Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Are you excited, baby girl?”

“Yes, Mommy!”

Jimin’s heart all but melts at the sight of his six-year-old pup, dancing on her bottom in her car seat, squishy cheeks red from joy.

“Hmm.” He fakes an unconvinced expression, looking off to the side. “I don’t think I can hear you, Suni.”

Suni reaches her chubby arms up to the top of the car, delighting at the little game they’re about to play. Her rose scent sweetens with happiness, and Jimin wants to purr at how cute his pup is.

“Yes, Mommy!” She shouts it louder this time, voice turning borderline shrill.

Jimin runs a hand through his light brown hair and laughs, switching off the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt and then Suni’s. She clambers into his lap the moment the restraint is gone, paying no mind to the winded huffs and sighs her Mom makes as she crams herself into his space. She moves her long brown plait to one side and rests her head on Jimin’s neck, relaxing in Jimin’s cookie dough scent.

“You’re getting so big,” Jimin sighs, but he’s smiling into Suni’s soft hair. “My little sunshine. You’ll be leaving home soon.”

Suni is Jimin’s easiest comedy audience - she leans her head back and laughs as though she’s never heard anything even remotely as funny. It reassures Jimin, at least, that he’s a little funny; Seokjin and Hoseok make a habit out of refusing to laugh at his jokes.

“Silly Mommy,” Suni giggles, pressing her nose against his. She’s missing several teeth from her smile but Jimin is sure it’s the prettiest smile in the world. Her brown eyes sparkle. “Where are you gonna go?”

She means: where will Jimin be whilst she’s having fun at Arts Club. Jimin prides himself on his ability to understand perfectly what his pup is trying to communicate.

“Oh,” he says, fluffing up the sleeves of her white top, fiddling with the fit of her jeans. “I’ll be crying all alone in the car.” He pulls a very miserable expression onto his face, turning his voice into a sob. Suni roars with laughter again.

“No,” she says, dragging out the word, looping her arms around his neck.

“Yes,” Jimin says, dragging out the word and hugging Suni closer. He scents her out of pure instinct alone.

This is the first time - besides waving goodbye each day before Suni walks into class - that Jimin will be away from his pup. It’s not a big deal. Yoongi literally teased the shit out of him for thinking it’s a big deal. It’s just a little club on a Saturday for a few hours. Hoseok’s and Yoongi’s pups, Jae-Song and Soonbok, are a year younger than Suni but are her best friends, and they'll also be there. Along with a majority of the kids from Suni’s class. Since the letter advertising this new Arts Club at the library was sent home with them, the kids were beside themselves with excitement at having a creative space just for them in Seoul. Hoseok had looked at the letter and laughed through a sigh, pointing out that they’d be ‘cruel’ not to let their pups go now. The price had been so reasonable, too.

So here Jimin is, complying when his omega tells him to scent his baby and make her feel safe, even though she’s not even slightly nervous.

“What are you really gonna do?” Suni asks.

Jimin kisses her square on the forehead. “Uncle Hoseok and I are going to get a coffee… and talk about how smelly you are!” He holds his nose and crosses his eyes, an Oscar-worthy performance judging by Suni’s laughter.

Jimin manoeuvres himself and his pup out of the car, pushing the car door closed with his hip and heaving Suni up in his arms.

It’s a gorgeous late Summer day in Seoul. The sky is blue with sunshine but there’s a gentle, soothing breeze that billows Jimin’s oversized jumper.

There are other cars parked outside the library. Other parents trying to figure out if they’re in the right place. Jimin looks fondly in the direction of the library he used to study in during high school. Back when he hadn’t even presented as an omega yet, long before Suni. Long before baby weight, stretch marks and nappies. He smiles, thinking about how certain he was that he’d present as an alpha.

Suni gasps, her scent reminiscent of huge bouquets of red roses. “Mommy!” She bounces in his hold, looking to the left and shielding her eyes from the sun.

Jimin pushes his hair out of his eyes and watches as Hoseok approaches. He’s got a shit-eating grin on his face and he looks like he’s just come back from dancing on stage at the Grammy’s or something, clutching Jae-Song’s and Soonbok’s hands in his own. Jimin, on the other hand, looks like a mom.

“Hey, stranger,” Hoseok says, brown eyes twinkling with mischief. He’s being dramatic.

“Stranger?” Jimin asks, putting Suni down so that she can greet her best guy friend and her best girl friend. The three of them start an animated discussion about the Arts Club they know nothing about yet. “That’s awfully dramatic, Hoseokie-hyung.”

“Ah.” Hoseok puts up a hand when Jimin goes to hug him, his lavender scent suggesting amusement. “Don’t try to get back in my good books, traitor.”

