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theharrowing · 10 months

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One Day at a Time 🌙 1: I finally get to have you

Yoongi loves to help others. As a professional surrogate, he takes pride in using his body to help families bring life into this world, and love into their homes. But when his high school crush Kim Namjoon hires Yoongi to help him and his wife conceive, things get…precarious.

Or, Omega Yoongi gets bred by Alpha Namjoon and holy shit, does he fall in love.

🐺 Yoongi x Namjoon, established Namjoon x Wheein

🌙 word count: 19.9k

🌙 past acquaintances to lovers, a/b/o, mpreg, infidelity, angst, smut, eventual fluff, slash, nsfw, 21+

🌙 warnings: alpha/top Namjoon, omega/bottom Yoongi; Namjoon is married; Yoongi is a mess, and he cries a lot; a/b/o stuff (mating cycles, lots of scent stuff, wolf instincts, omega slick), angst (hormones raging, pining), a dash of ritualistic sex (it happens in the second act hehehe.)

🌙 note: hello, and welcome to my very first a/b/o fic! full notes on the index, but i wanted to thank @sailoryooons and @sweetestofchaos once more for all the help with this! reminder: infidelity is a big part of this fic, so if you’re not into that, you will not like this!!! take the warnings seriously!!! Yoongi is a mess but he's our mess and we love him. have fun!!!

🌙 written for one shot two shot fest

🌙 thanks to @neoneunnajimin & @sailoryooons for beta reading!

🌙 posted july 2023 | read on ao3

INDEX | NEXT

Yoongi never thought he would see Kim Namjoon again. Once he graduated from high school and the two of them went their separate ways – Yoongi to college in the countryside and Namjoon to marry the rich, pretty valedictorian – he hadn't expected their paths to cross. They had not, in fact, for nearly ten years.

The only time Namjoon ever fully acknowledged Yoongi was all those years ago in school, the week Yoongi first presented as omega. The news was a shock for everyone, most especially himself. Sure, Yoongi never saw himself as an alpha – preferring a softer, quieter life – rarely exhibiting dominant traits of any sort. But he anticipated the neutrality and normalcy of presenting as beta.

First were the hot flashes and overwhelming urge to bury himself in his softest, warmest cardigan. He hadn’t realized he was nuzzling his face into his sweater paws during math period until a classmate beside him asked a sharp, shrill, “What are you doing?” causing him to look up, confused and ashamed.

Yoongi had excused himself to the school nurse, worried he was coming down with some kind of fever, and he practically threw himself at her feet the moment a cramp radiated through his body, knocking him to his knees. He was certain he had food poisoning or some kind of stomach bug – what else could it have been? Certainly, he could not have been presenting as omega.

The nurse excused Yoongi from school through the duration of his first heat, which lasted about a week and a half. And the event itself was hell on earth, but nothing could have prepared him for returning to school. Somehow, everyone knew.

“A boy presenting as omega,” boys would say as they shoved Yoongi around, pushing him against lockers and towering over him like ravenous beasts. “That makes you worse than a girl.”

"He's pretty like a girl, though," one of the boys teased loudly.

“How does your dad feel?” they would ask in mocking tones – some of whom hadn’t yet presented, themselves. “Isn’t he ashamed of you?”

It was during lunch break that Namjoon – the tall, broad, handsome president of his class – came barreling around the corner and growled at those boys to get away from Yoongi.

“I had better not see any of you fucking whelps picking on him or any other omegas,” Namjoon roared, voice firm with authority with his chest puffed high, causing the bullies to scatter.

And although Yoongi had so much he wanted to say, when Namjoon asked if he was alright, all he could do in response was whimper a weak, “Uh-huh,” unable to find his words.

“I imagine this can’t be easy,” Namjoon finally said after a tense moment in the silent, fluorescent-lit hallway. “We can’t choose our circumstances, after all. But we can do our best with what we are given, one day at a time. Take care of yourself, Yoongi.”

And that was it; the only time his and Namjoon’s paths truly crossed. Yoongi would have been lying if he had said the event didn’t spark something inside him – the beginnings of a crush, perhaps – especially when he remembered the warm musk that wafted from the alpha with hints of sweet, kind tangerine and spicy, angry cinnamon.

But that was all it ever was…a crush. As soon as they graduated, Namjoon proposed to his girlfriend, and Yoongi left the city to pursue a life in nursing.

During the last few years, Yoongi has been working as a surrogate, assisting wealthy couples through their difficult times by lending his body to help conceive a child. Although it is always a bit awkward to be a presence in their homes, he enjoys the work. Yoongi likes to help others. The need to comfort and fix people is strong – overwhelming at times.

Naturally, when the call came to help one of the most affluent families in Seoul have a baby, Yoongi did not hesitate, nor did he know what to expect. He had, after all, left Seoul to live closer to his mom's small farmhouse near Daegu, and stopped worrying himself over who any of the wealthier families were.

So, on the car ride to town, when Yoongi read the names Kim Namjoon and Jung Wheein on the paperwork he almost did not believe his eyes. Surely, the Kim Namjoon and Jung Wheein he knew eight years ago could not be struggling with having a child. If anyone would have a happy, healthy, and typical family, he figures it would have been those two sweethearts.

“Earth to Yoongi,” a soft, stern voice calls, pulling Yoongi from his reverie.

Yoongi stands at the foot of the entrance of a rather impressive hanok on the outskirts of the city. He had spaced out during most of the ride, daydreaming about the only time he and Namjoon came face to face. Even now, standing at the man’s front door, he struggles to accept it, half expecting someone else to greet them.

“What does he do for a living?” Yoongi mutters under his breath as he joins his boss, a soft-spoken beta named Park Jimin, near the front door.

Jimin scoffs and shakes his head, causing his fluffy dark hair and shimmering silver earrings to wave back and forth from the motion, as he responds, “He’s the mayor, baby,” while placing a comforting hand on the small of Yoongi’s back – something he does when he expects Yoongi to overreact.

And overreact, he does.

“The may—“ Yoongi half-shouts before Jimin gently shushes him.

“But why—“ Yoongi continues, dropping his voice to a whisper, “—why didn’t you tell me? Jimin, why did you leave that detail out?”

“You know I love you because you’re the best, right?” Jimin asks, rubbing his palm over Yoongi’s back in circles, buttering him up before delivering the truth, as is his way.

“Right,” Yoongi responds slowly, nodding his head while his eyes lose focus on the cinnamon-brown wooden door before him.

“You’re sweet, caring, and very respectful,” Jimin continues, still very much not reaching the point. "Very discrete."

“Okay,” Yoongi huffs, “and?”

With a sigh, Jimin drops his voice lower and leans close, muttering, “I believe they asked for you specifically because you’re a man. They seem concerned about any of this reaching the media, so we have kept it all hush-hush, and I wonder if they do not want to be seen with a woman living in the house for the next year.”

“Oh.”

“The wife, she’s—“

“No, no, I get it,” Yoongi says, feeling a bit sullen.

Being chosen because he is a man is always a bit disheartening. Typically, as far as Yoongi can tell, it comes from the wife worrying that their husband may develop feelings for their surrogate, despite the process typically being a simple matter of collecting sperm and egg from each party and having them placed into Yoongi’s uterus using an in vitro process. At most, Yoongi has to stay in the homestead to carry the baby to term, sleeping with bedding that smells of the alpha of the house. Infidelity has never been an issue. In fact, most households treat Yoongi as if he hardly exists until the baby is finally born.

Yoongi performs his tasks dutifully and with the utmost care and respect, and for once, it would be nice to be recognized for his skills and abilities, and not for his gender. But, Yoongi grins and bears it. He is simply happy to be able to help.

“Ready?” Jimin asks, and Yoongi nods, feeling as ready as he could be, at this point.

Jimin removes his hand from Yoongi’s back, takes a step forward, and knocks on the door. And then they wait. A homestead this size must take a while to traverse through, and Yoongi crosses his hands over his tummy and twiddles his thumbs in anticipation, wondering if Namjoon will even recognize him.

When the door opens, a tall unfamiliar man with wide, curious eyes and short, somewhat wavy dark brown hair greets them with a bow of his head. For a split moment, Yoongi almost wonders if this could be Namjoon – if the names are merely coincidence. But then Wheein – the Jung Wheein Yoongi remembers from all those years ago, with long, dark hair and curious almond eyes – pops up from behind the man and smiles widely, waving them in.

Jimin enters first, then Yoongi, kicking off his sneakers and following as Wheein leads the mystery man, Jimin, and Yoongi through a foyer, past a kitchen, and into what looks like a study. The four of them take a seat on soft purple cushions around a large, low wooden table with a teapot and four cups in the center, with Wheein across from Yoongi and Jimin to his right.

“Min Yoongi,” Wheein beams as she sits high on her knees and reaches over the low table, emitting a calming bouquet of lavender.

Yoongi offers his hands to her, smiling as she takes them and squeezes them between both of hers. There is an unmissable sadness in her eyes, but she smiles widely as she pats his hands before letting them go.

“When I read your name on the list of potential surrogates, I just knew it had to be you,” she continues, taking Yoongi by surprise. He and Wheein have never, to his knowledge, said a word to one another.

“You did?” Yoongi asks, deep voice trembling slightly as he settles his hands over his knees.

Wheein nods enthusiastically while the man to Yoongi’s left begins to pour tea for the four of them.

“I just had a feeling. You went into nursing, right? You like to help others?”

With a demure nod, Yoongi says, “Yes,” surprised to find Wheein remembers him, and that she knows details of his life. He dreads the thought that Namjoon might, as well.

“I just knew you would be perfect for us,” she continues as her eyes travel to the man sitting at Yoongi’s left. “Don’t you think so, Jeonggukie?”

The man nods his head once, eyes fixed on Jimin as he mutters, “Yes, Wheein-ssi.”

“This is our in-house help, Jeon Jeongguk,” Wheein says, patting the hand of Jeongguk, who responds, “Lovely to meet you,” without taking his eyes off Jimin.

Yoongi mutters a greeting under his breath but does not bother trying to get the man’s attention; he is more than aware of the effect Jimin has on others. Instead, Yoongi picks up his small ceramic tea cup and holds it to his lips, blowing on it slightly before taking a sip. The faintly-earthy taste of herbs and leaves covers his tongue with warmth, instantly soothing at least some of his worries. Certainly not all of them.

“Sorry Namjoon couldn’t join us,” Wheein says with a hint of annoyance in her voice, cracking a smile that looks forced and does not reach far. Earthy, bitter hints of patchouli hang in the air as she chuckles under her breath as she mutters, “Gods forbid he leaves his precious office for one fucking meeting with our surrogate.”

Yoongi shifts on his knees and takes another sip from the cup. Meanwhile, everyone around him lifts their cups to drink, and he is relieved to see Jimin’s spell on Jeongguk seems at least temporarily be broken, allowing the three of them to have a conversation with Jeongguk present and quiet.

“I figure that for the first week, you’ll stay by my side and bond with me a little,” Wheein begins, surprising Yoongi with how suddenly she wants to get down to business, “and then we’ll knock you up and have you stay in a guesthouse that is scented like Namjoon so that the baby knows who his or her daddy is.”

“Pretty standard stuff,” Jimin mutters beside him, and Yoongi smiles as he nods along.

Wheein’s candor feels welcoming to Yoongi. The last two couples he worked with were rather depressed and embarrassed to need assistance with having a baby. It is his hope that, in the next ten or eleven months, he and Wheein can become close friends, making his stay in the large homestead a little less lonely.

"Do you remember Namjoon at all?" Wheein asks eagerly.

Yoongi glances over the teacup that he holds near his mouth, breathing in its comforting aroma, and he screws up his face just slightly enough to seem impassive as he shrugs and says, "The name sounds familiar. Perhaps when I see him, I will remember."

A lie, of course. If Yoongi thinks hard enough, he can remember precisely what Namjoon smelled like the day they spoke. He thinks, faintly, that Namjoon may have even had a mole or two on one of his cheeks, and has never forgotten his dimples.

"Do you need some time to consider the job, or would you like to move in tonight?” Wheein asks once the four of them have had a chance to discuss specifics a little more and finish the pot of tea. “We will want to go over a few specifications on the contract once everyone is here, but it should be pretty standard."

"I can move in right away," Yoongi says without giving it any thought. The sooner they get started, the sooner it can be all over with, he reasons. He already has a suitcase packed and waiting in the car.

"Wonderful," Wheein says as she stands and waits for Yoongi to do the same.

Once Yoongi is on his feet, Jimin bows and wishes him well, saying they will meet again tomorrow when Namjoon is around to go over the contract. Jeongguk leads Jimin back out to the front door, standing quite close and muttering quietly as the two of them leave the room together.

"I can't wait for the two of us to become best friends," Wheein says sweetly as Yoongi steps from the table and joins her at her side, allowing her to wrap an arm around his waist and pull him into a side hug.

The smile that creeps over Yoongi's lips is genuine, and he allows himself to be hugged, lifting an arm to delicately caress her back for just a moment. He familiarizes himself with her scent of lavender with hints of patchouli – sweet with an undercurrent of spice and wet soil.

Wheein leads Yoongi into a large kitchen and sits him at the tall white marble counter. Yoongi marvels at the blend of traditional and modern, with the general foundation of the hanok resembling what it may have centuries ago despite the marble counters and stainless steel appliances.

"Let's make a list of all the things you love to eat, especially when you are in heat and when you are pregnant."

Although Yoongi cannot imagine why he would need to accommodate a heat cycle, he rattles off everything he can think of, making sure bases are covered. There is a chance that his pregnancy cravings will be similar to those he gets while in heat, once they inject the little cub cells into his uterus and the growing begins.

He also makes note of some herbs that he needs to avoid in order to not counteract the heat-blockers he takes, and Wheein smiles to herself as she circles ginger, ginseng, and sage while adding three large exclamation marks next to the words to signify what he must avoid.

About an hour passes with Yoongi and Wheein chatting in the kitchen about food, being pregnant, and anything else Wheein thinks of. She is great company, offering Yoongi white wine and keeping his glass topped off as they talk. He feels hopeful about his stay in her house, looking forward to getting to know her more as she opens up.

And then Namjoon returns home, and things…shift. It is subtle, but noticeable. Wheein's voice quiets when the front door opens, and she keeps her eyes on the foyer once the sounds of shoes getting kicked off thuds one after the other.

"Someone here?" a deep, familiar voice calls, causing Yoongi's skin to break out in goosebumps, and Namjoon steps around a corner, stopping in his tracks when he meets Yoongi's gaze.

Namjoon is just as tall as Yoongi remembers, and quite a bit more built, chest and arms bulging against the thin white shirt that covers him, which is tucked into fitted grey slacks. His hair is overgrown into a bit of a dark mullet, and he shakes it from his warm, sharp eyes, only for it to fall back in place again.

"Oh," he says. "It's you."

Yoongi opens his mouth to respond, lifting a hand to wave, but Namjoon mutters, "Should the two of you really be drinking?" while walking in the opposite direction, toward a hallway that Yoongi surmises must lead to the master suite, or perhaps to an office. The familiar scent of warm musk wafts through the air, with faint hints of cinnamon, and as soon as it is there, it is gone again.

Wheein lets out a petulant, "Humph!" and grabs the bottle of wine, dumping the rest of its contents between their two glasses as if in protest to Namjoon's question.

Then, as soon as the man of the house is down the hallway and disappears into a doorway off to the left, her face brightens once more, and she continues asking Yoongi about childbirth as if nothing had happened. Wheein is a curious woman, eager to know every gritty detail from cell growth to carrying a baby to term. And although Yoongi finds the process a little disgusting, he gladly answers all of her questions.

Tipsy from drinking and only having snacked on crackers and tiny slabs of cheese, Wheein decides that the night is over once the glasses of wine are empty. She takes Yoongi by the crook of an elbow and leads him over to the hall in which Namjoon disappeared.

"Bedrooms are here," Wheein says, waving her hand in the general direction of five doors – two on either side of the hallway and one at the far end. "That one on the end—" she points straight ahead, "—is the bathroom. And this—" she places her palm on the first door on the right and presses it open, "—is your bedroom. The bedding smells faintly like Namjoon so that you can get used to it. Hopefully you don't find it too unpleasant. In the morning, Park Jimin-ssi will return and we will go over the contract."

Yoongi nods along, smiling while staring ahead at the bathroom door, trying to imagine which door on the left Namjoon went through. Not that it is any of his business – nor should he care – but he is…curious. The Namjoon he encountered all those years ago seems so different from the terse man who Yoongi hardly caught sight or whiff of tonight.

"S-sounds good," Yoongi finally responds, and Wheein pulls him into a half-hug from the side before letting him go and walking straight across the hall, opening that door just enough to slip inside, and closing it softly behind, taking the lavender with hints of patchouli with her.

Yoongi hesitates a moment – hovers in place and holds his breath as if to listen for any sound to come from Namjoon through that door. But all is still, and Yoongi shifts left to right on his feet before turning to the guest room and feeling around the wall for a light switch.

The room is furnished with a bed, bedside table, dresser and mirror, and a wall-mounted television. Beside the dresser is Yoongi's suitcase, which he surmises Jeongguk must have brought inside, and above the suitcase is a large window. Yoongi approaches his suitcase, lays it down, and unzips it, finding a set of light blue pajamas, and running his fingertips over the soft flannel material as he looks around, taking in the sight of his temporary home.

How did he end up here, he wonders. Standing in the mayor's home – Kim Namjoon's home – wine drunk with Jung Wheein, the valedictorian who Yoongi was certain until this point had never been aware of his existence.

As he sheds his clothing and gets dressed in the pajamas, sleep begins to claw at Yoongi, pulling his subconscious down, and making him want nothing more than to crawl under the covers. He picks his clothing up from the floor, approaches the dresser, and tosses the garments into a small pile in the corner.

Outside the room, he thinks he hears the sound of a floorboard creek, and he stands still, listening for more movement. Seconds pass, heavy and full of anticipation, and Yoongi could swear the scent of tangerine and warm musk fills his senses, making him sway slightly where he stands.

But then, he reasons that it must just be the bedding that Wheein said would hold Namjoon's scent, and he brings his drifting thoughts to a stop, making his way to the bed and pulling the pale yellow covers aside to climb under.

Only in his wildest dreams would Namjoon be in the hallway, filling the space with more of his calming scent, and Yoongi tells himself that he needs to snap out of it and come back to reality before he gets too caught up pining for a married man he hardly knows.

But, for now, he shuts his eyes and allows himself to imagine.

Yoongi is barely alert, sitting at the tall dining table nursing a steaming cup of black coffee when Namjoon enters the room in what Yoongi surmises is his standard work uniform of a white button-up tucked into grey slacks, taking a seat to his right. The coffee is peculiar, giving off an herbal scent that Yoongi cannot quite place, but it is not unwelcoming, and he gulps some down, feeling his nerves spike.

Wheein sits in front of him, and to his left, Jimin is present and far too perky and alert considering the ungodly hour, wearing a pair of wire-framed glasses that rest at the end of his nose and a white button-up tucked into black slacks. The house-help Jeongguk, who is dressed in all-black casual clothing, busies himself in the kitchen.

"Now that we are all here," Namjoon begins, voice hoarse and far deeper than Yoongi remembers, causing the little hairs on his arms to stand to attention, "we have the final draft of the contract to look over."

Namjoon slides a small stack of papers to the center of the table, which Jimin shifts forward to collect, and their scents collide somewhere in the middle – warm musk, lilacs, tangerines, and a salty hint of sea breeze. Yoongi feels a wave of dizziness hit him, and he sits back, letting his coffee cup thunk a little too hard against the restored wooden table.

A delicate hand reaches over, tapping him on the wrist and adding tangy patchouli to the ever-engulfing blend of aromas, and Yoongi's eyes snap upward to find Wheein smiling with her brows knit.

"Are you alright, my dear?" she asks, and Yoongi nods, swallows a lump, and mutters, "Fine. S-still waking up, I guess."

Heat prickles under every inch of skin that is covered with clothing, making Yoongi shift uncomfortably and yearn for cool air or a nice cold shower. It is almost as if a heat is coming on, which is impossible, because of the medication he takes to block it.

"The only order of business in this contract that should differ from how your company ordinarily proceeds," Namjoon continues, ignoring the exchange between Yoongi and Wheein, "is the method of becoming pregnant."

At this, Yoongi sits alert and turns to Jimin, who is looking over the contract with too trained of an expression. Something is absolutely off, and Yoongi's heart begins to pound wildly in his chest.

"D-different method?" Yoongi asks, feeling as if the room is spinning and too fucking warm.

"My family is very…let's say…traditional," Namjoon clarifies, and Yoongi turns to him with wide, worried eyes, only to find that he is staring ahead at the table with a somewhat distraught look on his face. "Any insemination and childbirth practices need to be performed as rituals to the old gods and the new…if you catch my drift."

At this, Namjoon's eyes lift, but to Jimin, across from him. Yoongi turns sharply and finds his boss looking up at Namjoon before his eyes trail to Yoongi. A cloying mix of calming aromas wafts from every side of Yoongi, and he practically gags on it.

"Yoongi, baby," Jimin utters softly – sweetly, as if he knows that the information he has for Yoongi is going to send him into a tailspin. Only, Yoongi is already in a tailspin because he has just been told that, in order to perform the duties which he has been hired to perform, he and Namjoon are going to have to— "Are you still with us?"

"Did you…do something to my coffee?" Yoongi asks against his better judgment, feeling nausea creep at a rapid pace, clouding his vision in the corners.

At this, Wheein slams her hands on the table and stands, sending her chair grinding backward while shouting, "What did you just say?"

"I'm s— I'm sorry," Yoongi tries, placing his palms face-down on the table and gripping tightly to the edge. He feels like he might vomit, and he needs to find his way out of this conversation.

"How dare you accuse us of such a thing!" Wheein continues, voice fading in and out as if Yoongi's head is bobbing above and below water.

"Sir," Jeongguk speaks softly, placing a hand on Yoongi's shoulder that feels too hot to the touch. "Could this reaction possibly be from the herbal blend?"

"H-herbal blend?" Yoongi asks, feeling panic quake through him.

Yoongi's mouth feels terribly dry, and he picks up the coffee, pulling it to his lips and gulping the tepid bitter liquid down. Perhaps he should ask for water instead, but his body is drenched, his mouth is parched, and he can hardly form his thoughts coherently enough to turn them into words. He can practically feel a new layer of sweat break over his forehead, and he sets the cup down with shaking hands while reaching up to push the overgrown dark brown hair away from his forehead.

Jeongguk hums and says, "The herbal blend that Wheein-ssi likes me to add to her coffee and tea contains extract of ginger, ginseng, and sage. I saw that on your list and assumed you would like more than what was added to your tea last night, so I gave you twice the amount."

The sweat that covers Yoongi goes cold, and he sits up suddenly, knocking the wooden chair onto its back in the process, glancing up at the occupants of the table to see if perhaps this is some joke they are playing on him. Jimin appears horrified, Namjoon stares down at the wooden table, and Wheein's eyes widen. She looks to Jeongguk with knit brows, shaking her head in small movements, and something in her expression suggests he should not have said what he just said.

"But, Wheein-ssi, your list—"

"Jeonggukah, those were items Yoongi was not supposed to consume!"

"But we want him to go into heat, so he becomes pregnant," Jeongguk continues innocently, forcing Yoongi to spin on the balls of his feet to stumble out of the room.

The air is stifling, the room is spinning, and Yoongi is going to vomit any minute. He fumbles toward the hallway, stepping through the threshold just in time for the corridor to stretch impossibly long. Before he knows it, he is on his hands and knees, barely aware of the feeling of his impact against the floor, doing his best to crawl to where he needs to go.

"Alright, you," Jimin's voice greets Yoongi, causing tears to well in his eyes. "Let's get you on your feet."

Yoongi feels embarrassed, having made a terrible impression on the family for which he has been hired to surrogate. Surely, someone like Namjoon is not going to want a weak, sniveling omega in his home, carrying his child. And the idea that Yoongi will have to do everything the traditional way sends a new set of fears quaking through him.

Despite his line of work, Yoongi has never had sex with an alpha. He has never experienced a knot, nor has he been marked in any way. Everyone at the clinic assured him that folks these days do not tend to have traditional pregnancies, so Yoongi assumed it would not be an issue. Or, at the very least, he assumed the conversation would take place before he was sat in their home, drinking their herbal-infused coffee.

Yoongi smells the musk before he feels two large hands lift him, and he yelps when he is suddenly up on his feet with his arm draped over the muscular shoulders of Namjoon, who is crouched forward to accommodate his height.

"Bathroom is straight ahead," Namjoon mutters, and Jimin scurries forward, opening the door and switching on a light while Namjoon assists Yoongi in walking down the hallway.

The musk is far more overpowering than anything Yoongi has experienced, radiating from Namjoon's neck and armpit, blanketing him in warm intoxication, and Yoongi leans his head to the side, eager for more. He wonders what Namjoon's sweat must taste like, licking his lips at the thought.

But then Namjoon gets him through the doorway and maneuvers him against the sink with his butt resting against cold marble, and he slides away, taking much of the musk with him, only allowing hints laced with cinnamon and tangerine to linger.

Yoongi can hear rustling – the opening and closing of a cabinet door and the running of water behind him – all while the blend of scents from Namjoon and Jimin mingle and dance through the small space. Yoongi's eyes rest closed, and he breathes deeply in through his nose, letting the air escape shakily through his mouth.

"I didn't mean to accuse—" Yoongi begins, but Jimin shushes him at the same time a cold cloth is pressed against his forehead.

"I imagine all of this is…a lot for you," Namjoon says softly, taking Yoongi by surprise. He expected Jimin to be the one with calming words, not the gruff alpha who hasn't so much as looked him in the eyes since their so-called meeting began.

Yoongi keeps his eyes closed, determined not to ruin the moment. If this is the only way he can get the man to speak to him, then so be it.

"I really like Wheein-ssi," Yoongi continues, knitting his brows beneath the cold cloth. It feels nice and pulls him from the jumble of physical and emotional overstimulation, grounding him somewhat while his own scent of chamomile engulfs and calms him. "I hope that I didn't hurt her feelings."

"We'll talk more once you're feeling better," Namjoon says.

Yoongi wants to open his eyes and look at the man – really search his expression for how he must be feeling – but he keeps his eyes closed and lets out a deep exhale.

"If you change your mind about doing this—" Namjoon continues, and Yoongi shakes his head.

Long ago, when Yoongi was too weak to stand up for himself, Namjoon was the one who helped him. Namjoon was his beacon of hope in a dark, confusing time, and Yoongi wants to repay him in any way he can – in the only way he can.

"I won't change my mind," is all he can bring himself to say, eager to keep his emotions at bay, lest a spike in pheromones tattles on him. At some point, he and Namjoon are going to need to have a conversation.

There is the question of why Wheein never said anything last night, when she and Yoongi were making their list. She had to have known that the three ingredients that Yoongi stressed he could not have were in the herbal blend that he presumes has been added to both his tea and his coffee. Was she hoping to force Yoongi into a heat cycle as soon as possible?

Whatever the reason, Yoongi is concerned, but he is certain that her intent could not have been malicious, and so he lets it go. Perhaps they will discuss it down the line, but for now, he just wants to lie down. He has no idea how long it may take for the herbal mixture to induce a heat, and he is not eager to be standing in the bathroom with his boss and an alpha who he hardly knows, when the time comes.

The herbal blend causes Yoongi's entire system to go haywire quickly. Perhaps it is because he only allows for a heat to come after giving birth before continuing on the blockers – about once a year – making his body desperate for a cycle, but he hardly gets through the afternoon before every inch of him yearns for Namjoon.

The alpha's scent on his bedding drives Yoongi wild, and he rubs his face against his pillow almost frantically, letting out soft whimpers and growls when it is not enough to stave his desires. There is a part of him that wonders if anyone might be able to overhear him, and shame simmers just beneath his skin. But he is so overcome with desperation that he cannot bring himself to care very much.

Yoongi must fall asleep at some point, because a light knock at the door rouses him, causing him to sit up with a start, groaning and wiping drool from his chin.

"Yoongi-ssi?" Jeongguk's voice calls through the door. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

Although Yoongi would like nothing more than to eat something, and to sit in the presence of Namjoon’s inviting scent, leaving the room and being present in front of everyone feels daunting, at best. Overwhelming. He is not ashamed of his body's natural functions, but he feels hesitant to encounter people he hardly knows when his hormones are running amuck.

Another soft knock comes, and Yoongi clears his throat before hoarsely shouting, "N-no thank you."

After a pause, there is another knock at the door, but this one sounds different – more purposeful.

"Yoongi?" Namjoon calls. "Can I come in?"

Suddenly, faced with the prospect of being in Namjoon's presence makes Yoongi panic, and he curls in on himself, tugging the yellow comforter over his body and up to his chin.

"I—" Yoongi calls back, eyes searching the room aimlessly while he tries to think of something to say. "Now isn't the best time."

Yoongi is unsure if he hears a sigh on the other side of the door, and he listens for an indication that Namjoon has walked away. To his chagrin, Namjoon responds.

"Are you indecent? Can I at least crack the door open?"

"Fine," Yoongi replies, screwing his eyes closed to take a deep, fortifying breath.

The door opens a few inches, and with the head of the bed against the same wall, Namjoon only has to peek in a little for their gazes to meet. Although it is subtle, Yoongi sees Namjoon's nostrils flare and eyes widen.

"I'm—" Yoongi feels apologetic and shy, "s-sorry, I guess my heat has come."

"Don't apologize," Namjoon responds, voice sounding a bit hazier than Yoongi is used to. "Just wanted to make sure you don't need anything. I can have Jeongguk bring you some food and a cup of tea. Do you usually take any medications?"

"I don’t usually take medicines," Yoongi responds softly. Ordinarily, he gets the typical hot flashes and neediness; cramping is rare. He tends to it by holing up in his apartment and drinking herbal teas that quell some of the more primal instincts; he has no idea what it is like to go into heat surrounded by the alluring stench of an alpha. "Do you have any hibiscus tea?"

Namjoon's face disappears, and then Jeongguk appears, making Yoongi clench onto his blanket in disappointment.

"Hibiscus tea, got it." Jeongguk responds. "I can make you a pot of kimchi soup if you would like?"

Although Yoongi would rather turn away the offer of anything more than a cup of tea, already feeling like a burden in someone else's home, the thought of the tangy, rich broth and a bowl of steamed rice makes his stomach growl loudly.

"That would be nice," Yoongi responds, squeezing his eyes tight to the sound of the door closing quietly. "Thank you."

Yoongi has no idea how long it takes for Jeongguk to return. It feels like only seconds pass, yet some of them could have been stretched for eons. The atmosphere around Yoongi is thick with tense confusion and desire, and he has no fucking clue how to proceed.

A knock at the door startles Yoongi, and he sits up, pushing and kicking the yellow comforter away, embarrassed by how his body oozes with the heady scent of pomegranate, tangy and clinging to the air with trace amounts of chamomile. His limbs wobble, heavy and shaking like a tree caught in a storm, and it takes him a moment to catch his breath once he is on his feet.

"Just a second," Yoongi grumbles, adjusting the white tee that has come untucked from his fitted light blue jeans. The materials cling to him, and he avoids checking his reflection in the mirror across the room.

Yoongi opens the door a crack, just enough to see through. He does not miss the way Jeongguk's nostrils flare and eyes widen as he takes in the state of Yoongi. And although he feels embarrassed suddenly to be perceived this way, he swallows a lump and opens the door further to reach for the tray in Jeongguk's hands.

"Why don't you let me bring it in?" Jeongguk offers, making Yoongi feel even more put on the spot than before. But Jeongguk has a good point. After all, the tray contains two items storing hot liquid, and Yoongi is just jittery enough to make the task extremely precarious.

Yoongi nods and grumbles, "Oh–okay," as he takes a step back and allows Jeongguk to enter the room, closing the door quickly behind him. He is not eager for Namjoon or Wheein to smell him in this state – not until he can shower.

"Your heat must have come on fast," Jeongguk states evenly as he walks to the bed and places the tray on top. It is wooden, with four small legs, creating a nice little table atop the ruffled comforter. With him, a light floral scent carries through the space.

"Yeah," Yoongi responds sheepishly, hugging his arms around himself. "I use the same herbal mixture to induce a heat once a year, and typically only one cup of tea does the trick."

Jeongguk turns with wide eyes, repeating, "Once a year?"

"Typically, my job is done in vitro," Yoongi explains, eyes trailing around the room, unable to settle on one spot. "I find that it is best if my hormones are kept under control. I only induce a heat once the baby has been delivered, to help my body restart, and then I take heat-blockers once the cycle ends."

"Ahhh," Jeongguk mutters. "Well, I am quite used to helping Wheein-ssi through her heats, so if there is anything you need, don't be shy."

Yoongi is surprised by this information. Shouldn't the alpha of the house be helping Wheein? Jeongguk – who, Yoongi surmises, must be a beta – seems like lovely help, but is he really capable of helping Wheein with all of her needs? The man hardly has a scent, only radiating hints of something sweet and floral that Yoongi cannot place.

"Thank you, Jeongguk-ssi," Yoongi responds with a bow of his head. "I appreciate all you have done for me, already."

Silence hangs, and when Yoongi glances up, it seems as if Jeongguk has more that he would like to say. He stares ahead, clearly processing something, with his lips hanging slack. But then he blinks heavily and gives his head a little shake before saying, "Also, when you are ready to, Namjoon would like to meet with you to go over the contract and discuss a timeline."

"Oh," Yoongi says, realizing they never finalized it earlier. "Yes, of course."

"His phone number is on a little slip of paper, sitting beside your rice," Jeongguk instructs with one more bow of his head. "Please text him at your earliest convenience."

Texting Namjoon rather than knocking on a door seems somewhat silly, but Yoongi does not argue. He supposes he is grateful to have a simple way to get in touch with him that also allows for there to be some distance.

Jeongguk exits the room, closing the door quietly behind him, and Yoongi lets out a deep breath and rubs his sweaty palms against his jeans. The smell of the soup and tea dance beautifully, covering enough of Namjoon's lingering musk to allow Yoongi's head to clear as he approaches the bedside table and picks up his phone.

He settles slowly onto the bed, careful not to jostle the tray, and finds the small piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it. The numbers are clean with very straight lines and circular loops, and Yoongi lifts it before he can think better of it, sniffing the paper, picking up hints of tangerine and cinnamon. So this is Namjoon's handwriting, Yoongi thinks, inspecting it closer. It looks nice.

A soft haze settles over Yoongi – a humming that vibrates just below his skin – and he takes a slow breath as he begins to punch Namjoon's number into his phone. He considers all the things he could say to the man, worrying in circles over whether he should apologize for his entire existence. In the end, he settles for something simple.

Yoongi Hello, Namjoon-ssi. This is Yoongi. Jeongguk-ssi mentioned you wanted to talk with me.

With a tremble in his hands, he sets his phone down and begins to eat. Jeongguk brought kimchi soup, rice, glass noodles, and a cup of hibiscus tea, and everything is flavored perfectly – savory with tangy and sweet notes here and there, the way mom makes it. Although the soup and tea are both hot, they soothe Yoongi, putting his hot flashes at bay. He is nearly done with his meal and feeling much calmer than before, when his phone vibrates.

Namjoon Yoongi-ssi, I would like to meet at your earliest convenience. No rush; eat first.

Yoongi has to scoff at how stuffy Namjoon seems, even over text. He supposes he is the one who set the tone in the first place, but he has to wonder if the detached alpha would text the same way, regardless. Yoongi nibbles on the inside of his cheek, deciding what would be best. On one hand, he hates to keep someone waiting, but on the other…he cannot decide whether he wants to face Namjoon smelling the way he does.

Yoongi Perhaps after I freshen up a bit? A fever hit earlier, and I am not at my best.

Before Yoongi has a chance to set his phone down, it vibrates; he is surprised by how quickly Namjoon responds.

Namjoon Of course. Take your time! I usually go for late jogs, so if I am not in the house, I'll be out back. You are welcome to join me if you would like.

Namjoon's hanok is situated at the end of a suburban area, with enough land between his place and the nearby houses to have seclusion. Perfect for an alpha who likes to let off some steam in a bit of nature. Although Yoongi does not jog often, the primal part of him loves to get lost in the thick of trees, listening to branches crunch underfoot while he exerts himself and lets his worries breeze away. Perhaps jogging with Namjoon is just what he needs.

Yoongi A jog would be nice. I'll shower now and join you in just a bit.

Namjoon Sounds good.

Yoongi makes quick work of finishing his food, suddenly feeling excited at the prospect of getting some fresh air. He grabs a pair of black joggers and a black tee, and leaves the room, turning briefly to see Wheein and Jeongguk sharing a glass of wine in the kitchen. He wonders if Namjoon is already getting dressed and waiting, and scurries to the bathroom at the end of the hall, closing the door tight behind him and switching on the light.

Yoongi peels the sweat-drenched clothing away and drops them into a pile on the floor, then figures out the knobs of the shower, setting the water nice and temperate – not too hot – before slipping in. The water is a warm embrace, instantly shedding some of Yoongi's anxieties, and he smiles to himself, tipping his head back with his eyes closed, allowing the steady spray to wash over him.

After a few calming moments, Yoongi peeks his head from the shower curtain to find small cloths folded on a shelf at eye level and grabs one, then assesses the bottles for body wash. To his surprise, everything smells like chamomile or tangerine, making Yoongi chuckle. He wonders if it is a coincidence or if they planned for this. Had Namjoon remembered what Yoongi smelled like, after all this time?

Yoongi scrubs his body with chamomile, then washes and conditions his hair with tangerine. Once he is satisfied, he stands under the stream with his eyes closed for another twenty seconds or so, then shuts off the water, pokes an arm past the shower curtain, and grabs a large towel from the same eye level shelf. He dries off quickly, then changes into his clean clothing and shoots a text off to Namjoon.

Yoongi Just finished showering. Are you inside or outside?

Namjoon I’m still inside. Meet in the hallway?

Yoongi See you there.

Yoongi brushes his teeth and slaps some moisturizer on his face – beauty products courtesy of Namjoon and Wheein – then hangs up his towel and grabs his discarded clothing, which reek of tangy pomegranate. He scrunches his nose, tired of smelling it.

When he exits the shower, Namjoon is standing in the hallway, and the sight of him makes Yoongi halt in place, nearly tripping over his feet. He wears a tight black tank top and black athletic shorts that stop mid-thigh. And oh, Namjoon's thighs…He knew Namjoon was ripped, but seeing him in athletic wear is something else altogether.

Yoongi has to force his eyes up and tell himself that staring is impolite. But the man is built like a sturdy tree that Yoongi finds himself wanting to climb — a dangerous thought, and one he brushes off as a product of his heat.

He is relieved to find Namjoon turning his attention from the phone in his hands to him only after he finishes ogling him, and Yoongi clears his throat quietly before making his way down the hall.

"Just gonna toss these clothes into the room quick," Yoongi mutters as he approaches.

Namjoon regards him with a brief nod, then continues typing on his phone, and Yoongi opens the door to the room and slips in, tossing the clothing toward the bed and grabbing a pair of sneakers before returning, doing his best to keep his stench of pheromones and sweat trapped.

When he returns, Namjoon is standing straight up with his arms at his sides, and his head tipped slightly back. His eyes are closed, and he appears to be taking a deep breath in through his nose, filling his lungs. Yoongi wonders if he does this to get into a proper headspace to run – calmly intake oxygen to help his muscles relax.

But when Namjoon opens his eyes and looks at Yoongi, his pupils are blown wide and there is something burning in his gaze that causes Yoongi to instinctively take a step back. The way Namjoon looks at him makes Yoongi feel vulnerable and exposed. If he didn't know any better, he would think the alpha wants to eat him.

Namjoon heavy-blinks and clears his throat, dispelling the tension between them, and turns to exit the hallway. To the left, through the main living room, is a door that appears to lead to the back of the property. Namjoon approaches, bends to pick up a pair of shoes beside the exit, and begins putting them on, while Yoongi slides into his sneakers, staying a good six feet or so away from Namjoon, trying his best not to get too much of a whiff of him, breathing primarily through his mouth.

By the time Namjoon straightens out, Yoongi is finishing up tying his second shoe. In the other room, Yoongi can hear Wheein and Jeongguk laughing together. He finds it a bit strange that Namjoon and Wheein do not seem to communicate much, but assumes that is how it is, sometimes. He wonders if being unable to conceive has put a strain on their marriage before deciding it is none of his business.

"Ready?" Namjoon asks, voice deeper and breathier than Yoongi remembers, making him stand alert.

"Yeah," Yoongi responds, sliding his hands into the pockets of his joggers as Namjoon opens the back door and steps outside, audibly taking a deep breath and sighing.

Yoongi nudges the door with his elbow on his way out, then half-turns to pull it closed quietly. The sun has already begun to set, painting the sky orange and pink, and there is a chill in the air that makes Yoongi scrunch his shoulders to his ears momentarily as he steps out onto the small wooden deck. It feels nice, and he rolls his shoulders back, taking in a deep breath of dirt, grass, and citrus.

"Shit," Namjoon mutters under his breath, turning back toward the house.

Yoongi hums and looks at Namjoon, feeling momentarily worried that something may be wrong.

"The contract," Namjoon clarifies, shifting in place as if he is unsure where he wants to be. "I wanted to go over the terms and finalize everything, but I left it in the office."

"Ah," Yoongi says. He wonders if having a paper contract outside while they intend to exercise is practical in the first place, and suggests an alternative. "What if we discuss the terms, and when we return inside, we can sign it? I assume you have gone over everything, and I can give it a quick read."

Namjoon knits his brow, considering Yoongi's proposition, then nods. "Yeah," he says, eyes on the wooden floor of the deck rather than meeting Yoongi's gaze, "that sounds good."

Yoongi nods and takes in the scenery around him. Behind Namjoon's hanok, the land opens up to a large yard with an inground pool. Past the pool ahead is a wooded area, with thick trees and brush, and to the left is a small bungalow that he surmises must be the guesthouse. Yoongi wonders how much of the land belongs to Namjoon; how far they can run.

"This path zig-zags through the trees, out the other side," Namjoon explains as if reading his mind. "I like to run the path, and continue along the residential area on the other side, to a park that is a few miles away. We don't have to run the entire length…whatever you feel like."

"Sounds good," Yoongi responds, waiting for Namjoon to lead the way.

Namjoon walks ahead, down the three steps that lead to a path that wraps around the pool to the right and into the trees, slowly picking up his pace. Yoongi follows, then steps in pace with Namjoon. It is a leisurely jog, and Yoongi instantly feels a calm rush over him at the feeling of the evening wind in his shoulder-length hair, though he wishes he had brought a hair tie.

"The main clause in the contract is that we have to actually, er—" Namjoon begins, cutting himself off until only the sound of gunite underfoot can be heard.

"Procreate," Yoongi offers, cringing instantly at his choice of word.

Luckily, it makes Namjoon chuckle, lightening the mood. "Yes, procreate."

Silence falls between them, and they approach the edge of the wooded area before Namjoon asks, "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

Yoongi takes a moment to answer, curious how forthcoming he should be with Namjoon. He wonders if it is necessary for the alpha to know that he has never taken a knot before. Underfoot, the path becomes dirt with twigs and leaves crunching as they begin to jog past the edge of the trees.

"Not uncomfortable," Yoongi says, eyes on the path, which is more than wide enough for two. "I was a bit surprised, since that is different from how things are typically done these days, but I respect the old ways just as much as the new. As long as you and your wife are comfortable."

For the briefest of moments, Yoongi could swear Namjoon's cinnamon scent bitterly stings the air, but just as soon as it arrives, it is gone. It is not uncommon for the tangier or sharper of the smells someone has to be strongest when they are feeling heightened levels of irritation, anger, annoyance, depression, and so on. Briefly, Yoongi worries whether something he said bothered Namjoon.

"I am comfortable as long as you are," Namjoon responds somewhat tersely as they take a left turn and the path straightens out before turning right up ahead.

