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Morning sunlight spills through the blue blackout curtains of his room (they only kinda work, but he doesn’t mind; the sun is warm and gentle). Chan wakes up slowly, blinking sleep from his eyes. Wonwoo is still next to him, breathing softly, an arm slung protectively over Chan’s waist. His shoulder still stings from the freshly renewed mating bite, warm and a little itchy. The aftermath of dried blood on his back is uncomfortable to say the least, but he wouldn't have it any other way. They never let him go more than a week without reminding him he’s theirs—each mark a painful promise, a tether to the people who love him most.
He smiles, thinking about the way the guys at the studio tease him. "The pack likes you more than Hoshi," they joke, noticing the strong scent and ever-present mating bite. Chan just shrugs, cheeks pink, unable to hide how much he loves it.
He remembers the night he got mated in flashes: first Jeonghan’s gentle touch before he bit down, then Seungcheol’s steady hands, the others following in order, oldest to youngest. Each bite had stung, but it felt so right, so perfect, it made his chest ache. By the time they finished, sticky blood streaked his back and shoulders. The world felt hazy and warm; he almost passed out.
Afterwards, his turn came. One after another, he pressed his teeth gently to their skin, trembling with nerves and pride. Sleep claimed him almost immediately, and no one bothered to move—everyone curled up together in the den, a tangled, comforting heap of fresh mate scent.
At first, he didn’t notice anything different. But now, the changes are constant: the invisible strings tugging at every packmate, the overwhelming intensity of their scents, the urge to be close, to touch, to reassure himself that this is real. He repeats it in his head—my pack —and it feels so good every single time.
It’s the weekend, and the pack is having a rare, full day together. Everyone shakes off the last of their weekday routines. Even Jihoon, who has been banned from entering Universe Factory for the day, hes feigning annoyance but secretly smiling. They made sure everyone was free—no studio, no rehearsals, no distractions. Just them.
In the kitchen, Mingyu is already at work, sleeves rolled up, flipping a strip of American bacon with an expert hand. Jun hovers nearby, dutifully chopping and plating some fruit, while Vernon stands off to the side, waiting for instructions that never come—looking more like a lost puppy than a helper.
Mingyu is shirtless, as per the pack’s latest (half-joke) rule for the omega. His skin glows in the morning light, and Chan’s gaze drifts to his stomach, where the fresh mating bite stands out. It’s an odd spot, but it looks good on him, especially with Chan’s own bite nestled in it.
“Would you like help?” Chan asked Mingyu, who was clearly overwhelmed, to try to stop both Vernon and Jihoon from eating the already-cooked bacon.
“Can you take the bacon to the table and guard it with your life?”
Chan gives a dramatic salute to Mingyu, grinning as he carries the precious plate of bacon to the table. He slides into the seat next to Seungcheol, who immediately wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close. The plate of meat sits between them like a peace offering, and Chan can’t help but laugh when Seungcheol pretends to guard it from the others.
Breakfast is a glorious, mishmash of food—steamed rice, fried eggs, bacon, kimchi, sautéed vegetables, toast, steamed buns, and a bubbling pot of congee made by Jun. Plates clatter, voices overlap, and someone is always reaching over someone else. Vernon nearly knocks over the orange juice, and Jeonghan scolds him with a mouthful of toast.
Chan looks around at the mess and thinks, " This is what happiness looks like. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
After breakfast, as the morning passes, the group drifts naturally toward the nest—a sprawling pile of blankets, pillows, and plush toys warmed by the sun. Seungcheol scoops Chan up with ease, settling down with Dino nestled comfortably in his lap. This time, Chan doesn’t shy away or stiffen; he simply melts against the alpha’s chest, basking in the steady heartbeat and the familiar, grounding scent.
Jeonghan leans over, pinching Chan’s cheek with a mischievous grin. “Aw, makdong, my cutest makdonggie,” he coos, voice syrupy sweet. The others snicker, and Seokmin tosses a plush toy at them, missing by a mile.
