Archive of Our Own

Dahyun has always been a good student. She has always valued being able to pursue an education, a career, she knew it was a privilege, and she was thankful her parents had put her in a position where she could focus solely on her studies, and could also choose what she wanted to study. She knew it was rare, to not have to work or worry about finances, and focus just on acquiring knowledge. She knew it gave her an advantage; she recognised said privilege, and hoped to make something out of it.

And she enjoyed it too.

She enjoyed gaining knowledge, learning new things she didn’t know before, encountering things she didn’t fully understand and prodding it until she did.

All her professors knew this, she was the first to raise her hand in class to ask questions, the first to knock on their offices for clarification in between assignments. She tried her best not to annoy them too much, she just had questions she knew they could provide answers to. Every single class Dahyun had taken, had ended with the professors already looking at her when they asked if anyone had questions, they knew her well by then.

But none knew her better than Im Nayeon.

Professor Im taught Inorganic Chemistry I, II, III and an experimental lab. She was one of the smartest people Dahyun had ever met; her questions were always answered directly and clearly with no preamble.

She was also possibly the most beautiful omega Dahyun had ever laid her eyes on.

The first time Dahyun took a class with her had been in the first semester. She was freshly 19, bright eyes, and shy around omegas she was attracted to. One day, midway through the semester, she mustered the courage and knocked on professor Im’s office door. 

“Come in.” The voice sounded tired, but still clear. 

Like this, up close, she was even more beautiful. Her hair had been a mess, tied up in a bun, she had taken her jacket off, and her white shirt had the sleeves rolled up and a crumpled look to it. She looked exhausted, and still…

“Sorry, professor; I was wondering if you had a moment, I have some things I’m not sure about and—” she had felt a little guilty then, showing up unannounced to ask more questions, but going direct to the source had seemed better than struggling through it all night with only the library books.

But the professor had given her a reassuring if strained smile, motioned to her chair, and listened.

She had been patient, and right away it hit Dahyun her questions were, to the woman, all banal, she wasn’t an inquisitive mind—as she would have liked to think of herself then—asking advanced questions. She was a confused young student, like millions before her.

At the end, she had sat back, returned Dahyun’s annotated book and smiled kindly. “Anything else?”

It had been her lack of socialisation she was sure; not used to being around such beautiful women, the words slipped by her lips before she could stop herself.

“Are you single?”

The professor laughed, loud and immediately, surprising Dahyun with the noise; she could see the disbelief in her eyes, to think of the audacity…

Yet that look was different, was new, compared to the way she had been looking at Dahyun so far—the way she looked at all her students. It made something click in her brain, so she puffed up her chest, trying to will the flush out of her cheeks. She must have looked ridiculous, barely five foot, pretty face, trying to seem respectable.

“Leave now, Ms Kim.”

Dahyun knew she didn't look the part of an alpha, she was short and soft-spoken and did her best not to occupy space. It didn't bother her; she had priorities that did not involve suitors or worrying about sinking her knot into anyone. Attraction was usually something she could easily ignore and smother.

Professor Im was beautiful. Dahyun could get lost just watching her during class, her cheeks, her lips, the shape of her body. But she was also an incredible woman; so intelligent it was hard to comprehend, she spoke quickly, understanding of mistakes, but never too much, she kept her students on just a tight enough leash. It became clear after a while it was the most normal thing in the world for a student to crush on her. She was often received in class with compliments, over new clothes, new hair, or just generally looking pristine. 

She never quite responded, it was clear she knew she was attractive, the compliments of snotty nosed kids who could barely comprehend the subjects she taught did nothing to her.

Dahyun wanted to be different. She wanted to be the one on Nayeon’s mind, not the opposite. She wanted to surprise her, to match her, to captivate her, and be worthy of her time.

Killing two birds with one stone, Dahyun simply lowered her head, and focused on her studies. In the first semester she got the highest grade of her class, and more than that; she was the first to lift her hand for both questions and to answer; she lingered after class to talk about whatever had just been talked, sometimes walking Nayeon to her next stop.

The professor never told her off, she answered Dahyun’s questions, curtly as she would anyone, not batting an eye in her direction twice.

But still it was clear her actions weren’t noticed only by Nayeon. Quick answers, good grades, questions no one had thought of, all that attracted the looks from her classmates.

Most just wanted help, asking Dahyun questions they were too embarrassed to ask the professor, comparing test answers, in group works most were happy to work with her. It made it easy to make friends.

Still, she wanted Nayeon to notice her, she craved validation from the older woman, craved to be seen even slightly apart from the other students.

“Sorry, professor but,” a student stuttered, hand up, looking embarrassed. “I’m still confused about the difference between ionic and covalent bonding.”

Nayeon had looked tired, her answers even more curt than usual, face set serious. Still she nodded. “Right,” then her eyes met Dahyun’s, there was a second of pause, consideration, her eyes scanning the young alpha’s face. “Kim Dahyun, could you explain the difference to the class?”  

It was an opportunity, everyone’s eyes on her, but most importantly Nayeon’s trust. The older omega hadn’t even waited for an answer, already turning her back to the class, to wipe the whiteboard. 

“Right uh,” Dahyun cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks burn from all the eyes on her, before launching on what she hoped was a decent, complete explanation, more importantly what she hoped was something that satisfied Nayeon. 

After, her colleague taking notes and nodding along, she held her breath, waiting for a correction or a compliment. But Nayeon had simply turned back around, arms crossed, and nodded. 

“Thank you, Ms Kim.” Her eyes lingered a little on the young alpha, just for a second too long, before continuing her class as usual.

But it had been enough, it fueled the fire in her. Professor Im was beautiful, smart, and Dahyun just needed one chance to prove herself worthy of her attention.

That day, after class she had lingered like she often did, but this time, she had no questions about the subject.

