Archive of Our Own

If anybody looked at Namjoon without speaking to him, their first instinct would probably be to assume that he’s an alpha. He looked the part, after all. Broad shoulders and well-sculpted upper body, strong legs and an intimidating resting face. But as soon as people exchange words with him, and catch a whiff of his sweet and pleasantly fresh scent, Namjoon knows it’s easy to see that he’s an omega.

In the pack he grew up in, it’s typical for unpresented pups to not be pushed towards acting as a subgender, the natural behaviour more often than not an indicator of what they’ll present as. Namjoon knows he’s an outlier to this. His puphood consisted of running around in the woods, chasing his older siblings around, climbing trees, swimming in the stream just outside of the village his pack resides in and play-wrestling in the grass with his alpha brother. From the very start, his parents had made it clear they would never force any roles onto Namjoon or his siblings, instead letting them all participate in whichever household activities they felt piqued their interests. 

His older brother, Jaehyun, had already presented as an alpha at age 16, and Namjoon, just three years younger, quickly took a liking to spending more time outdoors with him. They competed in climbing trees, swimming in the small lake 15 minutes away from the pack village, running laps around the outskirts of the village, and Namjoon especially found great enjoyment in the feeling that engulfed him after he’d managed to outrun Jaehyun for the first time. 

Namjoon’s great interest in nature, physical activity and competitiveness led his entire family to believe that he’d present as an alpha. The only one with a slight doubt was his mother, as she’d been approached by a shy Namjoon a few days after his sixteenth birthday, asking her to teach him how to cook. Of course there was nothing odd with the request itself, she’d been more than happy to show her youngest how to prepare the best piece of meat with the best herbs handpicked from the garden. It was how fast Namjoon picked up on everything, reading the recipe like he’d been doing it all his life, that made the idea of Namjoon potentially being an omega or beta pop up into his mother’s head. She’d spoken to nobody about this, only telling Namjoon after he’d presented at the age of 18. 

Namjoon felt no disappointment in presenting as an omega, though even he was a little shocked at first, so sure he’d grow up to be an alpha like a majority of his older siblings. With the exception of his first few heats, it didn’t take long for Namjoon to adjust to the new feelings and hormones. He continued enjoying his life as before, seeing no point in becoming a totally different person just for the chance of being appealing to alphas. Really, the only difference he was forced to make was putting aside that one week three times a year for his heats.

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Now 23, Namjoon hasn’t changed any of his behaviour, and while he’s fine with it resulting in him still being unmated, he can understand his parent’s concerns about being unmated after so many years. The biology of omegas, betas and alphas is wired to allow them to be okay on their own, but everyone Namjoon speaks with says that something just kind of, settles within them once they find their mate. His alpha sister, Jungha, describes it like a ship out on a calm sea suddenly being anchored to the sea floor. You can do fine without the anchor, but it feels better deep within you to have that stability of something, or someone else to always lean on. 

It's not that Namjoon hasn’t been approached, but it’s always by much older alphas, old enough to be his father. They never have pure intentions, either, and none of them even tried courting him. All they want is the challenge of reshaping Namjoon into a lithe, petite housewife. He can do just fine without someone like that, trying to whittle him down into the perfect, dainty omega. 

Which is why it came as such a surprise to Namjoon when Jung Hoseok, the eldest alpha in the Jung family, a skilled pack of hunters, began approaching Namjoon near daily after returning from a long trip. Seemingly intent on courting the omega, Namjoon was wary about any weird moves from the alpha, because in Namjoon’s mind, there is no way Hoseok is unmated, and an unfaithful alpha is just as bad as those old, weird alphas. Though Namjoon never smells any odd scents coming from Hoseok, his brain still cannot rationalize an alpha like Hoseok, in his prime, still being unmated. 

The first time Hoseok approached Namjoon, the omega was in his own world down by the lake, washing pelts brought to him by his mother. Once washed and dried, they’d be used for warm winter clothes like hats or gloves. Ideally, Namjoon wanted to use them to make pillows or blankets for his nest, the fur soft and pleasing to run his fingers through. He’d just wrung them out and laid them out to dry on the dock when a rustle from the bushes startled him. Heart beating in his throat, Namjoon reached for the brush he’d used on the pelts, raising it up, ready to defend himself. When Hoseok had stepped out, Namjoon sheepishly lowered the brush, hand still clutching it tightly just in case. 

