Chapter Text
Jungkook has a whole two and a half weeks of being an alpha under his belt when the universe decides to test him.
The rest of the members are on a rare trip out to eat while Jungkook and Jimin opted to stay at the dorm, to no one's surprise. Jimin hasn't been feeling well the past couple of days, which everyone assumes is due to overworking himself preparing for their comeback, and Jungkook decides to stay at home just in case Jimin needs him.
(Not that he tells anyone else that's his reason for staying, but Namjoon gives him a soft, knowing look before he leaves that makes Jungkook feel like he hasn't been very subtle.)
Coming of age and presenting as an alpha has brought out a... protective side in Jungkook that he never knew existed (as well as a much easier time gaining muscle, to his delight), and the other members indulge him, let him get away with slinging his arm around Taehyung when other idols are chatting with the beta, or feeding Seokjin bites of his food when it's usually always been the other way around, or sticking around late in the practice room until Hoseok has worn himself out and heading back to the dorm together.
Having an excuse to look after his hyungs the way they've always looked after him is kind of nice, satisfying some primal part of the alpha inside him that just wants to take care of his pack members. So Jungkook really doesn't mind staying back at the dorm to look after Jimin even if no one asked him to, and even if it means giving up free food.
At least, he doesn't mind until he hears Jimin's soft moans from the living room.
Jungkook's automatic reaction is to flush — because, ah, seriously? — but, even as shameless as he is, it doesn't add up that Jimin would be getting off in the middle of their living room. Especially not when he's been feeling so unwell. Jungkook closes his laptop and slowly steps out from his bedroom and into the hall, calls out a tentative, "Hyung?" and frowns when there's no answer.
A few more steps and he finds Jimin slumped over on the couch, and his heart starts to thud in panic at the same time the scent hits him.
Holy—
Holy shit.
One shuddering breath is enough for Jungkook to know he's never smelled anything that good before, ever. Something sweet and kind of... musky, so thick in the air, but it's different from the smells Jungkook usually finds appealing, like food and perfume and soap. With every inhale the alpha in Jungkook's chest is roaring to get closer to the scent, to taste and nuzzle and claim, with a clawing urgency he's never felt before. His brain feels clouded with it, the sweet scent and the hungry alpha need, the way it just gets stronger when Jimin blinks his eyes open and croaks out, "Jungkook-ah?"
And as quickly as it hits him, Jungkook shoves the alpha fog aside, fights the urge to bury his face in Jimin's neck and bite, because Jimin is flushed and sweaty and letting out another soft moan, this time more pained.
Jungkook's never been more confused and turned on in his life.
"It's okay hyung, I'm here, you're okay," Jungkook babbles, brushing Jimin's damp blonde hair off his forehead, frowning at how warm his skin is. Jimin tilts his head back, the motion baring the long stretch of his unmarked throat, and Jungkook quickly pulls his hands back, digs his fingernails sharply into his own palms as he fights against his instincts. He can practically taste the sweet smell every time he breathes in.
Jungkook wants to slap himself to subdue the alpha clawing wildly in his chest. Jimin might suddenly smell so good it's making Jungkook question his entire existence, but he's still sick. He clearly needs help, needs something for his fever and whatever pain he's in, and maybe a new pair of pants, because there's a dark patch on the sweatpants Jimin is wearing like he's sweat through them or, or—
Oh.
Oh fuck.
—
jungkook
hey so quick question
how can you tell if someone's
presenting as an omega?
taetae hyung
what
jungkook
because i think jimin might be
that
right now
Jungkook feels a twinge of betrayal and absolutely no surprise when there's an incoming call from Seokjin thirty seconds later. He wipes his sweaty palms over his shorts and answers the call with a weak, "Hi hyung."
"Yah! 'Hi hyung,' really? Jungkook-ah explain yourself immediately—"
Jungkook squeezes his eyes shut, lets out a shaky breath so his voice doesn't come out too panicked. He's in the kitchen now but he can still see Jimin on the couch with his head tilted back, looking miserable and smelling so good. "Jiminie-hyung is, um, wet? And I think he might have a fever? And I'm—I'm not sure what to do, I don't know—"
"Fuck," Seokjin swears, and Jungkook can hear mumbling, can picture with some distant fondness that the rest of his hyungs are all huddled around Seokjin and his phone. "Is he conscious? Can you help him get to the shower, and then have him lie down after? We can start heading back now but we're still about half an hour away."
"Yeah, he's awake, he's just— not well. And I—I can try, I want to try, but hyung, the way he smells, it's—" Jungkook cuts himself off, realizes how young and selfish he sounds when his priority right now should be helping Jimin. "I want to, but I don't know if I can?"
"Jungkook-ah," Seokjin's voice is suddenly soft, calming in a way only a beta's voice can be, "don't be so dramatic, you'll be fine. He's not going into heat, he's just— ah, producing slick for the first time and probably feeling overwhelmed from all the new hormones in his body. You remember presenting, don't you?"
"Yeah," Jungkook replies, thinking back to the morning he woke up drenched in sweat, knot throbbing at the base of his dick, dizzy from how much stronger everyone's scents were. He was confused and a little mortified but they all helped him through it, teasing and taking care of him until he adjusted.
There's some hushed voices over the other end of the line and then Namjoon is on the phone, and something about the pack alpha's deep tone is a comfort Jungkook didn't realize he was missing. "Hey, Jungkookie. Listen, however good Jimin smells, whatever you think your alpha wants you to do, he still needs you right now, okay? I know you. You're not going to do anything he doesn't want just because you're an alpha and he's an omega. He'll smell good, yeah, but he's still your hyung, and you'll take good care of him."
It's not exactly a question, but Jungkook still replies, "Of course," swallowing the lump in his throat and glancing back up just to see Jimin trying to stand up on his own. "Um, I gotta go, but—but come home quick, okay?"
"Be a good boy, Jungkook-ah!" Taehyung yells somewhere in the background of the call, and Jungkook rolls his eyes, feeling lighter already as he hangs up and rushes over to Jimin.
"Whoa, where are you going?" Jungkook asks, gently gripping Jimin's forearm and feeling a little relieved when Jimin leans his weight into Jungkook instead of trying to pull away, eyes sliding shut.
"I don't feel good, Kookie. I just... Let me..."
"Jin-hyung said you'd feel better after a shower, so let's—let's do that, okay?" Jungkook imagines he sounds just as anxious as he feels, but thankfully Jimin's not really paying enough attention to call him on it, letting Jungkook lead him to the bathroom. He leaves Jimin leaning against the counter while he starts the water, making sure it's on the cooler side of lukewarm to help with Jimin's fever.
"Are you— will you stay?" Jimin asks quietly, voice hoarse, and Jungkook turns around, face heating up to see Jimin's already taken off his shirt, his short fingers playing with the waistband of his sweatpants like he's shy to take them off. It's so suddenly normal and, well, cute, amidst all the panic and worry of Jimin presenting, that it makes Jungkook smile, chest warm.
"Of course," he says quickly, a little embarrassed by his own eagerness. "I mean... hyungs would kill me if I let you slip and break your head open."
"Ah, still such a brat," Jimin says with a smile, and Jungkook feels something akin to relief — Jimin's well enough to be teasing him, anyway, that must be a good sign — until Jimin finishes undressing, just barely waiting for Jungkook to turn around before he shoves his pants and underwear down.
Jungkook's not facing him but that doesn't mean much when it comes to smell. The scent of Jimin's slick without any clothes in the way hits him like a punch, so strong, so sweet and syrupy and thick in the humid air of the bathroom. His instincts shout at him to taste and claim the ripe omega in need, and Jungkook— fuck, he can't help it, he growls, deep in his throat, a low, rumbling animal noise he didn't even realize he could make.
Jimin must hear the sound, and Jungkook squeezes his eyes shut in mortification when he hears a timid, "Jungkook?"
And then Jimin takes a step closer, and Jungkook accidentally snaps off the handle in the shower for the hot water.
"Um."
"Please—Please don't touch me," Jungkook begs, eyes still shut, brain almost completely foggy with the scent of Jimin behind him, and holy shit, he's never gotten so hard so fast before. "It's not you, it's just—"
"Don't be stupid, of course it's me. And it's embarrassing, is what it is," Jimin says with a short huff of a laugh, but he sounds breathless, nervous again. "I can smell you too, you know. I think it's—it's making it worse? But my body is telling me not to let you leave. The, ah, omega part of me wants you here. No matter what," Jimin finishes softly.
