left to the wolves

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/28425909.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: NCT (Band)
Relationship: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, background established
xiaodery
Character: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Qian Kun, Wong Kun Hang |
Hendery, Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Liu Yang Yang, Wong Yuk Hei |
Lucas, Dong Si Cheng | WinWin
Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University,
Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Omega Chittaphon
Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Alpha Qian Kun, Mating Cycles/In Heat,
Eventual Smut, like a lot of smut, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending,
Friendship, courting, Secret Relationship, Cuddling & Snuggling,
Scenting, Jealousy, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Collections: fav nct fics
Stats: Published: 2020-12-30 Completed: 2021-03-10 Chapters: 11/11 Words:
30660

left to the wolves

by TheRPL

Summary

There was a pause, and he heard the sound of Kun moving, his coat crumpling as he
extended his arm to him. Not his arm, his wrist.

Ten observed it for a second. He took Kun's wrist between dainty fingers. He slowly
brought it to his nose and breathed in. The warmest, most delicious feeling spread through
him, and his entire body relaxed. He brought the wrist closer and took in Kun's smell again,
warm and spicy, basking in the sense of relief that took over him. He let the wrist go.

He turned to Kun, who was observing him raptly. His eyes were dark, his gaze heavy as he
watched Ten. He cleared his throat suddenly, righting himself, pretending that the moment
hadn't just happened.

He did not look at him when he said, "I thought I could smell it on you, but I wasn't sure."

Ten did not move, still a little bit dizzy, still a little bit high off Kun's pheromones. "Smell
what?"

"Your pre-heat."
Notes

hiiii~~ i'm really excited to share this story with you all!
Edit: come find me on twitter @rpltherpl

Translation in Vietnamese available here.

 Chapter 1

present

Ten had been feeling off for a few days now. Every smell was enhanced tenfold and made it nearly
impossible to be a functioning college student. He needed to cover his nose in class, struggled
walking through crowded corridors, and certainly could not eat in the cafeteria with his friends.
Just the thought of the stench of the other students mixed in with the grease of overcooked meat
made him nauseous. He knew what it meant, though. It was his body preparing for his heat.

Despite having presented a year ago already, a few weeks ahead of his 21st birthday, heats still felt
fairly new to him. He knew it was because this one would only be his third. Ten was grateful that
omegas only had two heats per year, and that both were relatively short. The pre-heat however –
meant to prepare the body for the main event – lasted for a while. Ten thought he had figured out
his cycle. He was entering pre-heat when smells got too intense to bear. If he was lucky, that phase
only lasted a few days. For at least one full week afterward, he would be moody and clingy,
latching onto anyone of his friends, demanding cuddles and attention. This phase culminated in an
all-consuming need to be touched. A few days of this heightened desire would ultimately lead to
his heat, hitting him like a ton of bricks.

This is how Ten ended up having lunch outside on a bench by the soccer field despite being a cold
day in early February. He was ready to freeze to death if it meant he avoided the atrocious smells
and the nausea they triggered.

He had bitten into his sandwich when he felt someone sit next to him. The next second, a rich waft
of alpha pheromones hit him. The body pressed closer, and Ten’s heartbeat picked up. He did not
need to look up to know who it was.

Kun, Kun, Kun.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Kun with a mocking sort of laugh. "All by yourself,
eating your sandwich." He threw an arm around his shoulder, patting him there the way he did with
all his friends, all his 'bros'.

Ten tried to swat his arm away, squirming under the weight of it. Kun only gripped harder. "You
know I prefer to make my own since we can’t trust what the cafeteria puts in the food." He turned
to his friend, the handsome boyish alpha with a crooked grin. It only took a second for him to feel
it, the pull of him.

"You're way too skinny. You could use some trans fat in your diet." Kun punctuated his words with
a squeeze around Ten's shoulder.

"I'm not dieting, I'm eating healthy. And to answer your question, it smells so fucking bad in there,
I don't think I can step foot inside." Ten tried to ignore the look of concern he saw in his friend's
eyes, turning back to his sandwich instead.

"Oh," answered Kun after a beat. Slowly, he withdrew his arm, inching ever so slightly away from
Ten. "Pre-heat?"

Ten tried his best not to focus on the ache his omega felt at seeing the alpha back away. Instead, he
put his sandwich down in his lap and nodded.

There was another pause, and he heard the sound of Kun moving, his coat crumpling as he
extended his arm to him. Not his arm, his wrist.

Ten observed it for a second. He brushed his hands on his jeans to rid them of any potential crumbs
and took Kun's wrist between dainty fingers. He slowly brought it to his nose and breathed in. The
warmest, most delicious feeling spread through him, and he felt his entire body relax. He brought
the wrist closer and took in Kun's smell again, warm and spicy, basking in the sense of relief that
took over him before he let it go.

He turned to Kun, who was observing him raptly. His eyes were dark, his gaze heavy as he
watched Ten. He cleared his throat suddenly, righting himself on the bench, pretending that the
moment hadn't just happened.

It was a specialty of theirs. Pretending. Not talking about things. Carrying on. Moving past.

Ten thought he could pinpoint exactly when it had started, their willful ignorance, their blatant
disregard for this thing between them.

If he was asked, he would say it started like this.

past

Ten did not remember ever meeting Kun, only that it felt like he always knew him. As children,
they attended the same primary school. They were not exactly friends back then. Kun was the
perfect A-grade student, and Ten was a lively and playful, sometimes even rowdy, kid. They
graduated and started high school the same year. On top of being in every single class together,
they both joined the choir. Ten hated Kun, and his good grades and manners, and his stupid voice.
He hated that Kun was everywhere and apparently good at everything. For all he knew, the dislike
was mutual.

What brought them together was their friends. Somehow, Kun and Yukhei were best friends. It
seemed odd to Ten at first, seeing as Yukhei was a tall, handsome, and athletic kid in the same
dance club as Ten. But as Ten got to know Kun better, he understood their brotherly dynamic. It
was through Yukhei that Ten had first discovered Kun's playful side. Not too long after, Ten
introduced his own best friend, Sicheng, to the growing group. Kunhang arrived later and
introduced them to Dejun, his boyfriend. The two boys had dated through the end of high school
and now college, going strong on their five years of relationship. Finally, Yangyang, the youngest,
joined the group.

With the years and the continuous interactions, the group of friends became increasingly close,
bordering on inseparable. Ten and Kun, as the two eldest, always tended to butt heads, to the
delight of their friends. Despite their push and pull dynamic, they got closer with time.

Ten saw Kun grow more confident around him, more relaxed. He stopped trying so hard to help
Ten study or tell him how to hit the higher notes. Kun was no longer coming to their dance recitals
only for Yukhei; he made sure Ten knew he was cheering for him as well. In return, Ten dialed
down the teasing, started to listen to Kun’s advice, and turned their arguing into playful banter.

They applied to the same university, and both got into their chosen majors: Kun in business and
Ten in teaching. The first year of college was overwhelming. Both boys were buried in homework,
essays, and classes. They tried to make time for each other through study dates and attending
parties and other student events together. They had become each other's pillars. Their friendship
had blossomed to its most mature form.
The rest of the group, save Yangyang, joined them the following year. Their third year, Yangyang
was welcomed on campus by all his friends.

Despite having been a rather skinny and scrawny kid, college had been especially good to Kun. He
grew into a self-assured, handsome man. Ten blamed his broad shoulders, strong arms, and overall
confidence partly to the sports he played and his rocketing popularity. It was no secret that the
prettiest boys and girls would openly flirt with him, and Kun had gone on his share of dates over
the years.

Unfortunately, Ten had discovered that he was no better than the other students gawking at his
friend. He hated noticing his eyes wandering down Kun's biceps or up the line of his throat. There
was no denying it; the attraction was there. Ten hated it, hated every time he witnessed someone
check Kun out, how he knew he would be doing just the same if Kun wasn’t one of his best
friends.

Thankfully for Ten's heart, Kun always put him first. He had seen his friend cancel a date to hang
out with Ten instead. This was not a common occurrence; Ten did try to not impose in Kun’s life,
despite the ugly curl of jealousy he felt there. But it happened enough times that Ten could find
solace in the knowledge that it was he who Kun put first. It was he who Kun texted every day,
called his best friend, found comfort in. And it didn’t hurt that Kun never declared interest for
anyone in particular.

But things changed. Or maybe they didn’t. Maybe they were precipitated. Ten wouldn’t know.

What he knew was that it happened around the time Kun presented, around New Year, on Kun’s
21st birthday.

They all knew Kun would present as an alpha. Ten could not lie and say he didn’t look forward to
Kun's presentation. Those weeks before Kun's birthday, he often wondered how being an alpha
would look on him, whether he would get more confident, more handsome still. All he had to do
was wait until Kun’s birthday.

The boys spent their holiday break with their respective families, with the express intent of
spending New Year's Eve together and celebrate Kun's birthday at once. Yangyang's parents
agreed to let them have the house for the night, and they spent it eating and drinking and playing
games. When midnight struck, the friends cheered together. Dejun dragged Kunhang in a sweet
kiss as the others hugged each other, alternating between "Happy New Year" and "Happy
Birthday!".

Ten engulfed Kun in a tight embrace, screaming in his ears a heartfelt happy birthday. Kun
responded by circling both arms around his waist. He held him there long enough that Ten sank
against Kun's sturdy chest, feeling small in his arms. Then Kun did something Ten would never
forget. He pressed his mouth against Ten's temple and nosed down to his jaw, stopping short of his
throat. Ten shivered, and Kun held him closer, splaying a hand on the small of his back to pin him
there. Ten remembered being ready to give into Kun, to fold into him, let him hold him forever
when his friend brought his mouth back against his ear and whispered, "You smell really good."

Ten was caught entirely off-guard. Wolves were only able to smell each other after they presented.
Ten was oblivious to his own scent, couldn’t for the life of him smell Kun either. It meant
something, he recalled thinking, that Kun could smell him. Liked his smell.

He stammered a weak "thanks," and Kun stepped away to continue his round of hugs. Ten needed
a few seconds to situate himself again, back in Yangyang's parents' living room, on New Year's. He
plastered a smile across his face and carried on celebrating.
They didn't talk about it, but they did exchange glances across the room, brushed hands while
handing out drinks, grazed at each other when they danced in the living room.

A few days later, Yukhei texted the group to let them know Kun presented as an alpha. When he
went back to school after his rut, he only looked at Ten to greet him with a one-arm hug in passing.

It felt like everything had changed, and not at the same time. There he was, their Kun, but an alpha
now, a mature wolf ready to take charge of his life. Kun got even more attention, even more stares
now that he was an alpha in his prime. And Ten and Kun, well, they pretended like nothing had
passed between them at the party.

If Ten was asked to pinpoint when it all started, he would say it was that day, that fated day in
January. Little did he know at the time that the pretending wouldn't last very long. It never really
did. The next time they lost themselves was the disastrous evening Ten presented in front of all his
friends. But that was a story for another time.

present

Kun had cleared his throat and righted himself on the bench next to him. He did not look at Ten
when he said, "I thought I could smell it on you, but I wasn't sure."

Ten did not move, still a little bit dizzy, still a little bit high off Kun's pheromones. "Smell what?"

"Your pre-heat."

Ten snorted. "I doubt it. It barely just started."

"I can still smell it."

"Sure," replied Ten, picking up his sandwich again.

"I am telling you. It smells… it smells ripe."

Ten stopped before he could take a bite, his mind reeling. Why did Kun have to describe it like
that? Like he was a fruit ready to be plucked?

"Is that really how I smell during my pre-heat?" he asked instead.

"No. That's how you smell now. When you’re actually into your pre-heat, you smell sweet."

"All omegas smell sweet during their pre-heat," tried to laugh off Ten. He turned to Kun, who was
still looking ahead.

"Well, then. You smell sweet like the glaze on a cake. You smell candied."

Ten snapped his head back down. He knew he would not be able to finish his lunch, so he packed
his sandwich away. The wind blew, sending another draft of Kun's musky, alpha smell his way,
and Ten shuddered.

Kun must have thought it was the cold because he got up, offering a hand to his friend. "Come on.
Let's warm you up. Do you want something to drink? I wouldn't mind a hot chocolate myself."

Ten took the hand and let Kun pull him up. The alpha took his backpack from him and slid it
across his shoulder.
"I'm in pre-heat, I'm not incapacitated," he protested, poking at Kun. "I can carry my own bag,"

The other shrugged. "Let a guy do something nice for you once in a while."

Ten did not know what to answer to that, so he let his friend drag him to a small cafe right outside
campus for a hot chocolate and some good company.
 Chapter 2
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

present

It was a few days after Kun found him outside by the soccer field, eating his sandwich. The smells
stopped making him feel nauseous, and he was able to resume the average life of a college student,
albeit one who had entered pre-heat. He knew his scent changed, enough for the second alpha in
the group to refuse to sit next to him.

That brought Yukhei endless teasing.

"Listen, it's too much. It's just so intense. I'm not used to smelling omegas like that!" defended the
poor man.

The group of friends was enjoying a break outside the library, at the little student cafe located
partly inside an unused room, partly in the hall leading to the library. They were seated on plastic
chairs, drinking cheap coffee from cardboard cups. Ten was busy pretending not to notice the
students' inquisitive gazes, especially the double-takes from other alphas.

"Oh, that's so cute," laughed Sicheng, trying to pinch his friend's cheeks.

"It's not cute. It's just a lot to take in," continued to defend Yukhei.

"You're just a baby alpha, that's why," cooed Kun. "You'll get used to it."

Yukhei had just turned 21 the previous month, and while it was no surprise to anyone that he
presented an alpha, he frequently complained about how difficult the transition was being.

Ten was barely listening to his friends teasing the younger alpha, turning to Sicheng, who was
seated next to him. Sicheng presented omega early in the year, and Ten had no qualm about
cuddling and nuzzling him in public. If anyone understood what he was going through, it was
Sicheng. He had been the one looking after him for his first and second heats, and he was used
now to Ten's capricious pre-heat moods.

Ten wrapped both arms around Sicheng's elbow and leaned his head on his shoulder. His friend
lowered his shoulder slightly to make it more comfortable for him. Ten closed his eyes and
hummed, the itch to be touched and warmed disappearing slowly. He looked up to Kun, who was
sitting right across from him. He was looking back, gaze traveling down where Ten was latched
onto Sicheng, then back up again. He redirected his attention to the group when he heard his name.

"For instance, I don't know how Kun can sit so close to him."

"I told you, you get used to it. But it's true. The first few weeks take some… adjustments."

Yukhei, who was flanked by Dejun and Kunhang, burst into laughter. "Right. I forget how you
punched me in the face-"

"I didn't mean to punch you in the face. It was an accident!" interrupted Kun.

"...well, accidentally punched me in the face when I dragged you out of the room after Ten
presented." Yukhei had not fully finished his sentence that all of them were either groaning or
laughing at the memory.

Ten was still pressed against Sicheng and intended to remain there if only to hide the blush on his
cheeks. When he looked at Kun, he was rolling his eyes at the others. "My point still stands. We
got used to it. Look, he's in pre-heat, and we're fine," he said, gesturing towards Ten. Their gaze
locked. Ten faintly heard grunts of approval around the table, but he was too focused on the
heaviness in Kun's gaze to really pay the rest of them attention. He felt Kun's foot tap his own
under the table before it slid behind his leg to lock their ankles together. The movement was
minimal, the faintest of touch, but Ten felt his breathing grow slightly heavier. He squeezed
Sicheng's arm tighter, wishing really badly he was being held by someone else instead, someone
who could make him feel half as good as Kun did with the briefest of touches.

Kun did not look away, and something loaded passed between them. Ten knew what it was, knew
they couldn't tell their friends either. The truth was, neither Kun nor Ten had gotten used to the
other's pheromones, not in the way they pretended they did.

past

His 21st birthday was only two months after Kun's, and Ten had tried really hard not to think about
his presentation. But as it approached, it became increasingly difficult to ignore. It was still early
February when Ten invited the group to watch a film in his dorm. He had won the dormitory
lottery and was attributed one of the larger student suites, one of those rare dorms with a living area
that comprised a small kitchen, completed with a separate room and bathroom. His place was thus
the official hangout spot for the boys.

They piled on his couch and the floor, sharing popcorn and candy, debating which film to watch.
Ten squeezed himself between Kun and Sicheng on the small couch. Their student life had
resumed as usual after the holidays, and it had been only a few weeks since Kun presented. Ten
adamantly pretended that things between them were normal. He wouldn't let some harmless flirting
and comments about his scent affect a lifelong relationship with one of his closest friends, despite
the way he felt about him.

They settled for the first episode of a TV show his friends often mentioned, some anime Ten had
never watched, and Ten squirmed between his two friends until he found a comfortable position.
Kun eventually threw an arm around his shoulders, and Ten could settle slightly pressed on his
side without having anyone's elbow digging into him. He watched about half of the episode like
this before an itching sensation, a sort of restlessness, made him squirm again.

"Are you okay?" whispered Kun to him, and Ten nodded. He finally angled himself towards Kun,
and his friend beckoned him closer, one arm still wrapped around his shoulder. Ten finally felt
himself relax when he leaned against Kun. A few minutes later, he tucked his head in the crook of
Kun's neck. They never really cuddled like this, but it wasn't unthinkable either, so Ten let himself
enjoy the rise and fall of Kun's chest as he breathed slowly, attention on the show.

The episode finished, and all the boys agreed to play a second one. Ten took the opportunity to
reposition himself against Kun, cuddling him properly this time, one arm thrown around his torso,
his head still resting on his shoulder. He felt even better like that, more comforted and warm. He
hadn't realized how cold he was feeling, how empty and lonely it was before Kun threw his other
arm around him to pin him to his side.

The comfort did not last long. Ten's breathing grew difficult, a little bit ragged. The prickling
sensation came back as if pins and needles were dancing under his skin. His instinct was to bury
further into Kun, turn his face in the crook of his neck to breathe him in. That's when he first
smelled it. Kun's scent. The rich, heavy aroma, a mix of spices, something masculine and potent.
Ten's breath stuttered, but his body reacted before he could stop himself before he could
understand what was happening to him. He pushed further into Kun, breathing deeply.

"Ten?" Kun whispered, lowering his head to Ten's hair. Whatever he found there, he must have
liked because Ten felt Kun's breath faltered, and his grip tightened like vices around him.

A blinding pain went through his abdomen as if someone had reached in and twisted. He
whimpered loudly. He thought he heard the others in the room react. He heard his name, said a
few times, and questions thrown at him. He wasn’t able to process a single one of them because the
pain came back, like another lighting bolt landing on his insides. He whimpered again and felt
himself be held as the light switched back on, and panicked voices rose around him.

"Ten? Ten? Can you hear me?"

That was Sicheng's voice. He tried to nod, but the pain came back, and he buried his head in Kun's
neck. Kun, who was still holding him. Kun, who smelled absolutely heavenly. Another bolt of
pain, and somehow, he felt it as it melted into something liquid, something heavy, like honey
dripping. Actually dripping. It was a new sensation, but he knew right away what it was. He was
producing slick.

