Archive of Our Own ^beta

When he wakes up in the morning, there’s several things Hyunjin’s suddenly very clear on and certain of. One is that he hates being sweaty. His shirt sticks to his back with sweat, his hair to his face, his pants to his legs. He hates the sticky feeling, the feeling like his clothes might suffocate him, and the heat that still sticks to him, making his entire body hurt.

The second thing is that he is madly, irrevocably and unchangeably in love with Han Jisung, the man who is curled up next to him, with Hyunjin’s face tucked into his collarbone and not a single regard for the world around them. The feeling sits at about his midriff, and pulses with a content warmth knowing that his love is so close to him, and has chosen to be there every single day since he returned from his travels.

Lastly, and he must admit this one currently takes the backburner for him, is that there’s unrest in the house, the soft tendrils of distress still lingering in the scents all around. It makes him want to seek out the trouble and smooth out the issues, but at the same time his body is too sticky and heavy to really move much.

In the end, all he does is stick his face a little closer to Jisung’s jugular, breathing in the warm and soothing scent of chocolate and hazelnuts, and wiggling his body in happiness at its proximity.

Jisung inhales deeply as he wakes, letting out an inquiring hum that’s still full of sleep and Hyunjin smiles, warm and delighted. “Don’t move,” he says, murmurs it against the skin of Jisung’s throat. “I’ve got a fever. If you leave I might not be as nice when you come back.” He licks his lips, then presses a soft kiss to the golden skin. There’s no reply from his lover, but no further movement either.

“Sung,” he says after a long moment, in which he knows Jisung has been slowly waking up a little more, adjusting to the waking world around him. “I love you more than anything, you know that right?” He noses at the warm skin, feels Jisung swallow under his touch, feels the hand in his side press in a little more, fingers holding him a little tighter.

“What are you talking about, Hyun?” Jisung asks with a slightly croaking voice, sounding mainly confused yet vaguely worried. “What’s going on?”

“I’m pretty sure I’m presenting,” he offers an explanation, nosing up the side of Jisung’s throat and pressing a kiss under his jawline. “And I’m telling you I love you, Sung. No doubts. Whatever happens, I love you. I love being with you. I love when you make me laugh. I love when I make you laugh. I love every moment I get to spend in your presence. I love you.”

There’s a brief pause as if Jisung is processing, and then his lover turns to him properly, bringing some distance between them so their eyes can meet.

“Yeah?” Jisung asks, but a smile is already pulling up the corners of his mouth. “That’s pretty great news, because I love you too.”

Hyunjin grins almost immediately, scrunching up his face in his happiness before he leans in to steal a kiss from Jisung’s lips. “Really?” He offers, smiling the entire way through. “How lucky am I?”

He manages to pull a giggle from Jisung’s lips, sweet and soft with the lingering morning sleepiness clinging to it. It’s beautiful and delightful, Hyunjin’s mood brightening further because of it despite the sticky clothes and his clammy skin.

He noses at Jisung’s neck again, brushing his lips over the golden skin and leaving a trail of kisses all over. When he’s covered every bit of skin he can see, he brings his hand up from Jisung’s side to tug on the collar of his shirt and reach more of it. The skin vibrates with Jisung’s pleased hums, fingers coming up to comb gently through Hyunjin’s hair.

“I guess you’re calling in sick to school?” Jisung inquires after some time, and Hyunjin hums back his agreement. “Good.” There’s a smile audible in his lover’s voice now. “Stay here and kiss me more like this. If anyone else is in trouble today they’ll have to wait until the sun has fully risen.”

Jisung’s arm tightens around him, then, pulling him further onto his lover’s body. He chuckles at the movement, but makes zero protests. He simply finds a comfortable position now on top of his lover, though he wriggles around first to be able to push Jisung’s shirt up and over his head.

“Ah,” he says when he looks down at Jisung’s bare chest not much later, one hand keeping himself pushed up a little so he has a clear view. “A blank canvas for me to fill up as I please.” He immediately leans in again, but all he really does is start leaving more kisses on the golden skin.

He takes his time with it, nosing Jisung’s skin, leaving kisses, gentle touches, the occasional nuzzle as he rubs his face or cheek against his lover. His actions have the added benefit of allowing him to thoroughly scent Jisung, but also the fact that Jisung relaxes more and more underneath him, the fingers tangled in his hair now just scratching his scalp gently, the other hand running up and down his side.

It’s soft, sweet, and exactly what he needs on this relatively shitty morning. He’s also glad that Jisung doesn’t seem to mind all of his affection, simply laying on the bed with him and accepting it all easily. His lover’s scent has mellowed out even further since before, now just oozing relaxed contentment that in turn helps Hyunjin relax further as well.

When eventually he’s satisfied with the amount of kisses he’s littered across his lover’s body, he sighs deeply as he settles more properly. He rests his cheek atop Jisung’s heart and closes his eyes again. For a few moments they’re bathing in blissful silence, simply enjoying each other’s proximity.

“Hyun,” Jisung eventually breathes out, soft and gentle. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

He doesn’t have to ask what Jisung’s talking about. His body is pliant and relaxed, the feeling of their skins touching so soothing he’s about ready to just fall right back asleep despite all the ways his sweaty body is making him uncomfortable. Jisung’s heart beating beneath his ear is a soothing sound, a calming sound, a reassuring sound, but at the same time also the sound of coming home after a prolonged absence.

“Yes,” he breathes out, barely more than a whisper. He takes a breath as the hand in his hair tightens briefly. “Yes, Sung, it’s true,” he admits then, a little louder. “You’re mine. I’m yours. Irrevocably.” He pauses before he admits: “I kind of want to go take a shower but the thought of leaving you…” He trails off as the nausea rises like bile to his throat.

Jisung’s laugh is soft, warm. “Ah but Hyunjin-ah,” he says, presses the palm of his hand down on Hyunjin’s lower back, the feeling of it warm even in his rising fever. It presses his stomach further down against Jisung as well, and he’s starting to realise that the more they touch, the calmer and better he feels. “No one said taking a shower has to mean leaving me.”

He can’t help it, even though it’s silly and not that funny at all, he laughs against his lover’s skin before looking up to meet Jisung’s gaze. They’re both grinning, Jisung’s eyes sparkling in the limited light. Hyunjin has no idea what he looks like right now - rumpled and sweaty no doubt - but the look of undiminishing love on Jisung’s face is clear enough about how little his lover cares.

The eye contact soon becomes heavy with their unspoken emotions, but it’s a kind of heaviness he loves. “Okay,” he says after a long moment, and Jisung’s smile widens. Hyunjin breathes out his own fondness, leaning in to kiss his lover’s lips. “Let’s go then, before someone else hogs the bathroom.”

Jisung’s nod is acceptance and agreement both, and then they’re suddenly both giggling as they hurry to get out of bed. They quickly slip into the bathroom before anyone else can claim it for themselves, locking the door behind them.

When they make it out of the shower, get dressed and head downstairs, he finds the kitchen is filled with the distress he’d sensed earlier. Jeongin clearly came and went, heading out to school today, while Seungmin’s scent lingers heavier, overlapping Minho’s gentler peppermint. It’s clear his best friend is the main cause for the distress, but it’s also clear he left on a run, and Hyunjin doesn’t feel good enough to leave the house.

Instead, he goes to find Changbin in the living room, falling onto the couch next to the older wolf and curling into his side. “Hyung,” he says fondly, pressing himself into the alpha’s side and wriggling this way and that just to make him laugh. It works, of course, Changbin’s mood is almost always bright, his happiness and amusement coming easily.

“Shouldn’t you be in school, Hyunjinnie?” He asks, but his arm comes around his middle anyway, pulling him into a half-hug.

“I’m sick, hyung,” he offers, dramatically leaning back over his friend’s arm. “I’ve been diagnosed as too hot, I can’t go to school.” Changbin laughs more, and from behind him, Jisung chuckles as well.

“He’s presenting, hyung,” his lover says softly, voice full of a fondness that Hyunjin feels seep into his bones. Whatever he was doing before, now he’s tilting his head back just so he can smile at Jisung warmly, letting his eyes drink in the sight of him. “So far so good, I haven’t been killed yet, but we’ll see when the fever gets worse.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Changbin immediately asks him, and he sits up a little so he can give his hyung what he’s clearly searching for: some reassurance that he’s not suffering just yet.

“All good, hyung,” he offers with a few quick nods. “Woke up a little sweaty and extra clingy, but that’s not really new. Sung gave me plenty of affection, though, so now all that’s left is the regular hunger.” He grins at his little joke, nuzzling Changbin’s cheek before pressing a sweet little kiss to it. “You should go find Seungminnie, hyung. I’m not feeling up for a run, but I think he could use some company. I’d ask Minho, but I don’t think hyung’s around today.”

“No, he went to noona’s today. Took Felix with him since Jeongin was going to school.” Changbin’s gaze roams over his features for a moment. “I’ll go find him if you guys make sure hyung comes out to eat lunch today.”

“Don’t worry, Binnie hyung,” Jisung immediately reassures the alpha. “Channie hyung’s no match for us. We’ll make out on his desk if we have to.” He throws up his two thumbs and beams an innocent grin at their friend, effectively making Changbin laugh out loud all over again. Hyunjin giggles as well, though his eyes easily find his love again.

