Sehun and Jongin walked quietly into the school, just enjoying each other's company. Well, with the addition of Jungwoo and Jisung. 

The first day of school went fairly normal, Sehun kept to himself, nervous and uncomfortable around strangers. A few kids talked to him and welcomed him to the town but the day was fairly uneventful besides whatever happened in the morning. On their way home, Jongin turned to Jungwoo and said, "You take Jisung home. I just want to show Sehun around the woods and the wolves' land." 

Jungwoo nodded before leaving with Jisung. Jongin decided not to shift and carry Sehun, although Sehun had said he loved the feeling of riding him. That's what she said. Jongin wanted them to go slowly and explore the woods and the walk back home from the school. Since they didn't get to earlier, being in a rush. 

As they walked along the pathway, getting closer to the woods and a more remote area, where houses were more sparse and there were less stores, Sehun turned to Jongin. "Hey, so are you taking me to some clearing in the woods where there's this magical and glowing lake that for some reason being so beautiful and fairly easy to access, no one else knows about it's existence and so you keep it as your safe space." 

Jongin just laughed, not a pretty laugh either. A full on ugly laugh, it resembled a hyena's laugh, Sehun vaguely thought, but he still found the sound endearing and hoped to hear more of it. 

"No, Sehun. We're not in some cliche tween romance novel. At least I don't think we are. It's just a regular forest, there's no hidden gems or surprises. Well aside from the fact that the stars look beautiful when you're there. But that's just because there's less light pollution and a lot of people go stargazing, there's even a campsite not far off from here." Jongin responded. 

Sehun just looked at him before walking a little bit closer to hs side, not really appreciating the distance between them, but maintaining some of it. "You know, this could be a cliche. Vampire. Werewolf, Arranged marriage, and to top it off, we're both from politically influential families with ruling positions. This whole thing seems like a cliche. The only way to make it more cliched is if I fall in love with your brother instead of you." Sehun laughed. 

Jongin groaned. "Oh god, I think I should keep you away from Taemin and Jungwoo, they are good looking guys. I've also been told many times that the two of them have such radiant and beautiful smiles. Something they share that I don't." 

At this Sehun looked curious. "I hope I'm not overstepping but I was curious. Why are you the next alpha in line and not Taemin, he is older." Sehun asked.

Jongin just continued walking while looking downwards. That didn't stop him from reaching an arm out and steadying Sehun when he tripped on a tree branch, fallen on the ground. 

"Well, you remember how we're half brothers, right?" Jongin questioned, when Sehun nodded, he continued. "Taemin and I share a mother, she was married to a regular packmate when they had Taemin. A year or so into the relationship, they realized it wouldn't work. Taemin was still only a newborn and they divorced. My mother remarried the alpha of the pack, my father, making me the next alpha in line, not Taemin. While his father also remarried, and him and his new wife had Jungwoo. Taemin may be my older brother, but I am the oldest child, and only child, for my father. "

They fell into a silence while they walked, able to see the house from here. 

Jongin sighed before continuing, "Sometimes it breaks my heart. To know that Taemin has divorced parents, both of which have new families that they spend more time with, kids that they pay more attention to, while he bounces back and forth between his parents. I feel guilty sometimes, knowing Jungwoo and I come from wholesome loving families and two parents who love each other while he doesn't. That's why we all decided to move in together, and why we are all brothers, despite Jungwoo and me not being related by blood, we're related by Taemin. Now when our parents come to visit, they can see all of us. Besides, our beta never had children so my father allowed me to choose who inherits the role of next beta when I become the alpha. I think he always knew that I would choose Taemin." Jongin ended with a small smile on his face. 

Sehun remained quiet for a bit, soaking in all the information. "When you think about it like that, I feel really bad for Taemin. My situation is not all that different though. My parents divored when I was small. Luhan and me share the same parents, but our mother remarried and had Jisung. Our father remarried as well, but he had no more children with his current wife. She's very kind but I miss my mother, she moved away with her husband years ago and well, we don't see each other often. We don't see Jisung often either, that's why I'm so glad that he came with me. I also hate the term half brother. What is that, half. It's like it's insinuating he's less than a full brother, and I get that it's because you only have one common parent but why npt just say that. It's like, 'here's my half brother, the other half is my sister.'" Sehun said sarcastically. 

