╰─➤ baby tell me one more beautiful lie,
one touch and i ignite

➳༻❀✿❀༺➳

"okay, count to three," mark instructed donghyuck as he held a suppressant injection to his arm. the omega clicked his tongue at the childishness, having been used to needles for years considering the oral medication was prohibitively expensive and for what?

"one," he started, "two—"

mark slid it into his arm and injected the suppressant quickly before pulling it away and looking at his handy work. "all done." they were sitting in a tea room on the array of sofas and arm chairs by the impressive, open wall windows that allowed the summer heat in.

"you had us worried there, with your gold eyes and all," chenle mentioned while mixing some milk into his tea, nabbing a biscuit to go with it. they were all bored while waiting for a mission or something to do. "omegas and alphas are strange, right? why do their eyes do that when they're all..." he started to think about it.

"i think it's sexy," jaemin hummed. "jeno looks really cool."

"not when his rut's a week long," mark rolled his eyes. he tossed the used syringe into the little bin by the glass coffee table and kicked off his shoes to pull his feet up onto the sofa beside donghyuck. "i'd hate that though. losing control every month and stuff. it was hard enough when i self-inflicted it."

"you get used to it," both omegas sighed at the same time, and they shared a knowing look before jisung accidentally spilt his tea on jaemin's current novel.

"ah, shit."

"for the love of—" nana groaned and picked it up. he flapped the liquid running down it over in jisung's direction and the others couldn't help but laugh. it was warm. it was quiet and peaceful. it was a nice day to be alive.

"feeling better yet?" mark asked hyuck and handed him a small cake. "you look better already."

"that's not how it works, i'm afraid," he snickered and accepted the dessert. "but i guess i feel relief? a second ago i was ready to pounce, and now i'm alright?"

"you're alright because i took the brunt of your needs," renjun glowered, so hyuck blew him a thankful, cheeky kiss. having downtime after the huge rush of the past weeks felt somewhat like healing. their souls were exhausted, and pleasant conversation brought them closer and offered them small fragments of normalcy when such a thing was rare.

jaemin would've been lying if he said these moments of reprieve after excitement weren't a little boring, in the life that he had led thus far. he liked drama, and gossip and all that came with those things. he wanted to talk to renjun who offered little conversation to anyone who wasn't jeno...or, to everyone else's dismay, donghyuck. these days the two omegas looked about as thick as thieves, and even though that was the primary reason jeno brought hyuck to the gang, it was still a low blow to see it actually work. jaemin, in particular, wanted to know what it was hyuck had that he and the others didn't. why wouldn't renjun let him in?

"you're staring," renjun eyed him over his tea and arched his brow quizzically. "something on my face?"

"quite," jaemin mused. "a hideous snarl, but i'm sure you came with that."

"hah hah."

the beta smiled a little, wanting to press him and see how far he could go, but he didn't. testing huang renjun's limits was not his forte and it clearly did nothing for anyone else.

"i feel like doing something fun," chenle piped up after a mouthful of pastry. whenever they weren't looking, he managed to find some croissant or other to devour. "how about monopoly again?"

"but jen's not here to mediate us," mark mentioned. "i don't think it'd be fun without him."

"then that includes cluedo," chenle counted on his fingers, "guess who, connect four, frustration and basically every other fun game we have."

"we could play something out of the ordinary," jisung suggested. "maybe twister? or hide and seek?"

"bro, you suck at hide and seek," jaemin groaned. "last time we left you to seek, we were hiding for hours. jeno sent out a search party until you explained the whole thing, and then the day was ruined."

"that's why we don't play it," mark added unhelpfully.

"well who said i had to seek, huh?" jisung scoffed. "why don't you do it, if you're so amazing?"

"i'll do it," donghyuck raised his hand.

"you don't know the manor well enough," chenle cringed. "i'll do it."

"do i have to play?" renjun sighed. "it's so juvenile."

"ho ho, someone's confident," the second youngest challenged. "alright, it's decided. renjun's seeking."

"i said i didn't want to play!"

"dry shite," mark coughed into his hands.

"excuse me?!"

"i'll play," donghyuck interrupted the brewing argument excitedly. "although i might have to dip if i'm hidden too long. my heats make me itchy and stuff."

"alright. renjun's seeking," jaemin clarified the rules, "the sky's the limit for hiding spaces, and hyuck might need a quickie or two to sate his heat. fab, let's go!" he started to get up.

"wait, a quickie—?" donghyuck was about to object before mark hauled him and renjun up one after the other.

