Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

——————

The rain came down hard that day, unforgiving and loud against the pavement, like it meant to punish the world. Thunder rolled overhead, but the alley behind the school was quiet…except for the sound of fists meeting flesh.

The raven-head boy didn’t cry. He didn’t scream either. His back hit the wall again, hard enough to knock the air from his lungs, and he curled in tighter around the small backpack the others had tried to rip away. His lip was split. Blood soaked into the collar of his shirt. Still, he refused to let go of the bag.

“Stupid little omega freak,” one of the older kids spat, already turning away with a laugh.

“You don’t belong here,” another sneered.

Then they were gone.

The boy didn’t move. Couldn’t. His breathing came fast and shallow, but he stayed curled in on himself, like he thought if he made himself small enough, the world would forget he was there.

And maybe it would’ve, if not for the sound of footsteps. Not heavy. Not fast. Just steady, purposeful steps that echoed in the narrow alley like they had every right to be there.

He flinched when a silver-head teen knelt beside him.

“Hey,” came the voice. Low. Soft. A little rough around the edges. “Can you hear me?”

The eight year boy didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

The teen was already pulling off his jacket, ignoring the way rain instantly soaked through the white school shirt underneath. He draped the jacket over the boy’s shoulders gently, with care that felt out of place in the cold alley.

“You’re bleeding,” the teen said, frowning now. His hand hovered near the boy’s face but didn’t touch. “Are you okay? I’ll stay with you until your guardians arrive.”

He sat with the boy in silence after that. Pulled him away from the wall. Let him lean into his side. Shielded him from the rain with his own body until the storm passed…and until his guardians finally came looking.

The raven-head boy hadn’t said a word.

But the weight of that jacket around his shoulders? He never forgot.

⸻

The sunlight spilling through the window was warm.

Ivan blinked slowly, adjusting to the pale gold light that lit up his room like a photograph. It was quiet. No alarm yet. But the dream clung to him…clung to his chest, to the scent memory soaked into his lungs, into his bones.

He smiled.

His hand slid beneath the pillow, and he pulled it out: the old, worn jacket that had no place in his wardrobe anymore, too small for him now, the fabric faded and the zipper long broken.

But he still slept with it.

Still held it close on nights like this.

The mornings that mattered.

Ivan let his fingers brush the collar, thumbing the inside lining where his name had been clumsily sewn in when he was a child. Not by his mother, but by him. To make sure no one ever lost it. To make sure he never forgot.

“Today,” he murmured to no one. “Today’s the day.”

Twelve years.

He’d waited twelve years for this.

⸻

Campus buzzed with life.

The late-summer heat pressed against the pavement as students milled across the wide walkways, laughing and shouting over each other. It smelled like fresh coffee, perfume, hot asphalt, and the dizzying haze of pheromones in the open air.

He walked among them like he didn’t notice any of it. Headphones looped around his neck. Hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie.

He’d memorized the layout of the school weeks ago.

He didn’t need a map.

Behind him his best friend, Luka jogged to catch up, panting like he hadn’t been dragged into this.

“You’re walking fast as hell for someone who made me transfer universities just to stalk your childhood fantasy.”

Ivan snorted.

“It’s not stalking.”

“It’s absolutely stalking.”

“It’s fate.”

Luka rolled his eyes. “You haven’t seen this guy in over a decade, Ivan. What if he’s married? Or bald? Or an asshole?”

“He’s not.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

The certainty in his voice didn’t leave room for argument. The blonde held up his hands in surrender.

“All right, Romeo. Lead the way.”

His friend didn’t smile. Not really.

But his eyes softened.

⸻

The lecture hall was bigger than he expected: rows upon rows of bolted seats sloping down into a semi-circle that faced the whiteboard and central podium. There was a soft hum in the air: idle chatter, phones buzzing, pages turning.

He sat in the third row, middle seat. Dead center.

Luka, true to form, plopped down two seats away with a dramatic sigh and popped open a can of soda.

“You’re unbelievable,” he muttered.

Ivan didn’t answer.

His heart was pounding.

The bell rang and it was finally time.

The door opened at the front.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it cut through everything else, and then there he was.

Silver hair.

Black button-down shirt tucked into tailored slacks.

Slim frame, tall, glasses perched on his nose like an afterthought.

No hesitation in his steps.

No confusion in the way he walked.

Just calm, quiet authority.

Ivan couldn’t breathe.

He wasn’t sure if he ever had.

Till set his briefcase on the desk. Opened his laptop. Scanned the room once: brief, clinical, and started the lecture.

Not a flicker of recognition.

Not a second glance.

The raven-head felt the echo of it in his ribs, but he didn’t waver.

He knew.

And that was enough.

⸻

He didn’t hear a word of the lecture.

Couldn’t.

The silver-head’s voice was smooth, measured, even a little dry at times…but Ivan drank it in like it was scripture. Every movement. Every expression. The way his mouth curled slightly when someone asked a smart question. The subtle roll of his eyes at a dumb one. The way he pushed his glasses up with his middle finger, sharp and annoyed.

Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

And completely, completely unaware.

Till didn’t look at him once.

Not until the class was over.

⸻

“Be sure to finish your homework for tomorrow…also,” the professor started, closing his laptop. “…I want to speak to the new student who transferred in this week. Third row, center seat.”

Ivan’s breath caught.

His entire body flushed.

He stood.

Luka muttered something profane under his breath and quietly slipped out with the rest of the students, leaving Ivan behind.

Till looked up at him, brow slightly raised.

No memory.

Just… professional interest.

“You’re Hwan Ivan, correct?”

He nodded.

“Right.” The man tapped something into his tablet. “I’ve noticed you weren’t exactly engaged during the lecture.”

The other forced a sheepish look. “Yeah. Sorry. First day jitters.”

“Mm.” Till didn’t sound impressed.

There was a pause. Not tense, not awkward. Just heavy. Like the room still held something unsaid.

The silver-head tilted his head slightly. “This isn’t high school. I don’t take attendance. I don’t hand-hold. If you’re here, I expect you to act like you want to be.”

“I do.”

“Then act like it.”

Ivan let the silence stretch. He stepped forward, just once, enough to let the light catch his eyes.

“I’ll do better,” he said softly.

Till’s gaze held his for a moment.

Then—

“All right. You’re dismissed.”

⸻

Outside, the sun was still warm.

Luka leaned against a tree, waiting.

The raven-hair didn’t say anything as he walked up beside him.

His friend watched him with a sideways glance.

“Well?”

His chest was still tight. His throat was dry.

But his hands?

His hands were steady.

“He’s exactly the same,” Ivan said quietly.

And this time?

He smiled.

“I’m going to make him slowly fall.”

_______

Chapter Text

—————

Till hated how much he noticed people.

It wasn’t a conscious habit, not something he enjoyed or sought out, but years of academic training had rewired his brain: categorizing posture, tone, microexpressions. His mind dissected people automatically, picking up on cues they didn’t even know they were giving.

So naturally, he noticed the way Ivan looked at him.

Not like how a student looked at a professor. Not like someone vaguely curious or distracted. The raven-head’s attention had been focused…sharp. A gaze that didn’t wander.

Till had felt it.

But he wasn’t the type to indulge in fantasies, especially not about a student. He had worked too damn hard to build this life: this boundary between himself and the world. He wasn’t about to let one handsome alpha with a stare like wildfire undo all of it.

No matter how strong that stare had felt.

No matter how something in his scent made his stomach twist.

No.

He shook the thoughts off as he unlocked his apartment door.

The building was modest, well-kept. A quiet three-story complex just off campus, mostly faculty and graduate students. The kind of place he’d chosen specifically for its silence. Predictable neighbors, clean hallways, no loud parties or swarms of undergrads.

He toed off his shoes, locked the door behind him, and exhaled.

Home.

Till sighed as he dropped his keys into the bowl by the door. His apartment was neat to a fault: everything in its place, every book shelved, every pen aligned. A soft scent diffuser hummed near the window, filtering subtle notes of sandalwood and rain through the air.

He shrugged off his jacket, rolled his shoulders, and made his way toward the kitchen.

The week had only just begun, and already he wanted to crawl into bed and pretend he didn’t exist.

Maybe he would.

But first…a cup of coffee.

He was reaching for the kettle when a knock echoed sharply against his door.

He paused.

Brows furrowed.

He wasn’t expecting anyone.

Till opened the door slowly, cautiously…just a few inches.

And froze.

“Professor?”

Ivan stood in the hallway, a tote bag slung over one shoulder, his hoodie half-zipped and damp at the cuffs from the lingering humidity outside. His raven hair stuck slightly to his forehead, eyes wide in something that looked impressively close to surprise.

“…Ivan?” Till blinked. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The younger man stepped back quickly, hands lifted in defense. “Oh—no, no. Shit. I’m not here for you—I mean, I didn’t know you lived here. I just—uh—fuck. Okay. So I just moved in. Like, literally just moved in.”

Till stared.

Ivan gestured to the apartment directly beside his own. “I signed the lease last month. I had no idea you were next door.”

He looked so sincere. So awkward.

“The landlord said my neighbor had the key to my unit. Apartment 4B, right?”

Till’s lips parted.

He glanced down the hall, then back at Ivan.

“4B is next door.”

The alpha smiled, slow and sheepish. “Yeah. So… looks like we’re neighbors.”

The silver-head stared for a beat too long. He hated how his brain immediately tried to sort it…what were the odds? Was this just bad luck? A weird coincidence? Or something worse?

But Ivan’s scent hadn’t changed: open, honest, just a hint of quiet alpha warmth beneath the usual musk of student life. If he was lying, he wasn’t broadcasting it.

Till sighed and stepped back, gesturing vaguely toward the small ceramic dish on the entryway table.

“There. The spare key. Landlord dropped it off earlier this week. I wasn’t aware that my new neighbor would be here this early.”

Ivan nodded, stepping just far enough inside to pick it up.

Their fingers didn’t touch.

But the space between them felt tight anyway.

He looked at the key in his palm. “Thanks, Professor.”

Till was already halfway to closing the door when he spoke again.

“Wait—sorry, one more thing?”

The older man looked back, hand still on the doorframe.

Ivan shifted his weight, suddenly looking a bit more like a student: young, slightly uncertain, clearly trying not to overstep.

“I just figured… since I transferred in late, I probably missed the first few lectures. I don’t know anyone yet…no access to shared drives or emails. I was wondering if maybe…” His voice trailed off, and he gestured vaguely. “If you had the materials.”

Till hesitated.

It was a fair request.

One that made sense, even if the timing was odd.

He studied Ivan for a long moment. The kid wasn’t dumb. He could tell from the way he carried himself, how easily he moved through a lecture…even when he did not
listen. But the request was valid.

It was his job, after all.

“…I’ll be right back,” he said quietly.

He returned a minute later with a slim flash drive: black, unmarked, with a faint groove on one side.

“This has the PowerPoints, reading lists, lecture notes. Everything from the start of the semester.”

Ivan took it with both hands, his fingers brushing lightly against the casing.

His voice was soft. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

“Just return it within the week. Don’t make me chase you down.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The professor didn’t smile. But he didn’t close the door immediately, either.

The younger man took that as his cue to retreat.

He stepped back into the hallway and turned toward his own door…only a few feet away, but paused once, glancing over his shoulder.

“Have a good night, Professor.”

And then he was gone.

The door clicked shut behind him, and Till stood still in the silence of his apartment for a long moment, staring at the place where the alpha had just stood.

⸻

Ivan didn’t even turn the lights on.

He entered his apartment quietly, the door clicking softly shut behind him, and leaned back against it, exhaling slowly.

His fingers were still curled around the flash drive.

He didn’t move for a long while.

The room was dark…save for the orange glow of a streetlamp bleeding through the window blinds. He walked slowly across the unpacked mess of boxes, stepping over a half-built shelf, and set the flash drive down on the counter like it was made of glass.

He stared at it.

And then he picked it back up.

Not to plug in. Not to open files.

He didn’t even glance at his laptop.

Instead, the raven-head stood at the kitchen counter, the flash drive resting in his palm like something precious. He brushed his thumb across its smooth plastic surface, over the worn edges. His movements were quiet. Delicate.

Then slowly, he lifted it to his lips.

A kiss: soft, ghosting.

Not worship.

But gratitude.

Gratitude for this piece of Till he could hold. Gratitude for how far he’d come. For how close they were now.

He cradled the flash drive between both hands and closed his eyes.

This wasn’t about coursework.

This was about presence.

And now?

Now he was here.

Now he had time.

And he wasn’t going anywhere.

______

He woke early the next morning.

The sun had barely started to rise, but he was already dressed, already brewing coffee in a kitchen still packed with boxes.

He didn’t need the PowerPoints.

Didn’t need the extra help.

But the flash drive sat on the counter like a gift, and he ran his fingers over it again and again, slow and careful.

He didn’t want to rush this.

Didn’t want to scare Till off.

But gods, he was here. Finally, after all these years. Not just in the same city…but next door. Within reach. Purposely. Ivan could hear the occasional sound of him moving on the other side of the wall.

He could smell him, faintly, through the vents: sandalwood and soap and a note of omega that curled around his instincts like smoke.

It was dangerous.

It was perfect.

He had time.

This wasn’t a story of sudden confessions or rushed declarations.

This was the long game.

This was patience.

This was the alpha he had grown into, sitting quietly, waiting for the man who had once saved him to see him again.

And when he did?

He’d never look away.

_______

Chapter Text

—————

Mornings were always Ivan’s least favorite part of the day.

Not because he hated waking up. He actually enjoyed the early stillness: hot showers, strong coffee, and that perfect golden hour haze that kissed the kitchen window just before eight.

No, what he hated was the routine. The dance of it. The way students rushed past each other like animals let out of cages. The cliques forming already in the third week of term. The gossip. The drama. The posturing.

And most of all?

The pretending.

Because he was pretending…at least in one class.

“Okay,” Luka said, pushing open the lecture hall door with one shoulder. “I know you’re doing this for the long game, but Jesus, Ivan, you didn’t even try to pretend to be engaged in Psych yesterday.”

The raven-head gave a faint shrug as they walked into their next class: some mandatory general theory course, thick with readings but light on actual challenge.

“I was watching him,” he said simply, sliding into a seat near the back.

The blonde dropped his bag into the seat beside him with a dull thump. “You always watch him.”

“He talks like he doesn’t realize he’s the smartest, most beautiful person in the room,” Ivan muttered absently, flicking his pen open. “But he is.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

The alpha hummed. “You’re jealous.”

“Jealous that you’re acting like a lovesick idiot instead of doing your actual work?” The beta snorted. “Please.”

Their other professor: tall, overly enthusiastic, and obviously trying to make the philosophy of law sound sexy, launched into the day’s lecture with a jarring energy that filled the room. Ivan barely blinked.

He sat up straighter. Flipped open his notebook. Listened, even as his pen spun lazily between his fingers.

“Hey, what’s the answer to this case logic breakdown?” the professor asked halfway through, pointing at the projected text on the screen.

His hand lifted casually.

When he answered, his voice was confident. Crisp. No hesitation.

The professor nodded approvingly. “Exactly right. Nice work.”

Luka leaned over. “So you can use your brain. Good to know.”

Ivan didn’t respond.

By the time their second class ended: an ethics lecture he breezed through without taking a single note, the blonde was more irritated than amused.

“You know what pisses me off?” he asked as they walked across campus. “You’re smart. Scary smart. But you’re out here playing dumb in his class.”

Ivan raised a brow. “And?”

“And he thinks you’re just some distracted kid.”

“Exactly.” The raven-head cracked open his water bottle. “I need him to see me how I want him to see me. Not as the student who can already recite the entire semester’s curriculum, but as someone who needs him.”

“You’re obsessed.”

He smiled faintly. “I told you that before we transferred.”

“You said you were determined,” Luka corrected. “This is giving ‘feral wolf pup imprinted on a man who once gave him a snack’ levels of intensity.”

“He gave me more than a snack,” Ivan stated.

His friend groaned. “I don’t wanna hear about your unresolved childhood trauma. I’m emotionally unequipped.”

“Then shut up and walk.”

⸻

Till’s lecture hall always felt colder than the others.

Not in temperature…but in tone. In atmosphere. There was a distinct structure to it, a quiet understanding among the students that this wasn’t a class you messed around in. You showed up. You listened. You didn’t waste time.

And today?

The alpha didn’t plan to.

He slid into his usual seat: third row, middle, the perfect spot. Close enough to hear the omega’s voice clearly, far enough to avoid suspicion. Luka, per usual, claimed his spot two seats away.

Till entered exactly two minutes before the hour struck.

Navy shirt. Tailored slacks. Slim leather briefcase. Hair pinned slightly behind one ear with a minimal clip that looked like it belonged more in an art gallery than a lecture hall.

Ivan didn’t look away.

But he didn’t stare this time either.

He kept his hands folded. His notes open. His gaze fixed forward.

And when the lecture began…he listened.

Really listened.

The older man’s voice was smoother than usual today. Slightly hoarse, as though he’d been up too late or hadn’t spoken much before now. The raven-head caught the hint of fatigue beneath it…but also something else.

Irritation? Tension?

Maybe it was the way his jaw tightened every time a phone buzzed. Or how he ran his hand through his hair twice during the first fifteen minutes.

Ivan stayed still.

He didn’t raise his hand. Didn’t ask any questions.

Just absorbed.

And when the professor dismissed the class with a short “see you all Thursday,” Ivan didn’t move. He stayed seated. Waited patiently as students packed up and filtered out.

Luka gave him a look on the way out but said nothing. Just jerked his chin toward the exit in silent warning.

Till gathered his things slowly.

He didn’t seem surprised when the alpha stepped up to the edge of the platform, flash drive in hand.

“Returning this,” Ivan said simply.

The omega accepted it wordlessly, slipping it into his bag.

“I copied everything,” he continued, shifting his weight. “But I didn’t understand most of it.”

Till raised a brow. “You didn’t understand?”

The younger man nodded. “Not really. The reading makes sense, kind of. But your slides move through stuff fast. I think I’m missing context.”

The silver-head crossed his arms.

“You seemed pretty focused today.”

“I was trying.” Ivan’s voice was quiet now. “Didn’t want to seem like I wasn’t taking it seriously.”

The other didn’t respond at first.

He studied him: not in the way professors usually look at students, but with something sharper. Not quite suspicion. Not quite trust. Something in between.

“Let me guess, you want tutoring.”

The raven-head gave a small shrug. “If you have the time.”

Till was silent again.

Then, with a sigh: “Office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays after class. You can come by then.”

Ivan’s heart stuttered, but he forced his face to stay neutral.

“Thank you.”

The other narrowed his eyes slightly. “You’re sure you’re not just hoping for a free pass?”

Ivan didn’t blink. “No. I just don’t want to fall behind.”

There was another pause.

Something unreadable flickered across Till’s expression.

Then he nodded.

“All right. Tuesday after class. My office is in the East Wing, third floor, Room 315. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t be.”

The alpha turned to go.

But just before he reached the steps, the professor called after him.

“I don’t offer detailed tutoring. I simply make you take notes until you understand. So don’t expect special treatment.”

Ivan looked back, expression mild.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

He left with the calm, steady walk of someone who definitely had dreamed of it.

⸻

The omega didn’t leave the lecture hall for another fifteen minutes.

He sat at his desk, the returned flash drive still in hand.

It was warm. Slightly smudged with fingerprints.

He stared at it, not really seeing.

There was something off.

Not wrong. Just… off.

Ivan wasn’t like his other students.

He wasn’t disengaged. Not really. He was too still, too aware. When he looked at him, it was never with confusion or disinterest. It was something else.

Focused.

Measured.

And now he was asking for tutoring.

Till knew he should refer him to the TA. He had one: a sweet but no-nonsense beta with years of tutoring under her belt. It would’ve made sense. Professional sense.

But something in him had paused.

And agreed.

Why?

He didn’t know.

⸻

The raven-head sat on the floor of his apartment that night, leaning back against the sofa with his laptop open and untouched. The screen glowed faintly. He hadn’t clicked anything in nearly half an hour.

He stared at the spot on his desk where the flash drive had been.

He’d returned it.

But the feel of it was still in his hand.

And Tuesday?

Tuesday couldn’t come soon enough.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

Tuesday came quietly.

The morning rolled in heavy with mist, campus paths damp beneath students’ shoes and the sun struggling to break through the clouds. Ivan didn’t mind the chill. It helped him think.

He had risen early, but not out of nerves. He didn’t need to rehearse. Not when he’d been waiting years for this.

Luka looked at him over the rim of his coffee cup as they walked out of their last lecture.

“You look disturbingly calm,” he muttered.

He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

The beta’s eyes narrowed. “You’re about to be alone in a room with your precious professor for at least an hour and you’re not even twitching.”

“I’ve waited longer for less.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Still true.”

They parted ways near the quad. Luka gave a dramatic bow and muttered something about ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ under his breath before disappearing into the crowd.

Ivan headed for the East Wing.

Till’s office was tucked into the older part of the building, where the halls still smelled faintly of paper and wood polish and years of dust settled into corners no cleaner ever touched. The hallway was quiet. Most professors weren’t holding office hours this late in the afternoon.

He found Room 315 with ease.

The door was half open.

He knocked once, gently.

The omega’s voice floated out, clipped but calm. “Come in.”

He stepped inside.

The office was small but organized. Bookshelves lined the walls, packed with everything from heavy-bound psychology texts to paperbacks with cracked spines. A few framed prints hung in clean symmetry: abstract shapes, sharp lines. The window let in soft, indirect light, and the air smelled faintly of sandalwood, paper, and something else…Till’s scent, laced clean and subtle across the room like a hush.

The professor sat behind his desk, eyes on the papers in front of him, sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

He didn’t look up right away.

Ivan waited.

After a moment, he glanced at him, eyes steady behind his glasses.

“You’re on time.”

“I said I would be.”

“Mm.” Till gestured toward the seat opposite his desk. “Sit.”

The alpha lowered himself into the chair smoothly, careful not to sprawl or lean in too casually. He didn’t want to push…not yet.

The older man turned one sheet of paper aside and reached for a slim stack of notes.

“I’m not going to hold your hand through the entire course,” he said without preamble. “If you’re actually struggling, I’ll help. If you’re wasting my time, I’ll stop.”

Ivan nodded once. “Fair.”

Till pushed a printed slide deck across the desk. “This is from the week you weren’t here yet. Go through the first half and explain the key argument behind the Kleinfield model of identity theory.”

The raven-head glanced at the paper, brows furrowing.

He could explain it.

Easily.

But he hesitated…on purpose…just enough to look uncertain.

The other waited, silent, expectant.

Ivan leaned back slightly, his fingers brushing the edge of the paper. “Isn’t it the one that challenges the unified self? Says identity is a fragmented product of environmental feedback?”

Till’s gaze didn’t shift. “And?”

He took a slower breath. “That the ‘self’ is not internal, but socially constructed. That we shape who we are through repeated performances…roles that others expect and reinforce.”

There was a pause.

Not long. But long enough.

“…You don’t sound like someone who doesn’t understand the material,” the silver-head stated evenly.

Ivan didn’t smile. “Guess I just needed to say it out loud.”

The omega leaned back slightly in his chair, folding his arms.

“You’re not like my usual students.”

Ivan tilted his head. “How so?”

“You listen too much for someone who’s slacking off. You play dumb but answer just below accurate. You ask for help, but don’t need it.” His tone wasn’t accusatory…just clinical. Curious.

Then came the pause.

Followed by the question.

Blunt and quiet, with no hint of amusement:

“What are you really after?”

The air shifted.

The alpha didn’t look away.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Till’s jaw tightened: not with irritation, but something more reserved. He uncrossed his arms and reached for the pen beside him, tapping it once against the desk.

“I don’t think you’re wasting my time. But I don’t think you’re being honest, either.”

Ivan exhaled softly.

“I’m not lying.”

“That’s not the same as being honest.”

Their eyes held.

Longer this time.

Neither of them flinched.

The raven-head finally said, “What I want is to understand the way you teach this material. It makes sense on paper, but not in the way you explain it.”

“You could’ve said that last week.”

“I didn’t know if you’d believe me.”

Till was still. Silent.

Then, quietly: “Why wouldn’t I?”

The other looked away just long enough to break the stare, then back again. “You’re not exactly approachable in class.”

“Good. I’m not supposed to be.”

“I know.”

Another pause.

Till tapped the pen again, but now it was less a gesture of irritation and more one of thought. The atmosphere between them had shifted…not softer, but denser. Tighter. Like two wolves circling each other, not out of hostility but something else.

Ivan didn’t speak again.

He didn’t push.

He waited.

After a beat, the omega picked up the next set of notes. “Alright. Then let’s move on.”

They continued for another forty-five minutes. The raven-head answered every question correctly but never quickly. He held back, letting himself appear thoughtful rather than sharp. Letting the professor lead the pace, the tone, the rhythm of the session.

The only time their hands brushed was when Till passed him a second worksheet.

Neither of them acknowledged it.

By the end of the hour, the light outside had dimmed, casting soft shadows along the office walls.

The older man closed his folder with a soft snap.

“That’s enough for today.”

Ivan nodded and gathered his papers.

He didn’t stand just yet.

Till noticed.

“Something else?”

The alpha shook his head. “No.”

But he stayed seated a few seconds longer.

Just long enough to leave something unspoken in the air.

The silver-head’s gaze was unreadable. “Same time next week?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“Don’t be late.”

Ivan stood slowly. “I never am.”

He walked out without looking back.

⸻

Till remained seated.

The scent Ivan left behind clung to the air: faint, like summer smoke and cedar and some memory he couldn’t quite place.

He told himself it was just a student seeking help.

But it didn’t feel like that.

Ivan looked at him like he knew something.

Not a threat.

Not an attempt at manipulation.

Just… knowledge.

Of him.

And that?

That was far more dangerous.

⸻

The alpha walked home slowly, hands in his pockets, heart quiet.

He didn’t smile.

Didn’t grin.

But his chest felt warmer than it had in days.

He could still feel Till’s voice in his ears. Still feel the weight of that question:

“What are you really after?”

He hadn’t really lied.

But he hadn’t told the truth either.

Because the truth wasn’t about coursework.

It wasn’t about lectures or grades or tutoring hours.

It was about him.

Till.

And the boy Ivan used to be, sitting on a cracked curb with blood on his lip and a stranger’s warmth pressed to his side. The omega who had bent down and cleaned his scraped knees like it meant something. Like he had mattered.

The man Till had become was colder now. Sharper.

But he was still the same where it counted.

And Ivan would earn his place beside him again.

Piece by piece.

Week by week.

Until he couldn’t be forgotten.

________

Chapter Text

—————

The sun was beginning to dip below the edge of the apartment complex by the time Ivan returned home.

He moved through the lobby with a plastic grocery bag slung over one wrist, a second dangling from his other hand. His hoodie was pulled halfway down, collar rumpled, hair windblown from his walk back. The elevator was, as always, out of order. He didn’t mind the stairs. Not when it gave him a moment to clear his thoughts before reaching his floor.

Till’s floor.

Their floor.

He reached the landing, stepped into the hallway…and stopped.

The omega stood just outside his door, keys in hand, fiddling with the lock.

His back was turned, jacket slung neatly over one arm, a slim binder tucked beneath. His profile was clean in the hallway light: sharp, tired, unreadable as always.

Ivan hesitated.

This wasn’t like the tutoring session. This wasn’t in a classroom or in an office with the door half-open and rules and roles to cling to. This was the threshold of home. Personal. Private.

He could let him go inside.

He could walk past, say nothing, and pretend this was just another normal encounter between neighbors.

But he didn’t.

“Long day?”

The man startled slightly…just a flicker…and glanced over his shoulder. His eyes caught the alpha’s like they always did. Not with welcome. Not with disdain. Just with that calm, half-guarded look he seemed to wear like armor.

“Same as usual,” he said. “You?”

Ivan lifted the grocery bags in a vague gesture. “Stocked up on caffeine and instant meals. You know…student essentials.”

Till made a small noise in his throat. Not quite a laugh, but not silence either.

He turned back to the lock. The key slipped in easily.

The raven-head took a few steps closer.

“Hey—wait, before you go in,” he said, not urgent but just loud enough to pause the moment. “Can I ask something?”

The other didn’t open the door.

“…What is it?”

He shifted the bags into one hand and leaned slightly against the wall.

“I’ve been thinking about electives,” he said casually. “Trying to round out my credits with something that won’t make me want to throw myself out the library window.”

The other blinked.

“…And you’re asking me for advice?”

The younger man grinned. “You seem like the kind of person who’d have good taste in filler courses.”

Till looked unconvinced.

Ivan added, “Besides, you probably know what professors are more tolerable than others.”

There was a pause.

Then the professor exhaled through his nose and leaned back from the door slightly.

“You want something light or something useful?”

Ivan perked up. “Useful, but not soul-crushing.”

“Mmm.” Till glanced toward the ceiling in thought. “Social Behavior and Public Policy’s decent. Dr. Hyunwoo runs it like a discussion more than a lecture. You could also try Research Methods if you don’t mind statistics.”

“Do you teach either of those?”

“God, no.” A flicker of actual amusement touched Till’s mouth. “I have enough grading as it is.”

Ivan laughed softly.

There was a beat of silence.

The hallway was still.

Then he tilted his head slightly. “So… what electives do you teach?”

Till’s eyes narrowed.

There wasn’t suspicion, exactly…more like hesitation. A subtle pullback, as though assessing if the question was innocent or intentional.

“I rotate a few depending on the semester,” he said at last. “Right now, it’s Human Attachment Theories and Behavioral Development.”

The raven-head raised a brow, just a little. “That sounds interesting.”

The older man snorted. “It’s a glorified babysitting class.”

“I’ll take it.”

The words came out smooth, steady.

Too steady.

Till blinked. “What?”

Ivan’s voice didn’t waver. “That’s the elective I’ll join.”

The omega looked at him for a moment…longer than necessary. His mouth parted like he wanted to say something. Argue, maybe. Warn him off.

But nothing came.

He said nothing at all.

Just stared.

And the alpha smiled like it was the most natural decision in the world.

The sounds of the city were distant: a horn, a bark, the hum of traffic from a few blocks over. But here, in this short stretch of corridor between doors, everything felt still.

Till still didn’t reach for the handle.

The younger man adjusted the bags again. “What about jobs?”

The other tilted his head.

“I mean, part-time stuff,” Ivan said. “I was thinking of picking something up now that I’ve settled in. Don’t want to drain my savings just to live off vending machine coffee.”

Till arched a brow. “Is this a life consultation now?”

The alpha gave him a small, noncommittal shrug. “You seem like someone who figured their shit out early.”

“Shows what you know,” Till muttered.

But there was no bite in it.

They stood there, just shy of too close, the space between them still technically professional but stretching thinner by the second.

Ivan smiled carefully. “You ever worked while studying?”

“Once,” the silver-head stated. “Café near the psychology building of old University. I quit after two months.”

“Why?”

“The owner kept misgendering the baristas and paid them in cash under the table. It got old.”

The raven-head made a face. “Yikes.”

“Yeah. Try the bookstore near the campus if you’re serious. They’re desperate for help and won’t care what your major is.”

“Thanks.” Ivan let the gratitude sit genuine in his tone.

Another pause.

Till shifted his weight, glancing at his door again.

But still… he didn’t open it.

Ivan didn’t press.

He just stood, groceries in hand, easy smile in place, eyes steady.

“What are you always doing in your apartment anyway?” he asked after a moment. “You’re always quiet. Like… suspiciously quiet.”

The man gave him a look. “I read. I work. I sometimes exist in silence though it’s none of your business. It’s not a crime.”

“Silence is suspicious,” Ivan teased. “Especially for an omega.”

Till’s eyes narrowed just slightly, but there was a glint behind it. “Careful, alpha.”

Said alpha held up one hand in surrender. “No offense meant.”

“Mmm.”

More silence.

He didn’t break it this time.

It was Till who spoke, unexpectedly soft: “You really don’t know anyone else here yet?”

The question caught the other just slightly off-guard. He straightened.

“I know Luka,” he said. “He transferred with me.”

“But no one else.”

Ivan shook his head. “Haven’t tried. I don’t… connect with people easily.”

The omega gave him a long look.

Ivan didn’t flinch.

Then Till’s gaze dropped…just for a moment…before he finally reached for his door handle again.

“I should get inside,” he said, quieter now.

The other nodded.

But didn’t move.

“Till…I mean Professor,” he called gently.

The name felt heavier than usual. Like something he shouldn’t have said.

But the silver-head didn’t react. Didn’t correct him. After all…not all of his students addressed him with formality, which he allowed.

So he just waited.

“Thanks for not brushing me off.”

“You asked like a normal person,” Till replied. “Not a puppy with something to prove.”

Ivan smiled.

The door clicked open. The older man stepped halfway inside.

“Don’t make a habit of catching me in the hallway.”

“No promises.”

Till paused again, hand still on the doorknob.

He didn’t say goodbye.

Just closed the door quietly behind him.

⸻

The alpha stood alone in the hallway for a few more seconds.

The bags of groceries were starting to dig into his wrist. The weight of the encounter sat heavier than expected in his chest…not painful, but potent. Quietly thrilling.

He turned slowly.

Stepped toward his own door.

His key slid into the lock like muscle memory.

And even as he entered the apartment, even as he unpacked frozen dinners and instant noodles, his mind wasn’t on his meal.

It was on the way Till hadn’t turned away at once.

The way he had stayed.

The way he had answered.

That was something.

A sliver.

A foothold.

And Ivan would build from it.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Until the door between them opened more easily.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

The call came just after noon.

Ivan had been on the couch, feet propped up, half-asleep with his face buried in the side of a pillow and a k-drama humming on low volume in the background. His phone buzzed against his chest, startling him.

He blinked blearily at the screen.

“Sua Noona”

He sat up with a faint groan, rubbing the heel of his palm into one eye before answering. “You’re alive.”

Sua’s voice came bright and warm through the speaker. “Speak for yourself, ghost boy. I haven’t seen you in months.”

Ivan yawned. “Been busy.”

“You’ve been avoiding family, you mean.”

“Same thing.”

The woman clicked her tongue. “Don’t play that game. You moved places and didn’t even tell me until a week after you were settled.”

“I wanted to be sure I liked it before bragging.”

“You didn’t even send me your address,” she said, mock-offended. “Do you not want your favorite sister showing up unannounced?”

“You’re my only sister.”

“Exactly,” she said smugly. “Now, I’m reclaiming my time. What are you doing tonight?”

He blinked. “Uh… nothing?”

“Perfect.”

“That wasn’t an invitation.”

“Too bad. You owe me.”

“For what?”

“For years of being your personal crisis hotline, for teaching you how to cook eggs, for not killing you when you destroyed my journal with that exploding soda—take your pick.”

Ivan laughed. “Okay, okay. Fine. What are we doing?”

Sua’s tone shifted slightly: still playful, but laced with something more excited. “We’re going out. Club. Drinks. And…”

Ivan paused. “And?”

“…You’re going to meet someone.”

That made him narrow his eyes. “Sua—”

“No, no, no, not like that,” she said quickly. “Not a setup. I mean, you’re going to meet my someone.”

The alpha froze for a second.

“Wait—you mean the girl you’ve been talking about for the last six months?”

“Mhm.”

“You’re finally letting me meet her?”

“I think it’s time,” she said, and suddenly she sounded softer. “It’s serious. We’ve been serious. I think you’ll like her.”

Ivan leaned back into the couch, smiling faintly. “Okay. I’m down.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

He heard the grin in her voice. “You’re gonna love her.”

⸻

The club was low-lit, upscale enough to avoid college crowds but loud enough to keep the atmosphere charged. The bar glowed in muted blue and purple hues, and the bass thumped just below the ribs, vibrating like a second pulse.

He arrived first, dressed in a simple black silk shirt and dark ripped jeans, hair combed but still falling in soft pieces over his forehead.

He leaned against the bar, sipping a beer, scanning the entrance.

His sister arrived five minutes later, all legs and leather, eyeliner sharp enough to wound. She greeted him with a grin and a hug that knocked the breath from his chest.

“Missed you,” she mumbled into his shoulder.

“Missed you more.”

She pulled back and looked him up and down. “You clean up okay.”

“I’m not the one on a date tonight.”

“True. But you’re meeting her, so I have to impress everyone too.”

He smirked. “You already have.”

“Good.” She nudged his arm. “C’mon, she should be here any second. I told her we’d grab a booth.”

They found a spot toward the back, dimmer lighting and more private. Ivan watched Sua with interest…her restless energy was softened, her smiles less performative than he remembered.

She was smitten.

It was written all over her.

“Ivan,” she said a moment later, eyes lighting up. “There she is.”

The raven-head turned, expectant.

Then froze.

Mizi was tall. Blue streaks cut through her pink hair in wild, uneven lines. Her leather jacket was oversized and covered in enamel pins. She walked like someone who knew exactly where she stood in the world.

And beside her…laughing softly at something she said—

Was Till.

The alpha’s mouth went dry.

This was something he hadn’t plan.

It was all coincidence. Real coincidence.

Sua was already standing, waving her lover over, oblivious.

Mizi grinned and wrapped her arms around her with a casual affection that made Ivan’s heart twinge. Then she looked over and nodded in greeting. “You must be the famous brother.”

He stood automatically. “Ivan.”

“Mizi.” Her handshake was firm. “Thanks for not ghosting tonight. She’s been dying to introduce us.”

“Likewise,” he said smoothly.

But his eyes had already flicked once…just once, toward Till.

The omega looked equally stunned.

Not outwardly.

But Ivan saw it in the way his shoulders tensed, in the pause of his breath, the way his fingers brushed too tightly against the edge of the booth.

“I didn’t realize…” Till began.

“Oh…and this is—” Mizi started.

The raven-head cut in gently. “Till.”

He swallowed.

“Yeah,” he said after a pause. “I know.”

Sua’s head tilted. “Wait, you two?”

Till cleared his throat. “He’s one of my students.”

Mizi blinked. “You’re in psych?”

“Mhm,” Ivan said, voice lighter than he felt. “Small world.”

“I—wow,” Sua laughed, a little breathless. “We really didn’t connect any of this, huh?”

“Nope,” the pink-head responded, amused. “Wild.”

They all sat.

The moment hung awkward for exactly thirty seconds.

Then Ivan reached for the drinks menu.

“So,” he said casually, “do professors get discounts at places like these, or is that just a campus bookstore thing?”

Till gave him a flat look.

Mizi burst out laughing.

And just like that, the tension started to crack.

⸻

The night stretched longer than expected.

The couple were a show of their own: teasing and tactile, all whispered jokes and shameless flirting. It was obvious they were well past the honeymoon stage but still very much wrapped in each other.

Ivan watched, a soft smile lingering on his lips as he sipped his drink.

Till was quieter.

He sat beside Mizi, angled slightly toward the table, posture relaxed but reserved. He spoke when spoken to, laughed softly at the pink-head alpha’s sarcasm, offered dry commentary in perfect doses.

Ivan never pushed him.

But he never left him alone, either.

When Sua and Mizi got up to dance: hands clasped, smiles bright…the raven-head leaned his arms against the table and looked across at him.

“Did you know they were dating?”

The omega shook his head. “No clue.”

“They’re cute together.”

“They are.”

A pause.

Then: “So are you always this surprised to see students in public, or am I just special?”

Till rolled his eyes. “You’re incredibly annoying, you know that?”

The alpha’s lips curved. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“No. You’re not special.”

“But you didn’t walk away.”

“I was trapped in a booth.”

“You could’ve made an excuse.”

Till’s eyes flicked toward the dance floor.

Then back.

“Maybe I didn’t want to.”

Ivan didn’t say anything to that.

Didn’t need to.

The other shifted slightly in his seat. “Don’t make a thing out of it.”

“I won’t.”

“You already are.”

“I’m literally just sitting here.”

Till let out a faint, tired sigh. But his tone had lost its edge.

It was… familiar.

Not friendly. Not romantic.

Just real.

And Ivan felt something settle in his chest.

Something soft.

⸻

By the time the women returned, flushed and glowing, the other two were deep in some half-serious discussion about case study ethics and the stupidity of undergrad peer review processes.

Mizi blinked at the sight of them actually engaged.

