Seeing him panting like that, it seemed he wasn’t entirely immune to an alpha’s pheromones — he just had no prior experience with a dominant alpha’s.
A dominant alpha’s pheromones were qualitatively different from a recessive alpha’s. Even an omega who was generally dull to pheromones would not be free from a dominant alpha’s.
“……”
Having confirmed Seohan’s reaction, Cesare reeled back in the faint trace of pheromones he’d released. He hadn’t let out much at all — and yet seeing this level of response, it seemed Seohan’s pheromone compatibility with him was quite high.
“Hah — hah……”
Once he stopped pushing, Cesare patted his back in a soothing rhythm, and the one who had been gasping gradually settled into an even breath.
In the meantime, a glimpse of tongue just barely visible inside his open mouth caught Cesare’s attention. Between lips that wouldn’t quite close, as if he’d been about to say something, something red and wet showed through. On impulse, Cesare reached out and lightly tilted Seohan’s chin up.
“Mmh? Why — are you doing that?”
The slurred, muddled pronunciation was unbearably sweet. Cesare licked his lower lip and clicked his tongue.
Then he looked down at his own hand and let out a low, involuntary laugh. If Yi Seohan hadn’t called out to him, he would have done something strange. Snapping back to his senses, Cesare pulled his hand away. Was he losing his mind.
“You……”
Cesare’s face twisted into something sharp as he looked down at Seohan with narrowed eyes.
Had this guy done something to him? Short of getting shot, there was no way this should be happening. Was this thing even human? Some mutant infected by the virus — or some unidentified creature that had evolved to lure others in order to survive.
But he knew better than anyone that such a thing was impossible — he, who held the political threads of the Federation in one hand.
Even calling Yi Seohan here today, he’d been half-skeptical. He’d wondered whether he could even get hard for an omega with pheromones this weak. But his morning doubts had been put to shame — his body was reacting in an entirely unexpected way.
“Tch.”
Cesare clicked his tongue sharply and withdrew his hand from Seohan. If he kept touching him, he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. Even an omega like that could apparently bewitch an alpha.
“Move.”
“Oh……”
Cesare pushed Seohan aside and sat up.
Seohan hunched his shoulders and looked up at him — eyes asking whether he’d done something wrong. Cesare, already moving, faltered. He couldn’t not answer. For some reason he couldn’t figure out, that guy always insisted on making his already-small frame look even more pitiful.
“Just rest. I’m going to the bathroom.”
He delivered the flat answer and headed for the bathroom. After closing the door, he let the sound of running water cover a long, heavy exhale.
He hadn’t imagined it. That he’d end up having to take care of himself alone over some pathetic recessive omega like that.
Cesare came back out of the bathroom thirty minutes later. Even after showering, exhaustion sat heavy on his face.
“You — you’re out?”
Perhaps embarrassed by what had happened between them, Seohan had buried himself under the blanket and was tracking Cesare’s movements with only his eyes peeking out above the edge.
“A-are you really okay though? Even if we don’t do it……”
Seohan asked that while stealing glances at Cesare. The guy was broadcasting every bit of his nerves with his whole body, and yet had the nerve to say something like that.
“The contract isn’t even signed yet, so it doesn’t matter. I have time before the rut too.”
His last rut, too, had ended up being handled with suppressants — he’d simply been unable to find a suitable omega at the time. If not for the side effects from having held it in for so long, the medication was convenient enough. Besides, Seohan’s pheromones were likely too weak to carry him through a full rut anyway.
“……Hey.”
Seohan had emerged from the blanket at some point and pressed himself to Cesare’s back. The hands patting his back were gentle and careful — like a small child giving someone a reassuring tap.
“Should I take care of it for you?”
Seohan’s gaze, wearing an expression of complete innocence while making such a brazen offer, was directed at Cesare’s lower half. The want that one round hadn’t been enough to resolve was plainly visible even through his robe.
Cesare let out a short laugh. What did this guy think he was going to do — he didn’t even know how to use lube. Cesare himself wasn’t particularly experienced either, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the fearless idiot standing in front of him.
“Bold of you. You even know how?”
“W-with my hands, I do.”
So for all his inexperience, he’d at least done that himself. It was absurd, and yet the offer was tempting. He could already picture it — this guy wrapping his hands around someone else’s and still being the one gasping and overwhelmed. Based on what he’d seen earlier, that face would be worth seeing.
“You’re not putting yours out but you want to mess with mine?”
“That’s not what I meant……”
“Next time.”
But Cesare knew it instinctively. This wasn’t heat that would end at something as small as that. Getting the fire going for no reason would only be trouble.
