Chapter Text
Seven years into their marriage, Chan's ruts and Minho's heats have long synced up.
Usually, a week before Minho's heat is scheduled, he starts having the symptoms for pre-heat and feels signs of fatigue, mild fever and constant restlessness. And Chan's behaviour begins to shift in response. Like a domino.
The pre-heat nesting, chills and cramps, they're all easily slanted by Chan's attentive closeness— by his quick yielding of any and all of Minho's needs. Chan is a gentle Alpha. It's his natural care-taking personality combined with his Alpha instincts that itch to correspondingly soothe and nourish his omega.
But there's something different about this cycle.
"Uh, hyung?" Minho says gently, and it takes a second before Chan looks up.
"What?"
Minho does not say anything, instead he keeps his eyes at where Chan is gripping his jacket sleeve tightly. Chan follows his gaze. "I'm okay," the alpha says. Minho thinks his face must be doing something weird because Chan narrows his eyes.
Slowly, very slowly, he lets go. As if the small act pains him to do so. He inhales sharply. One by one, each finger leaves Minho's sleeve.
"I'm really okay," he repeats and its as if the Alpha is trying to convince himself.
He gives Minho his specific, endearing smile, dimples at display with a slight scrunch of nose. And it is distracting enough for Minho that he just goes on to kiss his alpha.
That was yesterday. Chan follows him around for the rest of the day. The others shoot their Luna concerned glances over his shoulder but Minho only shrugs and shakes his head at them. And Chan keeps his pre-rut grumpy ass hovering quietly by Minho's side, never a few feet away.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
"What's up with him?" Jisung whispers, and the both of them turn subtly to look at their pack alpha who's casually, very casually on his phone. Eyebrows furrowing and a beanie pulled over his head, sitting right beside them.
Technically, it was supposed to be just Jisung and Minho today, a little brunch for the two of them to catch up. Chan insisted suggested on joining them. His puppy eyes and that pout made it very hard for Minho to refuse.
"I won't be a problem, I promise. You guys can have your omega time. Just pretend I'm not there."
"Almost my heat, I think?" Minho whispers back. He takes a bite of his beef sandwich and shrugs. He has no clue honestly.
Jisung leans to sniff him.
"You don't smell like it Hyung. But your scent… I don't know, it's… different."
"What?"
"I don't know!" Jisung laughs and takes a sip of his Americano. "It's nothing, never mind. I can barely even smell you, Chan hyung's scent is all over you."
Minho flushes.
It doesn't feel like his heat is about to hit at all. Its due, he knows it. Him and Chan are synced up. Yet, no signs of cramps or the violent urges to nest. There's no fever, even.
Minho shakes his head. Maybe in a few days.
"He's usually grumpier in his pre-rut," Jisung points out and Minho scoffs.
"No he's not, he's so sweet!" Minho whispers and quickly glances at his alpha to check he's not listening. He is. His eyes above his phone screen, find Minho's and he makes a face, Minho grins.
"To you, maybe." Jisung grumbles. He's seen enough of their pack alpha putting extra meat in Minho's plate, obsessively making sure the omega is well fed during his pre-heat. "He's less grumpy now. More…" the younger omega trails off.
"Clingy?" Minho winces when he asks in a low voice, so the alpha doesn't overhear them talking about his weird behaviour. Its true though. And Jisung snickers. Chan's eyebrow twitches.
"Yeah."
"I was sick recently, maybe that's— " Minho waves his hand and grimaces. Chan is doing a very good job by ignoring the fact they are talking about him.
Jisung laughs, "Maybe," he slides his gaze to Chan and rests his chin on his hands. "You don't have to pretend you don't exist, Hyung."
Chan grunts.
But even when he'd been sick just a week or so ago from a stomach bug that had Minho vomiting all of his meals — Minho still swears it was from that weird Kimchi Stew they both had that day. Though Chan said it was fine, he hasn't recovered fully from it, he thinks.
Minho brushes it off.
It's fine.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
By the time, Hyunjin picks up Jisung and the couple decide to go home, Minho is tired. His feet hurt in a weird way even tough he spent the whole time sitting. He groans and stretches his limbs, Chan quietly still sticking close to him. He looks out the window and sees the sky is painted in pink and deep yellow hues. A few pups playing football nearby.