“Professor,” she was careful now, minding her words more than usual. “Are you okay?”

The professor had slowly been picking her things up, slower than usual, her shoulders slumped.

“Just fine, Ms Kim.” Her voice was not convincing, low and strained. It was Friday, the last class of the day for Dahyun. “How can I help you today?” She knew Nayeon had one more class to teach, her week extended a little longer.

She hesitated to answer; unsure what to say for the first time in a while. It took her long enough that finally Nayeon turned around. 

Bags under her eyes, mouth a thin line, fixing her bag on her shoulder.

“Can I buy you a coffee?"

This time she did not get a laugh as an answer, just a chuckle that seemed to edge on being a scoff, and a slow blink. “Ms Kim. It’s been a long week. How about you offer that to one of your colleagues, or someone in your age group at least?”

It was still a gentle dismissal; But Dahyun insisted. Usually she wouldn’t but the woman looked…tired, smaller even though she was taller. It tug on her heartstrings.

“Let me carry those for you then.” She reached for the couple of books still on the desk, picking them up before the omega could respond.

The professor stared, not smiling, head tilted. Then she sighed.

“Sure.”

It became a thing, every other class Dahyun would stay back, either to ask questions as usual, or to help Nayeon carry her books. Sometimes even both.

Sometimes though she just walked in silence next to the woman, carrying her books or her bag and watching. 

It wasn’t her first semester anymore; she had made friends and now existed as part of the campus, so the gossip mill had finally reached her. There was surprisingly very little about Nayeon, especially compared to other professors, but she had learned some things, including the answer to the question she had asked her months ago in her office.

Nayeon was single. Divorced. Her ex had been a History professor at the same university—long gone now—she didn't have children, she was probably the most overworked professor on campus, she was often asked to give special lectures on events but refused, and most students were terrified of her. It wasn’t uncommon for young students to develop crushes or mild infatuation towards one professor or other, but with Nayeon it was always fast fading; the woman was harsh on incompetence, had no time for banality and stupidity, and usually by the time people got their final grade, most were too busy rooting for her to be hit by a truck to remember how beautiful she looked.

Dahyun had near perfect grades, and Nayeon was always polite if brief when talking to her. She figured by now she had spent enough time obsessing with the professor that even if she suddenly failed, she wouldn’t get over her attraction to the woman.

“Do you peers not call you a teacher's pet?” Nayeon had asked one day, it was Friday and late and Dahyun was helping her with some books and papers, both walking side by side towards the omega’s office.

“Mostly they ask me to ask you things they’re too afraid to ask themselves.” Most people were nice; even if her crush was painfully obvious by now, so was Nayeon’s dismissal. She got teased sometimes, but in the harmless way it came with friendship.

“Such as?” 

She observed Nayeon for a second; beautiful round cheeks, pretty full lips, a few greys on her hair, smile lines around her mouth, light bags under her eyes, visible even through the make-up. Overworked, tense and always on guard, and yet one of the most competent professors they had.

“An extension for the triels paper.” She shrugged, it was only a couple of people who had insisted she ask, claiming Nayeon was less likely to bite her head off.

They arrived at her office, just then, with Nayeon scoffing as she opened the door. “The semester is almost at the end, if I give an extension I won’t have time to grade it.” Amongst the books Dahyun had been carrying there were a stack of papers, tests she figured, probably also ungraded. She placed them all on the desk.

“How about a day?” she really didn’t mean to insist on the subject, it didn’t really affect her and no one would blame her for not being able to get them their extension, but it felt good to be talking to Professor Im in a way that was less sterile and academic, even if she was annoyed. “Come on, I’ll even make it up to you once class is done; I’ll take you out to dinner.”

Nayeon laughed, amused, she had taken off her jacket by now, and rounded the desk to sit in her chair. “Get the fuck out, Dahyun, seriously.”

It was another rejection, but the class got a two-day extension, and Nayeon’s tone—not the curt, distant monotone she usually used on all students—only served to push Dahyun on.

The third semester came quickly, and although only a year had passed, it felt to Dahyun like a whole lifetime instead. She had friends then, people in the same course and classes with her, people who liked her company. Her peers knew her, asked for help when they needed it, and were more than glad to be in her group for projects. 

In Nayeon’s class things were close to before, minus some students, plus some others. But her presence in the classroom was felt more strongly now.

She had her head down once, taking notes of something Nayeon had just said while cross-referencing it with the book. 

“Now, linkage isomerism, what is it?” She had barely heard it, and it was a question on something they had seen already, a check to see if talking about it would cause any confusion. But even with her head down she felt eyes on her, a couple of colleagues throwing pointed helpless looks in her direction, while silence stretched itself over the room. “I’m guessing they want you to answer Ms Kim.”

Dahyun’s head snapped up, blinking. “Right,” her cheeks burned but Nayeon’s eyes were on her, waiting. 

Nayeon had listened, nodding along, but mostly watching the other kids, making sure they were following. When she finished Nayeon pointed at the whiteboard, “And what types of isomerism are possible for the complexes on the board?”

Silence again.

Dahyun sighed, squinting at the board “Uh—”

“No.” Nayeon stopped her, lifting one finger to silence. “Dahyun is not going to be there for tests or god forbid, when you get a job, and I'd like to know if this is a lack of knowledge or if you just don’t want to participate.” She was addressing the rest of the classroom now. “Because I know she knows the answer, and you know she knows.” There was a chilly air in the room, the silence was thicker, tenser. “But now I'm starting to wonder if you all, 25 students, really don’t know.”

There was silence still, heads lowered in embarrassment, then finally one hand rose in the back row.

In the end, in the noise and chaos of people getting up and gathering their stuff, Yena, a friend, tapped her shoulder. “Dude, what bug bit your girlfriend?”