A sickeningly sweet smell invaded his own nostril, and he thought he would suffocate.

The alpha smell grew stronger too, more potent, and Ten tried to focus on it instead of his own
sweetness or on the waves of pain that went through him. He thought he heard more panicked
voices, but what brought his attention back to his surroundings was when someone jostled him.

"Ten, Ten, you're presenting. Come on, get up. You're presenting!"

Hands were trying to rip him away from Kun, but he did not want to let go. He whimpered,
clutched onto him harder.

"Kun, let him go!" Yukhei rarely used his serious, commanding tone, and it usually left little place
for arguments. This time, it was met with a growl.

"Fuck's sake, Kun!" Another voice, another pair of hands trying to separate the two friends.
Sicheng was able to wedge an arm between their two chests, and instantly, Ten whined like an
injured puppy. He felt Kun try to reach out to him again, but two strong arms held him back.

"We need to get him out of here!" More shouting, more voices, and Kun's threatening growl as he
was dragged out of the room.

Ten tried to follow him as he was being taken away, battling Sicheng and Dejun as they both
pinned him down to the sofa. The door of his dorm closed behind the others, and Dejun ran to lock
it. Not half a second later, they heard more growling, the doorknob rattling violently, and someone
pounding on the door. Ten tried to escape Sicheng's hold of him, whining loudly. He called out
Kun's name a few times, could almost feel his friend respond by the growls he heard from the
other side of the door. Another wave of pain invaded him, and he tried to muffle his pathetic
whines as tears started to run down his cheeks. Sicheng took him in his arms, tried to shush him,
rubbed his arms gently, murmuring words of comfort to him.

"You'll be fine. It's all going to be okay. You're presenting. It's going to pass soon. Remember what
 we were taught in class. The presentation is the most painful, everything gets better after that.

Sicheng was right. Only an hour or so later, and the worst of the pain had receded. What was left
was the restlessness, his skin crawling, some residual pain in his lower stomach. He woke up with
a headache, but it went away when Sicheng fed him and gave him water. He produced an
impressive amount of slick, too, and did feel intense waves of arousal rise in him. On the first day
of his heat, Sicheng brought a bag with different toys, made specifically for omegas. Since
Sicheng only dropped by around mealtimes, Ten had plenty of time to satiate his envy, take care of
his needs, try toy after toy. Sometimes, he thought he could still smell the traces of Kun on his
clothes, and the thought of being wrapped around the rich and spicy odor was enough to get him
wet. He wondered what Kun's knot looked like, what it would be like to have him there with him.
Would he take care of him? Would he make him eat, help him shower, keep him company
between waves? Would he taste just like how he smelled?

When his heat broke, three days later, Ten decided to store all those thoughts away, somewhere
very far in his mind, somewhere secret he would never have to revisit. The following day, he went
back to school, and all his friends greeted him, congratulated him on presenting. Ten was happy to
be back, glad to feel normal again, although it took him everything not to blush too hard when it
came Kun's turn to greet him.

He desperately wanted things to remain normal, to forget the absolute spectacle he had made of
himself when presenting, and the residual longing he felt for Kun during his heat. He found out
that it was easy enough when his friends all started recounting how Kun had split Yukhei's lip
opened when he dragged him out of the room.

"I didn't know he was so strong! It took three of us to drag him out!"

Yangyang and Kunhang nodded gingerly next to Yukhei.

"Well, now we know what happens when an omega presents in the arms of a newly presented
alpha," added Sicheng with a dramatic eye roll. The friends laughed.

Ten had felt both relief and disappointment at those words. Maybe that was what happened.
Perhaps they were just two close friends still learning to deal with pheromones. Perhaps he could
play it off like that. Ten knew where the disappointment came from and hated the memories it
brought back, memories of wishing Kun had been there the whole time. He felt ashamed, deeply
ashamed of his stupid hormones, of his body betraying him, of his residual feelings complicating
everything. He felt he was betraying one of the most important friendships of his life.

But he had years of practice pretending he did not want Kun. So he plastered a smile on his face,
and he pretended things were normal.

Chapter End Notes

let me know what you think ;)

 Chapter 3
Chapter Notes

... and it escalates

See the end of the chapter for more notes

present

The boys quickly finished drinking their coffee outside the library. Since most of them had
assignments to complete and books to read, they went back to the library. Ten, planning for his
upcoming heat, tried to complete as many of his assignments as he could. He stayed late in the
library, his friends going home one after the other. The only one who stayed behind with him was
Kun.

Kun might have grown into a popular, handsome alpha, but he was still a straight-A student at
heart. Being a business major, Ten knew his classes took him a lot of time, and he was forever the
overachiever. When Ten finally snapped his laptop shut, Kun startled. The omega laughed as he
stretched his arm above his head, not missing the way Kun followed the gesture.

"Finished?" asked his friend, himself closing his laptop and notebook.

"Yes."

"You were working on…?"

"An essay on different learning styles. You?"

"Different business models." He waved a hand. "Nothing interesting. Ready to go? I'll walk you
home."

Since Ten presented a year back, Kun insisted on walking Ten home, especially when it was late at
night. They both got up and packed their bags. Kun held Ten's coat to slip on and directed him, a
firm hand on his back, toward the exit.

It was small gestures like these that made Ten's resolve to act normal around Kun grow weaker. If
only Kun knew what it did to him, the attention, the care, especially when that was all he was
craving. Ten couldn’t remember if Kun started acting like did after they presented, or if he’d
always been so thoughtful. Something told him he was always so attentive; only that Ten wished
there was more to it than their lifelong friendship.

They made the journey in silence, and Kun insisted on walking him all the way to his dorm. Ten
found himself unlocking the main door, Kun standing right behind him, and pushing inside. He felt
a sort of jittery feeling spread through him as he waved at Kun to follow suit. He wished really
hard he was not so much focused on the other man, on his smell, on the way his hair fell down his
forehead, on his broad frame and cherry red lips.

They climbed the stairs that lead to Ten's dorm on the second floor, and Ten stopped at his door.
He was about to thank Kun when his friend removed his backpack and chucked it aside. Next
came his coat and scarf. Then Kun removed his hoodie, and a waft of spices traveled to Ten's nose.
He had to lean a hand on the wall to make sure he would not sway too much as he adjusted to the
intensity of the smell.

Kun extended the hoodie to him.

Ten reached out and picked it up, cradling it back to his chest.

"I wore it all day."

Ten, hand still leaning against the wall, nodded once. "Th- thanks," he stuttered, barely able to
contain himself from planting his nose in the piece of fabric and breathing deeply.

"Don't wear this one in front of the others. Please."

Ten nodded again. He parted his lips, wet them once, twice, and answered. "I'll wear it to bed,
then."

Kun exhaled deeply, looking pained.

"Will I get another one? When the smell wears off?"

Kun closed his eyes for a second, seemed to consider the answer. "Bring this one back unwashed,
and I might give you another one."

Ten had to repress a whimper at the thought of Kun wearing a hoodie that he wore to bed, soaked
with his omega pheromones. Instead, he opened the door to his dorm as Kun put his jacket back on
again. He waited for Ten to get inside before he turned around and left.

Ten went to bed that night, clad only in a pair of boxers and Kun's hoodie, and slept like a baby.

past

The first time exchange of clothing happened, it was Ten who initiated it.

Despite his best attempts at moving past the incidents of his and Kun's respective presentations,
there was no denying something had changed between them. Not that they talked about it, though.

They had learned to maintain their distance and be respectful of those newfound boundaries
appropriate between omegas and alphas. But time flew by, and mid-terms arrived, and not long
after that finals. Kun had applied for an internship that summer and got into one of the city's
biggest firms. Ten got a job as a substitute teacher at a summer school. The others in the group
would more or less remain around campus during the summer. Yukhei found a summer job and
Sicheng would work for one of his professors in a lab. Kunhang and Dejun moved to their own flat
right after the end of the term. The only one who would go back home for the summer was
Yangyang.

They were all very busy, each in their own way, so it was only when July rolled around that their
schedule aligned, and they could all meet after work for a picnic by the river.

Cooking was out of the question, so they brought food to share and plenty of drinks. Sicheng and
Dejun had started singing loudly to whatever playlist that was blasting from one of their phones,
while Yukhei and Kunhang were talking sports. That left Kun and Ten catching up on their day
jobs, each taking turns to complain about the long schedules and the summer flying away.
"I'll have to fill for my rut leave, though," grumbled Kun.

"Are you due soon?" asked Ten, although he thought he knew the answer by the smell of him.

"Yeah. I'm due in a few days."

Ten hummed. He didn't like thinking about Kun during his rut. It brought back too many unwanted
feelings. It did explain why Kun had been moody, almost grumpy, that evening. Ten told him as
much.

"I'm not grumpy!" pouted the alpha.

"Yeah, like a big sulky wolf who doesn't get what he wants," teased Ten.

"I don't sulk," sulked Kun.

"You do," laughed Ten, poking him on the arm until Kun batted his hand away.

The sun had started to set, and the breeze picked up. The fresh air of the river blew across them as
the evening grew darker. Kun finished a long rant about the drama unfolding between two of his
fellow interns where he worked, to Ten's amusement.

"I swear. They're driving me insane."

"You speak like an old man. They're young, they fool around, they make mistakes. It happens."

"Right," answered Kun, thoroughly unconvinced.

"What, you're telling none of the other interns have caught your eye?" He tried to sound
uninterested but he had to ask the question that had been plaguing him the whole evening.

"Why?" responded Kun almost immediately. "Have you met someone at your work?"

Ten scoffed at him. "I teach teenagers at a summer school."

"Another teacher then?"

Ten shook his head.

"Then why would you think I met someone?"

Ten thought he sounded strangely defensive. "I don't know, Kun! People do! People fall in love.
You're a young, handsome, attractive alpha. Why wouldn't you meet someone?"

"Is that what you think?"

"It's what everyone thinks. Come on, you're always on dates." That conversation was starting to get
too close for comfort, so Ten tried to stir it away using humor. "Half the student body would date
you. Including other alphas."

It did not manage to make Kun laugh. Instead, he replied, "I stopped, though. I stopped since I
presented."

"Stopped what?"

"Dating. I stopped."
Ten had to pause and think about that statement for a minute. He mentally revisited their last six
months. "You stopped dating?"

"Yeah. I presented, and I realized I didn't want to date. My wolf doesn’t just want anyone. I want to
find a mate now."

Ten felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Finding a mate was a big step. It meant finding
someone Kun liked and asking permission from the omega's family to court them. It meant finding
someone to commit to, finding someone to be his life partner. It was a big step, but Kun had always
known what he wanted and always managed to pursue that clearly. "Oh."

Kun frowned. "Is it so surprising? Do you not think I would make a good mate?"

Ten shook his head. "You are grumpy! Listen to yourself." He gave Kun a playful push in an
attempt to make him relax. "You're like the perfect mate. Anyone would want you!"

Kun visibly relaxed. "Thanks."

"It's true," shrugged Ten. It was. He turned around from where he was standing, contemplated the
river for a few seconds. Ten was only dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, and the soft breeze made him
shiver.

"Are you cold?"

Ten turned around and found himself face to face with Kun. He had not realized how close they
were standing next to each other. "Yes," he said in a breath.

"It gets chilly at night around here. Wait," said Kun before he walked back toward where his
backpack was. He opened it and went through its content before pulling a black sweater out of it.
He came back and handed it to Ten.

"Here."

"Thanks," he answered, suddenly feeling shy. The sweater smelled so strongly of Kun, Ten wasn't
sure whether to put it on. But Kun was looking at him closely. Ten almost thought he looked
expectant. He willed himself to overcome his shyness and pulled the sweater over his head. He was
overwhelmed with the smell of Kun, delicious spices mixed with his pre-rut pheromones. It was a
little bit tangy, maybe even salty, and he had to swallow the disappointment that he'd never have a
chance to taste it.

Kun gave him a once over, apparently satisfied with the look of him. He stepped toward Ten,
running his palms alongside his shoulders and arms in a movement meant to warm him up.
"Feeling better?" asked Kun after a few seconds. He didn't step away, didn't move his hands off
Ten, only paused where he was holding him by his biceps.

Ten nodded.

"Guys!" Yukhei arrived, holding Kunhang under one arm, Dejun under the other. "Our two
lovebirds will be celebrating their birthdays next! Bets are on. Alpha, beta, or omega?"

Ten laughed and stepped toward the group. Kun followed closely, putting a hand on his back. The
palm rubbed up and down in the place between his shoulder blades. Ten was not cold anymore, not
with the heavy fabric of the sweater and Kun's smell engulfing him, but he still found himself
leaning into the movement. Kun must have thought he was still feeling cold because he stepped a
little bit closer, bringing his hand down to the fabric pooling at his hip, splaying his fingers there,
massaging softly.

"Does it matter? What they present as?" asked Sicheng.

"What if they both present alpha?" replied Yukhei, a shrill in his voice.

"Even then, it wouldn't change anything," argued Kunhang.

Fingers crept underneath the fabric of the sweater, brushing lightly against his t-shirt. Ten shivered
and found himself almost instinctively leaning back. He was already half-pressed into Kun. His
fingers, which were almost shy one second, now effectively pressed warmly against the thin fabric
of his t-shirt.

"Wouldn't it?" Ten found himself asking. The group turned to him, and Ten was grateful that it had
become dark enough outside that they probably would not be able to notice the red dusting his
cheeks, or the crease where the sweater was bunched up by Kun's hand on his back.

"It would require some adjustments, I think," said Dejun, after a few seconds of reflection. "But it
wouldn't change us, you know? Like who we are together, our relationship."

"You can't know that for certain," insisted Yukhei. Fingers traveled to Ten's side, pressing in the
soft flesh of his waist over the t-shirt. He was warm, so warm, Ten felt his heart rate pick up. He
wanted to push back against Kun, having him press his hand against his stomach, his navel, have
him touch him some more in the dark. "Kun, Ten, do you feel like you've changed since you
presented?"

Ten could barely focus on his words, and by the time he understood what was asked, Kun was
already responding. "Not really, no. I mean, certain things changed, but it's like they got amplified.
Like, I was already competitive, now it's even worse."

The group laughed.

"How about you Ten? Do you agree?" asked Kunhang. Despite Kun's answer and Dejun's
reassurance, Ten thought he could feel Kunhang's anxiety. Ten wouldn't want to imagine what it
felt like having met your long-term partner before either of you presented. It must be nerve-
wracking, the possibility that their presentation could affect something so important to both of
them.

"I guess Kun has a point. Some things change, but everything amplifies. Like for instance, I'm a lot
more protective of my students than I already was."

The hand briefly slid forward, fingers dipping in his abdomen, squeezing his waist before
retreating back to Ten's side where it continued his motion to warm him.

"So it hasn't fundamentally changed your relationship with anyone?" asked Kunhang, a glimmer of
hope, maybe even relief in his eyes.

Except for wanting my best friend to feel me up in the dark, no, wanted to answer Ten. He lied.
"No, not at all."

Soon enough, they all had to part ways since most of them had to work the following morning.
Kun, Ten, Sicheng, and Yukhei all headed back towards campus. Once they dropped Sicheng off,
Kun insisted on walking Ten home. They said their goodbyes to Yukhei, whose building was
across campus, and both men resumed their walk, shoulder to shoulder.
"I wonder what's going to happen to Kunhang and Dejun," said Kun, breaking the silence.

"Hum. Me too."

"Kunhang told me he thought he would be a beta."

"Makes sense," approved Ten. "Both his parents are."

"But his sister is an omega."

Ten nodded. "And Dejun's brother?" he asked.

"Beta, I think."

"I guess we'll have to wait until they present." sighed Ten.

When they reached the building, Kun insisted to walk him to his door.

"You don't need to, you know," informed Ten as he started to climb the stairs.

"Well, I'd rather walk you up."

"Is it because I'm an omega now?" asked Ten, half-jokingly.

"Are you going to get mad at me if it is?" replied Kun.

Ten's mind drew to a blank. He struggled with what to answer next. He reached his dorm and
turned to Kun.

"You wouldn't have to worry about my safety when I'm wearing your clothes like this." He pointed
to the sweater he was still sporting. "Especially if they smell like an alpha in pre-rut."

Kun looked him up and down, Adam's apple bopping as he swallowed. "Speaking of, can I have it
back now?"

"Your sweater?"

Kun nodded, eyes still trailing on the piece of clothing.

Ten's gut instinct was to say no, to keep it, enjoy it a little bit longer. He could hear his own
heartbeat in his ears when he answered. "What if I wanna keep it?"

Kun's eyes snapped back up to his face.

Ten wet his lips nervously, mentally berating himself for having essentially told Kun he wanted to
smell like him. This was not how friends acted. This was a boundary crossed.

"What if I want it now?" the alpha countered, carefully.

Ten did not know the name of that game they were playing, only that he was ready to play. "You
don't want me to keep it?" pouted Ten, trying to be cute.

This behavior would usually annoy Kun to no end, but not this time. He stared at him with dark
eyes.

"I'll wash it, give it back to you," promised Ten in a last attempt to convince Kun to leave the
garment to him.
 Kun wet his lips and did not look away when he said, slowly, "I think I'd rather have it now, and
unwashed."

Ten thought he misheard, misinterpreted what he meant. "What?"

"My rut could start any day now."

There was no mistaking what Kun was demanding. He wanted the sweater that smelled like him
for his rut.

Ten's breathing had gotten labored. He knew he was emitting all sorts of pheromones, could see it
in the way Kun's pupils had blown wide.

"Wait here," instructed Ten in a breath. He could barely hear his own voice above the static in his
ears. He turned around and unlocked his door. He walked in, went straight for his bedroom, and
rummaged around until he found what he was looking for.

He came back, handing a piece of clothing to Kun. "Here," he said.

Kun frowned and took the fabric in his hand. "And that's…?"

"That's the t-shirt I sleep in. It’s what I own that smells most of… well, me,” explained Ten. He
was floored by his own shamelessness. “You get to have it if you let me keep the sweater. A
compromise, if you wish."

Kun nodded, eyes glazed. "Yeah, a compromise."

Ten bit his lips, turning back to his dorm. "I'll see you after your rut?" asked Ten.

Kun was still standing there, the same glazed look in his eyes.

"Yeah."

Chapter End Notes

you probably guessed it, but 'present' Ten&Kun have a history. we'll get there...
on a different note, it's been a scary start of the year for many, and I want to say fanfic
and kunten have always been a safe space for me. i hope you feel safe here too <3
as always, tell me your thoughts on this chapter! i hope you stay safe and healthy
 Chapter 4
Chapter Notes

continues from the previous chapter, right after Kun's rut and Ten beginning his pre-
heat

See the end of the chapter for more notes

past

Their first exchange of clothing was entirely Ten’s fault. He traded keeping Kun’s black sweater
with lending him the t-shirt he slept in. Their second exchange of clothing, it so happened, was also
his fault.