Jongin snorted out at that. "Yeah, well I have the whole confident gay and panicked gay thing going on for my brothers. Ugh, a lot of times, people ask me about my brother and when I correct them and tell them brothers, they just look at me like I'm dumb or they look confused. 'Jungwoo is not actually your brother though.'" Jongin said in an annoying nasally tone. 

They walked deeped into the woods, finally stopping. "Hah, I'd punch those ignorant fools." Sehun said in response. 

"Well, here we have it, it's not magical lake where we bare ourselves to each other, literally and figuratively." Jongin said, spreading his arms wide as if to introduce the area to Sehun. 

Sehun snorted. "Yeah, you've already bared yourself to me physically." "Hey, I already told you, because of all the shifting, wolves kind of lose their sense of shame in being . Besides, have you seen my body, why would I want to cover that?" Jongin said, waggling his brows. 

"Ugh, yes I've seen it. You made sure of that." Sehun said, playfully pushing Jongin before unceremoniously plopping on the floor to sit. 

"This isn't my safe space." Jongin said out of the blue. 

"Huh?" Sehun said, looking confused. 

"Well, in those cliche books and movies, the clearing in the woods seem like the safe space. You know cause of the magical lake and all. My safe space isn't really a space. I find myself relaxed and at peace when I dance, it's also something my brothers and I do, especially me and Taemin." Jongin explained. 

Sehun sat up straighter with an excited look on his face. "Really?! Jisung and I love dancing, we had our own little troupe once upon a time. Luhan wasn't really interested, even though he's good." Sehun pouted, "But I find dance relaxing and freeing. It's a lifting feeling, usually helps me feel better whenever I'm in a ty mood." Sehun said. 

"So, want to dance with me?" Jongin asked, extending his hand towards Sehun. Sehun grabbed onto it without hesitation. It wasn't a perfect fit like all those books and movies described and there were no instant sparks, but Sehun found himself liking the feel of Jongin's hand in his, it was comforting. 

They went to a space, that had less trees and was better for movement before Jongin and Sehun decided on a dance off. 

"Oh, you thought that this would be a romantic slow dance?" Jongin teased. "Never, I'm more interesting than that." Jongin said before doing a perfect pirouette. Sehun's mouth was agape. 

"Um, what was that?" Sehun asked. "Ballet," Jongin said, "I told you, I'm more interesting than that." 

Sehun nodded his head in respect and approval. They wound up going back and forth in their dance off, with Sehun pulling a hip hop style with cleaner lines and Jongin dancing towards a more refined ballet style, with a sultry edge. 

Finally they lay in the grass, laughing and out of breath. "It would be great it we had some music to dance to. I'm in the woods with a werewolf, a song entitled 'Wolf' would be perfect right about not. It would start off with, chogiwa danbeone neukkyeo." Sehun laughed. 

"Um, first of all, Shakira- she wolf- second of all what does that even mean." Jongin asked, looking bewildered. Sehun sat up to gaze down at him. "Come on, you're Korean, don't your parents speak to you in Korean?" Sehun fired back at him. 

"Yeah, I understood the translation of the words, I just don't understand the context." Jongin said. "Well, when you transform, you get a feeling all over you, no?" Sehun asked. 

"Yes, but when I looked at your bounce while you danced, I also got a feeling all over me and that had nothing to do with me being a wolf and everything to do with me being attracted to your ." Jongin retorted. 

Sehun had the dignity to look horrified while he was secretly flattered. "God, you're such an idiot." Sehun said, while raising his hand and cupping his hands to look like wolf ears. 

Jongin just looked appalled, before he dropped his index fingers down in front of his mouth to resemble vampire canines. 

Sehun just pushed him, "You do realize wolves also have long canines and that you only managed to look like an idiot." He got up, pulling out his phone before turning it on and playing a song. It had a strong spanish vibe, which was accurate since it was Bailando by Enrique Iglesias. 

