He shifts slightly on his feet, preparing to retreat— Then hears it, again. “Hyuntak..” His name. Said in a moan so wrecked, so broken it sounds like it was torn out of Suho’s chest. Rough and raw, half-swallowed by the rhythm of his breath.

Hyuntak's heart stutters so hard it almost hurts. His breath catches, body frozen on the spot, the echo of his name ricocheting inside his skull. It wasn’t just Sieun. It’s him. Suho said his name. Moaned it. Holy shit.

A low twist coils in Hyuntak’s gut. He stumbles back from the door quietly, panicked now, and slips into his own room in quick, quiet strides, carefully closing the door behind him without a sound. His chest is rising and falling too fast. His hands shake. Fuck fuck fuck.

Suho is masturbating—to him. To him and Sieun. The rasp of Suho’s voice, the way he breathed his name was burned into Hyuntak’s mind. It was too raw. And it sounded so desperate, so hot that he finds himself pressing his legs together to stifle the rising heat in his stomach.

He covers his face with his hands. What the fuck is he supposed to do with that?

Hyuntak decides to take a quick shower and stay holed up in his room for the next twenty minutes. He tells himself Suho probably needs time, at least, that’s what he assumes. He honestly has no fucking clue what Suho’s doing right now. Then comes a knock at his door.

His chest thuds loudly at the sound, and he paces his room for a heartbeat before swinging it open. Suho stands there, freshly showered too, hair still damp. “Why aren't you coming out?” Suho asks, a bit confused. “I almost thought you weren’t back yet.”

Hyuntak swallows, answering quickly, “I was just tired earlier.” He tries not to think of what he’s heard earlier. Forces it down his skull. Suho then hums, gives him a look that lingers just a little too long, then nods. “I’m prepping dinner. Wanna keep me company?”

Hyuntak nods, following him out of the room. After all that time pacing, at least he can act normal now. It helps that Suho doesn’t seem to suspect anything. Like the fact that Hyuntak had been standing outside his door earlier, practically eavesdropping. Thank God.

“Need help with anything?” Hyuntak mutters, feeling oddly like a kid trying to be useful. Suho glances over, a teasing grin already forming, only to falter when he catches the warning in Hyuntak’s eyes. “You can chop the tomatoes and other veggies,” he offers instead.

Hyuntak gets to it without protest. They fall into rhythm. But every now and then, Suho reaches across him to grab something off the counter, always managing to press just a little too close, his body flush against Hyuntak’s back, hand brushing beside him, face near his.

He does this repeatedly, and Hyuntak has to grip the knife harder each time, his face burning. He can’t tell if Suho’s teasing him or just naturally this much of a menace. He gives Suho the benefit of the doubt. Not because he secretly enjoys it or anything. Definitely not that.

Although, he is warm. When Hyuntak finishes chopping, he hangs around by the stove while Suho cooks. “How was your hangout?” Suho asks casually. (You. We mostly talked about you.) “It was fine,” Hyuntak replies.

“Ate lunch at Humin’s favorite place, watched Juntae’s favorite anime live adaptation, then chilled at a cafe.” “I miss Juntae,” Suho says, smiling while stirring. Hyuntak watches him. He has a solid build. Hyuntak never really noticed it before.

Though, he knows Suho does gym and boxing occasionally. Still, seeing him like this, sleeves rolled up, focused and domestic, there’s something... undeniably attractive about it. “We should do karaoke sometime,” Hyuntak blurts before he can think twice.

Suho turns his head slowly. “Out of nowhere?” Hyuntak clears his throat. “Juntae said you and Humin like doing that.” “Oh?” Suho smirks. “So you were talking about me?” “It came up randomly,” Hyuntak mutters, crossing his arms, clearly lying.

“Randomly, huh?” Suho grins, but drops it. For once, he doesn’t push the teasing. Hyuntak says nothing, but he doesn’t look away. It’s the first time he allows himself to really watch Suho while he moves around, doing his thing.

And weirdly, he finds himself liking this side of him. Even if he’s trying not to think about the sounds from earlier.

Strangely enough, Suho's quiet tonight. Still playful, still irritating in that specific way only he can be, but quieter, more subdued. He usually talks nonstop. Normally, he’d be taking every opportunity to poke fun at Hyuntak for staring.

They finally sit down to eat. “Have you been to karaoke with Sieun?” Hyuntak asks. Suho laughs. “Yeah.” “What does he usually do there?” “Judges us.” Hyuntak chuckles. “He likes watching me, though. Secretly. His eyes practically sparkle when I sing,” Suho says smugly.

Given Sieun, that probably checks out. “I’ll come next time,” Hyuntak says without thinking. Suho grins, chopsticks midair. “You wanna see me perform that badly?” “So I can help Sieun judge you,” Hyuntak deadpans. “Except I won’t have heart eyes.”