“Stranger and traitor,” Jimin comments, trying not to laugh. “Hyung. I was really tired last night.” He has to stop himself from pouting. “And Aeri-noona and Cho-noona were busy so they couldn’t look after Suni.” Hoseok just raises a knowing eyebrow at him, so Jimin bites his lip, folds his arms and tells the truth instead. “Okay,” he sighs. “So I didn’t tell them about it until a few hours before we were supposed to go out-”

“A-ha.” Hoseok is the most confident omega Jimin knows besides himself. “You missed a good night, Jimin-ah. Good music - even some throwbacks to our time back in uni.”

“You say that like music has changed dramatically over the past six years.”

“You’d be surprised.” Hoseok nudges his shoulder into Jimin’s, smiling brightly. “Yoongi even let me grind on him like we were high-schoolers again.” 

“Ew. I bet Jin loved being a third-wheel in that situation.”

“That’s why you were supposed to be there, traitor!”

Jimin makes a face at this and watches Suni play with her friends. His friends went out last night - clubbing. No particular reason, unless you count Seokjin’s sarcastic ‘just like the uni days!’.

Jimin loves dancing in the same way he loves to breathe, and he can’t think of anything more fun and exhilarating than spending the night crawling from club to club with his best friends Hoseok, Yoongi and Seokjin… but running a hot bath after putting his pup to bed and falling asleep in a home that smells of roses and dessert? That’s starting to be the more appealing option time and time again. Sometimes he even lights candles all over the house in seaside scents and curls up on the sofa with his glasses on, reading soppy romance novels whilst Suni plays with her dolls.

Jimin shakes his head in sombre determination. “I think I’m getting old,” he concludes.

Hoseok immediately starts laughing, looking at him in surprise. “You?” His disbelief is palpable. “Old?”

Jimin bites his lip and nods very sadly. He looks like he’s just received a very final diagnosis. “You know what I wanna do right now?” He waits a dramatic beat. “Have a cup of tea and a nap.”

“You’re not funny, Jimin.”

“I’m not being funny.” He was trying to be a little bit funny. “Maybe now that I’m twenty-eight…” His omega whines at the mention of his age, annoying thoughts and feelings surfacing. Still no alpha. Still no mate. More pups. Mate. Mate. Mate. “Maybe it means I’m mellowing out.” He shrugs. “Who knows?”

“Um. I know.” Hoseok looks at Jimin and sees the preppy, stubborn omega who has never lost that regal charm he’s had since they were kids. Jimin is softer than most, and yet stronger than most. “Jiminie,” Hoseok teases. “You’re not mellowing out. You’re wasting away.”

“Yah!”

“When’s the last time you had actual alpha dick instead of one of your old-ass toys?”

“Wow.” Jimin touches his hands to his cheeks, feeling them heat up. “Way to destroy the PG-13 vibe, Hobi.”

“The PG-13 vibe needed to die,” Hoseok says very seriously, but his bright smile ends up betraying him. “You want a mate but you won’t even go on a date.”

“Leave the rapping to Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin teases, patting his best friend’s shoulder. “I want a mate and I’m willing to wait.”

Hoseok scrunches up his nose. “Until when? Until you’re thirty-eight?” He pretends to fall on top of Jimin, as if the very mention of that number is too much for him. Jimin laughs and pushes him gently away. “What are you waiting for, Minnie?”

Jimin’s laughter fades into a soft smile. He watches his daughter play happily and thinks about the alpha of his dreams. He’s attentive, kind - a sweetheart. He fucks Jimin senseless, leaves him speechless, gagging for more. He makes Suni laugh as much as Jimin does. Maybe he even makes Jimin laugh, too. No. He definitely does.

And he has a face. And he has a name. But Jimin would never tell his best friend that. What would be the point? He hasn’t seen him since… gosh. It’s been such a long time.

“I don’t know,” Jimin whispers, ignoring Hoseok’s classic unconvinced expression. “Maybe I’m waiting for the one.” He rolls his eyes.

Hoseok goes to speak - maybe to push the conversation some more - but then he frowns at Soonbok, who is picking up a rock. “Soonbok! Don’t eat that!”

Jimin’s eyebrows shoot up. “Soonbok is eating rocks?”

“I mean, not exactly.” Hoseok doesn’t take his eyes off of his pup. “But he keeps picking them up and looking at them like they’re slices of fucking cake.”

“Yeah that sounds like he’s eating rocks.”

“He’s not actually eating them- Soonbok!” Hoseok’s omega wins out in the end, carrying him over to his child and taking the rock away, dusting down his clothes and pulling him close so that their scents can meld together. “You animal,” he teases, ruffling up his hair.

Jimin smiles fondly at the scene, accepting Suni’s hand when she waddles over and offers it. Her hand is so small and so warm and almost always clammy. My little sunshine, Jimin coos.

