Archive of Our Own

He took comfort in the familiar alpha smell coming from the dirty sheets to feel protected in the absence of his Sahyung. He kneaded the fabrics under his small hands until the bundles were comfortable enough to snuggle into, taking care to include several pillows inside to fill the empty spaces in the frame; it was a fluffy little work of art worthy of the future strongest Omega in the world.

The Elders melted when they saw the little one pouting inside, the wide plum eyes pleading for the company of a certain someone. The Sect Leader called Chung Mun as soon as he found out about the incident, relieving him of his duties for a couple of days so that he could take a break that was definitely not influenced by the puppy he saw growing up with his own eyes.

Like the nests he'd built a lifetime ago, this one wasn't made on the urge to prepare before his rut. Rather, it was the habit of an experienced Omega that led his instincts to act on his deepest feelings, forcing his body to react accordingly. This nest was the result of that.

Of course, the quality couldn't even compare. Chung Myung now possessed enough capital to afford the best silks he could wish for, with the enthusiastic Merchant Guild to satisfy his consumer needs. There were cool fabrics for summer, heavy furs for winter; still, something was missing...

While his body rested in a deep sleep, a part of his mind continued to be plagued with unease.

The first to notice his absence were the third class disciples, living in the same pavilion but not seeing the youngest disciple go out with the usual mess. Jo Gul looked around him suspiciously, expecting Chung Myung to materialize at any moment or for him to come kicking in the front door while he complained about some new task imposed by his elders.

Finally, to Yoon Jong's uneasiness, they had to admit that something had happened when they didn't find him at the usual time in front of the training ground. The second class disciples were joining them in the wide courtyard when he decided to drop the usual orders for warming up before asking him to check Chung Myung's room.

Even when Jo Gul resented the flagrant abuse of authority to delegate the undesirable tasks to him, he complied with a grimace. He just hoped that Chung Myung hadn't gotten into trouble again and they're the ones who have to cover for him...

Nervous, he stopped in front of Chung Myung's room, from which he perceived the faint sound of the other's constant breathing thanks to his senses sharpened with practice. He shifted his weight to his feet before deciding to gently touch the door frame, waiting for an answer.

"Chung Myung...?"

He was silent for a minute before knocking again, this time with more force. The scent around him was light, so he couldn't have started heat, right? Armed with courage, Jo Gul slid the door open with the excruciating scraping sound that echoed through the stillness of the Pavilion.

One eye slowly opened, glowing in the dark as only predators can.

"Oh, Sahyung? Very good... Come here."

Jo Gul's smile was calm, thinking that the danger had passed. After all, Chung Myung seemed to be in a good physical and mental state, maybe he was just being lazy? He laughed at the thought, look who's scolding them about not slacking off!

A hand shot up from the ground to catch his arm in the grip of a viper. Jo Gul was dragged down unable to fight back.

A breath later, the door closed again, emptying the room of any source of light.

The sun slowly climbed over the horizon as the disciples waited for word from Jo Gul.

"He couldn't have escaped, could he?"

Jo Gul was not that kind of person. Since he had left without complaining, he was more likely to obey his Sahyung's orders or grumble directly to him. Since he hadn't come back after all, it would have to mean that…

"It seems that he found problems", Yoon Jong concluded with the composure of a military strategist determining the position of his enemies.

“So, that bastard is in his room”. Baek Cheon muttered, narrowing his eyes in the direction of the Pavilion. Then he fixed his gaze on Yoon Jong. "I think you should go and help your Sajae, I'll stay to supervise the joint training."

Having the power to give orders was wonderful. Yoon Jong experienced the betrayal that Jo Gul faced before he disappeared. With all the composure of a man resigned to his death, he marched sadly towards Chung Myung's room.

Yoon Jong didn't knock on the door. He put his ear to the wall to listen carefully for any escaping sounds: two steady breaths, one quieter than the other, and the rustle of cloth. Carefully, he cracked the door open, peering inside.