Again, silence falls, and Yoongi listens to the scurry of rodents and the soft calls of birds. To the right, through the wooded area, Yoongi can see more of the path. It appears to snake through the trees from right to left to right again with wooded areas in between. It is peaceful, and Yoongi is grateful that Namjoon invited him. For the first time since his heat began, he feels calm and in control of his own body.

Once his heat fully hits, he will not be so mobile. The first wave is a bit of a warning, ebbing and flowing before coming in full swing. In a day or two, he expects to lock himself in that small bedroom and hide away from everyone until it passes, or at least until they mate. Although omegas are most fertile while in heat, he and Namjoon still need to discuss a timeline for everything.

"Is there a good time for us to…" Yoongi trails off, taking the curve to the right and continuing in step beside Namjoon. He squeezes his eyes shut for a split second and curses himself for being so awkward; he is an adult, discussing a contractual agreement with another adult. Just because there is sex involved, does not mean he should struggle to discuss it.

"For us to…?" Namjoon asks when the silence draws on a little long.

The thought of laying sprawled out beneath Namjoon, looking up at him while his hair clings to his sweaty forehead flashes in Yoongi's mind, and all at once, he trips over his own feet and topples forward, knees and palms meeting the ground before he corrects himself. The tumble is small and hardly disrupts their pace, but Namjoon is close in an instant, filling his senses with tangerines and warm, calming musk.

"Are you alright?" Namjoon asks, voice low and soft, giving Yoongi goosebumps.

Yoongi hums in response, eager for Namjoon to not be quite so close, despite how much his body longs for him to touch him. They run in silence, snaking around to the left and to the right again, while Yoongi attempts to clear his head, and he is grateful for Namjoon's patience while he gathers his thoughts. Once they start reaching the end of the path, Yoongi takes in a fortifying breath.

"What I was going to ask is whether there is a good time for us to get started," Yoongi says, keeping his eyes ahead. "On the whole…er…process."

"The procreation," Namjoon adds, and Yoongi wonders if there is a playful tone to his voice, but he does not want to face the man and check his expression.

"Yes," he says, cracking a soft smile. "The procreation."

As they come around the final curve, the treeline ends, opening up to a well-trodden grassy area. Up ahead is a round cul-de-sac and sidewalk that leads to a residential neighborhood, and further down, there appears to be a playground of some sort.

"Whenever you feel most comfortable," Namjoon says, which, if Yoongi is being honest, is not the most helpful statement.

Yoongi hums and glances around, not very focused on anything in particular; more eager than anything to get a plan of some sort finalized.

"Well, I am already at your house and more or less ready to begin," Yoongi huffs, finally feeling the exertion of the run. "You are the one with the career, so really, it is up to you, depending on how hands-on you would like to be. And if you would rather wait for my heat to be over, we can."

The sound that comes from Namjoon is somewhere between a hum and a groan, and Yoongi is unsure how to parse it, but certain that he would rather pretend he never heard it. All the little hairs on his body stand at attention, and he does his best not to trip on his own feet again.

"It may be best if we wait until after," Namjoon finally responds. The soft tone of voice has returned, and it does wonders for Yoongi's already wild imagination. "Not to be dismissive or anything, but since omegas tend to get…shall we say…needy during their heats, I should probably keep my distance."

At this, Yoongi laughs – a burst at first that blooms into something melodic and impossible to contain. Namjoon lets out a surprised sound before he, too, chuckles, and Yoongi slows their run to a stop in order to catch his breath.

"What is it?" Namjoon asks, laughter in his voice.

For the first time since coming outside, Yoongi allows himself to glance at Namjoon. He realizes too late that he made a mistake when a sheen of sweat that glistens on Namjoon's neck is hit just right by the streetlights and diminishing sun rays, making his golden skin shine. Namjoon cracks a hint of a smile, watching Yoongi as if he is waiting for a response; Yoongi has no idea why they were laughing, anymore, brain muddled by the alpha's beauty.

"Uh—" Yoongi mutters, pulling his eyes from Namjoon to glance around and attempt to clear his head. "What were we talking about?"

Namjoon scoffs and reaches up, leaning into Yoongi's personal space and taking him by surprise. When Namjoon's warm hand comes into contact with Yoongi's forehead, it makes him freeze in place.

"Do you have a fever or something, omega?" Namjoon asks, moving his hand to Yoongi's cheek as if comparing the two temperatures.

Yoongi ducks dramatically to the side, swatting at the air, doing his best not to touch the alpha who evidently has no respect for personal space.

"Excuse you," he grumbles, watching as Namjoon cracks more of a smile, cheeks delicately dimpled. "I feel fine, for the most part. Just…I don't know…I'm tired."

A lie; Yoongi is not remotely tired. In fact, this run has him feeling more invigorated than he has in months.

"We were discussing the possibility of waiting until after your heat," Namjoon responds somewhat under his breath. He averts his gaze to the road, and Yoongi wonders if the topic of conversation actually makes him feel shy.

"Ah," Yoongi says, remembering Namjoon saying he would become needy and feeling warmth flood to his cheeks. There is a part of him that feels disappointed that Namjoon will want to keep all of his strong, calming alpha scents away when Yoongi desires them most, but he does his best to tamp those thoughts down and remind himself once again that Namjoon is not his.

But what if Namjoon were his, Yoongi's heat-addled mind suggests, unhelpfully. What if, just once, Namjoon could cradle him the way he needs while he fights through his heat? What if Namjoon enveloped him in a warm cocoon of spicy-citrus heaven?

Warmth rushes through Yoongi at a dizzying pace, making his chest feel tight, and he takes a deep intake of cool night air, closing his eyes and tilting his head to the sky. Suddenly, his limbs feel al dente and ready to collapse, and his heart pounds.

"You alright?" Namjoon asks, and Yoongi notices his own tangy scent of pomegranate permeating the air.

"Y-yeah," Yoongi responds, turning back toward the house. "Just got hit by a hot flash. I might head back to the house."

"Alright," Namjoon mutters, taking a step closer, emitting a soothing wave of musk. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Yes, Yoongi thinks. He would love for Namjoon to come with him. Only, he fixates on Namjoon towering over him, sweaty and eager to placate his hormonal urges, which is the opposite of what Namjoon can do for him.

"No, I'm good," Yoongi insists. "I'll see you back there."

Yoongi does not wait for Namjoon to respond before he begins jogging toward the trees. Although the cool night air is relaxing, Yoongi feels warm and worn out. He worries his knees might give way, but he presses ahead. The sound of Namjoon's feet jogging in the opposite direction can be heard, and once the lingering scent of tangerine fades, Yoongi lets out a deep breath, slowing down to intake air uninhabited by him.

Being in the presence of Namjoon almost feels like a pull – like there is an invisible string connecting them, causing Yoongi to get caught in Namjoon's gravity. Yoongi wonders again what life might be like if Namjoon were his to orbit. He knows the thought is silly, and it does nothing to tamp the wave of loneliness he feels as he picks up his pace and jogs back toward the large home alone.

He takes it slow, not entirely eager to return too soon before Namjoon. Although Wheein was nice to him last night, her behavior this morning and distance all day has Yoongi feeling unsure of what to think of her. It must be strange to have another person in the house, and Yoongi can only imagine how she must be feeling knowing that he and Namjoon will have to mate the traditional way. Still, he cannot help but wonder if she really meant it last night when she said they would become friends.

Yoongi enters the trees and takes a deep breath of fresh air, letting it settle in his lungs before it rattles out with each movement of his legs. Without Namjoon’s musk, Yoongi feels a bit brighter, oxygen coming to him a little easier. He follows the path and curves to the left, glancing through the trees to his left, toward the residential area for a glimpse of Namjoon, finding a distant figure that may be moving toward him.

He wonders if it is possible for Namjoon to have already run to the end of his route, and glances again, seeing him advance quickly from between the trees. Briefly, Yoongi imagines Namjoon as his alpha coming to give chase and capture him, and instantly, his pheromones spike, creating a cloying plume of chamomile with hints of pomegranate.

“Gods damn it,” Yoongi mutters under his breath, feeling embarrassed by the possibility of Namjoon catching up and running straight through the scent.

But then he imagines Namjoon sniffing the air with blown pupils that blaze with a fire just for Yoongi. Perhaps he has worked up even more of a sweat – dewy and dripping, tasting salty-sweet. The thought stirs arousal in Yoongi’s tummy, and although it is a small amount, he can both feel and smell the slick that he produces – a headier, muskier mixture of his scents.

With a groan, Yoongi follows the path around to the right and picks up the pace. No longer is he concerned with returning alone and having to face Wheein. Now he just wants to get back to the room and bury himself under the warm, soft blankets that smell just like the alpha he cannot stop thinking about, contract be damned.

Yoongi begins to huff and grunt as he jogs on. The small amount of slick he has produced feels uncomfortable, and the more he dwells on it, the more his pheromones seem to seep into the air, clinging all around him like a mist. He wonders if it would be excessive to take another shower.

As he follows the path around one more curve, Yoongi hears a branch snap to his left, in the direction from which Namjoon runs, and he turns his head to find Namjoon running straight through the trees, toward him. Fear and adrenaline spike in Yoongi, and he picks up the pace, running faster. If this is a game Namjoon is playing with him, Yoongi is unsure whether he finds it amusing.

Another branch snaps, this one much closer, and Yoongi turns his head to find Namjoon leaping out from the wooded area, onto the path behind him, watching him with wide eyes and a stance that almost looks like Namjoon is going to get onto all fours and give animalistic chase. Yoongi turns his gaze ahead and approaches the next curve in the road, taking it rather quickly and checking to see that he is not too far from the house.

But as soon as Yoongi is around the bend, Namjoon is ahead, exiting the wooded area and running straight for him. Yoongi falters in his steps and nearly trips over himself, then he veers off the path and begins to run through the last strip of woods in the direction of the Hanok. The sounds of leaves and twigs underfoot snap loudly, causing Yoongi's heart to pound impossibly harder, and he runs as if his life depends on it, hopping over fallen branches and zig-zagging around trees.

And then he trips. Yoongi's right ankle gets caught on a large branch, and he falls forward, bracing himself for impact with his hands outstretched. He feels foolish and confused, heart booming loudly in his ears, and more than anything he just wants to get away from this stupid fucking path and out of all of this nature.

Just as Yoongi's already sore palms hit uneven ground, two strong, warm arms wrap around him and yank him back. Before he can make sense of anything, Yoongi is firmly pressed against the thick trunk of a maple tree. Namjoon's arms cage Yoongi in, hands on either side of his face, and he leans in close, loudly sniffing the air around them.

"N-Namjoon?" Yoongi mutters as his entire body trembles.

From this proximity, the aura of musk and tangerine is strong and sweet – intoxicating. His eyelids flutter shut as more pungent slick is produced, feeling a primal calm wash over him despite being caught by a man who had just given chase.

"What are you doing?" he tries, tilting his head away from Namjoon, who continues to sniff him.

"Smells so good," Namjoon groans after a pause, voice deep and lust-laced.

Yoongi wants to shove Namjoon away and continue back to the hanok, but he finds he cannot move. The alpha's presence is strong and commanding, and Yoongi likes this attention from him; he likes the idea that his scent is alluring. And so he stands with his back pressed against the tree, panting through shattered breath as he attempts to even his heartbeat and ignore the flooding arousal that pools in his tummy.

Then, as if ripped from a trance, Namjoon stands straight up and blinks heavily, taking two steps back. He glances around at his surroundings and, with wide, apologetic eyes, he mutters, "S-sorry. I didn't mean to—that was an accident."

Yoongi clears his throat as disappointment builds and builds and crashes throughout him. He feels shipwrecked at sea – splintered wood left to drift aimlessly in open waters. Because of course, it was an accident; why would Namjoon desire him?

"It's fine," Yoongi responds as he peels himself away from the tree and slowly begins to walk back toward the path.

Namjoon leads the way, jogging without a glance back. Yoongi follows behind. Not another word is exchanged between them, and when Yoongi returns to the hanok, he kicks his shoes off and heads straight to the room.

Namjoon I left the contract on the dining room table. Please read it over and let me know if there is anything we need to amend. If everything looks good, we can sign it and work out a timeline. We discussed waiting until your heat is over, if you recall. Just let me know when the time comes, and we can begin making arrangements.

Yoongi blinks sleep from his eyes as he reads over Namjoon's message. The feral part of him wants to ignore everything contract-related and ask him just what the fuck happened last night, while they were jogging. Had Namjoon caught a whiff of Yoongi's arousal and begun to take chase without thinking? That is the only conclusion Yoongi is able to draw, and he has given it a lot of thought.

But Yoongi decides not to interrogate the alpha. It is not as if he can fully control his urges; some instincts are too primal. Just because his arousal may be inviting does not mean Namjoon wants him.

Yoongi gets dressed for the day and exits the room, feeling a sheen of dewy sweat cover him. He is warm and irritated, and he wants to grab some fruit and a cup of tea and return to bed. To his delight, only Jeongguk is in the kitchen, and as Yoongi approaches, the man turns quickly to face him with wide, curious eyes.

"What?" Yoongi grumbles, uncomfortable with the way Jeongguk's gaze roves over him. "Is there something on my face?"

Jeongguk blinks several times, then shakes his head, and says, "The smell," almost more to himself than to Yoongi.

With a grunt of acknowledgment, Yoongi approaches the dining table and finds the aforementioned contract, picking it up and glancing over it.

"Could I trouble you for some fruit and tea?" he asks softly, watching as Jeongguk – who seems to be preparing tofu – nods, and hums.

"Anything else?" Jeongguk asks, not turning around to address Yoongi directly.

"Nah," Yoongi responds as he turns and makes his way back to the room. "Feel free to shout and I'll come get it."

Yoongi hears Jeongguk hum in response, and he returns to the room and closes the door tightly behind him. He shuffles over to the bed and has a seat, then begins to read over the contract. It looks like any other contract he has had to sign for work, with the amendments of a traditional mating ritual. Ordinarily, when he surrogates, the egg belongs to the other parent, and it dawns on Yoongi that this child will be his DNA, not Wheein's.

The thought of it makes his hands tremble, and he gnaws on the inside of his mouth. How will he feel, knowing years from now that the baby Namjoon and Wheein raise as their own is his? Will he be given rights to be in that child's life? Will he even want that?

Yoongi stares at the page until the words blur and jumble, turning into black smudges against white – incoherent and impossible to parse. He feels anxious and suddenly so terribly alone, and he begins to worry that maybe he cannot do this. Maybe he needs to back out. Maybe he should just go home.

The sound of knuckles rapping against the wooden door pulls Yoongi from the fog, and he sits alert and looks in the direction of the sound.

"Yes?" he calls, heart pounding at the thought that it could be Namjoon on the other side.

"Tea is ready," Jeongguk responds softly. "I didn't feel like shouting."

With a hum, Yoongi tosses the contract aside and gets off the bed. As he steps closer to the door, he begins to feel a bit shy about how much the room must reek of him. In the kitchen, Jeongguk seemed dazed by his mere presence; what might it smell like contained in such a small space, even with the window cracked open?

To his surprise, Jeongguk's expression seems rather schooled as he opens the door and greets him. He reaches for the tray of tea and fruit, but Jeongguk shakes his head and nods his chin as if to motion for Yoongi to get out of his way.

"Fine," Yoongi mutters, stepping aside and allowing him to enter. The aroma of the tea is strong and soothing.

Jeongguk makes his way to the bed and sets the tray down. His eyes seem to linger on the contract, and then he straightens himself out and turns back to Yoongi. With a concerned pinch to his brow, he opens his mouth, but then he seems to think better about what he might say, and he closes it, floundering.

"Is something the matter?" Yoongi drawls, unable to hide his impatience. He just wants to return to bed and enjoy his tea and fruit, and Jeongguk is standing in the way.

"No," Jeongguk responds after a moment, shrugging as he leaves the room.

"Weirdo," Yoongi mutters under his breath once the door is closed tight. He feels hormonal and irritated, and he is not in the mood for a cryptic beta sniffing around in his personal space.

Yoongi would throw himself onto the mattress in a disgruntled huff if it weren't for the tray of hot tea sitting atop. Instead, he slowly gets onto his knees and shuffles over, plopping onto his butt once he is close enough, causing the porcelain to rattle on its wooden surface.

The tea is perfect, lightly sweetened with honey and soothing on the throat. Yoongi allows himself to be grateful for Jeongguk despite how annoying he finds his presence today. He wonders if Jeongguk likes being employed by the couple because he enjoys doting on others. He even wonders if Jeongguk will dote on him throughout the pregnancy. Or if that is something Namjoon will do?

Namjoon. Yoongi grimaces at the thought of him. Last night, in the woods, pressed against the tree and caged in by Namjoon's arms, Yoongi felt truly alive. Something primal sparked inside him after being chased and captured by the alpha. Just thinking about it has slick threatening to stain his pants.

But then he remembers the look on Namjoon's face when he said it was an accident, and the arousal turns acidic, giving Yoongi a stomach ache. With a frown, he enjoys his fruit – sliced pear and watermelon – and considers once more the thought of backing out of this situation.

Does he really want to be tied to Namjoon for the rest of his life? Is it worth the paycheck? Yoongi is happy to let his body be used to carry a baby to term, but his baby? His flesh and blood, sharing physical features and primal, innate instincts with Kim Namjoon? Can he really go through with it?

This time, when knuckles rap gently at the door, Yoongi huffs out a sigh and shouts, "What?" He is not in the mood to be bothered; can't he wallow in his moodiness alone?

"Yoongi-ssi?" Namjoon calls from the other side of the door.

Namjoon is possibly the last person on this planet Yoongi wants stepping foot into this room, especially with his arousal cloying the air. Even if Namjoon does not desire him, the alpha in him will likely become aroused, and he would rather save all of that for when they actually have to mate.

A shudder runs down Yoongi's spine, and he calls back, "Don't come in here!"

"I just wanted to make sure you got the contract," Namjoon responds, and Yoongi nods to nobody but himself as he mutters, "I got it."

"Okay, good," Namjoon says, and that is it. Silence from the other side of the door, just as Yoongi likes it.

He reminds himself that Namjoon stood up for him all those years ago, and that he should stop second-guessing whether he wants to help him or not. He should help Namjoon; he likes to help others. So he picks up his phone and thumbs around for his conversation with the alpha.

Yoongi Contract looks good. I have a few things I would like to discuss, but it can wait until after my heat ends.

Before Yoongi has a chance to set his phone down, it rings. Namjoon's name flashes on the screen, filling Yoongi with a wave of anxiety. Of course, it is fair that Namjoon would want to iron out any details, but now?

Yoongi answers the phone with a hum.

"We can talk about it now if you'd like to," Namjoon says, tone low and concerned. Hearing Namjoon's voice spoken so directly in his ear gives him goosebumps; he sounds good.

"Uh—" Yoongi clears his throat and runs a hand through his long, messy hair. "Alright. Well, I guess I was wondering about after the baby is born, since, you know…it's going to share my DNA too, if, uh…"

He trails off, unable to finish the sentence. Suddenly, he feels embarrassed to care this much, especially being unable to see and gauge Namjoon's reaction.

"Never mind," he mutters when the silence becomes overwhelming. "Forget it."

"Yoongi, listen," Namjoon says, voice stripped of any hint of concern; stern. "I know the process will likely be really stressful, and very personal to you, but I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to come around once we've finished. At least not until the baby is older. The media might turn it into a mess, and we need to think about our reputations."

"We what?" Yoongi responds sharply, unable to hold in the surge of anger that burns behind his ribcage. "What the fuck did you just say?"

Namjoon has the audacity to sigh, and Yoongi spirals.

"You know what?" Yoongi says through a sardonic chuckle, shaking his head, "Fuck you, and fuck this contract. I'm packing my shit and going home."

"Yoongi," Namjoon groans impatiently, "why don't we discuss this once your heat is over?"

"Once my heat is over?" Yoongi practically shouts, voice steeped in sarcasm. "Why, because I'm hormonal? Surely my judgment is being clouded because my omega instincts are making me overreact."

Namjoon hums and responds, "Pretty much."

"Oh, I fucking hate you," Yoongi says, getting up from the bed and pacing around, grabbing his discarded clothing from the floor and walking toward his suitcase to shove the items in unceremoniously. "And stop addressing me without honorifics! I am older than you!"

The tone of Namjoon's voice as he says, "I'm the alpha of this house," is almost playful, and Yoongi finds it infuriating.

"Can't even get your wife pregnant," Yoongi mutters under his breath. "Some fucking alpha you are."

As soon as the words leave his lips, Yoongi braces himself to be yelled at. He really has a lot of nerve saying shit like that to the man whose house he has been staying in. It takes Yoongi by surprise, however, when the door to the bedroom flies open, and Namjoon comes barreling in.

"Say that to my face, omega," Namjoon challenges, standing tall while Yoongi still holds his phone to his ear, crouched over his suitcase, and too dazed to move.

The bitter sting of cinnamon permeates the air, and Yoongi stumbles back, feeling dizzy.

"Not so tough are you now, little wolf?" Namjoon snarls, stepping forward and crowding Yoongi's space.

Yoongi wonders if Jeongguk or Wheein are around and can hear them. He wonders if they would intervene if things got physical between them.

He does not want to fight Namjoon, however. He wants to fuck.

Seeing him worked up with his jaw set and nostrils flaring, muscles strained behind his white button-up does something to Yoongi, and he is unable to stop himself from leaking a little at the sight of him. This must catch Namjoon's attention because he sniffs the air before his eyes widen, confusion laced with anger.

"If you want to leave, then get the fuck out," Namjoon says, blinking heavily and appearing less confident than just a moment ago. "Otherwise, watch what you say to me."

"Alright," Yoongi mutters, eyes traveling over Namjoon, past the hint of skin that peeks past his collar – two buttons left undone – to the shape of his waist and hips, no detail hidden behind the white fabric. "S-sorry."

"Are you?" Namjoon asks, making Yoongi's eyes snap back to his face.

"Yeah," he mutters, and he means it. All the fight has drained out of him, and the bedroom stinks of negativity and arousal.

"If you stay, we can discuss all of this in better detail," Namjoon says, taking a step backward. Sweat shimmers on his throat, and once more, Yoongi cannot stop himself from imagining what it must taste like.

"Later," Namjoon adds, eyes glancing around the room, dazed.

And then he walks out, closing the door behind him. Yoongi's phone remains clutched in his hand, and he glances down to notice that the call was never hung up. Seconds tick by uselessly on his screen until finally, the line goes dead.

"Fuck," Yoongi mutters, tossing his phone to the bed as he lets out a deep exhale. "Holy fuck. That was hot."

No longer is Yoongi considering packing and leaving; he is desperate for Namjoon to mate him.

Tonight, it is Wheein who brings Yoongi dinner. She looks tense as she holds the tray of kimchi soup, rice, and tea, and thankfully, she allows Yoongi to take it from her in the doorway. Yoongi hopes she will excuse herself immediately.

"What did you say to piss off Namjoon earlier?" she asks, voice full of mirth.

Yoongi stops mid-turn and looks over his shoulder to find her standing with her arms crossed over her chest. Heat rises to his face, and he spins away to continue carrying the tray over to the bed.

"Oh, nothing, really…" Yoongi mutters, unsure what he could possibly tell her about what happened. He is almost certain Namjoon did not confide in her, if the lack of conversation he has witnessed is anything to go by. "I misunderstood a line in the contract, and overreacted. My hormones have been super off balance."

Yoongi turns and feigns concern as he adds, "Why? Did he—did he say anything?"

Wheein squints and appears to study Yoongi, then she shrugs and responds, "No. Just heard him storm in here, that's all."

"Ah," Yoongi mutters, feeling uncomfortable. "Well, thank you for the food. I appreciate it."

"The thing is," Wheein continues, straightening her posture and taking a step into the room, "he seems to be coming down with a fever. I'm worried that something may have stressed him out so much that he has become sick."

Yoongi swallows a lump, feeling a prickle of sweat on his forehead. Just what the hell is Wheein trying to accuse him of?

"I don't think that's how stress or sickness works," Yoongi mutters, somewhat defensively.

With a devilish grin, Wheein says, "True. Maybe he got a whiff of your horny omega slick and now he's going into a rut."

Yoongi's heart pounds wildly in his chest, and he racks his brain…is that how ruts work? He is not entirely sure; alpha ruts are not exactly part of the in vitro birthing process.

"I'm…not—" Yoongi begins, wanting to argue that he has not been excreting slick willy-nilly for all the house to smell. Sure, he is sweating a lot, and producing a bouquet of scents, but his slick has been more or less kept under control.

But then he remembers the jog in the woods. Not only that, but Namjoon chased him through the trees and pinned him in order to get a better sniff of him. And he did leak a little earlier today when Namjoon stormed in and loomed over him like a threat. Could that have caused a rut?

Yoongi begins to panic, feeling his pulse rage. He knits his brow and shakes his head, attempting to think of something to say, but Wheein just giggles and walks out, closing the door and leaving a spattering of patchouli behind her.

Briefly, Yoongi wonders if she is drunk; she does seem to enjoy her white wine. Or is she being malicious? Does having another omega in the house make her feel insecure?

There is a part of Yoongi that wants to reach out to Namjoon and ask him what is wrong – to make sure that it is not, in fact, a rut that he is going through. But Namjoon has been so hot and cold toward Yoongi since his arrival, and more than anything, he wants to get the procreation done and over with so that he can carry their child to term and never see them again.

However, if he is going to be in this house for a year, give or take, then he needs an ally. So he climbs onto the bed, finds his phone, and makes an attempt at opening a dialogue.

Yoongi I have a feeling Wheein hates me.

He sets his phone down and takes a spoonful of soup, raising it to his lips before stopping and giving it a whiff. Certainly, if she were going to poison him, she would do so with something undetectable, Yoongi thinks, but he takes precautions anyway. After all, she is not above having things added to his food that should not be in there.

Yoongi has a spoonful of the soup, then a bite of rice, and a spoonful of soup again. He closes his eyes, savoring the broth with a tiny smile, deciding it is probably not dosed with poison. Beside him, his cell phone buzzes.

Namjoon To be fair, she hates everything.

This makes Yoongi snicker and roll his eyes.

Yoongi How reassuring.

Namjoon Why? Has she said something to you?

Yoongi feels a little surprised by Namjoon's concern. Of course, this could be a robotic response, seeing as Yoongi is a guest in his home. Or a response born out of boredom, if Namjoon really is sick. Still, Yoongi takes what he can get.

Yoongi She asked me what I said to anger you. I lied a little, because I wasn't sure if you told her, and I was already embarrassed enough that I didn't want to run the risk of offending her, as well.

Namjoon She's good at smelling lies. But it's probably best that you didn't tell her.

Yoongi I figured.

Yoongi continues to eat, staring at his phone, which rests on his knee, waiting for Namjoon to respond. It only takes a few minutes for him to become antsy.

Yoongi She mentioned you've been feeling sick.

Namjoon A fever, I think. Nothing concerning.

Yoongi Wheein said it might be a rut. She even teased me, saying it was probably my fault.

Namjoon She said that?

Yoongi I’m sure she was joking, but it did make me a bit uncomfortable.

Yoongi wants to ask directly. He wants to interrogate Namjoon about what happened in the woods last night and ask him what he thinks they should do. If Namjoon is reacting to his scent in a primal way, is it safe for them to be in the same house?

He stares at his phone, waiting for a response to come in, feeling disappointment well inside his guts with each moment that passes without one. He even considers calling Namjoon just to clear things up.

But instead, he decides he would rather eat his dinner. Already, the food and tea have begun to turn cold, so he slurps everything up, intent on finishing rather than savoring.

Since Namjoon is likely confined to one of the rooms, Yoongi decides to take his tray back to the kitchen. Perhaps he can engage in more friendly conversation with Wheein, or find out what Jeongguk is up to.

Yoongi slides off the bed and grabs the tray, balancing it on one palm spread across the underside as he walks to the door and opens it. He peeks out briefly, and upon finding only Jeongguk in the kitchen, he exits the room and pads over.

As he approaches, Jeongguk looks up, and with widened eyes, he trots over, reaching out for the tray before getting close enough to take it.

“I got it,” Yoongi grumbles, but Jeongguk takes it anyway, spinning on the balls of his feet to place it onto the counter.

“Yoongi-ssi,” Jeongguk says as he turns his attention back to Yoongi. “I was just going to come talk to you.”

“Oh?”

Jeongguk hums. “Being that you are in a heat cycle and Namjoon is feeling unwell, we would like to move you.”

"Like, what, to another room?" Yoongi scoffs; what difference would it make if he were across the same hallway, one door over.

"It's…more like a guesthouse," Jeongguk responds with a look of concern, possibly because he can see how Yoongi is responding to the request.

"A guesthouse," Yoongi mutters under his breath.

So, essentially, they would like to further isolate Yoongi and keep him away from Namjoon. And he is supposed to carry a child under those conditions…he wishes he could say he is surprised, but isolating the surrogate does seem to be the way couples handle the process, and a guesthouse had been mentioned before.

"Fine," Yoongi grumbles, feeling exhausted.

Perhaps it is for the best that he is away from this weirdo family and keeps to himself. The pay that will come at the end of this whole ordeal will be enough that he can take a vacation to clear his mind, and he decides to begin looking forward to that.

Yoongi leads the way back to the bedroom and pushes the door open, leaving it hanging rather than bothering to close it behind him. Let his stench fill the hallway, for all he cares; if Namjoon really is rutting, then he hopes the man feels miserable.

First, he picks up his phone – checking for messages and rolling his eyes when he finds none – and then he shoves his strewn clothing back into his suitcase and zips it shut. Jeongguk arrives and waits in the doorway, seemingly surprised to find Yoongi is already set to leave.

"You never bothered to unpack," Jeongguk mutters, a statement rather than a question.

Rather than respond, Yoongi shoves past and walks down the hallway, toward the bathroom, to retrieve his toothbrush. For a brief moment, he considers taking the amenities that have been provided, but he decides to wait and find out what the guesthouse has to offer. Yoongi pads back and finds that Jeongguk already has his suitcase handle extended and in his grasp, so he approaches and waits for the beta to lead the way.

"It's out back," Jeongguk mutters as he wheels the case toward the back door, and Yoongi trods ahead and slides his feet into the sneakers that were left the night before, not bothering to untie them or straighten out the backs that bend beneath his heels. He stands off to the side as Jeongguk slides into some sandals and opens the back door, leading the way to the left, where the wooden deck extends past the pool, along the side of the house.

Past the pool, between the hanok and the wooded area, is a small wooden bungalow – a tiny version of the hanok, with matching ornate black roof tiles. It runs the width of the pool, although how deep the structure is, Yoongi cannot tell. Jeongguk leads down the wooden path until he reaches the door, then he pulls out a key and unlocks it.

As soon as Yoongi steps close to the front door, he is hit with the scent of warm musk, tangerine, and cinnamon, stronger than it had been in the other bedroom. Petulance rises, and he cannot decide whether he is more annoyed at having to smell the alpha because he wants him close, or if he simply wants nothing to do with his presence at all.

This building is far more quaint, with a large room that has a bed set up in the far corner, raised from the floor and covered in furs – what one would expect from a wolf home centuries ago – with a dresser and mirror nearby. There is a low square table in the center of the room, around which sits four yellow-brown cushions. To the right is a window, and to the left is a door, through which Yoongi expects to find a bathroom.

There is no kitchen, nor hint of space in which to prepare meals, making Yoongi uncomfortable. Sure, he had been accepting Jeongguk's insistence of preparing and delivering his meals, but out here, away from the house, he practically feels like a prisoner. The space is bare bones, and appears hardly used – though immaculate; Yoongi does not see a speck of dust. He wonders if Jeongguk recently cleaned in here.

"What do I do about food?" Yoongi asks, already knowing what the answer will be.

"I already prepare all three meals for Namjoon and Wheein," Jeongguk responds simply. "And I was already bringing your meals, before we moved you here. It's no trouble for me to make the extra trip with a tray."

Yoongi sighs and digs the palms of his hands against his eyes, feeling tired, but more in an emotional way than a physical one.

"I guess I was hoping that on days I felt better, I could have a little more independence."

Jeongguk nods, then shrugs and says, "I understand it must be strange to live with a family who has hired help, but I assure you that nobody cooks or cleans in that kitchen but me."

"And if you're sick?" Yoongi challenges, raising an eyebrow.

"I rarely become sick," Jeongguk responds.

Yoongi simply hums. Must be nice, he thinks, to be a beta with no heat or rut cycle to care about. Still, the thought of having to rely on someone else for all of his meals feels…well, annoying. But he swallows down the rest of his remarks and accepts things as they are. Jeongguk is, after all, a great cook.

"Take down my number so it will be easier for you to let me know when you are hungry," Jeongguk suggests, and Yoongi fishes his phone from his pocket, unlocks the screen, and thumbs through to open an empty contact, then hands it over.

"And if I want snacks?"

Jeongguk takes the phone, glancing at Yoongi for just a brief moment to smirk, before looking down and muttering, "I have already purchased the items on your list, and if you would like, I can bring all the snacks here. If there is anything else you crave, just let me know and I will add it to the shopping list."

"Alright," Yoongi concedes with a sigh as Jeongguk hands his phone back. Yoongi snatches it and slides it back into his pocket, then continues to glance around the room.

"I will leave you to it," Jeongguk says, turning on his heels before adding, "and if you would like to go for a swim, please feel free. I bought a set of shorts in case you didn't pack any. It's in the dresser, which you are welcome to store your things in."

Yoongi nods and hums in response, then stands stiff with his arms hanging at his sides, unsure what to do with himself as Jeongguk leaves. A swim does sound nice, but he hesitates, letting his gaze drift around the room. He supposes it couldn't hurt to take a dip and get a little sunshine. There really is not much else to do, and although Yoongi has a laptop packed in his suitcase and can always find something to stream, he really is not in the mood to watch anything.

"Everything feels like a concession," he mutters under his breath as he kicks away his bent sneakers and pads over to the dresser. "For once, I just want to feel relaxed."

And if that is not reason enough to take a swim, he really does not know what is.

Although the furniture seems somewhat contemporary, the dresser has a vintage look, designed like older pieces of furniture with ornate iron fastenings, but rounded edges. Yoongi opens the top drawer and finds a folded pile of black cloth, which he lifts and discovers is the shorts Jeongguk had mentioned.

Although they are longer, they are also rather tight, and Yoongi snickers to himself, wondering if they provide more coverage than boxer briefs – which he has aplenty, and could have worn. He strips down, out of his light blue jeans and black briefs, and shimmies one leg at a time into the shorts, pulling them high and adjusting the crotch.

"Good enough," he mutters as he crosses the room and enters through the only other door, feeling around for a light switch before finding one and flipping it up. The bathroom is spacious, with a shower stall – containing the toiletries he lamented leaving behind in the old bathroom – and a large sink with an overhead mirror. Above the toilet is a shelf holding rows of towels, and he grabs one, switches off the light, and shuffles out.

Yoongi makes his way to the door and exits the bungalow, leaving it unlocked since Jeongguk did not provide him with a key, and he walks over to the pool. The end closest to his new home appears to be the deep end – which Yoongi thinks is quite suitable for the situation he has found himself in – and he decides he is not eager to jump in all at once, so he walks around to the far end, where a small set of steps sits nestled in the corner closest to the back porch of the hanok.

A light breeze gusts by, covering Yoongi in goosebumps, and he wonders if perhaps it is getting too cold to take a swim. Already, the day is beginning to wane, the sky turning a golden hue. Yoongi shuffles over to the steps and dips his toe into the water, snickering to himself because of course their pool is heated. Why wouldn't the mayor, who lives in a beautiful home with his beautiful wife out on this beautiful stretch of land, not have a heated fucking inground pool?

The water feels perfect, and Yoongi peels off the plain white tee he had been wearing and flings it and his towel over to a wicker chair with white padding that sits a few feet away. Briefly, Yoongi wonders if it is likely that anyone might join him, but considering Namjoon is unwell and the other two live in the kitchen, glued to their glasses of wine, he finds it unlikely.

Good, he thinks. All the better.

Yoongi starts slow, walking one step at a time while the water licks his ankles – cool on the very surface but warm just below. Then, with a deep breath out, and a deep breath in, he falls forward, skimming the surface as he lowers little by little until he is somewhat wading, somewhat walking, sinking down into a half-seated position hovering just above the floor.

Below the surface of the water, everything is calm and peaceful – a gentle roar of nothingness, heavy and weightless and so, perfectly alone. Above, the water sways, dips, and peaks, casting light and shadow in ever-changing patterns, glimmering and fading, ebbing and flowing. He wishes he could sit down here much longer than his body allows, and he lets out air gradually, expanding his diaphragm slowly, slowly, slowly, until his lungs begin to burn with the need for oxygen.

Yoongi lets the rest of his air out in a huff as he stands in shallow enough water that it rests at his hips, making his torso cool instantly in the evening air. A chill rocks through him, quaking in a shiver that feels so visceral – makes him feel so alive. And, with a smile, he spins and squats, walking with the water to his shoulders until, little by little, he can stand tall again with only his neck and head sticking out.

As the sun gradually works its way closer to the horizon, setting the sky ablaze in pink and gold, Yoongi swims and swims, spinning onto his back for a few laps before turning onto his front, dolphin-diving below and floating listlessly back to the top. He lays on his back and lets the water rock him to and fro, drifting with no direction – with no care in the world. He closes his eyes, he listens to birds and insects, and he simply exists.

The sound of the back door to the hanok closing stirs Yoongi, and he opens his eyes, body dipping into the water as his muscles respond to the feeling of surprise. Namjoon shuffles down the deck, along the path, and disappears into the trees, running much faster than he had the other night.

Strange, Yoongi thinks, that he is out for a run when he is unwell. Perhaps he is feeling better. Or, perhaps he is the foolish type who likes to push himself too far when all he needs is rest.

Or…perhaps he really is in a rut.

His fever – and whatever else he experiences during that time – could come and go the way Yoongi's does, building and fading gradually until it hits hard all at once, debilitating and overwhelming, or whatever alphas experience.

Yoongi continues to float, but the weightlessness feels stifled; his limbs are just a little too heavy. The euphoria has been tamped down, and he begins to slowly spin and walk around somewhat mindlessly, unsure what to do with himself. The thought of Namjoon returning and regarding him feels daunting…but, somehow, the thought of Namjoon returning and pretending he does not exist feels worse.

With small, bouncy steps, Yoongi returns to the steps in the corner of the pool, standing tall as the water pours down his torso and turns cold. Goosebumps cover his skin, and he breathes deep, relaxing breaths as he exits and pads over to the chair for the fluffy white towel that lays in a pile, tangled with his shirt.

Yoongi picks up the towel and starts with his shoulders, rubbing away water while standing with his head leaned just forward enough that the water drips onto the tan gunite floor. He rubs the towel over his arms and down his legs, not worrying too much since his shorts are sopping wet; he really just wants to get his shirt back on so he can dry his hair a little and then wrap the towel around his hips.

As he flings the towel aside and reaches for his tee, the sounds of feet tromping through the woods can be heard behind him. He holds the garment in his hand and rotates, curiously searching for the source of the sound. And when Namjoon breaks through the trees – off path – Yoongi sucks in a breath and holds it for safekeeping.

Namjoon shines in the faint rays of the quickly setting sun, hair stuck to his forehead in stalactites of sweat. His black athletic tank and shorts cling to his skin, outlining firm muscle and soft curves; he looks like a modern depiction of a god, chiseled in stone, preserved in all his glory, too good to be true.

As the musky-sweet stench of chamomile wafts from Yoongi, he turns his head away quickly and begins to shove his arms into his shirt, punching material before finding the wrong holes and then the right ones. He swallows a lump and stares ahead at the wooden deck of the hanok, waiting anxiously for Namjoon to pass and go back inside. But instead, the footsteps advance, slowing in step and at war with the accelerated pace at which Yoongi's heart pounds.

"Hey," Namjoon mutters, making Yoongi gasp, and he turns, feeling his face warm as Namjoon approaches. "Are you done already?"

Yoongi's entire nervous system screeches to a halt as he does his best not to notice the dips and curves of pectorals and abdominals, and so, so many muscles his foggy brain fails to cling to the names of. Somewhat frantically, his tongue pushes and pulls inside his mouth, forming consonants and vowels that never find sound, until finally, he mutters, "Huh?"

To his surprise, Namjoon chuckles – a soft thing with barely any sound following an abrupt gust of air, accompanied by gentle dimples creasing his cheeks. It is absolutely devastating, and Yoongi heavy-blinks and pleads silently with himself to get his shit together and think clearly.

"Are you done swimming?" Namjoon clarifies. "I was going to jump in."

All at once, Yoongi spirals. On the one hand, it would be an actual dream come true to swim with Namjoon – to be weightless and wet, and engulfed in his scent. But on the other hand – the practical hand that reminds him that Namjoon is unattainable and not his – determines that all of that is an absolute fucking nightmare.

What if the sight of Namjoon's bare chest causes Yoongi to produce slick, filling the atmosphere with his arousal? No, he thinks. Swimming with Namjoon is off the table.

And even as he deliberates, searching the darkening sky for answers, warm musk laced with sweet, tangy tangerine tickles at his senses and sends him reeling. He needs to get away, fast.

"Y-yeah," Yoongi mutters. "I feel kinda tired. I might shower and turn in."

Namjoon's brows knit ever so slightly, and Yoongi does not let himself dwell on it – pushes out the thought that Namjoon might be disappointed, of all things. As he takes a step back and lifts his hand to give a weak wave, he mutters, "Nice pool, though. Thanks for letting me swim."

A weird thing to say, Yoongi considers, since Namjoon did not really let him do anything; he is a guest in this house and was given swim shorts. But the words are already out there and it feels weird to take them back.

"Use it all you'd like," Namjoon responds politely, reaching for the bottom hem of his shirt and lifting.

And with that, Yoongi turns quickly, nearly tripping over his own feet to scamper away, back to the bungalow. He imagines he can feel Namjoon's gaze on him as he retreats, swallowing a lump of determination and disappointment as he reaches for the knob. He will not turn back and see for himself; he cannot do that.

Yoongi steps inside quickly and leans his back against the closing door, allowing his body and gravity to do the work as he sinks into the cold surface and closes his eyes. He needs to stop swooning over Namjoon; these feelings – whether a product of his heat, or genuine, or some dreadful place in between – are no good. They can only cause him hurt, in the long run. He needs to steel his heart and stop pining over the alpha who can never be his.

Days pass in the bungalow with Jeongguk bringing him breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and keeping him stocked with snacks. The food changes, sometimes braised pork belly, sometimes pizza. Each meal comes with tea and water, and a packet of bupropion in case Yoongi feels any swelling or pain. He lets the medicine pile up on the small wooden table.

Yoongi's heat is beginning to hit hard, keeping him bedridden during the day. He peels himself out of the sheets when the sun begins to set to swim by himself, desperate to calm his nerves. Then he showers and returns to the bed. When Jeongguk stops by with meals, he switches out the sheets and towels, keeping Yoongi stocked with anything he may need.

But what he really needs, deep down, is the scent and comfort of an alpha. He needs to nestle and cuddle; needs to smell and lick and feel. Already traces of Namjoon are dwindling, and he finds himself desperately rubbing his face against the thick fur blanket, in search of more.

In the past, Yoongi has been able to tamp down these urges, never having had a tangible person on his mind while his hormones rage. But this time, he aches and yearns for the man whose scent is faint on the fur – only present enough to provide an illusion of comfort, driving him mad when his thighs clench together, and he leaks with wanton need.

Yoongi has no idea how late it is when a light knocking on the door that is very clearly not Jeongguk stirs him from a restless sleep. Outside, the sky is dark, and he cannot fathom who may need him at this hour.

"Hang on," Yoongi groans as he sits up and begins to push at the sheet, tangled in fabric and sweat, drowsy and disoriented. "Just a moment."

Yoongi stumbles when he gets to his feet, breathing shallowly and attempting to press forward despite how badly his body wants to sink down, down, down to the floorboards, and seep into the earth. He reaches for the knob and turns, finding his hand is too sweaty and rubbing his palm against his briefs in order to try again.

