Riku really wishes that he could say this all started with the live, but that would be a lie. A really big lie. But it’s still something he’d like to convince himself of.
It goes something like this:
“We’re such an interesting combination, hm?” Ryo is buried into Riku’s side but he’s still teasing the camera. He’s been a little more bratty these days. They’re live on Weverse with thousands and thousands of viewers and all Riku can do is let his pup jeer. It’s kinda cute to watch that evil, self-satisfied smile make a home on Ryo’s face.
So.
“We make Ryo-chan look so small, don’t we?” Riku grins, mischievous. And then laughs when Ryo elbows him in retaliation. Daeyoung, busy reading the chat, pays them no mind.
“I’m not small!” Ryo insists. “You’re just huge!”
Riku laughs again at Ryo’s pout. His pup is so cute.
Early spring has them busy, and today is no different. Their comeback is only weeks away, and it’s Riku first one since he’s come off of hiatus, and it’s a little overwhelming. Adjusting back to the limelight has been… interesting. That’s probably the right word for it. Riku has spent some time back on stage - performed a few stops at the tail end of their tour, been carted to fansigns, spent hours and hours on fancalls, doing aegyo until his cheeks hurt from smiling. It’s not bad. Falling back into routine is easy. But Wish is evolving and they’re busier than ever and Riku is almost relieved that all they have to do is act cute for the camera for fifteen minutes.
Almost.
It’s the three of them on live, but the thing is that Sion is still lurking around. As he always is, these days. Yushi and Sakuya took the opportunity to head to the convenience store for snacks and lunch instead of being on live and normally Sion would go with them, but today he lingers. He’s been lingering a lot lately. Won’t quite leave Riku alone. Riku can’t tell if it’s subconscious or if he’s doing it on purpose - if he’s trying to be annoying or if his alpha really is just that damn knot-headed. It’s probably the latter.
He’s been managing. Managing Sion and his clinginess, that is. Because it’s not the worst thing in the world as long as Sion’s quiet and keeps his hands to himself, because then Riku can almost pretend he just has a very tall shadow that follows him around wherever he goes, not letting him out of his sight, trailing after him like a lost puppy. But Sion isn’t quiet, is the thing. He never is. He likes attention.
“There’s fifty thousand people watching,” Daeyoung delivers the news like it’s his job, sounding proud. Riku grins at the camera, waving, but he’s a little wary as Sion shuffles around behind the tripod with purpose.
“You can’t come here,” Ryo is the one to say, which is probably good. Riku would never say something like that to his mate (or, at least not while the others are around), but there are days when he’s tempted. Ryo points at him and looks right at the camera. “Sion hyung’s being annoying.”
And Sion, of course, takes that as an invitation. Of course.
“I’m here,” Sion grins his best alpha-idol smile, lounging across the back of his sofa. He clings right onto Riku’s arm, as he always does, out of the view of the camera. Rubs his cheek against it like a needy puppy. Riku would think it was cute if not for the fact that his alpha acts like he’ll die if they don’t touch every twenty minutes.
Riku pinches him in the cheek so he gets the message. As Ryo changes the subject before any of their fans can catch on. Sion’s scent sours just a hint. Pouty.
“Should we try the thing?” Daeyoung joins in with Ryo. “The- the thing we wanted to do?”
“We should,” Riku says, cheery and even-toned. He pinches harder.
Sion gets the hint. He lets him go. Loops around the camera and smiles into it. “Do you want me to join?”
It’s almost endearing, if not for his scent. Petulant and needy. Riku is extra attuned to him as they’re good as mated, but he can tell the others smell it because Ryo sends an unimpressed look at the back of his head. Daeyoung coughs into his fist.
“Only three seats on the couch, hyung,” Riku says sweetly, in a tone that makes it sound like he’s almost lamenting the fact there’s no room. Though his scent betrays him - bitter blossoms. He’s tired.
Sion sends him a pout and Daeyoung dutifully reads off all the chats asking Sion oppa to stay. Ryo kicks at him.
“Fine,” Sion’s bottom lip sticks out. “I can see I’m not wanted here.”
If this had happened six months ago, Riku would’ve felt bad, is the thing. If this had happened a month ago, even. But he’s been back from Fukui for a month and a half, and things are supposed to go back to normal, and yet the only one who hasn’t seemed to get the memo is Sion. He clings on, all the time, won’t leave Riku alone. Even when he’s with the others. It’s not unusual for Sion to be a bit territorial, but lately he’s been extra growly when unfamiliar alphas hover, gets aggressively doting if Riku so much feels a little under the weather. Overprotective. Not jealous, exactly, but he acts like Riku will break if someone isn’t watching after him for even a minute and sometimes Riku kind of wants to curb stomp his stupid mate.
He’s not delicate. Not for an omega, not for an idol. He’s been spending time in the gym, after all, and he’s tired of the fans thinking he’s a fragile little flower when he is, actually, a fully grown man. Not to mention that Sion’s so skinny these days - Riku could probably arm wrestle him and win. Even with the disparity in their biology. It’s annoying more than it is cute and Riku knows Sion is only backing off because Riku’s scent is telling him to. Leave us alone. Be a good alpha and leave us alone. Before I make a scene and you’re put in the doghouse.