The words shouldn't make Jungkook happy — it's just biology, anyway, it's not really something they can control — but they do, his alpha preening while Jungkook uses every bit of his self-control to fight the part of himself that suddenly wants Jimin so much. He knows his face is bright red now, and he ducks his head and whines when Jimin steps closer, carefully prying the broken handle from Jungkook's tight grip.
"Namjoon-hyung has broken this before too, it's okay, it just goes right back on," Jimin says with a steadiness that Jungkook envies. "Jungkook-ah? I'm going to shower now, okay? I'm all... I really need to shower," Jimin says, and Jungkook nods, finally letting himself peek at Jimin from squinted eyes. Jimin looks equal parts amused and embarrassed, and very pink, and Jungkook's gaze follows the flush that goes all the way down Jimin's toned chest, his soft, flat belly, the v of his hips—
"And whatever you're thinking about right now that's making you smell so..." Jimin trails off, stepping into the shower, hands immediately finding the wall for support. "Could you stop, please."
"Sorry! Sorry," Jungkook says miserably, but Jimin reaches out to pet his hair in a fond, familiar gesture before stepping under the spray of the shower, and things start to get a little better with the water washing the sweat and slick away from Jimin's thighs. The scent is still there, of course, still too good, making the alpha in Jungkook's chest restless and hungry, but it's bearable. It's almost pleasant, if Jungkook can ignore the way he's still half-hard and desperately wants to know what the crook of Jimin's neck and the stretch of his throat tastes like when he tilts his head back in the shower.
Which is totally fine. Probably? No, definitely fine.
Definitely.
"You're not watching me shower, are you?"
"No!" Jungkook says quickly, his voice cracking.
Fuck.
—
Jimin doesn't take long in the shower, thankfully. Jungkook can see (not that he's watching, because he isn't, okay) from the way he spends most of the time leaning against the wall that he's exhausted, or maybe just overwhelmed, and it's easier when Jimin's finished for Jungkook to ignore his own stubborn arousal and take care of his hyung instead. He wraps Jimin up in a towel with a hug just to see his eyes scrunch with a genuine smile.
"Feel better?"
"I feel cleaner, at least," Jimin admits softly. "I can dry myself, you know."
Jungkook just hums, pressing closer to Jimin's back, selfishly glad that Jimin didn't bother using soap in the shower so his scent is all clean but still just him. He wonders if Jimin will still smell this good after he's settled down from presenting, and he secretly hopes so, even if it'll be hell on his self-control to not just stick his face in Jimin's neck all the time.
Jimin relaxes into Jungkook's hold, and Jungkook finds himself mumbling, "I've got you," not expecting the words to make Jimin tense up.
"I'm not helpless just because I'm an omega now." Jimin's voice is suddenly sharper when he speaks up, and Jungkook freezes, frowning where he's resting his chin on top of Jimin's shoulder.
"Hyung, I don't think you're helpless at all—"
"It's okay," Jimin says quickly, but Jungkook can see from the way his fists are clenched that it's not entirely okay. "I just... There was always a little bit of a chance, maybe, that I could still present as an alpha. Be something more than just small and cute. But even then, I had accepted being a beta, you know? That was fine, Taehyungie was a beta too, but not... not this."
"Hyung," Jungkook says, making his own voice soft even if his alpha is riled up from Jimin being upset in his arms like this. "What's wrong with being an omega? Everyone knows how admired omegas are, how charming and talented they are—"
"Yah, you're just describing yourself," Jimin mumbles.
"Yah, listen to me!" Jungkook shoots back, but his disrespect is playful enough that it just earns him a light punch instead of upsetting Jimin further. "You're still our tiny Jiminie," another punch, "ow, no matter what you present as, it doesn't change anything about you except, ah, you know, the whole... sex thing," Jungkook finishes, face heating up again. "But you're not any weaker or less respected for it. Please don't feel bad about being an omega, hyung. You care so much about others and go out of your way to help them, how could that be seen as weak or a bad thing? You don't have to be an alpha to be strong, and—and you've always been one of the strongest and most hard-working people I know."
The silence in the bathroom is heavy like Jimin is going to say something else, but he just turns around fully in Jungkook's arms, meets his gaze with a soft, considering look. Jungkook wants to brush the wet strands of hair off Jimin's forehead, wants to soothe the marks on Jimin's bitten-red lips with his tongue, and the thoughts startle him, because he's not entirely sure that's all just his alpha instincts talking.
"Since when did you grow up, Jungkookie?"
"Since forever ago," Jungkook replies easily, and this time Jimin's punch is definitely more of an affectionate nudge from his small fist than anything else.
Jimin finishes drying off by himself, and gets dressed in his room by himself too, but his skin is still hot to touch after he settles in bed, just on the worrying side of feverish. He looks like he wants to protest when Jungkook tries to get him to drink some water, but Jungkook isn't having it.
"You really need to stay hydrated, though, especially with all the..." Jungkook trails off, gesturing awkwardly at Jimin's body and watching his eyebrows furrow.
"With wha—"
"Your body, um." Jungkook can feel his cheeks burning, can feel the lingering alpha hunger in his belly stir at Jimin's scent, still thick and sweet in the air. "Getting, you know. Wet."
He regrets it as soon as the words leave his mouth, sounding too dirty and wrong, like bad porn dialogue. But Jimin just flushes, ducking his head, words muffled with his face pressed against his arm when he says, "It's not like I can help it."
"Ah, I didn't mean—"
But Jimin has lifted his head back up, lips set in a determined pout. "You think it isn't weird, suddenly feeling empty and aching and leaking all this— all this slick, like I'm a fucking omega water fountain—"
"Hyung," Jungkook interrupts with a whine, trying not to dwell on the thought of Jimin feeling empty, no matter how much his alpha wants to. He can't help but smile a little, though, at how grumpy Jimin looks, more disgruntled than actually angry. "Just drink some water? I promise I won't talk about your butt anymore."
Jimin's eyes widen for a moment before he starts smiling softly, taking the water bottle from Jungkook and sipping at it. "Don't make promises you can't keep."
Jungkook blinks, saved from replying to that by the front door to the dorm crashing open, the sound of hurried footsteps and hushed voices making Jungkook's alpha tense, unconsciously putting his body between Jimin and the door.
Not that it makes any difference when Taehyung peers into the room and then practically leaps into the bed with Jimin, squishing their cheeks together.
"Jimin-ah! Jimin, you smell amazing, I hope Jungkookie took good care of you. We were so worried as soon as we heard, even Yoongi-hyung—"
"Yah, what do you mean, 'even Yoongi-hyung?'" Yoongi mumbles. He's huddled in the doorway with everyone else, glancing between Jimin and Jungkook with an intensity that makes Jungkook squirm.
"We never would have left if we knew you were presenting, I should have known you'd be an omega, you've always been special—"
"Taehyung, let him breathe," Seokjin says warmly, and Taehyung finally pulls back, cupping Jimin's face in his big hands, eyes a little teary.
"Ah, look at you, you're already glowing, Jiminie."
"Tae-tae," Jimin says, but his eyes are a little watery too, and the look they share is so tender that Jungkook doesn't protest when Hoseok is pulling him away from the two of them, letting them have their moment.
"How are you doing?" Namjoon asks quietly, resting a hand on Jungkook's shoulder, and he ducks his head, immediately feels guilt flood his chest at how he's been struggling with his instincts when Jimin's the one they should all be worried about.
"I'm fine, really, I promise I didn't—"
"Namjoon and I can smell it too, you know. Could smell Jimin even from out in the hallway," Yoongi says, also quiet, with that piercing look again.
"Hyung," Jungkook says, and instead of shrinking away from the gaze like he wants to, he straightens his shoulders, tilts his chin up a little. "I didn't. I would never."
There's a pause, and then Yoongi's grinning, reaching out to ruffle Jungkook's hair. He must see the confused look on Jungkook's face, because he finally says, "Ah, you can relax, Kook. We know. There was never any doubt."
