Archive of Our Own

In the vast emptiness of space that was an Outer God's stomach, Kim Dokja's consciousness drifted listlessly, receiving no sense of feeling, smell or sound. When he was lucid enough, he started planning for the next scenario again. When he was aware enough, he used his energy to check on his companions. There was no telling how much time passed, be it hours or days. He floated by stars that called his name, sparkling when he got near. Some of them were full of hope and longing, and some were full of disdain and rage. All of them were looking at him. Waiting for him.

When Kim Dokja came back, he first noticed the smell. The atrocious scent of decay permeated his senses and caused him to scrunch his nose in disgust, slowly opening his eyes to the darkness. The rigid posture of his body and feel of wood on his hands told him all he needed to know.

Damn it, why did they put him in a coffin again? They knew he would survive. Nonetheless, Kim Dokja broke the lid and arose.

The surrounding incarnations were awestruck at his resurrection, though he ignored them in favor of being startled by Jung Heewon using the archangel's stigma as fireworks. The red hellfire made for a pretty welcoming even if he was a little miffed at the usage of such power.

She had greeted him and then run off to find the rest of his companions, leaving him to his thoughts. Yoo Joonghyuk had approached to speak with him, his words and actions causing a bitter worry to settle in the pit of his stomach. Before he could question the regressor's plans, he was interrupted by his companions who he apologized profusely to, especially his kids.

The mixture of their scents was comforting, he thought.

Kim Dokja visited his mother the day after he woke up. It was uncomfortable, but not to the scale it used to be. They didn't talk.

The tent was suffocating despite being open, and Kim Dokja regretfully found himself relieved to step out. While the crisp, fresh air felt nice in his lungs, a sense of unease lingered beneath his skin. It sank down to his bones and instilled a deep, insatiable itch. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this; cold, small, and unbearably lonely.

As he walked further into the crowds of people in the makeshift battlefield-turned-base, that feeling of dread grew. He pondered going back to his mother, to try and talk to her and see if it helped. But no matter how he tried to frame it, he hated the idea of wanting her. Perhaps he was still just a petulant child inside.

Yoo Sangah was kind. She always was, a fact that was immediately apparent when you first meet her. Kim Dokja always felt that kindness was misplaced with him, who would barely nod a hello in the past.

Now, though, he felt comfortable to follow her around. She didn't mind- she was just like that- and even helped gather bedding for his tent. The female alpha would cast smiles back at him every now and then, letting out more pheromones when he replied positively.

Yoo Sangah smelled like strawberries and fresh linen and all things soft and sweet. It smelled like her, and Kim Dokja always liked that.

Kim Dokja watched as the group diligently ran through practicing the attack patterns he taught them, smiling at the way they uplifted each other in working on their weaknesses. His analyzing was cut short when he caught a whiff of a particularly good scent.

Stretching as he got up, he followed his nose to the source of the smell. Sniffing intently, he made his way over to a cookout setup. Yoo Joonghyuk glanced back over at him when he noticed his approach. He eyed over Kim Dokja for a moment before turning to pick up a piece of perfectly grilled meat, holding it out to the omega.

He stared at it with a watering mouth, leaning forward to grab onto it with his teeth. Breathing quickly to try and cool it down, the protagonist held back a snort at his plight with the heat. Eventually, he managed to chew it enough to swallow, savoring the taste.

"Damn, you're so good at this," he purred as he finished the meat, licking his lips to get every bit of flavor. The alpha preened with a grunt, turning back to tend to the vegetables cooking away.

Kim Dokja had a realization, then, that the food wasn't what he was smelling. Sniffing a bit more, he could pinpoint the scent that radiated from behind him...

There, by the table, was Yoo Joonghyuk's signature black coat. The thick fabric tantalizingly wafted the regressor's smell, teasing and begging the omega. And then, he had a second realization; he wanted nothing more than to nest in that scent.