It occurs to Yoongi in a brief, passing thought that he is completely undressed, answering the door in his underwear, but he has neither the heart nor mind to care. When he finally gets a grip on the knob to twist and pull, he lets his eyes rake up the body of his guest, to his face, taking several moments to process the sight before him.

"Yoongi?" Namjoon asks softly, covered head to toe in soft black cotton – a hoodie pulled over his head, and matching joggers.

Yoongi hums in response, not entirely certain that Namjoon really is standing before him; could he be lucid dreaming? Does it always feel so real?

"Can I—I wanted to talk to you. Is now a bad time?"

"I'm…not fully awake," Yoongi mutters. Then he chuckles, shoulders and stomach bouncing as he asks, "Am I awake? Are you a dream? This is a weird dream. Ugh, this heat is making me crazy."

"I'm—" Namjoon begins, hesitates, and shifts on his feet, eyes searching past Yoongi's head.

Yoongi thinks his pupils are blown wide, that his nostrils are flared, but of course they would be; dream Namjoon would desire him.

"Maybe I should come back another time."

With a shrug, Yoongi backs into the room, deciding that he may as well let Namjoon in; he has no idea when, in the foreseeable future, he might feel better. He pads over to a cushion and allows his body to bend and crash down into it, catching himself with his palms against the floor before he can topple completely. Namjoon enters the space and softly closes the door behind him, then he takes a much more graceful seat on the cushion to Yoongi's right.

"I was thinking…" Namjoon says, trailing off as he glances around the room, seemingly unable to hold his gaze on Yoongi. "I don't know if you know this, but I began my rut."

Yoongi laughs softly to himself, though what he finds funny, he is not certain. "Sucks to be you," he mutters with a sigh, feeling sorry for anyone who may be feeling as awful as he feels in this moment.

"I wasn't expecting it to happen, but I think it came about from…in the woods…when we were running. Your smell, and…my instincts…I—I don't know. I'm sorry, this must be awkward."

Gradually, as if ice water were trickling down from above, onto his head and pulling him from the fog of his heat, Yoongi begins to become acutely aware of the fact that this conversation is real – that he is definitely not dreaming. He watches Namjoon with wide, eager eyes, feeling a dizzying euphoria blanket him as their musks and scents mingle in the air.

"Ok," is all he can bring himself to say in response.

Namjoon chuckles, light and soft, just like the day at the pool, sending Yoongi's heart haywire. And Namjoon has to know; the way his scent hangs in the air, clinging to every corner and surface, it is unmistakable how Yoongi feels.

"I wonder if perhaps this would be a good time to…you know…" Namjoon says, cheeks darkening with blush.

"Procreate," Yoongi blurts with a heavy scoff.

Namjoon's cheeks dimple just enough to devastate as he says, "Yeah. Procreate."

"I am the most fertile," Yoongi mutters, letting his gaze drift to Namjoon's sweater, to a spot that blurs as he lets his vision drift, then sharpens as he blinks.

"And I'm the most virile," Namjoon adds.

"This is probably an opportune time," Yoongi mutters.

Silence hangs, but, for once, it is not uncomfortable. Namjoon seems to be intentionally delivering a calming scent, and Yoongi takes a deep, fortifying breath.

"Tonight is likely too soon," Namjoon responds, voice small.

Yoongi gasps, eyes flying to search Namjoon's face for any hint that he is joking, finding him looking shy.

"Yeah, maybe." Yoongi says, weighing the possibilities. "It would…gods, it would be a huge relief for me, but…maybe it's too soon."

"I'm sorry you're in here alone, dealing with this," Namjoon says, bashful. "I was too worried about, well…having you across the hall. The smell…"

"I get it," Yoongi responds. And he really does; being away from Namjoon has been for the best, he thinks. Especially with his treacherous heart desiring more than just the alpha comfort he could provide. Yoongi finds himself curious to know Namjoon too, as a person. Horrifying; it must be stopped.

"Tomorrow?" Yoongi suggests, half-joking, and Namjoon regards him with wide eyes, visibly swallows, and then nods in quick, shallow movements.

"Alright," Namjoon says, wetting his lips and standing quickly. "See you tomorrow, Yoongi."

And then, without another word or glance back, Namjoon makes for the door and exits, leaving Yoongi to spiral and spiral.

Jeongguk arrives bright and early with a bowl of fruit, water, and tea. He mutters something about Yoongi refraining from showering, no matter how sweaty he may be, and he hands over a packet of vitamins, waiting to watch Yoongi take them.

He also brings incense sticks and candles that he lights, ornate figures and shimmering crystals that he sets here and there, wreaths of dried plants that he tacks around, and soft, satin black sheets. It smells faintly like a smoky forest, but also a valley of flowers.

"Namjoon will return within the hour," Jeongguk says once he is done, holding the old bedding in his arms. "It will just be the two of you; the ritual is modern enough that there is no need for an audience. Is there anything else you need?"

Within the hour, in broad daylight. Yoongi swallows thickly. "N-no, thank you Jeongguk."

"Best of luck," Jeongguk says with a nod, "I pray for your fertility, and to your healthy body, mind, and spirit."

"Oh—okay, thanks," Yoongi mutters, stunned and unsure what to say.

With a bow of his head, Jeongguk departs, leaving Yoongi to stare at his fruit bowl.

Namjoon's knocking is recognizable now; two short taps and three quick ones. Yoongi is sitting at the table finishing his fruit and tea, and he calls, "Come in," with a quaking voice.

Seconds pass before the door opens, and Yoongi wonders if Namjoon is just as nervous as he is. He walks in wearing a black satin robe, and he kicks off sandals as he closes the door, then approaches with soft steps. He kneels beside Yoongi, and glances around the room for a brief moment before finally speaking.

"Are you ready, little omega?"

The nickname makes Yoongi's head spin, and he heavy-blinks and nods, letting his gaze drift and return.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

With a lift of one eyebrow, Namjoon says, "You don't smell ready," and Yoongi absolutely spirals. He attempts to find the words to say, failing around each syllable before Namjoon continues, saying, "I can change that, don't worry," in a voice that is deep and inviting and far too enticing for his own good.

Yoongi pushes away from the small table and stands, wearing only black briefs and a black tee. The material clings to his skin with sweat, but he has followed directions and has not showered. He makes his way to the bed and sits on the edge, and Namjoon turns, gets onto his hands and knees, and crawls.

No, not crawls – Namjoon stalks. His gaze is pointed, lips pulled into a sneer, and he slowly makes his way to Yoongi as the bone and muscle in his shoulders rise and sink hypnotically.

The dark material of the satin robe falls open, showing hints of chest, and Yoongi allows himself to look. When Namjoon gets close, he nuzzles his cheek against Yoongi's knee, and sparks fly inside him, building the aching need, causing every muscle between his legs to twitch and flutter as he produces slick.

"That's more like it," Namjoon groans, making a show of sniffing the air.

"Gods, you're infuriating," Yoongi mutters as his eyelids flicker.

"Lay down," Namjoon instructs as he sits up and begins to disrobe.

Yoongi nods and backs up, digging his heels as he pushes the blankets away and finds the center of the bed, soft and cool and covered with satin. Namjoon stands, drops the robe to the floor, and Yoongi gasps as he takes in the sight of the alpha nude with his cock hanging heavy and half-hard between his legs.

"Like what you see?" Namjoon teases, and Yoongi laughs, forcing his gaze to reach the ceiling.

"You wish," he responds, breathy and unconvincing.

The mattress dips, and Yoongi's heart becomes frantic. He has to keep reminding himself that this is really happening – that Kim Namjoon is going to breed him. When he allows himself to look at Namjoon, he finds the man towering beside him on his knees, laughing.

"What?" Yoongi asks, petulant.

"So stiff," Namjoon teases, and Yoongi realizes that he is lying in a straight line with his arms flat to his sides, and yeah, sure, he probably looks really funny. "Loosen up, omega."

"How do you expect me to do that?" Yoongi asks somewhat indignantly, tilting his head up, off the pillow, as if that will give him a better view of the man.

Without another word, Namjoon reaches down, takes Yoongi's plain black tee in both hands, and – with a growl that roars from deep in his chest – he rips it wide open, causing Yoongi to gasp and scramble as the alpha holds what is left of the material, trapping him somewhat suspended with his heels digging desperately against the mattress.

Slick trickles from him, mingling in the air with tangerine and musk – dizzying. Arousal floods and floods to the tips of his fingers and toes, his cock twitches half-hard, and his breaths heave from his lungs. He smolders under Namjoon's heated gaze, and his body begins to sink, pliant and eager. So, so eager.

Namjoon releases Yoongi's tattered shirt and leans close, caging him in with his arms and sniffing just above his shoulder, making Yoongi instinctively tilt his head to give him more access.

"Finally," Namjoon groans, voice hazy and somewhat distant, covering Yoongi in goosebumps. "I finally get to have you."

ahhhh, are we having fun, yet??? gosh, i love them so much. fun fact: this fic was written for a fest that had a 20k word cap for one shots and 40k word cap for two shots, and i ended up running out of fucking space. i went into a trance and wrote this fic like my life depended on it. and i have zero regrets.

thank you so much for reading!!! reblogs and comments are the lifeblood of this hellsite and likes are appreciated too!!! i love you!!!

tags: @codeinebelle @dasexydevitt13 @giriiboyy @mgthecat @moonleeai @m1sss1mp @spookyminyunki @yoongoboongo0🌙 comment or dm to be added to the tag list!

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#namgi #namgi a/b/o #namjoon smut #yoongi smut #alpha namjoon #omega yoongi #bts a/b/o #bts angst #bts smut #fic: one day at a time

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sweetestofchaos · 8 months

Text

TOTW Ch 7

𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀: 𝗈𝗍𝟩 𝗑 𝗈𝖼!𝗁𝗒𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀: 𝖳𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗋𝖾/𝖺𝗎: 𝖠𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍, 𝖥𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖠𝖴, 𝖧𝗒𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽 𝖠𝖴, 𝖭𝗈𝗇-𝖨𝖽𝗈𝗅 𝖠𝖴 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: 𝖨𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖱𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉𝗌, 𝖬𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗁𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖳𝗋𝖺𝗎𝗆𝖺/𝖭𝖾𝗀𝗅𝖾𝖼𝗍/𝖯𝖳𝖲𝖣, 𝖠𝗅𝗉𝖺𝖼𝖺!𝖲𝖾𝗈𝗄𝗃𝗂𝗇, 𝖯𝗂𝖾𝖽-𝖡𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗂𝖾𝖽 𝖲𝗁𝗂𝖾𝗅𝖽 𝖳𝖺𝗂𝗅 𝖲𝗇𝖺𝗄𝖾!𝖸𝗈𝗈𝗇𝗀𝗂, 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝖭𝖺𝗆𝗃𝗈𝗈𝗇, 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝖧𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗈𝗄, 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝖩𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗇, 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝖳𝖺𝖾𝗁𝗒𝗎𝗇𝗀, 𝖪𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗈!𝖩𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗄, 𝖰𝗎𝗈𝗅𝗅!𝖮𝖢 𝗐𝖼: 6.3𝖪

“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.” - unknown

a/n: @namjinsmoonchile as always, thank you for being my beta! and major shoutout to @jung-koook for the amazing gif set that the ending of this chapter is based around. I also linked the gif set in the chapter, so you know what the moment looks like irl.

taglist: @elliedearest @quirkybtsarmy @vvh0adie

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Yoongi sits in his car parked in front of the house. He just got off the phone with Mister Fentin and the adoption agency would like to speak to the Min pack in person. Yoongi informed the caseworker that he would have to call him back within the next hour because he needed to see what day and time worked best for everyone in his pack. Mister Fentin was understanding and Yoongi is thankful that he is Imani’s main caseworker. It would be a lie if Yoongi said he wasn’t nervous about the meeting but he trusted that everything would work in his pack’s favor. Seokjin and Imani imprinted on each other and they made sure that the house was perfect for Imani.

Yoongi shakes his head and inhales deeply before he gets out of the car. He will talk about it with everyone at dinner tonight. He knows that once they learn of the meeting they will pretty much stop everything and make themselves available. At the door, Yoongi loosens his tie and unlocks the front door. As he steps inside, he hears the excited squeals of Imani’s laughter before he smells the happiness that is thick in the air. A garden of sunflowers and lavender on a warm summer day. It eases the tension in his shoulders and Yoongi toes off his shoes before he places them in the rack by the door.

From up on the nesting floor, Seokjin hears Yoongi enter their home, loud and clear. The distraction causes him to shout when a soft, plush ball is thrown at his face and Imani giggles as she hides behind her fortress of pillows. Seokjin narrows his eyes playfully and points his finger at Imani.

"How dare you! Prepare for vengeance!” Seokjin yells but before he can make a move, Jungkook comes flying into the nest with a battle cry as he throws two more plush balls at Seokjin.

“Defend the Princess!” Jungkook shouts as he blocks the fortress with his body.

“Ambush!” Jimin screams as he jumps into the nest and pegs another ball in Seokjin’s direction.

“I’m out numbered!” Seokjin cries as he falls backwards clutching his chest.

Yoongi walks up the steps and stops at the top when he sees Namjoon cradling Seokjin’s head in his lap in the nest. Seokjin coughs and lifts a shaking hand slowly as he coughs more.

“J-Joonie? I-Is that you?” Seokjin’s acting is top tier and everyone is holding back giggles as Namjoon nods his head.

“I’m here! I’m right here, Hyung!”

“A-Avenge me…”

Seokjin’s hand falls from Namjoon’s cheek and he twitches a few times before he plays dead with a loud choking sound. Hoseok and Taehyung are standing outside of the nest filming the whole thing with their phones and Yoongi watches on with a fond smile on his face.

“We win?” Imani’s head pops out from the fortress of pillows and Jimin is quick to scoop her up in his arms.

“We have to defeat the evil wizard’s dragon, Princess.”

Imani’s eyes widen as Namjoon starts to growl and roar as he pushes Seokjin off his lap and jumps to his feet.

“Dragon!” Jungkook grabs a pillow and holds it to his chest like a shield while he holds a ball in his other hand. “Prepare to die!”

Namjoon roars loudly and lunges at Jungkook, easily dodging the ball that is thrown his way. He grabs Jungkook around the waist and hoists the hybrid over his shoulder.

“Kookie!” Imani yells and she tries to get out of Jimin’s hold.

“Don’t look Princess!” Jimin covers Imani’s eyes as Jungkook starts to laugh from Namjoon tickling his thighs and tossing him beside Seokjin who is still playing dead. “He’s gone, Princess.”

“Magic! Use magic!”

“Magic?” Jimin ponders out loud and his eyes fall on Yoongi. “Should I summon our own dragon?”

“We ‘ave dragon?” Imani stares at Jimin, her face twisted in confusion and then she follows Jimin’s line of sight. Her eyes widen and she wiggles in Jimin’s arms, “Yoonie! H-Helps!”

All eyes are on Yoongi waiting to see if he will join in and with a huff he shrugs off his suit jacket and pulls his tie completely off, letting it drop to the floor.

Yoongi’s eyes shift to thin slits and he hisses, “Ssssave my Princesssss!”

Imani giggles as Yoongi easily climbs into the nest and blocks Namjoon’s path to Jimin and her. Yoongi ruffles his hair to look more menacing and Namjoon narrows his eyes as he rolls his shoulders. Namjoon picks up two balls and Jimin quickly hands a few to Yoongi before he hides Imani away in the fortress. Jimin picks up the last few balls and stands beside Yoongi.

“Ready, dragon?”

“Ready…fairy?”

Jimin scarfs at Yoongi’s assumption and rolls his eyes, “I’m part of the royal guard.”

“My bad,” Yoongi snickers and everyone covers their laughter with coughs. “Attack!” Yoongi shouts and he lunges for Namjoon with Jimin right by his side.

Balls go flying. One completely misses its target and hits Taehyung in the leg. He drops to his knees and rubs at his knee while Hoseok calls for a medic.

“We-We’re losing him!” Hoseok shouts as another ball comes his way. He ducks and it hits the wall. Hoseok grabs the ball that hit Taehyung and he throws it carelessly. It hits the back of Jimin’s shoulder and Jimin shouts in surprise.

“I’ve been hit!” Jimin falls to his knees and drops to his side, holding his shoulder. “I-I’m not gonna make it. T-Tell the Princess that I l-love her!” Jimin throws his arms outwards and closes his eyes.

It’s just Namjoon, Yoongi,and Imani left and Imani is giggling like crazy hidden in her fortress. As Yoongi throws the ball in his hand, Imani pops out of the fortress with a loud, “Wait!”

Everyone sits up and looks at Imani to make sure she is okay. “I go potty!” Imani climbs out of the nest and runs down the hallway towards the bathroom.

Having a short moment to themselves, Yoongi shakes his head with a laugh, “What did I walk in on?”

Seokjin runs a hand through his hair and laughs, “We were watching Barbie as Rapunzel and then Jungkook wanted to build a tower-”

“Things escalated from there,” Jungkook interrupts with a shrug while he smiles cutely, his nose scrunching up.

“You make a good dragon, Hyungs.” Taehyung compliments from his seat beside Hoseok.

“How did you two not get dragged into this?” Jimin questions as he starts to collect the balls with Namjoon.

“We were making snacks, remember?” Hoseok points to the forgotten charcuterie board half filled with fruit and everyone accepts the answer.

Yoongi unbuttons the first three buttons of his shirt and rolls his neck a few times before he inhales and smacks his lips. “I got a phone call from Mister Fentin.” All eyes are on Yoongi and he can see the worry on everyone’s faces. “The adoption agency wants to meet with us face to face. I told him that I wanted to talk it over with you all to see what day and time works best.”

“Is tomorrow too soon?” Seokjin asks as he picks at his cuticle and Jungkook grabs hold of his hands. Everyone looks at each other and Yoongi sighs with a smile.

“I’ll call him back and see if tomorrow at ten thirty works.”

“Let me inform my boss,” Namjoon pulls his phone from his pocket and everyone follows his lead. They will all take the day off tomorrow just in case. If the news is good, they will celebrate and if it is bad, they will spend every single second with Imani before she is taken away from them.

“Hobie, we eat?” Imani’s voice cuts through the click clacking of the phones and Hoseok grins.

“Give me a few more minutes and we can have a snack. Did you wash your hands?” Hoseok raises an eyebrow and Imani nods her head.

“Yesh!” Imani holds her hands up and they are still damp.

“Come on Princess! Let’s find another movie to watch.” Jimin moves to scoop Imani into his arms but she ducks and drives into the nest. She runs over to Yoongi and throws her arms around his legs.

“Up?”

Yoongi easily lifts her into his arms and she buries her nose into his neck, scenting him immediately. Yoongi rubs Imani’s back and kisses the side of her head, “I missed you too, sweetheart.” Yoongi inhales the ever pleasant scent of sunflowers and his whole body melts into the hug.

Seokjin comes over and helps Yoongi sit down with Imani still in his arms. “You’re gonna put her in a scent haze if you keep it up,” Seokjin scolds lightly and Yoongi grumbles as he cuddles into Imani’s little body, hugging her tighter. “Stop it,” Seokjin sighs. “She has to eat.”

“Is everyone ready?” Namjoon questions as he meets Seokjin on the main floor. Taehyung, Jungkook and Jimin are all sitting on the couch whispering to each other about who knows what. Yoongi is in his office on the phone with Mister Fentin and Hoseok is nowhere in sight along with Imani.

“Hobi should be finished soon. I just checked on him and Imani.” Seokjin looked at Namjoon and brushed his hair out of his eyes with a smile. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

“I’m not worried,” Namjoon lies and Seokjin pecks his lips.

“You smell like a stagnant puddle.”

“Shut up,” Namjoon mumbles against Seokjin’s lips and kisses him again before he pulls away with a sigh. “I love her, Hyung. I can’t see us without her in our lives.” Namjoon fiddles with the silver chain necklace he has on and licks his lips. “I know it hasn’t been that long since she’s been here, but she belongs with us…they know that, right?”

The wavering confidence that shines in Namjoon’s eyes makes Seokjin’s eyes burn and he pulls the younger man into a hug. Namjoon laughs something between a whine and a snort as he hugs Seokjin back and Jungkook scrunches up his nose.

“Hyungs are really worried, right now,” Jungkook mutters and Jimin sighs, already feeling stressed about the meeting. Honestly he didn’t get much sleep last night and from the way Taehyung is pressing against his side, he knows that Taehyung didn’t either.

“Everyone is stressed, Kook. This is…this will change our whole lives.” Taehyung speaks up and clears his throat as he pulls away from Jimin. “I know that there shouldn’t be any doubt in my mind that Imani will stay with us but-”

“I know,” Jungkook speaks over Taehyung and grabs hold of his hand. “I know, Hyung.”

The sound of the lift chiming catches everyone’s attention and they all smile at the sight of Imani tucked in Hoseok’s arms.

“Oh, my cria! Look at you!” Seokjin coos as he rushes over and fawns over the little hybrid. Hoseok split Imani’s hair into two sections for her hairstyle today. A single braided bun sits at the top of her head with silver cut out clips and she has a long bubble ponytail hanging from the back of her head sectioned off with silver clips. The hairstyle shows off Imani’s fuzzy black ears and she looks so cute.

Hoseok also got her dressed for today and Seokjin is pleased with the outfit choice. A pink sweater with white puff balls all over it, dark wash straight leg jeans with the ankles rolled up and a pair of silver iridescent zip up sneakers completes the whole look. Seokjin takes notice of the silver bubble necklace around Imani’s neck and he smiles.

It is a necklace that Seokjin remembers buying for Jimin when they had first started dating. It is nice to see it on Imani, it looks beautiful on her. Namjoon leaves to grab Yoongi and together they all step out of the house as a family of eight. Jungkook makes sure to grab Imani’s outing bag just in case and as the group splits into two, he wonders if he can convince the pack to vote on getting some kind of van so that they can all drive together.

Hoseok drives with the three youngest while Imani drives with the eldest of the pack. Yoongi drives with Namjoon in the passenger seat while Seokjin sits in the back with Imani. As they drive, Seokjin and Imani play a game of ispy. It makes Yoongi smile and Namjoon chuckle as Imani figures out that Seokjin is just looking at things inside of the car.

When Yoongi pulls into the driveway that leads to the adoption building, the scents in the car change and Imani wrinkles her nose. “You stink!” Imani whines as she holds her hands over her nose and Seokjin laughs while patting her head.

“I know I do…sorry pup.” Seokjin catches Yoongi’s eyes in the rearview mirror and tries not to frown. He really shouldn’t be this nervous but he can’t help it. If they try to take Imani away, he will bite someone.

“You’re putting scent blockers on before we get in there,” Namjoon states and neither of the hybrids protest. Yoongi follows the signs until he’s parked at the far end of the building with Jimin right behind him. As they get out of the car, Namjoon tosses him a bottle of scent blockers and Yoongi rolls the neutralizing oil onto his scent glands. He hands it off to Seokjin, who ushers Imani to stand by Namjoon and quickly rolls the oil onto his own scent glands. Once Jungkook steps out of his car, Seokjin is rolling the oil onto the hybrid’s scent glands and Jungkook whines. He hates scent blockers, it makes him feel weird. He hates not being able to smell his packmates.

“Jinnie?” Imani tugs at Seokjin’s pant leg with a frown on her face. “That’s bad,” she points to the blocker in Jungkook’s hand and everyone looks at her.

Seokjin squats down in front of her and smiles, “It’s okay baby. We don’t want to make anyone sad or mad, so we have to put this on.”

“Mommy said bad.”

Seokjin nods his head in agreement, “Your Mommy was right but sometimes we have to use these. I promise we won't get in trouble.”

Imani shoves her hand in Seokjin’s face and he stares at it crossed eyed before he laughs. He links their pinkies and presses their thumbs together with a smile on his face.

“Come on, we don’t want to be late.” Yoongi takes the oil from Jungkook and slips it into his pocket before Jungkook grabs Imani’s outing bag and swings it over his shoulder. Jimin lifts Imani into his arms and she wraps her little arms around his neck, twisting her body to see where they are going.

The building in front of them is huge. All grey stone, giving off little to no warmth and the tall glass windows seem to be a sick joke as they tease those inside of brighter days. A guard stands at the side entrance of the building and nods his head at the group as they all enter the building. Imani whimpers at the lack of scent, it just smells…empty. She huddles into Jimin’s chest and buries her face in the crook of his neck. The scent of cinnamon and coconut is faint, layered underneath some kind of artificial scent (cologne) but it’s there and it works to ease Imani’s mind.

The Min pack all take seats around the large waiting area while Yoongi and Namjoon walk to the main desk and speak with the receptionist. Sitting in Jimin’s lap, Imani’s hand goes to the hoop earring that he wears and she plays with it. Jimin smiles and kisses the top of Imani’s head as he starts to hum gently. Beside Jimin, Taehyung takes hold of Imani’s free hand and kisses her tiny little fingers. Imani smiles and Taehyung makes a silly face to which Imani giggles and tries to copy him. They go back and forth making silly faces until Yoongi and Namjoon come over and everyone is looking at them while Imani hides her face in Jimin’s neck.

“They want us in room 613. Someone will show us the way.” Namjoon explains as Yoongi reaches down and takes Imani from Jimin. No one says a thing as they are led to a room that has a large wooden table in the center with chairs on both sides. The walls are cream with a pale yellow accent wall. In the far corner of the room away from the table is what looks to be a nesting and play corner. At the sight of the toys, Yoongi sets Imani down and pets her head softly.

“Why don’t you go play, hm? It looks like a lot of fun.”

Imani looks at the toys and takes a step closer to Yoongi. She grips onto his pant leg and everyone frowns. Taehyung wonders if this whole trip is a mirror image of what could have happened when she was given to the HBM. Taehyung shakes his head and squats down in front of Imani.

“All aboard the TaeTae train!”

Jimin gasps and moves to get on Taehyung’s back but Imani giggles and stops him. “Too big! Me wide!” Imani jumps onto Taehyung’s back and Jimin pouts.

“No fair! I want a ride!”

Jungkook snorts, hands Imani’s outing bag to Hoseok and lowers himself onto all fours in front of Jimin, “Bet I’m faster!” Jungkook teases and Jimin sits on his back. Seokjin sighs but smiles nonetheless knowing that the boys are being silly to make Imani feel better. He clears his throat and stands behind them.

“Ready. Set. Go!”

Taehyung and Jungkook start to crawl over to the toys with a speed that makes Imani shout and giggle while Jimin laughs, his eyes turned into crescent moons with his mouth wide open. Taehyung and Jungkook reach the toys at the same time and Jungkook trips over his hands so that Taehyung places Imani down in front of the toys first to make her the winner. Knowing that Imani is now focused on the toys and the younger members of the pack, the other four sit at the table with Seokjin and Yoongi in the middle.

“Mister Fentin won’t be here in person, they will have him on zoom or something like that,” Yoongi quietly explains.

“Who are we talking to then? Another caseworker?” Hoseok asks and Namjoon nods his head.

“Her name is Ran Sejung. She has been helping Mister Fentin with Imani’s case since she came to South Korea.” Namjoon slides his phone from his pocket and pulls up his email. He types Ran Sejung’s name in the search bar and all their emails pop up. He scrolls to the very first one that shows a picture of Sejung and the woman is young. At least in her mid to late thirties with dyed blonde hair, dark brown eyes, a slender nose and thin lips.

“Is she nice?” Seokjin looks at the photo and he doesn’t know what to think. He can’t tell if the woman is nice or not.

Before Namjoon can answer Seokjin’s question there is a knock at the door and everyone at the table stands up as the door opens. Sejung walks in with a smile on her face followed by two older men in suits. One of which is a hamster hybrid. Yoongi is thankful that the hybrid is wearing blockers and they all bow to each other while shaking hands.

“It is nice to finally meet the Min pack in person. I am Ran Sejung and I’m in charge of Imani’s case while she is registered in our system.”

The other two men introduce themselves as Ryan Tate and Sim Kunwoo, the hamster hybrid. Sejung pulls a laptop from one of the drawers in the room and sets it up on the table. Soon, Mister Fentin is on the screen smiling at everyone and Yoongi is thankful to see a familiar face.

“Now, I would like to start this meeting by saying that we have dealt with a lot of unique cases but Imani’s is by far one of the most difficult.” Sejung keeps her tone light but serious as she speaks and Seokjin grabs Yoongi’s hand under the table. “When a hybrid is a target of the Hybrid Black Market there are steps we must take to insure that the hybrid has not been harmed in any way. Those exams were performed in the States under Mister Fentin’s watch.”

“Was something wrong?” Seokjin’s voice wavers as he asks the question and Namjoon holds his breath.

“Physically, Imani was unharmed. She was underweight and refused to shift. The shifting is what raised a red flag in our system.”

“Why?” Hoseok looks between the three people across from him.

“If a hybrid refuses to shift, it means one of two things.” Mister Fentin speaks from the laptop. “They could be feral-”

“I would know if I was housing a feral hybrid,” Yoongi is firm as he speaks and Mister Fentin nods in agreement.

“If that were the case Mister Min, Imani would not have been released into your care. The second would be a trauma response and from what we now know of her home life, that is the cause of it.”

“With a child so young, therapy is a must, especially for a hybrid.” Sejung looks right at Yoongi as she speaks. “It is mandatory for Imani to get proper counseling.”

“It was a topic that we have yet to discuss but it was on our minds,” Namjoon interjects and Sejung nods her head.

“Good. Now let’s move on, Mister Tate will continue.”

Mister Tate is a wisp of a man, short and thin, could easily be blown away by a strong gust of wind. He goes over Imani’s lab work and explains what everything means in layman’s terms for the group of four to easily understand. Imani is a healthy four year old child with what is most likely PTSD due to her time with her godfather. But they won’t know until she is evaluated by a professional therapist.

“Now that you understand the extent of the test results, do you feel confident in your abilities to care for Imani?” Mister Tate stares at the four men in front of him and they all nod their heads without a moment's hesitation. He nods his head and looks to Mister Sim who pulls a closed envelope from a bag none of them noticed. Mister Sim places the envelope on the table and pushes it forward towards Yoongi. The four men look at the envelope and no one is breathing. Seokjin’s eyes waver and he squeezes Yoongi’s hand so tightly that his bones rub together.

“Open it Yoongi!” Seokjin begs as Hoseok places a hand on his knee. Namjoon places a hand on Yoongi’s knee as well and Yoongi inhales deeply. He licks his lips, forked tongue poking out quickly to taste the air in hopes that he can get a grasp of what is to come next. It is no use, the three caseworkers across the table all have poker faces on. Yoongi reaches out and slides the envelope in front of him. His hands are shaking as he picks it up and starts to unwind the red tie that keeps it sealed. He reaches into the envelope and there is a nice stack of papers waiting for him.

“What is it?” Hoseok whispers and Yoongi swallows loudly. He glances over to the corner of the room where Imani is giggling along with Taehyung as Jungkook makes a doll moonwalk while Jimin sings.

Namjoon squeezes his knee lightly, pulls Yoongi back to the envelope in front of him and he feels sweat collect at the nape of his neck and bites the inside of his cheek. Carefully he pulls the stack of paper out and holds it in front of him. The black ink in front of him is blurry and no matter how many times he blinks his eyes, the letters won’t focus.

“Yoongi.” Seokjin’s voice is watery and it makes Yoongi’s shiver. “Yoongi…”

The letters are written in neat, clean font. Bold and spaced out, large enough for all four men to read clearly…Adoption Order. A sob rips from Seokjin’s lips and tears stream down his face. Namjoon runs a hand through his hair and huffs out a deep sigh as his eyes start to burn while Hoseok is quietly sobbing on Seokjin’s shoulder.

“What wrong? Why you cry?” Imani’s tiny voice fills the room as she forgets about the toys and waddles over to the table. Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung are standing together looking fearfully at the paper in Yoongi’s hands.

“H-Hyung?” Jungkook’s voice is quiet, so very, very quiet and Yoongi looks over at the three youngest while Imani climbs into Seokjin’s lap and tries to wipe his never ending tears away. Yoongi pets the top of Imani’s head and pulls Seokjin into a side hug, tucking the elder’s head underneath his chin as he looks at his pack.

“She’s ours.”

The silence in the room is loud. Hoseok and Seokjin’s sobs are the only noise and soon the other three are crying. Jimin clings to Taehyung as he hides his tears and Jungkook leans against the table, face in his hands as he weeps in relief. Imani is upset, she doesn’t understand why everyone is crying and she doesn’t like it.

“Jinnie what wrong?!” Imani yells with a pout, her own eyes starting to tear and Seokjin shushes her with a million kisses and hugs.

“N-Nothing is wrong baby. Everything-” Seokjin sniffles and wipes at his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. “Everything is perfect now.” He pulls Imani into his chest and starts to scent her heavily.

Mister Fentin clears his throat from the laptop and Yoongi’s eyes dart to the older man. He is all smiles as he watches the Min pack soak in the news of their newest and permanent packmate.

“Can you get these young men a pen please, Miss Ran?”

“Imani, baby…” Yoongi swallows back his tears and takes Imani’s tiny hands in his own. “Would you like to stay with us?” Yoongi asks softly and wipes at the tears that have fallen from Imani’s eyes.

Imani stares at the Min pack and tries to understand the question. They can see the wheels turning in her mind, so Seokjin speaks up.

“Cria, we want you to stay with us forever. C-Can we be your new family?” Seokjin smiles down at Imani and she pulls her hands from Yoongi’s.

“You no cry, if I stay?”

Namjoon’s heart clenches in his chest and Jimin leans against him for support. Seokjin shakes his head and Imani grins.

“Kookie my friend forever?” Imani looks at the kangaroo and Jungkooks nods his head, his lower lip quivering while Taehyung rubs his back. “You love me?” Imani stares into Seokjin’s eyes and Seokjin nods his head quickly.

“Jinnie loves you so much, Imani.”

“We all love you, baby,” Yoongi stresses as he scratches behind Imani’s ears and the whole pack all nod their heads in agreement.

Imani melts into Yoongi’s touch and slumps against Seokjin’s chest, tucking her arms between their bodies. “I stay, forever!”

After the Min pack leave the adoption center with Imani held tightly in Seokjin’s arms, the pack decide that it is a wonderful day for lunch at the park. Yoongi drives to the day market where he knows there is a park nearby and everyone gets out of the car. Taehyung is in charge of carrying Imani in the crowded streets as they stop by different vendors to get food and treats. Imani wiggles to get down when she sees a woman selling cotton candy and Taehyung carefully sets her down before he grabs hold of her hand.

“Look TaeTae!” Imani pulls Taehyung towards the old woman and Taehyung smiles when the older woman coos at Imani.

“Aren’t you a cutie! Would you like one, my dear?”

“Please?” Imani’s eyes are wide as the woman laughs and starts to make a fresh batch. The globe of fluff is twisted and turned until it resembles the polar bear captain from Octonauts. Imani is completely in awe as the woman hands over the cotton candy and Taehyung’s heart melts. He lets go of Imani’s hand to pull his wallet from his pocket to pay for the treat. As he hands over the money he looks down and Imani isn’t beside him. Icy fear, colder than anything he has ever felt, freezes Taehyung’s heart and he starts to panic. She was just there a moment ago, she couldn’t have gone too far.

“Imani?” Taehyung calls her name. “Imani?” He raises his voice and people are starting to look at him. “Excuse me, have you seen a little girl with black ears on her head in a pink sweater?” Taehyung is panicking, his heart is in his ass and he feels sick.

A giggle hits his ears and he spins around to find Imani dancing with her cotton candy in front of Jimin. The weight in Taehyung’s chest lessens and it is easier to breathe. He staggers over to his pack and falls into Jungkook’s arms who is looking at him worriedly.

“I-I thought I lost her,” Taehyung whispers against Jungkook’s chest and Jungkook tightens his hold.

“Sorry, Hyung. I thought you heard me say that we had her.” Jungkook nuzzles into Taehyung’s hair and scents him quietly while Imani clings to Jimin’s legs giggling like crazy as he walks around with her between his legs. Jungkook rubs Taehyung’s back and pushes out the warmth of his burning firewood. Taehyung’s shoulders relax, his legs turn to jelly and Jungkook stands tall as Taehyung slowly pulls himself together.

“I’m good.” Taehyung pulls away from Jungkook and runs a hand through his hair. “I never want to feel that way ever again,” Taehyung grumbles as he turns to watch Jimin and Imani.

“She’s safe, Hyung. Never out of our sights, ever.” Jungkook assures and Taehyung nods his head, thankful.

“Let’s go!” Namjoon’s voice calls to them and Taehyung nearly trips when Imani runs right into his legs.

“Up, high!”

“High?” Taehyung looks at Jimin confused and he points to his shoulders. “Ah, high. Let’s go, my heart.” Taehyung squats down and Jungkook is right behind him, helping Imani onto Taehyung’s shoulders. Taehyung holds onto her legs, his large hands covering her knees and most of her thighs completely. “Cool?”

“Cool!”

Taehyung slowly stands up and Jungkook keeps his hands up in case Imani starts to lean backwards. Once he is upright, Jungkook puts his hands down and walks beside Taehyung while Jimin slips his pinkie into one of Taehyung’s belt loops. The three walk over to the rest of the pack and Seokjin smiles.

“What did you get, Imani?” Seokjin looks at the half eaten cotton candy and he hopes that none of it ends up in Taehyung’s hair.

The park is nice, not that crowded with a good amount of soccer moms sitting around. Imani doesn’t care much for the food, she wants to play with all the children. So, Seokjin makes a deal with her, if she eats all of her meat and fruit she can go play. While eating, the guys joke around and feed each other. Ignoring the looks from the other parents in the park at seeing hybrids and humans together.

Namjoon notices that there are two hybrid families sitting nearby and the parents keep telling their children to wait for Imani to finish eating before they ask to play. It makes Namjoon smile before he has never seen Imani play with other children her own age.

When Imani gets done with her food, Hoseok wipes her mouth with a wet wipe and in the blink of an eye, the three hybrid children, two dogs and a bunny rush over to Imani and ask if she would like to play with them.

“Go on, we will be right here if you need us,” Seokjin encourages with a smile and Imani looks at Jungkook with a pout on her lips.

“Kookie play wit me?”

“Imani-” Yoongi starts and Jungkook quickly cuts him off with a hard swallow of his kimbap.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Jungkook jumps to his feet and the kids all shout in joy as he runs off to the playground with them.

Yoongi sighs and Jimin grabs his hand, lacing their fingers together. “She should be playing without us,” Yoongi groans and Namjoon shrugs.

“It could be another trigger…she was abandoned by her godfather. Even if we say we will be right here, she might not trust it.” Namjoon explains his theory and everyone frowns.

“Do you think the police would tell us if they ever find that asshole?” Hoseok looks at his mates and before anyone can answer, the two other hybrid families come over and introduce themselves.

The two dogs are german shepherds and the bunny is a cashmere lop. The parents are nice enough, smiling as they ask about Imani and exchanging phone numbers with Seokjin, Hoseok and Jimin to set up playdates later on down the line. Yoongi keeps his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses and picks at the meat on his plate as he listens out for Imani’s voice. Jungkook’s laughter is loud as children scream and run around as he chases them.

Imani and the bunny hybrid, Rina are hiding under the playset, behind the tic-tac-toe squares and Yoongi finds himself smiling. Looks like Imani has made her first friend. Jungkook is sneaking up on them from behind and before he can pounce, Imani grabs Rina’s hand and pulls her from underneath the playset. They run as fast as their little legs can go and climb up the steps of the playset.

Jungkook is laughing, face flushed from running after four young hybrids. The parents and Min pack all watch with fond smiles on their faces as the children’s laughter rings in the air. Soon, Jungkook comes over to the table and plops down, chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath.

Hoseok crackles and smooths Jungkook’s sweaty hair from his forehead, “What’s wrong Koo? Can’t handle em?”

Jungkook narrows his eyes at Hoseok and huffs as he throws himself into Jimin’s lap. “Y-You try catching them. It’s impossible!” Jungkook closes his eyes as he inhales and Jimin runs his fingers through his damp hair. “They’re too freaking short and fast.”

Seokjin’s squeaky laughter is the response that Jungkook gets and soon all the adults are laughing.

“Shhh! You’ll wake her up.” Seokjin whispers as Jungkook and Jimin creep into the room, the door creaking a little. Seokjin is standing over Imani’s still dressed in his clothing from earlier while Jungkook and Jimin are freshly showered and in new clothing that doesn’t smell like outside and sweat.

“What are you doing Hyung?” Jimin questions as he stands by Seokjin’s side.

“I…” Seokjin shakes his head and blinks as he feels his eyes start to burn with tears. “I can’t believe that she is mine…ours. I just-”

“Ah, Seokjinie Hyung,” Jungkook wraps his arms around Seokjin’s waist and rests his chin on his shoulder. “Are you ever gonna stop crying?” Jungkook’s voice is teasing but he hugs Seokjin tightly.

Seokjin sniffles as his tears start to fall and Jimin leans into him, wrapping his arms around Seokjin’s. “Hyung…you really love her, huh?”

Seokjin nods his head quickly, “With all my heart.” Seokjin sniffles again and wipes his nose with the sleeve of his sweat. “God, she’s so perfect.”

Jungkook and Jimin share a look and snuggle into Seokjin as they squeeze him tighter. They stand there in silence, watching Imani as she naps and just breathing in the sweet sunflowers that seeps from her pores. Jimin sighs and wipes at his face, his own eyes now weepy while Jungkook smiles with wide wet eyes.

Seokjin clears his throat and pulls away from the two younger men, “Come, we should let her sleep in peace.”

Jimin follows Seokjin out of the room and Jungkook hesitates by the door. He looks back at Imani and grins.

“Best day ever,” he whispers and leaves the room with the door cracked a little.

Out on the nesting floor, everyone is sitting at the table in the kitchenette with glasses in their hands. Namjoon hands the last one to Jungkook as he joins and Yoongi clears his throat.

“I just want to say that I never thought today would ever happen. I know that adoption is something we all talked about but I was never…I guess I was scared?” Yoongi admits and everyone nods in agreement. “I wasn’t sure if I would be a good father or alpha but I know now that it was a stupid thing to worry about. With you all by my side, this new journey has been something I never imagined. Imani was meant to be here, so thank you.” Yoongi licks his lips and smiles.

“Thank you, Min and Tae for being yourselves and standing up to what is wrong.” Taehyung and Jimin beam as they hold up their glasses. “Thank you Hyung for imprinting so easily.” Everyone chuckles at Seokjin’s red tipped ears. “Thank you Joon for speaking on all our behalf.” Namjoon nods his head in acceptance.

“Thank you Hobah for spending extra time relearning your hairstyling skills.” Hoseok grins. “And thank you Jungkookie for being that safe place. I don’t know how you did it, but you more than anyone made Imani bloom.” Jungkook’s nose scrunches up at Yoongi’s words and his face heats up.

“Thank you all for completing our family.” Yoongi raises his glass and they all cheer before tossing the drinks back easily in one go.

#bts fluff #bts parent au #bts hybrid au #bts x oc #poly!bts #bts angst #bts a/b/o #seokjin fic #yoongi fic #namjoon fic #hoseok fic #jimin fic #taehyung fic #jungkook fic #soc bts #totw ch 7 #divider by saradika

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colormepurplex2 · 1 year

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Fickle Flame | Rules of Engagement

↳ OT7 x FemOC | OT7 x OT7 ⤜ Enemies/Lovers ⤜ Rating: MA 🔞 ⤜ WC: 8,520 ⚠️ Shameless smut, like 80% of this is just pure sex. Alpha roleplay with a pseudo knot/modified cock ring, mm anal, dick sucking, fingering, lots of orgasms and cum play, maybe even a peek at a breeding kink, a mild allusion to subspace.

Next Chapter⇾ **coming soon** ⇽Previous Chapter ◅ Back to chapter list

It’s cold.

Painfully cold.

That’s all that registers to Shayne. That and that infernal clicking again. It just won’t stop. Click. Click. Click. Like a fly buzzing in her ear, she wants nothing more than to swat it away but for some reason, her arms won’t work. Maybe if she could see it, it would help her be able to smack it away. Only, just like her arms, her eyes won’t obey her internal request for them to do what she wants.

Fear.

