Fire Away, Fire Away *redux* part 1/3
SEQUEL TO A BAD MOON RISING *REDUX*
Pairing: ZiDae (side BangLo)
Rated: PG13 for now, has M later on
Length: 7k
This was not what Zico had in mind when he agreed to go back to school to help Yongguk out. He was expecting something more like high school where he was considered a god all four years.
But this was just teachers rolling their eyes every time they called on him and a bunch of barely legal girls who wore their skirts too short and their makeup a little too thick who giggled and winked every time he walked by.
Where was the fun in that? Where was the chase? Where was the self-respect?
“You know your name probably got around that campus just for being a whore.” Yongguk told him dryly, eyes not lifting from the ledger over his desk. “They probably see an easy roll around and want to compare notes.”
He threw himself backwards on the desk and sighed loudly, ignoring his cousin’s huff of anger at the mess. “But it’s not any fun if they just give it to me!” Zico complained. “Maybe I want to feel special, too!”
Yongguk snorted as he pushed him away. “All you want is to forget life for a couple hours, Zico. Let’s not call it something it isn’t. Ask a girl out, get to know her. You never know, you might actually start something lasting with someone.”
He doubted it.
“You don’t understand.” He didn’t want to turn this into a sappy moment between his cousin and him, but he might have snuck a few beers in on his patrol and no one should be held responsible for what they say under the influence. “I’ll never find someone who can put up with me for very long because I’m not a very likeable person, Yongguk. We both know you only tolerate me because we’re related. How can I expect someone to be with me for the rest of their life when my own family doesn’t even like me.”
Yongguk’s eyes widened and he pushed his chair back so that he could grab his cousin by the shoulders and rattle him. “Say that again and I’ll kick your ass all over the village. You are the only family member I would trust with my life.” His eyes softened and he let go to ruffle the other boy’s messy hair. “I’m pretty fond of you, let’s just leave it at that.”
“Did you just admit you loved me?” Zico tried to pretend he hadn’t just thrown up his feelings in an embarrassing manner. His grin was sly and he pinched the other’s cheeks and made a cooing sound at him. “I wuv you too, wittle Yonggukie!”
With a growl Yongguk batted his hands away and pulled him out of his office by the nape of his neck. “Just go to school and try not to get into any trouble, okay? Did you study for your science test next week?”
He groaned. “I don’t understand why I have to take science classes if I’m getting an accounting degree. What do chemical reactions have to do with taking care of the pack’s money?”
“It’s a requirement and you can’t graduate unless you do what they say. Which means I’m not going to trust you with the money. Which makes me stuck here all night doing it myself. And that means I don’t get to go home and see Junhong.” Pale blue eyes stared menacingly at him and Zico took a step back in reaction. “And that makes me very, very frustrated.”
Zico didn’t care how much his cousin claimed to care about him. If it came down between him and Junhong then Yongguk would flail his flesh with a butter knife and not think twice about it. “Got it boss.”
School was just a way to torture you, Zico thought to himself as he sat through the most boring two hours of his life listening to his math teacher drone on. He was technically an adult and should have more patience than this, but where his cousin was deep and thoughtful and quiet, Zico was blessed (cursed?) with the exact opposite. His mouth didn’t have a filter, impulse was his middle name and he talked as a way to ignore the never ending loneliness that was always around him like a shroud.
Sometimes he wondered why he did this for a village that openly despised him. Grandparents that mouthed curses at him as he entered their stores. Parents who pulled their children away and whispered threats of keep acting up and you’ll turn into him one day into their ears. He was the unwanted of the pack. After Yongguk took control six months ago and most of the elders defected, he wanted to prove his worth and promised his allegiance and vowed to do anything he could to help the new Alpha in his job.
But he never expected a request like this.
When Yongguk asked him to go back to school to get an accounting degree it made Zico laugh at first. Surely he wasn’t expecting a thirty-four year old to just drop everything and enroll full time in college. But the unamused face of the Alpha had him suddenly composed and fright filling his system.
And so here he was. Three weeks into a four month class and he was already trying hard not to scream of boredom.
Out of all of his classes this semester, Chemistry was the only one that he even remotely enjoyed. As soon as math was over he felt the excited pull as he rushed down the hallway towards the lab.
The reason he actually enjoyed this one and a half hour block of time three days a week was already there waiting patiently in the front row. His book was set out neatly aligned to the desk and his chin was resting on his palm as he twirled a pen between his fingers. A dark blue pressed sweater and khaki’s fit him perfectly, not a single wrinkle or thread out of place.
“Always so prompt.” Zico teased, dropping into the seat beside him.
A deep sigh was his answer. “Don’t you have anyone else in this class to bother, Zico? Some of us actually care about our grade and want to pay attention.”
He pouted and pulled a bag of brightly colored candy out of his backpack. “You’re so mean to me, Daehyun. I guess that means you don’t want to share my treats?”
“No.” Daehyun pushed his floppy black hair behind his ear and tried to turn his body away from Zico’s over-excited one. “Go back to your seat. This one is Minhyuk’s.”
Before he could reply the teacher was strolling in with his briefcase already opened. “This is going to be a shorter class because I have an appointment in an hour. I know we’re not supposed to start for five more minutes but you all can catch the few that aren’t here yet up after class is over.” He handed a stack of papers to his assistant and told him to pass them out. “We’re starting up partnered labs next week.”
A chorus of muffled groans rang through the room at his announcement.
“Now, now don’t be so excited about it!” Professor Wang grinned mischievously at them, ignoring Minhyuk as he slipped through the door. The lanky boy glared as he passed Zico sitting in his usual seat. “Your partner will be whoever is lucky enough to be sitting at your table today. So spend a few minutes when class is done exchanging phone numbers, emails, whatever it is you kids do these days. Everything is done out of class so you will have to work together to get these done.”
Daehyun groaned and slammed his head to the table. “This is the second worse day of my life.” He grumbled under his breath. “You giant asshole, why can’t you just leave me alone?”
Zico had dealt with the other boy’s rude comments enough that it didn’t even faze him. For some reason he had made it his life’s mission to annoy Jung Daehyun until he had a nervous breakdown. Every time he got an eye roll, a groan or even a thinly veiled hiss, he felt satisfaction.
Just the sight of Daehyun’s furrowed brow and tightening lips was enough to send a thrill of delight throughout Zico’s body.
“Look, I have absolutely no desire to do this project with you.” Daehyun waited until their professor had finished speaking and left the room before turning his cold glare on him. “So if you want me to just do it myself and put your name on it then I am completely fine with that.”
Zico felt a pang of disappointment at being brushed off so rudely. He always thought that deep down Daehyun really enjoyed their bickering and was only pretending to hate him.
“But I want to help.” He murmured back quietly.
With a final sigh, Daehyun scribbled his number onto a sheet of paper and reluctantly handed it over. “Text me later tonight. Don’t call.”
That was as good as he was going to get and Zico knew it. “Deal.” He bounced on the tips of his toes and happily grabbed his backpack. This meant even more chances to see Daehyun and he wasn’t going to mess it up.
---
Daehyun Daehyun Daehyun Daehyunnnnnnn!!!
Who is this???
It’s your most favorite lab partner in the world! What are you doing? Do you miss me?
I told you to text me later tonight, Zico. Not two hours after class is over.
:(
I’m busy right now. I will text you back this evening.
:`(
Daehyun never replied to his last text no matter how hard Zico stared at his phone and willed it to beep.
He finished his homework, did an hour of prowling around the pack lands and even graced his cousin and Junhong with his company for one hour and fifty six minutes until Yongguk got annoyed and threw him out. “Staring at your phone and begging it to ring is not a productive way to spend your free time!” He had yelled at him before grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and tossing him out the door.
So Zico had despondently dusted himself off and headed home to his empty house. The fridge was empty and the floor hadn’t been mopped in months. No matter that he had lived in this home his entire life, it was never comfortable to him. He much preferred spending his nights tucked in a sleeping bag on Yongguk’s bedroom floor than in his own bed. His mother had always told him that as soon as he married and had children then the house would be lively again, but that wasn’t in the cards for him. Over time even his own parents had grown sick of him, leaving him for weeks on end by himself until Yongguk ended up coming for him.