Sion slinks out of the frame and mopes on the other side of the practice room.
“Hyung’s so needy these days,” Ryo hums, tone implying he’s joking. Except he isn’t. Riku manages a grin. That’s enough of a win for today, because Sion doesn’t approach again. Their fifteen minutes pass in relative peace and Riku, begrudgingly, lets his alpha fuss over him when it’s over.
(But that’s not the start of it, and it sure as hell isn’t the end of it.)
Riku can pretend like it’s normal when they’re at the dorms and he can indulge. Lets his alpha wrap him up in his arms, bury his nose into his scent gland, smother Riku head-to-toe in his scent and stay glued to his side. It’s nice to be able to decompress with his mate, spending their few hours of rest all curled up in their nest either passed out or attempting to at least watch another episode of the anime they’re months behind on. Sion has always been so sweet and affectionate, even if he is a little needy. And Riku likes it that way. Or, he’d like it if it was limited to the dorms.
But it’s very much not limited to the dorms.
During their tour’s promotional circuit, Sion manages to always find the seat next to Riku. No matter what country, no matter the fact that they’re supposed to sit in their designated order. Riku, at the time, reasoned that their reunion was fresh enough that it was only natural to want to be close. He was gone for five months, after all. But then they got back to Korea and it didn’t stop.
There’s radio shows and variety appearances for the comeback. Riku is still getting back into the swing of things, as he was pretty late for album recording, but he manages. Sion still finds the seat next to him, still hooks their ankles together if Riku isn’t paying attention, still dotes on him on camera, as if it’s socially acceptable, as if their managers don’t try and crucify him for the blatant display of affection. Sion is scolded more than once by manager hyung and he looks bad, almost, but then Riku comes back into his peripheral and he does it again. And again. And again and again and again and-
“Your two eldest are very close,” a coordi noona comments to Daeyoung as they get ready for an SBS variety show. “It’s very… erm.”
“It’s disgusting isn’t it?” Ryo pipes up.
Sakuya makes a noise of agreement, nose buried into his phone as his hair’s styled.
“We’re all close,” Riku attempts damage control. He elbows Sion away, who is standing right at his side, not an inch between them. “Like brothers, you know?”
And, well, that’s the last time he ever attempts to brother-zone his mate in front of Yushi. The beta laughs so hard his banana milk goes up his nose and Riku has red ears for the rest of the shoot.
(“Can you not call me your brother,” Sion says later, genuinely dejected as he noses into Riku’s cheek. “I came inside you last night, it’s kind of weird.”
Riku huffs. So much for trying to put their careers first. He’s surrounded by stubborn idiots.)
The thing is that Sion is sweet, and really caring, and a really great alpha. Like, really. He’s incredible. Riku loves him so, so dearly, and he quite likes the fact that Sion fusses over him, sometimes, quite likes that Sion likes keeping him close. In his sight, on his mind. But it very quickly gets to the point where it starts messing with their pack dynamic, and it’s only a matter of time before something gives.
It happens during practice.
They’ve been on this choreo for a week already with no end in sight, trying to sync up. They only have a few more days left before they have to send their dance off to music shows to be reviewed, so things are tense as it is. As pack omega, Riku tries to keep everyone’s spirits up by keeping them scented and making sure they’re drinking enough water and massaging Yushi’s shoulders when he gets too tense. Sneaking Ryo a snack when their manager isn’t looking. Indulging in Sakuya’s favorite TikToks. Tucking Daeyoung into his side when he gets frustrated and sweaty over the move he keeps messing up.
Sion, however, is not doing a good job as pack alpha. In fact, he’s doing a pretty awful job, actually.
“It’s like you’re not even paying attention!” Yushi snaps for the tenth time. Their choreographer stepped out for lunch and the six of them, hellbent on getting some progress under their belts today, decided to persist. Well, Yushi did. And they all followed. Saying no to Yushi is like asking to be given the silent treatment for the next three business days.
“Of course I’m paying attention!” Sion snaps back. His tone isn’t angry, but he’s already defensive. Yushi’s been riding him all day, and for a good reason.
“You’re not even in formation, hyung,” Ryo drawls.
Sakuya purses his lips, trying not to smile. Daeyoung has taken a great interest in the floorboards. Riku sighs. Sion won’t stop hovering and Yushi’s been pissy all day because of it, and right now really isn’t the time to be fucking up their comeback prep or starting fights. He nudges Sion back into formation. Lets out soothing pheromones, sweet and calming.
“Hyung’s gonna pay more attention, Yu-chan,” Riku says. He sends Sion a pointed look. “Right, hyung?”
Sion’s eyes narrow. His scent goes sour.