“Sahyung, you're on time,” Chung Myung murmured from inside, his hair loose and his underrobe illuminated by the narrow line of light that peeked through the door. "Come closer."

Yoon Jong's instincts warned him to stay away, but the undercurrent in Chung Myung's tone told him it was an order. Yoon Jong's legs moved on their own, entering and even closing the door when Chung Myung asked him to as an afterthought.

He was strange as the only Omega of the group, he was also the one who possessed the characteristic ability of alphas to command others with his voice, even more powerful than any he had ever heard of. He also didn't need much effort to use it, he could even slip into command mode inadvertently while others would have to practice and put a lot of effort into it.

Yoon Jong was dragged into the vast nest that the floor had become, stacked with a number of furs and blankets on the floor, plus multiple pillows lining the walls. Absently, he thought he smelled the fragrance of plum blossoms enveloping him before being forced next to Jo Gul, who was dozing lightly.

Baek Cheon couldn't bear to order Yu Iseol to go check on the situation after seeing the narrowed eyes judging him. Steeling himself, he led Baek Sang forward to keep an eye on the exhausted disciples who ran towards the first peak Baek Cheon could spot in the distance.

He took his practice sword with him as he headed off to find the troublesome Sajil from him, touching the hilt to get some sense of reassurance. The silence around him was the one that could be found in a forest where a divine beast reigned, imposing fear on all living beings that were found living in the vicinity.

"Chung Myung-ah, is everything alright?" asked the 'bravest disciple', taking each step with his guard up as he watched his back.

Nobody answered.

Baek Cheon swallowed, stopping in front of his target, stopping his hand when he knocked on the door. Why had he come all the way here? There was no one forcing him, he too could have taken the hint and ignored the whole thing. However, now that he had reached this point, could he just turn around and come back empty-handed?

Steeling himself, Baek Cheon reminded that he should act as the eldest, the leader of the second-class disciples, the foundation that supported the young disciples, the guiding hand, the trustworthy—

The door was suddenly opened.

Baek Cheon was dragged inside with only a gasp as his last desperate cry for help.

No one heard his wailing.

Yu Iseol slipped into the room without anyone noticing, walked out, and re-entered with his hands full. She brought with her trays stacked with enough saucers for all the kidnapped disciples, and a generous portion for the time it takes them to return.

Furthermore, she advised Baek Sang -even if he didn't quite understand the reason- about personally bringing breakfast tomorrow for everyone.

A pair of bright eyes stared at her from inside the nest, where three men lay asleep after calming down and letting themselves be enveloped by the scent of plum blossoms. Yu Iseol approached Chung Myung, who greeted her with a grateful smile as he accepted one of the food trays.

“Sago, come here,” Chung Myung conceded magnanimously, pointing to the space designed for one more person to enter. Yu Iseol was perhaps the only one who noticed the special arrangement for a personal nest. Even if Chung Myung likes to indulge in some luxuries, an omega's instincts make him want tight spaces as they are easier to defend, a nest like this could only exist to be filled by the presence of other people.

For the family.

For the first time in a long time, the presences that Chung Myung allowed in his nest filled the small space with the body heat that had comforted him since he was a child. It was similar to the sense of security that washed over him every time his Sahyung snuggled up next to him in his little nest, showering him with praise on his clumsy work with a proud smile.

Later, Baek Cheon woke up confused and rested. He let out a yawn as he stretched out his spine, sitting up on the fluffy covers. Yoon Jong was curled up on Chung Myung's left arm, with Yu Iseol holding the other arm. Jo Gul spread out comfortably at his feet taking up as much space as possible, even with one foot hitting Baek Cheon's stomach.

Baek Sang opened the door carefully, stepping inside to set down several trays of food and take away the previous ones. Glancing around him, he let out a sigh of relief. Due to Yu-samae's requests, as well as the strange disappearance of several members, he had begun to theorize on his own about what could have happened:

Perhaps Chung Myung had gone into heat and was now claiming three alphas and one beta as part of his harem.

It's not a common arrangement, but who knows?

It's Chung Myung; everything can be possible.