“Whoa,” she said. “Y’all look like real people.”

Ivan grinned. “We’re bonding.”

The silver-head scoffed. “Don’t lie to her face.”

The female alpha flopped down beside him, stealing the last sip of his drink. “He’s flirting, isn’t he?”

Till’s gaze didn’t move. “And he thinks he’s being subtle too.”

Ivan didn’t deny it.

Sua looked between them with wide eyes. “Wait, what?”

The omega waved a hand. “It’s fine. I’m not reporting him.”

The raven-head raised his glass. “My record stays clean.”

They all laughed, the kind that lingers longer than expected. The kind that carries no tension anymore.

The night passed enjoyably and soon they were out the club, ready to head out.

Ivan stood beside Till, not touching, not speaking at first.

“That was… unexpected.” The silver-head muttered.

The alpha nodded. “Yeah.”

“You handled it better than I would’ve.”

“I try to be adaptable.”

Till turned, meeting his eyes. “Don’t push this.”

“I won’t,” he responded softly.

Then added—

“But I’m not going to ignore it either.”

They stared at each other.

Neither moved.

A few feet away, Mizi leaned down to whisper something into Sua’s ear that made her laugh, breathless and bright. They kissed once…then again, a bit longer…and the pink-head tugged her closer by the jacket sleeve, the both of them clearly in their own world.

Sua turned slightly, waving at her brother. “Hey! Mizi’s place is closer. I’ll text you when I’m home, yeah?”

He raised a hand in acknowledgment. “Got it. Be safe.”

She smiled, already stepping off the curb with Mizi, arms wrapped around each other like it was second nature.

And then they were gone…melting into the stream of weekend pedestrians and traffic.

The raven-head turned to find Till still there.

They looked at each other for a long beat before he asked, “You heading home?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll call a car.”

Till didn’t object.

⸻

The rideshare was quiet.

The city rolled past in soft streaks of light, and the low hum of the engine filled the silence between them. Ivan sat on the right side of the backseat, arms relaxed, head slightly tilted toward the window. Till sat beside him, a polite distance away, fingers loosely curled in his lap.

Neither of them said a word for the first few minutes.

It wasn’t awkward.

Just… weighted.

The alpha eventually broke the silence.

“You come out often with Mizi?”

“Not really,” the other mumbled without looking at him. “She usually drags me out when she thinks I’m brooding too long.”

“Were you brooding this time?”

Till’s mouth twitched. “I was grading midterms.”

“Same thing.”

That earned a soft exhale. Not quite a laugh, but close.

Ivan turned his head slightly, studying the passing blur of headlights reflected in Till’s teal eyes.

“Tonight was fun,” he stated. “Awkward start, but it worked out.”

“It could’ve been worse,” the omega admitted.

The younger man smiled. “That’s basically a compliment coming from you.”

Till didn’t answer.

But he didn’t deny it, either.

⸻

When they reached their apartment building, the raven-head waited until the other stepped out before following. The lobby was empty, quiet, shadows stretching long across the tiled floor.

The elevator, miraculously, was working.

They stepped inside, the doors closing with a soft hum behind them.

It was just the two of them.

The space was small. Not cramped, but closer than usual. Till stood just to the left of center, arms folded lightly, gaze forward. Ivan stood beside him, a fraction closer than necessary…but not close enough to be inappropriate.

The silence returned.

But this time, it wasn’t heavy.

It was expectant.

The silver-head’s eyes flicked to the numbers above the door.

Ivan’s voice came low: “You still not sure whether you find me amusing or annoying?”

Till didn’t smile.

But he didn’t frown either.

“I think the jury’s still out.”

Ivan chuckled under his breath.

The elevator dinged.

Their floor.

They stepped out together.

Walked down the same hallway.

Stopped in front of their doors next to each other.

The omega turned toward his.

The alpha hesitated.

Then, softer than before, “Goodnight, Till.”

Said man looked at him.

Really looked at him.

And something in his gaze had shifted: no longer just wary, no longer just curious.

It was knowing.

Still cautious.

But no longer defensive.

“Goodnight, Ivan.”

He turned toward his door…but paused with his hand on the knob.

Then, without looking, he added evenly, “And don’t expect me to be this casual at the university.”

Ivan arched a brow, amused. “Oh?”

“You’re still my student. I’ll treat you like one.”

“Wouldn’t dream of anything less,” the younger of the two murmured.

Till didn’t respond.

Just opened the door and stepped inside, quiet and composed.

The door clicked shut behind him.

And Ivan stood there a moment longer, alone in the hallway.

He didn’t take the words to heart…not in the way the omega intended.

Because something had shifted.

A wall, once iron, was softening.

And that alone…

Not affection, not invitation, but recognition…

Was enough.

For now.

___________

Chapter Text

—————

It had been a month since the night at the club.

Four weeks since that car ride.

Four weeks since Ivan had stood in the hallway, smiling to himself after Till warned him not to mistake casualness for anything else.

And in that time, nothing and everything had changed.

Till didn’t act warmer in class…didn’t offer any special attention or soft smiles across the lecture hall. He was sharp, organized, and blunt as ever. Ivan played along, never pushing his luck, never crossing the lines the other had drawn.

But those lines had gotten… easier to navigate.

And somewhere along the way, the alpha had started attending tutoring sessions again.

He’d never stopped, technically…but now, they’d fallen into a kind of rhythm. Once a week. Always the same time. Always in Till’s office. And though Ivan never asked for more than what the older man was willing to give, he knew.

He knew Till wasn’t holding him at arm’s length quite the same way anymore.

He wasn’t leaning in either.

But the air between them had started to breathe.

______

[Tuesday, late afternoon.]

The hallways were quiet, most students having already cleared out after their lectures. The sky outside was grey, clouded over with the hint of distant rain, and the air inside the psychology department smelled faintly of coffee and printer toner.

Ivan knocked on the office door twice.

“Come in,” came the silver-head’s voice, muffled but unmistakable.

He stepped inside, pushing the door shut behind him.

Till sat behind his desk, sleeves rolled just past his elbows like usual, a black pen poised over a pile of papers. His glasses were sliding slightly down his nose. His hair was messier than usual.

Ivan took the chair across from him like he’d done every week for the past months.

“You’re early,” the man said, not looking up.

“You sound disappointed.”

“I’m not.”

Ivan grinned. “Progress.”

Till finally glanced up.

And for a fraction of a second, the edges of his mouth lifted…barely…but enough that the alpha caught it before it disappeared.

“You actually reviewed the chapters this time?” The professor asked, reaching for a folder on his desk.

“Yep.”

“And you still have questions?”

Ivan shrugged. “Some.”

Till narrowed his eyes, skeptical.

The raven-head leaned forward slightly. “Is it a crime to want to be thorough?”

“It’s suspicious,” the other muttered.

But he didn’t argue.

Instead, he flipped the folder open and slid a few papers toward him: outlines, examples, short prompts. It was all material Ivan had already read three times over.

Still, he took them gratefully.

They started slow: Till guiding him through behavioral theory comparisons, Ivan nodding along, interjecting just often enough to keep the illusion intact. The silence between questions wasn’t stiff. There was a hum of quiet understanding beneath it now. Ivan didn’t force small talk. Till didn’t deflect every remark with academic detachment.

It was just… easier.

“Reinforcement theory can overlap with classical conditioning,” he stated at one point, gesturing toward a diagram he’d drawn on the side of Ivan’s notes. “But it’s important to remember that the stimulus doesn’t always elicit an automatic response. Sometimes it’s conscious—motivated.”

“Like how some people act differently around certain alphas,” Ivan said, half-smiling.

Till paused.

Then tilted his head. “Meaning?”

The other tapped the paper. “Conditioned behavior. If someone has a bad experience with a certain kind of alpha: loud, aggressive, physical…they might unconsciously avoid other alphas who resemble that.”

“…True,” Till said carefully.

“Or,” Ivan added, “they might overcompensate around the ones they think are safe. Make themselves smaller. Nicer. Less noticeable.”

Till’s gaze sharpened.

Ivan didn’t flinch.

“I’m not talking about anyone in particular,” he said lightly.

“Of course not,” the omega replied, voice quiet.

Their eyes met.

Neither of them looked away.

A beat passed.

Then the older man turned back to the notes. “You’re getting better at this.”

“Thanks.”

“You could probably pass the next test without tutoring.”

Ivan leaned back in the chair, arms folded. “That almost sounds like a dismissal.”

“It is your third session on the same unit.”

“I like the repetition,” Ivan said, smiling.

“You like wasting my time.”

“I like your time,” the alpha corrected, softer.

Till didn’t respond to that.

But he didn’t push him out either.

_____

They worked for another thirty minutes: well, the professor worked, reviewing cases and testing the other on distinctions between models of social psychology. Ivan listened, nodded, offered correct answers half a beat too slow, just enough to seem like he was learning.

Till had to know.

But if he did, he didn’t say anything.

Eventually, he leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Ivan reached into his bag and pulled out a small can of cold brew, offering it wordlessly.

Till hesitated.

Then took it.

“Thanks,” he said, cracking it open.

The alpha watched him sip it, lips curved faintly around the edge of the can. He watched the way his shoulders dropped just slightly, like the caffeine gave him permission to breathe.

“You’re less grumpy today,” he noted.

“Midterms are over. My inbox is quiet. I’m allowed one day of peace.”

“You should use it for something fun.”

“This is what I’m doing with it,” Till replied dryly.

Ivan gave a mock-wounded expression. “Ouch.”

The silver-head glanced up from the folder again. “Why do you keep coming here?”

The alpha blinked.

“I mean really,” Till stated, voice unreadable. “You’re not failing. Your work’s above average. You don’t ask real questions. So why?”

Ivan was quiet for a long second.

Then, honestly: “Because you let me.”

The older man’s lips parted slightly…but no words came.

“I don’t push,” the raven-head continued. “I don’t cross your lines. But you never stopped the sessions either.”

Till looked away.

It wasn’t guilt. It wasn’t discomfort.

It was… acknowledgment.

He capped the pen in his hand and placed it neatly on the desk.

“Don’t mistake tolerance for affection,” he said, evenly.

“I don’t,” Ivan said softly.

They sat in the stillness that followed.

But it wasn’t tense.

It was something quieter than that. Something almost… mutual.

Till finally rose from his seat and crossed the room to grab a thin reference book from the shelf. Ivan watched him the whole way.

“You’re careful,” the younger man said aloud. “But not cold.”

“I’m professional.”

“You’re human.”

Till shot him a look over his shoulder. “Don’t romanticize this.”

“I’m not,” Ivan replied. “I just pay attention.”

The other paused for half a second, book in hand.

Then walked back and handed it to him. “Read the highlighted sections. We’ll go over them next week.”

Ivan took it with both hands.

Their fingers brushed.

And though the moment passed quickly, neither of them commented on it.

It didn’t stop the alpha’s heart from racing though.

_____

When the session ended, the light outside had shifted to a soft storm-gray.

Till opened the door.

Ivan stepped out first, pausing in the hallway.

“Thanks again,” he said.

The omega nodded. “Same time next week?”

Ivan smiled. “If you’ll have me.”

“Don’t be late.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He lingered for a second longer, just long enough to meet teal eyes once more.

Then turned and walked down the hall.

____

Till closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, exhaling slowly.

He didn’t want to look forward to Tuesdays.

But somehow, the silence in his office always felt louder after the alpha left.

And that…

That was becoming harder to ignore.

________

Chapter Text

—————

The university campus was officially closed for the day: something about electrical maintenance and unexpected facility updates. Students rejoiced, professors exhaled, and Ivan took full advantage of the silence to retreat into the one place he could completely drop the act.

Home.

Not the modest apartment next to his crush. Not the carefully curated student life he played up with wrinkled notebooks and half-done assignments.

But his real home.

A sleek, modern three-story house tucked behind a secured gate in one of the wealthiest districts just at the center of the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline, and the front drive glistened under the early afternoon sun: clean marble, manicured hedges, and a parked row of luxury cars, each one a different sin: sleek black, steel gray, midnight blue.

He was on the rooftop patio, feet kicked up on a chair, drinking something expensive and fruity while scrolling through his phone lazily. His shirt was loose. His hair was damp from a morning swim in the indoor pool. There was no trace of the calm, calculated student persona he wore on campus.

Just Hwan Ivan.

The one who didn’t have to pretend.

A loud whistle from behind made him glance up.

Luka stepped out onto the patio, sunglasses pushed high in his curls, a smoothie in hand and disbelief written all over his face. “Still can’t believe you seriously live like this and still use a laundry looking ass room.”

The alpha grinned lazily. “Only on campus.”

“This is disgusting.”

“You’re still drinking my smoothie.”

“Because I’m not as rich as you,” the blonde shot back, flopping into the chair beside him. “And you’re a liar.”

“I’m a strategist.”

The beta turned to squint at him. “Right. Strategist. So what’s the latest with your professor fantasy?”

Ivan let his head drop back, a slow smile spreading across his lips. “It’s going well.”

“That’s vague.”

“Better than expected.”

“That’s worse.”

The alpha reached for his drink, swirling the contents lazily. “He hasn’t run off. He tolerates me. Even agreed to meet weekly.”

Luka raised an eyebrow. “Tutoring?”

“Mostly.”

“And how much of that tutoring do you actually need?”

“None.”

The blonde huffed a laugh. “God, you’re insane.”

“You knew that before.”

“I didn’t know you’d be this obsessed.”

Ivan didn’t flinch. “It’s not just obsession.”

“It’s definitely not casual.”

“He’s really important.”

The words were simple. Firm. Not up for debate.

Luka took a long sip, then leaned back and watched the clouds.

“You gonna at least tell him you’re not actually broke?” he asked after a moment.

Ivan didn’t answer right away.

“I don’t know,” he finally said.

“You think he’ll hate you for being one of the wealthiest people in Korea?”

“No. But if he finds out the way most people do…” Ivan’s fingers tapped the side of his glass. “He might think everything I’ve done was manipulation.”

“I mean, technically—”

“Shut up.”

The beta smirked, but didn’t argue. “You’re playing the long game.”

“I’ve waited twelve years,” Ivan said softly. “I can wait a little longer.”

_____

He left around dusk.

Didn’t take any of the cars. Instead, he ordered a rideshare and stepped into it wearing his usual: casual hoodie, normal backpack, and the same sneakers he made sure Till had seen more than once.

By the time he reached the apartment building, the sky had turned a dusty violet. The streetlamps were flickering on. The neighborhood wasn’t dangerous, but it wasn’t safe, either…not at this hour, not when packs of wandering alphas liked to treat the sidewalks like hunting grounds.

Ivan stepped out of the car, nodding briefly to the driver.

He was halfway to the apartment building when he saw him.

Till.

Just a few steps ahead, tote bag slung over one shoulder, jacket zipped up to the throat. He was walking briskly: head down, keys in hand.

And he wasn’t alone.

Three alphas leaned against the brick wall near the entrance. Too loud. Too casual. One of them: tall, brunette, reeking of cheap cologne, perked up when he saw Till.

“Hey,” the brunette one called, straightening. “Evening, sweetheart.”

The omega didn’t stop walking.

One of the others let out a low whistle. “Come on, don’t be rude. A pretty omega like you walking around by yourself? Dangerous.”

Till’s jaw tightened. His steps didn’t slow.

The brunette alpha pushed off the wall and began following. “What, too good to say hi?”

Still, the silver-head said nothing.

Ivan had stopped walking.

Something cold stirred in his chest.

Then the third alpha: shorter, stockier, with a twisted smile…spoke.

“Bet he’s the type to act all stuck up, but I promise he’d scream so pretty if we got a hand in that pretty little—”

He didn’t finish.

Because the raven-head was there in a flash.

The punch came fast. Brutal.

The man’s head snapped sideways with a sickening crack, body slamming back against the brick wall and sliding halfway down it.

The others turned, startled…too slow.

Ivan stood between them and Till, chest rising and falling with a calm fury that didn’t show in his face…but burned white-hot behind his eyes.

“You talk to him like that again,” he growled, voice low and sharp, “and I’ll break more than your jaw.”

One of the other alphas stepped forward. “Who the fuck are—”

Ivan moved.

Not a punch this time.

Just a step. One single, calculated step forward: shoulders squared, eyes locked, and it was enough.

The confidence in the alphas cracked instantly.

“You fucking lunatic” the taller one muttered, dragging his friend upright.

Ivan didn’t answer.

Just stood there.

Quiet.

Deadly.

Eventually, they slunk off: grumbling, posturing, throwing middle fingers that he didn’t bother responding to.

Silence returned to the sidewalk.

Till stood a few feet behind him, frozen.

Ivan turned slowly.

His voice gentled. “You okay?”

The omega was still staring at him. Wide-eyed. Flushed. His pulse visibly jumping at the side of his neck.

“I…” he started, then cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

The raven-head took a step closer.

Till didn’t move.

He was… stunned.

Not by the fight.

But by the fact that his heart was racing…and it wasn’t from fear.

Ivan looked at him, softer now. “They didn’t hurt you?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Till swallowed hard. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I did,” the alpha responded. “You looked like you wanted to punch him yourself.”

“I did.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I would have.”

“I know,” Ivan said, something fond breaking through. “That’s why I did it first.”

Till’s lips parted.

He didn’t know what to say.

His body was still humming. He could feel the aftershock of the confrontation vibrating through his chest…but it wasn’t panic. It wasn’t dread.

It was warmth.

It was something low and unfamiliar curling in his gut, thick and heady and wrong.

He was an omega.

He was supposed to be repulsed by that kind of posturing.

By the growling, the dominance, the threat of violence.

And yet…

His breath caught.

“Ivan,” he said, voice barely steady, “don’t do that again.”

Said man nodded. “I won’t let anyone talk about you like that again.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know.”

They stood there for another beat.

Too close.

Too quiet.

Till finally shook his head, stepping past him toward the entrance door. His hand trembled slightly as he keyed them inside.

The other followed without a word.

They didn’t speak again in the elevator.

The omega kept his eyes fixed on the numbers above the door.

But even as he walked into his apartment…locking the door behind him, dropping his bag by the wall, he could still feel the weight of Ivan’s body between him and those alphas.

He could still hear his voice: cool and dangerous.

He could still feel the way his pulse had jumped when it happened.

And he hated it.

He hated how some small, secret part of him wasn’t disgusted.

He hated how he hadn’t looked away.

He hated how safe it had made him feel.

_____

In the hallway outside, Ivan stood at his own door, not moving.

His hand hovered near the handle.

He could still smell Till’s fear…but it hadn’t been fear of him.

And that made something dark and satisfied settle in his chest.

He hadn’t planned it.

He didn’t go looking for it.

But it happened.

And now?

Now the omega had seen another side of him.

One he’d never shown before.

One that didn’t pretend to be the flirty, easygoing student with bad notes and a sweet smile.

One that said: I will protect you. I will tear into anyone who touches you.

Ivan pressed his forehead to the door for a second.

Then grinned.

It was starting.

Slowly.

Surely.

Piece by piece.

Till was starting to see him truly.

And there was no going back.

________

Chapter Text

—————

Till hadn’t slept.

He’d tried—he really had. He’d made camomile tea. Sat in the dark with a book he wasn’t reading. Counted breaths. Changed pillows. Changed sides. Got up. Laid back down.

But sleep never came.

Because every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was him.

Ivan: shoulders squared, eyes burning, jaw clenched like violence had never been a question. Ivan…standing between him and a trio of alphas with the kind of instinctive protection that left Till rattled in the aftermath.

It wasn’t just that he’d hit someone. It wasn’t even the possessive tone in his voice, or the way the alphas had backed down the second he looked at them.

It was how safe the omega had felt.

And that was what disturbed him most.

Because omegas weren’t supposed to like that.

They weren’t supposed to feel heat curling in their gut over an alpha acting territorial. They weren’t supposed to be shaken in a way that left them warm and wired and horribly aware of their own pulse.

It made him feel…

Wrong.

Made him question how deeply his instincts had been buried all these years. And whether that strange feeling between his ribs had been some primal thing he’d worked his whole life to suppress.

He wasn’t scared of Ivan.

That would have made it easier.

______

By the time his Thursday elective rolled around, he was running on two hours of shallow rest and several coffees he hadn’t even tasted.

The lecture room felt too bright. The students too loud. He fumbled the whiteboard marker once, caught it mid-air with a muttered curse, and turned back to his slides too quickly.

He was off.

He knew it.

And judging by the curious looks in the room, so did some of his students.

He powered through the slides anyway.

Social behavior in structured environments.

Case studies on conformity.

Nothing he hadn’t taught before. Nothing new.

But his mind kept drifting.

Kept circling back.

And no matter how many times he refocused, the memory of Ivan’s voice: low and sharp and possessive…wouldn’t leave him alone.

_______

He didn’t notice said man staying behind until the rest of the class had filed out.

Till was halfway through unplugging his laptop when he heard the quiet click of the door as the last footsteps left, but turned to find Ivan still seated in the third row, watching him.

Not smug.

Not cocky.

Just… watching.

His chest tightened.

He straightened slowly. “Something you need?”

The alpha stood, backpack slung over one shoulder. “You seemed off today.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“Don’t start diagnosing me.”

Ivan smiled faintly. “I wasn’t going to. I just thought—if something was wrong, maybe you’d tell me.”

Till hesitated. He wanted to put him in his place but instead….

Then exhaled. “I didn’t sleep well.”

“Because of what happened yesterday?”

“Among other things.”

Ivan moved closer, his steps measured.

He stopped at the edge of the desk, gaze soft now. “Are you okay?”

The omega met his eyes.

Then nodded. “I am. And…well…” he cleared his throat before continuing. “…I wanted to say thank you.”

The other blinked.

“For yesterday,” Till added. “What you did… it wasn’t your responsibility. But you stepped in anyway.”

Ivan tilted his head. “Of course I did.”

“I don’t like owing people,” the older man continued, a little sharper than he meant. “So if there’s anything you want in return—within reason—name it.”

A beat of silence.

Then the raven-head’s grin broke, wide and pleased.

“I want to cook for you.”

Till blinked. “What?”

“Dinner,” he stated. “Tonight. Let me cook for you.”

“I meant like a favor. An errand. Notes.”

“Those are boring.”

“I didn’t think you could cook.”

“I can.”

“You say that with a suspicious amount of confidence.”

“I’ve got nothing to prove~” Ivan sang, still smiling. “You already agreed.”

“I didn’t—”

“Just dinner,” he said. “Not a date. I know you’d rather be run over than agree to one of those.”

Till narrowed his eyes.

The alpha held his gaze without flinching.

And for reasons he couldn’t explain…not even to himself…the silver-head finally muttered, “Fine.”

______

The knock came at seven sharp.

Till opened the door expecting something casual…maybe Ivan holding takeout and grinning like an idiot.

Instead, he was met with the sight of the younger alpha in a navy button-down and rolled sleeves, sleeves dusted with something that looked suspiciously like flour.

“I brought wine,” Ivan said, holding up a bottle. “And actual food. I didn’t poison anything.”

Till stepped aside to let him in. “That’s reassuring.”

The other moved with easy familiarity…setting the wine down, unpacking containers from a sturdy cloth bag. The smell hit the omega first: warm, savory, spiced with garlic and something richer.

“You really cooked?”

“I don’t lie about food,” Ivan said, flashing him a look. “Steak in red wine sauce. Baby garlic roasted potatoes. Garlic roasted asparagus, and homemade chocolate chip banana bread for dessert because I saw that you eat like a monk.”

“I don’t eat like a monk.”

“You eat like you hate joy.”

Till rolled his eyes, but he didn’t argue.

They ate at the kitchen table, plates full and conversation light at first…safe topics. Music. University gossip. How Luka was apparently convinced one of the professors was an alien in disguise.

The silver-head found himself actually laughing…and laughing more than he expected.

Not forced, not polite.

Real.

Ivan refilled his glass only once, not pushing. Not leaning. Just present.

The air between them changed somewhere around the dessert.

Or maybe it had been changing all along.

But it shifted noticeably when the raven-head asked, after a sip of wine, “Ever been in love?”

Till choked.

The alpha handed him a bottle of water nearby without blinking.

“That’s not appropriate,” the older man stated once he’d cleared his throat.

“Probably not.”

“We’re not supposed to talk about personal things.”

“Probably not.”

“But you asked anyway.”

“I did.”

Till stared at him.

Ivan didn’t push.

He just waited.

The moment stretched long and strange.

The omega looked down at his plate.

Then, against better judgment, he said, “Once.”

Ivan’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Years ago. It didn’t last.”

The alpha nodded slowly. “Why not?”

“They thought I was cold. Distant. Said I didn’t know how to need someone.”

The other’s gaze didn’t waver. “Do you?”

Till met his eyes. “Do you always ask questions like this?”

“Only when I care about the answers.”

The silence returned.

But this time, it wasn’t heavy.

It was warm.

Unsettlingly so.

“I don’t know if I believe in needing people,” Till mumbled out after a long moment. “But I believe in wanting someone enough to let them in.”

Ivan smiled.

“And you?” The professor asked before he could stop himself. “Any long tragic romances I should know about?”

“Just one,” Ivan said.

“Let me guess…they broke your heart and now you’re a menace to society?”

“Not quite.”

“Then?”

“They saved me once,” he said. “And I never forgot them.”

Till froze.

Something in his throat twisted: tight, unexpected.

The raven-head didn’t elaborate.

Didn’t have to.

Till pushed back from the table, suddenly aware of how close the room felt.

“This was nice,” he said quickly. “But I think we’re pushing the boundary here.”

The other didn’t move. Didn’t argue.

He just stood, calmly, and began clearing the dishes.

No protest. No teasing. Just quiet understanding.

And that made it worse somehow.

Because he should have been the one drawing lines…not Ivan.

But every time he tried to, the lines kept blurring.

______

By the time the alpha left, the table was clean, the wine corked, and the apartment back to its quiet, measured stillness.

Till stood at the door after it clicked shut, heart pounding.

He didn’t know what kind of game they were playing anymore.

But it was getting harder to pretend he wasn’t part of it.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

Ivan hated cafés that played soft jazz in the background. It was always the same lifeless saxophone loop and clinking of porcelain cups, the kind of place that tried too hard to feel relaxed and ended up feeling fake.

But his sister liked this place.

And if Sua asked, he didn’t argue.

She was already seated when he arrived, wearing sunglasses indoors and sipping from a bright pink smoothie like she owned the sunlit corner of the café. The moment she spotted him, she pulled her glasses down with a single brow raised, smirking.

“You’re late.”

“I was early until traffic,” Ivan shot back, sliding into the chair across from her. “And why do you look like a hungover celebrity?”

“Because I am one,” she said, flipping her hair dramatically. “Also, it’s called fashion. You wouldn’t understand.”

The alpha grinned. “Still can’t believe Mizi puts up with your ass.”

“She loves my ass.”

He groaned. “Can we not talk about your love life before I’ve had caffeine?”

Sua giggled and pushed a coffee toward him. “Black. No sugar. Like your soul.”

He took it without thanks, letting the heat sink into his hands.

They sat like that for a while…just sipping and watching people pass by the large window. The noise of the café faded around them, tucked into the quiet comfort only siblings with real history could share.

Eventually, she spoke.

“So. You and Mizi’s best friend.”

Ivan didn’t look up. “What about him?”

“Oh come on.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “You’ve been acting weird that night. Don’t think I missed it.”

He exhaled through his nose.

“He’s just my professor.”

Sua laughed. “Yeah. And I’m just a regular citizen who never illegally streamed an early screening of The Fall of Titans.”

“You did what—”

“I’m saying,” she cut him off, “don’t bullshit me. You looked like someone had pulled the floor out from under you when you saw him.”

The alpha rubbed his jaw slowly, avoiding her eyes.

“You’re in love with him,” she said, more gently this time.

It wasn’t a question.

“I—” He stopped. Closed his mouth. Opened it again.

Then shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”

“But it is, isn’t it?”

He finally met her gaze.

And something broke loose in his chest.

“It’s him,” he said, voice quiet. “Sua, it’s him.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Him who?”

“The teen boy from back then,” Ivan said. “The one I told you about. The one who helped me.”

She froze.

“You mean—”

“The one from that afternoon,” he said, eyes distant now. “When I was eight. When those kids cornered me behind the school’s alley and started tearing into me because I looked like an omega.”

She sat back, stunned.

Ivan kept going.

“The one who found me hiding. Who gave me his jacket and sat with me ‘til Mom and Dad came. The one I kept waiting for every day after school. Just to catch a glimpse.”

He smiled, but it was soft. Far away.

“I remember how I used to hang around the fence at school to check for him…”

“Ivan,” Sua said, voice thin with disbelief. “That was Till?”

He nodded once.

She blinked hard. “You’re telling me your childhood hero…your first crush, your origin story…is the guy who’s teaching your university psych class right now?”

“That about sums it up.”

“Oh my God.”

Ivan chuckled softly.

“That’s why you transferred, isn’t it?”

He didn’t deny it.

Sua covered her mouth, then dragged her hand down her face. “You’re actually insane.”

“I like to think of it as committed.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t even need the credits.”

“I’m aware,” he said. “I’ve just been… careful. Quiet about it. I didn’t want to scare him.”

“Is he scared?”

“No,” Ivan said truthfully. “He’s… curious. He’s watching me. Trying to figure it out.”

Sua picked at the edge of her straw. “Does he remember you?”

Ivan’s expression shifted.

Something tender. Something bruised.

“No,” he said softly.

A long silence passed between them.

Then Sua leaned forward again, elbows on the table, suddenly serious.

“You know this is risky, right?”

He nodded.

“Like, really risky. Not just forbidden romance risky. But emotionally dangerous. You’ve been holding onto this guy since you were a kid, and I get it, I do, but he’s not a memory anymore. He’s a person. With flaws. With rules. With boundaries.”

“I know.”

“And he’s your professor, Ivan.”

“I know.”

She sighed. “You don’t act like it.”

The alpha sipped his coffee.

“I’m not trying to make him uncomfortable. I’m not pressuring him. I’m just… here. Giving him time.”

“But you want something.”

“Yes.”

“You want him to fall in love with you.”

“I want him to see me.”

That quieted her.

Then, a beat later, she said, “He’s the first person who ever made you feel safe.”

Ivan looked up.

His eyes were gentle. A little sad.

“Yes.”

Sua reached across the table, covering his hand.

“I’m not gonna tell you to stop,” she said. “Because I know you won’t. And maybe he is the one. Maybe he’ll remember. Maybe it’ll be beautiful.”

She squeezed his fingers.

“But please, promise me something.”

He tilted his head.

“If it starts to hurt more than it heals,” she said, “walk away. Don’t bleed for a version of him that only lives in your head.”

Ivan was quiet.

Then: “That version’s real, Su.”

“I know. But you don’t need to chase ghosts anymore.”

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t promise.

But he squeezed her hand back.

_______

They talked about lighter things after that: Mizi, the latest movies, a new brunch place Sua had tried. Ivan laughed more. His posture relaxed. The weight in his chest shifted slightly, no longer suffocating.

But even as they left the café and hugged goodbye, even as the sky turned soft and overcast, there was something that stayed lodged in his ribs.

Sua was right.

He’d spent years searching for a boy who once protected him.

And now that he’d found the man that boy had become, he was realizing something terrifying:

He wanted to be the one to protect him in return.

Even if it meant putting his heart on the line.

Even if it meant waiting.

Even if Till never remembered.

Because it wasn’t just about what Till had done back then.

It was about what Ivan felt now.

Every moment they shared. Every glance. Every guarded smile. Every tutoring session drawn out longer than it needed to be. Every soft reply the omega gave him like it wasn’t just obligation, but something… more.

Ivan would never forget the kindness that saved him.

But this?

This was no longer about the past.

This was about now.

About a professor who stirred something primal in him.

About a beautiful man who didn’t realize he’d once meant everything to a scared little boy.

And he still did.

_____

That night, Ivan sat on the floor of his apartment, back against the door, eyes closed.

The air was still.

But his pulse was loud.

He thought of Till again: his voice, his scent, his expression that night he had stepped between him and danger.

And all he wanted was to reach across the thin wall between their rooms.

To feel that pulse. To prove to himself that this wasn’t all a dream built on old memories.

He’d wait.

He’d keep waiting.

But the line between patience and longing was starting to blur.

And sooner or later…

Something had to give.

________

Chapter Text

—————

It had been a long week.

The kind that blurred at the edges and left a person thinking in slow motion, as if their thoughts were dragging through fog. Till found himself at a frequented small wine bar about twenty minutes away from his apartment without fully remembering how he agreed to the meetup in the first place.

Mizi was already there when he arrived, perched on a high stool, nursing a drink the color of bruised plums. She was dressed down for once: no elaborate makeup, no colorful jewelry, just a soft oversized sweater and a messy bun that betrayed how tired she was too.

“I thought you forgot,” she said as he slid onto the stool beside her.

“I almost did.”

“Rude.”

Till offered a faint smile and signaled for his usual. “I’ve been buried under assignments.”

“You’re always buried under something except for a man.”

“Excuse you! Such is the life of a responsible adult.”

She snorted. “You sound like my mother.”

“Did your mother ever keep her students from flunking out?”

“No, but she could drink any man under the table and scare away neighborhood raccoons with one look.”

He raised his glass in mock salute. “A role model, clearly.”

His friend laughed, and for a few minutes, they fell into familiar conversation: updates on work, gossip from her office, the little annoyances of adulthood they shared even though they lived in entirely different worlds.

It wasn’t until her second glass and his slow-sipped first that the conversation shifted.

“So,” Mizi started, glancing at him over her rim. “How’s teaching this semester? Anyone driving you insane yet?”

Till hesitated.

Then gave a noncommittal shrug. “It’s manageable.”

“That bad, huh?”

“No,” he said. “Just… different.”

The pink-head alpha hummed and tilted her head. “What about Sua’s brother? He’s in your class, right?”

Till blinked. The shift was so fast and unexpected he nearly spilled his drink.

He recovered with a slow nod. “Yes. Ivan.”

“Mm.” She took another sip. “He’s something.”

He arched a brow. “Meaning?”

“I mean,” she said, “Sua barely talks about him. She loves him, sure…but he’s kind of a mystery. Weirdly private. She says he keeps certain things close to the chest, even with her.”

Till’s fingers tightened slightly around his glass.

Mizi noticed.

Smirked.

“Why? You interested or something?”

He didn’t laugh.

Didn’t roll his eyes.

Just stared at his drink like it held answers he wasn’t ready to face.

The woman blinked.

“Wait. Wait—seriously?”

“No….i mean….I don’t know,” Till said finally, voice low.

The smirk slid off her face.

He didn’t look up. “That’s the worst part. I don’t know.”

Mizi set her glass down slowly.

His voice was quieter now. “He’s a student. I shouldn’t even be thinking about it. About him.”

“But you are.”

“Yes.”

There was a long pause.

The female alpha leaned forward on her elbows, gaze softening. “Is it just attraction?”

He shook his head.

“Then what?”

“I feel seen,” he said. “Like I’ve been behind a blurry glass all these years, and he just… looks right through it.”

Mizi watched him carefully. “Do you think he likes you?”

He hesitated.

Then: “Yes.”

She sat back, folding her arms.

“And you’re feeling guilty.”

“Yes.”

“Because you’re his professor.”

“Because I’m me. And I don’t do this. I don’t get involved. I don’t blur lines. I don’t get stupid over alphas.”

“You’re not getting stupid,” she said calmly.

“I let him cook me dinner.”

Mizi raised a brow.

“Don’t give me that look,” Till said. “I told myself it was a thank-you gesture. That I was just repaying him for helping me. But then I sat there. And we talked. And it was…”

“Too easy?”

He nodded.

“And now you’re spiraling.”

“More like drowning.”

She tapped the stem of her glass. “Till… you haven’t felt anything for anyone in how long?”

“Eight years.”

“And this alpha—this Ivan—hasn’t done anything inappropriate?”

“No.”

“Hasn’t pushed? Pressured?”

“No.”

“Then why are you treating yourself like a criminal?”

He exhaled. “Because it’s still a breach. A professor and student can’t have that kind of relationship. Even the potential of it is messy.”

“And what if he wasn’t your student?”

“I can’t think like that.”

“But if he wasn’t?”

Till looked at her.

Held her gaze for a long moment.

Then, softly: “I think I’d already be gone for him.”

The admission hung between them like something raw and trembling.

Mizi’s expression gentled. “Till…”

“I know how this looks.”

“No,” she said. “You don’t. You’re too deep in it. But from the outside? It doesn’t look like someone being reckless. It looks like someone trying not to fall for someone they already have.”

Till went quiet.

Mizi leaned closer.

“He’s not a minor. You’re not abusing your power. You’re not some creep grooming a freshman who can’t tell his right from left.”

“Ivan’s twenty,” Till murmured. “Smart. Capable.”

“Exactly.”

“But I’m still the one with the authority.”

“Then use it well,” she said. “Set boundaries. Be honest. Don’t cross lines you know you shouldn’t.”

“I’m trying.”

“Good. That’s all you can do.”

His grip on his glass loosened slightly.

His friend smiled, soft but steady. “You’re not a bad person, darling. You’re just a person. And maybe…just maybe, you’ve met someone who makes you feel alive again.”

He didn’t answer.

Not right away.

Then, barely above a whisper: “I think I’m afraid he’s going to change everything.”

“Maybe he will,” she said. “But you’ve changed before. And you survived.”

They sat in silence after that.

No more questions. No more confessions.

Just the low hum of jazz, the clink of glasses, and two old friends breathing in a moment that felt like something settling: quiet, but certain.

The omega didn’t know what came next.

But the guilt felt lighter now.

Not gone.

But no longer suffocating.

And for the first time in a long while, he let himself imagine what it would feel like to reach toward someone…

…and not flinch.

_______

Chapter Text

—————

The office was too warm.

Till had cracked the window earlier that afternoon, but it hadn’t helped much. The sun still poured in through the glass like thick honey, casting soft light across the bookshelves and overstuffed armchair wedged into the corner.

Ivan sat across from him, sprawled lazily in one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs, legs stretched out and a notebook flipped open on his lap…untouched.

They hadn’t said a word about the class material in twenty minutes.

Not that they were pretending.

The textbook sat closed on the desk between them, and the omega had long since given up the idea of steering the session back to anything academic. Ivan had a way of curling the conversation toward personal territory so seamlessly, it almost felt intentional. Except he never pried. He simply… existed. Asked. Listened.

And Till…despite himself…answered.

“Do you regret becoming a professor?” The alpha asked, elbow propped on the arm of the chair, fingers loosely brushing his lower lip as he watched him.

“No,” he said after a beat. “Not really.”

“But you paused.”

“I paused,” Till admitted, “because it’s a complicated question. I like what I do. I like watching people grow into themselves. But… sometimes I wonder what else I could have been. Or done.”

“Like what?”

“An artist,” he stated immediately. Then shrugged. “Maybe therapist. Something quieter.”

Ivan tilted his head. “This isn’t quiet enough?”

The other gave a soft laugh. “Not when you’re always thinking about grades and policies and students who can’t remember to staple their papers.”

“That’s not me,” the raven-head said.

Till gave him a dry look. “You handed in an essay on personality theory as a Google Doc link.”

Ivan smiled. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“You’re lucky I didn’t take points off.”

“I’d cry.”

“You’d fake-cry,” Till corrected.

“I can’t tell you all my secrets.”

The banter settled around them like a familiar blanket: worn but comforting. Too easy. Too natural.

The silver-head leaned back in his chair and looked toward the window. “I still believe you don’t need these sessions, you know.”

The younger man didn’t respond right away.

He reached down, ran a thumb along the edge of his notebook, and then met his gaze.

“I know.”

Till blinked.

Ivan’s voice was quieter now. “I just like talking to you.”

The older man felt it like a pin under his skin: sharp, precise.

But he didn’t look away.

“And I like listening to you,” the man continued, not coy or dramatic, just honest. “You have a way of making things… sound softer.”

“I didn’t know I sounded hard before.”

“Not your voice,” he responded. “Just… the world.”

Something about the way he said it made Till’s chest tighten.

He cleared his throat and glanced at the wall clock. “It’s getting late.”

The alpha stood without protest, slipping the notebook back into his bag. “Walk me home?”

