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너의 시간과 나의 시간이 // 마주하는 날 안아 줄 거야 // 내가 도착하기 전까지 잘 지내고 있어야 해 // 정말 정말 보고 싶어

“지금 널 찾아가고 있” by SEVENTEEN

The sentence comes out of Jihoon almost the moment he finishes realizing it, half-formed and not fully thought through. Seventeen are in a green room at KBS and it’s not really the time for it. Yes, the television is advertising a new private mating run facility that just opened up in Hwaseong⁠—⁠and everyone is commenting on it because of the absent Jeonghan⁠—⁠but still.

Jihoon should broach the subject in private, just between him and Soonyoung. Really it is a relationship statement⁠—⁠or question?⁠—⁠and Seventeen may be their family, but there are limits to what you should say even in front of them.

“I want to go on a mating run with you where you chase me, you know before,” Jihoon says.

His words land with all the effect of a bomb in the waiting room, and Soonyoung doesn’t even have time to respond before Seungkwan is the one whining, “Yah, Woozi-hyung!” at the top of his lungs⁠—⁠like he always does when either of them talk about their upcoming enlistments.

Jihoon’s request gets lost in the ensuing back and forth, and then the chaos of their tenth anniversary music show promotions swallows up any opportunity to say it again.

But later, at night when Jihoon is lying under his cat staring at his phone, Soonyoung texts him: Did you mean it?

Jihoon writes back with his heart pounding: Yeah.

Soonyoung’s response is not immediately forthcoming. There’s enough delay between messages that Jihoon starts to work himself up. And then the KakaoTalk notification banner appears at the top of his screen.

Oh, reads Soonyoung’s text. That’s so cool.

Jihoon snorts. He hits call and puts his phone down on his stomach while he waits for Soonyoung to answer, wondering why they didn’t just go home with each other tonight. There were probably grown up adult reasons: Soonyoung had plants he couldn’t afford to murder; Jihoon had to feed his cat.

It still seems silly to be talking about things like mating runs over the phone. Jihoon would much rather see Soonyoung; be curled up together contentedly and having the conversation face to face. But there are some plus sides. When Soonyoung answers the call⁠—⁠

“Jihoonie?”

⁠—⁠he’s not actually in Jihoon’s apartment, so he can’t see the vibrant red of Jihoon’s face.

“Don’t just say ‘that’s cool,’ you pervert. It’s not like you haven’t fucked me before.”

And that’s true, of course, many times over. Not even counting the first time on Cheonggyesan.

Soonyoung whines. “But, Jihoon, it’s different,” he says. “I’ve never fucked you after chasing you. I’ve never brought you down like prey.”

Jihoon’s belly tightens, a familiar alpha instinct warring with his desire. He shoves a disgruntled feline off of him, since evidently this conversation is no longer fit for having witnesses. “Young,” he hisses. “You⁠—⁠you’re on speaker phone!”

Immediately Soonyoung’s voice transitions to the tone he uses while baby talking to animals, but Jihoon’s cat has already gotten off the bed and left the bedroom with disgust. Jihoon lets his idiot talk to himself for a little while, until Soonyoung⁠—⁠no stranger to nights spent with Jihoon’s furry roommate⁠—⁠figures out what’s going on.

“Jihoon,” he whines again.

“What?” says Jihoon. “You mean you don’t think of me as your”⁠—⁠he’s going to have to say this in one go because otherwise he may throw up⁠—⁠“snuggly, fluffy, cuddle muffin⁠—⁠”

Never mind. Dear God, never mind. Jihoon fails.

When Jihoon finishes fake-gagging and making a fuss of things, he once again wishes Soonyoung were here. His gentle amusement is evident even in the silence, but Jihoon wants to see Soonyoung’s fond smile. He wants to roll over and hide his flushed face in the other’s pectorals. He wants to bite him. He wants to claim.

Idly, Jihoon wonders at the timing of his rut⁠—⁠if this sudden desire for a mating run is less about an unexplored kink and is instead a biological urge. But Soonyoung is the one who gets needy and whoreish in the lead up to mating season. Jihoon just gets mellow. He’s only ever a menace when he’s all the way in rut.

(Or right after. Right after, when Jihoon is still pumped up with pheromones and can therefore tell that Soonyoung isn’t actually pregnant; he’s at his worst then, and Soonyoung loves it⁠—⁠gets all taunting and shameless because Jihoon initiating public displays of affection is somehow worth the merciless way he takes it out of his ass.