“He won’t, though!” Yushi argues. “He hasn’t used his brain in weeks, only cares about his damn knot-”
Sakuya stifles a laugh and Ryo makes an amused noise and Riku closes his eyes and massages his forehead. Great. No, really, this is just great. Just what they needed right before a comeback, of all things.
They’ve been a group for a good several years now, know each other in and out. There’s rarely any genuine fighting, just good-natured teasing. Riku likes to pride himself on how far their pack has come together, likes to really emphasize their bond, especially since he contributes so much to the pack’s dynamics as the sole omega. Not to mention that Yushi and Sion have been best friends for ages. There are times when they understand each other better than Riku could ever even hope to understand his mate, and that’s usually a good thing. Yushi is stubborn, sometimes outrageously sensitive, but he’s still sweet. He’s clingy and sweet and it takes a lot to get him genuinely upset. If there’s one kind of pack beta you want to balance out an emotionally turbulent pack alpha like Sion, it’s Yushi.
But the one single thing that Yushi hates is when they slack. Half-assed effort gets him genuinely heated more than any other annoying prank from the maknaes or teasing from Sion or horrible joke from Daeyoung or unplanned cuddling session from Riku. He will absolutely call them out on not putting forward their 100%, will absolutely rip them a new one. It doesn’t matter who it is. He’ll go a little gentler on the pups, but the rest of them are absolutely fair game. It’s the only thing that gets him mad, really, but he’ll get even more mad if Sion’s the one slacking. Something to do with all the time they’ve spent together, all the years they’ve had no one else besides each other. It’d be sweet, kind of, but...
Well. It just means there’s no one who can piss Tokuno Yushi off like Oh Sion can.
(And, unfortunately enough, it goes both ways.)
“You just love bringing up the fact I have a knot whenever you’re mad!” Sion fires back. His scent spreads thicker, more bitter, and there’s a snarl that comes his throat. “I’m not an idiot, Yushi, I’m working as hard as everyone else!”
The pups cower the slightest bit. Sion never raises his voice. None of them have even heard him take on an alpha tone, have never heard him try and use a command. Not that he would. But the anger in his voice is still so unfamiliar.
“But you’re not!” Yushi’s voice raises. “The pups are working harder than you!” He sounds genuinely upset, and Riku’s inner omega wants to soothe him. Wants to wrap him up in his arms and, like, feed him a snack. “Riku may not wanna call you out on your bullshit, but I’m so sick and tired of it! You don’t even act like an idol, you act like a dog!”
The fact that Yushi’s voice is louder than a whisper - let alone a shout - is a really bad sign. A terrible sign, actually. Sakuya grimaces at the tone and Ryo looks back and forth between his hyungs with the barest trace of awe on his face and Daeyoung, notably, looks pained. Or constipated. Like he can’t decide between standing up for his mate or standing up for his head alpha.
Riku bites his lip. Pours out more of his scent. “Guys,” he says, this time with more force. “There’s really no-”
“I’m your leader and your hyung,” Sion snarls, and he smells actually angry now. Prowling. A territorial, offended alpha. “I’m your leader and your hyung and you should respect me.”
“You don’t act like it,” Yushi snarls back. He’s never afraid of alphas, let alone an alpha like Sion. “You’re like a pup and you’re ruining everything, and-”
“Yushi,” Riku tries again, to no avail. “Hyung, you-”
“I’m ruining everything?” Sion shouts. “Do you wanna be the leader?”
“I may as well be!” Yushi shouts back, voice surprisingly firm. “You’re not doing anything!”
Riku’s scent, notably, is doing nothing to calm his stupid packmates down. Not even Sion, who usually responds to his pheromones if they even shift just the tiniest bit. He pushes lightly at Sion’s shoulder to get him to stand down, but he doesn’t budge. Daeyoung has moved in to grab Yushi if needed.
These two have never fist fought in front of them, but Riku has heard stories of when they were trainees and he’s not keen on reliving history.
(Ryo has his phone out. He’s taking a video. Sakuya has backed away to the sidelines, taking a swig of water. This is going horribly, horribly wrong.)
“Why do I even try, then, Yushi, if you’re just gonna take charge of everything??” Sion growls - actually growls, not just a light rumble like it usually is - and his scent is so strong that Sakuya’s making a face and Daeyoung’s squirming. “You think all I fucking do is think with my knot-”
“I haven’t seen you do anything useful in weeks,” Yushi growls back. Beta growls aren’t intimidating, but it’s worth mentioning that betas only growl unless they’re really upset. Or ready to start swinging, which Yushi definitely is. “If you weren’t so fucking obsessed with Riku hyung, then at least you’d-”
Riku watches in disbelief as his stupid knot-head of an alpha lunges and Yushi lets him. Charges forward, actually, snapping his teeth even though there is no beta who should be so eager to fist fight an angry alpha, let alone one like Sion. Daeyoung is between them before anything happens, and Riku only contemplates killing both of them. Christ.
“You think you’re so high and mighty just because you’re the pack alpha,” Yushi growls. “But we spend more time managing your clinginess than we do listening to you-”
Ouch, Yushi. That one hurts.