They walk to their car and Minho is so ready to crash in his bed when suddenly, a ball comes flying to their direction. The omega hasn't had a second to blink when Chan moves abruptly pulling him to his side and blocking the ball with such force as if it were a bullet and not a harmless toy.
The pups come running for their ball and Minho has to hold back Chan from growling. He squeezes his hand. "I'm fine."
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
His pre-heat is still not here and Minho is starting to get a little worried. Well, its mostly because of Chan being super clingy. He's bumped into him five times in the span of two minutes— that's how close he's walking to the omega.
Pre-rut must be making his instincts go wild, because usually Chan is very calm and collected. Very laid back and in control of his scent. Not like how he's currently, scenting him.
They decided to watch a movie tonight to wind down their day calmly. Chan let Minho pick the movie as always and he brought apple juice instead of wine, which they usually drink on such nights. Its probably because of his cycle, Minho thinks.
Not even halfway through the film and Chan starts nosing his scent gland. Inhale after a big inhale, Chan is deep in his neck and his hand softly caressing his belly. It's getting hard for him to pay attention to the screen in front.
"Let's go to bed, hm?" Minho rubs his hand over Chan's broad shoulders and tries to get up. The alpha whines a little and gets his nose out of his neck, grumbling.
Its in the middle of the night, when Minho gets awaken up by strong arms wrapping around his middle. He tries to open his eyes and everything is pitch black, sheets rustle and he's being moved. The scent in the air is so thick and then it hits him.
Shit.
Chan is in rut.
And Minho's heat is nowhere near.
They reach the living room and Chan places the omega on a pile of sheets softly. Minho tries to understand what's happening. He rubs his eyes and takes a proper look at Chan. His gaze is hazy — pupils blown away and nostrils flaring slightly as he tucks Minho under a … nest?
His Alpha made a nest for him.
Though it's not perfect, the blanket at the side is not tucked properly and the pillows are not aligned, the colour scheme is also not the best, but, Minho can't help but smile fondly at Chan. He picked Minho's favourite blankets and their combined laundry is not too dirty. He picked those shirts that were worn by them for two-three days.
Minho tries to get in position for Chan, his heat has still not hit him— he can't even feel it in the slightest. He only prays silently for it. He's not worried about not slicking or taking a knot outside of his heat, he's always wet for his Chan. But taking an alpha in his rut for three days straight isn't easy. Especially without being in heat, constant fucking and taking knots will be exhausting. He moves for Chan but his grip on his hips is strong. He holds him in place and brings the fuzzy blanket over the omega's chest.
"Chan…"
Minho makes a confused noise and looks at Chan, who looks so dazed by his rut but makes no effort to touch him. No, he is touching him. His hands move from his hips to the soft of his belly and his face finds the crook of his neck again, tucked deep in his scent gland. Chan softly nibbles the skin and a broken gasp makes its way out of Minho's lips.
The omega pants as the lazy drag of Chan's tongue reaches the other side of his throat. He moves his head further into the soft pillow to give him more room. But Chan turns his chin up to look into his eyes, it sends something electrical in Minho's veins — he's looking at him so intensely. Minho squirms and the hand caressing his belly stills.
"Sleep."
Before Minho even has a chance to speak, the alpha wraps a firm arm around his waist and tucks the blanket properly around them.
Minho is so so confused. Usually, by now Chan would be jumping his bones and he'd have a knot, but right now the alpha seems oddly... calm? Perhaps, tomorrow will be different. He prays for his heat and Chan's hand come to cover his eyes.
"Sleep, baby." It's a half growl, half whine.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
The first thing Minho hears in the morning is a string of muffled gasps and something poking him at the back of his thigh. He tries to sit up slightly, though it is noticeably hard as a hand comes up to his waist in literal seconds, holding him close. Before he has the time to be confuse, the movement of clumsy thrusts behind him speeds up. The air is so thick with almond syrup and pine, the omega can taste it on the back of his throat. Legs shaking and with a final thrust, Chan comes against Minho's thighs with a loud moan.
Minho runs his hand through his husband's hair softly, "Feel better alpha?"
He gets a kiss on his nape as a response and a giggle slips out. He stretches with a groan and moves to kiss Chan's face, putting his head on his chest
"How about you hop in the shower while I get something ready for us to eat?" Minho tries again. To which the alpha whines and nuzzles his hair with his nose, taking a long whip. Minho's scent spikes in response.