Hmm.

Maybe Jihoon is closer to rut than he thought.)

He can’t believe Soonyoung has stayed quiet for all of that introspection⁠—⁠not that he’s here in person to smell Jihoon’s arousal in the air.

Jihoon sighs, scent wilting a little with the memory that his idiot isn’t actually here with him. He rallies for something to say and comes up vulnerable. For a second, the words try to stick in his throat, but he forces them out all the same. This is Soonyoung. Jihoon loves him. Exposing himself like this to Soonyoung is okay.

“You want all of that too, right?” Jihoon asks. “To chase me? To run me down and mate me? To make me yours?”

Soonyoung’s silence this time is hot⁠—⁠thick. It’s filled with the promise of retribution; Jihoon is certain he’s not the only one regretting that they’re forced to have this conversation over the phone.

“Of course.” Even Soonyoung’s words are warm, if not also rough and clearly run through with tension. The emphatic nature of his response is immediately flattering.

Jihoon chews on a moan, and falls back on learned variety sense. “Good,” he says. “That’s so cool.”

As ever, Soonyoung snorts. And then he gets down to business. “So June 9?” The way he talks, Jihoon thinks he’s got to be logged in to the facility website and already applying.

“That’ll be right after Inkigayo,” says Jihoon.

“Mhm.”

“Like the day after.”

“Yeah.”

In theory, Jihoon and Soonyoung have a lot of free time to schedule a mating run. Initially, they weren’t going to have anything besides GoSe filming for all the episodes to be aired after enlistment. But Jihoon and Soonyoung are the exact same kind of overachieving asshole. So there’s the fancon⁠—⁠their little happy accident; another moment of fate.

Jihoon said he’d be content to sit at home with his cat and touch his bald head (he’s going to shave it the moment he can) over and over so that he can get used of it; Soonyoung talked endlessly about how excited he was to have free time to devote fully to seeing Latte⁠—⁠sorry, his family. Both of them showed up early to a company meeting and talked around doing one last thing together like nervous, stupid idiots⁠—⁠an apt description given their song. Then they laughed, made out, and asked for it more seriously; Pledis made it happen, scrambling to book them venues and to decide dates.

But ultimately despite the fancon taking up the three months between now and September, Soonyoung and Jihoon still have time.

All they really need is two days.

“Book it,” Jihoon tells Soonyoung, and tries not to be too giddy when several minutes later his phone dings with a notification sent to his email. It’s rare not to have to go to the company beforehand when it comes to schedules, but all Jihoon and Soonyoung should have after the Inkigayo is GoSe and the fancon. As long as they avoid rehearsal days, costume fittings, or the flight dates and the events themselves, they’re fine.

“Done,” says Soonyoung. “Better start working on your cardio now, huh, Jihoonie?”

“Bastard.” Jihoon rolls his eyes.

June 9 is enticingly soon: 10 days from now. Jihoon can’t wait.

The problem, of course, is the rest of Seventeen.

“Well obviously we’re all going with you,” says Seungcheol at Music Core recording the next day. Apparently Jihoon is too excited or Seungcheol knows him too well. Either way, the whole group knows by the time they’re all through with hair-make up and are wandering around the broadcast building in full costume waiting to be called.

“You’re still not open to chasing others or letting others chase you?” asks Mingyu, with the toneless air of someone reciting from a script.

Jihoon casts a look in the direction of Seungkwan distracting Soonyoung with barely concealed amusement. “Are you asking for yourself or for Seungkwan?”

“Yes,” deadpans Mingyu, and Jihoon laughs.

“No, sorry,” he says. “It’s him or no one.”

Mingyu pantomimes gagging, but his eyes are dancing and the rest of his body language is supportive. “The two of you are disgusting. Aren’t you supposed to be some kind of tsundere?”

“Only professionally,” admits Jihoon.

The next person he finds himself fielding questions from is a less than pleased manager, the poor man clearly having been bombarded by members asking for time off on June 9.

“Woozi-ssi,” he says⁠—⁠formal because of the public space and to let Jihoon know he’s not really mad at him. “You and Hoshi may not have any schedules after this but they do.”

All Jihoon can do is shrug. “Sorry, Hyung.”

