From my eyes, you fall away
"Do I need to remember any names?" Yeonjun's soft voice filtered through the gentle hum of the car as they sped along the highway. Soobin looked over at him, at his lovely omega who was dressed to the nines in his formalwear, his hair styled neatly off his forehead and his jewellery glittering in the moonlight. He looked stunning, in a way that made Soobin feel a little lightheaded. His typical mint and cream scent was muted, but Soobin could still pick up on it through their mating bite.
"No, darling. I'll do the talking, you don't have to worry about that," he reassured, reaching a hand across the seat to rest on Yeonjun's thigh. The fabric of his custom tailored pants felt soft against his fingers, and he could feel the warmth of Yeonjun's skin permeating through. The elder gave a brief nod, before looking back out the window and twining his fingers through Soobin's. Soobin gave them a gentle squeeze, and tore his gaze away to look out the window, too. The skyline of Seoul was as beautiful as always, and traffic wasn't as heavy as Soobin had anticipated. He'd had his driver pick him up with enough time to spare, of course, to ensure that they wouldn't be late for the gala. It was the first time Soobin was bringing Yeonjun along as his plus one, and he was appropriately excited and cautious.
He'd been attending networking events as a representative for his law firm for several years, but Yeonjun had never joined him. At first, Soobin wasn't given a plus-one, his firm preferring he attend solo in order to do as much networking as possible land meet as many of their competitors as he could. But now that the firm was in a powerful position and Soobin had earned the title of senior associate, the events became more of a social hour that he could actually enjoy. And so, he was given permission to bring a plus one.
His colleagues knew he had a mate, a shy male omega who worked as a fashion designer but kept out of the spotlight. Soobin hadn't even shown them a photo of his boyfriend, not because he wanted to gatekeep him, but simply because Yeonjun didn't like being flaunted. He really was quite shy, at least outside of the bubble of his and Soobin's home, and Soobin never wanted to make him uncomfortable.
"We don't have to stay for long, hyung. Just say the word and we'll leave as soon as you want to," he reminded for the nth time. Yeonjun gave him a placating smile, pulling their hands closer to his chest and rubbing his cheek over Soobin's knuckles. "I know, and I will, I promise. But I'm looking forward to meeting your work friends," he replied gently. Soobin smiled, warmth fluttering through his chest. "Beomgyu-yah and his boyfriend will be there, in case I have to go speak with someone or something. I've told them to look after you if that happens," he explained.
Yeonjun's face burned a pretty pink and he looked down. "Yah, I'm not entirely helpless," he pouted. Soobin frowned, unbuckling and sliding across the seat, ignoring the pointed look his driver shot him. "You're not helpless at all, hyung. They're doing it more for me, so my alpha doesn't go crazy leaving you alone." Yeonjun lifted his head, and his scent sweetened a bit at the proximity of his mate next to him. He leaned into Soobin's neck, right against his mating mark, and inhaled deeply.
"I'll stay by your side, even if you have to talk to people. I can be professional arm candy for a night," he mumbled. Soobin snorted, holding his hand behind Yeonjun's nape. "The sweetest arm candy there ever was," he replied.
When they arrived at the hotel where the gala was taking place, Soobin got out first and held Yeonjun's door open for him. The elder slid out, standing up to his full height and looking dazzling in his three-piece tuxedo. His makeup was subtle but did wonders highlighting his sharp cheekbones and jawline, and Soobin felt his mouth go a little dry. He held out his elbow, and Yeonjun slid his hand through it. He pressed himself to Soobin's side, and the two made their way inside.
The hotel was magnificently decorated for the gala, decorations showcasing the wealth of the attendees and the hosting committee. Soobin hoped the food was as good as the decor. Before they exited the entrance vestibule, Soobin turned into Yeonjun and the omega automatically tilted his head to the side. Soobin brushed his nose and lips over Yeonjun's mating bite, scenting him enough that everyone will know who he belongs to. The elder went a bit pliant, and when Soobin pulled away he was stopped before he got too far, and Yeonjun pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
They smiled against each other before straightening and walking in together. Yeonjun stayed attached to Soobin's side, keeping his head up but his shoulders a bit hunched as the crowd started to grow around them. Soobin was focused on finding Beomgyu, his one close friend (the rest of his colleagues were friendly but he considered them acquaintances). Thankfully, most people were also just arriving and were more determined to get a drink than start mingling, so Soobin wasn't stopped as the spotted Beomgyu in the distance.