“You live literally next to me.”

“So?” Ivan grinned. “You scared to be seen with a student?”

The omega rolled his eyes, but he still stood and grabbed his coat.

They walked in silence at first, the late evening casting long shadows across the quad. Students passed by here and there, mostly laughing in groups, half-drunk on energy drinks and youth. Till’s footsteps fell in rhythm with Ivan’s, neither of them speaking, but the quiet wasn’t awkward.

It was easy.

It was dangerous.

The closer they got to the apartment building, the more the older man felt that quiet press in on him: not heavy, but expectant. Like the silence after a question you haven’t answered yet.

They reached their floor in a few strides. Ivan reached into his pocket for his key.

“Thanks for today,” he said, not quite turning around. “Even if we didn’t talk about the lecture stuff.”

Till opened his mouth, maybe to say something flippant. But nothing came out.

The other turned to him, one foot already angled toward his door. “Night, Till.”

And then—

“Ivan.”

Said man paused mid-step, brows lifting slightly as he looked back.

The silver-head’s voice was a little rougher than usual. “I meant to say earlier. I owe you.”

“For?”

“Dinner,” he said simply. “That night. It was good.”

Ivan’s eyes flickered. “You don’t owe me anything. We’re even, remember?”

“No…cooking me food is not even at all and I don’t like owing people like I’ve stated before,” Till responded. “So let me make something for you.”

There was a beat of stillness.

Then the alpha smiled, warm and stunned all at once. “You’re cooking?”

“Mhm,” the older hummed. “Don’t expect much.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow,” Till said. “If you’re free.”

Ivan nodded slowly, something unreadable blooming behind his eyes. “I’ll be there.”

The omega gave him a single nod back.

And before anything else could be said…before he could see the look on the raven-head’s face deepen into something more dangerous…he turned and slipped into his apartment, shutting the door quietly behind him.

_____

Inside, he leaned against the door with a hand over his chest.

His heart was beating too fast.

It was stupid.

It was nothing.

Just food. Just gratitude.

Just an omega inviting his alpha student into his apartment for dinner.

Till squeezed his eyes shut and let out a quiet breath.

He was losing his mind.

And the worst part?

He didn’t even want to stop it.

______

Ivan didn’t move for a long time.

Not until he heard the soft click of the omega’s door fully latching.

Only then did he let himself grin: slow, startled, and real.

He’d gone there with no expectations. No actual plan, really.

But he’d left with something electric thrumming in his chest.

An invitation.

Not a date. Not anything inappropriate.

Just a quiet shift.

A promise of tomorrow.

And that was more than enough.

For now.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

The knock came early.

Till had just rinsed the last of the rice and set it in the cooker when the knock sounded: a steady rhythm, not impatient, not hesitant. He glanced at the clock. An hour ahead of the agreed time.

He scoffed. “Figures.”

When he opened the door, Ivan was standing there with a bottle of soju in hand and his usual half-smile tucked into the corner of his mouth.

“You’re early,” he stated.

“I’m eager,” the alpha replied, stepping in when Till waved him inside.

He was dressed casually. Loose black shirt, dark jeans, hair a bit messy like he’d only just run a hand through it and called it a day. He smelled like faint citrus and something deeper, something alpha.

Till ignored that.

“I thought I’d help,” Ivan added, setting the bottle down on the counter like he lived there.

“You really offering to help?”

The raven-head leaned one hip against the kitchen island. “Offering to be useful.”

“Not the same thing.”

“You know I can cook,” the other said, grinning.

Till arched a brow but didn’t argue. “Alright…wash your hands.”

The alpha obeyed without a word, and just like that, they were sharing a kitchen: the omega chopping vegetables, Ivan slicing the meat beside him. It felt startlingly normal. Familiar in a way that made something under Till’s ribs ache.

He wasn’t used to having anyone in his space.

Certainly not like this.

The younger man didn’t hover or fumble. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone used to helping out. He passed ingredients without being asked, rinsed and wiped as they worked. For a moment, Till forgot to think about the lines between them.

Until he picked up a radish.

He was trying to dice it…sort of. But the pieces came out too thick, uneven. His blade kept slipping and it was getting annoying.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” Ivan murmured.

“I’m fine—”

“Here,” he said, stepping behind him before the older man could stop him. “Let me.”

He reached around Till, his body just barely brushing his back, and placed his hands gently over his. Large palms, warm and steady. He adjusted his grip on the knife…angled it, guided it.

“Like this,” he said, voice low by his ear. “Let the blade do the work. Don’t press down too hard.”

Till’s breath caught.

He could feel the alpha behind him. Not pressed close, not inappropriate…but present. Solid. Warm.

The scent of him curled in the air, sharp and dark.

Ivan didn’t linger. After demonstrating a few cuts, he cleared his throat and stepped back, all smooth detachment.

The other hated that he wanted him to stay close.

He didn’t say anything. Just went back to slicing, more precisely now, more focused.

The raven-head moved to the stove, watching the pan warm up.

Domestic. That’s what this was.

And it was the most dangerous thing Till had let himself feel in years.

______

Dinner was simple.

Rice, sautéed vegetables, thin slices of beef marinated in something the alpha quickly whipped up when he realized Till had only salt and soy sauce in his fridge.

They ate on the floor in front of the coffee table, sitting cross-legged with the lights dimmed and the window cracked open to let in the early evening breeze.

Ivan poured the soju.

The older man raised a brow. “I thought I was supposed to be repaying you.”

“You are,” Ivan said. “You cooked. Now drink.”

Till chuckled and took the glass. “You’re very pushy for someone who claims to be patient.”

“Patience doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy the moments in between.”

They drank.

One shot turned into three.

They didn’t talk about anything deep: no confessions, no lingering glances. Just quiet laughs, stories from childhood, a debate about whether pineapple belonged on pizza.

The silver-head laughed more than he expected just as last time.

Ivan smiled more than he spoke.

And when the bottle was almost done, the younger man leaned back and asked, “You got music?”

“I have a speaker.”

“Play something.”

“I’m not dancing.”

Ivan grinned. “You say that now.”

The other rolled his eyes but reached for his phone anyway.

He played something old and upbeat: a cheesy pop track that made Ivan groan and the other laugh.

“I’m walking out,” the alpha joked.

“No, you’re not.”

Ivan stood anyway, offering a hand. “Come on. One dance.”

“I am not drunk enough.”

“You’re not drunk at all.”

“That’s not the point.”

The raven-head gave him a pleading look that the man hated how well it worked. “Just one.”

Till groaned. “Fine.”

He stood, wobbled slightly, and blamed it on the soju.

They started out as idiots. Flailing arms, exaggerated steps, half-sarcastic moves that made them both burst out laughing. The taller man spun him once and nearly sent him crashing into the couch. Till retaliated by stepping on his foot on purpose.

They were laughing.

Not flirting.

Not circling.

Just two people dancing badly in a small apartment with a scratched-up speaker and a bottle of soju.

But then the song changed.

The beat slowed.

Something softer. Something older.

The kind of music that made your breath slow without you realizing it.

Ivan’s smile faded a little. Not gone. Just quieter.

He stepped close again and held out his hand, not demanding.

“May I?”

Till looked at it.

At him.

And gave his hand.

Their fingers linked, and the alpha’s other hand rested gently at his waist. Not pulling. Just… there.

Till’s hand settled on the man’s shoulder, unsure. Their bodies were close now. Almost chest to chest. The heat between them undeniable.

They swayed.

Small, lazy movements. The kind of dance that wasn’t about dancing at all. Just feeling.

Their faces were too close.

Till could see the red flecks in his pupils, the way the man’s eyes kept flickering down to his mouth and then back up again.

“I didn’t expect tonight to feel like this,” Till said quietly.

The raven-head’s voice was soft. “Like what?”

“Like something I’ll remember.”

Ivan’s thumb brushed the back of his hand once. “Good.”

They kept swaying.

The song played on.

Neither pulled away.

Just an omega and an alpha.

Just Till and Ivan.

Two people who had come too far to revert back to being strangers.

They didn’t do more.

Not yet.

But they could’ve.

The possibility hung in the air between them, thick as the scent of warm food and alcohol and something old, something patient.

When the song ended, they didn’t speak.

They just stood there, still holding hands, still too close.

And it was enough.

For now.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

It started with little things.

Touches so light they could’ve been accidents.

A brush of fingers when Ivan passed him a pen during their sessions. A fleeting press of knees under the desk that neither of them acknowledged. The slow, deliberate way the alpha sometimes stood just close enough that Till could feel the warmth of him: heat without contact, tension without release.

The omega noticed every one of them.

And worse…he stopped pretending he didn’t like it.

He should have said something. Set a boundary. Reminded Ivan that this was still inappropriate, no matter how casual they’d become behind closed doors. But the words never made it past his lips.

He told himself it was harmless.

That he could draw the line if it ever went too far.

But each time the raven-head lingered after class, waiting until the last student left to ask about something he clearly already understood…Till didn’t tell him to go.

When Ivan sat across from him, onyx eyes lit with attention not meant for any lecture material, the older man didn’t shut it down.

He told himself he was being careful.

He wasn’t.

______

They sat in the omega’s office again, two mugs of coffee on the desk between them, untouched and cooling.

Ivan had asked a question about defense mechanisms, and Till had answered.

But now they were just sitting in silence: comfortable, warm silence.

“You always wear dark colors,” the alpha muttered, his voice quiet, almost idle.

The other looked up from his book. “So?”

“I just think you’d look good in white or light colors.”

Till gave him a flat stare. “That’s not exactly an academic observation.”

“Neither is the way you smile when you’re trying not to.”

“I don’t—” the silver-head stopped. Glanced away. “That’s not relevant.”

“It is to me.”

Ivan didn’t say it like a challenge. There was no smugness in his voice, no alpha arrogance.

Just truth.

Till let out a long breath and stood, moving toward the window to give himself something else to look at. Students milled around the quad below, laughing and shouting, still years away from the kind of heavy quiet that seemed to follow him lately.

Behind him, the other rose too.

“Don’t,” the older man said without turning. “Don’t come closer.”

“I won’t,” Ivan said.

He didn’t.

But Till could feel him there, a few feet back. Like gravity. Like weather.

“I don’t know what I’m doing with you,” he said softly.

The raven-head’s voice came, just as soft. “You don’t have to know yet.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“It’s not supposed to be,” Ivan replied. “It’s just… honest.”

Till turned slowly.

The alpha was watching him like always…but something had shifted. There was still patience there, but it was taut now. Waiting.

“This thing between us,” he started, “you’ve been pretending it’s nothing.”

The omega opened his mouth, but the man didn’t let him speak.

“No more pretending,” he stated. “I like you. Not in a passing crush kind of way. Not in a student trying to screw his professor kind of way. I like you. I have since the beginning. And if I don’t ask now, I never will.”

Till stood frozen.

Ivan’s voice was steady, but not rehearsed. He meant it.

“Go out with me,” he stated. “One night. Just us. Not a tutoring session. Not under campus rules. A date. I won’t push for anything else. But I want the chance. You don’t owe me anything. But I want to know what this could be, outside of these roles we have.”

The older man stared at him.

Ivan held his gaze.

And finally, Till asked, “Where would we even go?”

Ivan smiled, just a little. “I’ve got a place in mind.”

______

Till almost cancelled five times before he even left the apartment.

But he didn’t.

He followed the alpha’s texted directions until he was standing outside a tall, modern home tucked in a quiet residential neighborhood he didn’t even know existed. Minimalist design. Expensive wood paneling. A sleek digital gate.

He frowned and checked the address again.

When the gate buzzed open, he stepped through, hesitant. The front door opened before he could knock.

Ivan stood there, barefoot in jeans and a charcoal-grey shirt, sleeves rolled up, hair damp like he’d just showered.

Till blinked. “What is this…..is this is your house?”

Ivan shrugged. “Technically it’s my family’s, but yes.”

“You live here alone?”

“Too quiet?”

“It’s… not what I expected.”

“I like keeping things low-key on campus,” the raven-head said, stepping aside. “Didn’t want anyone assuming things just because of my money.”

Till stepped inside, taking in the open floor plan, the high ceilings, the art on the walls. It was tastefully modern, but it felt lived in. Comfortable. There were books stacked on the coffee table. A jacket slung over the back of a chair. A cat lounging on the sun-warmed rug near the sliding doors.

“You have a cat.”

Ivan grinned. “That’s Mothman.”

The professor snorted. “Of course it is.”

“I hope you psyched yourself up for a swim,” the alpha added as he led him through the living space.

“Swim?”

He slid open the back doors.

Till stared.

A pristine rectangular pool shimmered under the setting sun. Past it, a small garden with fairy lights strung between trees. A patio table already set for two.

“This is your idea of a date?”

Ivan glanced at him. “I wanted to keep things light.”

“You once cooked me dinner and now you brought me to your actual house. You clearly have no idea what is casual.”

The alpha smiled. “Then I lied.”

Till’s heart did something stupid in his chest.

____

Dinner was kimchi jjigae and bulgogi with a side of pickled radish and kimchi. Simple. Clean. Delicious.

The omega felt strangely… light. Like something inside him had stopped bracing for impact. They talked the way they always did: teasing and honest and too comfortable. Except this time, the air was different.

This wasn’t a tutoring session.

This wasn’t also like the times they shared a meal.

This was something else.

When dinner ended, Ivan looked at him, “Come swim with me.”

The other raised a brow. “I didn’t bring—”

“You can borrow something. I’ve got swimming trunks and suits.”

“You want me to wear your clothes?”

Ivan smirked. “You wore my attention for months and didn’t complain.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“You’re still here.”

That was true.

So Till changed…accepting a pair of plain black swim shorts and shirt before he stepped out into the cooling air.

The water was warm.

They swam lazily for a while, not racing, not competing. Just moving.

At one point, he leaned back to float, eyes closed to the darkening sky. When he opened them, Ivan was beside him, face soft.

“You always look like you’re thinking too much,” he said.

“I am thinking.”

“About?”

“Whether this is a mistake.”

The alpha didn’t answer immediately.

Then he responded, “If it is, it’s a beautiful one.”

Till met his eyes.

And the silence that passed between them wasn’t tense.

It was charged.

The omega swam to the edge and rested his arms on the tile.

Ivan joined him a second later, close but not touching.

“I’m going to ask you something,” he stated, voice low.

“And I want you to answer sincerely.”

Till’s throat was dry. “Okay.”

The raven-head leaned a little closer. “Can I kiss you?”

The question shouldn’t have rattled him.

But it did.

Not because he was scared.

But because…he’d wanted it.

Till turned, slowly, water sliding off his skin, droplets clinging to his lashes.

“No,” he said.

Ivan stilled.

Then the older man added, “because I’m going to kiss you.”

And he did.

He leaned in, slow but certain, and kissed the alpha: soft and unhurried, a press of lips that spoke of everything they hadn’t been able to say.

Ivan although stunned at first, responded like he’d been waiting for this his whole life.

And he had.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, neither of them moved away.

Till rested his forehead against his.

“I’m going to regret this,” he murmured.

“I won’t,” Ivan whispered back.

And maybe, just maybe…he believed him.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

“You kissed him,” Luka said flatly. “You actually kissed our professor.”

Ivan didn’t bother hiding his smirk.

Across the plush couch of the rooftop bar, Sua let out a slow whistle as she leaned back and sipped her cocktail. “Damn. And here I thought you were gonna take six more months of tortured pining.”

The beta threw a peanut at his head. “I hate how smug you look.”

“I’m not smug,” the man responded, catching the peanut and popping it into his mouth. “I’m content.”

“That’s even worse,” Luka muttered, but there was no real heat in it. “I’ve been third-wheeling this obsession since we were eight.”

“I call that dedication,” Ivan said.

“I call it masochism.”

Sua laughed. “To be fair, he did say from the beginning that he was going to find Till again no matter what.”

“I thought he was kidding,” the blonde responded, gesturing wildly with his drink. “Like, who seriously follows through on that childhood crush fantasy?”

The raven-head arched a brow. “I do.”

“And now look,” his sister said, amused. “You’re dating your professor.”

“We’re not—” Ivan paused, choosing his words carefully. “We’re… starting something.”

“Which you started by kissing him in your pool?” Luka asked, incredulous.

“He kissed me,” he corrected, grinning now. “I asked. He said no. Then he kissed me.”

Sua clapped her hands once. “Okay, that’s actually kind of cinematic.”

“Thank you.”

Luka made a face. “You’re disgusting.”

“I’m in love.”

“Worse.”

The woman smiled, watching her brother with a warmth in her eyes that only siblings could manage. “You really are, huh?”

The alpha nodded. “I’ve loved him since I was a kid. I just didn’t have the words for it until I grew up.”

The blonde looked away, mumbling, “Now I feel like an asshole.”

“You are,” Ivan said, then nudged him with a foot. “But you’re my asshole.”

“Gross,” Luka muttered, but he smiled anyway.

Sua leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. “You know this isn’t going to be easy, right?”

Ivan sobered a little. “Yeah.”

“You’re still his student.”

“I know. We’re not rushing anything. We’re being careful.”

“You’ve never been careful a day in your life,” Luka muttered.

The alpha ignored him. “It’s different with him. I don’t want to screw it up. Not with him. Besides I have that trump card if I do screw up and we get caught.”

Sua reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Oh god... I’m not even gonna ask. But…be happy, okay? You’ve waited long enough.”

He exhaled, a quiet smile tugging at his mouth. “I think I finally am.”

_____

Till stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He didn’t look different.

That should’ve made him feel better, but it didn’t.

There was something restless in his chest. Something that hadn’t settled since the night at Ivan’s house. Since the kiss. Since the way Ivan had looked at him like he was something sacred.

He hadn’t been able to sleep properly since.

Not because of regret.

But because of possibility.

A soft knock pulled him out of his thoughts. He opened the door to find Mizi holding two takeaway coffees and a knowing grin.

“I figured you could use something warm.”

Till blinked. “I didn’t text you.”

“Exactly,” she said, pushing past him.

They settled on the couch, coffee cups in hand, the quiet comfortable between them.

The pink-haired woman glanced at him. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I kissed him,” he stated.

Mizi blinked.

Then she let out a bark of laughter. “You what?”

“I kissed him.”

“Like…kissed? Or like, oh-it-was-a-moment-our-mouths-accidentally-brushed kind of thing?”

“Definitely the first one.”

She whistled low. “Okay, Professor. I see you.”

Till groaned, dragging a hand over his face. “Don’t start.”

“I’m notttt,” she said, though her grin said otherwise. “I’m just impressed. You’ve been avoiding anything resembling a relationship for years. And now—bam. Full-on romance.”

“It’s not—” Till stopped. “It’s not like that...yet.”

“No?”

“No. We’re being careful. It’s slow. He asked first. He didn’t push.”

Mizi’s expression softened. “And how do you feel?”

The omega stared at his coffee cup for a long moment.

“I feel… scared,” he admitted. “And stupid. And like I’m making the kind of mistake I’d tell someone else not to.”

“But?”

“But I don’t regret it.”

The female alpha nodded, then nudged his knee with hers. “That sounds like the most honest thing you’ve said in years.”

Till huffed a breath. “You don’t think it’s wrong?”

“I think you’ve lived your life for everyone else long enough. You spent years doing the ‘right’ thing, the ‘normal’ thing, the safe thing. And you were miserable.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Yes, you were,” Mizi cut in gently. “You were lonely. And now you’re not.”

He swallowed.

“I’m not saying go all-in right away. But you’re allowed to want things. You’re allowed to be happy.”

“Ivan’s still my student.”

“He’s also an adult as I’ve stated before. A smart one. Who clearly worships the ground you walk on…at least from what I’m getting from what you’ve told me through texts.”

Till didn’t respond to that.

Mizi reached over and tapped his hand. “Look, if this ever stops being healthy—I’ll be the first to tell you. But for now? I think it’s okay to let yourself have this. Let yourself want something.”

He looked up at her.

And for once, he didn’t have anything to say.

_____

Ivan checked his phone for the fifth time in ten minutes.

The silver-head hadn’t texted since yesterday.

Not unusual.

Not worrying.

But after the kiss…after everything…they hadn’t really defined what came next.

He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to wait. Or call. Or pretend nothing had changed until Till was ready to name it.

He hated uncertainty.

But he loved the man more than enough to wait for clarity.

So when a message finally came through, his breath caught.

Till❤️: “You free tomorrow?”

He replied immediately.

Ivan: “Always. Yours or mine?”

Till’s reply was short.

Till❤️: “Yours. I’ll bring takeout.”

The alpha grinned, thumbs hovering over the screen before typing:

Ivan: “Does this mean I’m getting a second date?”

A pause.

Then:

Till❤️: “Don’t push your luck.”

Ivan leaned back in his chair, smile slow and warm.

He didn’t need luck.

He had something better.

He had time.

_____

Till stood outside Ivan’s apartment door the next night, takeout bag in one hand, heart thudding in his chest like he hadn’t already kissed the man whose door he was knocking on.

The raven-head answered in sweatpants and a tank top, hair still messy from a shower, and the other tried not to stare.

“You really brought food,” the alpha said, voice pleased.

“You’re not cooking for me every time,” the omega muttered, stepping inside.

“I like cooking for you.”

“Well, I like returning favors.”

Ivan grinned. “That’s good. Because you’re going to owe me after dessert.”

Till arched a brow. “Is that a euphemism?”

“Depends on how the night goes.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I’m yours,” the alpha said simply.

The older man didn’t respond.

But he smiled.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

The apartment was quiet.

Just the low hum of the air conditioning, the faint rustle of the paper takeout bag, and the occasional clink of chopsticks against ceramic. The usual background noise of Ivan’s space: familiar now, comfortable in a way Till hadn’t expected.

They sat on opposite ends of the small couch, a takeout container balanced on each of their laps. The alpha’s living room wasn’t anything extravagant…especially compared to his actual house, but it was still cozy. Lived-in. The overhead lights were dimmed, and a candle flickered gently on the coffee table between them.

Till hadn’t commented on it, but he noticed.

He noticed everything.

Ivan plucked a piece of chicken with his chopsticks and tilted it toward him without hesitation. “Try this. Mine’s better than yours.”

The other eyed him. “I literally ordered from the same place.”

“And yet, mine’s better.”

“Statistically impossible.”

“Prove it.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but the alpha was already holding the piece out, chopsticks steady and expectant.

“Are you really trying to feed me?”

“I’m helping you expand your culinary horizons,” Ivan said innocently.

Till rolled his eyes but leaned forward and took the bite, lips brushing the edge of the chopsticks.

The raven-head didn’t move. Just watched.

The older man chewed slowly, then muttered, “Okay… fine. That one was better.”

“I knew it,” Ivan said, smug, and popped another piece into his mouth.

“You’re insufferable.”

“Yet you keep coming back.”

Till didn’t have a good retort for that.

So he focused on his noodles.

They ate in relative silence after that, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. If anything, it was… familiar. Not in a stagnant way. More like a ritual: something easy and worn in, the way a favorite sweater felt against skin. The alpha would glance at the other between bites, and sometimes Till would look back. Neither of them said much. They didn’t have to.

But once the food was mostly gone, Ivan leaned back, his arm resting lazily along the back of the couch, legs stretched out.

“You know,” he said, “you never told me your favorite color.”

Till blinked. “That’s because you never asked.”

“I’m asking now.”

“Why do you care?”

Ivan smiled, slow and relaxed. “Because I want to know everything.”

The omega hated how that made his stomach flutter.

“Red,” he said after a beat. “Like dark red. The kind that looks almost burgundy in certain light.”

Ivan grinned. “That makes sense.”

“How?”

“You’ve got dark red energy.”

“That’s not a real thing.”

“Sure it is.”

Till raised an eyebrow. “And what’s your color, then?”

Ivan tilted his head. “Teal. Definitely.”

“Predictable.”

“You like predictable,” the alpha said, voice low, warm.

“I like structure.”

“Mm.” Ivan’s gaze drifted toward him. “So you’re saying you’ve structured me into your week.”

“Don’t start.”

The man leaned in, just a little. “Too late.”

Till turned to face him, still half-expecting a joke. But the other wasn’t smirking. He looked… soft. Focused.

There was a moment: sharp and quiet…where something shifted in the air between them. Nothing had touched. Nothing had moved. But Till felt it.

Ivan was watching him like he always did. Like he saw him.

And despite himself, the silver-head flushed.

He hated that.

He also didn’t move away.

Ivan’s fingers brushed his lightly. Nothing more. Just a grazing touch…casual in theory, devastating in practice.

“Does that make you uncomfortable?” He asked, his voice barely audible.

The older man could’ve lied.

But he didn’t.

“No,” he said. “Just… aware.”

“Of what?”

“That this isn’t how professors act with their students.”

Ivan’s gaze searched his. “And if we’re just two people in an apartment?”

Till swallowed. “Then it’s… different.”

The raven-head’s fingers curled around his…not pressing, just holding.

“You told me not to ask again but I want to kiss you,” he said.

And the thing was, he didn’t say it like a threat. Or a tease. Or even a plea.

He said it like a promise.

Till stared at him, breath catching in his throat.

He wasn’t ready.

But he wanted it anyway.

So he nodded.

Ivan didn’t pounce. He didn’t rush.

He leaned in slowly, giving the other every chance to stop him. His free hand came up, cupping his jaw, thumb brushing gently along his cheekbone.

Then he kissed him.

It was nothing like the previous one.

This was slower. Deeper. Like Ivan had all the time in the world. Like he was memorizing the shape of him, the way he tasted, the way he sighed into his mouth without meaning to.

Till let it happen.

He let himself sink.

And when the alpha pulled him closer, shifting the takeout containers aside so their legs could brush and their chests could meet, he didn’t pull away.

He should’ve.

But his body was melting against someone who held him like he mattered. Like he wasn’t just wanted…but known.

Ivan’s arm wrapped around his back, holding him firmly but not possessively. The kind of hold that said, “I’ve got you.”

Till trembled a little, overwhelmed by the warmth of it.

The raven-head pulled back just enough to press their foreheads together.

“You okay?” he murmured.

The omega nodded.

Then shook his head.

Then buried his face in his shoulder with a groan. “Why are you like this?”

“Like what?”

“Too much.”

Ivan chuckled, chest vibrating beneath him. “You’ve barely seen anything yet.”

Till’s voice was muffled. “Don’t start.”

The younger man held him for a while.

Just held him.

No teasing. No pushing. Just quiet warmth and slow breathing.

“I hate how good this feels,” Till admitted softly.

Ivan’s hand rubbed slow circles on his back. “Why?”

“Because I’m supposed to be smarter than this.”

The alpha shifted back, just enough to look at him.

“You are smart,” he stated. “You’re also human. I’m pretty sure you’ve spent your whole life keeping yourself in check. It’s okay to want things.”

“I don’t want things,” Till muttered.

Ivan smiled. “Liar.”

The omega sighed, eyes slipping shut. “You’re going to ruin me.”

“I’ll be gentle about it.”

“Not funny.”

“Not joking.”

That startled a small laugh out of Till, more breath than sound. “You’re really not going to stop, are you?”

“Nope.”

And somehow, that was comforting.

____

They shifted in the couch eventually, curling into each other as if they’d done it a hundred times before.

Ivan had his head resting back, eyes half-lidded, while the older man leaned against him, one leg tucked beneath the other.

They didn’t talk much after that. Just exchanged quiet thoughts, idle jokes, the occasional shared glance that lingered too long.

When it got late, the silver-head made no move to leave.

He knew he should’ve.

But he didn’t.

Ivan eventually shifted, kissing his temple gently. “Stay.”

The man didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

He was already reaching for the blanket folded at the edge of the couch.

_____

What they had…

It was something honest.

Something warm.

Something growing.

And for once, Till let himself want it.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

In public, they were professor and student.

That line had been etched deep from the beginning, and neither of them dared blur it on campus. Especially not with the stakes so high. Especially not with prying eyes, curious classmates, and faculty that already whispered more than they should.

Ivan never sat at the front of the lecture hall. He took a seat toward the back now…still in clear view of him, but never so close it looked intentional. He answered questions when asked, handed in his work on time, and never so much as lingered when class ended anymore.

Till, for his part, barely glanced his way. His voice didn’t falter when Ivan spoke, and his expression never shifted when their eyes met.

To anyone watching, they were just a young alpha and his professor.

Unremarkable.

Unmemorable.

Unconnected.

But behind closed doors…it was something else entirely.

______

The door shut softly behind Till.

The alpha didn’t speak at first. He just stepped closer, slowly, deliberately, like the very air between them was permission.

The omega dropped his bag by the door, already knowing the routine. They didn’t talk much when he came over like this. Words felt too clumsy, too slow. And besides…he didn’t need them.

Not when Ivan’s hands slid over his waist like they belonged there.

Not when soft lips brushed his jaw in silent welcome.

Not when he turned and kissed the younger man without hesitation, without doubt.

They didn’t rush.

They never did.

Ivan kissed him like he was memorizing him again for the first time. One hand settled at the small of his back, the other curled gently behind his neck. There was reverence in the way he touched: steady, deliberate, patient.

Till leaned into it. Into him.

Into the quiet space they built every time they met like this…where names and titles and consequences didn’t exist.

Where it was just them.

When they finally broke apart, the alpha pressed their foreheads together, breath warm between them.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

The omega nodded.

Then, with a dry huff, “You always ask that.”

“I always mean it.”

Till didn’t say anything after that. He just moved toward the couch and pulled Ivan down with him, their limbs tangling with the ease of repetition.

It was becoming a habit.

This unspoken ritual.

Some nights, they’d talk: about classes, about books, about memories that bled too close to longing. But most nights, it was like this.

Just quiet touches.

Just closeness.

Ivan curled behind him now, arms wrapped around his waist, face buried in the crook of his neck. He didn’t press, didn’t grind against him or coax anything more than comfort.

And still…Till’s heart beat too fast. Too loud.

Because this was worse than anything physical.

It was intimate.

Too intimate.

He didn’t know how to brace himself for something that gentle.

The raven-head pressed a soft kiss just behind his ear. “You smell like you.”

Till hummed. “I should hope so.”

“No…like your soap. And your skin. And that note of your omega scent underneath everything else.”

“Romantic.”

“I’m serious.”

The older man rolled his eyes but didn’t move.

He didn’t want to.

They lay there for a long time like that…breathing in sync, their bodies molded together in silence.

Eventually, the alpha asked, “Do you ever think about what people would say if they knew?”

Till’s body went still.

“…Sometimes,” he admitted.

Ivan didn’t move. “Does it scare you?”

“Yes,” the other said without hesitation. “But not because of you.”

“Then because of what I am?”

Till turned slightly, just enough to meet his eyes. “Because of what I am.”

The younger of the two frowned.

“I’m your professor,” the silver-head said. “That’s not nothing. You and I could lose everything if this goes wrong.”

“It won’t.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“I can,” Ivan stated quietly, “because I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

Till stared at him.

He looked so sure. So certain in the way only someone young and in love could be.

And still…some part of him believed him.

He looked away before he could say something stupid.

Ivan didn’t press the conversation further. He just kissed his shoulder and held him tighter.

_____

In public, they didn’t speak outside of class anymore.

Not in the halls. Not in the quad. Not even when they passed each other by the campus bookstore one morning.

Till’s gaze flicked toward him for less than a second before moving on.

It should’ve hurt.

But Ivan understood.

He liked that Till took it seriously.

That he respected the risk.

It made the moments in private feel all the more sacred.

_____

Friday nights became a pattern.

They didn’t call it anything.

Didn’t label it.

The omega would knock twice…always twice…at his apartment door around eight.

Ivan would already have tea waiting.

Dinner, sometimes. Or dessert. Or a half-finished movie paused at the thirty-minute mark because they never actually made it through an entire film.

Tonight, it was from a restaurant Till liked downtown.

They sat on the floor, plates balanced on their knees, a quiet song playing in the background.

Ivan nudged him after a bite. “You’re staring.”

“I’m not,” the man lied.

“You are. You always do when you’re thinking something.”

Till didn’t answer.

The alpha leaned a little closer. “What is it?”

“I was just… wondering.”

“About?”

The omega hesitated, then said, “What happens when the year ends and you no longer have me as your professor?”

Ivan paused. His smile faded…not gone, just gentler now.

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” he admitted. “I guess I was too focused on the now.”

Till hummed. “I always think ahead.”

“I know.”

They were quiet again.

Ivan broke the silence first.

“When the year ends,” he said, “I’ll ask you to go on a proper date. One that doesn’t involve takeout or going at each other’s places or tutoring.”

The older man glanced at him.

“You don’t have to wait,” he said quietly.

The alpha blinked. “What?”

“I said I wouldn’t cross a line. I didn’t say you had to stay behind it.”

The weight of those words settled between them like a ripple.

Ivan stared at him for a moment longer.

Then reached out: slow, reverent, and touched his cheek.

“You make me want to always kiss you.”

“You’re already halfway there,” Till grinned, voice soft.

The raven-head smiled.

And kissed him like he meant it.

_____

They ended up on the couch again, bodies tangled under the blanket, Till half in his lap by the end of it.

The raven-head kissed like it was an art form.

With his hands. With his mouth. With the way he hummed low in his throat when the smaller man sighed against his lips.

They didn’t undress.

Didn’t need to.

It wasn’t about that yet.

It was about skin beneath fabric. About mouths searching. About fingers curling around each other and soft sounds slipping into the quiet between them.

Till felt raw after.

Not exposed.

Just real.

The younger man brushed a thumb over his lower lip. “You’re dangerous when you let yourself want things.”

The other didn’t argue.

Ivan leaned close again, breath warm. “I’m going to kiss you like this every night if you let me.”

“Don’t make promises.”

“I don’t promise things I can’t keep.”

Till pressed a kiss to his jaw in reply.

Not to be coy.

Just to say me too.

______

At university, the next week passed like normal.

The silver-head lectured as usual.

Ivan sat at the back, never late, always engaged.

Sometimes they made eye contact.

It never lasted long.

But when they passed in the stairwell that Thursday morning…no one else around…the professor brushed his hand lightly against Ivan’s as they crossed paths.

Just once.

Just a touch.

The alpha felt it for the rest of the day.

_____

That night, Ivan was already waiting when Till knocked.

He didn’t even say hello.

He just opened the door, took one look at him, and pulled him inside.

The older man’s back hit the wall.

Their mouths met before he could even breathe.

And in that kiss, there was everything.

Every stolen glance.

Every unspoken want.

Every boundary they weren’t crossing…but still wanted to blur.

Ivan kissed him like he was home.

And Till?

Till let himself feel it.

Because in private, they weren’t professor and student.

They were just Ivan and Till.

And maybe that was enough.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

The weekend had started out quiet.

Till had brought over a small duffel…just enough for two nights. Fresh clothes, and a few things he thought might pass as casual. He didn’t like to stay over anywhere, hadn’t in years, but something about Ivan’s apartment made it easier to say yes.

The space was clean, but not sterile. Lived-in without being cluttered. It smelled like sage and citrus and just enough of his alpha scent to make something low in the man’s chest feel warm.

It had only taken an hour before Till found himself padding barefoot through the place like he’d always belonged there.

They cooked together. Or tried to. Ivan nearly burned the rice from being distracted and Till oversalted the soup, but neither of them cared. They laughed about it, bodies brushing in the kitchen, stolen kisses between bites.

The night had ended on the couch.

Again.

Only this time, the omega stayed the night in his bed.

Just holding.

Kissing.

Breathing.

In private, they were everything they couldn’t be in public. Soft. Closer. Less afraid.

Till had woken up to sunlight slanting across Ivan’s bare shoulder, their legs tangled beneath the covers. The alpha’s arm was heavy around his waist, his breath warm on the back of the other’s neck. For a moment, it had felt too good. Dangerous, even.

But the omega didn’t move.

He stayed.

Saturday passed in a similar rhythm: lazy, warm, unhurried. They didn’t talk about the world outside the apartment. Didn’t talk about titles or expectations.

Just music playing low from Ivan’s speakers, and soft conversation between movies they didn’t finish.

By Sunday morning, the silver-head had even let himself brush his teeth with Ivan’s spare toothbrush.

He didn’t think much of it.

He was starting to forget why he ever tried to resist this in the first place.

_____

It started innocently.

The raven-head was in the shower, humming something low and aimless through the half-open bathroom door. Till had just gotten up from the bed, wearing one of the alpha’s oversized hoodies and a pair of his sweatpants that bunched around the ankles.

He wasn’t snooping.

He’d been reaching for the spare blanket in the hallway cupboard…just cold enough for an excuse…when he noticed the storage bin tucked against the wall on the bottom shelf.

It was cracked open.

Only by an inch.

But something blue caught his eye.

He froze.

That shade of navy…it wasn’t just familiar.

It was specific.

He reached down, lifted the edge of the lid. The light was dim in the hallway, but there was no mistaking it.

A jacket.

It was a worn navy windbreaker. One he had in his teens. The one he’d worn every day the fall he turned sixteen, cheap and too large even on him, with frayed cuffs and a stubborn zipper that always got stuck halfway. What was unmistakable was that the left pocket had a tear he’d sewn up himself with dark blue thread. And near the shoulder…

He turned it gently.

There it was.

A pale brownish stain…from coffee. From the morning he’d spilled an entire thermos on himself while racing to catch the train.

Till staggered back a step.

It didn’t make sense.

This was his jacket.

He hadn’t seen it in over a decade.

Not since…

His heart lurched.

Not since that day.

The kid. The rain. The alley. The fucking bullies.

Till had wrapped the jacket around the kid’s trembling frame after scolding the older boys and pulling them off him. He’d held him there until the boy’s guardians showed. The kid had clung to him with such desperation, sobbing into his shoulder like the world had ended.

He had given him the jacket when the rain picked up harder, pulling it off without a second thought. The child had looked up at him like he hung the stars.

And then the omega had gone home.

Alone.

He hadn’t thought about that day in years.

Not until now.

The bathroom door opened with a soft squeak and a burst of steam.

“Hey,” Ivan’s voice called casually. “Did you use the last of the—”

He stopped.

Towel slung low on his hips. Hair dripping over his forehead. Bare, toned chest still damp from the water.

And his gaze landed on the jacket in the man’s hands.

His face changed instantly.

Not surprise.

Not confusion.

Just a quiet stillness.

A pause.

Like he knew exactly what was coming next.

Till didn’t speak.

Not for a long moment.

Then, very quietly:

“Why do you have this?”

Ivan didn’t answer right away.

He stepped forward slowly, drying his hands on the edge of the towel, and stopped a few feet away.

“Till—”

“This is mine,” the omega stated, louder now. “It’s mine. I haven’t seen it since—God, since I was sixteen.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

The alpha took a slow breath.

Then said softly, “Because you gave it to me.”

Till blinked.

“…You’re?”

The younger man didn’t move. His voice stayed steady, careful. “I was eight. It was raining. Some older boys were messing with me behind the school alley.”

Till’s breath caught.

Ivan’s voice was quiet now. “You stopped them. Pulled them off me. Told them if you ever saw them again, you’d knock their teeth in.”

The silver-head gripped the fabric of the jacket tighter.

“You stayed until my driver came. And when I was crying because I was soaked and freezing, you—” the alpha swallowed. “You took off that jacket and wrapped it around me. You said I’d be okay. That I was safe.”

His voice cracked at the end.

“I never forgot you.”

Silence.

Heavy. Unrelenting.

Till stared at him, something shuddering in his chest.

“You’re… you’re really that kid?”

Ivan nodded.

“I looked for you for years.” His voice was raw now. “I remembered everything: your voice, your face, the way you smiled when you told me I was brave. I never even knew your name, but I swore I’d find you someday. And then I did.”

Till stepped back.

“You knew who I was all along?”

“I—” Ivan ran a hand through his hair. “Yes. Your voice. Your scent. I knew all along.”

“You transferred here for me.”

“I transferred here because of you,” the alpha said. “Because I needed to see if it was real. If you were real.”

Till felt the wall at his back before he realized he’d even moved.

The jacket hung limp in his hands now.

It was too much.

Too fast.

Too much.

“You should’ve told me,” he said, voice brittle.

“I was going to.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t want to scare you off.”

The omega looked down.

The jacket. His jacket.

From all those years ago.

