Hello friends! So this one-shot is a little sequel to my Seongjoong fic Crown. You can read this one-shot without reading the story, but I strongly advise you to do that first since you will get the dynamics between them better then!

Warnings for: a/b/o, french, smut in between that features ruts, slight somnophilia, creampies, knotting, and discomfort after sex. We also have a consensual biting scene that causes pain between the two main characters. Read with caution! ^^

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Seonghwa appeared on the doorstep of Hongjoong's parents' house in the evening and with a fitted suit clinging to his body. He was carrying a bottle of wine in one hand and had a bouquet of Mrs Kim's favourite flowers tucked under his arm. His other hand held Hongjoong's to keep his boyfriend from bouncing on the walls out of excitement. The boy had been far more into the idea of Seonghwa meeting his parents than Seonghwa was, so they were both jittery by now.

Seonghwa squeezed Hongjoong's hand in an attempt to calm not only himself but also the train wreck that his lover had become. In theory, Hongjoong was meant to look well put together with his slicked-back red hair and matching red velvet suit. When they had still been at home, he had appeared classy with his silver wristwatch and dangling piercings. Now, however, not so much.

In the end, it was Seonghwa who took the brave step to ring the doorbell. His hand nervously fiddled with Hongjoong's little fingers.

The echo of the bell rang inside the grand house Hongjoong's parents lived in. Then, a female voice near the open windows said something in French.

Seonghwa wanted to pull at his collar since it was way too warm for him to bear the still humid air late autumn. Thanks to his hands being busy, he didn't mess up his appearance, though, which was good, since the door in front of the couple opened in the next moment. Seonghwa subconsciously shifted closer to Hongjoong to breathe his calming scent in.

As he was faced with Hongjoong's mother, Seonghwa's tongue failed him in speaking.

There was no mistaking that this woman was his mum. She was tiny, smaller even than Hongjoong himself, but she had the same features as he. The alpha had definitely gotten his nose from her, just like the shape of his eyes.

She smiled at the two of them brightly before she yelled something that Seonghwa believed to be an 'it's them!' into the house. Then, she expectantly turned to them again, her eyes on Seonghwa.

The poor man could literally feel himself start to sweat. He knew it was time to slip into his charming role and that he should hand over his presents, but he just couldn't. The stress was overwhelming him. Having prepared so well and now failing at making a good first impression made his scent spike with anxiety.

Hongjoong immediately snapped out of his dopey trance and intervened.

"Bonsoir, Maman," he greeted her with a huge smile. His body heat left Seonghwa's side as he leaned in to deliver a hug and kisses on both cheeks of his mother. As she was distracted, Hongjoong smoothly reached over to get both objects out of Seonghwa's cramped fingers. He handed her the flowers.

Once she pulled back, Madame Kim found her face filled with sweet-smelling flowers. She finally took her searching eyes off Seonghwa to look at the bouquet of carefully selected pink tulips, white-ish pink carnations and pale blue hydrangeas. Seonghwa had selected those for her after long and careful research on what flower language matched mothers since he had little experience. Hongjoong had approved of it affectionately when Seonghwa had presented the gift to him.

While alleviated from her gaze, Seonghwa still felt worry gnaw on his insides as she scrutinised the flowers and smelled each individually.

"Seonghwa chose them for you. He's too nervous to tell you at the moment, but we hope you like them." Hongjoong's free arm came to settle around Seonghwa's waist so he could gently press his little fingers against his skin in an attempt to calm him. It worked.

Hongjoong's mother nodded, satisfied.

"Thank you, Seonghwa."

Hongjoong's touch made Seonghwa work up enough courage to respond with a little 'you're welcome' that magicked a smile onto the woman's lips. She gave him a polite nod before she stepped aside to usher them in. Hongjoong pulled Seonghwa's stiff body with him.

"Excuse me while I search for a vase. You father will greet you in a second." With a swish of her dark hair, Hongjoong's mother wandered off and left the two of them in the bright and big entrance hall. Seonghwa barely minded the white marble around him or the fancy golden chandelier. He was still busy trying to calm his heart rate.

"Oh God, she must think I'm a horrible alpha. What kind of idiot locks up like this just because he meets the parents of their lover?" Seonghwa cursed himself as soon as she was out of earshot. His gaze dropped to the floor, and he wished he could hide behind his hair.

Hongjoong wrapped him in a sweet little half-embrace.

"My idiot does. Just how many other people since they are nervous. This has nothing to do with being a bad person, Hwa. You are anxious, and I told you they don't care about your gender. I will call them out if they make you uncomfortable on purpose." He leaned his face against Seonghwa's chest to play a little with the buttons of his jacket. Naturally, Seonghwa wrapped an arm around him, too.

"What if they decide they hate me?" Seonghwa's voice was quiet and shaky still.

"Then you will never have to meet them again. Then we will drive right back home to our pack and have a big cuddle pile in the living room. I'm here, and they won't bite. We did not come to ask. We already decided anyway, remember?"

"I don't want them to hate me... Or you, for that matter. I want to get along with them..."

Hongjoong cooed and angled his face so he could look up at Seonghwa. His eyes were as affectionate and doting as Seonghwa was used to by his pack members. They held the feeling of home and radiated warmth and comfort. Seonghwa basked in his sweet scent.

"You're adorable. I refuse to think they will hate you. You are doing great; they are just cautious. Wouldn't you be too if your kid met a person they plan to marry?"

Seonghwa nodded timidly.

"I suppose."

Hongjoong gently rubbed his back, his warmth seeping into Seonghwa's skin.

"You're perfect, Seonghwa. I swear. Dinner will turn out great."

Seonghwa agreed with another deep breath. Then, he greeted Hongjoong's mother with a more honest and balanced smile as she came back. She chuckled at the way the two men were wrapped closely around each other as she motioned them to follow her into the dining hall. She fell into easy conversation with Hongjoong, asking him how he had been doing and such, so Seonghwa took his time to look around.

Fitting to the mansion's grandeur, the dining room, too, was ridiculously oversized and shiny. Another huge chandelier that sent golden reflections all through the room hung above a long table that could have fitted sixteen people but was prepared only for the four of them. The expensive china that sat on the pristine white table cloth already made Seonghwa nervous.

Not that he was not used to expensive or noble facilities, but his own home was still mightily different from this. His parents had lived rich, but Seonghwa still sometimes ate a plate of microwaved pasta leftovers on his bed. It didn't seem as if that was an option here.

"Sit down here, darlings. I will get my husband." Her elegant white dress whizzed behind her as she disappeared through another door. Seonghwa shook out his shoulders in his moment of peace.