And now he had the house to himself with only the sound of the TV to keep him company.
The shrill beeping of his phone had him scrambling off the armchair, feet sliding against the floor as he ran towards the jeans that he had ripped off the second he entered the house.
I can meet you on Thursday mornings. We won’t get our assignment until Monday so that will give me a few days to plan it. Be at the lab by nine am.
That was it? Zico wrinkled his nose. He could have added a smiley to the end or something. Anything to make the message less detached.
With a happy sigh Zico added the appointment to his calendar, circling the date with a fat marker so he wouldn’t miss it. Something about Jung Daehyun made him smile and he would be a fool to let possible interactions with him pass him by.
---
Even though Daehyun and Minhyuk had both gotten to class early on both Monday and Wednesday and claimed the seats that were together, he still managed to land a grimace on the two boy’s faces by mentioning their upcoming lab time together as they were walking out of the door on Wednesday.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” He nudged his shoulders between them as they headed out the door, pushing Minhyuk off to the side so that he could walk next to Daehyun. “Should I bring anything? Coffee? Some breakfast?”
Daehyun waved him off with an eye roll. “It’s just an introductory lab. It won’t take me twenty minutes to finish.”
“Oh.” His face dropped and he could see Minhyuk’s smirk out of the corner of his eye. “Well I’ll guess we won’t need any then.” He watched the two walk down the hallway together, so close that their arms were bumping together. An angry feeling bubbled deep below the surface of his chest that threatened to burst out at any second. With a few deep breaths and some meditation chants that he would never in a million years mention to Yongguk, he managed to finally force it back down but not before he felt his wolf sit up and finally take notice of their surroundings. “Hey old friend. Welcome back.” The wolf yawned and settled back into his home but kept one eye open.
---
“Good morning Daehyun!” Zico bounded into the room in excitement, his arms full of his books, a box containing a dozen glazed donuts and two foam cups of coffee in a cardboard container. “I went ahead and brought breakfast anyways because your cheekbones look less fat then they did last week. You need some more calories in you.”
Daehyun reached up to feel his cheeks for himself. “If you talk to all the girls like that I’m curious as to how you get so many of them. They must like the egotistical assholes.”
The casual words hit him like a slap and his smile dropped. “I haven’t dated since before school started.” He replied honestly. “They keep giving me their numbers but I don’t do anything with them.” With a start he realized that he was actually telling the truth. That it had been a month since he had gone out with anyone, a record by his standards. He hadn’t even thought of hooking up with any of the girls here on campus. Even though they were his normal type, easy and fake, he hadn’t looked twice at anyone.
“Maybe your inner fourteen year old child is growing up?”
“You’re the size of a fourteen year old.”
“You’re really a pain in the ass, has anyone ever told you that?”
Zico gave him the grin he had long ago dubbed the ‘Goodbye Panties’ grin. “My mother always said I was more of a charismatic brat.”
Daehyun’s lips curled up in what could only be called disgust and he huffed in disbelief. “Look, just stand over there and don’t bug me. These labs are forty percent of my final grade and I don’t really feel like failing because you tripped and broke all of my chemicals or something.”
He pushed Zico towards the wall and ordered him to sit. It amused him that Daehyun treated him like a dog.
If only he knew, Zico mused.
“So how old are you?” Zico asked, trying to make conversation. He enjoyed watching the other boy work. Daehyun would chew on his bottom lip as he contemplated which items to grab from the shelves and when he read the lab instructions his fingers would lightly tap on the desk as he concentrated. Without realizing it, Zico had picked up on all of his different tells that showed what he was feeling at any particular moment. “You look older than most of the kids here.”
Daehyun’s brows pulled together. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”
“No!” Zico scrambled away from the wall, horrified that he had insulted him. “I didn’t mean that you looked old! You’re just…” He hunted for the right words. “You just seem more confident than everyone else.”
A smirk was shot his direction and made his eyes glued to the soft lips pointed at him. He blinked, not expecting the stir in his chest at the bright eyes and cocky expression.
“Twenty-one.” Daehyun replied, not noticing the stricken look Zico was suddenly giving him. “My mother was sick for a long time and I chose to push school back for a few years to take care of her.”
His wolf came to with a rumble at the hesitant confession. Zico pressed a hand over his heart, mentally urging him to go back to the resting state he normally stayed in.
“I’m sorry.” Zico cleared his throat and tried to turn his expression back into the blasé one he usually had. “That was none of my business. I shouldn’t have pried.”
Daehyun shrugged, his attention turned back to the shelf. “Don’t worry about it.” He didn’t offer another remark and Zico felt too awkward to say anything else so they sat in silence for the rest of the experiment.
Papers were shoved under his face and a pen clicked. “Copy my notes and then fill out your lab report.”
“Shouldn’t I have helped you with this?” Zico stared dejectedly at the table of items he never even got to touch. “I mean I didn’t come here just to watch you do all of the work.”
Waving him off, Daehyun gathered some of the instruments to re-shelve them. “It’s fine. I would rather be the one in charge and just do it by myself.”
With a purr of excitement his wolf decided to tell him exactly what Daehyun could be the boss of. Ideas and images poured through his brain all mainly consisting of Daehyun controlling him, being in charge and taking care of every whim and want Zico could ever have.
“Oh shit.” Zico banged his head against the table. “Shit, shit, shit.”
“Are you alright?” A soft hand pressed against his forehead and Zico realized he was good and properly screwed. Daehyun had never placed himself so close in Zico’s personal space before and he smelled like soap and spearmint and now Zico understood what Yongguk mean when he said it would happen instantly and he would just know.
And he was terrified.
“Zico?” The soft voice danced across his ear. Fingers brushed through Zico’s hair and across his back, smoothing out the bunched muscles of his shoulders. “Are you going to be sick?”
He wanted to scream until he was hoarse. Someone was concerned for him, someone cared.
No, not someone. Daehyun. Daehyun wanted to take care of him.
“I have to go.” He blurted out, jumping to his feet. Yongguk would help him. He would know how to deal with this in his mature, orderly way.
Frowning, Daehyun nodded. “Then take my notes with you. Just bring them back to class tomorrow.”
He grabbed them and shoved them into his backpack not trusting himself to speak.
This was not what he expected.
---
His cousin was an asshole.
“So you want to mate with another man?” Yongguk’s face contorted into scary expressions as he laughed wildly at him. “Oh man, I gotta tell Junhong this. He’ll never believe the village slut turned gay overnight.”
Zico dropped his head to his palms and whimpered loudly. “What do I do? You’re the pack’s big gay wolf, you’re supposed to help me. Give me some advice.”
“Okay first of all, don’t ever call me that again. It sounds like I belong on some creepy children’s show. And second, what advice are you wanting? You need to make him your mate, just let it happen. If you’re feeling drawn towards him then he’s experiencing the same feelings and not having a clue as to why.”
Wincing, Zico remembered all the times he had tortured Daehyun in school, all the annoying things he had said just to see that adorable frown cross his face. “That might be a problem considering he hates my guts.”
All of these weeks in school were spent with the thrill of when he would get to see Daehyun again, tease him a little and put that angry crease down his forehead. There was no way he would even think about Zico in a good light after all that, he was sure of it.
“I doubt that.” Yongguk patted his shoulder. “He wouldn’t have put his scent on you if he disliked you that much.”
His head popped back up in shock. “Wh- Wait, what?” He sniffed his shirt. “I just smell like sweat.”
“Yeah, that too.” His cousin wrinkled his nose. “You need to take care of that. Showers are a daily thing, Zico.” He leaned back in his desk chair and cracked his neck. “I’ve noticed it for a couple weeks now. Figured you would tell me when you were ready so I never questioned it. But you smell like mints.”
“Spearmint.” Zico mumbled. “He smells like spearmint.” His head was fuzzy with the knowledge that Daehyun had unconsciously placed his mark on him. Was he interested then? Should Zico act on this or take it slow?
