Shut It Down

The pack shows up at the 'So You Think You Can Cheer' finals in separate vehicles. Felix rides on the bus with the team, Seungmin rides with Jisung and Hyunjin, and Minho, Chan and Changbin all drive there together.

Despite Seungmin being on the brink of heat –4 days away to be precise– he and the others are there all together, even in his condition, supporting Felix in his competition like they said they would.

Nurse Nina had expressed great worry for Seungmin concerning the combination of his heat and POTS. Apparently for the week he's in heat, he'll experience seizures and other dangerous forms of incapacitation, meaning he has to be monitored at all times pre and post cycle. The pack all know this, so it's hard for them to not hover as he gets closer, but even so his syncopes worsen as he approaches the grueling state.

When they all arrive at the venue they spare Felix no pride. They squeeze his cheeks and slap his butt and scent him until marshmallows are nearly completely covered, complimenting him on how he looks in his uniform, covered in life size amounts of glitter. For the few minutes the cheerleaders are allowed to do things other than practice and stretch, Yongbok is with them, explaining how excited he is to show them their routine and absolutely suffocating in affection and attention from the pack.

They make plans to get food later, and Felix as well as the rest of the pack refuse to let up on checking in on Seungmin's condition, making sure he is okay for the duration of the time their standing and running around the building, letting the blonde show them snacks and merchandise.

When it's time for the comp to start, they seperate, Felix running back stage to join the squad, followed by the encouraging cheers and whoops from his very loud and very vocal pack.

-'✮'-

It's only while the squad is taking the stage and getting into position that Changbin notices something about a certain blonde alphas face.

"Wait a second.." he says when he spots Felix smirking up at the 6 of them from the mats, looking schemingly sinister. "He's up to something." the alpha accuses, glancing over at the others. "Yeah and the ocean is blue." Seungmin teases. Anyone can tell by that sly smile that the tiny alpha is planning something. But what?

"Should we brace ourselves?" Hyunjin asks between bites of pop corn, the team getting into position on the floor. None of them give a direct answer, as much of a sweetheart as Felix is, he's also a little shit. There's no telling what the hell he had up his sleeves this time.

The heads of the teams cheerleaders all bow as the DJ starts the track and the crowd settles, chatter coming to a minimum when the lights in the building dim, leaving the team lit up front and center. For everyone to watch from their positions amongst the competition's crowd.

When the opening notes of the song whip through the room, Seungmin, as well as the pack immediately know what the alpha's cocky smile was about. The track that was playing was a recently produced and released song by all of them, which is called DOMINO. It's a fast paced track with lots of beat and backbone to it, something Chan, Jisung and Changbin had been working on, which they asked the rest of them to sing and rap on out of admiration for their hidden talents.

It's quick, loud, a bit aggressive, and very high energy. In other words, it was the perfect song to obliterate your components with at a cheer competition. As long as the team using it has got the energy to match.

Seungmin knows good and well that the huge smile on the alpha's face is not for display, he is all too happy with himself, beaming like the sun as he and his team hit every beat and lip sync every word. The pack, minus Seungmin, is on their feet in a second, hollering chaotically at the top of their lungs with exclamations of excitement and pride.

There's a series of fast paced tumbling that leaves the crowd in oos and ahs, they hit various poses and jumps and kicks during the pounding of the beat through the speakers, creating a satisfied and high energy spike of enthusiasm from the crowd, as well as triumphant smiles from the team. The real crowd pleasing part of the routine is when a chorus of the word "Domino" is repeated in the song, and the cheerleaders form multiple 4 person towers, tossing the flyer in the air when the word is said.

The crowd is on its feet along with the pack at the perfectly constructed display of balance and skill, cheering so loud you can barely hear the music still bustling through the space. Despite the energy surging through the horde of people, the 5 of them are still the loudest  amongst the population. They cheer and scream together, even after the routine comes to an end and the team is cheesing at their audience, waving good bye as they cartwheel, skip and backflip off of the floor.

