Archive of Our Own

Jongho was sitting at the dorm's dining table, knee bouncing enough to be a risk of injury. He felt so odd. He had been feeling off all day, his mind wandering easily and his focus fizzling in and out. He spent much of a meeting they had had staring at the table with no thoughts in his head at all. He supposed he must be getting sick. It was always at the worst times, too. They were way too busy for him to be lacking the energy to work. He couldn't afford to miss anything to a cold.

He buried his face in his hands, crumpling onto the table with a heavy sigh, right when Seonghwa came prancing in from the nearby bathroom, towel slung across his shoulders. He leaned over the younger man with his brows pinched in concern, stray drops trickling from wet hair and hitting the back of his shirt. Jongho startled and looked up, face flushed.

He didn't like feeling so out of it, like his mind wouldn't load anything fast enough. It was all too easy to lose himself to his thoughts or get startled or otherwise just be anything but his usual calm and collected self. He was meticulous and deliberate in everything he did. He wasn't always serious, but he was always purposeful. He didn't feel like it was possible to do that in this state and it scared him more than the possibility of missing schedules. He just wanted to get back on track. He wondered if Yeosang would have any good suggestions for supplements or food that would strengthen his immune system at the last minute. In the mean time, the oldest of the group was still staring at him with a light frown.

"You okay?" Seonghwa asked softly, placing a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder, thumb rubbing a quick comforting circle.

Jongho nodded, taking a deep breath to steady himself, hoping his mind would clear up a bit. "I think I might be coming down with something, but I should be fine."

Seonghwa nodded slowly and leaned in more to scent him gently at the nape of his neck. It was something the other members did often, something that was supposed to keep him safe and feel comforted even if he couldn't smell it himself. It still made him smile, secretly, that they did it and let him feel a part of things. It was hard being the only one who didn't have a designation. He had made peace with the fact that he never would, but it was still hard. It wasn't unheard of for someone to present this late in life, but it was nearing the point that the likelihood was dwindling, and really, the chances of them all having a sub-gender at all-

"Jongho, I-" Seonghwa started before nuzzling his nose against his neck carefully. The youngest groaned and tried to move away but the other man held him steady and he could sense the seriousness of it all. He forced himself to relax and let the other man do whatever it was that he was doing. "I don't think you're getting sick."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

Seonghwa stood straighter and glanced around worriedly before dragging a chair closer and sitting next to Jongho. He took a deep breath. "You… smell."

Jongho snorted a bit and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in a huff. "I haven't had the energy to shower yet," he muttered, feeling embarrassed and indignant.

The eldest shook his head. "No, I mean, I think you- you're getting a scent."

Jongho's eyes widened. "You- you can't be serious."

"How are feeling exactly? Brain fog? Fatigue? That sort of thing?" he asked curiously, carefully.

"Yeah. Exactly."

Seonghwa nodded. "I think there's a very high chance that you're about to present."

Jongho bit the inside of his cheek hard, trying to keep his expression steady despite the way his lips threatened to tremble, the way his eyes wet against his will. He blinked a few times, averting his gaze until the tears were gone. "What should I do then?" He needed to be practical about this. This was potentially much worse than just getting sick. It could put him out of commission for well over a week while things settled in his body and he went through his first mating cycle and who knows how that would go. He didn't even want to think about how mortifying that would be.

It was easier to think about these aspects than dwell on what this meant. It meant that his whole life was about to change and he had no idea what to expect. The members were all scattered around in terms of their designations. They had about an equal split of alphas and omegas, so regardless of what he was it should be fine as far as their dynamics go, but he was never a part of those things. He didn't want to impose himself on his friends, but he didn't know how to navigate the changes in his body and he didn't want to be apart from them. The thought made him shudder. At the moment he wished they were all there. It was lonely.

But he had Seonghwa for now. The eldest was a good omega, caring for the rest of the team and making sure the pack nest in the middle of the dorm was tidy and full of everyone's scents. Jongho had always longed to be able to experience it like the rest of them did.

"We'll figure it out," the omega reassured.

"Are you sure that's what's happening?" Jongho asked suddenly, tense.

The eldest's eyes tracked over his face, searching for something. "I can't be one hundred percent sure, Jongho, but I know what you usually smell like and this is different. This smells like a scent. Not just soap and detergent or anything like that. It smells…" he paused and leaned in again, sniffing. "It smells fruity? It's hard to make anything out yet."

"Holy shit."

"We need to get everyone together and-"

Jongho's eyes lit up and he sat straighter in his seat, nodding. "Please, yeah. Uh- Uh, yeah that's a good idea," he rambled quickly, eager to have the rest of the group nearby.

Seonghwa nodded slowly, brow furrowing in thought. "Okay, I'll gather them up, alright?"

Jongho nodded and the oldest led him to the pack nest in the next room, depositing him gently into the soft fluff of blankets and pillows and stolen clothes. He waited impatiently for the next ten minutes as the other men in the apartment dashed around and spoke in hushed voices before slowly trickling into the room and sitting next to Jongho. The youngest found his fingers twitching, wanting desperately to pull them close or scooch over himself so they could be within reach, so he could touch if he wanted to. And he wanted to.

He wasn't the most cuddly of the group usually. He could get into moods where he'd be more than fine lounging around with someone in his arms, snuggled close, especially when he was tired, but he didn't love the others initiating such things themselves. That's probably why they kept a polite distance away despite already forming small cuddle puddles with each other nearby. Jongho wished to be a part of it, but he didn't know how to formulate those wants into cohesive sentences without it being mortifying and strange.

Seonghwa sat across from him again as he and San returned to the room, the last of the group to be rounded up. "Alright," the oldest sighed, glancing around. "We need to strategize a bit."

Hongjoong nodded. "Well, we can do the same thing we did for Mingi," he supplied easily. He had been the most recent of them to present, well over a year before. Alpha. "We all prepare for either scenario and once we know what's happening we can… adjust."

San agreed solemnly. "So who's willing to… help… if they need to?"

There was a small chorus of amused mutterings, everyone grinning at the youngest deviously. He felt his face heat up and covered his cheeks carefully with his hands, avoiding eye contact. It needed to be discussed. This was part of it. But it still made his skin crawl just a bit. It's not like he didn't find his friends attractive, but being that level of intimate with them seemed like a big ask. The alternative didn't sound fun however.

Yunho leaned forward a bit, waving his hand lazily to get the others' attention. "Well, Jongho, who are you willing to let help you?"

The youngest squeezed his eyes shut, desperate to be anywhere else while he mulled the question over. If he presented as an alpha, that gave him the options of Seonghwa, Yeosang, and Wooyoung. If he presented as an omega, that left him with Hongjoong, Yunho, San, and Mingi. He couldn't imagine him fucking any of his friends in any direction without his body shivering with nerves and desire and shame.

If he picked none of them, he would have to go through his first cycle alone, unsure of what he was doing or what was happening. He'd have to figure out how to get through the waves with his hands or with toys and he'd be so alone. He was usually good at being alone. Why did that sound so awful at the moment?

"I- I'm fine with all of you," Jongho said after a long moment, finally opening his eyes back up in time to see the delight shine over the others' faces. "I don't want to be alone," he added with a small whine.

"We'll be right there," Mingi assured. "It's not as scary as it sounds. We'll make sure of it."

"Th-thanks."

Wooyoung slumped over into Jongho's space and nuzzled against his shoulder lightly, purring. The youngest felt himself relax instantly, letting him cuddle closer. "You do smell fruity," Wooyoung noted, smiling lightly.

The rest of the group glanced at each other, passing around knowing smiles that made Jongho feel uneasy. Yeosang joined their cuddling, parting from Yunho to be closer which made the youngest smile, relieved to have the companionship he seemed to be craving despite the lack of really being alone. Seonghwa joined in next, wrapping his arms around him gently and purring. "Can you smell any of us?" the oldest asked curiously.

Jongho sniffed a bit, tilting his head. "I don't think so."

Yeosang let out a small playful growl. "You need to be closer. Your nose is still adjusting." He coaxed the younger man to bring his nose close to his scent gland, hand pressed firmly to the back of his head. "Is this better?"

Jongho let out a small noise, something too close to a moan for his comfort. It was like a relief washed over him as soon as he was in closer proximity to the omega. He nosed at his neck softly and focused on what he could smell. There was something there, something that he wasn't sure he had ever smelled on the man before. It was soft and sweet like blueberry syrup drizzled over fluffy pancakes. There was something else there too, something hard to describe but that made the younger man's insides feel warm and fuzzy.

Jongho pulled back with a smile. "Blueberry," he muttered.

Yeosang's eyes lit up, pleased. Wooyoung crowded closer. "Me next! Me next!"

The youngest didn't need to be told twice, bringing his nose to the crook of his friend's neck and brushing his nose and cheek against the skin there. It felt so nice to be close. He started feeling warm and droopy, like he was melting into a pile of comfort. "You smell like… grass?" Jongho muttered, tilting his head as he removed himself from the coziness. It was something natural and floral, like being out in a field on a spring day. It smelled like sunshine. The same unknown scent that he detected on Yeosang was on Wooyoung too, something he couldn't place but brought comfort. Perhaps it was simply the smell of an omega.

Seonghwa dragged him close before the other man could even respond, looking at Jongho with pleading eyes. The youngest nodded and drew closer until he was able to nose at the soft skin of the man's throat. He let out a small whimpery noise as soon as he made contact, his mind fluffing up lightly. "Vanilla," he sighed. The oldest smelled sweet and nostalgic and it made Jongho smile. He went to sniff at him more but was pulled back gently. He turned to see Yunho had crawled beside him, sitting patiently, fingers still wrapped around his forearm in a steady ask.

Jongho smiled and gave the taller man the same treatment, surprised at the way his proximity made arousal shoot through him. He stifled a moan, nosing at the other's neck, desperate to dart his tongue out and taste him. He tried to drag his mind back to focus, but he was feeling more and more cloudy, his brain unable to process things well. "Gunpowder?"

Yunho let go of his arm and trailed his fingers down the youngest's back, slowly tracing the digits in gentle patterns that made Jongho shiver. Hongjoong cleared his throat and Jongho groaned as he forced his attention to their captain. "I think it's clear to me what- what you're presenting as," he said slowly, his voice hoarse. It made Jongho shiver.

Mingi and San crowded around him suddenly, nodding. "It's good, though. It'll make it easier to know ahead of time," the taller of the two hummed.

