Jisung wasn't sure how much time passed. His eyes were closed but he didn't fall completely asleep, he just... floated. At some point he became partially aware of Minho talking, but after realizing it was in Korean, he knew he wasn't being spoken to.
At another point he heard a deep voice come from the direction of the door, accompanied with the sound of a plastic sack. Minho and Deep Voice spoke quietly for a minute, then all was silent again.
By the time Minho shook him awake and out of his daze, the water around them was cold, but he didn't want to move. "Jisung, I'll carry you if you need, you just have to make things a little less deadly. We're both wet and we could fall and give ourselves concussions."
Jisung, still not totally aware of himself, nodded and braced his hands on the tub as he began lifting himself up. Minho stood up behind him and quickly moved to the side to help him up the rest of the way.
Jisung's eyes focused right on the shirt Minho was wearing, tight against his skin now and dripping everywhere. Since Minho often wore jackets or looser shirts, Jisung was never really able to see that he was hiding the body of a god. It wasn't the most sculpted he'd ever seen but it was... just right. Yes, he was Goldilocks here: he found the perfect chest and torso.
"Okay?"
"Huh?" He tore his gaze up to meet Minho's and his cheeks flushed red. Oh, he was definitely more aware now. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"I know, it's alright," Minho hummed, amused. "I understand. I'm a handsome alpha and you're in heat, of course you're going to stare."
Jisung closed his eyes, squeezing Minho's hands. "Oh, that sounds so bizarre. I don't want to believe any of it. At all. But... why does it make so much sense if it isn't true?"
"I know, I know, it's scary. It's a huge change."
Minho helped Jisung to the floor and told him not to move as he carefully stepped over to the closet by the door and pulled out a few towels. Once he handed Jisung one, the pair began drying off as best they could with their soaked clothes still on.
"I'll go grab you some clothes-"
"Minho, did you know?"
He paused, brow creasing slightly. "Did I know what?" he asked softly.
Jisung tried to convince his heart to calm down a bit, but of course it didn't work all that well. "Did you know what I was? This whole time?" He could already guess the answer, but he wanted to hear it from Minho.
"I did. I realized it the night we met, at the library. I caught the smallest hint of your scent." Minho rubbed the back of his neck. "When you came over to my place and asked why I smelled so good, I realized you had no idea what you were. I was going to keep it that way, but... Jason will get what's coming to him."
Jisung tilted his head in slight confusion at that last statement, and then he blinked. "Wait, your scent? That's what I've been smelling this whole time?"
Minho laughed lightly. "Yes, although I'm a little surprised you were able to smell it so easily. When you're un-awakened your senses aren't as strong."
Yes, this was definitely trippy dream material. Jisung then became aware of the soaked clothes they both wore. His hoodie weighed down on his body as a good reminder that he needed to get changed. "So... you'll answer more of my questions once we're changed?"
"Yes, we can get to all of them once you're taken care of."
Jisung nodded and while Minho left the bathroom, dropped his towel to the floor and began mopping up the water that had spread all over. He only had two towels, so these used ones would have to do.
It wasn't the most pleasant process changing out of a wet hoodie and jeans, but Jisung was glad to be out of those soiled clothes and in a pair of joggers and a fresh hoodie. He offered Minho some clothes as well, and he would be lying if he said that seeing Minho in his clothes wasn't something that made his heart feel a little funky.
Finally, they moved into Jisung's bedroom, and he was about to plop down and pray to fall unconscious when Minho stopped him.
"Before you lay down, do you have any other favorite blankets? Any extras?"
"Yes, why?"
"Another instinct that omegas have that helps them calm down during a heat is nesting. It isn't a very intense need unless you're pregnant, but it will help your body during heat as well."
Oh. "Never in my life did I think I would have to worry about an accidental baby," Jisung muttered, awkwardly rubbing his arms. Could he wake up now?
Minho was moving around the bed, tossing all the blankets and sheets up near the headboard. "Why do you say that?"
Jisung snorted. "Minho, I'm gay."
"Oh, right," Minho laughed cutely while a subtle tinge of red painted his ears. "Well, as long as you avoid creepy alphas, you should be fine."
The more Jisung watched Minho throw blankets and pillows together, the more he wanted to jump into the pile and fix it up to be more comfortable. It only took him a second to realize it was that 'instinct' probably kicking in. He bit his lip to focus on something other than his nerves as he stepped forward.
"Minho."
"Yeah?" He stopped what he was doing, glancing up at him with slight worry. "You okay?"
"Um... can I?" Jisung whispered, pointing at the bed.
"Of course." Minho stepped back. "I noticed you seemed to like that blanket in the living room, so I'll go get that."