Chan squirms under Jeonghan’s affection, cheeks flushing as he whines, “Mmm, enough.” His voice is muffled by the pillow that is Seungcheol's chest.
“Jeonghan,” Jun calls from across the nest, tilting his head curiously. “Are you free on Wednesday?”
Jeonghan turns, patting Chan’s hair gently. “Wednesday? No, that’s when my next ultrasound is.”
“Oh, right,” Jun sighs.
Jihoon perks up from where he’s half-draped over Seokmin’s lap. “You get to find out the gender this time, right?” His eyes are wide, excitement bubbling in his voice.
Jeonghan nodded. Why hadn’t Chan heard about this? He asked, “What do you think they’ll be?”
“There's the suspicion that if you have bad morning sickness, it’s a girl, and if you don’t, it’s a boy. And my morning sickness wasn’t too bad,” Jeonghan speculates.
“Yes, it was”, Seungkwan argued, “you would wake up at five to throw up and couldn’t eat till noon.”
Jeonghan scoffs at the drag, “Well, there’s no such thing as no morning sickness.”
“Jongkook's pack omega had none, and they had a little boy,” Mingyu pointed out.
“So you think the pup will be a girl?”
“You gotta think extra hard about girl names,” Minghao instructed.
“I was thinking Hwayoung for a little girl… what do you think?” he looks to the pack for reassurance.
A chorus of voices rises up in agreement. “It’s beautiful,” Joshua says, nodding. “Very traditional,” Minghao adds, and even Soonyoung gives a genuine thumbs-up.
“I think Lian is a pretty name, too,” Jun suggested
“Why would she have a Chinese name?” Soonyoung pointed out.
“Well, two of her fathers are Chinese, so why not?”
“Then shouldn’t she have an English name as well? What about Aurora?”
“Ok, ok, the pup will have a Korean name, a Chinese name, and an English name,” Jeonghan concedes.
If it were when he first met them, he would have assumed they were having a disagreement. But he’s come to learn that arguing is just how they work things out; it prevents this big a pack from crumbling from a real disagreement.
Soonyoung is curled around an enormous tiger plush—Hoshi Jr., as he’s proudly named it. No one knows how Jeonghan allowed it into the nest, but it’s there, striped tail draped over Soonyoung’s legs as he beams and pets its head.
Jihoon falls asleep in less than five minutes, his head resting against Jeonghan’s stomach. He’s convinced he can feel the pup moving—every so often, he’ll murmur sleepily about a flutter, and Jeonghan just smiles, fingers carding gently through his hair.
Chan shifts to face the rest of the pack, settling between Seungcheol’s legs, back pressed to the older man’s chest. The pack alpha draws in his scent, arms wrapping around Chan’s waist, before pressing a soft kiss to his jaw. “I love you, puppy,” Seungcheol whispers, voice low and full of warmth. Chan’s heart swells—he doesn’t think he’s ever felt this happy in his entire life.
Chan can’t help but smile as he watches Wonwoo hover indecisively, torn between Jun—who has just entered the nest and given Vernon a quick kiss on the cheek—and Soonyoung, still contentedly wrapped around his tiger plush. In the end, Wonwoo simply tugs Jun towards Soonyoung so he can cuddle both at once. Vernon eyes the growing pile and, with a grin, squeezes himself into the middle. Seungkwan appears out of nowhere and wedges himself in too, making it a proper, tangled heap of limbs.
“Haohao,” Jun calls to his younger partner. “Come here, join us!” He pats the spot beside him, eyes warm with invitation as the others shuffle to make room.
Minghao laughs, feigning indifference. "I’d rather cuddle Mingyu," he teases, but it’s a dangerous game—Mingyu immediately lunges, tackling him into the pile. Seokmin is quick to join, the two of them smothering Minghao under their broad frames.