Jongho nodded on autopilot as he squirmed out of Yunho's embrace and into Mingi's, nose and lips pressing against his skin, right near his scent gland. Forest. Mingi sighed, pleased, and returned the gesture, nosing along the younger's neck. Jongho gasped, desire simmering in the pit of his belly. It felt electric, like every minute movement against his skin left fire in its wake. He felt a rumble build deep in his lungs at the sensation. It felt natural and good and soothing. His eyes flickered close.

Mingi finally let go of him and San took his place. Ocean. Jongho could barely register it, his thoughts cutting out at the pressure of the older man's lips on his neck. He shuddered, feeling an unfamiliar wetness trickling onto his thighs, being absorbed into his clothing.

Empty.

Hongjoong pulled him away from the others and Jongho whined, pouting at the older man. He shot the youngest a sympathetic look. "You with us?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Are you still okay with us taking care of you?" Hongjoong asked slowly.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to take care of you then," the captain said, voice low and rough with desire.

Jongho had a vague awareness of being watched, of the other members' eyes trained on the two of them, but his mind only held room for the kiss that Hongjoong pressed to his lips, the pressure steadily getting harder and more desperate, mouthing at him until he parted his lips unthinking. Hongjoong's tongue took full advantage, exploring the new territory of his friend's mouth. It was oppressing the way Jongho's body seemed to relax fully in the alpha's arms, his limbs growing limp. He thought he should find it annoying, but at the moment it just felt so good to give himself over.

Hongjoong pulled away enough to look at the younger man carefully, eyes searching. For what, Jongho wasn't sure, but he seemed to find what he was looking for as he pushed Jongho onto his back in the nest fluff before gentle fingers began to undo his clothes, eager to leave him bare. He hovered by the youngest for a moment before sighing and glancing to the small group of omegas, nodding for them to move. Seonghwa helped the other omegas out of their clothes and then they all piled in around Jongho, arms wrapping around him and fingers touching. Gentle and soft like everything was made of clouds.

Jongho saw out of the corner of his eye that the alphas of the group were whispering to themselves. They got up and started inching away and a small amount of panic shot through the youngest. Wooyoung pet through his hair soothingly. "It's okay, shh. They're just going to get some stuff we need. They'll be back, 'kay?"

"Oh, o-okay," Jongho whimpered, eyes wetting. He didn't want to be alone and even though the omegas were there there was a deep ache in his chest that the alphas were gone. He felt like he needed them. It was a sort of innate feeling that he couldn't quite understand the origin of, but it sat between his ribs in a heavy pile, and the feeling was specific, like it was speaking, like it was Jongho's very soul.

Need alpha. Empty. Need knot.

Seonghwa nuzzled against Jongho's chest, purring. Purrs. That was the sound Jongho made earlier. The sound coming from his eldest friend made him feel relaxed, the incessant want of whatever lay in his chest being pushed aside for now. Jongho drew closer and found that he was purring again himself. It was a nice noise. It felt nice to do.

Yeosang squirmed closer and mouthed against his neck carefully. The same electric feeling as before started sizzling in the spot and he felt more arousal build up in him. It was frustrating how needy Jongho felt. He thought he might explode if he didn't cum soon. He had never experienced such high levels of horniness in his life. So horny and desperate it hurt. And more of that wetness was starting to coat his ass and thighs. And he could smell it, sweet and enticing.

"'m wet," he muttered, frowning.

Seonghwa hummed and gently brought a finger down past his throbbing cock and collected some of the wetness at his entrance. It made Jongho squirm, soft breathy noises flitting about around him. He wanted more. He needed more. The eldest looked at him apologetically, seemingly understanding, and held his fingers close so Jongho could see the thick shiny liquid that was coating his fingers.

"It's slick," he explained simply. "It tastes good," he added, bringing a digit to his mouth and swirling his tongue around it, savoring.

"That's because you're a freak," Wooyoung giggled. "We're getting off track here," he added looking around. "I think our baby omega needs to nest, right?"

Omega?

"We shouldn't push him," Yeosang countered. "If he isn't wanting to do it naturally then it'll just be confusing. That's what happened with me, remember?"

"Yeo's right," Seonghwa nodded. "But we can make sure the nest is in good shape while he rests."

They all started to pull away and Jongho whimpered, tears springing to his eyes. He didn't want to be alone. He reached out and held on to Yeosang, pleading, who was the closest still. The older man nuzzled back to him, laying himself on top in a comforting blanket, the weight pushing Jongho further into the softness of the nest.

"They can handle the nest. I won't leave you," he said softly. Jongho found that he was purring again, the noise only interrupted when it morphed into a small moan as Yeosang returned his attention to the younger man's neck. "It's scenting," he explained. "It feels good, right?"

"Yeah," Jongho breathed out. His hips were twitching, needing some sort of stimulation to his cock, or better yet to his slicked ass. He didn't even know what that would feel like, but he wanted it desperately. He rolled his hips experimentally, hissing lightly at the pressure it brought to his sensitive areas, his cock rubbing against his friend's. He knew he should be embarrassed and he supposed somewhere deep in his heart that feeling resided, but on the surface he just felt want.

Yeosang's breath hitched and he brought their lips together quickly, pushing his tongue inside as they rut against each other. He squirmed onto the younger man more until he was straddling his hips better, sighing into the kiss with the light pleasure the closeness brought. Jongho felt like he was on the precipice of something. He was presenting, after all. Nothing would ever be the same and the new him was so horny it hurt.

Yeosang pulled away and brought his hand to the younger man's forehead, humming in thought. "You're not feverish yet, and you don't seem totally out of it. But you do seem like you're struggling with the pre-heat symptoms. It's a lot to get used to," he cooed. "I think some attention will help."

Yeosang trailed off as he muttered, mostly to himself, about the supposed next steps of the process that went in one ear and out the other. Jongho couldn't seem to focus on the words too well, his attention pulled away towards his dick every few seconds. It was pressing against Yeosang's own hard member, the pressure feeling delicious even though their movements had mostly stopped. That was why, when the pressure left with Yeosang shifting his body weight off of him, he started to whine, the words failing him before he could even try to explain his discomfort with the action.

Thankfully it wasn't long before a new, wet pressure started making its appearance around his dick as Yeosang began lowering himself down. He lifted himself and eased down again and again until he was flush with Jongho's hips, both moaning at the pleasure.

"There," Yeosang declared. "That should help while we wait for the others," he explained, settling atop of him and brushing their cheeks together. He didn't move much, just stayed there enveloping the younger man in warmth and comfort and hot bliss around his cock. "You're big," he noted after a few minutes. "You should help me with my next heat. I don't usually like the alphas being there."

"Mm, why not?" Jongho managed to get out amidst the purrs that were starting to bubble out of him.

The older man hummed in thought. "They're too rough with me," he pouted after a moment. "Sometimes I let San knot me. He's the best at keeping his mind in check, even with all the pheromones or whatever. Yunho is probably the worst. Mingi seems bad, but you can get him to listen pretty easily. He's sloppy though. Hongjoong… I think Hongjoong likes to be rough. He's not even out of it or anything."

"Yeosang is a pillow princess," Wooyoung giggled, tearing their attention towards their friend who was in the corner of the nest, tucking a blanket into the side support of the structure. "He likes everything slow and gentle and pleasurable and he really doesn't do anything to get it, just relies on you to do all the work."

The older man pouted more, averting his gaze. "You're making me look bad," he groaned playfully.

Jongho watched them banter, his eyes trailing lazily between them, mind mostly just focused on the pleasant pressure of his friend around his cock. He rolled his hips lightly and Yeosang settled, snuggling closer while their argument tapered off and Wooyoung drew closer.

"Yeosang is right though. San is exactly what you'd expect. He's sweet and protective, but will still fuck you into the mattress if you want. Mingi is a totally mindless idiot that will fuck anything with a pulse, but he can be persuaded to do basically whatever you tell him. And you'd be smart to tell him shit, 'cause his dick is huge. Yunho is possessive and he bites a lot, but it's like in a worshiping kinda way. Hongjoong is just sadistic. He's possessive in a fucked up but hot kinda way." Wooyoung sat cross-legged beside them as he rambled about his thoughts on the matter.

Seonghwa returned by the end of the younger man's rant, tucking a blanket around Jongho's side. It smelled like vanilla. "Woo's analysis is pretty accurate, I'd say. Including that Yeosang is a pillow princess. That's true." The omega in question huffed indignantly at this but didn't say a word, just rolled his hips softly as if to prove them wrong. Jongho squeezed the man closer and thrust up into him, giggling at the fucked out moan it caused, before settling down again. He didn't feel as desperate to cum now that he had the passive pleasure of being inside his friend. Seonghwa continued. "Wooyoung is a total brat. He's super demanding and you either have to listen to him or break him. Your choice."

"Well, Seonghwa is a freak," Wooyoung shot back, rolling his eyes. "He'll do anything you say. And he loves being embarrassed or degraded. One time I called him a "stupid cunt" and it made him cum!"

The eldest sighed. "You were fucking me with two different toys at once. Your words had nothing to do with it."

Even in Jongho's near delirious state, he could tell that it was a weak defense. He nodded along with all of this information, unsure if any of it actually mattered or if they were just talking to talk. He couldn't imagine how any of this would go or how any of his friends would act, even with these summaries of their sexual performance. It was mortifying to think about in terms of his involvement, so he mostly just ignored it, figuring that he would find out sooner than later anyway.

Seonghwa shuffled closer to the new omega with a small smile. "I think Yeosang is doing a great job helping you," he said lightly, running his fingers along the omega's back in praise. "But, maybe you need a bit more than this, hmm? Besides, it would be good to make sure you're nice and loose for your first knot. It might be a while before your body fully adjusts and we don't want you to get hurt."

Wooyoung sat up straighter. "Ooh, ooh, let me," he pleaded.

"Is that alright, Jongho?"

The youngest nodded, eyes darting to the omega who was enthusiastically bouncing in place. Wooyoung settled between his legs, stopping Yeosang from leaving when he started to raise himself up from Jongho's cock. "It's fine, Yeo. I can make you feel good, too."

Yeosang trilled happily and settled himself back in place, nosing at Jongho's neck with happy purrs. It felt so pleasant to be touched like that and he returned the gesture, rubbing his nose and lips along the soft skin of his friend's neck, right where his scent was the strongest, breathing in the sweet and enticing smell with each shallow breath. It was addicting and electrifying and it almost distracted him completely from the fingers that started to rub along his entrance, spreading slick over his needy hole.