“Promise?” He asks softly, and basks in the flush that crawls up Jisung’s cheeks. Before he can say more, Changbin’s getting up from the couch, though, so he returns his attention to the alpha.

“I’ll see if I can cheer him up, but if not I’ll send him to you when we get back, alright?” Changbin says, and Jisung nods again. Hyunjin has noticed that his lover has started to care more and more about their pack’s wellbeing. He always used to care, of course, but now he’s also trying to fix things himself, always trying to provide for them, whether that be food, affection or a listening ear. It makes Hyunjin smile just thinking about it. His gaze still lingers on his lover, who watches Changbin walk over to the door that leads outside.

“Sungie,” Hyunjin says only when the door has closed again behind the alpha, pleased when Jisung’s attention returns to him immediately. “You’re too far away. Please come kiss me on this couch.”

There’s a hint of surprise, before Jisung laughs and then walks over, leaning down to kiss him. “Darling,” he says with great warmth. “I was going to make you food instead.” There’s a few more kisses shared before he speaks again. “Weren’t you hungry?”

“Hungry for you, maybe,” he says, cheekily setting his teeth in his lover’s chin. It earns him another laugh. There’s a hand on his hip, another one cupping his face. He leans into the latter, gazing into Jisung’s eyes without hesitation. “Hungry for your love.”

There’s a smile, then, something immensely soft that he recognises as being the face Jisung makes whenever he thinks Hyunjin is the most adorable thing he’s ever seen. “Hyunnie,” he breathes, their lips finding each other a few more times before he continues. “You have all the love I can give. Always.”

There’s a beat of silence, a moment of contemplation and then Hyunjin’s smile mellows alongside the rest of his body, giddiness pushing a giggle from his throat.

“You’ve got mine too, Sung,” he offers easily, adding a kiss to his lover’s lips on top of it. “All of my love, affection, attention, obsession,...” He grins in challenge at the last bit. Jisung laughs softly and simply kisses him again.

“Whatever you say, gorgeous,” he’s told, a dismissal made with such tenderness that he can’t even be upset about it. “I’ll bear it willingly if it means you’ll look this happy and relaxed.”

He smiles at those words, pleased beyond measure. “Sungie,” he mumbles, pulling his lover down into another kiss. “Even though I’m already yours for life, you should definitely keep saying things like that, they make me wish I could add a few lifetimes to it.”

He can’t help the smile that blooms on his own face when he says it, and Jisung mirrors it, happiness in his gaze, but also a different emotion. He’s clearly touched by Hyunjin’s admission, even though he was pretty certain this was already common knowledge.

“For life, huh?” Jisung still asks anyway, and Hyunjin reaches for his hand, to squeeze it gently.

“Eternity, darling. You’re not getting rid of me.”

There’s a laugh in Jisung’s eyes, but also awe, and Hyunjin preens under the clear sign of adoration. It’s mutual, really. He couldn’t imagine not having Jisung by his side, not being able to turn and catch his eye across a room when he’s feeling some type of way.

“Come on,” he says, gently tugging on Jisung’s hand so he’ll settle down on the couch with him. “Come hold me. You can make lunch in a little bit, when I convince Chan hyung to come out of his office and help me in these harsh and trying times.”

Jisung laughs out loud this time, but folds under the pressure anyway, easing himself down on the couch alongside him. Hyunjin’s more than happy to bury away into his lover’s arms again, and forget about the outside world for a little longer.

The morning turns out to be the easiest part of his day. When eventually he rises to go get Chan, he looks enough like death warmed over for their pack leader to follow him out within seconds, worry colouring his scent. They eat the food Jisung prepares, the two of them chatting among themselves while Hyunjin exists on the sidelines.

He doesn’t remember much from lunch, but he becomes more aware again when Changbin returns home not much later, Seungmin’s distressed scent in tow. They shake themselves out on the back porch before walking in, and Seungmin goes straight up the stairs. One look at Changbin’s face tells him the alpha wasn’t successful in brightening up Seungmin’s mood, and so Hyunjin pushes himself to stand to follow him.

He exchanges a glance with Jisung before he goes, smiles on both sides. Jisung’s is encouraging, his is reassuring. Their gazes cling a second longer before he has to look away to see where he’s going. His smile lingers all the way up the stairs, though it’s gone when he reaches Seungmin’s room, gently knocking on the door. He doesn’t wait for confirmation before going in, and neither does he wait for permission before draping himself all over his friend, who’s curled up under his blankets.

“What are you doing here, Hyunjin?” Seungmin asks him a little gruffly, but he doesn’t let that deter him.

“I am suffering, Seungmin-ah,” he claims, dramatically rolling onto his back on top of his friend’s side and putting a hand to his forehead. “Riddled with fevered worry, forced to be subjected to my best friend’s ire. All I wanted was a hug, but ah- Doomed I am to eternal devastation. Why must you hate me so, Seungmin-ah? What have I done to displease you?”

There’s a brief, surprisingly tense silence, before Seungmin snorts. “You spend too much time with Jisung,” he’s accused of, but then Seungmin shifts around beneath him, turning until they’re facing each other, and Seungmin can put an arm around his middle. Hyunjin leans into the embrace easily, offering his friend a smile.

Then, suddenly, Seungmin’s expression changes, worry permeating his scent quite suddenly. “You’re burning up,” he’s told, as Seungmin’s hand comes up to feel his forehead, his cheek. “Are you sick?”

“Sick with fevered worry, I told you!” He jokes, before rolling back onto his front so he can stick his nose in the crook of Seungmin’s neck. “Also I’m pretty sure I’m presenting. I guess my body finally caught on that if even Jeongin presented, that means I’m late.” He feels Seungmin tense up beneath him, so he gently pats his friend’s side. “Not having any side effects yet other than the fever, don’t worry. It’s just that I can smell all of you a lot better, so, you know. I’m pretty sure it’s time.”

The tension doesn’t drain from Seungmin’s body and Hyunjin smiles a little sadly upon realising what is most likely the thing troubling him. “I’m pretty sure Innie’s fever broke this morning. He got out of bed bright and early, washed up and left for school. You can talk to him tonight.” He shifts around until he can stick his face in Seungmin’s hair and sigh softly at his friend.

“Things will be alright, you know? He doesn’t hate you. You made a mistake, but that’s just human nature. Things will be okay. And I’ll apologise in advance if I get violent, but I mainly just feel loopy for now. All I want to do is cuddle you and make you feel better. Is there a way for me to make you feel better?”

There’s silence from Seungmin’s side for a long moment and then his friend sighs, relaxing again at least. “I don’t think so,” is what he admits, and Hyunjin feels his heart break a little at the uncertainty coming from his usually so confident friend.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he says, lifting his head so he can establish eye contact again. Seungmin’s eyes are duller than usual, but he doesn’t shy away from being looked at. This is something, at least, and so Hyunjin looks his fill, until eventually he can’t stop himself from lifting a hand and running a single fingertip all the way from his friend’s forehead to the tip of his nose.

“Seungmin-ah,” he whispers, and then leans in even as he pulls his hand away, pressing his face into the crook of his friend’s neck. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through because of me. I know it was hard for you too. Thank you for sticking with me despite everything. Thank you for being here with me.” A slow breath and then: “Do you know how much I love you? Can you feel it in your bone marrow like I can? You’re as much a part of me as the scars on my skin, but you’re the best thing I was given by those people who called themselves our parents.”

He breathes in slow, deep, with purpose. Seungmin’s scent is gentle and soft, unimposing cotton fields with a hint of peaches. It’s marred by his sadness and guilt, but it’s mellowing out with something perplexed yet grateful. The arm around his middle tightens and Seungmin’s head comes to rest against his with added pressure.

“I love you too, Jin,” he says, and it’s only a whisper, but it’s so loud and so clear to Hyunjin. Nothing but truth and care. No matter what, they have their honesty between them, Hyunjin knows. Even if sometimes it hurts.

“I won’t say what you did wasn’t stupid,” he tells his friend with the same softness, nosing at the column of Seungmin’s neck, drinking in his ever more noticeable scent. “But that’s okay, Min. You’re allowed to do stupid things. You’re allowed to make mistakes. But we’re pack. We’re family. Jeongin won’t be upset forever, and you can’t blame yourself forever either.”

“I won’t stop blaming myself until after he forgives me, though,” Seungmin replies, and his voice is even. It’s not desperation, not dramatics, just the simple truth. Seungmin’s loyalty is flawless, Hyunjin knows. Of course he does. He’s had firsthand experience of it; scars on Seungmin’s body for his sake that he’ll never forget.

His friend’s behaviour wasn’t a lack of loyalty, but rather an abundance of it towards different people, and Seungmin not knowing who to pick first. He’d picked the one whose behaviour worried him most, but in doing so forgot there was one who’d be more impacted by his choices at that moment.

Hyunjin knows all of this. Seungmin probably does too. There’s no point in detailing the obvious. There’s no point in trying to convince him that it’s okay, either. Seungmin feels big, and maybe he’s not as expressive about his emotions as Hyunjin and Jisung are, but that doesn’t mean he is less impacted.

“Okay,” is therefore what Hyunjin says, soft and accepting. “I’ll love you even when you blame yourself, though.” He shifts up, nosing at Seungmin’s jaw, his cheek, all the way until his friend pulls away, rejecting his affection once his lips start getting too close to his own.

“Jin,” he’s warned, firmly, and all he can do is sigh again.