Yongguk slid his jacket on with a small grin. This would be interesting watching the two dance around each other. “Just ask him out. It doesn’t even have to be a date. You two are lab partners, ask him for a study session. One that happens to end with coffee or beer or hell, fucking against a tree, I don’t know what regular people do on dates.”
That could work, Zico decided. He could just say that he owed Daehyun for doing all of the work on their lab and that he wanted to repay him. Surely he wouldn’t say no to a friendly coffee after class. What else did he have going for him anyways? Sitting behind him in Chemistry and listening to Daehyun and Minhyuk talk had given him small bits of information he wouldn’t have gotten any other way.
Daehyun lived off-campus in a small apartment with a friend from high school and worked a part-time job to pay for rent and tuition. He had mentioned once before that he worked twelve hours shifts on the weekends to ease the workload through the week. So Zico knew he wasn’t busy for at least two hours after class tomorrow.
He had no reason to deny a meet-up.
---
“No.” Daehyun curled away from Zico’s faltering smile and shoved his notebook into his backpack. “I’m busy.”
Zico frowned, not used to hearing no and to hear it from his future mate stung deep. “Doing what? You don’t go to work until five.”
Daehyun’s hair flipped back as his head spun around in shock. “How did you… Look, I’m sorry Zico but I already made plans to go to the library with Minhyuk today.”
He glared murderously at the cocky smirk on said boy’s face. His inner voice told him to rip that grin off with his bare hands and see if Daehyun changes his mind then. Just the thought of Minhyuk’s dirty hands soiling that flawless skin had a low growl erupting from his throat.
“I’ll see you Monday morning for our lab, okay?” Daehyun plastered a weak smile on his face as he followed the taller boy towards the door. “If you don’t want to come then don’t worry about it!”
There was a good chance Zico was going to bring this school down to bare brick and dust. His chest was crawling with the monster inside of him that was dying to get out and devour everything in his path.
He barely made it through the long ride home on his motorcycle before slamming it the ground, clothes ripping to shreds around him.
“Zico?” Yongguk watched him as he paced across his front yard, snarls and growls loud in the quiet of the village. He gently pushed Junhong into the house and whispered for him to lock the door. “Did something happen at school today?”
Zico chewed angrily on Yongguk’s patio furniture and refused to acknowledge him. This was all his cousin’s fault. He’s the one that told him to ask Daehyun out and look what happened. Not only did his mate turn him down but he did it to go be with someone else.
A mournful whine burst through before he could stop it and Yongguk nodded as he realized what was happening.
“That boy didn’t say yes.”
He sliced through the porch umbrella and spit its shreds towards Yongguk.
Yongguk sighed and made himself comfortable on the front steps. “You just have to try again and again and again. Sometimes it’s not worth it unless it takes hard work to get it, Zico. Keep trying.”
Bones cracked together painfully loud as Zico forced the wolf back into his cage. “He has a date. With someone else.” His lips were numb and the pang in his chest had turned into a full-fledged panic attack. “He’s supposed to be mine.” Zico’s teeth chattered and he curled into himself trying to throw off the waves in his bloodstream. “Why doesn’t he want to be mine?” A jilted mate was the worst emotion a wolf could have besides their mate’s death.
“Come inside Zico.” Junhong’s voice was quiet as he emerged from the house. He waved off Yongguk’s protests that he should have waited in the safety of their home. “Baby, you know I don’t listen to anything you tell me to do. Go to town and get us some supper. I want pizza. We’ll wait inside for you.”
He slipped past Yongguk and placed a reassuring hand over Zico’s clammy shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you some clothes.”
Yongguk growled under his breath when his mate passed him holding tightly onto his naked cousin. “Watch yourself.”
“Leave him alone.” Junhong snapped, shoving him out the door. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t of told him to ask the boy out. He should have taken his time and waited.” He pointed towards their truck in the driveway. “Now go. Shishi.”
Zico managed a chuckle as he watched Yongguk slink down the stairs with a chastised expression. “He’s going to lock you in the house when he gets home.”
“I know.” Junhong winked at him. “I’m counting on it.”
After he had helped Zico into a pair of Yongguk’s shorts and a spare t-shirt he pushed him gently towards the table. “Do you want something to drink? I made Yongguk buy some tea bags when I moved in. I can’t stand that sludge he calls coffee.”
“Tea is fine.” Zico absentmindedly traced over the pattern on the table. “Thanks. For sticking up for me.” He mumbled, not used to anyone but Yongguk taking his side.
Junhong placed a mug of hot tea in front of him. “So what about this boy? What all do you know about him?”
Zico had never tried to get to know Yongguk’s mate. This forced intimacy between the two of them was uncomfortable. But he had to admit, he didn’t want to push the other boy away. A part of him wanted to spill every single fact and nugget of knowledge he had learned over the last month.
“Daehyun.” He spoke up quietly. “His name is Jung Daehyun.”
Humming in reply, Junhong stirred sugar into his tea and waited for him to continue.
“He’s twenty-one and he’s going to school to be a doctor. This is his second semester in school because he took a few years off to care for his mother.”
Junhong’s brows quirked in thought. “So he puts the ones that he loves in front of his own needs.” He grinned the childlike dimpled smile that Yongguk thought was so adorable but that Zico likened to a serial killer face. “No wonder you like him. Yongguk told me you guys normally mate with someone who has the trait you need the most. I’m loyal. I don’t care who you are, if you need something I’m always there guarding your back. Yongguk needed that. But you want love. Above everything else you want someone to take care of you and put your needs first.”
He wished his cousin didn’t have such a big mouth when it came to Choi Junhong. The Alpha needed a muzzle. “My parents never wanted me.” Zico started to explain. What did Junhong do to this tea that made him spill his guts all of a sudden? “They always left me at Yongguk’s house growing up. I just want to come home to a house with someone waiting for me.” He tugged his lip between his teeth and prayed to god he wouldn’t start crying. That was the last thing he needed right now.
But explaining why he jumped from bed to bed and never let anyone inside just brought back memories that he only wanted to push away.
His mother leaving him alone in the house for days on end until Yongguk would come searching for him and take him to his home. His father’s breath hot in his face as he screamed at him that he was unwanted, unworthy of his DNA.
“You want to be loved.” Junhong said gently. “So show Daehyun that you are worthy of his love. Don’t scare him off with your over-the-topness. You have the weekend to calm down and prepare to try again.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s watch some TV till the beast gets back with the pizza.” He cleared the table of their mugs and rinsed them off in the sink. “And you owe us a set of patio furniture. Don’t cheap out either. Make ‘em sturdy. Your cousin gets frisky when we’re outdoors.”
---
He watched Daehyun read over that week’s lab instructions with a small smile on his lips. Daehyun hummed while he read, something Zico had picked up on in their last experiment.
“Oh. You’re here.” Daehyun didn’t sound pleased, but at least he didn’t outwardly grimace. Small improvements, Zico thought. “Well I’ve already got all of the things we need set up so if you want you can come back in an hour or so I should be done.” He turned away without giving Zico a second glance.
With a sigh of defeat Zico turned towards the door. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t just help the other boy do the experiments. “Okay.” Zico didn’t try to hide the slump of his shoulders. “Don’t gotta be an asshole about it.” He muttered under his breath. “I’m sorry that I just want to help.”
“What?” Daehyun unexpectedly grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the room. “You want to help? Mr. I’m too good for this school and everyone in it? Mr. I like to tease everyone until they finally snap and then I pout when they get angry?” His lips thinned in anger as he finally told the older boy exactly what he thought about him. “But now you decide you’re going to be nice to me and I’m supposed to just jump for joy about it?”
Zico stared at him with a shocked expression, his mouth dropping open. This was more than Daehyun had said to him all month. He wanted to remember the angry glint in his dark eyes and the slight muscles bunching as he crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He swallowed when he discovered that even his wolf was silent, both of them in awe of the surprising dynamo that was Jung Daehyun.
“Well? Are you not even going to say anything? That’s a first. I didn’t think you ever shut up.”
He closed his mouth and dropped his head trying to appear smaller. This version of Daehyun made him and his wolf turn submissive, the deep desire to be controlled outweighing everything. “Don’t be angry at me.” His fists clenched into his jeans and he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth to stop any unwanted whimpers from escaping.