“Don’t eat rocks,” Jimin feels the need to tell her.

Suni looks up at him like she’s offended he’d ever think she would.

___

Jungkook finishes hanging up the final ‘Arts Club This Way!’ sign one corner away from the room he gets to call his studio for a few hours each Saturday.

He feels ridiculously proud of himself for achieving this. It might not be the biggest deal ever - nor will it pay him more money than selling his own art online has proven to - but he knew he wanted to inspire kids to create art when he left uni. After many years of putting it off as a stupid idea that didn’t even make much logical sense… here he is.

“What time does your club start?” the librarian asks. Jungkook isn’t sure if she’s doing it on purpose or not, but she’s sending some serious attraction pheromones his way. And she’s sat at her desk, twiddling her long blonde hair around a finger - classic flirting. Jungkook’s been on the receiving end (and the sending end) of enough flirting to recognise it.

“Um.” Jungkook scratches the back of his neck and tries for a friendly smile. He takes his phone out and checks the time despite being surrounded by clocks. “Ten minutes.” Then he remembers he’s in a library, albeit a mostly empty one. “Ten minutes,” he whispers.

The omega librarian finds this hilarious. “Ten minutes,” she agrees, blinking very slowly, very purposefully.

Jungkook’s alpha perks up in mild interest - he last had sex last night, after meeting a pretty female omega at a club and taking her home. She’d gotten wetter than she’d probably ever been the more Jungkook had kissed her, taking his sweet time, smirking into each meeting of their lips. She’d licked shyly at the ring pierced through the left side of his bottom lip. He’d been more gentle with her than omegas expect alphas to be - especially alphas who look like him. He’d focused on her pleasure first, almost like looking forward to eventually earning his own. Despite her pleas to focus on him. He’d made conversation with her and cooked her breakfast this morning and they’d parted ways with that familiar, mutual question of ‘maybe’. Maybe Jungkook will call her number someday soon. Maybe her omega has already invested in Jungkook and maybe that’s his fault for being such a good alpha.

He glances at the sign he’d just put up - it’s all bubble letters, rainbow-coloured and soft, shaped like a helpful arrow. His alpha needs to calm the fuck down; Jungkook isn’t interested in getting his dick wet right now. He wants to share his passion for art with the cutest things in the world - pups.

“Thanks for agreeing to give me this room for a few hours,” Jungkook says to the older omega. Even though they both know that the decision wasn’t solely hers - the council would have been involved, as well as her library superiors, whoever the hell they are.

She eats up the praise anyway. “You’re so welcome. Do you need any help?”

Jungkook bites his lip and plays with his piercing between his teeth. “Nah. I’m good, thanks.”

Her creamy scent deepens when he runs a careful hand through his hair. He’s not trying to look so fit but it’s part of the curse.

“Have fun,” she says.

“You, too.”

On his way back into the little room Jungkook is going to proudly call an art studio, he grins at Taehyung and Namjoon in turn.

Taehyung is perched like royalty on one of the tables Jungkook has pushed out of the way, scrolling on his phone with pouted lips. Namjoon is still trying to work out how to open the windows, which is a bad idea and should halt immediately before he finds out how to break the windows instead.

“Did you get the librarian’s number?” Tae asks in a bored voice. It’s not like it’s anything new - omegas and betas (and some alphas) throwing themselves and their pheromones at Jeon Jungkook, the tasty, handsome alpha who smells like the ocean. “Or did you have a cheeky fuck in the bathroom?”

Namjoon recoils at that, looking at his friend in horror. “What?”

“I was putting up signs,” Jungkook explains, running a hand through thick, wavy brown hair. He catches up to what Taehyung was saying. “Wait. There’s a bathroom?” His eyes go wide. “Where? I’m gonna need to piss before the kids get here.”

“Aww.” Tae slides his phone back into his pocket and smiles. “Precious nervous alpha.” It sounds like he’s trying to rile Jungkook up - and maybe it should, considering the stereotype that alphas are overtly masculine and prideful - but this is something that Taehyung has always said to Jungkook as an endearment and as a sign of his adoration. Jungkook has been friends with the beta since primary school and it looks like it’s going to stay that way forever at this point. Jungkook is busy setting up easels but if he wasn’t, Taehyung would hug him and ruffle up his dark brown hair.

“Hyung.” Jungkook looks at Namjoon, who looks back incredulously, despite being dangerously close to causing this building permanent damage. “It’s okay. You can leave the window. It’s cool enough in here as it is.”

“You sure?” Namjoon’s voice is kind. He’s an alpha like Jungkook, and they met back in university when Jungkook was nineteen and Namjoon was 22. Now Jungkook is twenty-six, and his friend is nearly thirty and still the most adorable alpha he knows… besides himself. “I think I’ve nearly got it.”

