Chapter Text
Two weeks had passed.
Their relationship had deepened even more. It was stronger than before. Like threads of gold slowly wrapping tighter around the spaces between them.
Hyunjin had the day off today. They’d spent most of the morning together. Soft movements in the kitchen, Felix laughing at Hyunjin’s messy pancake attempt, Hyunjin sneaking kisses onto his cheek whenever he passed behind him.
But under all that warmth…a quiet ache lived inside Felix.
They still hadn’t claimed each other. Still hadn’t said those words.
Felix tried not to let it weigh too heavy. Tried to tell himself the way Hyunjin touched him, his tenderness, his presence, the way his whole body leaned toward him when they sat together, was already enough.
But still. Something gnawed at him.
He’d bared himself...fully. Not just during their most intimate nights but emotionally too. Four times now, he’d offered his neck. Opened his soul. Waited for Hyunjin’s teeth to press into his skin, to feel the heat of that ancient bond bloom through his body.
But each time…Hyunjin had hesitated. Offered quiet excuses. 'Let’s wait a little longer, angel.' 'Soon.' 'Later.'
Felix tried not to take it personally. There was trust. There was safety. There was so much love coming from Hyunjin every single day from day one, even if the words hadn’t come yet.
They fit together like the moon and the tide. The Alpha called him "His sunshine". Even Changbin said they looked like a literal Romance K-Drama- ridiculous in their soft gazes and how their fingers always found each other without looking.
But tonight…Felix was quiet. Thoughtful. Sitting by the window, watching the skyline of Seoul, while Hyunjin read a book on the couch, his long legs stretched out, hair down loosely, tank top fitted against his toned frame.
Felix could barely concentrate. His hand drifted to his stomach – the bump now slightly more obvious at 14 weeks, though still small. Hyunjin always kissed it goodnight, always ran his hands across it gently. That’s why it didn’t make sense. Why this part –the bite, the bond – was the only thing still held back. Hyunjin, always passionate, usually held back with nothing.
He fidgeted. Lips pressed together. Debating. But then…he looked over at Hyunjin. The way the Alpha was curled into the corner of the couch, reading glasses on his nose, totally at ease. “Hyunjin…”
The Alpha looked up, instantly alert. “Yeah?”
Felix hesitated, voice low and steady. “…Why don’t you want to do it?”
Hyunjin blinked. Confused for just a second, then still. His book lowered slowly.
Felix’s fingers were tight around the edge of his shirt. “I’ve…offered” he said. “Four times. You always say not yet, or later. But I don’t understand…we’re already…” He didn’t finish.
The air was quiet. The hum of the city outside, muffled by the window.
Hyunjin didn’t answer right away. He looked down. And for a long moment, he said nothing. The Alpha’s pulse was suddenly racing so hard he thought he might pass out. His throat closed, jaw flexing., He hadn’t expected that question. Not now, not so directly.
But it was the look in Felix’s eyes that gutted him.
Sad. Heartbreakingly so.
No.
No, no, no. Hyunjin swore to himself. He had promised, without words, that he’d never make Felix look like this. He put the book down shakily on the coffee table.
“Felix…” he breathed, hands open. “I…I have my reasons.”
Felix didn’t move. Just kept looking at him, lips pressed into a thin line. Waiting.
Hyunjin hesitated again. The silence stretched too long. He swallowed hard. His voice rough. “Actually…there’s more than one.”
Felix’s eyes didn’t waver.
Hyunjin looked down. Then finally up again. The truth trembling at the edge of his breath. “I want you to be sure” he said, almost in a whisper. “Not just because i "saved you" how you said. Or because…i’m here now and it feels safe. Or soft. Or familiar.” His voice cracked a little. “I’m scared you’re choosing me because it’s better than being alone. Because you’re grateful. Or…desperate.” As song as the last word was out, the Alpha wished he could take it back, but it was too late.
Felix’s lips parted. A breath caught in his throat. His fingers curled into the hem of his shirt. “You think I’m desperate?” he said quietly, voice hollow.
“No! No, Felix—”
“Then why?”
Hyunjin flinched. “I just…I want it to be real. I want it to be us. Because you love me. Not because of what I did or what I keep doing—”
Felix suddenly stepped back, chest heaving. His eyes were shining now, but not from the dim lights. Wasn’t it obvious that he loved him?
Felix wasn’t just sad. He was hurt.
“You don’t trust me?” His voice cracked. “After everything we’ve done. Everything I’ve told you. Do you think I’d give myself to someone I didn’t love?” Tears welled up in his lashes now, angry and raw. “All those nights...when I let you touch me, when I put myself in your arms, when we had sex, when I bared my body and let you draw me, let you see everything, laughed together, kissed...you think that wasn’t real?” His voice broke. “You think I don’t know what I want?”
Hyunjin was frozen. “Felix—”
“I said I was falling in love with you” Felix whispered. “Weeks ago..after our date. “And I meant it.”
Hyunjin’s chest burned. His eyes stung. “I know…” he said. “I heard you. And I—”
But it was too late.
Felix shook his head, breath catching. A single tear slipped down his cheek before he turned away. “I can’t do this right now.”
He walked fast. Past the couch. Down the hall. Into the guest room.
Click.
The door locked.
“Felix, wait!” Hyunjin scrambled off the couch, his legs stumbling under him as he ran after him. “Please, let me explain! I didn’t mean it like that.”
But the Omega was quick. Too quick. He was already behind the door, back pressed to the wood, face in his hands.
Hyunjin stood on the other side, fists clenched, heart beating like it would burst out of his chest. He pressed his forehead to the doorframe. “Felix…” his voice cracked. “Please.”
But there was no answer. Just silence. And the quiet sound of someone crying softly on the other side.
Hyunjin you idiot... he told himself, running a hand through his hair.
Felix stood still for a second, breath shaky, his whole body trembling. The silence of the room wrapped around him like thick fog. Muted light still reached in faintly under the door, but in here, it felt darker. Too still.
His legs gave out. He sank to the floor slowly, back sliding down the door, until he was curled in on himself. Arms wrapped around his knees. Forehead against them. A sound escaped him, small and broken. Then another. Then it came in waves. The kind of crying he hadn’t let himself do in a long time. Not since…not since he’d first run from the life he left behind. Not since he'd told himself he had to be strong...Not since Hyunjin.
But now...now the dam cracked. Felix sobbed. Quiet at first, then shuddering. His shoulders shook with it, breath catching in his throat. He tried to muffle it into his knees, but it didn’t help. Maybe it was the hormones, too. He knew that. Being pregnant made everything more. More raw. More fragile. Every fear louder, every wound deeper. But this wasn’t just hormones.