Daehyun’s eyes widened when he realized that Zico was surrendering to him. There wasn’t even some random smartass comment coming from him in reply. Zico had completely given him all control. “Page twenty-four.” He mumbled, taking a step backwards. “I’ll do the control experiment, you do the observations.”
That was all the acceptance Zico needed for his wolf to rumble happily. Their mate was including them.
Even though Daehyun never spoke to him about anything that didn’t pertain to their project, Zico still was reenergized. If Daehyun didn’t feel anything for him, he wouldn’t have unconsciously marked him with his scent, he kept repeating to himself. Some small part of Daehyun felt for him and Zico swore he wouldn’t rest until he had dragged it to the surface.
---
Junhong clapped his hands together excitedly when he saw Zico’s bright eyes and happy grin behind the screen door. “Did it go better today?” He shoved Yongguk away from him and rushed over to grab Zico’s arm, dragging him into the house. “Did you take my advice and calm down?”
He nodded as he snatched a handful of the chips out of the bowl Yongguk was holding as he scowled childishly on the couch. “He let me help with our lab today! And I tried to be subtle and mention that I was having problems with a chapter in our book and he offered to meet me tomorrow after work to help!”
Yongguk jerked the bowl back towards his chest when Zico started to reach for it again. “Mine.”
“Don’t be greedy.” Junhong snatched it out of his hands and handed it to Zico with a smile and a soft pat on his shoulder. “Our Zico had a big day and deserves a treat.”
He smirked at his cousin. Yongguk hated it when Junhong gave anyone but him attention. The fingers stroking through his hair was probably making Yongguk’s wolf growl deep inside his chest.
“I hope he shows up with a hickey.” Yongguk’s eyes were fixated on the way Junhong was smoothing out Zico’s collar.
Zico popped a handful of chips into his mouth. “I hope your dick falls off.”
He managed to leave the house with only two small bite marks on his legs and a scratch down his shoulder which was nothing compared to their usual fights. Maybe Daehyun would be one of those people who get turned on by scars. Zico nodded, a big grin on his face as he bounced happily towards his house. He should wear something to show them off.
“What happened to you?” Daehyun curled his lips up in disgust when Zico pulled a chair up next to his in the library the next day. “You should put something on those they’re going to get infected.”
Zico glanced down at his black wife-beater and gym shorts. He thought he looked sexy in loose clothes. The top showcased his muscles and the long scar over his bicep just emphasized them. “Got attacked by a dog.” He was expecting Daehyun to fawn over him again like he did when he thought Zico was sick, not act like he was an infected leper. And wasn’t Daehyun wanting to be a doctor? “They’re fine. The asshole bites me every chance he gets.”
That made Daehyun’s eyes brighten a little. “You have a dog? I love dogs! My Toby lived for twelve years.” His shoulders slumped and the smile dimmed. “I haven’t had a chance to be around very many animals since I took care of my mom for so long. I miss them.”
A shiver went through his skin. Down boy, he ordered his wolf.
“Maybe you can come over sometime. There are lots of them where I live.” His eyes sparkled when he realized he had Daehyun’s complete attention. “But mine is the best.”
Daehyun didn’t look like he believed him, but he would. All he had to do was earn Daehyun’s trust and get him to understand that he was just a hard shell with a soft interior. Then he would be his.
An M&M. Zico decided with a smug smile. He was an M&M and he would melt in Daehyun’s hand. That brought mental images of himself in Daehyun’s hands, Daehyun’s delicate fingers tracing across his skin, his soft voice singing him to sleep every night, Daehyun, Daehyun, Daehyun.
“Zico?”
He realized he had been whimpering under the combined weight of his thoughts and snapped back to attention.
“I’m chocolate!”
Daehyun tried to subtly scoot his chair back a few inches. “Um okay… I’m glad we got that out in the open. Now if you want to study we need to get started because I have to leave by four. I’m going to supper with Minhyuk.”
Zico successfully managed to push back the roar that was creeping up his throat, but he had to look away so that Daehyun couldn’t see the way his eyes were flickering between dark brown and ice blue.
“You and Minhyuk must be really close then.” He reached for his book and tried to pretend the dampness in his eyes was really just allergies. Once they mated there shouldn’t be any interest in anyone else. Daehyun should see him and only him.
“Not really.” Daehyun’s stiff reply surprised him. “I mean, he’s nice and all, but he’s a little… overly friendly sometimes.”
Daehyun wasn’t in a relationship with Minhyuk? This new knowledge sent a spark through Zico’s chest. Maybe now he wouldn’t have to tear the other man’s appendages off one by on.
“I think he wants to date me.” Daehyun’s nose scrunched up at the thought. “He tried to hug me goodbye after we went out to eat the last time, which would be fine, but then his hand brushed across my ass.”
Okay maybe just a couple appendages wouldn’t hurt.
---
Junhong circled him like a predator, his eyes narrowed in on his face as he thought. “And you were polite the whole time? Didn’t interrupt, didn’t act sarcastic?”
Zico nodded. “I was perfectly nice.”
“But he still mentioned going out with Minhyuk?” Junhong hummed and tapped at his chin. “You need to make him jealous. Let him feel what you feel when he leaves you to go off with someone else.” He turned towards Yongguk, who was working at the table and ignoring their conversation. “I’ll meet you after class tomorrow and pretend we’re going on a date. See how he takes it.”
“You’ll what?” That finally caught Yongguk’s attention, the chair falling behind him as he jumped up. “No, no, no, that’s not going to happen. I forbid i-“ He froze as Junhong glared at him with a frosty expression. “But babyyy!”
Junhong smiled brightly at Zico. “You get out at two, right? Text me the room number and I’ll be waiting. And don’t worry about Yongguk. He just isn’t yet aware that I’m the Alpha inside this house.”
Yongguk snarled at Zico, the only thing holding him back was the worry he’d upset his mate if he killed his cousin in the middle of the kitchen. “No touching that lasts more than five seconds, no kissing, not even on the cheek, no lovey eye-making shit, that’s my mate and you treat him as such.” He took a deep breath and pointed at Zico. “Do you got all that?”
He winked at Junhong and edged his way towards the door. “You didn’t mention dry humping against the wall. I’m assuming that’s still in the cards?” He yelped loudly as Yongguk’s claws caught him in the back. “See you tomorrow, Junhong! And thanks!”
---
Watching the back of Daehyun’s head for the entire class was pure torture for Zico. Now that he knew he was in the throes of mating, he couldn’t help but to notice everything about the other boy. The way he ran his fingers through his shaggy black hair while reading, the minty smell emanating from his body and racing straight through Zico’s own like an electric shock, even the nervous habit of tapping his leg on the floor during class had Zico enthralled.
The wolf was impatient, wanting to claim him already and be through this torturous period. wantwantwant, it chanted in his head. He ignored the whimpers it made every time Minhyuk leaned over to whisper something in his ear and Daehyun would smile in response.
“And you all are keeping up with your labs, correct?” Professor Wang raised an eyebrow at his barely alert students. “Well we’ll find out when it’s time to turn in all of the reports. See you all next time.”
The students started trailing out of the room and Zico laughed quietly to himself when he saw Junhong’s wild hair flopping in the air as he danced around the exiting students to find him.
“Zico!” He spotted him still gathering up his books and waved excitedly, bouncing on his toes.
Zico could see Daehyun eyeing them out of the corner of his eye as the left the room together and Junhong’s gaze flickered quickly towards him before wrapping his arms around Zico’s waist and squeezing him tightly. “That him?” He murmured into his ear, grinning when Zico nodded. “Did you have a good time in school?” He asked loudly, making sure Daehyun could hear him as they headed out of the school. “Let’s go home and I’ll make you something to eat.” His lips brushed against Zico’s neck and he laughed. “Your mate keeps glaring at me. Put your arm around me.”
He slid one around Junhong’s shoulder and was proud of himself for not looking back at Daehyun once. Daehyun’s scent felt like it was stabbing into his skin. The more rage he could feel from behind him the more his wolf howled with happiness. “You’re going to smell like me.” Zico whispered. “Yongguk is going to be pissed.”