Kept. Preserved. Cherished.

This wasn’t just a coincidence.

This had never been a coincidence.

“You’ve been planning this from the start.”

“No—”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Ivan flinched.

Till’s voice shook. “All those tutoring sessions. The questions. The fucking PowerPoint excuse. Oh god…you living next door isn’t a coincidence either right?”

“I…I just… I wanted to be near you. That’s it.”

“That’s not it.”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen like this,” Ivan stated, stepping forward, bare feet quiet on the floor. “But I didn’t fake how I felt. I didn’t fake any of it.”

Till turned away.

He couldn’t look at him.

Couldn’t look at the eyes that had always seemed too full of something he didn’t understand…until now.

“I thought this was real,” the older man whispered.

“It is.”

“Is it?” He spun back around. “Or are you just in love with some fantasy you built from when you were a kid?”

Ivan’s jaw clenched. “You think this is just about that day?”

“Isn’t it?”

“No,” the raven-head responded sharply. “That day started it, yeah. But everything after…that was me getting to know you. Not the memory. Not the boy who saved me. You. The man you are now.”

Till didn’t respond.

Ivan’s voice dropped. “I’ve loved you since I was old enough to not understand what love even was.”

And the silver-head felt something shatter in him at the honesty of it.

He didn’t know what to say.

Didn’t know how to say anything.

So he didn’t.

He just stood there, jacket in hand, heart pounding against bone, while Ivan: still damp, still vulnerable, still too close…waited.

And for the first time since this whole thing started, Till had no idea what came next so he simply walked out the door.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

A week had passed since Till had found the jacket.

Seven full days.

And not once had he looked at Ivan since.

Not in class, not in the halls, not even when they both crossed paths outside the apartment building by sheer coincidence. He had walked right past him, eyes forward, expression blank.

The raven-head hadn’t said anything.

He couldn’t.

Because what could he say?

Everything he wanted to say: how sorry he was, how deeply real his feelings were, how none of this had ever been a game…would’ve sounded hollow.

Too late.

Too calculated.

So he’d stayed quiet.

And Till had walked away like none of it had ever mattered.

______

At first, Ivan had thought the silence would break on its own.

That maybe the omega just needed time.

A few days, maybe. A soft moment. A text. Something.

But each day bled into the next with nothing.

No knocks on his door. No tutoring sessions. No casual walks home. No shared dinners, no takeout, no kisses.

Just silence.

And the cold, brutal space Till had carved between them.

______

By the time Monday rolled around, the alpha hadn’t spoken more than a few sentences all day.

He went to class. Sat through lectures.

Didn’t eat.

Didn’t sleep.

When Luka finally caught him after their seminar and insisted they go back to his house for the evening, he hadn’t argued.

He just nodded.

And followed.

_____

The blonde cracked open a bottle of whiskey the moment they stepped inside his place. Ivan was barely out of his jacket before the glass was in his hand.

“What’s going on with you?” Luka asked, settling into the couch beside him. “You look like hell.”

The raven-head downed the first sip and let it burn.

“…Till found out,” he said finally.

The beta blinked. “Found out what?”

“Who I am. Who I was.”

The words hung heavy in the air between them.

“Shit.”

Ivan exhaled slowly. “Yeah.”

“You told him?”

“No. He found the jacket.”

Luka winced. “Fuck.”

“He hasn’t spoken to me since. Not one word.”

“You didn’t think maybe you should’ve told him sooner?”

“I wanted to,” the alpha stated. “But I didn’t know how.”

He rubbed his face with one hand, fingers pressing into his eyes.

“I just… wanted to be near him. I wasn’t trying to manipulate him, I swear.”

Luka didn’t say anything at first.

Then, surprisingly, “I know.”

Ivan looked up.

“I’ve seen the way you look at him,” his friend responded. “Even when we were back in school, when you didn’t even know his name, you talked about him like he was sunlight.”

Ivan let out a broken laugh.

“I don’t think he’s coming back,” he said quietly.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

Luka refilled his glass without a word and passed it back before wrapping an arm around him to provide comfort.

The other leaned into it.

_____

Across the city, Till stood outside the club’s neon-lit entrance, fingers tight around his phone.

He hadn’t been planning to go out tonight.

Not really.

But something inside him had been twisting tighter and tighter all week, and now it had nowhere to go.

So he called the only person who wouldn’t ask too many questions.

Mizi picked up on the second ring.

“Hey, babe,” she greeted, her voice upbeat. “What’s up?”

“Wanna go out?”

There was a pause on the other end.

“…Are you okay?”

The silver-head forced a breath. “Just want to get out of my head. Dance a bit. Drink.”

“Right,” she said slowly. “Where should I meet you?”

“Lucid.”

“I’ll be there in thirty.”

_____

They found each other easily in the crowded room.

Mizi pulled him into a hug without hesitation, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek before dragging him toward the bar. “We’re starting with shots.”

Till didn’t argue.

They downed two each, then the female alpha handed him a glass of something sweet and fizzy and leaned on the counter beside him.

“You wanna talk about it?”

He hesitated.

Then, finally, “It’s Ivan.”

Mizi blinked once.

Then tilted her head. “Okay… what happened?”

Till stared at his drink.

“I found something in his place. Something from years ago. A jacket I used to own.”

Her brow furrowed. “That doesn’t sound… criminal?”

“It was my jacket. From when I was a teenager. I gave it to this kid I found getting beat up in the rain.”

She blinked.

Slowly.

“Oh,” she said.

“Yeah,” the omega muttered. “Turns out that kid was Ivan.”

Mizi whistled low.

“Well, shit.”

“He knew,” Till went on. “He’s known since the beginning.”

His friend was quiet for a moment.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “That’s a lot.”

“I know.”

“But, like… why are you mad?”

Till turned sharply. “What?”

“I mean, okay, yeah, he didn’t tell you right away. Not great. But he clearly didn’t use it against you. You’re the one who’s been holding back this whole time, yeah?”

“That’s not the point—”

“Then what is?”

Till’s mouth opened.

Closed.

Mizi gave him a flat look. “He was a scared little kid. You saved his life, basically. You think that wouldn’t leave a mark? You think you wouldn’t have done something just as intense if the roles were reversed?”

His throat tightened.

“I just… it felt like he was chasing a memory. Not me.”

“I’ve seen you two together, and that was before you two got together,” Mizi stated. “He’s not chasing some idea. He’s chasing you. Now. Who you are now.”

The omega didn’t say anything.

“I’m not saying he’s perfect,” she added. “But I am saying you might be punishing him for feeling something big. And that’s not fair.”

Till stared down at his drink.

His hands were trembling.

“Fuck,” he whispered.

_____

He called the raven-head at 1:37 AM.

He was still standing outside the club, coat pulled tightly around him, the air sharp against his flushed skin.

The phone rang twice.

Then three times.

Then—

“‘LLo?”

Ivan’s voice was unmistakably drunk.

“Hey,” the older man responded, voice soft.

“…T—Till?”

There was a wet sound…sniffling, maybe. Then a hiccup. “Is it really you?”

Till closed his eyes.

“Yeah.”

The alpha exhaled like the wind had been knocked out of him.

“I’m sorry,” he slurred. “I’m—fuck. I messed up. I just—I missed you. I didn’t know how to—”

“Where are you?”

“Mmm…”

The sound of Ivan fumbling with something…probably the phone itself.

“Don’ remember the name,” he mumbled. “Bar with the blue lights. Luka brought me. Said I needed to—fuckin’—get distracted.”

“Put Luka on.”

A beat of silence.

Then some rustling.

“Hello?”

“Luka?”

“Professor?”

“…Yeah.”

“Oh, thank fuck.” The blonde’s voice was exasperated. “I’ve been trying to get him to go home for an hour.”

“Where are you?”

“Glasshouse. Corner of Fifth and Ravel.”

“I’m coming.”

Till hung up without another word.

And for the first time all week…he moved with purpose.

___________

Chapter Text

—————

Mizi didn’t say anything when Till returned to their table and pulled on his coat in a rush.

She just looked at him: carefully, knowingly…and stood up, brushing imaginary lint from her sleeve.

“You found him?” she asked softly.

“Yeah.”

She didn’t press. Just walked with him to the curb outside Lucid.

He hesitated before sliding into the waiting rideshare she’d called for him. He turned to her.

“Miz?”

She looked up.

“…Thanks,” he said. “For everything.”

Her smile was soft and lopsided. “Go get your idiot.”

He nodded and got in.

______

The bar was easy to find. It was lit with that cool electric blue that made it stand out on a street full of muted restaurants and low-lit lounges. Till stepped out of the car and adjusted the collar of his coat, scanning the sidewalk before heading in.

It didn’t take long.

Ivan wasn’t exactly subtle.

He was slouched in a corner booth near the back of the bar, head tipped to one side, hair a mess, cheeks pink from drink and emotion. Luka sat beside him, arms crossed, watching him with a mix of fondness and deep annoyance.

The alpha lifted his head blearily when he approached.

“Till?” he croaked, voice thick and hopeful.

The blonde looked up too, relief washing over his face like the tide.

“Thank God,” he muttered, standing. “I’ve tried everything short of tranquilizer darts.”

Till looked at Ivan. Really looked.

The alpha looked like a mess.

Red-rimmed eyes. Damp lashes. A wobble to his bottom lip like he was barely holding it together.

But the second he reached the table, Ivan surged forward, stumbling out of the booth.

“You came,” he breathed, blinking like he didn’t quite believe it. “You actually…fuck, or am I dreaming again—”

“Hey,” Till answered quietly, catching him before he could trip. “Easy.”

The raven-head grabbed both his hands. Tight. Desperate.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted, slurring a little. “I didn’t mean to lie. I was just scared…scared you’d hate me if you knew and I didn’t want that. I couldn’t stand the thought of…of you looking at me like I was just some obsessed—”

“Ivan—”

“Please don’t hate me,” said man begged, his voice cracking. “Please. I didn’t plan this—I mean, not all of it…and I know I’m a mess right now but I—fuck, I missed you so much—”

“Ivan.”

The alpha blinked up at him.

Till gently squeezed his hands.

“I don’t hate you.”

The other’s breath caught. His eyes welled again, and before the older man could say another word, he threw his arms around him, burying his face against his neck with a broken little sound.

Till stood there, holding him, heart cracking wide open.

Luka cleared his throat awkwardly.

“I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” he said. “You good?”

Till nodded.

“Thanks for staying with him.”

The beta shrugged. “He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s my pain in the ass.”

He started to turn, then paused and gave the omega a pointed look.

“He really does love you, you know. Has for a long time. Not just the idea of you.”

Till’s throat went tight.

He didn’t respond.

Luka didn’t wait for one. He left with a pat to Ivan’s shoulder and a parting nod.

______

Getting the raven-head into a rideshare was harder than expected…not because he resisted, but because he wouldn’t let go of Till. He kept one hand firmly tangled in the older man’s coat, the other clutching their intertwined fingers like he might dissolve without the contact.

Once in the back seat, Ivan immediately leaned into his side, cheek resting against his shoulder.

Till didn’t push him away.

Didn’t even think about it.

The alpha’s scent was stronger like this. Messy with alcohol and sadness, but underneath was the familiar warm cedar and citrus note the silver-head was becoming so achingly fond of.

“Sorry,” Ivan mumbled into his shoulder. “I know I’m annoying.”

“You’re drunk.”

“I’m pathetic.”

“You’re not.”

The man lifted his head a little, eyes glassy and pleading.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear. I just—I didn’t know how to tell you. You were right there, and I didn’t want to lose it. I didn’t want to lose you.”

Till didn’t speak.

He just reached over and brushed a piece of hair from his face.

That seemed to make Ivan cry harder.

“You’re too good,” he exhaled through a shaky breath. “You’re too good and I don’t deserve you.”

Till looked out the window.

His own eyes stung.

“You deserve a lot more than you think.”

________

By the time they reached their apartment building, the raven-head was barely upright.

Till paid the driver and helped him out of the car, one arm looped around his waist to keep him steady.

It wasn’t lost on him that this was the same street where, just a few months ago, Ivan had stepped in front of three alphas and put himself between him and danger like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Now Till was the one guiding him.

Keeping him safe.

He led the younger man straight to his apartment door and unlocked it with one hand while keeping a firm hold on him with the other.

“Wait—” Ivan blinked. “This isn’t—”

“You’re staying with me tonight.”

“…Okay.”

No arguments.

Till brought him inside, flicked on the low hallway lamp, and nudged the other’s shoes off before guiding him gently toward the bedroom.

Ivan flopped down onto the bed, sprawled awkwardly on his back with arms half-opened like he was waiting for the other to join him.

But Till knelt beside the bed instead, untucking the corner of the blanket and tugging it up over the alpha’s legs.

“I’ll get a cloth,” he said softly. “You’re all sticky with sweat.”

But Ivan reached for him.

His hand found his wrist.

“Don’t go.”

“I’ll be right back—”

“No,” the man whispered, tugging him forward.

His strength was nothing compared to Till’s will, usually.

But Till was tired.

Emotionally gutted.

And when the alpha pulled again, he let himself go.

He fell forward into his chest…hands on either side of him, and Ivan immediately wrapped both arms around his back, holding him like a lifeline.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Till froze.

The raven-head blinked slowly, gaze soft and hazy.

“I’ve loved you forever, I think,” he slurred. “Since I was a kid. Since you put that jacket around me and told me I’d be okay.”

The older man’s mouth parted, but no sound came out.

Ivan’s hand came up, fingertips brushing gently over his cheek.

“I know I was stupid. And scared. But I love you,” he said again, like a prayer. “You make everything feel worth it. Back then…you were the first person…outside of Luka and Sua who stood up for me. You were the first person who held me close as if I was worth protecting. I was…smaller than usual…so no one believed I was an alpha. Those kids especially didn’t so they would always gang up on me.”

Till’s heart twisted.

The man wasn’t trying to manipulate him. He wasn’t trying to gain anything.

He was just speaking from a place so raw it cut through every wall the omega had ever built.

He swallowed thickly.

“Ivan…”

“So I’ll say it again when I’m sober,” the alpha promised. “So you know it’s real. So you know I could never only love the idea of you.”

Till let out a breathless laugh.

Soft.

Incredibly fond.

“I’m holding you to that.”

The younger man smiled, eyes already fluttering shut.

Till shifted beside him, not touching, not moving.

Just listening to his breathing slow.

The weight of the week peeled back, inch by inch.

And all that remained was this moment.

Fragile.

Unspoken.

But real.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

Ivan woke to pain.

Not emotional. Not sharp. Just… physical.

A dull, pulsing ache lodged squarely between his temples, the weight of dehydration and too many drinks the night before pressing down on his skull like a vice. His mouth tasted like regret. His limbs felt like lead. His brain throbbed every time he so much as blinked.

But despite all of that, he smiled.

Because tucked firmly into the curve of his body…breathing slow and deep, one hand curled into his shirt, face buried against his chest…was Till.

Warm. Soft. Asleep.

It was real.

The alpha’s heart thudded quietly as he blinked up at the ceiling. He remembered everything. Every word. Every stumble. Every sob.

He remembered the ride back.

The way he couldn’t stop holding Till’s hand.

The way he clung to him in the elevator, pressed his nose to Till’s shoulder like it was home.

He remembered the moment he’d begged Till not to leave his side, the way he’d tugged him down onto the bed.

The moment he whispered, “I love you”, not once, but several times.

God. He’d really put his heart on his sleeve.

He didn’t even cringe.

Not fully.

Because despite the mess, despite the blubbering, despite the alcohol…he meant every word. He’d meant it last night. He meant it now. And he didn’t want to take it back.

He wanted the older man to know.

He wanted him to see every side of him. The composed one, the foolish one, the clingy one. Even the one who cried into his shirt and begged for forgiveness. Maybe especially that one.

He breathed in slowly, lowering his gaze.

His hand was resting on the other’s back, fingers splayed wide. Till’s hair was mussed, sleep-tangled, curling just a little against his forehead. His eyelashes twitched faintly in his sleep, his breath soft and steady against the raven-head’s chest.

Ivan’s heart clenched.

He had imagined this moment a thousand times.

Where Till would accept him like this.

But nothing had prepared him for the feel of it. The weight of it.

The way the man fit into him like a missing piece, like some invisible part of him that had always been meant to be here.

He let his eyes close again, just for a second.

Just to savor it.

_______

Till stirred sometime later, slow and groggy, like waking up from underwater. His lashes fluttered, his brows knitting faintly before his eyes cracked open.

He blinked against the light, soft and slow.

Then stilled.

The alpha was already awake, watching him with a warmth that made his stomach do an uncomfortable twist…one that he didn’t hate.

“…Hi,” he mumbled, his voice rough with sleep.

“Hey,” the other responded quietly, thumb brushing a small circle into his back.

The omega didn’t move.

He just looked at him.

“You’re in my bed,” he said after a pause.

Ivan gave a small, lazy grin. “Technically you let me into your bed.”

Till squinted. “Still weird. We’ve only slept in yours.”

“Want me to move?”

“…No.”

The raven-head laughed under his breath. “Good.”

A beat of silence passed.

The older man shifted slightly, pulling himself more into Ivan’s chest like it was instinct. Their legs tangled. Their arms adjusted. And neither of them let go.

Ivan’s voice was quiet when he finally said, “I remember everything.”

Till didn’t respond, but his heartbeat ticked faster under the man’s hand.

“I meant what I said.”

Still, Till said nothing.

So the alpha gently cupped his cheek, brushing a thumb along the edge of his jaw, and looked into teal eyes with every ounce of certainty he had left in his chest.

“I love you.”

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t dramatic.

Just soft. Honest. Grounded.

The omega blinked. Once. Twice.

Then…he giggled.

Not cruelly. Not dismissively. But quietly. Warmly. Like something fragile had snapped loose in his chest and let him breathe again.

“You really said it again,” he smiled widely.

“I said I’d say it again when I am sober.”

“I didn’t think you’d actually remember.”

The alpha hummed, dipping his forehead against his. “I always remember when it comes to you.”

Till smiled.

Then leaned in and nuzzled their noses together, gently, affectionately…like he’d done it a thousand times before.

He didn’t say I love you back.

But the kiss he gave after said more than enough for now.

It was slow.

It was sweet.

It was shy.

It was safe.

And when they pulled apart, he rested his head back on the younger man’s chest and didn’t say anything at all.

_____

The morning unfolded like something from a dream neither of them wanted to wake from.

Ivan eventually sat up with a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose and muttering about water and paracetamol. Till wordlessly rolled out of bed, padded into the kitchen, and returned with both.

He handed them over like it was nothing.

The man stared at the water bottle.

“…You always take care of drunk people like this?”

“No,” the other replied, crawling back under the blanket and reclaiming his spot at his side. “Just you.”

Ivan took that to heart more than he should have.

______

They stayed in bed far longer than either of them intended and yes…they skipped Uni together.

Till eventually pulled out his laptop to answer a few department emails while the alpha lay behind him, arm around his waist, nose in his neck like a sleepy oversized cat.

The omega didn’t shoo him off.

If anything, he leaned back a little more.

Ivan watched him answer emails like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Occasionally he peppered kisses along the slope of his shoulder. Breathed him in.

Till didn’t complain.

He even let the raven-head read over his shoulder once or twice. Corrected a typo. Chuckled when Ivan muttered about academic jargon being “the death of traditional Korean.”

“Do you always flirt through proofreading?” The omega asked after one particularly long kiss behind his ear.

The other hummed. “Only when I’m madly in love.”

Till rolled his eyes, but his cheeks were pink.

______

They eventually got hungry.

Ivan offered to cook. Till refused.

“I’m not letting you anywhere near a stove until you stop looking like a hungover dog.”

“Wow. The romance is gone already.”

“Shame.”

So they ordered congee and fruit from the place down the block, and the alpha insisted they eat it in bed.

The silver-head didn’t argue.

They shared everything: drizzled honey, sesame oil, extra seaweed. Ivan fed him a piece of melon at one point just to be annoying. Till bit his fingers lightly.

They laughed.

They kissed again.

______

By late afternoon, the omega had finally convinced himself to brush his teeth, fix his hair, and change into clean clothes. Ivan remained shirtless and half-draped across the bed, watching him move around the room like it was some sacred privilege.

“Stop staring,” the older man muttered.

“Can’t,” Ivan said unapologetically.

“You’re disgusting.”

“I’m in love.”

Till paused by the closet door.

Looked over.

And grinned brightly.

________

Neither of them said what this meant.

But they both knew something had shifted...something big.

Whatever wall had been between them had crumbled.

And in its place was something warm. Something open.

Something honest.

They weren’t rushing it.

But neither of them was turning away.

And for now?

That was enough.

___________

Chapter Text

—————

It was subtle at first.

The way the older man lingered a little too long in thought after Ivan kissed him goodbye a couple weeks later.

The way he stood in the elevator, arms crossed, chewing the inside of his cheek.

The way he nearly forgot his lesson plan entirely until a student politely asked if he meant to skip Chapter Seven.

He hadn’t slept poorly. Ivan had made sure of that, curling himself around Till like a shield, whispering nonsense in his ear until they both slipped into sleep. He’d even walked Till to his office that morning, their fingers brushing in the hallway before they parted ways.

No—it wasn’t the sleep.

It was the knowing.

The knowing that something had changed between them, even more than before.

It wasn’t just kisses and meals anymore. It wasn’t tutoring sessions or late-night chats. It was intimacy. Care. Touches that lingered, glances that softened. And that day, it had felt so… settled.

They were together.

They had to be.

Right?

Till stared at the list of papers he had to grade and realized he had reread the same sentence three times. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, sighed, and leaned back in his chair.

He wasn’t stupid.

He was a grown ass man. An educated one. A professor with degrees and experience and a goddamn good robust understanding of interpersonal dynamics.

So why was this eating at him?

Why did his chest tighten every time he thought about it?

Because it wasn’t just about labels. Not really. It was about safety. Security. Wanting something solid in his hands instead of all these maybes. All these unspoken things.

Till didn’t do uncertainty well. He never had.

He hated not knowing where the ground ended and the cliff began.

______

By the time he returned home that evening, Ivan was already waiting.

Not in the hallway.

Not even in front of his door.

But inside, sprawled across his small couch like he lived there, one hand holding a magazine upside down, the other absentmindedly stroking the cat that definitely wasn’t Till’s but liked to visit sometimes.

The omega stared at him from the doorway, arms crossed.

Ivan looked up, grinned.

“You’re early,”

“You’re late,” the alpha replied.

“I wasn’t aware we scheduled anything.”

“You left your door open. That counts as an invitation.”

Till rolled his eyes but said nothing else as he stepped inside and locked the door behind him this time. His bag hit the floor. His shoes came off with practiced motions. He padded into the kitchen, poured a glass of water, drank half of it, and tried not to feel that churning in his stomach again.

Ivan watched him.

Sensed something.

“…Bad day?”

“No,” the other said too quickly. Then, quieter: “Just… a lot on my mind.”

The raven-head sat up now, alert in that way that always surprised Till. He looked serious without being demanding. Gentle without backing down.

“You wanna talk about it?”

Till hesitated.

Then he leaned against the kitchen counter, arms folded. “I’ve been thinking.”

“That’s dangerous.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

They stared at each other a moment.

Then he asked: bluntly, awkwardly, honestly:

“What… are we?”

Ivan blinked.

Not because he didn’t understand.

But because he hadn’t expected the omega to be the one to bring it up.

Till was already flushing now, looking away. “I know it’s stupid. We’ve already done all these things: kissed, touched, slept next to each other, made dinner. I just…I’m not very good at pretending I don’t care about labels when I do.”

“Okay,” the alpha stated simply.

Till’s eyes snapped back to him. “Okay?”

“Yeah,” Ivan said, standing slowly and walking toward him. “We’re dating. I’m your boyfriend. I’m yours. Lovers, if you want the dramatic term. I’m not seeing anyone else, not thinking about anyone else, and I don’t want to.”

The older man’s mouth opened.

Then closed.

Ivan stopped in front of him, so close their chests nearly brushed. “If you want something different—if you want this to be casual or temporary or undefined, then tell me now.”

Till swallowed. “I don’t.”

“Then that’s what we are.”

The alpha cupped his jaw then, thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

He nodded mutely, cheeks burning.

Ivan kissed him.

Soft.

Slow.

A kiss like a promise: warm and lingering and patient. When they pulled apart, his lips were slightly parted, breath short.

His hands curled into the younger man’s shirt without thinking.

Ivan noticed.

But he didn’t push.

Not until Till leaned forward again, pressing their mouths back together.

And this time?

It wasn’t soft.

Not only.

It was wanting.

It was everything the silver-head had been holding back spilling forward in the drag of his fingers along Ivan’s chest, in the sound he made when Ivan kissed him deeper, with more pressure.

The other’s hands settled on his waist, grounding him.

He pulled back, just enough to speak. “Can I touch you?”

Till’s eyes darkened. His throat bobbed with a swallow. “You already are.”

“I mean—” Ivan’s hands slid up the hem of his shirt, fingertips brushing warm skin. “Here.”

The omega didn’t answer immediately.

But he didn’t move away.

Ivan waited.

Then, so quiet it was almost a whisper: “Yes.”

The raven-head smiled.

His hands smoothed under the shirt, flat against his stomach. His fingers moved slowly, reverently, tracing the faint outline of muscle, the subtle dip above his navel.

Till’s breath hitched.

“Okay?” The man asked.

He nodded once, fingers tightening in the alpha’s shirt.

Ivan let his palms glide upward, thumbs brushing soft skin, skimming over the faintest trace of abs. His touch was slow, reverent…like he was learning his body by heart, every inch a secret he’d longed to rediscover.

The shirt rose with the motion until the younger man pushed it higher, and his lover lifted his arms instinctively to help pull it off. The fabric caught briefly at his elbows before falling to the floor in a careless heap, forgotten.

Ivan’s hands resumed their path, sliding up his ribs, fingers caressing his skin. He moved slowly…deliberately…like each touch was a promise. A prayer.

Till shivered, eyes fluttering shut.

And then—

Ivan’s fingers brushed over his nipples.

The omega gasped, a quiet, breathless sound punched out from deep in his chest.

The sound surprised them both.

The alpha paused, hands stilled.

“Too much?” he asked, voice low, rough with restraint.

He shook his head fast, breathing uneven. “No…just—keep going.”

So the man did.

He circled the sensitive buds with his thumbs, watching the way Till’s chest twitched under his touch, the way goosebumps followed in the wake of his fingers. The way his breath hitched again and again, escaping in small, helpless sounds that shot straight to Ivan’s core.

He looked beautiful.

Soft, yes. But flushed and open, lips parted in surrender, his hands gripping the raven-head’s shoulders now like he needed something…someone…to hold on to.

Ivan’s hands wandered again, broader now: his palms settling on Till’s waist, then traveling to his back, pulling him closer with a slow, irresistible drag. Their chests met, bare skin on clothed one, warm and electric.

The alpha leaned in and kissed him again.

Open-mouthed.

Slow.

But not gentle.

This time, it was deeper: wet and warm and wanting…his tongue tracing Till’s lower lip before slipping inside. The older man moaned into it, low and broken, and opened for him without hesitation.

Ivan tasted him, savored him, kissed him like he’d been dying for it…and maybe he had. Their tongues slid together, hot and slick, a rhythm that was as natural as it was charged. He cupped his jaw with one hand while the other anchored at the small of his back, keeping him flush against his chest.

Till melted.

Melted into his arms, into his mouth, into the moment.

He kissed back with just as much hunger: less polished but just as desperate…like he’d never known it could feel this good. Their breaths tangled, mouths parting and reconnecting again and again, each time messier, needier.

Ivan kissed him like he meant it.

Like he worshipped him.

Like he loved him.

And he did.

It was in his hands…how they held the omega like he was fragile and precious, a treasure finally in reach.

It was in his body…how he moved with aching restraint, taking his time, savoring the intimacy.

And it was in his voice when he finally pulled back, lips swollen, panting gently.

“God, Till…”

Just that.

Just his name, spoken like a confession.

Like a vow.

The older man didn’t answer. Couldn’t.

He just buried his face into his lover’s neck and clung to him, his heartbeat wild.

And Ivan held him there.

Firm.

Safe.

Wrapped around him like a promise he’d been waiting years to keep.

______

They eventually made it to the couch, where Till ended up half on top of Ivan, shirtless and panting softly, a pink flush rising up his neck and face.

The alpha kissed the top of his head.

“You okay?”

The other didn’t speak for a long moment.

Then: “Yeah.”

Ivan chuckled. “That didn’t sound convincing.”

“I’m just… overwhelmed.”

“In a bad way?”

“No!” Till said quickly. Then again, softer: “No.”

His lover ran his fingers along the curve of his back, drawing slow circles into his skin.

“You’re allowed to feel whatever you feel, you know,” he murmured. “You don’t have to be ready for everything at once.”

“I know.”

“But I meant what I said earlier.”

“I know that too.”

Another pause.

Then Till whispered, “Boyfriend, huh?”

Ivan smiled against his temple. “Yep.”

“That makes me your first?”

Ivan blinked. “First…?”

“Professor boyfriend.”

Ivan laughed so hard Till had to swat at him.

“Stop,” he grumbled.

“Can’t,” the raven-head wheezed. “God, I love you.”

The omega groaned into his chest. “You’re the worst.”

But he didn’t pull away.

Not even a little.

_____

Later, they stayed on the couch, curled together beneath a blanket Till had claimed from his childhood home. They shared bits and pieces of old stories: Till’s first crush, Ivan’s worst date, the time Till had cried watching a documentary about stray dogs.

They kissed lazily between sentences.

And when it got late and the silver-head was blinking slower and slower, Ivan kissed his temple one last time and whispered, “Let me stay here tonight.”

The omega didn’t argue.

He just curled in tighter.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

It was Luka who showed up first…of course it was.

He knocked like he lived there, like it was just another Friday night from a decade ago. Ivan barely opened the front door before he let himself in, grinning and holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a suspiciously large grocery bag in the other.

“I brought snacks. And backup snacks. Also, this wine probably costs less than your shirt, but I didn’t want to show up empty-handed.”

The alpha snorted. “You know there’s a private chef fridge fully stocked in the kitchen, right?”

Luka raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but does your fancy chef fridge have lime chili chips and four different types of gummy bears?”

“…Touché.”

He let his friend in properly just as Till appeared at the top of the staircase, towel-drying his hair. He was dressed down…just joggers and a fitted black tee…but somehow managed to look effortlessly put-together in a way that made Ivan lose focus for half a second.

Luka, being Luka, noticed.

“Wow,” he said loudly. “Is that a blush, Ibanny? You getting flustered already?”

The raven-head flipped him off.

Till arched an eyebrow. “What did I walk into?”

“Your boyfriend being soft,” the beta answered before the other could speak. “Which is funny because I’ve seen this guy punch through drywall but one look from you and he’s ready to melt.”

The omega blinked, surprised…and, if Ivan wasn’t mistaken, a little flustered himself.

He smirked. “You punched drywall?”

Ivan mumbled something incomprehensible and stalked off toward the kitchen, Luka following with a shit-eating grin.

Till shook his head, biting back a smile.

The doorbell rang again. This time, it was Sua and Mizi.

Sua hugged her brother tightly, then immediately shoved a plastic container into his hands. “Mizi made cookies. You’re not allowed to hoard them.”

“I was literally going to serve them with tea,” the man said, holding the container up like it was sacred. “Have some faith.”

“I’ve known you for two decades. I have exactly the right amount of faith.”

Mizi grinned and hugged Till tightly before stepping inside and linking fingers with Sua. “We brought a game too. No way I’m letting this night be some boring wine-and-chat adult hangout.”

The silver-head looked amused.

______

They all settled in the living room, sprawled across sleek leather couches and oversized throw pillows. The wine was poured. The snacks were opened. The music was low, but the atmosphere was easy and buzzing.

Till sat between Mizi and Ivan. Mizi had her legs tossed across Sua’s lap, and Luka had already taken control of the TV for “vibes only” music videos.

The raven-head rested his hand lightly on his boyfriend’s knee. Not possessively. Just present. Warm. Steady.

The pink-head’s eyes dropped to the gesture, then flicked up to Till’s face.

A slow grin spread across hers.

“So… are we going to talk about it or what?”

Said man blinked. “Talk about what?”

“You two,” she said, waving between him and Ivan. “Because I swear if I find out you’ve been official for weeks and didn’t say anything—”

Ivan interrupted. “Technically, we’ve been dating since he kissed me first.”

“You asked before I did,” Till muttered, cheeks pinking.

“Still counts,” the alpha replied, smug.

Sua, watching the exchange, narrowed her eyes. “Wait. Wait a second. Are you saying this is a thing now? Like an official thing?”

“Yes,” Ivan said.

“Yea,” his lover said at the same time.

The room erupted.

Mizi squealed, launching forward to hug her friend, nearly knocking her wine over. “Oh my god, I knew it! I knew y’all would make it.”

Sua looked at her brother, equal parts stunned and impressed. “You actually did it. You chased him and got him.”

“I didn’t chase—”

“He definitely chased,” Luka cut in. “You should’ve seen his faking confusion in class like some helpless puppy. ‘Professor Till, I don’t get it. Can you explain… literally anything?’”

Till groaned into his hands. “He did play dumb.”

The raven-head grinned. “Worked, didn’t it?”

Mizi laughed so hard she almost dropped her glass.

“Okay, wait,” she said, eyes dancing. “How did it start? Who made the first move? Give us the tea.”

“No one’s giving any tea,” the omega stated firmly, though he couldn’t stop the upward pull at the corner of his mouth.

Ivan shrugged. “I think it started when I moved in next door.”

Sua gasped. “That wasn’t a coincidence?!”

Till snorted. “Wait—it really wasn’t? I just assumed last time.”

The alpha laughed sheepishly.

Everyone stared.

“…I mean,” he said carefully, “you gotta do what you gotta do, right?”

“Idiot,” Luka muttered with a grin.

“Manipulator,” Sua added, laughing.

“Romantic,” Mizi corrected. “Let’s call it what it is.”

The omega side-eyed him but there was a playful glint in his eyes. “You seriously planned all that huh?”

Ivan still looked sheepish but didn’t deny it.

“I can’t believe I once fell for that ‘oops, I’m your neighbor’ bit,” Till muttered, shaking his head. “Unbelievable.”

“Hey,” the alpha said, nudging him gently. “Worked out, didn’t it?”

The older man rolled his eyes.

But he was smiling.

_____

Later, after the teasing had died down and the group had moved on to playing some casual card game Mizi claimed was “low-stakes” (it absolutely was not), the mood shifted from energetic to cozy.

They played rounds. Swapped stories. Shared embarrassing childhood tales. Sua told the infamous story of Ivan’s middle school haircut disaster. Luka recounted the time Ivan tried to fight a vending machine.

Till couldn’t stop laughing.

Neither could Ivan.

They weren’t even drunk.

Just… happy.

Eventually, the pink-headed woman leaned against her lover, yawning, and Luka sprawled halfway across the floor complaining that the rug was “too soft to move.”

Ivan turned to his own lover, “You okay?”

The other met his gaze.

He hadn’t realized how relaxed he was. How normal this felt. No expectations, no tension. Just them. Their people. Laughing like any other group of friends.

“I’m okay,” he said.

Ivan leaned in. Pressed a soft kiss to his temple. “You seem better than okay.”

Till chuckled under his breath. “Don’t get cocky.”

“Too late.”

______

As the night wrapped up and everyone began to gather their things, the blonde gave his best friend a hug.

“You’re disgustingly in love,” he said under his breath. “It’s revolting.”

“Jealous?” Ivan grinned.

“Absolutely.”

Sua hugged Till goodbye with a smile that was just a little smug. “Welcome to the family, Professor.”

Said man groaned. “Don’t call me that outside the university.”

Mizi was last, hugging him tight. “You look good,” she said against his shoulder. “Happy.”

The omega hesitated.

Then whispered, “I am.”

______

After the door closed behind them all, the couple stood in the now-quiet house.

It had been a loud night. A fun one. Easy and warm.

Till looked up at Ivan.

“You survived the teasing.”

“I trained for it,” he said. “Years of being Luka’s friend.”

The omega smiled, small and genuine.

The raven-head stepped closer. “You sure you’re okay with all this?”

“I’m sure,” Till said. “It’s still weird sometimes, but…”

“But?”

“I don’t want to stop.”

Ivan leaned in.

Till met him halfway.

The kiss was soft.

Sweet.

Like the night had been.

Like the future could be.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

The last of the students filtered out with the usual scrape of chairs and muted chatter, their conversation drifting down the hallway before the lecture hall door clicked shut behind them.

Till exhaled quietly and turned back to the whiteboard, wiping away the last half-written line of notes. It had been a long class, longer than usual, but the students had engaged well. He didn’t usually enjoy teaching late in the afternoon, but with Ivan seated in the back row like he always was: chin resting on one hand, eyes focused in a way that wasn’t entirely academic, it was getting harder to dread the time slot.

He didn’t hear the soft click of the lock until it was too late.

He turned, just in time to see his boyfriend casually pocketing the key he’d borrowed under the pretense of “helping clean up.” The lecture hall door was now locked from the inside. No one was coming in.

“Ivan,” Till said warily, arching a brow. “What are you—”

“I waited so patiently,” the other said, his voice a low purr as he stepped forward. “You looked too sexy explaining serotonin pathways for me to concentrate.”

Till let out a quiet huff of amusement. “You’re terrible.”

Ivan stopped in front of him. “Only a little.”

Their bodies were inches apart now.

The alpha’s hand came to rest lightly at his waist…almost innocent. Almost.

“I’m serious,” his lover murmured, but his voice was already softer. “This is risky. We’re in a classroom.”

“Lecture’s over,” he replied. “No one’s coming in.”

“And what if someone does?”

“I locked the door.”

Till stared at him, lips twitching despite himself.

“You’re really testing me.”

“I hope so.”

Before the omega could offer another warning, Ivan leaned in and kissed him.

Firm.

Hungry.

Hot.

Till gasped into his mouth, surprise sparking along his nerves before he melted…surrendering far too easily for someone trying to be professional. The raven-head took advantage immediately, pressing in deeper, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, lips parting to nip at his lover’s bottom lip.

It wasn’t gentle.

It wasn’t sweet.

It was controlled chaos: teeth dragging, hands sliding.

Ivan pressed closer, hips flush against Till’s, and Till felt the low burn of arousal stir deep in his belly.

“Ivan,” he breathed when they pulled back for air.

“Hm?”

“You’re—” the omega faltered when the man’s hand slid beneath his shirt, callused fingers grazing the skin of his lower back.

Warm. Confident.

Possessive.

“You were saying?” Ivan murmured against the curve of his jaw, his teeth ghosting over the soft skin just beneath his ear.

“I was going to say… that this is reckless.”

The raven-head hummed and kissed down the side of his neck. “I can live with that.”

Before Till could argue further, his hands found his hips, gripping them firmly as he lifted him without warning.

“Shit—” the older man exhaled as he was set on top of the desk, his thighs parting instinctively when the other stepped between them.

Ivan surged up for another kiss, sliding both hands up under Till’s shirt now, mapping the lines of his stomach, fingers curving around his sides like he couldn’t get close enough. Till’s hands were in his hair, tugging just hard enough to make Ivan groan.

The sound sent a shiver straight through the omega.

Their mouths met again: messier this time, open and breathless, lips clashing with a hunger that had long since outgrown flirting. The younger man bit gently at his boyfriend’s bottom lip before soothing the sting with his tongue. Till responded in kind, catching the other’s lip between his teeth and tugging lightly, making the alpha’s breath catch in his throat.

Their hips pressed together, the friction a pulse of heat that made them both gasp.

“You’re so—” Ivan whispered, burying his face against Till’s neck. “Fuck, you’re perfect.”

“Flattery won’t get you more class participation,” the silver-head teased breathlessly, tilting his head back when the alpha’s mouth found the curve of his throat again.

“Who said I’m here to learn?”

The man laughed, breath catching again as Ivan’s hands slid higher under his shirt, fingertips brushing just beneath his ribs. The touch wasn’t greedy…it was reverent. Like he was still trying to believe this was real, warm, here.

They kissed again, longer this time. Slower, but still burning.