He felt rejected. Not physically—but emotionally. After everything they had shared, every quiet morning waking up in Hyunjin’s arms, every day spent with laughter and late-night cuddles, every whispered moment, every heartbeat that matched his…
He still felt unwanted.
Felix lifted his head, blinking through the tears, sniffling. His face was wet. Eyes red.
He heard it then. Hyunjin’s voice. “Felix…baby, please. Open the door.”
A gentle knock.
“Talk to me. Just…talk to me.”
Felix bit his lip hard, squeezing his eyes shut. But he couldn’t. Not yet. “I need a minute…” he called back, voice hoarse. “Just…please.”
Silence followed. But then–
“I’ll wait here” Hyunjin whispered through the door. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Felix rested his head back again. Part of him wanted to run into those strong arms and cry until everything made sense. But another part needed to breathe. To feel in control of his heart again. So he stayed there. Wrapped in a soft blanket from the bed.
Crying, quietly now. Letting himself feel it all.
And outside, just on the other side, Hyunjin waited. He sat down slowly outside the door, back pressed to the wood, one palm resting flat against it like he could somehow touch Felix through the barrier.
He hated this. This wasn’t how he wanted things to go. His heart was pounding with regret.
“This is a huge misunderstanding,” he said softly, voice rough with emotion. “Felix, what I said…it sounded wrong. It felt wrong the moment I saw your face.”
He leaned his head back against the door, shutting his eyes.
“I know it’s real between us. You’ve shown me more love and trust than anyone ever has. I feel it. Every second. Every time you smile at me, when you curl up against me in bed, when I catch you looking at me with those beautiful eyes of yours.” He exhaled shakily. “I’m sorry, baby. So sorry.”
From inside the room, the quiet sobs had started to fade. Still there, but slower...and softer.
Hyunjin pressed on, gently.
“I never wanted to make you feel like I don’t want you. Or that I don’t trust you. God, Felix…I trust you with everything. With my body, my heart, my future. You know how much i desire you. You’re my angel on earth.”
Hyunjin rested his forehead against the door now. His hand sliding lower, curling slightly at the wood. “I just…I wanted to make sure. Not because I don’t believe in us...but because I do.” His voice cracked. “I want you so much, I’ve been scared to mess this up.”
From inside, a faint shifting sound. Like Felix had moved closer, but the Alpha didn’t stop. “I know you offered yourself. Again and again. I felt it. I wanted you too, so badly. I think you noticed me kissing and nibbling on your neck and throat. I just…I kept hearing your voice that first night. You said you had nothing left. That you didn’t know who you could trust. I didn’t want this bond to be something you felt you had to give, like some kind of repayment.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “You don’t owe me anything, Felix. I want it to be something we choose. Together. With open hearts.”
A silence followed. Long and heavy. Hyunjin stayed still, breathing slowly, hoping.
Then, the door clicked.
It didn’t open all the way, just a few inches. But it was enough to see the glisten of tears on Felix’s freckled cheeks, the flushed pink of his small nose, his eyes wide and glassy. He was still so heartbreakingly beautiful. “Hyunjin…” he murmured, voice wobbly. “I wasn’t…trying to repay you. I feel so...I..” His lip trembled. “I didn’t say it yet. But...”
Hyunjin’s breath caught..And then he moved. He gently pushed the door wider, and Felix stepped back just enough to let him in.
The Alpha didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his arms around him tightly, pulling Felix to his chest. He felt how tense the Omega still was. Still trembling slightly. “Hey…hey,” he whispered into his hair. “You don’t have to cry anymore. I’ve got you.”
Felix buried his face into Hyunjin’s chest again. Inhaling his pheromones. His sobs returning for a moment, but this time, they were softer. The kind that came when you knew you were finally safe again.
“My angel” Hyunjin whispered. “I am just… waiting to say it properly..what I feel for you. Sometimes the emotions overwhelm even me. Sometimes, the words seem too big to speak them out loud.” He kissed the top of his head. Then his soft cheek. Then lowered his voice. “And I want to do things with you, because we chose them. Forever.”
Felix didn’t answer with words, just tightened his arms around Hyunjin, holding him as if he would never let go.
After a few seconds, Hyunjin reached for Felix’s hand gently, fingers threading through his. He gave it the lightest tug. “Come with me to the couch” he said softly, barely more than a whisper. “Let’s talk, okay?”
Felix nodded, eyes still glassy, breath still shaky. He didn’t say anything. Just followed.
They walked together in silence, only the low hum of the city in the distance and the softened golden light of the sun dipping through the windows. The storm from the other day had cleared, and now the world outside seemed to glow. Quiet, still warm, like it was holding its breath for them.
Hyunjin sat down first, opening his arms without a word. Felix hesitated for a second before climbing onto the couch beside him, curling into the space where he fit so perfectly. Hyunjin wrapped both arms tightly around him, one across his back, the other across Felix’s belly, pulling him to his chest.
His chin rested on Felix’s head, lips brushing his soft hair. He exhaled slowly, as if he’d been holding it for hours. “There are also…other reasons, Felix” he said after a while. His voice wasn’t shaky but it was gentle and careful.
Felix didn’t say anything. He was still crying, quietly now. But the sound of it still hurt Hyunjin like a blade to the chest.
“The first time, when you were just in the early stages...I didn’t want to risk anything,” Hyunjin said, his thumb stroking slow circles into Felix’s side. “I read things from a specialist online. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to scare you. But they said it could be dangerous.”
Felix blinked, slowly lifting his head to look at him. “Dangerous?” he whispered.
Hyunjin nodded, brushing away the tears on his cheek. “They said a bond, if it’s formed while your body’s still adjusting to the pregnancy…it could spike your hormone levels too fast. Could destabilize things. Especially with your suppressed heat cycles. I couldn’t take that risk.” he admitted.
Felix’s lips parted, eyes wide. He hadn’t known. Of course he hadn’t. And Hyunjin had kept it in, protecting him.
“I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. Or to the pup,” Hyunjin said softly. “That’s one reason.”
Felix swallowed hard, pressing his face into Hyunjin’s chest again, arms clinging tighter around him.
Hyunjin held him tightly against him, arms curled protectively around the smaller boy’s frame, his chin still resting in Felix’s hair. The sun was slowly disappearing now, leaving a golden blush along the edge of the living room walls. Shadows stretched long and soft. The only sound was the low hum of the city from afar and Felix’s faint breaths.
“I meant what I said” Hyunjin murmured after a long pause. “There are…a few reasons too why I haven’t claimed you yet.”