“Joon-hyung,” Taehyung teases, swinging one delicate, long leg over the other. “You’re going to break the window.”

Jungkook is glad he’s not the only one who thinks so. “You buy what you break, hyung,” he says with a teasing shrug.

“Come on, you two,” Namjoon laughs, his face lighting up. “I’m not as clumsy as you think.” As if to prove this, he manages to crack open the window, letting in a soothing breeze full of so many sweet scents. Jungkook prefers Winter because he can drink hot chocolate for the sole purpose of warming himself up, and he looks simultaneously hot and adorable in wooly Winter hats and scarves. But Summer is cute, too, he supposes…

“Holy shit,” Taehyung says, one eyebrow arched.

Jungkook’s expression is a mirror. “We stand corrected.”

Namjoon swings his feet happily before jumping back down to the floor. “That means you’ve both got to start being better wingmen when we go out. Stop telling people that I break everything I touch.”

“Literally never gonna happen,” Taehyung laughs.

“You’re dreaming,” Jungkook adds, showing his oldest hyung a bunny smile and a bunny laugh when he moves as if to beat Jungkook’s ass.

Taehyung walks right into Jungkook’s personal space and wraps his arms around his waist. They’re similar heights, but Jungkook is broader and bigger somehow.

Taehyung moves a lock of Jungkook’s hair away from his pretty brown eyes. “I’m so proud of you, Kookie.”

“Me, too,” Namjoon says, joining the hug, his head resting on Jungkook’s shoulder. A lot of people would see two alphas and a beta hugging like this and think numerous things, from ‘that’s biologically impossible’ because alphas aren’t typically seen as affectionate towards each other, and ‘what the fuck’ since they’re a group of tall, strong guys acting like adorable toddlers.

“Guys,” Jungkook whines, squeezing out from under them. Namjoon’s almond scent clings to him, soothing his nerves. He’s grateful for that. “Come on. Don’t make me cry. You’ll ruin my flawlessly clear skin.”

Taehyung and Namjoon take this as ample opportunity to make Jungkook cry.

“My little baby all grown up!” Tae fakes crying into a tissue and blowing his nose dramatically, whilst Namjoon starts singing an awful rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’, which has absolutely zero fucking relevance as far as Jungkook’s concerned but is hilarious all the same.

Jungkook looks at his friends with love shining in his eyes and thanks his lucky stars for bringing them into his life - at different times, of course, but still: here they are together all these years later.

“Speech!” Namjoon yells, cupping his mouth. His hoodie falls off his head. “Speech!”

Taehyung practically giggles. “Speech!”

“Oh my god, shut up.” Jungkook blushes red from embarrassment. “We’re in a library, you monsters.”

“Speech,” Namjoon whispers.

“Alright.” With a melodramatic sigh, Jungkook looks around at the small but cosy room. It’s all painted white. There are posters for clubs and events that started and ended long ago still blue-tacked onto one or two of the walls, and the carpet could do with being wood flooring, but - Jungkook isn’t about to start a career in home renovation. What matters for now is that this is a dream come true… kind of. “So. As you both know - I’m a fucking brilliant artist.”

“You’re gonna have to not swear when the kids get here, sweetie,” Taehyung says, grimacing, still looking terribly proud. “As you were. Carry on. This is cute.”

“Practice being a respectable member of the community,” Namjoon says with a teasing wink, and Jungkook considers lobbing one of the paintbrushes at his face but thinks better for it.

“I wanted to thank you both from the bottom of my heart.” His low, certain voice chooses now to crack. His eyes are burning with tears but it’s only because he’s so happy. He has great friends and he’s doing something he’s been promising to do for years of his life. “Um.” He looks down at his big veiny hands, tracing the rose tattoo on his hand and then the snake tattoo that starts on his wrist. “Um. Yeah. Thanks for not laughing at me when I said I wanted to be an Art teacher.”

That’s blatantly untrue and they all know it. When Jungkook admitted over drinks that - as much as being borderline famous within the online artist world was definitely doing it for him, and as great as selling his pieces and sitting pretty cash-wise was - he wanted to teach kids how to draw and paint and make… Taehyung had giggled and called him a precious alpha, and Namjoon had laughed before realising he was deadly serious.

Still, Taehyung and Namjoon nod their heads reverently and go along with this abridged version of events.

“And…” Jungkook pouts and tries to think of something else to say to end his rubbish speech. “Yeah. Get out now, please. My students will be here any minute.”

“My students,” Namjoon mocks, though he grabs his backpack and heads towards the door. “Good luck, Kook-ah.”

“Thanks, hyung.” Jungkook bows quickly, ever the polite alpha unless you have the pleasure of being in bed with him. “See you later.”