And as the omega slips out of Chan's grip, a growl ripples out from the alpha, and it turns in to a pathetic whimper, when Minho gives him a look. Chan looks so distraught at the idea of Minho leaving the nest. He brings him back on his chest, strong arms holding on the middle of Minho and his face finds the crook of his neck. And it takes a millisecond for Chan to lap up the omega's neck. Sharp teeth grazing the mating bite that he gave him years ago.
"You can't knot me on the floor alpha," Minho knows he's being unfair. "Don't you want to fuck me on our soft bed?"
It's never wise to provoke an alpha in rut. But perhaps it is the only way Chan will listen to him. If nature was kinder to him and his heat have started along with Chan's rut, then he wouldn't have to worry about a single thing. There's not much he can do about it now, so he continues.
"Alpha did such a good job making a nest for us last night," he knows the praise is getting to Chan the way his scent is intensifying by the second. The toasted almonds settles in the back of his tongue. "Always taking care for me, my perfect alpha."
A broken whine escape his soft pink lips when Chan bites deeper on his neck, licking it up afterwards.
"Can you let me go now to get us breakfast?" He kisses Chan one more time in hopes he will understand, "Alpha can knot and have me after."
"Hm?"
Finally, the alpha takes his head out of Minho's neck and looks at him. His eyes are glazed over and his pupils blown. "Hungry?" He asks in a groggy voice, his full lips quivering as he speaks for the first time in his rut.
Minho nods with a pout, which is kissed by the alpha expeditiously.
"Let's go baby."
After a quick shower, Chan carries him to the kitchen and opens the fridge with one hand, grabs the milk carton and then eggs. The other hand wrapped around Minho protectively, holding him still.
"Hyung."
Chan puts a plate of oranges on the table and moves to the coffee maker.
Minho huffs, "You cannot make breakfast with one hand, Channie," his pleadings fall on dead ears and the alpha continues carrying him around the kitchen.
"Seriously, if you don't put me down right this seco–" Minho's complaining dies the moment a firm hand collides his ass. What the fuck?
"Why are you spanking me when you're the one being unreasonable?" His whining doubles and Chan finally puts him on the chair. The crispy almond scent mixes so well with the fruits and the meat sizzling on the stove.
"Eat."
The omega stares at the alpha's hand in which he's holding a slice of orange.
With a huff he opens his mouth and lets Chan feed him. The juice from the pulp explodes on his tongue a sweet drop slipping from his lip and rolls over the alpha's fingers. Minho's eyes follow the patterns on his arms, veins visible under pale skin and muscle flexing as Chan grabs another slice. His pupils are wide and scent so thick that Minho feels it in the back of his throat. His heat isn't even here, yet he feels his sanity melting at the sight of the very obvious hardness in Chan's grey sweatpants.
Usually, during their cycles food is an after thought. Minho is too feverish to get out of his nest and Chan does not like the idea of leaving him alone—vulnerable to go and cook something. For three to four days they chug water and some protein bars lying on the side table. But now, Chan is in rut and Minho is fine. He's coherent enough to cook for both of them, as he often does. But the alpha isn't letting him lift a finger. Cooking and feeding the omega while his cock is throbbing.
Why aren't you mating me? He wants to ask. It is evident he wants to but why is Chan worried about food when he should be knotting him over the kitchen counter? All these years of their marriage, there isn't really a place left where they haven't fucked. Well, except for the storage room in the basement. Minho isn't fond of spiders crawling up his ass when the only thing he wants is his husband's knot.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Finally the question leaves Minho's mind and Chan pauses, spatula in hand as was in middle of stirring the meat.
Chan takes a moment and looks at Minho, "I'm okay, baby." The meat is done cooking and the alpha takes it out in a plate, handing it to Minho again. He waits for Minho to take a bite and his gaze is so fond.
Taking a small piece in chopsticks, Minho brings it to Chan's mouth, "Hyung should eat too!"
Minho's omega preens when his alpha accepts the bite.
