Nobody believes in love at first sight, but everyone believes strongly in love at first scent. What everyone refuses to acknowledge is that the scent is usually from an omega in heat, and love is, unfortunately, only their hormones clouding their better judgment.

Huang Zitao has the heart of a romantic and he believes in all kinds of love, be it sight, scent, land or money; love is love. And because he is a firm believer of every kind of first love, it's unsurprising when he turns around, ready to maul the person whose baseball hit him, only to smother himself at the sight of the omega staring at him.

For Tao, it's love on first hit. A love which leaves a glorious purple bruise on his temple; a swollen lump which stings every time he touches it with his calloused fingers. Love is unexpected. That's Tao's first lesson. Love hurts. That is Tao's second lesson.

The regional packs are all gathered at a fair arranged especially for their kind to socialize. They're past the era when they gathered under the full moon, mostly because forests do not exist anymore, and no one likes to be seen , or likes for their mates to be seen . Hygiene and modern time dilemmas.

Tao has been attending these fairs since he was a child. While the main purpose of these gatherings remains archaic, the packs usually spend their time mingling and having fun. It's neutral ground and the only place where different bloodlines can mix without bristling over territories.

Bachelor alphas and betas commonly group together to play sport and show off their physical prowess, trying to attract mates or one-up each other. Omegas gather to gossip, share pack woes and judge the dominant ranks roughhousing each other.

Alphas and betas are careful in selecting their partners these days, because few omegas are willing to take a knot 24/7 and stay at home grooming children. Now, most prefer to be independent and pull the strings in the relationship. Heat suppressants gave them too much power.

Everything is irrelevant to Huang Zitao, though. The moment he sets his eyes on the flat faced, tight lipped, apathetic omega, he's a goner and he knows it. He can't put his heart into beating other people black and blue because he's too focused on his hopefully-mate-to-be.

The omega is almost as tall as Tao. His hair is dyed every shade in the colour palette, which makes him all the more interesting. He seems clingy too, hanging off someone's arm or shoulders at all times, and prodding others to pay attention to him. Those are typical omega traits, but Tao knows this omega is special. It's not the disaster that's his hair colour, or his lean body, or thin waist, or lazy posture, or the way he's glaring at Tao- whoops! He's been staring too much.

Tao is more discreet this time. He casually converses with a few foreign alphas, nodding and chiming 'That's nice' at appropriate intervals, mindless of that fact that the speaker is talking about his long lost mate. He also misses the glares sent his way as the speaker bursts into tears and Tao leans sideways to clear his view of his hopefully-mate-to-be.

The omega is playing baseball with his companions again. Tao sighs dreamily, touching the bruise on his temple with a smile that sends everyone reeling away from him within a five meter radius. He's a goner and they know it. Tao doesn't care. He smiles like a proud father when the omega tosses a ball towards the batsman, missing the base by a clear forty five degrees.

With aim like that, he'd soon hit everyone, maybe even himself, with the baseball before the fair ends.

"That's an omega from one of those southern city packs."

Tao frowns at the information. City omegas are usually bad news. They don't adapt well to the countryside. They always want to go out shopping, mingle with other alphas and betas, and prefer hired hands over getting their own hands dirty. They're not much family oriented either, because city packs are usually groups of outcasts huddled together to survive.

Tao comes from a rural pack. They're hard workers, running their own cottage industries, producing their own food and making electricity for themselves. City and rural pairs are hardly compatible. They fall apart as quickly as they fall in love.

Tao is willing to risk it. He knows -don't ask, he just does- that this omega is the one for him. He doesn't care if the omega has a bad posture, doesn't even want to move to get a glass of water for himself, never mind his elders, or that he's annoying everyone with his incessant 'hyung, look here' 'unni, look here'. He's cute. Tao wants him.

Silence falls over the small group as Tao approaches them. The omegas huddle closer together, looking around madly for other pack members. Tao reaches them just as two other alphas block his further progress. They're smiling and look genuinely friendly, but they're certainly not pleased with him approaching their pack members so easily.

Awkward hi's and introductions later, Tao confirms that he wants to court one of their omegas.

