Archive of Our Own

The first time Jisung learns about secondary genders and their implication, he's twelve years old and sitting in a sex ed class in his high school in Malaysia. He's faintly aware that it might become a relevant topic for him some day, but he doubts it. Secondary gender traits are hereditary, and his family is almost fully made up of betas, like most families are.

It's a rare thing to be anything other than a beta. Statistically speaking, of the 37 people he shares a classroom with, only two or three will present as either alphas or omegas. Jisung doesn't bother listening in detail and instead chooses to scribble little figures in the margins of his notebook.

He doodles and thinks about how he'd like to have all the romantic parts about secondary genders, the mating and the deep bonds it can give people, but in the end he knows that it's mostly just biology and that he can find a soulmate without being an alpha or an omega.

The second time Jisung is confronted with secondary genders is three years later. He's fifteen, he's moved back to Seoul all on his own despite his mother's protests and he managed to snag a trainee spot at JYPE just a few short weeks ago. He has moved into the dorms, along with a few dozen other hopeful teens. Surprisingly, despite their shaky relationship, Jisung does miss his family a bit, but there is not a single night where the triumph over his achievement doesn't win over his homesickness.

It all mostly feels like a fever dream, especially when he meets Chan and Changbin, and despite being so much older, cooler and more experienced than himself, he quickly fits in with them, and the duo of hopeful musicians turns into a trio. Within just days, he finds himself spending almost all his free time with them.

Chan is focused and determined and an amazing vocalist and so incredible at producing whatever they come up with that Jisung can't help but develop a little bit of a puppy crush.

Changbin raps faster than lightning and is the social glue that keeps them together and he understands Jisung on a fundamental level. Unsurprisingly, with them spending so much time together it doesn't take long for him to figure out that Changbin is an alpha. It doesn't bother Jisung, he's very happy to just be a beta, like Chan.

He notices it's a bit unusual that their implied biological hierarchy differs so much from their actual social dynamic, Chan is very much the leader of their little group and Changbin calls him Hyung, just the same as Jisung does, and it feels natural.

In countries like Korea, Japan, China, Jisung quickly learns, social hierarchies are more important than anything else. Age before secondary gender. Often, it coincides, a lot of groups find themselves led by an older alpha, but 3RACHA is perfect the way it is, and Jisung doesn't bother thinking more about it, learning more about it.

Changbin isn't that typical of an alpha anyways. He's loud and boisterous, but never aggressive, he's strong, but even shorter than Jisung and he's not at all afraid to be girly. Changbin hangs out with so many of the female trainees, but Jisung never hears whispers of them hooking up. Despite the disproportionate amount of omegas among the girls. They all seem to like and respect Changbin, but he never acts like a stereotypical alpha, instead goofing around and doing girl group dances with them and letting them practice their makeup skills on him.

Changbin and Chan shatter most of the stereotypes about secondary genders and Jisung stops thinking about the concept almost entirely.

When he's sixteen, he meets Minho for the first time. Minho is an alpha, just like Changbin, but again so different. Minho is even less a typical alpha than Changbin. He is pretty and has a soft voice and pouty lips and big eyes and Jisung desperately wants to kiss him. He dances with unmatched energy and grace, he pours all his heart into singing. Jisung has long gotten over his little crush on Chan, and what he feels for Minho is on a whole other level. Instead of feeling a bit in awe, he feels starstruck when he looks at Minho.

But Minho is older, smarter, prettier and so far out of Jisung's league that he refuses to think about it. So he forces all those thoughts down, because Minho is an alpha who will find an omega at some point, like most alphas do, and Jisung will settle down with a pretty girl and be a father and until then, they are going to be idols and idols don't kiss boys. Especially not if they're a Beta and they want to kiss an Alpha.

So Jisung instead focuses on the upcoming survival show. He tries not to think about Minho at all. He doesn't ask if Minho even wants an omega to mate and have kids with.

It doesn't work out quite like that, because Minho loves to hang out with Jisung, and Jisung genuinely thinks Minho is funny and kind and he enjoys being around. It doesn't take long for them to become close friends.

He does kiss Saehee, one of the trainee girls Changbin hangs out with a lot, one night when they sit outside their dorm and eat ice cream. Saehee is a Beta like him. She's pretty, reddish brown hair and pouty lips and strong legs from dancing. She's half a head taller than him, and she's his noona, and she's probably going to drop out of being a trainee soon, because she feels hopeless and disillusioned after years of trainee-hood. Saehee looks at him with a gentle smile that reminds him a bit of Minho, and Jisung blurts out "Can I kiss you?"

She indulges him.

That night, he realises that he probably won't find a pretty girl to settle down with, because Saehee is objectively beautiful and really good at kissing, but when they progress to a proper make out session later that night on Saehee's bed, her two roommates out for karaoke, he feels absolutely nothing beyond a general appreciation for the way her hands in his hair feel kind of nice. He doesn't feel butterflies and if he's honest with himself, he's mostly thinking about how much more he'd prefer to kiss someone else.

"I think I'm gay", he admits in the safety of her comforting hug.

"I knew", she says and smiles gently. "I'm glad I could help you figure it out."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just be yourself, Sungie."

A month later, Saehee leaves JYPE to go to university. She says goodbye with a wide, hopeful smile and when they meet again six months later, to catch up over coffee, he gets to know her girlfriend. He's happy for her, and scared of the future.

He's still desperately not trying to think about Minho, but seeing Saehee laugh and a joke her girlfriend makes, he realises how much he wants to make Minho laugh like that. Not just as his friend, but something so much more.

When he's seventeen, Stray Kids debut. They're eight now, their debut months after they survived hell together. They're eight now, and their debut had to be pushed back because Felix, pretty freckled sunshine Felix, presented. As an omega and later than usual - normally, sixteen is considered fairly old, but seventeen or eighteen sometimes happens, Jisung learns, when Felix explains it to them.

He expects Felix to change in some way after he presents, but he doesn't really. When his first heat is over and they are sitting bundled up in blankets on their dorm floor watching a movie together, Felix confides in him.

Tells him it's not a surprise, tells him he's been basically waiting for it.

"It would have been a surprise if I turned out any other way" he admits. "My Dad is an omega. My mom is an alpha. It's a bit weird, sometimes, because like... technically my dad is my mom and my mom is my dad."

His story is fascinating to Jisung, and he listens with wide eyes as Felix talks about it. He talks about being raised with the expectation of being an omega, about the societal pressures, about the way it shapes all your experiences. Felix tells him about his fears of pregnancy, about the struggle with heat cycles and the accompanying symptoms. It's interesting to Jisung, but it's all just the interest of an outsider.

Seeing alphas and omegas exist around him, Jisung sometimes feels like he's just an observer. It doesn't play a role in his life, he's just a beta, and he's gay and he's been in love with Minho for over half a year at this point, and he knows it will lead to nothing, because Minho doesn't like him that way. Not because he's a Beta, but because he's just Jisung and Minho deserves so much better than an angry teenager with sad songs in his mind and too much anxiety in his heart.

Jisung turns eighteen half a year after their debut, and he celebrates together with Felix, because their birthdays are just a day apart. He and Felix are close, after their bonding over Felix' presentation it didn't take long for them to become close to inseparable, especially not after Felix - eyes red and face swollen from crying - admitted to his yearning for Chan late at night, when they were curled up together on Jisung's bed.

Jisung felt so understood, felt like he and Felix share a brain sometimes. Both because of his silly crush he had on Chan when he was 15, the one that made him look at a boy for the first time, and his pining for Minho.

Minho, who is so close and yet so far away, hugging Jisung and cooking for him and grounding him with gentle touches when his anxiety crawls to the surface, but never crossing the invisible wall between them Jisung desperately wishes to tear down.

So he confides back, tells Felix about Minho and they cry together and from that day on, they start calling each other twins and become even closer. That Felix is an omega and Jisung isn't doesn't matter, has never mattered, will never matter for them. They are just made to be the Sunshine Twins.

Minho grows more and more important in his life by the day, they are clinging to each other even more than he and Felix do. Despite Jisung wanting more. But he can't have Minho the way he really wants to and so he settles for the next best thing, for being Minho's best friend.

That his two best friends are an alpha and an omega is nothing more than a funny little note in Jisung's life. He notices some of their quirks typical for their secondary gender, but it's small things. Felix is a cuddler. He gives out hugs and massages and curls up and listens and smiles. He's soft and gentle and cheerful and a social butterfly. He swaddles his friends in hugs and blankets and pillows when they're sad, and pouts and hides in small spaces when he's sad.

Minho likes to be a provider. Makes sure there's food on the table and everyone sleeps enough and is always there when someone needs him. Minho is the one who climbs on the stepladder to fix the broken lamp in one of the bathrooms. Minho catches spiders in glasses and gently lets them out on the balcony. Minho shows up at the studio late at night and shoves bento boxes into their hands. Minho makes sure there's a thermos full of tea whenever someone so much as shows the first signs of a cold. Minho always walks on the side of the road when he's out with them, and when someone calls out all the ways he's caring and soft, he scoffs and brushes it off. Jisung never thinks they are that way because of their sub-genders. It's just the way they are as people.

Jisung falls in love with Minho a little bit more every day.

Jisung doesn't really think about secondary genders all that much until he's 22 and he and Minho start dating. At first, it's an unbelievable fever dream. Jisung can't believe it's really happening, not after having carried a torch for Minho for almost five years. Almost a quarter of his whole life, Jisung realises, when Minho looks him in the eyes and smiles and says "I love you".

It's not this huge, grand romantic moment he has secretly imagined, late at night when he's alone in his room.

Instead, it happens one night, where Jisung stays at the recording studio way too late pouring his soul out into lyrics, strumming on his guitar to figure out the right chords. It's yet another song about being hopelessly in love with Minho, and he's interrupted when Minho walks in with a bag in his hand. Jisung smiles, so grateful to have someone like Minho in his life. And when Minho sits with him, while he's eating the dinner Minho brought over to the company to make sure Jisung eats well, and asks what his song is about, he can't bring himself to lie anymore.

"It's about you", he admits and Minho smiles and takes his chin in his hand and kisses him and says "I love you". It's not at all some grand romantic gesture, but it's perfectly them and it's everything Jisung everything ever wanted. He still stumbles around in a dazed state of wonder for a few days.

But after the initial shock at finding his feelings reciprocated, the feelings he tried so hard so quell and ignore and avoid, wears off, being with Minho feels so easy and so perfect. Their friendship never stops, Minho is still his best friend.

Minho still makes sure Jisung eats and laughs at him while carrying spiders outside and still watches anime with him. Dating your best friend, Jisung realises, is the easiest thing you can do.

But in this relationship, his first - and hopefully last - real one, with an alpha like Minho, he still often questions himself. Wonders if things wouldn't be better if he was an omega like Felix. Especially when Minho looks at him with hungry eyes and says "I want you to be mine" and Jisung thinks about mating bites and bonds. But then again, he's also glad he's not an omega. Felix has to worry about heat cycles and getting pregnant and all that entails.

Jisung is quite happy that's not something he and Minho have to worry about. Especially not because the second they cross the barrier from friendship into relationship, they start, for a lack of a better word, fucking like rabbits, and with the frequency they're holing up in either Jisung's or Minho's room, so glad they're living in bigger flats with single rooms by now, Jisung is pretty sure if he were an omega, he'd be pregnant within the year.

The first time he sees Minho in rut, it's terrifying, but they quickly figure out ways that Jisung can help him through it. Even if Minho can't knot him, Jisung can still be there and he really enjoys it. As long as Minho is still semi-lucid, before he becomes really feral in the throes of rut, Jisung loves riding him until he feels the first signs of his knot. He loves giving head and it proves to be a great way of satiating Minho in rut. He's glad he can help his boyfriend through most of his ruts, even though it sometimes hurts to see Minho shove his knot into the stroker they make specifically for alphas without mates to simulate the feeling of knotting someone. But these feelings usually are short and fleeting, when Minho presses sweet kisses to the bite marks he's left and whispers sweet nothings into his ear and nuzzles his face into Jisung's hair.

They are good together, they are happy. Jisung is happy being a Beta and Minho is happy being with a Beta, says that he's in love with Jisung as a person and Jisung never doubts his sincerity.

But somewhere deep down, Jisung can't get rid of the what ifs in his brain. He's always been an anxious worrier, an overthinker. He didn't think about it much for the first 22 years of his life, but now the concept of secondary genders is always on his mind. But it's nothing more than thoughts he mulls over when he's lying awake late at night, Minho's steady breathing right next to him and a strong thigh thrown over his hips. He knows they're good together, and he doesn't really want anything to change between them. He is just afraid of losing Minho one day, when the need to be a father overpowers the need to be with Jisung. When being a Beta won't be good enough.

Jisung never talks about it with anyone, keeps these thoughts locked down deep within the depths of his insecurities. He loves Minho, and Minho loves him, and that is enough for both of them.

All the rest is just his anxiety rearing it's ugly head whenever he's alone for too long, or too lost in his thoughts.

Until, suddenly, it is way more than that.

He's 24 when things change.

The first thing he notices is, surprisingly, Felix' scent.

"Are you wearing a new perfume?" he asks as he climbs into the car and settles in next to Felix. A soft scent of vanilla and something else, something airy and slightly tangy hits his nose and Felix just shakes his head, looking at Jisung in confusion.

"No, I'm not wearing any," he replies, but still pulling up his shirt to sniff on it.

Jisung wrinkles his brow in confusion, but then Minho slides into the seat on his other side and smooths a hand over the crease in Jisung's forehead.

"Maybe your nose just got more sensitive, since you're around me so often" he suggests and that makes a lot of sense.

Now that they're living together, just the two of them, most of the things in their house are deliberately unscented. Since Jisung is a beta, his natural scent is a lot weaker than that of an alpha or an omega, but Minho likes being able to smell Jisung anyways, so he keeps all artificial scents away from them as much as possible.

It does sound reasonable, that Jisung's nose got used to it and he's starting to smell other people, despite his weak Beta nose. He has been getting more in tune with Minho's natural smell of oranges and sandalwood and sage lately. Maybe it was just a question of when he'd start to smell others as well. Noses can become more attuned to things if they're trained, he reasons, just like ears can.

So he smiles, happy that he can share this experience with the two people he loves most, his sunshine twin and his soulmate.