Hongjoong smiled sympathetically at him as they sat down next to each other. Hongjoong helped him fix his napkin and pull off the jacket of his black suit. They placed it neatly over the back of his chair as they waited.

"She already likes you, mon ange. My dad might have a harder shell to crack, but mum is the ruling force anyway." Hongjoong's giggle was devious as he rubbed his hands like an evil fly. Seonghwa snickered at him as if he wasn't completely distracted by the man's gorgeous side profile.

"I'm fine as long as long as I get to hold onto your hand under the table," Seonghwa deadpanned without batting an eyelash. It had Hongjoong tossing his head back in laughter, but he reached out his hand dutifully anyway.

"One of us will struggle to eat." His eyes glinted amusedly even when Seonghwa stubbornly shook his head.

"I don't care. I might evaporate if we don't."

Hongjoong accepted that news easily enough. He didn't have much time to complain anyway, since his parents returned a few minutes later. His mother had brought his father with her this time. Monsieur Kim had an imposing aura of an alpha surrounding him, and his greying hair was short in what could be considered a military haircut.

Seonghwa let go of Hongjoong to rise politely and give the man his hand. He tried to stabilise his scent to leave a better impression, and it seemed to work. Hongjoong's father barely regarded him as he just greeted Seonghwa with a quick 'Count Park' that was accompanied by a heavy accent.

They all settled to eat, and silence wrapped around the little family for now. Sometimes, Hongjoong's parents asked him something in French to which he replied in his sugary sweet and smooth voice. Since all of them were busy with their food, most discussions were moved to a later time. The silence had Seonghwa tense and sit stiff as a board during the whole evening, but he was glad to have Hongjoong's warm body right next to him.

Hongjoong was the first to finish. He neatly cleaned his lips from any excess sauce with a napkin. Then, his hand went right back underneath Seonghwa's to grasp his fingers. Unsure, Seonghwa glanced at him.

Opening up about this towards Hongjoong's family was way harder than any mountain he had ever climbed and any chasm he had transgressed. The Danakil Desert? A playground.

"Maman, do you have time to bake with us one of these days? Seonghwa is so curious about your baking skills since Wooyoung wouldn't shut up about them."

Once she finished her current bite, the woman put her cutlery down next on her plate neatly. Her knife and fork laid close together and pointed to the left, indicating that she was finished.

"Of course, boys. We can cook right in the morning. I'll send out one of the drivers later with a shopping list." She smiled kindly at the two of them, and Hongjoong copied the gesture delighted. His comforting squeeze to Seonghwa's hand had the alpha regain some of his confidence.

"Now, what did you come here for, son? Your visits are rare, even more so with a pack member." The gruff voice of his father joined the talk, too. Nervous, Seonghwa prayed that Hongjoong wouldn't mind his sweaty palms. Their skin stuck to each other.

Hongjoong threw Seonghwa a short glance. Upon his faint nod, he produced their hands from underneath the table and put them on top. His hand looked adorably tiny in Seonghwa's, and the contrast had Seonghwa lovingly brush his fingers over the other man's knuckles.

The two fellow adults in the room comprehended immediately. Seonghwa even suspected they might have drawn their clues early on already.

"Seonghwa is a man of traditions. He wanted to make this as official as possible." Hongjoong gathered a smile from his mother as he looked between them. Seonghwa sweated under the father's penetrating gaze.

"Let the man speak for himself, son. Count Park, are you serious about our son?"

Seonghwa sat up straighter if that was even possible. Drawing strength from Hongjoong, he reminded his alpha to remain peaceful. Then, he spoke up with his usual stable and earnest voice that he also used for large crowds. His farce worked.

"I am. I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't. My pack already joined your son's, and I would like to have him as my lifelong partner." He breathed in Hongjoong's calming smell of petrichor that never failed to embrace Seonghwa like a loving hug. His raging alpha that felt exposed and endangered by his boyfriend's father calmed as it revelled in it.

"Are your parents available for talks?"

Seonghwa appreciated the wording of the question. It held consideration that they might not be around.

"No, Monsieur. I am the sole spokesperson."

It was Hongjoong's mother who sent the two young men understanding glances. Once she placed her hand on her husband's arm, his posture relaxed the slightest bit.

"Thank you for your reflection of asking us first, dear. Of course, you two are the ones making the settlements here, not us. We will, of course, welcome you in the family and if you need anything, feel free to approach us."

Seonghwa's tension eased considerably at those kind words. He bowed his head graciously. Yet, his gaze wandered back to Hongjoong's father in sought for approval still.

When the man just nodded shortly, Seonghwa allowed himself an honest smile. As he dropped back against his chair with an audible exhale, both Hongjoong and his mother giggled at him. The hint of a smile curled around the father's lips.

"Told you they would love you! Don't take my father too serious; he is just very interested in striking business with you ever since he heard who you were. He's pretending just as you are." Hongjoong grinned like a child that knew a secret. Whipped for him, Seonghwa squeezed his hand in thanks even as the whole table laughed at the exposure.

Dessert was far less cramped and filled with merrier conversation. Seonghwa had no trouble feeling at home from then on.

-

To Seonghwa's surprise, neither of Hongjoong's parents pointed their odd relationship out to him. He had expected at least one of them to approach him with the question of why he acknowledged two alphas to be a good idea, but none appeared to care. His mother told Seonghwa delightful stories from Hongjoong's childhood that had the man blush and pretend to throw his cookie cutters at her. And his father really only talked about business when Seonghwa joined him in his study over a glass of cognac in the evening.

Seonghwa's relief that Hongjoong had been right and both of his parents accepted them easily surpassed his discomfort. Soon, he slipped into casual behaviour with them and appreciated their support as parents instead of viewing them as trouble he had to overcome. Especially Hongjoong's mother did her best to receive him as if he was her son, too.

In the week that Seonghwa spent at their home, he had fun. He genuinely enjoyed his time there, and how much closer it brought him to Hongjoong.

On the last day of their stay, Wooyoung and San also joined them. Wooyoung had wanted to introduce San as his boyfriend, too, but they had visited San's parents first and joined only later. Hongjoong's father praised Seonghwa for being a leader to such a good pack, even though he had never met Yunho and Yeosang before. His mother had added that they must be wonderful people, too, then.

Hongjoong's heat was scheduled in a few days, and the alpha had been exceptionally cuddly and touchy-feely the whole day. While he already sat in the car and Seonghwa loaded the last pieces of their luggage in, Hongjoong's mother stood at the side to see them off.

