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It was no secret that they were just kids when they joined the company. Everyone was, but the two youngest were practically babies. Almost literally.
Both boys joined around the same time and found a place in each other in an interesting way. Different from the rest. Sure, Huening immediately settled under Soobin's wing, but the relationship was very different for the maknaes.
It didn't take long for Tae to realize that wherever Hyuka went, he would follow. He remembers hearing the boy's soft sobs when he thought no one was in the dorms, whispering things about missing his mother and sisters. The older boy would wait outside the bathroom, greet him with a nod and a bottle of water. Kai would thank him, and it would be as if nothing had happened. He promised he will try everything to made him never cry again.
When they both survived the trainee eliminations and made it into the debut lineup, Taehyun was in cloud 9. And judging by the way Huening stuck to his side when they were deciding which bunks to choose, the guy was also somewhat happy to be with him.
And maybe it was because he was the only one who didn't treat him like a baby (yes, I'm talking to you, Yeonjun and Soobin) or abuse the power that came with age (yes, that's for you Beomgyu) and treated him as an equal, that Kai opened up to him.
They used to play video games, eat sweets in secret, and cuddle up together on difficult nights. No one said anything to them, perhaps because they were the unpresented pups, or because the other members were busy cuddling to eachother in the next room. They could spend hours in silence without the awkward need to make a comment. It was easy being together.
That's why, when Taehyun woke up covered in sweat, whimpering in pain, and with the scent of icy musk filling the room, almost making the younger boy dizzy, Kai nearly panicked. And he was known for keeping his cool.
"Tae?" the younger boy asked, frowning. "Are you okay?"
"It hurts," he complained, hugging his stomach, trembling like a leaf.
“I told you not to eat too much… you must have caught a stomach bug.” Taehyun shook his head.
“No… it doesn’t feel good,” he complained, a hint of fear in his voice.
“Of course it doesn’t feel good. I’ll go get some medicine from Soobinie hyung; he always has a remedy for everything.”
Then, the fear Taehyun felt turned to terror. He quickly grabbed Kai's arm and held it in place, causing Kai to gasp.
"Taehyunie... you're hurting me," Kai complained. He hadn't grabbed him very tightly, no more than when they play-fighted.... at least he didin't think so.
"No... don't leave," he whispered.
"Ouch..." Kai's voice sounded tense, and he tugged a little, trying to free himself. Taehyun noticed and finally let go.
"I-I'm sorry..." he whispered, trembling.
Kai looked at him, moved closer to his neck, rubbing against it. It was an activity that, at least between them, didn't have much biological basis. It wasn't like with older people, where doing it would have a soothing effect for both parties involved, but it was more out of habit. Something that made them feel close.
But this time, Taehyun let out a broken moan, making Kai pull away, looking his scent gland red like a tomato.
“I-I’m sorry! D-did I hurt you?” Kai asked, terrified of made him feel worst
Tae didn’t answer, he just curled up.
“Call the hyungs,” he whimpered, and Kang Taehyun never asks for help. Kai stumbled out the door. He reached the living room, where the three older boys were sitting, watching the new episode of the series they were watching.
“Hey, Hyuka,” Soobin greeted, smiling at his gum.
“Taehyun-”
“God, Huening, what did you bathe in?” Beomgyu asked, wrinkling his nose, leaning towards Yeonjun, trying to mask the unfamiliar scent.
“Tae is sick” he said simply. There was silence until Soobin’s brain connected the dots.
He stood up and walked towards the main room, Kai behind him.
Soobin opened the door and the strong smell almost made him gag.
“God, Tae,” he coughed a couple of times. “Yeonjun! Yeonjun hyung!” he said, trying to stay calm (didin't really worked tho).
The other members arrived, concern on their faces.
Yeonjun grunted, standing in front of Beomgyu.
“Beomie, get out of here. Take Kai with you.” Kai’s eyes widened.
“No! Taehynie needs me… he’s sick.”
“Pup, I appreciate your concern, but you can’t stay. That’s final.” Soobin said firmly, which surprised Kai.
“But I won’t get sick! I have excellent immunity, I can stay—”
“Kai,” Beomgyu said, his voice muffled by the hand covering his nose and mouth, trying to keep the strong scent from making him dizzy. “Taehyunie is presenting … he’s presenting as an alpha.”
