Chapter Text
Jisung feels like he’s been in love with Seo Changbin his entire life. It’s a bit of an exaggeration since they only met Jisung’s first year of middle school through their mutual friend, Minho, but it’s been so long that Jisung doesn’t really remember what it was like not to love Changbin.
It was easier when they were younger. They had all been unpresented and he saw Changbin mostly at school. He could easily plan for seeing him outside of that. Back then, it had been a more innocent love. Sure, Jisung thought Changbin was hot, but it hadn’t been high school when it fully hit him.
Jisung had the misfortune of presenting early. He’d barely been 15 and his presentation was easily one of the worst times of his life. He’d always had a bit of a temper as a kid, but once he presented, he had little to no control.
Everything pissed him off and he hadn’t been able to hold in his anger. He’d gotten into more fights than he liked to admit to back then. He’s still surprised he came out the other side of it with the friends he did.
With the temper also came the need .
He’d always admired Changbin from afar, but as soon as his alpha hormones came online, it was nearly all Jisung could think about.
It hadn’t gotten any better when Changbin had presented as an alpha as well and graduating hadn’t done much to help Jisung either.
Now that they’re in college, it’s an everyday battle for Jisung. Living with Changbin doesn’t make it any easier.
Originally, they shared the apartment with Minho, but at the end of last semester, Minho announced he would be moving in with his long-term boyfriend, Felix. That left Jisung stuck in an apartment with the love of his life and the bane of his existence.
Changbin is so unaware. Not only of how attractive he is but of how Jisung feels about him.
It’s not even that Jisung has gone to great lengths to hide his feelings; Changbin is just oblivious.
It’s never been that big of a problem. Jisung spends his ruts as far from his apartment as he can manage, either returning to his parent's home or going as far as renting a room for the five or so days he needs one every month.
Changbin’s ruts don’t last more than three days max and on those days Jisung crashes with Chan and Hyunjin or now Minho and Felix.
Changbin has never really questioned it and for that, Jisung is thankful.
Jisung had every intention of cruising his way through this living arrangement for the last two years of Changbin’s college career without ever letting the other alpha know how much it affected Jisung just being in his presence.
Then August had rolled around and something shifted.
Jisung has no idea what it is. All he knows is that Changbin’s obliviousness is going to be the death of him.
The first time it happens, Jisung breaks one of the few glass cups they had managed to keep since they’d moved in.
He’s minding his business, trying to fight the mounting summer heat by staying hydrated. They’re hitting record highs this year and air conditioning can only do so much. He’s taken to roaming the apartment in nothing but his underwear because any amount of clothing against his skin feels like too much.
His ruts seem to be getting worse and worse as the season progresses and Jisung has no idea why. The pre-symptoms hit him harder and harder with each month that passes, and just being in the same vicinity as Changbin in the week prior is almost too much for him.
Changbin himself is as oblivious as ever.
Jisung isn’t sure if that’s a blessing or a curse anymore.
He can already feel the familiar tightening low in his gut, fangs aching and cock hard at the barest touch. He’s planning to evacuate early this month, and maybe beat some of the worst of his symptoms by removing from what is quickly becoming a trigger for his ruts.
Jisung’s just texted Chan to let him know that he will be spending the next week or so at his apartment. All he’s waiting for is the confirmation that it’s okay for him to pack a bag and get the fuck out of dodge before he does something stupid like hump his ridiculously hot roommate.
Sadly, it ends up being too little too late.
Jisung is just rounding the corner from their hallway going into the main area of the apartment when Chnagbin’s scent hits him like a Mac truck. He chokes on the spicey, sticky scent, accidentally dragging in a lungful of it before he can stop himself. He smells like allspice and ginger, the smell almost intoxicating to Jisung when it hits his hindbrain.
His fangs lengthen, gums aching, and his cock twitches hard in his underwear. He has to press a steadying hand to the wall to keep from stumbling and falling to his knees. He presses the back of his other hand to his nose, breathing through his mouth.
It doesn’t fucking help at all because as soon as he sucks in the first deep breath, Jisung can taste him.
His head spins, and a groan builds in his chest. It takes all Jisung’s willpower to swallow the noise back down.
He spends a full two minutes just standing there, trying to gather himself and will his now aching cock back down.
When Jisung finally feels like he can move without being in physical pain, he blinks his eyes back open, only to be met with the sight of Changbin standing in their kitchen.
Wearing shorts so short Jisung can see the curve of his bare ass.
The glass he had been holding onto with a death grip falls from his now limp fingers and shatters on the hardwood floor.
Jisung doesn’t even register the sound, brain in full shutdown mode.
Sure, he’s seen Changbin in various stages of undress through the years, but there’s always been something about seeing his best friend in shorts that has just done it for Jisung. Changbin fills out his pants in every way possible, so it’s no surprise that short shorts will do little to contain him.