“Ah, my apologies if I scared you. Your sister, Jungha, told me you were down here, so I wanted to stop by and talk with you.” Namjoon raised his brow at that, wondering what ulterior motives Hoseok might have. Namjoon’s facial expression must’ve amused Hoseok, because the alpha raised his hands in the air, promising no ill intent.

“What reason is good enough for my sister to let you know where I am? You are fully aware I can easily fight you, no?” Namjoon wasn’t quite sure why he’s as defensive as he was, considering Hoseok is both quite slim and very gentle-mannered for an alpha, but omega instincts can’t be helped. Hoseok chuckled, approaching a fallen log to sit down upon. 

“I understand you have your guard up, but I would never in my wildest dreams try to hurt someone or break the trust of Jungha. My only intention is to get to know you better.”

“Would your mate really want you befriending unmated omegas?” Namjoon had no malice in his voice as he asked the question, genuinely curious about whether Hoseok’s omega would want him creating deep bonds with others. Hoseok’s reply was a laugh, a loud, bright and bubbling one that startled Namjoon slightly.

“Right, I see I really should’ve asked Jungha how much you know about me.” Waving his hand in the air, Hoseok continued. “I have no mate. I’m unmated, just like you.” 

Namjoon didn’t even try to hide the surprise on his face. 

“But you’re 29, no? That’s above the average age even for an alpha to be mated.”

“And you’re 23, right? We’re in the same boat, Namjoon-ssi.” Namjoon flushed red at Hoseok’s retort, realizing the hypocrisy in his statement. He’s still unsure of what exactly Hoseok wants though, and asks as much. 

“Ah, I understand you’re distrusting of me, which is totally understandable, but all I want is to get to know you better and be more of a presence in your life. So if you would allow it, I want to try my hand at courting you.” Hoseok’s tone seemed genuine, and despite Namjoon not finding any reason to distrust the alpha, his brain couldn’t quite wrap around what Hoseok just said. An alpha wanting to court Namjoon seemed like a distant dream at that point, and yet, Hoseok offered it like it’s nothing. 

Namjoon’s face must’ve betrayed what he’s thinking, because Hoseok quickly continued. “Of course, you have no obligation to accept it, I wouldn’t dream of forcing anything on you. Since I’ve always had some eyes on you through my friendship with your sister —and frankly, you’ve caught my eye for a couple years now— I thought once I return from my latest excursion to the neighboring pack, I’d finally introduce myself properly.” 

Namjoon glanced at the pelts, which looked nowhere near dry yet. He quickly realized he has nothing better to do, Namjoon waved Hoseok over and sat down on the dock, feet submerged in the lukewarm water. Hoseok padded over to join him, opting out of sitting with his feet in the water and instead sat cross-legged leaning back on his hands, facing Namjoon. 

A few beats of silence passed, before Namjoon spoke up. 

“What do you want to know about me? And what caught your attention about me so badly that you felt the need to approach me like this?” Namjoon tries to hide the confusion in his voice, the utter shock he felt when Hoseok proposed the idea of courting Namjoon. He hopes he merely comes off as curious. Hoseok purses his lips, a crease forming between his eyebrows before he gives his answer.

“Well, if we want to start from the beginning, what you enjoy occupying your days with, food you prefer, and such. As for what caught my attention, it was a mix of stories Jungha tells me whenever we meet up, like the one where you won a race against her for the first time when you both were still unpresented pups, catching glimpses of you around the pack village and, forgive me if this sounds odd, but your mild and sweet scent is entrancing to me. I hope this doesn’t come off as weird, or like I’ve been thinking of you quite often, but you’re an extremely capable omega, in so many ways, and I’m shocked nobody has tried to court you.”

Namjoon huffed, rolling his eyes. “Oh, there’s been other alphas. They’re just not very considerate of my wants and wishes as a person.” His nose scrunched up at the memories, continuing. “They just want to feel powerful, and I guess they think I’d be a fun challenge. Mold the strong, unusual and self-sufficient omega into the perfect, petite dame for their pups.” The words came out before his brain could catch up, and when Namjoon realized what he said, his hand came up to cover his mouth. When he looked at Hoseok, though, the alpha seemed disgusted with the idea of what Namjoon said. 