Jongho moaned lightly against Yeosang's neck, burying himself deeper there, letting the comforting smell and warmth keep him grounded as a finger slipped in. Relief flushed through him so hard it was dizzying, like his body was running thin just trying to survive without something inside of him and now he was fuller than he had ever been. He whined at it, whimpering more when the digit started to move, thrusting gently and rubbing along his walls. Soon a second finger was added and it plunged deeper, making him cry out in pleasure. Every movement Jongho made, squirming at all of the new sensations, caused his cock to grind into Yeosang's depths, shooting the more familiar pleasure through him.

Wooyoung chuckled a little at his sensitivity, continuing to finger him steadily. He coaxed Yeosang up to a sitting position, making them both whine at the loss of the comforting scenting. He wrapped his fingers around Yeosang's cock and started to pump gently while his other hand was preoccupied with fingering the youngest omega. There was a scent growing in the air, something that Jongho had been vaguely aware of in the background that was now all consuming, a suffocating smell of cloying sweetness. He knew, innately, that it was the smell of their arousal, the scent of their pleasure building with each movement that Wooyoung made. It spurred on the tightening coil of ecstasy in the youngest's core.

Jongho whined as his orgasm approached quicker and quicker, embarrassed. He had nowhere to hide now that Yeosang was sitting up and he found himself covering his face with one of his arms slung over, pitiful moans escaping him. He came with a shudder and Wooyoung's fingers slowed down, working him through it. He gasped for breath and then started squirming when the fingers continued to tease at his walls slowly, just enough to be lightly overstimulating without becoming unbearable. A few moments later, Yeosang whimpered as he found his own release, clenching around Jongho's softening dick. The older omega sighed and nestled back against Jongho's chest, clearly tired and satisfied.

Seonghwa gently pried Jongho's arm away and looked into his teary eyes, face flushed from arousal and shame. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently.

Jongho shrunk into himself more. Now that the incessant horniness had subsided he was much more aware of what had happened, how Wooyoung and Yeosang had just helped him cum and Seonghwa had been witness to the whole thing. It was awkward. Of course it was awkward, but they just took things in stride. He supposed there wasn't anything wrong with it. They were always close-knit, even before any of them started to present, and with most of them having a sub-gender designation they had only grown closer.

He knew his bandmates helped each other through heats and ruts and fooled around in between, but he was mostly of the opinion that it wasn't his business. He never let himself think about any of his own loneliness or longing. He had mostly become used to the idea that he would never be a part of things in the same way, taking solace in the closeness he did have with his friends. They had been a team since he was a teen and nothing would change that. They never made him feel weird about the whole thing, but now he was a part of things. He was presenting as an omega in real time and he had to wrap his head around what that would mean.

He didn't want to want to fuck his friends. That seemed messy and intimate and vulnerable in ways that he wasn't sure he could get used to so suddenly. But he had just cum with Yeosang around his cock and Wooyoung's fingers in him and he was content underneath all the heavy mortification. Giddy even. He blinked up at Seonghwa, unsure of what to say, if he could explain his conflicting thoughts on the matter at all.

"I'm alright," he settled on, smiling sheepishly.

"And how are you, Yeosang?" the eldest chuckled.

"Good," the man hummed in response, nuzzling against Jongho's skin. "Comfy."

"Just don't overstay your welcome," Wooyoung giggled, swatting at his shoulder.

Jongho brought his arms around Yeosang's waist and squeezed him gently. "It's fine," he reassured. Truthfully, he rather liked the weight of the other omega on him and the warmth and comfort was lulling him closer and closer to sleep by the minute. He drifted off with his mind so fluffed up from the decadence of their closeness that he barely registered that Yeosang was still wrapped around his soft dick until he woke up some time later to it no longer being soft and Yeosang rolling his hips lightly, clearly half asleep himself. Jongho stifled a moan and bucked up into him, causing his eyes to shoot open, a small cry leaving his lips at the sudden intensity.

Jongho couldn't think much. It was like everything around him was getting to his brain through a haze, his thoughts sticking to each other like they were drenched in molasses. All he knew was that he was horny and hot. Everything was so hot. And wet. His ass was drenched in slick that seemed to be leaving him in a steady trickle. He felt so empty. He missed Wooyoung's fingers filling him up, but he knew that even if they were there they wouldn't be enough. He needed more. Having the pleasure of being inside of Yeosang was enough to dampen the desperation, and he clung to the feeling as he moved, shifting them around so the older omega was under him, staring up at him through his lashes.

Jongho felt like he was still asleep, his movements slow and lethargic despite his neediness. He ground into his friend gently as he brought his nose to the crook of his neck, inhaling the sweet scent happily. Soon he was mouthing at the skin there, licking and nipping gently and it was almost like he could taste the blueberry. Yeosang was clinging to him, one arm wrapped around his neck, fingers carding through his hair, the other pawing at his back helplessly as he moaned and squirmed below.

Jongho heard rustling beside him that he was only vaguely aware of, his thoughts more focused on the pretty noises his friend was making and the feeling of their bodies pressed against each other, the feeling of his cock delving into him in deep, long strokes. The older omega turned his head and managed to make out words through his gasping noises of pleasure. "I think he's fully in his heat now," he stuttered out.

Seonghwa's voice was what answered, saying, "Seems like it. Poor thing must be so desperate for a knot and the alphas aren't back yet."

"We'll just have to help him as much as we can," Wooyoung sighed. "I still don't see why they had to leave."

"Because they'd have gone crazy. You know how they get when there are heat pheromones around and Jongho's new to this. He needs to be eased into things, right?" Seonghwa explained, his voice lilting in annoyance for having to say something so obvious. "In the meantime…"

Jongho came to still, gasping a little as he felt hands grabbing onto his hips from behind. He extracted himself from Yeosang's scent gland and turned to see Seonghwa hovering behind him, fingers rubbing lightly over his ass, squeezing gently now and then. "Hi," he mumbled, dazed.

"Hi," the eldest chuckled. "You need something in you, huh?"

"Yeah," Jongho sighed out, a re-ignition of his desires flushing through him. He was so empty. He needed a knot. That's what the warm feeling between his lungs was whining to him about. Knot. Alpha. He needed it.

He returned to the comfort of Yeosang's neck, hips twitching, with a small pout. Soon Seonghwa's fingers were dipping between his cheeks and slipping against his entrance and he whined, pushing his ass back, begging to be filled. The eldest slipped two fingers inside easily and began thrusting them gently, rubbing at his walls until he was whimpering against the skin of Yeosang's neck, rolling his hips lazily. The omega under him was breathy, still clinging to him and enjoying the amount of pleasure he was getting from their soft movements.

Suddenly Seonghwa removed his fingers, much to Jongho's dismay. He didn't have enough time to whine about it before he felt something larger against his entrance, slipping inside with soft rocks until the older man's hips were flush against his behind, pushing him deeper into Yeosang. Seonghwa fucked into him slowly, rolling his hips so that Jongho was grinding into the omega below him as the eldest omega's cock pressed into his prostate teasingly, rubbing into it with every movement.

Jongho let the older man move them, giving in easily to the ecstasy, body limp and pliant. Yeosang seemed to find his release first, nails digging into Jongho's broad shoulders as he shuddered beneath him. Jongho could feel his release hit his skin. It wasn't long before he was cumming deep in the other omega, whimpering as Seonghwa ground into him from behind, filling him up when his own orgasm hit soon after. They panted as they extracted themselves from each other carefully.

Jongho felt a little more cognizant, his mind finding some amount of clarity with his orgasm. But there was still a desperate part of him, deep in his being, that needed more. He was still so aroused, his cock still hard even. He needed a knot or he'd go insane. Wooyoung crawled over to him and pressed their lips together, quickly rutting against him, cocks pressed together where they were trapped between their bodies. Jongho whimpered, desperate and needy, his eyes filling with tears. He needed it so badly. He kissed his friend back despite the small sobs that started to wrack through him, pressing himself closer.

Wooyoung pushed his legs up, giving him better access to Jongho's ass, and slipped his cock inside with a feverish rush. The youngest omega keened, panting at the sudden stretch and electric feeling of being filled when he was still sensitive from his last orgasm. Wooyoung fucked into him hard and fast and Jongho couldn't stop his crying. He wasn't as miserable as he had been seconds before, the fullness he felt helping exponentially, but the onslaught of sensation was a lot to handle. Each thrust was pounding directly into his prostate and it was making what was left of his thinking cut out with each wave of pleasure shooting through him.

Jongho was vaguely aware that he was babbling incoherently by the time they both came. There was a small sense of disappointment when he felt the hot flush of cum coating his walls and realized it wasn't accompanied by anything more. There was no stretch, no knot, and his body was protesting it. He was getting too tired to care though, whimpering lightly as Wooyoung repositioned him, bundling him in the soft blankets and pillows of the nest. He scented the new omega and soon Jongho's breath evened out, calming down as he drifted off once more.

The next time Jongho awoke, he smelled the alphas before he even opened his eyes and his lungs felt empty all of the sudden. He took ragged breaths, desperate to fill his nose with their scent. He blinked up and saw them hovering on the outskirts of the nest, eyeing him with interest. He could see even from where he lay that their pupils were blown wide. Mingi took a tentative step forward before a hand shot out - Hongjoong's - and stopped him from moving. A low growl emanated from the alpha and Mingi pouted, turning to look at him for instruction. Hongjoong shook his head curtly and then turned to San, gesturing.

The younger alpha nodded excitedly and stepped into the nest, giving the new omega a smile. He crouched down and shuffled over until they were close and Jongho closed the remaining distance, flinging himself into his awaiting arms.

"Alpha," he whined. "A-alpha please. Please," he mumbled, incoherent and desperate. San scented him lightly, nodding in understanding.

"It's okay. I'm here," the alpha soothed. "You can just relax and I'll take care of you."

Jongho nodded, his head bobbing past what was normal, his mind clouded with the arousal that was shooting through him, simmering in the depths of his being. He was much calmer with the alpha's presence, but his body was positively aching to be filled. San laid him down in the softness of the nest, nosing gently at his skin as he trailed his mouth and fingers down as Jongho writhed beneath him.

San ran his tongue along the underside of the new omega's hard cock and pulled away with an amused smile. "You taste like Yeosang," he noted, before returning to his work. Jongho let out a squeak of surprise, shame filling him once more, but the noise soon morphed into one of pleasure as the older man devoted himself to his cock. It felt so good, the pleasure pooling in his depths, but it sat there heavy and acrid. He wanted more, needed more. He needed to be filled. He sniffled through a moan, raising his hips lightly in invitation, but San paid him no mind even when Jongho heard one of the other alphas admonishing him.

