Almond croissant

by Pickashoe

Summary:

“It’s okay to be a late bloomer” Minho said immediately, firm but gentle. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Seungmin laughed weakly. “It’s easy for you to say, everyone loves you! You can get any alpha, beta or omega you want without even trying.”

“Minnie, that doesn’t mean that people wouldn’t want to be with you, a lot of people would.”

“That’s not true” Seungmin said wiping angrily at his cheeks. “People think that being unpresented at my age is like a disease. Like there’s something wrong with me.”

Or: Seungmin is desperately in love with his alpha roommate that seems to care deeply for him, just not in a romantic way. Unpresented and convinced he’s unlovable, he believes his feelings for Minho are destined to remain one-sided, no matter how close they are.

Notes:

Hiyaaaa

Omega fic in the making!

Still 2min and still AU college as I don’t seem to be able to write anything else.

This is part 1, and there will only be two parts. I’ve decided to post that part now to motivate to me get the whole fic ready for Valentines as it’s a bit Valentines themed.

Hope you like it x 🥐

Chapter 1: Part 1 🥐

10th of February.

 

The shower had been running for too long, steam clinging to the small bathroom tiles and fogging the mirror until Seungmin’s reflection dissolved into something vague and blurry. Hot water slid down his shoulders and spine soothing the stiffness that settled into his body overnight.

 

Seungmin knew Minho was already gone, he had known it the moment he stepped under the spray, before he even thought to check the time. There was always a particular stillness to the apartment when Minho left early for class. Seungmin wanted nothing more than to inhale Minho’s scent until it filled him, yet it felt as something had been taken away. The familiar blend of musk, patchouli, and sage remained, dulled by his absence and Seungmin hated it.

 

Minho alpha’s scent always felt like winter air cut with sunlight and it never overwhelmed Seungmin the way some alpha scents did. It never made his skin prickle with unease and it never made him feel like a prey even though Seungmin hadn’t presented yet.

 

Seungmin was unpresented at the age of twenty two, a fact that didn’t really bother him. His friends, Hyunjin, Jisung and Felix liked to bet on whether Seungmin would present as an omega or a beta. No one ever considered the possibility of him presenting as an alpha and Seungmin was fully aware of that  but he didn’t really care. Presenting as an omega or a beta just felt irrelevant.

 

What bothered him was not the waiting but the assumptions that came with it. The way people glanced at him and tried to place him or the way conversations seemed to shift when the topic came up as if everyone was waiting for him to declare something before they decided on how to treat him.

 

Minho never did that. He never once made Seungmin feel incomplete or unfinished and that alone had made falling for him feel effortless and inevitable.

 

They had been living together for five months and every morning since the second week, Minho had bought him breakfast from the campus bakery just outside their apartment. The thought of whatever pastry awaited him on the kitchen counter jolted Seungmin back to reality.

 

He shut the water off and stepped out the shower, towelling his hair dry as he pulled on a grey hoodie and some used baggy jeans. By the time he walked into the kitchen, he already knew what he would find, and still, his chest tightened when he saw it: a small brown paper bag, folded neatly at the top and a darkened patch of butter already blooming  through the thin material.

 

Seungmin opened the bag and found an almond croissant, his favourite without question. Minho almost always chose it for him, though there were rare days when it was plain, or covered in chocolate. For a moment, he simply looked at the pastry letting a familiar ache bloom in his chest.  

 

He had fallen in love like this, gradually and without permission. Not because of grand gestures or dramatic confessions but through the accumulation of small thoughtful things that Minho never seemed to notice himself doing.

 

Seungmin took a bite and closed his eyes. The croissant was perfect, warm and flaky with soft almonds crunching lightly between his teeth. The thought that Minho knew Seungmin’s preference well enough to choose this one without asking made his heart ache with something dangerously close to hope. He swallowed the pastry and reminded himself that it didn’t mean anything.

 

Minho was like this with everyone he cared about, easy with affection, uncomplicated in his kindness and oblivious to the way Seungmin wanted to kiss him every single day.

 

Seungmin finished the croissant slowly, savouring every single crumb and hoping this ritual would continue for eternity. Tomorrow and the next day, Minho would keep doing this without ever realising that each almond croissant felt like another fracture in Seungmin’s unguarded heart.

 

Seungmin’s thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone on the table. He glanced down to see a message from Minho.

 

Minho:

Did u eat yet?

 

Seungmin smiled despite himself and something warm curled behind his ribs as he typed his response.

 

Seungmin:

Yeah, thank you for the croissant

 

Whenever Minho wasn’t at the flat in the morning, he made sure to text Seungmin, asking if he’d eaten. Seungmin, in return, thanked him for the pastry, it had become their quiet tradition.

 

As Seungmin grabbed his bag and pulled on his coat, he paused in the doorway for a moment longer than necessary breathing in the faint trace of Minho’s scent still clinging to the apartment and he wondered, not for the first time, how something as small as an almond croissant had come to mean so much.

 

When he arrived at the Biology building Seungmin noticed the faint smell of disinfectant and old paper, gosh he was already missing Minho’s scent. His bag felt heavier than usual as he walked down the hallway towards the lab room. He was halfway to his seat when a familiar presence slid behind him.

 

“Please tell me you’ve started the DNA essay” Hyunjin said, already sounding resigned.

 

“Yeah obviously, it’s due next week.”

 

Seungmin turned his head towards his friend and noticed how his hair was tied back loosely and how his coat was half buttoned as if he had put it on while walking. Hyunjin smelled neutral in a way most betas did, steady and calming, something that never demanded attention but was always easy to be around.