“Goddess, I’ll never understand those alphas. I understand why you were a bit apprehensive at first when I brought up courting, if that is all you’ve experienced.” Hoseok holds his hand out, an invitation for Namjoon to take it. “Please, if you allow it, let me give you a better courting experience than any of those pathetic wolves could.” 

Namjoon chuckled at Hoseok’s words, not used to hearing an alpha have such disdain for others of the same subgender. Hoseok’s presence felt strangely calming to Namjoon, and his scent carried no sour undertone, which is perhaps why he accepted Hoseok’s outstretched hand with little thought. 

“Do your best, Alpha.” 

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They’d spent another couple hours talking, Namjoon checking on the pelts periodically until he deemed them dry enough to carry back home. Hoseok offered to walk back with Namjoon, and seeing no reason to decline, Namjoon accepted the offer. He almost expected the alpha to make some heroic offer to carry the pelts and equipment back, but Hoseok had just quietly watched Namjoon gather everything, draping the pelts over his arm. 

Namjoon distinctly remembers that as soon as they came back to the pack village, Jungha spotted them and her face broke out into a grin, though lacking any sign of malice. She simply greeted both of them, the same grin still on her face, before her mate tugged her back to the conversation they seemed to be having. Hoseok had said his goodbye to Namjoon with a promise of returning soon, and as Namjoon handed the pelts over to his mother, there was a small voice at the back of his head pointing out that Hoseok seems different from other alphas. More gentle, considerate, not a massive ego stemming from the subgender they presented as.

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The next time Hoseok had approached Namjoon, the setting wasn’t too different from the first time. Namjoon had just returned from where he’d been scouring the woods for herbs not grown in their back garden, nimble fingers sorting through the bunch he’d picked. This time, his nose picked up on Hoseok’s warm, subtly spicy scent before he saw the alpha round the corner. Hoseok approached Namjoon, a small statuette of a wolf cradled in his hands. The wood was polished to near perfection, any eventual imperfections scraped away by tools and smoothed over. Namjoon ran his fingers over it, tracing the grains in the wood around the little sculpture. 

After carefully looking it over for long enough that Hoseok knew the gift, and the courting was accepted, Namjoon had tucked it away in the pocket of his pants, and offered Hoseok to sit down and talk more. Immediately, they picked up their conversation from that lakeside meeting. Hoseok had told Namjoon about the trip he went on, a hunting trip paired with a visit to the neighboring pack. He told Namjoon how during it, something clicked within him, and his mind could not get Namjoon out of it, how his inner wolf would not rest until he at least approached Namjoon properly. Namjoon, still dumbfounded by how anybody could have him in mind as a constant like Hoseok describes, asks Hoseok what made him act on it, if Hoseok supposedly has been having these thoughts for a while. To that, the alpha simply shrugged, explaining that there really wasn’t anything tangible he could pick out, and that as far as Hoseok knew, it was just instincts. Namjoon pouted, but accepted the answer, as he too, could not put his finger on what it was that made his inner wolf so sure already that Hoseok was different, and a potential mate. 

They conversed well into the afternoon, until Namjoon’s puphood anecdote about beating his brother in a climbing race was interrupted by his stomach loudly announcing that it needed food. Hoseok quickly excused himself, not wanting to interrupt the omega’s dinner making (even though his wolf was smacking him for not staying to see how Namjoon made food). When Namjoon halted Hoseok, offering to cook for him as well, Hoseok’s inner wolf nearly howled in pride.

“It’s the least I can do, Alpha. I held you up here for quite a while.” 

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Namjoon had cooked a stew, with the fresh herbs he was in the process of picking when Hoseok showed up, and as Hoseok held the bowl of meat and spices, his wolf insisted that Namjoon was already His omega. Hoseok knew that was still far from the truth, but his courting gifts got more bold after their first shared meal. 

His next gift was a blanket, made from the fur of the game from successful hunting trips. It had been carefully scented, rubbed along the scent glands on the alpha’s wrists. Hoseok did not want to overdo it, but his inner wolf had gotten increasingly possessive of Namjoon during the few weeks he’d started the courting process, and so Hoseok made sure that the entire blanket was at least covered evenly in Hoseok’s scent. Handing it over to the omega, Hoseok’s chest puffed up with pride when a dusting of pink covered Namjoon’s face as he buried his nose in the soft fur. Hoseok felt like an overeager, newly presented alpha pup when he, bouncing back and forth, asked Namjoon if it was a satisfactory gift.