It settles in her belly, so thick she can taste it in the back of her throat. Her body isn’t responding. She wonders if this is what it’s like to be dead. They finally did it. They finally succeeded in killing her. A flicker of awareness twinges in her subconscious, the feeling wholly wrong.

No.

They didn’t do this. He did.

Memories slam back into place and the stark reality of Nichols with his hands around her throat blazes through her on a soul-deep level. Her eyes finally flash open and that fire races down her throat as she tries to suck in a breath.

“So sweet,” a rough, guttural voice snarls. Fire blooms through her again. It’s at that moment she realizes it’s not the memories that have her burning, it’s the teeth shredding through the flesh of her neck like it’s wet tissue paper.

Shayne tries to cry out but the only thing that emits from her is a wet gurgling mewl. Nichols' heavy body pins her to Seokjin’s bed. She can feel a sticky, warm wetness soaking into the blankets and mattress beneath her. Blood. Her blood; too much of it.

With feeble, half-numb fingers, Shayne tries to swat at Nicholas. The best she can do is get a hand around one of his forearms and squeeze. “P-plea—, “she tries again, but the word is choked with coppery liquid that bubbles up into her throat.

Her vision becomes fuzzy around the edges, unconsciousness seeping back in. It’s a slow slide into the darkness. Everything feels so heavy. The clicking has thankfully stopped with Nichols fully focused on the reopened wound in her neck. He laps and slurps at it with a sick glee, murmuring incoherent words of praise and delight.

“It’s a wonder they haven’t done this themselves,” he whispers, dragging his sharp teeth over the wound and making it froth with new blood. “I may have gotten a bit carried away with my licking, my saliva has nearly closed Jimin’s bite back up. We can’t have that, now can we?”

Over the ringing in her ears, Shayne faintly hears a vicious howl echo down the hall from the other side of the door. There is a loud crash from behind Nichols who grunts in alarm before being bodily snatched off of her. Shayne tries to blink her eyes clear to see what’s going on. The only thing she’s able to make out is an awful cracking sound, like a rock being snapped in half, and then a giant shadow looms over the bed.

It takes a moment but she realizes it’s not a shadow, but a large pitch-black wolf with piercing, moss-colored eyes. There is black blood and saliva coating its snout and jaws. A few wet drops mist her face as the wolf huffs a hot gush of air in her direction. The wolf snuffs its large, wet nose against her shoulder and gives a low-pitched whine.

The large shape coalesces, shrinking down and fading in color until a disheveled Taehyung is kneeling over her. A small sob shakes her body, more blood gurgling up into her mouth turning it into a choked, wet rattle.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Taehyung curses, clamping a hand onto Shayne’s neck. “I’ve never done this before,” he growls in frustration. “Let me just—,” he works his tongue around inside his mouth before leaning down and replacing his hand with it. A shudder runs through his body and his muscles tense. His tongue presses along the bite that’s been made even more jagged by Nichols. With slow and restrained motions, Taehyung works his saliva into the wound and sighs when he feels the flesh start to knit back together.

“Taehyung!” Namjoon calls, stumbling into the room. “What the fuck?” he exclaims softly, taking in the scene before him.

Satisfied with the wounds healing, Taehyung finally leans back and rubs the back of his hand over his mouth, wiping away the tantalizing and tempting taste of Shayne’s blood that was mixed with the black blood that was already staining his chin. “Nichols,” he huffs. “He reopened Jimin’s bite. I wasn’t— I wasn’t sure if it would work…saliva. But, it seems to be okay, the were-venom must be out of her system, allowing it to heal from the enzymes.”

Shayne’s eyelids flutter as she tries to focus on the man leaning over her; her savior. “Th-thank you,” she rasps, finally able to form words without the accompanying metallic tang of blood surging up with them.

Taehyung scoffs, shoving away from Shayne and lumbering to his feet. “Don’t thank me, sweetheart. I didn’t do that for you.”

Something slithers around Shayne’s heart, latching on with cold fingers. It might be disappointment, but it’s hard to decipher with so many other emotions and feelings surging through her.

“We should give her an injection of Flux,” Namjoon comments from where he stands next to Taehyung. His calculating eyes flicker over the mess of Seokjin’s bed for a moment before he turns and gestures to the floor. “Robinson is already aware of the insurgence, the compound is on lockdown until further notice. Yoongi has three in the holding cells, we’ll figure out what to do with them in the morning.”

“I’ll go get the Flux. Are you going to stay here or should I call one of the others?” Taehyung asks as he steps over to one of Seokjin’s cabinets and riffles through the contents until he pulls out a pair of pants to slip over his naked form.

Namjoon stands there in silence, his eyes locked back on Shayne’s prone form. “I’ll stay,” he finally says. He moves to perch on the edge of the bed, making sure to avoid the large, wet pool of blood soaking it. Shayne stares into Namjoon’s eyes, watching the flare of emotions she can’t pinpoint before they go blank. “Just a small dose,” Namjoon adds when Taehyung has opened the door and taken a half-step into the hall.

“Noted.” Taehyung nods. “I’ll send Seokjin this way so he can get his bed sorted. Um, what about the body?”

“Have Hoseok come and collect it. We’ll burn it.”

“On it.” The door clicks closed behind Taehyung, the sound making Shayne flinch.

“Does that sound bother you?” Namjoon asks softly.

Shayne’s tongue feels thick as she pokes it out to swipe it over her dry lips. There is an acrid tang coating her lips that makes her stomach heave. “The clicking,” she whispers. “I heard clicking.”

Namjoon hums, leaning down and grabbing something off the floor. He holds up a small metallic rectangle-shaped object so Shayne can see. “He used it to set a fire in the dining hall.” He flicks his thumb over the top of the object and it opens, a single flicker of flame dances in the suspended space between the separated parts before he flicks his thumb again, and the top drops back down, smothering the fire. “A lighter.”

“Stolen flame,” she mutters in response.

That makes Namjoon quirk an eyebrow but he doesn’t press for an explanation. She’s clearly barely holding onto consciousness and has lost far too much blood in the last few days.

“You just can’t catch a break, can you?” Namjoon coos softly, brushing a few blood-matted strands of hair from Shayne’s face. “I’m sorry you’re having to endure all of these things. It’s never been like this with a ticket before. We’re usually not so careless. I promised you, in the beginning, you could be happy here and I don’t think I’ve been doing a very good job of upholding that promise.”

He’s about to open his mouth and continue when the door opens again and admits Seokjin, followed closely by a frazzled Jungkook.

“Ah, fuck, what a mess,” Seokjin curses. “Jungkook, grab a cloth from the bathroom, please.”

Jungkook disappears into Seokjin’s bathroom. A moment later he comes back out and around to the other side of the bed, opposite Namjoon, and kneels beside Shayne. “Hey there, sweet cheeks,” he murmurs, gently tilting her head to the side to get a better look at the wound. “Let’s get you cleaned up a little.”

“I sent Taehyung for a dose of Flux,” Namjoon informs them.

Seokjin jerks up straight from his assessment of Nichols’ body. “Is that wise, after what happened the last time we used it?”

Namjoon sighs. “It’s that or we wait who knows how many days or weeks until she can fully recover on her own.”

Shayne hates how they talk about her as if she’s not right here. They talk about her like she’s just an object. Which, she supposes, is partly true in their eyes.

“I’ll stay with her,” Jungkook volunteers.

“Of course you would say that,” Seokjin sasses. “She’s rightfully mine for the night. I suppose we can’t really stay here, though. Not with my bed out of commission like this,” he groans, flicking an annoyed hand at the blood-soaked bed. “Once she’s been dosed, you can take her to your room, Jungkook. I’ll be right behind you after I get the bed tossed.”

“If anyone deserves her for the night, it’s me,” Taehyung says from the doorway. “I did save her, after all.” He ambles in, one hand holding a small syringe and the other a tiny glass vial filled with bright blue liquid.

Seokjin peers down at Shayne, his brow furrowed. “Very well, Taehyung. You can join us in Jungkook’s room, as long as that’s okay with Shayne.”

That catches her off guard. She wasn’t expecting the decision to be delegated to her. It’s not like they’ve ever given much thought or consideration to her wants or desires before. All four of them look at her expectantly.

“O-ok,” she manages to wheeze out.

Jungkook tuts softly. “Don’t make her talk, not until she’s had the Flux. Come on, Taehyung, the sooner we get it in her the better.”

“This might sting a little at first, but I promise it’ll make everything better soon.” Taehyung settles on the bed beside Jungkook and takes up Shayne’s arm. There is a fiery prick in the crook of her elbow that makes her stiffen up and suck in a stilted breath but it only lasts a moment. A floaty calm replaces the burn, flowing out from her elbow and suffusing throughout her body.

“There we go,” Jungkook murmurs. “Let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll be good as new in no time.”

Shayne catches sight of Hoseok coming into the room just before Jungkook carries her out the door. Namjoon’s steely voice, providing instructions, follows them down the hall until Jungkook turns a corner and it becomes too faint to be heard.

“What happened?” Shayne asks, feeling much more lucid after whatever it was Taehyung injected her with. “What’s Flux?”

Jungkook chews his lip and Shayne can tell he’s contemplating how much to actually tell her. Finally, he glances down at her and she feels his shoulders bump up with a shrug. “An insurgence. Some rogue vamps, led by that jackass Nichols, decided they wanted to try and take us out, stupidly. Not sure the reasoning behind it yet, but Yoongi should get some information out of the survivors in the morning. He’s quite creative.” Jungkook smirks. “As for what Flux is, it’s a drug we engineered from the healing enzymes that are in vampire venom. Think of it like a super healer, you’ll be completely healed and ready to fuck at least half a dozen hard cocks within the next hour.”

“Ready to what?” Shayne asks, certain she didn’t hear him correctly.

His teeth dig into his bottom lip as he suppresses a smile. “An unfortunate– or maybe not so unfortunate, side effect of the Flux. We haven’t been able to separate out the properties of the enzymes that elicit arousal. You’ll be healed, but you’re also going to be hornier than you’ve probably ever been in your life.”

Now that he’s said it, she’s suddenly all too aware of a faint throbbing between her thighs. “I don’t want that,” she whispers, squirming in his arms to try to gain her own feet.

Jungkook tightens his hold on Shayne, thwarting her struggles and making her wheeze out a squeak. His words are firm, firmer than he’s ever been with her, “We would have used the Flux on you after Jimin’s incident, but we figured you could use a few days rest and reprieve anyway. But, that was still so fresh. And well, Nichols really did a number on you. It wasn’t an easy call for Namjoon to make, but it was the right one. Whether you accept that or not, you can fight it right now, but you’ll be thanking him later, guaranteed once you have a clear head. A few hours of unabashed lewdness is a small price for your life and health.”

“No,” she whimpers, feeling each step Jungkook takes with a jolt of desire. Even the slight jostle and rub of her body against his, as he flows easily from foot to foot, feels like a thousand micro caresses licking between her thighs. “Oh, fuck.”

“Shh, I know it’s uncomfortable at first, but what you really need is relief. After I get you cleaned up, it’ll get better. Seokjin and Taehyung will be joining us and you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied and help ease the ache.”

Jungkook shoulders open his bedroom door and quickly skirts over to his bathroom. Shayne is entirely too focused on the heat and aches throbbing inside her to even care to gawk at his luxurious space again.

The shirt Shayne has on hits the floor and goosebumps erupt over her arms and shoulders. The cooler air of the bathroom contrasts wildly with the warmth simmering under her skin, like warring seasons that make her feel dizzy on her feet. “J-jungk-kook,” she stutters, teeth chattering together over the syllables.

The seams on his clothing strain, nearly succumbing to the rough yanking he does to remove them. Jungkook steps around the far side of the deep bathing pool, tugging Shayne along by an elbow. “Not going to bother with a bath, we can just use the shower head over here,” he explains, more in a rambling way than anything. “Here, stand here, mhmm.” He flicks a few knobs and a shower of warm water pelts down onto Shayne from a nearly hidden rain shower head in the ceiling. “Soap,” he offers, grabbing a half-empty bottle from a small cubby in the wall.

The bubbles smell the same way Jungkook’s sheets do, like some lightly floral clean scent. Shayne knows she should indulge in the shower and the proffered bathing foam, but the shudders now wracking through her shoulders and legs make it awfully hard to concentrate on anything other than putting her hands on Jungkook and getting his hands on her— which she promptly does.

“Touch me,” she insists, tossing the bottle of body wash to the floor and latching onto Jungkook’s forearms. “It hurts.”

Jungkook chuckles when his back hits the wall as Shayne pushes against him. The shower rains down against his shoulder, little mists of water tickling his nose from where it bounces off of Shayne’s skin as she presses her front against his. The response from his body is natural, almost instant, his cock thickening where it rests against her belly. Shayne lifts a leg and hooks it over Jungkook’s hip, coming up onto her toes and slanting her mouth over his.

“You want me, sweet cheeks?” he teases, the words barely working past the kisses she’s demanding.

“I’ve never felt like this before,” Shayne gasps, fisting a hand in Jungkook’s hair and jerking his face down to her throat. He groans in response and nuzzles his lips against the now-healed spot where Jimin’s bite was. The sticky, semi-dried blood covering her neck smears against his lips, mixing with the water pouring down over them.

Working one of his hands between them, Jungkook sinks a thick digit right into her wet heat. Shayne cries out, bucking against his hand in search of more stimulation. “Needy girl. Maybe we should have used Flux on you sooner. Fuck,” he grunts.

“More, please. I need more, Jungkook!” Shayne feels like she’s about to cry from frustration. The gentle in and out of only a single digit from Jungkook is barely a tease and it’s doing nothing to quell the intense ache in her body.

Jungkook laps at the blood coating her neck, working in a second and then a third finger. “Take what you need,” Jungkook whispers between nips along her neck and shoulder.

Shayne uses her hand in Jungkook’s hair, the other planted on his shoulder as leverage to move her body up and down, fucking herself fast on his fingers. A lightheaded fuzziness blooms through her right before she clamps down around him and gives a weak, still-frustrated cry. The flagging orgasm is only a small wave in the tidal pool of need that’s battering her body. “Make it stop,” Shayne whimpers. Her knees give out and she sags against Jungkook.

Being careful with her lax limbs, Jungkook hitches her higher until he drags her other leg over his hip to match the other. He lifts her just high enough to get himself positioned at her entrance and then lets her body slump again, effectively impaling her on his cock. “Fuck,” he grunts, wrapping his arms around her and shoving deeper inside.

Shayne gives a pitiful cry. Her hands scrabble along Jungkook’s arms, fighting for purchase. She’s so wet and slippery with arousal that he slides in easily, but it’s still a snug fit. Her traitorous body welcomes him, the same as before. Though, perhaps now her heart might be sharing that burden of betrayal, as she can’t find it in herself to protest or deny how much she wants this.

There is a physical war waging inside her body. The Flux works on a chemical level, flooding the body with an influx of hormones that cause a chain reaction of aches, arousal, and need. Added to the internal, emotional conflict over still being a captive and effectively being held against her will. While, at the same time, Shayne’s body is so spent, still recovering from the additional blood loss, that she feels suspended in a void; neither here nor there.

Jungkook continues to move her body, lifting her and dropping her back down over and over again onto his throbbing shaft. His own grunts of pleasure echo throughout the bathroom, bouncing and reverberating until it sounds like there are a dozen people fucking around them.

The next orgasm that rips through Shayne has her head rolling back and her eyes squeezing shut. Her walls grip and contract around Jungkook, triggering his own release. It gushes with the jerky pumps of his hips, forcing his sticky, warm cum to drip down and collect along her ass. A soft, piny scent invades the bathroom, a subtle addition to the fragrant soaps and Jungkook’s naturally sweet essence that Shayne is starting to associate with his arousal.

“I’ll take her,” Taehyung’s voice breaks through the heavy breathing of both Shayne and Jungkook. He steps into the bathroom, bringing more of that piny scent with him, and hits a switch on the wall, cutting off the water. There is a towel sitting on the sink that he grabs and gathers Shayne in, headless of the cum still coating her. Jungkook digs into a cabinet and grabs out his own, slinging it around his waist and following Taehyung out of the bathroom. “Seokjin should be here soon. He said the agreement is still on, whatever that means.”

Jungkook stiffens where he sits on the bed. “He said that? Even after everything that’s happened tonight?” The questions are more in wonderment than actual curiosity. He stares at Taehyung, watching him arrange Shayne on the bed. “With you here, too?”

Taehyung looks up at that. “With me here? What exactly does Seokjin want, what‘s the agreement?” There is a twinkle of mischief in his dark eyes as he watches Jungkook squirm. “What’s wrong, pretty boy, what kinky shit has been happening between you and Seokjinnie?”

Jungkook grunts, his brow furrowing. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me, let’s worry about her,” he says, waving a hand at a softly whimpering Shayne.

“Right,” Taehyung hums thoughtfully. “Hi there, sweetheart,” he purrs. “You gave me a scare back there.” He brushes a hand over her cheek before sliding it up into her tangle of red curls. Shayne wiggles on the bed, her body seeking some sort of friction or relief. “Do you need me?”

Shayne stares into his dark eyes, remembering the piercing green they were when he was in his other form. His face is clean, with no black or red remnant marring his perfect features. “Please,” she moans, arching her back and making her nipples graze against his bare chest.

The smile that curls Taehyung lips elicits another moan from her. “I’ve been thinking about this since I first saw you naked in the bath after we brought you in. You’re so fiery, sweetheart, with those blazing eyes and that flaming hair. I want nothing more than to smother your fire,” one of his hands momentarily lands on her throat, giving it a light squeeze, “just so I can ignite it again.”

His words, albeit a little concerning, are oddly sweet and in high contrast to the brutality and curtness he’s shown her before. Taehyung has always had sharp edges and even sharper looks, sneers of disgust, or blatant indifference. Now, though, he’s showing a side to Shayne that she never would have thought he possessed. Shayne is faintly aware that all of this could be an illusion-based perception thanks to that injection of horniness Taehyung gave her. Either way, it feels nice, even if it’s a pseudo-experience.

Jungkook settles on the bed beside Shayne, his eyes locked on Taehyung’s lips as they press gentle kisses along her collarbone and down her sternum. Shayne arches her back again, seeking more but Taehyung just leans back and denies her more than the soft brush of his lips. “If you won’t touch me, get out of the way so Jungkook can,” she hisses, brow furrowed and teeth clenched as another wave of arousal radiates through her.

Taehyung tsks. “Fine, but only because I like how you sound when my mouth is on you.” She opens her mouth to berate him again but then he pressed the flat of his tongue against her clit, turning everything fuzzy.

“She’s sweet, right?” Jungkook muses lazily. He lounges back, hooking an arm behind his head and settling the other so he can fist a hand around his own arousal. “She makes the prettiest sounds when you deny her release, too.”

The hum of interest from Taehyung has a plea of denial coming from Shayne. “Please don’t, it hurts too much,” she whines, fisting a hand into Taehyung’s hair to hold him in place. He chuckles, sending gushes of his hot breath fanning over her aching core. He dives back in, sucking and licking with renewed vigor.

“Make her cum before Seokjin gets here,” Jungkook huffs. He gives his cock a few languid strokes, thumbing at the small beads of moisture he’s coaxing out. Even though he just came, he’s easily worked back up just by the sight of Shayne’s body displayed before him. He’s well and truly fucked for this silly little human, but that’s something he’ll worry about later.

Whether it’s the threat of Seokjin or just simply putting her out of her misery, Taehyung works a finger inside her and in tandem with his flicking tongue, wrings a shuddering orgasm from her a moment later.

Her fingers feel stiff with how hard they’re wrapped around a fistful of Taehyung’s hair. “Easy, sweetheart. You can drag me around by my hair another time, right now you should let me up so I can bury my cock into your pretty little pussy.”

With a frustrated sigh, Shayne releases her grip on Taehyung’s hair. Jungkook turns over and captures her scowling lips in a kiss. His tongue traces along her lips before pushing between them. Tiny prickles dance over her body. Each additional shift and brush against her skin elicits an uncontrolled shudder in response.

“Taehyungie’s going to make you feel really good,” Jungkook reassures between nipping kisses. Jungkook tastes like the mint paste Yoongi made her use, the cooling effect a welcome relief to how blistering she feels. Sweat pricks along her brow and she can feel the drips tracking along her temples and sliding into her hair.

Taehyung nudges the backs of her thighs with his knees, pushing them wider. Large, heavy palms rest against her hips; fingers pressing into the soft curves. Shayne can feel the heat radiating off Taehyung, his warmth adding to hers to create a hazy swath of heat.

“I’d take a picture of this if I wasn’t about to fucking lose it,” Taehyung murmurs as he presses his cock between her lower lips. He pulls back, lips tipping up into a sly grin, pupils blowing ever wider at the sight of Shayne’s glistening arousal coating his tip. “Jungkook, play with her clit, make her cum on my cock.”

Keeping his lips on Shayne, Jungkook moves a hand down her body, pinching and teasing until his deft fingers land right where requested. As Jungkook begins to strum and pluck his fingers, Taehyung presses forward. Shayne pants into Jungkook’s mouth, cries and moans muffled around his tongue. One of her hands flies up to bury into Jungkook’s hair and the other reaches down to grip one of Taehyung’s wrists.

With each inch Taehyung slides into her, Shayne feels her grip on reality slowly slipping. It feels like as soon as he’s completely seated she’ll explode into a cloud of mist and ether; his body is the only tether to her existence. It’s a welcomed ending, rupturing into a million tiny pieces, dissolving into a nebula of pleasure.

Shayne jerks so hard she dislodges Jungkook’s mouth and lets out an echoing cry of pleasure. Tears slip free from her eyes and mix with the sweat trickling into her hair. Her back arches off the bed and her body quakes with dozens of micro-orgasms, pulsing and contracting around Taehyung. His own stilted moan mixes with hers, fingers tightening and sure to leave bruises on her hips.

Jungkook keeps his fingers moving, sliding them down and around Taehyung’s cock, luxuriating in the slick combination of his smooth skin and the arousal from Shayne now coating it. “Get another one out of her,” he says, flexing his fingers around Taehyung’s shaft before moving them back to Shayne’s clit. “Fuck her until you cum.”

Taehyung grits his teeth and withdraws a fraction then surges in deep again. “You know,” he huffs, “for an omega, you’re awfully bossy in the bedroom.”

“If you’d rather not fill her tight cunt with your cum then fuck off and I’ll do it…again,” Jungkook deadpans, raising a skeptical brow.

“B-both of you—,” Shayne stutters out, the words hooked on a breathy moan, “—shut up. I d-don’t care w-who does what, I just need to cum or I swear I’ll die.”

Taehyung renews his efforts, swiveling his hips and undulating with the perfect rhythm to have Shayne breaching that precipice again quickly. She’s not sure she’s ever been thoroughly and completely ravaged before. But, she’s certain that’s exactly what Taehyung is doing. From the guttural grunts and the gnashing of his teeth, she gets her first real glimpse at the beast underneath his brooding facade. This is pure…raw. He’s relentless, pounding and chipping away at her sanity.

Through the haze of arousal, Shayne is vaguely aware of Taehyung and Jungkook counting out her orgasms as if the number is significant. The only thing she really and truly cares about is making the ache go away. It’s momentarily eased with each additional release, the line between pleasure and pain blurring after the seventh.

It must only be minutes—or perhaps hours— later that Taehyung finds his own release, emptying hot streams of cum deep inside her with a gravely snarl.

“Has anyone thought to give her anything to drink?” Seokjin’s melodic voice edges through Shayne’s head fog.

Taehyung eases away from Shayne, his cock pulling free in a gush as he reclines back on his hands. “Drink?” he parrots. “Can’t say I thought about that.”

Jungkook gives a disgruntled harrumph, absently patting his hand on Shayne’s thigh before pushing up from the bed. “I was getting there but Taehyung came in and well, we got a little distracted.”

“Mhm, sure.” Seokjin rolls his eyes as he steps into the room and lets the door fall shut behind him. “How are you doing, beautiful? These two idiots taking care of you alright?”

Shayne whimpers, shifting on the bed and reaching a trembling hand out to him. “Please,” she mumbles.

Seokjin tuts softly. “Can’t trust them to do anything.” He kneels on the bed and gathers Shayne into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She writhes in his lap, shamelessly seeking relief.

Jungkook opens a rectangular chest near his desk and grabs a few clear bottles from inside. “Don’t even start with that, Seokjin. You’re just being an asshole right now.” He hands over a bottle to Seokjin who opens it and offers it to Shayne. She sips gratefully, sucking down as much of the cool water as she can.

“Messy girl,” Seokjin coos, thumbing a few errant drops that escaped down her chin. “Slow down or you’ll make yourself sick.”

Shayne tries to take smaller swallows but now that she’s drinking she realizes just how thirsty she is. “Thank you,” she says between sips, handing off the empty bottle once she’s done.

Taehyung is sitting with his back against the wall beside Seokjin, with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face. “She needs to be fucked again,” he finally says. “You can take a turn, Seokjin.”

Seokjin’s body stiffens under her for a moment before he relaxes and gives Taehyung a syrupy, saccharine smile. “That almost sounds like you’re giving me permission, Taehyungie.”

Shayne catches the way Jungkook’s eyes go wide as they swivel between Taehyung and Seokjin like he’s anticipating what will happen next. Seokjin smoothes a hand over Shayne’s hip, letting his long fingers mold around the curves and dips until he slides it between her thighs to gently strum over her clit. He keeps his eyes trained on Taehyung as he offers her barely enough to take the edge off.

“Seokjin, please,” she mewls. Her thighs press open, offering him more access that he ignores.

“Patience, beautiful. I need to make sure Taehyungie understands the ground rules for being in bed with me and Jungkookie tonight. It’s funny to think in all the years we’ve been here together this is the first time it’s just the three of us. Normally, Jimin runs interference…and well, if he knew what was about to happen he might have something to say about it.”

The way Seokjin says that feels ominous to Shayne. Curiosity wars with the arousal simmering under her skin. She sighs contentedly and tries to suppress a soft moan when Seokin’s fingers dip further to tease around her entrance before moving back to stroke her clit.

“Ground rules?” Taehyung asks, smirking. “Do I have to call you daddy or something? That seems more like Namjoon’s shtick than yours, but I can be persuaded maybe.”

Jungkook curls his lips between his teeth to keep from laughing. “Jungkook,” Seokjin snaps, voice firm and commanding. “Don’t think I missed that. How about we demonstrate for Taehyung?” Jungkook audibly swallows and nods his head. “Good boy. Now, I want your pretty little ass in the air and your tongue fucking our sweet girl.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Jungkook immediately responds and moves to position himself on the bed.

Taehyung balks, completely bewildered. “Alpha?” he whispers.

“That’s right, Taehyungie. In here, I’m the Alpha and you and Jungkookie are my obedient little pups.” Jungkook thrusts his ass into the air, grapples his hands between Shayne’s thighs, and pushes them open. He admires the glistening swell of her sex and the slender, long fingers still rubbing her clit, for a moment before burying his face against her heat and pushing his tongue forward to swirl inside.

Shayne gasps and throws her head back against Seokjin’s shoulder, letting out a throaty moan. “Oh, fuck!”

“If you have a problem with that, you can leave right now.” Seokjin’s voice is cold, indifferent, as he stares down at Taehyung.

Taehyung licks his lips, contemplating the offer. His eyes rove over the scene before him, taking in the submissive position Jungkook is in and the way Shayne is nuzzling against Seokjin’s throat and leaving crescent-shaped indents on his forearms with her nails.

A low rumble comes from deep in Taehyung’s chest. As a beta, he cares less about the primal designations than some of the others. But, as a vampire, he can empathize. They all already had an alpha-like complex because of their vampirism, but after the experiments, it altered the natural hierarchy within their bodies. He can instantly understand where this drive comes from in Seokjin. Though, it’s not something he’s ever considered for himself. That the natural vampire inside them all, that apex predator, would always want to dominate over everything…even the genetic designation of omega that Seokjin ended up with all those years ago.

“Does he ever…y’know?” Taehyung asks, nodding to Jungkook lapping away between Shayne’s thighs, ass periodically wiggling in the air. The sight has Taehyung’s cock jerking where it lays against his thigh.

The smile that graces Seokjin’s lips this time is purely coy charisma. “Once, but he doesn’t get off on it as I do. Now, I’m going to ask you again…do you have a problem with this?”

Taehyung tongues the corner of his mouth, absently bringing a hand down to give his half-hard cock a gentle tug. “Are you going to fuck me in the ass?”

Seokjin barks a laugh. “No.” Taehyung purses his lips and narrows his eyes with irritation but Seokjin continues with a placating statement, “At least, not this time, sweet boy. You have to earn my cock. If you’re good this time and do as you’re told then I’ll reward you the next time you want to crawl into bed with me.”

“N-need to cum,” Shayne interrupts with a whine against Seokjin’s neck. “Please, stop teasing me.”

“Give our girl what she needs, pup. Then, I’ll give you what you need.” Jungkook makes a satisfied sound and a moment later Shayne cries out, thrashing in Seokjin’s lap. He pets a hand down her hair, shh’ing and cooing until she jerks from overstimulation as Jungkook continues to kiss and suck. “Taehyung. I need you to say it.”

The room is silent, except for the heavy breathing coming from Shayne and the smacking wet sounds escaping from around Jungkook’s tongue, as Taehyung makes up his mind.

“Okay, Alpha,” he finally says, emphasizing the designation and relinquishing control out of pure curiosity and the desire to see Shayne through the rest of her spell with Flux. The grip on his beast relents a fraction, allowing his naturally piny scent to mingle in the air with Jungkook’s honeyed arousal.

“Perfect,” Seokjin crows with delight. “Jungkook, enough.”

Jungkook immediately pulls away, sitting back on his haunches. His eyes are big and round, glazed over with arousal. His cock stands up straight against his stomach, glistening smears of precum trailing over his thighs and abs.

“How long does this Flux bullshit last?” Shayne mumbles in frustration. The heat licking between her thighs is wildly battling with the ache of pain she can feel seeping deep into her muscles. “I hurt,” she adds with a whine as she cups a hand tenderly over her swollen lower lips.

“With the dose you needed? It could last all night,” Taehyung says, moving to kneel beside her. His eyes focus on her hand and the glistening mess covering her thighs. Cum mixes with saliva, thoroughly coating her lower half. “But, it grows less potent as time passes.”

Seokjin hums in agreement. He passes Shayne over to Taehyung, being sure she settles softly into his lap. “We’ll go gentle for a bit, let your body rest while still giving you the pleasure you need to avoid the ache brought on by the Flux,” he explains as he reaches down beside the bed and retrieves a small wooden box.

Taehyung gathers Shayne’s unruly curls into a fist, exposing her neck and shoulders so he can press featherlight kisses to her heated skin. Each press of his mouth has her body responding, small tremors that cascade down around where his other hand cups over hers still between her thighs.

“Have you ever sucked a cock before, beautiful?” Seokjin asks when he settles back on the bed. His eyes sparkle as they meet her half-lidded ones. Shayne gives a small jerk of her chin. A momentary pang of sadness over Warren breaks through the haze from the Flux. She squashes it down immediately, not wanting to mix memories of Warren with what's going on here. “You’re going to suck mine and get me ready to destroy this little pup's pert ass.” Seokjin fists a hand into Jungkook’s hair, earning him a grunt from the Omega.

Seokjin is still dressed. Taehyung helps guide Shayne forward onto her knees, his hands keeping a grip on her hips to keep her from listing sideways. With fumbling fingers, Shayne snags and pulls at Seokjin’s clothes until she has his shirt off and his bottoms tangled around his knees. He sighs in satisfaction when she wraps a hand around his base and gives a none-too-gentle squeeze.

“Seokjinnie.” Jungkook winces when the hand in his hair tightens.

“Be patient, pup,” Seokjin admonishes. “Our beautiful girl needs to make sure I’m good and wet. You’ll get my knot soon, don’t worry.” He uses his free hand to open the small box he retrieved and pulls out a thick, circular band with a bulging lump on one side.

“What’s that?” Taehyung asks, nodding toward the ring in Seokjin’s hand.

“This is—oh, fuck that’s good,” Seokjin sucks in a breath, his words choking off as Shayne envelopes the head of his cock with her mouth. “It’s a modified cock ring,” he finally manages to get out with a soft moan. “Wow. I think you suck dick better than Hoseok.”

Shayne assumes that’s a compliment, so rewards Seokjin with an enthusiastic suck, hollowing her cheeks and taking him into the back of her throat. “Damn,” Taehyung mutters, a lopsided grin sliding onto his face. “So, it’s like an Alpha’s knot?”

“Precisely. Now, be a good boy and help me make a Shayne and Jungkookie sandwich. I want them front to front, you take her from behind. Jungkookie, I want her nipples rosy, plump, and aching, do you understand?”

Taehyung pulls Shayne back and she slides off of Seokjin’s cock with an audible pop. Saliva strings between the blushing tip and her swollen lips before breaking and falling against her chin. “Come on, up you go, sweetheart,” Taehyung eases Shayne back until she’s resting against his chest and her’s is nearly pressed against Jungkook’s.

Shayne watches in fascination as Seokjin manhandles and maneuvers Jungkook to his liking. The younger male is completely at his mercy, thoroughly debauched to the point his weeping cock jerks and throbs with every touch from Seokjin. Without thinking, Shayne reaches forward to grab it, wanting to offer him some relief in exchange for the relief he provided her earlier.

“Ah-uh,” Seokjin snaps, halting her hand just inches away from its destination. “He doesn’t get any relief until I say he does. Is that clear, beautiful?” The look in Seokjin’s eye sends shivers down Shayne’s back. She nods, retracting her hand. “Use your words.”

“Yes,” she whispers.

“Yes…?” Seokjin prompts, raising an eyebrow.

Shayne’s brow furrows in return. “Yes…Alpha?”

“That’s my good girl,” he praises. “Do you still need relief?”

The idea of receiving another orgasm has her body revving into overdrive. “Yes, please, Alpha.”

“Taehyung,” Seokjin says his name like he’s giving permission. Taehyung takes his time in notching his head at Shayne’s entrance, completely transfixed on Seokjin slipping on the cock ring and securing it around the base of his shaft and balls. The rigid knot tapers off gently in a slope to either side.

There is a moment when Shayne feels tethered to Jungkook. He grabs at her hands and entwines his fingers with hers, squeezing in a way that relays emotions beyond words. As Taehyung begins to press his hard length into her body, the rigidity of Jungkook’s fingers around hers has her practically feeling the way Seokjin invades his body, too.

Jungkook gasps, jerking in Seokjin’s hold. His open mouth presses against Shayne’s chest, nuzzling until his lips clamp around one of her pebbled nipples. The added sensation melts into the buzz coming from between her thighs, coalescing into a gradient wash of heightened pleasure.

“You feel so good, sweetheart,” Taehyung murmurs against the nape of Shayne’s neck. His mouth waters as he feels the erratic beat of her pulse thrum against his lips. He inhales deeply, dragging in the sweet scent of her hair mixed with the light tang of sweat.

The heady honey scent from Jungkook blooms again in the air, cloyingly sweet as Seokjin finally bottoms out. It blends with the pretty lilac scent wafting from Seokjin. Adding Taehyung’s own subtle piny scent, Jungkook’s room quickly begins to smell like a spring meadow in the mountains.

“I forget how much I love your scent, Taehyungie,” Seokjin pants between skin-slapping thrusts.

Jungkook clings to Shayne; lips and tongue ravaging her breasts as much as Seokjin is ravaging his ass. Her nipples throb as he continues to follow Seokjin’s instruction to make them rosy and aching. Each time Taehyung fucks into her from behind, he forces her against Jungkook’s open mouth.

“Fuck!” Shayne cries as an extra brutal thrust from Taehyung causes her nipple to catch against one of Jungkook’s lower teeth. The skin parts easily, emitting a thin trickle of blood right onto Jungkook’s tongue.

Jungkook grunts, his body taut and trembling from the sudden rush of sweetness on his tongue. “Mm,” Seokjin groans. “Don’t get carried away, Jungkookie, it’s not playtime right now. Be good for me and close that up.”

Shayne arches her back, pressing her breast more firmly against Jungkook’s mouth. The feel of his mouth on her, suckling at the tendril of blood, it’s such a stark contrast to how it felt to have Namjoon take her blood at the dining table. This is…erotic and addicting. “Don’t stop,” she pleads, trying to shake her hands from his so she can latch them into his hair and hold him to her.

“Do it now, pup,” Seokjin’s voice is a low snarl that has Jungkook immediately swiping his tongue over the small cut and sealing it.

Taehyung and Seokjin work together to pry Jungkook and Shayne apart. “Blood lust,” Taehyung breathily laughs, working his hips faster. He bands an arm around Shayne’s middle and holds her to him as he pounds up into her, making her cry out in pleasure. “Been a while since we dealt with that.”

A sadistic smile twists at Seokjin’s lips before he nods. “Mmm,” he hums in agreement. “Namjoon won’t be thrilled but at this point, his dick is so dusty he shouldn’t get a say in what we do with ours.” He emphasizes his words with thrusts, battering into Jungkook so hard the younger male goes slack-jawed. “All three of you are doing so well. Are you ready to cum?”

“Fuck, it’s actually kind of hot the way you talk like that,” Taehyung grunts. “Just say the word and I’ll fill our pretty girl up again.”

Shayne has been riding the edge of orgasm ever since Jungkook’s tooth caught her nipple. The burn under her skin isn’t nearly as consuming as it was before but there is still a final leap she can feel pulling her tight. “Please,” she sobs.

“Jungkookie, show them how pretty you are when you cum on my knot.” Seokjin grips tightly onto Jungkook’s hips and grinds into him from behind. Jungkook’s eyes flash yellow in the overhead light before he’s arching back and yelling curses at the ceiling. His cock jerks, untouched, sending streamers of hot cum roping across Shayne’s stomach and hips.

“Suck on her clit, Jungkook,” Taehyung says, his voice trembling between a command and a question. He glances at Seokjin to make sure he hasn’t crossed a line. Seokjin just smiles in approval, helping Jungkook edge forward, still caught on the pseudo knot.

As soon as Jungkook’s lips latch onto her swollen clit, Shayne shatters. “Fuck!” The orgasm rips through her, devouring her sanity. Pinpricks of color dance behind her eyelids where she has them squeezed shut. Her body shudders against Taehyung and her walls clamp and pulse, triggering his own release. Warmth gushes between her thighs as cum seeps out around Taehyung’s thrusting cock.

Residual tremors twitch through her limbs as Taehyung gently extracts himself and helps her lay down on her side. “We are in serious trouble if phase two is successful.” The words are whispered against Shayne’s shoulder as Taehyung runs his fingers through the cum coating her thighs and gently presses it back inside her. He scoops up more and repeats the process. “I don’t know if I can fuck you and not fill you up after experiencing this.” That tickles a mild awareness in the back of Shayne’s mind, but she’s too blissed out to form words of inquiry.

Seokjin cradles Jungkook against his chest, murmuring soft words that Shayne can’t hear into his ear. The dreamy smile on Jungkook’s face has her own soft smile etching across her dry lips. “A warm cloth, please, Taehyung,” Seokjin says as he finally releases Jungkook, letting the other Omega cuddle into Shayne.

Taehyung presses a quick kiss into Shayne’s curls before getting up and disappearing into the bathroom. Seokjin helps Shayne and Jungkook take a few swallows of water from a bottle he grabs out of Jungkook’s cold box.

“What is that?” Shayne murmurs, blinking her eyes sleepily up at Seokjin as she fights the sudden wash of exhaustion. She gestures vaguely in the direction of Jungkook’s desk.

“It’s a refrigerator. Made for keeping things cold. You’ve heard of them?”

“Mmm,” she agrees softly. Heard of them, yes. Though the idea of a metal box keeping something indefinitely cold is still hard to grasp.

“It’s really a wonder,” Seokjin muses softly, delicately twining one of her fiery curls around a finger. “You’re so exquisite yet you baffle my mind something fierce. You’re the first low-spectrum ticket we’ve ever had for an extended period of time.”

Taehyung returns a moment later with warm, damp washcloths. He works with Seokjin to clean Jungkook and Shayne up before cleaning himself. After disposing of the cloths into a basket of dirty laundry, he settles back on the bed behind Shayne.

Clearing his throat, Taehyung catches Seokjin’s eye over Jungkook’s shoulder. “So, this Alpha thing,” he begins, “I get it. I know it’s a little different, being a Beta isn’t nearly as different as being an Omega, at least from what you guys have told me, but I think I can understand it.”

Seokjin makes a noncommittal sound. “We discovered it by accident, the night Namjoon announced his knot hiatus. Jungkook was feeling a certain way and Jimin had to go off on that run up the northern ridge. One thing led to another and yeah.” He shrugs but there is a slight reddening to his cheeks.

“Should I start calling you Alpha when we’re alone? Whisper it sweetly in your ear?”

“Fuck off,” Seokjin laughs. “No one else knows about this. As often as we’ve all fucked or been in the same room fucking, this is really just a thing between me and Jungkookie. I’m not sure what made me offer to let you join in tonight—” his eyes drift down to the fiery swath of curls Jungkook has his nose buried in “—but I’m somehow at peace with it.”

Taehyung gives a knowing nod, following Seokjin’s gaze. “How are you feeling now, sweetheart?”

Shayne thinks for a moment, assessing her body. Aside from the pleasant ache between her thighs and the smarting, yet faint, sting still lingering on her nipples, she feels fine—finally. “I think the Flux is done,” she states softly. “I’m sore, but no more than I think I’d usually be after several hours of fucking.”

The crassness of her words, despite their near whisper, surprises even her. Seokjin snorts a laugh. “Have much experience with several hours of fucking, do you? Wait, don’t answer that. Jungkook can get awfully jealous.”

“Shut up,” Jungkook mumbles, his words half-muted by how his face is pressed into her hair.

“I’m just teasing, Jungkookie.” Seokjin clears his throat. “I know tonight didn’t quite go as planned thanks to a certain asshole, but thank you nonetheless for indulging in me tonight. I know you wanted to be with Shayne and I could have let you do it without the condition but it’s been a while and well…” he trails off, suddenly unsure of where he was going with that.

Jungkook shifts, peeking up at Seokjin. “You know I like it as much as you do, even if you do leave my ass sorer than that one time Jimin and Yoongi tried to—“

“Let’s not talk about that,” Taehyung laughs, cutting off Jungkook. “I still get flashbacks of trying to sew shit back together like a medic in a war zone.”

“Taehyung is right. Plus, I don’t know that our sweet Shayne needs to hear about that after tonight. Maybe another night, when she’s not already half into dreamland.” Seokjin pats Jungkook on the hip. “Let’s get some sleep. Yoongi should have some answers in the morning. Namjoon will want a full report and debrief first thing.”

As curious as Shayne is, Seokjin’s right. Their voices are already turning into a muddied slur of sounds. There’s something she wants to think about, something that was said but she can’t seem to filter through the recent conversation with any clarity. The niggling is still there, a worry that she can’t placate, as consciousness slips away.

Next Chapter⇾ **coming soon** ⇽Previous Chapter ◅ Back to chapter list

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jolinaprincess · 7 months

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BTS MAFIA SOULMATES A/B/O AU FF

CHAPTER 2: Teenage Life/Friends/Training

An: Hello everyone! FINALLY IT'S HERE CHAPTER 2 Well, I know it took forever for me to edit/update, but I was stuck with how the story was going so I asked for some help from other authors, and I would like to thank them for their help and for making me see where the story was going wrong so hopefully now with direction and such. Please leave a comment or critic down below. I DON'T OWN THE VIDEO OR PICS AND BTS. Oh, one more thing thank you for voting.... even though I rather have your input then votes but it's very much appreciated. NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!!!!

Yn was taken from her former home by Yuki, who she quickly realized was the son of the individual who had acquired her from her former father. During their journey to her new residence, Yuki provided her with a comprehensive overview of the rules and expectations she would face. He also gave her a glimpse into the true character of his father, Mr. Melgar, warning her of his deceitful and dangerous ways. Additionally, Yn was informed that she would have a mentor, Jolina, who would guide her on how to survive and thrive in this new and challenging environment.