 

“I’m so far behind, any chance I could look at your essay?” Hyunjin asked in a way that was meant to be seductive, though it never worked on Seungmin.

 

“Not a chance, you’ll never learn if you don’t do it yourself.” Seungmin replied in a very nonchalant way that was very Seungmin. “You should stop going out every night and actually study. The club isn’t going anywhere you know?”

 

Hyunjin snorted as he dropped into the chair beside Seungmin. “Easy for you to say. I’d be more inclined to stay home if I also had a hot roommate waiting for me.”

 

Heat crept up Seungmin neck before he could stop it, blooming across his cheeks in a way that felt painfully obvious.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” he replied, maybe a little too quickly. “Also, that’s a burn on Jisung.”

 

Hyunjin leaned back in his chair, turning to Seungmin, expression sharp with amusement. “Minnie, stop. The act is getting old, we all know you’re in love with Minho.”

 

“I’m not, and who’s ‘we’?”

 

“Me, Felix and Jisung.”

 

Seungmin rolled his eyes. “Right, could you three stop gossiping behind my back? And even if I was in love with Minho, I’d be doomed.”

 

Hyunjin’s expression softened just a fraction, curiosity overtaking teasing. “Why?”

 

“He’s a heartthrob.” Seungmin replied quietly. “Everyone on campus wants him, alphas, betas, omegas. It doesn’t matter.”

 

He didn’t mention that he heard Minho leave the apartment late countless of nights, he didn’t say that he knew what that meant and he didn’t say he avoided thinking too hard about it. He kept those thoughts locked away where they couldn’t bleed into his voice.

 

Hyunjin was quiet for a moment, just watching Seungmin before he added:

 

“You know, things might change, when you present.”

 

Seungmin pressed his lips into a thin line and didn’t reply. Instead he began reviewing his notes, God he was fed up with everyone mentioning his presenting. His potential subgender shouldn’t matter, he would still be Seungmin and if Minho didn’t want him now, why on earth would he want him after he presented?

 

He kept his eyes on his notebook as the lecture began, his mind forcing itself back into familiar academic rhythms even if Hyunjin’s words lingered uncomfortably at the back of his thoughts.

 

By the time he made it back to the apartment, he felt like the day had stretched far longer than it actually had. Every hour weighted down by lectures, lab work and the quiet effort of keeping himself composed while his thoughts drifted too easily towards one person.

His shoulders ached as he slipped his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, already anticipating the familiar stillness of an empty apartment and the disappointment that usually came with it.

 

Instead, the scent hit him immediately. It curled around him the second the door opened, warm and unmistakeable: musk, deep and steady layered with sage and a hint of patchouli. Minho was home.

 

Seungmin shut the door behind him and took off his shoes, letting his bag slide down his arm and onto the floor. He had not realised how much he had been craving this until now, the simple knowledge that Minho was here and occupying the same space as him.

 

“Seungminnie” Minho called from the living room, voice warm and familiar. “How was your day?”

 

Seungmin stepped further inside to find Minho sprawled in the couch, one arm draped over the backrest. He looked comfortable, relaxed in a way that always made Seungmin very aware of how at ease Minho was in his own skin.

 

“It was good” Seungmin replied, forcing his voice to remain steady as his heart began to race. “I had to deal with Hyunjin trying to steal my notes, but other than that, it was fine.”

 

Minho snorted, sitting up slightly as his lips curved into an easy grin. “That’s because you’re the smartest human on earth” he said sounding like a fact instead of a praise.

 

Seungmin felt his face burning up again and his gaze automatically dropped to the floor. God, he hated how easily Minho’s words did this to him, how a single comment could unravel him entirely.

 

Minho watched him for a second, eyes soft with something unreadable before speaking again.

 

“By the way, was the croissant good this morning? The bakery’s staff had a turnover, so I wasn’t sure if it’d be the same.”

 

“It was perfect” Seungmin replied honestly. “Exactly the same.”

 

“Good, I’m glad.”

 

The words settled warmly between them and for a moment Seungmin let himself enjoy it, enjoy the simple domestic comfort of standing in the same room and talking about something as inconsequential as a pastry.

 

“You don’t have to buy me croissants every morning you know”

 

The regret was immediate. He wanted Minho to keep buying him croissants because the thought of waking up without them waiting for him in the kitchen made his stomach turn. He wanted that quiet reminder that Minho thought of him first thing in the morning.

 

Minho frowned slightly turning his body more towards Seungmin. “Yeah I do, if I didn’t, you wouldn’t eat in the morning.”

 

Seungmin’s heart clenched a little at the certainty in Minho’s voice, at the way he said it like it was an established truth rather than an accusation. It felt like Minho knew him too well, like he cared in ways that felt intimate without ever crossing a line.

 

“I eat” Seungmin protested weakly.

 

“Minnie, you drink coffee and call it breakfast, that doesn’t count.”

 

Seungmin had no defense for that.

 

Minho stood up from the couch, closing the distance between them in a few easy steps and Seungmin could see amusement painting his face.

 

“At this point, I’m pretty sure you alone are going to create an almond shortage across campus.” Minho said smiling and revealing his pearly white teeth. “The bakery’s going to start rationing”

 

Seungmin huffed a small laugh despite himself. “They’re my favourite.”

 

Minho reached out and patted Seungmin’s hair, fingers warm and gentle against his scalp.

 

“I know Minnie”

 

Seungmin’s heart slammed violently inside his chest as his face burned with heat. He wanted to disappear or melt into the floor. No, actually he wanted to stay exactly where he was forever, static under Minho’s touch.

 

“I…I” he started, then stopped, words failing him entirely.

