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Cha Eui-jae awakened when he was 17, when his life changed in all senses of the word. He had been immediately thrown on suppressants even before they could determine his secondary gender because an S-rank hunter wouldn't have time for such trivial distractions. The research on secondary genders was minimal at the time, and as a result his awakening was never even registered in the Bureau's documents. It was never a topic discussed between hunters either, despite all of them falling under the category of alpha or omega. Simply shoved under the rug.

Which was a topic Cha Eui-jae had to adjust to after getting tossed out the West Sea Rift 8 years later. Even more so after he announced J's return.

[Forum] Anonymous: J Secondary Gender? Thoughts?

I wasn't in the country when J was first around so I started looking into old articles and stuff about them. Is Hunter J really a beta?? Can anyone confirm?

|Comments

-It was proven a few years ago by the Seowon Guild’s research team that only unawakened are betas, there's never been a case of a hunter not presenting. My guess is that they were never registered, it wasn't required for hunters to do so back then.

<(OP) Oh I see! Thank you for telling me :D

-No way! I think they're an omega tho hehe

<Bruh you think an omega could be n.1?

> @mods we got a sexist (◣_◢)╭∩╮

Cha Eui-jae sighs as he puts his phone away, waiting for the elevator. That's enough internet for today. He would rather not know that people care so much about his second gender. It never mattered to him anyway. He wasn’t even aware of his second gender until a few months ago, when he attempted to register as a D-grade. The week after getting out of the rift was the first, and longest time he'd gone without suppressants since awakening. It had taken a bit, but he managed to find an underground supplier so he could pass off as a regular citizen and run the restaurant without suspicion.

The top ranked hunter of South Korea has never gone through a cycle before. And frankly, he never plans to.

Ding! The elevator door opens. Only two workers were daring enough to enter with Hunter J. The one on the right clears his throat, "So uhm... Where to, Hunter J?"

"Top floor." The Guild Leader's office. His voice, as always, comes through clear yet distorted by the black mask. A few hunters come and go as the elevator makes its way to the top. Seo Min-gi had given him a temporary access card for his sporadic visits. He scans it to enter the hall of Pado headquarters' highest floor, and knocks.

When no answer comes through, he simply lets himself in.

"You're late," the Guild Leader greets without looking up from his paperwork. How did this kid grow up so rude? Cha Eui-jae’s eye twitches.

"You asked me to come for lunch, and I'm here before lunch. How is that late?"

Lee Sa-young shrugs and approaches the hunter lingering by the door. A sly hand snakes to Cha Eui-jae’s lower back and pulls him into a lazy hug. Now, the downside of suppressants is that they don't block out the pheromones of other awakeners, only preventing him from reacting to them. The alpha's sweet scent filled his senses from their proximity. The ends of Lee Sa-young’s hair tickle his neck as his head rests on his shoulder.

"Hyung..." Lee Sa-young turns his head into the crook of the other's neck, his nose brushing against the skin. "Did you change body wash? It smells good."

Cha Eui-jae freezes. Body wash? Sure, he showered last night, but he didn't use any new products or things with strong scents.

He grabs the clingy alpha by the hair and pries him off. "Let's just go eat."

They could've just had the food delivered up to the office, but Lee Sa-young insisted he needed to stretch his legs. So they walk together to the cafeteria, becoming magnets for curious eyes and whispering gossip. It doesn’t help that they’re already a walking celebrity scandal. 

Cha Eui-jae feels oddly warm as they make their way down, regretting not taking the elevator. But that can't be right? A few flights of stairs is nothing to an S-rank awakener. But now his mask is the only thing hiding his pale face. His hand grips the railing, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Hyung? Everything okay?" Even Lee Sa-young’s voice sounds distant as his mind and vision spin.

"I... I'm... ugh-" His legs suddenly buckle and the last thing he feels before blacking out is a large hand catching him before he can roll down the remaining steps.

"Hyung?! Hyung- hey! Wake up!" Lee Sa-young maneuvers to get a better hold on the limp body of the other hunter. Heads turn to the distressed voice, and a few approach to offer help but Lee Sa-young isn't having it. He pulls an A4 paper from his inventory and rips it with his teeth while holding J tight against his chest.

The scene around him shifts until he's met with a familiar laboratory from the Seowon Guild.

"...condition is- AHH!"

Lee Sa-young clicks his tongue and scans the room, not bothering to acknowledge the startled Honeybee as his wild eyes land on the equally startled Nam Woo-jin. Desperate words slip through his clenched teeth, "Please, help him."

Nam Woo-jin closes the door behind him. Lee Sa-young, who had been staring through the one-sided glass of the treatment room, snaps his eyes to the doctor.

"He's okay. It's nothing life-threatening." Nam Woo-jin watches as the Pado guild leader's shoulders lose some of their tension. "It’s endophermosis. It's the result of extended use of suppressants without appropriate breaks."

"Pheromone shock?"

"Yes that’s the common name." The doctor turns the tablet towards Lee Sa-young, pointing at the MRI result. "Hunter J's pheromone-specific exocrine glands are severely swollen. Honestly, this is the worst case of endophermosis I've seen."

Nam Woo-jin pauses, taking the alpha's silence as a signal to keep explaining.

"In the early days of hunters, suppressants were taken daily until research advanced and noticed the health effects. As you know, these days suppressants are only taken by hunters on rift and dungeon missions and cannot be taken regularly."