"You smell like actual sunshine", he says to Felix as he recognises the weird undercurrent as the salty smell of a sea breeze. Felix smells like vanilla and the ocean and Lily-of-the-Valley and it's such a perfect fit for the personified sunshine.

Later that day, Jisung realises that he can also smell Changbin - woody and earthy and the soft muskiness of clean linen, a strong and comforting scent that reminds Jisung of his childhood home - and a few other alphas and omegas in their staff. It's nice, he thinks to himself.

The second thing that happens is a lot less positive.

He's been feeling a bit under the weather for a few days, has been struggling with headaches and a weird feeling in his whole body. But he pushes through, like he always does, and so he's at the gym with Chan and Changbin. He's just getting ready for some bench presses, when a sudden stab hits him right in the lower abdomen.

He topples over, an involuntary whine falling from his lips. Immediately, Chan is kneeling next to him, a hand gently rubbing his shoulder.

"You okay?" he asks and Jisung thinks he's fine, actually, the pain already almost gone, when another wave hits him. He yelps and shakes his head.

"Lucky you weren't on the bench yet" Changbin quips, but when he sees Jisung's face twisted in discomfort, he immediately turns serious.

Jisung has never experienced something like that, never had pain like this - not even when he had appendicitis as a child - and he has no idea what's happening to him, but somehow, through the haze of pain and confusion, he manages to describe the feeling to Chan and Changbin.

It comes in waves, and feels like someone is stabbing his lower belly with a rusty knife. Breathing through it helps a bit, but it's torturous and Jisung wants to scream in pain and anger. He's already struggling enough with his mind failing him sometimes, his body is supposed to be present and grounding and functioning. He can't deal with his body also failing him now.

"A bit like Felix describes his heat cramps", he chokes out, looking at Chan with wide eyes because he's terrified of what is happening to him.

He doesn't quite remember how he ended up at a doctor's office, still in his gym clothes, Minho in sweatpants and an old T-Shirt sitting pressed up against him, a hand gently carding through Jisung's hair. Chan has driven him here, if Jisung remembers correctly, and Minho was already there waiting for him, and he still has terrible cramps and every new one makes him curl more into himself.

Minho doesn't say anything, doesn't try to distract him, just keeps holding him tight.

"Han Jisung?" a female voice asks and Jisung blinks through the pain of his most recent bout of cramps.

"Doctor Park will see you now."

"Come, I'll stay with you", Minho murmurs and loops his arm tight around Jisung's waist as he helps him up on his feet.

Getting himself into the room and onto the examination table proves more exhausting than anything Jisung has ever done, and he is pretty sure his physical fitness is way above average. It feels weird, like his body isn't quite his own.

Only seconds after he has laid down and Minho still standing next to him, the door opens again and a short, stout woman walks in, wrapped in a cloud of a comforting smell of roses and coffee. It's a warm and welcoming scent, definitely one of an omega.

"Hello, my name is Doctor Park. What can I do for you today?" she asks, her tone professional and calm and Jisung immediately likes her.

Minho holds his hand tight and squeezes it encouragingly.

"I was at the gym with friends, when I suddenly got these... stomach cramps. They're really bad, I never had anything like that."

The last few words he has to force out, as another wave of cramps hits him, and it feels like they're even worse than before. He clings to Minho's hand with all the power he has in his hands and in the back of his mind, he feels sorry, because it must surely hurt Minho, the way he's squeezing his fingers.

Doctor Park raises one eyebrow and her gaze switches between him and Minho.

"Jisung-ssi, any chance you're pregnant?"

Minho blushes furiously and Jisung can only bellow out a hoarse laugh. What an absurd question. Maybe he has accidentally ticked the wrong box at the intake form?

"Nope. Zero, I'm a beta."

Doctor Park only hums quietly and starts prodding at his stomach and sides, asking questions about the placement and intensity of the cramps. It's torturous, her touches frequently eliciting pained gasps from Jisung and Minho turns increasingly agitated, but luckily, it only takes a few minutes.

Doctor Park lets out a deep sigh.

"Okay, I am pretty sure it's not an appendicitis, but... just to be sure, we're going to run a few tests. Ultrasound, blood tests, urine sample, the usual stuff."

The appointment doesn't take all that long, in the grand scheme of things, but after the ultrasound proves unhelpful and the results from the other tests will take a day to process, Jisung gets sent home with a prescription for some cramp-relieving pain killers and a strict order of rest for the remainder of the day.

Minho drives them home, wraps Jisung up in his weighted blanket and brings him a hot water bottle for the cramps. He makes tea, puts on a documentary about penguins and stays by his side for the whole rest of the day.

"I love you so much," Jisung whispers, curled up against Minho's shoulder.

Minho smiles and presses a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too, bug. And I'm sorry you're going through whatever this is... but I'm sure, it won't be a big deal."

Doctor Park calls him the next morning at 8:15.

It is a big deal, the way she sounds, asking him to come in as soon as possible. So, half an hour later, Jisung and Minho are back. Thanks to the medication, his cramps are bearable, though he can still clearly feel them, but at least he can sit upright this time. Minho is holding his hand again and Jisung is infinitely grateful for the fact that his mate - his boyfriend, he reminds himself, they will never be mates, because he's a beta - is with him.

"Okay, we got the results of your bloodwork in this morning, and... well."

Doctor Park looks serious, but not worried. That's a good thing, Jisung thinks to himself, but he can't suppress the anxious bouncing of his leg. Minho reaches out and squeezes his thigh gently, leaving his hand to rest on Jisung's knee.

"Is it... something bad?" he asks with a small voice and Doctor Park has an unreadable expression on her face. She looks at him with gentle eyes.

"Not per se. Say, Jisung-ssi, do you have any male omegas in your family?"

The non-sequitur catches Jisung off guard and he blinks in confusion.

"I... don't think so," he says, scrunching his forehead in deep thought. "My dad and my brother are both betas. My uncles are all betas too. I think my grandfather, maternally, was an alpha, but I don't know him. No omegas anywhere. Male or female."

Doctor Park nods and turns towards her PC, quickly typing something in presumably Jisung's file.

"Why?" Minho asks, his hand still resting on Jisung's thigh. "As far as we're all aware, Jisung's a beta."

Doctor Park nods. "As far as we know, yes. But his bloodwork showed elevated levels of several hormones typically found in male omegas close to their fertile window."

She turns back towards them and looks at Jisung gently.

"Are you absolutely sure you never showed any symptoms of presentation? It doesn't always have to be this huge, noticeable change, in some people it happens quite subtly and as late as in their early 20s."

Jisung shakes his head. He would have noticed something like that, wouldn't he?

"Any other changes?"

Jisung already shakes his head, when Minho pipes up.

"He has had a lot of headaches lately. The last... three or four weeks, I think. And he's noticed more people's smells. I thought that was just... getting used to mine. We moved in together a few months ago. But it's not just mine, it's other people's as well."

At that, Doctor Park's eyes widen a little bit, and she looks intently at Minho now.

"You're an alpha, right... I assume you two are in a relationship."

They both nod.

"Sexual in nature?"

His ears and cheeks are burning as Jisung nods. Minho is sporting a pink blush on his face.

"Are you spending your ruts together?" she asks, her fingers now basically flying over the keyboard, a determined glint in her eyes, like she's found the lead to a solution. And despite the personal nature of her questions and the way it's a bit uncomfortable to answer, Jisung feels like he can trust her.

"Yes... every single one for the last two and a half years," Jisung admits.

"Are you... engaging in behaviour that would usually be typical for alpha-omega relationships? Scenting, Nesting, Knotting... these things?"

Jisung swallows, deeply uncomfortable that these things are now on the table as a topic of conversation, but Minho is there, Minho's presence grounds him and Minho speaks carefully as he tells Doctor Park all she wants to know. Yes, he frequently scents Jisung, especially when he's anxious. Yes, they sometimes do things similar to nesting. No, he has never knotted Jisung, but they do have sex when he's in rut. No, they don't use condoms.

Luckily, she only asks a few more questions, and then leans back into her swivel chair, looking at Jisung intently.

"I am pretty sure I know what's going on. We have to run another round of blood tests, this time more detailed, now that we know what we're looking for. But... from all the symptoms and your history, I am confident to say that you're going through what we call induced presentation."

Jisung blinks. The words don't make sense to him.

"To put it simply, your body has always had the potential to present as an omega, but you don't produce the necessary hormones by yourself. That's not uncommon, a lot of betas have this condition." She looks at Jisung with gentle eyes and her scent of coffee and roses fills the air in a comforting, motherly way.

"By itself, it does nothing. But in some rare instances, environmental factors can trigger the scent glands to start hormone production. Usually, this just leads to some traits typical in omegas or alphas, but... in very rare cases, it has been observed that a full presentation, including heats or ruts and the according fertility changes and mating cycles occurs. And..."

Doctor Park reaches into a desk drawer and then slides a stack of information material across the table.

"Well, from all we can deduce from your results so far, it seems you are in fact an omega."

Jisung has never really thought that much about secondary genders, but now he's 24, sitting on the sofa in his and Minho's shared apartment, his weighted blanket wrapped around himself tight like a cocoon, and Minho is holding him, bundled up like that.

"It's okay, bug... we can get through all this. This is not going to change anything."

"That's stupid." Jisung whispers. "This is going to change everything and you know it will."

Minho sighs.

"Yeah... circumstances are going to change. But it's not going to change anything about us. I love you, because you're you. My bug. My Sungie. I never cared about gender or secondary gender. I would love you if you were a girl, an alpha, I do not care. I didn't miss anything between us."

Minho presses a gentle kiss to Jisung's nose bridge.

"We'll get used to this new normal."

And somehow, Minho calling it their new normal calms Jisung's nerves down a bit.

"Do you... wanna look through the booklet together?" Minho asks and holds out one of the brochures Doctor Park gave him earlier.

Jisung nods and loosens his blanket cocoon a little bit and leans against Minho's chest. Minho arranges some pillows around them until they're nice and cushioned from all sides and holds Jisung tight. Together, they start leafing through the info materials, trying to get a feel for what is coming.

What is coming is a lot of doctor's appointments for Jisung. Endocrinology, to make sure his hormone levels are stable. Cardiology, to monitor how his heart handles the rapid changes in his body. The most frequent are his appointments with Doctor Park, as his primary physician he sees her almost weekly, and those appointments are often quite intense as she closely monitors the changes in his body. His scent glands all over his body, that slowly start developing. His organs, that are basically rearranging themselves to make room for new ones.

Jisung still can't quite believe what is happening with him.

But he's gone half his life being absolutely sure he's a beta, and now he suddenly has to think about pregnancy and heat cycles and everything that involves. It's strange.

Minho accompanies him to every single appointment, despite the many hours of dance practise and recording he's missing. But he refuses to leave Jisung alone, instead practising late at night in their spare bedroom they've started to convert into a space for them to work in at home.

The first two months are surprisingly gentle in adjusting to his new reality.

The cramps pass after a few more days, and then Jisung feels... almost normal. He's more sensitive to smells, sometimes he feels a slight itching and a sense of pressure on his neck and wrists and in the crease of his thighs. His scent glands are growing, Doctor Park explains. No reason to worry, as long as it's not painful. He gets the first hints of his own scent, and it's a pleasant surprise when he catches a whiff of strawberry.

Minho nuzzles his face into Jisung's neck and inhales deeply and laughs.

"It suits you, bug... just as sweet as you are."

Actually, Jisung's presentation is apparently going as gently and smoothly as can be. The most notable symptom, for those first weeks, are the sudden breakouts on his skin. Nothing to worry about, according to Doctor Park, though she sends him to a dermatologist to get it checked out. Hormonal acne can leave mean scars, she says, and he'd like to avoid it.

In the end, he just gets a new skincare routine and some encouraging words.

No violent first heat so far at least. His body is still adjusting to everything.

Six weeks into the journey, Jisung and Minho come back from an ultrasound appointment with pictures in a folder.

"I can't believe your body just... did that", Minho whispers, as they're curled up on the sofa again, buried in a mound of pillows.

Jisung has basically crawled into Minho's lap, buried his face in his neck and he's deeply inhaling the comforting, familiar scent of sage and sandalwood and oranges. Now that he can smell other people, can distinguish quite well between them, Jisung absolutely loves Minho's smell. It's beautiful, it's fresh and comforting and it reminds Jisung of the hiking trips Minho loves to take him on. Jisung isn't the most outdoorsy person, but the bright smile on Minho's face when they're standing on a mountain top, wind in his hair and far removed from all their everyday craziness is worth every step up a mountain he's ever taken.

"I can't either... like... it's so weird to think about."

Jisung rests a hand on his own stomach, right below his bellybutton.

"It just... grew. A womb. Because of you."

Because that is what all the appointments have pretty much confirmed. The trigger for Jisung's presentation? The constant exposure to alpha pheromones over an extended period of time, to put it in Doctor Park's words.

Because he's always around Minho, they have had a lot of sex and Jisung loves to get creampied by his boyfriend, to put it in Jisung's own words.

"Don't say it like that" Minho says and his teeth brush over Jisung's overly sensitive scent glands. He can't stop the whine that tumbles from his lips.

Since all this started, they haven't really done more than a quick hand job here and there, and especially the last few weeks, Jisung has not at all felt the need for sex. But now?

He's hit with a heavy wave of his own scent, still so unfamiliar and strange and developing. So far, it's mostly been strawberries, but now he's smelling some form of pastries and caramel.

Minho looks at him like he's a whole bakery Minho wants to devour.

God, he wants that so bad. He basically jumps Minho that evening, clawing at his clothes and begging him to bend him over the sofa and fuck him.

From there, things progress surprisingly normal. Minho and Jisung have more sex again, Jisung goes back to work like before everything became weird. He's starting to get used to his enhanced scent of smell. Eleven weeks after the initial diagnosis, Jisung gets prescribed hormones that are supposed to help his body adjust and regulate his presentation, so it's not going to hit him completely unprepared.

Twelve weeks into it, Jisung has another appointment with Doctor Park, Minho is with him once again, and this time, it's a lot of awkward fidgeting.

His first heat is coming closer and closer, probably within the next month, according to his carefully measured hormone levels. So he has to make a choice... Does he want to spend it with Minho?

