When Kim Jongdae is four years old, he meets his best friends: Byun Baekhyun, Park Chanyeol and Do Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun are loud and playful as they dig tunnels and build towers in the sandbox. Baekhyun squeals with delight when Chanyeol accidentally knocks down their castle while trying to catch an ant crawling along the wooden edge of the box. He lands face first in the sand, and when he surfaces, he sneezes as the grains stick to his nose and cheeks. Kyungsoo laughs and shakes his head fondly, flicking Chanyeol on the ear before gently brushing the sand from his black hair. Chanyeol’s smile in return is bright and carefree.

Jongdae wants to play with them. He wants friends like that, too!

With all the determination a four year old can muster, Jongdae leaves his perch on the jungle gym and marches over to the trio. Chanyeol and Baekhyun glance up from their places in the sand with friendly grins. Kyungsoo stands beside them, just outside the sand, and crosses his arms over his chest when Jongdae gets close. Jongdae timidly smiles and holds out his hand the way he’s seen his dad do when meeting new people.

“Hi! My name’s Kim Jongdae!” he says a tad too loudly, too overexcited. Kyungsoo looks at his outstretched hand and wrinkles his nose. Jongdae quickly pulls his hand back in and bows nervously, nearly falling over in his haste. His mom would scold him if she knew he forgot how to greet people already. Jeez. He’s so embarrassed.

When he rights himself, Kyungsoo squints at him suspiciously before returning the bow with a quick nod of his head. His dark hair falls in his wide eyes, and Jongdae can’t help but think it’s cute. He doesn’t think Kyungsoo would like to hear that very much, though, so he keeps it to himself.

“What do you want?”

Jongdae blushes, but he manages to respond without stuttering. “Can I play with you guys?” Kyungsoo’s eyes narrow and he shifts so he’s blocking Baekhyun and Chanyeol from Jongdae’s line of sight. “Wait! I’m nice! I promise I’m not mean at all!”

Kyungsoo is openly glaring now, the edges of his dark brown eyes are beginning to bleed alpha red. Jongdae instantly drops his gaze and holds perfectly still. His own eyes are undoubtedly touched with a dusting of gold, the early sign of a beta.

“Lighten up, Soo!” Baekhyun shouts with a cheeky smile. He shoves Kyungsoo from behind and sends the small alpha stumbling off balance. “Of course you can play with us!” He jumps to his feet and reaches out to pull Jongdae into the sandbox by his the sleeve of his yellow Digimon shirt.

Chanyeol’s eyes also flash a bright shade of alpha red as he leaps in and stops them with a gentle hand on his wrist. “Slow down, Baek. Be careful.” Baekhyun pouts, but relents when Chanyeol pats his messy brown hair. He nearly purrs when Chanyeol scratches behind his left ear. His face scrunches up with joy, and through his crescent eyed smile, Jongdae can see brilliant purple irises.

“Oh!,” Jongdae exclaims in sudden understanding. Baekhyun is an omega! No wonder Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are so cautious about who can play with them. Although, Jongdae still doesn’t really understand why everyone is born differently (his dad says he’ll understand when he’s older, but adults always say annoying stuff like that)--he does clearly remember the time at his cousin’s birthday party when his uncle beat up a stranger for getting too close to his aunt. His mom said that alphas are very protective of omegas. It is instinct, not something they can control.

He thinks for a second and then reaches into his back pocket and pulls out the bag of gummy bears he was saving for after naptime. Hesitantly, because he doesn’t want to make Kyungsoo or Chanyeol mad, he holds out the small bag for Baekhyun.

Grinning, Baekhyun happily accepts the gift. “Thank you!” He tackles Jongdae to the sand with a hug, and Jongdae is so happy to have made a new friend that he forgets to be worried about the two alphas. When he remembers, he carefully peeks over Baekhyun’s tiny shoulder.

“He doesn’t seem so bad. Let’s give him a try, okay?” Chanyeol asks Kyungsoo. He looks serious for once, no hint of his playful smile or the mischievous glint in his eye. Kyungsoo frowns. Chanyeol leans closer and throws and arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders, pulling him near. “Come on, Soo. Baek seems to like him.”

Jongdae is so nervous that his heart feels like it’s going to run right out of his chest. Baekhyun hugs him tight as if to reassure him. When the alphas look over, Baekhyun sends them his brightest, most cheerful smile.

“I want to keep him.”