Jongin got up as well, ready for a  proper dance off, one with music to accompany it before Sehun pulled him towards himself, pressing their bodies together. He guided Jongin's hands to his waist before wrapping his arms around Jongin's neck and allowing their bodies to sway in time with the music. 

The evening air blew past them causing them to pull in a little bit closer and Sehun decided to hell with it. He leaned in and kissed Jongin, not a chaste kiss, but not a full blown dirty kiss either. They kissed for a while, abusing each other's lips since they kept nipping on each other's lips before Sehun felt Jongin's hands go venturing furthur south. Sehun pulled away with a yelp when he felt Jongin squeezing his . 

"Jongin, what?!" Sehun said breathlessly and a little lost. "Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I was just so curious and it was just right there. I finally got to feel and boy let me tell you. It's even more soft and squishy than I could have imagined. Like my own personal stress ball." Jongin said. 

Sehun just laughed in response to that. "A little warning next time, please."

Jongin's eyebrows rose, "Like how you warned me before kissing me? And you're insinuating I'm allowed to touch your as long as I warn you beforehand. I'm definitely holding you to that." Jongin said. 

Sehun pulled him closer, about to kiss him again, when Jongin lightly pushed him away to create a bit of space between them. "As much as I enjoyed everything about that. Aren't you scared we kissed too fast. I don't want this to be something that sparks and bursts to flames fast, but dies out quickly as well. I truly want to make this work between us and we don't know each other enough." Jongin said, looking extremely serious. 

Sehun just sighed. "Me too, which is why, we definitely don't go furthur than this. I think we need to get to know each other much more first, but I just got lost in the moment and I felt the need to kiss you. I don't think it would be harmful to kiss each other though, as long as that's all. Besides, maybe this is no flame, maybe this is like an iron. It's hot and it's a bit painful at first, but the mark it leaves is permanent and lasting. And I realize that was probably a horrible analogy because hot irons aren't exactly associated with romance, but there's nothing normal about our relationship so I think that includes romantic analogies. Maybe we won't burn out, maybe we'll remain branded and permanent." Sehun whispered. 

"Do you truly want this relationship?" Jongin asked. "Yes, I want to make this work for my parents and because, you made me want to. I just met you, but based on the aspects of your personality I've seen, I can see myself falling in love with you and leading a happy life. It's all new and we definitely need a lot more time to know each other but there's potential and frankly there's attraction, at least on my part." Sehun said honestly. 

"There's definitely attraction, but I say we take it slow." Jongin said. "I completely agree with that. But Jongin, how come you're so agreeing with the marriage and what about your mate?" Sehun asked. 

"Well, first of all. My dad told me about wanting to set me up with a clan leader's son. As barbaric as it sounds, better for breeding and forming political relations too, I was sixteen at the time so I never got into serious relationships. I had one when I was younger, but my dad broke the news to me after that had ended. I slept with a few people since then, not a lot, and I always made it clear that I wasn't interested in more since I knew this would eventually happen. I guess that's why I'm so open to it, I had three years to sit on it and just accept it. As for the mate part, the same way vampires aren't undead and they do have blood pumping in their veins is werewolves with mates. It's not real, well, it kind of is. The thing is, we don't just know who our soulmate is, we all live, love, and marry, like everyone else so there's no need to worry about a mate of mine suddenly coming into the picture. We do claim, mark and bond, with the one we choose though." Jongin explained thoughtfully. 

"I guess that's good news," Sehun said. "I was actually fretful about this whole arrangement at first, I decided to give it a try but I really didn't expect for things to go through."

"Alright, it's getting late, let's head back now. By they way, I was a little bit worried, is the bed comfortable or would you prefer a coffin?" Jongin asked with mock seriousness. Sehun shoved him hard before laughing at the way Jongin landed on his . 

"I can head back, you can stay here and sleep in the woods, you overgrown dog." Sehun said.

Jongin got up and lunged at Sehun, "Don't make me give you my fleas." 

Finally, they made it back home. Well, not quite, at least not yet. But one day, Sehun could truly call this place home.