For Jisung, at first, it's been completely unimaginable to think he wouldn't.

But Doctor Park looks a bit worried.

"Since it's Minho-ssi's influence that triggered your presentation, it's very likely that your heat will in turn trigger him going into rut."

Jisung opens his mouth, because from what little he knows about Alpha and Omega pairs, that is very normal, mating cycles often sync up, because that's just what makes the most sense, biologically.

"Which, normally, wouldn't be a problem, but since your body did not experience the usual adjustment period most omegas have and has already settled into... well, the physique of someone who's grown up as a beta, it might lead to... complications."

Minho squeezes Jisung's hand.

"What do you mean, complications?"

Doctor Park sighs and leans back into her chair, looking at them with a hint of discomfort in her face.

"Nothing... major, in the grand scheme of things."

Jisung feels very confused right now.

"Just... well, Jisung, your body likely won't be able to handle an alpha in rut trying to knot you, and I'd very much prefer not to have to deal with healing wounds on top of everything else. Omegas have... well, the tissue of male omegas is significantly more elastic than that of male betas and your slick glands are still very small. All of that is completely normal, it can take up to a year to fully develop, your body is going through a major change and the physical changes will take a lot longer than the hormonal changes. I haven't really talked to you about all those physical changes, because most are still quite far into the future, if they ever happen at all."

Now Jisung is truly reeling. Minho holds his hand tight with one arm, the other wrapped securely around Jisung's waist, his thumb gently rubbing circles into his hip.

"What... will change? Like, not in general. What kind of changes can I expect?" Jisung asks with a small voice. His strawberry and croissant scent feels cloying right now and he wants to turn it off.

Doctor Park lets out a sigh.

"It's hard to say what will happen exactly, with which symptoms and in what order. Medical research into male omegas late-presenting is sparse and there's no conclusive evidence of the order in which the bodily changes occur."

She takes a deep breath, her coffee scent turning slightly sour and Jisung wants to scream.

"Well, based on your specific history and the recent examinations, it's safe to say that your body focuses on the scent aspect first. Your scent glands and receptors are almost fully developed already and I don't expect any major changes in that regard. Your internal organs are still adjusting, but... technically, you are a fertile omega in that regard and you could become pregnant during your first heat. Which is why we also have to tackle the topic of birth control today. Your fertile window usually starts up to two weeks before your heat and it's important to keep that in mind."

Birth Control. It's still so weird to think that he has to bother with this now. That he could get pregnant and have children, with Minho.

Some part, deep inside him, rears his head and warmth floods Jisung's chest. He can imagine it, both of them older and free from the clutches of idol life, raising a small family together. Small kids, with his eyes and Minho's beautiful smile. It sounds... really nice, actually.

"That... makes sense," Jisung murmurs, and the cloying note of his scents recedes again, leaving fresh strawberries and croissants again.

There are some thoughts he has to untangle, he's never thought about children, ever, and apparently now he does, so... he should talk about it with Minho, later. The comforting sage and sandalwood and orange scent grounds him.

"But, for all that the primary aspects of omega anatomy are developing very well, you're still lagging behind in some others that are critical. In your current state, a pregnancy would almost certainly be an immense strain on your body. Both the scent glands and the milk glands in your chest have not at all started developing. And...have you noticed any slick production so far? It's usually just very small amounts outside of your heat, but you should still be able to notice it when you're sufficiently aroused."

Jisung blushes furiously, but shakes his head.

Doctor Park lets out another sigh.

"Well, I obviously cannot force you to not spend your heat together, but medically speaking, your body is not ready for an alpha in rut. It would be highly advisable to spend it either alone or with a trusted beta or omega friend."

Jisung vehemently shakes his head and clings to Minho like he's his lifeline. He's terrified of his heat and he knows that not having Minho there will be unbearable for him.

"I don't want to. I want to have Minho."

Minho, who's trying so hard to be calm and collected and stoic during this whole uncomfortable appointment, but Jisung can clearly feel his elevated heart rate and the flush on his cheeks. Minho is just as out of his depth as Jisung is, and he's just as nervous about all of this.

"Well... most rut suppressants have side effects that are too significant for this purpose, but I could prescribe you some dampeners. They won't fully suppress everything, but they do primarily remove the mental effects. Meaning, you will still have most of the bodily needs, but keep the mental clarity."

Minho, ears glowing red, nods.

"We can do that... I mean, I didn't hurt Jisungie when he helped me through my ruts earlier, so..." he drifts off. They all know that it's different. They all know that it's a whole different thing for Minho to have his mentally sound beta boyfriend, or his omega partner in the throes of heat. But they don't say it and instead, Doctor Park shifts the topic to the just slightly less awkward conversation about birth control.

She carefully explains all the different methods, but in the end, Jisung settles for the simplest option.

"I'm already taking my medication every day, what's one more pill?" he jokes and Minho chuckles.

Doctor Park nods and hands over the prescription for both a refill on his hormone supplements and stabilisers and the birth control pills. Then, he hands Minho another prescription for the rut dampeners.

"Well then, if you two have nothing else to ask, I have already taken enough of your time. We'll see each other in two weeks for your pre-heat check-up."

And with those words, Doctor Park shoos them out of her office.

On the way home, Jisung is quiet and antsy, he doesn't quite know what to say. The appointment still lingering in his head and he still wonders how his first heat with Minho will go. He's afraid of his body failing him again, it's been turning into a fairly frequent happening lately.

Minho doesn't talk either, he just stays with Jisung, quiet and solid and reliable like he always is, when he notices that Jisung is overwhelmed.

They stop by the pharmacy on the way home, and Jisung has never felt more awkward in his life handing over the prescription. At least the pharmacist manning the counter today is a familiar face, a gentle and kind elderly lady, who has known him for years at this point and who is probably more than aware of what's going on, since she has filled multiple of his hormone supplement prescriptions.

So when she sees the birth control pills listed on the slip of paper, she doesn't even blink. She just smiles, hands him the box. Luckily it's not glaringly obvious, like a lot of the omega specific products are. Since the majority of the omega population is female, a lot of the products targeting them are glaringly pink and flowery and Jisung hates it. This box is a simple grey, though, clean label and boring font.

"Make sure you take them at roughly the same time every day," the pharmacist reminds him. "It doesn't have to be exactly the same, it's no problem if it varies by a few hours, but it's easiest to just put a reminder in your phone and take them at the same time every day. That way, it becomes routine very quickly. And it's likely you will feel some side effects, especially during the first few heat cycles. Some nausea in the mornings, light headaches and changes to your skin are very normal in the beginning, but if it's severe or lasts for longer than three months, please talk to your doctor about switching to another form of birth control."

She's professional as Jisung hands over his card and shoves the cardboard box into the pocket of his coat.

"Anything else I can help you with?"

They leave the pharmacy just a few minutes later, with both his birth control and Minho's rut dampeners and a weird feeling in Jisung's stomach.

When they finally get home, Jisung just collapses onto the sofa and buries his face in the pillows.

"This is all so fucking weird"", he mumbles. He can feel the cushions dip, as Minho sits down next to him and cards his fingers through Jisung's hair.

"Yeah, it is. But it's far from the weirdest shit we went through." The firm, slow touches are grounding and Jisung feels himself calm down a bit.

"And we will get through this together. We can do this. Together."

He leans closer and presses a kiss against Jisung's temple.

"Relax for a bit, bug. I am going to make dinner."

Jisung feels the heaviness in his eyelids take hold and he lets them fall closed. Minho's finger stay in his hair for a little longer and Jisung drifts off peacefully.

Later that evening, Minho wakes him up for dinner. He has made a hearty stew, full-bodied and slightly spicy and comforting, and when he hands Jisung a large bowl and then sits down right next to him, their thighs pressing together on the sofa, Jisung feels like he's at the perfect place.

He loves Minho, and his body has decided that he loves Minho so much that he is an omega now, so they fit together even better.

"I have been thinking," Minho says, after they have finished their food in peaceful silence. "I... know you were always a bit sad that we couldn't have a true mating bond."

Minho reaches out and tangles his fingers with Jisung's, their matching bracelets clacking together as he pulls him in close.

"But... I would love to. We have all the time in the world, and I don't want us to rush into anything. But when everything has settled and we're used to this new normal.... I would really like to mate you. Full, mutual mating bond and all."

Minho's voice is soft, quiet and he is holding Jisung tight against him during all this. And Jisung... Jisung can't help himself, he feels all his walls, carefully held up through all the chaos, crumble and he starts sobbing. He buries his face in Minho's chest, and Minho just holds him close. There's no need for words right now, Minho knows this is not a rejection or anything like that. He has been through many of Jisung's breakdowns to categorise them easily at this point in time.

"It's okay, bug. Just let it all out."

When Jisung calms back down, he basically throws himself into Minho's lap and it takes all his willpower to not offer his neck up on a silver platter. Strawberries and croissants and caramel hand heavy in the air around them.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, I want that with you!"

He clings to Minho like he's drowning and Minho is the only lifeline he has.

"Shhh, calm down", Minho whispers, his lips grazing Jisung's ear. It's exhilarating, all the tiredness, the sore feeling, the exhaustion gone from his body in an instant and Jisung presses himself so close to Minho it's hard to tell where one body ends and the other starts. It's dizzyingly warm in their living room and Jisung feels his heartbeat in his ears. He needs Minho so badly right now.

"Please, want you to be my mate", Jisung rasps. It feels like his voice is breaking and he desperately craves the touch of his partner.

"I'm here," Minho purrs, his breath hot against Jisung's skin. "I will always be here. You're mine."

Jisung lets out a desperate little whimper and ruts against Minho, against the thighs clearly on display in the grey sweatpants Minho is wearing today.

"Please" he repeats like a prayer and Minho lets out a little laugh, vibrating through his whole body and making Jisung shake and shiver. Minho places his hands firmly on Jisung's hips and encourages him to move and Jisung, mind already fuzzy from the feeling of Minho so close and his dizzying smell, follows obediently.

"You're mine, and you will be my mate one day."

There's a rasp to Minho's voice, strained like he is holding himself back, and Jisung whines, a high pitched, desperate little thing that tumbles from his mouth.

Minho's teeth scrape over the scent glands on Jisung's neck, still tender and small like in an adolescent pup, but they've been growing stronger and stronger, letting his scent out more and more.

"You smell so delicious," Minho says, his lips sucking gently on the scent gland and Jisung throws his head back with an uninhibited moan.

"So incredibly sweet."

Jisung has a hard time tracking the changes to his own scent , but apparently it has been getting stronger the same way his own sense of smell has been improving.

"Wanna scent you." Minho sounds desperate and Jisung melts against his body.

"Please," he begs. "Please scent me"

They've done it often enough before he started changing, but it's something different when it happens between an alpha and an omega.

Jisung buries his face in Minho's neck, rubs his nose against the gland and breathes in the familiarity of oranges and sandalwood.

His own scent mixes with Minho's, sweetness taking over.

"You smell so delicious. I love your strawberries." Minho whispers, almost reverently. Like it is the best thing he has ever smelled. And considering how much Jisung loves sage and sandalwood and oranges, it might be.

He's rock hard in his pants, desperately rutting against Minho's thigh now and then, finally, Minho slides his hands into Jisung's pants, settling his warm hands on Jisung's ass.

"I wanna fuck you so badly," he groans, guiding Jisung's movements, encouraging him to move faster. "Get out of these clothes now."

Then, his hands are gone and Jisung lets out a pathetic little whine. He rips his shirt off, almost stumbles when he steps out of his sweatpants and boxers and socks all at once and then, completely naked and flushed, his nipples hard and his cock even harder, he throws himself back into Minho's lap. He can't stand the idea of being separated from Minho for longer than absolutely necessary. His body feels like it's burning, but in a good way, he's so eager to get fucked by his mate.

Minho's hands return to his ass, perfectly fitting themselves against the soft and perky flesh Jisung has worked hard at the gym to build up.

He clings to Minho's shoulders, grinds against him in desperate little movements.

Minho is just as hard as he is, tenting his own sweatpants and a small wet spot is visible at the head of his cock, leaking precum into the fabric. When he rubs his naked cock against Minho's clothed one, Jisung wants to scream, the fabric against his skin and the feeling of Minho's powerful thighs underneath him and his cock, so big and delicious, against him driving him slowly into insanity.

Minho dips his fingers between Jisung's cheeks, rubs a wet finger against his hole and stares at Jisung in wonder.

"When did you... get lube?" Jisung manages to ask as the easy slide of a finger against his hole makes his whole body quiver in anticipation.

"I didn't.... god, Sungie... jagiya, that's all you. That's your slick!"

Minho looks at Jisung like he's the most delicious meal he's ever seen and Jisung never wanted to be devoured so badly.

"Hold on," Minho orders, his voice gravelly and still so impossibly fond and soft for Jisung.

Jisung does as he says, clings to Minho's shoulders and wraps his legs tight around his waist and then, Minho stands up, carrying him so easily like he weighs nothing across the living room and into their shared bedroom.

Jisung expects Minho to throw him on the bed, but he's placed down gently, carefully, like he's something impossibly fragile and delicate, and if he's honest with himself, Jisung really enjoys that feeling for a moment. It's nice to feel so cared for.

But then, Minho is between his legs, his hands wrapped around Jisung's thighs and he forces them wide open.

"I'm going to devour you," he promises, a dark, predatory gaze in his eyes. "Brace yourself, because I'm going to make you come so hard you forget your own name."

And then, he dives in.

Minho buries his face between Jisung's legs, licking every millimetre of skin he can reach, kisses Jisung's thighs and his balls and his cock and his hole, he licks and bites and kisses and Jisung can only lie back and take, take, take.

"You're delicious", Minho grunts against the skin and Jisung shivers.

He takes what Minho gives him and lets him feast, and Minho lets out happy, appreciative grunts and his hips rut against the mattress beneath them and Jisung's legs tremble and would clamp shut if Minho wouldn't force them apart with his firm grip.

His nails are digging into Jisung's skin, and Jisung lets out all the noises Minho coaxes out of him as he eats him out like a starved man.

His first orgasm hits Jisung like a truck, out of nowhere and all-encompassing. His whole body arches off the bed and he lets out a desperate, drawn out moan, his neglected cock kicking and white cum spurting out and painting his stomach. He feels floaty and his head is spinning, and Minho pulls back slowly, licking his lips glistening in Jisung's slick.