His manager sighs and ruffles Jihoon’s blue-streaked hair. “You two are sweet,” he says, then laughs when Jihoon pulls a face at him. “It’s what you get for this. Everyone!” Manager-hyung’s voice carries and they all look up with practiced instinct. “You’re all clear for the ninth to support Hoshi and Woozi. Just remember this the next time someone asks you which of you is the most romantic. We all know how desperately our Jihoonie loves Soonyoung.”

Jihoon’s face is on fire, but Soonyoung looks so chuffed by the sudden spotlight and validation that all he does is grumble quietly before heading off to hide in his phone.

There he finds he’s been added to a group chat with Jeonghan and Wonwoo. How the two of them even found out about the run and them literally just getting permission is a mystery Jihoon has no interest in unraveling. Yoon Jeonghan is already frightening without further proof of his omniscience, thanks.

June 9 is a Monday. You couldn’t have picked a day where I don’t have to put in for rut leave with my very nice, beta supervisor? reads the message from Jeonghan.

What he said, Wonwoo agrees.

Jihoon would just ignore Wonwoo but never Jeonghan (the patience and commitment to bothering him would be unending). You don’t have to come, he says.

Vobo, please, replies Jeonghan immediately. It’s your last run before you have to do it with soldiers.

Wonwoo reacts with a thumbs up.

Besides, there’s no way you’re letting anyone hit it besides Hoshingie, so if I don’t go who will show up for Seungkwannie?

Jun? Jihoon tries.

Myungho and Vernonnie already called dibs.

That’s . . . new information. How is the whole group already making these sorts of plans?

Jun’s really running? And Hansol?

And Shua, Jeonghan confirms. It’s like he senses the reason for Jihoon’s discomfort. We all love you, Jihoon. And Soonyoung. This is our last time to do this with all of us together. It’s different when you’re on active duty, he adds.

Right.

Jihoon knows that. Their squads will get off days during the season for a run together because to suppress them would be unheard of, but it won’t be based on anything but a convenient location. Jihoon won’t be allowed to take off and go run with civilians⁠—⁠with Seventeen.

Especially not with Soonyoung.

Really, Jihoon made the two of them start doing more serious cardio as part of their workouts because the thought of anyone else catching Soonyoung in the two years of separation was enough to drive him insane.

Jihoon? says Jeonghan.

He’s touched, Wonwoo replies.

They get the call to be on standby for recording. Jihoon sets his phone aside with a sigh.

It occurs to Jihoon in the company car to the facility that the members are all going to see him with his hair shaved off for the first time during a mating run, and he hasn’t even sent Soonyoung any pictures; all he’s done is FaceTalk with his mom.

“Don’t I look like I did in middle school?”

“Omo, my baby,” she replied.

He whined at her. This was something he did in preparation to being a literal grown adult man⁠—⁠the most important rite of passage, etc. But his mom had also said she wished she could touch his head, which really meant she wanted to be there to see him in person, so.

Soonyoung is the first person to see Jihoon when he gets out of the car, meeting in the lobby with bright eyes and an exuberant smile. He startles, half-stumbling in his approach when he spots Jihoon.

Jihoon’s insides clench like they never do when it comes to the opinions of other people, because this is Soonyoung. Jihoon trusts all of Seventeen to provide meaningful feedback when it comes to anything, but he values Soonyoung’s opinion most of all. And this is somehow far more important than Soonyoung liking any song.

Jihoon likes his hair like this. He knows it’s unsustainable in his profession even though Hansol has chopped all of his off almost in solidarity, but he likes it. How easy it is. How he looks.

If Soonyoung doesn’t⁠—⁠

“Unfair. Even the shape of your head is pretty,” says Soonyoung.

Jihoon pats awkwardly at the back of his skull but Soonyoung is too distracted doing similarly.

“You know mine has a dent from when I was born.”

All Jihoon can do is nod, watching as Soonyoung begins turning in circles like an animal chasing its own tail. After a few moments of this, Soonyoung gives up. And then he pouts.

“What?”

“Everyone is going to want to touch it,” Soonyoung whines.

Jihoon kind of was expecting that. He figured he’d sign off on some sanctioned petting initially, after which his usual recalcitrance would go back into effect. But Soonyoung looks particularly out off about the prospect. Surreptitiously, Jihoon tries to sniff him.

Soonyoung’s lips pull down. “I don’t have to be in fake-heat to not want everyone we love touching you, Jihoonie,” he complains.