"jun, you stay here and count when we leave the room. hyuck, he can smell you so cover yourself wherever you go."

"easier said than done," the blonde folded his arms indignantly. "i'm sweating balls right now, it's gonna make me obvious."

"eh, that's half the fun," jaemin waved away their concerns. "let's go, people."

five of the dolls swiftly dashed out of the room and left renjun standing there, half shocked and half irritated that he did have to play now. he didn't like moving around on his days off. i'll just slit their throats when i find them, he told himself, smiling wickedly and starting to count backwards from twenty.

donghyuck panted as he swerved to the left and right down various hallways, not entirely sure where he'd ended up and having lost the others at the start. his mind was filled with the adrenaline this game entailed and he knew, from basic memory, that the third floor had a lot of spare bedrooms and guest quarters and whatnot that were nearly never used. he chanced his arm when he tried a few of the doors. locked, locked, locked, creak.

bingo, he grinned, pushing inside and looking around briefly to see a double bed. it wasn't made so it had no coverage on the floor, but there was an en suite and a massive wardrobe.

hyuck took a look inside the toilet and decided it was nearly impossible to blend in with the polished white. everything was immaculate and he himself was wearing his same denim shorts and green t-shirt as earlier. nope.

he emerged from the space and debated leaving to find somewhere better. when he reached the door, the sound of running down the halls sent chills up his spine and he cursed under his breath, taking a leap of faith and trying the wardrobe.

when the blonde swung the door open, he nearly screamed as arms grabbed at him, hauled him in and the sound of hushing filled the silence. the doors clipped shut once his back was pressed against one side of the interior and all light dissipated, aside from the stripe piercing through the fissure between the doors.

donghyuck swallowed thickly, making out the rough suggestion of a face in the shadows before the other boy leaned forward and placed his hand over his mouth, revealing himself to be jaemin. "shhh, baby. is he out there?"

hyuck nodded, eyes wide and heart pounding.

"okay," the younger adult sighed and retracted his hand before releasing a long breath. "okay."

they heard whispering soon after, and movement beyond the bedroom door. renjun and whoever he must've found by now (unless of course he spoke to himself, which was always a possibility) must've been taking the same tactic hyuck had by trying every door along the hallway.

the darkness was so hot and muggy it was making jaemin and donghyuck sweat. the pair were shaking a little from the adrenaline and excitement and the older boy was starting to adjust to the light. jaemin was staring at the doors, probably keeping his eyes on the crack of light to watch for shadows while his hands held onto hyuck's shoulders like he might bolt otherwise.

his piercings were catching the glow coming through, glinting against it and sparkling whenever the beta tilted his head. donghyuck squinted when it nearly blinded him, realising this was probably not a good thing. he reached out and tried to cover his ears, but wondered if his nose piercing was also an issue. hopefully not. it didn't seem to be.

"what?" jaemin whispered, swallowing heavily and touching his face where his companion was staring.

"you're like a light show," hyuck responded and kept the boy's ears hidden. "what if they see—?"

"hang on," the bedroom door flew open and hit the wall hard, "i'm checking in here." chenle? already? jaemin accidentally let out a quiet, pained noise through his nose and gave hyuck a dismayed look.

traitor, he mouthed, carefully pointing at the beam of light between them. the omega wasn't aware of this rule they made up, where a hider could deviate and become a seeker. it certainly added a twist.

chenle was inside the room with them, walking around slowly with the floorboards creaking under him. the noise alerted them to his whereabouts and as far as the hiders were concerned, he was right beside the bed. oh god, hyuck thought, heart speeding up again and sweat making his neck damp, he'll go about it the same way i did and find us here.

jaemin was breathing hard but with visible restraint. his incredibly beautiful face was shining from perspire and his hazel eyes were steadily following the shadow through the light. his lips were pursed and made him seem focused...and so kissable.

here we go, donghyuck wanted to smack himself. the suppressant's immediate effect was wearing off and now he was thinking about it again. now he could smell jaemin's body spray that was quite reminiscent of peaches and the taste of lipgloss.

"jaem," he whispered hoarsely and the beta snapped his attention to him with a warning glare. don't, he was nearly saying, but hyuck was sure he didn't know what he really needed to ask. his tummy was heating up and his legs felt heavy.

renjun said something in chinese and entered the room, and jaemin shook his head in disbelief. they were using a different language to keep them in the dark. how rude.

"bathroom is clear," chenle sighed, then said something else in his mother tongue. jaemin leaned forward a little to try to sneak a better peak through the crack but his hair tickled the omega's nose and, to make matters worse, smelled divine.