Joshua shuffles over to sit beside Seungcheol, a playful smile on his lips. “You two are being disgustingly cute,” he declares, before launching his own disgustingly cute barrage of kisses on the two alphas till they both collapse, defeated and giggling.
Later, Chan finds himself in Wonwoo’s game room with Seungcheol, the two of them sprawled on the couch in front of the TV. Wonwoo hands over a controller with a knowing smirk. "Ready to lose, Dino?" he taunts, and Chan fires back with a competitive grin.
Against all odds, Chan manages to win the party game, and Seungcheol throws his hands up with a pout on his face in mock anger. Chan rejoins the others in the main room, where someone (Vernon) has put on an English movie—no subtitles, but it doesn’t matter. Chan ends up sandwiched between Vernon and Joshua, their warmth lulling him to sleep as their quiet chatter becomes a soothing soundtrack.
He wakes up hours later with someone else in his arms—Seungkwan, tucked under his chin and breathing softly, fast asleep. Chan smiles at the way the pack seems to rotate around him, always making sure he’s never alone.
“Puppy?” Jeonghan calls gently from the doorway. “Dinner’s ready.” He sets down a plate of food for Chan and the still-sleeping Seungkwan, ruffling Chan’s hair affectionately.
“Shouldn’t I come to the table?” Chan questioned.
“No, you look cosy—just stay there. I’ll grab my plate and come sit with you.” Jeonghan returns a moment later, settling beside Chan as he gently wakes Seungkwan. The younger grumbles, face scrunched in sleepy protest, but rather than moving away, he plops right into Chan’s lap, demanding with a pout, “Feed me.” Chan huffs and puffs at the omega's demand for all but two seconds before giving in, scooping up a spoonful to feed him.
When Chan is nearly finished eating, after making sure Seungkwan is full and content, Jun comes bounding into the nest and wraps his arms around Chan from behind. “You abandoned us,” the alpha whines dramatically. Soonyoung flops down on Chan’s other side, crying out, “Yah! You left us all alone—do you hate us, dino-ah?” Their over-the-top pouting draws the attention of the rest of the pack.
Minghao exchanges a look with Chan—equal parts exasperation and fondness—before giving in and joining the pile. He’s soon buried under the weight of Jun, Soonyoung, and Minghao, all of them nuzzling in, exchanging scents with playful ferocity. They only relent when Joshua calls them away to help clean up, leaving Chan breathless and grinning.
After the chaos dies down, Chan finds his way to Jihoon, who sits quietly at the edge of the nest, reading a book. “Hyung?” Chan asks softly, settling beside him.
Jihoon looks up, his eyes gentle behind his glasses. “Do you need something?” he asks, setting his book aside.
“Just you,” Chan murmurs, curling into Jihoon’s side. The omega’s steady presence and soft scent are instantly soothing, lulling Chan toward sleep. He feels so comfortable, so perfect and in place—still amazed that just a month ago, he was on the outside looking in. After Seungcheol’s rut, he officially became a member of the pack, just in time to be a warm body and comforting presence during Minghao’s heat. He hadn’t been brave enough to do more than cuddle, but he knows he’ll have to learn quickly—his own rut is coming up soon.
Just as sleep is about to claim him, Jeonghan’s gentle voice cuts through the haze: “Chan-ah, don’t fall asleep yet—we have something for you.” Chan blinks up at him, curiosity piqued.
He sits up as Jeonghan and Seungcheol settle in front of him. Jeonghan is holding a small, soft pink suede box—a ring box, unmistakably delicate in his hands. The rest of the pack gathers around, a hush falling as anticipation grows.
“The ring took a while to make. I hope it fits,” Jeonghan says softly, opening the box to reveal a slim silver band, shining in the low light. It matches the rings the others wear—a symbol of family, of belonging. Seungcheol gently takes the ring, cradling Chan’s hand as he slides it onto his pinky finger. It’s a tight squeeze, but it’s perfect. He would never wants to take it off, anyways. He wants to stay with them forever, to be mated to these men in every lifetime.