"Will you hold a ceremony?" She asked out of the blue. Seonghwa drew his conclusions.

"We will, but later. You belong to the inner circle of guests that will be invited, of course."

He stepped in for a hug as soon as he finished. Seonghwa was touched at how easily she had accepted his new scent in the family.

"Take good care of my son and remember to come by sometime. I will enjoy baking with you again."

Seonghwa had cuddled her affectionately.

"I will, thank you a lot."

Before they could step back from each other, Hongjoong's whiny voice already disrupted the silence.

"Hwaaa, come on!"

With a snort, Hongjoong's mother returned to the porch of the house. Seonghwa rolled his eyes good-naturedly as he closed the car boot.

"Will you boys be fine without the rest of the pack around?"

Seonghwa rounded the sleek red car that Hongjoong owned. As he opened the door to the driver's side, he turned back to Hongjoong's mother one last time.

"In case it doesn't work, we will call Jongho to get us home. You don't have to worry." He smiled crookedly at her, a smile that had garnered him quite a few compliments, from her included. It was charming; people loved it.

She rose her hand in greeting.

"Very well. Then I wish you a pleasant holiday."

Seonghwa waved at her before he smoothly slid onto his place. The luxurious interior smelled of expensive leather and Hongjoong, who had gotten comfortable in the passenger seat and kicked his shoes off. His adorable pout earned him a kiss before Seonghwa started the engine. With a low roar, the sporty car came to life.

With one last wave of his hand out of the window, Seonghwa took off. Their journey would take them down south to Rocamadour. The historical monastery on a mighty cliff sounded like heaven to both archaeologists, and they had decided to spend their time there and wait out Hongjoong's rut to explore the area. Seonghwa had already booked their hotel; now they just had to make it through the four-hour ride there.

Hongjoong's scent was thick and cloying Seonghwa's senses, but he could manage once he opened a window. They talked about anything that came to mind as the beautiful landscapes of France whizzed past them.

Ever since their trip started a week ago, undeniable excitement and anticipation curled in Seonghwa's stomach. It kept him awake at night, had him too cramped to eat, and restless even during mundane tasks. Whenever he was reminded that he and Hongjoong would mate each other soon and form a bond closer than marriage, that promised them to each other for life; he nearly exploded from happiness. Having a mate was something Seonghwa had always wished for, and while he had never expected him to be a fellow alpha, his nemesis, and Hongjoong Kim on top of it all, he was giddy. He brought the topic up multiple times during their drive, and all the time Hongjoong had adoringly observed Seonghwa smile and grip the wheel tightly as he shared his excitement.

An hour into their drive, Seonghwa took a break and let Hongjoong take the wheel. They snacked hot-dogs on a rest stop and looked out over vast fields and mountains in the distance together.

Hongjoong was a more relaxed driver than Seonghwa. When Seonghwa drove, he was concentrated, and both hands clutched the wheel while he looked at the street. Compared to him, Hongjoong barely even glanced at the mostly empty roads. He held the wheel with one hand at most, sometimes even just his knee when he got himself something to drink. Despite knowing that he could trust him, it made Seonghwa incredibly nervous.

After another hour of driving, they switched again. By now, the afternoon slowly settled into evening, and the sky blended into picturesque orange and pink hues. Out of boredom, they called their home to chat with their friends for a while until they arrived.

Yeosang was seated on San's expensive gaming chair and surrounded by his plethora of computers and tech setups when he took the call. At his cheery greeting, the rest of the pack immediately surrounded him, too.

Mingi and Yunho looked like two huge and menacing statues behind Yeosang, but it was Jongho whose hand the smaller omega held. They were adorable.

"Off into another adventure?" Yeosang checked casually with them. Hongjoong adjusted the volume so that Seonghwa didn't have to reach over. Without turning his head, Seonghwa grinned gratefully. Hongjoong fed him some jellies he had packed.

"Woosan arrived safely. I hope they don't take the house apart." Hongjoong kicked his legs up on the dashboard despite Seonghwa's displeasure with it. His socked feet wriggled in the air.

"Bet they do. How's your rut coming along?"

"All fine. I imagined earlier how Hwa and I would be if we had them at the same time. We would rip each other apart, right, mon ange?"

Seonghwa chuckled into his wheel.

"It would end in a fucking bloodbath."

That had the gentlemen at home laugh, too. Jongho whispered something to Mingi that had the man howling with laughter.

"Tell us if your heat arrives sooner than expected, Sangie. We'll come right home."

Yeosang played shocked.

"You will not bring an alpha in rut home while I'm in heat, Seonghwa. With all due respect, I don't like Hongjoong enough to have a child with him."

They broke out into giggles again at the imagination. Of course, they had their schedules figured out so that none of the omegas ever were in heat while the alphas in rut were at home. All the better timing for Seonghwa and Hongjoong to be away.

"I would call San anyway. It's his turn."

"Poor San would have to ditch his boyfriend to run to another omega. Oh, my mum would tease him about it," Hongjoong commented while he stuffed his face with jellies again. Another one found its way to Seonghwa's mouth, too.

They continued to joke and jest around until it was time to switch again. Hongjoong would drive the most difficult mountain roads. As he got comfortable on his seat and adjusted the light to the twilight outside, Seonghwa called the hotel counter to inform them of their arrival. He also mentioned that Hongjoong would be in rut, but the nice lady assured him that their suite was sound- and smell-proof enough that they wouldn't bother anyone. She promised Seonghwa to inform the personnel, though.

Outside wasn't much to see any more by now, so Seonghwa shifted his concentration to Hongjoong as their car gradually crawled up the mountains.

"Your mum wants to come to the wedding, by the way."

"I will invite her, of course. She looked forward to that all our lives. She also told me yesterday that she was bummed not to see any grandchildren from me, but luckily she can put that pressure on Wooyoung now."

Seonghwa responded with a grin. He shifted his legs to have more room in the narrow space. With how they switched places, they kept adjusting their seats, and Seonghwa taunted Hongjoong about it all the time.

"I don't want to brag, but as much of a nuisance as San is, he is also damn hot. I don't think she can complain about grandchildren with his genes."

"She can't," Hongjoong agreed gravely. Even at first sight, she had already been gone for San's charms. He was one hell of an alpha.

They arrived a little over an hour later since Seonghwa asked Hongjoong to be careful on the steep roads in the dark. As they pulled in the driveway of the exquisite hotel that had the elegant western look of an ancient monastery, both of them sighed dreamily.