There’s static between Jisung’s ears as he watches Changbin spin on his heel, thighs and ass Jiggling with the movement.
Jisung swears his brain is going to leak out of his head. There isn’t anything that could have prepared him for the sight of Changbin’s hurrying towards him, thin material clinging to every curve of his lower body those short fucking shorts manages to cover.
He’s honestly surprised he doesn’t have a nosebleed from the blood pressure spike it induces.
“Shit, Sung,” Changbin is saying but it sounds muffled, “Be more careful.”
Jisung doesn’t even register the concern in his voice. He’s too busy trying not to cream his pants as he watches Changbin kneel in front of him. The action bunches his shorts even higher up his legs, the material tightening and forcing the thickness of his thighs to pudge outwards. It also pulls taunt across his crotch, and Jisung can see the outline of his cock.
In a split-second decision, Jisung turns tail and sprints back to his room. He’s leaking so much in his underwear that the thin cotton is plastered to the hard outline of his cock. He’s not thinking past the need thrumming through his veins when he slams the door behind himself and leans back against it as he shoves one hand down the front of his underwear to wrap a tight fist around his cock.
His fangs break the skin of his bottom lip as he bites back his moan. It only takes a handful of quick sure strokes and Jisung is coming in his underwear like a teenager. His knees buckle from the force of it and he’s left with no other choice but to slide down his door until he lands on his ass on the floor.
Jisung’s knot throbs as he works himself through it, no longer caring that Changbin is only one thin door away from him.
It leaves him dazed and disoriented. Breathing hard and with his hand covered in his own cum.
“Sung?”
Changbin’s concerned voice startles him, but Jisung doesn’t have the energy to do much more than twitch, hand tightening around his knot and making him hiss.
“Yeah?”
It cracks in the middle, voice rough and scratchy.
“Are you okay?”
Changbin sounds even more worried than he had before and it makes Jisung’s chest tight.
“Fine,” Jisung manages, having to clear his throat to continue, “I’m good, hyung.”
“Is it your rut?”
Jisung can’t even deny it if he wanted to. He knows his own scent is thick in the air. Changbin can probably even smell the cum now drying sticky in his underwear.
“Yeah,” Jisung says, “It’s early. I’ll go to Channie-hyung’s tonight.”
“Oh.”
Jisung does not think about how disappointed Changbin sounds. He can’t .
“Okay.”
Jisung can picture him on the other side of the door, gaze downcast and a blush rising on his pretty cheeks, hand wringing in front of him in anxiety.
It takes a sheer force of will to keep Jisung seated on the floor, not ripping the door open so he can sweep the other alpha up in his arms and drag him into his room.
“I’m okay,” Jisung tries to reassure him, “I promise, Changbinnie-hyung. It was just a surprise, is all.”
Changbin doesn’t say anything else, but it’s a long few seconds before Jisung hears him shuffle away.
He doesn’t think about the way Changbin’s scent has soured around the edges.
~~~
The second time, it’s barely two weeks later and Jisung’s only just recovering from what was potentially one of the worst ruts of his life.
A full six days of rolling around in a hotel bed, sheets sticky with drying cum and sweat. His knot hadn’t gone down no matter how many times he’d wrapped his fist around it. There had been no relief for him, not until the primal urge to fuck and mate had finally receded and his body had finally come down.
Jisung refuses to even consider for a second that Changbin is the reason it was so bad this time around.
There’s absolutely no way.
Not only are they both alphas but Chnagbin doesn’t feel that way about Jisung no matter how badly he might want him to.
Mating Changbin isn’t a fucking option. No matter how badly his primal hindbrain might want him to.
Jisung’s spent the last two days laid up in his room, skipping classes and avoiding Changbin as best he can.
He only ventures out of his room when he’s absolutely certain Changbin is either at class or asleep. It’s only a matter of time before their paths cross, but Jisung has no desire to speed up the process.
His phone’s clock says it’s near two am and Jisung hasn’t heard anything from the main living area for at least an hour. He’s fairly certain he’s safe and his bladder is about to fucking explode.
Left with no other option, Jisung swings his legs over the edge of his bed and shuffles for his door. He cracks it open the slightest bit, peaking out into their dark apartment. There’s a light on in the kitchen, but they usually leave it on for necessities sake so they can navigate during the night. There are no sounds of life.
Jisung thanks whatever high power there is as he rushes for the bathroom.
He relieves himself and washes his hands, all the tension running out of his body.
He assumes Changbin is asleep, so he heads toward the kitchen to satiate the gnawing pain that has settled in his stomach.
He’s just stuck a bowl of ramen in the microwave when he finds out just how wrong he’d been.
“JI?”
Changbin’s soft sleepy voice scares the absolute shit out of Jisung. He will deny the scream that leaves his mouth until the day he dies, but he can’t hide how he bangs his knee on the cabinet when he scrambles to turn around.