Ivan’s fingers traced along the faint dip of Till’s waist, and the omega shivered.

He arched forward slightly, letting their torsos brush, the contact both grounding and electrifying. He exhaled shakily and pressed a line of kisses down the side of his lover’s neck to his collarbone, his hands cradling Till’s back like he wanted to memorize every inch.

“Ivan,” the omega said softly, finally catching his breath. “We can’t keep doing this.”

Ivan pulled back slightly, eyes dark but searching.

“I mean here,” the man clarified. “On campus. We’re pushing it already.”

The alpha’s expression sobered, though his thumb still brushed circles along his side beneath his shirt.

“I know.”

Till exhaled, leaning his forehead against his. “It’s not that I don’t want you. You know that.”

He nodded. “I do.”

“We just… can’t risk it. Not here. I don’t want you to get kicked out and I kinda wanna keep my job for at least another five years.”

Ivan kissed him one last time: soft, restrained. Then he stepped back, helping his boyfriend down from the desk like it was nothing.

Till adjusted his shirt, cheeks still a little flushed. “You’re really good at this, you know.”

The raven-head smiled. “Making you flustered?”

“Flustering me, seducing me, kissing like that…”

Ivan looked smug. “Practice.”

The other snorted. “With who?”

“Just you.”

The man rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

Ivan unlocked the door with a click and pushed it open casually.

Before they stepped out into the hallway, he leaned in one last time and whispered to his ear, “I’ll behave. At least until we get home.”

Till’s skin prickled at the implication.

He didn’t look at the alpha as they walked down the corridor on opposite sides.

But the flush in his cheeks said plenty.

_____

Later that night, as the omega lay on his couch with a book half-open on his chest and a warm ache still curled deep in his belly, he tried to remember exactly when it all changed. When Ivan stopped being a complication and started being the highlight of his day.

It was dangerous.

It was stupid.

It was completely unprofessional.

And yet….

He couldn’t stop thinking about the way the man looked at him. Touched him. Made him feel like he was the only person in the world.

He didn’t want it to end.

Not now.

Not when everything inside him felt like it was finally waking up.

________

Chapter Text

——————

Till first noticed Ivan’s absence during roll call.

He didn’t call attendance aloud: never did…but he kept a mental list. And when his gaze swept the back row, where the alpha always sat with that same lazy, half-amused look, his stomach gave a quiet lurch at the empty seat.

Weird.

Ivan hadn’t said anything about missing class.

He brushed the feeling off.

It wasn’t like they were attached at the hip. Not during class hours.

Still, a part of him was slightly off-kilter. Distracted, even as he taught through neurotransmitter pathways and clinical models of anxiety disorders. It was a small thing, Ivan missing lecture. Small. Insignificant.

Except it wasn’t.

Because he was aware of him in a way he wasn’t supposed to be. In a way that had become dangerously, sweetly normal.

After the lecture, he gathered his things slowly, not quite in a rush to return to his office. His head was swimming: half with theories, half with the ghost of Ivan’s usual scent. Absent. Off. Everything felt off.

He stepped into the hall, adjusting the strap of his bag, and that’s when he saw them.

The University chairman’s office door creaked open just ahead.

And out stepped three people.

Two older adults: one tall and sleek in a sharply tailored black suit, dark hair streaked with early silver, presence exuding quiet command. The woman beside him was warm-eyed, elegant, her hand hooked lightly around the man’s arm as they chatted politely with the department chair.

And then there was Ivan.

The omega froze.

Because the man wasn’t in his usual hoodie and jeans.

He was in a full suit.

Charcoal grey. Pressed to perfection. His hair: normally ruffled in that boyish, touch-me look…was slicked back, sharp at the sides, clean.

He looked…God, he looked like someone else entirely.

Still Ivan, still alpha, still boyish around the mouth…

But power clung to him now. Effortlessly.

Their eyes met.

The raven-head stopped, his lips twitching, just barely.

Till blinked once. Twice.

The other didn’t wave. Didn’t approach.

But his eyes held something…like a secret about to spill.

And then he turned, casually following the two older adults down the corridor, one hand in his pocket, cool as anything.

Till couldn’t breathe.

Not because of how his boyfriend looked…though that did a number on him, but because of the way the chairman of the University had been practically bowing at the waist. Because of how the woman had smiled like she owned the building.

Because it didn’t make sense.

And at the same time… it made too much sense.

⸻

Later that evening, he was curled on the couch, a thick blanket over his legs and a half-drunk cup of tea in his hand when his phone buzzed.

[Ivan 🐺:]
“Hey babe. Can you come over?
The house, not the apartment.
I have something to tell you.”

Till stared at the message.

Then, after a moment, he texted back:

[Till:]
“I’m on my way.”

⸻

When he arrived the alpha met him at the door.

He was no longer in the suit. Now it was gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt. Barefoot. Hair no longer slicked back. But something in his gaze was more serious than usual.

The omega stepped inside.

Ivan didn’t waste time.

“My parents are here,” he said quietly. “They’d like to meet you.”

Till blinked. “What—wait. Why?”

“Because I told them about you.”

“Ivan—”

“They know everything. They’ve known since I was a kid.”

“…What?”

The younger man offered a small smile, but it was nervous.

“Come on.”

He led him down the hallway toward the sitting room.

Two people were already seated…both familiar from earlier.

“Ma, Dad,” Ivan said softly, “…This is Kang Till.”

Said man felt the world tilt a little.

Ivan’s mother lit up immediately, rising to greet him with a warm, affectionate smile. “Oh! It’s so good to finally meet you! I am Irene. And wow! You’re even more beautiful than my son described. And trust me…he has given very detailed descriptions of you.”

“M-Ma,” the alpha muttered, but there was a blush creeping up his neck.

Till, frozen, managed a bow. “It’s an honor, ma’am. Sir.”

Ivan’s father stood as well. His face was stern, but not unkind. “I am Juyeon. Back then you were the one who saved our boy, we thank you sincerely.” he said, voice deep and calm.

Those names….

“I—well—it wasn’t much,” Till said quickly. “I was just…he was in trouble, and I…”

“You gave him your jacket in the rain after fending off those bullies,” Irene interrupted softly. “He was eight. He came home shivering but wouldn’t let us take it off him. He kept saying it was the coolest thing anyone had ever done for him.”

The omega swallowed.

Ivan was looking at him now. Quiet. Intense.

And slowly, all the pieces fell together.

The tailored suit.

The sudden meeting with the chairman.

The way everyone acted around him.

“Ivan,” Till started slowly, “why were you coming out of the chairman’s office today?”

The alpha’s eyes didn’t waver. “Because I was finalizing the paperwork.”

“For?”

“…For taking over the university.”

Till’s world tilted again.

“You—you what?”

“My family bought out the school’s major shareholder shares. Effective today. I’m technically now listed as the majority stakeholder.”

The older man stared at him.

Irene offered a small smile. “We didn’t intend to say anything yet, but he insisted you deserved to know now.”

“Wait…wait, but you’re a student.”

Ivan hesitated.

And then…finally—he said it.

“I’m not.”

The silence was a vacuum.

“I never enrolled officially,” Ivan said gently. “The chairman…he and my grandfather used to be business partners. We kept in touch. When I found out you were here…when I finally tracked down your name…I asked for a favor.”

“A favor.”

“I just wanted a chance to be near you again.”

Till blinked.

“You lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie,” The raven-head responded quickly. “I just… didn’t tell you everything until now.”

“Right…”

The alpha stepped forward, expression open. “Till, I didn’t come here to play games. I came here because of you. You gave me safety and comfort and a reason to believe the world wasn’t cruel. I spent years looking for you.”

“But the lectures—”

“I have graduated University since I was sixteen. I already have my MBA.”

Till felt breathless.

This boy…this man…who had invaded his classroom, his home, his life… wasn’t just some obsessive, persistent student.

His parents…their names.

He was Hwan Ivan.

The heir to Hwan Tech.

The largest tech corporation in Asia. The empire known for telecommunications, defense contracts, and AI advancement. A name whispered in boardrooms. Respected by presidents. Feared by competitors.

And this man…this alpha…was looking at him like he still hung the moon.

“I need a moment,” Till murmured.

Ivan didn’t stop him. Just stepped back, eyes soft.

⸻

The omega ended up in the hallway, staring at a framed photo of the Hwan family he hadn’t even realized was there before. Ivan, younger, standing between his parents alongside Sua, all four of them dressed in clean white and black. Perfect smiles. The picture of prestige.

It felt unreal.

He could still feel the fabric of that windbreaker jacket Ivan had kept all these years. The boy from the rain. The kid with the bruises and big onyx eyes.

He had become this.

And he’d come back for Till.

The emotions swirled too tightly to name.

When he finally returned to the living room, all three Hwans were mid-conversation. Juyeon stood the moment he entered, and Irene turned with a smile.

“We’ll give you two space,” the oldest man said kindly.

He touched his son’s shoulder once before exiting with his wife, leaving the room quiet again.

Till looked at Ivan.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I didn’t want to scare you.”

“You really thought this was less scary?”

The alpha smiled, sheepish. “You never would’ve said yes to continuing teaching me if you knew.”

Till sighed and crossed the space between them. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have.”

Ivan’s eyes flickered. “Does it change anything?”

“Everything,” the man whispered.

Then, after a pause…softly…

“But not how I feel about you.”

Ivan exhaled. Something in him relaxed.

“I’m sorry I kept it from you,” he said.

“I know,” Till replied. “And I’ll forgive you.”

He pressed a hand lightly to his chest.

“But I swear, if you buy out another place just to be near me—”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

They both laughed.

And something shifted again.

Not unraveling.

But deepening.

And somewhere in the omega’s chest, something stirred.

Something inevitable.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

Everything had changed.

And yet, nothing had.

Ivan still showed up to Till’s lectures. Still sprawled in the same seat in the back row like a delinquent who didn’t know what posture was. Still answered questions with a grin and made eyes at him across the room when no one was looking.

Only now, Till was allowed to grin back.

Only now, Till would get pulled into the supply closet after class and kissed senseless against the mop rack.

Only now, he didn’t flinch at the thought of getting caught.

Because the truth was out.

Ivan wasn’t a student.

He never really had been.

And well he technically owned the University.

Yet still, the alpha insisted on finishing the semester.

The omega had asked once: genuinely, sincerely…if he wanted to stop coming.

Ivan’s response had been deadpan: “Are you kidding? You’re hot when you lecture.”

Till had gone red to his ears. Then promptly banned his boyfriend from speaking in class for an entire week.

Not that it lasted.

Ivan only obeyed rules if Till was within arm’s reach. And only if he could break them the moment Till turned his back.

But honestly?

The older man didn’t mind.

He liked the little notes Ivan slid under his office door. The way he sat in class during their lectures…still pretending he didn’t understand basic cognitive theory just so Till would talk longer.

He liked the way the alpha stuck around after hours, walked together back to their apartment building, and pressed soft kisses into his hair.

It was new.

It was strange.

It was good.

______

“I wanna ask you something,” Ivan spoke one night, voice low against his hair.

They were curled on the couch as per usual, a blanket tossed over them, the TV humming faintly with the sound of an old drama playing in the background. Till was tucked into the man’s chest, head resting just over his heartbeat.

He hummed, not bothering to open his eyes. “You always wanna ask something.”

“This one’s important.”

“Fine,” the older man said, smiling into his collarbone. “What is it?”

Ivan hesitated. Then: “Will I ever get to meet your mom?”

Till blinked.

Pulled back just slightly to look up at him. “My mom?”

“You’ve talked about her before,” the alpha said gently. “You said she’s all you have. That she lives alone out in the countryside. That she raised you by herself and used to send you actual letters in mail all throughout your Uni days. Remember?”

Till did.

He remembered all of it.

He remembered Ivan curled beside him in bed weeks ago, asking soft questions about his childhood: about the woman who held him through panic attacks, who taught him to cook instant ramen without breaking the noodles, who’d worked double shifts at the clinic just to keep the heating on through winter.

He remembered how quiet his boyfriend had gone, how gentle, when he’d listened.

“She means a lot to me,” Till said softly.

“I know,” Ivan murmured. “That’s why I’m asking. If… if I could meet her.”

The omega stared at him for a long moment.

The man wasn’t pushing.

Wasn’t demanding.

He was asking.

Like it was something sacred.

And honestly… it was.

Till sighed. “Alright.”

Ivan blinked. “Wait—really?”

“You asked like a normal person,” the older man said, echoing the same line he’d used so long ago when he handed Ivan a flash drive for “make-up ppts.”

The raven-head grinned. “You’re rewarding my good behavior again.”

“Don’t make it a habit.”

“I already have.”

Till rolled his eyes.

But the smile on his lips didn’t fade.

_____

The next weekend, they took the train down to Gochang County mainly because the alpha didn’t really know the countryside well enough to drive there. They saw where the rice fields glowed golden under the late spring sun and cherry blossoms still clung stubbornly to trees lining the streets.

Ivan was practically vibrating the whole ride.

“I don’t know why you’re excited,” Till muttered, arms crossed. “She’s not some teenage girl you’re trying to impress.”

“I’m trying to impress you,” he said, and the omega’s mouth snapped shut.

He glared out the window the rest of the ride because of the warmth in his chest.

_______

His mother lived in a small hanok-style home nestled between two plum orchards. A tiled roof, wooden pillars, and a tiny garden out front with chili peppers and scallions growing crooked in mismatched rows.

The moment Till stepped through the front gate, the door flew open.

And there she was.

Kang Nari.

Short, silver-haired, and teal-eyed like her son. With arms open wide and a smile that rivaled the sun.

“My baby!” she called out, voice warm. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing someone!”

Till tried to respond.

But she’d already pulled him into a tight hug.

And then—

Her eyes landed on Ivan.

And her entire expression changed.

“Oh,” she breathed. “Oh, he’s handsome.”

Ivan flushed immediately. “Uh—thank you, Ms. Kang.”

“‘Ms. Kang,’” she scoffed. “I’m not some stiff landlady. Call me Eomma.”

The alpha’s face did something strange.

It went still.

Then soft.

Then full of awe.

“…Really?”

“Of course,” she said brightly, ushering them both inside. “Any man who looks at my son like that deserves to call me Eomma.”

Till coughed.

The raven-head looked like someone had just handed him the keys to an entire kingdom.

He whispered, almost reverently, “Eomma.”

Nari beamed.

And Till—

The older man threw his hands up.

“Oh my god, you’ve known her for five minutes and you’re already her favorite.”

Ivan just grinned and followed Nari inside like he’d been born there.

Till muttered to himself all the way through the genkan.

______

Lunch was bibimbap and kimchi jjigae with banchan dishes lined along the small table. Ivan helped set the table, listening to Nari’s stories with wide eyes and gentle questions.

“You’re from the city?” she asked.

“Seoul, mostly,” Ivan said. “But I’ve lived in a few places.”

“Ah. That explains your manners. They’re rare these days.”

Till choked on a piece of tofu.

Nari turned her smile on him. “And you. You didn’t tell me he was this polite. Or this handsome.”

“Because then you’d have stolen him from me.”

“I still might,” she said cheerfully, patting the alpha’s hand. “If you’re not careful.”

Ivan looked like he was ready to cry in happiness.

Till, scandalized, buried his face in his palms.

It didn’t get better.

Not when they finished lunch and Ivan offered to help with dishes and Nari cooed like he’d just proposed marriage.

Not when she brought out photo albums and sat close to the alpha, flipping through them with soft stories about Till’s childhood, his scraped knees, his first school play.

And definitely not when Nari kissed both of their foreheads at the door and told her son, “This one’s a keeper. Don’t mess it up, baby.”

Till, pink with embarrassment, dragged his boyfriend back toward the train stop while muttering under his breath.

“I swear to God, if she likes you more than me—”

“She called me ‘son,’” Ivan whispered, voice cracking with awe. “She called me son.”

The omega groaned. “Why are you acting like you won the lottery?”

“I did win the lottery,” his lover responded, slinging an arm around his waist. “Your mom just made it official.”

Till tried to stay annoyed.

Tried.

But the warmth in his chest wouldn’t go away.

He leaned into Ivan’s side as they walked.

And for a second…just a second…he let himself feel it.

The future.

The family.

The feeling of being chosen.

Not just by Ivan.

But by the people who mattered most.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

The rain had come sometime after midnight.

Till barely noticed.

The windows of Ivan’s house fogged slightly with the storm’s breath, shadows shifting on the walls with every flash of distant lightning. The modern three-story space was silent but warm, save for the low instrumental playlist humming through the sound system.

They were in the living room, tucked into the oversized sectional couch. The omega had his legs stretched across Ivan’s lap, head tilted back against the cushion, a warm blanket thrown haphazardly over both of them.

The raven-head’s hand was idly stroking his ankle, thumb sweeping soft circles just under the hem of his joggers.

It was quiet in the way only deep comfort allowed.

Till’s heart, however, had refused to stay still all week.

The other looked so at home here: hair loose and damp from the shower, sleeves rolled to his elbows, skin still flushed from where they’d wrestled earlier over whether or not Till was allowed to clean the kitchen. (He wasn’t, apparently.)

The older man had known, for a while now, that he’d fallen for him.

But saying it out loud?

That was something else entirely.

But it was something he needed to confess.

Ivan glanced at him between slow strokes. “You’re quiet.”

The man nodded once. “I know.”

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

A pause.

Then:

“Ivan?”

“Mhm?”

“I love you.”

The alpha blinked.

Then froze.

His thumb stilled.

Eyes widened: his entire body going rigid beneath Till’s legs as if he hadn’t heard it right.

“What?”

The omega didn’t look away. “I said… I love you.”

The man blinked again.

And then his eyes welled.

He wasn’t quick about it. The tears didn’t fall all at once. But they brimmed at the edges like he couldn’t stop them…like he was trying to speak and couldn’t. Like he hadn’t expected this moment to come, and now that it had, it undid him completely.

“Hey,” Till whispered, sitting up, brushing his cheek. “Baby, why are you crying?”

“I just…” Ivan’s voice cracked. “You said it. You finally said it.”

“Of course I did. You didn’t expect me to say it?”

“You don’t understand,” the alpha laughed wetly, a choked sound. “I used to imagine it. When I was younger. Years after you saved me. I told myself I’d find you one day and you’d fall in love with me too. It was stupid, it was a fantasy, I never thought—”

“Hey.” Till pressed his hand over the man’s heart. “It wasn’t stupid. It wasn’t stupid at all.”

Ivan covered his hand, gripping it tight.

The tears fell then, quietly.

The omega kissed them away.

Softly, patiently.

Ivan smiled through it, watery and helpless, nose scrunching just a little as he buried his face against the older man’s shoulder and laughed at himself for being a mess.

Till held him, arms firm around the his broad back. “You’ve had me for a while, you know.”

“I know. But hearing it…feeling it—” he pulled back, onyx eyes still wet but glowing now, “It’s real. And it’s mine.”

“It is.”

______

They moved to the bedroom sometime later.

It wasn’t rushed. Nothing about the night was.

They lay side by side under the thick navy duvet, turned toward each other, legs tangled lazily, sharing the occasional brush of fingertips down arms and ribs.

Till’s voice was the first to break the hush.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Ivan murmured.

“Have you ever… come off your rut suppressants before?”

The raven-head blinked, surprised. “No. Never had a reason to.”

The other nodded, gaze distant. “Me neither. Not since I first started taking them. I’ve always… kept my heats locked away.”

“Because of work?”

“Because of everything,” Till responded softly. “Because I didn’t want to feel like I owed anyone access to my body. Because people treated me like a walking hormone when they found out I was an omega. Because suppressants were easier.”

Ivan exhaled, brushing his lover’s knuckles gently. “I get that.”

Silence again.

Then:

“I’m thinking of stopping them.”

Ivan’s breath caught. “You are?”

The older man nodded slowly. “Yea but not without planning. I’ve been thinking about what it would be like to… let it happen. Let it come with...”

“With me.” Ivan completed.

“With you.”

A beat.

Then the alpha’s fingers curled tighter between his. “Then I’ll stop mine too.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he stated firmly. “Till, if you want this…if you want me…then you’re getting all of me. I’ve waited too long to only be halfway with you.”

Till swallowed. “It’s just… I don’t know what I’d be like in heat. I haven’t had one in so long. It could be messy. I could be clingy. Loud. I could—”

“I’ll take care of you,” his lover whispered, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you. Whatever happens, I’ll be there.”

The older man closed his eyes.

Tried to breathe through the knot in his chest.

“I want to be with you when it happens,” he said. “Not just physically. I want it to mean something.”

Ivan’s voice was hoarse. “It already does.”

They kissed slowly then.

Less out of want and more out of reverence.

It wasn’t like the kisses they shared in lecture halls or hallways or even their homes. This one was grounding. Deep and warm and sweet…like a vow in silence.

The raven-head pressed him closer.

Held him like something precious.

And Till…he let himself be held.

He let himself believe that it was safe.

That it was okay to want.

That it was okay to be seen.

And he whispered it again in the dark, just to make sure it stayed true.

“I love you.”

Ivan trembled against him.

And replied, like a prayer, “I love you too.”

_____

They didn’t do anything more that night.

No clothes came off. No lines were crossed.

But the air had shifted: charged with a promise neither of them had spoken but both had made.

Someday soon, their bodies would speak it in full.

Till would burn and Ivan would burn for him.

But for now…

They curled beneath the duvet, chests pressed close, hands over each other’s hearts, and let themselves be still.

Let themselves be soft.

Let themselves be theirs.

__________

Chapter Text

——————

It started with a scent.

Subtle at first. Lingering. Unshakable.

Till had noticed it while grading papers at his kitchen table, when his pen suddenly felt too warm in his hand, his breath shallow without reason. The sun outside hadn’t changed, but his body had: coiling, aching, swelling with a need that made no sense until the realization clicked.

His heat was coming.

No…worse.

It had already started.

By the time the paper in his hands crinkled from the tightness of his grip, he could feel it blooming inside him like a tide. Hot. Slow. Relentless. The suppressants he’d stopped taking two weeks ago were fully flushed from his system now, leaving him exposed…vulnerable to a rhythm he hadn’t let himself feel in years.

And somehow… he didn’t panic.

Instead, he moved.

Stripped off his sweater. Took a cold shower. Opened the windows.

None of it helped.

Every breath he took was a little tighter, a little more hollow. His clothes scratched against oversensitive skin, his mouth kept parting like he needed something…anything…to fill the emptiness growing between his legs.

And then came the knock.

Soft.

Deliberate.

Till knew before he opened it.

He knew.

Ivan stood on the other side of the door with his shoulders tense, hair damp from a shower, jaw clenched tight like he’d been fighting every bone in his body not to knock harder. Not to break the door down.

The moment their eyes met, it hit the omega like a wave.

The scent.

The need.

Ivan was in rut.

“Fuck,” the alpha whispered, nostrils flaring. “It’s you.”

Till’s mouth went dry. “Me?”

“I couldn’t figure it out,” the man rasped, stepping in without being asked. “I thought I was just losing control. I was pacing like a fucking madman…couldn’t think straight. Then I caught it. Your scent. From the window.”

He was standing too close now.

Heat pulsed off him in waves. He hadn’t touched Till yet, but it felt like he had…like Ivan’s whole body was already pressed into his, leaving no room for air.

“Should I leave?” The raven-head asked, though he didn’t move.

His lover’s voice was barely a whisper. “Do you want to?”

“No.”

They stared at each other, both breathing hard.

Till’s omega keened: whimpering, desperate, curling inside him like a ribbon of need he couldn’t control. He clenched his hands at his sides, trying to resist. Trying to stay level.

Ivan caught the twitch of his fingers.

“Don’t,” the alpha said gently. “Don’t fight it.”

The older man shook his head. “I haven’t had a heat in almost a decade. I don’t know what I’ll be like.”

“I don’t care.”

“I could be… clingy. Needy. It won’t be pretty.”

Ivan took another step. “I want to see you like that.”

Till’s breath hitched. “And you? How bad is your rut?”

The alpha’s jaw ticked. “I haven’t touched myself since it started. Because it wouldn’t work. Not unless I touched and saw you.”

Something in the omega broke open.

He surged forward.

Their mouths met like impact: no gentleness, no patience…just hunger, all tongue and teeth and desperation. Ivan groaned against his lips, hands gripping his waist tight enough to bruise as Till pulled at his shirt like he couldn’t stand the feel of it anymore.

Clothes were discarded in a trail toward the bedroom.

Fingers shook with urgency. Shoes kicked away, shirts peeled back, jeans dragged over thighs with little grace.

By the time they fell into the bed, they were skin to skin: hot, flushed, trembling.

Ivan hovered above him, panting, jaw tight.

“This is real,” he growled, his forehead pressed to his. “If you want me to stop, I will. Even now.”

Till pulled him down by the nape. “Don’t you dare stop.”

The alpha kissed him hard, deep and dirty: tongue sliding against his, hips already pressing down. He held his lover’s thigh, parting him, fitting their bodies together like puzzle pieces long denied.

The omega arched under him with a gasp.

The friction. The heat.

It was maddening.

Ivan growled low, rut twisting inside him like a beast. “Tell me what you need.”

“You,” Till whimpered. “Just you.”

The younger man kissed down his neck, teeth grazing. His scent was everywhere: cedar, heat, and the sharp bite of alpha in full bloom.

“Say it again.”

“I need you.”

The words cracked.

Ivan licked the junction between his neck and shoulder, teeth grazing with dangerous promise. “I wanna mark you.”

Till trembled. “N-Not tonight. When we’re in our…right minds.”

Ivan nodded, eyes wild but aware. “Then soon.”

They moved together, hips grinding: bodies searching, aching, answering.

The silver-head didn’t recognize his own voice.

Once their bare bodies were flushed together and the haze of heat and rut had them both gasping, the alpha still stopped just long enough to press kisses down his lover’s stomach. Gentle, then sharp. His hands skimmed over the curve of his thighs, fingers digging in slightly, possessively.

Till whimpered.

“I’m gonna take care of you,” he murmured against his navel. “Gonna make you feel good. You trust me?”

Till’s fingers threaded through raven hair, voice shaking. “Yes.”

The other’s touch wandered: soothing, warm, reverent as he parted the omega’s thighs open wider, settling between them. His palm cupped the swell of his inner thigh, and then…

A finger traced the tight ring of muscle, testing, teasing.

Till arched.

“I—I haven’t…no one…years” he stuttered broken.

Ivan looked up at him immediately. “Then we’ll go slow. Tell me if anything doesn’t feel good.”

The older man nodded, breath catching in his throat.

His lover leaned down, pressing a kiss to his inner thigh before returning his focus to the space between his legs. He rubbed a circle with one finger, then pushed in: not deep, just enough to feel.

Till gasped at the stretch, the shock of it, but it wasn’t pain…it was pressure, new and burning.

“You’re already so warm,” Ivan rasped, voice gone hoarse with restraint. “Let me in, sweetheart. Let me get you ready.”

The pet name made the man shiver.

One finger turned to two, working in tandem: curling, scissoring gently, drawing soft sounds from the omega’s lips that made the other’s own rut flare hard and hot in his chest.

“I-Ivan,” Till moaned, hips twitching.

“I know,” the other soothed, kissing up his thigh again. “You’re doing so good for me baby. Almost ready. Just a little more.”

The younger man kept working him open, slick coating his fingers now, easing the burn. Each stretch made his lover pant, his cheeks flushed, his cock hard and leaking against his stomach.

“Need you,” he whispered helplessly.

Ivan slid a third finger in slowly, watching every twitch of Till’s face, every noise, until he felt the resistance give way.

Then—

He withdrew.

Lined himself up.

And waited, eyes locked with Till’s.

“Is this okay?” the alpha asked, breath ragged, already sliding his hand between them.

The silver-head nodded, pupils blown wide. “More than okay.”

Ivan pressed in slow, guided by instinct more than thought.

They gasped together.

And everything else unraveled.

_____

It was messy.

Raw.

Till couldn’t stop touching. Couldn’t stop moaning his name. The alpha moved inside him like he’d always belonged there: gripping his hips, pinning him down, pushing deeper with every thrust.

The omega needed it.

He clawed at Ivan’s back. Bit his shoulder. Moaned into his neck like he didn’t care if the entire floor in the apartment heard.

The raven-head lost himself in him.

His control snapped again and again…only for Till to beg for more, hips chasing, body aching for it.

They didn’t finish once.

Or twice.

Or thrice.

They kept going.

Over and over.

Hands roaming, lips swollen, eyes glassy with heat.

At one point, Ivan had him flipped over, pressed face-first into the pillow, his hips raised, his back arched like he wanted to be ruined.

The omega sobbed when his lover hit that perfect spot, body trembling, begging him not to stop.

They went at it so hard, so long, that the bedframe cracked beneath them: splintered wood and a jarring shift that neither of them cared, too lost in the frantic rhythm of need.

Later, Till was on top, riding him slow, both of them drenched in sweat and need, lips pressed together like they couldn’t bear to part.

And through it all…

They whispered to each other.

“I love you.”

“I’ve got you.”

“You’re mine.”

“Yes.”

“Yes. Fuck!”

“Yes.”

_____

It ended with them tangled together in the sheets, unmated but bound a good few hours later.

The older man’s body ached, stretched, sore in the best way.

The alpha was curled behind him, arm banded around his waist, his breath steady against the curve of Till’s neck.

“I can feel you shaking,” he whispered.

“I can’t stop.”

Ivan kissed the back of his shoulder. “Then I’ll hold you until you do.”

Till turned his head, eyes soft, lips kiss-bruised. “I didn’t think it would feel like this.”

“Better or worse?”

“The best.”

His lover smiled. “Me too.”

They didn’t need to say anything else.

Because what was left between them wasn’t about words.

It was about trust.

About instinct.

About being seen…truly seen…and still being wanted.

“I love you.”

Ivan pressed a kiss into his hair and answered, quiet and firm…

“Always and Forever.”

___________

Chapter Text

——————

The days blurred.

Not in the chaotic way people described sickness or sorrow.

But in something warmer. Heavier. All-consuming.

The omega wasn’t sure how long it had been: morning and night tangled like the sheets on his bed, each hour bleeding into the next with breathless gasps, tangled limbs, and the taste of sweat on skin.

His heat held on longer than he expected. Or maybe it just felt that way because Ivan hadn’t left his side. Not once.

Neither of them had left the apartment.

The world outside faded to white noise.

Even the light through the windows felt distant.

There was only this: his lover’s scent clinging to the walls, thick and grounding. Ivan’s touch, ever-present, even when Till was too dazed to ask for it. Ivan’s voice, rough from overuse, whispering things he probably wouldn’t remember later but felt in the moment like gospel.

“You’re mine.”

“Still with me?”

“I’ll take care of you.”

Every word mattered.

Every touch mattered more.

Their first time had broken something open. But it was the after that carved a place for it to stay.

_____

Till stirred.

He was half-asleep, cheek pressed against the other’s chest, one leg thrown lazily over the the man’s thigh. His body still hummed, sore in all the right ways, stretched and sated yet craving more.

Ivan was already awake, of course.

He always was.

The alpha lay there quietly, hand stroking down Till’s spine with the slow, unhurried rhythm of a man who had nowhere else to be…and wouldn’t have moved even if he did.

“You’re awake,” he murmured.

“Barely.”

“You’re humming.”

Till blinked, flushed, then scowled into Ivan’s skin. “No I’m not.”

“You are.”

A kiss pressed to his temple.

“You only do that when you’re happy.”

The older man grunted. “I’m just tired.”

“Mm.”

The silence returned.

But it wasn’t empty. It never was with Ivan. It breathed around them: soft, heavy, full of something warmer than the omega knew how to hold.

“You’re still burning up,” the alpha whispered after a moment, nosing behind his ear. “You need more. I need more too…my rut is still lingering.”

Till didn’t argue.

He just pressed closer.

_____

That afternoon, they ended up in the bathroom.

The sheets had clung to them, sweat-soaked and rumpled from too many rounds to count. Ivan had carried him there without asking, one arm beneath his thighs, the other around his back: steady and reverent even as the silver-head whined from the shift in angle.

The bathtub filled slowly.

Warm water, the scent of calming oils, and the alpha’s grounding presence behind him as he eased them both into the water.

Till sank into him with a groan, back against chest, head tipping to the side. He could feel the thick press of Ivan’s rut still pulsing beneath the surface, but the alpha held himself back…for now.

They soaked in silence for a while.

His lover’s fingers trailed beneath the water, brushing over his thighs, his hips, his stomach.

Not sexual at first.

Just exploratory. Possessive. Comforting.

But Till was still in heat. Still spiraling from the high that never quite ended.

So when Ivan’s hand wandered a little too close: slow, purposeful….he moaned and arched.

“I thought this was a bath,” he panted.

Ivan’s lips brushed his nape. “It is.”

“Then why—”

“You keep making those sounds.”

“I’m not making—ah—”

The man’s teeth grazed his skin. “You want me to stop?”

Till grabbed his hand and shoved it to his cock.

His lover chuckled, low and warm.

And then the bath was sloshing, Till’s hips rolling, one hand braced against the tub’s edge as Ivan took him again with lazy, deep thrusts that made the water spill over.

Later, they lay there: water lukewarm, the smell of sex and their own scents drifting between their wet skin.

The omega breathed, soft and slow, his fingers tangled in the other’s where they rested over his stomach.

“I don’t think I can go another round,” he mumbled.

Ivan kissed his cheek. “Then let me hold you instead.”

And he did.

______

That night, they stayed on the couch.

The raven-head had insisted.

“The bed smells like us,” he said. “Too much.”

Till blinked at him. “That’s the point of a bed.”

“We need to reset the scent,” Ivan argued. “Come here.”

So they curled up beneath a blanket, a half-eaten box of crackers between them, the TV playing some slow documentary no one was really watching.

The older man’s head rested on Ivan’s lap, and the alpha ran his fingers through his silver hair again and again.

They didn’t talk much.

There was no need to.

At one point, Till lifted his shirt and placed Ivan’s hand under it…right over his stomach.

“Why here?” Ivan asked, voice soft.

“Because it feels good.”

The man didn’t question it.

Just kept his hand there, thumb brushing faint lines over soft skin, his breath catching every time Till made a quiet sound of pleasure.

“You’re not going to want me like this forever,” The omega mumbled out suddenly, voice quieter than a whisper.

The alpha didn’t stop touching him. “Why do you think that?”

“Because… you’ll get tired. You’re young. I’m—”

“Mine. You’re mine. Just like I’m yours.”

Till looked up.

Ivan’s face was calm. Serious.

“I don’t care if we’re different ages. I don’t care about anything except this: you. What we have. What I feel when I look at you.”

“And what’s that?”

“Like I’ve waited my whole damn life to find the one thing that makes me feel real…makes me feel like I really have a place in this world.”

The silver-head closed his eyes.

Ivan leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“I want every version of you,” the alpha murmured. “Not just this one.”

Till reached up and pulled him into a kiss.

Slow.

Wet.

Real.

______

The next day, they didn’t leave the bedroom again.

Till was still flushed with heat, his omega scent sharp and needy. He was quieter now, more sensitive. A single brush of fingers across his ribs made him tremble. A kiss behind his knee had him already wet.

Ivan adjusted as his rut was now mostly gone.

He softened his movements.

Let Till lead.

Cradled him during. Held him after.

Cleaned him up with warm towels and kisses when the ache became too much.

“I’m yours,” the omega whispered, halfway to sleep, his body a furnace against Ivan’s chest.

“I know.”

“You… you really won’t leave?”

“Never.”

Till curled closer.

They fell asleep like that…wrapped in each other, breath steadying, instincts finally sated.

______

It ended on the fifth morning.

The older man woke up without the gnawing ache under his skin.

No fog.

No clutching need in his belly.

Just calm.

And Ivan…already awake beside him, blinking slowly, dark circles under his eyes but a smile on his lips.

“It’s gone,” Till whispered.

The alpha nodded. “Yeah. Mine too.”

They looked at each other for a long moment.

Naked. Disheveled. Bodies worn out and ruined completely.

And completely content.

“Let’s actually plan that next time,” Till muttered, hiding his face in his chest.

Ivan laughed. “You loved it.”

“I loved you.”

“Oh?”

The omega froze.

Ivan blinked. “What?”

“I meant—”

The alpha sat up, dragging him along. “Say it again.”

“I—”

“Till.”

“I love you.”

The raven-head exhaled slowly, eyes closing like he was praying.

Then he reached out and pulled him into his lap, holding him like a miracle.

“And I love you,” he whispered back. “Every fucking part of you.”

Till kissed him.

And this time, it wasn’t frantic.

It wasn’t heat or rut or instincts taking over.

It was love.

Quiet and steady and real.

_________

Chapter Text

—————

The Hwan Empire estate was breathtaking.

Calling it a mansion was an insult. This was the kind of place whispered about in social circles, featured in architectural magazines, shielded behind high walls and wrought-iron gates. The driveway alone curved through a meticulously manicured garden, framed by imported cherry blossom trees and marble sculptures that glistened under the late afternoon sun.

The house…no, estate…stood tall and sprawling in shades of soft cream and sleek black. Glass panels, clean lines, and traditional Korean touches adorned the modern design. Approximately three times the size of Ivan’s already impressive three-story house, it had its own private lake, gym, restaurant, rooftop greenhouse, an underground wine cellar, and even a private elevator system.

And yet, as Till stepped inside with his lover’s hand in his and his mother beside them, the grandeur didn’t overwhelm him.

What overwhelmed him was how it felt.

Warm. Inviting. Alive with laughter.

This wasn’t some cold, pristine empire of wealth.

This was a home.

He squeezed Ivan’s hand once as they walked into the main receiving hall, where the others were already gathered. Soft music played somewhere in the background, and a few staff moved discreetly in and out with drinks and light snacks. But no one paid them any mind.

Because all eyes had just turned to the new arrivals.

“Ma, Dad,” Ivan called softly, smiling. “We’re here.”

Irene: tall, elegant, dressed in a flowing lavender blouse and slacks, looked up from where she had been speaking to Mizi. Her eyes lit up, and she was across the room in seconds.

Till barely had time to blink before she reached for him, gently holding his cheeks with both hands.

“You look beautiful as usual, sweetheart,” she said warmly, cupping his face. “You’ve been taking the vitamins I’ve given you, right?”

The omega flushed, and his boyfriend bit back a grin.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Darling…I told you to call me Irene.”

“Right. Sorry, Irene.”

Said woman hummed, clearly not satisfied with the formality, but she turned instead to the woman standing just behind them: silver-haired and calm, teal eyes watching everything.

“And this,” Ivan said proudly, “is Eomma Nari.”

Nari smiled softly. “It’s lovely to finally meet you both. Ibanny has told me many kind things.”

Ju-yeon, who had been seated beside his daughter and Luka, rose at once. Though his presence was quieter: stature tall, posture straight, his expression firm…there was a gentleness to his eyes that made Nari’s tension slip just a little.

“We’ve looked forward to this,” the man said, bowing slightly.

Irene mirrored the motion. “It’s an honor, Nari-ssi.”

Nari gave a respectful bow in return. “Likewise.”

The moment was still for a second. Three parents, each weighing and measuring…but not in the way of judgment.

In the way of love.

Then Irene smiled wider and reached for Nari’s hand.

“Let’s sit,” she said. “There’s plenty of food, and we’ve waited long enough.”

Till let out a small breath, and Ivan leaned in to whisper, “Told you it’d be fine.”

The omega’s mother smirked as she followed the other woman toward the spacious sunken lounge. “He was more nervous than I was.”

The silver-head groaned. “Eomma.”

______

The living room was larger than most houses. Two long velvet sofas curved in a half-moon facing a sleek fireplace, while cushions, rugs, and delicate tables completed the warm aesthetic. A wall of glass looked out over the garden, and the doors had been pushed open, letting the breeze inside.

The table was already set with refreshments: rice cakes, honey-drizzled fruit, kimchi pancakes, macarons, cheesecakes, pastries, tea, and a few bottles of fine soju and wine waiting to be opened later.

Sua waved enthusiastically from her seat next to Mizi, and Luka gave a grin from his perch near the floor.

“There they are,” the blonde said, raising a glass of his wine. “The stars of the show.”