Suho snorts. “You’ll regret those words.” “You wish.” “You have no idea. Baku and I don’t play at karaoke.” “We’ll see,” Hyuntak says. Once they finish, Hyuntak starts doing the dishes. Suho leans against the counter, diagonal from him, in that same relaxed way he always does

It’s almost like muscle memory now, the positions they settle into when they’re together. It’s honestly quite hard being apart when everything between them still feels messy and unsteady.

When he finishes drying his hands, Hyuntak turns but Suho’s still standing there, head bowed slightly, eyes on the floor like he’s stuck in thought. “Hey,” Hyuntak says. No answer. “Ahn Suho.” That does it.

Suho looks up, startled, probably because it’s rare for Hyuntak to say his full name like that. Hyuntak walks over, stopping a safe distance in front of him. “You okay?” Suho just looks at him, quiet, lashes fluttering like he’s spaced out.

He doesn’t answer but instead reaches for Hyuntak’s hand. By now, Hyuntak’s gotten used to these spontaneous hand-holdings. Suho does it often. And he never seems to hesitate. Not that Hyuntak minds. He likes how Suho’s palm feels against his.

Suho plays with his fingers, thumb tracing across his palm, turning their hands so their fingers intertwine. Hyuntak watches but decides to speak again. “What’s bothering you?” Hyuntak murmurs. Suho hums noncommittally.

“You’ve been… weird since I got back,” Hyuntak presses gently. Still no verbal reply. Just more silence. So Hyuntak sighs and brings his free hand up to press to Suho’s forehead. His frown deepens. “You shithead have a fever.”

Suho just laughs softly. And before Hyuntak can scold him for it, he’s being pulled forward, Suho’s arms wrapping around his waist and locking him into a tight embrace. Suho’s chin settles on his shoulder, breathing softly by his ear.

With Suho still leaning on the counter, Hyuntak ends up standing right between his legs, arms awkwardly stiff at his sides. His heart is beating like a drum. Aside from that one night on the couch... this might be their first actual hug.

Eventually, he lifts his arms, slowly wrapping them around Suho’s shoulders. Not too tightly. Just enough. Suho hums, clearly pleased, pressing closer, his hold around Hyuntak’s waist firm. His chin tucks in deeper, nuzzling into the crook of his shoulder.

Hyuntak clears his throat, trying to remain calm. He’s going to have to get used to this. With Suho being clingy. And maybe... it’s not so bad. “You’re burning up,” he murmurs again, concerned.

He releases Suho’s hair, needing space, needing distance. His feet take a small step back, and finally Suho’s arms fall away too, slow and reluctant, one hand from his waist, the other from his thigh.

“What the hell’s gotten into you?” Hyuntak mutters, voice quiet but edged with disbelief. His heart’s still pounding, erratic and loud in his ears. He doesn’t know if he’s more flustered or stunned. Suho blinks, slow at first, like his brain’s just catching up.

Then he straightens too quickly, the suddenness of it making Hyuntak flinch. Then Suho reaches out again, but this time gently, almost cautious, taking Hyuntak’s hands into his own. There’s a flicker of clarity in his gaze now. He seems more aware. Just barely.

“I’m sorry,” Suho says, and his voice is rushed but earnest. “Shit. Did I make you uncomfortable?” There’s no flirtation in his tone now, no teasing. Just genuine concern. His eyes search Hyuntak’s face for an answer, frantic and wide, like he’s terrified he crossed a line.

Hyuntak doesn’t look at him. Doesn’t trust himself to. He just mumbles, barely audible, “No.” Suho exhales, relieved and exasperated. He lets go of one of Hyuntak’s hands to drag his fingers through his hair, tangling in it. “I’m sorry,” he says again, this time quieter.

“I really don’t know what came over me.” Hyuntak clears his throat and forces himself to glance at him, if only for a second. “Probably the fever,” he says dryly. Suho meets his gaze, guilt still present in the curve of his brow.

But his thumb grazes over Hyuntak’s knuckles like he’s apologizing with touch too. “Yeah,” he says with a weak, sheepish smile. “That’s gotta be it.” He squeezes his hand one last time, then lets go entirely. “I.. I’ll just go to the bathroom real quick.”

With that, he turns and disappears down the hall. Hyuntak doesn’t move. Just watches him go. Listens to the soft click of the bathroom door. Only then does he finally breathe.

His palm flies to his neck, fingers brushing over the spot where Suho had kissed him, licked him, like he was trying to mark something that didn’t even exist. It’s still warm. Still buzzing. “Fucking crazy bastard,” he mutters to himself.

The thought hits him harder than he expects. Suho.. Suho had been scenting him. And for what? He’s not even an omega. He’s a beta. There’s no scent gland that works the way alphas want it to. No pheromones to react to. No bond to trigger. So what the hell was that?

He doesn’t know if Suho did it unconsciously, driven by fever and instinct, or if some deeper part of him wanted something he wasn’t saying out loud. Either way, it sinks something heavy in Hyuntak’s chest. Makes his stomach twist. It wasn’t supposed to feel that good.

