Archive of Our Own

There was a thief who had caused a headache among the entire police department for the past three years.

The latest incident involved stolen artifacts from the national museum, which a wealthy politician donated. All the leads ended before the inspectors could trace down the suspect, as they returned to their office empty-handed. 

On most occasions, the senior agents got spun in a loop whenever they found a new clue about the criminal. It almost seemed like the thief knew exactly every investigative step on their whiteboard. Everything went back to square one, which brought a bad rep to the department.

For the third time that month, Keng closed the report binder with a frown. The door stayed ajar with two underlings, who first flinched, then started rubbing the back of their palms as a naturally adapted method of self-soothing. The young inspectors were fresh faces in the office, so the senior ones sent them as meat shields under Keng’s wrath, considering Keng was their team's so-called supervisor. 

His pheromone made the air inside the room more suffocating than it was earlier, and the two agents gulped, their heads pathetically sunk into their necks like a pair of cowardly turtles. Even a Beta, with the blessing of being sense-blind to their second gender’s characteristics, could still shiver upon facing the Alpha.

Keng dismissed them with a scoff. “You may leave. I will send the meeting schedule to the team in a moment.”

So, they nodded and shamefully ran out, metaphorical tails tucked between their legs.

The thief had been causing havoc for most—if not all—political parties over the past three years, yet was never seen in action. They ended up calling them the Hidden Black Hare, or HBH, as a code name, since every time an item was stolen from a known establishment associated with an important businessman or politician, a black hare sticker would be spotted—a trademark of sorts. 

Nobody knows what the thief looks like, their overall appearance, or their gender. All CCTV footage was either blurred or destroyed before the investigation teams could access it; not a single trace of DNA was found at the scenes. Worse, the motives were unclear, as the only discernible patterns in this stealer’s behavior were the victims, who were known figures with a reputation in the public eye; otherwise, nothing else was relevant. The stolen items could range from the most extravagant accessories to a sports car, a worn-out purse, a diary belonging to the minister’s second son, or an official’s wife's fancy ceramic pot. 

The team’s reports were brief and inconclusive, with no clear findings on their current progress in capturing the culprit. As a result, Keng had to draft his own report, highlighting limited achievements, to send to his superiors before the end of the week. With his current materials, he was confident those men would be giving him an earful about their team’s efficiency next week. He sent an email to all his team members with a scheduled meeting for Thursday at two o'clock, then pulled his identification card from the work device. The monitor shut down with a soft hiss. By the time he reached his apartment, it was already dark outside. 

Keng felt more agitated than usual; the moment a familiar tangy, citrus scent reached his nose, he immediately loosened his tie and opened the door, alerted. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow hid behind the door, and sharp fingers shot towards him with merciless speed. 

The Alpha dodged, skillfully spinning his body over from the choke as he attempted to land a back kick on the figure. The shadow blocked it with its arm, then hooked it over Keng’s leg to trip him, but with sheer force, Keng slammed its body against the wall instead, using his thigh.

The figure made an ‘oof’ sound from the impact, trying to regain its footing, but before it could move, a tie was already locking its wrists in place, gluing it to the wall, above its head. 

“You're late.” The figure mumbled, whatever angry remark instantly got swallowed up when he spotted Keng’s uneasy look as the man flicked the light switch. “What’s going on?”

Keng gripped his tightened wrists tighter as he pulled them towards the bedroom and locked the door.

“W-wait! What about dinner? I already warmed up–” The drag was harsh enough to break his words as the man found himself thrown across the bed. 

“Care to explain yourself?” Keng finally spoke, his gentle voice now laced with an icy tone, bringing chills down the latter’s spine. 

“About what?” Namping dared, stunned by the change of attitude, before contemplating the question. “You mean yesterday? Your little newbie, what was his name, Patji? Tried to be a little know-it-all, so I had to cut him off. He needs to learn not to follow strangers into a dark alley.” He mocked, the black silk shirt revealing itself dramatically over his shoulder like a menace. Sometimes, it entertained Namping how easily riled up his partner was. 

Keng’s nose flared at the remark. 