Jihoon narrows his eyes at him.

“And I’m not. You know as well as I do that they don’t inject us until after orientation.”

Jihoon sighs. And then he glances around the two of them. “Look,” he says quietly. “What if you touch me first⁠—⁠”

“Oh, I’m going to more than touch you,” says Soonyoung. But he does put his hands on Jihoon’s scalp regardless, and the slightly awed way he says, “You’re so soft,” makes something that feels like snakes twist in Jihoon’s belly. As always, the love is sudden and all-consuming. Disorienting. A stupid, tiny part of Jihoon thinks he ought to not.

(But he does. By God, he does.)

Before things can get too sappy, what feels like the entire rest of the group arrives, Seokmin shouting, “Woosa! Hosa!” and then lapsing into shocked silence upon seeing Jihoon’s hair.

He salutes, and he’s not the first of them to do so. Seungkwan looks teary. Everyone does pet Jihoon, until it’s time and Seungkwan rather dramatically drags Jihoon away to sit orientation for the chased.

“The spiel is totally different, Hyung,” he says, as they walk. “Come on⁠—⁠we’ve got to get seats all together⁠—⁠”

A new technicality rears its ugly head once they’re all unloading off the bus. Namely: Jihoon is an alpha, and all of his members that he’s ended up running away with are the omegas or beta (omegas). This wouldn’t be too big of an issue, but Mingyu⁠—⁠and Seungkwan, Seokmin, Seungcheol, hell, probably all of them, actually⁠—⁠would not be opposed in the slightest to having sex with Jihoon.

It is . . . bracing to be surrounded by so many in heat who want him.

They all respect Jihoon’s wishes though. And/or are very afraid of Soonyoung. No phones on the run of course, but Jihoon still makes a note to share. Soonyoung will probably get a kick out of it, knowing in this particular circumstance he’s been deemed the scariest of Seventeen’s omega line.

When they’re finally let off to run, Jihoon still sticks close to Mingyu. They make good time together, heading off familiar paths while avoiding the others, the cabins, and also the caves. Jihoon wonders briefly about how purposeful Soonyoung is regarding choosing locations, but decides he’s abysmal at such a thing. Mingyu can be the one to think about the terrain.

When they finally stop, both of them are breathing a little heavier. Jihoon’s rut is really going now, and he can see and smell almost everything. His cock is hard and throbbing and distracting. His poor dongsaeng looks close to tears.

“Jihoon, I’m sorry,” he says⁠—⁠potentially when he realizes that Jihoon is in fact following him? “I⁠—⁠I’m not⁠—⁠” Mingyu breaks off, sounding particularly apologetic, but also like he doesn’t know how to finish his sentence. The ending of it sounds painfully close to a plaintive whine.

Jihoon gazes at him blankly, potentially lightheaded from not breathing too much because of all the smell of slick and heat pheromones. “What?” Realization dawns on him and he backtracks frantically. “Oh, I’m not⁠—⁠I’m only following you because I’m 90% certain Soonyoung paid Wonwoo to track me for him.”

Mingyu’s relief is palpable⁠—⁠and olfactory. And then he (somehow, given his heat) pales. “W-Wonwoo-hyung?” he says.

Funny how Wonwoo is “hyung” but Jihoon was just “Jihoon.”

“Yeah. I figured I’d make it easy for him.”

He’d thought everyone knew who was going for whom⁠—⁠to Jihoon, and Soonyoung by proxy, it had been rather obvious. But apparently not so.

Mingyu seems to whiten further. “Oh,” he says.

And then Soonyoung comes crashing through the underbrush, Wonwoo following after him at a much more sedate pace.

“Jihoon-ah!” Soonyoung begins to say.

At almost the same time, Wonwoo gazes beatifically at Mingyu. “Boo.”

With utterly undisguised arousal, Mingyu takes off in a random direction at a flat run.

“I’ll expect payment promptly.” Wonwoo salutes Soonyoung (and for some reason Jihoon?) and then⁠—⁠still walking!⁠—⁠he also heads off.

Jihoon pays them no mind. All of his senses have been taken over with the scent of Soonyoung. He’s already a wreck. Of course, most glaringly he wants to knot Soonyoung, but that’s part of the fun. He wouldn’t want his need to be too obvious.

Only: Soonyoung’s expression is odd.