“Don’t I know it.”
part two
Pairing: ZiDae (side BangLo)
Rated: PG13 for now, has M later on
Length: 7k
This was not what Zico had in mind when he agreed to go back to school to help Yongguk out. He was expecting something more like high school where he was considered a god all four years.
But this was just teachers rolling their eyes every time they called on him and a bunch of barely legal girls who wore their skirts too short and their makeup a little too thick who giggled and winked every time he walked by.
Where was the fun in that? Where was the chase? Where was the self-respect?
“You know your name probably got around that campus just for being a whore.” Yongguk told him dryly, eyes not lifting from the ledger over his desk. “They probably see an easy roll around and want to compare notes.”
He threw himself backwards on the desk and sighed loudly, ignoring his cousin’s huff of anger at the mess. “But it’s not any fun if they just give it to me!” Zico complained. “Maybe I want to feel special, too!”
Yongguk snorted as he pushed him away. “All you want is to forget life for a couple hours, Zico. Let’s not call it something it isn’t. Ask a girl out, get to know her. You never know, you might actually start something lasting with someone.”
He doubted it.
“You don’t understand.” He didn’t want to turn this into a sappy moment between his cousin and him, but he might have snuck a few beers in on his patrol and no one should be held responsible for what they say under the influence. “I’ll never find someone who can put up with me for very long because I’m not a very likeable person, Yongguk. We both know you only tolerate me because we’re related. How can I expect someone to be with me for the rest of their life when my own family doesn’t even like me.”
Yongguk’s eyes widened and he pushed his chair back so that he could grab his cousin by the shoulders and rattle him. “Say that again and I’ll kick your ass all over the village. You are the only family member I would trust with my life.” His eyes softened and he let go to ruffle the other boy’s messy hair. “I’m pretty fond of you, let’s just leave it at that.”
“Did you just admit you loved me?” Zico tried to pretend he hadn’t just thrown up his feelings in an embarrassing manner. His grin was sly and he pinched the other’s cheeks and made a cooing sound at him. “I wuv you too, wittle Yonggukie!”
With a growl Yongguk batted his hands away and pulled him out of his office by the nape of his neck. “Just go to school and try not to get into any trouble, okay? Did you study for your science test next week?”
He groaned. “I don’t understand why I have to take science classes if I’m getting an accounting degree. What do chemical reactions have to do with taking care of the pack’s money?”
“It’s a requirement and you can’t graduate unless you do what they say. Which means I’m not going to trust you with the money. Which makes me stuck here all night doing it myself. And that means I don’t get to go home and see Junhong.” Pale blue eyes stared menacingly at him and Zico took a step back in reaction. “And that makes me very, very frustrated.”
Zico didn’t care how much his cousin claimed to care about him. If it came down between him and Junhong then Yongguk would flail his flesh with a butter knife and not think twice about it. “Got it boss.”
School was just a way to torture you, Zico thought to himself as he sat through the most boring two hours of his life listening to his math teacher drone on. He was technically an adult and should have more patience than this, but where his cousin was deep and thoughtful and quiet, Zico was blessed (cursed?) with the exact opposite. His mouth didn’t have a filter, impulse was his middle name and he talked as a way to ignore the never ending loneliness that was always around him like a shroud.
Sometimes he wondered why he did this for a village that openly despised him. Grandparents that mouthed curses at him as he entered their stores. Parents who pulled their children away and whispered threats of keep acting up and you’ll turn into him one day into their ears. He was the unwanted of the pack. After Yongguk took control six months ago and most of the elders defected, he wanted to prove his worth and promised his allegiance and vowed to do anything he could to help the new Alpha in his job.
But he never expected a request like this.
When Yongguk asked him to go back to school to get an accounting degree it made Zico laugh at first. Surely he wasn’t expecting a thirty-four year old to just drop everything and enroll full time in college. But the unamused face of the Alpha had him suddenly composed and fright filling his system.
And so here he was. Three weeks into a four month class and he was already trying hard not to scream of boredom.
Out of all of his classes this semester, Chemistry was the only one that he even remotely enjoyed. As soon as math was over he felt the excited pull as he rushed down the hallway towards the lab.
The reason he actually enjoyed this one and a half hour block of time three days a week was already there waiting patiently in the front row. His book was set out neatly aligned to the desk and his chin was resting on his palm as he twirled a pen between his fingers. A dark blue pressed sweater and khaki’s fit him perfectly, not a single wrinkle or thread out of place.
“Always so prompt.” Zico teased, dropping into the seat beside him.
A deep sigh was his answer. “Don’t you have anyone else in this class to bother, Zico? Some of us actually care about our grade and want to pay attention.”
He pouted and pulled a bag of brightly colored candy out of his backpack. “You’re so mean to me, Daehyun. I guess that means you don’t want to share my treats?”
“No.” Daehyun pushed his floppy black hair behind his ear and tried to turn his body away from Zico’s over-excited one. “Go back to your seat. This one is Minhyuk’s.”
Before he could reply the teacher was strolling in with his briefcase already opened. “This is going to be a shorter class because I have an appointment in an hour. I know we’re not supposed to start for five more minutes but you all can catch the few that aren’t here yet up after class is over.” He handed a stack of papers to his assistant and told him to pass them out. “We’re starting up partnered labs next week.”
A chorus of muffled groans rang through the room at his announcement.
“Now, now don’t be so excited about it!” Professor Wang grinned mischievously at them, ignoring Minhyuk as he slipped through the door. The lanky boy glared as he passed Zico sitting in his usual seat. “Your partner will be whoever is lucky enough to be sitting at your table today. So spend a few minutes when class is done exchanging phone numbers, emails, whatever it is you kids do these days. Everything is done out of class so you will have to work together to get these done.”
Daehyun groaned and slammed his head to the table. “This is the second worse day of my life.” He grumbled under his breath. “You giant asshole, why can’t you just leave me alone?”
Zico had dealt with the other boy’s rude comments enough that it didn’t even faze him. For some reason he had made it his life’s mission to annoy Jung Daehyun until he had a nervous breakdown. Every time he got an eye roll, a groan or even a thinly veiled hiss, he felt satisfaction.
Just the sight of Daehyun’s furrowed brow and tightening lips was enough to send a thrill of delight throughout Zico’s body.
“Look, I have absolutely no desire to do this project with you.” Daehyun waited until their professor had finished speaking and left the room before turning his cold glare on him. “So if you want me to just do it myself and put your name on it then I am completely fine with that.”
Zico felt a pang of disappointment at being brushed off so rudely. He always thought that deep down Daehyun really enjoyed their bickering and was only pretending to hate him.
“But I want to help.” He murmured back quietly.
With a final sigh, Daehyun scribbled his number onto a sheet of paper and reluctantly handed it over. “Text me later tonight. Don’t call.”
That was as good as he was going to get and Zico knew it. “Deal.” He bounced on the tips of his toes and happily grabbed his backpack. This meant even more chances to see Daehyun and he wasn’t going to mess it up.
---
Daehyun Daehyun Daehyun Daehyunnnnnnn!!!
Who is this???
It’s your most favorite lab partner in the world! What are you doing? Do you miss me?
I told you to text me later tonight, Zico. Not two hours after class is over.
:(
I’m busy right now. I will text you back this evening.
:`(
Daehyun never replied to his last text no matter how hard Zico stared at his phone and willed it to beep.
He finished his homework, did an hour of prowling around the pack lands and even graced his cousin and Junhong with his company for one hour and fifty six minutes until Yongguk got annoyed and threw him out. “Staring at your phone and begging it to ring is not a productive way to spend your free time!” He had yelled at him before grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and tossing him out the door.
So Zico had despondently dusted himself off and headed home to his empty house. The fridge was empty and the floor hadn’t been mopped in months. No matter that he had lived in this home his entire life, it was never comfortable to him. He much preferred spending his nights tucked in a sleeping bag on Yongguk’s bedroom floor than in his own bed. His mother had always told him that as soon as he married and had children then the house would be lively again, but that wasn’t in the cards for him. Over time even his own parents had grown sick of him, leaving him for weeks on end by himself until Yongguk ended up coming for him.