"Oh." Jungkook rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"Okay!" Seokjin calls out, getting everyone's attention. Even Taehyung lifts his head from where he's lying next to Jimin, arms wrapped around him like an affectionate octopus. "We need to let Jimin get some rest, and you three—" He turns to point at the alphas of the group, "—need to get out of here before your pheromones make him any worse. No offense."
"None taken, hyung," Namjoon says with a dimpled smile, giving Jimin a wave from the doorway. "Get plenty of rest, okay? We've already talked to management about postponing tomorrow's schedule so it's a day off for all of us."
Taehyung gives a celebratory whoop the same time Yoongi mutters, "Oh thank god," and Jungkook can feel Seokjin trying to lead him out of the room, but the alpha inside him struggles with leaving, and he can't help it when he calls out, "Take care and let me know if you need anything, okay, hyung?"
Jimin's smile is so fond, eyes scrunched up with it, and in that moment Jungkook is sure he would do anything Jimin asked him to.
"Thank you, Jungkookie."
"Ah, you kids," Seokjin mutters, hitting Jungkook's shoulder as they shuffle out of the room. Jimin's sweet scent lingers, and Jungkook selfishly clings to it, gives in to his alpha side just a little bit now that Jimin's safely tucked away into his room. His thoughts are a haze of claiming Jimin, of maybe going back for his slick-soaked underwear in the bathroom and holding it to his nose in an attempt to sate the alpha, but he resists that much, at least.
For the first time since he presented, he feels like an animal, like the brutish assholes alphas are sometimes portrayed as. He hates the feeling. He's been around omegas before — some of his favorite staff noonas are omegas — but Jimin presenting has triggered something hungry inside him he can't ignore.
Jungkook sleeps fitfully that night, for once wishing his room wasn't so close to Hoseok and Jimin's shared room.
—
Jimin sleeps in late the next morning, the betas of the group taking turns to sneak in and check on him, but Hoseok reassures them all that Jimin's fever is almost gone.
And when he does eventually emerge from his room, hair sticking up at the side and eyes swollen, lips pouty (it pains Jungkook sometimes how cute Jimin is when he's sleepy), everyone is ready in the kitchen to greet him with a cake.
"What's this?" Jimin asks, blinking, as Taehyung wraps his arms around Jimin from behind and Seokjin swats at Namjoon's hand when he tries to sneak some icing off the cake.
"We're just proud of our Jiminie for finally presenting," Hoseok says, and Jungkook catches the shine of tears in Jimin's eyes just before he blows out the candles, beaming as the rest of the group cheers, and then squirming in Taehyung's arms when he tries to wipe cake on his cheek.
The sound of Jimin's laughter is infectious, and even though he still smells just a little too good, Jungkook's glad he's feeling better, giggling and arguing with Seokjin and stealing the cookie off of Jungkook's slice of cake with a sly smile.
"Hey!" Jungkook says, feeling playful, leaning in to try and steal the cookie back, but Jimin already has it halfway in his mouth, and when Jungkook impulsively darts in to nip at the edge of it, his lips bump into Jimin's, both of them jerking back, startled.
"Ah, sorry," Jungkook says, cheeks suddenly warm, heart pounding faster than before, and it's a little satisfying to see that Jimin's blushing too.
"Brat," Jimin mumbles. He licks his lips slowly, pink tongue darting out to catch any stray crumbs, and something in Jungkook's belly twists hotly. He tries not to think about it too much, but then Jimin's making an excuse to sneak away, and Jungkook catches just a hint of that too-sweet scent, the one that was so strong yesterday when Jimin was covered in his own slick.
Jungkook swallows, and tries not to think about that too much either.
—
Over the next couple of days, things gradually return to normal. Jimin gets his energy back and daily practices for their comeback continue after a visit to the doctor confirms Jimin's recovering well from presenting. They're all excited, of course, and nervous for how their new album will be received, but they're a pack, first and foremost. As long as they have each other, the rest of it doesn't seem so scary.
(Except for those times when it does, and Jungkook crawls into Hoseok's bed at night for reassuring cuddles just to find Taehyung or Jimin already there. Hoseok is a very patient hyung.)
Having an omega in the group now, too, is as nice of a change as Jungkook thought it might be. They soon realize that Namjoon and Yoongi both have huge weak spots for Jimin, even more than before, and so little disagreements or stressed moods that would have left things tense in the past now end with Jimin hugging Namjoon from behind until his cheeks are dimpling with a smile, or late nights spent in the studio become not-so-late nights with Jimin dragging Yoongi back to the dorm and making sure he's fed before he goes to sleep.
Jimin's always been one of the bigger caretakers in the group, so nothing's really changed there, but now there's something... softer about him that makes it nearly impossible to say no to him. Jungkook has never seen his hyungs melt so fast for a pouting Jimin, which has been equal parts fascinating and annoyingly adorable.
"So does this mean you could, like, get away with robbing a bank?" Jungkook asks around a mouthful of cereal one morning, after Jimin somehow managed to get a half-asleep Namjoon to invite him to the studio later. On his birthday.
Jimin just gives Jungkook a blank look.
"He's not a wizard, he's just so cute it makes people want to please him. Our popular Jiminie," Hoseok coos.
"I mean— I guess," Jimin says with a shrug, but his cheeks have started to turn pink, and Jungkook doesn't really buy Jimin's modesty about being even more charming than usual. He's kind of been basking in it, but the self-confidence is such a good look on him after so many weeks of diets and stress and self-critique that none of the members call him out on it.
After a second of poking at his breakfast — still too small, in Jungkook's opinion, but that's an argument he knows he won't win — Jimin adds, "I have gotten, um. Offers. From other idols. Other— alphas."
Jungkook's stomach drops, eyes widening. "Offers?"
"Like sex offers?" Taehyung asks, eyes equally wide, and Jimin reaches out to smack his arm.
"Not sex offers, pervert. But just... well." He's definitely blushing now, and Jungkook suddenly doesn't feel so hungry anymore. "Offers for dates, I think? Chanyeol-hyung said he'd like to meet up some time, just the two of us, that he's sad he missed me at ISAC, and Jaebum-hyung invited me over for barbeque night at the GOT7 dorm. Which— doesn't sound like a date at all, I know, but usually their managers are a lot more strict about that sort of thing—"
"Well did you say yes?" Hoseok interrupts, eyes bright, and it's in that moment that Jimin looks up and happens to meet Jungkook's gaze. And Jungkook — fuck, he doesn't even think to hide how uncomfortable he is with other alphas propositioning his hyung like that, nausea and worry and something a little too close to jealousy twisting in his stomach.
Jimin's expression goes tight, then, after he meets Jungkook's eyes, and he just shrugs. "We're too busy right now anyway, so I'm not about to make plans like that. Are you feeling okay, Jungkook-ah?"
"I'm—I'm fine," Jungkook blurts out, relieved and ashamed as he gets up from the table and heads back to his room, resisting the urge to bury his face in his pillows and scream.
Spoiler alert: he's not fine.
—
"Hey, you're not sick, are you?" Taehyung asks, poking his head into Jungkook's room not even five minutes later.
"No?"
"Okay, cool, just checking." Taehyung steps inside and shuts the door behind him, climbing up the bunk ladder and flopping onto Jungkook's bed. "Wanna talk about what's bothering you before I have to tickle it out of you?"
Jungkook rolls his eyes, doesn't bother mentioning that he could easily pin Taehyung down in a tickle fight. Taehyung actually probably already knows.
"It's going to sound stupid..."
"Everything you say already sounds stupid," Taehyung says helpfully, and Jungkook reaches out to smack his thigh. Taehyung winces but doesn't move from his spot.
"I just don't know how to feel about Jimin-hyung anymore. He makes me feel more protective? But also... kind of like a jerk?"
Taehyung hums, genuinely seems to think it over before he answers. "You're not sure how to act around him as an alpha."
"Well, I mean." Jungkook shrugs, sheepish for no particular reason. It's just Taehyung, but talking about his feelings — especially his feelings for someone else in the group — is embarrassing. "I guess. He's the first guy omega I've been around and he's, you know. Jiminie-hyung."
"Have you tried scenting with him yet? Maybe that will make you feel better."
"Scenting?" Jungkook asks, brows furrowing. "Like... stealing his underwear?"