"Aren't pharmacies supposed to restrict how many pills a hunter can buy to avoid stuff like this?" Lee Sa-young’s eyes narrow.

"Then we can assume J has been purchasing them illegally."

A hiss comes through the filter of the gas mask as the man looks back to the unconscious hunter. "What's the solution then?"

Nam Woo-jin shuts off the tablet and follows Lee Sa-young’s gaze. "Well, for starters he'll be off suppressants for the next few months as his pheromone system recovers. From the severity of the swelling, it's possible Hunter J has never experienced a full cycle before. That's the biggest concern."

"Why?"

"His pheromones will be released in large quantities to make up for how much has accumulated over the years, and his heat will likely be very intense, potentially painful."

Honeybee walks in as the doctor finished his sentence and the room went still.

"...Heat?"

"J- Hunter J is an omega?!?"

Both Lee Sa-young and Honeybee turn to face each other wearing similarly stunned expressions.

Honeybee points accusingly at the gas mask. "Hey why are you surprised?! Don't you two have something going on?"

Lee Sa-young rolls his eyes. "You think that stubborn idiot talks about himself?"

The bickering is immediately ended by a loud impact to the one-sided window, a ballpoint pen lodged into the glass. It's a miracle it didn't shatter.

All eyes turn to the glaring J sitting up in the cot of the infirmary. The pressure from his expressionless mask is enough to make them freeze, all except Lee Sa-young of course. The alpha's hand was already on the doorknob.

Nam Woo-jin snaps out of it. "Lee Sa-young wait! His pheromones are too strong right now, it's dangero-"

SLAM!

"You just can't stay out of trouble, can you," is all Lee Sa-young manages to get out before his nose is hit with an overwhelming yet soft scent, even through his gas mask. He recognizes it from their hug earlier in the day. He composes himself, keeping his thoughts in order before continuing, voice somewhat strained, "Guess you heard everything?"

"You shouldn't talk shit behind people's backs." J's voice, while distorted and angry, has a hint of exhaustion.

Nam Woo-jin comes into the room and holds out a high-end medical mask to Lee Sa-young. "Take off the gas mask and wear this. I swear, both of you are insanely reckless."

Surprisingly, Lee Sa-young follows instructions. A bit disappointed when the smell disappears after adjusting the mask over his nose and mouth.

"Hunter J, I highly suggest staying under the radar for the next month or so. At least until your first cycle is complete." Nam Woo-jin fiddles with a pen as he speaks. "Which means staying indoors as much as possible, avoiding crowds, and sticking close to people you trust. I'm sure you can recognize how vulnerable your physical state is right now."

"I'll assign Seo Min-gi to keep an eye on you when I can't. And you'll also be staying at my place until this passes over, I'll order a spare mattress," Lee Sa-young says with conviction, as if everything has already been decided.

J glances at the doctor, hoping to find an escape. "Isn't that a terrible idea? Having an alpha around an unstable omega for a whole month?"

"No, it's the opposite actually. Being around an alpha will naturally cause more pheromones to release, which will aid your recovery… as cliché as it sounds."

"Oh..." Cha Eui-jae meets Lee Sa-young’s smirking eyes.

He reluctantly ends up agreeing to Lee Sa-young’s offer, finding himself back to the familiar bedroom (this time with the bed intact). In his hand is a bag of pain relief meds and body-temperature stabilizers. Along with a pack of condoms and morning-after pills, which Nam Woo-jin promised were mandatory to include.

"How's the room temp? Should I lower it?" Lee Sa-young asks as he goes through his drawer for comfortable clothes to sleep in.

"Maybe a bit." Cha Eui-jae pulled at the collar of his sweat-soaked shirt. "I'll take a shower."

"I'll leave clothes at the door."

After washing up, he opens the door with a towel around his waist and brings in the clean clothes folded sloppily by his feet. Lee Sa-young’s scent clings to the fabric, making his skin heat up uncontrollably again. Shit. He can't remember the last time he's been this affected by another awakener's pheromones, if he’s ever been at all. He avoids looking in the mirror, embarrassed by how flushed his face must be.

"Should we just sleep together until I order the mattress?" the younger asks as Cha Eui-jae steps out of the bathroom.

"Excuse me?"

"It's that or I sleep on the couch."

Oh. Cha Eui-jae shakes his head. Of course that's what he meant.

"Oh hyung... don't tell me you misunderstood?" he adds playfully.

"No way," Cha Eui-jae snaps as he goes straight to the bed. He pulls the comforter over himself but quickly changes his mind, pushing the thick fabric to the other side of the bed. "Just stay on your side and we won't have any problems."

He hears Lee Sa-young chuckle, followed by the click of the lamp, shrouding the bedroom in total darkness. Given the size of the bed, he barely feels it dip under the alpha's weight, but his presence still makes itself known. Cha Eui-jae sighs in relief. He’s finally beginning to go nose-blind to the sweet scent after being smothered in it all afternoon. He did strategically choose the right side of the bed of course, knowing it wasn't Lee Sa-young’s preference. The pillow doesn’t smell strongly.

Suddenly, his body goes rigid as a gentle touch sweeps over the back of his neck. The cold leather is jarring against his burning skin, but the accompanying words are warm.

"I'm upset you know." Lee Sa-young’s voice is farther than he was expecting, as if he’s keeping an arm's distance. "You've been hiding something so big from me."

Cha Eui-jae leans forward, but the hand follows the movement. "You never asked."