And now he had the house to himself with only the sound of the TV to keep him company.
The shrill beeping of his phone had him scrambling off the armchair, feet sliding against the floor as he ran towards the jeans that he had ripped off the second he entered the house.
I can meet you on Thursday mornings. We won’t get our assignment until Monday so that will give me a few days to plan it. Be at the lab by nine am.
That was it? Zico wrinkled his nose. He could have added a smiley to the end or something. Anything to make the message less detached.
With a happy sigh Zico added the appointment to his calendar, circling the date with a fat marker so he wouldn’t miss it. Something about Jung Daehyun made him smile and he would be a fool to let possible interactions with him pass him by.
---
Even though Daehyun and Minhyuk had both gotten to class early on both Monday and Wednesday and claimed the seats that were together, he still managed to land a grimace on the two boy’s faces by mentioning their upcoming lab time together as they were walking out of the door on Wednesday.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” He nudged his shoulders between them as they headed out the door, pushing Minhyuk off to the side so that he could walk next to Daehyun. “Should I bring anything? Coffee? Some breakfast?”
Daehyun waved him off with an eye roll. “It’s just an introductory lab. It won’t take me twenty minutes to finish.”
“Oh.” His face dropped and he could see Minhyuk’s smirk out of the corner of his eye. “Well I’ll guess we won’t need any then.” He watched the two walk down the hallway together, so close that their arms were bumping together. An angry feeling bubbled deep below the surface of his chest that threatened to burst out at any second. With a few deep breaths and some meditation chants that he would never in a million years mention to Yongguk, he managed to finally force it back down but not before he felt his wolf sit up and finally take notice of their surroundings. “Hey old friend. Welcome back.” The wolf yawned and settled back into his home but kept one eye open.
---
“Good morning Daehyun!” Zico bounded into the room in excitement, his arms full of his books, a box containing a dozen glazed donuts and two foam cups of coffee in a cardboard container. “I went ahead and brought breakfast anyways because your cheekbones look less fat then they did last week. You need some more calories in you.”
Daehyun reached up to feel his cheeks for himself. “If you talk to all the girls like that I’m curious as to how you get so many of them. They must like the egotistical assholes.”
The casual words hit him like a slap and his smile dropped. “I haven’t dated since before school started.” He replied honestly. “They keep giving me their numbers but I don’t do anything with them.” With a start he realized that he was actually telling the truth. That it had been a month since he had gone out with anyone, a record by his standards. He hadn’t even thought of hooking up with any of the girls here on campus. Even though they were his normal type, easy and fake, he hadn’t looked twice at anyone.
“Maybe your inner fourteen year old child is growing up?”
“You’re the size of a fourteen year old.”
“You’re really a pain in the ass, has anyone ever told you that?”
Zico gave him the grin he had long ago dubbed the ‘Goodbye Panties’ grin. “My mother always said I was more of a charismatic brat.”
Daehyun’s lips curled up in what could only be called disgust and he huffed in disbelief. “Look, just stand over there and don’t bug me. These labs are forty percent of my final grade and I don’t really feel like failing because you tripped and broke all of my chemicals or something.”
He pushed Zico towards the wall and ordered him to sit. It amused him that Daehyun treated him like a dog.
If only he knew, Zico mused.
“So how old are you?” Zico asked, trying to make conversation. He enjoyed watching the other boy work. Daehyun would chew on his bottom lip as he contemplated which items to grab from the shelves and when he read the lab instructions his fingers would lightly tap on the desk as he concentrated. Without realizing it, Zico had picked up on all of his different tells that showed what he was feeling at any particular moment. “You look older than most of the kids here.”
Daehyun’s brows pulled together. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”
“No!” Zico scrambled away from the wall, horrified that he had insulted him. “I didn’t mean that you looked old! You’re just…” He hunted for the right words. “You just seem more confident than everyone else.”
A smirk was shot his direction and made his eyes glued to the soft lips pointed at him. He blinked, not expecting the stir in his chest at the bright eyes and cocky expression.
“Twenty-one.” Daehyun replied, not noticing the stricken look Zico was suddenly giving him. “My mother was sick for a long time and I chose to push school back for a few years to take care of her.”
His wolf came to with a rumble at the hesitant confession. Zico pressed a hand over his heart, mentally urging him to go back to the resting state he normally stayed in.
“I’m sorry.” Zico cleared his throat and tried to turn his expression back into the blasé one he usually had. “That was none of my business. I shouldn’t have pried.”
Daehyun shrugged, his attention turned back to the shelf. “Don’t worry about it.” He didn’t offer another remark and Zico felt too awkward to say anything else so they sat in silence for the rest of the experiment.
Papers were shoved under his face and a pen clicked. “Copy my notes and then fill out your lab report.”
“Shouldn’t I have helped you with this?” Zico stared dejectedly at the table of items he never even got to touch. “I mean I didn’t come here just to watch you do all of the work.”
Waving him off, Daehyun gathered some of the instruments to re-shelve them. “It’s fine. I would rather be the one in charge and just do it by myself.”
With a purr of excitement his wolf decided to tell him exactly what Daehyun could be the boss of. Ideas and images poured through his brain all mainly consisting of Daehyun controlling him, being in charge and taking care of every whim and want Zico could ever have.
“Oh shit.” Zico banged his head against the table. “Shit, shit, shit.”
“Are you alright?” A soft hand pressed against his forehead and Zico realized he was good and properly screwed. Daehyun had never placed himself so close in Zico’s personal space before and he smelled like soap and spearmint and now Zico understood what Yongguk mean when he said it would happen instantly and he would just know.
And he was terrified.
“Zico?” The soft voice danced across his ear. Fingers brushed through Zico’s hair and across his back, smoothing out the bunched muscles of his shoulders. “Are you going to be sick?”
He wanted to scream until he was hoarse. Someone was concerned for him, someone cared.
No, not someone. Daehyun. Daehyun wanted to take care of him.
“I have to go.” He blurted out, jumping to his feet. Yongguk would help him. He would know how to deal with this in his mature, orderly way.
Frowning, Daehyun nodded. “Then take my notes with you. Just bring them back to class tomorrow.”
He grabbed them and shoved them into his backpack not trusting himself to speak.
This was not what he expected.
---
His cousin was an asshole.
“So you want to mate with another man?” Yongguk’s face contorted into scary expressions as he laughed wildly at him. “Oh man, I gotta tell Junhong this. He’ll never believe the village slut turned gay overnight.”
Zico dropped his head to his palms and whimpered loudly. “What do I do? You’re the pack’s big gay wolf, you’re supposed to help me. Give me some advice.”
“Okay first of all, don’t ever call me that again. It sounds like I belong on some creepy children’s show. And second, what advice are you wanting? You need to make him your mate, just let it happen. If you’re feeling drawn towards him then he’s experiencing the same feelings and not having a clue as to why.”
Wincing, Zico remembered all the times he had tortured Daehyun in school, all the annoying things he had said just to see that adorable frown cross his face. “That might be a problem considering he hates my guts.”
All of these weeks in school were spent with the thrill of when he would get to see Daehyun again, tease him a little and put that angry crease down his forehead. There was no way he would even think about Zico in a good light after all that, he was sure of it.
“I doubt that.” Yongguk patted his shoulder. “He wouldn’t have put his scent on you if he disliked you that much.”
His head popped back up in shock. “Wh- Wait, what?” He sniffed his shirt. “I just smell like sweat.”
“Yeah, that too.” His cousin wrinkled his nose. “You need to take care of that. Showers are a daily thing, Zico.” He leaned back in his desk chair and cracked his neck. “I’ve noticed it for a couple weeks now. Figured you would tell me when you were ready so I never questioned it. But you smell like mints.”
“Spearmint.” Zico mumbled. “He smells like spearmint.” His head was fuzzy with the knowledge that Daehyun had unconsciously placed his mark on him. Was he interested then? Should Zico act on this or take it slow?
Yongguk slid his jacket on with a small grin. This would be interesting watching the two dance around each other. “Just ask him out. It doesn’t even have to be a date. You two are lab partners, ask him for a study session. One that happens to end with coffee or beer or hell, fucking against a tree, I don’t know what regular people do on dates.”