“You almost got caught.” He pinned him down, eyes slightly twitching at the cheeky smile Namping gave when he displayed himself. It provoked the Alpha further. He had a hunch his rut was coming close. Everything the Omega did troubled him, even the way he smelled. Namping occasionally pointed it out as being hot and bothered, and he begged to differ. “They reported to me they almost caught you on camera today.”

“So?” Namping challenged him; his psychotic smile added the fuel while his arms hooked over the warm body looming above him. “They still failed, didn’t they?”

It was no secret to everyone that Lieutenant Keng Harit Buayoi, one of the most well-known figures within the force, was recently engaged to his sweetheart of two years, an accountant of a tax firm a couple of blocks away from their shared apartment. 

What the people weren’t aware of, however, was that the said sweetheart was also the great thief who had been a headache to the Crime Suppression Division for the past three years, operating under a special nickname—he clearly didn’t create himself—the Hidden Black Hare.

“You’re the death of me, Namping,” Keng said, sighing exaggeratedly before he slumped on top of his fiancé. 

It was fair to leave another comment, but Namping knew that would be pushing extra buttons, especially with the way Keng just reacted, so he resorted to,  “Care to shower first, Inspector Keng? You reek.”

“You smell different.”

Namping pushed up with his elbow to support his upper body. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know…There’s this hint of fruit in your scent, not just the usual tangerine. Something peachy” 

Huh…, he thought, “Maybe it’s from the dress last night. I took it from a nearby shop’s dressing room when I was covering myself from the search.” 

Keng frowned again, but the Omega reached out to flatten the wrinkle lines between his brows. 

“Stop that. You’re going to be some giant raisin in a few months if you keep doing it.”

“You don’t say.” Keng scoffed, “Why do you think I’m in this position to begin with?” 

So Namping chuckled and exposed his neck. The Alpha dove instantly, nipping the smooth skin with a hungry stare.

Just for a peace of mind. 

He knew Keng needed this, since it wasn’t a complete lie that he had almost gotten himself in trouble last night. Not that Keng minded; he would go to hell and back to save Namping if that was the case, but the younger man preferred a better, much less dangerous situation for them both. 

Before Namping got himself into this situation, he was a first-year student living far from his hometown to attend a prestigious university. He worked as a caretaker for a wealthy household after classes to cover his tuition. He also took on a couple of other jobs to make ends meet, but this opportunity, which landed in his lap by chance, was his most lucrative one. They allowed him to rent one of the rooms at a reduced price and covered most of his expenses when they learned about his situation. Thus, Namping regarded the family members as generous people.

One day, the house owner requested that he take care of the two daughters of the family while he and his wife leave for a month’s business trip. Then they got killed on the journey after a conflict with their rivals, simply for attempting to expose their rivals’ deeds, and the mansion where the family resided was raided. Namping, at the time, did his best to protect the two daughters who were less than five years old, and ended up getting caught by the enemy. 

It wasn't until the police arrived that he managed to escape capture, and that was the first time he met Keng, a recruit in the police department. Keng’s team rescued him from the enemy's location, then recorded his testimony to determine the situation. However, due to the mastermind being a figure of high position, they were able to bribe the police force’s higher-ups, and the case was briefly dusted off as an unfortunate accident rather than a murder case. No news traveled, and the kind family that had given Namping a stay became a forgotten memory. 

Inexperienced yet driven by justice, a young Keng's fruitless attempts to submit the case records repeatedly returned to him, accompanied by threats from his supervisor to shut down the case. Soon after, he learned that there were much darker conflicts within the nation's governing system, particularly in terms of authority, and how powerless he felt. 

Namping, on the other hand, found out that everyone in that family was killed while he was away, including the two daughters that he tried to protect, and he was only spared because he wasn't involved with or related to the family. A sense of guilt consumed him as he believed it was partially his fault for being unable to help them; then resentment arose, and he vowed, by all means, to bring fairness to this corrupted system of justice.

He didn't care if it was the right or wrong way.

So, he reached out to young policeman Keng after the case had fallen apart, and they discussed what had happened, their thoughts on the case, and their resolutions. As a result, a partnership was established.

Knowing that they shared the same ideology, the two made a plan to 1) infiltrate the police force to keep track of the internal activities of the department, and 2) make moves that keep the corrupted men in power on edge, and stir up ruckus among them to attract public attention to their wrongdoings.