Despite the summer heat, Ten wore the black sweater as often as he could in the days following
the exchange. It had drawn the attention of a few other teachers, one of whom dared to ask him
whether he was mated. Ten lied, said he was wearing his boyfriend's clothing. Just saying those
words, having them associated with Kun’s smell, made him feel flushed all day. Thankfully, the
gossiping slowly died down and his co-workers stopped asking.

He learned from Yukhei that Kun had gone into rut just two days after the picnic. Two weeks later,
Ten was just beginning to feel his hormones acting up. He counted down the days until his planned
heat and realized he was entered his pre-heat. That explained why every smell was unbearable to
him except Kun's, why he had the impulse to bury his face in his sweater and wear it often despite
the summer heat. Getting ready to head out to meet his friends for a late afternoon iced coffee, Ten
wore jeans short, a t-shirt, and pulled the sweater over it. None of his friends had presented other
than Ten and Kun, so none would be able to smell their combined scents on the garment. He rolled
up the sleeves to prevent overheating and headed out to meet the guys.

When he arrived, they were sitting on the terrace outside the coffee shop, drinks in hands. Ten
waved at them as he approached and promptly plopped down on the vacant seat across from Kun.

"Hi guys!" He turned to Kun, smiling. "Hey, you're back."

Kun was already looking back at him, a pure look of disbelief written on his face. Ten saw him
inhale deeply, eyes not leaving Ten's figure. The omega realized belatedly what he was looking at.
The sweater. He had thought about his friends not being able to smell him but completely forgot
that Kun would also be there. He suddenly found it hard to swallow, hard to breathe and got up
under the pretext that he would go inside to order his drink. To his dismay, he heard Kun say,
"Yeah, me too."

Sicheng screamed from the other side of the table that he wanted an iced americano. Ten barely
had a mind to acknowledge him that he walked towards the door, flanked by Kun. Kun opened it
for him, beckoned him to enter with a hand on his back.

Once they took their place in line, Kun stepped all the way to him, bringing a hand around Ten.
Maybe it was the pre-heat, or the way Kun handled him, but Ten found himself melting against the
heat of the alpha's chest. He smelled good, so much better and stronger in person than the residue
of his odor on the fabric. He sensed Kun bring his face in the back of his neck, fisting the fabric of
the sweater in his hand where it was planted on his stomach.

He brought his mouth to Ten's ear. "Did you have to wear that in public?" he whispered.

The line advanced, and Kun walked them both a step forward. At Ten’s lack of response, Kun
breathed deeply and relaxed his hold on Ten. "Are you in pre-heat?"

Ten nodded once. Maybe it was Kun’s warmth, the way he touched him, but Ten answered, "It
barely smells like you anymore.”

Kun understood what he wanted, what he needed, because he brought the hand that was resting on
his abdomen to his waist to rub it gently there. "When is your heat?"

"Two weeks, give or take a few days."

"Okay."

Kun detached himself when it was their turn to order but kept a steady hand on him the whole
time. Thankfully, he did not forget Sicheng's order because Ten surely did.

The following week, Ten had gotten so moody that he asked for his heat leave a few days ahead.
He spent them in his dorm room, occasionally visited by Sicheng, who caved in to his whining and
let Ten cuddle him for hours. He asked Sicheng to apologize to Dejun because he would surely
miss his 21st birthday.

The days of August were warm, and Ten was getting warmer, yet nothing could prevent him from
wearing Kun's black sweater. He spent most of his days pacing his dorm, clad in boxers and the
sweater, holding on to the little smell of the alpha he could still detect.

A few days before his expected heat, he had relentlessly texted Sicheng, asking him to come over
with ice cream and cuddle him. He spent the whole day alternating between nesting in his room
and texting his friend. He didn't receive an answer, but later in the evening came a knock at his
door. Ten sauntered to the door, opening it unceremoniously.

"About time! I waited for you all day-" He interrupted himself when he saw a wide-eyed alpha
standing at the door.

"I- Huh-"

"Sorry, I thought- I thought you were Sicheng-" started to apologize Ten when he saw Kun's gaze
trail down to his state of undress. He was bare-legged, clad only in black boxers with the sweater
hanging low on his thighs. Ten could instantly feel the blush rise on his cheeks. "Huh-"

Kun pushed him inside with a hand and closed the door behind the two of them. Ten retreated back
into his living room, leaving plenty of space between the two of them.

"Is that how you open the door to people during your pre-heat?" asked the alpha. Ten saw him lean
back against the door, looking around the small dorm. A few seconds later, he brought a hand to
his face, covering his nose. "Oh, god."

Ten was about to ask him what was going on when he got a waft of Kun's scent. God, he smelled
so good. It got to his head like a drug. A wave of want rose in him, and he felt himself sway where
he stood. Ten backed away to lean against the small kitchen counter, gripping it hard with his two
hands. He tried his best to breathe through his mouth and regulate his breathing to prevent him
from throwing himself across the room at Kun.

"I've never- I've never been so close to an omega in heat," said Kun, voice muffled by the hand
covering his mouth.

"Not in heat yet," Ten whispered back.

Kun let his head fall back against the door with a soft thump. "Fuck."

Ten thought he could get used to the assault of Kun's smell in his dorm. Desire continued to swell
in him, the desire to bring the scent in his nest, in his bed.

He tried to reign in his instinct, and instead asked Kun, "What are you doing here?"

It would have sounded aggressive if he wasn't so breathless.

Kun chucked. "I came to bring you another sweater."

God, did he have to be so considerate? So thoughtful?

Ten nodded. He would take it. He would take anything Kun would give him. He wanted all of
Kun. His kindness and his smell and, just, him. It was difficult to focus on the fresh sweater when
he had the whole of him within arm's reach.

"Or you could come here and scent me yourself,” he blurted.

Kun was in the process of taking the sweater out of his bag with shaky hands when Ten spoke,
making him drop everything on the floor.

Kun raised his head and observed him, gaze dark, almost dangerous. Ten felt naked under his
scrutiny. He was still gripping the counter behind him hard enough that it started to hurt his
fingers. It was no longer shock but anticipation that coursed through him. It mixed with the desire
to be touched, the need to lose himself in the intoxicating scent of the alpha, the want to be held,
manhandled. Ten thought he could lose his mind like this, waiting for Kun to say something, do
something.

Ten decided to stop waiting.

He slowly let go of his grip on the counter and took a step forward, then another one.

Kun trailed his every move, the very image of a wolf tracking prey.

Ten took another step and stopped where he stood, about halfway to Kun. The other man
straightened up from where he was plastered against the door and closed the distance between
them. He stopped a few inches away from Ten, careful, and observed him with wide eyes. Ten saw
how his pupils dilated as he neared, how they were blown wide now that he was standing right in
front of him. Kun did not move for a long moment, and Ten understood that it was his way of
reassuring him, leaving him the time and space to change his mind.

Slowly, Ten reached out to grab Kun's hands and positioned them on either side of his waist. He
then took a step until both their chests were flushed and tilted his head to the side, giving Kun full
access to his throat. He heard Kun breathe deeply, his hands clutching at him through the fabric of
the sweater, and finally felt Kun's nose press against his temple.
The alpha trailed his nose down to his jaw, stopping there, inhaling deeply. Ten went lax in Kun's
hold. He brought both his hands to grab at Kun's shirt to help himself stay upright.

The alpha nosed down his neck all the way to his collarbone, leaving a tingling sensation behind.
He rubbed his way back up, pressing in all the right places. He repeated the gesture as Ten's head
rolled forward. He let it rest in the crook of Kun's neck as the alpha scented him.

Something in Ten's mind had quieted down. He no longer felt restless, no longer felt his skin crawl.
He felt less overheated, despite having every inch of his body pressed to the alpha. There was
some sort of strange tranquility, something in him being deeply satiated. That is, until Kun's lip
caught on his throat, leaving a trail of saliva down to his scent gland.

Ten's breathing caught in his throat halfway through a pitiful whine, and he buried himself further
into Kun. The other man gripped him hard, swearing under his breath. Slowly, two lips came back
on his throat.

"Oh my god," stuttered Ten. He had half a mind to notice that he had started to slowly rub both his
hand up and down Kun's front. Kun let out a small growl against his throat, which sent small
electric shocks to Ten’s core. "Kun," he whined again, and Kun poked his tongue out, carefully
licking where his mouth was pressed.

Ten moaned loudly before burying his own head in Kun's throat, pressing both his lips to the soft
skin there. Kun growled again, this time raising a hand to Ten's hair, weaving it there and pushing
the young man's face deeper into him. He pushed his other hand up Ten's sweater, grabbing at the
skin of his back, and dived back in again to leave a trail of wet kisses against his neck. Kun
brought his mouth back down to Ten’s collarbones and kissed it softly. Ten shivered, mouth still
leaving warm open-mouthed kisses at Kun’s throat.

Kun applied the flat of his tongue right on Ten's scent gland. Ten cried out.

Kun licked again and put his mouth on his gland to give it a suck. Ten felt his knee buckle under
him, but Kun's hold was strong enough to keep him upright. Kun was about to keep sucking at the
sensitive spot when Ten stammered, "It's too much, Kun, it's too much."

His friend raised his head slightly, planting a kiss at the junction of his neck and jaw, and asked, "Is
here okay?"

Ten nodded. The alpha continued to nose at his throat, more gently this time, careful not to get too
close to his gland. Ten was able to find his footing again and relax at his friend's ministrations.
Distantly, he realized he was hard, and the urge to rub himself against Kun crossed his mind a few
times.

Finally, Kun gave a last kiss at his jaw and another at his temple before he stepped back. Ten was
able not to cry out at the loss of contact even though it took him every ounce of self-control not to
throw himself back at Kun. Kun looked him up and down as if committing the image to memory.

"Is this okay?"

If he meant scenting him until he almost got wild with desire, the answer was yes.

Kun took a few steps back, bent down to grab his bag, and took out a sweater. "I wore this one
right after my rut." Ten could smell it from where he stood. The aroma was intense and musky, like
the smell of pre-rut on Kun but more sinful. Ten imagined that was what Kun smelled like during
sex.
He took it from Kun, brought it to his chest.

Next, Kun handed him the t-shirt Ten had given him a few days before his rut.

Ten frowned. "You washed it."

Kun chuckled. "I had to."

God, Ten could spend days imagining what Kun had done to it.

Kun took a step in his direction, pointing to the sweater Ten was wearing. "I want this one now."

Ten pouted at him. "No."

"I brought you a new one. This one smells more like you than me, anyway."

Ten continued pouting but ultimately caved to Kun's order. He removed the sweater in one swift
movement, very conscious that he was still half-hard in his boxer but decided to pay it no mind. He
put on the t-shirt instead. It smelled like Kun's washing product mixed with his natural scent. He
did not want to put the sweater on right now. He had better plans for it later.

"When's your heat?"

"In a few days, top."

"Okay." Kun retreated back to the front door, bag clutched in hands. "See you after?"

"Yes," said Ten.

About an hour after Kun left, Ten's phone started ringing.

"I'm so sorry, Ten!" came Sicheng's apology.

Ten had completely forgotten he had pestered the other man all day.

"I was held back at work all evening. I can drop by now if you want!"

"No!" panicked Ten. His whole dorm reeked of Kun, and he did not want to have to air it out yet.
He wanted a few more hours of the smell until it dissipated by itself. He suddenly recalled that
Sicheng had not presented yet and would not be able to smell Kun. He relaxed and replied, "Sorry.
I mean, it's fine. You don't have to come if you're too tired."

"Nonsense, I've already got ice cream. I'm on my way."

Ten smiled to himself. "You're the best."

When Ten's heat hit two days later, he spent his first day fucking himself with his favorite toy, face
planted in Kun's rut sweater.

When his heat was over, he learned that Dejun had presented as beta. He never thought he'd seen
Dejun and Kunhang so delighted. A month later, Kunhang presented as beta too. The following
month saw Sicheng's presentation, an omega like Ten. His friends would be fine, Ten thought.
 They would be fine.

Chapter End Notes

*screams in Kunten*
 Chapter 5
Chapter Notes

here we are ;)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

present

Ten had begun his second week of pre-heat, and he felt himself getting needier by the hour. He did
not wear Kun's hoodie to class, only at home. Somehow, it was not enough to placate his omega,
who increasingly wanted comfort. He spent hours cuddling Sicheng. Yukhei was avoiding him,
and Kun was never really far away, pressing a hand to his thigh under the table, locking their
ankles together, touching him in a million discreet ways. He also kept Yangyang away from Ten.
The younger would be the last one to present the following year, but Kun was convinced he was
going to be an alpha.

"Why can't I give Ten cuddles? I'm still a child. I should be allowed to cuddle him."

"No," said both Yukhei and Kun in unison. "Be respectful of the omega," continued Yukhei, who
had been pinching his nose the entire lunchtime as he sat at the same table as Ten.

"Kun is sitting next to him!" lamented Yangyang.

"Kun has been an alpha for a year now. He's learned to control his wolf," explained Sicheng.

Ten was thankful that he was cuddled against his friend since no one could see him get flustered as
images of a wild, untamed alpha scenting him senseless flashed before his eyes. The hand on his
thigh under the table clutched at his flesh ever so slightly.

Ten was unable to repress the whine that threatened to escape.

"Oh, baby, are you okay?" cooed Sicheng, slowly brushing the hair away from his face. The hand
squeezed his thigh harder.

"No. No, I'm not."

"Did you file for your leave already?" asked Dejun from across the table, looking worried.

Ten nodded. "Starts tomorrow," he said.

"I'll walk you home now. You can skip one afternoon of class," continued Sicheng.

Ten almost whined again when he felt the hand leave his thigh.

"I'll walk him," offered Kun.

Yes, yes, yes.

"No, I think it's better if I do," defended Sicheng gently. "Ten, baby, what does your omega want?"
He pressed himself closer to Sicheng, but it was the wrong person, the wrong scent. His voice was
muffled by Sicheng's shoulder when he answered.

"Ice cream. Cuddles. Hoodie."

Kun, Kun, Kun.

"I can walk him, you know," insisted Kun.

Sicheng tutted at him. "Do you really think it's a good idea? No offense, Kun. But he needs me
right now."

No. Ten whined again and Yukhei got up the table.

"Well, it was nice to talk to you all. Ten, good luck. Bye now!" hurried the young alpha.

"Kun, stop glaring at Sicheng like that," warned Dejun's voice. "Maybe you should go to. It looks
like Ten's pheromones are getting to you."

After a moment of silence, Dejun spoke again. "Don't glare at me like that either!"

Ten heard Kun huff and get up.

"Alphas…" said Dejun, shaking his head from side to side.

"Okay, let's get you home."

Sicheng was right; it did get a bit better once he got back. His friend put a film for him and brought
the giant tub of ice cream for them both to eat while cuddling in front of the television. It was
nearing late afternoon when Sicheng had to leave for his evening class. He promised he'd be back
for dinner with food for them both.

Sicheng was barely out the door that Ten hurled himself at his phone. Kun had texted him
throughout the afternoon.

Kun-ge
i've class all afternoon
how are you feeling?

i'm assuming you're with sicheng

let me know if you need anything

i can bring you food

i can come over

only if you want though

Ten
kun
yes

Kun-ge
yes?

Ten
yes
come over

Kun-ge
i'm getting out of class now
i'll be there in 10

Ten paced his dorm back and forth for what felt like hours. He couldn't wait for Kun to get there.
He wanted him. He needed him the way Kun had needed him only a few weeks back, before his
most recent rut.

past

The months had passed since the summer of his third year, and they were all back to school. Ten
and Kun had started their final year. The boys, except for Yangyang who was a sophomore, were
in their junior year.

Kun and Ten had the most intense semester of their college life by far. They spent hours poring
over textbooks and studying for exams in the library. For a few weeks, Ten was terrified that Kun
had met someone, a beautiful omega girl he saw him with a few times. He learned later that they
were part of the same group for a project, along with her alpha boyfriend. Ten didn't think he ever
felt this type of relief before. He preferred not to think what it meant about the way he felt for Kun.

For the most part of the semester, Kun and Ten pretended things were normal as if they didn't trade
clothes and scent each other during their last cycles. There were barely any lingering touches,
almost no wandering eyes. Kun continued to walk him home in the evening and started buying him
lunch, sometimes carried his bag, but those were not that unusual to start with. The only significant
difference to this semester, and holiday season, was that this time, Ten had been counting the days
down to Kun's rut.

Kun seemed fine during their New Year's Eve party, a little bit tipsy, seeking Ten maybe a bit
more than normal, but nothing that couldn’t be explained away by having one too many drinks. If
Ten reciprocated, well, that was his own, sad, masochistic problem. They went back to school just
a few days afterward, starting their last semester in college. Their second week back, Ten had been
able to detect the change in Kun's scent. He smelled delicious, better than he remembered. Ten
wondered if there would be any contact between them this time around. And while Kun got a bit
closer to Ten, he did not try and snatch a piece of his clothing. Ten had to fight the disappointment
that increased with every day that brought them closer to Kun’s rut.

They were invited to a back-to-school party hosted by friends of theirs. The Friday night of the
party, the boys met beforehand in Ten's dorm to have a few drinks and get ready together. Kun, as
always, showed up wearing a sweater over a white shirt and a pair of slacks, the perfect picture of
the business student. Only, their friends were relentless in their teasing.

"You look like you're ready to go to Church, Kun-ge," complained Yangyang the second Kun
removed his coat.

"Yeah. Did you even try to get ready for a party?" accused Dejun.
"Is this a Kun-bashing party? I thought this was pre-gaming," tried to defend the alpha.

"Wow. Looking like a forty-year-old divorce, Kun," greeted Yukhei, raising a glass in his
direction.

"You dare to call yourselves my friends," grumbled the man.

Ten saw it instantly, the right moment presented on a silver platter. He would not let this
opportunity go without at least trying to get some sort of reaction out of the alpha.

"You're welcome to look through my wardrobe, Kun. I'm sure we can find something that fits you
and is more… party-appropriate," Ten suggested, trying to keep his tone light and uninterested.

Kun turned to him, something like a warning in his eyes that made Ten want to insist even more.
He did not need to.

"That's a great idea, Ten!" exclaimed Dejun. "Anything in your wardrobe is better than this."

"There's the black shirt that's almost see-through," suggested Sicheng, wiggling his eyebrows.

All the boys either cheered or laughed at the suggestion.

Kun opened his mouth, likely to protest, but shut it again when Yangyang came behind him and
clapped him on his back, pushing him in the direction of Ten's bedroom.

"Work your magic, Ten. He needs to be fuckable when he comes out."

"Hey!" started to protest Kun, but Ten seized his arm and dragged him to his room.

"Time for an extreme makeover," singsonged Ten as he opened the door to his wardrobe and
started to look through it. "What do you feel like wearing?"

When he did not get an answer, he turned around to see Kun look at the t-shirt he normally slept in,
all bunched up on his bed. "How about your pajama?" he said, raising his head to Ten.

Ten shivered under the intensity of his gaze, a movement that did not go unnoticed by Kun.

