When Do-hyun returned to the apartment to find Jaemin exactly where he had left him. A small, desolate huddle on the floor of the living room, he had gathered Do-hyun's discarded clothes, the ones from the concert, and was clutching them to himself like a lifeline.
The sight was a dagger to his chest, slicing through the last remnants of his rage and leaving only a vast, aching sadness.
Jaemin's body shook with silent sobs, and a small, broken whimper escaped his lips. He was hugging himself desperately, as if he would shatter into pieces if he didn't hold on tight enough. The air was thick with the scent of his sorrow, a sweet, cloying aroma of bruised cherry blossoms that threatened to break Do-hyun's heart all over again.
He knelt before him, his movements careful and slow, engaging a superhuman act of will to override his trembling hands. When he reached out, Jaemin flinched, a gut-wrenching shudder of a gesture that spoke of betrayal and pain.
"Jaemin," Do-hyun murmured, his voice a low, soothing rumble he hadn't known he was capable of producing. He gently scooped the omega into his arms, carrying him into the bedroom before settling on the bed with Jaemin in his lap.
Jaemin's head fell against his neck, and a fresh wave of quiet sobs, mixed with small, dry retches, wracked his fragile frame. "It hurts," he cried softly, the words muffled against Do-hyun's skin.
Do-hyun grit his teeth, the muscles of his jaw clenching so hard he thought they might crack. Before he'd left the clinic, Dr. Lee had warned him about this, about the pain that a failed bond would cause on top of the discomfort of the long-postponed heat. His own hurt feelings were nothing compared to the agony that must be coursing through Jaemin's body.
It was the entire reason why he had risked coming back, although he knew that it would be a supreme battle to keep his alpha instincts under control, even with the suppressant he had received. The shot had stemmed the furious rut, but it hadn't stopped the primal, possessive urge to comfort and claim what was his. The competing scents—the fading smokiness of Choi Seungcheol and the new, furious projection of Do-hyun's own instincts—were a dizzying, dangerous mix.
He swallowed hard, forcing down the growl that threatened to rise in his throat. His own heart still felt like there was a dagger in it, lodged deep and twisting, but Jaemin was not in any state to be interrogated right now. This wasn't about him right now. It was about this broken omega in his arms, the one who smelled like home and hurt and everything he had ever wanted. He would have time to seek those answers out and nurse his own wounds later.
He wrapped his arms tightly around Jaemin, holding him as if trying to absorb the pain, a fierce, protective aura spilling out around them. "I'm here," he whispered, his own pheromones changing from its usual command to a soft, enveloping comfort—a scent of safety, of a haven, a promise of care.
Jaemin's shivers began to subside. The dry heaving stopped, and he burrowed deeper into Do-hyun's chest, hands clutching the fabric of the alpha's shirt.
Do-hyun pressed his chin gently against the top of Jaemin's head, one hand coming up to stroke the back of his neck, his fingers threading through the soft, sweat-dampened curls. He hummed, a vibration that took the form of a melody line from within the Dvorak they had laboured over together, resonating through his chest and into Jaemin's body, even as he continued releasing a scent of calm, a gentle, woody fragrance meant to overwrite the sharp tang of distress.
He found himself rocking them back and forth, a slow, steady rhythm that mirrored the rise and fall of his chest. With each slow breath, he filled the space with his scent, deliberately pushing out the last traces of fear and confusion with his silent, primal reassurance:
You're safe. I'm here now. I won't leave you again.
Slowly, he felt Jaemin's tense body begin to melt against him. The taut muscles in his back slackened, the frantic, pained heartbeat under Do-hyun's hands slowed and settled. Soon after, the desperate, heartbroken scent of bruised cherry blossoms began to fade, replaced by a softer, sweeter note, a whisper of contented relief.
Do-hyun held him for a few more minutes, then gently shifted, his hand moving from Jaemin's neck to cup his cheek.
Humid amber peered up at him, open and trusting, and Do-hyun gulped as Jaemin sat up slowly, moving to curl himself around Do-hyun, his slender body fitting perfectly to him.
"Alpha," he mumbled. "You came back."
Do-hyun's throat seized tight. "Yeah," he said hoarsely, pushing through his guilt. "I'm here. I'm here for you, Jaemin." He paused, then, softer, "I'm sorry I left."
Jaemin didn't respond with words, only raised himself up to nuzzle into Do-hyun's neck. When Do-hyun's breath hitched, the omega's small, warm tongue darted out to lap at the scent gland under Do-hyun's jaw. The alpha shuddered.
"Jaemin, Jaemin-ah," he murmured, voice raw as he forced himself back, just out of reach of that innocent, dangerous little tongue. "What should I do with you?"
Jaemin paused, tilting his head as if puzzled and considering the question. Then he reached for Do-hyun's hand, and, without hesitation, guided it between his legs.
The moment his fingers contacted wet fabric, Do-hyun's pupils shrank to pinpricks. The omega was hard, and soaking, and they hadn't even done a thing yet.
Before he had time for another thought, Jaemin's mouth was on his again, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, body pressed fully against Do-hyun's, a feverish invitation to take, and take, and take. But he was determined to try his best to make sure he didn't end up taking something that wasn't being given willingly, at least not outside the heat-induced lust. The suppressants should be able to keep him in control, for a while at least.
And so it begins, his mind declared dramatically. The trials of Kang Do-hyun.