That could work, Zico decided. He could just say that he owed Daehyun for doing all of the work on their lab and that he wanted to repay him. Surely he wouldn’t say no to a friendly coffee after class. What else did he have going for him anyways? Sitting behind him in Chemistry and listening to Daehyun and Minhyuk talk had given him small bits of information he wouldn’t have gotten any other way.
Daehyun lived off-campus in a small apartment with a friend from high school and worked a part-time job to pay for rent and tuition. He had mentioned once before that he worked twelve hours shifts on the weekends to ease the workload through the week. So Zico knew he wasn’t busy for at least two hours after class tomorrow.
He had no reason to deny a meet-up.
---
“No.” Daehyun curled away from Zico’s faltering smile and shoved his notebook into his backpack. “I’m busy.”
Zico frowned, not used to hearing no and to hear it from his future mate stung deep. “Doing what? You don’t go to work until five.”
Daehyun’s hair flipped back as his head spun around in shock. “How did you… Look, I’m sorry Zico but I already made plans to go to the library with Minhyuk today.”
He glared murderously at the cocky smirk on said boy’s face. His inner voice told him to rip that grin off with his bare hands and see if Daehyun changes his mind then. Just the thought of Minhyuk’s dirty hands soiling that flawless skin had a low growl erupting from his throat.
“I’ll see you Monday morning for our lab, okay?” Daehyun plastered a weak smile on his face as he followed the taller boy towards the door. “If you don’t want to come then don’t worry about it!”
There was a good chance Zico was going to bring this school down to bare brick and dust. His chest was crawling with the monster inside of him that was dying to get out and devour everything in his path.
He barely made it through the long ride home on his motorcycle before slamming it the ground, clothes ripping to shreds around him.
“Zico?” Yongguk watched him as he paced across his front yard, snarls and growls loud in the quiet of the village. He gently pushed Junhong into the house and whispered for him to lock the door. “Did something happen at school today?”
Zico chewed angrily on Yongguk’s patio furniture and refused to acknowledge him. This was all his cousin’s fault. He’s the one that told him to ask Daehyun out and look what happened. Not only did his mate turn him down but he did it to go be with someone else.
A mournful whine burst through before he could stop it and Yongguk nodded as he realized what was happening.
“That boy didn’t say yes.”
He sliced through the porch umbrella and spit its shreds towards Yongguk.
Yongguk sighed and made himself comfortable on the front steps. “You just have to try again and again and again. Sometimes it’s not worth it unless it takes hard work to get it, Zico. Keep trying.”
Bones cracked together painfully loud as Zico forced the wolf back into his cage. “He has a date. With someone else.” His lips were numb and the pang in his chest had turned into a full-fledged panic attack. “He’s supposed to be mine.” Zico’s teeth chattered and he curled into himself trying to throw off the waves in his bloodstream. “Why doesn’t he want to be mine?” A jilted mate was the worst emotion a wolf could have besides their mate’s death.
“Come inside Zico.” Junhong’s voice was quiet as he emerged from the house. He waved off Yongguk’s protests that he should have waited in the safety of their home. “Baby, you know I don’t listen to anything you tell me to do. Go to town and get us some supper. I want pizza. We’ll wait inside for you.”
He slipped past Yongguk and placed a reassuring hand over Zico’s clammy shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you some clothes.”
Yongguk growled under his breath when his mate passed him holding tightly onto his naked cousin. “Watch yourself.”
“Leave him alone.” Junhong snapped, shoving him out the door. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t of told him to ask the boy out. He should have taken his time and waited.” He pointed towards their truck in the driveway. “Now go. Shishi.”
Zico managed a chuckle as he watched Yongguk slink down the stairs with a chastised expression. “He’s going to lock you in the house when he gets home.”
“I know.” Junhong winked at him. “I’m counting on it.”
After he had helped Zico into a pair of Yongguk’s shorts and a spare t-shirt he pushed him gently towards the table. “Do you want something to drink? I made Yongguk buy some tea bags when I moved in. I can’t stand that sludge he calls coffee.”
“Tea is fine.” Zico absentmindedly traced over the pattern on the table. “Thanks. For sticking up for me.” He mumbled, not used to anyone but Yongguk taking his side.
Junhong placed a mug of hot tea in front of him. “So what about this boy? What all do you know about him?”
Zico had never tried to get to know Yongguk’s mate. This forced intimacy between the two of them was uncomfortable. But he had to admit, he didn’t want to push the other boy away. A part of him wanted to spill every single fact and nugget of knowledge he had learned over the last month.
“Daehyun.” He spoke up quietly. “His name is Jung Daehyun.”
Humming in reply, Junhong stirred sugar into his tea and waited for him to continue.
“He’s twenty-one and he’s going to school to be a doctor. This is his second semester in school because he took a few years off to care for his mother.”
Junhong’s brows quirked in thought. “So he puts the ones that he loves in front of his own needs.” He grinned the childlike dimpled smile that Yongguk thought was so adorable but that Zico likened to a serial killer face. “No wonder you like him. Yongguk told me you guys normally mate with someone who has the trait you need the most. I’m loyal. I don’t care who you are, if you need something I’m always there guarding your back. Yongguk needed that. But you want love. Above everything else you want someone to take care of you and put your needs first.”
He wished his cousin didn’t have such a big mouth when it came to Choi Junhong. The Alpha needed a muzzle. “My parents never wanted me.” Zico started to explain. What did Junhong do to this tea that made him spill his guts all of a sudden? “They always left me at Yongguk’s house growing up. I just want to come home to a house with someone waiting for me.” He tugged his lip between his teeth and prayed to god he wouldn’t start crying. That was the last thing he needed right now.
But explaining why he jumped from bed to bed and never let anyone inside just brought back memories that he only wanted to push away.
His mother leaving him alone in the house for days on end until Yongguk would come searching for him and take him to his home. His father’s breath hot in his face as he screamed at him that he was unwanted, unworthy of his DNA.
“You want to be loved.” Junhong said gently. “So show Daehyun that you are worthy of his love. Don’t scare him off with your over-the-topness. You have the weekend to calm down and prepare to try again.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s watch some TV till the beast gets back with the pizza.” He cleared the table of their mugs and rinsed them off in the sink. “And you owe us a set of patio furniture. Don’t cheap out either. Make ‘em sturdy. Your cousin gets frisky when we’re outdoors.”
---
He watched Daehyun read over that week’s lab instructions with a small smile on his lips. Daehyun hummed while he read, something Zico had picked up on in their last experiment.
“Oh. You’re here.” Daehyun didn’t sound pleased, but at least he didn’t outwardly grimace. Small improvements, Zico thought. “Well I’ve already got all of the things we need set up so if you want you can come back in an hour or so I should be done.” He turned away without giving Zico a second glance.
With a sigh of defeat Zico turned towards the door. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t just help the other boy do the experiments. “Okay.” Zico didn’t try to hide the slump of his shoulders. “Don’t gotta be an asshole about it.” He muttered under his breath. “I’m sorry that I just want to help.”
“What?” Daehyun unexpectedly grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the room. “You want to help? Mr. I’m too good for this school and everyone in it? Mr. I like to tease everyone until they finally snap and then I pout when they get angry?” His lips thinned in anger as he finally told the older boy exactly what he thought about him. “But now you decide you’re going to be nice to me and I’m supposed to just jump for joy about it?”
Zico stared at him with a shocked expression, his mouth dropping open. This was more than Daehyun had said to him all month. He wanted to remember the angry glint in his dark eyes and the slight muscles bunching as he crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He swallowed when he discovered that even his wolf was silent, both of them in awe of the surprising dynamo that was Jung Daehyun.
“Well? Are you not even going to say anything? That’s a first. I didn’t think you ever shut up.”
He closed his mouth and dropped his head trying to appear smaller. This version of Daehyun made him and his wolf turn submissive, the deep desire to be controlled outweighing everything. “Don’t be angry at me.” His fists clenched into his jeans and he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth to stop any unwanted whimpers from escaping.