He looks . . . upset?

Jihoon frowns. “What?”

“I’ve realized a flaw in my methods.”

Nothing else is forthcoming. “What?” Jihoon says again.

Soonyoung pauses, then exhales deeply. “We have to fuck next to Wonwoo.” With the amount of vitriol in Soonyoung’s words, you’d think that he actually hated the guy.

“Ah,” Jihoon says.

Soonyoung’s lips turn down. “Yeah.”

“I have a solution.” Without waiting a second, Jihoon makes like Mingyu and takes off.

With a breathless peal of laughter, Soonyoung follows suit.

Heat builds in Jihoon’s belly. His skin feels too tight. This is what he wanted, when he brought it up ten days ago. This feeling. This burning anticipation of being run down. Jihoon is an alpha, and he shouldn’t want to be pinned on his belly and shoved full of cock. In the context of a mating run⁠—⁠where Soonyoung will catch him and pin him and make him⁠—⁠that desire feels safe to have.

It therefore takes him a couple of minutes to realize that Soonyoung isn’t running so much as loping lazily after him. Almost wolf-like, definitely graceful, and fucking . . . playing nice.

Jihoon looks over his shoulder a couple times to be sure and then growls at him. “You’re taking it easy on me?” he accuses, not sure if he’s embarrassed, turned on, or mortified. “You’re letting me get away!”

Soonyoung’s tone is infuriatingly patronizing. “Jihoonie, we’re not far enough away from Wonwoo and Mingyu⁠—⁠”

“I don’t care! Take this seriously! What the fuck?” Jihoon will kill him for this, honestly. He’s definitely actually mortified, although the humiliation only serves to make him even more hot.

And still Soonyoung is barely chasing after Jihoon.

“But, Jihoonie⁠—⁠”

“But nothing!” shrieks Jihoon. “How dare you!” He looks around without thinking first, spots a decently large enough tree, and⁠—⁠somehow⁠—⁠scurries his way up the trunk and onto the first intersection of branches that seems safe. Beneath the tree Soonyoung halts, staring up at Jihoon. There is a sudden barrage of interested pheromones against the roof of Jihoon’s mouth.

Like summoned, Jihoon’s knot throbs and his dick almost hurts with how hard it’s gotten. But Jihoon can’t believe it took him so long to realize Soonyoung was indulging him. Only once Jihoon was up the tree and presenting more of a challenge did Soonyoung start leaking slick.

“Jihoonie,” says Soonyoung.

Jihoon bares his teeth down at him, insulted. “Fuck you, Soonyoung-ah!”

It’s not his finest work, since Soonyoung is currently drugged to the gills to want Jihoon to fuck him. But whatever. Jihoon is mad.

And . . . also. Jihoon might be stuck.

Shit.

When he was climbing, the tree didn’t seem all that tall, or terrifying. Now that he’s up here, the ground seems impossibly far. Not even Soonyoung, who is a vision with sweat-slick hair, flushed skin, and brown eyes that are bright and blazing, is enough to compete with the dizzying height.

“Jihoon?” Of course Soonyoung would pick up on Jihoon’s fear.

“I’m not stuck!” Jihoon quickly shouts.

In the wake of that clearly false statement is only stunned silence.

Jihoon supposes one of them could hit the SOS button on their collar, but wouldn’t that be embarrassing. Forget mortification, Jihoon may as well show up naked to his own cremation. He should send out invitations for Soonyoung and his parents to visit his remains in the columbarium the next night.

They are saved⁠—⁠before Soonyoung can say anything and Jihoon tries to bite his head off despite the circumstances⁠—⁠by, once again, the rustling of the underbrush. Jeonghan is the one who emerges this time.

“Hoshingie!” he says. He looks annoyingly good in his facility uniform, the extra muscle from his time away from group activities somehow more apparent despite the hot pink clothes.

“Jeonghan-hyung.” Soonyoung sounds surprised. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you chasing Seungkwan, this time?”

At least one of them is living their dream.

Jeonghan steps closer, circling Soonyoung like a lazy predator. Jihoon doesn’t have to be on the ground to see the once over Jeonghan gives Soonyoung with both eyes.

“Well, yes,” says the other alpha. “But you smell delicious, Hoshingie. And I don’t see your alpha⁠—⁠oh, there he is.” Jeonghan looks up the tree and waves to Jihoon loftily. “Jihoonie, you seem indisposed.”