 

Minho just smiled at him, completely unaware of the internal destruction he had caused and turned away to head in the kitchen, already calling out something about dinner plans.

 

🥐🥐🥐

 

11th of February.

 

The next day, Seungmin woke up, his body still heavy with sleep as he listened to the distant footsteps in the hallway. He rolled onto his side eventually, burying his face into his pillow before pushing himself up, already bracing for the cold that usually greeted him the second he left his room.

 

He didn’t have class today so he shuffled to the kitchen in his grey joggers and Pikachu pyjama top. His hair was a mess, oreo coloured bangs plastered to his forehead. He probably needed a shower but he lacked the motivation to take care of himself. He prepped the coffee machine and reached into the cupboard, pulling out the first mug his hand touched. Pink, with Virgo bitch scrawled across it, Felix’s idea of a birthday gift.

 

He was looking for the coffee jar, his mind still pleasantly empty when he heard the front door open. He automatically stilled as Minho stepped inside, the apartment door clicking shut behind him, a small paper bag tucked under one arm. He looked unfairly good for someone who had clearly just been out in the cold morning, leather jacket layered over a black hoodie, black baggy jeans sitting low on his hips and his dark brown hair slightly tousled by the wind.

 

The scent hit Seungmin a second later, blooming warm and rich beneath the faint sweetness of the almond croissant in the bag.

 

“Morning” Minho said easily, kicking his shoes off as a smile tugged his lips when he glanced up to look at Seungmin. “You’re up early, I thought you didn’t have class today.”

 

“Couldn’t sleep” Seungmin replied softly, eyes following the paper bag for half a second before snapping back to Minho’s face.

 

Minho noticed and lifted the bag, the corner of his mouth curling. “I got your almond croissant.”

 

“You didn’t have to” Seungmin replied out of habit, knowing full well how the statement was by now.

 

“Don’t start. I wanted to.”

 

Minho moved towards the counter, close to where Seungmin was standing and dropped the bag on the kitchen table.

 

“Are you going anywhere today?” Seungmin asked, gesturing at Minho’s outfit.

 

“Library, probably for most of day.”

 

Seungmin tilted his head, forcing tone into his voice because it was easier than honesty. “What? got a date with the old librarian? So close to Valentine’s?”

 

Minho laughed, loud and genuine, shaking his head as he pulled the croissant free from the bag.

 

“No, I’ve got a study date with a guy from my Korean History class.”

 

Oh. The words landed in Seungmin’s chest like something heavy and solid knocking out the air from his lungs. He nodded, as if this was neutral information, as if it didn’t matter at all, as if he didn’t want to cry in the middle of the kitchen.

 

“That’s nice” he managed.

 

Minho, oblivious as ever, leaned back against the counter and turned on the coffee machine Seungmin had already prepped.

 

“Yeah, he’s really hot, like stupid hot. I’m not even sure how he’s real.”

 

Seungmin’s fingers curled around his ugly mug as he focused on breathing evenly. He told himself that it wasn’t anything new, that Minho talked about dates the way people talked about weather, casually and without meaning to cause harm.

 

“Oh, that’s good”

 

Minho grinned at him. “You should see him Minnie. Tall, nice hands, smells amazing too. He’s an alpha and he’s got that strong, masculine scent.”

 

Seungmin forced a fake smile, his gaze dropping to the croissant as if it could have anchored him. Minho apparently preferred masculine scents, the kind Seungmin knew he would never have once he presented. He was the personification of bubblegum and chocolate popcorn, and he knew his future scent would never be what Minho found attractive.

 

“Sounds…great.”

 

Minho didn’t notice the hesitation, too busy unfolding the day aloud, talking about how they would probably end up studying for an hour before getting distracted, how the library café had decent pastries too, how Korean History was somehow both exhausting and fun depending on the study buddy.

 

Seungmin listened, nodded at the right moments, laughed when Minho laughed. He tried to think that this was fine, that Minho had every right to date whoever he wanted and that being his roommate didn’t give Seungmin any claim over him.

 

“Alright Minnie, don’t wait for me. I may be home late.” Minho said grabbing his bag and heading for the door. “Eat your croissant” he added before lacing his trainers and leaving the flat.

 

Seungmin stood in the kitchen for a long moment after the door closed, the almond croissant forgotten on the table. He decided to save it, knowing Minho was going on a date with some hot guy had killed his appetite. He headed to his room, telling himself he should work on his DNA essay so his unreciprocated love wouldn’t linger too long in his mind.

 

He spent the day at his desk, textbooks stacked neatly to one side and his laptop open in front of him. Outside his window the world seemed to continue without him because inside his room everything felt suspended, slowed by the steady rhythm of studying and the constant flow of thoughts he couldn’t quite silence.

 

Unlike feelings, DNA made sense and he drown himself in work writing about molecular structures and transcription processes. His phone buzzed against his desk, pulling him away from his focus. He glanced down at it and sighted when he saw the group chat light up.

 

00s babes

 

Seungmin made a face, he always thought the name was stupid but unfortunately he was outnumbered as the guys seemed to love it.

 

Huyunjin:

Minnnie help am dying

Do you have a minute pls <3333

 

Seungmin:

What kind of help do you want

 

Hyunjin:

DNA essay

 

Seungmin closed his eyes briefly resisting the urge to tell Hyunjin this was entirely predictable. Hyunjin always left everything to the last minute. He loved his friend dearly, but sometimes it felt less like helping a mate revise and more like mothering an eight year old.

 

Felix:

Nerds

 

Jisung:

Can we not talk about your boring essay in the chat?

 

Seungmin:

What part do you struggle with?