She wasn't sure any had bitten her; it was normal Nayeon behavior with a hint of disappointment, but she shrugged, gathering her own stuff and approaching the front of the classroom to help the professor.

“Ms Kim, would you do me a favor?” The professor didn’t even turn as she approached, she simply knew it was the alpha, both by habit by now, but probably also by scent.

Her voice had Dahyun freezing. It was her tone, sweet and enticing, so omega-like it had her stomach twisting and her skin warm.

“Anything.” What a pathetic answer from an alpha, and yet that was exactly what anyone would expect in the situation, with that voice, from that woman.

Finally Nayeon turned around, she looked annoyed. “Talk to your classmates. It only gets harder from here. I can’t know what they don’t know if they don't participate.”

She sighed, the hopefulness for something else evaporating. “They’re just scared.”

“Of what,” Nayeon shoved her books and a pile of files into Dahyun’s arms, looking down on her with the intensity of a woman about to scratch someone’s face off. “Learning?”

Dahyun took a second, heart beating fast, this was different from what she was used to, having Nayeon talking to her almost equal-to-equal, like a peer, someone allowed to see her frustration. It also lit a fire in her; Nayeon was an intense woman, she knew it already, but seeing like this, up close, knocked the air out of her lungs.

“Of you.” She tried speaking in a low voice. Calm. “You’re pretty intimidating. You know that.” She smiled, it was a compliment. Nayeon was an impressive woman. “Not to me though.” Then she winked.

It was her usual flirting, but it also did what she wanted it to: it disarmed the omega. 

She laughed, shoulders sagging, guard down. Dahyun had to bite the inside of her cheek so as not to react at the sight. It fed the hunger inside of her—the need to see Nayeon with her guard down, to be the reason for it, to provide some comfort the clearly needed, and see her unwind—yet it didn't satisfy it, just made her more aware of it. 

“But I’ll talk to a few of them; suggest a study group or something.” They started walking, and she could see Nayeon breathing a little easier. “To your office?”

“Thank you, and no.” she sighed. “I’m covering for professor Minatozaki, second floor.”

“Has anyone ever told you you work too much?” Dahyun had been toying the line of what constituted a student-professor conversation for a while now, she did it with ease, and Nayeon barely reacted.

She just scoffed. “What are you, my ex wife?”

“Could be the current if you let me take you out to dinner.” 

An eye-roll. “No, thank you. One marriage was enough.”

Dahyun beamed. “Well, if that's your only objection, we could keep it casual.”

Nayeon muttered something under her breath, annoyed, as they came to a stop at the entrance to a different classroom. She took the books from Dahyun, an unreadable expression on her face, and just looked.

From Dahyun’s shoes, perfectly clean black and white converse, to her loose, light washed jeans, to her striped red and black sweater. Preppy, Dahyun knew, but it was comfortable.

“Right you look like the epitome of a casual-relationship-haver young alpha.”

Dahyun blinked, taken aback from the backhand comment, she looked down at herself, offended, “Hey!” But the professor had already walked away.

A week later Dahyun walked into Nayeon’s office with only a shy knock to check if they were alone. Nayeon lifted her head from the papers she had been grading, but barely acknowledged her. She walked in and sat in her usual chair, legs spread head tilted.

“I’ll have you know I’m perfectly capable of being casual, love one-night stands, I just didn’t want to offend you with the proposition—”

“Dahyun, you’re going to get me fired or at least investigated for misconduct.”

“Are you saying yes?”

“I’m saying ask me about chemistry or leave.”

Dahyun sighed, watching as Nayeon went back to her papers.

It wasn’t true anyway; Nayeon had been right, casual had never been Dahyun’s forte. She liked to get to know people, spend time together, all that. But with the professor she wanted to try, this woman, almost two decades her senior, woke something in her as an alpha; her teeth ached and her mouth watered at the thought of it all; touching, tasting, hearing. She loved Nayeon’s voice; it made it easy to follow in class; she wondered how she sounded when--

“Dahyun!” 

The alpha blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, returning fully to the space she occupied. Professor Im’s office, which now stunk of alpha pre-rut.

“Shit,” she got up. “I’m so sorry.” She scrambled to her feet, bowing quickly in shame, before bolting out of the room.

For her two days of rut, cut short by the wonders of modern medicine and pink-coloured pills, spent on the on campus heat/rut support facilities, Dahyun had only the company of her hand, the embarrassment of her own actions, and the memory of Nayeon’s face.

That was the most significant thing, above everything; Nayeon’s wide eyes, pupils blown out, lips wet and parted, face flushed.

A reaction, true, biological, to her scent.

Still, once it was done, and she was back to class, embarrassment was the thing that screamed the loudest in her mind. Sure she wanted Nayeon, and during the two days of her rut had played out the interaction in the office in her mind a million times, what would have happened had she stayed, what could have been. Nayeon rounding the table, touching her face, tilting it up, kissing her before lowering herself on Dahyun’s lap—

Regardless, that kind of wild behavior wasn’t one Dahyun prided in or wanted to be associated with. Had she made Nayeon uncomfortable, scared even, she wouldn’t have forgiven herself.

So back in class, she decided space was better; with her head low, she took her notes, lifted her hand to offer answers when needed, but tried to stay in her own lane. 

Whenever Nayeon’s eyes met hers, even for a second, it seemed to linger, sending shivers down her spine.

It was a perfectly normal lecture, but Dahyun felt tense, the hormones from her rut still lingering in her nerves, and Nayeon’s presence so close, but always with that wall between them, didn’t help. By the time the class finished, she felt like she had been holding her breath for the past hour and a half.

Then quietly, she gathered her stuff, and walked out amongst her colleagues, not looking back.