“You don’t even respect me as pack alpha!” Sion gnashes his teeth. “All I’m trying to do is look after my fucking mate, you wouldn’t understand ‘cause you’re a beta-”
And, well. That’s a low blow. A really low blow. Even Daeyoung looks a little shocked and Yushi looks like he’s going to bite, and Riku decides enough is enough. Before someone gets killed.
Yushi looks torn between crying or swinging at Sion’s stupid face. “Say that again, you fucking-”
Sion doesn’t even notice Riku approach because he’s so keyed up. But he bears his fangs and tries tearing Daeyoung out of the way, and Riku has a hand on his nape before he can even think of touching anyone. Grabs him by the neck and scruffs him like a pup in his fist. It’s so fucking easy even though Sion is damn near six feet tall and has the build of a fully grown alpha male, but he falls pliant to the ground immediately. Bares his throat. It only takes a second.
Riku sighs, exhausted. Even as Sion stares up at him like a kicked puppy and the maknaes gape at their leader on the ground. So when the rest of the ground is stunned into silence, Riku only holds his mate by the neck and gives the rest of them a very pointed look.
“Is anyone else going to ignore me?” Riku asks. “Do any of the rest of you think you’re too good to listen to the pack omega?”
Yushi simmers down almost immediately. Shoulders untensing as Sion bears his throat, waiting. Daeyoung has shock all over his face, while the maknaes look a little delighted to see their hyung defeated so easily. Riku has never scruffed one of the alphas before, but all six of them know better than anyone that he has complete authority to do so. He’d like to see one of the knot heads try and defy him - he is not afraid of the alphas in his pack, not even at their meanest. Daeyoung is basically a puppy and Sion is all bark and no bite.
Ugh. It’s hopeless. Getting between quarreling hormonal boys, no matter their sub-gender, gives him a headache. Riku lets go of his mate and lets him roll onto his back like a puppy eager for a treat. The door to the practice room swings open. Kim Doyoung, of all people, stands in the doorway.
“I got a text that the babies were fighting,” Doyoung hyung pants. Kun hyung is standing right behind him, looking windswept and similarly concerned. Doyoung puts a hand to his chest and squints at the scene in front of him. “Why’s Sion on the floor?”
Riku drags a hand down his face. So much for a peaceful practice.
-
By the time they’re able to explain the situation to Doyoung and Kun without anyone getting too excited over it, Sion has come out of his submissive daze from being scruffed. Keeps a hand on the back of his neck and hangs his head.
“So you’re the leader and you tried to fight your bandmate,” Doyoung is overwhelmingly unimpressed. “Your beta bandmate, of all people, who can’t even bite you back.”
Yushi and Sion both visibly bristle. Riku would normally go to comfort his pack, but with their older groupmates here, he doesn’t really feel moved by the idea. Yushi is planted firmly in Daeyoung’s side, pouting as his alpha soothes a hand down his back. Sion is on his knees in submission. As he should be. Riku sits off to the side with the two pups and can’t decide if he’s more amused or upset.
Doyoung is an omega, but he and Taeyong are the head of everything NCT. No one dares to defy them. Kun, in comparison, is rather docile for an alpha. But he has the kind of authority to him that you don’t really want to push too hard against. Yangyang told them once, in passing, that they’re lucky that Wish’s leader doesn’t care about discipline. Riku couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. He saw a clip about Kun saying he has heavy hands, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t a joke at all.
(Though to keep a pack like WayV in line… keeping up with them at ISAC was exhausting enough, and there were only three of them there. Riku shudders at the idea of being in charge of a group like that. Sion certainly couldn’t do it.)
“I did,” Sion mumbles, forlorn, voice pathetically weak. He drops his hand from his neck and his gland’s red and irritated from Riku scruffing him.
“And you didn’t listen to your omega, either,” Doyoung drawls. “Your mate.”
Riku tries not to feel bad when Sions sends a wary glance his way. As upset as he is, he’s mostly just tired of this all. The overbearingness, the fact that he never gets time to himself. But he can’t stop himself from letting out the tiniest bit of soothing pheromones, wanting his mate to at least not look so fucking sad. Like a puppy left on the side of the road.
“I didn’t,” Sion sighs. But his shoulders relax at Riku’s scent. Little mercies.
It’s an odd sort of confrontation they have going on here, but it’s a necessary one. Riku and the pups tried to stage an intervention a few weeks back, but it was pretty much useless because Riku would get pulled in every time Sion scented him, overeager and aching for it after being apart for so long. Unable to help it when his alpha would draw him in close with a smile, mouth on his and yearning to bite. But now…
“I didn’t know the babies were so high maintenance. Did you?” Doyoung turns to Kun. And Kun, who was seemingly pulled out of his studio with zero warning about having to deal with a bunch of overly hormonal idols in their early twenties, only blinks.
