Taekwoon and Hakyeon, Hakyeon and Taekwoon. The two have always been together. Although they had greatly varying personalities, they somehow managed to stick through thick and thin together. Taekwoon's mother and Hakyeon's father were part of the same pack, the former having been recruited in after the head alpha of the VIXX pack found her tied against a tree, humans threatening to have a little 'fun' with her before selling her off in the black market. When both mothers had found out that they would be expecting pups in the same year, they had been so excited and fantasised about how the two would be attached at the hip and doing everything together.

Thirtieth June, Cha Hakyeon, omega, was born. His birth had come as a great surprise to the pack as he was due only in September. As he was also an omega, he was smaller and more fragile than most pups. The pack had been in a state of chaos - Hakyeon was the first of his generation and hence the elders didn't know how to properly care for him. The little pup with a blood red tail and ears to match lay in his mother's arms, underdeveloped lungs struggling to provide the oxygen his body needed while his mother wept endlessly at her failure to carry him for the full gestation period. 

Tenth November, Jung Taekwoon, alpha, the heir to the VIXX pack, was born. With midnight black ears and tail, he was the carbon copy of his father.

"Taekwoon-ah, you are to always be with Hakyeonnie alright? You have to be his best friend." Taekwoon's father spoke authoritatively to the pup, watching as he nuzzled against his mother. 

Age 3

"Taekwoonie! Play with me!" Little Hakyeon shouted to a much taller Taekwoon. Since Hakyeon was premature, he was still much smaller than all the other wolves in their pack and had only very recently learnt how to walk properly. One should not be decieved by his small build though, for his voice was louder than that of three wolves combined. Taekwoon, being an alpha, matured much quicker and was already at least a head taller than Hakyeon. Interestingly, he was very soft spoken and preferred keeping to himself.

Just as Taekwoon was about to turn away, tiny claws snagged at his sides and he soon got an armful of a giggly Hakyeon. 

"Play with me!" Hakyeon repeated, climbing onto the younger's back. "I want to go into the woods!" Begrudgingly, Taekwoon trudged into said woods with a featherlight Hakyeon on his back. He didn't know why he always gave in to the smaller's whims and woes, but he knew that no matter how much he pushed Hakyeon away, he wouldn't be able to live without the omega. 

Age 7

It was one of the most exciting days in a werewolf's life. Some started earlier and some later but every werewolf would go through this at least once in their life: training to control their shifting. Before age seven, the pups tended to shift whenever there was a full moon. But apart from that, they were unable to truly control when and where they would be shifting. This practice takes time and effort to learn it, but it was a valuable one if they wanted to live alongside humans. It was Hakyeon's and Taekwoon's turn today, the head alpha taking time out of his schedule to teach the younglings. 

"Concentrate!" Taekwoon's father chided, watching the pups get distracted at every little thing in the tent. "Concentrate and think. Think deeply. Think about how everything feels when you're a wolf. Tell yourself to shift, to experience that," he elaborated. 

Taekwoon took to it like a duck takes to water, while Hakyeon hadn't been so lucky. 

"Wah!" Hakyeon cried, exasperated after failing countless times. Taekwoon's father had left the tent much earlier, claiming that Taekwoon would be sufficient in teaching Hakyeon how to shift. 

"Try again," came Taekwoon's soft voice as he patted Hakyeon's head, lightly scratching behind an ear. 

"It doesn't work!" Hakyeon tearfully replied, sniffling against Taekwoon's chest. 

"It will Hakyeonnie, try again."

Age 13

Hakyeon was starting to act strange around Taekwoon. He wasn't as clingy as he was anymore, choosing to spend time with their younger packmates, Jaehwan and Wonshik. It had been a stab to Taekwoon's alpha pride, since the omega he'd spent his entire life with was starting to drift further and further from him. It seemed that Hakyeon would always tense up when he had to be in the same room with Taekwoon, his tail instantly stilling and ears high on alert. The omega would always give a half-hearted explanation before excusing himself from Taekwoon, shifting into his blood red wolf and taking off far, far away from him. 

"Stop." Taekwoon commanded one day when he had enough of Hakyeon playing with Jaehwan and Wonshik. They had even incorporated Hongbin and eight-year-old Sanghyuk. But nope, not a single thought went to inviting Taekwoon into their little circle too. Instantly, every wolf's hackles raised, ears swivelling to receive instructions from the heir. 

"Get lost," said alpha growled, eyes flashing a dangerous gold. When Hakyeon turned to make his move, Taekwoon snapped forward catching on to his wrist.

"Didn't you say get lost?" Hakyeon protested, wringing his hand free only to have Taekwoon grab it again with more force, claws digging into sensitive skin. "Ow..." The omega whined softly. 

"Not you. Come with me," Taekwoon replied, tugging Hakyeon further into the dense forest until they came across a tiny lake. 