He grabs his phone from the counter, skin finally cooling as the heat slowly disappears from his body. Everything still feels a little too much. Still, the rational part of him kicks in. Fever. That’s the most obvious explanation.

So he sends Sieun a text, trying to brush everything aside and just focus on what matters. That Suho’s still sick. (And apparently gets really clingy when he is.) Sieun replies almost instantly, telling him to call.

Hyuntak doesn’t hesitate. He steps out onto their tiny balcony, phone pressed to his ear, the night air brushing against his flushed face, finally giving him a moment to cool down. For real this time. “Hello?” Sieun’s voice comes through, slightly muffled but clear enough.

“Hi, Sieunnie,” Hyuntak says softly, voice dropping into something gentler without him realizing. “I actually have an early meeting today, so I’m already out,” Sieun replies, brisk but not cold. “Wait, you’re calling because Suho has a fever?”

Hyuntak frowns. His first instinct is to pout. Sieun’s always busy, always somewhere else lately, working himself down to the bone. He wonders if he’ll get any rest after this meeting. He should get some rest.

Maybe Hyuntak can give him a massage when he comes back home, though he’s never done that before. But he could learn. He would, for Sieun. “Yeah,” he confirms, trying not to think about everything that just happened.

“Out of nowhere?” Sieun sounds surprised. “Suho rarely gets fevers. Are you sure? What’s it like? Actually, how are you two doing anyway?” “Um…” Hyuntak hesitates. “We’re… okay?” There’s a noticeable pause on the line.

Then Sieun asks again, voice a little more pointed, “How okay?” Hyuntak chews his bottom lip. Screw it. He doesn’t want to dance around this. Might as well tell him. “We kissed.” Silence. Hyuntak immediately panics, his brain spiraling into worst-case scenarios.

Then finally, Sieun’s voice comes back, low and tight with disbelief. “You’re telling me this now, while I’m literally in a meeting and can’t even scream?” Hyuntak lets out a loud laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing. “As if you scream.”

“I do scream,” Sieun protests, almost indignant. “In bed, maybe,” Hyuntak shoots back, grinning despite himself. There’s a pause. Then Sieun mutters back, just loud enough to hear. “You’ll scream too, eventually.” Hyuntak flushes red instantly.

The heat creeps up his face, and now Sieun’s laughing. Hyuntak covers his face with his hand even though Sieun can’t see him. “But seriously, I’m glad,” Sieun says after the laughter fades. His voice softens. “Really.”

Hyuntak only hums in response, the corner of his mouth twitching. Sieun had dropped enough hints before, subtle encouragements that made it clear he’d wanted the two of them to get closer. He’s just… grateful he didn’t have to hear more teasing.

“At least I’m safe from your taunting today,” Hyuntak mumbles, “since you’re stuck in that meeting.” “Temporarily,” Sieun laughs. “But anyway, let’s talk more when I get home. How bad is the fever?” “Not too bad,” Hyuntak replies. “He’s warm. Kinda flushed. But that’s it.”

“And?” Sieun sounds skeptical. Hyuntak sighs. “He’s… clingier.” There’s a beat of silence before Sieun speaks again. “Clingy like… disoriented? Like he’s spaced out, clearly not acting sluggish, but still warm?” “Yeah… something like that.” That's oddly specific, though.

“Hmm.” Sieun’s voice turns thoughtful. Hyuntak can hear faint background noise. Someone calling Sieun’s name, the rustle of papers, maybe a chair moving. Then Sieun’s voice returns, lower and a bit hurried. “My boss is calling me. But that’s probably not a normal fever, Tak.”

Hyuntak’s brow furrows. “Then what? Should I just let him be? He seems fine, anyway..” “Sounds like he’s in pre-rut,” Sieun says casually, like he’s dropping weather updates. “Anyway, I gotta go. They need me now. Love you. Tell Suho I love him too.” Back the fucking hell up.

“Wait, hold on—he’s what—?” But Sieun’s already hung up. Hyuntak stares at the screen. Pre-rut? What the fuck. He doesn’t even get a second to let it settle when Suho appears again, walking out of the bathroom, towel over his head, scanning the room like he’s looking for him.

When Suho spots him standing at the balcony, he lets out a breath of relief and strolls over like everything is normal. “Wanna sleep?” he asks, voice calm, but etched with something else. “I’ll wash up first,” Hyuntak blurts, body moving automatically past him.

He doesn’t even process Suho’s nod. Even while brushing his teeth, he’s stuck replaying what Sieun said in his head over and over. When he comes back out, his brain is still spinning. He couldn't really keep up with all that happened just tonight.

Suho’s lounging on the couch now. He glances up. “Sleeping at mine?” he asks, casual, but there’s something hopeful beneath it. Hyuntak doesn’t even answer, just stands there, expression unreadable.