun didn’t necessarily understand why Jungwoo was giving them a free pass but Jungwoo had leveled him with a look and told him this was what he wanted. So Jaehyun listened. Apparently, his theory was that if they ignored them, showed them that he didn’t have time or energy for their nonsense that they’d stop all together. At some point. Jaehyun wasn’t so sure but if this was what Jungwoo wanted, this is what he’d do. He had no plans of going anywhere so if Jungwoo changed his mind or something else happened, he’d be there.It almost made him wonder if that logic would work, seeing as things had been quiet the last couple of days. Maybe blind faith and unwavering optimism would win out, he was still skeptical but Jungwoo had a way of changing minds. Without even trying it seemed.In the calm span of time, while pack life was uneventful, it remained, for Jaehyun, very eventful. Just in a different sense. His relationship with Jungwoo had improved so much and had really taken a turn towards something Jaehyun dare not give a name to. It made his head spin.In the brief time they’d known each other, he’d gone from being protector and provider to confidant and friend, more than a friend really but not so far that he’d deem himself anything beyond that. They were stood on some weird middle ground. He knew it was more, knew in the last couple weeks alone they’d grown beyond anything Jaehyun imagined. Of course, in his weaker, more delusional moments, he thought about it. Life with Jungwoo.Where he got to hold him as he fell asleep, kiss him just because he wanted to, talk him down and help ease his troubles, exist with him in harmony. He was a young, alpha who’d picked an omega, falling harder and harder for them every day, of course he thought about that kind of stuff. It’d be a bigger problem if he wasn’tthinking about those things.He didn’t want to let those thoughts get out of control, trick himself with daydreams but still, here he was. He got to cook meals with Jungwoo and spend time with him, hear his worries and help him wherever he could. It felt good. It was nice to think about, but he still tried not to overthink, rather he wanted to focus on just enjoying the process of all this. There were moments where Jaehyun felt like they were courting. Like sometimes Jungwoo seemed well aware of his actions and their meanings and allowed it, which floored his inner alpha. And then there were times where Jungwoo kept him at arm’s length, would look at him like he wasn’t sure about him and them and this. Jaehyun took that in turn, not sure why sometimes things were so hot and cold with the omega. But maybe he just had a hard time finding his footing in his new life. He’d dealt with several big changes in a relatively short span of time, that was bound to give anybody whiplash.Maybe pushing him away was his coping mechanism. He figured it couldn’t be easy leaving a place you’d known as your home for so many years to come back to your childhood home and be faced with animosity and bullies. And then to be pregnant on top of everything else, Jaehyun couldn’t imagine but knew he just had to be there for him. So, when it was difficult, he took a step back, didn’t yell back or lash out, he took a deep breath and sat calmly, letting the omega come back to him. He, so far, had always done so. Typically, he’d found, that his moods stemmed from something he hadn’t done or said but rather something at work or a vein of thinking that wasn’t too kind to him. Jaehyun was always patient, being there for him, waiting and let Jungwoo calm down in his company till he wanted to talk or felt better.Currently, they spent time together pretty much every day. They both worked now so their days were filled with other things but Jaehyun would freely admit his favorite part of everyday was dinner time, especially dinner on Monday and Tuesday because it was just them and they could spend time together without a dozen other people talking over them constantly. It felt special and intimate and Jaehyun loved it. He loved Jungwoo using what he’d caught for him that day, he loved cooking with him and watching him light up as he ate, blushing over his food when Jaehyun really liked whatever was on his plate.Jaehyun was always happy to have a meal but was even happier that he could bring Jungwoo joy over something he always felt was so simple. To Jungwoo it was everything.That was common with Jungwoo though. Things didn’t impact him the same it would others and he was so thankful and appreciative of everything he had. The little things mattered so much to him, he didn’t take things for granted and even though he still had moments where he didn’t want to accept gifts or take things, he hadn’t earned for himself, he was still so grateful for the things he did have and the things he gained.His favorite development was probably that Jungwoo seemed totally comfortable asking for his help now. He came to him when he needed things or when he wanted a second opinion about something. He shared information about his appointments, clearly liking that he had someone to talk to that wasn’t his mother or the healers.Jungwoo’s new sureness about coming to him and asking for his help led him here..He was in his shop, working on his latest project, when Minho dragged him away from it.“Jaehyun,” he turned, seeing Minho hanging in the doorway between their work area and the front of the shop.“What’s up,” he asked, brushing sawdust out of his bangs and off his wrists. Minho’s face morphed with a goofy, knowing sort of smile.“You…uh well this is fun, there’s someone here to see you,”He nodded, suppressing the sigh at getting his work interrupted.Irritation faded immediately, when he saw who was actually there to see him.Jungwoo stood frozen in the doorway when Minho’s large frame moved out of the way.Minho hovered a little, waved Jungwoo past him with a gentle smile and a nod when the omega didn’t appear like he’d be moving on his own. His steps were hesitant as he moved past the tables littered with blueprints, stepping over the equipment gingerly, hand placed on his stomach. Jaehyun snapped out of his weird fog, fuzzy and warm at the thought that Jungwoo was here, in his shop, where he worked and made money. Such a ridiculous thought that he’d kick himself over later, but in the moment, he couldn’t help it. He and his alpha too busy swelling with pride, showing the omega what they could do, what they created for themselves, what they could give and share with him.He stepped forward, reaching out to keep him a good distance away from the bandsaw when his eyes landed on it.“Hey Woo, what’s going on,” he noticed the furrow between his eyebrows, the thin set of his mouth, showing he was worried, or stressed about something, eyes red rimmed. Instant panic set in, he’d been crying. “What’s wrong,”He didn’t answer immediately, just looking at him, very visibly lost.“Are you hurt,”Jungwoo shook himself a little, throat working as he swallowed.“No, I’m okay…we’re okay,” he added, as if knowing that would be Jaehyun’s next question, if the pup was alright. Both their heartbeats even when he listened for them, he breathed a sigh of relief.“Okay,”Jungwoo’s breathing was loud in the room, across from them Minho was watching them, over his shoulder, pretending he wasn’t.“Can you help me,” he asked, looking like he wished he hadn’t said it.He perked up, knowing it was serious if he was asking andhad been crying about it.“Of course,” he set the dowel aside that he was sanding, dusted off his area as quick as he could, wrapped his arm around Jungwoo to guide him out of the shop and said goodbye to Minho who waved, smile wide.“What’s going on,” he asked again, getting more and more worried the longer Jungwoo remained quiet about it. It could be anything, really. But at least he wasn’t hurt, the pup was okay, and he smelled relatively normal, only a little panicky and sour.Jungwoo took a deep breath, hands wringing together as they left the shop and headed through town.“My mom’s hens got out,” his voice was thin. He wondered how worried he must be feeling, those birds might belong to his mother, but he knew that they provided for Jungwoo too and that he had names for all of them, loved them like they were his chickens.“Got out, like escaped their coop,”Jungwoo took another deep breath, steps quickening till Jaehyun had to hurry to keep up with him. “They don’t really have a coop,” Jungwoo said. “They have a small pen but it’s not much and her fence…is not much of a fence. I don’t know…yesterday there were four and today they’re all gone,”Jaehyun promised him they’d find them, grabbing his hand to ease his panic as they rushed the rest of the way to his mom’s house.…. He’d never met Jungwoo’s mom. Not properly. Which he found odd, since he’d lived his whole life here, had never left or spent time anywhere else. He knew, from the little Jungwoo had said about her that she didn’t do much with the pack, ever, not even before he’d left for school. Jaehyun assumed, after what Jungwoo said the other night at dinner that she’d had some sort of bad experience if she did all she could to avoid pack life and the people that came with it.So, this, was the first time he’d ever be properly meeting her, and Jungwoo would be introducing them to each other. Shit. He wished he’d been allowed to go home and change first, maybe run a brush through his hair. But this was an emergency, Jungwoo needed him so his appearance had to take a backseat.He took a deep breath, running his thumb across the back of Jungwoo’s hand, squeezing back when Jungwoo’s fingers tightened around his own. He could probably sense how stressed Jaehyun suddenly was, the thought warmed him up and made him feel cared about and safe.Her home was a bit bigger than Jungwoo’s own, with turned over, dirt flower beds in front of her porch, looking eager to be replanted come springtime. The stone pathway that led to the door was a little worn down and the fence around her property was falling down slightly, more of a suggestion rather than a real fence. He caught the scent of pumpkin and spices, cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla all swirled around the subtle bits of pumpkin, like a mixture. Jungwoo’s mom.“Hi mom,” Jungwoo called out, catching the attention of the woman at the side of the house. His mother was a couple inches shorter than him, dark hair, fair skin and kind eyes, she was beautiful, just like Jungwoo. But her face was worn, like she’d lived far longer than she had, yet another indication that she hadn’t had the easiest life. She brightened a little as they came around to meet her.“Honey, hi, I found one, look,” his mom was holding one of the chickens close to herself, stroking it’s feathers lovingly, it made Jaehyun smile.Jungwoo sighed, touching to chicken’s head softly, whispering to it and telling it not to ever run away again.Jaehyun watched him fondly before feeling eyes on him. He looked up to see Jungwoo’s mother staring at him quizzically. She didn’t seem upset to see him, or even surprised, maybe just a little confused.“Mom, this is Jaehyun,”“I know,” she said plainly, curt statement punctuated with a sniff, she wrinkled her nose after.“I know you know but now I’m introducing you so be nice,” his response was short and a little terse, hissed like a warning. Jaehyun ran his hand down Jungwoo’s back, giving him a warm smile when he looked at him, silently telling him it was okay.“I’m always nice sweetie,” she muttered, moving to put the chicken back in its pen, Jaehyun watched her lay a wooden pallet up against the door, to keep them in. He also noticed the gate of her fenced in yard was busted. It made the handier part of him roll over seeing how shoddy and haphazard it was. Who built that pen and then had the audacity to pass it off as good craftsmanship. Laughable.“Well, be nicer, he’s going to help us look for the rest of your chickens,” Jungwoo put a hand on his hip, other hand tucked some hair behind his ear.His mom froze, turning to stare at him. He smiled sheepishly, feeling like a child under her gaze.“I’m sure he has better things he could be doing sweetie, then helping us…look for chickens,”Jaehyun shook his head, put on his best grin, the one he’d been told could get him out of anything, “nope, I’m here to help,”She tugged Jungwoo a couple steps away before hissing in a quiet tone that Jaehyun probably wasn’t supposed to hear.“An alpha Jungwoo, you know better,”“Mom, please, he only wants to help,”“Because he wants something,”“No, because he likes helping people and he’s…he’s my friend,”She gave Jungwoo a look, “right, that’s why…never mind,”“Why what mom,”“Never mind honey, it doesn’t matter,”Jaehyun stopped listening, feeling a little bad for intruding on their conversation. Instead he watched Jungwoo wave his hands around while he and his mother talked. It was enlightening to see where Jungwoo got his stubbornness, his attitude. His pup would probably be equally as headstrong and willful but so, so beautiful and strong.She let up, hands in the air before telling them where she’d checked and where she’d found the other chicken in case, they were close together. She leveled him with one final, unimpressed look before moving in the opposite direction as them.Jaehyun smiled as they moved towards the tree line behind her house, Jungwoo was taking slow, even breaths, scent warm but subtle between them. He thought, briefly, if it was subtle because he was feeling bad or if it was because Jaehyun was picking up just as much cedar as he was peaches, blended in a way that had his brain frying itself, wolf spinning around in circles.“Are you feeling alright today,” he asked him, Jungwoo’s hand reached out for his which he was only too happy to provide.He nodded, humming, “I feel great, except for the missing chickens but you know,”Jaehyun smiled, squeezing his hand.“We’ll find them,” he promised again. Jungwoo nodded, swinging their hands as they reached the woods.They walked a little further before he noticed how cold the fingers held tight in his were, and then it hit him why they were cold. “You’re not wearing your mittens Woo,” he commented, raising their linked fingers and blowing on them a little.“I know,” he whispered, fingers wiggling in his, “I was in a rush, to come get you,”Jaehyun wondered how Jungwoo had known about the chickens being missing and why he came to get him first rather than immediately going to help his mom, but decided, after a brief bit of thinking on it, that it didn’t much matter. Jungwoo had a problem. Jungwoo came to get him to help him with the problem. Jaehyun liked that a whole lot and couldn’t find it in himself to search for a real issue with that.“Your fingers are cold Woo,” he was almost completely overwhelmed with the idea that he could kiss those perfect, long, cold fingers. To warm them up of course. But.He didn’t do it.He almost did.But, decided not to.Jungwoo leaned against his shoulder, none the wiser to his almost actions, and nuzzled his head under Jaehyun’s chin, murmuring about it not being a problem, statement punctuated by his free hand squeezing Jaehyun’s bicep tightly.“And you’re feeling okay, besides the cold fingers,”“Yes,”“No cramping or back pain,”“Only a little,” he promised him, sniffing at his skin, dangerously close to his scent gland.“That’s good,”Jungwoo hummed at him, “I know I said this stuff was okay, because I didn’t have too many problems prior to this but I’m kind of excited to not have to deal with this anymore, hopefully,”“I bet,” he couldn’t imagine what it was like, living with on and off back pain and cramping, telling yourself it was okay, that nothing was wrong. He understood Jungwoo’s gentle, appreciative way of thinking and imagined that he viewed his pains and aches as necessity. Every little bit he endured got him a day closer to meeting his pup, a fact, Jaehyun knew he was very, very much looking forward to.It didn’t take them long to find two of hens, pecking at a pile of leaves not too far into the woods, they each grabbed one and started back.His mom was thrilled to see two more of her chickens, but worried for the last one, since all three of them had been out looking and hadn’t seen it. Jaehyun promised her they’d find it, he didn’t bother worrying about finding it before it got dark. He’d stress over that once the sun started to set.She put the two back in their pen, told them to stay put with their sister while they looked for their last lost sibling, and they took off again, Jungwoo’s mom took the edge of the tree line while he and Jungwoo moved back into the forest.“She doesn’t like me,” Jaehyun said when they were well into the trees, steps careful over the dry leaves and twigs. “What,” Jungwoo wondered, watching him with a smile.“Your mom doesn’t like me,”Jungwoo snickered, reaching out for his hand again, now that they were well out of sight from his mom. It didn’t escape his notice that he hadn’t done that while she was with them, keeping his distance while she was there, “what makes you think that,”“She seemed annoyed that I came to help. She laughed and talked to the chicken you gave her, but she didn’t say anything to me when I gave her the one, I found…she was kind of, uh abrasive when you introduced me to her,”Jungwoo stopped moving, “It’s not just you. She’s not crazy about any alphas,”“Because of the shit with Hanbin and the others,” he asked.Jungwoo shrugged.“That and about a dozen other reasons,” he looked down at his stomach, “I told her about Lucas, how he left to join the military and didn’t know about the pup before, but she wasn’t really hearing it. To her, a pup should be an alpha’s priority, and she doesn’t understand why he isn’t here with me or why I had to come home at all. She won’t accept that he didn’t know I was pregnant as a good enough reason. Alphas in general don’t rank very high up for her ya know, but I know if anyone can change her mind, it’s you,” he laughed, hands framing Jaehyun’s face and squeezing his cheeks. He moved away with a giggle, search continued as he remained oblivious to how completely he’d frazzled Jaehyun. He shook himself.“She doesn’t like alphas, is that why she doesn’t do anything with the pack,” he asked, watching as Jungwoo halted a few steps away from him.Jungwoo turned around, almost in slow motion, nodding a little.Jaehyun felt his chest seize at the sad, helpless look on his face.“Did something happen,” he stepped closer to him.“Yeah,” he whispered. Jaehyun wanted to keep asking questions, finally learn something about the woman who raised Jungwoo, who he came back to be close to and then Jungwoo stopped him, saying, “I’ll tell you about it…but not here Jae, later,”“You don’t have to tell me,” he offered since Jungwoo looked so distraught over it.Jungwoo shook that off, “no, I want to, just not here,”Jaehyun nodded, hoping Jungwoo could feel how completely he was there for him, supporting him and loving him, always. It took them another hour of looking but they did manage to find the last chicken, further out than the rest, and further east than he was expecting, almost the whole way out to the reservoir. But thankfully she was in one piece.Jungwoo stroked her feathers as Jaehyun carried it back to his mother’s house.“Is she as horrible at accepting favors as you,”“Hey, I’ve gotten better,” he pouted at him but laughed at the teasing.“You have,” he agreed.“But yeah, she’s pretty bad,”Jaehyun nodded, readjusting the chicken when it clucked at him.“Why, what are you planning,”“Nothing,”“Jae,” Jungwoo warned, “don’t push it with her, just let her come to you okay,”“Okay,” he promised. It was extremely difficult for him to not do things for the people he cared about. He liked taking care of people, liked giving them things and helping them.“At least ask her first, please,” Jungwoo muttered, his mom’s house coming back into view as they came through the trees.“Okay, I will,” he laughed, glad that Jungwoo understood his need to help, knew his nature and put up with him anyway. Their conversation got tabled as they reached the edge of his mom’s yard, she was crouched in front of her chicken coop, fingers hooked into the wire behind the pallet. “Here you go Mrs. Kim,” Jaehyun handed over the last chicken gently, slightly attached to the little one after devoting an entire afternoon to looking for them.She sighed, visibly relieved as she took the chicken, cradled them to her chest and returned them to their pen with the others.He eyed the busted gate one more time before shaking the thought away. She wouldn’t respond to his help when she didn’t know him. Maybe he could have Jungwoo work on her about it too.“Thank you so much,” she said after she returned the hen to the coop, brushing her hair out of her face and behind her ears, the move reminded him so much of Jungwoo it was incredible.“I know they’re just chickens but-”“They’re yourchickens though, I get it. I was happy to help you find them,” he smiled at her before softening even more when he saw Jungwoo watching them quietly.She smiled at him, the first real one he’d gotten from her. She’d been part of the pack his entire life but the lack of contact he’d had with her was astonishing. If the pack had treated her poorly, like they did Jungwoo, he certainly didn’t blame her for avoiding them and keeping to herself instead. She didn’t seem unhappy, so she likely preferred it this way. But nobody deserved to be isolated. She deserved the freedom to decide if she wanted to join the pack, come to dinners, know it wouldn’t be hellacious if she did. Things needed to change. For Jungwoo. For his future pup. For his mom. For anyone else that lived in their village that felt lost and alone. Jaehyun saw them and would make sure things got better.She kissed Jungwoo’s cheek, asked if he wanted to stay and eat. He declined, looking at Jaehyun with a small smile.“Thanks mom but I have dinner plans already,” he said, hugging her tight. Jaehyun raised his eyebrows. Oh, he had dinner plans, did he?“Tomorrow then, for lunch,” she said, brushing Jungwoo’s hair away from his eyes as he nodded, “Thank you Jaehyun,”He smiled at her. He wasn’t sure if she was still thanking him for the chickens or something else but figured it didn’t much matter. They were one in the same, finding the chickens was something Jungwoo asked him to do and he’d always take care of Jungwoo.Jungwoo grabbed his arm, waved to his mom as they took off away from her house.“You have dinner plans,” he teased him, tiny part of himself wondering if he was talking about someone else. Heart hurting at the thought. The thought evaporated as Jungwoo looked at him, that blush, those eyes and that sweet, sweet swirl of his scent, those things couldn’t possibly be for someone else. That felt amazing.“If he says yes,”Jaehyun laughed, looking to Jungwoo who was biting his lip against his smile.“He says yes,”“Good, because this sweet alpha left me two fresh rabbits this morning and I used them to make stew. I just hope he likes it,”“I’m sure he will,” he whispered to him, pressing a kiss to his head.“Good,” Jungwoo giggled, steps light, “I may have also made some bread, Donghyuck says I’m getting much better at it,”“Well I can’t wait then, is this bread edible or…”“Shut up, oh my god,” Jungwoo pinched him, ducking his head as he smiled, “I feed you undercooked bread once-”“Undercooked, it was still raw dough,”Jungwoo whined, hitting his shoulder, “Jae stop,”He tucked his hands into his pockets, laughing as the omega grumbled at him, hanging onto his arm, he seemed so happy, smelled so content that Jaehyun could barely take it.“I’m getting better,” he whispered, head resting on his shoulder while they walked. The sun was starting to set, late fall air crisp as beams glittered through the bare trees around them, leaves dancing around their feet.He chuckled, leaned over to nuzzle Jungwoo’s temple, “you are Woo, I know,”….They had finished eating the stew Jungwoo had made, loaf of actually edible bread split and devoured, appetites satisfied after looking for chickens all afternoon, warm and content in Jungwoo’s living room. The quiet that stretched the span of Jungwoo’s lumpy couch, made him remember how curious he had been about Jungwoo’s mother earlier today, he wanted to ask so badly but also was just enjoying this. He didn’t want to make Jungwoo sad, didn’t want to turn this day around, into something that was less than wonderful.And then Jungwoo took that decision away from him, thrilling him with how well the omega knew him and could read him.“You haven’t asked yet,”He looked at him, curled up under a blanket in the middle of the couch, his legs tucked against Jaehyun’s.  “About my mom,”“I wasn’t sure if you actually wanted to talk about it,” he said truthfully.“I want you to know…if you want to,”Jaehyun nodded, curiosity surging again.“I never met my dad,” Jungwoo started, taking a big breath, hands slowly settling on his bump. “She only ever talked about him once in my life, right before I left for Seoul. She told me that he was everything she had ever wanted in a mate. He was strong and confident and protective, he was old-fashioned which she liked because he took care of everything, she never had to worry about stuff. But his being old-fashioned kind of, no it wasthe reason he left,”Jaehyun’s expression must’ve said, that doesn’t make any sense, if he was old fashioned, he never would’ve left his mate with a pup, he never would’ve not wanted to meet his pup. That’s a feeling as an alpha you can’t fight, he wondered how Jungwoo’s father had even managed to walk away from them.Jungwoo gave him a small, tight smile before elaborating. “He believed that omegas should be girls, always,” ah he was one of those, the thought disgusted Jaehyun a little. “He took one look at me when I was born and bolted. My mom never saw him again,”“He just left,” Jaehyun imagined his face showed his shock and awe at that. Jungwoo nodded. “Because you were an omega and a boy,”He nodded again, biting his lip.“What the hell,” growl rumbling through him without warning, Jungwoo placed a hand on his chest, scent working over him like a relaxant.“I’ve always admired her for that a little. I mean, she had to endure her bond breaking while raising a newborn, on her own. Her family stopped talking to her after they found out my dad left, thinking she did something wrong, and the rest of the pack, was apparently horrible to her too. They treated her like, like they treat me now, or like they did. So, she sort of secluded us, raised me here away from the pack as much as she could, encouraged me to go away to school so I didn’t have to put up with them, since I was finally old enough to understand how mean they were being to me,”Jaehyun sat there, silent for a few minutes, with Jungwoo watching him.He sighed, “what’s wrong with these people,” he’d always found Jungwoo so fascinating. Even as a pup he’d thought he was beautiful and intriguing and wished that he wasn’t an alpha pup so he could talk to the little omega with the big eyes. People were mean to him even then, why because their parents were mean to his mom. That made sense, since hatred is learned and cruelty trickles down.Jungwoo shrugged, “wolves have always been cliquey and nasty Jae, just because they’ve never been that way to you doesn’t mean they aren’t being that way to somebody,”“I know that,” he said lamely, “I know but, your mom, didn’t…she didn’t do anything wrong,”“I know,” he reached out, fingers warm where they brushed his bangs off his forehead. Jaehyun smiled at him.“He missed out,” Jaehyun whispered, air between them thick, bubble firm around them. “On you, he was stupid, for leaving the both of you,”Jungwoo tilted his head at him, wistful smile crossing his features.“Mhmm, we were better off, can’t imagine how stunted and mean I would’ve been if he stuck around. The last thing I needed was some super traditional alpha raising me, always hyper focused on how I was a weak omega instead of, instead of something else,”“I get why she hates alphas, I guess, after being abandoned by one, treated poorly because of a choice he made,”“She can’t help it,” Jungwoo defended her.“I know, I didn’t-”“No, I meant, I feel like she knows she can’t help it. She’s never told me, but I think the other reason she sent me away was so her personal opinions didn’t change me. I always knew growing up that something was different about her, she didn’t come to meetings at school when I was a pup and we always went shopping at weird times of day, we never talked about it though. She never said, ‘I hate alpha’s’ or ‘Jungwoo be careful, you can’t trust them’. I think she sent me away, so I could make up my own mind, I should probably thank her for that,”“She’s your mom Woo, everything she does, she does for you, she probably never thought of doing anything else, just wanted what was best for you,”Jungwoo nodded, leaned his head on his shoulder.“Do you think it’s weird, how she’s…how people have treated her, how they’ve treated me, it’s like…”“History repeating itself,” Jaehyun finished for him.“Yeah,”“Yeah I think that’s weird. And I don’t like how normalized that kind of shit is that two generations of wolves have been victimized by alphas and no one’s done anything,”Jungwoo’s head rolled on his shoulder, gaze heated through his narrowed eyes. “Don’t get any ideas mister,”“Too late,”“Jae,”“I’m already chock full of them,” he teased him, wrapping his arm around him to pull him closer when Jungwoo sat up, looking like he might pull away.“Jaehyun,”“I won’t do anything, I know better, but you can’t disagree, this is a problem,”“I do agree, but…”“But what,”“But I realized what I was about to suggest was something I’ve asked you not to do,” he looked sheepish where he was propped against his shoulder. He grinned at him, following him where he was going.“You’re allowed to change your mind you know. I could always tell my dad Woo,”Jungwoo laughed a little, a small, quiet almost sad sound as he drooped closer to him, forehead coming to rest against Jaehyun’s head. He didn’t say anything.“She shouldn’t still be hiding because of something that happened, that she didn’t cause, over 20 years ago. Do you think that’s right?”Jungwoo shook his head as he spoke, “no I don’t but she’s also chosen this for herself. If she wanted things to change, she’d change them,”Jaehyun was willing to accept that if Jungwoo genuinely believed it. “She seems happy,”“She is, she likes it. If she didn’t, she’d do something about it. She has the hens and her garden for most of the year, she paints, and I think she’s started writing her book again, she goes off and on with that,”“What’s she writing,”“Mystery thriller,”Jaehyun snickered, enjoyed the sound of Jungwoo’s giggles when he joined him. He didn’t seem interested in talking about it anymore so Jaehyun didn’t say anything else, but he’d keep it in mind. Jungwoo didn’t seem completely averse to the idea that something in this pack had to change, for everyone. That was good, maybe this is what it would take, other people suffering was something Jungwoo couldn’t ignore, he’d sacrifice himself for this but wouldn’t stand for others going through what he had.“Did you notice,” he started, sounding ready for a change of subject.“Did I notice what Woo,” he asked, mouth moving over his temple.“That I didn’t say thank you,”Jaehyun looked at him out of the corner of his eye, took in his goofy, little smug smile.“For helping today, I wanted to, but I didn’t,”“Isn’t this, sort saying thank you right now,”Jungwoo shook his head, “but I didn’t say it,”“I guess you didn’t,” fingers curling against his side, smirking when he lurched, giggling quickly. He got up a bit later, dragging Jaehyun to help him with the dishes and all but forcing a couple cookies on him, not that Jaehyun minded that too much.And on his way out, Jungwoo pushed a small container with half a dozen more cookies safely tucked inside, into his chest, refusing to take them back. He wrapped him in a hug, laughing next to Jaehyun’s ear and sighing when Jaehyun squeezed him back.He felt his cheeks warm as he held tight to the container of cookies, laughing most of the way home. Jungwoo may not have thanked him for his help today, a big bit of growth to be sure, confident that Jaehyun wanted to help him and didn’t need to be given a reason to do so. And yet, he was going home with cookies.Which was Jungwoo’s way of getting around that.Thanking and repaying him without having to say a word.Never count an omega out when it came to being clever. And Jungwoo, was about as clever as they came.….It had been close to two months since Jungwoo’s initial meeting with the boys, since his first dinner with all of them. Jaehyun couldn’t believe all the stuff that had happened in that time and couldn’t believe he was still willing to come and eat dinner with the pack. He figured he and his friends were enough of an influence to get him there and keep him distracted.More than anything though he couldn’t believe how much Jungwoo was starting to change. He was about 4 months into pregnancy, almost halfway there Jimin had said with a squeal at the end of his last appointment.Since he was eating normally now, having regular meals and consuming more than he was used to, he was starting to fill out, his face was rounder and hips maybe a tiny bit wider, not that he was looking. He was still so small and was only just starting to show but Jaehyun could sense that he was better able to take the changes now. His bump was minimal and Jaehyun could only see it when he looked for it. There was one shirt he had that when he wore it, his stomach was visible, tugging the fabric in the slightest way, it made Jaehyun crazy.Jungwoo was starting to notice more changes too, mentioned several in passing. His back hurt quite a bit, still, which bothered Jaehyun, but he’d been scolded and told it was all part of the process. A process which Jungwoo was learning tricks to help with, knowing little things to do to ease his discomfort. Sometimes he’d be sitting, mid conversation and he’d stand up walk around his living room for a couple minutes before sighing and easing back down into his seat. Jaehyun always grinned at him after, never commenting knowing the movement helped him, he’d just guide them back into whatever conversation they’d been having.At dinner the boys teased him about how straight he was sitting, Ten saying something about him sitting on a stick, Jungwoo just whined and asked him not to tease him, face a little pained. Ten stopped, instead switching focus to Jaehyun.“Why don’t you help him Jae, his back hurts,” Ten simpered. Jaehyun wondered if a baked potato to the face would shut him up, and if so for how long?“Yeah Jae help him,” the others laughed at him.“Yeah Jae, help me,” Jungwoo whimpered, sagging slightly, he rolled his shoulders and neck but still seemed uncomfortable. Jaehyun softened, reaching to dig his fingers into Jungwoo’s back, up and down his spine till the other let out a huff, smiling at him thankfully. The boys didn’t say anything about it again.He’d also been getting nosebleeds, not too many and they’d all but stopped happening this week but Jimin assured him they were normal and nothing to worry about.He complained about his chest aching and when he asked if he was feeling better with it Jungwoo nodded, words like milk and feeding pinged around in his brain till he could barely breathe. He may be mature and cultured but something about Jungwoo, feeding his pup made his mind short circuit, mouth running dry. It was too much, it was normal and beautiful but the alpha inside him was going stir crazy thinking about the omega feeding his pup, so he tamped it down, rather not wanting to think about it than entertain perverse thoughts about the sweet omega without his permission.And then he just hadto hear Taeil, Donghyuck and Jaemin asking Jungwoo about his libido. What? Why were they talking about that, with Jungwoo?Well, apparently, an omega’s sex drive goes through the roof at this point in their pregnancy, but they didn’t need to ask him that, did they? And then Jungwoo answered yes. Yes? Yes?!Jaehyun felt his brain leave his head, soul vacating the premises, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t…oh god, no, nope, no way. That was a dark road, no, uh-uh. Just. No.Then there was the forgetfulness. He’d heard about pregnancy brain, Jungkook had said Jimin’s was ridiculous and hilarious and affected every aspect of their lives. Jungwoo’s was both good and bad. He forgot funny things that had them all laughing at dinner because they were just talking about it Jungwoo, seriously,and he’d laugh and blush and keep eating. And he forgot serious things like leaving the stove on when he wasn’t there. Jaehyun had scolded him but Jungwoo said it was fine since he came to have dinner and shut the stove off, flung open a window, no problem. But yes problem. What if he hadn’t come over, what if Jungwoo hadn’t had anyone to remind him about the stove’s open flame, what if he got hurt, what if he burnt his house down?He made him promise to try and be more aware of things and Jungwoo agreed, if only because he could see how distraught Jaehyun was about it. And maybe Jaehyun was a little more protective of him after that, it seemed silly, but it was very real to him and he wouldn’t risk Jungwoo’s safety to his forgetfulness.The forgetfulness also left him less aware of what the rest of the pack was doing, that was the good part. Because he could come and eat a meal without looking over his shoulder. He didn’t do that much now but it was nice to see him less stressed about it regardless.The last change that Jaehyun could really identify was his skin. He was glowing.He’d heard about that too but seeing Jungwoo glow as if from the inside out, was something amazing. He was beautiful, Jaehyun had always thought so but seeing his complexion almost appear to darken, like he’d spent some good time in the sun, was wild. And then he seemed to sparkle like maybe he hadn’t spent time in the sun but rather the sun was sitting in his chest, glittering out of his pores and making him even more radiant. With the glow came an increased intensity to his smell. Normally it wasn’t very prominent unless he was scared or angry, any severe level of emotion brought an onslaught of spiced peaches but any other time it was subtle. Now however, it was strong, like Jungwoo’s omega was saying, hi I’m here, in case you forgot. As if Jaehyun could, the smell of cinnamon and peaches was literally always stuck in his nose these days, it wrapped around him, made him just the good side of crazy with it and he liked it. He liked it a lot.There was also a tad bit more clinginess from the other, which he didn’t really count as a change because he and Jungwoo had been spending so much time together and were growing closer. Though all the other changes that he’d noted, that came with his pregnancy did make him wonder if the clinginess was because he was pregnant. He knew things were different for them but maybe there was a reason. Maybe it was because of that.He knew all too well that Jungwoo could only like the presence of an alpha while he was pregnant, vulnerable and changing, omegas thrived off the presence of an alpha when they were expecting. He might not even be aware of it, seeing as it was likely second nature to him, latching on to what his body and inner omega needed the most, an alpha. He fit the bill.He was very aware that could be it for them. That this was strictly Jungwoo’s biology letting him fill a void, he might want nothing to do with him once the pup was born.But then, he couldn’t ignore how their scents had started to mingle. That meant something. Jungwoo, on some level, had to like him if he was allowing their smells to merge and exist together like that, on him. He tried to remind himself of that, and it usually worked well enough to put his head back in a good space.And of course, spending time with Jungwoo helped with that too and we all know, he’s spending plenty of time with him. Bad thoughts be gone, Jaehyun had an omega to hang out with.… Jaehyun had only done this a couple times since Jungwoo had gone back to work at the daycare at the new school, he’d been wary to continue because Jungwoo had seemed so embarrassed when he’d shown up the other times. But something about it felt appropriate, after he’d said the other day that some of the other teachers weren’t being so nice to him anymore, Jaehyun needed to make sure he was eating lunch, and wasn’t doing so alone. He knew Yuta took up that mantle most days, but he deserved the day off.Today he was working the odd midday shift which he knew Jungwoo didn’t like because it started late enough in the morning that he wanted to be doing something else and got out late enough that he didn’t want to do anything when he got home. It wrecked his whole day he’d said. Where the morning shift started his day for him, and the afternoon shift left him time to do things before, the midday took over both halves with work smack dab in the middle.He decided lunch would maybe be a bright spot in his least liked shift.He made his way through the school, waving to Joy in the mid year’s classroom, she waved excitedly from the board with chalk on her cheek. He had half a mind to stop by the gym and say hi to Yuta but knew if he did, he wouldn’t make it out with the food he’d brought for Jungwoo. He had to make sure the omega had lunch, that was the whole reason he was here anyway.The daycare was quiet when he reached their section of the building, which was surprising. He peeked into the room, doors on both sides of the room open, seeing Jungwoo standing by the table at the front of the room with a taller man in front of him, back to Jaehyun.From here, he didn’t recognize his back but Jungwoo didn’t seem uncomfortable or upset in his company, so he figured they were friends and Jaehyun didn’t have to worry.He stepped closer to the doorway and stopped.“If you’re going to stand there, would you mind helping me pick up a little,”“Putting me to work,” the other man said with a laugh. Jaehyun watched Jungwoo smile at him, turning around the deposit his handful of paintbrushes back in the jar on the table.“Well, you’re here,” Jungwoo said, “and anything I can do before they come back from recess is worth it,”That set the other into motion, he started tidying up the desks, grabbing toys and bringing them to the front near Jungwoo, to deposit them in one of the many bins up there. The gentle interaction made him smile, glad that here, where people were still a little wary of him, he seemed to have friends, other people who liked him that weren’t Yuta. It made him feel better. Until it didn’t.The other wolf, an alpha from what he could smell, spoke with a warm, flirty sort of tone, giving off thick waves of scent that Jaehyun imagined were meant to charm and entice the omega.He leaned against one of the low tables, partially sitting on top of it, long legs stretched out in front of him, arms crossed.“I did actually stop by to ask you something,”“Can you ask me while you put those paints away,” Jungwoo asked the other, Jaehyun smirked, hearing his smile even from here.The other didn’t say anything, not right away. And he didn’t move either. Jaehyun got a weird feeling, stomach sinking as he watched the other straighten, shoulders tossing back to make himself bigger, broader, more impressive. Oh shit.“Do you have someone hunting for you,” he blurted out. Jungwoo looked over his shoulder before turning around fully. He put the markers he was holding down, giving his attention to the other completely.“Yes,”The other deflated, “Oh, okay,”“Why,” Jungwoo looked so sweetly, genuinely confused.“Well it doesn’t really matter if you…if someone’s hunting for you,”He watched Jungwoo smile at the other, fondly, like he found him funny. His heart dropped a few stories inside him, putting the pieces together.The other started talking again, “is it like you were on their list or are they…providing for you,” well what business was that of his? Shit, this guy didn’t need to be asking those kinds of questions.Jungwoo looked startled and maybe a little annoyed, which relieved him. “I think he just wants to make sure I’m eating,”“Right, sorry,” god this guy was dying out there, if he wasn’t so bothered that he was coming on to Jungwoo he’d feel sorry for how badly he was failing at this. “Well, would you maybe…like to get breakfast sometime or coffee,”“What, like a date,” Jungwoo looked really confused now. Poor thing, did he actually not know how amazing and beautiful he was?“Yeah,”“Oh,”“That’s a no then,” the other laughed humorlessly.“It’s, I’m flattered, but-”What the other tossed out next veered them in the complete opposite direction.“I thought you and Jaehyun were just friends,”He watched Jungwoo gape at the other, shake his head like he had no idea what to say to that. Jaehyun was glad, not really wanting to know what he’d say if it was taking him so long.“We are,” oh good, why did he have to say anything?“Then, breakfast with me some time,”“Eric,” ah a name, Eric. The back looked familiar now, Eric Nam, biology teacher for the upper level school, “I don’t think that’s a good idea,”“Why,” he sounded angry.“Because,” Jaehyun really wanted to save him from this, he looked like he was hating this conversation more and more by the second.“Because why,”“Eric-”The other let out a low rumble, not quite a growl but also not the kind of noise he should be letting out in the company of an omega, who, one, wasn’t his, and two, was only being truthful.“So, it’s fine to play house with Jaehyun but breakfast with me would be what, too much,”Jungwoo froze, eyes wide as he blushed slightly, so he was aware their relationship was closer than average, and people were noticing.“Excuse me,” he squeaked. Jaehyun felt angry for him, who the hell was this guy to make assumptions and push Jungwoo? Why couldn't go about things in a normal way with Jungwoo? Maybe if he wasn't being such an asshole about this, Jaehyun would feel threatened or worried, but this guy didn't seem to being doing anything that interested Jungwoo. Not in the slightest.“You heard me,” another not quite growl. This one served to make Jungwoo cross his arms and narrow his eyes.“That’s-”“You know what, forget it,”“Hey, I didn’t mean it like, no, not a chance, I just, I’m not really in a place for anything romantic,”“Bet you’ve never said that to him,” wow, asshole. Jaehyun was an adult, he knew where they stood, most days. He knew they weren’t romantic yet, even though sometimes it seemed that way, Jungwoo wasn’t in the right place to decide anything like that, and he was content to wait.“What,” Jungwoo’s head tilted, voice thin and bothered.“Nothing,” the other backed up, clearly not up to the task of having to fight back, thinking he could just get what he wanted without too much effort. That Jungwoo was ready and willing to give it right back to him, seemed to throw him for a loop. It definitely shocked most people that Jungwoo was not nearly as docile as they expected him to be.“So, you don’t want to have breakfast at all if it’s not a date,” and there he was, full of fight and ticked off at the many injustices of their world.“Jungwoo-”“Well now I extra don’t want to, thanks for not helping at all Eric, you can go,”Jaehyun smiled to himself, watching Eric huff and leave the room through the other door. He watched Jungwoo’s strong mask fall away, leaving an upset, fragile thing in its wake. The one he’d gotten to know very well in the last several weeks, he was multi-faceted and everyday brought out a new side.He looked like he might cry. Jaehyun wouldn’t stand for that. He knocked on the open door, stepping inside with a grin when Jungwoo startled towards the sound.“Hi,”“Jaehyun, hi,” Jungwoo brushed his hair away from his eyes, “hi, how, how long have you been there,”“I just got here,” he lied, not wanting the other to feel worse. He lifted the small bag in his hand, “I brought you lunch,”He watched Jungwoo relax, smile at him thankfully as he walked towards him. He took the bag out of his hand, set it down on one of the small art tables next to their legs before looping his arms around Jaehyun’s neck and hugging him tight.Jaehyun hugged him back, arms secure around his waist and back, mindful of the tiny bump between them.“You okay,” he asked, knowing the answer.Jungwoo nodded against his shoulder, tucking his face closer, he sighed.“Yeah, just, having a weird day,”He rested his head against Jungwoo’s, “do you want to talk about it,”“No, I’d like to have lunch though,”“Oh perfect,” Jaehyun laughed, reaching for the bag to lift with a cheesy grin, “Rabbit, sweet buns and fruit,”“All my favorites,”“Weird, it’s almost like I know you,”Jungwoo pushed him gently, laughing as he took the bag to lay it out on one of the tables, built for pups rather than grown wolves but Jungwoo looked happy with his knees tucked close to him, laughing when Jaehyun tried to land in one of the tiny chairs only to end up on the floor in a heap.“Jae,” he yelped, worry lost a little to his laughter, “are you alright,”“Yeah,” he looked up at him, shocked, “yeah, I’m good. That surprised me,”Jungwoo laughed some more, ducking over the food in front of him as his face lit up completely.“I wasn’t expecting to end up on the ground,”Jungwoo laughed even harder at that, covering his face as he dissolved.“How do…how did you not fall out of yours,” he groaned, dragging himself off the floor and into the tiny chair.“I’m used to them, maybe,”“Yeah and you’re little,”“Not that little,” he argued, taking a deep breath and wiping the tears from under his eyes.“Pretty little,” head cocked.“Only a little…little,”Jaehyun grinned even harder at that.When they’d finished eating, he helped Jungwoo clean up a little, listened to him sigh about how rowdy the little ones were with the upcoming full moon. Told him they’d calm down a little, hopefully. Jungwoo fixed him with a doubtful look to which he smiled, when were pups ever calm. Phase of the moon didn’t usually matter too much.He got ready to leave when he heard a commotion coming from down the hall.“Recess must be over,” Jungwoo said sadly, peering up at the clock. He pouted up at him and Jaehyun was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to boop his nose, pinch his cheeks or kiss him.“Will I see you tonight,”“Of course, you will, do you want me to pick you up,”“Don’t I always,” he asked, looking playfully unimpressed with him.He smiled at, pinched his side when Jungwoo stepped close enough. And then he was hugging him again.Jungwoo clung on to him, tight like he didn’t want to let him go while Jaehyun kissed his forehead, then his temple, nosing through his hair. Jungwoo sighed out slowly, cheek brushing over Jaehyun’s ear as he nuzzled at him.“See you later,” Jungwoo whispered.That was fair, he thought.“Enjoy the rest of your day, with the wildlings,” he smirked when Jungwoo hung his head.That was a feeling Jaehyun was extremely familiar with, a sentiment that Jaehyun knew all too well.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun was doing something daring. Something drastic in terms of his current way of doing things.Jaehyun. Was buying Jungwoo flowers. And Jaehyun was bringing the flowers to Jungwoo.He tried to stray from doing things that forced Jungwoo into a box, into a pack set of standards because Jungwoo and all other omegas were wolves before anything else and just because their biology’s made them yearn for different things that didn’t mean they were lesser or weaker or any other belittling line of thinking, for it. He also hated treating anyone the way their gender would make you think they wanted to be treated, putting them in a role just because they might be an omega and he was an alpha. Which is why he’d never done anything like this before. It’s also why he got into plenty of heated debates growing up, in school and even with the council. Omegas had expectations and desires that didn’t always fit a norm, they didn’t deserve to be treated like they all fit into the same box because most of them didn’t fit any box. Most everyone assumed that all omegas prayed day and night for pups, to get pregnant and start a family with their mate. Maybe Jaehyun was just lucky enough to surround himself with wolves who tested the limits, pushed against their biology consistently and didn’t let themselves be driven by the secondary gender they were born into. The perfect example of that was Ten. Who was an omega and didn’t want to have pups. People thought that was crazy, but it wasn’t really any of their business. It was a choice he’d made years ago, one him and Johnny had talked through together while courting. One Jaehyun would defend him for till he died, because it was his choice and his life and there wasn’t anything, anywhere that said an omega had to be a mom. His value as a wolf didn’t depend on his interest in procreation and he had a few choices words for anyone who thought otherwise.All of the same things could be said for alphas and betas too. Plenty of alphas hated the typical, standard alpha ‘things’. Mark for example, didn’t like how gruesome hunting could be but still felt that urge to help provide for the pack so he involved himself with the logistics of feeding everyone rather than the actual act of catching food. Wolves didn’t fit perfectly into their roles anymore, which was fine with Jaehyun, but of course that led to some problems. And like with anything else wolves aren’t all black and white, Jungwoo was a multitude of colors, he knew that. It was entirely possible he would enjoy getting flowers. Not because he was an omega. But because he could just like them. But he didn’t want to offend him. And he definitely didn’t want to assume anything, either way because either assumption could be wrong.All of that said, maybe more than anything else, he hated that omegas were treated like they were fragile just because they weren’t alphas or betas and weren’t typically the fighters or providers of a pack. He never wanted to be the alpha who stuck an omega in the generally accepted, expected role, he tried really hard not to do that, ever. But there were certainly cases where he couldn’t help it or times where things got away from him before he could stop them, like protecting Jungwoo from Hanbin, sometimes he couldn’t help being an alpha, defending an omega from a threat. That was second nature.He also kind of hated himself right now. Because his first instinct yesterday, seeing Jungwoo so upset after Eric tried and failed to ask him out and then made him feel bad about it, was to make him feel better. That wasn’t why he hated himself. He’d accepted how hopeless he was. No, he hated his constant need to do something, help and fix things for the other. It made him wonder if his actions were, unknowingly, putting Jungwoo into a role he didn’t want. Worries compounding this morning when he woke up and knew instantly that he wanted to buy Jungwoo flowers. The urge tingled inside him till he couldn’t ignore it and had to drag himself out of his house and hunt down a decent looking bouquet for the other. He didn’t like relying on his baser instincts and didn’t like how they forced him to think of Jungwoo, like he was smaller and needed protection. He’d done it enough to want to hide himself away forever, and here he was doing it again. Assuming Jungwoo liked and wanted a stereotypically frivolous gift, because Jaehyun and his alpha had witnessed him have a pretty shit day and wanted to make him feel a bit better.And then he hated himself for even hating himself at all. For even thinking about any of this. Flowers weren’t only for omegas and thinking of them as girly was wrong. Jungwoo might love them. Jungwoo hated stereotyping and assumptions being made about him because of his presentation. Wasn’t his worrying about it at all doing exactlywhat he was worrying about?  Seriously, Jaehyun could talk himself in circles all day. Which is why he didn’t let himself think before he charged out of the house to the store. And then to the florists because he’s a putz and he thought the market would have flowers this time of year, they didn’t. Putz.He’d think it to death now though, as he walked to Jungwoo’s, shielding the delicate petals from the cold. Jungwoo could love them. And if he didn’t Jaehyun would never buy them for him again.If anything, he’d probably like the flowers but yell about him spending money on him so randomly because this was Jungwoo. Proud and thrifty, perhaps to a fault.  Anyway.Jaehyun bought Jungwoo flowers, a random, potentially offensive, way to make Jungwoo feel better about yesterday. Because Eric was dumb and didn’t deserve to take him out for coffee or breakfast or anything else, honestly. And he absolutely didn’t deserve to make Jungwoo feel bad for not wanting something with him. Jungwoo didn’t know that he knew about yesterday, but he figured he could pass this off as being concerned and perceptive. He knew Jungwoo pretty well at this point and could tell when he was bothered about something. Even if he hadn’t been there yesterday to witness the madness, he would’ve walked into that classroom to have lunch with him and instantly known that he was upset about something. Jungwoo knew him too, knew Jaehyun had a pretty good read on him, knew he didn’t have to hide, not if he didn’t want to.The wind whipped up as he climbed Jungwoo’s steps, making a mental note to bring in some more firewood for the other before he left today.He knocked on Jungwoo’s door with a sigh, modest sized bouquet of blue and white flowers held behind his back as nervousness surged once more. This was easily the most blatantly obvious, courting like behavior he’d ever exhibited towards the other. That and all the thoughts that went with that sent him spiraling and had his heart doing crazy, unnatural things in his chest. But again, that wasn’t why he was doing this, wasn’t why he decided to do this. Jungwoo had a bad day and this would hopefully make him feel like things like Eric being an entitled jerk didn’t matter.Jungwoo answered after a couple moments, tugging a loose cardigan closed over his thin shirt, he looked comfortable and slightly flushed before his face lit up with a smile as he focused on him.“Jae, hi,” he stepped aside to let him in, Jaehyun rotated, back to the room so Jungwoo wouldn’t see the flowers yet. “What’s up,”He shivered, quickly shutting the door behind him as he pulled his sweater closed tighter, the action exposed a tiny sliver of skin at his hip that Jaehyun was definitely not staring at. No. He wasn’t. And his mouth wasn’t watering at all, shut up.Jaehyun swallowed, shaking himself out of his daze. Well, here goes nothing.“I brought you something,” he said quietly, very unsure about this. In the face of the gift’s recipient.  Jungwoo raised his eyebrows, arms crossing as he waited, shirt fell back into place. His smile lit up his whole face while the warm silence unfurled between them. Jaehyun took a deep breath, peaches and cinnamon punching straight through to his core and reminding him why he was here. To make sure Jungwoo was happy, attempt to make him smile, show him he was loved and that Jaehyun thought about him constantly.Jaehyun extended his arm to hand Jungwoo the flowers, watching the other’s lips part as he sucked in a quick breath. The omega eyes widened a little more, for a split second while Jaehyun watched, he looked like he didn’t quite know what way he wanted to think or feel about this. His head tipped a little, cheeks got a little pinker before he smiled at him fondly.“You got me flowers,” he asked. Jaehyun nodded, arm still outstretched between them. He was starting to feel a little silly about it, maybe this was dumb. Jaehyun, as is typical, was moments away from a full-fledged tail spin when Jungwoo’s eyes crinkled, reaching for the flowers. His fingers brushed his for a long moment, even that simple an action, in this moment made his stomach warm up, head fuzz out a little. “Thank you, Jae, they’re beautiful,”Jaehyun let out a sigh, realizing Jungwoo liked them and wasn’t upset with him. He ducked, nose close to the petals as he breathed in, cheeks indented with his happiness.“I love flowers Jae, how did you know,”Jaehyun shrugged, he didn’t know. He was actually very worried he didn’t and wouldn’t appreciate all the potentially offensive, stereotypical implications that came with such a gift. But again, waking up this morning, he desperately wanted to give him flowers, he had no clue what the reaction to them would be, only knew he wanted to and couldn’t ignore that feeling.“I didn’t, just wanted to get you some I guess,”Jungwoo held the bouquet close as his other hand extended out towards him. His fingers were barely an inch from him when he froze, he appeared to shake himself before he looked away from him. Jaehyun didn’t like that, if he wanted to touch him, he should do that, Jaehyun didn’t mind. At all. He liked that Jungwoo enjoyed being close to him and sought him out for that sort of thing. He didn’t like that he stopped himself still, he kind of thought they were past that point.He took a step closer to the other, ducked to catch his eye, the action made Jungwoo smile even wider, he pushed him away a little, giggling when Jaehyun came back and tried again.“Stop Jae,” he laughed, pushing him back, even as his fingers curled in Jaehyun’s collar.“Why, I’m not doing anything,” he couldn’t help himself, when his wolf whined, feeding him the idea to run with this, take it as far as he could. Not a horrible idea, he was already here right, might as well run out the clock. Especially since Jungwoo liked the flowers, that was uplifting and now he was surging with confidence, he could do this.He pulled Jungwoo against him, dragged him in as close as he could while the omega smiled to himself, holding his flowers tight, hand smoothing over the material of Jaehyun’s shirt.“I was just trying to get you to look at me,” Jaehyun argued, wolf trotting in circles when Jungwoo moved, arm wrapping around his shoulder. He appeared to snuggle against him a little which totally thrilled him. He could feel his mouth running dry as Jungwoo pressed closer to him. This was the omega of his dreams here with him, he couldn’t help feeling these things, feeling crazy and ridiculous and overwhelmed. Even after all this time, having him in his arms with his perfect, growing, pup safe between them, is an unfathomably amazing concept. That Jungwoo accepted his company, liked having him around was such a vote of confidence, such a rush to his ego, he didn’t even scold his wolf for preening in his chest because it felt so good.“Why,” Jungwoo whispered back, biting down on his lip for a second.“Why not,”Jungwoo huffed at him instead of saying anything else. Jaehyun dropped his head against Jungwoo’s, taking a deep inhale of his warm, delirium inducing scent. “I like when you look at me,” his voice was barely above a whisper when he said it.Jungwoo flushed bright red, smile going shy. He didn’t say anything to that.“What,” he poked Jungwoo’s side, hoping to lure him back into talking to him.“You’re being so weird,”“Am I,” maybe he was being a little more open and obvious with how he felt today, he wasn’t trying to contain his fondness or hide anything. He wanted to dote on him and adore him, he deserved that. Was there anything wrong with that? Jungwoo nodded, looking at him for a split second before focusing back on his shoulder.“Bad weird?”“No…just weird,” he laughed to himself before taking Jaehyun by the wrist and pulling him towards his kitchen. “I need to find a vase,”He stopped in the doorway to the kitchen, so quickly that Jaehyun stumbled into him. He wrapped his arm around his waist to catch himself, Jungwoo leaned back against him with a happy sort of sound.“Jae,” he sighed, Jaehyun hummed to tell him he was listening, not too sure where that breathy tone was going but knew it did unacceptable things to his insides, “I don’t think I have a vase…”He ducked against Jungwoo’s shoulder on reflex. Just his luck that Jungwoo wouldn’t have a vase for the flowers he was brave enough to give him.“Ooh, wait I have a pail…like a thin bucket, ya know,”“Yeah, that would probably work,” Jaehyun bit down on his lip to stifle his laughter.“I’ll buy a vase tomorrow,” Jungwoo decided, putting the bouquet on the counter. He rushed back out of the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with the bucket he’d mentioned, dry dirt around the bottom.“Where’d you find that,” he asked, eyeing the dirt that Jungwoo was quickly brushing off into his sink.“Outside,” Jungwoo smiled over his shoulder at him. “I’ve never used it, it’s just been sitting on the side of my house since I moved in. Now it finally has a purpose, until I buy a vase and replace it,”“Outside,” he asked lamely.Jungwoo hummed at him.“I would’ve went to get it for you, it’s cold out Woo,”“I know, it gets cold in December isn’t that so weird,” he could see Jungwoo’s tongue poking at his cheek, smile tugging at his lips. Jaehyun shook his head, snickering to himself at the very obvious swirl of Jungwoo’s happiness in the small kitchen.He filled the pail with water before setting it aside, attention moving back to his flowers to cut the stems. The silence made him wonder about his day, if it was better than yesterday and for some reason his mom. He’d been thinking about her a lot the last few days, wishing for ways to help her while also trying to accept the fact that she probably didn’t want and would never want his or anyone else’s help.“How’s your mom,” Jaehyun asked, not being able to help himself. He leaned back against the opposite counter, watching Jungwoo put a couple flowers in to see if he liked the height okay.“I haven’t seen her in couple days,” he said. That didn’t make sense, he was going to have lunch with her the other day, since he didn’t have dinner with her the night, they found her chickens. Jungwoo, amateur mind reader, seemed to know exactly what he was thinking following that statement.“I didn’t have lunch with her the other day, I didn’t feel that great-” Jaehyun stood up straighter, off the counter, immediately his good mood faded, switching to anxiety for the omega and his pup.“Are you alright,”“Yeah, I’m good Jae,” he looked at him over his shoulder, “I’ve just been so tired lately. Worse than before. I get up and I’m tired like an hour later and I have to force myself to stay up all day and do stuff,”He stepped forward. “I’m sorry Woo,”“It’s okay, I feel great today, took a nap and I even did a couple chores. But I am going to have dinner with my mom today because I didn’t see her the other day.”Jaehyun pouted a little at that, knowing it meant they wouldn’t be having dinner together tonight. Jungwoo looked back at him when he didn’t say anything.“What Jae,” he asked, looking very confused and very adorable. “You look sad,”“I am sad,” Jaehyun moved closer, coming to stand next to him. “I like having dinner with you,”Jungwoo smiled at him, shaking his head, “There’s dinner tomorrow too Jae, and you’re with me now,”“I know. Jeez, I’m glad I decided to come see you, I would’ve been so bummed if I came to pick you up and you turned me away,”Jungwoo reached out to squeeze his wrist, “I’m sorry,”Jaehyun grinned, he rolled his wrist in Jungwoo’s grip, turning his hand over to lace his fingers through Jungwoo’s. “Just because I’m gonna miss spending time with you at dinner doesn’t mean I’m not happy you’re going to see your mom,” Something about that statement made Jungwoo laugh. He tilted his head at him, asked him what was so funny.“Nothing,” Jungwoo shrugged, focus turning back to the flowers, he squeezed Jaehyun’s hand before pulling away.“No what,”Jungwoo giggled again, “Should I tell her you say hello too,”Jaehyun smiled at him, fingers running up his side to tickle him. “Sure,” he wondered if Jungwoo could tell, without his saying anything, how absolutely determined he was to win his mom over and get on her good side.“For future reference, because I know you’re probably busy plotting and planning on how to change her mind about you, she likes flowers too. But she likes to garden more, so bulbs or something she can grow herself, ooh or house plants, she’d appreciate that I think,”“Thanks Woo,” Jungwoo nodded, smile small and mischievous. He was tempted to poke that some more because Jungwoo suggested he bring his mom flowers meant he knew Jaehyun was invested. Invested in what, he couldn’t be sure that Jungwoo knew that exactly but the way he was looking at him, cheeks still warm, scent thicker then he’d ever smelled it before. He had yet to let Jungwoo know about his own intentions but without a word they seemed to be on the same page, for now. He was okay to let that rest till a different day.“You know I don’t have to change her mind. She’s been through a lot, I don’t need to shake things apart for her, maybe just show her that I’m not a horrible animal hellbent on taking advantage of her,”Jungwoo turned, looking at him fully. His eyebrows scrunched together, lips moved together in a pout. “She doesn’t think you’re an animal Jae,”“Oh, she doesn’t? Because she looked at me like I was feral the other day,”“Because she doesn’t trust alphas,”“I know Woo,”Jungwoo sighed, “It was a suggestion for down the road Jae, when she’s ready to accept gifts or favors,” the you have a long way to go before that, went without saying.Jaehyun nodded, “Okay, I’ll log that away…for later, when I’m not on her watchlist,” Jungwoo shook his head at him, “you’ll keep putting in a good word for me right,”“Of course, I will,” he looked at him like he was crazy for a split second before his face melted, back into a smile. “Jae,”He hmmed, tucking his head over his shoulder as Jungwoo turned fully back to his task.“Will you make us tea,” he asked, ear rubbing over Jaehyun’s cheek when he shifted.“Sure, peppermint or ginger,” knowing those two were his favorites at the moment because they helped ease his stomach.“Ginger please,”“You got it,” he nuzzled him for a second, hands squeezing his hips before moving away, kettle refilled and put on the burner to heat. He went about making them tea while Jungwoo hummed to himself, arranging his flowers in his makeshift vase. Even from here, looking at his back, head moving gently from side to side, he was glowing. In every sense possible.He didn’t like making assumptions, that wasn’t news, but here, now Jaehyun would be willing to assume that, this happy Jungwoo was because of him. He was beaming, and this whole afternoon was so domestic and amazing. It felt right and real and like this was a peek into the rest of his life, what might be waiting for him down the road.Here with him, he couldn’t believe this was happening. That he was standing here in his kitchen, trusting their process, making Jungwoo happy. And it shocked him that he doubted himself, that he didn’t think, for any amount of time that Jungwoo didn’t like him. There was still that niggling sometimes but right now he couldn’t find it.Jungwoo was brilliant and amazing and he knew a lot about people and the world. Jaehyun wouldn’t be shocked if he’d been able to read him like a book from day one. He was sort of obvious about his feelings. And now, he wouldn’t classify Jungwoo as obvious, but the scent he was giving off, the magnetic thrum around him that asked Jaehyun to come closer and be with him was palpable today, more so than ever before.He liked that a lot.And he liked how Jungwoo tipped his head back when Jaehyun set his tea down next to him on the counter. He liked how he tucked against him, silently asking Jaehyun to stay near him. And he liked that Jungwoo waved his hands around the pail with a flourish when he was done, taking them into the living room to put them on his coffee table with a noise of approval.“I’m allowed to say thank you for gifts right,”“You already did, you aren’t allowed more than one ‘thank you’ for any one act, sorry,” he answered with a shrug, knowing Jungwoo would probably fight him on this but he liked seeing his playful frustration.“Jaehyun, that’s ridiculous,” Jungwoo whined, dropping to the couch with a shocked look and a huff. His brief irritation faded as Jaehyun handed him his tea.“Maybe…you can say it again if you want but I’ll tune it out,”Jungwoo narrowed his eyes at him, pout twisting a little. He mulled that over before deciding on what to do.Something that pleased the hell out of Jaehyun.He waved him closer so Jaehyun came, moving across the couch to him and leaning into his space. Jungwoo’s hand landed on his cheek, smile muting a little as he leaned in, lips pressing to his other cheek briefly.Jaehyun swallowed, glad he’d had the forethought to put his tea down on the coffee table before this. That was only the second time Jungwoo had kissed him but still, he hoped it never stopped feeling like that. Jungwoo nuzzled his cheek, tip of his nose ran up towards his ear in a move that made Jaehyun’s stomach tighten.“Thank you, Jae,” he whispered, fingers sliding to his neck. They drummed against his scent gland for a moment, long enough that Jaehyun wondered if he’d survive this, it was just a kiss to the cheek but Jungwoo had a way of twisting him around, making everything more, better. He pulled back, hand drawing away to cover his own mouth, “you didn’t hear that right,”Jaehyun smirked at him, brushed Jungwoo’s hair behind his ear gently. “No, did you say something-”“Nope,”No one would believe that he was able to hold himself back from tackling Jungwoo right then. Though, they probably would believe that it was incredibly difficult for him to ignore his wolf howling inside him, begging him to lay it all out, admit what he was feeling, tell him where he stood and offer him the world and him and all that came with it.Jungwoo leaned back, asked him for the blanket from his side of the couch, dragging him out of his head, back to him. Jaehyun unfolded it over them, tucking it close to the omega’s legs since he always ran a little cold. He was back. He was here, with Jungwoo who rocked his world with a single kiss to the cheek. Who made him feel things and want things he never had before and made him think flowers and tea and knitted blankets with dropped stitches, were what life was all about.Those were the things that Jaehyun’s life was about, he couldn’t say he minded that.“Will you bring me some more firewood Jae, before dinner,”“Of course, Woo,”His hand squeezed his arm, smirking up at him from where he was leaning on his shoulder, decidedly not saying thank you for that.He didn’t mind that either.….He and Jungwoo walked to dinner that same night, hand in hand, like usual. Jungwoo had told him earlier he wasn’t going to be staying to eat but wanted to say hi to everyone before going to join his mom.The boys lit up, like they always did when they saw them, eagerly greeting them while Taeil and Donghyuck tried to tug him down to sit. Taeyong almost immediately asked Jungwoo why he wasn’t eating, noting his lack of plate.“I’m going to see my mom, have dinner with her but I wanted to say hi, and I didn’t want someone to not believe Jaehyun when he told him I was fine,” his last bit was aimed at Donghyuck who was holding both his hands in his own, swinging them between their bodies as he grinned innocently up at his friend.“I’ll miss you,” Donghyuck sighed, “I haven’t seen you in ages,”Jungwoo laughed, “you saw me yesterday, Hyuckie, at dinner,”“Yeah, like I said, an age,” said as if it were obvious. The others laughed while Mark and Jaehyun shared a fond look.“Leave him be Hyuck, he’s going to have dinner with his mom,” Taeil smiled at Jungwoo.“Jungwoo the good son, making us all look bad,” Ten said from a few seats away.Jungwoo perked up a little, “I wasn’t…trying to make anyone look bad,”The others all laughed some more at that. Ten waved him off, winking at him when it looked like Jungwoo might have actually been worried that he did something wrong.“We’ll see you tomorrow though, right,” Johnny asked, pouting next to his mate. Jungwoo nodded enthusiastically, hugging Donghyuck back when he moved in to squeeze him.“Stop Hyuckie, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he pinched his cheeks when the other omega’s pout took on a watery, heartbroken sort of look.“I thought we were going to talk about…about you know who-”“Oh my god, did he say something else to you,” Taeil all but yelled.“Yes,” Donghyuck spun on Taeil, “the sleaze asked him out but he didn’t give me all the dirty details, he said he’d tell me tonight,” his eyes narrowed a little at the end, like he’d been betrayed. At least Jaehyun knew they were in fact talking about Eric.Taeil also looked ready to start grilling him now but Jungwoo backed up a couple steps. Jaehyun felt bad, sort of seeing Jungwoo’s brief panic but knew of all the things Jungwoo was equipped to handle his two best friends were nothing.The two closed in around him, forcing Jungwoo back another step.“Taeyong, Mark, a little help please,” Jungwoo called, begging his friends’ respective mates for a hand. Taeyong pinched Taeil’s backside earning himself a swat before the omega dropped down next to him, pinching his ear for payback while Mark called Donghyuck over, groaning when the omega didn’t budge.“Lovebug,” he tried again, earning pitying looks from all his older friends and snickers from the younger wolves, “you’ll see him tomorrow,”“Lunch tomorrow,” Donghyuck asked him, finger pointed up at him like a warning, “we’re talking about this,”Jungwoo’s eyes were huge as he nodded, maybe a tiny bit frightened at the threatening tone.“Wait no, I have work tomorrow,” Taeil groaned, bottom lip jutting out at his friends. “Don’t talk about it without me,”“What the hell are you guys going on about now,” Ten asked them. The three of them looked at him, then at each other before Taeil said, nothing, Donghyuck muttered, don’t worry about itand Jungwoo just smiled.“I’ll tell you tomorrow Ten, if you actually want to know,” Jungwoo said.Ten appeared to think about it, “What’s it about,”“Uh,” Jungwoo started before turning to Taeil for help.“An alpha…who likes Jungwoo,”They all went quiet, half of them shifted, attention moving to Jaehyun who sat staring back at Taeil across the fire. He looked guilty, for saying it. He’d make sure to tell Taeil that he knew about Eric and wasn’t too worried about him.“Do we like said alpha,” Ten asked Jungwoo. The omega didn’t say anything but Taeil shook his head and Donghyuck huffed, muttering ‘hell no,’ under his breath. “Okay, tell me tomorrow,” he reclined against Johnny, content to wait for his dose of gossip while the alpha next to him wrapped an arm around his waist, tucking him even closer.“Okay,” Jungwoo turned back to Jaehyun, “I should go, before my mom thinks something ridiculous happened to me,”Jaehyun laughed, “do you want me to come with, walk with you,” his worry spiked for a second, thinking about how fatigued Jungwoo had been, wondering if he’d make it there and back tonight, alone.Jungwoo shook his head, whispering an ‘eat Jae,’ and gently guiding him back to where he was sitting. But not before wrapping his arms around him for a tight hug, breathing down the side of his neck.“See you tomorrow,” Jungwoo promised, cheeks pink, tongue stuck between his teeth. Jaehyun smiled at him and nodded, squeezing his waist before letting him go. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t and then Jungwoo really wouldn’t be going to have dinner with his mom. “Thank you again, for the flowers,” he widened his eyes, mouth forming an ‘o’, but he backed up before Jaehyun could retaliate. Jungwoo beamed, realizing he’d won that round.He hummed at him, not really knowing what to say in the face of that smile or those sparkling eyes. Jungwoo waved to them all, hugged Donghyuck one last time before moving away from their circle, back towards the path that would lead him away from town.The boys were quiet as Jaehyun watched him till he couldn’t see him anymore. Wolf just the tiniest bit frenzied in his chest about the omega walking away from them, in the dark, alone. He took a deep breath and told himself he was being crazy, Jungwoo was fine, he’d make it to his mom’s in one piece and they’d see him tomorrow. When he finally looked away from the shadow Jungwoo disappeared into, back to his friends, they were all looking at him. The one he noticed first was Kun, smile just a shade shy of shit-eating but a little more than smug.“What,” he asked him, looking down to his dinner, which didn’t look all that interesting or appetizing now that Jungwoo wasn’t here eating with him. Wow, so he’d devolved into a hopeless, lovesick, completely dependent creature at some point today? Good to know. He’d have to plan his meals accordingly, make the most of his time with Jungwoo if this is how it was going to be for him now.Kun shrugged, “You bought him flowers,”“Yeah, he had a bad day yesterday and I wanted to make him feel better,” they all shared looks, “what,”“Nothing,” Kun smile wider, “that’s just…a very intentional gift Jae,”It was. An alpha giving an omega something like a bouquet of flowers very rarely had platonic meaning behind it. Everyone knew that. But that wasn’t why he did it, he hadn’t even thought about it like that. He thought about it plenty but not in that way.“I know,” he pushed his rice around on his plate.“You know, you don’t have anything else to say,” Taeil asked from his spot leaning on Taeyong’s shoulder.“I don’t know…should I,”Taeil smiled at him so sweetly then, quickly looking up at his mate before shifting back to Jaehyun. “Maybe Jae, I mean Kun’s right,”He sat up straighter, ready to get into it with all of them when Yuta came to his rescue. “He’s been doing things for Jungwoo and giving him things the whole time, what does it matter,”“Sure, sure, but this is flowers, flowers say something very specific don’t you think Yu,” Kun asked him.“Uh, I guess,”“Would you get Sicheng flowers,”Yuta looked over at Sicheng, who perked up and smiled at him. “Of course, if he liked flowers,” he winked at his mate who laughed quietly at him.“Ok. And would you get someone who wasn’t Sicheng flowers,” Kun continued.“No, probably not,”“Thank you,” Kun shifted back to him. “I’m not saying it’s bad Jae, I’m just saying it means something,”He knew that, maybe it seemed crazy, that everyone was so bent out of shape and hung up on it, but flowers were a very typical initial courting gift, something an alpha would give the wolf they wanted to court as a way of saying, would you maybe consider me. After that came more personalized gifts, presents that were handmade or had personalized meaning. He hadn’t even considered that when he bought the flowers earlier but apparently it was on everyone else’s mind, shit it had probably been on Jungwoo’s. Well now it made sense why Jungwoo had looked at him like that while Jaehyun was teasing him after giving him the flowers. He was a freaking open book and Jungwoo probably knew exactly what was going on. Not the worst thing in the world but still not necessarily how he wanted things to go forward. He wanted to ask him, he wanted to do more for him.“I know it does,” he admitted, hanging his head.“Kun, leave him alone,” Johnny stepped in to defend him.“I’m just…trying-”“I know, trying to help. But we all know Jaehyun, do you really think he hasn’t thought every possible thing about giving Jungwoo flowers to death. He’s probably been worrying about it all damn day and now you’re freaking out about it,”“I’m not freaking out-”“You’re freaking out a little,” Donghyuck muttered, shifting into Jaehyun’s side as he sat down next to him.“Well, I’m sorry you guys, this is a big deal for him. He gave the omega he loves flowers, why am I the only one who has questions about this,”“It’s okay Kun, I get it,” Taeil said before tucking closer to Taeyong, hiding his face against his shoulder.“I’m happy for you Jae, I am, I’m just…I don’t know, I’ll stop I guess,”“No, Kun, what,”Kun sighed.“You haven’t said anything about any of this. I know courting is a little private, but you used to talk about him constantly but now you don’t. I’m just surprised that you’re already doing this I guess,”“Honestly, I didn’t even think about it that much. I mean I did, that’s my thing but I’ve been trying not to talk myself out of stuff with him, I’ve just been going for it. It wasn’t supposed to be strictly a courting thing, he had a bad day yesterday and I wanted to do something nice for him. To make him feel better,”Taeil and Donghyuck awed, Ten snorted while Johnny smiled his way and Kun appeared to melt at that.“I’m sorry Jae,”“Don’t be sorry Kun, you freak out because you love me right,”Kun laughed at that, nodding quickly, he got up to rush him, folding him into a hug, nuzzled the top of his head, “I do love you Jae, so much okay,” he whispered before hopping back to his seat.Most of them returned to their dinners but not Jungwoo’s best friends. Donghyuck moved even closer to him, Taeil’s attention still firmly on him from the next bench.“So, did he like the flowers,” Donghyuck asked, nudging his shoulder with his own.“Yeah, he said he did,” finally feeling proud of himself with Donghyuck’s blatant support.“Good job Jae,” Mark extended his arm behind his mate’s back for a high-five.“And how did you know he had a bad day yesterday,”“Yeah, did he tell you anything about that,” Taeil asked, inserting himself back into the conversation.“Are we talking about Eric,”Taeil and Donghyuck both gaped a little at that, staring at him hard.Donghyuck sighed next to him, “I can’t believe he told you about it,”“Well he didn’t. I went to have lunch with him and saw the whole thing from the hallway. And I didn’t bring it up, so he doesn’t know that I saw anything,”“Oh yeah, that makes more sense,” Taeil nodded, appearing to agree with Donghyuck’s line of thinking.“What’s he…has something else happened with him, before now,”He watched Taeil and Donghyuck share a look, slowly panning back to stare at him.Donghyuck answered when Taeil stayed quiet, “he’s just flirty I think, yesterday was apparently the first day he’s acted on that though,”Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mark nuzzle the back of Donghyuck’s head, he twisted to look at him, smiling at Donghyuck’s troubled expression.“Woo, didn’t give me too many details about it, just said that Eric asked him out and he said no,” he looked like he might cry, his hand reached out, palm up for Jaehyun’s. He took it, smiling at the other gently.“What happened,” Donghyuck’s voice was wafer thin, if they weren’t sitting so close he probably wouldn’t have heard him at all.“Don’t you want to hear it from Jungwoo? He doesn’t know that I know so…”Donghyuck thought about that before he nodded, agreeing that he should wait for Jungwoo to tell him. He still looked upset though. Mark seemed so distraught over the fact that Donghyuck was in this state, Jaehyun’s nose twitched when maple flooded over him like syrup, cloying at the air around them till Donghyuck sagged into him, smiling thankfully up at him.“What’s wrong bug,” Mark reached out to play with Donghyuck’s ear, folding it between his fingers.He sniffled a little, looking at his mate then at Jaehyun then at Taeil then back to Mark. “I just feel bad, doesn’t he, after everything, deserve to have some peace,”“Hyuckie,” Taeil whispered.“Compared to everything else, I think Eric scores pretty low,” he said, knowing that laid out with everything else he’d been through, Eric was a crumb on his plate.“I know but it still bothers me,”“It bothers me too, he deserves to finally have nothing to worry about, just be boring and calm and worry free,”“Jae’s right Hyuckie, I’m sure Eric is a way better problem than Hanbin or Bobby,” Taeil said, smile gentle where he aimed it at his best friend.“Yeah in comparison right, Eric’s nothing,”Ten decided then, that he was done being left out, “Eric’s cute,”Conversation veered away from Jungwoo and his problems then. Leave it to Ten to turn an issue into something they could all laugh about so easily.Johnny’s eyes widened, “You think so babe,”Ten nodded, smirking over his shoulder at him. “Yeah I do,”Jaehyun laughed at them, listened as Donghyuck sighed, tiny purr-like sounds escaping him as soothing rumbles worked out of Mark, serving their purpose to calm Donghyuck down.Next to Ten and Johnny, who were busy eyeing each other, like they were playing a game, Chenle piped up.“Eric is cute, he has nice eyebrows,” he ducked when Jaemin and Renjun started poking him, laughing and cooing at him. Jisung was sat up straight staring at the youngest omega, blinking slowly as if he didn’t understand the words he was saying.“Chenle do you have,” Ten cleared his throat, beaming, “a crush,” Doyoung snorted at him so hard he spat out his rice, hitting Jeno when he laughed at him.Chenle squeaked out, “no, I just think he’s kinda cute,” his gaze shifted around, cheeks blazing while the other boys teased him playfully. A couple seats over, Jisung looked confused, adorably so, eyebrows raised, eyes bugging, mouth hanging open. Everything could be so overwhelming when you were getting used to your new senses and heightened instincts. The feelings that came with being newly matured, trying to figure out what all those things meant, for you and for the omega in your life who now existed in your world in a way that simultaneously made all the sense in the world and confused you completely. He didn’t entirely understand all that. His own experiences with maturing were a little different. He sort of felt like he’d been in love with Jungwoo his whole life but he knew that wasn’t true, since he didn’t know what that meant when he was younger. And he didn’t know enough about Jungwoo back then to love him like that, but he’d always found him adorable and fascinating.It was nice though, seeing two of his friends, who were still so young, have lives and crushes and start navigating all that together. He always thought Chenle was interested in Jisung, classically, secretly harboring feelings for his best friend but Jisung was a different story. He was good at masking his feelings, at least before he matured. Recently, he was much more open and easier to read, but before, Jaehyun had the hardest time figuring him out. Now, here, watching him watch Chenle, head tipped as Chenle talked about another alpha, he looked like he was seeing the cards in his hand for the first time, wondering what the hell he was going to do with them now that he had them. It made him smile, fondness welling inside him. He caught Taeyong grinning at Jisung’s silent turmoil too, probably just as eager for everything that would unfold for their two youngest friends. As he thought about them, his mind wandered to Jungwoo. As it usually did.Jungwoo who wasn’t here with them tonight. Jungwoo who had a bad day yesterday but a good day today. Jungwoo who liked the flowers Jaehyun brought him. Jungwoo who looked at him in a way Jaehyun never thought he would. Jungwoo who felt safe in his company and laughed at his jokes, who smiled easy and believed in people and who trusted his instincts and the power of pickles. Jungwoo who made so much sense to him, filled him with life and fire and purpose. He was everything. And Jaehyun missed him, he’d only been gone for maybe 30 minutes, and Jaehyun missed him like he’d miss a limb.They split a short time after that, half the boys continued to tease Chenle while Ten bickered with Johnny about other alphas he thought were cute. Next to him Donghyuck was calm, Mark was easing up on the crazy waves of his scent, Taeil and Taeyong were talking quietly over their plates but Kun, was still watching him carefully. Jaehyun couldn’t imagine what this was going to be about. He found out of course on their way-out of town.He backtracked a little, not used to not walking Jungwoo home, he could go right home tonight instead though that didn’t exactly please him to think about. Kun laced his arm through his, nuzzled against his shoulder as they walked through the quiet streets.“Did I apologize already,” Kun asked him, forehead digging into the side of his shoulder. Jaehyun smiled at the top of his head.“Yeah you did,”“Okay,” he sighed, smile evident in his light tone. “I am sorry though Jae,”“I know,” watching as Kun twisted to glance up at him. He stopped walking.“I didn’t,” he sighed, collected himself before starting again, “You know flowers mean something, but…of course it means different things to different people. Maybe Jungwoo just likes flowers and he won’t think anything about it, maybe I shouldn’t think anything about it. I was just surprised, and I feel like we barely talk these days, which is okay but once upon a time you would’ve freaked out and asked everyone’s advice before buying someone flowers. Now, you just do it,” Kun smiled thoughtfully up at him.“Is that okay,” he wondered, suddenly a little more aware than before.Kun hit his shoulder, “of course it’s okay! Confident, self-assured Jaehyun who knows what he wants and chases it, is wonderful. Maybe it was just weird hearing about this when you’d never talked about it before. You used to talk about him all the time and now he’s always with you, so we don’t hear about this stuff. I had no idea you were at that point with him but that’s okay…I don’t need to know everything,”Jaehyun put his head back a little, watched his breath mist into the cold air. “That must’ve been painful to admit,”“Stop,” Kun scolded, making Jaehyun laugh a little. “I wouldn’t say we’re at any point. Like I said he had a bad day yesterday, I wanted to get him flowers to make him feel better, so I did,”“You’re too much Jae,”“What, why,”“This is like the most relaxed courting I’ve ever seen,”“Probably because I’m not officially courting him,”“Right, you’re right, you would have to ask him first,”Yeah, he would have to do that, to make it official. Which is probably the main reason why it wasn’t yet. Jaehyun’s biggest fear was Jungwoo rejecting him. He knew it could happen, had prepared for that but he was still willing to avoid the thing that could end all this for them. He wanted to hang on to this for as long as he could.He, at this point didn’t think that Jungwoo would reject him but he couldn’t help worrying about it still.“I know, I’m working on it,” he’d let this play out for a little longer maybe gather more evidence that Jungwoo did in fact want him before he put himself out there to potentially get hurt. Kun opened his mouth to say something else when his brother popped up next to them.Kun let go of him so fast to latch onto his brother you would’ve thought that Jaehyun was feral.“Hi Jun honey,” he snuggled into his chest, chin propping against him, he looked away to give them their moment before clearing his throat, effectively stopping their display.“Jae,” Hajun smiled at him, reaching his arm out for him. He rolled his eyes before stepping into his arm, Hajun pulled him close till they were effectively sandwiching Kun between them. “You look…and smell happy,”Kun raised his eyebrows at him, “of course he does, he bought Jungwoo flowers today,”“Oh my god,” he groaned. Jaehyun genuinely did not think that his getting Jungwoo flowers would cause such an uproar. It seemed to be all anyone wanted to talk about, which was crazy because he didn’t think it was that big a deal. It was literally only to make him feel better, he didn’t intend it to be an initial pre-courting gift. But apparently, according to everyone he knew, it was, and he should’ve thought about it.“You did,” his brother looked equal parts shocked and impressed. He nodded, hands stuffing into his pockets. “Wow, good for you Jae, I mean yeah, sweet, how uh, how was it,”He snorted at his older brother, he was such a dork.“It was good,” he shot Kun a look when he giggled into Hajun’s shoulder. Hajun ran his hand up Kun’s back as he looked around them, like he was looking for something.“Where is he, never see you two apart these days,”“He went to have dinner with his mom,”Hajun made a quiet noise of understanding. Something about his lack of comment though bothered him. Like it was just common knowledge that Jungwoo’s mom was a hermit, like Hajun knew and didn’t think that needed more consideration than that. Nobody bothered to ask why or try to fix things for her, they were content to let her hide for the rest of her life, he supposed that made sense since most of the wolves who would’ve tormented her in the first place still lived here, ready to take up the mantle again. He knew that Jungwoo’s mom was okay where she was, doing what she was doing but it bothered Jaehyun a ridiculous amount that people were content to live like that, that people were okay forcing others to live like that. It didn’t sit right. All of this shit was going to be Hajun’s one day and it ought to bother him too.He’d save that though, not willing to get into it tonight while Kun was there subtly tugging on Hajun’s arm, nudging the underside of his jaw with increasing insistence. Jaehyun backed up from them a step.Hajun gave him a look, patented goofy, questioning look number #3. Jaehyun pointed at his mate, who was, if he wasn’t mistaken, starting to purr.“I’ll see you guys later,”“You’re going,” Kun perked up, turning in Hajun’s arms to stare him down. Jaehyun nodded twice. “But I wasn’t finished teasing you yet,”“Are you ever,”Kun stuck his tongue out at him. He dragged himself away from Hajun, held his arms open for Jaehyun. He was hard pressed to turn down Kun, and stepped easily into him, wrapping him in a tight hug. “Love you,”Kun laughed, “I love you too,” voice light and happy like Jaehyun’s lack of communication and general thick headedness was forgiven. He was just doing his thing, moving along with Jungwoo at a natural, karmically set pace, he wasn’t purposefully leaving anyone out or not telling people things. He was happy, and he knew Kun could see that which is why he wasn’t pushing it anymore. Or it could have more to do with his brother’s presence, subtle oaky smell tucking around them, easing Kun out of worry and into peace and something else that Jaehyun refused to wonder about or touch. He didn’t need to know that stuff okay, not when it related to his older brother, gross.“Bye Jun,” his brother squeezed him, brushed his hand down the back of his head.“Bye Jae, see you later,” Jaehyun nodded, backing away from them with a wave.He risked one more look at them over his shoulder at them when he passed the last of the dying fire pits, hearing Kun giggling out Hajun’s name, climbing onto his back to be carried home.The simple sight of them, Kun’s blinding smile as he burrowed into Hajun’s shoulder and Hajun’s blatant adoration of the other, made Jaehyun so happy. Happy for them of course but also for himself. He’d have that someday. With Jungwoo hopefully. Today made it feel a little more than a hope but the mere prospect of that made him dizzy. He didn’t really mind being dizzy, happy as his head spun all the way home.…. “Jae,”He picked his head up from his bench, turning around to see his brother hung in the door of his shop.“Hey Jun,” he set his sanding aside to give him his full attention, finding it odd that he was here at all, he didn’t usually come to his shop to see him. Panic filled him thinking about that, was it their parents, were they alright, was Kun okay, had something happened to Jungwoo and Hajun just happened to know before he did.“Minho here today,” he asked next.Jaehyun shook his head.“Dad duty,” Hajun wondered, smile wide on his friend’s behalf.“Not like we’re busy, he might as well take full advantage of the down time,” Jaehyun knew it was their job, but Minho’s family was so young, and he knew he felt guilty working when Taemin was alone with a young pup and a baby.“Were you here to see Minho,”Hajun shook his head, “no, I’m going to have lunch with mom, wanted to see if you wanted to come with,”“Sure,” he grinned at him, watched him fiddle with the edge of his sleeve. “It’s early for lunch,” he commented, eyeing the clock over the door and saw it wasn’t even 11 yet.“Yeah, I know,” Hajun rolled his eyes, “I kind of wanted to talk to you about something before, in case you didn’t want mom to know,”Oh. Good. Cool. Great.“Okay, what’s up,”His brother sighed, “I just wanted to ask you about Jungwoo,”Here we go.“What about him,”“I just…Jae, you need to ask him,” Hajun backed up to lean against the workbench behind him.“That wasn’t a question,”Hajun sighed, rolling his eyes at him for a second before continuing, “I know punk. Not a question then, but Jae if you’re going to be giving him gifts like that, you should really ask him,”His head fell back, groaning a little, “Jun, okay. It wasn’t a pre-courting gift. I got him flowers because he had a bad day and I wanted to make him feel better. I know I need to ask him, and I will when I start giving him intentional courting gifts. But, shit it wasn’t like that okay, I’ll ask him once it is,”Hajun nodded but didn’t say anything.“I didn’t think everyone would be so hung up on it honestly. They were just flowers. I didn’t give them to him as a way to ask him if I could court him, they weren’t like that.”“Do you think he thought they were,”Jaehyun shrugged, “I don’t know, I told him they were to make him feel better. He seemed happy, like really happy which is why I did it. Why does it need to be dissected?”Hajun quirked an eyebrow, smile turning into a smirk, “I’m not dissecting anything I’m asking you a question,”“Why,”“Why are you being defensive,” he forgot for a second how similar he and his brother were, they could go round and round like this all day.“I’m not,” he groaned.“You are,”Jaehyun huffed, turned away from his dumb, know it all face, tried his best to ignore his older brother and all the thoughts that were running laps in his head, wolf whining like he was being attacked. His shoulders jumped, for some reason his fight or flight instincts were kicking in, he didn’t have to fight or run from his brother, but this was making him itchy. He couldn’t deal with this right now. It wasn’t supposed to be like this and now everyone was sticking him under a microscope. Because of a freaking bunch of flowers.“Jae,” Hajun’s hand touched his shoulder gently, “It’s me. I’m not judging you for falling in love with somebody and wanting to give them things, we both know I was way more of loser with all this stuff than you could ever be but I just…want to make sure you’re asking the right questions and not making assumptions about anything. About him, he deserves to give you an answer and I know they were just flowers but…I know what Kun would’ve thought about me giving him flowers at this point in our relationship,”Jaehyun nodded.“You don’t have to talk to me, but you can, I’m your brother before anything else man you know that,”He could trust his brother, with everything, so he took a deep breath and started talking.“I’m terrified Jun,”His brother hummed, “Omegas can be scary,”That made him laugh knowing how Hajun was a tiny bit afraid of Kun and was always on his best behavior for him. Hajun laughed with him for a moment before he sobered himself and asked, “what are you terrified about,”“I think he likes me too,”Hajun grinned, “that’s good Jae, why do you look miserable about that,”“Because I know I have to ask him, but I’m scared to. If he does like me back…what if he realizes later that I’m not good enough, that I’m just…not enough for him,”“He wouldn’t think that Jae, you’re awesome,”“Well, he deserves better than me, I just. I think about asking him and I just get so scared. He might like me but what if he wants me now and then finds out he can do better, that’ll break me Jun, I can’t have him and then lose him,”“Why would you lose him,”“I don’t know,” he yelled, stepping away from his brother. He took a few deep breaths, felt himself shake some more. “I don’t know, I think about him and then I think about a life with him which leads to all the ways I could screw it up and all the things I wouldn’t be good at, all the ways he could do better,”“Jae, stop,” Hajun took his wrists, “please, I…don’t talk about yourself like that,”“I can’t help it,” and he couldn’t, he’d never feel like he was good enough for Jungwoo, no matter how much time he spent with him, no matter the number of things you did for them, did you ever feel like enough for the wolf of your dreams.“I get it, but I vaguely remember you kicking my butt when I was down on myself over not being enough for Kun,”“Because you were being stupid,”“And you’re being stupid now. Jungwoo would be so lucky to have you in his life, in his pup’s life and I think he knows that. He wouldn’t have let you around, so close to him if he hadn’t thought long term about all this, about you. You know how omegas are, especially omegas with pups, they’re always planning, always sizing people up. I think you’ve passed his test Jae, so relax,”“But-”“From where I’m standing it seems like you’re already in, why doubt that, when he’s already given you an answer,”Maybe it was just hard for him and he hadn’t properly wrapped his head around the fact that Jungwoo had accepted his scent because it was all over him. Any sane alpha would take that as the seal of approval it was and run with it, but he couldn’t help it. Jungwoo was everything he wanted and more, it felt too good to true. He didn’t want to fall into this head first and then find out it wasn’t real, wasn’t good enough, that he wasn’t what Jungwoo wanted. He wouldn’t survive being teased with this, with life in Jungwoo’s arms and then have it taken away, it’d be his end.“Because I’m stubborn maybe,”Hajun laughed at him, brushed his hand through his hair. “So, freaking stubborn,”“You think he likes me too,”Hajun didn’t look entirely impressed with that question, “I think anyone with eyes and a nose thinks he likes you,” He wrapped his arm around his brothers back, easily pulling him in for a hug. “You should trust yourself Jae, you’re a good alpha and a great guy, you won’t mess anything up and Jungwoo will let you fix it if you do. Trust yourself and trust him, he wouldn’t hurt you like that I don’t think. So, enjoy it, you deserve to be happy and be with him if you want to be,”He nodded, feeling better about things he didn’t even realize he was still worrying about.“And ask him,”“What if he says no,”“I don’t think he will,”“But what if he does,”“If he does,” Hajun sighed, “it’ll hurt but you’ll be okay. There’s someone out there for everyone right,”Jaehyun snorted, “You sound like mom,”“Fuck no, do I,”He nodded, watched his brother pale a little.“Don’t tell her I said that, she’ll be on me,” she so would be too, Hajun always pestered her about being such a sap and trying to turn them into romantic goofs, which she had pretty much managed, though they both fought it.“It’s gonna be the first thing I say to her,”“Jaehyun no,”“Jaehyun yes,” he laughed, making his way towards the door of the shop. “We going, I’m starving,”“Jaehyun please don’t tell her I said that,”“Dude, I think you sort of missed the boat on mom not knowing how much of a sap you are. You aren’t fooling anyone, sorry,”“But-”Jaehyun smiled to himself, happy to listen to his brother babble about being a begrudging, hopeless romantic, all the way to their mom’s house for lunch. Hajun was right, he did need to ask Jungwoo and he would. But for now, he’d try not to let his doubts overwhelm him, try to trust himself and beyond that trust Jungwoo. He wasn’t leading him on and he wouldn’t hurt him, not intentionally, not if he could help it.It would work out.Jaehyun had faith in that.And he had faith in Jungwoo.Sometimes you just know, you trust your gut because it’s not wrong.He didn’t think his gut was wrong.But, of course, until he was brave enough to ask Jungwoo for the right to court him, he’d have to wait to find out. Something told him that wait, once it was over, would be well worth it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A couple days after he and Hajun had lunch with their mom, he finds himself back at her house, helping her prep stuff for kimchi for the upcoming winter festival. Jaehyun always figured the party on the solstice was just an excuse for the pack to get together, drink, eat and unwind before winter started feeling less like a season and more like a frigid sentence that wouldn’t end. The solstice was important to wolves and Jaehyun remembered learning in school of its significance to their heritage, but they didn’t celebrate in any of those ancient, time honored ways anymore. People didn’t mate under a solstice moon, they didn’t pledge gifts to their ancestors or sacrifice animals. This way seemed to suit them better. He’d always thought his dad’s tradition of a party in the village center, lights strung between the buildings, bon fires blazing, personal liquor stores tapped and shared, was a better way to honor their current way of life than slaughtering a pig that didn’t grow as big as it’s siblings. He’d asked Hajun a few years back how he felt about their traditions falling away and fading with time and he’d answered that everything phases out, we’re not wolves of the woods anymore, we have more than we used to, we’re different.And they were very different than they used to be. At least as far as Jaehyun’s knowledge of their ancestors led him to believe. They had amenities that wolves of a couple hundred years ago couldn’t have ever imagined, power, running water, sewer systems, thriving way of life that took what the forest offered and made it their own. Sure, plenty of people still did things the ‘old fashioned way’ like wash their clothes at the river and some shop owners let customers trade goods as payment but majority of the pack had adapted and was thriving in the new ways, the only ways most of them knew of anyway.They also didn’t shift with the moon like they used. Shifting used to be necessary for survival, but with time, they evolved to be able to live without the shift. Taeyong had asked their teacher once in class why he didn’t have to shift with a full moon, and their teacher actually teared up, which shocked all of them, young alphas frightened at what he might say that had him so upset. His answer had been that time caused their human side to exist within them as prominently as their wolves, they still had all their instincts and strength but didn’t have to exercise their wolf to keep in touch with that nature, they coexisted now, in harmony, where once upon a time it was more of a struggle for dominance.He didn’t mind, this way was the only way Jaehyun knew. And he didn’t mind this way of celebrating the solstice either, he always enjoyed a good party so he couldn’t necessarily complain. Though, this year, preparations with his mom did cut into his Jungwoo time. The omega wasn’t working today and even though his fatigue was really bad right now, Jaehyun liked seeing him and spending time with him. Jungwoo had even mentioned the other night that he liked having Jaehyun there even if he was just napping. That made his wolf purr in his chest, tail swishing back and forth in a happy little wag. He trusted him, felt safe with him around while he curled up on the couch, Jaehyun rubbing his feet, wrapping him and his unborn pup in soothing pheromones to keep them secure and warm while they rested. They’d shared moments that were far more intimate than Jaehyun dared to think about in Jungwoo’s company lest he get…excited.And he knew they were wandering into more than friends, less than mates, weird, pre courting territory, where there was hand holding, kisses on cheeks and subtle, almost unintentional scent marking. But this was still his favorite thing so far. Knowing Jungwoo trusted him to be there when he was asleep, trusted him while he was vulnerable, he and his pup defenseless but knowing Jaehyun would keep them safe, that was beyond anything else they’d shared so far. That level of trust, the confidence that Jungwoo had in him as not only a friend and fellow wolf but as an alpha, as a protector, as someone who could and would defend them, it was huge. He’d lay down his life to defend Jungwoo and his pup, without a second thought and that Jungwoo seemed to know that, had him and his wolf preening endlessly. Jungwoo had slowly been trusting him more and more, over the last couple months, till now, where it wasn’t a question whether Jungwoo trusted him or not but rather how much. Jaehyun would guess, that Jungwoo trusted him as much as someone could trust another person, allowing him there, while his guard was down, that seemed, from the perspective of a single alpha without pups, the very highest level of faith you could have in another person. That felt really, really good.Jaehyun could obsess over it all day long and still want to think about it some more but that sort of came with the territory, right? Alpha loving an omega who was eagerly returning his trust and affection and maybe even, sometime soon, his love.Jaehyun was good. Jaehyun was really freaking good, like amazing good, like there wasn’t a big enough word for it. Anyway, he wasn’t with Jungwoo today, he was with his mom. He loved his mom of course and he’d gladly help her with anything, anytime but today he couldn’t help the itch that was starting underneath his skin, the dull thrum in his blood, the wolf in his chest pacing circles, asking him why he was here, elbow deep in spices and cabbage, instead of with Jungwoo who was probably wandering around, too anxious to nap or cleaning something that was already spotless. He’d finish this and then go see him. That seemed to relax his wolf and his spinning head for the time being.“Sweetie,”“Yeah mom,” he twisted slightly to see her, coming back his way with her scissors and a bunch of green onions.“May I ask you a question,”He smiled at her as she reached his shoulder, nearly two heads shorter than him.“What kind of question,”“A Jungwoo related question,” her mouth was a little twisted, which didn’t mean good things for him. His mom was always so mellow and pleasant, if she was visibly upset about something, already not wanting to say it, it couldn’t be good. He figured it was only a matter of time before they had this sort of conversation, before he learned where his mom stood on all of this.“Okay,” he said, feeling anxious watching her fiddle and look at him like that.“I heard, yesterday at the market, that a certain son of mine bought an omega flowers. I thought, for a split second that it could’ve been Hajun, giving Kun a gift but was shocked to learn that it was you. Would you like to explain?”His hackles went up.“What’s to explain mom,”She was quiet for a long moment, looking back at him, “I didn’t think things were like that with the two of you,”Jaehyun sighed, first Kun and Taeil, then Hajun and now his mom, what was the big deal. His intentions were completely innocent and didn’t deserve to be scrutinized. They were just flowers! Why couldn’t people just leave them alone about it, just let them figure it out for themselves, why did it constantly need to be picked apart?“Who did you hear that from,”His mom shook her head, “Just some of the older wolves, at the market,”“Yeah but who exactly mom,”“Does it matter,”“Yeah,”“Sweetie,”“It matters mom, because I only told my friends and Hajun and I doubt Jungwoo’s going around telling a bunch of people, and I don’t like him being gossiped about,”His mom huffed a tired but amused sort of sound.“It’s not gossip hun,”“Yes, it is,” he gave her look, daring her to try and convince him otherwise. He knew some of the older wolves spent their time fixating over whatever the younger wolves were up to, who was talking to whom, who was courting now, but no matter what way you cut that up it was gossip. Jaehyun didn’t like that once again Jungwoo was the subject of it and now so was he. He didn’t necessarily care that he was being talked about, they’d all think whatever they wanted to think regardless of the source, but it didn’t feel good either. It made his skin crawl knowing someone in the pack was going around whispering to anyone who would listen that Jaehyun had bought Jungwoo flowers and giving it a meaning neither of them were ready for yet. An incorrectmeaning that they were not ready for. Period. End of. They were working to it. Jaehyun was happy with their pace and every single piece of their process. He didn’t like other people analyzing what was happening, setting a different set of rules for them, with different standards and meanings. He could only imagine what their gossip was paired with, what sort of snide remarks or nasty tidbits were they dropping about Jungwoo now? It worried him a little, wondering what his mom had said if people were being nasty. Did she defend the omega, even though she barely knew him, or did she ignore their comments and keep quiet like so many other people did?He wanted to ask. But he also kind of didn’t want to know.“It was just a couple ladies from book club talking to Chanhee at the meat counter, it was like a meeting of the minds yesterday morning. Not a big deal,”Jaehyun couldn’t figure out how they’d heard, unless his friends were going around telling people, but he doubted that. They all knew how he felt about rumors and knew how sensitive Jungwoo was to people knowing his business when it didn’t involve them.“And you just took their word on that,”She gave him a look, “Did you notbuy him flowers,”“No, I did but are you sure those people who don’t know me or Jungwoo are great sources,”His mom put her hands up, “I was just checking, to be sure,”He nodded his head, turning back to the large tub of kimchi he was busy mixing from her. His chest felt tight, the room felt smaller while his mom stood next to him watching his every movement.  “What,”“Nothing,” she muttered, cutting the rest of the onions and moving back to the sink. Jaehyun didn’t like the way she’d said that, or the tense set of her shoulders.He sighed, feeling frustrated.“Okay,” she was back, wringing her hands together before handing him a towel to wipe off with. “Were they an intention gift or just a gift,”He groaned, why was everyone so hung up on this?“Just a gift mom, he had a bad day,”She nodded, looking relieved. He hadn’t been prepared for that reaction. Why did she look so happy about that?“Do you usually buy flowers for your friends when they have a bad day,”“No, but I wanted to. He and I are a little more than just friends,”“But it wasn’t a pre-courting gift,”“No,” he looked down at her, focusing on the almost mean looking twist of her mouth. Her scent filled the room then, like a stressed-out plume, it freaked him out a little. He’d never felt badly where his mom’s scent was concerned, lavender always brought him peace and comfort before but now it smelled like a warning. “What’s the problem mom,”She jerked, peering up at him quickly before waving him to the table. He stepped away from her hand.“I think I’ll stand,”“Sweetie,”“What mom,” almost a growl as she avoided his question. He didn’t quite understand why he was getting so worked up but something in the air told him to brace himself, stand up straight and be ready.“I was just surprised,” she breathed, “to find out that you were giving him such an intentional gift. The other ladies at the market couldn’t stop talking about it,”“Why was it surprising,”“Because I thought you boys were just friends,”“We are friends,”One of her eyebrows jumped, mouth set in a firm line.“But…”“I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m crazy about him,” he said calmly, truthfully.“Well it’s one thing to like somebody, it’s another to be getting them flowers, I’m sure he got the wrong idea about that,” said in such a snide way it made Jaehyun feel a little sick. She wasn’t…she’d never, he’d never heard her sound like that before.Jaehyun crossed his arms, narrowed his eyes a little.“What would be the wrong idea for him to get exactly,”“Honey,” tone just a touch too placating for him to endure, it made him feel nauseous.“No, I’m serious. Is there a problem I’m not aware of here?”She took a deep breath, like she was thinking about what to say. “He’s pregnant,” was all she came up with.He felt his eyebrows draw together, mouth flap for a couple silent seconds.“I know that,”“But do you know how many issues that’s going to bring up for the pair of you going forward,”“No, I-”“Wait Jaehyun, just listen. I understand that he’s cute and alone and maybe he’s tapped into your deep seated, alpha instincts here, you feel like you need to protect him and jump to be a source of energy he doesn’t have. But the fact that he’s pregnant is…its confusing honey. For him, it’s bound to be. You’re an alpha and his wolf is probably thrilled to have you around while he’s pregnant, omegas need that, when they’re pregnant, it’s stabilizing,”Jaehyun counted back from 10 so he wouldn’t snap.“I can’t believe you just…said that to me…about him. What do you think, that he couldn’t possibly like me because I’m an alpha and he’s not capable of thinking for himself right now, since he’s a brainless, pregnant omega?”“No, I’m not saying he doesn’t like you too honey-”“-Good because you don’t know him so you couldn’t really back that up,”She put her hands up, her scent mellowed a little but not enough to calm him down.“I just want to make sure your eyes are open. He’s pregnant. The father isn’t in the picture and I don’t think you’ve thought any of this through. The problems, the baggage, baby you don’t need that. And the things people will say about you, about both you, I don’t think you’re ready for that,”Jaehyun felt like his stomach might fall out, or like his lungs might collapse, something crazy and drastic and dramatic to go with how this felt.“I can’t believe you’re saying this right now,”“Why,” she gave him a look like he was wrong for raising his voice at her.“Because you don’t know him mom,” he took a deep breath, “and you don’t know me either apparently, if you think I care what people think of me. I would never abandon him because of what the pack thinks. And by the way the pack has not done that great a job at making their opinion count for much. None of them have taken a second to get to know him, they just continue to talk behind his back like that’s going to make him go away,” “Why should they,”He gaped at her, took a second to collect himself so he wouldn’t feel like he was totally spinning out. “What,”“We all know exactly what he’s after. He’s using you Jaehyun. He’s pregnant, you fill a role and once that pup is born, he’ll move on, look for someone to settle down with. I’m sorry if you don’t like it but I can’t sit by and watch this happen, not when it’s so clear that you’re not thinking,”“I’m thinking fine,”“No, sweetie you’re not,”“Oh my god,”“Is it his smell, is that it? Because some of the girls were saying his scent has caused some other alphas to go a little crazy. Hanbin, right, he’s been causing scenes and-”“Please don’t finish that sentence mom,”She shut her mouth. Thankfully. They both took a second, breathing loud in the silent, otherwise still room.“Is it completely ridiculous to think that this might be normal? That he, an omega, who’s pregnant mom, not demented, might like me back, an alpha who adores him,”“Of course, it’s not ridiculous sweetie but-”“-I’m in love with him mom,”“You’re not,”“Yes, I am,” words coming out as a growl in the face of her challenging him. His alpha took that for what it so obviously was, doubt. She backed up a step. No one would get in the way of an alpha defending their omega. His mom went white as a sheet, stared him down a little fearfully. “He’s accepted my scent and I’ve accepted his. Which I know doesn’t make any sense, but it happened and I’m okay with that. I didn’t give him those flowers as an intention gift but one day, I will. I’ll ask him if I can court him and hope I’ve done enough to prove I deserve that honor. I want him, pup and all and you won’t get me to change my mind about that,”It took her a second, but she schooled herself, taking a deep breath and faced him down. There she was, the pack’s Head Omega, as intimidating a force as his father.“Jaehyun,” she looked and sounded so disappointed. Jaehyun swallowed, sad to admit just how mutual that feeling was. Disappointment and shock coursed through him, took over like an animal clawing out of a cage, his wolf pressed tight to his ribs to avoid the anticipated lashes.“Mom don’t please. Don’t talk about him,” his vision was starting to get a little blurry, standing here staring down at a woman who’d only ever shown him love and acceptance. He couldn’t believe she was being so judgmental and mean. “Just don’t, you don’t know him at all. You’ve taken the bullshit you’ve heard around town and twisted it to fit around me and…just don’t,”She swallowed. She didn’t look done either but Jaehyun felt like he’d rather gouge out his own eyes than hear anything else. But apparently the universe was against him today because he wasn’t fast enough. She started in again.“All the wonderful omegas I tried to set you up with and you picked him?”“Yeah I did,”“Like Kihyun, oh my goodness honey he was so sweet,”“Yeah and he was being courted mom,”“I know, Hyunwoo is so lucky,” she sighed, like this was the end of the world as she knew it.He let his head fall back, groaning at the ceiling, “This is ridiculous,”She surged, fight restored completely.“It’s not ridiculous, it’s your life and you’re throwing it away for him. For a wolf you hardly know and a pup that isn’t yours, you don’t need that,”“I can’t-” he cut himself off, as he moved away from her. She took his arm, pulled him back. He shook her off but waited, knowing it’d drive him crazy if he didn’t let her finish, needing to know what other poison she had to spew.“Can you just, try to understand where I’m coming from-”“-I’ll never understand this-”“-It’s just, hard for me to reconcile. Everyone in this pack and you want him,”He felt his heart jump, knocking against his ribs violently. As if this process wasn’t natural and sacred and special. She was treating it like any of it had something to do with her. As if your mate was a choice your human side had any say in. It happened on a level that nobody had control over, your wolf chose, and you rolled with it. Not to say his human side wasn’t totally in love with Jungwoo too, because it was, totally completely.“Mom, this actually isn’t about you at all,”She sighed at him, head hanging a little.“Just think about it please,”“I have,”“Your entire life is going to be so difficult because that pup isn’t yours. It’ll never get easier. There will always be questions to answer, that’ll get harder as they get older, weird looks in town, gossip about that poor little pup and you, you’ll have to deal with all of it. Jae, sweetie, you deserve more than that. You could…”“I could what mom,” he felt chocked up, eyes tight, “do better? Because I can’t. I know that. He is everything to me and nothing you say will ever change that,”She didn’t say anything else, but her silence didn’t ease him at all. He had plenty to say, plenty of angry, equally as unsolicited words to offer her.“Do you just not like him because I might court him some day or do you hate that I’m friends with him too,”“No honey,”“Because he’s not going anywhere. He’s here, he’s going to raise his pup here in this town, with people who don’t deserve to know him and me, who god willing, would be lucky enough to earn that spot next to him,”She turned away but he thought he saw him roll her eyes. She was disgusted but two could play at that, he’d never been more upset with someone, never felt worse about his mother in his whole life. How could she be like that? How could she just take his word and his blatant happiness and disregard it and Jungwoo like they were nothing? It didn’t make sense to him, how she was being like this and yet, here she was.“I’m not walking away from him mom, not for anything. And definitely not for you and your weird, twisted agenda,”“I’m your mother Jaehyun,”“Yeah and I have never been more embarrassed to claim that in my life. You raised Jun and I to be kind to everyone, no matter their circumstance or presentation. You taught us that everyone deserved a chance and a shot at whatever they wanted, and I cannot believe you’re being like this right now,”“I just don’t think he’s right for you,”“You don’t know him though,” he shook his head, “how can you say that,”“Jaehyun-”“Does dad know about this,” he could feel a lump, cold and rock hard form inside him at the thought that his dad felt the same way.She sighed, “no,”Good, maybe she, on some level knew she was wrong and hadn’t shared this craziness with his dad because she knew what he’d do. Tell her to back off and let him do his thing, figure it out on his own. He sort of thought that’s what she was doing because she wasn’t butting in or trying to meddle. Call him crazy but he’d actually thought that was her show of support, she trusted him and his process and knew he could do this, without interference. He’d been thankful for that but now he knew it was just because she was trying to ignore what was happening, trying to will it away. Unbelievable.“I thought you were just letting me do my thing, that’s why you’d been so absent. I thought you were happy for me-”“-Jaehyun-”“-and this whole time you’ve just been plotting ways to change my mind-”“-Jae honey please-”“-You’re such a hypocrite, teaching us to be fair and let everyone plead their case before judging them and here you are, having no interest in getting to know him, just automatically thinking he’s not right for me,”“Because he isn’t. You don’t need that baggage,”“Jungwoo and his pup are notbaggage,” words coming out as an angry rumble.“Jaehyun-” “Why did you bake him sweet buns or take the pickles or tell me to check on him after that scene with Bobby? Why pretend you cared about him when you obviously don’t, that’s worse mom,”“I’m sorry,” she hung her head. Jaehyun felt sick, knowing she felt this way. Like so many others felt about him, she was just like them. He’d always put her on a pedestal, that was his mom, she was better and smarter and prettier than all other wolves. This woman, he didn’t recognize. She was mean and turned around and vindictive towards a wolf Jaehyun thought she’d adore. If she just gave him a chance. Apparently, she didn’t think Jungwoo deserved that.Fine, if that’s how she wanted to be then Jaehyun didn’t want her anywhere near him. Not if she was going to be cruel and fake and part of the problem.“He makes me happy mom, I’m happy. And I’m in love with him. My wolf is in love with him. There isn’t anything for you to change or fix or mess with because I want him, all of him. I don’t care that he’s pregnant. I don’t care that his pup isn’t mine, I don’t care about the questions or the looks, if I get to live the rest of my life by his side than anything else, good and bad will be worth it,”He backed up, swiped at his eyes when he realized he had started crying. His mom stepped closer to him, seeing him so visibly upset. Sure, now she felt like being maternal.“Honey I’m sorry,”“Don’t,” he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt like this before. “Stay away from him mom, and me…just leave us alone. You don’t know anything about him, not that you seem to want to, but that doesn’t mean you get to toss him aside like he’s nothing and treat him like everyone else has. He hasn’t done anything wrong mom, nothing and you can stay away from us if you’re going to be like this,”“Jae-”“Just leave us alone mom,”She had tears in her eyes too when he looked at her. Like she’d finally realized how upset he was, with her and couldn’t talk herself out of it. He didn’t feel any sympathy for her though, she could cry over this all she wanted, it was her own doing. His whole life and he’d never ever looked at his mom and felt this bad. She’d always brought him such a strong sense of safety, the way a mother was supposed to, he always felt like her baby, even though he was an adult. But now, was there a way to disown a parent because he really didn’t want anything to do with her if she felt that way about Jungwoo and about them potentially being together.“Jaehyun,”She called one more time, but he was already at the door, flinging it open and rushing outside, as fast as he could. Which admittedly wasn’t fast enough for him, but it got him out of there, away from her.….He’d never felt like this before.Detached, aching, miserable, cut open and raw.What the hell just happened?Was that actually his mother, saying those things, being that mean?Where was the women who taught him to think before speaking and checked under his bed for monsters long after he stopped asking her to? If she wanted to rock him to his core, break him in half, there were certainly different ways to do that. He’d genuinely thought she was better than that, passing judgement, being cruel. He thought she would love Jungwoo, was eager to meet him, had assumed and didn’t mind what was going on. His dad seemed to know, his dad seemed supportive. Maybe they didn’t talk or hadn’t talked about this. He assumed they’d have one soon seeing as she’d have to explain at some point to his dad why Jaehyun wasn’t speaking to her. And if his dad asked him, he wouldn’t lie to him.He didn’t want to think about it anymore. But he couldn’t stop thinking about it. His mom, his mom, and all her horrible words twisted around in his head till they were far more violent than they already were. Maybe she was just trying to protect him, in her weird, awful, unwarranted way but not even that excused this, at least not if you asked Jaehyun. No one should ask him anything right now, they wouldn’t like what they heard. He knew one person who wouldn’t ask him questions though, who would hopefully offer him a hug and just hang onto him through this.He ran the whole way to Jungwoo’s house, tears chilled on his cheeks as they tried to dry on his flushed skin. He tried to compose himself, not wanting the omega to see him crying, which he’d never done in front of him, and scare him. Though he wasn’t sure he’d have time to completely manage that as Jungwoo’s home came into view and he couldn’t even think about not seeing him. Right now. He needed him so bad.It wasn’t Jungwoo that opened the door though, it was Donghyuck, who’s cheeks were stuffed with something, chocolate stuck at the corner of his mouth. He grinned around his food when he saw him before taking him in and stepping forward. “Jae, what’s wrong,”He shook his head, tears welling again and making Donghyuck a short, tan blur in front of him.“Jae, oh my god what’s wrong? Woo,” Donghyuck whimpered, tugging Jaehyun inside. He closed the door behind him, arms curling around his as he pulled him into the warm house.“Woo,” he yelled, “it’s Jae,”“Jae, I thought you were going to…Jae what’s the matter,” Jungwoo’s voice dropped into panic, hands laid over his stomach when he came into the room.Jaehyun met his eyes, slowly, through the blur. Taeil and Ten behind him looking shocked, Jaehyun couldn’t even spare a second to think about how nice it was that they were all spending the afternoon together because he could feel himself coming apart at the seams.“Jae,” he rushed towards him, scanning him for a second before wrapping around him. Jaehyun held him tight, tighter than ever before as he cried against Jungwoo’s shirt. He wasn’t much of a crier, even though he always felt in touch with his feelings, he’d never broken down like this. His mom was allowed to feel whatever she wanted about this, it didn’t change his mind, but god damn did it hurt. He felt betrayed. And like she didn’t trust his judgment or trust how he felt. It was awful. He never thought he’d have to worry about his mom like this, worry that she’d ruin things for him but now he couldn’t stop thinking about it, it made his wolf whine, equally as hurt as the human side of him. His stomach rolled as he cried harder.“Oh, Jae, shh, it’s alright,”Behind them he heard the other three have a hushed conversation, words he couldn’t make out past the blood rushing behind his ears. He tucked closer to Jungwoo’s neck, sniffling as peaches and cinnamon worked over him, thick and heavy around him like a security blanket. He was okay. Jungwoo was here. Jungwoo liked having him around. Jungwoo wouldn’t push him, he wouldn’t yell at him or tell him he was wrong, he would help and hug him and let him cry. He was safe. He could actually feel his wolf relax, calm down in the circle of Jungwoo’s arms, with his pup’s heart beat thrumming away, piercing through the buzz that was trying to consume him.“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Jungwoo’s fingers ran through his hair, thumb working along the edge of his scent gland in a way that had his brain shutting off. He sagged against him as Jungwoo nosed the top of his head, mouth pressing to his skin repeatedly.  “Jae, let’s sit, would that be okay,”He sniffled but nodded.“Tae, will you get some tea, oolong, please,” Jungwoo asked, as he moved them around the room slowly, guiding Jaehyun with gentle hands on his shoulders. Donghyuck came with them, judging by the swirl of lemon that stuck to them. He sat, face pressed to Jungwoo’s neck while Donghyuck dropped on the table, hands squeezing his knees. Jaehyun felt calmer, much calmer actually just being with Jungwoo and his friends, their mingled scents helping him come back down, to a place where he could breathe, and it didn’t seem like the end of the world.“What happened Jae,” Donghyuck asked, sounding like he was crying too, he was always very susceptible to changes in emotions around him, sensitive and loving to others beyond anything most people deserved.He looked up, extracting himself from Jungwoo a little, to sit with him rather than wrap around him completely. Jungwoo’s hand found his though, finger threading without hesitation, while the other brushed through his hair. Jaehyun wiped his eyes, shaking his head.“Should I get Hajun,” Ten asked, standing in the middle of the room, frozen in place.Jaehyun cleared his throat, “no, I’m good, I’m fine,”“Are you,” Ten asked, arms crossing quickly.“Yeah, I…I just got in a fight,”Next to him Jungwoo stiffened, sitting up a little straighter.“Not like that,” he assured him, giving his fingers a squeeze. “With my mom,”“Seriously,” Ten wondered, coming over to drop next to Donghyuck. His feet kicked forward to hook around his ankle, his gentle, reserved show of support.“Seriously,”Taeil came in then, handing the mug to Jaehyun as he sat on his other side. Jungwoo thumbed across his cheek, coming forward to nuzzle him, he seemed sad and a little distraught for him. He hated that he was scaring him, that he made him worry, it wasn’t a big deal, not really. But for some reason, it upset him so much he couldn’t control his reaction.“What happened,” Taeil rubbed his back.“We were just making kimchi and she started in on me,”“About what,”He couldn’t tell them, not with Jungwoo here, to be hurt by that. He didn’t need to know how horrible his mom was being, how lowly she thought of him for no good reason.“Nothing,”“Nothing,” Ten asked, he didn’t believe that, none of them did based on their faces.“I don’t want to talk about it,”Jungwoo stepped in then, “that’s okay, you don’t have to, as long as you’re okay,”Jaehyun nodded, ignored Ten’s face and Donghyuck’s knowing smile and Taeil’s silence.“Jungwoo,” Taeil pushed, staring past Jaehyun at the other omega.“What,”“It’s-”“He doesn’t have to talk about it if he doesn’t want to,” Jungwoo hissed, scent coming out into the room like a warning. They all backed down. Jaehyun nudged him with his shoulder, hand coming down to squeeze above his knee gently. Jungwoo looked back at him, like he’d been shocked.“It’s okay,” he whispered at him, smiling when the other took his hand in both of his.“You don’t have to tell us, if you don’t want to,” Jungwoo promised, fingers clamping down on his just a touch shy of painful.Jaehyun nodded, he knew Jungwoo wouldn’t push him and the others wouldn’t push back against Jungwoo. But. He was safe here. They were his friends and they deserved something since he just came in here like a maniac, probably scaring them from their peaceful afternoon.“I’ve never seen her like that,” he admitted, looking at Taeil next to him, who’d sat back to give them space.“Jae,” Donghyuck brushed his knee.“She was so mean and detached and awful,” voice a croak in the quiet room. They all stayed still, now that he was talking, letting him piece it together without interruption. “I’ve never, in my life heard her be that way. It was awful. She’s, she’s a liar,”“Why Jae,” Taeil again.“Because she’s so quick to preach how good and honest and upstanding she is and this whole time she’s just…like that,”“It’s okay,”“It’s not. I just can’t believe her. That’s the woman who raised me, who said those things and thinks that way and I can’t believe she has the nerve to judge me and other people. What makes her so much better,”“Maybe it’s not what you thought ya know, maybe you misunderstood whatever she said,” Donghyuck offered.“I understood it fine, it’s how she could be like that that I don’t understand. I always trusted her and thought she was the best person I knew…she’s not,”“Nobody’s perfect Jaehyun,” Ten said.“No, but she sure made a living acting like she was,” he dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, feeling bad when Jungwoo whined at having to give his hand back. “It’s obnoxious, I just…always thought she was better. What a joke,”None of them said anything else.He groaned, chest tightening, “I can’t,”“Okay,” Jungwoo wrapped around him then, hushing Ten when made to argue, “you don’t have to talk about it anymore Jae, it’s fine,”They were all quiet for a bit before Ten opened his mouth again, “Are you sure you don’t want me to go find Hajun,”Jaehyun nodded, head still in his hands, “I’m good,”“You’re not,”“I am, I’m fine. He doesn’t need to know about this,”“No, but he might want to,”He knew Hajun adored their mom, much like Jaehyun had and he didn’t feel like destroying that for him. Maybe that was wrong but something about it just didn’t seem right, about telling him. And if they Hajun and he saw him like this he’d push. Hajun never, ever let things sit, not if he could help or fix it. If he saw Jaehyun crying he’d wring the truth out of him and Jaehyun didn’t want that.“Guys, please,” he looked up at all of them, begging them silently to leave it, for now. Ten didn’t look crazy about that but didn’t push anymore. He didn’t feel better. It felt good being here with Jungwoo and with the others, but his head was spinning. And his chest was getting tighter even though Jungwoo was there pressed against him, even though he knew he was safe, and it was fine, at the same time he felt like things were crumbling. His mother had been playing him for years, acting all high and mighty when she was no better than any other wolf in their pack that put Jungwoo down merely for existing. He always thought being the bigger person got you somewhere, put you ahead of the game but apparently, the woman who taught him that, who instilled that in him didn’t believe it. So why should he?  Maybe he should just say screw it, toss those lessons out the window and pound his issues to a pulp. Why did he care what people thought, why did he listen when Jungwoo asked him not to break Hanbin’s face? Because Jungwoo believed in goodness and Jaehyun was good. He was proud of who he was and liked the way Jungwoo looked at him, liked being held to certain standards, liked how he came across to him. A good person with a good heart. Nice guys didn’t finish last, they weren’t running in that race at all.He knew why he was the way he was, knew why he clung to those things his mom told him all those years of his life because he believed them. It was the truth. And it wasn’t on him if his mother didn’t buy into it, she’d done a good job with him and Hajun, her and his dad did them a huge service, teaching them how to treat people. It wasn’t his fault if she didn’t take her own advice and he didn’t look bad if she stood in the market and gossiped about him and Jungwoo. It just sucked learning that she wasn’t above all that, when he’d always thought she was.The spiral continued until Jungwoo kissed his head, tucked close to him and asked him to relax. A quick sniff told him that he was panicking and pushing out an imposing, sickening wave of his scent. Jungwoo squeezed his shoulder, murmuring nonsensical things in his ear when someone knocked on his door before flinging it open. It was Doyoung, he could smell that.“What the freak smells like a forest fire out there, holy- Jae, what’s the matter,” Doyoung stopped dead, paper bag crumpled in his grip.Jungwoo ducked closer to him as the others talked among themselves, quickly filling Doyoung in where he was stood flabbergasted and confused. Jungwoo leaned his head against Jaehyun’s, nose moving down his cheek as his hand landed on his other cheek, holding him there, close to him“Are you sure you’re okay,” he whispered.Jaehyun hummed at him, tucking even closer to him, he felt his nose scrunch up against his cheek. “I am now,”Jungwoo laughed at him, kissing his cheek so quick that Jaehyun didn’t even get a second to blush about it. “You scared me,” he mumbled.“I’m sorry,”Jungwoo whimpered, “I thought you were hurt, I’ve never smelled your scent like that, I’ve never seen you cry Jae,”“I don’t do it a lot,”When Jungwoo pulled back, his eyes were wet.“Oh, hey no, no, none of that, it’s alright,”“I was scared,” his voice was so quiet, his hand dropped to his shoulder.“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed…I needed to see you,”Jungwoo smiled, wrapping his arms around him again, like he was thankful for that, glad he came. He was starting to feel a little better, just focusing on Jungwoo.“So, cooking for the festival right,”“Yes,” Jungwoo hummed, “do you want to help,”“Not really, you know I’m a disaster in the kitchen,”“You aren’t,”Jaehyun smiled at him, wanting to thank him for that but also wanting to ask how his quiet afternoon turned into this. “It turned into a party,”“No, it’s just…it’s better together,”Jaehyun hummed. Jungwoo seemed momentarily worried, like Jaehyun was offended or upset with him, that he had their friends over while Jaehyun was busy having a fight with his mom. Apparently, he felt like he had to defend himself, because he continued, explained, “I haven’t been to a festival in years…we thought it’d be more fun altogether,”Jaehyun brushed his fingers over the back of Jungwoo’s hand, humming as the omega leaned into him. “I wished I’d begged you to come. When you told me about going to your mom’s, I knew Hyuck and Tae were coming over to cook, I should’ve asked you to join us instead,” Jungwoo whispered.“How would you have known what was going to happen today,”“I know…I didn’t but I feel bad,”“Not your fault Woo,”Jungwoo nodded, taking a few deep breaths, legs shifting against his, his feet brushed his hand as he tucked them under himself, they were ice cold. Jaehyun shifted, taking the blanket from behind Taeil to drape it over Jungwoo’s legs, tucking it around his feet. When he sat back Jungwoo was looking back at him, eyes soft and inviting though his mouth was set in a firm line, like he was deep in thought, or mulling something over. Jaehyun squeezed his hand to encourage him to talk. “Parents aren’t perfect Jae,”Jaehyun, though still unbearably angry with his mother, felt himself soften, under the warmth of those eyes and the power of his scent, that him tucked away, safe and sound.“I know that,”It was Jungwoo’s turn to squeeze his hand, fingers curling over his tight. “Well then maybe you should cut her some slack, even after raising two wolves, two amazingwolves, she’s allowed and still capable of making mistakes. Do you love her less for that?”“Today I might,” feeling bitter.“Jaehyun,” Jungwoo scolded him, fixing him with a look that said, ‘stop being a butthead,’.