Felix’s sobbed again, but he stayed close. He wasn’t crying as hard anymore, just clinging and listening.
Hyunjin closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. Felix’s sweet and powdery scent was all over him, wrapped in the fabric of his shirt, clinging to his skin. It was the only scent that had ever made him feel like he belonged somewhere. He exhaled. “It’s not just about you” he whispered. “It’s the pup, too.”
Felix stirred slightly in his arms, looking up at him in question.
Hyunjin cupped his cheek, gently brushing his thumb over Felix’s damp lashes. “I know they aren’t biologically mine, but that doesn’t change how I feel. I already love them, since they’re part of you, Felix. I already think of them as...ours.” He admitted sheepishly. His throat tightened. “But claiming you…I don’t know exactly how it works when there’s a pup involved that isn’t mine. What if my bond confuses the baby’s scent? What if it causes some kind of rejection…?”
Felix’s lips parted, but no words came. Ours? Hyunjin had really said theirs. His eyes were wide, shimmering, softened with something deep and fragile.
“I’ve been scared. I don’t want to overwrite anything.” Hyunjin admitted quietly, his voice trembling now. “What if my instincts try to erase their bond to you—like I’m rewriting it with mine? I don’t want to harm that connection. You’re already so in tune with them. You know how strong an Alpha’s claim can be, because...”
Hyunjin had to force the sentence out.
..“they’re from an other Alpha. I just...I didn’t want to take any risks until I knew it was safe. Until you were absolutely sure. Until I was sure it wouldn’t cost us anything.”
Felix’s lower lip trembled again, but it wasn’t the same kind of pain. It was something gentler. He touched Hyunjin’s wrist, fingers warm.
“But…” Hyunjin whispered, leaning in until their foreheads touched, breath shared. “If this is what you truly want, sunshine…then we’re doing it. Not out of fear. Not out of heat. Not out of desperation.” He kissed Felix’s forehead, so soft it was barely there. “Our first bond is going to be perfect.” His voice was steady now, filled with quiet promise. “Because I’ve wanted you the whole time. Every moment. Every breath.”
He gently tilted Felix’s face, brushing away the last tear. “Don’t ever feel like this again” he whispered. “Don’t cry like that…please. Sunshine.”
Felix swallowed a sob, heart thudding, and leaned in as Hyunjin pressed a lingering kiss to his temple, then his cheek, then the edge of his mouth.
“You know I trust you just as much as you trust me, right?” Hyunjin said.
Felix nodded slowly, tears falling again, but these ones softer now. Like the kind that come when your heart finally starts to heal.
Hyunjin gathered him even closer, wrapping a blanket over both of them. He leaned back into the couch, letting Felix rest fully against his chest. They settled together, limbs tangled, heads touching. His hands moved gently, stroking Felix’s back, brushing fingers through his hair, lips pressing to his brow every few minutes. As if to say, I’m still here. You’re still safe. We’re okay.
Outside, evening fully arrived. But in their little corner of the world, lit only by the golden spill of one lamp and the soft flicker of a candle on the table, there was only warmth.
Only them.
And Hyunjin whispered once more into Felix’s hair, voice almost breaking: “You’re mine. And I’m yours. We don’t need a bite to prove it.”
But when the moment was right, he’d give Felix that mark, maybe sooner than he thought...and it would mean everything.
They sat there for a while, exchanging subtle kisses and cuddles, but then Felix felt it immediately. A subtle change in the Alpha’s scent. Hesitation mixed with guilt. It made the Omega’s heart twitch, something in his chest tightening. He looked up slowly. “Hyunjin…what’s wrong?”
The Alpha closed his eyes, jaw tense. His breath left him in a heavy exhale, as if he’d been holding it for weeks. “There’s one thing I didn’t tell you” he said finally, voice low and rough. “And I promised…I promised I’d be honest with you always. But I was scared this would just make things worse.”
Felix blinked, confused, but the air had already grown heavier, thick with unspoken emotion. Hyunjin’s scent was laced with tension now. With restraint. Rage just barely kept beneath the surface.
“When we met him…” Hyunjin began, the words already tasting bitter on his tongue. “That day. The date. Namsan Park.” He still couldn’t say his name. It caught on his throat like bile.
Felix sat up a little straighter, lips parting. He knew who Hyunjin meant. Chan...
The Alpha’s fists clenched where they rested on Felix’s back. His knuckles white. “During the fight…when you were standing by the wall, you didn’t hear it.” His voice was colder now. Focused and burning.
“He threatened me.”
Felix’s heart skipped. “W–what?”
Hyunjin nodded, slowly, eyes narrowing as he forced the words out.
“He said—‘If you mark him…I’ll destroy your name. Everything you love. I’ll make sure everyone sees you as a manipulative Alpha who took advantage of a vulnerable and pregnant Omega. You’ll lose him. And everything else.’”
Felix’s breath caught in his throat. His body went still.
Hyunjin’s voice dropped to a rasp. “He looked me right in the eye when he said it. Like he knew exactly where to twist the knife.”
A tense silence stretched between them. The candlelight flickered across Felix’s stunned expression, his lips trembling.
“He threatened you…” Felix whispered. “Because of me.”
“He used you as a weapon and he knew exactly how to” Hyunjin growled, no longer hiding the fury in his chest. “He wanted me to back off. To be scared. And I was. Not of him, but of what he could do. What his words might trigger. The damage he could cause. To you. To us.”
Felix shook his head in disbelief, chest rising with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were already dealing with enough” Hyunjin said softly, finally reaching to hold his hand. “And I didn’t want to bring his filth into the home we built together. I didn’t want his poison to touch you again. I thought I could carry it myself.”
Felix’s throat felt tight, his voice breaking. “Hyunjin…you should’ve told me.”
The Alpha looked down. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Or make you feel trapped between your past and this..between us. I just…I wanted everything to be ours. Not something done out of fear or revenge or pressure.”
Felix touched Hyunjin’s cheek, eyes shimmering now, not just from emotion, but from something deeper. Fierce love.
“You pabo” he whispered. “You carried that for me?”
Hyunjin met his gaze, eyes just as wet. “I’d carry a thousand more if it meant you didn’t have to.”
The silence between them pulsed again, this time with something electric.
Then Felix leaned forward, touching his forehead to Hyunjin’s, both of them breathing in each other’s pheromones. It felt like comfort, fire and safety all at once.
“He doesn’t control me” Felix said. “Not anymore. And he doesn’t control you.”
Hyunjin nodded, their foreheads still touching. “I know. But I needed you to know why I held back. It was never about not wanting you.”