Upon arrival at the magnificent mansion owned by Mr. Melgar, Yn was greeted by the father and son duo at the main entrance. As they made their way inside, Yn was awed by the grandeur of her new home, but also mindful of the danger that came with living in close proximity to Mr. Melgar and his two sons. Yn was taken to her room on the second floor, which was situated next to her mentor, Jolina's room. The door to her room was marked with the letter "Y," and as Yuki opened it and stepped inside, Yn followed closely behind, eager to explore her new surroundings but also cautious and alert. The room was elegantly appointed, but Yn remained focused, aware that her survival and success in this new life would require constant vigilance and determination and asked Yuki

Yn: "Now what is going to happen? I know I have to train, but what about the school and parties/ business parties?

Yuki: " Well, for you, the outside world will know you as Mr. Melgar's adopted daughter that he kept hidden for a while to get you ready for facing the spotlight. You will have time to study the high school curriculum on some days while you have Survival Training and Pleasure training with Jolina on other days.

(What the bedroom looks like except behind the wall part)

Yn was already well-informed about what Pleasure Training entailed, being a highly intelligent individual. As she said goodnight to Yuki, she retreated to her room for the night, intending to watch some K-dramas before sleep. However, after taking a shower and getting into bed, she found herself unable to sleep as memories of her past life flooded her mind, causing her to break down in tears. Just then, she felt a soft touch on her head and turned to see her mentor, Jolina, who had become her partner following her successful completion of the training program.

Yn was just 16 years old when she began her training under the supervision of Mr. Melgar and his sons, Yuki and Zero. During the first year, Yn received education in the fundamentals of survival, assassination, seduction, and learned to adapt to her role as Mr. Melgar's adopted daughter, while also pursuing a high school curriculum. Mr. Melgar made it clear to Yn what was expected of her, and in his absence, Yuki and Zero would step in to provide additional training and support. On days when Jolina was out on missions, Yn was subjected to brutal Omega training, leaving her physically scarred and battered. Despite this, Yuki and Zero would always be there to tend to her wounds and offer comfort through their friendship.

The Second Year of Yn's training was a continuation of the harsh and grueling experience she underwent in her first year. At 17 years old, Yn was put to work at one of Mr. Melgar's nightclubs, where she learned that BTS was searching for her through their connections. Despite being uncertain about what to do, Yn pretended to have died, until she came across a teenage girl who was being accosted by some drunken men. Yn stepped in and defended the girl and was stunned to find that she looked like a twin of herself. Introducing herself to the girl, Janet, Yn sought her help and during Mr. Melgar's absences, Yn visited Janet and trained her in self-defense techniques. The exact details of Yn's relationship with BTS remain hazy, but it is known that she eventually became close with the members of the group and was ready to travel to South Korea.

As the time for Janet's departure approached, Yn gifted her with plane tickets and wished to accompany her to the airport. However, due to the impending return of Mr. Melgar, Yn had to forgo the opportunity to see Janet off. Janet arrived safely in South Korea and made her way to one of BTS's businesses, but it must be noted that BTS was unaware of Yn's experiences in the Mafia world and saw Janet merely as a stand-in.

The third year marked Yn's official introduction to the United States as Mr. Melgar's adopted daughter. She was often required to attend family gatherings and business parties, where Mr. Melgar would expect her to spend time with his business partners or use her as a bargaining tool. Yn was still undergoing training, as well as completing her final year of high school, but with the added pressure of attending these events. Despite Yuki and Zero's best efforts to protect her, there were times when things would still go wrong. To make matters worse, Mr. Melgar would send Yn on missions for his benefit or that of his allies, further testing her skills and fortitude.

The Fourth Year of Yn's training, she was 19 years old and was now fully trained in all aspects of survival, assassination, seduction, and acting as Mr. Melgar's daughter. She was now considered a top-notch Omega, one of the best in the world, and was sent on some of the most difficult and dangerous missions. Yn was tasked with tasks such as infiltrating high-security facilities, gathering intelligence, and taking out high-value targets. During this year, Yn continued to refine her skills and was often sent on solo missions.

In the Fifth Year of Yn's training, she was 20 years old and was now considered a seasoned professional. During this year, Mr. Melgar started to trust her more and more, sending her on more complex missions that required a higher level of skill and precision. Yn was now tasked with leading a team of Omegas on various missions and was responsible for their training and development. She was now considered a mentor to the other Omegas and was often called upon to provide guidance and support to them. Yn continued to work closely with Jolina, who had become a close friend and confidant.

During lunch, Mr. Melgar informed Yuki, Zero, and Yn about an upcoming business party hosted by one of his allies, at one of the finest hotels in California. He emphasized the importance of the guests attending and instructed Yuki and Zero to negotiate deals with them. If the negotiations fail, Mr. Melgar instructed them to threaten or steal information from the guests and to have Yn pay them a visit to ensure that no mistakes were made. He made it clear that someone would be observing their actions during the party. Yuki, Zero, and Yn acknowledged Mr. Melgar's instructions with a firm, "Yes sir, I understand."

After a fulfilling lunch, Yn retired to her room to relax and watch a Korean drama while browsing through YouTube. During this time, she received a notification from Janet, who was in California with BTS for an upcoming business party. Janet wanted to meet with Yn to catch up and discuss potential new partners and investment opportunities. Yn eagerly agreed and arranged to meet Janet at the Jolina Cafe & Bakery at 5 PM. After responding to Janet, Yn got ready for the meeting. She took her time to ensure she was comfortable and well-presented, while also concealing a gun and two daggers for safety. As she was leaving, she ran into Yuki and Zero and asked if they wanted to join her, to which they both agreed. The trio then set out together to meet Janet, ready to make the most of their time being outside.

The two arrived at the Jolina Cafe & Bakery and were seated in a private VIP room, as requested by Yn. She had approached the hostess and requested for a secluded space for her and Janet to catch up on each other's lives without any interruptions. The hostess, understanding the request, had one of the waiters prepare the room for their use. Before heading to the room with Yuki and Zero, Yn informed the hostess that she would be expecting additional guests and asked the hostess to kindly show them in when they arrive.

BTS was lounging in their rented apartment in California when they noticed Janet frantically leaving her phone on the sofa before hurrying to her room to get ready. One of the brothers picked up her phone and saw that she had made plans to meet someone at a Cafe at 5pm. They were hesitant to let Janet go with her usual bodyguards, so they decided that two of the brothers would accompany her while the others listened in on their earphones.

Janet and the two disguised brothers arrived at the Cafe and were led to the VIP room by the hostess. Inside the room, they saw a lady wearing a mask with two men standing behind her. As she approached, Janet realized it was Yn and they hugged each other, catching up on life in South Korea and discussing how BTS was doing. Yn then removed her mask, revealing her true identity, which shocked the brothers.

Yn took a deep breath and removed her mask before sitting down and ordering their drinks. Despite the relaxed atmosphere of the VIP room, Yn couldn't shake off the tension she was feeling. She glanced over at Janet's bodyguards and noticed the anger in their eyes. Although she couldn't understand why they were upset, she sensed that something wasn't right. Yn cleared her throat and asked Janet for a favor, sharing her concerns about the Omega's at the upcoming business party. She urged Janet to stay close to the BTS brothers and only bring bodyguards she trusted, warning her that something big was coming. Yn gave Janet a card with Jolina's picture, instructing her to show it to the hostess to be directed to her or her brothers in case of an emergency. After discussing the serious topic, they moved on to lighter subjects before Janet and her bodyguards departed.

As Yn sipped her drink, Yuki asked her if she had noticed the tension in the air after taking off her mask. Yn nodded and shared her observation of the bodyguards' anger. Yuki and Zero exchanged a look, wondering if they should mention that two of the BTS brothers were with them. Yuki suggested that they have a talk with them, and Zero agreed. Yn finished her drink and stood up, followed by Yuki and Zero. They left the VIP room and headed home.

After their outing, Janet and the two BTS brothers returned to their accommodations. Janet retired to her room to prepare for bed, while the brothers gathered in the meeting room to discuss the puzzling events that had just transpired. They were bewildered by the existence of two Yn's and questioned how such a situation could be possible. As they entered the room, they found the rest of BTS already seated, with the eldest, Jin, taking his place at the head of the table.

Jin turned his attention to the two youngest members, JK and V, and asked if what they saw was real. They confirmed that Yn was indeed alive and well, but they were taken aback by her companions, who posed as her bodyguards. The brothers explained that even before Yn removed her mask, her companions seemed to recognize BTS, and their certainty grew when Yn revealed her identity.

Feeling a headache coming on, Jin tasked RM and Suga with gathering underground information about Yn's past years. J inquired about the Yn currently with them, and the Hyung line exchanged glances before deciding to act as if everything was normal for now. They speculated that Yn had brought her companion to ensure she had a chance at a better life.

After further discussion, the group decided to call it a night, with everyone heading to bed, except for one person who remained deep in thought, pondering the mystery of the two Yn's and their unexpected connection to BTS.

In his room, JK sat on one of the sofa chairs, gazing out the window at the city lights, while sipping on a stiff drink. His mind was consumed with thoughts about the recent events at the cafe, where he encountered the real Yn, and the revelation of her existence left him astonished. He could feel in his soul that she was the true Yn he had been searching for all along.

Recalling the day when the fake Yn appeared, he understood why he couldn't be happy or relieved. He had always felt a deep connection to the real Yn, and now he knew why her sudden return had left him feeling unsettled. JK's thoughts drifted to the past years when Yn had disappeared without a trace, and how he and his Hyung's started training in secret while he continued his education.

As the months went by, he tirelessly sought information on Yn's whereabouts until, miraculously, she reappeared in one of their buildings. A surge of emotions overwhelmed him, and for a moment, his eyes turned red as his instincts took over. He had kept this knowledge to himself, not sharing with his Hyung's that Yn was indeed theirs. He discovered the truth when, a month after Yn's disappearance, his second gender emerged while he was lying on Yn's bed, surrounded by the scent of cherry blossoms.

The realization that Yn was back in their lives brought a mix of emotions, and JK knew that he had to tread carefully, especially since Yn had brought her companion to them. He took another sip of his drink, contemplating the complexity of the situation, and decided that he would be there for Yn, no matter what, as he was determined to protect and support her in this new chapter of their lives.

Janet roused from sleep as her alarm chimed, marking the beginning of a new day. She went about her morning routine, heading downstairs to find the boys had left for work earlier than usual. With the outside world deemed too perilous for her, Janet opted to immerse herself in the world of Kdrama, passing the time until the boys returned home.

Meanwhile, the boys convened in a secure location for a meeting with their trusted allies. Jin led the discussion, starting with updates on recent events before delving into the crucial matters at hand. Turning to Rm and Suga, Jin inquired about the progress in gathering information about Yn's whereabouts. Rm distributed copies of the gathered intel to the assembled group, providing a comprehensive overview of Yn's life and recent experiences.

As the details unfolded, JK's emotions boiled over, his anger palpable as he absorbed the information being shared. After Rm finished explaining, a consensus emerged among the group: they would maintain a low profile until they could safely bring Yn back into their territory, strategizing their next moves with caution and determination. The room buzzed with intensity as plans were formulated, each member of the group prepared to do whatever it took to reunite with Yn and ensure her safety.

Under the glittering chandeliers and amidst the lively chatter, Yn, Yuki, and Zero made their entrance to the party, their presence commanding attention. Yn, her arm interlinked with her brothers, scanned the room with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Her gaze fell upon the four elder brothers of BTS, engaged in conversation with mysterious figures. A surge of frustration gripped her as she recognized them as associates of Mr. Melgar's clandestine empire. She knew all too well the kind of entertainment they would demand.

As they approached their father's associates, Yuki effortlessly mingled with the older members of Super Junior, while Zero engaged with the younger members. The origin of their friendship remained a mystery, guarded by unspoken agreements. Yn, ever inquisitive, decided to unravel this enigma.

While Zero went to fetch her drink, Yn mustered the courage to approach Siwon, a member of Super Junior, seeking answers. With a chuckle and a gentle pat on her head, Siwon teased her curiosity, leaving her with a sense of intrigue. Disappointed, she settled at a nearby table, her eyes wandering the room until they fixated on BTS's table.

Lost in thought, she tried to recall where she had seen their faces before. Her reverie was interrupted by Zero, who handed her a cocktail, a silent understanding passing between them. Yn sighed, her anticipation mingling with apprehension, as she took a bold gulp of the drink, bracing herself for the challenges the night might bring.

#bts x reader #alphabtsxomegareader #bts a/b/o #bts ot7 x reader #ot7 x reader #bts omegaverse au #bts #bts x chubby reader

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hollyhomburg · 2 months

Text

Before I leave you (Pt.67)

(Omegaverse au, Mafia au, Bts x Reader)

Summary: You and Hobi bury a dead body (That's a lie, Yoongi buries it for you).

Tags: blood, gore, body horror, death, dead bodies, everyone is pretty beat-up in this, brief implied self-harm but it's very quickly squashed- seriously it's nowhere near as bad as past scenes but i do have to tag it, Dissociation, tae is in the freeze part of fight or flight. hurt/comfort, mental breakdowns, flashbacks, discussions of past abusive relationships, everything is very fluffy until it's not,

W/c: 12.5k

A/N: Are you guys ready for Hoseok's secret reveal??? I'm really excited!!! But also terrified because this whole series has lead up to this point!!! A good number of people have already guessed his secret so congrats on getting it early <3

Previous part - Masterlist - First part

Jimin sits on the stairs going down to the basement. His arm in a sling and bandaged up to the elbow. It aches with every small movement he makes as he peals a tangerine. He hasn't had any narcotics in a few hours and they're starting to wear off.

Jimin needs all of his brain power for this; For covering up the murder.

The fewer things running through his system the less sluggish and fuzzy his thoughts are. Jimin picks his poisons and fewer things make him less coherent than the panic and pain and near constant avalanche of thoughts. Tae, Tae's hurt, Tae's-

Tae's fine, Tae's upstairs with Y/n. he has to remind himself of these facts every few breaths. Tae's going to be okay because you wouldn't let anything happen to her.

There is evidence of that virtually everywhere; In the lines across your hands that Yoongi had dabbed at with a cool cloth, the swollen side of your jaw that he'd cradled. The blood drenching the opposite side of your face that he'd tenderly washed away. Not to mention the blood on the kitchen table, the floor, the ceiling. The blood splattered across your nest-

You don't fuck with an omega's nest; you don't fuck with their packmates.

Jimin quiets his brain with a steady breath as he looks down at Yoongi, Jin, and the body between the three of them wrapped in plastic.

He manages to peel the tangerine in his hand despite how uncooperative his left hand is. Numb at the fingertips just like it’s been since the surgery.

Namjoon had stroked his fingers and tested their give every chance he got, holding onto them and prodding while they waited in the hospital room and then again when Jimin got discharged. He said that they’d probably get better. Probably.

Tae's going to be fine because Namjoon is there too- had checked out her head with that soft alpha grumble croon of his. The most soothing sound in the world, and yet incapable of soothing this.

But Jimin knows nothing’s for certain, he might never get the feeling in his hand back. (This is Jimin's penance; The reminder of these tangled few weeks and how things went will be ever present. The reminder will be the first press of every touch with his non-dominant hand. He will never regain full feeling to the tips of his fingers. Never).

There are a few of noodle paw prints in the dust here, Jimin's ass is no doubt covered in it too from resting on the rickety stairs that lead into the half-finished basement. Little paw print marks that would make you coo and take pictures if you were down here.

But you’re not, you’re upstairs getting the evidence washed off of you.

No one's in that kind of mood right now anyway. No one’s been in that kind of mood for a few hours (or a few days, if he’s being honest, from Jungkook’s seizure, to getting shot, and then coming home to a dead body in their living room).

It’s been 4 hours since you killed someone in the kitchen. 3 hours since Jimin was discharged prematurely from the hospital and the rest of the pack was summoned home via a disturbingly calm call from Jin.

It’s been a tangle of moments even for the people not on hard drugs. Jimin feels like he's doing pretty good at answering the pack’s questions given the circumstances. You'd never know that, given Yoongi's eye roll and Jin's heavy sigh.

"Minnie- we're not asking you how you would have killed him just how you'd cover it up."

They used an old shower liner to wrap the body before they carried it downstairs. It makes a squeaky noise against Jin's rubber gloves (The pink elbow-high ones that he uses to do the dishes) as he pulls back the plastic sheet to reveal what's left of the assassin's head and face.

“I already told you, I don’t know his face- not even a little.” I’d have a pretty hard time identifying his face with the state she left it in regardless Is what he doesn't say.

Jimin tucks his chin, unsettled to look at the man's half-blown apart face for long. "I think he might be the spider but I don’t know. I never met him, only heard his name in passing.”

A small tattoo on the man's wrist reveals as much. A small spider tattoo that someone going to have to cut out and bury separately. Someone's going to have to get all of his teeth too- no identifying marks. None.

He’s a little too impressed with the state you’d left him in when he thinks about it. But once he’d seen your face and Hobi’s neck, not an inch of Jimin had felt the kill wasn’t justified. The whole pack feels that way, he knows they must even though they don't say it. Everyone's a little bit in shock right now.

Even Namjoon hadn’t even given the body a second glance when the pack had tumbled into the house. The pack alpha had simply alternated his fussing from you to Hobi to tae and then Jin. Torn between who needed him first. It was the first words Jimin had heard you speak. Your wet gasp, blood that wasn't yours flashing on your teeth. "Joonie- Hobi needs you."

Namjoon had calmed only once he realized that most of the blood on the three of you was the man’s. Yoongi had a similar reaction and so had Jimin, clutching at Tae. Angry at his arm for its uncooperativeness. About ready to tug off his sling and his bandages and stitches if it meant holding tae easier. He'd even tried it, only to be on the receiving end of a disapproving pack alpha growel too.

“Jimin you can’t; your stitches.”

“Fuck my stitches hyung.”

Numb fingers meet numb faces.

He's a bit ashamed of it, but when he first looked up from Tae to you- where you sat crumpled in Yoongi's hold. Your mate laying down a volley of sweet nothings to you to get you to stop shaking. There was only one sentence running through his head.

That’s my girl.

He'd reached over and squeezed your hand, blood and all. That blood has dried now. Soaked into the lines of his palm. Coloring his fate and love lines all rusty while he eats the tangerine. He should probably wash his hands. All of them probably need too.

Jungkook had been the only one willing to speak, closing the door softly behind him, locking it and treading softly closer. Careful to sidestep both the pools of blood and the piece of a skull sitting next to the couch. He looked down at the 7 of you with a surprisingly calm expression on his face.

"Can't we have one normal fucking day?"

Jungkook was the one who’d gone to the kitchen and gotten one of the hand towels to clean your face. His lips tightened to a line when he wiped away the blood and started to see the bruising, the cut across your temple dripping fresh. Lower lip wobbling ever so slightly.

“Kookie-”

Jungkook had turned to Jin and Namjoon, “I don’t want to deal with the body hyung." His hands were already under your arms, lifting you up, helpless. "Help me get them upstairs. We need to-” he’d let out a frustrated noise. Instincts coming to the full front- instincts he rarely feels.

Who knew blood would incur Jungkook's grooming instincts?

The last time Jimin saw Jungkook; He was helping Namjoon and Yoongi herd the three of you upstairs for a much-needed shower. Hobi hadn't been able to do it under his own power. Namjoon had to carry him.

Hobi; who's choked on every word he's tried to speak. Whose eyes are still red from all the burst blood vessels. Who easily got the closest to dying out of the four of you.

Everyone shakes when they touch Hobi and everyone touches him softly. Namjoon just about snaps his teeth at anyone who tries to get close. His hands turning red from the cold of an ice pack wrapped gently around the alpha's throat.

Jimin knows Jungkook's a lot more unnerved than he lets on, shuffling from foot to foot as he bound Tae up with a towel, taking her delicately from Jimin's arms. Carrying her in the same way Namjoon carried Hobi.

Yoongi was all soft helping you upstairs. Speaking in that quiet voice that he saves for Sunday mornings and stolen moments of quiet. Every moment, all of this is stolen.

And now- the beta is down here, leaning over the body and looking at it like it will tell him something that you won't. After your initial demand that Namjoon he tend to Hobi; you haven't spoken a word. Neither has Tae. Jin's done all of the talking.

There isn’t much to say.

Jimin feels the numbness in his hands and looks at Jin. He hasn't apologized for the bullet yet. But the more time that passes the less Jimin wants an apology. Mating marks come in many forms. Jimin has a scar on his body from one of his omega's- so really? What does he have to be upset about?

The whole house needs to be deep cleaned, and then deep cleaned again. There's blood everywhere; on the couch, the ceiling, the curtains. It's a lot to clean. It's going to be a lot to hide.

That's the only reason why Jimin's not upstairs helping you and Tae clean up right now; the body is unfortunately the biggest threat to the pack's safety at the moment.

There’s a bloodstain on the stairs too, a droplet next to where Jimin sits. he makes a mental note of it but doesn't move to wipe it up. He puts a tangerine slice on his tongue and chews before he answers Yoongi’s next question.

“I don’t know how to dispose of a body, I never dealt with this part. My only job was to kill, not take care of them after. I know there’s a way that you can do it with soap.”

Jin snorts, “You only know that from breaking bad-“

Jimin’s a little miffed, “We already have a plastic tub upstairs-”

“Lye,” Yoongi corrects, looking down at the body before he stoops to retape the plastic over the man's face. It was a bitch to wrap him up, the body stiff and heavy from rigor Mortis. The blood beneath it bubbles and darkens, coagulating. Yoongi's long hair falls over his face and he tucks it behind his ear.

“We could use the soap, but it might take a few days.” Jin clarifies.

“Do you think we can wait that long?”

“Absolutely not,” Jin’s got a similar ice pack to his wrists, the skin there bruised and red and swelling where he fought to get free from the handcuffs, where he eventually ripped down the banisters and broke through them with brute strength and panic.

You’d found the keys on the man’s body soon after and released him from the handcuffs, they're wrapped up in the plastic along with the frying pan, the gun that killed him, and a few other items from the living room that were just too bloodstained, every big piece of evidence will lie right beside him where he rests.

Jimin eats another slice of the tangerine, and Jin shrivels his nose at it. “Isn’t that a little gross?”

Yoongi mirrors his disgust. “Yeah Minnie, weren’t those covered in blood?”

But Jimin just shrugs, “I washed it and peeled it hyung” And keeps eating. After a few days of hospital food, the tangerines taste divine.

Yoongi stands from where he’s kneeling on his knees with a faint crack. “One part kitty litter, two parts concrete should keep out the smell,” Jin says, eyeing the 6 by-six-foot hole in the basement's foundation, already there from the plumbing that needed replacing.

Most of Yoongi's tools are down here too. His scrap pile of wood and the dozen bags of concrete. His hack saw and his circular saw that none of them are looking at. Yoongi had only just fit in the plumbing a few weeks ago. He'd been about to re-pour the foundation anyway.

“I’d rather not have a body buried in our house.”

Yoongi touches Jin’s wrist, so feather-light, removing the ice pack to check the swelling to see if it’s gone down. Jin's left hand is just as useless as Jimin's, the knuckles bruised and ballooned.

“It’s just for a few weeks, we can deal with this once it’s all calmed down, but we absolutely can’t go try and bury it. Who knows what the neighbors heard?”

They're all silent at that, silent at the idea that these few hours might be the last few that the pack spends free.

But over the next few hours, there are no blue and red flashing lights outside or concerned neighbors that come knocking. Your one saving grace is that this all happened during the middle of the day and all of your nearest neighbors have nine to five's. Is it so simple to hope that everyone was just at work? That no one heard the gunshots over the nearby roar of the passing train?

(Maybe they're just too used to the pack next door; the one that has the noisy ruts and noisy noisy packmates. The one whose alphas have a habit of opening the windows in the back room and let the sound of their roughhousing and video games flood the street. The ones who have extra loud movie nights. They're just a bunch of kids, how harmful could they really be? At least the pack alpha and omega look respectable.)

It's a good thing that no one comes; because Namjoon has more important problems, more important things to handle beyond the body in the basement or the police at the door.

Namjoon’s hands cradle Hobi’s neck. He wheeze as he tries to speak, his mouth falling open. He's mostly clean, but a rusty trickle of water from his hair trails down his shoulders.

Jungkook tugged him into the shower first and gave him a rough clean before handing him back to Namjoon. They sit on a towel together on the edge of the nest. they only moved him in here to give him some privacy- to distract him because Hobi kept reaching for you. you'd kept reaching back, tae was already in the shower under the stream.

"Pup- your hands- you're going to hurt yourself."

The Nestroom is dark and quiet. Every single blind in the house is draw. Only the christmas lights illuminate Hobi's injuries. Namjoon will tend to Tae and then you after he's checked out Hobi's injuries. will send him downstairs with Jin for some cold water to soothe his throat once he's done. once he's been cleaned again probably.

Hobi was covered with the most blood, having been just under the man when Tae had blown his throat apart while you- Namjoon doesn't want to think of it, doesn't want to see it.

(Namjoon thinks of every moment, sees them behind every blink. Blink and he sees you sitting in his lap over breakfast squirming happily. Blink and you're kneeling in a bloody puddle looking up at him.

Blink and you're curled up in the nest wearing the first pajama pants he'd given you. Blink and he's watching Jungkook dab at your bloody cheek, blink and you're turning into his hand to nuzzle as he wakes you for sunday morning breakfast. Blink and there’s sunlight spilling across your face and blood slipping down your chin. Namjoon's smallest and most sensitive pup not so innocent anymore.)

Namjoon touches Hobi's throat with no small amount of reverence. it cools the anger in his throat. Namjoon's anger has no good place to go.

When Hobi closes his eyes, he sees it too; the explosion of the bullet and the splat of blood pouring down his face. The shower earlier felt so similar- he almost couldn't handle it. He had to concentrate on Jungkook's voice narrating everything.

"Here Hobi, I'm gonna use some soap now. I like Tae's body wash. You know she always just picks whatever bottles are pinkest because she wants all her toiletries to match. It smells good, doesn't it? Can you take a deep breath for me? Through your nose?"

Endless meaningless Jibber jabber to distract all of them.

Now he shivers and shakes in Namjoon's hold. One part terror and one part near frostbite. Namjoon turns the heat up but Hobi still shakes as Namjoon checks his throat. "Open for me baby- that's a good boy."

He flashes a light down there, listening with his stethoscope. The cold metal end of it presses against his collarbones and the bruises too. Finger-shaped that lace over his jugular like a collar. Over Hobi's heart. Every thump ba-thump ba-thump music to Namjoon's ears.

Namjoon’s growl is soothing as he scoots closer to gather the injured alpha close to his chest. Shushing Hobi as he tries to speak for the dozenth time in the last hour. “Don’t try it, careful- I don’t think he did any lasting damage but-”

Namjoon breaks and his forehead drops to Hoseok’s shoulder, fingers rub out soothing circles on Hobi's wrist even as he starts to cry. Namjoon already stitched up the deep puncture wound there. He had to hold his wrist still as he dabbed the stingy antiseptic, the impulse to pull it away too great. The wound wasn't from a bullet but from the piece of the door that embedded itself in Hobi’s wrist. Blown apart the way he could have been.

Namjoon was so close to losing everything, to losing them.

The bruises, Hobi’s eyes, and his little raspy breaths. Everything both punishment and payment for every violent thing Namjoon wants to do. He feels powerless to do more than hold the smaller alpha right now. The strength in his arms doing little to protect Hobi from the hurts he's already nursing. Hoseok leans his head on Namjoon's shoulder and Just lets the alpha hold him.

If he’d come home to the four of you dead what would he have done? more accurately- What wouldn’t he have done?

Namjoon imagines it- the same way he's imagined it thousands of times. Tae's blood on her lips as pretty as any lip stain. Jin on the floor, his little big love wrapped up in permanent stillness like a mating shroud. Your body turned small and quiet the way you'd been when he'd met you- only so much worse. Hobi with his heart slow and absent of his near-constant music. Bodies stiff as statues, turned alters meant to worship both grief and love.

He’d probably have demanded Jimin and Yoongi tell him everything they knew. And then he’d have gone hunting.

Namjoon lets out a shaky breath and pulls away from Hoseok only to continue dabbing at his wounds. The violence of his alpha's instincts calmed by the sanctity of this- of making it better. of being gentle even when namjoon wants to be anything but.

Hoseok’s mute. Throat too swollen to make more than a soft hissing sound on command. Vocal cords not damaged just swollen. Leaving his brain to hurdle through the last few hours. Eyes closed but his mind wide open.

He sees it all behind his eyes; your hand descending with the frying pan, the explosion of wood near his head. The splat of hot blood against the wood floor. Gasping and getting blood in his mouth accidentally. Choking in it- drowning a little. Everything. The sting of smoke on his eyes. Your words ring in his ears like the final notes of a symphony.

“You can take me. I’ll go with you. Willingly. That’s what she wants isn’t it?”

Hoseok’s brain teases through what you might have meant with that. The unnamed she that you mention. Who, why, and what aren’t you telling them? Is it the woman that Yoongi talked to you about before?

He's unable to say anything to Namjoon even as the alpha softy cradles his damaged throat. Unable to even whisper it out through the swelling that threatens to cut off Hobi's airway. It feels like he's breathing through a straw. Namjoon says he's not going to choke, that it only feels that way. The panic is hard to let go of.

But who do you have to go back to there? You've never talked about the family like you wanted them, like they were your pack. Who have you run from? What monsters are here to haunt you? Who is after you? Or is it something darker- more sinister?

Maybe Hoseok's heart has never truly healed from Yoongi leaving them. Maybe a wounded heart remembers. Yoongi always had them to go back to that Hoseok had never questioned. But he's never wondered about you or stopped to consider that maybe, Yoongi's not the only one who left something.

The family doesn't exactly seem like something you can walk away from unscathed. Yoongi managed it, but Jimin didn't.

Hoseok should warn Namjoon, should tell someone but- it's impossible. His airway protesting with an agonizing twinge with every attempt he makes at speaking. He wonders if this is what being nonverbal felt like for you.

The pain pulses dully without adrenaline to dilute it as Namjoon so lovingly examines the marks, again and again. But he shouldn't be spending so much time. You and Tae are bruised and battered too- even if Hoseok’s are by far the worst; you need tending to.

Jin’s hands. Your face. Tae’s head. Hoseok’s throat. Each of you has lost the thing most necessary to your survival.

Hoseok thinks of the body, not the one that sits downstairs, but the one that you found months ago in the ocean. Maybe this wasn’t a coincidence. Maybe none of this was. How far back do the coincidences go? Between Jin and Yoongi who wouldn't have a relationship to stand on without Yoongi's family- how many other things in the pack are because of this?

Hoseok struggles to speak, to talk to Namjoon about what you'd almost done, what you'd almost bartered- but nothing but air comes out, and the pack alpha shushes him. His hands grip Namjoon's shoulders hard.

Namjoon wishes he had more than just numbing cream and sutures for Hobi’s hurts. Jimin’s already offered up some of his opioids for Hobi to sleep and as much as Namjoon hates the idea of anyone swapping medication- Hobi might actually need them.

Jimin’s doctor had been a little bit liberal with them, sure that his 6 on the pain scale had to be at least a 9. He could spare one or two. The truth is that nothing hurts more than this- seeing the people that you love in pain. Jimin and Namjoon save their 10s for days like this.

With the blood cooling, Namjoon’s anger has nowhere to go. The body in the basement has already gone cold.

In the quiet of the house they can audibly hear Seokjin and Yoongi start mixing the concrete. The dull scrape of a shovel against a bucket and the sound of a faucet dripping.

Namjoon wipes at Hobi’s throat, and Hoseok tries again- futile in his efforts to speak. Namjoon shushes him.

In the basement it goes; drip, scrape, drip.

~-~

Jungkook holds Tae up underneath the warm spray of water. The glass is foggy in places and clear and others, occasional spots of red water joining the constellation of them. She rests against Jungkook's chest, her body is prone and almost lifeless. Eyes vacant and glassy.

So shaky and tired as her body rockets down from its adrenaline high. A drop so abrupt that she could hardly hold herself up. A drop so terrifying that Jungkook must do it for her.

He doesn't mind, none of him minds as he cradles the back of her head oh so gently. Tae flinches, whether from pain or the sudden movement. Jungkook meets Jimin's eyes through the foggy glass and then yours. Biting his lower lip before Jimin nods and tells him to keep going.

Evidence is evidence. Washing off can’t wait.

Jimin has joined you upstairs with the body already packed away and on its way to being buried under the foundation of the house. Jimin watches on from outside the shower as he instructs Jungkook in a quiet voice on how to clean Tae of evidence properly. He's been quiet since then. Staring at them while Tae stares blankly back.

You watch them from where you sit. Mostly you just watch Tae. When Namjoon's body doesn’t block your view. He stitches the gash on your forehead, hands pulling the sutures closed in a gentle and practiced way. The pass of the needle through your skin a distant sensation.

The wounds on your hands are in that awkward place of not being deep enough for stitches but still a little too deep to not need something. After a brief debate, Namjoon sealed them with a bit of non-surgical glue that stung terribly and then regular gauze over the top.

Your hands are swelling and clotting. Scabbing although trying to touch anything is too painful. Closing your fingers at all hurts. Namjoon holds you so lightly it hardly feels like he's holding you at all.

Namjoon apologizes after every wince.

The second he’s done he tosses his suture kit into the bathroom sink with a clang the second he’s done. Namjoon gets on his knees before you. The plastic that covers the whole bathroom crackling as he does.

Jimin had the great idea to cover the bathroom with sheets of plastic to cut down on the cleanup. Hoseok's bloody footprints join Tae's trailing from the doorway to the shower. Join the trail that you left. Parts of you are still dripping.

"It's going to scar," Namjoon says, a little sadly. Thumb skimming over the mark on your forehead.

You swallow hard. You still taste blood. You want to brush your teeth; you want to shut the lights off and go to sleep. You want Noodle and you want Yoongi you want everything from the past few hours- the past few years to be gone and over with. You want-

You want to snap at him and tell him that it doesn't matter that it will scar. That you're covered with scars already and you don't care but-

Namjoon kisses your forehead. A lingering brush. The one spot that's not bloody.

You look over at Tae and her eyes flicker blankly to you. Jungkook keeps bringing the boar bristle brush up and down her back in soothing little circles.

When you turn back to Namjoon he's pursing his lips and blinking away tears as he looks down at your hands. You resist the urge to say you’re sorry. You’re not sure what for. The terrible feral hunger in you gone as quick as it's come.

Namjoon’s fingers wrap around the hollow of your knees, and you meet his eyes, even though you don’t want to. It feels too much like a confession already.

“I’m going to say this now, before you get any ideas; This is not your fault and I am not mad at you and Tae for doing what you did-”

“Namjoon-”

He continues on, words rushing out. “I’m proud of you pup, so proud. I’m sorry that I wasn’t here. I promise I won’t disappoint you again as pack alpha-” You cover his mouth with your hand, gauze and all.

The bit of gauze over your palm is already turning bloody. It's hard to tell if it's your blood or if it's his. You’re the last one to shower. The last one to get clean. Namjoon shouldn’t be touching you at all.

And yet he does, yet he cradles your face, brushes the tears from your cheeks, gets blood on his hands. Evidence is evidence, but love has a steeper sort of price if you don't express it when you can.

When you take your hand away, Namjoon doesn’t try to speak again. someone says something that you don't hear, that you can't hear.

Namjoon stands and when you look up, Jungkook has the shower door open for you.

Because the bandages and the glue on your hands can’t get wet Namjoon binds your hands with Ziplock bags and duct tape. The plastic rustles, and you follow Hobi's bloody footprints into Jungkook’s arms. Namjoon closes the door behind you.

Every bit of plastic is going to get melted down later, until all the blood and terror evaporates through something as simple and trivial as fire. Fire will cleanse it of all evidence, as sure as the burning water you step under.

You're not quite sure what you're going to do about the bullet holes in the walls or the blown-apart door to the upstairs bedroom, but Yoongi’s always had a handle on the home improvement stuff.

Jungkook helps you disrobe off your bloodied clothing. Lifting your shirt over your head and stooping, telling you to hold onto his shoulders so that he can take off your sweatpants. You're pretty sure they're Yoongi's but there's no time to get sentimental as he puts them inside a garbage bag along with Tae's and Hobi's clothes.

Everything on your person is evidence. When you look back Namjoon's gone, summoned by Jin's distant call from downstairs. It's just Jimin outside of the shower. watching you, but mostly watching Tae.

You’d be more self-conscious of your nude body if your brain wasn’t still racing. It’s hard to do much with the bags on your hands. But Jungkook squirts out a healthy dollop of your favorite shampoo and gets to work once the conditioner is in Tae’s hair. She sits like a discarded ball-jointed doll on the built-in bench. Her long hair hair stuck like a sheet over her eyes.

Nothing is as important as making sure you’re not found out. And the frothy shampoo turns rusty around Jungkook's fingers. You have to have a lot of blood on your face. All the water that rolls off of you goes pink.

Jungkook is gentle even by your hairline scratching against your scalp with his fingers. The skin there is tender. Namjoon taped a bit of gauze over the sutures too. You don't remember when he did that.

You make a noise. “Too rough?” his voice has something unreadable in it, something soft and concerned.

You don't respond because Yoongi makes his reappearance at the doorway. The black shirt he wears is dusty at the front from the concrete. His eyes single focused on you the second he enters the room. You stare at him the way that Tae stares at Jimin. Jungkook just huffs and pulls you a little more snugly against his chest.

Tae stands in the corner of the shower, still staring at Minnie. Minnie who stares back, practically not blinking. Both of their anguish are hidden behind glass. Like fish in tanks that could never get out. Not really.

Part of Tae gets washed away down the drain. Swirling and gurgling down and down with no one to notice.

Tae stares off blankly into space. Sometimes Jimin talks to her and sometimes he hums through the glass, he'd be in there too if his bandages couldn't get wet either. If Namjoon hadn’t yanked him back from the doorway and told him that he couldn't.

Jungkook takes the boar bristle brush to your body too. Everything has to be scrubbed multiple times until your skin feels nearly raw from it. Tae’s fingernails, her arms, your neck, the side of your face, the hollow at the inside of your arms. Your knees. Everywhere.

He apologizes when he goes over bruises, wincing, clutching you a little tighter, a little closer to make up for the pain. But Jungkook is meticulous as he cleans of evidence until you feel groomed clean. Until there’s no more blood swirling down the drain just clear water, and the light outside has turned pearly and blue in the twilight.

Tae's still silent. She's been quiet beyond the occasional heartbreaking whimper since you both killed that man. Eventually, You push at Jungkook's hands with a pointed look in her direction where she's slumped and he goes with a soft nod. Two omega's taking care of their alphas.

Jungkook’s delicate with Tae’s head, gentle in the way he cradles the bruising, half hidden by her hair. Washing out the conditioner with a quiet hum. Namjoon had diagnosed her with a concussion pretty quickly, it's not a crack in her skull plate but she's not going to go putting her hair up in a bun any time soon.

Jungkook alternates from you to Tae. One moment you're standing, the next Jungkook is taking you up gently from the floor and Yoongi is at the glass, hand on the door- looking at you anxiously. Letting out a volley of cursing. You can't remember the last time you heard him use language like that.

"Hyung she's fine- she's just slippery, I've got her."

Their voices are so soft and grave and so quiet. Or is it just that you can’t hear it? Why are their voices so far away and muffled? Sometimes Yoongi is here and sometimes he isn't. Sometimes Jungkook is holding you, talking to Namjoon about something, and other times he and Yoongi are talking. Keeping their voices low. Your ears ring. It's so loud it deafening.

“Do you need me to take over?” Yoongi asks Jungkook. Jungkook has blood on his feet, from you or Tae you’re not sure, it soaks the hair there. Jungkook’s got hairy fucking feet for an omega- you’re not sure why you’re concentrating on it. Why you’re noticing all these things now. Cataloging little things about them like you might never get the chance to notice them again.

Your heart beats quick, fear still consuming you even though the danger has passed. You look down at the tiled floor and the room spins.

You don’t feel a thing when you close your eyes. You don’t feel anything when you think of the man that you just killed. You don’t feel anything but roaring, like the crashing of the ocean or the sound when you lift your ear to a shell. The hearing in your left ear where the gun went off feels…off, muffled. You put your hand up to toy with it and freeze when you realize it isn't right.

"Guys" You paw at your ear. But they don't seem to hear you.

"No, I've got them.”

“We need to clean up the downstairs. Kookie, where do you keep the oxyclean?”

"Guys"

They still don't hear you. Maybe you're not making a sound at all just mouthing the words. Your movement gets Tae's attention and her eyes focus for the first time in hours. Slumped on the bench, her hand grips the tiled edge hard as she tries to stand but can't. Jungkook hands Yoongi something through the steam, the black trash bag full of bloody clothes.

The notice Tae trying to get to you first. she hits the floor with a small thud and tugs her way over to you. You make a noise in your throat- a distressed chirp that makes the alphas flinch. Tae cups your cheek as you dig your finger in, slippery from the plastic- and pull something small and fleshy out of your ear.

It's soft and squishy. A curved piece of pink and white brain matter. A little bloody but bleached from the water.

You try to stand to your feet but teeter, shaking, staring down at the chunk of person that you just got out of you, that was just in you.

For a second, no one says anything, but then-

“That’s so fucking gnarly.” Your head jerks up in Jungkook’s direction.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Tae actually does look a little green, but it's good to hear her voice at the very least. She hauls herself over to the drain and starts to dry heave.

"Oh tae don't-" the sound of vomit hitting the floor joins the sound of the shower. You don't look at her. just at the lump of person in your hand.

"Someone please take it from me," Jimin is already there opening the glass door and holding out a cloth for you to place it in.

Yoongi presses his hands to the glass as he watches you struggle to grab the brush that Jungkook was using on you from the floor after finally getting your feet under you. Jungkook is torn, his hand on Tae's shoulder as she wretches turning from her to you like he doesn't know what to do or who to help first.

You don't care about the state of your hands you just need to get clean. You Ignore the twinge of pain in your hands as you try and get the bottle of body wash open. Ripping off the plastic bags that cover your hands when you can't unclick the cap immediately. frustrated and panicking. You ignore Jimin calling your name. The gauze falls to the floor with a wet thwack and you take the boar bristle brush to your hands. Cuts and all.

Big hands stop you. Hands that dwarf yours. Hands that you'd know blind.

Yoongi's standing under the spray fully clothed, the water pinning down his hair and quickly soaking him. His hands tangling with yours, taking the brush from you. Wordless as he grabs your wrists and jerks you forward hard.

He holds on until you stop shaking. resting against his chest. guiding your face to his scent gland. "Take a deep breath for me now sweetheart- there you go- just like that."

Jungkook doesn't say anything and neither does Jimin, not as Yoongi starts to wash you again. Jungkook just stoops to lift Tae and place her back on the bench. She goes easy, limp, and doll-like. But she's almost done- she's almost clean. Tae pushes at Jungkook’s shoulders.

"I’m fine. I need to wait for the nausea to pass before I try getting out of here.”

With you, it's going to take a little longer.

Jungkook has already shampooed your hair, but he does it again. The telltale signs of rusty red in the peach-scented shampoo. Bubbling orange-pink. Yoongi does it slower, gentler- it feels more normal. Like the slow loving you're used to.

“Do you ever feel like-” your voice is a little crackly from all the screaming you did earlier. You hate how the terror makes you not remember all the details. Did you make any sound while you killed him? Did you say anything through the rage?

The others are looking at you but you have eyes for just Jimin. his hand tightens to fists, knuckles pressed against the glass. eyes darkening ever so slightly. “Do you ever not feel guilty? About killing people Minnie?”

You are nude, as bare as you’ve ever been before him, it's hard to be self-conscious about it. Maybe this would be a little sexier- showering with Tae and Jungkook and Yoongi with an audience if you weren't literally trying to cover up a very violent murder.

You remember the words Jimin had said to you weeks ago now. “Would you kill for me?” “I’d do worse” you wonder if this qualifies as worse. You can’t imagine what would be much worse than this.