So far, Namping hadn't been caught because he had trained himself to be good at his job, but also because Keng had done everything he could to lead everyone away from the right track. And it’d been working well for the past three years.

“Ah–” The Alpha did one sharp bite near his scent gland, making the Omega shiver all over. Then he lapped it over with his tongue like a dog in heat, eyes rich with desire and wants.

“May I…?” Keng breathed; they were barely inches away. Namping didn’t respond; he reached up to kiss him instead, then embraced the impact as his lover sucked the air out of him like a man on a mission. 

It should be okay to assume that his fiancé was hot and bothered this time since he didn’t give it any other thought when he tugged Namping’s shirt. The material slid off without trouble, revealing a pale, smooth chest. His nipples weren’t hard, but he knew it wouldn’t take long for them to be. Keng leaned down to suck one, and it took the Omega all his willpower not to groan aloud. As much as he wanted to claim his stake, Namping knew not to freak out their newly moved-in neighbor. He literally just said hi to that poor Omega an hour ago. 

Instead, he shut his eyes tightly and let Keng roam across his chest in an unpredictable pattern while he unbuttoned the white shirt hovering above his stomach. Usually, whenever they needed to be relieved, either of them would ask first before they started, since Keng was too uptight to go beyond his boundary line as if he was afraid of hurting his partner, despite Namping’s assurances that he didn’t mind. But he still respected his partner’s choice at the end of the day. 

The only exception was when a heat or rut cycle occurred, which rendered them unable to give proper consent, but they would have been aware of this beforehand and could have prepared for the scenario. 

Today was different…it was like Namping had finally got on Keng’s last nerve, and something in him just snapped.

His eyes fluttered open with a breathless gasp when he found himself being pushed against the headboard, his vision fixed on his partner's hungry stare, who didn’t fail to connect their lips again. Namping felt lightheaded, and he blamed this on the intense pheromones they both released, which filled the room with scents uniquely theirs. The smell of agarwood made him dizzy, and he hooked his arms over the man’s now bared back, equaling the kiss with matching hunger. 

Their bond wasn't difficult to describe. It started as a partnership, then after a couple of close calls (although not as close as yesterday), it shifted into a situationship. A year had passed, and it had taken on a deeper meaning in their situation before Keng thought he couldn't bear to see the Omega leave him one day, and he broke their partnership by asking him out. Although their connections were wide due to their extensive experience and encounters with other people, good or bad, underground or upperworld, at the end of the day, they knew they only had each other.

Some people might think that three years is short for a relationship, but under constant life-and-death situations, they learned that some people were meant to break apart, and some were meant to stay.

Thus, time passed in a blink, and they got engaged. 

“Someone’s impatient today.” Namping gasped between the kisses, fumbling his palms over his pants’ zippers before the Alpha heedlessly kicked it off the bed. 

Keng hummed, paid him no mind since he was finally at his wits' end, and couldn't think further than stripping his lover naked. His thumbs massaged over the Omega’s nipples that were now perked up. A satisfied grin displayed as he watched Namping’s face twisted in pleasure, mouth agape. 

“Nghhh,” Namping moaned, opened his eyes to drag the older man down, then he moved his fingers impatiently towards his trousers, pushing them off with eagerness. Keng pulled the rest off with one hand, letting it join the bundle on the floor before he returned to his previous position. Namping’s expected gaze caused his throat to tighten. He swallowed hard, then took a second to absorb the image of his beautiful Omega spreading himself out on the bed. 

All for him.

Keng groaned, dragging his partner down to his hips by gripping both sides of his legs, startling him. Namping adjusted, fingers aimlessly fumbled around the bedsheets when a finger intruded his sensitive part, and he covered his mouth with the back of his palm, holding back a moan. He could see the hungry eyes of his lover gaping over the slick that pooled out from his throbbing hole, and the way it wetly dragged across the air with his two fingers.

“Phi,” Namping whined, grabbing Keng’s arm impatiently. “Hurry.”

Keng continued by thrusting his two fingers inside, keeping his Omega on edge before he scissored them, expanding the greedy hole that couldn't stop sucking his fingers inside like a vacuum. Soon after, two fingers became three, and three became four.