"Oh Sehun?" One of them drawls, whipping around to look at the omega male, who's too busy trying to wriggle onto another omega's lap while mashing his ice cream cone in his face. The alphas side each other. Then they side eye Tao.

"Sehun," Tao smiles dopily. The name sounds just as special as the omega looks. It's a nice name, Tao muses.

"Are you sure you want to court Sehun?"

Tao nods vigourously.

The alphas jog over to where the elders from the pack are gathered and suddenly every member of the pack is staring between Tao and Sehun. Tao waves, a perfect picture of frayed nerves. Sehun trips over his feet, about his friends being es.

"They won't do." He hears one of the elders say.

Tao is persistent. He points out Sehun to his own pack mates and no one can understand why Tao wants a city omega when they have better omegas in their own pack. Nonetheless, his Chief Alpha joins him to formally ask for Sehun's hand.

Sehun's parents have stoic faces, and it's a little terrifying when Mrs. Oh talks about her love for rabbits with a tone that suggests murder instead. Chief Alpha is sweating just as much as Tao. They find their shifting gazes locked uncomfortably on each other more times than they should during a formal proposal. Tao can feel Chief Alpha blaming him for placing him in such an uncomfortable situation.

When the conversation keeps coming back to the weather, the Chief finally decides to cut straight to the point. "Are you willing to accept Huang as your child's mate?" Their faces remain stone. Mr. Oh chews on a cracker, and it sounds awfully like bones being crushed. "It's a beautiful weather today. Sunny. Family friendly." Chief Alpha adds as he pretends to sip from his empty glass.

"We know good things about your pack," Mr. Oh acknowledges as Tao and his Chief puff with pride, "but I feel Sehun might not be a compatible partner for Huang. What do you see in Sehun, Mr. Huang?"

Tao and Chief look towards the omegas just as Sehun sticks his fingers up another omega's nose.

"Yes, Tao, pray tell us! What do you see in Sehun?" Chief Alpha turns towards him rather dramatically, raising a brow.

"I see my mate, Chief." Tao feels his cheeks burn from all the cheese he's about to spit out, but it has to be done. "I can't see what everyone is forcing me to, because what I see is a friendly, playful boy. I see someone who'll have fun with me. I see someone who'll come to me with their worries so I can take them away, someone who'll cling to me and tell me to love them more, someone who'll hug me when I need it, someone-"

"That's good enough." Chief smiles proudly. The Oh's remain impassive.

"We'll have to see how Sehun feels about this."

Sehun arrives shortly, looking just as bored and uninterested as his parents. Tao starts to swoon and Chief grows more uncomfortable in his skin. "Next time your parents are coming too!" He hisses at Tao, who doesn't care. If he gets Sehun, he won't be obliged to come because the fair's main purpose is to hook everyone up.

"Sehun is very good at making green tea. Sehun, go to our stall and prepare some for these gentlemen. Hing Zintao here," Mrs. Oh gestures towards her guests, oblivious of Cheif's indignant choking, "is interested in courting you."

Sehun's eyes light up. "Me?" He looks pleased with what he sees and Tao feels his confidence boosting. Chief narrows his eyes, counting the colours in Sehun's hair.

Sehun is back too soon with a tray of steaming mugs. His tongue sticks out in concentration as he walks slowly and carefully towards the guests, eyes never leaving the liquid sloshing around in the mugs. It's not worth much. He trips over air and sends the hot liquid spilling over Tao's lap.

"Whoops."

Mrs. Oh's face is mask of apathy as she dabs Tao's pants, keeping as far away from him as she can manage, "Sehun can be a little careless sometimes."

'Do you think we're ing stupid? It's pretty clear to me that he's a klutz.' Chief seems to be screaming internally.

"Sehun, how old are you?" Chief asks once everything settles down and Sehun is snuggling against his mother. His small smile is a stark contrast to her aloof face.

"I'm twenty one now."

"A very mature age." Chief says as he turns to Tao, nodding his head. As soon as his expression is hidden from the Oh family, he readjusts to let Tao know that this plan is suicide and they should probably abort it right now.

Tao silently pleads him to stay.

"Hing Zintao, what do you do for a living?" Mrs. Oh asks.