"I could do this all night", Minho grins, predatory smirk pulling on his lips. "And I will do that at some point, because you taste even better than you smell. So sweet, my perfect little omega."

Jisung feels his body tremble, a burning need for Minho replacing all other thoughts in his head.

"I need you," he begs, his voice shaking and his legs trembling, clinging to Minho like he's the only thing that's keeping Jisung from drowning.

"I'm right here..."

Minho traces his fingers down Jisung's sides, down the tattooed letters running along his body down to his hips.

"And I will give you everything you want, bug."

With that, his fingers return to Jisung's hole and he pushes two in. The slide is soft and easy, no struggle at all. Jisung's slick and Minho's spit enough lubrication, but when he tries to fit in a third, Jisung can feel the familiar burn of too much too fast, and while he usually likes that feeling, right now he just wants Minho's soft possessiveness.

Luckily, Minho is always great at reading his mind, and he reaches for the well-used bottle of lube on their nightstand and slicks himself up with copious amounts.

It doesn't matter that it's not all him, Minho still slides in easily, the familiar heat and pressure of his cock in Jisung's hole addicting and heady. Jisung keens and goes boneless under his boyfriend's well practised motions. It doesn't take a lot for him to come with a whine, his cock kicking untouched against his stomach and painting the honey skin milky white. Minho follows, just moments later, filling him with warmth and it feels so good.

When they curl up together under the blanket a few minutes later, after cleaning up the biggest mess with some tissues, Jisung resting on top of Minho with his full body, Minho's strong arms wrapped tight around him and Jisung's neck buried in his throat, right against the scent gland, Jisung feels... weird.

He's satisfied and happy and he loves the feeling of Minho's cum inside him, but he feels strangely empty. But he can't find the words, can't figure out how to tell Minho.

Luckily, they've been together for years, and Minho has always been good and attuned to all that instinctual sub-gender stuff.

"You're thinking about something," he says softly, fingers caressing the nape of Jisung's head, right where an alpha would scruff an unruly omega during rut, but without any of the violence associated with that.

"I... I feel weird. Kind of empty. Not like usual after sex. More... like something's missing." Jisung's voice trembles and he hides his face in Minho's neck, terrified of being misunderstood. Terrified of Minho thinking he's not good enough for Jisung.

"Baby... that's normal... you're close to your first heat. You're an omega, you had sex with an alpha, but you didn't get a knot. Of course it feels a bit weird. Your body craves a knot, subconsciously at least."

Jisung lets out a whine and refuses to look up. His face is burning and he's sure his ears are bright red.

"Look at me, bug."

Gently, Minho peels Jisung away from his neck, and when their gazes meet, Jisung feels like a weight has been lifted from his chest and he can finally breathe again. Minho does not look angry at all. Instead, he looks like he's completely happy and content and there's a warm smile on his face, genuine adoration in his eyes.

"Don't ever feel bad about your needs, okay? They will change and I can imagine it's scary right now, but I won't judge you for anything."

Jisung swallows the lump in his throat and he can feel his eyes water. He's so incredibly grateful to have Minho, can't imagine his life without him. He wants Minho so bad.

He craves him, feels like Minho is the only one who can satisfy this burning need inside of him. That, together with the light elevated temperature, according to his doctor, are the first signs of pre-heat. He probably has about a week until his heat really hits. And his heat is likely to trigger a rut in Minho... the idea is scary. Scary, but also... something that stokes a fire in his stomach. He really wants that. Synced mating cycles, a mating bond, potentially, in the future, a child. After all the changes in his body have settled.

"I... want your knot", Jisung mumbles, his cheeks burning as he looks at Minho. "When I'm in heat."

Minho smiles, a thumb brushing over Jisung's cheek.

"I would love to... but you remember what Doctor Park said?"

Jisung pouts. He remembers, but right now he doesn't care.

"I still want you... I need you to knot me. Please... can't we... i don't know, practise?"

Minho looks at him with wide eyes, obviously surprised by Jisung's suggestion.

He feels the heat in his cheeks and fights the urge to bury his face in Minho's chest again. They have to talk about things like this, right?

"I mean... you always said your knot is... pretty big. For an alpha."

Minho flushes bright red.

The fact that he is well above average is no secret to anyone who has ever seen him in tight pants, and Jisung knows his boyfriend well enough to be intimately familiar with his dick. Including the knot. And when he was a beta, it was undeniable that he should not have that knot anywhere near his hole when Minho was deep in rut... he can't deny that he has sometimes thought about taking him. He has, alone in the shower, tried to fit four fingers in his ass and that was a stretch, but very doable, but he had neither the tools nor the flexibility to try more.

But now... Now it actually makes sense. If he wants to take Minho's knot, he has to work up to it.

"So... we should practise anyways. If not for my first heat, then for the next one." Jisung blinks at his boyfriend with a gaze that hopefully looks seductive.

"One day, I definitely want to take your knot when you're in rut, and have you breed me."

Minho is burning up and despite them both being fairly tired and exhausted, Jisung feels his cock twitch against his thigh where it's nestled between Minho's. Minho is definitely interested in this concept and Jisung really can't fault him for it. The idea is hot. So he smirks and continues on.

"We could get a nice knotted dildo... something small enough so I can handle it, but big enough to be a nice stretch... and you can fuck me with it. A few plugs... I have tried fingering myself recently... managed to fit four fingers just right."

Minho lets out a groan and rubs his half-hard cock against Jisung's leg.

"Baby, you're killing me... unless you're up for round two, you should stop talking."

Jisung only laughs, grinding against his boyfriend.

"Why waste this wonderful opportunity? I'm already wet and relaxed, and I'm always hungry for your cock inside me."

They don't talk about it more that night, after round two, they barely manage a perfunctory clean-up and fall asleep curled up around each other so tight it's hard to tell where Jisung's body ends and Minho's begins.

But the idea doesn't leave Jisung's mind and so, the next morning, after breakfast, he sits down with his laptop and starts doing some research. Minho had to leave early, for photo shoot, and Jisung has a few hours more until he has to be at the studio. So, he googles.

How to train yourself to take your alpha's knot proves to be a dangerous search term, because the line between helpful information about how to handle an above average knot (and Jisung has seen Minho's, he knows that it's way above average. He still remembers that awkward conversation they had about their exes, where Minho had admitted, full of shame, that he accidentally hurt his one rut partner quite badly with his knot.) and porn seems to be exceptionally blurry. But between all the porn - a lot of it he realises he's genuinely into - there are quite a few helpful tips.

Make sure you're relaxed. Finger yourself, or let your partner finger yourself, with as many fingers as you can handle. Get toys in increasing size. Try fisting, because despite a knot usually being more forgiving in terms of texture and give, the size is often quite comparable. Be slow and careful and let your body adjust.

After reading all these articles, Jisung almost forgets the time and when he gets the message that his driver is there to pick him up for his studio session with Chan and Changbin, he is still in his sweatpants and curled up on the sofa with his laptop, Doongie relaxing on his feet.

He jumps up in panic and quickly shoves wallet, keys and phone in the pockets of his sweatpants, before dashing out of the door.

Jisung is still thinking about what he has read, when he arrives at the studio, only a few minutes after their scheduled start time. He's panting from his mad dash up the stairs, and he's pretty sure he has looked better.

Changbin just looks at him with raised eyebrows across the lid of his protein shaker and Chan let's out a sigh.

"What got you so distracted this time?" Changbin asks at the same time Chan says "You look pretty messed up."

Jisung, still in thoughts, just blurts out his mind with no filter.

"Chan-hyung... how is Felix in heat?"

Chan blushes furiously and almost drops the laptop in his hands. Changbin cackles and drops onto the sofa in their studio, clearly amused by what is happening around him.

"I don't think that's an appropriate topic for conversation right now", Chan tries to shut down everything, but Jisung needs to know. It's important.

"God, stop pouting, you menace. We can talk about it later. After we've finished our goals for today."

Jisung beams. He has great hyungs. Especially Minho, of course, but Chan and Changbin never leave him down when he needs them.

Their recording session works out really well. They record some guide tracks, brainstorm some new ideas, polish up some almost finished tracks for their next comeback and when they finally call it a day - mostly because Hyunjin appears, all sweaty and wound up from dance practice to drag Changbin away to their shared apartment - Chan lets out a bone deep sigh and relaxes into his desk chair. He buries his chin and his hands in his black hoodie and looks at Jisung expectantly.

"So... Felix in heat. What do you want to know? Is it about your presentation?"

Jisung nods and for the first time since the first appointment with Dr. Park, he realizes that he is actually scared. Scared of his first heat, scared of things changing with Minho, scared of being a bad omega.

"I'm terrified" he admits, quietly with a low voice. He doesn't want to be a disappointment.

"My doctor said that..." he chokes, unable to get out the words properly.

He can hear the squeaking of Chan's chair and then feel the sofa dip, when Chan settles in next to him and wraps an arm around Jisung's shoulder. Strong, protective, comforting.

"I'm here for you, Jisung." Chan chuckles. "You're my first child, after all." They break out into laughter and suddenly, all the tension leaves Jisung's body. This is Chan. There's no one except maybe Minho he trusts more in this world than Chan. Chan is the older brother his actual brother never really was.

"I'm a bad omega. Like... physically. Too late for proper development, blah blah... the one good thing about all this was that I was supposed to be able to be a good partner for Minho during his ruts. That my body can finally handle that. But I can't and Doctor Park said we shouldn't spend his rut together and preferably not my first heat either, because that might trigger his rut and that will lead to him injuring me and also I might be infertile for the rest of my life, but like... in both ways, and it's all so fucked up."

The words spill out of him with no filter at all and only when Chan gently raises a tissue to his face and wipes away the wetness on his cheeks, Jisung realises he's crying.

Chan holds him, doesn't say anything and just lets Jisung cry until he feels like there are no tears left anymore.

"That must be a lot to deal with," Chan finally says, after Jisung has mostly calmed down. "Have you talked to Minho about any of this?"

Jisung nods. He has. They have talked. Most of this is stuff Minho is just as aware of as he himself.

"Yeah... and he says it's all fine, he will support me in any way he can. But... I need him during my heat. And I really, really want to be with him for his rut. And it's always been okay when I was still a beta, because I was always clear-headed when he was in rut, so I could make sure it's all good. But now... I don't know anything about heats, really, and the internet is only helpful to a certain degree. That's..."

"That's why you asked about Felix." Understanding is all Jisung can see on Chan's face.

"Why don't you just talk to Felix? Maybe together with Minho? I can't really help you."

"Just... whataboutiffelixreallyneedsaknot?"

"Jisung... i need you to talk while breathing and without my shoulder in your mouth."

"What... about knotting?" Jisung feels his face burn.

God, talking about sex with Chan feels a bit like talking to his dad. It's awkward and he never wants to repeat it.

But Chan just laughs.

"Sungie... I'm sure you have done more than enough research about that. You know that there's heat toys, just like there are rut toys. I'm sure you are way more familiar with knots than I am. I only know how to kind of approximate that feeling for Felix. That's something for you and Minho to decide. But... if you need those toys for your heat and his rut, that is completely fine. Even if you're a matched couple. That's literally what they are designed for."

Talking with Chan, despite not really leading to any useful results, has calmed Jisung down enough so he's in a fairly good mood when he returns home. Good enough that he has almost forgotten about his little crying fit. So when he comes home to Minho lounging on the sofa, he smiles and cuddles up to his boyfriend - and future mate - and tilts his head in confusion as Minho stares at him with worry in his face.

"Sungie... what's happened? Are you okay?"

Minho immediately appears to be worried, and Jisung smiles at him and feels his heart beat out of his chest. God, he loves Minho so so much.

"Yeah... it's okay now. I was talking to Chan and it... it was all a bit too much. But nothing specific happened."

Minho looks relieved.

"I'm so happy you have someone like Chan. Do you wanna talk about it?"

God, Jisung loves him so much. Minho has never been jealous of his bond with anyone else. Minho has never been jealous that sometimes, Jisung can't talk to him about things, all he cares is that Jisung isn't alone and stewing in his thoughts. So as long as he's talking to someone, it's good.

"I just... you know, with all the medical stuff and Doctor Park's recommendations, it sometimes feels like I'm a bad omega, and that really discouraged and triggered me. Because it's all very draining and difficult, and for a while I thought that..."

He swallows, looking Minho in the eye and climbing into his lap. Minho immediately reaches for Jisung's hips, holding him steady.

"For a while, I thought that the only silver lining about all this is that now I can be a good, real omega for you and not just a poor substitute. And that really discourages me sometimes. Because it's something I want, not just for you, but... just because I have always wanted that. I want all the typical matched couple stuff. I want synced mating cycles, I want to have you take me when you're in rut. I want your knot, and at some point your pups. Very badly, actually."

Minho's grip on his hips grows tighter, the fingers digging into the skin and Jisung feels his boyfirend's cock twitch underneath him.

"I want to be your mate at some point. With all that entails. And the fact that I can't right now really bothers me."

"Oh Sungie... jagiya, you're perfect already. I love you just the way you are. I didn't know that that's so important to you! I am sorry, bug... I want to give you everything you want."

Jisung smiles, mischievously and grinds down on Minho's slowly hardening cock barely contained in the sweatpants he's wearing.

"I... I did some research this morning. About. You know... how to get used to a bigger knot. And... I want to do that."

Minho looks at him, eyes wide, in disbelief.

"Sungie... you're already going through so much, do you really want to do this? Don't you just... want to wait? Maybe it will get better over time?"

It's a reasonable assumption.

Doctor Park has said as much. That Jisung will get looser, his body will adjust, that he will settle into being an omega. But the idea of spending even a single heat without Minho is unbearable. He desperately needs him. There's no waiting for him.

"No. I need you to be with me when I am in heat. I need you to knot me when I'm in heat. And... I want you to make me be able to do so."

Back, when they first started dating, Minho had been hesitant to sleep with Jisung. Making out, heavy petting, all of that had happened for them within the first few days of getting together. But actual sex had taken months. At the beginning, Jisung had been sceptical, had been afraid that Minho didn't like him enough.

