Seunghyeon tapped his card against the sensor, pushing his way in when the door unlatched. He stood there, staring at the dark studio, the only light from the lamp posts outside. He hadn't been back since...

He heaved a sigh and shrugged his coat off and dropped it onto the couch. At least he was able to grab it on his way out.

"Fuck..." A new wave of tears blurred his vision and he scrubbed his hands over his face. His heart felt like it was a sack of glass shards that kept cutting him up from the inside every time he moved.

Seunghyeon ran out of the kitchen, grabbing a handful of his things from the console as he grabbed for the front door, lurching it open. His feet moved on their own, his gritted teeth holding his mind back from acting out the truly terrible storm in his chest. He made it to the elevator, reaching out before the doors opened regardless.

Met with an impeccably dressed torso, Seunghyeon sucked in his breath and stumbled back. Daehyung stared at him with a pointed gaze. Or was it concern?

"Seunghyeon, what's going on?" Daehyun was right in front of him, holding his arm with firm gentleness. "Where's Taeyong? I could feel his distress. And his scent—"

Daehyun wasn't one to be at a loss for words. But how could he not when Seunghyeon reeked of not only his but Taeyong's potent, soured scent. But all Seunghyeon could smell was the bloody metallic of anger. Though he didn't know who's it was.

Seunghyeon's flicked his gaze at Daehyun, where the other stared anxiously down the hall where the scent trail led, heavy and suffocating. "He's—" Seungheon's trembled and he gawked his lip. He pulled away from Daehyun and stepped aside and tried again. "Go. He needs you right now."

Daehyun nodded and took a step before turning back to him. "Where are you going?"

"Uh," Seunghyeon already had his finger on the button. He hadn't expected Daehyun to look back, to remember him. Seunghyeon audibly gulped. "I just need some air."

Daehyun pressed his lips into a thin line and Seunghyeon fidgeted under his gaze. "Come back soon," Daehyun said eventually.

"Hm," was all Seunghyeon could manage. Hesitantly satisfied, Daehyun bolted down the hall and Seunghyeon called the elevator. As he stood in the elevator, he vaguely heard Daehyun call out to Taeyong over his heart pounding in his ears.

Seunghyeon groaned into his hands. Yet another lie he could add to his roaster. Everyone was a liar these days. Him. Taeyong.

Even Kwangsun was a liar.

Seunghyeon wrapped his arms around himself and shook his head. Kwangsun lied to him. Hid from him. Seunghyeon gritted his teeth. He wanted to be with him, but he never knew Kwangsun was like everyone else. Who was he to decide that Seunghyeon should be with an alpha?

Sucking in a lungful of air, Seunghyeon raked his fingers through his hair as he walked around to his canvas, still propped up beside Kwangsun's. He took a step back.

Seeing the pieces finished squeezed his heart, so hard that standing up straight felt impossible. Seunghyeon dug his teeth into his bottom lip and stared at Kwangsun's face.

His eyes were soft and inviting, with that ever so subtle, infectious smirk. Did the picture look like that? Or was it Seunghyeon who added those details, expecting more from Kwangsun than he could give?

But when he looked at Kwangsun's painting of him, he held his breath. The light danced off Seunghyeon's porcelain skin and glimmered in his onyx eyes, alive under half-lidded eyes and fluttering lashes. Making his way down, Seunghyeon paused above the sheet, where three tiny moles spotted his lower back. Seunghyeon cracked a smile and blinked back his tears. Every detail was there. If Seunghyeon looked like this in Kwangsun's eyes, then why didn't he want him?

If Kwangsun thought an omega and beta was impossible, then why did he agree to this painting? Why did he tell Seunghyeon to wait for him to come back and then act like he was never interested in the first place? Why would Kwangsun pour his heart into the painting if he didn't think anything of it?

Seunghyeon blinked back his tears and stared at the ornate details that surrounded him. Even the tips of incense sticks glowed with gentle embers. Wait.

Seunghyeon took a step back. They weren't glowing.

The paint was wet.

Seunghyeon froze as he watched over his shoulder as the door swung open, holding his breath.

Kwangsun glanced up and yelped, fumbling his coffee in his hand, his face no different than a gaping fish.