“I’m not capable of being…forgiving about this, not right now,”“Okay. But you can’t be mad at her forever. Take time to lick your wounds and then talk to her, she’s your family Jae, I’m sure it’s not worth losing her over,”Jaehyun shook his head. Of course, Jungwoo didn’t know what had happened or what exactly had been said. And Jaehyun wasn’t about to tell him either but damn. This was the omega his mother was adamant he shouldn’t want to be with. The omega she was willing to throw under the bus when she didn’t know him. And Jungwoo was defending her. He was beyond all of these people, flawed and honest and real, good to a point, loving to a fault. People were so quick to throw him aside, pass judgement and he was the kindest, fairest person ever. Nobody deserved Kim Jungwoo. Jaehyun didn’t deserve him. But good lord did he want him. So, so bad.His love for the omega surged inside him, rose up like a wave, one his wolf was eager to ride out.“I love you,”Jaehyun had said it, out loud. Before he could think not to. Jungwoo’s eyes widened, cheeks flushed as Jaehyun kept looking at him, not willing to look away from him. He meant it of course he did. In every possible way that statement could be taken, he meant it. “You’re incredible, do you know that,”He could feel their friends watching them, eyes probably huge, mouths likely either dropped open or smiling.“I…what,”“You’re incredible,” he said again. Then watched Jungwoo’s smile dull a little, he wasn’t asking about that part of the statement apparently. “And I love you,”The smile came back. Shit, he was so beautiful he made his heart stutter where it already struggled to keep a normal rhythm inside him. It felt so good saying that out loud, felt right like he’d been dying to admit that and was finally liberated. Because he’d said it and Jungwoo didn’t look disgusted. He looked happy.“I love you too Jae,” he squeaked, grinning harder when Jaehyun smiled back at him. He felt his chest rumble, with a happy, proud sort of thing that he knew was his wolf barking like the giddy pup they were known to be. Jungwoo loved him? Jungwoo loved him! Jungwoo lovedhim, whoa. Well, that was a massive bright spot in his crappy day for sure.“And you’re incredible, and amazing and-”“Oh my god stop,” Ten yelped, “I’m gonna vomit,”“Yeah I so did not come here for this,” Doyoung mumbled, but he looked happy. “Are we cooking or are we cooking,”Taeil laughed at him, stood up to look through his bag and oohed at whatever he found. He took Doyoung’s hand and led him into the kitchen.Jungwoo was flushed to his roots, fingers fiddling with Jaehyun’s collar, while he hid against his shoulder. Jaehyun nosed into his hair, smiling at Donghyuck who was grinning at him from ear to ear.He knew how he meant it. Maybe it was this day that already had him cut open, he couldn’t help it just coming out like that, he was so out of sorts. He, of course, couldn’t know how Jungwoo meant it, but whether it was as friends, the way he and Donghyuck and Mark exchanged those words every weekend or in a way that meant more, Jaehyun would take it. It sounded really, really, really good from Jungwoo’s mouth, wrapped up safely in his voice, with eyes that glistened, from a heart that saw people not for what he wanted them to be but for what they were on their own, and loved them still. One day he’d say it and explain to him exactly how deeply, how entirely, how all-consuming that feeling was, but for now, it meant whatever Jungwoo wanted it to. And Jaehyun was good with that. Jaehyun shifted a little to kiss his forehead, watched out of the corner of his eye as Donghyuck and Ten chased each other out of the room. Jungwoo snuggled closer, face tucking into his neck, very near his scent gland and breathed. Deep, even breaths while Jaehyun traced patterns against the exposed skin above the collar of his sweater. He was so warm, his scent tinged with something headier, like Jungwoo’s wolf was there, in the room with them, aware and not going anywhere. The thought that Jungwoo was layering his home in pheromones on Jaehyun’s behalf, to protect him, an alpha, from a perceived threat was amazing. It made him tingle just thinking that they wanted to keep him safe, guard him and ward off trouble, no matter the forms they came in. Jaehyun understood that, he was intimately familiar with trying to keep Jungwoo safe, hoping his scent could be the first line of defense for that.He got lost for a bit, looking at the way Jungwoo’s hair rustled with Jaehyun’s breathing, the solid, sure presence of him in his arms, his pup’s heartbeat a welcome rhythm to follow. The others were making plenty of noise, doing whatever they were up to in the kitchen, it was making them laugh though, Doyoung’s voice could be heard arguing over Ten’s while Donghyuck’s laughter rang loudly out into the living room.It was nice. Being here with Jungwoo, being here with all of them, smelling their mingled scents, hearing their voices. They were his family. He was always very thankful for them but on days like today where his head was spinning, ground under his feet felt ready to give way he was even more grateful for each and every one of his friends, they were so important to him.But even acknowledging that didn’t keep him from feeling a little panicked here, in the company of only a few of them. He didn’t want to be around all of them and have to explain all of this, tell him why he was crying which none of them would likely let him get away with completely. Going to dinner, he’d have to answer questions, he’d have to see his mom flitting around her fire pit like everything was fine, like she hadn’t broken Jaehyun’s heart and ripped apart the trust he had in her over a tub of kimchi. He couldn’t do it, he knew that. He couldn’t even think about having to do all this again with his dad, she’d tell him. She’d sell him out and his dad would be furious at him and he’d lose both of them.He didn’t realize his breathing was becoming more erratic until Jungwoo’s voice broke through his haze, saying his name calmly, close to his ear as his hands brushed over his face and down his neck.“It’s okay Jae, you’re okay,”“I know…I know,” he sighed, head ducking under Jungwoo’s gentle touches.Jungwoo nuzzled him. It was nice and comforting to see how Jungwoo handled him like this. So often it was Jaehyun taking care of Jungwoo but the other did this so naturally. As if he’d be bad at this or anything else. But it was…nice, listening to the soft, muted noises he was making to soothe him, feel his warm, deft fingers brushing even strokes through his hair, down his neck, heart thrumming perfectly under his ear, beat picking up almost imperceptibly each time he leaned down to kiss the top of Jaehyun’s head. It was barely noticeable, that subtle hitch before it quickened, easing again after a few quiet moments but Jaehyun was listening for it because he liked it. It was perfect. He’d give anything to get to be taken care of like this for the rest of his life.He took a couple deep breaths, the calm the last bits of his frenzied mind, ran his nose up the length of Jungwoo’s throat just to hear him huff.“Can I come over for dinner tonight,”Jungwoo picked his head up, tipped a little with the move. He brushed his fingers over Jaehyun’s cheek slowly.“You don’t want to go to dinner with everyone else,” he asked, pouting.“I don’t want to see my mom, even if it’s at a distance,”Jungwoo nodded, “You wouldn’t have to talk to her,”“I don’t have to come over,” he murmured wondering if this was Jungwoo’s gentle way of turning him down.“Jaehyun, that wasn’t me saying no, I just…you don’t have to hide,”“I’m not hiding,” he argued, knowing he was being childish and a little ridiculous but felt like he was allowed. He stood up, Jungwoo didn’t seem to like that move too much as he reached out for his hand, tried to bring him back.Jungwoo tracked his move around to the back of the couch before shifting again to face him, up on his knees he shuffled a little closer. Jungwoo propped his hands on the back of the couch while Jaehyun came to stand there in front of him. This afternoon, though horrible had him feeling a strange sort of bravery too. Jaehyun reached his hand out to tuck some of his hair behind his ear, smiling softly at him when Jungwoo bit his lip, eyes full of stars.“I’m not, I just don’t want to see her,”Jungwoo relaxed, “Okay. I guess I could throw something together. Noodles with…that pork from the other night,”“Sounds good to me,”“What do I say to them if they ask to stay,” he jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen, smile small and just for him.“They can if they want,” Jaehyun shrugged, he wouldn’t tell Jungwoo flat out that their friends couldn’t come and eat here too but he also knew he really, really wanted Jungwoo to himself tonight, after the bizarre day he’d had.Jungwoo looked a little unimpressed with that answer, “What do you want,”Jaehyun huffed a laugh, “Whatever you want,”“Jae, that’s not…where are you going,” he asked when Jaehyun backed up. He had to get out of here for a bit. Not away from Jungwoo or his friends, he just still didn’t feel like a person and his wolf was begging him to take a few laps, clear their head and their blood and forget about this.“I need to…blow off some steam I think, now I’m just…annoyed about everything,”“Jae-”“I’m fine,” he came back to the couch, brushed his thumbs across Jungwoo’s cheeks. “Don’t pout at me,”The pout intensified, “You’re sad and you’re leaving so now I’m sad,”“I need to…not be here okay, I just have to run or punch something,”“Punch something,” Jungwoo squeaked.“Run, I’ll probably run…out to the reservoir and back okay,” he amended before Jungwoo could freak out anymore.Jungwoo nodded. “You can stay, we’re just cooking,”“I know, I just need to do something…I’ll come back okay,”“Okay,” Jungwoo didn’t seem entirely pleased that he was going which thrilled him a little. He reached his arms out, standing up on his knees, Jaehyun moved into him automatically, as much as he could with the back of the couch still between them. He squeezed him tight, taking a long, deep breath, letting his scent swirl inside him till his wolf twitched.Backing away from him was even harder that time but he got to the door without incident, smirking at the other who hadn’t taken his eyes off him yet. He jumped when behind him someone knocked on the door. Jaehyun sent Jungwoo a look as the other dissolved a little into laughter. He pulled open the door to reveal Renjun and Jaemin. They were bickering but perked up when they saw him, both chirping ‘Jae,’ at the same time. Jaemin gave him a hug while Renjun hopped to kiss his cheek quickly passing him for Jungwoo, giving him a brief nuzzle before rushing towards the kitchen where pots were clanging, and the others were laughing. Jaemin blew Jungwoo a kiss as he tailed Renjun.Jaehyun looked back at Jungwoo, mouthing ‘party’ pointedly which made him laugh some more. The other smiled as he left, calling out for him to be careful. Probably still worried Jaehyun might go punching something or someone or whatever he came into contact with first.He didn’t end up punching anything. He rushed home to change before he took off. Ending up going way past the reservoir, but he made it back before dinner time, before Jungwoo could worry. Head clear, or clearer at least and wolf eased with the fresh air and exertion, he felt better. And felt better still when he got back to Jungwoo’s, still a little out of breath from his run to find just Jungwoo there waiting for him.A part of him, like a very small part, wondered if he should be worried that Jungwoo knew him so well. That wondering died out when the other part chimed in, the bigger part liked it. Liked that Jungwoo was aware of him and his moods and what he needed without Jaehyun having to piece it together for him. Maybe that bigger part also just enjoyed the hell out of having Jungwoo all to himself. And enjoyed knowing that Jungwoo loved him too and his actions, Jaehyun now knew were fueled by that, for him and his soft, seemingly mutual feelings.What wasn’t to like about that?….The following night he found himself at dinner, normal pack dinner with everyone else. He wasn’t too thrilled about that, but he knew realistically, he didn’t have to talk to his mom. He didn’t even have to look in her direction if he didn’t want to.To get him there though, Jungwoo actually threw his own advice back at him, saying ‘you have to eat Jae,’ which was funny and relieving and a little odd, coming from Jungwoo. The same Jungwoo who had fought tooth and nail against coming to pack dinners at first. And here he was fighting for Jaehyun to come to one. It was entertaining for Jaehyun and comforting for some reason.He’d agreed, knowing he needed to eat, when Jungwoo asked and wandered to dinner with him like always. And sat with their friends and their food, like so many dinners before except tonight halfway through eating the scent of vanilla, mingled with pandan leaves, worked over his senses, Joshua, and before Jaehyun could react properly, was taking Jungwoo by the hand to lead him away. He distantly heard his friends laughing at him, probably at his stunned, frozen expression at having Jungwoo so expertly worked out of his grasp.Joshua wiggled his fingers in front of Jaehyun’s face as he moved away with Jungwoo, going on about wanting to introduce him to Seungkwan who’d been dying to meet him. It took him a second to recover. And once he had, there he sat, alone.A little distracted from his dinner with Jungwoo a few pits over being crowded by 13 excited, touchy wolves. He seemed okay though, busy laughing as Seungkwan and Chan fawned over him, Joshua helping him sit while the others settled. Jaehyun caught sight of Junhui watching Jungwoo with huge eyes as Seungcheol poked his cheek, pointing in between them till Junhui waved at Jungwoo with a shy smile, quickly diving into Wonwoo’s lap after, burying his face in the other beta’s neck. Jungwoo was okay, he was nodding to Seungkwan who was reaching out to touch his stomach with sparkling eyes and a blinding smile, beaming at his mate by his shoulder as Jungwoo’s mouth moved, saying words that Jaehyun couldn’t hear. But wished he could. He missed him. He wanted him back here so they could eat and talk and sit together.Jaehyun sighed, told his wolf to relax where it was struggling through his separation anxiety. He’d been a total nut case since Jungwoo had told him he loved him the other day, like even more of a nut case if you can believe that.Jungwoo was fine, he was perfectly fine and still within his line of sight. He didn’t like this crazed feeling that was becoming more and more prevalent each day, he didn’t have an explanation for it and wondered how long he’d have to live with it. Would it calm down? Or was he doomed to fret over Jungwoo when he wasn’t next to him, till he died? Normally his friends were enough to quell his stress but tonight he could feel them watching him. Could sense their need to comfort or confront, understand and help, it was making him itchy.He knew his friends, knew it was only a matter of time before one of them cracked and asked how he was doing. He knew what happened had spread like wildfire among them, especially since Ten was there to witness it, his breakdown wasn’t safe. Not that he cared but he didn’t really want to explain it either, since he didn’t fully understand what had happened.He was half expecting it to be Kun though, brother in law always quick to jump to his side. It wasn’t. Taeil dropped next to him, putting another roll on his plate, he smiled at the clear bribery tactic. He didn’t need bribing to talk but he didn’t mind the extra food either.“Was it about him,” Taeil asked, their friends were quiet around them, but he couldn’t tell if they were eavesdropping or just in between conversations.Jaehyun looked over at him, met his soft gaze. “What,”“Your fight with your mom, was it about Jungwoo,”He couldn’t say it out loud, it made him sick to even think about. His silence must’ve answered for him though because Taeil sighed.“What’d she say,”“That I could do better,” the words came out like a snarl. Taeil wrapped his arm through his and shushed him gently. It hurt worse today, thinking about it because Jungwoo loved him. Jungwoo felt things for him and his mom all but insisted he never would, couldn’t possibly because he was pregnant.“What’d you say,”Jaehyun gave him a look. Taeil grinned at him.“Good,” next to them Taeyong snickered. “Have you talked to her since,”“Nope,” Taeil opened his mouth, “and I don’t plan to until she apologizes. I’m not wrong and Jungwoo doesn’t deserve that shit,”“Okay Jae,”He was going now though, fed up and pissed off all over again. Taeyong sat up when Jaehyun growled, Taeil shushed him, or maybe he was shushing Taeyong, he couldn’t be sure.“She spent my whole fucking life preaching acceptance, be nice to everyone and don’t pass judgement, everyone’s fighting a battle you know nothing about. And she has the nerve to judge Jungwoo, what the fuck?! She’s such a hypocrite. I mean I’m not perfect, I have plenty of issues and I can rush to assumptions about people, but I’ve tried my best to give everyone a chance and play by the rules, the rules she made. She’s a liar and a fake and-”“Jae, easy, I hear you,”He took a breath.“I just didn’t expect that from her ya know, she’s always made out like she’s better than all that. But she’s…been gossiping around the meat counter like everyone else. And, god, she pretended to care about him, she acted like she was happy for me but once she found out I was giving him flowers, once it became real apparently that was too much,”“Jaehyun,”“I just can’t believe her. Jungwoo is, he’s perfect. He even defended her yesterday, when I told him I had a fight with her, he stood up for her and tried to get me to go back and talk to her. Is this the person she’s so critical of, because the Jungwoo I know doesn’t deserve that. It’s…it actually makes me want to laugh, that she was so quick to think the worst of him and he’s fucking defending her-”“-Jaehyun,”“What,”Taeil jerked his head. Jaehyun turned, as if in slow motion, to see Jungwoo standing behind him. He had tears in his eyes.“Woo,”“Your fight with your mom was about me,” he squeaked, hands settling on his stomach like a shield.“Jungwoo,”“She doesn’t like me,” his tears spilled over, down his cheeks, bottom lip wobbling dangerously.“Jungwoo it wasn’t about that,”“Then what was it about,”He could tell him the truth. But that would hurt him wouldn’t it, to hear that Jaehyun’s feelings were like that andthat his mother wasn’t supportive. That would be like the wind that broke the cradle or something like that. Jaehyun didn’t want it to play out like that. Or he could downplay it a little, tell him that his mother was a source and a participant in the web that spun stories and spread lies about him, equally as upsetting but maybe not as painful.“You…and me,”“What about you and me,”“She doesn’t like it,”Jungwoo sucked in a breath. “But we’re friends,”Jaehyun’s chest constricted at that. They were friends. They were friends,right. It was like that, don’t get ahead of yourself Jaehyun, that was rule number one. Like Jungwoo loved Donghyuck and Mark and Taeil, like how Jungwoo loved all of them, they were friends, he probably didn’t mean it any other way. Why hadn’t he thought about that? He had considered it but ignored it somewhat because he liked the idea that he was loved the way he loved after everything that happened the other day.“I know,”“Does she get to pick your friends for you Jae, did you have to get her approval on them too,” he pointed behind him, at their little gang but he didn’t seem mad, he just seemed a little heartbroken.“Jungwoo,”“That’s ridiculous,”“I know it is,” he closed the distance between them, “why do you think we got in a fight,”Jungwoo sniffled, wiped his nose on his sleeve. He was shaking. Jaehyun tucked him closer, hugging him tight and kissed over his head, slowly, deliberately so he could feel each and every one.“I’m sorry,”Jaehyun kissed him again, “don’t apologize to me, you didn’t do anything,”“I just feel bad…problems, follow me around. You wouldn’t have fought with your mom if you weren’t friends with me,”“Maybe not, but I’m glad I did, I wouldn’t have found out all that stuff if I didn’t,” he tucked his fingers under Jungwoo’s chin, tipped his head up, “and I’ll always be glad you’re in my life,”Jungwoo let out a broken little sound but came close and held onto him tighter. “Is it ever going to stop Jae,”“Yes,”“When,”He didn’t have the answer to that.Jungwoo burrowed against him, he didn’t ask again. Maybe he didn’t want to know.“Come eat Woo, everything’s better over rice and chicken,” Taeil held out his hand, pulled the other down next to him. Taeyong handed him his plate, though it didn’t escape his notice that Jungwoo didn’t eat his sweet roll, avoiding it entirely while everything else got scarfed down. Jaehyun kissed his head and rubbed his back as he finished his dinner, their circle was quiet, everyone seemingly fixated on Jungwoo. Jaehyun wished someone would talk, distract them from the somber mood. His prayer was answered by Ten, thank goodness.“So, I found out today that I’ve been giving my neighbor a peep show for oh…I don’t 3 years,”Johnny spit out his drink while the others lost it. Jaehyun snickered, lifted Jungwoo’s hand to kiss his knuckles when it landed in his.“What,” Johnny asked.“Oh yeah. Those curtains, the sheer ones you insisted no one could see through, yeah you totally can,”“How’d you find that out,”“I was in the back yard because that freaking plastic pot blew out there. I went to get it and looked up, you can see right in, everything, what’s on the dresser in the corner, mirror on the back of the closet, painting on the wall perfect detail,”“Oh my god,” Johnny groaned while the boys continued laughing like they’d never heard something funnier.“So, yeah, Mr. Choi’s been getting a free show for quite some time,”Donghyuck yelped, “Wait, Mr. Choi, like my boss Mr. Choi,”Ten paled, making a show of nodding. Donghyuck fell backwards off his bench with his next round of giggles.“Should I apologize to him,”“No, absolutely not,”“Johnny he’s seen things,” Ten squawked.“I know but if you admit you know than that’s worse isn’t it,”“So, what, we ignore it,”“Yeah and buy new curtains. Oh my god, we’ve had-” Johnny looked shell-shocked, but it was too funny to feel truly bad about. Ten groaned, dropping his head into his hands.“I know, many times,”Yuta cackled, “Story of the week Ten, you win, holy shit,”Sicheng was snickering too, brushing his hand through Yuta’s hair slowly before saying, “Yuta we have those curtains too,”“What,” Yuta jerked back, staring at his mate with huge eyes.“Ten told me about them…so I bought them too,”It was Yuta’s turn to go pale as his wide eyes turned back to the group. Donghyuck fell back again, laughter infectious around their fire. Jungwoo giggled against him, smell smooth and gentle instead of panicked and sour like it was just a bit before.The world was intent on challenging them, giving Jungwoo as hard a time as it could. Too bad they didn’t know how stubborn Jaehyun could be, or how in love with Jungwoo he was. He’d fight to change this and if he couldn’t, life was good around their fire, with their friends who loved them and saw them and didn’t shy away when things got bad. He grinned at all of them, happy not for the first time, not even for the first time today, that he had them. That they were his, and he was theirs.Jungwoo’s giggles pulled him back, had him watching him grin at Donghyuck who was pulling himself off the ground, snickering ‘freaking peep show,’ up at Mark who was wiping tears from his eyes, before collapsing again. A fine way to end a horrible week, laughing till his sides hurt with all of them, huddling together around their fire till it was nothing, but embers and the square was quiet, and they were the only ones left.“Are the curtains in our room like that,” Jeno asked.“No babe, I’m not a degenerate,” Jaemin gave Ten such a strong, unimpressed look, that it, sent them all spiraling again while Jungwoo stayed safe against him and Donghyuck never managed to make it off the ground.Even if this was all he got to have, it was enough. Even if he didn't make up with his mom and Jungwoo didn't feel love for him like that, this was more than he thought he'd get. Even just this, was perfect.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun felt better. Genuinely. He hadn’t talked to his mom or his dad or even his brother about what had happened the other day, but he had talked to his friends, who supported him and loved him and let him know that however he needed to deal with this was fine. They were just as protective of Jungwoo as he was so upon hearing that his fight with his mom was about Jungwoo, the walls went up and they all went into hyper defensive mode. She’d hurt him, he wasn’t ready to listen to her garbage or forgive her, even if she was sorry. He felt like she deserved to deal with this. He’d thought a couple times that he should just let it go, be the bigger person and hear her out but then he’d think about Jungwoo. She didn’t support him and his choice, she didn’t support them, and his dad always told him that above anything else you should fight for who you’re with, be proud of your choices and stand by them. He was. He and his wolf adored Jungwoo and they’d fight for that, be there for him in whatever capacity he wanted him. His mom had challenged that, didn’t he owe it to Jungwoo and his wolf and himself to stand up for this and be brave in the face of her doubt? Every instinct he had said yes. So that’s what he’d do.And that Jungwoo was so visibly upset by the lack of support and kindness from Jaehyun’s corner of the world helped push him right back to where he wanted to be anyway. Everyone in his life had been welcoming of Jungwoo so far and this was the first true, opposition he’d been met with, from someone that mattered. The alphas who picked on him were nothing, Eric was a dope and the betas and omegas who gossiped were bored and didn’t have anything better to do with their time and brain power. But this was his mom. It was different. He imagined, hopefully that it bothered Jungwoo because he was interested in him and his omega craved acceptance and support from his mom because that was a natural, subconscious thing that any wolf wanted. That was his hopeful side speaking, thinking that Jungwoo was so bent out of shape by all this because he loved him and wanted him and wanted his mom to like him. It was natural and understandable and Jaehyun hated that she would be this way to a fellow omega who desired all the things that any sane wolf would. Maybe he wouldn’t be her first choice for him, but he was Jaehyun’s choice and he didn’t understand why that wasn’t enough for her. As a mother, shouldn’t she just want him to be happy?Thinking about his mom led him to thoughts about Jungwoo’s mom. They were in similar boats. Though their mother’s had different reasons to be wary and different amounts of information but still, they were both faced with less than supportive mother’s. He wasn’t afraid of the challenge’s though, he was ready and willing to fight for Jungwoo, eager for any tests and any doubt, he could take it. And he’d deal with his mom eventually, when his bruised trust stopped pulsing like an open, aggravated wound.All of that aside, he was doing better. Copious time spent with Jungwoo helped, where they leaned on each other and talked and grew. Days spent together just doing all their usual stuff, Jungwoo cooked what Jaehyun caught and he helped out where he could, cleaning up the kitchen after him and enjoying his every bite. They talked about everything and nothing curled up on his lumpy couch with their dirty dishes at their feet, he held Jungwoo tight as he drifted in and out of consciousness, fatigue getting the better of him after a good meal. Jaehyun liked all of it. He was beyond happy to spend all his time with him Jungwoo because of course he was. It was easy and natural and maybe a little concerning because the rare, very rare days that they weren’t together or didn’t see each other Jaehyun felt lost, out of place and shaky. He just didn’t want to be without him and maybe that was bad or ridiculous, but he thought about him all the time anyway so why not spend time with him while he was thinking about him. Just get it all done at once, right? Sounded good to him.He felt a little wobbly and out of sorts today.It was the day of the solstice festival, so he had headed over to Jungwoo to help him finish up whatever he had to do and then they could walk to town together. But upon arriving at Jungwoo’s he was turned away. Plans of spending the whole entire day together foiled.Kun flung open the door, looked him up and down and smiled.“Can I come in,” he’d asked. And Kun shook his head, smug grin stretching across his face. He didn’t stop looking at him like that so Jaehyun had asked him, “what,”“Nothing Jae, you just can’t come in,”“Why not, is Jungwoo alright,”Kun nodded as Jaehyun heard Ten yell about who was at the door. Kun yelled back that is was him and then Ten appeared.“Nope, no way, beat it mister,”“I just-”“You just nothing, you can’t be here,”“Why not,” he tried shifting around him, but they were quicker, Ten pushed him back while Kun angled the door shut a little more.“Because we’re getting ready for the festival and it’s a no alpha zone,” Ten crossed his arms. Jaehyun didn’t like that but he didn’t see a point in arguing with them more, he sighed as he backed up.“Will you at least let him nap, if he looks like he needs it,”“Sure, sure, now go,”Ten pushed him again, huffing when Jaehyun didn’t budge.“And tell him that I said hi,”“Oh, my aching- you’re going to see him in like 3 hours,”“Shh Tennie, it’s sweet,” Kun cooed at him, starry eyed as he propped against the door.“Will you just tell him,”“Is that Jae,” he heard Jungwoo’s sweet voice ask from somewhere deeper in the house, but Ten, again was faster than him, swatting him till he backed fully off the step.“Hi Woo,” he shouted as he smirked at Ten while Kun spun to keep Jungwoo back for whatever reason.“Hi Jae,” he watched as Jungwoo’s dark head of hair hopped over Kun’s shoulder but that’s all he could see as the other two omegas closed around him, door kicked shut after them. Jaehyun felt himself pout, annoyed that he didn’t get to see him properly. Oh well, he’d see him later at least, tried to let that quell his wolf who was starting to pitch a fit. Maybe Mark was around to hang out. He hadn’t been, probably squeezing in a couple last minute things at the storehouse before he put himself out of commission for at least a day with all the drinking he’d be doing that night. So, he’d gone home, to eat a light, lonely lunch and get ready for the party, thoughts plagued with whatever the hell the other omegas in his friend group could possibly be doing to Jungwoo that he wasn’t allowed to be around for. He couldn’t think of anything, so he pushed it aside and tried to relax.….The solstice was never intended to be an unofficial night of matchmaking and mate searching, it sort of just happened over time, changed with everything else, became a new tradition. Now it was expected that everyone got dressed up, wore their best clothes, all clean and shiny to look their best for anyone who happened to look their way. Jaehyun usually did what all other alphas did, out of habit, bathed, and showed up, though he wasn’t nearly as eager to impress as all the other singles out there.But this year he was a little eager. He did what his brother had done his first season courting Kun, wore a crisp, white button-down shirt, tucked into his nicest pair of pants, hair brushed off his forehead till it fell in a slight curl over the side. He wasn’t trying to stand out and he only wanted to impress one person, so he made sure he looked good but not so good that he impressed a bunch of other wolves too. His wolf was under the impression that he and Jungwoo were already on their way to courting so he would’ve raged if Jaehyun had done anything even remotely indicative of trying to gain another person’s attention. He figured his wolf wouldn’t freak out about the white, since he was still very single and very unmated and that was standard for this sort of thing.One of the many new takes on old traditions was that unmated wolves wore white, to appreciate where they were in life while mated couples wore some article of red or gold as well as something significant to their family or their mate, like an heirloom necklace or some token given to them over the years. Donghyuck always clipped a rabbit’s foot through his belt loops, taken from one of the only animals Mark had ever brought himself to kill but he wore it with pride, beaming and showing it off to anyone who’d look. While Ten got to kill two birds with one stone, red, gold and significant, every year he wore the silk wrap shirt Johnny had gifted to him on their first anniversary as a mated pair. At the time, it had been a giant splurge, intricate in design, all the way from Thailand, he’d been shocked finding out how much Johnny had spent on it. But seeing Ten’s teary-eyed smile after opening the gift at dinner, watching his shaking fingers running over the fabric like he’d ruin it with his touch, Jaehyun had instantly understood why Johnny had spent that money when they were so unsteady in their new lives together. It hadn’t been about the cost, it was for Ten, and how happy it’d make him to have something from Thailand, there wasn’t a cap or a tag that could be put on that. And there was Yuta who always made sure to flaunt the thin, weaved rope bracelet Sicheng had made for him at some point during their long courting period, proud of the simple handmade token from his mate.Jaehyun didn’t have to do all that. Because he was single all he had to was wear white, not a huge ask. Just a simple, white shirt, paired with his eager wolf and erratic heartrate. He tried to tamp down his nerves, tried not to think about too much, the only pressure was that, that he created himself. If he told himself there was no pressure, did that make it go away?He’d test that. Working to convince himself all day leading up to the feast that tonight was easy, would be easy. That all he had to do was celebrate the solstice like always, enjoy having Jungwoo there with him and help him enjoy the party as much as possible. Jaehyun could do that. With Jungwoo, this was bound to be the best solstice so far.He made his way to the village’s center that afternoon, with a slow, bubbling sense of excitement starting deep in his stomach and told himself to relax. Though that didn’t really work so well, he just couldn’t wait to see Jungwoo. He was getting worked up just thinking about seeing him. Even though he knew that was silly. He couldn’t stop it. He missed his scent, missed his smile, hadn’t heard his laugh or hugged him since yesterday, he felt crazy. Like he was going crazy. But he could manage that for a little while, he’d be seeing him really soon anyway. The village was already alive when he reached the edge of the center. The smells hit him first, the mixing of everyone’s collective scents as they came together a community washed over him in a warm, soothing way. So many different smells shouldn’t smell good altogether but like this, no one stood out majorly, instead they just smelled like pack. Rounding the corner into the center was a little like entering a whole other world. There were tables with endless mountains of food set up in front of every other building, homemade kegs lined up in front of the steps of the meeting building, pups chasing each other, hands full of meat buns or sweet bread. Strings of lights twinkled in a grid over head for now, tonight when it got dark, the lights would go out so the stars could have their moment too. There were games scattered around the center for anyone to play and a raised stage next to the steps of the meeting hall for music, tables with crafts and circles of elderly wolves trading stories. Laughter and chatter were already pluming up towards the heavens even though it looked like only half the pack was present so far.He should’ve come later, so he could’ve slipped in unnoticed, avoid his mom who was no doubt scanning the masses looking for him. The sight of Taeyong, Johnny and Doyoung clumped together by their usual fire pit saved him from potential conflict as he made a beeline for them, sending waves to Seulgi and Yeri where they were sat by one of the many tables braiding hair for the long line of pups in front of them.“Hi guys,” he said, noticing that it wasn’t only Ten, Kun and Jungwoo missing but all the omegas from their group, except Chenle who was serving hot chocolate with Jisung a few buildings down, stood close together against the chill in the air, both wearing white.“Jae,” Johnny chirped, tossing his arm out to him before it dropped. The three of them stood staring at him with wide eyes.“What,” he froze, “shit, is there something on my shirt,” he looked down, kicking himself over being so messy and careless but didn’t see any stains.“No, no you just…you look great Jae,” Taeyong grinned, eyes warm and sparkling, color high on his cheeks, he’d already had a drink, Jaehyun smiled back. He cleared his throat, smoothed his hands down the front of his shirt, tucking the excess back into his pants.“Thanks,” jeez, it felt like there was cotton lodged in the back of his throat, he swallowed when his mouth felt dry.“And you even brushed your hair,” Doyoung reached out to touch his bangs that were thankfully still styled off to the side, behaving themselves.“Shut up,”“We’re allowed to tease you since you teased us when we were all doing this,” Johnny decided.“I’m not doing anything,”He was fixed with three matching, disbelieving, unimpressed looks.“I’m not,”“Sure, so you look like that for no reason whatsoever,” Doyoung hummed.“Even if the reason might be named Jungwoo,” Taeyong smirked, looking pleased beyond belief.“Yeah right,” Johnny finished off.“I don’t…look like anything,” Jaehyun insisted.Johnny cackled while Doyoung huffed, “do you own a mirror,”Jaehyun nodded.“Okay and what did you see when you checked yourself out before you left?”“Uhm,”“It’s not a trick question,”“I know…I’m just not sure how to answer,”“How about honestly,” Taeyong murmured into his cup, squinting his eyes at Jaehyun playfully.“I’ll tell you what you saw Jae,” Doyoung apparently didn’t want to wait for him to think this through far enough to answer, cutting him off with, “Sex,”Taeyong spit out his drink. “What,” he croaked.“Sex! Look at him. I have never seen you look so put together and confident before,”Johnny stroked his chin like he was mulling that over. “Hmm, you’re right Doie,”“Thank you,”“Like, every other year, you showed up like this was a joke to you, and we all enjoyed it because we knew you didn’t want the attention of anyone around here and found it funny when you got it anyway. But this is…this is like, it’s not a joke,”“Right, like he has a plan,”Taeyong looked back and forth between the two of them while they pieced him together, swallowing every few seconds against his coughs.“I don’t have a plan,” Jaehyun admitted, “I actually have no freaking idea what I’m doing, and I’m really nervous…is that normal,”“Yeah totally,” Taeyong promised, rubbing a hand down his arm.“You know what you’re doing Jae,”“No, I don’t,”Doyoung tipped his head at him, “You do, you’ve been doing it for months already,”“This is different,”“No, it’s not,”“It feels different,”“Jaehyun,” Doyoung stepped in front of him, “it isn’t different. You know what you’re doing. That’s why you showed up looking like this, it’s simple but…powerful?” He looked to Johnny for confirmation, the other nodded his head.“You and your wolf have made a decision, you’re not playing games and you don’t care who sees or knows. And whatever level that happened on, you both seem to know what you want and there’s no reason for you not to be with Jungwoo like you always are and enjoy yourself. That’s all you have to do,”“Do you remember what Hajun said his first solstice courting Kun,” Johnny asked.“Kind of,” he knew one of them would bring it up, seeing as he did sort of copy what his brother wore to the solstice the first time, he considered himself a taken wolf.“I’m technically single but ridiculously unavailable,”“And he’d made a face after that made soda come out of Mark’s nose,” Taeyong laughed as he remembered.He’d thought about it a little. Knowing he wasn’t showing up tonight to impress anyone but Jungwoo, he wasn’t trying to draw any attention, just hopefully hang onto Jungwoo’s. His friends knew him way better than he gave them credit for.“It’s just a shirt,” he muttered, smirking when Doyoung tried to hit him.“Maybe but you put it on for a reason, a good reason and you look hot, so shut up and take the freaking compliment,”He smiled, realizing Doyoung was done being gentle and understanding with him, he hated having to explain himself for too long.He laughed, pulled his other single friend into a hug, whispered a brief thank you before he let him go and changed lanes, sick of being the center of attention among them. “So, did you guys change those curtains,” he asked, grinning and pulling Sicheng into a hug when he popped up next to him, accepting the mug of what smelled like soju from Yuta with a thankful smile. He took a sip, cursing under his breath when it didn’t ease the dry feeling on the back of his tongue.Johnny groaned, pulling him back to the question he’d asked, smirking when the other’s laughed.“Well, did you,” Taeyong poked him, dodging Johnny’s swat.“No, Tennie…had a revelation this week I guess,”Jaehyun waved at Mark as he ducked under Yuta’s spread arms and into their little cluster.“What does that mean,” Mark asked, plopping himself down on the bench behind them.“It means, he no longer cares about the curtains being sheer, our house, our rules, not our fault if he looks, he’d said something like that,” Johnny rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders like it no longer bothered him either.“That sounds like Ten,”“Speaking of,” Yuta cut in, pointing his glass towards the path closest to them. They all turned to see Ten, in his red and gold shirt, sash tied off to the side to accentuate his waist, legs long in a pair of black pants that looked about as tight as a pair of pants could realistically be, breathtaking as always. He moved through town with this magnetic sort of grace about him, towards them, something shimmery sat high up on his cheeks, eyes stood out. He was glowing, more than he normally did. Several pairs of eyes tracked his move through the center while Johnny sucked in a quick breath, cursing quietly before he moved to meet his mate in the middle.Jaehyun watched for a second as Johnny tucked him close, arms wrapping completely around his waist before he ducked to kiss him. Even from here Jaehyun could see Ten smiling into it like he couldn’t fight it. The next moment he was picked up off his feet and then he was being scented by Johnny, so Jaehyun stopped watching. He twitched as he looked away, caught Sicheng snickering next to him, ducking to avoid Yuta’s hand.“What,”“Nothing Jae,” Sicheng whispered, giggling harder after he’d said it. Well, now he was curious.“What, Chengie,” Jaehyun poked his flat stomach through his red shirt, wanting to laugh and enjoy his time without Jungwoo as much as he could.“Nothing,” he insisted though under his breath he muttered, ‘you’ll see in a second,’.He shifted, to see what had Sicheng being so goofy and felt his stomach tighten, entire body pulsing momentarily.At the mouth of the path, came the rest of their friends but Jaehyun only had eyes for one of them. Jungwoo was holding Donghyuck’s hand, smiling at Taeil next to him, wearing a soft looking, white V-neck sweater Jaehyun had never seen before. It looked so good on him, material stretched the tiniest bit against his bump. He looked so good it had Jaehyun’s breath coming shorter, chest feeling tight, like his heart was too big. And his pants, shit, they looked so good on him, he filled them out perfectly but Jaehyun didn’t want to think about that, knowing it would lead him to thoughts revolving around his thighs and his hips and things like that weren’t suitable for present company. And his hair looked really good like that, wavy like they’d curled it and brushed it out after. He was glowing, he’d been glowing for weeks now, because he was pregnant and happy, and it was showing but this seemed different. Brighter, more and it made his wolf rumble in his chest.“Oh my god,” he croaked, out loud, not realizing he’d said it till he heard the others laughing next to him.Jaehyun didn’t want to take his eyes off him but he also felt his chest swell with this sickening, strangling feeling of inadequacy looking at Jungwoo looking like that. Who wouldn’t want him tonight, he’d have a dozen different people vying for his attention and Jaehyun was just…Jaehyun. Oh, god that hurt, came out of nowhere, hit him across the face and knocked him back a little.He staggered, knocking into Yuta.“Oh god,”“Jaehyun,” Yuta whispered, close to his ear, nuzzled him a little to calm him down.“I’m okay…I’m good,”“Really,”“Yeah,” he swallowed, looked around at them, “Do I look okay,” he muttered, looking to catch Taeyong giving him a soft, encouraging smile.The other came forward, picked at what Jaehyun assumed was nonexistent lint on his shoulders, “You look great Jae, okay, I promise, we weren’t messing with you,”Jaehyun swallowed and nodded, willing to take him at his word on that.Taeyong squeezed him as he spun around, “I’ve…I’ve never felt like this before,” that feeling pulsed again, like Jungwoo would never want him in that way because there were so many other people he could have instead. But Taeyong tugged him back.“I know, it’s okay, it’s exciting right,”“I don’t know…if I’d say exciting, I feel kind of sick,”“That’s excitement,” Yuta muttered.“You sure,” he asked, mouth no longer dry as he fought to swallow past the lump.“Pretty sure yeah, enjoy it Jae, it’s alright,”“Yeah, yeah,”Sicheng rubbed his back, whispered that he looked really handsome, before saying, louder, “no one’s gonna bug you guys tonight, just, do your thing,”“Yeah, okay,” he nodded, feeling confidence and heat replace the knot of insecurity inside him, “thanks guys, for being supportive,”The three of them laughed but it was Mark who spoke up, standing again at his shoulder, “like we wouldn’t support you being happy Jae, thought you were supposed to be the smart one,”That floored him, he didn’t know they thought that, but it did make him want to laugh instead of cry.“What if I don’t want to be the smart one,”“Too bad you were already outvoted,” Doyoung hummed, scratching Jeno’s back as he moved around them with his mug. Jeno waved at him happily, eyes half-mooned and adorable.“Can I be something else,”“You think of something better and we’ll consider it,” Yuta added, expression thoughtful and sort of smug.They all snorted at him while Jaehyun moved to tug Mark into a hug when he continued grinning at him dopily, eager to stop feeling choked up and maybe change the subject.“Donghyuck looks cute,” he murmured, letting Mark pull him forward a few steps till he was walking on his own.Mark grinned, this really cheesy, wide, infectious thing, laughing around, “he literally lives to be cute,”“Yeah-”“-Don’t tell him you think he’s cute though-” Mark squawked, eyes bigger than normal.“-I won’t-”“-He’d never shut up about that,”“I won’t, promise,”He would’ve kept talking to him, mindless, easy chatter let him think about other, safe things, but Donghyuck crashed into his mate then, cutting him off. “Markie, hi,”“Hi bug,” Mark scooped him off his feet, “you look absolutely gorgeous,”“Thank you,” he brushed his hands over Mark’s chest, eyelashes fluttering as he muttered, ‘you don’t look too bad yourself’. And then Donghyuck was turning to him.“Jae, hi, you look so handsome,” Donghyuck reached out to brush a hand down the front of Jaehyun’s shirt as he was set back on his feet.“Thanks, Hyuck,”“Did you see,” he tossed a wave behind him to Jungwoo, who was now clinging to Taeil, the pair intercepted across the square by Jimin and his best friend Taehyung, a pup in each of their arms.The lump in his throat was back, cool.“I…yeah, good job Hyuck,”“I had help, I was on outfit, Tennie did his makeup, Jaemin and Kun did hair, and Taeil and Renjun were in charge of entertainment so he didn’t lose interest in all of us. We caught him up on all the solstice celebration gossip and traditions, so he’s totally prepared…you’re welcome,”“Why…am I welcome?”“Because he’s expecting you to ask him to dance, we kind of told him that was a thing,”He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Lying to trick their friend, meddling in their business but both served to benefit him, so he couldn’t find it in himself to be upset or angry.Jaehyun smiled at him, at a loss for words, and then found himself distracted as Jaemin streaked past in a blur of red before launching at Jeno who was decidedly not prepared for the attack and dropped his hot chocolate to the dirt.“Jae,”He startled, looking back to Donghyuck, nuzzled halfway against Mark’s neck.“Yeah,”“Go say hi,” Donghyuck was looking at him like he was slow and ridiculous, but he balanced that out with a thumbs up and toothy smile. Jaehyun looked Mark in the eye to make sure he didn’t get kicked when he stepped close to the omega, bent forward to kiss his cheek.“Thanks, Hyuckie,”Donghyuck was a bright, blushing giddy mess as Jaehyun stepped back, “go, Jae,” he laughed as he snuggled against Mark, who tightened his arms around him.Okay. Deep breaths, he could do this. He and Jungwoo were good. There was nothing different. Except that he looked 10x more gorgeous than he always did, if that was possible. Jaehyun hadn’t thought it was but apparently, he’d been wrong. He took his breath away but that was fine right? That was okay. He was okay.It wasn’t stressful at all that his skin was literally sparkling under the lights hanging over his head and it definitely wasn’t a big deal that Jaehyun had caught himself tracking the long line of his body three times in the minute since he started talking himself up. It was fine. They were fine. He could do this. They could do this, he waited for his wolf to bark or do something encouraging, grinning to himself when he felt a pleased rumble start behind his ribs.The steps to the other felt endless but also finite. Like this was nothing and they’d be together in no time. And then he was right in front of him or behind him, technically, watching the cold air ease through the back of his hair, rustling through it like a gentle touch. Jaehyun would touch him that gently. He caught Taehyung smiling at him over Jungwoo’s shoulder, sharing a look with Jimin as he just stood there. They raised their eyebrows, at the same time, waiting for him to do something, anything.What he managed after another few seconds of spiraling was a pretty lame “Hi,” which came out more of a croak than anything else. He cleared his throat and tried again, “Hi,”That was better.Jungwoo spun, blinked as a new, sort of smile brightened up his face, eyes sparkling within the soft, smudged line of black, brilliant with the light shimmer on his eyelids. He watched the omega look him up and down before he looked back at his eyes, face crinkling.“Hi,”“You look beautiful Woo,” and good god he really did.“So, do you Jae, well, handsome I guess,”“He can be beautiful,” Taehyung decided, readjusting the pup on his hip, ducking his head when Jimin shushed him. He felt a hand run across his shoulders, grinned at Taeil as he passed him, leaving Jungwoo in his capable hands. He chewed his lip for a split second before coming forward to wrap his arms around Jaehyun’s shoulders.“I was so sad that the boys didn’t let me see you today,” pout firm and adorable on his features.Jaehyun laughed, squeezed him back, “I know that sucked didn’t it,”“Yeah,”He was feeling more like himself, comfortable, just being this close to Jungwoo, he found his footing again. He brushed his fingers against the edge of his cheek, noticing that he already looked a little worn out.“Did they let you nap,”“Yes, they did,”“You look sleepy,”Jungwoo tilted his head, hands slid from the back of his neck to his shoulders. “I am a little but, everyone’s told me so much about tonight, I can’t wait, I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing I was missing stuff,”Behind them Jimin launched into head healer mode, “Don’t push it Woo okay, halfway through you and your pup need rest okay. So, if you feel tired just go home, that pup is far more important than a night of eating and drinking,”“I will,” he promised, “I’m not ready for sleep yet though,”“Good,” Jaehyun took his hand to pull him away, he waved over his shoulder at Jimin and Taehyung and the pups before devoting all his attention to Jungwoo. “So, what do you want to do first, get something to eat, sit for a bit, you can’t drink so that limits your options a little but there’s hot chocolate and juice and-”“Jae,”Jaehyun took a breath, “yeah,”“I’m good with whatever you want to do,”Jaehyun took another deep breath, “okay, well that’s tough because I want to do whatever you want,”Jungwoo laughed at him, buried his face in his shoulder, muttering, “that’s not fair,”“It’s totally fair, I’ve done this a million times, but never with you so let me do this, with you…whatever you want,”Jungwoo was quiet as he thought about that, “okay, I’d like to walk around for a bit if that’s okay, they had me sitting most of the day,”“You got it,” Jaehyun let him take the lay of the land before guiding him around the square so he could see everything. They stopped for couple seconds at a stall near the bakery where an older woman was giving out paper flowers. She hopped up, slipped a flower behind Jungwoo’s ear with a soft smile and a request to enjoy their night. Jungwoo blushed and thanked her profusely, asked her for a couple more which she was only too happy to give before Jaehyun led him away.“For Jimin’s pups,” he explained, cradling them in gentle fingers as they moved around the square. Though not for much longer before Jungwoo decided he was hungry, asked him what they should eat first. Jaehyun suggested some rice cake and sausage skewers which had Jungwoo’s eyes lighting up. He led them to the grill area where a couple of the older wolves were handing them out and thanked the man, who greeted Jungwoo kindly.Jungwoo ate happily as they wandered around, watched for a couple minutes as some of the newly matured betas played a game, challenged the new alphas to a contest but he pulled him away, not really wanting to hear any of their ridiculous bluster. The lot of them did look at Jungwoo with hungry, interested stares as they walked away though quickly found other things to look at when Jaehyun wrapped an arm around the omega, pressed a kiss to his head with a pointed glare past his shoulder.Eventually they made their way to their friends, where they’d congregated around their usual pit, creatures of habit.They all smirked when they came up, as if they were in on a secret.“Jung Jaehyun,” he laughed at Ten’s shout, where he was across their circle.“Yes Tennie,”“You look awesome,”He felt himself blush, flustered and flattered at that. Even more so when he felt Jungwoo looking at him with a small smile. Maybe he agreed.“Thanks-” he wanted to tell him that he looked incredible as always but Ten barreled on without waiting, clearly intent on something else, Ten’s eyes twinkled as they landed on Jungwoo next to him.“You’re very welcome, and Jungwoo looks gorgeous but we all have eyes so…”“Stop,” Jungwoo groaned next to him, like he’d been listening to that all day. He covered his face before stumbling into Taeil who caught him with a laugh. Taeil and Renjun took him to get something to drink, leaving Jaehyun empty handed in front of his smug friends. And of course, they had to say something, they wouldn’t be his friends if they didn’t.“You guys said you wouldn’t tease me,” he closed his eyes.“No one said anything,” Johnny defended but god, did it look like he wanted to.“I know,”“I think,” Ten started, “We’re allowed to tease you a little,”“No,”“Yes, Jae! If we can’t who can,”He shrugged before feeling a presence at his back, he caught sight of his brother, in his red shirt, smirking at his shoulder.He rolled his eyes with a sigh, “No,”“I didn’t even say anything,” Hajun defended with an outburst.“You have the face,”Hajun schooled his expression, held his hands out innocently while the boys laughed. Under his breath Hajun murmured, ‘no face, see,’ Jaehyun raised his eyebrows.“Please don’t say anything Jun,”“I won’t,”Yuta laughed, “oh my god he’s dying to say something look at him,”Jaehyun groaned, knowing he’d let Hajun get it out before he exploded but also knew he’d probably regret it.“Fine, say it,”Hajun wrapped an arm around his shoulder to pull him into his side. “I’m really proud of you,”Well, that wasn’t exactly what he’d been expecting.“What, why,”“Because you’re here with him and that’s special. Even if it’s not the way it looks, it’s special Jae and he’ll remember it,”Jaehyun ducked, feeling warm to his roots, “You know how it is for me,”Hajun hummed, was there a person alive who didn’t know how bad Jaehyun had it for Jungwoo?  Because at this point, he felt like it was so obvious. He huffed at his brother when he straightened his collar, smoothing it out for him where he’d bunched the fabric. “Well, I’m really freaking proud of you and I can’t believe how brave you are,”“Brave,” he asked, he didn’t usually feel too brave when it came to Jungwoo. He always second guessed everything and talked himself out of stuff so it wouldn’t get weird.“Yeah,” Hajun looked over the rest of his friends, looking for some back up.“Totally brave, Jae,” Johnny agreed while next to him Taeyong nodded.“Why because Jungwoo’s-”“No, no because you like him and you’re going for it,” Hajun said, deterring him. “We all know it took me an age to talk to Kun,”“I think you still take the cake Jun,”“Oh, for sure,” Hajun agreed, smirking at Doyoung, “but regardless of me, what you’re doing is awesome and whatever it leads to the process is fun and special…though you do look like you might pass out,”Jaehyun laughed, ducking away from his brother, “I don’t think I’ve…been breathing properly,”“Right, because he looks like that,”“Who looks like what,” Kun asked behind them. All their friends snickered behind their hands or into their drinks as Hajun got caught.“You baby, look amazing but I already told you that,”Jaehyun snickered hearing Ten whisper, ‘nice save Jun,’ to which Sicheng responded, ‘he’s so smooth,’ with an exaggerated eyeroll and they both started giggling again.Kun narrowed his eyes at his mate, never one to let Hajun get away with anything if he could help it.“You think you’re slick,”“God no,”Kun laughed loudly, letting Hajun off the hook as he opened his arms for him, nuzzled the top of his head when the alpha snuggled forward into him, like a massive puppy.“You guys are gross,”“No, we’re not,”“Yeah, you are, all of you are,”“Well, soon you’ll get to be gross with someone and get us back for all the time we grossed you out, deal,” Kun asked, hand out between them.“Oh big, freaking deal,” Jaehyun shook his hand with a grin, knowing he couldn’t wait to get back at all of them for the romantically antagonistic hell they’ve subjected him to for ages. Made even better thinking that it’d be Jungwoo he’d get to be like that with. Revenge, in this case sounded extra, extra sweet.He hadn’t realized Jungwoo was back until Hajun exclaimed, disentangled from his mate, surprisingly. “Jungwoo hi!”“Hi Hajun, how are you,”“I’m really good,” Hajun opened his arms for a hug which Jungwoo was only too happy to return as he scurried forward. Kun grinned at the two of them before smiling at Jaehyun.“I was surprised to see you weren’t doing the craft table with the others,” the teachers from the kindergarten and pre-school usually did that to give the pups plenty to do while the rest of the pack partied.Jungwoo smiled, “I offered but the girls wanted me to get the most out of my first solstice back apparently, so yeah,”“That’s nice, now you get to party with the rest of us,” Hajun kept his arm wrapped around him, murmuring that he was glad Jungwoo was still enjoying his job. Jungwoo sniffed a little, “Yeah it was a little weird a few weeks ago, the girls were sort of cagey with me but we’re better,”“Cagey why,”“Not sure,” Jaehyun watched Jungwoo think, saw their friends sit up. He remembered Jungwoo saying that the others hadn’t been too nice to him after the whole scene with Bobby at dinner, but he was glad to hear they were at least doing better.Hajun pursed his lips, looked like he wanted to argue.“Jun,” Jaehyun said, butting in to their conversation, “not tonight yeah,”Hajun caught on almost instantly, invisible lightbulb going off over his head. He turned back to Jungwoo with an apologetic smile, muttered an ‘I’m sorry,’ but Jungwoo brushed that off, leaned further into him instead.“I’m gonna steal him for a bit Jae, that cool,” Hajun asked then surprising him. Jaehyun nodded, feeling silly at the question.“Honey,” Kun stopped them, “bring me back some popcorn,”“You got it baby,” he called as he and Jungwoo headed back towards the crowd. And then Kun was on him, not nearly as cautious as some of the others were.“Happy Jae,” he said like a question, so he nodded. “So’s Jungwoo, he went on and, on all day, about how excited he was for all this. And he kept saying he couldn’t wait to see you because he hadn’t seen you since yesterday and then he was actually pretty annoyed at me and Ten for keeping you out earlier,” Kun laughed but also looked like he felt a little bad about that.“I think he’s over it,” Ten said.“Do you think he’s having a good time,” Donghyuck wondered, chewed at his lip.“He hasn’t even been here an hour Hyuckie,”“I know, I know,” he groaned, dropping backwards into Mark’s chest, “I just want him to have a good time,”“Donghyuck,” Jaehyun started but Mark took over.“Leave it to Jae, bug, Jungwoo’s gonna have an awesome time okay,” Mark nosed at Donghyuck’s cheek.“Okay,” he whispered, sagging back again.“Should we invite Joshua and his friends and Jimin’s gang too,” Taeyong asked, “Jungwoo loves them,” his heart swelled realizing that they were all silently in agreement that this solstice was for Jungwoo, they were intent to celebrate with him and make sure he had the best time.“Sure,” Johnny stood up, depositing Ten back on his feet and kissing him when he pouted, “wanna go get them,” he asked Taeyong who was already on his feet. So, they did, coming back shortly with the 13 of them who seemed excited to spend the rest of the night with them.He joined in their conversations, laughing with Mingyu who was eagerly asking him what it would take for him and Minho to consider a merger. He’d answered, ‘let’s talk about this when we’re sober yeah,’ and Mingyu seemed okay with that as he moved on to other things. He enjoyed it till he saw Jungwoo across the square, laughing with his brother as they moved and found himself effectively distracted. Mingyu tried getting his attention back with a hand in front of his face, heard Taeil tell Mingyu it was hopeless, started talking to him instead.He just couldn’t take his eyes off him. He didn’t want to. Didn’t feel like he had to either. He found himself standing up, almost without realizing it and moving towards Jungwoo and his brother, much to the apparent enjoyment of his friends who all laughed.He couldn’t help it, this feeling.He was too much right now, for him to take.He was beaming, from every single visible inch of him and Jaehyun was just glad he got to be here to witness it, to share in it.“Is that for me,” he asked to tease his brother when they reached him, pointing to one of the bags of popcorn he was holding.“No, it’s for Kun,”And like magic, he appeared, snagging one of the bags with a grin as he snuck himself under Hajun’s arm.“What were you two talking about?”Jungwoo looked up at Hajun with this bright, secretive smile while his brother winked at the other, “nothing,” he whispered.Kun blinked, “no, you have to tell me now,” he stepped closer to Jaehyun, like they were allies against Jungwoo and his brother. Jaehyun didn’t particularly care what they’d been talking about, just happy beyond basic comprehension that Jungwoo was feeling okay, talking to his brother so easily and finding his way through this night like he’d been doing so for years. He wasn’t an outsider, he wasn’t to be avoided, he was here and happy and Jaehyun couldn’t get enough of him. He smelled perfect. Like a peach pie being cooked over a campfire, their individual scents swirling together to create this maddening, intoxicating smell that had him feeling equal parts lightheaded and lead stomached. He could live with both of those though, so it was fine.“Nothing baby,” Hajun squeezed him, smirk still very intact while Kun whined a little, no less interested.“But-”“He was telling me a funny story about his dad,”“Jungwoo,” Hajun gasped like he’d been betrayed. Jungwoo giggled, hand running gently over his bump.“Sorry,”“What funny story,”“You’re so nosy,”“I just wanna know,” Kun pouted, turning to Jaehyun for back up. He raised his hands slightly to stay out of it but held his arms out after, closed them around Jungwoo when he moved away from his brother.“Maybe it wasn’t really a story,” Jungwoo decided, nose cold against Jaehyun’s cheek.“Yeah,” Hajun agreed, “I was more making fun of him,”Jaehyun picked up his head to laugh, chin moving along Jungwoo’s head, “why,”“Just because he hasn’t given his speech yet, it wasn’t bad…just,”“Teasing,” Jungwoo offered. Hajun nodded.“Yeah teasing, he’s just a big dork, like us, you get to see where we get it from,” Hajun pointed between himself and Jaehyun before wrapping his arm around Kun’s shoulder.Jungwoo smiled as he started munching his popcorn, holding the bag up for Jaehyun to have a handful. “You were so right Hajun, this is really good,”“It tastes like coconut right,”“Yeah, it’s good,”Kun opened his mouth to add something when his dad’s loud voice called for everyone’s attention. His pack hushed, turning almost in unison to the steps of the meeting hall where his dad stood, black jacket over his red shirt, bright, golden square of silk tucked into his jacket’s pocket.“Watch the master Jungwoo,” Hajun said as he spun to hold Kun around the waist, pressed against his back as his chin settled on top of his head.“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, hand finding its way into his.“Yeah,”“How long have they been together,” he asked, eyes focused on Hajun and Kun a couple steps in front of them.“Uh, three years mated, but they courted for a year and half before that…why,”“Just curious,” his head landed on his shoulder, “I feel funny asking people those sort of things but you’re like my window to the world,”Jaehyun felt himself warm up at that, he didn’t get any more time to think about that as his dad started speaking. “I’m so happy that you could all be here tonight to celebrate the solstice and enjoy the final few days before the new year. Before we really dive in, I’d like to first ask all of us to remember why we do this every year, it’s not only our time to celebrate our triumphs of the year but it also serves as a chance to find room to grow. It offers the ability to reflect on this year as we move towards the next. This year, while we contemplate our good fortune, I’d like to ask that we each take this time to evaluate ourselves too. As individuals, there’s always room for self-improvement. I’ve always been so proud to be your pack alpha and that remains but as this year comes to an end, let’s remember that at our core, we’re wolves. Each of us, that’s something we all share. It doesn’t matter where we came from or how we’ve found our way here now, what matters is that we show kindness and acceptance and guidance because we were all new and afraid and uncertain at some point in our lives. I was new at this once and some years ago when I came into this position you all welcomed me and the changes I offered with open minds and a willingness to learn, I only ask that we all maintain that openness now and always. We all have a right to our opinions but none of us have a right to cruelty and violence,”From his place on the steps his dad’s eyes stopped on him, his signature, sure smile swept over him and the rest of the crowd with his typical commanding power. He didn’t have to try or work at it like some alphas did, his dad opened his mouth to breathe and he filled the space expertly. He stopped and so did everyone else, he was easy to follow which is why he was so good at his job. From the second he’d started speaking Jaehyun knew he was giving this speech for him and Jungwoo, because this was his way around his request. There was a problem in his pack, and he couldn’t just leave it. He wasn’t calling anyone out necessarily, but to those his words applied to, they’d know and hopefully listen while Jungwoo remained at his side, his breathing even and scent smooth.“Let’s all keep that in mind going forward, reflect and grow, okay, spiel over, enjoy everyone,” The crowd clapped and raised their glasses as the music from the band picked up again.“I didn’t think that was dorky,” he heard Kun pipe up, “very insightful and kind of sweet,”Next to him he could feel Jungwoo looking at him. He glanced sideways to see the omega smiling though his eyes were narrowed a little.“I didn’t ask him to say that,” Jaehyun whispered, moving to face Jungwoo completely. The omega took his hand back, crossed his arms loosely in front of himself, nodding a little.“I didn’t,”Jungwoo pursed his lips, “I didn’t say anything Jae,”“Yeah, but you thought it,”“I did not,” Jungwoo squeaked, swatting his shoulder then took his hand, forgiven for teasing him. He asked him then if they could go and get something else to eat, sausage skewer and popcorn doing nothing to curb his appetite.“What do you want,”“I don’t know, I’m just hungry,” Jungwoo whined, hanging on to him as they wandered further from their pit, towards the row of spits around the center, all roasting different meats. They eyed the various areas set up in front of each with heaps of food that had already been cooked and prepared. Jaehyun made them both a plate, laughed as Jungwoo asked him for all the fixings to make a sandwich, hanging over his shoulder as he picked various things for him. A funny feeling started inside him when he thought about Jungwoo trusting him to feed him and his pup, letting Jaehyun do this for him without complaint. It was so small, but it felt big. Jungwoo hummed at his plate before they moved to sit on a bench next to one of the shops. This was what he’d been waiting all day for. Just him and Jungwoo and some food, legs stretched out next to each other, feet touching.“Are you having a good time,”Jungwoo swallowed and nodded. “Yes, a great time Jae, thank you,”He smiled, squeezed Jungwoo’s knee before going back to his own food, took a few bites and then Jungwoo was distracting him again.“This is like a night for courting right,” Jungwoo asked, not looking up from his food.“Yeah kind of,”“Kind of,”“Yeah, it’s not official but lots of people use this as a way to see for sure who’s still single, who’s looking and all that. But most of us just use it to spend time with our friends and family…why,” all the potential reasons why had his heart pounding harder, wolf darting from side to side anxiously.“Just curious, there’s so much I don’t know, sometimes I’m fine just doing my own thing but other times, like tonight, it hits me that I’ve lived so long outside of this place and I know so little. So much has changed, not that I remember a lot from my childhood and not that we ever did stuff like this but still…”Jaehyun scooted closer to him as he dropped off.“Ask me whatever you want…window to the world right,”Jungwoo looked up, blinked for a couple seconds before he split into a bright smile, teeth gleaming under the lights.“Who of our friends courted the longest,”Jaehyun gave him a look, he definitely knew the answer to that.“Who do you think,”“Yuta and Sicheng,” he asked.Jaehyun nodded, “they took the longest to get together and had the longest courting period too,”“Who’s been together the longest,”“Ten and Johnny I think…maybe Taeyong and Taeil, they’re a little cryptic about when they started courting though which makes me think they were together for a while before but…they’ve never confirmed that,”Jungwoo absorbed that, “who got together fastest,”“Uh, Mark and Donghyuck were surprisingly quick to mate, they courted for maybe a year. But Jeno and Jaemin were definitely the fastest through all of it,”“How so,”He knew what and why, but it also wasn’t really his story to tell, knowing it was way more complicated than just ‘oh they courted quickly’ or ‘yeah they’ve been together since we came of age,’ and also knew it didn’t involve just the two of them. He could give him a brief overview though, that wouldn’t be bad.“They barely courted before they were mated. I remember one day they weren’t together and the next they were,”“Really,”“Yeah,”Jungwoo looked super interested in that, “So-”“Woo,”He closed his mouth.“That’s all I got on that one,”“Okay,”Jaehyun tucked some of his hair behind his ear. “Any other questions,”He thought for a minute, as if prepping what he wanted to say.“Have you ever done this before,”This. This? What did he mean exactly? Courted? Taken someone to the solstice festival? Fallen in love? The possible meanings behind that were endless and each one made his stomach knot up.“What’s this,”“Courted. Have you ever started the process or done any of it?”Jaehyun wondered if he was thinking he’d done this, what he was doing with him, before now, with someone else. He wondered if he was talking about them personally or the general public who talked and flirted and caught feelings while their wolves begged them for more.“No, I was never into it. Was never really into all of it. It wasn’t for anyone’s lack of trying, plenty of people were trying to set me up, I was just never interested,”Jungwoo wasn’t looking at him again, focused fully on his plate.“You alright,”“Yeah, yeah I’m good,” he looked up, stoic face morphed with his signature, warm smile.“It’s still fun even if you’re not doing the whole need to find a mate thing,”Jungwoo’s smile widened some more, “speaking from experience,”“Obviously, I have years of practice at this thing and lots of knowledge about being the single friend,”Jungwoo laughed.“It’s not so bad actually,”“I didn’t say it was bad,”They were quiet then, finishing their food while the pack remained rowdy around them.“They’ll be lucky,” Jungwoo whispered.“Who,”“Whoever you end up with,”“Jungwoo-”“-I mean it,”“Okay but I’m…” he took a deep breath to give himself a chance to sort his thoughts, while his wolf screamed, tell him tell him tell him tell him, “I think your mate might actually be way luckier. They’d…be so freaking blessed to have you and your pup,”He couldn’t talk about this. He didn’t want to think about it. Implying that some other person was lucky, getting to have Jungwoo, someone who wasn’t him, it, it made it harder to breathe. It was possible. They didn’t owe each other anything. But he wanted it. All of it.They lapsed into silence after that, Jungwoo didn’t appear to have anything to say to that while Jaehyun felt bad for thinking the way he was, as if it was Jungwoo’s fault he’d fallen so hard for him. He didn’t like it, feeling this way, thinking this way when they’d been having such a good time, just enjoying each other’s company. As if to apologize for the thoughts that Jungwoo was none the wiser to, he shifted closer to him to kiss his temple.“Yours will be luckier,” Jungwoo finally said, not looking at him at all.“Do you want to get into this,” he could go if Jungwoo wanted.“No,” he pressed closer to him, lifted his hand to stroke his cheek, “I just wanted to say that…have the last word,”Jaehyun laughed at him, kissed his head again because he couldn’t not and wrapped his arm around him when they finished eating. They watched the pack pulse in front of them like a heartbeat, moving as one from one thing to the next, table to table in perfect rhythm.Jungwoo sighed next to him, dragging Jaehyun’s full attention away from the little omega girl running circles around a young beta boy, who kept dodging her attempts to grab him.“What Woo,”“Nothing,”“Nice try,”Jungwoo’s next sound was more an amused huff. “I feel bad,”“What like sick,”“No, no, I’m good Jae. No, it’s uh, I feel bad for feeling like this,” he took a breath, fiddled with Jaehyun’s fingers on his shoulder. “Everyone’s been so nice to me and I feel bad for thinking that this is just the calm before the storm. Like I’m just waiting for things to explode again,”Jaehyun squeezed him, “I know, I’ve thought that too but maybe people have finally gotten over it,”“Yeah, maybe,”“I told you sooner or later people would come around, find something else to obsess over,”“Or someone else to be mean to,”His stomach rolled at that, figuring it could be true and terrible. His head wandered to his mom before Jungwoo darted forward to kiss his cheek and apologized, muttering an ‘I’m sorry Jae,’ against him.“Why are you sorry,”“I’m being a bummer, we’re having a good time and I wrecked it,”Jaehyun brushed his thumb over his cheek. “You didn’t wreck anything. You haven’t done anything wrong, okay,”Jungwoo opened his mouth, looking a little upset. Jaehyun cut him off, “okay,”His pout blurred into a small smile, he nodded.“You’re allowed to worry and feel things and be sad, I’m always gonna be here to tug you out of that though, help talk you down,”A laugh burst out of him, like it was a relief, “I literally don’t know what I’d do without you Jae,”“You’ll never have to find out either,”“You promise,”“Cross my heart,”Jungwoo looped his arms around his neck and hugged him tight, worry evaporating against him, into thin air, for someone else to think about. He rubbed his back, held him through the remainder of it till he caught his dad’s rich pine scent in the air, shifted to see him coming up to them. There was their silence and alone time over, his dad looked a little apologetic, but his eyes were sparkling like he’d been waiting ages for this. Jaehyun hadn’t realized so many people’s lives revolved around him maybe having a relationship.“Hi,” Jaehyun smiled as Jungwoo jumped up, head craning back to look at his dad.“Hi,” Jungwoo peeped, taking a small step, he let out a breath when Jaehyun stood up, moved behind him, watched as the rest of Jungwoo’s worry faded away, brightened just like his smile. His dad cleared his throat, extended an arm to the bench they were just on, helped Jungwoo sit when he didn’t immediately lower to the seat.“I’m glad you came tonight Jungwoo,”“Thank you, sir, so…so am I,” Jungwoo looked up at him briefly before his attention flitted back to his dad.“Jaehyun,” his dad started, smile dragging away from Jungwoo to land on him.“Yeah,”“Would you mind,”He held out his empty mug to him, asking him to take a walk and get him a refill. Jaehyun took it but made sure to gauge Jungwoo’s reaction before he walked off, a little wary about leaving Jungwoo alone with him after what happened with his mom. He believed that his dad wouldn’t be that way, but he felt like he was allowed to be worried about that. To some degree.“I’ll be right back, what was this,” he lifted it to his nose.“Uh, Sooman’s ginger beer, thanks kid,”Jaehyun shook his head with a huff, hoping his dad would be gentle with Jungwoo and whatever he had to say.It didn’t take him too long to refill the cup though he did get sidetracked for a few minutes talking to Yugyeom, Jackson and Bambam by one of the spits, where the three of them made sure to point out how they didn’t recognize him without Jungwoo beside him. He let them tease him for a couple more minutes before moving on, assuming his dad was done saying whatever he’d wanted to, to Jungwoo by now.    Jungwoo was smiling when Jaehyun approached them, laughing quietly behind his hand as his dad grinned from ear to ear.“Here dad,”His eyes were twinkling when he looked up, face warm with something other than happiness, but he couldn’t decide what.“Thanks Jae kid,” he stood, reached a hand out for Jungwoo which the omega took quickly. “I was just telling Jungwoo that I couldn’t remember a solstice that felt worth celebrating more than this one. Having him home, it feels right doesn’t it,”Jaehyun nodded, feeling a little lost. Jungwoo’s gentle, shy smile found him, brought him back.“And next year, we’ll get his mom here too,”Jungwoo looked so bright and positive then that Jaehyun worried that he might explode into a million different beams but instead he moved into Jaehyun’s side, glowed against him instead.“Of course, sir, thank you,”“Hyunjun kid, remember,”“Right, Hyunjun, thank you,”His dad smirked at him, “and think about the offer okay,”“I will, thanks,”“Okay, enough business, I’m done, enjoy yourselves, I need to go see a mate of mine about some kimchi,” he backed up with a wave. They both watched him go for a couple seconds before Jungwoo looked towards him and said, “Did you know he visits my mom,”Jaehyun was shocked to hear that honestly. He looked back towards his dad’s back, it shouldn’t surprise him, he took pride in his role as Head Alpha and always tried to do the most he could for everyone. Sometimes it didn’t always work but he grew and tried again.“Does he,”“Yeah, he said he goes every other week, brings her groceries and she pays him and sometimes they talk or have coffee. She never told me that,”“Huh, but he’s an alpha,”“Yeah,” Jungwoo went quiet, hand settled over his stomach, “he didn’t say they were friends though,”“Right, but she must at least like him if she lets him do that for her,”“Jae,”“Yeah,”“Stop thinking about it,”Jaehyun grinned at him, “I’m not thinking about anything,”“I can hear it,” Jungwoo reached up to tap his head.“Nope, I’m not thinking I swear,”“I’m shocked about it too but it’s not worth stressing about,”“I’m not stressing,”“You’re not,”“Nope, I’m plotting,”“Jae,”“I think I may have found an in,”“Jaehyun,”Jungwoo didn’t look too pleased with him in that instance so Jaehyun reached out to tap his nose.“I’m kidding,”“Really,”“Yes, really. I’ll let her come to me, I promise,” he didn’t look like he totally believed him but was willing to let it go. He was eager to plead his case some more, promise he wouldn’t cross that line that Jungwoo was insisting was there when Jimin popped up next to them, two of his three pups in tow. Jaehyun watched Jungwoo beam at his friend.“This one didn’t like that his brothers got to see you two before him, so we had to come say hi,” Jimin said, stroking his hand through his oldest pup’s hair with a fond smile on his face. Jaehyun laughed, crouching to pick up Jiho who wrapped around him quickly, hanging onto him tight as he showed him the bracelet his parents gave to him for the solstice. Jungwoo grinned between them as he reached out for Kimun when he held his arms up.“Baby, no, no come here,”“It’s okay Jimin, I should get used to it right,” he swept a hand in front of his stomach with a smile as he picked Kimun up and held him tight.“I got you guys flowers, would you like them”Both the little boys brightened, as Jungwoo told them they were at their fire, since he didn’t want to crush them. Jimin smiled and told him he didn’t have to bother but Jungwoo appeared not to be listening as he talked with Kimun about how hot chocolate made everything better.As they made their way back through the crowd, towards their fire pit, Jaehyun tried really hard to focus on the little boy telling him all about what he’d done at the festival so far but found it increasingly harder looking at Jungwoo smiling down at the pup in his arms. He just looked so good. As if his fantasies needed anymore fuel.They were greeted by their group of friends plus Jimin’s little pack and all of Joshua’s friends, all of whom were still happily eating and drinking and talking.“Hi daddy,” Jiho called from his arms, waving excitedly at Jungkook who perked up, sitting away from Namjoon and Minghao.“Hey pup, you feel better now,” perhaps talking about how the little boy was upset that his brothers got to see him and Jungwoo before him.Jiho wiggled, then stilled. He grinned up at Jaehyun, all gummy and adorable before he hugged him, asked him to be put down. Jaehyun grinned at him, knowing no one compared to a pup’s parents for snuggles. Jiho skipped his way around the fire, a couple different people guided his steps when they felt he was too close but Jimin watched him the whole time, not seeming overly worried. Jungkook scooped him up with one arm, settled him on his leg as they talked happily to each other, including Namjoon and Minghao after a few seconds.“That’ll be you soon,” Jimin whispered against his ear.He whipped around to look at him, shocked. “What,”“You heard me,”“I did…but no Jimin. Just no,”“You don’t want to help him,” talking about Jungwoo and his pup, he looked offended on his friend’s behalf.“I want to be in his life no matter what role he has for me,”“Okay, good, then it’s not that crazy to think about,”“It’s a little crazy,”“It’s not Jae,”He huffed at the older omega, “maybe you’re crazy,”“Oh, I definitely am, but not about this,” Jimin pinched his cheek and moved on, leaving him with that whirlwind of thoughts. That could be him. He’d tried, like everything else, not to think about it and get overexcited but if other people were bringing it up and seeing it too, maybe it wasn’t totally insane. He wanted everything with Jungwoo so naturally that included a place in his pups’ life. He didn’t want to take anyone’s place, but he also didn’t know when, if ever, Lucas would come back into Jungwoo’s life. Jaehyun wouldn’t rob him a spot in his pup’s life but what if Jungwoo wanted him to have it, what then? He’d of course do whatever Jungwoo wanted, he’d help in any way he could, and he’d love that pup like mad. So, maybe that wasn’t that off base. Maybe that would be him.But then he thought about the conversation he and Jungwoo had just had about other people being lucky. It felt so open-ended, almost impersonal. He’d grown accustomed to all the thinking and all the figuring he had to do with Jungwoo, but this was different. They were having an explicit conversation about mates and courting and now he felt like he was in limbo. Of course, Jungwoo probably didn’t mean anything bad by it but it sounded like, he knew whoever Jaehyun ended up with would be lucky, made it sound like that wouldn’t be him. He didn’t like that, and he didn’t like this feeling. And yet, it didn’t deter the wild fantasies he was having, the fluttering in his stomach was still very present as if the rest of his body wasn’t around for that conversation. Even with all of that, his mind wasn’t changed. He wanted Jungwoo. He wanted to be in his life, and he wanted him in his, till Jungwoo no longer wanted that too.And here he was, right back where he’d started. Back to thoughts of Jungwoo that made him happy, ideas and plans and dreams. He hadn’t thought this day would toss him around so much.He didn’t think he was necessarily ready to be a dad and he definitely didn’t think he’d be the first in his friend group to be taking that step, since he wasn’t even mated and yet. He took one look at Jungwoo, at his growing bump, imagined how adorable and kind his pup would be and couldn’t help wanting a life with the two of them.He grinned as Jungwoo tucked one of the flowers behind Kimun’s ear, tucking his hair around it so it would stay and telling the pup he looked perfect. Immediately the little boy beamed and turned to show Jimin who kissed all over his face before taking a seat next to Taehyung.Yeah. He wanted that.…. Jaehyun was happily letting everyone else’s conversations wash over him, content listening to Jungwoo laughing next to him as he played with Jimin and Jungkook’s youngest pup, bouncing them gently on his legs, having stolen him from Donghyuck. He was partially listening to Joshua talk about trying to get pregnant, hoping the next one would catch and stay put, giddily saying he couldn’t wait to have pups, to both Jungwoo and Donghyuck who were listening intently.Things with all of them, though not the norm for them, flowed so easily it was like they spent time together every night before this.He hugged his brother and kissed Kun’s cheek when they stood up to go, probably off to socialize with Hajun’s friends for a while. Watched with a light heart as Hajun nuzzled the top of Jungwoo’s head so he wouldn’t have to get up and disturb the pup in his lap. It seemed small but having Hajun’s support, along with his dad’s gentle backing meant the world to him. He wanted to stand firm and say that approval didn’t matter and if his mom was going to be mean, it didn’t. But it also felt really good to have the supportive of two of his family members, like this was a good choice, like they thought Jungwoo was good for him. He liked that. It helped back up his daydreams and remind him that the process worked, just let it happen.It’s only after they leave that he realized he was being quiet. His friends must notice that too because he can feel eyes on him. Or more specifically one pair of eyes that’s burning holes into the side of his head, Donghyuck.He turned and caught him staring at him, the omega sat up straighter at being caught but started flailing his hands between Jungwoo and him, like he was trying to tell Jaehyun something. He tilted his head, confused at what he was silently trying to say. Donghyuck huffed, deflating a little before he lifted his arms, wrapped them around the air in front of him like he’s holding onto something and started swaying in his seat. Jaehyun caught Mark’s eye, who shook his head and went back to giving his mate a funny look. Jaehyun thought he understood what Donghyuck was trying to say, he’s sick of waiting for Jaehyun to ask Jungwoo to dance or he’s trying to remind him to do it in case he forgot. As if he could do realistically manage that. But everyone is sitting, the crowd in the center has dispersed to sit by different fire pits, relaxing with their family and friends, there was still gentle music flowing through the center so at least he wouldn’t look like a total freak asking someone to dance with no music. He could feel some of his friends watching him, not just Donghyuck who was starting to look visibly irritated with him. He was reminded then why he loved them all so much when Taeil swooped in to save him.“Love,”Taeyong perked up, turning away from his conversation with Seungcheol and Soonyoung in favor of his mate.“Yes babe,”“You should ask me to dance,” Taeil stood up, moving in front of Taeyong as the other’s watched.“I should ask you to dance,” if he was confused by that he didn’t let it show.Taeil nodded, smile bright. Taeyong shrugged, always game to follow his mate anywhere.“Will you dance with me,” Taeyong asked, standing and moving to kiss the other’s nose.“I would love to,” Taeil dragged him to just beyond their fire pit, wrapping his arms around the taller boy as they swayed and spun around. The others wore varying expressions, ranging from confusion to fondness as they watched them.Chenle tugged on Jisung’s hand, wanting to dance too and pouting when the young alpha shrugged him off, telling him he didn’t want to. If Jaehyun hadn’t wanted to dance with Jungwoo so desperately he would’ve asked Chenle just so he wouldn’t look so upset. But Doyoung took care of that for him, standing to offer Chenle his hand in a dramatic, sweeping motion before tugging him across the center to twirl him as he giggled. Across the pit Jisung watched them, mouth set in a line that made Jaehyun sympathize a little, he was so young, and the world and omegas could be so intimidating and confusing.Next to him, he could feel Jungwoo looking at him, gently.“I don’t suppose you want to dance too,” he leaned close, shoulder connecting with Jungwoo’s.“People are already watching them,” Jungwoo whispered, old, almost forgotten self-consciousness was there, like it had never left him. He squeezed the pup in his arms, kissed the top of their head when he leaned into him, probably sensing his distress and hoping to help like pups did.“That’s okay, they’re just having fun,”“I don’t think…your mom will like it if you dance with me,” But Jaehyun didn’t care, his mom was wrong and Jungwoo deserved to wring this night dry, take everything he wanted for himself and enjoy it.“Maybe you haven’t noticed,” Jaehyun stood up, brushed off the back of his pants. He took the pup from Jungwoo easily, kissed his fluffy head of hair before handing him to Seokjin who reached out excitedly for him, cooing about ‘neglecting Uncle Jinnie’.“But I don’t really care what my mom thinks. Dance with me,”Jungwoo looked at him for a long moment, chewed his bottom lip, fingers curling against his legs. He jumped when Joshua nudged him, peering at his friend with big eyes while Joshua murmured to him. Jungkook gave Jaehyun a really goofy, encouraging grin as the rest of his friends paired off, eager to be supportive and play along.He heard Jungwoo heave a sigh before he took Jaehyun’s hand and let himself be pulled into the circle their friends had made. Jungwoo wrapped an arm around his shoulder easily, coming closer to rest his chin against him. He was shaking. Which shocked him, even earlier when he’d seemed worried, it wasn’t like this. Jaehyun didn’t like it.“Jungwoo,”“I’m fine,”“You’re shaking,”“I’m fine Jae…” he took a deep breath, “would you maybe talk to me though,”“Sure,” glad to give him something else to latch onto that wasn’t the way the rest of the pack was watching them. He filled the minimal space between them with nonsense, telling him about Hajun and Kun’s courting because that seemed to interest him and asked him questions to keep him engaged. Jungwoo rested his head against the crook of his neck with a soft sigh, easing into it with some gentle encouragement. Jaehyun kissed the top of his head, refusing to look around them, refusing to give in to the weird bubble inside him that grew with doubt. He wasn’t doubting anything, he didn’t understand why he was feeling this way. He was proud of this, he was happy and in this moment nothing but Jungwoo mattered. He was warm and safe in his arms, humming under his breath to the soft music and hushed chatter. The bubble shifted to something warmer as Jungwoo stopped shaking, arm held onto him tighter while his nose pressed against his scent gland. The song ended and another started but Jaehyun had no interest in moving, not if Jungwoo didn’t so he wrapped his arm tighter around his waist as his other hand held Jungwoo’s against his chest, thumb stroked over his knuckles. He caught sight of Renjun stealing Chenle away from Doyoung, sticking his tongue out at him quickly as the omegas spun away. Doyoung flailed but smiled after them before he wandered back to their pit where he joined a still pouting Jisung, brushing his hair back slowly.Jungwoo held onto him tight for a couple more songs, before he picked up his head.“Are you upset with me,”Jaehyun felt his whole-body stutter. “No, of course not, why,”Jungwoo shrugged against him, squeezed around his shoulder.“Jungwoo,” he kissed his forehead, “why do you think I’m upset with you,”“You just seem upset,”“I’m not, I promise,”“Okay,” Jaehyun felt him smile against his throat.“Are you upset with me,” he felt compelled to ask.Jungwoo looked up at him so quick Jaehyun would’ve sworn he’d gotten whiplash from it. “No, Jae, of course not,”He smiled at him, lifted their linked hands to brush the fine skin under his eyes, Jungwoo lids fluttered closed with his touch.“I’m happy,” Jungwoo whispered, head drifting back to lay on his shoulder. “I can’t remember the last time I felt like this,”Jaehyun squeezed him, kissed his fluffy hair and whispered, “good,” kind of lamely but he could hardly think right now.“Even when I think I can’t do something or shouldn’t do it, you remind me that it doesn’t matter what other people think or what they want, just what I want,”He hummed, “what do you want,”Jungwoo thought for a second, “this, this is good,”“Dancing…”“Yeah, with you,”Jaehyun spun them around for a second, laughing when Jungwoo’s feet kicked against his own, held him steady when he tensed, thinking he’d stumble. Pride and warmth and happiness knocked back everything else he was feeling, replacing it with good things, good, happy Jungwoo related things.He was willing to totally surrender to the rest of this night, forget everything else and just give to Jungwoo, whatever he wanted. In return, Jungwoo was happy. He was having a good time. Jaehyun was willing to believe, no he did believe, that Jungwoo’s happiness tonight was because of him. And their friends, and their friends of friends.They stayed just like that for a while longer, Jungwoo seemed to have no interest in letting him go or disentangled. Which of course was all Jaehyun needed and more. He’d give him exactly this for the rest of his life, it’d be just fine, literally just finewith him.And then Jungwoo seemed to change his mind about dancing, instead wanted to do something else.“Can we play a game,”Jaehyun smiled, “sure,”He pointed at Johnny who was blissfully holding onto Ten, he perked up when he met Jaehyun’s gaze.“Game,” he asked, voice traveling easily through the quiet space. Johnny nodded, leant down to ask Ten if he wanted to play a game and like that, they were all in. Johnny and Ten went to snag one of the many games from the center and brought it back to their pit for everyone to play. And Jungwoo seemed to have a really good time doing that with everyone, taking turns and making teams, laughing when he scored points and laughing even harder when he didn’t. Jungwoo and him won one round, though Junhui and Dokyeom’s team dominated all of them in the end, much to the shock of their friends. Jimin didn’t seem crazy about losing and asked for a rematch though at that point Jungwoo had sort of lost interest, picking up Kimun again when he asked why he couldn’t dance too, with everyone else. So, Jungwoo asked him if he’d like to dance with just him and that seemed to be fine with the pup as they twirled around, laughter blended to fill the air and every crack and space inside Jaehyun perfectly.…. Jaehyun took a deep breath, let the lone scent of peaches and cinnamon work over him smoothly. It was just them, just the two of them. At the end of this long, ridiculously awesome night, it was just them and he liked that.Jungwoo leaned back against his door, looking at him like he wanted to say something.“Thank you, Jae, for tonight, I had a lot of fun,”Jaehyun decided to ignore the ‘thank you,’ and smiled at him instead.“I did too, but I’m happier that you did,”Jungwoo laughed at that, reached his hand out for his again which Jaehyun took without a single thought. Pleased to think that he was tearing his walls down for him, at the end of this night.“Do you want to come in,”Jaehyun’s stomach clenched, wolf perked up. He ignored him though, knowing he didn’t think about things the way Jaehyun did, the way Jaehyun had to. He did, he really did but it was so late. And Jungwoo seemed tired.“It’s late Jungwoo,”“So,”“So, you need rest, I’m sure you’re exhausted,” Jaehyun made sure to squeeze his hand.“I’m fine,” he whispered as his other hand reached out for him, settling against his collar. They were quiet after that, Jungwoo’s sleepy, half lidded eyes were focused on his chest while Jaehyun just watched him. The way his eyelashes fanned over his skin, the way his nose twitched with each inhale, the way his fingers curled over the white of his shirt, the way his sweater fit him so perfectly, pulled just the slightest bit over his stomach. Jaehyun could look at him for the rest of his life and never get tired of the sight of him. Jungwoo shifted closer to him, rolled his shoulders a little, the thin necklace he was wearing caught the light and Jaehyun’s eye.“This is pretty,” His fingers traced across his neck almost without his permission, he was doing it, touching Jungwoo before he even considered doing it.He hadn’t noticed it earlier, maybe it was hidden under his sweater or maybe he’d just been too overwhelmed looking at every other part of him, committing the way he’d looked tonight to memory, that he didn’t notice the delicate gold necklace he was wearing. Tiny, heart shaped pendant dangled between his collarbones, glinted under the light next to his door.“Thank you,” the other whispered, staring up at him. His head craned back, exposed and drawing attention to the long line of his throat, a sinful, dastardly thing to do to him. Jaehyun swallowed, scolded his wolf to keep his composure. He could be good, he was good but let’s not get crazy, he wasn’t a saint. He had to work really hard to drag his attention away from the pale, tempting skin in front of him, the smooth, unblemished scent gland on the side of his neck, it was making his mouth water a little. Just before he would’ve likely made a fool of himself Jungwoo spoke.“You haven’t yelled at me,” Jungwoo said so quietly, Jaehyun had to lean closer, which made Jungwoo smile, resting fully back against his door as his fingers stroked down Jaehyun’s neck. Jungwoo was being extra affectionate like he always got when he was tired. Jaehyun didn’t mind watching the low, crumbling walls fall down the rest of the way.He ducked, stomach warm as he felt himself giving in to the way Jungwoo was looking at him, forehead barely an inch from his.“I never yell at you,” he murmured, smirking a little when Jungwoo’s eyes sparkled.“I just thanked you twice and you didn’t say anything, you’re losing your touch Jung,” oh god. Jungwoo was flirting with him. Was that right? This was totally flirting, not just Jungwoo’s usual sweetness, gentle attentive personality aimed directly at his heart, no this was batted eyelashes and a craned neck and whispered words that made his insides boil. Jungwoo was flirting with him and now Jungwoo’s looking at you like you’re crazy, so you should answer him Jaehyun, you dolt.“I’m not losing anything,” he said, hands falling to Jungwoo’s sides where he squeezed him for a second before wrapping his arms behind his back and tugging him forward with a squeak.“Are you sure,” Jungwoo breathed, nose nudging against his.“Pretty sure,”Jungwoo hummed, his tongue poked out to sweep across his bottom lip, effectively making Jaehyun’s head cloud with thoughts he’d tried hard to ward off all night. Thoughts of kissing Jungwoo, thoughts that would leave them both breathless and pink cheeked, thoughts he’d been ignoring for weeks because it wasn’t right, it was too soon. But after tonight, after these last few days it didn’t feel out of place or too soon, it seemed right. He could kiss him and just see where that landed him. Or it could wreck everything for them.But as quick as he fell into that feeling, Jungwoo pulled him right out as he wrapped his arms around Jaehyun’s neck and whispered, “you have your dad’s dimples,”Jaehyun cleared his throat, forced himself to stop watching the way Jungwoo’s lips formed his words. “Yeah,”“I wondered if they were genetic or maybe you were just lucky…tonight was the first time I’d noticed that your dad has them too,”“Yeah,”“I like them,”“Oh yeah,”Jungwoo nodded, fingers played with the hair at the back of his head.“I used to hate them, because they got me in trouble,”Jungwoo giggled, head tipping, “how’d they do that,”“I couldn’t ever get away with lying growing up, because I’d try not to smile and bam dimples,”Jungwoo’s smile turned then into something a little mischievous, “You shouldn’t have told me that,”“Why not,”“Because now I can get you in trouble,” his nose nudged his again, tongue catching between his teeth as he grinned at him. Jaehyun felt his eyebrows jump, ducked to lay their foreheads together.“I think I’m already in trouble,”Jungwoo’s eyes closed, cheeks pinker than before. While he wasn’t looking Jaehyun moved to kiss his cheek, unfolded his arms from around him and stepped back. Jungwoo blinked his eyes open to watch him go. The omega lifted his hand to wave after him, lip caught between his teeth.“Sleep Jungwoo,”“Okay Jaehyun,”He shook his head, turning around to head home, down Jungwoo’s cobbled walkway when the omega called out his name. He smiled to himself, hands in his pockets, he spun back to look at the other, still pressed to his door.“Yeah,”“Goodnight,”Jaehyun huffed a tiny laugh, “Goodnight Jungwoo,” smiling softly at him as Jungwoo opened his door and shut off his outside light.Jaehyun sighed thinking about just how much trouble he was in. It was incredible and palpable and dangerous. Jungwoo’s mere existence was troublesome for him, not that he minded too much. But. If he wasn’t careful, he could totally blow this all up before he even got to enjoy it. It was just starting to get good and even though he’d wanted to kiss Jungwoo desperately he didn’t want to rush anything and chase Jungwoo away with his over eagerness. He didn’t want that. But he did want Jungwoo. Badly. That in mind, he kicked himself all the way home for not being brave enough. For missing the perfect opportunity to kiss Jungwoo, it was right there, and he’d let it pass.So, he kicked himself.And cursed at his wolf who was all sorts of distraught that they didn’t snatch that chance while they had it. He collapsed into bed and convinced himself that that wouldn’t be the only chance he got, the next time they were that close it’d be better timing, he wouldn’t have to think about it, and it’d be good. For now, he could fall asleep thinking about how Jungwoo filled the circle of his arms perfectly, how his eyes had twinkled, how sweet he’d smelled and how plump his bottom lip was, how warm he’d been pressing closer to Jaehyun all night long.How even under the less than flattering light on his porch, he was still the single most beautiful person he’d ever seen.Now, quick question. Was trouble spelled, t r o u b l e or J u n g w o o?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun knocked on Taeyong and Taeil’s door, the morning after the festival, happy he hadn’t had that much to drink, fully functioning and not hung over at all. But that didn’t help him from waking up in a fog. This weird, guilty thing that made his chest hurt, he couldn’t take it, he had to talk to somebody. At first, he debated going over to his brother’s but wasn’t sure what sort of reaction he’d get from him and Kun. They were both so supportive and while he appreciated that he sort of felt he needed someone to tell him what was what. Which made him consider Ten but knew the state he and Johnny would likely be in today and had no interest in seeing their aftermath. Donghyuck wasn’t a good bet either since he and Jungwoo were best friends and he’d probably yell at him before he gave him advice. Yuta would probably tease him ruthlessly, so he was out, Doyoung had a limit when it came to courting conversations, he’d probably had his fill last night. And he absolutely could not talk to Jungwoo since that’s who his problem was about.So, he ended up at Taeyong and Taeil’s, knowing their support of him wouldn’t stop them from being honest. Taeil was one of Jungwoo’s best friends but that didn’t ever seem to cloud his judgement, if anything he thought it brought them closer and made him a better friend all around. And Taeyong had always had the ability to talk him down, he was calming and thoughtful and insightful and he thought things through like other people didn’t. He never wasted his words and Jaehyun really needed him, needed some of that.He heard yelling and then some groaning inside their house before Taeyong opened the door, wearing jeans and a sweater, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. “Jaehyun, hi,” he dragged him in, immediately offering him coffee or something to eat. Jaehyun told him he was alright, looked around their living space for his mate and didn’t see him.“Is Taeil home,”Taeyong smirked, hooked a thumb towards the couch. He whispered, “he’s hungover,”Jaehyun covered his mouth when he laughed and felt a little bad for knocking on the door for so long now knowing that Taeil’s head was probably pounding.“Hi Tae,”He was answered with a groan.Taeyong rolled his eyes and shuffled around the couch, walking into his slippers as he rounded the room. Jaehyun couldn’t see Taeil, with how he was likely curled on the couch but smiled watching Taeyong stare down at where his mate was, arms crossed. “Drink the coffee,”“No,” Taeil huffed.“Honey, it’ll make you feel better,”“I can’t,”“You can you just don’t want to,”“My tummy hurts,”“I know, you need to eat but you said no to food,”“Don’t wanna,”Taeyong tossed up his hands before he sighed, leaning down fondly. Jaehyun heard his whisper, “how about some water,”Taeil moaned pitifully which Jaehyun assumed meant ‘yes,’.Taeyong nodded towards the kitchen so Jaehyun followed him.“Sorry,” he said but Jaehyun shook his head, finding that ridiculous.“Why, I showed up here,”“No, I mean, sorry for him, he’s ridiculous after drinking,”Jaehyun grinned, remembering once upon a time Taeil was the one who stayed sober to get all of them home safe and sound but as they all got older, he loosened up, feeling less like everyone’s parent and more like their brother instead.“You seem fine,”“Yeah, didn’t drink that much…or maybe I just balanced it out better, had plenty of water and food with it,”Taeyong jumped into action as his sentence fell off, realizing he’d come into the kitchen to do something. He grabbed a glass and filled it from the pitcher on the edge of the counter, muttered, “I’ll be right back,” before disappearing back into the living room.When he came back, he made them both coffees, disregarding what Jaehyun had said before as if he knew Jaehyun would need it. “Did you guys stay for long after we left,”“Maybe an hour or two, Jaemin and Renjun had a drinking contest and Sicheng and Junhui made fast friends which was nice, I don’t think they’d ever talked to each other before last night, and we all had a great time, sharing stories about you and Jungwoo,”“What,”Taeyong shrugged, thought about what he was going to say next.“Don’t worry, me and Mark talked them all out of making bets on the two of you,”“Regarding what,”“When you’d get together, who’d kiss who first that kind of thing,”“Huh,”“They said they’d let it go but I can’t promise there won’t be money trading hands at some point,”Jaehyun looked down at his mug, dragged his finger around the rim while his thoughts swirled. He listened to Taeyong take a sip of his coffee, probably watching him.“What Jae,”“Nothing,”“No, I said something, what’d I say,”He sighed, knowing he needed advice on this more than anything else, he’d never done this before, and he was way out of his depth here.“What,”“I almost kissed Jungwoo last night,”Taeyong split into a smile then frowned, noticing he wasn’t smiling too.“That’s a bad thing,” he asked, head tipped to the side.Jaehyun put his mug down and covered his face, groaning into his hands. “I don’t know, it felt right, and I was gonna do it but then I stopped because it’s…too fast isn’t it,” he took a breath and held it, feeling like he was waiting for a punch.“You’re asking me,” like he was genuinely confused by that.Jaehyun nodded.“I’m not sure the normal rules apply to the two of you,”“It feels fast,”“Okay,”“I don’t want to scare him,”“Okay,”Jaehyun let out the breath in a whoosh.“I love him,”Taeyong gave him a soft smile, “I know,”“And sometimes I know what to do and other times I have no clue. Like last night I was good, that was normal and natural and fine. And then we started talking about courting and he was saying that my future mate is going to be so lucky…like he, like he doesn’t consider me at all. And that felt horrible but then it went away because he told me I make him happy and that’s good. It was fine after that and then I had to go and get so freaking close to him and almost kiss him, god he probably hates me,”“Why would he hate you,”“Because I almost kissed him,” he almost yelled, remembering halfway through that Taeil wasn’t feeling great and he was right in the next room.“Jaehyun,” Taeyong started, putting his hands out then let them drop, “did he pull away like he meant to avoid it,”He tried to remember. He hadn’t, not that he’d noticed, although he was pretty much caught up watching the shadows play out under his eyes, studying the way his lips pursed together so perfectly.“No, I don’t think so,”Taeyong made a gesture like that meant everything. Jaehyun didn’t feel like it did but if Taeyong did maybe it was fine. Of the two of them, Taeyong had done this, successfully. And Jaehyun felt like he was learning new things every day, relearning things and going back and changing his own mind all the time as he grew. Most of the time it was fun but today and last night it was terrifying. Jungwoo was just, he was so there but that didn’t mean anything. At the end of the day, everything they had, the merging scents, the closeness, the friendship, could mean nothing. He could’ve kissed him last night, but he hadn’t. Now he had to deal with that. God this was so frustrating. He’d never in his life felt this small and dumb. He had no freaking idea what he was doing, he had no concrete way of knowing if Jungwoo wanted him and he was scared out of his mind of asking him and being hurt. He didn’t want to be hurt. He didn’t want Jungwoo to hurt him. It wouldn’t be on purpose but the sympathy and sadness that would come from him after would only make it worse.He felt himself start to shake, watched Taeyong shift across the space, slippers muffled on the tile as he came to stand next to him.“Aren’t we supposed to be brave and confident and fearless when we want something,” he felt pretty pathetic for an alpha at the moment.Taeyong shrugged, “I don’t think there’s anything scarier than putting yourself out there to be hurt. You feel things for him, and he feels them for you, you’re both taking steps around each other but never closer, you know,”“You think I should’ve just done it? Just kissed him,”Taeyong thought for a moment, long fingers drummed against his arms.“I think the scariest thing I ever did was kiss Taeil for the first time,”Jaehyun felt his chest inflate.“But it was also the best thing I ever did,” they were both quiet when they heard rustling from the other room, started talking again when Taeil didn’t appear in the doorway or say anything. “I know how scary it is Jae, but I think you’ll be more upset with yourself if you don’t do anything and miss out. If you get hurt, you’ll feel that for a bit but one day it’ll be fine. If you don’t try, you’ll live with that forever,”He nodded, knowing if he didn’t do anything or say anything, he’d never get any answers. This whole conversation reminded him of the one he and Hajun had had when he was doubting himself as a potential mate for Jungwoo. Today he was just scared. Maybe that was natural, that an alpha lost their bluster once in a while but Jaehyun hated it. Had never experienced this feeling of fear, he trusted Jungwoo and loved him but that only made it scarier.“Maybe you’re not ready for it Jae, and that’s okay too,”He looked up at his friend, he hadn’t thought about that. He’d waited and put things off and held himself back at first because it felt too quick, always managing to talk himself out of it for some reason but he hadn’t thought that maybe it was too fast for him.“You’ve never done this before,”“Right,”“It’s overwhelming and stressful. I think you’re already in deeper than most before they start courting which probably feels like you’re in stasis because you’re not courting him officially but you’re also way more than friends. Does that make sense,”“Yeah,”It did. You expect things when you’re courting. Jaehyun wasn’t courting Jungwoo, he had no expectations, but he had plenty of ideas about what he wanted. So, while they were moving at their pace, his wolf was moving at another and the world around them was trying to set a different pace for them entirely. Maybe that’s why he felt like this. Confused and scared and kind of exhausted.“Can I tell you what I think,”“Please,” he needed help sorting his thoughts.“I think you don’t have to be ready, you’ve never done this before. I know everybody has their opinions about this because wolves are nosy and annoying but literally all that matters, is that you and Jungwoo are comfortable. If you’re not ready, then you’re not ready,”Jaehyun sighed.“I was ready though, I was going to do and then after I didn’t, I couldn’t stop thinking about it,”Taeyong smiled at him, like he understood the feeling. The back and forth was maddening but apparently easy to relate to. He opened his mouth to say something when Taeil’s ruffled, puffy-eyed form dragged himself into the kitchen with his mug, slipping a little on the bottoms of his sweatpants and going a little green when he pinwheeled to keep himself upright. Taeyong rushed to help him, guided him to lean against the counter while asking him quietly what he needed. Taeil held up his mug, eyes closing while he breathed through his nose slowly. Taeyong refilled it swiftly, pressing back into his mate’s waiting hand. Jaehyun felt bad for the other but was definitely glad he didn’t drink that much last night, remembering those nights where he’d had a blast and hated himself the next day. Taeil took a big sip, swallowing gingerly as if he didn’t really want to. He sighed after getting it down and tipped his head up, smiling at Taeyong who was watching him tenderly. Taeyong kissed him, nosed across his forehead before he moved to refill his own mug and Jaehyun’s.“What were you two talking about,” Taeil’s voice was a croak when he spoke.Taeyong looked at Jaehyun over his shoulder, didn’t say anything. He wanted Jaehyun to say it, if he wanted Taeil to know.He sighed, “I almost kissed Jungwoo last night,”Taeil perked up about as much as his hung-over self could, stood a little straighter and raised his eyebrows. “Almost,”“Yeah, I chickened out at the last second,”Taeil huffed, the sound held more animosity than Jaehyun would’ve ever expected from him. Taeyong seemed to agree when he stared at his mate with big eyes and a funny twist to his mouth.“What,”Taeil looked up, shocked.“Nothing,”“No, Tae what,”Taeil sighed, arm wrapping around his stomach, “Why didn’t you do it,”“It didn’t feel right,”He pursed his lips and nodded. Jaehyun watched the older wolf’s face darken, mouth a flat line, eyes unfriendly and forehead pinched.“Why do you do that,” Taeil asked, almost angry. Taeyong stepped up next to Jaehyun, the pair of them stared back at Taeil stunned.“Do what,” he wasn’t expecting this from Taeil, he was always so chill and easy to talk to and even when he was upset or pissed off, he didn’t let that get the better of him.“Jerk him around,” he hissed.“What,” he wasn’t doing that, was he?“Babe, easy,” Taeyong tried to come forward but Taeil put his hand up, stopped him dead.“I’m not…jerking him around,”“Yes, you are,” he put his fingers against his temples, squeezed his eyes shut before barreling on. “He has feelings too Jaehyun. And for someone as considerate and gentle as you I’m shocked that you wouldn’t consider him when you do things, you think about why you wouldn’t do something but not about how he may take that,”Jaehyun felt a rumble start deep in his chest, “I only ever think of him,”Taeil narrowed his eyes.“Taeil, babe this is kind of about Jaehyun too, if he’s not comfortable, that’s just as important as how Jungwoo is feeling,”Taeil seemed to ignore that as he kept going, focus zeroed in on Jaehyun.“What if he wanted you to kiss him,”He and Taeyong looked at each other, heard Taeil groan something offensive about alphas.“What,”“Oh my god, Jaehyun, you can be so dense,”“Babe,”“No, he’s being stupid,”“Okay babe but…” Taeyong closed the distance between them, had a practically silent conversation while Jaehyun stewed over what he’d said. What if Jungwoo had wanted him to kiss him? And he hadn’t. Was he hurt? Oh. He hadn’t meant to do that, he’d never, ever, ever want to hurt him. He’d hoped and prayed and imagined Jungwoo wanting him back but thinking that he did, thinking Jungwoo may have wanted him to kiss him changed things. He was able to talk himself into just about anything for Jungwoo. And now he really wished he’d done it because he didn’t want Jungwoo hurt or upset or thinking Jaehyun wouldn’t give him absolutely anything he wanted.Taeyong turned to look at him, “I think he might still be a little drunk,”“Don’t say drunk,” Taeil groaned.“You might be, you’re being kind of mean,”“I am not, I’m being honest, am I supposed to lie to him,”“No, but you…could be nicer about it babe,”“Oh, I’m sorry,” he snipped and then looked at Jaehyun, and he looked sorry. “I’m sorry Jae,”“It’s okay, tell me…about it, I’d rather not be doing stuff wrong if I can help it,”“No, I shouldn’t have said that. Just because he might have been expecting it doesn’t mean you have to go through with it, sorry,”“Yeah but what did you mean…you think he wanted me to,”“Maybe,”Jaehyun looked at Taeyong across the kitchen, felt his stomach roil. “I feel awful,”Taeil raised his mug, missing his point a little, “join the club,”“Jae, it’s fine, there’ll be other chances,”“Oh, definitely but in the future maybe don’t act like you’re going to do it and then not. That sucks,”Taeyong waved his hands around, “don’t listen to him right now Jae, okay, he’s being…like this,”“He’s not wrong though. I was going to do it and I didn’t and if Jungwoo thought I was going to…he’s probably upset. I didn’t want to upset him,”“I’m sure he knows that Jae, you’ve never done anything to hurt him,”He nodded, that was true but that didn’t make him feel better. This was his worst nightmare. He wanted to say he’d do it next time, commit to it but he wasn’t so sure he could be trusted with that.“Tae,” he said and waited for Taeil to look up at him, “do you think he wanted me to,”Taeil shook his head then looked like he regretted doing that, “I’ve already said way too much, and I think I might still be drunk so you shouldn’t listen to me anyway…”“Okay but-” if Taeil thought Jungwoo may have wanted him to kiss him, Jaehyun would take that, he liked that. This, if it was real, was the best thing Jaehyun had heard in all day. Jungwoo wanted to kiss him to, just thinking about that made his wolf trot around, happily swishing from side to side excitedly.“-Jae,”He closed his mouth, knowing Taeil probably knew way more but seemed less than willing to share. If this was real information, he was sharing then Jaehyun knew much more than he did before.“You just need to trust yourself and if you want to do something, do it. If you’re hit with those thoughts just go for it, there’s time for doubt later but I think you’ll gain way more than you’ll lose when you start giving in to those things,”“I didn’t mean to upset him…”“He knows that Jae and we both know he’s way stronger and more resilient than anyone gives him credit for,”“Yeah but I still don’t want to hurt him,”“I hear that,” Taeil took another sip of his coffee, quiet as he worked that over, “the next time you feel like you want to kiss him, either do it or don’t. But don’t act like you’re going to and then stop, speaking from experience it sucks to think someone’s gonna kiss you and then they change their mind,” he gave the other alpha in the room a pointed look. Taeyong ducked his head, cheeks going bright red in the process.It was weird to think about because he had a hard time, even now thinking that Jungwoo might want him too. He never, ever, ever wanted to hurt him and thinking that he had by chickening out of kissing him made him feel worse. It wasn’t so much that he consciously decided he didn’t want to, he absolutely did want to, he just let the moment pass him by. And thinking about it, afterword was horrible because he wanted to do it so bad, but he didn’t. Though maybe he had less reasons to doubt himself now, thinking that Taeil might be right about Jungwoo being disappointed about not getting kissed. He didn’t want to disappoint Jungwoo probably as much as he wanted to kiss him. It made his head spin to think about. He’d been trying to prepare himself for both sides of this, Jungwoo could want him or he could not but properly thinking that Jungwoo could want him and want to kiss him was just perfectly muchfor him.Jaehyun figured he could trust Taeil’s point of view on this because he was so close to Jungwoo, probably knew more about this than Jaehyun ever would and they were best friends, he wouldn’t lie to him or tease him with something he wanted so desperately. He was a little surprised that Taeil would give him so much about this at all. He and Donghyuck were so close to Jungwoo and got information from him that Jaehyun didn’t try to but they very rarely provided him with that. As if that would impede the process in some way, as if Jaehyun wouldn’t appreciate that little bit of help. There may have been a time that he would’ve complained about interference but at the moment he would definitely appreciate it. Just a little. Just the tiny push. Like this, this was perfect because now his bad thoughts were replaced with confidence and Taeil’s frustration that seemed to stem from Jungwoo’s desires. Jungwoo could want him. Jungwoo could’ve been expecting him to kiss him. That felt good. And he felt bad.He wasn’t leading anyone on, he wasn’t trying to do that and Jaehyun felt horrible if Jungwoo was upset about it. He’d fix it, the next time he was put in a moment like the one last night, he’d go for it, he’d absolutely kiss him. He would. Don’t doubt, he will. He shushed the wolf in his chest, who at this moment in time felt like it was pointless talking to him about anything Jungwoo related because they totally believed that he was useless. He’s not, he’s just taking his time. Maybe his pace is too slow. Maybe he just needs to go for things, like Taeyong suggested, he won’t regret trying but he will regret never doing so.“Thanks guys,”“Sorry if I was abrasive Jae,”“It’s okay Tae, I want to know what you think too, it helps,” Jaehyun said, smiling softly at Taeyong who was running his chin over Taeil’s head.“I love both of you a lot and I don’t see a point in you making problems for yourself where there doesn’t need to be one,” Taeil leaned back into Taeyong’s chest, dark circles under his eyes extra dark and prominent in the light of the kitchen.“I love you too, which is why I let you yell at me,” he smirked when Taeil laughed, dragged himself out of Taeyong’s arms to hug Jaehyun tightly.“I didn’t mean to yell Jae,” Taeil muttered as he burrowed into Jaehyun’s chest, “Woo is so special, I just got upset,”“You don’t have to explain that…I don’t mind that you’re protective of him too,”“I still say let yourself be ready but it’s okay to not be Jae,”“But I am, I just scared myself, I get too in my head every time it gets real. How do I stop doing that?”“Jaehyun,” Taeil pulled away from him, stared up into his face with tired but bright eyes, “you love him yes,”“Yeah, a lot,”“That’s how you stop freaking yourself out. Every time you panic just remind yourself that you love him and that’s why you take risks and go for things,”Taeyong seemed to change his mind then too, smiling at the back of his mate’s head. Taeil had a great point, Jaehyun loved Jungwoo and that was his reason for doing things, for going for things. It was the reason he’d almost killed Bobby and had gotten into it with Hanbin and Junhoe, it was the reason he wasn’t speaking to his mom, which was easily the worst thing that had happened but still not a reason for him to walk away from Jungwoo. Because from that love he had happiness and companionship and purpose, Jungwoo was his reason for doing things, he was his reason to defend and protect and grow. So many good things had come his way since Jungwoo had entered his life, so much had been improved, he wasn’t ready to let his fear of jumping out into the unknown be the reason he didn’t get to be with the other. He made sense to him, Jungwoo and his pup made all the sense in the world to him, he adored them, and he wanted to be with them. He didn’t have to doubt or scare himself because he loved Jungwoo and Jungwoo had feelings for him, level of intensity to be determined, but he had them and Jaehyun could work with that. The worst that could happen is that Jungwoo would tell him he didn’t feel the same way for him, if that happened, it would hurt but Jaehyun would be alright. After some time, he’d be okay.It gave him a little hope, that encouragement and also thinking that all his friends had done this too. Taeyong had been right where he was with Jungwoo, with Taeil, Johnny and Ten were like magic, everyone knew that they’d end up together and weren’t surprised when they did, Yuta worked for ages to get Sicheng to look his way and worked harder to make Sicheng as happy as he could be. Hajun had struggled through all this with Kun and sympathized with his problems, Mark and Donghyuck fell together almost overnight though he knew Mark had his anxieties about courting the omega for the brief time he did, not wanting to screw anything up. Jeno had done all this too though slightly unconventional and quicker than anyone expected but how could anyone possibly begrudge his happiness and the love he had for Jaemin that was so obvious in everything he did. They’d all done this, they’d all been here, and they’d made it out in one piece, hearts intact, Jaehyun could do it too. He was sure of that.He pulled Taeil into another hug before moving to hug Taeyong too, who whispered, ‘don’t worry Jae, it’ll all work out,’ and he actually wasn’t so worried anymore. He still felt pressure but not as much as before and suddenly the fact that he didn’t kiss Jungwoo when he had the chance didn’t feel like the end of his world as he knew it. It actually was starting to feel like the beginning, maybe the start of everything he’d been wishing for.…. He’d finally made his way home after running to the market and stopping by his shop to grab a couple prints and his book to draw up a few plans before heading home and making himself a late lunch. He’d just finished putting together a modest sandwich when someone knocked on his door.“It’s open,” he yelled, loud enough for whoever was outside to hear.“Jae,” his dad called back, stepping inside and onto the creaky floorboard next to his door that he always forgot about until someone stepped on it to remind him. He avoided it of course, because he knew it was there.“Kitchen dad,”His dad’s large form moved into his view, smiling at him and smiling wider when he saw his lunch.“Sandwich,” he waved a hand over the food on his counter to let him know he could help himself, he did and sat himself at the table with him when he was done.“How are you kid,”“Good, you,”“Good,” his dad took his time chewing his next few bites, likely thinking of small talk to fill the silence with. He could only imagine what he was here for. It couldn’t have been lunch, his mom would never let him starve. His next bite was punctuated by, “did Jungwoo have a good time last night,”“Yeah, a great time,” his dad knew how to get him talking, “it’s so awesome to see him really enjoying himself ya know,” his dad nodded. “Last night was the first time I really felt like he was happy to be a part of this pack, like he felt it and liked it,”“Sometimes it takes time to get settled, he was away for a long time,”“Yeah, did his mom ever talk about that…him being away,”His dad raised his eyebrows in question. Jaehyun swallowed and said, “Jungwoo told me you visit her,”He hummed, “Yeah she talked about him constantly. Every time I was there really, like she needed someone to tell her she did the right thing. She regretted the decision for years and regretted it more when Jungwoo was older and wanted to stay in the city full time, indefinitely. She still leased that cabin for him though, in case he decided to come home, hopeful that he would, she didn’t really have the money for two lot payments but did it anyway,”Jaehyun had a hundred different questions about all of that, feeling like he was learning all about a new person. It was just his dad, but he had this other side of him he never knew about, almost like a secret life. It was so funny to him, that he grew up thinking he knew his parents but as he got older, he learned more and more. Where his new knowledge of his mom shocked and hurt him, his dad impressed him, he liked that he was this way. It was intriguing to him, he needed to know more, he wanted to know everything.“It took me forever to convince her to accept a discounted rate on the hut, but she caved when I agreed to accept partial payments in the form of flowers from her garden for your mom,”Jaehyun smiled so wide at that, heart swelling so much he had to put his sandwich down. Jungwoo and his mom were so alike, even though Jungwoo spent so much of his young adult life away from her there were parts of him that were so clearly from her. Trading flowers for discounted rent sounded a lot like pickles for groceries or cookies in lieu of saying thank you, he snickered to himself. The sound made his dad tilt his head at him.“Jungwoo does that,”“Does what,”“Trades things for favors, like he can’t just accept stuff he has to give you something in return,”“Well, he is her son,”“Yeah, it’s just funny,”It made him really happy for some reason to think about, smiling to himself through the remainder of his lunch.“Did you come here to talk about Jungwoo,” he asked.“Sort of,”Jaehyun felt a tiny smile tug against the corner of his mouth, waiting patiently for his dad to form whatever he was going to say.“You had a fight with your mom,”“Yup,” not too sure how much he wanted to give him on this. Half of him wanted to scream and tell his dad everything, rat his mother out for being horrible but the other half didn’t. Even if he told him the full truth his mom was still, always, his dad’s mate, that trumped Jaehyun’s hurt feelings a little. Maybe. But he couldn’t be sure about that, he wasn’t mated, and he’d never been a dad so he couldn’t speak to either of those things, not sure how his dad would take this. The part that didn’t want to say anything pulsed with this feeling that he didn’t want to rake his mom over the coals in front of his dad. He didn’t owe her that, but he still couldn’t bear thinking of doing it. Which is how he decided to give him a little, enough to know the bones of what happened.“About what,”He ignored that for a moment, “Did she tell you we fought or…”“No, but you haven’t been over in about a week, haven’t smelled you around the house since the day you were over before the solstice and she’s seemed upset. Believe it or not I can put two and two together,”Jaehyun gave him a tight smile and nothing else. It was way harder than he thought it’d be telling him this. Being honest about his mom to his friends was one thing but this was totally different.“Should I be worried,”Jaehyun shrugged.“Are you okay,”He nodded.His dad sighed, maybe a little frustrated that he wasn’t getting much out of him.“Dad I really think you talk to her about this first. If she didn’t tell you about our fight maybe that says more than what actually happened,”“Maybe, but I’d like to hear your side, then I’ll get hers,”He shook his head, pushed his plate away from him. He didn’t have to bad mouth her, he could just tell his dad the truth, his side.“She’s not a fan of Jungwoo,” totally truthful.His dad’s hands folded together, face warm as he sat there eager to listen. He took a deep breath and kept going.“She thinks that he’s using me for comfort and stability while he’s pregnant, that because he’s pregnant he doesn’t understand how he’s feeling or why he’s feeling it. Doesn’t being pregnant clarify things, makes everything feel more intense, it doesn’t trick you into things you don’t already feel right?”His dad nodded, not speaking so he’d continue.Jaehyun didn’t realize how big a knot had formed in his chest sitting here, only recognizing it when it began to unravel. He sighed as security and the warmth of pine settled over him.“I’m happy dad,”He smiled at him, “I can see that,” so fond and gentle.“He makes me happy,”“I know,”He felt a little silly asking but he really needed to know, “Is it…is that good,”“Is what good, that you’re happy? Jaehyun, I can’t believe you would even ask me that,”He thought about saying, ‘well, I have to because mom makes me doubt things,’ but bit his tongue.“Maybe that wasn’t the right way to put that…do you think he’s good for me,”“I do, but it doesn’t really matter what I think,”“It does to me,”His dad’s smile morphed, dimples just like his carved their way into his cheeks. “I think he’s perfect for you Jaehyun. But even if I didn’t think so, you smell like him, so it seems it’s beyond outside opinion now huh,”Jaehyun thrilled, chest swelling with pride that someone recognized Jungwoo’s scent on him, he loved smelling like him, it felt so right.“Do you think less of him because he’s pregnant,”His dad took a moment to think about that. “No, not at all. I would assume because he’s pregnant and because he came back right at the start of it that he was leaving a bad situation,”“It wasn’t,” he didn’t want his dad to get nuts and spiral with worst case scenarios, “the alpha he was with left to enlist and Jungwoo found out about the pup after he left. He came back to be close to his mom, he didn’t have anything tying him to the city anyway,”His dad hummed.“Nobody takes the time to ask him about that though, they just assume they know his story and judge him for it,”He could see his dad starting to put the pieces together, “Did your mother do that,”Jaehyun sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, nodding slowly. “She’s never talked to him dad,”“I know,”“But she pretended to like him, bake him sweet rolls and accepted pickles and the whole time she couldn’t stand that he and I were so close,”Jaehyun stood up when he saw his dad’s face change, ready to defend his mate against the accusations. It didn’t matter how impartial a person could be that went out the window for your mate. There wasn’t a soul alive who didn’t own a pair of blinders that they slipped on and off for their partner. He was a little glad, in this moment that he and Jungwoo were taking their time because even though his wolf believed Jungwoo was faultless, Jaehyun and Jungwoo had always called each other on their shit and talked about it. Jaehyun could certainly see himself adopting blinders in regards to Jungwoo, knowing already how bad he had it for the other, but he hoped they never lost the ability to be critical of each other.“I don’t understand it but her opinion, if she’s going to be like that doesn’t matter to me. I know what I want and even if he doesn’t want me too, I’m not going to cave just because mom isn’t supportive,”His dad crossed his arms, drummed his fingers gently. “I’m not sure it’s a lack of support Jae,”“I am,”“Jae,”He bit into his lip to stop his next argument.“She had plans for you and Hajun, I’m not saying that makes it right but after Hajun started courting Kun, she was disappointed because she thought she’d get to help him or set him up with someone. And you’ve never been into any of this and suddenly you are, which I understand but I think it may just be difficult for her,”“So, that gets her a free pass then,”“No, I didn’t say that. I just think there’s two sides to any situation Jae always. I know you’re protective of Jungwoo and how you feel about him, and your mother challenged that but maybe it deserves a revisit,”Jaehyun knew he was stubborn, he’d been told his whole life that he was that way and he was certainly feeling some of that right now.“I don’t think I owe her that,”“It’s not about owing her anything, it’s about you Jae, don’t you think it would make you feel better to talk it through,”“I don’t want to dad, I heard what she had to say, and I’m not interested in going through that again,”“Jae,”“This is why I didn’t tell you,”“I’m not doing anything,”“You are,”“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. She’s upset but I can see that she upset you too so if this is how you want to handle it, you’re an adult you can make those choices,” “Thank you,”“But…”Jaehyun groaned, he should’ve seen that coming.“You are kinder and have more compassion than some people deserve, and I think you’re bigger than holding a grudge against your mother,”“Dad, if I talk to her and let her get away with this then nothing changes. She won’t be nicer to him, she’ll keep thinking the way she does, and she’ll think I don’t love him like I said because I caved,”“Jaehyun,”“He’s my choice dad, he’s my wolf’s choice and I’m proud of that,”“I hear you kid but if you’re trying to teach her a lesson, I think you have,”“It’s barely been a week,”“Sure, but I think that’s plenty of time, she didn’t have to say anything for me to know that something was wrong. She feels bad,”“Then she can tell me that herself,”Jaehyun moved back to his kitchen, dumped the edges of his sandwich in the garbage and put his plate in the sink.“I’m not ready to talk to her again dad,”“Okay, but just think about it please. You’re not cruel kid and I know whatever she said that you didn’t tell me about stung but that doesn’t mean you can’t forgive her for it,”“I’ll forgive her when she’s sorry,”“How do you know she’s not,”He crossed his arms, not liking that he was right. “I don’t,”“Feud with your mother aside, I’m really happy for you,”“Thanks dad,”He joined him, across the kitchen to lean against the counter, arms crossing loosely over his chest.“Jungwoo is, well I always wondered what kind of wolf you’d end up with and every time I thought about it, I remembered the time you came home from school with scraped up hands and knees, you had a dandelion stuck in the collar of your shirt…do you remember this,”Jaehyun shook his head.“You got in a fight because some older kids were harassing an omega at the playground behind the omega’s school,”He still didn’t remember this but was intrigued to see where it was going. “How old was I,”“Seven,” his dad looked so fond of him then that it made Jaehyun’s chest clench, “you and the omega fought the older kids off and he gave you a dandelion for helping him,”He still didn’t remember it, but he felt like he knew where this was going without having any knowledge of it at all.“Jungwoo,”His dad nodded.“Why don’t I remember that,”“You were young Jae, but after that you were fascinated with him. It was so small and I don’t think you two ever talked after that since there was still all those separation rules but I had this weird feeling, seeing you smile that night, showing your brother the gash on your elbow like it was a trophy, that even though you were kids, he’d be important to your life…in some way. You needed someone who you could not only fight for but fight with, stand next to who could help you grow. That was the only fight I can remember you really getting in, except maybe Bobby once or twice, but you were so little you shouldn’t have been fighting at all, something must’ve told you to protect him or help him, so you did. I don’t know why but I just always thought that was important,”“I had such a crush on him,”“I know, I remember that and how you cried for weeks after he left,”“I slept between you and mom because I couldn’t calm down enough to sleep,” he did remember that, in perfect detail and remembered sneaking out of their room before the sun came up so Hajun couldn’t tease him about being such a pup. He hadn’t felt like a person for ages, he didn’t speak in class, he refused to hang out with his friends and his chest had hurt so bad it felt like something was attempting to claw its way out of him. He thought at the time that he’d miss the omega he’d never gotten to know, knowing he’d miss chances and was sad about that but what he’d felt like way more than just plain sadness. It didn’t make sense back then why he’d reacted like that over someone he didn’t know but he hadn’t been able to help it either.“What,”His dad shrugged but Jaehyun could see his wheels turning.“What,”“I just wonder if your wolf knew when you were a kid, that it was him”“You think,”“Maybe, it’s interesting. Especially now that you’ve adopted his scent, which does suit you by the way,”“Thanks, I think so too,” he watched his dad’s chest rise and fall with his even breaths, “do you think it’s weird that his scent is blended with mine when we haven’t mated,”His dad smiled at him, “I wouldn’t say weird, just surprising. Typically, you do have to mate to share scents,” he gave him a look and Jaehyun went bright red.“It’s not oh my god dad, no,”“I know,” he laughed, a loud, goofy, carefree noise that shook loose the remaining sadness in him and replaced it with comfort and happiness.“Mark thinks it’s because our wolves have accepted each other,”He pursed his lips, nodded his head, “I would agree with that, I just think your wolves actually did that years ago and had to wait for you two to catch up,”Was that possible? Could it be possible that their wolves had decided when they were seven and six that they were meant for each other, his heart thrummed harder thinking about it while his brain told him not to get ahead of himself.“Does that happen,”“It used to, a lot, when our human sides had less of a say in that stuff, wolves picked and that was it. Now our human side gets just as much, if not more control in that process. Your wolf can still pick somebody but not following their choice won’t drive you insane like it might have before. Wolves used to pick their mate when they were young and that was almost always who you ended up with,”“But we were kids,”“Yeah but that explains why you were so interested in him and so upset when he left town,”Jaehyun let that rush over him, fill him to the brim because it really did, he felt his wolf sit back, smug goofball.“I should listen to him I guess,” hand laying over the center of his chest.His dad lifted a shoulder, “maybe,” coming over to hug him. He kissed the top of his head, promising him that he’d let his argument with his mom rest if that’s what he wanted. It was, for the time being, what he wanted.He headed to the door before making a noise and turning around, “I actually did come here for something else, Wednesday, next week, I’m gonna let Hajun run the council meeting, want to come for moral support,”“Sure,” he laughed thinking about what his brother must think of that, “oh, he must hate you,”“He’s not thrilled, and I know he’s not crazy about taking over but he’s never withdrawn either, so I’m gonna keep prepping him for this stuff,”Jaehyun grinned, feeling a little bad for his brother but also knowing his dad was right, there were days Hajun wanted to take over and days he didn’t but if he really wanted out, he had to say so. Maybe he was changing his mind.