"Is that a no?"

Ten felt himself flush. He wasn’t sure his heart could handle Kun flirting right now. He opted to
ignore him. "Here, that should be big enough for you," he said, eyes landing on a long-sleeved shirt
with a low V-neck. He took it out of the wardrobe and handed it to Kun.

The alpha looked at it for a second and nodded. "Yeah, that could work." He raised his head back
to Ten and just stayed there, looking at him.

"What?" finally asked Ten.

"Should I change here?" asked Kun, waving at Ten, who was still standing there.

"Do you want me to turn around?" replied Ten before biting his tongue. Too flirty, he thought.
That was too flirty. He would need to tone it down a little.

Kun shook his head. "Actually, no. There's no need," he scoffed. He then pulled his sweater above
his head, leaving him only in a white-buttoned up shirt. He waved the piece of fabric in his hands.
"Do you perhaps want to keep that?" he asked.
He felt his heartbeat pick up. "Why would I want that?" he answered instead, playing innocent.

Kun threw the sweater at him anyway, and Ten caught it with both hands. "Yeah, why would
you?" asked Kun before he started unbuttoning his shirt. He did not tear his eyes away from Ten
for a second as he removed it. Kun had a nice, well-defined chest, and Ten had to bite his lips
when he revealed a happy trail rising high on his stomach. Kun caught him off-guard when he
threw the cloth at him this time around, but Ten was able to catch it before it flew in his face. It
smelled stronger than the sweater, intoxicating, and Ten could only describe feeling high as the
musky smell went to his head. Kun put on the black V-neck. Despite being slightly on the bigger
side for Ten, it was definitely on the right side of tight for Kun. The fabric stretched across his
torso nicely, and the V-neck stopped low on his sternum, a good two inches under his collarbones.

"Does that work?" asked Kun, raising two arms as if to show the shirt.

Ten approved.

"Do I look fuckable enough to your liking?"

Ten spluttered for a second. "I- I'm not gonna answer that question."

"Why not?" insisted Kun, clearly enjoying seeing him fluster. "It's a simple question."

"I plead the fifth," responded Ten, leaving the room.

"It's a question that asks a one-word answer," insisted Kun as he followed suit.

Someone in the living room wolf-whistled. A few whoops were heard.

"Does that answer your question?" said Ten, waving at their friends.

"What question?" asked Yangyang, who had gotten up and trotted all the way to Kun to poke at the
chest the V-neck revealed.

"Ten refuses to acknowledge that I look fuckable."

The boys laughed loudly. "You look very fuckable," approved Dejun. He was hit on the chest by
Kunhang.

"See? You don't need me to say it."

Kun crossed his arms on his chest. Unfortunately for Ten, it made his pectoral muscles bulge.
"He's not an omega."

Yangyang went "ooh!" where Kunhang laughed. Yukhei conceded, "He's got a point."

"There's one right there," said Ten, pointing in Sicheng's direction.

"Okay!" exclaimed the man in question. "Moving right past this, who wants a drink?"

Moving past, thought Ten. He wasn't sure that was what he wanted.

The party was hosted at the house of a student at school. The kid was a freshman named Chenle,
but he was part of the NCT frat that Kun and Ten were close with. The party was already raging
when they got there. It was a good thing they had pre-gamed on their favorite drinks since the
bottles in the kitchen were already almost empty. Kun was able to get them a glass of punch before
deciding to go to the living room, which doubled as the dance floor. Ten tried to convince Kun to
come dance with them, but he refused, saying the smells were too distracting for his liking. Ten
conceded, dragging along with him Dejun, Sicheng, and Yangyang to let out some steam. It did not
take long before Ten started to scan the room looking for Kun. He saw him, surrounded by a few
people. One of them was a cute boy, Renjun, and was literally hanging off Kun's arm. Another one
was a girl Ten had never seen before. Ten waved at Sicheng that he was going to get something to
drink and beelined for Kun.

"Hi!" he greeted the group of people, all the while gripping Kun's arm in a way that would casually
dislodge Renjun. It did not take much as the boy turned around and gave him a big hug. "Ten!"
When he let go, Kun circled his arm around Ten's shoulder and introduced him to the others.

Satisfied with his intervention, he chatted a few minutes before telling the group he was going to
get something to drink.

"I'll come with you," said Kun, and followed him into the kitchen. It was less crowded than the
living room, with only small groups of people were talking animatedly. Ten looked around for any
remaining alcohol. He found an unopened bottle of wine and raised it, victorious, in front of Kun's
face. The man took it away from him and put a glass of water in his hand instead.

"Water first," he instructed.

"I'm not even tipsy," complained Ten, but took the glass of water anyways. "No water for you?"

"I'm fine."

"Mmmh." He took a sip of water, observing Kun closely. "Are you having fun?"

Kun shrugged. "Yeah. It's just the smells are a lot to take in, that's all."

"When's your rut?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"Any day now."

"You don't know?"

Kun shrugged again. "I feel like it's changed. I thought it would be last week, but I just got into
pre-rut this week."

Ten hummed again. He had thought the same thing.

Kun was still standing in front of him, still doing nothing but watching him drink his water. "What
are you looking at?"

"You."

The simple answer sent shivers down Ten's spine.

"What is there to look at?" He took another sip of water.

"Plenty," responded Kun, eyes traveling down his frame.

Ten had never had Kun's flirting directed at him this way. There was one thing he knew for sure,
however, and it was that he refused to be so blatantly flustered by the alpha.
He stood tall, looking at Kun the same way the man was looking at him. "I could say the same
thing."

Kun arched an eyebrow at him. "Yeah?"

Ten let his eyes trail Kun's neck down to where his chest was exposed. He saw a bead of sweat drip
from his temple down his throat. "You're hot," said Ten, raising a finger to stop the bead on its
trail. He swiped it up and, on instinct, brought it to his mouth to taste it. He closed his eyes for a
second and reopened them just as he popped his finger out of his mouth.

Kun's mouth had dropped open. He watched Ten darkly, breathing heavy. He stepped forward but
stopped himself short of the omega. Ten was about to protest, was about to reach out to pull him
but also stopped in his track.

Why the hell had he done that?

He felt the last rational part of his mind leave him when Kun put his hands on him, grabbed him by
the elbow, and said, "Room. Let’s go to a room."

Ten followed without a word as he was brought to the second floor. Small groups were chatting in
the staircase and hallways, and both men walked past them to a corridor with many doors. Ten
spotted one with a sign that read "Keep out! Chenle's bedroom!" and Kun must have spotted it too
because that was exactly where he brought Ten. The room was unlocked and empty, and Ten was
pushed back against the door the minute it closed behind them.

"Fuck, Ten," he heard as Kun pushed his face in the crook of his neck. "You can't do that in
public."

Ten let his head fall against the door, felt a rush of warmth and arousal hit him when Kun started to
nose at his neck. "I don't care." He weaved a hand across Kun's hair, something he had been dying
to do all night, and pushed the man closer as he trailed up and down the most sensitive parts of his
neck. It felt absolutely amazing, but not as intense as it did when Kun had done the same during his
heat.

This gave him an idea. He pulled Kun back by the hair. The man protested softly but stopped the
moment Ten put his other hand on his cheek, bringing his face within millimeters of his. Ten felt
Kun's ragged breath on his own lips. "Let me do something, yeah?"

Kun nodded.

Ten slid his face to the side of Kun's, nose at his temple, not unlike what the alpha had done to him
during his last cycle. He then nosed down his jaw and neck. He even dared to leave a warm, wet
kiss on his way. The further down he went, the tenser he could feel Kun get, the harder the alpha
grabbed at him. Ten reached the place where the neck met his shoulder, where the scent gland
was, and brought his mouth to it. He kissed it once, then gave the spot another open-mouthed kiss.
Kun went rigid in his arms before he let out a beautiful, low, sinful moan. Ten poked his tongue
out, licked at it delicately, and Kun keened.

Ten was pushed back against the door and Kun pinned him there with the weight of his body. He
brought a hand through his hair and beckoned Ten to resume his ministrations.

Ten did, bringing his mouth lower to kiss and bite at Kun's collarbone before bringing his mouth
back up for a few kitten licks at his scent gland. He had gone back up to kiss at the underside of
Kun's jaw when Kun started to grind his hips against Ten. Ten could feel his hardness with every
move, and he responded, pressing back into Kun.

Kun swore, pulled his head away, grabbing Ten's face with both hands, and looked at him straight
in the eyes when he rolled his hips against his. He brought his mouth down to Ten's lips and the
omega whimpered when their cocks pressed together again. It was Ten who closed the gap
between their two parted mouths, enjoying every second of their breathless, open-mouthed kisses.
Ten moaned again when Kun slid a leg between his, but it was quickly swallowed by Kun when he
kissed him back.

Kun kept pressing into him, molding his body against Ten, who was pressed flush against the door.
The omega brought his arms around Kun, clawing at his shoulders, whimpered when Kun started
to grind more purposefully against him. Ten disconnected their mouth for a moment, murmuring,
"Wait, wait." He rolled his hips against Kun's hiked up leg and brought one hand up to angle the
alpha's head to the side. He latched his mouth to Kun's neck, pressing his own leg back up against
Kun's erection. Kun started to groan and moan in pleasure as he picked up the pace of his grinding.
Ten continued to lap at his neck, tasting him and his intoxicating pheromones fully, having
completely lost himself in the heat and movement of their bodies.

Ten thought he could come like this, in his pants, humping his best friends, but he didn't want to.
So he pushed one hand down and started to fumble with Kun's buckle. "Please," he said, putting his
mouth back to Kun's jaw. "Please, Kun. Please."

Kun tilted his head back and kissed him hard on the mouth, pushing him back to the door. He
continued to press every inch of himself on Ten while he brought both hands down to unbuckle his
belt. He took care of his own before he did the same for Ten's. The omega did not lose a moment,
reaching to unbutton Kun's jeans and lower a hand down Kun's boxer until he was able to grab his
length.

Kun moaned loudly when Ten's hand gripped his cock and slowly started moving. He fit nicely in
Ten's hand, and Ten had half a mind to drop down to his knees to see if he fit just as nicely in his
mouth when Kun kissed him again. Kun had lowered his hand down and was palming Ten through
his jeans. Ten reached down to his own boxer and took his own cock out. He was just slightly
smaller than Kun, but not by much, so he was able to nicely align both their cocks together and
started pumping.

Ten felt so incredibly aroused, every sense heightened by Kun's pheromones, that he felt his eyes
roll back when Kun rubbed his dick against his while Ten was jerking them off. He let out a series
of stuttered moans, trying to focus on their pleasure when lips attached themselves to his neck.
"You taste so good," he heard Kun's gravelly voice tell him, pressing harder against Ten's cock.
"God, Ten."

Ten answered with a breathy moan. He continued pumping, quickening his pace when he felt
Kun's hips falter slightly. He himself was right on the verge of his own orgasm and Kun brought
his head back up to kiss him on the mouth just as he came. Ten came only a few seconds after.
They both slowed down, their breaths heavy, their mouths on each other. Kun gave him one last
long kiss before he took a step back.

Ten almost wanted to pull Kun back to him but Kun leaned his forehead against Ten's temple. His
breath fanned across Ten's cheek, and the omega circled his arm around Kun's waist. His mind was
quiet, and he basked in the feeling of just being there with Kun.

"I think you've triggered my rut," said Kun after a moment of silence. “When you, huh, did that. In
the kitchen. And after.”
"Yeah?" asked Ten. That made sense.

He felt Kun's nod. "I need to go back. Be in my room for when it hits me again."

"Oh," said Ten. He turned his head to meet Kun's eyes. "How long do you have?"

"I don't know," answered Kun softly. "It's calmed down now, since…" he did not finish his
sentence, instead raised a hand to Ten's neck. "I've usually a couple hours between waves."

"Okay," answered Ten. "Okay. Let's get you out."

They both put themselves back in their pants, trying to straighten their clothes. Most of the cum had
landed on Ten's shirt. He would need to hide the stain until he could put his jacket on. He stood up,
appraised Kun for a second, walked up to him to flatten his hair a little where he was disheveled.
Kun did the same for him.

"How do we do this?" he finally asked his friend. He could definitely smell the rut on him. It was
different than the heavy, musky smell he was used to. It was more mature, a bit more earthy, with
undertones of bark. He didn't know how long he could last without putting his head back in Kun's
neck, lick away at his skin to see if he tasted the way he smelled.

"We grab our coats and we go for the door. And we don't stop even if someone tries to talk to us.
Especially if it's one of our friends."

"Yeah," agreed Ten. That would be disastrous. There would be no easy way to explain why they
both were getting out of Chenle's room smelling of sex and rut. Speaking of, Ten walked around
Kun to open a window.

"What are you doing? It's so cold outside."

"Either that or his room smells like two of his friends fucked in it."

"Jesus, Ten. No need to say it like that."

They both left the room, quick to go down and grab their coats. They didn't need to worry about
smells, though, because the party had raged on, and the whole house reeked of hormones and
alcohol. Luck was definitely on their side because they did not encounter any of their friends on
their way out.

They walked in silence, and Ten refused to succumb to his own spiraling thoughts. They reached
the point where they had to go in different directions. Kun offered to walk Ten home, but the
omega refused. "You need to go home as quickly as you can. Plus, I doubt anyone will approach
me smelling the way I do right now." Even outside, in the cold night's air, he knew he smelled of
sex and alpha. Not a single soul on campus would dare come near an omega who was so clearly
marked.

"Sorry I can't walk you," apologized Kun, looking really guilty about it.

"Sure, no worries, Kun. See you after your rut?"

"Yeah." Kun seemed to hesitate for a beat before he slowly started to walk back. "See you."

The next time Ten saw him, a bit more than a week after the party, Kun gave him back the shirt he
had borrowed for the night. The time after that, Kun had sat down on a bench next to him on a cold
day in February.
Chapter End Notes

hiii ~~ I hope you liked this chapter <3

let me know what you thought, and I'll see you next week!
 Chapter 6
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

present

When Sicheng had left, Ten immediately texted Kun. Ten felt like he had paced back and forth in
his flat for hours when there was a knock at the door. He all but threw himself at it and opened it to
reveal Kun.

The alpha walked in without hesitation, hurriedly closed the door behind himself. He looked at
Ten, then scanned the room around him. "God, you smell so good," he said. "Why aren't you
wearing my hoodie?" he asked next, clearly looking displeased.

Ten already felt better, having Kun in front of him. "Sicheng was here." When Kun was done
removing his shoes and his coat, Ten let his instincts take over and walked straight into Kun's
arms.

The alpha engulfed him in a hug, bringing his nose down to his neck and sniffing him. "God, Ten."
He rubbed his arms against the omega's back in a comforting gesture, and Ten felt himself melt in
the embrace. "How are you feeling?"

"It hurt so bad. I wanted you."

"Fuck. You have me now. I'm here." Kun walked Ten, aiming for the couch, but the omega had a
different idea. He lowered his mouth to Kun's neck and kissed him there. It tasted so good, he
thought faintly, like sweat and salt and Kun, and gave him a few more kisses. "Ten," warned the
alpha, still trying to maneuver him across the room.

Ten whined, refusing to stop. "Alpha," he whispered, angling his head to kiss across Kun's jaw.

"Don't say that," he cautioned again, voice growing serious.

Ten loved the sound of that, continued until he reached Kun's mouth. "Kun," he said, kissing him
once, teeth grazing at his lower lip. "Touch me, please." He kissed him again, this time bringing
both hands to his face to trace it gently with his fingers. "Alpha, please."

Ten remembered feeling so desperate these past few days. His pre-heat had gotten worse and worse
with every day he denied his omega what he wanted. He could have Kun. If only like this,
temporarily, but he could have him, and he would at least give that to his omega.

It turned out that Kun did not need a lot of convincing to close the distance between their two
mouths and give him one long, drawn-out kiss. Ten threw both arms around Kun's neck, beckoning
him closer, walking them back until his back hit the small kitchen counter.

Kun continued to kiss him deeply, exploring his mouth with his own, and Ten let him take, take,
take. Kun broke the kiss to peck at his jaw, then down his throat. Ten was going to tell him to
come back and kiss him harder when Kun pressed the flat of his tongue on his neck and licked
against his scent gland.

Ten's knee buckled as he cried out, Kun's grip the only thing preventing him from collapsing. The
alpha hoisted him up, bending a little to grab his thighs, and lifted him to sit on the counter. Ten
had gone boneless in Kun's arms, letting the alpha position himself between his legs before giving
his neck another lick.

Ten folded into Kun, clawing at his back, making all sorts of obscene noises as Kun sucked on the
tender skin there. Ten knew he would leave angry bruises in the wake of his mouth, and something
in him trembled at the notion.

Lips still traveling on Ten's neck, Kun brought his hands down to grab his ass and yanked Ten's
hips forward where he could grind into him. Ten let out a high pitch moan, the hardness of Kun's
dick in his jeans rubbing him just the right way through the soft fabric of his sweatpants. Kun
seemed to like his noises because he continued his movement in earnest. He brought their mouths
back together, kissing and biting at Ten's lips as he increased the friction on his cock. Ten knew
that if he was in heat, he would be soaking wet with slick by now.

Eventually, Kun pulled back and reached a hand down Ten's sweatpants. Ten was not wearing any
underwear underneath them and felt Kun's warm palm land directly on his aroused member. Kun
didn't bother taking him out of his pants, just rubbing at him all the while nibbling at his mouth,
breathing into it when Ten opened it to moan. Kun pressed a thumb on the head of his cock,
dipping it into his slit, pumping his length with the rest of his fingers. Ten's orgasm hit him almost
by surprise, the strength of it equaled only by the orgasms he'd had during his heat. He tipped
forward, all of his weight on Kun, who held him there and jerked him slowly through his orgasm.

Kun eventually retracted his hand, covered in cum, and reached out behind Ten to grab a few paper
towels. Ten barely registered his movements, leaning heavily on Kun's shoulder, coming down
from his orgasm. He felt thoroughly satiated in a way he hadn't felt in a while. He turned his neck
so that his nose could rest against Kun's skin and stayed there. Kun started to rub soft circles on his
back, one hand lacing gently at the hair on his nape.

"How are you feeling now?"

Ten raised his head from Kun's neck to answer. "Better."

Kun hummed. "Shall we get you changed?"

Ten raised his head, furrowed his eyebrows at Kun. "What about you?" he said.

"What about me?"

Ten lowered his gaze to the bulge in Kun's jeans.

"Don't worry about it. This is about you now."

Ten would have argued with him if he had the strength to, but he felt too pleasantly heavy and
sated to do so.

He let Kun lower him back to the floor and guide him to the room where he beckoned Ten to
remove his soiled clothes and put on a pair of boxers. Ten slipped on Kun's hoodie on top, and
when Kun looked satisfied, the alpha brought him back to the living room. Ten settled sideways on
top of Kun, tucking his head in the alpha's neck while the man held him close.

Ten thought he dozed off a little bit, woke up to Kun humming softly, stroking his naked thigh with
a hand.