The younger omega was talking animatedly to his boyfriend Taehyun, an alpha who worked as a paralegal for the firm's medical malpractice department. As they approached, Soobin caught Taehyun's eye. "Soobin-hyung!" Taehyun called, interrupting Beomgyu, who spun around. The omega greeted Soobin and Yeonjun with a wide smile, and gasped when he saw Yeonjun.
"Yeonjun-hyung!" he shrieked, running up and tackling the elder in a hug. Yeonjun giggled, wrapping his arms around Beomgyu. "Your first legal shindig! You're going to absolutely hate it," Beomgyu sang. Soobin rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the fond look he shared with Taehyun at the two omegas' antics. It was nice that they had each other. When they separated, Yeonjun returned to Soobin's side and Beomgyu gave Soobin's shoulder a few pats. "You look better when he's with you, hyung," he remarked.
Taehyun gave him a playful slap. "Yah! Where are your manners?" he chastised. Beomgyu blushed, looking properly scolded by his younger boyfriend, but Yeonjun and Soobin only laughed. "No, he's right. Yeonjun-hyung is definitely the prettier one," he agreed. Yeonjun burned a deep red, and just tucked himself further into Soobin's side. Beomgyu and Taehyun offered to get everyone drinks, and when they departed that's when the swarm began.
First, it was Soobin's boss. And Yeonjun recognised his name and did his best to stand up tall as Soobin introduced them. "Sunbae, this is my mate, Yeonjun. Hyung, this is Namjoon-sunbaenim, principal at our firm." Yeonjun gave a deep bow to Namjoon, a handsome, kind-looking beta. They exchanged brief formalities before Namjoon bid them a good time and left to meet with other people.
As the introductions continued, Soobin noticed Yeonjun growing more and more tense. He was doing well, smiling at the right times and bowing and offering small bits of information about his career and interests. To the outsider, he was absolutely charming. He was sweeping Soobin's colleagues off their feet and Soobin couldn't be more proud. He loved any chance to show off Yeonjun, but his alpha was growing restless. Beomgyu and Taehyun had never returned with their drinks, likely caught up in their own conversations.
Eventually, there was a break and Soobin faced Yeonjun, running his hands up and down the elder's arms. "Are you alright?" he asked. Yeonjun took a deep breath, the glitter in his eyeshadow fracturing from the chandelier's light overhead. "It's a bit stuffy, I think I'll go to the restroom to touch up my makeup?" He asked it so softly, as if asking permission. Soobin nodded slowly, leaning in and pressing his lips to his forehead. "Do you want me to wait outside the door?" Yeonjun gave him a small smile, shaking his head. Soobin nodded, and then gave him brief directions.
He watched until the omega slipped into the bathroom, and then he was quickly pulled in by his sunbae to meet some affiliates from a competing firm. He put his professional game face on and did his best to woo them while still keeping an eye on the bathroom door.
However, as hard as he tried, he wasn't used to having Yeonjun with him at these events. He wasn't used to having to look for him, and he accidentally found himself caught up in deep conversation about legal this and legal that for much more time than he had realised. When the time became known to him, he felt himself pale as he remembered Yeonjun. His alpha, once attuned to the fact that its omega was not by his side, started growing worried.
Too much time had passed for something to not be wrong. Soobin politely excused himself, and wove through the crowd to the restrooms. His heart was starting to race and he was sure his scent was sour with distress. Thankfully, nobody appeared to notice. When he entered the restrooms, they were empty.
"Fuck," he whispered. He pulled out his phone, but he didn't see any messages from Yeonjun. Had he gotten lost? Maybe he was just with Beomgyu and Taehyun and had seen Soobin talking and hadn't wanted to interrupt. Those were all rational reasons, but Soobin wasn't thinking rationally. They were at a fancy event with a lot of gross corporate alphas and Yeonjun was not an omega you ignored once you saw him. Mating bite or not, Soobin had had to protect him enough times to know.
He should've waited, stayed until Yeonjun was finished and returned with him. He felt like an awful mate, an awful boyfriend. He left the restrooms and didn't care how he looked as he pushed through the crowd to try and find Yeonjun. He sniffed the air, but there were too many scents to distinguish his mate's. He figured that the elder would've escaped to a quieter part of the ballroom, maybe one of the balconies, so that's where Soobin headed.
The first two were void of Yeonjun, but the third one was the charm. As Soobin walked out into the chilly November air, he found his omega. And the sight of him nearly broke his heart. Yeonjun was pressed into the corner, standing but hunched over, arms wrapped tightly around himself. His head was down and his shoulders seemed to be shaking. Soobin went right up to him, calling his name, "Yeonjun-hyung."