Taehyung groans, finally sitting up on the bed so he can shoot Jungkook a judging look. "Okay, first of all, it's still really weird that you and Yoongi-hyung do that. That's not actual scenting, that's just some alpha-posturing ritual you two have. Or maybe just hyung being lazy about doing laundry? But no, I mean scenting like... nuzzling. You know? We all do it all the time, so we always smell like our pack."
Jungkook just blinks — is Taehyung just talking about skinship in general? — and he must look pretty lost, because Taehyung sighs and slides his hand around the back of Jungkook's neck, petting there before pulling him forward. Jungkook has to swallow a whine (having his neck touched like that makes him weak like a kitten, and his hyungs don't hesitate to take advantage of it) but then Taehyung is guiding his face to the side of his neck, and Jungkook breathes in without thinking, lets the beta's calming scent fill his nose. He starts nuzzling back, almost hesitantly, and there's something warm and comforting about hearing the smile in Taehyung's voice when he says, "See? Not so scary. Just scenting."
"You smell nice," Jungkook says stupidly, ducking his head when Taehyung continues to pet the back of his neck. A beta's scent isn't as distinct as an alpha or omega's, but there's a sweetness to it that Jungkook likes, in the same way Hoseok's scent is a clean smell, and Jin's is savory. "Is that why you and Jimin smell like each other so much? Scenting?"
Taehyung doesn't answer, just waggling his eyebrows and giving Jungkook a particularly greasy smile, and Jungkook shoves at Taehyung with a groan, making him fall back on the bed with laughter.
"You could smell like Jimin too, if you stopped avoiding him."
"I'm not avoiding him, I'm just..." Jungkook trails off, tilting his head obediently when Taehyung nuzzles at his neck, scenting him back. It really does feel nice, and Jungkook's always been sensitive to touches so he isn't surprised by Taehyung's warm chuckle when Jungkook gets goosebumps.
"You're just?" Taehyung prompts, pulling back just to settle in next to Jungkook on the bed. It's still early enough in the morning that Jungkook is worried they're going to fall asleep like this. Something about lying next to Taehyung makes his eyes heavy, the beta's calming scent too nice to resist.
"I'm fucked," Jungkook says, a non-answer that makes Taehyung pinch him.
—
Jungkook would normally be happy to... give Jimin his space (okay, so maybe he is avoiding him a little bit, shut up Taehyung) for the next couple of days, delaying the inevitable awkwardness of being confronted about his strange behavior at breakfast. But Taehyung isn't having it, shoving Jimin into Jungkook's room later that night with a shameless, "Have fun scenting each other, and don't forget to use protection, bye!"
"Protection?" Jungkook asks, eyes wide. He's caught off-guard, was just pulling on a shirt when Taehyung interrupted.
Jimin's face is pink, eyes darting down to Jungkook's bare torso and then quickly looking away once he has his shirt on. "He was joking. Obviously. You can't get—get pregnant from scenting. I mean, not the way that— anyway," he finishes awkwardly, and Jungkook goes very still, because thinking about Jimin and pregnant in the same sentence is making his brain hurt, but the alpha part of him perks up at the thought. And Jungkook definitely isn't ready to face whatever that means, holy shit.
"Okay, you're doing that thing again where you mostly just look constipated but your scent is really confusingly strong and I'm not sure what you're thinking about but I'm guessing it's inappropriate?"
Jungkook shrugs, biting at his lip nervously because, well. Jimin's not wrong.
"Tae told me that you both decided scenting would make you feel better about... about me being an omega?" Jimin's voice has gone soft, and Jungkook nods, kind of expecting it when Jimin reaches forward and smacks his arm.
"Yah, why are you so quiet? I feel like I'm talking to a statue."
"Sorry," Jungkook mumbles, and he means it, because talking to Jimin and teasing Jimin has always been easy, and he's embarrassed that he's letting their statuses get in the way right now. "I just don't know how to—"
"Then don't think so much," Jimin interrupts, and he's stepping closer, chin lifted up slightly to meet Jungkook's eyes before he tilts his head to the side, exposing the long stretch of his neck.
Jungkook feels betrayed by his own body when heat curls low in his stomach, mouth suddenly dry. "Hyung."
"Just don't bite me," Jimin says with a huff of a laugh, like it's supposed to be a joke, like Jungkook isn't tense with trying to hold back his alpha instincts to do just that. "Jungkook-ah. I'm still the same Jimin, even if I smell weird to you now."
"Weird isn't exactly the word I'd use," Jungkook says in a low voice, and Jimin raises his eyebrows, huffs a little because his head is still tilted expectantly, neck offered like he's not just asking for a friendly nuzzle between packmates. He reaches up, short fingers cupping the back of Jungkook's neck not unlike the way Taehyung did earlier, and Jungkook's eyes flutter shut when Jimin drags him down closer, guiding Jungkook to the soft curve of his neck.
There's a new kind of simmering heat low in Jungkook's belly, being so close to Jimin's scent gland like this, the sweetness of his natural scent under the slightly soapy smell of bodywash and shampoo. He keeps his eyes closed and nuzzles, bumps his nose against Jimin's warm skin and breathes in, feels the tension seep from his body when he stops fighting his instincts, stops focusing on the awkwardness and just breathes.
He thinks he hears Jimin's breath hitch softly when he brings an arm up to wrap around the omega's waist, nosing up the line of his jaw and just under his ear, lips brushing skin and the heat in his belly giving a sharp twist when Jimin's fingers dig into the back of his neck.
It's... a lot more than scenting with Taehyung was. Jimin's scent is calming too, sure, carries that warm comfort that fills Jungkook's chest so easily, but there's the intoxicatingly rich sweetness to it that makes Jungkook's alpha restless, hungry for more.
Jimin shivers when Jungkook's lips brush over his scent gland, when Jungkook squeezes at Jimin's waist and huffs a soft, overwhelmed noise against his skin. He feels another hot tug in his belly when Jimin tilts his head back, baring more of his neck, and Jungkook can't stop the whine that slips from his mouth when his lips brush the front of Jimin's throat, body pulsing with a new excitement that's a little too close to arousal for him to handle.
"Ah, you've had enough, now stay still," Jimin mutters, voice gone all raspy, a little lispy in a way that Jungkook will never admit he finds really attractive. He opens his eyes just to catch the bright pink flush high on Jimin's cheeks before Jimin's face is in his neck, breathing him in, small hand slipping down to rest low on Jungkook's spine.
Jungkook huffs out a chuckle when it tickles, the soft brushes of Jimin's nose and lips dragging over his skin, the warm puffs of his breath. Jungkook's senses tingle from the attention and he swears his brain has gone a little goofy, like he's drunk off Jimin's scent.
Jungkook's a little surprised his alpha has no problem tilting his head and exposing his neck for the omega, a pleased rumble building in his chest from the attention, with each brush of Jimin's nose that means he's drinking in Jungkook's scent.
And then suddenly Jimin opens his mouth, drags his tongue wet and hot at the side of Jungkook's throat, and heat just pours into Jungkook's belly, liquid and twisting, his body giving a shudder as Jimin pulls back.
"You licked me," Jungkook gasps, and Jimin blinks, eyes dark and heavy-lidded, before he gives Jungkook a sheepish smile. "Is that— is that a scenting thing?"
"I, um. Shit." Jimin ducks his head, leaning forward to nuzzle briefly at Jungkook's collarbone, fingers grabbing absently at the back of Jungkook's shirt where his hand is still resting. "I don't know? You just— smell good. Really good." Jimin pulls back, face scrunching adorably like he regrets saying it. "Ah, just forget it—"
"You smell good too," Jungkook says quickly, not missing the way Jimin looks pleased before he pulls away, sitting down on the large beanbag chair in the corner of Jungkook's room.
Jimin looks down at his knees, runs his fingers through his hair before he finally asks, "What do I smell like?"
Jungkook's eyebrows furrow, and he sits next to Jimin, close enough their thighs are touching, but Jimin doesn't try to scoot away. "Like... it's hard to describe, but kind of like a vanilla candle?" Jungkook clears his throat, feels suddenly shy at trying to put Jimin's scent into words. "When it's stronger, it's almost like—like cake, or frosting, or something buttery and sweet. But then sometimes it's just like this warm, clean vanilla smell, like a candle or—or one of Yoongi-hyung's bath bombs."