"Would you have answered?"

"..."

Lee Sa-young sighs, continuing to play with the shorter hairs just above the hunter's neck. The texture of the glove catches and pulls at a few strands, sending a shiver down his spine. The hand pauses at his reaction, before slowly pulling away. Leaving him feeling warm, yet strangely cold.

"Sleep well, hyung." The low mumble only has Cha Eui-jae wanting more, craving for the hand to return to his hair, for another hand to wrap around his waist and close the distance between their bodies. He blames the lack of suppressants for these thoughts. Even if the pill from this morning is still active.

"Yeah. Good night."

Cha Eui-jae wakes up to the soft sound of a closing drawer, squinting so his eyes adjust to the minimal sunlight slipping through the sides of the curtain. He didn't wake up as many times as he thought he would. His eyes land on Lee Sa-young’s defined back, before the alluring sight disappears under a shirt. He sits up to stretch.

"You're up too early. Go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?"

Lee Sa-young walks back to the bed and grabs his phone from the night table. "There's a few things I have to do at the office. Seo Min-gi is supposed to bring you once you wake up."

"But I am up..."

"Hm, so should we go together?" Lee Sa-young says with a sly smile.

Ah... he should've just pretended to be asleep.

Cha Eui-jae re-adjusts the sleeves of the oversized shirt. He once again had to borrow Lee Sa-young’s clothes. He tried fighting it but the alpha brought up a point he couldn't dispute.

"If you want to keep all this under wraps while still being able to walk around then your best bet is to use my scent to cover yours."

He hates that he's right.

It's a quick trip from Lee Sa-young’s personal floor to the office, the only person they end up running into is Seo Min-gi who had been on his way down.

The taller man sent Cha Eui-jae off with Seo Min-gi for a proper tour of the quieter parts of the headquarters before he left for the meeting room. However, Seo Min-gi kept acting weird as they explored the building, always keeping a few steps distance from the masked hunter.

"Sa-young told you, didn't he," J asks suspiciously after almost half an hour of the stupidly careful behavior.

Seo Min-gi turns around wearing a clearly guilty expression. "I-I'm not sure what you're referring to, dear customer."

The menacing and expressionless mask stares back until the other crumbles.

"Guild Leader Lee Sa-young concluded that I, as an omega, was best suited for watching over you during this difficult time. Please don't blame me, I am simply following orders."

"How much did he tell you?" Cha Eui-jae is a bit hurt by how easily Lee Sa-young gave out such sensitive information, even if it was only to Seo Min-gi.

"Well..." he clears his throat awkwardly, looks around to make sure they're alone, and lowers his voice, "that this will be your first heat spent with an alpha, and the Guild Leader is worried you won't inform him when his help is required. I am simply acting as the messenger."

"What." Wait. No, that isn't right at all! He prays his mask is enough to hide his flushed cheeks.

"Ah, the meeting should be over. Shall we head back?"

"You-!"

"I have a name," Lee Sa-young says as Cha Eui-jae storms into the office, his feet crossed leisurely on the desk.

He takes a deep breath. "Lee Sa-young, just what nonsense did you tell Seo Min-gi??"

"Hm? How is it nonsense? Are you not going through your first cycle? And are you not currently living with an alpha?"

"If you say it like that it... ugh, nevermind." He rubs the back of his sore neck. He moves to sit on the couch to the right of the main desk.

"Should I get Seo Min-gi to bring over your clothes from the restaurant?"

"Huh? But didn't you say I can't wear them anyway if I want to hide my scent?"

"No not to wear, to nest."

"..."

"Hah..." Lee Sa-young gives a discouraged sigh. "You don't know what that is, do you..."

Cha Eui-jae keeps his mouth shut. Well, in his defense he was MIA during the 8 years research on secondary genders were improving.

Lee Sa-young adjusts his chair to face the other hunter. "Omegas make a ‘nest’ a few days before their heat. They pick a safe spot and basically throw a bunch of scented clothes and blankets over it."

"Can I not do that?"

"If you want your heat to be worse, go ahead."

"Let's... stop talking about my heat."

"Mm fine, but I'm still having your clothes shipped over.”

It takes a week for pre-heat symptoms to kick in. Actually, Cha Eui-jae had no idea he was in pre-heat until Lee Sa-young told him. Apparently alphas can tell that kind of stuff.

Today he promised the alpha he'd stay in the house and not leave the floor while the man is out dealing with a rift.

Cha Eui-jae has been feeling off since he woke up. He almost didn't let Lee Sa-young leave this morning, impulsively grabbing onto him before he could go through the door. And now, in his bored state, he stares fiercely at the king-sized bed with an impulsive need to make it more homely. In the end, they didn't order a whole new mattress since this one really was big enough for both of them, but now he was faced with an unforeseen obstacle.

Shit. This must be what Lee Sa-young mentioned last time.

Will... having his clothes on the bed really help him feel less restless?

He ends up rummaging through the bag of clothes that had been left untouched for the past few days and tosses his favorite items to a pile on the side. He brings the small pile over to the bed and... doesn't know where to go from there. Should he just spread them out a bit? Shove them all to his side? He does the latter.

Frustrated, he rests his head on the scentless pile. What use are these 'instincts' if they aren't going to tell him what he's supposed to do?

And then his eyes land on the cabinet.

Lee Sa-young tosses his ID card on the couch as he looks around the living room tinted orange by the setting sun. He came back as fast as he could but it still took longer than he would've liked.