“Behave,” Ivan warned playfully, ruffling the beta’s hair.

“I am behaving.”

Mizi leaned forward, smile wide as she reached for Till’s arm. “You didn’t tell me your mom was this pretty. I feel like I should call her eomma too.”

Nari chuckled. “I’ll allow it. You’re Mizi, right? The one who keeps getting my son into trouble?”

The female alpha gasped in mock offense. “Excuse me! He gets me into trouble.”

The room laughed.

And just like that, the atmosphere settled: easy, familiar, full of warmth.

______

An hour later, the parents were deep in conversation, cups of green tea between them.

Nari and Irene sat close on the main couch, occasionally touching hands when they laughed. They talked about everything: recipes, hometowns, how hard it was raising children who grew up too fast. Juyeon chimed in from time to time with quiet, insightful commentary that made them smile.

“It must’ve been nice having both of them close,” Nari mused at one point, glancing toward Ivan and Sua.

Ju-yeon nodded. “They kept each other in balance.”

“Even if Sua did try to give her brother a bad haircut once,” Irene added with a fond sigh. “He had to wear a hat for a good month.”

“That was one time,” Sua groaned.

“And it was funny,” Luka added.

Meanwhile, the younger crowd had gathered near the windows.

Till was seated with Ivan on the floor with his knees pulled up. The alpha sat behind him, arms lazily draped around his lover’s waist, chin on his shoulder.

Luka was sprawled beside them, chewing a rice cake. “So. This is what our family dinner would look like now huh??”

“I told you it’d be chill,” Ivan said.

“You said ‘small and casual.’ You’re forgetting this place has at least five grand pianos.”

“One is decorative.”

“Still counts.”

Sua rolled her eyes and tugged Mizi closer. “He’s just jealous.”

The female alpha leaned into her with a grin. “He wishes he was the favorite.”

Till laughed. “You’re all idiots.”

“You love us,” Sua said sweetly.

He rolled his eyes, but the smile didn’t leave his face.

______

Later, they moved to the garden for air.

The sun was low now, sky streaked in orange and rose. The scent of hydrangeas carried on the wind as everyone wandered toward the stone path winding through a koi pond.

Nari stood beside Juyeon near a small pavilion, looking out over the water.

“I never expected my son to end up here,” she admitted.

Ju-yeon looked at her quietly. “Are you happy that he did?”

Her lips curved. “He smiles differently when he talks about Ivan. That’s all I need.”

Inside, Irene and Mizi had cornered Till, bombarding him with questions about whether he was eating enough, sleeping enough, taking breaks.

“I’m not that old,” he complained.

“You’re my child now,” Irene said sternly. “I reserve the right to fuss.”

Nari rejoined them just in time to say, “He gets grumpy when he’s hungry. Make sure you feed him first before you argue.”

“I do feed him,” Ivan stated, wrapping an arm around his lover’s waist.

“Do you know your son cooks for mines?” Nari stated proudly.

“I don’t believe that,” Irene gasped.

Till turned red. “You’re all impossible.”

“And yet you’re stuck with us,” Sua teased.

“Foreverrrr,” Ivan added, grinning.

They all cheered with raised glasses when the soju and wine was finally poured.

______

As the sun disappeared fully, lanterns lit the garden.

Soft golden glows framed their laughter, their quiet conversations, the closeness of people who, despite different lives and histories, had found a way to weave themselves into something new.

A family.

Not perfect.

Not traditional.

But real.

And chosen.

The omega stood beside his lover beneath the cherry tree at the center of the garden, watching their parents laugh over something his mother had said.

“They really like each other,” Till murmured.

“I knew they would.”

“I was worried.”

“You’re always worried.”

“And you’re always right.”

Ivan bumped their shoulders. “That’s why we work.”

Till glanced at him, eyes softer than the light around them. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For… making room for all of this.”

The alpha turned to him fully, hands sliding up his arms. “You’re the only person I ever wanted to make room for.”

Till didn’t respond.

He just leaned in and kissed him.

The rest could wait.

__________

Chapter Text

—————

The professor sighed as he dropped his bag by the door. His shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of the day peeling off like a second skin the moment he stepped into Ivan’s home.

They didn’t speak at first.

The alpha locked the door behind them, then turned and leaned against it, eyes trailing over him with that quiet intensity that always made the older man feel seen: peeled open but safe, desired but never consumed.

Till toed off his shoes and wandered toward the open living area, his fingers dragging lazily across the marble counter on the way. Ivan followed a few steps behind but didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.

The tension between them had grown more obvious lately: not suffocating, but charged. Like something new was blooming beneath the surface. Something inevitable.

The omega reached the couch and sat down. The other didn’t join him. Instead, he stood a few feet away, watching him, arms crossed, head tilted slightly.

“You’re staring,” Till stated without looking at him.

Ivan’s voice came soft. “Can you blame me?”

The older man glanced up then, lips twitching into a half-smile. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re beautiful.”

It shouldn’t have hit as hard as it did. But it did. It always did. Because his boyfriend didn’t say things like that carelessly. Every compliment felt like something deliberate, something real.

The younger man stepped forward, slowly. “Do you want something to drink? Something to eat?”

Till shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”

“Then?”

The question sat in the air between them.

The omega didn’t answer.

He just looked up at the raven-head…really looked, and then pushed himself to his feet.

His lover didn’t move as he closed the distance.

Didn’t blink when Till placed a hand on his chest.

Didn’t breathe when the smaller man tilted his chin up and whispered, “Mark me. Mate with me.”

Ivan’s onyx eyes widened, just slightly. “Till…”

“I need it,” his lover murmured, his voice softer than breath. “I need to feel something that’s only ours. Something I asked for. Not because of instinct. Not because of cycles. But because I need to be yours...truly…fully.”

The alpha was silent for a good moment.

Then, carefully, he reached up and cradled his face.

He kissed him: once, slow and deep, and then again, until Till melted into him.

Clothes came off in a blur. Soft sounds, shared glances, reverent touches.

They didn’t rush.

Ivan traced every inch of the older man’s skin with his hands and his mouth, like he was rediscovering him for the first time. He kissed his collarbones, his ribs, the flat of his stomach. He licked a stripe over his throat just to hear the way the other hissed and flexed under him.

And Till?

He touched Ivan like he was studying him: palms running over the curve of his shoulders, the dip of his spine, the muscle of his thighs. When he looked at him, it was with hunger, yes…but also with something quieter. Something vulnerable.

They ended up in the bedroom, back hitting the sheets with a sigh of surrender. The raven-head kissed down his lover’s chest, tongue brushing his nipple, and Till’s breath stuttered.

“Fuck,” he whispered, arching.

The alpha hummed, then pulled back, eyes dark with restraint. “You sure?”

Till reached up and pulled him back down. “Don’t ask me again.”

Their bodies moved in sync: legs tangling, hands clutching, lips searching.

The omega gasped when the other shifted between his thighs, mouthing his way down, nipping the inside of his knee before pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin of the inner part. Till’s breath hitched, fingers threading through the sheets.

“You don’t have to—take your…time.” he stuttered, but his lover shot him a look that silenced him.

“I want to,” he stated, voice low and rough, like gravel soaked in honey.

And then he lowered his head.

Till’s eyes slammed shut the moment Ivan’s tongue met his entrance: slow, firm licks that coaxed soft whimpers from his throat. The raven-head’s hands gripped his thighs, keeping him open and steady, as he took his time exploring, tasting, worshipping.

The omega writhed, biting down on his lip, head thrown back against the pillows. Ivan was thorough, lips wrapping around sensitive skin, tongue teasing until the smaller man was shaking beneath him: sweaty and flushed and desperate for more.

Only when Till was slick, flushed, and half-sobbing into the sheets did the man finally pull away.

He kissed up Till’s thigh, then over his stomach, and finally caught his mouth again in a slow, deep kiss. One of his hands reached between them, fingers coated with the omega’s slick, and he circled his entrance with gentle precision.

His lover moaned into his mouth.

The alpha pressed in slowly, carefully: one finger, then two, curling and spreading. He whispered praise as he worked him open, lips brushing his ear.

“Doing so good for me sweetheart… fuck, you’re so perfect…”

Till clutched at his arms, the burn giving way to pleasure, his breath coming faster now.

When Ivan added a third finger, he leaned down again to kiss the omega’s throat once more, to soothe and anchor him, all while prepping him slowly and with care…like it mattered. Because it did.

When he finally pulled his fingers out, Till let out a soft sound of protest. But then—

The raven-head slid into him slow, giving him time to adjust, one hand gripping the back of his knee, the other stroking along his side in long, soothing passes.

“Breathe,” he whispered, lips brushing Till’s temple. “I’ve got you.”

The older man clung to him, panting, feeling every thick inch stretch him full.

“I-Ivan…”

“I know,” the alpha murmured, kissing his jaw. “I feel it too.”

His lover moaned softly, mouth falling open as the man filled him completely.

And when he finally moved: thrusting deep, slow, deliberate…Till gasped, arms wrapping around his neck as he held him close.

Their foreheads pressed together. Their lips brushed with every breath.

“I love you,” Ivan whispered, voice ragged.

“I know,” Till whispered back, his eyes fluttering with tears. “I…feel it.”

And he did.

He felt it in every stroke. Every kiss. Every time the man whispered his name like a prayer.

And when Ivan’s mouth hovered over the soft dip between his neck and shoulder…where his scent gland was, Till tilted his head automatically, baring it for him.

“Now,” he whispered. “Do it.”

Ivan groaned: low, guttural, desperate, and then he bit.

The omega gasped, the sharp sting blooming into something hot and heady. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t stiffen. He moaned: loud, breathless…and dug his fingers nails into the alpha’s back as his scent gland pulsed with the heat of the claim.

Ivan licked over the mark after, lips soft, tongue gentle, as though to soothe what he’d taken and give back more in return.

And then he looked up: eyes glassy, voice breaking. “You want to stop?”

Till didn’t answer.

He pushed the younger man until they flipped, until he was straddling him. Ivan looked up at him in shock, lips parted, hands steady on his hips.

The silver-head leaned down, brushing his nose along his lover’s jaw. “I’m not done.”

The alpha barely had time to process the words before Till’s lips found his scent gland.

It was bold. Unheard of.

No omega ever marked their alpha.

But Till didn’t care.

He wanted to. And he did.

It was possessive and Ivan?

God, he was horny again.

The older man’s teeth sank in, gentle but certain, and Ivan cried out beneath him: half in shock, half in pleasure.

The moment it settled…the claim humming between them like a second heartbeat—the raven-head reached up and pulled his mate down into a kiss that left them both shaking.

The pace picked up again: Till riding him with the other giving deep thrusts in return, their bodies slick with sweat and the heady scent of something primal, something permanent.

Their marks throbbed against one another. Their hearts pounded in sync.

Till came first…biting down on the man’s shoulder, muffling his moans as he clenched around him. The alpha followed seconds later, gasping his name, burying himself to the hilt as he spilled into him.

Afterward, they didn’t speak for a while.

They just breathed together.

Till curled into Ivan’s chest, one hand tracing lazy patterns over his abdomen.

The alpha held him like he never planned to let go again.

Eventually, the omega broke the silence. “So now what?”

Ivan chuckled breathlessly, eyes still closed. “Now… you’re mine.”

“And you’re mine,” his mate murmured.

The raven-head turned his head slightly, kissed the mark on Till’s neck. “Exactly.”

They drifted in and out of sleep like that: tangled and claimed.

And neither of them had ever felt more whole.

___________

Chapter Text

——————

The sunlight spilled through the windows of the bedroom, casting golden streaks across the tangled sheets and the limbs still wrapped in them. A soft breeze from the slightly cracked window stirred the curtains, and in the quiet stillness of morning, there was only the sound of breathing: slow, steady, peaceful.

Till’s head was tucked under Ivan’s chin, hair a mess of silver and pillow-flattened waves. The alpha’s hand rested over the small of his back, fingertips occasionally tracing idle shapes into bare skin. Neither of them had said anything yet, too content in the warmth of what they’d become.

Mated.

It had only been a few days, but the bond pulsed like a heartbeat. Not constant or loud…just a quiet presence that hummed under the surface. A promise. A tether. A shared knowing.

And Ivan couldn’t stop smiling.

“Move in with me,” he murmured into his mate’s hair.

Till, barely awake, made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a groggy protest.

“I’m serious,” the alpha stated, kissing the top of his head. “You practically live here already. And I hate it when you leave. Just move in officially.”

Till blinked against his chest, lifting his head slightly. “Is that really how you’re asking?”

The man shrugged, shameless. “I figured I could do the whole roses and champagne thing later, but right now—” He rolled them slightly so the other was beneath him, “—I want to wake up next to you every morning. In our bed. Not mine. Not yours. Ours.”

There was a flicker of emotion in Till’s eyes: something soft and raw.

He exhaled, smile small but real. “Alright.”

Ivan stilled. “Wait… really?”

“Yeah,” the omega responded, brushing a hand down his side. “But I’m paying for groceries and household stuff. I’m not about to live off you like some housewife.”

The raven-head groaned. “That’s not—”

“Ivan.”

The warning tone in his lover’s voice was enough.

“…Fine,” the younger man relented, face buried into Till’s neck. “But you’re not allowed to stress about it.”

“Deal.”

They lay there a little longer, basking in the quiet of the morning and what it meant…this new beginning. This shift.

Later, after showering and making breakfast together in only a t-shirt and boxers and laughter, Ivan plopped down onto the couch, phone in hand.

Till eyed him warily from the kitchen. “What are you doing?”

The alpha smirked. “Group FaceTime.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Are you actually FaceTiming all of them at once?” His mate asked, walking over with a mug of coffee in hand.

Ivan tapped a few buttons. “Yes in a group call. Parents. Sibling. Friends. Everyone who deserves to know.”

“Absolutely not—”

“Too late.”

The screen lit up with familiar names and icons. It didn’t take long before all of them started answering, one by one.

First came Sua, whose voice rang out immediately. “Okay, why am I in a group call with my girlfriend, my parents, my brother and Luka? What kind of intervention is this?”

Then Mizi, her brows lifted. “Is this about the thing I told you to buy, Till? Did it explode?”

Luka appeared next, eating chips despite the fact it was not even noon. “Did someone die?”

Then finally…Nari, with her usual calm, followed by Irene and Ju-yeon, sitting together on what looked like their living room couch.

All their video feeds settled, and suddenly the screen was a chaotic mixture of expressions.

Till sat next to Ivan now, hiding half his face behind the coffee mug.

The raven-head, however, looked positively smug.

“Well,” Irene said with a smile, “this is a rare full house.”

“Spit it out,” Sua said, squinting at her brother. “You’ve never called all of us like this unless you need something.”

The alpha gave a short laugh, draping his arm behind his omega. “No requests. Just… news.”

“Wait,” Luka started slowly. “You’re not…no fucking way.”

“What?” Sua said, whipping her head between screens.

Ivan leaned toward Till slightly. “Show them.”

The older man rolled his eyes and turned his head, baring his neck.

The mark was still fresh, still raw at the edges…but it was unmistakable. Deep. Claimed.

The screen exploded.

“Holy shit!” Mizi shrieked, grabbing her phone and shaking it. “You mated?! Since when?! I thought we were still in the dating phase!”

Sua’s mouth dropped. “Till?! You let this menace claim you?!”

“Excuse yourself,” Ivan cut in, grinning, “I’m a fantastic mate, thank you very much.”

Nari smiled softly in her kitchen. “I knew it,” she said with a hum. “I felt it in my chest the last few days. I thought I was imagining it.”

Irene, next to Ju-yeon, was teary-eyed. “My baby,” she said dramatically, fanning her face. “Our little Ivan… mated. To the most precious omega. I’m so happy.”

“Are we gonna gloss over the fact that Till is technically still his professor and Ivan is…well—him?” Luka muttered around his chips.

“He’s not actually enrolled, remember?” Sua added, rubbing her temples. “God, this feels illegal.”

“It’s not,” Ivan said. “We’re both adults. And in love.”

The omega flushed slightly, but didn’t argue.

Ju-yeon finally spoke, his voice calm but sure. “I’m proud of you.”

Ivan blinked. “Dad—?”

The oldest man nodded. “You’ve always gone after what you wanted. You found your mate and you didn’t let anything stop you. That takes courage. And responsibility.”

Nari added, “And love. Don’t forget love.”

“I just want to say for the record,” the beta said, lifting his hand, “that I told you Ivan was in love with you months and months ago so I played a big part.”

“You also told me Ivan was faking being bad at his studies,” Till muttered.

“Because he was.”

Mizi grinned. “Well… this means we need to plan something. A dinner. A toast. You two sealed the bond…it deserves celebration.”

“After end of year exams,” Till said, sighing. “Please.”

“I’ll start planning,” Irene announced with a clap. “Oh, Till, sweetheart, I’ll call you later for color themes.”

“Color themes for what?”

“Nothing,” Ivan said too quickly.

Everyone laughed, the call devolving into cheerful chaos for the next several minutes: jokes, teasing, and collective screaming when Ivan made the mistake of kissing his mate’s cheek in front of all of them.

Eventually, one by one, they signed off…until it was just Irene, Nari, and Ju-yeon left.

“I love you, Eomma,” Ivan said softly to Nari.

She smiled like the sun. “I love you too, darling.”

“And me?” Irene said, pouting.

“Of course I love you, Ma #2.”

“You little—“

She scoffed but laughed.

And then the call ended.

Till let out a long breath, setting the phone aside. “That… was a lot.”

The raven-head leaned back into the couch, his hand finding his and twining their fingers. “That was our family.”

The omega smiled down at their joined hands.

His mate. His home.

His everything.

_____________

Chapter Text

——————

It had been a year since they’ve reunited.

Eight months of which they were together.

Two months since they’ve mated.

And here now in their house, the omega was going through a beautiful crisis.

He had never owned this many suits in his entire life.

Technically, he still didn’t.

They were gifts. Lavish, tailored, designer. Delivered in garment bags with satin linings and hand-written notes, all signed with love from his mate’s mother, who had very clearly decided he needed an entirely new wardrobe now that he was “part of the family.”

He’d argued at first. Politely. Firmly. Tried to say thank you, but no. Irene had waved him off with a dismissive hum and said something about how he was “too beautiful to dress like a professor all the time,” and Ivan had just watched, grinning into his wine glass.

Now, here he was, adjusting his cuffs in the mirror of their walk-in closet. Dressed to the nines in a tailored three-piece suit: black with a dark plum undertone that caught the light. His silver hair was styled back, and Ivan had kissed his cheek earlier and said he looked like trouble.

Till was beginning to believe it.

“You’re going to make the entire board of directors faint,” the alpha stated behind him, his reflection coming into view as he stepped closer.

“Pretty sure none of them can compete with you.”

Ivan grinned. “A fact.”

Till huffed, but the laugh slipped out anyway. “You look hot too, by the way.”

That was an understatement. The alpha, with his slicked-raven hair, crisp black suit, and tailored vest, looked like he belonged on a Vogue cover. His presence was commanding even before he said a word. But right now, there was a softness to the way he looked at him: warm, intimate, proud.

“You ready?” he asked, reaching over to adjust Till’s lapel.

“As I’ll ever be,” his lover muttered.

The man leaned down and kissed his temple. “Stay close. It’s going to be a lot.”

Till nodded.

He could handle a lot.

______

The Hwan Empire’s charity gala was everything the silver-head had imagined and more.

Held in one of Seoul’s most exclusive luxury hotels, the event felt less like a fundraiser and more like a royal celebration. The ballroom was vast, with glittering chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the glittering skyline outside, and guests in every direction dressed in evening gowns and tuxedos.

Till stayed close to Ivan, nodding politely at strangers, holding a champagne flute he didn’t really sip from.

The raven-head didn’t let go of his hand once.

“You’re doing fine,” he murmured when his mate exhaled slowly.

“I feel like I’ve walked into a drama.”

Ivan smiled. “You get used to it.”

“You thrive in it.”

“You make it bearable.”

Till flushed and nudged his side. “Don’t say stuff like that when people are looking.”

“They know I’m in love.”

The older man rolled his eyes, but his fingers curled tighter around his.

______

Sua and Mizi arrived a little after them, both radiant in floor-length formalwear. Sua wore a beautiful white bow dress, the fabric shimmering with every movement. Mizi wore a sleek, black gown, her hair in soft curls, and she greeted Till with a cheeky smile.

“God, you clean up nice.”

“You’ve seen me in a suit before,” Till stated dryly.

“Not like this,” Mizi teased. “CEO Omega Chic is a look.”

The man groaned.

Ivan, smug as ever, just wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed his hair.

______

An hour into the event, a new energy filled the room.

The silver-head turned when he heard the excited chatter. The children had arrived.

A group of about twenty: mostly elementary school age, dressed in formal but playful outfits, some holding hands as they entered. There were bright smiles, curious eyes, and that chaotic spark of youth that cut through the stiffness of the ballroom.

The moment they spotted Ivan, they rushed toward him.

“Ibanny hyung!”

Till barely had time to react before his mate crouched down with open arms, catching two boys in a tight hug while a girl leapt onto his back. He laughed freely, bright and loud, as the others surrounded him: tugging at his sleeves, pulling at his hands, clamoring for attention.

“Did you bring snacks?”

“Did you bring your sketchbook?”

“Are you dancing with us today?”

“One question at a time!” Ivan laughed.

Till blinked.

He’d seen his man in many lights. As a flirt. As a student. As a lover. As the heir to a powerful empire. But this?

This was different.

This was natural. Unscripted. Full of warmth.

Ivan belonged with them…on the floor, surrounded by squealing kids who adored him. Not because of his name, or his wealth, or his status. But because he saw them. Spoke to them like equals. Held them with care.

Till stood frozen in place, a quiet awe growing in his chest.

He hadn’t known it was possible to fall in love this way. So suddenly. So deeply.

Not because the alpha was perfect. But because in moments like this, he didn’t even try to be.

____

Eventually, Ivan peeled away from the children and made his way back to his mate, still holding the hand of a small boy who wouldn’t let go.

“Sorry,” he said breathlessly. “They’re clingy.”

“You like it,” Till murmured, his voice softer than usual.

The alpha gave him a sideways glance. “I do.”

The boy tugged Ivan’s hand. “Is this your mate?”

Ivan grinned. “Yeah. He’s mine.”

The boy stared up at Till with huge eyes. “You are pretty.”

“Thank you,” the omega responded, trying not to flush.

“Can you dance?”

“I—what?”

The raven-head bent down. “We’ll catch up later, okay? Go grab some food with your friends.”

The boy nodded and ran off.

Till exhaled slowly. His cheeks were still warm.

“…You’re good with them.”

“I usually volunteer at the orphanage every summer,” his lover explained. “Helps me stay grounded. These kids don’t need someone rich. They need someone who shows up.”

“You clearly do more than show up.”

Ivan looked at him seriously. “I want to build a life where I can give back. Something meaningful. Something that lasts.”

The older man stared at him.

And then…quietly, reverently…he said, “You already are.”

_____

Later, they stood together at one of the high-top tables near the back of the ballroom, watching as the children played a little impromptu game of tag near the corner where no guests were mingling.

“You okay?” The alpha asked, nudging his side.

Till nodded, resting his elbow on the table. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

“You,” his mate responded honestly. “What kind of person you are.”

Ivan blinked.

“I thought I knew you,” Till continued. “But tonight… you’re just—”

He didn’t finish the sentence.

The raven-head didn’t need him to.

He reached out and took his lover’s hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a kiss to the knuckles.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Till smiled. “I know.”

Ivan’s eyes twinkled. “That’s not the right reply.”

“It’s the honest one but…I love you too.”

_______

The rest of the evening passed in a haze of warmth and low lights. Irene and Ju-Yeon eventually made their rounds, always speaking proudly of the foundation, but beaming most brightly when their son-in-law stood beside their son. The woman kissed his cheek and adjusted his tie like it was second nature. Ju-Yeon gave him a brief pat on the shoulder and a nod of approval that, in his own quiet way, meant everything.

Sua and Mizi danced like they owned the floor. Ivan and Till joined them once or twice, laughing quietly at how easily they fit into it all now.

The final dance of the night was slow. Classic. The kind that settled deep in your chest and hummed.

The raven-head held his omega close, arms secure around his waist, and Till rested his head against Ivan’s shoulder.

“I never imagined this,” the older man murmured.

His mate kissed the crown of his head. “You imagined something better?”

Till laughed quietly. “No. Just… never imagined someone like you.”

Ivan’s voice was steady. “I was always coming for you. From the beginning.”

The other closed his eyes.

He believed him.

And more than that…

He wanted the future waiting ahead.

___________

Chapter Text

—————

It had been two weeks since the charity gala.

Two weeks since Till had seen Ivan surrounded by children: laughing with them, crouched on their level, sleeves rolled up and tie loosened as he painted messy stars on a girl’s canvas and helped a boy fix the wheels on a crooked toy truck. Ivan had looked so… alive that day. So at ease. It wasn’t the poised heir or the playful alpha that he was used to…it was someone softer. Someone warmer. Someone who held tiny hands with reverence and bent down to listen like their every word mattered.

And the image hadn’t left his mind since.

Not even for a second.

He didn’t bring it up. Not at first. He just let it linger in the corners of his thoughts, filling quiet moments with aching tenderness. At night, he’d find himself curled against Ivan in bed, forehead tucked under his chin, wondering how it would feel to see the man hold their child the same way he held those kids. Would he look at them the same? Would he laugh the same, unguarded and beautiful?

Till wasn’t sure when the longing began. Maybe it had always been there, sleeping under the surface. A quiet, untouched part of him that hadn’t dared to hope until now.

But it wasn’t just hope anymore.

It was want.

And Ivan, sharp and attentive as always, noticed long before the man could find the courage to say anything.

______

It was late when it finally came to a head.

Rain pattered gently against the windows of their bedroom. The city lights shimmered behind the glass like a distant constellation. The omega was tucked against his chest, wearing one of his oversized shirts, soft and warm from the dryer. His fingers idly traced the skin above Ivan’s heart, but his mind was clearly far away.

The alpha had been watching him for minutes now: silent, patient.

Then, finally, he spoke, “What’s been on your mind?”

Till blinked. “Hm?”

“You’ve been thinking hard about something these past two weeks sweetheart,” the younger man murmured, brushing a knuckle down his cheek. “You mumble to yourself when you overthink.”

The omega huffed a soft laugh but didn’t deny it.

The other shifted beneath him, cradling him closer. “Wanna tell me what it is?”

There was a long pause. Till’s fingers stilled.

Then, slowly…

“I keep thinking about the kids at the event.”

Ivan tilted his head slightly. “Yeah?”

“The way they ran up to you. The way you looked at them,” he continued quietly, eyes fixed somewhere near the man’s collarbone. “You were… so natural. Like it was the most normal thing in the world. Like they were yours.”

The raven-head blinked, visibly surprised by the direction this was going…but he didn’t interrupt. He waited.

His lover swallowed. “It felt right. Seeing you like that. And I started wondering if you’ve ever thought about it.”

Ivan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Thought about what?”

Till looked up at him then. Really looked. Eyes wide, a little nervous. But steady.

“Do you want kids?”

The alpha’s breath hitched.

Not because he didn’t know the answer…but because of the way his mate had asked it. Soft. Vulnerable. Like the answer might ruin him.

“Till,” he said gently, “Baby…that’s a stupid question.”

The omega flinched, brows pulling together. “Excuse me?”

Ivan chuckled, thumb brushing beneath his chin. “Of course I want kids. With you. Definitely.”

“You’re just saying that—”

“I’m not,” the man stated firmly. “You think I’d go through all this: chase you, transfer universities, throw myself into your life, mate with you…just for something casual?”

“I mean, yes?” Till muttered, flushing.

Ivan laughed again, softer this time. “You’re an idiot.”

“Says the man who faked an entire academic identity just to flirt with his professor.”

“Touché,” said man grinned with a smirk. “But seriously. I want that. I’ve thought about it more than I probably should admit.”

“…Really?”

“Till, I already think about what names they’d have. Whether they’d have your eyes or mine. Whether they’d be clingy little omegas like you or stubborn baby alphas like me.”

The silver-head’s face burned. “I am not clingy—!”

Ivan raised a brow.

“…Okay, maybe a little.”

“You are. And I love it.”

Till buried his face in his chest.

The alpha continued, voice lower now. “I want a family with you. I always have. The moment I realized you were it for me… it wasn’t a matter of if. Just when.”

His mate’s heart did something strange in his chest. Something soft. Something open.

He pulled back just far enough to meet Ivan’s gaze. “Then… do you want to try?”

The other blinked. “Try?”

Till nodded. “To have a baby.”

There was a beat of stunned silence.

Then the man’s arms tightened around him, strong and sure.

“God, yes.”

_____

They didn’t do anything that night. Not yet.

It wasn’t about jumping into it.

It was about intention.

About curling together under the blankets and whispering ideas. Would they want one or two? Till admitted, a little sheepishly, that he wanted to raise them bilingual…maybe teach them both Korean and English, since that’s how he grew up.

Ivan told him he’d start brushing up on his English, then.

The omega laughed.

They fell asleep smiling.

_____

The following days felt different.

Not in a dramatic, life-changing way…but something subtle. Something heavier in the best way. Like they were building something now. Not just a relationship, not just a life together…but something greater. Something fragile and permanent.

They talked more. About logistics. About whether they’d want to tell their friends or keep it quiet for now.

But more than the planning, it was the hope that filled the silence between them.

Every look. Every kiss. Every touch.

They were trying now.

And trying meant everything.

_____

One evening, nearly a week later, Ivan came home late…from an office errand he had to make for his father. His tie was loose and jacket slung over his shoulder. He found Till in the kitchen, stirring something half-heartedly on the stove.

“Smells good,” the alpha mumbled, wrapping his arms around him from behind.

“It’s just some ramyeon,” the omega replied, leaning into the touch.

“Still smells good.”

They stood there for a while, just swaying. The stove clicked off. The pot forgotten.

Till turned in Ivan’s arms, looking up at him.

The raven-head smiled. “What?”

“Nothing,” Till said softly. “Just… I love you.”

Ivan’s throat bobbed. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

Ivan bent down and kissed him. Slow. Firm. Full of promise.

They were trying.

And they wouldn’t stop until their family was complete.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

The week after Till asked if they could try for a baby were filled with something soft. Something sacred.

It wasn’t just the act of trying…though that, too, was beautiful in its own way. It was the quiet mornings where Ivan would press kisses to his bare shoulder, murmuring about how good he felt, how much he loved him. It was the shared glances in the kitchen over breakfast, the gentle touches, the grounding presence they both carried with them through the day. A private knowing that they were creating something…possibly someone, together.

They didn’t make every moment about it. Life went on. Classes still happened, deadlines still rolled in. But in the spaces between, there was love and aching tenderness, as though their bodies were already preparing for something bigger than them both.

Till had been tracking everything. Temperature logs, changes in his mood or appetite. Ivan would sometimes peek over his shoulder, wrap an arm around his waist, and smile against his cheek.

“Whatever happens,” the alpha said one night as they curled together on their bed, “I’m already happy. You’re mine. That’s more than I ever dreamed of.”

Till didn’t answer with words…just kissed him long and slow until his lover forgot how to breathe.

It was a week later when they sat in the waiting room of the clinic. It was quiet, surprisingly so. A small private practice tucked into the hills just outside the city, specializing in omega reproductive health and mating wellness. They’d chosen it because of its confidentiality and stellar reviews.

Ivan’s hand was wrapped around Till’s the entire time. They didn’t talk much. They didn’t need to.

When the nurse called them in, Till stood first, fingers squeezing the man’s. The alpha followed close behind, protective without being overbearing, his presence firm and grounding.

The examination room was warm-toned and softly lit, with plush seats and a comfortable medical table that didn’t feel so cold. A young female doctor entered after a short knock…Dr. Lee, and she was pleasant, professional, and warm. She greeted them with a soft smile.

“So,” she began as she sat across from them, “you’re here to check general hormone levels and fertility markers, correct?”

Till nodded. “We’re… trying. For a baby.”

Dr. Lee smiled knowingly. “Congratulations on taking this step. It’s always good to see couples being proactive.” She scanned their charts. “I’ll start with a basic vitals check, and then I’ll take some blood to run the labs. If you’d like, I can also do a quick ultrasound to check for any internal irregularities, though it’s optional at this stage.”

The omega blinked. “Ultrasound?”

“Routine,” she reassured. “Nothing invasive. Just to rule out any abnormalities with your uterine lining or ovary function.”

They agreed. Blood was drawn first: from both of them. Vitals checked. Then Till lay back on the padded table as the doctor dimmed the lights and spread the gel across his lower abdomen. Ivan stood beside him, hand in his, thumb brushing soft circles into the back of it.

“This might feel a bit cool,” Dr. Lee said as she positioned the wand.

The monitor beside them flickered to life. Black and white and grainy. Shapes and shadows.

Then something… pulsed.

A flicker.

A beat.

The doctor frowned slightly and leaned in. Her movements became more focused, her gaze sharper.

The alpha tensed beside his mate, sensing the shift.

“What is it?” Till asked, chest tightening.

Dr. Lee paused. Her eyes softened as she leaned back slightly. “Have you experienced any unusual symptoms the last few months, Mr. Kang? Nausea? Fatigue? Heightened appetite or sensitivity to smell?”

The omega blinked. “I mean, kinda. But I just thought it was stress. Or… maybe lingering hormone imbalance from stopping my suppressants a couple months ago.”

The woman’s brows lifted gently. “Mr. Kang,” she said, a warm smile breaking onto her face, “you’re already pregnant.”

The words didn’t land at first. Not fully. They just floated in the air.

Ivan blinked. “What?”

She turned the monitor slightly toward them, pointing to the screen. “There. That’s the fetal pole. And that flicker? That’s the heartbeat. Based on the measurements… I’d estimate you’re around ten to eleven weeks along.”

Silence.

Ten to eleven weeks.

Till’s breath hitched. “Almost three months…?”

Ivan exhaled like he’d been punched in the gut. “That was… my rut. Your heat.”

The omega’s lips parted, realization blooming behind his eyes. “That’s… when we…”

Neither of them could speak for a moment. The room was quiet but for the steady thump of a heartbeat on the monitor.

Dr. Lee took the cue to step aside and give them a moment of privacy, slipping out gently. The door clicked shut behind her.

Ivan slowly dropped to his knees beside the exam table, still holding his hand. His forehead rested against his arm.

“You’re pregnant,” he said, breathless. “You’re… we already… Till.”

The silver-head stared at the monitor, eyes wide, filling slowly with tears. “I didn’t know. I didn’t—” He let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. “We’ve been trying so hard this past few weeks and…and the whole time I was already…”

Ivan cupped his mate’s face, eyes glassy, lips trembling. “You’re already carrying our baby.”

Till reached for him, curling his fingers in his lover’s collar and pulling him up into a desperate kiss. There was no heat, no rush…just overwhelming emotion, the rawness of realizing they were already a family.

“I love you,” he whispered when they parted. “I love you so fucking much.”

The alpha laughed through a soft sob. “I love you too. I’m going to be a dad,” he whispered. “We’re going to be parents.”

Till rested his forehead against his. “You were right,” he murmured. “Whatever happens… I’m already happy.”

They held each other for a long time.

⸻

The drive home was quiet but full. The raven-head’s hand never left his mate’s thigh the entire time, thumb stroking absently. Till kept glancing down at his stomach, as if he could see it…see them…already growing inside him.

The moment they stepped into the house, Ivan scooped him up, bridal-style, and carried him straight to the living room couch.

“You’re not walking anywhere unless I say so,” he stated seriously, but the older man could see the joy behind the command. His mate was glowing.

“I’m pregnant, not dying,” Till teased, resting his head against his alpha’s chest.

Ivan kissed his forehead. “Doesn’t matter. You’re mine. And you’re carrying our baby.”

They stayed curled up like that for hours, murmuring dreams into the quiet. Names they liked. Colors for a nursery. Whether they wanted to find out the sex or keep it a surprise.

Till fell asleep first, head tucked under his lover’s chin, a soft smile still on his face.

Ivan lay awake long after, one hand spread protectively across Till’s stomach. There was life under his palm. Real, beautiful life. Something they had made together…without even realizing.

And that, he thought, was the most perfect kind of beginning.

_____________

Chapter Text

—————

The smell of jajangmyeon and soy-glazed chicken wafted through the house as Till stirred a pot of seaweed soup on the stove, humming under his breath. Ivan walked up behind him and slid his arms around his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder.

“You’re overworking,” his mate murmured, grinning against his neck.

The omega huffed a soft laugh. “I’m trying to cook. For our family. That’s not overworking.”

Ivan gave a mock-skeptical grunt but didn’t move away, just swayed them gently in time with the simmering sounds of dinner and the low hum of jazz playing through the speakers. Their house felt cozy, alive…walls echoing with the clink of silverware being set, the shuffle of socks on hardwood floors, the softest undertone of happiness.

Everything was ready. The dining table was set for eight: Their parents along with, Sua, Mizi, and Luka would be arriving soon. The warm lights above the table cast a golden glow over the dark wood, and in the middle sat their little surprise: a small pastel gift box tied with yellow ribbon, the contents carefully hidden.

They had debated how to tell them.

Till had wanted to just blurt it out over dessert. Ivan thought it deserved a moment, something sweet and memorable.

So they compromised.

A game.

“I still can’t believe we’re doing this,” the older man muttered, turning the heat down.

His mate kissed the curve of his neck, voice warm. “Why? You’re glowing. You’re carrying our baby. Our families will be overjoyed.”

Till paused, his hands settling over Ivan’s on his stomach. “I know. It just… makes it more real.”

They stood there a moment, the omega leaning back against his mate, the weight of the past few weeks settling into something softer, something grounding. There had been shock, of course. Tears. Laughter. Disbelief.

He was officially three months pregnant.

Two and an half months without even realizing it.

Their baby had been growing inside him since that intense, fever-drenched week of shared heat and rut. Now, with his scent subtly sweeter, it all felt tangible.

When the doorbell rang, Ivan reluctantly pulled away to go answer it, giving Till’s lips one last kiss.

“Here we go,” he grinned.

_____

The house was suddenly filled with voices, shoes being kicked off, jackets shrugged onto hooks, and the warmth of familiar laughter.

“Tillie! Oh my god…smells like a five-star restaurant in here. Your cooking has definitely been improving!” Mizi beamed as she bounded in, throwing her arms around her best friend before she even finished taking off her shoes.

The omega caught her with a grin. “It’s just some simple dishes.”

“You say that, but I smell heaven,” Luka called from behind, brushing back his blonde hair and offering Ivan a hug. “Thanks for inviting us.”

“Of course. It’s been too long since we all got together.”

Nari was the next through the door, smiling like the sun itself. “My beautiful son,” she said fondly, cupping Till’s face and then peering around him to Ivan. “And my other son,” she added with playful affection, pulling him into a hug.

“Eomma,” Ivan said gently, hugging her back.

Behind her came Irene and Ju-Yeon, graceful as ever. Irene wore a silk blouse in muted lavender and hugged Till like her favorite child. Ju-Yeon clasped his shoulder, proud warmth in his gaze.

“Thank you for having us, sweetheart,” the woman said, her smile soft. “It smells divine.”

“And where’s my bratty noona?” Ivan asked, scanning behind them.

A voice from the kitchen beat them to it. “Already here. I beat y’all by like five minutes.”

Sua leaned on the kitchen counter, already sneaking one of the chicken pieces.

Till arched a brow.

The woman grinned unapologetically. “I came through the back door.”

______

Dinner passed in a warm, buzzing haze of joy. Between bites of food and overlapping conversations, laughter erupted easily: stories being retold, teasing traded, memories dug up and polished like shared treasures. Everyone settled into comfort as though no time had passed.

The couple sat side by side at one side of the table, their fingers intertwined under the tablecloth. Their eyes met often, soft and knowing. Their little secret throbbed in the center of the room like a heartbeat, waiting to be shared.

It was Irene, ever-curious, who finally asked, “So, what’s that you mentioned in the group chat?”

The alpha cleared his throat, nudging his lover, who stood up.

“We thought,” Till began, cheeks faintly pink, “we’d play a little game after dinner. Something fun.”