Daehyun’s eyes widened when he realized that Zico was surrendering to him. There wasn’t even some random smartass comment coming from him in reply. Zico had completely given him all control. “Page twenty-four.” He mumbled, taking a step backwards. “I’ll do the control experiment, you do the observations.”
That was all the acceptance Zico needed for his wolf to rumble happily. Their mate was including them.
Even though Daehyun never spoke to him about anything that didn’t pertain to their project, Zico still was reenergized. If Daehyun didn’t feel anything for him, he wouldn’t have unconsciously marked him with his scent, he kept repeating to himself. Some small part of Daehyun felt for him and Zico swore he wouldn’t rest until he had dragged it to the surface.
---
Junhong clapped his hands together excitedly when he saw Zico’s bright eyes and happy grin behind the screen door. “Did it go better today?” He shoved Yongguk away from him and rushed over to grab Zico’s arm, dragging him into the house. “Did you take my advice and calm down?”
He nodded as he snatched a handful of the chips out of the bowl Yongguk was holding as he scowled childishly on the couch. “He let me help with our lab today! And I tried to be subtle and mention that I was having problems with a chapter in our book and he offered to meet me tomorrow after work to help!”
Yongguk jerked the bowl back towards his chest when Zico started to reach for it again. “Mine.”
“Don’t be greedy.” Junhong snatched it out of his hands and handed it to Zico with a smile and a soft pat on his shoulder. “Our Zico had a big day and deserves a treat.”
He smirked at his cousin. Yongguk hated it when Junhong gave anyone but him attention. The fingers stroking through his hair was probably making Yongguk’s wolf growl deep inside his chest.
“I hope he shows up with a hickey.” Yongguk’s eyes were fixated on the way Junhong was smoothing out Zico’s collar.
Zico popped a handful of chips into his mouth. “I hope your dick falls off.”
He managed to leave the house with only two small bite marks on his legs and a scratch down his shoulder which was nothing compared to their usual fights. Maybe Daehyun would be one of those people who get turned on by scars. Zico nodded, a big grin on his face as he bounced happily towards his house. He should wear something to show them off.
“What happened to you?” Daehyun curled his lips up in disgust when Zico pulled a chair up next to his in the library the next day. “You should put something on those they’re going to get infected.”
Zico glanced down at his black wife-beater and gym shorts. He thought he looked sexy in loose clothes. The top showcased his muscles and the long scar over his bicep just emphasized them. “Got attacked by a dog.” He was expecting Daehyun to fawn over him again like he did when he thought Zico was sick, not act like he was an infected leper. And wasn’t Daehyun wanting to be a doctor? “They’re fine. The asshole bites me every chance he gets.”
That made Daehyun’s eyes brighten a little. “You have a dog? I love dogs! My Toby lived for twelve years.” His shoulders slumped and the smile dimmed. “I haven’t had a chance to be around very many animals since I took care of my mom for so long. I miss them.”
A shiver went through his skin. Down boy, he ordered his wolf.
“Maybe you can come over sometime. There are lots of them where I live.” His eyes sparkled when he realized he had Daehyun’s complete attention. “But mine is the best.”
Daehyun didn’t look like he believed him, but he would. All he had to do was earn Daehyun’s trust and get him to understand that he was just a hard shell with a soft interior. Then he would be his.
An M&M. Zico decided with a smug smile. He was an M&M and he would melt in Daehyun’s hand. That brought mental images of himself in Daehyun’s hands, Daehyun’s delicate fingers tracing across his skin, his soft voice singing him to sleep every night, Daehyun, Daehyun, Daehyun.
“Zico?”
He realized he had been whimpering under the combined weight of his thoughts and snapped back to attention.
“I’m chocolate!”
Daehyun tried to subtly scoot his chair back a few inches. “Um okay… I’m glad we got that out in the open. Now if you want to study we need to get started because I have to leave by four. I’m going to supper with Minhyuk.”
Zico successfully managed to push back the roar that was creeping up his throat, but he had to look away so that Daehyun couldn’t see the way his eyes were flickering between dark brown and ice blue.
“You and Minhyuk must be really close then.” He reached for his book and tried to pretend the dampness in his eyes was really just allergies. Once they mated there shouldn’t be any interest in anyone else. Daehyun should see him and only him.
“Not really.” Daehyun’s stiff reply surprised him. “I mean, he’s nice and all, but he’s a little… overly friendly sometimes.”
Daehyun wasn’t in a relationship with Minhyuk? This new knowledge sent a spark through Zico’s chest. Maybe now he wouldn’t have to tear the other man’s appendages off one by on.
“I think he wants to date me.” Daehyun’s nose scrunched up at the thought. “He tried to hug me goodbye after we went out to eat the last time, which would be fine, but then his hand brushed across my ass.”
Okay maybe just a couple appendages wouldn’t hurt.
---
Junhong circled him like a predator, his eyes narrowed in on his face as he thought. “And you were polite the whole time? Didn’t interrupt, didn’t act sarcastic?”
Zico nodded. “I was perfectly nice.”
“But he still mentioned going out with Minhyuk?” Junhong hummed and tapped at his chin. “You need to make him jealous. Let him feel what you feel when he leaves you to go off with someone else.” He turned towards Yongguk, who was working at the table and ignoring their conversation. “I’ll meet you after class tomorrow and pretend we’re going on a date. See how he takes it.”
“You’ll what?” That finally caught Yongguk’s attention, the chair falling behind him as he jumped up. “No, no, no, that’s not going to happen. I forbid i-“ He froze as Junhong glared at him with a frosty expression. “But babyyy!”
Junhong smiled brightly at Zico. “You get out at two, right? Text me the room number and I’ll be waiting. And don’t worry about Yongguk. He just isn’t yet aware that I’m the Alpha inside this house.”
Yongguk snarled at Zico, the only thing holding him back was the worry he’d upset his mate if he killed his cousin in the middle of the kitchen. “No touching that lasts more than five seconds, no kissing, not even on the cheek, no lovey eye-making shit, that’s my mate and you treat him as such.” He took a deep breath and pointed at Zico. “Do you got all that?”
He winked at Junhong and edged his way towards the door. “You didn’t mention dry humping against the wall. I’m assuming that’s still in the cards?” He yelped loudly as Yongguk’s claws caught him in the back. “See you tomorrow, Junhong! And thanks!”
---
Watching the back of Daehyun’s head for the entire class was pure torture for Zico. Now that he knew he was in the throes of mating, he couldn’t help but to notice everything about the other boy. The way he ran his fingers through his shaggy black hair while reading, the minty smell emanating from his body and racing straight through Zico’s own like an electric shock, even the nervous habit of tapping his leg on the floor during class had Zico enthralled.
The wolf was impatient, wanting to claim him already and be through this torturous period. wantwantwant, it chanted in his head. He ignored the whimpers it made every time Minhyuk leaned over to whisper something in his ear and Daehyun would smile in response.
“And you all are keeping up with your labs, correct?” Professor Wang raised an eyebrow at his barely alert students. “Well we’ll find out when it’s time to turn in all of the reports. See you all next time.”
The students started trailing out of the room and Zico laughed quietly to himself when he saw Junhong’s wild hair flopping in the air as he danced around the exiting students to find him.
“Zico!” He spotted him still gathering up his books and waved excitedly, bouncing on his toes.
Zico could see Daehyun eyeing them out of the corner of his eye as the left the room together and Junhong’s gaze flickered quickly towards him before wrapping his arms around Zico’s waist and squeezing him tightly. “That him?” He murmured into his ear, grinning when Zico nodded. “Did you have a good time in school?” He asked loudly, making sure Daehyun could hear him as they headed out of the school. “Let’s go home and I’ll make you something to eat.” His lips brushed against Zico’s neck and he laughed. “Your mate keeps glaring at me. Put your arm around me.”
He slid one around Junhong’s shoulder and was proud of himself for not looking back at Daehyun once. Daehyun’s scent felt like it was stabbing into his skin. The more rage he could feel from behind him the more his wolf howled with happiness. “You’re going to smell like me.” Zico whispered. “Yongguk is going to be pissed.”
“Don’t I know it.”
part two