“I know, Min. I’m not trying to kiss you, I'm just trying to smell you better. You’ve got such a gentle scent.” He breathes it in once more before he pulls away, nuzzling back into the crook of his friend’s neck. “Love you,” he mutters there, and Seungmin relaxes the last bit, patting his hip once, twice.

“I love you too, Jin. You know that.”

He does, but it doesn’t hurt hearing it spoken aloud again, nor does he mind the soft, gentle touches that speak of his friend’s affection. After some time, it’s these very same touches that slowly draw him deeper into the haze of his fever.

When Jeongin comes home, Hyunjin is somehow back in Jisung’s bed. He’s got no recollection of how he made it there, but he wakes to the immediate increase of distress and tension in the house, and barely remembers to wrestle out of his clothes before he shifts to his wolf shape.

He tracks the youngest to the kitchen, where he immediately goes to rest his entire head in Jeongin’s lap, who looks at him like it’s nothing new - it isn’t.

“Hey hyung,” Jeongin says, his voice soft and deliberately careful. His scent is a combination of wilting cherry blossoms and the sickliest sweet bubblegum candy that sets Hyunjin’s teeth on edge. He shifts back to his human shape just so he can speak on the matter.

“How are you feeling?” He asks straight away, hand curling immediately into the fabric of Jeongin’s shirt, leaning heavily against his friend’s leg. He’s crouched, but he’s feeling unbalanced and heavy, and his skin is slowly pulling taut over his muscles - or that’s what it feels like.

“I’m okay,” Jeongin says, flashes him a surface level smile that doesn’t so much as reach his upper cheeks let alone his eyes, and then brandishes his new mark at Hyunjin like a distraction. “See? All marked and ready. Fever’s gone.”

“I knew that,” Hyunjin protests, frowning, trying to keep his wits about himself. “You’re our baby alpha now, Innie. I mean how are you feeling about everything else. But actually you don’t have to answer I smelled your distress from upstairs. No one’s angry and Min just feels very bad about upsetting you.” The words are spilling without his input on the matter, it seems like, his hands fisted into Jeongin’s shirt keeping his friend from leaving.

“He was very concerned about both of you, and possibly losing his job, and then hyung reacted so unlike himself that he got even more worried. He didn’t handle it right and he knows but he didn’t mean anything bad with it. It doesn’t change that he likes you.” He’s gently petting Jeongin’s thigh at this point, he realises, cheek resting against the side of it.

“Yeah,” Jeongin says, and his smile is even tighter than before, even less sincere. “Just not as much as he likes Minho hyung, I guess.” Something seeps into his scent, something that takes Hyunjin a few moments to untangle from the wilting blossom and the other notes of distress and discomfort. Something he’s unfamiliar with and yet he knows within seconds what it is: heartbreak.

“Oh Innie,” he sighs, wrapping his arms around his younger friend and burying his face in the shirt he was still holding on to. “You’re important. You’re so important. I promise. It’s just that there was an explanation for why you were upset, but not for hyung. It startled all of us. I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner.”

Jeongin’s frame is perhaps even tenser than Seungmin’s, but he mellows into Hyunjin’s hold easily. Despite all his claims to the opposite, Jeongin doesn’t mind being shown affection, or being shown how loved he is through their continued touch. He leans down into Hyunjin’s hold now and Hyunjin squeezes him as close as is comfortable.

“How are you feeling, hyung?” He’s asked after a few long moments of silence, clearly meant to keep him from asking for more of Jeongin’s feelings. “How’s the fever? Is it bad?”

“I feel like my body is trying to melt through the floor but my bones have yet to get the memo,” he replies mindlessly, cheek plastered to his friend’s leg like they’re glued together at this point. “There’s a lot of emotions in the air today, and they’re invasive, like they’re trying to crawl under my skin. I want to fix things but I don’t know how.”

He wrinkles his nose, even his thoughts feeling soupy. “No anger yet, though, so I can’t be in the thick of it yet, right? I think if I’d attack the person I care about most, I’d have ripped out Sung’s throat by now.”

“It’s not like that’s an always thing,” Jeongin protests. “I attacked everyone except Seungmin hyung, so…” Jeongin trails off, shrugs, doesn’t clarify what that means. Is Seungmin the one he cares about most? Hyunjin doesn’t think so. What anchors Jisung, Chan and Jeongin together goes deeper than anything else. He’d say it’s the same as what ties Seungmin and him together, but sometimes he feels like Seungmin might resent him for their former life a little. Without Hyunjin, Seungmin could have been perfectly happy even with their old pack, he’s sure.

“Doesn’t seem like you’re very inclined to attack anyone, except perhaps with your drool,” Jeongin breaks his thought cycle, and he frowns up at his friend, only to become aware that he is, in fact, drooling a little.

“Damn,” he says, unable to bring any more energy to his voice as he lifts a weak hand to wipe at his mouth. “Born to become a wolf, forced to be a drooling mutt.” Jeongin, at least, laughs, and some of the lingering distress clears from his voice. There’s still some left, of course, Hyunjin didn’t think he was going to make Jeongin forget about his fight with Seungmin, but… This is already something. He’ll take it.

“Hyung,” Jeongin says eventually, his hand apparently on Hyunjin’s head because he can feel fingers move through the strands. “You should go to bed. I think your fever’s getting worse.”

The mere suggestion pulls a whine from his throat. “Nooooo,” he protests, “I don’t want to be alone. Come with me?”

“Jisung hyung will go with you,” Jeongin says with a small smile, but Hyunjin pouts up at the alpha with as much of a pleading expression as he can muster. It kicks Jeongin’s scent into protective gear immediately, and within seconds the youngest is getting up from his chair. “Fine. I’ll go with you. Hyung!!”

He yells out the last bit, and because he is the youngest, it takes all of ten seconds for every single other pack member to make it into the kitchen. The only one missing is, of course, Seungmin, who’s still moping on his bed, no doubt, but even Felix slips into the room.

“What’s wrong Innie?” Chan asks, looking from a standing Jeongin to where Hyunjin belatedly realises he’s still clinging on to his friend’s leg while sitting on the floor. He sheepishly lets go so he can push himself to stand, except it sends him swaying so hard someone has to come steady him. He buries his face into their neck, and breathes in the soothing, familiar scent with great delight.

“Jinnie hyung’s fever’s going up but he doesn’t want to go rest because then he’ll be alone,” Jeongin divulges his deepest secrets. He groans, but it turns into more of a whine instead.

“Want all of you,” he says, lifting his head from where it’d been buried away. It’s only when he doesn’t see Jisung among the others that he realises that’s who’s holding him up. “Sungie~” He whines, clinging a bit tighter. “I want my pack with me.” He pouts again, even as he’s pointing an almost accusing finger at the newest addition. “Lix too.”

Jisung visibly melts in front of his very eyes, gaze softening and smile widening as he takes in whatever Hyunjin’s face must be doing. “You heard him, hyung,” he says, looking away only near the end of his sentence, which at least staves off Hyunjin’s confusion. “Pack gathering. Minho hyung, get Seungmin. Let’s bring some mattresses down to the guest room and gather there.”

Motion starts around him and Hyunjin just clings on to his lover happily, burying his face back into Jisung’s neck. There’s a hand on his back after a moment, gently rubbing, and then the sweet scent of vanilla reaches him. He breathes out a smile, soft and happy.

“Lixie,” he says, turning just so he can go from clinging to one friend to clinging to another. “‘m happy you’re here. Everyone’s smells are too big, I want to–” He stops, considers it, shakes his head. It makes him dizzy so he stops shaking, and finds that there’s hands on his hips steadying him, and a hand on his back as well.

“Easy, Jin,” Felix’s soothing voice tells him and he smiles widely at it. “You’re presenting. It always makes our senses go haywire. I can smell you’re upset about your pack members’ distress.” The hand on his back once again rubs a few gentle circles. “But they will have to sort themselves out, you can’t force them to feel better, you can only be there for them.”

“But I’m right here!” He pouts, even as he’s sticking his nose into Felix’s hair, very happy about how his friend’s smell is layered with warm amusement and a type of reassurance only Jisung’s scent tops for him right now.

“Hyun,” his lover says softly from behind him, the hand on his back stilling again, “Jeongin’s hurt. He’s going to process that the way he has to. Seungmin will give him that time. They will talk to you when they need it, but that’s all you can do right now. You’re already putting them in the same room, which I think is good, but also enough for now.”

There’s a kiss pressed in his hair, and then a smile appears on Felix’s face. “You’re cute,” his friend says with warmth. “You two are so soft with and for each other, it’s lovely. I’m glad you came home, Jinnie.”

He’s beaming a smile at his friend before he knows it, smug and pleased, and a lot of love in it as well. At the same time as he’s beaming at his friend, he’s leaning back against his lover’s chest, letting Jisung carry some of his weight.

“He’s my pillar,” he says, putting a hand on top of the ones resting on his stomach once Jisung’s arms slip around him. “I wouldn’t be who and where I am today without him. There was never anywhere else for me to return to than here. Home.” He turns in Jisung’s hold, just so he can kiss him, can not only smell but also taste the love that seeps into his lover’s scent at his words.

“Mine,” he mutters against Jisung’s lips, and smiles softly at the almost dazed look in his lover’s eyes when he draws away. “I’m yours, too,” he offers after a moment, and Jisung’s smile blooms prettily, his gaze softening again.