“I know that now” Felix whispered, tears slipping down again, softer. “But next time… tell me. We face everything together now. You don’t have to protect me from the truth.”
Hyunjin’s arms wrapped around him again. One thing he knew for sure. He wasn’t done with Chan yet.
“Come, let’s take a walk” he suggested softly, brushing the back of his fingers along Felix’s cheek. His voice was calm, gentle, but there was a quiet urgency in his eyes, as if walking would help them breathe again. “To cool off. Calm down a little. A late evening walk by the Han River with my beautiful boyfriend…sounds perfect.”
Felix let out a watery laugh, still sniffling. Heart beating faster at the word 'boyfriend'. “You’re such a romantic.”
“Always” Hyunjin smiled, the corners of his eyes softening with relief. Seeing Felix smile again felt like the world was tilting back into place.
They got up together, wordless but in sync. In the bedroom, they both dressed casually. Light hoodies and linen pants. Felix reached for his zip-up jacket – the one Hyunjin had gotten for him. At first, he’d felt guilty accepting it. The Alpha had already bought him three other pieces, all of them pretty pricey, too. Some designer brands. But then again…he didn’t have much. Just two shirts and that old, worn-out hoodie. So he slid into the soft fabric now, inhaling the faint trace of Hyunjin’s scent still clinging to it. Warmth settled over his shoulders. Maybe…it was okay to be taken care of. Just this once.
Hyunjin noticed Felix putting on the jacket and paused, grabbing something from the drawer. A thin, soft scarf. “Here” he murmured, stepping closer, wrapping it gently around Felix’s neck. “There’s always a breeze by the river at night. Even in summer.”
Felix blinked up at him, surprised by the thoughtful gesture. He leaned into Hyunjin’s touch, letting him adjust the scarf like a quiet little ritual. His fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary. Felix didn’t mind.
When they stepped out, the air was cool and still. The city lights shimmered on the Han River, casting glimmers across the water like dancing threads of silver and gold. The soft sound of the water lapping the shore, the swoosh, swoosh and the occasional cicada buzz in the trees created a peaceful rhythm that wrapped around them.
The Alpha’s arm slipped around the Omega’s shoulder, naturally protective. Felix leaned into it.
They didn’t talk much at first. Just walked. The light breeze brushing Felix’s soft hair back from his face. The scent of river water. Distant city sounds, the bridge and boats glowing with yellow light.
“I always forget how calming it is here” Felix murmured, his voice low. “Like the world gets quieter on purpose.”
Hyunjin looked over. The way the lights shimmered in Felix’s eyes. His features soft in the glow. His scarf ruffling slightly with the breeze. Stunning, Hyunjin thought. Absolutely stunning. Even after everything, maybe especially after everything.
Felix caught him looking.
Their eyes met, just for a second, and then Felix turned his gaze back forward, cheeks coloring faintly. But Hyunjin had seen it. That shy glance. That searching look. Usually he was the one getting a little shy whenever he made eye contact with Felix’s beauty. He squeezed Felix’s shoulder a little closer. “You know” he started slowly, carefully, “I originally wanted to come out here to calm down.”
Felix tilted his head, smiling just a little. “And did it work?”
Hyunjin stopped walking. The river breeze tousled his hair. “Not even a little.”
Felix turned to look at him fully. “What?”
“I can’t calm down when I’m around you, Yongbokie. Especially when I’ve been holding something back.”
Felix blinked. The air stilled between them.
Hyunjin took both of his hands, pulling him just a little closer in the quiet dark. “I know I’ve made you feel unsure. And I hate that. But it was never about me not wanting you. Or not trusting you. I was trying to protect you...and the pup. And maybe I was protecting myself too.”
Felix nodded slowly, listening, eyes wide and glassy.
“But tonight, when I saw you cry like that…” Hyunjin’s voice cracked just slightly. “I realized the only thing I’m doing is hurting you by waiting too long.” He reached up, brushing Felix’s hair behind his ear. “I’ve wanted to say this for weeks” Hyunjin whispered.
Felix’s breath caught.
“I love you.”
Felix’s lips parted slightly. His fingers twitched in Hyunjin’s, heart beating faster.
“I’m in love with you, Felix. I have been, almost since that evening you showed up at the bakery..and when i took you home with me, that night turned into everything for me.”
Felix didn’t speak. Tears welled in his eyes again, but they were different this time.
“You don’t have to say it back” Hyunjin said gently. “I just needed you to know.”
Felix stepped forward, burying himself into Hyunjin’s chest with a soft, shaking breath. No Hyunjin, I..I love you too.” came his voice, muffled against Hyunjin’s shirt. “So much, I thought I’d break if I kept it in any longer.”
Hyunjin wrapped both arms around him tightly, one hand protectively rubbing over Felix’s back, the other resting against the scarf still around his neck Fuck.. The Alphas heart was beating so fast.
The night moved gently around them. But for them, time felt like it had stopped.
Finally, Hyunjin leaned down, pressing a long kiss to the top of Felix’s head. “When we bond,” he whispered, voice trembling with emotion, “it’ll be in a moment like this. When everything feels right. Because you deserve perfect, sunshine.”
Felix clutched onto him harder. “I don’t want perfect” he whispered. “I just want you.”
The confession settled between them, soft and warm, clinging to every breath they took. Hyunjin still held Felix tightly, arms wrapped around his smaller frame. Neither of them wanted to let go. The breeze off the Han River brushed past them gently, the world quiet, content to let them exist in this moment.
Hyunjin felt like the weight he’d been carrying for weeks had finally eased. Lighter now and freer. His heart, which had always raced around Felix, now beat with certainty. There was no more fear. Just love. So, so much love.
Felix tilted his head up slightly, resting his chin against Hyunjin’s chest. His eyes were shining, lashes still damp. But he was smiling softly. His hand rested right over Hyunjin’s heart. “You always say I deserve perfect” Felix said quietly. “But this…this is already perfect to me.”
Hyunjin’s throat tightened. He gently reached up to touch Felix’s cheek again, thumb brushing under his eye, over his freckles. “I’ve had relationships before, but you’re the only thing that’s ever felt like home.”
They stood like that for another moment, hearts pressed together, letting the evening wrap around them like a second skin.
Then, Felix paused in his step. Stopped.
Hyunjin looked down at him, brows rising slightly in concern. “Yongbokie?” he whispered, leaning a little closer.
Felix didn’t say anything. But his hand reached up slowly, fingers brushing against the edge of Hyunjin’s hoodie, holding it lightly. His eyes searched Hyunjin’s face—quiet and open. And then…he leaned up. Just a little.