Kyungsoo sighs heavily, but he doesn’t protest any further. He nods unenthusiastically and then resolutely retakes his post at the edge of the sandbox, keeping any potential newcomers away. Chanyeol laughs and jumps back in, kicking sand into the air in the process. He smiles kindly as he hands Jongdae the smaller shovel to help with castle construction. Just like that, Jongdae is accepted in their little group, and it’s all because Baekhyun wants it that way.

At the end of the day, it’s really that simple:

Alphas instinctively want to protect and please omegas.

*****

By their sophomore year of college, things have changed between the four of them quite a bit.

For starters, Baekhyun has an alpha boyfriend that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo have a hard time accepting.

“Quit growling, or I’m going to stab you with this plastic fork, Chanyeol, I swear to God,” Baekhyun hisses moodily. The plastic fork doesn’t look all that threatening under the dim cafeteria lights, but Baekhyun has a murderous fire in his eyes that always means bad things.

“Tell him to keep his filthy hands off you, and then I’ll stop.”

Jongdae carefully slides his chair back from the table just in case things escalate.

Baekhyun readjusts the fork in his hand. “Chanyeol.”

Kyungsoo intervenes before there’s any bloodshed. He calmly places his hand on the back of Chanyeol’s neck and gently squeezes. They’re both alphas, but Kyungsoo has always been the one in charge of their little group. Chanyeol’s shoulders immediately slump. He finally stops glaring at Baekhyun’s boyfriend and drops his gaze to his untouched plate. “Sorry,” he mumbles, not sounding all that apologetic.

“It’s fine, Yeol,” Kyungsoo answers for everyone. He smiles softly and rubs his thumb up Chanyeol’s neck once before turning his focus back to Baekhyun. He pointedly doesn’t look at Baekhyun’s boyfriend when he speaks, and it’s probably the only reason he’s not reacting the same way as Chanyeol.

“It’s difficult for us to let another alpha get close, Baekhyun. We don’t have anything against Zitao personally,” his eyes briefly flicker crimson at the blond haired alpha half-draped across Baekhyun’s lap, “but-”

“His scent is all over you, and it’s messing with their instincts,” Junmyeon explains as he pulls out the empty chair beside Jongdae and sits. His knee bumps Jongdae’s under the table and stays there as he settles in to eat. Jongdae doesn’t pull away, though he does notice the three omegas giggling in the corner across the room, making heart eyes at Junmyeon. He doesn’t blame them. Across from the table, Baekhyun pouts. “Hey, don’t worry. It won’t last forever. Once you’re mated, it should make their protective instincts cool off. After all, you’ll have an alpha to provide for you, and they’ll be free to find an omega of their own to mate.”

He says it so matter-of-factly as he unwraps his chicken sandwich, completely oblivious to the shocked faces and uncomfortable tension around the table. This is something they’ve all known was coming eventually, but they never talked about it. Some things are easier left unsaid.

The tense silence is only broken by Soojung a minute later. “Wow! Who died over here?” She drops an assortment of letters in front of Junmyeon – love confessions that omegas ask her to deliver to him. It happens a lot.

“Nobody yet,” Chanyeol mutters darkly. Baekhyun rolls his eyes exaggeratedly and stands, throwing his fork at Chanyeol’s forehead. The alpha easily catches it in mid-air without even looking up from his food.

“Come on, Tao. We’ll have to try this again when they’re not being stupid.”

Zitao follows after the omega willingly. He flinches when Kyungsoo sends him a parting grin with a dangerous edge of sharp teeth. It’s not a friendly look. As soon as Baekhyun’s familiar omega scent is no longer in range, Chanyeol slumps in his seat, leaning against Kyungsoo’s shoulder with a pout.

“That was super awkward,” Soojung proclaims as soon as she steals Baekhyun’s empty seat. “Even more awkward than when Yoona tried to get your pants off in the back of the lecture hall that one time,” she says, nodding toward Junmyeon who instantly turns crimson and ducks his head shyly. It’s not uncommon to hear about omegas that have tried to get into Junmyeon’s jeans. He always gently turns them down to Jongdae’s befuddlement. Soojung pokes Chanyeol in the cheek with a sharp fingernail. “Stop being so pissy, and get out there. Meet some new people. There are plenty of omegas in the woods as they say. You’re both reasonably attractive if one can look past the satellite ears and murder stare.”

Kyungsoo is not amused, growling lowly until Soojung dips her head in submission.