The personnel ushered them up into their suite so that Hongjoong's scent wouldn't linger in the corridors despite the blockers he used. As soon as they were inside, Hongjoong dropped on the large bed with a satisfied sigh.

"Ah, the comfort." As much as Hongjoong loved his luxurious car, he preferred beds. Seonghwa sat down next to him to pull his combat boots from his feet and put them away. His hand came to rest on the man's leather-clad thigh.

"Reminds me of Japan. That was a lifetime ago." As Seonghwa pulled his own boots off, he gently massaged his boyfriend's muscles. Under his ministrations, the other one dissolved into a puddle of satisfied noises and sighs.

"Want a massage? I can ask them to let a beta come."

"Can't you massage?"

"Not really."

With a huff, Hongjoong turned on his back to pout at Seonghwa. The alpha shrugged.

"It can't be that hard, just try."

Pleased by his antics and neediness, Seonghwa stood to get some sort of expensive French lavender oil from the bathroom.

"If I accidentally numb your whole arm because my fingers are used to jabbing people's nerve points, don't blame me."

"Oh, I know how well your fingers find nerve points, yeah. Not the only part of you that does that."

Seonghwa pushed the man's legs apart with more force than necessary as he knelt back in between them. With a giggle into his pillow, Hongjoong rose to pull his shirt off. He exposed beautiful lean muscles and scars from past missions and his pack bites alike. With a gentle touch, Seonghwa let his fingers trail over them before he pushed the man back down in the sheets.

Hongjoong melted into the mattress fully trustful in Seonghwa's touches. His scent wrapped around them like a protective cloak and soothed all the stress Seonghwa had accumulated from the long day. As he massaged his boyfriend's tense muscles to resolve all the knots under his skin, Hongjoong responded to his every touch with soft noises of appreciation.

He commented not another stupid remark, so Seonghwa knew he had succeeded. His boyfriend was putty underneath his hands.

"How do you feel about this rut? Do you need me to fuck you into it, or will it trigger by itself?"

Hongjoong needed a considerable amount of time until his mouth was able to form words again. Even once he spoke, his voice was breathy and clouded by the sweet pleasure of relaxation.

"Hmm... Fuck me into it, please. I've been yearning for you all week."

Like the two good citizens they were, Seonghwa and Hongjoong had kept their hands off each other while they had been in Orléans on their visit. For Hongjoong, it was the embarrassment that kept him from crawling into Seonghwa's bed at night. For Seonghwa, it was plain respect.

Here, however, they would spend Hongjoong's rut anyway, and whether Seonghwa eased him into it or he suddenly awoke feverish in the morning wouldn't be much of a difference.

Thus, his hands slipped gradually lower during his massaging. He tugged Hongjoong's pants from his hips and let them drop on a heap on the ground with no further care. Once Seonghwa lowered his clothed body back over Hongjoong's fully naked one, the man keened low in his throat. He shut up at once when Seonghwa used his oily fingers to dip right into his entrance. With gentle rolls of his hips, he met the man's thrusts.

Seonghwa prepared him with great patience. He was tired anyway, and since Hongjoong's scent surrounded him so protectively, he also had no hurry as he added fingers one at a time. He didn't have to prepare his boyfriend for his knot since his alpha would be extremely displeased to get forced into submission and bred when he was in rut.

Once Seonghwa deemed his boyfriend prepared enough to take him without pain, he rolled him onto his back. Lazily, Hongjoong arched against the sheets while he watched Seonghwa undress from lidded eyes. As soon as the last article of clothing landed on the ground, he pulled Seonghwa down to align their bodies. Wetly, their lengths brushed against each other.

Seonghwa had long since gotten used to the difference from Hongjoong to the omegas he usually slept with. While Hongjoong's body was different from Yeosang's and Wooyoung's, he was no less beautiful or attractive to Seonghwa. His old grudge and discomfort at the idea of sleeping with a fellow alpha had disappeared more with each day that he loved Hongjoong.

"Hwa, where are you? Would you be so kind as to either share your deep, fancy thoughts with me or rearrange my guts?"

Hongjoong's light voice pulled Seonghwa from his memories. Chuckling, he connected their lips to kiss all the protests from Hongjoong's prettily bowed lips. His hand snaked down between their bodies to grip both of them in one fist and allow them to rut against each other. It had the oil and their precum spread, and soon, Hongjoong panted against him while he clawed at Seonghwa's back.

Seonghwa let his lips travel over the man's chest as if he had no hurry in the world. He sucked little marks into his skin and kissed all over the man's chest that writhed beneath him. Even when Seonghwa smoothed his palm over the man's shaped legs and hips, he wouldn't stop squirming.

"You're so damn impatient, brat." Seonghwa chuckled darkly against the man's neck as he nipped on the sensitive skin. Despite his instincts, Hongjoong bared his neck for him with a growl rumbling in his own chest. Their alphas - albeit pleased with each other's presence since they were part of the same pack - threw each other against the cages they were kept in. They wanted to fight, to ravage, to domineer everything, but the two lovers didn't allow them.

"Don't play with me; I will pay you back tenfold."

With a wry smirk, Seonghwa lifted Hongjoong's leg over his arm. He straddled Hongjoong's second thigh and made Hongjoong's hips twist as he accommodated the angle. His shoulders stayed on the bed comfortably, but his hips curved beautifully to the side.

Seonghwa used his thigh that he held over his arm as leverage as he positioned himself. A vulgar curse muttered in French tumbled from Hongjoong's lips when Seonghwa finally slipped inside.

Compared to the still rather composed and orderly Seonghwa, Hongjoong was already a wreck in every regard. Sweat pearled on his forehead and glistened on his cheekbones and chest like fairy dust. Seonghwa wanted to lap it up, so he bent forward to do just that.

Hongjoong yelped when the angle suddenly shifted, and Seonghwa went deeper without warning. His nails bore into Seonghwa's tattooed shoulders as he gasped around the sloppy kiss Seonghwa placed on his lips as an apology. He distracted Hongjoong with some wet touches on his heated skin that seemed to simmer like coal under his lips. Through the layer of human, he could feel the fever from his rut pulse away like a balloon about to burst.

Seonghwa soothed it to the best of his ability. By the time he started to rock into Hongjoong slowly, the man fell apart underneath him again.