Jihoon is going to kill him. Sorry to Carats, but Yoon Jeonghan’s countdown is never going to reach zero if he keeps this up.

“Don’t⁠—⁠”

“Don’t what, Jihoon?” Jeonghan steps closer to Soonyoung, who backs up a bit warily. “Don’t knot your omega? But, Jihoon, you know I already have. And I don’t see your bite anywhere on him.”

Soonyoung snarls, but is unable to do anything because he has to lunge forwards and try to catch Jihoon when he hurls himself down out of the tree. Somehow they don’t both go down in a tangle of limbs.

“Jeonghan-hyung!” says Soonyoung, now holding up Jihoon and keeping him from attacking Jeonghan. “He could have hurt himself!”

“Not in rut,” dismisses Jeonghan, though he does look at Jihoon carefully and wait for him to nod once before continuing flippantly. “Hyung is off to go run Wonwoo away from you so that you can have your privacy. Fuck your Jihoonie, Hoshingie. You’re welcome.”

That said, he’s off, and Jihoon isn’t so rut-stupid as to go chasing after him⁠—⁠not with Soonyoung still all over him smelling like that.

“I hate him,” mutters Soonyoung.

“No you don’t,” Jihoon replies.

They make eye contact, and the tension builds even further.

“Don’t you dare go easy this time,” Jihoon threatens, and Soonyoung hurriedly nods.

Then, again, Jihoon is running, and this time Soonyoung seriously chases him down.

Two minutes into running from him, Jihoon understands. If Soonyoung had run like this from the start, they would have been fucking right next to Wonwoo and Mingyu, full stop. Later, that would have been very upsetting. In the moment, it might have made everything hotter. Either way, Jihoon wouldn’t have a choice.

Just like now.

In what feels like three seconds flat, Soonyoung is draped over Jihoon’s back and tripping him. He’s much more considerate than Jihoon had expected about it, perfectly careful to cradle Jihoon’s skull as he follows Jihoon down onto the ground. But when he gets him there Soonyoung immediately goes for Jihoon’s pants, and the fucker keeps up a running commentary the whole time.

“Come now, Jihoonie. That’s not it. Be good for alpha, now.”

Jihoon’s cheeks burn with shameful protest but his cock throbs.

“That’s not⁠—⁠I’m not⁠—⁠“

Jihoon can’t actually get wet like Soonyoung can, but he did make ill-advised decisions in the facility bathroom right before the run.

“Jihoon-ah,” breathes Soonyoung, when faced with how Jihoon has tried to keep himself lubed up and open just for him.

“What?” What feels like Jihoon’s entire body is flushed with his embarrassment, but that’s rapidly losing out to the blush from being in rut. “It’s not enough⁠—⁠Soonyoung, you can’t just⁠—⁠fuck⁠—⁠oh, God⁠—⁠”

Somehow Soonyoung has also ended up pantless. In fact if Jihoon looks down, he sees earth and the fluorescent pink and yellow mess of them, both their facility provided bottoms now serving as the only thing protecting Jihoon’s weeping dick from the dirt. Normally, Jihoon would be more concerned with that. Right now, all he can focus on is the sudden hot press of the head of Soonyoung’s dick against the unprepared skin of his hole.

He shakes, and tries to find the strength to throw the omega off of him. But all of Jihoon’s wires feel crossed.

Again, Soonyoung rubs the bulbous head of himself against Jihoon’s taint.

“What was that, Jihoonie?”

“You can’t.” All the protests feel punched right out of him. Jihoon feels drowned in syrup, sucked down deep beneath quicksand.

“Oh, but can’t I? Jihoonie?”

All Soonyoung is doing is fucking between Jihoon’s thighs but Jihoon feels himself shake with it. It’s like his ears have been filled with cotton. They’re ringing like they do after concerts, and he’s not sure if they’re ever going to stop.

“Can’t I fuck you like an alpha? Aren’t you my good Woozi Baby? Aren’t you my good boy?”

Jihoon is going to kill him when this is over. Or when Soonyoung gets in him and realizes he can’t come like this⁠—⁠not without a dick in him, even only in pseudo-heat.

“You’re taking to this . . . well,” Jihoon says, grateful to find that his senses are no longer vibrating like an over-taxed guitar string that has been plucked for too long. He considers the distracted hold Soonyoung has on him. The wetness of Soonyoung’s dick speaks to an equally occupied mind. Jihoon could probably make a run for it.