“You don’t have to be mine,” he says, gently squeezing Hyunjin’s middle. “You can continue to belong to yourself, as long as you choose to stay near me. I love you.” There’s another kiss pressed to his lips, before Jisung’s scent turns amused as well. “I think you’re high on fever, darling. Let’s get you to the guest room. I’m sure the strong alphas will have already prepared you a bed.”

Jisung isn’t wrong, the mattresses already spread out on the floor when they reach the guest room. The energy he has left goes into locating and claiming his own mattress, and dragging Jisung and Felix down with him. It’s not long before Jeongin enters, and he immediately demands the youngest lay down with them as well, and then every single one of his members in turn gets the same treatment.

When Minho tries to get them something to eat, Hyunjin whines loudly until the omega settles down at his feet, though there’s a tickle of protest under his soles that has him squirming yet refusing to relent. In the end, with Chan and Changbin near his head, Jisung, Jeongin and Felix around him, Seungmin lying half atop his legs and Minho closing the circle with a hand on his ankle and a head on Jisung’s calf, Hyunjin settles down.

The fever pulls him under before long, but he closes his eyes knowing all his important people are close.

He wakes up once more with his clothes sticking to his skin with sweat. He wrestles out of his shirt before even opening his eyes, taking in the darkness around him and the large mixture of scents that blankets the room and slightly suffocates him. He crawls out from his sleeping spot, then slips out of the room, letting the door click closed quietly behind him.

He finds water in the kitchen, careful to turn on lights and keep facing the door while he drinks so he doesn’t go through the same issue Jeongin had. This is why he sees it’s Jisung who walks into the kitchen when he’s nearly done drinking, and his posture stiffens briefly at the sight of the omega. Jisung catches it regardless of how subtle it is, pausing in his step and cocking his head in question.

Hyunjin takes a careful breath of air to speak, and locks his muscles in place when the scent reaches him, clouding his mind. “You have to leave,” he says slowly, breathing back in through his mouth to make the scent less harsh, even though he can almost taste it on his tongue just the same. “It’s bad right now.”

Jisung nods and simply steps backwards out of the kitchen, closing the door again once he’s outside. There’s a moment of silence before he can hear Jisung’s footsteps move away from the kitchen door. He quickly empties the rest of his glass and puts it safely out of his hands. That alone takes enough energy that he needs to just lean against the counter for a little while.

He’s still there when the kitchen door opens again, but this time it’s Minho walking in. A slow breath reassures him that the older omega’s scent is less oppressive, the mint refreshing and the little bit of spice seemingly waking him up slightly.

“Hyung,” he whines almost immediately, and makes a beeline for Minho’s body, curling away into his friend’s arms. They embrace him in return, luckily, one of them coming up to run gently over his hair.

“Fever got you?” Minho asks softly, nothing but gentle patience in his voice. He nods his head, hiding his face away in the crook of his hyung’s neck and closing his eyes.

“Hurts, hyung,” he mumbles. He can hear the door open again seconds later, but before he can even look up, the new scent already reaches his nose. The richness of it is more soothing than anything he’s ever smelled before and he immediately straightens up to throw himself in this new set of arms.

“Hyung,” he whines all over again, and this time exhaustion and pain work together to bring actual tears to his eyes. They luckily don’t spill down his cheeks, because that would be mortifying even now, but his voice is wobbly and tearful nonetheless. “Everything hurts. I don’t want this.”

Chan’s arms are perhaps even more solid around him than Minho’s were, wrapping him up in a warm embrace. Lips press against his hair, warm breath hitting the side of his face. He wants to curl up into a ball like when he was a little cub and find a hiding place close to the warm underbelly of his most trusted protector.

“It’s alright, Hyunjin-ah. I know it hurts but it won’t be long. Noona is coming over in the morning to see if some of her herbs might help you. Let’s get you back to bed for now, alright?”

He nods his head a few times, mindlessly agreeing to whatever his pack leader considers to be a good idea, because he has no doubt it will be. He trusts Chan that much by this point, anyway. He trusts perhaps all of his pack members that much at this point. A soft whine slips from his throat again as he tries to press even closer against Chan’s warm body, shivers shaking his body.

“Oh sweetheart,” Chan says, the sympathy in his voice taking the last of Hyunjin’s composure with it. He whines even louder, crawling into Chan’s arms to the point where soon enough his feet are off the kitchen floor and Chan is literally carrying him. The alpha makes no protest, simply adjusts his grip and then cradles him close. “Let’s get you to your bed,” he’s told softly, another kiss pressed to his hair. “Do you want anyone else there?”

He tries to think about it rationally, but thinking is slow and Chan starts walking already. Yet as they pass the other body, he breathes in the soothing freshness and reaches out on instinct. “Hyung,” he says, fingers curling into the fabric he touches and pulling Minho along with them.

The omega follows, luckily, and he has a brief moment of clarity where he thinks Jisung must have sent him after Hyunjin rejected his lover’s presence. His heart aches, then, for Jisung who he knows wants to help yet was unable to because of Hyunjin’s senses going haywire.

“Sung,” he says, lifting his head from its safe place in the crook of Chan’s neck. “I want Jisung.”

“You sure?” Chan asks softly, but all Hyunjin can suddenly hear is a possibility that Jisung might not be there, and he immediately whines again.

“Jisung!” He protests, maybe a little too loud for what is appropriate in the middle of the night, but it gets him what he wants, because almost immediately his lover slips out of a nearby door, stepping closer to them.

“I’m here, Hyun, I’m here,” he says, tone soothing, and Hyunjin relaxes a little already, but not fully until his lover’s hands are carefully cupping his face and he can lean into the touch and breathe in the familiar hazelnuts and chocolate.

“Wanna go back to the rest,” he whines at his lover, from where he’s still basically koala-clinging onto Chan’s frame. He’s growing too big for this, for sure, will soon probably tower above their pack leader in length, but there’s something immensely comforting about being carried regardless of his height and age. “Innie and Minnie and Binnie and Lix. I wanna cuddle. ‘m Cold.” He pouts right after, to indicate how upset he is about not being with his pack, only for Jisung to breathe out a soft chuckle.

“You’re adorable,” he’s told, the hand on his face squeezing slightly before he’s let go of. “The cutest. We’ll go back to the others. Stop pouting at me like that, I feel bad enough as it is.” Jisung’s smiling when he says it, though, and his scent is actually less distressed now than it was before. A little smug, actually, and a lot relieved. Hyunjin feels better just for having managed to bring forth a positive change.

“I love you,” he decides to say, which makes the scent spike with happiness and contentment, as well as something warm that he can’t pinpoint until Jisung leans up to kiss his cheek and says: “I love you too, baby.”

Satisfied with this answer, Hyunjin sticks his nose back into the earthy scent of his pack leader’s hair and just breathes there for a few moments while he’s being carried back to the guest room. “I love you too, hyung,” he says when he’s put down inside, sticking close to Chan’s body for a moment longer.

From there it’s a road past each of his pack members, starting with Felix, who’s lying on a separate mattress, but who is awake and thus ready for the way Hyunjin flops on top of him and snuggles close just to kiss his cheek. “Love you, Lixie,” he tells his friend, remembers belatedly to whisper so he won’t wake the others, nevermind that they’re all already watching him. “‘m So glad you’re here.”

He crawls on before anything can be replied, finding Changbin’s frame and briefly taking up the Chan-shaped space right beside him so he can kiss the alpha’s cheek and squeeze him close for a good few seconds. “Love you, Binnie hyung,” he promises, presses it into his friend’s body with a tight squeeze.

When he moves on, finding Seungmin’s shape is almost second nature, and he wraps himself around his friend’s back, leaning over him to leave several kisses on his cheeks. “I love you, Minnie. I’m sorry for being difficult and hard to deal with sometimes, and for making your life hard. You’re the best. You’re my best friend. I love you so much. I wouldn’t be who I am without you.”

He lingers there a little, because Seungmin’s cotton and peaches scent is both new and interesting, drawing him in. Seungmin’s quiet, but his scent is filled with conflicting emotions, the largest of which is the same warm love Jisung had exuded before as well. Seungmin’s scent also reminds him of the minty freshness from before, however, which instantly has him crawling upright and looking around for his last hyung.

Minho surprisingly lets him press close in yet another hug, smelling amused and warm, and a little bit like a safe space in a way he’s never done before - at least not to Hyunjin. “Hyung,” he whines softly. “Minho hyung. I’m glad you stayed. You’re so nice. I love you.” He presses his face into the omega’s shoulder and just breathes for a moment, letting the scent soothe him as well as ease some of his nerves.

Minho doesn’t say anything either, and it’s almost like his pack is afraid that talking might make him snap, but he understands, so he doesn’t push them to open their mouths.

Instead he’s soon pulling away, skin crawling, feverish and dazed as he looks at the last person in the room, whose scent he was barely able to smell until now. Even when one of them just presented and the other one is mid-presentation. It’s him, he realises belatedly, he’s the one mid-presentation right now.

“Innie,” he calls, arms already reached out. It should be strange how Jeongin doesn’t even protests, but it’s as if every single member of his pack knows he’s suffering and wants to make it easier on him. He’s so appreciative of it, of the consideration and the love, but all he can do for now is lie down alongside the youngest alpha, and wrap him up in a hug that includes both arms and legs, and kisses pressed into Jeongin’s hair. “I love you. So much. I promise.”

