On the Edge

The car sped down the highway, but inside, tension hung in the air. Felix sat quietly, staring out the window with a deep frown, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Sunghwa, glancing over at him, couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, though he masked it behind a light-hearted grin.

"Oh, come on. I was just joking," Sunghwa tried, his voice soft but teasing.

Felix, however, wasn't swayed. "That was a joke that wasn't funny at all," he replied, his tone sharper than usual. "I'm not your sugar baby."

"Really? But seeing you sulking like this, like a cute baby, makes me want to tease you even more," Sunghwa chuckled, attempting to ease the tension.

But Felix was having none of it. His brows knitted together, and his lips tightened in a thin line. "Aish! I'm getting out!" Felix grumbled, reaching for the door handle, his expression one of frustration and defiance.

Sunghwa's grin immediately disappeared, panic flashing in his eyes. "Hey! Hey! Don't be crazy, kid!" He quickly maneuvered the car to the side of the highway, pulling over with a screech of tires.

The car came to a halt, but Felix didn't move. His hands dropped from the door handle, and he sat back in his seat, staring down at his lap. His fingers fiddled nervously with the leather choker around his neck, his mood shifting from anger to something more subdued.

Sunghwa, noticing Felix's sudden quietness, relaxed slightly. "What's wrong? You don't like it? Is it uncomfortable?" he asked, his voice now gentle, the teasing edge gone.

Felix remained silent for a moment, his fingers still tracing the soft leather. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and uncertain. "I've never worn anything like this before... It feels strange. Like... I'm your pet when I wear it."

The words hit Sunghwa like a splash of cold water. He hadn't intended for Felix to feel that way, and hearing it made his chest tighten. "Why do you feel like that?" Sunghwa asked softly. "It's just a necklace, Felix. There's no initials on it, no leash attached to it. I wouldn't ever... do that to you."

Felix's eyes flickered with confusion, and Sunghwa's tone turned more serious as he studied Felix's reaction. "Do the Omegas from your homeland... never wear anything like this?" he asked, curiosity laced with concern.

Felix shook his head, still looking lost. "No. We don't have anything like this. What's the point of wearing an accessory that looks like a dog collar?" His voice carried genuine confusion, almost as if he couldn't comprehend why anyone would willingly wear such a thing.

Sunghwa paused, choosing his words carefully. "It's not about style. It's for protection... You haven't been marked, right?" he asked, knowing the sensitivity of the subject.

Felix's brows furrowed slightly as he nodded. The concept of marking was something he had learnt about, but it always felt abstract, distant from his reality.

"There are Alphas out there who would try to forcefully mark you, especially when they're in rut or overwhelmed by your pheromones. At the very least, this choker acts as a barrier—to prevent them from biting the scent gland on your neck. It's an unspoken signal that you're under someone's protection." Sunghwa's explanation came with a seriousness that made Felix glance up, his sapphire-blue eyes meeting Sunghwa's dark-gold ones.

Felix's lips parted slightly in realization. "Oh... I didn't know," he murmured, his face flushing as he realized he had misunderstood Sunghwa's intentions. "I'm sorry... I thought you were—"

"It's okay. You didn't know," Sunghwa interrupted softly, his expression softening. He reached over, gently placing a hand on Felix's shoulder, the warmth of his touch easing the tension between them. "I just want to keep you safe. That's all."

Felix's heart thudded against his chest as Sunghwa's words sank in. He could see the sincerity in the Alpha's eyes, the quiet protectiveness that radiated from him. Felix lowered his gaze, feeling both embarrassed and comforted. "Thank you... I'll wear it from now on."

Sunghwa gave him a faint smile, but there was something else behind it. His lips parted slightly, his throat bobbing as he swallowed nervously. "But, I won't lie..."

Felix tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden shift in Sunghwa's demeanor. "What do you mean?"

Sunghwa fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Felix's delicate neck, the way the choker rested snugly against his pale skin. He cleared his throat, his face flushing with an uncharacteristic shyness. "Honestly... I hope that someday... I'll be the only one you'll let take that choker off your neck." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight of his words hung between them like a heavy, unspoken promise.

Felix's eyes widened, and his breath hitched. He didn't know how to respond, the meaning behind Sunghwa's words sending a wave of warmth through him. His cheeks turned a deep pink as he turned his face away, suddenly unable to meet Sunghwa's intense gaze. "O-Okay... I'll think about it," Felix muttered quietly, his heart pounding in his chest.

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken emotions, an awkward but tender tension that neither of them seemed willing to break. The sleek black sports car remained parked on the side of the road, bathed in the dim glow of the setting sun as it cast long shadows over the highway.

Sunghwa finally cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Shall we get going?" he asked, his tone returning to its usual casual confidence.

Felix nodded silently, his mind still spinning from the conversation. As the car's engine roared back to life, the road ahead stretched out under the soft hues of the evening sky, carrying them toward their next destination.

But even as the car sped away, Felix's thoughts lingered on Sunghwa's words, his fingers once again drifting to the choker around his neck. The weight of it felt different now—no longer a symbol of ownership or control, but of something deeper. Something... protective. Maybe even loving.

He glanced at Sunghwa, who seemed focused on the road, his expression unreadable beneath his sunglasses. Felix's chest tightened as he realized, for the first time, just how far Sunghwa was willing to go to protect him—and how much that meant to him.

The drive continued in silence, but the connection between them felt stronger than ever, as if the unspoken promises had solidified into something unbreakable.