“I take to everything well. I’m good at everything.”

Jihoon can’t help but laugh at him. “I’d hate to see the day you don’t brag.”

The kiss Jihoon receives against the back of his neck makes him shudder. He doesn’t let that deter him from trying to get away.

Not that he gets very far; Soonyoung seems to be expecting it. The bastard wraps solid arms around Jihoon’s middle and somehow manages to hold on.

“Oh, Jagiya, you’re going to have to try harder,” he says. “I’ve been you far more often. I know all the tricks.”

“I thought you were my alpha?” Jihoon says, faltering and irked by the knowledge that Soonyoung seems to be stronger than him. At least he is when Jihoon’s like this: shoved face down by all of Soonyoung’s weight into the ground.

“I can be.” Soonyoung’s dick twitches against Jihoon’s ass and Jihoon feels it, panting at the hot touch. There’s no longer the overwhelming insult of being shoved over to take it like he’s not an alpha, but there is the nagging panic that Soonyoung may just shove right in.

(And that Jihoon may let him.)

“Can you?” If Jihoon can’t get away physically, at least he can throw verbal barbs at Soonyoung. “Which one of us is the one with the knot, again?”

“You are.” Soonyoung reaches down and takes hold of said knot with one shockingly dry hand, although the leaking wet from Jihoon’s tip seems like it would be enough to ease the way. Maybe Soonyoung could fuck him omega with only the leftover lube and his own clear need to get a dick in him. Bitch him. Turn him into something he’s not.

With one last punishing press around the base of Jihoon’s cock, Soonyoung lets go of him, piling him more solidly into the ground with both hands and therefore resorting to using his legs to knock Jihoon’s knees more spread.

He may have the leverage now, but clearly Soonyoung has been on this end more than Jihoon. He’s being extremely careful not to let go.

Jihoon tests the limits of his hold and moans. Only⁠—⁠

“How’re you gonna work me open like this?” he asks.

The sentence comes out ragged. He’s had pretty much no knot pressure and very limited contact, but it feels like if Soonyoung said, “we don’t need lube because you’re my omega now, and I’m going to pup you until you’re wet and leaking for it,” Jihoon would come just like that.

Like an omega.

Without a knot.

He’s dizzy with it. There doesn’t seem to be any other thoughts inside his head.

But then⁠—⁠the head of Soonyoung’s dick⁠—⁠right against Jihoon’s unprepared ass⁠—⁠

“No⁠—⁠wait⁠—⁠please⁠—⁠Soonyoung, I can’t⁠—⁠”

“Shh, Jihoonie,” Soonyoung soothes, breaking through Jihoon’s desperation cleanly. “Shh. I got you. Alpha’s got you.”

“Stop⁠—⁠calling yourself that⁠—⁠” Jihoon struggles furtively once more, then gives up entirely. He pants, rendered utterly useless, reduced to lying there helpless and waiting to take cock.

“But I am, aren’t I, Jihoon? Aren’t I your alpha? Why else would you be so wet and ready to take my cock.”

Jihoon’s brain is too fried to determine how Soonyoung got his fingers slick with himself, but the initial press of one of them inside him still aches. Jihoon’s body clenches down. He can’t help it. He starts snarling and humping the ground automatically, locking up despite Soonyoung’s careful pressure because no. No, bad. Wrong.

Soonyoung kisses the back of Jihoon’s neck and continues on, peaceful and unhesitating. When his finger is all the way in he crooks it up immediately. Jihoon’s muscles turn to liquid. His dick shoots a bit, knot expanding slightly. He chews helplessly on his lower lip like that’ll help him not sob.

“Soonyoungie,” he moans out, shocked.

“Aw, Jihoonie, baby,” Soonyoung replies. “There you go. There’s that spot for me.” Somewhere in the middle there Jihoon loosened up, and now Soonyoung has two fingers in him; the bit of work Jihoon did in the bathroom combined with all of Soonyoung’s heat pheromones doing a lot.

Three fingers now, even though it’s not like Jihoon really needs it⁠—⁠he’s not about to actually get knotted, thanks. But the way Soonyoung’s talking, it’s like he wants to keep trying until the both of them are different. Until Soonyoung is an alpha and Jihoon his omega; flip-flopped around entirely like they’re both one of those species of particularly enterprising ocean fish.