Taehyung is still looking at Jungkook like he wants to smother him with cuddles, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when he rushes over and does exactly that. The floral perfume he wears to elevate his scent tickles Jungkook’s nose but he’s not complaining - cuddles from Tae are the best things the natural world has ever known.

“You’re amazing, Kookie,” Tae says quietly. The message carries straight to Jungkook’s alpha, who purrs at the praise. “Don’t let it go to your head, though,” he warns, stepping away from him reluctantly. “I probably shouldn’t stroke your ego any more than all your omega fans do.”

Jungkook makes a face. “It’s exhausting,” he lies.

“Yeah.” Taehyung punches his shoulder too soft for it to be a threat. “I bet it sucks being a tall, sexy alpha with great hair, great skin and bad boy tattoos.”

“I’ll send you my skincare routine.”

“We all know it’s just fucking water.”

Jungkook’s grin is confirmation enough. “Can you stop calling them bad boy tattoos, by the way?”

“I’ll stop at the same time I stop loving you,” Taehyung sings, following Namjoon out the door. His eyes twinkle, and Jungkook already misses the presence of his best friends despite them still being in his line of sight. “Bye, alpha.”

“Bye, hyung.”

They shut the door behind them.

Jungkook tries to school his expression into one of calm and chill - this is going to be totally fine. Fun, even! He thinks about all of the adorable faces he’s no doubt about to meet and he can’t help but smile. Not having Tae and Namjoon here makes the space feel eerily quiet, but Jungkook is positive. He’s confident.

This will be great. He can feel it.

___

When the time comes for the club to start, Jimin has successfully managed to avoid a conversation about his non-existent love life with Hoseok, who’s omega has him fussing like a proper mom over his pups before they head inside.

Jimin beams down at Suni and swings their hands where they’re joined together. “You sure you’re ready, honey?”

Suni dances on the spot and shows one of her extra special, half-toothless smiles to her Mom. “I’m ready, Mommy.”

“Good pup.” Jimin runs a hand over her long plait and gently squeezes one of her rosy cheeks. “Okay, sweetheart. What are we forgetting?”

Jimin quirks an eyebrow at his daughter. He, of course, knows what Suni is missing before she heads off into the world alone for a few hours. But he likes to make sure she remembers it, too. It placates his omega and allows him to worry a little bit less about her when they’re apart.

Hoseok watches fondly as Suni wracks her brain for the missing object. “Maybe it’s… your giant pet unicorn?” he asks unhelpfully.

All three of the kids laugh at that, especially Suni who exclaims an endeared “Silly Uncle Hoseokie!”

Jimin shakes his head at Hoseok and gives him a look. It’s a look that warns him not to start believing his own hype that he’s the comedy queen out of the parents. Jimin would like to think that that title very much belongs to him. Even Jae-Song once said ‘you’re funnier than daddy’, which Yoongi hated and therefore Jimin loved.

“Oh!” Suni’s sweet face flashes with memory, and she wraps her little arms around the thickness of Jimin’s thigh. “My inhaler! I remembered, Mommy.”

“Clever pup,” Jimin coos. He hugs her closer for a second before heading back towards his car and fetching Suni’s backpack. Suni’s asthma is mild and she rarely struggles with it, but Jimin isn’t about to take any risks. He’s packed one of Suni’s inhalers in her backpack and he also intends to hand one to the art teacher before he leaves. Hoseok will no doubt laugh at him and call him an ‘overprotective momma bear’, but Jimin will gladly take that as a compliment.

“Thank you, Mommy.” Suni puckers her lips for a kiss, so Jimin shyly leans down to accept one on his cheek. “I’ll be safe.”

“I know, baby.”

“Ready?” That’s Hoseok. Soonbok and Jae-Song are happy dancing on the spot just like Suni is. Jimin feels a mild flare of worry; he really hopes that this Arts Club is as fabulous as the kids are hoping it will be. There are at least twenty kids here today waiting to cram into the old library, so whoever is taking the class is going to have to know what they’re doing.

Jimin nods up at Hoseok and offers Suni his hand again, tickling her side to make her laugh first. “Ready.”

Hoseok confidently leads the way. Jimin isn’t surprised that people often think their senses are wrong for believing Hoseok to be an omega. He has a lean dancer’s body and has done well to shift any lingering baby weight after having not one but two pups. Jimin wouldn’t trade his own curvy figure for the world - he’s conquered many an alpha with this ass - but it did irk him at first when people assumed his omega status based solely on the shape of his body.

“Who’s excited?” Hoseok sings, wiggling his shoulders as they walk. The pups all shout their answer, and the resounding answer seems to be - yes. Even some of the other kids walking in with their parents are getting hyped because of Hoseok.