Jungkook's hands are rough as they massage a bit of soap down your back but instead of being comforting, it feels like you’re going to vibrate out of your skin.

Jimin hums. Eyeing Tae still sprawled on the built-in bench. Jimin gathers his thoughts before he speaks. “In my contract, at the beginning-” He starts but cuts off as you start to slip. Jungkook's hands find you, helping Yoongi hold you up more properly. Your mate doesn't let Jungkook take you entirely just moves a bit to the side to give him space. Any other day you'd love to be in the middle of a yoonkook sandwich but-

“Your contract?” he nods, blond hair bobbing. Yoongi meticulously removes the dried blood from under your fingernails, careful to hold your glue sutures out of the direct spray.

“I specified that I’d only ever kill bad people. of course I got a little lazier after I got used to it." He shoots an anxious glance in Tae's direction, but she's still just sitting. "But at the beginning, I’d go back and look through their files to try to find out what they’d done to warrant a hit getting taken out on them. I couldn’t always find a reason but most of the time I did."

You can see it in his face, that Jimin doesn't want to say that they deserved it. Because if they deserved a violent ending then you could say the same about the 8 of you. Jungkook's hands get a little close to the nape of your neck and you turn to him and snap.

"Don't scruff me."

"Sorry." You need it. Is what he doesn't say.

“Most of the time it was worth it?” You cling to his words. With Geumjae you’d never had to guess if he deserved it or not but this-

Jimin’s eyebrows are brought into a hard line, “Karma is a fickle thing. Sometimes it never comes but-” his eyes are downcast, "Sometimes it's a good thing, being the karma."

You sit quietly, digesting his words. Your lower lip trembles, and you don’t know if you feel terrible or better when the tears just won’t come. Yoongi delicately cradles your body, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and pulling you back against his chest.

“Yoongi.”

“Let me hold you for a minute.” You do, body sagging under the weight of your exhaustion.

Tae teeters in Jungkook’s hold, but she pushes against his hands weakly when he tries to make her stand again. Her voice sounds warbly and fragile when she shakes her head. “I’m still dizzy.”

He tries to guide her gently back to the bench, but she doesn't make it that far. Pushing away his hands when she descends to the marble floor. Closer to the wall, Closer to Minnie who mirrors her, falling to the floor too. Getting as closer to her as he can without being in the shower.

Jimin lets out a sad and bitter-sounding laugh and Tae smiles in reply while Jungkook and Yoongi share an anxious glance over your head.

He's still grinning, words twisting, eyes shining with sorrow and fondness. “You couldn’t wait 24 hours until you had to make it even, didn’t you?”

Tae closes her eyes as her smile twists and she starts to cry “Where you go, I go. We’re the same now Minnie.” Jimin doesn't mean to ask what she means. He knows.

If you're a killer I'm a killer. If you're damned, I'm damned. Even though neither of them believes in God or heaven or damnation. Not really. Not anymore. It's very half-hearted.

(I don't know if it's worth wondering if the people you love are bad people, I think when worse comes to worse, you just put the heaviness down and keep on loving them anyway).

Jimin’s eyes are soft on her, the way that they only ever are with Tae. He places his hand on the glass fogging around his fingertips. She doesn’t match his hands, just leans her cheek against it. Love is only a thin layer of glass away.

You know it hurts her a little bit, must make the dysphoria a little harder to breathe through, to let Jimin and Jungkook see her like this; just the long hair and nothing delicate to cloth her soul in. A soul that now you’ve irreparably tarnished.

A soul that is damaged beyond repair now thanks to you.

It is your fault. All of this is because of you. all of this pain and anguish and damage is because of the choices you've made. the stupid idiotic childish choices. If you'd never needed it- if you'd just been strong enough- Tae could have been whole. Tae could have been unharmed. Hobi and Jin too- if you’d just-

Back at the hospital, Tae had so many questions about Jimin’s job, so many questions about when and where, and why. But she finds her head empty of them in the aftermath. She has no desire to learn anything else about Jimin’s job. Not now that she knows what killing feels like.

Tae is never going to be able to look at red nail polish the same way again.

Jungkook reaches over and turns off the water.

~-~

Eventually, you finish washing. Wrapped up in fluffy white towels that will have to be burned too. The house smells like bleach and gunpowder. It covers everything.

Even the noodle is looking a little more grubby than usual when he zips by, meowing for someone to give him attention. You hear the saw going and you know that Yoongi is cutting the bullet holes out of the walls while the others clean up the blood.

Your skin feels pink and sensitive were the towel brushes as you go looking for pajamas, you'll get some for the others too. Later, Jin will fuss and ask to put some cream on you. Will massage it in something of an apology and pretend that Yoongi isn't going over the whole house with a blacklight to spot any errant blood splatters.

Later Yoongi will take a wood scraper to the floorboards where the man died, will rip them up, and burn them in the house's ancient fireplace just to be sure that no one finds any evidence.

You'll all pretend that Tae doesn't shake through a panic attack when you have an informal dinner in the nest. jin's rule of "no food in the nest" broken for this. You'll all pretend that Hoseok won't choke choking on all but the smallest sips of water. You'll all pretend. You're good pretenders, good liars too.

Later, Jin will put cream on your skin and dot it all with kisses, the swelling in his hands won't take too long to go down. You'll get the love and You won’t deserve a single second of it.

You don't know how you fooled yourself into thinking you ever deserved it. The last 8 months have been stolen. Not earned.

The one-year anniversary of Geumjae's death comes and passes as you go to the top of the stairs in your towel, Ears straining to hear what's going on downstairs.

There is a lot of talking going on downstairs, between Yoongi, Namjoon, and Jin. About what to do, and how to handle this. Hushed voices kept mostly out of earshot. And other more dangerous questions get asked, with equally as dangerous answers.

One of Jimin's guns sits on the kitchen counter through all of it. No one moves to put it away. They're not sure when they're next going to need it and they'd rather not get caught off guard again.

“I could talk to some people- call them. Some people owe me favors, There has to be some section of the family that doesn’t want her too-“

"Absolutely Not, I am not having you get into some weird ass mafia debt"

"Yeah, jailcell orange is so not your color hyung"

“We stay quiet. For the next 48 hours- it’s likely no one will know what happened. They’re too hurt- we need some time to regroup and think.”

Hobi’s voice is absent from the fray. You hear something quite like he's trying to speak, and someone shushing him softly. Namjoon says that his swelling won’t go down enough to talk until tomorrow. You hear the sound of someone opening the refrigerator to get ice.

The door to the bedroom has been blown apart, and a flurry of bullet holes chewed through the top corner. It sits off its hinges and in two pieces.

You remember watching Yoongi paint the door, sitting at the bottom of the stairs while he worked at the top of it and painted it to match the wallpaper in the staircase, a dark cobalt blue. You remember all of it, every little thing you watched him do to make this house into something worthwhile. To make it into a home and now it's riddled with bullet holes and stained with blood.

It's funny, you hardly remember every little thing he did for you, to make you worthwhile.

You have always been a reminder that you don't make houses out of abandoned buildings, and mates out of monsters that bite.

The water has turned the cuts on your hands white and gummy when you look down at them in the closet room. They’re already oozing, not bleeding, it will be at least a day or two until you can touch anything without discomfort. Namjoon will scold you ever so gently later and re-do your bandages.

The pink curtains are drawn already to keep out any wandering eyes from the outside. This is a dressing room after all. The whole room feels like a blush-toned jewel box and you, the one piece of cheap costume jewelry at the center.

You get up and shut the door before you sit on a small poof- something silky and tufted that Jimin had gotten Tae right after she'd come out.

You sit in your towel and look down at your wounds. Thinking about Tae's concussion. Jin's wrists. Hobi's throat. Both of their blank looks and the violence of death and trying to live. You think it all through, every possible ending to this before you pick up your phone and dial Her number.

Moonbyul picks up on the first ring. It’s like she’s been waiting for your call.

“Did you like your courting present pup?”

Your throat is dry and you don’t know exactly what to say, even less how to say it. She hums at your silence, an alpha's imitation of a purr. Waiting until your quietness builds to a frantic pulse.

In the pack, you've always been the one with the best survival instincts. Geumjae made you this way. Although the pack has spent the last few months trying to heal you; deep down you know you've never been anything more than a scared animal. Fight or Flight. Freeze or fawn.

Bullet to bullet. Tooth to tooth. Heartbeat to heartbeat. This time is different. This time you have something worth protecting.

You stand, no longer able to sit. There is a noise at the door, and you wait with bated breath for someone to come in. They don't come. But you stand and move farther inside. Hoping that the distance will disguise the sound of your whispered conversation.

She continues when it becomes clear you're struggling to speak. “I’ve got another one on the way. Hyejin’s here, wanna say hello? You’re on speaker.”

“Pup,” she giggles, and you feel like you might vomit. It’s a struggle really, not to end the call right there, not to let the fear overtake you. “We haven’t heard back from Spider yet, and I have a feeling someone’s been a little naughty.”

You lift the curtain to look outside, the train chugs past and the cars flit by like the fast small birds searching for seed in the snow. The whole world is grey and flat. The sky is orange from the lights of the city reflecting the clouds. The trees bare of all but a few crumbly leaves. It’s strange how all at once, the train is all you can look at. All you can think about.

You think about hoseok, the night at the train tracks where he stopped you from leaving. When he asked you to stay.

“Tell me what I need to do. Tell me what I need to do to get you to stop this, please.” Your voice sounds off, even for you. Too flat, strange even to your ears.

“I’m afraid we’re too far along for that.”

"Please, please Moonbyul-" You turn, pacing back towards the door. Past Tae’s clothes, past yours, past Jungkook’s, past the alcove where Hobi hangs his sweatshirts for you. You pause there. Looking at them.

“You said- you said when it was over you’d give me anything I wanted. Well I want them alive. Even if-"

Your voice is so shaky, you're careful to make sure you're not overheard. The pack is in the other room, just downstairs. You can hear the distant hum of their sweet voices; the people you love always sound like a melody. Your absence hasn’t been noticed yet.

"Even if I’m not here.”

For once they’re silent on the other end of the line. It’s a full silence, filled with one part lust and one part hunger. Both of them are like Noodle playing with a mouse. Waiting for the right time to drive their teeth in and end this game.

But even mice have teeth. Your hand is holding your phone so hard that the plastic makes your bones ache and your cuts bleed fresh.

“If you don’t let them live, I'll never stop fighting. But if you want me to be willing- If you want me to be your pup the way I think you do."

You can’t even close your hand into a fist with how wrecked your hands are. They hurt with every clumsy movement. you hold the phone. Your every heartbeat lurching with the horror of what you're doing.

I can’t lose them; I can’t be the reason why they die. They'll keep sending people until we're all dead unless I do something.

“All of them, all of them need to be safe, Jimin- you need to let him go of his contract and let him go back to living a normal life and you need to not punish Jin for working for the FBI.” Your words rush over themselves. "Leave my pack alone and I’ll be obedient. I'll be yours. I’ll never try and go back to them again. I won’t ever try and leave. I promise.”

Moonbyul and Hyejin are silent on the other end of the phone. You wait for a few moments. They must be looking at each other, deliberating.

Everything in this room aches. The closet bedroom that Yoongi made he made for you. The wainscotting just so. Everything in this house was crafted with an equal amount of love.

It was never meant to be yours forever, you’ve been keenly aware of this fact since the moment you met Yoongi. Since the moment you met his eyes across the dining room table and the moment his teeth met your skin. Borrowed things don't belong, they never do. Good things do not last. You only get them for as long as you get them and not a moment longer.

You're looking at Hobi's sweatshirts, in the alcove where he stacks them for you to take when Moonbyul and Hyejin respond.

“We'll agree to those terms, but remember their safety depends on your performance."

"You have 24 hours to get to us pup. Make them count.”

The dial tone drones like a funeral drum.

~-~

(Hoseok, a few years prior)

The backroom at the record shop is cramped with all sorts of things from a bygone era;

A mini fridge with a decrepit desktop computer and logbook balanced atop it. Pictures and bulletins glued to the wall from the 1960's. A greasy coffee machine piled high with bags of expired tea. A cramped spot for employees to hang their coats and a yellowing old table with a pair of chairs; both occupied by people also out of place. a beta that has a thing for 1980's rap and an alpha with a broken heart who admittedly loves 2010's pop.

A poster of some glittery showgirl omega from the 20s bats her eyelashes down at Hoseok as he has a mental breakdown. Offering neither comfort nor absolution nor love.

Maybe if he'd been born an omega like that, it would have been easier. Maybe they'd have wanted him then.

Yoongi's hands rub down Hoseok's shoulder, his back, places only lovers have touched. Up and down. An endless circle. An ouroboros of affection nibbling Hoseok's fickle heart. Hoseok aches harder with every passing moment.

Yoongi looks at the clock as Hoseok continues to sob. The shop should be open right now but Yoongi won't let it. It can go out of business for all he cares. As long as no one makes Hoseok get up from this chair before he's ready.

Beta instincts are fickle things, but Yoongi has always had a third sense. Something in him always knows if people are trustworthy and if they need him. Something in their scents or faces or eyes- like small planets reflecting the cosmos back to them. Do planets bear life only when someone is willing to look for them? Do people only deserve help when they're willing to ask for it? or is it like this?

Eventually, Hoseok gets his breath back in his chest and his sobs quiet down. His eyes open bloodshot. All sadness has an expiration date (thankfully). Yoongi's hand slides down his arm and gives his hand a firm squeeze (and stays there).

It's the first time someone's touched Hoseok without wanting something in God knows how long but he's too sad to properly appreciate it or savor it. (Yoongi doesn't want anything from him that Hoseok wouldn't willingly give. Doesn't want anything but his smile. fuck- he's just a co-worker, isn't he?). Who knows when the next touch like this might come? (Yoongi is going to hold his hand tomorrow because Yoongi likes holding people's hands, Jin will give him the tacit permission to do that at least. But all of the pack are keenly aware that Hoseok needs time to heal, no matter how obvious Yoongi's crush and Hoseok's needs).

(Hoseok is definitely not just Yoongi's coe-worker at this point, but saviors come from all sorts of unlikely places)

Eventually Hoseok's sobs quiet and Yoongi sighs, pulling back. He takes one look at hoseok's red nose and pale cheeks and puffs up. "I'm making your hot chocolate and you're going to tell me what's happened."

He gets up like he needs something to do. Like he's tired of taking care of Hoseok. He doesn't take it personally, he's tired of it too.

“My mates they- they kicked me out of our den,” Hoseok confesses. Yoongi's got two mugs in his hands, they thud against the counter when he reaches into one of the cabinets.

It’s warm in here but Hoseok is still thankful for the sweatshirt the beta gave him. Not only for its warmth but for the layer of scent it provides; It’s soaked with the smell of chocolate. So comforting and heavenly that it makes Hoseok a little dizzy when he tucks his nose into it and takes a hefty sniff when Yoongi's got his back turned.

Hoseok was never given the other pack's items, never allowed or encouraged to indulge in their scents. They never asked for his either.

Yoongi hangs both their jackets above the radiator in the back so that they’ll dry faster. He bears an impressive bite mark on his arm, visible because of his short-sleeved shirt. It's bruised just ever so slightly- an alpha bite but not a mating bite because betas don't mate. A mark like that on him is as good a claim as any. Even with the other scents that cling to the sweatshirt.

Hoseok hasn’t known him long, but they’re friends even if they’ve never met up outside of work. You can't not be friends with someone you spend upwards of 30 hours a week with.

Yoongi just hums. "Have you been with them long?"

Hoseok appreciates that Yoongi doesn't use the past tense, his heart too tender around the idea of endings. Some part of him is unconvinced that it really is over. A stubborn heart for a stubborn alpha.

His hair is starting to dry when he nods. "It's been a few years." Hoseok bites his lip, "I could lie and say I didn't see signs but-" his hands end up in his hair, elbows leaning against the creaking yellow table. Tugging a little. "I'm so fucking stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid," Yoongi says, hand on the back of his head. warm rough fingers. Touching him ever so briefly as he passes to put the milk back in the mini-fridge. "It's not stupid to want to find more love where you got it."

But in truth, There's not much more than Yoongi can say. Not much more that he knows to say. He'd never met Hoseok's pack. Whereas Namjoon and Jimin and the pups have a general tendency to linger around Yoongi person at all hours and locations. Stopping by to drop off coffee or just to make funny faces at him through the window when they're on their way to work. Yoongi has never met his co-worker's pack and has never seen much evidence at all on him beyond some vague hints of scents.

That alone is enough of a hint; usually, when people have packmates they're soaked in their scents. Visceral claims to keep any wandering eyes wandering still. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't wondered why Hoseok didn't wear his packmate's scents.

It’s not like the alpha smells bad at all- a little strong sure, but less genetically dominant alphas tend to smell a little sweeter like omegas.

At least that’s what Namjoon says when he feels like info dumping. Late at night when the pack asleep around them and only Yoongi's stayed up to listen. Because Yoongi likes the sound of Namjoon's voice when he gets into the details. Stroking across Namjoon’s bare chest just to feel the alpha's words rumble against his fingertips. His heartbeat against his ear the backtrack for all of it.

Whoever Yoongi’s pack is; they surely love him a lot. That much has been evident since the second that Hoseok met him. Evident in the packed bento boxes and the bunny-eyed omega that walks with him to work sometimes. Or in the tall omega and alpha pair that Hoseok has seen perusing the shelves when he comes in to relieve Yoongi of his shift.

Hoseok has worked here for 6 months. It’s impossible not to collect these details. The hickeys on his throat that he wears after weekends, how ruffled but generally loved Yoongi looks when he comes back from rut and heat leave.

“Is there a reason why they left?” Yoongi tries to be as undiscerning as possible. Voice gentle and measured. Stirring the hot cocoa and putting it in front of Hoseok.

Hoseok takes a sip and it feels like he's drinking a cup of the beta in front of him. Yoongi melts a little into the chair at the happy noise Hoseok makes.

It's good. Really good actually, Yoongi uses twice as much Swiss mix as the package instructs and a tablespoon of honey to boot. More chocolate can never be a bad thing.

Before Hoseok has a chance to respond, The phone next to the cabinet rings. And Yoongi takes it off the stand and hangs it up again in quick secession so that it doesn’t ring anymore. It has to be important but he ignores it for Hoseok's sake. Yoongi does a lot of ordering for the shop, the rare records that their boss is always trying to source and sell. It's a lot of chasing down leads and curators.

(This is not true. This is a lie that Yoongi and his boss have fed him. This phone is set up for the family's use. Hoseok doesn’t know that most of the calls Yoongi answers are more delicate than just simple stock orders.)

“I just found out that my brother has stolen from me, what should his punishment be beta?”

“How much did he steal?”

“300k”

Yoongi swallows, fighting his narrow margin of benevolence. The drops of mercy that he's allowed to show without suspicion. He tells himself that the other beta would order a far worse. People only call him when they want lighter punishment.

“A finger for every 100 then.”

The people who call ask him all manner of things. Things like “I think my child might be planning on going to the police, what should I do before anyone finds out about it?” He is both a secret keeper and a jury.

“Send them away. Out of sight and out of mind of anything that they might be able to share. I hear the military academies are lovely this year. So much snow. Yes, they take omega recruits.”

“My firstborn child presented as an omega instead of an alpha. They're my firstborn and heir, how should I proceed?”

“I can ask around for an advantageous match but I’m sorry, there is no fixing presentation.”

Hoseok hasn’t seen a phone like that in years. Didn’t even know they made old-fashioned ones like that anymore. Ones with a dial, the blue plastic worn from the number of times Yoongi's had to pick it up. It doesn't stay silent for long, ringing soon after yoongi's hung it up.

“I'm the only- they’re an all-omega group.” As if by the mention of his sub gender Hoseok’s angry burning sugar scent fills the room. In reply, Yoongi’s sweetness rises. Hoseok takes another sip and pretends it's just the hot chocolate warming his cheeks. “I guess they wanted to keep it that way.”

"I've got two omegas and they keep me on my toes, I can't imagine four." That gets a laugh out of Hoseok.

"You've got a bunch of alphas in yours though, right?" A bunch already, I wouldn't be needed. Hoseok has seen them, the tall one with dimples that looks like something out of a soap opera. The scary-looking one with the chubby cheeks who's always holding hands with the pretty academic one who likes the jazz in the corner.

Yoongi nods, "That must be nice," Hoseok's eyelashes are all clumped together from the tears. "Having so many people to take care of you."

Yoongi hums, knuckles brushing Hoseok’s hand on the table. It’s just one tender touch but Hoseok starts to break. To crumple.

Yoongi senses Hoseok breaking, pulling him in close before he has a chance to really fracture (he comes just in time, Yoongi loves Hoseok just in time). Yoongi’s scent alone is enough to soothe him- beyond the way he guides the alpha to rest against his throat. Hoseok fights it only a little, what's a little scenting among friends?

They're not just friends, it's not just scenting.

Hoseok wants to bury his nose in the beta’s throat, but that wouldn’t be appropriate, not with the scent of so many others clinging to him. He still sags into the hug. Turns his face away to avoid the temptation.

“They didn’t even tell me- and now the lease on the apartment is up and I can’t afford it on my own and-“ I’m so scared and I just wish there was someone to take care of me. I wish I was a pup again.

They sit like that at the table and Yoongi just lets him cry, He pulls back after his sobbing has cooled. They hug until they both smell like gooey chocolate chip cookies with too much brown sugar.

Hoseok sniffles, “We have to open up the shop,” Yoongi's arms tighten around Hoseok's shoulders in reply.

“It can wait a few more seconds.” Hoseok wants to say that the owner wouldn’t like that but he doesn’t.

Yoongi sips and hesitates. “Do you have a place to stay tonight?” Hoseok pauses for a second, flushing before he shakes his head. “Okay, it's okay. You can say with me.”

“Are- are you sure they won't mind?” But Yoongi is already typing away on his phone, shooting a quick text to the pack group chat (a chat that Hoseok will be added to in exactly 23 days, but who's counting?)

“Not at all. It’s a bit cramped with all of us but we have a spare bed in the closet room that Tae likes to read on sometimes- Jungkook's boss slept there last night after they came back from drinking and Namjoon was so mad- he won't be mad about you though- it's just that Jungkook- he just really shouldn't be drinking."

"Is he underaged?"

"No, he's just got health issues."

"Oh." Yet another person who gets the love he needs, the care he needs. Hoseok tries and fails miserably not to be jealous over Yoongi's omega whom he's never met.

He won't be jealous for long. Later Jungkook is going to challenge him to an arm wrestle just to prove he doesn't need babying. Beating alphas in feats of strength is his favorite thing. He'll feel Hoseok’s hand in his and get completely distracted. "Wow, you've got like- really pretty hands!" and drag them close to his to compare sizes. He'll be smitten nearly instantly with Jungkook- for what it's worth. The jealousy only lasts for a few hours.

Within a few seconds his phone is ringing off the hook, he shows Hoseok the chorus of, “Yes it’s okay!” and “Poor thing, tell him he can stay as long as he wants.” "Of course hyung!" "Does Hoseok like kimchi-jjigae or should we just order pizza?" “Oh! Can we get some with pineapple?” “Gross Jk.” "Yeah we all know Minnie doesn't like the aftertaste of burnt fruit."

And Hoseok can't help but feel like he doesn’t deserve this kindness and such an effortless acceptance. There is a knock at the front door before he can say anything. A few short taps against the glass. Yoongi tells Hoseok to stay put while he goes to deal with a pushy customer who wants in. Leaving him alone in the backroom with his cooling hot coco and the poster still staring down at him.

(They say two can keep a secret if one of them is dead, but that's not the only way a secret stays buried; the best secrets are the ones you’re not even aware of.

Out of all the people in your pack. Hoseok is the only one in possession of a secret like this. The best kinds of secrets are the ones you don't even know are secrets see- he doesn't even know that this memory is enough to save you. Hoseok is entirely unaware that in his mind lies this memory.

Hoseok was the first person to get on the no-kill list, and it wasn’t because of Yoongi.

All packmates of a Don get put on the list;

no matter if they're active or past.)

Sitting at that yellowing wood table; Hoseok feels more settled now that he knows he has a place to sleep tonight that isn’t this backroom. Pulling the sleeve of Yoongi’s sweatshirt over his palms and sniffing at the collar where it was pushed up against Yoongi’s scent gland.

If he thinks hard, he can pick out a few scents here and there soaking the fabric. (Milky Omega Jin, Honey Sweet Puppy Jungkookie, Cinnamon sweet Alpha Tae and vanil-lalalala Jimin, Coffee Alpha Namjoon and Chocolate Yoongi).

It's so different from his ex-pack's scents. Their sugary sweet omega peppermint and sharp lemony evergreen, winter berry and pine, the cold smart of snow against his nose. His burning caramel scent- so off-putting. The one scent not Christmas-themed. The one that didn’t fit.

By comparison- Yoongi's pack smells like a bakery in summer. Every scent that could be added to a cake maybe (one day, in the kitchen, he’ll eat your tiramisu and realize yes- that’s exactly what it’s missing. Your cakey scent makes them all complete, the warmth of baking things).

He has somewhere to go now. Somewhere to be. Someone to trust. He trusts Yoongi- even if they’ve only known each other for a handful of short months.

And Yoongi’s pack can’t be worse than his last one.

As if in reply to Yoongi’s phone (buzzing with more texts that he doesn't check because Hoseok is nothing if not respectful of people's digital privacy. If he checked he would see "Is that the hot coworker you're always talking about? The one who always looks a little sad?")

Hoseok’s phone buzzes with the notification he's been waiting for.

Pack Omega 🌙 calling.

Pick up? Decline?

Hoseok hasn't yet gotten around to changing her contact information. He scrambles at it, spilling the hot cocoa across the table as he rushes to pick it up. Scrambling to get to it before it goes to voice mail. Blood pounding in his ears.

Hoseok’s voice is broken as he says his pack omega’s name, his old pack omega’s name.

“Byulyi- Moonbyul please-”

Moonbyul is cold on the other side of the phone. Maybe she’d have liked him more, and wouldn’t have given up on him if he didn't beg. But Hoseok has never been above begging. Not for love. Not for the thing he wants and needs the most. Hoseok needs love more than air and as Yoongi said- it's easiest to go looking for love where you once got it.

Even when you know it could hurt you.

Her voice is flat and unaffected. “I just wanted to make sure you found a place to stay tonight. Are you still going to be around to give the landlord the keys?”

Hoseok finds himself nodding even though he knows she can’t see him. “Yes- I can do that, I can do anything you want. Can we talk?”

“No.”

“Moonbyul please-”

“Goodbye Hoseok.” She says, hanging up after a second. Hoseok looks at the phone. Pushing the button to redial. It doesn't go. She’s already blocked him.

It will be a long time until Hoseok hears from his last pack again, a long long time until he says their names again. He will remember the way he’d begged, the way her name had sounded smack dab in the middle of it. And hate hate Hate how it makes him feel. He won't ever say their names, regret and self-disgust getting in the way.

It's a little funny, thinking of how different things might have gotten if he'd just told yoongi their names. If he hadn't let his alpha pride get in the way. A few days from now they'll talk about it together. "I don't like the way saying their names makes me feel- it feels- I hate how much I want to say it- to see them again- saying their names just reminds me of the power they had over me."

Never again, will Jung Hoseok beg for someone to give him the bare minimum. This is his lowest point. The moment where it shifts- for good.

His head is in his hands when Yoongi comes back into the room. Still sniffling, crying yet again. Yoongi sets a palm in his hair, ruffling it. Eyeing the spilled hot cocoa with a raised eyebrow.

“If you wanted coffee you could have just said so-“ he makes an attempt at levity and is rewarded with Hoseok’s small snort. Wiping his wet cheeks. Neither of them is aware of the secret. Neither of them is aware and so much worse off for it."

Hoseok grins, “Are you buying hyung?”

~-~

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Notes:

in the story there has always been this question- mainly raised by jimin during his secret chapters- if the m/c is actually in love with them or if she's just manipulating them- at the beginning of this chapter- we actually see jimin finally dispel the last bit of him that thinks even a little bit that this is the case. once he sees how much she put her body on the line- that question isn't even in the back of his mind- even a little. i ended up re-editing this part alot because of it.

every time i write something from jimin's pov i'm always like "why is everything so meandering? why are things disjointed?" and then i remember that's literally jimin's character- that he is in a lot of ways an unreliable narrator.

(TW) i have this idea in my head that namjoon DOES NOT become a good person in the event that all of them die like- a whole separate idea of him becoming a doctor for the family through yoongi's connections with the soul purpose of one day killing moonbyul and her entire pack…including their pups on accident which ends up destroying the last bit of namjoon's innocence as a person…and he ends up becoming one of the families assassins alongside jimin as a result, in this event jungkook does not stay with them and instead moves on and yoongi stays and tries to get them to stop only to ask them to kill him as their last kill because he's unable to cope with the loss of jin, hobi, the m/c and tae. BUT ANYWAY I DIGRESS THAT IS NOT THIS STORY.

i think in this story there is this really interesting dynamic of femininity and death and morality- that being said red nail polish is definitely a metaphor for whose comfortable killing and who isn't. i like the contrast between tae who will never wear red nails again- vs the moon pack who all are not allowed out of the nest if their nailpolish isn't perfect like- thats another layer of the fucked up shit.

are you suprised that the m/c is going to leave? Did you see it coming from a mile away? i mean...it is in the title of the series 😈

….the parallel between hobi losing his voice and the m/c not having a voice at the beginning of the series- you can project whatever meaning you want onto that <3

also on that subject the line "Jin’s hands. Your face. Tae’s head. Hoseok’s throat. Each of you has lost the thing most necessary to your survival." it's worth mentioning that thats not what i think is the most necessary thing to their survival but it is their own interpretation of what keeps them alive. like i for one actually think that the m/c is a lot more pragmatic than anyone gives her credit for but i digress. i could go on about all of their strenghts.

what did you guys think about hobi's secret reveal???? a fair amount of people have guessed it and i think when someone got it at the beginning of the series i lied and said it wasn't- i'm allowed to be an unreliable narrator too!!! kudos to everyone who got it! i feel like it could have been revealed better and originally the big one off was slated for next chapter but i decided to shift it to this one (mostly because i think the next chapter is about to get up there in terms of word count tbh 😭) but T-T its done now! please give me praise because i'm baby and this week has honestly been really hard

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dearly-somber · 6 months

Text

It’s An Affectionate Thing | j.jk

-> pairing. wolf shifter!jungkook x human!reader (f)

-> genre. fluff, f2l (friends-to-lovers), pining, unrequited love, eventual romance

-> w/c. 2183

-> rating. 13+

-> a/n. this one was an excuse to write biting because 🤭

-> warnings. N/A

-> collection. mini-series

-> started. Jun. 30th, 2022 @ 18:21

-> fin. Jun. 30th, 2022 @ 22:23

-> edited. Jul. 5th, 2022 @ 00:46

-> divider credit. @mmadeinheavenn

Jungkook is… weird, to say the least.

He just randomly came up to you in class one day, sat his ass down on the edge of your desk, and started talking to you like it was a normal, everyday routine. Which it was not.

As you got to know him, he only got weirder.

If not for his clinginess (which was admittedly strange considering you’d never met a guy so touchy with a girl who wasn’t his girlfriend), you’d say his strange habit of rubbing his head against you was probably one of his weirder characteristics.

And it wasn’t even in a creepy If-you-don’t-get-away-from-me-immediately-I’m-going-to-call-the-cops kinda way, but more so a confused, what-the-fuck-are-you-doing kinda way. He’d hug you and not so subtly rub his cheek against yours, or he’d hold your hand and make up some dumb excuse to nose your wrist (he kept insisting that you were wearing perfume when he knew you didn’t).

One time—while hugging you—he pressed his face into your neck and just… inhaled. He hasn’t done it again after you unceremoniously shoved his face away with a warning not to do it again unless he wanted to keep both his eyes, but it was beyond weird and (dare I say) creepy (at the time)

He also quite literally growled at one of your classmates when he was being a misogynistic, sexist piece of shit and wouldn’t leave you alone. And sometimes, when he’s being a brat and moaning about how you pull away too quickly after giving him a hug, he whines. Like, back of his throat, puppy-begging-for-food kind of whine.

This in of itself would be somewhat bearable, if not for his friends. They were equally as weird, if not weirder.

There were eleven of them total, seven guys and four girls—all living in the same house near the edge of town. And despite already having such a large group, they were completely unwelcoming of outsiders, too tight-knit to allow others into their ranks. People had suspected that they were in a polyamorous relationship, or that it was some weird sex cult. They hadn’t ever specifically said that they were dating amongst themselves, and being the secretive group they were, they didn’t bother acknowledging nor denying any of the crazy school rumors.

You didn’t wanna bring the rumors up with Jungkook and make him uncomfortable, so instead you chose to ignore them and pretend they weren’t there. Jungkook tried to introduce you once, but you’d seen the way they looked at you—how they glared when you walked into the cafeteria with Jungkook glued to your hip. You’d come to the nifty conclusion that they did not like you, and as much as you wanted to make Jungkook happy by letting him introduce you to his inner circle, you didn’t wanna crush his little heart by being immediately rejected.

Coming up with excuses to avoid them was hard, but if they were anything like their youngest, it was probably for the best if you kept your distance, anyway.

How you wished you’d been able to stay away for longer.

“Jungkook, I really don’t wanna go to your house.”

“But we have to go somewhere, and you already told me that your parents don’t like me.” He whines, his big bambi eyes and pouty lips making you internally groan.

“That’s because they think you’re too clingy.” You state matter of factly, deadpanning your gaze to his arm, tightly wrapped around yours.

Grinning sheepishly, he tugs you in the direction of his housemates. “C’mon, it’ll be fun!” They walk a few meters ahead of you, shoving and pushing each other while talking, rowdy laughter echoing behind them. Your heart aches for a moment, watching them enviously. They look close…

“Are we gonna be able to get anything done? There’s like. Twelve of you in one house, thirteen plus myself.” You watch them retreat further and further ahead of you, your and Jungkook’s feet dragging as you fall behind. “They don’t exactly seem like the quiet type…”

Jungkook frowns at the (hopefully) unintentional dig, clearing his throat and hesitantly intertwining your hands. When you don’t pull away, he continues. “Just give them a chance. I know the rumors are weird, but they couldn’t be farther from the truth. I promise you you’ll like them once you get to know them,” he pleads, giving you his best puppy eyes. “Please?”

You sigh, nodding concededly and reluctantly letting him pull you along. “Okay. Can we at least do the assignment somewhere private? I don’t really think your friends—”

“Family.”

The correction throws you off guard, and you stare at him. Your voice betrays you, eyes soft. “Right, your family. I don’t… I don’t think they like me very much.”

He tsks. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. But,” he turns to you and boops your nose playfully. “If it really makes you feel better, we can do the project in my room.”

His room? Why his room? Why not outside, or in the kitchen, or anywhere else but his room?

You squint your eyes at him suspiciously. “What are you planning, Jungkook?”

He grins mischievously, batting his eyelashes in an effort to make himself look more innocent than you know he is. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

You scoff. “Pervert.”

Jungkook giggles in response, wrapping his arms around your shoulders and leaning into you while not so subtly sniffing your hair.

…Brat.

Jungkook drags you upstairs to his room before any of his housemates can snatch you away from him, not bothering to listen to their rowdy complaints. He knows that they’ll overwhelm you the second they get their claws on you, and he’d preferably not scare you away just when you’re getting more comfortable around him.

He practically throws you onto his bed, followed directly by his overexcited body knocking the breath out of you. Jungkook huffs weirdly before pressing his forehead against your shoulder, hands laying curled up into your sides. Groaning, your hands shoot out to his shoulders, trying to push him off. “Can’t— can’t breathe—“

“Sorry,” he sheepishly grins, pushing himself up by his hands to look down at you with his hair flopping over his head. You catch your breath, feeling the immense relief at not having his full weight on top of you, too preoccupied to notice the compromising position you’re in—him hovering over you with his knees slotted on either side of your waist. Jungkook looks concerned when he asks, “Can you breathe yet?”

“Yeah… yeah, I can breathe. Can you uh,” your cheeks burn and you avoid meeting his eyes, your hands sliding from his shoulders. “Can you get off, please?”

“Oh, I— sorry, I’m sorry.” He gets off of you faster than you expected him to, sitting cross legged on the opposite side of the bed to give you some space. You copy him, staring at one another awkwardly. It’s your first time being in his house, let alone his room, and your heart stutters when you realize he closed the door behind you on your way in. Just great. You look at him, biting the inside of your lip. Jungkook has proven to be a very sweet boy, but he is still a boy—and you are a girl. Alone. In his bedroom.

You don’t want him getting the wrong idea.

“Listen, Kook…” He perks up, listening to you attentively. Taking an encouraging breath, you continue. “I hope you didn’t choose your room for ulterior motives, because I came here for school. I’m not going to have sex with you—“

Jungkook’s whole face turns red, frantically shaking his hands in front of you. “No no no! No, I’d never—I don’t, I don’t see you that way, I promise!” He rambles, scooting away from you in an effort to convince you that that’s not why he chose this location. Grinning stupidly, you reach over and pat his knee.

“Okay, okay, I believe you. Relax.” He pouts, crossing his arms over his chest and sulking. He just wanted to make you feel more comfortable… he didn’t think you’d take it the wrong way. Rolling your eyes at the cute pout on his lips, you ruffle his hair playfully. “Let’s get started, hm?”

You turn your back to him so that you can reach into your bag and grab your things, rifling through the books inside to look for your laptop. What you don’t notice is the weight of Jungkook’s eyes on your back—watching you and admiring the annoyed pout on your lips with a soft smile.

“Found it! So,” you cross your legs and situate the keyboard in your lap. “What do you wanna start with first? I was thinking we could start with, uhm…” Your voice dies in the back of your throat when you catch sight of Jungkook’s dazed, strangely affectionate half-smile. You clear your throat, cheeks heating up because why the fuck is he looking at you like you’ve hung the stars?

“Uhm… Jungkook?”

“Right, sorry,” he shakes his head as if to bring himself back to reality. “Why don’t we start with research first?” He’s hesitant, and you feel bad. He must think you’re going to say no.

“Sounds good. My screen is pretty small, though.” You bite your lip, thinking about how you could share the screen in a way that he wouldn’t hurt his neck.

“Uhm. I—I have… can you scoot a bit closer to the headboard?”

You look at him questioningly but give in to his hopeful puppy eyes. Sighing, you scoot back until he places a gentle hand on your knee to halt your movements. You try and look at his face but he looks down so that it’s hidden by his hair. “Jungkook?” You whisper, hesitant to increase your volume.

Jungkook either doesn’t hear you or he ignores you, clambering toward you distractedly and shifting in behind you. You suck in a breath, the hair on your arms raising. He slots his legs on either side of you, pulling you to his chest by your waist and hesitantly resting his chin on your shoulder. The closeness freezes you to the spot, and you swear you can feel him eyeing the side of your face for a reaction.

You exhale through your teeth and will yourself to relax in his arms despite your racing heart. Unbeknownst to you, Jungkook smiles, locking his hands around your waist and inhaling your scent as subtly as possible. You ignore him and clear your throat. “Shall we start with origin?” You whisper, unable to raise your voice due to the suffocating closeness, cheeks red and heart beating ten times too quickly.

Jungkook hums next to your ear. If he notices your racing heartbeat, he doesn’t comment on it.

Y/N yawns tiredly, apologizing in a half-asleep voice.

“Just take a break,” Jungkook pleads, trying to move her arms out of the way and biting back a growl of frustration when she swats his hands away from the screen.

“I’m fine.”

“You can barely keep your eyes open!” He reasons, pulling away to look at the back of her head. Stupid, stubborn girl. “Come on, Y/N. We’ve been working on this for hours. Let’s just take a quick break. Please?”

“We’re so close to finishing…” She sounds dejected, another yawn leaving her lips. Jungkook frowns at her, trying to figure out how to get her to put away her stupid computer and just take a nap, for gods sake. Knowing that this is the only course of action that’ll direct her attention to something other than this stupid class assignment, he determinedly leans forward.

You yelp in surprise, turning to Jungkook with wide eyes. Did he just—

“Did you just fucking bite me?” Your voice is filled with newfound life and energy, jaw hanging as you look down at your shoulder. Looking at him, you find no remorse in those chocolate brown eyes… only a smug, satisfied expression.

“Yes.” He laughs at the horror on your face, shaking his head as if he knows something you don’t. “It’s an affectionate thing, I promise.”

“How is you biting me an ‘affectionate thing’?” You hiss, watching as he shakes his head, hair flopping around his face cutely.

“It just is,” he shrugs. You squint suspiciously, setting the laptop down next to you while silently planning his demise.

Jungkook eyes you warily and yells when you punch his arm, rubbing the spot furiously. “What was that for!”

“Would you rather I bite you back?” You snap threateningly, sitting on your knees to look down at him. Jungkook’s eyes widen at the threat, his cheeks and the top of his ears going beet red. You grin to yourself evilly, crawling towards him. Your eyes squint in a silent threat, prowling like a bloodthirsty animal. “Just wait until I sink my teeth into you… c’mere!”

Jungkook yelps, jumping up from the bed and running away from you while incoherently yelling that no, only he’s allowed to bite you.

“Why?”

“I— I can’t tell you!”

“Guess I’m gonna bite you, then—“

“—Y/N NO!”

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sopebubbles · 6 months

Text

Master List

Sixteen

Synopsis: in a world where alphas, betas, and omegas live along side modern humans as second class citizens, you've fallen through the cracks of a society that wants to take everything wonderful from you. Luckily a timely encounter with the boys just might save your life.

Chapter summary: getting closer with the pack means you'll have to learn to live with Kim Namjoon.

Warnings: drinking, breaking things, yknow namjoon stuff.

WC: 7.6K

After both your heats, you and Hoseok were nearly inseparable. When you were home, you followed him around like a little puppy, and he absolutely adored it. He appreciated how well you had taken care of his home and everyone in it while he was off his feet. When he told you as much, you assured him that it was your pleasure, and you would gladly do any chores he needed from you.

But your housework wasn't the only thing Hoseok had come to love.

You had become his new favorite cuddle buddy, much to your tiny pack's annoyance. Any time he could get his arms around you, he'd have you settled right against him with a proud smile on his face. And you certainly weren't complaining. You'd never known that omegas' cuddles were the best. Soft and warm and sweet smelling. Being held by Hobi was bliss. You wouldn't admit it to anyone, but you felt a bit of jealousy every time you scented Jin's sweet, nutty smell on Hoseok's skin, knowing that he had gotten to hold your omega all night long.

It wasn't until you came home from work one afternoon a few weeks after your heat and Hobi pulled you onto the couch, insisting you take a nap, that you realized something was different. You could still smell the light fragrance of Hoseok's body wash, so you knew he'd showered a few hours ago. But he smelled like praline pecans. Nutty like Seokjin, and different from Hoseok normal brown sugar. A new blend of the two.

"I'm going to stop working," you said suddenly.

He pulled back so he could look down at your face. "That would be great, but why so sudden?"

You shrugged and nestled back into his chest. "I just want to help you here more. It seems kind of silly to be cleaning for other people when I should be here cleaning with you."

He couldn't argue with that. Yoongi had told him about how you had called their house your home after your last heat, and it made his heart soar. He certainly wasn't going to deny you the domestic bliss he had always wanted to share.

"I like the sound of that," he murmured into your hair. "I would love to keep you here."

You were anxious to tell Yoongi about your decision, but when he got home he looked stressed and dejected. His shoulders hunched in a way you hadn't ever seen before. Seeing him look so weary made your heart ache. You approached him quietly as he took off his shoes in the entryway.

When you took his hand, one look into your sympathetic doe eyes was all it took to bring a genuine, lighthearted smile to his face. Somehow, one look from you and your tiny hands around his large one manifested energy from thin air. He pulled you closer and cradled you against his chest. Silent, except for a soft happy rumble in his chest, he held you like that for several minutes, but you wouldn't move for all the world, content to gently sway in his arms.