 

Jisung:

Seriously can we not?????

 

Felix:

Can’t you guys speak in a private chat or something?

 

Hyunjin:

Omg just ignore the chat for two seconds

Anyway

I can’t make the difference between dna and genes

 

Seungmin exhaled slowly through his nose and cracked his knuckles, slipping easily into explanation mode.

 

Seungmin:

Try to see it that way

DNA is the full instruction manual while genes are specific sections of that manual that code for traits

So DNA is the whole book and genes are individual chapters

 

Hyunjin:

Okay

 

Seungmin:

Do you get it?

 

Hyunjin:

Does it mean if you ever have pups

Will they have oreo hair too?

 

Gosh, Seungmin looked at the screen for a long moment, disbelief settling in before irritation followed close behind.

 

Seungmin:

That’s hair dye

You cannot genetically inherit hair dye

How have you even got accepted to uni

 

Hyunjin:

Then I didn’t get it :(

 

Felix

Am crying

 

Jisung:

Fml Hyunjin

 

Hyunjin:

You guys are mean :(((

 

Seungmin:

You’re actually lucky you’re handsome

Because you’re really dumb sometimes

 

Felix:

I agree

You’re hot af Hyunjin

 

Hyunjin:

Thanks babes <3

 

Jisung:

Fuck

You two should have never started sleeping together

Stop flirting

 

Seungmin blinked, momentarily derailed by the thought of Hyunjin and Felix having sex on the regular. He shook his head from left to right, physically dislodging the image from his mind.

 

Seungmin:

I have work to do

 

Hyunjin

Oooh don’t be like that Minnie

 

Felix:

Yeah Minnie baby, help Jinnie

He needs ittttt

 

Jisung:

Anyone fancy going out tonight?

 

Hyunjin:

Hell yeah

 

Seungmin:

For fuck’s sake Hyunjin

Work on that fucking essay

 

Jisung:

Omg Seungmin just swore

 

Felix:

Minniiiiiie what happened to you

 

Hyunjin:

Minnie’s feistyyyy

Has Minho got you all worked up?

 

Jisung:

I bet Minho would love that side of you

You might get some dick tonight Minnie

 

Felix:

I ship <3

We could call you guys 2min

 

Seungmin:

Am muting the chat

 

Seungmin rolled his eyes so hard it almost hurt but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips as he locked his phone and set it face down on the desk. As annoying as his friends were, they were his people and Seungmin was grateful to have his 00s babes by his side.

 

He got up and left his room to finally eat his daily croissant discarded on the kitchen table. It tasted good, even cold, then he came back to his room and worked on his essay until the outside lights shifted from grey to something deeper and darker. He had worked through his to do list all day, pausing only to stretch the stiffness from his shoulders or to refill his water bottle.

 

As the evening crept in, Seungmin was exhausted in the satisfying way that came from having done something well. His essay was finished and he knew it was worth a guaranteed A. He leaned back in his chair and remembered that Minho was out with someone else, probably flirting and completely unaware Seungmin had spent the entire day buried in university work to avoid thinking about it.

 

He finally took a shower and changed into his plaid pyjama bottom and another silly Pikachu T-shirt. He was glad in a way that Minho wasn’t home yet, this was not sexy, it was comfort and Seungmin knew better than to pretend Minho would ever look at him with anything else than affection. Seungmin knew Minho thought he was sweet but more like a lost kitten or a newborn puppy, not like someone who could spark desire deep in his chest.

 

He sank down onto bed and scrolled through his phone, his thoughts drifting lazily until the sound of the front door opening cut through the sound of the Instagram reels he was watching.

 

The scent reached him a second later, seeping under his door and curling through the air like smoke. Minho was home and relief flickered instinctively in Seungmin’s core before being abruptly smothered by something else, something wrong.

 

Another scent followed, crashing into the air without invitation, an alpha presence that felt cheap and aggressive. It reminded Seungmin of low quality 7 in 1 shower gel, the kind that tried too hard to be masculine. He could feel nausea rising to his throat as his stomach turned uncomfortably.

 

Minho had brought his date home. Seungmin squeezed his eyes shut, heart beginning to pound as the sounds reached him through the thin walls. Soft laughter first, then the unmistakable noise of mouths meeting, wet and unrestrained. Minho’s voice followed, low and pleased, telling the other guy how hot he was, confidence curling easily around his voice.

 

The guy laughed breathlessly and proclaimed Minho was the hottest person he had ever seen. That comment made Seungmin’s heart break in tiny pieces as he turned to his side pressing his face into his pillow as if that might block out the noise. It did not.

 

There was a sudden thud against the wall of Seungmin’s bedroom, hard enough to make him flinch. One of them had been pushed into it, pinned there, so close to Seungmin and the realisation made his stomach twist even more.

 

The guy moaned loudly, the sound cutting through Seungmin like a blade.

 

“Hey” Minho started quite sharply “be quiet, my roommate’s probably asleep.”

 

The guy laughed, clearly unconcerned and did not lower his voice at all.

 

“Seriously” Minho insisted, firmer now. “I don’t want him to wake up, he already doesn’t sleep much.”

 

Something inside Seungmin cracked at that, at the casual way Minho was thinking about him even now, while he had his date pinned to the wall.

 

“Am sure your roommate wouldn’t mind to hear us, we’re hot” the guy replied dismissively.

 

“No, he’s not like that.”

 

“What’s your roommate’s subgender? Hot beta? Cute omega?”

 

Minho didn’t answer and the silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable especially for Seungmin that was eavesdropping a conversation he shouldn’t be listening to.

 

“Who is he then?” the guy pressed.

