string of words loosely entwined

a/b/o - taegyu

He started going to the gym to catch a certain alpha's attention.

Taehyun usually wasn't this needy, this deprived. He viewed himself as headstrong and independent, intimidating in a sense that nobody can ever make him fold and submit. Strong-willed and determined. Passionate and loved. He receives various forms of skinships from his members, overflowing affection from their staff, and unwavering support from their many fans.

But when it comes to Beomgyu, even he himself is surprised at how greedy he becomes.

It all started when the alpha began admiring, well, buff older men. To put it bluntly. Marveling at their large arms and puffed chests, strong backs and broad shoulders. Those who can easily lift him off the ground without so much effort making him burst in giggles and laughs. Beomgyu was very open in complimenting them, in ogling at their bodies, in nodding approvingly when he finds them pleasant.

Two problems were presented to him right then and there: one, he's not older; and two, he wasn't buff.

The solution came not even two seconds after the realization that he can only solve one of them: he has to start hitting the gym.

Maybe if he has a hotter, more pleasant body, Beomgyu won't ever look away.

And it worked!

Over a significant period of time, Taehyun started enjoying working out. The nights he spent in the gym becoming tolerable and routine. And his efforts proved fruitful through toned arms and broad back, through compliments by his members.

It boosted his confidence — so much that he started wearing sleeveless shirts in the dorm, until he removes them completely. Searching for random things to lift to tone his arms before schedules, pull-ups on a tall, stable ledge, sit-ups on a hallway bench, even stones and shoes become a work-out item. There's a permanent hand grip stored in his bag, and a 2kg pair of dumbbells for when they're on the move.

His dedication to pin Beomgyu's gaze on him is almost absurd.

But he relishes in it. In the way the alpha checks him out from head to toe — staring at his arms when he curls it up, peek at the sides of his exaggeratedly loose sleeveless shirt. Sometimes, the omega would purposely flex his muscles when Beomgyu touches him for a choreography, and then Taehyun would feel him touching even more.

He even went as far as inviting Beomgyu to the gym, just to impress him and make him crave for his potent scent of vanilla — something he's certain the older man likes.

That plan was quickly forgotten however. Because Beomgyu started working out too. Sitting on an equipment and lifting barbells, running on treadmills and occasionally bothering Taehyun on the power rack with a teasing smirk and plain attractiveness.

It's effective. Because Taehyun became distracted by his sweaty skin glistening under the lights, heavy panting in that familiar voice, and the delicious scent of pure alpha reeking in the air of the otherwise empty gym. It made him almost stop working out, and just watch Beomgyu like a creep.

His omega almost lost it too, and he had to restrain it before it does something embarrassing.

(And sometimes, on quiet nights where he's alone, he'd steal Beomgyu's shirt from the laundry and get drunk on his scent. The woody base of it is a little addicting, but the mint accent makes it kind of flowery. Subtle, but nice. Just like Beomgyu himself.

He'd fall asleep that way. Dreaming of a day when he'd be tucked in the origin of that scent itself.)

It became a running joke, somehow. Beomgyu commenting stuff like, 'I'm a fan of Taehyun's muscles, haha!' and drawing things like a squirrel with six-pack abs. The amount of threads on twitter where Beomgyu is just looking at his body like he's in a daze, where Taehyun is carrying Beomgyu around like he's lightweight, and complimenting him in front of recording cameras.