The Adventures of Cat and Kitten

Chapter 16

Jihoon wasn't a happy camper. He had woken up like normal, with his nose snuggled into the blankets and giving the world a cold shoulder. For long moments he had drifted between sleep and reality. Like that, thoughts twitched through his head in little fragments: pieces of songs he still wanted to write, a half-made grocery bill, purring nerves from the previous night, curiosity about what the local newspaper would have to say about yesterday's mess.

Grimacing, he blinked awake all the way and tried to move.

Worst idea ever.

Pain shot from the small of his back towards his neck, then down to his thighs as his body complained. It wasn't the tearing kind of pain, but a low, persistent throbbing that felt like his ass had gotten a hangover.

He tried again, just in case he had imagined it the first time. This time his leg swung out maybe an inch before a spasm shook him and he grunted, trying to work against the force that somehow made one big toe cramp in exactly the opposite direction as the rest of his toes on the foot.

There was a moment of incredulous silence before he lifted his head. "Kwon Soonyoung!" he screamed in the direction of the sound of coffee being made, rage flaming. "Kwon Soonyoung, what the fuck!" He dragged himself up with main strength, only to slip neatly out of bed and land on the rug in a pile.

"Jihoonie?" Soonyoung asked as he wandered in, speeding as he saw him on the floor. "Oh my god, Jihoon, what's wrong?"

Jihoon slapped away the arms that wanted to reach for him, digging his thumb in on one until Soonyoung winced. "You broke me, that's what's fucking wrong! I can't fucking move!"

Soonyoung reacted without thinking and laughed; seconds later, a lamp came for him and he had to dodge backwards. The barrage continued until he got close enough to wrap his arms around Jihoon and pick him up, ignoring the entirely surly way he pushed his face away. "Baby... no, hold on, okay? Stop hitting me! Jihoon! I didn't break you!" So saying, he carried him into the bathroom, pulling back the lid on the tub to deposit him into the hot, herby water. "Babe. I didn't break you. You're just sore, okay?"

"Don't even," Jihoon sulked, sinking down into the water up to his lips. "Just back away. You're never coming close to me again."

Soonyoung sank down on the toilet and stared at his mate. "I'm sorry," he said soberly and seriously. "I was way too wild last night. It's not an excuse and I do feel guilty. I normally have more control than this. I just..." He bit on his lip, head hanging.

It didn't suit Jihoon at all to see his alpha looking that hang-dog, even if he was still salty about the whole thing. "Soonyoung," he said clearly. "As much as I want to tear your leg off and beat you with it, if I can get over the fact that I'm not the typical omega, you have to accept that you might actually be an alpha, and the drives that come with that."

Soonyoung's head just hung further. "I don't like being out of control," he finally muttered. "You know how people normally present around eighteen or nineteen, and they've mostly learnt not to be assholes by then? I presented when I was fifteen. My dad was a beta, my mom an omega. I went to bed one night and woke up an alpha two days later. I panicked so much I destroyed my room." He took a deep breath. "Not just throwing stuff around, you know? More like kindling."

Jihoon grunted and reached out a hand to curl around his mate's.

Soonyoung grabbed it gratefully. "My parents were fucking miracles. My dad immediately signed me up for martial arts and dance, just so that I could have an outlet for everything. Even with that it didn't always work. As children we learn the hierarchy of respect because our parents are not only more experienced, but bigger and stronger, right? That wasn't the case with me. Oh, my father was taller, a little bit, but I knew I was stronger. I knew I could get away with things if I pushed all the way."