Namping bit his bottom lip as the pleasure stirred inside his groin. He reached down to touch his lower stomach to sense the stiff bum coming from his lover's hand, and smiled, somewhat fulfilled. 

Then, after a second of adjusting while the older man lubed himself with the slick he gathered, he obediently opened his legs wider. They shared laborious breathing when Keng hovered over him again, gave him a kiss, and the Omega gripped the Alpha’s back as the tightness, pain, and pleasure invaded all parts of his sanity, overwhelmed. 

They both groaned aloud, bodies tensed up. After a while, Keng waited for his partner to adjust and immediately called to action the second Namping gave him a nod.

“A-ah!” Namping grabbed a nearby pillow and shouted into it; despite his voice being muffled under the fabric, the sound of bodies slapping against each other at a brutal pace still echoed around the room. The mixed pheromones made his body all hot and sweaty, as he pinched the poor pillow like his life depended on it, eyes rolled at each thrust. His scream repeated into the pillow since he had no other way to express his tumored feelings. “Phi– Ah Ah–”

Keng gave him a wicked smile, shoulders lifted with pride at his Omega’s disheveled state, legs spread and toes curled as endless waves of pain and bliss rolled in. It burned a little as the stretch was still unfamiliar. No matter the amount of time they did it, Namping still had to adjust to the stretch since the Alpha was too big, but it didn't take long for the addictive pleasure to take over, and all Namping could do was lie there, taking it all in with broken, uncomprehended cries. 

Keng proceeded to ram into him with no desire to stop, watching his lover fall apart. They went on for a few minutes before Keng grabbed the pillow, yanking it out of Namping’s hold. 

“W-what–” Namping’s face contorted in pleasure as he let out a confused noise while trying to reduce his volume with breathy gasps. 

“This is your today's lesson.” Keng firmly said, flipping him over as he pulled out, and the Omega whined at the emptiness. “I know you're keeping it down because of our new neighbors. So why don't you keep yourself low without any other assistance? You know, like how you think you can get away with anything without thinking of the consequences. Without my intervention, hmm?” 

He thrust in again, leaving no space for Namping to breathe while pressing him down. The pillow he took earlier was now tugged under the Omega’s stomach as leverage. Namping tried to keep his face flattened on the bedding, but he immediately hissed when Keng grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling him up. The Omega sobbed, gritting his teeth with all his might to not scream on the spot as Keng unsparingly abused the one particular part that he was long familiar with. 

Every thrust that arrived came with a choked gasp, and the Alpha wished he could drag them both to the mirror hung inside their closet to show the younger man his debauched appearance. His thirst and desire were endless, but it was incompatible with the line of drool the Omega transferred onto the bed. If he were aware enough, Namping would have been disgusted by it, but at his current position, he was way too far up on cloud nine to notice.

Every time he embraced a wave of onslaughts from the Alpha, Namping felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt lightheaded; he felt insane. He felt like he could combust. 

He felt Keng’s hands grab onto his, dragging his upper body up as his back faced the Alpha’s body, and let out a silent wail as the Alpha thrust up, pushing him to his limit. Namping felt itchy all over from the trapped pleasure within him, and he tightened his hold on Keng’s veiny arms that were surrounding his chest, the Alpha’s palm pressing over his neck like a locked collar. The railing never halted, as his hole was penetrated through with no break. 

Namping fell back down to the bed, ass dragged back through Keng’s rough hands that were resting on both sides of his hips before they landed on his soft cheeks, spreading them apart. The Alpha marveled at the beauty beyond him with limitless thirst before he thought of something, and a daring idea crossed his mind.

Suddenly, Keng pulled out, making Namping jostle in puzzlement before he shoved right back without any warning. The sharp slap resounded, startling the Omega into an abrupt bliss, and he screamed.

The scream was so loud that he was sure not just his next-door neighbor, but the entire building could have heard him. He thought that he even blacked out slightly and saw stars. His body twitched from uncontrollable pleasure, but he couldn't recover in time when the Alpha gave him a hard smack on his ass cheek.

It first tingled, followed by numbness, and ended with an itching pain. The feelings immediately hit all of Namping's alleys.

“What did I say earlier?” Keng pulled out and slammed in again, kindness be damned. 

Namping cried, unable to keep down another scream, so he earned another smack on the other cheek. 