He had no desire to just throw down someone who had no idea what they were doing and use them to take the edge off. That wasn’t the kind of thing he attached meaning to, and Yi Seohan himself didn’t seem to care either — but either way, he didn’t feel like it.
“Forget it. Come sit.”
Cesare sat down on the chair and pulled Seohan’s body onto his lap. The sudden closeness seemed to startle him into not knowing what to do with his arms, so Cesare guided them around his own neck.
Earlier he’d spent considerable effort coaxing pheromones out by running his hands across Seohan’s body, getting them onto himself — only for it all to wash away in the shower. Irritated for no real reason, he bit down lightly on Seohan’s nape, chewing at it in small, slow pulses. The pheromone concentration rose just a little. Seohan squirmed and twisted.
“Ow — that hurts.”
“Bear it.”
Cesare replied flatly. He was the one holding himself back with everything he had — and this guy was trying to pull away over something this minor. It was infuriating.
“……Then, is it okay if I sit a little further away?”
“Are you kidding? Your pheromones are already weak as it is — what do you think you’re saying?”
Cesare’s eyes sharpened immediately. He was already going half-mad from how little there was to work with, and this guy was asking to sit farther away. What kind of shameless, thoroughly graceless creature was this.
“I — I’m sorry.”
Noticing the coldness flashing in his eyes, Seohan quickly threw his arms around Cesare’s neck and pulled him close. The body that came tucking itself in fit so perfectly and so welcomingly that he forgot entirely that he’d been about to get angry.
Instead of losing his temper, Cesare chose to hold him for a long time. Of all the choices he’d made recently, it was the most worthwhile.
Seohan fell asleep right there in Cesare’s arms. Cesare laid him down on the bed and changed his clothes. Outside the window, the sun had gone down while they weren’t looking, and darkness was rolling in. Even as evening came, the downpour showed no signs of letting up.
“……”
Cesare poked Seohan’s cheek — the one purring softly in his sleep. It was irritating, watching him sleep so peacefully when all he’d done was offer up his backside for a bit.
As if sensing Cesare’s mood, the neatly closed eyes twitched — and then those clear, bright eyes came into view. The face, still thoroughly soaked in sleep, looked even blanker than usual.
“I’m starting to think I’m the one who should be getting paid.”
“Oh…… I must have fallen asleep.”
Freshly woken, Seohan blinked around in a haze. The moment he spotted Cesare standing by the darkened window in his regular clothes, he scrambled to smooth his hair down and pull himself together.
“Now that you’re up, come down. We need to draw up the contract.”
“You — you want to sign a contract with me?”
Seohan asked back, eyes gone enormous.
He’d already given up, having figured without needing to be told that he’d been rejected. Having fallen dead asleep instead of settling Cesare’s pheromones, he’d thought the chances were even slimmer.
But a contract. He couldn’t believe it. Throughout the entire interview today, it had seemed like Cesare couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“Don’t want it? Going to run off?”
“No! I want it. I’m happy to.”
He was so wide awake it was as if sleep had never touched him. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t scared about what would follow the signing — but for now, the thought of escaping unemployment had a smile spreading across his face on its own. Not even noticing that his robe had come loose at the front, Seohan plopped himself down across from Cesare.
Cesare’s gaze went to the straight line of his collarbones and the pale skin that stretched beneath them. He frowned, then grabbed Seohan’s clothes and shoved them into his arms.
“If you want to sign the contract, come back when you’re properly dressed.”
“Yes……! I’ll change and be right back!”
The bright, clear voice answering him was crisp and sharp. Cesare watched the light, quick footsteps of Seohan heading into the bathroom with his clothes. How could someone be this emotionally transparent. He’d mainly been hearing a fumbling, trailing voice up until now — seeing it go this clear and bright, he must be thrilled beyond words.
“I — I’m done changing.”
Afraid Cesare might change his mind, Seohan had changed at top speed and came hurrying back out to sit in the chair.
On the table sat a warm cup of cocoa, the contract, and a fountain pen. At the appearance of the cocoa — which hadn’t been there before — Seohan looked up with faintly flushed cheeks. The sweet scent made his throat move with an involuntary swallow.
“Is it okay if I drink this?”
“You think I’d drink something like this?”
Cesare replied with a sardonic edge, but Seohan pulled his lips up into a smile. Someone must have fetched it on his behalf — but it felt like being taken care of, and that made him happy.
“Read through it all and sign. Pay is 600 Krang a week.”
“Cough — 600 Krang?!”
Seohan choked mid-sip of his cocoa.
He’d thought 500 Krang was already generous — and now 600?
He checked the contract just to be sure, and 600 Krang was indeed written there as his compensation.