“Did you finally give up?” someone asked, well-humored, brushing against her shoulder. “Come on, she’s way out of our league.”

It was nothing she hadn’t heard before, a joke here and there. And Dahyun always joked back, shrugging, saying something about how it didn't hurt to try. But now she just shot them a smile.

It continued like that for a couple more classes; she took her notes, and overall acted like she did in any other class, and like in any other class, she packed her things and left at the end. Except of course, even for other classes she still went after the professors when she had questions.

But being alone with Professor Im in her cramped office again would be torture.

People noticed of course, her peers saw it as her finally coming to her senses, and Nayeon—

“Ms Kim, would you stay for a second.” It wasn’t quite a question, it carried too much of Nayeon’s usual biting tone. With her back already turned, ready to leave, she swore under her breath, before turning around.

She approached the professor slowly, both silently waiting for the classroom to empty. She heard some snickers from her friends and looks from her classmates, but paid no mind to it.

But even once it was just the two of them, the silence lingered. Nayeon with her head down, looking through a pile of papers, Dahyun standing there, watching. It was the first time they had been this close since the mishap in her office, since the daydreams brought by her hormones; she balled her fist, the other gripping the strap of her bag, just to stop herself from reaching to touch.

Finally, she gathered the courage to speak. “Professor, I wanted to apologize for my behavior in your office. I should have been more attentive to my cycle. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Her voice was but a whisper, still embarrassed, but thicker with something else born out of being this close to the omega for the first time in ages.

It took a minute for Nayeon to answer; she finished gathering her things, and turned around, bag hanging from her arms, books and papers in hand, she took a step closer—too close, Dahyun swallowed involuntarily, she wanted to step forward, even closer, leave no space between them; she wanted to step back, run away from the classroom and never look back.

“What happened was unfortunate and crossed a line,” Nayeon’s voice was likewise lower, she had a frown, almost as if worried. “And it can’t happen again.” Dahyun nodded, eyes on the professor's lips, watching as they wrapped around each syllable. “But I’d hope you won't let that get in the way of your education.” She tilted her head, eyes intense and unreadable. “My office is always open to all students and their questions.”

Dahyun opened her mouth to answer, then closed, swallowing, thinking for a while longer. She wondered if Nayeon had missed their little banters. “I understand, professor.” Then she reached forwards “But I’ll keep my questions to the classroom.” Untwisting the strap of Nayeon’s bag where it sat on her shoulder, an excuse to touch, even if softly and swiftly, even over layers of clothes. “Being alone with you is bound to drive me crazy.”

“Dahyun I—” she was blushing again, for a second Dahyun allowed her scent, controlled, to seep out, telling the woman in front of her how she felt, now truly, with more than just words. “This is—”

“Inappropriate,” the young alpha completed for her, nodding, “Doesn’t change how I feel. What I want.”

This was perhaps the boldest she had ever been, so to make it up for it she stepped back, turned around, and left.

Dahyun was hungry.

This was uncharacteristic of her; anyone who had ever met her would tell you she was a harmless, toothless alpha, shy and polite. 

In class, everyone knew her as the overachiever, going above and beyond and annoying or surprising professors.

In Professor Im’s class lately, she had barely been focusing.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the professor, watching as she walked across the room, as she turned around to write on the board, as she took and answered questions. 

Dahyun’s jaw ached for something to bite into.

Anytime their eyes met, in passing, when Dahyun volunteered an answer—which happened less and less, but as requested by the professor, the other students had started to try harder, less afraid of failure—or in moments of silence.

Neither said anything and yet something in Nayeon's eyes reminded Dahyun of that quick moment in her office, the flush in her eyes.

Hunger.

“Dude, you fucking stink.” Yena whispered, face scrunched in disgust. They were sitting on one of the big tables at the library. In a group of eight, the study group Nayeon had demanded Dahyun start working in full force in the last couple of weeks of the semester. “Didn’t you have your rut just recently, what's up?”

Dahyun grumbled something, non-committal. Instead, she focused on her notes, pencil pressing so hard against her notebook the lead snapped.

“Seriously, you need to get laid.”

Once again she passed Nayeon class—as she did every other—with a close to perfect grade, and the semester ended.

Dahyun had a day before going back home to her parents’ house for the break, and at the advice of all her friends and her own body, she did something she never did before.

She went out hunting.

It wasn’t unusual for young alphas in her social circles to invite her to the bars and clubs around the university with this in mind; finding someone to sink their knot into for the night. To take the edge off and relax a bit. Dahyun often accompanied her friends, but she never partook. Partially she was embarrassed, but really she had had only one person in mind for over a year now. 

Professor Im.

No other omega would do, it was her—her touch, her presence—Dahyun’s inner alpha craved.

But Yena had been right. She stunk, and she was full of tension, her jaw hurt, her eyes burned and her temper was short. Best and try to rid herself of it before she saw her parents.

Still, embarrassment was very much a factor.

She couldn’t do the usual bars and clubs her friends often dragged her to. The thought of sleeping with someone, a classmate, she might run into next semester, and then pretend it hadn’t happened—like most she knew preferred to—didn't sit right to her.

So, breaking the bank, she called an Uber to drive her to a random bar she found on google, forty minutes away from campus.

It sucked.

She couldn’t flirt to save her life, most omegas she tried striking a conversation with took one look at her face—nice shy smile—and clothes—her usual converse, a nice pair of light coloured trousers, stripped button-down shirt with a dark brown sweater, all tucked into her pants—and were done with her.

In the end, Dahyun had a single drink, a nice fruity cocktail, and sat down at the bar.

She felt defeated, the tension still in her body, now accompanied by a familiar feeling of inadequacy she hadn’t felt this strong in ages. She was always a little different from other alphas, smaller, quieter, but she was bright and polite, and could play the part of an extrovert well enough that most times that made it up for it.