Kai gasped, surprised. Beomgyu took advantage of the moment to take his hand and, with soft words and the occasional pheromone pump, managed to lead him out of the apartment.
Inside the room, Taehyun whimpered when he could no longer hear his friend. Yeonjun approached.
“I know, pup… I know you want him here, but I can’t bring him… you know it will only make things worse, and I don’t have enough hands to take care of both of you” Yeonjun whispered, kissing his burning forehead.
The next two days were a blur of waking up for Taehyun, being practically forced to eat by his alphas, and sleeping again.
On the third day morning, Kai was by his side, and when he felt him move, he gave him a beautiful smile.
“Hey alpha,” he teased, but it made Tehyun’s chest swell with pride.
From the moment he presented as an alpha, Taehyun became Kai's protector. He would follow him everywhere and growl at anyone who got too close (at that time, he still managed to control his instincts from time to time, earning himself the occasional scold from the other alphas). Almost as if Kai were his omega.
The alpha inside Taehyun became overprotective, yes, with his pack and of course with his omega, but there was something that made him orbit around Kai. Even more so than before. Yeonjun said that perhaps it was because his biology still considered him a pup since he hadn't been presented.
The thing is, it didn't matter; he loved having his whole pack and his Huening.
Until suddenly, against the many bets made by the staff (and quite late, he dared to say), Kai presented. Only it didn't amount to more than muscle aches and a night of fever. The next morning, while having breakfast, he saw a beta with a delicious citrus scent leaving the room.
Taehyun looked at him, confused. The other members hugged Kai and congratulated him. Beomgyu told him to thank his lucky stars that he wouldn't have to suffer the hardships of being an omega and wouldn't be "an idiot alpha."
And he was fine, he was happy that Huening hadn't suffered as much as he had when he first presented. He hugged him and almost fainted amidst happy purrs, enjoying the heightened scent of his mate.
Except that Kai suddenly began to grow like a weed, becoming more cautious. Kai had always been calm, but from that day on, it was as if he had reached enlightenment or something. He gave the impression that he knew everything and didn't need anyone.
And that shattered the alpha in Taehyun. So he did what had never failed him until that moment: withdraw into himself and ghost everyone.
The pack noticed, but of course, they knew it would do less harm to let him come on his own. What hurt was that Kai didn't approach him. So he wouldn't either. They kept talking, but it was all just polite greetings and awkward game dates.
It wasn't until after three weeks (yes, he was counting) that they finally talked about it.
“Can I ask you something?” Kai whispered beside him. They were playing a video game, and Taehyun let out a “mhm” without looking up from the screen. He was about to win, so he couldn’t lose focus.
“Do you dislike that I’m a beta?” Tae tensed, his hands frozen on the controller.
“What? No” he replied, resuming his game.
“Do you dislike me?” This time, his voice cracked slightly. Taehyun turned, surprised to notice the emotion in the beta’s voice. The sound of his lost game echoed in his ears, but he could only see Kai’s teary eyes.
“No! What are you talking about!?” he said, offended.
“You don’t even talk to me!”
“I don’t talk to anyone, okay?” he argued, annoyed.
“But I’m not just anyone… am I?”
Taehyung sighed. No, Kai wasn’t just anyone. He was his Kai. Was he still?
“I-it’s… it’s just that… you’re a beta, you’re damn big… and y-you don’t need… you don’t need me.”
“What are you talking about!? Taeh-ah, I'll always need you."
"But you don't... you don't need an alpha to protect you... you don't **need** me."
"I need you! I need my Taehyunie back!... I-if I could turn back time I will if that means you'll stay with me... You are my best friend..." he said, tears streaming down his cheeks. And God, he looked so small and so young and so... it broke Taehyun's heart.
The alpha threw himself into Huening's arms. He snuggled against his scent gland, inhaling his scent. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed him until now.
"You're my best friend too... Of course I'll always stay with you... I'm sorry, I-... I think... I let my emotions get the better of me and-"
"God, Beomie hyung was right about alphas... you are idiots," Kai teased, squeezing Tae as close as he could.
"Hey!" he said, not very strongly.
They stayed snuggled up for a few minutes when Kai whispered, "Please never leave me..."
"I promise," he whispered, kissing his cheek gently. And he will made sure that nothing will ever separate them