But when he'd found out about Minho's issue with his size, Jisung had understood. The first time Minho had fucked him had been a bit painful, despite Minho being very careful and very much not in rut.

But Jisung got used to it. A lot of fingering, some toys and insane amounts of patience had helped him relax and learn to be able to take Minho's cock. Never his knot, obviously. Now, it's time to get over that last hurdle together.

Jisung reaches out to grasp Minho's hand.

"Please... I want this."

Minho closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, he gazes up at Jisung, all squirmy in his lap, with barely constrained hunger

"Sungie... I want that, too. But I really don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to be in pain. I am terrified of hurting you. It's like our first time all over, but so much worse. Back then, I could have hurt you so bad. I did hurt you back then."

Jisung laughs. Minho has never hurt him more than he asked for.

"It's not. We're older, more experienced, we know our bodies so much better. Back then, we were idiots and didn't know that there's no such thing as too much lube. And we know how to do research now. I have... looked up some tips. Fingers and Toys helped me with taking your cock, I'm sure we can do that with your knot as well."

Jisung bites his lips and pulls out his phone from his pocket. Unlocks it, opens the browser tab and hands it to Minho.

"I... added some things to the cart already. But... I trust you. Do whatever you think might work, and then we can take it one step at a time. I'm not even in preheat, we surely have some weeks."

Minho groans.

"Later tonight. Right now, I just need to get you out of these stupid clothes."

The phone is thrown onto the coffee table, followed by Jisung's sweater and his jeans and his boxers and Minho shuffles around just enough to get his cock out of his own sweats.

Jisung's slick is enough to make the desperate rutting against each other easy, just easy enough to not hurt, but the slight burn just makes it so much more intense and Jisung comes with a desperate shudder all over Minho's shirt.

They don't talk about the issue at hand any more for the next few days, until they have a free afternoon. It's not a full free day, their schedules are busy enough as is, but at least it's a free afternoon followed by a morning where they only have vocal training and a studio session. So it's been clear they are going to enjoy a date night together, but Jisung did not expect to come home to... for all intents and purposes, a nest in the living room.

Minho has piled pillows high and draped blankets over them and closed the blinds. The lights are dimmed. It's cosy, it satisfies a need Jisung wasn't even aware he had right now before he stumbled into the room.

Jisung giggles, as he sees Minho lounging around in that nest.

"Come over here," Minho demands and reaches out for Jisung.

"And leave those nasty clothes outside. No need for that in our nest, I want you naked in here."

Jisung almost stumbles over the legs of his pants and chokes on his shirt trying to get rid of them as quickly as possible, and crawls into the nest with Minho. Their naked skin feels hot against each other and Jisung shivers when Minho pulls him into his lap.

"What happened here? Why did you suddenly start nesting?"

Minho shrugs.

"I thought you might like it. Might make you nice and relaxed for the plans I have for us tonight."

Jisung's eyes widen. That does not sound like they're going to just have a cuddly movie night. But he can't complain, Minho's scent permeating the air, the whole room. There's some music playing, something soft and warm and relaxing and while cuddling up to Minho, burying his face in the warmth and enveloping scent of his boyfriend's sage and sandalwood and oranges, he spots a bottle of lube between some pillows.

"And what are those plans?" Jisung asks, even though he has quite a good idea of what is going to happen in here tonight.

"Well, I got a certain package today and I thought..."

Minho runs a hand down Jisung's body, gripping his ass and pulling him fully into his lap. Minho's cock is already half hard, as is Jisung, and just Minho's hands on his ass, a finger cheekily dipping down to probe at his hole, is enough to get Jisung fully there.

"You know... since you started presenting, you've been getting more and more sensitive. Your cute little cock is so eager to please these days, it's adorable. You couldn't even fuck anyone with it anymore, you'd come way too fast."

Jisung shudders, the words settling deep under his skin. It should be humiliating, should make him angry. But all he feels is a burning need to be touched by Minho. To be held and claimed and bred.

At the back of his head he faintly recognises these feelings as the first sign of pre-heat, but he can't be bothered to care. All he cares about right now is Minho's hands on him.

He grinds his hips against the strong, sturdy body under him, feels Minho's half hard cock twitch, and the finger slowly rubbing lazy circles over his hole, an easy glide from his slick.

"Your scent has been getting stronger... more settled."

Minho's voice is rough and Jisung feels it envelop him with warmth. It's perfect, it's comforting, it's his boyfriend. His scent fills the air with buttery croissant and fresh strawberries.

"Makes me want to eat you."

Oh, how badly Jisung wants that. Minho's scent is heady and strong and he feels the urge to tip his head back and bare his scent glands, to be scented and bitten and claimed and mated.

"Feels so good", he groans as Minho pushes two fingers into his hole with ease. His body might not be fully there, but he's been getting there. Slowly. Fingering himself in the shower last night, he'd easily managed four fingers with a bit of patience and a lot of lube. So two of Minho's are no pain at all.

"Remember when even that was a lot for you?" Minho murmurs and drags his lips over Jisung's ear. It tickles and Jisung clings to Minho's shoulders, his nails digging into the skin and leaving bright red marks.

"But now, you're nice and wet and soft... your body is begging to be bred. And I will make sure you can take my knot."

It's a promise, and Jisung immediately lets his legs fall wide open so Minho can settle between them.

His slick alone is enough for three fingers and Jisung lets out a sharp gasp as Minho curls his fingers and starts a relentless pace. With practiced ease, he turns Jisung into a whining mess, and it doesn't take long until Jisung can feel a twisting in his stomach, his cock twitching where it rests against his skin untouched and glistening with precum.

"Please", he begs. "Please, let me cum!"

Minho looks down at him, an almost predatory glint in his eyes and smirks. He speeds up a little bit more, twists his hand just right and Jisung feels himself hurling towards release and then...

Minho stops, pulls his hand back completely and swallows Jisung's desperate whines with a hungry kiss.

"Patience, baby... let your Alpha make you feel good."

"Please, please... want you to fuck me."

Jisung is already so desperate, he's not above begging.

"Please! I'll be good."

Minho's lips twist into a mean little grin.

"You will be good?"

Jisung nods so fast he almost gets dizzy.

"Well... show me how well you can handle a knot then. Then you'll get my cock as a reward."

With these words, he reaches in between the pillows of their nest and pulls something out.

Jisung's eyes widen as Minho hands him the dildo.

It's... not all that big. But it's clearly a knotting dildo, one made usually for omegas without heat partners. It's only a bit bigger than his own cock, with a modest knot that slopes out in a gentle curve. The knot is a little bit wider than Minho's cock, but Jisung is pretty sure he can take it easily. The silicone feels soft and a bit warm to the touch and glimmers in the soft light in their room, shimmery specs in swirls of green.

"Pretty..." Jisung says and Minho laughs. It's genuine, warm and bright and like he didn't expect that reaction and for a moment, all the tension between them is replaced by trust and familiarity and laughter and Jisung leans in to kiss his boyfriend.

Their lips are wet with spit, sliding against each other in an easy dance and Minho rests his hand on Jisung's waist, fitting his thumbs in the divots above his hip bones.

"That's only the first step," he murmurs, gentle voice and gentler hands.

"But if it's too much, that's totally okay. There's no pressure."

Jisung feels floaty and warm and safe and the air around them smells of buttery croissants and oranges and warm sweaters. If he'd been afraid, Minho's words and gentle reassurance would have made him relax.

But he's not afraid, he's just very, very horny and in love.

So he takes the dildo and lies back.

He grins and winks at Minho.

"Enjoy the show, babe."

Minho laughs and leans back, his eyes, wide and dark, firmly fixed on Jisung,and his mouth slightly open.

Jisung circles his rim with the tip of the dildo, slicking it up and Minho's scent flares.

"You're so pretty like this, babe."

The words, the hungry tone they're spoken in, send a heady spike of pleasure through Jisung's body.

He gently pushes the toy against his hole and it slides in easily, the size comfortable and Jisung lets out a small moan. It's good, he enjoys the feeling so much and relaxes deeper into the pillows.

"Feels good?" Minho asks, his voice hoarse.

Jisung nods and lets his eyes fall closed, focusing on the the feeling and the experience and the way he can hear Minho's heavy breathing. The air smells like Minho and him and pleasure.

"Feels really good... wish it was you, though."

Minho chuckles.

"Soon... I'm going to fuck you so well, baby."

Jisung starts a lazy rhythm, fucking himself with the dildo in shallow strokes. It slides deeper with each thrust, Minho's hungry eyes fixated on where it disappears into Jisung's hole. When he reaches the knot, the gentle slope makes it easy and he slowly pushes it in deeper, feeling the stretch and throwing his head back with a loud moan. It feels good, some deep seated part of his brain craves the feeling of fullness.

"Yeah, just like that, jagiya."

Minho's voice is shaky and when Jisung opens his eyes and looks at his boyfriend, he sees him slowly stroking his cock. Jisung shivers, desperately craving a real cock in his ass.

"Please, I need you," he whines and circles his hips, slowly working down the knot. "'S not the same like that, want your cock instead."

"Does it not feel good?" Minho teases, his lips glistening with spit and twisted into a smirk.

""s nice... but not the same."

"Poor baby... so spoiled by my cock. But if you can't show me that you can take a knot, how can I fuck you?"

Jisung shivers, his still budding omega instinct pushing to the forefront of his mind and he shuffles around until he's on his knees, face pushed into the pillows.

"Good boy, you look so pretty presenting like that... wanna claim you and knot you and breed you full of pups."

God, how badly Jisung wants just that. But to get that, he has to prove his α that he can handle it. He reaches back and grips the base of the dildo and starts moving it with more intent, faster, more powerful thrusts. Moans and whines spill from his lips, the feeling of Minho's eyes on his body feels like he's set on fire. Minho keeps talking, but his words blur together in a continuous stream of praise for Jisung, he's too lost to the feeling of the knot slowly opening him up, the slightly pronounced tip hitting his prostate on every thrust. His knees can barely hold him up, and then the knot finally slips in. The pressure against his prostate is overwhelming and the tip hits some spot deep within and Jisung feels his legs tremble and give out. He's so so close, all he needs is a tiny push...

"So good, baby, I'm so proud of you, you took that so well."

Minho is suddenly all around him, draped over his back, his lips on the scent gland behind his ear, one arm wrapped tight around Jisung's chest.

"Want me to fuck you now?"

Jisung can only nod, his voice failing him and he grinds his hips back against Minho's. His hard cock slides between Jisung's thighs, rubbing against his own, abandoned and dripping with precum, the glide wet with slick and sweat. It jostles the dildo inside him, the knot pressing harder into his prostate and Jisung comes with a tremble and a barely suppressed scream.

"Oh baby, was that too much?" Minho teases and gives the dildo another little thrust. Jisung writhes, the overstimulation straddling the border between pleasure and pain and his groan is muffled by the pillow he's now clinging to.

"I'm not even close to being done with you, my sweet little omega."

It's the first time Minho has called him that, Jisung realizes. A sound vibrates his sternum and it takes a moment for him to realize that he's purring. His scent glands feel swollen and hot and he can basically feel the slick dripping down his legs. Pre-heat symptoms, a distant part of his mind recognizes. There's really not much time left until it really kicks in, a day or two probably.

He feels strong hands on his hips and then he's manhandled on his back, still clutching the pillow to his chest. Minho towers above him, his cheeks red and his lips wet and he looks so sinful. Jisung wants nothing more than to belong to him, fully and with his body, soul and mind.

Minho pries the pillow from Jisung's hands and pushes him into the softness of their nest, on his back. Jisung's legs are spread wide and he can see his soft cock resting against his abdomen, a stark contrast to Minho's standing up an angry red and rock hard.

"I'm gonna fuck you now. Make you feel so good you'll lose your mind." Jisung knows that's not just dirty talk, knows that Minho can make him go in that hazy, fucked dumb mindset easily.

When Minho pulls the dildo out, the knot tugging against his rim before popping free, his cock twitches, slowly filling out again, and Minho laughs.

"I knew it, you're a little slut for it... that's why you want my knot so badly. You're just a knot-addicted little omega. My perfect little whore."

Jisung nods, his sight blurring with wetness clinging to his lashes.

"Yours," he chokes out and then, Minho pushes in with one hard thrust.

Jisung's body gives in easily and then Minho grips his legs, hands on his knees and pushes them up against his chest.

"Hold them there."

Obediently, Jisung grips his thighs, keeps his legs wide open.

Minho rolls his hips in practiced movements, knows exactly how to make Jisung lose his mind. Every thrust hits his prostate right on and Jisung feels so sensitive, so loose. He doesn't even try to hold back his voice, lets the sounds freely spill. Minho's breathing is heavy and sweat drips down his neck and his chest.

Jisung wants to reach out and touch him, wants to lick the sweat from Minho's chest, wants to suck on his nipples and make his boyfriend shiver in pleasure, but the need to be good, to be obedient is stronger and so he holds his legs up, even as they start to tremble and he feels his hands slipping.

His cock is fully hard again, bouncing on his stomach and when Minho reaches out to wrap his hand around him, Jisung feels tears spill from the corner of his eyes.

"Too much, please..."

Minho's grip does only get tighter and he starts jerking him off in sync to his thrusts.

"You can handle it, I know you like it."

And he's right, the idea of Minho stopping now is unbearable. Jisung's hips move, as much as they can in the position he's in, basically folded in half.

"You're so pretty when you cry on my cock. Wanna know how you look when I knot you and breed you and keep you full until it takes."

"Please, please, please!"

Jisung wants it so badly, wants to cum so badly, wants Minho to fill him up and keep him on his cock forever and fuck him until his stomach is round and swollen and pregnant.

"Please, Alpha!"

And that seems to be what tips Minho over, his movements becoming erratic and his thrusts so hard Jisung thinks for a second that Minho is just going to fuck him through their nest. But then, warmth floods him and Minho stills, his hand speeding up and with a high-pitched whine, Jisung comes for the second time that night, thin and milky liquid spilling across Minho's hand and Jisung's abdomen.

Minho gently cleans him up with a soft, damp towel and wraps him in their fluffiest blanket, puts Jisung's current favourite album on the record player and then throws the dirty pillows out of their nest, replacing them with clean ones.

"That was intense" Jisung murmurs, still feeling a bit floaty.