When Soonyoung finally gives Jihoon his cock, he doesn’t even have to hold him down to make sure he takes it. Jihoon has ended up with his forehead resting on both arms, and all he does when Soonyoung’s hips meet his pelvis is moan.

“Good, Jihoonie,” says Soonyoung, finally panting a little⁠—⁠clearly overwhelmed by having his dick in Jihoon. “My good alpha.”

“That’s right, I am your alpha,” Jihoon says, a little nonsensically because he’s gone up on his knees a little so that he can push his ass back for a better angle. “And you’re my omega so you’re going to fuck me until I say you can stop,” he continues. “I don’t care that you’re in heat and can’t come.”

Soonyoung sucks in a breath, clearly having forgotten that fact somehow, but he keeps moving his hips as Jihoon has asked.

At one point, Jihoon gets tired of a face full of dirt and manages to direct Soonyoung off of him. Then he rolls over and spreads his legs again and simply watches him, taking in the high pitched whimpering Soonyoung does as he works the head of his cock back inside.

“You’re so wet,” Soonyoung says, even though that’s all him at this point. “Jihoonie, you’re so wet for me.”

Soonyoung’s hands land on Jihoon’s chest rather presumptuously. He kisses Jihoon’s mouth and Jihoon kisses back before biting him warningly. With one teasing flick to each of Jihoon’s nipples, Soonyoung lets go of him and reaches for his head. His hands are warm. (All of him is warm, especially his sinfully shaped cock, moving so deeply inside Jihoon⁠—⁠stubbornly pressing in and out.) The way he rubs the buzzed strands of Jihoon’s hair leaves nothing of Soonyoung’s thoughts hidden.

Still Soonyoung is polite and has to say it: “Jihoonie. After this. I want your mouth.”

“You won’t come,” Jihoon warns. “No matter how hard you are for me, you’re still an omega⁠—⁠still my omega. No matter which way you put your dick in me, it won’t be enough.”

Again Soonyoung whines, hips moving now almost desperately, the rhythm entirely decided by Jihoon’s needs.

He’s on his back, in the dirt, scratched up and bleeding with his omega’s cock in him, but Jihoon feels completely in control.

And willing to be not.

He’s willing to throw his head back and try to goad Soonyoung into mating him, spouting off all kinds of nonsense about how if Soonyoung claims him like this, while his dick is this deep and hard inside Jihoon, whatever made up transformation that is fueling their fantasy will hold. Jihoon will be an omega⁠—⁠Soonyoung’s omega. Just because.

“⁠—⁠no army for both of us, actually, if you’ve fucked me pregnant and you’ve got to stay home and look after⁠—⁠me and the bab⁠—⁠after us⁠—⁠”

“Jihoonie⁠—⁠that’s⁠—⁠sexist,” Soonyoung gasps, but his eyes are fixed on where Jihoon is now gently holding his abdomen. He punctuates his words with hard fucks right up against Jihoon’s prostate, and Jihoon knows it’s all in his mind but he swears he feels the end of each stroke of Soonyoung’s cock right underneath his palm.

When it comes, the orgasm feels entirely unexpected, crashing over Jihoon in a wave. It’s only a half-orgasm, with a fully engorged knot and no omega to press tight around his skin. But there is an omega with Jihoon, loving Jihoon. Soonyoung’s continuing to fuck and fuck and fuck without any signs of stopping, now chasing his own release that just won’t come.

Jihoon wonders what that must feel like, being denied by the limits of your very own biology. Mostly he’s fucked out and floating above Cheonggyesan in the night sky. Minutes pass and then Soonyoung pulls out of Jihoon’s ass and goes clamoring up the slope of Jihoon’s chest, rubbing his dick all over him in his quest to get it down Jihoon’s throat.

“Jihoonie, please,” he begs, miserable and shaking. Jihoon only opens his mouth wide for him and sucks.

They run into Wonwoo and Mingyu on their slow trek back down the mountain to the buses the next morning. Both of their shirts are missing and Mingyu might be wearing his pants backwards. But Soonyoung is quite literally carrying Jihoon⁠—⁠who is at least fully dressed (small mercies), if not also muddy⁠—⁠since his legs still feel like jelly. Seeing as how they’re both way too hoarse from all the screaming, neither of them say a word.