"He needs a knot," Yunho growled out. Jongho could sense more than see his arms crossing in a huff, the irritation palpable in the air.

"I know, but let him work," Hongjoong sighed. "I'm sure with Jongho waiting for us for so long, the extra attention will do him some good in the long run."

Mingi groaned, the sound a low, growly whine. "Is he even thinking about that or does he just want to eat him?" he muttered.

"Probably a bit of both," Seonghwa hummed, amused.

Jongho had almost forgotten the omegas were there, too absorbed in the delicious smell of the alphas. It was so enticing, the scent that seemed to cling to them and deepen the fog in the man's brain. It made more slick seem to pool at his entrance with every deep inhale that brought it to his nose. The contemplation was short lived before San took his cock in his mouth greedily and sank down, sucking on his length with practiced ease. Jongho shuddered at the sensation, tears spilling over onto his cheeks. He was stuck in a limbo of heaven and hell, high off of the pleasure and mourning the loss, the emptiness. He brought his hands up to cover his face, half-crying through the moans.

"He really seems miserable," Yunho sighed. Jongho heard a small plop as the man sat down finally at the edge of the nest. The rest of the alphas still kept their distance, undoubtedly to retain their composure, but the omegas began to shuffle closer and enter Jongho's space, scenting him happily. It eased the demanding warmth that screamed at him from his lungs, the thing that he was beginning to recognize as his instincts. His inner omega was displeased, but quick to find comfort from the others. He wondered if that's how needy it always was or if it was just because this process was new and his wolf was still acclimating and finding its footing in this new world of sub-gender nonsense.

He wondered, idly, if he would learn to love or to hate this wolf. He was currently annoyed with it, for making him so upset when he was so close to finding his release, his cock pleasured by the warmth of his friend's mouth. When his orgasm did hit, a shaky thing that flushed through him as he tensed and came past San's lips, his wolf seemed to relax more, lying down in wait. Jongho's chest heaved, his gasps muffled by the kiss that Seonghwa gave him, and once he came down and San had finished lapping up his release, he felt marginally better.

San pulled back to give him a reassuring smile, his lips twitching into something close to a snarl. The arousal was so thick in the air, carrying that alpha scent Jongho was beginning to love. He felt drunk off of it. San looked crazed, but he still carried himself with enough composure to continue helping the new omega. Jongho wondered how difficult it was for him to do this calmly, but he appreciated the gentleness that he touched the younger man with. Deep behind the haze of his mind, there was something close to fear. He was so glad that he had his friends for this process, to help him through it, but it was so new and unnatural to him, and he wasn't used to the weird sensations his body was going through. As desperate as his wolf was to be held down and fucked and knotted again and again, he wasn't sure he was quite ready for that intensity.

San seemed to understand this innately and continued to focus on the new omega's pleasure, soft touches bringing his mouth back to skin, tongue swirling across the tan softness, wide expanse of untouched and unclaimed territory. His teeth nibbled lightly at Jongho's thighs, leaving small love bites that made him squirm and pant, his arousal building again. San's mouth continued lower until he was lifting a leg by the thigh to give him better access to Jongho's entrance. The first deliberate swipe of his tongue sent a wave of pleasure through the new omega, something warm and silky smooth in its comfort. He moaned wantonly, enjoying the bliss of the sensation. He wasn't aware something like that could feel so good.

San's tongue lapped at the slick that was still accumulating there, heavy and thick with the sweet, fruity scent that Jongho was beginning to recognize as his own. There was still too much newness to it all for him to make anything specific out, but it was comforting nonetheless to be there, to be him. When San's tongue dipped past muscle and squirmed its way deep inside, Jongho yelled out, squirming. He worked at his task for a few minutes until Jongho was a moaning mess beneath him and then, finally, he pulled back and began to undress himself.

Jongho watched with bated breath, tongue darting out to lick his lips that were suddenly dry. The anticipation was so heavy he felt like it was hard to breathe, each inhale of arousal and alpha and San bringing his mind to a screeching halt.

Knot.

Jongho was beginning to understand what the other omegas meant when they were explaining the ways San approached fucking, so he wasn't surprised when the man took his time entering and rocking into him, soft and gentle until he bottomed out with a satisfied grunt of pleasure. Jongho was so glad to be full. San was big, bigger than Seonghwa or Wooyoung had been, and he wondered how much he had grown after he presented. Regardless he felt content, sighing in relief at the gentle stretch and fullness of the alpha being inside of him. There was a moment of calm before San began to move.

It seemed that the composure that the alpha had been working so hard to maintain was finally starting to break, and once the dam had failed, the flood it caused was delightful. The first few swivels of his hips were slow and gentle, long strokes that felt good as he reached deep, but after a few moments his hips snapped forward causing a sharp cry from the new omega. San leaned forward for leverage and hovered over the younger man with hungry eyes and a low growl, something that should have sounded scary but in the moment just sounded safe. He brought their lips together and the omegas finally put some distance between themselves and the pair, letting them work now that San was finally giving Jongho what he needed.

The kiss was all tongue and bite, something more dominant than Jongho had ever imagined a kiss could be. He felt his entire body melting at the touch, his mind fluffing up even more as his daze fully took over and all he knew was the pleasure and the offering of himself. He felt his legs open wider, allowing San to go deeper, his moans lapped up by the demanding kiss. Each movement was like a shockwave going off through his spine. He felt like jelly, a puddle of nerve endings that all seemed to respond to San's presence with bliss.

Jongho wasn't aware of much, but his mind seemed to latch on to reality again when the base of San's cock began to swell, the beginnings of his knot fucking into him with more and more difficulty until he thrust deep and let the knot take hold, locking them into place. Jongho thought he might have died in that moment. The orgasm was so intense that his mind could barely process it, his body shaking with the swaths of pleasure that washed over him, the residual stretch prolonging the sensation. He felt himself clench around San's cock in rhythmic waves, milking him of every bit of cum he could. He felt so full and so sleepy.

San scented him with a small, happy sigh, and shuffled them onto their sides so they could rest, still connected securely by the knot. Jongho was purring before his mind was clear enough to recognize the noise. He nuzzled into the man's neck, seeking the comfort of his scent, salt air and soft waves and San. Alpha. He sighed and soon found himself dozing again.

When he woke the next time, he came face to face with Seonghwa watching him intently. He lacked the irrational level of horniness that had been with him the last few times, and in its place was a shivery feverish feeling that made him feel nauseated. What had woken him up was a small cramp, something deep in his lower guts that he was unused to. He sat up and whimpered a little as another cramp shot through him, this one stronger. He curled up a bit and looked at the eldest omega through teary eyes, confused.

"It's okay," Seonghwa soothed. "It's normal. If anything, it's a good thing. I was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. Your body is getting ready for pups is all. The cramping isn't so bad. It'll feel better once you get another knot."

Knot. Please. Alpha. Alpha?

"Where did San go?" Jongho managed to get out, hissing at the feeling of another cramp.

The eldest nodded his head to the outskirts of the nest where the alphas were laying in a small pile, sleeping peacefully. San was among them. "They're being on their best behavior until you're used to all of this and have a better idea of what you want, what you need. This heat will probably be a little odd for you, but going forward you'll know who and what and how you'll get your knots. Until then, we're all here for you, and we'll make sure you're comfortable."

"Do you guys usually… just have once person help?" Jongho asked, confused. It sounded so lonely and odd. Why wouldn't they want everyone involved? They were best friends. Jongho loved them all so much. He couldn't imagine wanting just one of them to be there for his heats.

"Usually, yeah. It makes it… more controllable I suppose? I usually have Hongjoong help me because, well, I'm used to it, and we're pretty compatible. Wooyoung pairs up with Yunho or Mingi a lot, but usually not both. Yeosang has San help or one of the other omegas."

"Yeosang is fine not getting a knot?" Jongho asked, still confused. That sounded like hell. He thought he was going crazy from the desperation before San fucked him. He felt infinitely better now that he had been knotted, but he was sure the next wave would put him back at square one.

The eldest nodded with a chuckle. "Everyone's different. And you'll adjust more and more. What you need right now might not stay the same. And, of course, ruts are a completely different ball game, but we won't worry you with that right now." The man sat up more and handed Jongho a bottle of water. "For right now, we need to make sure you're hydrated and eating enough so you have a healthy heat. It's very important. Your body is going through a lot, after all."

Jongho nodded and took a long sip of water, soothed by the cool liquid falling down his throat. He was so hot. He blinked a bit as his mind seemed to catch up with everything the older alpha said. He eyed the man nervously and asked, "Wait, what was that thing you said about pups?"

Seonghwa snorted. "No worries. We'll get you on suppressants right away. We can't have you getting pregnant when we have a tour to prepare for, right?"

"Right," Jongho mumbled slowly. He'd unpack that later, he thought. In the meantime he was cramping again, this time the pain accompanied with the wet slip of slick pooling at his entrance. A small sliver of desire seemed to inch up his spine and he sighed.

Seonghwa eyed him knowingly as he hissed through the pain, a small whimper falling past his lips. "I'll have Mingi help you next," he explained. "It'll be easiest to get you what you need right now. What do you want? Something soft? Something rough? I can just direct him. He's good at being directed."

Jongho considered this, or tried to, but his mind was slipping from him quickly. Wooyoung had been sort of rough, but he wasn't an alpha and he lacked a lot of the strength and size that he knew he would otherwise possess, let alone the knot. San hadn't been rough per se, but he was intense, and it was fine. Still, he was a little nervous about Mingi. He was tall and broad and powerful and Jongho assumed he could be quite a lot in this scenario. That was a bit intimidating, so he mulled it over for a few more seconds before saying, "I think I need something softer, for sure."

Seonghwa nodded and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before standing with a small stretch. Jongho looked around while he waited, noting that Yeosang and Wooyoung were cuddling nearby in the nest. Seonghwa returned a few moments later with a sleepy, tall alpha at his heels. Mingi practically threw himself in the space next to Jongho, yawning as he pushed his face into the softness below, nuzzling into it. It looked like he was about to go to sleep.

Having Mingi in such close proximity made Jongho's omega alert and he felt another cramp shoot through him, the strongest one yet. Slick slid out of his entrance readily and his cock started twitching to life. It must have been apparent in his scent because Mingi snapped his head up, sniffing the air lightly. His eyes were wide, glazing over with lust. Seonghwa grabbed him by the collar of his shirt roughly and he groaned in protest, rolling his eyes.