But this, hunting, fucking, always came a little harder.

She didn’t miss it much. Usually desire was something she felt only as a far away twinge.

But not since Im Nayeon. The professor had awoken something in her, and now Dahyun couldn’t even deal with it.

“Excuse me, can I get another, please?"

Dahyun blinked. She had been watching the condensation on the glass in front of her, hands loosely around it, but the voice ripped her out of her reverie. 

Nayeon stood next to her, no glasses, hair uncharacteristically down, dressed in the most sinful black dress Dahyun had ever seen, it was held by thin straps on her shoulders, and hugged every curve of her body.

She felt something in her stir, her mouth water.

“Professor…”

The omega flinched like she had been burned, eyes widening as she looked around for the source of the word, finally her eyes landed on Dahyun.

Eyes on eyes, the alpha and omega stared at each other, wordless.

To Dahyun the entire world had ceased to exist, all there was was the woman in front of her, the slight glint of sweat shining on her skin, and the sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

The bartender placed Nayeon’s drink in front of her, swiftly sliding it forward and moving on, breaking the spell.

“You’re far from home.” Nayeon said, looking away, picking up her glass and taking a small sip, just enough to wet her lips. Dahyun could only nod. At the silence, Nayeon looked back at her, this time taking her time, eyes running from the top of her head to the tip of her toes and back. “This isn’t where I expected you to celebrate the semester ending."

“I came to hunt.” Dahyun spoke before she could stop herself, blushing immediately. “I mean—” she looked away, clutching her glass.

She expected laughter, maybe a scoff, a general nab at her own inadequacy. Instead, she got silence.

She looked back up to find Nayeon still watching her curiously; she knew her scent was still acting up, and couldn't help but wonder if the older woman could smell it over everything else in the bar's atmosphere. She wondered how desperate she must seem.

Clearing her throat, Dahyun tried to seem normal. “How about you, Professor? Celebrating the end of the semester? No more students chasing you around?”

Nayeon didn’t chuckle as Dahyun might have expected her too, instead she shook her head. “Not quite..” she took another sip, her drink was almost finished. “I’m taking a break next year. My first in a while. Tonight I just…”

Silence again. Dahyun could see it behind the omega's eyes; thinking, weighing something, she was trying to make a decision and the young alpha had no idea what it was.

“I supposed tonight I just wanted to dance.” She said the words and for a second Dahyun thought she had unlearned Korean. There was the meaning of the sentence, and something else she didn’t get. It was all there, in the body language, in the intonation. What was she actually saying? 

She didn’t wait for Dahyun to figure it out. She finished her drink, turned around, and went back to where she had been.

But the alpha watched. In her mind it was almost in slow motion, the way Nayeon walked, hips swaying, head up, the usual confidence she carried in a classroom amplified by the setting.

Then the omega looked back, eyes locking with Dahyun for just a second too long before looking back ahead.

Dahyun was a lot of things, short, meek, and quiet most of the time.

She wasn’t stupid.

She got up.

Walking, heart thumping almost to the rhythm of the music, Dahyun followed the same path Nayeon had, unsure what she’d find when she got there, other than the woman that had haunted her thoughts for months.

She spotted Nayeon immediately, like the woman had been waiting for her, watching over her shoulder the place she had just come from. Their eyes met again.

Nayeon’s gaze was piercing, unwavering.

Then she smiled, a subtle tilt of her lips, and turned back around.

An invitation if Dahyun had ever seen one.

She approached slowly, almost awkwardly, but not even embarrassment stopped her. She came to a halt standing right behind Nayeon, placing one gentle hand on her hip. She didn’t dance, but Nayeon didn't still against her.

She felt the omega sigh against her, leaning.

“You look beautiful.” She always did, but there was something new to her now, in this light, perhaps it was the fact she wasn’t immediately shutting Dahyun down. She leaned forward,forehead on Nayeon’s shoulder, making their height difference even more noticeable.

The omega turned around swiftly, her arms coming to rest over Dahyun’s shoulder, she tilted her head, trying to look serious but Dahyun could see her holding back a smile. “You’re one insistent little alpha.”

Still, she didn't pull away, didn't slap Dahyun’s hands off her hips. “It seems to be working.” She stepped forward, bringing them closer.

“What are you doing here, Dahyun?” the professor asked, she seemed tired, like she was still fighting a battle against herself. 

“I couldn’t get you out of my head.” Honesty. Dahyun always liked to lead with that. “I thought I could find someone else, but its obvious now God was guiding me to you again.”

Nayeon’s eyebrows lifted, amused. “God?”

The young alpha shrugged, saying nothing else. Once again they just looked at each other, as if alone in the entire universe, eyes traversing each other's faces.

Dahyun took a chance, holding her breath and leaning forward, aiming to press her lips to Nayeon plum ones.

The professor turned her face, the alpha’s lips falling on her cheeks, but she didn't pull away from the embrace.

“I’m two decades older than you Dahyun.” she sighed, looking down, “We can’t.”

The alpha's arms only got firmer, pulling her closer, finally flushing their bodies. “I just need one chance,” She whispered, nose pressing against the side of Nayeon’s head. “I won't disappoint you, I’ll do whatever you want. Just give me a chance—please.” 

Nayeon looked at her again, eyes searching her face, she was flushed and sweaty, and Dahyun knew her scent was out of control, probably wrapping around the omega oppressively. She saw Nayeon thinking, saw her weight whatever pros and cons existed in her mind, and saw her decide.

“No one can know.” She whispered, and before the words were even out of her mouth Dahyun was nodding.

“I’ll take it to my grave.” if she had a chance to be in Nayeon, to touch her, taste her, she would abide by any rule, any demands.