He heads to the bedroom when he confirms Cha Eui-jae isn't by the entrance, and stops in his tracks. "... What are you doing?"

"Go away." Cha Eui-jae’s voice is muffled by the pillow he's lying on face-down. It didn't take long to discern what happened.

"Hyung... is this supposed to be a nest?" He smirks, taking a seat next to the discouraged omega.

"Stop it. I'm humiliated enough as it is."

Lee Sa-young rubs Cha Eui-jae’s back as he takes in more of the situation. There's a pile of the omega's clothes pushed up against the headboard, and even more of his own clothes scattered around the mattress without any noticeable pattern nor plan. Not that he knows much about nest-making, but he's pretty confident it isn't supposed to look like the bed of someone who doesn't do their laundry.

"Get up, let's try together," he says softly. It takes a few seconds but the other eventually sits up. The first thing Lee Sa-young notices is his avoidant reddened eyes. "Were you... crying?"

"..."

Lee Sa-young adjusts his position and takes Cha Eui-jae into his arms. "It's okay. Your body's going through hell right now, it's normal to be frustrated."

Although he doesn't get a response, he feels the man's hands take a tight grip on his shirt and push his face further into his chest. A warm feeling grows in his heart, the instinctual part of him proud that Cha Eui-Jae sees him as a source of comfort, a shoulder to cry on.

"Take it off."

"... What?"

Lee Sa-young flinches as the searing hands of South Korea's top-ranked hunter slip under his shirt and push it up.

"Hey! Hold on-" He tries to interfere but Cha Eui-jae's element of surprise gives him the upper hand, and he’s stripped before he knows what hit him.

"The ones in your drawer weren't strong enough." The words come out dull, sounding nearly automated. The alpha watches as the smaller man gatherers up the 'unsatisfactory' clothes and tosses them to the foot of the bed with newfound motivation. He places the 'strong enough' shirt and pair of socks he'd just snatched beside his pillow.

Lee Sa-young’s cheeks and ears dust pink when the omega starts eyeing his pants. He reaches out to grab his wrist. "Just wait a second. I'll scent some clothes for you okay? Calm down."

He recovers enough to notice the dazed, trance-like glint in Cha Eui-jae’s eyes. He gently guides the hunter's head to rest on his shoulder in an effort to calm him down. He loses track of how long they stay that way, lost in Cha Eui-jae’s appealing scent and warm body, listening as his breathing evens out rhythmically. 

Cha Eui-jae finally stirs, his voice more grounded than before, "Sorry... I don't know why I did that." 

Lee Sa-young knows. He understands the frenzied impulsivity that comes with these stupid cycles. The craving that cannot be satisfied, the unwelcomed thoughts and desires. He finds Cha Eui-jae’s slack hand and intertwines their fingers. "Pass me something from the reject pile you made."

Lee Sa-young immediately misses the other's body heat as he pulls away to pick out a shirt from what he had shoved to the edge of the bed, working with one hand as the other remains laced with the gloved one.

Once it's handed to him, he gets to work. Making a show of rubbing the balled-up shirt against the crook of his neck, entertained by Cha Eui-jae pretending not to watch. He gets halfway through the pile one item at a time, verbally guiding the omega as the nest slowly takes shape.

"That's enough for now." Cha Eui-jae leans back against the headboard with a satisfied sigh, taking in their work with a clearer mind. It’s almost entirely built with the alpha’s clothes, he realizes. Only spotting maybe two or three items belonging to himself. With his thoughts in order, he starts to wonder… Why did he pick Lee Sa-young’s bed for the nest anyway? Couldn’t he have done it on the couch instead?

"So Your Majesty, do I have permission to enter your hard-earned nest?" Lee Sa-young comments from the foot of the bed after having changed. Cha Eui-Jae rolls his eyes.

"Well what's the point if the source isn't here to keep it smelling good?" He grabs the alpha by the shirt and pulls him forward with a bit too much force, unintentionally dragging Lee Sa-young on top of himself.

"What am I? Laundry detergent?" He smirks, their noses close to touching.

It happens in a second. Before Cha Eui-jae himself can even consider it as an option, their lips are already connected, slipping his tongue into the gasping mouth. For whatever reason it feels so much more intense than any of the similar moments they've shared. He shivers at the press of Lee Sa-young’s mouth against his, not bothering to fight for control as a tongue pushes in, leaving an enticing taste as their saliva blends.

One hand squeezes his hip as the one on his shoulder makes its way to his neck, and a gloved thumb presses and rubs against the scent gland on his neck, making his body jolt.

"Ah! Hey, that's-"

Lee Sa-young puts his weight on his arm, leaning back enough for their eyes to meet. "Hm? Does that feel good?"

He gasps at a particularly rough tease, his head hitting the padded headboard with a thump. 

"You know hyung, your scent changes when you're aroused." The alpha leans back down, replacing his thumb with his lips. "Does mine?"

Cha Eui-jae swallows down a moan, a small, throaty noise escaping as the pleasure nearly stings. Sharp teeth graze the tender skin, playfully threatening to sink in, to claim him. His body feels too hot. Overly sensitive. Can this really all be caused by his pre-heat? If this is just a glimpse of what to expect...

"Hey, Sa-young," Cha Eui-jae grabs a handful of dark, curly hair and tugs until their eyes meet. "Are heats and ruts similar?"

Lee Sa-young gives him a prickly look for the interrupting question. "I've heard they're similar in intensity, yeah."