Seunghyeon bit his lip, even with his heavy body, he managed to crack a smile.

"Fuck, I didn't know anyone was here," Kwangsun sighed out, pressing his hand to his chest. When he checked no coffee had spilled on his hoodie, he looked up. His dopey smile fell into a nauseatingly polite one. Seunghyeon wrapped his arms around himself and turned back to the paintings, ignoring the way Kwangsun studied him top to bottom.

"I might be sleep-deprived, so I don't know if you're actually here or if you jumped out of the painting," Kwangsun said and padded over, stopping at an unreasonable distance away.

Seunghyeon took a deep breath through his nose, turning back to the paintings. "It's me," he muttered, staring at his idealized self. "Just me."

"Right," Kwangsun said and nodded slowly. "I haven't seen you here in a few days," he added and cracked a smirk. "I guess you got some good inspiration if you're here in your house slippers."

Seunghyeon blinked and looked down at himself. Sure enough, he was in his house slippers. He tried wiggling his toes, the icy numbness pricking his skin. If he hadn't been so stupid, he would have at least changed. At least then his toes wouldn't be blue. He scrunched up his nose and threw his head back, pressed his wet eyes shut, ignoring the way his heart squeezed. He was so stupid.

Kwangsun stepped beside him and asked softly, "What happened?"

Sniffling, Seunghyeon rubbed his hand over his face and sucked in his breath. Seunghyeon glanced over and bit his lip at Kwangsun's furrowed brow and gentle eyes. How unfair. Seunghyeon should yell and hiss and snap at him. But he couldn't. Would it be okay if he could pretend everything was normal? Even for a moment?

Seunghyeon shifted to face him and dropped his head onto Kwangsun's shoulder. Thankfully Kwangsun didn't move, but he did tense up. Seunghyeon let out a heavy sigh, ignoring it.

"I had a fight with Myungsuk and Taeyong-hyung," he whispered, staring at their feet. His slippers dwarfed compared to Kwangsun's sneakers.

"Oh." Kwangsun shifted and hesitantly placed his hand on Seunghyeon's head, his fingers brushing against his hair. "What happened?" he whispered, his words threading cautiously.

Seunghyeon's breath shook. He balled his hands into fists and pressed them to his chest, instead of reaching out to cling to Kwangsun. There was no point holding on when Kwangsun was going to recoil from him once he knew how despicable they were.

"We told Insoo to break up with Myungsuk."

He squeezed his eyes shut and tensed his body. A moment passed. And then another. And Kwangsun still didn't move. Nor did he say anything. Instead, Kwangsun merely hummed with a nod, his fingers still running through Seunghyeon's hair.

Frowning, Seunghyeon wiggled free and stared up at Kwangsun.

Kwangsun furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Seunghyeon blurted out. "Can't you fill in the blanks? Taeyong-hyung and I did that and then Myungsuk found out and got super mad and I'm an idiot." He dropped his fist against Kwangsun's chest. "Why aren't you saying I told you so or anything?" he said and hit him again.

Kwangsun grabbed Seunghyeon's fist, holding it against his chest. Seunghyeon gasped and his arm tingled from where Kwangsun's hand held his.

Kwangsun squinted his eyes. "Do you really think I would do that?" he asked. When Seunghyeon stayed silent, Kwangsun sighed and loosened his grip. He didn't push Seunghyeon away but didn't commit either. Leaving Seunghyeon in a limbo for him to decide. Seunghyeon didn't pull away. He too stayed in the grey zone.

"You did what you thought was right," Kwangsun continued. "You tried to make a decision for someone but didn't consider that they'd get angry at you."

Pressing his lips together, Seunghyeon repeated the words in his mind as he focused on Kwangsun's fingers tense around his hands, fighting the urge to caress him. Even right now, when it was the two of them and Seunghyeon put himself out there, Kwangsun couldn't close the gap.

Seunghyeon swallowed the lump in his throat and let out a hollow laugh. "Talk about paying it forward," he scoffed, locking his gaze with Kwangsun. "And we based Insoo's behaviour on someone completely different and made bold assumptions and conveniently ignored how real my feelings are," Seunghyeon snapped, glaring at him with all his anger and pain pooled into his eyes.