"jaem..." hyuck tried again, practically choking.

"shhh," he whispered lowly.

donghyuck squeaked and squeezed his legs together, feeling mortified when his thighs were wet. "i need to go. now."

"oh my god, would you—?" jaemin was about to snap but took in the look on the boy's face and searched it for some sort of sign. he trailed his eyes down from the flushed cheeks to his neck as he swallowed and down further to his legs trembling. "you're kidding m—"

"ah, i heard something," chenle suddenly hissed and pulled the bathroom door open right beside the wardrobe again. the hiders went stiff, staring at each other like they were done for and waiting with bated breaths for the verdict.

"me too," renjun agreed and his footsteps creaked along the floorboards towards their hiding place. the two huddled close, ignoring the way hyuck's body reacted to jaemin for now. their skin was so damp and sticky that when it touched, it was hard to part.

renjun stopped just in front of them, cutting off their light. he leaned in, about to scare them by peering through the slit before another noise from outside the bedroom startled everyone.

"fuck!" they heard jisung curse before heavy running ensued and renjun pulled away from the wardrobe.

"chenle, follow him."

"what about you?"

"i'm coming," he simply said, watching the beta's suspicious face as he went out and after the most conspicuous doll of the harem. renjun waited a moment longer, fists clenching slowly by his side before he rested a hand on the door of the wardrobe and murmured, "i can smell you, hyuck. do you need help again?"

he didn't know jaemin was here.

donghyuck traced a tongue along his lip and was so close to giving up the ghost just to feel someone inside him. his lower back was on fire, begging him to give in but he couldn't betray jaemin like that. not when they were so close to being free from suspicion. "i-i'm okay. leave me here for a bit." jaemin looked at him with a bit of surprise. for what, the omega wasn't sure. was it the fact that renjun was covering for him like this? that they had slept together not long ago? he couldn't tell at all.

"it's fine to lose the stupid game, you know," renjun pressed and went to open the door. donghyuck and jaemin held it shut together, their clammy hands laced accidentally and their breaths catching.

"why are you letting me win, then?"

renjun paused, letting go and taking a miffed step back. "who said i even care? if you don't want my help then whatever. i'm leaving."

i'm sorry, donghyuck wanted to call out. to open the door and pull him back and say he would love his help and loved sleeping with him and that he wasn't trying to be dismissive or mean. but jaemin made a victory pose and the moment passed.

renjun left the bedroom and left the door open.

"score," the blonde beta whispered happily, looking back at his hiding partner and lifting his hands for a high-five. donghyuck didn't have that kind of energy or enthusiasm to spare and quickly pushed jaemin to the other side of the wardrobe, plastering his body on him.

"you just made me upset him."

"he's a grump. don't take it to heart."

"he's sensitive and gets hurt easily — there's a difference," hyuck grimaced, but he wasn't having this argument right now. "jaem. fuck me. please."

"what? chenle could come back though—"

"then do it in here! i'm literally leaking, jaem. if i don't get help right now, it won't be pretty."

the beta's eyes travelled down his body again and back up, and he poked the wall of his cheek with his tongue. "fine. be quiet though, yeah?"

"obviously. i didn't piss renjun off to lose."

jaemin scoffed and got straight to the point, pulling hyuck's hips closer by his belt loops and quickly unlatching the button before pushing the shorts down. "front or behind?"

"front. and let's be fast about it. i'm literally about to melt in here."

"what do you think a quickie is, baby? the name is self explanatory," he started to chuckle and pushed them both back to the other side, the beam of light passing over them in a flash before their faces were shrouded in darkness once more. donghyuck's breath hitched in a pitchy squeak when jaemin lifted one of his legs and held it up against his chest, with his arm extended out to touch the wooden wall. "when was the last time you were topped? with renjun earlier?"

"ah, no...i can't remember?"

the beta seemed amused by this, habitually sucking on three of his fingers for a small moment before reaching them down and pushing them up inside donghyuck, aided completely by his slick. "i'll never get used to omegas, i swear."

"what do you m-mean?" he whined, covering his own mouth from embarrassment and pushing himself down against the fingers stretching him. muffled, he added, "we're easier to fuck."

"that's the thing," jaemin whispered and retracted his hand to eye up the fruity smelling liquid starting to trail down his wrist. "like, mark and the others don't do this. the prep is the fun part and you don't even need it."