He grits his teeth. "So then... how bad..."

"Tsk, 'bad'? It's only bad if your mindset is bad. What's wrong with feeling good?" His head rests back down to Cha Eui-jae’s neck, this time avoiding the sensitive gland as he continues to speak, his breath ticklish, "I don't like when you go through things alone... but I can't force you this time."

“What are you talking about?”

“Are you going to insist on going through this alone?” Soft lips press just above where they had teased earlier, slowly kissing their way up to the corner of Cha Eui-jae’s eye. A cunning knee makes itself known between his legs, forcing him to notice what he’s been ignoring since this started. “Let me take care of you.”

He claws at the back of Lee Sa-young’s shirt, his mind and body clashing over whether to push him away or draw him closer. And he almost gives in to the second option, but is stopped by a sudden, off-putting dampness, making him freeze. His heart beats wildly as he pushes roughly against the alpha’s chest to put some distance. He meets the other’s baffled wide eyes.

“Ah wait- I wasn’t-” Cha Eui-jae swallows hard, feeling a sharp tug in his chest as he watches the man’s expression turn dejected. He wants to explain but he isn’t quite sure what happened. He starts by trying to sit up properly but winces when the wet feeling returns. Thankfully, but unfortunately, Lee Sa-young catches on.

A gloved hand cups his cheek, guiding their eyes to meet. Violet irises stare back at him seriously. “It’s normal.”

“... What?”

Lee Sa-young’s forehead hits Cha Eui-jae’s shoulder with a disheartened sigh. “Hah, hyung… just how mean have you been to yourself?”

Cha Eui-jae isn’t quite following. He hears words being muttered by his ear but can barely make them out. ‘Clueless’... ‘Stupid pills’...

“Seriously, is your brain still stuck in the knowledge from 8 years ago? Are you even aware omegas can get pregnant?”

He makes an offended noise. “What? Of course I know that!”

Lee Sa-young narrows his eyes accusingly. “And yet you didn’t know what nesting was, or that your body self-lubricates. Am I right?”

“...”

“...”

“... So that’s what it is…”

The alpha lets out another exasperated sigh as he pushes himself up from the bed with a frown. “It’s late. Let’s just go to bed.”

The back of Lee Sa-young’s hand presses to his forehead briefly.

“You’re burning up. Go take a cold shower and a stabilizer.”

A towel hits Cha Eui-jae in the face before he can even process what just happened.

Cha Eui-jae wakes up the next morning with one thought in his mind.

Holy shit Sa-young wants us to have sex.

The man in question already left about an hour earlier without saying a word, despite knowing the omega was awake. It kinda hurt Cha Eui-jae’s feelings but he promised not to let that jerk get to him. He turns to lie on his stomach and his nose is immediately assaulted by Lee Sa-young’s scent, so he rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling. 

That’s what it is right? Asking to spend his heat together is basically a declaration of sex, is it not?

His phone buzzes from the night table, and he doesn’t want to get up from the bed but he reaches over anyway.

Sa-young : Call me when you wake up.

The dial rings once before the call is picked up.

“Hey-”

“I’ll send Seo Min-gi over.”

“What? No I’m not going-!” The call hangs up. “This damn-!”

“Hello customer.” Seo Min-gi suddenly pops out from beside the bed, which would've startled him if he wasn't already used to the guy’s antics. The man doesn't even bat an eye at the messy bed or Cha Eui-jae’s (Lee Sa-young’s) oversized clothes. “The Guild Leader suggested you bring a few things to keep yourself busy since you'll be staying with him.”

“He's going to use me as an excuse to keep people out of his office… isn't he.”

“... I won't deny nor agree with that.”

Cha Eui-jae pulls out his mask from his inventory and follows Seo Min-gi to the door. His sharp eyes catch the way the man’s nose scrunches up in a moment of repulsion as he approaches.

“Are you not going to change?”

Cha Eui-jae looks down at the wrinkled gray T-shirt and loosely-fitted black sweatpants. He shoves down the part of his brain telling him to get defensive and shrugs.

“I won’t be running into anyone so it doesn’t matter.” He still slips on his J mask for precaution, of course, and they make the short trip to the Guild Leader’s office.

Except… Lee Sa-young isn’t at his desk. 

“Ah… I believe the Guild Leader mentioned he’d stop by the cafeteria. You can take a seat then.” Seo Min-gi gives him an awkward thumbs-up and scurries out the door.

Cha Eui-jae makes his way to the couch. At least, he thought that’s what he was going to do. He blinks, realizing he’s sitting in the office chair instead. Was I drawn to his pheromones again..? Well that’s embarrassing. He’s only in pre-heat and yet he’s already at his limit for how much of this humiliation he can tolerate. Do other awakeners seriously go through this every month? Does… Lee Sayoung go through this every month? …Alone?

Footsteps echo through the hallway and slow to a stop outside the door. Despite knowing who it is, Cha Eui-jae doesn’t bother getting up from the chair.

“...”

“...”

“Already making yourself at home?” Lee Sa-young tosses him a brown paper bag as he walks over. He peeks inside, finding four wrapped gilgeori toasts. He can picture the expression on the poor street vendor’s face when South Korea’s former number one S-rank hunter strolled by and sent the other customers away, he can sympathize. 

“What are you doing??” Cha Eui-jae is suddenly crushed under Lee Sa-young’s weight as the grown man reclaims his chair, crossing his legs over the armrest. J’s mouth hangs open, speechless. He hears the straps of his mask being unclipped but can’t bring himself to fight it.