"Yeah... how are you feeling, bug?" Minho settles in next to Jisung and pulls him into his arms, holding him tight. The warmth of his body seeps into the blanket around him and Jisung cuddles closer.

"Good. Really good... that was a lot of fun. Really hot actually. I... I felt like a proper omega for the first time."

It's not easy to admit. He still struggles so much with - and against - his body. His scent might have settled mostly, but he's still only a rough approximation of an omega and that hurts. Knowing Minho still wants him? That helps a lot.

"I was really impressed with how easy you took that knot."

Jisung laughs. Because...

"Hyung... I could have taken that easily as a Beta. Maybe with a bit more lube and a bit more effort... but that was nothing really."

He leans in closer and lowers his voice.

"Especially not considering I've been... practising earlier. Alone. In the shower."

Minho looks at him with mild confusion on his face.

"Well... I can handle four of my fingers. And I know how big your knot is." Jisung shrugs and tries to be nonchalant about it. "So I have tried fisting myself. Didn't work out... I'm not flexible enough to get a proper angle and all. But... yeah."

His voice trails off as he feels Minho's fingers on his chin, forcing him to look up and right into his face. Minho looks ravenous.

"Bug... If you don't stop talking right now, I will throw you on the sofa and fuck you again, until you're so full of my cum you will still feel it in a week."

His voice is rough, full of barely contained want, and Jisung feels his face heat up and his stomach clench.

"Nah ah. Not tonight, I'm totally done. But... maybe the next time you can watch? Or help me?"

Jisung smirks, the conflicting emotions on Minho's face a mixture of hot and adorable, and he knows that, no matter how much he riles him up, Minho will not hurt him. Will not do something Jisung doesn't agree to.

"Can you wait until tomorrow night?" he whispers into Minho's ear, letting his lips linger longer than necessary on his skin, scraping his teeth gently over the scent gland behind his ear. Minho's sandalwood and orange hangs heavy in the air, filled with lust and love, and Jisung curls into him.

"I'm tired now... want to watch an episode of Apothecaries Diaries and then sleep?"

Minho's hand finds it's way into Jisung's hair, gently playing with the strands. He feels so safe, so cared for, so right. It's all going to be fine.

Jisung falls asleep five minutes into the episode and Minho carries him to bed.

The next day starts with a lazy morning. Jisung feels a bit sore from the last night, and his whole body aches, as does his mind. The bed is empty, Minho's half already cold, and immediately, the thought of being abandoned crosses his mind. It takes Jisung a moment to collect himself and remember that Minho would never leave him, that he's just an early riser and then the sound of the kitchen speaker and soft music hits his ears. Jisung smiles and crawls out of the bed, but immediately regrets it. His stomach is cramping, luckily not as bad as it had been a lot of the time, but enough to make his knees buckle at the attempt of standing up. He lets out a deep sigh, does some breathing exercises and after he takes his medication, it subsides a little bit. His scent glands feel itchy, especially the ones in his groin, and the idea of having to put on clothes to leave the house makes him shiver with discomfort.

He rummages through their closet until he finds an acceptably soft T-Shirt - oversized, and definitely one of Minho's - and pulls it on, the fabric barely tolerable against his skin. The, he pads out into the hallway, following the music into the kitchen, where Minho is standing and chopping vegetables.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?"

Jisung lets out an affirmative noise and wraps his hands around Minho's waist, pressing his body against Minho's back, close enough to fit together like two puzzle pieces.

"Yeah... just uncomfortable, I guess?"

The chopping stops immediately and Jisung can hear Minho put the knife down and then he turns around, grabbing Jisung's shoulders and carefully watching him.

"Because of last night?"

Worry tints Minho's voice and his face, like he's terrified of the answer, and Jisung smiles, shaking his head.

"Nah... think it's just heat symptoms? I'm not quite sure... but it sounds like what the doctor described? Itchy glands, cramps... I feel not so great."

Minho looks relieved and pulls Jisung in a tight hug.

"I already thought you'd have that soon. So I wanted to prepare some soup, make sure we have enough food ready for when your heat really hits. And we have that doctor's appointment this afternoon, to make sure you're doing okay."

Jisung nods and buries his face in Minho's neck, inhaling his scent.

"How are you feeling? Rutty?"

Minho shakes his head.

"Surprisingly, not at all... guess right now the worry for my future mate outweighs the need to fuck you full of babies."

They laugh and everything feels a little less bad for Jisung, and when Minho's hands find their way under his shirt and find him sorely lacking anything underneath, he inhales sharply and feels a tingling, needy sensation all throughout his body.

"Think we have time for a quickie before we get ready?" Jisung asks, pulling Minho closer to him, trying to grind against his thigh.

"Jagi... You know how hard it is for me to say no to you?"

"Yeah.... I don't want you to. I want you to bend me over the counter and fuck me."

"Not now! Be patient, jagi, we have a doctor's appointment at one, I have a vocal lesson at three and you have a studio session with Chan and Changbin after your appointment. Tonight, I can give you anything you want."

"Anything?"

Minho rolls his eyes, but he's smiling affectionately.

"Anything within reason, bug."

The appointment with Doctor Park is the first one Minho doesn't accompany him to. It's strange to sit in the examination room, on the padded table, and not having Minho sitting next to him. Jisung is so used to Minho's presence that sitting here alone feels somehow wrong, but he knows he has to get used to it, knows that he can't always have Minho by his side. But it still feels weird and strange and he hopes the appointment today is not going to be too taxing.

The door swings open and Doctor Park comes in, smiling gently.

"Hello Jisung, how are you feeling? Your heat is coming up? Oh, I see Minho isn't with you today?"

He shrugs.

"Minho has an important meeting, I have pre-heat symptoms and I am feeling... okay, I guess? A bit anxious, a bit nauseous, some cramps, but... it's okay overall."

Dr. Park sits down behind her PC and smiles encouragingly.

"Tell me how you've been doing the last few days?"

So he does, recounting the last days, telling her how his body has treated him. She types, nodding occasionally.

"Well, so far this all sounds really good. Have you thought about how you want to spend your heat? I recall you were very set on having Minho with you? Is that still the case?"

Jisung nods.

"That's non-negotiable for me. I need him with me if I want to not go crazy. All of this is already so weird, and he calms me down. And... I want to share this with him. It's important for me."

"Has he been taking the rut dampeners?"

Jisung nods. From the moment they got the medication, Minho has been taking them religiously.

"He's terrified of hurting me. Has been very careful with everything lately." He smiles, thinking back to all the gentle gestures Minho had given him. Jisung trusts him with his life, and he can't imagine not trusting Minho with his first heat.

"Well... I have already told you that it might not be the best idea, but if you really want to and the dampeners work at preventing a full rut for him, I cannot keep you from doing what you want. I would like to examine your body today, see how far along the pre-heat stages you are. And... well, it's not the medical standard practise, but there's some research indicating that..."

Dr. Park pauses and clears her throat.

"Medically speaking, heavy exposure to Alpha pheromones has been linked to increased hormone production for Omegas."

Jisung knows. He has done a lot of research. Has stumbled over one word multiple times, usually in a context far removed from medicine.

"You mean like... bitching?"

Dr Park strategically looks at her drawers, getting fresh gloves.

"That is considered an archaic term. But... yes."

Her voice is calm, still as gentle as always and she looks at him with a slight sparkle in her eyes. "If that is what you want to call it, by all means... cutting-edge research has been using the term pheromone-induced subgender transition. And it's not quite what is happening with you. Please put your legs up and remove your pants."

Jisung scrambles to slip off his sweatpants and boxers and places his legs in the stirrups. It's been weird the first time, but by now he is used to it.

Dr. Park lubes up the ultrasound wand and keeps speaking.

"Your bloodwork attracted a few interested colleagues. It's rare to observe pheromone-induced subgender transition, but what has been happening with you is an interesting corner case. Usually we see these transitions with alphas, who developmentally are very close to omegas. Most of these subgender-specific traits develop the same until presentation age and only the production of hormones stimulates them to develop in one direction or the other. But with you..."

Jisung barely registers her movements between his legs, her gentle prodding and touching, too focused on the explanation she provides. He desperately wants some clarity on what has been happening to his body.

"With you, we have an exceedingly rare case of pheromone-induced transition on a Beta. Physiologically speaking, it should not have been possible. But as I told you in your first appointment, you had some latent, non-dominant omega genes and your subgender traits - which for betas are usually completely absent - were present. Just severely underdeveloped. That's not all that rare when it comes to scent glands, but has never been documented so thoroughly as what's happening with you. So with enough exposure to Alpha pheromones, your body started to adapt. Well, I am done... everything looks really good. Your slick production looks slightly below average for an omega of your age, but.... considering the circumstances, I am positively surprised. I can't speak for the viability, but your ovaries are healthy and the follicle looks ready. Given everything, you're likely to go into full heat in the next 24 hours, so make sure you're prepared."

Dr. Park discards the protective coating on the ultrasound wand and her gloves and hands Jisung a wad of paper towels. He cleans up and slips back into his clothes.

"So... I'm good? I can..." He doesn't quite know how to ask and Dr. Park laughs.

"Yes, Jisung... you're medically cleared to have sex with your boyfriend."

When Jisung arrives back home, Minho isn't back yet, and Jisung feels good, if a bit restless. The approximation of a nest on the living room floor isn't quite perfect, and he sighs. The living room really isn't great.

"Knothead", he mumbles as he disassembles the mountain of pillows and blankets and carries everything to their bedroom. He's humming a tune to himself while he works and when he's finally finished with the result, the sun is already setting and Jisung feels hot. His body feels like he's burning up, and since he's alone at home, Jisung decides to just get rid of his clothes. They feel wrong and constricting anyways. Naked, he crawls into his nest and closes his eyes. His heart is beating fast and he feels drops of sweat forming on his skin. In a sober corner of his mind, he realizes that those are the signs that his heat is really kicking in and his stomach is cramping even worse than in the morning, the painkillers worn off. Faintly, he hears the front door unlock, but he's too tired to get up.

"Jagi? I'm back, sorry it took so long... where are you?" Minho's voice reverberates in Jisung's body and he feels desperate for his presence. Needs his Alpha with him.

"Bedroom", he calls out, and he hates how much like begging his voice sounnds.

It only takes a moment and Minho enters the room, his hair still slightly damp and clad in sweatpants and a hoodie.

"Oh..."

He freezes in the doorway and Jisung lets out a desperate whine. He needs Minho with him, in his nest, skin on skin right this moment.

"Don't look so surprised and get in here!" He tries to sound nonchalant and demanding, but fails and instead, his words come out as a whine.

But Minho doesn't hesitate anyways, a small smile on his lips as he shrugs off his hoodie and the sweatpants and crawls into the nest. He's not naked, and that's something Jisung thinks needs to be changed immediately, but the scent of sandalwood and oranges and sage calms him down immediately and he feels so much more relaxed the moment he can bury his face in Minho's neck. He rubs his nose against the scent gland, drawing a throaty moan from Minho and then Jisung climbs into his lap.

Immediately, Minho's hands find their way to his ass, fingers digging into the soft flesh, and he encourages Jisung, lets him rub against his thigh.

"Baby, you're burning up. And so hard already... how are you feeling?"

"Need you!"

It seems to be answer enough, because Minho captures his lips in a biting kiss and guides Jisung's hips into a frantic, desperate rhythm. It doesn't take long for Jisung to fall apart under Minho's hands, grinding against his thigh and he can feel Minho's hard cock in his boxers, brushing against Jisung with every move.

"Need you to fuck me, please please please, need you in me so badly."

"Shhhh, I'm here, jagiya, you're doing so good."

Minho's fingers spread his cheeks, fingers circling his rim and Jisung can hear the sound of his slick.

"You're so wet. Poor little thing, you're burning up."

Jisung shivers. He loves it so much when Minho calls him with these pet names, loves to be called small and little and pathetic and he whines.

"My heat... need you, Alpha." He's desperate, but he knows that playing up how desperate he really is will make Minho absolutely feral and so he does just that.

"Please, put them in."

He grinds back against Minho's fingers and Minho relents immediately, slipping one finger into Jisung's waiting hole. He thrusts it lazily and Jisung doesn't know if he wants to fuck back against the finger or rub his aching, leaking cock against Minho's thigh more.

A second finger slips in and Jisung moans, high-pitched and his hands cling to Minho's shoulders for leverage.

"Hyung... feels so good", he chokes out, his cock dripping with precum and the air filled with the heavy sweet scent of his slick, the strawberries and sugar and butter mixing into a heady concoction with Minho's scent. Jisung buries his face into Minho's neck, inhaling deeply.

"My Alpha", he whines and he feels Minho's cock twitch against his leg.

"My baby", Minho replies, his voice rough and desperate. "My pretty omega, don't worry... just let yourself go, I'll be there. I'll be with you."

Jisung comes with a cry, spilling across Minho's leg, cum on his boxers and his shirt and his leg and two of his fingers still in Jisung's ass. He doesn't stop his thrusting, keeps going and tips Jisung straight into overstimulation.

"Good boy", he praises and Jisung melts into his arms, falling against Minho's broad and sturdy chest.

Minho is barely taller than him, and his shoulders aren't that much wider than Jisung's, but he still feels small as Minho holds him tight. His free hand moves from his ass up to wrap around his waist and Jisung lets himself drift away.

He barely notices when Minho slips in a third finger, he's so relaxed and loose and wet it takes no effort at all.

Minho doesn't aim for his prostate and instead gives him time to recover, avoids the overstimulation.

Now that he's surrounded by the calming scent of Minho and safe in his nest and after his orgasm, Jisung feels a lot more relaxed. The burning sensation has receded, in it's place now a comforting warmth. The cramps in his lower body have stopped as well and he tells Minho just that.

"Bug, you know what that means?"

Jisung looks up at Minho with wide eyes. At the back of his mind he's sure he knows what it means, familiar enough with his new biology. He has read all the info materials about heats multiple times. He technically knows everything there is to know. But right now, his brain feels too foggy with lust and hunger and an inexplicable craving for oranges.

"The cramping precedes ovulation", Minho recites, a smirk on his face.

"When the cramping stops, that means the egg is released and the onset of full heat happens about three to five hours later." His eyes glint with mirth and he thrusts his fingers deeper, the sound of thrusts aided by generous amounts of slick obscene in the otherwise silent room.