“...I didn’t,” Kun says slowly. He looks over at Riku with the pups, and then at Daeyoung’s wide, concerned eyes, and then Sion’s submissive bow. He straightens his back a bit, expression turning more stern when Doyoung elbows him in the side. “Sion-ah, being pack alpha is about setting an example for your dongsaengs.” He sends a wary glance to Doyoung, who prods him further. “Even when they rile you up, you have to keep your composure. Being overly emotional never helps.”
None of them have ever really been scolded by any of the hyungs, let alone an easy-going and friendly sunbae like Kun. Sion sinks closer into himself. “Yes...”
“Especially when you’re the eldest,” Kun adds. “My pack is full of brats, but I have a job to lead them. And listen to my mate.” Though he gets a funny look on his face after he says that. “Well, as long as he’s… um.”
“Riku is well behaved,” Doyoung says. “He’s a good influence.”
Riku blushes at the acknowledgement. The hyungs have always fawned after him as Wish’s sole omega, and he’s still not used to the attention. Especially since he didn’t go to SMTOWN or year end stages with everyone else.
Kun’s lips quirk into a smile. “You’re lucky to have a mate who’s a good influence. I can’t always say the same.”
Sion’s neck turns redder. Riku has to fight the urge to coo at him and, like, curl up into his lap. Or something silly like that. Is Sion smiling about him like Kun smiles about Ten? He can’t tell. Sion has always been a bit of a simp in that way. Maybe Riku is weaker than he thought he was. It’d be so easy to just crawl over to his stupid alpha and wrap him up in his arms…
“You have to cherish your mate, Sion-ah!” Doyoung continues. “And Yuyu here! And all of your members! The whole point of being part of the NCT family is that we balance each other out even when-”
“Everyone tries to fist fight at one point or another, it’s only inevitable,” Kun adds kindly, putting a hand on Doyoung’s shoulder.
Riku appreciates the attempt to calm him down. But, of course:
“Don’t say that!” Doyoung scolds. “You’ll encourage them!”
“No one’s fist fighting anyone,” Riku reassures him. “Or else they’ll get scruffed. Right, guys?”
The maknaes mumble in agreement. Yushi says nothing, but his face is pink. Daeyoung is perfectly well behaved and the least of any of their problems, ever, but still nods empathetically. All of them would rather die than have the pack omega scruff them like they’re unruly young pups, and Riku secretly delights in the way Sion covers his face with one hand and sighs.
“Pick your head up and listen to your mate,” Kun muses. “Alphas are called knot-headed for a reason.”
Kun’s tone is light, but there’s an air about him that makes a younger alpha like Sion listen. His shoulders untense as he looks over at Riku. There’s shame in his expression, a lot of embarrassment. It never takes much to rile their head alpha up, but no one does it better than Yushi. And Sion is always left reeling after their petty squabbles, even when they don’t heat up like this one did.
“Sorry, Riku-ah,” he says, voice low and mopey. “Hyung’s an idiot.”
“Yeah,” Yushi grumbles before Riku can say anything. “Hyung’s an idiot.”
Sion deflates. Like a pathetic, alpha balloon. Riku elbows the maknaes as they snicker. No more fuel needs to be added to the fire. After all, Sion is submitting to two sunbaes he deeply respects and getting scolded like he’s a pup. Not that he hates to see it.
“Never let alphas steam roll over you,” Doyoung advises them. “Sometimes they need to be put in their place, Yuyu.”
“Though I wouldn’t suggest fighting one,” Kun sends him an odd look. “Sharp teeth. One time Renjun and Donghyuck got into it and Renjun still has the scar.”
Doyoung’s expression darkens. “That stupid boy,” he mutters. “You were so bad at keeping them in line.”
Kun puts his hands up in surrender. “They were newly presented, what was I supposed to do? Use my alpha voice?”
Riku is a little amused when Doyoung turns to him with a glare. “That’s why the little shits get scruffed, they never-”
Kun sighs, long suffering. Closes his eyes and accepts his fate. Sion, at least, is grateful for the diversion, and the atmosphere lightens up after that.
Apologies are given. Yushi lets Sion hug it out with him and Riku is pleased when his alpha returns to his side, burying his face in Riku’s shoulder. He smells calm, now. He’s been so anxious this past month that it leaked into his scent, but now it’s more subdued. They really needed the hyungs to talk some sense into him, huh. It turns out that public humiliation works on Oh Sion like a charm.
Riku tucks that piece of information away in the back of his mind. Good to know.
“I’ll have Taeyong hyung scold you over KakaoTalk,” Doyoung hasn’t let him completely off the hook, even as Sion curls into Riku’s side and reeks of embarrassed alpha. “He’s good at keeping emotional kids like you in line.”
Riku snorts when Sion groans. It’s the truth, is the thing. Most people expect alpha leaders to be stone-cold and serious, but Sion is silly and easy going and can, at times, be sensitive. Especially when it comes to his job. He can take criticism a little too harshly, always determined to take the burden of leader on by himself. Takes any attack towards any of them as a personal insult.
“I’m not emotional,” Sion lies, petulant.
Doyoung huffs. “All alphas are emotional. It’s the hormones.”