"Jongho needs you to behave," the eldest scolded. "Why don't you get on your back and we can let our new omega take the lead, hmm?"

Mingi sighed, but nodded obediently, rolling over and squirming out of his clothes. Jongho nuzzled closer on instinct, nosing at the alpha's skin with reverence. He smelled so nice and earthy and comforting. The alpha's fingers twitched at his sides, clearly wanting to move. Seonghwa sat himself against the edge of the nest, resting in the fluff, right at Mingi's side. He ran his fingers through the younger man's hair soothingly, keeping him calm as Jongho moved about, scenting the man happily.

Jongho's arousal was building quickly and with it his mind was dimming as it had before, needing a knot desperately. He straddled the alpha's hips sheepishly, mildly embarrassed even through the haze of his heat. He rubbed himself along Mingi's cock, slick sliding around the skin. The movement felt good, grinding down onto him desperately. Mingi's large hands found a home on Jongho's hips, guiding him and pushing him down harder against his dick. The omega gasped, wincing at the way his fingers dug into his skin harshly.

Seonghwa gave a sharp pull to Mingi's hair, growling softly. "Gentle," he reminded him. Mingi nodded and loosened his grasp with a pout clear on his face.

"S-sorry," the alpha whimpered.

Jongho ground down more, moaning lightly. He was having a hard time figuring out what to do to get his knot. He could barely think. Everything seemed fogged up in his mind. Eventually Seonghwa took pity on him and coaxed him up, helping Mingi line up with his entrance and allowing him to sink down at his own pace. Mingi was much bigger than San. Jongho felt the stretch from that alone was enough to drive him crazy. He couldn't imagine a knot on top of it. His inner omega was quite pleased with the feeling, but Jongho mostly felt nervous. He felt like he might be split open if he wasn't careful.

The omega lowered himself down carefully and slowly, easing the cock further in until he was flush with the man's hips, panting and whimpering at the stretch. He stayed still for some time, allowing himself to acclimate. He could feel Mingi's feeble attempts at staying still, his hips twitching pitifully. A low growl of frustration bubbled up in the alpha's chest, the rumbling flitting through the air. It cut out when Seonghwa cleared his throat harshly.

"Whenever you're ready, Jongho," the eldest omega said gently.

Jongho hummed his appreciation as he raised himself up on shaky legs before dropping back down softly with a small gasp. "So big," he muttered in awe. Every movement made it more apparent how much he was stretching out around Mingi's dick. He bounced himself up and down tentatively before resorting to a softer grinding motion. It was too intense at the moment for anything more. The motion of his hips rolling in this way wasn't a familiar one, but the pleasure guided him to find a rhythm and soon it felt natural to work the alpha's cock against his prostate, letting out breathy moans all the while.

Mingi's fingers were digging into Jongho's hips again. The alpha was whimpering and growling and gasping for breath, clearly uncomfortable with the strain of maintaining his composure. Jongho shivered at the sharp press into his skin. His voice warbled into a cry of surprised pleasure when he tried to speak on the matter, interrupted by Mingi lifting him and snapping his hips sharply. It happened again and the new omega whined at the stimulation. It was too much. It was so much to be fucked into by him when he was so big and so deep.

Jongho slumped against the alpha's chest, whimpering at the searing pleasure. Seonghwa was quick to intervene, watching the two closely as he pulled on Mingi's hair again, eliciting a high whine. His eyes were watering with the pain and he squirmed lightly in the omega's grasp, his hips coming to a still.

"You're not being very good," the eldest growled out. Mingi shrunk into himself but nodded, more tears pooling in his eyes. "Don't you want to be good and take care of our sweet Jongho?"

"Y-yeah, yes." Mingi nodded emphatically, grimacing. "Please I'll- I'll be good. Please I need to knot- knot him. Please."

Seonghwa purred, soothingly, and his fingers began to scratch lightly at the alpha's scalp almost in apology for the pain he had previously given. "Here, give me your hands," he demanded. Mingi complied, bringing his hands closer so the omega could grab him at the wrists and keep his hands on either side of his head, pinned. "Now, you may fuck him if you can behave."

"Thank you," the alpha whispered, voice small. He rolled his hips up tentatively and Jongho hummed out a small moan, pleased. Without the intensity of his earlier movements, it was easier to appreciate the feeling of Mingi's cock. His body seemed to respond readily to the alpha doing more of the work, melting into him happily. Jongho was finding his body was good at this, at becoming pliant and boneless and giving in to the hazy pleasure. He wondered idly if that would continue outside of his heat, if he was just susceptible to submission. Surely that was just an omegan stereotype.

And yet it felt so natural and the more he submitted the better it felt. He found himself purring contentedly as Mingi continued to roll his hips, stuttering every so often. He was being good and keeping a gentle pace that allowed Jongho to enjoy the fullness as he nuzzled against the alpha's neck. The alpha's movements steadily got faster, building speed subtly until Jongho found himself crying at the intensity, shuddering with each stroke. He buried his face against the older man's skin and shook as his orgasm rocked through him.

Mingi wasn't fairing as well, whining in frustration. It was clear that he wasn't able to move easily enough to fuck the new omega like he needed and Seonghwa wouldn't let him anyway. "Please, can- can I? I need- I need to knot, please," he whimpered.

"Don't ask me," the older omega chuckled.

The alpha rolled his hips a bit, squirming to be closer when his hands were still restrained at his sides. "Jongho, c-can I fuck you?" he croaked out through his tears.

The new omega felt the desperation for a knot rise after his orgasm left him without one. It was an all consuming need that made it hard to focus on anything outside of the residual pleasure of being around the alpha's cock, let alone the question that was just asked. He was still nervous though and finding the words to express this seemed to be an impossible task.

Mingi sighed and tried again for an answer. "Please? You don't have to- to do anything. I can just fuck you and knot you and make you feel good, please."

Jongho's instincts purred at this proposition and that was enough to spur Jongho past his apprehension. He nodded enthusiastically, his nose still pressed to the man's scent gland. Seonghwa must have released the alpha's hands because they were back on his hips in seconds, holding him steady as Mingi thrust up into him, sighing in relief. Jongho could barely breathe with the way it seemed to carve out space in his body, a shuddery moan leaving his lips. He didn't have much time to adjust before Mingi set a quick pace, pounding into him brutally.

Jongho was shaking on the man's cock, crying into the crook of his neck, helpless to the intense pleasure. It wasn't long before the familiar tension in his core was close to snapping and he felt himself clench around the alpha, exhausted and quickly sobbing at the unyielding sensation. Thankfully Mingi's knot began to form and they were locked in place soon after, the stretch allowing Jongho's inner omega to calm down finally. It was such an intense stretch, verging on too much. The younger man was surprised it didn't hurt.

His mind returned to him gently after that and he looked around a bit, noting the other alphas of the group eyeing them sleepily. He could smell their arousal from where he lay against Mingi's chest. On the other side of the nest was Wooyoung and Yeosang, cuddled together and touching each other softly, hands roaming in practiced patterns against their skin. He could smell their arousal as well. Seonghwa was resting beside him and Mingi, watching them with a protective flare in his gaze. His arousal felt softer, but it still simmered beneath his vanilla scent.

Thinking about it, Jongho could pick up on their scents much easier if he focused. He wished he could smell them more evenly. He wished he could smell himself better too. He was suddenly aware that his scent was barely in the nest at all, something that made a lot of sense considering he didn't have one until very recently, but it upset him all the same. He was sleepy as he laid there, full and comforted by the knot that kept him locked to Mingi, but he also longed to get up and do something about the nest. It wasn't right.

He whined a bit and sat there impatiently until Mingi's knot went down enough from him to pull himself away from the tall alpha. He shuffled to the side of the nest, leaning to nose against the fabric. He didn't like how much San was there when it should have been Wooyoung's scent. It would meld better with the other smells in that area, mostly omegan in makeup. He followed the nearest scent of Wooyoung's that he could pick up that was too light to be coming from the actual man in question and found it led to a shirt that was tucked into the wall of the nest. He removed it, careful to maintain the overall structure, and returned to his previous spot to nestle the fabric in between a pillow and a stuffed rabbit that smelled like Seonghwa. It was much better there.

Yeosang and Wooyoung drew closer, eyes wide with interest. Yeosang was the first to close the distance. "The smells aren't right?" he asked, smiling in understanding. Jongho sighed and shook his head, his frustration apparent in his fruity scent that he was beginning to forget was there, his nose mostly going blind to it. The older omega giggled a little and rubbed their cheeks together. "You need to scent some things, I think. That'll help a lot. I really like your scent. Have you figured out what it is yet?"

Jongho drew back to blink up at him with curiosity, head tilted. He sniffed the air a bit but was unable to pick out his own scent well enough, his mind straying to his friends' which seemed stronger and more comforting. "I can't."

Yeosang nodded and glanced around, sniffling the air lightly. He reached over to grab a small blanket that smelled like so much it ended up not smelling like anything. It must have had all of their scents together in equal proportions. It smelled nice all together like that. The older man handed him the fabric and instructed him to scent it, dragging it over his scent gland on his neck and grinning at the satisfied feeling it brought. He lifted the blanket to his nose and searched for the scent he just imparted on it.

It was very familiar, but he still couldn't place it. It was fresh and fruity, something that seemed crisp and watery as well as sweet and nostalgic. "Hmmm, I'm still not sure," he muttered, trying not to feel too frustrated.

"Apple," Yeosang supplied, bringing their cheeks together again. He pulled away and smirked at the other man. "We're both fruity I guess," he laughed.

Jongho giggled. He could smell it clearly now that it had been pointed out. It was apple. It reminded him of green apples that weren't too sweet and with the pleasant sharpness of sour flavor. There was more to it than that - some soft florals dancing in the background, some added sweetness of honey that he could find if he focused really, really hard - but the smell was predominantly apple. It felt fitting to him.

He swatted at his friend's shoulder and urged him into motion. "Help me with the nest," he pouted.