“It’s was bound to happen someday,” Junmyeon chimes in as if he has any experience in the matter. He doesn’t. Jongdae has been trying to set Junmyeon up with omegas since they met in Jongdae’s freshman year of college. Junmyeon had been the overly friendly RA that had showed him around back then. Now he’s much more than that.

Kim Junmyeon is an alpha in his senior year of college. He’s young, rich, unreasonably handsome and sweet. He wears grandpa sweaters most of the year and socks with his sandals during the summer. The most terrible, unfunny jokes come out of Junmyeon’s mouth 93% of the time, but it’s more endearing than annoying. Junmyeon tries so hard to make people like him, but he doesn’t need to do anything in Jongdae’s opinion. Junmyeon’s a total catch, and any omega would be lucky to get a chance with him.

And that’s without factoring all the hotness that Junmyeon hides underneath those awful sweaters and his perfect grades, impeccable manners and unwavering loyalty.

Not that Jongdae’s biased or anything.

He catches himself watching the way Junmyeon is carefully eating his lunch with delicate, precisely cut bites. It’s adorable. Junmyeon sees him looking and smiles gently. Blushing, he tears his eyes away and takes an overly large bite of his own sandwich.

There’s no point in getting his hopes up. It’s not unheard of for alphas or omegas to mate with betas, but it’s very, very rare. Like most alphas, Junmyeon will end up mated to an omega. Jongdae is going to be a good friend and do his best to make that happen despite his own feelings.

Seizing his chance before Chanyeol and Kyungsoo can start bemoaning their fate again, he springs up as if struck by sudden inspiration. “Soojung! Where are your new friends? You know, those pretty omegas that joined your dance class?”

“Seungwan and Jongin?” she asks through a mouthful of shrimp chips.

“Yeah! Invite them to movie night tomorrow, okay? We’ll need some new faces to keep these two from murdering Baek’s new alpha.”

“Hey!” Chanyeol protests at the same time Kyungsoo says, “Don’t give me any ideas, Jongdae.”

Jongdae ignores them both as he’s learned to do like second nature throughout the years. He turns toward Junmyeon with a small quirk to his kitten lips. “You’ll come too, right?”

“God! Could you please save it for the bedroom, Dae?” Chanyeol groans, fake gagging over his plate. Jongdae feels his skin heat uncomfortably, but he fights to keep the blush back. He continues talking, pretending Chanyeol doesn’t exist.

“Soojung’s friends are really pretty. You should meet them.”

Junmyeon glances away, shoulders falling slightly. “Sure, Jongdae. I’ll be there.”

His voice is a little distant, his thigh not pressed quite as close. It’s strange because Junmyeon is usually enthusiastic about everything. Movie night is one of Junmyeon’s favorite group bonding activities – it was the only thing he ever used his alpha-ness to enforce back when Kyungsoo had tried to get out of it in order to keep Baekhyun away from an unknown alpha.

(It was also the only time Jongdae had ever seen anyone make Kyungsoo submit. He still gets a bit starry eyed when he thinks about it, at night, alone in his bed. Seeing Junmyeon like that was ridiculously hot.)

“You can pick the movie,” he offers in an effort to make Junmyeon smile again. It works. He’s not even all that upset when Junmyeon answers with, “Star Wars,” despite the fact that they’ve been forced to watch it fourteen times.

It is worth it to see the alpha’s pleased grin directed his way, lighting up the room like sunshine.

*****

“This is not how I expected things to go,” Jongdae mutters to himself. On the couch, Baekhyun and Zitao are holding hands. It’s sort of daring considering how close to tearing Zitao apart their friends had been the day before. Baekhyun looks content though, practically glowing as he mocks the way his boyfriend talks. They already bicker like an old married couple, but they’re obviously happy together. Zitao swats him on the head when he imitates his laugh, and Baekhyun explodes with pretend outrage, cuddling close and barely suppressing his chuckles in Zitao’s strong shoulder.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are over it, it seems. They’d grumbled and growled, flashing their red eyes and sharp teeth on and off for the first two hours at Zitao’s possessive arm thrown over Baekhyun’s tiny shoulders. For a little while, he’d honestly been worried they were going to rip him apart for daring to touch their friend. Everything only cooled off when Soojung arrived with her new omega friends.