“Of course, Hoseok. It’s made very well, I can tell. I’ll use this plenty when the autumn winds get too cold.” Hoseok wanted to say that he can offer warmth, knowing fully well what chilly autumn winds mean for omegas. It’s the period of the year when omegas get their longest heats, right as summer comes to a close, and when the presence of an alpha is needed the most. Judging by Namjoon’s twitching nose, Hoseok is probably letting off wafts of excited pheromones, and he excuses himself quickly. The last thing Hoseok wanted to do with this gift was overwhelm Namjoon, and he almost failed at even that simple task. His inner wolf is, however, very pleased at the reaction Namjoon gave him, and once he reaches home, his mind immediately sets to work on the next gift.

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After the alpha’s hasty exit, Namjoon is left standing in a cloud of scent that is so intrusive it should make him uncomfortable. The only thing he feels about it, however, is a lightness in his chest, his inner omega clearly wholly accepting of the courting process so far. While Namjoon spreads the pelt out in his nest, adjusting it accordingly, his mind sorts through any possible signs that Hoseok is insincere in his courting. It is, however, hard to focus on things like that when the scent on the blanket is permeated by an undertone of possessiveness, like Hoseok subconsciously already has Namjoon marked as his . Namjoon pushes that fact away, still a little doubtful that this is for real. Though, if he tucks himself extra close to the blanket as he goes to sleep that same night, that is between him and the Lunar Goddess. 

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If Namjoon thought he’d see a shift in Hoseok’s behaviour after the (unintentional) scent claim, masked as a blanket gift, he’d both be correct and oh so wrong. Correct in the sense that yes, the alpha’s behaviour did shift, but not in the way Namjoon expected. Instead of pulling away or slowing down the courting, like Namjoon thought, Hoseok was the total opposite. He felt even more assertive in his courting, both with gifts and with actions. He’d stopped by Namjoon’s home a couple times the weeks after, just to invite Namjoon out on different excursions. Hoseok would bring Namjoon with him out into the forest, showing him how he hunted, what one must think of when an animal is near, and demonstrated it by expertly ensnaring a hare. Namjoon squinted his eyes, limiting his field of vision as the alpha mercifully snapped its neck, killing it instantly. Even without the previous courting attempts, Namjoon thought that this one show of Hoseok’s capabilities would’ve been enough for Namjoon to instantly accept any further courting.