"Oh," Jimin says, but he looks pleased again, smiling softly.
"What about me?
"Your scent? Ah, well. It's apples, mostly."
Jungkook blinks. "Apples? Like the fruit?"
"Do you know of any other apples?" Jimin teases, rolling his eyes. "But yeah, like the fruit. It's sweet but also kind of spicy, like a dessert, like something with cinnamon and brown sugar. It's weird — Yoongi-hyung smells like coffee and Namjoon-hyung smells like rain, but they're more... comforting scents? Like sleepy mornings, or like being wrapped up in a blanket. And your scent is like that too, sometimes, makes me feel safe, but... it also makes my mouth water," Jimin admits, ears bright red, and Jungkook's eyes must be pretty wide because Jimin adds, "Yah, don't make it perverted!"
"Is that why you licked me?" Jungkook asks, pretends his stomach isn't doing nervous-happy flips at the idea of smelling so good to Jimin.
"Taehyungie licked me the first time we scented, I was just passing it on."
"Taehyungie licks everything, that isn't saying much."
Jimin starts laughing, then, body leaning heavily into Jungkook's side, and Jungkook can feel his own face scrunch with a smile. It's— comfortable, again, and when Jimin nuzzles at Jungkook's shoulder, Jungkook turns his face to nose at the top of Jimin's head.
"Hyung."
"Hmm?"
Jungkook swallows nervously. "Sorry for acting so weird at breakfast."
"Oh," Jimin says, sitting up, meeting Jungkook's flustered gaze. "I was starting to wonder if I just imagined that. Was it— was it because I mentioned going over to the GOT7 dorm? I know you're close with Yugyeomie, I would have never gone without you—"
Jungkook blinks."What? No, that's—that's not it at all. Actually, I was..." He pauses, feels suddenly shy to admit it out loud, like he's every bit the jealous baby alpha they tease him for being. "I was kind of worried about sunbaes taking advantage of you? Or only showing interest because you've presented, like you weren't worth spending time with before you were an omega."
Jimin stares for a long couple of seconds before he starts to smile, eyes softening, teeth digging into his bottom lip. "Jungkook-ah. That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," Jungkook huffs, trying to hide his embarrassment, but Jimin's face is back at his neck, nuzzling happily, and Jungkook can feel his own face flush with heat, stomach swooping at the gentle drag of Jimin's lips over his neck. It's dangerous, how much he never wants to stop scenting with Jimin if it makes him feel like this, so light and warm and happy, senses filled with the baked vanilla scent that only seems to get richer the longer he's around Jimin.
Jimin hums, giving a final nudge of his nose against Jungkook's jaw. "Jeon Jungkookie... do you like me? Do you like your hyung?"
"No," Jungkook says immediately, eyes scrunching with his smile, failing spectacularly at keeping a straight face when Jimin is smiling so brightly at him.
"I think you do," Jimin sing-songs, laughing when Jungkook's hands go for his sides, tickling, before Jimin's short fingers are grabbing at his and trying to pin them in place. "Are you that shy about liking me? Hmm?"
"You're gross, why would I like you?" Jungkook replies, ignoring Jimin's outraged noise and twisting under his grip until his hands are free and he can grab at the omega's hips, pushing him to lie back on the beanbag chair and climbing on top of him. "You shouldn't be so full of yourself, hyung, I don't even—"
"Oh," Taehyung's deep voice interrupts them, and Jungkook's head snaps up, eyes widening at Taehyung's judging stare where he's standing in the doorway. "I didn't think you two would actually have sex."
Heat floods Jungkook's face, and he's quick to pull away from Jimin, trying not to look so guilty when they were just playing around. "We weren't—"
"Mind your own business, Tae," Jimin says, and there's a flush high on his cheeks as well, but he doesn't seem as embarrassed as Jungkook, just staring so intently at Taehyung across the room that Jungkook thinks they might be communicating telepathically.
Taehyung finally looks away from Jimin's stare and hums, stepping forward to ruffle Jungkook's hair, dodging a smack when Jungkook flings his arm out. "Glad you kids worked things out." He leans down to nuzzle at Jimin's cheek, a simple gesture that probably shouldn't make Jungkook's fingers twitch with the urge to grab possessively at Jimin's hips and pull him close. "Mm, your scents smell good together."
"Taehyung-ah," Jimin says, staring hard enough at Taehyung that Jungkook just assumes they're speaking through their telepathic bond again. Jimin stands up, suddenly. "We should probably—"
"Go, yeah," Taehyung finishes for him, shooting Jungkook a grin. "Let the baby alpha get some sleep."
Jungkook rolls his eyes at the nickname, making sure to slap Taehyung's butt with a pillow before he leaves, both of them well-aware he's just going to load up Overwatch as soon as he's alone.
Jimin hesitates before leaving the room, though, eyes filled with a look Jungkook can't place, and he lets out a surprised noise when Jimin is suddenly leaning down over him, nuzzling at his neck, fingers petting gently through Jungkook's hair. Jungkook doesn't tease and pull away like he normally would have in the past, instead letting Jimin scent him once more before he goes.
"Okay, okay," Jimin babbles, standing up straight again, cheeks a little pinker than before. "Good night."
"Um, good night," Jungkook echoes, clinging to the traces of Jimin's scent still in his room, fingers absently brushing the spot on his throat Jimin licked earlier.
Jungkook does eventually get on Overwatch, but he's too distracted, and after losing two matches in a row he gives up, collapsing in bed, letting Jimin's lingering vanilla scent wash over him, his heavy eyes sliding shut.
—
"Jungkook," Jimin moans, head dropping back against the wall, hips arching to meet Jungkook's. Everything is sweat and heat and desperation and Jungkook presses harder against Jimin, pinning him in place, blindly wishing he could be inside the needy omega but just this is enough for now, having Jimin's legs wrapped around his waist, feeling Jimin try to rub himself over the shape of his hard cock in his sweatpants.
"Jungkook, please, just —" Jimin's breathless, doesn't seem to weigh much at all as Jungkook holds him against the wall, rutting forward and feeling pleasure burn at the base of his spine. "Alpha, please —"
He thinks his knot might be swelling, the urgent heat so intense, his senses filled with Jimin's scent and his bared throat and his wet, swollen lips, the desperate little moans that spill from them every time Jungkook shoves forward, so close —
Jungkook's cry is muffled into his pillow when he wakes up, just on the edge of release, angry when the dream starts to slip away from him. No, no, come back, he thinks, whining in vain at not being able to see and feel Jimin come, even if it isn't real.
He grabs his discarded pajama t-shirt from the corner of his bed and shoves it under his hips without thinking, giving a few last hard pushes against the mattress until he's coming, mouth open, face scrunched from the intensity of it.
It takes a minute of heavy breathing and sweat cooling on his temples for Jungkook to fully realize he just came in his pants, humping the bed, after having a sex dream about Park Jimin.
"Ah, what the fuck," Jungkook says out loud as he throws his arm over his face, letting shame wash over him before he has to get up and change his underwear. And then maybe his identity, as well.
"Damnit, Jungkook," he mutters as he stumbles out of bed, just barely making it down the ladder without falling on his face, refusing to let the alpha inside him wonder how easy it would be to hold Jimin up against a wall for real.
Damnit, damnit, damnit.
—
Jungkook's up earlier than he has to be the next morning, mostly to sneak in a load of laundry before everyone else wakes up, and the sight of him out of bed on his own has one of their managers wide-eyed with shock when he drops by. Jungkook just waves from where he's curled up on the couch, browsing youtube on his phone, telling himself he isn't waiting to see Jimin's bedroom door open.
But he is, stomach giving a happy flip when Jimin emerges twenty minutes after everyone else has gotten up. He shuffles toward Jungkook with his eyes barely open, not seeming particularly bothered when Jungkook pulls him onto his lap.
"Jungkook-ah," Jimin says, voice still low and raspy from sleep, face swollen and blonde hair a mess. He smells particularly warm like this, like clean bedsheets and his own scent before a day of bumping into other people, and Jungkook wants to drown in the scent, can't seem to make himself let go. "Hmm, are you going to let me get up?"