Their first kiss was started by Nayeon, the omega leaned down, pressing their lips together. It was gentle at first, but it descended quickly.

Dahyun sighed, mouth opening instinctively, and Nayeon took the chance to push her tongue against her. It was all the omega, her leading and taking and setting the pace, Dahyun could only grip her, hold her closer, bodies still moving amid a sea of strangers.

And she smelled her.

She knew older omegas still possessed a scent; it was only usually dormant, faint and almost imperceptible. But this was the first time she had really smelled Nayeon.

Sweet and smoky, something of honey, chocolate, sweet and enticing.

It wasn’t strong; it wasn’t an omega in heat, but it was Im Nayeon, and it was enough to fill Dahyun, into her nose and her mouth, and send blood straight to her cock.

She whimpered against the omegas mouth, instinctively nipping her bottom lip. She pulled Nayeon roughly against her, hand palming her ass as much as it could.

It was the wrong move it seemed, as Nayeon pulled back suddenly, hand on her shoulder.

“I’m not 20, I’m not fucking you in a club.” she stepped back, “Lets go.”

Dahyun was nothing if not obedient, she only stood there for a second, processing the words, just enough for Nayeon to take a few steps away, then she followed her dutifully.

Without glancing, without giving Dahyun a chance to protest, Nayeon paid both of their bills, before once again walking away. She didn't check if the young alpha was following her; she didn’t need to.

The omega’s car was familiar, Dahyun had seen it in the parking lot on her way to classes often, but the interior wasn’t quite what she expected. A full ashtray, a cigarette box on the passenger seat, which she had to move to sit, books and loose papers on the back. Messy.

She said nothing, neither of them did.

Dahyun felt nervous now; in Professor Im’s car, a woman she had wanted, desired, for so long now. She didn’t feel pressured, but she wanted to do it well, to prove something; she wanted to make Nayeon feel good; she wanted to leave a mark, for the omega to remember her, to think of her as much as she did of her.

Nayeon’s house was large, empty and silent; she followed the omega in, watching her take off her heels, doing the same to her shoes, before walking further in.

“Do you want anything? Water, wine…?” she looked back over her shoulder for the first time, eyes meeting Dahyun’s. 

She shook her head, “Just you.”

Nayeon laughed, but Dahyun wasn't offended, she could see the amusement there, the fondness, it made her throat feel clogged.

They were standing in the living room now, but Dahyun couldn’t describe it if you pointed a gun to her head. She knew there was a warm light over them solely because of the way it shined down on Nayeon’s honey brown hair, the way it softened her features in a way the bright fluorescent lights of the classroom never did.

“You want me that bad huh?” she smirked, stepping forward, draping her arms around the alpha’s shoulder.

She was teasing, Dahyun knew, and their height difference was just enough to make it so she had to tilt her chin up. None of it embarrassed her.

“I haven’t been hiding it, have I?”

Nayeon tilted her head, squirting at how bold she was even now. “I supposed you haven’t.”

Even more bold, Dahyun’s hand slithered ahead, grabbing her waist. “Can I kiss you again?”

Nayeon leaned in until their noses touched, then, teasingly, pressed a digit to Dahyun’s lips. “Let's go upstairs first.”

This time she didn’t walk away without turning back, instead she grabbed Dahyun’s wrist, her hand covering it easily, and tugged her.

In the omega’s bedroom, she pulled Dahyun ahead of her, before pushing her onto the bed.

The alpha went easily, landing on her back, still smiling, she sat up, arms stretched behind her, holding up her weight.

She was right where she wanted to be.

“You know professor, I’m thinking, you want me really bad too.” she grinned, widening it when she saw the older woman roll her eyes. And yet she approached the bed, swiftly straddling her.

“Don’t make me regret this.” she said, but her eyes were on Dahyun’s lips, and her torso flushed to her.

That was Dahyun’s mission that night.

When they kissed again, it was slow, as if they had all night, and it dripped with desire. It wasn’t just the alpha now, for as much as she wanted it, had for so long, it took two for this type of dance. Nayeon wanted it just as bad, chasing the kiss, groaning at the feeling of Dahyun’s tongue against hers.

The alpha was hard again in no time, with the woman she had desired now on her lap, kissing her, grinding against her, how could she not be? She moved her hands, from Nayeon’s waist to her thighs, to under her dress, grabbing at soft flash.

“I can feel you.” Nayeon whispered, breaking the kiss, hips jolting forwards to mark her point. “Hard already?”

Unashamed, Dahyun nodded. “For you.” Maybe she talked too much, but she could see her words had a real effect on the older woman, the way her eyes shined with something whenever Dahyun stroked her ego. She enjoyed this. 

She leaned in, pressing her face to Nayeon's cleavage, pressing kisses to the skin. “You're so beautiful.” The hand resting on the omega's thigh moved, further up, exploring.

“Dahyun…” her voice had a shake to it, it was maddening; to be the one to cause such an undoing to a woman who was so put together, who had so many walls around her. It was an honour. “Take this off”

She tugged Dahyun's jumper up her head, throwing it somewhere behind them. She did the same with her shirt and bra, leaving the alpha’s torso exposed. She wasn't particularly athletic, more on the scrawny side. Still she didn't have time to feel insecure about it as Nayeon's firm hand on her shoulder pushed her down into the mattress.

She laid there, blinking at the ceiling, mildly confused for a second.

Then Nayeon's face was hovering above her, her hand, sharp nails, gripped her chin. “You really know how to flatter a woman, don't you?” She didn't get to answer, first because Nayeon held her jaw, and then because the omega pressed a searing kiss to her lips.

It was flattery, but she didn’t have a chance to say, once again her word failing as the omega’s lips trailed down to her throat, kissing, lightly nipping, not quite over, but too close to her scent glands. She felt sensitive all over, as if her rut weeks before was only a rehearsal for this. She felt her scent heavy around her, dripping with pure lust, sweat rising on her heated skin, goosebumps on every inch the omega touched.