Blinking owlishly, he glanced back to the protagonist, who kept his attention on his grill. Swallowing thickly, Kim Dokja understood his discomfort now, and he picked up the jacket, inhaling deeply.

He hadn't nested since he presented, and at that time he had suffered the pain of loneliness. Kim Dokja made a choice.

When it came time to eat, Kim Dokja had disappeared. Strangely, it seemed as if Yoo Joonghyuk's coat had also disappeared.

Yoo Sangah, ever the positive beacon, reassured everyone that he probably went to visit his mother again. He often paced back and forth from her tent, so they were comfortable to accept this explanation. Although, the miffed protagonist didn't get an explanation for his jacket.

However, Kim Dokja never returned. Jung Heewon asked several Wanderers that she had previously talked to, the kids wandered around calling for him, and Lee Jihye dramatically searched like a frazzled detective putting his life on the line. Nobody heard of the whereabouts of Kim Dokja.

Lee Hyunsung was an alpha for the omegas. His incredible sense of smell had awarded him the title of Search Dog in the army, as he had been very reliable in locating anything out of place. This ability of his was as strong as ever, maybe even improved by the Star Stream, and so he used it to search for his dear cartridge- er, leader.

Following his nose was his specialty. Lee Hyunsung intensely inhaled the air, picking out the nostalgic sweetness of his friend. Even with the amount of people around the camp, he could pick out the scent that was stronger than usual. Worried that something could be wrong, he hurried his way through the crowd.

As the concentration of people thinned, the alpha found himself outside a tent in the less busy part of camp. He pushed his way in quickly, the thick scent immediately hitting him and sending a tingly feeling to the back of his head.

"Dokja-ssi?" He squinted into the darkness. Stepping in fully and letting the entrance flap close, his eyes adjusted to the low light and he could make out the form of their missing group leader.

"Hmn, Hyun..sung-ssi?" His brow furrowed at Kim Dokja's unsteady voice. The omega seemed to be curled on a haphazard pile of fabrics, but closer inspection led him to believe there had been some more thought put into the placement.

Belatedly, Lee Hyunsung realized it was a nest.

Kim Dokja shifted to look at him, peering over the familiar black jacket that had gone missing at the same time as him. He smiled slightly at the omega, a protectiveness swelling in his chest at the sight of him clinging to it and breathing in the scent. The omega's face was tinged pink as if he just came in from the snow, and he shivered slightly as he looked up with a complicated gaze.

"Are you okay?" The alpha started to worry again. He couldn't shake the feeling of something being wrong, especially when the omega reached up for him with shaky hands.

Slowly, he lowered himself to the edge of the nest, letting Kim Dokja touch him. His elegant fingers ghosted up from his chest, brushing his shoulder before pressing at the scent gland in his throat. Keening to the omega, he released his own pheromones in hopes to make him happy. Apparently, it worked, as Kim Dokja blinked with clearer eyes, sitting up uneasily.

"S-sorry, Hyunsung-ssi. Was there something wrong..?" His affinity for putting others before himself seemed to be prevalent no matter what he went through.

"Everyone is looking for you," he took the hand that fell from his neck, squeezing it comfortingly. "You sort of just disappeared."

The omega flushed with embarrassment, hand shaking slightly as he bit his lip. Lee Hyunsung's chest hurt at the uncharacteristic vulnerability of his friend. He decided to reach out more than just his hand to the person who had inspired him in his times of need.

"Dokja-ssi, are you perhaps.. nesting?" Kim Dokja was silent for a moment before he nodded. "With Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi?"

Kim Dokja went red again, maybe for a different reason though he wasn't sure. He rapidly shook his head, waving off the notifications that rolled in from Jung Heewon's sponsor.

"N-no! I'm.." He looked down at the incriminating jacket in his hands, hesitating slightly. His grip on the dark fabric tightened as he seemed to wilt slightly. "I'm doing this alone."