Baekhyun had ordered them away, turning up his nose and giving them the cold shoulder until they could behave properly. Irritated, Kyungsoo had dragged Chanyeol over to the hesitant omega in the doorway. Jongin was timid and quiet, tall and handsome with his hands shoved in his pockets and his oversized hoody pulled low. It wasn’t long before Chanyeol’s loud jokes and touchy hands got Jongin to crack a smile, an equally brash laugh following soon after. Kyungsoo’s heart shaped lips curled in one corner, pleased as he got a calculating look in his eyes. Jongdae wasn’t a betting man by nature, but he would be willing to guess what the alpha was thinking. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had platonically shared an omega for years. It wasn’t a big stretch to imagine them sharing one romantically.

Jongdae felt a nervous flip in his stomach when Junmyeon had introduced himself to Seungwan. She’d giggled behind her hand with bright eyes and her shiny long brown hair flowing down her back. Her pretty blue sundress showed off her slim figure and nice legs. Together, she and Junmyeon made a very cute picture.

Jongdae did feel a little bad for the immense relief that flooded his body when she’d said her boyfriend, Yixing, was sorry he couldn’t make it to the movie night.

“I think it’s going well. What were you hoping for?” Junmyeon asks, surprising him with his sudden appearance. In the living room the television is still playing The Phantom Menace. Junmyeon looks unfairly attractive today in a white button down shirt, neatly pressed jeans and with his dark hair soft and natural, falling over his forehead. Jongdae has always wanted to run his fingers through that hair to see if it is as silky as it looks. “Bloodshed and carnage?” he continues when Jongdae doesn’t answer.

Snapping out of his blatant ogling, Jongdae laughs and scratches the side of his neck. “Ah, no. I’m glad they’re getting along better. It’s a good thing Soojung brought her friends along. They seem to really like the new omega. Sorry about that, by the way,” he shrugs sheepishly.

Junmyeon frowns. “What do you mean?”

“There are only three omegas here, and they’re all pretty much spoken for. That can’t be any fun for you,” he explains like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Because, honestly, it should be. Alphas want omegas. Jongdae’s known that since he was four years old.

“Listen Jongdae, I don’t know why you keep trying to set me up with omegas. Does it really bother you that I’m single? Am I making you uncomfortable in some way?” Junmyeon’s brows are scrunched together, puckered with worry. “If you’re uninterested, all you have to do is tell me. I would never force you-”

Jongdae’s jaw drops in shock. He waves his hands wildly, cutting the alpha off with a disbelieving squawk. “Uninterested?! What are you – why – I don’t understand!!” He feels dizzy and squeamish with the sudden rush of adrenaline drumming through his veins. “You’re an unmated alpha! I’ve been trying to ignore the raging crush I have on you and be a good friend by setting you up with omegas for the last two years!”

He’s breathless and he can feel his pulse in his ears while Junmyeon watches him. The alpha’s face clears like clouds parting for the sun, a soft smile pulling at his lips. He steps close, stopping Jongdae’s mindless flailing by gently grabbing his wrists in the circle of his soft hands. He’s so close that Jongdae can smell his cologne and the subtle alpha scent clinging to his skin, can feel the heat radiating off his body.

“Jongdae, I’ve liked you since that time you caught me when I tripped down the stairs the third week of your freshman year. I’ve tried flirting with you, dropping hints, but I must be really, really bad at it.” His eyes are so warm as he gazes at Jongdae, reverent and deep. “Every time I finally worked up the courage to confess to you, you’d mention another omega you wanted me to meet, so I was starting to lose hope – but then sometimes you look at me like you are right now, and I just don’t know what to think.”

Jongdae doesn’t know what to think either. Is he dreaming? Is he drunk? Well, all he had to drink was chocolate milk, so he’s probably not drunk.

“Is this real?” he whispers to himself in disbelief.

“Yes, it’s real,” Junmyeon answers with an impossibly fond smile, leaning close to press the words against Jongdae’s lips. “I like you, Jongdae, and I have for a long time.” His cheeks are red and his eyes are shiny. “Can I court you?”

Junmyeon is asking him something very serious. A courtship is more committed than dating. A courtship means that there is the intention to one day complete the pair-bond. To one day become mated. Junmyeon is making his intentions very clear, and it’s more than Jongdae has ever dared to dream of.

He replies in the only way he can with happiness tying his tongue and stealing his words. His lips parts beneath Junmyeon’s, sealing their mouths together in a tender kiss that leaves no question as to how much he wants everything that Junmyeon is offering.

Their relationship might be a little unconventional, but Jongdae has always been a unique person. No matter what, he plans to make this work because Junmyeon’s arms feel like home and safety and comfort wrapped around him.