The pack is quick to spring from the crowd and descend the steps, rushing down from their seats backstage where the participants are to exit the stage. Seungmin, with newly installed limitations of how fast he can get up and move, takes his time, following behind with a wide smile and excitement as vibrational as the others.

When Felix spots the group bustling towards him he separates from the team, skipping over and happily allowing the crowd of bustling men to overtake him, lifting him off the ground and giving him very aggressive displays of affection and love. Hyunjin and Minho, ever the dancers, focus more on praising the physical attributes of the routine, while the rest of them obsess over how much of a deviant Felix was for using their song for such an important event.

Seungmin watches fondly, his smile not even beginning to express the affection he's housing for his pack at the moment. He waits for his turn patiently, though he plays with his fingers to try and tame the enthusiasm coursing through him a little better. Despite his calm exterior, he's got a surging and jovial ball of emotion in his chest, and it's aching to be released. He withholds himself though, more desperate to have the blonde in a personal hold.

Felix is eventually released from the packs clutches, and the alpha approaches Seungmin with a pep in his step while the others are taking pictures and posing with the squad. When he's close enough, Seungmin let's some of his housed elation free, tossing himself into Felix's arms, wrapping himself around the tiny alphas neck. The blonde groans in surprise at the warmth of Seungmins weight, but happily holds the omega by his waist, squeezing him firmly in his hold.

"You did great Bokkie. Sorry I couldn't be up there with you. Even if it was because we've both been ignorant the past 2 years." Seungmin says into the alphas ear, just loud enough to be heard over the music of the next team performing on stage. Felix chuckles low and enticing in Seungmins neck, hands moving down his spine in sync to touch the omega's perky butt while he hums in contentment at the feel. Seungmin is still getting used to Felix being so freely perverted towards him, or rather– so public about it. A lot has been discovered over the past week since their cry session. For the better though.

"Yeah." Felix says, still patting the omegas behind with pleased little hums. Seungmin, still with a hopeless crush on the boy, stutters just a little bit over his next words. "Yeah.. yeahwell– well that's enough of that right? The ignorance?" Seungmin leans back from his hold around Felix's neck, determination shining in his eyes when the alpha gives him a sure nod of his head. "Yeah?" He agrees curiously.

"Great. Well. That's why I decided that for our final 2 years in college, I'm changing my major." Seungmin announces to the blonde. Felix's eyes widen in surprise, he blinks a couple times before he leans back in a way that screams 'are you serious?' which Seungmin nods in response to. "Really?? Minnie that's fucking great! You're gonna be a design major??"

Seungmin nods again, inwardly overjoyed by the pride Felix seems to be exhibiting. "Yeah. Fashion and design. And I'm getting my associates in law, so my studying in that field won't be for nothing."

As soon as Seungmin finishes his sentence, Felix removes his arms from the omegas waist and instead reaches to grab his pretty doll face and pull him into a kiss. Felix whispers how proud and excited he is for Seungmins progress forward, the omega simply returning each smooch and letting himself dwell in the alphas attention and excitement.

Letting himself have it, if you will.

Felix is latched onto Seungmins backside for the rest of the competition. He only separates from the omega, as well as their pack, when it's time for the teams to retake the matt and take their rewards, as well as their trophies, if they won one.

"Out of 15 teams, there's 5 spots, aka teams who stay on the mat while everyone else clears out. Then there's top 3, announced from last to first –because their assholes– where they're recognized as the states finest and most qualified for the ALL STAR competitions. They get a 25k check they get to use how they please and a leg up in any competition of their choosing. They also get to perform in a BTS video. Exciting, right?" Felix explains to the pack when their down the street from the event, getting a bite to eat.

The 7 of them are crammed into 2 booths back to back, the youngests in one and the older members in the other. Felix talks loud enough for him to be heard in both, it also helps that he's leaning over the shared booth bench, arm reaching to lay drape over Minho's shoulders, who's at the other table.