Hyunjin stilled. The moment hung between them like a thread.
Felix tilted his chin. Lips almost there. His heart pounded, eyes flickering with hesitation, but also a silent 'please'.
This time…Hyunjin didn’t hesitate.
Never again.
He cupped the back of Felix’s neck, pulling him in, their lips meeting in a slow, deep kiss. And he smiled into it. It was gentle, at first. But beneath that tenderness was fire. Weeks of waiting for this moment of confession. All the times they’d looked at each other like they were trying to speak without words. All the moments Felix had offered himself and Hyunjin had held back. It all poured into that kiss now. Raw,, reverent and unrestrained.
Felix let out a tiny, breathless sound against his mouth, hands curling into Hyunjin’s hoodie, gripping it like he needed to hold on.
Hyunjin’s other hand found Felix’s lower back, pulling him even closer, their bodies pressed together from chest to thigh. Their shared heat fighting the cool night air.
When they finally pulled apart, Felix’s lips were kiss-bruised, his chest rising in short breaths. His eyes fluttered open, dazed but glowing.
Hyunjin brushed their foreheads together, still holding him close. “I’m yours” he whispered, barely a breath between them. “For real. Completely.”
Felix nodded, still trying to catch his breath.
They stood there for a while longer, wrapped in each other, until the stars came out and the lights danced a little brighter on the river.
They walked home in a kind of dreamy silence, fingers intertwined. Neither wanted to break the spell of what had just happened, what they had said, what they finally admitted out loud. Felix’s cheeks were still pink, but his steps were lighter than they’d been in weeks. Hyunjin could barely breathe from how full his chest felt. He was floating, his heart thundering with a dizzying combination of relief and elation.
This was real. Felix had said it. They had said it.
In the big elevator, under the soft lights, they stood side by side in front of the mirror. Their eyes met in the reflection, and Hyunjin saw the faintest smile curling on Felix’s lips. It was knowing. The Alpha’s hand was wrapped protectively around Felix’s, thumb stroking gentle circles over his knuckles.
Hyunjin leaned over, bumping their shoulders gently. “You look cute when you’re all glowy like that.”
Felix’s smile grew, eyes soft. “I’m not glowing. You’re glowing.”
They both chuckled quietly, but Hyunjin knew where the night was headed. He could feel it. Not because of need or instinct. No, tonight...this was about something much deeper. Something they both chose.
When they stepped into the apartment, it felt different. Like the whole place had shifted, holding a new warmth between the walls. The same couch. The same lights. But with their hearts spoken aloud, even the quiet now had meaning.
Their movements were quiet and intimate as they cleaned up and stepped into the shower together, not rushed or heavy, just soft touches and kisses shared under lukewarm water. Felix tilted his head up every now and then, brushing his lips against Hyunjin’s, fingers gliding across the Alpha’s strong arms or collarbones. Hyunjin kissed him gently, with his hands never leaving Felix’s waist.
Afterward, they changed into their sleep shirts and loose pants, Hyunjin towel-drying Felix’s hair with affectionate little flicks that made Felix laugh, swatting at him playfully. But even beneath the teasing, there was a hum of something unspoken, powerful, trembling just below the surface.
They slid under the cool sheets together. The bed had been freshly made earlier, and now it cradled them as they settled against the pillows, facing one another.
Felix lay close, close enough to feel the heat of Hyunjin’s breath fan across his face and his nice scent. He looked at him quietly, like he couldn’t quite believe this was real. After everything that had happened...on the street, the river, the tears, the heartbreak, this moment felt unreal.
“I meant every word” Hyunjin whispered. His voice sweet and intimate. “We’ve known eachother for not even two months, but you’re my everything, sunshine. And I’ve wanted to do this for so long.”
Felix’s eyes widened just a little, his breathing picking up. “You mean…”
Hyunjin leaned forward, pressing a long kiss to Felix’s forehead. “If you still want it. If you still want me.”
Felix reached for him instantly, fingers curling into his shirt. “I do. I want you. I’ve wanted you.”
The answer lit something deep in Hyunjin’s chest. He exhaled softly, heart pounding. “Then tonight…we do this. The right way.”
Felix nodded, eyes shining. “With love.”
Hyunjin reached for the controller on the nightstand with one hand, the other still tangled gently in Felix’s fingers. He scrolled through the music library for a playlist, thumb hovering before he pressed play on a slow, sensual track, one that pulsed low and intimate through the room, like a secret heartbeat. "Sweet" by Cigarettes after sex.
Soft melodies filled the air, wrapping around them like silk. Then, with quiet steps, Hyunjin stood and dimmed the lights until the room glowed faintly gold, shadows dancing across the walls. It felt dreamlike.
Felix sat up on the bed, his hands brushing over the hem of his shirt. He looked up at Hyunjin, searching his eyes. They didn’t need to speak. Hyunjin gave the smallest nod, and that was enough.
They undressed slowly. Not in a rush. Not with urgency, but with meaning. Every layer peeled away felt like shedding something old, hesitations, fears, everything that had kept them apart.
Felix’s breath caught when Hyunjin’s shirt dropped to the floor. His eyes trailed up along the Alpha’s body. Those arms he always dreamed about, the sculpted shoulders, the lean lines of his torso and the soft shadows between his ribs. And his face, god, his face. Handsome and angelic and flushed faintly with anticipation.
Felix raised his arms, stretching just slightly as he lay back down. The movement was innocent, but instinctual. It exposed the pale, sensitive skin of his neck, the slope of his collarbone, his scent gland pulsing faintly.
Hyunjin paused, lips parting just slightly. His eyes flicked to Felix’s neck, then back up to meet his gaze.
Felix swallowed. His throat bobbing in a small, visible motion. He was flushed too. Cheeks pink, chest rising with each breath.
This wasn’t just physical. It wasn’t just about claiming or instinct. This was deep trust.
Neither of them had done this before. This was something they could never take back. Something sacred. Permanent.
Felix couldn’t believe they were doing this now. And neither could Hyunjin. But it felt right. It felt perfect.
“This is something special” Hyunjin said softly. His voice a low hum in Felix’s ear, warm against his skin. “You only do this once.” His hand came up, brushing gently against Felix’s jaw, then sliding back to cradle the side of his throat, not tight, not forceful, just there.
They were still young. Still figuring things out. But this, this moment, they were both so sure.
“Felix” he whispered hotly against his lips, his forehead pressing to the Omega’s. “I’m so sure of this.”
Felix’s eyes fluttered shut at the sound of his name like that. His body hummed in answer, his fingers coming up to rest against Hyunjin’s chest, feeling the thunderous beat of his heart.