As usual, Seonghwa couldn't get enough of his lover's body. One of his hands either possessively held his waist or caressed his beautiful inked chest in front of him. Last summer, Hongjoong had gotten a large chest piece made of different kinds of flowers that beautifully accentuated his collar bones. He had gotten it as a tribute to the rose tattoos that Seonghwa wore so dearly. The same artist that had decorated Seonghwa's nape and forearm with the respective wings had done the piece on his back - folded wings and a black spine attached to them. And the cute girl that had provided Seonghwa with his beloved flower tattoos had painted beautiful red petals over Hongjoong's chest and shoulders.

Seonghwa, in return, had gotten a tattoo on his free leg similar to the aurora on Hongjoong's forearm.

"You okay?" Breathless, Seonghwa flicked his hair back. The room was already fully bathed in their pheromones, and the scent hung in the air like a dense fog. Seonghwa could barely concentrate it was that intense.

Instead of an answer, Hongjoong just gasped and tried to pull Seonghwa closer. His sweaty fingers futilely slipped off the man's back.

Humouring him, Seonghwa found purchase on the man's thigh. He pulled it against his chest firmly and jostled Hongjoong against him at every deep thrust he placed. They punched Hongjoong's every breath from his lungs as Seonghwa rhythmically pounded him into the sheets. His knot had yet to form fully, so Seonghwa had an excuse to sink hilt-deep into the velvety warmth of his boyfriend.

His eyes never left Hongjoong's face. He watched the man's lips drop oven and then close again whenever he sucked in a harsh breath. Sometimes, he licked them to keep them from drying out. At a well-aimed jab at his prostate that had his body lurch, his eyes also flew open. They immediately rolled back when Seonghwa continued their restless dance.

"Hwa... Hwa..." Little moans of his name that could nearly have been excused as regular groans fled Hongjoong in an endless litany. By the time they rose in pitch at Seonghwa's fastened pace, Seonghwa hovered over him to drink them from his lips greedily.

Like two wrestlers caught in a final match, their bodies twisted and arched against each other. Seonghwa's hand was wrapped around Hongjoong's heavy dick that had taken on an angry red colour. He jerked the tip quickly and hopefully in accordance with his thrusts.

The sweat that dropped from his nose and chin connected with Hongjoong's on his chest.

"Hwa- When- Once I come... Mate me."

The broken plea nearly had Seonghwa falter in his thrusts. A million and one reasons why Hongjoong wanted it right now crossed his mind. In Seonghwa's imagination, they had their nice trip and then ended the holiday with a romantic evening where they exchanged their bites. Hongjoong went at a faster pace.

At the lack of an answer, Hongjoong forced his eyes open to regard Seonghwa with lust brimming in them like pools of fire.

"Wanna spend this holiday with you as my mate."

Seonghwa's hand stuttered. Then, the heat of pleasure and adoration pooled all over his stomach and chest.

"Understood."

With all the might he had left in his arm, he jerked Hongjoong to completion. As the man tightened around him with a hoarse yell, Seonghwa ducked his face into his neck. He had to hold Hongjoong's chin in place so he wouldn't trash as his teeth sunk into his skin. Seonghwa bit him right over his scent glad, and the act had Hongjoong's smell explode in his face like a cloud of dust. Hongjoong's cry got swallowed by the walls when Seonghwa possessively licked up the blood he had drawn. He was careful and checked that everything was alright and their scents mingled as an unmistakable message that Hongjoong was taken before he pulled back.

One heated kiss with Hongjoong that the man reciprocated with languid brushed of his lips and tongue later, Seonghwa sat back up. He pulled Hongjoong with him, and the man came to sit on his lap prettily. As he hung in Seonghwa's arms, he allowed the other to find completion in his body no problem.

Hongjoong had clawed and tugged at him a lot all evening long. Now that Seonghwa chased his orgasm by slamming Hongjoong's hips down and pushing up at the same time, he clung onto his shoulders. His little hiccups and whines had all the love pool from Seonghwa's chest as if a bucket of water had fallen over.

At once, Hongjoong sunk his teeth into Seonghwa's neck.

Caught off guard, Seonghwa came harder than expected. He managed to pull back enough that his knot wouldn't hurt his lover even as a pleasure that was sweeter than anything he had ever felt before washed over him. It was intensified so much more by the bond that came with it, by Hongjoong's mere presence now. Their alphas were mated now. Promised until death and beyond, and nothing would ever be able to break their claim.

Seonghwa spasmed and jerked in Hongjoong's grip. The man held him down with a strength that must come from his rut as he cleaned up the bite. He also sealed it with a kiss over Seonghwa's parted lips.

With no resistance left in his body, Seonghwa fell backwards. Hongjoong caught him and cooed about the fucked-out expression on his face.

Seonghwa felt spacey, as if he was floating. The world seemed brighter suddenly, and all colours were intensified as if the saturation had doubled. His pulse thrummed in his ears, and Hongjoong's smell now carried a faint sweet note that Seonghwa knew came from the bond and was unlike any other scent.

They settled down in the sheets on top of each other to rest and wait for the high to lift off. As they shared their breaths, Seonghwa relaxed quickly. His body was awake now and overjoyed at having found his pair, but his eyes still drooped from the long trip.

"Go to sleep. I'll clean you up."

With their new link, Hongjoong could probably taste Seonghwa's exhaustion on his lips just how Seonghwa was keenly aware of the satisfaction the other alpha felt.

With a chuckle, he reached an arm out to pull his mate close. Hongjoong made a protesting noise.

"Fuck cleaning up. Let's sleep, darling."

There was no arguing about that.

-

Seonghwa awoke to his boyfriend - and now mate, as he remembered - nestled deep inside him. His knot still locked the two of them together, and in his sleep, Hongjoong was slightly less feverish as he nuzzled Seonghwa's neck. His hot breath touched upon his damp skin at regular intervals, and Seonghwa barely dared to shift his head and plant a little kiss on Hongjoong's forehead.

Light streamed through the curtains, muted and bathed in orange by the red fabric. The room was warm from its intensity and the heat of the two men inside. Seonghwa vaguely recalled Hongjoong waking up with the sun's first rays, desperate and aching to be inside Seonghwa. Half asleep, Seonghwa had let him do whatever he wanted and fallen apart beneath his lover in the sheets. Their bond made everything all the intenser and heightened every sensation to the point of being too much.

They had fallen asleep just like that, and Hongjoong curled up against Seonghwa as if he hadn't absolutely wrecked him an hour prior.

The faint ringing noise of a phone registered in Seonghwa's brain. It must have been the source of his rousing, so he blinked the sleep away as his eyes searched for the device. Thankfully, it was placed close enough on the bedside table so that he could grab it comfortably.

He picked up the call and held Hongjoong close as he tried to recognise the voice.