"That feels good," Ten said with a yawn.

"Oh, you're awake," answered Kun, turning his head to look at Ten. He had to crane his neck in a
way that looked uncomfortable, so Ten repositioned himself slightly where he was sat on Kun's
thigh. "Oh, that's better," said Kun with a short laugh. "My legs were falling asleep."

"You should have woken me up or moved me."

"Didn't want to. You looked too peaceful right there."

Ten could smell Kun's delicious scent, something that edged closer to what he smelled like when
in rut, spices mixed with bark.

"You look better too. Better than earlier today."

Ten had to agree with that observation. The moodiness and clinginess had gone, replaced with a
calmness that was, unfortunately, only temporary. His pre-heat would kick in again in a while,
preparing him for the inevitable.

Just thinking about it, Ten didn't know whether he was ready to go through another painful heat
without Kun. His omega wanted to cry at the mere thought of it.

Ten cleared up his throat, carefully chose his next words. "I do. I feel… sated now." He watched as
Kun’s Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. "It's gonna come back soon, though.
It'll get more intense." He would feel ashamed if his desire for Kun's presence during his heat
wasn't so overpowering. "And then, there'll be my heat." Kun exhaled at that, eyes not leaving
Ten's.

"When's your heat?" Kun asked after a beat.

"In four or five days."

"Do you think it would be better if there was someone? With you?" Kun asked, immediately biting
down on his lip.

"Do you mean, like a heat partner?" Ten's voice was small.

Kun nodded, eyes on him. "Do you…" Kun stopped himself, seemed to be searching for words.
"Do you want to maybe..."

"Would you?" said Ten before he lost all courage to ask.

"Yes. I mean, yeah. If you want to. If you want me to be that..." Kun hugged him tighter to him.

Kun had not finished his sentence that Ten was nodding. Yes, yes, yes.

"Okay. Okay. I can come over in four days? I can bring food, too."

Ten smiled shyly at him. "Okay."

"Are you sure?" asked Kun. "I don't want to…"

"I'm sure." Ten leaned toward him, settled back against his shoulder.

"Okay. Okay," replied Kun.

It was Ten who broke the peaceful silence.

"What?" Kun looked alarmed for a moment.

"Sicheng!"

"Sicheng?"

"Fuck," repeated Ten. "He's the one who comes over to make sure I eat and drink and look after me
during my heat. We'll have to let him know."

Kun seemed to relax. "God, I thought it was something much worse than this. Sure, let's tell him."

Ten looked around the room. "What time is it, by the way? He's supposed to be back tonight."

Kun almost jumped under him. "He's supposed to be back tonight?" He sounded properly afraid
now. "Why didn't you tell me? The whole place reek of sex and you're half-naked, and he's
supposed to be back?"

"Hey, hey," said Ten, taking his face between his two hands. "Calm down. It's my fault. I forgot.
He left, and the first thing I did was text you. I wasn't thinking."

Kun shook his head, clearly unimpressed by the situation.

Ten was too relaxed, a bit languid from Kun's touch, to feel himself panic. "We'll have to tell him
anyway."

Kun let his head fall on the back of the couch. "I'm going to die. He's going to kill me."

Ten cuddled back to him. "I won't let that happen."

"Okay," replied Kun.

They were able to cuddle again for another 10 minutes until a knock came at the door.

"Tennie! Open up! I've got take out with me."

Ten lifted his head from resting on Kun's shoulder, giving him a worried look. "I'll go talk to him.
Stay here."

Kun nodded, letting the omega get up and pad to the door. Ten cracked opened the door just
enough to slip outside and close it behind him.

"Hi! Hey, what are you doi-" the cheerfulness in Sicheng's voice died just as his sentence did.
"Jesus christ," he said next, slapping a hand across his mouth and nose. "What are you… Get
inside! You're naked! And you smell like... like…"

He saw as Sicheng's eyes filled with disbelief, which then turned into horror.

"Ten, what the fuck? Get back in!"

Ten put his two hands up, trying to placate his friend. "Let me explain."

"You're in pre-heat and half-naked!"

"I know. It's because I need to tell you something."

"Does it have to do with why you smell like Kun fucked you sideways?"

Ten brought both hands to his eyes, feeling his face get hot. "That's not… That's not…"

"Fuck's sake, Ten! Have you smelled you?" Sicheng almost screamed but lowered his voice down
next. "Wait, is he inside? Is that why you came out?"

Ten lowered his hands just in time to see Sicheng try to push him aside to enter his dorm. "Wait!
Wait. Yes, he is. He is inside."

Sicheng glowered at him. It would have intimidated any man or wolf he knew, but fortunately, he
was used to the other's man wrath.

"I called him. When you left. I called him. I wanted him here."

Sicheng huffed. "Really? You and Kun?"

When Ten didn't answer, Sicheng grew visibly shocked.

"Really?" he repeated, this time surprised. "You and Kun? Since when?"

Ten shrugged. "I guess since he almost got into a fist-fight with Yukhei a year ago when I
presented."

Sicheng looked at him, then scanned him up and down. "That's his hoodie," he pointed out
uselessly, bringing his eyes up, stopping at the side of his neck. "Fuck, Ten." He raised the hand
that was not holding their take out to graze at the places Kun had marked. "He really did a number
on you."

"I wanted him to," answered Ten. It felt good to say it to someone, even though it would demand a
more detailed explanation later.

Sicheng looked disapproving. "I was gone for two hours."

Ten shrugged.

"Okay. Can I come in now? I'd really rather we continue this inside, seeing as you are an omega in
pre-heat standing half-naked in a hallway."

Ten nodded and pushed back in, holding the door for Sicheng.

"Well, hello there, Kun."

The alpha was already standing, having clearly waited for them to walk back in. "Hi, Sicheng," he
said, having the mind to look just a little bit guilty.

"Wow, doesn't this place smell great," continued Sicheng with a wrinkle of his nose and a heavy
tone of sarcasm. "Wonder what happened here." He put the takeout down on the small coffee table,
dramatically removed his coat, and threw it on the sofa.

Ten rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed by his attitude. "We wanted to tell you something," he said
instead, starting to unpack the takeout bag.

"More surprises? Great," replied Sicheng, almost hostile.

"We're going to spend my heat together," said Ten, ignoring the angry omega.
 Sicheng whirled around to look at him as if he thought he misheard him. "What?" His tone had lost
all antagonism.

Ten put the last container down and folded the takeout bag. "We're going to spend my heat
together, Sichengie. You won't need to drop by to check up on me."

Sicheng alternated between looking at Ten and Kun. "I see." He did not say another word as he sat
down on the couch.

"Well, I guess this is my cue to go." Kun went to the door to put his shoes and coat on. Ten
followed him, knowing he would already be missing him the moment he left. Kun lingered a little
at the door. "I'll text you," he whispered.

Ten nodded, not knowing whether to hug him, kiss him, or just wave him out.

Kun chose for him when he raised his hand and grazed it against his cheek. Ten turned his head to
nuzzle into his palm. Kun withdrew his hand just as quickly as he had raised it. "Bye, now."

"Bye," replied Ten, closing the door behind him. He stared at it for a couple of seconds before he
remembered Sicheng's presence. The other omega was already looking at him when he turned
around.

"You've got some explaining to do," he said.

Ten sighed and took place next to Sicheng on the sofa.

Chapter End Notes

hi all! let me know what you thought of this chapter~~

also, tell me your favorite headcanons/au! I'm looking for ideas for my next fic <3
 Chapter 7
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Ten had grown restless again. He felt it boiling in him, his fast-approaching heat.

As promised, Kun texted him several times every day, and this was his lifeline, knowing that the
alpha was out there, that he would come for his heat.

Ten knew it could start anytime now, that very evening or the following day. He had informed
Kun, who promised he'd arrive soon, with extra clothing for Ten's nest.

Ten had first thoroughly cleaned his dorm and then moved on to his bedroom, fluffing pillows,
getting his softest blankets out. Nesting was an urge he had not yet gotten used to. This time
around, there was an added pressure: he wanted his nest exceptionally comfortable for both him
and his alpha. He hoped Kun would like it.

He found himself in the process of walking back and forth, counting down the minutes to when
Kun said he'd show up, an intense feeling of yearning settling down in him. He was lonely and
touch-starved. Sicheng had still taken care of him these past four days, despite his concerns
regarding Ten and Kun's arrangement. He had not voiced it out loud to Ten, but he knew Sicheng
was worried for his heart. When the other omega had questioned him, Ten had not been able to
deny his attraction for Kun and his affection for him. Maybe it was why Sicheng had been extra
careful with him in the days leading up to his heat.

The knock finally came at the door, and Ten rushed to open up.

"Hey," said Kun as he walked in, hurriedly closing the door behind him. Ten watched as he locked
it. "Wow," he said, taking in Ten's appearance. Ten knew he smelled strong of pre-heat, having
sweated profusely during his cleaning and toiling of the day.

"Sorry, I smell," answered Ten.

"Please, don't ever apologize for that," joked Kun before dropping on the floor the two bags and
backpack he had with him. He took one, handed it to Ten. "For you."

Ten frowned but took it. Just a sniff of it, and he knew what it was. "For my nest?"

"Yes," said Kun. He removed his coat and shoes. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm. Restless."

"Like last time?"

"It's different. It sort of transformed." Ten was annoyed that he couldn't describe it better.

"Transformed?"

"Yeah," Ten answered, putting the bag down and throwing himself on the sofa. "I'm less moody.
More... aggressive. Starved for touch."

"Even now?" asked Kun, tilting his head to the side, not moving from where he was standing, a few
meters away from Ten. It crossed Ten's mind that he was doing it on purpose, keeping away from
him for so long.

"Yeah."

When Kun didn't move from where he stood, Ten jutted his chin out defiantly. "So?"

"So what?" answered the alpha with a coy smile.

"I see how it is," sighed Ten. "Well, if you don't come over and touch me now, I'm going to have to
start touching myself." He realized belatedly what he blurted but was too flushed with his pre-heat
to care.

Kun smirked, leaned against the wall next to the door. "I wouldn't mind watching that."

Ten really was starting to get hot and bothered by his attitude. All he wanted was a few cuddles,
bury his head in his neck, hands roaming on his back. All Kun had to do was give it to him.

"If that's what you want," he replied, pushing the game, wanting Kun to break first.

He rubbed both hands on his thighs, bringing them up slowly until they reached his boxers. He
brought them down again, this time making sure to rub the inside of his thighs. He observed Kun
watch him with rapture as he hiked a hand up his own chest, bunching up the fabric of the hoodie
in passing.

Something about being watched like this turned him on, he realized soon, and he did not fake the
moan that crossed his lips when he brushed against his own nipple. He heard footsteps, felt the
couch dip next to him.

"Come here," said Kun, but Ten pushed him away.

"You said you wanted to watch. You'll watch," argued Ten. He continued rubbing at his chest,
bringing the hand he had on his thigh to his crotch. "Ah!"

He felt hands on his waist and batted them away. He held Kun an arm's length away, used the
other hand the grind his palm against his hardening cock.

"Oh god," he sighed at the delicious pressure.

There was no fighting back Kun this time around. The alpha picked him up and manhandled him
until Ten was straddling him on the couch. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

Ten tilted forward until he was resting against Kun's chest fully. It was not his intention to initiate
sex so quickly, but that little display had gotten him hard, and desire continued to build in him as
Kun started to palm at his ass. He noticed he had started getting wet.

"Do you have to be so infuriating?" asked Kun as he nosed up and down his neck.

Ten felt him flex his hands on his ass as he started grinding into Kun.

"I haven't been touched in four days," he answered.

"Well, I'm touching now," replied Kun peppering his jaw with small kisses.

Ten turned his head, tried to catch his mouth with more or less success. "I think I'm getting wet,"
he said before diving in again.
Kun quickly separated their mouth. "What? Has your heat started?"

Ten shook his head, tried to catch the alpha's mouth again with his. "No," he said between kisses.
"Happens sometimes." More kissing. "Before the heat."

"Can I touch?"

Ten nodded, bringing one of Kun's hand still clutching at his ass towards his hole. Despite it being
through the fabric, Ten felt Kun's touch like an iron on him. He dipped two fingers where his hole
was, and Ten felt it clench around nothing, more slick trickling down. Kun gasped silently, pressed
the two fingers further until they were wet. He brought his hand back to stare at it, amazed. Ten
watched him closely as he brought those two fingers to his mouth and gave a tentative lick. After
an appreciative moan, he popped the two fingers in and sucked at them.

Ten was so incredibly aroused at the sight. He automatically rolled his hips down on Kun's. The
alpha popped the fingers out of his mouth and grabbed Ten by the hair to bring him in for a
feverish kiss.

"Do you like the way I taste?" Ten asked, taking advantage of his position to grind on Kun's dick.

"Do you have to ask?" Kun kissed him again. He grabbed his ass with both hands and pushed Ten's
hips down as he ground up.

The pressure was perfect. "Fuck. Fuck," moaned Ten when Kun did it again. Ten kissed him hard,
tongue meeting tongue, and Kun kept his grip on his ass firm as he rocked their hips together. "I
wanna…" Ten interrupted himself to let out a moan. "I wanna feel you. All of you."

Kun slowed down his grinding. "Yeah?"

Ten nodded.

"But you're not… you're no in heat…"

"I don't have to be," he reminded him. Omegas and alphas could have sex outside of their cycles.

"Are you sure?" asked Kun anyway, ever the gentleman.

"I'm hard, and I'm wet, and I wanna have you in me."

Kun let his head fall in Ten's neck. "Fuck. Okay." He kissed at the tender skin there just as Ten
reached down to take care of his belt.

He unbuckled Kun's belt and zipped down his jeans. He reached in to feel Kun's hard dick and
delicately took it out. He got off Kun for a moment, lowered his jeans to make them both more
comfortable, and got rid of his own boxer briefs. When he sat back down on Kun's thighs, he took
him in his hand, trailing his hands softly from his base to his head.

"I'm clean," he said next, waiting for Kun to react to his words. The alpha was rubbing at his naked
ass, dipping his fingers close to his hole, gathering slick on his fingers as he circled it.

"Me too. I, huh- I got tested…"

"Good," said Ten. He rolled his hips back in Kun's hands. "You can…"

Kun nodded, aligning two fingers against his entrance, applying the most delicious pressure there.
"Oh god," mumbled Ten, tipping forward into Kun's neck, the hand on his dick slowing down. He
kissed him there as Kun slowly pressed his fingers in. There was almost no resistance, fingers
sliding in easily with a soft squelching noise.

"Fuck, you're so wet."

Ten keened at the words, adjusting to the feeling of Kun's fingers sliding in and out of him. He
gripped Kun's shoulder with one hand, the other still around Kun's dick, and he pressed his mouth
where his head was resting at Kun's collarbones. Kun sped up his fingers. Ten moved his hips back
just a little bit, reveling in the deep, satisfying feeling it awoke in him. He moaned.

"Fuck, Ten, baby. I wanna be in you so bad."

Ten moaned again, mouth opened on Kun's neck and dragged it up until he was able to latch his
mouth at Kun's earlobe. He sucked at it for a few seconds, Kun's fingers driving in him when he let
it go.

"Yes, yes, Kun," he said, reaching behind to remove Kun's fingers from where they were buried
deep in him. Kun kissed him a few times, helping him straighten up to align himself with Kun's
dick.

Kun held part of his weight as he slowly lowered himself on his cock.

The sensation was unlike anything else he's ever experienced. For a moment, all of the desire and
longing he felt disappeared. Everything narrowed to the smell of Kun, his warm and sturdy chest
against him, and the delicious stretch of the alpha's cock.

Ten knew he must look sinful, mouth opened in bliss as he adjusted to Kun, but he didn't care. He
inhaled deeply, biting down on his lips when he felt a mouth going for his neck.

"You feel so good, baby," said the alpha as he licked across his skin. That spurred Ten into
moving, using his thighs' muscles and the grip on Kun's shoulders to raise and lower himself along
Kun's length.

The drag of cock in him punched the air out of his lungs. He threw his head forward, leaning it
against Kun's collarbone as he did it again. "Kun," he whimpered. "Ah-"

He repeated the gesture again and again, muffling his cries in Kun's skin. The other had both his
hands on his thighs and ass, guiding his every move.

"Oh god, ah- ah!" he cried out, picking up his pace. It felt so good, being able to focus only on his
pleasure, on being wrapped around Kun, tasting his skin with every moan, on his strong hands
helping him as he rode his dick.

He unfolded himself, met Kun where he shifted to kiss him on the mouth. The angle changed
slightly, bringing new sensations to Ten. "Like this," he said, circling one arm around Kun's neck,
bringing them nose to nose. He continued bouncing until his breath started to falter. "Oh god, oh
god, Kun," he murmured.

Kun grabbed his ass again, making sure to rock into Ten as hard as he could. The omega keened as
he hit the sensitive spot in him. Kun seemed to be encouraged by the shameful sounds he made and
continued to fuck into him, hitting the same spot over and over again. Ten felt his whole body
tense, his moans becoming completely incoherent as he came hard around Kun.

He continued riding the alpha, feeling him come soon after him with a groan. Kun did not let go of
 his ass, instead, he continued his motion to bring the omega down on his cock until Ten started to
mewl at the sensitivity. He tilted forward, letting his whole torso fall on Kun's, who circled it with
both arms. Ten remained there, with Kun's cock still buried in him, for a few minutes.

Eventually, Kun reached up a hand in his hair, brushing them softly out of his face. "Hey."

"Hey," replied Ten, still feeling boneless.

"Aren't you uncomfortable?"

Ten assumed he was referring to where his cock was still in him. He shook his head. "No." After a
pause. "Feels a little bit like a knot."

Ten thought Kun shivered. "Do you like them? Knots?"

"Never had a real one," answered Ten truthfully. "But it's my favorite toy."

"Would you like to try it? Knotting, I mean. During your heat."

That was one of the things Ten was most looking forward to having. "Yes. To be honest, I'll
probably be begging for it."

"God, don't say things like that," chastised Kun.

"Why not?" Ten turned his head, gave a close-mouthed kiss to the corner of Kun's jaw. "I probably
will, really."

"Let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" said Kun, effectively changing topics.

He ushered Ten to take a shower while he unpacked a few things. When Ten was out, he handed
him another, freshly worn sweater. Kun cuddled him for a while, only detaching himself to cook
them dinner. Ten took the time to go through the pieces of clothing and blankets Kun had brought
for his nest. He liked the majority of them. He put them aside to complete his nest the following
day.

Chapter End Notes

i'm really happy to share this chapter with you all ~~ let me know what you think!

thank you for your suggestions last week! I've gotten a few good ideas from you all <3
 Chapter 8
Chapter Notes

*inserts the office gif* it's happenING-

See the end of the chapter for more notes

When Ten woke up, he was sleeping in his nest, cuddled up to Kun. He could feel the heat had
taken roots overnight, having almost taken over the rational, functional part of his brain. He didn’t
have much time left, he knew, until the first wave hit.