“Is Kun coming,”“Not sure, but I asked him to. Invite Jungwoo too, might be good for him to see the layout of a meeting in case he ever wants to oh I don’t know, file a complaint about a group of alphas,”“He’s never gonna do that,”“You don’t know that,”“No but I do know him…”“Pup’s change things, he might want some security before they’re born,” final tidbit dropped as he waved and shut the door behind himself, leaving him with that. Jungwoo might want to go to the council meeting, see how things work, he couldn’t see him filing a complaint because that wasn’t like him, Jungwoo seemed more likely to forgive and forget rather than seek retribution, but he did understand, would understand him changing his mind. For his pup, which remained one of the most powerful influencers in the universe. Beyond that, Jaehyun had plenty of other things to think about after his dad left, more than his fatigued mind was apt to handle today but he’d try. He was certainly familiar with the internal war that’s frequently waged between your wolf and your humanity though he’s always felt he had more control over his wolf than most. He’s definitely given into his nature before, let his wolf make choices before he can stop it, before he can think it through, but it’s never been bad. He’s always found that he and his wolf, though they could butt heads, tended to be in agreement on things, especially on Jungwoo related things. But if this proved anything, if his talk with his dad gave him any knowledge it had to be that his wolf was way brighter and better at this stuff than he gave him credit for. He’d never considered why he felt so strongly for Jungwoo so easily, while their relationship grew and changed in what he felt was a natural way, it always seemed like he didn’t have to try so hard, like someone or something was pulling strings and helping them. It felt good, right, like this was meant to be in some way, fated even. Which he’d never been willing to admit before now because that seemed silly. But that feeling made sense now. If his wolf had decided, like his dad assumed, when he was seven, that Jungwoo was who he wanted then of course he was drawn to him, of course he wanted him in a way he couldn’t and didn’t want to fight. It made all the sense in the world to him. He could feel his wolf doing absolutely nothing, just sitting in his chest, pleased with himself as he let him enjoy his revelation. If he could he’d probably materialize into his kitchen to yell at him, ‘what took you so long, it’s been years?’. It was so annoying that a dog ended up being better at this than he was, than he gave him credit for. Not that he could hold it against him really, they picked Jungwoo which set Jaehyun up for lots and lots of good things.Okay, but wasn’t that just everything? It felt like everything. It totally explained why they smelled like each other without mating, at least to him because there was already something there, from years ago. His wolf decided, ‘yes, yes, him,’ and Jaehyun just took 15 years to figure it out. To do something with it. Better late than, never right? Sure, Jaehyun, sure.Did Jungwoo’s wolf pick him too? Jungwoo would’ve been six, did he remember them fighting together on the playground, did he remember giving him a flower to thank him? Had they said anything to each other afterwards or were they both too shy? Oh, he had so many questions but could only assume that Jungwoo didn’t remember either, he was younger than he was and had never mentioned it, he’d think, with all the times they’d found themselves fighting side by side, he’d say ‘oh hey, remember that time, no? that’s fine,’. And then he thinks about how he didn’t kiss Jungwoo the other night and how huge and issue that seemed to him just this morning. It didn’t seem so bad now though, something about his wolf forming a bond with Jungwoo’s so many years told him it was okay, he could take his time or not and it would be fine. He wasn’t pressured or rushed, they’d be fine. He still really wanted to kiss him though, really, really bad and after all this it definitely renewed that urge to do so. The next moment he had like that would the right moment, it’d be their moment and he’d take it.He was giddy with all that for the rest of the day, bonds with Jungwoo, potentially upcoming kisses with Jungwoo, a draw to Jungwoo that was way more powerful than he ever imagined. He had loved him for so much of his life and hadn’t even been fully aware of it, it put some much into perspective for him, things he hadn’t thought about since he was a kid and Jungwoo was leaving suddenly made all the sense in the world. And Jungwoo, who already made a ton of sense in his life made even more sense now.Though he was effectively distracted he still managed to draw up a couple plans and pick up his living room and his bedroom before he crashed for the night, realizing the rest of the day had gotten away from him and the sun had set. Totally fine, he could sleep, lured into dreams about how his wolf knew when he was so young that they wanted Jungwoo, had picked him when he was a pup and knew next to nothing about anything. That meant something. It had to. Because he smelled like peaches and he hadn’t seen Jungwoo today at all. Because his wolf knew, and he knew, and his dad knew, and friends knew…maybe Jungwoo knew too.  ….Post solstice hangovers led to no pack dinner for the two-three days following, depending on which day of the week it landed on, while people recovered and enjoyed leftovers with their families. Jaehyun usually went and had brunch with his parents, Hajun, Kun and Kun’s parents but this year he didn’t really feel like that was right for him. Especially when he considered that there was no farmer’s market today, following the solstice festival, people were likely still sleeping, even though it was day two of recovery, he’d rather see a certain omega over his mom honestly. And of course, he just wanted to be with Jungwoo, spend the day with him, be with him after yesterday, it felt like the thing to do.So that’s what he decided to do. Head over to Jungwoo’s and enjoy a late breakfast with him. No farmer’s market meant he didn’t have to rush over, instead he moseyed, two hours later than any other Sunday, with some fresh bread from the bakery and a couple donuts because he liked donuts and an assortment of bagels in case Jungwoo wanted that instead.Jungwoo pulled the door open before he could even knock which surprised Jaehyun. He raised his eyebrows at Jungwoo when the omega tugged him inside, oohing over the smell of bread and bagels.“Did you hear me coming,”“No, I was walking past the window and saw you outside,” Jungwoo walked backwards into the kitchen, beaming the whole way. “You brought breakfast,”“I did,”“I was just thinking about breakfast,”“I have pretty good timing,”“You have amazing timing,” Jungwoo laughed, taking the bag from him and pilfering through it, he gave him a look when he looked into the bag with the 4 glazed donuts. Jaehyun put his hands up when Jungwoo continued to judge him.“Those are for me, I like…donuts,”Jungwoo hummed and set them aside.“You can have some if you want,”Jungwoo pursed his lips in thought, he took another look in the bag, “just glazed?”“Just glazed,”“Maybe,”Jaehyun smiled at him, watched him lay out the remaining food on the counter and felt warm and happy, wolf slightly sedated and quiet in his chest at just being in the same space as Jungwoo, in a room that carried their distinct scents. He stepped to the stove to boil some water for tea while Jungwoo grabbed some fruit, bananas and berries. Jaehyun came up behind him as Jungwoo started cutting small pieces of banana onto a plate, he couldn’t help wrapping his arms around his waist to give him a squeeze. Jungwoo knocked his head back into his where he was leaning over his shoulder.“Hi,”Jaehyun was really tempted to kiss his neck but instead just nosed behind his ear and listened to him laugh. “Hi,”“What are you doing,” Jungwoo asked him, laying a hand over Jaehyun’s where it was on his bump.“Giving you a hug, I didn’t get one when I came in,”“Oh,” Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat before he spun in Jaehyun’s arms and hugged him back, face tucking into his shoulder with a hum. If he was upset about not getting kissed on Friday night after the solstice, he clearly wasn’t clinging to that. “It was weird not seeing you yesterday,”“It was kind of weird wasn’t it, what did you do,”“Slept, I did some laundry and started thinking about where the heck I’m gonna put a crib when the pup is born. Then I went and had dinner with my mom and wait for it, she says hi,”“Holy-what, really,”“Yeah really,”He couldn’t fight his smile thinking that she might be warming up to him a little.“Did you ask her about being friends with my dad,”“No, I’m not really sure how to ask her. She gets so defensive, as if I’d judge her for bending on the whole ‘alpha bad’ thing,”Jaehyun laughed, still hanging onto him tight, “She probably doesn’t want you to think badly about her since she’s been so uh…hmm opinionated,”“Opinionated is right,” Jungwoo stepped out of his arms then, leaning back against the counter.“With good reason,” Jaehyun felt the need to defend her a little, knowing she had plenty of reasons for all her opinions on alphas and any phobias related to them.“Yeah, I know,” Jungwoo sighed, looking at him like he wished that wasn’t his mom’s reality but knew maybe her mind was starting to change, little by little, she was still where she wanted to be in the meantime. Jaehyun was respectful of that too. “What did you do yesterday,”“I spent the morning with Taeyong, enjoyed teasing a very hungover Taeil, ran some errands and then I saw my dad, drew up some plans, cleaned a little,”“Sounds fun,” Jungwoo teased him, poking his stomach and whining when Jaehyun snagged his finger.“It wasn’t really,”“What wasn’t,”“Cleaning, but my place was kind of a mess,”Jungwoo watched him for a long moment, mouth caught in a tiny pout, a really tempting, intriguing pout to be honest.“How was your dad,”“He’s good,”“Does he know you’re not talking to your mom,”Jaehyun hummed, not really wanting to think about his mom while he was with Jungwoo.“He knows,”“Did you talk to him about it,”“Yeah, a little,”It seemed Jungwoo did want to think about his mom while Jaehyun felt his insides clench.“What does he think-”“Jungwoo can we just have breakfast please,”Jungwoo closed his mouth, looking a little startled at his raised voice and slight outburst. He nodded and turned, going back to what he was doing. Jaehyun breathed out through his nose, he wasn’t mad. He hadn’t meant to snap, he just didn’t want to talk about it. Or think about it. He was with Jungwoo and they were going to eat, they didn’t need to talk about his mom.“Jungwoo,”The omega’s shoulders were stiff where he was reaching for his knife again, ignoring him.“Woo,”“We don’t have to talk Jae it’s fine,”“I want to talk,” he came up to him, nosed at the back of his neck where his scent was so strong, so purely him. “Just not about my mom, please,”“You don’t have to pretend with me you know,” Jungwoo whispered, voice tight. He wanted to spin him around to look at him but didn’t think Jungwoo would like that right now. He was upset, his scent gave that away. He nuzzled closer to him, forehead moving against the back of his head.“I know that,”“You’re hurt by what she said but it also hurts you that you aren’t fixing it,”“I don’t have to fix anything Woo, I haven’t done anything,” even after his talk with his dad, sharing this with him, he didn’t feel any closer to making up with his mom. He didn’t really want to be closer honestly, he wasn’t ready.Jungwoo put the knife down, head dipping. “That doesn’t mean you can’t talk to her,”“I don’t want to talk to her,”Jungwoo whipped around, almost knocking him in the nose, “You are so stubborn,”He smiled at him softly, “Yeah, but you knew that,”“Jaehyun,”“What,” he didn’t like sad Jungwoo, needing to make him feel at ease and pull them back towards breakfast which could guide them into a calm, quiet day spent together.Jungwoo stayed quiet for so long that Jaehyun started to think he actually didn’t have anything to say at all.“Jungwoo,”His eyes moved all over his face, looking at every inch, every little speckle scattered under his eyes, so faint you wouldn’t see them if you didn’t know where to look but Jaehyun did. He was so beautiful but seemed so sad. The other took a deep breath, arms wrapping around himself to cradle his bump.“I think you should talk to her Jae,” he leveled him with a look when Jaehyun opened his mouth to argue. “I think you should hear her out again and listen this time, with a different mindset and try to fix things. She’s your mom,”“Jungwoo,” he couldn’t believe he’d just said that, Jungwoo knew what his mom had said, how offensive it had been to him and he didn’t even know the half of it. Jaehyun didn’t have it in his heart to tell him that truth. “Are you kidding me,”“No, I’m not kidding you Jaehyun,” said like hewas the crazy one between them.“That’s insane,”“It’s not, she has a right to her opinion-”“-Even though she’s wrong-”“-and I think you owe it to your relationship with her to work this out,”“I don’t owe her shit,”Jungwoo sighed, “Jaehyun please,”He crossed his arms, looking at the omega in front of him with some level of agitation mixed with fondness. Though the fondness was a little overpowered by his frustration because of the topic of conversation.“If she’s sorry or wants to talk, she can come to me and tell me herself,”The other didn’t seem satisfied with that as he looked at him with big eyes, quickly welling with tears. Jaehyun moved back to him, shushing him gently while shook his head against them.“I don’t want to be the reason you stop talking to her,”“You’re not,”“I kind of am, she doesn’t want us to be friends, your fight was about how close we are right,”Jaehyun nodded even though he didn’t really want to while the other moved on with that.“Exactly, I don’t like that,”Jaehyun shook his head at him.“Did you ask her to be like this,”Jungwoo tipped his head, whispering a confused, “no,”“Okay, and did you tell her to totally ditch all the redeeming qualities I thought she had,”“No but-”“And did you ask her to abandon her morals so she could gossip instead,”“No, I didn’t but-”“-exactly so shush, you didn’t do anything Jungwoo and my fighting with her wasn’t your fault so stop thinking that, please,”“I feel bad Jae, you haven’t talked to her in what, weeks and I feel like that’s on me,”“It’s not, it’s on her. She wanted to be like that so she can deal with the fall out. I’m okay with that,”“I don’t think you are Jae,”“Jungwoo, we’re gonna go around all day with this because we clearly don’t agree but I’d rather forget this and have breakfast. I’ll fix things with my mom when she apologizes okay but for now, I want to eat my donuts and listen to where exactly you think you’re going to fit a crib in your room,”Jungwoo pouted some more, foot stomping briefly in a move that shocked Jaehyun and made him smile at the other.“I don’t like it,”“Jungwoo,”“I don’t, Jae,” his arms crossed over his chest, “I’m sorry, but I don’t. I think your relationship with her is important to you and you should be trying to fix it,”“And I will when she apologizes,”Jungwoo groaned, “You might be the most frustrating person on the planet,”“Wrong that’s totally Ten or Hajun but nice try,”“Why are you okay with this, honestly, she’s your mom,”“Because she was mean to me too Jungwoo. She wasn’t just telling me how badly she didn’t want us to be in each other’s lives, she was telling me I wasn’t thinking, that I was blind and couldn’t make decisions. I think my brain functions just fine, I think my eyes are open and as far as I’m concerned, this isn’t a mistake so she can shove her opinions because I’m happy and she’s wrong,”“It just doesn’t make sense to me,”“What doesn’t,”“You’re picking me, who is relatively new to your life over a woman you’ve known for all of it,”“No, wrong, I’m picking someone who has vastly improved my life, someone I trust and adore, who’s smart and kind and honest and who makes me happy over a woman I don’t recognize,”Jungwoo was blushing even as he groaned, “Jaehyun,”“Jungwoo,”He sighed at him with a shake of his head but looked more fond than annoyed, seemed maybe a little more likely to let their argument drop in favor of breakfast now.“I don’t get it but if you’re…if this is what you want to do, I guess I can’t stop you,”“Do you want to stop me,”“I don’t want you to wreck your relationship with your mom, she’s your family,”“I still have my family Woo, my dad and my brother are cool, I have the guys who by the way, consider themselves my family too and they are, and I have you. I do have you right,”Jungwoo hugged him, “Of course you have me, but she’s your mom,”“So, that automatically makes it all okay,”“No, but I think it maybe gives her a second chance,”Jaehyun gave him a funny look, one that made Jungwoo pinch his shoulder and ask him what he was doing. “I’m thinking,”“About,”“How wonderful you are,”“Oh my god,” Jungwoo pushed at his shoulders and huffed at him when Jaehyun didn’t budge.“I’m serious,”“I’m sure you are but stop,”“No. You are wonderful, I can’t think of a single thing my mom could’ve possibly wanted to fault you for,”“Stop Jae,”“Why,”“Because you make me sound like a saint and I’m so not,”“No, but you might be perfect, still deliberating that though,”“I’m not,”“I said you mightbe,”“And I said I’m not,”“Well, I think you might be,”“And I think you might have hit your head at some point in the last few days,”Jaehyun narrowed his eyes at him playfully, loved watching the color work over Jungwoo’s full cheeks.“You still have such an issue being complimented,”“No, I have an issue with delirious alphas who think I’m perfect when I’m so ridiculously flawed it’s laughable,”“Lucky for you I like those too,” even his flaws, however few he thought there were, were well loved by him.Jungwoo shoved him, not having a single word to say in response to that for a good minute, while Jaehyun stood there smug and content with himself. And happy that he’d managed to finally steer them away from talk revolving around his mom.“I think I should clarify,”“Jaehyun please, stop,”“I think you’re perfect and flawed, perfectly not perfect but also pretty perfect…does that make sense,”Jungwoo’s eyebrows pulled together, “no,”“Come on, I thought that made perfect sense,”“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head,” Jungwoo brushed some of his hair across his forehead, smiling at him softly.“I’m sure, I’m fine. I’m good, I think I’m so good that I deserve a kiss on the cheek for that,”“I think you deserve a swat,”Jaehyun put his arms out, head back, waiting for the hit that didn’t come. Instead he felt Jungwoo’s toes wander into his, warm hand moved him back while warmer lips pressed low on his cheek. Closer to his mouth than anything else really, closer to his mouth than Jaehyun had let himself think about today.He beamed at the other, tongue catching between his teeth like a kid. “Thanks,”Jungwoo rolled his eyes at him before going back to breakfast and asked him for his help. Jaehyun was happy to do that, cutting a couple bagels to grill them in a pan a little. Jungwoo started grilling him, asking him what he meant by ‘where exactly he’d put a crib in his room,’ and then followed that up by, ‘I know I live in a shack but still, do you think…it’s a bad idea,’ and looked truly concerned.“It’ll fit Woo,” he said as he moved one half of the bagel around in the pan. “And they’ll love it I’m sure,”“But what happens when they outgrow a crib. Oh my god, I’m gonna have to move right, we won’t fit here,”Jaehyun grimaced a little as that set in and Jungwoo panicked. “It’s okay Woo, you have time. The two of you will fit here fine and maybe by the time they’re a year old, you’ll have to find somewhere else but that gives you plenty of time to look,”Jungwoo took a deep breath, seemed to calm a little bit with that. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right,”“Don’t panic, it’s okay,”“Yeah, okay,” he felt him nuzzle against his shoulder, “are those almost done,”He looked over his shoulder to catch him peeking at the pan. “Yeah, almost,”“I’m hungry,”Jaehyun pinched his hip, “I’m working on it Woo,”“We’re hungry Jae,”“Okay, almost done,” Jungwoo darted forward and surprised him by kissing his cheek again.“Do you want tea,”“Sure,”Jungwoo busied himself with that while Jaehyun finished toasting the bagels, dropping them on a plate to bring to the table where Jungwoo had laid all the fruit, two mugs, some orange juice, cream cheese and butter and of course Jaehyun’s donuts, as well as some slices of the bread he’d brought and a couple hard-boiled eggs.“Is this better than selling pickles,”Jungwoo laughed, “close second,”He gasped, held a hand to his chest.“Sorry Jae, I love the farmer’s market,”He could live with that, smiling at Jungwoo the whole time. Jungwoo finished a bagel and a donut, plenty of fruit and an egg, humming with every mouthful like this was the best thing he’d ever eaten. And after breakfast Jungwoo asked if he’d help him rearrange his room, see if he could make some more room for a crib. He still didn’t have a ton of room, noting Jungwoo’s slightly dejected expression as his narrowed his eyes and looked around his bedroom. He pouted up at Jaehyun when he finished pushing his wobbly dresser to the opposite wall, so the crib could go by the wall away from the windows, furthest from the door. Jaehyun held his hand out, wrapped his arm around him and led him back to his living room, where they landed, Jungwoo on one end with his feet propped in Jaehyun’s lap, hands drifting to rub his ankles, smiling when Jungwoo sighed at him.“Thanks for coming over Jae,”“What did you just say,”Jungwoo’s eyes widened, smile a little sheepish. “I meant, I’m happy you came over,”“That’s what I thought you said,” thumbs moving over his ankle bone slowly. Jungwoo ended up dozing off while Jaehyun stayed put, on his couch, with Jungwoo’s breathing even and scent inviting, pup’s heartbeat quick but soothing, so soothing that he found himself falling asleep too. Easy to do really, with Jungwoo here, happy, fed and resting, the one his wolf had picked for them so many years ago, confident they’d find their way to each other eventually. They had. Found their way into each other’s lives. Jaehyun was still working on the rest. And found himself wondering as his eyes slipped closed if Jungwoo was maybe working on all this too.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun was on the fence about the reliability of universal signs. There were definitely times when things happened and he was like, ‘oh, hey yeah that makes total sense,’ and there were absolutely times where the universe was full of shit and he could tell. That said, the week he had was chock full of weird little signs and elements that told him, be on guard, the shit’s flying. He was more apt to believe said signs after this week.So, it started on Monday. The temperatures plummeted to single digits, frigid winds whipping through the village to a point that the school was shut down and classes cancelled so no one had to walk through it. And then on Tuesday it had started to snow, temperatures a little more bearable but still arctic, with the moisture and freezing temps came ice. The drastic change in their environment, though typical for the season should’ve clued him in but sometimes things escape him.When the temperature started dropping, he rushed to the storehouse, to pick up some stuff for Jungwoo and himself so they could have plenty to eat in case this cold lasted longer. Mark wasn’t there, which was odd, he should’ve been here, with the hordes of people likely to be stopping by today for extra meat. That said he didn’t think about it too long, collecting what he needed from the drying room and heading out, jacket pulled tight as he hurried across town.Jungwoo was home, of course, with Donghyuck and Mark on his couch, already curled up. Jaehyun grinned at them.“You’re not at the storehouse,”“I know, I was there early, had everyone set up to make their deliveries and then go home,”Jaehyun nodded at that, wrapping his arms around Jungwoo when he nuzzled into his chest, murmuring a little disgruntled that he was cold, and he didn’t like it. Jungwoo started pushing him towards the fire place, rubbing his hands between his.“Is it snowing yet,”“No, not yet,”“The first snow, Woo are you excited,” Donghyuck asked voice high and hyper.“I wouldn’t say excited,” he whispered, eyes peeking up at Jaehyun under his lashes and then away. Jaehyun’s instincts flared, hands pulling away from Jungwoo’s warmth to instead grab his waist.“You okay,”Jungwoo nodded. Jaehyun kept watching him till he shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.“Jungwoo,”“I…I’m having a weird day,”Jaehyun gathered him against his chest and held him tight, “I’m sorry,”“It’s okay…I just don’t like being so emotional and not being able to help it. One second I’m fine and happy and then the next I feel like I’m gonna cry,” Jaehyun watched as he blinked away his tears, no longer looking like he was going to cry. Well, he wasn’t kidding.“Oh Woo,” Donghyuck sighed, patting the couch next to himself and lifting the blanket. Jungwoo scurried across the room to snuggle against his best friend. It wasn’t too long after that, that Jungwoo met his eyes across the room, watching him where Jaehyun was sat on the floor in front of the fire, looking upset again. And then in a tiny voice, he said, “Jae,”“Yeah,”“Do you think my mom’s okay…”Jaehyun sat up straight. “Do you want me to go check on her,”Jungwoo didn’t say anything, thinking.“She’ll think we’re babying her right,”“Probably but I’ll go check on her if you want me to,” already getting to his feet.“I’ll come with you,” Jungwoo tossed the blanket off but Donghyuck held him there, Jaehyun watched his eyes well again.“Nope, you stay here, I’ll go make sure she’s all hunkered down and has enough fire wood and then I’ll be back,”“Jae,” he stepped closer to the couch.“It’s way too cold out for you two,” he tucked his hair behind his ear, flushing when Jungwoo butted up into his hand, pouting but not moving.“Will you bring her some food,” Jungwoo asked, taking Jaehyun’s hand in both of his.“Of course,” he pressed a kiss to his forehead and went to grab his coat. “Mark, you wanna come with,”Mark nodded, looking excited as he hopped up. He kissed Donghyuck for a long, drawn out moment, pecking him a final time to quiet his whine and quickly moved to nuzzle Jungwoo’s head as they left.They rushed back to the storehouse to grab a couple portions of dried elk and a few rabbits, while Mark gathered several cuts of boar meat, wrapped them up and headed back out. He smiled as Mark told everyone left to hurry through whatever they had left so they could get home, telling them to take their extra portions in case they got snowed in.Jaehyun could feel the temperature dropping, even his bones felt cold and he was wearing a jacket which was more than he usually required in this kind of weather, his cold ears perked up at Mark’s voice.“I’ve never met Woo’s mom,”Jaehyun smirked at his friend, then wondered if he deserved a little warning about what this would probably be like.“Just…uhm let me handle it okay, she’s not crazy about strangers or alphas or strange alphas,”“What do you mean,”“I mean she’s not crazy about alphas,” he said again with a shrug because what more could he say about it honestly, “and probably won’t appreciate that we’re doing this at all,”“So why did you offer,”Jaehyun stopped walking gave his friend an ‘are you serious’ look to which Mark snorted and said, “right, that was dumb,”They were almost to her place when Jaehyun had just about lost feeling in his feet, hands aching where they held onto the paper wrappings. Mark was cursing about being freezing and saying he wished he hadn’t come with him. Jaehyun ignored him and kept moving, beyond thankful when her home came into view.He knocked quickly, bouncing on his toes, Mark’s teeth chattering loudly behind him.“Jaehyun,” Mrs. Kim said when she opened the door, looking too stunned for anything else, she invited them in, the cold likely reaching her inside. Instantly the warmth of her home curled around him and made him feel better, Mark seemed to agree as he sighed behind him. He grabbed Mark to stop him from wandering past that point, likely towards the roaring fire in her living room, knowing she didn’t know him and wouldn’t appreciate being invaded by two alphas so suddenly.“What are you doing here,” she looked them up and down, eyes lingering on Mark as she sized him up. “Is Jungwoo alright,”“Yeah, he’s fine,” he watched her sigh, panic receding before it could truly settle in. “He actually asked me to come check on you and bring you some extra food and firewood if you needed it,” he held up the wrapped pieces for her to take. She didn’t. Simply looked at him like she was crafting an argument.“It’s from Jungwoo, Mrs. Kim,”She narrowed her eyes, reading that for what is was, a way to get her to agree.“I didn’t want him out in this, so I did it for him,”She crossed her arms, that was the wrong thing to say apparently. “He can take care of himself,”“I know-”“We both can. Being pregnant doesn’t make you helpless or useless, but I can understand where you’d get off thinking he needed you,”Mark made a noise in his throat but read the air between them and stayed quiet. “Mrs. Kim, I know he’s not helpless and I’m fully aware how tough and capable he is. I’ve never assumed he isn’t but my wanting to help him isn’t…it’s not a lack of faith or because I think he can’t, I help because I want to, because…because I would do anything for him,”She didn’t seem to have anything for that, so he held out the wrapped meat again. She took it, wandering into her kitchen with it while Jaehyun and Mark waited by the door. Mark’s eyebrows were practically lost in his hair, he opened his mouth but Jaehyun shushed him, not quite sure what he’d say, but smiled at him to reassure him that it was fine.“I brought in plenty of wood already but thank you…for the offer I guess,” it looked like that was painful for her to say.Jaehyun nodded, watched her moved slowly back into the room and then saw her eyes moving back to Mark behind him.“This is Mark, he’s one of our best friends,”Mark beamed, stuck his hand out to shake hers.“Donghyuck’s mate,” she asked, the tiniest slip of smile sat on her lips. Mark nodded quickly, smiling wider if that were possible. “Jungwoo talks about the two of you a lot, you do the farmer’s market with him,”“Yes ma’am,”She gave him a funny look but smiled a bit bigger afterward. Her attention returned to Jaehyun. “How is he today,”“Good,” he looked at Mark to confirm since he’d been with him longer.“Yeah he’s good, a little tired but good,”She nodded slowly.“He’s always loved the first snow of the year, it was like a holiday,” her gaze got wistful and far away as she thought about it while Jaehyun’s mind ran away with it too.Jaehyun grinned thinking about a little Jungwoo with chubby cheeks and tiny hands plastered against an icy window watching the snow fall outside, rushing out without a coat to catch a flake or two before getting scolded and lured back inside with the promise of hot chocolate. It didn’t matter how cold it was outside, those thoughts would keep him warm all the way back to Jungwoo’s. She gasped a little and rushed down her hall, racing back a few seconds later with a little jar.“For Jungwoo, it’s…it’s for his ankles, they’ve been bugging him,” she pressed it into his outstretched hand. “It’ll help with the swelling and soreness. I was going to give it to him the next time he came over but I’m assuming, you’ll see him before I do,”He smiled down at her and told her, he’d gladly give it to the other, as if she even had to ask. Not that she knew that yet, in time he’d hope he’d be able to convince her that he would do anything for Jungwoo, literally anything, without hesitation. One day, she wouldn’t have doubts about that.“Thank you,” she whispered as they turned to go, cleared her throat, “Both of you, thank you,”“Of course, Mrs. Kim,”“It’s Chae,”Jaehyun’s heart fluttered, wolf gave a pleased howl like a full moon was rising over them. She smiled back at him when his silence stretched, amicable and easy. She thanked them once more and watched them leave, door closing only when they’d reached the worn street past her property, heading back to Jungwoo’s. If it wasn’t Jungwoo’s mother, getting a name would’ve been nothing but she was tough and guarded and this was more than Jaehyun was expecting today certainly. And now he got to go back to Jungwoo’s and get nice and snowed in with two of their friends, it didn’t get too much better than that did it?Jaehyun didn’t think so.And when they’d gotten back to Jungwoo’s, he hugged him tight and told the omega that his mother told him her name and thanked them, twice, to which Jungwoo’s mouth fell open, eyes huge before he started smiling and hugged him again. He laughed into his neck, so blindingly happy in this moment, so close to Jungwoo that for once, in an instance like this, his wolf actually seemed pleased with him. Like he was doing something right. For them and he didn’t have anything good, bad or indifferent to say to him. So, Jaehyun just kept rolling. Pulled Jungwoo to sit on the couch, holding him close and nuzzling behind his ear while Donghyuck talked and talked and talked, held his hand under the coffee table when they landed on the ground to play cards and tucked their feet together, enjoying Jungwoo’s smile which he couldn’t contain behind his hand. He rubbed his back when Jungwoo stretched out next to him to take a nap and stayed just like that for the hour and a half that he slept, listening as Donghyuck yelled at Mark in the kitchen about him messing up his recipe.“Jae,” he looked away from the fire, hand still tracing circles up and down Jungwoo’s back, to Mark who was running to escape the swat of a dish towel.“Yeah,” groggy voice louder than he meant it to be.“It’s snowing,”He craned his head back to see a few flakes floating past the window on the far wall. Donghyuck charged into the room after his mate, gave him another swat which made him yelp and grab him backside with an exaggerated pout. “Jae,”“Yeah Hyuck,” he stretched as best he could with the octopus like omega still wrapped around him.“He wanted to see the snow,” Donghyuck looked guilty at even suggesting waking him up but Jaehyun knew the hurt feelings would be worse. Donghyuck and Mark quickly grabbed their coats to head out to the front steps.Jaehyun felt the guilt well up like a floodtide in his chest. He always believed it was bad luck to interrupt dreams, which was something his mom had told him to get him and Hajun not to wake their dad up after his long nights when he’d first taken over as Head Alpha. But maybe if he did it gently.He kissed the top of his head, nose running through his hair and kissed him again. Jaehyun gave him a squeeze, tighter than he meant to and felt bad when Jungwoo made a small noise, a protest. “Sorry,” he murmured, hoping it wasn’t so loud that if he wanted to keep sleeping, it didn’t disturb him. Jungwoo snuffled, rubbed his face into his sweater.“S’okay,”Jaehyun pressed a long kiss to his forehead when he tipped his head back to look at him.“I heard you wanted to see some snow,”Jungwoo laughed, sat up slow and looked around. “It’s started,” he squeaked through a stretch.“Yeah, Hyuck and Mark just went out,”“Okay,” he stood up, adding for his benefit most likely, “I won’t stay out for long,”He smiled, held his coat open for him and watched him slide his hat over his head and mittens over his hands, giving him a toothy grin when he was ready.Donghyuck was busy spinning circles, face tipped up towards the sky while Mark’s hands were upturned though his focus was completely on Donghyuck. He heard Jungwoo take in a quick breath, reached out for Jaehyun’s hand before taking the steps one at a time. He wouldn’t let him stay out here too long, he decided, he and the pup didn’t need to be exposed to this cold for longer than absolutely necessary. But something about seeing his innocent, awed expression, as if this really was the first snow he was ever seeing. In his life and not just the first of the season. But Jungwoo felt everything different than other people. Nothing meant everything to Jungwoo, small things were big and vital and important, and he was so special that Jaehyun couldn’t help adoring him and every plume of breath that escaped his cold bitten lips.Jungwoo stepped away and into his frosted over yard.“I love snow,” said to no one in particular, except Jaehyun who was already listening. Jungwoo’s hands cupped in front of him, eyes sparkling while a couple snowflakes caught in the fringe sticking out from underneath his hat. “I always asked my mom to make a special dinner and she’d pool her money so we could afford duck or turkey or steaks or something fancy,” his heart ached thinking about steaks like the pack ate, being considered fancy but didn’t cling to it, “and I cut out little paper snowflakes and stuck them all over the house and I’d watch for the snow sky and then wait outside till I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes and just…catch snowflakes. Wow, it sounds lame saying it out loud,” he blushed realizing that the three of them were watching him.“You’re like the most precious person in the whole world,” Donghyuck laughed, skipping over to hug his best friend, “did you know that,”“Shush,”“No,” Donghyuck squealed and held him tighter, hands laid over Jungwoo’s on his bump, they both giggled at whatever Donghyuck said next, too quiet for him to hear. They laughed and watched the gentle snow fall for a couple more minutes before Mark caught him fidgeting. He grinned at him, watched as Mark took his silent anxiety into account and moved to help.“Bug,”Donghyuck looked up, tan skin a pretty contrast against the cold air and the otherwise gray world around them.“It’s cold lovebug, let’s go in,”Donghyuck narrowed his eyes at him, looking at Jaehyun who gave him a pleading look, hoping Donghyuck going inside would help lure Jungwoo in too.“Okay,” he agreed, taking Jungwoo’s hand. The other omega pouted at him but followed him, nudging his way into Jaehyun’s arms with a sad sound.“It’s cold Woo, we can watch it from inside, okay,” he kissed his head when he ducked into him.“Okay,” he stopped moving while Donghyuck hopped on Mark’s back and clamored inside. “Jae,”“Yeah,” he looked back at him, tugging his hat down further over his red ears.He twirled his hands around, thinking.Jaehyun smiled at him, reached out for his hands which Jungwoo took without hesitation.“I’m glad we got to see the first snow together,”“Me too,” he stepped closer to him, let their heads drop together, “if I’d known about the fancy dinner, I would’ve picked up something different,”“No, it’s…just something we used to do, it’s silly,”“It’s not silly, I think it’s nice,”“What, that my mom wasted what little money we had on something as trivial as an extravagant dinner, for one night that should’ve meant nothing,”“It meant something to you,”Jungwoo looked up at him, eyes misting like he might cry.“Your mom may have struggled but from everything you’ve told me about her and all that I’ve learned, she never put a price tag on your happiness. You were what she had, and she loved you more than all the money she ever could’ve saved for a different day,”“Jae,” he whimpered and tossed his arms around him, crying against his neck.He laughed a little as the omega sobbed, “shh, I’m sorry,”“Don’t be sorry,” Jungwoo whipped back, looking angry for a split second and then happy, was this…the hormones? “You…you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,”Jaehyun’s stomach erupted with butterflies, that his wolf nipped at and chased on their way up his throat.“Second,” Jungwoo whispered.“What,”“Second best,” he looked down at his stomach, which was hidden under the thick coat he had wrapped tightly around himself. “They’re first,”Jaehyun nodded, “I’ll take second, I’m good with second,”Second still landed him next to Jungwoo, with a pretty good spot in his life where he was figuring things out, taking steps to being more and more and more for him. Second was still the next available spot after his unborn pup and that was high as hell up on his list, he’d take that. He’d take that and run away with it, gladly. But then he’d come back. Because Jungwoo was here. And that’s where he wanted to be.….The next weird universal sign came in the form of a random encounter with his mom. Which in and of itself was a bad sign, was a ‘lookout Jaehyun, head up, eyes open,’ that he should’ve been more aware of. Of course, he was dreading this talk, seeing her wasn’t exactly something he wanted to be doing on a day that was way too cold to be functioning and bad enough already with its lack of Jungwoo. And to make it worse, he has an insanely unproductive talk with his mother.He’d been heading to Kun and Hajun’s to pick up Kun, going to the council meeting together, after it was rescheduled because of the snow. Jungwoo had decided to pass on the meeting since he had a checkup in the morning and then was going to spend the afternoon with his mom, if he had the energy. His mom found him heading through town“Jae honey,” his insides froze like the ground around him, evaluated his surroundings and wondered if he could viably make an escape and how…she caught him though before his plans could solidify. “Hi, how are you,”He turned in slow motion to look at her, telling himself it was fine, this was fine, he didn’t have to give her anything, just a hi and bye and then leave. His wolf agreed with that as he bore his teeth, rumbling in his chest.“I’m great,”She took a tiny step back, maybe not expecting the hostility, was she expecting friendly, loving, poster son after everything she’d said to him and about the omega he loved.“Good, good, how was your solstice, we missed you,”“It was great,”This was awkward. Like, really awkward. Painfully awkward.“Your friends had a good time too,” she looked upset, lips wobbling like she had anything to be upset about here.“Yeah, they usually find fun in free alcohol and food they didn’t have to fend for,”She nodded, mouth pursed.“Kun and Hajun didn’t come to brunch after, Hajun was sick apparently,”He narrowed his eyes at her, hearing the accusation in that statement.“I didn’t tell him,” he hissed, awkward tension fading to anger, “I didn’t sell you out to him, figured you didn’t deserve to lose both of us,”“Honey,” she sighed, “this…if you’d just let me explain,”“I heard your explanation mom and I have no interest in hearing more of your crap,”He tried to back up, but he bumped into someone, quickly turning around to apologize. The boy behind him he recognized from Seungmin’s table at the market, he’d seen him there once or twice with him before.“Hi,” he said, “sorry, that, sorry,”The omega smiled, Jisung, was the name he remembered Seungmin introducing him by.“It’s okay,”“Jae honey,” his mom said, “this is Jisung,”He turned to look at his mother, she was wearing a smile, eyes sparkling, focus shifted back and forth between them for a few moments.“What is this,” he had an idea but didn’t even want to think about it, not wanting to believe it.“Jaehyun,”“No…what are you doing,” offended beyond belief at the idea that she was trying to set him up, formally introducing him to somebody. When he had somebody, when she’d heard him say he was happy and trying to get with somebody, just because she didn’t like Jungwoo didn’t mean it wasn’t happening. He didn’t need her seal of approval especially when she and her opinions didn’t have a leg to stand on.“Honey, please,”“You’re trying to set me up with somebody, seriously,”“I’m just giving you options,”He felt his eyes bug a little. “I don’t, I don’t need options mom! I’ve already picked, my wolf has picked, why are you doing this?”“Because honey,”“That’s not a reason,” he growled at her, he watched Jisung shrink a little while his mom returned his glare.“I just want you to be happy,”“I am happy,”“Jae,”He stepped close to her, in her face to stare her down.“Mom listen to me,” she flinched the tiniest bit but didn’t look away, “I am happy, I am,”“I just think-”“I don’t care what you think, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been and it’s because of Jungwoo. I don’t want anyone else, I will never want anyone else. He is everything and more and if you want me in your life, you need to suck it up and get over all this because he’s not going anywhere, not if I can help it,”“Jaehyun,”“Mom, I’m not changing my mind about him and I’m sure you don’t want me to pick between you two because you won’t like the way that goes for you,”“Sweetie, this is ridiculous, you’re being rude, I was just trying to…” she dropped off. Jaehyun looked at Jisung who looked about an inch tall, shoulders hunched behind his mother, he instantly felt like an ass. He didn’t do anything to him, he wasn’t who he was angry at here.“I’m sorry Jisung,”“Yes, he most certainly is, I taught him manners,” his mother patted the younger omega’s arm, smiled at him tenderly. Jaehyun felt annoyance surge inside him again.“Yeah she also taught me to defend myself if I think I’m being wronged,” he gave her a look, smiling at her shocked face, “funny how we pick our virtues when they suit us,”She opened her mouth, but he cut her off, “Did dad talk to you, did he tell you that he and I did all this, and it was actually great, like how I imagined this conversation should’ve gone with you,”“Honey,” she whispered.“He was decent and supportive, which I think is such a small thing to expect from one of my parents but after everything you said, can’t be too sure, right?”Jisung backed up, further from his mom as if he realized what was happening.“If you have nothing constructive and nice to say about this mom just stay away from me, okay, I’m not interested in your crap. I expect it from Hanbin because he’s disgusting and Bobby because he’s like that but not from you and I was willing to chock all that to some weird, momentary mental break but you know how I feel. I’ve told you, you just won’t accept it because he’s not who you would’ve picked for me, but he’s who I’ve picked, for me and that needs to be enough for you. If it’s not…I don’t know what to say,”She shook her head. “You won’t…even think about your other options honey, you won’t even keep an open mind,”“Why would I do that, I know who I want to be with,”“But he’s the first omega you’ve ever shown an interest in, it could be a phase or a passing thing, you don’t know and maybe that requires some…I don’t know some more thought,”“I actually can’t believe you’re doing this again,”“It’s just-”“Kun was the first omega Hajun ever looked at, Ten has had Johnny wrapped around his finger from day one, Jimin was Jungkook’s first choice and aren’t you always going on about how sweet they are? Why doesn’t that apply to me too,”“Jaehyun, it’s not that it doesn’t. I just want you to think, about all of it. This is your life. Your whole life relies on this decision and I don’t think you should take that lightly,”“I’m not mom, I think he’s the best possible choice for me. I have never felt like this before and I don’t think I will ever again so just stop,”“There’s just so many people out there sweetie, and Jisung is, lovely, don’t you think,”The omega blinked owlishly, making a tiny peep of noise and stood up straighter but looked so uncomfortable with all this, being part of their argument.“Don’t drag him into this mom,”“It doesn’t have to be him baby, anybody, just tell me what-”“-stop Mom! Please just stop! It isn’t about him or anybody else, I’ve already picked, there’s nothing to fix or change, it’s done,”“It’s not done you have time, you haven’t mated,” they were drawing attention from the people milling around, finally coming out of hiding and getting back to their routines after the snow.“I’m not doing this mom, I’m not,”“Jaehyun,”“Jungwoo is who I want, he makes me happy and I’m excited for the life I could have with him and his pup, who by the way doesn’t turn me off or make me second guess, I want him, all of him and that includeshis pup. I can’t help that this isn’t what you want for me but it’s not about you,”She stared back at him, looking sad and a little resigned which was honestly fine with him because resignation meant no more fighting, he was good with that.“For once in my life I’m going to be selfish and go after something that I want and not feel bad about it. I’m going for this and I would love it if you were happy for me,”“Honey,”“I would love for you to get to know him and be a part of his life too, he’s so special and sweet and if you’d just give him a chance rather than keep clinging to what you’ve heard other people say about him, which by the way is crap, I’m sure you’d love him. I know you'd love him,”She nodded but didn’t look willing to do much else. She was stubborn, that’s where he got it from. Well, at least she wasn’t arguing with him anymore. That was a start."He and his pup are so important to me mom, and I'd really love if you stopped doing this, stopped treating us like this, neither of us deserve this and I think you know that,"He shoved his hands in his pockets, decided he’d wasted enough of his day on this, filled with annoyance that would probably last through most of the remainder of his day."Baby, I'm sorry," she whispered, arms crossing in front of her."Sure mom, you're sorry but not so sorry that you're willing to give this all up,"She didn't say anything.“I gotta go, I’m picking up Kun so we can crash Hajun’s first council meeting,”She smiled at him though her eyes were a little pinched. He knew she was probably heading there too, as the Head Omega she had a standing seat next to his dad, though today they’d just be observing and moderating occasionally. It didn’t escape him that she hadn’t seemed completely opposed to his choice at the end and maybe seemed open to the changes. Little, tiny baby steps were frustrating but better than no movement at all. He didn’t want her out of his life, but he also didn’t want her in it if she was going to be nasty to him and Jungwoo so if they could come to an understanding and a middle ground where they didn’t have to be at odds and could live altogether as a family, that would obviously be ideal. He wanted with Jungwoo, what Hajun had with his parents and Kun, they were all so close, he didn’t see why Jungwoo didn’t get to have that too. It didn’t seem too far-fetched that he could have that. And maybe someday Jungwoo’s mom would want to be part of it too, come to dinners and enjoy their company and share stories and be with them, as a family. He wanted that so bad, it sounded so, so good.He waved as he walked away, not looking back while he scuffled through the slushy puddles. It didn’t feel bad, this, talking to her. He was still aggravated beyond belief, but he didn’t feel super upset or hurt, this feeling seemed manageable and not so devastating.“Jaehyun,” he stopped walking, turning around to see Jisung standing there, cheeks bright red from the cold, hands tucked under his arms. Jaehyun smiled at him, feeling bad that he’d gotten caught in the middle of all that. He didn’t do anything wrong, so visibly wasn’t the one behind his mother’s plans. He was just a ride-along, he wouldn’t have been totally surprised if in fact, he’d been tricked, not told the full truth before following her blindly because who didn’t trust and want to follow her, she had that way. People loved her, like they loved his dad and had no problem doing things for her and following her lead on things which is probably how Jisung ended up a part of her scheme, it was why he was so hurt when she’d attacked him that first time. Because he loved and trusted her and she’d done nothing to make him doubt her goodness or her ability to be a leader as well as a great person so not only was he hurt, he was stunned. Not of that was news though. His mother had surprised him and done the same today though the wind seemed a little less in her sails than it had the first time. Maybe she was starting to understand her position in all this, realizing he wasn’t kidding. It’d be nice if she understood how he felt and wasn’t looking to walk away from Jungwoo, but also didn’t want her out of his life either. That was his mom, of course he didn’t want her out. But if he had to, he’d pick a full, happy life with an omega his wolf had picked for them so many years ago, a future that looked bright and endless with a pup he would absolutely love to pieces, with Jungwoo who was exactly, everything he wanted. If she was starting to see that, that was fine with him, she needed to. She needed to open her eyes to all this and realize she was making a mistake. He didn’t want her to be this way, but he didn’t want her to attack Jungwoo either, so she had to be better, nicer or he was out. Maybe that was harsh. But she’d been harsh to him too. He looked back at the omega in front of him, who looked guilty and maybe a little amused.“Jisung, listen I’m sorry, I’m sure you’re wonderful but I’ve already-”“I know,” the other put his hands up, full cheeks lifting with a bright smile. “I think everybody knows. I was a little confused when she approached me, but I thought maybe I just didn’t fully understand what was going on…sorry,”“Don’t be…she’s cracked,” even though he felt a little better it was still unbelievably frustrating to think that this was her plan. She thought, on some level, her scheming was best. Instead of trusting her son and his heart she figured it made more sense to try and set him up with another single omega, since clearly that was more viable than letting him do his thing and follow his wolf, the pull inside his chest that pulsed with every beat of his heart. This, what they were left with felt better and easier to deal with, but it still sucked. A lot.“I mean I got something out of it,” Jisung said next, which shocked him.“Oh yeah, what’s that,” he was so sweet and gentle and didn’t feel threatening, so he listened.“If I smell like you, the alpha, I like might actually do something about his feelings for me,”Jaehyun grinned, not minding being used to help someone get together, especially if it’s been a long road. He could totally feel and sympathize with that. “You might know him, he goes to the farmer’s market with Hyunjin sometimes, bothers the crap out of Minnie…Minho,”“Oh yeah,” laughing when Jisung blushed and ducked away from the look that Jaehyun gave him, “happy I could help then,”“Sorry if I caused you any…trouble I wasn’t trying to-”“You didn’t do anything Jisung, I promise,”The other grinned at him which he was happy to return.“Good luck with Minho,”“Thanks, I’ll let you know how it goes,”He waved to the young omega as he hurried away in the opposite direction. Jaehyun had forgotten what he was doing before getting caught off guard by his mom, he’d told her he was going to do…something? What was that again? Right, picking up Kun to go to the council meeting. Not exactly something he wanted to go and do now, but at least he could complain to him through the really boring bits.….That same night at dinner, he and the others were busy making fun of Hajun who had to escape their ridicule, he couldn’t take the heat, but he wasn’t leaving either, shaking his head where he was sitting in between Doyoung and Kun. It bared repeating since they’d just had too good a time listening to him get frustrated at the council members, fingers pressed into his temples while people complained about the dumbest things for two hours, which were likely the longest two hours Hajun had ever lived. It was amusing and the others seemed to be enjoying their exaggerated re-telling and Jungwoo was next to him, stealing food off his plate so it was all good. And then he heard someone clear their throat.He looked over his shoulder to see the blonde omega from earlier, Jisung, standing there with a huge smile and sparkling eyes.“Hey Jisung,”“Hi,” he was so happy that the word was engulfed by a laugh, he lifted his hand to wave at the others and then barreled on. “So…guess who’s being courted,”“What no way, already,” he hopped up and moved around his seat to collect him in a hug, “congratulations,” the other was basically vibrating in his arms.“Thank you, I mean you helped, he probably never would’ve asked me if it weren’t for the smell, so yeah,”Jaehyun really was thrilled that he could help someone else get together, feeling just the tiniest bit useless because here he was still puttering along with Jungwoo. At a snail’s pace.“Happy I could help,” he gave him another squeeze, “is he gonna be annoyed at me though, you smell like me again,”“Oh no, he’s not like that…not really, you just gave him a push,” Jisung hopped away, out of his arms, thanking him once more before scurrying away, towards the alpha who was standing a few pits away, hand already outstretched for his.“What was that,” Kun asked him, curiosity coloring his features.“Uh, just a friend…I was talking to him earlier and I guess my scent rubbed off on him which annoyed the alpha he likes enough to ask him if he could court him,”The others were quiet, though they were watching him, he could feel all their eyes on him while he returned to his plate of food and his spot next to Jungwoo.“Wow,” Kun smiled, eyes meeting Ten’s briefly. “Just like that,”Jaehyun cleared his throat in hopes that they’d stop before they could keep going. It didn’t work.“That’s crazy,” Ten hummed, always the shit-eater, “that it was so easy,”“Right,” Kun agreed, “good for them,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes, actively ignoring them in favor of Jungwoo who was poking his side and asking for his attention.“That’s Seungmin’s friend right,”“Yeah,” he smiled down at him.“And Minho asked if he could court him, I’m assuming,”He nodded. Jungwoo grinned, little laugh escaping him. “That’s awesome,” he went back to stealing green beans off his plate, tucking closer to his side and humming when Jaehyun lifted his arm around his back to hold him there and keep him warm. He kissed to top of his head gently, happy after his day to have him there, smelling like peaches and cedar wood. The others went on around him, without him but was so content to sit here and just be. Their teasing aside he was good. His life did depend on what he did with Jungwoo, but he felt like he was on the right path, walking faster than he had been a few days ago. Maybe the universe actually was trying to tell him something. Not a bad something. Just. A something.  ….Jaehyun made his way to Jungwoo’s house, finally the weather was a little more agreeable, not so cold or icy which had his wolf running happy circles inside him, as if he’d been in hibernating for months and was finally free. He had two wrapped steaks from the butcher’s counter held carefully in his hands. Something about Jungwoo saying he always wanted steak or duck for the first snow because it was ‘fancy,’ made his chest constrict with fondness. It was such a simple thing, a thing he could bring and give to the other without issue. Steaks weren’t a luxury, not come spring and summer when the mountain cattle came back to the valley past the hills and buffalo lived all year round in the flat land on the other side of the river. Duck was definitely rarer but occasionally the market would get some in or a few were caught from the lake but usually people left them alone to their flocks. The steak being fancy got him though, plenty of people had that all year round and it made something twitch inside him thinking that Jungwoo went without so much that most people took for granted. He’d never talk bad about his life and he and his mom had everything they needed but it still made him sad. Wolf in his chest freaking out to give him this small, seemingly insignificant thing, so he did. He had to. They’d cook them together, however Jungwoo wanted them with whatever else he had in his pantry and it would make Jungwoo happy to have something he liked and make Jaehyun happy making him happy.He wasn’t even nervous about it, doing this which had become so normal for him, going to Jungwoo’s to give him something was like second nature to him at this point. Neither of them was complaining about that though so why would he be nervous about it at all? Answer, he didn’t need to be. Which felt cool and a little unusual to him, but it was totally a feeling he could get used to.Standing on his porch he caught a tiny whiff of lavender. His first thought was that Ten was visiting but he couldn’t smell touches of Johnny’s scent anywhere, it couldn’t be him, but it could be his mom. She was here or had been. At Jungwoo’s. His stomach sank thinking about that. He banged on the door harder than he intended, eager and anxious now to see Jungwoo, to make sure his mother hadn’t ripped him apart, that he was alright.“Jungwoo, it’s me, open the door please,”The door cracked open, revealing a tiny sliver of Jungwoo, in a sweater, and thin sweatpants.“It’s me Woo, wanna let me in,”Jungwoo whimpered. He tried to push the door open but Jungwoo held it in place and Jaehyun didn’t want to force it and hurt him.“I’ll stay out here okay, are you alright,”Jungwoo peeped a tiny sound. Neither confirming or denying that he was okay.“Was my mom here,”Nothing to that either.“Jungwoo please, you’re scaring me,”“You should go Jae, please,”“No thanks, I think I’ll stay here and make sure you’re okay-”“-I’m fine-”“-Or stay till you stop lying to me,”The sliver of him got smaller as he tried to shut the door, Jaehyun put his hand against it to keep it open. If he disappeared inside Jaehyun was a little terrified of what would happen. His thoughts strayed back to his mom, it smelled like she’d been here but after the note they left on the other day it wasn’t like he thought she’d do anything awful. It wasn’t like his mom would have hurt the other, physically but if she’d said something to put him in a bad place that could be worse, knowing how powerful minds and wolves and negative thoughts could be. He felt like kicking himself, once again he’d let himself be lured into a false sense of security by her. Why did he do that? Why after witnessing how cruel she could be, did he give her the benefit of the doubt? That wasn’t right. He should be more careful, especially where Jungwoo was concerned. Jaehyun laid his head against the wood, twisting to try and see the other where he was doing the same thing on the other side.“Let me come in and I’ll fix it,”He heard the other sniffle, heart cracking with it.“Jungwoo please,”“There’s nothing to fix Jae,”“Says my mom,”“No says me,”He heard a staggered step and took the opportunity that presented and pushed the door open enough for him to slip inside. Jungwoo crumpled and backed up, out of his reach and begged him to stay where he was so he did. He hated the space between them when Jungwoo was crying and clearly devastated but if it meant he could be in the same room and work on this he’d stay right here, several feet from the other.“What’d she say,”“Nothing,”“Bullshit, Jungwoo what did she say,” he felt the growl ripple through him, enraged beyond what he’d been prepared to handle today. Jungwoo took another step back, looked at him with huge, fearful eyes, hands shielding his stomach. So much like the move he’d watched the first day they met, on their walk home from the river it startled him. Jungwoo loved him, they were best friends, this was wrong. He scared him.“I’m sorry Woo, I’m sorry,” he took a step while Jungwoo took another back.“Jaehyun please,” he pointed at the ground, silently begging him to stay put, again because he couldn’t listen.He put his hands up, told himself to calm down and begged his wolf to chill out, he didn’t need to be like this right now and make this worse.“I’m sorry, I’m right here, I won’t move, okay,”Jungwoo nodded, appearing to calm down, though he was still crying.“What happened Woo, was my mom here,”“Yes,” he squeaked, cheeks and eyes red.“What’d she say,” he begged as his whole entire body thrummed with the need to gather Jungwoo close and protect him, hang onto him and not let him go. Jungwoo sniffled, shook his head.“Jungwoo,”“She doesn’t like me Jae, she hates me,”“No, Woo, she doesn’t, she’s just…” he didn’t have a word for her right now so let his sentence drop off.Jungwoo looked up at him, gaze disbelieving and sad. His lips sucked into his mouth as he shook. “I don’t believe that you came from her,”He felt warm but also a little sick, thinking that his mom was acting so far from the woman he knew, he always thought he was a lot like her. Now, not so much.“What happened, what’d she say,”The other took a few deep breaths, he looked distracted as he rubbed circles over his stomach, muttering what sounded like nonsense to him.“Jungwoo,” he called him back, took a cautious step closer, smiling when he didn’t back up or scold him.“She said I don’t deserve a place in your life, no matter what place that is,”His wolf gave a pained howl in his chest, not understanding that statement and certainly not willing to accept it.“Jungwoo,”“That I’m in the way. She said your plans are fucked up because I’m here and that I’m distracting and,” he cut off with a sob but Jaehyun felt like he’d heard quite enough. Again, he’d let her trick him, thought her brief moment of understanding the other day was more than just a ploy. He felt stupid and a little used but pushed all of it to the back of his mind so he could focus on Jungwoo instead. Jungwoo, who was vastly more important to him in this moment and every other moment to date.“Am I,” Jungwoo whimpered, looking heartbroken.“No, you are not in the way, you are not fucking anything up and you might be distracting but I think I needed a little of that anyway,”“Jae,”“You know what you mean to me and you know me, do you genuinely think that anything she had to say was right,”“I don’t want to believe her,”“Then don’t, because she’s wrong. I love you, you know that,” Jaehyun tipped his head up, made him look at him and he did for a couple seconds before he closed his eyes and ducked into his neck where he cried, soaking the collar of his shirt.“I love you Jae,”Jaehyun squeezed him, knowing that and this was all that really mattered.“I’m sorry,” he whispered into his hair, “I’m sorry she said those things to you, I’m sorry she came here and attacked you,”“I…I thought, that she came to apologize,” he whimpered, face pressed flat against his skin, “I offered her tea and cake…so stupid,” Jungwoo’s arms squeezed him, fingers curled tight into his sweater. “I’m sorry,” he held him tighter. Jungwoo sniffled, coming out of hiding to look up at him.“Don’t apologize for her,”Jaehyun pressed a kiss to his forehead, “you still think it’s worth me making up with her,”Jungwoo gave him a wet laugh, “I want you to do what you want to do Jae,”“Okay,”Jungwoo nuzzled close again, head laying down on his shoulder. “And if that means she’s right, and you don’t want to be friends or anything or be in my life, I guess, I have to accept that,”Jaehyun held him away, gently stretched his arms out so he could look at him. “Excuse me,”“I don’t want you to-”“No, no did you just suggest that I don’t want you in my life,”“I just think-”“-how come nobody ever asks me what I think,”Jungwoo squeaked, looked a little scared for a second before he schooled it and just looked tired. “Sorry Jae,”“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he looked at him and wondered if he was even helping to make this better, tears still streaming down his face. “I think I might have caused her coming over here though,”Jungwoo sniffled, waiting for him to continue.“I told her that I wanted her to get to know you, give you a real chance because I know she’d love you if she did…I guess she didn’t take that the way I meant it,”“She didn’t seem like she was interested in giving me a chance,”"Jungwoo,"He watched him crumple a little, "She was so nasty Jae, like I had no right being in your life...like you didn't want me in it at all and, and I believed her for a split second! I don't want to ever be that Jae, I think the world of you but you don't have to be here, with me, if you don't want to be...I can handle it, I can," his whole body said the opposite of that, like the very idea of them not being in each other's lives was breaking him."You don't have to handle anything Jungwoo, okay, look at me," he ducked to catch his eye but he was crying so he probably couldn't see him anyway, through the tears. "You know I adore you, that I want to be a part of everything, my mom doesn't get a say, she doesn't have any pull in this, I promise,""She sure acted like she did," Jungwoo covered his mouth, blinking at him before he took a few steps away from him, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Jaehyun, I shouldn't be...I'm sorry,""Why are you sorry,""Because she's your mom and I'm wrecking your relationship with her Jae,""No Jungwoo, you aren't, she's doing that all by herself okay,"Jungwoo shook his head but didn't argue anymore, looking at him like he wanted to collapse in his arms and forget all this. Jaehyun's insides turned over thinking that this could very well be his life. His mom fighting him and them at every turn while Jungwoo was upset and hurt and didn’t understand why his mom was being this way to him without reason. It made something shake lose inside him, wolf ducking for cover. It didn’t sound ideal, but he’d put up with all of it for Jungwoo. He needed to know that. Jungwoo needed to know that this was something he’d deal with, gladly for him. There was literally nothing Jaehyun wouldn’t do for him and it was time he let him know. He wanted it to be different but knew in his heart, it wouldn't ever be the picture perfect confession he'd dreamed up but was there a better time than right now when Jungwoo needed him, when he was here, hurting and needing his love and reassurance in the face of his mother's cruelty.“Can I tell you something,”Jungwoo nodded, coming closer when Jaehyun held his hands out for him. He’d made them both wait long enough for this, he’d rather die here and now than let Jungwoo think he was less than exactly what he wanted, for any longer than he had to.“I love you,” a smile cracked on his face at that.“I know Jae,” he seemed so confident and content with that, "I kept telling myself that when she was here, so I wouldn't get caught up in it...but she's hard to ignore,""I know Woo, but you know she's wrong,"It warmed him up but also had him pulsing, his wolf barked until Jaehyun opened his mouth to say something. Jungwoo deserved the world and if Jaehyun could give him that, he had to. It wasn’t right that Jaehyun had these feelings, knew they could make Jungwoo feel safe and sound and happy and he was keeping them to himself. He loved him with everything he had and here Jungwoo was thinking his mother was right. That, in itself, was wrong. His dad’s words of support rang louder than his mother’s negativity in his head while Taeil and Taeyong’s encouragement told him, even if it failed, he’d make it out in one piece. His brother believed he was capable of having this and all of his other friends knew he could do this, knew he wouldn’t be disappointed. He had to put himself out there to be sure. All of those things, paired with the fact that Jungwoo had been crying, was upset because of his mother’s words, thought for a single second that she was right, pushed him to it. Something he should’ve done awhile ago."I know," he took a deep breath, "I know," “No, no you don’t, you don’t know,” and he didn’t but he wanted him to. He wanted him to after all the crap his mom probably threw at him, he deserved to have something real and good to hang onto instead. He deserved to know that Jaehyun didn’t feel that way, that he loved him beyond anything he could likely fathom, believed that he wasn’t in the way, that there wasn’t anything wrong with him, that he and his pup were wonderful and deserving. “And you don’t know, well maybe you do, that I would do anything for you, I would fight with my mom everyday if it meant I could see you and make you smile at the end of it,”“Jae-”“-you don’t know because I’ve never told you…and I don’t want to tell you now because that’s rotten…it shouldn’t be like this. I didn’t want it to be like this,” he groaned, suddenly a little frustrated, he shouldn’t have started this, it could’ve waited for a day where Jungwoo wasn’t crying and miserable. It could’ve waited for a time when it was just them and his mom hadn’t been here whispering poisonous things in Jungwoo’s ear before Jaehyun showed up.Jungwoo’s hands touched his chest, brought him back. He could wait. For a day that was just for them.Or.He could tell him, he could tell him everything and it would all be out there. There was still a tiny piece of him that didn’t want this to be the way it happened because it was tainted by his mom’s vendetta and it would be blurred by Jungwoo’s tears. But it was true, and he hadn’t loved him more than he did in this moment, watching his goodness shine like a light even though he was constantly being tamped down, people walking around trying to dim him in some way. He was precious and kind and fierce and loyal and loving and compassionate and so forgiving you only need ask and he was going to be an amazing mate to him hopefully and an even better parent.“Tell me what,” Jungwoo whispered, tears stalled for the moment.He took a deep breath, watched the other’s gaze track over his face before he jumped in, committed, no going back.“My mom doesn’t want us close to each other because you’re an omega and I’m an alpha and she has plans for me that I’m not interested in,”“But that doesn’t-”“-ask me why I’m not interested,”Jungwoo shook his head, took a step back, hands falling away from him and leaving him cold.“Jae you don’t-”“-ask me Jungwoo,”Jungwoo looked like he was trying to catch up, eyes blinking quickly, mouth opening and closing several different times. His chest rose with a big breath, hands running soothing circles over his stomach.“She ruined this,” Jungwoo whispered. Jaehyun smiled at him, closed the space between them.“Ask me,” his hands stayed at his sides while Jungwoo’s head came to rest against his.“Why aren’t you interested,”“Because I’m interested in you,”Jungwoo sobbed a little.“And she doesn’t like that,”Jungwoo put his hands against his chest again. Either to keep that inch of space between them or so he could feel him there, either way he was touching him, he wasn’t shoving him away which was a total plus. He wasn’t kicking him out or telling him to shut up, he was listening and even though he was crying, he didn’t look upset, he just looked worried? Maybe.  “You don’t want this Jae,” he whispered, head shaking in short movements.“Yes, yes, I do,”“No, Jae you don’t, you don’t want me,” as if that were a viable, actual thing that Jaehyun could get behind.“I do, Jungwoo I really, really do,”“No. No, no,” he turned away from him.“Yes Woo,” he laughed, tugging him back to kiss the side of his head, “why’d you say she ruined this,”“Because she did,” he huffed. If he felt like his mom ruined this that meant he was expecting a confession at some point which meant he knew about his feelings. Of course, he did, because Jungwoo had eyes and a nose and Jaehyun was totally obvious about all this.“So, you knew, how I felt,”Jungwoo smiled a little.“You were just waiting for me to say something,”Jungwoo smiled a little wider, making him groan and confirming that he did, definitely know. But he also wanted to hear him say it. “You know I’m in love with you,”Jungwoo looked at him with big eyes, teeth biting his lip and nodded. “I had my suspicions and then I tried to tell myself it was something else because…I don’t want you to want this Jae,”Well, that was something.“Why not,”“Because I’m a mess! You could have anyone and I’m me, I’m pregnant with someone else’s pup and you’re perfect and wonderful and don’t need all this! You don’t want this Jaehyun, you could do so much-”“-don’t say better, whatever you do, don’t you dare say better,”“But you could,” Jungwoo whined, looking sad again.“Not true,”“Jae,”“Jungwoo,”“This is your life,”“Yeah and I’d love nothing more than the chance to spend it with you, that is if you want that for your life too,”Jungwoo was quiet, fingers rubbing the knit of his sweater gently.“You could have anyone,” he whispered eventually.“So, could you,”“She’s mad because she thinks you can do better than me,”“She’s insane though, I think,”“But that’s what she thinks,”“Jungwoo, it doesn’t matter to me what she thinks, I know what I want. And if you want it too…it’s yours,”“I don’t want to mess up your life,” voice small and unsure.“I don’t think you’re capable of doing that,”“But I still could! You could have someone who’s all yours and a family with pups that could never belong to another alpha, you’d never have to share them. You could have everything with someone, and I want that for you,”“I don’t understand why that someone couldn’t be you,”“Because I have problems…that don’t have to be your problems too,”He couldn’t think of a single thing about Jungwoo that could be considered a problem.“I like problems, they keep things interesting,”“Jae,”“I have problems too, I’m not perfect. I mean look at my mom, that’s going to be shit show for a while, but I can take it…for you,”“Jaehyun,”“If you don’t want this Woo, just tell me, I won’t be upset,” his wolf whined, not liking that at all. But Jaehyun figured it was time he trusted him too, he’d put faith in him, his wolf could at least return the favor.Jungwoo was quiet for a long time, longer than Jaehyun felt comfortable with.“I didn’t want it this way Jae. I thought it would be ours and that you’d do something ridiculous that made me laugh and blush and I’d kiss you once you finally got up the courage to tell me how you felt,”“I still could be ridiculous, you know I can uh, let me start over,” he put his hands up, knowing if he could salvage this for Jungwoo at all it would be by being a dork. That always made Jungwoo smile.Jungwoo laughed, “Jae,”He paced to the table by his door where he’d dropped the steaks.“I loved your story about having a fancy dinner in celebration of the first snow, I thought it was adorable, so I know it’s a couple days late but, steaks,”Jungwoo’s eyes lit up at little, he wiped his sleeve across his cheeks and under his nose.“Maybe not super romantic I know,” Jungwoo laughed at him, “but this was something you’d do to celebrate something important and I loved that… how am I doing,”Jungwoo nodded, “good,” he took the wrapped cuts out of his hand and put them down on his tiny dining table before stepping into him.“I’m sorry I fucked it up,”“You didn’t, at all,”“You promise,”Jungwoo nodded, smile a light of his face, “I love you Jae, more than you could possibly know,” arms settling around his shoulders. Jaehyun and his wolf preened a little, knowing their feelings were returned and accepted. It felt amazing and made him want to go run around and jump for joy.“I love you too, like crazy Woo, you have no idea and…and I’ll confess to you every day till I do it the way you wanted it,” he whispered, brushing Jungwoo’s cheeks gently and loved the way Jungwoo leaned into his touch.“I didn’t say I minded this way,”“Yeah, but it was kind of crappy,”“It was…informal,”He smirked at that, informal was the nicest possible way he could’ve put that, “Next time I’ll do it when you’re not crying, deal,”Jungwoo bobbed his head, smiling up at him. “You still didn’t ask me,”“Ask you…ask you what,”He gave him an unimpressed look and waited. Jaehyun sighed figuring there was really only one question left to ask him, “how do you like your steak cooked,”Jungwoo hit him, “Jae,”Jaehyun laughed, pulled him in by his waist. “Would you maybe consider letting me court you,”Jungwoo’s chest collided with his, “Yes, yes,”“You’re sure, you’re not going to come up with a reason to turn me down,”“No, I want this…even though I kind of don’t understand why you want me, I think I can let myself have it for however long it takes you to snap out of it,”“Jungwoo,”“I’m not kidding myself…I just want this really bad, so I’ll pretend till, till you change your mind,”“Jungwoo, I’m not going anywhere, I want this. I want you,”“Okay,”“You don’t believe me,”“I do, I just, I’m not sure how long this good feeling will last,”“Forever if I have anything to say about it,” he kissed him between his eyebrows and smiled when Jungwoo sighed.“Don’t get my hopes up,” Jungwoo whispered, eyes shut while he gripped the front of his sweater to hold him close. He didn’t say anything. Just took his hands and led him towards the kitchen where he set out a pan to cook them dinner.“I don’t think I’m supposed to have red meat Jae,”“I’ll cook it all the way through I promise,”Jungwoo looked nervous, red cheeked and wide-eyed.“It’s one portion Woo,”His hands fell to his stomach, “do you think that will be okay,”Jaehyun nodded, not 100% sure but he couldn’t see the harm in one steak in the entirety of his pregnancy, it’s not like he was eating all day every day for 9 months, it was once. “Unless you don’t want to risk it,”Jungwoo shrugged, “That wasn’t one of Jimin’s big, bolded warnings, he was more concerned about me not drinking or eating fish,”“Good thing you can’t stand the smell right,”“Yeah,”He giggled behind him. Jaehyun shifted to look at him, standing with his hands hanging onto the back of his sweater.“What,”Jungwoo laughed again, “you just confessed to me,”“I did…I know, is it…are you okay,”“Yeah, I’m okay, it was a little shocking but nice,”“Nice,” he snickered, watching Jungwoo’s eyes light up.“Yeah, nice, maybe a little unexpected, but I liked it,”Jaehyun pulled him close to nuzzle the top of his head.“No more crying,” he said when Jungwoo’s lip wobbled a little, “I’m not going anywhere okay, I love you and I’m here, as long as you want me,”“Okay,” he smiled up at him, nose bumping into his cheek and staying there, “I love you too,”….It wasn’t too different, afterwards. They still sat on the couch with their feet propped on the coffee table after eating, dishes piled neatly, Jungwoo curled up next to him. The smell of peaches was thick in his nose, head swimming pleasantly while Jungwoo’s whole aura thrummed with this easy, warm energy. He was happy, really happy and Jaehyun had done that to him. It felt good.“Can I tell you something,” Jungwoo asked, fingers playing with his over Jaehyun’s chest.“Of course,”“I thought I was going to have to wait till after my pup was born for you to do something about this,”His wolf’s tail swished around at the implication of ‘this’. A silent, understood energy between them that both of them were anticipating and waiting for.“Yeah, I was kind of planning on waiting but I didn’t like seeing you upset, thinking for a single second that my mom was right. I needed you to have something else to latch onto other than her nonsense,”“Why did you want to wait,”“Because a tiny part of me wondered if she was right about you maybe being confused and interested in having someone non-threatening to have around,”Jungwoo craned his head back, eyebrows scrunched, “I wouldn’t use somebody like that,”“I know that, I know but there was a piece of me that didn’t want to confuse all this, so I figured just wait, it’d be worth it,”Jungwoo didn’t say anything else just snuggled closer to him.“Can I tell you something,” Jaehyun asked, hand rubbing his shoulder. Jungwoo laughed.“Of course,”“I almost kissed you after the solstice, on your porch,”Jungwoo was back to looking at him, tiny whisp of a smile sat pretty on his mouth. “I thought so,” he hummed, god he’d just known all about him the whole time didn’t he, “why didn’t you,”“Chickened out,” now it seemed silly, pointless. He could’ve done it so easily and all of this would’ve been out of the way. But there was something to say for being shocked into it, it felt right. Jumping into it because he needed Jungwoo to know he wanted this and him and he’d always fight for him. It was like going full circle, his dad said they’d fought together once as pups and now in the face of his mother’s doubt they could do it again, fight all their battles together and take anything on that came their way. “We’d had that whole talk about mating and other people being lucky and I didn’t want to do it when we’d been talking like that,”“But telling me after months that you were in love with me after I was confronted by your mom is different,”“Yeah,” he hummed, smiled when Jungwoo huffed a laugh, “shush,”“You could now, you know…unless you want it to be a surprise,”Jaehyun twisted to look at him, a little blurry because he was so close, laying against his shoulder. He tucked his fingers under his chin to tip him back, he pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, “why do you know me so well,”Jungwoo shrugged and moved to snuggle back into his spot, not saying anything about not getting kissed or teasing him about it being a surprise. He’d already gone totally off book by confessing tonight, not that he had any plans for how or when to do this he was just kind of going along with what felt right but sue him for wanting to make their first kiss special, or nice. Then again, what was more special and important to them than dinner curled up on Jungwoo’s couch, pup a welcome weight and warmth between them, scents swirled together in the room. This was them.He sat up, taking Jungwoo with him easily. He stroked over his hip for a moment.“Is this your definition of a surprise,”“Stop Woo, jeez,” he giggled while Jaehyun came close, feeling giddy and safe under Jungwoo’s teasing. He watched a tiny smile stretch on Jungwoo’s face, he was looking forward to this, what he knew was coming, “I won’t kiss you if you don’t stop,”Jungwoo laughed again, eyes crinkled, teeth bright in the firelight, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, okay, go ahead,”“Do you want me to,”Jungwoo nodded quickly, smile urging him to just do it. Jungwoo wanted it too, this was random and maybe not the way he’d thought it would go but what was better than Jungwoo wanting him too. Nothing.He smiled, touched Jungwoo’s cheek and closed the space between them. Just like that. His wolf howled and reminding him this was so worth the wait as his lips pressed to Jungwoo’s for a long, truly amazing moment. He moved closer when Jungwoo sighed and took his head in his hands to hold him there, his fingers slipped behind Jungwoo’s head, threading into his hair. His breath rushed out of him in a whoosh, but he didn’t want to break away, so he sucked in a quick breath and tilted back into him. Jungwoo made a tiny noise, a happy noise as his lips moved gently with his. He hadn’t thought too much, well he had but not in any great detail. Mainly because he didn’t know what to think about exactly, he’d never kissed anyone before, but this was great, this was way more than his sparse wonderings about it ever could’ve given him. This was easily the best kiss ever, he’d put money on that, it had to be. It was so easy and simple and a little salty but really awesome and soft and his wolf was ecstatic and Jungwoo was scooting closer to him, holding onto him, lips tipped with a smile as he kept pressing closer and closer and closer, till there wasn’t anything between them, just tiny gasps for air and the thin material of their shirts. Jaehyun pulled back, laying his head against Jungwoo’s when he knew actual breathing was vital and Jungwoo needed air too, but don’t think it was easy to do. It wasn’t. Jaehyun could’ve kissed him forever, could his entire life be spent just like this with Jungwoo’s lips on his, his arms around his neck, fingers in his hair. This. Was the start of his life, right here, if he got to spend it just like this, he couldn’t wait.He felt peace and comfort and this undeniable sense of homewash over him, setting him and his wolf together on even ground where they looked at each other, pleased with one another. It felt like no one else knew what this was like, like he was experiencing this for the first time in the history of the universe. Maybe that’s what he was feeling at the beginning of the week, you’re going to wander into something spectacular, something no one’s felt before, something you’ve been waiting for and it’ll be even better than you’d imagined.Jungwoo made a tiny sound in his throat, pads of his fingers rubbing into his neck, forehead pressing to his.“You okay,” Jaehyun asked him, suddenly wondering if it was alright, if Jungwoo had thought about this too, did he measure up, did he meet expectations?“Yes, yeah that was nice,”“Nice,” he asked, smiling despite himself, “I’ll get better, I promise, I’ve never…kissed anyone before,”Jungwoo stroked gently down the back of his neck, humming, “It was perfect Jae, it was amazing,”“I’ll still get better,”“I can’t imagine how you’d do that, but okay,” Jungwoo’s tongue poked out then, with the force of his smile. Jaehyun flushed under the praise, feeling like the world weighed nothing on his shoulders knowing that Jungwoo thought he didn’t need practice, would probably kiss him again without complaint. He watched Jungwoo’s face light up some more, happiness rolling off him and swirling in the room endlessly. His smile stretched wider and wider till it reached his eyes, making them sparkle.“So, we’re courting,” he asked then, looking, for the first time since they ate, a little anxious.“Yeah,” Jaehyun grinned, “if that’s okay with you,”“Of course, it’s okay,” Jungwoo erupted with a giggle, “I can’t believe you asked me, and you kissed me,”“I know, I shocked myself too,” he moved forward to run their noses together, “it’s good though right,”“It’s really good,”“Good, and you’re happy,”“So, so, happy…are you happy,”“What do you think,”Jungwoo bit his lip, “tell me anyway,”“I didn’t think it was possible to be this happy,”And that was the absolute truth. There were the things that Jaehyun wondered about and the things he figured would happen. Most Jungwoo things were those that he kept in a special place and tried not to get too caught up with because he wasn’t sure if they would happen for him. Now he knew those things were happening, they were one in the same. He got to have all of it, and it was amazing. He felt a little dizzy thinking about it, thinking about all the things he was getting, Jungwoo wanted him, Jungwoo kissed him and accepted him and it was all happening for him.“I…I’m going to…are you going to accept courting gifts or am I gonna have to finagle them in randomly,”Jungwoo’s eyebrows drew together and then dropped a little, like he was just realizing that with courting came gifts and plenty of spoiling.“Jae…”“I’m giving you courting gifts Jungwoo, there’s no way you’re getting out of that,”“Okay, but could you maybe not be super crazy and over the top with it, you know how I am with that stuff,”“Jungwoo,” he groaned, knowing this was going to be difficult from the get, “I only plan on doing this once in my life, I want to do it right,”“Sure, sure, but think of who you’re courting Jae, I don’t like flashy and I’m terrible at getting gifts,”“I know that, I’m not gonna go nuts, I just need to know that you aren’t going to turn down stuff if you think it’s too much,”“I won’t, if you promise that it won’t be too much,”Jaehyun hung his head, fond of this omega beyond basic comprehension. He knew it was this way or no way. “Okay, I won’t go overboard,”“And I won’t be a pill about it,”Jaehyun nuzzled him, loving the happy plume of peaches and cinnamon that swirled around him at the move, “That’s all I ask,”Jungwoo hummed, nuzzled him back before asking him a question that Jaehyun hadn’t even once considered preparing himself for. “Jae,”“Yeah,”“Will you scent me,”His stomach warmed up immediately, wolf rolled over a couple times, hardly able to contain himself. He swallowed, mouth feeling like it was filled with molasses, “yeah, yes, of…of course Woo,”Jungwoo laid back against his side, knocking them over on the couch so they could lay down. He’d only done this a couple times and it had only been in the platonic, seeking comfort, calming someone down sort of way, like when Kun thought Hajun was giving up on them but really he was just stressed to the max about courting him or when Chenle’s grandma got sick, he’d spent a lot of time with his nose tucked in his hair to ease his nerves. This was different. This was leaving his scent on someone who wanted him to, who was asking, someone he loved beyond measure, who meant the world to him. It wasn’t something to worry about massively because this was Jungwoo and scenting was basic instinct but that didn’t mean Jaehyun wasn’t momentarily struck with some anxiety. More centered around the fact that Jungwoo wanted him to do this. That was stressful but incredible.Jaehyun ran his nose across Jungwoo’s forehead, pushing out some of his own scent so Jungwoo could relax in it, he listened to the omega whine a little, pressing closer. His head nudged under his chin while Jaehyun moved back and forth. He twisted, smiling when he felt Jungwoo’s nose tuck against his scent gland, breathing evenly. He wasn’t sure what exactly should be happening during this sort of thing since he’d only ever scented his friends, but he could swear there’s was a pulse starting under his skin that wasn’t his. He could hear his heart racing, could pick out Jungwoo’s and his pup’s gentle thrumming but there was something else. He didn’t know what it was, had no ideas but wondered if it had something to do with their wolves and their supposed bond. He tried not to think about that too much. He just wanted to lose himself to this, give in to Jungwoo and this moment because this is what mattered. He started dropping kisses over his head, to any piece of available skin he could reach, head going fuzzy the longer he scented the other, thrilled out of his mind that Jungwoo smelled like him and he smelled like Jungwoo. He and his wolf were giddy when they realized that he would smell like Jungwoo when he left here, which meant for a time his home might smell like him too and if he ran into anyone from here to there, they would know he was taken. What a headrush. Jungwoo’s hand curled in his shirt, keeping him close, as if he didn’t want him to stop. Jaehyun didn’t want to either, but knew they’d had a big day, Jungwoo was likely tired and ready for sleep. Which he confirmed for him when he yawned, laughing when Jaehyun squeezed him tight.“I should go Woo,” he whispered, kissing the top of his head one more time.“I don’t want you to,” Jungwoo whined, butting his head gently into his chin.“I don’t really want to either, but I should,”Jungwoo nodded, tilting his head back to look at him, his pout melted into a smile. Jaehyun couldn’t help himself, after everything, after scenting him, now knowing he could if he wanted to, he leaned down to kiss him, enjoying the drawn-out moment of tension before Jungwoo huffed and pressed closer. His hand gripped his shirt tighter, hot breath fanning over Jaehyun’s mouth where they were attached. It was harder that time to pull away from him, but he managed, eventually.Jungwoo pouted when he walked him to the door, telling him again that he didn’t want him to leave. But Jaehyun couldn’t stay, not feeling this way, he knew to be good and hold himself to certain standards he had to go and breathe air that didn’t smell so saturated with Jungwoo. At least for a little while. He leant against his door, smiling as Jaehyun turned around.“See you tomorrow,”Jaehyun nodded, closing the space between them. He was going to kiss his head but Jungwoo tipped into him. Jaehyun smiled, wrapped his arms around him while Jungwoo hugged him, kissing him back. Jungwoo seemed okay to let him go after that, holding his face to kiss him one last time and Jaehyun just felt like he could burst.“I love you,” Jungwoo whispered, giddy and giggly.“I love you more,” he smiled, squeezing him. He stepped back, ready to go but ducked close to him one last time, “sorry, one more,” Jungwoo laughed, sagging into one more kiss, biting off a whine when he backed up. He could practically feel Jungwoo’s sadness as he walked away, turning around a couple times to wave at him.Now he wasn’t lying about how difficult it was to leave him. It was so hard, but he knew he couldn’t stay there, not yet anyway. But seriously, how was he supposed to go home and fall asleep he was so excited, there was no way he’d be able to calm down enough to sleep. He just wanted to run around and tell people, tell their friends and his brother and his dad and just jump around because this was awesome. Jungwoo accepted him, he wanted him to court him, he loved him and kissed him back and was happy and listened when Jaehyun said his mom’s bullshit didn’t matter. He’d wished and waited and thought about all of this and it happened, so randomly, so unexpectedly. He just went for it, like Taeil had suggested, just trusted himself and his wolf and their feelings like his dad and Hajun and Kun had told him he should. And it happened. Just like that. He would absolutely not be sleeping tonight though, that was for sure. Especially not when he realized he had courting gifts he needed to be working on now that this was on and Jungwoo said he’d accept them or try to. He had one thing pretty much done but that was only one thing. He needed more, lots more. Maybe he wouldn’t be sleeping tomorrow either. Totally fine, he was courting Jungwoo and that was totally worth the lack of sleep, totally, completely, 100% worth it.…. Jaehyun was happily enjoying his dinner with Jungwoo snuggled against his side, much like every other night except not at all like any other night before. They hadn’t told their friends yet, he was searching for the words and waiting for Jungwoo to tell him he was ready. His dinner was disturbed however when he smells burning wood, smoky that was overpowering the normally strong, comforting oak smell, Hajun. And he was pissed about something. Blatantly so, judging by the smell and then he was there, rippling with angry, anxious energy, Jungwoo shrank a little at the aggravated alpha energy while some of the others looked worried.“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me about mom,” Hajun’s voice pierced the air around their fire pit. His shoulders jumped. Hajun was nearly as scary as his dad when he was pissed off and, on a mission, large and imposing so no one messed with him, scent thick and cloying.“Junnie,” Kun stood up, coming around the pit to stand in front of his mate with raised hands, scent pushing out to calm the older alpha, it didn’t appear to work as Hajun’s eyes twitched and narrowed.“Did you know about this too,”Kun shifted closer to Hajun, hands touched his chest with a tiny sound.“You did,” Hajun backed up, eyes moving over Kun in front of him then to Jaehyun then back. “You’re my mate Kun, what happened to no secrets, you don’t trust me,”“No Junnie, stop it,” Kun tried to get his hands back on him but Hajun was faster. He backed up another step, looked away from him.“I deserved to know about this Jae,”“I know Jun, I just didn’t know how to tell you or if I even should’ve,”A slight growl escaped him, not a threatening thing more a hurt, confused sound. “She’s my mom too and if she’s mean to you, she’s mean to me, you should’ve told me. Why does nobody talk to me,”Jaehyun stood up, “I talk to you Jun, I just honestly didn’t know how to tell you this, I’m sorry,”“I’m always the last to know shit,” but he looked like he was softening a little, not so hurt. But then again, his focus had shifted away from him again, to Jungwoo who was using him as a makeshift shield against the angry alpha pheromones surrounding them all. Hajun came forward and nuzzled the top of Jungwoo’s head, smiling when the other beamed up at him. “I’m sorry if she was nasty to you Jungwoo,”Jungwoo shrugged as if it was nothing. He was too used to being treated that way that after his initial hurt, he just accepted it. “It’s okay, I can take it, I had some pretty good company after,”“After what,”Jungwoo looked up at Jaehyun as if to gauge what he should say but carried on before Jaehyun could do anything.“After she came to visit me and tell me I was ruining Jaehyun’s life,”Hajun gaped, mouth hanging wide open in a way that made a couple of their friend’s laugh.“I know she’s your mom but she’s kind of a bitch,” Mark said, Donghyuck swatted him but smiled and stroked his cheek afterward.“She is,” Hajun decided, “I didn’t know but she really is…dad knows about this right,”“Yeah, well kind of, I told him some of it but not everything. It’s harder than you think bashing someone’s mate who also happens to be your mom,”“So, what are you going to do,”Jaehyun shrugged, not feeling like he had to do anything. “Nothing,”Hajun laughed, “You’re good with that,”“She hasn’t apologized, she’s just consumed with trying to get me on her side,”“No but are you okay,”Jaehyun looked up at him, smiling to himself, “Yeah, I’m a little more focused on making sure he’s happy at the moment, she can stew with that till she’s ready to apologize,” he shifted to look at Jungwoo who didn’t appear to be listening anymore, fiddling with Donghyuck’s sleeve as he and Taeil laughed about something. He wondered if he had or was going to tell him about what happened between them yesterday. He wanted to tell everyone but didn’t want to just spring it on everyone especially if Jungwoo wasn’t ready for people to know about them. He didn’t know why he was even thinking about that or thinking like that, Jungwoo loved him, Jungwoo wanted to be with him and wanted to be courted by him but when you go so long arguing with yourself about your feelings and someone’s feelings for you, it’s hard to just sit back and accept it. It felt almost too good to be true.But he really wanted to tell his brother.“I’m sorry Jae,” Hajun said, pulling him back to the conversation they were having about their mom.“It’s okay,” he moved to hug him, “I know I should’ve told you, I didn’t think both of us deserved to go through that though,”“That doesn’t mean you deserved to go through it alone either, brother first remember,”“Brother first, I know,” he squeezed him, felt safe and looked after like he did when Hajun used to curl up with him after a nightmare when he was a pup. “Love you,”“I love you too,” Hajun pinched his cheeks, “you smell good,” he gave him a look but didn’t say anything else. Just grinned at him proudly, apparently, he didn’t have to say anything at all. And then it was gone, sweet moment evaporating just like that while he moved back to his mate. Kun blinked up at him looking more apologetic than he’d ever seen him before. “I’m sorry I yelled at you baby,”Kun didn’t say anything just snuggled into his chest while Hajun curled around him, head ducked to tuck against Kun’s shoulder. Jaehyun moved to sit back down next to Jungwoo who snuggled into his side happily.“Jae,”“Yeah,” he smiled down at him, watching the way Donghyuck and Taeil looked at each other for a quick moment.“Can…do you want to tell them,”“Up to you, everybody already knows I’m crazy about you, they’ll just be more shocked that I finally did something about it,”Jungwoo laughed at him, stroking the side of his face softly and told him he wanted them to know if Jaehyun did. Well that was an easy decision.“Guys,” he cleared his throat, caught Donghyuck and Taeil bouncing and giggling like they knew what was coming and could barely contain their excitement. “I have news,” he grinned at Jungwoo’s huff, sagged as the omega tugged on him a little.“Good news,” Johnny asked, sitting up straighter with Ten slumped in his lap.“Yeah, I mean I think so,”“Blue balls Jae, come on,” Yuta groaned from across the fire.“I told Jungwoo how I…that I’m in love with him and he…uh we’re courting,”Jungwoo hummed, hanging onto him tight as he nuzzled his face into his arm. There was a moment of silence, probably everyone deciding if he was kidding or messing with them and then all at once they erupted. Half of them stood up to jump around while the rest of them cheered and congratulated them, Jungwoo blushed like mad at all the happy attention.Taeil hopped over to him from his spot a couple seats away and took his face in his hands, “You didn’t chicken out,”He laughed, “No, I didn’t chicken out,”“You just went for it,”He nodded, feeling suddenly emotional under Taeil’s attention.“I’m so happy for you Jae, I knew you could do it,”“I didn’t like thinking that I was jerking him around…I had to tell him, do you…do you think it’s okay that I told him after he was harassed by my mom,”Taeil tipped his head. “I don’t think it matters what, if anything, pushed you to tell him how you feel, does it make you feel different about it because it was your mom that got you there,”He shrugged, “I just, I had wanted it to be just us, nothing else,”“Can I tell you a secret,”“Yeah,”“The first time Taeyong told me he loved me, was after he got in a fist fight with Bobby,”He shifted to look at Taeyong who was clearly listening to them, guilty smile plastered over his face while he swung Jungwoo’s hands between them. “It doesn’t matter how it happens because I don’t think there’s a wrong time for those sorts of things. Sometimes we need someone to snap us out of our heads and remind that things are always up in the air, it’s up to us to come back down,”He smiled at him. He didn’t confess because of his mom. He confessed because he loved Jungwoo and he needed him to know. He couldn’t bear leaving him that night without telling him how he felt. Without changing his mind.“I’m really freaking happy for you, both of you but,” Taeil’s hands tightened on his shoulders, “hurt him Jaehyun and I’ll hurt you,”“Tae,”“I’m not messing with you,”“I know you’re not, but you know I couldn’t possibly hurt him,”“I know but it’s an obligatory warning,”“Got it,” he hugged him when Taeil nudged into his side. And then Hajun was back, hugging him tight, he didn’t say anything just squeezed him and smiled, getting shoved aside by Kun who couldn’t hold him any tighter than he was, seriously that was like, a threat to his ribs. He tuned into the others to hear Donghyuck laughing loudly at Jaemin. Jungwoo was shifting between a few different shades of red, staring at him pleadingly.“Jae,”He hurried back to him, wrapped an arm around him.“Are you tormenting him,” he narrowed his eyes at Jaemin who just smiled.“No,” Jaemin said, and he looked like he honestly believed it too, “I was just asking questions,”Jungwoo whined at him, nuzzled under his chin.“What kind of questions,”“Like what you said, how you asked if you could court him, if was super romantic…if you guys kissed,”Jungwoo didn’t do too well when the attention was all on him and Jaemin’s attention was always a little overwhelming, he had that way about him. “Leave him be Minnie,”“So, you didn’t kiss,” he asked, grin totally shit eating, next to him Jeno looked torn between laughter and telling his mate to stop. Jungwoo looked up at him, they shared a look before Jaehyun ducked to kiss his forehead.“They kissed, they totally kissed,” Jaemin decided, he and Renjun and Chenle seemed thrilled at that information while Donghyuck and Taeil looked close to tears. Happy tears of course. And then Jaemin was shouting, “Who had the week before the new year, for the big get together,” looking around at them all. So, they had put money on them.Jungwoo flinched, tipped to look at him, “they bet on us,”“Apparently,” he rubbed down his side. Sicheng threw his hand up, skipping around the circle to collect his winnings while Jaehyun looked up at him, shocked. “Chengie, really,”“I had all the faith in the world in you Jae, and after watching you guys at the solstice festival, I knew it was gonna be soon. I do have to share this with Junnie though, we picked this week together,”“Junhui,” he asked just to clarify that it wasn’t his brother he was talking about.Sicheng nodded, “he’s my new partner in crime,” Jaehyun watched Yuta reach his arms out to collect him back, drag him close where he collapsed half on top of him, grinning over his shoulder to show him his money. Jaehyun couldn’t exactly find it in himself to be upset about them betting on him and Jungwoo, especially when Jungwoo sighed, not looking too put off by it. And if Jungwoo was happy so was he, ridiculous, out of his mind, nothing can take me down, kind of happy.He started his week on a weird note, thinking that snow storms and cold weather meant trouble but in fact they didn’t. Sometimes things just happened with or without the universes say and you just rolled with it. Jaehyun, whether this was all on him or his mom or other people’s successes with the same things or maybe forces beyond his control, was happy to roll with this. He’d finally told Jungwoo how he felt, and he’d accepted that and him and his offer to court him. He’d kissed him and Jungwoo had kissed him back and there was literally nothing wrong with that. Why was he worried at all? He couldn’t quite remember now. Jungwoo was special and wonderful and smelled like him so of course it was made to work. And snow wasn’t bad. Jungwoo loved snow. How could he have ever thought that the universe was trying to warn him, prepare him for something bad? When this is how his week turned out. Maybe it was just excited for him, knowing, instead, that good things came with cold weather, snow and Jungwoo. Knowing that Jaehyun would be fine. Knowing that he and Jungwoo would figure it out and be way better than fine.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun was on absolute cloud nine. Which did next to no justice for how he was truly feeling. There weren’t words to properly describe this feeling, Jungwoo loved him and they were courting, and they’d kissed, and it didn’t get better than this. Did it? He was open to that but skeptical that it was possible.After his last week, Jaehyun’s quest to find or make the perfect gifts for Jungwoo started, he had ideas, most of them revolving around gifts he could use for his pup too, because so much of his life and their time together was pup focused. The first gift he thought of was a rocking chair because the one in his own house growing up was well used and loved, many nights spent curled up in his dad’s lap while he rocked him to sleep, so many afternoons where he and Hajun squeezed into the seat when Hajun was helping him practice how to read. Building him a rocking chair was not only, in his mind a good idea, it seemed practical. Jungwoo would respond better to practicality, something he could use frequently, that would be a staple in his home for him and his pup to use, he’d started work on that two days after Jungwoo agreed. It’d probably take him another week if he worked on for a few hours every day. And he would.The next pup centered gift was a stack ring set and a rattle, knowing both of those were his favorite toys according to his parents.And the last was one he’d been working on for a while already, it hadn’t originally been a courting gift, just something Jaehyun knew he’d need. Now it was a courting gift. A crib. As far as Jaehyun knew he didn’t have one yet and he hoped he wouldn’t get one from now till he gave it to him.Those were the three he’d come up with so far, he wasn’t too sure about giving him much more than that, because he didn’t want Jungwoo upset. This was, for Jaehyun, all about Jungwoo and if he was uncomfortable then that was this entire process stopped for him. He was determined to do this right, play by Jungwoo’s rule while still giving him courting gifts because they were courting, and his wolf would never let him get away with not doing that. He just had to not go overboard. This was for Jungwoo and beyond anything else, his feelings about this or his wants as an alpha paled in comparison to what Jungwoo wanted. Because he wanted Jungwoo, he’d give him whatever he asked for. If he didn’t respond well to the first courting gift, the rocking chair, then he wouldn’t give him anything else, he’d sell the toys he was going to make and give someone else the crib, maybe Kun or Donghyuck, whoever announced they were expecting first. He wouldn’t push it and make him feel bad about the gifts, he wanted this to feel good and right for him too and that wouldn’t happen if he was constantly panicking about having to accept gift after extravagant gift. For now, though, he’d work on the couple things he’d planned and see how Jungwoo reacted to them.The crib was pretty much done so he focused on the rocking chair for a couple hours, shop quiet with Minho not around, whether he’d been there at all that day Jaehyun couldn’t be sure, not that it mattered. He’d much rather he, spend time with his family than find busy work here, which Jaehyun understood, if he wasn’t busy making things for Jungwoo he wouldn’t be here at all. Be here in the shop or be with Jungwoo, huh, that’s a tough one. After he finished up, rocker runners and arms sanded, placed next to the seat that he’d worked out the day before, he closed up and headed for the market. Jungwoo was agreeable to the first flowers he gave him and now that they were courting, they were a simple thing he could give him while all his other gifts were in the works, so he bought him flowers and headed to his house. The omega flung the door open after one knock and tugged him inside.“Hi,”“Hi,” Jaehyun grinned, stumbling into him with a laugh while Jungwoo wrapped his arms around his shoulders“I missed you,”Jaehyun tucked their noses together, “You saw me last night,”Jungwoo pouted, “am I not allowed to miss you,”“No, no, you can miss me,” instantly feeling bad for teasing him in that moment, he’d never want to make him feel bad for enjoying and making the most of moments with him.Jungwoo smiled. His eyes lit up when he caught sight of the flowers. “Are those for me,”“They are,”He smiled wider, “they’re beautiful,” he took them and hurried to his kitchen to put them in water. He asked Jaehyun to grab the vase he’d bought a couple weeks ago off the top of his fridge, cheeks pink when he gave it to him, hands settling on his hips while he filled it up and arranged the flowers how he wanted them. Jaehyun tucked his head over his shoulder, nosed his neck for a second while Jungwoo’s scent thickened, warmed him and the air around them.“How’d I do,”Jungwoo knocked his head against Jaehyun’s, muttered, “with what,”“The first official courting gift,”Jungwoo giggled, spun around. “Good,”“Good,”“Yeah,” he confirmed before smirking, like he’d had an assuming thought, “you could just give me flowers the whole time, I wouldn’t complain about that,”He wondered what about flowers made it different, it was like the only thing Jaehyun had ever given him that he hadn’t argued against. Not that it really mattered when he was looking at him like that, smiling and blushing over flowers, happy with a gift. That was fine.“Maybe I will,”Jungwoo gave him a look, like he knew that was the furthest thing from the truth but didn’t say anything, just moved his fingers into his hair, rubbing down the back of his head slowly. He looked at the flowers, bright and colorful in his kitchen, shocking almost against the cold you could practically see outside the window. He’d apparently spaced out or been neglecting him for just long enough that Jungwoo tapped his neck.“Jae,”He smiled, looked up to see Jungwoo watching him with huge eyes, “yeah,”He looked kind of sad, didn’t say anything. Jaehyun gave him a squeeze.“Jungwoo,”He startled, like he’d forgotten he’d asked for his attention to start with.“You didn’t kiss me,” he whispered, Jaehyun’s chest felt tight, smiling at that gentle, simple reason he was upset.“I didn’t, did I,”Jungwoo shook his head, smiling a little as Jaehyun got closer.“You know you can kiss me,” Jaehyun said to his silence, “this goes both ways,”“I know it does I just wasn’t sure…if I could,”“You can, you always can,” he said and waited, knowing Jungwoo would take that and run with it. He pulled Jaehyun’s head down to meet his, nuzzled up against him for a split second before he kissed him, humming happily as his arms looped tighter around his neck. Jaehyun took a step to close the last bit of space between them, enjoying the long line of Jungwoo’s body pressed against his, hands settling low on his back because he liked how they filled that space, how he could practically feel warmth spread through Jungwoo like it started and stopped right there, under his touch. Maybe it did. He’d have to test that out. He kissed him harder, pressing him against the counter, hands let him go briefly to brace behind Jungwoo’s back when they staggered backwards, keeping one hand out for balance before he hauled Jungwoo close again, fingers gripped his shirt tight. Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat, dragged in a breath like he’d forgotten he needed to breathe at all. Jaehyun smiled which made Jungwoo whine and pull away.“You’re laughing at me,”“No, no I’m not,” he promised, not wanting that thought to fester for another second longer.“What are you laughing at then,” he asked, kissed him back when Jaehyun ducked close to kiss him some more.“Just how cute you are,”“That’s funny,” Jungwoo asked, bottom lip sucked under his teeth.Jaehyun nodded, kissed the tip of his nose before pulling back. He grinned at him as Jungwoo blushed, grabbed his vase of flowers in both hands and walked out of the room. Jaehyun followed closely behind him, watched him place them on top of his mantle with a satisfied sound. When he turned back to look at him, he looked expectant, like he thought Jaehyun had something to say or was going to do something else, now that he was here. He didn’t have anything, he sort of, lamely, only wanted to give him the flowers and see him.He floundered for a second, “Do you want to do something,”Jungwoo smirked, shook his head. He took a couple steps closer to him, eyes on Jaehyun the whole time. When he was in front of him, he wrapped his arms around Jaehyun’s waist, looked at him like he had a million things to say but was also happy in the silence. Jaehyun didn’t mind either way.He tucked Jungwoo’s hair away from his eyes, moved some of it behind his ears, the omega’s eyes drifted shut as his fingers rubbed at his scalp.“We can do something if you want,” he whispered to him while Jungwoo’s head fell forward, Jaehyun’s lips pressed to the smooth skin of his forehead.“I’m okay with this,”Jaehyun smiled, stomach fluttering. “Me too,”Jungwoo liked that answer apparently, walking them around till they were dropping on his couch, legs tucking together automatically. They sat quietly for a while before Jungwoo started fidgeting, nervous energy swelling between them.“What,”Jungwoo looked back at his voice, “what,”“You’re fidgeting, what’s up,”He shrugged, lost in thought again. Jaehyun knew what that meant, happy to hold him tight and let him work it out.“Can I tell people,” Jungwoo asked after a while, worrying his bottom lip. The question surprised him, as if he even needed to ask him that.“About what, us,”“Yeah,”“Of course, Woo,” he found that so odd, it made him want to laugh but Jungwoo was nothing if not over cautious, always thinking, always double checking, always gauging people’s reactions, he didn’t want to step on toes or put anyone in a bad spot. That apparently extended to him being courted. This was very mutual, and he didn’t need his permission if he wanted to tell people or talk about it with his co-workers if they asked. “You know you don’t have to check with me on that right, if you want to tell people, or not, that’s okay,”“I’ll probably tell Wendy and let her tell everyone else, all the attention kind of stresses me out…” Jaehyun smiled at him, listened as he continued, murmuring under his breath like he wasn’t fully talking to him anymore, “maybe Yuta will have lunch with me when I do, be my buffer,”“I’m sure he’d be happy to do that for you,” he whispered, liking the way Jungwoo’s eyes twinkled when he looked up at him. He giggled and burrowed closer to him. Jaehyun held him tight, happy to have him in his arms, laughing against his neck like this and him were the two best things happening to him today. And Jaehyun was just all levels of delirious thinking about that. He tried to stay aware, not wanting to lose his head and miss a minute of this Jungwoo centric goodness but he was finding that harder and harder as Jungwoo’s warmth seeped into him, body pressed tight to his as his arms tucked around his waist.He caught himself, thinking that this, even though it was out of the ordinary and not at all standard, it seemed to be good with Jungwoo. This seemed to be what he wanted and how he wanted it. Of course, Jaehyun being totally in love with him, was just happy to be able to give him this. Knowing Jungwoo would tell him if there was something, he wanted him to change. Speaking of change, he remembered telling Jungwoo he’d confess to him every day till he got it right, till Jungwoo couldn’t think of a single way it could be improved. That’s not to say that he didn’t like how it’d happened because he did but Jungwoo didn’t seem opposed to hearing those words over and over and over again and Jaehyun was totally invested in telling him he loved him at every available opportunity. So, if he could do that, improve on his confession, tell Jungwoo he loved him and make Jungwoo smile in the process, well that was a win, win, win.He smiled against the top of his head, kissed the swirl of his hair before he said, “I’m like totally in love with you, just so you know,”Jungwoo squeaked and went bright red, hands pushing against his chest even as he shuffled against him, “was that your confession of the day,”“You bet, how would you rank it, against the others,”Jungwoo laughed, “you’re such a dork,”“I’m your dork now, sorry,”He huffed at him, worming into his arms, into the spot he’d carved out just for him. “Why are you sorry,”“Because if I’ve learned anything from my brother and Kun, it’s that he drives Kun crazy sometimes, he’s kind of ridiculous,”Jungwoo’s scent mellowed, less potent around them, “I like it,”“It still could drive you nuts…eventually,”He shook his head, “I like it,” nose nudging the underside of his jaw, “I can’t imagine disliking the first thing I ever liked about you,”Jaehyun pulled back a little, kneading his shoulders when Jungwoo gave him a sad look. “Really, I mean…not that that’s bad but like really,” that friggen figured, he was compassionate and strong and good looking, according to his friends, and Jungwoo liked that he was a dork, spoke without thinking sometimes and suffered from lack of brain to mouth connection more often than not.“Yeah really,” he looked so happy and pleased with himself that Jaehyun couldn’t be even the slightest bit bothered about it.“What did I do exactly,”“The whole second son thing…you said, ‘yeah but I’m his second son, not the son,’ like that meant anything and it just made me feel better. I felt like everyone around here was fake or lying whenever they approached me, but I didn’t feel like you were pretending to be like that…I felt comfortable,” ending with a shrug and a small, slightly sheepish smile.“That was like the first words we ever said to each other,” he and his wolf were equally floored that Jungwoo had been comfortable with him from their very first interaction. Yet another thing that spoke to their year’s old connection, they were drawn to each other. It could be helped or properly explained because he didn’t understand it, but it was nice knowing about, learning about and feeling that it went both ways.“I know, it surprised me too, but…never mind,”“No what,”Jungwoo shook his head, sat up and away from him.“Jungwoo, what,”“Nothing Jae,” he looked like he wanted to get up but stayed there, he let out a heavy breath, “it’s silly,”“Nothing you feel is silly, talk to me,”He looked at him for a long moment, “I can’t explain it but at the river that day, after those jerks left,” a tiny rumble accompanied those words, easily the cutest sound he’d ever heard, “I looked at you and felt really warm and safe. But I was kind of annoyed at myself because I didn’t know you and I’d never been one to go all nuts for an alpha I didn’t know just because they were cute,”There was a lot there, but he had to get that frown off his face, wanted the knit between his eyebrows to go away so he said, “you thought I was cute,”“Like you don’t know you’re cute,” Jungwoo huffed at him.Jaehyun smiled so wide he could feel his tongue poking out behind his teeth before he moved forward, nosed at his cheek till Jungwoo turned fully to face him, lips pressing to his with the move. “You’re way, way cuter, you know,” he murmured, not pulling back at all. Jungwoo huffed, kissed him a little harder, till Jaehyun was pretty sure his wolf was going to combust in his chest, with how he was vibrating out of his fur, claws scratching at his ribs like he was going crazy.When he pulled back Jungwoo whined at him. Jaehyun brushed his hair back to soothe him, smiling at his dazed-out expression.“Tell me more about it though, I like this story,”Jungwoo’s hand, made contact with his chest, lightly before staying there, laid over his heartbeat. “I just had this weird feeling that I’d known you my whole life or like I could trust you. I fought it for a while because it scared me since we didn’t know each other but you made it really hard. And the more time we spent together the more I didn’t mind being close to you, the more I realized I didn’t have a good reason for fighting those feelings…and then they turned into something else entirely which was way harder to fight off than the other…feelings…were what are you smiling at?”“You,” everything his dad had said about their bond, formed when they were pups came to the front of his mind, filled him right up till it was all he could think about. But then he was brought back to Jungwoo’s living room by the sweet omega sitting so close to him, looking embarrassed but happy.Jungwoo blushed, “why,”“Because I love you and I like hearing that you loved me too, wish I’d done something sooner with that but-”“No, Jae it’s okay, it happened, we got there and that’s what matters,” his fingers soothed down his neck, “also, just so you know, I would’ve waited, we” he looked down at his stomach, “we would’ve waited for you for however long it took,”Jaehyun felt full to bursting at that, not quite sure what to say to that admission. It sounded like, they felt the same way about each other, loved, respected and adored each other not only because of the bond that he knew existed but also because they knew each other, had spent countless hours learning each other’s quirks and likes and dislikes. Maybe they were bound together by their wolves, maybe that was a silent force that drew them in no matter where they were or what they were doing but Jaehyun also knew his wolf didn’t ask him to fall in love with Jungwoo. He put the idea of this omega in his head, but he didn’t force this thing they’ve built, didn’t make them talk to each other, didn’t automatically give them what they had right now. Maybe that helped but he wasn’t why Jaehyun felt this way now, not completely. It could’ve worked out like most everyone’s story did, their wolf liked another wolf, but they didn’t give that another thought instead wandering into conversations with other people, putting themselves out there to court and be courted by somebody who wasn’t the specific person their wolf wanted. Like his dad had said, ignoring your wolf’s choice wouldn’t have destroyed you the way it maybe would’ve years and years ago where the wolf inside you was more dominant than your humanity. Jaehyun couldn’t even imagine not wanting Jungwoo though. And thinking about it, this, their wolves, what his dad had said, he would guess that this actually might’ve been the end of him. If he tried to find someone else he fully believed that both, he and his wolf wouldn’t have survived that. There wasn’t another course for him. It was Jungwoo or no one, he knew that. There couldn’t possibly be a track of his life that didn’t include him, he just made so much sense to him. They clicked, it was easy and even though they still had to try, it didn’t feel like work, it felt vital. Hearing Jungwoo say, that he and his wolf and his pup would’ve waited an indefinite amount of time for him to get himself together and confess, did something to his insides, to his heart.“You would’ve,” he asked, brushing his thumbs under Jungwoo’s sparkling eyes.“Of course, Jae, you look surprised,”“I’m a little surprised but happy, god I’m happy,”Jungwoo’s tongue caught between his teeth when he grinned then, closed his eyes as Jaehyun kissed him quickly.Now that he could kiss him, he just wanted to do it all the time. Partly to make up for lost time and the other part because he wanted to, he knew what that felt like now and he just wanted to keep kissing him and see him smile. Did everyone feel this way? When they got with the person they wanted, were they consumed with simply wanting to kiss them, all the time, because they could and wanted to and didn’t have to hold back anymore. That was the best. Plus, Jungwoo seemed to want to kiss him too because he didn’t push him away, didn’t ask him not to, kissed him back with an intensity he loved, each and every time so far. Jaehyun was at the point of thinking that it definitely didn’t get better than that.….Jaehyun couldn’t help the itchy feeling that started under his skin at the fact that Jungwoo wasn’t with him right now. He worked an afternoon shift at the daycare, his least favorite shift currently, because it almost always ran over dismissal time, as parents were late to pick up their pups. He tried really hard not to worry, Yuta always waited for him when he worked the afternoon shift, helped with the pups and then hung around to clean up after they were all gone, they’d walk together, it was fine. But where Jaehyun used to be a little neurotic about being without Jungwoo, it was 10x worse now. Like now that they were courting, close, together, wolves content, being apart from him was next to impossible to bear.The boys tried to distract him, Taeil rubbed his back while Mark entertained him with the latest storehouse drama, and it worked well enough till his dad showed up and effectively brightened his whole day.He grinned at all of them, “the gangs almost all here,” Johnny, Taeyong, Doyoung and Yuta spent about as much time at his house growing up as he did, his dad was like everyone’s dad and to this day they all adored him, knew they could talk to him and trust him in an easy, non-contentious kind of way.“Hey dad,”“Hey kid,” he rubbed the top of his head, “I’m actually glad Jungwoo’s not here, he doesn’t seem to like excessive attention,” Jaehyun grinned back at him, scrunching his eyebrows when his dad waved his hands around, gesturing for him to stand up. He did, confusion winning out a little for a second before his dad tugged him forward, squeezed him tight. He heard Taeil ‘aww’ and Taeyong hum about him being ‘the best dad’ while Jaehyun buried his face in his dad’s shoulder. “I’m really proud of you Jae, I knew you could do it,” he whispered as his kissed the top of his head.Jaehyun’s chest clenched, felt like a pup, who found comfort and strength in his dad’s presence. He stepped back and met his dad’s eyes which were sparkling. “Does mom know,”“Do you want her to,”He shrugged. A part of him did, he couldn’t help it. He knew she’d been horrible, to him and Jungwoo but the side of him remained that loved his mother and craved her approval, her acceptance, her love. And he wanted her to like Jungwoo, to try and get to know him, it didn’t feel like he was asking for a lot.“She’ll find out eventually I guess,” he felt awful all of the sudden, which his dad and his friends picked up on seeing as they all got closer to him, his dad wrapped an arm around him and the others sat up, Taeil stood to hover by his arm.“I won’t tell her then,”“Dad,” bothered by that, “don’t do that for me, just because I’m angry with her…”“You think I’m not bothered by how she’s been treating you, at all? Like I don’t want whatever you want, like she hasn’t hurt you, you’re my pup always, that doesn’t change because you’re grown up okay, I feel like you forget that sometimes,”Jaehyun’s insides warmed up, “I don’t forget it, necessarily,”“Sure, sure,” he scratched his hand through Jaehyun’s hair, smiling at him fondly. He opened his mouth to say something else when Kun’s sweet, vanilla scent warmed the air between them and he was popping up next to his dad.“Hi Hyunjun,”“Hey Kun,” his dad wrapped Kun up in a tight hug, kissed his head a couple times while the omega snuggled against him. Jaehyun smiled, he couldn’t wait till Jungwoo had that too, got to experience life the way Kun did, safely, comfortable with his dad and content to hug him or confide in him because he loved him and trusted him.“You heard the good news,” Kun asked.“I did,” they gave him matching fond smiles as he rolled his eyes, shifting to see Yuta and Jungwoo coming into the center, Yuta’s arm around Jungwoo’s back while the omega’s head fell back with a laugh. “Would I embarrass him if I congratulated him do you think,” his dad asked, sounding fully prepared to walk away and leave it depending on Jaehyun’s answer.“Maybe,”Kun nodded like he agreed with that, knowing Jungwoo was still shy with newer people.“Woo, loves hugs,” Taeil offered an answer to their brief worries.“I think I could manage that,” he said, squeezing Kun again.Jaehyun grinned at his dad before he had to literally force himself to stay put, plant his feet where he was and not rush to the table, to help Jungwoo fix a plate, replace Yuta’s arm around his back with his own, scent him so he no longer smelled so strongly of jasmine and instead smelled like him.It felt like an eternity before they were making their way over to their fire pit, the pair of them smiling from ear to ear. Jungwoo’s eyes met his and his smile changed, reaching his eyes as it turned a little softer, like he’d been waiting all day to see him and could finally relax now that he had. He hurried a couple steps in front of Yuta before blushing and slowing down, stopping and ducking away from Yuta’s hand when it reached out to him. Jungwoo, though maybe a little flustered, didn’t appear deterred from hurrying towards him. Warmth spread through him at the sight of him so happy, his wolf preened knowing that Jungwoo was coming towards them, that Jungwoo wanted them, that they could breathe him in and maybe hold him extra tight and no one would say anything or look at them like it was too much. It was just enough. And it was theirs. He watched Taeil take Jungwoo’s plate when he was close enough, smile more of a smirk as he moved to sit down.“Hi,” he whispered, opening his arms for Jungwoo when he reached him, head rubbing over Jungwoo’s where he ducked to sniff up the line of his neck.“Hi,” Jungwoo whispered, lifted his head after a couple quiet moments, Jaehyun moved to kiss the tip of his nose before tucking them together, settled with their foreheads touching. “Did you have a good day,”Jungwoo nodded, “yeah did you,” Jaehyun nodded too, fully aware that all their friends and his dad were watching them, pretending they weren’t. He wanted to kiss him but was very aware of their audience and Jungwoo’s on and off spells of shyness. So, he resisted the urge and hung onto Jungwoo instead, who seemed just fine snuggling against him.“My dad wanted to say hi, is that okay,”Jungwoo hummed, head still tucked close to him, “why would that not be okay,”“I don’t know…because you don’t know him very well,”Jungwoo laughed, gave him a funny, fond look but brushed his fingers over his cheek. He waved at his dad as he stepped out of Jaehyun’s arms.“Hi Hyunjun, how are you,”“I’m good Jungwoo, and you,” he looked so pleased, like this moment, was all he wanted. Jaehyun sort of agreed, feeling safe and sound, happy and accepted.“Really, really,” he blushed, ducking his head when their friends made all sorts of annoying noises, laughter erupting around him, “really good,”His dad smiled, “that’s good,” he opened his mouth to say more when a tiny commotion broke out behind them, happy pup laughter and a cheery voice entered their bubble. He turned around to see Jimin bouncing with his youngest pup settled on his hip, “Hi, hi, hi guys! Oh, hi Hyunjun,” he rushed before tugging Jungwoo forward for a hug.“Hi Jimin,” Jungwoo smiled, looking down at his friend when he pulled back, quickly twisting to hug Jaehyun too.“Congratulations,” Jimin said, shifting the pup out for Donghyuck when he squealed and hugged him tight, babbling to him as he moved away, “I heard from Hobi who heard from Tae who was having breakfast at the bakery with Jinnie when Donghyuck told them the good news,”Jungwoo and Jaehyun turned to look at Donghyuck who was nuzzling the pup, not paying much attention to anything else but the little boy looking at him with wide, curious eyes and a gummy smile,“You’re just telling everyone you come into contact with Hyuck,” Jaehyun smiled at him.Donghyuck startled, eyes huge, smile sheepish. He’d been caught.They all smiled at him when he answered, “I’m just excited,” he looked up slowly from the pup in his arms, “is that bad,”No one said anything to that, it wasn’t bad. It was good, their friends were happy for them and he liked that.He was busy smiling at Donghyuck when he caught Mark staring at his mate holding tight to Jimin’s pup with a lost, sad little look in his eye. Jaehyun felt his eyebrows draw together, wondering what that was about. He’d never seen Mark look so sad when his attention was directed at Donghyuck, was he even capable of feeling a negative emotion where Donghyuck was concerned? Jaehyun hadn’t thought so but clearly, he was wrong. He couldn’t help watching him on and off for the remainder of the time that Jimin was there, happily asking Jungwoo a myriad of questions, entertaining the others with his colorful commentary.“I’m sure Jungkook will be by some time maybe tomorrow to say the same thing, Jiho has a fever and Kimun is in the phase where anything his brother does, he wants to do, so he’s curled up in bed, probably catching said fever…anyway, we should probably go relieve him huh pup,” he grinned over at the little boy, mouthing at Donghyuck’s sleeve. He looked apologetic, kissing his pup’s head when he whined as Donghyuck handed him back.  “Right,” Jimin spun back to them, “congratulations again, you coming in Monday for a checkup Woo,”Jungwoo nodded, leaning into Jaehyun’s side as he wrapped around him.“Perfect, see you guys later,” he took his pups hand to wave it around as he backed up, a blur of motion as he headed for home. His dad took that as his cue to leave too, watching him eye Jungwoo who was staring at his still full plate of food.“I’ll probably go too,” he smiled at them both, “I just wanted to say hi and congratulate you both,”Jungwoo looked surprised at that, perking up.“I’m very happy for you two and look forward to getting to know you better Jungwoo,”The omega sucked in a breath, looked like he might cry while his dad moved forward to give him a brief hug.“Thank you Hyunjun,”“No need for that,” he grinned, pulling back. “Later gang,” he smiled at the rest of them before he moved to rub over Jaehyun’s head and left.“Jungwoo,” Ten said as Jaehyun guided him to sit.“Yeah,” he hummed, feet hooked with his as he started to eat.“In case you didn’t already know, Jae’s dad is like the best dad ever, and even though my father in law is wonderful,” he patted Johnny’s chest, “you are like so lucky, Hyunjun is so awesome,”Jungwoo laughed, ducked his head while Yuta agreed, “he totally is, I spent a ton of time at Jae’s house growing up, his dad was like, essentially my dad too,”Jaehyun grinned, remembering countless nights where he and Yuta and Taeyong laid in front of the fireplace in his parents’ house while Yuta confided in his dad about how badly he wanted to court Sicheng with little to no success so far. His dad always let him finish stressing before he asked all the right questions and reminded him in his darker moments, that if he loved him, and Yuta did, all the time and effort would be worth it in the end. Yuta still attributes his happy relationship to his dad, as far as he knows. And even now, when they have problems, Yuta goes and spends the afternoon with his dad for some comfort and advice.Jaemin, who still seemed totally obsessed with any and all details of their courting, started asking questions about gifts and if Jaehyun had given him any.Jungwoo smiled around his mouth full of rice, nodded up at Jaehyun.“He’s given me flowers, which were beautiful,”The others looked at him, Jaemin’s eyebrows went up as if to say, ‘that’s it,’.Jaehyun shrugged, “he likes flowers,”Jungwoo nodded, eyes huge, “I love flowers, he’s gonna give me flowers only as courting gifts, nothing else right,” he looked up at him, expectant.“Sure Woo, sure,” he said to him, moved close to kiss his head.“You promised,”“I did not,”“You said, you’d get me flowers more,”“And I will, but you said I could give you gifts as long as they weren’t over the top, I’m almost done with a couple of them anyway,”“A couple,” Jungwoo squawked, “as in more than one!”Jaehyun shook his head with a laugh, listened to their friends laughing too. “Yes, as in more than one, Jungwoo. You’ll like them, I promise,”Jungwoo tried his best to smile, though Jaehyun knew him well enough to see that the thought of accepting more than one gift was stressing him out. Jungwoo pouted, eyes shifting back to his dinner.“Guys subject change please,” Jaehyun called out, not wanting Jungwoo to have to think about this and stress about it when he could easily be distracted.So, they did. Ten asked Chenle if he had any recent crushes or advances from other single wolves to which the omega blushed while his best friend looked like he was trying to fry Ten where he sat with his stare.He looked back down at Jungwoo who’d stopped eating, “I’m sorry,”“Don’t be sorry Jae,” he whispered, “I’m trying,”Jaehyun brushed his hand through the back of his hair, hoping to calm him down a little with his scent and subtle pheromones, “I know Woo, I know that, and I’m gonna try not to go overboard remember,”Jungwoo sighed, wiggled against him till he looked up, eyes twinkled like they were full of stars, “I remember,”“And the second one of them is too much, you tell me and I’ll get you flowers only from then on okay,”Jungwoo nodded, eyes welled up. Jaehyun instantly panicked, seeing that.“What, no, no Woo,”“I just,” he took a breath, shook his head and looked away from him, “this is your courting too Jae, I know you said it’s for me but,” he swiped his sleeve over his eyes, “I don’t want you to not do this the way you want to…just because I have such a hard time accepting things,”“Jungwoo,” he took his hand, threaded their fingers in his lap, “this, courting you is what I want, no matter how it happens because I love you. I’m determined to do this how you want it. If you’re happy, I’m happy,”Jungwoo peeped a tiny sound, pulling him in with their linked hands and a hand on his cheek. “I love you too,” he whispered before Jaehyun kissed him, gently. For the briefest second till Jungwoo was sitting back, face tucking against his shoulder with a small laugh. He didn’t look up but could tell, without doing so that their friends were freaking out, quietly, trying not to make a huge deal of it. He ignored their near silent hysterics in favor of Jungwoo who was focusing back into his dinner, smell thick and warm where it sat over his shoulders, heavy against his roots where Jaehyun was nosing into his hair.On their way out of the center he remembered how upset Mark had looked while Donghyuck was holding onto Jimin’s pup. He caught him while Donghyuck pulled Jungwoo to walk with him for a bit, him and Taeil squealing over him happily. He let the others split from them till they were relatively out of earshot. Smiling to hopefully soothe Mark’s confused look.“You guys okay,” he asked. Mark looked stunned by that, gaze shot around them before settling back on him.“Yeah, yeah why,”“I don’t know…you just seemed sad earlier,” and he had, Mark was always quick with a smile or a goofy laugh, he was such a bright spot in their friend group, so it was noticeable and rare when he wasn’t grinning from ear to ear. Watching him watch Donghyuck holding that pup was, well he’d never seen him look quite like that before. Usually when Donghyuck had a pup in his arms, Mark got this starry, giddy sort of look about him. It was like he couldn’t wait for that to be them, for their lives to take that turn.“Yeah…yeah,” he sighed, sad look back on his face, making Jaehyun’s heart twinge.“Are you alright,”“Yeah, I’m okay, just…yeah,”“Mark, you obviously don’t have to talk to me, but you look upset and anyone of us would gladly listen if you need to vent about something...”“I know, I just, Donghyuck doesn’t want you guys worrying about it,”Jaehyun didn’t like that answer exactly but couldn’t force the issue too much. And then his stomach rolled, for a second, thinking the worst, “Are you guys having problems,”“No, no, we’re okay,”“Okay,” it was very apparent Mark wouldn’t be sharing whatever was going on with him but as long as he knew he could, he’d leave it.“Jae,”He turned back around at Mark’s thin voice to see him frowning, scent sickly sweet and almost unbearable.“Mark,” he rushed to hug him, squeezing him tight when he looked like he might cry. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it,”“I’m sure, I’m sure, I just…thanks,”He ruffled Mark’s fluffy hair, gave him another squeeze when he sniffled, shook himself as if to say, ‘you’re fine, you’re not crying,’“I’m always here for you, you know that,”“I do,” he whispered, sagging into his side as they followed after the others.Jaehyun watched him hold onto Donghyuck tight when they caught up, whispering things he couldn’t hear against Donghyuck’s head, pulling him towards their house with a quick wave.And then Jungwoo was there, distracting him from watching the shadows Donghyuck and Mark disappeared into.“You okay,” he whispered, as if talking any louder would disrupt him.He schooled himself, wrapped an arm around Jungwoo as they made down the road his home was on.“I’m okay, are you okay,”Jungwoo gave him a look, way past the point in their relationship where he could see right through him.“Yes, what about Mark,”“He didn’t want to talk about it,”"I'm worried Jae, he seems upset,""I know Woo, but if he doesn't want to or isn't ready to talk about it...we just have to wait,"Jungwoo pouted, but let it drop as he nudged against the top of his head. He smelt so good, felt so warm against him as their steps brought them closer and closer to his home, laughed when Jaehyun kissed the back of each of his hands and tugged him inside instead of letting him go.….Jaehyun’s reluctance to push Jungwoo into accepting any courting gifts led him, in a roundabout way to Jungwoo’s moms house. The other reason, the real reason was because in the middle of the night, after seeing his dad and Jimin congratulate them, he realized there was a lot he hadn’t done in terms of this process so far.Sure, this was more spontaneous than he’d initially wanted but that didn’t mean traditions fell completely by the wayside. He didn’t necessarily buy into traditions, there were some he could take or leave but Jungwoo’s mother, was from all he knew and had heard, traditional. And since he was trying to secure a spot in Jungwoo’s life, meant he was trying for a spot in his mom’s life too. That wouldn’t happen if he’d burnt that bridge before he could even secure construction plans on it. This process, courting Jungwoo could very easily be considered a way into Chae’s life as well, into her good books. So, he’d use it, he’d be stupid not to.He woke up early and headed to the florist where they thankfully had a decent assortment of bulbs, with spring a couple months away now. He picked three different tulip bulbs, one pink and two red and made his way over to her house, where she hopefully wouldn’t fight too hard about accepting them. He’d think of something, he’d gotten pretty good at talking people into things, craftier now that he knew Jungwoo than he ever had been before on his own.Jaehyun knocked on Chae’s door, hoping it wasn’t too early for her. It was nearly 9, that was an acceptable time, right? To show up at your potentially, soon to be in laws house bearing a gift she might spit on. Sure. 9 worked.She answered after a few brief moments, surprise settling over her face when she took him in. She invited him in though without too much hesitation which Jaehyun viewed as a good sign.