The torture went on for two more times before he learned to keep his lip sealed by gnawing on it, eyes closed tight as his body shook all over from the overstimulation. 

“I-I’m sorry. P-phi, please,” he choked out, when Keng flipped him back again, dragging his legs onto both sides of his shoulders before he bent him in half like a ragdoll and proceeded to fuck him senselessly.

“You're sorry.” Keng chuckled, then grunted at a sharp thrust. The impact got the Omega quiver, trembling with tears, “If an apology is enough to solve a problem, society would have advanced years ago, love.” Then he slammed in again, watching the way Namping twisted and turned under him, powerless and desperate. “Close?”

The Omega nodded eagerly, feeling himself reach to the edge— Please, just a little more. Please. He thought, inwardly begging his lover for a release. He aimlessly gripped Keng’s arms that were stationed above him as his body was pulled along the sheets.

So, without saying, Keng repeatedly pushed both of their limits in ruthless pace, letting Namping’s legs down and allowing them to hook over his waist like previously, before he dove into the Omega's bruised lips to suck the soul out of him. He mapped out every corner of Namping’s warm mouth while reaching down to stroke his cock with precise movements. The Omega’s squeals got muffled between the kisses.

His partner weakly pushed him due to the unbearable intensity, and found himself helpless, like puddling, body twitching and shivering as he admitted defeat under Keng’s embrace. The Alpha gave him one soft peck, then teased his earlobe with soft nibbles. That was the last straw for the Omega since he keened, then groaned into Keng’s shoulder as he came all over the man’s palm, some parts even spilled onto his stomach. 

Namping was completely frozen over, pupils dilated, and mouth agape with a soundless moan as he let the squelching, hardened thing tyrannically pistoled in and out of him nonstop, to the point where he blanked out, arms drafted loosely over his partner, and his eyes rolled up, staring at nothingness. A few more thrusts with a harsh grunt, and Keng spilled all over, stuffing his fucked-out Omega full of his seeds. His lower abdomen bloated up as his knot enlarged, then it locked them both in place as Namping’s stomach continued to expand slightly. 

Namping hugged him tighter, legs wrapping the other man as his body trembled from sensitivity and the overwhelming tension beneath him. Once the knot stopped getting any bigger, they both let out a sigh of relief.

Simultaneously, Keng felt extremely proud of what they had just done. This was his Omega, his beautiful, cunningly gorgeous, and sweet Omega, taking his knot so well, and only his—no one else. He wondered what kind of deeds he had completed in his past life to have such a wonderful partner in this life. Nevertheless, he had vowed to protect their bonds for the rest of his life, for as long as he still stood.

A few seconds passed, the Alpha slightly adjusted his position, then observed the way Namping spaced out, seeking grounding to compose himself after the knotting, so he leaned in for a forehead kiss as he decided they could take their time with it until the thing died down. 

“Doing okay? Did I hurt you?” Keng nudged his cheek with his nose, and Namping broke into a gentle smile, returning the same gesture, except it was towards his nose. 

“Hmm, not at all. You were amazing.” He shook his head and smiled as he rubbed Keng’s cheek gently with his thumb, then yawned, “I’m getting sleepy, though.”

“Then sleep,” Keng assured him, “We can take a quick nap. I will wake us up once it goes down.”

“Thank you, love,” Namping mumbled softly. “You can lie on me if you want. It’s not heavy.”

“Are you sure? I can readjust myself as well if that's easier.”

“No, no. It’s okay. I wanna hug you like this.”

That statement warmed him, so Keng agreed, lying on top of him while trying not to push too much weight on the Omega. It didn't take long for Namping to fall asleep, so after making sure his lover was comfortable, Keng closed his eyes. 

Strangely, that calm, peachy scent mixed with Namping’s sweet tangerine one appeared again, lulling him to his slumber.

“Phi Keng,” Namping hummed, frowning when he couldn't find the Alpha on the bed. He called out again, louder.

“Phi~.”

“Yes, baby.” Keng entered the bedroom without delay, already washed up and changed his clothes.

“You didn't wake me up.” He pouted, rubbing his eyes, “Ugh. My head's killing me. Can I have some water?”