Jimin wants to scold his best friend for getting their kids’ hopes up - there’s every chance that this whole thing will be utterly shit. Jimin does believe that a creative space for the kids is just as important as going to school to learn Korean and Maths, but he doesn’t want to see his pup disappointed and her Uncle is legitimately the king of raising hopes.

Once they’re inside the library, Jimin squeezes Suni’s hand and helps her lift her backpack comfortably onto her back. He puts a finger to his lip when she looks at him and he pretends to be asleep on the spot.

“Remember, baby,” he whispers after she giggles. “This is a library. You have to keep your voice low until we get to your club, okay?”

Suni nods quite seriously and makes a show of pretending to zip her lips closed. In reply, Jimin shows her his biggest, most charmed smile.

The library looks identical to how he’d left it many years ago. Still mostly bare in terms of people, yet overflowing in terms of books. He looks around in awe, surprised with how clear his memories are thanks to nothing having changed.

Hoseok looks back at him with a teasing glint in his eye. “Your Mommy used to do nothing but study,” he tells Suni, which they both know is a lie. Jimin did a lot more than just study. Jimin did all sorts… including alphas. Plenty of alphas.

He’s not about to correct his friend, though, not in front of the pups at least.

The few people scattered around the library tables pretending to study or read look more than slightly perturbed by the gang of parents and pups walking past. Many sets of eyes face them and go wide.

“How cute,” Jimin comments when he sees the first sign. It’s bright and helpful, and the kids look at it as though it’s taking them one step closer to meeting Santa Clause.

The arrow signs take them right past the librarian’s desk, who is now a pretty blonde omega with a wide smile and cleavage, as opposed to the very old, very kind beta Jimin had become familiar with during his schooldays. He catches her eye and smiles as they walk past, because he has a kind heart. It’s that kind heart that encourages Suni to also catch the librarian lady’s eyes and smile toothlessly.

“I think we’re here.” Hoseok’s cheery voice fades out towards the end, his eyes locking on something in recognition.

Kids pour from behind them into the room, excited to get started and meet their teacher. Jae-Song and Soonbok get caught up in the crowd, too, once they’ve kissed Hoseok’s cheeks and said goodbye. Suni waits to have Jimin’s attention so that they can scent each other and have a parting cuddle, standing patiently.

But Jimin can smell the ocean.

It feels like his heart is being physically pulled from his chest. He rounds the corner on instincts alone, ignoring Hoseok’s existence as well as that of the other parents. His omega feels about ready to break free, push people out of the way if he has to. So much so that his eyes are starting to hum with grey the more and more control of himself he loses. He’s holding Suni’s hand like it’s the only thing keeping him tethered to reality, all whilst that familiar scent toys with his omega, toys with him, reminding him of every emotion he could name.

“Mommy?”

Suni’s voice reaches him in his dazed state.

“Sunshine,” he coos a little breathlessly, pushing his hair away from his face and leaning down shakily to hug his daughter. His eyes return to their usual sparkly brown.

“You smell weird.” Suni scents her Mom, nuzzling her little nose against Jimin’s neck. Jimin makes himself relax for her sake, shuts his eyes for a second and lets roses wash over him, makes sure to release calming pheromones. “You okay?”

Jimin’s heart warms at his pup’s kindness. “I’m fine, sweetheart.”

“Are you sad that I’m going to Arts Club?” Suni’s little voice struggles around a slight lisp.

Jimin gasps dramatically and pulls back to look at her, his knees starting to ache from crouching down like this for so long. “No, baby girl.” He shakes his head, makes sure to emphasise his point. “No way. I’m so glad you’re about to have so much fun. I’ll be with Uncle Hoseokie and he’ll keep me company, okay?”

This makes Suni smile. “Okay.”

“Go join Jae-Song and Soonbok before they do all the art and don’t leave any for you!” Despite his still racing heart and that thrum of ocean smell filling his senses, Jimin plays it up to his daughter. He covers his mouth in pretend shock and gasps. “Hurry, Suni!”

Laughing with pure joy and hopefully forgetting about the earlier distress in her Mom’s scent, Suni heaves her backpack further up onto her shoulders and runs into the art studio to join her friends.

Jimin slowly rises to his feet. It feels stuffy and unbearably warm in the library, but he’s aware of Hoseok staring at him. He can feel waves of concerned lavender.

“Minnie?”

“I’m good.”

He’s not. Jimin watches Suni run and join the cluster of excited kids surrounding an alpha. His alpha. Not his alpha. Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook. An alpha.

An alpha who smells like the ocean and puts him at ease in ways no one else has ever quite managed. He’s never really let anybody else try. But it hasn't ever mattered.