He nodded slowly, lips parted. “Me too.” His pulse was racing now, heat rising across his skin as the weight of what they were about to do settled over him. This was it.
Hyunjin was going to mark him.
Claim him.
Hyunjin kissed him again, slower now. His lips trailing down over Felix’s jaw, to his throat, brushing the sensitive gland at the side of his neck, which was not visible to the eye, where his bond mark would be. Felix shivered beneath him, breath hitching, body instinctively arching closer.
“Tell me if you ever want to stop.” Hyunjin murmured, voice shaking slightly now that the moment was here. “Tell me everything, okay?”
“I will” Felix whispered, his voice trembling. “I trust you, Hyunjin.”
The Alpha brushed their foreheads together again, before slowly lowering his lips to Felix’s neck. His breath fanned out warm against his scent gland, now pulsing faintly with need, pheromones beginning to rise thick and sweet in the air.
“I love you” Hyunjin whispered, kissing the skin over the gland.
Felix’s arms wrapped tighter around his neck. “I love you too. I’m yours.”
Hyunjin exhaled, and the fire inside him answered.
“Tonight, he swore, I’ll claim you like you deserve. You’ll never question again.”
Felix shivered at the words. They felt dominant and possesive, but full of love.
Hyunjin swallowed, hand pressing gently to Felix’s lower back, checking. Another place, where he knew a bond mark, if one existed, might be. From…him. From Chan. He didn’t know if Felix remember everything clearly from those nights back then, especially in heat. And he said he never bit him. “If he ever bit you…even without full consent…it might still be there. The smallest imprint.” Hyunjin whispered.
Felix stiffened, shocked. “I—I don’t think he did. I would’ve felt—”
“You might not have” Hyunjin said gently. “Your body was under so much stress. And if it happened in the haze, it might’ve been weak. Those scents are very weak as well, but i think i would’ve noticed the scent. We smell other Alphas from miles away.”
“If there’s anything left from him…I don’t want it,” Felix said, firmer now. “I don’t want him in me. Not his mark. Not his claim. Not even a memory.”
Hyunjin’s jaw clenched. He wanted to kill Chan all over again for what he’d done. For ever making Felix feel like this.
“I want you, Hyunjin” Felix whispered, reaching up to touch his face, thumb stroking Hyunjin’s jaw. “You’ve given me more safety, more love, more…everything. You hold me like I’m precious. You kiss me like I’m art.”
Hyunjin couldn’t barely back the tears then, but he didn’t break. He pulled Felix closer, trying to hold back the emotions. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner” he murmured against his temple. “I just…I wanted to protect you. And I didn’t want you to think I ever saw you as broken.”
“You never did” Felix whispered. “You never made me feel anything but safe and cherished.”
“He didn’t mark you...i checked. I’m going to claim you now” Hyunjin whispered, his voice low, steady, but thick with emotion.
Felix looked up at him, eyes wide, cheeks rosé, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. He nodded once. “I’m ready” he whispered, even if his voice shook slightly. He was nervous. Of course he was. But more than that, he was sure. And excited. Beyond anything he’d ever felt. This moment would be life-changing.
Hyunjin leaned in again, lips brushing Felix’s as he settled him against the mattress, his body pressing gently down. One of his hands cradled the side of Felix’s throat, grounding, grip tight but never cruel. Holding him in place like a promise. His thumb stroked over the delicate line of his jaw, soft skin trembling under his touch.
His other hand…splayed out gently across Felix’s lower stomach. Fingers spreading across the small baby bump. The pup. Hyunjin’s throat tightened at the thought. Not his by blood, but this pup was part of his Omega. That meant something. It meant everything.
Felix looked up at him with that look again – that look. The one that made Hyunjin fall in love every single time. “You ready, baby?” he asked again, voice dropping to a hush, eyes searching and pulse racing.
Felix swallowed and nodded again. “Yeah.”
Then Hyunjin leaned down. His breath ghosted over Felix’s neck, and the Omega instinctively tilted his head, baring it, exposing the smooth stretch of skin where it would happen. Where it would change everything.
Hyunjin kissed it once. And then he bit down. Hard.
Felix gasped. Then whimpered, the sound caught between pain and something more. His body arched slightly, muscles tensing under the Alpha’s strong grip. It hurt. A lot. White-hot, searing through his entire body, but even in the pain, even in the sting of teeth breaking skin and the heat of blood welling up, Felix felt it. The bond. The snap of something invisible yet eternal pulling tight.
And Hyunjin – Hyunjin felt it too.
Pheromones poured from both of them, crashing into the space between like waves, mixing and colliding. Their scents shifted slightly, fused, changed, becoming something new. Something that could never belong to anyone else.
A scent that was now theirs.
Hyunjin held on until the pain eased a little. Until the pulsing in his head calmed and Felix’s trembling stilled. And only then did he pull back.
His lips were wet. Glossed with Felix’s scent, saliva and blood. His lower lip glistened. And his eyes—
His eyes shimmered. Hyunjin didn’t cry. Not in front of people. But now…now there were tears. Soft and silent. He blinked, let them fall. “I’d do it again” he whispered hoarsely. “And again, and again, and again, Felix.”
Felix’s throat and neck ached, the mark burning deep beneath his skin. But he didn’t regret it. Not for a second. He winced when Hyunjin leaned down and licked the wound, tongue warm and slow, to soothe the pain. The soothing movements of a gentle Alpha. A mate.
“My mate…” Felix whispered, almost dazed. His own tears now running down his cheeks.
They were both naked. Skin pressed to skin. Heartbeat against heartbeat.
The world had gone quiet around them. But everything between them had never felt louder. It was intimacy. The kind that makes you want to laugh and cry all at once.
“It’s not always about sex”, Hyunjin whispered softly, echoing something they’d once said to each other in passing.
“It’s intimacy we want. To be touched. Looked at. Admired. Smiled at. Laughed with. To feel safe. To feel like someone’s really got you. That’s what we crave.” he pressed his forehead to Felix’s, one hand still on his cheek. “We’re real mates now” he said, voice thick with awe. And love. So much love, it made his chest ache.
Felix nodded against him, lips brushing his as he smiled through the last of his tears. “Yeah…we really are.”
Felix didn’t mean to cry again. The tears just came. Warm and silent, sliding from the corners of his eyes, trailing down his temples into the pillow as his chest rose and fell beneath the weight of what they had just done. What they had become.
Hyunjin felt it. The tiny tremble beneath him, the soft hitch in Felix’s breath. He lifted his head just slightly, eyes red and glassy from his own release of emotion.