“Sorry,” Keng said as he sat down to give Namping a gentle massage on his temples. The way the sunlight hit the back of his head made him glow, and Keng was mesmerized by the dreamy appearance of his lover.

The Omega leaned into the comfort, eyes still halfway closed. His soft cheeks puffed up between Keng’s palms. “You slept so well, so I didn't want to wake you up. It’s your day off anyway. Give me a second.” 

By the time Keng returned to the kitchen, Namping flopped back down with a sigh. He hadn't told Keng yet (let's save him from another migraine called concern), but he had been getting these migraines for the past two weeks. 

At first, he took painkillers, then kept himself hydrated, but it wasn't as effective as the Omega expected, since every day waking up, he felt more fatigued than the day before. He wasn't feeling this exhausted even when he pulled three all-nighters in his senior year for a business research article, or when he escaped from the police search back when he was fresh in the field. 

This exhaustion felt… distinct.

It was also the reason why he was almost caught last night, since dizziness surged over him, causing the Omega to stumble, nearly revealing himself from the CCTV’s blind spot when he was on the run. He dismissed it as dehydration, but perhaps it was something else.

Regardless, Namping took a shower afterwards and settled down when he found Keng heating the dinner that they were supposed to have last night.

“You're lucky I had the food net covered before you got back. Did any of them get spoiled?” 

“Thankfully, no.” Keng washed his hands after setting the plates out. “I was thinking of having to buy us breakfast earlier.” 

Namping squinted, poking his fork towards him as a harmless threat, “Thanks to someone.”

Keng just smiled knowingly, picking up his chopsticks. Then he choked violently after the first bite.

“Did you make this som tum?” 

“No? I bought it from that restaurant down the block. Why?” Keng didn't look convinced when he winced; his body shivered. So Namping forked some up to taste.

“It’s good, though? Well, I was actually curious why they didn't make it as good as before. It wasn't as sour as I remembered, so I added more lime juice yesterday.” 

“I hate to disagree with you, Namping, but it's really sour.” Keng attempted again, then set his utensils down in defeat. “Are you sure you're not sick? You said you had a headache earlier, right?”

Namping froze, blinking innocently. 

Well, he did feel unwell, but there was no fever or sore throat to pinpoint the exact cause of his illness. But now that he thought about it, the past few weeks had been undescribably tough on him. 

“Also,” Keng started, “I still can smell that peachy scent on you.” 

Now, that put both of them in a spiral, because last night, Keng had scented him for hours in their bedroom. And Namping couldn't sense his own pheromone to tell the difference. He set the fork down, rushing to the bathroom.

He recalled what had happened to him like a film reel, and a realization struck him when he remembered that his last heat had been two months ago. 

“What–” Keng stood up, worried.

“Wait!” Namping yelled across the door before he locked it, “Just wait there.” Then he pulled out three boxes from the top cabinet.

Keng paced back and forth, recalling what just happened. He had his own assumptions—hell, how could he not—then started cleaning around when he didn't find it helpful just to stand there waiting for the Omega. The water running was enough of a telling sign that Namping was okay.

After half an hour, the door creaked open. 

Keng darted towards it like a lightning bolt. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Well,” Namping exhaled, “Not particularly wrong but…” Then he nervously revealed the three pregnancy test sticks, all of which were marked with two lines. 

“Oh, baby.” Keng immediately reached him, letting the Omega hide in his warm embrace. He then scented him, exposing his soothing pheromone to calm the younger one down. They held the position for a couple of minutes; Keng swayed them side to side like a mother hen comforting her chicks before he released his grip, checking on Namping.

“What do you want to do?”

“I think,” Namping looked at him, soft and smitten as he beamed. The nervousness instantly scattered when he heard the question, “Maybe it’s time we take a break.”

The purpose of this entire partnership was to expose the corrupt authorities and carry forth those who were more qualified to take over the positions. All of the items Namping stole weren’t just random; they all contained secret information that was critical enough to destroy those individuals’ reputations. Of course, the victims never revealed what was in those items to protect themselves when they reported them to the police. Thus, the news never mentioned any details because the police still couldn’t figure out the connections between them, and Keng was always fast enough to destroy anything that could tie the clues together. 