Not all their time together was spent with Hoseok actively courting, though. They had slower days too, like the most recent time Hoseok offered Namjoon to take a walk with him, leading him down to the lake where Hoseok had first scared the soul out of Namjoon. They’d sat there for a while, talking and sharing stories about their vastly different, yet rather similar, upbringings. 

~~~ flashback ~~~

After an hour or so of lakeside conversations, Namjoon fanned himself with his hand, suddenly realizing just how hot it was out. Summer had truly kicked in and the warm summer water of the lake enticed them to take a swim and cool off. Namjoon, though he was tempted, hesitated, unsure about showing off more than needed of his body to an alpha he’s not yet mated to. Hoseok didn’t seem to share Namjoon’s concerns, and had shed his pants and tunic within the blink of an eye. Namjoon, still a bit out on the dock, felt his cheeks flush hot when his eyes instinctively fell on the alpha’s crotch area. Blinking rapidly to try and rid the image of Hoseok’s flaccid cock from his mind did little, and he was sure that Hoseok could notice the tinge of embarrassment and a subtlety of intrigue in his scent. Out of courtesy for the alpha, and for his own sanity, Namjoon did his best at keeping his eyes away from anything beneath Hoseok’s hairline. It was hard to look away, however, as Hoseok waded out to where Namjoon was sitting, feet in the warm water. The only blessing at that moment was the fact the water reached Hoseok's ribs, and Namjoon could not see more than a couple inches of the alpha’s torso beneath the surface. 

“Do you not want to cool off a little?” Hoseok asked inquisitively, his hands busying themselves by swirling around in the water. 

Namjoon shook his head, speaking up. “I do not want you to take this as an offense, alpha, but I don’t feel comfortable yet being fully exposed in the near presence of an alpha who I am not yet mated to.” 

“Ah, I see. Personal choice, shyness, or does your family have some special tradition pre-mating I am unaware of?” 

“I guess you could say a personal choice, yes. I am aware I don’t look like your average omega, but even though you may want to confirm I am an omega more up-close, I’d still prefer to not unclothe myself fully today. Though if it is your wish, I will not deny you-” Namjoon was interrupted by a shushing sound from Hoseok, who shook his head with a smile. 

“Like I hope I’ve made clear through all my courting, I never want to force a decision onto you, and it is fully your choice what you want to do. Just thought you looked a little flushed, is all.” The sparkle in Hoseok’s eyes told Namjoon he’d absolutely seen Namjoon’s internal struggle with keeping his eyes away from Hoseok’s flaccid knot. “And,” Hoseok continued. “There’s never been any doubt that you are an omega, that enticing scent of yours is proof enough.”

Namjoon’s eyebrows shot up as Hoseok reached out a hand and grasped Namjoon by the wrist. Gently, and with no force, the alpha brought it up underneath his nose. Putting his nose right up on where the small scent gland was, Hoseok inhaled Namjoon’s scent that surely by now reeked of intrigue and an undertone of desire. If the alpha noticed the shift in scent (which Namjoon was absolutely sure he did) he did not mention it. 

They stayed like that for what felt like forever, Hoseok closer than he’d ever been to Namjoon, even with the distance between them. Even then, wrapped up in the stillness of the moment, only a few seconds must’ve passed before Hoseok pulled away. The sudden movement, and lack of alpha-scent right on his left Namjoon frozen in place, no doubt even more flushed now than the light pink on his cheeks the alpha had commented on before. Hoseok’s cold hand still held its grip on Namjoon’s wrist, but light enough that the omega could’ve pulled away any time he wanted. 

Namjoon, still dazed by the pheromones released when Hoseok scented him, didn’t think he could move if he wanted to, his inner omega yearning for more of this touch. It had been, well, forever since an alpha had handled him with such care like Hoseok did. Any previous ones had been, like he mentioned to Hoseok, mostly interested in Namjoon as a bare block of wood. They saw him as something ready to be shaped into whatever they desired most without any care about Namjoon as a person, gentle touches something those alphas found unnecessary and only reserved for mating. Hoseok had gone the total opposite of all that, and handled Namjoon like he was already a finished statue, seeing to his interests and his needs with the utmost care. All of it had made Namjoon feel so wholly taken care of, his inner omega howling with satisfaction. That feeling had nearly culminated in their previous outing before this one. Hoseok had given Namjoon a set of carefully crafted jewelry, a necklace with feathers combined with two bracelets, the thin leather dyed a dark blue. Though Namjoon doubted it was the final gift from the alpha, it felt very absolute, a marking as close to scent-marking or a mating bite one could come without either of those two actions actually being carried out. And how Hoseok knew Namjoon had a love for the colour blue, especially darker shades like indigo, the omega did not know.