Tao tears his gaze from Sehun's pouting lips to smile at Mrs. Oh. "My family own the orchids back home, so I help my father in the business. I also help around in the factory whenever they need an extra hand."

No one can tell if she's interested or disgusted.

"I like him." Sehun states. To the Chief's eyes it looks as if Sehun is trying to merge with his mother, considering how he's wriggling to be closer to her. Sehun is intrusive about personal space to an offensive degree. Tao and Sehun might actually get along.

"I like you too!" Tao exclaims with more enthusiasm than he should.

Chief Alpha is saved when a pack member arrives, informing him that someone's hitting on his mate again.

"Aw hell no!" Chief is on his feet is a heartbeat. "I'm never bringing Joonmyun here again!" It's what Chief says every year, but a few practiced movements of his mate's lips and hips have his spirit fatally wounded. His mate only persists on coming because this is his only chance to meet his old pack. This year he wanted to show off his second pregnancy, as well.

Tao is left to withstand the parents. He can distantly hear their Chief Omega's exclamation of 'Yifan! Be nice!' He wonders if he'll have to watch out like this for his mate too. Joonmyun has been carrying for a few weeks now, and the scent of a carrier lingers on him. Whoever approaches him despite noticing that is ringing their own death knell.

"Mr. Huang," Mr. Oh calls, bringing Tao out of his stupor, "how many omegas have you been in a relationship with?"

Tao is pretty sure 'not enough' will not be considered a valid or appropriate answer, so he settles with, "Very few."

With the way Mrs. Oh eyes scan him up and down, he might as well have been laying in an MRI. He's unsure if their opinion of him just went down another bar, or has already tipped over to the negative scale.

"Sehun is quite a handful." Mrs. Oh says finally, with a small exasperated sigh. It's the first kind of emotion she displays. Sehun stops eating Tao's face with eyes and paws at his mother, whining about her always speaking ill of him. "You seem a good man, but Sehun needs an older man to look after him."

"I do not!"

The omega's protests are ignored as Mr. Oh explains to Tao that he will be unable to give proper care to Sehun. The boy does not know any housework, lacks social skills, does not want to give birth, refuses to leave his bed and is generally an undetectable presence. An omega like Sehun would never fit in with a hard working rural pack like Tao's.

"He needs an elder to take care of him." They need a rich guy to leech off money, with the additional bonus of having Sehun be further spoiled.

But Tao really, really wants Sehun to be his partner. The omega isn't in heat, so he knows he's not lusting after him -Sehun's blood is probably overflowing with suppressants anyway. There's this pull, a little tug in his heart that keeps pointing towards Sehun. He can't explain it, exactly. It's a feeling, peculiar and new, but it's there. He believes in it, just as he believes in love at first sight and every sight after.

"I can take care of him. I know I can." Tao tries not to shrink under the Oh's gaze. Their words seemed a little sympathizing towards him, or maybe he's trying to convince himself the lifelessness in their eyes is sympathy and they didn't just insult his monetary situation. Tao is not poor! He's not filthy rich either but ...

"Can we at least go on a date or two? I don't want to stay a for the rest of my life." Sehun complains as he tugs at his mother's sleeves. Tao can't help but adore how childish and spoiled rotten his mate-to-be is. He's perfect!

"There's no need to. This bond can never work."

Tao is usually a nice person. He smiles and waves at passersby's, which is fine in his hometown but seems to freak out the people at the fair. It's all with good intentions though. He's just being friendly. Tao is called mellow, and sometimes a little hyper, but most of the time, he's patient, and warm, and lovable.

So when something inside him trips and snaps, it surprises him too.

He's up on his feet, staring at Sehun's parents with a gaze that is clear and challenging. "I'll prove to you that I can be a capable mate for Sehun."

Tao's Chief Alpha thinks that it should be the other way around, really. Omegas trying to prove that they're worthy of Tao's love and affections, and not Tao struggling against stone faced people for their rotten omega child.

"You deserve better," he whispers to Tao, hoping not to be heard by the Oh's.