Nayeon held herself up again, eyeing her face, the way she breathed heavily through her mouth, her blushing skin.

“Are you okay?”

Dahyun only took a second to answer, she filled her lungs with air, suddenly straightening up and sitting, pulling Nayeon into another desperate kiss, her fingers tangled themselves in the omega’s luscious hair, her tongue invade the woman’s mouth with an alpha's predilection for taking. 

Nayeon was heavier, taller, stronger. But Dahyun was a young alpha trying to prove herself; she flipped them over easily, settling on top and between the older woman’s legs.

“Can I take off your clothes?” she wanted Nayeon out of the dress, she wanted to see all of her, her skin, the curves she could already draw with her mind's eyes, her tits, her stomach. She wanted to touch and to taste, to mark and to take.

Nayeon bit her own lip, thumb rubbing Dahyun’s flushed cheek gently. “You know I was going to blow you first, right?”

The words were like being hit, all the air escaped Dahyun, her stomach tightened into a knot, her cock twitched. She found themselves, besides her own mind, lingering on the woman’s lips; full, beautiful, so soft.

She could have come right then.

Instead, she tensed a bit, shaking her head, stubbornly.

“I wanna make you feel good.”

She remembered the tension of Nayeon in the classroom, the frown when hearing the not quite right answer, shoulders stiff, jaw shut tight. She wanted to unravel her, to have her melt onto the mattress, squirming and moaning; undone.

Nayeon chuckled, but conceded.

They both sat up, helping each other undress, first Nayeon, her dress coming off, revealing soft skin, then her bra, her breasts having Dahyun groaning just at the sight, nipples hardened already, and last her underwear, revealing a beautiful well kept patch of hair covering her cunt.

Dahyun wanted to lunge; touch and kiss, she wanted to go back to their previous position, with Nayeon beneath her, legs wrapped around her waist, she wanted to grind forward, have the omega’s slick stain her trousers as she chased her pleasure as quick as possible, even if over her clothes.

But of course, experience and wisdom didn’t allow it. Nayeon, on her knees on the mattress, kissed her again, distracting her while her capable hands pulled on her belt, then pushed her trousers down, with her underwear, before finally wrapping around her cock.

That broke the kiss, Dahyun suddenly grunting at the feeling; she was sensitive and needy.

She wasn’t small necessarily. She had her phase comparing herself to her best friend years prior and knew her and Chaeyoung were about the same size, something that had always worked to reassure her. She wasn't big either, couldn’t be mistaken to be. She thought she was perfectly average.

Nayeon’s hand was quite large, with long, thin fingers. It wrapped around her cock easily, covering most of it.

“God—” she shook as the omega’s hand moved, twisting around her, her own arouse dripping off her tip working to ease the friction.

Her eyes felt entrance by the sight; she wanted to watch, she could stay like that forever. 

Nayeon kissed her again, she could feel a smile against her lips as the omega pulled them both down, once again laying on the mattress. She let go of Dahyun’s cock, both hands cupping the back of her neck, leaving it free to brush against her thigh as they settled down.

“Professor—” she whispered, breaking the kiss, “There’s a condom in my back pocket.”

Nayeon nodded, holding her face, not even bothering to scold her for using her title at that moment. Then softly, as a shy suggestion. “We can do it without, if you want…” Trust, that was what Dahyun felt, honored. “I haven’t had any partners recently, and at my age I'm not exactly a beacon of fertility.”

Without. Raw. Nothing in between them. Dahyun could practically feel her heartbeat on her cock. She nodded, fast, overeager. “Me too—” she spoke without thinking, not enough blood left in her brain for it, only noticing her mistake when Nayeon laughed. “I meant about the partners part…” she mumbled embarrassed.

It was true; she had spent her rut alone, and even then it had been ages since anyone, not since her ex girlfriend, before she even started university.

“I figured.” Nayeon smiled, still amused, pressing a peck to her lips. “Go on then,” she lifted one eyebrow in defiance. “You have a lot of talk to live up to.”

Nodding Dahyun adjusted herself just enough she could reach between them, taking her own sensitive cock in hand, shuffling forward to press it against the omega as she parted her legs further for her. It bumped against Nayeon’s clit; she watched the woman flush, biting down again to silence herself. She didn’t want that; she wanted to hear her. 

Adjusting herself, Dahyun leaned down to kiss her, deep and slow, hips moving until her tip was slotted right against Nayeon’s entrance. All it took was a small thrust.

She sank in easily, Nayeon’s cunt parting for her, swallowing all of her cock easily, she was warm and wet around her, perfect; They both groaned into each other’s mouth, a line of spit connecting them still as they broke the kiss just for a second, before diving in again.

Dahyun found the older omega enjoyed being kissed when she was being fucked. 

The alpha moved in slow motions, thrusting in without fully pulling back, whenever she tried putting any distance between them, Nayeon would chase her back, breathing hard, pulling her into another kiss.

Like this, so up close, so caught up in desire and instinct, Dahyun realised she could smell Nayeon again, stronger than in the slub; the usually muted scent of the older omega, dormant thanks to age and hormonal dilution, now hit her nose clearly. Sweet and rich; perfect for the omega. She felt it crawling up her nose, tasted in the back of her throat.

“Fuck—Professor.” she moaned, brain going numb at the sensation. She wouldn’t last much longer.

She wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, clinging to each other, sweat sticking to both of their bodies, her cock pounding into Nayeon, repeatedly, but it was long enough for the older woman’s nails to sink into her shoulder, an attempt to ground herself and long enough for her knot to make itself felt.