Yeosang agreed easily and helped the new omega begin the tedious task of balancing all of the scents in the nest now that there was a new one to add to equation, and making sure the younger man took breaks to cuddle with the other omegas. It was relaxing, his inner wolf giddy at the closeness. He all but forgot the alphas were there. Mingi had returned to the outskirts and Jongho was much too focused on his work to let his eyes venture past what was necessary at the time. He wasn't aroused or as feverish, but the need for his nesting was just as insistent as his need for knots had been, just less mind numbing. Every change he made to the nest caused relief to wash over him gently and he was purring by the end of it, surrounded by scents that brought comfort and cuddled close to the other omegas, limbs tangled together as they drifted off to sleep.

The smell of gunpowder is what woke Jongho up the next time. He blinked his eyes open to see the tallest alpha of their group staring back with a giddy joy in his gaze. The omega stretched with a small moan, letting his limbs take up space after being tucked to his body for so long while he napped. He felt so dazed he was barely able to make out his surroundings, like his eyes weren't fully registering the scene before him. He instinctively drew closer to Yunho with a small whine, desperation building quickly at the base of his spine. He needed a knot and he needed it now.

"Yeah?" The alpha chuckled, wrapping his arms around the new omega. "I'm here," he mumbled. "Alpha's here."

"Alpha," Jongho whined, nosing at his neck in a gentle scenting. "Knot- I need, please."

The older man let out a small growl, playful and excited. It left Jongho giggling as his body melded against the other's form, rutting against his thigh mindlessly. Yunho pushed him away with another growl, this one more stern and Jongho let out a soft trill of confusion and discontent. The alpha undressed himself quickly and pulled the new omega to him roughly.

"There, now I can knot you," Yunho hummed, voice low with lust. He seemed more coherent than Jongho was expecting given the crash course he was given, but he wasn't convinced the man was very aware of anything himself. It seemed they were both acting on instinct and nothing more. It was why he was allowing the alpha to move him around, his previous bouts of trepidation all but forgotten.

The alpha dragged his tongue across Jongho's chest, swirling around his nipples as he went, teasing the skin with small bites and nibbles. He left a devoted path of hickeys in his wake, every mark pointing towards Jongho's neck where he began to focus on scenting the new omega with feverish kisses and licks and grazing teeth until Jongho was a writhing puddle beneath him. All the while his hands were trailing along his sides and finding a home on his hips. Jongho felt his legs fall apart more, instinctive, granting access for the alpha to slip in to his slicked heat.

The first thrust forward was enough for Yunho to bottom out and Jongho's breath hitched. He was so full so suddenly and his omega wanted more. It needed more, a knot. He whined, wanting movement to soothe the feverish desire that pulsed through him. He needed something to take the edge off, the arousal that was so strong it was verging on painful. Yunho brought their lips together in a bruising kiss, one hand following the shape of the omega's body back up, urging his hands to raise above his head, one after the other.

Jongho moaned into the alpha's mouth when he felt his large hand wrap around his wrists and hold him in place, unmoving. He sighed, his instincts soothed instantly. Jongho melted beneath him, relaxing entirely and giving himself over, letting the taller man rock into him harshly and moaning wantonly into the alpha's mouth. He only cried out louder when Yunho mouthed back to his neck and began biting harshly, trailing down to his shoulders as he fucked him into the softness of the pack nest.

"A-Alpha, you f-feel so good," Jongho keened, stumbling into his orgasm unexpectantly, the pleasure building and compounding on itself. His mind drifted away as he tensed with his release, the sound of skin against skin and the sensations of Yunho's body against his own was a distant thing, floaty in his thoughts. All he knew in that moment was pleasure that wouldn't let up, continuing to build even past his orgasm. He was sobbing by the time a second orgasm wracked through him, the pleasure at a peak he didn't know was possible. He had no rest, no ability to come down from it. It just kept going, pulsing through him in waves. The intensity somehow grew even more when Yunho grunted and came to a still, the base of his cock expanding and locking them into place. Jongho could feel him release inside and shivered at the delicious way it warmed him from the inside out.

Yunho scented him frantically, obsessively. He growled again, the noise rumbling against the omega's body where they were pressed together. Jongho responded with a satisfied purr. The alpha nosed at him gently, calming down to a much less crazed state. He seemed at ease now that they were connected, and he doted on Jongho sweetly as they stayed connected, finally removing his hold on the younger man's wrists. The new omega wrapped his arms around Yunho's neck with a soft sigh, glad to be close.

The alpha didn't bother moving them, instead opting to lay over the new omega in a heavy blanket of warmth and safety. Jongho's instincts loved it, adored the weight and closeness. It lulled him into a near sleep, dozing off with every heavy blink he made, purring all the while. It was why he was surprised when the older man started moving again a few minutes later. As soon as Yunho's knot went down enough to allow for it, he started drawing back, the residual thickness of the knot catching on the omega's rim and stretching delightfully as he pulled out and then thrust back in, fucking the knot into him.

Jongho gasped, a high pitched noise of surprised pleasure leaving him. He shook with each movement, shuddering at the pleasure that shot through him. He was overstimulated and exhausted, too tired to do anything but cling to the alpha and cry. Yunho licked at his tears, growling softly. Jongho didn't have room in his head for many thoughts, but the one idea that he was able to form was that it was all delightful. He thought he could spend an eternity just being fucked and used and made to cum again and again on his friends' cocks. He thought that he'd gladly give up his life as an idol in that moment.

When Jongho finally came again, Yunho plunged himself back into the omega and came to a still, letting his knot deflate the rest of the way while they caught their breaths. He finally pulled out and cuddled Jongho close in his arms as they drifted off to sleep. The younger man was more exhausted than he had ever been in his life, but it was a cozy tired that soothed him, every muscle in his body relaxing more and more until he felt like he was a part of the nest itself.

Jongho hadn't fully woken up when the next wave washed through him. He blinked his eyes open to see a lot of chaos he wasn't expecting. It was enough to distract him from the harsh cramp that he felt, whimpering as he tried to make sense of everything. The omegas were nearby, behind him. He couldn't see them from where he lay but he could sense them, smell them. Two of the alphas were watching on the outskirts of the nest with wide eyes, unease in their expressions. There was an odd smell in the air that Jongho hadn't experienced yet, but knew innately was a bad thing. It put him on edge. Where his mind was snapping to the most however was the sound of growling.

Yunho still had his arms around the new omega, keeping him bundled, large hands pressing into his skin possessively. Jongho tried to sit up a bit to see things better, and was surprised to find Hongjoong glaring at the taller alpha, a snarl forming on his lips.

"Stop being greedy, Yunho," the older man said tensely.

"He's mine," the taller of the two growled out.

Seonghwa's vanilla scent wafted over and Jongho felt the man's presence close by. There was a softness, something almost powdery, in the man's scent and it made Jongho relax a bit, his body coming to a still. He hadn't even realized he had been shaking, trembling in fear at the sounds of the growls. The eldest omega started growling as well, but this didn't scare Jongho. It just made him feel safer.

"Yunho," Seonghwa snapped. "You're scaring him."

The taller alpha's grip loosened and Jongho squirmed away, putting more distance between him and the alphas. Seonghwa pulled him further, closer to him and the other omegas. Wooyoung and Yeosang were quick to cuddle close to the younger man, purring. More of that powdery softness was in their scents and Jongho felt his mind slow, his body drooping into their hold. It felt the same as his submission to the alphas and yet so very different. Being with the alphas quelled a deep desperation in him, something that built rapidly against his will. Being with the omegas was like a deepening of contentedness that was already there. It felt natural to be near them, to feel their comfort and return it with a steady softness that Jongho didn't know resided in him.

He felt in that moment, as his body fully rid itself of his fear and discomfort, that he rather liked being an omega. He realized the sensation he felt, the warmth in his lungs where his inner wolf lay, was simply a form of love he was unsure he had ever known before. It made his cramps easier to ignore, the incessant horniness an afterthought. He was so happy he could cry.

Outside of his little bubble of safety, Seonghwa was now turning his attention to Hongjoong, Yunho having grumpily left the nest. There was still a lot of growling, but Jongho was able to stay calm now that he was further away.

"Let me past, Hwa," Hongjoong said, voice low and surprisingly steady. "He needs a knot. I can smell it."

The eldest shook his head firmly. "You can wait until he's ready," he reprimanded. "I'm not letting you fuck him right after scaring him half to death."

"Yunho was about to knot him again," the alpha complained.

Seonghwa shrugged. "And? Jongho seemed content. There was no reason to interfere."

"I can't just watch everyone fuck him and not get to myself, especially considering he's mine."

The omega smirked, chuckling a tad. "He's not yours yet, Joongie. You know that." The older man inched closer, a small purr building in his chest, replacing the growls from before. "If you're really that desperate to fuck something, I'm right here. I think you need to get some relief. You're not thinking clearly."

Wooyoung chuckled from Jongho's side. "Hwa's quite manipulative, isn't he?"

"He's got Hongjoong wrapped around his finger."

Jongho nodded, just a little mindless. It wasn't surprising to see. Hongjoong was usually a fumbling mess around the man, and it had only gotten worse after they had both presented. He assumed the argument was in relation to Jongho not being in the pack formally yet. Surely Hongjoong was the pack leader, given he was the leader of Ateez. It made sense. He was usually steady and responsible and he cared for them all greatly. He had never seen the man act so immature and impatient before. The pheromones must have really been getting to him, or perhaps it was just an innate alpha response to wanting what he felt was his. Jongho would be his once he joined the pack after all.

The thought caused a tickle of excitement run down his spine. Being an alpha's in any sense sounded divine. It was something his instincts wanted desperately, he could tell. The belonging and the protection and the closeness was part of having an inner wolf, something that was necessary for feeling whole once one presented. The only thing that would be better than being part of the pack and being Hongjoong's was being mated, but he supposed that wouldn't be possible with the lives they lived. Even dating was risky for his career. There was no way he could allow for a mating bite to be visible to his fans.

He wondered if the other omegas drew comfort from the pack bond, if that was why they had been so close since they all had presented. He remembers after Wooyoung presented, the third member of the group to gain a sub-gender designation, that their managers sat them down with the company heads and they discussed forming packs and the legal protections they had, the mental and physical benefits of it. Apparently it was the sort of thing that had caused issues in other companies with other groups, the forming of packs and including/discluding of certain members spurring on disagreements and arguments bad enough to ruin careers. Their company didn't seem to worry about it, knowing that they were all responsible and mature and close.

And it hadn't caused any issues, had it? They were all still close. Jongho had still felt as much a part of the group as he always had, even though he had been kept from such things simply because of his pesky biology. Sure, there were some nights that he lay awake, staring at the ceiling and wondering what it was that he was missing, trying not to cry. Sure, he felt a little jealous at times. Sure, he hated the part of him that felt that way, bitter and resentful. He didn't want to feel bad about something that brought the others so much happiness.