"No," Jungkook says easily, maybe cheating a little and using his alpha strength to keep his arms firm around Jimin's smaller waist, holding him still where the omega is settled over his lap. Jimin puts up a little bit of a fight, trying to wiggle away, and Jungkook buries his face in the back of Jimin's neck and inhales, tells himself it's not weird to feel a hot tug of arousal at the way Jimin squirms on his lap before finally relaxing.
"Brat," Jimin says, softer, a little like he's falling back asleep when he leans his back fully against Jungkook's chest, letting Jungkook nose through his hair and at the side of his neck, shamelessly scenting his hyung. "Mm, what's gotten into you, anyway? Did you sleep at all? Hoseokie-hyung said you were up before everyone else."
Jungkook feels a pang of guilt at that, remembering his very vivid dream and his very unsatisfying orgasm thanks to said dream, and he's opening his mouth to reply when Taehyung plops down on the couch next to them, petting his hand through Jungkook's own messy hair.
"Isn't it obvious? Jungkook's just being a typical horny alpha."
Jungkook's eyes go wide in panic, fighting the urge to shove Jimin off his lap in denial. There's no way anyone else knows about Jungkook's dream, is there? Doing laundry at all hours isn't unusual enough to give himself away, and he didn't think he was that loud, but maybe—
"You know, because Jimin's going into heat soon."
Jungkook freezes, and now it's Jimin's turn to look vaguely panicked, eyes widening when he sits up and steals a glance back at Jungkook's face. "Heat?"
"I can smell it on you." Taehyung leans in to nuzzle at Jimin's cheek, and Jungkook gets the sudden urge to growl even though the idea of being a possessive asshole around Taehyung is laughable. "I thought maybe it was just you smelling so good because you scented with Kookie, but I can smell the difference now. It makes sense, you know, you've been complaining about your muscles being sore, and you've kind of been nesting, which is just adorable—"
"My muscles are sore from dancing! And—and I'm not nesting," Jimin huffs, cheeks puffing in frustration, "I just like being comfortable, that's not a bad thing—"
"Wah, Jiminie, please don't be upset, there's nothing wrong with getting your first heat," Taehyung coos, pinching Jimin's cheeks until he slides off Jungkook's lap and tries to tackle Taehyung, pinning him to the couch. "And so soon after you've presented, too. Our growing omega boy!"
"You're not allowed anywhere near my nest now, you jerk!"
Jungkook can see Taehyung's face fall, genuinely upset. "Jimin-ah, don't be like that—"
They continue to wrestle on the couch next to Jungkook (although it seems like it's more aggressive cuddling and a couple of playful spanks than actual fighting) and Jungkook swallows, thinks back to Taehyung's words, to the fact that Jimin... is going to be going into heat.
Jungkook only has a vague idea of what heat is actually like for omegas, and sadly most of it is from Namjoon's questionable porn collection, but he assumes the general idea is the same. That Jimin will get fevered, desperate, body pumping out pheromones and preparing itself to mate. And last night's dream aside, Jungkook doesn't make a habit of entertaining pornographic thoughts about his hyungs — well, okay, maybe a little bit, but puberty was a very confusing time for him — but thinking about Jimin so desperate and wet, begging to be claimed and knotted, sends a jolt of guilty heat into Jungkook's belly. Taehyung wasn't too far off about how he's just a horny alpha, because holy shit, just thinking about it has Jungkook starting to get hard, has the alpha inside him wanting.
"Jungkook-ah, are you okay? You look kind of sweaty and red," Taehyung says, grinning widely where he's managed to wiggle away from Jimin, and Jungkook maybe wants to strangle him a little bit. Taehyung can read him way too well.
"I'm fine!" Jungkook says quickly, but then Jimin's crawling into his lap and putting his palm over Jungkook's forehead, frowning. His hair's even messier from wrestling with Taehyung and Jungkook wants to make fun of him for it, say something childish to break the tension. But he can't bring himself to, because Jimin's weight is settling over his lap, hand curling around the back of Jungkook's neck and petting there while Jungkook bites back a moan.
"You're warm."
"I'm fine, hyung," Jungkook mumbles, and Jimin's concerned expression softens, his tongue darting out to lick his lips unconsciously. The alpha in Jungkook's chest roars at him and he swallows, selfishly lets his hands go back to holding Jimin's hips. As tense as he is, with Jimin feeling so small in his lap and smelling so good, so warm and clean and sweet, Jungkook feels a lot calmer like this.
"We should probably get food in him before he tries to eat us," Taehyung says, interrupting whatever quiet moment Jungkook and Jimin were having, and Jimin laughs, finally standing up even though Jungkook's fingers itch to reach out and pull Jimin back into his lap.
"Our Jungkookie's a big softie, he wouldn't eat us," Jimin says with a smile, and Jungkook swallows again, lets Jimin ruffle his hair as he thinks, Jimin-hyung, you have no idea.
—
If Jungkook thought Jimin's sleep-warm scent was bad, it's nothing compared to the way he smells after hours of dance practice, sweating and tired, the dark, raw sweetness of his scent so thick in the air Jungkook can't figure out how Namjoon and Yoongi aren't suffering like he is. Do they even have working noses? Jimin smells... he smells good enough to eat, to spread out and just taste and taste until the alpha is sated, and that line of thought has Jungkook blushing so red that Hoseok throws a water bottle at him and tells him to cool down.
Jimin's stretching now, body folding in half while he laughs at something Hoseok says, and Jungkook pretends to be messing around on his phone when all he wants to do is stare.
Jimin's clothes aren't particularly tight — the usual sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt, since it's autumn and the new practice room runs cold — but he's glowing with the light sheen of sweat at his hairline and the dip of his throat, and his face is still flushed, cheeks pink from working so hard all afternoon. He's... god, he looks really good, and that seems to have less to do with being an omega in pre-heat and more to do with Jungkook finally letting himself look, letting himself want in a way that's always been too scary to think about before.
If this is what having a crush feels like — this big tangle of warm, confusing feelings and the overwhelming urge to hold Jimin and maybe kiss him a little (or, like, a lot) — then Jungkook would like to unsubscribe now, please.
Jungkook is pulled from his thoughts when he notices Jimin wincing in pain, reaching back to rub at his shoulder with a frustrated little pout on his lips, and Jungkook is across the room before he can talk himself out of it.
He settles on the floor behind Jimin, fingers reaching up to start massaging his shoulders, thumbs pressing in hard because he knows that's how Jimin likes it. He's rewarded with a surprised gasp, a soft "ah" that breaks off into a groan. Jimin's voice is a lot raspier than Jungkook is expecting when he asks, "Kookie?"
Jungkook flushes. "Just— tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"
"Don't stop," Jimin says immediately, and Jungkook ignores Taehyung's whining at being left out to knead at Jimin's tense shoulders, his touch softening when Jimin hisses in pain. Jungkook absently thinks that this would be a lot easier with hot water from the shower spraying down on them, helping Jimin's muscles loosen up, but then his mind fixates on the image of Jimin naked and wet against him and no no no, now is definitely not a good time to start getting hard.
"Jungkook-ah," Jimin moans, not at all helping Jungkook's situation, "you can press harder, I won't break."
"Ah, okay." Jungkook curls his fingers around Jimin's shoulders, rubs his thumbs in hard circles up toward the back of Jimin's neck, and Jimin drops his head forward, breath hitching with soft little noises that are hard to ignore. It's taking everything in Jungkook's self-control as it is to not nuzzle forward and scent Jimin like this, nevermind that they're both sweaty and surrounded by the other members.
"Could you— lower?" Jimin asks, and Jungkook swallows, palms sliding down Jimin's back, wishing absently that the sweatshirt wasn't in the way. "Taehyungie was right about this stupid pre-heat making me sore." His breath hitches again when Jungkook rubs at the small of his back, fingers curling around Jimin's hips. "I—I can't wait for this whole thing to be done with."
"Your heat, you mean?"
"Mm." Jimin tips his head back, far enough that his hair brushes Jungkook's cheek where Jungkook's still concentrating on massaging Jimin's lower back. This close, Jimin's scent is so thick Jungkook can barely think, and when Jimin turns around and asks, "Would you mind doing my legs, too?" Jungkook panics. In the worst way.
"So—So does that mean you're going to spend your heat with Namjoon-hyung or Yoongi-hyung?" Jungkook blurts out, and Jimin's eyes go wide, expression flustered before he settles on curving his full lips into a frown.