"Was it a bad day?" You asked softly. He hummed. "Come sit down, and I'll get you something to eat," you told him as you pulled away, ready to take his hand and guide him down the hall to the kitchen. But he pulled you back, unready to allow so much space between you. He picked you up by the backs of your thighs and hoisted you up, leaving you no choice but to wrap your arms and legs around him.

"In a minute," he mumbled into your neck, where he took deep breaths of your scent, allowing it to fill his lungs and soothe his nerves.

You complied and let him carry you to the couch as if you were no more than a child. Even if he was tired, holding you was nothing, not compared to the benefits.

"What happened?" you pressed gently after a moment.

"Nothing, really." He didn't need to burden you with the DOA he'd had today. Car crashes could cause such carnage, and he didn't need you to think of that. "I asked my supervisor if I could switch to a permanent day shift, but he denied me," he said after a moment of toying with your hair between his fingers.

"Oh. Why did you want to change?"

"I was hoping it would allow me to spend more time with you," he admitted. "I hate that I'm not able to see you. One of us is always working."

"Oh." A smile tugged at your lips and you cleared your throat. "Well, actually, I was thinking…" He lifted your chin gently with his fingers to see your eyes and waited for you to go on. "I want to quit my job. I-if that's okay."

"Really?" He asked excitedly as he pushed you away to look at your face better.

"Yeah, if it's not a problem," you answered quietly.

Yoongi pulled your hips tighter against him. "Of course it's not a problem! I was never going to tell you to quit, but I was always hoping you would. But why now? Did something happen at work?" His expression turned serious in an instant.

You shook your head. "No. Work is fine. I just feel like it's time to help Hobi out. And I can take care of you and Jimin. You're my pack after all."

"We don't expect you to cook and clean for us, princess," he said, tucking your hair behind your ear. Even though he meant it, he felt his heart flutter knowing you might want to.

"But it's my job."

"It isn't. That's not why we want you here. It's not why we're keeping you around. It never will be." His tone was serious. His eyes looked intently into yours. Heat flushed all over your body, and you tried to backtrack.

"I know that, Yoongi. I actually wasn't thinking that way, which is kind of funny because normally I would. This isn't a-take-care-of-alpha-before-he-throws-you-out thing. I just care about you and I think about taking care of you a lot. Want to know if you're eating well and sleeping well."

Yoongi's smile returned, and he pulled you closer, resting his forehead against your cheek. "Good. That makes me more happy than you'll ever know."

"Aish. I'm not really doing it for you," you teased. "I want to stay home and help Hobi."

"Ah, yes, you're new BFF," he teased back. "That's fine. I'm sure he'll be happy."

You nodded. "I'll put my two weeks notice in tomorrow."

"Why bother? Just quit. You're never gonna need another job again." He grasped the back of your head and pulled you into a passionate kiss, leaving you breathless.

"Aren't you gonna eat something?" You asked hazily, a long moment later.

"Yeah," he grinned. "I'll eat you,"

"No!" You screamed amid your giggles as he playfully tried to bite your neck, tickling your sides at the same time. When you were gasping for breath, he scooped you up in his arms again and carried you into the kitchen. He set you down to sit on top of the kitchen counter.

"I'll fix something for you," you told him as he walked toward the refrigerator.

"You stay," he ordered as he looked inside. "Did you cook this?" he asked, showing you a container of the leftovers from the evening's dinner. You nodded. "Then your work here is done," he said before placing the meal in the microwave.

"I heard the sound of a happy pup," Jimin said as he entered the kitchen. You blushed when he stood beside you. He had been sitting in the pack's nest with Namjoon and Jungkook when they heard your screams and laughter. He wasn't the only one curious, but he was the only one who ventured out to see what was going on.

Yoongi beamed. "Y/N has decided to quit her job and stay home."

"Oh, good thing you made that choice before Taehyung started courting you," Jimin responded slyly.

"What do you mean? Court me?" You stared at him in confusion.

Yoongi nodded. "It's true. He asked me for my blessing already. I told him I don't mind. He said he's going to take it slow, not jump into anything. But now you'll have plenty of time to get to know each other." Yoongi wriggled his eyebrows.

Your voice caught in the back of your throat. Too many feelings swirled deep in your stomach, and you couldn't parse them out. "You don't mind?" you finally asked.

Yoongi gave you a soft smile and lifted your face to meet his eyes. "As much as I love our little pack, I've always known it wouldn't always be the three of us. I mean, I hoped. There's no rush, but I think some day it will probably be all eight of us. And that will be great, too."

You tried not to think about that possibility too often. It made your head spin. Seven packmates. Four alphas. You weren't sure you could handle it. "But I only want you to be my alpha. If Jin–" you cut yourself off abruptly.

"If Jin what, princess?"

"If Jin wants to claim me, won't he be my pack alpha? But I only want you to be my pack alpha!"

Yoongi couldn't bear how childlike you sounded. It made his heart hurt to hear you so anxious and confused. He smoothed a hand over your hair and pulled your head to his shoulder.

"It's okay, baby. Jin will never be your pack alpha. I'll always be your number one. You really think I'd let anyone take my place in your heart?" he cooed.

"What are you so worried for?" Jimin chided. "Who's talking about Jin? It's just Taehyung right now. He's a great alpha. You'll see."

You sniffed and pulled away from Yoongi when the microwave beeped. "Why did you say it was good I'm quitting my job because of him?"

Jimin smirked. "Taehyung could never allow his omega to work outside the home."

"Why not?"

"One, it's too dangerous. It would drive his anxiety crazy. Best to keep omegas safe in the den. Two, it would hurt his pride. He makes more than enough money to support you and Hobi all on his own. And three, Taehyung may have the disposition of a golden retriever, but even the sweetest dogs don't like strange dogs looking at their bones." Jimin grinned deviously.

You pushed his shoulder. "I'm not a bone!"

"Oh, yeah? Just wait until he starts gnawing on you!" Jimin picked up your arm and pretended to bite it much like Yoongi had before, and again, you thrilled them both with your shrieks and giggles.

While the days got longer and hotter with more sunlight, it seemed that each workday dragged on slower than they ever had before. You were diligently waiting your two weeks, but by the time you were nearly there, you wished you'd taken Yoongi's advice to just quit. You were aching to be at home every minute you were gone, and that was a feeling you had never known before.

When Yoongi brought you home on your next to last day of work, you walked into something you'd never seen at the house before. It was something of a party atmosphere, and they were all celebrating the end of the school year alongside Namjoon. Jin and Jimin had yet to return home, but Jungkook and Namjoon had beers in hand, chatting cheerfully at the kitchen table while Taehyung put out snacks on the counter. You walked carefully past them to wash your hands before you sidled up beside Hoseok where he was forming beef patties between his delicate hands.

"Hamburgers for dinner?" You asked.

Hoseok smiled down at you and gestured to the side with his head. "You can slice those onions and tomatoes," he told you before you could ask to help.

When the rest of the pack came home, you all accompanied Hobi outside on the patio while he grilled the burgers. Yoongi anxiously held you back from getting too close to the flames, nervous you might hurt yourself. The afternoon was lovely, and you all decided on eating outside to enjoy the spring weather. You spent most of the time clinging to Yoongi, either in his lap or next to him, holding his hand. He didn't mind in the slightest, nor did he mind the jealous looks he received from Taehyung, who tried to make the both of you jealous by fawning over Jimin. All of them were oblivious to the true reason for your clinginess.

Namjoon tended to stand quietly on the fringes of Seokjin's pack. His status was never in question, and he didn't shy away from sharing his thoughts and feelings, but whenever you were all together, he simply allowed others to take center stage. But tonight was different. Tonight was his celebration for another completed school year, and he felt no need to stay to the side and listen to others. For once, he dominated the majority of the conversation, discussing funny memories from the school year and a few complaints he usually tried to swallow. As the night grew longer and he drank more, his voice boomed louder across the large backyard and you pressed yourself closer to Yoongi.

When it got dark and the air turned chilly, everyone moved back into the kitchen. You were exhausted, but decided to help clean up before you tried to excuse yourself to go to bed. Everyone was having a good time, all of them drinking a little even though you didn't, and you didn't want to bring the mood down, but you were growing tired. When you finished washing the dishes you went to stand by Yoongi, who was laughing heartily to the story that Namjoon was telling. You could wait a few more minutes, but you didn't really want to go to bed alone, and you didn't want to miss out, listening to all their laughter from your room while you sat alone. As Namjoon continued his story, he gestured wildly with his hands. The condensation on the beer bottle made it slick, and the brown glass suddenly flew out of his hand, whizzing past your head in a blur. You were hiding under the counter by the time the glass hit the wall, shattering to pieces and dumping its liquid all over the floor. Shards of class popped around the room as you buried your head in your knees and covered yourself with your arms. A scream built in your throat, but you knew better than to let it out.

Don't scream. Don't scream. It'll only be worse if you scream.

The whole room went silent and motionless for two seconds as they registered what happened. Then at once everything was in motion. Yoongi got out of his chair to check if you were alright, but Taehyung was quicker. He didn't take a moment to ask how you were or assess the damage. He simply gathered you into his arms and lifted you off the ground, careful not to bang your head on the granite countertop. He carried you directly up the stairs and to your room, with Yoongi behind him and Jimin bringing up the rear.

In the kitchen, the remaining two alphas stood, frozen in shock, but Hoseok didn't waste any time putting on shoes and grabbing the broom.

"Hobi, let me," Namjoon tried to say, reaching for the broom when he finally came out of his stupor.

The omega pulled away. "I got it. You stay over there until I get this all cleaned up. There's lots of glass."

The flat, subdued tone of his voice hurt Namjoon as much as the way Hobi wouldn't look at him. "It was an accident," he whispered.

"We know that, Joonie," Jungkook assured him with a light smile. "It's not like it's the first time you've broken something around here. It's just…" His eyes drifted toward the stairs.

"I would never throw something at her," Namjoon defended.

"I know, babe, I know. But she doesn't. It's natural for her to be scared. Don't take it too personally. She's just skittish," Jungkook tried to convince him.

Hoseok felt a tug of war within himself. He was usually always the first one to comfort Namjoon when he accidentally broke something or made a mess. But now he really wanted to check on you, to make sure you weren't hurt or scared. He wanted to hold you in his arms, but he knew if he ran off with the others it would hurt Namjoon, and he knew that it wasn't really his fault. Namjoon was just clumsy, some might say cursed. He never meant to cause chaos, but he did anyway. You would get used to it, eventually, but right now the omega could understand perfectly why you were afraid Namjoon might hurt you without even intending to. His head swirled with competing worries as he swept up the glass and dumped it into the trash can.

"Are you hurt?" Yoongi asked as Taehyung set you down at the edge of your nest. He shouldered the younger alpha out of the way to examine you. You were still too stunned to answer, but it didn't really matter; Yoongi was going to look over every available inch of you regardless. He gently tilted your face this way and that to make sure it was unscathed before he moved onto your arms, lifting and twisting each in turn to ensure your skin was unharmed. There was a small cut on your forearm and he frowned. It wasn't even from the incident that had unfolded moments before. It was from work earlier today, and the blood was already dry—you hadn't even felt it at the time.

"Jimin, go get the first aid kit from the bathroom," he instructed, holding your arms carefully.

Feeling Yoongi's steady hands on you helped to ground you and bring you back to your body, out of your shock and panic. You took in a deep breath and breathed out, "I'm okay."

Jimin shuffled back into the room carrying the first aid kit and handed it to Yoongi. The alpha plucked out an alcohol pad and ripped open the packet with his teeth, spitting out the torn piece.

"It's gonna sting," he whispered, but you didn't react as he swiped it over your skin. "It's dry." You looked down to the very minor wound he was tending to.

"That was from work. It's fine," you told him, but he didn't seem to hear you. He had already taken a bandage from the kit—neon pink—and gently but firmly pressed it over your cut. "Yoongi?" He looked up into your eyes and you could see his own were full of worry. He shrugged.

"It makes me feel better."

You cracked a genuine smile and it lifted some of the weight off his chest.

"Are you sure you're okay, sweet little?" Taehyung asked. His hands were still shaking from the course of adrenaline when he thought you were in danger.

You nodded. "I'm okay. I was just scared. I'm not hurt."

"You shouldn't be scared at home," he replied.

"Come sit with me," you said softly, patting the spot next to you. Your heart ached to see how distressed he was over you. Taehyung lowered his head and came to sit near you, not quite in your nest, but just outside of it. When he got close you realized something the rest of them hadn't. They'd been too worried about you to assess their own well-being.

"Tae, you're covered in beer."

He had been standing closest to where the bottle had hit the wall and, as a result, had gotten sprayed with the contents as well as some glass.

"You're bleeding," you added. "Yoongi, your patient is right here."

Your alpha smiled weakly at how brave you were trying to be. He could tell by the way you were still shaking that you weren't as calm as you pretended to be, but he would talk to you about it in a little while when things settled. For now he turned to Taehyung. Without a word, he began to clean the man's wound, and you held his hand while he winced through the burn on the alcohol. You pulled a neon pink bandage from the box beside you and handed it to Yoongi to apply.

"Now we match," you told him, and it brought a bright, boxy smile to Taehyung's face.

"Why are you the one comforting me?" He asked, bumping your shoulder.

"Why don't you go clean up and get changed? Then maybe you can come cuddle me in the nest?" You offered. "If you want to," you added quickly.

Taehyung nodded enthusiastically. "Be right back," he said before scurrying out of the room.

"Yoongi, you need to go downstairs and see if everyone is okay down there," you told him.

He growled softly, mumbling, "They can take care of themselves."

"Alpha," you cooed, reaching out to touch his cheek, "don't be like that." He pouted for a moment, but nodded and gathered the pieces of trash from his work before he took the first aid kit downstairs.

"What about me?" Jimin stood proudly in front of you, fists in his hips, waiting for his instructions.

"You come cuddle me until the others come back." He didn't waste a second, shucking off his pants and shirt. You'd gotten used to the fact that Jimin preferred to sleep only in boxers. Who were you to force clothes on him if he slept better without? After your heat, it had ceased to make you the slightest bit uncomfortable. He quickly climbed onto the bed, wrestling you into the nest and underneath his body, where he could get the upper hand on you and make the last of our distressed scent disappear as quickly as it had come.

When Yoongi reached the bottom of the steps, Namjoon turned anxiously to look at him. He was cleaning the last of the beer off the wall, looking rather like a pup with his tail between his legs. This was hardly a rare scenario for him, cleaning up his own mess no matter how Hobi tried to tell him to leave it. It wasn't the first glass he'd broken nor the first drink spilled. Namjoon was a walking disaster. He knew that. It couldn't be helped, and everyone knew that, too. But normally, everyone would stick around to help and cheer him up and comfort him when he made a silly mistake like this. This time, half his pack had disappeared up the stairs with you, and he couldn't help feeling a bit hurt about it. He regretted it. He always did, but he couldn't take it back, and he just couldn't change. He opened his mouth to explain to Yoongi, but nothing came out.

"Is she hurt?" Hoseok asked from the sink, after Yoongi and Namjoon had stared at each other for several tense seconds. Yoongi's face was a cold mask of stone, revealing nothing but disdain. Namjoon looked utterly crestfallen.

"She's not hurt. Just scared," Yoongi answered, shaking his head when he finally broke eye contact with Joon.

"That's a relief," Namjoon sighed, and his face showed his relief was real.

"Taehyung got cut up a little bit," Yoongi said sharply. It was petty, but he didn't want the younger alpha to feel as if there was no harm done, and he didn't expect Namjoon to care that you'd been shaken up.

"Is it bad?" Jin asked, looking concerned.

Yoongi shook his head again. "I patched him up. Y/N invited him into her nest to make him feel better, I think." He paused for a second, thinking about your behavior. "She sent me down here to see if anyone was hurt."

"We're all fine, Yoongi. Come have a seat," Jungkook replied, pulling out the chair beside him.

"I should go back to her."

"Yoongi." Jin's voice wasn't raised, but it was loud and firm enough to have Yoongi freezing as he turned away. He hugged the first aid kit to his stomach and dropped his chin. "I'm sure Jimin and Tae are taking perfectly good care of her. Come sit for a minute."

Yoongi hated the way it felt like he was in trouble, when he knew he had no reason to be. He hadn't gone and ruined a perfectly nice evening, or spooked his very nervous omega. But he turned and walked slowly to the table to sit anyway.

"You know it was an accident," Jin said calmly.

"I know," Yoongi answered curtly.

"Just let him apologize." Jin's voice was the slightest bit pleading, as if he were desperate to avoid more conflict between his alphas.

"I really am sorry, Yoongi. I would never–"

"You don't need to apologize to me," Yoongi interjected. "I'm not angry. Maybe if she'd been hurt…but I know you can't control your body. You've never been able to. I get that. But she doesn't know. She's terrified you will hurt her, just by accident. And with you accidents are bound to happen."

"I–" Namjoon began, but the other alpha didn't let him finish.

"Do you know how it hurts me to see her afraid? After all the horrors in her life, I only want to keep her from feeling afraid. I don't just want her to be safe. I want her to feel safe. And if she can't then we…If she can't feel safe with you…" The look of pure devastation on Yoongi's features hurt Namjoon more than any other thing could have.

"What can I do, Yoongi? Tell me. I'll make it right," he begged.

Yoongi sighed, desperate to keep himself together. "If you and her are going to live in the same house…if you're going to spend the whole summer together, you have to try to be gentler. Please try."

Namjoon reached across the table to lay his hand over Yoongi's where he clutched the kit still.

"I will try. I promise. I'll be more careful," Namjoon assured him. Yoongi merely nodded silently, unsure if that would be enough to settle all your nerves about the pack's largest alpha. As if he could read Yoongi's mind, Jin cleared his throat.

"I think, maybe, Y/N might feel a little more comfortable with us if she could see that you're comfortable with us," he suggested quietly. Yoongi's eyes flickered to the pack alpha's and then back to his hands.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Jin sighed, "you're still holding us at arms length. I get maybe you still want to punish us for what we've done. I don't want to tell you how to feel or to get over it. But how could she ever trust us if she knows you don't?"

"She'll come to her own conclusions,"Yoongi mumbled.

"So you admit that you still don't trust us? You're still angry with me?" Jin sounded frustrated, but Yoongi could hear that really he was just heartbroken. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, knowing that his distance was hurting Jin. He wasn't really angry anymore. He hadn't found the time or energy to be angry. Any spare thought he had went directly to you. Maybe it was unfair, because he knew clearly in this moment that he still carried plenty of love in his heart for Jin and Namjoon.

"I'm not angry," he answered. "I just don't know what you want me to do. I've stayed. I've brought her here—sometimes against my better judgment—I don't know what I'm meant to do to fix things. They just have to heal in their own time." He shrugged.

"But how can they when this is the longest conversation we've had in weeks?"

"I don't know, Jin. It's just not my priority right now!" Yoongi snapped.

"Okay!" Hoseok interjected, coming closer to the men seated at the table for the first time. He'd been hesitant to interfere in the alphas' problems, but he knew both men well enough to see they were on the verge of saying things they didn't mean and would regret later. As soon as he approached, Jungkook's linen scent fluffed through the room, easing away the alphas' tension. "It's all okay. We don't have to solve it all tonight. It's late, and I think we should all just go to bed. Hm?" Hoseok put his hands on Jin's shoulders and gave a squeeze, satisfied when his shoulders relaxed.

"Yeah, fine," Yoongi answered. He stood quickly, scraping the box along the table before he picked it up and moved toward the stairs. He didn't want more conflict. He wasn't trying to prolong their distance. But it was impossible not to want to keep them away when he wanted so badly to be close to you, and to keep you safe.

Yoongi stopped in the bathroom, relieved to hear the giggles of you, Jimin and Taehyung coming through your door. After tucking the first aid kit back into its spot under the sink, he brushed his teeth. Hoseok met his eyes in the bathroom mirror when he stopped outside your door, but neither said a word before the omega slipped into your room to see for himself that you were unharmed. Yoongi remained quiet when he joined the four of you. Jimin had managed to get you into a pair of pajamas and your hair was an adorable disaster from being rolled around in your nest. You'd settled now between Jimin's legs with your back to his bare chest, your attention on Hoseok until Yoongi walked in, but you only spared him a glance. He wondered if even Jimin could tell how hard you were forcing your smile and your happy scent. Had he noticed that your eyes lacked the shine they usually got when the beta scented you silly?

"Come to bed so these kids can get to sleep," Hoseok said to Taehyung while Yoongi changed into his pajamas.

Taehyung whined softly. He'd only just been invited into your nest, and he wasn't ready to leave it already.

"Go on, Tae. Joon needs to know you're not upset with him," Yoongi encouraged quietly.

"Maybe I am," Taehyung mumbled. Hoseok reached for his hand and took it into his lap.

"You know he can't help himself, Tae. Give him a break, okay?"

The alpha grumbled wordlessly, but you nudged him with your foot.

"Go on, Tae Tae. I will be okay. My alpha is here." Taehyung's low rumble turned into a real growl, but you knew it was playful.

"Two alphas are better than one."

"Three are better than two!" Hoseok added. He stood from the edge of the bed and tugged on the youngest alpha's hand to come along. Tae allowed himself to be dragged off the bed, but pulled back to give you one kiss on the top of your head.

"See you tomorrow, sweet little. Sleep tight," he murmured, and then he was gone.

Closing the door, Yoongi turned off the lights before crawling into bed beside you.

"Goodnight," Jimin said, leaning over you to kiss Yoongi, making sure you got properly squished in the process.

"Goodnight," you whispered with a giggle when you received your own kiss.

You said nothing to Yoongi as the two of you cuddled together. Your head laid on his chest, listening to his slow, steady heartbeat as the house slowly went silent. You laid there, but didn't close your eyes, and Yoongi watched you without saying a word. You let the minutes stretch on until you'd been there for almost half an hour.

"How come you aren't sleeping?" you asked softly.

"You aren't sleeping either," he replied. You shifted slightly without moving away and traced his stomach with your fingertips.

"It's hard for me to sleep without your snoring." You felt his chest rise and fall with a huff and looked up to see his gummy smile for just a moment. Then he looked down at you seriously.

"You don't have to pretend for me. You don't have to pretend for anyone, but especially not me." You shifted again, but this time he could tell you were putting space between you.

"I don't know what you mean."

Yoongi grasped your wrist gently before you could move away from him. There wasn't far to go before you would run into Jimin, but he could only bare for you to move as far as it would take for you to look at him eye to eye. He rolled over and scooched down so his gaze was level to yours.

"You don't need to act as if Namjoon didn't scare you. You're still scared now. I don't think I can convince you that you're safe right now, but you are. I'm right here."

Your chest tightened at his words. You whispered, "I know," but it didn't stop your eyes from watering. Yoongi gathered you close, pressing you into his chest.

"I'm so angry."

"It was an–"

"I'm angry with myself. I shouldn't have brought you here." He felt you try to pull away, ready to argue, but he held you tight. "I should have taken you somewhere else. The three of us could have gotten an apartment. Shouldn't have kept you here with such clumsy, stupid alphas." At this point he sounded as though he was talking to himself, mumbling out the thoughts he'd been repeating in his head for the last hour.

"It's okay, Yoongi. I didn't get hurt," you tried to tell him.

"But you got scared, and that's just as bad in my eyes." You managed to pull away from him enough to look up at his face and touch his cheek. "You're still shaking. Do you think I can't feel that? Jimin and Tae scented you, but you didn't feel safe enough to let yourself get all dopey. Do you even realize? I can't stand this, and I hate that you're pretending just so we don't feel bad."

"Yoongi," you frowned and stroked your thumb over his cheekbone. "I'm not pretending because of that. I'm trying to be brave because I want to stay. Namjoon terrifies me, but I like it here. I like living with Hobi and Tae…and you and Jimin here. I'm still scared, but not enough to leave. So let me pretend, okay?" Yoongi sighed, a sign he wasn't accepting this yet. "I may not feel completely safe, but I feel happy. I'm like a stray dog. I may never feel safe, not completely. I might always be a little jumpy. But that doesn't mean I don't love my new home, or that it's not a good home."

Yoongi laughed almost silently and buried his head in your neck. "Don't call yourself a stray dog."

"That's what I am," you replied, combing your fingers through his hair. "I came up to you with big puppy eyes and asked you to stay."

"That's definitely not how it happened," he mumbled. But when he pulled you closer and inhaled your scent, you couldn't help smiling.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he breathed as he relaxed against the nest at last.

"I know," you replied. "So I think we can sleep now."

"Go ahead. I'll watch over you."

Your last shift ended fairly well. The library staff even brought donuts to wish you well. A couple of them who were betas even confessed that they were glad to hear you had settled in with a pack and would be staying home, because they often worried about you. You waited outside the library at your usual spot, pacing and checking your phone as minutes ticked by and terrible thoughts began to creep in.

What if they got into some kind of accident?

What if they dont want you, after all?

Just as you began to spiral into your worst thoughts, a familiar vehicle pulled up abruptly in front of you. Although you'd never ridden inside of it, you could still recognize Namjoon's blue volvo without looking at him, which you only did for the briefest of glances, just to be sure it was really him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said, sounding out of breath as if he'd run instead of driven here.

I wasn't waiting for you, is what you wanted to say, but you merely stood still and stared at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Um," he began awkwardly as he got out of the car without killing the engine and walked toward you until he was only a couple yards away. He scratched nervously behind his ear as he tried to start again. "I know you were expecting Taehyung, but he cut his foot on a piece of glass that wasn't cleaned up from last night, and Hobi took him to the emergency room about twenty minutes ago. Didn't they text you?"

You shook your head, remaining silent.

"Yeah…so I was the only other person home so…here I am." He looked anxiously at the car, like he wished you'd just get in and save him the embarrassment of standing here in front of you. "I promise, I'm a good driver. And we don't have to talk or anything, if you don't want to."

You stared at him for a moment longer before your tongue unglued itself from the roof of your mouth.

"Does Yoongi know about this?"

Namjoons throat felt like sandpaper, and he seemed to shrink an inch. He shook his head. "I tried to call him but he didn't answer. He must be busy."

You hadn't moved an inch since he arrived, and he couldn't help wondering if he was really that terrifying.

"I promise, Y/N, I'm not going to hurt you." The idea that you ever thought he would hurt him in a way he couldn't account for. He knew he wouldn't, but the idea that you couldn't believe that cut him deep. What would he do if you never learned to trust him? If you never let him close to you? It wasn't something he ever gave himself permission to want, so why did not having it wound him so? He shook his head clear of the questions. "You can sit in the back and pretend I'm just the chauffeur."

You lifted your chin in his direction and narrowed your eyes. "I think I'll just take the bus."

Namjoons eyebrows raised. You can't possibly think he's that scary, could you? But instead he used what he knew was the only way to convince you.

"Do you really think Yoongi would approve of that?"

Your jaw tightened. You knew he was right. Looking down at your phone, you hoped for a notification from Yoongi, but there was one from Hoseok instead. You swallowed thickly when you read it.

Sorry, pup! There was an emergency. Namjoon should be there to pick you up. I promise it will be okay.

"How do you know you'll take me home and not somewhere else?" You finally asked. Namjoon's eyes grew wide and he actually took a step back. He rubbed his hand over his hair as he tried to process your question.

"What makes you think I would do something like that? What did Yoongi say to you?" Your brow furrowed at the strange question.

"Yoongi didn't have to say anything for me to know you don't want me around," you answered, an edge of bitterness lacing your words. Namjoon nearly choked.

"Y/n, that isn't true."

"If it isn't then why didn't you ever tell yoongi where I was when you knew I worked here? You and Jin didn't want him to know. You don't want me in your pack. I get it. It's fine. But you should know that Yoongi does want me, and if I don't come home there's no telling what he'll do." You were surprised by the firmness of your own voice as well as how sure you felt of your own words. Yoongi did want you, and you knew that was as fierce an attachment for him as it was for you.

Namjoon took several full breaths before he responded. "Y/N, I promise you, all I'm trying to do right now is take you home. I won't lie to you. I didn't want you to become a part of our pack at first but things have…changed. You're a part of our lives now either way. And I wouldn't risk losing Yoongi over you. I never would. So please. Just come home with me," he begged. While the two of you maintained eye contact—for longer than you had ever done before—he fought the instinct to grab you and put you in the car if you continued to protest, but he knew that would only hurt his cause. Just when he was about to lose this staring contest to you, your phone began to ring with Yoongi's ringtone.

"Hello?" You answered, only dropping your gaze from the alpha in front of you for a moment.

"Princess, are you okay?" He asked, sounding out of breath from the way his heart was pounding.

"I think so," you mumbled.

"I got a message from Joon that he was going to pick you up." You narrowed your eyes on the man in question.

"Yeah, he's here." Yoongi sighed in relief. "What should I do? I can take the bus."

"No, princess. Just go home with him, okay? I promise everything will be fine."

"I'm scared," you said so softly that Namjoon couldn't hear it.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but you don't need to be. You'll be safe with him, and I'll feel better if you go with him than on your own. I've got your location on. If anything happens to you I'll be there as soon as possible. But you're going to be okay. Trust me?" It was that simple, really. If Yoongi was asking you to trust him, then you would. As long as Yoongi promised you'd be safe, you'd make yourself believe him. He wouldn't let you down.

"Fine."

"Good girl. I'll be home in a few hours and I'll give you a reward for being so brave." Your cheeks heated at his words, but you couldn't deny loving it when Yoongi sometimes treated you like a child. No one had ever treated you with such gentle care before, and it felt like real love.

"I'll be waiting." You hung up and looked at Namjoon again. He looked back expectantly. "Yoongi said to go home with you. So I guess that's that."

You walked around the vehicle to sit in the back passenger seat, as far from him as possible. Namjoon didn't say a word as you got inside his car and buckled yourself in. As he pulled away from the library, you kept your eyes out the window even though you could feel his gaze on you through the rear view mirror. He chewed nervously on his lip as he glanced back and forth between the road and the mirror, but he kept silent until he was on the main road between the library and the house.

"We should try to be civil, at least," he said at last, speaking as if you'd been privy to the conversation in his head instead of coming into the middle. You didn't respond, so he went on. "We're going to be home together a lot this summer, and it would be easier on everyone if we tried to ease the tension." He finished softly, perhaps knowing he sounded ridiculous to you.

"I'll do my best to keep out from under foot, if you try not to throw anything at me again."

Namjoon deflated with a sigh. "I swear it was an accident."

"That's why I said try."

"I'm just clumsy. I never meant to hurt you."

"Do you honestly think I haven't heard every excuse in the book?" You rolled your eyes. "It just slipped. You ran into my fist. You really should be more careful where you're going."

"Y/N," Namjoon interrupted, trying hard not to become distressed as he drove, but honestly, your words were tearing him apart. Did you really have no idea the effect you had on him? "I'm sorry. I realize I haven't apologized to you directly for last night. I'm sorry for being so careless. I really will try to be more cautious. But I'm also sorry that other people have given you reasons not to trust them, or alphas, or me." He pulled to a stop at a red light and turned in his seat to look at you. "I get that you have no reason to trust me, and that I have to work for it. That's okay. I don't mind. But can you give me the benefit of the doubt and trust that Yoongi wouldn't have me in his life at all if you couldn't trust me?"

At last, you turned your head to look at him. "Why does everyone always pull the Yoongi card on me?"

"Because it always works," he smirked.

"Fuck," you muttered, because he was right. For whatever reason, you trusted Yoongi implicitly. And Namjoon had a point. Your alpha wouldn't have a dangerous person in his life, let alone trust them to be around you. So you merely nodded to his request, and the man turned forward just in time to see the light turn green before he drove you the rest of the way home.

A/n: I don't feel like this has been my best chapter, but I would love to hear your thoughts on it! Thanks for reading!

Permanent taglist: @lilacdreams-00 @wholockian1 @babycoffeefire @bri-mal @jikooksgirl19 @jaiuneamesolitaiire @marvelfamily3000 @borahae-reads @yoongiigolden @staerryminimini @valhallawhispers @m4gg13-g @i-have-no-life-charlie @hellokittiesxbae @pamzn @skyys-universe @nicholedobre-blog

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daichiduskdrop · 9 months

Text

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆·˚ ༘ *𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Chapter 10

Pairing: BTS Ot7 X fem! reader

Genre: A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers,

Warnings: none!

Words: 3668

A/N: 10 chapters in!! :0 Thank you so much for all the support with this story :)) I value you a lot.

Taglist: @thelilbutifulthings @ilovemoneymorethenmen @singukieee @cherrysainttt @felicityroth @mageprincess7 @lucis-noctiana @danielle143 @osakis-gf @girl-nahh @vintageoldfashion @neverthefirstchoice @juju-227592 @silentreadersthings @i-have-no-life-charlie @everyonehatesshani @iamkookiesforyou @dragons-flare

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Blushing at what the alpha said, you slurped up a bit more of the stew. There were a few greens and vegetables in it, and with quite a bit of kimchi that was cut into bite-size pieces, the meal had a strong flavour.

The broth tasted a little like seafood but was also meaty, and it was just good. You enjoyed the meal.

„Babycheeks, here have some of this. It's good for you.” Taehyung said, chopsticks already right in front of your mouth. Biting into the daikon, you let the crunchy vegetable calm your slightly burning mouth.

Humming softly, you nodded at his watchful eyes. „It's nice; thank you, Tae.” Smiling at you widely, the alpha softly patted your head.

„Is the stew too spicy, princess?” The other alpha asked, noticing how your nose scrunched up a little with every other bite. You didn't want to seem disrespectful towards them; they prepared a meal for you so nicely, and you didn't want to seem ungrateful.

Smiling a little, you were just about to shake your head before you were interrupted.

„It definitely is, isn't it, Pup?" Namjoon answered instead of you, his voice going into a more worried tone. Looking towards his eldest packmate, who sat a few seats away from him, he stood up quickly.

„Shit, I'm so sorry, baby cub. I didn't mean to make it that spicy; here, let me help, sweetie...no peaches, let alpha do it.” Jin said, bending over you and scooping up some of the kimchi pieces into one of the empty bowls lying around.

Whenever you attempted to do so too, going to dig around with your spoon to also place the pickled vegetables in the dish, your hand was gently pushed to your lap, Jin tutting at you softly.

Yoongi too stood up, and a cup held under the faucet was quickly filled with warm water. Once the other alpha stepped out of the way since he got a big part of the main spice out, the younger man poured the water into your bowl, filling it back up again.

Now it was a lot less seasoned, so it was a lot milder for you. Thanking him softly, you felt him gently rub his chin over the top of your head, caressing you lovingly.

„It's okay, kitty. Try it now; is it better?” Tasting it again, you nodded your head gratefully. It helped a lot, so you continued on, chewing on pieces of boiled onion and tofu.

„Im glad cub.” Smiling at Jin's comment, you finished up the dinner with no problems. Making light conversation with the other men about your favourite movies and such, the evening continued calmly.

Finishing the peach juice you had been so nicely poured, you let Jungkook take a hold of your palm, slowly pulling you out of your seat.

„Do you want to play a game with me, Tae, and Jimin? We have a completely new one; would you like to see, baby?” Bending over you, he ruffled up your hair before he tamed it back down and brushed it behind your ear.

„What game is it?” You asked, already walking with the alpha towards the couch. The TV was turned on, the menu shining brightly with the settings turned on.

Taking a seat on the couch next to Jimin, you watched over the two other men sitting before you. Taehyung already had a controller in his hands, smiling when he saw you. His eyes were excited.

„It's Resident Evil 7, babycheeks. It came out a few years ago, but we didn't play it yet.” Tae murmured, adjusting the brightness of the screen and the loudness.

„Yah, you know it's a horror game, Kook-ah. Let the poor thing rest; she will get scared like this. Princess, go run up to the other alphas now; this won't do you any good, baby.”

Jimin frowned at his packmates. They knew more than well how sensitive omegas can be about this stuff, especially right before bed. He didn't want you to have bad dreams.

„But hyung! We are here; it won't be that scary!” Jungkook whined, his voice loud. He wanted you to see how good he was in games, plus, this was one of the easiest ways to also show just how fearless he was.

He won't get easily startled, even with jump scares around, and that should surely impress you; he was sure of it.

„No, Jungkook, absolutely not. Come here, peaches, do you want to see the music studios we have here? You'll like them; there is a lot of interesting stuff. Here, I'll take you, sweet cub.”

Quickly shuffling over when he heard the light commotion, Jin could understand Jimin's worry. This could end very wrongly, and they were taking no chances.

Walking over from cleaning up the kitchen, the alpha picked you up easily, hands under your arms, and pulled you to his chest, securely holding you up.

Without having any time to even protest, you just complied, smiling sadly at the forced whine coming from the two youngest alphas. Resting your cheek over the wide shoulder Jin had, you let him walk towards the walkway that was to the right of the stairs.

There were quite a few rooms in the house with a lot of different purposes, but the outside heated pool was Jin's personal favourite. They had a large garden that Namjoon enjoyed taking care of so much, but the 20-meter-long pool was just perfect.

It was covered, but now it was way too cold out to go swimming. The air was icy, so there was steam coming out of their mouths whenever they were outside.

Plus, even if they did take you right now, the snow that covered everything in such a thick layer would be just too harsh on your bare skin when you were on your way back inside.

They could carry you back inside, though, the thought had the alpha rethink his decisions. They just might take you swimming some time when they all have a few free hours.

Smiling at you when you looked at him and noticing the thoughtful gaze he held, Jin knocked on the first studio doors that were in the hallway. Snuggling closer to his neck, you breathed in the soft Yasmine smell, the warmth from the alpha's chest comforting you even more.

After a few seconds, the frosted glass doors opened, and Hobi in blue light-blocking glasses appeared before you two. Immediately, when he noticed you in his older packmate's arms, he smiled widely, cooing at you.

„Aigoo, did you come to visit me, sunshine?" Chuckling, he lifted you up from Jin, holding you to his chest himself. Combing his fingers through your hair, the eldest let the smallest bit from his wrist's scent glands linger.

„I'll go finish up in the kitchen now cub, okay? Call if you need anything, peaches. Stay with Hobi for now, though.” Smiling sweetly at you, he caressed your cheeks gently. Nodding up at him, you held onto the red hoodie Hoseok was wearing.

Paired with a pair of cotton off-white loose sweatpants, he only had white socks on, comfortably clothed for the finishing touches he still had to do for one song tonight.

He and the other rapline members had a planned session tomorrow morning at BigHit with a few of the managers, so he needed to prepare some stuff for him to be able to show them.

Closing the doors after himself, the alpha whistled a tune he made into a song a few days ago, easily carrying you with only one hand and pulling the turning chair out.

Taking a seat, he placed you on his lap, letting you loop your legs through the arm rests, loosely hanging them by the sides of the chair.

Patting your lower back in a settling pattern, you rested your body fully against his chest, just breathing in his scent and presence for the moment.

There were a lot of things around the studio; the large wooden desk had a bunch of things carefully placed on it, and the two large speakers on the sides of the monitor quickly pulled your attention when you first looked over the room.

Hobi had an almost black beanbag chair on the floor, close to the entrance, that had a giant red and white SUPREME cover that moved in the breeze. Behind the pillow chair was a standing black shelf filled with many colourful dolls and statues.

Gently turning from left to right in the chair, the alpha swayed you both around.

„Hm.. do you want to listen to the song I'm working on, bub? It's almost done; I just need to fine-tune a few things.” Looking over, you let the man help you sit so you could face the big monitor yourself.

Placing a pair of big headphones over your head, he adjusted your hair so none would be caught under them, itching you. Any sounds from outside were suddenly blocked out so well that you were stunned a little.

You loved listening to music; you did it very often when creating, at school or at home, when you were walking anywhere or just in the bus; it just eased your mind a lot.

But since you didn't have much money to spend on any good headphones, you were left with a wire pair of black earbuds that sometimes just stopped working.

Still, you did use them quite often, even when they would push at your ears after a long time of wearing them, making your ears hurt a little.

You heard about the sound-blocking effect a few higher-quality headphones had, but you never had the chance to try it out yourself, so this was very new for you. You liked it a lot, though.

Hearing only the lightest sound of the man's laugh, he turned on the track, music playing in his ears. It sounded like it was being played for you live with how high quality the audio was, your lips parting slightly at that.

The song itself was awesome too; the singing was great and the rap even better. You enjoyed it a lot. When it ended, you looked over at the alpha, and your eyes widened with wonder.

Taking off the headphones for you, he placed them gently back on the desk. Looking at him immediately, you were amazed.

„What is the song called? It's so nice, Hobi! It's really soft!” You said, your voice happy and excited.

„We are naming it Take Two. I'm happy you liked it! I still need to finish some stuff off, though." He murmured, his eyes already focused on the screen again. While typing a few things on the keyboard here and there, the mouse clicking wasn't too loud for it to be annoying.

With his arms outstretched around you, you took the headphones off the desk again, looking over them. They really had a lot of nice stuff; Jin wasn't lying at all.

„The sound from these is so good..!" Not being able to hold back, you gently whispered, turning them into your hands.

Looking back down at what you were talking about, he giggled softly at you. „Is that so sunshine? They are ok, Yoongi hyung has a much better pair though. I lended mine to Namjoonie for a little bit, he lost his own somewhere. These are only for a little while.”

„He lost his headphones? Oh no, how will he make music now-” Your voice was bewildered, quickly taking your attention from the device in your hands you stared up at the alpha in shock.

„No, no. Its alright bub. It's not that big of a deal, it happens a lot.” Laughing loudly at the end of the sentence he carresed your head, gently shushing your worries.

Pulling your face to his chest, your knees went over his tights, loosely hanging by his. Gently gripping onto his hoodie, you closed your eyes for a little bit.

Rubbing your back occasionally, the alpha cuddled up to you closer, squeezing you to his body. Putting on the headphones himself, he got back to work. Breathing in your sweet scent, he felt calm.

Any nerves he felt about showing the new track to his managers he felt earlier had quickly disappeared, and so after a short while he finished up fully.

Saving all files, Hobi looked down at you, only to see you already long asleep, your breathing prolonged and calm. He smiled softly at you, finishing up on his computer before he pulled you back up in his arms again.

Stirring a little, you whined softly, having the alpha shush you quickly. Patting your lower back gently, he walked out of his studio doors, walking back over to the kitchen again.

„Hush sweet baby. It's alright, alpha's here.” He murmured, carresing the top of your head with his cheek. Entering the kitchen, he turned the lights on, noticing the loud sounds coming from the TV.

Looking over, he saw just how dark the game was and decided that just wasn't for him. Pouring himself and you a glass of cold water, he woke you up softly, helping you hold the glass while drinking.

Waking up a bit better, Hobi placed you on your feet again, brushing his fingers through your hair. Looking over at the digital clock on the wall, it read 21:49. Mumbling about how you still had to shower, you walked up the stairs slowly, hearing Hoseok call about you being careful while walking still so tiredly.

Making your way to the furthest room from the stairs, you walked in, turning on the lights. The dark, clean sheets greeted you kindly, shuffling over to the bed you went through the clothing pile Jungkook and you earlier pulled out.

Taking out your sleepwear and a fresh pair of underwear, you walked over to the adjoined doors leading to a bathroom, secluded for the guest room. It wasn't the biggest, but considering how it was all for yourself only, you were more than satisfied.

Still it was much bigger than your own you had at your apartment. Placing your clothes on the white counter top next to the sink, you stripped from your outfit you wore earlier today.

Stepping into the marble tiled shower, you pulled the glass doors after yourself, turning on the shower above you. Washing away any sweat and grime you shampooed and conditioned your hair, the strawberry scented bottles calling out your name.

You were more than sure that the alphas weren't planning on stopping spoiling you rotten any time soon. Noticing the bottles were named of an expensive brand you just shook your head slightly.

After the short shower you dried your body you pulled on your pyjama pants, the light blue and white gingham pattern matched to the blue short sleeve loose t-shirt you had with yourself.

Toweling your hair dry, you pulled open one of the drawers, the black air-dryer intimidating you a little. Taking it out, it felt much heavier than any other one you had ever held.

Walking from the now warm and steaming room, you took it with yourself, rearranging all the stuff still placed on your bed so you would be able to get comfortable later on. Walking out of your room, your bare feet slapped against the cold floors quietly.