Jungkook - he can’t believe that it’s Jungkook - looks completely at home in this setting and yet he jars against it so much; he’s a natural, entertaining the kids that surround him, introducing himself as ‘Jungkook-oppa’ or ‘Jungkook-hyung’ with such emphasised joy, listening carefully to the parents that have questions, smiling kindly with that familiar, sweet bunny smile. He has one kid tugging at his left hand and another tugging at his right arm, causing the muscles to flex and harden underneath his shirt. He laughs as another kid asks him ‘how did you make yourself look so cool?!’, probably in reference to the lip ring, sneaking tattoos and confident aura Jungkook naturally omits. He faux gasps when another kid tells him ‘you smell like the beach!’ as though it’s the most fantastic thing ever. And Jimin kind of thinks it is.

Jimin’s breath hitches in anticipation when Jungkook - definitely Jungkook, with that unruly dark hair and high-pitched, honest laugh - looks up and locks eyes with him. Eyes that Jimin watches turn a faint but pretty shade of gold.

___

“No offence, Kook, but you’re literally insane.” Eleven-year-old Taehyung takes a bite out of the sandwich his Dad packed for his school lunch as though he’s been starving his entire life. “I mean-” He chews noisily, takes a sip of his apple juice by sucking on the straw, turns his gaze back onto his best friend sitting across from him in the cafeteria. “-There are several reasons why you’re insane. I’d be happy to go over them for you, if you want.”

Ten-year-old Jungkook (nearly eleven, though! And therefore ‘nearly a grownup’) rests his head on his hand in defeat. “You don’t have to go over the reasons why I’m insane, Tae.” He sighs. “I’m well aware.”

“One,” Tae says anyway, mouth totally full.

Jungkook scrunches a hand through his messy thick hair and resigns himself to listening.

“You’re in Year 7. He’s in Year 8.”

“You say that like it’s forbidden or something.”

“It is.” Taehyung’s young face is entirely serious. The new dark blue jumper his parents bought for his school uniform is now covered in sandwich crumbs.

Jungkook blanches. “It’s not.”

“Two,” Taehyung continues, wiggling two long fingers in the air and biting into his sandwich again. “You, Jeon Jungkook, should be focusing on your studies.” With this disappointed expression on his face, Jungkook feels like he’s talking to one of his Moms. “You’re in one of the top high schools in all of Seoul.” Taehyung throws his hands up and gestures around the room, as though swarms of pre-presenting kids, permanently angry teachers and only mildly decent cafeteria food is what they’ve both been waiting for their entire lives. “I didn’t raise you so that you could go off with older boys so young.”

“You didn’t raise me, stupid.” But Jungkook is smiling, has never minded being babied by Taehyung. His parents are convinced - like, so convinced that they’ve already planned out his future with it in mind - that Jungkook will present as an alpha. Everyone is convinced that Jungkook will present as an alpha, including his best friend Taehyung. Everyone except for Jungkook.

He doesn’t feel like it’s a match. His Moms are betas who adopted him when he was still a pup, too young to see them as anything other than his parents, too young to know anything else. He thinks he’d like to stay just as he is; the way he sees it, betas don’t change much. Presenting as a beta means staying as yourself. No added biological presets or anything that might determine your quality of life. On his eighteenth birthday, he’d simply find out what colour his wolf’s eyes are. His scent would stay as very faint, almost unnoticeable sea breeze. No one would expect anything of him. He’d be able to go to university and do art and nobody would say that’s not alpha enough.

And as far as pups go… he’d adopt! Just like his Moms. Jungkook definitely wants pups. That’s something even his ten-year-old brain can be certain of.

“Hey.”

Jungkook and Taehyung both snap their heads in the direction of the deeper voice. Yoongi stands at the edge of their table, lunch tray in hand, expression impassive.

“Yoongi-hyung,” Jungkook says, feeling lightness in his heart at the prospect of another friend’s company - innocence personified.

“Hey, hyung,” Tae gives without lifting his eyes.

“Can I sit with you guys today?”

“You ask every day,” Jungkook giggles. “We’d never say no, hyung.”

“I’d say no.” Taehyung sticks his tongue out jokily at Yoongi. Yoongi, who is in the year above, ignores his antics and sits down beside Jungkook. He smells faintly of pine, but Jungkook latches onto that sweet smell of cookies. He must have been with Jimin just moments ago.

Jimin…

Jungkook pictures the pretty twelve-year-old boy in his mind and almost melts into a puddle of… feelings.

“Jungkook has a crush on your best friend,” Tae tells Yoongi, eyes lighting up with mischief.

Yoongi quirks an eyebrow in Jungkook’s direction. “Which one?”

“Way to flex on us.” Taehyung rolls his eyes, dips a chip in sauce and swirls it around. “You have us and Park Jimin. Do the maths. You’re not exactly swimming in friends, hyung.”