"Sit." Taekwoon gestured to a fallen tree.

Promptly, Hakyeon unceremoniously plopped down onto the fallen log. When Taekwoon tried making eye contact with the omega however, Hakyeon would constantly shift his eyes away, either looking in the distance behind Taekwoon or at the forest floor. It was annoying Taekwoon to no end but he knew he couldn't lash out at his precious friend. Not after how Hakyeon's been treating him. 

"Talk to me, what's wrong?" Taekwoon asked, voice sounding much softer and weaker than he'd like.

"I am talking! What do you mean, Taekwoonie?" Hakyeon replied evasively. The sound of the pet name had tears welling up in Taekwoon's eyes. Oh, how long has it been since he'd heard anything remotely personal and affectionate from the one he cared about the most? 

"You aren't talking to me anymore. You don't play with me anymore. You don't care about me anymore. All you care about is Wonshik, Jaehwan, Hongbin and Sanghyuk. It's like I'm not even part of your life anymore," even though Taekwoon did his utmost best to withhold his tears, he couldn't stop a stray few from slipping out. It had been the most he's said to anyone for a long time and with their current predicament, it had taken a lot of energy for him to do so. 

Hakyeon's eyes widened, not realising the imapct he had on the soft spoken alpha. Truth be told, Hakyeon had gotten confused with his feelings. When he had still been spending time with Taekwoon, his heart often sped up near the younger and he found himself blushing a lot more often than he liked. To make matters worse, he started yearning more than Taekwoon's casual hugs; he grew to want kisses on his cheeks and tight hugs that made it hard for him to breathe. It was all so new and it scared him. Maybe I'm falling sick? He had once thought and decided to distance himself from Taekwoon. Maybe after a while things would get better. 

Hesitantly, Hakyeon stood up to give Taekwoon a loose hug. "D-don't cry Taekwoonie... I'm not.... I'm not ignoring you; you're my best friend!" 

"Liar!" Taekwoon's exclaimation had Hakyeon jumping back. "You're a liar! You're a liar! You're a liar! You're a liar..." Taekwoon continually blubbered. 

"I-I'm not! I'm really not! I promise!" Hakyeon hugged Taekwoon tightly, wrapping his tail around the taller for extra comfort. It had actually lifted a small weight off the omega's shoulders, having done something he'd been wishing for for so long. 

And that was all it took for Taekwoon to feel secure again. When he thought back about it however, he couldn't help but scoff at the irony; an omega comforting an alpha?

Age 17

It was when they turned seventeen that everything took three steps back from where they had gotten after Taekwoon's first breakdown four years ago. Over time, Hakyeon had learnt that what he was feeling was love and had convinced himself to let this thought go, to just be Taekwoon's best friend and nothing more. Afterall, Taekwoon was the heir to the VIXX pack and he needed a good mate; one that would breed well and lead well. Hakyeon believed he was neither of those. 

Age seventeen was when Hakyeon got his first heat. 

It was also when Taekwoon finally found out why he'd always given in to Hakyeon's every whim and woe. It wasn't some supernatural power, it wasn't because Hakyeon was so small. It was because he loved him. It just took Hakyeon's heat to find out. 

Hakyeon of course, had taken it differently. Throughout the week, his body had been ridiculoulsy hot and all his thoughts had been centered around Taekwoon. Taekwoon taking care of him, Taekwoon as his mate, these thoughts drove Hakyeon insane but he couldn't stop them either. All he wanted was Taekwoon but said alpha was being held captive in his father's tentage, the head believing that his son wasn't thinking straight when he said he wanted Hakyeon as his mate.

"It's the heat talking. You've never showed anything more than a brotherly interest, Taekwoon, all unmated alphas get like that when they smell an omega in heat," he had tried to explain. 

"No father! It's not the heat talking! I love Hakyeon!" Taekwoon defiantly refuted, eyes holding his father's challenging gaze. 

"We'll wait this one out Taekwoon. We'll see if you still feel this way to Hakyeon after his heat," the head refused to back down. 

-

When Hakyeon's heat was over, Taekwoon stuck even closer to Hakyeon, becoming what the other packmates called his unofficial servant and bodyguard. It was starting to get overbearing for Hakyeon though, not used to Taekwoon being so attached to him. It was when Taekwoon growled at Wonshik for hugging Hakyeon too close that the latter decided to confront him.

"Why are you so clingy all of a sudden?" Hakyeon whined the moment Taekwoon entered his tent, ears still high on alert and tail stiff. 

"I just don't want anyone near you. You're mine," Taekwoon answered, uncharacteristically possessive.

"Since when am I yours!" Hakyeon argued, although he couldn't stop that little fluttering in his chest when he heard it. 

"Since your heat." 