“Fuck!” Jisung curses, hopping around on one foot as he holds onto his now throbbing knee with both hands.
Changbin is there within seconds, reaching to steady Jisung with hands on his shoulders.
“Are you okay?!” Changbin asks, voice pitched high in concern.
“Shit!” Jisung says with feeling, leaning his weight back against the counter.
His knee fucking hurts and when he looks down, he can see a bruise already starting to form, but everything else fades to the background when he looks up and finally registers Changbin for the first time.
He’s so close, hands warm on Jisung’s bare shoulders, scent thick and intoxicating. Just the smell of his has Jisung’s cock filling out in interest. It doesn’t matter that Jisung’s already had his rut for the month; his body does not fucking care.
Jisung’s mouth waters, fangs lengthening, and mouth aching with the need to bite down on something. Changbin has never affected him like this. Not in the literal years that they’ve known each other. Jisung has no fucking clue what’s changed, but whatever it is is throwing his body into overload.
What’s worse is what Changbin is currently wearing.
There’s so much bare skin, smooth and taunt over the muscles of Changbin’s shoulders and arms, but the worst part is how the shirt he’s wearing contours to his chest.
It’s a girl's shirt, Jisung belatedly realizes as he stares and stares.
The soft cotton material lifts the ample muscles of his chest, pushing them up and together so Changbin has actual cleavage .
JIsung feels dizzy from the sight. He’s so transfixed that he doesn’t even hear Changbin speaking to him until he waves a hand in front of his face, breaking Jisung’s line of sight.
“Sung?” Changbin asks, eyebrows furrowed as he tilts his head to the side in concern.
“Yea- yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
Jisung doesn’t know the answer to that. Is he okay? He certainly doesn’t feel okay with all his blood rushing to his dick and his ears ringing.
“Jisungie?”
Jisung blinks a few times, trying to tear his gaze from Changbin’s tits so he can look him in the face. It doesn’t really work because when Changbin shifts, it only presses his pecs together even more.
Fuck. Is this how he goes? Is this how Jisung dies?
It takes Jisung a full thirty seconds to finally look anywhere but at Changbin’s tits. When he can finally tear his eyes away, he’s fully hard in his underwear, the beginnings of a knot swelling at the base of his dick.
“Yeah,” Jisung wheezes out finally, “I’m fine. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. I’m fine.”
He doesn’t sound very convincing, and he’s kind of thankful he banged the fuck out of his knee because the only thing hiding his hard dick from his best friend is the fact he’s still clutching his knee with both hands.
“Are you sure?” Changbin asks, clearly unconvinced, “You’ve been acting really weird lately.”
Jisung clears his throat and turns around to face the counter as discretely as he can. He can only pray Changbin doesn’t notice his hard cock.
Thankfully, the microwave beeps just as he does it, so Jisung uses that as an excuse not to face Changbin again.
“Yeah,” Jisung squeaks, internally wincing before he continues, “Just been stressed out. With school and stuff.”
“And your rut,” Changbin adds and Jisung feels his whole body flush hotly at the mention of it.
“Ye- yeah,” Jisung stammers, “That. My rut.”
“Channie-hyung said you didn’t even stay with him.”
Jisung silently curses his tattle tell of a concerned hyung.
“It was-” Jisung starts and is forced to pause when he comes up blank.
There’s no way he can tell Changbin that not only was his rut early, but it had been the worst Jisung had had since his hormones settled back in high school.
“Did something happen?” Changbin asks when Jisung doesn't finish his sentence.
You could say that, Jisung thinks, but instead, he says, “No, nothing bad. I just thought it'd be better not to put Channie-hyung and Hyunjinnie through dealing with me this month.”
“You're not a burden, Sung-ah,” Changbin is quick to say, “You could always stay here, at home. I don't care if your ruts are a little much. I'd rather you be comfortable than hide yourself away.”
If only you knew, Jisung thinks.
“It's okay,” Jisung tells him, “I don't mind renting a room once a month. My job covers the stays, anyway. So, it's not a big deal.”
When Jisung finally turns back around, dick finally soft in his underwear and food in hand, Changbin is staring at him silently. He looks more hurt than anything else and the sight tugs at Jisung's heartstrings.
The very last thing he wants to do is hurt Changbin. In any way. Never would he have guessed his leaving the apartment for his ruts would hurt Changbin's feelings, but that seems like exactly what it's doing.
Jisung just doesn't know if his being in love would hurt Changbin and their friendship even more.
He decides he doesn't want to know.
In a bid to prove to Changbin that he is okay and that nothing out of the ordinary is going on, Jisung shoves a mouthful of food in his mouth and gives his best friend a big closed-mouth smile as he chews.
“Everything's okay, hyung,” Jisung tells him after he swallows, “I swear.”
Changbin doesn't fight him as Jisung leaves, but his scent sours around the edges just like before and Jisung swears he can feel his heart breaking in his chest.