He pressed a kiss to Felix’s cheek. Another to the corner of his eye, catching a tear there with his lips. Then he buried his face into the other side of Felix’s neck, nuzzling into the fresh bond mark with a sigh that sounded like surrender. His own tears spilled quietly onto the pillow, hidden, absorbed into the soft sheets between them.
They didn’t need to say much right away.
The music in the background did the talking for a while. A slow, melodic lull now, soft piano and gentle vocals weaving through the quiet of the dim-lit room. The night had already wrapped itself around them, holding them in its silence. But inside this room, it was their love that cocooned them now.
Hyunjin shifted slightly, gathering Felix closer, his arms curling protectively around him. Their legs tangled easily, naturally. Bare skin against bare skin. Their scents now impossibly blended. They lay like that for a long moment. Listening. Feeling. Breathing each other in.
“I love you” Hyunjin said again after a while, voice barely audible, just a breath against Felix’s ear. But it still made the Omega shiver. Still made his heart skip.
Felix turned toward him, forehead brushing Hyunjin’s. His eyes were still glassy, lashes damp, but his lips curved into a trembling smile.
“I love you too” he whispered. “My heart…” he paused, swallowing softly. “It already skipped a beat the first time I saw you.”
Hyunjin’s eyes opened slowly, searching him.
Felix smiled more fully now.
“You know, that day? When our eyes first met—when you were across the street, just standing there beneath that neon lit overpass, doing that graffiti, with that spray can in your hand like you were posing for a magazine cover?”
Hyunjin let out a soft laugh through his nose. “I wasn’t posing” he muttered.
“You were” Felix teased gently, tracing the curve of Hyunjin’s shoulder with his fingers. “I didn’t even know your name yet. But my heart…just jumped. It knew something. It’s like it saw you and whispered—‘that one’.
Hyunjin pulled him even closer, cupping the back of Felix’s head and letting their foreheads press fully together.
“Sunshine” he breathed. “You have no idea how many times I looked at you, when you first came into the bakery that one night, and thought the exact same thing.”
Felix blinked. Another tear slipped down and Hyunjin caught it again with a kiss.
“I think I fell in love with you before I even realized what love was” Hyunjin whispered, his voice cracking just slightly. “And I kept falling. Every time you laughed. Every time you touched me without thinking. Every time you got flustered and tried to hide it. I just…” He stopped. Swallowed hard. “I never stopped.”
Felix melted against him, hands resting over Hyunjin’s heart. It was still beating fast. Just like his own. “I’m yours now” he whispered. “For real.”
Hyunjin nodded, fingers softly stroking Felix’s hair. “And I’m yours. Forever.”
They lay like that for a long while, skin-to-skin, bonded in every way now. Letting the soft music, the weight of love, the moonlight through the window and the afterglow of something eternal lull them into a sense of peace.
The first sign of the bond showing wasn’t some dramatic flash of instincts or possessiveness.
It was quieter than that.
It was the way Hyunjin's hand reached for Felix’s the moment they woke up, still tangled in sheets, still warm from sleep. Not even fully awake yet, but he needed to touch him. To make sure he was there. That the bond hadn’t just been some vivid, perfect dream.
Felix had murmured something half-conscious, instinctively nuzzling into the crook of Hyunjin’s chest with a little whine, like his body had already memorized where it belonged. His neck still hurt.
Their bond was still fresh, raw and tender like new skin after a burn,. But it hummed between them, constantly, like the background note of a melody only they could hear. Even as they got ready the next morning, the closeness didn’t fade. If anything, it grew.
Hyunjin hovered around Felix like a shadow. Not overwhelming, just there. Helping him zip up the side of his hoodie without even asking, rubbing slow circles into the small of his back as they waited for the kettle to boil. When Felix moved, Hyunjin’s body naturally angled toward him, like a sunflower following the sun.
And Felix..
Felix couldn’t stop looking at him.
It was like Hyunjin had become even more magnetic somehow. He’d always been beautiful – almost unfairly so – but now Felix felt his heart skip every time the Alpha so much as glanced at him. It wasn’t just hormones. It was the bond. That invisible tether now wrapped gently around his chest.
They hadn’t spoken much that morning, but they didn’t need to. Their silence was warm. Like their bodies were still communicating even when their mouths were still.
Changbin noticed immediately.
They met him at a café not far from the studio they always went to, a casual brunch hangout that had been scheduled before the bonding. They’d agreed to still go. Hyunjin said it’d be good to step outside, to be around others. To ground themselves.
But from the moment they sat down across from him, Changbin blinked twice. “Okay…” he said slowly, eyes narrowing as he looked between the two. “You guys are like…weirdly glued together right now and you smell different. Strong.”
Felix flushed slightly, glancing away.
Hyunjin grinned, unbothered. “Bonded now” he said simply, resting his chin on his hand, the other hand on Felix’s thigh under the table. “So yeah. Glued is one way to put it.”
Changbin’s eyes widened, jaw dropping. “You what—?! Holy sh—Felix! Are you okay?!”
Felix laughed at the outburst, cheeks red but heart warm. “I’m okay. Better than okay.”
Hyunjin just looked at him when he said it. A soft look. Like he couldn’t believe he was allowed to hear those words.
Changbin ran a hand through his hair. “Wow. Damn. So that’s why you’re practically on each other like magnets. The scent shift makes sense now too. You’re…kinda fused.” He leaned in slightly, a little more serious. “And you’re sure, right? This was what you wanted?”
Felix nodded. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
Hyunjin’s fingers curled just slightly under the table, a protective reflex. “It’s done now. He’s mine.”
Felix squeezed his knee under the table. “And he’s mine.”
Changbin looked between them for a second, then broke into a grin.
“Okay. Okay, I love this for you guys. Like, this is kinda sickening but I’m also so happy for you.” He laughed and raised his glass of juice. “To soul bonds. And to finally getting some peace, huh?”
Felix’s chest warmed. He clinked glasses with a soft laugh. Hyunjin did the same.
But as Felix glanced sideways at Hyunjin and saw how his Alpha was already looking at him like nothing else in the room mattered, he knew this was just the beginning of something far deeper.
The bond had only just begun. And it was already changing everything.
Two weeks had passed.
The bond had only grown deeper, stronger, more sensitive.
Felix could feel Hyunjin now, constant and quiet until it wasn’t. Until something pulled at that tether, igniting a reaction before either of them even fully understood why.
They’d gone to a casual rooftop get-together that evening.