 

Seungmin gasped loudly and he pressed his fist against his mouth, heart slamming violently against his ribs.

 

“It’s Seungmin” Minho replied, voice tight now. “Kim Seungmin.”

 

The laugh that followed was cruel.

 

“The unpresented guy?”

 

Minho’s tone hardened even more. “Why are you laughing?”

 

“Because…because he’s such a nerd” the guy replied easily, as if the whole situation was a joke. “Everyone knows about him, he screams massive virgin.”

 

The words landed with brutal precision and Seungmin felt tears spring to his eyes immediately, vision blurring as humiliation washed over him. His chest constricted painfully and his breath became shallow because every insecurity he carried was dragged into the open and mocked.

 

“Take that back” Minho replied, anger flaring hot. “Now”

 

“Relax babe” the guy said, unfazed. “I’m sure he would love to hear us and who knows? Maybe that would trigger his presenting.”

 

That was it, the sound of movement followed, sharp and decisive as Minho seemed to shove the guy away.

 

“Get the fuck out!” Minho replied, furious.

 

“What the fuck?”

 

“I said, get the fuck out! I don’t want to sleep with an asshole like you. Seungmin is really important to me and I’m not tolerating anyone making fun of him.”

 

“Yeah? Why don’t you go fuck your little virgin then?” the guy muttered under his breath.

 

Seungmin barely heard what followed but he could smell the shift in Minho’s scent even through the door, the warmth turning into something protective, alpha instincts flaring close to the surface. The door slammed no longer after that and silence fell over the apartment.

 

Seungmin curled into himself and let his tears spill freely as he pulled the duvet over his head like it could shield him from the world. He felt raw, exposed and small, humiliation burning deep inside his body despite Minho’s defense.

 

He was grateful in a way but devastated, both feelings tangled together in a devasting mess inside his heart. A few moment later, there was a soft knock on his door. Seungmin closed his eyes knowing exactly who was standing on the other side but he didn’t answer the knock.

 

He remained on his bed, shoulders trembling while his tears soaked into his pillow. He couldn’t control anything and he felt like the world was ending.

 

Another knock came, softer this time.

 

“Minnie?” Minho’s voice filtered through the door, low and careful, wrapped in concern that made Seungmin’s throat tighten painfully.

 

He bit down hard on his bottom lip to keep him from making a sound. If he spoke, even one word, his voice would betray him immediately and reveal what he was trying to keep hidden. He wanted nothing less than Minho seeing him like this, weak, pathetic and humiliated.

 

“Minnie, am coming in.”

 

The door opened and the scent hit Seungmin instantly, reassuring him in the quiet of the room. Minho rarely came into his room, rarely crossed that invisible boundary between shared spaces and something more personal but when he did Seungmin felt like he had to breathe carefully, like he needed to memorize the air while he had the chance.

 

He sobbed, a broken sound escaping him despite his efforts to stay silent and he knew Minho had heard it.

 

The bed dipped as Minho sat down beside him, the mattress shifting under his weight.

 

“Hey” Minho said softly. “Are you okay?”

 

The question shattered what little composure Seungmin had left and a sob tore free of his lips as he rolled onto his back, bringing his hands up to cover his face.

 

Minho didn’t hesitate and shifted closer, close enough that Seungmin could feel the warmth radiating from him.

 

“That guy was an asshole” Minho reassured him, anger still noticeable in his voice.

 

Seungmin forced himself to sit up against his headboard, tears clinging to his lashes as he looked anywhere but at Minho.

 

“He’s right though, I am a virgin.”

 

“Don’t say that Minnie.”

 

“But it’s true!” Seungmin replied, voice breaking and the words spilling out fast. “No one has ever wanted to touch me.”

 

He was now crying openly, realising it was pointless trying to hide what was already obvious.

 

“It’s okay to be a late bloomer” Minho said immediately, firm but gentle. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

 

Seungmin laughed weakly. “It’s easy for you to say, everyone loves you! You can get any alpha, beta or omega you want without even trying.”

 

“Minnie, that doesn’t mean that people wouldn’t want to be with you, a lot of people would.”

 

“That’s not true” Seungmin said wiping angrily at his cheeks. “People think that being unpresented at my age is like a disease. Like there’s something wrong with me.”

 

“That guy was a piece of shit. Not everyone thinks like that, not even close.”

 

Something inside Seungmin snapped, frustration and self-loathing taking over.

 

“Look at me!” he said, gesturing helplessly at himself. “Look at my pyjamas, I’m wearing a goddam Pikachu T-shirt and look at my face.”

 

Minho studied him carefully, eyes softening. “You’re cute.”

 

Seungmin let out another fake laugh he couldn’t control that sounded wrong even to his own ears.

 

Minho leaned closer. “You’re smart” he continued, “you’re kind, you’re funny and you care more than you let on. You always notice things other people miss.”

 

Seungmin gasped quietly as Minho reached up, gently brushing his fingers through Seungmin’s bangs.

 

“And you’re pretty. These bangs are cute as hell. Anyone would sell their parents to go on a date with you.”

 

Seungmin felt like he might actually combust or kiss him and die immediately afterwards. He watched Minho retract his hand as he coughed to clear his throat.

 

“Alright, scoot over.”

 

“What?” Seungmin blinked at him, confused.

 

“We’re having a sleepover” Minho replied, already standing up.

 

Before Seungmin could protest or process, Minho shrugged off his jacket and his hoodie in unhurried movements. He toed off his jeans next, leaving him in his boxers, completely unconcerned with the effect it had on Seungmin’s brain. Minho was sculped like a god, his abs were defined, his arms were toned and so were his legs.