"That's— what? Why would you ask that? That's not really any of your business."
Jungkook should really leave it at that, but he's already opening his mouth, saying, "But it has to be one of them, I mean, they're your alphas and you can't get through your heat without a—"
"Well maybe this is something I just don't want to discuss with you," Jimin snaps. "And who said it has to be one of our members, anyway? Maybe... maybe I'll call up Chanyeol-hyung or—or Jaebum-hyung and ask them."
"You can't," Jungkook finds himself saying, feeling jealousy he has no right to be feeling at the thought of a sunbae helping Jimin through his heat, being the one to touch him and hold him and knot him. The alpha inside him is furious, of course, ready to fight anyone who comes near Jimin, and it's clouding Jungkook's judgment. He digs his fingernails into his palms.
Jimin's cheeks are red, but Jungkook knows it's from anger more than anything, and shame starts to twist in his stomach at upsetting his hyung like this. "Well Yugyeom just presented, didn't he? Maybe I'll just go see him, I mean it doesn't even matter who it is as long as they're an alpha, right? Is that what you mean?"
Jungkook swallows the growl building up in his throat. That isn't what he means at all. "But Gyeomie isn't— he wouldn't even know how—"
"Jeon Jungkook," Jimin interrupts, and even as an omega — or maybe because of it — there's a command in his voice that makes Jungkook freeze. "Who or—or what I spend my heat with is none of your fucking business, so just stop thinking about it, okay? I'm more than just the needy omega you see me as and I'm not going to sit here waiting for you to approve of who I might have sex with. Taehyung and I are going back to the dorm now," Jimin says, a little louder, as if everyone hadn't already been listening in on their conversation.
"We are?" Taehyung asks, standing up, and Jimin coolly takes his hand and starts tugging Taehyung toward the door. "I mean— we are. Bye!"
The door slams behind them, and Jungkook's heart sinks.
"Well that couldn't have gone any worse," Hoseok says from the floor, and Jungkook winces, a little surprised Hoseok isn't at his throat right now. He's so protective when it comes to Jimin — they all are, really — but the looks he's getting from his hyungs right now are mostly pitying.
"I fucked up," Jungkook mumbles. "I fucked up so bad, why did I even bring it up in the first place—"
"Ah, kid," Yoongi says, scooting over on the floor until he's sitting next to Jungkook. "You need to stop letting your alpha brain do the thinking and start seeing Jimin as more than just an omega. We all know how hard it's been for him."
"But— I do, I swear. See him as more than his status. But—But then he just smells so good and I think about who's going to take care of him during his heat and Yugyeom— Gyeomie's nice but he's just—"
"Not you?" Yoongi offers, and Jungkook feels himself flush, like he's been caught. Which he kind of has. Shit, did he really just admit Jimin smells good out loud?
"Ah, no, that's not what I—"
"It's okay, Jungkookie," Hoseok says, ruffling Jungkook's hair when he gets up. "Just, ah, work on your protective instincts and be less of a jealous dick next time. Jimin's going through a lot right now, and like he said, it's not your business what happens during his heat, as long as he's taken care of."
Hoseok's voice is soft enough but Jungkook still feels shame at the way he acted, and he ducks his head, says, "I'm sorry," even though he knows they're not the ones he should be apologizing to.
"Welcome to having feelings like a normal person," Yoongi says, patting Jungkook on the back. Jungkook frowns, and Namjoon pipes up from where he's collapsed on the floor next to Seokjin, "Like you're one to talk—"
"Yah! The disrespect—"
"Hyung, I love you, but you wouldn't admit to your feelings if they bit you in the ass—"
"Jungkook-ah," Seokjin speaks up while Yoongi and Namjoon bicker, beckoning him over, and Jungkook obediently slides across the floor, stopping close enough that Seokjin can reach out and pet his fingers through Jungkook's hair. The beta's touch is soothing and Jungkook leans into it, closing his eyes. "Go apologize to Jimin."
"I will, hyung," Jungkook promises, bringing his knees up to his chest, unconsciously making himself look smaller. "I didn't mean to hurt him."
"We know, JK," Seokjin says with a soft smile. "Jimin's status is new for all of us, still, especially given how rare it is for a guy to be an omega. You're not the only one who thinks no alpha out there is good enough for our Jiminie. You just have to look at it from his point of view, since it affects him most of all."
"Yeah," Jungkook says, huffing out a whiny hyung when Seokjin tugs at his hair before letting go, shoving gently at Jungkook's shoulder.
"Go apologize."
Jungkook gets up, but stops and squints down at Seokjin before heading to the door. "Wait. Are you just saying that so I won't stay and make you work on that part of the choreography you hate?"
"Hm, what? I'm not even sure what you're talking about, bye."
Jungkook laughs, and he pretends not to hear Hoseok softly reassuring Yoongi about his feelings ("We all know you're a big softie, hyung, Joon was just joking around—" ) as he slips out of the practice room.
—
Jimin is, a little surprisingly, not hiding in his room when Jungkook gets home fifteen minutes later, but instead curled up next to Taehyung on the couch, both of them watching a movie. He looks small, wearing a hoodie that's a few sizes too big for him, his hair still damp from a shower. Jungkook feels a little twinge of jealousy, knowing Taehyung and Jimin probably showered together, and he rubs at the back of his neck, crushing those feelings before he gets carried away. Being jealous is what got him into this mess in the first place, and he owes it to Jimin to be a better friend than that.
(And anyway, who hasn't taken a shower with Taehyung at this point? It's as much a part of regular dorm life as Namjoon tripping over that one corner of the rug is.)
"Hyung," Jungkook says, and two heads turn to look at him as he walks toward the couch, worrying his lip with his teeth. He stops right in front of Jimin and Taehyung. "Hyung, I'm—"
"You should go shower, Kookie," Taehyung speaks up, and Jungkook's eyebrows furrow because there's no joking in Taehyung's tone, like he's about to make fun of Jungkook for still being sweaty. He looks over to Jimin and notices the pink on Jimin's cheeks, the heated look he's giving Jungkook before he ducks his head. Is he still that angry?
"Um, I only wanted to—"
"Shower first, okay? Jiminie's nose is sensitive right now."
"Tae—" Jimin hisses, but Taehyung cuts him off by yanking on the strings of the hoodie, tightening the hood around Jimin's face until it's squishing his cheeks really adorably. Jungkook can feel his mouth twitch with a smile.
"Okay, I'll just— okay," Jungkook says, somehow managing not to trip over his own feet on his way to the bathroom.
He showers pretty fast; he still feels too guilty to even think about touching himself, so jerking off over the memory of Jimin's scent is out of the question, and he'd rather apologize to Jimin before the rest of the group gets back so he doesn't have an audience for it.
Once Jungkook's toweled off and changed into sweatpants and a white t-shirt, he makes his way back to the living room, smiling at the sight of Taehyung passed out against Jimin's shoulder.
"I was only gone for like 10 minutes," Jungkook says, nodding in Taehyung's direction, and Jimin shrugs, mouth twitching with a fond smile.
"Yeah, I'm not entirely sure he isn't just faking to make us feel less awkward."
"'m not," Taehyung mumbles, eyes still closed, and Jungkook huffs out a laugh before settling on the floor at Jimin's feet.
Jimin's eyes widen, looking down at Jungkook, and he seems to get the significance of the gesture. Even though they all consider themselves equals at the dorm (Namjoon makes sure of it, thinks it's more important than anything) it's a polite show of submission for someone to purposefully settle at another's feet, and in public an alpha would almost never be seen doing so for someone who wasn't their mate.
But it's Jimin, and while Jungkook would never admit it out loud, he'd roll onto his back and bare his throat in a heartbeat if Jimin asked him to.
"I hope I don't smell as bad now," Jungkook says, trying to break the tension, and something flashes over Jimin's face, fingers nervously curling up in his hoodie sleeves.
"It's fine. You're— fine. The pre-heat is just making everything... stronger," Jimin finishes carefully, and Jungkook thinks his cheeks might be a little pinker than before.