He let his instinct take over and dragged himself on top of the sleeping alpha. The man in question
stirred in his sleep as Ten licked almost shyly at his neck. He just wanted to taste, just a little bit, he
told himself, until the alpha opened his eyes.

“Jesus fuck,” he said, rubbing the sleep of his eyes. Ten gave a few other licks and Kun shuddered.
“Are you in heat? Has it started?”

Ten hummed. “Almost.” He gave the alpha a few more lick, grazed his teeth against the skin of the
underside of his jaw.

“Stop now,” Kun said, pushing him with two hands.

Ten whined.

“Fuck, Ten. I just woke up. You’re not in heat and I’m already hard.”

Ten perked up. “Is that a problem?” he asked, lowering himself down until he got closer to Kun’s
collarbones.

“Ten,” the alpha warned. Then, after a shuddering breath, “What do you want?”

Ten paused in his movement long enough to ask himself that question. What did he want?

He did not exactly want sex, but he wanted Kun. He pushed himself back up until he was able to
tuck his head in Kun’s neck.

“Hold me?”

Kun huffed a laugh. “Sure. Of course.”

And he did. Ten continued to pepper his neck with soft kisses and felt Kun fidget underneath him.

“Hmm?” asked Ten, mouth pressed against his neck.

Kun made a pained noise. “Are you gonna be like that the whole time?” he whispered.

“Like what?”

“Like this,” replied Kun, running a hand down the line of his back, showing how closely pressed
Ten was to Kun.
“I don’t know,” answered Ten. “I’ve never spent my heat with anyone.”

Kun hummed low in his throat, almost like a purr.

Ten slapped his chest. “You like that, don’t you?” He giggled when Kun rolled his eyes.

“I never said that.”

“But you do.”

“I never said that,” repeated Kun.

It took a moment before Ten let him sit up. “Is toast good?”

“Sure,” said Ten, rolling around on his bed.

“Are you gonna stay there?” asked Kun, lingering in the doorway.

“Yes. I’ve got a nest to finish.”

Ten worked on his nest, then spent some time cuddling Kun on the couch. He thought his heat was
going to hit him but Kun rubbed his stomach and scented him until the itching under his skin
calmed down. Ten dozed off against him shortly after, waking up only when Kun got up to prepare
them dinner.

He reluctantly let the alpha go, and the feeling of itching and crawling under his skin came back.
He migrated to his bed where he rolled around on his stomach until he settled, head in Kun’s
clothes. He could hear the faint noises of pots and pans clinking, the tap being turned on and off.
The itching came back, and Ten got the increasing desire to touch himself. He started to rut slowly
against his mattress, to try and alleviate the deep, aching need to be touched. He felt beads of sweat
beginning to gather at his forehead and he moved his hips more strongly against the mattress,
feeling himself getting fully hard. There was slick dripping out of him, staining his boxers, and he
felt the familiar need to be filled that announced the onset of his heat. He whimpered.

He heard a series of sounds from the kitchen, not unlike utensils falling.

“Kun…” he moaned, turning on his back, throwing an arm over his eyes. He felt slick drip out of
him, dripping from his boxer onto his sheets as he writhed pathetically. He was about to call out
the alpha’s name again when his nose filled with a mix of spices and bark, a fresh wave of
pheromones assaulting his senses. “Kun!” Eyes closed, he reached forward with two outstretched
arms until the alpha reached down to lay down on him.

Ten whimpered again, eyes tightly shut, and arched into the alpha’s body. Kun shut him up with a
kiss, and Ten welcomed the tongue being shoved into his mouth. Kun settled his whole body down
on Ten’s, pinning him to the mattress, and kissed him hard. “Is this your heat, baby?” he asked,
breaking the kiss to bite at his jaw. Ten arched up against Kun, growing desperate despite the
alpha’s presence.

“Yes.” He had difficulty swallowing, trying to rub himself against the alpha. “God, Kun. Need
you.” Kun kissed him dirtily before getting halfway up from the omega to rid him of his clothes.
Ten felt exposed, stark naked under Kun when the man lowered again to leave wet kisses along the
column of his throat. Ten was leaking on the sheets now, and whimpered pathetically as Kun
circled his scent gland, not touching it with his mouth.
“Alpha,” Ten whined again, mind zeroed in on his leaking hole, and the absence he felt there.
Running on instinct, Ten got both hands up Kun’s shirt, pushing until the alpha disconnected his
mouth from his throat and shoved the piece of fabric aside. Ten grasped at Kun’s back, struggling
to find purchase, desperately needing something to hold onto, to anchor him to the other man.

Kun pushed him back, holding Ten to the mattress with a solid hand on his chest as he unbuckled
his belt. At Ten’s whines, he said, “Give me a minute, baby. Just a minute.” He got up to remove
his jeans, chucking them down quickly.

Ten had thrown an arm back on his face, and was arching into nothing, whimpers escaping his
opened mouth. “Kun, please,” he repeated a few times. He vaguely registered the alpha tripping on
his own jeans when two warm hands finally found purchase on his hips. Kun slid a hand up until
he was able to graze at Ten’s nipple while he lowered the other one down to Ten’s dick. The
combined sensations made the omega trash in the sheets. The hand that traveled up and down his
dick for a few seconds then traveled down around his hip to where he was leaking. Ten felt his
hole clench around nothing, and the emptiness became too much to bear.

“Kun! Please, please.” Two fingers probed at his entrance, and with one swift, fluid move, entered
him. Kun’s fingers felt both delicious and thoroughly unsatisfactory at once, and Ten groaned in
frustration. Kun pumped his fingers in and out a few times, with no resistance whatsoever before
he pulled out. “You look ready for me, baby.”

“Yes, yes,” answered Ten, sounding annoyed to his own ears.

“I needed to check,” replied Kun when he laid down to align his cock to Ten’s hole. He kissed him
a few times, gently pushing the head of his cock in Ten. The omega tensed for a fraction of a
second before he relaxed, exhaling loudly in bliss as Kun pushed himself in.

“Oh god,” sighed Ten, a deep and intense feeling of relief overwhelming him when he was finally
fully stretched around Kun’s cock. He automatically wrapped a leg around Kun’s hip to hold him
there. The alpha did not move, just peppering kisses across his jaw. Ten didn’t know it would feel
so good, all of his thoughts having quieted down for a few seconds while surrounded and filled
with the alpha.

“You okay?” asked Kun as he started moving, building a slow, almost tender pace. Ten was
boneless under him, mind blank, mouth agape as he let the sensations wash over him. He found
himself moaning softly when Kun continued rolling in and out of him, a warm sort of pleasure
building in his stomach. He had his two hands next to his head, and he grabbed the sheets by reflex
as his chest started to hiccup with pleasured moans.

“Is this good? Does it feel good?” asked Kun again, a hand coming to grab at Ten’s leg that was
wrapped around him, pushing inside him with just a little bit more strength.

Ten bit his lip, nodded his head, before he threw his head back to let out some more choked up
moans.

Kun lowered his head to Ten’s neck, keeping his pace steady as he kissed across it. Ten started
shaking under Kun, the orgasm in his belly building deliciously, and he knew he would come soon
under the steady and firm pace of Kun. Something in Kun’s carefulness, in the gentleness with
which he kissed across his skin and pushed into him, made him clench around the alpha and he
moaned softly as his orgasm set shock waves through him.

He shook under Kun for a few seconds, still being fucked steadily by the alpha who was
whispering against his ear. “Just like this, baby. You’re doing so good. So good.”
Kun continued to fuck him until Ten stopped shaking. He continued pushing in and out as he
brought their mouths together to kiss him softly. Ten let himself be kissed, let Kun push his tongue
in as he registered the intense feeling building in his core, one that was completely taking over the
delicious satisfaction of his first orgasm. He bit on Kun’s lip, tried to spur Kun into fucking deeper
with the leg he had wrapped around him.

Kun picked up his pace. Ten felt the full strength of his heat as the desperation came back. He
wanted Kun to ravage him.

Ten reached around Kun’s back to grab at his shoulder, urging Kun to pick up the pace again. The
alpha planted both hands on either side of Ten’s head and starting thrusting faster and deeper in the
wailing omega. “Yes, oh yes!” he alternated with “Please, Kun,” and was not disappointed as Kun
continued to fuck into him hard and deep. Ten found himself choking up on Kun’s name as he
drove into him relentlessly, as the pleasure got increasingly intense. Another orgasm was pooling in
his belly, and Kun gave a series of vigorous thrusts that completely tipped him over the edge. Kun
slowed down as Ten’s orgasm wracked through him, leaving him breathless and trembling.

“You look so fucking good,” whispered Kun, bringing his mouth down to his jaw to bite at it.
“Such a good little omega.”

Ten was still trembling slightly, feeling sensitive where Kun was still rocking into him. When Kun
pushed back in again, he buried himself to the hilt. Ten shook violently as he felt Kun’s knot had
started to swell and pushed into his wanting hole. Desperate moans spilled out of him at the feeling
of being stretched so well, a deep ache in his body for more. Kun gave it to him, his thick length
pushing back in, making Ten desperate for more.

“Do you want my knot, baby?” asked Kun, pushing hard again.

Ten could not answer, crying out below the alpha as he pushed the swell of his knot over and over
into Ten. Kun started to snap his hips more forcefully, propelled by Ten’s heated gasps underneath
him. The knot was swelling rapidly, sliding in and out of Ten, and the sensation of it making him
feel like he was losing his grasp on reality. Kun continued to thrust up into Ten, fucking him into
the sheets as he arched with every move.

Kun pushed his knot once, twice, and then again when Ten came so hard his eyes rolled back in
ecstasy and he shook like a leaf. He barely recognized his own voice as he mewled under Kun’s
last thrusts. Kun came loudly, head buried in his throat, with one final desperate push. Kun’s knot
entered him and Ten felt his walls clamp down onto it, stretched out around the thickness of his
alpha. Ten couldn’t help the hopeless little sounds he made as his orgasm dragged for what seemed
to be an eternity.

Ten felt Kun readjust himself on top of him, shifting ever so slightly to not crush him with his
weight. Ten felt his movement where they were linked, and he twitched and whined as a wave of
tremors overtook him.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.” There were soft kisses at his throat and his jaw. “You’re doing so
good. You’re taking my knot so well.” Ten exhaled loudly at the words, letting the warmth of the
alpha next to him lull him as a strong arm wrapped around his middle. It couldn’t have been very
long when he started to feel the knot slowly diminish. He was brought back fully to reality when
Kun dropped a kiss next to his ear. “I’m going to pull out now. It that okay, baby?”

Ten nodded his head faintly and Kun slowly, very slowly, pulled out. Ten felt something liquid
drip out of him, a likely mixture of slick and cum. He felt too boneless to complain. Kun wrapped
himself around Ten again, bringing a hand up to gently stroke against his face, in the most gentle
 and soothing manner.

“How are you feeling?”

Ten groaned once, unwilling to do anything else, but Kun insisted.

“I’m gonna need you to use your words, baby. Was it okay? Was it too much?”

Ten bit his lips at the tone of concern in Kun’s voice. Of course the alpha was worried that he went
too far or did something he disliked. Ten could barely repress a small smile as he turned his head
around, locking eyes with Kun.

“It was so fucking good,” he said in a whisper.

Kun’s eyes seem to light up with relief. He pulled Ten closer to him, brought a hand to his face to
bring them nose to nose. “Yeah?”

“You have no idea.”

Kun brought his mouth to Ten’s, giving a soft but wet kiss. A teasing sort of air appeared on Kun’s
face, and Ten knew he wouldn’t like what he was going to say next. “Was it better than your
toys?”

Ten laughed breathlessly, trying to slap Kun across the chest but the alpha rolled Ten against him,
preventing him from raising his arms.

“Answer me,” demanded Kun once he had gathered Ten fully in his arms.

“Yes, it was better than the toys.”

Kun hummed, seeming deeply satisfied with himself. Ten wanted to slap him again. “And the
knot?”

“You saw what it did to me. You were there,” replied Ten.

“I need words,” repeated Kun with a soft voice. “I need to know if you liked it, if you want me to
do it again.”

Ten breached the gap between them, kissed him softly. “Yes, I liked it. I liked it very, very, very
much,” he replied with a breath.

Kun nodded. “Okay. Okay.”

They lied in silence for a few minutes until Kun remembered he had been in the middle of dinner
when Ten’s heat had started.

“Go shower, and we’ll have dinner before your next wave hits.”

It took every last bit of energy Ten had to get up and listen to Kun’s instructions. He could feel the
heat brewing in him, knew it wasn’t too far, but Kun was right. They might as well make the most
out of the little breaks they’d have.

Chapter End Notes

hiii! i've updated the chapter count, so one more chapter to look forward to! i hope
you're all well, and see you next week!
 Chapter 9
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

After dinner they lied down on the bed again, Kun spooning him again until the next wave hit Ten.
He fucked him right there, plastered against his back, and made him come twice. He helped
change him into a fresh t-shirt and boxers and then changed the sheets, trying to leave the nest
undisturbed.

When he was finished, Ten pushed Kun down on the bed first and climbed on top of him to lie
there.

“There’s a whole bed,” laughed Kun as he took Ten in his arms, enveloping him in the warmest
embrace.

“I’m fine right here,” answered Ten as he snuggled closer.

“Hmm. Try to get some sleep?” suggested Kun.

Ten could already feel himself dozing off. “I will.”

Ten woke up after a few hours, in the middle of the night, feeling needy and desperate. His breath
came out in short, whiny pants and he started to wiggle where he was lying half on top of Kun. The
alpha was still sleeping, oblivious to his unmet needs and Ten pawed at him, at his abdomen and
chest until Kun started to stir.

With uncoordinated movements, Ten pushed Kun’s t-shirt up his chest and put his mouth on one of
his nipples. He latched his mouth there and sucked at it. He lowered his hand to play with the hem
of Kun’s boxer, grinding his palm down the base of his dick. Kun brought a hand to his hair,
twisting his fingers in it as he arched under Ten.

“What?..” he said in a broken moan. “Ten? What are you-” He inhaled sharply when Ten brought
his hand down his boxer to grab his dick. “What-” He did not finish that sentence either because
Ten had started rubbing at him.

The omega unlatched his mouth from Kun’s nipple at traveled up to taste the alpha’s scent gland.
He licked at it almost delicately, savoring the way Kun tensed below him, all senses stimulated yet
foggy by sleep.

Ten let go of his cock to push Kun’s boxer down. He struggled doing it with one hand as he licked
at his neck but manage with a little bit of help. Ten got rid of his own next and unceremoniously
climbed on top of Kun to slide down his length.

The alpha looked so good under him, thought Ten as he observed the man splayed on his back,
hair disheveled, eyes half-closed from the sudden feeling of Ten around him. Ten starting rocking
his hips, letting himself rise and fall on Kun’s cock, little noises escaping his opened mouth as he
did.

This is exactly what he needed, the pressure, the slide, the stretch, the feeling of Kun hitting the
right spots in him every time he let himself fall back down on him. Ten put two hands on Kun’s
chest, finding purchase there, and leaned forward to gain more momentum.

“That’s it, baby. Yes, that’s it. You’re doing it so well,” he heard Kun whisper from below him.

Ten picked up his pace and looked down at Kun, who was still splayed there, letting him ride him
senselessly. Ten felt the neediness get worse as he rode Kun, the desire to be filled by him grow
stronger. He leaned back, now the full weight of his body weighing him down on Kun’s length. He
could hear himself gasp loudly at the sensation, at the sound of his ass slapping against the skin of
Kun’s hips, and the whispers of the alpha telling him how good he looked, taking his cock like
that.

He came, squeezing hard around Kun, stuttering a string of curses as he rode through his own
orgasm. He fell slightly forward, both palms landing on either side of Kun’s head, preventing him
from falling face-first into the alpha.

He could feel the pit of desire swell in his stomach again, the fire of his heat giving him little to no
reprise as he continued to bring his ass down on Kun’s dick. He felt the alpha deep in him, and he
liked every second of that feeling as he continued to bring his hips down. He looked down to see
the alpha already staring back. The room was dark but he could tell his pupils were blown wide,
and he just stayed there, helping Ten bounce on him with only slight movements of his hips. He let
Ten take what he needed.

“Kun,” the omega moaned under his unwavering eyes.

“Yes, baby?” gently asked the alpha.

Ten was growing desperate, hands grasping at the sheets on either side of Kun’s face. He brought
his hips down in harsh snaps, wanting more of Kun. His continued to push himself down for more,
letting sweet little ‘ohs’ escape his mouth.

“What is it, baby?”

Ten felt himself start to clench down on Kun’s dick, the familiar feeling of his orgasm wracking
through him. He surprised himself by how loud he moaned. “Ah!- Ah!” Ten’s hips faltered, his
rhythm broken as he shook on top of Kun.

“Fuck, baby,” said Kun when the omega all but collapsed on top of him after another trembling,
shaking moan. “You’re so good,” continued Kun as he rubbed a hand on his back.

Ten welcomed the tender gesture but wanted more. He found the little strength he had left in his
arms and tried to lift himself off Kun to continue fucking down on his cock. He did, rocking his
hips ever so slightly along Kun’s length, but not enough to have the alpha’s knot enter him. He
groaned in frustration and tried again, but could barely lift himself from where Kun was holding
him to his chest.

“I want-” started Ten, rolling his hips down again. “Knot.” He turned his head to Kun’s shoulder,
licked and bit there at the skin in the hope to spur Kun into action. “Please,” he said, muffled
against his shoulder. “Please. Your knot. Please.”

Kun shifted under him, pulling him down a little, and wrapped one arm around his hip. “You want
my knot, baby?” he asked, despite having clearly understood Ten’s desperate pleas. Ten nodded,
mouth opened, trying to roll down Kun’s dick hard enough to catch the knot. “I’ll give it to you.
You’ll have it, I promise.”

He secured his hold against Ten’s waist and, planting both feet on the bed, he snapped his hips up
at the same time as he brought the omega down on him. “Ah!” cried out Ten, Kun’s growing knot
sliding in and out of his wet hole. Kun repeated the movement again, and again, eliciting the same
blissed-out reaction out of Ten. Kun’s thrusts were growing more and more forceful, and Ten was
barely aware that his own cock was trapped between their tow abdomen, leaking abundantly on
their respective t-shirts.

“Fuck, Ten,” groaned Kun, the snap of his hips growing bold, frantic. Ten mewled loudly, opened
mouth on Kun’s throat, lapping at the skin he could reach. “Come on, baby, come for me. Come
on my knot,” encouraged Kun, the sweet tone of his voice in stark contrast with the vicious way he
was fucking into the boneless omega.

A few more thrusts and Kun’s knot entered him one last time, swelling fully. Ten came at the same
time Kun did, shuddering on top of him as he let waves of pleasure wash over his body. Kun
snaked a hand underneath his t-shirt, running his hand along his spine as he came down from his
orgasm. Kun raise his hand to his face and tried to bring it to his, leaning Ten’s forehead on his
own.

“Can I try something, baby?”