“Should, I ask what brings you here, or just assume that now that you’re courting my son, this is going to be a regular thing,” so Jungwoo had told her, or maybe she just figured it out. The smell of them alone made it a little obvious. She crossed her arms, but her face didn’t read mad. He took a breath and answered.“That’s actually why I’m here,”She raised an eyebrow, mouth quirked a little.“I owe you an apology about it,” he held out the wrapped bulbs, “these are part apology, part I’m trying,”She took them and inspected them, tiny, almost imperceptible smile worked over her face before she set down on the thin table behind her couch, covered in a half-finished cross-stitched circle and lots of books.“What are you apologizing for,”It dawned on him that she still didn’t know what Jungwoo meant to him, he’d make her see and understand it, she’d get it.“I might… I might not be traditional or follow any of the old rules about this process, but I know Jungwoo and he knows you. And if he’s taught me anything about you it’s that you value tradition and respect. The way I asked him was random and spontaneous and honestly, not at all how I thought it would go. That said, I’ll admit that I hadn’t considered how you would think about it till just last night, and I’m sorry. I should’ve been more aware…more understanding, you deserved to know at the very least,”She nodded her head, lips pursed, “so…”He smiled, “so, Mrs. Kim, I would love nothing more than your blessing to court your son, to show you that I love him with everything I have, that I’m good for him,”“What would you do if I said no, it’s not like you’d be willing to let this go,”His chest pinched, wolf barked inside him at the implication that they might be asked to let Jungwoo go. “I would…I would ask Jungwoo where that left us, what he wanted and respect whatever he decided,”She made a noise, like she didn’t believe that.“Mrs. Kim, just because we’re courting doesn’t mean I’m going to make all the decisions or take away his right to choose, I know you probably don’t think much of me and that’s fine, but I would never force any of this on him. Hell, I told him I’d only get him flowers for the entirety of this if that’s what he was most comfortable with! I’m not trying to step on your toes-”“-What are you trying to do,”“Show you that I’m not the image you have of me in your head. That I love him and respect him and won’t ever hurt him,”“You’ll hurt him,” she huffed.“I won’t-”“-You will, being in love hurts Jaehyun, you’re not old enough to know that but you’ll learn. You have the ability to hurt him like nobody else could because he loves you, anything you do has the potential to destroy him,”His wolf barked a few times realizing that he was losing this and her. “Mrs. Kim, that might be true, but he could hurt me too. I…I just need you to understand this isn’t, this is real. I’m in love with him, I want a life with him, and I would love the opportunity to get to know you better too,”She was quiet.“I don’t need to change your mind,” she looked back at him, “but I think I might anyway,”“If you’re anything like your dad,” she whispered, turned away from him but it made him smile, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, she didn’t seem hellbent on fighting him or making this whole thing difficult for him, like he’d thought she might. She seemed open minded, like she was willing to give him a fair chance at this, to prove her right or wrong. It was surprising and nice to see from someone he thought would object to this. Whereas his own mother, who he thought wouldn’t“You trust his judgement don’t you,”“Who, your father,”“No, Jungwoo,”“Usually yes,” her gaze went back to sizing him up.“You think he’d let me into his life if I was a bad guy,”“Probably not,” she moved further from him, apparently done with him. Then she surprised him, saying, “thank you for the bulbs,”He perked up, “of course, they’re uh, they’re tulips,”“What color,”“Pink and red,”The smile she gave him was the brightest, realest smile he’d ever seen from her. It felt good. Like he didn’t have as much ground to make up as he thought.She offered him coffee, which he accepted, glad for a little more amicable time with her.“So, you’ve really only gotten him flowers,” she asked, looked surprised and impressed.He nodded, set his mug down in front of him, “he seems so uncomfortable accepting anything more, I don’t want to push it too much,”She smiled, “you have prepared other stuff though right,”“Oh yeah, I’m gonna ease him into it all though,”A tiny laugh escaped her, “may I ask what you are planning on giving him…unless that’s personal,”“No, no uh I’ve sort of built him stuff, because that’s my thing,” he eased out of his momentary embarrassment at her smile.“Like what,”“A rocking chair, some toys for the pup and a crib,”She nodded, appeared to like those ideas when she didn’t say anything against them.“Practical,”He felt himself flush, “yeah, I figured he’d respond better to things he could actually use,”“Very smart,”“Thank you,” he watched her sit back in her seat before realizing he probably wouldn’t get a better chance to ask her about the chicken coop, he built for her over a month ago now. “Chae, uh would it be okay if I gave you a gift too,”She gave him a funny look, “you’re courting Jungwoo, Jaehyun,”“No, no I know that, but I sort of built something for you a while ago and never figured out a way to give it to you or tell you about it. Now, I guess, it makes sense to me-”Her fond smile shut up his rambling.“What is it,”He swallowed, “a new chicken coop,”Her eyes lit up a little. But Jaehyun could almost promise he wasn’t supposed to see that happen, she probably didn’t want him to know she was excited at the prospect of that.“I-”“Would it change your mind a little if I asked you to accept it for Jungwoo,”“Accept something so he doesn’t have to,” she asked with a smirk. Jaehyun smiled back, nodding. “You’re good,”He smiled back at her, feeling like that was a good sign, “So, you’ll take it,”“I suppose,” she smiled at him gently before adding, "for Jungwoo,"He hopped up, so excited he forgot himself and almost hugged her, remembering at the last second that they weren’t nearly there yet. He actually couldn’t believe that she’d agree to take the coop as a sort of courting gift for Jungwoo. It wasn’t exactly standard for you to give family members gift too, though it did on occasion happen if there were rifts or if the family was close and needed to be won over as well. He didn’t know how to express how thankful he was that she was willing to accept it, something that meant something to her and to Jungwoo.He left after agreeing to bring the coop by sometime in the next few days which had her shaking her head with a smile. He waved to her as he left, could hardly wait to tell Jungwoo how successful his afternoon with her had been. He’d be so proud of him!….His excitement dragged him through the rest of his afternoon, where he had a late meeting with a couple who were looking to have plans drawn up for an addition, he’d stayed with them to give them some ideas about layouts while they both asked enough questions to make his head spin. As it dragged on, he wondered if they were hungry too, cutting deeper and deeper into dinner time as they worried about things that were barely even put on paper yet. He was just glad he’d told Jungwoo he wouldn’t be picking him up today because of said meeting, intuition telling him it was going to be longer than he wanted it to be.Anxiety caught him up on his walk towards town, he knew Donghyuck and Mark would take care of Jungwoo for him. Which was a ridiculous thought, he wasn’t incapable of walking or moving, he was pregnant, not crippled. But all of Jaehyun’s worries were amplified now that they were courting, even things he never would’ve considered worrying about before seemed worth at least a few seconds of stressing. It was driving him crazy though.And crazier still as he counted the milliseconds till Jungwoo showed up. He smiled when he saw him, finally, coming into view with Donghyuck’s hand in his as Mark moved alongside them. Jaehyun watched the exact moment Jungwoo caught him looking at him because his whole face lit up and he pulled away from Donghyuck, raced across the square to him.His stomach dropped, wondering what he was going to do but didn’t have any more time to worry or think because Jungwoo was hopping into his arms, feet dangling as he held tight to his shoulders. The loose pieces of him that had dislodged through the day without him fell back into place merely having him close, while the rest of him seemed to vibrate as Jungwoo nuzzled his neck.  Sniffing and scenting him before his mouth was pressing kisses up to his ear then back down, was it possible to vibrate out of your skin from being too happy? He sort of hoped not, he didn’t want this to end.“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers threading through his hair, kissing the side of his head repeatedly.“For what,” he asked, looking up at him, features blurred with how close they were.“Everything with my mom,” he whispered. Jaehyun wondered for a second how he knew about his afternoon with her already but decided it didn’t matter. He knew and he seemed grateful and happy so he wasn’t going to argue, “You got her bulbs and you asked her if you could court me and I love you, how are you perfect Jae, you…I love you,” he rushed, huffing as he was set back on his feet. “She couldn’t stop talking about how sweet you were and how annoying it was that you were an alpha and how she shouldn’t have been surprised because your dad is wonderful, and it meant so much to her that you asked. You didn’t have to since it was after the fact, but you did it anyway,” he took a breath, laughter bubbling out of him, “she just, really appreciated that Jae, and it meant, it means a lot to us Jae, thank you,”“The no saying thank you rule is still in effect ya know,” he grinned at him, smile only widening when Jungwoo hit him gently.“You can’t be mad at me for saying it that time, I had to,”He shook his head, kissed between his eyes, “Well, I no longer accept thank you’s, they’re not allowed,”Jungwoo laughed, tightening his arms around his shoulders as his nose tucked close to Jaehyun’s. His breathing was even and calm, scent had a vice grip around his heart and mind while his wolf was busy thrilling at everything that just happened. Everything that Jungwoo, the omega they adored, had said to them. They were doing things that made him happy and his mom approved and that genuinely, felt better than he thought it would. Jungwoo kissed his cheek a couple times, laughing quietly, like he couldn’t help it. Jaehyun smiled at him, took his cold hands in his before pulling him towards the table to get him something to eat.“Dinner Woo,”“Yes, please,”“What does the pup want tonight,”Jungwoo hmmed, “chicken and fruit, bread maybe…something sweet-”Jaehyun laughed as he kept talking, happily helped him make a plate before guiding him back to their friends who were beaming at them, all their scents mingling in the air above and around their fire as they talked and ate and laughed. Jungwoo was here and happy and Jaehyun really couldn’t ask for more than that.He’d done that.He’d made him that happy.That felt so good, Jaehyun sort of felt like could float away, drift up to walk on air but decided to plant himself a little firmer in his seat, tucked his arm around Jungwoo tighter. Jungwoo was here. This was exactly where he wanted to be. Where he was meant to be.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun can’t remember ever being so happy. Which is a statement he’s been making quite a lot recently. But this time, definitely he means it with absolute certainty. He’s never been this happy, guaranteed.Sure, sure it goes without saying really, since he’s courting Jungwoo and he finally has what he’s been wanting for a long, long time. But he can’t get over it and he liked saying it because it was real, and this was his life now. Which was just the best thing ever!Today, and most days, everything he did, everywhere he went was for Jungwoo or with Jungwoo, which he didn’t have a single complaint about. He’d spend every second of every day with him and never get tired of his company or smell or laughter or voice, he wanted to be with him always. He now had an excuse to do just that, so he did. And he wasn’t sorry, he didn’t regret those lazy afternoons spent cozy in Jungwoo’s living room or the mornings where he nuzzled Jungwoo’s shoulder while he made breakfast, happy to see him so early, giggling about what they could do that day while Jaehyun hummed and kissed him. He couldn’t think of a better, more appropriate use of his time.Speaking of good uses of time, Jaehyun is making proper use of his Saturday morning. The only way it could be better was if he was spending it with a certain sweet-smelling omega. But still, this was a pretty good use, for sure.He’d taken the coop apart so he could bring it over to Chae’s house easier, just the main building where the hens would live was still fully intact still. He’d also enlisted the help of Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta and Doyoung all of whom had volunteered, mind you, and had said they’d help with anythinghe needed. He was pretty sure that that also included manual labor.Doyoung gave him a dirty look when he showed up to see all the different braces and panels for the coop, laid against the back of his shop, ready for delivery and assembly. His dirty look faded into a gentle smile when Jaehyun grinned at him. Yuta and Taeyong showed up together, lived on the same street so that made sense and Johnny showed up a couple minutes later with coffee.Yuta laughed seeing the other, pointed at his neck where Jaehyun also noticed a vivid, red trail of love bites that went from under his ear to the collar of his shirt.“Good night,”Johnny covered his neck before realizing they’d already seen it, sort of pointless to be shy about it now.“Ten’s heat is next week, and he…he’s…”“Marking you,” Taeyong hummed, cheeks pink like that made him think fun things about his own mate.“Yeah, he always goes a little crazy with it, I mean, I know who I belong to,” he cleared his throat when the others laughed, “…but I don’t mind, I kind of like it,”Jaehyun smirked at him then remember they were bringing the coop over to Jungwoo’s moms house, how would she react to seeing an alpha covered in very visible hickeys? He wasn’t sure, didn’t know her well enough to say either way. “I can take your routes next week,” Jaehyun offered as Johnny bent to pick up one end of the main coop while Doyoung grabbed the other side.“Thanks Jae,” he grinned, “I already asked Sehun to take them, but he probably wouldn’t mind giving up a morning route or two if you wanted it,”Taeyong and Doyoung found that funny, snickering as they looked at each other.“What,” Jaehyun asked.“Nothing, nothing,” Taeyong defended at the same time that Doyoung said, “like you don’t have other things to do in the morning,”“Well, the shop isn’t that busy right now, I can always find busy work though,”“Not what he meant Jae,” Yuta hummed, looking at him amusedly, like he enjoyed watching things fly over and occupy the space above Jaehyun’s head.“What’d you mean,” he cocked his head.Doyoung smiled at him, gave him a second to catch up.“Jungwoo,” the four of them nodded. He felt himself heat up a little, he didn’t spend every single second with Jungwoo, even though people probably believed he did, even though he wouldn’t complain about that. “He works mornings and if he doesn’t, he sleeps in…why would I…”“Oh my god, Jae, never mind, sometimes it’s not worth it with you,” Jaehyun watched Yuta and Taeyong laugh at Doyoung’s outburst. He did, admittedly, spend some mornings with Jungwoo but that wasn’t usually till probably 10, so Jungwoo could sleep in, he needed plenty of sleep right now. But he liked annoying Doyoung, so he kept being oblivious.“I’m just-”“You’re just being a pain,” Doyoung said, huffing with the main coop held up on his side, while Johnny took the other end, “shit Jae, why is this so heavy?”“Probably because it’s solid wood?”“Follow up question,” Johnny said, watching Doyoung readjust with a pained look, “why don’t you ever half-ass anything,”Jaehyun stuck his tongue out at him, “I don’t know what those words mean,”“Of course, you don’t, are you good yet,” he asked Doyoung, who was still shifting the weight around like he was uncomfortable.“I can carry it Doie,”“No, no,” Doyoung brushed him off, “I’m fine, just…trying to get a good grip, right, okay I’m good,”They all laughed, as they set off for Chae’s house, Doyoung begging Johnny not to move too fast on his abnormally long legs. Jaehyun shook his head, moving past them to lead the way.They hadn’t made it very far when Jaehyun noticed Yuta’s scent thicken a little in the chilled morning air, a look back showed that his brows were knitted, and mouth was set in a purse.He opened his mouth to ask him what was wrong when Yuta spoke first, saying, “Uh nobody’s saying it, so I’ll just say it, why are you giving Jungwoo’s mom a courting gift,”The words made him groan. He should’ve known that it was too good to be true that none of them would tease him or point out that he was giving Chae a gift while he was courting Jungwoo. Family gifts weren’t totally unheard of in the courting process, but they weren’t extremely common either.He listened as they laughed around him.“It’s…not,” he started and then added, “she needs a new coop and I figured this was a good time to give it to her, I don’t think I’d get a better chance honestly,”“Right, right but you’re courting Jungwoo and you’re giving her a gift,” Yuta said, apparently unwilling to see beyond the face value of this, he, an alpha, giving someone a gift, someone that wasn’t Jungwoo. “Yeah, I know,” he took a breath, smiling to himself when Taeyong cackled louder behind him, couldn’t help himself hearing his best friends’ wild laughter. “Is it really that weird,”“Not weird, really, just…different,”He could do different, he was pretty good at different.“I have to win her over too, I mean she seemed kind of okay with the idea of me being in her life for the foreseeable future, but I know, if she had to give it a word, it probably wouldn’t be happy,”Taeyong hummed, calmed down enough to speak, “if Jungwoo’s reaction the other night was any sort of indication, I think she’s happy for him, right,” he hoisted the pieces in his arms up for a better grip while he looked around at them. “If she wasn’t happy with all of this, he wouldn’t have seemed so excited…or not, I don’t know,”Doyoung snickered at his backtracking.  “I don’t know either, but she’s not cutting me out and she’s speaking to me, so I’ll take it. And figure the rest out as I go,”“Sounds good to me,” Taeyong chirped, adjusting the pieces again, till Jaehyun offered to take one of them for him. He brushed him off, saying he was fine, just didn’t want to drop anything or break it. He looked them all over, giving up their days to help him with this, the willingness they had to help warmed him up and left him feeling giddy. Had he thanked them for this, or recently for loving him the way they did?“Thanks for helping me guys,” he said, felt compelled to let them know he appreciated them and this as they veered off the main road towards Chae’s home.“Are you kidding,” Johnny squawked, jostling the main part of the coop into Doyoung’s stomach, who made sure to let him know he was an asshole who was nearly impossible to work with. Johnny stuck his tongue out at him.“For real though Jae,” Yuta continued, “I may not understand why you made her a gift too, but this is your deal and I’m just happy for you and happy to help,”“Thanks Yu,”“He’s lying,” Doyoung said while Yuta squawked, “He’s just happy to get out of the house because Sicheng ditched him for Junhui…again,” Doyoung gave his older friend a knowing look which Yuta answered with a groan.“Wait, what’s happening,” Taeyong asked, concern making itself known in his tone and the subtle, soured notes in his smell. Jaehyun felt bad then, thinking that his life, his world was so centered around Jungwoo right now that it had led him to forgetting his friends still had lives and mates and might need to talk about stuff.Yuta took a deep breath, “I don’t know, he’s just, so close to him ya know, and I mean they’re friends, I know that, and I trust him, but I don’t know,”Doyoung stopped walking, shot him a look, “You know Yuta, best friends share come on,”“You know about this,” Taeyong looked a little offended that Doyoung knew about Yuta’s problems before he did. Doyoung nodded.“Who do you think he talks to when you and Taeil are off, trying to make a baby,”“Whoa, whoa, what,” Johnny yelled.“You guys are trying to get pregnant,” Jaehyun asked, so excited for them, and the thought that if they did get pregnant, their pup would get to grow up with Jungwoo’s, which was just the sort of thing that made his chest feel tight. But in the best way.“Yeah,” Taeyong was bright red by now, “Taeil has full blown baby fever, like every day he spends with Jungwoo, the more they talk about his pup, it gets worse,”“Worse,” Yuta huffed like he knew Taeyong meant the exact opposite of worse in this case.Taeyong smiled to himself, true feelings showing through as he laughed, eyes bright. His scent intensified on the cold, deserted pathway, making it feel warm and welcoming, saturated in bergamot and Taeil’s flowery scent that mingled with his own.“He wants a family, so I’ll try my best to give him that,”Doyoung huffed with an eyeroll and Johnny laughed.“Try your best,” Yuta suppressed a snort.“That’s great T, I’m really happy for you guys,”“Thanks Jae,” flush still bright and prominent on his cheeks, tongue caught between his teeth with his goofy grin.“Seriously, that’s awesome Tae,” Johnny looked ready to burst he seemed so happy.“Okay, okay yes, it’s wonderful, of course, happy for you Yongie, but Yuta…go ahead,”“Really, pup talk didn’t distract from me, at all?”“Nope, go ahead,”They all calmed down, looking at him and waiting for him to start talking again.“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “it just feels bad. And if I wasn’t so sure that he and I were good again, I’d be a little worried,”“I’d be more worried if Junhui was single,” Johnny said, laughing when Taeyong exclaimed about that, dropping one of the leg braces and groaning when he had to bend down to get it.Yuta seemed to agree with that too, “you’re so right,” eyes going faraway.Jaehyun thought they were being ridiculous, as if the only reason Sicheng was with Yuta was because Junhui was hopelessly in love with his mate and Wonwoo was even more so, if that were possible. He didn’t like that though, the implication that that was the only reason they were with one another. Yuta’s road with Sicheng had been long and winding, filled with lots of competition and countless attempts to prove himself a good mate for the other. They worked, now but they hadn’t always. He knew, without a doubt that Sicheng loved Yuta but too many times, usually fueled by too much to drink, had he heard Yuta say he didn’t think Sicheng loved him like he loved Sicheng. Which was all sorts of heartbreaking and wrong. He understood that though, the hopeless feeling, being riddled with inadequacy and issues of self-worth in the face of someone you wanted to be with, staring down the rest of your lives. Could you measure up and be good enough for that long a time? He knew they all dealt with that in some capacity but Yuta especially, things had been better though. For a long, long time, since he and Sicheng had mated, things had worked for him. Maybe they weren’t working and their slight separation, time spent apart was bringing all that dark stuff back to the forefront again. He hated that. He hated that a lot.Taeyong seemed to agree with him and his silent stewing.“Yu, you’re not actually worried are you,” he huffed, once he’d straightened up, eyes sad, mouth twisted. All signs, of happy, light pup talk were gone, replaced by stress and potential hurt. Jaehyun, honestly, and it bared repeating, hated this.“No, not really,” Yuta said quietly, Jaehyun knew him well enough that he didn’t buy that for a second.“Try again,” Johnny said, hearing his lie too.He was quiet, Jaehyun set his stuff down as the others rested, Doyoung seemed happy for the short break.“You’re worried,”“Not worried, just confused…”“About,” Taeyong pressed, elbow nudging Yuta’s arm gently.“He doesn’t look at me the same recently, like I thought we were good, we are good but ever since he’s started spending time with Junhui, it’s like he’s expecting to see something else or someone else whenever he looks at me. I’ve asked him if I’m doing something wrong, but he doesn’t want to talk about it, just huffs and changes the subject, so I don’t know what to do,”“Yuta,” Taeyong whispered.“I’ve just…worked so hard on us but sometimes, especially recently I feel like I’m the only one working and fighting for this. It sucks, am I just supposed to watch us fall apart because he doesn’t want to work on it,” he shrugged. Looking done with this conversation and the sad feelings they’d brought up and forced on him so early in the morning. It hit him watching Yuta’s mouth twist and untwist with a frown that he and they weren’t the only ones keeping secrets and struggling right now. Mark and how devastated he’d looked the other night at dinner struck him suddenly.“Not you guys too,” Jaehyun frowned, he hadn’t meant to say it out loud, watched shocked as they all turned on him.“What do you mean,” Johnny wondered, hands on his hips as he stretched backwards a little.“Oh, come on, I can’t be the only one who’s noticed Mark and Donghyuck being weird,”“I’ve noticed Mark being weird but Donghyuck seems okay,”He supposed that Donghyuck hadn’t seemed too different but maybe he just noticed it more with Mark. He was so reserved and sad and Jaehyun wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen him like that the whole time, they’d known each other. It made him so upset to think that he might be struggling with something, or that something was going on with them that Donghyuck didn’t want them worrying about. What could possibly be going on that they thought they couldn’t tell them? Maybe they’d worry, but they loved them above and beyond anything else, they were there for them, that’s what having friends who doubled as your family was good for. He could feel that the others felt the same way.“Maybe ask Jungwoo to pick Hyuck’s brain, he’d know why Mark is being like that,”“Sure, I’ll ask,” he said, though he knew if Jungwoo did ask and got Donghyuck to talk he probably wouldn’t go spreading it around, not if it was serious. He wasn’t big on gossiping, not when it was meaningful stuff, not when his friends lives and feelings were involved.They strayed back to Sicheng and Yuta then, Johnny saying, “you should talk him Yuta, seriously just sit with him and tell him that you feel like he’s checked out,”Taeyong nodded, “he might not realize that he’s been like that or hasn’t noticed that he’s been neglecting your relationship,”Yuta didn’t say anything right away, breathing quiet and quick, misting in front of him. Then he whispered, “what if he doesn’t want to talk,”Taeyong made a sad sound while he and Johnny shared a look.“Then you talk, he can listen, you’ve worked too hard, you both have, to just let this slip away from you. And he might be waiting for you to bring it up anyway, he could be going through something that he hasn’t wanted to tell you about,”“Yeah…” he smiled at Doyoung who rubbed his back, warm eyes promising him that it would be okay.“Sorry if that was too heavy,” Yuta said after they went quiet for a couple moments. Jaehyun figured, that even though he was going through something, wasn’t too sure what to do it always felt good to talk about it with someone. Sometimes even just letting someone know, that another person was aware of you and what you were feeling helped, didn’t make it feel so brutal or unbeatable.“Not at all, we’re your family Yu, you’re allowed to unload on us, we want to listen,”“I know, I know, but still thanks,” he sighed, a lighter sound than before, “it’s kind of nice, bitching like this, we don’t get to do that too much anymore…just us,”“You’re always bitching,” Johnny said to Yuta, who rolled his eyes back at him. They all looked at Doyoung when he didn’t respond or laugh to that, which was unusual for him. He was always ready to laugh at Yuta’s expense or jump on board with teasing someone, that he remained silent was really weird.“Doie,”Still nothing, eyes far away as Taeyong approached him.“Doyoung,” Taeyong tried again.Doyoung startled, “what,”“You okay,”He nodded, lips sucked into his mouth. His heavy sigh said otherwise, they all exchanged concerned looks while Yuta said, “Anything you want to talk about Doie,”He shrugged, scratched over the back of his head.“You can tell us anything,” Johnny said.“Uh…well,” Doyoung breathed, they all froze, a little shocked that he was willing to talk about something, he usually kept things to himself if he was stressed, that was his way of coping. This had to be serious or heavy enough for him to be willing to say something to them about it.It took him a couple seconds to piece his thoughts together, with a deep breath he opened up.  “There’s this guy, at the clerk’s office-”“-oh my god-” Yuta muttered.“-yeah, he keeps asking me out and I keep saying no and I told Taeil, like to see what he thought-”“-my Tae babe knows about this-” they ignored Taeyong’s squawking in favor of Doyoung.“-and he said maybe I should give it a shot but I’m still not…sure,” he dropped off with a sigh.Jaehyun moved to wrap an arm around Doyoung’s back feeling sympathetic towards him and his situation though his reasons for being single and uninterested were different from the ones Jaehyun had had once upon a time. He’d never, their whole lives, been interested in someone romantically. Doyoung used to think there was something wrong with him because they were all talking about liking people, having crushes and first kisses while Doyoung remained, completely uninterested. Jaehyun had asked him if it was a complete lack of attraction to people, or disinterest in having a relationship and he’d started to cry. He said, at the time, that he had of course, imagined having love and a life with some faceless person but he didn’t look around at people in town and think ‘oh they’re attractive,’ or ‘I wonder how they take their coffee,’. He didn’t feel the pressure and definitely wasn’t interested in someone specific. Doyoung thought they’d think he was weird but none of them had thought so, when he’d confided in them that he wasn’t ready for anything with anyone, that just became a fact of life, totally normal for him and them. Doyoung wasn’t interested so they all left him alone, knowing he’d find something or someone if and when he wanted it and, in the meantime, they loved him all the same.Now, it seemed like he was feeling some level of ready or maybe pressured.“You don’t have to do anything just because he’s asked you out a bunch, you don’t owe him anything Doie,” Taeyong said, always eager and ready to defend and protect them.“I know but…maybe I should give him a chance,”“If you want to, but if you don’t feel anything, you don’t feel anything you can’t help that,”“I know,” he sighed, sounding like he was just glad to hear it from someone else, as if that validated how he was feeling about it.“Who is it,”“Jongup,”Jaehyun knew the name, only because he was in training to be a member of Hajun’s inner circle once he took over, but that was pretty much all he knew. He had to be decent because Hajun wouldn’t even entertain his company if he wasn’t.“You could get coffee with him, just to test things out and if it’s a total flop, then you never have to talk to him again,” Johnny said with a small smile. Doyoung nodded, maybe that didn’t sound too bad.“I just…I’ve never felt like mating or any of this was for me, like I’ve watched all of you do it but never felt left out because I didn’t have it, I’ve just never seen that for myself,”“That’s okay,”“Is it,” Doyoung asked Taeyong who looked like he wanted nothing more than to make him feel better, in whatever way he could.“Of course, Doie, you don’t have to want that stuff and you don’t have to be with anyone if you don’t want to be, we love you regardless, always. We’re not going anywhere, if you want to have a life with someone or not, that doesn’t change anything about you,”“And,” Jaehyun started, “even if you do get coffee with Jongup, that doesn’t mean you have to have anything with him again, you’re not obligated to like him just because he likes you,”“I know…I’m just wondering if maybe I should start thinking about it,”“Only if you want to Doie, if you don’t feel those things, you don’t feel those things and that’s fine,”Doyoung took a deep breath, “okay, coffee then, no obligations, no expectations,”“Right, just coffee,”“Just coffee,”Yuta snuggled his shoulder, laughing as Doyoung squeezed him for a brief second before shoving him away. Then Taeyong whined, “I wanna snuggle too,” and hopped on Doyoung’s back, hanging on for dear life when the beta flailed. They all took their turn piling on him or hugging him tight, happy to help him and make him feel better. He felt good and safe thinking that even though they didn’t talk as much these days, when they did, there wasn’t any time or ground lost. Their friendships never changed or suffered because of the separate lives they were living. They were all still 100% there for each other, like always. And while they might not understand his need to give Chae a gift, but they loved and supported him still. They supported Johnny’s happiness and enjoyment of Ten’s possessive streak coming with the onset of his heat. They were there for Yuta with his problems with Sicheng, hoped for a resolution for them or at the very least that they’d start talking again. They were all over the moon that Taeyong and Taeil were trying to have a pup, which genuinely was some of the best news Jaehyun had heard in days. And Doyoung was on a path that none of them were expecting, that seemed to bring him both good and bad anxieties. And he knew that they would love him regardless, if it worked out with this guy or not, they just wanted him to be happy. He knew that his worth to them relied solely on the fact that they loved him as him, not on the fact that he was single or trying to find a mate.What had Yuta said? It was nice to just complain like this, as best friends like they used to. He totally agreed with that, smiling at them as they all picked up their pieces to keep walking to Chae’s house. The rest of their walk was filled with Johnny cheering Yuta up, by telling embarrassing stories of him and Ten and Doyoung laughing at Taeyong struggling with the few pieces he wouldn’t let Jaehyun help him with.And soon enough, Chae’s home was coming into view, smoke rising from the chimney, her home and property were warm and inviting even though it was the middle of winter and she was sort of a recluse. It made Jaehyun sad thinking that even though she lived by herself, alone from pack life, maybe the warmth and liveliness she exuded proved that she didn’t want to live this way at all. That was the sort of thought that would get him scolded by Jungwoo though, so he pushed it away and tried not to think about it or let it make him sad.“Let me do the talking okay,” he said as he started towards her door.“Okay,” Johnny drew out the word, like Jaehyun was talking to him like he was stupid. He gave him a look.“I mean it,”“I heard you Jae,”“She’s…skittish,”“We won’t say anything,” Taeyong promised, kicking Johnny’s ankle. He gave them all one more warning look that made Doyoung laugh and Yuta groan, before he climbed the steps and knocked on her door.She opened after a couple seconds, looking surprised to see him or maybe surprised to have visitors at all on a random Saturday morning.“Hi Chae,”“Good morning Jaehyun, what…are you doing here,” she asked peering over his shoulder at the other wolves. He definitely should’ve warned her that he’d be coming with some help, but he hadn’t decided to take the bottom half of the coop apart for easier transport till the other day. He couldn’t have warned her the other day when he didn’t know he’d do it this way. Still, he felt guilty for blindsiding her.  To distract her from that and the other wolves she didn’t recognize, he swept his arm behind him with a flourish to show her the chicken coop, well pieces of her new chicken coop.“Chicken coop,” he said, watched her eyes light up a little bit.She wrapped her sweater tighter around herself, came out onto the porch to join him. She lifted a hand to cover her mouth then a burst of laughter escaped her. It shocked him but also made him smile, that sounded like a genuine, good reaction, “I sort of thought you were kidding,”Behind him the boys snorted, and Johnny spoke up, “he never kids about a project,”Her eyes narrowed the slightest bit though her small smile didn’t fade, gaze back on Jaehyun, “good to know,”He smiled back, feeling useless as the silence stretched and went tense. “We’ll put it together, you want it next to the other one,”“Sure, sure, right next to the side of the house by the other one is perfect,” she shifted her weight, looking like she was desperate to say something or do something but talked herself out of it.He nodded and moved to pick up his pieces while he guided the others around her house, into her side yard.“I don’t know why it shocked me how pretty she is,”Jaehyun laughed at Yuta’s comment, eyes wider than normal.“I mean,” Yuta kept going, “she’s Jungwoo’s mom, of course she’d be pretty,”He shook his head rather than respond to that, not quite sure what to say anyway.They had the base and legs assembled, Jaehyun coaching Taeyong through it as he nailed a brace between two of the back legs, laughing proudly when he did it and Jaehyun told him ‘that’s perfect,’. Doyoung piped up asking if Jaehyun needed an apprentice, to which Taeyong beamed and Jaehyun didn’t say anything, silence comical enough that the others started laughing hysterically at him and at Taeyong’s face.Chae joined them shortly after they’d calmed down, coat on, hat over her head with a well-worn knitted scarf wrapped around her neck. She toed the dead grass and patches of dirt beside them for a couple quiet moments before saying.“How’s Jungwoo,”Jaehyun watched his friend’s smirk, ignoring their snickering as he focused on Chae.“He’s good, I didn’t see him yet today, but I’ll see him a dinner,”She hummed. He watched her look over the others and realized he hadn’t introduced her, like a doofus, it had totally gone over his head. That’s great Jaehyun, make her feel uncomfortable with three alphas and a beta she didn’t recognize or know on her property anddon’t introduce them because that wouldn’t ease her mind at all! Was this one of those, one step forward, three steps back kind of situations? He sort of felt like things with Chae were set up to be that way, he could deal with it but he didn’t want Chae to feel that way, because of him.“I’m sorry I didn’t ask if I could bring them with me…I just couldn’t carry it all by myself,”“You just wanted to put us to work,” Johnny huffed.Chae’s voice was amused when she said, “It’s okay,”“Well, I’m still sorry, these are my best friends, Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta and Doyoung,”She didn’t actually look upset as she nodded, giving them a small wave after the introduction.“Ten, Taeil, Sicheng and…single,” she said, looking to Jaehyun for confirmation when he realized she knew them already, from Jungwoo talking about them and their mates. He wondered if that made her feel safer, that they were mated, peace of mind for herself and for Jungwoo.He grinned at her and nodded, listened as Yuta snickered at Doyoung, muttering ‘single’at him in an annoying voice.Doyoung growled at him playfully, shoved him away, “I am single, was that supposed to be offensive,”“Jungwoo told her you were single,”“So,”“It’s just funny,”Jaehyun laughed to himself, practically able to hear Doyoung’s eyeroll at that statement. Taeyong cleared his throat to stop their bickering, attention returning to Jaehyun and Chae.“You raised an amazing wolf Mrs. Kim,”She flushed, her proudest achievement was without a doubt, Jungwoo.“Thank you, he’s…special,”Jaehyun smiled at her, agreeing wholeheartedly with that.“He talks about all of you so fondly, I’m…sorry it’s taken us so long to meet,”“Not at all, we’ve lived here all our lives, I think we owe you the apology,” Taeyong had an awkwardly warm, inviting way about him. He could make just about anyone feel safe and sound, it looked like that applied to Jungwoo’s mom too, judging by her at ease smile and slightly sweet scent.Her flush continued to take over her face, ducking as words escaped her. To save her, he offered, “Yuta and Jungwoo work together,”“Right, gym teacher,”“Yeah, glorified really, Jungwoo says it’s more like a handler position,” that made Chae laugh quietly, “I just make sure the alphas don’t break anything showing off and keep the betas from starting anything with the alphas, the omegas just keep to themselves…I’m babbling,”“You usually do,” Doyoung said, sticking his tongue out at Yuta where he was holding up the front half of the coop while Johnny fit the leg braces in place.When it was all put together, pieces secure, coop standing and fully constructed, he turned to see Chae, staring at it in awe.“It’s been weathered and sealed so, they can move in if they want,” he said peering into the old coop where the four hens were huddled together, heads tucked into their fluffy feathers.“Thank you Jaehyun, this is…nicer than I…it’s more than I ever expected,”“I’m glad you like it,”“I love it,” she moved away, asked Taeyong who was closest if he knew anything about chickens, he admitted with a sheepish smile that he didn’t. She grinned at him while sifting through a small covered box at the edge of the foundation, handing him a bucket of pine shavings. Yuta stepped forward to help too, taking the gloves Chae handed him and grabbed an armful of straw. He watched them set up the new coop, Taeyong talking quietly to Chae, who seemed to have found a new friend and in an alpha no less while Yuta smiled brightly, looking thrilled and beaming when Chae praised his work, peeking inside to see how he’d done.“They’ll love this, oh my goodness, no leaks, solid floor,” she kept going, voice rising and falling with excitement as she took one hen at a time to the new coop. When they were all settled inside, she turned to them and smiled. She asked if they wanted something to drink but they all declined, he knew Johnny was eager to go see Ten, probably could hardly stand how long they’d been apart from each other with the start of Ten’s heat just a couple days away. He knew that he was eager to see Jungwoo and the others could definitely find something to do with the rest of their day. He packed up his tools, ready to leave with the others as they headed back around her house.“They look good in there,” Johnny commented, still bent over to look into the coop’s door, hurrying to catch up to them. Jaehyun smiled up at him when he clapped his back, ruffled his hair softly.The boys said their goodbyes to Chae, all of them saying it was nice to finally meet her and hoped they could see her again soon. And Chae actually didn’t look put off by that idea, which was reassuring and nice to think about for Jaehyun.“Jaehyun,” Chae called as they left, he stayed put while his friends moved to give them a minute.She looked unsure and maybe a little guilty, so reminiscent of the look Jungwoo wore so often when they were just becoming friends. He smiled at her, hoping to put her at ease.“Would…would you maybe consider fixing my fence…it’s cold enough that they’ll probably stay in their coop most the time anyway but…now that they have a nice little home, I think it’d be nice to have a yard they couldn’t escape from,”He lit up, glad that she’d asked at all and more than happy to help with that. Admittedly, he’d been hoping she’d ask, every time he saw that shamble of a gate, it made his stomach turn.“Believe it or not, that was actually on my list,”“Of course, it was,” she gave him a look that paired well with her small smile, “thank you,”He waved that away, “not necessary, I was happy to do it…thanks for accepting it,”Chae hummed, “tell Jungwoo hello for me, when you see him later,”“I will,” he said as he backed up, waving as he went. Shoved his friends who were hovering there waiting to be annoying, and they were. Very much so, all the way back to town. But Jaehyun was too happy to care about their good-natured teasing or their goofy looks.….He didn’t get to catch up with Jungwoo till later that day when he went to pick him up for dinner. Jungwoo opened the door the second after Jaehyun hit the top step.“Hi,”“Hi Woo,”Jungwoo dragged him inside, beaming silently at him.“What, what’s going on,”“Nothing,” he brushed his fingers over his cheek and down his neck, Jaehyun moved into the touches.“That smile says it’s something,”Jungwoo bit his lip, hands delving into his hair.“How was my mom,” Jaehyun opened his mouth to answer but Jungwoo kept talking over him, “you delivered the coop today right,”“Yeah, we did and she was good, she says hi,”“How was everything else, with her, you went with the boys,”Jaehyun nosed closer to him, kissed him quickly because he hadn’t yet. Jungwoo giggled, hands in his hair dropped so his arms could wrap around his shoulders fully.“Sorry,” he breathed, making Jungwoo laugh again, kissed him one more time, “yeah it was good, she seemed okay with the guys, her and Taeyong hit it off and Yuta liked setting up the coop. I think it helped that she knew them from you telling her all about them,”“Oh yeah, I talk about all of you constantly,” he smiled up at him, “but I’m glad it was good, I’ll have to go see it, I’m sure it’s beautiful,”Jaehyun hummed, moved his hands against his lower back.“You wanna go to dinner,”“Was that rhetorical,” he smiled and Jaehyun nodded, “let me get my coat, and my…” his voice dropped off as he moved away, into the kitchen where Jaehyun couldn’t hear him properly.He came back into the room with a covered plate, wearing a bright smile.“What’s that,” he asked him, voice small, suddenly a little overwhelmed with how gorgeous Jungwoo and his smile were.“Banana cake…”“It smells really good,”Jungwoo hummed, moved to him, tipped his head back and just looked at him. Jaehyun gulped, wondering if it was normal to feel this way, feel so overwhelmed by him just standing in front of him, smiling. Jaehyun grabbed his coat, held it open for him to slip his arms into, blinking when Jungwoo turned around and kissed him.“Sorry,” he whispered, eyes shut, leant forward into him, “I did that so I wouldn’t say thank you,”Jaehyun grinned back at him, “I didn’t say anything,”“Is that okay,”Jaehyun laughed, opened the door for him, “you didn’t actually ask me that did you,”Jungwoo tossed his head back while he grabbed the plate and moved past him.Jungwoo waited for him to shut his door, held out his hand and leaned into him, as they teased each other and giggled all the way to dinner.Once there, they hunkered down to eat but only after Jungwoo gave them all extra-long, extra tight hugs for helping his mom and being kind to her.Jaehyun wondered if he was still surprised that he’d found a place, where he fit so seamlessly, so perfectly, with so little effort like all along there was a spot, made just for him. He wondered, if like him, Jungwoo hoped this could be the start of similar phenomenon for his mom too. It’d be nice to have her around more. And he knew, that Jungwoo would really like that for her too.….A couple days later, he was following Jungwoo closely, knowing he’d had a rough day. His back hurt and the pup had started moving, nothing major, just little flutters that he only he could feel but they were keeping him up at night. So, today, he was sleepy and a little ornery, more emotional than normal, sore for the back pain which came and went, sometimes paired with leg cramps and of course, hungry. He was always hungry, but Jaehyun liked that he was eating and gaining a little weight, not a lot. He was still so tiny, but he looked healthier, like a pregnant omega should.Jungwoo wasn’t one to complain, not overly, so that’s how Jaehyun knew he was really struggling with all this because he actually said something about it. Because of that, and because he loved him, he kept extra close to him, held his hand tight against his hip, where his arm was wrapped around his back. Keeping a hand on Jungwoo proved harder once they got to the square for dinner, balancing plates while helping Jungwoo’s slow steps towards their pit. Most of their friends seemed to sense Jungwoo’s distress, sitting up or moving closer when they were a few feet away from them, Taeil and Donghyuck of course, hopped up to help him sit, throwing a dozen different questions at him immediately.“What’s wrong babe,” Taeil brushed his hand through Jungwoo’s fluffy hair, cupped his cheek and smiled at him when Jungwoo just nuzzled closer to the touch.“My back is killing me, my legs are so sore and crampy, I feel like my insides are under attack because someone’s testing their range of motion,” he narrowed his eyes down at his bump before adding, “and I’m so hungry,” his whine earned a couple laughs.“Hungry isn’t bad, it’s dinner time,” Donghyuck said simply, resting back on his haunches where he was crouched in front of his best friend.“I know it’s not bad,” Jungwoo whimpered, frustration written plain over his whole face, “but I’ve had so much to eat today, stupid-” he cut himself off, gasping as he clapped a hand over his mouth.“What,” Jaehyun asked, panicked as water welled in Jungwoo’s dark eyes, “what Woo,” quickly setting their plates down so he could focus on him instead.“Nothing,” he whispered, ducking his head and scooting further from him to collide with Taeil instead. Though he didn’t seem thrilled about that either. He waved a hand in front of his older friend, to try and tell him to give the other omega some space. Taeil backed up.He listened for a couple long, agonizing moments as Jungwoo took slow, even breaths, calming down.“What Jungwoo,”“I’m sorry,” he peeped.“You have nothing to be sorry for Woo, talk to me,” he knelt in front of him.“I’m sorry to them,” he was looking at his stomach sadly, sniffling every couple seconds.“Why are you sorry to your pup,”“Because I almost called them stupid,” his hand went back to cover his mouth like he was trying to keep himself from saying anything else. He made a tiny, miserable sound, enough to break Jaehyun’s heart and drag him closer.“You were frustrated Woo, it’s okay, you don’t actually think they’re stupid,”He nodded quickly, looked at him like it was Jaehyun he was trying to convince not himself or his pup.“Do you think they’re mad,” he whispered. Jaehyun smiled at him, hearing Ten whisper to Johnny, ‘what’s happening,’ while the alpha just smiled and kissed him.“No, I don’t, I think they couldn’t possibly be mad at you for anything, you’ve taken such good care of them so far, you’re allowed to get frustrated with how you feel or want your back to stop hurting, that doesn’t mean you love them less,”Jungwoo nodded, sniffling, “you promise,”“I promise,” he picked up his hands to kiss his knuckles, whispered his next words against the smooth skin of his hands, “how could anyone be mad at you,”Jungwoo huffed but smiled at him nonetheless, eagerly welcoming him and his warmth when he moved to sit beside him. Jaehyun grabbed their plates, easily coaxing Jungwoo into eating his dinner, next to no effort involved in that at all. He sniffled for a little bit through it but for the most part had calmed down, letting Donghyuck nuzzle him and talk to him about easy, distracting things like how something about the rice was extra tasty tonight which made Jungwoo laugh for a reason Jaehyun wasn’t aware of.Jaehyun watched him lose himself to his food after that, the only indication that he was conscious of anything besides what was on his plate was how he leant against him, burrowed into his side like he couldn’t get close enough to him. Jaehyun kissed his head, to silently tell him that he was here, not going anywhere and wanted him closer if he could find the space for that. While the others picked up conversations about their days around them, Jaehyun caught himself monitoring Jungwoo’s heartbeat to ensure he had actually calmed down, listening intermittently to the pup’s quick beats because they were there and soothing. When he’d finally managed to pull himself out of the maddening scent coming from the crown of Jungwoo’s head and his perfect, musical heartbeat, he caught the others talking about something he’d actually been thinking about frequently through his week.Doyoung and his, apparent, date.Jaehyun knew his friend and knew this was definitely something that had stressed him out, he didn’t have to express it, just seeing his face before he’d opened up to them was enough to show that it was weighing on him. He couldn’t speak fully to how Doyoung felt about things or other people or relationships because it had been a gray area for years and then it became something he didn’t really want to talk about too much. He did know that feelings of impatience and inadequacy started to spill over, they had that in common, him and Doyoung. It was hard when you thought, why doesn’t someone look at me the way Taeil looked at Taeyong or talk about him the way Donghyuck talked about Mark or why don’t I have what Jeno and Jaemin have, how come that hadn’t come to him yet? He knew now, why he’d waited, why it all happened the way it did but for Doyoung who felt things in a different way, he couldn’t be sure if it was actual attraction, some level of impatience or maybe loneliness that had finally tipped his scales and had him looking outside himself and their friends for happiness. Wolves weren’t supposed to be alone. They were pack and click driven, sought out affection from their family, friends and loved ones and they always, craved physical attention, no matter their presentation or maturity level. For Doyoung, it might not end up being the grand romance most of them dreamed about but at least he’d have someone to share his inner wants and thoughts with, someone who could take him for all he was and look after him like none of them could. They all deserved that. He’d thought, for so many years, that Doyoung didn’t want it or anything like that but if he was wanting it now, that was fine with him and he’d support and defend him however he could.It was Yuta who’d asked, drawing the attention of half of them, minus Jungwoo who’s appetite was still winning out over his ability to multitask, eating andlistening, yeah, no way.“So, how’d coffee go,” Yuta asked, hand curled over the inside of Sicheng’s thigh while the beta fiddled with the hair curled around and over his ear. They seemed better which was a total relief, he didn’t like when any of them were sad or struggling. He softened, happy for them assuming they’d talked and worked through at least a little of what was bothering them. They were definitely at their best together and far happier with each than without.When he finally dragged his attention away from them, he watched Doyoung sitting stiff in his seat.“Uh, yeah,”Yuta snorted, fingers tightened over Sicheng’s thigh, moving closer to him with a flustered smile when the beta kissed his cheek, “what doesuh, yeahmean,”“It means, uh, yeah, probably won’t be doing that again,”“Oh no, why,” Taeyong, ever the romantic asked, gaining more attention around the circle.Doyoung shrugged, smiling sideways at Jeno when he nudged his shoulder for comfort.“Was there just nothing there,”“It was more there was something I wasn’t expecting there,”“What the hell does that mean,” Johnny asked, smiling though he looked wary of whatever Doyoung might say.  Doyoung sighed, looked over at him for a second before Jaehyun realized he wasn’t looking at him, but actually at Jungwoo. Who still wasn’t listening, invested in building a sandwich with the multitude of ingredients on his plate.“He’s obsessed with someone else and now I feel like crap,”“Who’s he obsessed with,” Chenle wondered, legs crossed, chin propped on his palm, listed sideways into Jisung’s side. Jaehyun smiled at them, feeling soft when he watched Jisung smile down at the top of Chenle’s head.Jungwoo was humming at his dinner in a way that made Jaehyun’s heart palpitate violently, adorably unaware. So, that meant he didn’t see it when Doyoung nodded in his direction with a frown, looking miserable and resigned. Their friends murmured amongst themselves for a moment while Jaehyun’s mind reeled. He and Jungwoo hadn’t had any trouble with anyone other than his mom since his fight with Bobby in front of the pack. And certainly, for the last two weeks, since word had moved around that they were courting, people weren’t willing to touch that subject knowing that Jaehyun wouldn’t hesitate to put an end to it. Plus, as Jungwoo’s pregnancy progressed, now almost done with his 2ndtrimester, he got more in touch with his deep seated, maternal instincts. There wasn’t a soul alive who’d get in front of that. And watching those senses awaken didn’t go unnoticed by others. With that came mutual respect and acceptance because Jungwoo was happy, excited and thriving and people wouldn’t, hopefully, try to tear him down from that. Now, along with everything else, came interest. Jaehyun wasn’t sure he liked that.No, he knew he didn’t like that.He’d seen it first with Eric, who’d tried his luck with Jungwoo only to upset him and now, from what Doyoung was saying there was someone else, another someone. What the hell? Jaehyun understood it, Jungwoo was everything good and right, he was captivating and inspiring and gorgeous and adorable. He totally got why people were interested, especially since there was something undeniably attractive about a pregnant omega, that didn’t mean he liked it, okay, seriously he couldn’t stand it actually. Jungwoo was finally his, he didn’t want other people popping up and being interested. Jungwoo was interested in him, they couldn’t have him. End. Of.“Maybe it wasn’t what you thought,” Taeyong offered, “I mean, it could be different, or not how he wanted that to come across,”“Okay, how would you take an entire 35 minutes where the guy who’s spent the last 3 months trying to get you to agree to a date, finally has said date and instead he fills the whole of your date with questions about someone else,” Taeyong blinked at Doyoung’s response, “he didn’t even want to answer questions about himself, he was like a man consumed,” he made a sad, forlorn sound before muttering ‘asshole’ under his breath.Jeno scooted closer to him and snuggled his side, distressed at his sadness while Ten actually reached out and took his hand, holding it tight. Nobody said anything for a while, not too sure what to say, probably. Jaehyun didn’t know either, honestly. Though he did wonder if this was Doyoung’s way of saying he felt like crap, because of Jungwoo. It wasn’t his fault. Jungwoo hadn’t, ever, done anything wrong, he didn’t want to believe that he thought or blamed Jungwoo for his failed date. But madness lived in their town, year-round, so he couldn’t be so sure. Even about one of his best friends. He knew Doyoung about as well as he knew all of his friends and he didn’t think he’d ever blame someone else in that way, for something that was clearly not their fault. He wasn’t like that, he was always very fair and practical.The curiosity lingered in some of the others who weren’t there for their conversation earlier in the week, playing catch up now to get details.“Was he an alpha,” Kun asked, setting his plate on the ground.Doyoung nodded, eyebrows scrunched a little.“Yeah,” Kun hummed, “they can be so dumb,” that caused most of them to laugh, even got Doyoung to smile.“What’d he do now,” Johnny asked, probably talking about Hajun.“Who,”“Hajun,” bingo.“Oh, nothing, he’s just…I love him but god, he’s so dumb sometimes,”Jaehyun burst out laughing which startled Jungwoo next to him, eyes wide as he looked at him, mid-chew. He kissed his head to apologize for scaring him and coax him back to his dinner. It worked after a couple seconds but not before he craned forward, smiling softly when Jaehyun took the hint and kissed him. Jungwoo nodded, satisfied and went back to eating. Jaehyun’s chest hurt from how cute the other was, he could hardly stand it, but he’d suffer through it, a measly thing to ask of him, really. He stayed focused on Jungwoo for the rest of dinner, only partially listening to the others as they laughed at whatever Kun was saying about his dope of an older brother.When they got up and started filtering off, towards home, he pulled Doyoung aside. Made sure Jungwoo was comfortably distracted by Taeil and Taeyong, probably talking about chickens before he turned to the beta next to him. Doyoung looked like he knew what he was going to say.“It’s not his fault Doie,”Doyoung sighed.“I know that Jae, I’m not mad at him, I love him to pieces you know that…it just sucked, I finally gave him a chance and all he wanted to talk about was someone else,”Jaehyun held his arms open, nuzzled Doyoung’s shoulder when he attached to him and held on tight.“I wasn’t going to say yes, I think everyone knows I’ve been happy on my own and I don’t feel like I need someone but sometimes I think maybe it’d be nice, to have someone to go home to…who isn’t Renjun,” Jaehyun laughed at that, knowing Doyoung and Renjun, as roommates, was cheaper as far as lot payments went but they drove each other nuts, even on a good day.“It was actually you who inspired me to go for it,”“Really,”Doyoung nodded, “you and Jungwoo are so deliriously happy, like you finally found your fit and we’ve all waited years for you to find this. Seeing it, it just made me think, I could have that too, with somebody,”Jaehyun sniffed at him, felt Doyoung sent him back briefly before he let him go, took a small step back.“You could Doie of course, if it’s not him, and maybe it shouldn’t be,” Doyoung huffed, “it’ll be someone else and they’ll be the luckiest wolf in the world to get to spend their life with you,” Doyoung shoved him instead of answering, but then he said, “all our friends have courted and mated, and it was you and Jungwoo that finally stirred me up enough to agree to a failed date, weird right,”“I don’t think so,” Jaehyun didn’t think it was weird at all. He, of all people, understood what it felt like to be pushed towards something without you expecting it. All the perfectly romantic, flawless nights he’d spent with Jungwoo and he confessed after his mother verbally assaulted him. “I think sometimes, in some cases it just takes time, and that’s okay,”Doyoung smiled at him, looked over his shoulder at Jungwoo who was coming towards them. “Don’t tell him, that Jongup was more interested in him than me…I don’t want him blaming himself,”“Do you blame him,”“Not at all, I know Jungwoo, I totally get the fascination,”Jaehyun laughed at his look, hoped Doyoung knew that he loved him, beyond those three simple words could express. Doyoung’s gentle smile, said he did. It was funny how so much had shifted from negative attention to growing fascination that came in various forms, wanting to talk at the farmers market or harboring a crush. Jaehyun definitely liked this better than Jungwoo being bullied but knew people like Hanbin and even his mother would hardly be happy till they felt vindicated or got what they wanted. He dreaded how and when that would happen but knew they weren’t alone. He and Jungwoo had plenty of friends and so many people loved Jungwoo, were willing to stand up for him anytime. So, he was worried, but not super worried. He was more concerned about Jungwoo being put under undue stress. At this point in his pregnancy, extra stress and problems were the last thing he needed. He had them and their friends though and they’d protect him fiercely, as best they could. He lifted his arm without turning around, feeling Jungwoo’s warmth next to him and pulled him close. He squeezed him while Jungwoo burrowed under his arm, nose cold where it made contact with the edge of his jaw.Jungwoo grinned at Doyoung, as far as he knew, he was still oblivious about everything that had gone down at dinner, his version of pregnancy brain worked out well for them in this case.“I should go, if I don’t follow Renjun like a hawk he invites Jaemin and Chenle over and then they get nuts, so…see you guys tomorrow,”Jungwoo skipped forward and hugged him tight, “bye Doie, do you want to come shopping tomorrow afternoon, for pup stuff,”“Sure, I’d love to…meet at yours,”Jungwoo nodded excitedly, “noon, we’ll have lunch and then go,”“Sounds great,” he hummed, moved to hug Jaehyun once more before waving and hurrying home.Once he was out of earshot Jungwoo whispered, “poor Doie,”Jaehyun wanted to kick himself, shaking his head. He really, should’ve known better, “You were listening,”“A little, do you think he’s alright,”Jaehyun kissed the top of his head, “Yeah, he will be,”Jungwoo seemed okay with that, smiling as he took Jaehyun’s outstretched hand. They walked back to his house slowly, footsteps careful over the cold path that was patchy with ice, refrozen with the dropping temperature.“Are you okay,” Jungwoo asked after a while.Jaehyun jumped, “me,”Jungwoo laughed, “yes, you, who else would I be talking to,”Jaehyun looked around, of course they were alone, no one lived as far out as Jungwoo did and they’d left most of their friends by the square anyway.“Yeah, I’m okay, why,”Jungwoo shrugged, gripped his hand tighter while his other hand came up to hold onto his upper arm too. “You just seemed lost in thought…maybe a little upset,”Busted.“I just…didn’t like what Doyoung was saying, about that guy, not being interested in him,” which wasn’t a lie. Not really. It was just more that he didn’t like whyhe wasn’t interested. Or who he was interested in instead. Was he ready to commit to his jealous, shockingly possessive side already? Would Jungwoo be shocked or turned off by that?“I know, that doesn’t make any sense, Doyoung is wonderful and so handsome and…” he dropped off seeing Jaehyun’s pinched face and raised eyebrows.Jungwoo grinned, “not as handsome or wonderful as you though Jae,”Jaehyun smirked at him, watched as Jungwoo’s smile turned into the playful one that brought him and his wolf to life.“Ya know, that’s where I thought you were going with that,” he teased him, earning a squeeze to his arm and a gentle nuzzle as Jungwoo moved his head over his shoulder. They walked the rest of the way in relative silence while Jaehyun decided it wasn’t worth dedicating any more of his time to thinking about somebody who thought his best game plan was to cozy up to a friend of Jungwoo’s, use somebody Jaehyun loved to try and learn about somebody else Jaehyun loved. He didn’t like that one bit.A couple months ago it would’ve sent him reeling that somebody else like Jungwoo in that way, and admittedly a tiny part of him did wonder what would’ve happened if Jongup got there first. While the bigger part of him believed this was beyond anything anyone else could’ve given to him, but that was probably his ridiculous alpha talking. High on himself for being a better, more reliable option for Jungwoo, for being his choice. That was enough to decide this conversation wasn’t worth more of his time. And Jungwoo seemed happily distracted so Jaehyun was more than okay with ignoring that that had happened and devoting his energy to Jungwoo instead. He was always a way better use of his efforts anyway.….A couple days later he caught up with his mother. Or she caught up with him really, posted up on his porch and pushing her way inside when he opened the door. He debated asking her what she thought she was doing, if she thought he wanted her here but figured it was pointless as she put a plate of muffins on the table and took off her coat.“Hi sweetie,”He sighed, resigned to this, “hi mom,”“What are you up to today,” he felt his insides twist at how nonchalant she was being, pretending like nothing had happened between them.  “Stuff,”He was being a brat, but she deserved it, leveled her with a look as she stared back at him. He could see the moment she decided not to push him, maybe she was finally realizing that she’d hurt him, and this wouldn’t be easy like she wanted it to be.“I just came to talk baby, if you’ll listen,”He wondered how far he’d get if he ran but then felt stupid, this was his home. He didn’t have to run away. Though getting away from this conversation was tempting as hell, he stood still, watched her move to sit on his couch, waited for him to join her. It wouldn’t take forever. Whatever she had to say. She could talk and if he didn’t like it, he could shut her out, daydream for a bit and then she’d be gone, and he could find something good to do with his day. Like see Jungwoo, predictable.She took a deep breath and then said, “I don’t like it,”Jaehyun’s eyes narrowed at his mother.“Great start Mom, honestly,” she didn’t get it. He was willing to give her credit, thinking that she knew that she’d hurt him, and still she said the wrong thing and tore him down. Did she like making him feel this way? It hurt even worse thinking that she was aware she was hurting him but disliked Jungwoo more than she loved him.“No, no I didn’t mean it like that,”He shook his head at her, stood up from his seat to pace in front of the fireplace. Jaehyun barreled on, not quite caring how she meant it, more hung up on the fact that she didn’t like this, him and Jungwoo, him with Jungwoo. How very motherly of her, right?“Funny enough, you don’t have to like this mom, it’s happening and there isn’t-”“-honey please, I shouldn’t have led with that,”He rolled his eyes at that.“Let me start again,” she folded her hands in his lap, “I know that this…that this is what it is now, I know that I can’t stop you…I accept that,”He wanted to laugh in her face. Why did she think his falling in love and finding the wolf he wanted to mate with had anything to do with her? This wasn’t him being spiteful or him trying to do things that would piss her off, he was in love with Jungwoo and he didn’t think that was a bad thing. She stood up, moved towards him. His pacing stopped, felt like a pup with his mom’s warmth in front of him, her lavender, piney smell closed around him like a bubble.“I can’t promise much,” she stepped closer to him, took his hands. Jaehyun let her for the moment, even though he really wanted to pull away, “but I’ll try, I will, for you sweetie. How about lunch next week sometime, or dinner or-”“-Mom hold on,” he shook his head, trying to catch up. The bubble around him popped, “I don’t…I don’t think he wants to…you attacked him. I don’t think he wants to talk to you or be in the same room as you,”“I…I,”“And I wouldn’t blame him for that either. This, all of this is up to him, I’ll ask him but if he says no, I’m not gonna push him, this…the rest of my life is about him now and I’m not throwing his peace of mind away for you or your agenda,”“It’s not an agenda Jae,”“Well, after everything, forgive me if I don’t necessarily believe that,”“Honey,”“You don’t have to like it, but you have to know that this is how it is now. You decided to fight it, so this is what you get okay,”She sighed, still seemed like she thought he was being ridiculous. He’d be ridiculous, for Jungwoo. He didn’t have a single problem with that.“Some advice mom, you have to apologize and actually be sorry. He’s a forgiving person but he can see through people’s crap too. You need to earn his forgiveness if you want me back too,”“Honey,”“I’m not kidding,”She looked at him then, for a long time, quiet, maybe a little skeptical. She didn’t believe him. Didn’t believe that she’d actually lost pieces of him through all this.“The only way you get me back in your life is to earn his forgiveness, to apologize and mean it. He’s my life now mom,”“Okay, okay, I hear you,” it sounded like she did too. Maybe, she was finally sick of being the odd man out. A part of him was bothered that it took all of this to get her here, that it could be a hoax, but he was sick of the fighting and the animosity. He wanted some peace, happy, forward progress with Jungwoo made him want everything else in his world to reflect that too.“You don’t get me without him,” he added, because he needed her to know.She nodded, arms crossed loosely in front of herself, her passive way of ending their conversation.“I’ll ask him about lunch or dinner though,”He didn’t let her say anything else, moved to his door and opened it, dodged her hug and watched her leave. He stewed on her being there for most of his day before deciding that he was being stupid. He grabbed the muffins she’d brought, put on his coat and made for Jungwoo’s.It took a long time for Jungwoo to open the door. So long in fact that Jaehyun started to get a little worried. That feeling dissipated when Jungwoo pulled the door open, eyes big and bright, blush sat high on his cheeks and down his neck.“Hi,” he sighed, taking his hand and tugging him inside.“Hi,” Jaehyun looked at him, sensing a note to his scent that he didn’t recognize. He didn’t get to ask as Jungwoo was taking the muffins out of his hands, putting them on the table and working his hands under Jaehyun’s jacket to slide it off his shoulders. He smiled down at him, let him work with his tongue caught between his teeth, heat settling over him.“You okay,” he asked as Jungwoo folded the jacket over his arm and stepped back.“Yes, why,” Jungwoo whispered, cheeks pinker with that.“You look a little…” he struggled for the right word, settling on, “flustered,”Jungwoo cleared his throat, pushed his hair across his forehead.“Do I,”“Yeah,”Jungwoo was quiet. Jaehyun decided that flustered was the right word for it when his eyes looked away, unfocused as they went, lips parted, visibly distracted. His head turned back to him, eyes flicked down to his shoulder, cheeks going pink.And then he said, “can I have this,” looking down at his chest.Jaehyun looked down too, watched Jungwoo’s fingers twitch as they lifted towards him.“My sweater,”He nodded, not looking up at him. That was weird and unexpected, but he didn’t think he possessed the ability to say no to him anymore.“Do you want it now,” he asked, potentially the weirdest thing anyone had ever asked of him, so spontaneously too.Jungwoo blinked, “yes please,” his eyes met his again.“Sure,” he grabbed the hem and peeled it over his head. Jungwoo took a quick breath, gaze dragged up to his face from his chest as he held out the sweater to him. The omega was bright red, thanked him quietly before scurrying a couple steps away then froze.Turning around almost like it was an afterthought, he said, “stay there,”It hit him then that Jungwoo was nesting, which was potentially one of the most natural things an omega wolf could do and yet there he was, standing in front of him like the mere thought of it was mortifying.“You’re nesting,” he asked quietly, regretted saying it out loud at Jungwoo’s tiny peep. He watched Jungwoo nod after a couple silent seconds, the whole time refusing to look at him. He didn’t ask him anymore questions, just nodded his head to let Jungwoo know he wouldn’t sneak around him to see his nest before it was ready.He wasn’t sure why Jungwoo would be nesting now, not that he knew or claimed to know everything, but it just seemed like random timing. This type of thing was usually brought on by something else. And seeing as he still had at least 3 more months till his pup was born, it wasn’t prep for that, and pregnant omegas don’t have heats so that was out too. Maybe it was just an instinct, something he felt compelled to do and couldn’t fight. His wolf started grooming and strutting, knowing that Jungwoo wanted his sweater to put in his nest. He wanted their scent to surround him and his pup and keep him safe, help them safe. His chest ballooned with pride, wolf’s head got bigger if at all possible.“I mean it,”Jaehyun smiled at him, “Okay,”“Jae,” he cleared his throat, “don’t…I don’t want you to see it yet,” his stomach swooped at the implication of yet, he’d get to see it one day, when it was ready. When Jungwoo wanted him too, the idea thrilled him.“Okay,”Jungwoo kept looking at him, like he was going to bolt past him.“Stay,”“I won’t move Woo, I promise,”He nodded, “I’ll be right back,”“Take your time, I’m not going anywhere,”As he left the room, Jaehyun couldn’t help thinking about how Jungwoo had looked at him, belated, when he took his sweater off. Like he wanted to sink his teeth into him. He seemed torn between working on his nest with the new article for it or staying with him, to touch him and be close to him. It made every inch of him feel hot, body thrumming with a foreign hum. He’d never been looked at like that, never felt drawn towards someone by a force that seemed to start and end at his core. Was this what his friends went through, was this how they felt? Was there a fever you didn’t want to sweat out and looks that could melt his skin off and a smile that would make him whole?He wanted that.He wanted Jungwoo to always look at him like that. Maybe it was primal and animalistic, alphas were the hunters, but he’d lay down, let himself be preyed upon for Jungwoo, by Jungwoo, if only to see him smile and make him happy. God, he wanted to be looked at like that all the time, wanted to be seen that way, through those eyes and make Jungwoo proud that he was his. Jaehyun felt his insides twitch, wolf rolling over and over in his chest thinking about the omega like that. He scolded him and then himself because Jungwoo was pregnant. He was pregnant, which was appealing to him for a boatload of other reasons but if he thought about it, he’d surrender to it. And they weren’t, there yet. He didn’t want them to be there yet. But jeez, sometimes it was really, really tempting to think about.Jungwoo was still bright red when he came back. He had a sweatshirt in his hand, smiled softly as he held it out to him, maybe the embarrassment had faded somewhat. Jaehyun didn’t want him to be embarrassed with him, he didn’t have to overthink or stress needlessly around him.“Sorry,” Jungwoo whispered, sheepish, showing him that he was in fact, self-conscious about it.“Why are you sorry,” he said, slipped the sweatshirt over his head. It didn’t smell like Jungwoo, actually it didn’t smell like anything, never worn maybe. The omega looked nervous, shifted his weight back and forth, rubbed slow circles over his stomach till Jaehyun opened his arms, welcomed him in and held him tight.“Why are you sorry Woo,” he asked again, a little worried that maybe this was bigger or darker than just being shy about nesting.“I don’t know, it’s just weird….and random and I feel bad that I just asked you to give me the shirt off you back,” he huffed at himself.“And I gave it to you without a problem so don’t feel bad okay,” he nuzzled him, waited for him to catch up or say something. “I, I just don’t know why I’m doing it, honestly-”“-Jungwoo,”He looked up at him.“You don’t have to explain it to me okay, it’s all good, okay I’m flattered,”“Really,”“Yeah, really,” he smiled at him, happy that he and his scent mellowed at that, “you think it doesn’t do things to me that you want something that smells like me in your nest,”Jungwoo’s face went warm where it was pressed to his neck, his smile stretched against his skin. His flustered happiness was better than genuine anxiety by far, so Jaehyun considered that a victory. The omega nudged his head till Jaehyun got the message that he wanted him to move in a direction. His feet kicked into his as he started walking them to the couch, stumbling a little as neither of them would let up their grip. They tumbled to the lumpy cushions when Jaehyun’s knees gave, made sure their landing was soft for Jungwoo and the pup. He snuggled against him, wormed his way further up till his head was next to Jaehyun’s, breathing soothing and even as if he’d waited all day long for this.“You can have your sweater back before you leave if you want, I…I’m sorry,”“I’m good Woo, I promise,” not really understanding why he was still apologizing for it.“You don’t want it,” he could feel the other looking at him, dropped a couple kisses in his hair to reassure him, comfort him.“Nope, it’s yours,”He didn’t look like he believed him so Jaehyun kissed him for real. And kept kissing him till he whined, fingers clenched tight in the hood at the back of his neck. Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo thought he was going to disappear because he kissed him like he’d vanish if he didn’t hang onto him. Jaehyun didn’t mind, it was nice and real and easy to fall face first into but felt bad, knowing Jungwoo had lost and gone without so much in his life that this was just another thing he clung to in the hopes it wouldn’t leave him. That wasn’t the sort of thing Jaehyun could magically fix or wish away, only time and attention could make Jungwoo see that he wasn’t and would never go anywhere. He’d spend the rest of their life together making sure he knew that.“Woo,”Jungwoo whimpered, surging back to kiss him harder when Jaehyun put a breath of space between them.“Jungwoo,” he mumbled, tried to soothe him with gentle fingers up and down his back. Jungwoo sighed, pulled fully away from him with a soft pop.“Sorry,”He kissed the top of his head when he ducked, “it’s okay,”“Are you sure you don’t want your sweater back,”“Pretty sure,” he said with a small laugh, earning himself a gentle swat from the other, “Jungwoo,” he tipped back further so he could look at him, the gentle way he said his name must’ve been all the push the other needed as he started talking, quickly.“Jimin said I might feel compelled to nest and I’ve nested before, obviously, like before heats or when I’m really stressed but this…was weird. I woke up this morning and started ripping the sheets off my bed, finding towels and clothes that smelled just right, which is why it’s such a mess in here, oh god it’s so embarrassing,”Jaehyun sat up a little to look around and really wanted to laugh some more but didn’t want Jungwoo to be offended, or hit him again. It wasn’t a mess at all. His home was pristine as always but to Jungwoo it probably looked like a bomb had gone off.“It’s not practical that I made one now,”Jaehyun squeezed him, hoping to ease his mind and worries a little, “you can remake it, if you take it apart,”That apparently wasn’t the right thing to say, as he watched Jungwoo’s eyebrows scrunch, “why would I take it apart,”“I don’t know,” he said lamely, never having dealt with an omega who was nesting, he didn’t really know how to handle him right now, “if you want clothes to wear…or blankets to use,”Jungwoo hummed, still not entertaining what he was saying. Jaehyun kissed the top of his head instead of coming up with something else stupid to say, though he did add, “I don’t know what I’m talking about,”Jungwoo laughed, held him tighter.“Maybe I will take it apart,” he said after a couple moments of just listening to each other breathe.Jaehyun didn’t like the pout he made just thinking about that, “you don’t have to Woo, if it makes you feel better having one now, you don’t have to explain that or change it, especially not for me,”He smiled back at him, bit his lip, maybe to stop himself from saying the two words he knew Jaehyun refused to hear from him.“Can I see it, when it’s done,” he asked, felt hot and intrigued just thinking about Jungwoo letting him near a nest he made for him and his pup.“Yeah…but it’s not ready,” he blushed and looked away from him.“That’s fine, I don’t mind waiting,”“You don’t,” Jungwoo whispered, eyes twinkling when they looked back at him, fingers tapping quickly against the side of his neck, “I hadn’t noticed your crazy level of patience,”He groaned, “stop,”“I didn’t think alphas even possessed patience but you…they really broke the mold with you didn’t they,”Jaehyun’s stomach bubbled, wolf barked a few times at the omegas teasing. They both really liked his playful attention and the smile he gave them, like they were special and made him happy. Jaehyun and his wolf were both more than okay with that.“Are you done,” he nudged his nose with his, Jungwoo beamed at him.“Yes,” he whispered, eyelashes fluttering, “I’m done,” Jungwoo moved to kiss him quickly before settling back against his side, head pillowed on his shoulder.“Can we go out later, I have to buy some more stuff to pickle and I need salt,”“Sure, how about a nap first though,” he asked.“You know me so well,” Jungwoo hummed, nuzzling the spot under his chin that he truly believed was made just for him.Jaehyun smiled into his hair, “I try,” held Jungwoo tight as he got comfortable, warm and sweet smelling in his arms. He didn’t bring up having dinner with his mother, didn’t ask him how he felt about that, mainly because that was low on his priority list at the moment. Like down near, having a conversation with Bobby or Hanbin, that’s where trying to plead his mother’s case with Jungwoo ranked.But these days, most things paled in comparison to Jungwoo. If he was given the choice, if he had to decide which way to go and with whom, if Jungwoo was an option, he didn’t even have to think about it.And he liked it.A lot.He really, really, liked it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The start of his week found him at Kun's place, where he was fixing a couple cabinets in his kitchen.“Jae,”Jaehyun looked up from cupboard door he was rehanging, to see the omega stood on the other side of his kitchen island, watching him. He nodded to let him know he was listening.“I had a thought,” he started, fingers drumming against the countertop, “you should bring Jungwoo some of your clothes, maybe like shirts and sweaters that you won’t miss, so he can put them in his nest,” He smiled to himself. Of course, Kun had been stewing over it since he’d told him Jungwoo stole the sweater off his back the other night. His brother in law had looked ready to burst at the seams, bouncing and laughing like that was the best thing he’d heard in days while he hopped up to him to pinch his cheeks.The thought alone, even now, days later, of Jungwoo wanting his scent in his nest where he and his pup might sleep and spend time unwinding and being together, did funny, crazy things to his head and even funnier, crazier things to his heart.A pleased rumble started in his chest at the mere suggestion. It wasn’t a bad idea and he knew if Kun was suggesting it, it would probably be fine but Jaehyun was well known for his ability to overthink everything. Even now, surging with confidence and security he couldn’t help thinking about things because he felt compelled to, for Jungwoo.  “You think,”Kun smiled at him fondly, “I do think,”“And you don’t think it’s…presumptuous, to just bring him some of my clothes, just because he wanted my sweater the other day,”Kun gave him a look, fondness faded to exasperation, but the nice kind, like he usually aimed at his older brother.“When are you going to stop doubting yourself,” Jaehyun smiled, opened his mouth to answer but Kun cut him off, “I swear, Jungwoo is crazy about you and he asked for your sweater, he wanted your scent close for a reason, why must you be so difficult,”Jaehyun laughed, “I’m not trying to be difficult, I just don’t want to overstep or…I don’t know, cross any lines,”That made Kun shake his head at him.“This is what alphas in your situation do Jae, but here you are overthinking everything,”Jaehyun sighed louder, “I can’t help it.” He must’ve looked hopeless enough then that Kun took pity on him, softening around the edges and offering him a gentle smile.“Jae, okay, maybe it’s presumptuous of me, to say this but clearly you need to hear it,” he waited for Jaehyun to give him the go ahead to keep talking in case he didn’t want to listen to anymore but Jaehyun had always valued his view on things and knew he only ever brought things up to help him. “I don’t think those lines exist for you anymore, you’re already on the other side of them wouldn’t you say,”Jaehyun crossed his arms, felt his ears go red at the implication of that. That someone, besides himself, someone on the ‘outside’ was looking at him and Jungwoo, how they were growing together and had realized that Jungwoo, brave, beautiful, fierce Jungwoo, had erased the lines he’d drawn around himself and his unborn pup to keep them safe from their cruel world only to redraw them. So, they included Jaehyun too.“Stop being so worried about everything Jae, you’re doing fine, okay,”He nodded, still feeling a little anxious.“What happened to confident Jaehyun, he was great,”“He’s here,” he tossed his hands up and then felt silly when Kun’s smile turned teasing, “I’m here,” he said in a quieter voice.“He loves you Jae,”“I know,” and he did, he did know that, he trusted it completely, so easily that was now a fact of his life, “I just don’t want to do anything to offend him so early you know, what if he thinks I’m being an asshole,”“Then he’ll tell you,” Kun said, “you know he will,”He was right. Jungwoo would absolutely call him out, if he thought he was overstepping or being rude. And Jungwoo did promise to tell him if something became too much for him so Jaehyun just had to trust that. It was just clothes. His clothes, it wasn’t extravagant. Jungwoo could use them or not that would be totally up to him, but it wasn’t the end of the world to offer.“I know,”“It’s just clothes Jae, bring him a couple things you’ve worn a lot and see what he says,”Jaehyun nodded, smiling to himself and then at Kun when he didn’t stop looking at him.“Why are you still looking at me like that,”Kun smirked, dropped his chin to his hand and shrugged.“What Kun,”“I just think it’s nice, that this is the kind of stuff you worry about now, I’d rather you not worry at all, but this is better than the alternatives I guess,”“Which are,”“Pining after him endlessly, wasting away in your workshop while he got close to someone else,”Jaehyun felt his entire body go rigid, growl starting from his wolf to rise like a floodtide up his throat. Kun put his hands up, moved around the island to stand in front of him where he took his face in his hands, whispering quiet apologizes and placating things to show he hadn’t meant that to be taken seriously. But he couldn’t help it, he was wrapped so tight around Jungwoo’s fingers, existed so entirely in his world that the thought of him being with someone else while he had to watch, was unbearable. That sounded like hell to him.“Don’t,” he swallowed, found his voice, “don’t say that kind of stuff to me,”Kun laughed a warm, familiar sound, “I’m sorry,” he brushed his hands over his shoulders, his touch eased the panic that threatened to take over at the mere idea of Jungwoo having a life with somebody else. Now that he had bits of him, knew what it could be like, it sent him and his wolf reeling, thinking that this could either be taken away or given to someone else if he didn’t have it. It hurt. So, so bad.“I’m sorry, if I stressed you out,” Kun said, pulling him forward, “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad,”Jaehyun let himself be tugged around till he was half hugging his brother in law, smiling down at his perfectly put together hair and dimpled cheeks, “it’s okay, I’m okay,”Kun grinned wider and hugged him fully, laughing over his shoulder, saying something about not worrying about the bad stress at all. It warmed Jaehyun up, even though it did give him stress, to think that this was what he had to worry about now, instead of Lucas coming back and taking a spot that he wanted. This was so wonderful in comparison to that and all the other things he’d spent so much time worrying about before. He spent the next several minutes hugging Kun, nuzzling the top of his head because he’d always found comfort in doing that, he smelled like home and family, and then he caught a whiff of his brother’s woodsy, sweet smell. The front door opened and Hajun came in grinning at the two of them.“Hand him over Jae,” his eyes narrowed as he said it, but his tone was so exaggerated and goofy, that even though Jaehyun let Kun go so he could scurry over to his brother, he laughed as he did it.“Hi Junnie,” he heard Kun giggle, nuzzling into his Hajun’s chest, head tipped back to look at him.“Hi baby, how’s the cabinet going,” looking at him over Kun’s head.“It’s good,” he said, turning back to his work, tuning out the laughter and flirty comments and he absolutely didn’t listen to over-zealous sounds of kissing that he knew were solely for his benefit. Because his brother and Kun lived to torment him and love each other. Lucky for them, those two things went hand in hand most days.“Jae’s gonna bring Jungwoo some clothes for his nest,” Kun said lightly, like that was the most exciting thing he’d latched onto in days. Jaehyun shut his eyes, took a deep breath to brace himself for whatever his brother was going to say.“That’s fun,” throat cleared before he continued, “he’s already nesting?”Jaehyun looked at him, “yeah, Jimin told him that it could happen randomly, wolf and hormones needing an outlet,”Hajun hummed, moved towards the fridge for something to drink, Kun asked him if he wanted something to eat. Hajun kissed him instead, smiling as Kun blushed and shoved him away from him.“That makes sense, how is he, with that,”“Okay, I guess, he seemed sort of overwhelmed with it the other night,”“Maybe,” Kun cut in, eyebrows raised, “but he still asked for your sweater so, ya know,” he gave him a thumbs up. Hajun dropped into a chair at the table, in one go with all his weight, eyes huge before a goofy smile stretched across his face.“He did,”Jaehyun nodded, smiling too because Hajun’s was so infectious.“Jae, that’s awesome,”Jaehyun looked at Kun, who was already giving him a pleased look.“And your brilliant mate’s idea,” Kun sparkled at that, “was to bring him some more of my clothes for his nest…what do you think,”Hajun nodded, quiet for a couple seconds as he thought about it, “I think that’s a perfect gift for someone who doesn’t like the idea of you spending money or being over the top. Plus, he’ll probably use it, so it still ticks the practical box too,”That was, one of the many reasons, he loved his brother so much. He saw his side, valued how he thought about things and was willing to think about them like he would. They were different in a lot of ways, but they always worked to understand each other too, the best they could.Kun moved behind his brother, started kneading his shoulders as Jaehyun went back to the cabinet, he was almost done and then he could get out of their hair, leave them to whatever they did to fill their afternoons.He was pretty much finished when Kun’s genius brain struck again.“Jae, stay for lunch,” he said, hung over his brother’s back when Jaehyun turned around to look at him, “go get Jungwoo and bring him back for lunch, he doesn’t work today right,”He looked at his brother who had a look on his face that said he thought that was the best idea. Ever. So, he finished hanging the cabinet door and left to get Jungwoo. To have lunch with his brother and Kun.It was by total chance that he took the back way to Jungwoo’s, taking a right when he should’ve gone left and didn’t feel like turning around. This way would lead him past Chae’s house which was apparently where his wolf wanted to go anyway. He should’ve realized he was being pulled, magnetically, by the force that only existed between two wolves, but because he’s dense on a good day, he didn’t realize until he felt his wolf’s excitement in his chest and saw Chae’s house come into view.He caught sight of her and Jungwoo at the side of her house, both bundled up as they looked at the chicken coop. Jungwoo laughed at something his mom had said, fingers hooked in the slats of the side before his head twisted and his eyes landed on him.Jungwoo waved, entire being lighting up before skipping towards him.“Hi, what are you doing here,” he asked as he wrapped his arms around him. Jaehyun nuzzled into his shoulder, caught up for a second in the intoxicating warmth of his scent and the rhythmic pulse at the base of his throat, listening to it gladly while the pup’s heart kept a quick beat between them. He picked his head up, hesitantly to see Chae watching them, face set in an expression he couldn’t read.“I was coming to your house, seeing you here was total…luck,” he said to the other, not letting the uncertainty take over. He held Jungwoo tighter to ward it off further.Jungwoo hummed, hands “if you weren’t courting me, I’d think you were a little creepy,”Jaehyun wondered what Jungwoo would think of him if he knew he did have a habit of keeping tabs on him, when he’d first been back, not in a creepy way, just in a curious, wishful sort of way.He kissed his cheek instead of responding to that statement and figured, judging by his blush, that Jungwoo didn’t mind. Jaehyun didn’t either, he was just happy to hold him, look at him, take him in. He was getting more beautiful, every time he saw him, if that was possible. Day to day, he glowed a little brighter, cheeks were a little fuller, his eyes sparkled more than before and he seemed so sure and comfortable in his skin, which Jaehyun thought was sexy as hell. Honestly, he couldn’t even pretend he didn’t think that. He’d tried, and had just found himself twisted in his sheets, chest rising and falling rapidly while his wolf pawed at his already weak self-control, asking him to think things about the omega he hadn’t before. He caught himself doing that now and had to physically shake himself out of it, lest he get lost in the warmth that radiated off the other, the lush, fullness of every inch of him.Jungwoo blinked for a couple quiet moments, just looking at him, then he started laughing. He was laughing at him.“What,”The omega laughed harder, shook his head. Jaehyun butted his head into his.“What,”“Nothing, nothing,” he whispered, pulling him closer to brush their noses, Jungwoo’s was cold which he didn’t like, he needed to get him inside and warm him up. “Why were you coming to see me,”“I was at Kun’s and he invited us to lunch, do you think it’s a horrible idea to ask your mom to come with us,”Jungwoo was quiet for a second as he thought about it, “she’s having a weird day I think, but we could still ask,”Jaehyun felt his wolf whimper thinking that Chae was having a weird day and that it was potentially affecting Jungwoo too, judging by his pout and drawn together eyebrows.“I don’t want to push her,”“Okay,” Jungwoo said simply, seeming fine with either option, asking her or leaving to have lunch with their friends. And Jaehyun, like always was just happy to do whatever Jungwoo wanted most. Jungwoo took his hand then, snuggled against his side as they made their way back to his mom.“Do you like the coop,” he asked the top of Jungwoo’s head, the omega’s scent thickened, happy and syrupy at the question.“It’s beautiful Jae, and the hens love it so much,” he murmured to him. Jaehyun looked up to see Chae watching them still, turning away quickly when their eyes met as if she hadn’t been looking at all. She crouched to scoop some pellets from the bucket at her feet, opening the door to spread them inside.Jaehyun wondered, watching her ignore them, if he had imagined the progress, they’d made the other day. When he brought the coop over last week, she’d seemed totally fine with him and his existence but right now she wouldn’t even look at him. Maybe day to day meant that she liked him one day and by the next she didn’t. That was a little frustrating.“Mom,”Chae turned her head the slightest bit but kept dispersing the feed for her chickens against the slatted floor.“Mom, we’re going to have lunch at Jae’s brother’s house, would you like to come with us,”She huffed a laugh. Jaehyun’s stomach dropped at the sarcastic sound of it, like she wouldn’t even consider it. He understood why it seemed completely unrealistic for her but he also didn’t understand why it couldn’t be. If she wanted to spend the afternoon with Jungwoo, meet a couple more of his friends, this was the perfect way to do that. But maybe that was too much to ask. She could accept a gift on Jungwoo’s behalf, as Jaehyun’s roundabout way of courting Jungwoo but apparently lunch with them was a step too far.She ended up declining, waving them off after a few minutes of awkward silence. She gave Jungwoo a tight hug and Jaehyun, a tight smile, shifting back to her chickens, giving them their cue to leave. He kept Jungwoo’s hand in his, squeezed his chilly fingers tight to hopefully warm him up a little bit on their walk. It didn’t take a genius, to sense that Jungwoo was upset. Part of him didn’t want to dwell on it, wanted to instead give him a distraction and a reason not to think about it anymore. But the part, the majority of him really, that loved him wanted him to know that it was okay, let him talk about it if he needed to. “You okay,”Jungwoo hummed, squeezed his hand tighter as he leaned against him.“We don’t have to go to lunch if you don’t want to,”He looked up at him then, clearly that wasn’t an option.“I want to,”Jaehyun smiled at him, to ease his distress, continued pulling him in the direction of Kun and Hajun’s home.“Did you have a good visit,”Again, he lapsed into silence. Jaehyun took that as a definitive, ‘I don’t want to talk about it’. But Jungwoo spoke after a few steps, surprising him a little.“She’s having a weird day…like I said, it was good though, sitting with her and having breakfast and seeing the coop but…”His instincts flared as the other dropped off, “did something happen,” maybe that’s why she didn’t seem too fond of him today.“Your dad visited her yesterday, like he does, and it may have come up how you and your mom aren’t really speaking, she didn’t push but when she asked me about it earlier, I told her that your mom doesn’t like me. I think…I think she was trying to twist it to make you the bad guy too but couldn’t,”Jaehyun stopped walking, feeling his stomach tighten. He understood her hesitance, he really did, he didn’t have to be her favorite person but after putting himself out there and being kind to her, it was a little frustrating to feel like he was still being tested. Jungwoo stopped walking too.“Jae,” picking up on is change of mood, maybe smelling the souring of his scent that took over the air around them. He sighed.“Do you think she’ll ever like me,” it dawned on him that this could be his reality. That he and Jungwoo could live happily ever after, with the exception of their mothers.“Like ever, really, genuinely like me,”Jungwoo softened completely, hand squeezing his harder as his other hand came up to touch his cheek.“I mean I won’t ever stop trying but...I thought she was warming up to me, especially after giving her the coop,”Jungwoo made a tiny sound in his throat, “I think she does like you Jae, and is maybe a little frustrated that it happened so easy. I think she definitely wanted to find a way to put some blame on you too for how your mom’s acted but couldn’t,” he moved closer, till their foreheads were ducked together and all Jaehyun could see was the rosy, perfect expanse of his cheeks, the gentle slope of his nose, the pink purse of his lips. “She wants you to be the vicious, cruel alpha she’s expecting you to be and you keep proving her wrong, there’s nothing wrong with her failing to find fault in you Jae, she’ll get tired eventually. Also, don’t forget, she’s dealing with me here, I was obviously quick to remind her that you’ve done nothing but defend me from her…and everyone really,”He smiled at him. He didn’t mind that she was having a hard time disliking him but also just wanted all this nonsense to stop. He didn’t think it was a lot to ask to just get to live with Jungwoo peacefully, court him and grow into the world they were building, create a home for a pup they’d be getting to meet in a couple short months. Was that really so crazy a thing to want?“Yeah but I want her to like me Jungwoo,” he dropped off with a heavy sigh, “…never mind,”“No, what,”“Nothing Woo, it’s nothing, let’s go have lunch,”Jungwoo looked at him for a long moment before he laced their fingers together, giving him a tiny smile as they started walking again, towards lunch and an afternoon where they hopefully didn’t have to think about disapproving mother’s too much. Hopefully.….“Jungwoo hi, hi, come in, come here,” Kun tossed his arms out, welcoming the other omega inside, into a tight hug as he helped him out of his coat and hung up his scarf. “How was your day off, how are you feeling today,”“Kun,” Jaehyun said, startling the other.Large eyes met his, “what,”“Let him breathe,”Jungwoo giggled, reaching back to swat his chest as he leaned further towards Kun. They leveled him with matching looks of stubborn exasperation, he looked back and forth between, realizing that they were teaming up on him. He just got here, to have lunch and Jungwoo was falling into Kun, eagerly looking at him like he was over him, fondly so, but definitely over him. He didn’t know if that bothered him, or made him happy, seeing how naturally Jungwoo fell into the spot beside Kun, in his home, in front of Jaehyun, like he was meant to be there all along.“I’m just excited, I don’t think he’s ever been here before, right,” Kun blinked up at Jungwoo who was just smiling back at him.“I don’t think so, it’s beautiful Kun,”Kun grinned, jumping forward to hug him tight before he was pulling him further into his house.His brother came up next to them, murmured, “welcome to my life,” quiet enough that the other two probably didn’t hear him. Not that they were paying attention to them anyway, Jungwoo was busy answering all Kun’s rapid fire questions, giggling to Kun as he held his face in his hands, commenting how cold he was. He and Hajun watched them move closer to the fire while his brother’s face morphed with shock.“I’m not here, apparently,” he said, pouting at him, “hi Jungwoo,” he called after them, smiling when the omega turned around with a bright blush, “totally fine, I blend in with the wallpaper I know,”Kun rolled his eyes, mumbling an, ‘oh please,’ to his mate.“Hi Hajun,” he scurried back towards them and into his brother’s open arms, he squeezed him for a long moment. Jaehyun heard Jungwoo mumble an apology to the older alpha, eyes peeking up at him a little guiltily.“It’s okay, I know Kun can be sort of in your face,”“Honey,” Kun said, blinking sweetly though Jaehyun could tell Hajun was in for it.“Yes, dear,” Hajun kept an arm wrapped around Jungwoo.“Shut up,”Hajun took a deep breath, cheeks puffing out with it and keeping quiet. Kun narrowed his eyes at his mate before waving Jungwoo forward again.“Lunch, is soup okay, that’s what I was gonna feed these two anyway, but I can make something different,”“Soup sounds good,”“I made kimchi fried rice yesterday, I can heat that up too,”Hajun, though he’d just been scolded for no apparent reason at all, stepped forward to wrap his arms around Kun, stealing him away from Jungwoo to walk him into the kitchen. Jaehyun caught Jungwoo smiling after them before he turned to look at him, walking into his open arms. He held him instead of immediately following his brother’s example and leading Jungwoo into the kitchen where Kun was making lunch and Hajun was probably getting in his way. This was nice. Just this.With Jungwoo’s nose tucking into his neck.“You good,”Jungwoo hummed, “The pup’s been moving more, or starting to move more I guess and every time I see or talk to your brother, they move a lot,” Jungwoo said quietly, craning his head back to look at him.He smirked at him, “should that worry me at all,”Jungwoo stepped even closer to him, “no,” he puckered his lips till Jaehyun leaned in to kiss him quick. “He moves the most when you’re around, but I think you guys have similar smells…so he likes it,”That made Jaehyun feel warm all over and then something in his head ticked. Like there was something about that statement that he should be clinging to harder. He. Jungwoo had called the pup, he. A boy?“He,”Jungwoo tilted his head, “what,”“You called your pup a he, it’s a boy, was Jimin able to tell you that,” voice going higher towards the end with his excitement.Jungwoo shook his head, face lighting up with realization as he caught on to why Jaehyun looked so shell-shocked.“No, it’s just a feeling, like intuition I guess,” he shrugged, cheeks pink as Jaehyun kept staring at him. A little boy. His chest felt tight and his heart hurt, wolf started spinning circles inside him because that’s how he expressed his excitement apparently, yipping occasionally.“A boy,”Jungwoo’s expression softened as he hummed at him, arms moved to wrap around his neck.“A little boy,” he whispered, noticing Jungwoo’s eyes misting a little with his reaction.Jungwoo kissed his cheek slowly, “did I ask if this was something you wanted to be a part of,”“I kind of thought you two were a package deal,”Jungwoo grinned from ear to ear, “we are, but I just wanted to be sure,”“Well, be sure, I want this, both of you and all that, that life entails,”“Good,” Jungwoo pressed his forehead to his, “because I want you in his life, in my life, always,”Jaehyun moved closer, eager to kiss him but didn’t make it that far.“Hey lovebirds, oh sorry,” he heard his brother say, purposefully loud enough to get them to break apart. Jaehyun sent him a glare but that just made Hajun smile wider.“What Jun,”“Nothing,” he shrugged as backed up out of the room. Jungwoo started laughing into his shoulder, head ducked.“He’s messing with me,” he said flatly, not upset or even annoyed, just surprised. That made Jungwoo laugh harder. “Right, you heard that,” Jungwoo head moved up and down against him. Jaehyun smiled at the top of his head before he kissed the swirl of hair at the crown of his head.“Maybe we should go, right, before he comes back,” Jungwoo suggested, lips brushing his neck.“Maybe yeah,” Jaehyun dropped his hands off his waist to offer them to Jungwoo, which he took instantly, fingers warm in his. “He just helicoptered us…what the hell,”Jungwoo giggled at that all the way into the kitchen where Kun was elbowing Hajun away from the pot bubbling. Jaehyun heard Kun tell him to cut some bread or be useful to which his brother bit his shoulder but did as he asked anyway.“Can I help with anything Kun,” Jungwoo offered, moving to lean against the island.“Oh no Woo, sit please, it’s almost done,”Jungwoo didn’t appear to like that as he stood at the island, waiting to be given a job. Jaehyun stepped up to him, “he’s not gonna make you do anything,”“But I offered,”“He still won’t,”Jungwoo pursed his lips as he thought about that and then he was moving across the kitchen to where Hajun was grabbing a knife to cut a loaf of bread. He wasn’t quite sure what he said to him but Hajun laughed, shouldering Jungwoo gently before handing over the knife and getting him a cutting board. Jungwoo gave him the brightest smile Jaehyun had ever seen when he came back, whispering something else to him that had Hajun jumping into action.“Do you want something to drink Woo,” Kun turned around to ask, head tipping when he didn’t see the other omega at the island anymore but instead on the other side of his kitchen doing the job he’d given to his mate. Kun sent Hajun a look before Jungwoo jumped to his rescue.“Jun’s making me some tea Kun, thank you though,”“Yeah, he’s bossing me around now,” Hajun stuck his tongue out at Kun but sent Jungwoo a wink while Jaehyun stood there useless.“Can I do anything,” he asked, watching Jungwoo’s shoulders jump with a laugh.“Do you want to set the table,” Kun offered, smiling at him over his shoulder. He nodded, jumping into action to start gathering plates and spoons. When he moved back from the table to get glasses, it led him to the cupboard, above where Jungwoo was standing. He moved up behind him, ignoring Kun’s knowing look and Hajun’s smirk. Jungwoo’s head tipped back a little when he felt him come up, gave him a warm smile as Jaehyun nuzzled him, reaching up and around him for a few cups to put on the table.He half listened as Kun and Jungwoo made easy conversation while the soup finished heating and he finished setting the table. He smiled to himself when he heard Kun say, “Jungwoo, look, look, Jaehyun fixed our cabinet today, doesn’t it look nice,”Jungwoo laughed at the other omega, nodding softly as he shifted to give Jaehyun a smile, watching him fondly while he rolled his eyes at Kun. He heard his brother laughing behind them, head shaking back and forth as he sat down at the table.“Are you fluffing me,”Kun spun around to give him a look, lips pursed as a perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched at him. Soon enough, the longer they stood staring at each other, Kun’s face morphed with a smirk.“You don’t need fluffing,” Kun whispered, “I was just stating a fact,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes, moved to take the plate from Jungwoo with the cut up bread, helping him to the table where he eased into the chair Jaehyun pulled out for him.“You okay,” Hajun asked, looking worried. His scent spiked with it, like he could ease Jungwoo in some way. Jaehyun smiled at that, knowing Hajun loved him enough already to feel the need to do that sort of thing.“Yeah,” Jungwoo looked back at his brother, “just a little sore, everything hurts right now,”“Don’t tell me that sort of thing Woo, you might change my mind about wanting a pup,” Kun said, voice light to show that he was kidding.His brother snorted, “yeah right,”Kun laughed at him, “I was kidding,”“Oh,”Kun came close, while Jaehyun and Jungwoo laughed at him, to run his hand through Hajun’s hair and drop a kiss against his forehead.“The good far outweighs the bad,” Jungwoo said to no one in particular. “Every time my back hurts or my feet swell up or I can’t sleep I think, they’re going to be born in a few months and everything is going to be different and I’m going to love it,” he sat back with a wistful smile, lifting his tea to blow off some of its steam and take a small sip.“It’s so soon now,”“I know,” Jungwoo smiled, mug set down so he could settle his hands over his bump, “I can’t believe how fast it’s all gone,”His gaze shifted up to Jaehyun, smile went softer around the edges, spoke to him like they were the only two people in the world.“And it’s good, it’s all been so good I sometimes pinch myself because this can’t be real or mine, but it is and I get to keep it forever,”Jaehyun dropped next to him, slid a hand over his where it sat against his stomach, “I love you,” he whispered, nudging his nose closer to him while Jungwoo closed his eyes.“I love you more,”He shook his head, knowing that wasn’t physically possible but didn’t care to argue about either. He could hear, through the buzzing in his ears created by Jungwoo’s happy scent, Kun muttering about Hajun not being romantic like that with him anymore. Which made his brother groan and drag Kun down to sit with him, nipping at him till Kun went quiet.They ate lunch and laughed together, effectively wasting the rest of their day. Though Jaehyun could hardly consider it a true waste when Jungwoo was pressed close to his side, ate two bowls of soup and some rice, talking happily to Hajun and Kun and just exuding good, positive vibes. He couldn’t find anything wrong with that honestly.….Later that same day they were cozied up on Jungwoo’s couch, stomach’s full for the time being, blanket tucked around them to keep them close and warm. After they’d left his brother’s, he didn’t have their stories or Kun’s laughter filling his head and distracting him which left him stewing over Jungwoo’s mom again. He wasn’t extremely worried about it because it wasn’t necessarily a bad sign that she was having a hard time finding things to dislike about him but it still left a bad taste in his mouth that she was trying at all. Why was it such a problem if she liked him? Liked him for Jungwoo? He was good to him, would be good to him for the rest of their lives, why was she trying so hard to find fault with him?Probably for similar reasons that his mom had for being against Jungwoo.His stewing became obvious to Jungwoo apparently, when the omega nuzzled him, asking him what was wrong in a tiny voice like he thought he’d scare him.“What,” he asked, not hearing what he’d said specifically.“Do you want to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours,”“Jungwoo-” he started.“-you don’t have to, but I think…this goes both ways, I know that I can trust you with anything and that applies for you too, you can talk to me,”Jaehyun sighed, “I know I can, I just, I’m not sure this is worth bringing up again, I just need to get over it,”Jungwoo moved closer to him, legs draping over his, “maybe I can help,”Jaehyun softened for him, smiling at the gentle, concerned look he was giving him. He knew he could help. But then he thought about how Jungwoo had other things to be worrying about other than his stress about being accepted by his mom.“Jae,”He hummed, focused back on the omega who was still staring at him.“Yeah,”“What is it,” he tucked some of his hair back, fingers scratching behind his ear afterwards.Jaehyun sighed, “I know it isn’t going to be immediate and I could do a hundred nice things for her and it might not make a difference, I know that, but I guess I was just a little discouraged after seeing her earlier. She looked like she had the first time we met, annoyed that I was there, intruding on her space and time with you, I don’t know,”Jungwoo’s fingers continued to brush through his hair, smile turned knowing and gentle but in a different way.“I don’t think she feels like you’re intruding, and I definitely don’t think she dislikes you,”“Well, it’s hard to think it’s going well when I get iced out like I was,”“Patience Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, running his fingers through his hair, pausing to fiddle with his ear after.“I know, I know,” he butted his head into Jungwoo’s, feeling like a stereotypical alpha in his arms, who lacked control and thrived off their inability to wait for things. He didn’t want to be and hadn’t been like that very often in his life but he felt like it now. Like he just wanted good things to keep coming to them, wanted the rest of their lives to match the happiness they’d found in each other. Which of course included Jungwoo’s mom.“It’s just hard,”“I know,”“I want her to like me,”“She does like you,”“Really,”Jungwoo hummed, thumb made these really distracting motions directly below his ear. It worked to sidetrack him for a few moments.“You don’t believe me,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers running back and forth over the top of his cheek.“I do,”Jungwoo’s eyes narrowed a little playfully, “she likes you,”Jaehyun smiled at him, humming to show he’d heard him.“Do you know why she likes you,”He shook his head.“Because I like you,”“I like you too,”Jungwoo smiled at him, “you need to stop worrying so much,”He wanted to laugh, hearing that from Jungwoo was a little comical.“I’ll stop worrying about your mom, if you stop worrying about mine,”Jungwoo gave him a look but seemed to think about it.“I can do that…today but I make no promises about how I’ll feel about it tomorrow,”He did laugh at that, “I guess that’s better than nothing,”Jungwoo made a noise in his throat as he ducked into his neck.“You probably did more before you met me,” he muttered.Jaehyun sat up a little, “what do you mean,”“All I do now is nap and you’re always with me,”“I don’t mind it too much,”“Oh, you don’t,”“Nope,”Jungwoo tipped back, looking at him till Jaehyun moved.“That’s good to know,” he murmured as Jaehyun kissed him. His heart lifted like a bird taking flight when Jungwoo laughed against him, hands pulling him closer and closer till they were falling backwards on the couch and napping was momentarily forgotten.….The next afternoon he made his way to Jungwoo’s with a bag of clothes for the other, a couple shirts, some sweaters and one sweatshirt he’d worn to bed last night so it smelled strongly of him. He spent all morning convincing himself that Kun was right and this would be fine. It would be. It would be and if it wasn’t Jungwoo would tell him. Through all this, he was finding he was getting pretty good at jumping, faithfully launching himself out into the unknown, finding comfort in the knowledge that Jungwoo was always there, when he landed.The omega opened the door, looking sleepy but he usually did these days, and pulled him inside. He immediately buried his face against his shoulder, arms wrapped tight around his back. Jaehyun had a second to wonder what was going on before he scolded himself for being dumb. He let the bag fall to the floor so he could hold him, feeling something pulse in his chest, wolf ordering him to fix whatever was going on with the other.“What’s wrong,”Jungwoo shook his head against him, words muffled.“What,” he smiled into his hair, so fond in this moment for him, for some reason it threatened to choke off his air supply. Jungwoo took a deep breath, pulled back to look at him. Jaehyun lifted his hand to drag his fingers over his cheek, hoping to soothe him at least a little, “what’s wrong Woo,”“I had to start my leave already…Jimin suggested it a couple weeks ago, since my fatigue is so bad, and I promised to let Wendy and the principal know if I felt I couldn’t handle it. And today, I guess, they just thought it’d be better for us if I just start my leave now so I can rest…” he sighed again, head tucking back against his shoulder. He kissed his forehead to soothe the frustrated plume of his scent, pushed out a calming wave of his own and listened to Jungwoo hum gratefully at him.Jaehyun instantly felt bad, knowing that being able to work has helped him immensely and now he had to sit home again, tired and probably bored. He didn’t necessarily disagree with that, he needed his rest and he was always exhausted anyway, it was only going to get worse but that didn’t mean Jungwoo had to enjoy his new reality either.“I’m sorry,”Jungwoo nuzzled closer to him, “it’s okay, I know it’s for the best, but I don’t know,”“You’re allowed to be upset Woo, you love your job,”He nodded quickly, peeked up at him, “I do, a lot,”Jaehyun smiled at him, pecked the tip of his nose.“It’ll be there after the pup’s born, right,”He nodded again, making a soft sound of agreement.“Then take your time, to rest and get ready for the pup, it’s okay,”“I know, I’m just not looking forward to being bored like that again, and I didn’t want to stop working, I was tired sure but at least I had something to do,”“I know Woo,” he kissed his head a couple times, kept kissing him till Jungwoo’s body lost its tension and his scent mellowed back to its usual sweetness. He tipped his head up, lips pursed for a full kiss which Jaehyun was only too happy to give him, sighing against him when Jungwoo kissed him back, firmly.Jungwoo sighed, looking and smelling better than before, “hi,” smiling when Jaehyun smiled wider at him.“Hi,” he wrapped his arms tight around his back, purpose renewed, “can I offer you something to maybe make your day better,”Jungwoo nodded, eyes twinkling at the prospect of this improving. Jaehyun, as always was up to the task. This, like so many other things with them, gave him an opportunity to change his bad day. It was a phenomenon, he was really starting to believe in and play into. He watched his expression drop for a second as he realized that he might be getting an impromptu gift and then calmed, content enough in his arms to not worry about it.Jaehyun turned, hand still on his waist as his other arm extended for his bag. He opened it for him as Jungwoo watched, hands resting gently on his chest with his head ducked close to his.He listened as Jungwoo sucked in a quick breath. His eyes lit up when he saw what was inside, his fingers wiggled against him, voice a quiet murmur as he said, “oh, oh my gosh Jae,”“Is it okay,” anxiety spiking for a moment till Jungwoo’s head bobbed, smiling a little bit. He kept nodding as he blinked up at him, warm smile stretching across his face. Jaehyun had gotten pretty good at reading Jungwoo these last few months, and right now, he could read and see, plain as anything, that Jungwoo was in love with him. Just the way he was looking at him he could tell. It was probably exactly the way he looked at him. It felt so good to see reflected back at him, he’d never get sick of that sight.“It’s perfect Jaehyun, thank you so much,”He opened his mouth, pushed down the urge to say something about him saying ‘thank you’ but decided he didn’t want to make him feel bad about it. He was quite enjoying the quiet calm that was settling around them and didn’t want to disrupt it in any way. Jungwoo stretched up to kiss him quickly, cheeks pink and eyes sparkling. He took the bag from him, whispering that he’d be right back, which meant Jaehyun had to let him go for a couple minutes at least. It sent a silly pang through his heart. He knew it was irrational because he’d be back in no time at all, but he was here, and he was smiling and Jaehyun didn’t want him to be out of his sight for even a single second. He pushed it down and let him go, smiling at Jungwoo so he didn’t catch on to the fact that he was panicking inside. He didn’t need to know about that and didn’t need to know that he was counting his heartbeats, listening to them sync with his pups’ quicker ones for a beat or two before it raced away.He was able to distract himself with stoking the fire burning in the fireplace, picked through the pieces. Examining them further than they deserved since they were just going to get tossed in the fire anyway, but he didn’t have anything else to busy himself with. A little desperate maybe but he had never claimed to be anything other than hopeless when it came to Jungwoo. He poked at the flames, moved the logs around to sit better on the hot coals, watched them catch till he heard Jungwoo’s shuffling come back into the room. The sight of the other, took his breath away.Though not entirely out of the ordinary for him, this time it was because he was wearing the sweatshirt he’d packed. The sweatshirt meant for his nest. Jaehyun’s sweatshirt. Jungwoo was wearing it. Even pregnant, it was still a size too big for him. The neckline was wider, collarbones exposed just the slightest bit, hem hung down to his hips, empty space between his sides made it look like he was swimming in it while his stomach stretched it outward a little but not nearly enough to make it fit properly. Case in point, it was cute, really cute. The only thing cuter about it was that the sleeves dipped to his fingers creating what Jaehyun decided was the most adorable sight ever. Was he supposed to be able to deal with sweater paws? Because his mind was filled with this weird buzzing and he couldn’t stop staring. Jungwoo was always cute. Of course. But right now, it was fracturing his self-control, the measly amount he had.  What was he supposed to do against freaking sweater paws?! Nothing, he had nothing.Oh, well. There were definitely worse things he could endure.Jungwoo started chewing his lip after a couple silent seconds. Which was Jaehyun’s fault because he was being dumb and quiet and didn’t have anything intelligent to say or do when faced with Jungwoo in his sweatshirt. What compelled him to put it on? Was he holding it, about to weave it into his nest and just decided to put it on instead? He could ask. But he couldn’t make himself speak. He and his wolf had been fried and they had nothing to combat the level of adorable that was staring back at them.Jungwoo’s cheeks went a deeper shade of red, feet shuffled closer, “Is…is it okay that I put it on,”Jaehyun swallowed, instantly angry at himself that he’d made Jungwoo question his actions. He nodded dumbly, watched with his heart in his throat as Jungwoo smiled, feet dragging him forward, to him. Jungwoo tilted his head at him, gave him a funny look as he got close enough for their toes to touch.“Are you sure,” he was wearing a smile that showed he knew the answer to that. The sparkle in his eyes was teasing and alluring, it made his stomach heat up, wolf rumbling in interest. He nodded again, could barely pull himself together enough for just that, which appeared to amuse Jungwoo and give him the confidence he needed to curl around him, taking him down with him when he collapsed to the couch. They stayed just like that for a while till Jungwoo shifted against him, murmuring about being hungry but not wanting to move.“I can make you something,” he said, sitting up a little, while the omega gave him a look like he didn’t trust him in his kitchen. “You don’t want me to cook,”Jungwoo laughed at his face as he pushed off him, smiling when he leaned forward to kiss him.“I’ll cook, if you keep me company,”Jaehyun looked at him as he stood slowly, took his hand when it reached out for him, “I can do that,”“I know,” he smiled over his shoulder at him, “you’re very good at it,” his laughter filled the kitchen when Jaehyun crowded up behind him, kissing down his neck and being more of a distraction than a help but he didn’t think Jungwoo minded. Since he didn’t push him off or tell him to stop, was maybe even happy to have him hanging off him as he made them lunch.As they were cleaning up after eating, him washing and Jungwoo supervising and drying, he decided to broach a subject he’d been putting off for a few days now. Even if there was backlash, he was here and Jungwoo was in a better mood and he’d stay with him if his mood did drop after.“Can I ask you something,” he started, wolf already hiding under his paws just thinking about this. Jungwoo hummed to show he was listening while he kept drying the dish in his hands. “So, my mom invited us to lunch or dinner, you don’t have to say yes Woo, I just told her I’d put it out there for you to decide,”“And if we don’t go, she’ll know that I said no,” is what he said immediately, “sorry,”Jaehyun moved closer to him, “don’t be sorry,” he took the plate from his hand, when his fingers tightened around it, knuckles going white.“I’m just putting it out there,”“And she put it out there knowing that I’d probably say no which would make me look worse to her,”“Jungwoo, listen to me,” pulled him against him, “you don’t have to say yes, we don’t have to go, she’ll get over it. You don’t owe her anything,”Jungwoo was busying blinking at him, which made him wonder if he was listening. Staying quiet for far longer than Jaehyun liked.“Woo,”He shook himself, “will Kun and Hajun be there,”Jaehyun smiled, “they can be,”Jungwoo’s head bobbed, bottom lip sucked into his mouth.“Okay,”“Okay,” he asked him, a little surprised that he agreed, so easily, so quickly.“Yeah, we can go,”“Are you sure,”“Not really but…I don’t like being the reason you guys aren’t speaking, and if she’s making an effort, I can too,”Jaehyun gave him a squeeze, holding him tight when Jungwoo made a tiny, pleased sound in the back of his throat.“I’ll be there,” he whispered, “and the second you feel uncomfortable or stressed, we’re out of there,”Jungwoo nodded, arms wrapping around his back. He’d defend him from anything, keep him safe from whatever and love him for the rest of his life. This was just the start with his mom, maybe it wouldn’t go as smooth as he was hoping but it was still a start. He knew this would bring Jungwoo anxiety up till and while it was happening but at least he knew he was there. Always. On his side and in his corner. Maybe if nothing else, after having dinner with his parents, his mom would be a little more aware of what Jungwoo meant to him. She didn’t have to like, but if she at least saw it for herself, that could help this whole thing along.For now, though, he’d keep making her wait for this, more interested in loving and protecting Jungwoo than jumping to make her feel better about her choices. He held Jungwoo, helped him to the couch and tucked him close when they settled down to take a nap.From where he was, eyeing the top of Jungwoo’s head and breathing in his gentle, sweet smell, it seemed his day had in fact gotten better. Wearing his sweatshirt, snuggled against his chest, his worries seemed nonexistent and Jaehyun liked thinking he was capable of those sorts of things, liked knowing he made Jungwoo happy. Found peace, knowing that with him, Jungwoo’s bad days got better. He kissed the top of his head as his breathing even out, hoping that Jungwoo knew, he made his bad days better too.….He’d made tentative plans with his dad for dinner the following week, on Tuesday which gave them enough time to work themselves up for it or back out if Jungwoo wanted. He was pretty certain that Jungwoo, being his stubborn self, was going to go through with this no matter how nervous he got, which Jaehyun found equal parts brave and stupid. But loved and supported him all the same.Before that though, came Sunday. And with every Sunday came the farmer’s market which Jungwoo, regardless of his fatigue looked forward to all week long.This Sunday he headed over at his usual time, to collect Jungwoo, the pickles and their two helpers, Donghyuck and Mark but was surprised when he got there and didn’t see the two of them there already.“Hey Jungwoo, it’s me,” he called into the house, waving at the omega when he peeked out of the kitchen.“Hi,”He smiled back at him, “hi,” meeting the other in the middle to give him a hug. “So, not that I don’t love having you all to myself but where are Mark and Donghyuck,”Jungwoo froze, pulled out of his arms to look at him for a split second. Jaehyun followed him when he rushed back towards the kitchen.“Are they not coming today,”Jungwoo ended up at the counter, pouring himself another mug of tea.“Jungwoo,”“No, they’re not coming,”“Is everything alright,”Jungwoo shook his head in a motion that didn’t look entirely voluntary.“I promised Donghyuck I wouldn’t say anything,”Jaehyun wrapped his arms around his waist, “you don’t have to tell me anything…I won’t ask,”“He doesn’t really want to be around people right now and Mark won’t leave his side,” Jungwoo curled forward but Jaehyun tugged his backwards, closer to him so he could feel that he wasn’t alone, worrying over this. His mind began swirling with what could have happened that forced Donghyuck into seclusion and Mark into protective, alpha mode but could hardly bear to think about those things happening to them. Two people who deserved the world.“I just want to help him, but I can’t,” he said, “I wouldn’t know how to anyway,”“As long as he knows you’re there for him, you’re probably helping more than you know,” he had a few ideas about what was going on with Donghyuck and Mark, things he didn’t want to think about too much for fear that they’d be real. His friends deserved everything good and right that this world had to offer, and he hated that they were suffering, struggling. That they were dealing with whatever they were dealing with on their own, as if they weren’t all there for them, to help in whatever way they could.He knew that they just had to wait till Donghyuck was ready to talk and share, till Mark trusted others with it and with him. Today there wasn’t anything he and Jungwoo could do but hope today was a better day for their friends, pick themselves up and sell some pickles even though the farmer’s market wouldn’t be nearly as fun without them.“I don’t want them to hurt Jae,”“I know Woo,” he tucked him closer, nose moving through his hair, “but sometimes there isn’t anything anyone can do, you just have to wait and be ready to be there for them,”Jungwoo nodded, “yeah, I guess, I’m just not as patient as you are,”“I don’t think anyone is,”Jungwoo grinned, nuzzling into his neck, let himself be held till he rallied and decided he was ready to go to the farmer’s market. Though for majority of the day he seemed out of it, which he was willing to chock up to missing his best friend. Selfishly though, he thought it still served to distract him a little because all this stress and worry was not good for Jungwoo or the pup.He’d miss him until he was better, until Donghyuck found peace and was feeling more like himself. Jaehyun worried for him, for both of them but knew just like he was always there for Jungwoo to defend and protect and love, he was there for Donghyuck too. And Mark.That’s what friends were good for. He hoped, while they were struggling that they didn’t forget that. That they remembered they had endless love and support on the other side of this, whatever it was.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaehyun was consumed with worry after Donghyuck and Mark bailed on the farmer’s market. Worry over what was going on with them, worry over how to help, if he could help at all and worry over the fact that they were pulling away from all of them. That was probably the thing he was worried about the most because they were family, what could be so bad or painful that they didn’t want to share or felt they couldn’t talk about to them. He understood the hesitance, he’d felt that a time or two, but he’d always caved and ended up confiding in them, because they helped and loved and supported and above anything else it was comforting to know someone was there. That there were people who saw you and listened to you, knew the darker sides of you and loved you no matter what. He hoped that even in this dark time of their life that they didn’t forget that, if nothing else, having them as friends, that could give them something to cling to, to help them through.His worry for them remained, unresolved until the reason for his worry turned up on his doorstep, in the form of a very disheveled, very upset Mark, who looked like he’d been crying for days. And days. And days. Everything inside him seized seeing him there, terrified of what he might say or do or confirm what Jaehyun had been worrying about. His nose quirked a little at the sourness of his smell which was always sweet and warm and welcoming. Today there weren’t any hints of sweetness, even the notes of Donghyuck’s scent that clung to him were acidic and rotten.“What Mark, what’s wrong,” he asked panicked, feeling lame and dumb and ridiculous because he really didn’t know what to do or what to say.The other sniffled, “can I come in,”“Of course,” he stepped back as Mark brushed past him, stumbled really like he couldn’t find his bearings. He wandered to his couch, looked like he wanted to sit but stayed standing then started moving again. “Mark,” he startled like he’d been hit or had forgotten Jaehyun was there at all, “do you want a drink,”Mark shook his head.“Water, coffee, anything,”He shook his head again so Jaehyun gave up, moving towards him, stomach in a knot, wolf distressed at the sight of him.“I…I need to talk to someone but…Hyuck doesn’t want anyone to know,” he took a deep breath, hands shaking in his sides, voice thin, “but I can’t do this Jae, I can’t,”“Okay, okay, easy,” he moved closer to him, “Mark, I think that Hyuck would understand you needing to talk, if you’re struggling,” Mark let out a strained laugh, “he’ll understand or I mean, he doesn’t need to know, I won’t tell him,”Mark looked back at him, “I don’t think we need any more secrets right now,” he whispered before taking a few deep breaths.“No more secrets then, what’s going on,” Jaehyun really hoped he’d open up, didn’t like how he looked right now. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, air rushing out of him.“Hyuck and I have…we’ve been trying to get pregnant,” he said, hands still over his eyes, “for months, no actually over a year now,” Jaehyun felt his stomach sink, the worst of his theories coming to life, “and nothing,”“Nothing,” he breathed, hating the way that word tasted.“He’s had a couple that have lasted a few weeks…and…and one that lasted almost 2 months,” his voice started shaking, “we lost that one last week, on Friday night, which is why we haven’t come to dinner and didn’t come to the farmer’s market,”Everything inside of him ached, knowing there weren’t two people in the world more deserving, better set to have pups and they weren’t having any success with that so far. It broke his heart to think about that, to think what this was doing to Donghyuck who’d wanted one thing and one thing only for years now, a family with Mark. Why didn’t he get to have that? Who was up there deciding that they weren’t deserving of this, it didn’t make any sense to him at all.“Mark,” he whispered, not knowing what to say and how to approach it at all. “I’m sorry,”Mark made a pained noise that sounded like it had been ripped right from his wolf’s throat, he sagged forward, sobbing in a way Jaehyun hadn’t ever heard from him their whole lives of knowing each other.“Have…have you both been tested to see if…” he couldn’t make him say the words barren or infertile, they made his head hurt.“Yeah and we’re both fine, or so Jimin says…” he coughed a little, “he said that he thinks at this point, it might just be a matter of timing or lack of, uh lack of compatibility,”Jaehyun bristled at the very idea, “I don’t believe that for a second,” it was absolutely ridiculous, Mark and Donghyuck made all the sense in the world together, they were made for each other, everyone believed that. His outrage earned him a tiny laugh at least.“Thanks Jae,” he whispered, wiping his face off on his sleeve. Jaehyun reached over to squeeze his wrist, smiling back at his exhausted grin. Looking at him now, he could see the weight of this secret where it had been dragging down his shoulders, dealing with it and trying to be strong for his mate who was no doubt falling apart. He looked a little lighter now though.“Did Jimin have a suggestion,”“Patience,” Mark scoffed, frustration bleeding into his voice, “like that…like that makes sense,”“Mark,”“You try telling Hyuck that if he wants this, he has to wait…wait for this one thing he’s wanted his whole life. That he just has to suffer through till we get fucking lucky,” he growled a little, “I’m sorry but that’s way harder than you think it is,”“I’m not saying it’s easy Mark but if that’s…if Jimin thinks there’s still a shot, then you should listen, he knows what he’s talking about,”“I know, I know but you should see what this is doing to him Jae, it’s killing him, we’ve lost so many and every time he gets excited or thinks this is the one it gets ripped away from him. I want to give this to him so bad but I can’t keep watching this happen either, he’s just, he’s heartbroken and I can’t do anything for him,”He didn’t really have anything to say to that because what could he say? He couldn’t make this go away or get better or fix it. And he didn’t want to be condescending or cruel, he loved these two, but he knew he couldn’t completely understand the pain they were going through, he just had to hope and try his best to be helpful.Jaehyun opened his mouth, to try and console him some more but the dam that had been keeping all this contained had been busted and now Mark couldn’t stop.“He keeps, he keeps saying there’s something wrong with him,” he whispered, “like he’s convinced of it even though Jimin has told us we’re both completely fine and healthy. And he’s blaming himself, every time he says, ‘if I was better, we wouldn’t be having this problem,’ or ‘I only have one purpose and I can’t even do that,’ which is stupid and wrong, but he’s so twisted up right now that he won’t listen to me! And he thinks I’m mad at him which is insane, but I said that to him the other day and he-”“Said what,” Jaehyun asked.“Said it was insane that he thinks I’m mad at him for this,” he took a breath while he wiped his face on his sleeve, “and he started in on me about how he was a failure of a mate and I should petition to dissolve our bond because he’ll never be able to give me pups and I’d be stupid to stay with a defective omega…” he sighed, sagged back in his seat while Jaehyun tried to catch up.There was a lot to take in from that. Like a lot. He understood that omegas could be hard on themselves for such little things and apparently Donghyuck had it in his head that Mark, his mate, wasn’t the forward thinking, progressive alpha he had always been. But maybe that was just his disappointment talking, the tragedies he’d suffered were constantly filling his head with negativity and refusing to listen to all the support Mark was no doubt trying to give him.“Do you think he’s serious…about trying to dissolve your bond,” the thought alone was absolutely ludicrous to him, he couldn’t imagine it actually happening. Ever.“I think so, he always seems serious which is, I mean, it doesn’t feel great for me either, like what does he think of me, if he thinks I’d bail if we can’t have pups. I know it’s hard and it sucks and this isn’t at all the plan we had but I wanted a life with him before I even started thinking about having pups of my own, that hasn’t changed,”“You should tell him that,”“I have, the other night when he was going off about the petition nonsense, he was listing people I could mate with after the dust settles when we split, who would, he thinks make ‘pretty babies’ with me, which made me feel a little sick and I told him…I told him that it isn’t about having pups for me at all and I only want them if I get to have them with him, if not then it’s just not in my plan and that’s fine…but I know he’s not fine with that or this or me thinking that way. Like, I’m not trying to baby him or smooth this over, I’m being honest. I don’t think he's in the headspace to listen or be rational about this,”“Just keep telling that stuff though Mark, at some point, it’ll get through, I know that’s like a terrible suggestion but-”“-No, no it’s not, I know this is impossible…and I’m sorry to just unload on you like that,”“Mark oh my god no way,”“I just needed to get it out, I felt like I was going crazy so thanks for listening,”“Of course, man, anytime,” Jaehyun said, let them lull into silence, sitting close together on his couch. It reminded him of a time when pups and mates weren’t things they stressed about, them and their friends scattered around his or Taeyong’s living room drinking and talking and not letting the weight of their problems get to them. If they were even aware of them at all.“You guys’ll be okay, I believe that,” he said, caught Mark staring at him when he turned, “if anything happens to you two, what does that mean for the rest of us,”Mark let out a watery sounding laugh but it was still a laugh so Jaehyun counted it, bumping his shoulder as he slouched in his seat.“Don’t tell anyone about this Jae,” Mark said after a couple beats, like he was finally coming back to himself and realized what he’d done.