He buries his nose in the hair on top of Jeongin’s head and breathes him in deeply. He stays like that for only a second before reaching around blindly with one hand. “Jisung?” He asks, and only settles down again when his lover slots against his back, pressing a kiss on his shoulder as an arm loops around his middle, hand coming to rest on Jeongin’s hip.

It’s in that cocoon of warmth that he settles, muttering his wish for the others to stick close as well, yet unable to do much more than get properly comfortable before the haziness of the fever overtakes his entire mind again.

When he reopens his eyes the next time, it’s light outside. The room is nearly empty and he instinctively whines. The body behind him moves, a hand carefully coming to rest on his hip, on top of the blanket he’s apparently covered with.

“Hi baby.” It’s Jisung’s voice, and he immediately rolls over to stick his face into his lover’s chest and breathe him in deeply. The scent is no longer overwhelming, his mind a little bit clearer. “You were down quite long. Everyone had to get to work or school. No one left you willingly.”

His soft whining turns into a little hum before he manages to quiet himself. There’s a chuckle rumbling through the chest under his ear, and then the arms wrap around him fully, pulling him into a hug. He noses at the base of Jisung’s throat, breathing in his lover’s scent and rubbing his own onto Jisung’s skin. There’s another rumble in his lover’s chest, before he’s shifted around and a kiss is pressed to his forehead.

“I love you. You don’t know how much I want to bite you right now. I know you’re not feeling well, but you’re adorable. You’re the sweetest, cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to just eat you up.” There’s tiny kisses pressed to his face, Jisung’s affection washing over him and making him mellow out further until he’s putty in his lover’s arms.

“I love you too,” he mumbles, noses at the underside of Jisung’s jaw until he’s given his lover’s lips to kiss and then goes into it with full conviction. Jisung responds with as much warmth and love as always, kissing him sweetly. They roll over further, until Hyunjin’s on his back, being kissed so thoroughly the haziness in his head is no longer caused by fever but by his love instead.

When eventually they draw apart - mainly because Jisung pulls away - he whines his displeasure into the space between them and Jisung giggles, appeasing him with more kisses to his cheeks and even gently kissing his eyelids.

“Baby,” Jisung says, and there’s hands smoothing over his hair, smoothing down his arms. He yearns towards the lingering touch, curling into his lover’s chest all over again. Jisung’s scent sweetens to something even softer and warmer that cocoons him in a feeling of safety and he burrows into it happily, pressing his nose to his lover’s collarbone and closing his eyes fully again.

“Hey, you’re okay. You can stay here, I’m not going anywhere.” A hand smooths down his hair, the repetitive motion soothing him as well, until his instinctual whining quiets again. “I’m right here, baby.” Jisung’s voice is soft, warming him up from the inside out. He wants to crawl inside his lover’s ribcage and make a home for himself there, live within the protection of Jisung’s bones and never have to worry about being loved again, because he’ll see the heart right there beating for him.

“I love you,” he says, because he feels it so intensely in that moment. “So much. I love you. Don’t say it back, I know. I know, but I love you. It’s not enough to say it, not even a million times, but I love you so much, Ji. You’re so good. You’re so good to me. I- You’ve made me a better person too, you know? I’m me because of you.”

He presses his lips to the spot where Jisung’s heart beats below, feeling it thump against his touch. It’s not enough to feel it, it’s not enough to know, he wants to carve it into his bones just so they’ll dig his body up a million years from now and know that once upon a time, Hwang Hyunjin loved Han Jisung so much he made sure to become the best version of himself just to be able to love him better. He wants to crawl into bed and never wake up another day without Jisung next to him. His body is both alight with fever and awash with love, and there’s nothing he can do but hold on as much as he can and squeeze himself as close as he can get.

“I love you, Jisung. Really. Truly. You’re so important. You’re one of the most important people in my life. I swear.”

He doesn’t even know how understandable he is, what with the fever and his need to get the words out as soon as possible. Instead of showing any type of exasperation, the love in Jisung’s scent deepens even more, and Hyunjin breathes it in greedily, pressing his forehead to Jisung’s chest, burrowing against his frame and hiding away as much as he can.

“Hyun,” Jisung says, voice so soft it’s almost a whisper, low and warming. His love is audible in his voice, as is the uncontrollable smile on his face. Hyunjin made him this happy. The knowledge glows in his chest like a ball of light. “Hyune, baby. Thank you. Thank you for loving me, and for telling me. Thank you for being the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Thank you for being you, too.”

There’s a kiss in his hair, a breath that glances off the top of his ear, the arms around him tightening their hold. Hyunjin can only crawl closer, closer, closer. It’s not close enough. There’s not enough parts of them touching. Jisung laughs softly and though he wants to get upset about being laughed at, he can only smile because his lover sounds happy.

“I know,” Jisung says, and it’s only when he stops that he realises he was whining again. “I know. It’s not close enough. I know. It’s never enough. I would wear you like a second skin if I could.” There’s another kiss to his hair, the hand smoothing down his back in a way that makes him shudder and then fall limp against Jisung’s front, completely at ease.

“Let’s go take a shower, baby,” his lover says warmly, running fingers through his hair, scratching nails gently over his scalp. Another shiver rolls down his spine and he makes a soft sound of appreciation because of it. Jisung’s lips land on his temple and then he’s gently urged to sit up. “Come on. I know you hate feeling sweaty. Let’s get you clean and then we can cuddle in bed, yeah?”

The thought of feeling freshly washed and clean gets him to sit up, but it’s only when Jisung clearly moves up to accompany him that he fully gets to his feet. He’s given his long ago discarded shirt to shield against the cold and then they’re walking out of the guest room.

The house is quiet. Most of the others at work or at school, and the ones who were home most likely having gone out to either just run or patrol. Hyunjin allows his lover to help him up the stairs, and then clings to him even more once they’re walking towards the bathroom, making sure he’s not left alone.

And he really isn’t, Jisung accompanying him inside and simply locking the door before turning on the shower. He’s helped with undressing, and then there’s towels prepared for after his shower, before Jisung gets rid of his own clothes as well and walks him under the beam of water.

In the end, the shower takes probably three times as long as it should have, partly because his legs feel weak and his arms tired, but mainly because he insists on kissing his lover in between almost every single action, and Jisung doesn’t stop him even once. In fact, Jisung even laughs into the kiss on several different occasions, clearly more than happy to indulge him.

When they finally make it back out of the shower, every glass surface in the bathroom is fogged and Hyunjin’s body glows with a content warmth. Jisung wraps arms around him along with a towel and then gets another towel to dry his hair with before he even starts thinking about himself. All Hyunjin can do is stand there and soak in the affection shown to him, quiet but happy.

When their bodies are dry, Jisung even picks up the hairdryer, running gentle fingers through his hair as he dries it. Hyunjin leans back against his lover’s chest where they sit on the floor, more and more with every passing minute, until awareness leaves him again.

He wakes up in time to join the pack for dinner, not eating much, but basking in the affection he gets from every single one of his members. When he nearly falls asleep against Changbin’s shoulder at the end, Jeongin simply pulls him over to rest on his shoulder instead so the alpha can go refill his drink.

Later in the evening, he lies draped over Seungmin and Jisung’s laps, holding Felix’s hand and letting the beta play with his fingers. His mellow mood seems to infect the others, as everyone’s relatively quiet while they watch the movie on the television.

After its credits roll, he goes to beg another cuddle off Minho, who indulges him with an ease that has all the others staring at them in surprise. Minho doesn’t seem bothered, running a hand up and down his back while continuing to read his book. When Jisung comments about it, Minho merely glances down at Hyunjin briefly before looking back up.

“He’s presenting. The fever’s already heavy enough. If you guys were presenting and you wanted a cuddle, I would’ve done the same for you,” he says simply.

Jisung immediately whines out his protest at that, of course. “But hyung, you weren’t even here when I was presenting!” He argues. “You still owe me my fever cuddles!” He stretches out his arms as if to get them right now, pouting obnoxiously, and Hyunjin, though well-aware Jisung’s faking being upset, can’t help but reach for his lover in turn, whining at him.

It makes Jisung laugh, but it also makes him come over and hug Hyunjin close, pressing a kiss to his lips before pulling him into his chest. “Baby,” he says lightly. “I’m fine. Don’t worry. Or did you just want a hug? You can have one any day.”

He lets out a pleased little hum at the words, nosing at Jisung’s throat, breathing in the warm and soothing chocolate. After a moment, he pulls his lover a little closer, moving to lay back down like he was before. Jisung follows along easily, so it’s not long before they’re both leaning against Minho’s chest, who sighs deeply but wraps arms around the both of them anyway, his scent sweet with warm amusement.

“Such needy pups,” he says, but Hyunjin can’t even be offended when he’s this close to his lover. Jisung simply chuckles, and presses a quick kiss to Hyunjin’s lips.

“You’re so smart,” he says, pretending to be whispering to just him even though it’s audible for all of them. “Thank you for getting me my cuddles, baby.”

It causes a few laughs in the room, and Minho to flick Jisung’s side lightly. “You’re lucky your mate’s presenting, Jisungie,” the older omega says after, “or I would’ve long thrown you onto the floor.”