“The door’s locked, you should eat.” Lee Sa-young casually reaches for a report from his unfinished pile, as if he isn’t being an annoying pest.

“Get off.” It’s clearly not comfortable for someone standing at 6’1 to be sprawled over an office chair like this. Yet the alpha ignores him and rests his head on Cha Eui-jae’s shoulder, skimming through the documents. He ends up not shoving the man to the floor and eats his breakfast, uncaring about the crumbs falling to the important files because that’s Lee Sa-young’s fault anyway.

They don’t move for at least an hour, until Cha Eui-jae complains about his legs going numb, and he’s bridal-carried to the sofa. He grabs Lee Sa-young’s wrist just as he’s about to walk back to the desk in a moment of rash… instinct?

“Do you have an extra pair of those?” he says before he can stop himself. Lee Sa-young raises his brow in question, so he clarifies. “Gloves.”

Cha Eui-jae doesn’t need to look up to know he’s smirking. “I have another pair. Why?”

“Take those off.”

“And what do I get in return?” Lee Sa-young’s voice lowers as he leans closer, resting a hand on the back cushion. Cha Eui-jae’s heart naturally speeds up in anticipation, as if it’s been conditioned. He could just say nevermind, but Lee Sa-young’s challenging demeanor is daring him to make a move, to fight for what he wants. And Cha Eui-jae is far too competitive to back down.

He pulls him down by the strap over his shoulder and stiffly connects their lips. To his surprise, Lee Sa-young complies without taking charge, letting the omega suck and nip at his bottom lip as much as he pleases. Cha Eui-jae doesn’t know what the alpha considers enough of a payment, and he can’t get himself to stop. Only when he bites hard enough to draw blood does he pull back, his eyes drawn to the red, swollen lips. A sight he crafted.

“Can I have them now?” he says, sounding short of breath.

Dark eyes stare back at him. “That was quite a convincing offer.”

Cha Eui-jae watches as the gloves are carefully removed, one finger at a time. Forcing him to wait impatiently until they're handed over. He stares at them clutched in his hands. What did he even want the gloves for?

Lee Sa-young calmly walks back to the desk as he slips on the new pair. Cha Eui-jae slumps down into the cushion. There’s a muffled laugh as he curls into himself in shame, clutching the sweet-smelling gloves to his chest. “Shut up.”

Ah… He must be losing it.

“Hey Nexby, do omegas really self-lubricate?” Cha Eui-jae whispers to his phone the moment the shower's water starts running.

[Searching… Omega awakeners have the ability of self-lubrication, and are especially prone to produce slick during their heat, and the few days prior to it. For male omega, this slick produces from their anu-]

“Ok Nexby, stop.” Cha Eui-jae rubs his reddening cheeks. It's all so foreign. Well, he's used to facing new things. The difference is… Lee Sa-young is here this time too.

Shortly after, the water shuts off, and the bathroom door opens far too early. Lee Sa-young emerges, walking to the cabinet with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Cha Eui-jae openly admires the man's toned body. His eyes follow a water droplet that streams from his hair down his neck and shoulders, following the curve of his back.

“Hyung… There's nothing left.”

Cha Eui-jae snaps his attention over and… it's true, the drawers are completely empty. He could've sworn he had left some. When did he move everything to the nest? Thinking about it… he’d even thoughtlessly tossed the gloves in there.

Lee Sa-young walks over to the bed, almost standing between the sitting Cha Eui-jae's legs. “Will you let me take some?”

Oddly enough, a large part of him isn't willing to give up even a sock from the nest. Which is pretty stupid, considering the alternative is having Lee Sa-young walk around naked.

Water drips from his hair, hitting Cha Eui-jae's face. Black fingertips smooth them away the droplets. “Can I? Or are you going to force me to become a nudist?”

“... Fine.” He crosses his arms, looking away as the alpha changes beside him. The bed dips soon after the rustle of fabric ceases. He knows what’s coming, but lets it happen anyway. A hand pulls him down to lean on a sturdy shoulder.

“Do you realize how childish you're being?” he says, his tone gentle.

Yeah, he does. It feels stupidly immature wanting to both push Lee Sa-young away, and just as badly pull him closer. To have his brain scream at him to throw away rationality and give into desire. 

“It’ll probably start tomorrow. Do you want me to stay?” The breathy words are warm against his scalp, and he wants to lean into that heat despite the sweat still clinging to his skin. Melt their bodies into one so they can never be apart again. Suddenly, there’s a firm grip around his hand that had unknowingly made its way to Lee Sa-young’s thigh. “Answer me.”

Cha Eui-jae bites the inside of his cheek. “Stay.”

There is a subtle, relieved exhale from above him. A hand tenderly cups his cheek. He notices Lee Sa-young tilting his head to the side, exposing his neck. And Cha Eui-jae’s body catches on before his mind can decipher the gesture.

He swings his leg over to straddle the alpha’s thighs and immediately presses his face into the offered skin, rubbing his cheek against the alpha’s pheromone gland. A husky groan sounds above him, only fueling his actions. Cha Eui-jae sucks in deeper breaths as the sweet, intoxicating scent thickens. His body grows lax as heat spreads from his ears to his curling toes. He’s slowly overwhelmed with the need to be closer to Lee Sa-young. A need to chase the pleasure accumulating in his core. A need for his alpha to give him everything, to liberate him.