Namjoon snapped out of his thoughts when a cold, damp hand touched his cheek. He shrieked, the cold startling against his hot skin, before realizing it was the alpha attempting to get his attention. Immediately bashful, Namjoon lowered his head and chuckled, mumbling an apology for startling so easily. Hoseok used the hand still cupping Namjoon’s face to tilt his head up again, keeping it there even when Namjoon looked like he’d been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. Namjoon knew Hoseok could feel how hot he was, and thanked the higher being that allowed Hoseok to brush past it, only to immediately curse it for what the alpha said next. 

“What’s got you so worked up, Joonie? You’re so flushed in the face.” The tone of the alpha’s voice was teasing and the use of the nickname Hoseok had taken to calling Namjoon mostly felt playful. But Namjoon could smell him, nose twitching at the desire hiding beneath Hoseok’s warm citrus undertones.

“The weather, it’s hot outside, no? Burning up here.” Namjoon focused all his might into not stuttering over his words, which led to them sounding very curt and sharp.

“I don’t think I believe you, omega . I can smell your scent perfectly fine, you know? And besides, we’re in the shade now. No sun to burn that sweet face of yours.” The way Hoseok let the word “omega” fall from his lips had Namjoon’s lower stomach swirling. It was a tone that Hoseok had never used before, and Namjoon wanted to hear more of it. Namjoon had no retort to that as he looked up and realized that yes, the sun had disappeared behind the thick foliage of the trees. Redirecting his gaze back to Hoseok with a pout, he found the alpha was looking at him with a small smile on his lips, his lips curving up into dimples right at the corners of his mouth. 

“It’s okay, you don’t need to tell me. I can make my own guess as to what made you look like a ripe tomato.” Namjoon’s wordless reply to that was a splash of water aimed straight at Hoseok’s torso, giggling at the alpha’s squeak of surprise. Swiftly pulling his feet up before Hoseok could retaliate, Namjoon couldn’t keep his laughter down at how huffy Hoseok looked, the alpha swiping away his hair from his face. He cradled his legs bent to his chest, staring at Hoseok until the alpha too began laughing, shaking his head to get water out of his hair. 

While Namjoon was turned away for a moment, wiping a stray tear from his eyes as his giggles subsided, Hoseok had hoisted himself up on the dock and planted himself on the still warm wood, right next to Namjoon. Close enough that Namjoon could probably just turn his head and be met with Hoseok’s scent gland, but still far enough away that there was no physical contact. 

A silence soon fell over the both of them. Namjoon closed his eyes as he rested his chin on his knees, breathing in the scents all around him. The nostalgic, comforting smell of the lake, the wind blowing the faint smell of petrichor towards him from yesterday’s rain, and the unmistakable scent of a pleased alpha next to him engulfing all of the other scents. The smells all merged together in a prominent, yet not overwhelming way, and Namjoon let go of his knees to lean back on his hands instead, mirroring Hoseok’s position right next to him. 

In the comfortable haze of all the different scents and sensory impressions, Namjoon glanced over at Hoseok, and was starkly reminded of the alpha’s lack of clothes. The shade of the trees and the drop in temperature that came with the evening winds did nothing for the heat that once again overcame his face. As opposed to when Hoseok was still in the water, there was nothing hiding the alpha’s lower body from Namjoon’s eyes, and as opposed to then, this time, Hoseok definitely saw the direction the omega was looking. 

“Aish, Joon, don’t be shy about letting your eyes wander. You’ve seen an alpha naked before, no?” 

Namjoon racked his brain for an answer that didn’t totally give away that, while he’d seen naked alphas before, he’d never been so stupidly attracted to them as he was to Hoseok. Failing to give an answer, all his brain could currently process in that moment was the nakedness of the alpha next to him. He knew Hoseok wasn’t actually expecting Namjoon to answer, and the silence spoke for itself. When Hoseok spoke again, he guided Namjoon’s gaze upwards with a hand underneath his chin. 

“Don’t worry, Joonie, you’ll have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the sight in the near future. It’s nearly September, no?” 

“... What does that have to- oh.” Namjoon had been so occupied with Hoseok’s advances and courting that he’d just kind of forgotten about the approaching autumn, and with it, the season where an omega’s heat lasts the longest. Normally, he’d be much more alert of his heat approaching with the change in seasons, but August was extra warm this year, and Hoseok’s near-constant presence had occupied most of his mind. 

The smirk he received from the alpha was telling that only one of them had forgotten about it. Namjoon had given up on hiding the blush that he was sure had crept down onto his chest, and hummed. If the alpha wanted to play this game all of a sudden, Namjoon could at least try to play along. 

“And you plan to familiarize me with this sight in what way exactly?”

“Will you be able to stay patient until then if I tell you what I want to do?” 

Namjoon pouted, pretending to think. Reasonably, he knew he couldn’t stay patient, because even if Hoseok didn’t tell him outright, Namjoon could definitely let his imagination run wild and take a calculated guess on what the alpha’s plan was. His scent spiked with interest, and Hoseok’s nose twitched in response.