The omega flinched, head snapping up and revealing shining cheeks, makeup smeared and lips turned downward. "Oh, darling." Soobin moved closer, and Yeonjun let him pull himself into a tight embrace. Soobin wrapped his arms around Yeonjun's slender, shaking form and as he tucked himself into him, he inhaled and noticed an unfamiliar scent. Almost immediately, a growl ripped through him and Yeonjun flinched again, bursting into tears and clutching onto Soobin as if afraid he'd let go.
"I'm s-sorry, I'm s-so sorry alpha, p-p-please don't be m-mad," he blubbered, and Soobin felt like he'd been shot, his veins turning to ice. He pulled Yeonjun out of his neck, which caused the omega's cries to intensify, and Soobin quickly shushed him, cupping his cheeks. "Shh, my darling, shh, I'm not mad. Alpha's not mad. I love you, I love you so much," he rushed, panicking in his attempt to calm Yeonjun down.
He wasn't sure if it was working and he desperately wanted to know what had put his omega in such a state, but he couldn't keep them out on the balcony. It was too cold, and Yeonjun was too distressed. "We're going home, my love, okay? Can you walk with me to the car?" he asked.
Yeonjun shakily nodded, hands still gripping Soobin's lapels, and Soobin looped an arm around Yeonjun's waist.
Thankfully, the balcony was right near the exit, so Soobin was able to get them both to the lobby without anyone noticing. He managed to call for his driver, and while they waited, Soobin did his best to relax Yeonjun. He held him close, tucking his head into his neck and emitting as many calming pheromones as possible. He whispered sweet nothings into Yeonjun's hair, and while it made his alpha feel better and Yeonjun's cries to dissipate, it didn't get rid of the tension and Soobin's veins still felt like ice water.
The car ride home helped a little, but Yeonjun didn't lift his face from Soobin's neck and his arms were still a vice around his torso. He'd stopped shivering though, so Soobin took whatever tiny victories he could. He managed to check Yeonjun's mating bite and saw that it was untouched, and the relief he felt was palpable, and he hoped Yeonjun could feel it too.
When they got home, Yeonjun unfolded himself from Soobin's chest and only gripped his arm, cheeks dry and eyes puffy. As soon as the door shut behind them, Soobin pulled them to the couch. They sat down, and Yeonjun kicked off his shoes, tucking his feet up underneath him.
Soobin did the same, and then tentatively touched Yeonjun's knee. "Darling," he prompted. "Please tell me what happened." Yeonjun took a deep breath, before looking up at him. Even with his smeared and smudged makeup, he was beautiful.
"There was an alpha in the bathrooms, and he tried flirting with me and when I said I was m-mated he got really ugly. He didn't touch me but he said a lot of horrible things. And I didn't have anything to say back to h-him, and it scared me." He was beginning to get a little worked up and Soobin lifted him into his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist and letting him rest against his chest.
The elder took a few more deep breaths, relaxing, and continued. "I left then but I couldn't find you and my omega...it thought you had left. Which I knew you hadn't but...anyway I couldn't find you and so I just kind of ended up on that balcony and got really overwhelmed and...I'm really s-sorry. I should've just texted you or looked for B-Beomgyu or—."
"Yeonjun," Soobin interrupted, lifting the elder's chin and forcing them to lock eyes. Yeonjun looked on the verge of tears again, and Soobin pressed their lips together in a chaste but passionate kiss. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I lost track of time and I should've paid more attention. I should've looked out for you and I didn't."
Suddenly, Yeonjun's hands were on his cheeks and he was shaking his head. "Soobin, no," he said, voice louder than before. "You don't get to take all of the blame here. I...I could've handled it better. It's not your fault what happened, and when you found me you did everything I needed you to do. So please don't beat yourself up, okay? I don't want that."
Soobin blinked, surprised at the outburst, but Yeonjun had a fire in his eyes and so Soobin only nodded. And the elder had a point. As much as Soobin felt guilty, it wasn't entirely his fault. It wasn't Yeonjun's fault either. It was just a shitty situation.
Yeonjun stroked his hands down Soobin cheeks, before bringing their faces close and brushing their noses together. "I love you, my sweet alpha. More than you'll ever know. You protect me so well."
Soobin swallowed, heart bursting with affection as he crowded Yeonjun closer to him. Chest to chest, hearts beating in sync. "All I'm meant to do is love you, hyung. And I'll do it until the day I die. And then forever after that."
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