"The best, for me, is right there." He jerks his chin in Sehun's direction. Chief Alpha can't help but retreat and silently start praying for Tao to come to his senses. This is going to be a taxing day. He's already coming up with excuses for Tao's parents. They might never get over their only boy bringing home a city omega.

Tao and Sehun get some time for themselves. They talk a little about themselves and ask what they feel the need to. Tao finds that Sehun is a heavy sleeper and sleeps a lot. He also eats a lot but doesn't seem to weigh much. He hates his heats and he can't stand children. Children are probably the only thing they disagree on because Tao wants a lot of kids, so they can never feel alone and always have playmates in each other.

Sehun, on the other hand, can't believe Tao wakes up with the Sun. He's convinced Tao is lying to him because it's not humanely possible. He also doesn't believe that Tao's muscles developed from labour, internally smiling to himself because he's sure it's steroids. Sehun may be omega but he's no fool. He reads a lot on his phone, especially about alphas with- never mind.

After the Oh's join them as audience, Sehun exclaims he wants to cook for Tao. His parents remain passive, but his pack suddenly looks up, alert and terrified. No matter how much the other omegas try to convince Sehun not to cook, he would not have it. A beta even approaches Tao, pleading with him to stop Sehun, but Tao really wants to taste Sehun's food, made for him purely out of love.

Tao isn't sure what happens but fifteen minutes later one of the makeshift kitchens is on fire, and the flames are the size of a three storey building. Sehun still manages to salvage his ... his ... "Coal?" Tao asks curiously, as Sehun prods him with the plate.

"Don't be silly!" Sehun laughs, "It's chicken!"

Tao looks up, hoping to exchange a look of recognition with the omega's parents, one where they might sympathize with him about having been in the same position once, and give him silent advice.

They look dead.

Instead, Tao's frantic gaze meets with his Chief Omega's sympathizing ones, who's also victimized regularly by Chief Alpha's terrible culinary skills. He mouths something which Tao makes out as, "all for love", never knowing that he's actually whispering, "not worth it."

Maintaining a brave facade, Tao gives Sehun a charming smile, or a smile as charming as it can be while wavering between doubt and fear. He nibbles on a small piece and sees Sehun's face fall. Tao lets his heart take over, tearing off a huge chunk of coal meat. When Tao regains consciousness, around a half hour later, he realizes what the Chief Omega had been trying to tell him.

It doesn't matter if Sehun can't cook to save his life, because Tao is ever willing and ready to cook for them and the family they'll build. Please. He's a good enough cook and Sehun can never be allowed near anything resembling a fire or raw food.

He makes sure his soon-to-be-in-laws know of this.

He decides to humour Sehun when the omega asks him to play with him. Much to his horror, Tao soon finds out that Sehun has never shifted to his wolf form in his entire life. Sehun can't shift into his wolf form. Tao shouldn't be surprised because city packs are usually like that, and his omega is full of surprises, and a person can't be defined by whether or not they can shift... but ...

Tao makes sure his soon-to-be-in-laws know that he doesn't mind Sehun being unable to transform. He's already past the age to learn and grow immune to the pain of the shift. Tao is absolutely fine with it. He's not sure if his parents will be, though.

One of the most important duties any omega has is to look after the house. Tao realizes this will be a problem for them.

Sehun wakes up late in the afternoon everyday because he stays up all night gaming or watching movies. He skips breakfast and midday meals to survive on junk food and late night snacks. He doesn't go out and not even the threat of an earthquake can move him from bed. He doesn't like exercising, which also includes picking objects from the floor, like his laundry. He doesn't do laundry either.

"I can make really good sandwiches though!"

Tao quickly and politely refuses.

He finds it endearing that Sehun is such a klutz, tripping over his feet and all, until he pictures Sehun carrying their child and tripping over nothing. Suddenly it's a terrifying quality. It's soon pushed to the back of his mind with the omega's odd habit of his lips. Tao can't help but follow the peeking tongue and wondering what it must be like kissing him.

He absented mindedly agrees to everything Sehun says until he realizes he's been sat down at a stall and his hair is being bleached. He barely holds back an incredulous 'what the hell'. While Tao is being tended to, Sehun narrates his woes of loosing things, missing his favourite episodes and burning things during random mood swings. Tao double notes: keep Sehun away from anything that can start a fire, including sticks and stones. Safety first.

