Chapter 46

Kris stood against the wall, eyes narrowed and mouth frowning as he watched Suho Chen’s arm. His boyfriend – ex, whatever – looked down then back up shyly. His hands were folded together on his lap and he kept playing with his fingers. Kris kept watching as he looked up with big eyes and smiled at something Suho said.

“Are you going to do something about that?” Luhan came to stand beside him and gave Suho a dark look.

“About what?”

“About Suho making a move on your boyfriend,” Luhan exclaimed. “Can’t you see what he’s up to?”

Kris could see but the last time the two of them had tried to talk it had ended up with Chen being hurt, badly. He wondered if Chen’s arm still hurt him. He knew it was still bandaged.

“Kris!” Luhan demanded when his leader didn’t speak. “If you don’t do something you’ll lose him. I know we don’t really talk about it but he’s clearly an omega and you know how alphas can get about them.”

Kris blinked slowly. He couldn’t seem to drag his eyes away from Chen and Suho even if it physically hurt to keep looking. “Chen wouldn’t do anything,” he said softly, uncertainly.

“He might,” Luhan replied, “if you’re not there for him.”

“You’re saying I shouldn’t trust him?”

“I’m saying he’s needy and right now he’s hurt and might not come back to you. Aren’t you going to fight for him?”

Kris swallowed hard. Everything in his body was telling him to just go over there and grab Chen, to make a public claim on him that no one would question, but he was scared that he would just mess things up even more.

“I don’t want to push him further away,” he admitted quietly. He thought back on what Chanyeol had said. He was the protective type too, a potential alpha one day. The only reason he didn’t challenge Suho for leadership was probably because he let him have his own omega, Baekhyun, all to himself. That was Chanyeol’s only concern. Well, apart from Chen.

Kris’s brow furrowed as he thought. Maybe Chen awoke a certain protectiveness in him too. Maybe that was why he had told him to back off.

“Hey, Kris.”

He was startled out of his thoughts by Xiumin’s arrival.

“Happy birthday.”

“Not really.”

He gave Luhan a confused look and Luhan nodded towards Chen. “Oh,” was all he said.

“I still say you should do something,” said Luhan. “If you really love him you have to let him know.”

Kris didn’t say anything but he thought Luhan was probably right. He needed to at least try and talk to Chen again before someone stole him away.

Lay gasped when a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him behind the nearest bookshelf. For a second he thought he was being attacked and when so stiff he almost fell down. Then he recognised a familiar scent and realised it was Sehun that he had half fallen against.

“Sehun!”

“Shh,” hissed the maknae. “Suho and Kyungsoo are here. I just couldn’t help it when I saw you.” He pulled Lay to him and buried his face against his neck. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” Lay risked looping his arms around his lover’s neck even though their scents would be all over each other. For a few long moments they held each other tightly and blocked out everything else. For those few seconds it didn’t seem to matter if they were caught.

“I hate this,” Sehun whined. “Why can’t we just be together?”

“I know, sweetie.” Lay ran his fingers through his hair soothingly. “Just be patient, ok? It’ll be alright.”

“But it’s not fair. Suho let Xiumin be with Luhan.”

“It’s different, I guess. You’re the maknae.”

Sehun sighed in frustration. “It’s still not fair.”

“Sehun! You here?”

They leapt apart at the sound of Suho’s voice and, for all his talk about how unfairly he was being treated Sehun looked panicked at the idea of being caught.

“Go, quick,” said Lay, giving him a little push.

“When can I see you again?”

“I don’t know. I’ll try and get a message to you, ok?”

Sehun nodded. He kissed Lay clumsily but passionately before pulling away. He looked as bad as Lay felt at having to be separated again so soon but Suho was right on the other side of the bookcase. With one last, sorry look Sehun stepped around the bookshelf and almost right into his leader.

“Did you find the book?” he asked, not seeming surprised that his maknae had almost walked straight into him.

“Yeah,” Sehun answered quickly, “right here.” He held it up.

“You need anything else?”

Sehun shook his head and started to walk away from where Lay was hiding. “That’s it. Come on.”

Suho didn’t say anything but followed after him, leaving Lay to breathe a sigh of relief.

There was a knock at the door just as Kris was about to go and find Chen.  He had thought of calling ahead but figured Chen wouldn’t answer and he definitely wanted to see him in person anyway. He pulled open the door and was surprised to see Chen himself standing in the corridor.

He shuffled nervously before looking up. “H-happy birthday,” he said quietly.

“Chen. I was just coming to see you.”

“Oh, well, I brought you this.” He held up a package – a book he knew Kris had wanted. He had planned on giving him something more – a lot more – on his birthday but that was before he had been bitten and suddenly the idea of sleeping with Kris made him feel a lot more nervous. “It’s nto much,” he said.

Kris took the gift, barely glancing at it. “Thank you. I didn’t expect anything.”

Chen shrugged.

“Can you come in for a while? I wanted to talk to you.”

He bit his lip and looked away down the corridor for a few moments. Kris held his breath until Chen nodded and answered, “Ok, I guess for a little bit.”

Silently they went to Kris’s room where he placed the gift on his bedside table and Chen sat awkwardly on the bed. He began to twist his fingers together nervously until Kris sat beside him and took them in his much larger hands. Chen flinched but managed to stop himself form pulling away.

“Chen,” said Kris softly, “baby, I’m so sorry I hurt you. It was an accident. You have to know that I would never hurt you on purpose. I hate when you’re mad at me like this.”

“I’m not mad,” said Chen quietly. It was true, he wasn’t. At least not anymore. “I know it was an accident.”

Kris’ heart leapt hopefully. He ran a thumb over Chen’s cheek and made him look up. “So, are we ok? Do you forgive me?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you said…”

“It still makes me nervous. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It wasn’t your fault.”

Chen lowered his eyes again and they sat in awkward silence for a little while. Eventually Kris hooked his fingers under Chen’s chin and made him look up. “Chen, you know you’re the most important thing in the world to me, right?”

Chen blinked rapidly, his eyes shining as he stubbornly looked to the side instead of at his partner.

“I don’t want us to be like this. Please tell me what to do.”

“I don’t know,” whimpered Chen. He really, truly didn’t. He loved Kris but he had been scared by him and everything felt like it was falling apart. Kris’s pack, Suho’s pack, everything. Never mind his embarrassment at being unable to control himself. What could he offer him, really? He jerked his head out of Kris’s grip as his tears threatened to spill over.

“I should go.”

“No,” said Kris desperately. He grabbed Chen by the upper arms as he tried to stand up. “Please don’t go. I need you.”

“No one needs me,” said Chen softly.

“I do,” insisted Kris. He kissed Chen before he could try to leave again, putting as much love and passion into it as he could manage. He kissed him persistently until he felt Chen begin to soften and his lips part ever so slightly. It was all the encouragement he needed. He kissed him until they were both breathless and dizzy from it, until Chen was leaning against him heavily.

Kris a thumb lovingly over his cheek again and Chen hid his face against his shoulder. Kris soothingly his back, knowing that he needed comfort and protection now to make sure he didn’t regret giving in.

“Kris?” he said in a tiny voice.

“Mmm?”

“Can I stay?” he whispered.

Kris smiled.  He almost wanted to laugh. “Of course, baby. I always want you to stay.”

How was it? Was it ok? This aprt took forever. It's midnight now!

Holy crap. Hope it was worth it.