Work Text:
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Of course!" Mingyu jumped out of the couch and looked at the pretty omega in front of him, his heart thundering in his chest while he fought desperately to not sniff the air like a newly presented alpha pup. "What do you need?"
Relief flickered through Seokmin's eyes. "Can you scent me?"
Not an unusual request, yet Mingyu had to do his best to not read into it too deeply. Reminded himself that the two were in the same pack and scenting between pack members did not have to mean anything.
But his whole body was buzzing and he had a feeling his scent was betraying his excitement.
"Sure. Now?" Mingyu asked.
A nod. Seokmin looked a little shy.
They were alone in the living room. Other pack members were scattered around the big house and their scents faintly lingered, but Mingyu could only sense Seokmin.
The sweet peach scent was tantalising.
"Come here," Mingyu said, opening his arms wide. A warmth soon pressed against his body, the sweet scent tickling his nose gently.
"Scent me on my neck. The-" Seokmin hesitated, his voice tinted with shyness. "The scar, please."
Usually Seokmin was boisterous. Playful. Maybe even a little mean whenever he wanted to tease.
But when it came to the mark on his left gland, Seokmin would revert into a shell of shame and regret.
It was the reason why Mingyu hadn't asked Seokmin if he could court him. He knew Seokmin needed time. The divorce had only been half a year ago and the mark had barely faded.
Mingyu wasn't looking to rush Seokmin into something so fast. He had already waited years, he could wait a little more.
"Okay," Mingyu murmured. He placed a hand gently on the back of Seokmin's head, holding him softly, then he bent down to nose along the fading scar.
A mark which in the past had caused jealousy and pain to erupt whenever he looked at it.
Now it smelled only like Seokmin - and a few of the other omegas of the pack.
No longer was the scent Mingyu had grown to hate present.
Tentatively Mingyu brushed his lips across it. Inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with sweet peach. In his arms Seokmin trembled, letting out an omegan purr.
Mingyu scented Seokmin until he smelled only of Mingyu's rich chocolate scent. Wrapped in alpha musk.
Mingyu's alpha musk.
Mingyu could have happily hugged Seokmin for hours, getting drunk on the lovely peach, but Seokmin awkwardly coughed and he had to pull away.
"Thanks, Gyu!" Seokmin was grinning wide. All sunshines and sweetness.
"Is everything okay?" Mingyu asked, his voice husky. Wondering why Seokmin needed such a thorough scenting session.
"Mm, I'm meeting Jiwon today, returning some stuff she forgot. I kinda want her to think I have a new alpha," Seokmin admitted, lips curled sheepishly and the tips of his ears reddening. "I should have said that first, but you're fine with it right? I just want her to know I've moved on."
"Oh." Mingyu's heart stopped. Dread settling in his bones.
Jiwon.
Seokmin's ex mate.
Seokmin had been heartbroken. Had loved her so much.
"Why me?" Mingyu asked. 'Why not any of the other alphas of the pack' was remained unsaid.
Seokmin's ears grew even redder. "I like your scent the most."
Now Mingyu felt his own ears get warm. "Oh."
Silence.
Air thick with awkwardness.
Mingyu couldn't hold himself back. "Do you mean it? You're- You have no feelings for her? You've moved on?"
A shy nod. A cute smile. A steady gaze.
"Seokmin-" Mingyu stepped closer, staring into Seokmin's flushed face. "Would you- Uh, would you let me court you?" He regretted it as soon as he spoke. He should have made it a grand thing. Planned it better. Not blurt it out right before Seokmin was heading out to see his ex.
But Mingyu couldn't take it back. Could only stand there stiffly and dread Seokmin's reply. An apology already on his tongue.
Pink, glossy lips fell open. Seokmin's round eyes widening. "Me? You want to court me?"
Mingyu refused to lie to Seokmin's big, brown puppy eyes. "It's always been you."
"Oh." Seokmin let out a surprised sound. His scent sugary sweet. "Oh, I- Yes," he said breathily. "Okay, you can court me."
For one, eternal second the world stopped. Mingyu forgot how to breathe. How to think.
He could only feel.
Every inch of his being was tingling with immense, overwhelming joy.
He was nearly vibrating.
Inhale.
His shaking hands grasping one of Seokmin's slender ones. He cradled it gently. "I'll give you everything."
Seokmin was smiling wide. His eyes shining with a near blinding brightness. "I'll hold you to that." But his smile waned. "After I meet- When I get home we have to properly talk."
"Of course." ... "Let me scent you again."
An omegan whimper. "Please."
By the time Seokmin left the house his lips were swollen and his hair a mess.
Mingyu watched him through the window, heart thumping wildly.
Staring with a silly smile even when Seokmin was no longer visible.
"You look like a dog waiting for his owner." The voice of the pack's head omega.
And coincidentally Mingyu's older brother.
Mingyu didn't turn around. His smile remained just as wide. "Seokmin agreed to let me court him."
"Oh." A short silence. "Oh, I'm so happy for you, Mingyu!"
A little too happy.
Mingyu turned around and narrowed his eyes, regarding his older brother suspiciously. "You sound a little too happy."
Jeonghan widened his eyes in faux innocence. "Can't I be happy my cute baby brother and my sweet Seokmin are going to become mates?"
Mingyu folded his arms and stared Jeonghan down.
"Fine," Jeonghan huffed. "I won a bet against Joshua. I said you would make a move before the year was over. He thought you'd wait until next year."
Of course.
"But I really am super happy for the two of you," Jeonghan murmured. His eyes warm with gentle affection. "It's about time."
Mingyu blushed. "It's just courting," he mumbled. "It might not go anywhere." Even if it felt like he was walking on clouds right this moment, he knew he had to be realistic.
Jeonghan scoffed. "I bet you two will mate before six months are up."
"Hyung!" Mingyu half yelled it in a whiny tone and for a moment he felt like a kid being teased by his mischievous older brother. "Stop having bets about my life!"
"Always so boring," Jeonghan huffed. "Oh, I came to tell you there's lunch. You should come eat instead of standing there like a fool waiting for Seokmin."
Mingyu glanced towards the window, then reluctantly nodded. "Who cooked?"
"Shua and Jun."
"Oh thank god. I still taste the salt from yesterday's lunch." Whomever had allowed Jeonghan in the kitchen deserved a slap on the wrist.
"Be nice to your hyung! I made that with love."
"And two full cups of salt."
The two bickered until they entered the kitchen where half the pack were seated. Mingyu found a chair next to Minghao while Jeonghan went over to sit with his two mates.
"I'm honestly surprised he can still walk," Minghao mumbled next to him, eyes on Jeonghan whom was getting help to sit down. His stomach was huge. Looking ready to burst.
It was intimidating to think about.
"I think you underestimate how stubborn he is," Mingyu replied just as quietly.
Minghao hummed, then turned to look at Mingyu with narrowed eyes. "Why do you smell like Seokmin rubbed himself all over you?"
The happiness flushed back into his body like a river, lips hurting from how widely he was smiling. "I asked if I could court him."
"Are you serious?" Minghao groaned. "You couldn't wait one more month? Now I have to pay Jun."
What the... "I hate this pack."
"No you don't."
Mingyu decided to just sulk.
Whatever.
He had a courtship to plan.
(Pretending he hadn't been planning it for years.)