Yushi and Riku’s eyes meet in silent agreement. At least someone else has the balls to say it. Or, erm, the… never mind. They and the maknaes are in agreement that their alphas are sensitive little puppies and sometimes it gets draining to deal with the mood swings. Saying no to Sion or Daeyoung is like asking for two pouty, startling tall grown men to mope around the dorm like their entire bloodline’s been insulted.
But Sion, at the very least, takes it well. He always takes advice well, even if Doyoung isn’t exactly the most nice about it. He’s always been motherly to the six of them, but he really likes to nag, and Riku has made a point to make sure his kids always have their polite smiles on when Doyoung hyung comes around. Ryo, at least, is easy to please. He gets all starry-eyed whenever a sunbae turns up.
“Yes, hyung,” Sion agrees. His voice is muffled as he hides his face in Riku’s sweatshirt. “I’ll be less emotional.”
Doyoung’s eyes shine. “Well you better, because-”
It gets to a point where Kun has to drag Doyoung away. Scolding only does so much, and they have a comeback to prepare for. “It’s growing pains, Sion-ah, you’ll get used to it,” Kun says. “Text me if you need help with anything. And the rest of you, don’t rile each other up.”
Everyone nods. While they’re all used to teasing Sion, the pups act so well behaved around older alphas. It doesn’t help that Sion - prone to being territorial - had no issue submitting to Kun. It’s the kind of vibe he gives off, maybe. Makes you want to listen. Like a strict Asian dad who gets all no-nonsense about getting good grades.
Doyoung frowns at the dismissal but runs the inside of his wrist over Riku’s neck. “Let me know if he gives you any trouble, Riku. Even Kun used to be quite sensitive back in the day. He’d get so butthurt every time Tennie would-”
“Yah, Doie,” Kun says, exasperated. “Don’t spread lies.”
Doyoung smirks, self satisfied. “See? They’re easy.”
Riku grins. He likes the boldness of the older omegas in NCT, likes the way none of the alphas try to lord over them. No man in this entire company would dream of talking back to someone like Kim Doyoung, and you can smell Kun’s subdued scent of ginger going stale as Doyoung stalks back over to him. Like he’s exhausted. Riku hopes one day he’ll run circles around his own group’s alphas like that. Not that it would be very difficult - Daeyoung is about as intimidating as a puppy and Sion is immune to telling him any variation of “no.”
Hmm… Riku’s head is filled with ideas… and possibilities…
Their hyungs slip out the door, bickering all the while, and shut it behind them. Silence falls over the group for half a second, but then Yushi makes a disgruntled little noise and addresses their stupid, clingy alpha.
“So you’ll stop being such an idiot now?” Yushi prods Sion with his foot. “You’ll stop breathing down Riku’s neck?”
“You’ll stop stinking up the dorm?” Ryo adds. “And being annoying?”
Sakuya grimaces. “And getting mad every time hyung cuddles with us?”
Daeyoung sighs. “And not try and fist fight anymore, please…”
Sion falls into Riku’s lap, hiding his face. “Yushi started it,” he says. Riku snorts and runs his fingers through his hair.
“You started it, hyung,” he says. “By being overbearing.”
Sion’s scent goes sour. But he sighs when Riku brushes his fingers against his nape, threatening. A reminder.
“I’ll stop,” he concedes. He grumbles it, but it’s an agreement. “I won’t be annoying anymore.”
A collective sigh of relief echoes throughout the group - that’s all they want to hear, really. Having a very potent alpha stalk around like a growly little wolf when anyone even tries to touch his mate gets tiring after the first few times. Especially when it’s Sion.
“Good alpha,” Riku coos, kissing him on the forehead. A chorus of groans rise up from the kids when Sion grins and puckers his lips for more.
“Hyung’s so good, yeah?” Sion pulls him down with an arm around his neck, ignoring the dry heaving from Sakuya and the very audible grumbling from Yushi. Sion brushes their noses together. “Can I get an award, Riku-chan?”
Riku grins. He nips at Sion’s cheek. “If you’re nice today, I’ll consider it.”
They go back to practice not long after that. After all, their comeback waits for no one. Sion is well behaved and incredibly docile and has to bow out halfway through when he gets a call from Taeyong. He takes it into the hallway, but they hear angry omega shouting through the speaker.
“I love seeing Sion hyung get scolded,” Ryo sighs dreamily, watching him go.
“Serves him right,” Sakuya says. “He’s been so clingy.”
Yushi looks a little too self satisfied for comfort, considering Sion probably could’ve bit his arm clean off, but Riku can admit that things worked out relatively fine enough. His alpha, after all, is seemingly calm. He’s letting Riku breathe. He smells like himself again.
But:
“No slacking off!” Yushi reminds them. “We still don’t have the chorus down yet!”
Riku wipes his sweat off of his brow and grins. Time to get back to work.
-
Peace lasts for a bit.