"Hongie?"

It was Mingi's deep drawl that Seonghwa didn't mind at all in the morning. It soothingly woke him up.

"It's me. 'Sup."

"Ah, hi, Seonghwa. San asked me to forward a question to you."

Seonghwa hummed as he closed his eyes again and enjoyed the warmth and closeness to his partner. The air in the room was stuffy and smelled of sweat and the two of them combined. With the amount of alpha stench in the room, Seonghwa would blame no omega for fainting if they set foot inside here. Their pheromones were as palpable in the atmosphere as the hard plastic beneath Seonghwa's fingers.

"He said that a few men came by searching for you guys. They didn't seem suspicious, but he wanted me to warn you since Hongjoong's parents told them. You know. Just in case."

Seonghwa chuckled at him.

"Thanks, Mingi. We'll keep an eye out."

"San said they belong to some Russian firm; I don't know if you two have any ties there."

As far as Seonghwa could remember, he and the Russians had never been the best of friends. He had never gotten into too much trouble with them, but then again, he was also never on the losing side.

"Is Hongie in rut already?"

"Jep. And I bet he rips any Russian spy apart that annoys him on his holiday."

That had every tension on the other side of the phone lift. It swept away effortlessly once the trust they all had in Hongjoong rolled over it.

"I'm relieved, then. Tell me if I need to call an undertaker."

"I will," Seonghwa laughed into the phone. Mingi wished him a pleasant day before he ended the call and left Seonghwa to his morning of cuddles. He scrolled through his social media mindlessly and amused himself with false information on him that had spread over the internet.

It took Hongjoong a while longer until he stirred. As he rolled around to blink against the ceiling, Seonghwa let him and allowed their bodies to slip free from each other. He handed Hongjoong a bottle of water against his no doubt parched throat.

"Morning, sleepyhead. It's 1:23 pm, and you missed a call from your dear fellow pack member."

Groaning, Hongjoong gulped down some water and then turned to look at Seonghwa. His eyes were glazed over with the rut-typical shimmer, and his cheeks were flushed. When he breathed in his scent all over Seonghwa and the remainder of the morning activities that pooled beneath his crotch, he inhaled extra deeply. Seonghwa reached out to ruffle his wild red hair.

"What did he want? Do they already miss our gracious presence?"

"More like they warned us from some dudes that might make them miss just that. Apparently, some Russian people search for us. You ever had a fallout with the KGB?"

Hongjoong frowned as if he had to rethink whether or not they were on the list of his enemies. Seonghwa bet it was long.

"Better not, I hope. If anything, the FSB. I can't recall, though."

Hongjoong stumbled to his feet to open the curtains. Temporarily blinded by the sunlight he had punished himself with, he blinked out of the window.

"Oops, scared a kid. Curiosity killed the cat."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes about his lover. He wasn't ready to get up and take a shower just yet.

"Hey, would you get away from the window? Nobody needs to see you naked."

"Oh, but they do. Who wouldn't want their eyes blessed with the beauty that I am?"

Hongjoong's smirk was dirty as he returned to bed to join Seonghwa. Of course, he hadn't opened the window. Seonghwa had called him back too early.

Once Hongjoong sat back on his side, he trailed a finger over Seonghwa's neck and chest, feeling up the bite mark he had left there.

"Now your aries is showing. Want me to fuck you in the shower?"

Chuckling, Seonghwa buried his hand in Hongjoong's hair to pull him down to his level. Their lips met in a sweet greeting. Seonghwa nipped playfully on the other man's soft flesh.

"Sure, if you can carry me there."

After their shower (and a second shower) Seonghwa made sure to open all the windows to get some fresh air in their chambers. The autumn breeze was still warm as a touch of sun on their skins, but it already carried the impending coldness of winter. It was a beautiful day that Seonghwa would rather spend in the ocean of orange and yellow forests of France than locked away in a hotel room.

Hongjoong took some medicines and scent-blockers and promised Seonghwa to go on a walk with him. While he waited in the car, Seonghwa got them some breakfast in a nearby cosy little bakery. Once he had thrown the brown paper bag on his lover's lap, they took off towards the mountains. Away from the masses, it would also be no issue that Hongjoong exuded enough pheromones to bewitch a whole building of people.

The French forests were filled with maple trees that distributed their colourful leaves all over the forest floor. The occasional cedar appeared between them dark and with their greens everlasting. Whenever they could, magnificent oaks that had a characteristic so distinctively European to them surrounded the old ruins of long-forgotten buildings. The trees and rocks told the stories of ancient kings and wars that had taken place in the valley beneath them.

The deeper they drove into the dense forest that had sunlight filter through them like the gracious mercy of an angel's hands, the further they left the seven-hundred-year old monastery behind.

By the time Seonghwa parked their red sports car on the side of the road, not a single person or building was left in sight. Like a gentleman, Seonghwa emerged from the vehicle first and rounded it to open the door for Hongjoong.

"I heard there are some caves and also a monkey forest nearby. Are we going to annoy the monkeys?"

Seonghwa chuckled at the man's enthusiasm. In his travels, he had met his fair share of monkeys, and he bet that the French monkeys would be amazed by how different from them some of their kin were.

"Not today. Today, there are only trees to look at." Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong's hand and led him down a narrow winding path covered in trampled green grass that seemed to lead right into a fairy world. With his eyes wide open to drink all the wonders and beauty of nature that surrounded them up, Hongjoong followed him.

Seonghwa's legs were longer than Hongjoong's, but he adjusted his stride to a comfortable pace for the smaller man. Their hands swung in between them in a gesture that sought comfort and closeness. Sometimes, Seonghwa squeezed Hongjoong's smaller fingers between his to assure himself that he was still there in the silence of the forest.

They walked in silence. Both reminisced about their own thoughts, and the sole noise that followed them apart from the occasional bird in the trees was the crunching of leaves and acorns underneath their feet. They munched their breakfast on the side. Despite the scent blockers that Hongjoong used, Seonghwa was still able to detect that sweet note on him that identified his mate.

By the time Hongjoong broke the silence, they had ventured far in the woods that seemed to glow magically in the golden light of day. The reality was altered here, and Seonghwa felt as if he could travel in time and return to the age when knights on horses with swords strapped to their hips still occupied these lands. He wouldn't be surprised if he stepped out into an old-fashioned market any minute from now.

"Did you know that the first king of France was Charles the Bald? Imagine you become king and want a memorable title and your ministers just look at you and giggle like 'we have one.'"