Kwangsun gulped. "I–" His voice shook and he averted his eyes. "I thought it was the right thing to do. With you being an omega–"

"Oh fuck that." Seunghyeon pulled his hand from Kwangsun's grip and punched Kwangsun's chest. He growled in satisfaction as Kwangsun stumbled back. "My parents are betas. I know what it looks like to love someone without pheromones involved. Seunghyeon shoved Kwangsun back again.

"And pheromones aren't some destiny-defining, instant love, cosmic bullshit!" He yelled, adrenaline buzzing through him. "And when I can paint you as a beta and you paint me as an omega, as we are, how can you act like it's impossible. How dare you paint me looking at you like that when you don't believe that is how I look at you."

"But I just–"

"But what?" Seunghyeon scowled as his vision blurred. "Don't tell me that's the only reason." Seunghyeon's voice cracked. "If you don't like my personality or my looks, that's fine. But please"–Seunghyeon's lip trembled and like a dam, hot tears rolled down his frost-bitten cheeks. His voice trembled between his sobs. "Don't reject me for something I can't control."

Kwangsun reached out and cupped Seunghyeon's cheeks, brushing his thumb against Seunghyeon's blotchy face. "Oh, kitty," He breathed out. "How could I reject a face like this," he said and cracked a smile, catching another tear. "Even when you ugly cry you're still beautiful."

Seunghyeon whimpered, his chest ached. With a whine, Seunghyeon punched Kwangsun's chest weakly before curling his fingers into Kwangsun's sweater. "y-You asshole. You already did," he sobbed out.

Sighing, Kwangsun wrapped his arms around Seunghyeon's waist and pulled him close, closing the gap between them. "I know," he said. "And the moment it left my mouth, I regretted it. I was stupid and scared. I couldn't believe that someone as beautiful, and amazing, and witty, and sarcastic, and grumpy, oh and spoiled–"

Seunghyeon tightened his grip and grumbled. "Talented better be next."

Kwangsun chuckled, and it made Seunghyeon's heart flutter. "And talented. Exceptionally talented," he added as he brushed a strand of hair from Seunghyeon's face. He opened his mouth to continue but paused when Seunghyeon chased after his hand.

As Seunghyeon nuzzled his palm, taking in his warm, gentle touch. No more words were needed. Not when they were in each other's arms. With a quiet purr, Seunghyeon slowly blinked up at Kwangsun.

Kwangsun smiled ever so softly at him, as he took in Seunghyeon's face and let out a sigh, almost in disbelief. "Gods...I love you so much."

Seunghyeon's breath hitched and he snapped his head up, staring at him. "What?"

"I said"–Kwangsun leaned in, pressing their foreheads together–"I love you," he whispered.

Seunghyeon gaped, searching Kwangsun's warm, sweet eyes and all he saw was truth. All the tension in his body melted away and along with it, the cold inside him was replaced with a warm fire. After days and weeks of pain and confusion, three simple words completely undid him.

"I love you too," he breathed out. He grinned as Kwangsun's face broke into a huge smile before laughing. Seunghyeon couldn't help but giggle.

As they gradually got quieter, Kwangsun's breath felt warm against Seunghyeon's skin, crawling its way down his neck. Seunghyeon tentatively licked his bottom lip and flicked his eyes up, meeting Kwangsun's.

He felt Kwangsun's heart pound against his chest in time with his. Hesitantly, Seunghyeon fluttered his eyes closed as he inched closer until Kwangsun's lips were against his. Sparks shot through Seunghyeon's body and his knees buckled.

Kwangsun pulled back and Seunghyeon whined but didn't have enough time to complain before Kwangsun fell back onto the couch, pulling Seughyeon onto his lap. Seunghyeon gasped as Kwangsun placed his hands on Seunghyeon's waist, drawing small circles. "I don't think I can let you go," Kwangsun said, his voice rumbling.

A shudder ran down Seunghyeon's spine and he straddled Kwangsun's hips, reaching out to trace his thumb against the other's jaw. So sharp and tempting. "You better not," he purred as they met halfway. Closing the gap between them for good.