“I won’t, I swear,”“I just…I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone-”“It’s hard I know, sometimes you have to talk about stuff when it gets too much,”Mark nodded appearing to feel better and reassured about spilling the beans to him. He was pretty sure Jungwoo knew, at least a little so Mark shouldn’t feel too bad, since his mate had confided in his best friend too. And Jaehyun would take this to his grave if that’s what they wanted, no one would ever hear it from him.He pulled the other alpha close to hug him, held him tighter when Mark tucked himself into a ball to lean into him. They stayed quiet, connected just like that for most of the morning. He imagined how hopeless and discouraging this all must seem, but he really hoped he’d been able to help, at least a little bit.Hoped that he wouldn’t give himself and Mark away if he gave Donghyuck the biggest hug imaginable the next time he saw him.…. He wandered around in a fog the next couple days, after talking to Mark, heart in shambles for two of his best friends, which Jungwoo seemed to notice though he didn’t ask about it. He was just extra touchy and affectionate, playing with his hair or rubbing his back like Jaehyun usually did for him while they were at dinner. All the while feeling the absence of Mark and Donghyuck, their spots empty and quiet, which only served as a reminder every night of what they’d been through, what they would continue going through till the universe quit playing games with them and cut them a break. He was trying really, really hard not to dwell on it too much since he’d spent the better part of the last few days feeling horrible for them and wishing there was something, he could do but it was hard. Every time he saw Jungwoo and his growing bump, he thought of how badly Donghyuck wanted a pup and how hard he was struggling with that. Of course, it was nobody’s fault and he imagined if Jungwoo knew anything of what was happening he was probably feeling some guilt too just like he was. They hadn’t done anything wrong and this wasn’t punishment. It was just a thing that happened. And it was terrible. You don’t get used to that sort of thing, how could you?Anyway, he was trying to think about it less because it didn’t change anything obsessing over it, which is why he felt like dinner with his parents came at possibly the best and worst time imaginable. Best because he was struggling for a distraction, needed something different to focus on and think about. Worst because this really wasn’t the sort of thing he wanted to be doing, he’d do anything but this honestly, seeing his mom and having to put up with her and her half-assed crap still scored pretty low on the list of things he wanted to do. But they’d agreed and now here they were.As expected, when faced with a night spent in his mother’s company, Jungwoo was in total panic mode. He’d done all his laundry, rearranged his pantry with Jaehyun’s help, cleaned his whole house top to bottom, made out with him for a little while on the couch till Jaehyun could hardly breathe and his shirt was wrinkled under his fingers. Which was great. And definitely distracting. But then they’d stopped and Jungwoo said something about taking a nap, laying down in the space between Jaehyun and the back of the couch while he drew idle patterns up and down his back, only for him to sit up maybe thirty minutes later with a pout saying that his was too stressed to sleep. So, they made cookies instead, Jaehyun getting scolded multiple times in the process for eating the batter instead of rolling them out to bake like he’d been asked to do.  “You’re not very helpful,” Jungwoo said to him with a tiny smile, sounding grateful that he could at least focus on this instead of the looming dinner. He wished that he could tell him that he was grateful too, to finally be thinking about something other than the trauma Mark and Donghyuck were going through. Instead he laughed, pulling Jungwoo away from the sink full of dishes to kiss him.“Jae,” he mumbled, “my hands are wet,” he said on laugh, holding his hands away from him even as Jaehyun dragged him closer, moving them around to pin him to the other counter.“Don’t care,” he whispered back, mouthing over his jaw till Jungwoo whimpered and dropped his hands to either side of his neck, sliding them up to tangle in his hair. Perfect, he thought as his wolf rumbled happily.Jungwoo pulled away from him after a few drawn out moments, dragging in a deep, ragged breath, “you keep doing that,”Jaehyun laughed at him, stole one more, quick kiss which Jungwoo sagged into, “doing what,”“Kissing me,”He looked at him, “should I not,”“No, no,” Jungwoo rushed, “you should, it’s good,” he darted forward again, capturing his chirping mouth in another kiss, “and distracting,” he mumbled around his tongue.“Distracting’s good,”Jungwoo hummed, tugging his hair a little to angle his head back so he could kiss him harder.Jaehyun continued to be distracting, which was something he learned he was very good at, while the cookies baked and the time till they had to leave dwindled down to nothing. And soon they had to get dressed and leave for his parent’s house. Which brought on a new wave of panic in the omega. Totally understandable.Jaehyun wasn’t stupid, he knew Jungwoo wasn’t exactly looking forward to seeing his mom again, hell his reason for accepting her invitation didn’t exactly scream forgiveness. He understood that though, he wasn’t really ready to forgive her either, he just wanted the fighting to stop so if they had to exist in a weird middle ground for a while then that’s what they’d do.And even though he seemed resigned to his fate, he still put on a nice sweater, styled his hair in the gentle waves Jaehyun was crazy about, put on some earrings and bright smile when he met him in the living room.“You look incredible,”Jungwoo swatted him on his way by but wore the smile that took Jaehyun’s breath away.“Ready,”The omega took a big breath, “yes,”He smiled at him, “you sure, you don’t…look ready,”“No, I’m ready, just…thinking about all the ways this could go wrong,” Jungwoo let out a quick humorless laugh before his expression dropped and he looked stressed. He whipped to look at him, eyes wide, “I love you,”“I love you too Woo,”Jungwoo bit down on his lip, “What if she changes your mind,”“If she had the ability to do that, she would’ve already, stop, whatever’s going on up there…it’s okay, I don’t think this’ll be as bad as we’re working it up to be,”“I know, I know that, I’m trying not to think bad things but it’s hard,” he whined.“I’m yours Jungwoo, I want to be with you, this, is her weird, roundabout way of accepting that I think,” he gave his hands a squeeze, “she’s trying, finally…maybe, for tonight we try too,”“You’ll get me out of there if it gets sketchy,”“Please, Jungwoo who do you think you’re talking to,” Jungwoo laughed, kissing him briefly as they left his house, locking the door behind them before he was back, taking his hand and hanging onto his arm.He stayed relatively silent for the walk there, only humming to Jaehyun’s questions, or nodding.“You’re freaking out again,”Jungwoo squeezed his hand, nodding but stayed silent still.“Hey, you okay,”He nodded again but Jaehyun watched his throat bob as he swallowed nervously, nose picking up his scent as it soured. Just a little bit. But enough for him to catch and worry about.“Jungwoo,”“I’m fine, just a little…anxious I guess,”“We don’t have to go,”“No, no we should, I want to, I’m just worried about what to say and how to handle her, the last time we spoke…it didn’t end on the best note,”“I know that Woo, but that was on her okay, look at me,” he ducked to catch his eye, “I’ll be there, Kun and Hajun and my dad will be there and they all love you, my mom will be the odd man out tonight okay, I won’t let her do anything and if she does, we’re gone, okay,”Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat before latching onto him tight. He whined a little when Jaehyun tried to let go of him, so he wrapped his arms back around him and held him tighter, plate of cookies wobbling dangerously in his hand. But that hardly seemed important when there was Jungwoo who needed him, reached out and wanted him.He’d managed to keep Jungwoo calm the rest of the way to his parent’s house, soothing his panic once more when they climbed their steps with a squeeze and a promise that he was there. To protect, distract and love.His dad opened the door with a goofy grin, tugging them both into one big hug which made them laugh. He doted on Jungwoo for a couple brief seconds, taking his coat and wrapping an arm around him to pull him further inside.“Jungwoo,” Kun hopped up from the couch to skirt around the room and collect Jungwoo in a tight hug, “you look so pretty, stop being so cute oh my goodness,” the other fawned over him, expertly stealing him from his dad who stared after them a little shell-shocked. Jaehyun poked him, stepped into him with a laugh as they moved to join everyone else in the living room.“He good,” his dad asked quietly.“Yeah, a little nervous but good,”“She’s really happy you guys decided to come, been cooking all day, didn’t even let me help,” which was his dad’s way of saying, if she didn’t want my help, it’s serious, she wanted to do it right. Jaehyun smiled at him, not willing to say that he’d need her to prove that to him, over and over again after everything, till he took anyone’s word for it alone.When they got to the living room, the first thing he noticed was the spread on the coffee table, very decadent looking cheese plate that he was sure peaked Jungwoo’s interest, a couple different wine glasses, some fancy looking pita chips with some white dip and a wide variety of fruit. She was certainly attempting something here, whether it was genuine or not, he’d have to wait and see. The second thing he noticed was how Hajun was holding Jungwoo close, nose buried in his hair as they rocked back and forth and how Kun was trying to steal Jungwoo back from his mate while the other two just laughed. Kun huffed and stepped away, looking resigned to the couch when he saw Jaehyun, saying, “fine, I’ll just snuggle your brother,”Hajun shrugged, “don’t care,”Kun gasped, running into Jaehyun, “how very dare you Jung Hajun,”Jungwoo laughed, head resting on Hajun’s shoulder, eyes locked on Jaehyun, he couldn’t stop smiling at him and was just so glad that his brother and Kun were here too, to take some of the pressure off, lighten things up and distract them.“You four are ridiculous,” his dad said, startling Kun slightly, “Jae, Jungwoo, either of you want a drink,”“Tea please, Hyunjun,”“You got it, kid, anything,”“Uh…water, I guess,”His dad smiled as he left them alone, to get their drinks. The second they were alone, Kun pushed out of his arms, dragged Jungwoo to sit and started in.“How are you, I was so stressed today thinking about coming here after everything, I’ve barely spoken to her since the solstice and now we’re here having dinner, weird right,”The three of them shared a look before turning back to Kun, who upon second look, did look stressed and a little strung out.Hajun came to the couch, pulled Kun up, took his spot and tugged his mate back down which made Jungwoo’s cheeks flush and had Jaehyun smiling as he noticed the way Kun visibly unwound at his presence and touch, body relaxing against his brother’s chest in the most rapid, natural looking way possible. Jungwoo looked at him, held out his hand for him, so he’d join them which he was only too happy to do.“So, how are you,” Kun asked again, voice not as pitched or thin, “really,”“Good, I think…I was sort of a mess earlier but I’m really happy you guys are here too,”“Always Woo,” his brother said, head tucked over Kun’s shoulder, “that’s what family’s for,”Jungwoo went red again, shifted to sit closer to Jaehyun, the long line of his leg pressed against his from hip to ankle, hand turned to lace their fingers together.“Well, I owe you guys one, for sure,”“No, you don’t, that’s not how it works,”“Jun,” he said, leaning around Jungwoo to look at his brother, “don’t argue with him, seriously, you won’t win,”“But-”“-seriously, you won’t,” Jungwoo gave a little hum to show he was right, “just let him bake you a cake or something,” Jungwoo pinched him with his opposite hand, which he was quick to grab onto, giving the back a kiss to soothe him.“I hate you two,” Kun said, causing Jungwoo to squeak and Jaehyun to sit forward, immediately feeling his hackles go up and his wolf ready themselves to fight and protect Jungwoo.“What,” Jungwoo peeped, “why,”“Because you are so cute and affectionate, and it’s ugh,”“That was very eloquent babe,”“You shush,”“Why do you always shush me,” Hajun mumbled as Jaehyun told Kun to, “shut up,”Kun laughed, dipping back into Hajun’s chest, “no you guys are too much, I can’t take it, I want to be courted again Junnie, you were so sweet and affectionate and-”“-Kun you are literally sitting in his lap what the hell are you talking about,” Jaehyun asked, a little flabbergasted by this.That made Kun laugh again, “I know but it’s different, we’re mated, and things sort of have a way of blurring into one big, long event but when you’re courting it’s like, everything takes time, everything is deliberate and wonderful,”He didn’t have to see Jungwoo’s face to know he was smiling at Kun in his normal, gentle way, let go of his hand to reach for Kun’s.“Is that your nice way of saying, ‘Hajun, you’re slacking off,’” his brother asked.“No, it’s my way of saying that courting breeds romanticism and being mated is like, different,”“You fall into a rut,” Jungwoo offered.Hajun snorted, “yeah and not the fun kind, am I right,” which earned him an elbow to the ribs from Kun and a muttered, “you’re such an alpha sometimes, it’s gross,”He and Jungwoo laughed at his brother’s affronted look and Kun’s disgust which faded after a couple moments, replaced with the need to tease Hajun some more. As Hajun tried to save himself, steer their conversation away from himself, his dad came back into the room with water and tea, his mom shuffling closely behind him, as if attached to his shadow. He smiled warmly at all of them, like he knew this was awkward and uncomfortable and not at all where Jungwoo wanted to be right now.He watched Kun sit up straighter while Hajun tucked him closer. Next to him, Jungwoo froze, going paler, throat working as he swallowed. Jaehyun squeezed his hand, hoping to get him to relax a little.He started to stand up when his dad shook his head, setting Jungwoo’s tea down in front of him with a whisper, “let her come to you,”So, he did. Relaxed, or tried to relax in his seat, took his hand back so he could wrap his arm around Jungwoo’s shoulder instead, pulling him as close as possible which Jungwoo appeared to like as he shifted further into him.The few moments of silence that stretched were some of the most tense, awkward moments Jaehyun had ever been a part of in his life. All of them just sat there watching his mom shift uncomfortably, hands wringing together in front of her, like she was nervous about this. He tried to push away the spiteful, vindictive thoughts he had regarding that, this was about moving on. They had to start somewhere.But where he was calmer and paused to think, his brother was a little more trigger happy and apparently still angrier at their mom than he anticipated.“Are we just going to sit here staring at each other,” Hajun said, loud enough to startle their mom. His dad gave him a look which he ignored, “I thought the point was to clear the air and move on, if she isn’t going to apologize why are we even here, to share the most awkward dinner in history? No thanks,” he started to get up which caused Kun to shift sideways, off his lap, “c’mon baby,”Kun looked up at him like he was torn, “Junnie,”Jaehyun looked at his brother, “Jun, easy,”“She owes you both an apology Jae,” his eyes narrowed, turned back to their mom, “thought you were sorry,”“Hajun,” she whispered.“Tell them, or I’m going, and I doubt they’ll stay if we go,” he looked at them on the couch, all a little shell-shocked or at least Jaehyun was, rubbing up and down Jungwoo’s arm, feeling a little useless in this instance.“Hajun,” Jungwoo said, causing the other alpha to turn to look at him, “it’s okay,”He seemed to calm down a little at that, voice more level when he spoke next, “it’s isn’t okay, she told me the other day that she wanted to fix things but if she’s just going to stand there then we’re wasting our time,”Jaehyun was a little surprised to see his brother like this. He knew he had been angry at their mom too, knew that he and Jungwoo had grown close, that he counted him as a member of his family already, but he’d never seen him so fed up with someone as he was then. It warmed him up and made him happy, knowing that he was holding their mom, someone he’d put on a pedestal too, accountable for all the things she’d done and said and was waiting for her to own it and apologize. And if she’d told him that she was sorry, he wouldn’t let her get out of this now. While Hajun stared their mom down, their dad sat calmly in the loveseat next to the couch, watching everything. He always seemed content to see how Hajun handled things, like this was their show and he was just there in case things got out of hand. Jaehyun was a little surprised he was letting him talk to their mom that way, his mate. Though that showed that their dad wasn’t too thrilled with her either and right now, his true feelings were showing, blatantly with how he wasn’t stepping in or speaking up for her.“Apologize to them mom, or I swear to god we’re going,”Beside him Jungwoo made a tiny distressed noise, followed by a gasp. He and Kun both moved closer to him.“What Woo,” he asked, watched Jungwoo’s hands fly to his stomach. He blinked, stared at him with misty eyes before a hand flailed out towards him. He took the wiggling fingers, let his touch guide him to his stomach. Jungwoo didn’t say anything, just waited, seconds ticking by, making him anxious as everyone else in the room watched them with bated breath.“Say something Jae,”“Uh like what,”Jungwoo stared at him, “anything,”“Uh, you smell nice,” which made Kun snicker from the other end of the couch. The sound was drowned out as his ears filled with fuzz, attention stolen completely by movement under his hand. Like a tap, or a gentle push.“Oh my god,” he whispered, wolf rumbling in his chest. He felt like they were just discussing the pup moving and now they were kicking, they’d already grown so strong that he could feel them, gently fluttering under his hand.“No way, they’re kicking,” Kun asked, looking so happy and excited that he might cry while Hajun’s argument with their mom was abandoned as he scurried back to them, dropping on the edge of the coffee table in front of them.“That’s…amazing,” Jaehyun said, looking at Jungwoo with what he imagined was an awed, misty-eyed expression.“It’s weird right,”“No, definitely amazing,” smile splitting his face as the pup kicked into his hand again. His heart clenched inside him in a really agreeable sort of way.Kun started bouncing in his seat, “can I feel,”“Baby give them a minute,” Hajun said, taking Kun’s fluttering fingers in his larger hand.“No, no, it’s okay,” Jungwoo hummed as he took Kun hand, pressed it beside his and Jaehyun’s. Again, they waited, Kun’s smile fading to a pout the longer it took.“They probably already think I’m annoying great! I’m going to be their least favorite uncle, what is my life,”Jungwoo giggled despite Kun’s sadness, looked at Hajun who was rolling his eyes at his mate. “Hajun, say something,”“Say something to him,” he pointed at Kun like he was a lost cause, “like what, babe calm down, your neuroticism is probably scaring them,” as he spoke the pup gave two strong kicks into Kun’s hand, Jaehyun feeling the edge of it.“Whoa, that’s so cool,”Hajun looked floored, even though he hadn’t felt anything.“He likes your voice, I noticed a couple weeks ago at dinner, he reacts to you the way he does to Jaehyun,”Hajun looked extremely emotional hearing that while Kun groaned, “great, you’re totally going to be favorite uncle,”“Maybe you’ll be second favorite,”Kun groaned again, “yeah but only by default, that’s like a pity pick right,”“They’ll love you Kun, like they’ll love all of you,”“You’re right, I can’t imagine your pup not adoring everything and everyone, they’re going to be so sweet,”“Can I feel too,” Hajun asked, taking Jungwoo’s hand to feel, lighting up at the gentle kicks. “That is absolutely amazing, he’s strong, bet he’ll be a soccer player or something,”Jungwoo smiled, “That’d make sense since…” he started but dropped off.“Since what Woo,” Kun prodded, still touching his bump, likely hoping to feel the baby again.“Lucas played soccer, we both did, that’s how we met…playing rec soccer at school,”Jaehyun seized up a little at the mention of Lucas, the pups’ father but it didn’t last too long or consume him like it would’ve months ago. It was more quiet acceptance, a fact of life while his wolf just rumbled, thinking about the pup, Jungwoo’s pup who would no doubt be kind and thoughtful and selfless and maybe they’d like sports, take after their parents and play soccer, or maybe they’d like music or art or dancing. Whatever they liked he’d love them, adore them, cherish them because he was blessed to know their mom and honored to be a part of their life.“Really,” Hajun said, always best at diffusing situations than him, he got too in his head, “you strike me as more of a dancer, or volleyball with those legs,” Jungwoo swung his foot out to kick his shin, smiling at his dramatic groan.“I danced too,” Jungwoo admitted after a quiet moment, “I love to dance,”Jaehyun smiled at the side of his head, stomach simmering at that for some reason. Maybe it was the thoughts it supplied of Jungwoo spinning around with a smile on his face, or maybe it was the way he turned to look at him, asking him, “do you dance Jae,”“I mean I know how,” he said, leaning close to him.“Good, we’re gonna dance a lot, you me and the pup, okay,”“Okay,” he said, completely aware of how whipped he sounded. And more aware still when he heard his dad and brother laughing a little.“You two really are too much,” Kun said.“Too much bad,” Jungwoo asked.“Oh god no, I love it…but I’m biased towards anything and anyone who makes Jae look like that,”They all turned to look at him then, “What do I look like,”Jungwoo squeezed his hand but nobody said anything. Not till his mom spoke up, surprising all of them when she said, “happy,” he swallowed, having forgotten that she was there honestly, “you look really happy,” she ducked her head, took his dad’s hand with a deep breath.“I am mom,” he said after a deep breath.She nodded, looking regretful, “I know baby,”They lapsed into another weird, tense silence, where his dad just smiled at them all, looking totally at ease or unaware of the fact that his mate was struggling to find her footing. He was being so bizarre but if he was content letting them figure this out, then Jaehyun supposed he was fine too.He watched the exact moment his mom found that footing she’d been looking for, tried in the way she knew to build a bridge between her and Jungwoo, in a way he approved of.“How far along are you,” she asked, gaze focusing on Jungwoo where he and Kun were still fawning over his pups’ gentle kicks.Jungwoo shrunk a tiny bit but cleared his throat and said, “25 weeks,”She nodded her head, mouth quirked like she was trying to smile, or maybe trying to fight a smile.“Have you started having fake contractions,”Jungwoo shook his head, “Jimin told me I probably would in the next few weeks though, not really looking forward to that,”His mom did smile then, a genuine thing that they all held their breath through.Jungwoo swallowed, “are they horrible,”She shook her head, “they’re just scary, and the closer you get to your due date, the worse it is because you can’t tell if they’re real or not,”Hajun made a weird noise, saying ‘real or not’ under his breath, which made Kun hit him gently.“When are you due,” she asked Jungwoo next, ignoring her older son.“Mid-May, the 19th,”“A springtime baby,” Kun said in a dreamy voice, shaking Jungwoo’s hand around gently.“Hajun was supposed to be born in May,” his dad said, reaching around his mom to keep her close.Hajun perked up when Jungwoo looked at him, nodding.“Supposed to be,”“He was a month early,” their mom said, smiling at his brother and smiling wider when he gave her a tentative one back.Jungwoo looked scared thinking about that, his hands rubbed circles into his bump, like he was trying to tell his pup don’t even think about being that early.“Was he okay,”“Oh yeah,” his dad laughed, “just impatient,”“Don’t ask him about it anymore Woo, he’ll say something ridiculous and dumb,” Kun begged.“Dumb like how,”“Dumb like-” Kun held up his hand to stop Hajun from talking, “don’t babe,”“The only thing I’ve ever said about being premature is what they used to tell me,” he kicked a finger in their parents’ direction, “which was that I was impatient, stubborn and strong willed from day one…that’s not dumb,”Kun narrowed his eyes at him, “you’ve said something about being a super pup,” which made Jungwoo snort out a laugh.Hajun’s eyes lit up, smirking as he said, “super-pup can’t be contained,”The rest of them laughed while Kun rolled his eyes.“You’re so dumb,”“I know,” Hajun said, not looking bothered or surprised by his mate saying that at all.After pup talk died down, he watched Jungwoo sit back though, more relaxed than before while his dad started poking his mom, nudging and encouraging.“Stop,” she said, swatting his hand.“If you get it out of the way, we can all just act normal,”“Hyunjun,”“Misun,” he said, copying her frustrated tone, “it isn’t going to get easier if you wait,”“I know,” she glared back at him, though there was no heat behind it. Jaehyun considered for a split-second stepping in and saying something but knew she’d put herself in this situation, she didn’t deserve to be helped through this. He wanted her to apologize and mean it.“It shouldn’t be so difficult mom,” Hajun said, “if you’re sorry, just say so,”She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her gaze flicked around to all of them and landed on Jungwoo. She looked at him till Jungwoo squeaked, sitting himself up straight, waited with his hands curled over his bump for support and protection. Jaehyun could see her piecing her thoughts together, making them eloquent and pretty the way she always did. She took a deep breath at the same moment that Jungwoo held his.“Jungwoo, this is long overdue but I hope it still counts,” she started, “I’m sorry, I’ve mistreated you and judged you when I had no right to,” her hands clasped tightly in her lap, “it shouldn’t have taken me as long as it did to get here, to see that you make my son light up in a way I’ve never seen before and I know I owe you more than that but I’m sorry,”Next to him Jungwoo was stiff as a board, hand holding tight to Kun’s, leaning into him just the slightest bit, like he wasn’t even consciously doing it. She took their continued silence as a go ahead to keep talking.“I’m sorry for the things I said and for how I’ve acted, you didn’t deserve that, and I feel horrible about it, all of it,” she shifted, into his dad’s touch when he wrapped an arm around her waist.Nobody said anything but Jaehyun could feel the waves of irritation working off Hajun still, he wanted to tell him that this was better, more than he was expecting so he should relax but he didn’t want to start his tirade again either.She took another deep breath, appeared to be letting his dad be the strength she needed to keep going.“It’s not a secret that I had plans for both of my boys, plans they had no interest in obviously which is…fine,” she shook her head, cleared her throat like that wasn’t what she’d meant to say, she closed her eyes at Hajun’s huff. “What I’m getting at is that, I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge this, or you, I’m not proud of how I acted,” her attention focused on Jaehyun, “and you were right sweetie, all I want is for you to be happy. I’ve only ever wanted you to love and be loved and looked after, maybe it doesn’t fit with what I had in mind, but your father reminded me that it doesn’t have to. This is your life and your choice and I’m okay, I’m going to try to be okay with that,”Hajun made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like he had something to say but didn’t. Instead he turned away from their mom, let Kun brush his hand through his hair, visibly tried to relax.“I know that my opinions or pushing doesn’t change anything, it just hurts all of us. So, I’m sorry and I’m going to try, continually to be better, and more open about all of this,” said with a tiny smile before she looked back to Jungwoo, who looked like he still wasn’t breathing. Jaehyun squeezed him, earned himself a tiny sideways grin, eyes blinking back the sheen of tears that had built up while his mom was speaking.“I really am sorry Jungwoo, and if you’d accept, I’d like to try again, not that I deserve it, but I hope you can forgive me, for being so awful,”Jungwoo swallowed, hand clenching over Kun’s, which had the other omega shushing him with a quiet, “it’s okay,”“Thank you,” Jungwoo whispered after a long quiet moment, “I’d like…I’d like to try again too,” Jaehyun didn’t miss that he didn’t say he forgave her. He wasn’t there yet which was fine, neither was he completely. But maybe in time, with her actively trying with them, they’d get there. His mom either didn’t pick up on it or figured this was good enough for now because she smiled from ear to ear, stood up with a small laugh.“Oh, thank you honey, thank you,” like Jungwoo had just given her the best present, which was funny to him because she was the one who was hesitant. If she’d just apologized before, this wouldn’t have become such a mess, but he tried not to cling to that. It didn’t matter now anyway. “Why do you two still look so miserable,” she said looking between him and Hajun.“I’m not,” Hajun said, “if Jungwoo and Jae are good, then I’m good,” he looked at Jaehyun for confirmation on that but Jaehyun was busy focusing on Jungwoo.“You’re good,” he asked the omega, trying to catch his eye. Jungwoo nodded, humming a little as he looked up at him. “You’re sure,”Jungwoo nodded again, lip sucked into his mouth before he whispered, “I don’t want you guys to fight anymore,”He smiled at him, butted his head into Jungwoo’s gently, “I can definitely do that for you,” the omega lifted his hand to cradle the back of his head, nuzzled him, which of course Kun had something to say about. Groaning good naturedly at them.“Well, now that the heavy stuff is out of the way,” his dad clapped his hands together loudly, “what’s new, Kun, Jungwoo, how’s work,”“Boring,” Kun said, standing up to push Hajun back into his former spot so he could drop across his lap again.Jungwoo smiled at them, “I’ve started my maternity leave already,”His mom made a pained noise, “that’s early,”“I know,” Jungwoo whined, curling up a little, “I just get so fatigued and I don’t think they wanted to worry about me passing out around the pups,”Jaehyun caught his scent going a little sour and sad, “it’s okay Woo,”“I know and it hasn’t been horrible, I’ve gotten a lot of stuff done around the house, nap a ton, spend lots of time with this guy,” he pressed into Jaehyun’s chest.Hajun grinned, “you don’t work anymore Jae,”Jaehyun stuck his tongue out at him, listened to Kun and Jungwoo laugh as he said, “perk of owning your own business,”“Right, right,” he said back, leaning forward to snag a clump of grapes for Jungwoo who made grabby fingers at them as he did.“What happens if someone needs work done or something fixed?” grin going teasing again, “I know Minho hasn’t been to work in a few weeks at least, he’s taking full advantage of having a newborn,”“Hajun don’t be insensitive,” Kun scolded, “Taemin needs him around,”“Absolutely,” his mom agreed, “two young pups is, a whole different beast, and he should be there if he can be,”Jaehyun narrowed his eyes at his brother, glad that he was being defended, well Minho was being defended but he wasn’t at the shop either. “They can also find me around if they need me, this town isn’t that big,”Hajun snorted into Kun’s neck at that, letting the topic drop.They talked easily after that, Hajun and Kun’s presence was a god send, easily keeping the rest of their conversations light and goofy as they went back and forth. And Jungwoo seemed content, sipping his tea and munching on his grapes while his mom and dad interjected every few minutes, still a little awkward and unsure but he could see the longer they sat there, comfortable, the more comfortable she seemed too. Like she was just waited to make sure they were alright for the moment.“How’s your mom Jungwoo,” his dad asked, like he didn’t know or hadn’t seen her recently.Jungwoo stuffed a grape in his mouth, nodded as he tried to swallow. “She’s really good, loving her new coop,”His mom and dad shared a look like they were supposed to know what that meant.“She didn’t…tell you about the coop,” Jungwoo asked his dad, visibly confused. His dad shook his head. “Oh, well Jae, built her a new chicken coop, because she didn’t have one and they kept getting out and escaping through the fence-”“-don’t call that a fence,” he said which made Jungwoo stuff a grape in his mouth to keep him quiet, laughing around it while Jungwoo carried on.“Anyway, she loves it and the hens love it, it keeps them nice and cozy and my mom doesn’t have to go searching for them every other day when they get out,”“That was very sweet of you honey,” his mom hummed, looked like she genuinely thought that.“So sweet,” Jungwoo agreed, patting his leg.He hummed, eyes Jungwoo where he was looking at him, “had to, this one is so hard to court you have no idea,”“Ohhh,” Kun said loudly, “that’s what Johnny meant when he said you were taking drastic measures to court Woo,”“Drastic,” Jungwoo whined. Jaehyun ducked to kiss his cheek so he couldn’t be upset for more than a second.“It wasn’t drastic,” he promised him, kissed him again just to watch him blush and smile.“No, it’s totally sweet,” Kun decided, looking down at Hajun as if he were supposed to take something away from that. His brother nuzzled into his neck, arms wrapped around his waist.“Do you want a chicken coop babe,”Kun snorted, “no, not necessary but I really do think I want to be courted again,”Hajun hummed, kissed Kun when he came closer, “I think I could swing that for you,”“I still really like flowers,” he said, getting lost in their own little world as their scents intensified, forming a barrier around them.“Noted,” Jaehyun couldn’t watch them anymore so he turned back to his parents, who were equally lost in each other, his dad murmuring up at her as she brushed back his hair, smiling at whatever he was saying.“What’s dinner mom,” Hajun asked, dragging them all out of their individual bubbles “It smells good,” Kun hummed.“There’s roasted chicken, I made some soup, kimchi fried rice, sweet rolls and some noodles,”His dad looked at Jungwoo’s impressed face, “she cooks when she’s nervous,”“So, do I,” he said, looking glad to have something in common with her, “well bake, we made cookies,” he sat up, “Jae, did we forget the cookies,”“No,” he pointed behind him to the table by the door where he’d set them when they’d been attacked by his dad at the door.His mom smiled till a timer went off and she got up to check their dinner. Which left them all alone. His dad put up his hand when Hajun opened his mouth to argue something, “she’s really sorry Jun, you haven’t been listening to her for weeks, dealing with this. But you both know how she is, she’s prouder than she’d ever admit, let’s take it for what it was and try to move on,”“You good with that Woo,” Hajun asked him.“Yes, and I’m not lying,” he said when Hajun opened his mouth again. “I just want everything to be good and calm and I want you two to talk to your mom again, this has gone on long enough,”Jaehyun caught his dad’s expression change like he was mulling something over.“Oh no,” Kun said, “his wheels are turning,”His dad grinned at him, looking just the tiniest bit guilty before he asked Jungwoo, “do you feel that way about other people too,”“What,” Jaehyun wondered, not liking how cryptic he was being.“Do you two feel like the fighting has gone on long enough where other people are concerned too,”Jaehyun felt himself growl, twitching as he pulled Jungwoo against him.“What other people,”“Jaehyun,”“What other people dad,”He sighed, “Bobby, Hanbin, Junhoe, all of them,”Jaehyun opened his mouth again but stopped when Jungwoo shushed him, smoothed a hand down his leg.“Honestly, I’ve been trying not to think about them, they’ve left me alone since the scene at dinner and I’ve been trying really hard not to question that,”His dad nodded.“Why,” Kun asked, sitting forward to comfort Jungwoo with his closeness.“Just wondering,”“Dad,” Jaehyun felt a pit form in his stomach. He knew at some point his dad wouldn’t be able to keep out of it. He’d have to meddle, it was in his nature, sort of like how it was in Jaehyun’s nature to care and make things his business when he loved someone. “What did you do,”He actually had the sense to look bad about it as Jungwoo tensed, fear clutching at his heart like Jaehyun was so familiar with. If he never had to see Jungwoo look afraid like that again in his life it would be too soon.“You said something to them,” Jungwoo whispered, voice going heavy at the end like something was caught in his throat.“I…I’ve had conversations with them about all of this yes,”Jungwoo whimpered, looked down at his stomach. For a minute no one said anything and none of them moved. And then Jungwoo was hopping to his feet, pacing out of Jaehyun’s arms and then out of Kun’s and swatting away Hajun’s hand when, as a last resort, he tried to take his hand to comfort him.“Hyunjun, I…. you shouldn’t have done that,”“Jungwoo-”“-no! No, you shouldn’t, have said anything, you should’ve asked me at the very least, this is my business and my problem and Jae…he handled it. It’s…done, it wasn’t for you to do anything about,” his breathing picked up like he couldn’t, “Jae,”He stood up to join him.“I’m right here pumpkin, it’s okay,”He shook his head, panicking, “they’re going to do something, they’ll…and we were fine, we’ve been fine,” Jaehyun followed him around the room, caught him when he moved back.“I hear you, it’s alright,” he promised him, not that he knew that, but he needed him to breathe and relax. “Dad, I asked you not to say anything, not to get involved,”“I appreciate that Jae, but with all due respect to the both of you and what you’ve been through, this is bigger than them strictly picking on Jungwoo-”“-picking on him? They freaking tormented him dad! -”“-I couldn’t let it go unhandled,”Jungwoo started shaking, “I can’t, I can’t Jae,”He turned back to him, brushed across his cheeks to soothe him, “Okay, okay easy,”“Jungwoo,” Hajun stood up, “it’s…it’s not the end of the world that he’s involved, it’s been fine, and I think it’s stayed that way because he stepped in,”Jungwoo and Jaehyun both blinked at his brother before Jungwoo whispered, “you don’t know that. You don’t know what they were like to me, to both of us, and…my pup,” he whimpered, curling into himself some more.“Jungwoo,” Hajun tried again, “you and your pup were exactly why something had to be done, you both deserve peace, were you fine with them getting away with this,”“I just wanted to be left alone,”“And they are leaving you alone,”“No, they were because Jae did something about it,”“Do you really think his threats kept them quiet for so long,”Jungwoo fixed him with a look, stubborn and unimpressed while Hajun sighed.“You shouldn’t have told them dad,” Hajun didn’t seem thrilled with how this had turned out at all, breathing a little labored.“He deserved to know,” his dad said, looking like the chaos he’d caused was exactly what he’d been expecting.“I absolutely did,” Jungwoo whispered, looking up at him with a sad, pleading look.“You wanna go,” he asked, watched with a heavy heart as Jungwoo nodded. “Okay, let me just go say goodbye to my mom, get your coat I’ll be right back,”Kun stepped closer to Jungwoo, in silent understanding to keep him safe and calm till Jaehyun came back.He felt himself reel, he figured it was only a matter of time. But god he wished that his dad had come to him first, this would’ve been so much better coming from Jaehyun, if he’d been able to tell Jungwoo and make him understand, this would’ve gone so much smoother. He wanted something done, from day one, he’d wanted those idiots dealt with but damn, he hated how torn up Jungwoo seemed about it, like he’d really truly felt safe after Jaehyun ‘dealt’ with it. That made pride swell within him but not enough to cancel out how horrible he was feeling at Jungwoo’s sadness.And now he had to tell his mom they were leaving. What a bizarre turn, that they were bailing on dinner because of his dad and not his mom and that he felt really bad that this was where it had led them. When he entered the kitchen, he watched his mom for a second, blissfully singing to herself as she stirred a pot on the stove, completely unaware of what had happened while she was gone. She’d done what she promised, and she was trying, this would be good, it would work because they’d try. He was really hopeful for that.“Mom,” she perked up to look over her shoulder at him, wooden spoon held in one hand, “We’re gonna go,”“What, but dinner isn’t…you haven’t eaten yet,”“I know, I’m sorry,”She looked at him for a beat before her face fell further.“I screwed it up, didn’t I,” she asked, looking genuinely upset at the thought, “I didn’t mean to,” Jaehyun quickly shook his head to reassure her.“No, no mom, you didn’t do anything, we just…Jungwoo gets fatigued really easily so we’re gonna take off,” not a complete lie but also not the exact truth in this moment. She gave him a look but fixed it and smiled instead.“Okay sweetie, well thank you for coming, for getting him to come, it meant a lot and I promise, I won’t mess up this chance,”Jaehyun gave her a smile, leant forward to kiss her cheek which made her grin spread fully across her face.“See you later,” he said as he backed up out of the kitchen, watched the way her being lit up and her lavender scent eased, became softer. Even though he’d been hesitant and Jungwoo had been unsure from the get, this had been nice, and his mom seemed truly sorry for how she’d acted, happy beyond measure at being given another shot with them.He didn’t think she’d squander this opportunity, had been punished enough and if she was going to try to be better, he could try too. He’d be guarded for the both of them and see where it got them. Hopefully to a place where Jungwoo was happy and his relationship with his mother was mended. He just wanted things to be better, he knew that that started with Jungwoo and his mom starting over.“Have a good night alright sweetie, do you need anything,” she gestured behind her at the oven, where the dinner they would’ve had was still cooking.“No, we’re good mom, thank you though,”“Okay, okay…you’ll visit, both of you,” she said, eyes hopeful.“Of course, mom,”She nodded, walked with him back to the living room where Jungwoo was staring at his dad and brother like he was seeing them for the first time. It was apparent that they’d walked back into a renewed argument, a continued something and Jaehyun instantly regretted leaving him.“Okay, okay Junnie, babe stop,” Kun was saying, hand pressed to the center of his mate’s chest to keep him back, while Jungwoo stood behind him. He rushed to Jaehyun the second he spotted him.“It’s okay Woo, we’re going,”“Jungwoo, I’m sorry,” Hajun said which made the omega freeze.“You knowing what was going on didn’t give you a free pass to jump to my rescue, I’m fine, it’s been fine, we were fine,” he growled, one of the most menacing sounds he’d heard from him in a long time. Jungwoo looked to his dad, “I would’ve come to you if I wanted something done…now that it’s out there, god only knows what they’ll do,”“Jungwoo,” his dad said, voice level to ease the omega, “the point of this is that they won’t do anything. They’re in anger management, all of them are enrolled in training and therapy, which I only suggested, I didn’t force on them,” that point was apparently important to this but Jungwoo didn’t seem soothed. He leant backwards, pulled Jaehyun’s hand to pull it around his front so he could be held. Jaehyun took that cue and held him tight, nosed against his hair and encouraged Jungwoo to breathe, keep breathing and listen. It didn’t hurt them to listen.His dad kept going when he saw that Jungwoo wasn’t fleeing, Jaehyun had him, a captive audience for him, “Bobby is excelling, he seems content and happier than I ever remember him and Hanbin, though more reluctant is definitely following the steps and letting it work for him. If anything happens, believe me it will be dealt with in a more extreme way but at the core of this, they are part of this pack as well and though I know you’ve struggled and been the focus of their aggression, their anger is a small piece of them, it isn’t who they are as a whole, I think it can be helped, channeled into other things. The fact that they’re angry all the time, isn’t good for anyone, least of all them. It didn’t sit right with me to punish them when I could find ways to help them get to a place where they could work and function and be productive members of our pack. Tell me that you have a serious problem with there being a peaceful, effective solution to this and everything you’ve been through,” Jaehyun knew Jungwoo so well that even though the thought of his dad’s interference bothered him, he knew that Jungwoo couldn’t have thought of better outcome. If no one was angry or fighting, if they all got to have their little piece of happiness and live in harmony, that was the very best of both worlds. This was that perfect balance Jungwoo had wanted, it just took a seasoned, pack leader to think of it and execute him. Leave it to his dad to find a solution that kept them all happy and didn’t involve Jungwoo getting hurt anymore, led to a sustainable environment for all of them. He knew Jungwoo didn’t have a true problem with this. But didn’t like his dad going over him to get there, ignoring what he’d said he wanted.“I’m sorry if I’ve really offended you by going over you and maybe I should’ve checked with you but truthfully…I felt this was beyond just what they’d done to you Jungwoo. Their anger and issues go back to when they were kids, picking fights with anyone who’d look at them twice. It had to be fixed, I’ve let them slip through the cracks for too long.”Jungwoo sighed. “I know, I’m not…I know that,”“I’m sorry too, I should’ve talked to you, both of you about it,” Hajun said, looking a little more guilty than his dad did at having been involved in this, and keeping it from Jungwoo.His dad smiled at Hajun, “you’re family Jungwoo, and regardless of their questionable actions, Bobby, Hanbin and their friends are part of this pack, I won’t let them mistreat you anymore but I can’t justify mistreating them now either, I’d like to see if I can help them first,”Jungwoo looked less upset, less up in arms and more conscious to the fact that he was being extra sensitive, jumped to find fault with this because of everything they’d put him through.“They’re really trying,” Jungwoo said, looking to Kun when he came up, brushed some of his hair away from his eyes. Jaehyun was skeptical too but he knew his dad, knew he was skeptical just like him and wouldn’t be fooled or led by alphas younger than him, who’d caused problems. His eyes were open and if anyone tried anything, he’d deal with it. Jaehyun, though a little annoyed that he’d ignored them, couldn’t find anything more to be angry about in that.“I know, that’s sort of hard to believe, knowing their little gang and how nasty they were but…if they’re able to improve, get better and lead to a better world for your pup to be born into, maybe accepting some help from the people who love you isn’t the end of the world,” Kun said, with a smile that Jungwoo relaxed into.Jungwoo smiled at him, moving to knock their heads together. Around them, his dad and brother were watching them with matching fond looks and his mom, though looking a little out of place seemed happy that things were calming down, that no one was upset with her or her mate or her boys or Kun. It was an odd switch after everything she’d said to them the last several weeks, but he decided not to dwell on it anymore. Jungwoo said he wanted to try again with her, that was good enough for him.“It’s also not the end of the world to stay and have something to eat,” his mom offered, making his dad laugh a little, “I definitely understand the fatigue, but if you’re hungry, it’ll be done in a few minutes…at least take some home with you,”Jungwoo managed a smile, looked over his shoulder at Jaehyun who nudged his nose into his cheek, “did you want to go,” he asked.Jaehyun smiled, “I do if you do,”Jungwoo huffed but looked fond as he turned away from him, “we’ll stay, if you’ll still have us,”Jaehyun’s mom clapped quickly, making a happy trill of noise, “oh honey don’t be silly, of course, it’s almost done, I promise,” she grinned at both of them before perking up at the sound of the timer, “see, done,”“I’m sorry Hyunjun, I overreacted,”“Not at all, I’d rather you call me on my crap, lord knows everyone else does, keeps you humble,”Jungwoo grinned up at him, cheeks pink as his dad welcomed him into a hug, held him tight for a couple moments before he moved to help his mom with dinner and Hajun was taking him for himself. Jungwoo laughed, nuzzled into Hajun’s shoulder, “sorry Jun,”“No Woo, I’m sorry, forgive me?” he said, bottom lip jutting out pitifully. Kun rolled his eyes at him but smiled despite himself, wormed under Jaehyun’s arm as they watched their people fawn and reassure themselves that they weren’t mad. It was adorable and sweet and heartwarming.“Of course, Jun,” he murmured, burrowing closer, “you’re involved in this with them right,”“Yeah, very, I’m not gonna let them do anything, I’m…I mean you’re family now Woo, we’ll protect you and your pup and make sure you don’t have to worry about this sort stuff when you have way more important things to be thinking about instead,”Jungwoo gave him a tiny smile.“I mean,” Hajun continued, grin going a little shit-eating, “as much as I personally love hearing about my little brother beating the crap out of people, I think this is a way better solution, for you, your pup and Bobby and his friends, if they’re sorry and they work to be better, they deserve another chance, right,”Jungwoo nodded, “Right, even though they scare me, which I hate admitting,” he smiled back at Jaehyun, “it’d be hard to say I didn’t agree with this when second chances are literally why we’re here tonight,”“It’s not horrible right, any of it,” Kun started, “she seems truly sorry, what do you think,” he looked at his mate and then at Jaehyun to see if they believed their mothers apologizes.“She seems sorry yeah,” Hajun said, letting Jungwoo go so he could rush into Jaehyun’s arms, “but time will tell right, and if she’s not, we’ll be there,”Kun nodded, backing into Hajun’s chest.Jungwoo looked between them and whimpered, “you’re gonna make me cry,” which made Jaehyun laugh a little, holding his head as he kissed his temple, nosing his hair and scenting him.“Ok boys, dinner,” his mom called from beyond the doorway of the kitchen, Hajun let himself be pulled by Kun so they could get their dinner or set the table, leaving them alone for a brief moment.“You good,”“I’m good,” he said, nose moving against his pulse, “are you good,”“I’m good,” he whispered back, ducking close but stopped, watching Jungwoo’s eyes drift closed and mouth tip with a smile, waiting. “We can go if you want, I know this has been a lot and you’re allowed to have a limit, just tell me,”Jungwoo, with his eyes still closed, moved closer to kiss him.“I’ll tell you, but for now I’m fine, and hungry and whatever your mom made smells extremely good,”“Then let’s get you two something to eat,”Jungwoo giggled as Jaehyun led him through the kitchen, to the dining room where he pulled out his chair and tucked him in.And they all ate till they felt like they were going to pop, his mom putting more food on Jungwoo’s plate when he’d eaten every last bite, smiling when Jungwoo blushed at the gesture, talked and relaxed like it’d never been awkward at all. It felt normal and natural and Jungwoo even promised his mom to give her his recipe for the cookies he made when she raved and had another, telling her he had a wonderful time when they hovered by the door to leave.“We’ll have to do something, without them,” she flicked her hand to himself, his dad and Hajun, “just the three of us,”“Yeah, I’d like that,” Jungwoo said, looking like he meant it and Kun agreed, but only if she paid, as they made plans for lunch next week.It might have been exactly what Jaehyun had expected but it wasn’t worse, it was actually good.Really good.Really, surprisingly good.He’d take that.…. Dinner with his parents gave him and Jungwoo their much-needed distraction but once it was over, they didn’t have that anymore. Which meant Jungwoo was back to stressing over a dozen different things in a day and he was back to worrying about Mark and Donghyuck. Thankfully, he didn’t have to worry too much longer because a few days later at dinner, they made their grand reappearance.They were all collected, as usual around their fire pit, eating and talking about their days and unwinding. He had his arm wrapped tight around Jungwoo’s back, holding both his and Jungwoo’s bowl of noodles until Jungwoo finished his rice. It was uneventful and calm though there was a weird, sad energy hanging over them that had settled in a few days before and hung there. Most definitely a result of Donghyuck and Mark’s absence and now that Jaehyun knew what was happening, it made them not being here worse, made him hurt more for them.And then they were there. At the edge of the square.It was him and Taeyong who noticed them first, whispering to everyone to act normal and not make a big deal, as far as they all knew Donghyuck was sick. With a cold. Which was a pitiful thing to whittle this down to honestly.Jaemin and Renjun sat up excitedly, smiles stretching at seeing their friend after so many days while Ten, Sicheng and Yuta started whispering worriedly about how tired he looked. Jaehyun felt his stomach knot up seeing him, he looked like he’d been through hell. And he had. But still thinking about him and seeing him, in the flesh looking like he’d been run over by a train were two totally different things.  He tapped Jungwoo’s leg, pressed tight to his to get his attention and pointed across the square where Donghyuck was tucked close to Mark’s back and Mark was making them plates at the table.Jungwoo sat forward, bracing a hand against Jaehyun with a whispered, “oh Hyuck,” he twisted to catch Taeil’s eye, “Tae,”“I see him Woo,” he said, tears welling his eyes. So he knew about all this too.Jungwoo pushed himself up to stand, only pausing briefly to look back at him, him and Taeil seemed to share the same thought, that Donghyuck might not want to be hovered over.“Don’t push him,”“I…I know,” he shrunk a little, “I just got excited to see him,” he looked like he might sit back down which made Jaehyun feel bad instantly.“I’m sure he’s excited to see you too,” all fight and arguments to give Donghyuck some space vanished just seeing how Jungwoo was looking towards the other.He shuffled forward, hands twisting in front of his bump before his hands dropped, rubbing soothing circles over the top of his stomach. He seemed to startle, stopped touching his stomach the second Donghyuck turned and he and Mark came walking towards them.He wondered if Jungwoo was feeling guilt over being pregnant, something that was far out of his control at this point, when Donghyuck was struggling so much with that very thing. It made him want to reach out and reassure him, but he didn’t have any time before Mark and Donghyuck were shuffling into their circle and moving to sit down.Not before Jungwoo got his hands on Donghyuck though and gave him the biggest hug imaginable while Mark hovered at the edge of their bubble, waiting for his mate to be returned to him.And then Taeil took him for himself, “how are you Hyuck,”The other omega nodded, looking choked up but with a big breath, he managed a smile, “I’ve been better but we’re good,”The rest of them seemed to be in silent agreement just to let Donghyuck settle by the fire, seeing something that said he didn’t need excessive attention and babying right now, or maybe it was the intimidating force that Mark and his burnt maple scent were making directly behind him. They didn’t ask questions, just let the pair settle down to eat, didn’t press or pry about where he’d been, just picked up their conversations where they’d left them, Yuta talking about how irritating the alphas in his class could be, wondering if he had been like that when he was their age, which made Sicheng laugh, kiss his cheek gently before stealing a lamb skewer off his plate.After they’d eaten and seemed to have effectively distracted Donghyuck who was smiling a little and had even managed a couple laughs at a story Jeno was telling him, he realized that they’d all been broken by their absence. Their heads had ducked close together, Jeno drumming his fingers against Donghyuck’s leg, smile encouraging and gentle in only the way their tender hearted alpha Jeno could be, seeing Jeno dote on Donghyuck made him very aware that on some level they knew what had happened. There were very few things that could knock an omega and their mate down like that and none of them were stupid. The others might not know the details to what had happened, but they weren’t blind either and there was a very palpable sadness hanging over Mark and Donghyuck tonight, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were grieving. They all felt it and even though none of them said a word, they had rallied and were there for them.He hoped they could feel that.At the end of the night, Jungwoo was nuzzling Mark, squeezing him tight while Donghyuck kept close to Jaehyun’s side as the others filtered off.He wasn’t sure whether to hug him, ask him how he was or just stand there frozen, like he had been doing, he was too terrified of tipping the scales and upsetting him. So, he voted to continue standing there, hoping Jungwoo would be quick and come back and save him from the fool that he was known to be.But Donghyuck didn’t seem to mind as he stepped closer to him, nudged into his side and under his arm, not bothered by his quiet but needing a hug while Mark was occupied.“Mark told me that he told you…” Donghyuck whispered against his shoulder, his voice hitched a little so Jaehyun wrapped his other arm around him too, hanging onto him tight, “he can’t stand keeping secrets and I know this has been hard for him too…” he dropped off, letting out a heavy sigh and ducking his head like he was trying to reel himself back in.“We’re all here for you, both of you,”“I know,”“And we’re not in any rush for you to feel better, I know this…is terrible,” god that didn’t sound like the right thing to say at all.“Yeah, I know,”He wanted to ask how he was feeling, tonight or in this moment but couldn’t make himself say the words, for fear that they’d make him feel bad again.“You want to ask,”He smiled when Donghyuck looked up at him, listened to him sigh, tucking against him tighter before he started speaking.“It’s been horrible, really…I can’t think of anything else to say other than that,”“You’ve been through hell Hyuck,”“Yeah, with no end in sight either,”He knew it was probably near impossible to look on the bright side of things, especially when this was their reality right now, but he didn’t like him talking like that. Thinking like that. And Jaehyun really didn’t like remembering how horrible Mark had looked and sounded when telling him that Donghyuck had brought up dissolving their bond because of this.He didn’t want to upset him or piss him off, but he loved them both too much to keep quiet about this, he had to make sure Donghyuck knew this wasn’t the end for Mark, there were other ways to make it through this. He didn’t have to be hasty or irrational, he deserved pups of course but he deserved his mate too.“Can I say something Hyuckie and you can ignore me or slap me if I’m being insensitive and we don’t ever have to talk about it again,”Donghyuck looked a little hesitant but nodded anyway, lip caught under his teeth.“I’ve been thinking about it since Mark came to see me, about Jimin saying that you just have to be patient,” he watched Donghyuck cringe and felt horrible, jumped to continue so he didn’t lose him, “maybe a different way to think about that, is to take a break from this,” he said in lieu of saying ‘trying to get pregnant,’ “and just spend time together,”Donghyuck blinked as he took that in, smiling a little which told him, he hadn’t totally offended him or downplayed the hurt he was feeling which was a win, so he kept going.“You two deserve the world but maybe through this whole process you’ve lost sight of each other and what you mean to one another. Your life and your love for each other was built on more than the possibility of having pups…maybe you guys need to find that, find that feeling again. He might not be completely wrong about a lack of compatibility, but it might be more of a temporary disconnect, because of the ongoing heartache you guys have been going through and maybe as a result it’s just muddled everything else up. I refuse to believe that you two weren’t made for each other,”“Did Mark tell you to say that,”“What no,” he twitched, wondering what flip had switched in Mark to get him saying those kinds of things to his distraught mate.“He…he said that earlier, how we owe it to each other to relax, take it easy from this…I think I’ve been scaring him,”“Maybe just a little bit,”Donghyuck smiled wider, eyes shining as he tucked closer, “he said he wants to court me, fall in love all over again, maybe if we’re not consumed with trying to have a pup it might happen naturally, if we’re not stressed about it. I think that may have been what Jimin was trying to say too but to me, at the time, it just sounded hopeless,” Jaehyun felt so fond of him in that moment that he almost couldn’t breathe, squeezed him as he smiled over his head at Mark, who was pretending he wasn’t watching them. He was such a good mate, loved Donghyuck so much it was blatant, apparent and so sweet, in most everything about him and everything he did. His world revolved around Donghyuck and it was reassuring to see that this was his answer to this problem. Maybe it wouldn’t work, maybe the problems were bigger and needed more attention to fix but at the end of the day he loved his mate and that would help them get through this, it sounded pretty good to him.“I feel bad that I’ve put him through this, for so long,”He bristled a little at that, he couldn’t help what was happening to them. It’s not like it was intentional but he was intimately familiar with the way an omega could get twisted around and didn’t like to listen to reason, so he didn’t point that out.“I doubt he thinks of it that way but even if he does, I bet he’d go through it all again for you,” he said, thinking of how desperate Mark had been the other day, telling him how afraid he was that Donghyuck was going to let this be the end of them. He didn’t look like he was giving up in this moment, tonight he seemed okay, so he imagined that that made Mark feel better too.“And I know you guys are in a better place now than you were but…don’t let go of him Hyuck, he doesn’t want anything to do with a life that doesn’t have you in it, just don’t let go of him,” “I won’t, we’ve lost so much, I don’t…I know now that he doesn’t want to be let go of, even though my wolf and my head, all twisted up were telling me that he did. We might not be where we used to be, but we’re getting better and I think, after everything that’s more than either of us were expecting,”Jaehyun smiled at him, rubbed his back.“I still really, really want pups, but I want him too,” he took a deep breath, gaze shifting to where Mark was stood across the circle, arms around Jungwoo, “maybe someday I’ll get to have both,”He hoped that one day he did, there wasn’t any reason that he shouldn’t get to have a family with Mark. For now, though, he could see that Donghyuck’s focus was Mark and their relationship, he’d work on that and take whatever followed in stride.“I think it sounds nice…just getting to be mates again, maybe we need to heal together before anything else,” “That does sound nice,” and what sounded even better was the way Donghyuck said it, like it didn’t seem impossible, he seemed okay with the thought of that.Donghyuck nuzzled closer to him, under his chin to scent his neck slightly, “thank you Jae,”He didn’t quite know what he was being thanked for, but he squeezed him tighter, ran his chin over the omega’s head, “you’re welcome?”Donghyuck laughed, “for talking to him, for being there and for being our friend and loving us, I know we’ve been out of sorts but you guys were there, even though we weren’t using it, we knew that and it helped a lot,”“I speak for literally all of us when I say, we are always here for you, I don’t care if it’s the middle of the night or if I’m busy at work, if you need me, or any of us, I’m there always Donghyuck, always. We’re family and you don’t ever have to go through things alone, you hear me,”“I hear you Jae, thank you,” he twisted to hug him better, hung onto him tight until Mark and Jungwoo came up to collect them, stealing them for themselves as they made their way home together.After they’d left Mark and Donghyuck at their road, kissed and hugged them good night Jungwoo was on him, happily so.“What’s up Woo,”Jungwoo shrugged, shifting further into his side, “just happy I guess,”“Happy’s good,”“Yeah, it was nice to see him, both of them, happy. I know it’s only been a little while since they’ve been pulling away but Donghyuck…has been struggling with this for so long, it obviously won’t be fixed just by them telling us but maybe, knowing they aren’t alone in this, that they can talk if they need to…maybe that’ll help,”He looked up at him like he was looking for some reassurance on that so he ducked to kiss his forehead, wrapped him up in his scent for the rest of their walk back to Jungwoo’s.“I think that Mark’s plan will help too,”“Yeah, did he tell you, that they’re courting again,” Jungwoo giggled like the very thought made him giddy and warm. “A fresh start, no pressure, just them falling in love again…it’s so romantic,”Jaehyun laughed at him, his happiness too infectious to fight.“Also,” Jungwoo said, “I love Jimin and I think he’s brilliant but that stuff about them not being compatible…” he dropped off like the thought frustrated him.“It’s total crap right,”Jungwoo nodded quickly, “totally,” he hummed, stopping so he could step closer to him where he wrapped his arms around Jaehyun’s waist and brushed their noses together. “Do you think people think that about us,”“Think what?”“That we’re good together, that we make sense,” he whispered, words turning to mist against Jaehyun’s mouth.He stroked his hand down Jungwoo’s back, “Maybe they didn’t at first, but I’d like to think that they do now,”Jungwoo nodded.“If I learned anything though, through this, falling in love with you,” Jungwoo smiled at him, hanging off his words, “it’s that other people don’t matter, you and how you feel will always come first. Nothing anyone says about us, good, bad or indifferent would make me feel less about you. I think, my wolf and I waited our whole life for you, we’re finally where we want to be, we finally fit, if someone disagrees with that, they can take it up with me,”Jungwoo moved faster than lightening to close the gap between them, kissing him like his life depended on it.“I love you, so much,”“I love you too,” he tucked him back into another kiss, smiling against him when Jungwoo squeaked. They broke apart when Jungwoo yawned, giggling like he was sorry but couldn’t help it any longer.Jaehyun smiled, nudged him with his nose, “let’s get you two home and to bed,”“Will you stay,”He froze, feeling his heart jump, knocked back into place by his wolf who was doing flips. “Stay? Like stay the night…at your place, with you,” he cleared his throat when his air cut off.“You can sleep on the couch…if you want but I finished my nest and, and I don’t want…I want you to stay, if you want to,”He felt like things were breaking off inside him while simultaneously fitting themselves back into their proper place.“Yeah, yeah okay, if you want me to,” he said, taking the omega’s hand as he grinned from ear to ear, quickly eliminated the distance between them and Jungwoo’s home. When they got there, the omega, once nervous and timid in his company was nonexistent, replaced with a confident, enchanting thing who took his hands and led him down the hall to his bedroom with next to no hesitance at all.He remembered vaguely, what it was like being here before, fixing Jungwoo’s window, it felt like a lifetime ago now. He couldn’t remember if it was as hard to breathe here then as it was now.There wasn’t a place on earth that was more Jungwoo, every inch of his bedroom smelled like him, he existed in this space even when he wasn’t there. It made his head spin, he’d been goal oriented the first time he’d been here but now there wasn’t work to do, there weren’t distractions or tools to busy himself with. It was just him. And Jungwoo. And his vision was fuzzing a little. Oh jeez.And then on top of all that he was getting to see Jungwoo’s nest. A sight that was usually reserved for mates, alphas and betas when their omegas were in heat or nesting while pregnant, but he wasn’t his mate, they were just courting, and he was being trusted with this. Allowed into his bubble where only he and his unborn pup have existed since the start, but it had pieces of him in it and Jungwoo loved him, he wanted him here and that felt amazing. Overwhelming but amazing.It was still more personal and more intimate than he was prepared for, everything inside him felt as if it was on fire as Jungwoo stood just behind him in the entrance to his room, hand still in his as he waited for his reaction.“It looks great Woo, beautiful really,” he said, feeling like that was the right thing to say when Jungwoo beamed, skipping forward to sit on the edge of his bed, careful of the intricately woven structure in the center, hands tucked between his legs, watching him.“It was your shirts I think, it didn’t feel right until I added them,”A pleased rumble worked up his throat. Jungwoo flushed at the noise, chewing on his lip when Jaehyun came closer. He dropped in front of him, taking his hands in his lap and looked up at him. He loved him so much and he didn’t want to screw this up, they were just sleeping but they were in his nest, he was inviting Jaehyun into his nest.It would smell like him after he was gone.Jungwoo knew that.Jungwoo was welcoming him here.His heart stuttered a little.Jungwoo wanted that. Wanted his space to smell like Jaehyun after he was gone.That series of thoughts was doing really funny things to him and especially his wolf who was doing these goofy little aborted twirls of motion, tail swishing and thumping like he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do with it at all.It was reassuring to know they were both a little frazzled by the turn this night had taken.They got ready for bed quickly. Jaehyun stumbling to play it cool while hovering at the edge of Jungwoo’s space as he washed his face and brushed his teeth, taking his hand when Jungwoo dragged him back to his room. He was worried what would’ve become of him if the omega hadn’t touched him, grounding him, like he knew he was coming apart.Jungwoo got in first, kneading the pillows and blankets till he was satisfied, turning to hold his arms out for him so Jaehyun would crawl into him, snuggle down beside him.“Is this weird,” Jungwoo whispered, fingers rubbing over Jaehyun’s chest, probably sensing his nervousness. Nervousness that Jaehyun was trying desperately to tamp down and ignore. This was nice, good, right, happening and he wasn’t handling that as well as he thought he would, when faced with it. He was starting to panic.He told himself to calm down, not think too hard, reminding himself to breathe. As he did, the panic set in with a vengeance, throwing him completely off balance. His head started to ache, pulse went erratic while even his wolf went into self-preservation mode. Jungwoo was Jungwoo and they wanted him but, in this moment, he could see that they needed to be mindful of what this was doing to his human side.It made him feel worse almost that his wolf wasn’t urging him to be better at this, remind him they wanted this because his wolf was always no holds barred, forge ahead, we love him. Not today, not in this moment. The realization of why was…painful.How was he ever going to mate with him if he couldn’t even fathom sleeping beside him? He couldn’t make himself relax into this, what did that mean for the rest of their lives? Or anything else that Jungwoo might want from him down the line? Useless. Absolutely useless, that’s what he was.Great.Great!“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, startling him. He’d forgotten he’d asked him a question, just laid there silently, freaking out, “are you alright,”He hummed, tucked him closer, kissed the top of his head. He could do this. He could. He was an alpha; a good alpha and he could share a bed with the omega he was courting it was fine. He caught a whiff of his own sour scent in the air, tried to tamp it down as Jungwoo pushed off his chest, looking down at him with a slight pout.“I’m fine Woo, come back,” he lied, smiling till Jungwoo let that be enough, yawning and laying back down against him. It was just like sleeping on his couch, it was just like sleeping on his couch, it was just like sleeping on his couch. They weren’t in his nest. There weren’t hidden, suffocating implications with that, it was just them. And sleep.He smiled into his hair when Jungwoo burrowed into his neck, pressed a kiss there, breathing slowly starting to even out.“Night Jae, love you,”“I love you too,” and god he did, so much. So much. That was enough. It was. Jaehyun closed his eyes, resigning himself to the fact that he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep. He shouldn’t be feeling this way, this was like a dream come true and he couldn’t get out of his own head and enjoy it. What was wrong with him? Nothing was happening, they were just sharing a bed, they’d fallen asleep together so many times before this shouldn’t be anything to even worry about, but he couldn’t make himself calm down. He could barely even make himself breathe properly.Jungwoo’s hand dragged down from his chest to lay across his side, relaxed as he fell asleep. He was perfect. And Jaehyun was pitiful.So, let’s take stock. Jungwoo, who was known to overthink and panic, just like him was fine with this. Was falling asleep in Jaehyun’s arms and Jaehyun couldn’t breathe. His head hurt and his eyes felt tight, he just wanted to tell himself to stop overreacting, that this was normal and fine, but it didn’t feel fine. What the hell kind of alpha was he?He laid there in a funk long enough that his wolf whined, sick of him not doing anything for them. It felt odd to feel his sympathy pulse within him and Jaehyun didn’t think, that if he were to get up and sleep on the couch, his wolf would be angry at him. That was only slightly reassuring when he considered that he was letting this golden opportunity slip past him.He waited for a bit, to make sure that Jungwoo was truly sleeping before he gently pulled away from the omega and left the bed, left his beautiful nest and the heat of him. He readjusted the blanket over him, stroked his fingers down the side of his face, relaxed and so painfully beautiful as he slept on soundly, blissfully unaware of Jaehyun’s inner turmoil.With a sad sigh he left his room, relocating to the living room as quietly as he could. He dragged the throw blanket over himself, tried to calm his racing thoughts and his hurried heartbeat, while his wolf settled down, glad that his human was calmer and not forcing him to protect them.He didn’t think he could take his rebellion right now on top of the swelling, unavoidable feeling of inadequacy that paired meanly with his vengeful ideas, he was an alpha who couldn’t even share a bed with the omega he was courting. Their relationship was so vastly outside the norm and he still couldn’t make himself do this. He tried to reassure himself that it was okay, that he was okay. That Jungwoo wouldn’t be upset with this, he’d make him breakfast in the morning to smooth things over and it’d be fine. It was okay to have setbacks, to falter a little sometimes, take a second for himself when things got to be too much, he knew that but something about giving himself an out for this made him feel worse for some reason.He laid awake like that for hours. Mind spiraling endlessly. Dwelling and stressing and feeling so useless, he sort of just wanted to cry.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The following morning, he stirred awake, feeling groggy from lack of sleep and worn out from the never-ending assault of panic he’d felt for hours on end. The stream of negativity threatened to start anew but he pushed it back, let his wolf handle it himself which he was happy to do, pissed off that it had cost them such a spectacular opportunity last night. He sat up slowly, with a groan, looked around the living room, fire nearly dead. At least that gave him something to do to keep his hands busy as he moved off the couch to build it up before making his way to the hall to use the bathroom and splash some cold water on his face. Before heading back to the kitchen to make Jungwoo some breakfast, he peeked into his room, saw him curled up, snoozing away in the center of his nest. He shouldn’t have looked, pit opening back up inside him at the mere sight of him.He really shouldn’t have looked. Seeing him, so peaceful, hair fanned out around his head, lips parted just the tiniest bit as gentle breaths purred in and out of him. He was so gorgeous. Though, standing there, he figured that even if there were drool on his chin or loud, chainsaw like snores coming from him, Jaehyun would still think so. He’d still find him ridiculously attractive and endearing and perfect. He couldn’t think of anything that he disliked about the other honestly. He was just perfect to him.Feeling worse the longer he stood there, Jaehyun backed up, closing the door quietly behind him and made his way back to the kitchen, telling his wolf to do a better job against those evil un-alpha-like thoughts. He rumbled back at him as if to say, ‘yeah sure whatever’.Breakfast. Ok focus on breakfast, don’t think about last night or what you could’ve done instead, breakfast was safe. That would distract him for a good chunk of time till Jungwoo woke up and joined him.Jaehyun made some eggs, toasted some bread from a sweet-smelling loaf and cut up some fruit. It didn’t take long before he heard shuffling, slippers over the tile let him know the omega was in the kitchen with him too as he set the tea pot on his stove to heat up. His warm, peachy smell hit him, a little thick and syrupy, because he’d just woken up.Jaehyun turned briefly but didn’t see the other, till he was right behind him, wrapping around his back.“Hi,”He smiled, squeezed his hands where they were twined together over his stomach, “morning sleepyhead,”Jungwoo hummed, nose digging into the space between his shoulder blades, warm, easy silence spanned between them. Jaehyun rubbed his hands over Jungwoo’s while he snuggled against his back.“How are you feeling,”Jungwoo hummed, not saying anything for another couple seconds.“I made you breakfast,”This went unacknowledged too and then Jungwoo was squeezing around his waist a little tighter.“Jungwoo,”“You slept on the couch,” he whispered, not a question.Jaehyun hung his head a little, grabbing the toast and putting it on one of the plates while putting two more pieces in.Jungwoo knew.Of course, he did.He probably went to sleep last night, knowing he wouldn’t stay. He knew him so well. Jaehyun’s mistake was thinking that Jungwoo wasn’t just as attuned to him as Jaehyun was to him. He was stupid and a little useless and such a big failure as an alpha that it would make others cringe. But Jungwoo knew that, he had to, if he didn’t before, he certainly did now.“Yeah,”Jungwoo didn’t sound upset when he sighed, the noise colored with the edge of a laugh.“You didn’t have to stay if you were uncomfortable Jae,” he said, “I didn’t mean to force you,”“You didn’t force me,” he switched off the stove before turning to take him in his arms, “you told me I didn’t have to stay, if I didn’t want to, I could’ve left after that, I know. I just…I mean, you know me, I’m known to panic and overthink stuff, I got it in my head, so I went to lay on the couch, I’m sorry,”Jungwoo dropped their heads together, “no, I’m sorry for assuming,”“You didn’t assume anything Woo, look at me,” he blinked as he met his eyes, “you didn’t,”Jungwoo shook his head, “I did though, I did,” he sighed, his eyes welled up and Jaehyun immediately schooled himself. It could’ve been his hormones blowing this up on him but even if it wasn’t, Jaehyun had made him cry, which made him feel way worse than he already did. Jungwoo was genuinely bent out of shape about this and it was on him to fix it.“Hey, hey, don’t cry it’s alright, you didn’t do anything wrong okay, Jungwoo,” the omega whimpered a little, moving forward to bury into his shoulder, “you didn’t do anything, it was my choice to stay, it was me who freaked out and I moved to the couch on my own, okay you didn’t do anything wrong, I promise,”The other made a pained noise against him, arms tightening around him even more. He shouldn’t beat himself up about this, he didn’t do anything wrong, Jungwoo didn’t do anything wrong. But Jaehyun, star alpha, had done a pretty good job making him feel like he had. Wonderful, Jaehyun that’s like next level shit right there. Freak out just enough to make your omega think they’d done something wrong, truly, he should get an award for that. “But I should’ve known that you would agree though, even if you weren’t comfortable, you’re always bending over backwards for me, you have no self-preservation instincts with me,”Jaehyun felt his stomach drop, Jungwoo knew he’d sacrifice himself for him. Already in their life together he was secondary and Jungwoo was his top priority. They weren’t even mated yet and he felt that way.But he had protected himself last night. He waited to kiss him for the first time, he’d taken his time with most things where their relationship was concerned, because he wanted them both to be ready. Didn’t Jungwoo see that?“I mean, I don’t have them always, but I had them last night,”“Jae,”“I agreed but then I thought better of it, for my own sanity, I could’ve stayed there and freaked out all night but instead I tried to separate from that and breathe, it didn’t work great, but I tried,”Jungwoo pulled away from him just the tiniest bit.“Will you be honest with me,” Jungwoo asked, swallowing past a lump leftover from when he was about to cry.“Always,”Jungwoo nodded, sniffling before he asked, “did you want to stay over,”“Yes,”“Did I force you?”“No, not at all,”“Did…did I do something to make you uncomfortable?”“No,” Jaehyun watched Jungwoo’s eyes flicker over his face, lingering on his mouth. Jungwoo’s lips parted, sucked in a shaky breath.“You promise,” his voice was nothing more than a whisper, gaze still locked on his lips. Jaehyun found himself feeling better for the first time in hours, smiled the slightest bit and felt better still when Jungwoo’s exhale rattled out of him.“I promise,”“I still feel bad,” Jungwoo admitted, just as Jaehyun was closing in to kiss him.“Don’t, you didn’t do anything okay, this was me,”“I didn’t mean bad like…never mind,”He stepped back.“Jungwoo,”“It’s nothing Jae, let’s have breakfast, we’re hungry,” he gave him a tense smile as his hands fell away from him, to his stomach.Jaehyun watched him skirt around him, collect his plate and some jam for his toast, as well as a mug for tea, the whole time he didn’t look back at him and he avoided his touch.“Are you sure,”He hummed back.“Jungwoo,”“It’s nothing Jae,”“Then look at me,” he said, eyes on Jungwoo’s back where he was tensed, stood behind his chair at the table. His scent hit his nose like a brick, sour and rotten. “Please,”He peeked up at him, sighing softly as he did.“What’s wrong,” he asked, “what did I, I mean I know what I did but is that what you’re upset about,”Jungwoo shook his head.“Then what,”“It’s silly,”“I’m sure it’s not,”“It is…it really is because I want you to be comfortable and happy,” Jungwoo gulped in a big breath, took Jaehyun’s hand when he offered it to him.“I know that Woo, I want the same thing for you, I never want you to be uncomfortable with me and if you are, I know you’ll tell me or fix it, so you are,”“So, then how do I explain how I’m feeling right now,”Jaehyun brushed some his hair away from his eyes, stepping closer to him so Jungwoo could relax against him and scented him gently to relax him even further, “How are you feeling,”“Ridiculous,”“Jungwoo,”“And disappointed but I don’t want to be Jae, I swear, I don’t want you to think that I’m disappointed in you, it was more…I fell asleep with you there and I thought I’d wake up in your arms, but I was alone. I don’t like that that’s how I’m feeling though because you being comfortable is way more important to me…I’m sorry,”“No, no don’t do that,” he said, “it’s normal to expect things and be upset when they don’t happen. If I could’ve talked myself into staying, I definitely would’ve,” the omega curled his arms up against his chest as he stepped back into his arms, laying his head down on his shoulder.“I put you in a bad position,”“No, you didn’t,”“I did,”“Didn’t,” Jaehyun said, lips attaching to his forehead.He shook his head, enough to dislodge him and stop him kissing his head, “yes I did, it was just…it was selfish. I, after the dinner and seeing Mark and Donghyuck, I wanted to be close to you, I didn’t want you to go…it’s so selfish, thinking about it now but I just wanted to fall asleep in your arms, I’m sorry,”“Don’t be sorry Jungwoo, I get that, I know that this week has been weird and stressful for a few different reasons but I just…I don’t know, I sometimes feel like it’d be so easy to just get lost in you, but I also feel like we’re not there yet either,”“It’s just sleeping next to each other Jae, did I seem like…I was trying to push you to do more,”“No, no just seeing your nest, thinking about sleeping next to you did funny things to me and I just had to breathe, so I slept on the couch,”“Ok,”“There’s a lot of you in your room, which isn’t a bad thing, but it was just…a lot,”Jungwoo laughed at him a little, “I know we’re not there yet, I wasn’t trying to make you feel like I was, or that something needed to happen,”They lulled into silence, so he moved to help Jungwoo sit at the table, setting his breakfast in front of him.As he sat down in the chair beside his, Jungwoo reattached to him, hands reaching out for him.“Are we okay,” he asked.Jaehyun looked at him, “I feel like I should be asking you that, you woke up alone and you keep apologizing for nothing,”“Are we okay,” Jungwoo asked again, a little more desperate this time.“We’re okay,”“Promise,” he whispered.“I promise,” Jaehyun tucked some hair behind Jungwoo’s ear, “you probably won’t invite me to stay over again anytime soon, though right?” Jungwoo scrunched his eyebrows, looked at him like he was crazy.“The invitation is open and standing Jae, I just don’t want you to feel pressured or uncomfortable,”He sighed, took the omega’s hands in his, wondering briefly what he did to deserve him in his life while his stomach heated up.“You don’t pressure me, or make me uncomfortable and I want to be here always, I just don’t want to push things and sometimes, when I’m with you, I feel like I lose my grip, I don’t want to do that,”“I don’t want to make you feel like that,”Jaehyun laughed a little, “comes with the territory I think,”Jungwoo tipped his head, “what do you mean,”Jaehyun felt his eyebrows draw together, not sure if the other was messing with him or being serious. When he didn’t smile or poke him, he assumed he was genuinely unsure what he meant by that.“I’m in love with you…and ridiculously attracted to you,”Jungwoo went red at that, ducked away from his eyes, “I didn’t think you meant it like that,”“I thought it was obvious,” Jungwoo glanced up at him for a second, smile on his face, “and last night was just a lot for me…sometimes I get overwhelmed and stressed out but that isn’t your fault,”“Oh,” the omega reached out for his hand with both of his, cheeks going this really pretty pink, “I’m sorry,”“Don’t be…I’m just, I’ve never done this before, I want to do it right and I don’t want to mess anything up. I just sometimes feel like I can’t handle things and when I can’t it makes me feel worse. You deserve the best and I really, really don’t want to do anything wrong,”“You couldn’t Jae, I wouldn’t have asked you to stay and let you in if I didn’t want those things too, but I get not being ready, I’m not…I didn’t have ulterior motives last night, I mean I’m pregnant Jae, I literally only want to sleep. We aren’t there, I know, and I feel the same way and if we’re not at the point where we could sleep in the same bed together, that’s okay too but you have to tell me, don’t force yourself into a panic attack just because I want something,”He nodded quickly, hoping he didn’t look too eager for that out.“You need to tell me when you’re freaking out Jae, so you don’t get lost up there,” he tapped Jaehyun’s forehead.“I know I just don’t want to freak you out in the process,”“How would you freak me out,”“I don’t know by being too much,” he shrugged, not liking how he felt like he was in the hot seat and couldn’t get out of it for anything. But Jungwoo was looking at him like he didn’t want to look away so he couldn’t really be too upset about it.“I don’t think I’d mind,”He made a huff of noise, skeptical but Jungwoo just smiled.“I think I’d rather have ‘too’ much of you than none of you,” Jungwoo grinned from ear to ear, pleased with himself while Jaehyun scooted his chair closer, leaning in to kiss him.Jungwoo hummed into the kiss for a second or two before he whispered, “can I tell you a secret,”“Of course,”“I was really nervous last night too,”Jaehyun smiled, “oh yeah,”“Yeah, you didn’t hear how fast my heart was beating,”“I don’t think I picked up on that, but I couldn’t hear anything over how loud mine was in my ears,”Jungwoo laughed, taking a bite of toast.“We’re even Jae, we’re both nervous, we’re both attracted to each other and sometimes that’s a lot to handle but rest assured I feel the exact same way you do-” Jaehyun couldn’t help himself, cutting him off by pulling him forward to kiss him quiet. He smiled against Jungwoo’s muffled talking. “Jae, you didn’t let me finish,” he whined.“Sorry, I had to, I liked that,”“I can keep going,”“Woo,” he groaned, feeling like if this continued, Jungwoo might stand a good chance of killing him.“I never get to confess to you,” more whining but all Jaehyun could do against it was let his happiness overtake him.He laughed, took a bite of the piece of toast Jungwoo held out to him, his silence as he chewed seemed to give Jungwoo the go ahead to keep going. Effectively making Jaehyun’s mind melt a little.“Last night, I just wanted to be close you. I always want to feel closer and closer and I don’t ever feel like that’s enough. Which is crazy to me because I’ve always hated feeling like that, dependent on someone, reliant on them and how they make me feel but with you it’s different. It’s been different from day one with you. Everything is different. I’ve been on my own for so long that it’s just normal, to do things for myself but I want to rely on you because you’re there, and you love me, and you see me. That’s equal parts amazing and terrifying for me. And it shouldn’t be freeing to be taken care of but for some reason, it is, if it’s you, it makes my heart and my wolf feel at ease knowing you’re there, taking really good care of me and my pup. I hope that maybe you can say those things about me too, you know, I’m an omega and we’ve been known to take pretty good care of people. I…won’t ever let you hurt Jae or panic or feel bad, but you have to tell me if you’re feeling that or need a minute because I can’t tell on my own. It’s horrible for me to think that I put you in a situation that caused you to spend most of the night panicking, that’s…that’s awful,” he took a breath, eyes big like he’d realized he’d cut himself open just then but he didn’t look like he regretted it, was maybe just surprised with himself. “You have to tell me Jae, you always tell me to keep you in the loop on where my heads at, I need you to do that for me too, this is your courting too and I never want you to do things for me that put you in a bad place,”Jaehyun squeezed his hand, while cradling his face in his other hand, “I think I can do that,”“Good, and you know I won’t ever think less of you for stressing or not being ready for stuff,”“I know that Woo…” he sighed which made Jungwoo tip his head at him.“Do you,”“I do, in theory but sometimes it’s hard for me…I want to do everything with you, everything but then I’m faced with it and I freak out. And then I start thinking that I should just do it, you have all this experience and I’m just in a different place, but I don’t want to be, you deserve-”“No, no Jae, don’t do that, you can’t compare our pasts like that okay, none of that matters, this matters, what we have now is good. This, you, that’s what I want okay,”Jaehyun smiled, let that fill him up and reminded himself that things with Jungwoo didn’t compare to what he had with Lucas, they were so different. He didn’t wish it was Lucas next to him instead and he missed him and did want him around, Jaehyun knew that but it wasn’t in the way it used to be for him. He had to trust that, and he had to have faith in this thing he was building with Jungwoo. It was good, like he’d said. It was worth it and even when he stumbled it was still just as worth it. They deserved this. They deserved this life and all the bumps and triumphs that came with it.Jaehyun lifted his hands up to kiss his knuckles, slowly, “I want this, all of it with you too,” he watched Jungwoo smile at him, happy that he could make them happy and that they could work together to get better and grow. He couldn’t believe that this was where he’d landed after his night spent panicking but he wasn’t complaining. He’d take Jungwoo looking at him like it was all okay and he wasn’t upset, he was here for him too, whatever he needed.He kissed his hand again, whispering against his skin, “you have no idea what you do to me,”Jungwoo laughed, “probably the same things you do to me,” Jaehyun smiled at him. He understood now what Hajun was always talking about, being small for his mate because Kun took good care of him and sent him out the door everyday so he could be big and brave, coming back to him every night to recharge. Alphas lived their lives to be stronger and prouder than the person next to them but the relationships you had, the people you trusted, the omega you loved made it, so you didn’t always have to be that way. He was starting to believe that alphas were only strong because their omega was there supporting them, making sure they could unwind and had what they needed to face anything. He could face anything for Jungwoo, with Jungwoo. He just hoped, that it was true what Jungwoo was saying about him being those kind of things for him too.He watched Jungwoo continue beaming as he tucked into his breakfast finally. He didn’t stop smiling for several moments, not even as he finished his toast or sipped his tea, it did a really good job of distracting Jaehyun from his own breakfast.“Stop looking at me Jae,”“I can’t…no I can but I don’t want to,”Jungwoo looked up at him quickly before gently turning his face away. Jaehyun laughed as he was pushed away by the suddenly flustered omega.“Why are you laughing,”“Just think you’re cute,”“Jae,” he scolded him, fixing him with a look even as his blush deepened and his scent grew thicker between them, “stop,”“You don’t feel bad anymore right,” he asked just to be sure, didn’t want to let this drop without being positive that Jungwoo was alright.The omega shook his head, scent pleasant in the air around them, “no, I’m good,”“You’re sure,”Jungwoo hummed, “yeah you have a real talent for reassuring me, even when you don’t know why I need it,”He wanted to ask, get more from that but Jungwoo was leaning close again, kissing him quickly, putting the tiniest bit of space between them to whisper, “finish your food,” conversation effectively ended for the time being as he moved to eat his breakfast.He felt like he’d freaked out enough and even though there were still things that he worried about they were things he could work out as he and Jungwoo grew together. And beyond that, it was reassuring as all heck to know that while he was waiting, Jungwoo was waiting for him too. All of that would come in time, after the pup was born, those things could happen, for right now they could court and not let anything pressure them, it was nice and peaceful, and they were in love. They felt the same things, in the same ways and fell over and over and over again, if this was the life he got to have, falling in love with his partner every day, that was just fine with him….At some point over the last few days he decided that he was going to start calling Jungwoo by a pet name, which came naturally and was maybe something that didn’t require much thought but what followed was entertaining for sure.He never saw himself as one to do that but then again everything with Jungwoo was new and fresh and not at all typical of what he thought to expect. Anyway, the decision was made for him, initially on their walk home from dinner with his parents, remembering that Jungwoo had made a happy little noise when Jaehyun had called him pumpkin, as he was trying to calm him down, talk with his dad going south. It happened. Naturally which is how he assumed it happened for his friends too, the first time. It was such a tiny thing but after his failed attempt at sharing a bed with Jungwoo, it felt good for him to be able to do such a small thing that made Jungwoo light up. He knew Jungwoo wasn’t hung up or even that upset about the other morning, waking up alone but he was holding himself accountable for it. Not out of guilt or anything like that, but more, as a way to stay conscious of his choices, make sure that they were good for him and good for Jungwoo.Calling Jungwoo pumpkin, made his omega light up and made his own wolf rumble pleasantly inside him. The first time he’d done it at dinner, Ten noticed first, because he always picked up on that sort of thing and held onto it tight. He’d asked, of course, why he didn’t call Jungwoo ‘peaches’ instead of ‘pumpkin’ because, “Jungwoo smells like peaches Jae,”To which he’d said, “that’s a little on the nose though, don’t you think Tennie,” it made Ten laugh loudly, had Jungwoo burying into his shoulder because the attention was solely on them and he couldn’t take it, so he kissed the top of his head and told them all to leave them be. Which worked for a bit before Kun was sitting up and saying loudly that he’d felt the pup kick, sticking his tongue out at Taeil who gasped, looking more hurt than shocked.“They’re so strong,” Kun said, lit up like a spark that he’d been the first of their friends to get to feel Jungwoo’s pup kicking. His smugness continued and grew when Ten sat forward and asked, “Is Kun your favorite pumpkin?”“Oh my god,” Jungwoo whispered, whimpering a little into Jaehyun’s shoulder.“Stop it, Ten,”“I’m just asking,”“Of course, I’m not his favorite,” Kun said with snort, “that’s obviously Jae,”“Jae doesn’t count,” Ten decided which Sicheng agreed with, with a hum.“Why doesn’t he count,”“Yeah, why don’t I count,”“Because you guys are courting, you’re obviously his favorite, but after you…I think it might be Kun,”They were all quiet, exchanging looks before unanimously Ten, Sicheng and Kun changed their minds and all said, “Hyuck,”“Obviously,” Yuta mumbled at his plate, “why are you guys even talking about this,”“Because Kun got to feel the pup kick first,” Ten squawked.“You don’t even care about pups Tennie,”“Usually, you’re right, but I…I’m interested in Jungwoo’s, shut up,” he hissed to Yuta’s broad smile and raised eyebrows.“You love Jungwoo,” Yuta teased.“Of course, I do, that’s stupid,”“I love you too Tennie,”Ten’s scowl softened as he looked back at Jungwoo, “I know Woo, but if Kun isn’t your favorite why would you let him feel the pup kick first,” not letting it die but Jaehyun could see he was mostly teasing him now.Jungwoo groaned, “It’s just because he was there when he was kicking…if you want to be technical about it though, Jae was the first, first,”“Of course, he was because he’s your favorite,”“Thought I didn’t count,” Jaehyun narrowed his eyes playfully at Ten, who stuck his tongue out at him.“You count to me,” Jungwoo whispered, quiet enough that Jaehyun imagined the others didn’t even hear him over their noise. He smiled down at the other, fondness swelling inside him like a balloon.“Thanks pumpkin,”They heard that of course, spiraling and yelling and being annoying while Jungwoo swatted him for starting them in on the nickname again.“I don’t tease you guys like this,” Jungwoo whined.“Sorry Woo, you’re just so easy to rile up,”“I can’t help that,” he whined, tucking further against him like Jaehyun could shield him from all this. No one had ever been able to talk Ten down till he was ready, but he’d try, for Jungwoo.“Ten,” he sighed, wrapping his arm tighter around Jungwoo, “leave him alone,”Ten’s hands went up but only after Johnny pinched him, whispered something in his ear that had Ten smirking, turning to kiss his mate like there was no one else around.Most of them shook their heads, turning their attention to other things so they didn’t have to watch them. Against him, Jungwoo asked quietly, “Am I really easy to rile up?”“I mean you’re not hard to mess with…”“Great, I can’t remember when I started getting embarrassed so easily, I don’t like it though,”“I think it’s cute,” and he did. But maybe he wasn’t the best judge of that seeing as how he found pretty much everything about him cute.Jungwoo, apparently knew that, “you’d say that about anything,”“Only about you though,”Jungwoo huffed something that sounded like hopeless under his breath which Jaehyun couldn’t argue with, so he didn’t, just put another piece of chicken on his plate, earning a pleased hum from the omega.They were all still lost in their dinners or their significant others when Mark and Donghyuck joined them. They’d decided, together, that they wouldn’t have any pup related talk around them for a while, not wanting to make things worse or harder for them. That was easy enough to do since none of them wanted to hurt the couple and Ten could talk about anything, he was good at that.“Hi guys,” Mark said, helping Donghyuck sit carefully, settling with their plates.“Hyuckie, great news, you’re Jungwoo’s favorite,” Ten said cheerfully.Jungwoo let out a frustrated sound while Donghyuck looked around at all of them, as if to judge if they were being serious.“Obviously,” he said simply, taking his plate from Mark who nuzzled their noses together for a quick second much to the omega’s blatant enjoyment, smile blinding and nice to look at where it reached his eyes and lifted his cheeks.“After me of course,” he reached out to squeeze Donghyuck’s knee.Donghyuck leveled him with a look, eyes shifting to look at Jungwoo quick before settling back on him, “is that what he’s told you,”The rest of them cackled while Donghyuck settled against Mark looking pleased with himself. Jaehyun, so used to seeing his face darkened with grief and self-loathing that he couldn’t even find it in himself to be bothered or annoyed. It was just too nice seeing him smile and acting like his normal bright, carefree self.He pretended to be shocked, turned to Jungwoo like he’d betrayed him, “Pumpkin!”Jungwoo made a noise that was like a whiny growl, knowing that it would start the others back in on teasing them and he did feel bad about that since he was trying to get them to stop but he caught Donghyuck laughing at them, figured that was a good trade off. When he saw Jungwoo smiling back at his best friend he assumed he agreed. Happy to be teased for a little while longer if it meant that Donghyuck and Mark were good.On their walk home, Mark and Jaehyun were effectively ditched, Jungwoo and Donghyuck walking just a few paces ahead of them, hands laced together between them.“Mark,” Jungwoo piped up, causing both him and Mark to stand a little straighter, “Farmer’s market on Sunday,” bottom lip stuck out a little.“Up to Hyuck,”Donghyuck twisted to look at him, steps slower, “I already said yes,”“I just wanted to make sure he wanted to too,” Jungwoo defended, ducking his head back towards Donghyuck’s as they went on giggling and talking in their secret language.They let them get a little further away before Jaehyun asked, “how’re you guys,”Mark, instead of crumpling like Jaehyun had worried he would, beamed, “good, really good,”Jaehyun smiled back, finding it hard not to.“Jimin even liked the thought of us starting over, fresh and rekindling things. He reminded us the other day when we were there for Hyuck’s checkup, that healing is an ongoing process. We’ve both been traumatized by this, his body, our wolves, our bond, every part of us has been through hell but taking a step back and just getting back to each other is the best way to get through this. He mentioned how long it took him to feel normal again, he didn’t let Jungkook near him for like three months he said, and it took them a year after that to get pregnant again…I think Donghyuck’s starting to see that time isn’t the worst thing to happen to us, we’ve been through worse…right,”Jaehyun wrapped his arm around his shoulders, “yeah and you guys made it out alive,”Mark laughed a little, eyes staring down the road at his mate’s back, grinning when Donghyuck laughed loudly at something Jungwoo had said.“I didn’t think we would,”“But you did, now you can devote your time and attention to him and you guys getting better, everything will work out man, I believe that,”“Thanks Jae,” tips of his ears going redder, “for listening, for talking me down, for everything,”He pulled him closer, scent of syrup warm around him, “anytime Mark, literally, anytime,”They caught up with Jungwoo and Donghyuck shortly after that, both having had their fill of the mushy, sentimental stuff, or at least they acted that way, laughing as Donghyuck and Jungwoo gushed over each other, saying goodbye like they wouldn’t see each other tomorrow. They were ridiculous but it was sweet so neither of them said anything.Mark nuzzled into Jungwoo’s shoulder when he latched onto him to say good night and Jaehyun held Donghyuck tight as he murmured that he loved his hugs, they could say they were over the mushy nonsense all they wanted but how over it were they really? When their omegas were sweet and smelled really nice, when Jungwoo let him call him pumpkin and put up with their friends teasing for it, when Mark would go through hell for Donghyuck and gladly do it again if it meant he got to be with him at the end --- it didn’t seem like they were over anything. Honestly, it sort of seemed like they were smack dab in the middle of it. Happily, so.….Jungwoo had spent the day with Donghyuck, eager to have some good quality time with his best friend now that he was feeling up to company. Jaehyun didn’t usually ask about specific details when Jungwoo spent time with their friends, unless he looked bothered. Today, he looked bothered which was the only reason he asked, “Woo, how was Hyuck’s,”He tensed up a little but nodded, “it was good,”“Oh yeah, you look like you’re hanging onto something,”Jungwoo huffed, looked at him with a tiny smile, “can’t hide anything from you,”“Sorry,”He was quiet again, which was Jungwoo speak for, give me a second while I put it together.“I’m sick of my hormones,” he whispered, face scrunching, “one second I’m fine thinking of something and then the next, it makes me want to cry,”“Okay pumpkin, c’mere,” he sat forward to collect him when he scurried into his arms. “What are you thinking about that makes you want to cry,”He sniffled, “just something Hyuck said,”Jaehyun didn’t like that but still he asked, “What’d he say,”Jungwoo was quick to jump to his defense, even though he was clearly upset, he wouldn’t say anything bad about his best friend. “He didn’t mean it in a bad way, he was just talking, letting off steam, which he’s let me do a million times before so…”“What’d he say,”“I told him that you stayed over but slept on the couch and he said we were weird,” he took a deep breath, “that he didn’t realize we were concerned with how fast or slow things were going since we’ve only been in each other’s lives for less than a year and we’re already courting,”Jaehyun bit his tongue, he knew that that wasn’t meant to be cruel or taken badly but he could absolutely see why it upset Jungwoo to think about.  Before Jaehyun could say anything Jungwoo was back at it, flood gates open, voice thin and hurried.“Do you sometimes think that this has all gone a little fast,”“Maybe,” he held him closer so he wouldn’t bolt, “do you think that it’s been fast,”“I guess, if I think about it I’ve only been back since the start of September, and it’s almost February…that’s not very long at all,” he sighed, “oh god, I’ve never thought about it really, I mean I have but not in a way that made me think this is wrong,”“Because it’s not wrong Woo,” he said but Jungwoo didn’t appear to have heard him.“No wonder your mom hated me, and my mom was so freaked out that we were courting, it’s only been…almost 6 months since I’ve been back. Of course, people talked bad about me, about us, god I didn’t ever really think about it,”“Because it’s not really worth thinking about Woo, easy,” he whispered when Jungwoo’s breathing picked up. “You’re happy right,”The omega blinked at him, breathing slowing down a little as he nodded.“Then that’s what matters, isn’t that what we were talking about the other day, that you and I matter, we talk, and we work things out and its good because it’s ours, do you not think that anymore,”“No, I do, it just got me thinking I guess…for the first time, really understood where people were coming from because the simple thing Hyuck said just hit me. He wasn’t yelling, he wasn’t annoyed, he was just commenting on you and me spending the night together when we’ve definitely slept on the couch together before and one would assume that we’re way past that sort of thing,”“Don’t really care about other people’s assumptions that much pumpkin,”Jungwoo huffed, “I know you don’t, it’s just sticking with me,”Jaehyun hummed, watched his face shift a couple times till he settled on a slightly sour expression, scent still mellow and soft between them but with a tiny note of distress on top. “I guess I sort of agree about how fast things have happened but I’ve also spent so much time with you, days and weeks and months…I’m not sure the typical standards, I mean, how long do you usually know somebody before you decide ‘I want them forever, I should do something about that,’ if I think about it that way I sort of think this was perfect timing,”Jungwoo smiled a little, “perfect timing,” he said wistfully, like the mere idea painted things in a different, softer, nicer way.“Would you agree,”Jungwoo’s expression lifted happily, “I like the sound of it, you make everything sound so nice,”He returned his smile, “I don’t want you to ever doubt this or us or how I feel about you. I love you, that’s real, you rely on it and maybe it’s fast but that’s it. I love you today, like I loved you yesterday, like I’ll love you tomorrow, like I plan on loving you for the rest of our lives. This is real Woo, and I’m sick of people thinking this isn’t right just because it doesn’t fit their standards. I’m in love with you…that doesn’t come with a schedule,” “Jae,” he had tears in his eyes but was grinning so brightly Jaehyun couldn’t bear stopping, he wanted to keep making him happy like that.He sat forward, took the omega’s face in his hands, “I’m in love with you,” Jungwoo’s hands reached up to hold onto his. “I’m completely in love with you,”“Jaehyun,” he whispered like the air had been stolen from his lungs.“I’m sorry if it’s too fast,” he moved to rest their foreheads together, “but I love you,”“It’s not too fast, it’s not,” he whispered, “I just hear people talk and even Hyuck who loves us so much and supports us thinks maybe things happened too quick and I wonder if I’m crazy that I’ve fallen into this so easily, with so few questions or time to adjust. It’s wild to me, I’m a planner and a thinker and this, with you, is so vastly different from everything else I’ve ever been involved in. But it feels right to me too, I just, I wondered if it was just me, that felt like this-”“It isn’t just you Woo, I promise, anything crazy or overwhelming you might feel, I swear I’ve felt it too,”“That’s reassuring,” Jungwoo whispered. “but mainly I don’t even think about it, I only started because hearing Hyuck say it was different than hearing other random people make rude comments about us…and it made me wonder if I should be more aware of how fast this has happened. Usually though, I think this feels natural, right,”Jaehyun nodded, he caught his own scent thick in the air as he listened to Jungwoo speak, thoroughly enjoying the things he was saying.“Even though I spent years with Lucas, nothing with him ever came this easy…not that it’s easy with you, I just mean that even the complicated stuff with you doesn’t seem hard,”Jaehyun let that wash over him, knowing now that Jungwoo felt their connection. Maybe he didn’t understand why he felt those things, but he felt them and that was way more amazing than Jaehyun ever thought it would be. He wondered why he’d never shared what his dad had told him about them potentially being soul bonded since they were pups, but he figured there wasn’t any better time than right now.“Can I tell you something,” he asked, trying not to get caught up in the way Jungwoo was nuzzling him, cheek moving over his in deliberate moves, scenting him carefully, like he was making sure every single inch of him was covered in his scent. Jaehyun loved that a lot.“You can tell me anything,”A pleased rumble worked its way up from his chest, which made Jungwoo pull him closer, “My dad told me this story, about when I was a pup, I got in a fight on the playground. I was helping this omega fight off a couple bigger alphas, throwing punches and after we’d run them off, he gave me-”“-a dandelion,” Jungwoo gasped.“Yeah, you remember,” Jaehyun couldn’t believe it and he also couldn’t resist the urge to litter Jungwoo’s face with kisses, dozens of them.“I don’t remember it necessarily, but I knew that…how did I know that,”“I don’t know…maybe it’s like intuition,”“Like an instinct,” Jungwoo whispered, “how,”“My dad thinks that our wolves bonded when we were little, which I guess explains…” he dropped off.Jungwoo touched his cheeks, “explains what,”He sighed, knowing he could tell him, bear his soul to him and it wouldn’t change anything.“After you left, my chest hurt so bad, like something inside me was trying to get out…I didn’t have much of a relationship with my wolf back then but now, I think that’s what your bond being rejected feels like, it sort of felt like what I think a heart attack would feel like, if it was never ending,”He looked up to see tears welling back up in Jungwoo’s eyes, “I didn’t, I didn’t know Jae,”“I know you didn’t, I didn’t either, I only understood after talking to my dad about it, it’s okay,”“I felt something like that too,” he admitted, “my first few weeks out in the city, I felt so sick, I was nauseous a lot and my body hurt, it felt like a bad flu…I convinced myself after a while that it was that combined with being homesick, but if we had a bond and the separation caused it to break, that makes more sense,”“I’m sorry Woo,”“Why are you sorry, you felt it too,” he closed his eyes when Jaehyun ran his fingers quickly under his eyes to get rid of his tears.“I know, but I don’t like thinking about you alone, in pain…because of me,”“You were in the same boat Jae, you don’t need to be sorry…what else did your dad say,”“He didn’t seem super surprised that we’d adopted each other’s scents, which we had, have…and there was a point in time where Mark was convinced, we had mated because our smells were combined but after I’d mentioned that to him, he told me about the playground thing. And reminded me that I was sort of completely enamored with you as a pup, which is embarrassing to admit now,” he said to Jungwoo’s gleeful face, “I used growl at the bigger kids who hovered around the playground, making sure they didn’t bug you on your way home and I cried my eyes out when you left, I didn’t get why it felt so hopeless and he explained that he always sort of thought something had happened with our wolves. Like they saw something special in each other before we matured, they picked each other and formed a bond, that broke when you moved away…he’s always been rooting for you and me, took him years to tell me but yeah…our wolves picked each other,”Jungwoo was quiet for a while, his hands stayed on him, brushing through his hair and over his face.“Soul bonds without mating are really rare Jae, that’s what I’d always heard anyway,”Hearing that confirmed did funny things to his wolf and his heart. Jaehyun moved forward to nuzzle him, “guess we’re special,”“I like the sound of that too,” and just like that his happiness faded back to something heavier, “Jae,” he whispered.“What pumpkin, what’s wrong,” “If I hadn’t left, this never would’ve happened, we would’ve had our whole lives together Jae, our bond never would’ve broken,” his bottom lip jutted out in an extreme, adorable pout. Jaehyun loved him so freaking much he just wanted to hug him, so he did“If you never left you wouldn’t have that pup, and we found our way back to each other, I like that series of events more I think,”“It is sort of romantic isn’t it,” Jungwoo nuzzled him, radiating happiness more in this moment than Jaehyun had ever felt from him before.“It is isn’t it,”“Do you think it’s crazy how fast I’ve just accepted this as the truth, it makes sense to me,”“I don’t think it’s crazy, but if it is then I’m crazy too because this makes all the sense in the world to me,” Jungwoo smiled at him, tongue caught between his teeth, “I like thinking that even though we went our separate ways, our bond just started fresh when we met again,”“I like that it’s you,”Jaehyun moved to nuzzle him, couldn’t help himself because he liked that it was Jungwoo too. He liked that whatever they had, even though they weren’t aware of it as pups it was strong enough to withstand separation and years living different lives with different people. They made it through all of that and now they got to have each other and everything that comes with that. It made him feel good and special that this was what he got to have. And he really liked thinking that all his life his dad thought of Jungwoo, not as someone who’d left the pack to go to school but as someone who could be with Jaehyun, a standard that he expected other people to live up to. And more than that, he absolutely loved that it was Jungwoo that his wolf had picked, loved that their wolves wanted each other before they knew what that meant and waited years for it to work out. It seemed extra special to him, thinking of all the things they’d been through, all the people that had tried to get Jaehyun’s attention over the years and the life Jungwoo had with Lucas, and this was what they came back to. That, to him, made what he was feeling, experiencing with Jungwoo seem that much better. It was heaven sent, what they had, and he never wanted to let it go or be without it.All of that coming together just made him want to retry what he’d messed up the other night. Admitting this to Jungwoo, letting him know about their connection that sometimes seemed unexplainable and knowing that Jungwoo felt it, loved him and was a mess just like he was when their wolves were apart gave him the confidence to ask the other if he could spend the night. It didn’t feel scary anymore it just felt necessary.Jungwoo, for a split second, looked unsure, like Jaehyun was either messing with him or didn’t know what he was saying. And then he was smiling, nudging their noses together, “are you sure,”“I’m sure, I love you and I want to be close to you,” the other night and his panic attack felt so far away and foreign when Jungwoo and him were meant to be together.“Well, I told you that, that offer was open and standing,”Jaehyun kissed him gently, “In that case…I’m staying over tonight,”“Good,” Jungwoo whispered, assured that Jaehyun wanted that and wouldn’t freak out. This was his choice. He wanted to be here, wanted to fall asleep with the omega in his arms. Ever since it didn’t happen, he’d been thinking about it, dreamed of spending the whole night wrapped around him, holding him tight while his and the pup’s heartbeats lulled him to sleep. It sounded so good right now. It sounded like veritable heaven.….Jaehyun could list, easily things he wasn’t expecting to happen to him on a Friday morning, high, potentially number one would be, to hear knocking on his front door and see Bobby Kim standing on the other side.What the what?He debated not answering but then figured he’d already smelled him. He didn’t have a viable escape plan in this. What could he want? To beat him up? For his dad’s interference? To chew him out for the shitshow he’d become a part of? This was going to suck.With a deep breath, he told himself to calm down, this was his home, his turf, it’d be fine. And if it wasn’t, he could just kick him out and not have to deal with him again. God, it had been so nice not seeing him, not smelling his bitter scent or looking at his face, it’d been great.“Jaehyun,” he said, knocking again. Jaehyun sighed, he didn’t have too many other options but to open his door and see what the other wanted so he might as well get it over with.Seeing Bobby on the other side was about as weird as you’d think it would be for him.“Hi,” he said simply, like he wasn’t known to be threatening and aggressive.“What do you want?” Jaehyun asked, in lieu of a greeting while his wolf growled in his chest.“Can we talk,”Was, no I don’t want to, an acceptable answer in this situation? He’d put him through enough, it probably was.“Please,” left Bobby’s lips before Jaehyun could think of anything intelligent to say. He froze up, shocked. That was enough to make him reconsider telling him to get lost, so he opened the door further and let the other inside.Which was so awkward, like unbelievably awkward, as they stood there staring at each other. Jaehyun wasn’t going to help him say whatever it was he wanted to say, he’d stand here all day, silent if he had to. He didn’t owe him a hand in this.“I…your dad told me that he talked to you and Jungwoo about the program we’re in,”He blinked, waited.Bobby sighed, “did he tell you the process,”A question to bait him into talking, nice move.“Not really,”“It’s sort of like what I’ve heard AA is like, there’s steps, but I don’t think it’s as structured as that…it’s more cobbled together for our sakes but it’s working, uh, this is weird,”Jaehyun hummed, crossed his arms over his chest, felt himself puff up to make himself larger which was dumb, but it made his wolf’s hackles drop back so he let it slide.“Okay I’m just gonna put it out there and you can shoot it down or accept it…I’d like to properly apologize to Jungwoo for the stuff I’ve said and done, I can’t speak for the others, but I know at some point they should be asking to do the same," Jaehyun narrowed his eyes at him, “We don’t owe you anything,”“I know you don’t but I’m sorry and I need him to know that. I thought this would be better than ambushing him in the market or cornering him somewhere, I’m asking you if you’d be willing to set up something where we can sit down and talk,”“He doesn’t have anything to say to you,” Jaehyun couldn’t bite back the growl that time. Bobby stepped back when the sound filled the room, his hands went up instinctually. Jaehyun paused seeing that. Once upon a time Bobby would’ve taken someone’s agitation as bait, there were very few parameters he looked for when he wanted to pick a fight with someone, it didn’t take much. That, him dissolving and giving in to his anger, should’ve been enough for him. But he didn’t do anything. He stepped down, made himself smaller, submitted to him…that didn’t make any sense to him. At all.“Your dad told me Jungwoo just wants to move on, can he really do that without hearing that I’m sorry, without forgiving me,”“Do you remember what you said about him? Because I do. And he does. You have no right to ask me to plead your case now, just like you had no right to judge him then, when you didn’t know him,”“Jaehyun,”“You called him a slut, you told him he was filthy, why because he was pregnant? Pregnant by his boyfriend who left to enlist in the army, who didn’t know about the pup, hell Jungwoo didn’t even know until after he left and he came home to feel at ease, to have some back up in this and all he got when he got here was harassment. You called him trash Bobby, do you remember that? Remember making him cry because he cried for hours after that. You and your friends were assholes to him, remind me why you deserve to say your piece…he can feel better and move on without ever thinking about you again and believe me I think he’d find that agreeable actually,”“Jaehyun please, I know it doesn’t amount to much now but I, this whole therapy thing has made me see how fucked up it was that I treated him that way, that I encouraged my friends to do the same, to do worse! I know it was wrong, I see it and there are reasons for it, not good ones in hindsight but still…I want to apologize to him,”“Because your therapist told you that you should,”“No, because it’s part of the process of moving on for all of us and because I’m sorry. I’m sorry to you and to him and I want to make sure you both know that,”He considered that, thought about all the arguments he had for not agreeing to that but suddenly, thinking about how his brother had vouched for them, none of them seemed valid. His brother was one of the best people he knew and if he thought this was working and Bobby was getting better then who was Jaehyun to tell him he was wrong and didn’t deserve any of that? It made him feel worse to think about declining his request, like he was no better than the people who were trying to grow past picking on pregnant omegas.“I’ll ask him but if he shuts it down, I’m not pushing it, you’ll just have to be okay with that,”Bobby looked grateful and a little relieved, “Thank you,”He nodded after Jaehyun didn’t say anything, looking more and more uncomfortable the longer they sat their quietly and then like a switch was flicked, he started again.“I have to apologize to Taeil and Taeyong too, I’m not sure Taeyong would be necessarily willing to talk to me but…but do you think Taeil might want to talk, be there with Jungwoo,”Jaehyun took a deep breath, knowing Taeyong couldn’t stand Bobby more than anyone but knew Taeil had a soft spot for Bobby that remained through all the turmoil and angst he’d caused.“I’ll ask him,”“Taeil,”“Yeah,”He nodded, his relief this time was tainted by what Jaehyun recognized as nerves.“Not looking forward to dealing with Taeyong,”“Honestly,” Bobby quirked an eyebrow, “not at all, the thought alone makes me a little nauseous,”He laughed a little, “it should,”“He’s gonna kick my ass, and I deserve it I know, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to it either,”Jaehyun found himself laughing a little, imagining the way Taeyong’s entire being seized any time Bobby was mentioned. He pitied the other alpha somewhat, knowing Taeyong couldn’t stand him. And might even try to strangle him or something if he tried to talk to him, which reminded Jaehyun of something he felt bad about now, thinking on it.“I’m sorry for almost strangling you,” he said, meaning it more than he ever thought he would.Bobby grinned, “not at all man, I definitely deserved that, he’s your omega, you protected him, that’s like the basest, most natural thing we can do as wolves. I can’t fault you for doing that,”“He wasn’t…isn’t my omega,”Bobby gave him a look, “isn’t he though?”“No, he’s his own before he’s mine, I don’t own him,”Bobby laughed, “no wonder all the omegas wanted you growing up, drove me crazy,”He found it odd that they were bonding now, over things they used to cause fights between them.“I treated them like they were equal to me because they are, that’s not an impossible concept Bobby,”“It was to me, especially growing up, my dad drilled it into me that I was part of the superior race, you start to believe it after a while. And it’s hard to break that way of thinking but I’m trying,”“I guess that counts for something,”“Your brother thinks so too, he’s pretty cool by the way,”Jaehyun laughed, “don’t ever tell him that, he’ll be insufferable, his mate already feeds his ego far too much,”Bobby laughed at that, looking like he knew what he was talking about.“Can I ask you something,”Jaehyun nodded.“You and Jungwoo really aren’t mated,”That made him smile, triumphantly, thrilled thinking that people thought that.“No, we aren’t,”“But you’ve been courting for a while right,”“I asked him after the solstice festival,” he said, watching Bobby’s face morph with shock.“Wow,”“Is that surprising to you,”“No…well yes but I thought you had been courting for a while before that,”Jaehyun wondered if that was the consensus around town, and that’s why his mom freaked out when she did because everyone just had it in their heads that they were courting when they weren’t.“I honestly thought you two were together after you attacked me at dinner,”“I attacked you at dinner because you were being a dick,”Bobby hung his head, “yeah, I know, I know,”For some reason that Jaehyun didn’t understand, he actually felt bad for making Bobby of all people, feel bad. What was that? It felt so odd to be on the same page as Bobby but if they could make this all work, put their feud to bed and move on then he could get behind it. He did, however, fear Jungwoo’s reaction. But if he could convince him to give his mom another shot, he was sure getting him to think about talking to Bobby wouldn’t be an impossible ask.“So, I’ll ask him and let you know,”“And Taeil too,” he looked so hopeful in that instant, Jaehyun wondered if the feelings he had years ago were still there even though Taeil had been mated for ages, even though their lives had taken them in different directions. It made him sad to think about because it sort of reminded him of Jungwoo and him, before he knew their feelings were mutual, when he was convinced that Jungwoo wouldn’t want him and was just waiting for Lucas to show up. Before he knew and trusted that they were supposed to be together and figure things out, he was worried that nothing would turn out for them. He knew that if Jungwoo didn’t want him, he’d be okay with that, but he’d still spend the rest of life loving him, looking out for him. It seemed that Bobby was living that.“Thank you Jaehyun, really,”Jaehyun smiled a little at him, “don’t thank me yet, I haven’t even asked him,”“Yeah but you talked to me,” said like it was obvious which if he thought about it, maybe it was. It was no small feat, the two of them talking to each other after so many years of animosity and avoidance. Perhaps he had been inspired by Jungwoo, like he had been so many times before. If he could face his mom after everything, Jaehyun could talk to Bobby, could consider putting their pasts behind them to start fresh and move on. It sounded so nice, a clean slate. A new beginning where things were settled and happy and calm. If it was just him, he might not even entertain things with Bobby and his friends, but it isn’t just him. He has Jungwoo and his pup, he’s been asked to be part of their lives and love them, take care of them, that inspired him to be the best possible version of himself. For them. For them, he could try to give Bobby and the others another shot. That started with trying to see if Jungwoo wanted that at all.….He approached him with it the next morning, not wanting to leave it too long and risk Bobby’s old self coming back to the surface and lashing out in his impatience. So, he got it over with quickly, figuring that was for the best.“Jungwoo,”The omega looked up from the plate he was drying, his own hands still submerged in bubbles and warm water as he washed up their dishes from their late breakfast.“Yes,” he smirked at him, knocking his shoulder into him.“I had a really weird talk with someone yesterday,”Jungwoo hummed, putting the plate aside to take the one he was handing him.“Bobby,”Jungwoo froze.“Are you okay,” he said when he got himself together enough to talk.Jaehyun smiled at him, “oh yeah, he didn’t try anything he just wanted to talk,”Jungwoo didn’t look like he believed that but still asked, “what did he say?”“That he was sorry and wanted to know if you’d be willing to talk,”“Talk about what,”“Jungwoo,”“Don’t Jae,”“I’m not doing anything Woo,”“You had the, you’re being unreasonable, tone that you use when I thank you for things or am ridiculous about accepting gifts,”“I was just trying to make sure you didn’t freak out,”“Should I not freak out about the ring leader behind months of tormenting wants to talk to me, after weeks of nothing,” Jungwoo put the dish aside, spun away from him, “what would he even have to say, nothing I want to hear I’m sure,”“Jungwoo he wants to apologize,”“Right,” he huffed, moving further away from him, out of his reach and away from his nonsense. “I don’t want to talk to him, or see him,”Jaehyun blinked, not necessarily surprised at his anger just shocked at the intensity of it, “Okay, that’s fine, I just wanted to put it out there,” he murmured, getting the distinct impression that he was in trouble.“Great, wonderful, perfect, you put it out there and now you can go tell him that I’m not interested which will make me look like the bitchy, awful omega he made sure everybody believed I was,” well that backfired completely.“Jungwoo,”“What happened to the guy who wanted to protect me from them and their crap, where’d he go,”Jaehyun shook his head, “Are you talking about me,”“Of course, I’m talking about you Jae! I remember you saying, they wouldn’t bother me anymore, you’d keep them away from us, and now, here you are, defending him,”“I’m not defending him,” his eyebrows drew together in confusion, felt like he wasn’t even talking to Jungwoo anymore. Like he’d been possessed by someone angry and mean, not his usual calm, gentle, ‘everybody deserves another chance’ Jungwoo. It was making his head spin a little honestly.Before he could respond again, Jungwoo huffed, “whatever,” and moved away from him,“I…I think I’m gonna lay down, you can uhm…”“Go?”“I just kind of want to be alone Jae,”His wolf hated the thought of leaving the other when he was so visibly bothered and annoyed at them as well but what was he supposed to do right now. Jungwoo wouldn’t be interested in anything else he had to say which meant the best thing he could do was give him some time to calm down. At least he didn’t seem sad or like he might cry, if that was the case Jaehyun would’ve had a really difficult time leaving him.“Okay, I’ll see you later,”Jungwoo didn’t step away when Jaehyun leaned close to kiss his cheek goodbye, which seemed like a good sign to him.And of course, he couldn’t blame Jungwoo for reacting that way, after everything that had happened with them. Though he was surprised it was as extreme as that, considering he’d already gone through this with his mom. If he could face her, he could face anything. Maybe he was just having a bad day. That thought in mind, he made for the door, hoping that the omega could get some rest and wouldn’t be so angry at him later that he couldn’t fix it.He made his way to dinner that night by himself for the first time in ages, which felt foreign and wrong for so many reasons. He mentally prepared himself for his friends anger when he arrived alone but was shocked to see Jungwoo already sat around their pit, smiling at Johnny who was saying something clearly entertaining while Taeil sat on his other side, brushing his hair behind his ear again and again.Jaehyun watched Jungwoo catch sight of him, which was something he hadn’t prepared himself for, he didn’t want to make things worse, so he didn’t bring a gift or prepare anything super sweet to say but figured he was forgiven when the omega stood up and closed the distance between them.Jaehyun, happily, greedily, caught him in his arms when Jungwoo got close enough.“I’m sorry Jae, I’m so sorry,”“No, I’m sorry, you have every reason to not want to talk to him or hear his crap, I should’ve defended that harder when I saw him,”“But you were just being your usual wonderful self, and I freaked out,”“You’re wonderful too, more wonderful and sweeter and good and nobody deserves you-”“-Jae-”“-and if you don’t want to talk to him, you don’t want to talk to him, you have every right to not want that in your life,”Jungwoo hummed before whispering, “you’ll be there,” dropping their foreheads together afterwards.“I’ll be there, and he wants to talk to Taeil too so he can be there and Taeyong if he agrees,”Jungwoo groaned, “okay,”“Woo, I don’t want you to do this just because I put it out there, I want you to do it if you want to…okay you not being interested in this is only gonna make you more stressed, which isn’t good for the pup,”“Yeah but I’ll be extra stressed if I say no, knowing he has something to say and ignoring that will just…make me feel guilty,”“If you want to,”“I want to,”“I’ll…I’ll let him know I guess,” wolf wondering why the hell they were suddenly willingly seeking out and thinking of the alpha they’d actively avoided their entire lives.Jungwoo buried against his neck.“If it counts, he sounded sorry,”“It counts that you think so,” he took a deep breath before adding, “I’m sorry I yelled at you,”“I’ve had worse,” he said, grinning when Jungwoo’s ears went red and he groaned, ducking into him to hide. Jaehyun smiled against his hair before kissing his forehead, “did you eat,”“No, I was waiting for you,”“What if I didn’t show up,”“I figured you would,” Jungwoo smiled, he knew him so freaking well it was wild.Jaehyun hummed, having a couple different smart, teasing things to say to that but kept them in, wrapping his arm around Jungwoo to keep him close instead, guiding him to the table to get something to eat.If someone had suggested a few weeks ago that he’d be willing to let Bobby around Jungwoo and his pup, seek him out with the expectation of an apology, he would’ve flat out laughed and told them to get away from him. But it seemed, things had changed and were changing. Since it was happening, it was real, and he was doing it. He knew the days leading up to this would be stressful for Jungwoo, but he’d try to keep him distracted and safe and relaxed. That was his job after all, one he was pretty good at too.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Things were good. Great even, sure there was the looming possibility of a talk with Bobby, but he refused to let that taint his mood and he certainly didn’t let it touch his mornings. His mornings with Jungwoo were sacred. Now that they’d discovered how connected they were, reveling in the fact that this could’ve been years in the making for them, meant to be in a dizzying, wonderful sort of way, everything else just made more sense. Where he’d felt close to Jungwoo before, felt important to him, now he felt closer, vital like the wolf that sat in his chest and the heart that ticked away beside them. With all of that, naturally came staying at Jungwoo’s and not panicking about it. Enjoying it, committing the way his breathing evened out and the way his eyebrows scrunched when he was dreaming to memory, making the most of it and the early hours when no one else was awake, the pup was still calm, Jaehyun and Jungwoo could just be. Just the two of them, in a way he hadn’t realized he’d craved all his life until it was there for him, a routine he and his wolf never, ever wanted to be without. Not now that they had it.Why would they? When it went a little something like this, except this morning, unlike other mornings, they actually had somewhere to be.“Morning,” Jungwoo whispered, coming up to hug him from behind, his nose was a little cold where it tucked against his neck.“Good morning,”“I haven’t gotten used to waking up and finding you here, but I really like it,”“I like waking up and being here too,”Jungwoo hummed, kissing the side of his neck gently before he took the mug from Jaehyun’s hands.“You know what else I like,”He hummed to show him he was listening.“That I don’t have to watch you leave anymore,”Jaehyun opened his mouth but Jungwoo cut him off, “saying goodbye always sucked so bad…sorry that was heavy for 7:30 in the morning,”He pulled him closer, pressed a kiss to the top of his head when he ducked forward. He liked thinking that Jungwoo hated being away from him too but didn’t like thinking that they’d both, foolishly, been in pain every time they said good night and parted ways. They put each other through that, such a small thing, so it brought him peace knowing that they wouldn’t go through that anymore or potentially ever again. Not if Jaehyun had anything to say about it. He always had plenty to say.Jungwoo swerved, before he could say anything at all or even compose himself enough to, “I’m excited to see Hyuck and Mark, its felt so weird not having them at the market with us,”“I know, Mark seemed excited after Hyuck agreed,”Jungwoo hummed as he sipped his tea, “I’d like for them to feel better maybe that’s selfish, I can’t imagine going through what they have but Mark has mentioned just wanting to do normal things, it isn’t helping them get better dwelling on what’s happened. I think Hyuck’s afraid that if he enjoys things again like he used to or finds peace that people will think he’s ignoring things…I think it’s normal to want to feel better, no one would think he was heartless for trying to move past this,”“He might think that though pumpkin,” he’d known Donghyuck most of his life and he knew the goofy, bright omega who laughed constantly and always had a teasing comment in the chamber was also known to take shots at himself before others could. He was his own biggest critic, like so many of them were but that didn’t mean he deserved to be critiqued or that he was right when he did. Donghyuck had found himself in a pretty dark place recently, if Mark’s pared down version was anything to go by, and that meant his head was probably still stuck there on a bad day. It would be a while before his bad days were fewer and things didn’t look so dismal or hopeless. Time heals, is that what people say? Maybe Donghyuck would be able to prove that theory.Jungwoo tipped his head at him, “he’s not heartless,”“We know that, but he’s been through hell, his head and his wolf will carry this around for a while, it’s a long road back for him, for both of them, but they’re getting there, that’s all anyone could hope for right,”Jungwoo nodded, “I guess,”He didn’t believe that, okay, “How about this, even though in your heart you knew Hanbin was wrong, was there a tiny part of you that believed those things, no matter how often I told you he was crazy,”Jungwoo blinked before nodding.“And it took you time to believe that he was wrong, and you were perfect,”“Jae,”“I’m sure this doesn’t make much sense to Donghyuck, but I don’t think this sort of thing is supposed to make sense, he’ll get there, one day,”He caught Jungwoo smiling softly at him, patting the side of Jaehyun’s face before he shuffled to the table to sit, sleeves of his pajamas curled over his fingers as he held the mug tight.He sat next to him, knowing they were waiting to have something to eat with Donghyuck and Mark, content to watch Jungwoo sip his tea and feel his socked feet shuffle against his under the table. He figured it was time for a subject change, not liking the cloud that was hanging over them, wanting to get rid of it before the pair they were worried about showed up. The tried and true way to successfully change the subject for good was always his pup, which led him to a question he’d been wondering about since the pup first moved under his touch.“Does the pup keep you up,” he asked, only just barely conscious of the fact that he was asking him that till Jungwoo smiled at him.“Do they keep you up,”“I asked you first,”Jungwoo smiled wider, “sometimes, now that they’re stronger I’m more aware of the fact that they’re moving but they’ve been calmer the last couple days…which is pretty coincidental if you ask me,”“Coincidental,”“Mm, my alpha’s been spending the night, so we’ve been having pretty good sleeps,”Jaehyun felt himself preen with that. He kept them safe, he brought them comfort, he protected them. Now that he’d stayed, spent a few nights with Jungwoo in his nest he couldn’t remember what he was afraid of or why it was something to worry about at all. It felt so natural to fall asleep with Jungwoo in his arms, to feel the pups gentle tapping movements against his stomach every time Jungwoo shifted or nuzzled closer to him. Just as he was about to tease him, his wolf latched onto what he’d actually said, effectively allowing their brain to short circuit. My alpha. That’s what Jungwoo had called him. His alpha. Jungwoo’s alpha. Shit.He cleared his throat, not quite trusting himself to form sounds, let alone full, articulate words.“Your…your alpha,” he whispered, not daring to say more.Jungwoo’s cheeks went pink, like he was realizing he’d said that out loud too, but he smiled, proud of himself apparently.“You are, aren’t you,”Well, his wolf absolutely loved that. But also, didn’t know what to do with it, what did he say, how did he deal with that. Said so simply, like it was obvious, like he should’ve known. That was what they were courting for after all. But even after all this time, all their talks, everything they’d been through, he didn’t dare hope for something so wonderful. So perfectly, exactly what he wanted.“Am I,” he whispered.Jungwoo hummed, “Unless you don’t want to be,”“I do! I do, I really do,”He laughed at him, probably thinking he was ridiculous and a little slow because he was and clearly, Jaehyun couldn’t let Jungwoo forget that for even a second.“You know it’s a little early to be trying to kill me Woo, at least let me have breakfast first,”“I’m not trying to kill you!”“You are, you absolutely are, you can’t just…attack me like that,”Jungwoo narrowed his eyes a tiny bit before giggling, falling forward to prop against his shoulder. “You’re ridiculous,” see, knew it! He knew it.“I know,” he said since he couldn’t argue with that and instead, he moved like a magnet into Jungwoo’s field to kiss him, but the omega whined and pulled back.“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet Jae,”“Don’t care,” and he actually didn’t, sliding his hand across his cheek, back into his hair to tug Jungwoo close, pecking him till he whined again, sagging forward to kiss him back.