Jisung slowly crawled onto his bed, wincing as his aching body moved. His skin was still fairly warm, but after that soak in the bath, he felt much better than he did before. At least he could think clearly now.
Without much thought, Jisung began rearranging the pile carefully, placing pillows along the edges of his comforter that acted as the barrier to his 'nest'. He'd always liked to bury himself in pillows and blankets, so was that just some of his 'omega' peeking through all this time? It was strange to think about.
He was beginning to pull his extra blankets into some nice spots when he noticed Minho's scent floating through the air,. Why did that smell make him dizzy?
Jisung glanced over his shoulder and nearly passed away at the sight of Minho leaning in the doorway, blanket in hand, and dark eyes pinned on him. A subtle shiver ran down his spine. He quickly looked away, mind skipping around and face even warmer than before.
Minho slowly made his way over to the bed. "How are you feeling now?"
"Better, I think. I can fully use my brain now, so that has to mean something, right?" Jisung joked, now falling into the pile of comfort he made for himself. Yes, something in his body definitely settled down now that he was comfy.
"Good, I was hoping that bath would help." Minho handed the blanket to Jisung and then held Jisung's phone. "Can you unlock this?"
"Sure, why?" Jisung took the device, reminding himself not to drop it when sparks jumped along his skin due to the brush of their fingers.
"While I could answer every question you have about your new... lifestyle, there are easier ways for you to learn everything." Minho dragged Jisung's desk chair over to the bed and plopped into it once Jisung handed the phone back to him. "I'm going to download a few apps that every omega needs. And yes, they are necessary. One of them in necessary for all of our kind, so you'll have to eventually get used to using it."
Jisung felt a strange reassurance, like a gentle pressure on his back, from Minho's cool demeanor. The level-headed, almost professional way he explained things helped calm his frayed nerves significantly.
One of the apps Minho downloaded was strictly for omegas. It was basically like a booklet, with different topics to choose from to allow simplicity in finding answers to any and all questions. The categories weren't all that strange or alarming until Jisung read the subcategory 'relief and pleasure' underneath the 'Heat' section. He was quick to close the app when he saw the topic 'Pregnancy'.
The other app was much more complex, and Jisung was almost afraid to press any buttons. One of the confusing parts about it was the maps.
"Even though our kind is hidden from the rest of society, we have a large population, and it takes a lot for us to remain secret," Minho explained carefully upon seeing Jisung's utter confusion. "With our unique biology, it would be impossible to hide when it comes to health. So we have designated 'safe' spaces. This map," he clicked on the blue one, "highlights which places are run by someone like us. For example, this hospital is highlighted, so if I suspected something was wrong with your heat, I would take you there rather than the hospital downtown."
"Wait, that's cool," Jisung whispered, mostly to himself as he panned around on the map. One of his favorite restaurants was highlighted, which made him feel a little weird.
Minho chuckled. "It is. Now that's your most important map, so be sure you get used to using it. The other map mostly shows what we just call 'pack' boundaries for simplicity."
That made Jisung's head snap up, and met Minho's eyes. "Pack? Wait, you said we sort of have wolf-like qualities, don't tell me we're... werewolves?" The last word was barely audible.
"Well-"
"Well?" he squeaked. "It's a yes or no, isn't it?"
Minho released a soft, airy laugh. "We don't turn into wolves... except for pureblood alphas."
Jisung waited for the "Just kidding!" but it never came. "You're serious?!"
"Unfortunately."
Werewolves are real, at least to an extent. What in the animal planet is going on?
Then Jisung froze. "Minho... are... are you a pureblood?"
Minho's eyes flicked away. "Um. Yeah?"
"Shut up right now!" Jisung gasped, an unexpected, yet nervous laugh bubbling out of his chest. "You have to be messing with me. A human can't shift into a wolf outside of fiction."
Minho raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to prove it?"
"You're joking, right?"
"Ji, it's true. I haven't done it in a while, but it's possible. Pureblood alphas are the top protectors of our kind, so we have... a secret weapon if it's ever needed." Minho scratched the back of his neck, like he wasn't very sure about sharing this particular information.
Jisung wasn't believing it, this was way different from accepting the fact his body was a little different from regular people... But for someone to actually turn into an animal? That was total fantasy. "You're really telling the truth?"
Minho sighed. "Would you like me to show you?"
"Kind of," Jisung whispered, awkwardly averting his gaze.
Minho chuckled. "I'll show you once you get more acquainted with those apps. And once I grab you some food, you need to eat." Minho popped to his feet. "Felix brought a few things for you, including snacks, I'll grab those real quick."