 

“Do you have a T-shirt I could borrow?” Minho asked, casually.

 

Seungmin pointed at the drawer and Minho grabbed a random green T-shirt. He put it on before crawling into bed beside him, close enough that Seungmin could feel the heat of his body immediately. And that scent, gosh that scent was so divine that Seungmin had to stare at the ceiling doing his best not to shiver and fall apart. Seungmin also tried not to think about the fact that Minho wasn’t wearing any pyjama bottoms, only his boxers covering what was undoubtedly the subject of Seungmin’s most feral thoughts.

 

Minho turned towards him. “Never underestimate yourself like that, you’re too amazing for it.”

 

He wrapped an arm around Seungmin and pulled him close, spooning him, his body fitting against Seungmin’s back like it was meant to be there.

 

“Good night Minnie.” Minho murmured.

 

Before Seungmin could respond, Minho pressed the softest kiss against the side of his neck, just below his ear. Seungmin’s entire body went rigid, heart slamming so loudly he was certain Hyunjin, Felix and Jisung could hear it across campus. He lay there, burning and breathless, tears drying on his cheeks as Minho’s breathing evened out behind him.

 

He couldn’t bring himself to sleep for a very long time.

 

🥐🥐🥐

 

12th of February.

 

Seungmin had never slept that well before, not once in his life.

 

His body has been held firmly but gently, strong arms secured around his waist as if Minho had decided sometimes in his sleep that letting go wasn’t an option. Seungmin had drifted in and out of dreams without jolting awake even once, his mind blissfully quiet and his body warm in a way that was far deeper than temperature.

 

So Seungmin woke up slowly, the kind of waking that felt like surfacing instead of snapping awake. He enjoyed the scent that was radiating from Minho, it felt like Minho was telling him without words that he was protecting him and watching over him.

 

Behind him, Minho was still asleep and Seungmin could tell without even turning his head. The steady rhythm of Minho’s breathing was slow and deep, his chest rising and falling behind Seungmin’s back. Gosh, he wanted to savour this moment for as long as he could.

 

He lay there, letting himself exist inside the moment, inside the embrace and inside the intimacy of being held.

 

Then he felt it.

 

At first, his brain refused to process the sensation, dismissing it as a shift in position or the mattress settling beneath them but it didn’t go away. He could feel Minho’s bulge pressing insistently against him.

 

Realisation crashed into his brain so fast it stole it ability to breathe properly, Minho was hard against his ass. His mind spiralled immediately and his thoughts tripped over each other in panic. He stared at the wall in front of him, heart hammering in his chest violently as he tried to stay calm and tried to remember logic.

 

He told himself that was just biology, something completely normal, neutral and natural. Seungmin wasn’t Korea’s most sexually experienced citizen but he wasn’t twelve years old either and he understood the concept of morning wood.

 

He repeated to himself that it didn’t mean anything and he tried to focus on anything else: the texture of his sheets, the way the morning sunlight crept through the window, anything that wasn’t the pressure behind him. There was no way in hell Minho’s body was responding so vividly because he was wrapped around Seungmin, because he was sexually aroused to the body he was holding.

 

Minho groaned softly into the space behind his ear and Seungmin tried to stop his own body from shivering. The sound was low and unguarded, rough with sleep sending an electric shock straight through Seungmin’s spine.

 

Before Seungmin could react or get his thoughts in order, Minho’s hips shifted. Once, then twice. The movements were slow, rolling forward just enough that the pressure against Seungmin intensified dragging heat through him like wildfire.

 

He wasn’t the kind of person to swear but his all brain went Fuck, fuck, fuck. Was Minho aware of what he was doing? Was he dreaming or was it just instinct? Surely he couldn’t possibly be turned on?

 

Minho’s scent grew stronger, alpha presence sharpening and deepening until it wrapped around Seungmin completely. It made his stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with fear and his body responded so quickly that he felt warmth bloom low in his belly. He looked down on himself and realised he was hard too, painfully hard.

 

He fought the instinct to move against Minho’s erection but his body was screaming at him to press back, to feel how hard the alpha really was.

 

Minho shifted again and Seungmin’s vision blur at the edges, the friction dragging a helpless sound from his throat before he could stop it. A soft and broken moan escaped his mouth and the sound lingered in the air between the two of them.

 

“You’re so warm” Minho murmured sleepily against Seungmin’s ear.

 

What the hell? Seungmin’s heart felt like it might explode but then Minho’s hand slid under the hem of Seungmin’s Pikachu T-shirt, palm warm against his bare skin. The touch was gentle, finger tracing slowly across his stomach as if Minho was grounding himself in the sensation.

 

“Your skin is so soft” Minho whispered

 

His hips rolled again, a bit faster this time, it wasn’t accidental and Seungmin couldn’t pretend to ignore the friction anymore. It was full on devastating grinding. Every nerve in Seungmin’s body felt like it was on fire, desire coiling tight all over his frame, so he did the only thing he could do: he moaned again.

 

Minho’s hand left Seungmin’s stomach to land on his waist, fingers pressing firmly into the curve of his body in a grounding and possessive manner.

 

“Fuck” Minho said “Your waist is so small.”

 

“Is that..is that a good thing?” Seungmin asked faintly, letting Minho know he was very aware of the situation.

 

Minho’s grip tightened just a fraction. “It’s a really good thing, makes me want to protect you.”

 

That did it. Seungmin’s eyes rolled back and his mouth opened in a silent moan as the words hit him full force. Minho’s hips rolled forward violently making Seungmin’s fingers clutch at the bedsheets as if they were the only thing anchoring him to reality.