"Usually I'd watch the other squads perform with the team, but with you guys here there's no way I'd stay behind." Felix says with a smirk, the group of men giggling at his words. "I can't believe you used our amatuer song for a national cheer competition. I don't know if I should feel honored or scared. Like— you guys think the crowd liked it?" Chan expresses between chewing a slice of pizza.

"Of course they liked it. The three of you produced the fuck out of that song, Channie. And hidden talents or not we ate when we were doing vocals and rapping on it." Minho chimes in, reaching over the back of the bench to the youngests table, stealing one of Seungmin's cheesy bread stick's off his plate without permission.

"Yeah but we're college students, it was an early track." Chan replies.

"I think the damn thing was the bomb diggidy. We ate the song up, Felix and the team ate the routine, badda bing badda boom, first place! Nobody knows music like us, nobody knows cheer like Felix. It's a galactic combination. Stop worrying, hyung." Jisung chirps surrounding his commitment to fucking up some garlic parmesian wings.

The pack hums in different volumes of agreement as they continue to eat, Chan sighs in defeat, relenting and allowing Changbin to feed him a handful of fries, washing it down with sprite. After Changbin, Seungmin and Hyunjin finish arguing over Seungmin's last cheesy breadstick, and the rest of them finish their food, and they head back to the competition just as the last 2 squads are performing.

Soon enough, the teams are called back to the floor and Felix has to separate from them. The pack sends wishes of love and luck to Felix, much to the alphas embarrassment as their loud cheers attract the attention of the competitions crowd.

He quickly scurries off to join his squad, the pack waiting patiently until the lights over head dim again. This time, the ones that click on illuminate the 15 squads filling the floor at the foot of the sea of spectators.

"The schools fighting for the top 3 spots, are.." The host, Kim Namjoon of BTS, and the leader of the group whose music video the winners get to perform in, announces to the crowd. The whole stadium holds it breath, you could cut the tension with a knife.

"FNC Krakens, SM Cyclops, B2M Bulldogs, YG Scorpions... and.." The host drags it out an annoying amount, before smirking as the last name leaves his mouth.

"THE JYP WARRIORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN."

The pack let's out a heavy breath of relief when the host says their schools name and mascot, the 6 of them clapping and hollering triumphantly. Seungmin can see Felix's nervous fiddling from his spot in the crowd, when the rest of the teams clear out, he holds hands with his squad, eyes closed as they do little neurotic footsies with one another. They seem to be close, and with that thought, suddenly Seungmin knows exactly how the alpha felt watching him interact with the others before they became a pack. It really is an ugly notion.

"Woah, tiger, calm down." Seungmin hears Jisung say from next to him, swinging to knock their shoulders together. "I can smell the worsening sourness in your scent cause I'm used to detecting it, don't overthink it. While your at it, don't overthink that." the beta gestures to Felix giggling and whispering with his teammates. "He chose you. Always has. I can tell you that now after so long, so I won't let you forget." He assures him.

Seungmin gives the beta a playful slap to the chest, a simplistic smile on his face at the reassurance. The omega was sure before that nobody could smell his still returning scent, but having practically lived with Jisung for 2 years, of course he and Hyunjin, who is knocking Seungmins other shoulder, can smell him even when his pheromones are weak.

The 2 play bumper shoulders with Seungmin in the middle for the few seconds between the announcement of the final 5 and final 3. When Seungmin's omega mewls within him he blinks in confusion at the sudden spike of life, looking around for an explanation. When he glances down to the mat, where the 5 teams remain, Felix is looking right at him. The designer shivers at the alphas gaze, the eeriness of it breaking when Felix is caught. The blonde breaks their tense staring contest when he winks at Seungmin flirtatiously, who rolls his eyes in response, though his cinnamon scent spikes and his stomach flips before the host comes back on the mic.

"Alright, ladies, gentlemen, and everything varying, in third place for the fifth SO YOU THINK YOU CAN CHEER competition.." The drum roll plays from the speakers, and the crowd is silent in the torcher of wait before Namjoon speaks again. "YG SCRORPIONS."