“That’s gross,” he muttered.“Mm, you kissed me back so what does that say about you,”“That I’m gross too,”Jaehyun laughed, grabbed Jungwoo’s waist when he stood up, “come back,”“I’m gonna brush my teeth, we can come right back to this,” Jungwoo said, cheeks bright.“Hyuck and Mark are gonna be here soon,”“Oh…so you don’t want to-”“-I didn’t say that,” he hopped up, wrapping his arms around Jungwoo as they shuffled to the bathroom, rushed through their routines to make the most of the time they had till their partners in crime showed up. They’d finished washing up, Jaehyun was pulling on a clean shirt from the pile of clothes he’d started hoarding here while Jungwoo fluffed his nest back to his satisfaction, purring a little as he did. Jaehyun thought it was adorable but wondered if he was even aware that he was doing it. Omegas were known to purr when they were completely content, of course that did crazy things to his alpha.He didn’t want to draw attention to it, lest it make him stop but he couldn’t just not be close to him right now. Though he did restrain himself till Jungwoo appeared finished fixing the nest, stepping back with a little nod. As soon as he saw that though, he moved behind him, wrapping around the omega till he could easily bury his nose against his scent gland.Jungwoo leaned back against him, purring continuing while his scent thickened around them, peaches, cinnamon and cedar trees.“You smell good,”Jungwoo spun around, pulled his head down to kiss him for a moment that wasn’t nearly long enough for him.“That wasn’t very nice,” he said when Jungwoo stepped back. He didn’t like Jungwoo not kissing him, if he could, he’d just keep doing that for hours and hours on end. He thought Jungwoo agreed with that so why’d he stop?“Sorry, did you not hear the knocking,”“No,” he just wanted to continue ignoring the outside world for a little while longer but Jungwoo didn’t appear to be on the same page as him.Jungwoo shook his head, “thought alphas had the superior senses,”“Not compared to yours, pregnant omegas are like the super race,”That made him laugh loudly, all the way out of his room, down the hall to open his front door for a cheerful looking Mark and Donghyuck.“Morning love birds,” Donghyuck beamed, holding up a paper bag as he proclaimed, “bagels and I brought cinnamon bread for a snack later,”Jungwoo looked entirely delighted with that and might have even started purring again but Jaehyun couldn’t be sure since all he could properly hear was Donghyuck laughing about how cute Jungwoo looked this morning and Mark complaining that it reeked. He sniffed Jaehyun exaggeratedly.“Happy Jae,”He grinned, not feeling like he really had to answer that.Jungwoo tucked himself under Jaehyun’s arm, while Donghyuck rolled his eyes and went in search of coffee and the toaster, dragging Mark with him.At this point, wasn’t his happiness sort of a given?….Jaehyun had watched Donghyuck wave at the last customer in their queue, all of them heaving matching sighs as they finally had a little bit of a lull to enjoy. Jungwoo eagerly tucked into his snack of blueberries and a piece of cinnamon bread while Donghyuck dropped to snuggle into Mark’s open arms. He liked seeing them happy, light and carefree like there could be clouds looming in the distance, but they weren’t so threatening anymore. It was nice.“I went back to work on Friday,” Donghyuck said quietly which made Jungwoo put down his bite and focus on him.“You did,”Jaehyun hadn’t known for sure that Donghyuck had taken time off work after his last miscarriage and the grief that followed but he had considered that he might, most omegas did. Just to heal and get back on their feet. Jaehyun knew, if he were in that position or even if he was with someone who lost a pup that would take it out of him for weeks. Donghyuck, having gone through this a few times already, he was incredible, he didn’t have any proper words to describe him really, Jaehyun just knew he left him in awe these days.“Yeah,”“How was it,”“Okay,” he started fiddling with his fingers, “I was worried that Mr. Choi would treat me different or not give me so much to do, but he didn’t, it was like I’d just came back from vacation or something…he did give me a hug though, which almost made me cry but yeah, it was good,”Jungwoo smiled, looked like he didn’t quite know what to say next.“Jimin said that was the worst part for him, just people treating him like he should be broken,” Mark rubbed his back as he kept talking, “he was broken but he didn’t want people knowing or acting like he was, it made him feel like he couldn’t get out of it or get past it when people did that,”“I just think people don’t always know how to handle those sorts of things,”Donghyuck hummed, gave his best friend a little smile, “I just need everyone to keep treating me like I’m me, I’ll be forced to be someone else if you guys tiptoe around me and act like I am,”“I don’t want to be insensitive, or for you to feel like I don’t care about how this has all been for you,”Donghyuck and Mark exchanged a look before the omega shook his head, like he didn’t quite believe what Jungwoo was saying.“Jungwoo, the best thing you could’ve done for me is ask me to come back to the farmer’s market, this is normal for me, I want normal again…I know I’m gonna carry this around with me for a long time and a part of me might never be over it completely but I have to start doing the things I used to do and putting my life back together, I also know this one can’t stand me sad anymore,”Mark nuzzled the top of his head, “I can’t stand not knowing how to help,”Donghyuck twisted to look up at him, whispered something that Jaehyun didn’t catch but made the pair of them smile as Jungwoo sagged back into him.“And talk about the pup Woo,” Donghyuck cut back in, “I’ll tell you if it’s too much okay,”“Hyuckie,”“I want you to talk about him, that’s normal for you and me, I promise to let you know if I can’t handle it,”Jungwoo smiled at him but didn’t say anything. The next couple seconds they were all quiet till Jungwoo turned to him, “Jae,”He sat forward with a hum.“Will you get me some water,”He nodded and stood up.“Cold water Jae, please,”“You got it pumpkin, I’ll be right back,” he caught Mark smirking at him but ignored it, hurrying off to the little cooler to grab one of the little cups to fill with cold water for Jungwoo. They had a couple customers when he came back and handed the cup to Jungwoo. They moved away with their few jars of pickles and a wave while Jungwoo sighed.“Okay,” he said before taking a sip. And then another and another till the cup was empty.“More,” he asked but Jungwoo shook his head, the three of them were quiet as they waited for whatever Jungwoo was expecting.He grinned excitedly, reached his hand out for Donghyuck’s to lay them together over the swell of his bump. The other omega blinked a few times, expressionless before he too started smiling.“Whoa,” he whispered, “that’s wild,”“You okay,”Donghyuck bit his lip and just kept nodding, “they’re so strong,”“And getting stronger, I’m a little scared of how they’re going to brutalize me the longer they’re in there,”Mark laughed at him, asked if he could feel too which made Donghyuck tuck closer to him. The two of them looked lost in their own world even after they pulled their hands away and retreated into their bubble for a bit. Jungwoo and Jaehyun didn’t bug them, knowing this was far from easy and being confronted, head on with the very thing they couldn’t keep their hands on, was sure to send them spiraling. He was happy they at least could get lost in one another when this all got to be too much.A few more customers came and went and Donghyuck brightened back up, like sunshine breaking through a particular pesky cloud, resumed his post with the samples and being really good at drawing people in.They were almost done for the day when Minho stopped by to say hi, having been on a different schedule from him at the shop for so long now, they hadn’t properly seen each other in what felt like ages. He had his youngest pup strapped to his front with a series of wrappings that made Mark laugh and Donghyuck and Jungwoo coo. Taemin waved excitedly from behind him with their other pup, Hyungmin settled on his hip.“Uncle Jae,” Hyungmin scrambled from Taemin’s arms to meet Jaehyun where he’d moved to scoop him up.“Hey buddy, what in the world are you parents feeding you huh, you just keep growing,” he snuggled him, aware of the attention being paid to him before Donghyuck and Jungwoo’s attention was effectively stolen by the baby while Mark’s eyes went wide.“He’s so little,” Mark said quietly.Minho rubbed a hand down the back of his pups head while Taemin said, “he was about a month early, so he’s still playing catch up but you should’ve seen him a month or so ago, he was really tiny,” his voice tapered off to this small, fragile thing that made Minho kiss the top of his head. Jaehyun was just glad to see all of them happy and healthy.“Anyway, Jimin will not shut up about these pickles so if I want to keep my sanity,” he trailed off again, smiling in that bright, intriguing way of his. Jungwoo laughed while he asked which he wanted to try, he had normal pickled cucumbers and some peppers left. As they talked, Jaehyun chest clenched, his work family interacting with his closest friends and the person he’d picked to have a family of his own with was doing wild things to his head and wolf. To deflect that a little, he settled for messing with Taemin. It always served to make him feel better. “Tae,”“Mhmm,” Taemin hummed, looking up from the display of pickles.“You did not just have a pup, like what, a couple months ago,” all signs that he’d been pregnant at all seemed nonexistent.“I did, he’s right there,” he smirked under the compliment while he pointed to his baby snoozing blissfully against his mate’s chest.“He’s a mutant,” Minho grinned back at the other omega who glowed but decided to ignore them in favor of Jungwoo who was talking excitedly and blushing as the older omega fawned over him.“Uncle Jae,” Hyungmin’s little voice called for his attention.“Yeah buddy,”“Who’s that,”He followed the little boys eyeline to Jungwoo who was laughing at whatever Taemin had just said to him.“That’s Jungwoo,”Hyungmin gnawed at his bottom lip, “he ate a baby too,”At the table Taemin laughed hysterically, clapped his hands together quickly.“I-”“No Min, remember that’s not real,” Minho corrected.“Mommy said,”Minho looked stressed like he’d had this exact conversation too many times to count, “but that’s not right,”Hyungmin shook his head, “Mommy said,”Taemin raised his eyebrows at his mate, “that’s right little love,” he moved to collect him back out of Jaehyun’s arms, “Mommy said and Daddy’s wrong,”Minho groaned, “I can’t win,”“Daddy’s wong,” Hyungmin cheered, laying his head down on Taemin’s shoulder.“And Jungwoo’s going to have his pup real soon,”Hyungmin smiled.“Like Mommy had,”“Yes, just like Mommy had,” he kissed the top of his head, “you look wonderful Jungwoo by the way,”“Thank you,” he blushed, sagging back into his side when he came back around the table to his seat. Taemin smiled back at him, picked up a jar of pickles with his free hand while Minho gave Jaehyun some money for it. They said goodbye to all of them as Minho asked if he’d be in the shop tomorrow morning.“Maybe, why,”“Just wondering, see you tomorrow maybe,”Jaehyun laughed at him as he waved and walked away after his mate and son.“Hyungmin is the cutest little thing,” Donghyuck sighed, not bothered by pup or baby talk at the moment and too preoccupied with fawning over their cuteness instead.Jungwoo’s scent soured a little next to him.“What’s wrong Woo,” Donghyuck beat him to asking.“Just…everyone I’ve talked to recently has some sort of premature pup story…I’d never thought of them being early but what if they are and something happens,” his focus moved from Donghyuck to the space where Minho and his family had just been to Jaehyun. “What if-”Donghyuck cut him off, back to his rightful role of best friend, super supporter after a brief interlude.“Jungwoo they’ll show up when they’re meant to and if that’s a little earlier than you had planned on, I believe that you’ve given them everything they need to fight through that, they’re your pup, they could make it through anything,”Jungwoo nodded, eyes brimming with tears, “I just worry, this has all been so mellow,”“That doesn’t mean that the rest of it could be bad, it’s okay,”Jungwoo moved away from him, closer to Donghyuck where they stayed attached for the rest of the morning, though he missed his warmth a little, their happiness and mingled scents was more than enough to make up for it.….Jaehyun did end up going to the shop, worked on finalizing the rocking chair he was still working on for Jungwoo, applying the last coat of stain and enjoyed catching up with Minho. It was easy and normal and fun while his older friend congratulated him on asking Jungwoo to court, apologizing that it was overdue.They left the shop together a couple hours later, Minho asking him if he’d want to come to Hyungmin’s birthday party, the little boy was insistent after seeing him and Jungwoo yesterday.“I think, he might have a tiny crush on Jungwoo actually,”Jaehyun laughed, feeling super fond of the little alpha pup, “really,” it reminded him immediately of his own young self, thinking Jungwoo was beautiful and fascinating and wanting to be around him.“Yeah, he wouldn’t stop talking about him the whole day after and kept asking if he could see him, which led to him wanting him to come to his birthday party,”“And I’m invited by default,”Minho shrugged, “Taemin thinks its adorable and harmless, obviously but he also didn’t tell him that you and Jungwoo are together, not that he’d fully understand that anyway,”Jaehyun shook his head, “when and where,”“Saturday at 1,” Minho grinned from ear to ear, “our place, Jimin, Kook and their pups will be there in case you need to convince him with something,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes, “I think you underestimate the cuteness of your pups and Jungwoo’s resolve against that,”“Pup fever is real man,”“Yeah, you’re telling me,”Minho nodded, turning at Kibum’s voice yelling across the square at him, “oh here we go,” he groaned before moving away from Jaehyun with a wave, “maybe I’ll see you later this week, if not, maybe Saturday,”He watched him go before heading back home, get changed and then maybe go see Jungwoo. Without him working anymore, Jaehyun worried about him being on his own so often. Which truthfully was the cover story he used to spend more time with Jungwoo. He knew he didn’t need it anymore, but it made Jungwoo laugh when he called it that.He caught the scent of peaches and cinnamon before he saw Jungwoo standing on his porch, wrapped tight in his coat and scarf.“Hey,” briefly panic threatened to swallow him whole, thinking that the omega had been here in the cold for a long time, “have you been here long,”Jungwoo spun with that smile that took his breath away, skipped down the steps to him, “no, I just got here, but I guess you being out explains why you didn’t answer your door,”“I went to the shop,”Jungwoo hummed, not looking like he remembered him and Minho talking about both being there when they spoke at the market yesterday. That pregnancy brain of his was no joke.“Do you have plans for the rest of the day,” Jungwoo asked, tipping into the kiss Jaehyun pressed to his cheek, stepping inside when Jaehyun opened the door for him.“I think I might be spending it with you,” he smirked at Jungwoo’s back, humming at the color on his ears and the plume of his warm scent that filled the room. His scent here, in his home, on his things, lingering in the air he breathed felt so right. He needed to spend more time here, so it lingered long after he was gone. Or maybe not, Jaehyun didn’t spend a ton of time here these days anyway.“Or me and my mom,”Jaehyun blinked at him, not sure if he heard him right.“She invited us to lunch,”His wolf made a move almost identical to his own, head tipped, eyes blinking comically slow.“Us, as in you and me…together,”Jungwoo laughed, “yes, you and me, together,”“And she’s aware that that implies me, being at her house for lunch,”“Yes, Jae, I think she’s knows that. I scolded her for not being super nice the last time she saw you and her answer to that was, ‘go get him, we’ll have lunch,’ so, what’d you think,”Jaehyun gathered him close, “I think I’m having lunch with you and your mom,”“Yay,” Jungwoo squealed.“Just let me change, I got some stain on me,”“Oh, what are you working on,”“A surprise,”Jungwoo paled, knowing what that meant. He groaned, “oh no, Jae,” his distraught voice followed him down the hall to his room where he swapped his shirt for a clean one and swapped his jeans for a fresh pair, a darker pair that he’d noticed Jungwoo always seemed to like. If how he looked at him and couldn’t seem to stop any time, he wore them was any indication. This time was no different.He came back into his living room where Jungwoo was looking at the couple of pictures on his mantle, smiling at the one of him and Hajun sat together in matching sweaters one Christmas, last Christmas actually, because that wasn’t embarrassing at all.“Ready,”Jungwoo grinned, turned to look at him and Jaehyun watched his face twitch, color flooded his cheeks which made Jaehyun smirk, dimples out in full force while his wolf rumbled at the piqued interest of their omega.“Okay,”Jungwoo swallowed. Didn’t say anything as he took his extended hand and let Jaehyun pull him back out of his house and down the street towards his mom’s.The walk there didn’t take too long which he was thankful for because it was beginning to feel colder, much, much colder. And the sky had gone completely gray, clouds hung over head like a veil, a snow sky. He’d have to pick up some more food for Jungwoo before dinner tonight, so he had plenty in case they all got snowed in. And bring in some more firewood for him. And for his mom, if she let him.Her mood was bright, brighter than he could ever remember when they got to her house and Jungwoo let himself in.“Mom,” he called, nose sniffing the air as Jaehyun did the same at the heavenly smell wafting out from the small kitchen. Chae emerged a few seconds later, flour streaked down her sweater, an exact replica of what Jungwoo looked like when he cooked. Though he was a little more adorable if you asked Jaehyun.“Hi,” she rushed to them, took Jungwoo’s coat and scarf from Jaehyun’s hands where he’d helped the omega out of them.“Mom, I’m fine,” he whined while she fussed over him, ignoring him. Jaehyun removed his own coat to put it on the rack beside the door and grinned at Chae when her attention honed in on him.“Hi Chae, how are you,”“Good, how are you,”Jaehyun didn’t think his most honest answer of anxious would go over well. He just didn’t understand how they’d seemed fine and then all because she knew he was fighting with his mom over Jungwoo, he was back on the shit list. He figured, if anything, it would paint him in a better light that he was sticking beside Jungwoo, was willing to fight for him. Maybe the whole thing was just too much, and he was too alpha for her liking. It made him sad, but he’d just have to keep trying, he’d get there.“Pretty good, thanks for having me, us, me with him…” he coughed to stop his rambling while Jungwoo patted the top of his head and his mom gave him a funny look that morphed into a smile. She moved back towards the kitchen but not before grabbing Jungwoo’s hand and started pulling him along.The omega, turned to pull him too, whispering a nearly silent, “calm down,”“Sorry,” he whispered back.“Your scent is like…really strong,”“Sorry,” he said again, not realizing that he was panicking a tiny bit. He scolded himself to get out of his head, be here with them for lunch which was not a big deal at all. Except it felt like a big deal to him who had been trying really hard to just be on her good side, get her to like him. She’d invited him to have lunch with them which felt huge and like something that deserved just a little panic. Jungwoo’s time with his mom was sacred, he didn’t mess with that. It was important, that he got to be here, it was just messing him a little bit too.“Uh,” he stopped, making Jungwoo and his mom stop too.“Jae,”“It looks like it might snow,” he blurted, shaking his head afterward, what the hell was going on with him? “I…I’ll, I can get you some more firewood Chae, bring some in for you,”Chae raised an eyebrow at him over Jungwoo’s shoulder like she wasn’t quite sure was what was happening.“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do that,” he decided before either of the omegas could protest or get a word in.“Okay,” she appeared to see something she didn’t want to argue with.He went back for his coat, afraid about his stress taking over like it’d been known to do lately, heard Jungwoo whispering to his mom, ‘no, no I know, I’ll be right there,’As he reached for the door, Jungwoo’s warm hand grabbed his.“Jae,”“Yeah,”“It’s okay,” his quiet, steady voice curled over his shoulders, around his chest like a hug. Jaehyun sighed, not able to fight the comforted feeling that followed having Jungwoo so close to him.“I know, I know, I just…I just want to help,”Jungwoo snuggled his shoulder and he didn’t have to see him to know he was smiling fondly at him.“Okay,” Jungwoo pulled at him a little, nosing his cheek till Jaehyun turned to look at him, kissed him quickly. He didn’t look like he’d let him go without it. Not that he was complaining. At all.“You don’t have to, you know, it’s…cold, just stay here,”“I have my coat today pumpkin,” he turned to him completely to meet Jungwoo’s unimpressed look. “Don’t look at me like that,”The pout he was wearing intensified.“Woo,”“She wants you here,”He nodded.“She does, she promised but you have to let her try okay,”Jaehyun smiled at his calmness, wondered where this attitude was when it was his mom doing this to them instead.“I panicked,”“I know you did,” Jungwoo hummed, laced his fingers together behind his head. Trapped. But in the best way. “But it’s lunch Jae, it’s simple okay, she wouldn’t have invited you if she wanted to get rid of you in the first five minutes to get her more firewood, you can do that after okay, if you insist,”He moved forward to rest his head against Jungwoo’s, happy in his space, calmer with his scent stronger in his nose then his own. A couple deep breaths did the trick to soothe the last bits of his frazzled nerves or maybe it was Jungwoo’s fingers stroking the back of his head, peaches and cinnamon acting like a sedative. God, the effect he had on him, the hold he kept was so wild to him. But great, the best because he was so lucky that this was happening to him.With Jungwoo’s gentle encouragement he made his way to Chae’s kitchen with him, vowed to get her more firewood before they left if she needed it. For now, he could have lunch with them, try to relax and enjoy their company, willing to believe that his attempts to be liked and accepted and welcomed weren’t one sided. Not today at least.Chae smiled at him warmly when he came to stand at the island with Jungwoo. She didn’t draw attention to his nerves or his freak out which he was incredibly thankful for. It became easier after that as the amazing smells of lunch took over any and all thoughts outside of getting something to eat.She’d went all out, according to Jungwoo, with homemade sausage stew, steamed monkfish that his father had apparently bought for her on his last grocery run, fried rice, some cold noodles and a plate of buns that Jungwoo dragged close to himself, swatting his hands away when Jaehyun tried to grab one.“I can’t have one,”“These are my favorite,” Jungwoo whispered as his reason for nearly biting his fingers off.“Jungwoo,” his mom said without looking up from the pot of soup she was transferring into a different bowl.“But…” he pouted, eyes huge where he was looking at Jaehyun, trying to plead his case over not having to share. He didn’t particularly care about having a bun, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, getting to tease the other. He rarely let those opportunities slip through his fingers.“Just one,”“There’s other stuff for you to eat,” he argued back, in a move so unlike the Jungwoo he knew and loved.“Aish, how old are you,” his mom flicked his forehead, “you can live without two, come on,”“TWO,” he howled. Jaehyun shook his head thinking they were asking him to do something horrible like chop off a limb. He frowned even as he moved two buns off the plate onto theirs, sticking his tongue out at Jaehyun’s amused laugh.“What’s up with you,”His mom laughed at his rhetorical question.“You mean you didn’t know he was a brat about food, he hates sharing,”“Mom,” he groaned.“No, I definitely didn’t know that,”“Jae,” he whined, apparently not remembering how to form full sentences and definitely not liking being ganged up on, even if it was just him and his mom.“Maybe I just love you so much, I’ve always been willing to overlook it,”“Shush,” Jungwoo pushed him away a little.He caught Chae smiling at them, “rose colored glasses,”“Yeah, something like that,” he watched her move away again, back to the stove while he put the meat bun back on Jungwoo’s hoard. The omega looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth in the way that always made Jaehyun’s breath catch.“I don’t need it,”“Jae,”“I don’t need it pumpkin,” the omega laughed, relinquished his hold on the plate to touch the side of his face.“You should try them, you’ll get it,”“I’ll get why you’re a brat?”Jungwoo rolled his eyes but let him kiss the side of his head anyway, smiling even as he pushed him away again.“This all looks amazing Chae,” he said when she came back to the table with presumably the last dish and a pot of tea.She smiled while Jungwoo agreed, her eyes crinkling a little with it. She waved off their compliments and told them to eat.Jungwoo never one to ignore that particular request, dug in, humming through each mouthful like he hadn’t eaten in days.The food didn’t just look amazing, it was actually amazing, every single bite was better than the last. She could open up a restaurant, it was seriously so good or at the very least, she could cook a dish or two and bring them to pack dinners, they’d win people over, no doubt. Wasn’t that the fastest to people’s hearts? Through their stomachs? He’d definitely heard that before but Jaehyun didn’t say so or comment on any of it further because he was afraid of embarrassing her or tipping the scales on their delicate balance.Conversation was easy and light. She asked about the shop and about his dad, telling him she’d seen him just a few days ago and that he sounded like he was getting sick, which Jaehyun hadn’t known but would make sure to stay clear of him for the next few days so he didn’t pass anything to Jungwoo. They talked about the pup and about the hens, who still loved their new abode, and she even asked about Donghyuck, telling Jungwoo that she finished the cross-stitch she’d made for him. The mood sobered for a second following so Jaehyun, ever quick to make Jungwoo feel better, told them about how Hyungmin, according to Minho, had developed a crush on Jungwoo after meeting him the other morning. It made Chae laugh, delighted and Jungwoo looked like he didn’t believe it but smiled anyway.“Pups are very receptive and comforted by pregnancy hormones,” Chae offered, when her laughter died down a little.“Yeah, and you’re cute,”Jungwoo swatted his chest but squeezed the hand that landed on his thigh.“Although,” Jaehyun started, smirking at Jungwoo’s huff, “I don’t know how I feel about having a five-year-old as competition,”Chae snorted into her tea while Jungwoo narrowed his eyes at him.“I mean, talk about an ego hit,” Jaehyun said, feeling pleased with himself.“You are so ridiculous,”Jaehyun smiled at him, helpless against it and Jungwoo.“I know,”The omega ducked closer to him, nudged their noses together before sitting back, blush high on his cheeks. He watched as Jungwoo’s tongue poked at his cheek, thinking, plotting, it made his insides simmer.“Hyungmin’s adorable,” Jungwoo offered, smirking when Jaehyun’s smile dropped a little.“Who exactly is Hyungmin,” Chae asked, willingly entering their conversation which Jaehyun loved a whole lot.“Minho, Jae’s partner at the shop, and his mate Taemin’s pup,”“Their oldest,”Chae nodded, “how many do they have,”“Two,” Jaehyun said, “Hyungmin and the baby, Hyunseok was born a few months ago,”“You so wouldn’t know that Taemin just had a baby though mom, he’s so tiny,” Jungwoo said, like he was in awe of the older omega.“You’re probably going to be the same hun,” she smiled at him.“You think,”“Mhmm, you’ve never had an ounce of fat on you, your whole life, I bet what little weight you’ve put on is gonna disappear like that,” she snapped her fingers to emphasize her point.“Curse you and your fast metabolism,” Jaehyun muttered, pinching his leg where it was under his hand.“You tell him,” Chae agreed.“What are you talking about, I got that from you,” he whined at his mom, annoyed that they were working together, against him again.“Yeah but-”“Anyway!” Jungwoo cut his mom off, “Hyungmin is adorable and…and I sort of forgot what I was going to say after that,”His pout made Jaehyun and Chae laugh, urging him to finish his lunch rather than dwell on a thought that was long gone.When they’d eaten their fill, Jaehyun had had seconds and Jungwoo was contently rubbing his stomach, groaning about ‘too many meat buns,’ they sent him off to relax on the couch while Jaehyun offered to do the dishes.Chae looked like she wanted to protest but he insisted, not seeing how it was fair that she fed them so well and had to clean up after them. He saw so much of Jungwoo in her, instantly reminded of many different instances with Jungwoo when she agreed but only if he washed and let her dry. Jaehyun grinned, anxious but eager to spend some time with her without the Jungwoo buffer.It wasn’t so bad, the dishes kept them focused on something that wasn’t trying to make small talk, he wasn’t the best at that. Luckily, Chae, who probably wasn’t any better at it than him, took it upon herself to fill the silence.“So, I, if I don’t say this now, I won’t,” Chae started, taking the dish from Jaehyun to dry it and set it aside. This sounded like it was going to be a little more than small talk. He twisted to look at her, so she knew he was listening. “I’m sorry for being cold at first and the other day when you came to pick Jungwoo up. Jungwoo says I’m not very well socialized, which is probably true, but you still didn’t…deserve that,” she huffed a sigh, “I’m sorry Jaehyun,”“Thanks, Chae but I get questioning my motives, you have your reasons for being suspicious, I don’t hold that against you, I just hope you’ll continue to give me the chance to prove myself. To you and for him,”Chae smiled at him, almost like she couldn’t help it.“I’m really glad that it’s you,” she said quietly. “He always wrote to me about being happy and safe in the city, because I needed that reassurance but this, he doesn’t have to say a word about it, it’s so obvious how happy he is. I’ll admit I was a little put off initially by the whole idea and I felt like I had to be guarded for the both of us but even before you came to ask for my permission to court him, I knew it was you,”“I-”“-You make him the happiest I think he’s ever been and you love him like you don’t care about anything else in the world or what anyone else might think,”“I don’t care what anyone thinks, him and his pup are all that matters to me, if they’re happy, then so am I. I can’t see caring about anything else but the two of them, they’re everything to me,”Her smile went watery, “I can see that,”“We want the same things right, the two of them happy and safe,”“And healthy,”Jaehyun hummed, “and healthy,”She looked overwhelmed for a moment, as if she didn’t know what to do with herself or with him before she said, “you’re just good for him, your friends too, you’ve all been so good to him and I’m very…grateful,” Before Jaehyun could catch his breath she did something that surprised him more than her admission. She patted his back and pulled him into a hug, “thank you,”Jaehyun sagged to hug her back, “you don’t have to thank me Chae,”She hummed but Jaehyun imagined this was where Jungwoo got that from, he’d only just managed to get Jungwoo to stop thanking him for things. His mom was older and further set in her ways, so it didn’t make much sense to try too hard. Instead he accepted it, hoped she knew he didn’t intend on ever letting Jungwoo go or letting him down.After they parted, she patted the top of his head, looking pleased but also a little embarrassed so Jaehyun didn’t do anything to draw any attention to it. He was really enjoying all their progress today, he wasn’t looking to upset that.“Have you made up with your mom,”Jaehyun nodded, went back to washing the dishes, “yeah we had dinner with my parents, my brother and his mate,”“Jungwoo told me, he said it was nice,”“Yeah, it was, she apologized for everything and seems like she wants to be better moving forward,” he blew out a sigh, “I wish it didn’t take her being faced with losing me to see how wrong she was but she admitted it so I shouldn’t complain,”“We all have expectations for the people we love and it’s hard to cope when they don’t meet them,”“Yeah,”“I suppose her, and I were in similar holes of our own creation,” Chae said with a guilty smile.“I wouldn’t say that, you never attacked me, you just seemed to not want me around or near Jungwoo,”She raised her eyebrows, “I think I was a littler harsher than that but thank you,”He truly didn’t think the way she’d treated him at all compared to the way his own mom had treated him and Jungwoo. Not that he really wanted to get into that argument right now or with her.“How do you feel about all of that…with her,” she asked, looking like she regretted prying instantly.Jaehyun smiled, “better, I’m probably gonna keep her at arm’s length for a while just as a precaution you know but I’m willing to let most of this go, move on since she apologized to Jungwoo,”Chae watched him for a long moment before she shook her head with a smile, setting the plate in her hands down.“What,” he asked, afraid he’d done something wrong.“I just realized what he was talking about,”“Who, Jungwoo,”She nodded, “he’s said something about you not being real,”“What,”“I think most omegas grow up hoping they find somebody like you Jaehyun, considerate, respectful, who’ll willingly adore them and not care what that might mean for their pride,”“Oh,” he hoped he wasn’t blushing like he thought he might be. His wolf was standing at attention under the praise, perfectly still aside from his tail that was swishing around happily.“It’s good, you’re every mother’s dream for their child, I know I don’t have to worry about him because you’re around…I still might but not as much,”Jaehyun grinned, “we can take it in shifts,”She laughed a little, “deal,” took a couple steps closer to him where they were side by side at the sink.“I’ll take the best care of him, promise,”“I know,” it didn’t escape him how this was the first time she wasn’t arguing that he didn’t need protecting, coddling, or taking care of. She saw who he was, who he wanted to be for Jungwoo and was okay with that.They went back to the dishes, air between them easy and light. It stayed that way till Jungwoo’s voice broke their bubble, squawking something about his very own mother betraying him this way, Chae ducked her head as she snickered.“Is that pile by the door for me mother?”“Yes, why,” Jaehyun was instantly looking forward to their life together as a family, if she had a penchant for mischief like he thought she might, it was sure to be entertaining.“There’s baby pictures in there Mom, naked baby pictures, were you thinking I wouldn’t notice,”“No, I was just hoping Jaehyun would find them before you did,” she flicked her gaze up to him, smirking conspiratorially.Jungwoo came to stand in the doorway, mouth hanging open in shock.“Oh, baby pictures, yes please,” Jaehyun grinned, interest sparked.“No, no way, you’re not seeing them, they’re going in the fire,”“Come on, don’t be like that pumpkin,” he moved to follow him before remembering the dishes he was almost done with. Chae elbowed him, nodding her head in Jungwoo’s direction.“He probably will throw them in the fire if you’re not fast enough,”“But they’re his baby pictures,”“And I have copies, he was a very dramatic pre-teen Jaehyun,”Jaehyun laughed as he left the kitchen, thrilled that this was very obviously the start of a beautiful friendship between him and Jungwoo’s mom. His smile widened when he heard her laughing as Jungwoo yelled at him that he was traitor. He quieted with a few kisses and a promise that he wouldn’t look at them as Jungwoo tucked them safely away in a book on the shelf next to the hearth.He’d get to see them at some point. He and Chae were friends now after all.….It did end up snowing like he thought it would, making him glad he’d decided to bring in some more wood for Chae and stocked Jungwoo up too before it started. The storm had produced several inches of snow from dinner time till the early hours of the morning, which meant the whole village was blanketed in fresh, powdery snow. Fun for the pups who got out of school and were quick to set about enjoying their winter wonderland and not so fun for the rest of the village who took to shoveling the streets and walkways.Jaehyun didn’t mind too much, it didn’t mess with his business any and none of his jobs were ongoing, so he didn’t have to worry about making up anything or cleaning up a wrecked worksite. He did know someone who was going to be very excited to see so much snow. Jungwoo. He left him earlier than he would’ve liked to help with clean up in town and then swung by the storehouse to see if he could help Mark with anything only to be told they had everything handled. Which meant he’d covered his bases and could now spend the rest of his day with Jungwoo guilt free.  He had planned to head back to Jungwoo’s house when he caught his scent in town, followed it till he found him in the field beside the community center with several other clusters of pups and people enjoying the snow.His heart instantly jumped into his throat watching Jungwoo rolling snow around with Jimin and Jungkook’s oldest Jiho, helping him place it on top of a bigger mound to make a snowman. Jimin was off to the side of them with his second pup, Kimun making snow angels with Taehyung but after a brief glance, Jaehyun couldn’t keep his eyes off Jungwoo. His cheeks were pink and bright as his eyes sparkled at the pup who was giggling as he crawled around quickly in the snow, he was bundled up quite snug, hat, gloves and scarf keeping him safe from the chill in the air and most of the moisture from the snow.“Hey,”Jaehyun jumped at the other voice behind him, spinning to see Jungkook who looked thrilled that he’d scared him.“Hi,”“What’s up, you got a snow day too,” Jungkook asked, sniffing a little at the cold.“Yeah, well I gave myself one…since I’m my own boss,”Jungkook hummed, “Are you going to join them or stay over here like a creep,”“I just got here,” he defended but shuffled forward after Jungkook’s quick crunching steps. “Where’s the baby,”“With my mom, it’s too cold for him,” he tossed over his shoulder.His voice must’ve drawn the attention of his pups because in the next second two little, excited voices were squealing, “Daddy” and charging at him through the snow. Jaehyun smiled watching them tackle him backwards and climb onto him where he laid out, grin solid on his face as his arms wrapped around the two little boys.“Hi Jae,” Jungwoo’s voice called out, dragging him forward.“Hey,” he lowered to the ground easily, not regretting the cold that met him through his jeans when he watched Jungwoo laugh at him. “How long you been out here,” he couldn’t help worrying about him in the cold.“Not too long, Jimin said I’m bundled up so much that its fine,”He gave him a look.“And I promised to let him know if I was cold,”“Mhm,”Jungwoo returned the look, “how do you think I survived so long on my own,”“Without a problem and with far less hassling I’m sure,”Jungwoo smiled, “you’re right about that,”Jaehyun watched Taehyung shift his attention away from them, like he’d been watching them and had been caught.“But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” the omega whispered, face tipped up to him, silently asking for a kiss that Jaehyun was only too happy to give him. “I like having someone to worry about me,”He beamed back at him, tucked him close to pepper his cold cheeks with kisses because he couldn’t help it and was properly rewarded with his favorite laughter in the world.“That’s a nice snowman,”“They’re not done yet,” Jungwoo defended, pouting back at him.“Well, they look good already,” Jaehyun moved to kiss his forehead, “though you lost your helper,”Jungwoo nodded, shooting a glance over at the pups who were finally letting Jungkook get up, only for him to be tackled by his mate next, who laughed victoriously as he sat on his chest and waved the pups close so they could pile on him again. Jaehyun shook his head, heart doing funny things in his chest at the thought that those sorts of things, getting ganged up on, being loved and needed and laughed at like that could happen to him. With Jungwoo and his pup. A family, his family that he’d get to spoil and take care of and treasure. He couldn’t wait for all the things the rest of their life had in store for them. He listened to Jungwoo laugh at Taehyung who had moved to dump snow on the family, “Since the other half is here now, I’m leaving you lunatics, it’s freezing,”“Tae no,” Jimin whined while the pups chorused, “uncle Tae nooo,”“Bye babies, we’ll see each other at dinner yeah,”They scurried towards him and giggled as he littered their faces with kisses, directed them back to their parents or to Jungwoo who was happy to have his little helper back. He smiled when he heard Jungkook say, “Pup,”To which Kimun said, “Daddy,”Jungkook saluted the little boy, “I’m here to enlist in snow day fun,” his hand dropped to dig into the snow, molding the handful into a perfect ball, clearly adept at subtly leading his pup into mischief.Kimun’s eyes lit up, copying his move while Jimin stood, brushed himself off and headed their way. Jaehyun tried to keep the smile off his face at Jungkook’s attempt at a sneak attack. Jungwoo and Jiho were completely unaware of anything happening behind them as they rolled a third smaller ball for the head.He watched Jungkook shush Kimun while they followed after Jimin, who stopped abruptly.“If either of you throw those at me, you’ll be sorry,”Kimun squealed in answer, dropping the snowball to rush to Jiho who laughed at him, let him help him pick sticks for their snowman’s arms.Jimin smirked after his pup, spinning to look up at his mate, “really, very sorry Kookie,”Whatever he saw on the omegas face made him drop the snowball quickly. Though he didn’t appear done messing with him as he scooped Jimin up and tossed him over his shoulder, rushing around the field while Jimin laughed and yelled to be put down, their pups cheering excitedly at the display.Jaehyun looked away with an eyeroll, just about the time Jungkook was putting Jimin down gently against a bank of snow, descending on him slowly, Jimin’s mittens curling over his shoulders. He didn’t need to see any more of that, thanks.Jungwoo was much more interesting anyway. Jungwoo and the pups.“I want to make my own,” Kimun whined out, pouting at his brother who had apparently grown tired of letting him help.“Okay,” he stood up, held out his hand for the little boy, “let’s find even better sticks and rocks than theirs, for the arms and buttons and face huh,” Kimun lit up, instantly latching on to him as he skipped off with the trees to find the perfect decorations for his snowman.He kept Kimun close as they looked, smiling at his joy over his plan to steal Jiho’s scarf for his snowman.“Mr. Jae,”He stifled the laugh, “yeah buddy,”“My mommy says you’re going to marry Jungwoo,”“Did he say that?”“Yeah, he said that Jungwoo is going to have a pup and then you’ll get married,” Jaehyun huffed at the simple way Jimin had explained it to his pup. He was so invested in them which was sweet and reassuring, much like the way his friends were supportive of him and Jungwoo figuring things out. How Jimin thought of them, like they were good to go, ready for the rest of their lives now that they were together was also really nice to think about. What floored him was that Jimin talked about them to his pups, he shared this stuff with his family. Even as odd as that was to think about, he’d definitely dealt with stranger things.“That’s the plan yeah,”“Did you ask him,” Kimun asked, reminding him much more of a pup far older than his mere 5, but he was definitely curious like any other 5-year-old. “Mommy tells us all the time about Daddy asking him, and then Daddy gets really red,”Jaehyun enjoyed this story a lot.“I haven’t, but after his pup is born I will,”Kimun nodded, taking his hand again as they headed back to the community center. When they got back into view of the others, Jaehyun could see Jungkook throwing snow in the air, around the other three, like they were being snowed on, looking entirely too pleased with himself for it.“Your dad is a goofball,” Jaehyun said to the pup at his side.“That’s what Mommy says too,” he giggled, skipping ahead of him to catapult at Jungkook who, in a practiced move, caught him midair. Impressive.He really couldn’t wait for those things to be his. The little, the big, the good, the bad, the mundane, the ridiculous, all of it, he just was so excited for all of it.And when he thought his day couldn’t get any better, across the way he saw Jisung and Chenle, walking extremely close together.“Woo,” he tapped the omega, pointing across to their youngest friends.Jungwoo gasped, hands clasping together, “oh my- are they on a date?” His smile was blinding when he turned to him, “is that what I’m seeing,”“I don’t know but if they are, it’s about time,”Jimin plopped next to them, looking winded from being chased by three rowdy alphas of varying ages. “Who are we talking about,”“Jisung and Chenle, they look like they might be on a snow day date,” Jungwoo chirped back.“Oh cute, I always wondered when they’d figure things out and then I remember how young Jisung is,”“Jimin, are you obsessed with me and my friends,”“You wish Jung,”He snickered instead of responding to that, watched as Jisung caught sight of them across the way, raising his hand a little in a shy wave. Chenle however bounded their way immediately after seeing them.“Snowmen, how fun, can I play,” he asked, already dropping to help the pups who were still busy assembling their snow family. Jisung was slower on the approach, feet scuffing a little more through the drifts, like he didn’t want to.“Chenle,” Jaehyun whispered.The young omega’s head popped up to show he was listening. Jaehyun nodded his head back towards Jisung, hoping Chenle would catch on his own how unhappy the young alpha looked and how perturbed he smelled even from here.He offered them all a timid smile, turning his attention to Jisung.“Jisungie, let’s make a snowman, ooh or a snow cat, with whiskers and-”“-I thought you wanted hot chocolate,” his deeper voice cut the silence, tense like only a freshly matured alpha could be. With their new hormones and odd senses about things.Chenle pouted a little, avoided looking at Jisung and the rest of them while Jimin laughed into Jungkook’s shoulder, only barely muffling the sound.Chenle met Jungwoo’s smile, clearly encouraged by whatever he saw from the other, “can we make a snowman first? And then we’ll get hot chocolate, and cookies,”Jaehyun felt choked up at Chenle’s adorableness and wondered how Jisung handled that. But judging by the color on his face and ears, the way he swallowed like he didn’t remember how to, he figured he didn’t handle it at all. God, he remembers feeling that way, dealing with things that seemed impossible and an omega who just consumed his thoughts and appeared to exist solely to make him question his sanity.Jisung caved or acted like he did. Dropping to the ground swiftly as Chenle grinned up at him, asked him to help him with the body while actively ignoring the rest of them, probably expecting their teasing. But Jaehyun knew, from his own experiences that the teasing and brief embarrassment was well worth life with the person you and your wolf loved.They stayed to finish their snowmen, laughing with Chenle as he told them about his snow day and about how Jisung wanted to go sledding but kept losing the sled as it zipped down the hill without him on it. When they parted ways, Chenle grinning about seeing them later for dinner while Jisung waited for the omega to take up the space next to him before they started back towards town. And on their own walk back, Jungwoo couldn’t stop talking about how excited Chenle must be for this. None of them, in their friend group were strangers to Chenle’s crush on his best friend, all of them hoping that it worked out and Jisung didn’t prove too difficult when up against new feelings and the changes those would bring to their relationship. Jaehyun smiled, feeling a little bad that he hadn’t had faith in Jisung, he was doing fine. And if he and Chenle were going sledding and making plans that involved long afternoons spent warming up after a day in the snow, then that was a really good place to start. He was proud of him, really proud of him and he’d tell him the next time he saw him, if only it wouldn’t mortify him to singled out like that. Oh well, maybe he’d still say something.He waved to Jimin, Jungkook and the pups as they went their separate ways, keeping Jungwoo close with an arm around his shoulders, glad that he wasn’t shivering, and his teeth weren’t chattering.“Were you going to ask me about the party on Saturday,” Jungwoo asked as they got closer to Jaehyun’s house.He smiled, “I was but then I forgot,”Jungwoo elbowed him a little but nudged closer afterward, a very blatant, don’t let go of me. Jaehyun wouldn’t, couldn’t, not even if he tried.“Do you want to go,”Jungwoo hummed, “yeah, I think that’d be fun,” his arm moved to wrap around his waist then, returning the warmth he was lending to him, smelling so good and happy it was making his head spin a little bit. A few months ago, Jungwoo would’ve never even considered going to a party at someone’s house for fear they were going to turn on him, snap on sight and make him regret trusting them. Now, he leapt out into new situations, unafraid, willingly. Happily. And Jaehyun didn’t think anyone could properly understand how good it felt to be able to witness that change in him. To have been privy to life finally giving him a break, a chance, it was unlike anything else he’d ever experienced before.That feeling, happy, warm, contentment, continued when they got back to his house, leaving him loopy. Having Jungwoo in his home, in his space was different and new and not something they’d done much before. They spent all their time at Jungwoo’s because he felt safer, more comfortable in his own environment and Jaehyun was never willing to upend that. Now, twice in one week, the omega was here where he’d lived alone for years now. It was different, sure but there was also something so inherently right about having him here. Like he belonged here. He could spend as much time as he wanted here, see if he liked it, if he wanted to be here long term, if he wanted to relocate here to have more space for the pup. It wasn’t a subject he’d breached yet, but he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about the omega moving in with him. Nesting is his bed, with their combined wardrobes, baking in his kitchen, having a toothbrush next to his in the bathroom, slippers kept beside his own near the door. He wanted to make room for him here. In all honesty, he’d already been subconsciously doing that. Clearing out space in his closet, keeping his bathroom tidy, investing in more pots and pans, things he hadn’t had use for before but certainly would if Jungwoo moved in. A giddy sort of feeling filled him up thinking that the more time Jungwoo spent here, the more open he’d be to this being his home too. He didn’t want to uproot him but realistically, there wasn’t room for the three of them in Jungwoo’s home. He’d told him it’d be fine for the first year of the pups’ life, but he also knew how cramped that would be. And he’d feel bad about taking up any of their precious space.It was definitely something they needed to talk about, discuss at some point. But not today. Not now, when Jungwoo was pressing close to him as Jaehyun unlocked his front door, tripping over himself to get the omega inside, out of the cold. His nose was freezing, cheeks bitten red, so he guided him to fireplace, encouraging him to sit and relax with a few lingering kisses, promising him something hot to drink if he sat.Jaehyun was quick to get them tea, wolf eager to be back with him after having to share him with other people for a couple hours. His satisfaction was clear in the rumble he let out seeing Jungwoo unfolding a blanket over him, the extra half folded over his lap.“Here you go,”Jungwoo smiled up at him as he sat, unfolded the rest of the blanket to lay it over him too. His purring started shortly after as he sipped his tea and snuggled against him, peaches potent when Jaehyun pulled him tight to his side, kissed over his head. He could feel a nap coming on, could only imagine that Jungwoo was fighting sleep too after such an eventful day. If Jungwoo had the wits to argue his fatigue, he’d probably say that snowmen and pups were worth it. But he didn’t argue, just twisted his head to tuck his nose against Jaehyun’s scent gland, breathing slowing down as Jaehyun kept him safe. In the space that was steadily becoming theirs as they molded it for themselves. To be what they wanted it to be.For now, at least, it was for naps.  ….He’d taken a little time getting back to Bobby about meeting with Jungwoo to talk. Just to be spiteful. He felt he was owed that.He told Taeil on dinner Wednesday night that they were getting together with Bobby to talk, since he wanted to apologize, and he’d asked if Taeil could be there too. Invitation extended to Taeil to pass along to his mate, if either of them wanted to come. He wasn’t necessarily surprised when Taeil showed up on Friday without Taeyong in tow, but this odd, hollow feeling gripped his insides, made his wolf whine with dread of the impending conversation. Maybe it was a bad sign that Taeyong didn’t show up, should they call this off before it went wrong? The feeling grew stronger till he felt compelled to say something, only for Taeil to cut in, ever the calm, distracting force in their friend group.“So, Bobby wants to apologize,” Taeil asked, hands wringing together in his lap where he was sat close to Jungwoo on Jaehyun’s couch. The middle ground. There was no way they were inviting Bobby into Jungwoo’s home, a point he could tell Jungwoo appreciated more than he let on.“Yeah, he wants to apologize to all of us, Taeyong included…” he left that out there, hoping his worry about all this could be eased a little by his friend.Taeil didn’t say anything, just sat there avoided his and Jungwoo’s eyes like it was his job.“You didn’t ask him to come,” Jungwoo asked quietly, shooting a look to Jaehyun.Taeil shrugged, “I didn’t see any reason to, he wouldn’t have come anyway,”Jaehyun balked, while Jungwoo rested a hand on Taeil’s.“I think he would’ve if you asked him to,” Jungwoo said, stars twinkling in his eyes like he believed that completely. And why wouldn’t he, he wasn’t around for the tension and animosity built up between Bobby and Taeyong, stemming from the feelings they both had for a certain omega.“You don’t know what Bobby does to him, it’s...crazy,”Jaehyun did know. He remembered that part of their lives very vividly and now he had some experiences of his own to better understand where Taeyong’s anger was coming from back then. Not to the same extent but he had some sort of idea about the inhuman, animal thing that consumed you when someone threatened you, your mate or your bond. Maybe it was that Taeyong was his best friend or their shared alpha tendencies, but he felt the strongest urge to defend Taeyong. Since he wasn’t here to speak for himself and his mate was setting him aside so easily, not even giving him the chance to prove anything to him.“He loves you more than he hates him,” words coming out angrier than he meant them to.“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, scolding but Taeil flipped his hand to lace their fingers, shook his head a little. They looked at him, letting him talk.“I’ve watched him love you our whole lives,” Jaehyun said, suddenly very thankful for the relationship he and Jungwoo had. They didn’t always agree on things, but they always talked and let each other speak if something was going on that the other didn’t like. He hated that Taeyong wasn’t here to decide what he wanted or where he stood, Taeil just made that decision for him, without asking. It ticked him off so much. He took a breath, to calm down, he didn’t need to make any of this worse.“I think he deserves a little more than that,”Taeil closed his eyes.“I know,” he sounded heavy and dejected, “I just didn’t want to upset him, he’s been so stressed lately, I just assumed Bobby would be the last person he’d want to deal with,” head hung a little bit the longer he spoke, “if he knew I was here, even if it was the last place he’d want to be, he’d put himself through it for me,”“And yet, you’re here without him,”“Jae, please,” Jungwoo begged.“It’s okay Woo,” Taeil promised, “this would’ve just made him feel worse, I didn’t want to make him come here just because I was,”“That wouldn’t be a good enough reason for him and it’s not for me either, sorry,” he crossed his arms, watching the two omegas stare back at him. Jungwoo looked upset while Taeil shifted, eyes hardening.“How come you guys are allowed to do things to protect us but it’s the end of the world if we try to return the favor? I was trying to be considerate, you have no idea what Bobby does to him okay, it’s not like the fights you were involved with in school or arguing behind the council building, it’s…awful and you don’t know what he’s like to deal with after. After that fight at dinner, he couldn’t sleep he was so worked up. You don’t have to understand this Jae, but I’m his mate and I made a decision to spare him from this, to protect him, you don’t have to like it or agree with it,”Jaehyun let that sit, felt bad for upsetting the two of them before they had to see Bobby, but he couldn’t help it. “It just feels like you’re keeping this from him, and seeing as it’s Bobby we’re meeting with, I’d think you’d be-”“-Jae,” Jungwoo stood up quickly, “stop it, please,”“Woo, it’s alright,” Taeil promised.“No, it isn’t, this is going to be awful as it is and now the two of you are fighting,”“We’re not babe,” Taeil said at the same time Jaehyun said, “I’m sorry,”Jungwoo nodded his head to show he’d accepted that but stepped back a little when Jaehyun reached for him.His heart seized and his wolf protested, severely, as Jungwoo took Taeil’s hand to help him sit. Jaehyun regretted picking that battle to fight as Jungwoo stayed quiet, retreating further into himself the longer he and Taeil went without saying anything before Taeil made a move.Thankfully because he was too frozen from hurting Jungwoo that he couldn’t even think. Taeil stood and came to him, wrapping his arms around him in a hug that Jaehyun fell into instantly. He didn’t like fighting and he didn’t like hurting anyone, of course, Taeil, one of his very best friends was high up on that list of people he tried his hardest to protect and love and be good to. He wanted to kick himself. He had been so pig-headed just now, thinking that he and Taeyong, the alphas, had to be the protectors. What a crock! He was living proof that you and your partner functioned in sync, together to make things work, to create something. He didn’t take care of Jungwoo, they took care of each other, in different but altogether important ways.“You’re right Taeil, I’m sorry, I…just got upset,”“I know, tensions are high and maybe I should’ve told him, just so he didn’t freak out but we’re here now, I’ll tell him later,” he smushed Jaehyun’s cheeks when they pulled apart, squeezing his face between his hands till they ached. “I’m pretty good at the making up portion of a fight,”He groaned, catching Jungwoo crack a smile on the couch at Taeil’s comment.“With that, I’m going to get something to drink, Woo,” he turned to look at the other omega before leaving the room, “come give your beau a hug so we can all move on and not be tenser than we need to be for this,”Jungwoo smiled after him, getting up slower since Jaehyun was rooted to his spot a few feet from the couch.“I’m sorry,”Jungwoo ducked into his shoulder, arms hanging onto him tight while Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo could sense the way Jaehyun didn’t want to let him go. He muttered something that got lost in the fabric of Jaehyun’s shirt.“What,”Another unintelligible mutter.He laughed, “I can’t hear what you’re saying,”Jungwoo huffed, “I said, you’re kind of attractive when you’re angry,”“You did not say that,”Jungwoo giggled, tucked his head against his shoulder. “No, I said I was sorry too,”Jaehyun brushed his fingers over his cheek, encouraged him out of his hiding spot, “why are you sorry,”“Because I shouldn’t have gotten upset. You’re allowed to feel things and be annoyed or angry or whatever else…I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I was caught off guard, I think,”“I think meeting with Bobby is stressing me out a little more than I thought it would. I’m trying to be calm and mature about all this and Taeil just surprised me,”“I know, we’re all on edge,” Jungwoo looked up at him, eyes open and warm, twinkling like they held the whole universe inside them.“He should’ve told him,”Jungwoo smiled, “Maybe he knows more about this than us Jae, you don’t have to agree with it or like it, but that’s more his place than yours, he’s his mate, you have to trust he knows what he’s doing,”Jaehyun nodded, knowing they’d go in circles all day about this and that didn’t make sense. If this is how Taeil wanted to handle it, he had to let him, he couldn’t change it now.“I’m sorry I snapped at you guys,”Jungwoo brushed their noses together instead of saying anything.“Forgive me,”“Of course, I forgive you,” his fingers slipped into his hair, tugging a little to get him closer. Jaehyun dropped kisses down his cheek to his lips where a smile met his, melted together till Taeil cleared his throat to ruin their moment.Jaehyun huffed, resigned himself to kissing Jungwoo’s forehead, whispering that he loved him a lot. Which made Jungwoo forget all about Taeil for a few more seconds, latching back onto him like they were the only two people in room, no, the world.Bobby showed up shortly after, with his brother in tow.“Hey,” Hajun said, stepping around Bobby into the house, towards Jungwoo and Taeil who were sitting close together on the couch again. “He asked me to come for support, and to keep him on track. Hi Woo, Tae,” he tugged Jungwoo to his feet and into a hug to keep him from looking at Bobby and unraveling.“How’s the pup,”Jungwoo smiled, whispered something Jaehyun didn’t catch which made his brother laugh quietly. The elephant in the room could only be ignored for so long till they gained the courage to say something. Bobby made himself a little smaller to not spook anyone as he moved forward, into the room.“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me Jungwoo,”The omega nodded, “we all want to move on right,” he said, still tucked into Hajun’s shoulder.Bobby gave him a tight smile, looked grateful before his eyes shifted to Taeil, “hey,”“Hi Bobby,”“Want something to drink,” Hajun asked, making himself at home with Bobby Kim of all people in Jaehyun’s house. He tried not to hang onto it, knew this was the point. Closure and forgiveness.Bobby shook his head, shot Jaehyun a look like he knew what he was thinking. “No, thanks,”Hajun shrugged, squeezed Jungwoo one more time before going to get himself something to drink, coming back a couple minutes later with some water and a bowl of pretzels.“Hungry Jun,” he asked his dope of an older brother.“I didn’t have lunch,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes as he crunched louder than necessary on a handful. He directed Bobby to sit when it didn’t look like he was going to do so on his own while Jaehyun wondered if it was possible to die from discomfort. Because this was easily the most uncomfortable moment of his life. Jungwoo, stiff as a board, on the couch appeared to agree with that thought. He crossed the room to sit on the couch with him,Bobby looked at his brother, then back to them, to Hajun and back again. Like he was waiting for the go ahead or some coaching. Hajun smiled at him, “whenever you’re ready,”Jaehyun couldn’t understand the relationship that they had, the tentative friendship seemed out of place, but he’d also never seen his brother fill the shoes of their father quite like this. This was the alpha set to take over their pack, this was the alpha the council wanted for them after their dad stepped down, he was calm and personable and good with people, better than you’d think since he was a goof. But so was his dad, maybe it was just dependent on the situation, the hat they chose to wear.“Okay,” Bobby cleared his throat when the word came out like a rasp, “I know this is really awkward so uh, this is so weird,”Hajun sat forward, “it’s not, just tell them what we’ve been talking about,”Bobby looked encouraged by that, took a deep breath before going on, “okay, I know that it doesn’t count for much with you now, but I am genuinely sorry about everything I put you through, all of you. The classes that Hyunjun recommended and the therapy we’re in, I really believe it’s working…I’ve spent a lot of my life, selfishly thinking of ways to make things better for myself and never considering how those things would impact other people, hurt them. I was punishing anyone near me for things that didn’t need to be hashed out anymore and you,” he looked at Jungwoo, “were unfortunately a new target for all that and I’m sorry,”“It was my fault,” Taeil whispered, refusing to look at any of them.“No, it wasn’t,” Bobby said, sitting forward but not moving more than that.“Bobby, I think if you really thought about it, laid all this out, one of the reasons you were hurt growing up was because of me. You were always a better person to me, with me and I chose someone else,”“No, Taeil, I…I’ll admit I did initially hold some resentment, a lot of resentment about that, for you and Taeyong but you didn’t make that choice to hurt me, you made it to be happy. I can appreciate that now. I’m in a better place now than I was then, you are happy, right,”Taeil had tears in his eyes but he nodded quickly to show he was absolutely, very happy in his life.“That’s all I wanted. Years ago, it felt like something was wrong with me, that rejection felt like a reason to hate Taeyong, and hate your friends because they had what we wanted, mates and lives and love, fulfillment for ourselves and our wolves. And Jaehyun was a source of negative energy for me too because everyone wanted him, it was so easy for him, all the omegas wanted his attention and they never shut up about it either…not that he even cared. And you Jungwoo, when you came back, we were already so you used to picking on people and being angry all the time, that’s not good enough, I know but it wasn’t personal,”Jaehyun twisted to look at Jungwoo, watched his jaw tick, face impassive, a mask you wouldn’t be able to read unless you knew him really well.“Telling me I was filthy and slutty for getting pregnant and coming home without the father of my pup wasn’t personal…how’s that,”“Jungwoo,” Hajun said, reaching out to touch his knee. It was funny in a completely unfunny way that he was so calm today when last week at dinner he was willing to tear their mom apart for Jungwoo. And now he was urging him to take a breath, why did Bobby deserve that, and their mom didn’t. Probably because he was more hurt by their mom’s part in this than he was by Bobby’s because it was more personal and damaging in his eyes.“No, he’s right Hajun,” Bobby ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh, “I can’t say much more than that. I deserve your anger and I definitely don’t deserve your forgiveness…I just need you to know that I won’t be the cause of anymore turmoil for you okay, I don’t want you to have to worry. I’m done with all that, I’m trying and working my hardest to not be that person anymore. I guess, I just needed you to know that,”They were all quiet, waiting. Waiting for Jungwoo to break the silence.“I guess I don’t understand being so cruel to someone you didn’t know. You and your friends judged me for something you had no clue about, you called me names in front of everyone and I never did anything to you! Do you know how hurtful that is, to know somebody hates you for just existing, to hear the things they say and know they don’t care how mean they’re being, they just hope you remember it, hope it makes you feel small,”Bobby didn’t look away, took all Jungwoo had like he’d been waiting for it and he probably had. Jaehyun rubbed Jungwoo’s back as he breathed, hoped that was enough to keep him from getting too worked up.“I was alienated too, when I was younger,” Jungwoo said, meeting Bobby’s eyes unafraid. “I lived my whole life before moving away, afraid of strangers, afraid of whatever was outside our door that kept my mom inside. Everyone in my class ignored me but I was too young to care, and I had my mom so it was fine…what I’m trying to say is I’ve been the low man too and I would never bully someone because of it. It doesn’t cost you anything to be nice to people and if you can’t handle that just ignore them. Stay away from them,” he sat back when he’d finished, hands laid over his bump protectively while he sagged into Jaehyun, accepted his touch and the kiss he pressed to his head.“You’re right,” Bobby said, “and I’m sure it’s easy to write off now, after everything but I really am trying. I know how I’ve acted and treated you was wrong and I’m seriously trying to be better. Nothing justifies how I acted, I don’t want to make excuses, those were just the…triggers we found for my behavior. I won’t be like that anymore though, I’m determined to be a better person and I’m just really, sorry,”He watched Jungwoo turn to look at Hajun, shook his head as he whispered, “I don’t think I can do this,”Hajun gave him a little smile, patted his knee, “Okay Woo but I know, I’ve seen how you can do anything. We can go if you want us to, but you’ve faced so much, life on your own, our mom, you’ve looked your bullies right in the eye and fought back, there’s nobody braver than you if you ask me. This is a guy who willingly began anger management and therapy, who’s here of his own volition to try and bring both of you some closure and peace. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone else, he doesn’t want a hand in that sort of thing alright. You don’t ever have to talk to him again if you don’t want but please, just think about it. You don’t deserve to hang onto these things anymore and that starts with this,”Jaehyun heard Jungwoo sniffle, bobbed his head while Hajun rubbed his knee, comforting him.“I won’t ever understand but if you’re getting help and if he’s willing to vouch for you, I guess I can trust that,” Jungwoo took a deep breath, reaching out for Jaehyun’s hand. “I would really, really like to move on from this,”Bobby nodded, hope lit up his face in a way Jaehyun had never seen before.“Thank you Jungwoo, thank you so much,” he looked like he wanted to do more but Hajun waved him off. They didn’t talk too much after that, clear to all of them that Jungwoo was worn out and all that had to be said for right now had been said. Taeil seemed to pick up on that as he got up, drawing Bobby’s attention as they headed towards the door.“I owe Taeyong an apology too Taeil, I’d like to talk to him,” Bobby said quietly to him.Taeil sighed, “I’ll work on him, I can’t promise anything, but I’ll put it out there,”Bobby gave him a smile, a warm, tiny thing that reminded him that, in a different life, in a world Jaehyun couldn’t even fathom, Taeil could’ve ended up with Bobby. It was a weird alternative reality where Bobby looked like that for Taeil always and he didn’t hurt people, he was just in love with his mate. It scared him a little to think about. What was a world where Taeyong and Taeil weren’t together? They were like the staple of the friend group, about as constant as Johnny and Ten in terms of longevity and stability.“I’m sorry,”Taeil stepped closer to him, looked like he wanted to hug him and then looked like he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with himself when he decided not to.“I know,”They moved together to the door, Taeil smiling at Bobby when he pulled the door open for him, though the omega’s smile dropped almost instantly, seeing Taeyong standing on the other side, dark eyes holding a hundred different emotions, frown firm as he stared between Bobby and his mate.“Oh jeez,” Hajun groaned.“Babe,” Taeil whispered, stood still like he was frozen in time. Taeyong just shook his head, backing off the porch before Taeil could thaw himself enough to move. “Taeyong,”“Don’t,”“Taeyong please, can I just-” plea cut short when he reached for the alphas hand, spun on him with anger Jaehyun hadn’t seen from him in years.“Don’t touch me,”“Taeyong, we were just talking, he wanted to apologize,”“Let go,” voice eerily quiet and steady.“Please,”“I said let me go, you stink,”Taeil finally listened, letting go of his hand and stepped back, shoulders shaking.“Taeyong,” Bobby stupidly tried to step in only to have the other alpha growl at him, furious and feral sounding, Jungwoo and Taeil whimpered a little, both of them cowering away from the noise.Bobby put his hands up and backed down, knowing this wasn’t a fight he wanted to be in the middle of. But it seemed the fight was over as Taeyong backed up, sending his mate one more betrayed look as he took off, away from them.Taeil rushed to grab his coat, quickly kissed Jungwoo’s cheek where he’d moved around the couch before he hurried after his mate. Jaehyun shook his head, expecting that that would happen once Taeyong found out but also feeling sorry that it had happened. He didn’t necessarily want to be right about it honestly.The four of them stood there a little awkwardly, not saying anything or moving much till Bobby blew out a sigh, “Wow, I’m just really good at making a mess,”Hajun smiled at him, moving to clap him on the back while Jungwoo handed Hajun his scarf, “you kicking me out Woo,”“I thought you were leaving,” he said innocently, blinking up at his brother.“I guess I am now,” Hajun watched Jaehyun shake his head, laughing, “see you guys later, sorry about the trouble,”“You didn’t do anything Jun, Taeil should’ve just told Taeyong what he was doing,”“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, clearly not wanting to start that again. He looked really sleepy. Now that he thought about it, Jaehyun was a little excited for Bobby and his brother to leave so he could tuck Jungwoo in for a nap.“Thank you for talking to me Jungwoo,”Jaehyun wasn’t sure how often Jungwoo would talk to the other but figured if they were at least in a better place, it didn’t matter if he talked to him every day or never again because it wasn’t something he had to worry about anymore.Jungwoo smiled at the other alpha, like he didn’t know what to say now but settled on, “thank you for apologizing,”Hajun laughed where he was looping his scarf around his neck. His eyes bugged a little when Jungwoo said, “you’re really good at the peace keeping thing Jun,”“Stop,”“I mean it, you’re going to be an awesome Head Alpha,”Hajun groaned, “oh my god, you sound like Kun,”“He’s not wrong though,” Jaehyun cut in, made sure his brother knew that he’d done a great job today. He stepped forward to give him a hug, so he knew that Jaehyun appreciated him being here, keeping them all calm through this. Jungwoo hugged him next, hanging on to him tight as he whispered to tell Kun hello, even while Hajun griped about how they’d see each other dinner. Jungwoo swatted him, told him not to question their relationship or their love which made them all laugh.He took a couple steps back into Jaehyun, sagging when he wrapped his arms around his waist.Bobby looked bad then but gave Jungwoo a smile anyway, “take care, yeah,”“You too,” Jungwoo returned the smile after a moment.“Progress,” Hajun said with a sage nod of his head, “I’m into it, see told you,” he said to Bobby who grinned back at him after. “Jungwoo’s a peach and if anyone was going to give you another chance, it was him,”Jungwoo rolled his eyes but tipped into his brother when he slipped on his coat, kissed the top of his head, “we’ll go though because you do look tired, love you,”“Love you Jun,” he found it so sweet how quickly they’d latched onto each other as family, it made him so happy seeing how they got along and adored each other.“Jae,” he said with pause, “love you,”“Yeah, yeah, love you too, get out of my house,”“That’s code for leave me alone with Jungwoo,”Bobby laughed, “funny enough I picked up on that,”“Oh, did you,” his brother asked, the pair of them bickering out the door while Jaehyun smiled, stepping to close the door after them.And then they were alone. The house was devoid of other smells or noise, it was just the two of them, staring at each other.“You okay,”Jungwoo peeped a tiny noise but nodded. Jaehyun watched him wrestle with something, opening his arms for him when he scurried forward.“Did I overreact,”He squeezed him tighter, “no, I don’t think so. He said some pretty horrible things to you, he encouraged his friends to bully you for no reason at all, you’re allowed to feel things remember…that’s what you told me earlier,”“I did tell you that, didn’t I?”“Mhm,”“He didn’t say anything to you,”“We sort of hashed out our stuff when he came to ask me if we could meet,”Jungwoo seemed content with that, focus shifting, “how angry do you think Taeyong is with Taeil,”“Uh…I’m not sure that’s something that can be quantified actually,”“Come on,” Jungwoo pinched his side. He snickered, quickly grabbed his hand so he couldn’t keep doing that to him.“There’s a lot to unpack with Taeil and Bobby and I’m sure Taeyong showing up here and seeing them together made him think they were hiding something. That’s why I didn’t like that he didn’t tell him, not because I didn’t want him to be here without Taeyong but because I didn’t want him jumping to the wrong conclusions about it. I mean, he’s sort of crazed when it comes to Bobby. It’s weird,”Jungwoo nodded, lips pursed as he thought, “you’re sort of crazed when it comes to Hanbin,”Jaehyun blinked at him.The name alone made his wolf twitch.That made sense. Hanbin was his Bobby.Maybe for the first time he understood, truly understood what Taeyong had gone through for so long with Bobby. They were a little different, Bobby was interested in Taeil while Hanbin was just animalistic and vile towards Jungwoo and as far as he knew it wasn’t because he was harboring sick, twisted romantic feelings that he didn’t know how to cope with. He was known to snap a little where Hanbin was concerned because he knew he scared Jungwoo and that was not okay with Jaehyun. Not at all. He was the most inhuman, his most wild and feral whenever things involved Hanbin. There weren’t excuses to be made and there wasn’t a way to explain what he did to him, not properly anyway. It just did something to him. Brought his wolf to the surface. Despised him with a ferocity he couldn’t understand or fathom till it happened, till he was feeling it.“I guess I am,”Jungwoo reached up to brush his hair across his forehead.“Do you love me more than you hate him,”He ducked to drop their foreheads together, watched Jungwoo’s eyes slip closed, peacefully.“Without question,”“I love you too, thanks for encouraging me to do this,”“I think my brother did that actually,”“But you got me here today, you kept me calm all week and all day, I would’ve walked away before it even started if you weren’t next to me,”Well that felt good. Really good. Better than fixing things with Bobby for sure but not as good as the way Jungwoo pulled him into a kiss that took his breath away.“Thought you wanted to nap,” he pulled away from him reluctantly, knowing better than to mess with his omega’s naptime. Jungwoo hummed, quickly making for the couch only for Jaehyun to take his hand to lead him down the hall.“Jae,”“Nope,”“I’m good on the couch I promise,”“Mm, and I’m good with you not having back pain,”“I have back pain anyway, always,”“Okay, but I don’t want to be the reason it’s worse, how ‘bout that,”Jungwoo giggled and kept quiet. He warmed up as he watched Jungwoo’s shoulders relax at the sight of a cozy looking bed, his bed. He skipped forward, grabbed a few pillows to rearrange them as he made quick work of fluffing the blankets into submission.After he’d settled a little, cheeks pink as he laid down, coincidentally on the side of the bed Jaehyun never slept on, he fixed him with tiny smile.“What,”Jungwoo shrugged, “you just wanted to get me in your bed,”His wolf did a goofy spin in his chest, listening to their omega tease them from his perch in his bed while Jaehyun didn’t have anything intelligent to say to that. So, he leant over him to kiss his head and told him to sleep.“You could join me,”Jaehyun knew instantly, that his resolve wasn’t strong enough to combat that request, so he settled under the blankets next to Jungwoo, held him close as he listened to his breathing even out, pup settled, resting and his heart beat slow after their busy, stressful day.Bobby had been talked to and it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t horrible. The road for him was a long one after hurting Jungwoo the way he had but he’d started and that was better than nothing. He’d take this over Jungwoo crying from being bullied, over his stress about constant fighting, any day he’d take this. And by this, he absolutely meant Jungwoo nuzzling under his chin, content after a busy day, making tiny noises as he fell deeper and deeper asleep in the safety of his arms, in his bed, in his home.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

There were few things that compared to waking up with Jungwoo in his arms. He could search the whole world, live a long, fulfilled life and nothing would measure up to blinking awake to see Jungwoo lying peacefully against him, hands curled into his shirt so he could feel if he went anywhere.Feeling him wake up was something else entirely. He would make these tiny breathy noises, shifted to get closer while his body stretched the sleep away. His hands would always clench wherever they were attached the more he woke up, which for some reason did funny things to Jaehyun’s chest and wolf. Right now, waking up with him was even better, after talking with Bobby had frayed their nerves and changed things up.He kissed the top of his head where Jungwoo was burrowing closer to him, not willing to let go of his warmth yet. Listened as he snuffled, whining a little before twisting to look up at him. His eyes blinked open slowly, warmed over brown spoke of good dreams and comfort that Jaehyun was only too happy to provide.“Hi,”Jungwoo purred as he stretched, joints popping, “hi,”Jaehyun brushed his hair out his eyes, behind his ear gently, “you sleep okay,”“I sleep the best with you,”Jaehyun laughed while his wolf freaked out, “so cheesy,”“You like it,”He smiled, couldn’t argue with that since he really did like it a lot. Jaehyun sat up, moving to get up while Jungwoo rolled into his warm spot, body curling close to his.“Don’t wanna get up yet?”“No,” he pouted, “my back hurts,”Jaehyun leaned down to kiss his head, “I’m sorry, anything I can do to help?” he asked while reaching around him to rub the small of his back. That’s usually where it hurt the most. Jungwoo sighed, purring intensified.“Let’s stay here Jae, instead,”Jaehyun shook his head, “you’re not hungry?”Jungwoo sat up instantly. As if he’d forgotten that leaving here meant going to dinner and getting something to eat.“I am hungry,” he said, like Jaehyun was the silly one here and he hadn’t just suggested they sat here in bed rather than go have something to eat. Jungwoo would never suggest something so ridiculous so maybe Jaehyun was in fact the foolish one. Either way, he stood and took Jungwoo’s hands in his to help him up, steadied him on his feet when he groaned and reached for his back.“You alright?”Jungwoo breathed out slowly through his nose, hands clenched tight in Jaehyun’s. “Yeah, just wow,”“What’s wow?”“My back,”His obvious discomfort made something inside him ping, wolf whining to help him but Jaehyun was already doing what he could. This was a necessary evil, as Jimin put it, to having a pup. Being chronically uncomfortable all the time it was just the name of the game. Jaehyun ducked close to kiss between his eyes, hoping to make the knit there go away. It did after a few seconds while Jungwoo unwound, leaning into him heavily with another long breath.“They’re worth it, they’re worth it,” he whispered, still breathing through whatever pain he was feeling right now, “I love them and they’re worth it,”Jaehyun kissed his head, wrapped them both up in his arms and his scent. The omega tucked his head into his shoulder, whining turned to humming the longer he was able to seep up Jaehyun’s warmth.“Can I borrow a sweater Jae?”Jaehyun felt his eyebrows draw together, what an odd question. Didn’t Jungwoo know by now that all Jaehyun had was his too? Apparently not. Well that needed to be fixed immediately.“Of course, you can, you don’t have to ask you know,”“I feel weird just taking stuff, like isn’t that presumptuous?”“You’re allowed to be, what’s mine is yours pumpkin, okay?”Jungwoo smiled against his neck, squeezed around his waist super tight.He grabbed a sweatshirt out of his closet, held it out for Jaehyun to scent even though it was already ingrained with it, but he didn’t question Jungwoo when he was like this. The omega kissed him to thank him before slipping it over his head, over the sweater he was already wearing. His nose tucked into the neckline with a happy sigh.He was so cute, so sweet that it made Jaehyun’s brain short circuit at least two or three times a day. And he had to acknowledge it at least two or three times a day that he couldn’t believe Jungwoo was his, that he got to experience these things with him.“Dinner?”Jaehyun smiled, took his hand to pull him out of his room, towards the door. He grabbed their coats and a hat for Jungwoo before they left the house and headed towards town.He wasn’t expecting a normal dinner by any means, not after witnessing Taeil and Taeyong fight earlier. He figured they wouldn’t be there, so he wasn’t surprised when they weren’t. Though all their friends certainly were, not used to the couple missing a chance to eat and hang out for a while.“Are they sick?” Jaemin asked, twirling Jeno’s hair around his fingers, distracted from his dinner but not from their missing friends. His mate tipped his face up at his voice, nudged their noses together which made Jaemin kiss him quickly like he couldn’t function further if he didn’t. Adorable, sure. Nauseating, definitely. He wondered if they thought that about him and Jungwoo like that too. He sort of hoped so.“Yongs was sick last week, I doubt he’s sick again and I saw them yesterday, they were fine,” Ten said, mulling over their absence as his attention shifted around at all of them.Jungwoo and Jaehyun shared a look.Everyone started murmuring, trying to decide where they were. Sicheng said they were probably just enjoying some alone time, happy to weave his own versions of the events. They didn’t seem to believe that either though as they started coming up with more and more ridiculous things that could’ve happened to them to keep them from dinner.Doyoung apparently didn’t agree with any of their theories, “it’s just so unlike them to not come to dinner,”“Doie,” Jungwoo grabbed his hand.“I’m sure they’re fine,” Jaehyun said, drawing everyone’s attention with the claim.“How would you know?” Doyoung asked, crossing his arms, “have you seen them today?”Jungwoo turned to him, looking like he was trying to decide without asking where Jaehyun was going to go with this.The troops were getting restless, visibly.“Have you seen them today Jae,” Kun asked, arms wrapping around himself after setting his plate on the ground.“Uh,” he was too honest for his own good, why did he have to always want to keep people happy and be truthful. He could tell them about the fight, right? It wasn’t a fight necessarily but Taeyong was upset and Taeil had screwed up, he was sure their friends would latch onto that like he had. “We saw them today,”Jungwoo took a deep breath, laid his hand over Jaehyun’s leg, “we met with Bobby, he apologized and Taeil was there, with us. Taeyong didn’t know that we were meeting at all, so he showed up as Tae and Bobby were leaving-”“Oh no,” Ten said, leaning into Johnny, the rest of them wore matching looks of panic, paling at the information.“No wonder they’re not here, Taeyong is probably trying to keep himself from going feral…is Bobby, is Bobby still alive, has anyone thought to check that he’s not dead in a ditch somewhere?” Doyoung asked which made Jungwoo squeak.“He left with Hajun,”Kun coughed loudly at that. “Jun was there, my Jun…is this a theme this week, people keeping secrets?”He hadn’t said anything about it either?“He didn’t tell you that we’d planned to meet today?” Jaehyun asked him.Kun shook his head. Dumb Jun how come he never learned?“Maybe one of us should check to make sure they’re both still in one piece,” Doyoung said, visibly upset by all this, “we know what Bobby does to Taeyong,”It surprised him a little that out of all of them, it was Doyoung taking this stance. He typically let drama wash over him without a care, didn’t pay too much attention to fights unless they were his business. It just didn’t faze him. Which was a nice, calmer way to be, but this was definitely affecting him for whatever reason.“Doie, I don’t think you should get involved, okay, this is between Taeil and Taeyong now,”Doyoung huffed, “why are you okay with this, if anything you should be trying to help Jae,”That floored him, “help who?”“Jae,” Jungwoo whispered, “don’t,”He ducked his head a little, took a breath to calm down and let his wolf chill out.He was calmer when he spoke again, voice level, “Taeil made the choice to not to tell his mate that we were meeting with Bobby, this is his mess,”“Whoa tiger, you’re still whining about this,” Hajun’s voice came from behind him, he dropped next to Kun before sending them all his signature goofy smile. His mate glared at him, pushing him back when he tried to kiss him which sobered Hajun’s good mood instantly. “What’s wrong?”Kun’s head tipped, face neutral but Jaehyun knew him better than that.“You took Bobby to meet with them today and you didn’t think to let me know? Funny I thought we weren’t doing the whole secret thing anymore, since it went so well for you last time,” Kun stood up.Hajun reached for his hand, “Kun,” he tried but the omega brushed him off one more time before skirting around their fire and away from the center, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Jaehyun’s stomach sank wondering what kind of trouble his brother had found himself in that Kun was still hanging onto so tightly. He didn’t want them fighting or upset with each other, they were at their very best together, but he couldn’t make his brother not be dumb anymore, he couldn’t change the fact that he hadn’t told Kun right away about his plans to mediate their meeting today.“Wow,” Ten said then looked up at Johnny, “we’re not gonna fight right, I don’t think my heart could take it,”His flair for the dramatic made half of them roll their eyes and the other half laugh.“Never my love, never,” Johnny always played along with him because he was a sucker, but it made Ten smile and kiss him so you could definitely see there was a method to everything he did.Hajun was a little slower to get up, looking extremely guilty as he did, brushed himself off without a word. He did come to give Jungwoo a hug when he held his arms out to him and ruffled a hand through Jaehyun’s hair before stalking away after his angry mate.“Good luck Jun!” Yuta called.His brother’s arm lifted to wave back at him though his shoulders stayed hunched, steps heavy as he disappeared out of the square towards his home. Jaehyun debated making up his couch for him in case he needed a place to land later but decided to have some faith in his brother. If anyone could clean up a mess, make light of something and get Kun to forgive them, it was Hajun.Jaehyun sighed after their circle went quiet, no one willing to say anything and break the odd tension that the others had left behind. He felt bad, like this was his fault. He agreed to a meeting with Bobby. He put it out there for Jungwoo to decide on. He didn’t make sure Taeil told Taeyong. He didn’t say anything to Kun about their meeting beforehand. Was the fighting that was springing up in their group because of him?He felt Jungwoo shift closer, so he wrapped an arm tighter around his back, smiled when the omega nudged him with his cold nose.“Stop that,”“Not doing anything,”“You are, it’s not your fault Jae, none of this was your fault. You did a good thing letting Bobby say his piece, encouraging me to make up with him and it was brutal sure but worth it. Taeil not telling Taeyong and your brother not saying anything to Kun isn’t on you, okay?”He nodded, smiling a little wider at the way Jungwoo just knew him.“Okay?” His nose moved further up his cheek.“Yeah,”“Good,”Jaehyun twisted his head, ran their noses together when they touched, “thanks,”Jungwoo huffed at him, hands curling into his coat where they gripped him.“You don’t have to thank me for loving you,” Jungwoo whispered, eyes hooded.Jaehyun backed up to give him a look.“What?”“Nothing, it was funny hearing that coming for you,”“Shush Jae,”He laughed as color flooded Jungwoo’s adorable face, ears warm to the touch under his teasing.“Are you two finished?” Yuta asked, sounding annoyed but also amused.Jungwoo laughed, made to turn back to the group but Jaehyun caught him before he could, “I wasn’t done, were you?”Jungwoo rolled eyes even as they crinkled, smirking when Jaehyun tipped him into a kiss that had the others throwing stuff at them, groaning and being general pains. Only his friends would harass him now that he was happy. He had what he’d wanted for so long, had the person that he’d had a crush for majority of his life, and they were throwing things at him! That wasn’t very supportive of them.Donghyuck and Mark made their appearance next, hands laced and swinging between them before they sat.“Where’s everyone?” Mark asked, looking around like half of them were missing and not just three of them.“We’re here, what do you mean?” Ten teased him.“Taeil, Yong, Kun, are they sick?” he asked, handing Donghyuck a fork which he used to steal a bite off his plate.“Taeil and Taeyong are dealing with some personal stuff and Hajun pissed Kun off so they left,” Johnny spoke up for all of them, doing a better job at giving a pared down version of the events than anyone else could’ve.Mark nodded, shifting closer to Donghyuck on instinct, “is everyone else alright?”They all smiled at him, some of them nodded while the rest of them reassured him that they were fine. Ten of course, took it a step further, “we’re so good Mark, you’re so sweet for checking on us, isn’t he the sweetest guys,”They all laughed at him while Mark said, “last time I check on you weirdo,”Which made Ten shout about being offended and Johnny console him in his classic way, the one that they all avoided watching at all costs.They all broke off into their own conversations. Yuta filled Jungwoo in on all the latest drama at school, Chenle excitedly told them about the new recipe he’d created for cheese from his family’s cows. It was, as always, Donghyuck who stole Jungwoo’s attention.“How are you feeling Woo,” he asked around a mouthful of rice.Jungwoo turned from Yuta, smiled at his best friend, “I’m good,”“You look tired,”Jungwoo sighed, “I am,”Jaemin, Renjun and Doyoung were paying attention to him now too, while Jaehyun rubbed between his shoulders. Jungwoo caught them all looking at him worriedly.“Fatigue is normal guys, I’m fine,”“Jae,” Donghyuck looked at him, “is it just fatigue?”Jaehyun sat up straighter, “oh no, no, I’m not getting involved in this, I go home with him, I don’t want him mad at me,”Jungwoo smirked, patting his cheek softly before looking back to Donghyuck but the others were listening. Or more importantly, Ten was listening and he never missed a chance to tease anyone.“You go home with him, do you?”“Zip it Tennie,”“You said it!”“I know, zip it,”“I wanna talk about this,” he whined, listing back and forth into Johnny. “This is news,”Jungwoo, typically embarrassed, didn’t appear to be listening as he and Donghyuck continued talking about how Jungwoo was feeling in lieu of where they were staying recently.Ten looked a little annoyed but smiled anyway. His love and support for them bleeding through and covering up the glint in his eyes. It was just his nature to mess with them, he’d move onto someone else before dinner was up. Poor Jisung, the sorry sap who’d caught Ten’s attention after them.As they were leaving Donghyuck handed Jungwoo a plate of biscuits, Jaehyun hadn’t noticed them before but he’d admit to being distracted and consumed by Jungwoo. He usually was.“For your mom,” Donghyuck said, with a tiny smile.“These are her favorite, Hyuck, she’ll love them,”Donghyuck bobbed his head, “well, I loved the needlepoint circle she made me,”“I’ll tell her…but I know she’d like seeing you, you could tell her yourself,” his eyes were lit up with mischief.Donghyuck grinned, like he knew his mom well. Jaehyun didn’t know they’d met or even if they had but was happy for whatever relationship they had.“We could go over for tea or something,” Jungwoo offered, hopeful smile stuck to his adorable face.“I’d like that a lot,”They made their way out of the square arm in arm like always though this time Jaehyun could hear Donghyuck asking Jungwoo if they were walking home with them or if he was staying at Jaehyun’s tonight too. It made his wolf bark in his chest because yes, Jungwoo was most certainly staying with them again tonight.His wolf wasn’t attached to his humanity as much and his opinions and feelings were far more primal and unafraid than Jaehyun’s. It made him laugh usually because where Jaehyun was cautious of Jungwoo’s feelings, all his wolf knew was that Jungwoo was theirs and he should be spending time with them, in the home they built, providing for him while they waited for his pup to be born. He was honest in how he felt, and it encouraged Jaehyun to be honest too, but he was still an animal. And Jaehyun, living in the human world was far more capable of surviving social situations and life with other people than his wolf was. He was happy to have his input though. And happy to feel how excited he was at the prospect of Jungwoo staying over again. He knew how they both felt about the omega falling asleep in their bed and waking up in their arms. In a word, thrilled. Though that seemed like a slight understatement if he really thought about it.Jungwoo fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted after the drama of their day, both of them knowing he deserved good sleep and would need it. Especially considering they had a birthday party to go to tomorrow.….Hyungmin’s party was about what you’d expect from a kid’s birthday party.Loud.With lots of screaming pups who begged in unison, like they’d planned it out, for the parents to let them play in the snow. Jungkook was the youngest parent there and gladly offered to supervise all of them outside which had made Jimin roll his eyes because, ‘supervise Kookie, really?’And Taemin had told Minho to go with them too, warning before the door closed that he didn’t want them throwing snow balls.No one had let Jungwoo go outside and all the older omegas had latched onto him so tightly and thoroughly that Jaehyun couldn’t get a word in or a hand on him. And he’d tried. The only spot for him was next to Jungwoo’s shoulder on the back of the couch.It was a little odd being here. He had his chosen pack within the pack. They didn’t need to be blood because he loved them regardless, protected and stood by each other like he and Hajun would always. That happened a lot in life. You had the pack and you had your pack. It was different. The bonds were deeper, personal. Taeyong, Johnny, Doyoung, Yuta were his first chosen pack members. Then there was Kun, Taeil, Ten, Sicheng, Mark, Donghyuck, Renjun, Jaemin and Jeno. Jisung and Chenle came next. And latest there was Jungwoo.They were his friends, but they were also more than that. Everyone had that, had those relationships. Jimin’s personal pack was Jungkook, their children, Taehyung, Namjoon, Seokjin, Hoseok and Yoongi and their pups. But Jimin was very close to Taemin and Jongin too which connected different members of different internal sub-packs together. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were part of Jongin’s internal pack with Sehun, plus their twin girls were the same age as Kimun so they were friends with Jimin and Jungkook separately. It tied them all together. Everyone connected in different ways.He liked thinking about that.  This was still his first time being a part of so many different blended packs and friend groups. And yet, he had a place here with Jungwoo and it was sort of nice. It was also, still so nice to see different people accept Jungwoo and welcome him in without hesitation. Jungwoo was putting off happy pheromones, scent warm and thick so he assumed he thought, being here, being talked to like an equal was nice. If he had lingering worries or hesitations, they were wiped away by their warmth. He hoped Jungwoo’s were too.He leant over to nudge at Jungwoo’s ear while Jongin and Baekhyun took turns feeling the pup kick. “Are you good pumpkin?”Jungwoo tipped his head back to look at him, smiled his, warmed over, sleepy smile.“Yeah,”“Ok, I’m gonna go outside then,”“What? Don’t go-” he gulped, giving a guilty look to the room at large before saying, “I mean, okay…wear your coat please,”He grinned at him to reassure him that he’d only be right outside if he needed him. He was comfortable, he could tell but that also didn’t mean he wanted Jaehyun too far from him. It made his wolf rumble inside him.“Jaehyun,” Taemin said sliding back into the room from the kitchen, “please make sure Minho doesn’t start any snowball fights,”Jimin laughed, “you should’ve warned Kookie too, he’s a menace but he’s afraid of you,”Taemin looked pleased with that information before saying, “yeah but Minho uses the icy snow because he’s used to fighting Kibum or Onew or even me and those things freaking hurt, I don’t want him to accidentally hit a pup with one of those if he’s aiming for Jungkook,”He told Taemin he was on it before kissing the top of Jungwoo’s head which earned a round of awes from the room before he was grabbing his coat and heading outside.Where a massively epic snowball fight was taking place.“Jae,” Jungkook yelled before launching a snowball directly at his chest which he sidestepped to dodge. “My team, come on,” He joined them happily, listening to the victorious laughter of the pups, Jungkook’s two oldest, a few kids from Hyungmin’s class and Jongin and Sehun’s only pup, Mira who was quick witted and a definite, 7-and-a-half-year-old force to be reckoned with. She looked Jaehyun up and down with narrowed eyes identical to her alpha fathers before nodding her head slowly. He passed her inspection apparently. Which felt good as he dropped to help them make more ammunition.“Taemin and Jimin don’t want you guys throwing snowballs,” he said lamely.Jungkook huffed, “Nark,”“Kook,”“The making up after the scolding’s the fun part Jae, you’ll see,” eyes on fire as he said it and then took off with his pups on his heels to pelt Minho and his team where they were crouched on the other side of the yard.  War waged on for several more minutes before the pups lost interest and took to rolling around and making snowmen to line up next to the one Hyungmin had likely made right after the snow that looked like it had melted and refrozen a few times over the last couple days.He dropped to the steps, watching the pups play while Minho lowered next to him, rubbed his neck before calling, without turning his head, “Hyungmin no pushing,”“Sorry,” the pups voice called back out of sight.“Thanks for coming Jae,”“Sure, thanks for having us,” knowing it had a lot to do with Hyungmin’s begging because he just thought the world of Jungwoo.“Of course, Taemin’s really fond of Jungwoo, not that I’m not but-”“-he’s in charge,”Minho smiled, “don’t I know it,”“No Kibum or Onew,” he had been surprised not to see them, since they were part of Minho and Taemin’s chosen pack, with their daughter Lily being more like a sister to Hyungmin than a cousin. Being around so many different people today had him fascinated by the intricacies of relationships and bonds that he’d barely thought about before today.“They came over last night, for family dinner but Lily woke up this morning with a fever and they didn’t want anyone else getting sick,”Jungkook came charging up to them then, hair blown around but still looking perfect as he crashed to the pathway in front of the steps. “Dude, Hyungmin has a crush on Jungwoo, like big time did you know that?”“Yeah,”“Oh,” Jungkook deflated a little, “well Mira’s teasing him about using his birthday wish on getting Jungwoo to notice him,”Minho shook his head but started laughing, “she’s trouble,” which made sense knowing who her parents and who her favorite uncles in their little group were.“Bet her and Hyungminnie will get married someday,” Jungkook said fondly, head tipping back to watch some birds take off from the roof.“Don’t threaten me with that,” Minho groaned.“Not a threat, just recognize the way they look at each other, that was me and Jimin,”“You followed him around like a puppy,” Minho argued back but his eyes were far away, caught watching the way Hyungmin was chasing Mira from one side of the yard to the other. “Oh shit,”“Sorry Minho,”He knew he didn’t dislike Mira or her parents it was just that having Sehun as an in law was more intimidating than having him as a friend, or friend of a friend. Jaehyun instantly felt thankful that Jungwoo didn’t have siblings and that he and Hajun got along as well as they did.“If that’s his future, guess you don’t have to worry about his crush on Jungwoo right?”Jaehyun hummed, smiling at the mere mention of Jungwoo’s name.“He’s so smiley lately, it’s weird,”Minho laughed at Jungkook, both of them dodging the swipes Jaehyun aimed at their heads.  The pups formed up, talking and laughing or playing a game that only made sense to them while Minho changed the subject but kept it focused on him and Jungwoo still.“Did you give him the rocking chair yet?”“No?” he turned to look up at him, wondering how he knew that was his main plan this week.“It’s not in the shop anymore,”“Oh, yeah, I haven’t yet but I’m planning to by the end of the week. It’s in my office now, hiding,”“You made Jungwoo a rocking chair?” Jungkook asked.“Yeah, work with what you got man,”Jungkook hummed before he perked up, on alert. He twisted towards Kimun who rushing towards them, face red and a little damp. He crouched to collect him and stood with him in his arms, “what’s wrong pup,” his hands deftly wiped away the little boys tears.Little cries left him before he said, “Jiho yelled at me and stepped on my hand,”“Oh, Ki it’s alright, let me see,” he said gently, took his little hand in his, removed his mitten and kissed his fingers till the pup collapsed against his shoulder. “Better,”Kimun sniffled but nodded his head, “want Mommy,”“Of course,” he said, climbed the steps around them before he yelled over his shoulder, “Jiho come here,”The older pup threw his head back and stomped his way to the house like it was a fate worse than death. Jaehyun couldn’t help the quiet laugh that escaped him, that reminded him so much of pissing his own brother off, goading him into lashing out so Jaehyun could get him in trouble. That was the job of a little brother, be a pain in the butt as often as possible.“What,” he grouched, stomping continued into the house as he and Minho called the others in for presents and the promise of hot chocolate.  “Sit,” Jungkook pointed to a chair at the table while Jimin rushed to them, likely smelling his pups’ distress.“But Dad,”“You’re in timeout till you apologize to your brother,”Jiho groaned again, crossing his arms with a huff and stayed quiet. Ah, Jaehyun remembered that too.“What’s wrong baby,” Jimin asked, scooping his sniffling pup out of Jungkook’s arms before testing that all his fingers were working fine and then kissed each of them softly. “You’re alright see,”“He yelled at me,”“Okay baby but I’m sure he’s sorry,”“No, he hates me,”“No, he doesn’t,” Jimin kissed his head, rocking him slightly to calm him down.“He does! He said so!”“You’re such a tattle tale!” Jiho cried from the table.“Jiho,” Jungkook warned, voice level and so no nonsense it made even Jaehyun stand up straighter, the rest of the pups filing in the house quietly. All on their best behavior now that one of their brother’s in arms was in trouble or maybe it was the waves of subtle authority that were working off Jungkook.Jiho ducked back down, pouting as he stubbornly refused to apologize to his brother. Jaehyun shut the door after Minho collected coats from the pups to hang them back up. He slipped off his own coat then moved to Jungwoo, sitting on the back of the couch while the omega shifted into his touch and warmth. Neither of them wanted to be in the way. Which seemed to be a running theme, all the pups made themselves small against Jungkook’s pheromones and Kimun’s bitter sad smell. Mira, the oldest pup, lightened the mood a little while she chased Hyungmin into the open living room before hurdling herself at Jongin who collapsed with her on top of Sehun, the alpha groaned but wrapped his arms around them tight.“What happened?” Taemin asked Minho, touching his cheeks and pouting while Minho kissed his head.“Just a little fight babe,”“A snowball fight?”“No Tae, Jiho stepped on Ki’s hand, they’re okay,”Taemin didn’t look like he believed him but let it go when Hyungmin scurried into his legs. The pup looked up at him with stars in his eyes.“Momma, presents?”“Of course, little love, let’s open presents,” Taemin gave his mate a ‘this isn’t finished,’ look which made Jaehyun snicker.They all moved around, getting situated around the room while the birthday boy perched proudly in the middle of his gifts like this was the best day ever. Jaehyun smiled at Jimin when he deposited Kimun on the couch, wanting his dad back instead while he moved on to do something else.Kimun sat safely between Jungkook and Jungwoo who was brushing his hair with his fingers, finally calmed down enough that he wasn’t crying or sniffling. Instead he was focused on his friend who was diving into his first gift excitedly.Hyungmin, like any kid with a present, destroyed the wrapping paper and barely looked at the gift before moving onto the next which made Minho laugh and Taemin roll his eyes. Though he did linger over the present Jungwoo and him gave him, big eyes twinkled at Jungwoo when he said, “I hope you like it Minnie,”The little boy beamed in a way that made most of the adults laugh and Jaehyun slide his hand into Jungwoo’s hair. Maybe it was foolish, but his wolf couldn’t differentiate what was a real threat and what was a little kid with a crush, so they urged him to touch their omega, kiss him or scent him or something. So, he settled for touching his hair because it made Jungwoo smile and Hyungmin wouldn’t see it. And he had no interest in hurting a little kid on their birthday with the fact that their feelings were pointless and silly. It was innocent and a little adorable and Jaehyun couldn’t fault him for that.While wrapping paper flew around, Jimin was, a continuous flurry of motion.Into the kitchen for some milk for Kimun, leaving a kiss in his hair and then in Jungkook’s, hand being caught for Jungkook to kiss, which earned them an eyeroll from Jongin who had readjusted and was sitting with Mira in his lap, the both of them sat on Sehun in the loveseat. Jimin never missed anything so he flicked Jongin’s forehead on his way back to the kitchen. He brought Taemin a bag for garbage which the older omega nuzzled him for. He moved down the hall to the nursery to check on his pup who was napping with Taemin’s youngest.Jungwoo had apparently noticed it too because he said, “he never stops,” head turned to look at Jungkook. He sounded exhausted, like it was him who was running around instead.“Tell me about it,” Jungkook smiled, turning to watch Jimin come back down the hall and move into the kitchen again. He moved to the table and his oldest with another cup which he set down in front of his sulking pup. He took the seat beside him and pulled his chair closer, saying something to his pup where their heads were pressed close together.Jaehyun didn’t want to watch them but felt compelled as he realized that he was going to have hard conversations, pick up on what was bothering Jungwoo’s pup and hope they’d talk to him before they could be hurt by whatever was going on in their heads. He was going to get to try and keep them happy, keep Jungwoo happy while they navigated life as a family. Just seeing the way Jimin was so calm with everything, composed while his pup was crying and one was visibly annoyed, it was inspiring. And Jungkook, was good at keep them in line, they listened to him and trusted him, both of them blindly. Pups didn’t hesitate to trust their parents, it was the most honest thing in the world. But it made him wonder how he’d discipline a pup he loved, he already loved Jungwoo’s pup so much and they weren’t even here yet. How was he going to be mad at them? And scold them?But watching Jungkook and Jimin, the way they dealt with their pups didn’t come from a place of anger or disappointment. It was love for them and the love they knew they had for their brothers, they encouraged them to think about the things they said and reflect on them, so they didn’t stay mad or hurt each other. He could do that. Jungwoo trusted him to do that.Jimin was busy brushing Jiho’s hair away from his face, gently moving it behind his ear while his other arm wrapped around his shoulders. The pup turned to hug him, tightly and nodded at whatever Jimin was saying to him.Meanwhile Minho was helping Hyungmin sift through the books and crayons in his hands, taking them from him even as he whined. Not wanting to let go of the thing Jungwoo had given to him. Baekhyun, a lot like Ten with his penchant for teasing anyone and everyone opened his mouth and said, “Minnie, who’re you gonna color a picture for first?”The little boy blinked but didn’t say anything right away.“Me, right?” Baekhyun asked, cheering when Hyungmin giggled.After all his presents were opened, Jungwoo was the first person he thanked, skipping up to him to hug the omega who sat forward on the couch to hug him back. “You’ll color me a picture, right?”Hyungmin’s cheeks were bright red as he nodded quickly, already looking like that was his sole mission in life, to color Jungwoo a picture. Taemin was snickering behind his hand, him and Baekhyun looking close to an outburst.“Daddy,” Hyungmin turned around to Minho.“Yeah buddy,”“Crayons,” he held his hand out. Minho gave him a face that had all of them laughing. “Please,” he muttered as an afterthought.Minho handed him the new box of crayons that Jungwoo got him, watching him settle down on the floor with his new book and set to coloring a picture for the omega.Taemin looked so amused by all this even as he asked, “so you don’t want cake?”Hyungmin looked up at him, “maybe later,”Taemin nodded, “later,” he shrugged, handing the garbage bag to Minho to throw away.“Hyungmin, can I color too,” Kimun asked, sliding off the couch to scurry to his older friend where Hyungmin pulled the book closer to himself like he didn’t want anyone else touching it.“Hyungmin,” Taemin said, though that was all he said, his tone didn’t leave any room for debating. He had to share.The little boy huffed but gave one of the other books to Kimun to color in which made the younger pup light up. It didn’t take long for the rest of the pups to join them while Taemin brought them all blank paper to draw on, so they didn’t have a world war on their hands if Hyungmin was forced to share anymore.After a few pictures were colored and handed to Jungwoo, Taemin and Mira in that order, Minho decided it had to be time for cake before the other pups’ parents came to pick them up.They sang happy birthday, clapping when Hyungmin made his wish and blew out most of the candles in one go, looking so proud of himself while Taemin kissed his head, taking the cake to cut everyone a piece.“Can I help Taemin?” Jungwoo sat forward.“No, no Woo, you rest,”Jungwoo pouted but sat back. He tipped his head back to look at Jaehyun.“Sorry pumpkin,”“I’m pregnant not crippled,” Jungwoo grumbled, looking dejected.“My fault Woo,” Jimin said from across the room, “I told him your fatigue is bad,”Jungwoo made a show a flopping backwards, sighing heavily and rubbing his stomach. He was distracted while Jongin pulled him into a conversation, but his hands never stopped moving as they rubbed circles over his bump. He reached up for Jaehyun’s hand and pulled.“Sit next to me,”Jaehyun smiled, rounding the couch quickly to sit between Jungwoo and the arm of the couch, the omega leaned into him instantly like he’d been waiting ages for exactly this.“You alright?”“Yeah, they’re just so busy in there,” he shifted, clearly uncomfortable.“Walk around Jungwoo,” Jimin’s voice called from the kitchen.“How’d he hear that?” Jungwoo asked no one in particular.Jungkook laughed, “he hears everything,”“He does,” Kimun agreed from the floor.“I heard that!” Jimin came back in, head healer face on, “you need to move around, they’re restless, your movement will help alleviate the pain you feel when they move, it’ll also stretch your legs and make your back feel better,”Jungwoo flopped his head onto his shoulder before whining, “help,”Jaehyun smiled at him, standing to pull him to his feet so he could walk around.“I thought this kind of stuff only happened in your last month or so?”“You’re so little,” Jimin said, like that explained it.Taemin hummed, popping back into the room, “and everyone’s different hun, every pregnancy is too, Hyungmin was a breeze but I was sick the whole time with Hyunnie, like so sick, right Chim,”Jimin nodded, looking sad for his friend.Jungwoo appeared to let that be enough, pacing for a bit before claiming he felt better and lowering back to couch with Jaehyun’s help.“Talk to us, that always works best Jae,” so Jaehyun did, talked to him, talked to the pup, felt all the other people in the room watching them but didn’t care. This was for Jungwoo. He’d do just about anything for him.Later, after they’d all eaten their cake and Sehun deflected the frosting Jongin tried to wipe across his face, they were all settled back around the room. Most of the pups playing a new game that Hyungmin got while he and the birthday boy colored with Jungwoo. Jiho shuffled up to his dad, only requiring a couple encouraging pats from Jimin along the way. His toe kicked the ground a few times before he got brave.“I apologized to Kimun daddy,”Jungkook didn’t turn to his pup but he was wearing a smile that Jaehyun could see from across the room where he was laying on the floor.“Are you still mad at me?”Jungkook’s shoulders jumped with silent laughter before he spun and picked his pup up. “No Ji, I’m not but we don’t tell people we hate them, that’s hurtful remember?”“I remember,” his head moved to lay on his shoulder, little arms held tight to Jungkook’s neck, “can I have cake now,”“I suppose,” he set him back down after kissing his head, ruffled his hair as he took off to get the piece Taemin set aside for him while he was still in timeout. Jimin looked after him and then in record time he was across the room and in Jungkook’s arm instead. Jaehyun returned his attention to the picture he was working on, he didn’t need to see their excessiveness, he could tell it was bad by the way Taemin was laughing and Jongin was groaning, covering Sehun’s eyes like it mattered.On their way out, shortly after, Jungwoo too tired to party any longer, most of them hugged the omega tight, Jongin and Baekhyun adopted him as one of their own, asking him to join them for their bi-weekly lunches where they bitched about their mates, work and just general pack nonsense. Jungwoo laughed but agreed, after Jimin said he went to those too, promised him they were as cathartic as they were entertaining.Though exhausting, Jungwoo said he’d had a lot of fun. His eyes sparkled all the way back to Jaehyun’s where he pulled Jaehyun to his room to take a nap with him before dinner rolled around.Jaehyun had had a lot of fun too. It was nice, even after watching it happen so many times before, people welcome Jungwoo in for his sweet disposition, warm hearted nature and general good energy. He was a little slice of heaven and Jaehyun was just the tiniest bit smug that people from all different areas of the pack wanted Jungwoo around, wanted Jungwoo in their life.Jaehyun wouldn’t complain about that. He was the biggest Jungwoo supporter around.He smiled, feeling Jungwoo’s breathing even out where it was hitting his neck and thought, today was wonderful for a lot of reasons. The main one being that Jungwoo, his perfect Jungwoo, was happy and smiling the entire time.Jaehyun liked that.….Jungwoo had of course been spending lots of time at Jaehyun’s house instead of his own. A development he couldn’t find a problem with, not that he’d looked for one but still.They were growing more comfortable here, it was more centrally located to town and food and their friends. The road out to Jungwoo’s was particularly icy after the last snow and the lasting cold that wouldn’t break. And maybe most importantly, they were happy together wherever they were so when Jungwoo took to sleeping over at his house, baking in his kitchen, hanging out with him here, Jaehyun let him, welcomed him, didn’t want him to leave.  It was easy. And natural and Jaehyun wasn’t about to tell Jungwoo to go stay at his own house when Jaehyun’s plan of getting him to move in with him was taking shape and rolling along nicely.The only issue with Jungwoo being here all the time, if he could even call it that, was that it was very difficult to be sneaky when he was in his space and always right under his nose. Jaehyun liked it more than he valued his privacy or his ability to be sneaky, but it was hard to surprise someone you lived with.It just required more tricks. And a keen knowledge of the person he was trying to surprise. If anyone knew Jungwoo’s schedule, it was Jaehyun. His plan was hatched one afternoon when Jungwoo said he was going to have tea with Donghyuck and help him with a project he was working on for Mark’s mom’s birthday. Jaehyun figured it was just a chance to spend time with his best friend but Jaehyun wouldn’t call him out for that. He liked that Donghyuck was finding normal again and Jungwoo was there helping him.Jungwoo got ready to leave the next day all bundled up, scarf hanging temptingly from his neck. Jaehyun couldn’t help grabbing the ends and dragging him close to kiss along the top edge of the scarf, the soft, warm skin of Jungwoo’s neck that always made him hang onto him extra tight.“Jae,”He hummed against him, hands falling to loop around his waist and hold him close.“I’m meeting Donghyuck,”“You can be a little late,”Jungwoo whined but his fingers slipped out of their mittens and into his hair anyway, guiding him up to kiss him. There was definitely a really, really nice thing about Jungwoo being pregnant that all his friends with kids had reminded him about, the libido of a pregnant omega was real and alive. Pregnant omegas didn’t go through heats, but they definitely had fevers and needs and desires that were new to Jaehyun but fun learning about when they happened.He and Jungwoo didn’t have any intention of having sex till after the pup was born but that didn’t mean they couldn’t make out till the air thinned out and their lips were swollen. They could drive each other crazy because they had the ability to do that and it was fun. In the way racing hearts and flushed skin, rushing to calm down in separate rooms when the line they’d talked about got closer than they meant it to, was. It was so easy to get caught up with Jungwoo. Because he was soft and warm and happy and so attractive to Jaehyun he made his blood boil.And he made these breathy noises that drove Jaehyun crazy from the simplest kiss and don’t even get him started on the sounds he made if his mouth traveled lower than his jaw. He had a habit of kissing him multiple times whenever he had him close, it was never one and done when he kissed Jungwoo. Maybe because he knew what it felt like to try and not kiss him, to stop himself and now he could so he didn’t want to hold back. Or maybe he just liked kissing him. Either way, he’d never heard Jungwoo complain. And the omega had only ever been an active, enthusiastic participant whenever they were tangled together. He always smelled really good when they kissed too. Especially if Jaehyun paid attention to his scent gland, obviously, or the spot right behind his ear, peaches and cinnamon would suffuse the air so quickly and strongly it made his head spin.“It’s just Donghyuck, pumpkin,”“He teases me when I’m late though, he knows,” he said in a way that suggested he had traumatized Jungwoo in some way with whatever he’d said regarding his lateness. He groaned, too accustomed to pleasing Jungwoo to argue or put him in a position that would upset him and stopped. But he wasn’t too put out that he pulled away completed or didn’t scent him gently still.“What are you gonna do today?” Jungwoo asked, voice a little whiny when Jaehyun’s nose dug into his scent gland.“I might go to the shop to get some more blue print paper, see if Kun’s still mad at my dumb brother, and then I was just planning on hanging out here, might sketch out some more floor plans for the new huts we’ll be starting in March…gotta see Mingyu or Seungcheol at some point this week about doing our foundation work for us, it’s a lot for just me and Minho to do on our own,”Jungwoo looked like his mind was trying to wrap around all that so he smiled softly in lieu of answering. It made Jaehyun laugh, how sweet he was with him, interested even though he didn’t understand half of what he’d said.“Okay,” Jungwoo moved till he could nudge their noses together with a deliriously giddy, gorgeous smile that grew the more Jaehyun snickered. “I’ll see you later then,”Jaehyun nodded, watched the way Jungwoo’s eyes reflected the light in the room before it changed as his eyelids dipped and he was leaning in to kiss him one more time before he left. Well, two more times because Jaehyun couldn’t let him get away with just one.He waved as Jungwoo closed the door behind himself and made his way down the steps and then out to Donghyuck’s. He’d insisted the first time to accompany him but Jungwoo was particularly resistant to those offers and looked at him like he was daring him to underestimate him. He’d asked Jimin how he thought about Jungwoo needing an escort at the party and he didn’t seem super concerned. If he wasn’t, Jaehyun could find in himself to loosen his hold a little and trust that enough people in this town loved and cared for Jungwoo now that he’d have help, god forbid something happened to him. He could also trust that Jungwoo was an adult and he knew himself better than anyone, he wouldn’t push it if something didn’t feel right.So, he went about his day.He went to the shop which was empty and dark. Not that he’d expected anything else since Minho was probably recuperating from all the birthday party mayhem as Taemin had called it, warning their friends that they’d probably lay low for a day or two after. He collected a few rolls of paper and one of his books to take home with him before flicking the lights back off and locking the door behind him.He’d see Mingyu or Seungcheol at dinner and ask them if they wanted to meet sometime later in the week about working together on the new huts which meant his next task was going to see how Kun was doing, see if he was still mad at his brother.He knocked on their door, knowing the omega only worked a couple hours on Monday morning and should be home already. No one answered. He knew where their spare key was though, under the pot in the corner but still knocked again before letting himself in. The thing that hit him first was how strong the scent inside was. Bitter and sad and heavy. Which surprised him because it had been a few days since Kun walked out of dinner and Hajun hadn’t been by to ask if he could sleep on his couch and neither of them had come to find him or tell him that things were bad. Jaehyun had assumed it was fine or at least a little better but if that awful smell was anything to go by, they weren’t better at all. Or Kun was having a really bad day. And it didn’t have anything to do with his brother.“Kun,”It was quiet but he heard shuffling from the room down the hall. And then Kun was there standing on the threshold of the living room looking sleepy and sad.“Kun,” he whispered watched the omega crumple before rushing forward and into his open arms. Jaehyun held him tight so worried that he hadn’t heard anything from them and Kun was here alone, miserable and crying and it smelled so bad. Where was Hajun? Why was Kun like this and he wasn’t here?“What’s going on?”“Have you seen Junnie?”Jaehyun squeezed him harder, tucked his nose into his hair, his own scent curled around them to hopefully soothe him. Kun relaxed slowly.“No, I haven’t, what’s wrong?”“I just don’t know what to do Jae,” he whined, spinning out of his arms. He was really, very confused about this. First, he hadn’t seen either of them and then their home smelled like they were fighting, Kun was crying and not saying anything. Well, anything helpful.“Kun,” he tried to get him back when the omega paced to the kitchen. Jaehyun followed him, stressed that this was where his day was going. He’d help though, obviously this was his family and if he could help Kun with whatever was going on he would. “I can’t help if you don’t talk to me,”Kun’s shoulders jumped but he nodded, turned away from him still at the counter.“What’s going on?”His arms curled around himself, breathing calming down the longer Jaehyun stayed put, scent even and warm between them.“You didn’t talk to Jun?” Kun asked.“No, why? You’re freaking me out,”“We’re fine,” he said, clearly hearing the note of panic in his voice. “I was just really annoyed at dinner, about him not telling me about your meeting with Bobby because I’d just told him earlier that week that I’d rather worry about things then not know about them. I don’t believe in the whole ignorance being bliss thing, not anymore anyway,”“Nosy,”Kun turned around then. The small smile on his face was really reassuring to him.“A little sure, but he said he understood that and still he didn’t tell me about Bobby and you getting together to talk. It’s annoying Jae,”“I know,” but that still didn’t explain why he was crying.“I wanted to know if you’d seen him, if he’d talked your ear off about much of a pain I am,”Jaehyun was about to say that Hajun would definitely rather put up with him, even if he was pain, than not have him at all but didn’t get to as Kun continued.“I mean, how are we going to be the pack leaders if he keeps the simplest things from me?”“You just have to stay on him about it Kun, you know that. He’s good for a while but if you don’t remind him, he’s forgetful and, I love him but he’s so dumb sometimes. You know he doesn’t keep that kind of stuff from you to hurt you though, he’d never hurt you,”“But he does keep that sort of stuff from me Jae and it does hurt me,”He smiled sadly as he said it, heavy sigh followed shortly after.“Sorry,”Jaehyun shook his head, stepped closer to his brother in law, “you don’t have to be sorry Kun, you’re upset, I’m sorry it took me three days to come check on you,”Kun grinned and snuggled back into him. “It’s fine, we’re fine…yeah,”“You didn’t seem fine Kun,”He looked up at him for a long, quiet moment, breathing loud in his otherwise silent kitchen. He wasn’t crying anymore but his face was wet, reminding him that he was sad or worked up about something. He didn’t think it was only because of his brother though.“I’m pregnant,”Jaehyun blinked, the static in his ears made him think he hadn’t heard him correctly. “What?”Kun managed a laugh at that, “I’m pregnant,”“For real?”Kun laughed again, “for real,”“Wow Kun! Oh my god, congratulations,” he scooped him off his feet to swing him around, not able to contain the happy bubble of laughter or the blinding smile that crinkled his whole face. He felt, for some reason, like he might cry. It was overwhelming and shocking the way it hit him, his brother was going to be a dad, he was going to be an uncle, Kun was having a baby! But Kun looked really stressed, was that why he was crying? That didn’t make sense, he’d been so looking forward to having a family and ever since Jungwoo showed back up in town that excitement had only grown, knowing someone who was pregnant.“Does Jun know?”“Not yet,”Jaehyun set him back on his feet, took his face in his hands to kiss his forehead because he was just too excited for him and them. But he really did look upset.“Is…you’re not happy about this?”Kun sighed, “I am, it’s just…it feels like a bad sign that we’ve been arguing all week, that he keeps secrets and I get pissed off and he sleeps on the couch for a night till I can’t take it and accept his dumb, stupid apologies, knowing he’ll do it again,”Jaehyun didn’t say anything, could tell he wasn’t done and just needed to work this all out.“I want to tell him, but I’m just so torn about all this and then seeing you…I got overwhelmed I guess,”“Okay, well you know he’d be thrilled about this, he wants a pup maybe even more than you do,”Kun nodded.“Kun I think pup’s come with stress regardless, it’s new and foreign and a lot,”“I’m panicked Jae, can I bring a baby into this? Should I?” He shook his head, not understanding that.“Into what Kun? A normal family, who argues and ticks each other off but makes up and fixes things? A home where they’ll never lack a single thing they want? The world is scary Kun and life isn’t perfect, but pups are pure and good and for while us imperfect people get to experience that, love them and help them grow to be maybe a little less imperfect than we are,” Kun looked relieved the more he talked so he kept going, “Hajun loves you so much, you know that, he screws up sometimes, but he’s never, ever let a day go by where he hasn’t made sure you know he adores you, right?”“Right,”He felt Kun’s hands clench in his shirt while he rubbed his back.“You guys are normal people, with normal problems and you’re going to be really amazing parents. I believe that with everything I have, okay? I get panicking, seriously but I also get that pups are inspiring and life changing. I don’t think they fix problems, but they certainly shift priorities and keep you accountable for yourself. Jun is gonna be good at this Kun, he’s gonna be goofy and protective and probably really mushy for them. He’ll do anything for you and your pup and if he loves them a fraction of how much he loves you, they’ll be the luckiest little kid in the world,”“I know, I know, it’s just the timing of everything I guess,” he took a deep breath.“Pups have their own timing,”Kun’s pout morphed to a smile so bright it was like sunshine. “You always say the best things Jae; how do you do that?”“Jungwoo says it’s my superpower,”“He’s right,” Kun pinched his cheek before swiping away the rest of his own tears, “our pups are gonna grow up together, they’ll be the same age,” The realization went on like a light in his eyes and then he was laughing.“Oh, Jungwoo’s gonna flip, he’ll be so excited!”“Don’t tell him yet Jae, you’re sort of the first person I told…I need to tell Junnie and then maybe my parents and I don’t know if I should say something at dinner because of…” he dropped off but Jaehyun knew where his head had gone. Donghyuck and Mark. They’d said they were okay and Donghyuck had made a point about people treating him the same because it helped but how far did you take that? Was Kun excitedly announcing at dinner that he was pregnant insensitive? It was hard to know what was too much and what was enough these days. There was such a fine line between under and over estimating what they could handle and none of them wanted to be the one that crossed it and hurt them.“Have you seen Jimin yet?”“I did a few weeks ago…so he knew obviously but you were the first person I said it out loud to,” a giddy sound left him.“We don’t have to tell Jun that I knew before him, not sure I want that wrath,”“Please, he’d be more annoyed at me,”“Not sure about that, you’re the pregnant mate, sort of think that trumps little brother,” Jaehyun argued back just to see him smile, he couldn’t get enough of how happy he looked right now. It was way better than seeing him alone and upset. He felt bad that he’d been so worked up about this that it made their house smell the way it did but at least he seemed better now and maybe had the confidence to tell his mate his good news.The clock on the wall showed it had already been an hour that he’d been out, and he had no idea how long Jungwoo planned on being with Donghyuck. He definitely didn’t want to miss his chance to surprise him with his gift, so he had to get going.“Hey so, are you gonna start freaking out again if I leave or will you be alright?” He wanted to surprise Jungwoo sure but if Kun said he needed him to stay he would. He was his family too.“I think I’m good, Jun should be home for lunch so maybe I’ll tell him, you’ve inspired me,” Kun smirked at him, that was the trouble making smirk though. He definitely felt better, “why you have a hot date or something?”“Well-”“Oh, I’m so telling Jungwoo!”“It is Jungwoo so ha!”Kun just smiled wider because he’d wandered his dumb self, right into his trap.“Dammit,”“You and your brother are so easy,” he giggled, pulled his close to hug him tight. “What are you guys doing,”“Nothing official but I have a gift for him, and I want to be home before him,”Kun’s eyebrows jumped, “oh you want to be home before him? Whose home?”“Mine,” he admitted shyly.“Mhm, he’s moved in with you then?”Jaehyun cleared his throat, embarrassed that Kun always managed to do that. Catch him and make him own his nonsense. “Not officially,”“Mhm,”“Stop making that noise,”“Mm,”“Stop, never mind, I’m going,”“Jae,” Kun laughed as he turned around to leave the kitchen. “Thanks for coming over, I would’ve had myself locked in my room all day if you hadn’t and I really needed to talk about this,”“Anytime Kun,” he stepped back to him to nuzzle his cheek, scenting the side of his head carefully. “Congratulations again, this is like the best news I’ve heard in days,”“Just days?”“Maybe weeks,”“I’ll take weeks,” he walked him to the door while rubbing his back, “love you,”“Love you too, good luck with Jun,”Kun sighed but didn’t look like he was dreading that conversation so much. He even looked relieved. That he’d gotten that off his chest and had some support for a conversation that was equally exciting as it was terrifying. He didn’t want Kun to be scared. And he knew his brother wouldn’t want him to be scared either. This was something they’d both wanted really bad and they deserved it.And he deserved to keep his good day, good as he rushed to the store and then home to hopefully beat Jungwoo there.….The clerk at the store had always known him by name but they’d gotten more familiar with each other since he’d started courting Jungwoo. Today, they smiled at him and waved him over to say they didn’t have a super wide assortment of flowers this week because the snow had messed up their deliveries from the city but there were some roses in the case if he wanted them. Jaehyun rolled his eyes at himself, it was bad if the clerks knew he came in for flowers and not much else. But there were definitely worse things to be known for, if he was the alpha who bought flowers every week for the omega he was courting, he’d take that. His routine in the market was normal.Seeing Chenle huddled in one of the aisles though, wasn’t. And that he jumped when he called his name was ever weirder.His younger friend twisted away, arm lifted to his face before he turned back, a distinctly fake smile plastered across his face. Jaehyun smiled back but couldn’t let that go.“What’s up, you’re not working today?”Chenle was always working, his family owned the one of the only farms in town. When he wasn’t milking the cows or feeding the hens or doing a hundred other things, he was running errands and delivering milk or eggs to the people in town who didn’t trust the stores products. It was just him, his mom and his aunt this time of year since they typically laid off their staff through the winter, which meant poor Chenle stayed busy.“No, my mom sent me for a few things, and I was out of my tea,” he cleared his throat when his voice came out like a wet rasp, “what’s up with you?”He lifted the small, slightly sorry looking bouquet up for Chenle to see which made the omega blush and bite his lip. An expression darkened his eyes in a way Jaehyun really didn’t like seeing on him. It made a hundred different questions pop into his head. He looked, upset. But more than that too, resentful or jealous maybe. He debated saying anything more about his surprise for Jungwoo because he really didn’t want to upset him more but Chenle, sweet, gentle Chenle beat him to it.“You’re so sweet Jae, like the sweetest,” said with more scorn than he was expecting. He tossed the box of loose-leaf tea into his basket like it had offended him.Jaehyun threw the caution he was holding onto to the wind, too concerned to let Chenle go if he was in a bad place. Who knew who he’d throw that tea at after Jaehyun left?“What’s wrong,” the second time that day that he’d asked something like that while fearing the worst.“Nothing,” Chenle huffed, “why would something be wrong? Do I look like something’s wrong?”Jaehyun couldn’t help smiling at him fondly.“Yeah,”That made Chenle huff again.“What’s wrong Lele,”He shrugged, turning away from him again. The teas were apparently very interesting.“Is your mom alright?”That got him talking, “oh yeah, yeah she’s good, thanks,” he cleared his throat. “Do you know Ryujin?”“Uh, I think so,” she was a younger omega, quite a few years younger than him so he’d never had any contact with her outside of solstice parties or the festival the pack threw at the end of every summer for all the matured wolves of that year. He’d definitely seen her there, since she was the same age as Jisung.Chenle huffed some more, sweet scent going sickly around them.“She’s been giving Jisung chocolates,”“Oh,”“Homemade chocolates,”“Oh,”Homemade gifts from an omega, to an alpha wasn’t a great sign. That said, interested and single, why haven’t you done anything about that yet?“Yeah, oh,” Chenle deflated, looking worn out and a little devastated.“Maybe it’s not like it seems?” Jaehyun tried, not really sure if that was helpful at all. He knew what the intensity of feelings could do to you and how it could mess with you and make you think the worst, most painful things.Chenle shrugged, “I don’t know…I just saw him outside, talking to her so I asked him about it and he just seemed unsure. I don’t think he knows what he feels or wants so it’s not like I can blame him for it, and I know he’s sort of oblivious, he probably doesn’t even know what accepting gifts from her means, but he knows what I feel. I’m just so sick of being messed with Jae,”Jaehyun stepped closer to him, “I don’t think he’s doing that on purpose,”Confusion settled over him as he thought about the life his friends lived that Jaehyun didn’t know anything about. He saw them on, what he thought was a date but if he and Jungwoo hadn’t been out at the same time, they never would’ve known about it at all. Now, apparently something was going on, or Chenle thought something was going on with Jisung and some other omega, and Chenle was hurt in the process. His relationship with Jisung, was bound to be confusing and complicated because they were so young and not yet used to their hormones and feelings. Chenle, being an omega, matured a little faster and differently than Jisung, their youngest alpha, so he might be ready for a relationship with the hope of mating in the future but that didn’t mean Jisung was there yet.He understood, what he felt for Jisung was real and honest and he embraced it. But Jisung, whether he was there yet or not, seemed reluctant. He definitely didn’t think Jisung was intentionally seeking to hurt Chenle, he probably didn’t even understand how Chenle would view his accepting a gift from another omega. Unfortunately, with someone like Jisung, he imagined it would take Chenle receiving attention from another alpha for him to realize what he was feeling. Jaehyun didn’t fully support jealousy as a motivator but if it got them together and helped them reach a happy ending, he could get behind it. Just this once.Unless it led to Chenle hurt more. He didn’t want that for him.He was definitely sympathetic towards his fellow alpha but Chenle was a little brother to him, he’d protect him and fight for him any time, even if it meant fighting Jisung. He didn’t want to see him cry ever again because of the young alpha. That didn’t fly with him at all.“What’d he say when you confronted him about her?”“That the chocolates were good and it’s not like we were together, he can spend time with whoever he wants,”Jaehyun shook his head, hardly believing that Jisung, the Jisung he saw the other day looking after Chenle so intently in the snow, would say that to his best friend. Whether they were together or not. It didn’t make sense.“What can I do Chenle?”“Nothing, I…it’s not what I thought it was with us, I have to accept that. I’m just gonna try to forget this, go home, have lunch and ignore dumb alphas named Jisung,”“Okay,” he said sadly. He didn’t mean to follow him to the registers, but he was ready to check out too, kept close to Chenle in line and smiled at him tenderly when the omega gave him a funny look.He paused after paying the clerk, turned to Jaehyun before rushing him to give him a hug.