"Your body is ready to get bred, baby... nice and fertile and desperate for my cum."

Minho is still rock hard and Jisung can't help but reach out, pull Minho's boxers down to expose his cock, red and heavy and hard, beads of precum collecting at the tip. Jisung wraps his hand around it, marvelling at the size.

"Your cock is almost as big as the knot of the dildo you made me take yesterday", he whines. God, how much he wants that inside of him now. "I want you to fuck me. Now."

Minho laughs and suddenly his fingers are gone. Jisung whines at the loss. He needs something inside of him now. Immediately. He's going to die if he's not fucked in the next three seconds flat.

Luckily, he doesn't have to wait long, Minho just grabs him to flip him over and then Jisung finds himself on his back, Minho between his legs looking down at him with hungry eyes.

"Legs up, baby... show me that pretty hole of yours", Minho demands and Jisung complies immediately, hooking his hands underneath his thighs and pulling his legs up to his chest. He knows how much Minho loves him like this and the way his eyes widen and his nostrils shiver as he inhales prove Jisung's assumption true. Sweet strawberrys and caramelized sugar and buttery puff pastries fill the air, and Minho wraps a hand around his cock, pumping himself slowly.

"Think you're wet enough like that?"

Minho reaches out with his other hand, dragging his fingers through the mess between Jisung's legs, a mixture of cum and slick and sweat, and Jisung forgets how to breathe for a moment as Minho gathers it up and uses it to slick up his cock, moaning softly at the feeling.

God, Jisung loves him so much.

"Yes, yes, yes, please don't tease me anymore!"

He tries to wiggle his ass but it doesn't quite work out in his position. Luckily, Minho has mercy on him and when Jisung feels the blunt tip of Minho's cock press against his entrance, his eyes fall closed.

"No teasing anymore? Hm... don't feel like it."

Minho presses against him, just barely, not enough to slip inside and Jisung whines.

"Please, need you so bad!"

"Well... then I'll better give you what you need."

A gentle roll of his hips, the head slips inside and Jisung lets out a sigh. Minho snaps his hips with a powerful thrust, burying himself to the hilt and Jisung screams. It's rough, Minho's movements sharp and precise, hitting Jisung's prostate with unflinching precision, his hands falling to his sides uselessly as Jisung lets Minho set the pace. Minho grabs his legs and throws them over his shoulder, pressing gentle kisses to Jisung's knees in a stark contrast to his brutal thrusts that make Jisung slide up against the mountain of pillows stacked against the wall.

A mixture of pleasure and pain swirls in Jisung's body, his legs trembling and one slips off of Minho's shoulder.

"Kiss me", he begs and Minho smiles, eyes full of love. He leans down and Jisung submits fully to being devoured, fingers trying and failing to hold onto Minho and his breath taken away by the scent of oranges and the taste of Minho on his lips.

"You feel so good, baby."

Minho's voice is rough, broken and desperate and Jisung can only whine in response.

"Gonna cum... gonna fill you up so well."

Another thrust, straight against his prostate, hitting him so deep, so well, and Jisung thinks he can feel Minho all the way in his insides.

"Gonna breed you and plug you up and keep fucking you through your heat until it takes", Minho grunts and these words are what makes the string spun tight snap.

Jisung comes with a scream, barely anything left inside him, nothing more than a few drops spilling from his cock. Warmth floods him and Minho stills, buried deep within him, lips brushing against Jisung's in the approximation of a kiss.

They drift like that for a while, clinging to each other. The cramps are fully gone, the heat in his body replaced by a comfortable warmth. They kiss, lazily licking into each others' mouths.

When Jisung feels Minho's cock soften and slip out of his ass, he lets out a distressed sound. He feels empty and wrong already.

Minho laughs and runs a hand through Jisung's hair, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before untangling himself from their embrace. Another distressed noise, Jisung reaches out for Minho before he realizes what he's doing and then his cheeks burn and he hides his face in the pillows.

"Oh god... I'm sorry", he sighs and Minho runs a hand down his spine.

"Don't apologize, it's cute... I'll be right back, I'll just get a towel and some water and then we can clean up a bit and cuddle."

With Minho gone, the nest feels empty and Jisung feels cold settle into his bones, but before he can think about what to do, Minho is back. In one hand he holds a bundle of towels, and in the other a bottle of water.

"Drink", he says, handing Jisung the bottle and settling back down next to him. Obediently, Jisung takes a few sips, then notices how much he actually needs it and chugs half the bottle. Minho starts running the towel - warm and slightly damp - over his skin, gently cleaning away the slick from his thighs and the cum from his stomach. When he reaches Jisung's hole, he stares down in awe. Jisung can feel a few drops running down and then, Minho reaches out and collects them with his finger, pushing them back inside. Three fingers slip easily into his hole and Jisung wonders if he could go again.

"Want me to plug you up?"

Sometimes Jisung thinks Minho is a mind reader.

"Fuck... yes. Yeah, do it!"

Minho giggles and leans across the bed - nest - towards the drawer in his nightstand. He rummages around a bit and that gives Jisung plenty of opportunity to admire his boyfriend's back. Broad shoulders, well defined muscles and thick waist leading into a perfectly shaped, round butt.

They rarely do switch, but when they do, Jisung really loves to take his time. Maybe at some point during his heat he'll get to fuck Minho, he thinks, while watching the muscles move as Minho searches for his target.

When he finally turns around, he's holding a plug Jisung hasn't seen before. It must have been in the order they recently got, together with the dildo, he realizes, and then swallows.

It's big. Bigger than the knot on the dildo, bigger than Minho's cock for sure. But it looks gentle enough, smooth silicone and an elongated base that looks comfortable to wear.

"Wanna give that a try?"

Jisung nods, his throat dry. He's terrified and excited and then the remembers the size of Minho's knot and suddenly he desperately needs to show that he can take it.

Minho pops open a bottle of lube and drizzles some over the plug, spreading it and then settling in next to Jisung. He runs a hand along his body, tracing the tattoo running down his side and manhandling him into the position he wants him in. Jisung lets him do, pliant and needy and all he wants is that plug inside of him. He's on his side, knees pulled up to his chest and Minho has one arm wrapped around him, nose buried in Jisung's neck.

He traces the scent gland with his tongue, drinking up the sweat and pheromones, and Jisung feels his eyes droop.

The plug slides in easily at first, not much resistance with how fucked open he is already and the mix of Minho's cum and Jisung's slick and the lube making for an easy glide.

Minho murmurs encouraging words into his skin and Jisung pushes back and then there's a stretch that's bordering on painful and then it suddenly slips in and Jisung whines.

The plug settles between his cheeks, resting inside him heavy and full and Jisung's eyes flutter closed and he pushes back against Minho's chest.

"Feels so good... bit like a knot" he mumbles.

"But wan' the real thing."

"Soon", Minho whispers. "First, you need to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Jisung falls asleep stuffed full with cum and the feeling of a knot inside him and surrounded by Alpha pheromones.

When Jisung wakes up, it's dark outside and he feels like his body is burning. It's a disorienting feeling and he struggles to sit up. Moving shifts the plug inside of him and he lets out a broken whine.

"Hmmmm?" Minho's voice is rough and Jisung immediately reaches out in his direction, his fingers brushing over cold skin.

"Damn... you're burning up, baby."

"Feel so hot... need you."

Minho's scent floods the air around them immediately, and Jisung crawls closer, burying his face against Minho's chest and climbing into his lap. Arms move to wrap around him and Jisung purrs in content.

"Alpha feels so good", he mumbles.

"Guess your heat is really here now", Minho whispers in reply and runs his hands over Jisung's back gently.

"Don't worry, I'm here. I'll stay with you forever."

Jisung wants to rip him open and climb into Minho's chest and be one with him forever. They are perfect for each other, Minho is perfect for him, the best Alpha he could have wished for and Jisung wants to be an equally good omega for him.

"God, you're already hard again... needy baby."

Minho's hands settle on Jisung's hips and he leads him into a steady rhythm of grinding against each other. Each movement jostles the plug inside of him and Jisung clenches around it. It's a bit like a knot, but he's all to aware of Minho's cock rubbing against his own, of how it's just fake and he needs his Alpha to fuck him so badly right now.

"Fuck me, please... need it. Feels wrong like this."

Minho laughs, his voice hoarse and his chest shaking, and then the plug is tugged out.

Jisung moans at the stretch, a slight burning pain, but he's leaking slick everywhere and it's a good feeling. He needs more. Needs the feeling of Minho's cock inside him, the heat of skin on skin.

Minho's hands settle on his hips again, move Jisung around and he follows mindlessly, letting his Alpha take charge. He sinks down onto Minho with a sigh of relief and immediately starts rolling his hips at a frantic pace.

It doesn't take long for him to fall apart, and as Minho pulls him down into a frantic kiss, he loses his rhythm, to overwhelmed to move the way he really needs it. Minho shifts his hips and Jisung knows he's planting his feet on the mattress. It shifts his cock inside and he hits deeper than before and a high-pitched cry spills from Jisung's lips, just as tears roll down his cheek.

"Feels so good, Alpha... so deep."

"So pretty, my little Omega, so drunk and stupid on my cock... gonna fuck you full of pups."

When Minho comes and fills him up, Jisung shatters into pieces, clinging to him desperately. Instinctively, he angles his hips up, as Minho slides out, not wanting a single drop of cum to leak out.

"Want me to plug you back up?" Minho asks. And god, Jisung wants it so badly. Wants to stay nice and loose and pliant so Minho can fuck him at any time, whenever the heat boils over again.

"Yeah, please... want to be always ready for you", he begs.

He drifts in and out of sleep throughout the rest of the night, feeling feverish and hungry, and he wakes Minho up twice more. The first time, he begs for anything, any touch and Minho obliges with a laugh, makes Jisung ride his face and eats him out like Jisung is a five course meal. The second time, Minho throws him on his stomach and fucks him until Jisung cries and has come twice and almost passes out.

When he wakes up the next time, the sun is up and his body feels slightly less feverish and he can hear music playing in the kitchen, accompanied by the smell of breakfast wafting through the open bedroom door.

Jisung smiles and crawls out of bed, not bothering to put on clothes on his sweaty body.

Minho is dressed in boxers and a soft, worn in T-shirt, standing in the kitchen and preparing rice and eggs.

"Oh, you're awake", he says, not even looking up. Jisung smiles. Minho must have noticed him from his scent alone.

"Yeah... I feel pretty gross, I think I'm going to take a shower while I still feel somewhat like I can stand", he says.

Minho looks up, his gaze lingering on the hickeys he's left on Jisung's neck and the pink lines his fingernails have carved into his skin and the sheen of sweat.

"Or we eat now and then take a shower together?" Minho's lips twitch up into a mischievous grin and Jisung relents immediately. Showering together sounds nice. Maybe he can pay Minho back for last night... he would love to taste his cock on his tongue...

"Bug, sit down and stop thinking horny thoughts."

"You don't know what I was thinking about", Jisung protests and Minho laughs.

"I know it's been far from innocent, your eyes got all glazed and cock-dumb."

They eat together in companionable silence, in the kitchen, sitting on the kitchen counter next to each other, thighs and shoulders pressed against each other. When they're finished, Minho rinses off their dishes and Jisung watches him, watches the dexterous movements of Minho's fingers and imagines them spreading him open and taking him apart.

He's hot, it feels like the heating in their apartment is turned on and Jisung twists around to glance at the display next to the door. It's 21 degrees inside, according to it, but Jisung feels sweat collecting on his skin.

"It's coming back, isn't it?"

Minho's voice pulls him from his thoughts and Jisung wants to protest, but instead, he realises Minho is right.

"I feel like I could jump you again", Jisung admits and Minho laughs, taking both of his hands.

"Let's go take a shower, baby."

The warm water on his skin feels heavenly, washing away all the grime of last night, but Jisung whines in despair as Minho moves the washcloth between his legs, intent on washing away the cum running down his thighs. Minho freezes, looking a bit shell shocked, and Jisung blushes, his cheeks burning in embarassment.

"Oh god... I'm sorry", he whispers into the hands covering his face. Minho lets out a sigh and wraps an arm around Jisung, pulling him close and burying a face into his wet hair.

"Don't apologize... it's kind of cute how bad your breeding kink is acting up right now."

"I don't have..." Jisung starts, but cuts himself off immediately. "Okay, maybe I have a bit of a breeding kink. But I don't... ugh, it just feels wrong. I feel like I need to be filled with your cum 24/7. That's just the heat!"

Minho giggles.

"Sure, just the heat... Jagi, let me clean you up now and then you can sleep a bit more and when you need it, I can fill you back up."

"Will you knot me?"

Minho lets out a sigh.

"Please, I took that plug so well, didn't I?"

"You did, but..."

"Yeah, I know, your knot is bigger, blah blah, I don't care, I want you to knot me so badly."

Jisung buries his face into Minho's neck and starts licking over Minho's scent gland. It always makes him lose himself and go a bit feral and that's exactly what Jisung needs.

"You smell a bit rut-y", he notices, drinking the scent in greedily.

"No shit... I have my boyfriend, who I love a lot, all needy and in heat, and he's like that because of me. Of course I am close to my rut. Probably going to kick off tonight."

Minho sounds desperate, greedy, like he needs Jisung just as badly as Jisung needs him and Jisung knows he has his weakness.

"Won't your rut be a lot easier if you get to knot me?" He grazes his teeth over Minho's scent gland, miming a mating bite.

"You really want to drive me insane."

"Yeah... you're on dampeners anyway, you won't go feral... so why resist?"

Minho lets out a deep sigh, rubbing a hand across his face and then, suddenly, his arms wrap around Jisung's waist and his whole world shifts on his axis. He screams in delight as Minho throws him over his shoulder and rips open the shower door. They drip all across the floor as Minho carries him over to the bedroom and throws him down into their nest.

"You really want me to wreck you? Make sure no one else will ever touch you ever again?"he growls and Jisung nods.

"Claim me, bite me, knot me... just make me yours. Properly."

"You are such a menace", Minho growls and then he descends onto Jisung with teeth and nails. He kisses him like he wants to devour him whole, his fingernails dig into Jisung's skin as he manhandles him straight across his lap.

Jisung whines, his hard cock rubbing against Minho's thigh, trapped between them.