At that, Hakyeon deflated. He only wanted me for my heat. Not because he loved me. The omega chided himself for even believing that Taekwoon truly did love him. 

"Get out," Hakyeon suddenly commanded, ears flattening against his hair and tail wrapping around his waist as he turned away from the alpha.

"Wha... What? Hakyeon!" 

"I said. Get. Out." Hakyeon hissed scooting further away from Taekwoon. When he could no longer hear Taekwoon's footsteps, Hakyeon curled up into a tight little ball and finally let all his emotions out, weeping at his unrequited love. 

-

It was Jaehwan that found him a couple of hours later, the omega being told to check on Hakyeon since he'd missed dinner. 

"Omo! Hakyeon-hyung!" Jaehwan exclaimed, running over to the still shaking and sniffling ball in the sheets. "Hakyeon-hyung, can you hear me?" He asked again when Hakyeon showed no response. "Are you asleep?" 

Truth be told, Hakyeon was very much awake with a splitting headache and dry mouth. He'd cried so much that he wasn't even able to produce tears anymore; just sniffles. But still, he didn't want Jaehwan seeing him like this and he thought feigning sleep would be the best option. 

Little did he know, Taekwoon had gone to the younger to confide in him about what happened to Hakyeon. 

"Jaehwan," Taekwoon called, beckoning the younger over. 

"Yes hyung?" 

"Do you know what's love?" Even though Jaehwan was much younger than Taekwoon, he was perceptive and an avid reader. Taekwoon hoped that he would've at least come across something remotely related to love in those books the elders brought back from the city last winter. It was rare for werewolves to be out in civilisation until they were at least twenty, because they not only had to be extremely adept in shifting, but also extremely adept in hiding all their features without making it too obvious. Hence, the elders tended to only go out in winter when beanies could conceal their ears, gloves their claws and trench coats their tails. 

Jaehwan hummed, tail gently swishing behind him as he thought. "Love is... Love is when you'd do anything for the other, when you'd put his or her wants and needs before yours," he said after a while, eyes looking up to recall what he had read in one of those books. "Love isn't about only being happy with that person, but it's about sharing the burden and doubling the joy. I guess... I guess one way to figure out if you really love someone is to imagine a life without him or her. If you see yourself spiralling into despair, I would say you're pretty attached and that you love them pretty much."

As Jaehwan spoke, Taekwoon couldn't help but compare them to Hakyeon. Would he do anything for Hakyeon? Heck yes. He would go to the ends of the Earth if that was what he had to do to protect him. Does he put Hakyeon's wants and needs before his?  Taekwoon thought back to the times when he had to carry a giggly and uncooperative Hakyeon on his back and trudge around the forest just because Hakyeon wanted to "play". His back hurt and his feet ached, but hearing Hakyeon's cheery voice and carefree laughs had Taekwoon it up and continuing on until Hakyeon told him he wanted to go back. He thought about not having Hakyeon in his life, not having a constant to always be there talking to him, talking for him, sitting next to him, listening to him and just being there for him. Would he miss Hakyeon? It was a rhethorical question as those thoughts themselves had caused Taekwoon's eyes to be wet with tears. He thought back to the time when they were thirteen, when he nearly lost Hakyeon as a friend. He could only come to one conclusion. 

"I love Hakyeon," he said abruptly, causing Jaehwan to flinch. 

"Eh?" 

"I love Hakyeon," Taekwoon repeated, feeling more confident this time around.

"I heard you the first time hyung, but why the sudden statement? Aren't you and Hakyeon-hyung like brothers?" Jaehwan asked. Clearly it had been the wrong question to ask since the growl Taekwoon gave was nothing short of menacing. 

"Why does everyone keep saying that! Why can't they just accept that I love Hakyeon!" 

"It's because you only started saying it after his first heat," a new voice appeared, causing two pairs of ears to swivel in the direction of tent entrance; it was Wonshik. "You've never said anything about loving Hakyeon-hyung until his first heat came. Of course everyone's just going to think that it's the heat talking." 

"How much have you heard?" Taekwoon demanded, tone dark. 

"Not much," Wonshik replied casually, "but I've seen enough. Taekwoon-hyung, are you really so sure of your feelings? Because the mixed signals you've been giving Hakyeon-hyung has done nothing but hurt him. He really loves you, hyung. He just thinks you don't and that he isn't good enough for you." 

"Taekwoon-hyung loves you, he really does," Jaehwan spoke up after awhile of just Hakyeon's back.

Hakyeon's breath hitched, heart soaring at that statement but head reprimanding it for being so naive. 

"Liar!" Hakyeon cried sharply, tears once again welling up in his eyes. Jaehwan jumped back, not expecting the other to respond. "You're a liar! Taekwoon doesn't love me! It was my heat!" 

"I'm not lying hyung! Taekwoon really really loves you. It just took your heat for him to find out, I promise." 