Seonghwa chuckled at the random fun fact Hongjoong dropped on him. Most of their talks on their journeys had grown to this. They had fewer reasons to spit fire at each other than back in the day, so they tried to out-do each other with extensive knowledge of their surroundings.

"During the July Revolution of 1830, Louis-Antoine Duke of Angoulême figured it might be a bad idea to become king during the commotion. He took the throne, and twenty minutes after, he ditched it to save his life. Speaking about not lasting long."

Hongjoong threw his head back as laughter burst out of him. It bubbled from his chest like a swarm of fireflies and evaporated in the warm air.

"Boring, give me older ones. I'm not interested in anything past the middle ages."

At his ignorance, Seonghwa gasped dramatically. Then, he wracked his brain for something older.

"Their superstition that it's bad luck to turn a baguette upside down dates back to the 14th century. And their Carnac Stones in the Bretagne are older than Stonehenge."

Hongjoong gave a pensive hum.

"Alright, I already knew the second one, but the first one is nice. I'll give you that point." He spoke overly generous, and the impish grin was back on his face. In an act of revenge, Seonghwa dropped his hand to swiftly grab the man around the waist. Without real resistance, Hongjoong pretended to struggle against his hold weakly.

"What, need some more kid's facts to sate your curiosity? I don't need to tell you the name of the highest mountain and longest river now, do I?"

Squealing in his arm, Hongjoong tried to fend him off. Giggles accompanied his little noises of protest.

"I grew up here, Hwa, if anybody has to prove his knowledge, it's you!"

"Yet you didn't know that it's bad luck to turn a bread upside down!"

"Do you need stupid facts about England? Do you want to know how much fucking tea you guys drink in a year?"

Their little fight ended with Seonghwa shutting Hongjoong up with a deep kiss. Once both of them had calmed again, they continued their walk. The game who had more stupid historical facts about France continued until they were back at the car.

By the time they arrived back at the red vehicle, Hongjoong's scent blockers had mostly worn off, and his neediness wafted off him in waves. While they still leaned against the side of the leaf-dotted car and shared a romantic kiss, he already plotted his next move. Not even ten minutes later, Seonghwa found himself on Hongjoong's lap with his jacket and shirt haphazardly pushed off his chest and shoulders. The prior night had left him prepared enough to be able to sink down on Hongjoong without much trouble.

The alpha beneath him chuckled as he roamed his fingers all over Seonghwa's chest.

"There you go. All mine. The great count and mighty alpha taking my knot like a dirty omega."

Despite the narrow space in the car, Seonghwa had thrown his head back and used the door as leverage to push his hips down on Hongjoong's. He couldn't get enough, always trying to force him deeper. Whenever he bottomed out with a rough thrust and filled Seonghwa entirely, his eyes flew open and breathy moans tumbled from his lips.

Hongjoong didn't care about the mess he made. His focus was on Seonghwa, and Seonghwa only. If any come dripped on his expensive leather seats, he would be the last to mind. It was Seonghwa, who sacrificed his sanity as he arched his back to lean over to the glovebox. Mercilessly, Hongjoong wrapped an arm around his narrow waist and slammed into him. The sweetest noises escaped Seonghwa as he weakly searched around for tissues.

He was back in time to avoid the worst mess. As he came, he did so into the tissue, and he had the rest at a ready until Hongjoong calmed.

Once both of them had calmed from the worst heat, Hongjoong slumped back into his seat with Seonghwa still on his lap. Mindless, his fingers mapped out his tattoos and forms as he whined about his skin sticking to the leather of the seat.

Seonghwa shut him up with kisses. Then, he cuddled against the man's chest and waited for the knot inside him to shrink so he could pull off. As usual, he was queasy from the come inside of him, but he would rather plug himself up and take a long shower at home than try to get rid of it in the forest.

He shared this concern with Hongjoong and only got a rough laugh in response.

"How illegal is it in France to drive home while sitting on someone's cock? Do you know by any chance?" Was all Hongjoong said, and Seonghwa had smacked his chest.

"I could also drive if you're distracted while you sit there?" His teasing voice became more diplomatic. Then, his glinting eyes shifted into something even more playful.

"Oh, I got it. You use the tissues to soak instead of your pants and try to hold it in. We will try to drive home fast, and if you can't manage or aren't fast enough, we will pull up on the site, and I will fuck you again, right there. We continue that until we get home."

Seonghwa stared at him disbelievingly.

"Why?!"

Huffing, Hongjoong pulled on his waist without actually jostling him.

"Because I'm in rut, Hwa! You can't expect me to smell my gorgeous mate dripping with my cum and not want to ravage him!"

"You brought medicines! Because we are in public!"

Without ending their eye contact, Hongjoong reached into his bag on the driver seat. He grabbed something from there and switched it to his right hand behind Seonghwa's back so he wouldn't see what it was. Then, he opened the window next to Seonghwa and chucked it out. His grin was angelic.

"Sadly, I didn't."

Seonghwa couldn't believe him.

-

After another long night of sacrificing his sleep and body to Hongjoong's rut, Seonghwa slept like a corpse into the next day. He rested long enough that the sun was on its way to set already by the time he awoke. The sight over the cliff and the mountains on the other side of the valley was spectacular. Seonghwa adored autumn in France.

Befuddled, he looked around when he couldn't spot Hongjoong. His rut was mostly over, but the aftermath handicapped him enough in his scent that he shouldn't mill around outside. As Seonghwa turned to look at his phone in case the man had left a message, he found a piece of paper stuck to the display.

Am out to get something. Will be back soon.

Now, of course, Seonghwa had no idea when Hongjoong had left this note. But whatever soon meant, he hoped it would be in the near future. After a quick shower accompanied by throbbing pain in his lower back, Seonghwa settled back into bed and pulled up his reading app to spend his time inwardly yelling about his favourite characters.

Time passed with the speed of lightning. Before Seonghwa knew it, the sun had disappeared, and Hongjoong still wasn't back. Seonghwa only noticed it in the first place because he got a call from Mingi.

"Hi," Seonghwa greeted him. He attempted to keep the frown out of his tone, but he glanced out of the windows anyway as he fixed the curtains.

"Big trouble, Hwa! Are you around Hongjoong right now?"

Alert, Seonghwa sat down next to his bag. As Mingi spoke, he already pulled his gun from the hidden compartment and slipped six bullets inside the slots.

"No, haven't seen him since last night. Where is he? The Russian guys?"

"Yes, the Russian guys! They sent me a video, wait, I'll forward it to you." Mere seconds later, Seonghwa's handy peeped at the notification. He pulled the file up and clicked play as soon as it had finished loading.