But now he knew what it was like to be an omega amidst his team, to be comforted by their scents and to nest and to be intimate in ways he would never have been able to if not for his presenting. He knew, suddenly, the extent of what he had been missing for the last few years of his life. It felt like his heart was breaking, a deep pain igniting and taking all the air from his lungs. He was so upset and so relieved and so confused by it all that it hurt. It hurt so badly. He had never really been a part of things and that realization was killing him.

The others were suddenly alert, staring at the youngest with concern. Hongjoong and Seonghwa distanced themselves from each other carefully, seemingly forgetting the arousal that had been clear in their scents moments before. Yeosang nuzzled their cheeks together softly.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a small whisper and Jongho's composure broke.

A sob wracked through the new omega suddenly and he shook as he cried, curling up in an attempt to seek comfort, leaning into the omegas that still held him close. "I- I want to- to be with you guys," he choked out. He covered his face with his hands, miserable and needy. He didn't want to be picking and choosing which members he was close to, which person got to hold him at what time. He didn't want his friends to have to argue over who got to knot him. He wanted them all together like they were supposed to be. "P-please come closer," he whispered.

Seonghwa shuffled further into the nest to where the three omegas were cuddled up and pulled Jongho into his arms with a sigh. "I'm sorry," he muttered, sniffling. "I'm so sorry."

Jongho shook his head. He didn't want the eldest omega to feel guilty for doing what he thought was right, for trying to make things safe and comfortable for him. He had asked for help and he was happy to take it, even if it wasn't what he needed after all. "I want the alphas too," he pouted as he scented the man happily.

He pulled away to see Hongjoong motioning for the others to come into the nest and the alphas approached nervously, frowning at the youngest's discontent. The group's leader reached him first and Jongho's inner wolf perked up at the alpha's proximity. He was sure as soon as his emotional turmoil was over he'd be flung back into his daze and be fiendish for a knot, and a small cramp seemed to start as if on cue.

"I can't promise that we'll be reasonable to you," Hongjoong said softly, his voice nervous. "It's not- it's not the best idea to have a bunch of alphas around like this when you're in heat. It makes us crazed and territorial and we just-" the man sighed, tears springing to his eyes. "We love you, Jongho. We want to help you, but that doesn't mean we'll always do so in the right ways."

Jongho slipped from Seonghwa's hold and fell into Hongjoong's arms, crying softly against his chest. "I trust you guys," he sniffled. He knew that despite how hard it might be, the alphas were capable of having restraint and if nothing else he trusted the other omegas to keep them in check like they had been doing up to this point. He trusted his friends more than anything. He had already told them he was okay with them helping and he had meant it.

The other three alphas crowded around and sank into the softness of the nest, sticking close. Jongho felt much better being within arms reach of everyone. He continued to cling to Hongjoong the most, his alpha that he was more than happy to have take care of him. It was the first time he was close enough to the man with a clear enough head to actually make out his scent properly. It was a cozy scent, something nostalgic. He smelled like wood and whiskey. It reminded him of one of the times they celebrated together after a particularly good performance, drinking on the hardwood floor of their old dorms, unguarded and honest in their friendship. They had talked about their dreams that night and how it really felt like they were coming true finally. And now they were together again, sitting on the floor in each others' embraces, soft nest surrounding them, closer than ever.

Jongho looked up at the older man with soft eyes, feeling like he could breathe again finally, and Hongjoong brought their lips together gently. The new omega melted into the kiss, letting his mind fluff up, his body relaxing, submitting to the alpha that held him. He felt another cramp shoot through him and he whimpered lightly, his fingers gripping onto the nearest thing he could. It must have been someone's leg, he thought Mingi's perhaps. Hongjoong pulled away briefly to shed his clothes before hovering over the younger man, pushing him back into the nest. A few of the others, mostly omegas, cuddled close to his side, nuzzling and running comforting fingers over his skin.

Hongjoong began to drag his tongue around the younger man's body, fingers tracing shapes over the flushed skin. Jongho trembled under him, the arousal that his earlier distress had kept at bay returning with an intensity unlike anything he had experienced thus far.

"A-alpha, please," he sighed out, his head thrown back with the pleasure of the older man's attention.

"Please what, Jongho?" Hongjoong asked innocently before sucking gently on one of his nipples, smiling against the skin when it caused a shudder beneath him.

The new Omega felt more hands on him, rubbing lightly into his thigh, closer and closer to his crotch. Fingers threading through his hair soothingly. Warm touches along his skin too distracting to answer the alpha. He whined a little, unable to find the words to voice his want. Hongjoong brought his focus to his other nipple before tracing his mouth back up along his collar bone and to his neck, nipping harder and harder until Jongho was whimpering.

"Please," he huffed, tears springing to his eyes.

The group leader chuckled. "You still haven't told me what you want, baby bear."

The new omega let out a noise, breathy and desperate at the man's words. The pet name was making a home in the warmth of his lungs, his inner wolf snuggling with it contentedly. It made him so happy. He found himself purring, his low moans interrupting the rumbling noise now and then as the alpha continued his ministrations around the younger man's body.

Finally the arousal became too strong to bear and Jongho squirmed beneath the unrelenting touches of his friends. He arched his back, desperate to be closer to the man, wanting to feel their bodies pressed together.

"Knot, p-please," he cried out after a particularly harsh bite to his shoulder. His limbs felt heavy, laying in the nest like dead weight. He might as well have been a puddle beneath the alpha, his body loose and willing. He needed to be filled. He needed a knot. He wanted it so badly it hurt. Another cramp shot through him, the ache making him tear up more. He felt slick gush out of him in anticipation.

"There you go, baby bear. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Hongjoong praised with a devious smile. "Why don't you turn around for me so I can get nice and deep."

Jongho nodded quickly and shakily turned over, the hands of the other members finding skin again quickly. Hongjoong gripped his hip harshly and raised his ass up, pushing down on his shoulders lightly until the younger man was in the position the alpha wanted.

The new omega panted as he felt the hard cock of the alpha rub against his entrance teasingly. "Please," he whined again, a sob threatening to escape. He was so desperate he was shaking, trembling with want and discomfort. He thought he might die if he didn't get filled soon.

Lips were pressed against the skin of his neck and he couldn't work through the daze in his mind to make out whose they were. They mouthed at the sensitive skin there making his thoughts all but cut out as Hongjoong finally pushed in. Another hand trailed up his shaky thighs until it found a home around his hard cock, leaking precum like a faucet.

Jongho moaned wantonly as he was pumped. Hongjoong bottomed out and came to a still, but being full was still better than being empty and the attention to his needy cock was tantalizing enough to soothe the omega's frantic need for his next knot. He shook as he approached his orgasm quickly, crying out when he finally came. That's when Hongjoong finally started moving, pulling back and then forward quickly. The sharp thrust made Jongho sob, the pleasure shooting through him deliciously.

The alpha's grip on the younger man's hips was bruising, the pain digging into him as he was pulled back to meet each rough thrust of the man's hips. Jongho could do nothing but take it, hiccuping over his moans as he nestled his face against the softness below, drooling and crying into the blankets that soothed him. They smelled like his friends and that's the thought he clung to while he was fucked senseless. It was a dreamlike nothingness, being fucked like that. He wasn't sure how long it lasted or how many times he came on Hongjoong's cock, milked dry of everything he had. All he knew was the endless pleasure, the overwhelm, and the achiness that settled into his ass and hips, the pain of scratches and bites as the alpha used him.

When the older man finally found his release, fucking his growing knot deep into Jongho, the omega struggled to catch his breath. He was so full and so satisfied and so, so tired. The stretch around the alpha's knot was buzzing with residual pleasure, but Jongho just knew that he would be sore for days after his heat ended. He took a shaky breath as he tried to steady himself, his mind coming back to him slowly. The daze lessened and he shuffled a little, as much as he could given his connection to the alpha, and saw his friends were still close, their scents tinged with arousal and happiness. Jongho thought it was so beautiful that he could smell their joy.

"I love you guys," the new omega muttered, letting his body relax back into the nest, letting the others move around so everyone was comfortable. He decided they could handle such details. He was more preoccupied with the deep fatigue that settled over him, lulling him to a cozy sleep.

For the rest of his first cycle they all stayed close, and Jongho, through the unthinking haze of his heat, was more than happy to focus on the others' pleasure as much as his own. As long as he was filled with a knot he didn't care what else was happening or what he did. He was pleased to have Yeosang ride him while an alpha fucked him silly or to pleasure someone with his mouth or hands. Otherwise he was satisfied just cuddling and purring and being with his friends. He was so full of love and warmth he was certain his body had rid itself of the capabilities of being sad. It was pure bliss.

When Jongho finally began to come to, his mind staying clear for longer periods after waves, he was finally able to really consider the events of the last few days. He couldn't help but blush at everything that happened. It didn't help that he found his mind again while knotted. He glanced over his shoulder to find Mingi sleeping peacefully, his cheek nuzzled into the nest. Jongho had vague memories of the man being sleepy more often than not, and even vaguer memories of Seonghwa commenting on it being an effect of the pheromones or whatever. He didn't need to know the details to find it adorable.

He stretched out with a satisfied hum, his body cracking pleasantly. Yeosang and Seonghwa were cuddled up in front of him and he reached out to run a hand through the younger of the two's hair before his fingers found a spot on the eldest omega's shoulder and shook him gently.

Seonghwa stirred and sat up a little to look at the younger man carefully. "Need something, baby bear?"

Jongho felt his skin flush more at the petname, but shook the shyness away. "I'm starving," he pouted. "I think it's over."

Yeosang turned and wrapped his arms around the younger omega, pleased. "Good to have you back again," he giggled. "Did you enjoy your first heat?"

"I did," Jongho said truthfully with a light smile. He eased himself off of Mingi's cock, the knot mostly deflated by then, and tangled his limbs with the other omega's, scenting him lightly. "You all took good care of me."

He heard movement and turned to find Hongjoong sitting up, his hair sticking out in every direction and his cheek reddened from where it was pressed into a pillow. "I'll order us some food," he said softly. He ran a hand down his face with a sigh before taking a deep breath and calling out a command to the group. "Everyone up! We have to start cleaning."

There was a chorus of sleepy grumbles as everyone sat up, untangling themselves from each other. Yeosang stood and offered a hand to the new omega with a soft smile. "You should go steal the shower before the others wake up properly," he chuckled with a wink. "We can clean. No worries, baby bear."