“You hear that, Hyun? Keep holding me tightly, you’re saving my life,” Jisung jokes, but Hyunjin’s not really listening to the words, rather he’s basking in the joy of having been unironically referred to as Jisung’s mate and having his lover accept it just like that.

“Wow,” Minho comments with some amusement. “The roses sure are blooming today, huh?” There’s more titters of laughter, but also Jisung’s scent deepening with the same pleased warmth that Hyunjin recognises by now as being love and pride.

“I’m your mate,” he mumbles happily into Jisung’s chest, who chuckles softly and cradles him a little closer.

“Of course mine,” is the immediate response. “No one else’s.”

The sound he lets out at those words is almost a purr, and causes more laughter, but also causes Minho to gently pinch the back of his neck.

“Keep your flirting for when you’re not both lying on top of me, would you?” The omega cautions them, and Hyunjin whines softly in apology. Before he fully realises it, he’s taken on his wolf shape and is apologetically licking Minho’s chin, who almost immediately pulls his face away. “Hyunjin-ah, I think you’re great as well, but please keep your tongue away from my face, okay?”

He’d whine at that again, except Jisung’s hands run over his fur and all he can do in response to that is roll over onto his back and send a pleading look to his lover to get some tummy rubs.

Before long, there’s three sets of hands petting him, Changbin and Felix immediately joining in the endeavour. He’s more than happy to bask in their attention, whining at the others until Chan, Jeongin and Seungmin join in as well. It’s delightful, both the petting itself and the fact that every single one of his pack members is near and smiling, even Minho who’s the only one not petting him. But the omega did have to wriggle out from underneath his entire wolf shape just before, so he gets it, really.

“You’re such a pretty wolf, Jinnie,” Felix says and Hyunjin preens. He’s not sure what happens to make the rest of his pack laugh, but it’s got something to do with his scent, he’s quite sure, if the way several of them sniff up the air is any indication.

“You smell so sweet,” Felix tells him, smiling even wider, and then leaning in to get a better whiff. The warning rumble startles all of them, even Jisung himself, who flushes a deep red and looks everywhere but at him when he tries to check his lover’s mood.

“Sorry,” Jisung says. “I don’t know what happened. Please go ahead and smell Hyunjin, I’m all good.” He’s sheepish, apologetic, clearly mortified. Felix laughs softly, leaning over to hug Jisung and press a kiss to his cheek to indicate all is well, and then tipping forward to hug Hyunjin’s body, burying his face in his fur and breathing in deeply.

“I’d say fresh herbs, maybe white tea?” He says after a moment, pushing himself back up and then smirking as he ruffles a hand atop Hyunjin’s head. “And roses, of course.”

“Cool. Cool, cool.” Jisung still isn’t fully over his embarrassment, but he’s smiling, and not trying to get out from the huddle of their pack members, so Hyunjin isn’t worried. “What do I smell like, actually?” His lover asks then and to reply is the only thing he can think of.

“Rich, dark chocolate. And hazelnuts,” he provides.

“Hyung!” Jeongin protests in disgust. “My hand was on your stomach! You’re bigger in wolf shape! A little warning before you shift!”

“Nutella when you’re particularly happy,” Hyunjin continues saying, completely ignoring the youngest, smiling at Jisung and seeing nothing but the loving gaze in his eyes. “Like mine. You smell like you’re mine.”

There’s twin groans of exasperation from their two youngest, a delighted laugh from Felix and the endeared smiles of their two main alphas in this periphery, but he mainly sees Jisung’s face, widened into a smile that he clearly is unable to keep in, his gaze having softened even further.

“Good,” he says, and this time he’s the only one leaning in to put his hands back on Hyunjin’s body, leaning down further until he can press their lips together. “You smell like mine too, baby.”

Hyunjin preens, Jeongin scoffs. “You guys are disgusting,” the youngest says, but his scent is mild enough that Hyunjin knows he’s not truly upset, just a little awkward maybe.

“This is love, Innie,” Changbin protests, but Jeongin just huffs again.

“Disgustingly in love,” he deadpans. “And here I thought you two were bad to be around. This is ten times worse.”

“You’re just jealous no one’s making kissy faces at you,” Changbin pokes, and Hyunjin flinches at the insensitivity of the comment. Changbin doesn’t know, of course. Jeongin’s scent doesn’t change much either, so it’s not like anyone’s aware of the way this no doubt impacted the youngest.

“I’ll make kissy faces at you, Jeongin-ah!” He jumps in, promptly starting as he reaches out his hands towards his friend. Jeongin recoils with untimed precision, backing up into Seungmin, who was standing next to him. They break apart without so much as acknowledging that it happened at all. Jeongin clearly has more pressing matters to deal with, his horrified gaze on Hyunjin’s face.

“You’re still naked,” he’s told like that is the worst thing he could ever do. “And basically engaged to be married to Sungie hyung. I’ll pass.”

“So you’d kiss me if I were single?” is all Hyunjin can think to retort, delighted. Jeongin groans even louder while everyone else laughs, but Hyunjin can smell the amusement in his friend’s scent. He can, however, also smell the brief twinge of something dark in his lover’s scent, honed in on it as he always is.

“No, Ji, darling, come here,” he says, reaching for his lover and pulling him into a hug. Jisung comes willingly despite his lack of clothes, or perhaps because of it. “You’re the only one I want to kiss. Promise.” He mumbles the words into Jisung’s hair, pulling his lover close to him and kissing his head. There’s a stunned silence around them that he pays little attention to, until Felix speaks again.

“I think Jinnie might be presenting as a beta.” It’s said a little hesitantly, but with great warmth nonetheless, though a hint of sympathy too. “I was also extra sensitive to everyone’s emotions when I was presenting. I was constantly trying to make sure no one felt bad. It’ll ease up when the fever passes, if you are.” These last words are aimed more specifically at him, so he nods his understanding. Most of his focus is still on Jisung, though, and the way his lover’s scent has turned Nutella-sweet again.

“Is that why hyung’s been trying to have us all in the same room all the time?” Jeongin asks after a moment. “Because he wants to fix us?” It’s not even said in an accusing way, but Hyunjin feels accused anyway, pain lancing through him with a sharp sting.

“Not fix,” he protests, protectively pulling Jisung a little closer, as if his lover’s body can shield him from said pain. “I just love you all. I want you all to be happy. Because you all deserve to be happy. And I want you close. I’m not- Not trying to fix anything. Just don’t want anyone to feel alone. Left out. You’re all pack. You’re my pack. It- I-”

“Baby, baby, it’s okay. Innie’s not upset. Hey. Sshh. You’re okay.” Jisung’s hands are on his face then, wiping away the tears he belatedly realises are suddenly running down his cheeks, and wow, that’s mortifying as well. He brings up his own hand, running it over his face and sniffing.

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, hyung,” Jeongin is back again as well, his cherry blossom scent gone soft and incredibly soothing. The initial stab of panic having left, the young alpha now seems determined to comfort him. Hyunjin drinks in his affection, leaning into the touch to his hair. “I was just asking. Don’t feel bad. I love you. You’re my favourite hyung, okay?”

He blooms with warmth at that, and surprise as well, but mainly his volatile mood is soothed and he sniffs one last time as he manages to wipe the last of his tears. He’s still aided in his efforts by Jisung, who kisses his cheek and smiles at him reassuringly when their eyes meet.

“Oh, so now you’re picking favourites, huh?” Changbin playfully accuses the youngest, who immediately seems to realise what he said out loud for everyone to hear and groans all over again.

“He’s presenting!” He defends himself, mortified but also not really feeling bad anymore, Hyunjin can indeed smell it. “I don’t want him to feel bad. The hormones are a bitch, okay? Hyung shouldn’t be insecure on top of it.” Some of his own recently passed reality bleeds through in Jeongin’s voice, and Hyunjin’s heart aches for his friend, his eyes welling up all over again. “Ugh, Changbin hyung, you made it worse again!” Jeongin immediately accuses their friend. “You fix it this time, I’m done!”

He doesn’t walk away, though, instead leans down and bats Jisung out of the way to be able to hug Hyunjin briefly. “I love you, hyung,” he repeats in a softer voice this time. “And I appreciate what you did, but now I need some me-time, okay? If you miss me too much you can always come see me, but only you.” Hyunjin nods into his shoulder, clinging on a moment longer before letting his friend go. Jeongin smiles at him briefly, then straightens back up. “I’m going to sleep,” he announces loud enough for all of them to hear. “Goodnight.”

With that, the youngest leaves the room, Seungmin’s gaze lingering on his back until he’s out of sight. Hyunjin’s gaze lingers on Seungmin, before it’s pulled back by Jisung picking up his tattered clothes. “We’re so bad for the environment,” he says, before looking over at Minho. “Hyung, can you teach me how to sew? I want to fix these.”

“What makes you think I know how to sew?” Minho immediately counters, rolling his eyes. Jisung pouts, but Changbin pats his shoulder lightly.

“I’ll teach you how to sew, Jisungie,” he says, easy and matter of fact. Jisung’s pout turns into a smile almost immediately, happy and excited. Hyunjin smiles at it all, soothed by the rich sweetness of what he suddenly realises is Felix’s scent. He turns his head, finding the beta sitting on the couch right next to him and immediately sends him a smile. Felix’s return smile is warm.

“I learned this trick from a beta who helped me when I was presenting,” he explains. “Do you feel better?”