"oh, i'm so sorry. i'll go sleep with jeno then—"

"ah ah, i could learn to get used to it," the platinum blonde smirked snidely and leaned in to catch a kiss. hyuck obliged, feeling his lip catch between teeth when they parted. "teach me about you," jaemin whispered so quietly against his mouth, his smell and his warmth all overwhelming, "teach me what you like, what you love, what you hate."

"i like most things," donghyuck murmured in return and felt down the other's front for the button to his pants. "starting with the basics, i will say."

"well, i think we can start with that," he hummed and undid his trousers for him, already hard enough to start with how donghyuck was behaving. it helped, he thought, to see him in this state when it was so damn warm today and they were confined to an airless wardrobe. hyuck was, without a doubt, stunningly gorgeous and enviously perfect in almost every way, with all his natural human imperfections. if jeno suited having anyone on his arm, it was lee donghyuck. but he wouldn't say that, because jeno didn't like to hear people guess what he wanted.

jaemin wished to melt into donghyuck the way he had melted into mark and jisung and even chenle at this point. he wanted to love him and be loved in return, in that desperate way he always had, ever since he was a kid. he didn't just want one man, even though jeno was enough for him to begin with. he wanted a family and he wanted connection and attraction and chemistry.

donghyuck was another soul for him to collide with — and how beautiful and addictive he was.

they're mouths devoured each other with open kisses, all tongues and breathing and quiet moans. hyuck's hair bunched up where his head was thrown back and his throat constricted around a whine when jaemin pushed inside him with no warning. hands slid up his back under his shirt, pinching his sweaty hips.

"ugh! jaem, careful," he huffed, taking a moment to get used to someone new. he'd never done this with jaemin before, and he could tell the boy was a live-wire. the beta snapped his hips up to meet hyuck's and reached a deeper part of him that renjun wouldn't have as an omega and with the help of gravity.

"try to support yourself, baby," jaemin muttered against his cheek where he'd been pressing kisses to his neck. hyuck's leg was giving out without his other taking half of his weight. the younger boy was holding him, but it was unstable when his sole focus was sating him in the best ways he knew how.

donghyuck wrapped his arms around jaemin's neck, pulling him close and closing his eyes to the slight rattle of the wardrobe and the dark. he rolled his hips against the younger's, gasping his name into his ear and winding his fingers into his white hair. "feels...good. m-more..."

the taller of the two brought his face back to see his eyes and felt the pit of his stomach tighten when he noticed they were gold. he hadn't quite seen them this way yet. not properly. they were intense and lustful and made his heart race. "wow..."

"w-wow what?" the omega whimpered, his back slipping and sliding against the smooth wood as his body welcomed the harsh thrusts. everything felt nice inside like he was floating, so close to seeing that tidal wave within him crash against the surf.

"it's just...i never see renjun's eyes like that. he's funny about his heats and usually clings to jen, so..."

"well, i'm not so picky," he tried humour but the hot boiling need inside him was starting to bubble over and he could hardly think of anything else as jaemin shifted him to lean a little more comfortably against the wall before thrusting into him harder and faster.  

the change was all it took for donghyuck to start crying out from overstimulation. tears of pain and ecstasy welled in his eyes and poured down his cheeks as he held onto the boy for dear life. he felt him deep within his stomach, and probably could've seen him too if he looked down and had light. his voice was hoarse by the time he was digging his nails into jaemin's shoulders and spilled his release over his lower abdomen.

the beta made a muffled, pleasured noise when hyuck tightened up around him and tried to collapse. he fell, inevitably, harder onto his length.

"ngh, w-wait, wait," the blonde begged, squirming. "jaem, i can't."

"try to hang on. i'm nearly there too."

"no, really. i feel like i'll pass out."

jaemin chewed the wall of his cheek and pulled out pulling him close and turning him around to face the wall with his hands against it. "alright, give me a second."

"what are you gonna do?"

he pressed himself between hyuck's tanned thighs and rested his chin against his shoulder, smiling slyly, "ready?"

the omega sucked in a breath and nodded tightly, squeezing his eyes shut and groaning when the younger boy slid back and forth, making him weak. his body wanted to rest, but he knew he'd be back and wanting more in an hour.

jaemin nipped at his ear and massaged his hips, moulding the skin between his fingers and releasing its tension. hyuck felt like jelly, completely and utterly boneless in his arms and a sense of relief flooded him when he felt the boy finish between his legs, painting them white.

the were breathing as though they'd run a marathon and nearly slipped down had jaemin not been quick to hold onto the wall and hike the omega up. "careful. we'll fall out if we sit."