At the end of the day, Namping would retrieve the stolen objects, sending the files through their connections to blast the news across social media with bots, untraceable accounts, and submit a copy to media outlets to stir up the controversy. Then they watched the people swallowing those men up on the news the next day. 

For the stolen items, the thief would usually carry them to various pawnshops to sell, each time wearing a fake disguise, and used the money to aid impoverished communities in different areas as an anonymous contributor. 

Now that most of the necessary flawed ones have been reported, Namping figured it was safe to lie low.

“Khun Namping, Khun Keng. Good morning.” 

Namping greeted the neighbor as Keng locked the door behind him, nodding along.

“Good morning, Khun Kim. Did you go somewhere this morning?” 

“Ah, no. I returned to my parents’ yesterday. A few minutes after we talked, actually. I’m still moving all my stuff over. I just got back here.” The Omega replied cheerfully, carrying a large box on his chest.  

“Oh…,” Namping hummed, pinching the Alpha’s elbow the second he spotted that mischievous smile. 

So he did all that last night for nothing. 

He knew Keng was drafting in his little head how he was going to tease him. Namping would deal with him later.

“Where are you guys heading to?” Oblivious to the playful eyes between the couple, Kim asked, moving closer to his own unit’s door. 

“The hospital,” Namping smiled, “Just some physical checkups.”

“I see,” Kim nodded, fascinated. He gave the other Omega an overall look and felt a slight hunch inside him that was trying to make sense of the unexplainable, glowing aura his neighbor carried. He could tell it wasn’t for any serious illness—Omega senses.

“Hope you and your husband are both well. I will see you guys around.”

“We’re still–” Namping corrected, but his Alpha snorted, intertwined their hand together.

“–Soon.” 

“Oho,” Namping’s face flushed at the comment, hitting his partner's shoulder, then he mumbled, “...all barks but no bites.” But still followed him when Keng pulled them both to leave. Keng couldn’t help but chuckle at how adorable he was while throwing a tantrum. “Have a good one, Khun Kim.”

“Thank you!” The Omega grinned, pushing the box in to stop the door from closing, “If you guys have the time, feel free to come by. I got a lot of pastries in my fridge. I’m a baker.”

“Really? Can we?” The word desserts spun in his head in a loop, and Namping looked at Keng with excitement. The Alpha just shrugged. 

Who was Keng to say no?

“Of course, please come by. I usually make a test batch every weekend. Be my guests.”

“You bet. Thanks for the offer.” 

They said farewell once again before they reached the elevator. 

“Soon, huh?” Namping pulled his partner’s arm, smirking once they entered inside. 

“What? It’s true. You don’t believe me?”

“Don’t get too cocky. We still haven’t decided on the venue yet.” The Omega laughed, pushing him over lightheartedly. 

“And you’re about to be proven wrong.” Keng finally responded as they found themselves in front of his car in the parking lot. 

“What do you mean?” Namping’s smile shifted to a confused look.

Keng soundlessly entered the driver's seat after helping the other, turning on the engine. “We are heading to the district office first.”

“You're kidding.” Namping’s eyes comically widened.

“I’m not.”

“B-but, but. Paperwork! What about our paperwork?”

“Check the compartment.”

Namping opened the compartment, and the yellow folder containing their blue books lay neatly inside. Namping could only gag in silence. 

“W-when did you–”

“Last week. I didn’t think it’d be this soon, either, but I guess there’s a reason for everything.”

“You’re crazy. Our witnesses?” 

“Called. When you were in the bathroom, they’re on their way.”

“Oh my God, you are crazy.” Namping was baffled, leaning back against the seat as Keng drove them out to the main street. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

In the end, Namping ended up carrying a marriage certificate and an ultrasound result back home that evening. 

Then, two months quickly passed. The investigation team was still inundated with the ridiculous amount of workload they received daily. The news of the Hidden Black Hare, the thief who caused a headache among the entire police department for over three years, remained a mystery. The senior agents couldn’t stand staring at the drought they called “clues” any longer, so they delayed the investigation, and the higher-ups understood and paid no heed to the case despite the threats from their bribers. 

Good news, however: Lieutenant Keng Harit Buayoi, one of the most well-known figures within the force, was set to marry his sweetheart of two years in a few weeks, and everyone in the department had been invited.