Sion is much the same as he always is. Doting by nature, but not too overbearing. He still clings onto Riku in the nest, still covers him in his scent, still worries after him excessively. But now all Riku has to do is send him a sideways glance, and he’ll back off. Mostly. It’s good enough.
“You think our cycles are gonna sync up again this month?” Sion asks. His cheek is smushed against Riku’s chest, strewn over top of him like a heavy, needy blanket. “It’s more fun with we’re in it together.”
Riku, scrolling through Twitter, snorts. “Yeah. So you don’t have to torture me like you did last month.”
Their cycles fell out of sync while they were apart, which was only inevitable, but their bond is so strong that it won’t take much to sync back up. Sion’s last rut was hell - Riku doesn’t know if his cunt’s ever been so sore in his life. To the point where he’d fall asleep on Sion’s knot, only to wake up the next morning to being stuffed with another load. Ugh, calling it depraved would be an understatement. Reunion sex always gets a little too crazy for them.
“I didn’t torture you,” Sion insists, even though he did. “I couldn’t even knot you by the end of your heat because you wouldn’t let me up.”
And, well. That’s true. Sion couldn’t even lock inside him in the last couple days, having to resort to using a dildo. And his tongue. And his fingers and a vibrator and…
“Why are you getting wet, princess?” Sion grins. It’s embarrassing how quickly he catches onto the smell of Riku’s slick. He’s always seeking the smell out because he’s a fucking pervert.
Riku squirms. “It’s nothing!” But he lets Sion flip him onto his stomach and lick him clean, anyway.
So.
They have a few blissful weeks of peace. Well, peace is a relative term. Their cycles are expected to hit the week before their comeback and that on top of the rest of the stress of idol life is all a bit exhausting to have to deal with. Riku can feel the simmerings of pre-heat in his belly when he wakes up on an early morning for a fan sign. Cramps, mostly, some slick. A buzzing in his head.
Sion still smells normal, but that could change at any time. Riku unpeels himself from his alpha’s arms and goes out to shower the icky pre-heat feeling off of his skin. This week will be a rough one.
“Are you showering, hyung?” A sleepy Daeyoung runs into him on his way to the bathroom. “You can go first.”
Riku, grateful and eager to rid himself of sweat, ruffles his hair. “Thanks, Youngie.”
All in all, getting ready for the day is a well-practiced affair. Riku doesn’t even have to say anything for everyone to catch on that he’s in pre-heat and cranky. Yushi passes him a coffee wordlessly. Ryo tucks into his side and his milky pup scent, admittedly, helps soothe his nerves.
“Is hyung gonna be in his pre-rut?” Sakuya asks, leaning in on his other side. He’s less affectionate than Ryo is, but always joins in on the cuddling when Riku’s in his cycle. It’s cute. The two of them always seek out his omega pheromones even when they insist that they’re grown and don’t need a dame to look after them.
Riku hums. Smooths his hands over their messy bedheads. “I dunno,” he says. “Maybe we aren’t synced up yet.” The chance that they aren’t is pretty low, considering that he and Sion are together just about 24/7 and have been for nearly two months now. But there’s always a chance their bodies are slow to react - after all, neither of them have the most regular cycles in the world.
Ryo sighs. “I don’t know if having you both crazy at once is worse than when it’s at different times. Hyung gets so smelly.”
Riku grins. “One day you’ll learn what it’s like, Ryo-chan.” And then laughs when Ryo makes a horrified face and pretends to gag.
Sion, in fact, doesn’t seem any different than usual when he emerges from the bathroom with wet hair hanging in his eyes. Though his eyes gleam when he sees Riku and the pups cuddled up together. He pulls his Riku in for a kiss.
“You smell good,” he says. Runs his wrist over his neck. “Are you cramping?”
Riku leans into his touch with a sigh. His alpha purrs and it makes it a bit more manageable. “A little,” he says. “Nothing too bad.”
Sion tuts. Puts a palm over his forehead to check his temperature. “I hope this one comes quick so you aren’t worn out for the comeback.”
After manager hyung arrives with breakfast, things are business as usual. Sion sticks to his side and won’t stop rubbing their wrists together under the table, but it’s nothing too burdensome. Any alpha has the innate urge to mask their omega’s cycle pheromones with their own scent, and Sion is the possessive enough as it is. He tries to reel it in these days, but Riku will sometimes still catch him staring, vaguely upset, when an unfamiliar alpha approaches. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it half the time. Not unless he stinks up the room with his scent. Riku still can’t decide if he thinks it’s endearing or annoying. He kind of likes it…
Or maybe that’s his pre-heat talking, actually. Stupid inner omega.
Riku munches down on his food as Sion piles food onto his plate. Always a provider, even though Riku spends most of his pre-heats too nauseous to eat much. An evolutionary anomaly, you’d think, given that it leads up to him getting viciously knotted for three days straight, needing all the energy he can get. But Sion holds rice up to his mouth and Riku, not thinking much, eats it.
Sion smells pleased. Really pleased. There’s something a little different than usual, but Riku’s not all the way awake yet. So he leans into Sion’s side, assuming that his pre-heat’s just making him a little loopy.