Noticing Yoongi walking towards his room before you, you called out his name softly, pattering towards him. Turning to you immediately, the alpha watched over you as you walked to him.

„Hm? Kitty? What's wrong? Where are your socks, baby?” Taking one look at your bare feet, he could already imagine you getting a cold like this. Absolutely not.

Still, you showed him the hairdryer, your wet hair dripping a few water drops on the ground here and there.

Sighing out, he nodded before walking with you back to your room. Gosh, the things he would do for you. Even prolonging his much-wanted sleep? He was more than whipped for you already.

Closing the doors after entering, he motioned towards your bed, already looking for a plug to get the small device working.

„Hop up 'mega. Alpha will dry your hair, baby.” Taking a seat, you pulled the soft brown hoodie from Hoseok to your lap, your fist closing over the fabric softly.

Sneaking his arms around your waist, he pulled you back a little, so you were closer to him. The wire wasn't that long, after all. Turning it on, he let it be on cold air settings, gently combing your hair out with his fingers before he started drying it for you.

Minding your hairstyle, he worked well and fast. With one knee placed over the mattress, the alpha allowed you to rest your lower back fully against him.

Making quick work with it, your hair was soon dry, and the obnoxiously loud noise was turned off too. Ruffling your hair, he gently turned your face to check over the front of your hair. Satisfied with his work, Yoongi nodded softly.

„Okay kitten, all done. Here, let me help you to bed. You should go to sleep now, or you'll be tired by tomorrow, and we can't have that, sweet kitty. Come on, let's see about these covers." Unfolding them, Yoongi gently shook them out, being careful to let only the smallest bit of his scent linger.

Crawling in, you took a seat at the top of the bed, your back resting against the headboard while you watched the alpha. Gently throwing the heavy duvet over you, he patted it down, ensuring your warmth.

„Come on, kitty, settle down now. It's time to sleep, hm?” Coaxing you gently to rest down, you layed on the mattress, your head hitting the pillow softly. Rubbing your shoulder gently, he smiled at you, his gums showing.

„Do you want me to get the other alphas before you sleep, sweet baby? I'm sure they will love to tell you goodnights.” Nodding unsurely, the man left quickly. Folding the hoodie to your chest, you breathed in Jin's scent, which lingered over it just the smallest bit. It comforted you a little.

It took only a minute or two before the room's door opened up again, the packmates filling in one after another. The first to come was Taehyung, smiling widely at you.

He couldn't help but coo at how cuddly you looked, all soft under the heavy blankets, with only a bit of your face peeking out.

„Babycheeks, you are just the cutest thing possible, aren't you? You'll give me a heart attack soon like this! Hm... Babycub, sleep well tonight, okay?” His voice already went deeper than it was; even if it wasn't that late into the night, he felt a bit tired himself.

Nodding at him, you let him hold your hand for a few seconds, gently rubbing his thumb over your knuckles, his eyes calmly looking over you.

„Okay, Taehyung-ah, let me have a bit with her now too, gosh.” Pushing him out of the way gently, you were faced with the eldest packmate. Jin too stared down at you lovingly for a few seconds before he went on to caress your cheeks and temples.

Crouching down next to the bed, he came face-to-face with you, his scent more prominent than earlier. „Sleep well, baby peaches. If the storm wakes you up, come to us right away, okay ? We will keep you secure. It could get a little scary; it's loud sometimes...”

Voicing his running throught, he soon pulled away, allowing the next man to tell you his good nights.

„My princess. Rest well tonight, hm? We will wake you up tomorrow morning, so don't worry about anything. You just sleep well, okay?” His knuckles went softly over your warmed-up cheeks, your eyes fluttering closed for a small second.

„My baby Omega, if you need anything, alpha is always close, okay? You just call, and we will be here in a second, sweet baby. Close your eyes and rest for now; don't worry about a thing.” The youngest spoke, his voice gentle and calming.

Patting over your shoulder, he too stood up after a few seconds of watching over you. They felt the need to know about your wellbeing before going to sleep themselves, so while the other men were still saying their good nights, the rest went over the room, making sure the window was tightly shut and sealed, the curtains drawn close with no chance of seeing inside.

„My sleepy sunshine. It's time for good nights now, yea? You have to sleep lots and lots, so you won't be all tired tomorrow. If you need anything, just come to one of us.” Rubbing his chin over the side of your head, Hoseok smiled brightly at how you were holding the hoodie tightly to yourself.

„Good. Keep a hold of that for me, bub.” The alpha realised how much an object you would grow attached to would keep you calm and settled, so after having that jumper around for when you had your omegadrop, he knew well that it should help with any future ones.

„Okay kitty, it's time to sleep now, yea? Be a good girl for alpha, and don't stay up. Don't be on your phone or something; just rest your eyes. You had a long day, my kitten.”

He himself yawned, feeling tired already. Running his fingers through his hair, he pulled you further into sleep with his soft words.

„My small pup. Sleep lots and lots tonight, alright? And if you wake up, come to an alpha right away, do you understand, baby cub? This is important. ...Okay, good girl. Sleep now, sweetheart. Alpha's will keep you safe.”

Pulling the duvet closer to your chin, he patted it down to make sure you'd be warm throughout the night. And so, with the heater turned on fully and a glass of water placed on your bedside table from Jin, you were soon lulled to sleep, the men all waiting to see you fully rest before they all left to go to bed themselves.

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

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theharrowing · 10 months

Text

One Day at a Time

Or, Omega Yoongi gets bred by Alpha Namjoon and holy shit, does he fall in love.

🐺 Yoongi x Namjoon, established Namjoon x Wheein

🌙 word count: 39.4k

🌙 past acquaintances to lovers, a/b/o, mpreg, infidelity, angst, smut, eventual fluff, slash, nsfw, 21+

🌙 warnings: alpha/top Namjoon, omega/bottom Yoongi; Namjoon is married, and he has a big dick; Yoongi is a mess, and he cries a lot; a/b/o stuff (mating cycles, lots of scent stuff, wolf instincts, marking - there will be blood, omega slick), angst (hormones raging, pining, emotional infidelity, infidelity, hurt/comfort), smut (ritualistic sex, ass to mouth, anal sex, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, extremely painful knotting, pregnant sex, begging, praising, possessiveness), confessions, falling in love, "happy ending."

🌙 note: hello, and welcome to my very first a/b/o fic! this is going to be a more modern take on some a/b/o lore and ideas. i did so much research and asked friends who are better versed with the lore and tropes (thank you @sailoryooons and @sweetestofchaos, i love you to the moon and back!!!), and i am really pleased with what has come of this. i never thought i would write a pregnancy fic, but here i am. the power of namgi and infidelity compels me. that being said, infidelity is a big part of this fic, so if you're not into that, you will not like this!!! this has all the build up and tension and very intense smut that one might come to expect from one of my fics, so buckle up and take the warnings seriously. 🌙 Yoongi deals with a lot of mood swings with his heat cycle, so if he seems completely irrational at times, it is because he is. and oh boyyyy, does he cry a lot. A LOT. idk how to describe Yoongi's genitalia situation. he has a dick but also … idk ... would his butt be a cloaca??? best not to overthink it. sometimes it is referred to as a cunt. hehehe. Wheein in this fic is very real housewives and i love/hate her.

🌙 written for one shot two shot fest

🌙 thanks to @neoneunnajimin & @sailoryooons for beta reading!

🌙 posted july 2023 | read on ao3 (link coming soon!)

INDEX:

1: I finally get to have you | 19.9k words

2: It feels right; I don't care if it's wrong | 19.3k words

tags: @codeinebelle @dasexydevitt13 @giriiboyy @mgthecat @moonleeai @m1sss1mp @spookyminyunki @sumzysworld @yoongoboongo0🌙 comment or dm to be added to the tag list!

#namgi a/b/o #namgi smut #namjoon smut #yoongi smut #alpha namjoon #omega yoongi #bts a/b/o #bts smut #bts angst #fic: one day at a time

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sweetestofchaos · 1 year

Text

TOTW Chapter 3

paring: ot7 x oc!hybrid rating/genre/au: Teen, Angst, Fluff, Parent AU, Hybrid AU, Non-Idol AU warnings: Crying, Strong Language, Alpaca!Seokjin, Pied-Bellied Shield Tail Snake!Yoongi, Human!Namjoon, Human!Hoseok, Human!Jimin, Human!Taehyung, Kangaroo!Jungkook, Quoll!OC wc: 7.2K

“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” — Winnie the Pooh

a/n: @namjinsmoonchile is my awesome beta for this chapter. Thanks for working with me! Also, any bold text is someone speaking English.

taglist: @elliedearest @quirkybtsarmy

series masterlist 🌻character profiles

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Imani is very distressed when Namjoon enters her enclosure. The once tidy room is covered with ripped up blankets and destroyed toys. Imani’s growls and hisses are clear indicators that the little girl isn’t handling the trip from Las Vegas to South Korea well. Namjoon keeps his hands out in front of him so that his movements do not scare Imani. He is reminded of his first meeting with Imani and frowns.

The enclosure seems fit for a larger hybrid, and it bugs Namjoon. As a human, even he knows that smaller hybrids prefer smaller spaces. It makes them feel secure. Carefully, Namjoon gathers a few feathers from the slashed pillows laying around the room and he starts to make a nest with whatever he thinks Imani will like. He left the new article of clothing from Seokjin with Jungkook and Jimin so that they would hopefully be able to win Imani over.

Namjoon watches as Imani scurries across the floor, keeping her small body close to the wall to avoid the unwanted attention of Namjoon. He huffed a laugh and sat a good foot away from the messy nest. He knows that Jungkook will scold him for such a sloppy nest…even if Jungkook can’t do much better. Namjoon runs a hand through his blue hair and thinks; he sang before to Imani, and she seemed to like his voice. Maybe Jungkook and Jimin can do the same? Clearing his throat, Namjoon stares at the nest making sure to not look in Imani’s general direction.

“Hello, Imani. Do you remember me?” Namjoon scratches the back of his neck not sure what he should say to the little girl. “Seokjin is sorry that he wasn’t able to come today. He uh, he wasn’t feeling well. But-” Namjoon smiles softly as Imani pokes her head out from under a table. “I-If you don’t mind, he sent some friends to meet you. They even have a gift for you.” Namjoon looks over his shoulder at the door and licks his lips. “Is it okay if they come in to say hello?” Namjoon turns his eyes to Imani who is now sitting five feet away from the nest.

Namjoon slowly raises his arm and waves his hand for Jungkook and Jimin to come in. A few seconds pass before the door opens and Imani’s ears are standing straight up, her black beady eyes locked onto the two unknown men walking into the room. Imani blinks at the taller of the two men, she can see a large tan tail hanging between his legs and two long tan ears on his head…what kind of hybrid is he? His large brown eyes stare right at her and Imani growls lowly. A sudden rush of firewood fills Imani’s nose, a wildfire smothered down into bright glowing embers, warm, safe…the growls stop, and Imani’s ears flicker around on her head as she listens for the other man.

The smaller of the two men, he looks familiar, but something is different about him. He has extremely kind eyes, even if they aren’t fully open with the large smile on his face. Seeing that Imani is looking at him, Jimin slowly covers his face with his hands and Imani chirps as the man from the ice cream shop crosses her mind.

“Do you remember me, Imani?” Jimin drops his hands at his sides and Imani’s little body is quivering as she starts to release one cp-cp after the other. Jimin slowly walks over to Namjoon and sits beside him while Jungkook waits. He can smell the relief oozing from Imani at seeing a familiar friendly face. “I thought you might be missing, Seokjin Hyung…he misses you too.” Jimin looks back at Jungkook and motions for the younger male to sit with them.

Sitting on the other side of Namjoon, Jungkook carefully pulls one of Seokjin’s favorite shirts from the pocket of his hoodie and Imani’s nose starts to dance as the soothing lavender and vanilla fills the room. Jungkook’s nose scrunches up as he giggles, his large front teeth on full display as he adds Seokjin’s shirt to the lame excuse of a nest. Jungkook side eyes Namjoon wanting to tease him, but the moment is forgotten when Imani clambers into the nest and cuddles into Seokjin’s shirt. The tightness around Imani’s heart loosening just a little, the soreness of her throat eases and it doesn’t hurt as much to breath yet alone chirp. A million bright yellow sunflowers standing seemingly ten feet tall in a large, lush field invade Jungkook’s mind and he inhales deeply.

“She’s happy…” Jungkook’s voice is soft as he stares down at the little quoll tucked away in the nest.

“How do you know?” Jimin questions, he can’t tell that Imani is happy but she for sure looks a lot less tense then when they first walked into the room.

“She smells like wild sunflowers; the scent of mildew is gone.”

Namjoon smiles at Jungkook’s words and he reaches into the nest to lightly scratch behind Imani’s ears. Imani chirps and crawls into Namjoon’s lap, her nose flush against Jungkook’s hand since it’s a nice mix of his scent and Seokjin’s.

“Would you like to hold her?” Namjoon offers and Jungkook’s large eyes widen comically as he stares between Namjoon and Imani. “Pup…Jungkookie would like to hold you? You’ll be safe with him, I promise.” Imani nudges her nose against Jungkook’s hand, wedging her snout in between the thumb and index finger making Jungkook freeze. Her little nose is warm but the dampness on the tip is cool. “Go head, pup.” Namjoon gives Imani’s bottom a gentle push and she climbs into Jungkook’s lap, her tiny claws gripping onto his jeans as she makes herself comfortable on his thighs.

Jungkook’s heart feels like it’s about to explode. How can Imani be so cute? She is the tiniest thing he has ever laid eyes on let alone held in his arms. Jungkook reaches down and strokes Imani’s back, her fur is soft to the touch, the white spots sit pretty against her black fur. Jungkook’s body goes taunt as Imani starts to cluck quietly in his lap, her tail curling around his wrist lightly. Should he breathe? What if he breathes too hard and scares her?

“You can breathe,” Jimin laughs softly from the other side of Namjoon and Namjoon rubs Jungkook’s back with a smile on his face.

“Breath, Kookie. You’re doing just fine.”

Taehyung sits in the nest with the rest of Bangtan, his foot bouncing up and down as he waits for the inspectors to finish looking over the house. As the pack alpha, Yoongi is showing the home while the others stay in the nest out of the way. Seokjin has thankfully shifted back into a human, the new blanket that the guys’ brought home was heavily soaked in Imani’s scent and the fact that three of his packmates smelt like the little girl put Seokjin’s mind at ease that she was safe. Seokjin has been in contact with Mister Fentin, pleased that the older man was a hybrid like himself. Seokjin listened to everything that the older man had to say, and he sat with Taehyung late into the night to help come up with Imani’s room design.

As much as the guys wanted to decorate, they held off on Seokjin’s say so. He wanted the little girl to feel like she had a say in things, that she had control over some major parts of her life. Her room had the basics in it. A bed, a nesting corner, a simple white oak dresser and matching vanity with a small toy box. They kept the walls bone white for the time being, it was a softer tone that didn’t overpower anything. They removed the more mature furnishings and gave them to friends and family. It didn’t occur to any of the guys that they have yet to let any of their parents know about Imani. It wasn’t until Taehyung’s mother called him today that he realized she had no idea she was going to be a Halmeoni.

A hand on his thigh pulls Taehyung from his mind and he looks to see that Jimin is frowning. “What’s got you looking so intense?” Jimin quips and Taehyung sighs.

“We still have to tell our parents about Imani.”

Hoseok’s eyes widen and Jungkook chokes on his banana milk making Seokjin whine and pat his back. Namjoon pinches the bridge of his nose and Jimin just bites his lower lip. Good. Now Taehyung doesn’t feel as bad knowing that all of them really did forget about their families. Seokjin pushes some hair from his face and waves off Taehyung’s words.

“We can worry about that later. No one will be upset once they meet Imani,” Seokjin assures his pack and Jimin pulls out his phone.

“What are you doing, Mini?” Taehyung hooks his chin over Jimin’s shoulder and stares down at the phone in Jimin’s hand.

“Well, what if we do an adoption announcement? We could let everyone know what’s going on without saying anything about Imani. Once the adoption is finalized, and she’s all settled in we could throw a party.”

“What, like a baby shower?”

“Yeah, but it would be an adoption shower!” Jimin grins as he holds his phone up for Taehyung to see the pretty photos on Pinterest of all the different ideas. Taehyung smiles, his mind already racing with different designs for the dress that he would love to create for Imani. Oh! Maybe they could all wear complementary outfits to make Imani’s dress stand out.

Namjoon laughs seeing the way Taehyung’s eyes are sparkling. “Why don’t we wait to get Imani settled in before we start planning any parties.” Ever the voice of reason, Namjoon looks around at everyone and they nod in agreement. Though Jimin and Taehyung share a look with each other that everyone else sees.

Footsteps catch Seokjin’s attention, the ears on top of his head tilting in the direction of the steps that lead to the lower levels of the house. The sound of the front door opening catches everyone’s attention and Seokjin can hear Yoongi talking to the inspectors, but he can’t make out what is being said. The door closes and Yoongi sighs, resting his forehead against the cool wood. They sent two hybrids to do the inspection, an omega Yorkie, and an alpha Bearded Dragon…Yoongi expected them to send out humans. Both hybrids were kind enough to wear scent blockers and Yoongi was thankful that they were extremely thorough with their inspection. Yoongi didn’t want to take any chances with Imani’s safety.

Before the two left they gave Yoongi a list of things that needed to be fixed before Imani could come to live with them. He had two days and on the third day they would be back. If they passed, Mister Fentin would bring Imani to them that very same day. Pulling away from the door, Yoongi glances over the list and nods his head. It’s all minor things. Locks need to be added, some things need to be put up higher, child proofing somethings that they didn’t think needed to be child proofed. Yoongi heads to the fourth floor and when he reaches the top of the steps, he can feel everyone’s eyes on him.

“Well?” Seokjin’s voice is tense, his body quivering as he stares with wide eyes and bottom lip raw from being chewed on.

Yoongi holds up the list in his hand. “There are a few things that we missed that need to be fixed within the next two days. On Friday, they will be back and if we pass-” Yoongi looks around at his pack as they all hold their breath. “We’ll have Imani come home.”

“Really?!” Seokjin’s eyes start to tear up and everyone wraps their arms around him as he cries loudly. Yoongi licks his lips and smiles, at least these are happy tears this time.

“What do we need to fix?” Hoseok asks and Yoongi walks into the nest, handing over the list.

Hoseok reads everything out loud, and the guys divide the work between themselves equally.

“Two days? We can get this done by tomorrow!” Jungkook’s grin is large as he stares down at the list. This is nothing, he could honestly do everything by himself. “Hyung, why don’t the three of us-” Jungkook points to himself along with Jimin and Yoongi. “knock this out? The others can finish setting up some things in Imani’s room since the stuff from the states is coming tomorrow too.”

“Ashii!” Namjoon scratches his chin, a little bit of stubble starting to grow. “I forgot that it was being delivered tomorrow. What do you think Yoongi, hyung? Jin hyung and Taehyung can set up the room while Hoseok and I clean up?”

“Everyone agrees?” Yoongi looks around and everyone nods their head. “Great…now what should we order for dinner?”

Mister Fentin cannot stop the smile from slipping onto his face as he parks his car in front of the Min pack’s home. It’s a large white building, six stories high that is nestled between two brick homes. The exterior is beautiful with a small spiraling staircase that leads to the front door where there is a tiny balcony with two potted plants. Below the balcony, a large white door leads into Hoseok and Seokjin’s shared business, a nail and hair salon with a massage parlor. Mister Fentin is impressed, he knew that the Min pack was well off, but this beats his expectations.

“Okay, dear. Let’s get you nice and settled in, yes?” Mister Fentin grabs the carrier that Imani is sitting in and exits his car. He walks up the wooden steps, making sure to hold onto the iron railing as he goes. Standing in front of the front door, Mister Fentin schools his face and knocks on the door three times before he takes a step back. Imani whines from her carrier and Mister Fentin tuts at her softly. “Easy, dear. This will be your new home; the Min pack will take good care of you. Your pack all live here together.”

A cold wetness plops into Mister Fentin’s ear on top of his head and he flinches. Tilting his head back, Mister Fentin yelps when another cold drop lands on his cheek. Just as the front door opens it starts to pitter down and Mister Fentin rushes in to keep himself dry from the sudden downpour.

“Looks like I made it just in time,” Namjoon laughs softly, and Mister Fentin nods his head, wiping the raindrop from his face. “Right this way. Everyone is on the fourth-floor waiting.” Namjoon starts to head towards the steps, but he stops. “Would you feel more comfortable using the lift?” Namjoon offers as he looks down at the carrier in Mister Fentin’s hand.

“The lift would be splendid, thank you Namjoon.”

Namjoon nods his head and leads Mister Fentin over to the personal elevator that is hidden behind a set of sliding doors. He lets Mister Fentin enter first and follows him, “Any luck with shifting?”

“Not that I was informed. However, the orphanage had informed me before I left that Imani wasn’t in the best of moods this morning.”

Namjoon frowns at the news and presses the number four as the doors shut. He wonders what could have made Imani upset before she left the orphanage. Hearing the elevator rising, Seokjin starts to fidget with a loose strand of string on his oversized sweater. Smelling the sour scent, Jungkook wraps his arms around Seokjin’s waist and kisses the back of his neck, “Don’t worry, hyungie! Imani is gonna love you!”

“God…please don’t let me shift.” Seokjin’s heart is pounding in his chest twice as fast as usual. He feels faint and the blood rushing behind his ears is so loud. Is he having a heart attack? Yoongi grabs hold of Seokjin’s hand and squeezes lightly.

“Deep breath, Hyung.” Yoongi instructs Seokjin through a small breathing exercise and by the time the elevator doors open, Seokjin doesn’t feel as lost.

Namjoon holds the door for Mister Fentin to exit first and Yoongi lets go of Seokjin’s hand, stepping forward to shake the older man’s hand.

“Ah! Mister Min, it’s nice to finally meet you, young man.” Mister Fentin shakes Yoongi’s hand firmly, the smile on his face putting Yoongi at ease as the older hybrid moves on to meet the rest of the Min pack.

Sunflower petals bloom in Seokjin’s lungs and his eyes dart to the small cage in Mister Fentin’s hand. Everything around him fades into the background, he can hear Imani’s heartbeat and it’s beating rapidly just like his. He can smell her curiosity and fear tangled together as Mister Fentin sets the carrier onto the floor.

“Is there somewhere you would like me to release her?” Mister Fentin looks around, and everyone looks to Seokjin who is frozen. Mister Fentin smiles, he knows that look very well. It’s the look of a new parent meeting their baby for the first time. Seokjin is a bundle of nerves with nothing but stars in his eyes, this is the perfect pack for Imani to join.

“Hyungie…” Yoongi whispers Seokjin’s name affectionately, pulling him from his trance. “Did you want Imani in the nest or her room?” Yoongi questions and Seokjin swallows, once, twice…he clears his throat and motions towards the nest.

Slowly, Seokjin steps towards the carrier, leaving about a foot between himself and Imani. Seokjin lowers himself into a squat and pushes out his lavender and vanilla scent, hoping to ease some of Imani’s fears. Imani’s nose twitches from the scent and it’s not faint like all the other times, it’s much stronger. Imani starts to chip in the carrier, her cries pulling at Seokjin’s heart as she begs to be let out.

“P-Please…” Seokjin’s voice is just above a whisper, but Mister Fentin hears him loud and clear. Smiling, Mister Fentin opens the carrier and Seokjin holds his breath as he stares into the darkness. A pink nose is the first thing to come into view, followed by two large round watery black eyes and all of Seokjin’s strength leaves him. He drops to his butt, his knees bent awkwardly apart as he stares at Imani’s little furry body coming closer and closer towards him. Her nose is twitching like crazy, and she hasn’t looked away from him at all, it’s like all she can see is Seokjin. Seokjin’s hands drop to the floor between his legs, his lower lip wobbling as Imani's snout touches the pad of his middle finger. “Cria.”

The word is shaky, filled with such deep love that it hits everyone’s ears as if Seokjin screamed it at the top of his lungs. Imani’s small paws press into Seokjin’s hands, her claws grazing the skin lightly. Imani fits entirely in the palms of Seokjin’s hand and he starts humming, pulling the small quoll to his chest, and nuzzling his nose into the soft fur of Imani’s neck and back. Imani answers Seokjin’s soft cries with her own cp-cps and everyone is misty eyed at the sight. Finally. Finally, Imani is in Seokjin’s arms where she belongs. Yoongi clears his throat and blinks his eyes a few times, sniffling before he turns his attention to Mister Fentin.

“Would you like something to drink? Wait it out a little for the storm to lighten up?” Yoongi offers and Mister Fentin declines politely.

“This is your time with Imani. Enjoy it to the fullest.” Mister Fentin looks down at Seokjin and sighs happily. “Take care, my dear. Min pack, it was wonderful to meet you all. I hope your days are filled with endless joy.” Mister Fentin takes his leave, shooing away Namjoon as he offers to walk the man out. Namjoon is quick to tell Mister Fentin to grab an umbrella on the way out and Mister Fentin nods his head, disappearing into the elevator.

“Hyung…” Hoseok is the first to speak now that they are all alone. “Let’s get in the nest, yeah?” Hoseok motions for Jungkook to help him and together they carefully help Seokjin to his feet and lead him into the nest with Imani in his arms. Seokjin starts to cry the moment his head touches one of the pillows and Imani licks at his scent gland, her little nose twitching as she tries to draw out more of the soothing scent that is known as Seokjin.

“I’ll plate up some snacks,” Yoongi announces as everyone crowds into the nest. Hoseok and Taehyung keeping the most distance away from Imani since she isn’t completely acclimated to their scents. The storm outside picks up, the rain pelting the windows harshly and painting the sky a deep, dark grey. Namjoon stares out the window and frowns, he hopes that Mister Fentin makes it back to his hotel okay. Jungkook and Jimin curl around Seokjin while Namjoon sits by his head, stroking his hair away from his forehead and every once in a while, scratching lightly behind Imani’s ears. Taehyung and Hoseok are by Seokjin’s feet, cuddled into each other as they watch Seokjin fall more in love with Imani with smiles on their faces.

It's times like now that they both feel envious of the hybrids in their pack. What do they all smell like right now? What do their heart beats sound like together at this very moment? Are they beating as one or creating a whole different sound of life? Taehyung’s eyes crinkle as Imani yawns, a small squeak coming out at the end as she shakes her head. Jimin giggles and smooths his hand down the length of Imani’s tail, watching with bright eyes as she crawls across Seokjin’s chest and drops down onto the pillow. Imani buries herself into the crook of Seokjin’s neck and makes a blanket out of his brown hair making Jungkook flash that bunny-like smile as he chuckles.

“Sleep well, my cria.” Seokjin’s voice is feather soft as he speaks and his eyes flutter close, exhausted from this week’s ups and downs. His body melts into the nest and he snuggles into Imani’s fur. Hearing Yoongi moving around in the kitchenette making something for everyone to snack on puts a smile on Seokjin’s face and he falls into a peaceful slumber.

It’s going on day three of Imani being in the Min pack’s care and she refuses to shift, yet alone leave Seokjin’s shoulder. Imani has claimed Seokjin as hers and whenever one of the guys gets too close, she hisses at them and looks less than pleased. Seokjin doesn’t mind, he coos at Imani and presses kisses to the top of her head while telling the guys it will pass. Seokjin isn’t worried that Imani hasn’t shifted yet, he is sure that it will happen soon. He thinks that Imani still has to get used to all the unfamiliar scents in the house. For the most part, Seokjin has spent most of his time in the nest and Imani’s room since a lot of her mother’s scent is lingering on her things.

Yoongi on the other hand, is fighting his alpha to not force Imani to shift. He is worried that the longer she says in her animal form the more damage she is doing to herself. There are horror stories of hybrids not shifting back and going feral or losing the ability to shift back at all. Sitting in his office on the parlor level of their home, Yoongi stares at the computer screen in front of him with a frown. His request to work from home has been approved but his workload has seemingly doubled. He scoffs and leans back in his chair, closing his eyes with a sigh. He really doesn’t feel like working right now but he must, otherwise he will be behind on all his projects. As a management analyst, Yoongi cannot fall behind on any of his projects.

Thunder clashes outside and lightning streaks the sky just before the rain pours down from the skies. Yoongi’s frown deepens. This is the second day of heavy rain and it’s putting him on edge. Their street has already gotten seven inches of rain which was a pain in the ass. Who knows how much will come with this second wave of the storm. Yoongi’s phone pings from the desk and he sits up, grabbing the device to see that Jungkook texted him. He discovered that he was out of his vitamins and drove to the store to get some more along with a few things for the house. Looks like he’s stuck at the store because the power went out and the doors won’t open. Yoongi tells Jungkook to stay safe and keep him in the loop if anything major happens. Yoongi does a quick mental checklist to remember what all Jungkook said he was going to get and thankfully it’s nothing that Seokjin or Imani needs at this time.

Thinking of the little girl, Yoongi glances at his computer screen and shakes his head. He will have to do this another time when his mind isn’t so foggy. Saving what little work has been completed, Yoongi turns his computer off and leaves his office, making sure to shut and lock the door behind himself. Looking at the steps, Yoongi decides that he should get some kind of leg workout for the day. Walking up the three flights of steps, Yoongi’s tongue flicks out as he reaches the top of the steps. Seokjin’s scent isn’t heavy in the air and Yoongi can hear the water running in the bathroom. Walking over to the nest, Yoongi sees that Imani is curled up into a small ball, tucked away in the corner of the nest out of harm's way.

A smile pulls at Yoongi’s mouth as he watches Imani’s ears twitch in her sleep. He wonders what she’s dreaming about. Footsteps catch Yoongi’s attention and it’s just Namjoon coming from downstairs. His blue hair is sticking up and fluffy, letting Yoongi know that the man has just woken up from a midday nap. Namjoon smiles at Yoongi and comes to stand by his side at the edge of the nest.

“Still no shift?” Namjoon frowns and Yoongi sighs. “How long are you going to wait?”

Yoongi nibbles on a piece of dry skin in the corner of his lower lip. He knows that Imani’s time is ticking, he really doesn’t want to risk her health. “If she hasn’t shifted by the end of the week-” Yoongi inhales defeatedly and tilts his head. “I’ll have to force a shift. I don’t care how healthy her screenings were. This shit is dangerous for any age.”

Namjoon nods his head in solemn agreement with Yoongi’s words and pats the snake hybrid on his back. “Where’s Seokjin hyung?” Namjoon asks, finally noticing that the older male isn’t within his line of sight. Yoongi nods his head towards the showers and Namjoon smiles. “Looks like he’s adjusting well to parenthood.”

“You think?”

Namjoon runs a hand through his messy hair and nods. “Don’t most parents of newborns take showers when the baby is sleeping?” Yoongi grunts, a nonverbal acknowledgement of Namjoon’s words before he heads towards the kitchenette. “Can you grab me some tea?” Namjoon glances down at Imani and squats with a yawn. He could go for another nap; this rainy weather is doing nothing for his energy. A sudden clap of thunder rumbles in the sky making Namjoon jump and tumble face first into the nest. Thankfully, Imani isn’t too close by and Namjoon quickly lifts himself to a sitting position. His cheeks are on fire even though no one is around to see it. Another clap of thunder and the lights go out making Namjoon sigh while Yoongi curses. From the bathroom, Seokjin cursing up a storm can be heard, and Namjoon is thankful that the older male will be just fine with his enhanced eyesight.

A whimper catches Namjoon’s attention and he squints in the dark, “Imani?” Namjoon calls softly and he reaches a hand out slowly in the direction that he remembers seeing the little quoll sleeping in. A sudden force crashes into Namjoon’s chest, sending him onto his back with a loud cry of surprise. Hot wet liquid soaks through his shirt and the weight on his chest is something that he is not used to. The fabric of Namjoon’s shirt at his stomach is twisted tightly and Namjoon’s arms freeze in the air above the little body on top of him.

“Y-Yoongi!” Namjoon’s voice is as level as it can be with a touch of urgency to it. Namjoon slowly brings his arms down and cradles the teeny tiny body to him. One hand on Imani’s lower back and the other smoothing down her hair. “Y-You’re okay, pup.” Namjoon’s voice is thick as the weight on his chest sinks down and settles on his heart. He feels, well, Namjoon isn’t sure how he feels as Imani cries into his chest, shifted into a human.

Above them, Yoongi rushes from the kitchenette and the bottle of water in his hand crashes to the floor as Yoongi takes in the sight before him in the dark. There in the nest, Namjoon holds Imani in his arms as the little girl cries. Before he can say anything, the lights flicker back on as the backup generator kicks on and Yoongi can now clearly see that Namjoon is crying right along with Imani. Yoongi places a hand over his heart and rubs at the tender organ beneath his skin, it feels like the muscle is going to jump out of his chest. He can’t recognize this feeling as he watches Namjoon comfort Imani with soft and sweet words. Namjoon’s movements are jerky as he pats Imani’s head and tries to rock from side to side while on his back.

Yoongi blinks twice before it dawns on him. Imani shifted. She’s shifted! Pulling his phone from his pocket, Yoongi opens his camera and starts recording what he will remember as Namjoon’s first moment with Imani. Pleased with the video, Yoongi sends it to the group chat and shortly after the sound of feet running up the steps as well as the bathroom door being yanked open fill the air.

“I-Is she really-” Seokjin’s words are lost in his cries as he stops dead in his tracks a good distance away from the nest. Hoseok, Taehyung and Jimin are all staring at the scene with large wide eyes unable to believe what they are seeing. Jimin starts to cry, happy that Imani has finally shown her true self and Taehyung holds him tightly, fighting back his own tears.

Hoseok wipes at his misty eyes and clears his throat, “We should make her something to eat, right?”

“C-Clothes! She needs clothes!” Seokjin spins on his heel and rushes towards Imani’s room wanting to swaddle the small girl in the softest fabric. The omega in him screams to protect Imani’s naked form from the raging storm outside, even if Seokjin knows logically it cannot harm her while she’s inside.

“I’ll help Hoba,” Yoongi announces as he looks around the room. “Joonie, do you need anything?”

Namjoon turns his head to look at Yoongi and shakes his head with a frown, “I’m good.”

Yoongi picks up the water bottle that he dropped and tosses it to Taehyung who is quick to catch it. “Make sure he drinks that once Seokjin comes back.”

As Yoongi heads over to the kitchenette to help Hoseok, Seokjin hurries over to the nest with an outfit for Imani in hand. Entering the nest, Seokjin starts to hum, the soft sound vibrating the air and catching Imani’s attention as he pushes out his scent, the fresh scent of lavender stronger than the soft vanilla. Imani pulls away from Namjoon’s chest and reaches out for Seokjin, a weak chirp falling from her lips making Seokjin coo and pull Imani into his arms. Happy with Imani in his lap, Seokjin starts to fuss as he hums, checking over every inch of Imani’s face and body for any marks or signs of discomfort.

“Hyung…why don’t you give Imani a bath? I think that will soothe the both of you.” Taehyung offers and Jimin’s face twists into a small frown.

“What about her hair?” Jimin whispers to Taehyung, noticing that Imani’s long dark hair is frizzy, knotted and matted. He winces knowing that it will not be an easy job to get Imani’s hair back to the cute curls that they saw in Vegas.

Seokjin hugs Imani closer to him and guilds her face to his neck to reach his scent gland better. Jimin has a point, sadly none of them have anything in the house currently that he thinks will help with Imani’s hair. He glances down at the crazy mess on top of Imani’s head, frowning when he can’t see her black ears.

“Get Hobi and have him meet me in the bathroom. Maybe we can catch Jungkook before he leaves the store to pick up a few things.” Seokjin stands and Namjoon helps him out of the nest, keeping his hands up in case Seokjin falls backwards, not used to moving around with Imani’s new weight. “Come on, cria. Let Jinnie get you nice and clean. Would you like that? Huh?” Seokjin nuzzles his nose against Imani’s temple and smiles. “Yoongiah and Hobi are making a yummy snack that we can eat after. Are you hungry?”

Imani wiggles in Seokjin’s hold, her eyes peeking over his shoulder as she glances over at the kitchenette where she can see two people moving around. Her silence makes everyone look at each other and it dawns on Namjoon, “She might not understand Korean.”

“What?” Seokjin panics. He can speak some English but it’s not his strong suit. “Her file said that her-” Seokjin stops himself, not wanting to mention Imani’s parents in front of her.

“Hungwy.” Imani answers Seokjin’s question in English, her voice is pinched and airy from not being used in a while and Seokjin frowns while Namjoon’s eyebrows furrow together. They will have to figure out what language Imani is best at…after she gets settled. Wordlessly, Seokjin grabs the bottle of water out of Taehyung’s hands and continues his way towards the bathroom that is large enough to fit a full grown alpaca and kangaroo inside together.

“We’ll eat right after a bath.”

In the bathroom, Seokjin moves about getting everything ready while holding Imani in his arms. She keeps her little arms locked around the back of Seokjin’s neck and he mummers little words of praise as he goes about getting the tub set up. Once in the oversized tub, Imani doesn’t let go of Seokjin’s right hand, making it difficult to properly wash her. Thankfully, Hoseok comes in and he helps with Imani’s bath, taking note of the type of hair she has and calling Jungkook to let him know what he needs to grab from the store before he comes home. Jungkook is heartbroken that he has missed Imani’s first shift in person, but he is determined to make it up by getting everything on the list that Hoseok texts him. Plus, now that Imani has shifted, Jungkook can spoil her with sweets!

“I’ll do her hair when Jungkook comes back. Doing anything right now will just make it worse and I really don’t want to cut her hair if I don’t have to,” Hoseok explains to Seokjin as he holds up a large muted green towel that has a frog hood attached. Seokjin lifts Imani from the tub and Hoseok carefully wraps Imani up in the large towel, pulling the hood over Imani’s head before he steps back and lets Seokjin take over.

Hoseok takes his time cleaning up the water on the floor and draining the tub, looking over at Seokjin and Imani with a smile on his face. Seokjin is completely in love with the little girl, it’s obvious to anyone who has eyes. Seokjin’s actions are so soft, and he moves with a patience that Hoseok hasn’t even seen Seokjin use with the maknaes. Seokjin speaks slowly in English with Imani, words of praise as she lets Seokjin take care of her. Once Imani is all dried off, Seokjin gets her dressed in an orange creamsicle colored cable knit two-piece jogger set with white and light orange poke-a-dot soaks that have little rubber tangerines on the bottom of them to match. Hoseok cannot remember the last time he has seen someone look so cute. He just wants to scoop Imani up and shower her in all the love possible, but he holds himself back. He doesn’t want to overwhelm the poor girl.

Leading the way out the bathroom, Hoseok smiles when he sees the guys sitting at the table waiting for them. Hoseok takes the empty seat beside Yoongi and Seokjin places Imani into her own seat that has a booster attached before he sits in the chair closest to her. On the table Yoongi has laid out a few different dishes, jangjorim, white rice, tteokbokki, egg rolls with seaweed and ham, beef cabbage soup, yeonkeun jorim, and a few other dishes. Imani looks at everything on the table with wide eyes and Namjoon wonders if she has ever tried Korean food.

“Imani-” Namjoon decides to speak in English. After Seokjin took Imani to the bathroom, he double checked her file, and it said that Imani may only understand some Korean since her father died when she was younger. “Do you like Korean food, pup? Did you try any of this with your…mommy?”

Imani looks at Namjoon and looks back to the food on the table. The fat white noodles (tteokbokki) and the pretty flower (lotus root), Imani knows that she likes a lot. Pointing to the two dishes, Imani smiles showing off her tiny white teeth and everyone’s breath catches in their throats. Imani has one single, lone dimple on her right cheek! Namjoon can’t help but smile back, his own dimples on display. Seokjin grabs Imani’s plate and passes it to Jimin who is more than happy to put a little of everything on it. He makes sure to add a little more of the tteokbokki and lotus root, too. As everyone starts to eat, they joke and mess around with each other. The ears on top of Imani’s head are flicking at every voice, as she tries to match each voice to its person.

Imani counts the men at the table and frowns. “Where-” Imani tries to remember the man’s name. It’s something so easy to remember. “Cookie! Where Cookie?”

The guys all stare at Imani shocked. Not only is she asking for Jungkook, but she knows him by name. Seokjin smiles and pats Imani’s head before he wipes some sauce from the corner of her mouth.

“Jungkookie is at the store.” Seokjin answers Imani’s question and he realizes that he spoke in Korean. Before he can correct himself, Imani frowns and crosses her arms over her chest.

“Cookie, come home, now!”

“Wha!”

“Ah!”

Everyone is shocked once again. Looks like Imani does understand Korean and Namjoon thanks Lisa Jackson silently once again for keeping her late husband’s culture alive with Imani. Taehyung calls Jungkook to check on the status of his whereabouts and thankfully Jungkook is on his way home, with the rain he will be there in ten, possibly fifteen minutes. Taehyung chooses not to inform Jungkook that Imani is asking for him, so that he will drive home safely and not risk his life.

“Kookie is coming. Now come on and eat, Imani. You are doing so well!” Seokjin holds out his chopsticks and Imani eats the food offered happily now that she knows Jungkook will be home soon.

Yoongi watches Imani and scratches his chin, maybe Seokjin was right after all. Imani just needed to get used to their scents. While in her animal form all she did was hiss but maybe it was to warn them. Maybe hissing was Imani’s way to tell everyone to back off while she tries to figure out what’s happened to her. Yoongi takes a sip of his water and clears his throat, calling for everyone’s attention without having to use his words.

“Namjoon. Tomorrow, you need to inform the caseworkers that Imani has shifted. They will most likely want her to get an exam and some work done. So, I want Seokjin and Jungkook to take her to the doctor before lunch if you can.”

“Why before lunch?” Jimin questions and Seokjin answers.

“She always takes a nap right after eating lunch for at least forty minutes. We don’t really know if that will change or not since she shifted.”

The sound of the front door catches Imani’s attention and she stops eating. “What’s wrong?” Taehyung looks up from his plate worried about Imani’s sudden action.

“Cookie home!” Imani pushes her plate away from herself and Seokjin is quick to stop her struggling to unbuckle herself from the booster seat.

“Wait a second, cria. Let Kookie get up the steps.”

The elevator starts up and Imani starts to chirp making everyone laugh. Carefully, Seokjin unbuckles Imani from the booster seat and sets her on the floor. Imani tries to make a run for it, but Seokjin grabs her hand, forcing her to stay in her place.

“Wait. You don’t want to make Kookie trip, right?”

Imani pouts at Seokjin’s words but it doesn’t last long. When the elevator doors open and Jungkook steps onto the nesting floor, Imani chirps happily and shouts, “Cookie, home!”

Hearing his name come from the little girl, Jungkook freezes and stares with wide eyes. “S-She said my name?” Jungkook’s mind is racing. She knows him. She knows him! Grinning, Seokjin releases Imani’s hand and Jungkook is quick to drop the bags in his hands as the little girl runs across the room to greet him. Jungkook drops to his knees and opens his arms wide, catching Imani easily as she throws herself into his chest.

“Cookie, home!” Imani’s arms wrap around the back of Jungkook’s neck, and he wraps his arms around her, making sure to support her butt with his forearm before he stands up with Imani in his arms.

“Look at you! Aren’t you the cutest little girl in the whole world?” Jungkook pinches Imani’s cheek making her giggle and his nose scrunches up as he smiles. He loves the outfit that she has on, and the socks just make his whole day. “I’ve missed your lil face! Did you miss me?”

“Yesh! Now, Cookie eat!” Imani points over to the table and Jungkook notices for the first time that everyone is in the middle of eating what he would consider brunch.

Beaming, Jungkook walks over to the table with Imani in his arms and he puts her in the booster seat, locking her in before he pats her wild hair. “I really missed you…” Jungkook taps Imani’s nose with his finger and sighs happily before he goes to sit beside Namjoon. “Best day ever,” Jungkook comments and the others agree with him as he starts to load his plate with food.

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#bts parent au #bts hybrid au #bts fluff #bts a/b/o #poly!bts x oc #bts fanfic #totw ch 3 #soc bts #divider by saradika

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