“You know what, Joon? I think you have a pretty good idea of what my thoughts are, if that sweet scent of yours tells the truth about your thoughts.” The alpha stood up abruptly after that, and made his way back to the shore where his clothes lay discarded on the rock they’d been sitting on earlier. When Hoseok slipped his pants back on, Namjoon let out a sigh of relief, not sure he would have handled the alpha naked for much longer without getting on his knees and begging for the alpha to mount him. A chilly gust of wind made goosebumps appear on Namjoon’s arms, reminding Namjoon that he too, should probably get off the dock and join Hoseok in making their way back to the village. 

As soon as Namjoon reached Hoseok and began asking if he was ready to head back , the omega’s stomach grumbled disapprovingly, silencing him. It reminded Namjoon very abruptly that he had not eaten anything since before the sun stood at its highest in the sky. With it now setting behind the trees across the lake, Namjoon assumed he wasn’t the only one in need of food. 

“Let’s make our way back, Joonie. I think someone,” Hoseok paused, poking Namjoon’s cheek, “needs to eat. I’m hearing some complaining from you.” Namjoon felt mortified that his stomach had growled so loud that the alpha could hear it. Hoseok, though, only laughed before he stretched out his hand, palm up, inviting Namjoon to take it. 

“I’m just messing with you, darling, I’m ravished too.” When they began their walk back, a walk that took no more than 10 minutes, Namjoon could not get the word darling out of his head. A word that, presumably because of his stature and build, was never something other alphas vying for him had ever used. They’d always used “Omega”, and when they said it, it had never felt nearly as good as when Hoseok used it. Every little thing that Hoseok did for Namjoon, no matter how inconsequential, simply felt right, like Hoseok was the only alpha his inner wolf felt truly pleased with. 

By the time they were back in the village, Namjoon was so lost in his thoughts about everything Hoseok had done for him and made him feel, he barely noticed when they walked up the small path to his house. He only got shaken out of his thoughts when Hoseok shifted the grip on Namjoon’s hand. His inner wolf was particularly apprehensive about parting ways with Hoseok, a sign that should’ve been an immediate heads up about what was to come, but there was no time to think about the signs his body gave when Hoseok scented him as a goodbye. Wrists gently pressed together, the alpha made sure to rub his wrist in circles on Namjoon’s scent gland, making sure his scent got properly mixed in with Namjoon’s. It made something flutter in Namjoon’s chest, his scent emitting clearly pleased pheromones.

“Ah, I don’t think my alpha will ever tire of your scent, Joonie. It’s so addictive, other alphas have no idea what they missed out on by being impolite and inconsiderate of your wants.” Hoseok’s words made Namjoon feel his scent spike, and a warmth spread throughout his lower stomach. 

“Forgive me if this seems too forward.” Hoseok continued, letting go of Namjoon’s hand in favour of cupping the omega’s jaw, pinky finger resting just above the scent gland on Namjoon’s neck, much more sensitive than the one on his wrists. “But as autumn is approaching, my inner wolf is becoming increasingly more protective of you, and it, at certain points, feels like it’s already claimed you as my Omega. Before I leave, would you allow me to scent your neck? I think I’ll go crazy if I go longer without doing it.” 

Namjoon, whose mouth was suddenly drier than a desert, nodded eagerly, the action more desperate than he’d liked it to come across. When Hoseok slid his hand to the nape of Namjoon’s neck, Namjoon could not trust his legs to hold him anymore. As he felt the telltale trickle of slick between his folds, he whimpered and let his head loll to the side, giving the alpha plenty of space. Hoseok’s nose immediately found its place, pressed against Namjoon’s neck just like it had been pressed against his wrist earlier in the day. 

Hoseok was gentle, just like he’d been by the lake, but there was a tinge of desperation lacing his scent now. A subtle undertone of want that Namjoon picked up on heavily as soon as Hoseok’s scent melded with his own. 

“Gods, Omega. Your scent is so enticing, I can't believe I let myself go without this for so long. Picked up on your scent all around the village for years, you know?” The alpha's breath is hot against Namjoon's already burning skin, and Namjoon has to dig his nails into his palm to keep from letting out the most pathetic chirp. He almost slips when Hoseok repositions himself and his lips ghost over the skin around his scent gland, but before he can do anything about it, Hoseok pulls away. 

Much to Namjoon’s displeasure, Hoseok took a couple steps back, hand releasing its gentle hold on the back of Namjoon’s neck. 

“I’ll come by as soon as I can again, I still have a few things I want to give you.”

Hoseok made his way down the small path and around a corner, out of Namjoon’s view. If the omega was still dripping slick a few hours later because of Hoseok’s lingering scent, that was between him and the walls of his home. 