Lee Hyunsung leaned closer, letting his pheromones leak out. He smelled like a pine forest after rainfall, with an underlying hint of something harsher in fragrance. Kim Dokja found it soothing, and before he knew it he was melting into the hug he was wrapped in.

"Dokja-ssi," the soldier whispered with evident worry, and maybe even a bit of disapproval that was impressive for his nature. "Nesting alone... isn't that dangerous?"

"It isn't life-threatening," he mumbled back.

"Er, That's not what I meant."

The omega leaned back far enough to look at the alpha's face, not wanting to leave the safe warmth of his embrace.

"What I mean, uh.." He wavered at the intense gaze set on him. "Doesn't nesting alone cause omegas to get depressed..?"

He blinked a few times, processing the words. Kim Dokja, due to his less than well upbringing in his teenage years, never received proper trait counselling. He vaguely recalled there being a mandatory health lesson, but he wasn't sure if he was even present for it- given that the teachers more often than not ignored him, giving him dirty looks for causing disruptions.

(Kim Dokja wanted to shout that he wasn't doing anything, but nobody listened to him anyway.)

The soft, caring "Dokja-ssi?" pulled him from his thoughts before they could devolve to his darkest moments. He shook off the lingering sadness of his first and- until now, at least- only nesting experience.

"I don't know," he whispered, feeling weightless as he gathered all he kept inside. Just a little would be fine to tell, wouldn't it?

"I.. I've been alone since I presented, and it was terrible." He admitted, curling into the unshaking hold on him as if to shield him from all harm. "There was nobody around to tell me anything, I had to do it by myself. It was the coldest time of my life." The confession hung in the air for a breath, and then the arms around him pulled him impossibly closer.

"You're not alone now, Dokja-ssi." The alpha's chest rumbled with a soothing purr. "We're all here for you, okay? Please don't push us away if you're not safe. We'll help you through this."

Kim Dokja felt his face wet with tears he hadn't noticed threatening him, nodding into Lee Hyunsung's shoulder. He felt a huge relief off his chest having talked about his loneliness and how it affected him. Warmth bloomed in his veins like a spring breeze, thawing the icy chill that fought his instincts.

For once, he felt safe enough to be an omega.

"Hyungsung!" Lee Gilyoung pounced the soldier as soon as he returned to where the group had gathered in worry. "Did you find him?!"

"I did," he confirmed, wringing his hands.

"Oh god, is he okay?!" Jung Heewon confronted him immediately, their alpha statuses clashing in her worry. Yoo Sangah placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her, nodding for the male alpha to continue.

"He's nesting," Lee Hyunsung decided to rip the bandage off. He turned to Yoo Joonghyuk feeling a little shy. "That's why he took your jacket."

The dominant alpha blinked slowly, a rare look of surprise on his typically flat expression. "What?"

"Your jacket is in his nest. He was scenting it heavily."

Lee Jihye made choked cheering noise, steeling herself when everyone turned to look at the odd sound. "Does that mean Master is nesting with Ahjussi?"

Yoo Joonghyuk didn't have an answer as he frowned slightly.

"Um.." Lee Hyunsung flinched when all those gazes locked on him. "Dokja-ssi said he's never shared a nest."

Everyone went silent.

And then the group exploded with sound.

"I'll nest with Ahjussi!-"

"Where is he?"

"-No, me! Hyung needs me!"

"Wait, don't omegas need to share a nest?-"

"Because he's waited for Master!"

"-Yes, it's extremely unhealthy if they nest alone."

Lee Hyunsung rubbed his temples and mourned the potential headache, everyone quieting down with Yoo Sangah's words hanging in the air.

"Unnie, wait, what does that mean?" Lee Jihye turned to the older alpha, cocking her head. The woman's face pinched with an exasperated sort of worry that a parent would have.

"Jihye-yah, this should've been covered in one of your health classes," she worried, causing the teen to flinch and look away shyly.