"You are an annoying brat and want someone to teach you some manners, right?"

The first slap is almost gentle, more sound than pain, and Jisung wiggles his ass. He can feel the slick, the water droplets on their skin. The air around them feels cool and he can see the goosebumps on his arms, where he's clinging to the bedding underneath them.

"Please, do it", he begs and Minho spanks him again. And again, and again, and again, until Jisung's ass is red and his skin is burning and he's leaking slick all over himself.

"You're so wet already", Minho states and runs a finger down, across his hole, spreading the slick over his perineum and his balls. Jisung whines, trying to grind against Minho's thigh, but the arm firmly clasped across his waist is holding him down. There's no escape right now, and Jisung wants nothing more than for Minho to flip him over and fuck him against the mattress again.

But Minho seems to have other plans. He digs the lube out from where it got lost between some pillows last night and clicks the bottle open.

"Little, needy bitch."

Jisung feels his face heat up and his stomach tingle.

"Your needy bitch", he corrects and earns himself another spank. It burns, just the right way, and then Minho pours the cold lube straight onto his hole.

"But still not quite wet enough, even though you're so insatiable."

Jisung whines, high pitched and desperate, and the feeling of the cold lube on his burning skin is almost too much to handle, almost painful, but he buries his face in the pillow and muffles his noises.

Another spank.

"Don't you dare to hide. Let me hear every single pathetic sound."

And then, Minho plunges two fingers in, aiming straight for Jisung's sweet spot, and he keens.

Jisung turns to putty under Minho's hands, revelling in the feeling of his burning skin and his desperate need to be filled and Minho fingering him open with unflinching precision.

"Will you fuck me, please?" he begs, proud of himself for forcing out a full sentence. Minho laughs and instead bullies in a fourth finger. The copious amounts of lube and slick and the overwhelming scent of oranges and sandalwood make it feel so dirty and obscene.

"No... not yet", Minho grunts and suddenly, Jisung can feel his thumb tracing his rim. He keens, desperately pushing back against it.

"Show me that you can take me, properly."

There's a hint of spiciness in Minho's scent, and Jisung realises that he's very close to his rut, the pheromones leaking into the air and Jisung feels drunk on it.

"Yes, yes, yes, please", he begs. "Wanna be a good omega for you."

"Good boy", Minho praises and pushes in. It's not bad at first, not bigger than the plug, but it just keeps going and Jisung moans. His legs tremble, his arms cling to the bedding and he is glad Minho's other arm is holding him still. He feels like he's being split apart as Minho pushes in more and more, pleasure and pain and pheromones mixing together in an addictive cocktail and Jisung feels his cock twitch and leak against Minho's thighs and then, suddenly, Minho's hand just...

Pops in.

He's fully inside, and Jisung screams as he's coming, sticky against Minho's skin.

"So good for me", Minho praises, and his voice is shaky and in awe. His cock is rock hard, pressing against Jisung's stomach.

"So good, baby, I love you so much."

Jisung doesn't know how to speak, he can barely manage to turn his head and look up and when he sees the reverent look in Minho's eyes, he smiles and lets himself be consumed by the feelings.

Minho moves slowly and gently at first, barely pulling out, just twisting gently and rubbing against Jisung's prostate with every move. Jisung whines and keens and he's dimly aware of the tears spilling from his eyes, but he tries to move back on Minho's hand, tries to get more of that incredible feeling of fullness.

"Oh baby, you're so needy... I'm sorry I didn't trust you." Minho's voice is soft, spilling praises in an endless stream.

"I should have known you'd take everything I give you, you're such a perfect omega for me."

His mind feels all floaty and fuzzy, and the praise only faintly registers with Jisung, the only thought left is the innate, bone deep need to please his Alpha. To be surrounded and filled and bred by his Alpha.

He inhales the spice-tinged scent and lets himself float.

When he comes back to earth hours later, he's feeling a little bit sore and very much proud. He's wrapped tightly in a blanket, sitting on the sofa and on the coffee table is a steaming mug of tea. Minho is in the kitchen, fully dressed in a T-Shirt and sweatpants and currently chopping a cucumber.

"That was... otherworldly." Jisung chuckles and reaches for the tea.

"Back on earth?" he asks and comes over, holding a bowl full of sliced vegetables.

"Kinda.... I'm feeling strange... like I'm burning and freezing at the same time", Jisung admits and when Minho sits down next to him and the spicy oranges and sandalwood hit his nose, Jisung immediately feels something deep within his chest claw against him, begging him to become one with his Alpha.

"Well, you went into subspace in the middle of your heat, that must fuck with your brain a bit", Minho states and places the bowl on his lap. He wraps an arm around the Jisung-Burrito and pulls him against his chest.

"Eat a bit and drink your tea... I feel like could eat you up and I don't think I can contain myself for long."

Jisung giggles and happily lets Minho feed him with a carrot stick.

They sit on the sofa for a while, until Jisung starts burning up in his blanket and instead crawls into Minho's lap. The bowl falls to the floor, empty and forgotten, and Jisung could not care less. It's not broken, and he's in Minho's lap and his Alpha smells like rut and sex and it's all he wants right now.

"Needy baby", Minho teases.

"Shall we go back to our nest... I want to finally feel you around my knot."

Jisung nods and clings to Minho, as he's carried through the apartment. This time, he's placed into their nest gently, Minho caging him in against the soft pillows and smiling down on him.

"When I heard you were presenting, I thought I was dreaming at first", he admits and he's looking positively starstruck.

Jisung reaches up and traces his scent glands with a finger, mapping out where a mating bite would fit against his neck.

"I've always wanted you to be my mate. If you'd stayed a Beta for our whole life, I would have been happy. I love what we had before. But this... this feels perfect, and like fate."

Jisung smiles.

"It really does", he admits and then, he can't help himself. He giggles.

"Maybe it is fate. Maybe this is our bodies correcting for a glitch in the matrix."

Minho laughs and then he bends down and captures Jisung's lips in a kiss. It's neither heated not hungry, just a languid, loving dance.

"Whatever it is, I'm so happy about it... I want you to mate me", Minho says after he's broken off the kiss. His breathing is heavy and the spicy oranges fill the whole room, almost drowning out Jisung's sticky, caramelised heat scent.

"Me too... I want you to bite me", Jisung admits. He's been thinking about it, and it's always been the one thing he really missed about being a Beta. That he can't have that mating bond with Minho.

"After it's over... I don't want this to happen when we're like this." Minho dusts gentle kisses all over Jisung's face.

"I want to remember the moment forever. And right now... I can only think about how good you smell."

Minho licks along his neck and Jisung lets his head fall back, giving Minho the freedom to take whatever he wants.

Minho kisses and licks every inch of his body, slowly working his way down from his neck until Jisung is begging and burning up. He needs more than this, needs Minho inside so badly.

"Please... fuck me, please... I don't need anything more... I want you so bad."

"Patience", Minho shushes him. "Let me enjoy you. You'll get my knot soon enough." He pushes Jisung's legs apart and settles in between them and then he dives in, greedily licking over his hole and drinking up the slick.

"You taste so good", he groans against his skin and Jisung trembles. Minho's tongue feels so good as he starts licking into him, but it's not enough.

He scrambles to find Minho's hand and tangles their fingers together, grinding back against the stimulation. He needs to be filled so much.

When Minho finally pulls back, Jisung looks at him in awe. His face is wet, glistening with spit and slick. Minho runs a hand through the mess between Jisung's legs and then starts stroking his own cock, red and hard and leaking and Jisung moans. It looks filthy.

Minho kneels between his legs and pushes Jisung deeper into the pillows.

"God, you taste divine... bet you will feel divine around my knot as well."

Jisung smiles and reaches up, pulling Minho's head down into a filthy kiss. Tasting his own slick on Minho's mouth feels weird and wonderful and when he feels the head of Minho's cock slip into his hole easily, he moans into his mouth.

The pace Minho sets is fast and rough and Jisung matches him with fervour, needs to be filled up so much. Wherever their bodies touch, the burning sensation on his skin subsides, replaced with a tingling need to be connected. Minho's cock fills him so well, and every thrust hits all the places that feel good and his own cock, overly sensitive and useless from coming so often already is hard and twitching against his stomach, leaking a constant stream of liquid.

"My perfect omega", Minho growls and buries his teeth in Jisung's shoulder, right next to his scent glands, just shy of a mating bite.

Jisung comes with a hoarse cry and Minho doesn't slow down, fucks him straight through it and into overstimulation and Jisung keens, clinging to Minho like a lifeline.

"Want you on all fours", Minho demands and pulls out. Jisung whines, desperate to be filled again, a pit of anxiety in his stomach threatening to take over without his Alpha's skin on his, his Alpha's cock inside of him.

But then, Minho's hands are back on him and he's flipped around, finds himself on all fours. Jisung instinctively arches his back, presenting his ass and his hole, sloppy and wet and open, to Minho.

"Fuck", is all he manages to say before his hands find Jisung's hips and he plunges back in. This way, he can reach deeper, the angle even more intense and Jisung thinks he's going to ascend.

His cock is soft between his legs, his hole is spilling slick everywhere and Jisung thinks he can feel Minho all the way in his throat.

Minho bends down, burying Jisung under his body and his moans are guttural and heavy.

"God... you feel... so good... around me", he forces out. Jisung feels the familiar beginnings of his knot forming and, for the first time since he started helping Minho through his ruts, he doesn't pull away. Instead, he pushes his hips back, slamming himself down on the cock inside him. Begging for more, crying out desperate pleas to be filled up.

With every thrust, he feels the knot pushing against his rim harder and then it finally slips in and Minho's nails dig into his hips and he feels him spill inside.

Jisung screams, but all that leaves his mouth is a broken whine as he shivers through another orgasm, dry and his cock still completely soft.

Minho carefully maneuvers them into a spooning position. It feels perfect, Jisung loves feeling full and Minho's knot fits perfectly inside him.

"So much better than the plug", he slurs and Minho's chest shakes with a laugh.

"You feel so much better than any rut toys", he agrees and pulls Jisung tight against his chest.

They fall asleep like that, and the whole next day they barely leave their nest. Minho knots Jisung three more times, and Jisung looses count how often he comes. By the time his heat breaks and Minho's rut subsides, he feels like a whole other human.

Now, they're in the bathtub together, Minho is gently running soapy hands through Jisung's hair as he washes it.

"I meant it, when I said I want to mate you", he says, tipping his head back to look Minho in the eyes.

Minho smiles down at him gently.

"Me too, baby... I want nothing more than that. You're perfect and I love you so much."

Minho reaches for the showerhead.

"Close your eyes." Jisung obeys and lets Minho rinse the shampoo from his hair.

When he's done, Jisung leans back against Minho's chest and tilts his head to the side.

"No time like the present?" he jokes and Minho laughs.

"No time like the present, if you want to."

Minho runs a finger over the wet skin.

"You smell so good." Buttery croissants, strawberries, a hint of caramel. Jisung has really come to love his scent. But for all he loves his scent, he wants to know how it would smell with that characteristic hint of Minho in it.

"I want it. Please... mate me."

Oxytocin overwrites all the pain Jisung should feel at teeth piercing his skin. But all he feels is... complete. Happy. Satiated and safe and loved.

Jisung reciprocates later that day, when they are curled up on the sofa, watching a movie and cuddling.

Three days after Minho's rut and Jisung's heat, they are sitting in Doctor Parks office once more, their fingers twisted together. Jisung is wearing a button down, and Minho a turtleneck, strategically hiding their necks from the public eye. There's no need to share it with everyone just yet.

"So... how are you feeling? Both of you."

Jisung glances at Minho, and their eyes meet. Everything feels just right.

"Good. Really good actually, I feel really good."

Dr. Park looks at them with a knowing smile.

"I see you did bond... was it during your heat?"

Jisung shakes his head.

"After."

"I wanted us both to be fully there for it", Minho adds, squeezing Jisung's hand gently.

"That's good to hear. How was your rut?"

"Very mellow, the dampeners did work well... but they make my head a bit foggy and I don't like that. Can I stop taking them?"

Jisung whips his head around. That's the first time Minho has ever mentioned any side effects and he feels bad for making him suffer through it. But Minho just brushes him off before Jisung can open his mouth.

"It's okay, they were needed for you... but." He looks back at Dr. Park. "Everything went well. He could have handled me in full rut easily."

Dr. Park sighs and stands up, gesturing to the examination table.

"Let me check you out first, Jisung. I want to see how you got through heat."

The examination is just as painless and professional as all the ones before have been, and when he's all cleaned up and re-dressed, Dr. Park sits back in her desk chair again.

"It all looks totally fine. Very average and healthy and there's pretty much no sign you were a Beta just a few weeks ago. So... I assume you can get through your next mating cycle without dampeners."

She scribbles down her signature on a new prescription.

"Jisung, you still should take the hormone stabilisers for the next few months, this is a three month pack. The supplementary hormones aren't necessary anymore."

She glances over at Minho.

"And I have one final request... your case is very interesting, and I would like to submit a paper based on it to a conference on sub-gender anomalies and transitions... It would obviously be anonymized. Would that be okay with you?"

Jisung stares at her with wide eyes. "Sure... can I maybe read it, too?"

Dr. Park laughs.

"Of course, I will send you a copy."

She slides the prescription across the table and smiles.

"Sure. Well, get out of my office now and enjoy your new bond. I will see you in three months, Jisung."

Minho holds Jisung's hand as they leave together.

Seventeen months later, Jisung sits on the sofa, his legs thrown over Minho's lap. Minho has a hand under his shirt and on Jisung's stomach. He gently caresses the small bump, the latest Bring me the Horizon album is playing on their record player, and Jisung has his reading glasses on.

Late onset, pheromone-induced sub-gender presentation in male omegas: A case study is written on the open page in the medical journal in his hands.

"I still can't believe we're actually having a baby", Minho whispers almost reverently and presses a kiss to Jisung's stomach.

"Me neither... but hey, Dr. Park probably will get another paper out of it." Jisung laughs and fondly remembers the way his doctor's eyes lit up when he showed her the positive pregnancy test earlier that day.

"And I'm so happy we're doing this together. I couldn't wish for anything better but having you by my side. I love you."

The air around them smells like orange marmalade on a fresh croissant.