Jisung blinked a few times as he watched Minho's figure disappear. Then he closed the complicated app, that was simply called 'Safety' with a paw print as the 'e', and opened the informational one, called 'TrueForm' with a simple lavender purple font. The categories were a little spooky to look at, just because it meant there was a lot Jisung didn't know about his own body.
He finally clicked on 'Scents', mostly because it seemed the least scary thing to learn about at the moment.
Every alpha and omega has a unique scent, which makes it simple and easy to identify those close to you. This can aid in simple everyday life, but it can also aid in unfortunate circumstances such as finding a missing person or identifying a body.
Below is a simplified list of information.
1) The scent gland is one of the most sensitive areas of the body
2) The scent gland is located on the left side between the shoulder and the neck
3) Scent has many purposes such as attracting a mate, comforting and soothing loved ones, and establishing territory or dominance
4) Change in scent can indicate physical changes, such as pregnancy or being marked (see 'Mating' for more details)
Jisung fumbled with his phone and dropped it when Minho returned, like he'd been reading something he wasn't supposed to. It wasn't Minho that caused his nerves to come to life, it was the reaction his body had from simply reading the word 'mating'. He didn't like having this animal instinct it was messing with him way too much.
Minho, seemingly oblivious to Jisung's inner turmoil, set two plastic bags on the bed. "Here are some snacks for you," he opened one bag, "and here are some painkillers for you to take. Yes, they are specifically made for omegas, so they'll actually help."
Jisung was looking at Minho's neck now, looking for whatever the scent gland was. Was it just an area of skin? It had to be, because there was absolutely nothing there.
"Ji?"
"What is my scent like?" The question spilled free of its own accord.
Minho only smiled softly as he sat back in the chair. "It's lovely. Like old books and the rain. And a little bit of vanilla."
A smile broke onto Jisung's lips. "So I smell like the library?"
"In a good way, I promise."
Jisung nearly laughed. "Yes, books smell good, I take it as a compliment."
Minho seemed a little relieved. "Good." He cleared his throat. "As I was saying, these things will help with the symptoms of your heat, so I'd highly recommend you use them," he said, setting a few bottles on the bed.
Jisung picked one up. "Suppressors?"
"Those basically calm your hormones down. Meaning less slick, meaning you'll be less likely to be detected by predatory alphas."
Jisung immediately took one of the pills.
A strange look entered Minho's dark eyes. Guilt? Sadness? Was there an emotion between those?
"I'm so sorry Jason did this to you," Minho whispered, his fingers gently playing with the tips of Jisung's. "If it wasn't for him, you could continue living normally."
"So what he did to me... he 'awakened' me?"
Minho nodded. "Omegas can be pretty vulnerable, so their 'animal' qualities don't show through until they are awakened at about sixteen, seventeen, or even eighteen. This way they're more protected through childhood from, well, predatory alphas. But usually a parent awakens an omega. Not some creep."
A whole new set of questions filled Jisung's mind instantly. Why had his mother never told him about all this? Did she even know? Was she human? What about his father? Was his father an alpha? Is that why his mom said his father was crazy?
"Hey, are you alright?" Minho asked, suddenly reaching forward. He cupped Jisung's face and swiped his thumbs over his cheeks, and it wasn't until then that Jisung realized he'd started crying.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Well, no? I don't know." Jisung covered his face while Minho's hands dropped away. The bed dipped, and then Minho's arms wrapped around him, pulling him against his chest.
"Don't feel like you have to hold anything back, Jisung. It's okay," Minho soothed, rubbing his hands up and down Jisung's arms.
After feeling just fine moments ago, Jisung had no idea why it suddenly felt like everything around him, including his own body, was crumbling apart. The physical presence of Minho seemed to be the only solid thing, and he held onto that literally and figuratively.
Right now, he missed his mom more than anything. He wanted to ask her everything. He wanted to tell her everything. But she wasn't there anymore, not to talk to, not to hug. Most days he could think about her and talk about her just fine, but other days, he would break down at the mere reminder of her.
And now, with so many huge things happening at once, Jisung needed her. It was a need that sent needle-sharp pain shooting through his heart and into his lungs, a pain that would not soon dull since she was not here to help ease it away.
Oh how Jisung hated crying, but oh how much he needed to. And the only thing that kept him from falling into a pit and shattering was the man holding him like something precious.
------------------------------------ So hi.
This chapter took forever for me to post because my GOODNESS I was having issues. I have read through this and re-written it like hundreds of times I swear.
I just haven't gotten happy with it, I wanted to avoid a huge information spill and still have the story progress a little, and I couldn't seem to figure out the balance. It seems this is as good as this chapter gets so here you go lol.
And if you celebrate it, Merry Christmas! Yall are the best and also the funniest <3
Thanks for reading *u*