He's not sure how he feels about the sudden shift on Mr. and Mrs. Oh's faces when he meets them again with his scalp burning and hair an unnatural colour.

"You're still with him."

Tao could be dreaming but is that admiration in Mrs. Oh's voice?

The day turns out to be one of the busiest in Tao's life. He tries to help Sehun's mother pronounce his name correctly before giving up. He gives Sehun's piggyback rides until he feels an old waist injury acting up. He allows himself to be checked by a witch doctor because Sehun's pack is convinced he is being controlled by enslaving magic.

Everything alongside pushing away his Chief Alpha every time he jumps into Tao's peripheral vision, waving his hands manically and telling Tao to "Run! Run while you still can!"

At the end of the day, Tao retreats to where his pack is staying for the night. Everyone wants to know about the omega he's interested in, especially since he's bringing an outsider from a city. Tao realizes he's coming short on what to brag about compared to the other members who've found people of interest.

Even though Sehun lacks in ... pretty much everything, Tao can't help but feel for him. It's not something embedded only in his heart, but a sort of energy that thrums in every cell on his body, guiding him towards his omega, the one for him.

He makes up excuses to himself for all of Sehun's shortcomings, and thinks of solutions for overcoming them. He's going to have to become a very busy man.

At some point in the night, doubt begins to fester inside him. He realizes he would become overwhelmed if they became mates and didn't share duties. Sehun doesn't want children, can't cook, can't clean, can't handle responsibilities, is still immature and only likes to sleep and eat unhealthy foods.

The next day, every ounce of negative feelings fly out the window when he finds Sehun waiting for him.

"I made you a sandwich for breakfast." Sehun holds out the food wrapped in aluminum foil. "I was very careful, and had someone help me so ... Yeah. It's supposed to be ok. I tasted it before bringing it to you."

Tao has already had breakfast. In fact, it's almost time for lunch, but Sehun's shy, shifting eyes, and the way his fingers nervously clench and unclench, and the way he toes the dirt, and the way he keeps his head down, and his keeps his voice low, and in his lips- "Thank you, Sehun. That's very kind of you." This time Tao's smile is bright. Also, Sehun makes great sandwiches!

"I've never had anyone court me for more than a few hours, at most." Sehun confesses nervously, looking over at his pack mates again and again. "You stayed with me the whole day."

Tao shrugs his shoulders, feeling his face heat up from the fondness in Sehun's tone. "Yea?"

"I know I'm not perfect," far from it, Tao hears his Chief Alpha's voice echo inside his head, "but, um, if you still want to, I mean- If-If I ever get mated, I would want to become better."

"For your mate?"

"For my mate." Sehun nods. Their eyes meet. Tao feels his heart beat quicken, hears his soul scream in joy, his insides bloat with happiness and he feels something ghosting across his hand. He doesn't have to look down to know it's Sehun's fingers. Tao wriggles his fingers to touch Sehun's.

It is a simple touch which comes and goes as they play a silly game of waving fingers, but to Tao, it feels intimate and deep. He raises his other hand to touch Sehun's collarbone. The omega blinks up at him, before he raises his hand to touch the bruise on Tao's temple.

"Sorry for that."

"It's ok." Tao grins at him, because without this bruise he would never have set his eyes on Sehun. He leans down, encouraged when Sehun doesn't pull away, and places a soft kiss on Sehun's cheek. Without this bruise he would never have met his first love.

... or what we should hope is love.

Who are we to judge though, because it was certainly something that motivated Tao to still seek Sehun's hand when both their packs thought they would never work out. It was something that gradually changed Sehun until he was humming as he hung the laundry in his new home, out in the suburbs. It was something that allowed Sehun's eyes to open earlier than his mate's so he could prepare breakfast for them. It must certainly have been something, when Sehun climbed into bed, on top of his mate, and whispered into his ear that he'd stopped taking his suppressants, and "Don't you think it's about time we had a baby?"

It must have been love.

Whoops. I totally forgot I had to log in to update this. Sorry for delaying it so much!  ✖╭╮✖