He nods his head because he does, and then has to look away just to yawn really widely. “Sleepy,” he admits then. “Will you sleep with us?”

“Us?” Felix echoes, amused, and Hyunjin’s hands curl into Jisung’s shirt a little tighter where he’d subconsciously grabbed hold of his lover again.

“He’s mine,” he says, almost weirdly proud, caring and possessive at the same time. “I’m not leaving him.”

Felix laughs softly, but in an endeared way, not a mocking way at all, and then nods. “Sure. If he doesn’t mind. I’m always happy to cuddle.”

It takes only one hopeful look at Jisung for him to agree, a laugh in his voice and pure adoration in his eyes.

The night passes surprisingly smoothly. Hyunjin sleeps curled up in Jisung’s arms, lips pressed to his lover’s pulse point. Felix rests at his back, his scent thick and soothing throughout the entirety of the night. Hyunjin wakes up once or twice, either too hot or too cold, but they remedy it easily and then he falls back asleep quickly too.

In the morning they stay in bed longer, all three of them, just resting together. Felix and Jisung talk a bit about this and that but Hyunjin’s too out of it to really be part of the conversation.

What pulls him to better awareness is a swift knock on the door before it immediately opens to let in a lovely scent of herbs and flowers, accompanied by Momo’s bright smile.

“Noona!” He chimes immediately, and she laughs brightly at the way he scrambles to get up and get to her. Chan had said she was visiting, but that was supposed to have been yesterday, right? “Did I sleep through your visit yesterday?” He asks even as he’s already standing right in front of her, letting her feel his pulse and forehead.

“Oh no,” she replies cheerfully, continuing her check-up even as she’s speaking. He opens his mouth when she motions for him to, and lets her check out his teeth as she pleases, pliant under her gentle touch. “I was told you were out all day so there was no point in coming over. You seem very lucid today, that’s good. It’s already the third day, right? Looks like you’ll be through it without too much hassle.”

She runs a hand over his head and he pushes into the touch just a tad, leaning a bit more towards her. “I’m all sticky,” he pouts, making her laugh again. “But otherwise I do feel relatively fine. Lix thinks I might present as a beta, because I’m very sensitive to the way everyone smells.”

“Ah,” she hums, nodding. “That’s possible.” She smiles at someone over his shoulder, making him belatedly realise that Felix is, in fact, in the room with them. “It’s a good thing you have him around to explain things to you, then. You better make use of it while he’s here. Though once he leaves, I’m sure Chaeryoung will be happy to talk to you about all the beta things.” She pats his cheek before taking a step back, and then looks past him at Jisung. “That is if you really do present as a beta,” she adds belatedly. “How are you doing, Sung? Taking care of your pack well?”

Hyunjin turns with Momo’s steps, watching her walk around the bed to where Jisung has gotten up and easily reaching out to ruffle his hair. Jisung leans into it even more than Hyunjin had, and beams at her with the kind of soft delight specifically reserved for Momo. Hyunjin likes her, of course, she’s helped him a lot and he considers her a good friend, but he knows that to Chan, but also to Jeongin and Jisung, she’s something like an older sister or perhaps even a mother figure.

“I’m alright, noona,” Jisung reassures her. “Hyun hasn’t attacked anyone or snapped at anyone, so he’s our most peaceful presenting pack member yet. There’s very little for me to take care of.” There’s a hint of pride in that, Hyunjin can tell, and he preens even without realising. Momo seems to notice, though, because she laughs softly, shaking her head at the both of them.

“You two are made for each other,” she says, teasing. “Gluttons for praise the both of you, but also freely passing it around all the time so neither of you will run out.” She chuckles, but Hyunjin only feels warm knowing that she thinks they’re good together. Maybe he really is a glutton for praise.

“I’m glad you’re doing okay, Jin-ah,” she continues, oblivious to his delight. “I’ll brew you some tea to help with the fever, but I think you’ll be fine.” She reaches for him once more, gently cupping his cheek in her hand, and he leans into it as always. “You look happy,” she tells him, her voice softer now, meant just for him, even if the other two can hear as well. “It’s good to see you happy.”

He pretty much melts into her touch, smiling so widely his cheeks hurt. When she lets go of him, he turns briefly to share his smile with Jisung before following Momo out of the room. They head downstairs together, all four of them. Momo heads into the kitchen, where Chan is clearly waiting for her return, but Hyunjin branches off towards the living room, because he can smell Seungmin’s presence there.

“Morning,” he says, flopping down on top of his friend. Seungmin groans but makes no motion to push him off, so he gets comfortable. “No work?”

“Got fired,” he’s told evenly. “I’ll look for something else next week. How are you feeling?”

“Gross, but fine. For now. Fever’s still at it, I think.”

“Must be your body trying desperately to fight off your bad personality,” Seungmin quips, and Hyunjin gasps in offence, smacking his friend on the shoulder.

“Fuck you, Kim Seungmin, I’m a delight!” He protests, which brings a laugh from the other couch. It’s only then that he realises Minho’s in the room with them. “Oh. Morning hyung.”

“Good morning, Hyunjin,” Minho says, and smirks at Seungmin right after. “I agree with him. If anyone’s got a bad personality it’s you, pup.”

“Not a pup,” Seungmin grumbles, gaze set to kill. Minho is immune, though, and simply smiles back at him sweetly.

“So you agree you have a bad personality?” He teases, to which Seungmin lets out an unintelligible grumble and turns his face into the pillows.

Hyunjin laughs softly, leaning down to kiss the top of his friend’s head before he climbs back off his body, walking over to Minho’s couch and leaning down. Minho eyes him cautiously, but he doesn’t go in for a hug, simply puts his face in the omega’s hair and breathes in the smell of shampoo mixed with peppermint and the spice of ginger.

“You smell so nice, hyung,” he says with great contentment as he straightens back up. Minho’s ears turn suspiciously red, but Hyunjin doesn’t mention it, simply allows his hyung to swat at his legs to make him walk away, and then turning to find Jisung again.

Felix just comes walking out of the kitchen, so Hyunjin goes to get another hug from his friend before he heads inside. Chan’s standing against the counter, arms wrapped around Jisung who’s leaning back against him. They’re both facing Momo, who is indeed brewing some tea and mid-conversation with them, so Hyunjin walks over to Changbin. The alpha’s standing only a step away from Chan, and Hyunjin’s got a feeling he was the one previously wrapped in the hug Jisung is now in, but there’s not a single trace of displeasure in Changbin’s scent.

“Morning hyung,” he says, leaning in to the hug he is offered almost immediately. He has to lean down for it, but he doesn’t mind, more than happy to make himself smaller just to fit into those strong, dependable arms. From the day they met, Changbin has always been there for him, a source of comfort and reassurance both to Hyunjin, who’s never known a more understanding person in his life. Changbin’s the one who saved him, who saved both Seungmin and him, and he thinks he’ll always be grateful for that.

“Hey, your roses are wilting,” Changbin hums into his ear, so soft that perhaps not even the two wolves next to them might hear. “What’s wrong? Is it because Sung’s hugging Chan?”

“No, hyung,” he counters, already cheered up by the mere thought of somehow being upset about Chan and Jisung hugging. How silly. “Was just thinking of how you saved me. Both of us. I’m just really- You are the best thing that could’ve happened to us, you know?” He nuzzles into his hyung’s shoulder, clinging a little tighter, and thus gets to experience firsthand how Changbin’s pine and cedar scent turns summery warm with appreciation and love.

“I’d do it a hundred times more if I had to,” Changbin says, and Hyunjin feels like his chest is going to burst with the amount of love he’s been shown in the past two days alone.

“I know, hyung. I know.” He shuffles as close as he can get, hugging Changbin tightly. “I love you.”

There’s a smile breathed out into his hair, and then a kiss pressed not far behind his ear. When he still stays close, Changbin starts gently running a hand up and down his back, making him relax with each repetitive motion.

He stays there until the tea is ready, enjoying both Changbin’s warmth and the gentle mood in the kitchen as he listens to Momo and Chan talk about how Yeji and her pack are doing. When he’s given a mug of tea, he dutifully sips from it. Not much later, Momo decides to head back home, Minho joining her to continue his training.

After yet another shower and a change of clothes, Hyunjin spends the rest of the day hanging on the couch, playing games with Felix and even dozing in a patch of sunlight in the grass outside. Jisung’s somewhere nearby the entire time, all the way until Jeongin comes home from school and promptly joins them in the garden.

When the youngest unceremoniously flops down on top of his brother, Hyunjin watches the ensuing fight happen with quite a bit of amusement. He doesn’t join, not even when Jeongin comes to nip at his tail and at his flank a little later, but he doesn’t stop them either. It’s not long before Felix shows up as well, joining the chase.

In the end, though, the three of them return to Hyunjin’s side to get a bit more of the late afternoon sun. Rather than pile up like they usually would, each of them curls up against one of his sides, their noses tucked into his fur, and Hyunjin allows himself to doze off completely knowing he’s safely in their care.

Much like Seungmin and Jisung had both already told him, clarity returns to him quite suddenly. One moment he’s leaning heavily against Chan’s chair, his head in their pack leader’s lap, letting the gentle pets soothe the ache in his body, the next he’s suddenly blinking the last of the haze from his mind and feeling ready to go on a four hour run.