"He doesn't! I'm not good enough for him! I can't be leading the pack alongside him, I can't even get a hold of myself!" Hakyeon wailed, unaware of the new presence in the room.

Silently, Jaehwan beckoned Taekwoon over to take his spot. Hakyeon was still curled into a tight ball, trembling like a leaf. The sight made Taekwoon's heart ache, especially when he knew he was the cause of it.

"I love you, Hakyeon, I really do. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out," Taekwoon said gently, in that soft, sweet voice that Hakyeon loved. 

Hakyeon didn't reply, only curling into a tighter ball and letting a sob wrack through his small frame. 

"I-I really do Hakyeon, I'm sorry that I've been giving you mixed signals," Taekwoon tried again, sitting down next to Hakyeon. He gently patting Hakyeon between his ears, right where the omega liked it the most. "I'm sorry for doing this to you, I was just confused too."

This time, Hakyeon slowly relaxed his limbs to look up at Taekwoon, eyes pink and dried tears on his cheeks. "Really?" He asked, hating how weak and pathetic his voice sounded. 

"Really," Taekwoon smiled, bending down to give a light peck on Hakyeon's forehead. "I really do love you."

Age 21

Today was a big night for them. It was the night Taekwoon officially took over his father as the head alpha of the VIXX pack. Although the man hadn't been that old himself, he felt that the leadership and confidence Taekwoon exuded with Hakyeon by his side greatly surpassed his leadership ability and thus he decied to step down and let his son take the over reins. 

"Yah! Jung Taekwoon!" Hakyeon scolded, kicking the lump under the blankets. "Get the hell up! It's your big night today!" 

When Taekwoon showed no signs of getting up, Hakyeon huffed and shifted into his wolf, pouncing on Taekwoon. Although Hakyeon was small, his wolf wasn't. While it hadn't been as big as Taekwoon's, Hakyeon definitely weighed a lot more in wolf form. Hence, he hoped this added weight landing on Taekwoon would help wake the other. 

-

Taekwoon was awoken to air rushing out of his lungs and silky red fur tickling his nose. 

"Hakyeon? What are you doing?" Taekwoon mumbled, chuckling at the playful tint in the wolf's eyes. Hakyeon didn't reply, but proceeded to nudge Taekwoon off the bed until he was finally standing. 

"You weren't waking up," Hakyeon answered after shifting back. "The moon is out and it's a beautifull full moon. It's your big night Taekwoonie, you're going to become the head alpha of VIXX." 

"Oh. Right. It is..." Taekwoon replied, scratching behind his ear. "I'll just... Just wash up and get ready.

-

Half an hour later, Taekwoon and Hakyeon exited their tent to be greeted by the entire pack waiting for them in a circle with a path opening up to the centre where Taekwoon's father was waiting, smiling fondly at the both of them. 

"Dear VIXX, we're here today to witness the handover of power from the head alpha Jung Jinseok to his son, Jung Taekwoon." Taekwoon's mother announced just as Taekwoon took his spot next to his father and Hakyeon next to her. "Jinseok, please." 

At that, Taekwoon's father turned towards his son and asked, "Jung Taekwoon, will you lead this pack with pride, seeing over every little thing that it does? Will you always put this pack on the forefront on your mind, and wish for nothing but progress?" 

"I will," Taekwoon replied with conviction, turning to the rest of VIXX, "I will lead all of you well, I will not neglect my duties as head alpha no matter what might happen. I will be responsible and bring our pack to greater heights."

Once Taekwoon finished his short and concise speech, all the werewolves looked up in the sky to see the moon shininig brighter than ever. Instinctively, all of them shifted and howled at the moon, a sign to acknowledge their new leader. Hakyeon howled happily, making his way over to Taekwoon and nudging him with his muzzle as if to say "good job Taekwoonie, I'm proud of you." 

-

Over the years, Taekwoon had surely kept true to his word. The VIXX pack had extended far beyond its initial territory and any werewolf in that area would have surely heard about them. The pack itself had grown too, with the addition of mates and stray wolves that worked hard to prove their worth for the pack. 

Even after so many years, Taekwoon was still with Hakyeon, the latter being the one to soften the tone of Taekwoon's commands and take care of the pack like they were all his children. 

No matter what, it would always be Taekwoon and Hakyeon, Hakyeon and Taekwoon. 

A/N: Yay! My first aboverse fic! I hope the person I'm writing this for likes it! ^^ Tbh, I spent quite some time on this and kept rereading it because I wasn't very happy with what I wrote. But I hope it's still acceptable? Hahahha >< I haven't been writing for a really long time ): Aboverse is a genre (?) I really like though! Hehe x) And yes, I know the handover of power sounds so much like a wedding ceremony /slapped xD btw, Merry Christmas!!!!! x) (i realised i didn't mention anything abt Christmas ohno)