They eat in comfortable silence, Chan constantly hand-feeding Minho and when they're done Chan does the dishes. Even when Minho insists on helping, he doesn't budge — just shuts Minho with a kiss on the mouth, not letting the omega get down from the counter.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
A whimper passes through his spit-licked lips and he presses his head deeper in the soft pillow. Chan nips his sensitive neck, biting the soft flesh lightly and licks the spot. Minho's scent gland throbs and a gush of slick drips from his hole when Chan grazes his teeth, littering tiny bites and kisses. "You smell so heavenly." The alpha breathes in his scent and moves to the other side of his throat. The alpha marks his neck and Minho starts getting impatient. He lifts his hips trying to chase some friction against Chan's thigh between his legs.
Chan stops his movement with a hand on his waist. "Patience, love." He presses their lips in a kiss and whispers.
Minho flushes. His cheeks are reddening by the second and grumbles to hide his expression. He's so gone.
He surges forward to connect their lips again and this time its much firmer than before. Chan eases his tongue into the omega's mouth and sucks. Minho feels his sanity stripping away the moment Chan presses his thigh on his clothed cock. He whimpers into the kiss and Chan repeats the movement of his hips, Minho gets more desperate. The kiss breaks and Minho is breathless, his cock twitches and more slick spurts. "Hyung,"
Chan grunts and takes the shirt off of the omega, throwing it away somewhere on the floor. He quickly latches on to his left nipple and Minho shudders. Chan licks, sucks and nips the skin, his own cock forgotten against the omega's pelvis. A wet spot darkening at the head, pre-cum leaking enormously. Chan runs really hot in his rut, sweat beading at his temple and strong arms around the omega's body—keeping him still under him.
Despite his insane build and muscular arms, his hold on Minho is so gentle, and so uncharacteristically of him during ruts. Usually, he's rougher —slamming his cock in the slick wet opening, filling him with load again and again, just how the omega likes it. Now, Minho thinks he must be holding back. His alpha knows he's not in heat. Minho moans when Chan grinds down on his cock again, his nipple between his teeth.
Pleasure floods through his veins and the scent of his slick with Chan's rut pheromones has clouded the room so much and Minho can't get enough of it. He jerks his hips up to get more friction but the alpha's grip on his waist is no joke.
"Hyung." He whines when Chan bites down his chest.
The layers of clothes between them is pissing Minho off because the way he frantically pulls at Chan's sweats to get them off is hysterical. He isn't a patient man by any means and the fact he hasn't gotten knotted yet despite the rut starting hours ago is so unsettling to his inner omega.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at getting Chan naked, the alpha perhaps takes pity on him and sits up. Pulling his sweats down along with Minho's, now there's nothing between them.
"Please," Minho's heart is beating so fast and the second skin meets skin, his brain melts.
Chan moves down to his stomach and presses soft kisses and Minho giggles,it tickles. Then, he licks and nips the milky skin, and a growl passes through his throat startling them both. Minho gives him a look— eyebrows furrowed and lips in a angry pout, pushing his head up from the pillow and Chan looks embarrassed, the same expression he's made home from the past few weeks.
Chan flips Minho over and the omega stares at him confused. "You stay on top," His hands move to the omega's ass, he squeezes the cheeks and Minho makes a noise. "Control the pace, baby."
"Huh?"
"Your heat..." He presses a finger in with ease and rasps, "Don't wanna hurt you," he licks his lips. And Minho's face is the deepest shade of red at the attentiveness of his husband. Even in rut—not really conscious, Chan is still so mindful of his omega.
Two fingers are deep in him when he gets impatient, he's so wet, leaking on Chan's pelvis. He puts his own fingers around his hole, gathering some slick and then grabs the alpha's cock to get it wet.
Chan groans when Minho sits on it, taking it deep. Whimpers turn into sobs when the omega starts bouncing.
It barely takes a minute for him to feel the burn in his legs, "Can't," he cries. Chan's hands on his bottom as he helps him move up and down. But the omega sobs with the pleasure and overwhelming burn, "Please, can't... Hyung, I— nghh,"
At that, Chan thrusts up, fucking into him. Any sort of restraint he had melts away with the way Minho sounds. He grabs him by the neck and brings him down for a kiss. It's all tongue and spit the way the omega is whining in his mouth.
"I'm close, please... I'm close—"
Chan's knott starts forming at the base and it takes a few final thrusts to finish. Minho stains Chan's stomach with his release and drops his weight on his chest the second the knot catches.
He's spent and breathing heavy. Chan kisses him again and shifts a little so he's laying comfortable on him.
─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─