“See you at dinner Jae,” he said quietly, hanging onto him so tight Jaehyun wondered if he was going to be okay.Both he and the clerk watched him scurry away after, wearing matching sad faces.“I often wish I was young again, you know, you get like that as you get older,” she said, eyes fixing on Jaehyun’s, “but I don’t wish for that again, poor thing,”Jaehyun smiled.Heart ache was all a part of growing up. He knew that. He’d lived through it too. He felt for it but definitely didn’t envy the struggle that Chenle was facing. Having feelings for his best friend, who at this point in time, didn’t seem to care much about him at all.….Jungwoo’s voice called into the house when he got back, saying something about Donghyuck making them bread. Jaehyun stood from his desk to make his way into the living room, debating whether he wanted to direct Jungwoo’s attention to the rocking chair or wait for him to notice it on his own.He didn’t have to do anything because when he made his way down the hall, he saw Jungwoo half way out of his coat, focus attached to the rocking chair he’d put in front of the fireplace, facing the room.“Hi,”Jungwoo blinked, turning to him with a small, distracted smile, “hi, is that new,”Jaehyun huffed a laugh, “sort of. I’ve been staring at it for several weeks now but it’s new here, for sure,”“You made it?”“I did,”“It’s beautiful Jae,”Jaehyun felt his face melt into a smile at the omega, “thank you,”Jungwoo hummed, putting his coat on the rack before unwrapping his scarf and taking off his hat. He was so against receiving gifts he probably didn’t even understand that Jaehyun had made it for him. So that meant Jaehyun had to tell him.“It’s yours,”Jungwoo froze, hands slipped off the scarf where it hung over his coat. He turned slowly to face him standing in the middle of the living room, beside the chair.“Jae,” he whispered. Jungwoo looked like he didn’t believe him, which was crazy because Jungwoo knew him well enough by now to believe he was completely devoted to giving him the best gifts possible, since he was only allowed to give a few. He could practically hear the argument Jungwoo likely had loaded, that it was too much, and he couldn’t accept it.“I’m serious, this was one of the gifts I was working on, it was meant for you, I just didn’t want to bring it to yours with all the ice and snow,”Jungwoo looked at him like he was seeing him for the first time. His eyes twinkled where they roamed over his face. His footsteps were slow as he approached him and the chair.“Do you wanna sit?”Jungwoo nodded, speechless apparently.  He took Jaehyun’s outstretched hand, lowered himself to the seat and sighed.“Is it okay?”Jungwoo nodded again.“You haven’t said anything,” he crouched as Jungwoo rocked back a little. “Do you not like it?”His eyes went wide, shook his head back and forth, “I love it,”Jaehyun raised his eyebrows, “Okay…you don’t seem like you do,”“No, I do, I’m just…surprised, I wasn’t expecting it,”Jaehyun hopped to fix it, not wanting to give Jungwoo the chance to convince himself he couldn’t accept it.“I know it might seem like a lot but really it’s not, okay? It’s like the chicken coop too, you don’t have to consider it a gift, and you can leave it here if that makes you feel better…but it’s yours and I want you to have it,”Jungwoo’s breathing was even, slow while he looked him over, his scent grew strong as he held onto Jaehyun’s hands tighter. He tugged, to drag him closer before his arms were extending to wrap around his shoulders.“I love it Jae, thank you so much,” his breath brushed down the back of his neck.Jaehyun smiled against his shoulder, shifting to get his feet under him. He wrapped himself around Jungwoo, his and the pup’s heartbeats pleasant and upbeat between them. When they separated, Jungwoo’s face was wet so Jaehyun reached up to wipe his tears away. Happy tears were alright with Jaehyun, but he still didn’t like seeing him cry and was relieved when Jungwoo laughed, kissing his cheek quickly.He sat back with a happy noise, hands rubbing the arms of the chair like he was committing it’s feel to memory.“Good?” Jaehyun asked, feeling his wolf thrum excitedly at their omega visibly enjoying something they’d made for him.Jungwoo nodded, teeth biting down on his smile. His hands dropped to his stomach next, smile breaking through completely before he giggled.“He likes it too,”“Oh yeah?”Jungwoo held a hand out for his, pressed it against his bump to feel the pup kick.“Well, I’m glad, it’s partly for him too,”Next thing he knew, Jungwoo was pushing out of the chair and latching onto him. He was happy in a way that Jaehyun could feel radiating off him endlessly which did nice, fuzzy things to his head and his wolf who wouldn’t stop barking inside him at the sight and smell of their happy omega. They did that. Jungwoo was happy in this moment because of them.It didn’t take long before they were settling on the couch together. Jaehyun rubbed his back as he laid against him, fingers hanging onto the edge of his shirt while his focus drifting back and forth between him and the rocking chair evenly.The scent of peaches and cinnamon, the warmth of Jungwoo in his arms, the fluttering movement against his side had Jaehyun feeling incredibly thankful. He had this and them. After the drama he’d realized made up their friends lives, he was so infinitely grateful for this and Jungwoo.Hajun and Kun were in a weird place, were okay but definitely not at their best. But Kun was pregnant! Though he hadn’t told his brother about that yet. And Chenle was in a bizarre place with Jisung, he liked him and Jaehyun would put money on Jisung liking him back but not knowing what to do with that yet. So, he messed up and left Chenle hurting, all because he was young and dumb and couldn’t admit what he wanted. He didn’t know if Taeil and Taeyong were still fighting or not, if they were better but the two of them on top of everything else, he’d found out today made him that much more thankful for Jungwoo.And it’s not like he could just not tell Jungwoo that, because he had to. He had to let him know how much he needed him, needed him here and loved it when he was.“I’m so glad I could end my day here with you,”Jungwoo laughed into his shoulder, hands moving to grip his arm. “It’s not even over yet Jae,”“It is,”Jungwoo looked up at him from his spot, smile firmly in place while his eyes twinkled.“It’s over for me,”He scrunched his nose but was still smiling, “that was morbid Jae,”“Sorry, I just meant you’re it for me, if this is the end, I’m good,”Jungwoo’s hand lifted to linger over his forehead, back of his fingers pressed to his skin.“Are you feeling alright honey? You’re not warm,”He tipped himself away from the hand, smiling at Jungwoo’s reluctance to accept his ridiculousness right now, “I’m fine,”“You’re cheesy,”He hummed, not at all bothered by that fact.“I like it,” Jungwoo whispered before asking, “Did something happen today?”Jaehyun wasn’t allowed to tell him about Kun being pregnant, at least not till Hajun knew but he could tell him about Jisung and Chenle.“Jisung’s young and dumb and well-intentioned sure but I feel bad for Chenle,”Jungwoo shifted, legs stretching a little before they curled closer to Jaehyun’s lap. “What happened? They were so cute on their snow date,”“I know, I just don’t think Jisung is really aware of how he effects Chenle or what he feels for him yet,”“That’s okay, he’s young, he doesn’t have to explain everything he’s feeling right now,”“I know-”“Not everyone is as connected to their feelings as you Jae,”He pinched his cheek where his smug smile was taking over his adorable face.“I know that, but it still sucks for Chenle,”“Yeah, but maybe Jisung just needs time to adjust and get used to Chenle as a mature omega. Or can you not understand that because you’ve never felt off balanced by an omega before?” Take the bait Jaehyun, his wolf howled. Take the bait! They loved when Jungwoo flirted with them. It was also a great example of a thing that threw him off balance. Just because he loved him so much and it still floored him that he was who Jungwoo wanted.Having been properly hooked he said, “Oh, all the time,”Jungwoo pushed him away but followed him, face tucked into his neck, his lips kissed his throat a couple times and then he was back against him shoulder. The contentment surged, peaches, cinnamon and cedar kept the air warm and saturated, enticed them to stay cozy and safe here. As if Jaehyun had any thoughts of leaving.“I wish you could’ve seen how stunted Jisung was a couple years ago, you think he’s bad today, you should’ve seen him back then. He barely talked to any of the omegas, not that he talked to the rest of us anymore he was so shy but still. Taeil used to get so offended and Ten lived to embarrass him, he hung off him and would get super close to him when he talked, then one day Jisung stood up, told Ten he smelled weird and left dinner. He came back ten minutes later for his food, then left again. It was so freaking funny,”“No, poor Jisung, don’t make fun of him. Everyone goes through that, growing up is so weird,”“Did you?”Jungwoo hummed, “I was so awkward, and I used to stutter really bad too. I remember the first time Lucas tried to ask me out I laughed in his face because I thought he was kidding. And then the second time I spit my drink out at him. I ran away the third time and the fourth time he was like, ‘am I scaring you? Because I’ll stop trying to ask you out, if I am,’ and I couldn’t say anything because I knew I’d stutter. So, I had my best friend accept for me and we went to an arcade. He let me kick his butt in air hockey and bought me popcorn and some kids totally showed us up in some racing game…” he went quiet and bright red like he hadn’t meant to say all that, “…sorry,”“It’s okay Woo,” and it was, “I like hearing good things about him,”“Really?” Jungwoo looked so surprised which only made the genuine smile on Jaehyun’s face grow.“Yeah, good things mean he was good to you and made you happy,”“I didn’t think you liked hearing about him,”He hadn’t. And talk to him a few months back about the guy and he would’ve tuned it out but today things with Jungwoo were so different. He didn’t feel his place in his life was threatened by his ex.“I didn’t like some of the stories because you seemed sad sometimes remembering him, but I like the good ones. He was in your life while I wasn’t, maybe it wasn’t always picture perfect, but no relationship is, and I like knowing you had someone. You weren’t alone because of him,”Jungwoo looked like he was fighting with himself, against whether to smile or cry. He ended up doing a bit of both which made Jaehyun laugh and pull him close.“There aren’t words for how perfect you are Jae, how are you so perfect?”“Uh, I’m not?”“You are,”“No, I’m not…but I am willing to learn and get better. This, my love is what I think my dad would call personal growth,” he reached up to swipe his fingers under his eyes to catch the couple tears there.“Personal growth,” Jungwoo giggled.“It is, there was a time when the mere thought of Lucas’s name made me want to spit,”Almost instantly, Jungwoo curled closer to him like he was trying to show him he was there, his, not going anywhere.“But not anymore?” he asked quietly.“Nope, now I hope I get the chance to meet him and thank him for loving you in his way and…leaving-”“-Leaving?!”“No, listen, if he hadn’t left, you wouldn’t have come home. I got my second chance with you because he left. I kinda owe him,”“Oh, you do?”“Yeah, I do. He also gave you your pup, which I’m not allowed to think about for reasons, but I love your pup,”Jungwoo seemed so amused with him today if the way he was looking at him was anything to go by. And Jaehyun loved that.“What reasons?”He swallowed, knew it didn’t mean anything now. The relationship they had, didn’t have anything on them because it was over and different now. But for as much as he’d grown, if he and his wolf thought of Lucas making love to their omega, well that was grounds for a fight.  Did he commit himself to momentary, unfounded jealousy he still felt or just ignore it? He could ignore it, that was easier.But Jungwoo. He had those stars in his eyes that Jaehyun fell in love with a few times a day at least, he was his. They belonged to themselves and then each other and he trusted that. Even if Lucas showed up, it wouldn’t change the life they’d made and were still making every day.Personal growth, right?“Sex,”Jungwoo snorted, “sex,”“Yeah, sex,”“Jae,” he sighed but in the fondly, exasperated way he’d adopted.He felt the need to defend himself and what he’d said while his wolf rumbled, annoyed that they were talking about Jungwoo’s very intimate past with a wolf that wasn’t them, “He’s had sex with you,”“Yes, he has,” there wasn’t anything cruel or back-handed about the way he’d said it. It was just honest, matter-of-fact because it was true. It was a very real fact of his life before coming back and Jaehyun knew, though he had his problems with Lucas, he wouldn’t want to erase their past or anything they’d been through because it was theirs and it got him here. He didn’t shy away from those things and Jaehyun admired him for that.Jaehyun groaned, not able to look at the tender way Jungwoo was staring at him. “Don’t make fun of me,”“I would never,”“You want to,”“I might tease you just a little,”“And that’s better?”Jungwoo hummed, “yeah, it’s done with love,”“Now who’s cheesy,”“Learned from the best babe,”He pinched him again and held him tight when he laughed. At least his slight jealousy was something they could joke about and not something they needed to stress over or take super seriously.“I’m sleepy,” Jungwoo whispered next, let them wander away from their pasts so they could stay right here instead.“Okay, we have an hour or so before we have to go to dinner,”“You’ll wake me up,”“You know I will,”Jungwoo hummed, snuggling down to wrap both his arms around Jaehyun’s waist.“I love my rocking chair Jae,”Jaehyun beamed, ducking to grin into Jungwoo’s hair, “I’m glad,” And he really must've because he'd been so enraptured by the sight of it, he never even noticed the flowers he'd put in a vase for him on the mantle, not that Jaehyun minded that much.“Can I ask what made you make me one?”“I think I heard Minho say something about Taemin being glued to his since the baby was born and how Hyungmin loves to sit with his little brother in it. And I know my mom had, still has one, my dad used to say it was only way to get Hajun to sleep when he was a baby,”Jungwoo didn’t say anything right away, he must’ve been closer to sleep than he initially thought. Maybe he just wanted Jaehyun to talk to him, lull them to sleep.“I love it,”Jaehyun smiled at his slow speech and mellowed scent.“Love you,”Jaehyun’s heart kicked, knowing he’d never get tired of hearing those words from Jungwoo, directed at him.“I love you too,”….Jaehyun couldn’t be sure how much the others knew about Chenle and Jisung, but he did know that they knew something was up because Jisung didn’t come to dinner.And he never missed dinner.One time he limped in with a broken ankle, arguing with all of them that ‘if you’re so worried, Jimin is right there, ask him to look at,’ and had cried ‘battery, abuse, assholes!’ when they all threw something off their plates at him for being so difficult.He could only assume from him not being here that their argument had probably been more of a fight this afternoon. Chenle would likely see it as cowardice but Jaehyun, as Jisung’s fellow alpha, wanted to give him more credit than that. He’d think that it was maybe more consideration, care for the other that he let him go to dinner with their friends and stayed away so he didn’t have to see him. Or he was mad. And didn’t want to see Chenle either.He didn’t like that option. He didn’t like any of this actually, but he couldn’t fix it for them, their feelings and their future was made or broken by them, it had to be.It still gave him stress though.As soon as he thought that he felt something cold brush against his ear, a soft voice said, “come back Jae,”He jolted but turned to meet Jungwoo looking at him softly. “Hi,”“Hi, you okay,” he whispered.“Yeah, just thinking,”“About what?”He nodded his head towards Chenle who was pushing his food around on his plate, quiet in a very un-Chenle-like way. But then again, he didn’t have his best friend next to him and they usually filled their silence with goofy stories and a language only they spoke.“It’s okay Jae,”He hummed, “he’s not though,”“You know you can’t fix everything right?”“I know,” he wanted to argue but couldn’t with the way his scent was calming him down like an aphrodisiac.“What’s Jae fixing now? New pet project?” Yuta asked like the smart ass he was.“Nothing…just thinking,” he said, smiled when Chenle looked up and met his eyes. The youngest omega sighed, put his plate on the ground, still full of food which was enough to draw pretty much everyone’s attention.“Jisung and I had a fight,” he announced on his own, hands folding together in his lap without looking up.They all gasped, chorusing ‘Nooo,’ or ‘what, when?’. He heard Ten a few seats over whisper to Johnny, “that was fast,”“What about the snow date babe?” Taeil asked carefully, “you were so excited after,”Chenle sighed, “it wasn’t a date, we just ran into each other and decided to spend the day together. It wasn’t official, I just…wanted it to be,”Taeil got up from his seat and moved to sit next to Chenle instead, arm wrapping around him tightly.“When did you fight?”“Today,”“About what?”“He’s…been accepting chocolates from Ryujin and spending time with her. I know he isn’t seeking her out, but he doesn’t have to agree…especially since I thought he liked me,”He buried his face in his hands, so he didn’t have to look at anyone, listed sideways into Taeil.“And I pissed him off when I asked and you know how he lashes out when he feels cornered…he told me to back off since he wasn’t my property and I’m not his keeper,”Yuta made a noise that sounded pained and disappointed but Jaehyun couldn’t tell who it was directed at. Jisung had his emotional issues because he was young but Chenle had his too, he felt the things he felt strongly and wanted what he wanted when he wanted it. There wasn’t a wolf alive who hadn’t experienced that same thing.“Chenle, maybe he’s just not ready for a relationship or a commitment,” Taeyong offered, which earned him a look from Taeil, but he barreled on. “I know you like him, but you can’t force him into anything if he’s not ready,”“I know, I just really thought he felt something for me too,” his breathing dissolved into quiet whimpers which made Donghyuck and Jaemin rush him too, one curled around his legs on the ground and the other shoved Doyoung aside to take his seat on Chenle’s right side.“He might but maybe he isn’t ready for it,”They were all quiet for a bit and then Chenle said, “why does he have to be so emotionally constipated?”That made Jungwoo giggle loudly, covering his mouth against the sound but it made everyone else laugh too which lightened the mood over the fire a lot. “Sorry Chenle, sorry, I’m not laughing at you that was just…” he started laughing again, “really funny to me,”As if intent on keeping things light and calm and maybe a little ridiculous, Renjun spoke up.“Chenle why don’t you and I just mate,” he said calmly. All of them went still, looked at Renjun where he was sitting, cool as a cucumber like he hadn’t just said what he’d said.“What?” Chenle blurted.“You know, we’re both omegas, we’d be sweet to each other, there’d be no expectations to ‘put out’, we’d be calming presences for each other during out heats, we’d build a nice little home and make candles,”“Why would we make candles?”“It’d be our hobby,” he whined.“You’ve thought a lot about this,” Chenle looked scared but also like he wished he could evaporate into thin air, be anywhere but right here, right now.“I’ve spent a little time on it but no more than the fantasy I had about me and Doyoung,”A couple seats over, their resident, self-proclaimed romantic atheist, spit out his dinner and proceeded to cough for the next five minutes.“We raise plants,” Renjun said proudly. Yuta seemed to think that was the funniest thing he’d heard all day as he laughed himself backwards off his seat and into the snow. Sicheng checked on him briefly and then rejoined the rest of them who were enraptured with Renjun’s daydreams.“Tell me more about this Rennie, this is my new favorite thing,” Ten sat forward, grin spread over his whole face, he even pushed Johnny’s hands off his waist, like he couldn’t bear the thought of being distracted from this. Johnny pouted for a second but dropped his head to lean against Ten’s back instead.“Well, we argue about chores and dinner and dumb stuff, so he sometimes sleeps in the guest room but he’s very sweet when he wants to be,”Ten snorted, “art imitates life,” allowed Johnny’s hand to move and rest on his thigh without pushing it away this time.“We have two cats, one named Neko and the other is Chan, Neko-Chan,”“Oh my god,” Ten breathed, glowing like a spark.“They’re very cute,”“Why are you still talking?” Doyoung hissed, Jeno jumped a little where he was rubbing his back while Doyoung’s death glare bore through Renjun.“They asked, I’m just…appeasing the masses Doie,”“That’s not a thing please stop,”Renjun laughed but decided to cut his losses and keep quiet, it didn’t make sense for him to piss off his roommate after all.They all moved on, talking about their days and safer things but Chenle seemed pretty distracted for the rest of dinner. And he didn’t eat too much more either which Jaehyun didn’t like.He didn’t want to bring it up again, so he waited till they’d finished eating and people started clearing out slowly around them.“What do you think about what Rennie said Jae?” Chenle asked where they were lingering a few feet from their fire, sticking close to him and Jungwoo.“About you and him mating and making candles?”It made Chenle roll his eyes and Jungwoo giggle behind him.“I don’t know how serious he was Lele, but I think he just wanted you to know that your options are much broader than just Jisung,”Renjun popped up behind Chenle making the younger boy scream and earned Renjun an elbow in the ribs. “That’s exactly what I meant,”“Oh,” Chenle sighed, several different shades of relief washed over his face. “So, you guys do think I should give up on Jisung,”“I didn’t say that,” Jaehyun felt Jungwoo’s hand slip into his and hold on tight. “I just think that your life is yours Chenle, you can do whatever you want, with whoever you want. The person you spend your life with doesn’t define you and being with Jisung won’t make you whole, you do that for yourself and then some lucky person gets to love you,”Chenle and Renjun shared a look while Jungwoo nuzzled his shoulder.“Jaehyun,” Renjun started, “are you absolutely sure you want to spend the rest of your life with Jungwoo? Because I’d take you if you changed your mind,”“Alternatively, Jungwoo are you sure about Jae?” Chenle asked the other omega.Jungwoo huffed but shifted to stand in front of him, “very sure thank you,”The two omegas laughed as they linked arms and left, waving as they went.“Very sure?”Jungwoo spun around, happy light in his eyes and distinctly pleased tilt to his mouth, “yes, very sure,”He kissed him carefully and then like he was starved which made their friends who were still sticking around whistle obnoxiously or yell loudly about PDA and not being family friendly. But he could hear through their nonsense that they were happy for him, had been since Jungwoo came back to town. Jungwoo, still easily embarrassed, pulled away from him to hide in his shoulder.“You wanna go home?”“Yes please,”Jaehyun laughed as he tucked him under an arm, lead him away from their rowdy friends towards some peace and quiet and their little piece of the world that came with understanding, warmth, some gentle teasing and ample amounts of fuzzy feelings, kisses and love.He was a sap. A cheesy sap.But he knew that Jungwoo liked it.He’d told him so.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next couple weeks passed quickly, in a blur of appointments, dinners, mornings at the market and before Jaehyun knew it, it was March and Jungwoo was talking nonstop about what he and Taeil had coined the ‘pup countdown’. He was excited, of course. Jaehyun could see that. They all were honestly, their friends had started creating a babysitting timetable that they’d initially tried to keep a secret from him and Jungwoo, but nothing stayed quiet long with this lot. Naturally they found out and because Jungwoo’s hormones were real, he’d started crying.Not because he was upset but because he was grateful and he loved them all so much and couldn’t believe how lucky he’d gotten, points he’d expressed when Donghyuck, Taeil and Kun crowded him, pushing Jaehyun away to layer Jungwoo in soothing omega pheromones instead. He let them have that, wolf calmed enough under the knowledge that they got to take Jungwoo home, he could let his friends dote. Jungwoo appeared to like it anyways, when he was like this, overwhelmed with his feelings and the baby’s hormone shifts, he clung onto the other omegas because their smells were gentle, and they loved him in a way only omega friends could.It was nice seeing everyone get so excited. Anticipating the pup’s due date was a little like waiting for rain. You knew it was happening, but the when was a little fuzzy and the details couldn’t be fully grasped. The pup was coming, soon. That much they knew. But neither of them had done this and beside their basic instincts, they had no clue how to raise a pup let alone how to take care of one. They were going into this blind but for some reason that wasn’t stressing him out too much. Because of a conversation he’d had with his dad about it.He’d said, “nobody actually knows what they’re doing the first time Jae, you and I both know Hajun was a learning experience for your mom and I, but we loved him like crazy and gave him all that we could think he needed, that’s all you really have to do. Love them and look out for them till they’re old enough to look out for themselves,” He’d also told him he thought he’d be really good at this and that surprisingly had worked to quell the few remaining worries he had. On top of that, Jungwoo trusted him not to mess up his pup and Jaehyun knew, with that vote of confidence, he wouldn’t dare. He already loved them an astronomical, unfathomable amount, if that was enough to make a pup’s life happy, then he’d be just fine.Jungwoo was excited too of course. And he seemed to enjoy their friend’s excitement any time the pup came up and they all got silly talking about diaper duty and nap times and 2 am feedings. But as excited as Jungwoo was about any and all things pup, Jaehyun also knew he was equally, if not more excited to have his body back. Which sounded bad but Jaehyun loved him so much he could only find sympathy for him over it, he’d never think bad about him for being uncomfortable and wanting all this to be over so he could start his life with his pup.Jaehyun understood it, well as much as he could understand this, since he’d never been pregnant and he, as an alpha, didn’t have to ability to carry a pup. Still, he tried to sympathize with that. He found some of course, though some days he struggled because it was hard to watch Jungwoo be in pain over something, someone they both loved so much. He just wanted the pup to be here so he could stop being so uncomfortable all the time. Jimin had chocked it up to Jungwoo’s small size, he was thin and just generally little which meant making room for another continuously growing individual was no easy feat. There was only so much of him that could be used to ‘create space’ for the pup. Which meant he was uncomfortable. All the time. His back hurt, his hips hurt, his feet were sore and swollen. He didn’t sleep that well, he lived with heartburn, often complaining that he didn’t want to eat at dinner because it hurt Jae, but he and the pup needed food. So, he ate. And suffered afterward. With all of that going on, Jaehyun wondered if Jungwoo was thankful he started his leave from the school when he did because he was in the throes of all pregnancy had to offer, not that he’d say that to him. It was just a thought.Another thought that Jaehyun had often was, how could he help Jungwoo with all this? He felt so useless and powerless, this was his omega struggling and he couldn’t do anything? That didn’t make sense to him at all.But Jimin had said he was doing the most, just being there for Jungwoo to lean on and talk to. That helped so much, apparently but it didn’t feel like enough to him.There were some days when Jungwoo would be so quiet, just shuffling through Jaehyun’s space timidly, shifting endlessly and breathing heavily. Those days didn’t feel like enough. Jaehyun didn’t want to baby him but it was very apparent, in those moments that he was struggling. So, he offered the only thing he had available at all hours of every day to the omega who exerted most of his energy these days, just breathing. He opened his arms to hug him and held him tight when he sighed and collided with him. It wasn’t much. But Jungwoo pressed into his chest, held onto him like his body would succumb to its hurts if Jaehyun let him go for even a second. So, he didn’t. He didn’t want him to hurt after all.Aside from Jungwoo’s obvious discomfort thanks to his pup, Jaehyun’s life hadn’t changed too much since February had turned to March and Jungwoo’s third trimester settled in on them. He still woke up every morning, made Jungwoo tea and set something out for him to eat while he shuffled into the room, timing always impeccable for food. Then he’d sketch or draw up plans, some days he went into town or to the shop and made sure he always had plenty of ingredients to pickle with if Jungwoo felt ambitious. He still hadn’t asked him if he wanted to move in but Jaehyun figured it was almost a given at this point if Jungwoo wanted to stay. He spent most of his days and nights here with him and currently it seemed like his own home was just a glorified closet where he ventured to gather more clothes every few days, leaving them in Jaehyun’s room, by his own. His hut was so far from town and life these days that it just made more sense for him to be here. That was the practical answer Jaehyun had prepped if people asked. The answer he had for Jungwoo, if he brought it up was, I love you and I want to be with you. Stay? He figured that would work well enough. But now after almost a month of him bringing more and more of his stuff here, sharing his space and sleeping in his bed, Jaehyun didn’t think it was necessary.He could still ask of course, he would still ask. Eventually. But by now, Jungwoo was pretty much already moved in. Like they both knew this was something they wanted, they were each other’s long term, forever plan, it didn’t make sense to linger on things and stress. At this point in their lives, Jungwoo was his home and he’d go out on a limb and say that he might be Jungwoo’s, which meant it didn’t matter where they were, as long as they were together. Jaehyun liked thinking about that a lot.Another thing he really liked was that most mornings, after breakfast, he’d venture back out into the living room to see Jungwoo in his rocking chair, carefully rubbing his stomach, voice quiet as he talked to his pup. Jaehyun would always take a few moments to just watch him, enjoy his peace and bliss, in a room he built, in a chair he worked really hard on for him. This place was his and Jungwoo’s and as much as Jaehyun liked watching him exist here, he liked knowing he was happy here more. He liked that Jungwoo felt at ease here in his space, considered it a safe space for him and his unborn pup, that was maybe the most important thing he could achieve as an alpha who was courting an omega. That he was able to provide him sanctuary in this weird world, give them a peaceful place to relax and just be, that they felt they could just exist with no worries was easily the biggest accomplishment of his lifetime. Maybe it didn’t seem big or momentous, but alphas thrived on their ability to provide, to be irreplaceable to their partners. So, maybe Jaehyun’s wolf was taking over here a little because he’d recognized this for what it was and all he wanted was to take care of the other. Desperately he wanted that and wanted to know he was good at it. Beyond that simple thing, he’d wanted Jungwoo to feel loved and accepted. It was one of the few things he’d really, really wanted since he'd moved back and now it seemed that Jungwoo had that with him, he had it in his home, had it here where he didn’t need to find excuses as to why he couldn’t be here or why he had to be anywhere else. It was easy. And Jungwoo was so obviously happy. That’s all Jaehyun really wanted. Jungwoo was about a month into his third trimester now which, as mentioned, brought him lots of discomfort and new anxieties about not being good at this and not knowing what he was doing. Which struck Jaehyun as interesting because he wasn’t freaking out but Jungwoo was. Maybe it just hit him harder, this was something he felt deeper, more intensely, was maybe more connected to than Jaehyun was so it made sense, if he was stressed. Jaehyun would’ve been concerned if he wasn’t. Jungwoo’s stress, had him and their friends caught in a loop though, one they repeated most nights at dinner.He and the boys were usually able to calm him down, convince him that nobody knew what they were doing the first time they had a pup. Jaehyun was quick to use what his dad had said to reassure the omega. It typically made him smile a little while the others continued their work. Johnny, good dude that he was made a point, saying that Jungwoo had an advantage that a lot of people didn’t have. He worked at the daycare, had experience with pups that a lot of wolves didn’t have that first go around, they just had their instincts about what to do. They’d all exhaled after, because that would’ve been enough for most people.Not for Jungwoo though. He argued that his experience didn’t matter. They were completely different and thinking you knew what to do and actually knowing what to do weren’t the same concept at all, since pups were so unpredictable and didn’t conform to schedules. And that was Jaehyun’s cue, saying in a gentle voice that made Jungwoo melt into him that he didn’t think Jungwoo would mind the different schedule too much because he was going to wrapped around the pup’s finger from the first second, hell, he already was. The other boys gave him varying looks of doubt or amusement or some combination of the two.“Are you talking about Woo or yourself Jae?” Ten asked.Jaehyun didn’t tear his eyes away from Jungwoo where he was staring down at the top of his bump though his warmth was seeping into Jaehyun through their sides.“Uh both,”Ten laughed at that, kept going while the others stayed quiet, “the first time the pup wakes you up at 2 am and won’t stop crying, you’ll think about that differently,”Jungwoo had looked up at him, reached to rub his back and smiled at him, didn’t say anything.“Doubt it,” Jaehyun said, listening as the other laughed at him. He felt himself pout because they didn’t believe in him, didn’t trust him. They thought the pup was going to cry once in the middle of the night and he was going to bail on the life they’d talked about, the future they’d both dreamed of. It would take a lot more than that. Honestly, and he wasn’t trying to be ridiculous when he said this, but he couldn’t think of anything that could happen or that anyone could do that would make him walk away from Jungwoo. Jaehyun didn’t think something like that even existed.Beyond the bad days that he and their friends could help him through, Jaehyun had also encouraged Jungwoo to spend time with people who had pups which left him with afternoon tea dates with Jimin and Taemin, Jongin and Baekhyun joining them occasionally. He’d come home lit up like a spark the first time, nerves calmed, and scent mellowed out where it had earlier been a little sour. Jaehyun was more thankful for them than words could properly say because Jimin and the others showed him that it was okay to be afraid, everyone reassured him that the love he’d have for his pup would far outweigh everything else. They provided him with lots of insights too, tricks and tips about newborn pups that your instincts don’t and can’t prepare you for. The group of them, though wild and loud when all together were a godsend for Jungwoo’s poor nerves.Jungwoo’s mom had also become a larger part of their life as a couple too. Jungwoo had taken to spending whole days in her company if he knew Jaehyun was running errands or had to go into work for a bit. Confiding in her seemed to take a huge portion of the weight he’d been carrying around off his shoulders. The pair of them would talk for hours and hours on end while Jungwoo put Jaehyun to work on something in his mom’s house, if he’d joined him that day, that he thought needed fixing. Jaehyun would wander in and out of their conversation, fielding Chae’s complaints with a smile because everything in her house operated exactly how she wanted it too, which always made Jungwoo huff and tell her, “let him mom, he’ll get spastic if he has to sit still here for too long,”Jaehyun nodded, “true, that’s true, I’m a known spaz,”Jungwoo and his mom laughed at him a little as he went off to check the sink in the bathroom. He wasn’t a plumber, but he could fiddle with a drip till it stopped or pissed him off enough to go find someone who knew what they were doing. He always got lunch for his trouble which was nice. And Jungwoo always looked calmer, like the impending birth of his pup wasn’t threatening to crush him. Jaehyun was known to do anything and everything he could to make sure Jungwoo was happy, so he did those things and didn’t complain, not that he had anything to complain about anyway. Life was good. Really good.Even considering that things were getting crazier and realer by the day. Jungwoo was happy and their friends were all good, well most of them were, Jisung and Chenle were in a weird place but they’d vowed to let them figure it out unless one of them came to them to explicitly ask for help. Neither of them had so they stayed out of it. Other than that, things were great.…. They were having breakfast, like they did every single morning when Jungwoo made a passing comment that his mom’s hens had been super productive lately in their new abode. Jaehyun, because he was well behaved and could read Jungwoo’s cues, took the hint and asked if Jungwoo wanted eggs from her chickens.Jungwoo grinned from ear to ear, visibly thrilled that he’d picked up on what he meant without any further explanations, leaned over to kiss him softly for his effort.“I don’t feel that great though Jae,”Jaehyun’s stomach knotted up unhappily but he knew that Jungwoo was well and truly sick of people asking him what was wrong, he was done explaining and just wanted to rest.“Okay, I’ll go get them for you then, you stay here and rest,”Jungwoo gave him a tired smile, “will you be alright?”Jaehyun blustered a little, for show, and stood up straighter, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders which made Jungwoo laugh.“Jungwoo,” he said, “pumpkin, who are you talking to?”“Jung Jaehyun?”“Yes, and isn’t my relationship with her better,”Jungwoo’s eyebrows jumped but he seemed happy to play along with him for a moment, “better, sure but that doesn’t mean you have to be comfortable wandering into an afternoon with her, without me as a buffer,”Jaehyun felt warm, smiled at his concern and the love that bled into that statement. He liked that, liked hearing in such a simple sentence the way that Jungwoo loved him, that he loved him.He reached out to squeeze Jungwoo’s hands over the table top, “I think I can handle an hour or so with her alone Woo, I promise,” He’d spent time with her on worse terms for sure, he wasn’t worried about this.Jungwoo made a little face, lips pursed off to the side like he didn’t believe him but was willing to let him prove him right or wrong. Jaehyun was fine with that reaction, he was game to show Jungwoo that yes, he and his mom had made progress, and yes, they were adults who could survive without his supervision. Not that he even thought, they needed it because they’d been on such good terms for weeks now. Since their lunch, him and Chae had been able to laugh and talk and tease Jungwoo together like they’d been doing it for years, there was comfort and familiarity there that had his wolf rumbling happily in his chest. And every time they’d seen each other since it had been more of the same, him and Chae teaming up on their most favorite omega, making him snap at them and grumble about not being loved while he cuddled up on the opposite end of the couch from him, pout only dissolving when Jaehyun’s hands slid over his socked feet, thumbs digging into his arches and rubbed his ankles in the way that made him melt. He knew how to stay on Jungwoo’s good side and remind him that his teasing didn’t mean he wasn’t loved. His softness for the other and the way Jungwoo’s mere existence turned him to goo didn’t seem to escape Chae since anytime they were over at hers, he’d catch her at least twice while they were there, watching them with a fond, grateful look. So, yeah, he was pretty sure he’d be okay.When Jungwoo relented, Jaehyun led him by the shoulders to the living room where there were books and the little socks he was knitting for the pup and a fire that wouldn’t die for hours, intent on enticing him to stay calm and relaxed here while he was gone. He sat carefully, reaching out for him once he was settled so Jaehyun had to lean down, hands resting on either side of him as the omega fixed his hair, gentle fingers touched his face. He hung onto Jaehyun when he ducked down to kiss him, a habit of his that Jaehyun really, really, really liked and only let him go when he promised to wear his coat. And he did, even though spring was wearing down the edges of winter and leaving warmer weather that didn’t call for bundling. Not that Jungwoo listened to that when he said it.He waved goodbye as he left, smiling to himself when he reached the end of the block and rid himself of his coat, slinging it over his arm as he made his way to Chae’s. What Jungwoo didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, plus it was way too nice out for coats and it didn’t make sense to listen to Jungwoo’s advice about how to dress since he ran way colder right now than anyone else alive. Not that Jaehyun minded, he loved him no matter what. Thoughts about Jungwoo and his funky internal thermometer had him smiling all the way to Chae’s house.He loved her home so much. If he could imagine a happy home, two places came to mind instantly, the house he grew up, his parents’ house to be more specific and Chae’s home. More and more recently, his own home was beginning to feel more like home to him, knowing that was all to do with Jungwoo and his presence in his life.He liked Chae’s house so much though for lots of reasons. It was modest but warm, with walls that bore pictures and paintings, told stories of a life, that was different and perhaps slightly sad at times, was still so full of love. It spoke of a mother-son relationship that made all the struggling worth it. Jaehyun had been in homes before, doing renovations or fixing things for wolves in town and some of them didn’t feel nearly as lived in or warm as Chae’s house. She’d been alone for so long, but this was her space, she was happy here, she didn’t have issues with this life, and it showed. In the way her kitchen always had amazing smells pouring out of it, drafts of stories piled on the desk under the window next to mountains of books whose spines were well worn, and pages weathered. It was evident in the baskets by the couch that had a knitted throw for every year of Jungwoo’s life, in the couch that wasn’t lumpy but rather cozy and used, in the drawings that covered the space on the wall of the hallway, above the baseboards where an artistically inclined, young Jungwoo had decided paper was boring and the walls needed a little life. There wasn’t anything fancy or primly put together about Chae’s home and Jaehyun liked that. He liked that this place spoke of stories in front of a roaring fire, of two wolves who had what they needed, didn’t speak about their exiling but instead took comfort in each other because that’s what mattered. It was a living, breathing history lesson, explaining that cruelty didn’t always breed more cruelty because sometimes it created kindness and hearts that couldn’t be changed, instead. Her home reverberated with the sentiment that some people and some things weren’t worth worrying about because life is what you make it, for yourself, a value that Jungwoo lived by some days better than others but he could see where and how he’d gotten the attitude he did about bullies and nasty opinions. It made sense to him, now that he knew Chae better, that she’d done more than enough to prepare Jungwoo for the world. He didn’t have to live every second of his childhood among other wolves, he didn’t need to be extremely socialized, he might even be a better wolf today for her efforts. She’d kept him away from the cruelty of others as much as she realistically could and when she wasn’t able, Jaehyun knew, she showered Jungwoo with love and attention to make up for it. Jaehyun truly believed that and he’d defend her and how she raised Jungwoo if it ever came down to it.  He knew that she felt bad about sending him away, felt like she missed out on him and ruined him but Jaehyun didn’t think so at all. She made him cautious but not fearful, she gave him what he needed to survive, to flourish in the terrifying world and made him strong. Whatever she said when he was growing up that instilled in him that sense of justice, that bravery and resilience was definitely worth it. It worked, whatever she’d done for him. She made him so strong, made sure he believed that he was worth something and couldn’t be torn down and hurt by words or sticks or whatever else people were throwing around that day. He was better. Bigger. Stronger. And no one could touch him or hurt him without his permission. Jaehyun knew that sometimes he faltered, affected more than he wanted to be by the nasty things people had said but he was certainly better now at handling those things. Now that he had an army behind him, he could take it and wasn’t afraid of standing up in front of those things since he had plenty of people standing with him.He loved all of those things about Jungwoo and he loved that he was seeing where he’d gotten it from. Where he’d learned those lessons. It made him hope that he could be half the parent to Jungwoo’s pup as she’d been, it was nerve-wracking but really exciting too.She also, like Jaehyun, was of the belief that small-minded people didn’t have very many thoughts anyway so their few, less than appropriate reasonings should be ignored or cast aside, which is something he knew they were both still working hard to remind Jungwoo of. When he was tired and in a certain mood, things he’d heard before from those sorts would replay through his head and make him miserable so Jaehyun would make sure to hang onto him tight, remind him about how opinions can be wrong and shouldn’t be able to sway him. He usually listened. He could also see the way Jungwoo’s mind would play, back to back, the kindness his mom taught him, her good words over and against the bad things he still clung to. Jaehyun liked watching him win, liked seeing the good beat the bad because he was stronger than them and his mom and him were there to remind him. Whenever he needed them to.Now, that he knew her and she knew him and they were practically friends, he realized that they were very similar, had very similar ways of thinking and wondered if Chae thought the same thing. Wondered if she ever thought it was silly how they were ever hesitant with each other or afraid of what life would bring. It obviously had meant for them to be friends, since they had shared thoughts, shared opinions and the biggest binding factor, Jungwoo. They had a mutual love for Jungwoo and that tied them together for life, which was a concept that made Jaehyun extremely thankful. And eliminated his nerves whenever they struck because he and Chae were good, they were friends and Jungwoo kept them connected.He reminded himself of that when he reached her place, made his way up the worn steps to her door.She answered shortly after he knocked, smiling brightly at him before welcoming him inside, though Jaehyun didn’t miss the look she shot around him, searching for Jungwoo no doubt.“Where’s Jungwoo?” she asked, as expected.“It’s 10 you know that’s nap time,” he said, grinning when his comment earned a laugh from her. “I’m on a mission,”Chae had started playing along with him, which was exciting and sometimes a little weird because he still didn’t expect it but tried to roll with it the best he could.“Happy to help,” she stood up straighter.“Jungwoo wants eggs, apparently the hens are being extra productive,”Chae perked up, hurried into the kitchen for a large bowl, “say no more,” she said while waving him to follow her out the door and around the house.“They’re so productive, I think the new digs have them inspired,” she said happily, like there was no other alternative than that. Jaehyun was willing to let that be the case.The clucking intensified when Chae opened the door, her chatter encouraged the chickens to move around, away from their nesting area where plenty of fresh eggs sat ready to be collected.“Oh my god,” he said, looking at the door to the coop, raised off the ground more than a foot, with no proper exit for the animals inside.“What, what’s wrong?”He looked up at her, tried to school his expression but she’d already seen his shock and self-ridicule.“Nothing, I’m just so dumb, I didn’t build them a ramp,” he lifted a hand to lamely wave at the space where it should’ve been, propped up under the door. She laughed immediately.“You know, I had wondered how they were going to get out once the weather turned nicer,” she smiled so gently at him that he almost felt less bad about it. Not totally though, he felt so stupid.“I’m on it, oh my god, they could’ve been running around today, it’s so nice,”She smirked, “are you still gonna fix the fence? Because they can hang out in there till you do,”“Yes! Yes absolutely, yes, sorry, god I’m such a spaz,”“It’s alright, you’re busy I know, plus we aren’t going anywhere right girls? Where would we go?” she laughed into the coop, conversation and his idiocy forgotten easily.He watched, quietly, glad she’d let him off the hook for this while he listened to the happy noises of the hens while the sun shone warmth down through the still bare branches overhead. Every day got a little warmer, a little brighter as winter retreated which meant everyday also brought the day, they’d get to meet Jungwoo’s pup closer.“How is he today?”“He was good over breakfast, I left him on the couch with a book and a blanket so I’m sure he actually did pass out,”“Poor thing, I remember being fatigued but not like that,”Jaehyun nodded, feeling sympathy for his omega surge inside him, nearly overwhelming him.“At least it’s almost over,” he said quietly, turning to pick up the bucket by his feet so he could scoop some feed into the coop. He wasn’t expecting the burst of laughter Chae let out, giddy and bright, he startled at it before turning his attention to her.She covered her mouth as she laughed again, louder this time, like she couldn’t quite help it. The uninhibited way she was laughing had him laughing too, he couldn’t help it either.“I can’t believe it,” she uttered, like it was a profound, otherworldly thing.Jaehyun smiled at her, felt warm knowing they were both equally excited about this.“My baby…having a baby,” she was quiet after, picked the bowl up again, latched the door to the coop before heading back inside. Jaehyun followed her closely, up the steps, through the living room and into the kitchen where she was transferring the eggs from the bowl into a container that had little dips to keep the eggs from rolling around.The air was heavy, thick with her spiced scent. So much in fact that he felt compelled to ask if something was wrong but didn’t want to upset her by assuming anything. Then Chae took that decision away from him by saying, “I’m really glad he doesn’t have to do this alone. You, your friends, you’re with him. I just don’t know how to make, how to express it to you, Jaehyun,”“You don’t have to,” he said, stepped closer to her so she didn’t have to stress about this or struggle for words. He thought he understood what she was getting at. “He’ll always, always have us and me, I’m not going anywhere,”She nodded, quickly, repeatedly, reached out for his hand.“It takes a village,”“He’s got one,”She smiled, one of the most genuine ones he’d seen from her to date. “I used to wish I had one too, just to have some back up,”Jaehyun knew, even though Jungwoo turned out as wonderful as he did, she still couldn’t let go of her past and how hard it had been being alone. She deserved that chip on her shoulder, she ought to have it if she wanted it but Jaehyun hoped in time, with acceptance and love and being welcomed into a new family maybe she’d find the peace and will to move on.“Chae,” he hoped she’d listen, open herself up to start the process, “Jungwoo is the best person I know, you did an amazing job with him and you did that on your own…I’ve, I think that’s incredible,”She looked at him for a moment, frozen, then her face broke out in a smile, “You’re gonna be really good at this Jaehyun,”He huffed, not sure about that.“I’m serious,”“My dad thinks so too, I’m not…I’m nervous, I’ve been trying to ignore that because Jungwoo’s so stressed over everything, but I think I’m actually really freaked out,” he took a deep breath when he felt his chest seize, his wolf did a funny jerky motion inside him, “I can’t figure out why he’d want me to do this with him, I mean, what?”“That’s an easy one,” she said, “he loves you and you love him. And for raising a pup, if you have love, that’s the most important thing, you’ll figure everything else out I promise,”Jaehyun nodded, breathing through the panicked feeling. That’s what everyone had been saying, it was the common factor to everyone’s reassurances so maybe they’d be just fine. One thing was for sure, that pup definitely wouldn’t lack people who loved them.“That’s how Jungwoo turned out the way he did, you say he’s wonderful and you’re right, but god knows I could’ve messed him up for life…I loved him though, he was, is my whole world and I made sure he knew that. Pups need to be needed, need love and attention and touch and concern, I never starved him of any of those things because when he was little, that’s really all I had to offer him anyway. I’m glad he’s in such a good place today,”She smiled softly, turned away a little, “you’ll be fine though. And if you think you aren’t there’s plenty of people you can ask for help,”That was definitely true. They probably wouldn’t even need to ask, knowing there were at least a dozen people ready and willing to lend them a hand the moment the pup was born. The energy in the room changed after that, mood lifted because neither of them could stand the heaviness for too long, the emotions were harder to handle and a little awkward when Jungwoo wasn’t around to help them with them.She rushed around him, into the fridge for a container of what looked like the meat buns that Jungwoo defended with his life. “Bring him these too…do you think he wants more yarn or is he good?”“Uh, I think he had a full spool,”Chae gave him a look, “skein,”He felt himself flush, “right, skein sorry,”“That’s okay, I guess I have my answer regarding if you listen to him when he talks,”“I listen to him! I do, maybe not about yarn but I do listen to him,” the embarrassment grew as he tried to defend himself, realizing he was sounding a shade or two shy of desperate. He shut himself up after acknowledging that.She smiled at him, the light in her eyes was warm and teasing so he deflated, relaxed in her kitchen because she wasn’t mad and she wasn’t judging him, she was messing with him. The way the rest of his family did, the way Jungwoo did. And that felt really good.She made him promise to bring Jungwoo around for lunch tomorrow or the next day, eager to spend more time with him the closer he got to his due date. He promised, waving to her as he went, the eggs and meat buns stacked carefully in his hands as he headed home.When he got there, the first thing he noticed was how strongly his home smelled of peaches and cinnamon, stronger than it had been when he left. His wolf perked up. The next thing he noticed was that Jungwoo was sat up on the couch, reading out loud. That wasn’t napping, like he’d expected. Jaehyun quietly made his way into the kitchen to put the buns away, left the eggs on the counter before going back to see the omega. What he walked in on nearly stopped his heart, wolf froze in his tracks where he was skipping around, trying to get nearer to the omega. Jungwoo was rubbing circles across his bump, smile bright and wide on his face as he read to the pup. Jaehyun couldn’t help smiling at him, at the sight of him, so happy and content on his couch, like this was where they belonged, and he knew it.He didn’t want to spook him because Jungwoo hadn’t acknowledged him yet, but he couldn’t stay here stuck on the threshold of the living room all day either. Well, he could but being next to Jungwoo, laid out beside him, with him in his arms sounded way better to him. And to his wolf who was beginning to spaz out.“You could join us you know,” Jungwoo’s voice pulled him back to reality, out his head like it normally did.“Sure, yeah,” he shuffled closer, sat beside the omega and was rewarded instantly when Jungwoo listed sideways towards him.“He likes this story, feel,” he took his hand to place it on the side of his stomach, he kept reading, voice soft and careful over every word like he was teaching his unborn pup how to read not just entertaining him, engaging him with his talking. About a paragraph after he’d started reading again, the pup kicked into his hand a few times, causing him and Jungwoo to laugh. It was still so shocking and incredible but Jaehyun just figured that was one of those things he’d always be amazed by, that wouldn’t lose its shine with him.“That has to hurt,”“Not really, it hurts at night because it feels like he’s taking shots at my spine but right now he’s fine,”Jaehyun ducked into his neck, kissed his scent gland softly. Overwhelmed for a moment by his love for this omega and his pup and the life they had. He couldn’t help it but was still shocked by the intensity of it. Maybe his talk with his mom had hit him different than he thought, she always tugged at his heartstrings without meaning to. He pushed that aside, not wanting to think about Chae at the moment as he sniffed up full lungful’s of Jungwoo’s scent. Gulping them in like that was all he needed. Quite honestly, it might be.He moved lower, much to Jungwoo’s amusement as he let out breathless little giggles, whining when Jaehyun’s nose tucked into the neckline of his sweater, kissing the fabric softly then kept going. He pressed his forehead against Jungwoo’s breastbone, rumbling softly when he heard the book fall closed, felt Jungwoo’s fingers thread through his hair.“Jae,” his voice was thin, barely audible at all over the thundering in Jaehyun’s own ears, “What’re you doing?”“Nothing,”Jungwoo huffed but kept his hands where they were and let him do what he wanted, so Jaehyun kept nosing further, sniffing every few inches because he smelled so good and he was right here, warm and happy and his. When he reached the top of his bump, he moved his hands so they could press to either side, rested his ear over his stomach.“Hi pup,”Jungwoo made a quiet, strangled noise.“Can you do something for me?”The next noise Jungwoo made was more of a laugh, hand squeezing over the back of his neck.“Stop brutalizing your mom please,”Jungwoo’s laugh was louder that time, real as it shook through him, nearly knocking him off his perch but Jaehyun held fast.“I like him in one piece and it’s not very nice to kick people,”“Don’t listen to him pup, I don’t mind,”Jaehyun picked his head up, “says the guy with chronic fatigue and back pain,”“I have those things because I’m pregnant not because he kicks me,”“Sure, sure,” he narrowed his eyes at Jungwoo’s pout before lowering back to his spot, “I love him pup, a lot, more and more every day, so maybe you could be gentler with him,”Jungwoo was quiet above him, so quiet that he wondered if he’d upset him or forced him into a headspace he didn’t like.He picked his head up, to see him chewing his lip, eyebrows drawn together.“What pumpkin?”“Just thinking,”“Anything I can help with?” He asked as he sat up, leaned in close to him because Jungwoo liked him in his bubble most.He released his bottom lip, the tension in his face bled away bit by bit till he was smiling again. “Names, I haven’t picked one yet,”His heart jumped into his ribs, rebounding back into his wolf who batted it away like it was an inconvenience to him. It probably was, how it randomly invaded his space without asking.“Well,” he cleared his throat when the lone word came out like a croak, “I guess you don’t have to pick yet but maybe…have a couple you like,”Jungwoo hummed, “what if it’s a girl?”Jaehyun didn’t have anything super intelligent to say to that. Instead he came up with, “then it’s a girl?” which earned him a flick to his forehead, “sorry,”“I just really have a feeling that it’s gonna be a boy, but I guess I could pick out a couple girl names too,”“How about Jisoo, that works for a boy and a girl,” he thought that was helpful but Jungwoo made a noise like he wasn’t crazy about that name.“I know a Jisoo though,”He squinted at him, “but you don’t call him Jisoo,”“True,” he still didn’t look crazy about it.“Does anyone call him Jisoo?” Jaehyun wondered.“Seungcheol,”“Aww,”Jungwoo snickered then went serious again, “do you have any other suggestions? Though I’m not sure you’re the person to ask, since you suggested Jisoo,”Jaehyun couldn’t help the loud laugh at that, “Jeez Woo, you don’t like the name, just say so,”“Not for my pup I don’t think…”“Okay, not Jisoo, moving on, how about something with Woo, like your name, Jinwoo, Minwoo, Seungwoo, Hyunwoo, anything,”“I like Minwoo, we could call him Minnie,”Jaehyun smiled at him, he liked that idea too but knew they didn’t have to decide on anything today. The pup could be born and any of the names he picked and liked could fly out the window when he met the pup. They might not fit the names he picked but fit something else entirely.“I’ve wondered if I should pick a Chinese name since Lucas is Chinese,”Jaehyun nodded, “I don’t know many Chinese names pumpkin,”Jungwoo patted his head, “I’ll have to think of some,”“You still have time,”Jungwoo made a little noise in his throat, “not that much though,” His voice was light and happy when he said it.“Excited?”“Yeah, I haven’t even had any bad thoughts today…there’s still plenty of time left though,”Jaehyun nuzzled him, eager to not give him a reason to surrender to the bad thoughts and stress from impending parenthood.“They’re not allowed in here today,”Jungwoo smirked, scent thick where it curled around them. “Because you say,”“Because I say yeah, I’ll beat them up for you if they try okay?”“Okay,” Jungwoo whispered, eyes warm while they twinkled at him, hands slipping to his shoulders as he pulled him closer. He stretched up as much as he could till Jaehyun met him in the middle, knocking their noses together softly.“Is that good for you?”Jungwoo nodded, “good for me,”He started shifting then, pulled the blanket to adjust it around them while he let Jaehyun settle them back on the couch with Jungwoo’s weight leaning into him, legs stretched out to prop on a pillow on the table. It took a few moments for Jungwoo to truly settle, he shifted and shifted and shifted till he was in a position that was semi-acceptable for him.When he finally seemed content, Jaehyun noticed how tired he looked. He usually did but his defense for that was relaxing against Jaehyun so he would wrap his arms around him, press close in the hope that they could mold together for a little while. His exhaustion though it truly was an inconvenience, it gave them a good excuse to snuggle and be really lazy together.Jungwoo handed the book over to him, perhaps too tired to keep reading for the pup but then he said, “Read to us,”It made his heart do a silly flip inside him. He took the book from his hands, opened it to the page Jungwoo had dog eared and started reading, kissing the top of Jungwoo’s head when he dropped to his shoulder, hands rubbing his stomach rhythmically while every so often, Jaehyun felt a kick against his side. The pup, yet to be named, really did like to be read to.…. The warmer weather brought out lots of good things in the pack like sunshiny Sundays where the farmers market could be held outside in the streets instead of inside, or the resurgence in wolves who preferred the river for laundry over washboards and basins inside. It also meant better hunting which dragged Johnny to his door, asking if he wanted to run a route with him. He wasn’t one of the packs designated hunters anymore, he’d stepped away from that the last few months since Jungwoo had needed him more, but he never passed up a chance to spend time with his best friend and contribute to the masses.He waved Johnny inside while he went to tell Jungwoo where he was going.“Woo,” he moved down the hall to the bathroom, nearly colliding with him when he stumbled out of the door.“Hi,” he smiled, leaning close to kiss him good morning.“Hi,” Jaehyun couldn’t help the few moments he allowed himself to get lost in that and him. Jungwoo moved back into the bedroom so Jaehyun followed him, watched him grab a sweater from the dresser, one of Jaehyun’s to put on before he sat back on the bed.“Tired pumpkin,” he asked, feeling his face pull into a frown, looking at the dark circles beneath his eyes and the way he couldn’t stop the yawn.“A little, was someone at the door?” his head tipped with his question, sweet curiosity overriding his exhaustion for a second. Jaehyun faltered a little, totally forgetting what he’d been doing and why he came in search of the other in the first place, was just happy he found him. He snickered to himself when he remembered he’d left Johnny by the door.“Yeah Johnny, he asked if I wanted to go hunting with him,”“Johnny’s here?” Jungwoo yelped, hopping up from the bed as fast as he was able before hurrying towards him, or towards the door he was stood in front of.“Yeah but…Woo if you don’t feel well, I don’t have to go,”“What? Don’t be silly Jae, go, I’m not an invalid, I’ll probably just go back to sleep,”“Oh, okay, where are you going then?”“To say hi to Johnny,” he gave him a funny look before skirting around him and out the door. His steps were slow so Jaehyun stuck close to him, hands ready to steady him if he staggered or swayed at all.“Johnny!” Jungwoo’s voice lifted with a laugh the second he saw the other.“Pumpkin!” Johnny said, just as happily. Though it annoyed Jaehyun that he and Ten had latched onto his nickname for Jungwoo and started calling him that too, he knew they only did it because they knew it irritated him a little. Jungwoo giggled all the way into Johnny’s arms where he curled into him, latched on like he wouldn’t be letting go anytime soon.“So, hunting,” Jungwoo said quietly, head laid on Johnny’s shoulder while the older alpha held him tight, laid his own head on top of him. A lesser wolf might’ve found something in that to be jealous of but not Jaehyun. He was very secure in himself and what he and Jungwoo had. It also didn’t hurt that Johnny lived and breathed for Ten and Ten only. There was nothing to worry about, he felt very strongly about that. And he stood by it especially since the only thing he felt seeing Jungwoo so content leaning against Johnny and watching Johnny nosing through his hair was affection. Soft, adoring affection. His most important person felt safe with his best friend, they were family, member of the same pack, and that was so, so good. Some days if almost felt too good to be true, like this life was more than they deserved, all the good, all the love, it was everything. It left Jaehyun feeling really, really grateful.“So, hunting,” Johnny answered, squeezed the omega tight till he squeaked.“What for?” he asked, tipping his head up to look at Johnny.“Whatever’s out there I guess, there might be some deer or turkeys, also, and don’t tell him,” his voice dropped into a whisper, eyes met Jaehyun’s over Jungwoo’s head, “I wanted some company and Jae’s good for that,”Jungwoo laughed, twisting to look at him briefly, the pair of them looked so pleased with themselves. “He’s very good for that,”“Don’t tell him though, promise,” Johnny was back to looking at Jungwoo, pretending he didn’t exist and keeping secrets from him.“Promise,”Jaehyun shook his head when they started laughing at him, tamped down the urge to roll his eyes back. When he couldn’t take the two of them anymore, he stepped forward to pull Jungwoo away from Johnny, kissing over his head as he said goodbye to him, promising to be back soon.“I’m just gonna sleep Jae, take your time,” he reminded him. Something in that made Johnny snicker. He threw his hands up when Jaehyun gave him a look.“Okay, I’ll catch you something,”Jungwoo smiled, “that’s alright, could you actually stop at the store and get me a watermelon?”Jaehyun nodded, “sure, just one,”Jungwoo pouted a little while he decided.“Two,” he held up two fingers between them, “I couldn’t sleep last night because I was craving it and we didn’t have any,”“Thought you weren’t supposed to give into those?” Johnny asked, hands stuffed in his pockets by the door. Jungwoo shrugged.“Jimin said I’m allowed to indulge a little, so watermelon and cheese is my indulgence of the day,”Jaehyun met Johnny’s amused face, “do you need cheese too?”Jungwoo grinned the adorable absentminded smile that amused Jaehyun to no end, “yes please, but not soft cheese okay, maybe some swiss,”“Swiss cheese and watermelon?” Johnny only sounded a tiny bit grossed out when he asked which was, a feat in and of itself.“Don’t,” Jaehyun warned him, “it could be way worse,”“Really, I didn’t even know you were having cravings,”“You don’t live with him,” Jaehyun said before Jungwoo could launch into any of the numerous food combinations he’d made in the last few months that made his stomach roll. “Bye pumpkin,” he leaned down to kiss him, grinning when the omega pulled closer.“Yeah, bye pumpkin,”Jaehyun hit him while Jungwoo snickered, walking them to the door and waving as they walked down the pathway to the road.Jaehyun could feel Johnny’s amusement in the air between them as they made for the trees. He didn’t say anything about Jungwoo’s cravings or how Jaehyun so visibly, so willingly bent over backwards for him. He probably kept quiet about it because he knew if he started it, it opened the door for Jaehyun to rib him about Ten and there were always ample things to tease them about. Jaehyun had loads of ammunition. Johnny knew that so Jaehyun figured that’s why he kept quiet.But there was keeping quiet because you didn’t want to be teased and then there was not making any conversation at all, not even about safe stuff. He looked over at his taller friend, wondered if something was bothering him as the path from town faded away, into pine needles and dead leaves that made up Johnny’s route. They were heading towards their eastern limit, into one of the gullies left from the stream that used to run down from the mountain. His series of traps ran along the length of the dried-up river bed, for a couple miles so Jaehyun followed him while he checked them, kept his ears open for any movement around them.After the third trap was emptied and reloaded, Jaehyun couldn’t take the silence anymore. It was making him itch.“Okay spill it,” he said, causing Johnny to give him a look over his shoulder, “I love hunting with you, you know that, but this is a little random and you’re…being quiet, so what’s up,”“I can’t want back up,”Jaehyun huffed at that. “You can, but you don’t usually need it…what is it?”“Just felt like I needed some company today,” he looked up at him, daring him to argue with him more but Jaehyun knew him. He could tell something was up. If he didn’t want to talk about it though, he couldn’t make him. Maybe he’d get there on his own.He waited, thinking the whole time that all of his friends were just really lucky that he was as patient as he was, always willing to wait them out because he loved them.Johnny didn’t even make it another half hour before he was sighing, ready to admit what was going on with him.“Ten’s being weird,” was the only thing he said. He tossed the turkey carcass towards him to tie up with the couple rabbits he’d collected from the previous traps.Jaehyun waited for more but nothing came so he bit.  He tried really hard not to laugh in the face of that as he asked, “Weird?”“Weirder okay, got it. Yeah…ever since his last heat, he’s been so different,”Jaehyun thought about that, he seemed like the same old Ten to him but obviously, Johnny knew him better. Still, he’d think he would’ve noticed something if Johnny was so hung up on it.“Different how,”He watched Johnny’s shoulders jump, hands fumbling with the traps trigger till it snapped closed again. He cursed under his breath.“Hey, maybe put the trap down,”“Yeah,” he did, set it down a few feet away. His hands landed on his legs where he was knelt on the ground, breathing controlled and slow like he was trying to keep a handle on himself.“Johnny,” he said, stepped closer to him but didn’t reach out, “it’s just me,”Johnny sighed, “I just don’t know how to explain it,”Jaehyun felt sorry for him, watching him wrangle with whatever he was trying to get out. He watched him scuttle backwards, leaning against one of the many trees around them with his knees drawn up. Jaehyun, for his part, tried not to make any assumptions about what was going on because Johnny would tell him. Eventually.“He’s never wanted pups,” Johnny said, part out-burst, part defensive when he said it. Jaehyun knew that. He’d always known that. He was pretty sure everyone who knew them and knew Ten, knew he didn’t possess the maternal drive. At least not in the way that it made him crave pups, wish for them every night before bed and hope one would catch. He didn’t have that urge like other omegas did and they knew that, loved him regardless. They also knew that Johnny was the same, had always been the same. Jaehyun remembered, when they were younger how Johnny had wondered why alphas wanted to mate at all, since most people did it with the intention of having a family, continuing their lineage or any other reason people had for reproducing.He remembered distinctly the confounded way he’d asked their teachers in school what the point was of all of it. And then the socialization ban was lifted when his dad took over the pack and their classes blended and there was Ten, who was a force of nature, heading up the charge for freedom of choice in omegean reproduction. He stood steadfast by his opinions and dared anyone to fight him on it because he had rebuttals and claws. Jaehyun remembered the next part more vividly than anything else, the way Ten had argued with their teacher about how it wasn’t fair the way he taught them about mating and sex because why did it have to mean pups? Their teacher had blinked, stunned for a second before he remembered who he was and where they were. He’d asked, ‘what do you mean Ten?’  And Ten had rolled his shoulders back, sitting proudly beside Taeil and Sicheng in their seats, three rows from the front and said, ‘some people don’t want pups, I think our academics should reflect that. You talk to all of us like we’re all exactly the same and we’re not,’. He really hadn’t known what to say after that so he asked Ten to see him after class, so he could properly adjust the lesson accordingly. Ten grinned from ear to ear, just a little smug about making his point while beside him, Johnny sat frozen. Yuta waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention, but he didn’t even blink. None of them could get him to talk besides a breathless, wow. Then that night at dinner he’d admitted that he didn’t think that omegas existed without that desire to have pups. He looked really emotional as he said it, to the point that Taeyong shifted closer to him to wrap an arm around his back and promise him that it was okay. And it was. It was all okay. It wasn’t long after that either that they all started seeing Johnny wandering around behind Ten at school, asking him if he could carry his books or his bag which made the omega look at him funny though he eventually let him help.He was heads taller than him, but he was a tiny, pocket sized puppy when it came to Ten which was hilarious to Jaehyun and their friends. He didn’t and couldn’t make himself smaller but the way he lowered his head closer to Ten whenever he talked to him, the way his smiles were softer and his eyes contained an entire universe of stars, reflective of the constellations that existed solely in Ten’s, definitely told a different story. Jaehyun had witnessed the way they could and did talk for ages and sometimes they didn’t talk at all just sat close to each other, looking at each other when the other looked away, taking advantage of their lack of attention for as long as they could, before trading roles. Johnny was caught, completely. It was the first instance beside Taeyong’s very obvious crush on Taeil that any of them had experienced something like this. Sure, Yuta had been going after Sicheng for what seemed like ages because alphas and betas were never kept apart by the ban, but the push and pull with them seemed like it would last forever with no resolution, and again, Taeyong had a super obvious crush on Taeil. This was different though. This was mutual.They all watched the way Ten glowed under the attention and Johnny glowed back since Ten was happy because of him. Two like-minded individuals who found each other in wolf/human science class, who both thought no one alive would ever understand their different way of thinking, it was a little miraculous really. At least Jaehyun thought so.The rest of their story was pretty simple, they started courting right after graduation and mated shortly after. They remained as blissfully happy, in love and in agreement on pretty much everything as they had been since they got together. And Johnny still looked at Ten like he was every good thing in the world and things didn’t make sense without him around, still acted like that lovesick barely matured alpha he was in school. To see him bent out of shape because of him, confused in his company was very, very out of character for him.To see him bent out of shape because of Ten and pups was even weirder though because those two things didn’t even make sense together in a sentence. “I know,”“I mean like to the point he’d considered going to a surgeon in the city to get his tubes tied off and reproductive organs sterilized,”Jaehyun felt his stomach drop hearing that, just over the severity of it. It seemed extreme but he didn’t fully understand what having an omega wolf living inside you would do, how would they react to Ten’s not wanting children? Probably not kindly. He was sure it was a power struggle between them on a good day. “Wow,” he said, the only semi-intelligent thing he could find in his reeling mind.“Yeah,”“Do you think he’s changed his mind?”“I don’t know,” he sounded so lost when he said it that Jaehyun wondered how long he’d been mulling this over with little to no resolution. “I doubt it,”“Have you?”“Changed my mind?” Johnny was looking at him now, propped against a different stump, shoes scuffed into the mud beneath him. “No, not at all,”Jaehyun smiled at him, thought, even though it was different that wolves didn’t want to reproduce, it was nice that they knew with such certainty that that path in life wasn’t for them.“I’m excited to be an uncle though, for sure…I just really don’t see myself raising my own kids, like,” he shivered, made a face that had Jaehyun laughing at him. “That sounds shitty,”“No, I think it’s good that you know for sure. It’s not something you can get out of, you’re someone’s parent for their whole life and I respect that you know,”Johnny smiled a little, looked like for the first time in a long time he was reassured about all this. He wondered what sort of energy Ten was putting out that had Johnny so confused and worked up.“So, what makes you think Ten wants pups now?”“Just some of the stuff he’s said,”Jaehyun wanted really badly to know what Ten had been saying, so he could reassure Johnny in some way.“What’s he been saying?”“That he decided a long time ago he didn’t want pups and his wolf has stayed quiet about that but now with all the hormones swirling around, Jungwoo’s so close to his due date, Kun and Taeil have been actively trying for pups for months now and Donghyuck, has…yeah,” none of them could make themselves say it still. “He said it’s started his omega in on him. Like they’re running around filling his head with ideas, making him think he needs to nest…last week he had a phantom heat because they’re so out of sorts with all this. I know his wolf must be driving him absolutely crazy and I can’t help him. And he keeps talking like this is something he needs to be guilty about but it’s a choice he made, that we made together, I don’t think he needs to feel any guilt about that at all, but he won’t listen to that,”He started pulling at his hair a little till Jaehyun crouched to make him stop, knowing your wolf produced strength you couldn’t prepare for when you were worked up. He didn’t want him yanking his hair out completely.“Okay, so all the hormones have been making him crazy, what else?”Johnny let out a big breath, eyes shut when he said, “during his last heat he…told me that he didn’t take his suppressants which he’s never done before and he said that it was fine if I knotted him because that was ‘the point’ of his heats anyway’,”Jaehyun shook his head, that didn’t sound like the Ten he knew. “Okay…”“I didn’t obviously, because we’ve never talked about that and I wasn’t about to after he’d supposedly stopped taking his suppressants, while he was in heat…it was a mess. He started crying because I wouldn’t, it was like a nightmare. Officially the worst heat of his ever. And then last week during his phantom heat…he was, I’d never seen him like that before, he was hysterical. He was trying to guilt trip me again into knotting him, begging me to make his wolf stop,”Jaehyun nodded, hummed to show he was listening when Johnny didn’t look up at him.“I couldn’t get him to stop shaking,” he let out a pained noise like just talking about it was making him relive it and that was too much for him to take, “I told him after he came out of it what had happened because he didn’t remember,”“What’d he do?”“First? He apologized and then he thanked me because apparently that wasn’t him talking at all, his wolf had totally taken over. I would’ve listened to him too if I didn’t know him like I do,” he sighed, “we went to see Jimin and he checked him over, told us he was fine and that it was probably because his wolf is desperate for this that it happened. He said, they probably forced them into a phantom heat so they could get pregnant. But he said Ten’s been on hormone suppressors and birth control for so long that it’d take longer than just a week for them to get out of his system and even if I had slipped and knotted him, he’d probably be fine. Anyway, he’s got him taking some anti-anxiety concoction to help with the omega war going on in his head and he’s seemed better,”“Okay so that’s good,” he paused, “right?”“Yeah, it’s good, I like him calmer and not so agitated about all this,”“Okay, so what’s got you so upset?”“I can’t tell if the pup talk was just his omega working him over or if they’re in agreement and he wants pups now,”Jaehyun chewed on the inside of his lip as he thought though he didn’t need to think for too long. “You have to ask him that, Johnny. And talk to him if he’s confused, you guys have been mated for years, if this is something that’s bothering you, bothering the both of you then you need to put that out there,”“I know,” another heavy sigh before a look passed over his face, a darker look that he wasn’t prepared for. “What if he’s actually changed his mind Jae? What if he wants pups for real…what does that mean for us?”Jaehyun’s heart sunk, he didn’t even want to think about that.“Don’t go there Johnny,”“I can’t help it!” he flailed a little where he was sitting, panic rising in his voice. “Our mutual feelings on raising pups brought us together, I never thought that it would tear us apart though. I didn’t ever think he’d change his mind,”“And you don’t know that he has until you ask him!”“But what if he says he has, what am I gonna do? I can’t live without him Jae, I can’t! But…I don’t think I want pups, even with him. I don’t know what to do,”He crouched forward, took him by the arms to make sure he was listening, “talk to him Johnny okay, you have to. This isn’t the kind of thing you can figure out with me, it has to be with him. And it might not turn out the way you want but nothing is happening by ignoring it. If he’s changed his mind and you haven’t then that needs to be dealt with okay, but I know you and I know him pretty well, I think no matter what, you two will be just fine,”They had to be. They had to be, what did it mean for the rest of them if Ten and Johnny didn’t work?Johnny looked like he was letting that sink in as his head tipped back against the trunk of the tree behind him.“If things have changed you two owe it to yourselves and each other to figure it out, to work on it. But you know that’s not happening with me, c’mon,”He reached out to help him up, helped him brush off the dirt and leaves that clung to him, tried to overlook the nasty, overpowering plume of his scent. Hopefully it was just the after effects of all this and not a sign that he was still spiraling because he wasn’t sure he could handle that. And he knew he couldn’t fix it, they needed Ten for that.Jaehyun was able to encourage him to keep moving, reminding him of their purpose and how the distribution center was probably waiting for him to come check in with what he’d caught. It was a lie, but Johnny bought it, he knew that Mark didn’t keep tabs on Johnny or most of the other hunters, not minding when they hunted or how long it took them, as long they logged what they’d caught and made their deliveries. So, they picked up where they’d left off, continued down their path, checking the traps Johnny had set, working together to set them back up and collecting what they’d caught, two turkeys, several rabbits and a few pheasants. On their way back to town they caught the scent of a full grouping of turkeys, worked to corner a few to bring home to their omegas. More specifically Ten, who loved turkey but definitely, if you asked Jaehyun, loved Johnny more. He didn’t have the words to express what he needed to hear right now, only Ten could reassure him with all this, but he knew, if anyone could come out on the other side of this, it would be Johnny and Ten. They could weather anything. And they’d definitely weathered worse. He left Johnny at the distribution center only after reassuring himself that he was genuinely fine and going home after to be with Ten. With the turkey he caught cleaned and bagged, he headed to the market for swiss cheese and a couple watermelons, doing his errand in a chaotic flurry of sorts. Not that he could help it, he just really wanted to see Jungwoo. Be with him after spending the morning with Johnny and his less than positive predicament.Jungwoo was fast asleep when he got back to his house and because he was merely an alpha, weak to the animal in his chest he shuffled his way into the nest Jungwoo had made in his bed. He snuggled up behind him, arm curled over his till his fingers could lace with Jungwoo’s where they were by his pillow. The other snuffled a little in his sleep, unconsciously moved back into Jaehyun where every inch of him was pressed against him. Another quiet, sleepy noise left him so Jaehyun kissed the back of his neck, told him to go back to sleep, that everything was alright. That he was here.He just wanted to be with him. Wanted to be close to him. He figured, after the morning he’d had, that he was allowed that, that Jungwoo would let him.…. The day after the farmer’s market meant prep for next week’s farmer’s market. Pickling had become a team effort, he and Jungwoo with Mark and Donghyuck, their farmer’s market partners would join them at Jaehyun’s house to pickle and jar and label their stock for the following week, drinking tea and snacking because what else was there to do on a Monday morning. Donghyuck’s schedule had changed a little in the last month or so and Mark was high enough up that he could delegate his responsibilities to other people without a problem, and he didn’t really work too much anymore. Biding his time till he and Minho had to start work on the new huts in a few weeks and taking full advantage of the off time so he could be with Jungwoo more.They hadn’t been working for very long when Jungwoo’s eyes grew visibly heavier and he began yawning. Donghyuck and him traded a look, catching Jungwoo when he listed to the side a little.“Woo,” Donghyuck scolded him, “go lay down, we know what we’re doing,”Jungwoo brushed that off, shaking his head with a whine.“Don’t be difficult, you’re sleeping sitting up, come on,” Donghyuck got up from his seat, set aside his measuring cup to collect his best friend. With gentle hands, he helped him up, wrapped an arm around his back to guide him down the hall, Jungwoo complaining the whole way about wanting to help and be with them. Jaehyun and Mark listened to Donghyuck’s quite laughter as he argued with the sleepy omega, doors opening and closing down the hall while the hushed conversations continued. With a final door closing, Donghyuck reemerged in the kitchen, looking pleased with himself.He and Mark sat there quiet, not too sure what had just happened and how it happened so quickly.“How long does it usually take him to fall asleep?” Donghyuck asked, staring at Jaehyun where he sat, looking blankly back at him.He shook himself back to reality, tried to catch up to the fact that Donghyuck had taken Jungwoo to bed and tucked him in all before Jaehyun could react. “Uh, not long, maybe a few minutes,”Donghyuck hummed, nodding his head before he went back to measuring out the pickling liquid into each mason jar on the table. Mark was in charge of cleaning each jar after the veg was added, wiping them down and drying them off before he added the label that they’d created a few months back to spruce up, what Donghyuck had coined, ‘their brand’. None of them were in any position to argue with him so they let it go. The labels did make them look more professional.Jaehyun’s delegated position in their assembly line was chopping up the ingredients to pickle before handing them over to Jungwoo so he could separate them out into each jar evenly. Jungwoo also took care of most of the mixing, they all knew the recipe he’d created but he liked doing it himself. Without him here, Jaehyun filled his spot the best he could, they did know what they were doing but he still missed him terribly. Which was ridiculous. And his wolf was being even more ridiculous, whining and pawing at his insides like he didn’t know what to do with himself without the omega in their immediate vicinity. At least Jaehyun wasn’t that ridiculous.The time passed in amicable, easy quiet before Donghyuck decided they’d spent enough time in silence and set whatever plan his mind had formed into motion.“So, his naptime couldn’t have happened at a better time,” Donghyuck started, pulling his chair closer to Jaehyun, much to Mark’s amusement, the other alpha was shaking his head fondly at the omega and his antics. “We’ve all been thinking Jae,”He huffed, wondered what that meant for him and Jungwoo.“Thinking about what?”“The pup, they’re almost here and we thought it’d be nice to do something for him-”Jaehyun opened his mouth to protest.“-no wait, just listen, okay. We know he’s not crazy about all the attention being on him or accepting presents, but how about a party disguised as like lunch or dinner or something. Like a family event at our place or yours…our friends, your parents and Jun and we can invite Jimin and his family and Joshua or Taemin and Minho. Anyone who loves Woo, just to like, show him how much he means to us and how excited we are for him and his baby. Don’t you think that’d be nice?”Jaehyun smiled at him, felt love for him and them and everyone who was important to them, surge inside him. They were so good, his people were the absolute best and they loved in such an amazing way, Jaehyun didn’t always have words for it and he didn’t always feel like he was deserving of them, but he appreciated it still. Hoped he loved them enough in return to make their time and effort worth it.It was a great idea. And just lunch would probably fly with the omega who didn’t accept excessive attention or the concept that people would go out of their way for him. Jaehyun liked the idea that they’d all changed their methods and had adapted to how to love Jungwoo on his terms, in ways that wouldn’t fluster him or catch him out.“I think that’d be awesome Hyuck,”Donghyuck started beaming, the smell of lemonade and maple saturated the air of his kitchen quickly as he spun to face Mark, nodding his head as if to say ‘see? It worked!’“Do you think he’d kill us if we didn’t tell him and surprised him with it,” Mark asked, catching Donghyuck’s hand when it reached out for his. He watched as Mark lifted Donghyuck’s hand to kiss the back of it softly, threaded their fingers together after, back to being affectionate and nauseating without being completely aware of it. This was the Mark and Donghyuck he was used to, and he was really happy to see them like this again.Jaehyun thought about that, would he? He wasn’t nuts about surprises, but this was a well-intentioned, good natured, genuine surprise, something they were interested in doing because they loved him and wanted to let him know. If he could be on board with something, let it go, it’d be this. Jaehyun figured they’d be able to fix any negative feelings on the day if he had any.“No, but I’ll deal with it, if he’s upset,”“Yes! Okay, so the boys are all on board, they just need us to pick a day. And you’ll keep Jungwoo away, maybe take him for a walk if we decide to have it here, so we can get all set up. I’ll handle everything else though Jae so you can plead plausible deniability. Was there anyone I didn’t mention that you think he’d want to invite,” he shook his head to answer that.“Okay,” Donghyuck continued, “well, if you think of anyone let me know,”Jaehyun nodded, excitement making his wolf spin around. After everything, everyone who loved him collecting to show him and spend the day with him, reminding him that he was good, that his pup was adored and that there was nothing wrong with him, seemed like as good a resolution as any to all his problems.“No gifts though right, he’ll definitely freak about that,”“No, no gifts, I was thinking we do like a pot luck, where instead of a present, people showing up and bringing something to eat or drink is their present,”Mark laughed at that.“What? Think about Jungwoo, he’s such a sweetheart, if anyone would consider the good people in his life as the best present his pup could ever receive, tell me it isn’t Jungwoo?”Mark sat comically still, big eyes bigger as he thought about it. “You’re right,” he decided after a moment, “he’d definitely think that,”Jaehyun smirked at him, agreed with their assessment on Jungwoo and how he thought of things. He was a sweetheart and a really good person. And he deserved only good things after the tough start to his life and all the shit the people of this pack had put him through.While the couple across the table planned what they would bring and what day they should do this, his wheels began turning on how to make this the best day he possibly could for Jungwoo.“What’s the face for Jae? We can do it at our house if you want, Jungwoo’s been their plenty, he’s comfortable there for sure,”“No, no here’s fine, he practically lives here so…I was just thinking about something…else,”“What else? Maybe we can help,”He chewed on his lip as he asked, “Would inviting his mom be considered a gift you think?”There was a beat of perfect silence before Donghyuck lit up.“That’s such a good idea Jae,” even though he was clearly very excited, his voice was quiet like he was trying to contain himself.“Does it count as a gift though?”“No,” Mark said simply, catching their attention.“You don’t think so?”“No, there’s different standards for you anyway,”Jaehyun nodded, “is it overstepping to ask her to come?”“Again,” Mark started, “different standards. Jungwoo will freak if you get her to come…in a good way though, definitely,”“Woo’s always saying that he wants her to feel safe enough to rejoin the pack,”“Then I think that’s exactly what you should do,” Mark sat back in his seat, grabbed the scissors he’d been using to get back to work. Jaehyun and Donghyuck looked at each other, both wearing matching amused expressions. When he didn’t appear interested in paying attention to them anymore, Donghyuck and Jaehyun returned to each other.“Was this your idea Hyuck?”“Yeah, we all mulled it over though, not sure how Jungwoo would react so I was voted baby shower rep to bring it up to you,”Jaehyun laughed at him, and at the idea of their friends cramming in all their thoughts and feelings about this in the few minutes they had before he and Jungwoo turned up at dinner and ruined their scheming.“Saturday’s a good day, no one works…how long should we wait?”“Not much longer Jae, he’s like 2 and a half months away from popping,”Jaehyun groaned, not liking that imagery, “don’t say that,”“What? He is, that’s what people say,”“Yeah but don’t say it about Woo, that’s…disturbing,”“Disturbing,” the little shit had the nerve to snicker at him.“Yeah, I don’t like thinking about him popping,” the idea made him shake but the other two just laughed at him some more. Traitors. “Shut up,”“Sorry, sorry,” Donghyuck coughed, tried to calm himself down enough to talk. Jaehyun could only ignore him while he waited. “So, not next Saturday but the Saturday after, how does that sound?”Jaehyun grinned, excited energy coursed through quickly, “sounds good to me,”And it did. Now he just had to ask Chae.He hoped she’d agreed.If she didn’t, he only had two weeks to convince her. At least he had a good bargaining chip. Jungwoo.Gosh, he was so handy, especially when it came to his relationship with Chae.
….
 Jaehyun didn’t want to waste any time when it came to convincing Chae to join them at Jungwoo’s baby shower, so a couple days later, he headed over to see her. She was of course surprised to see him, and more surprised still to see him without Jungwoo in tow.“Twice in one-week Jaehyun, what a surprise,” See? It made the smile stretch easily across his face as she let him in, offered him something to drink or eat before they made their way to the couch.“I know, I just had something to ask you,”“Sure,” she shifted to face him, attention all on him. It was a little unsettling so he dove in before he could become anxious and not say anything.“The boys and I are putting together a baby shower for Jungwoo,”He paused, giving her a second so she could digest that.“No presents, nothing major, just like an afternoon all together, we’re asking everyone to bring something to eat…just a way to celebrate Jungwoo and the pup, before they’re born,” he took a deep breath, hoped that made sense to Chae, before he continued, “I was hoping you’d come. It’s gonna be at my house, Donghyuck and all our friends are gonna be there, my brother and parents, Jimin and his family, a few of the other people Jungwoo’s grown close to recently…I know that’s a lot but since we’re not doing gifts, I thought maybe it’d be nice if you came, you can be the present,”She gave him a fondly exasperated look, one very similar to the one Jungwoo gave him often.Instead of arguing with him about why she should or shouldn’t come and all the reasons she had to back up that decision, she said, “I don’t believe for one second you don’t have an actual gift for him,”Jaehyun huffed, felt a smile tug at his cheeks. She knew him pretty well. Though maybe that was on him, he was sort of easy to read and figure out where Jungwoo was concerned at least.“What is it? If it’s alright to ask,”Jaehyun nodded, “the crib I made for him, I think I told you about that,”She ahhed like she remembered them talking about that then smiled. She looked really happy in that moment, the uninhibited kind of happy. Jaehyun liked seeing it on her, liked seeing her feel at ease in his company and happy because of him and the life he was providing for Jungwoo and the pup.Her hesitance to answer didn’t spell good things for him and the baby shower though. He didn’t want to guilt trip her or make her feel bad so he took a breath, tried to think about how hard this would be for her. Even though it was for Jungwoo, she’d been living away from the pack for so long, with only his dad for occasional company when he came to visit. And he’d only become a staple in her life recently. His getting to know her and Jungwoo’s being back and some of their friends stopping by to meet her and her closeness to Donghyuck didn’t erase everything she’d been through or her anxiety about being around the pack.This, even just thinking about it had to be hard for her, because it was joining the pack, joining people in a social setting that she didn’t know, in a way she hadn’t in so long. He had to have sympathy for that, she was important to Jungwoo and important to him and wouldn’t push her if she wasn’t ready or didn’t want to. But he had to offer.“I know this is a lot Chae and I don’t want to push you or anything. I just wanted to offer. We’re surprising Jungwoo with an afternoon of food and nonsense with his friends and all the people who love him, it’s only right that you be considered in that too. I know it would mean the world to him if you were there but please, please don’t let me pressure you,” he took a breath, watched the way she was watching him carefully, “okay? I just wanted to put it out there,”She nodded slowly, hands folded together as she worked over her decision. He could see shadows passing over her face, darkness and demons from her past trying to haunt her. Watching the exact moment, she shook them off, was triumphant to say the least.“When and where?”Jaehyun couldn’t fight the smile that took over him, hearing that. It hit him that maybe Chae had been inspired by all that Jungwoo had accomplished and become since being home. He’d been hurt sure, but he’d risen above all that and was determined to build a life for his pup that he could be proud of, that they’d be proud of too. “Not this Saturday but the next one, at my place…I can have someone pick you up, if you want,”She mulled that over too, debating whether she wanted to be seen escorted across town, what that would mean for her and if she wanted to admit she didn’t know where he lived. “Okay,” she looked a little anxious at the prospect of that.“Who would…be okay, you’ve met Johnny and Yuta or maybe Taeyong and his mate Taeil,”She perked up at their names, “are they better? Jungwoo told me they’d been fighting after you guys spoke to Bobby,”He smiled at that, Jungwoo kept her very nicely up to date on their lives.“They’re good yeah, the last time I saw them I think they were even holding hands, which is a good sign,”She smirked, “It’d be nice to see Taeyong again and meet his mate,”So, that was settled, “I’ll ask them to come get you that day then, I’ll get back to you on the time though. I have to check with the party planner,”“Donghyuck,” she asked.Jaehyun nodded.“And it’s a surprise?”“Yeah,”“Okay,” she looked like she was plotting a back story in case she got in trouble and had to lie to Jungwoo. But Jaehyun didn’t plan on letting any of this slip to him. The prospect of surprising him was exciting. “And we’re not doing gifts but if I’ve also made him something…” she let that drop off, waited for him to answer.He laughed to himself, they really were so alike.“I think that’d be fine,”She was grinning from ear to ear when she sat back. “What’s he up to today?”“He’s at my business partner Minho’s house, with his mate Taemin and their friends. He calls it the wolves with kids club, since they all have pups, they’re pretty good at talking him down,”A look passed over her face, gone before he could catch it to decipher what it meant or if it was bad and then she was asking, “lunch tomorrow?”“Of course,” she walked him to the door, pulled him into a hug which he definitely wasn’t expecting but leant into anyway. Who was he not to? This was his future mother-in-law and she was taking the initiative to get closer to him. He loved that and was powerless against it. Much like how he was powerless against Jungwoo, they had different effects sure, but the principles were the same.After he’ left Chae’s, he went to pick Jungwoo up from Taemin and Minho’s where he was having lunch with his wolves with kids friend group.Minho opened the door with a shell-shocked look, laughter rang out behind him from several different wolves which had Jaehyun dreading what was inside. His poor, poor business partner, he hoped he’d been able to escape them for a little while at least but the frazzled look about him indicated that he hadn’t.“Good luck Jae,”“Where are you going?”So, he was making his escape now then.“Somewhere else, right bud,” he looked down at Hyungmin who was peering around his leg to see who he was talking to. He lit up seeing Jaehyun stood there and took his hand to pull him inside.“Sorry Daddy,”“Traitor,” Minho huffed, slipping his sneakers on where they sat.“Min where are you going?” Taemin’s voice asked, from deeper in the house.“Out! You lot have harassed me all afternoon, but lucky you, I’ve found you a new target,”“Oh who?” Taemin asked while the others squealed and Hyungmin brought him into the living room.“Jae!” Jungwoo laughed, tried to get up but couldn’t which caused a pout to settle on his face instead. Jimin reached over to pat his leg softly, sympathetic to his struggles when Jungwoo flailed and couldn’t get up.“Uh hi,” he said, moving quickly to his omega to pull him up and to his feet when he reached his arms up for him, “so you’ve spent the day torturing Minho,”They all laughed hysterically while Taemin mumbled, ‘he’s a big baby,’Jaehyun grinned, returning his attention to Jungwoo as he did to see the omega already staring up at him, hands smoothing his shirt.“Hi,” he whispered to him, more than willing to lose himself in the bubble peaches and cinnamon created around him.“Hi,” Jungwoo’s voice was soft when he answered, “how was the shop?”The question caught him out, he had told him this morning that he was going to the shop, in an attempt to keep the baby shower plans a secret. Over Jungwoo’s shoulder he saw Minho hadn’t left and was hovering in the doorway giving him a funny look. He hoped he wouldn’t say anything, that they’d known each other long enough to impart silence with a look.“Honey,” Taemin hummed, “you’re still here,”Minho startled, coming back into the room slowly.“Thought you left without saying goodbye,” Taemin murmured, pulling his mate closer when he was within reach.“I know better,” the slow way Minho ducked to kiss him made it seem like time was standing still for them, it made Jaehyun feel bad watching them. So, he leaned down to kiss the omega he had in his arms because he was looking at him like he’d missed him and wanted him to.Distantly, he heard one of others groan, picked out that it was Jongin when he spoke.“Sehun’s such a grouch, how come he doesn’t pick me up to walk me home? Or kiss me like that?”Jimin hummed, “ah, relationship envy,”“Please Nini, you’d sock Sehun in the mouth if he tried to pick you up and walk you home, doesn’t that like threaten your independence or some shit?”“Shut up,” Jongin whined and then he said, “but yes, you’re right. He knows me so well, oh I love how he loves me,”“And the envy’s gone,” Jimin sighed sitting back on the couch with whatever he was drinking, “What’d you do today Jae?”“Not much, just…stuff,”“Stuff at the shop?” Minho asked, asshole traitor jerk.“Yup,” he tried to keep the growl out of his voice but hoped the edge of it didn’t escape his business partner, so he’d shut up and drop this before he spoiled everything.“Cool,”“Hey, do you have chicken wire?”Minho made a face while he thought, fingers lacing over the small of Taemin’s back. “Yeah, you need some?”“Yeah,”Minho nodded, “what are you gonna give me for it?”“Lifelong friendship?” he offered.Minho grinned, “I’ll take it,” while Taemin groaned, “you two are so dumb, Jungwoo why are they so dumb?”Jungwoo laughed instead of answering, fingers running over his face slowly.“Did you check the floor plans I left on your bench?”Jaehyun swallowed, “I will tomorrow when I’m there,”The smile on his face showed him that Minho totally knew he hadn’t gone to the shop but was willing to keep quiet for him, for now.“Now though, I’m here to pick Jungwoo up to take him to dinner,”The others all traded looks while Jungwoo’s head dropped to lay on his shoulder.“You know we would’ve brought him,”“Yeah Jaehyun,” Baekhyun smirked, leaning closer to Jongin, reminding Jaehyun that he avoided them because they were trouble. “We would’ve gotten him there safe,”He believed that and them, but he always trusted himself more. With Jungwoo at least.“I know,” he said, not meeting any of their eyes. Instead he curled his arms around Jungwoo’s back, pressed a kiss to the top of his head as he murmured, “I like walking him,”Jungwoo laughed, “because I let you hold my hand,”Jaehyun’s tongue poked at his teeth under the force of his smile, “yeah,”Jungwoo’s laughter started the other’s laughing too. It wasn’t too long before they coaxed him into sitting with them, Taemin refilling Jungwoo’s tea so he couldn’t leave. And Minho, whatever escape he’d planned had been forgotten apparently as he sprawled in the loveseat, Taemin curling up with him while Hyungmin showed him pictures he’d been coloring over the armrest, Minho’s hand carding through his fluffy hair as he spoke.No wonder Jungwoo enjoyed spending time here right now, Hyungmin and the pup provided soothing energy that was no doubt helpful to Jungwoo’s frayed nerves and the others were veteran parents, their stories and insight likely helped relax Jungwoo’s mind. Jaehyun was thankful that this life had provided them with ample people they could surround themselves with, talk to, unwind with. There was no shortage of love and friendship in their world these days which for social creatures such as wolves was an ideal, unrivaled way to live.They left a littler earlier than necessary because Jungwoo had to get his pickles and the cupcakes he’d made in a random burst of energy yesterday, before they met their friends at dinner. So, the others waved to them and told them to enjoy dinner, Taemin pulling Jungwoo into a hug that the others glomped onto happily, asking Jungwoo to come the same time next week. He agreed and with that they were on their way back home hand in hand.On the way down the street, they passed Sehun who was walking with his and Jongin’s daughter Mira, swinging her hand in his, her backpack slung over his shoulder. She was a little carbon copy of him, except for the fact that she was a girl, obviously.“Wait Woo,”Jungwoo slowed, looked at him when he pulled them to a stop.“What’s wrong?”“Just want to repay a favor,” he hoped Jungwoo was down for a little trouble, “back me up,”Jungwoo looked lost but nodded without hesitation anyway.“Sehun,” he called, causing the older alpha and his daughter to stop, turning in sync to face him. “Hey!”Jungwoo snickered against his arm, clearly amused by his nonsense even though he hadn’t done anything yet.“Hi guys,” Sehun said, wrapped an arm around Mira when she crossed her arms, “what’s up,”“We just came from Taemin’s and Jongin was saying something about wishing you’d pick him up for dinner tonight,”Sehun’s face scrunched, straight eyebrows drew together in his signature intimidating scowl, “did he?”Jaehyun grinned, thinking that Sehun didn’t believe him but that was fine, maybe Mira would be able to convince him.“He really did,” Jungwoo promised, turning his attention on Mira too, like he’d read his mind. “I think it might be the pup pheromones, but he missed you a lot today and said he wished you were there and hadn’t had school, maybe you guys could surprise him and pick him up,”Mira’s eyes lit up. At the mere idea that her mom wanted to see her and had missed her, it was like a whole different person standing in front of them. It made Jaehyun smile, and smile wider when, in a show of pure pup influence, she spun on her father, leveled him with a look that had him withering. He swallowed loudly before nodding, held his hand back out for her as he said, “let’s go pick Momma up for dinner,”She didn’t say a word, just bobbed her head once in an accepting nod, the pair of them set off towards Taemin and Minho’s place.“Nini’s gonna punch him Jae,”“Nah, not in front Mira,”He saw him shake his head out of the corner of his eye.“So…who were you messing with exactly, Jongin or Sehun,”He shrugged. But his non-committal attitude didn’t help him anyway since Jungwoo knew him cover to cover anyway.“I don’t think that’ll have the effect you think it will honey,”Jaehyun grinned to himself and then at Jungwoo, pulled him closer as they started walking again, “yeah, but it’ll make Minho laugh. And I sort of owe him,”“For the chicken wire? Or because he was subjected to us all day without back up,”Jaehyun reminded himself that this secret was innocent while he lifted their entwined fingers to kiss the back of Jungwoo’s hand. It was only a little white lie to keep this secret, “Yeah,”The details weren’t terribly important right now. Happy Jungwoo squeezing hand all the way home for pickles to bring to dinner, calm in his company, that was definitely more important than anything else.…. Thursday night at dinner was like many before, though tonight conversation strayed to their two youngest friends, one of whom wasn’t there at all. So maybe not like any other previous dinners, since Chenle and Jisung not being sat beside each other wasn’t normal at all.“So, where’s Chenle?” Taeil asked, sat between Mark and Jisung, Taeyong looking forlorn on the bench on the other side of them.“His mom has the flu,” Jaemin said, “so he’s playing nurse and he didn’t want to pass her germs to everyone else,”Renjun sat up, “that’s not true!”“Yes, it is!” Jaemin squawked, swatting Jeno when his hands reached for him or his plate, whatever he could grab first.“Nooo,” Renjun drew it out, like Jaemin was frustrating and a little slow, “you told him to stay home because you didn’t want his germs. Your exact words were, ‘The FLU?! Gross Chenle! Stay home, I don’t want that shit!’” He yelled to imitate him, smiling at Jaemin’s eyeroll. Beside him Jeno laughed, they all did as the best friends bickered.Jaemin didn’t look too bothered by Renjun’s show, in fact he appeared ready to own his stance on this.“Well, I was thinking for all of us, who wants the flu Rennie?”“Not me,” Johnny decided. He and Ten seemed okay, Jaehyun noted. They were pressed tight together, hands stuck together in Ten’s lap. The only clue that gave away that something was up was that normally, the way acted and touched each other was easy. Casual, like they didn’t think about it too much, it just happened because it was second nature. This seemed necessary. Like their closeness and multiple points of contact were keeping them from breaking apart. If that’s what worked, Jaehyun wasn’t in any place to comment. Especially since Ten’s smiles seemed real and happy and Johnny was back to looking at him like he hung the moon. That was better.Jaehyun looked away from them, back to the conversation they were having about flu germs and Kun who was weighing in.  “Me either,” he said looking disgusted. Jaehyun watched him hunch forward a little, probably worrying over what those sorts of germs meant for him and the pup. When Kun looked up, they ended up looking up at each other so he sent him a reassuring smile, hoping to promise him that it would be alright with just a look.“See!” Jaemin held his hand out in his direction because he was proof, “I did us all a favor, you’re welcome,”Renjun shook his head, deciding that it wasn’t worth it. But his dinner of chicken and noodles was so his attention returned there as he waved off Jaemin’s smug air.They all talked easily following that, Yuta going on about his day while Sicheng brushed his hair back repeatedly, Ten came in clutch with his colorful commentary to all his stories with Doyoung squabbling with him at any opportunity. It was so normal, his new normal with Jungwoo beside him, safe and sound and eating his fill, stealing bites off his plate occasionally. And then it wasn’t normal at all. Because Jisung normally stayed quiet, most of his chatter came from his back and forth with Chenle but Chenle wasn’t here. And they hadn’t been themselves with each other in weeks. Hell, Jaehyun wasn’t sure he’d seen them together at all since he saw Chenle at the market, crying in front of the loose-leaf tea display.Jaehyun didn’t seem like the only one who was surprised when Jisung opened his mouth and calling for all of their attention, they all whipped to look at him, stunned.“Can I say something?” Jisung asked, looking shocked by himself too.Next to him Taeil scooted closer, laid a hand on his leg while they all sat forward in their seats.“Of course, Ji, what’s up,”Jisung gulped, set his untouched dinner down on the ground before he ran his hands up and down his legs. One of his anxious ticks. Normally Chenle was there next to him and he could sense the shifts in his moods easily, he was always there with one of his goofy smiles or a pat to Jisung’s head. He was one of the few who could get the young alpha to unwind or talk about what was wrong and make him feel better afterward. Tonight, he wasn’t, so Jisung, without his emotional support Chenle, seemed lost and frazzled.With a few deep breaths he found the words he was looking for.“I didn’t know that Ryujin liked me,” said like he needed them to know that and believe him. “Maybe I should’ve figured it out because of the chocolates but they were good, and she never said anything, so I just thought she was being friendly-”“-oh, super friendly-” Yuta cut in, nudging Sicheng’s head when he ducked into his shoulder with a laugh.“-but Chenle blew up at me the day she confronted me outside the market, and I couldn’t…I blew up back at him. I said some things that I didn’t mean but I panicked. And then I didn’t know what to do because he was crying and telling me to stay away from him, so I have,” he sighed. “I didn’t want to make him sad again, so I’ve been staying away from him,”Jungwoo leaned closer to him hearing Jisung’s story, face sad and sweet soured as Jisung continued, “Now everyone’s mad at me, just because I’ve been doing what he asked,”Taeil made a pained noise, “no one’s mad at you babe,”“Yes, you are! You all are, you think I’m being mean to him, like I want to not talk to him and not see him…” he let out a big breath, “I want to. He was just so upset, and I don’t know how to fix it, so I haven’t gone looking for him. I don’t want to make it worse,”His look of complete defeat made several of them move closer to him, Mark rubbed his back and Taeyong reached out to squeeze his knee.“Jisung,” Donghyuck started, “we’re not mad at you,”“Even though I hurt Chenle?”“I don’t believe you meant to, it sort of sounds like you were caught in the middle and I know you well enough to know of all the things you’d never do, hurting Chenle on purpose is number one,”Jisung smiled at the omega sitting a few seats from him, like his vote of confidence was the thing he’d been hoping for. And just like that, the floodgates of support opened up for their youngest alpha.“It’s very in character for Chenle to jump you know, like he thinks he knows so he panics and gets upset,” Doyoung said, not maliciously just sagely because he knew it was true. He was young and more emotionally driven than others. “You two are pretty perfect for each other you know,”Jisung’s ears went red, cheeks flaming till he ducked so they wouldn’t see too much of his embarrassment. But they’d all seen it enough it didn’t matter, they knew what they were looking at.After they’d managed to calm him down, Ten piped up, “who knew, our Jisung was such a hot commodity?! It’s so exciting,”Jisung went even redder, which Jaehyun didn’t think was possible at all, as he tried waving that off, laughing to himself a little.“So, what should I do,”Taeil took to playing with his hair carefully, Jisung leaned into his touch and the steady, comforting, mated omega energy he put off.“What do you want to do?” Jaehyun asked him, knowing none of them could make that decision for him.“I don’t know,” he sounded so crushed it made Jaehyun sad. And made Jungwoo sad too, if how he hung onto him was any clue.Taeyong sat forward, shook his head at Taeil when he opened his mouth to keep encouraging him. “You do know Ji,”Jisung looked up, “I do?”“Yeah, you do,” Jaehyun looked at the older alpha, confused. A quick glance at the others showed that they were confused by his lack of explanation too. Jisung was focused on his hands in his lap, lip caught behind his teeth, quiet as he thought.“What if he’s mad at me?”“He’ll forgive you, if you’re sorry and if you ask him to,” Taeyong answered calmly.Jisung shook his head, “but what if he’s too mad at me to forgive me yelling at him?”Taeyong and Taeil looked at one another, every bit the parents of their group in that moment with Taeyong trying to talk him down and Taeil not letting up the gentle way he was comforting him. Jisung was just distraught enough that it seemed the comfort wasn’t working that well anymore.“He could have anyone,” he breathed, catching them all off guard by how small his voice sounded and how broken apart it was. “He could. And me, I was accepting gifts from someone else while he thought we were courting. I’m so stupid, how could I do that to him?”No one said anything, not that Jisung gave them the opportunity to as he barreled on, “god he can do so much better than me,”“But he wants you Ji,” Donghyuck reminded him, “if you don’t want that then you need to tell him so he can move on,”They all stayed quiet, waiting patiently for his decision.“I don’t want him to move on,”Jaehyun watched Taeyong smile fondly at him, reached out to squeeze his arm. When Jisung looked up at him, Taeyong crooked his head back over his shoulder. With that encouragement, Jisung grinned from ear to ear and hopped up. He stepped over the bench he’d been sitting on before he stopped.“What do I say to him?”“Just tell him how you feel,”“How do I feel?” Jisung asked, dopey in a way that made them all laugh.“I think only you know that Jisung,” Taeyong shook his head. They watched as he nodded and kept nodding, backed up while still looked at them.“Yeah, yeah, yeah okay, yeah…uh I’ll see you guys later, yeah,” he took off running, nearly colliding with a few people on his way through the square. They were perfectly quiet for a moment after he’d disappeared from sight, out towards Chenle’s family’s farm on the edge of the village’s limits.“So,” Taeil said.“So,” Ten agreed.“So,” it was Jaemin that time, sat in his seat stunned while Jeno waved his hand around in front of his face. “I vote we quarantine him too, he’s gonna catch the germs-”Renjun, Doyoung, Donghyuck and Taeil all grabbed something off their plates to launch at him, yelling, “shut up,” in perfect unison.Next to him, Jungwoo was enjoying the excitement, gently rubbing his bump while he laughed at everyone’s voices and talked to Donghyuck happily about how Jisung and Chenle were finally figuring things out. It was awesome. They’d all waited a long time for this to work for them. Not as long as Chenle had been waiting but when you loved someone and wanted good things for them, you felt for them, like you’d been with them in it since day one. Jaehyun felt, having watched them for most of his life, like he’d witnessed their story from the very first line. And as one of the people who loved them, he was thrilled to read the rest, see where it took them.They reminded him a little of another story he’d been reading. He was still working on it though, only time would tell where they’d end up.He was eagerly anticipating a really, really, happy ending and hoped that Jisung and Chenle would get theirs too.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Life didn’t stop just because Jaehyun and his friends were running around planning the perfect baby shower for Jungwoo behind the omega’s back. If anything, it got busier. Friday morning, he and Minho met with the village’s officials to see where they were out with the plans for the new huts, which landed them at town hall, with his dad, his inner circle of wolves, Hajun and the few people he’d been in training with to take over for the other retiring officials. It was hilarious to see Hajun acting like a serious, no nonsense pack leader, since he knew his brother as a dope of the highest order. Minho did too, since they were good friends and grew up together and it seemed like he was having an equally hard time suppressing his laughter at the way Hajun was actively ignoring them.Begrudgingly, Minho and Jaehyun agreed to taking on some extra help, since there were several young wolves maturing come the end of May and with the pup set to be born just a few weeks before that Jaehyun knew he wouldn’t have a ton of time to dedicate to work like he used to. Last year and all the years before, since he’d been on his own, it wasn’t a problem. He didn’t have anyone waiting on him. He didn’t have anywhere to be after work besides dinner but most days he toiled away in the workshop on plans and sketches, stayed at job sites for as long as he wanted because he was never in a rush to be anywhere else.Now, though, it was hard to drag himself away from Jungwoo for any length of time at all. And the thought of having to spend 8+ hours away from him every day had his wolf alarmed, stomping around in protest while everything else inside Jaehyun repelled the concept. He didn’t want to waste time sketching or planning, he didn’t want to spend an entire day laying a foundation and framing out a new hut because that time could be better spent in Jungwoo’s company instead. He found comfort in Minho because he knew he understood all that. Ever since Taemin’s last pregnancy, he’d had a harder time being away from his family which he’d learned after the fact had been born from a rougher pregnancy than Taemin’s first and a day spent in labor where, apparently, Jimin and his staff weren’t sure if either of them were going to make it through at all. They had, thankfully but it just meant that Taemin was taking full advantage of his time off and taking fuller advantage of Minho being around more too. Jaehyun wasn’t surprised they hadn’t told anyone about any of that, knowing it would send their family and friends spiraling and have the pack in a panic about complications and future pregnancies they didn’t think they had to worry about. Now, Hyungmin was older and the pup was healthy and stable, he was even starting to crawl and babble, so Minho wasn’t worried every second of the day, like he once had been. Which meant love and gratitude replaced his stress, his relationship with his mate was stronger and the pair grew closer, Jaehyun hadn’t thought that was even possible. But here he was witnessing it anyway.He would’ve been able to tell without him saying anything that something had happened that brought them closer. He didn’t need to know details specifically, it was just nice to see them happy and nice to have someone who understood his separation anxiety. He couldn’t imagine what would become of him once the pup was born. Thinking about that was enough to convince him that they needed help. The pair of them were different people with different priorities than they had been years ago and this year they definitely didn’t want to be away from their families for too long.So, his dad suggested Mingyu and Seungcheol because they knew what they were doing and had already agreed to lay the foundations for the huts they’d planned. Easy.Next, he suggested a couple wolves who worked at the mill, who’d be happy for the extra work and Jaehyun mentioned Johnny, figuring he might enjoy something to do after hunting that would keep him from worrying about life and stress and pups. His dad grinned hearing his name and nodded excitedly before moving on.“Chanyeol, you too,” his dad said, addressing the alpha who was propped against one of the tables next to Hajun.“Sure, sir,”Minho smirked, bit his lip to contain his laugh.“What?” Jaehyun leaned over to whisper to him.“Nothing, just surprised he doesn’t have to check with Baekhyun first,”“I heard that,” Chanyeol whined, crossing his arms. His annoyed expression faded into something a little like shock which made Jaehyun and Minho burst out laughing. “I should ask Baek first sir, actually,”Chanyeol swallowed as he turned to look at his dad, ears went red at the way his dad and all the other pack officials were watching him fondly, like he was a pup.“Of course,” his dad smiled, looked super amused with the way his day was going. His brother, like him and Minho, couldn’t stop laughing at his friend but shut up, real quick when their dad said, “you too Jun,”“Wait, what,” Hajun barked, standing up straighter at being called out.“It’s important to see all aspects of pack life Hajun, plus when you’re in charge of this stuff, having an idea of how much work building new huts is, that’s very, very…”“Important?” Minho offered with a smirk, eyeing the way his brother was rolling his eyes.“Exactly,” his dad extended at hand towards Minho, “so you’ll be part of their team and you’ll do whatever either of them tells you to, right?”Hajun groaned, “they’re gonna give me the shit jobs,”Jaehyun couldn’t help laughing at him. He liked the idea, but he wanted the huts finished just as much as everyone else so he couldn’t see himself abusing this power and delaying the process any longer than necessary.“Keep complaining and we might,” Jaehyun said, watched the way his brother paled even as he looked like he wanted to argue. Thankfully his Dad called for everyone’s attention again, discussing dates and setting up a team to organize materials and deliver them to the new plots. It wasn’t long before his dad was dismissing the few members of his staff in attendance, letting them get back to their daily business while he said he’d walk them all out so they could get on with their days. Jaehyun had a million and one things to do before construction started next week but all he really wanted to do was get back to Jungwoo.Though he should definitely make time to go to Chae’s and fix the fence and install the ramp he’d made for the coop before he was too busy to get there.He followed his dad, Hajun, Minho and Chanyeol as they started making their way out of the office, back through the hall, only a little distracted by the to-do list he was making for himself.His dad, clearly wanting his attention, wrapped his arm around Jaehyun’s shoulder, tugged him along with a laugh.“So, tomorrow’s Saturday,” he said. Behind them Hajun was grumbling, probably something about the job he got stuck with that he didn’t ask for. Minho and Chanyeol were busy laughing at him.“Yeah,”“You and Woo have lunch plans?”Jaehyun smiled, “not really,”He pulled him closer as they fell in step with each other. “Great! I’m extending your mom’s invitation to come over then, Jun that means you and Kun too,” the way he said it didn’t sound optional which made the disgruntled noise Hajun let out even funnier.He heard Chanyeol’s voice encouraging Hajun while he clapped him on the back, skirting around them while he said he was off to ask Baekhyun about the hut thing. “Maybe I should bring him lunch to put me in his good books,”None of them got to comment on that before he was taking off towards the market, but it made Jaehyun laugh a little. It sounded like any normal relationship. He kept Jungwoo calm so he’d be able to do things and bargained with him if he knew something was going to be stressful, he wouldn’t consider that bribery though, that sounded shady.Jaehyun watched where he’d disappeared for a second before realizing he probably wouldn’t get a better opportunity than this to ask his dad and Minho about the baby shower without anyone else around.“Hey Min, wait,” he said, halting his steps where he’d been trying to make his escape, “so, the boys and I are planning a baby shower for Jungwoo. It’s a week from tomorrow at my house,”“Cool!” Minho exclaimed, eyes bright as he shifted his attention to his dad and Hajun. They looked equally as excited.“1:00, it’s sort of gonna be a surprise so if you see Jungwoo don’t say anything and be on time,” he eyed his brother, knowing his penchant for dawdling. He’d make sure Kun knew the time because he’d get him there. “I’m gonna get him out of the house for like half an hour so the boys can set up food and stuff. No gifts, just bring something to eat, okay?”“Okay, can the boys come?” Minho asked.“Of course,” knowing that Jungwoo liked having pups around more and more these days. “Dad, you and mom are invited too,”His dad lit up hearing that.“And Chae’s gonna be there too,”Jaehyun watched, amused, when his eyes bugged.“How did you manage that?”“I just asked her? Well, actually, I told her that she deserved to be a part of things just as much, if not more than everyone else and that Jungwoo would love having her there,”“And that worked?”“Yeah, she said she’d be there. Taeyong’s picking her up, oh I should’ve asked her if she’d rather have you walk her…oh well, she likes Taeyong,”His dad looked more impressed than he’d ever seen him before. Next to his dad, Minho was watching them closely, eyebrows knitted in confusion.  “Sorry, is that surprising?” Minho asked, “why wouldn’t she come to Jungwoo’s baby shower?”Jaehyun was stunned with himself that he’d never said anything to Minho about Chae. He knew that he was aware he was making her the chicken coop and needed his chicken wire to repair her fence but maybe he hadn’t ever said anything. That didn’t sound like him, to not take any opportunity to talk about Jungwoo.“Have you ever met Jungwoo’s mom Minho?” Hajun asked.He watched Minho think about it, pilfering through his memory for anything that included her, any memory of meeting her. “No…why have I never met her?”“Because she’s sort of a hermit. That’s what Jungwoo lovingly calls her anyway,”Minho looked pained hearing that, “Why?”Jaehyun looked over at his dad, wondered if it was okay to put it out there before reminding himself that it wasn’t his business to share anyway. Plus, he really didn’t want Minho’s opinion to be changed when he met her or for him to think she was weird and dramatic. Thankfully, his dad took over for him.“She’s lived a hard life. Not completely of her own making, when Jungwoo was still a pup she made the decision to stay out of pack life as much as she could. I’m shocked but thrilled that you got her to come,”Jaehyun smiled at his dad, glad that he agreed with what he thought was a serious success.“She trusts you Jae,” he sounded so proud of him it threatened to choke him up, “that’s, huge. It took me years to gain her trust. Especially since she didn’t want anything to do to with anyone after Jungwoo left for school. I’m proud of you kid, seriously,”“Thanks Dad,” he moved closer to him and into his side when he lifted an arm to hug him. It always felt good to get his approval of course, but this felt like something different. It felt like he was more than just proud of him, but he wasn’t sure how to describe what it was instead. He liked being someone he was proud of, liked taking all the love and lessons his parents had given to him, his whole life and using it to include people who felt like they didn’t belong, love his family and be good to them.“Well, I’m excited to meet her,” Minho said after a quiet moment, “Next Saturday, 1:00. But I’ll see you Monday, Hyunjun, are you going to let our new employees know the details about the job or should I-”“-nope, I have someone on it already. Go, enjoy the rest of your day, sketch, plan, whatever you’ve got going on,”“Gonna go surprise my boys,” Minho didn’t have to be told twice as he waved at them and headed away from the town hall with a goofy skip in his step. Jaehyun grinned after him, knowing that he definitely didn’t have any intention of working the rest of the day.He followed suit shortly after, though he did make it to the shop for the chicken wire and the ramp because he had to encourage himself to go to Chae’s to finish the work he had to do there. Maybe he and Jungwoo could pay her a visit.Jungwoo was in the kitchen when he got home, singing quietly while he cleaned something in the sink.“Hey,”The singing stopped at his voice.“Jae, hi,” he spun around, wiped his hands off on the towel beside the sink before hurrying towards him. “How was the meeting?” He was quick to wrap his arms around him and hug him tight, like they’d been apart for hours and hours instead of just one.“It was good, my dad asked us to lunch tomorrow,”“Oh fun, how’s Jun,”“Good, dumb, stubborn, the usual,”Jungwoo laughed, his hands squeezed his cheeks where they were on either side of his face. “Be nice to him,”“He’s not here,” Jaehyun decided, looking around himself briefly which made Jungwoo laugh again. He pinched the side of his neck for that comment before shuffling away, back to the sink.Jaehyun, always happy to just watch him, took him in for a moment. He looked good today, happy with color in his cheeks, the dark circles he’d lived with for months had all but gone away. He was sleeping much better these days which made pride and happiness unfurl in his chest, invade the space his wolf took up with its enormity and strength. Even though the pup still made him uncomfortable sometimes, when he slept, he’d said it was refreshing, like he was actually sleeping and not just laying with his eyes closed. He was wearing one of his sweaters, only a little short on him and a little tight across his stomach but it looked perfect to Jaehyun. He always looked perfect to him.“Hey,” Jaehyun figured if he spent any more time here in the bubble Jungwoo created with his happy scent and content energy, he wouldn’t make it to Chae’s at all. If they were going to go, they ought to go now. “Wanna go see your mom?”Jungwoo lit up, “Always, do you have another project?”Jaehyun was already in motion to collect Jungwoo’s coat, “I want to patch her fence and attach the ramp to the coop…not sure when I’ll have time next and I want the girls to enjoy their yard, since the weather’s warming up,”Jungwoo smiled at him like he loved every word he was saying and the way he said them. Loved them enough to pull Jaehyun close to him after his coat was on and kiss him.“If you’re not careful she might start expecting you to do jobs for her, she’ll forget how independent she is,” Jungwoo brushed Jaehyun’s hair across his forehead. “Or was that your plan?”Jaehyun laughed, “no, but I do want her to know that if she has a problem, she has someone who’d love to try to fix it,”“I think she knows that Jae,” he whispered, fingers slid over his shoulders slowly, “we’re very lucky to have you,”Jaehyun ducked close to kiss him again. He was right there, was he supposed to not? “I’m luckier,”Jungwoo shook his head, stuck his tongue out at him as he wiggled past him, out the door. He eyed the length of wire and the ramp on the porch with wide eyes, opened his mouth to say something but shook his head. Jaehyun grinned at his reluctance to say whatever it was he wanted to say and crouched to collect the two things he needed. Jungwoo offered to carry his tool box which Jaehyun took him up on.These days, he was happy to not let Jungwoo lift a finger, but he did only have two hands.“Thanks,”Jungwoo huffed a tiny laugh, “of course Jae,”“Might not be able to hold your hand though pumpkin,”“I suppose that’s alright,” he said, tool box in one hand as he offered to hold one side of the wire, so Jaehyun could hold the other and carry the ramp under his other arm. It seemed like it’d work fine as they set off. Jungwoo’s voice was happy in the streets, sunshine filtering through the blooming trees made him look extra gorgeous. The breeze was gentle and refreshing on their walk to Chae’s, it lifted Jungwoo’s sweet smell into the air and swirled it around them easily. It was enough to make Jaehyun a little dizzy. But he liked it. And he liked how happy Jungwoo seemed beside him.When her house came into view, Jaehyun told him they could leave this stuff by the fence, he’d deal with it after saying hello to his mom. Jungwoo nodded, followed him to put the tool box down with the wire and ramp before he was practically skipping to the door.“Momma!” he heard Jungwoo laugh as he came around the house to the front steps.“Hi baby, where’s Jaehyun?”“How do you know he’s with me?”“Did he not walk you?” She asked, sounding fond and amused enough that Jaehyun’s heart clenched inside him, wolf yipping happily at her interest.The pair of them caught sight of him at the same time, arms wrapped around each other.“Hi Chae,”She smiled from ear to ear at him, “Hi sweetie, what a wonderful surprise, come in,”Jungwoo hurried past her, on the hunt for something to eat or some tea probably. Jaehyun and Chae followed him at a slower pace, smiling at his voice from the kitchen saying, “Jae’s gonna fix the fence mom and finish the coop,”She looked up at him, hand reached to squeeze his shoulder. “I told you there wasn’t a rush,”He shrugged, “I know but I have construction starting on the new huts next week and I don’t know when it’ll get done if I don’t do it today…if that’s alright,”“Of course, it is sweetie, I’ll make lunch,”After making sure Jungwoo was settled and comfortable, Jaehyun headed back outside to get to work. The fence took a little longer than he thought it would, frustrated him enough that he was thankful when Jungwoo called him in for lunch so he could take a break. And after they’d eaten, Jungwoo had to bodily push him back outside, telling him that he’d be annoyed with himself if he didn’t finish what he’d started.Naturally, he was right. He knew him so well.So, with a soft kiss for encouragement, Jaehyun wandered outside again, finished the ramp and finally got the wire to cooperate with him which made him feel better. It wasn’t an ideal fix, but it would work for a little while till him and Chae could discuss a longer-term plan and a new fence all together. For now, though, the projects he’d had to finish for Chae were done and done. They wouldn’t haunt him while he was trying to finish the new huts and he wouldn’t feel guilty that he’d left her hanging. And the chickens could roam their yard again, without the ability to escape. All good. Better than that though was the way Jungwoo looked even happier after the afternoon spent with his mom and Jaehyun had thought he looked happy earlier. That was nothing compared to the contentment his mom brought him. It was different and Jaehyun was always glad to see it.She saw them off with tight hugs and a plate of cookies, still so warm from the oven that they caused the cover she’d placed over them to fog. She proceeded to thank him for the fence to which he lifted the plate of cookies, tried to lessen how big a deal this was by equating lunch and cookies to a fence and a chicken coop. He didn’t do things for her, so she’d bake him cookies or be indebted to him. He loved her and adored Jungwoo and genuinely enjoyed doing things for them. Because he wanted to, not because he had to.He could see that she wanted to argue that but smiled at the way she waved her hand around to brush him off. Argument tabled for a later date. One day she’d let him do things and not feel the need to pay him back. Jungwoo had gotten there eventually, he knew it was only a matter of time before Chae realized that he saw her as family and that he’d do anything for her. Jungwoo was busy smiling at him from the top step as he collected his tools, while Chae watched them with a fond look that thrilled Jaehyun to no end.Jaehyun quickly looked up at him, heart seizing and wolf spinning around at the way Jungwoo didn’t look away or stop smiling at him, just softened a little, while his eyes twinkled. He could stay right here with Jungwoo staring at him like that but if they ever wanted to go home and continue their day, he had to finish packing up. He could hear Chae saying something to Jungwoo quietly that made the omega hum.When the staring couldn’t be avoided and the need to tease Jungwoo a little won out, he looked back up at him, leant against the railing of his mom’s porch, still wearing that gorgeous smile.“What pumpkin?” he asked, smiling when Jungwoo’s cheeks tinted pink.Jungwoo shrugged, carefully made his way to the top step. Jaehyun reached a hand out for him, knowing he was a tad unsteady these days.“Love you,” Jungwoo whispered when he was on his level, pressed to his chest.“Love you more,” was his automatic response, happily catching Jungwoo’s hands when they hit him softly. He laughed at his sweet omega, lifted his hands to kiss his wrist and palms before letting them drop, “Ready?”Jungwoo bobbed his head and stepped closer to him.They waved to his mom quick before they were on their way. Jaehyun was only too happy to thread their fingers together since he’d missed the opportunity and the contact earlier. It seemed Jungwoo had missed it too as he squeezed his hand tight and didn’t let go the whole way home.….That night at dinner, there was a distinct lack of a certain alpha and omega. Jisung was missing because he’d caught the flu bug running rampant through Chenle’s house and Chenle — who, if the rumor Ten had started had any ground, was the one who gave Jisung the flu because he couldn’t keep his hands off him, too excited to be confessed to after being alone for so long—was now taking care of the alpha. Johnny swatted the back of his head the more he went on, the more embellishments he’d added, it was getting a little ridiculous. And Jaemin giggled, agreeing completely with Ten’s assessment. Though, Jaehyun couldn’t tell if he was agreeing with how the pair had gotten sick or if he looked so happy because they weren’t here to spread their germs.“I can’t wait to see them,” Donghyuck laughed, he and Renjun huddled together on their bench, Mark looking disgruntled beside them. “I’m gonna tease the crap out of them,”“Me too,” Ten declared, already looking like he had several teasing comments loaded for when they showed up together. Hopefully healthy. Jaehyun missed the pair and was looking forward to seeing them again, happy and together but he also wanted them to take their time getting healthy because he didn’t want the flu. More than that though he didn’t want Jungwoo getting sick, he was more susceptible to germs since he was pregnant. And he didn’t want to find out what those sorts of germs would do to Jungwoo and couldn’t imagine him being sick on top of everything else. That would give a whole new definition to the idea of misery.