"we were not subtle," donghyuck sighed, catching his breath and standing unsteadily. "and who gave you that stamina?"

"years of putting up with jeno's rut. it's a talent, honestly."

"jesus..."

the two chuckled a little, somewhat bewildered and coming back to terms with the situation. jaemin tensed, noting the quiet beyond the wardrobe. it was odd, really, when none of them were that good at hide and seek and renjun knew where they were. well, knew where hyuck was. did that mean they were looking for him?

"we should find a new hiding place," he mumbled quietly, and slowly, carefully cracked the wardrobe door open a little. "i think the coast is clear."

"i need to clean up again."

"good thing we have a bathroom." they stalked out, running into the white, sparkling toilet to do a quick-fix on the state of donghyuck. his heat was so impeding he wanted someone to lock him up before he managed to sleep with the entire gang and wind up pregnant.

"well, well, well," chenle hummed. the remaining four dolls turned as they finally came out from their hiding space about fifteen minutes later and made their way back to the tea room. "i guess you win."

"didn't think we were that good," jaemin pursed his lips and tried not to look obvious about having just railed donghyuck. hyuck, however, looked a bit bleary-eyed and dazed.

"where were you?" renjun eyed the beta up curiously. "i never found you."

"i was...around."

"more like 'inside'," jisung wriggled his brows and renjun spun on him quickly.

"what?"

"thanks, you little twerp," jaemin approached him and pulled him into a headlock. "i didn't raise a snitch. huh?"

"ow!"

"so you were together?" mark seemed to commend them. "not bad. i got caught nearly immediately. jeno was looking for me too and he knew where to find me."

"it helped," chenle admitted.

"crazy," donghyuck nodded to himself. "i've never won this game before. i suck at hiding and at seeking. jaemin did me a solid."

"sure he did," renjun rolled his eyes and they all went back to find their seats on the sofas. fresh treats and a new pot of tea were brought out before jisung was already asking to play a new game.

"ji, i'm dying in this heat," jaemin pleaded. "just read a book or something."

"what about twister?"

"where six sweaty bodies have to climb over each other? and one is in heat?" chenle arched his brow. "did you think that through?"

"absolutely," the youngest grinned, looking over at donghyuck who nearly choked on his tea. "every detail."

"i'll lose immediately if someone rubs up against me," the omega admitted shamelessly. "for real."

"didn't stop you from playing monopoly."

"that was a bad day!"

"guys, let's relax for ten minutes and revisit the idea when we're not hot and frustrated," mark placated them all and went to pick up a biscuit before jeno entered the room and wandered over to the group.

"hide and seek is over?"

"uhuh," chenle nodded.

"who won?"

"your ratty boyfriend and his accomplice." they all glowered at the pair and donghyuck could've sunk into the floor, even though he knew well any one of them would've taken the same opportunity with him in that wardrobe.

"you're glowing, love," jeno smirked, making the newest member flush.

"i get that a lot."

"i'll bet."

"what did you come to tell us?" mark interrupted the conversation before any pheromones got involved. "you're finished work?"

"nearly. but, i have come up with a decent mission for hyuck to try." he looked them all over and folded his arms. "an assassination. he'll be the support, mark the lead."

"oh, what?!" jisung gasped. "why can't i go?"

"you'll be needed another time. besides, this isn't long-range. we'll be close to this guy."

mark agreed without complaint and nodded to hyuck, who gave a thumbs up and had but one question. "it's not during my heat, is it?"

"no, of course not. you've got a week to settle and chenle will prepare you," jeno assured him. it calmed his nerves a great deal.

"thanks. sounds good."

they all left the conversation there and went with their leader's plan. he knew best, more often than not. while they picked at the food some more and debated on what to do next, jeno trailed over to the couch hyuck sat on and leaned over the backrest beside him, close to his ear.

"how's the heat, anyway? are these suppressants working?"

the blonde tilted his head to view him and their noses nearly touched. "mhm, all good. thanks for helping me test them and all."

"i may be a lot of awful things, and have done awful things," he murmured, "but i'd never deny you or renjun basic omega needs. and you don't want kids yet, so fair enough." hyuck appreciated the thought. quite a lot.

"i'm surprised, though," he whispered while mark laughed loudly beside him at something jaemin said. "you found out about the heat fast. got a plan?"

"my plans are as transparent as my moods," jeno confessed with a sly smile. "care to entertain me tonight?"

"i might."

➳༻❀✿❀༺➳

...to be continued