“It’s coming on fast, isn’t it?” Sion asks in a low voice. “You smell strong.”
“Do I?” Riku asks. “It feels normal.”
Sion purses his lips and shrugs. “Maybe I’m just not used to it, still,” he says. A hand settles on the inside of Riku’s thigh and tugs him close. He says, in a low voice, “we should just stay here. Get your nest set up, prepare…”
“You only think with your knot,” Riku says stiffly. But there’s a thrill that goes up his spine when Sion’s fingers dig into his skin.
“It’s ‘cause I’m your alpha,” Sion says under his breath. “And you’re mine.”
By the time they’ve loaded up into the van, Riku’s cramps persist. It leaves him a little cranky, opting to blast music over his headphones and swaddle himself with the weighted blanket they keep in the car for Yushi and stare forlorningly out the window. He really wishes he could stay at home, but usually working through his pre-heat isn’t too bad. It makes him a little sluggish, zapping him of energy, but it’s manageable. SM isn’t kind enough to give them time off during pre-heats and ruts, and it’s already bad enough that it’s plenty obvious to the fans that he and Sion share cycles. They always take off at the same time, after all.
It’s not uncommon in the industry. Heats and ruts, some people say, aren’t even romantic to begin with. Purely biological, absolutely no feelings involved. Riku sees it online, sometimes, the way people talk about him and Sion. Wondering just how real it is for them, what it’s like to knot your bandmate. Riku wishes he could tell them to fuck off and keep his alpha to himself. Tell them that it’s romantic as hell and his alpha is taken, thanks. But that’s usually just his heat brain talking.
Sion has switched seats with Yushi so he can sit in the second row with Riku instead of the front like he normally does. He keeps a hand on Riku’s knee, a heavy, steady weight. He’s fretting a little more than he usually does, but nothing too overbearing. Though he was getting a little squirmy when manager hyung helped Riku into the car, a little angry noise coming from his throat. Riku wrote it off as normal Sion-isms. There’s no telling what’ll set him off, sometimes. But his scent is getting a little heavy,
“Can we crack a window?” Ryo complains. Loudly. Riku can hear it over the Rihanna blasting in his ears, which is saying a lot.
The manager grunts. “We can’t.” And after a pause. “Sion-ah…”
Sion’s grip on him tightens. Riku leans into it and he eases up.
“Sorry,” Sion says. “Sorry, my head kinda hurts, my bad.” His scent eases up the tiniest bit, and the AC very audibly turns on with scent neutralizers.
Manager hyung hums. “If you say so.” But he sounds unconvinced.
Getting to the venue is pretty uneventful otherwise. They’re all too tired to talk much and traffic is light, for once. They get to the concert hall and are escorted in and Riku bows politely to the fans already waiting with cameras as Sion keeps a stubborn hand on the small of his back. Not the most incriminating thing in the world, but not exactly subtle either. He’s gonna need scent patches, too.
“Hyung,” Riku nudges him off.
Sion looks crestfallen as the distance between them grows, but he listens. “Sorry, Riku-ah.”
They draw straws for makeup and hair and Daeyoung and Sakuya lose. Yushi is quick to pull out his switch and hunker down in an empty chair while Ryo buries himself in his phone and scrolls mindlessly on reels. Riku curls up next to him with an arm around his waist, face buried into the pup’s stomach. His scent helps the pounding in his head. Which is only getting worse, really, as the day goes on. He shouldn’t have drank that coffee.
It’s still a little bit incredible that he managed his head by himself for so long during his hiatus. Without Sion or the pups, it was agony. He resorted to pre-packed scented clothes and spent a lot of time curled up by himself, sweating and miserable. He’s just grateful he doesn’t have to suffer through it alone anymore.
“You’re hovering again,” Ryo says pointedly to Sion, who is, indeed, hovering. Riku doesn’t mind since his alpha’s scent calms his nerves, but Sion is just standing there and fidgeting with himself. Looking worried even though there’s nothing to be worried about.
“Riku’s in his cycle,” Sion says lamely in lieu of an explanation. “I just…”
“Then cuddle with us,” Riku sighs, holding his arms open. “Jeez.”
Sion, at least, is obedient. For once. He clings onto Riku’s waist while scrolling on his phone and Riku snores across Ryo’s lap.
Sleeping away the cycle always helps, especially since he’ll only get needier with time.
Though the crankiness still persists, because his omega wants to growl when Sakuya prods them awake to get their makeup done. Sion tuts, rubs his wrist over his scent gland.
“Jagi,” he coos. “Are you sure you don’t wanna go home?”
Ugh. He says it like that’s even an option. Sion is never condescending on purpose, but sometimes he treats Riku in his pre-heat like he’s incapable of higher thought, and the sickly sweet tone of his alpha only makes Riku crankier.
Stupid alpha. Stupid, stupid alpha. All he’s good for is his stupid knot and stupid handsome face.
Riku brushes him off, frowning hard. “I’m fine, hyung.”