The crowd cheers, the pack claps slowly but without enthusiasm as they quiet down once again. "In second place, ARE THE SM CYCLOPS." He hollers into the microphone. The crowd cheers once again, this time the pack isn't clapping at all, too tense with second and third place down for the count. They wait till the crowd has settled and the two teams have their trophies, the suspense in the stadium hard to bare.

The tall, golden trophy and oversized check are brought to the stage, Felix stares at the thing like it holds the secrets to the universe, Seungmin can tell even from his spot in the audience that he's shaking in nervous anticipation.

"Here we go guys. Cross your fingers. We got this, like we said." Chan encourages behind them as Namjoon adjusts his grip on the mic, voice ringing through the space from the speakers once again.

"The first place team, performing in the music video for the worlds biggest boy band and winning a quarter of a million dollars.. Is...."

Seungmin thinks he can feel his heart beat in his throat, and the smell of his packs jittering pheromones doesn't help him stay calm. He tries to have faith, tries to believe in his alpha and his team, but it's not the simplest task to complete when Namjoon is once again dragging out the calm before the storm.

Then, finally, it's revealed.

"JYP WARRIORS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. CONGRATULATIONS."

The audience roars, and Seungmin can't help it, he hops up from his chair in a leap of thrill, jumping up and down, turning and hugging his pack members while they scream in triumphant bliss at sweet sweet victory.

Even as Seungmin's vision goes out and Hyunjin has to sneak an arm around his waist incase he falls, the win is theirs, and the celebration goes on.

They've done it, success is claimed.

Seungmin hates that he can't see when Felix jumps 10 feet in the air, rushing to front and center stage to receive his team's trophy alongside Coach Lauv. Thankfully, Seungmin doesn't completely pass out, only sways a bit as his body fends off a temporary wave of nausea and exhaustion, but not fully losing consciousness.

Seungmin sits as Felix takes photos with the team and Coach Lauv, smiling despite his weak state, and the headache that follows after it clears.

With the winners announced and the routines finished, the competition ends.

Having already eaten, the pack says their goodbyes and is on their way to their separate destinations. All is well, and the ends in a chaotic and victorious wave amongst both the pack and the squad.

-'✮'-

The next day, 3 days before Seungmins heat, Felix and Seungmin head to the doctors office to be briefed on the omegas heat cycle, as well as what hardships it will hold.

"Seungmin, and Mr.Lee" Nurse Nina starts as she enters the room a few minutes after their arrival. "Just Felix is okay, really." Yongbok tells her, Nurse Nina smiles, nodding.

"Of course. Alright, let's jump right in, I'm sure you don't want to be here all day. For an omega with POTS, heat cycles can be particularly challenging. The hormonal shifts during heat can exacerbate POTS symptoms like increased heart rate, dizziness, and fatigue. Seungmin has these symptoms on their own during heat and regularly because of his pots. So they will be heightened to dangerous levels during his heat due to it all. This means a majority of the time, because of the stress it all has on his body, he will more than likely be unconscious or seizing. I take this very seriously, because with the amount of stress this will put on his body it will not be easy and it will not be fun."

Nurse Nina's expression is tight and serious now, all her usual fun flexibility gone and replaced with stone faced urgency. When Seungmin looks over to Felix, he's matching her firm resolution. "Yes ma'am I understand. You have my full and undivided attention." Felix tells her.

Seungmin is aware he shouldn't feel good about his situation, but knowing people take his health so seriously is reassuring to a point it makes him feel more secure in a situation where he's wordly uncomfortable.

"We're ready too!" Jisung chirps, Seungmin looks down at his iPad, where the rest of the pack is settled in the camera frame on Changbin and Minho's couch, waiting and listening for details from the doctor as well. Seungmin gives a puppy smile and kiss to the camera, before turning it back onto Nurse Nina and allowing her to continue.