 

“I wonder what your scent’s going to be like when you present” Minho said before nibbling on Seungmin’s earlobe like he was starved to taste him.

 

“I…I don’t know” Seungmin started, trying not to cream his pants at the sensation of Minho’s mouth on his ear. “Probably something generic… like linen.”

 

Minho huffed softly behind him, almost amused, and shook his head against Seungmin’s shoulder.

 

“No” he said “It’ll be something unique. Something that is just you.”

 

Seungmin gasped as Minho repeated his movements, his clothed cock now rubbing against his thighs.

 

“You like that?”

 

“Like what?” Seungmin asked, barely managing to get the words out.

 

“The way I touch you.”

 

Jesus Christ, yes. Seungmin didn’t reply with words, instead he pushed himself back and pressed his ass firmly against Minho’s cock, letting him know he did in fact like it. The pressure made Minho groan loudly as his hand remained firm on Seungmin’s waist, holding him exactly where he seemed to want him.

 

Seungmin had never been this aroused before, he wanted to beg Minho to touch him, to move his hand from his waist to his aching cock.

 

“I like it…I really like it Minho”

 

Seungmin’s body trembled as soon as the words left him as if something had finally been unlocked, like he had crossed a line he could never uncross. The confession made Minho slow down his movements and he went still for half a second before his voice dropped against Seungmin’s neck.

 

“Are you turned on Minnie?”

 

Could Seungmin say it? The truth felt too raw to be exposed , especially when he had no idea where Minho’s sudden desire for him had come from. Just last night, Minho had treated him like a gentle puppy but this morning, he was only seconds away from stripping him bare.

 

“Yes, so much” Seungmin couldn’t help but say.

 

“How much?”

 

Seungmin bit his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut, unsure whether to be honest. But the situation was already spiralling out of control, so he chose the truth.

 

“Like I’m scared I’m gonna cum if you brush my cock.”

 

Minho inhaled sharply. “Fuck Minnie, you’re so pure”

 

“That’s not bad?” Seungmin asked, unsure if Minho found his inexperience sexy or not.

 

“No.” Minho replied “It’s really hot.”

 

Minho’s hand drifted to the waistband of Seungmin’s pyjama bottoms, lightly fidgeting with the fabric. The intensity of the moment made Seungmin’s cock leak uncontrollably, he wanted more, he wanted Minho to discard his clothes and kiss every single inch of his skin.

 

“Do you often touch yourself?” Minho asked, his tongue now tracing the vein on Seungmin’s neck.

 

Seungmin could barely think, barely breathe, his body buzzing with new sensation.

 

“Sometimes…not a lot though.”

 

“How do you usually do it? Tell me how you pleasure yourself baby.”

 

Wow. How did they end up getting this intimate?

 

“I-I usually jerk off” Seungmin whispered, trying to keep the shame from creeping into his voice, even as he wished he were brave enough to answer Minho properly.

 

“Do you finger yourself?” Minho pressed, his thumb drawing circles on Seungmin’s hipbone.

 

“No…I’ve never done that”

 

“God Minnie…would you like some help now?”

 

Seungmin’s lungs burned as he dragged in air. “Help with what?” he managed, though part of him already knew what Minho had in mind.

 

“Getting off.”

 

Nothing in his life had ever prepared him for this moment, for the intensity of being wanted like this or being spoken to this way by Minho of all people. His whole body felt electric, overstimulated and desperate, his thoughts dissolving into nothing but need.

 

“Yes” Seungmin whispered, voice shaking. “I..yes. I need help, please touch me.”

 

“Fuck yes, I’ve got you. I’ll start with your cock baby. ” Minho said before slipping his hand under Seungmin’s pyjama bottoms and wrapping it fully around Seungmin’s cock. “Oh my god, you’re not even wearing boxers underneath? Did you know I would jerk you off baby? You didn’t want to waste time with extra clothing?”

 

Seungmin moaned loudly as Minho’s skin touched his bare cock while his hips were still rolling against his ass and thighs. Seungmin’s head rolled back against Minho’s shoulder, his lips parting as his eyes fluttered wide. It was unreal, like a filthy wet dream.

 

“Minho… oh my God…”

 

“You’re so sensitive, fuck I haven’t even started stroking you.”

 

“If you do…aaaah…am gonna cum”

 

“Yeah? You’d spill all over my hand?” Minho said teasing him as he started rubbing gently Seungmin’s tip with his thumb. “That’s pretty naughty”

 

Seungmin’s cock throbbed at the sensation and he was on the verge of asking for more when an evil sound interrupted them, ringing out from the nightstand. Minho’s phone kept buzzing insistently, until he reluctantly detached himself from Seungmin to look at the screen.

 

“Fuck, am so so sorry but I have to take this. It’s the History department.”

 

Seungmin let out a small gasp as disappointment hit him, sharp and immediate, yet he forced himself to nod despite Minho already having turned away.

 

“Okay” he said softly.

 

Minho rose from the bed, phone in hand, and was already halfway to the door when he stopped and turned, the phone still ringing insistently.

 

“I don’t know how long it’s gonna take but we will talk when I’m done, okay?”  

 

Seungmin could only nod again, a small pout tugging at his lips. He already missed Minho’s warmth and the scent that clung to him, the musk, sage, and patchouli, and he found himself craving more. He wanted to lose himself in it completely, yet Minho was gone, somewhere in the bedroom or living room.

 

So he lay on his bed, staring at the wall, his heart racing wildly and his body still vibrating. He waited fifteen minutes, then thirty, then fifty. He told himself Minho was just pacing, still on the phone, maybe sitting on the couch with his head on his hand like he sometimes did when calls annoyed him.