Jongho wasn't expecting to hear such a thing outside of his heat, but the words burned through him just as strong as they had when he was delirious and horny. He offered his friend a smile and snuck off to the bathroom, contemplating as he turned the water on. He wasn't sure it would be something he could easily wrap his head around, how much everything had changed, but he couldn't keep the smile off of his face.

Jongho emerged from the shower much like a butterfly might from a chrysalis. He felt like a different person entirely, and yet entering his room again brought with it such a cozy sense of normalcy it was laughable. He hadn't changed much at all. He just had to get used to his new body, get in the habit of taking his suppressants in the morning. Otherwise he was still just Jongho who sang and danced and had seven wonderful friends who sang and danced with him and maybe they'd crossed a few lines that couldn't be uncrossed, but he was glad to be on this side of things. He didn't have to feel left out or lonely anymore. He could get used to the mortifying ordeal of being knotted or scented until his mind went fuzzy or of gushing slick if things got too interesting and his mind wandered too much. He'd learn to cope.

He opened the door to his closet and paused, tears springing to his eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the last week. His clothes smelled like them. He could make out all of them, each member's unique scent that he was getting used to quickly. He recalled all of the times they had pressed their nose or their cheek against him, or brushed their wrists over his form deftly. He had always been told that it was a form of protection, something endearing that other alphas or omegas would smell and know that he was claimed territory so to speak. He never put much stock into it.

But now that Jongho could actually smell it it settled inside of him like a warmth. He was never alone, even before he had presented. He had never been left out. His friends made sure of it, even if it wasn't something he could fully understand. He sighed happily and grabbed something to wear, slipping it on and pulling the collar of his hoodie closer to his nose. It smelled a bit like Wooyoung there. He sat on his bed and noticed the hint of San's scent that seemed to waft up from the fibers once they were disturbed, reminding him of the week before when they had sat on his bed and discussed a new drama they found out they had both been watching. He let himself revel in the happiness he felt for a few more moments before forcing himself up and returning to the living room.

Hongjoong was just lugging bags of food from the hallway towards the dining table when he stepped into the space. Wooyoung and Seonghwa were working to tidy the parts of the nest that were salvageable while San was scooping up fabric that had been too soiled. They'd have to re-scent things once everything was clean again. Yeosang and Mingi were gathering bottles of water and soda and bags of chips to add to their feast. And Yunho emerged from his own shower with wet hair and a light smile a few minutes later.

"Everyone! Let's eat," Hongjoong ordered. The rest of the group abandoned their tasks for the time being and found seats at the table, stomachs growling fiercely. It was silent at first as everyone dished up portions and passed food around. It was familial and sweet and everything Jongho wanted, everything that he needed to feel normal again in that moment. Eventually the silence was broken by Hongjoong. "I just sent a message to our managers that your heat ended, Jongho. They're going to stop by in a bit with your new suppressants. Just make sure to take your first dose as soon as possible so you don't end up knocked up or something," he explained bluntly before taking a large bite of food.

Jongho stared at him, wide eyed, swallowing his own bite slowly. He nodded a little, deciding he'd unpack that at a later time. He didn't have long to dwell on it before Seonghwa was grabbing his attention anyway. "We'll have to pick up some scent patches for you too," he explained. "For now you can use some of mine though. I got a bunch on sale a couple of weeks ago so I have plenty to share."

Wooyoung was the next to speak, talking before Jongho could properly thank his friend. "And when you're feeling up to it, Yeosang and I can take you to get nesting supplies. You're going to want your own nest, trust."

Yeosang nodded at the younger omega. "I'd be happy to give you some tips. I wouldn't listen to Woo though."

"Hey-"

"His nest is a good nest. For him. And him only," Yeosang continued, not paying the younger man any mind. "I'm sure yours is going to be cozy. Just don't make it too cozy or San will end up in your bed unwanted."

Seonghwa burst out into laughter, giggling at the jab to their friend. "He's completely right," the eldest agreed. San pouted from the other side of the table, but didn't do much to defend himself.

A comfortable silence grew as their laughter tapered off, but there was a nervousness that started growing in Jongho's guts, bubbling annoyingly and making it hard to eat despite the hunger that gnawed at him. They were acting so casually and it felt like they were almost dancing around the things that Jongho was really wanting to discuss, the stuff that seemed to hang off of him, dragging him down now that he was in this new world that they had been living in for years. Yunho punched his shoulder lightly from where he sat. "You okay?" he asked quietly. "It's a lot to get used to, so if you have any questions, just ask."

Jongho nodded slowly, averting his gaze down. He did have a question but he wasn't sure how to ask such a thing. He was hoping someone else would bring it up so he wouldn't have to lay his insecurities and his wants bare for his friends to see. He wasn't sure why nobody had mentioned it yet. It seemed like an important part of everything.

He took a deep breath and stuttered a bit, blushing at his nervousness before trying again. "When, uh, can I j-join the pack?" he asked quietly.

Hongjoong's eyes widened and he dropped his chopsticks as his body went rigid, the soft clack of them hitting the table the only sound in the eerily quiet of the room. Seven pairs of eyes watched the youngest carefully and he felt like he might puke. He wasn't sure what he had said wrong, but the nervousness was building now, anxiety boiling in his depths.

Seonghwa grimaced. "Jongho, you- you think we're a pack?" he asked in a small whisper.

"Well, aren't you?" the youngest asked, struggling to get the noise out past his dry mouth. He felt so confused.

Hongjoong shook his head. "We aren't. We never formed one," he explained. He seemed to be working hard to keep the pain out of his expression, but Jongho was learning their scents quickly and he could tell that the leader's smell was laced with sadness and guilt.

Wooyoung covered his mouth and took a deep breath to compose himself. There were a lot of unpleasant scents in the air, surrounding them with the unease everyone seemed to be feeling. "Jongho we- we were never going to form a pack," he croaked out. "We had decided that we didn't want to if- if we couldn't all be in it."

The youngest sat back in his seat, eyes glancing between all of them, tears springing to his eyes. "What?" he asked, voice small. "But- but you're all so close. You- Uh, what?"

San nibbled on his lip, frowning. "You really didn't know?"

"I just… assumed I guess," Jongho muttered. He didn't want to cry again, not when he had no excuse of overwhelming heat hormones or overstimulation. He didn't want to cry in front of his friends. He really didn't, but he couldn't stop the tears from falling once they started. "I thought you- I thought you-" He couldn't get anything else out, shaking too much as the gravity of it all hit him. Thinking about it, he had never seen any pack bites adorning their skin. He assumed they were somewhere hidden but he had just spent days seeing them naked and there was nothing there, anywhere. He was never missing out. He was jealous of nothing. His friends wanted him so badly that they were fine with never forming a pack that he couldn't be in. He felt so much relief and joy and guilt and a dozen other conflicting emotions that stole his breath away. He mostly just felt love.

He wiped at his eyes as Mingi slapped his hands down on the table, grabbing everyone's attention. "Well? We can be a pack now though, right?" he asked, his voice wobbling towards the end with a nervousness that Jongho found endlessly endearing.

Yeosang turned to Hongjoong, eyes wide. "Please? Could we?" he asked, voice just shy of begging.

The rest of the group turned to the alpha in question with bated breath. He stammered a bit, ill prepared for the tension to be turned to him. Hongjoong cleared his throat and nodded. "I'll talk to the company about it and see what we need to do, if there's anything we need to address in our contracts or- or whatever. Uh, and then. Yeah. Of course we can," he chuckled, a smile growing wide on his face.

Jongho felt a weight lift from his shoulders and he smiled at his friends, wiping at his eyes once more that insisted on staying misty. Everyone was able to relax after that and the conversation turned to lighter things as they continued to eat their meal. By the end of it, Jongho was exhausted. Despite having slept through much of the last few days, he was still tired and sore and he really wanted to find sleep in his own bed. He took Yunho's offer of cleaning everything up at face value and started to head towards his room as soon as he could.

He almost ran right into Yeosang, who had snuck away from the meal early to take his own shower, as he stepped out of the bathroom. The new omega let out a small squeak of surprise and went rigid next to him, his face erupting in a blush. He thought he had mostly gotten over the mortification that his heat brought, but clearly that wasn't the case. Maybe it was just because it was Yeosang in front of him though.

"Oh, h-hey, Yeosang," he got out, not at all as casually as he meant it to be. The older man watched him with a raised brow for a few moments.

"Why are you so shy?" Yeosang asked, amused. "You fucked everyone, not just me. You weren't acting so meek around Hongjoong."

Jongho shrugged, the flush of his skin burning into him. He had been fucked by everyone in their group. That was true. But Yeosang was the only one that he had fucked, the only one who had found his release wrapped around his cock. That felt somehow more intimate, the idea that he had cum in his friend. It was like a very part of him had been given over, kept safe by the soft embrace that Yeosang had given. He was sure, realistically, that it was gone by then, but part of him liked to imagine that his release was still there, and a satisfaction about that fantasy settled in him.

"Uh, but- but thanks for everything, Yeosang," he whispered.

The older omega giggled. "Don't thank me. I would have done all of that in a heartbeat, even if you weren't in heat." He paused to offer a small, encouraging smile and moved closer to scent the new omega lightly. Jongho wasn't sure he'd ever get used to the pleasant sensation it caused, of his inner wolf being so pleased. "I'll see you later, yeah? I'm excited to be a pack with you guys."

"Me too," Jongho agreed. Excitement was an understatement. The younger omega took a deep breath as his friend turned to leave, preparing himself for the question that was itching in his throat. "Y-Yeosang?"

The older man stilled, turning his head just a little to indicate he was listening. "Hmm?"

"Did you mean it when- when you said you'd want my help with your heat?" Jongho squeaked out nervously.

"Of course."

"It'll probably be a while, huh?"

Yeosang turned fully and gave a mischievous smile, drawing closer. "Jongho, we could just… have sex."

Jongho swallowed thickly and nodded. "Y-yeah, could we?"

"Maybe we can celebrate after our pack bites," the older man suggested.

"Sounds- uh, yeah, sounds g-good."

Jongho watched as his friend started walking off again, covering a bubbling giggle with his hand. He couldn't help but smile at it all despite the embarrassed flush that sat against his skin and the thundering of his heart. His inner wolf seemed just as happy, practically wagging its tail at the idea, and Jongho couldn't help but feel thankful once again for how things turned out.