"It's important for Seungmin to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids with electrolytes. I also suggest that Seungmin try to avoid sudden movements and standing for long periods, since these can trigger POTS symptoms. I recommend keeping the room cool and using cooling towels to help regulate body temperature as well."

"Felix, I must advise you be patient and understanding. I can't stress this, any of this; enough; the importance of creating a calm and comfortable environment for Seungmin. You should help him with everything, but especially getting up or preparing meals. He will not be able to do much of anything, his symptoms will incapacitate him. You have to be his lover and caretaker at the same time."

Felix gives one curt and understanding nod before she proceeds.

"I suggest gentle massages and cuddling to help soothe Seungmin and reduce anxiety. I must also remind you to pay attention to Seungmin's cues and respect his limits, unfortunate if you have a thing for overstimulation Seungmin, because it can worsen pots symptoms. When he finishes, he will more than likely pass out from the intensity of everything combined."

"Okay. I understand. I also would like to know more about his limitations with sex and intercourse, can I knot him?"

Seungmin coughs and promptly mutes the call, stiff as a board at the mention of sex and knotting. Felix was much braver than him in this case, it's hard to talk about his sex life with your crush and a third party present. But it's necessary, no matter how exposed he feels at the moment.

"Of course, good looking out. You can knot him, though he will more than likely be unconscious when you fully swell up. If you have a particularly large knot regularly, make sure  to just keep him hydrated while your attached when he'd fading in and out of consciousness. You'll have to spend his cycle here, in one of the hospitals heat rooms, because we have to make sure he is okay during the process. So if you already rented a placement at a heat hotel we can get you a refund. There's space in the room for the both of you to stay, so you don't have to be in and out during the process. There will be an emergency button for you to call me or another doctor to come and respond immediately if something goes wrong. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like for you to make reports of Seungmin's condition throughout the week, so we can monitor his journey."

Felix nods curtley again, understanding. "Can they be voice reports? It will probably be time consuming to type them out. Especially when I'm keeping him cleaned and fed."

"Of course. We will take what you're willing to give. Our priority is Seungmin's safety, yes?" Nurse Nina puts her hand out to hold Seungmins, who smiles and gives it to her, receiving a reassuring squeeze from the women. Felix hums in agreement.

"There is a very fragile line you'll be walking while Seungmin is in heat next week. So communication is very important. Seungmin, I think it best you make written consent before your fully immersed, giving him permission to do whatever you're comfortable with. I'll hang onto that document when it's done, as well as the records Felix will be keeping during the week. "

"Anything I can do to help with the fainting so he isn't in a coma for another week?" Felix looks hopeful when  asks this, like being unconscious is worse than being completely present while your practically burning alive and seizing uncontrollably. "Yes. Lot's of electrolyte. So lemon water, electrolytes, ginger and chamomile teas too. No sugary drinks or food! What did I just say? Repeat it, all of you."

"No sugary foods or drinks!" Seungmin, Felix and the pack repeat back to her. "Great, as for foods, lots of potassium and protein. Pickles, sweet potatoes, soups, bananas, lean meats, eggs. All that good stuff."

When Seungmin looks down at the Ipad screen he thinks he sees the pack writing things down on their phones and notepads, at which Seungmin has no idea where they came from.

Nurse Nina finishes her briefing with one final speech, wrapping things up so they can all proceed with what life they have left in them after trying to lock away so much information.

"Finally, gentleman. I'll say this again. Recognize the importance of communication, all of you. From updating your pack mates on Seungmins condition and letting them scent him when he's conscious to telling each other the slightest discomfort. I encourage you all to discuss your needs and boundaries openly, especially Seungmin and Felix, since you 2 are the heat duo here. I also advise having a plan in place for managing POTS symptoms during heat, including medications, emergency contacts–" She gestures to the iPad. "As well as strategies for coping with potential flare-ups. Need I remind you all that with careful planning and mutual support, you can navigate Seungmin's heat safely and comfortably. And I wish you all the best in doing so."