 

Had he meant it? Or had he regretted it? Had he realised he had crossed a line and decided to pull back before it was too late? Time dragged on and the apartment stayed quiet, maybe a little too quiet. Then, Seungmin heart it, the sound of the front door opening, followed by the dull click of it closing again. Minho had left.

 

Seungmin suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes burning as they began to water, the sting spreading through his lungs as the weight of the moment settled in. It felt like abandonment after sharing something painfully intimate, and the thought made his stomach twist. He felt disposable, like something that could be set aside without a second thought, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop replaying the moment in his head, wondering how far things might have gone if Minho’s phone had not rung and pulled him away.

 

His throat hurt, drawn painfully tight by the sensation of a lump forming there, making it impossible to even swallow his own saliva, and the discomfort only added to the ache spreading through him. His skin felt wrong too, shivering despite the heat pooling beneath it, overly sensitive in a way that made him feel like he no longer quite fit inside his own body. He did not understand why he felt like this, he only knew that it hurt.

 

Eventually he forced himself out of bed. His legs felt weak beneath him, his vision blurry as he wiped at his cheeks, frustrated with himself for crying. He told himself he should go to the kitchen and drink a big glass of water or maybe make a coffee, anything that felt normal but instead his feet carried him down the hall, to Minho’s room.

 

The door was never locked, so he pushed the handle down and stepped inside. Minho’s alpha scent hit him immediately, far stronger than before, and it made him pause. He had been in Minho’s room plenty of times, but the scent had never been this intense, which felt strange considering Minho had spent the night in Seungmin’s room, surely it should have faded, at least a little.

 

He stepped further into the room, drawn in helplessly like his body knew exactly what it needed even if his mind didn’t. The bed was messy, blankets half folded, clothes discarded on the floor and over the his desk chair.

 

Seungmin hesitated for a second before picking up one of Minho’s jumpers and pressing it to his chest. The scent was clinging to the fabric and something inside him settled instantly like a knot slowly loosening and a quiet, broken whimper escaped him before he could stop it.

 

It felt better, so much better. He sank onto the bed, pulling the blankets closer and wrapped himself in them. One of the blankets was blue, patterned with silly cartoon cats, and it carried the strongest trace of Minho’s scent. Seungmin decided it was his favourite.

 

He held onto the blue blanket like he might vanish if he let go, the fabric grounding him as a quiet sense of peace settled in, enough that he felt he could almost drift back to sleep like that.

 

Time slipped by unnoticed, so unnoticed he didn’t hear the front door open again, didn’t hear footsteps in the hallway and didn’t hear Minho calling his name confused and worried.

 

“Seungmin?” Minho called again. “Minnie, where are y-“

 

The bedroom door creaked open and Seungmin stopped dead, his heart skipping a beat as Minho’s frame came into view. He was still curled on the bed, tangled in blankets, clutching the blue one to his chest like a lifeline. He whimpered as soon as he realized he shouldn’t be there, sat on Minho’s bed without permission.

 

“Hey” Minho said gently, stepping inside, a paper bag crinkling in his hand. “I went out to get your croissant.”

 

For some reason, Seungmin’s eyes started to swell again and he felt a knot of fear at the idea of being told off or asked to leave.

 

“I…I don’t know” he started before Minho could even ask. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I..I just..”

 

Minho set the bag down on his desk immediately and crossed the room in a few quick steps.

 

“Hey, hey” he murmured, sitting beside Seungmin. “It’s okay, it’s okay Minnie.”

 

He reached for the blue blanket, probably just intending to gently pull it away so Seungmin could breathe properly.

 

“No!” Seungmin reacted straight away. “No, no, no, I want the blanket. Don’t touch the blanket!”

 

Minho went still and he carefully withdrew his hand.

 

“Okay, okay. I won’t touch it. Do you…want anything else?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

 

“Grey hoodie on the floor” Seungmin whispered pointing towards it.

 

Minho got up and grabbed the hoodie. When he handed it to Seungmin, the latter pressed it to his nose and took a long, deep inhale.

 

“Good. Wanna keep it too.” Seungmin said, a smile tugging at his lips.

 

“Minnie…” Minho hesitated. “Do you…do you want to nest?”

 

Seungmin stared at Minho like he had just spoken a language he didn’t know.

 

Nest. The word echoed strangely in his head, heavy with meaning he didn’t fully grasp. He had heard it before, of course, everyone had. Omegas talked about nesting the way people talked about instinctive comfort, something that happened naturally once someone presented. It was something grounding, soothing and deeply personal, would it be why he got so possessive over a blanket that wasn’t even his?

 

“I..I don’t know. I just want this” Seungmin replied, tightening his grip on the hoodie. “I just want this.”

 

Minho gently tugged at the blanked again, more out of reflex than intention and that was enough to make Seungmin break. A sharp sob tore out his mouth as tears spilled freely over his cheeks. He shook his head frantically from left to right.

 

“You are so mean” he cried, words tumbling over each other. “Why are you taking it away? That is so mean.”

 

Minho opened his mouth wide, shocked by Seungmin's words. He immediately let go of the blanket, hands lifting in surrender.

 

“Oh Minnie, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean it, I promise.”

 

Seungmin sniffled, still clutching the fabric of both the blanket and the hoodie, eyes glassy and unfocused. Minho moved closer careful and slow and he gently wiped the tears from Seungmin’s cheeks with his thumbs.

 

“I think you are…I think you are about to present” he said calmy.

 

Seungmin blinked at him, confused and overwhelmed.

 

“As an omega” Minho added