"Um, admittedly, I don't know much about the different traits." Jung Heewon raised her hand. "I had to skip a lot of school, so.."

Yoo Sangah sighed but nodded in understanding.

"Well, omegas are the most social among the classifications. Nesting is the biological response to an omega approaching their heat cycle, the changing of seasons or location, or if the omega is pregnant."

"Ahjussi is pregnant?!" Shin Yoosung gasped in horror, Lee Jihye hiding her grin. Lee Gilyoung looked at the beast tamer unimpressed.

"No way, Hyung isn't pregnant." He proclaimed it as a fact, Yoo Sangah patting the kids' heads before they could start a fight, continuing as if there wasn't a pause.

"The nesting period is used to strengthen relationships. Mates can deepen their bond, packs have an increase in camaraderie, children are even proven to be healthier when nested. For the omega, nesting is an important stage in their cycle- it helps to regulate their hormones and prepare them for the next phase switch- and is especially important for a newly presented omega."

Lee Hyunsung looked more and more pained with every word she spoke, crumpling in on himself as he could better see just how horrible of an experience Kim Dokja had.

"Dokja-ssi..." He whimpered, Jung Heewon patting his shoulder in worry. "Dokja-ssi said he was alone when he presented."

The color drained from everyone as that damning sentence sunk in.

"Master, you have to-!?" Lee Jihye immediately whirled around, ready to beg the dominant alpha to go to his companion's side, only to be met with no one.

"Huh? He already left?" Jung Heewon looked around incredulously, eyes wide in shock.

"Well, I assume Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi already knew all of this-" Yoo Sangah was cut off when the kids jumped for the soldier's legs, shouting at him nonsensical words of rivalry and begging to see Kim Dokja.

With everyone in the loop now, they headed off to comfort the omega.

Kim Dokja was sitting sagely in the middle of the bedding he rearranged into a circle around him. He looked blankly down at the jacket in front of him, that itchy feeling creeping back up. Lee Hyunsung had left to bring the entire party here with the promise of comfort. Though it hadn't been long since he left- and Kim Dokja really should be accustomed to loneliness by now- he already felt the pain of losing the alpha.

His sole comfort was the alpha scent still hanging in the air, as well as the delicious scent lingering on the protagonist's jacket. If he thought about it, it was almost like it was getting stronger.

Flinching out of his thoughts, Kim Dokja whirled around to face the entrance when he realized that it was in fact getting stronger. Yoo Joonghyuk entered through the tent flaps, holding so many blankets the omega didn't even want to know how he got hold of them.

"Kim Dokja," the dominant alpha's deep voice greeted him, his scent and intimidating demeanor spreading around and making the omega purr in want as his eyes locked onto the fabric in his arms.

"Are those..?" He looked up hesitantly. The regressor held out the blankets, the omega scrambling to take them.

"Joonghyuk-ah?" Kim Dokja blinked when the bedding didn't budge.

"You," he paused, looking over the omega. "You want to nest with me."

It was more of a statement than a question. He blushed and averted his gaze from Yoo Joonghyuk.

"W-well, I wasn't thinking about it, um..." He peered up nervously from beneath his lashes. "Your coat smelled nice, so..."

Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze softened, his alpha instincts begging him to hold the vulnerable omega. He took a deep breath, taking a chance he never thought he would. "Can I scent you?"

Kim Dokja couldn't hide how overjoyed he was to hear those words, nodding fervently and letting the fabrics fall to the floor. The regressor pulled him closer, nuzzling his hair. It was surprisingly soft. He breathed out a sigh as he relaxed with the release of his pheromones, washing them over the omega who drank them in happily. The nose poking at his neck was foreign, but it wasn't unbearable- especially when the purring started.

Feeling weakened by the cute omega, he lowered them into the nest. Kim Dokja snuggled up to him and started his own scenting, the aged vanilla smell filling his senses and threatening to turn him to jelly under the omega's palms.