Panting, Cha Eui-jae pulls away to meet dark, desperate eyes reflecting his own.

“Oups… did I trigger it?” Lee Sa-young says with a shit-eating grin plastered on his sickeningly attractive face. Cha Eui-jae wants to spit back, reclaim authority, but he can’t seem to pull away from the warm and comforting embrace. Instead with a muddled mind, he settles for leaving a punishing nip to the man’s neck. It’s only after a pained grunt and an erupting sweetness on his tongue that he realizes he broke skin.

Clarity washes over his mind as worry and guilt consume him. “Sa-young- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

The remaining words fall off his tongue as he meets the purple lidded eyes. Staring back at him is nothing but pure, unquestionable lust. 

A chill runs down his spine. His gaze moves to the red teeth marks, and the dark liquid secreting from it. It’s a sultry sight. A wound advertising desire. Little does Cha Eui-jae know, such an action held a much larger significance.

The room spins and his back hits the sheets, a rough mouth swallowing his gasp. Caged under Lee Sa-young’s body, his fingers clutch eagerly at the broad back. Their tongues move in a familiar dance. Wet sounds bounce across the bedroom, echoing even louder in Cha Eui-jae’s awakened ears. He wraps a strong leg around Lee Sa-young’s lower back and draws him in, finally putting pressure on their lower halves.

Lee Sa-young leaves a string of open-mouth kisses down his chin and jawline, making his way down his neck. “You did that on purpose didn’t you? You want the world to know I’m yours?”

Teasing his sharp canines over Cha Eui-jae’s scent gland, his black tongue sweeps over it, blending their pheromones. The omega can only squirm, growing restless. Something twists in his core, a pain sharp enough to make him flinch.

“Are you at your limit yet?” mocking words are uttered against his ear.

Cha Eui-jae’s remaining composure snaps. He sits up, bringing the other man with him. “If you don’t do anything right now, I’m changing my mind and kicking you out.”

“Hmm? Like what?” But Lee Sa-young’s right hand is already slipping under the band of his pants. 

Cha Eui-jae knows there’s no hope in hiding his arousal now, not as a finger rubs over his wet, twitching hole. His hips push back involuntarily, his mind clouding with a craving for more. He swallows back a scream when the friction disappears.

“I’m just taking these off, okay?” Lee Sa-young carefully helps him out of his pants and underwear, distracting him with soft kitten licks over his soaked cheeks. When did he start crying? Why is he even crying? Cha Eui-jae leans into the younger man, the muscles in his limbs flaccid and heavy. He feels pathetic. As a rank 1 hunter, being manhandled like someone’s cherished wet rag hurts his dignity beyond compare. It hurts even more to feel this weak and needy, unable to fight back, even if he has no desire to. So familiar with the sentiment of invulnerability that being defenseless, even in the hands of the person he trusts most, feels wrong. “Cha Eui-jae, stop having pointless thoughts.”

“Tsk, don’t speak casually.”

“Mmn, that’s more like it.” Lee Sa-young has a hand supporting his hip, and Cha Eui-jae can barely find the energy to flinch when a smooth fingertip teases the rim. He rests his forehead on the alpha’s shoulder with a soft sigh as the digit slips in without much resistance, followed quickly by a second. His squinted eyes blink open after a moment or two without movement from the intruding fingers, and he’s met with a very unexpected sight. It’s almost enough to reboot his heat-clouded mind.

Without this Poker Face skill to save him, Cha Eui-jae is left gawking at the absurdity in front of him.

“Staring is rude…” Cha Eui-jae can’t bring himself to respond, too occupied with the shocking realization that… Lee Sa-young’s tongue and fingers were foreshadowing. His chin is pushed up, forcing their eyes to meet. “My feet are like that too, if you were curious.”

Cha Eui-jae shoves the man’s head against the cushioned headboard, hiding his flustered expression. “I wasn’t.”

Now that the initial shock has passed, he wonders when the sly Lee Sa-young had time to put on a condom… However, any remaining thoughts are cut off by an audible wet squelch as Lee Sa-young moves his wrist in a circular motion. His sharp gaze never leaves the omega, attentively taking note of every twist and twitch of Cha Eui-jae’s body as he experiments. It makes the man in question feel even more bare, stripped of anything that could possibly hide his emotions. Sitting in the lap of the person he had long considered family.

A third and final darkened finger is added, yet it isn’t nearly enough. His instincts keep yelling at him to beg for it faster, deeper. So he bites his lip to sew his mouth shut, lest such outrageous demands spew out. 

He moans in frustration when the movements of the wrist come to a pause. A thumb rubs gentle circles against the skin of his thigh, “Lift your hips.”

He does so without question, shaky legs aided by Lee Sa-young’s sturdy hands. He’s left empty. But the issue is quickly resolved along with a long, deep gasp as he’s gradually guided down on something much thicker. It's a painfully slow process until the last inch, until he's fully seated on Lee Sa-young’s thighs.

The alpha below him lets out a shaky breath. “Hyung… mhm… you feel so good.”

The pleasure laced in his voice is enough to make Cha Eui-jae’s head spin. But the alpha isn't moving, so he tries to chase any kind of stimulation as best he can with his uncharacteristically heavy body, using Lee Sa-young’s shoulders as leverage. The frustration almost drives him to the point of begging. Almost.