The beginning of it was pure darkness and two muffled Russian voices talking in the background. Seonghwa wondered if they had come to take revenge for the incident in Kazakhstan.

Then, abruptly the camera lifted and showed a dark room. It was made from shady concrete, probably the basement of a place that was clearly not near the monastery. Hongjoong was seated in the middle of the room, asleep - probably drugged - and held to the chair by a metal rope.

More talking, Seonghwa picked up something about their successful mission. Then, a voice with a heavy accent spoke. As he made his demand, he rounded Hongjoong to show how they had constricted him to the chair and additionally wrapped his hands with a seatbelt and a chain.

"Count Park... A million dollars for your boy-toy. Bring them to the hotel entrance tonight if you want him to live."

With that, the recording ended after a last close-up on Hongjoong's unconscious and relaxed features that had strands of red hair hang into them.

Seonghwa returned to his call with Mingi.

"Bastards." With a growl, he dropped the gun back into his bag and kicked a piece of clothing over it.

"Should I call the cops?! Or get you a few dollars? Oh, or let San search for their signal?" Mingi's voice nearly broke with how fast he tried to spill the syllables. Sighing, Seonghwa went back to his bed. He dropped down onto the covers with as much care for his hips he could muster.

"Don't bother. He'll return on his own."

Mingi made a sound of discontent.

"Are you sure? They are five men, and they have him strapped in tight."

As Seonghwa already scrolled his phone to find back to the tab with his story, he tried to put as much trust as possible in his voice. His pack should be able to believe in their leader.

"Mingi, they believe he's an omega. Give him a few hours. His rut is still raging. He will rip them to shreds," he assured him gently. In the background, he could hear the other three with Mingi nervously talk over each other, too.

"Promise that if he doesn't come back in two hours, you will go out tonight and shoot them yourself."

Seonghwa's lips curled into a smile at the sweet worry Mingi shared. The man looked cool and tough, but he was sweet at the core, just like his smell of smores.

"Of course, I will."

Mingi allowed Yeosang to whisk his worries away after that. They left Seonghwa to wait, and with no worry in the world, he flipped through his book. The chapter was amusing; the two main characters practised backflips on a rooftop of all places. He was just nearing the line he was pretty sure one of them went tumbling when his phone rang. An unknown number, but how unknown could it be?

Seonghwa picked up the call. When nothing but silence answered, he also remained steely quiet.

Then, the Russian accent spoke.

"Count Park."

"Yo."

"We found the bonding mark on your omega's neck. That changes things. You wouldn't want to see him hurt, right?"

Seonghwa chuckled into the phone sinisterly. On the side, he still read about his favourite character landing on top of an awning as he stumbled from the roof.

"You can try," he responded, belligerent.

"If you want to consult about our business and make a higher offer, call this number again. If not, then you will feel every bit of what we will do to your beautiful mate."

Seonghwa's character fell to the ground in a cartoonish manner. His friend laughed at him. Seonghwa had to chuckle, too.

"Do whatever you dare to try. He'll put you in your place himself."

Now, a rough bark of a laugh came through the speaker. Irritated, Seonghwa held it slightly further away from his ear.

"You fool! We have him drugged and bound! And he is a weak omega bitch!"

Seonghwa hummed, barely paying attention. The caller was already angered as he was, but Seonghwa's blatant disregard riled him up only further.

"We will rape him! And claim him! And rub our scent all over him!"

"Yeah yeah, tell him I said hi."

Nonchalant, Seonghwa clicked the call away. His body was thankful for the rest he allowed it. Night dawned upon him, and he turned on a little lamp as he immersed himself in his book.

Hongjoong returned an hour later. With a beep of the door, he shuffled in, and Seonghwa didn't even look up. He could smell the sour stench from the drugs that marred Hongjoong's pleasant scent. Aside from that, however, he smelled only like himself.

"Hi, sorry for being late. I took a little detour."

Seonghwa looked him up and down, finding not a speck of dirt on his outfit.

"New shirt? I like it."

Hongjoong shot him a charming smile.

"I got it at a vendor in a city down south. I can take you tomorrow if you're interested. They had a few beautiful pieces that I would fit your complexion so well."

As Hongjoong sat down a big bag in front of Seonghwa, the man curiously lowered his phone. His interest had shifted.

"So what had you ditch me that early in the morning?"

After he had shrugged his coat off, Hongjoong sat down next to the bag on the foot of the bed and began to unpack. He pulled out the bouquet of flowers that Seonghwa could see peeking over the edge first.

"Fleur-de-lis, as the French like it." He handed Seonghwa the bunch of lilies. He breathed in their scent and hummed appreciatively. Hongjoong continued to rummage through his bag.

"Also, strawberry cake because I know you love it." A platter with two wrapped pieces of strawberry cake and chocolate cake each found it's way on the sheets. Hongjoong tossed two forks at it, too. Amused, Seonghwa observed the extent of his theatre.

"Peach juice to drink in the morning. And wine for now." With a grin, Hongjoong whipped out a whole bottle for the two of them. The bag fell over, but something was still inside. Hongjoong snatched it after putting the two bottles down.

"And chocolates." He handed them directly to Seonghwa, too. Then, he perched on the bed, waiting.

Seonghwa couldn't help but chuckle endeared at him.

"All this, for what?"

"As a thank you for taking care of my rut. The cake is an apology for being late. You spent the whole day without me."

Seonghwa shifted closer to unpack the cake. He handed Hongjoong a fork nonetheless and kissed the pout from his lips.

"It's fine. I wouldn't have been able to join in on the fun with my hips anyway."

Giggling, Hongjoong called him an old man, but when Seonghwa threateningly rose his fork against him, he hurried to eat. After they finished, they also shared the wine and pralines. By the time the two of them were back on the bed and nuzzled each other's neck to collect as much of their scents as possible, Seonghwa was happy and relaxed.

"Did you tell Mingi that you're back safely? He was worried sick."

Hongjoong nodded as he took a sip of wine.

"I did. He told me I should take better care, but really, I took out more people than five before."

Seonghwa tasted the sweet tang of the wine on Hongjoong's lips as he melted into a kiss.

"I didn't doubt you."

Hongjoong snorted, but he kissed back.

"Yeah, not as if you would have been able to do much with your old man hips anyway."

They continued their evening relaxed and not thinking about the incident again. There was no need to question each other's trust since it was deeper than any ocean anyway. Deeper, and also sweeter even than the great cookies Hongjoong's mom had baked.