"Thank you," Kim Dokja sighed when he got enough, pulling away with a pleased expression as he sniffed at himself subtly. Yoo Joonghyuk could only nod in response, shuffling out of the nest as the omega energetically destroyed it. He watched in awe as some sort of primal instinct took over the usually calm man, the haphazard way he tossed blankets and pillows around contrasting with the seemingly planned layout he had in mind.

"AHJUSSI!" Lee Jihye sobbed as she rushed into the tent, pouncing on him and squeezing him tightly. Yoo Joonghyuk growled at her, causing her to flinch away. Surprisingly, Kim Dokja looked just as disgruntled as the regressor sounded.

"Um, Ahjussi?" Shin Yoosung peeked from around the young alpha, looking equally worried and confused. The omega softened at the sight of his kids entering the tent, purring as he pulled them into a hug. The teenager gasped in betrayal.

"Hey, why don't I get this welcome too?" She whined, and Kim Dokja scowled at her.

"You almost ruined the nest, running in here like that." She wilted at his flat tone, looking up as Jung Heewon pat her shoulder. Yoo Sangah approached with an armful of pillows and a smile.

"Some of the wanderers had some extras," she explained as she dumped them onto the working pile. Kim Dokja's eyes scrunched as he smiled happily, attacking his resources.

"Hyunsung-ssi, get in." He ordered suddenly, confusing the soldier as he stepped further into the tent. Unimpressed, the omega shoved him down into the middle of the half-done nest.

Lee Jihye and Jung Heewon didn't bother to suppress their amusement, guffawing heartily at the situation. Kim Dokja arranged the blankets and pillows around him, the alpha letting himself be pushed around. When he was satisfied with Lee Hyunsung's position, the other three alphas that had arrived were positioned around the one in the nest, with more bedding built up around them.

Kim Dokja looked up at the regressor with big eyes after he put the kids in the nest. The dominant alpha swallowed as he was gently put in his spot, warmth spreading across his skin from the omega's touch. Yoo Joonghyuk kept his eyes on his companion as he laid on one side of the nest, refusing the acknowledge the different gazes that locked onto him.

When the last pieces were placed and a few pillows fluffed, the omega stepped back to admire his finished nest. He looked over everyone, content and happy, and felt his emotions start to choke him. Refusing the tears that wanted to well up, he crawled into the open spot kept for him. The children immediately shuffled against him, forgetting their strange rivalry to nuzzle the omega's torso. There was a loud yawn and Yoo Sangah chuckled.

"Damn, you're good at this," Jung Heewon huffed, her voice telling how tired she was. "I'm ready for a good sleep, aren't you?"

Lee Hyunsung flinched at the arm the female alpha threw over him, blushing as he agreed with her. Kim Dokja could tell the soldier wanted to move, so he nodded when he was given a questioning look. Wrapping around the kids as best he could, he smiled as the alpha rolled to his other side to look at the other alphas beside him. Lee Jihye grinned as she snuggled into Yoo Sangah's side, letting out quiet purrs as the older woman gently scratched her scalp. There was even rustling behind the omega as he felt a familiar gaze settle on him.

Kim Dokja made sure nobody else was watching him when he turned slightly to look back at the regressor. Those alluringly deep eyes met his, and the omega felt his chest tighten as he looked forward, tipping his head slightly. Silently, the dominant alpha closed the short distance between them, pressing chest to back as he buried his face in the pale neck exposed to him and inhaled deeply.

A smile formed on his face as he closed his eyes, surrounded by warmth and the mixed scents of his newfound family. The tent was filled with only the sound of soft breathing.

"Joonghyuk-ah?" He whispered to the head of hair tickling his face. Yoo Joonghyuk made a soft noise to indicate he was still awake.

"Thank you," the omega let the tears roll. "Thank you so much."

As he silently cried towards sleep, Kim Dokja heard one last simple thing that soothed his wounded heart, comforting the hurt child trapped inside himself.

"For you, anytime."