It wasn’t anything big, just a few friends of Hyunjin, he knew from the studio or Changbin, along with a couple of other Alphas with or without their girl-or boyfriends, he’d befriended during dance projects. Jisung came too, invited last minute by someone else (Minho to be exact). They had met before once, when Hyunjin introduced Felix to his friends group.
The night was warm, the air crisp with city breeze, laughter echoing between string lights and speakers playing low korean R&B music. Felix stayed close to Hyunjin at first, one hand gently gripping the back of his shirt as they greeted people, the other on his belly.
He felt safe there. Comfortable, even with so many Alphas. But eventually, someone called Hyunjin over to look at something, leaving Felix standing by the drink table alone.
And that’s when it happened. A voice Felix hadn’t heard in a while.
Jisung approached with a bright grin, hair a little tousled, a soda in one hand, greeting everyone with his usual enthusiasm, playfully and full of energy—but then…
He stepped too close. Too close to Felix.
“Felix!” he beamed. “I almost didn’t recognize you—you’re glowing, man.” he grinned, ruffling Felix’s hair. “Look at you all glowing. Bet pregnancy hormones got you radiant or something—”
Felix laughed nervously. “Yea, pregnancy glow, I guess.”
“Seriously though, you look soft. In a good way” Jisung said as he leaned in. Too casually. Meant no harm, fingers brushing against his ear. And then his hand lingered, lightly tugging at the hood of Felix’s cardigan, unconsciously toying with the fabric near the back of his neck. Just a touch. Friendly and meaningless.
But not to Felix. His breath caught. Nody tensing before he even knew why. A strange pressure built in his chest, his fingers twitching at his sides. it was a dull pull. Like someone had yanked a string connected to his lungs. And then—Hyunjin.
Across the room, the Alpha’s entire body turned in a second.
Felix could smell it in the air before he even saw him, his alpha’s pheromones surged. Sharp and protective. The soft scent of cedarwood, bergamot and clean musk twisted suddenly into something primal. And he didn’t even turn to look – he knew Hyunjin was coming.
Because the bond was already pulling.
From across the rooftop, Hyunjin’s entire presence had shifted. He was smiling just a second ago. Now, his expression was unreadable. His alpha instincts slammed into him like a tidal wave, because he felt it too, Felix’s discomfort, his sudden spike of unease, the flicker of heat behind the skin. Hyunjin crossed the space in seconds.
Jisung blinked in confusion as Hyunjin strode in, expression still calm, but jaw tight. Hands loose at his sides, but barely.
Hyunjin didn’t say anything right away. He just stepped between them, his arm sliding around Felix’s waist with slow precision, pulling him back against his side. The scent change was immediate.
Felix exhaled, the bond anchoring him like gravity. His heart slowed. His chest no longer felt like it was being squeezed.
Jisung blinked. “Oh—hey, Hyunjin. Didn’t mean to step in or anything—just saying hi to Felix.”
“Hey,” Hyunjin said quietly, voice calm but loaded. “Don’t touch him like that.”
Jisung looked stunned. “Whoa, what? I—dude, I was just—”
“I know” Hyunjin said, his smile thin. “But you don’t get to anymore. Not like that. Not this close.” He looked at him. Not cold. Not angry. Just very, very clear. The silence was thick. He didn’t mean to react like that. Jisung and Minho were two of his closest friends after all.
Felix reached out, tugging softly at Hyunjin’s sleeve, grounding him. “It’s okay, Jinnie. He didn’t mean anything. Jisung was just being nice.”
“I know. But touch around the bond spot…” he let the words hang, his voice soft but heavy, “is a little sensitive now.”
Jisung took a small step back, holding his hands up apologetically. “Shit, I didn’t realize. Sorry, man. Sorry, Lix.”
Felix offered a soft smile, but stayed pressed against Hyunjin’s side. He didn’t want to move. Not yet. “It’s ok” he said quietly. “Just surprised me. It’s so new everything.”
Hyunjin’s hand was on his lower back now, thumb slowly brushing in soothing circles. He lowered his head, his lips brushing against Felix’s temple. “I felt it” he whispered. “The second you tensed. The bond pulled me like a rope.”
Felix’s voice shook slightly. “It’s never been that strong before.”
Hyunjin nodded, breathing him in. “Because you needed me. And I’ll always come.”
They stood like that for a moment, surrounded by music and low chatter, but wrapped in a bubble only they existed inside.
Jisung was eventually pulled away by Minho with a pout. But Felix’s heart was still racing. The bond was flaring, crawling under his skin like a warning. Not of danger, but of need. Of the instinct to be near his mate.
Hyunjin didn’t argue. He just turned slightly, eyes softer now as they locked onto Felix’s. “I felt it” he whispered against his skin. “You needed me. I felt it before I even knew why.”
Felix’s hands fisted in Hyunjin’s shirt. His breath was trembling. “Can we go home?” he whispered.
“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded. “Let’s go home.”
They said goodbye to the others. It was nice to talk and have fun with them for a few hours, but Felix was ready to relax on the couch now. The cramps in his lower stomach added to it.
Later that night, back at home, Felix curled into Hyunjin’s lap on the couch, still feeling the echoes of that strange electric flare from earlier. “I kinda felt...exposed” he said softly. “Like my skin wasn’t mine. Not in a bad way. Just…like my bond didn’t want anyone touching it.”
Hyunjin tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “It’s yours” he whispered. “Yours and mine. It knows who belongs there. That’s the whole point.”
Felix nodded. “Tonight scared me. But only for a second.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t expect it to feel so real. But it is. Isn’t it?”
Hyunjin kissed his forehead, arms strong around him. “It’s the realest thing I’ve ever felt. That’s what this bond does. It’s like…I’m tuned to you now. Every shift in your emotions is like a beacon. It just hits. Especially when someone else is close. Too close.”
Felix turned in his arms, eyes searching. “That was instinct, wasn’t it? But it didn’t feel bad.”
“It wasn’t bad” Hyunjin said. “It was protective. A trigger. And it’s gonna keep happening. I’m sorry if it’s a lot.”
Felix shook his head. “No. I want it. I want you. All of you. Even this part.”
Hyunjin’s expression broke into something soft and raw. “I love you” he said again. “Even when my instincts flare up like an idiot Alpha.”
Felix grinned. Kissed his jaw. “I love my idiot Alpha. And I love how I felt you, even before you touched me.”
They were only just beginning to understand the depth of what they were.
But they both knew now. This was real. This was forever.
“Hey Felix...” Hyunjin started, his face pressed into the Omega’s neck sheepishly.
“Hm?”
“The others were talking about you tonight..to me...”
Felix blinked, curiosity now spiked.