Instead of doing that, though, he simply gives Chan’s hand a grateful lick and then makes his way out of the alpha’s office to the living room. He finds Jisung playing games with Seungmin and Felix, and steals the remote from his hands first thing.

“Hey!” His lover protests. “You’re supposed to help me win, not sabotage me!”

Without listening to the complaints, Hyunjin gently sets his teeth in Jisung’s hand next and tugs on it lightly, to make him get up. He lets go then to jog over towards the hallway, only looking back once to make sure Jisung is following before he takes the stairs two steps at a time and slips into his bedroom.

He doesn’t shift just yet, waiting instead until Jisung walks into his room as well, already frowning lightly in concern. “Hey, what’s going on? Are you in pain? Do you need cuddles?” His lover asks him. Hyunjin takes his human shape without so much as looking back, eyeing himself in the mirror and almost immediately starting to smile.

“Hyun?” Jisung asks again, now clearly a little confused as well, and Hyunjin turns around.

“Look,” he says, gaze fixed on his own body, fingers pressed to his hip, pulling the skin taut. There, mirroring the mark on Jisung’s body, now sits his own. Smooth curves, straight line, no bigger than a birthmark yet so meaningful. “I’m a beta.”

And then Hyunjin looks up. Jisung does too. Their eyes meet and the world is exactly the same as it was a minute ago. Nothing’s changed, nothing’s different, except that now Hyunjin knows beyond the shadow of a doubt. Knows it in the very marrow of his bones.

“Congratulations, baby,” Jisung says, his smile soft and warm like it always is when he looks at Hyunjin. His scent is mellow with what Hyunjin’s already come to recognise is love. Hyunjin looks at Jisung now and knows more than anything in his life that he belongs, that Jisung is his before he’s anyone else’s and that, in return, Hyunjin is Jisung’s as well.

“Ji,” he says, hands reaching, and Jisung reaches back without a moment’s hesitation, their fingers tangling together as Hyunjin steps closer to his lover. His match. The one person out there he’ll never have to doubt. The one person he could never walk away from, would never want to leave behind again. Here, with Jisung, he is safe. Here, with Jisung, he is wanted, he is loved.

He understands now why Chan pounced on Changbin and groomed him until he smelled like him, because Hyunjin can’t stop himself from tugging Jisung closer by his hands and kissing him senseless. Nevermind his bedroom door is still open, or half their pack is downstairs. Nevermind that he only just shook off the fever. His hands tangle in Jisung’s hair, refusing to let him go and he kisses the omega like he’s trying to imprint himself onto Jisung’s skin forever.

But it’s okay, because Jisung responds immediately, his arms coming around Hyunjin’s body, fingertips digging into his skin, pressing him close. Even so there’s a need to be closer, to crawl inside of Jisung’s skin if it were possible. As it is, he’ll have to make do with pushing his lover down onto the bed and climbing on top of him, claiming him in every other way he knows how.

They don’t make it back downstairs in time for dinner, but it’s okay. Because when they finally do come down, after a much needed shower, Minho wrinkles his nose at them, but then unearths their portion from the fridge and reheats it.

“I want to change rooms,” Jeongin says when he flops down on a chair at the table despite already having eaten.

“Not even Mars would be far enough away,” Seungmin huffs from where he’s walking into the dining room, and Jeongin makes a noise of exasperated agreement.

Hyunjin feels his cheeks flush, but he can’t really feel bad even if he feels gravely embarrassed. Jisung, on the other hand, seems like he’s on top of the world.

“Don’t kick it before you try it,” he offers both of their friends. “Besides, the hyungs do this all the time, nothing new about it.”

Jeongin makes a face. “At least the hyungs wait until no one else is home to do stuff like that,” he protests. Jisung grins, all white teeth and teasing sharpness.

“And who knows where they do it when no one’s home?” He counters, immediately sending Jeongin into a wail, hands covering his face. Minho laughs, while Seungmin smiles at Jeongin’s theatrics. Definitely learned from Jisung, those, Hyunjin thinks.

“Who upset the baby?” Changbin asks from the door opening, walking in with Chan not far behind him, Felix on their heels as well. Jeongin only wails louder at hearing their hyung’s voice.

“You did, hyung,” Seungmin teases.

“Me? What did I do?” Changbin asks, perplexed, and Jisung giggles in delight at the chaos he unleashed.

“Hypothetically defiled any possible surface in the house,” Seungmin provides solemnly. Changbin’s mouth doesn’t fully close in his shock. Jisung giggles like a maniac.

“Hey! Why are we the bad guys when we’ve all just had to flee the sounds of these two going at it?” Chan asks, pretending to be upset, but he’s smiling too wide, too happy with his pack being together and clearly feeling good. Hyunjin can smell it on him, that bone-deep contentment. Or maybe that’s just what he’s feeling too.

“At least these two used their own bed, hyung,” Jisung continues his quest for chaos, and Hyunjin can’t help but laugh even as the rest of the room erupts in further chaos at the mere thought of the two alphas using their bed.

“Who knew getting off would turn you into such a little shit,” Changbin comments, pauses, and then adds: “Actually, nevermind, we should have seen that coming.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean!” Jisung protests, while Hyunjin and Seungmin laugh, and Jeongin nearly falls off his chair with how hard he’s cackling. Seungmin’s closest, so he reaches out a hand and steadies their youngest, the two of them sharing a brief smile before Jeongin sits up solidly again.

“Anyway,” Hyunjin says into the lull of silence, reaching down and lifting his shirt and shifting to show off his mark to the rest of the room. “I’m a beta. And Jisung’s my match. For real.”

Jisung promptly looks smug and pleased, like a cat who got the cream, while everyone else immediately crowds closer to try and get a look at his mark. Jeongin’s making disgusted noises at his brother, while Seungmin beams Hyunjin a happy smile. Changbin’s hand ruffles his hair, Felix’s squeezes his shoulder. Chan pats Jisung’s back while smiling at Hyunjin, and Minho ends up briefly touching both of their shoulders in quiet support.

“That makes all of us,” Chan says once the noise has died down, his smile warm. “I’m happy for you, Hyunjin-ah. We’re quite evenly spread now. Two omegas, a beta, three alphas and an all-rounder.”

“Jeongin’s a baby, so he counts only as half an alpha,” Jisung protests, making Jeongin lift a fist as if to punch him. Changbin laughs, but Chan shakes his head.

“Felix is a beta too,” Hyunjin says, frowning in confusion, only for silence to fall as the rest of his pack looks between him and his friend.

“Well, Felix is of course welcome to join the pack if he wants to,” Chan says a moment later, breaking the tense atmosphere. “But I was under the impression that so far he’d only been visiting.”

The smile that Felix beams at the offer is grateful, his eyes finding Hyunjin a moment later, wordlessly letting him know that most of that gratitude is for him. “Thank you,” he tells the group as a whole. “I’m not sure yet what my plan is for the future, but for now I’m definitely enjoying my little holiday here.”

“You’ve literally had to suffer through two of our pack presenting since almost literally the day you arrived,” Jisung counters, amused but also a little disbelieving. Felix only laughs softly.

“Yeah,” he says, and his smile is warm, his eyes finding Jeongin first and Hyunjin next. “But they’re my favourite ones, so I’m happy I got to be here for them.”

Chaos, of course, erupts once again, Changbin, Minho and Jisung immediately protesting loudly against Felix blatantly picking favourites like that, while Jeongin grins in amusement and Hyunjin preens once more.

“Let’s go on a run,” Jeongin says into the chaos and almost immediately everybody quiets. The youngest’s gaze falls on the still unfinished dinner in front of Hyunjin and Jisung and he sighs. “Finish that first, hyungs, so we can all run together.” Then he turns, reaches, slips his fingers around Seungmin’s wrist. A touch that would’ve been normal just a week ago, but now leaves the rest of them suspiciously quiet. Yet Jeongin just squeezes briefly, no different than he would have done. “Come on, hyung, keep me company while we wait for these two disgusting creatures to finish eating.”

He pushes himself to stand, fingers slipping from Seungmin’s wrist again, even if Seungmin rises to follow him like he’s on a leash. When Jeongin glances around the rest of their group, he simply makes a face. “Lix hyung, Minho hyung, you guys should come too. We’ll give these loverboys some time alone.”

There’s a laugh from Changbin, Jisung grinning widely as he’s already picked up his chopsticks again.

“Aww, Innie, it’s so nice of you to give us a chance to defile every surface in this kitchen,” he counters, grin nothing but pure mischief. Jeongin immediately shudders in disgust, putting hands over his ears and very maturely yelling: “Lalala I can’t hear you!”

Hyunjin watches his youngest pack members and the two newest walk out of the kitchen (Felix is pack to him no matter what anyone says) and then turns back to face the ones left behind. Jisung catches his gaze and smiles, Chan is fondly watching Jisung and Changbin grins at him, wide and easy.

“Are you finishing that?” The alpha asks, and Hyunjin immediately pulls his bowl closer to himself, glaring at his friend.

“Keep your paws off, this is mine.”

When Changbin laughs and reaches out to pet his hair, Hyunjin suddenly feels himself pulled over to the side.

“Hey,” Jisung says, “didn’t you hear him? Keep your paws off, this is mine.”

The laughter comes from all four of them then, Hyunjin still blushing and preening regardless of his amusement. And when he leans over to nuzzle into the crook of Jisung’s neck, he realises it once again.

This is where he belongs.