~~~ flashback end ~~~

That lakeside day was a little over a week ago and, true to his word, Hoseok had given Namjoon more things, more courting gifts in the time since. These gifts were slightly different from the ones Namjoon had received up until this point, not just because of what they were, but of how heavily scented they were. Most gifts up until now had been just little trinkets and decorative items, with the blanket being the big exception. Now, however, Hoseok’s big first gift, given two days after their lake visit, followed in the blanket theme. It was a pile of pelts, similar to the ones Namjoon had washed in the lake when they first met and crafted from game Hoseok had hunted himself. Contrasting the blanket, these pelts were shamelessly scented, permeated by Hoseok’s pleasant and, frankly, addicting scent.

Namjoon felt warm all over when he brought the pelts into his nest, fussing over the placement of them, how they were spread out in the nest to have the most even distribution of Hoseok’s scent. His inner omega had been growing more restless the past few days, an increased sensitivity to smells and less eager to leave his nest, just wanting to stay bundled up in the safest place he knew, but he chalked it all up to the autumn weather making him more of a homebody.

Hoseok, though, seems to have a different opinion. He’d told Namjoon he’ll be coming by tomorrow and said he has something to discuss. If Namjoon said he wasn’t nervous about it, he’d be lying. What if, after all of these courting gifts and all the time spent together, Hoseok has simply decided Namjoon isn’t omega enough after all? It’s unlikely, considering Hoseok has seemed more obsessed with Namjoon than ever, but with Namjoon’s previous experiences, he can’t do anything but be cautious. 

Hoseok must notice Namjoon’s nerves as soon as he steps inside the door, nose twitching as he scans Namjoon with his eyes. 

“Are you nervous, Joonie?”

“A little.”

As soon as the words left Namjoon’s mouth, Hoseok is at the omega’s side. 

“Ah, did I worry you when I said I wanted to discuss something?”

Namjoon nods. Hoseok cups Namjoon’s face, and rubs his thumb soothingly over the omega’s plump lips. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you, omega. I’ll just get to it immediately, and I hope you don’t take offense to what I’m about to suggest. I don’t know you as well as you know yourself, obviously, and-” Hoseok is cut off by Namjoon’s giggle, some of his own nerves quickly relieved at seeing how nervous the alpha himself is.

“Just get to it, alpha. don’t worry.”

Hoseok huffs out a breath, takes a deep breath in and speaks up again.

“Judging by your scent the past week, I’m pretty sure you’re about to go into heat soon, and I don’t think my alpha can handle leaving you alone during it. As my final and biggest courting gift, please let me take care of you for your heat.” 

Namjoon blinks. Hoseok’s suggestion made no sense. He wasn’t due for his heat until the end of September, and they were only still in the first week of the month. 

“That- Are you sure? I haven’t felt any of my typical symptoms yet, and I’m not due for my preheat until the end of the month.” Hoseok nodded fervently, and took Namjoon’s hand in his. 

“When I scented you a week ago, your scent had this sweet undertone, sweeter than it normally is. That only happens in the days before an omega is about to go into heat, and since it was a week ago, and your scent has only grown sweeter by the day, my inner alpha has been restless, howling at me to fuss over you and take care of you. So even if my nose is wrong, can I please stay for a while and take care of you?” 

As they both stand there, Namjoon cocks his head to the side, thinking back through the past week, if he missed any typical symptoms of his heat coming up. There was the whole deal with not wanting to leave his nest unless necessary, but that could’ve been explained away by the weather being a bit colder during the past week. There was the increased sensitivity to smells, which, yeah, harder to explain away that one, but Namjoon thinks he’d simply been too occupied with Hoseok to think about it. The most obvious symptom, which should’ve immediately alerted Namjoon’s brain that his heat was early this fall, was how easily he got wet the past week. A simple scenting, or even the thought of said scenting had been enough for him to drip slick, sending him into a multi-hour long masturbating session. The orgasms he pulled from himself didn’t feel as satisfying as they used to be, however, and it felt like something was missing. Namjoon pouted at the very real fact that Hoseok, an alpha he’d only known for a few months, was more attentive to his heat than Namjoon himself was. And yet, that fact made his stomach flutter, his inner omega beyond pleased that finally , an alpha pays attention to him and his body in a way no one else has done before. 

Namjoon’s mouth makes the decision for him before his brain can catch up. Through the nerves once again making his body all jittery, he tilts his head to the side and bares his neck to show he’s ready, and stretches his hand out for Hoseok to take.

“Yeah. If you want to, I want you to take care of me during my heat, alpha. Take care of me the way you’ve taken care of me these months.” When Hoseok laces his hand with Namjoon’s, the omega tugs him inside, shutting the door behind them before leading the alpha to his nest.