Nari narrowed her eyes in delight. “Oh, a game, is it?”

Mizi practically bounced. “I love games!”

Ivan brought out the pastel gift box and placed it in the middle of the table. It was labeled “Pass Me.”

“We pass it around,” he explained. “When the music stops, whoever’s holding it opens the box and reads the message inside.”

Luka laughed. “This feels sus.”

“Oh, it probably is,” Sua said, reaching for the speaker to start the music. “But I’m in.”

_____

They played two rounds.

Each time, the box was passed eagerly, music pausing randomly: once on Ju-Yeon, who got a silly prompt to say a tongue-twister. Another time on Irene, who had to share an embarrassing story (she shared one from Ivan’s baby years to his horror).

By the third round, everyone was laughing and relaxed, attention sharp on the box.

The music started again. Everyone passed the box around: Mizi to Nari, to Luka and Sua, to Ju-Yeon, and then—

The music stopped.

The box was in Mizi’s hands.

“Oh no,” she laughed, gripping it dramatically. “If this is something weird, I’m blaming you, Till.”

“Just open it,” the alpha urged, barely containing a grin.

She untied the ribbon, pulled open the lid, and lifted the tiny card nestled inside. Her eyes scanned the message. Her jaw dropped.

“What?” Luka leaned in. “What’s it say?”

The pink-haired woman didn’t speak. Instead, she turned the card around and read it aloud, voice trembling with disbelief.

“We’ll soon be having a new family member.”

A beat of silence.

And then—

“What?!” Sua shrieked.

Nari stood so fast her chair nearly toppled.

“You’re—?!” Irene gasped.

“Pregnant,” Till said softly, his hand moving to his stomach. “Three months.”

The room erupted.

Mizi screamed and flung herself at her best friend, tears in her eyes. “You’re…oh my god! Are you serious?!”

Luka looked stunned, then he grinned so wide it hurt. “Woah. That’s insane…congratulations!”

Irene was already crying, clasping Ju-Yeon’s hand tightly. “A grandchild. We’re going to be grandparents.”

Nari had moved across the room to cup her son’s face, her own eyes shimmering. “You… my baby,” she whispered. “You’re going to be a mother.”

Ivan stood behind Till now, arms sliding around him protectively, lovingly.

“I didn’t think it would happen so soon,” he said. “We’d just started trying, but turns out… it already happened. Three months ago.”

Sua blinked. “Wait. Wasn’t that when—”

“Yes,” Till muttered, face red. “The rut. The heat. All that.”

Mizi hooted, “Okay, damn, y’all were productive!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

_______

Later that night, after the dishes had been washed and everyone was curled up on the living room couches and floor with mugs of tea or juice, the mood had settled into something softer. Warm.

Nari rested her head on Till’s shoulder. “I can’t wait to see you as a parent,” she whispered.

The omega smiled. “I’m nervous.”

“You’ll be amazing,” Irene said gently from across the room. “You already are. The love you and Ivan share…it’s strong. That baby will grow up wrapped in it.”

The alpha threaded their fingers together. “They’ll have a village. All of you.”

Mizi wiped at her eyes. “I’m buying so many tiny clothes.”

Ju-Yeon chuckled. “Let’s hope they’re not all covered in sparkles.”

The group laughed again, and for a moment, it felt like the whole world paused to make room for something tender and hopeful.

In the middle of it all, Ivan kissed the side of his lover’s head.

Their secret wasn’t a secret anymore.

And their future: full of chaos, love, and baby giggles…had never looked brighter.

___________

Chapter Text

——————

The first day of Till’s fourth month of pregnancy dawned with the sharp scent of grilled cheese, and the unmistakable sound of Ivan swearing softly in the kitchen.

The omega groaned, shifting under the blankets, one hand already sliding to rest over his slowly growing belly. It was barely a bump yet, more like a slight curve, but the ache in his lower back and the queasiness in his stomach were proof enough that something was changing.

“You okay, love?” His mate’s voice came from the doorway, gentle and immediate.

He cracked one eye open. “You’re burning the toast.”

Ivan winced, then grinned sheepishly. “I got distracted. You looked too peaceful to wake.”

“You say that, but now I’m up. And I want hashbrowns.”

“Done.” The man turned back into the kitchen without question, sleeves rolled up, apron tied…because of course he’d bought an apron with a cartoon wolf that said “Dad at Work” in obnoxious bold font. Till would’ve rolled his eyes any other time. But today, he simply smiled.

Because his alpha had been like this ever since they’d found out. Present. Thoughtful. Patient…terrifyingly so, even when he burst into tears over a broken yolk or snapped at him for breathing too loud.

And over the course of the next five months, that devotion didn’t waver once.

⸻

Till’s cravings hit like a storm. He couldn’t stop thinking about strawberries…soaked in vinegar dipped in chocolate, mixed into rice. Ivan indulged every whim without complaint, even if it meant three a.m. supermarket runs or calling every store in the city to find out who still had Korean melons in stock.

Their nights were peppered with soft groans from Till’s back, and Ivan massaging his spine with warm hands, whispering nothing but love into his skin. They showered together more often now, not just for intimacy, but because the omega was getting lightheaded in the day, and his mate didn’t want to risk him slipping.

Nari and Irene started visiting every Friday and stayed through Sunday. They brought herbal teas and traditional soups, gently guiding Till through the changes in his body. “You’re glowing,” they’d say, taking care of him while Ivan looked on, utterly smitten.

⸻

[Month Five]

The bump grew, noticeably now. Tight shirts clung to it, and Ivan had the audacity to take pictures every time Till wore one, claiming he looked “divine.” Mizi gave him a maternity robe made of the softest silk, embroidered with tiny moons. The omega cried for twenty minutes.

Hormones turned everything into a disaster or a miracle. One morning, Till sobbed into Ivan’s chest because they ran out of orange juice. The next, he laughed so hard he nearly peed himself when Luka brought over a plushie shaped like a sperm cell and declared it the baby’s first toy.

Ju-Yeon came every Sunday, arms full of groceries, skincare, and designer baby gear. Irene had started knitting a blanket, a pale lavender one, her soft murmurs filling the living room as she worked. Ju-Yeon always brought books: parenting guides, children’s fairytales, even a few sappy romance novels he insisted would calm the nerves.

Ivan read them aloud in the evenings while his lover rested against his chest.

⸻

[Month Six]

Till’s belly became round and proud. Strangers started to notice, offering seats at the hospital or smiling softly as they passed. It embarrassed him at first, but the raven-head always stood beside him, hand on his lower back or resting protectively on his hip, offering silent comfort.

Sua and Mizi organized a surprise baby shower at their house, inviting only their closest circle. There were games the omega refused to play, too swollen and moody, but there was also cake…and he forgave everything for the lemon buttercream.

That night, after everyone had left and the lights had dimmed, he laid in bed beside Ivan, fingers tracing his chest. “Do you think the baby will look like us for real?” he whispered.

The alpha kissed his hair. “I hope so. But if they look like me, we’re doomed.”

Till laughed, pressing his ear to his heart. “We’re already doomed. I’m in love with a man who lets me eat cereal in the bath.”

“And I’m in love with a man who cries during diaper commercials.”

“…Shut up.”

⸻

[Month Seven]

The baby kicked. Really kicked. Till’s eyes went wide one evening when his whole stomach shifted visibly, like a ripple under a blanket. He grabbed Ivan’s hand without a word and pressed it to the spot.

The raven-head froze. Then gasped.

“Holy fuck—did it just—was that?!?”

“Yeah,” his mate whispered, eyes brimming with tears. “It’s real.”

From then on, the alpha spoke to the baby every chance he got. He read stories, sang lullabies in a voice so low it vibrated through Till’s bones, and sometimes just rambled about his day. “We closed a deal with the Tokyo branch today. Big money. But don’t worry, you won’t have to work in the business if you don’t want to. You’ll be spoiled rotten.”

Till swore the baby kicked more when the man spoke.

⸻

[Month Eight]

Chaos reached new heights.

The silver-head couldn’t sleep. His hips ached, his ankles were swollen, and his belly felt like it had its own gravitational pull. His lover stayed up with him, massaging his feet, spooning him with one arm wrapped around the belly protectively.

Nari, helped with meal prep and organizing the nursery. She and Irene formed a quiet alliance, constantly fussing over Till, who could only grunt and endure their affection. Ju-Yeon cooked elaborate meals while Luka and Sua painted clouds and stars on the nursery ceiling.

Mizi brought a baby sling and insisted Till try it on. “We’re practicing,” she said, shoving a watermelon inside. Till nearly fell over.

Despite the noise, the exhaustion, the chaos…the omega had never felt more loved.

⸻

[Month Nine]

Everything had been prepared. Clothes folded. Hospital bags packed. Crib built. Names discussed.

Till waddled more than walked now, hands always resting on the curve of his belly. Ivan never let him go anywhere alone. They moved as a unit. And when the alpha looked at him, it was like nothing else existed. Not the company. Not the world.

Just his omega. His mate. His love.

One night, the two of them stood on the balcony in silence, the moonlight casting a soft glow on Till’s face. Ivan rested his hands gently on his belly from behind.

“You ready?” he asked softly.

He leaned into him. “I’m scared. But I’m ready.”

The younger man kissed his neck. “We’ll be okay. You’ve got me.”

“I know.”

And he did. Through the aches, the hunger, the tears and laughter…he had Ivan.

__________

Chapter Text

——————

It started with a strange stillness.

Till had been asleep, or something like it, curled in the nest of pillows Ivan had carefully arranged around him before dawn. The morning light filtered softly through gauzy curtains, the city beyond their windows muted and calm. For a moment, everything had been quiet.

Then he shifted: uncomfortable, groaning softly, and sat upright with a hand on his belly.

Ivan, already half-awake beside him, opened his eyes. “You okay?”

Till’s brows knit. “Mm. I think so. Just a cramp.”

The man sat up fully, instantly alert. “What kind of cramp?”

The omega exhaled sharply and braced himself on the headboard. “Like… a real one. It’s lower. Deep. Ah fuck.”

Ivan was already moving…tugging on sweatpants, grabbing his phone and wallet from the nightstand. “How long ago did it start?”

“Just now. Maybe ten minutes ago. Wait—ah, shit—” Till winced again, body curling in slightly. “Okay. No. It’s not stopping.”

His mate was at his side in a heartbeat, kneeling by the bed. “Hey, look at me. Breathe. In through your nose.”

Till obeyed, shaky, sweat already dotting his hairline. “We still had a week.”

“I know,” the alpha said, kissing the back of his hand. “But we’re ready. We’ve been ready.”

And they were.

Three months ago, he had packed the car with the hospital bags: Till’s, their baby’s, his own. He’d checked and re-checked everything: onesies, swaddles, snacks, a speaker with his lover’s favorite music, a folder with his medical records. The route to the hospital had been memorized. Their private maternity suite, booked and paid for well in advance…was already being prepared for this exact moment.

They were ready.

But as Till doubled over, whimpering through another contraction, Ivan’s heart threatened to break.

⸻

The drive to the hospital was short, but tense.

The raven-head kept one hand on the wheel and the other curled around Till’s, squeezed tight between the center console. The older man’s head rested back against the seat, eyes squeezed shut, breathing shallow and quick.

“Do you want me to call anyone?” Ivan asked softly. “Your mom? Mines?”

The other shook his head. “Not yet. Just get me there.”

Ivan pushed a little harder on the gas.

When they arrived, the valet recognized them immediately. Within seconds, a wheelchair was rushed out, and two nurses met them at the entrance. The man helped him into the chair, kissed his forehead, and followed closely behind as his lover was wheeled through the private wing of the hospital.

“Room 602,” one of the nurses murmured into her comm. “Mr. Kang–Hwan’s suite is prepped.”

Everything was white and silver inside the private room. Clean, sterile, and luxurious in a way that still made Till feel like he was in a hotel instead of a hospital. But that illusion shattered quickly…because as soon as he was eased into the bed, another contraction hit.

This one was worse.

The alpha’s fingers trembled as he rubbed his mate’s hand, whispered comfort against his sweat-dampened hair. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

Till clung to him, nails digging into his forearm. “It hurts, Ivan. Fuck—it hurts.”

“I know.” Ivan’s voice cracked. “I feel it too.”

And he did.

The bond between them was raw, wide open. Till’s agony echoed through him like a second heartbeat. He felt every flare of pain, every burst of fear. His own chest ached as though it were splitting in two.

They ran tests. Monitored contractions. Checked dilation. Till wasn’t progressing the way they needed. The baby was positioned wrong.

By the time the obstetrician returned with the update, the omega was moaning in the bed, sweat soaking through his gown.

“We’re going to proceed with a cesarean,” she said gently. “Your baby’s in some distress, and Till’s not dilating fast enough. We’d rather move now, while we’re still in control of the situation.”

Ivan nodded. “Do what you have to do to keep them safe.”

His mate, panting, gritted his teeth. “Will it stop the pain?”

“Soon,” the doctor promised.

⸻

They prepped quickly.

Ivan was given sterile scrubs, gloves, a mask. Till was wheeled into the operating theater on the same floor. The surgical team was calm and focused. Everything moved like clockwork.

The alpha never let go of his hand, even when they separated him from the surgical field with a blue drape. He sat by his head, whispering softly, voice low and steady.

“Almost there baby,” he murmured. “You’re so strong. I’m so proud of you.”

Till, though sedated and numbed, was trembling. “Don’t let go.”

“I won’t.”

He meant it.

The first incision was made, and the room grew ten degrees colder. Ivan kept his eyes on his lover’s face, trying not to flinch at the sounds, the smell, the pressure in the air.

He felt Till’s panic rise…and not just from the way his fingers clenched. It flooded through the bond, thick and wild. Ivan tried to soothe it, stroking his thumb across his cheek.

“You’re okay,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”

But then something changed drastically, suddenly….unexpectedly.

The monitors beeped: once, then a second time. A nurse shifted. The anesthesiologist frowned.

Till’s eyes fluttered.

His hand went slack.

“Ivan—” he rasped, voice distant. “I can’t… b-breathe.”

Everything happened at once.

The heart monitor spiked…then flatlined. A sharp, grating tone rang out in the room.

“Code Blue,” a doctor shouted. “Cardiac arrest!”

The raven-head’s world stopped.

“What?!” He shot to his feet. “What’s happening…what’s wrong with him, what the fuck is happening?!”

“Sir, please step back—”

“No! That’s my mate! That’s my mate! He’s—he’s—fucking do something!”

Doctors swarmed. The drape was pulled aside. Ivan caught a glimpse of his lover: pale, limp, blood everywhere…and something snapped inside him.

“No—no, no, no—Till!”

He lunged forward, desperate to reach him, to hold him, to protect him, but several nurses blocked his way.

“Sir, you need to leave—”

“Don’t touch me! Let me go…let me stay with him—please! ”

The panic in his voice turned raw, feral. Power surged in his scent: burning, unhinged. Alpha instincts kicked in, primal and uncontrollable. He growled low, pushing against the staff.

“Get off me—I can’t leave him—”

But they didn’t relent.

It took six alphas: large, trained, firm…to restrain him. One grabbed him by the waist, the others by the arms.

“Mr. Hwan, please…they’re trying to save him.”

“He’s dying!” Ivan screamed. “You don’t get it…that’s my mate—my fucking mate—”

They dragged him out.

He fought, thrashed, begged, but the steel doors slammed behind him, locking him out.

Ivan stood alone in the hallway, gasping, eyes wild, chest heaving like it might cave in.

He could still feel the bond. Still feel Till’s life force dimming inside his soul.

And all he could do was scream.

_________

Chapter Text

——————

The waiting room smelled like antiseptic and anxiety.

The raven-head hadn’t said a word in over an hour. He sat in the corner, his hands tightened so much so his nails dug through his palm and blood escaped. His eyes were vacant, jaw clenched so tight it trembled slightly from the tension. He stared at the white linoleum floor as if it might crack open and deliver him the answers he was too afraid to ask.

Nari sat beside him, her hand resting on knee. His presence was cold and unresponsive, but she didn’t let go. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but her grip was steady, even as her lips quivered and her breathing hitched every few moments.

“Ivan,” she whispered softly, the same way she used to soothe Till when he was a baby, “breathe, sweetheart. Please.”

He didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe the way he should. He just sat there, the bond between him and his mate terrifyingly quiet. His chest was heavy, hollow, a void where warmth used to be.

Across the room, Ju-Yeon paced in tight circles while Irene sat stiffly with the baby carrier in her lap, trembling hands clutching the empty space like it was Till himself. Sua leaned against Mizi, her head buried in her shoulder, trying to stifle her sobs. Luka, usually the chaos of every room, had gone eerily silent.

No one dared speak. The sterile light buzzed faintly overhead. Time crawled.

“I should’ve taken better care of him,” Irene whispered hoarsely, eyes unfocused. “I should’ve—if I had—maybe…”

“No one could have done anything,” Ju-Yeon cut in, voice raw as he stopped pacing.

“But what if—” the woman’s voice cracked, and she looked toward Ivan, her heart breaking all over again. Her son looked…distraught.

When he had managed to call his family, Nari had run the moment she found out. She hadn’t even think to change out of her home clothing. She just rushed from the house, with only her phone and wallet and the fear in her chest. She hadn’t left Ivan’s side since.

Now, she swallowed hard, fingers gently brushing over his knuckles. “He’s strong,” she said. “My baby’s strong. He’ll come back to us.”

Still, no response.

Luka cleared his throat, but the sound was broken. “They would’ve told us if he… if it was too late.”

“They’re stabilizing him,” Mizi said quietly, mostly to herself. “It just takes time. Right? That’s what they do…they fix people. They… they’ll fix him.”

No one answered.

The silence returned, heavy and aching.

Then the door opened.

Every head snapped up.

A doctor stepped inside, still in scrubs. Blood on the collar. Face pale. Eyes tired.

Ivan bolted upright so fast the chair clattered behind him. His breath caught in his throat.

It was their baby. Swaddled tight in soft blue fabric. Wailing loudly, red-faced, and full of life. The cry pierced through the room like sunlight through storm clouds.

Irene gasped, standing so fast she nearly stumbled. The doctor handed the baby over carefully, and she took him like they were the most fragile thing in the world.

“Oh,” she breathed, tears welling up instantly. “Oh, my stars… they’re beautiful.”

The baby’s eyes squeezed shut, face scrunched in indignation, but there was no mistaking it…they looked just like Till. Raven hair like Ivan’s. But that sweet nose. That stubborn little mouth…was all Till’s.

“Looks just like their mama,” Ju-Yeon whispered, his voice breaking.

Nari’s hand flew to her mouth, a sob escaping as she stood. “My baby… he… he did it.”

Mizi had already begun crying again, a fresh wave of tears rolling down her face. “Oh my god,” she whispered. “They’re perfect.”

But Ivan… Ivan didn’t move.

His heart beat in his ears. Louder than the baby’s cries. Louder than the chorus of joy and relief swelling in the room.

Because he couldn’t feel Till.

The bond…silent. Still.

Like the calm right before a storm.

He took one shaky step toward the doctor. His voice came out rough, strangled. “Where is he?”

The room went quiet again.

The doctor hesitated.

Ivan’s jaw clenched. “Where is my mate?”

The doctor’s expression shifted. The joy from delivering the baby clearly didn’t extend to the rest of the news he carried. “There were… complications.”

“I know that,” Ivan snapped. “I was there. He went into cardiac arrest. You pushed me out. I’m asking—is he okay?”

The doctor looked down, the pause stretching too long.

Nari walked forward next to Ivan. “Please,” she begged, her voice trembling. “Please tell us he’s okay.”

The doctor opened his mouth. “We did everything we could but I am afraid…”

The doctor spilled the news and everyone stilled.

“No,” Irene whispered, holding the baby tighter.

Ju-Yeon’s arm wrapped around her as she started to collapse into sobs.

Luka cried out softly, covering his mouth.

Sua turned away, burying her face in her girlfriend’s chest as she squeezed her, visibly trembling.

Nari fell to her knees, as she crumpled to the floor in a gasping sob. “No—no, no, no—please, please.”

Mizi soon moved and knelt beside her instantly, wrapping her arms around her best friend’s mother as both of them dissolved into grief.

Ju-Yeon turned away, his hand to his face as he tried to suppress the sound of his own devastation.

Irene shook as she kissed the crying baby’s forehead, whispering something no one could hear over the sobs.

Only Ivan stood frozen.

Unmoving.

Unblinking.

Unbreathing.

“Ivan?” Luka called softly.

But the alpha didn’t hear him. Or anyone.

He felt everything and nothing. The pain of the bond gone silent. The agony in his chest. The life crying in the room… and the silence in his soul.

He didn’t move as the doctor excused himself. Didn’t move when Irene tried to offer the baby to him. Didn’t move when Nari cried his name.

He just stared.

Like a man made of stone.

____________

Chapter Text

——————

The morning sun slipped gently through the sheer curtains, painting the hardwood floors in gold. It was quiet. Peaceful. And yet, the quiet was always just a little too much for Ivan.

He lay there for a while…long after his eyes opened: listening to the soft, sleepy breathing beside him. Small and rhythmic. A warmth pressed against his side, blanket tucked under one chubby cheek, lips parted slightly in sleep.

The alpha turned his head and smiled faintly.

His toddler had wormed his way into his bed again last night.

He always did.

Two years ago, Ivan had thought he’d never feel warmth like this again. That he’d lost everything. But then he’d held that tiny, wailing baby in his arms, a baby who looked just like his mate and somehow already loved like him too.

And now, this.

A soft snore left the child’s nose, and he chuckled under his breath.

“Time to wake up, baby,” he murmured, brushing a raven curl off his toddler’s forehead. His son stirred, wriggling like a puppy before blinking those big, sleepy teal eyes open.

“Dada,” he mumbled, stretching his tiny arms and yawning with all the drama of a stage actor.

Ivan pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Good morning, Ha-eun.”

The two-year old blinked again, then smiled: small and crooked and exactly like Till’s when he’d just woken up.

The alpha’s heart ached.

“Wan waffles” Ha-eun mumbled, voice still husky with sleep.

The man scooped him up into his arms. “Of course we can. But bath first. You’re sweaty.”

“Nooo,” came the immediate protest, but he was already nestled against his father’s chest, arms wrapping around his neck with a familiarity that felt like breathing. “Waffles now…”

Ivan chuckled again and carried him toward the bathroom.

The morning passed slowly. Sweetly.

Bath time was filled with Ha-eun splashing too much and the raven-head sitting on the floor, soaked by the end of it. His son sang made-up songs about rubber ducks and “Dada” and how he was going to fly to space.

After the bath, he wriggled into a brown shirt with a bunny on it and matching shorts. Ivan blow-dried his hair gently, brushing it aside to kiss his temple. The boy giggled and kicked his legs happily the whole time, throwing his arms up every few seconds for a hug.

Breakfast was waffles just like he asked: two shaped like hearts because the alpha still used the mold Till had ordered online when they first moved in together.

Ha-eun dribbled syrup on his nose, giggling when his father wiped it off and booped his nose. He always asked if “Mama” used to eat waffles like them, and Ivan always answered yes.

He didn’t ask this morning, though. Some mornings he didn’t. Maybe he already felt it.

When they were dressed and ready, the alpha fastened his son’s velcro sneakers and then his own boots. He packed a small bouquet: Ha-eun had helped pick the flowers from their garden yesterday, lavender and pale blue delphiniums and a single white peony, Till’s favorite…and slipped it carefully into a paper wrap with a ribbon.

The toddler carried it proudly as they made their way to the car, gripping it with both hands as if it were the most important job in the world.

The drive was quiet.

Peaceful.

Familiar.

But no matter how many times they did it…twice a week, sometimes thrice, it never got easier.

There was always a weight that settled low in Ivan’s chest the moment he pulled out of the driveway. The silence in the car wasn’t a comfortable one; it was full of things neither of them could say yet.

But Ha-eun didn’t fuss. He never did on these drives.

He sat in his car seat quietly, looking out the window, still holding the bouquet in his lap. Every now and then he’d hum or talk about a bird he saw, or ask if they’d get ice cream after.

Ivan always said yes.

The road curved up the hill, past the pharmacy and the park, past the bakery Till used to love. His fingers curled a little tighter on the steering wheel as the place came into view.

He parked in the usual spot.

Their spot.

Ha-eun let him unbuckle his seat and climbed into his arms without being told. The raven-head carried him, holding the flowers, up the familiar steps.

The hospital. They headed through the door
where nurses greeted them with gentle smiles. Some recognized them. Others just looked away, respecting their quiet.

The doctor met them near the elevator.

“How is he today?” The alpha asked, his voice always a little too steady.

The doctor gave a soft sigh and clasped his clipboard. “Stable. No changes, I’m afraid.”

Ivan nodded slowly.

He didn’t ask for more. He’d learned over the last two years that there wasn’t always more to say.

They went up the elevator, Ha-eun resting against his shoulder. The man carried him through the pale hallway until they reached the private room.

He stepped in, breath catching for a second.

The room was softly lit. Clean. The same window curtains. The same faint scent of vanilla and antiseptic.

And there…on the bed, hooked up to quiet machines…lay Till.

His omega.

His mate.

His love.

Unmoving.

Still.

Ivan swallowed, willing himself forward. Ha-eun wiggled in his arms and Ivan set him down on the chair near the bedside table.

“Don’t forget the flowers,” he whispered.

“won’t,” the boy responded, clutching the bouquet again. He shifted over to the small table and set the flowers down with great care. His hands were tiny, but deliberate.

Then he turned back to his father and lifted his arms.

“Up.”

Ivan walked forward and picked him up again.

“bed wif mama,” the toddler added softly.

The alpha helped him climb up, placing him beside his mate’s side.

The child didn’t speak. He just nestled there, curling up close, laying a hand gently on his mother’s still one.

He sat in the chair beside them, elbows on his knees, watching.

Sometimes he talked.

Sometimes he cried when his son wasn’t looking.

Sometimes he just sat in silence and watched the rise and fall of Till’s chest, willing himself to believe it was enough.

Ha-eun looked up after a while. “Mama wuvs sweeping.”

Ivan nodded slowly.

The toddler pressed a kiss to his mama’s cheek and rested his forehead there too.

The raven-head swallowed hard.

He reached forward and took his lover’s hand in his, thumb brushing over soft, pale knuckles.

“I love you,” he whispered, as steady as he could manage. “We’re doing okay. Just waiting for you to come back to us.”

Ha-eun’s small voice then echoed his father’s.

“Wake up mama. Dun take too wong, otay?”

______________

Chapter Text

—————

The soft hum of machines was a lullaby Ivan had grown to despise.

They blended with the quiet beeping of the heart monitor, each tone a cruel reminder of time moving forward while Till remained perfectly still. Two years of this: of sterile white walls, of antiseptic air, of the quiet creak of leather chairs and whispered prayers left unanswered.

The only thing that had changed was Ha-eun.

The alpha sat in the chair beside the bed, legs slightly parted so the two-year-old could lean against his father’s chest, humming to himself as he fiddled with a stuffed bunny.

His mate looked peaceful…too peaceful. Like if Ivan dared blink, the illusion would vanish. His cheeks had softened, his once-glowing skin paled with time, but he was still achingly beautiful.

“Do you want to say something to Mama before Auntie Mizi and Auntie Sua come?” Ivan whispered softly.

Ha-eun tilted his head up, blinking owlishly. “Mama wuvs the fwowers?”

“He does, sweetie.” Ivan responded, kissing the top of his son’s head.

There was a knock on the door before it opened quietly. Mizi entered first, dressed in a soft blue blouse, her expression warm but shadowed with exhaustion. Sua followed with gentle steps, setting her handbag down on the side table.

“Hey,” the pink-headed alpha murmured, offering a small smile. “How’s he going today?”

“Same,” the raven-head said, standing. “Still no changes.”

Sua came forward and gently picked Ha-eun up from Ivan’s arms, bouncing her nephew a little to make him giggle. “Come on, darling. Let Dada talk to Mama for a little, okay?”

“Otay!” Ha-eun chirped, used to the routine. “Auntie Zizi, can have owange juice?”

“You can have two orange juices,” the woman said, smiling lightly as she followed her mate out of the room with the toddler.

The door clicked shut.

Ivan stood still for a long moment.

Then, slowly, he turned back toward the bed.

The chair creaked when he sat again, his hand automatically reaching for Till’s. The touch always made his chest tighten, because it still felt like him: warm, familiar, safe.

He lowered his forehead onto their joined hands.

“I don’t know where to start today,” he murmured. “Our son tried to feed me a slice of watermelon dipped in peanut butter last night and said it was a ‘special snack.’ I think he got the idea from Luka, to be honest.”

He chuckled dryly. “You’d love how much he talks now. Constantly telling stories…even if half of them make no sense. But he’s happy. He laughs a lot. His laugh sounds like yours.”

His fingers gently brushed along Till’s knuckles.

“Mizi’s doing better. She got a promotion a few weeks back. And Sua finally bought that café she’s always wanted. Luka still comes by every weekend, usually to drop off toys Ha-eun doesn’t need but ends up loving anyway.”

Ivan sighed. “Your mom is okay. Well, as okay as she can be. She calls every morning to check on us, even if she doesn’t say it outright. She comes to check on you almost everyday and well she misses you. My mom and dad misses you too. They always come to the hospital after work and they adore Ha-eun so much. We all miss you, baby.”

He paused.

“I miss you.”

The confession was barely a whisper, like it would shatter if said too loudly.

He lifted his head and looked at his lover’s face, swallowing hard.

“I don’t know how to do this anymore, Till. I pretend…I smile for Ha-eun, I go through the motions, but…” He broke off, voice trembling. “You’re the one who grounded me. You’re the one who made the world feel full back when I was eight...up to this day. And now it just…feels like I’m drifting.”

His lips trembled. “I’m so tired, baby.”

The alpha’s eyes brimmed with tears as he leaned in closer, resting his forehead gently against the back of Till’s hand.

“I try to be strong for him. I try not to cry in front of our son. But there are days when it’s just…empty. The house is so damn quiet without your laughter. Your little songs in the shower. The way you’d always beg me for midnight snacks even when you couldn’t keep your eyes open. The way you’d be flustered when I tease you. The way your eyes sparkled when we talked about our future.”

He exhaled a shaky breath, his voice breaking.

“I’m scared. I’m scared I’m going to forget the sound of your voice. I’m scared I won’t remember how you felt when you kissed me. I’m scared our son will grow up and never really know you.”

He gripped Till’s hand tightly now, trembling.

“Please wake up. Please. I don’t care how long it takes, I’ll wait…I’ll wait the rest of my life if I have to…but please… just give me a sign. Anything.”

The room remained still.

No response.

No movement.

Just the soft hum of the machines and the cruel beeping of the monitor.

Ivan’s shoulders hunched as he bowed lower, pressing his lips gently against the back of his lover’s hand.

“I love you,” he whispered. “I love you more than life itself. I miss you so fucking much.”

Silence.

Until…

“…I m-missed you too.”

The voice was soft…so faint it could have been the wind. The raven-head froze.

His eyes snapped open.

He sat up.

Till’s eyes: those warm, teal eyes…were open. Half-lidded, unfocused, but open. His lips curled just slightly.

A ghost of a smile.

Ivan blinked. Then blinked again.

“T-Till?” he gasped.

A small exhale came from the omega’s chest. “You’re crying…”

And that’s when the alpha shattered.

A broken sob ripped from his chest as he surged forward, arms wrapping around his mate as gently as he could, as though he’d break him if he squeezed too tightly. His face buried in the crook of Till’s neck, breath shaking violently.

“You’re here,” he cried. “You’re here. You came back. You came back to us…to me.”

Till, still weak, barely had the strength to lift a hand, but his fingers curled against Ivan’s nape.

“I missed you… every day…”

Ivan pulled back, just enough to see him…to really see him.

Tears streamed down the younger man’s face, unrestrained, unfiltered. He held Till’s face in his hands, cradling it like it was the most precious thing in the world. And to him, it was.

“I was so scared,” he choked. “I thought I lost you forever. I thought—” He broke off, breath hitching.

“I’m here,” the omega whispered, voice hoarse. “I’m sorry it took so long…”

Ivan leaned in, pressing his forehead against his mate’s, their noses touching.

Then, slowly…delicately, he kissed him.

It was a soft kiss. Gentle. Desperate.

The older man melted into it.

They stayed there for what felt like an eternity, lips moving slowly, tears mixing on their cheeks. The kiss was less passion and more a lifeline. A tether. A long-awaited reunion of two souls ripped apart and finally stitched back together.

Ivan didn’t care how wet his cheeks were. Didn’t care how his body trembled, or how his fingers shook against the planes of Till’s face. His only focus was the faint warmth of his lover’s lips: dry, chapped, but unmistakably his.

The kiss lingered, soft and soaked in the ache of everything they had lost. Everything they had feared would never return. Ivan kissed him like he was afraid he’d disappear again if he let go…like the moment would slip through his fingers if he dared to breathe too fast.

He pulled back only when he felt Till’s chest tremble with effort, when he remembered that his mate had only just awoken. The last thing he wanted was to overwhelm him.

When they pulled apart, he was still crying.

Not silent tears anymore…but open, raw sobs that bubbled from his chest and cracked in his throat. He pressed his forehead to his omega’s, unable to stop the tremor in his body.

“I’ll never stop loving you,” he whispered brokenly. “Not in this life. Not in any other.”

Till’s brows lifted gently as his watery eyes met his. His lips quivered in a smile, weak but present: a smile Ivan had longed for, dreamed of, even prayed for when no one else was watching.

“Then stay with me…forever.”

His voice was hoarse: strained from months, years, of disuse…but the plea was unmistakable.

A breathless, trembling whimper escaped the alpha’s lips as he nodded. He brought his lover’s hand to his chest, placing it over his heart, which thundered under his skin. “I’ll stay,” he whispered, brushing his thumbs along his cheeks with gentle reverence. “I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”

Their fingers tangled…weakly, at first, but then tighter. The younger man laced them together, grounding himself in the familiar shape of his mate’s hand, the warmth of his skin, the proof that this wasn’t a dream.

Their hearts beat: not in sync, but side by side. A rhythm not yet perfect, but alive. Together.

And for the first time in two years… the room felt alive again.

The sterile scent of antiseptic was still there. The cold hum of the machines still filled the air. But none of that mattered.

Because Till’s chest was rising and falling.

Because his lips had moved. His fingers had twitched. His heart had stayed.

Ivan let himself drop gently onto the bed beside him, careful not to disturb any wires or IVs. He curled up slowly, head resting lightly just beneath the other’s jaw, arms wrapping around him like he’d never let go again.

The omega’s breath ghosted against his hair, uneven and tired. But it was real.

“You’re really here,” he murmured, voice nearly childlike in awe. “You really came back to me…”

Till’s hand moved with effort…and the raven-head helped guide it…until it rested against the crown of his head, fingers threading weakly through his hair. “I tried,” the silver-head whispered faintly. “I didn’t want to leave…”

“I know,” Ivan breathed, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. “I know, my love.”

There was silence after that.

But it was the kind of silence that felt full…full of words unspoken, of time lost but not wasted, of love that had never withered.

They lay there, curled into each other like they were trying to make up for every missed second. The alpha listened to the monitor beeping steadily beside them: a sound that used to haunt him but now brought comfort. Till was stable. Awake. Breathing.

After a long while, his lover’s hoarse whisper broke the quiet.

“And… Ha-eun…that’s his name right?”

Ivan let out a soft, wet laugh through his tears, pulling back enough to see teal eyes again and nodded. “With Mizi and Sua. He’s here, baby. You’ll see him soon.”

Till’s lips trembled. “He’s okay?”

“He’s perfect,” Ivan whispered. “He looks just like you.”

A new wave of tears shimmered in the older man’s eyes…but this time, it wasn’t from pain. It was relief. It was hope.

“I want to see him badly…”

“And you will,” Ivan said, kissing the back of his hand. “But rest first. Let your body catch up. You’ve been fighting for so long.”

Till’s lids fluttered, heavy from exhaustion.

The other didn’t move from his place…didn’t dare leave that bed, not even for a second. He simply lay there, arms around his mate, letting the warmth of him seep back into his skin.

“You came back to me,” he whispered again, almost to himself. “You came back…”

And Till, even on the edge of sleep, gave the softest reply.

“I could never leave you.”

_________

Chapter Text

—————

The room was quiet save for the steady beeping of machines and the gentle rhythm of breath. A few hours had passed since Till had fallen asleep again, his fingers still tangled with Ivan’s even in slumber. The alpha had moved to the chair beside his bed, his thumb brushing back and forth over the back of Till’s hand. He couldn’t stop touching him. After two years of silence, of fear, of aching longing and grief, he was here: alive, warm, breathing.

Ivan didn’t care that his eyes were still puffy from crying. He would have stayed by his mate’s side for a lifetime if it meant getting this moment.

The door clicked softly open.

The doctor stepped in, clipboard in hand, glasses perched low on his nose. “Mr. Hwan,” he said, voice gentle. “How’s he feeling?”

The man looked up. “Tired,” he murmured. “But… better than ever.”

The doctor smiled and approached the bed, gently waking the omega to carefully check his vitals, pupil response, and ask him a series of questions. Till responded slowly, his voice still hoarse, but he was lucid…smiling at the doctor, even chuckling when asked if he remembered what year it was.

“You’re in very good shape, considering everything,” the doctor said warmly, scribbling notes on the chart. “Your brain scans came back stable. All organ function looks normal. We’ll run more extensive tests over the next few days, but there’s no indication of lasting damage.”

Ivan exhaled sharply, emotion catching in his throat.

“However,” the doctor added, “you’ve been bedridden for nearly two years. Your muscles have atrophied, and you’ll need to undergo physical therapy to walk properly again.”

Till nodded. “I figured,” he said softly. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

The doctor smiled. “That’s the spirit. One step at a time. You’ve already done the impossible by waking up. The rest we’ll handle together.”

When the doctor left, Ivan remained quiet. He didn’t want to flood his lover with too much all at once…but Till was already watching him, eyes soft and knowing.

“You haven’t changed,” the omega whispered.

He gave a wet laugh. “You say that like it’s a good thing.”

“It is,” Till said. “You stayed.”

“Always.”

A knock sounded at the door, and then it creaked open slowly.

Mizi peeked in, her cheeks already stained with tears. “Can we finally come in?”

Ivan nodded, voice caught in his throat. “Yeah.”

The female alpha stepped in first, followed closely by her mate, and nestled in Sua’s arms, dressed in a little blue hoodie with his raven curls flopping into his eyes, was Ha-eun.

Till’s breath hitched.

He stared, transfixed, as if afraid the image would shatter if he blinked too long. His chest rose and fell quickly, eyes already glossing over.

Ivan stood and crossed to his sister, gently lifting his son into his arms. The toddler immediately squirmed to get down, his eyes locked on the figure in the bed.

“Careful,” the raven-head whispered, setting him down.

But Ha-eun didn’t hesitate. The moment his feet touched the floor, he ran: short legs thumping across the room, arms open wide.

“Mama!”

The word shattered something inside Till.

Tears spilled down his cheeks, and he opened his arms, trembling.

Ha-eun launched himself at the bed. Ivan hurried forward to help lift him gently onto the mattress beside his lover. The boy immediately buried himself into his chest, small hands grabbing fistfuls of the hospital gown as he sobbed into his mama’s collarbone.

Till clutched him, voice breaking on a sob. “Hi,” he whispered shakily. “Hi, baby…”

Ha-eun kissed his face all over: tiny, wet kisses on his cheeks, nose, jaw, even his chin. He cried as he did, mumbling through hiccups, “Mama… mama…”

Till couldn’t speak. His hand cradled the back of his son’s head, fingers trembling as he held his son for the very first time.

His son.

This perfect little boy with Ivan’s hair, his own teal eyes and his facial features and the most precious voice he had ever heard.

Everything he went through: every scar, every breathless hour suspended in sleep, every moment of stolen time…was worth it.

“I missed you,” he choked out. “So much.”

Ivan sat beside them, wrapping an arm around both of them, holding his family close. The older man leaned into him instinctively, as if there had never been a day apart.