Ten’s breath was still ragged, having barely recovered from the earth-shattering orgasm, but he
trusted Kun so he nodded. Kun very slowly, very gently, rocked his knot into Ten.

Ten had to find purchase on the sheet, gripping them hard as an intense wave of pleasure wracked
through him. His mouth popped open, desperate sounds forced out of him. “Kun!” he all but
screamed when the man repeated the movement, rolling his knot deeper into Ten’s slick hole.
Another set of shivers traveled through him, and he found himself clinging at Kun with all his
strength. The alpha did it again, and Ten thought he would pass out when he came again around
Kun’s knot. This time, there was no restraining his lewd moans and he let them fall freely into
Kun’s mouth, jerking and twitching with the aftershock of his orgasm.

“God, you’re so good to me. You know that, right?” Kun wrapped both arms around him, and
hugged him tight to him, holding him together as if he knew he just fucked him senseless. Ten
stayed there, letting his body bask in the feeling of the alpha, repositioning himself so he could
press his nose against Kun’s scent gland. He breathed the smell of the alpha deeply, enjoying how
good he smelled during sex, how well their scent mingled together.

When Kun was finally able to pull out, Ten did not care to suppress his whimpers. Kun had to
dislodge him from where he laid to get a washcloth and clean him up. They did not bother with
changing again, instead removing the last pieces of clothing they had on before snuggling back
together and falling asleep tangled in each other.

The following day, they alternated between fucking, sleeping, and cuddling. Kun was such a caring
alpha, always ahead of his needs, always planning for the next meal, the next glass of water, the
next opportunity to get themselves cleaned up. Spending his heat with an alpha was so much
better, Ten found. The heat was less painful, and the time between the waves was longer. He did
not feel the same sort of longing for Kun as he was right there, and Ten could always go breathe
him in whenever it got too much. The last day of his heat, Ten felt already much better, and he
knew the heat would break by the end of the day.

After another round of sex, where Kun fucked Ten with his knot again, Ten followed him to the
living room. He saw Kun check his phone and answer a few messages.
“Catching up with the real world?” he asked after a few minutes of Kun typing.

“Hmm,” Kun answered. “Actually, I’m writing to Sicheng. He’s been asking about you.”

“Sicheng?”

“Yeah. He’s asked news from you over the past few days.” He exhaled loudly, a laugh escaping
him. “He’s asking whether he can come and see you. I’m gonna start thinking he doesn’t trust me
with you.”

Ten beckoned Kun to come closer. The alpha did, helping Ten climb on top of him to cuddle. “I
don’t mind if you don’ mind,” he said.

“Sure.” Kun put his phone down, holding the omega to him with both arms. “After the next wave?
I can text him once it’s over. You can go shower before he comes.”

“And we can crack open a window to ventilate the place before he arrives,” joked Ten.

This is exactly what they did. When Ten’s next wave hit, Kun brought him to his room and fucked
him until the omega fell apart. When they were finished, they panted in each other’s mouth for a
moment before Kun forced Ten to get up and go shower.

Despite the February cold, Kun opened the windows of both the living area and the bedroom and
closed them only when Ten got out of the shower. He found a clean shirt for him and forced him to
put sweatpants on. He would have stayed to cuddle Ten until Sicheng arrived, but judged more
prudent to go take a shower too.

Ten settled on the couch, waiting for his friend to arrive.

A knock came at the door.

Ten hurried to open it wide and welcome his friend. “Sichengie!”

The younger engulfed him in a warm hug. “Hi, Tennie!”

Ten waved him inside and they sat beside each other on the couch.

“Wow, you aired the place. Thank you for that,” laughed the other omega. He looked around.
“Where is Kun?”

“Oh, he’s in the shower,” explained Ten. “He thought he’d clean up to see you.”

“That’s nice of him,” laughed Sicheng. He turned to Ten, pulled him until he was hugging him.
Ten felt himself melt against Sicheng. “Well, how is it going?” asked Sicheng, having lowered his
voice.

“The heat? It’s fine. Much better with someone than alone,” he explained.

“I meant with Kun, you idiot. How is it going?”

Ten felt his cheeks get warmer. “It’s fine,” he said, lowering his gaze to his lap.

“Just fine? Tennie, you look great. Much better than I’ve seen you in any of your previous heats.”
He lowered his voice even more, whispering, “Is it Kun? Is he that good?”

Ten barked out a laugh, shoved his friend playfully on the shoulder. “Stop!”
“I mean it!” whispered Sicheng, bringing Ten back to him. “How is it? Having an alpha during
your heat?”

Ten gave up on hiding the blush on his cheeks. “It’s good. He’s great. He’s been taking care of me
non-stop for three days now.”

“Taking care of you…” repeated Sicheng, wiggling his eyebrows.

“God.” Ten put his face in his hands. When he lifted it up, Sicheng was grinning at him. “I mean,
yes, he been taking care of me like that, but also, he’s been taking care of me. You know?”

“Of course, I know. It’s Kun.” Sicheng said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Of course. It’s Kun. A strange feeling overtook him, something like longing, something like
wanting to be loved. He tried to push it aside.

“Yeah, I’m lucky I guess.” He was still looking down, fiddling with his fingers.

“I’ve questions,” Sicheng said next.

“Sure.”

“Has he knotted you?” he asked, voice curious.

Ten knew he looked bashful when he avoided Sicheng’s gaze and nodded.

“How is that like?”

“Huh,” Ten had almost forgotten that Sicheng was a recently presented omega, and that Ten had
experienced things he still hadn’t. He pondered how to explain the feeling for a few seconds. “It’s
like... you know the toy?” When Sicheng nodded, Ten continued. “It’s like that, but better. The
knot swells and gets bigger until it’s like, there.”

“How much bigger?” questioned Sicheng, visibly increasingly intrigued.

“Well, I guess that depends on the alpha? Kun is huh… bigger. Than the toy.”

Sicheng didn’t miss a beat. “How much bigger?”

“Sicheng!” whisper-shouted Ten.

“An approximate guess,” grinned Sicheng.

“I can’t believe you’re asking that.”

“A ballpark figure. Your best estimate...!”

Ten look at where the bathroom was, reassured by the sound of the working shower. He motioned
with his hands. “Like this?” he said, looking up at Sicheng.

“Wow.”

“Yeah. And also, once the knot is locked in, you can like, come from it again.”

“Yes, I read about that! You guys did that?”

Ten was sure he was the color of a tomato but nodded anyway.
Sicheng whistled lowly, bringing Ten back in for a hug. “Well, sounds like you were taken care of
alright,” he joked. “Do you think Kun is free for when my heat comes around?”

Ten ripped himself away from Sicheng as if his words had burnt him.

“Woah, woah, woah.”

Ten could barely control himself as his breathing started to hiccup, and his eyes filled with tears.
Sicheng pulled him back into him, rubbing circles on his back, trying to soothe him.

“I was just joking, Ten. It was just a joke.”

It took Ten a few seconds to calm down. He heard the shower turn off, and Kun’s steps walking
around the bathroom as he was probably getting dressed.

“Sorry,” finally said the omega as he disentangled himself from Sicheng. “I don’t know why I
reacted like this.”

“It’s me who should apologize. I shouldn’t have joked about that…”

“No. It’s me,” interrupted Ten. “I’m hormonal,” he tried to joke, but Sicheng did not laugh.

“Is that why? Is that really the reason?”

Ten struggled to answer. He was not ready to get there, to answer Sicheng, to speak those feelings
out loud. “I- yes? What other reason would there be?”

“I don’t know, maybe that you want him? Outside your heat?”

Ten was saved from answering by Kun’s appearance.

“Hey Sicheng!” He smelled like Ten’s shampoo and body wash, and his hair was still damp from
where he dried them with a towel. He walked over to them and dropped on the couch behind Ten.
He did not seem to care that their friend was there with them. He grabbed him by the waist and
pulled Ten in between his legs. He rested his chin on Ten’s shoulder, circled both his arms around
him.

Something akin to surprise passed in Sicheng’s eyes, but it was gone before Kun could pick up on
it too. “So, Ten was telling me you’ve been taking care of him well.”

Ten would have liked to slap the grin off Sicheng’s face at the question. Thankfully, Kun was
completely oblivious to the subtext of that question.

“Yeah, I mean I’ve tried.” He rubbed the palm of his hand warmly against the omega’s stomach.

“You’ve done great,” confirmed Ten turning around to smile softly at the alpha. He received the
same smile in return. “But it’s not finished yet,” continued Ten. “I can feel it. Another wave at
least, maybe two. But it should break by the end of the day.”

Kun hummed in his ear, lowered his head to drop a soft kiss to his shoulder.

Ten saw Sicheng trace the movement with eyes. “Will you be back to school tomorrow, then?” he
asked Ten, still eyeing where Kun had kissed him.

“I don’t think so. I think I’ll take tomorrow to recover and come back the day after.”
They continued chatting about what they both had missed, how Sicheng had covered up for Kun
when the others in the group started to question where he had been these past few days. Kun
promised to be more active in the group, and dispel their concerns. Ten had grown more and more
boneless, had felt his eyes glaze over a few times, had the urge to bury his nose in Kun’s throat. Of
course Kun picked up on it.

“I think your heat is coming back, baby,” he told him. “I can smell it.”

Ten nodded but did not miss the inquisitive glance Sicheng sent their way. He got up. “I’ll leave
you two alone. See you soon, Tennie.”

Ten would have walked him to the door, but he could not for the life of him find the strength to get
out of Kun’s arms. He heard Sicheng close the door behind him, Kun’s last goodbye in their
friend’s direction before two hands crept up underneath his shirt.

“You smell really good, right now,” whispered a voice to his ear. Kun nosed him up and down,
pressed his mouth against his scent gland. Kun crept his hand higher until he pressed Ten’s nipple
against his fingers. He brought the other hand to his dick and started palming him through his
sweatpants. He touched Ten like that, hands rubbing at his most sensitive parts, kissing away at his
neck until Ten came. The omega was desperate to be touched more, to feel Kun in him, and Kun
pushed him forward against the couch until he could rest on his elbow, his ass presented to Kun.
The alpha undressed him and pushed in where slick was dripping out of him. He fucked Ten on the
couch, making the omega cry out and come around his cock. Kun continued until Ten took his
knot, face pressed against the fabric of the couch and his screams partially muffled by it. When he
pulled out, Ten’s whole body went boneless and Kun repositioned him so that they could cuddle.

Ten’s heat finally broke that evening. He was splayed on his mattress, stark naked and blissed out
from having been fucked with Kun’s knot again. He still had shivers running through him when
the alpha came back with a wet towel to clean him up.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, washing the cum off his belly.

Ten nodded, another set of shivers running through his spine.

“Is your heat over?”

He nodded again, stretching both arms in Kun’s direction. The alpha chuckled, put the washing
cloth down, and climbed in bed with the omega. “Will you stay over for the night?” asked Ten
with a yawn.

“Do you want me to?”

Ten hadn’t expected Kun to leave him right after his heat was over. “Yeah. I mean, only if you
want to.”

He felt Kun inhale and exhale softly where he was pressed against him. “Sure. I’ll stay. But maybe
we should get you cleaned up? And dressed?”

For the first time in three days, Ten became self-conscious of his lack of clothes. He sat up, looked
down at Kun who had put on sweatpants and a t-shirt.

“Sure,” he agreed, trying not to feel too shy at his state of undress. “Let me go do just that…”

He showered the sweat and cum and the other remnants of his heat away. He took the time to scrub
at his skin, hoping that it would make him feel fresh, like a renewed person. He got dressed in a
 clean pair of boxers and a long sweater and got out to meet Kun in his bedroom.

“God, it smells in here,” he said upon entering the room. It was filled with strong, spicy alpha
pheromones, mingled with his sweet, candy-like smell.

Kun raised himself on one elbow, looking at him. “Yeah? Do you want me to crack open a
window?”

Ten nodded. While Kun got up to let some fresh air in, Ten started to push at the different clothes
and blankets he used for nesting. “So much cleaning up to do…” he said dejectedly.

Kun laughed, joined him by the bed. He took what Ten had pushed, piled it on the floor. “Here,
let’s change the sheets? It’s gonna feel good sleeping in clean sheets.”

Once they finished, Ten assured Kun that he’d take care of the cleaning the following day. They
lied down under the heavy blanket. Ten scooted over to Kun who pulled him until he was resting
partially on his chest and shoulder. Kun brought a cautious hand up to play with his hair, using the
other to rest against his clothed back.

It felt surreal to Ten to be pressed against Kun like this, fully clothed and careful in their touch,
after days of passionate sex. He felt as if Kun was far from him, despite having half of his body
pressed along the lines of Kun’s.

In the morning, it felt excruciating for Ten to watch Kun go through the clothes of his nest to
separate Ten’s from the ones he brought. Despite the feeling of daggers being driven into his
stomach, he smiled and even helped Kun pack. It was early in the morning, but Kun had classes to
go to.

“I’ll text you later, okay?” he said, lingering with his bags at the door. He’d need to go change first,
shower at his place, get rid of Ten’s scent on him before he could meet with their friends. Ten
understood. Ten nodded, plastering a smile on his face. “It’s, huh…” started Kun, looking down at
his feet. “It was good. I hope you enjoyed it too…”

“I did. Thank you, Kun.”

The alpha scanned him from head to toe, licked his lips. “Of course. I, huh- text me if there’s
anything?”

Ten desperately wanted to close the gap between them. Grab him, kiss him on the mouth, ask him
to stay. Instead, he let the alpha wave at him one more time, and let him go.

Chapter End Notes

sorry not sorry?

see you guys next week :)
 Chapter 10
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Ten only saw him again a few days later, along with the rest of the group, and tried to act casually
around him. Kun didn’t need to know how desperate he was every day to come home and slip
under his duvet to smell whatever remained of Kun’s smell there.

To say that he was busy during the weeks following his return was an understatement. He had a bit
more than a week worth of classes to catch up, and he spent long hours at cafes or in the library
copying notes and writing assignments with delayed extensions. The only thing that made it
remotely bearable was the company of his friends. Sicheng spent time with him catching up on
readings, and Kunhang and Dejun writing their respective essays. Even Yukhei joined them
regularly.

The younger man had stopped avoiding him. Ten thought it was because he had come back to his
normal smell, but Yukhei told him it was because he had gotten used to it.

“I think I’m getting the hang of my alpha,” he explained proudly, one afternoon when the group
had decided to catch a break at the small coffee shop outside the library.

“That’s about the time it takes,” confirmed Kun, sitting on the opposite end of the table from Ten.
The place he normally would have occupied, next to Ten, was taken by Yukhei.

“Yeah. It’s strange though. It’s like there’s a second part of me that is different, and I have to learn
to understand it when it tells me what it wants.”

“Oh, is that what it’s like to you all?” asked Dejun around the table.

Sicheng was thoughtful for a second and then nodded. “Yes, I’d say so.”

“I never put it in words like this, but I’d say it’s accurate,” confirmed Ten.

Kun remained silent, gazing at his hands.

“What do you mean?” inquired Kunhang. “Like you think you want something and your wolf can
want something else?”

“No, not like that…” started to explain Yukhei. “Like, if you asked me before my presentation
whether I thought Sicheng or Ten were cute, I would have told you yes. Like, I find them cuter
than you, or Dejun, or Kun. And it makes sense, right? Because they’re omegas and I’m an alpha.”

Ten looked up towards Sicheng, feeling amused at the sudden confession. Their gaze locked, and
Sicheng was clearly trying not to laugh.

“But now that I can feel my alpha, right, now that he’s here, I can tell you he prefers Ten’s smell
over Sicheng’s. Hands down.”

“What?” questioned the omega, turning an incredulous stare at Yukhei.

The alpha raised both hands in surrender. “Just telling you what my alpha thinks.” He turned back
to Kunhang. “That’s what I mean by what I want, versus what my wolf wants. I’ve got to learn to
listen to him too.”

Ten still had both eyebrows drawn high on his forehead. He looked over at Sicheng again who was
frowning. He understood why the moment Kun shot up from his chair.

“Well, I think the break’s over now. I’m going back.”

Without waiting for anyone else, he grabbed his bag and walked back into the library. The others
groaned but followed suit. Ten was concerned for Kun and he almost went after him but Sicheng
pulled him back.

“You’re not alpha territory. He’s got to learn to chill.”

Sicheng was not exactly Kun’s greatest ally. Sicheng had pulled him aside after his heat was over
and asked whether he and Kun had talked about their situation. Ten told him in detail the way his
heat had ended, how Kun left his that morning as a friend. Then Ten spent the next 10 minutes
trying to make Sicheng stop swearing at the alpha. He called him a fucking idiot enough times
since the expression was on its way to becoming Kun’s new nickname between them. Ten had tried
to play it off, act like it was also what he wanted, to remain friends. One look from Sicheng and he
had stopped. “If you’re gonna lie to my face, I’d rather you don’t speak,” the other omega told
him. Ten stopped denying. He certainly did not confess to the emptiness the man had left behind,
either. That was reserved for late nights when he was alone in his bedsheets.

“Well, it can’t be easy to hear,” replied Ten to his friend. “Just two weeks ago we were…” he left
the rest of his sentence unfinished. “Now Yukhei goes around saying his wolf wants me. If you
said so publicly your omega wanted Kun, I would have jumped you.”

They were the last ones to join the table they had claimed in the library. Ten sat back at his place,
conveniently between Sicheng and Kun. He tried to very discreetly scoot his chair over towards
Kun. He sat back, extended a leg, and knocked it almost immediately against Kun’s. He tried to act
nonchalant, open his textbook, reopen his computer, all the while pressing his calf against the
alpha’s. He counted his breath. One, two, three, and finally felt Kun push back against him.
Something in him felt relieved, his omega surely, that the alpha was not angry at him, was not
rejecting him. They worked like that, legs pressed together, for a while.

It had become dark quickly, and the only people remaining at the table were Kun, Ten, and
Yukhei. When Ten started to pack, he realized Yukhei had fallen half asleep against his computer.
He woke him up.

“Yukhei, we’re going to leave. Maybe you should, too.”

The alpha blinking cutely at him a few times before he sat up and snapped his computer shut. “Oh.
Yeah. Let’s be real, I’m done here.”
Ten laughed softly, turning to Kun almost automatically, expecting him to be endeared too. What
he saw was the alpha, stoic, already staring back at him. Ten felt like he had been at fault, like Kun
was unhappy with him, and his smile melted away. Kun saw it, stepped forward as if to comfort
him. He reached out, his fingers brushing Ten’s when Yukhei interrupted.

“I’m all packed now. Let’s go? I’ll walk you home, Ten.”

Kun retracted his hand, huffing. “It’s okay Yukhei, I was going to walk him home.” Ten saw right
through the thin smile he directed at Yukhei.
They started making their way out of the library and soon found themselves outside. “Nah, it’s
okay, Kun,” started Yukhei again. “I can take over tonight. I’ll walk him.”
Kun stopped in his track, turning to appraise Yukhei. “I’ve been walking him home for a year
now.”

