One Way ||| Ateez

10

About a week after Rhodey's birth, everyone was up and one their feet. Hongjoong still wasn't at full health because he had been hit the hardest by the illness, but he was well enough that he could enjoy his new son.

And he was clingier than ever before.

Yeosang was hardly allowed to leave the couch without the head alpha whining like a child. Even Riley made fun of him for it, but only a couple of times, because he missed his family being together too.

Yunho cried for hours once he was reunited with his alpha and son, and Theo never left the beta's side. Unless it was to be with Avayla.

It was a tense time for all of them as they tried to figure out the best way to mesh as a family again.

Seonghwa was overwhelmed as well. Mingi always had one hand on him and had a few moments where he would growl at anyone who got to close.

It made the omega roll his eyes, but at the same time he had missed the attention. He had missed his alpha more than he would ever admit to anyone else, only because he still had his own pride that he had to protect.

Seonghwa didn't remember much of his time being sick. It was all flashes of being awake and seeing Wooyoung and Maria bustling around the room.

He was vaguely aware of when Theo was brought it, and then the twins. His heart had broken once the sickness affected the kids and he was terrified that it would spread to his own. But they were strong, that was for sure.

Avayla was the first one to hug him when he came out of the room. His daughter sobbed into his neck as her platinum blonde hair fell in sheets around his shoulder.

Then Gunner had wormed his way in between them and buried his face in Seonghwa's stomach.

Mingi had been respectful at that time and let the kids take precedence, but the first chance he got he pulled Seonghwa into their room and pulled him into a death grip.

"I was so worried I'd lose you." His alpha admitted, his voice trembling.

"I was scared too." Seonghwa clung to him and fisted the back of his shirt. He inhaled deeply and soaked in the powerful mint scent rolling off his alpha. God he had missed that smell.

Mingi shoved his head to the side and growled as he started to nuzzle the mark on Seonghwa's neck, sending a chill down the omega's spine.

The older whimpered, gladly exposing his neck even more to get the feeling he had been craving for weeks now.

His alpha taking possession of him.

It was like he needed it to survive. That simple action breathed new life into Seonghwa, and if he wasn't still so weak, he would beg his alpha to take him right there.

But standing took its toll on anyone who had been ill, except for the twins. They were able to bounce back the quickest, although that didn't stop them from clinging to their parents.

Kenneth and Maria had left as soon as everyone was back on their feet, wanting to give them time to bond and reunite as a family.

Seonghwa had tried to insist that they stay, but Maria just waved him off. "We have stayed too long already. It's about time we stop intruding on your family."

"You are our family Maria." Seonghwa said, pulling her into a hug.

A little whimper came from the old beta and she flinched a little at the touch, which Seonghwa found odd. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes honey. I'm just tired. I'll probably go sleep for a month." She said, winking at him.

But Seonghwa didn't believe her. She was extremely pale and was walking slower than normal. He watched her as she went around and hugged each of the kids one by one.