Dahyun trembled, pushing herself up, this time not giving in when Nayeon tried pulling her back down, instead she held herself above the omega with her arms, both of them breathing hard, lips bruised. 

“Don’t stop.” Nayeon whispered, eyes hazy, face and chest flushed red, sweat beading on her forehead. “I’m so close.”

She nodded, swallowing before speaking. “It’s just—my knot—”

Nayeon didn’t let her finish, hips moving on their own chasing her own pleasure. “Fuck it in” she begged, voice raggedy.

“It—” she stuttered, embarrassed, “I never knotted anyone.”

That woke the omega up, pulling her back from the fog of pleasure, she blinked, confused, eyes finding Dahyun’s.

“What?” The disbelief in her tone had the young alpha even more embarrassed. It was clear that Nayeon saw it too, but instead of calling her out on it—ages, months, of chasing and bothering the omega only to never have even knotted one—she just shook her head. “It’s fine, just…” she stopped for a second, a small frown Dahyun recognized from the classroom; she was thinking of how to explain something. “Fuck me like you were doing; slowly.”

The alpha nodded eagerly, obeying; she pulled back just enough, before thrust in again, grunting with how nice Nayeon’s cunt felt around her. 

“Push it a bit further.” Nayeon continued, but her voice too had the high pitched of being affected by the movement. “Every time you push it in, put a little more force.” Dahyun did it again, this time just like Nayeon said, when she bottomed out, she forced it a bit more, feeling her knot stubbornly pressing against the omega’s entrance. “Fuck!” that was the loudest Nayeon had been all night, a vein in her neck popping. “Yes, like that. Keep going.”

Dahyun moved then without instruction repeating it, again and again; each time she watched the omega’s reaction, her body jolting, her cunt tightening in pleasure around her cock; her mouth parting with shaky breaths and moans.

Instinct took over.

She knew what to do now, how it worked, she could feel it, just like she knew when her jaw ached, it could be solved by sinking her teeth into an omega’s skin. Nayeon was made to take her knot, her cunt made to be stretched around it, whenever she pushed in, it was clear the omega wanted it, craved that one last stretch, just as much as the young alpha wanted to give it to her.

She kissed Nayeon again, tongue rubbing against the older woman’s as her hips worked in a steady rhythm, more intense than before; truth was it was harder to focus on a kiss for the both of them now, there was a feverish intensity added to all their movements that made it all sloppy.

“Harder,” Nayeon gripped her face, pressing a wet kiss to her lips, then to her cheek and chin, wild. “Knot me.” She sounded wrecked, desperate, voice thin and breathy, chest heaving. She was close.

Dahyun felt similar to the intensity of her rut, with something bordering insanity clouding her brain and powering her every move. She could feel Nayeon around her, tighter and tighter, warm, and wet, she could feel it all, her slick which made movement so easy, dripping off her, making a mess of her cock. 

All at once, Dahyun felt as if a bolt of lightning run through her veins; she pushed, and her knot sunk into Nayeon all at once; she saw white, stars of pleasure exploded behind her eyes, rippling over every nerve in her body.

“Fuck..” her voice was almost inaudible; a whimper, she hear Nayeon moan, felt her nails on her skin, and the way her cunt clenched around her following no rhythm.

It was beyond what she expected.

Weak, she struggled to keep herself up, to not just fall on top of the older woman, panting, still shaking, but it wasn’t needed, Nayeon pulled her down, moving them easily until they laid on their sides.

Dahyun’s muscles weighed on her bones; it felt like the first time in months she had experienced anything even close to relaxation, but it didn't take much for her not to fall asleep, Nayeon was right next to her, and she still felt a little self conscious.

She opened her eyes to find the omega watching her face mostly neutral, but the second her eyes met Dahyun’s she smiled again, that teasing, permanently amused grin.

“You bothered me for months,” Dahyun blinked, confused at the accusation. “When your knot goes down I’m riding you.”

Morning came too fast; Dahyun had barely slept, but she needed to pack her bags and meet her parents back home. She woke up alone in bed, to the sound of the shower in the adjacent bathroom.

She wasn’t sure how to act or what to say; she got up and started to look for her clothes and belongings, trying to come up with something. Something smart, clever, and funny, that would stay in the omega’s mind, something that didn’t give away the fact she’d be thinking about this for maybe ever.

But all her brain could focus on was the fact Nayeon had told her last night, as a passing comment, that she’d be going away.

By the time Nayeon came out of the shower, Dahyun was fully dressed, sitting on the bed, and still unsure what to say.

“You’re up.” the professor said neutrally, only a towel around her body. “I thought I tired you out a bit more than that.” There definitely was a stiffness to Dahyun’s muscles, but she couldn’t complain, just chuckled, watching her get dressed.

“I need to get going.” she said shyly. “I’m going back home for the break.” Nayeon only hummed, not turning to look at her as she pulled a pair of simple black panties on. “You said you're leaving—when are you coming back?” they should still have one more class together the following semester.

Nayeon then pulled a shirt over her head, simple and worn out, a complete opposite to how she usually dressed out, only then did she turn to face the alpha on her bed. She stepped in front of her, looking down, face not unkind, similar to the night before, she cupped Dahyun’s jaw, rubbing her cheek. “In a year. I leave next week, and I’m taking two semesters off.” She tilted her head. “So technically, unless you fuck up the lab twice in a row, I’m not your professor anymore.” Justification, reasoning, excuse, to forgive the night before. “And you’re too clever for that.”

She flushed at the compliment; the woman had seen her naked, had had her dick inside of her, but this acknowledgement of her academic efforts meant too much not to blush.

“Where are you going?”

“France.”

Dahyun nodded, unsure what to ask, what to say, she wanted to be clever, memorable, but she couldn’t come up with anything, so in the end, she went with honesty.

“Can I see you when you come back?”