Mizi sobbed into Sua’s shoulder. The female omega wiped at her eyes, trying to smile through her tears. “I’m never wearing mascara again,” she muttered.

Till laughed, even as he cried.

Another knock sounded, and this time, the door swung open wider.

Nari entered first, hand over her mouth, already shaking with emotion. Behind her came Irene and Ju-Yeon, Luka following with a bouquet in hand. The moment they saw the silver-head sitting up, eyes wide and alive, the room flooded with gasps and cries.

“Eomma,” Till whispered when he saw his mother. His arms were full with Ha-eun, but the look in his eyes said everything.

Nari rushed to him, sobbing, cupping his cheeks as if afraid he’d disappear again. “My baby,” she cried. “You came back to us…”

He nodded, speechless.

Irene broke down beside her, pulling Ju-Yeon into her side, and Luka stood frozen for a second before letting the flowers fall on the table and rushing forward to hug Ivan from behind, burying his face in his best friend’s back to calm himself down.

No one tried to stifle the emotion. For two years, they had grieved. For two years, they had lived in a quiet, liminal space, praying for a miracle.

And now, that miracle sat in front of them: his toddler son in his arms, his smile small but real, his presence unmistakably there.

Ha-eun eventually pulled back just enough to cup Till’s cheeks in both hands. “Mama soooooo pwetty,” he said matter-of-factly.

The omega laughed wetly, forehead resting against his son’s. “You’re prettier.”

The raven-head was crying again: silently, tears slipping down his cheeks as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to both their foreheads.

Their family.

It was real.

It was whole again.

______

Time moved strangely for the next hour.

They talked. They cried. They held hands. Every person took a turn sitting beside Till, sharing something they had wanted to say for years. Irene whispered stories of Ha-eun’s first words. Nari sang softly under her breath while stroking Till’s hair. Luka showed him pictures on his phone: photos of birthdays, of family dinners, of sunsets.

“I thought about you almost everywhere I went,” Luka said, laughing through his sniffles. “Even if you didn’t know.”

The omega smiled warmly.

When everyone had settled into quiet again, Ha-eun lay curled against Till’s side, yawning against his chest.

“Dada say mama wuvs sweep,” the toddler mumbled.

Till smiled.

“Dun sweep again, otay?”

“I won’t,” he whispered, kissing the crown of his son’s head. “Not anymore.”

The alpha stood beside the bed now, arms wrapped loosely around his lover’s shoulders, eyes closed as he breathed him in.

The scent…their bond, was vibrant again.

He could feel Till.

Not the absence, not the hollow ache, but the living pulse of him.

“I’m so proud of you,” Ivan murmured, words meant for only Till to hear.

The older man tilted his head back enough to meet his eyes. “I’m proud of you too,” he whispered.

“I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You did it for me.”

They leaned into each other, foreheads brushing, and for a while, everything else faded away.

The hospital room, once filled with sterile silence and tension, now breathed with life, with warmth, with hope. The shadows that had loomed over them for two years were beginning to lift.

His mate was back.

Ivan had never stopped loving him.

And Ha-eun… their beautiful child… had been the light that led them both home.

Till tightened his arms around his son and looked at the faces around him: his mother, his friends, his in-laws, and whispered to the universe:

“Thank you.”

He didn’t know what came next.

There would be therapy. Relearning how to walk properly, how to be in his body again. But none of it mattered…not when he had this. Not when he had them.

Ivan pressed a final kiss to his temple.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered.

Till let his eyes flutter closed, not in exhaustion this time…but in peace.

“I know.”

And with their baby asleep against his chest and his alpha at his side, he let himself rest…truly rest, for the first time in years.

For he had made it home.

___________

Chapter Text

——————

It was strange, how sunlight felt now.

Two months. Two months since Till had opened his eyes and found the world impossibly bright, impossibly loud, impossibly alive. Two months since the stale, quiet nothing of his two-year sleep had been replaced with the constant hum of life around him.

And now, standing barefoot in the kitchen of their home, hands wrapped around a warm mug of tea, he found himself marveling at the small things. The way the morning light filtered through the sheer curtains. The smell of toasted bread in the air. The faint laughter of his son from the living room: light, high, and so full of joy it tugged at something deep inside his chest.

He was here. Awake. Walking. Living.

“Sweetheart?” Ivan’s voice was soft behind him, a low rumble that still had the power to make his heart trip.

Till turned, meeting the familiar warmth of his mate’s gaze. The man had been hovering, of course…hovering was putting it lightly. He had been shadowing him from room to room for these two months, protective in that quiet, stubborn way that was both endearing and mildly exasperating.

“I’m fine,” the omega assured him, lips curving faintly. “Just… enjoying the morning.”

Ivan came closer, his hand brushing his waist in that absent way that said he needed to touch him, just to know he was real. “You shouldn’t stand for too long.”

“I can stand just fine,” Till countered, though his voice lacked bite. “I can even walk perfectly now, remember? Therapist’s words, not mine.”

The alpha’s lips twitched…almost a smile, but not quite. “Doesn’t mean you have to be overdoing it.”

The older man huffed and took another sip of tea, letting the warmth slide down his throat. He was used to it now…the way Ivan worried, the way his eyes tracked him constantly, as though he might vanish again if he looked away for too long. And maybe that was fair.

After all, he’d been gone for two years. Not gone, exactly…but not present. Sleeping while the world went on without him. Sleeping while Ha-eun grew from a tiny newborn to the bright-eyed toddler who now filled their home with endless chatter and laughter.

That had been the hardest part…realizing how much time had passed. How much of his son’s earliest moments he had missed.

“Mama!”

The shrill little voice pulled him from his thoughts. The child barreled into the kitchen, tiny feet pattering against the tile. His eyes were so much like his: a beautiful teal, but framed by longer lashes that would have made him jealous in his teenage years.

The child ran straight to his mother, his little arms wrapping tight around Till’s leg.

“Yes, my love,” the omega murmured, bending down to scoop him up. Ha-eun clung instantly, burying his face against his chest. His small body was warm and solid in his arms, his scent sweet and unmistakably his own.

“Pwetty mama,” the toddler mumbled against his neck.

Till giggled, pulling back slightly. “I’m what?”

“You soooooo pwetty, Mama,” the boy responded seriously, as though stating a well-known fact. “The pwettiest.”

The omega’s heart did something strange and aching. His son had been calling him pretty with every chance he got for the past two months. He felt his mate’s gaze on them, warm and steady, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away from Ha-eun’s earnest little face. “You really think so huh?” he asked softly.

His son nodded, curls bouncing. “Pwetty like fowers.”

It was ridiculous how quickly his eyes stung. He pressed a kiss to the little forehead, inhaling the faint scent of baby shampoo. “You’re even sweeter than the flowers, you know that?”

Ha-eun grinned, pleased with himself, and nestled closer. He was always like this now…always seeking Till out, always touching, holding, clinging. As though two years apart had left him with some deep need to make up for lost time.

The omega didn’t mind. Not even a little.

Ivan finally came up beside them, brushing his fingers through Ha-eun’s curls. “He’s been saying that since you woke up,” he murmured to him. “Pretty mama. I think you’ve been officially promoted to his favorite person.”

Till raised a brow. “Officially? I thought I was always the favorite.”

“Mm,” the alpha hummed, pretending to think. “I might have been in the lead for a while there. But now…” He glanced at Ha-eun, who was glaring at him with all the ferocity a two-year-old could muster. “I think I’ve lost my crown.”

Till laughed, the sound feeling lighter than it had in years.

The rest of the day moved at an easy pace. They had settled into a rhythm over the past weeks: a mix of new routines and old comforts. The older man was still getting used to certain changes. Technology had moved on while he was asleep. Ha-eun’s toys had multiplied into small armies that took over entire rooms. Ivan had rearranged furniture to make space for a toddler’s world, and the omega still sometimes walked into a room and stopped, thrown off by something that wasn’t where it had been before.

But there were constants, too. His alpha’s steady presence. The warm hum of family life. The quiet moments they carved out between the chaos.

Later that afternoon, after Ha-eun had exhausted himself with building block towers only to gleefully knock them down, the alpha took him out to the garden. He followed at a slower pace, watching as their son ran barefoot through the grass, chasing after a butterfly.

“You’re smiling,” his mate said quietly beside him.

Till glanced at him. “Am I not allowed to?”

“You’re allowed,” Ivan murmured. “It’s just… nice to see.”

There was a weight to his voice, and Till felt it settle between them. He reached for his lover’s hand, threading their fingers together. Ivan’s grip was firm, grounding.

“I’m here,” the omega stated, the words soft but certain.

The raven-head looked at him for a long moment, as if memorizing the way the sunlight caught in his hair, the way his lips curved just slightly. “Yeah,” he said finally. “You are.”

And in that moment, with Ha-eun’s laughter carrying across the yard and Ivan’s hand warm in his, the older man felt like the sunlight was finally his again.

___________

Chapter Text

——————

The soft hum of birds filled the air and the night was warm, but not stifling…just the perfect kind of summer evening where the breeze carried the scent of grass and faint wildflowers. The moon hung low, a pale silver coin in the navy-blue sky, and thousands of stars dotted the heavens like an unspoken promise.

Till didn’t know where they were going.

All he knew was that Ivan had been acting suspicious for the last week: whispered conversations with his parents, hushed calls with Mizi, mysterious outings with Luka under the excuse of “company errands,” and even his own mother smiling knowingly whenever he asked what was going on.

Now, five months after waking from a two-year coma, Till found himself in the passenger seat of the alpha’s sleek black car, dressed in a tailored navy suit that his mother-in-law had insisted on picking out. She had claimed it was for a “little family dinner,” but the silk lining and the way the jacket hugged his shoulders made Till doubt the casualness of it.

Ivan, ever the picture of control, had kept his eyes on the road the whole drive. But his right hand never left Till’s, fingers interlaced, thumb stroking his knuckles as though grounding himself. That tiny, habitual touch…it was his mate’s tell. Something was coming.

When they finally pulled off the main road and onto a narrow dirt path surrounded by tall, swaying reeds, the older man tilted his head.

“This isn’t a restaurant,” he murmured, curiosity piqued.

“No,” Ivan responded softly, a smile curling the edge of his lips. “It’s somewhere better.”

The path opened up suddenly, revealing a breathtaking sight. A lakeside clearing, its glassy surface reflecting the moonlight. A wooden dock stretched out into the water, lined with lanterns that glowed in soft amber hues. In the center of the dock stood a table for two, draped in crisp white linen, with candles flickering gently in crystal holders. Behind it, a small string quartet played a gentle, romantic melody.

Till froze in place.

The scene was almost dreamlike…too perfectly arranged, too impossibly beautiful to be real. The music mingled with the sound of the water, and the warm golden light softened everything in sight. It felt like stepping into a painting.

“Ivan…” he breathed, his voice caught somewhere between awe and disbelief. “What is all this?”

The raven-head turned to him, eyes warm, almost shy despite the confidence he usually carried like a second skin. “Come find out.”

He led him down the lantern-lit path toward the dock. Their shoes clicked quietly against the wooden planks as they approached the table. Every detail was impeccable: the fine porcelain set, the silverware gleamed under the candlelight, and an arrangement of white peonies and pale blue delphiniums sat at the center, a nod to Till’s favorite flowers.

But it wasn’t just the setting. It was the way his mate looked at him…like nothing else in the world existed.

They dined under the stars, laughter and gentle conversation filling the space between the music. Ivan had thought of everything: his favorite dishes, his preferred wine, even the dessert he loved most from their favorite little patisserie in the city.

But there was a heaviness beneath it all. A quiet anticipation in the alpha’s eyes, as though every moment they spent was a step toward something bigger.

When they finished their meal, the quartet’s music faded into a soft, lingering note. Ivan stood, pulling the man up with him.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” he stated, his voice lower now, edged with emotion. He led him toward the end of the dock, where the lake stretched endlessly beneath the starlight.

Till tilted his head, heart thrumming faster. “You’re scaring me a little.”

The raven-head chuckled softly, but it was weighed down by something deeper. “I don’t mean to. I just… I need you to hear me.”

The breeze ruffled the omega’s hair as Ivan took both his hands, holding them tightly, as if afraid that letting go would shatter the moment.

“Kang Till,” he began, his voice soft but sure, “when I thought I’d lost you… those two years were hell. I survived, but I wasn’t living. The day you woke up—” His voice broke for a moment, and he had to look away to collect himself. “The day you woke up, I promised myself I would never take a single millisecond with you for granted again.”

Till’s breath caught, emotion pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“We’re already mated,” the alpha continued, his gaze locking with his again, unwavering now. “And that means forever, in the way we understand it. But I realized… I want forever in every way. I want the world to know you’re mine, and that I’m yours. I want every law, every vow, every piece of paper to recognize what my heart already knows.”

The older man’s lips parted, his chest tightening. “Ivan…”

And then…suddenly…soft whirring filled the air.

Till blinked, glancing upward. Dozens of tiny lights emerged from the darkness beyond the lake. At first, they looked like fireflies, but as they drew closer, he saw the sleek shapes of what seemed like drones, each carrying a glowing light. They moved in perfect formation, drifting higher and higher into the sky.

And then, as if guided by some unseen hand, the lights began to align.

Letter by letter, word by word, they spelled out glowing text across the night sky:

“WILL YOU MARRY ME, KANG TILL?”

Till’s hand flew to his mouth, stunned.

He turned back to his lover, heart pounding, only to find the man on one knee, a small velvet box in his hand. Inside, nestled against black satin, was a simple but breathtaking platinum band, set with a single oval diamond that caught the candlelight and scattered it like stardust.

“I know I almost lost you once,” the alpha stated, his voice trembling despite the steadiness of his gaze. “And I will spend the rest of my life making sure I never have to again. Kang Till, my mate, my love, my life…will you bring me the greatest honor and joy and marry me?”

Tears spilled over before the omega could stop them. His whole body shook with the force of it…not just from the beauty of the proposal, but from the memory of everything they’d endured. Waking up to Ivan’s tears after the coma. Holding Ha-eun for the first time. Every gentle kiss, every sleepless night, every soft touch since.

It all crashed into him like the lake’s waves against the dock.

“Yes,” Till whispered, his voice breaking. Then louder, firmer, through the tears—“Yes, Hwan Ivan. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

The alpha’s exhale was shaky, a breath of relief and elation all at once. He slipped the ring onto his mate’s finger, his hands trembling. When he stood, Till was already throwing his arms around him, burying his face into the curve of his neck.

They held each other for a long time, the world narrowing to the sound of their breathing and the steady beat of their hearts. The drones above shifted, scattering into a thousand tiny lights that began to dance like stars.

When the raven-head finally pulled back, his hands cupped his face. “You’ve always been my everything,” he murmured, before pressing his lips to his in a kiss that was tender and sure…a kiss that promised not just love, but a lifetime.

Far off at the edge of the clearing, Till caught a glimpse of movement: familiar figures watching from a distance. His in-laws, his mom, Mizi, and Luka holding their son stood quietly, their smiles bright even in the dark. They didn’t come closer, didn’t interrupt. This was their moment, meant only for them.

But Till knew…they’d helped make this magic happen.

When they finally left the dock, fingers entwined, the alpha leaned down, brushing his lips against the other’s temple.

“My heart and life is yours,” he whispered, “forever.”

And Till, heart still racing, knew without doubt that forever wasn’t long enough.

__________

Chapter Text

—————

The air was warm and fragrant, heavy with the perfume of late-blooming flowers. Outside, the venue’s garden glittered in the sun, the leaves swaying lazily as if nature itself wanted to witness the union about to unfold. Rows of white chairs lined the aisle, each decorated with pale ribbons and peonies, the petals catching flecks of gold from the sunlight. Guests were already seated, murmuring quietly, their conversations a mixture of excitement, curiosity, and admiration for the spectacle about to take place.

It was no small gathering. Representatives from Irene and Ju-Yeon’s vast company filled an entire section of the chairs: polished suits, sharp smiles, and well-bred manners. Ivan’s business partners had flown in from all over the country, some from overseas, their eyes scanning the details of the event as though it were a high-profile gala. Former colleagues of Till’s from the university had also arrived, their fondness evident in the way they kept glancing toward the entrance, eager to see the once-reserved professor in a completely different light.

Near the front, three familiar figures were impossible to miss. Mizi, dressed in a gown that shimmered faintly like lilac in sunlight, sat with perfect poise. She clutched her bouquet loosely, eyes sparkling with restrained emotion. Beside her, Luka straightened his tie for what seemed the fifth time, the crisp navy suit doing little to hide his restless excitement. And Sua, barely able to keep still, kept glancing toward the small velvet box in her lap…the rings secured inside.

But perhaps the most lively presence was in the small cluster of children from the orphanage, seated together like a bundle of joy wrapped in laughter. They had been buzzing with anticipation since morning, remembering the kind man who had knelt to talk to them at the charity event years ago. Today, they weren’t just guests…they were witnesses to something beautiful.

Music swelled softly, the strings and piano blending into a melody that made the air feel lighter.

The first to walk was Ha-eun. His little hands gripped the basket of petals, his small suit tailored to perfection. The miniature black vest and white shirt made him look like a storybook character: serious in his task, yet adorable in his every move. He took one step at a time, tossing petals into the air with a careful flick of his wrist. Some fell perfectly onto the aisle, while others fluttered into the guests’ laps, making people chuckle quietly.

Behind him, Nari walked with Till hand in hand. She looked radiant in a soft blush-pink hanbok, her hair styled neatly, her eyes bright with both pride and nostalgia. The omega’s steps matched hers in rhythm, the black suit tailored to perfection. It wasn’t just any black: it was deep, velvety, catching the light with subtle shifts of shade. The cut framed his shoulders and waist with precision, a design meant for elegance without ostentation. His silver hair was styled with care, and a single white peony was pinned to his lapel.

When Ivan saw him, something in his chest tightened.

He stood at the altar in white: a vision of purity and power. The suit’s clean lines contrasted with his raven hair, the crispness of the fabric almost glowing under the afternoon light. A black shimmering tie caught the sun, and a pale boutonnière rested against his jacket.

Till’s eyes locked on his from halfway down the aisle. For a moment, the crowd faded away.

The music seemed to pull them forward. Nari’s hand lingered on her son’s arm until the last step, and then she passed him over to Ivan with a smile that spoke volumes: take care of him.

“I will,” the alpha murmured, so soft only she could hear.

The priest began the ceremony, voice steady, words carrying over the stillness. “We gather here today to witness the union of Hwan Ivan and Kang Till in holy matrimony…”

The older man’s hand slipped into his lover’s, fingers interlacing. His pulse was quick, but there was no hesitation.

The ceremony unfolded in the gentle rhythm of tradition. Sua stepped forward with the rings at the priest’s cue, her smile soft and bright despite the gravitas of the moment. She, with careful hands, opened the small box and passed it over. The rings: silver bands with a subtle engraving of intertwining vines…gleamed faintly.

Ivan took his ring first. His voice was steady, though his grip was warm. “Kang Till… from the moment I re-met you, you’ve challenged me, humbled me, and shown me a love I didn’t think I was capable of deserving. Today, I promise to be your partner in every way: to protect you, to stand with you, to grow old with you… and to make sure you never forget how much you’re loved.”

Till’s lips curved faintly, though his eyes shone. He slid his ring onto the man’s finger with a touch both careful and sure. “Hwan Ivan…there was a time when you once asked me if I believed in needing someone and I remembered saying I wasn’t sure…thinking about it…the answer has been made clear to me through you. You’ve been my anchor and my storm. You’ve held me when I was at my weakest and loved me when I thought I was unlovable. I don’t just want you… I need you and life wouldn’t be fulfilling without you…so I promise to be at your side in every high and low, to keep laughing with you, to keep choosing you… every day, for the rest of our lives.”

The alpha’s eyes were teary and he caressed his lover’s hand in response.

The priest’s voice warmed. “By the power vested in me… I now pronounce you husbands.”

Applause swelled as the raven-head pulled his lover into a kiss: not rushed, not restrained, but perfect. The crowd erupted in cheers, the children from the orphanage clapping the loudest. Ha-eun jumped in place, grinning wide.

The walk back down the aisle felt different. Ivan’s hand stayed firm at Till’s back, the omega’s smile softer now, more private. Mizi and Sua threw their arms around them the moment they reached the end and Luka clasped Ivan’s shoulder with pride.

The reception that followed was filled with warmth. Long tables of white linen stretched under the canopy, food and wine flowing freely. The children ran between the legs of formally dressed guests, laughing, their joy infectious.

Soon enough, the hall dimmed until only a soft golden glow bathed the center of the floor. A hush fell over the room, the low chatter fading into anticipation as the first notes of their chosen song swelled through the air. The alpha’s eyes found Till’s instantly: warm, steady, and carrying that unshakable weight of devotion that had been there since the very beginning.

He rose from his seat, smoothing the front of his suit, and extended a hand toward his mate. “May I?,” he said, his voice low and playful, not a question but a quiet invitation laced with certainty.

Till’s lips curved into the smallest smile, one that reached his eyes, softening them. He slipped his hand into his without hesitation, letting himself be pulled to his feet. The warmth of his husband’s palm was grounding, and yet every step toward the center of the room felt like stepping into a dream.

The crowd parted easily, all eyes on them as they took their place beneath the gentle glow. Ivan’s other hand found its way to Till’s waist, fingers splaying against the small of his back, guiding him with instinctive confidence. The omega’s free hand came to rest on his shoulder, his fingertips brushing the fine fabric of his suit before curling lightly into it, as if to anchor himself.

The music was slow…so slow that each sway seemed to stretch out in time, giving them space to breathe, to look at each other as if the rest of the world had vanished. The alpha’s gaze never wavered. He bent his head, lowering his voice to something no one else could possibly hear.

“It seems like you were really made for me,” he murmured. “Like every step in my life was leading me to you standing here.”

Till’s breath caught, his lashes fluttering. His lips parted, and a stunned smile broke over his face: not wide, but deep, the kind that came from somewhere in the chest. “You… can’t just say things like that to me in front of everyone,” he whispered, though the faint tremor in his voice betrayed how much it had hit him.

The younger man’s mouth twitched upward. “Why not? Let them see. Let them know my undeniable love for you.”

The song swelled around them, strings and piano weaving through the silence that belonged only to them. Ivan’s thumb brushed along his waist in time with their slow steps. Till moved easily in his arms, letting the man guide him, letting himself be held, his body relaxed in a way it only ever was with him.

At one point, the alpha leaned closer, so close his breath ghosted against his husband’s ear. “Do you remember the first time I got close to you like this?”

Till’s lips curved faintly. “I remember thinking you were dangerous.”

“And now?” The raven-head’s voice dipped lower, velvet over steel.

The omega met his eyes then, the soft light catching in the red pupils. “Now I know you are.”

The corner of Ivan’s mouth lifted, something unspoken passing between them: an understanding, a promise, a history they didn’t need to put into words. He pulled his mate just a little closer, their foreheads touching, and they swayed like that for the rest of the song…breathing the same air, hearing the same music, lost in a rhythm that belonged to no one else.

When the final note lingered and faded, the applause broke like a wave around them, but for a moment neither of them moved. Ivan’s hand slid down to lace their fingers together again, and Till’s quiet, almost dazed smile didn’t leave his face as they walked back to their table.

They didn’t need to say it out loud. The whole room could see it…what they were to each other.

Forever in each other’s orbit.

__________

THE END :)

Chapter Text

——————

Fifteen years had passed in what felt like a blur, yet every moment remained etched into their lives. Ivan and Till had weathered storms, walked through fire, and emerged stronger than ever: mates, partners, parents. Their love had settled into something deep and unshakable, a bond that lived not just in the way they looked at each other but in the family they had built.

And that family had grown into someone extraordinary.

Ha-eun, their son, had once been a wide-eyed boy clinging to his “Eomma’s” legs or perched proudly on his “Appa’s” shoulders. Now, at eighteen, he was tall and broad-shouldered, the unmistakable image of his alpha heritage. His hair was black with dyed streaks of silver at the tips, and a constellation of piercings lined his ears: studs, hoops, even a small chain. The world might have looked at him and seen a delinquent, a rebel on the verge of trouble. But those who truly knew him: his professors, his peers, and most of all, his parents…knew better.

The teen was a top student at his college: disciplined, sharp, and hardworking. He carried the quiet, steady confidence of Ivan in his stride, but his warmth and sensitivity were echoes of Till. He was, in every sense, their son.

Which was why, one warm evening in the Hwan estate, Ha-eun found himself pacing outside the study where both his parents were sitting. He ran a hand through his hair, tugged at his earring, and muttered curses under his breath.

“This shouldn’t be so hard,” he whispered to himself. “It’s just Eomma and Appa.”

But it wasn’t just that. He had come with a purpose…a request that felt enormous, even though he knew, deep down, that his parents would never turn him away. He wanted their advice, and more than that, their blessing.

With a deep breath, the teenager knocked on the study door.

“Come in,” Till’s familiar voice called, warm and calm.

Ha-eun opened the door and stepped inside. Ivan was at his desk, reviewing documents from the Hwan business, his sharp eyes softening when he saw his son. Till sat in an armchair with a book in hand, his glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of his nose.

Both of them smiled immediately.

“Ha-eun,” the older alpha greeted, setting his pen aside. “What’s on your mind?”

The youngest man closed the door behind him and shifted awkwardly, suddenly feeling like he was ten again and about to confess to breaking one of his Eomma’s favorite mugs.

“Eomma, Appa,” he began, his voice steady but hesitant, “I… uh…I wanted to talk to you about something important.”

The silver-head tilted his head, watching his son with gentle curiosity. “Of course, sweetheart. What is it?”

Ha-eun took a deep breath, his fists clenching at his sides before he forced them to relax. “It’s about Sehun.”

At once, his parents exchanged a glance: one of those quick, wordless conversations they had perfected over the years. Then Till’s lips curved into a small smile.

“Your Sehun?” He asked softly, though the answer was obvious.

The boy flushed, ears turning red. “Y-Yeah. My Sehun.”

Ivan leaned back in his chair, his gaze amused but kind. “He’s been coming around since you were eight. At this point, he’s part of the family.”

Ha-eun groaned and dragged a hand down his face. “Appa, please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

Till chuckled, setting his book aside. “Go on, sweetie. What about Sehun?”

The teen shifted again, shoulders tense, before finally blurting out, “I want to court him.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, and the omega’s expression softened instantly, eyes glistening with something tender and nostalgic. Ivan’s mouth curved into a slow smile, pride evident in his gaze.

“You mean you want to make it official-official,” the raven-head responded, voice low and steady.

“Yes,” Ha-eun stated firmly, even though his ears were still red. “We’ve been dating since we were thirteen, but…I don’t just want to keep calling him my boyfriend. I want to do it right. He deserves that. I want to court him the way an alpha should court an omega.”

Till pressed a hand to his chest, his heart swelling at the earnestness in his son’s tone. He saw so much of Ivan in Ha-eun at that moment: the determination, the sincerity…but also so much of himself, in the way Ha-eun’s voice trembled slightly with emotion.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, standing and crossing the room to cup his son’s cheek. “You’re growing up faster than I thought you would.”

The teenager leaned into the touch instinctively, his shoulders loosening. “Eomma…”

Ivan rose as well, folding his arms as he regarded his son. “And you came to us because…?”

Ha-eun looked between them, chewing on his lip. “Because I don’t want to screw this up. I don’t know the right way to do it. I only know what I’ve seen. You two… you’re everything I want to have with Sehun. I want to make him feel the way you make each other feel. I want to do this properly. So… I’m asking for advice.”

For a moment, silence filled the room, heavy but not uncomfortable. Till’s eyes shone, and Ivan’s expression softened even more. Their son wasn’t just asking for guidance… he was showing them how much he admired the bond they had built.

The older alpha walked closer, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. “First of all,” he started, “you’re already on the right path. The fact that you’re thinking about Sehun’s feelings, about doing it right, means you’re ready.”

Till nodded, adding gently, “Courtship isn’t about a grand gesture, Ha-eun. It’s about consistency. It’s showing him, every day, that you choose him, that you see him, that he’s safe with you. You’ve been doing that since even before you two started dating, haven’t you?”

Ha-eun’s chest swelled, but he looked down, embarrassed. “I’ve tried. But I want him to know… without doubt… that I’m serious. That I want a future with him.”

Ivan smiled faintly. “Then tell him that. Don’t overcomplicate it. Speak with your actions, and let your words follow. When I was around your age, I sought out your Eomma because I couldn’t imagine a life without him. I wanted him to know he was my only choice, always.”

Till’s eyes softened at the memory, his hand brushing Ivan’s. “And he never let go.”

Ha-eun glanced up at them, watching the way they looked at each other, and something clicked in his chest. That was it. That was what he wanted with Sehun. That kind of forever.

“Do you think Sehun will… say yes?” He asked quietly, almost like a child again.

Till laughed softly, smoothing his son’s hair back like he used to when he was small. “Sweetie, Sehun has been in love with you since the moment you shared your toys at eight years old. He’s been waiting for you to ask.”

The teen’s ears burned even brighter, but his lips curved into a smile despite himself. “Eomma…”

Ivan chuckled low in his chest. “Your Eomma’s right. That boy’s loyalty is unwavering. You could trip over your words, forget everything we just told you, and he’d still look at you like you hung the moon.”

Ha-eun let out a shaky laugh, his chest loosening. For the first time that evening, he felt the nervousness ebb into something steadier…hope.

“So… what do I do? How do I start?”

His parents exchanged another glance, the kind that carried years of partnership, then turned back to their son.

“Start small,” the older alpha advised. “Invite him somewhere meaningful. Not flashy, not loud…just somewhere that matters to the two of you.”

Till added, “And when the time feels right, tell him. Tell him you want to court him properly. Don’t rush it, don’t overthink it. Just speak from here.” He pressed a hand over Ha-eun’s chest, right where his heart beat strong and steady.

Said boy nodded, his throat tight. “Okay. I can do that.”

The silver-head kissed his cheek, and Ivan squeezed his shoulder before letting go.

“And Ha-eun,” Ivan started, his voice firm but gentle. “Don’t forget…you’re our son. Which means you already know how to love deeply and fiercely. Trust yourself.”

The young alpha swallowed hard, eyes stinging just slightly. He hugged his eomma first, burying his face against his shoulder, then turned and embraced his father, who held him tightly with one arm.

“Thank you,” he murmured, voice muffled but sure. “Both of you. I’ll make you proud.”

“You already do,” Till whispered back.

And in that study, with the warmth of his parents’ love surrounding him, Ha-eun knew he had everything he needed to step forward.

He would court Sehun properly: not because it was expected of him as an alpha, but because he wanted his lover to know that he was his only choice. Always. Just like how his Appa and Eomma had chosen each other, all those years ago.

___________

Chapter Text

——————

The night had settled into that hushed, moonlit quiet, the kind where the world seemed to slow itself down just for them. Ha-eun could feel his own pulse humming steady in his chest as he parked his SUV in the far clearing beyond the city. The headlights swept across the field before dimming, leaving only the soft wash of twilight and the spread of stars above.

Sehun sat beside him in the passenger seat, fingers laced together in his lap, eyes shining faintly in the dim. He was always beautiful, but Ha-eun thought there was something about him at night…when the noise of the day was gone…that made it even harder to look away from him.

“Why are we here?” His lover asked softly, his voice curious but gentle, like he already trusted whatever answer was about to come.

The raven-head swallowed, his throat dry though he’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times. (Because you deserve something real. Because I don’t want to just date you anymore. Because I want a future where you’re mine in every sense of the word.)

Instead, he gave a small smile and reached over to unbuckle his seatbelt. “Come with me. I’ll show you.”

Sehun obeyed, slipping out of the car and joining him. The air was cooler here, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and damp grass. Ha-eun took his hand immediately… no hesitation, no space left between them, and tugged him gently across the clearing until they stopped at the crest of a small hill.

From there, the city lights shimmered faintly in the distance, but the stars above were brighter, spread out like an unbroken promise. The alpha let go of Sehun’s hand only to pull a blanket from under his arm, shaking it out and laying it across the grass. He gestured for his lover to sit, and once they were settled side by side, he let the silence stretch a little, heart pounding.

It was Sehun who spoke first, tilting his head toward him. “You’ve been acting strange all week. Secretive. Almost like you were hiding something.” His tone wasn’t accusing… more curious, maybe a little nervous. “Should I be worried?”

Ha-eun turned toward him then, really looking at him. The boy who had somehow become the axis of his world. Sehun’s hair fell softly into his eyes, catching faint light, and his lips curved in the smallest, most hopeful smile.

“No,” he murmured, shaking his head. “Not worried. Never that. Just… expectant.”

He leaned back on his hands, staring up at the night sky for courage. He could almost hear his father’s voice in his head: (when something matters, say it with your chest, Ha-eun. Don’t half-step it.) And then his mother’s voice too, softer: (everything will work out once you truly put your heart in it, sweetie.)

He took a breath. Then he sat forward again, hands clasped in his lap. “Darling, we’ve been together for a while now. Long enough that everyone already knows how I feel about you. Long enough that I don’t even bother pretending I could look at anyone else. You… you’re it for me. You’re the one.”

Sehun’s breath caught, and Ha-eun reached for his hand again, threading their fingers together tightly.

“I don’t want to just date you anymore. I don’t want us to be some casual thing people shrug off. I want… more. I want something that points forward, something that tells everyone… tells us… that this is real and lasting.”

The omega’s eyes widened, lips parting slightly. “Ha-eun…”

“I want to court you,” he stated, his voice low, steady. “Not just as a boyfriend. Not just as someone who loves you dearly. I want to court you toward being my mate in the future. I want to spend every day proving I deserve you. I want to start now… making that promise.”

The words hung between them, heavy with truth and hope.

For a moment, Sehun just stared, expression unreadable. Ha-eun’s heart thudded painfully, doubt pricking sharp and unrelenting at the edges of his mind. (Did I push too far? Was it too soon?)

But then his lover’s green eyes softened, filling with something wet and shining. His breath shuddered out, and he leaned closer, pressing their foreheads together.

“You really mean it?” His voice broke on the question. “You’re not just saying that because it sounds good? Because I don’t think I could take it if this was—”

“I mean every word,” Ha-eun interrupted firmly, cupping his cheek. “I’ve never meant anything more.”

Sehun let out a shaky laugh, almost a sob, before throwing his arms around the other’s neck. He buried his face in the crook of it, clinging like he might never let go.

“Yes,” he whispered fiercely, muffled against Ha-eun’s skin. “Yes, you idiot. Of course yes. Court me. Be the one I walk toward every day. I want that more than anything.”

The alpha closed his eyes, relief crashing through him so powerfully his body trembled. He wrapped his arms around Sehun’s waist, pulling him over his body to straddle him, before breathing in his scent like it was the only air he’d ever need.

“I swear I’ll make you happy,” He murmured. “I swear I’ll make every day count. You’ll never doubt what you mean to me.”

The omega leaned back just enough to look at him, tears streaking his cheeks but smiling so brightly it nearly hurt to see. “You already do. You’ve already made me so happy. Don’t you see? You’ve been showing me since the beginning.”

Ha-eun kissed him then: slow, reverent, filled with everything words couldn’t hold. The kind of kiss that sealed promises, that made futures certain.

Above them, the stars blazed quietly. Around them, the world seemed to hold its breath.

And between them, a first promise was made: unbreakable, undeniable, forever.

⸻

The drive to Sehun’s house was unhurried, though the alpha’s heart carried a giddy rhythm that matched none of the calm in his hands on the wheel. Sehun sat beside him in the passenger seat, one leg tucked under himself, head leaning against the leather seat as though he had finally allowed himself to relax. His pale hair glowed faintly in the evening streetlights, his green eyes softened from earlier tears.

Ha-eun glanced at him every few minutes, unable to help it. Each time, he thought about how perfect his lover’s hand had felt inside his when he asked him to let him court him officially. Each time, he thought about the yes that still rang in his ears like a song.

“You’re staring again,” Sehun murmured without lifting his head.

“Can’t help it,” Ha-eun admitted easily. His lips curved. “You’re ethereal.”

The omega laughed softly, tilting his head toward him. “And you’re shameless. I should be used to it by now.”

The SUV rolled to a stop in front of the familiar stone path leading to his lover’s home. The two-story home stood warm and lit, a place that had always welcomed Ha-eun as if it belonged to him, too. He parked neatly and hurried around the car to open the door for Sehun, who accepted with a shake of his head, lips twitching with fond exasperation.

“Your parents are going to think I don’t let you do anything for yourself,” he teased, offering his hand.

“They already think you’re too good to me,” the other replied, but he took his hand anyway, letting himself be pulled out into the cool night air.

The door opened before they even reached it. “There they are! By the look of things, everything went well with the discussion,” Sehun’s mother beamed, apron tied neatly around her waist. She reached for Sehun first…pressing a kiss to her son’s cheek, before turning to Ha-eun.

“Yes, Ma, I am officially courting your son.” Ha-eun stated warmly, leaning down to kiss her cheeks like always, one then the other. “You look more beautiful tonight by the way.”

“Oh, flatterer.” She swatted at him gently but her smile only grew. “I am so happy, oh my….but let’s go in. Sehunnie’s father is waiting in the living room.”

The omega’s father stood as soon as they entered, his tall frame moving with ease. Ha-eun never failed to admire the man: steady, kind, with eyes that had the same unspoken warmth his lover carried. He walked straight into his embrace, hugging him firmly.

“Pa,” he said respectfully.

“Son,” the older man answered without hesitation, his voice rough with affection.

Sehun rolled his eyes at them both, though his smile betrayed him. “You two are ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously similar when it comes to making you happy,” the omega’s mom corrected as she ushered them toward the stairs. “Go on upstairs. I saved dessert for later if you’re still awake.”

“Yes, Ma,” Ha-eun promised, tugging his lover gently toward the familiar hallway.

The moment the bedroom door closed behind them, the quiet settled different. Softer. The raven-head dropped onto the blanket sprawled across the bed while Sehun set aside his bag, pulling off his shirt and tossing it to a chair. He crawled onto the bed beside Ha-eun, propping himself on his elbows.

The taller man caught his wrist and tugged him down until the omega toppled onto his chest. “Better,” he murmured, arms looping tightly around his waist.

Sehun laughed, pressing his face into his shirt. “You’re clingy as usual.”

“I almost thought you’d say no earlier,” Ha-eun admitted in a quiet voice.

The other lifted his head, brows furrowed. “I could never say no to you. You’re my whole heart, baby.” His hand came up, cupping his cheek with delicate care. “You make me feel safe. Wanted. Loved. Of course I want a future with you.”

The words sank deep, wrapping around Ha-eun’s chest. He rolled them until Sehun lay flat on his back and pressed a kiss to his lips: soft, reverent, but steady enough to leave them both breathless.

When they pulled back, his lover giggled, brushing his thumb against his jaw. “You’re heavy when you do that.”

“Then I’ll never move,” Ha-eun teased, nuzzling against his throat until the other squirmed.

“Ha-eun!” Sehun squealed, laughing as he pushed lightly at his shoulders.

The sound filled the room like music, and the young alpha grinned, settling down beside him instead. He pulled the blanket up over them both, turning until they faced each other.

For a while, neither spoke. They simply breathed, trading kisses that were unhurried and playful. Sehun traced idle shapes along Ha-eun’s arm, while Ha-eun tucked a piece of hair behind his ear.

Eventually, he broke the silence. “Do you think about it? Our future, I mean.”

Sehun’s eyes softened. “Every day.”

“What do you see?”

The boy’s lips curved slowly. “Us. Together. Always. A home that feels like this: warm, full of laughter. Maybe children one day, if we’re ready. But mostly…” He reached to entwine their fingers. “Mostly I see you. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, you’re there.”

Ha-eun’s throat tightened, emotion thick and overwhelming. “That’s all I want too. You, for the rest of my life.”

They stayed like that long into the night: talking about small things and big things, trading random stories and secrets they never run out off, weaving their hopes into a tapestry that already felt real. When Sehun grew drowsy, Ha-eun drew him closer, kissing his forehead.

“Sleep, petal,” he whispered.

“Stay,” his lover mumbled against his chest.

“Always,” he promised.

And in the quiet of his room, wrapped in warmth and certainty, Sehun knew that vow would never break.

_____________