Yukhei leveled him with a stare. “And I’m telling you I’ll do it tonight.”

“I don’t need anyone to walk me home,” interjected Ten, fighting his instinct to pacify them. He
started to find the situation deeply unamusing.

“Why the sudden interest?” asked Kun, walking closer to Yukhei.

“It’s not sudden! He’s my friend, too,” argued back the younger man.

The last thing Ten needed was two ridiculous alphas fighting over something as stupid as walking
him home. He said as much, turned around, and stalked away.

The following days were tense. Ten could feel the two alphas not exactly avoiding each other, but
at least keeping out of each other’s way. Ten had filled Sicheng up on the exchange, and the two
omegas were at a loss for an explanation. Kun and Yukhei were very close to each other. They
were like two brothers.

It was a few days later where the group found themselves again, occupying one of the largest tables
at one of the coffee shops near campus. Kunhang and Dejun were working on essays. Yangyang
was pretending to read, only to abandon every so often to play games on his phone. Sicheng was
reading too, saving a spot next to him for Kun, who had not arrived yet. Yukhei was seated next to
Ten, going from reading a heavy textbook to taking notes. He eventually got up, asking who would
like a drink. Only Yangyang asked for some sickeningly sweet beverage and Yukhei left with the
order.

“Hey guys!” greeted a voice Ten could recognize among thousands. He looked up to see Kun
waving at them.

“Hey!”

“Hi.”

He walked over to where Ten was. “Oh, is that seat taken?” he asked when he saw the pile of
books and pencil case laying there.

“Yeah,” answered Ten. “Sicheng saved you a spot, though.” From the corner of his eye, he saw
Sicheng looking at their exchange.

“Ok. Cool. I, huh…” Kun seemed to hesitate for a second before sitting down next to Ten
anyways. He pulled his bag on his knees, zipped it open and got a nicely folded t-shirt out. He
handed it over to Ten discreetly, keeping his voice down. “I wanted to… give you that back. I, huh,
probably picked it up by accident the other day.”

The other day. Almost three weeks ago now. When he had sorted through Ten’s nest to retrieve his
belongings.

“Oh. Thanks,” replied the omega, softly. Ten took it from Kun, put it down on his lap. He wanted
to bring it to his nose, hoping it would smell like Kun, but refrained himself.

“I, huh…” continued Kun, still whispering.

Ten looked up at him, saw the alpha bite on his lip. “Yeah?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”

“Yeah. Sure. What is it?”

“Do you think we can talk? Later?” asked Kun.

“Talk?”

“Yeah. Just the two of us. Later.”

A ball of nerves formed itself in the pit of Ten’s stomach. Kun wanted to talk. But Kun looked just
as nervous as him, so he tried to swallow the anxiety down.

“Yes. Yeah, of course.”

“We could go to my place? Afterward?”

Ten nodded. “Yes. Okay.” Ten tried not to feel too thrilled at the thought of Kun bringing him to
his dorm. He hadn’t been since he presented, more than a year ago. Something about being invited
to his place felt intimate.

Kun exhaled, reaching a hand out to Ten, brushing their fingers together. “Okay,” he repeated.
“I’ve a few readings to do, but maybe after that?”
Ten nodded eagerly. “Yes.”

“Hi, Kun,” came Yukhei’s deep voice. Ten straightened up, retracting his hand from where it had
been pressing against Kun’s gentle fingers. The omega looked up in time to see Yukhei put three
drinks down on the table. “Yangyang,” he said, handing the drink to the younger one. He put one
down next to his textbook, right across from Kun was seated. He turned to Ten, handing him the
last drink. “For you.”

“Oh,” said Ten, surprised. “I didn’t ask for anything…”

“I know. I wanted to get you something anyway.”

Ten flushed under the attention. When he looked over at Kun the other was already staring back.

“Sorry, man,” said Yukhei, pointing at the chair the other alpha was occupying. “That’s my seat.”

“Sure,” replied Kun, getting up slowly, taking his bag, and moving to where Sicheng had saved
him a spot.

Yukhei let himself fall into his chair, looking over at where Ten had observed the two men.
“What’s that?” he asked, effectively taking the omega out of his reverie.

Ten looked at him, then at where he was pointing. It was the t-shirt Kun had given him that he was
still holding against him. “Oh. That. It’s, huh. Just a t-shirt.”

“What are you doing with that?”

“I gave it back to him,” interrupted Kun, across from them.

Ten thought this conversation was all a bad idea when he saw Yukhei’s jaw set. “And why would
you have his clothes?”

Ten felt his heart rate pick up. All boys had interrupted their work now, watching the exchange
between the two alphas.

“I took it by mistake the last time I went over to Ten’s place. I was just returning it.” To Kun’s
benefit, he was definitely trying to downplay the situation.

“And what were you doing at his place?” Yukhei tried to sound nonchalant, but there was a clear
air of provocation on his face. "Going through his clothes, of all things?"

“Listen, you’ve been an alpha for what, a month and a half, now?” asked Kun, sounding downright
hostile. “Stop acting like it’s your place to protect Ten. Especially from me.”

“So you think it’s your role to do that because you’ve been an alpha for longer?”

Ten was going to intervene, but Yangyang beat him to the chase.

“What is your problem, you two? Ten is right here!”

Kun ignored him entirely. “Stop talking about things you don’t understand.”

Yukhei huffed. “What is there to not understand? Last time I checked, you hadn’t declared any
intentions towards him. You’re not dating. You’re certainly not courting.”

“Yukhei, stop,” warned Sicheng.

Kun had grabbed the border of the table with both hands. Ten’s attention zeroed in on how hard he
was gripping it, how white his knuckles were turning. His attention was refocused when Kun
growled. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” asked Yukhei, looking at Kun like he had lost his mind. He turned to Ten, half-
annoyed, half-exasperated. “I wasn’t going to do that in front of the others. I was hoping we could
have that discussion in private…”

“Yukhei, I think you should stop,” advised Sicheng again, to no avail.

Ten barely heard him through the buzzing in his ear. He glanced over at Sicheng and then Kun but
Yukhei took one of his hands, redirecting his attention to him.

“We’ve been friends for a while now. But since I presented, I realized my alpha really likes you.”

There were silent gasps from their friends around the table.

“Stop it,” said Kun through clenched teeth.

Ten’s eyes traveled back to him, his omega wanting nothing more than to make his way over,
reassuring him, erasing the look of fury on his face.

“Kun, sorry to tell you that, but this is none of your business!” exclaimed Yukhei. He turned back
to Ten, who was still sitting there, unmoving, looking alternatively between Kun and Yukhei. “I’m
sorry this is happening this way,” he continued. “Never mind Kun. I wanted to know whether
you’d want to go on a date with me?”

The air was completely punched out of Ten’s stomach at the question. He would be gasping if it
wasn’t for the loud scratching of a chair being pulled back. Kun had shot up from where he was
seated. For a second Ten was scared he would lunge at Yukhei, but instead he turned around and
started making his way out of the cafe.
Ten found himself calling him out, getting up by instinct to go after him. He could smell the
distress in his alpha, could smell the anger and powerlessness of him. “Kun! Wait!”

“What?” he heard Yukhei ask.

“Yukhei, sit down!” came Sicheng’s command.

Ten paid them no mind as he circled the table to run after Kun’s retreating figure. “Wait!” Kun was
just a few meters from him, not quite yet at the door. Ten was desperate. Desperate to never see
Kun walk away from him. He grabbed the alpha by the arm, pulling him back.

He thought Kun would shrug him off, walk faster, get out of the cafe, but instead he whirled
around. Ten threw himself at him.

Two arms came around him, squeezing him hard against his chest. Ten felt a nose pressing against
his neck, heard the alpha take a deep breath. All of his body tingled from being pressed against
Kun this way. From being able to smell him. He was melting against the other when he heard
Kun’s voice, muffled by his mouth pressing against the skin of his neck, “Don’t date Yukhei.
Don’t say yes. Please, don’t.”

Ten brought a hand up Kun’s hair, used it to press Kun’s face harder against his neck. “I won’t,” he
whispered. “I won’t. I don’t want him.”

“What the fuck?” Ten heard from behind him. Dejun’s voice.

“What does he think he’s doing?” That was Yukhei. He sounded livid.

“Shut up! Sit down!” Sicheng’s orders.

“I’m not gonna sit down…”

“They spent Ten’s last heat together!” exclaimed Sicheng, to shut the younger alpha up.

“What?” came several exclamations.

Ten decided to tune them out, focusing on the alpha in his arms. He was shaking, and was starting
to press his mouth against Ten’s scent gland. Ten pulled him by the hair until he followed the
movement and instead met him for a hungry kiss. Kun pressed Ten against him, claimed his mouth
with a rawness Ten had barely experienced from him despite three days of heat.

After a moment, Ten grew aware that they were causing a scene. He broke the kiss, opting to
ignore the alpha’s whines and walked Kun to the nearest empty table. He sat him down on a chair,
and let himself be drawn to Kun who immediately pressed his nose back in Ten’s neck. He stayed
there for a few moments, breathing in deeply as he slowly calmed down. Ten let him do what he
needed to regain his composure, be it the soft nibbling against his gland and the whispered
murmurs in his skin. When he felt Kun had relaxed, he suggested to the young man that they go to
his place. Kun nodded, pressing a kiss against his throat, then another one, and pulled back.

“Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”

Ten had barely started to get up that Sicheng was by his side with his bag and coat. Ten thanked
him, started getting dressed when Sicheng was back with Kun’s belongings.

“We’ll be at Kun’s, alright?” The other omega nodded shortly. “Fill in the others?”
 “I think they’re all pretty up to date, but yeah, sure.”

“Thanks.”

Ten took Kun’s bag, let the alpha tuck him in his side and walked out, not looking back.

Chapter End Notes

almost the end ~~ i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the last one!
 Chapter 11
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Kun’s dorm was just the one room, with a small bed tucked in the corner, a kitchen table that
doubled as a desk, a small stove, a mini-fridge, and a microwave. Kun helped him out of his coat
and navigated him to his bed, where he laid him out there. He followed, settled himself half over
Ten, snuggling his face in his throat. He situated himself until his mouth was leveled with Ten’s
scent gland, snaked an arm around the omega’s middle, and hiked up a leg on his hip. Ten
welcomed the weight and warmth of his body like an anchor.

He didn’t know how long they stayed there, only that he dozed off and woke up back again to Kun
leaving small, butterfly kisses on his neck. He felt content for the first time in weeks and would
have remained there if it wasn’t for the elephant in the room.

“Kun?” asked Ten, voice cracking slightly from misuse.

Kun brought his head back just a little bit to look up at Ten. “Yes?”

“I think maybe we should talk?”

He felt Kun inhale and exhale deeply. “Yeah, maybe we should.” A pair of lips came back to his
neck, leaving a few light kisses in its wake before Kun pulled back and rolled on his side. Ten
turned to face Kun.

“I’m sorry,” started Kun, “for the scene I caused.”

“You don’t need to apologize…” whispered Ten but Kun shook his head.

“I do. I didn’t mean to lose my temper like this. And in front of everyone, too.” Kun bit his lips, the
picture of guilt.

“Thank you for apologizing. But there’s no need. I understand.”

“You do?” asked Kun, looking unsure.

“I think I do, yes,” answered Ten carefully. “If Sicheng asked you out like this, in front of me, I
would have lost it, too.”

Kun’s gaze traveled up and down his face, tracing his features. “It’s more than that, though,” he
said finally. “Ten, I should have been upfront with you. I should have… I should have done so
many things differently.” He sighed deeply. “The reason I asked you earlier if we could talk in
private was that I needed to make amends. I needed to fix things.”

“Fix things?” asked Ten, voice sounding small to his own ears. He had no clue where Kun was
going with his explanation, and he could feel the fear in his stomach rising in his throat.

“Yeah.” Kun looked scared too, like he was about to say something that he would regret. “I didn’t
like you when we were kids.”

Ten huffed an anxious laugh. “What?”

“I thought you were the worse. You were so loud. You used to play pranks on me and everyone.”
“Where are you going with this?” Ten was confused and felt like he could cry at any moment. He
wanted Kun’s hands back on him, the feeling of his mouth on his throat. He didn’t want this.

“And in high school, we started to hang out together because of Sicheng and Yukhei and the
others. I remember the year, Ten, the year you got really pretty. You were in the dance club with
Yukhei, and I don’t know what happened but you got so pretty. We were fifteen at the time. You
grew your hair longer, and you lost your baby fat in your cheeks and I thought you were so
stunning. I hated it so much already, that you could be funny, and playful, and loved by everyone.
So when you got pretty? God, I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

Ten was stunned silent by the confession. He knew he was gawking at Kun, unable to think of a
single reply.

“We got closer though. I think being just the two of us at university helped? We had no one else. In
retrospect, I should have gone after you then, but I think I never really thought you would see me
that way, you know?”

Ten had no clue. No clue Kun ever thought of him this way. “You were the one dating around,”
blurted Ten. He almost slapped a hand against his own mouth at the accusation.

Kun chuckled. “Yeah. I mean, I was surprised at the attention, but it helped boost my confidence.”

“I didn’t,” replied Ten, darkly. “I didn’t date around.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Kun, quirking an eyebrow at him.

“Just that I didn’t date around. You got popular, and you flirted with the prettiest boys and girls on
campus.”

“Yeah?” prompted Kun, looking lost.

“Not me, though."

It seemed to take a while for Kun to process what Ten was telling him. “Are you mad? That I dated
around?”

Ten huffed. “I’m not mad that you dated. What I’m saying is, why not me?”

It was Kun’s turn to look stunned. “I just told you. I didn’t think you saw me that way,” he said in
the softest voice.

Ten turned around on his back, thoroughly annoyed.

“Did you?” insisted Kun. “See me that way?”

“I spent my heat with you. I’m lying in bed with you right now…”

“Yeah, I mean things changed when we presented. I noticed that. But I thought it might just be the
hormones...”

“The hormones?” Ten exclaimed. He sat up, scooted to get out of bed.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Two strong arms took him, brought him back against a broad
chest.

“I’m mad, let me go.”

“No. We’re talking this through.”

“No, we’re not,” replied Ten, trying in vain to shake the alpha off.

“Yes, we are. I think it’s time. I think we’ve left too many things unsaid until now.” Ten stopped
fighting Kun’s hold, let the man bring him even closer still. “So it wasn’t the hormones? It wasn’t
you and I presenting?” he asked quietly as if he was scared of the answer.

“I mean…” Ten pondered how to answer the question for a few seconds. “Presenting did trigger
something, right? But no, it wasn’t just that. I was attracted to you before that.”

A nose came to rest against the back of his neck, and Ten shivered. “Why didn’t you say
anything?” Kun sounded pained.

Ten laughed. “I thought you didn’t see me that way.”

Kun wrapped his arms around him, rocked their bodies softly from side to side. “If I’d known…"

Ten hummed.

“You know earlier, at the coffee shop when I asked to talk to you?” suddenly asked Kun.

Ten nodded, knowing Kun would feel the gesture where he was pressed against him.

“I wanted to ask you permission to court you.”

Ten thought his heart stopped beating for a second. He gasped loudly, turned around in Kun’s
arms. “What?”

“I want to court you,” repeated the alpha, taking his face in both hands.

Ten’s mind was reeling. Kun couldn’t possibly… Did he really… Did it mean that… “You want
me as a mate?”

The sweetest, broadest smile etched itself on Kun’s face. His cheeks dusted red but he held the
omega’s gaze as he answered. “Yes, I think that’s what I want.”

Ten had no clue where the tears came from, only that he felt a few drops run down his face. Kun
shushed softly, wiping at them with a thumb. Ten was half out of his mind when he lunged
forward, bringing their mouths together. He couldn’t think of anything else he needed in that
moment except for Kun. The alpha let himself be kissed, let Ten paw at his face for a few
moments before he withdrew.

“I need words, Ten. Is that a yes?”

Ten gave him another long kiss and pulled back. “Don’t you need my parents’ permission? And
your parents’ permission?”

“I kinda need your permission first.”

Ten laughed, bridged the space between them again for another brief kiss. “Yes. You have my
permission.”

Kun pressed him hard against his chest, kissed him deeply. “Good. That’s very good.”

Ten shut him up with a kiss, and they kissed like this, plastered against each other, for a while.
When Ten pulled away, lips swollen and red, he couldn’t help but send a teasing grin to Kun.

“Was it Yukhei who made you want to do this? When he talked about how his wolf liked the smell
of mine the other day?”

Kun closed his eyes, a look of pain on his face. “Please don’t bring this up.”

“You’re the one who said we needed to talk things through.”

Kun sighed, blinked his eyes open. “I told you, I’ve known I wanted you for a while. Then, things
got precipitated when you presented in my arms. But even then, when you flirted back, when you
gave me your t-shirt before my rut, when you asked to be scented, I thought maybe it was just
pheromones? But things got… complicated-”

Ten snorted at that.

“-and leaving you that morning, after your heat, that was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to
do in my life. I was trying to understand how to go from there, what you wanted, when Yukhei
decided to ruin everything.”

Ten hummed, bringing Kun’s face back into his neck, letting him breathe there for a while. “I
would never have said yes. You know that, right? He’s like my little brother.”

“Sure,” replied Kun, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.

“Too late for him now anyway. I’m a courted omega.”

Kun straightened up, looked at him in the eyes with one of the most loving expressions Ten had
ever seen on him.

“Yeah. You’re mine now.”

Ten stayed over at Kun’s place that night, reveling in the rich smell of his sheets, writhing under
the alpha as he slowly mapped his body with his hands and mouth. He could get used to this, he
thought, as he fell asleep in Kun’s arms that night.

He would get used to this.

When they saw their friends next, Ten started by announcing that Kun was courting him. It did not
seem to come as a shock to anyone in the group. After all, they had all witnessed the scene a few
days back and pieced the story together. They were heartily congratulated by everyone around the
table. The first one to get up and hug Kun tight was Yukhei himself.

“I’m so sorry, man! I had no clue. You know I would never have asked Ten out if I knew you guys
were together, right?”

Kun clapped him on his back, laughter bubbling out of him. “Sorry for the way I acted. We were
just figuring things out, and I guess I got really scared you’d swoop in and take him away from
me.”

“Aww,” cooed the other alpha. “Didn’t know I presented such good competition.”

Kun pushed him away with a laugh, while Ten rolled his eyes. “You didn’t,” he said with a shrug.

He saw Kun turn to him with sparkling eyes, reaching out to take his hand. They’d barely left each
other’s side, clearly needing the reassurance of each other’s presence to settle both their nerves.
 The next few days would be trying. Kun still needed to get his parents’ approval, and Ten’s
parents’ approval, and initiate the formalities of courting.

But as long as Ten had Kun by his side, the softness of his kisses on his neck, and the warmth of
his presence next to him, Ten knew the best was yet to come.

Chapter End Notes

I can't believe it's over! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing
it!
If you liked this fic, feel free to read my other Kuntent!
Thank you all <3 <3

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