"I'm sorry," Jungkook blurts out, completely forgetting the speech he had planned so carefully in the shower. "I shouldn't have said that stuff, I don't know why I did, but I promise I won't bother you about it again. I don't— you don't owe anyone any explanations, especially not me, and—"
"Jungkook-ah," Jimin interrupts, voice soft, and when he reaches down to sink his fingers into Jungkook's hair, it feels like more tenderness than Jungkook deserves, but he's grateful for it anyway. He leans into the touch, eyes slipping shut until Jimin starts speaking again. "It's okay. I was mad at what you said but I can't blame you for being young and confused."
"Hyung," Jungkook whines, and immediately realizes he's kind of proving Jimin's point.
Jimin tugs at his hair a little, and Jungkook swallows, pretends he doesn't feel a weird spark of heat from the sting of it. "You're a brat but you treat me well, don't you? I'm not mad at you."
It's silly, but Jungkook's chest does feel lighter from hearing Jimin say it, and he lets himself lean against Jimin's leg, nuzzling absently at his thigh. Jimin's fingers freeze for a moment and Jungkook has to fight the urge to nose closer when Jimin's scent gets a little stronger, so clean and sweet up close like this.
"So... we're okay?"
Jimin smiles softly, eyes scrunching. "Yeah, Jungkookie. We're okay. Maybe just... don't think that my biggest concern right now is finding some big strong alpha to fuck me."
"Oohh," Taehyung says, suddenly, very much not asleep, and Jungkook winces, even though he knows he deserves Jimin's wrath. Jimin just rolls his eyes at Taehyung.
"Quiet, punk."
"Tell Jungkookie he can make it up to you by using his dumb alpha muscles to carry me to bed."
"I'm right here, I can hear you," Jungkook says, reaching up to flick Taehyung's thigh. "And anyway, Yoongi-hyung said he was bringing home beef, are you sure you still want to—"
Taehyung sits up abruptly, eyes widening. "We're getting meat? Yah!" He smacks Jungkook's shoulder. "Why wouldn't you start with that—"
"I was apologizing," Jungkook says.
"Yeah, yeah, you're sorry for being an asshole, but meat—" Taehyung cuts himself off with a starry look in his eyes, and Jimin laughs, eyes scrunching, hand reaching up to ruffle Taehyung's hair.
"So how's that diet going, Tae-tae?"
"Ugh. Remind me to never agree to a shirtless scene in a music video ever again."
"It's just your back and shoulders, don't be such a baby."
"Says the muscle pig," Taehyung shoots back, squeezing Jungkook's biceps for emphasis, and Jungkook flushes at the spike in Jimin's scent when he glances over to where Taehyung has shoved up Jungkook's shirt sleeves. Taehyung makes a frustrated noise and mumbles something about lost causes that goes over Jungkook's head.
—
It's late once everyone is back at the dorm, trading off turns for showers and sharing the food the older members brought home, but Namjoon still gathers them all in the living room for a pack meeting.
Jungkook — who was starting to fall asleep on Taehyung's shoulder, stomach full and eyes heavy — tenses up at the announcement, dreading the lecture he's sure he's about to get. The last time they had a pack meeting was when Seokjin and Jungkook were both vocally disapproving of Jimin's diet after he got dizzy during a dance practice, and Namjoon didn't let anyone leave the room until they agreed to respect each other's choices as long as Jimin didn't put himself in danger like that again. It was tense, and Jungkook felt like shit for how Jimin was put on the spot, but he can't pretend they weren't all relieved to see Jimin being less reckless with his diet.
"So," Namjoon says, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Jimin's going into heat soon."
"That's what this is about?" Jimin groans, hiding his face behind a pillow, curled up in the corner of the couch next to Hoseok.
"We need to talk about it, and now is as good a time as any," Namjoon continues. "Yoongi-hyung and I did some research and it's— sort of our fault. For what it's worth, we're sorry, Jimin-ah."
Jungkook's eyes widen. "Your fault? What?"
"Yours too," Yoongi says, giving Jungkook a pointed look. "Jimin presenting as an omega in a pack with three alphas has pushed his body to go into heat earlier than normal. His, uh, cycle should settle down after his first heat—"
"Can we not talk about my cycle? Aish, this is embarrassing." Jimin hides his face in Hoseok's neck and Jungkook's stomach twists, torn between fondness and a twinge of jealousy. Maybe he deserves that lecture after all.
"What happens during your heat is up to you," Namjoon says, giving Jungkook his own pointed look that makes him shrink back slightly, "but we decided it would be best if most of us clear out for a couple days so you can have some privacy, with at least one of the betas staying behind just in case you need anything."
Taehyung's already raising his hand and Jimin's face scrunches in a smile, the pillow he was clinging to sailing across the room to smack Taehyung in the chest.
"Managers are okay with this?" Hoseok asks, and Namjoon shrugs.
"Well— it's not ideal, so close to comeback, but there's really no other choice. And we weren't about to let them send Jimin away from the dorm to deal with his heat on his own."
Jimin's face softens. "Thanks, hyung. You know I don't want to be a burden—"
"Yah, are you kidding?" Jin interrupts, smiling. "We get a hotel spa day out of it, we should be thanking you, Jiminie."
Hoseok starts to rub his hand down Jimin's back, and Jimin's eyes flutter shut, head ducking down. Jungkook feels a pang of guilt, remembering how miserably selfish he had been earlier while massaging Jimin. He really needs to find a way to make it up to him. "You can't control your hormones, no one's going to get on your case about that."
"Mm, at least you're not as bad as Jungkookie when he presented, going around humping all the furniture for a week."
Jungkook's eyes widen, hands reaching out to push at Taehyung's chest. "Hyung! I didn't hump furniture, what the fuck—"
"Don't swear," at least two separate voices call out, the hyungs used to scolding Jungkook about his language when it's not just the seven of them. But Jungkook ignores them, busy glaring daggers at Taehyung.
"Take that back. I didn't hump anything, I—I had one dream, I couldn't help it—"
"Tae-tae, leave him alone," Jimin says with a soft smile, and Jungkook leans back into the couch and sulks, resisting the urge to bite Taehyung's fingers off when the beta brushes under his chin playfully.
"Our big baby alpha."
"Is that it then?" Yoongi interrupts, looking more than ready to get to bed, and Jimin adds his own, "Please?"
"Ah, yeah, that was it," Namjoon says. "You know, it's pretty cool, having all three statuses represented in our group now, and if you look at the history of pack dynamics and—"
"Okay, good night!" Hoseok says loudly, standing up, and everyone starts laughing, Jimin giving Namjoon an apologetic nuzzle before they all head to bed.
Once Jungkook's settled in his bed he can't quite fall asleep, tempted to sneak into Hoseok's bed but then realizing that after his fight with Jimin earlier, it's probably best if he sleeps alone tonight.
He sighs, playing around on his phone, and hearing the ding of a message in the group chat — it's Namjoon telling Taehyung to stop playing video games and go to sleep, of course — gives him an idea.
He opens up his messages to Jimin, biting his lip nervously before he types what he wants to say. Jimin's reply comes only a few seconds later.
jungkook
are you up?
jiminie hyung
yeah?
is everything ok kookie?
jungkook
oh yeah lol pls don't worry
i just wanted to say sorry again
for earlier
jiminie hyung
ohhh
hyung already forgave you~
it's fine, ok?
jungkook
i was a dick though :(
and i owe you a massage
jiminie hyung
well i mean
i won't say no to that ㅋㅋㅋ
jungkook
then it's a date??
As soon as the message sends, Jungkook drops his phone on his face, feeling hot embarrassment flood him. Why did he call it a date, what's wrong with him? Is he the love interest in a drama now? Shit—
jungkook
uh wait i mean
jiminie hyung
ok, it's a date ヽ(≧◡≦)ﾉ
you should sleep now kookie
sweet dreams
jungkook
sweet dreams hyung
Jungkook knows he's smiling as he stares at the bright screen of his phone, and he finally makes himself put it down, covering his face with his hands.
He can't blame the swooping in his stomach on something weird he ate, or the warmth in his face on the temperature of his room. He can't pretend the equally familiar and unfamiliar fluttering in his chest is anything other than what it is. It's bigger than the instinctual pull of an alpha to an omega, bigger than his attraction to Jimin's scent.
He has a crush on Jimin. There's no denying now that's what it is. And there's no way in hell he's about to let Jimin find out about it.