“They waited a long time for this,” Taeil commented, sitting close to Taeyong but not so close that they were plastered to one another like usual. Jaehyun figured they’d be in a weird place for a while and everything that happened would take them some time to come back from. It didn’t seem like much, but he imagined that Taeil had to earn back some trust and be patient with Taeyong in this. Things were always difficult when it came to Taeyong and Bobby, but he knew that Taeil would be able to get through this, the pair of them would be fine, even if it took a while, they’d make it out okay.Conversation split then, half of them talking about their days while the others listened or laughed about other things. Jaehyun, as usual, was happy to listen and contribute when asked for his input but mostly, he stayed quiet. Because he had Jungwoo beside him, talking quietly to him between bites, gladly existing with him even though there were plenty of other people around them too. Their friends weren’t strangers to the pair of them losing themselves in each other and not wanting to be found.They were all a little guilty of that anyway. Jeno often couldn’t look away from Jaemin, Yuta hung off every word Sicheng said, always, Mark and Donghyuck breathed life into each other every single day while Ten and Johnny shamelessly, gave in to each other, ignored the rest of the world so they could focus on one another instead. Most wolves were guilty of that, content with their person and happily lost in love.Jaehyun was definitely guilty of being lost in love. Thankfully, Jungwoo was there too, to find him before he got too far, bring him back, hold him close and never let him go.……Saturday afternoon led him and Jungwoo to his parent’s house, for lunch with his family. The happy couple, Hajun and Kun, were wrapped around each other in a tangle the likes of which Jaehyun had never seen and didn’t really want to look at because they were gross. Jungwoo didn’t appear to share that sentiment. He was watching them with a smile that melted his whole face and had his eyes sparkling, the fondness he felt for them was palpable in the air around him as he stared at his brother and mate. He didn’t know about the pup so he didn’t know about the reason for their new extra attentiveness with one another, but he was clearly a fan of it, if the way he wouldn’t stop staring at them was any indication.Jaehyun watched as he decided he was more hungry or thirsty than he was intent watching the handsy couple and got up to make his way to the kitchen.Jaehyun sat forward, to help him, “I can go Woo, what do you want?”Jungwoo gripped his hand, let himself be tugged to his feet with a soft noise, “I’ll go Jae, I want to move around a little,”Jaehyun forced himself not to follow him or insist on helping, they’d had a few conversations about letting Jungwoo do things for himself because he was still capable and wanted to do things while he still could. And movement was good for him so Jaehyun didn’t have any good arguments for why he should be doing it for him instead. With a sigh he released the omegas hand, leaning down into the kiss Jungwoo pressed to his cheek, his silent thanks for not pushing.Jaehyun still tracked his movements to the kitchen, watching his steps carefully for any discomfort or twinges, breathing a sigh of relief when he rounded the corner, out of sight and heard him ask his mom if she needed a hand with anything.  Their conversation was a nice distraction from the couple still in the room, still entangled so he perked towards their voices, smiling to himself when he could only hear tenderness in his mom’s voice. His heart did a funny thing beside his spinning wolf when he caught the way their scents grew warmer, mingled together in the air.The longer Jungwoo was in the kitchen with his parents, the harder it was for Jaehyun to ignore his brother and Kun who at this point, Jaehyun was sure, were just doing this for his benefit. To bug him. Kun giggled breathlessly as his brother scented him, Jaehyun felt his eye twitch.“Can you two stop?” he asked loudly, startling them. Kun went red and his brother went smug, his plan was definitely set on bugging him.“We can but we won’t,”“Junnie,” Kun scolded, settled beside him instead of on top of him like he had been previously. His brother sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he shut up, Jaehyun laughed at him with an eyeroll. “Could you get me a refill honey,”Hajun was instantly in motion, asking if he wanted the same thing again or maybe some water instead but Kun waved him off, saying, “surprise me,”Jaehyun could see by the way he was looking at him that he had something to say, that he didn’t want to say in front of Hajun and was therefore trying to get rid of him. Jaehyun couldn’t fight the smile that his antics brought out.“What’s up?”“I’m gonna tell them, about the pup but Hajun, obviously doesn’t know that you know so please, act surprised,”Jaehyun nodded, “cool, okay, yeah,”“Can you do that?”“Yeah, yes and I’m sick of biting my tongue about this around Woo and with Jun, can’t wait to finally talk about it,”Kun smiled at him gently, looked like that was something he genuinely sympathized with.“How are you feeling?” Jaehyun asked him, noting the slightly darkened skin under his eyes.Kun nodded a little, “Good, yeah, I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night to get sick which is…not something I was prepared for since I thought morning sickness implied getting sick in the morning when you were awake, not any time after midnight. That sucks but other than that, I’m okay,” he finished that statement with a bright smile, “I’m happy,”Jaehyun felt himself warm up, chest going gooey, “you look happy,”“And is Jungwoo good? He looks less sleepy today,” Kun observed, “well, I guess I could ask him when he comes back,”“Yeah, he’s been sleeping better,”“Oh?” Kun’s eyes lit up at that, “he has, has he? That’s interesting,”Jaehyun closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very tired, “Stop it,”“Have you asked him to move in with you yet? I feel like I ask you every time I see you and it’s still a no,”“It’s still a no…I just don’t really know how, and at this point he’s pretty much already moved in,”“Well then at the very least, asking him will just make him laugh at you, and we all know how much you love being the source of his happiness,”“God, okay jeez, I’ll ask him, can you stop,”“Sure, but only if you ask him. If you don’t Jae, I might,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes, “You’re so annoying,”“I know I am,” he waved his hand at him like he was brushing that off. Not surprising, he knew Kun liked to ignore him when he was being particularly ridiculous, his brother too. He loved annoying them, but they knew he loved them still, always, without fail.They were sitting close together on the couch when the rest of their family came back in. Jungwoo and his mom were laughing together while his dad and Hajun each carried a couple cups. Hajun handed Kun’s to him while he pulled him up, helped him settle down again on top of him because he was annoying and even more interested in being attached to Kun than he ever was before. Jungwoo smiled at them before he settled beside him, tucking himself under Jaehyun’s arm.“Misun, how do you always manage to make such amazing smelling things? The things she can do with spices,” Kun shot Jungwoo a look like he was expecting him to agree with him while his mom laughed into her drink. “I wish I could cook things that smelled half as good as your food,”“Suck up,” Jaehyun murmured under his breath, earning a quiet huff from Jungwoo and a swat on the top of his head from Kun.“What is for lunch mom?” Hajun asked, arms curled tight around Kun’s waist, fingers threaded together over his stomach.“Chicken, there’s kimchi and salad, I made some dumplings yesterday and sweet buns,” she paused, “I think that’s it,”“Noodles,” his dad offered.“Ah! Yes! Black noodles, thank you dear,”His dad hummed, looking up at her with an amused twinkle in his eye. The one that reminded Jaehyun of his childhood and the way they teamed up to be great parents, bouncing off each other the way only people mated for so many years could.Jungwoo looked impressed and hungry next to him but contented himself with the bowl of grapes on the table. His parents were looking over all of them as if waiting to be caught up on their lives and what they’d been up to since the last time they’d all been together.Because Kun was clearly brimming with anxious, excited energy, “I have news,” he blurted, too giddy to contain himself any longer apparently.His mom smiled, the both of them waiting for whatever Kun was going to say.“Well, uh,” he settled his hands over Hajun’s. “I’m pregnant!”“What?!” Jungwoo exclaimed, thrumming beside him with excited energy just like Kun was. Their sweet smells mingled with the happiness they were both apparently feeling while Jaehyun reminded himself he was supposed to be reacting to this because it was news to him. It wasn’t hard to drum up an excited reaction because he was excited! His brother was going to be a dad, Kun was pregnant, they were having a pup and that was amazing!“Are you serious?” His mom asked, hand halted halfway to her mouth as if she meant to cover it but had frozen up in shock.“Very serious, yeah,” Kun whispered, hunching a little when no one rushed to immediately congratulate him. Jungwoo, the exception seemed thrilled beyond belief.“This is amazing Kun! I’m, oh my gosh, I’m so happy for you! Congratulations,” he squirmed across the couch to reach out and hug Kun tight, his hands drifted towards Hajun too, reaching for his hands as he hugged his mate. “For both of you,”“They’re gonna grow up together,”Jungwoo grinned, head tucked into Kun’s neck, the pair of them nuzzling each other gently. “That was my first thought actually,” Jungwoo admitted, voice watery but so excited. “Oh, my goodness, how far along are you? When did you find out, are you, good, how are you feeling?”“I just started my second trimester and good, really good, except the nausea, I hate that,”Jungwoo looked super sympathetic for his friend, hands soothed up and down his arms while his smile never left his face.Jaehyun, tore his eyes away from the happy omegas to stand and yank his brother off the couch while the omegas shifted and hugged each other tight. “Congrats Jun, I’m really happy for you, you good?”His brother, there wasn’t any question really, was so good. He was beaming, smile stretched from ear to ear and eyes a little misty under the attention and his mate’s happiness.“I’m awesome,” he said, turned to hug their parents when they nudged him, impatient behind him.“I’m so happy for you honey,” their mom said, reaching up to cup Hajun’s cheeks, he was so much taller than her but, in this moment, he was her pup again, small and sheltered and a little spoiled but so loved. After she’d made him emotional enough, she moved on to Kun who she gathered up quick, held fast and strong while she scented over his whole head, saying again and again that this news was so wonderful, so, so wonderful. His dad was, in this instance, a man of few words even though he was undeniably happy for them. He let his mom speak for their joint excitement while he held Hajun and Kun tight and told them he loved them and couldn’t wait to meet their pup.He lit up some more when his mom started excitedly talking to both Kun and Jungwoo, gaze shifting between them both with love and warmth in her eyes. She alternated between petting Jungwoo’s head and Kun’s back then Kun’s head and Jungwoo’s back. The three of them seemed to exist in a bubble made just for them, the kind that alphas couldn’t penetrate. Not that any of them wanted to, they looked so happy altogether. It made Jaehyun’s chest seize, seeing his mom include Jungwoo in her bubble, look at him like she looked at Kun, like she loved him.His wolf melted inside him at the way Jungwoo was beaming, nudging his head into his mom’s hand. He was so happy, being accepted and looked at and loved by his mom. It was something they weren’t sure would ever happen, but it seemed she’d dedicated herself to being better and trying harder and actively practicing acceptance, it made him feel so much better. And seeing it for himself made him feel even better still. That was the woman who raised him, it took her longer than he thought it should’ve to accept his love for Jungwoo and accept the omega into their world, welcome him as a member of their family but if it was happening now and it was real, he was okay with that.“I’m gonna be a grandma, twice in one year, I can hardly believe it,” she was bouncing on her toes excitedly, hands clasped together. Jaehyun wondered if it was obvious how stunned he was to hear her say that. She was willing to consider herself Jungwoo’s pups grandma now? She saw herself in that role? It was shocking but not so shocking that he wasn’t willing to give in to warm happy feeling it started. He wanted to. He desperately wanted to. The wide-eyed, giddy way Jungwoo was looking back at his mom said, he desperately wanted to give in to it too. This was such a welcome, positive change. He’d take it. He’d take it gladly. “Sweetie, can you believe it?”His dad shook his head, moved towards the three of them, the first of them to be allowed into their bubble. He wrapped an arm around Jungwoo before kissing his mom’s head. “If it wasn’t happening, I wouldn’t believe it either,”“Maybe we don’t have to call me grandma though,” she offered the two omegas in front of her, smiling back at them.“We’ll think of something else Misun,” Jungwoo said softly, cheeks rosy and warm.“Think fast though, someone’s not going to wait for too much longer,” Kun said, poking at Jungwoo’s stomach gently, giggling when Jungwoo whined and hit his hand away.“I know, I’m huge and look like I’m gonna pop,”“Woo,” Jaehyun called, upset at the word pop in relation to him, he still didn’t like it.“Sorry Jae,” he said back, ducking shyly but further into his mom who smoothed a hand through his hair.“You look beautiful sweetie,” she promised him, gave him one of the most genuine, honest smiles Jaehyun had seen in a while. The one she gave Hajun when he was worried Kun wouldn’t return his feelings, saying if Kun wasn’t in his plans, someone equally wonderful, someone perfect for him was instead. The one she gave their dad when he was being dumb or goofy or just himself. The one he remembers seeing when he came in and out of fever the months following Jungwoo’s departure from the village, not sure why he was sick but promising him he’d be alright, if she had anything to say about it, any pull in this little world of theirs, he’d be perfectly fine. He believed her. Always.Seeing her give that smile to Jungwoo, it did things to him.Hajun punched his arm, dragged him back to their parents living room and out of his head. “And you and me, dads for the first time, crazy right? I can’t believe it,” The arm that punched him looped around his shoulders and tugged him closer. Jaehyun grinned but couldn’t take his eyes off Jungwoo who was leaning into his dad’s side and looked so happy he might cry.“Of course, you didn’t, just like 6 months ago you were teasing me, thinking I wouldn’t ever be able to even talk to Jungwoo. So, yeah crazy sounds right,” He winked at Jungwoo when he gave him a look, cheeks going pinker still.Hajun smiled, he looked like that smile hadn’t left his face once since he’d found out his mate was having a pup. Their first pup.“Your kid’s gonna be weird though,” he said, watched the way Hajun’s whole face pinched in offense, the rest of their family laughed, “at least they’ll have Kun’s genes to balance them out a little. Not enough though, poor thing, you’re a weirdo too,”“Hey!” Kun jumped in his direction to swat him, burrowed into his open arms when he offered them because they were pretending, he hadn’t been told this news first and he hadn’t hugged him yet. Under the most normal circumstances, Kun sharing this news would come with hugs and teasing. His mom continued asking all the necessary questions and trying to monopolize Kun and Jungwoo’s attention. Then she started planning, talking due dates and babysitting schedules and just general pup stuff, she sounded so excited. Which Jaehyun wasn’t surprised about. But that she was now excited for Jungwoo too, had included him in her plans was warming him up from the inside out, had his wolf spinning happy circles and his scent thickening in the room along with the rest of his family’s. It was so perfect. The only way it could be more perfect was if Jungwoo’s mom was here too, but he knew that would take some time. Her first step back into normal life was the baby shower, he wouldn’t push her too much. They’d get there one day.For now, this was more than he thought they’d get, and it was so good it seemed sort of surreal. The kind that tricked you into thinking, if you blinked, it’d go away. So, Jaehyun collected Jungwoo back, held him tight as they sat back on the couch, he grounded him, he needed him. He always needed him.“Happy?”Jungwoo tipped his head back to look at him while their family thrummed around him, “very,”He smiled as Jungwoo craned back further, closer, stretched to nuzzle into his cheek. So Jaehyun, weak against affection, nuzzled him back, kissed over his face, his cheeks, his nose, his lips till the omega was laughing and swatting him and telling him to stop.They stayed bodily connected even after he stopped, Jungwoo smiling as he rubbed circles over his stomach, while the others laughed and shared and got excited for the future of their growing family. Jaehyun, even with Jungwoo beside him, found it difficult to not blink for so long. His omega was happy, his mom was being kind and seemingly genuine, Kun and Hajun and his dad were all there, with them, happier than they’d all been in a long time. With all of that there to keep him safe and reassure him, he decided to try.When he opened his eyes, he let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.Everything was still the same. They were still there.Kun and Hajun were laughing at something his dad had said. His mom was watching all of them with a warm glow around her that Jaehyun had forgotten the looks of. And Jungwoo was beside him.Everything was the same.Everything was perfect.….When they got home, pleasantly stuffed from a delicious lunch, Jungwoo pulled him to sit, mumbling that he was ready for a nap. But apparently, he wasn’t on the edge of ready, was just considering a nap because he was looking at him like he wanted to talk.Jaehyun adjusted the blanket over his lap, leaned sideways to take Jungwoo with him.“Are you alright?” Jungwoo asked, fingers fiddling with Jaehyun’s free hand, while Jaehyun stayed busy massaging his shoulder.He hummed, he felt alright. He felt better than he’d felt in a long time after an afternoon spent with his mom. It had been so long since he’d left her house in a good mood.“Yeah,”Jungwoo didn’t look like he believed him completely but tucked his head against his shoulder anyway. He sighed, feeling himself unravel under Jungwoo’s quiet. He wasn’t even saying anything or pushing him, but it worked. He was safe with Jungwoo. He was allowed to feel bad even after a good day, Jungwoo wouldn’t be angry with him for that, he wouldn’t judge him. He’d love him. He’d always love him.“I’m good,” he said, squeezed Jungwoo, “but I…I don’t know,”Jungwoo snuggled closer, nudged his nose into his scent gland and sniffed, his own smell wrapped around him instantly, sent calm washing over him so fast it made his head spin.“I want to trust her,” he mumbled, “I want to believe that it’s good and better. Today was so good. But I guess I just can’t help being skeptical of her,”Jungwoo’s head tipped back to look at him.“It’s okay to be guarded Jae, she’s put you through a lot,”“I know and it feels weird to trust her after everything, after one good day,”“It hasn’t been only one good day though honey, it’s been lots of days. Lots of afternoon teas and lunches, lots of shopping trips and comfort and talks when I don’t feel well. She’s been so much better to me and to us,”Jaehyun sighed, wondered if feeling so bad about everything would make Jungwoo feel badly about all the good that had happened with her.“I don’t want her to hurt us again baby,”Jungwoo smiled up at him, looked like he was making his heart melt. “She might not, you have to give her the chance to prove herself though. If not, you’ll just stay upset, in this weird place and she’ll miss your life. She’s told me that more than anything, she wants to be in our lives. Our lives Jae, she’s accepted things, accepted us. One day, you’ll have to do your part and accept that she’s sorry and that she means it,”“What if she’s just…I don’t know, messing with us,”“Do you really think she’s doing that?”“I don’t know. I just don’t want to let her in, and she pulls her crap again,”Jungwoo was quiet for a moment. “It’s okay to put a little faith in her Jae, no one is going to be upset with you. And it’s okay to forgive her for the things she’s done. She’s sorry and she’s apologized, forgiveness isn’t easy, I know that but it’s also very freeing,”Jaehyun hummed, trailed his fingers down his arm, tugged him further into his side and kissed across his head.“I was really, really happy earlier,” he tucked his nose into Jungwoo’s hair, breathed in his scent because he was here and it made him feel better, “where did that go? How come I feel like this now,”“Because she hurt you,” Jungwoo wrapped his arms around his waist, “You know I get that Jae. I never thought I’d be able to have a normal conversation with her or with Bobby. But I have and it wasn’t horrible. It didn’t break me in half, it didn’t hurt, it just made me feel better. I know it’s different because she’s your mom but it’s okay to let yourself be okay. It’s okay to try and to have good and bad days with her. It won’t be perfect every time, sometimes she’ll mess up and sometimes you will, but I think you both deserve another chance. This, you and me, and everything that’s happened between me coming home and now, is uncharted territory. For all of us and you have to let her try to get where you are before punishing her for not being there when you want her to be,”Jaehyun felt emotions overwhelm him for a second, leaned down to kiss Jungwoo when his eyes kept sparkling up at him, asked him to in a way he couldn’t ignore. He squeaked before slipping his hand into Jaehyun’s hair, held him close and gave as good as he got. Jungwoo always knew what to say to him, he was always gentle and good and loved him in whatever way Jaehyun needed him to. It was so crazy to him that this was his and that he got to be looked at the way Jungwoo looked at him.Jungwoo sucked in a big breath when they pulled apart, looked winded and flushed.“Feel better?”Jaehyun hummed.Jungwoo smiled, pressed their foreheads together when he didn’t want to pull away before finishing making him feel better, “it’s also okay to believe her you know. She’s a good person, maybe she had some lapses, but we all make mistakes and do things we regret. Do you hate my mom for not liking you at first? She was brutal to you but it sort of seems to me that you two are in a really good place. It’s okay to not be ready to forgive her Jae but it’s also okay if you want to,”His chest constricted around his wolf, enough that he yipped at him but Jaehyun didn’t listen. He was busy being consumed with how much he loved Jungwoo.“I’ll think about it,” he said, knew he’d think about it a little but maybe not today. Tomorrow, he’d think about it more tomorrow.They were quiet for a bit before Jungwoo asked, “did you know that Kun was pregnant?”He startled, wondered how the hell Jungwoo knew that.“Uh…”“I knew it!” Jungwoo exclaimed, hand hit his chest softly.“How did you know that I knew?”“You just didn’t look surprised when Kun told us,”“And how did you see that I wasn’t surprised?”“Please Jae, I’m always looking at you,”Jaehyun felt himself flush.“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” Jungwoo asked, smile firm on his face.He sighed, “Kun told me not to. I was…sort of the first person he told. He wanted to tell Hajun and his parents first before other people knew so yeah. I wanted to but he sort of extorted me into silence,”Jungwoo snorted, “how did he extort you?”“He wants me to ask you to…” he sucked in lip into his mouth to cut himself off. He almost got carried away and made a fool of himself.“Ask me to what?”Jaehyun chewed at his lip, wondered how weird it would be to ask him to move in now, after he’d freaked out about his mom. He’d felt so shaky but now he felt better. Was he really going to ask him to move in now? Just like that?“Jae,” Jungwoo laughed, “what?”“Hmm, I don’t know if I should tell you,”Jungwoo blinked at him, “why not? What is it?”“No, it’s bad enough that Kun uses stuff against me, I think I should have a few secrets for myself Woo,”Jungwoo hit him but laughed as he did it so Jaehyun figured he wasn’t actually mad.“Will you tell me one day?” He asked, voice tiny but close.“Maybe,” he teased, warm under the way Jungwoo was bullying him back to lay down on the couch. And maybe he’d ask him to move in officially. But they were pretty much already there. He’d told Kun it was redundant at this point. Though he knew it would make Jungwoo really happy. That thought made him consider it harder. For now, though, like thinking about his mom, he’d save it for another day. At this moment, Jungwoo was snuggling into him, ready for a nap, needing his warmth to lull him to sleep.Jaehyun, as always, was happy to provide him that, and anything else his heart desired.….As he promised himself, the next day, he thought about forgiving his mom, being better and letting her be better. It wouldn’t be the end of the world, like Jungwoo said. It’d be okay. They’d be fine and his mom would be in their lives and they could be a family.He was willing to try, especially since it appeared to make Jungwoo so happy. He’d do anything for Jungwoo. That thought alone got him through the rest of his day. It was Sunday and normally he loved Sundays, but this Sunday meant the next day was the start of construction on the new huts and the start of less time with Jungwoo. When he thought about all he’d miss and not being there if something happened, it started him spiraling. He couldn’t afford a spiral at the market, so he dragged himself back, forced his mind to be here with Jungwoo and Donghyuck and Mark and enjoy himself. Tomorrow started his own personalized version of hell. But for today there was the market.And with the market came lots of wolves who were looking for pickles and the chance to tell Jungwoo how wonderful he looked. Jungwoo all but beamed under those comments, flustered while Donghyuck would bounce in and out and around the edge of their bubble, offering samples and his agreement because Jungwoo did look wonderful and healthy and so happy.“So, do you Hyuck,” Jungwoo said softly after their line had gone down.“So, do I…what?”“Look happy,” Jungwoo smiled, watched him put the empty plate on the table in front of Mark, waited for him the cut some more pickles for refilling.Donghyuck gave his best friend a fond look before saying, “I am happy,”Mark was watching him too, smile barely there, like he didn’t want to give in to it or wasn’t aware he was smiling at all. But Jaehyun knew that hearing Donghyuck say himself, that he was happy, after everything they’d been through was probably like a heavenly revelation, the first song bird’s call after a long winter. He liked watching the way Mark watched Donghyuck now. They were better and brand new again like they needed to fall apart to come back together because now they were stronger than they ever were before. It was good to see. And he could tell that Jungwoo liked the sight of them happy again too.Sunday also brought Chenle and Jisung back to dinner. Which was entertaining and exciting for all involved except maybe Chenle and Jisung who looked like their heads might explode if they had to listen to their nonsense longer.“But you guys are just so cute,” Yuta said, snickering with Ten where they were leant forward, attention dialed in on their youngest friends.Jisung huffed, ducked his head while Chenle patted the top of his head.“Can we just-”“-No!” Jisung cried, “no more questions, you promised last time and you didn’t even ask a question!”Ten sighed, smirked at Jaemin when he raised his eyebrows at him, silent plan formed.“Chenle,” Jaemin asked.“Yeah Minnie,” the younger omega instantly perked up towards his friend.“One question?”Chenle smiled, excitedly nodded his head like he hadn’t just witnessed Jisung’s panic over Ten’s quizzing.“Go ahead,”“Nooo,” Jisung whined.The rest of them laughed at him while Ten asked, “just so we know, is it like official or no labels,”Chenle was quiet, looked over at Jisung for a second till the alpha looked back at him, smiling the smile they all knew was reserved now and forever, for Chenle only.“Official,” he said, not taking his eyes off Jisung where he was scooching closer to him on the bench they were sharing.The round of “yayyy!” was unanimous and seemingly endless. It flustered Jisung to no end but not so much that he pulled away when Chenle nudged his nose into his cheek because he didn’t. He stayed perfectly still before leaning closer to him. And Jaehyun saw, because he was watching them fondly, the way Jisung’s nose tucked into Chenle’s hair afterward, nuzzled him and smiled at him when Chenle pulled back, attention slowly moving back to his dinner. But Jaehyun recognized that look, it was the one he’d watched all their friends at some point direct at their mates. The look they got when they didn’t want to look away, reverent and adoring. As if the person they were looking at might not be real, might disappear if they looked away. So, they didn’t. Who wanted to risk that? Not any of them for sure.Their happiness, ran through their group like a contagion, kept them all smiling and laughing and enjoying their time together more than usual because for the first time in a while, each of them were good. And even if they were still working on getting to good again, their youngest friends finding their way and figuring things out was great enough to improve any mood and a bad day, better.For Jaehyun, his friend’s excitement and Jungwoo’s warmth, made him realize that life was what you made of it. He didn’t have Jungwoo a few months ago but he was brave and put himself out there and he’s happier now than he’s ever been. He’s watched Mark and Donghyuck struggle, he’s watched people fall apart and work to come back together. If his friends could survive life, pick themselves up after getting knocked down, he could try with his mom. Genuinely try. If Jungwoo believed she was trying, then he could too. He had lots of people who loved him and were happy for them and for moments when his mom disappointed him or let him down, he had to believe that there would be more moments where she wouldn’t. And if she still did, he had plenty of people who were willing to help him through. His friends would always be there. Jungwoo would always be there. They’d pick him up when he was down. They’d help him when he needed it, patch him up if he fell apart.These people, he smiled looking around at all of them --- the way Taeil was running his fingers through Taeyong’s hair, the way Donghyuck was talking to Jeno, the pair of them leaning across their mate’s laps to hear each other better, the way Sicheng and Ten were teasing Yuta and Johnny, stealing their food, the way Kun was glowing and Chenle was so happy and Jisung couldn’t take his eyes off him, the way Renjun wouldn’t let up from bothering Doyoung who was actively ignoring him and the undeniable, joyful energy that radiated off Jungwoo in waves – they could, had and always would be able to make even his worst days, better.….The rest of the week passed in a sort of blur.The work on the huts got underway and Jaehyun was thankful that at least most of their crew had construction experience so they didn’t have to waste time explaining things to everyone and could just work. It was nothing like building the school when the old one burnt down, this was organized and methodical. He liked those things way better than the chaos of expanding and finishing the school had been.Things were going smoother than he ever imagined he would which meant he didn’t have to spend his time fixing screw ups or monitoring different crews to make sure they were doing things right. Instead he spent most of his time, completing tasks, thinking about the next thing he had to do and wondering how Jungwoo was. He worried about him constantly, wished this project wasn’t happening now and wouldn’t take so much of his time so he didn’t have to be away from him so much but unfortunately, he couldn’t help it. So, he kept his head down and kept going knowing that he’d see him later.Every day, the work got a little more tedious. But the crew really was great, and they found a rhythm that left Minho and Jaehyun free to work on other things since they didn’t need supervision. Jaehyun and Johnny formed a sort of team with Hajun and Chanyeol occasionally joining them to lend a hand if they needed it. Still, Jaehyun could help feeling exhausted and growing increasingly more uninterested with the work. He hated being away from Jungwoo.It was so hard to focus on things, so hard to stay on task and for the first time in his life, he thought he might be the hinderance on a job site and not a wolf who didn’t have the same experience as him. He couldn’t help it though. For some reason this was getting to him. Being separated from Jungwoo, it was making him itchy. Maybe it was the fact that Jungwoo was so pregnant and wasn’t working, didn’t have a ton of energy to leave the house for something if he needed it. What if something happened? What if he got hurt? What if he went into labor early and no one was there? That one wasn’t an immediate worry but, in a few weeks, it would be.Jaehyun couldn’t stand it. He hated leaving him, every minute in between leaving the house and coming back was torture.But coming back to Jungwoo, coming home to him was unrivaled. He was heaven and Jaehyun was lucky enough to be chosen for redemption. There was absolutely nothing like coming back to him, after a day, no matter what the day had been like, good, bad or somewhere in the middle, opening the door and walking into the warmth of Jungwoo’s scent, seeing him curled up on the couch or in his rocking chair or moving around the room to keep himself busy, wasn’t an experience and feeling that he could accurately describe. Every word didn’t seem like enough. Coming home to him was more, better, everything. He wouldn’t do it justice if he tried to properly describe it.  On the fourth day of the job, he was tired and filthy, and he’d been itchy and anxious all day and couldn’t wait to see Jungwoo. To wrap his arms around him and hang on for a little while. Maybe he’d get cleaned up first. Or maybe not. Jungwoo usually didn’t mind, happy to hold onto him no matter the state of him.Jungwoo was sat in the corner of the couch, reading when Jaehyun walked in.“Hi Woo,”Jungwoo’s head tipped back at his voice. “Hi Jae, how was your day,” he twisted fully, to sit sideways, watching him as he wandered into the room.“Fine,” he sighed, folding in on himself when he was in front of the couch, knelt on the floor so he could lay his head on Jungwoo’s legs, nuzzled into his touch, his hands that landed on him, his warmth that curled around him at their proximity.Jungwoo made a tight noise, “you okay?”Jaehyun sighed, butted his head into his hands, nudged against him, “yeah,”“Promise?”Jaehyun smiled, “promise pumpkin,”Jungwoo started stroking through his hair, fingernails scratching across his head, behind his ear, effectively making him melt. Jaehyun let himself dissolve, give in to this feeling. How wonderful Jungwoo made him feel, how amazing it was to come home to him and see him at the end of the day no matter what the day was like. It was everything. Jungwoo was everything. Jaehyun, and surely this was a surprise to absolutely no one, but it felt so good to be with him like this, to know he’d be here, he could get him through anything. It seemed, his later date in time to think about this was now.“I like coming home to you,” he muttered, catching Jungwoo by the wrist when his hand stopped mid move down the back of his head. He twisted so he could kiss at his pulse point, felt the way his heart beat picked up under his touch, at his attention.He listened, pleased, to the way Jungwoo sucked in a breath, giggling quietly. His wolf was spinning happy circles in his chest, just loved being close to him and making him happy and loved, as he mentioned, coming home to Jungwoo. He wanted this forever. Everyday. He wanted to see him in the morning and when he got home, he wanted to talk about their days and unwind together before going to dinner. He wanted their routines to be intertwined, for their lives to be as much each other’s as they were their own. Exactly what they’d been doing for a month now at least, but Jaehyun wanted it officially. For real.He hadn’t asked, not because he didn’t want to but because at this point, Jungwoo spent most of his time here anyway, most of his stuff was here. He’d pretty much already moved in but like Kun had said several times, he would find it funny if he asked him now. And Jaehyun loved nothing more than making Jungwoo happy.“Move in with me?”Jungwoo hands twitched against him, head tipped to look at him. He was smiling softly, the fond, slightly confused smile he saved just for him, when Jaehyun looked up at him.“I thought I already had,” his voice was small, but he sounded like he was trying to keep himself from laughing.Jaehyun shook his head, laughing to himself. He shifted up onto his knees, slipped his arms around Jungwoo’s waist to pull him forward, into him.“For real though, we’ll get all the stuff out of your hut and move it here,” he grinned, thumbs working into Jungwoo’s back gently, “if you want to,”“Of course, I want to Jae,” he nuzzled him, “but I really thought I had already,”Jaehyun squeezed him, crawled his way onto the couch and rearranged him to make room for the both of them on the same cushion.“We can go get my stuff Saturday, well, the rest of it, there’s not much left,”Jaehyun froze, did he say Saturday?“Uh, Saturday? Why not tomorrow,”Jungwoo laughed, “because you work tomorrow?”“Yeah but we can do it in the afternoon, I’ll come back early,”“Or we can do it Saturday, and take our time,” Jungwoo tilted his head at him, unaware that he was taking shots at his planned surprise baby shower and Jaehyun couldn’t shut him down without spoiling things. Well, he could but then Jungwoo would be skeptical and would start asking questions. He had apparently been quiet too long because Jungwoo narrowed his eyes at him, poked the scrunch between his eyes, “You’re being weird, what’s going on,”“Nothing,” he said slowly, hoped it sounded believable. He didn’t think it did.“Jae,”“Nothing pumpkin, I promise, we’ll pick a day and do it, but not Saturday,” he winced at himself, that sounded like something was going on for sure.“What’s going on, on Saturday?”Jaehyun sat back, looked at Jungwoo looking up at him with arched eyebrows. “Not much, how about I take Monday off and we do it then,”“Jaehyun,” he might not have been intrigued but Jaehyun’s being cagey was definitely doing a good job of peaking his interest. How did he go from asking him to move in to almost spilling the beans about the baby shower? It didn’t make sense but there it was. He was so hopeless.He managed to distract him from the idea of moving Saturday with kisses and cuddles but if he knew Jungwoo, and he did this wasn’t the end of this discussion.He kept as strong a front as he could, with Jungwoo looking sweet and smelling sweet and being so happy and curious but it wasn’t easy. He only had to do this for one more whole day, two if you counted Saturday and keep him distracted. Jaehyun could do this. He could absolutely do this, to give Jungwoo a great day and make him feel loved and happy and appreciated. Gather all their family and friends and treat him to food and stories and a slice of the life he deserved. He could keep a secret from him for a day or two, it wouldn’t kill him.Jungwoo pulled back, gave him a look before kissing his cheek softly, nose dragging down his face as he sniffed at him, stopping to dig into his scent gland where he lingered and lingered some more and didn’t appear to have any plans to move.So, okay, if Jungwoo was going to use his feelings against him, it might kill him.But what a way to go!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

For the shower, all Jaehyun had to do was get Jungwoo out of the house for half an hour while their friends set up and showed up. Easy right?Wrong.Because now Jungwoo wanted to clean out his house and had grown suspicious of him in the process. He hadn’t meant to make him question his honesty or be cagey and he definitely hadn’t meant to spill any information, but he’d said just enough to raise red flags and have Jungwoo watching him extra closely. It wasn’t entirely his fault either, okay? Jungwoo was so cute and Jaehyun was as hopeless as he always was when it came to Jungwoo so naturally, he had a hard time keeping anything from him in the first place. Now, Jungwoo was giving him looks and asking him questions to see if his answer changed. The worst was when Jungwoo looked upset after he neglected to tell him something was going on because he knew. Jungwoo wasn’t stupid, he knew something was up but Jaehyun had promised Donghyuck and the others that he’d keep it quiet. It hadn’t been easy and had made for a long few days since he’d asked Jungwoo to move in.Thankfully, he only had to keep it a secret for a few more hours, since today was Saturday. After this, he and Jungwoo could go back to telling each other everything and continue building their life together. They could clean out Jungwoo’s house and move him in here, prepare for his pup and fill this space with their combined scents, form such a perfect, impenetrable bubble for his pup to come home too that even from the first day he’d only find peace and comfort within these walls. The thought of that, of Jungwoo wanting to be here and have this place be his pup’s home, it did funny things to his heart. And his wolf who was just in a constant, giddy frenzy inside him. Those good thoughts of what was to come made him sure that he could do this. He could handle this because the after would be amazing and then he never had to lie or keep anything from Jungwoo for the rest of their lives.He could do it.But since Jungwoo was Jungwoo, he took Jaehyun’s carefully laid plans and changed them up completely. It was his nature. And it was Jaehyun’s nature to let him and love him for it.When he woke up that morning, the very first thing he noticed was the spot beside him in bed was empty and cool to the touch. The sheets were rumpled but the pillow was no longer indented. Jungwoo had been up for a while. Or he was gone.Panic seized his heart in an iron grip. If he was gone, where was he? Was he alright? If he was still here, why was he awake so early? Why hadn’t he woken him up? Was he okay? He sat bolt upright, ears perked up to any noise in the house, wolf at attention and absolutely silent as they listened for their omega. He blamed the crazed feeling surging inside him on the impending due date they were fast approaching, every little thing made him nervous. And Jungwoo was terrified over the pup being pre-mature which created a whole new beast that Jaehyun and his wolf had to fight off.After what felt like an age, he finally heard shuffling, no picked up heartrate or uneven breathing, so he relaxed. But not so much that he didn’t get out of bed to go see Jungwoo for himself.The scent of peaches and cinnamon wafted out of the kitchen, wrapped Jaehyun’s wolf up tight and helped him calm down the rest of the way. Jungwoo was stood, huffing impatiently over the stove when Jaehyun crossed into the kitchen. His fingers were tapping a broken beat against his arms, while he shifted back and forth.“What’s wrong pumpkin?” He cleared his throat and asked.Jungwoo jumped. When he turned, he let out a visible breath, shoulders sagging with it. Jaehyun laughed a little at his reaction, “sorry,” he muttered, feet closing the distance between them on instinct. He caught the way the omega was pouting, bottom lip jutted out as he looked between him and the tea pot on the stove.“It’s taking forever,” he whispered.“Oh,” Jaehyun stepped up behind him, wrapped his arms around him before kissing the side of his head. His scent thickened when he did and Jungwoo, almost like he wasn’t aware he was doing it, sagged backwards against his chest. “Are you in a hurry somewhere?”Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat, “I told you I wanted to clean out my hut Jae,”Jaehyun’s heart dropped. If he was still on that this morning, then Jaehyun once again had to come up with a lame reason why they shouldn’t. And Jungwoo would just continue being more and more suspicious of him. Thank goodness it was Saturday, Jaehyun could not do this anymore! He couldn’t. If he had to lie to Jungwoo for one more day, he’d crack for sure.  “Jungwoo,” he sighed, loosening his grip as Jungwoo spun in his arms to face him.“Jaehyun. We’re not doing anything anyway, I feel great today, I just want to get it over with…please,” his hands came up to smooth of his chest, fingers curling against the worn cotton of his sleep shirt.Jaehyun’s heart dropped some more.Jungwoo, maybe spotting a crack in his armor, decided to work his magic, get what he wanted out of him like he usually did. His hands rubbed harder over the muscles of his chest, fingers soothed over his neck that was warming under his touch and the way he was staring at him. His eyes took on a warm, sparkly quality, the one he knew, Jungwoo knew was one of his weaknesses.“Please Jae,” his voice dipped, cast a line around him to pull him in tight, right where he belonged. “I just want to be here with you, let’s do it, please,”He cleared his throat, felt his resolve wasting away under the sheer power of this omega.“Jae please?”“That’s not fair you know?”“Oh, like you play fair,” the omega crooked an eyebrow at him.Jaehyun smirked, “what are you talking about?” Feigning innocence, he knew they had a very similar effect on each other.Jungwoo tucked himself even closer to him, arms moved to loop around his shoulders, “you never play fair. I love you so much, you know that, and you’ve gotten me to change my mind about so many things,”Jaehyun blinked, “is that…bad?”Jungwoo smiled, “no, not at all. I’m just saying, you do it to me too,”“Well, you always do that to me,”“Do I?”Jaehyun narrowed his eyes at him, “yes,” he knocked their foreheads together gently just to make Jungwoo smile wider as his eyes dipped shut.Instead of saying anything else, Jungwoo just laughed. The teapot whistled behind him which spurred him into action. He went about fixing his tea, nibbling on a muffin while Jaehyun watched him. Slowly, he fixed his own breakfast but kept an eye on Jungwoo as he did in case he got agitated over something else.“So,” Jungwoo started, cleaning up the crumbs from the counter, “are you coming with me?”Jaehyun groaned, head tipping back to look at the ceiling. He didn’t really have another option, did he? Either he went with him, rushed him through cleaning out his house to hopefully get him back before the shower or he let him go alone. And that was not happening.“Obviously,”Jungwoo made a happy noise in his throat, skipped into his arms to hug him tight. At least once a day, Jaehyun had to acknowledge how hopeless he was for this boy. He’d always had a crush on Jungwoo and growing up he was really intrigued by him but never got to know him until this year and now, in just a few short months, he was vital to his existence. He was everything to him. He’d given himself over completely to those feelings, like any wolf would to the wolf they’d chosen. Like all his friends had to their mates. Jaehyun adored Jungwoo, was at his mercy all the time but wouldn’t have it any other way either. He loved it.“Thank you, Jae,” he whispered, nose tucking into his cheek, smile curving against his jaw.He could’ve argued about the way Jungwoo knew how to work him over, how he knew all the ways to get to him, how he took complete advantage of him daily but got away with it because Jaehyun was so stupid in love with him, he didn’t even care. He didn’t do that though. Instead he just said, “Of course pumpkin,”And was quick to kiss him because he was so close and quick to clean up their breakfast mess so he could follow after the omega to get ready to go. He didn’t want this to take all day, they did have something to do. Something important. And he was so not willing to get scolded by their friends for being late after keeping this quiet from Jungwoo for so long. He wouldn’t ruin it.Well, he’d try not to at least.….. Jaehyun was carefully keeping an eye on the time. In the kitchen, he’d check the clock on the stove. In Jungwoo’s room, he had a clock on his old bureau that Jaehyun knew ran a few minutes slow. And the clock on his mantle, was usually pretty accurate, he kept a close watch on it as he packed another box full of books. He’d been banished from Jungwoo’s old room on the grounds that he was distracting and unfocused, which sure but Jungwoo smelled really good and really happy and he had a hard time on a normal day fighting against either of those things. Today, he was excited for so many different reasons and it seemed impossible, given his already great mood, to not give into an omega who seemed to be in an equally great mood. And so, there he was alone in the living room. Packing the last of Jungwoo’s things, keeping an eye on the time, holding his breath that they wouldn’t be late. After a bit, Jungwoo came out of his room, with a suitcase dragging behind him. With a happy look and a smile that stretched from ear to ear he said, “this is the last of it,”Jaehyun grinned at him, quickly folding the corners of the box together so it stayed closed. He stood, placed it with the one other box they’d had of the stuff from the kitchen. He really didn’t have that much stuff here, he never had and ever since Jungwoo had been staying with him, he’d been bringing stuff over as he needed it or as he found that Jaehyun didn’t have it. Like kitchen utensils, most of that stuff had already found their new home in Jaehyun’s kitchen.Jungwoo wheeled his bag over, propped up beside the boxes before throwing his arms around Jaehyun’s shoulders. He pulled him in, content to hold him for a few minutes. They had some time to kill anyway.“Someone else will live here after me, right?” Jungwoo asked in a tiny voice, curious and sweet as always, Jaehyun’s heart clenched.Jaehyun hummed, “that’s usually how that goes, yeah,”Jungwoo swatted him, huffing that he was annoying.“Sorry, yeah, it’s a nice little place,” he amended, tucking his nose against the side of Jungwoo’s head as his attention flitted off to the side, distracted for a bit so Jaehyun stayed busy, listening to his heartbeat and the pup’s sync up before the pup’s raced away while Jungwoo’s stayed slow and steady. He wondered if Jungwoo was feeling a bit nostalgic to be leaving this place for good or if he was happier to leave it behind, since he was heading towards better things with him. This place, though a tad run down and small, had kept them close, helped them get together. They’d spent a lot of time on that couch, talking, learning about each other. In front of that fire place, he’d convinced Jungwoo that it was okay to let him hunt for him, their friends had sat around it after the infamous fight with Bobby and his idiots a few months ago. They’d pickled at that table in the kitchen, created a mini fortune to sustain Jungwoo, not only financially but also emotionally.They’d dealt with his mother’s lack of acceptance in this room, fell in love with each other within these walls, held hands and held each other. They’d shared so much and dreamed of so much more, his whole entire life had changed here, with this omega, in this house.Jungwoo, typically on the same length as him, said, “someone else’s whole life is going to change right here,”Jaehyun kissed his forehead as the words wrapped around him, made his wolf spin and bark happily inside him. It was almost palpable the way he could feel Jungwoo switch from strictly happy over an edge into a more emotional headspace. He kissed him again to soothe him, listened to the thankful purr Jungwoo let out for it.“Maybe a newly matured omega,” he said quietly, breath fanning over his neck as he leant closer, “they’ll have the alpha they like over for lunch or something and their whole world will just be different,”Jaehyun smiled against his skin, wrapped his arms tight around his back, “maybe they’ll confess right there,” he tipped his head to indicate the space they’d occupied when he told Jungwoo he was in love with him and asked him if he could court him. “Maybe they won’t be as difficult to give gifts to as you,”Jungwoo whined, nudged into the next kiss he pressed to his head. “Why’re you teasing me so much today? I didn’t do anything,”Jaehyun couldn’t help but laugh at that and also couldn’t help saying, “Sorry pumpkin,”When he looked up at him, he was smiling so Jaehyun knew not only was he not that upset at all, but he’d forgiven him already. His eyes softened, smile faded to something intimate and just for Jaehyun, the kind he’d never lend to anyone else for the rest of his life. He watched tears brim in his eyes, clearly overwhelmed with whatever was going on in his head, Jaehyun curled his arms around him even tighter to will any bad thoughts away for him. He’d never get used to how Jungwoo’s mood could flip on a dime, how extremely he felt things right now, he was always on the verge of an emotional episode. Thankfully, Jungwoo was rarely alone these days so he never had to ride them out by himself, never had to be lonely and if he wanted to talk, he had plenty of people who would listen.The cause for this particular change in mood, wasn’t bad, just more a sense of overwhelming goodness that had likely caught him off-guard. Jaehyun was okay with that.“I hope this place is as good to someone else as it was to me,” Yeah, he was really, really okay with that.His hands lifted to frame Jaehyun’s face, fingertips slipped into his hair, carded back and forth till they settled on either side of his neck. He pressed into the touch, heart pounding erratically under Jungwoo’s attention and how emotional he was being.“I love you Jaehyun,”His heart raced faster, “I love you too, so, so much and I know, if it’s half as lucky to someone else as it was for you and me, whoever lives here next will get everything they ever wanted,”Jungwoo pulled him in to kiss him, like he could hardly wait for him to finish before doing it. The strangled, noise that left him when Jaehyun kissed him back, did funny things to his wolf and his head and his sanity but he’d given himself over completely to Jungwoo, so he didn’t think about it too much. Instead he just kissed him and kissed him harder when Jungwoo pressed closer, he whined a little when Jaehyun’s tongue swept across his bottom lip, drawing a gasp out of him. And sighed when Jaehyun gathered him up the rest of the way, crowding closer to walk them back till Jungwoo was leant against the wall by the door. Shit, he smelled so good, it was intoxicating and getting stronger, that wouldn’t do anything to help his spinning head or crazy fast heartbeat.True to form, Jaehyun got completely carried away in Jungwoo’s warmth and touch and smell. But who could blame him? He was on edge today from the secret keeping and Jungwoo seemed raw with emotions but eager to be comforted, supported, was needier from the hormones. Jaehyun was just doing his job as the alpha Jungwoo trusted to be there and take care of him, so naturally, he did that. And got lost in Jungwoo along the way.With Jungwoo’s hands in his hair, mouths molded together, bodies entwined from head to toe, raggedly dragging in air before going back in for more, was he supposed to not surrender to him and this? Just as Jaehyun’s hands were slipping near the hem of Jungwoo’s shirt to skim along the small of his back, the pup kicked, startling them into separating. Jungwoo started laughing as they both tried to get their breathing under control, “guess he didn’t like being in the middle of this,”“Or he just wanted us to stop,”Jungwoo laughed brightly, hands didn’t leave his hair and he didn’t pull away so Jaehyun took the hint, gladly stayed where he was so he could just look at him. He was always glad to just stay in his bubble. He sniffed his cheek then down to his neck so he could nose into his scent gland which made Jungwoo release a breathy noise. The warmth of his scent plumed around him, forced him closer till Jungwoo’s head fell back.“Jae,”He hummed, kissed the warm skin below his scent gland.“He’s going to kick you again,”Jaehyun laughed, fond thinking that the pup, even though he knew from Jungwoo saying that they seemed to enjoy his presence and scent, didn’t like an alpha so close to him. That was such a pup reaction, they liked other people around their mothers to a point but sometimes close was close enough.After a few moments of quiet, Jungwoo sighed, “Let’s go home Jae,”Everything inside him tingled hearing that.“After you, pumpkin,” he waved at the door, begrudgingly separating the rest of the way from Jungwoo and crouching to collect the two boxes he’d packed. It wasn’t till Jungwoo was collecting his suitcase that he realized he’d taken his eyes off the time. He froze, spun to see the clock on the mantle read 12:55.“Shit,”Donghyuck and the others would be showing up to his house in five minutes to set up. And if they left now, they’d be way too early. Oh no! He had one job and he couldn’t even do it!“Shit what?” Jungwoo laughed at he asked but the longer he looked at him stewing the more concerned he looked. “What Jae? What’s going on?”He sucked in a breath.“Nothing,” he shook his head, knew his face was saying the exact opposite of ‘nothing’.“Jaehyun,” he warned, that was his no-nonsense voice. “You’ve been weird all week, what’s going on?”His stomach soured at the acknowledgement that Jungwoo had caught him and was upset with how he’d been acting. He had to tell him, didn’t he? He’d never get out of here without telling him, especially since Jungwoo knew when he was lying. And he was making one of his sad faces and Jaehyun, needed him to not do that anymore. Gosh, their friends were going to ruthless over this.With a deep, steadying breath he said, “okay, don’t be mad,”Jungwoo pursed his lips, didn’t seem to like how that started but clearly wanted to know what was going on more than he was skeptical of him, so he nodded.“So, the boys and I might have organized a little thing to celebrate the pup and you,”Jungwoo blinked, “A baby shower?”“Yeah,”The hand lightly connecting with his chest wasn’t surprising, he knew Jungwoo wouldn’t be thrilled about this. He didn’t say anything though, just stayed where he was, staring at him.Jaehyun cleared his throat, took the hand that had hit him in his and squeezed it. Jungwoo folded his fingers over his to squeeze back, which was reassuring to say the very least, he clearly wasn’t that mad at him if he was willing to return his touch.“I know this is like not your idea of fun but there’s no presents, that’s good right? It’s just our friends and food and an afternoon spent all together. We just love you so much and wanted to do something for you, you’ve…you’ve left your mark on all of us pumpkin and you’ve been through so much, you deserve a day to relax and enjoy yourself before the pup’s born,”Jungwoo let that settle for a second, he didn’t look mad, maybe a little annoyed but Jaehyun could deal with annoyance, he was the master of that.“Why didn’t you tell me?”Jaehyun squeezed his hand again, prepared for the annoyance to grow, “Because it was sort of going to be a surprise,”“I don’t like surprises,” he deadpanned. Jaehyun smiled at him, couldn’t help it.“I know, I told them that,”“But they didn’t listen,”“Right,” he sighed, inched forward to kiss his forehead, relaxing when Jungwoo let him. “I’m sorry,”The omega was quiet for a bit, breathing even but mind racing in a way Jaehyun could practically hear. Jungwoo’s head hitting his shoulder, working back and forth as he nuzzled into the fabric of his shirt, surprised him.“Are you…okay?”Jungwoo hummed.Jaehyun didn’t like that, whatever was happening, he was being too quiet. “Pumpkin, what’s going on, can I do something?” He prepared to offer to run home and tell that the whole thing was off. He was. He’d do anything for this person, he never wanted to upset him or leave him in a bad place and he’d also do anything to make it better.When he finally spoke, his voice came out like a tiny peep, “no one’s ever thrown me a party before,”His wolf whined at that, heart clenching almost painfully.“I mean my mom’s had special dinners and we had meals we couldn’t necessarily afford for certain occasions but a group of people has never…planned a party…for me,” he took a breath, “not even Lucas, he knew I wasn’t crazy about my birthday or holidays because they made me miss my mom so we never did anything…I just, don’t know what to do with this,”Jaehyun kissed him between the eyes, ridiculously fond of him, “You don’t really have to do anything. You have lots of people who love you and want to do things for you just because we love you,”Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat.“We’re your family Woo, you don’t owe us, you don’t have to repay us but…you could come to the party, let them pamper you and hug you and just try to have a good time,”At that the omega finally looked up at him, wore a smile that spoke of disbelief and uncertainty, even after all they’d been through together. He still had second thoughts about being deserving enough for the people he’d found and how they loved him. His eyes though, they gave his truest feelings away, they were so warm, so bright, he wanted the party. He wanted all of them, wanted them forever, didn’t want to let them go. He wanted to be selfish so he could keep them and still didn’t seem to understand that they weren’t going anywhere. They wanted him forever too.“So, what do you think, party time?”Jungwoo laughed wetly, nudged their noses together till his eyes slipped shut. Jaehyun soothed his hands down his back and along the sides of his stomach because he could feel the pup fluttering with anxious movements at Jungwoo’s mood. “Party time,” he sighed, a softer smile worked over his face, “thanks Jae,”“Pumpkin,” he didn’t say anything because he felt like a broken record, but the slight scolding tone made Jungwoo smile wider.“Just…for not letting it be a surprise, I wouldn’t have liked that,”Jaehyun grinned, “you know, I thought that,” and he had so he was glad it all worked out the way it did. Now Jungwoo knew and he didn’t seem completely against the idea of the party, he could go into it knowing what was happening and let their friends make the day better rather than try for hours to come down from being shocked and lied to.“But you like this?”Jungwoo huffed a tiny laugh, “I don’t mind this, no,”That was already better than he thought it’d be, he shot a glance at the clock across the room, 1:25, perfect. Bent to recollect the boxes at their feet before asking, “Ready?”“Wait,” he said quickly, closed the space between them to kiss him. The moment dragged on and on till Jaehyun’s brain clicked off. He followed after him when he pulled away, eyed the way Jungwoo’s teeth were chewing on his lip, adorable and sneaky and his. Then he nodded, reached for his suitcase, “Now, I am,”On his way past he pinched Jaehyun’s ear between his fingers, muttering that he couldn’t believe he’d lied to him about this but was still wearing that heart-stopping smile of his so Jaehyun decided he was just teasing him.He’d take teasing, it was better than the alternative reactions he could’ve had to all this.When the door to Jungwoo’s former hut closed behind them, Jaehyun smiled to himself, he’d take teasing and parties and Jungwoo over a lot of things. Anything with Jungwoo was better than the boring life he used to live that was filled with work and meals and nights watching his friends be in love while he was alone. Phantom pangs of loneliness shot through him, threatened his wolf who snarled at them, they both knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that their long lonely nights and days were over. Things of the past. History they’d never have to repeat. The pair of them headed down the road, towards Jungwoo’s baby shower and the rest of their lives together while Jaehyun felt warm to his core, thinking this, was already even better than what he dreamed it could’ve been. It was amazing.And it was his.….. Once his house finally came back into view, he realized he should do one last round of damage control.“Jungwoo,” he said, turning to look at the omega next to him.He hummed quietly, waving across the street to Seungmin who was walking hand in hand with Hyunjin, before returning his attention to him.“Can you act surprised? Please?”Jungwoo tipped his head, “about the party?”“Yeah, it was obviously supposed to be a secret and that was like the only thing I had to do, keep it a secret and get you out of the house,”He shrugged, willing to play along for him which was sweet of him honestly, after Jaehyun had planned a party for him behind his back. “Okay,”“Thanks Woo, Hyuck might kill me if he finds out how badly I did with my portion of all this,”Jungwoo laughed, “Well we can’t have that,”“Me dead, you mean?”“Right, I don’t think I want that,”Jaehyun sighed, “Wow that’s so nice of you Jungwoo,” His sarcastic tone fell away at the next words that left Jungwoo’s mouth.“Want to mate with you first at least,”He was determined to stop his heart today, it seemed.Jaehyun’s footsteps stuttered, heart lodged itself in his throat as his wolf dropped backwards. Could his figurative wolf faint in shock? Apparently yes. He’d laugh at that if he wasn’t so busy being stunned that Jungwoo had said that so easily. After a few paces Jungwoo seemed to realize he wasn’t with him anymore. He snickered and turned back, took a few steps back to him.“Did I break you Jae?”He shook himself, “huh?”“Did I break you?”Jaehyun cleared his throat, adjusted the boxes in his arms so he didn’t drop them, “no, no I’m good,”Jungwoo’s mouth twisted, brows jumped playfully, “was it the mating comment,”Again he cleared his throat, “no, it’s..no,”He huffed a tiny laugh, “Isn’t that where we’re going Jae, we’re courting because we want to mate with each other,” It sounded so simple and so beautiful when he said it.“Yeah, it was just hearing you say it,”Jungwoo smiled, amused at him.“I liked hearing you say it,”Jungwoo hummed, let go of his suitcase to step into him. On the middle of the street, with people milling about, in and out of the shops, towards the woods, towards the river, towards the center, busy on their Saturday and then there was Jungwoo who smelled so good and wanted to mate with him too.“I like thinking about it,” Jungwoo whispered, craned forward to kiss him. “You and me and everything else, my pup, a home, our life, I can’t wait,”Jaehyun’s stomach heated up till he thought he might be consumed, insides so hot he was in serious danger of just boiling off, right here in the street outside his house.“Woo,” he swallowed, closed his eyes against the way Jungwoo was gripping the edges of his shirt and nosing his cheek, “I don’t think you want to start this right now,”And he wasn’t sure he wanted him to either. Their friends were waiting for them, waiting to have a party and while he trusted that Jungwoo did feel this way he’d also been privy to many of his moods today and didn’t want to take advantage of anything. He wanted to get him inside, ease whatever he was feeling and spend the day with their friends and family, enjoying themselves.Jungwoo hummed, fingers tugged on his shirt, till Jaehyun worried he actually might drop the boxes.“Can we talk about this later?”Jungwoo hummed again.He sighed, knew what the omega wanted to hear, and this would drop and they could get back to what they were doing. “I can’t wait either, you and me and everything else, it sounds so perfect,”“It does, doesn’t it,” he kissed him quick, like he was aware that doing more would get them even further distracted. He reached back for his suitcase and continued down the street, his house was only a few doors down now which they both seemed thankful for.He climbed the steps to his porch two at a time before setting the boxes down carefully, then doubled back for the suitcase Jungwoo was, attempting to, lift onto the first step.“I got it pumpkin,” he hurried to take the bag from him, lifted it easily up the steps and next to the door. Jungwoo gave him a look but took his outstretched hand anyway and didn’t say anything.Now that they were here and the party was immediately on the other side of the door, he watched Jungwoo’s mood shift again. Where he was playful and happy to tease him just a few moments ago, now he seemed stressed and worried about what this afternoon was going to be like. He could almost see the mental pep-talk he was giving himself, breathing deliberately slowed down to relax him.“What’s going on up there,” he asked quietly, fingers of his free hand lifting to drum against his temple.“Not a whole lot,”“Liar,”Jungwoo sighed, “I’m just trying not to freak out,”“It’s our friends pumpkin, you spend time with them willingly pretty much every day,”“I know but this is a party,”“No, it’s friends hanging out,”“To celebrate my pup,”“I think you might be thinking about it too much,” he said, ran his fingers under his chin till Jungwoo whined, “it won’t be so bad. It’s all the people you love, who love you, you can do it,”Jungwoo groaned, façade cracking, which made Jaehyun smile at him. He knew him and knew that he was probably wondering why Jaehyun didn’t argue against a party on his behalf. He wasn’t into being the center of attention but they both knew their friends were good distractions. They were experts at deflecting attention, of not paying too much attention to Jungwoo if he seemed upset. They were so good at reading him now.“It won’t be that bad, I promise,”Jungwoo nodded slowly, lip caught behind his teeth.“And I’ll be there, you can hide behind me if you need to,”Jungwoo huffed a laugh, “Okay,”Jaehyun watched his hands settle over his bump habitually, rubbed a few circles, took another deep breath. Every quiet moment that they lingered here saw Jungwoo’s stress fade a little more, color back in his eyes and cheeks and scent soothing and not soured at all. Jungwoo leaned closer to him, into his space. If that’s how he was going to be able to get through this day and this party, attached to his side, Jaehyun was totally okay with that.  He kissed his head before reaching to open the door.Heard Jungwoo suck in a quick breath before stepping around him, thru the door as chaos erupted inside. Jaehyun loved these ridiculous people so much, just the sound of their caterwauling made him happy.Jungwoo jumped a little but didn’t move. When Jaehyun stepped up behind him, peeked around him, he was wearing a blank face, big eyes looking over their friends. Donghyuck, the most excited by far, skipped forward, “surprise! Happy baby shower,”Jungwoo swallowed, “uhm, wow, thank you,”Donghyuck’s eyes narrowed at Jungwoo first then his attention shifted to Jaehyun. He quickly turned away from him, grabbed the two boxes from outside and the suitcase to pile them just inside the door.“What’s with the boxes?” he heard Johnny ask which made Jaehyun throw him a look and Ten laugh. When he looked away from his best friend, Donghyuck was glaring at him, arms crossing over his chest.“You told him?” Donghyuck asked, then decided, “you told him! Jae!”Jungwoo laughed softly, shook his head and held his arms open for Jaemin when hurried up to him and snuggled their heads together. “Happy baby shower,”“Thanks Minnie,”“You look wonderful,” he said, “absolutely wonderful, and sparkly and happy,”Jungwoo hit him which made Jaemin laugh and take a few steps away from him.“Are you mad that we did this?” Taeil asked next, stepped close to kiss Jungwoo’s cheek, an action that Jungwoo leaned into. And leaned into him further when Taeil started brushing his hair behind his ear.Jungwoo shook his head, “no, I was a little stressed,” he took a slow breath and said, “But how could I be mad at people who love me like this?” His hand lifted to wave around the room, to indicate the crowd in their living room.Donghyuck beamed, forgot about his irritation in favor of nuzzling his best friend. He and Taeil squeezed him so tight that Jungwoo huffed but he caught the way his eyes misted a little.“So, what’s with the boxes?” Taeyong asked, leaning back on the couch with Johnny and Yuta, the three of them looked like they knew the answer but wanted to hear what Jaehyun would say.“Jae asked me to move in with him,” Jungwoo said happily, returned Kun’s hug, let the other omega squeeze his cheeks and move his head around as they looked at each other. Kun smirked, happy that he’d had a hand in that development.“Wait,” Johnny shook his head, held up a hand. Behind him Ten looked like he was holding in an outburst. “You haven’t already?”Jaehyun cleared his throat, annoyed at them, “can we talk about this later, or never? Never would work too,” His eyes caught the way everyone else in his living room was watching them with varying levels of amusement. Minho and Taemin looked thrilled at his minor embarrassment. Jimin and Jungkook were enjoying his struggle, clearly. Their kids were coloring and giggling on the floor, the only ones not invested in his embarrassment, content to just enjoy a new environment and all the warm, loving smells in the room. Jongin and Sehun -- who he was happy to see, Jongin and Jungwoo had formed a sweet friendship from their wolves with kids club -- looked to only be paying them partial attention where they’d squished themselves into the loveseat, while Mira sat on the floor in front of them, taking in everything with a critical eye. And Joshua and Seungcheol were smiling at him, not aware of the long history he and his friends had of teasing each other for every little thing, and most recently, everything Jungwoo related. Their parents were quietly watching the exchange, from his open kitchen, and Chae…she was here! Jaehyun was so thrilled to see her! She sent him a smile before his brother stole his attention.“You’re such a dork Jae,” Hajun sidled up to them, tugged his mate away from Jungwoo so he could collect him for himself, Jungwoo nudged as close to him as possible, smiling at his brother so easily it thrilled him. “How are you Woo?”“Really, really good, thank you,” he said, “and thanks for coming I guess, to the party I didn’t know I was having,”“Wouldn’t miss it Woo, you look extra sparkly today,”“Stop it,” Jungwoo slapped his shoulder, blushing as he tipped back out of his arms and into Jaehyun’s chest. “So…” he started head turning to the side briefly before doing a double take and froze. He saw the exact moment he realized he wasn’t just imagining things.“Mom?!”“Hi baby,”He sucked in a breath. Shook his head once. Then again. “What?” He looked back to Donghyuck and Taeil who smiled at him and pushed him towards her, across the room.“What are you doing here?” He rushed as fast as he was able across the space between them.She gathered him into her arms, kissed the side of his head when he sagged into her. “It’s your baby shower, how could I not be here?”“But…you’re here?”She laughed a little, brushed his hair away from his eyes and then swept her fingers down his cheek, so carefully, like only a mother would touch their pup. Jaehyun’s heart seized when she repeated the action two more times, thinking that he might be crying. He took a step but Hajun wrapped an arm around his shoulders to keep him still. “Happy tears Jae, relax,”Jaehyun nodded but wasn’t able to calm down completely. He couldn’t. Not with Jungwoo across the room, possibly crying while he was here with all their friends watching him.“So, you asked him, finally,” Kun said triumphantly, looked pleased beyond belief and a little smug.“Yes,”“And this is the last of his stuff,”“Yes,”“That was actually a good cover story Jae, get him out of the house under the guise of moving in,”“Well, I did actually ask him to move in with me, officially. But I didn’t want to get his stuff today, but he was insistent-”“-and you can’t say no to him, got it,” Ten called, flipping around on the couch so he could talk to Jongin.The rest of the boys looked at him, barely contained laughter squeaking out of them. “Yeah, yeah laugh it up, I got him here, didn’t I?”“Yeah after you spilled the beans Jae!” Donghyuck was clearly not impressed with him over that.“I’m sorry, he was emotional…at his old place and he…I didn’t want to upset him more, so I told him. And you know what,” he flicked his eyes over all of them, Donghyuck’s arms uncrossed as Mark stepped up behind him to rub his shoulders and down his arms, intent on relaxing him. “I’m glad I did, he doesn’t like surprises, he would’ve freaked out if he walked through the door and saw all of you,”They all took turns looking a little guilty but not so guilty that it threatened the awesome day they were determined to have.“Well, he’s here and he seems happy,” Taeil reached out to take Donghyuck’s hand, curled his other through Kun’s beside him, “He and his pup are what today’s all about so let’s just, focus on that, hmm?”Jaehyun grinned at the oldest omega of their group, always happy deal with their conflicts and be their glue when they came apart.“Yeah Hyuck, let’s focus on that,”Donghyuck smirked at him, eyes rolling softly but he didn’t push him away when Jaehyun tugged him out of Mark’s arms and into his own. “Thank you for doing all this Hyuck, you guys are the best,”“Like we don’t know that,”He laughed at the words, enjoyed their mixed scents and happy energy till Jungwoo was turning to look back at him. His heart picked up, wolf eagerly staring back at their omega, he gave him a smile, watched the way Jungwoo’s eyes softened completely, returned his smile with a watery one of his own. He turned back to his mom slowly, head moving, hands linked between them but Jaehyun had a harder time returning to his own conversation after. Jungwoo was there, having an emotional conversation with his mom and Jaehyun wanted to be with him or be there for him or just be closer to him honestly. He settled for staying put, by the door, while most of the others in the room returned to what they had been doing before they showed up. Hajun and Kun stayed put with him, telling him what they’d brought and all the yummy sounding things his mom had made but still there was Jungwoo. He was so beautiful, and he smelled so happy and his pup’s heartbeat was keeping a steady rhythm for him to follow.“Come on Jae, he’s alright, come sit or see all the food, you won’t even believe how much there is,” Hajun sounded impressed and sort of hungry. He started pulling at him but then there was Hyungmin who was barreling towards him with a goofy grin. “Uncle Jae,” he exclaimed as he launched at him. Jaehyun swept him up and hugged him tight, catching the fond way Taemin was watching them, happy that his pup was distracted for a moment with someone he trusted.“Hey buddy, what gives? You have a birthday and now you won’t stop growing?” He pressed his hand to the top of the little boy’s head like he could compress him a little.The pup beamed, his dream, this year at least, was to grow up to be as tall as his dad.“I lost another tooth!”“You did? Let me see,”Hyungmin opened his mouth to show him the bottom row that had a definitive gap just off center. He looked like a carved pumpkin, with a few empty spaces on the top row too. “That’s so awesome buddy, what’d you get for it?”He held up his wrist to show him the red and blue braided bracelet, his favorite colors. “Mama made it for me,”“Of course, that’s awesome, did you color Woo a picture?”Hyungmin gave him a look like he was crazy, the kind of unimpressed look that only a kid could pull off. He held up three fingers instead of answering.“Three pictures?! Oh my god, he’s going to love that,”“Do you think so?” He looked so happy and hopeful and Jaehyun just loved that he knew this kid so well and had watched him grow up. He couldn’t wait to see how Hyungmin reacted to and loved his cousin once they got to meet.“I know so,”He cheered, before sliding from his arms, freezing for a moment in front of the line of omegas, Donghyuck, Jaemin, Kun and Taeil who were just talking to each other, but he seemed adorably alarmed at their mere presence. Jaemin caught the way he was looking at them, lifted his hand to wave before Hyungmin squeaked and rushed away. Jaehyun watched him bury his head in Taemin’s hip, embarrassed but adorably so.Well, that kept him distracted for a moment at least, he took a step into the room, away from the door. Taeil reached out for him, eager to help him join the party till there was a strong wave of peaches and cinnamon and Jaehyun was instantly compelled to turn and check on his omega. He saw him hugging his mom tight, face tucked into her shoulder before he was spinning out of her arms. Jaehyun shifted, away from Taeil, entranced in the way Jungwoo was staring at him.Something about it made this happy, glowing thing in his chest open up and expand till he could hardly breathe but he didn’t even mind. Because Jungwoo was looking at him. And he was closing the distance between them.When he was right in front of him, Jungwoo wrapped his arms around his shoulders, face tucked close to his neck while he squeezed him so tight that Jaehyun thought he might snap in half. “Thank you, Jae, thank you, thank you, thank you,” he decided not to say anything about all that, now wasn’t a time to scold him or tease him. It was more important to hold him tight, remind him he was safe and good and loved since he was shaking a little bit. “Thank you so much,”Jaehyun nudged his nose against his head, sniffed at him when he didn’t move, wrapped his arms tighter around his back.“She’s so happy and you got her here,” his voice was thin, no more than a breath against him, giving away how emotional seeing her here, with so many people, out of her house, made him. His scent gave away how worked up this made him too. He kneaded his fingers into his back to try and ground him, ease whatever he was feeling that was making his scent take on that not quite sour but definitely not sweet quality.Jaehyun watched the rest of their friends find other things to distract themselves with, happy to let them get lost in their bubble for a while. And Jaehyun, because he loved Jungwoo like crazy, was fine with that. He held him closer, kissed the top of his head, wrapped him up in his scent till it had built a figurative wall all around them.“She deserved to be here Woo,”“I know, but you made her feel safe enough to come, you don’t understand,” he sniffled, peeked up at him so Jaehyun swiped his tears away, happy to cradle his face with one hand while the other arm stayed tight around his waist. “She hasn’t done anything in the pack in so long. You and I and your dad occasionally, are the most company she’s kept in years, this is a big deal,”“Is she alright?” Suddenly feeling great concern for Chae.“Yeah, she’s great. Really, she’s happy and excited and…thank you,”Jaehyun brushed his nose across his forehead, watched the way his eyes drifted shut when he pulled back to look at him. “You’re welcome,”Jungwoo made a tiny noise in his throat, ducked to hide his head away once more so Jaehyun nosed into his hair again. Kept scenting him and holding tight to him“You’ve changed our life Jae, and you’ll never know how much or how amazing that is because I don’t have the right words…to express it but just-”“-you changed mine too Jungwoo, I know, I get it,”Jungwoo’s head bobbed against his shoulder till he whined and pressed closer. His scent started to ease back to normal, spiced peaches with notes of cedar wood because Jungwoo carried his scent naturally now too. They stayed like that for a while just holding onto each other as their friends and family carried on with the party without their guest of honor. They knew them well enough to allow them a few moments to themselves, till Jungwoo calmed down, he wouldn’t be any good to them if he was worked up.When they finally came out of their bubble, no one said anything about their little display, Jungwoo got swept up by their friends. Renjun and Chenle glommed on him which made Jungwoo laugh, then Jisung gave him a brief hug, saying something that made his ears go red and had Chenle laughing hysterically as Jungwoo patted the top of the young alpha’s head fondly. Sicheng squeezed him till Yuta whined that he was bad at sharing. Then Mark who rocked him back and forth for a moment so long Jaehyun wondered if time had stopped but then Jeno and Doyoung were nuzzling him and time started back up again. Ten shoved Johnny aside, waved Jungwoo down so he could kiss over his face, nuzzled his cheek so softly which had all of them trading looks.Johnny huffed, “Ten loves Jungwoo more than me, he told me last night,”Ten scoffed, “I didn’t say it like that, you’re such a baby,”Laughter broke out among them.“How did you say it?” Taeil asked, stroking Taeyong’s head as he passed him for a spot on the couch.“I just said that Jungwoo is special, and he’s my most favorite, currently pregnant person, and I’m glad he came into our lives and back to the pack,” the fondness Ten had for Jungwoo still shocked Jaehyun, he loved it obviously but he knew Ten as this sarcastic, aloofly tender person and for him to adore Jungwoo so outwardly, which was a right he reserved for a select few, was surprising. He’d probably never be over it completely.Jungwoo flushed, ducked into the new round of nuzzling Ten attacked him with. Next to him, Kun made a strained noise is his throat that made Hajun laugh behind him, curled his arms around him, not holding anything against Ten for those words since he didn’t know Kun was pregnant too.“Wow, he does love Jungwoo more than you man, sorry,” Yuta said sympathetically.“I know! We had a good run, oh well, Doie, you and me?”Doyoung reeled backwards, “Gross,”“Hey back off Johnny, he’s my platonic life partner,” Renjun scolded, rushing to his roommate and curling protective arms around his waist. The beta flailed against the hold. He heard his parents laugh at the scene, his friends’ ridiculous antics.“Ew that’s even more disgusting” Doyoung whined, hurrying away from the omega, to Jeno who was one of the few who didn’t tease him incessantly, he was unthreatening in all the best ways, thanks to the hold Jaemin had on him.Once Ten settled down, promising Jungwoo he wouldn’t steal him from Jaehyun unless he wanted him too, teasingly pinched his cheeks when Jungwoo was at an obvious loss for words. He squeaked out a laugh when the remaining two squished him between them. Taeyong and Johnny passed him back and forth till Jimin scolded them about making Jungwoo’s back pain spike.The no-nonsense tone of the head healer made the two alphas pale. “Do they usually pass you around like this Woo?” Jimin asked, stepping forward to collect him for himself. The alphas looked properly reprimanded while Jungkook snickered to himself. He dropped to the floor to color with the pups, happy to not be under fire by his mate for a moment.  “Jungwoo is heavily pregnant, there’s no manhandling or shoving-”“-Jimin,” Jungwoo whined, sounded like they’d had this exact conversation a few times too many.Jaehyun smiled at them till Chae came up beside him and stole his attention.“Hi,”He beamed wider, “Hi,” he startled but schooled himself when Chae reached her arms out for him. She hugged him almost as tight as Jungwoo had. “I…how was the walk here?” he asked lamely when he floundered for something else to say. He had so many things to say actually but he didn’t want to draw attention to the fact that she was here in case she regretted it or got nervous.She laughed at him, “It was good, Taeil is lovely, which I assumed from how Taeyong talks about him and they helped me carry my stuff,”“You finished your gift?” he whispered.She nodded, “did you?”“Yup, been finished, it’s been hiding in my office, giving me major anxiety over Jungwoo finding it,”She laughed more till his parents came over to say hello to him. His mom kissed his cheek while his dad ruffled his hair, the pair of them and Chae, their parents, made something inside Jaehyun’s chest settle. He and his wolf loved the sight of the three of them together, they were a family and any time they got to spend together brought them closer, helped them towards the end goal Jaehyun had always dreamed of. A happy ending with Jungwoo.When they decided to join the rest of the party, Jungwoo was smiling a little at something Seungcheol had said, Minho and Jungkook were losing it while their mates rolled their eyes. Joshua who had been touching Jungwoo’s bump, reached back to hit his mate with a glare. “That wasn’t very nice Cheolie,”Seungcheol instantly paled, “sorry Jisoo,”He was consistently touched by the seemingly random bond these two omegas had formed over pickles and shared feelings over the injustices of pack life and mistreatment of loved ones and themselves. They spent time together spontaneously, two people who just blatantly enjoyed each other company when they could keep it and didn’t have to see each other constantly, or even frequently to maintain a close friendship. And he was closer friends with Seungcheol than he used to be given their shared work and the friendship their omegas had struck up.Joshua stepped away from him, closer to Jungwoo before Jaehyun caught the way both omegas were pouting down at his bump.“He’s so quiet,” Jungwoo said, his hands rubbed along the top of his stomach gently, “he was so busy earlier, it was like target practice for my poor spine…I could drink some water, Jae,” he said, turned around not realizing that he was right behind him. His eyes widened with his surprised smile, a hand reached out to touch his chest. “Would you get me some water?”“Sure pumpkin,” he took his hand and squeezed it before heading to the kitchen.Some of the boys, followed him out of the living room, nearly tripping over themselves to keep up with him. When he crossed into the kitchen Jaehyun could finally take in the insane spread of food there was laid out across the countertops and all over the island. It was crazy! There was bread and sandwiches, fruit, all sorts of baked goods, a couple different cakes, a few different platters of roasted vegetables and two different salads. There were noodles and dumplings and meat buns, which he recognized as Chae’s specialty. As well as an excessive amount of meat, from chicken to deer to wild boar and even a roasted duck. Something he knew Jungwoo would go crazy over!“Whoa,” he breathed, not quite expecting this level of food to be laid out so nicely in the kitchen he’d barely used till a month or so ago when Jungwoo started spending more time here.“Right,” Yuta laughed, hands squeezed his shoulders and shook him around. He moved passed him to get a cup, helped himself to some punch from the bowl on the island. “So, can I ask something?”“If it’s about me asking Jungwoo to move in with me, no,”Yuta, Mark and Johnny laughed at him. Yuta’s hands went up, he stayed silent. Jaehyun narrowed his eyes at them but laughed with them, got a glass for Jungwoo, filled it with water from the sink before tossing in a couple ice cubes for good measure. The colder the water, the higher the chance that the pup would wake up and start moving.“Is he mad at us?” Mark asked as Jaehyun headed back around the island, ready to get back to the omega who was waiting for his drink.Jaehyun, fond of Mark and all their friends for wanting to do something like this for him but worrying about the effects of it anyway, smiled at him. “I don’t think so, you know how he is with all sorts of attention but he’s glad to spend the day with you guys, anytime really,”When they got back to the party, Chae was sitting beside Taeil on the couch, Taeyong on the floor getting his hair played with by his mate while the three of them chatted like they were trying to make up for lost time. His mom was sitting in front the coffee table, talking to Mira about her favorite subjects in school while his dad listened eagerly to everything, always happy to soak up pack interactions like a sponge. He grinned, happy to see them settled then diverted his full attention back to Jungwoo. The omega was still talking to Joshua, seeming content to talk to one or two people at a time only so he didn’t get overwhelmed with all the attention solely focused on him.Jaehyun put his hand on Jungwoo’s back gently so he didn’t freak him out, handed him the glass, “Here pumpkin,”“Thanks Jae,”He rubbed his back, watched him take a few sips because he always found him fascinating. And today, in particular, Jaehyun couldn’t tear his eyes away from him, he was so beautiful and so happy and Jaehyun loved him so much. He took the glass back when Jungwoo stopped drinking, set it on the mantle next to them. All the people around them seemed to be holding their breath as Jungwoo, sighed, hands soothing over his stomach while they waited. But no one was waiting more intently than Joshua, his eyes were sparkling so brightly, looked like the anticipation was moments from killing him. Jaehyun smiled at his sweet investment, wondered if pup fever was running rampant through his circle of friends too or if he and Seungcheol were the only ones who’d been bitten by that bug. He knew, Jungwoo had a special sort of influence on people and Joshua was clearly, influenced.“It might take a minute or two,” Jungwoo promised him, the two of them started talking about other pup related stuff.“It’s so close,” Joshua whispered, like the idea left him in awe, “what is it a month away now?”“A month and a half, and they better stay in there the whole time,”The room seemed to pulse while Jaehyun laughed, ducked to rub his head against Jungwoo’s shoulder, hoping to soothe him.Jungkook joined Jimin beside them, scooped up Kimun when he scurried up to him. Jaehyun, as he watched Jungkook hold tight to his middle pup, who curled against his shoulder, scent mellowed and warm in his alpha father’s arms, hoped he would be able to bring Jungwoo’s pup peace like that too.“He’s so worried about them being early,” Jimin said to Joshua, “A few weeks won’t make that big a difference Woo, I promise,”“Why are you so worried about that? Aren’t most pups on time?” Seungcheol asked, moved around them so he could be closer to Joshua. He watched him reach out for him, hands curled around his waist to tug him back against his chest. It took him a moment but eventually, Joshua melted, relaxed and forgave him for whatever he’d said that upset him just a few minutes ago.“I wasn’t,” Jungwoo said quietly, most of their friends and their parents were paying attention to them now too.Chae shook her head, muttered something that made Taeil laugh beside her, “you weren’t that early Jungwoo,”“3 weeks mom! That’s early!” Jaehyun could smell his panic, so he ducked to press his nose against Jungwoo’s neck, scented him carefully till the omega sighed, pressed further back into his arms.Jimin was smiling fondly at the pair of them, their friends, gathered mainly on the couch were watching intently, not liking that the pair of were so far away and Jungwoo was distressed. Donghyuck was the most alarmed out of all of them. He was sat forward in his seat, even brushed off Mark’s touch when he tried to comfort him and soothe the plume of anxious energy.“It’ll be okay Jungwoo, I wouldn’t say so if I didn’t believe it. They’ll come when they’re meant to and it’ll be fine,” Jimin soothed him, brushed back Jiho’s hair when he moseyed up to them too, unsettled by the scents. “There’s no point in worrying, remember, what does worrying about everything do?”“Makes me suffer twice, I know, I can’t help it,” he whispered, “I just want them to be okay,”“They will be,” Jaehyun rubbed his hands over his shoulders, he really wanted to make him feel better, make this bad, somber mood go away and help him just enjoy himself instead. But he knew Jungwoo was a worrier, he couldn’t help it.He felt Jungwoo take a few deep breaths, slowly calming down and apologizing for his drastic change in mood.Everyone, all at once, promised him it was alright. He was allowed to be emotional. And then the somber air evaporated as Jungwoo perked up, hands flailed out for Joshua’s to place against his stomach, one on either side.He smiled at Joshua’s breathless laugh, his awed expression was priceless, a look all of them had worn at least once before when they got to feel the pup move, it was a phenomenon so simple, so natural but also so incredible you couldn’t get over it. The pup, just a few months ago was so tiny, barely more than an idea of a being and now they were as big as a squash, they were growing and gaining strength and getting ready to get the heck out of Jungwoo. Maybe the omega could sense that and was beginning to get more and more stressed about the reality of it but Jaehyun figured it was more his need for them to be healthy, he didn’t want anything to go wrong so he was clinging to his due date like a rule to live by and not a general window of opportunity.Jaehyun startled hearing Joshua’s giddy laughter, having gotten truly lost in his head.“That’s so amazing, Cheolie, feel,” he reached out for Seungcheol’s hands so he could feel the pup kick too, the alpha’s eyes bugged, mouth fell open.“That’s weird,”The other alpha’s in the room laughed while Joshua pushed his hands away, annoyed that he didn’t enjoy it the same as him. “It’s natural,”“I’m not saying it isn’t but…it’s sort of weird, there’s a little person in there, is that weird Jungwoo, to think about?”Jungwoo huffed an amused noise, “yeah, sort of, I guess. I’m more excited than weirded out though I think,”“Will you think it’s weird when I’m pregnant?” Joshua asked him.Seungcheol was quiet, aware that everyone was listening and waiting for what he had to say. “Yeah, probably,”“At least he’s honest,” Jongin laughed from his spot, legs tossed over Sehun’s lap as he played with the alpha’s hair. Jimin shushed him which made the other omega stick his tongue out at him.“Don’t worry Shua, he’ll change his tune when it happens, right Kookie?”Jungkook, who was busy nosing through Kimun’s hair, kissing over the little boy’s head as he rubbed his back, hummed in answer to his mate’s question. He didn’t say anything but the sight of him said more than enough.They milled around after that, Donghyuck and Renjun gathered Jungwoo and led him into the kitchen, he listened with a light heart to Jungwoo exclaiming at the spread in the kitchen, giggling as the other two omegas laughed at his reaction.He was wearing a blinding smile when he came back, looked happy in the way Jaehyun knew was reserved for a good meal and good company. Jaehyun held his hands out for him or his plate but it seemed Donghyuck had all the jobs covered. His hands hung in the air lamely, empty. He felt his eyebrows jump, sent a confused look at Mark whose shoulders were raised, probably thinking the same thing as him. He didn’t mind if Donghyuck wanted to fuss over him a little, he’d had him all to himself all morning anyway, he could spare some Jungwoo if their friends wanted to fawn over him. He was fine with that, but it didn’t stop him from feeling lost anyway.Chae got up so Jungwoo could sit, telling him to relax when he argued that he could sit anywhere. She gave him a look till he stopped and sat down next to Taeil.“But you guys were talking,” Jungwoo said softly, turned his unsure look at Taeil who ran his fingers under his chin, fond smile set on his face.“It’s okay Woo, is she going anywhere?”Chae shook her head in answer to that, moved around the coffee table till Sehun’s voice caught her attention.“Chae, here, you sit, we’re just taking up space,” Sehun said, standing with Jongin in one move till the omega was on his feet and Sehun was flopping to the floor with Mira. Jaehyun smirked, not having seen Chae when she wasn’t in the mood to argue, figured she must be in a really good mood because she didn’t say anything to Sehun about not needing to sit, just took the offered kindness with a smile and roped Mira into a conversation about art. The young wolf, loved to paint which meant her and Chae had plenty to talk about, and now Chae had another friend in the pack. She asked if Mira liked to sculpt too, mentioning that she’d converted her spare room into a studio and had lots of clay, if she ever wanted to learn. Mira turned wide, pleading eyes on her parents. The pair of them smiled and were quick to agree, soft for their only pup.“You might regret opening that door for her Chae,” Jongin said fondly.Chae shook her head, “it’ll be nice to have a fellow artist around, Jungwoo was never interested in that sort of stuff, after he turned 7, he hated his hands being dirty, so he stuck to books,”Jungwoo ducked his head, embarrassed, “That’s-”“-true?” His mom cut him off, nodded her head with a grin that spoke of secrets she was ready to share, a past version of Jungwoo that only she knew but was eager to share with these people who loved him so much. Most of them laughed, seemed to love their dynamic just as much as Jaehyun did.“That’s weird Woo,” Yuta decided, relaxing against Sicheng’s legs where he was sitting on the other couch. “I bet you didn’t like playing outside either,”He shook his head with a disgusted face. Jaehyun smiled at that. He knew people used to pick on him and wondered if his aversion to playing outside past a certain age stemmed from that. And anytime he was brave enough to venture out, he got harassed at the playground which only served to reiterate why he stopped in the first place.“He wasn’t a fan of dirt or bugs,” Chae defended her pup, squeezed his hand when he held it out in the space between them. Didn’t like dirt or bugs or being picked on. “And he wouldn’t do art with me either, he had a thing about stuff on his hands,”“That explains why you’re so clean now, you’ve always been like that,” Jaemin smiled at him.“Being clean isn’t a bad thing,” Taeyong stood up for the omega, sent him a grin over his shoulder and moved into the hand Jungwoo put on the top of his head.“With Woo living here now Jae, your place will finally be clean,” Ten teased, reclined back against Johnny, “you must be excited,”He rolled his eyes. “My house isn’t dirty…” he caught the way Jungwoo was looking at him, “is it?”“By his standards, probably,” Chae answered for Jungwoo, “but you shouldn’t use that as a guide Jaehyun, your house is neat and lived in,”He preened under that, grinning from ear to ear, moved into the hand Jungwoo laid against his cheek. It drew him in till Taeil offered to get up so he could sit but he waved that away, he wanted them to spend time together too, again, since he’d spent all morning with the omega all to himself. He dropped to floor beside Taeyong, enjoyed his pleased smile and how happy he smelled. And he absolutely loved the way his house smelled like all the people he loved most, their scents would linger here with his and Jungwoo’s after they’d left and he really, really loved the idea of that. He spaced out listening to his mom and Chae talking about the pup’s due date and if they agreed about it being a boy like Jungwoo thought, enjoyed the conversation his dad and Jisung were having about the metal shop. His dad knew about Jisung’s boss being a drunk and while he looked amused at the stories Jisung was telling him, he could tell that his dad was keen to do something about it too. He wouldn’t be surprised if Jisung was suddenly in charge of the metal shop sometime soon, give someone who was deserving an opportunity if they wanted it, instead of success being squandered on someone who wouldn’t remember come tomorrow anyway. Jaehyun grinned at the way Jisung’s ears went bright red, flaming under his dad’s excited congratulations towards he and Chenle courting.“Details Hyunjun, ask him for details, maybe he’ll tell you,” Jaemin sighed, tossed himself half over Jeno’s lap to get closer to Jisung and his dad on the floor.“Maybe they don’t want you all to know?” His dad said, sharing a secret smile with Chenle, who seemed grateful.“It’s our business Minnie,” Jisung didn’t look up from his lap but leant back into the hand Chenle threaded into his hair.“But I told you guys details,”“We didn’t ask!” Jisung squawked, “you just told us, it’s not my fault you like to overshare,”Jaemin gasped comically, tossed himself back the other way, into Renjun who shushed him and rubbed his head.After that it seemed most of them were jealous of the plate Jungwoo had made for himself, encouraged by the way Jungwoo was praising how amazing everything looked.“They better not eat all the buns,” he sent his mom a look, cheeks stuffed with the delicious, mentioned pork bun.“I made a seperate box, just for you,”Jungwoo’s eyes sparkled hearing that, gave her a grateful smile and then turned the smile on his brother when he asked Chae if he could make her a plate, saying he was making Kun one too. She was quick to brush that off, saying she didn’t mind and hopped up to join him on his way into the kitchen.The moment they were out of the room, Jaehyun heard Taeil say, “she’s so amazing Woo,”Jungwoo laughed, “she’s the best,”“No, Woo I mean it, she’s just, incredible and so sweet,” he twisted to see them, Jungwoo was leant into his best friend’s side, the few people who were still lingering in the room were listening intently to their quiet conversation. “Not that I’m really surprised, since you came from her and you’re you,”Jungwoo swallowed his bite, shook his head with a disbelieving grin and a confused knit between his brows. “I’m me? That’s…not a descriptor Tae,”“Yes, it is,” his tone didn’t leave any room for argument, “I hope she’s prepared for us including her in things from now on, she’s one of us,”Jungwoo smiled but Jaehyun could see the slight darkening in his eyes, “let’s ease her into that Tae, this is like the most people she’s been around in years, she might need a breather from pack interaction after,”Taeil nodded slowly, “well, will you at least let her know that we want her around. She can come if she wants or not but the invitation is-”“-open and standing?”Taeil beamed, “exactly,”“I’ll tell her,”“She really is so awesome. Yong’s been saying so because they’re best friends after he met her the day you guys delivered the chicken coop and now, I know…he wasn’t kidding,”The omega’s took turns looking at Taeyong sitting against their legs, turned slightly to look at them.“I never thought she’d come to something like this,” Jungwoo admitted, gaze flitted off to the side to make sure they were still relatively alone. “I probably wouldn’t have asked but you convinced her that she could do it and you two got her here, I don’t know how to thank you guys,”“The beauty in that Woo, is you don’t have to thank us at all, we love you and want to do things for you,” Taeil said, fingers ran over his cheek when Jungwoo made a tight noise in his throat, “you’d do it for us,”Jungwoo nodded quickly to make sure Taeil knew he would, absolutely. Taeil nudged his nose into Jungwoo’s cheek, whispered something to him that Jaehyun didn’t catch but Jungwoo smiled, continued to look at him with warm eyes, a happier set to his mouth as he started eating again. He was back to good.After they’d all had something to eat and had rearranged a little, Jungwoo still settled on the couch but now between him and Donghyuck, Chae made eye contact with him, mouthed ‘present time’ to which Jaehyun smiled.He was extremely anxious to pose that question to Jungwoo, knowing how he’d be about it but hopefully from just him and his mom it would be okay. Hopefully.Jaehyun nodded to her when it seemed like she wouldn’t be able to wait any longer. Perhaps the anxious energy was getting to her too. She waited for a lull in their conversation, before saying, “So, sweetie,” Jungwoo looked at her, smile not fading a bit. “I might have broken the no gifts rule,”“Mom,” he whined.“Hey, it’s the blanket,”Jungwoo’s tense shoulder set, relaxed, he sagged into Jaehyun’s side. “Oh,” he smiled at her sheepishly, hands folded together in his lap. Chae stood up, snuck into the kitchen and came back with two bags.“That looks like more than one blanket mom,”She rolled her eyes at him. Most of the others in the room were paying attention now, the pups had crowded forward, eager over presents while Jaehyun heard Taemin whining, “thought we weren’t allowed to get presents,”Minho laughed, tucked his arms around his waist and said, “I think his mom gets a free pass love,”Taemin hummed, sifted his fingers through Hyungmin’s hair when he hurried up to them.When Jaehyun’s attention flitted back to Chae and Jungwoo, Chae was arguing that Jungwoo was her only pup and being a grandma for the first time entitled her to some spoiling.“Will you not spoil my other pups?” Jungwoo asked her.The implication sent Jaehyun’s ears flaming, he hid his face in Jungwoo’s shoulder, smiling when Jungwoo laughed at him. Their friends had lots of colorful things to say about that statement, oohing and ahhing and Ten said something about betting how many kids they’d have in total.“I thought we agreed no more betting on us?” Jungwoo fixed them all with a look that was met with unrest and lots of unhappy muttering. “No,” Sicheng whined, “I was so successful during the last bet Woo, don’t deprive me,”Jungwoo smiled softly at him. Joshua shuffled closer to the table, sat beside Jeno and Jaemin on the floor, “Junnie bragged about winning that bet with you for weeks,”“He did,” Seungcheol agreed, plopped down behind his mate and let him rearrange him to his liking so Joshua could lean back against his chest.“We schooled these suckers,” Sicheng whooped, sending pitying looks around at all of them, “please Jungwoo let us at least guess,”They all stared at him with big, pleading eyes.Jungwoo shifted to look at Jaehyun, nudged him fully out of his hiding place. He didn’t say anything, just looked at him, judging how he felt about this conversation.“And now they’re communicating telepathically!” Ten cried, throwing his weight against Johnny. “Quick, should we all sort out bets while they’re unaware we’re even talking about them?”Yuta laughed loudly, shifting towards Sicheng, in between his legs where he was sitting on the floor in front of him. “Do you want to go in on this with me?”“Depends on how many you think they’ll have,”Yuta made a face like he was thinking really hard about it but stayed quiet as he really considered it. “Three, plus the little bun, already in the oven,”“Three?” Sicheng cried at the same time Jimin exclaimed, “oh my goodness three?! Is he me?”“So, that’s four total,” Mark said like it was a question, “right?”Donghyuck laughed at him, patted his cheek, “quick math honey,”Mark grinned, “Four’s a lot,”“What’s wrong with that?” Yuta said defensively.Sicheng waved him off, apparently decided he didn’t want to bet on anything with Yuta if he thought like that.“That’s so many,” Jongin said quietly, nuzzled Mira’s perfect shiny hair like she was the one and only he’d ever want. They all argued a bit more about it till Jungwoo and Jaehyun came back to them, snuggled so close together it was like they were one.“You guys are crazy,” Jaemin said, up on his knees in front of the coffee table, elbows propped and face smug.“Oh really? And how many do think they’ll have, keep in mind, Jaehyun had the world’s craziest crush on Jungwoo for years and this is like a dream come true for him,” Kun crossed his arms.“Kill me Woo, this is a nightmare,” he whispered, face nudged close to him in an attempt to hide from this mortification.Jaemin remained smug in the face of Kun’s disbelief. Calmly he said, “One,”They all squawked, “one?!”“Mhmm, this one and one of their own, so technically two,”Chae nodded, “I agree,”“Mom!” Jaemin grinned from ear to ear, held his hand out to Chae for a high-five. She gave him a funny look like she didn’t totally understand what was happening but didn’t seem to want to upset him and copied his action, he met her and cheered after clapping their hands together. She still didn’t seem to get it, but his dad squeezed her shoulder behind her, gave her a thumbs up which seemed to reassure her.“So, two total…” Kun seemed to think about that, didn’t look at all convinced and like he was ready to argue but Hajun, their resident diplomat, since his dad seemed to be taking a day off, corralled them back to the topic at hand.“Presents right? That’s what we were doing, before this weird conversation,”“This is our everyday honey, don’t act surprised,” Kun said over his shoulder, watched Hajun drag a chair over from the dining room table so Kun could sit.“Oh, I’m not,” he kissed the top of Kun’s head as he settled, “present Jungwoo, go ahead,”Jungwoo smiled at his brother, took the first bag Chae handed to him, not looking super shocked when he unwrapped a pristinely knitted throw blanket, which made sense since he knew his mother had been making him one.“Thank you, mom, it’s beautiful,”“One of many,” she said which made Jungwoo smile wider.“That’s beautiful Chae, I tried to knit once, it didn’t go that great though,” Taemin pouted.“I’ve made Jungwoo a blanket every year for his birthday,”“Every year? That’s a lot of blankets,” Kun exclaimed but he was a warm shade of pink so Jaehyun knew he thought it was sweet, looked a little jealous even.“You could probably sell these Chae,” Minho said, eyeing the blanket, always keen on someone finding a way to make money, utilize a talent.“I don’t think so, who’d buy a knitted blanket?”“I would,” Kun said, eagerness gave away the tiny bit of envy he had towards such a nice homemade gift.“I would too,” Jimin bounced forward, tickling Kimun as he went.“Me too,” Donghyuck smiled, “I mean, we don’t have pups yet but-”“-someday,” Mark finished, hands hanging onto the omega who’s smile never left his face, a sight Jaehyun was happy to be seeing for himself. Most of their friends seemed to agree, they all looked like they were holding their breath at the sight of Donghyuck happily talking about pups, his own future pups.“Well, maybe, I’ll think about it,” she smiled at all of them, seemed unaware what to do with the attention and support. Much like Jungwoo, they both floundered when so many people were paying attention to them and complimenting them. That particular conversation ended as she handed Jungwoo the next bag.“Mom,” he sighed, hands closing around the bag, “you really didn’t have to get me anything,”“I know,”“I’m just happy you’re here,”She reached out to stroke over his cheek, “And I’m happy to be,” she nodded her head at the bag that he had yet to investigate. When he looked hesitant about opening it, she said, “Need I bring up the spoiling my only pup point again, Jaehyun should we circle back to that,”Jaehyun coughed loudly, cleared his throat with a, “no, no thanks Chae, that’s alright,”Even though she was teasing him, using him as a method of deflection, Jaehyun was thrilled about it. It was a side of her, he was only just getting used to and she seemed so comfortable, messing with him like the rest of his friends and family did, it felt right. She fit right in with them and it warmed him up. It warmed Jungwoo up too if his pink cheeks and easy smile were anything to go on.“The anticipation is killing me Woo, come on,” Jaemin whined, fielding the swats from Jisung and Chenle for his nonsense.From the bag he pulled out a book, hand-made by the looks of it. It almost looked like a scrapbook judging by the size, thick paper filled the inside.“Oooh a book,” Ten sang, laughing when he got hit by several different people, “what, I wasn’t being a brat, I like books,”“Shh baby,” Johnny said, squeezing him tighter, “sorry about him,”Jaehyun rolled his eyes at them, returned his attention to Jungwoo who was only on the very first page of the book, his bottom lip was wobbling dangerously, breath trembling on its way out of him. He watched his fingers trail over the page, his hand hovered over the intricately done drawing of a forest scene. The edges were done in black and white, just graphite pencil and bled into a full colored scene. The second page had carefully written words, in a script so beautiful it definitely belonged on the pages of a book.There were tears streaking down his cheeks, as he flipped to the next page then the next, he lifted his head to look at his mom. Gave her a tiny smile which she returned as he went back to staring at the book, she’d made him. It looked so professional and special, he understood why Jungwoo seemed to be barely touching each page, fingers avoided the illustrations like he’d ruin them.No one seemed to want to pop the bubble he was in or disturb whatever he was feeling but the pups were getting restless, everyone shifted a little the longer Jungwoo stayed quiet.“What is it Woo?” Taeil asked softly from the floor.He cleared his throat, voice still came out squeaky when he said, “It’s the stories she used to tell me when I was little,” he sniffled, handed the book to Jaehyun as he pushed off from the couch, “thank you Mom, I love it, it’s…it’s perfect,”“Of course, sweetie, so you can share it with them. I can have it bound better, I just wanted to finish it,”“No, no it’s really perfect,”Beside him, Donghyuck was flipping through the pages with the same amount of care as Jungwoo had, Jaehyun listened as his breath caught, illustrations and outlining on the pages was really so breathtaking. Chae made this, for Jungwoo, creating something so meaningful, so unique and taking everyone else’s breath away in the process.  “You drew these Chae?” Donghyuck asked, while Taeil peeked over his lap, a shocked, ‘wow’ left his mouth.She hummed from where she was snuggling her pup.“And she made up the stories, the first one, about the forest, is my favorite,”Donghyuck flipped back to the first page, smiling at the story, “this is like the most detailed drawing I’ve ever seen, there’s sunshine, how do you even draw sunshine?!”Chae laughed at him, rocked Jungwoo back and forth when he stayed tucked against her shoulder. They watched the book get passed down the line till it got to Johnny who’s face seemed sad as he flipped through the pages.“What’s wrong Johnny?” Chenle asked, playing patty-cake with Kimun who’d ditched Jungkook in favor of a game.“I just can’t imagine being this creative,” he muttered, “The sunshine and the sprites, how do you even come up with that?”“When you have a little kid, who doesn’t like to go outside, you find ways to entertain them,”“There’s one about a cow named Henry who wishes he was a chicken,”“I love it already,” Chenle said with a laugh that made a smile split Jisung’s face.Johnny threw his hands up which made Yuta snort, he passed the book off, “Kind of makes you jealous huh?”“I mean, I live with an artsy person,” smiling when Ten winked over his shoulder at him, “but wow, I wish I was creative like that,”“She writes Johnny, that’s what she does, makes up stories. And she’s always been an amazing artist,”“But I mean, come on,”They all laughed at his unwillingness to understand her talent and his lack thereof.“It’s so beautiful Chae really,” Taemin said, lifted his arm when Hyungmin slid up to him.“What’s this,”“The book Jungwoo’s mom made for him, she made up the stories and drew the pictures,” he turned the pages slowly, adjusted when the pup crawled into his lap. His laughter filled the room as he pointed to the picture on the page.“Frogs!”Taemin hummed, eyes watching his pup as the little boy scanned the page.Hyungmin laughed again, “they’re in a watermelon,”Taemin smiled into his hair, “it’s their boat, they’re going to a party, but it rained, and the younger frog doesn’t know how to swim yet,”Enthralled, Hyungmin settled against him as Taemin read him the whole story quietly.Minho looked over his family fondly before shooting him a glance, “that’s a hard act to follow Jae,”Jaehyun shook his head at him with wide eyes, silently willing him to shut up but it was too late. Jungwoo had heard and was giving him a look, one that was asking him to explain himself.“Uh,”“Jae, you promised,”“No, I promised that they wouldn’t be doing presents,” he waved his hand over the room to indicate their friends. “You didn’t make me specifically promise,”“Convenient,” Jungwoo muttered, snuggling into the side hug Taeyong jumped up to give him.“Let him sweetie,” Chae said softly, giving Jaehyun a look so he’d go get his gift while Jungwoo was distracted and not arguing.“Do you need a hand?” Minho asked, wearing a guilty expression, sorry that he’d spilled the beans about his gift.“Uh, sure yeah, thanks,” he landed a punch on Minho’s shoulder, for letting his secret slip but grinned at him after so he’d know he wasn’t super annoyed and wouldn’t hold this against him.Minho let out a low whistle at the sight of the crib, a craftsman in his own right, he could appreciate a good bit of work, like he appreciated the time and skill he’d put into the rocking chair that still made Taemin jealous.“Wow Jae, it’s beautiful,”“Thanks,” he smiled, felt his ears get red at the praise. He lifted one end while Minho grabbed the other and helped him carry it out into the living room.Their arrival was met with ooh’s and ahh’s, a few intakes of breath and silence from the only person’s opinion he truly cared about. They set it down in front of the fireplace and Jaehyun turned to see Jungwoo stood, frozen in front of the coffee table. Their friends and family scattered all around him, were split between watching him and staring at his gift. Taeil stood to give him a gentle nudge forward, sparing Jaehyun a soft, understanding smile like he approved of the gift but knew Jungwoo well enough to see that this was overwhelming for him. Jungwoo staggered, blinking slowly, his steps were halted when he started moving as if he wasn’t sure what he was seeing was real. He chanced a glance at Jaehyun who was standing still, waiting for his reaction, hoping it’d get better. Hoping that this was shock and not dislike. He knew Jungwoo though, so he knew he probably loved it but wasn’t sure how to deal with it or all the things he was feeling all at once. This has been a long, emotional day for him and Jaehyun was pushing the limits of what he was used to dealing with for sure. But he loved him, and he wanted, to not only spoil him but give him things he needed, make him happy, see him smile and make him understand that he deserved nice things, deserved gifts, was worth all of this and more. He’d gotten so much better at those things which Jaehyun was thankful for, hoped he’d reached a point where he’d be good at accepting this too.Because he was watching him so intently, he saw the way his eyes filled with tears, he made a tight noise, took a couple steps forward till a hand could run along the railing, the other stayed against his stomach.Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his mom wringing her hands together, stepping back into his dad’s chest, chewing her lip like she as anxious over Jungwoo’s reaction too. He appreciated the concern of course, but where Jungwoo had gotten better at accepting things, Jaehyun had grown accustomed to convincing him to.“Do you like it?” he asked quietly, felt peaches and cinnamon work over him slowly then all at once it was all he could smell. Jungwoo squeaked, head bobbed twice in a nod then he was back to staring and controlling his breathing. “This lowers and I didn’t stain it, just used some sealer because I…liked the natural wood and-”“-Jae,” his brother cut in with a laugh, “easy,”He cleared his throat, cheeks got hot till Jungwoo looked over at him. Jaehyun couldn’t decipher the way he was looking at him just knew that he needed him to say something because he was starting to get a little freaked out.He opened his mouth to apologize for the word vomit and for giving him this here, like this, in front of some many people, knew better honestly but he was just excited. Jungwoo spun to him fully before he could get the words out, his arms wrapped around his shoulders quickly, head tucked into his shoulder. He heard Taeil say something about giving them a minute while Jaehyun curled around Jungwoo, protecting him, offering him warmth and comfort and pheromones to soothe him, remind him that he was loved beyond all reason. The party continued around them while Jungwoo sniffled into his shirt, nosed into his neck till he could breathe in his scent right from the source.“I love it Jaehyun,” he heard the omega whisper, words fanned out over his skin, up to his ear, “the pup is going to love it, it’s perfect,”A pleased rumble escaped him which drew Jungwoo closer, he curled around him tighter, lips pressed to the space beneath his ear gently then more intently till he moved and kissed his cheek. He wrapped his arms around him till Jungwoo squeaked and hugged him back in a way that made it seem like he wouldn’t be letting him go. Which spelled trouble for their friends and the party they were at, in their house but he couldn’t just not hug Jungwoo. He couldn’t deny him what he wanted or needed or pull away from him when he was hanging onto him the way he was, when his breathing was returning to normal and he wasn’t crying fully, and he smelled so happy. Jaehyun was hopeless on a good day to all of those things but today especially.“You really like it,” he asked with a smile, already beaming. He knew his face must’ve been flaming, happily under Jungwoo’s attention and touch and the way he’d kissed his cheek.“I really, really like it, it’s so beautiful,” Jungwoo said, pulled back to look at him, “I don’t even know what to say, it’s too much but I love it,”Jaehyun could see the way his parents were watching them like they were enjoying the way he handled Jungwoo’s inability to deal with gift giving and Chae was smiling brighter than Jaehyun had ever seen. Which was truly a wonderful thing to witness, especially when he considered how long she’d been miserable and alone and maybe that wasn’t what she’d necessarily wanted but it’s what she thought was best, what she believed she deserved. What she truly deserved was to be here, with all of them, with Jungwoo, be a part of a family and a pack and not care what anyone else thought of that.Their friends were better at being sneaky, were definitely watching them but could get away with looking like they weren’t.“I love it Jae,” he pulled him into another hug, sniffing like he was trying to ward off the urge to cry so Jaehyun rubbed his back, held him closer to his chest.“Good,” he said lamely, “that was a better reaction than I thought you’d have actually,”Jungwoo laughed wetly over his shoulder.“Yeah good job Woo, you didn’t even hit him or anything,” Yuta said, came up to inspect the crib for himself. His presence made Jungwoo untangle from him partially, but he still stayed pressed against his chest, moved his arms so they could wrap around his waist instead. He smiled proudly at the other alpha, returned the affectionate looks their friends were giving them as they all approached their bubble. He leant into Donghyuck’s touch with a laugh when he swiped his fingers under his eyes to get rid of his tears.“It’s so pretty Jae,” Kun said, eyes shining with glee and the need to tease him but Jaehyun just looked away from him, returned his attention to the omega in his arms who was staring reverently at the crib his pup would sleep in, in a few weeks they’d bring them home, lay them down to sleep their first night here, they’d fill it with blankets and a mat that they’d scented and it’d be too perfect for words.“Is it…cedar wood?” Johnny asked, hand dragging along the back frame while Ten inspected it next to him.“Smells like cedar wood, or is that just you, because you’re so happy,” he fanned the air around his head to wave the cloud of his scent away. He rolled his eyes, had an argument loaded but felt it slip away when he looked down and saw the way Jungwoo was staring up at him, eyes twinkling.“Cedar wood,” he heard himself say in agreement which made Jungwoo smile, lift a hand to brush through his hair before he was pulling him in to kiss him. A few yells of excitement and whistles broke through the static in his head, got a little louder when Jungwoo pulled back.It took him a second to blink his eyes open, too caught up in Jungwoo for that too brief moment. He still managed to get lost even though the kiss was quick and over too soon, because when he looked around, he felt disoriented, seeing so many people looking at him. His brother and Minho were laughing at him, heads ducked together while Kun hit the pair of them for teasing him, apparently only Kun could make him feel ridiculous about gifts and kisses. His parents were giving him matching fond looks, appeared like they wanted to join their circle but didn’t want to intrude or were happy just watching from where they were across the room. Majority of their friends didn’t agree with this though, crowding around them, laughing, teasing, poking at Jaehyun for being a softie and calling him a meanie for making Jungwoo cry. Jungwoo squealed that it wasn’t his fault, he was an emotional wreck today which made all of them laugh harder. Seungcheol made another comment about how tiny a person had to be to fit in this crib, he shivered, riding the rails of his existential crisis to the very end. Joshua shook his head before placing a hand on his forehead, asked him what the hell was up with him today. Which Seungcheol answered with a faraway stare and said, “we were all that small once, oh my god, that’s so weird,”“Seungcheol stop it,”“I can’t!”“Dude, stop thinking, you’re gonna hurt yourself,”Seungcheol laughed loudly at Jungkook’s assessment of his mental state but stopped saying whatever he was thinking out loud. He curled his arms around Joshua’s waist where he was staring into the crib like the rest of them and let them all wander off to talk about other things.A lead which most of them followed, Jaehyun and his friends were always happy to talk about anything and they effortlessly jumped from one thing to the next, which worked for today too, they steered conversation, kept things light and were distracting when Jungwoo seemed to not be able to handle anymore attention.He and Jungwoo stayed bodily attached, swaying gently for movement as Doyoung brought up something Jaehyun hadn’t thought about. “What about the bed Jae? What’s the pup going to sleep on?”His heart sank, “oh shit,” he hadn’t thought about that.Chae laughed from the floor where she and Hyungmin were coloring a picture, “You’re very forgetful Jaehyun,”Johnny snorted with Yuta as Taeyong asked, “what makes you say that Chae?”“He made me that chicken coop, that you boys brought over, but he didn’t bring the ramp…”Everyone shot him a look before they started laughing at him.“I get excited and forget stuff, I brought it…didn’t I?”Chae smiled at him, nodded her head, clearly enjoying the teasing atmosphere and getting to be a part of this with all of them. Jungwoo giggled, looking at him so tenderly it made his heart hurt and his wolf charge forward, eager to know what they did to make him look at them like that.“I can make a bed Jae,” Renjun offered, the only one among them who worked in that particular area for a living, though he imagined Chae would be able to make a bed to fit in the crib too, he wasn’t about to deprive his friend a chance to help when he looked so delighted over it.“Thanks Rennie,”He smirked at him in answer and they all moved on. Thankfully he was tired of them messing with him, couldn’t he be thoughtful and forgetful and not have anyone bug him over it? He knew these people, so he knew that was a no.Just as they were all settling into different circles and different conversations, a tiny cry split the room. Most everyone startled at the noise and Jungwoo jumped, out of his arms slightly with a shy laugh.“Oop, call of the wild one,” Taemin skirted around all of them then stopped, “Jae, your mom said it was okay if Hyunsik napped in your room…I mean it’s too late now but-”“-Yeah Mins that’s fine,”“I can get him love,” Minho said, partially in motion till Taemin tsked at him.“Nonsense, I need my post nap pup snuggle,” He ran his hand across Minho’s shoulders as he left the room to ease the blow, but Minho didn’t look too put out. Instantly he was on him about other things like his mate hadn’t just shot him down.“Okay, I know I said you should sell the rocking chairs, but you should definitely sell the cribs Jae, you’d make a fortune, this is gorgeous,”Jaehyun laughed at Minho, ducked under his brother’s hand when it landed heavily on his head. “But if I sold them, then they wouldn’t be special,” he turned to look at Jungwoo who was being fawned over by their mom’s. The pair of them, having been through the process and courted their own mates, didn’t bug him anymore about it, knowing this was one of his courting gifts for Jungwoo. The topic dropped further when Taemin came back with the baby, Minho made a noise that Jaehyun knew he only made at the sight of Taemin with one of their pups.“Hyunnie,” Jungwoo’s voice happily curled around him, smiling giddily at the young pup who made an excited noise in his direction. His tiny fingers curled around the air, extended out for the other omega which seemed to thrill Jungwoo as he plucked him out of Taemin’s arms and cuddled him.“Break my heart pup, jeez,” Taemin sighed as Jungwoo swayed him softly, nuzzled his head when the pup tucked under his chin.Minho curled an arm around his shoulders to soothe the burn of that, smiled at Jungwoo’s apologetic face. He offered Hyunsik back to Taemin, but the pup whined and curled his hands in his shirt tighter. But then, just like that Jungwoo was old news because Donghyuck was there and Hyunsik all but threw himself out of Jungwoo’s arms for Donghyuck instead. The omegas laughed while Donghyuck looked all kinds of smug that this pup had picked him over the warm, soothing pheromones of a pregnant omega and over his mom.Though where Hyunsik appeared to favor Donghyuck, Hyungmin’s favorite was still Jungwoo, without contest. He stood from the floor and hurried towards him, asking, “Jungwoo, cake?”The omega hummed, “I don’t know buddy, let’s check, I’d love some cake,”“I’ll help you Woo,” Taemin followed him. It spurred most of them into seeking dessert. Jaehyun let the exodus pass him, leaving him and his mom in the living room, with just Chenle and Jimin on the floor playing with Jimin’s youngest, Jihun.She crossed to him carefully, brushed his hair out of his eyes, “I love seeing you like this sweetie,”He smiled down at her, happy under the weight of those words and with the way he believed them. It hadn’t been easy, and they still weren’t perfect, but he knew they’d be okay, they were going in the right direction. They were in a place where they could understand each other now and he was ridiculously happy for that.“I’m sorry I ever doubted the two of you, it’s so obvious, seeing you together, seeing all of you together, it, I’m sorry,”“It’s okay Mom, we’re good,”She gave him a look that spoke of gratitude and acceptance, joy over the life he was making and the fact that she got to be included in it too.He returned her hug when she wrapped her arms around him, he wasn’t expecting so much good to come out of today. He knew it’d be good, knew it’d be fun but the sheer amount of it was almost overwhelming. But in the best way.…. When the party was winding down, Jimin and Jungkook heading out with their brood of pups, Jongin, Sehun and Mira, right on their heels, Jaehyun felt the rest of them relax a little further. Not that those people weren’t familiar to them, but this was their inner circle, this was their chosen pack of people, their family so they were naturally more at ease with them, more themselves. He gathered a pile of cups, hugging Joshua with one arm as he approached him with Seungcheol, the next pair to leave. He thanked them for coming and spending the day with them, telling Seungcheol he’d see him Monday at the site as the omegas snuggled each other.“I don’t work Wednesdays Woo, if you need some company, I know Seungkwan would love to have tea and hang out,”“That’d be great, Donghyuck doesn’t work Wednesdays either, with his new schedule, we should do something,”Joshua beamed, promising to let Seungkwan know and maybe Minghao too before giving him one more hug and saying he’d see him later that week. He waved to the pair of them as they left, headed back to the couch where Sicheng was fighting Taeil off, whining that he’d been hogging him all day.“Yeah Tae, it’s our turn,” Ten squeezed in between the two omegas with a bright laugh, sticking his tongue out at Taeil’s frown. Jaehyun smiled at the sight of them, at their friends all laughing around them, breathing in sync and just existing together. Knowing Jungwoo was in good hands, even though he was being fought over, he headed into the kitchen with the trash he’d collected, decided to pick up a little while there was a lull in the action.He saw Kun and Chae at the island, talking but wasn’t close enough to hear what they were saying yet. A few more steps brought their voices into focus, he stilled so he could hear what they were saying.“I was serious about the blanket Chae,”She laughed a little, Jaehyun noticed that she was already picking up the kitchen. His heart ached at how far they’d come, it didn’t seem like a lot, but she’d spent the afternoon in his house, with his friends and family, she’d seemed to enjoy herself being among them and now she was taking it upon herself to help him clean up, it just did something to him.“Serious because of the pup?”Kun was quiet, then he asked in a surprised voice, “how did you know?”Chae grinned at him in very tender, gentle way, “I’m observant and you’re glowing, also I’m not sure how Hajun is with you normally but he acts like an alpha would with their pregnant mate,” she shrugged, offered him her hand, “congratulations,”“Thank you,”“And you do look wonderful by the way,”Kun giggled, ducked his head, free hand tucked some hair behind his ear.“I’d be honored to make you a blanket Kun,” she said, swinging their hands between them, “but I’d never make you pay for it,”“But I would Chae, I don’t mind,”“And I’d never charge you, you’re family,”Kun blinked before he hugged her, “how long do you think it’ll take them after the pup’s born, before it’s official,”“With those two? Probably not long at all,” she smiled as she hugged him back. Jaehyun flushed, hearing them so casually talk about he and Jungwoo mating. First it was everyone talking about having pups and now mating, this day was really doing a number on his heart.“Are you okay with that…with it being Jae?” Kun asked next, he was so nosy and blunt, Jaehyun knew that but Chae didn’t. And he didn’t want her to be offended. But instead of offense she just looked thoughtful.“What are you doing?” his dad’s voice startled him into jumping, which he laughed at. He glared up at him, when he didn’t get to hear Chae’s answer to that question, his glare only made his dad laugh harder. “What are you doing kid?”“Snooping,” he knew Chae liked him and liked him for Jungwoo because she’d told him as much, but he always liked the reassurance.“In your own house?”“Yeah,” he tried to stop him from continuing into the kitchen but didn’t have a hand, hung his head and followed him.The pair at the island stopped talking when they came in, offered them big smiles before Kun was sagging into his dad’s open arms. Chae reached out to help Jaehyun with his arm full of party debris, telling him that she was starting to pack up some of the food, but had made Jungwoo a second plate if he was still hungry. She pointed to the microwave, to indicate where she’d stored it.He opened his mouth to ask if he could help till Donghyuck barreled into the kitchen, distracting the four of them.“Jungwoo wants a cupcake, also…Ten might have made him emotional so he may or may not need some comfort from a specific alpha,”Jaehyun gave him a look to see if he was kidding, when he didn’t say anything else, Jaehyun hurried away from them back into the living room. Their friends were laughing, for the most part while Sicheng had cuddled Jungwoo into his chest, swatting Ten away when he sat forward.“What’s going on?” He asked, still not sure if Donghyuck was being super serious or not.“That little snitch, I didn’t mean to make him cry Jae,” Ten whined, not happy to be the cause of all this.“What’d you say Tennie,” he pressed, smiled at Jungwoo when he perked up at his voice, he sat out of Sicheng’s arms to hold his hands out for Jaehyun’s. He tugged him up, laid his chin on the top of his head when he snuggled into him. “What happened pumpkin?”“We were talking about us, and you, jeez Woo, tell him you’re fine so he’ll stop looking at me like that,”“I’m fine Jae,” Jungwoo whimpered, buried his head further against him, “happy,”He huffed a tiny laugh, kissed his head and held him tighter. “It’s been a long day,”Jungwoo hummed, turned his head so he could lay it on his shoulder, eyeline set on the crib. He made a strangled noise and buried his head again. Jaehyun, though curious, trusted Jungwoo when he said he was crying because he was happy. If something was really wrong, someone would say so and Jungwoo didn’t smell upset. He smelled really, really happy actually and was crying because he was emotional not because he was sad.When Donghyuck came back in with the cupcake, Kun, Chae and his dad, Jungwoo brightened back up.Chae nuzzled his head, “you okay baby?”Jungwoo sniffled but nodded, smiled into the kiss she pressed to his head. “It’s been a really long, really emotionally draining day,”“A long, emotionally draining day focused solely on you,” Taeyong offered, knowing that that, in particular, was the stressful part for him.“We won’t talk about you anymore, promise,” Jaemin smiled at him, from where he was on the floor. Jungwoo whispered a quick thank you, took Jaehyun’s hand before he was pushing him to sit in the loveseat and settling in with him. Even so many months pregnant, he wasn’t very heavy at all so Jaehyun helped him rearrange mostly on his lap and across it so he’d be comfortable, even if he were heavy, Jaehyun wouldn’t mind. He’d endure anything for Jungwoo and his peace of mind, anything to make sure he was in a good place. A good place which he was sure to find here with him, since he was the only one who wouldn’t let go of him, wouldn’t let him be passed around anymore and the only one capable of posing a front not even their friends would cross. They’d fall away and talk about other things, leave them to each other to unwind, let Jungwoo find peace in the bubble Jaehyun made for them and not complain about it. They wouldn’t bug them anymore. Safe and calmed down, Jaehyun heard him start purring quietly, cupcake devoured before he was resting back against his shoulder.He rubbed his hand up and down his back as their friends talked about each other and work and his parents shared goofy stories about him and Hajun as pups, Chae interjecting every so often with a story about Jungwoo. Which the omega didn’t respond to. A quick look down at him showed he’d fallen asleep. In the warm, reassuring circle of his arms, with the scents of their family all around him, he’d relaxed completely, overcome by the busyness of this day.“Awww,” Johnny sighed dramatically, causing the attention to direct where he was looking, at the omega sleeping against him. He watched their mouths open to comment but the look he gave them kept them quiet.As he’d suspected, they didn’t bug them anymore. Content that Jungwoo had enjoyed the party enough that he was now tuckered out. Full trust in the fact that Jaehyun had him and that Jungwoo was right where he wanted to be.….. That night, after everyone had helped them clean up, packed food to take home, hugged and kissed and promised to see them tomorrow, he and Jungwoo were left alone. In their home. That smelled like them and all the important people in their lives.Considering how exhausted he was, it wasn’t difficult for Jaehyun to convince Jungwoo to unpack tomorrow, his stuff wasn’t going anywhere now that he lived here for real and watched him relax on his side of the bed.“You okay?”Jungwoo perked up, eyes wide where he was staring at him. The tiny smile on his face took Jaehyun’s breath away. He looked okay, he looked better than okay honestly.“Of course, I am, why?”“Just checking,” he said, laid down beside him, opened his arms when Jungwoo shifted to lay against him instead. “It was a long day and you were…emotional earlier,”“Yeah, I’m okay Jae,”“Okay,” he squeezed him till he squeaked happily, “can I ask what Ten said that made that happen?”Jungwoo went quiet, hands fiddled with his shirt, tugged at the collar distractedly for so long that Jaehyun figured he wasn’t going to say anything at all. Then in a soft voice he said, “He was just saying how everything happened for a reason and it was sweet, that all your waiting was worth it because now we’re here, happy like this,”Jaehyun laid his head back, stared at the ceiling, leave it to Ten to make him sound lonely and sort of pitiful while also complimenting their relationship and the adorable state of them.“Do you believe in fate Jae?”Jaehyun sucked in a breath. He hadn’t. Before. He’d never given much thought to the force of the universe before Jungwoo. Everything changed after Jungwoo, because of Jungwoo. It had to be fate, didn’t it, that Jungwoo’s circumstances would lead him away from the city, back home at a time when he needed certain people and relationships to get him through. And it had to be the universes doing, that their wolves would form a bond when they were younger that didn’t reignite till, they met again years later. It had to be something beyond their control, that everything would line up, that they’d find each other again, against the odds, when Jungwoo could’ve had a whole different life. He chose to come home. And he chose to stay.“I didn’t,” Jaehyun said, dragged his fingers through his hair and listened to his heart beat, felt his wolf rumble happily inside him, “not before you,”And he hadn’t. But he did now.He believed in things he used to doubt, believed in a life that was bigger than just himself, a capacity to love that was beyond his wildest imaginings, and he believed in the two of them. In the bond they had, in the life they were building. He believed that today was amazing, and their life would be too, every piece they found and put into place made him believe in a future he hadn’t dared to think about before.He believed in this wolf, this omega, who changed everything.Who made him never want to close his eyes because this was better than any dream he’d ever had.Who made him want to stay right here and never go back.