“Would you move already??” he hisses. The eyes staring back at him seem pleased, as if waiting for Cha Eui-jae to break first. Ah seriously… It's like the one thing he knows how to do is get on my nerves.

Lee Sa-young only leans further back on the headboard with a thoughtful hum, watching Cha Eui-jae’s sloppy movements. “But I think you're doing just fine.”

He can feel his eyes watering once again, shedding more tears today than he has in years. Nothing he does seems to be enough. His body grows abnormally drained from exertion.

“Bite me.”

Cha Eui-jae blinks his tearful eyes. “What?”

“Bite me again and I'll give you what you want.” There's a soft nip to his earlobe. Damn Lee Sa-young and his stupidly inflated patience.

He glances down at the bruising skin he targeted earlier. And decides, out of spite, to aim for the same spot.

“How cruel, hyung.” Lee Sa-young catches on before he even makes a move. Yet his poise exterior crumbles when Cha Eui-jae unapologetically attacks the abused skin. The body below him jolts, connecting them impossibly deeper. Two rough hands grab a firm hold of his waist. Cha Eui-jae’s jaw goes slack as he’s slowly lifted off Lee Sa-young’s erection, before the grip slackens and gravity pulls his hips back down. Saliva escapes his opened mouth as the action is repeated, soaking into the alpha’s shirt. However, it is currently the last thing on his mind. He can vaguely make out the wet collision of their skin alongside labored panting.

It’s unlike anything he’s felt before. Nearly numbing pleasure courses through his body from every thrust. He’s lost his perception of time, unsure if mere seconds or hours have passed. A familiar heat builds up in his chest and core, threatening to spill over the edge. His hips are lifted one more time- then Lee Sa-young’s cock slips out.

“Don’t!” Cha Eui-jae begs with a sore throat, fingers clawing desperately at the man’s shirt. 

“Ah seriously… You really think you can take a knot on your first cycle?” Lee Sa-young’s strained voice comes through to his disoriented senses. 

“Whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as stopping like this,” he cries in anger, quickly losing hope that he’ll ever be satisfied. He speaks harshly through clenched teeth. “What? Are you going to make me say please?”

There’s a flash of hesitation in Lee Sa-young’s eyes before he curses and plunges himself back into Cha Eui-jae’s heat. It only takes a few more thrusts for relief to finally wash over him. His body trembles as he climaxes, clenching around the alpha. He barely registers Lee Sa-young’s teeth returning the earlier favor, too distracted by the stinging stretch of his ass accommodating the thickening base of his alpha’s cock. The pain is quickly alleviated by the full and satisfying feeling of Lee Sa-young’s body completing his.

Teeth are still latched on to Cha Eui-jae’s shoulder blade through his wrinkled shirt, the fabric underneath damp. Labored breathing fills the room’s silence as they cling onto one another, reluctant to pull away. The maddening fog gradually lifts from his mind as his heartbeat slows to something average, strength returning to his muscles. Despite the sticky heat gone, his cheeks still warm, reality falling into place.

“Shouldn’t you… take it out?” Cha Eui-jae mutters, looking down at where they’re still connected. 

Lee Sa-young lifts his head off the omega’s shoulder with difficulty. “That’s not how it works. It’s too swollen right now.”

“What is?”

“Your ass and my d-” Cha Eui-jae covers the vulgar mouth, a sound catches in his throat when a slick black tongue pushes between his slender fingers. Lee Sa-young chuckles. Well, at least one of them is amused. “It’ll take a few minutes. Relax in the meantime.”

A hand strokes his hair, coaxing him to lean into the sturdy body. He does as instructed, closing his eyes and listening to the loud heartbeat. Unfortunately, closing his eyes made his other senses heighten, going as far as feeling Lee Sa-young’s knot slowly reduce. He re-opens his eyes.

“I’m pulling out, keep yourself relaxed,” he warns. Cha Eui-jae takes deep breaths, anticipating a bit of pain. But instead, the slide is easy, and the empty feeling returns. This time, without the immediate need to be refilled. Lee Sa-young helps him lie down, legs tingling numb after kneeling for so long. The mattress jumps a bit after the alpha flops down beside him, letting out a drained sigh.

“Is that it?”

“Yeah. You were knotted, so it’s over.”

Cha Eui-jae blinks his eyes slowly, fighting to keep them open. When was the last time he struggled to NOT sleep? The sticky feeling between his thighs being the only reason he hasn’t given in yet.

The world darkens as a hand covers the upper part of his face. “Just sleep.”

“But what about-”

“Sleep. I’ll deal with it.”

Cha Eui-jae would normally argue, saying he doesn’t need to be pampered, and walk over to the washroom himself. But the lull of sleep and soreness in his muscles forces him to submit to his exhaustion. He’ll entrust himself entirely to Lee Sa-young, once more.

Bonus

Nam Woo-jin finishes up his paperwork, neatly aligning the documents before placing them in the corner of his desk. It’s been roughly two weeks since Hunter J was carried over by Pado’s Guild Leader, and sent off with unfortunate news and a bag of medical supplies. The thought to follow up crosses his mind, and he picks up his phone.

“Hello?” The voice that comes through is clear and familiar, which is unusual, considering he dialed Hunter J’s number.

“It’s Nam Woo-jin. Is this Hunter J speaking? I’m calling to follow up on what you last stopped by for.”

“Hyung is doing well. I took great care of him, so there’s nothing to worry about anymore.”

His eyes widen. “You-!”

Beep beep beep.