“Saying ‘hyung’ doesn’t lessen the rudeness of your sentence,” Yoongi says, monotonously. He looks at Jungkook again. “You’re crushing on Jimin?”

Jungkook has only been alive for ten years, but he’s spent that time being pretty honest and rarely embarrassed. Jimin and Yoongi spend a lot of time together because they’re both into the same sorts of music (literally every available genre) and maybe he shouldn’t tell him about his crush on his other friend. But Jungkook isn’t in a rush to hide his feelings. Why hide, anyway?

So he nods at his hyung with determination, his babyish features temporarily strong. “I like him.”

“Romantically?” Yoongi asks. They both roll their eyes when Taehyung scoffs like the immature kid he currently is. Jungkook is just glad that someone is taking him seriously.

He nods. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Sure?”

“I mean…” He shrugs, looking around the room in contemplation. “I just wanna talk to him.”

“That’s adorable,” Taehyung admits, and even Yoongi’s brown eyes soften. He’s only a little bit older than them - and he’s even shorter than them - but he’s earned the title of ‘hyung’ in the few months they’ve known him since school started.

Yoongi only knows Taehyung through Jungkook. He only knows Jungkook through a little gem called school theatre.

Park Jimin and his non-mean mean girl troupe (Hoseok and Seokjin) practically own the school already. It shouldn’t be possible but it is. They rule over their year and the younger year with a kind hand, taking charge of all sports events, dances and school council meetings. Jimin is top of the class and top of everybody’s list. He flourishes in the productions that the school puts on every few months or so, always snatching up lead acting, singing and dancing roles. And rightfully so - he’s talented.

Jungkook gets lost in thought thinking about how pretty Jimin had looked when he’d seen him dance in the first production, a week after he’d started school. Jimin had looked at home on that stage, twirling like a tiny ballerina, hair falling into his eyes as the lights desperately tried to keep up with him…

A key detail here is that Yoongi is basically in love with Hoseok. No exaggerations needed. He’s in love with him. Taehyung reckons that Hoseok is just oblivious to it, but it doesn’t stop Yoongi from never confessing his feelings, instead following Hoseok around like a shadow. This includes doing the music and staging for the school productions to be closer to choreographer Jung Hoseok. Jungkook’s artistic ability was picked up on by his teachers straight away, so he helps design the sets and the props. He actually met Yoongi properly when Yoongi mistook a prop chair for a real chair and Jungkook had jumped in to help him up from the floor. Jimin had helped him up, too, laughing and spluttering and giggling or something equally beautiful. He hadn’t spared Jungkook - stood there breathless and dazed in his baggy uniform - a single glance.

The three friends watch as Jimin pushes open the doors to the cafeteria, stands there for a second with the prettiest smirk on his face, before making his way down the steps towards his usual table. Jung Hoseok is all smiles at his left side, Kim Seokjin has more confidence than any twelve-year-old really ought to at his right side.

Jimin doesn’t walk so much as floats, each movement languid and deliberate and soft. He flicks his light brown hair out of his eyes, catches Yoongi’s eye and beams at him, before disappearing from sight.

They sit in near-silence for a few moments after that. Only Tae’s noisy eating and the chatter of the tables around them supplies any sound.

“Tell Jungkook he’s crazy,” Taehyung insists after a while, still smiling and chomping his way through his lunch.

“You’re crazy,” Yoongi deadpans.

None of this deters Jungkook.

___

Nothing deters Jungkook. Ever.

His feelings pretty much grow with fervour each passing year. He watches Jimin command the school in his checkered shorts and knee-high socks one day, form-fitting trousers and a smart school tie the next. He watches him smile happily at everyone except him and he never once takes it personally - Jungkook doesn’t stand out. That’s fine. He doesn’t want to.

Jungkook watches Jimin push the school rules in a way only he could when he gets to Year 10, dying the tips of his fringe blush pink. He watches him lead the cheerleading team in Year 11. Jungkook gets into the habit of turning up to games, dragging Taehyung along, to do nothing much other than wait for Jimin to come out onto the field, admire him blushing excitedly and waving randomly at the crowd, hands on his hips as he launches with confidence into a familiar routine.

He watches Jimin and he wonders what it would be like to be near that cookie scent all the time. To be the object of those smiles, or the cause of that laughter. He wouldn’t say he’s pining…

“You are pining,” Taehyung corrects him one day. They’re in Year 11 and Jungkook is fifteen years old. Jimin is in Sixth Form. There’s going to be a school production of Cinderella later this month starring Jimin (naturally), and Jungkook is now pretty much in charge of set design. He’s painting the pumpkin-turned-carriage baby pink and baby blue with gold detail, a bandanna headband keeping his long hair from his face.

“I’m not pining,” he says to Tae, who is supposed to be helping him but is playing games on his phone instead. “I’m really not fussed. I like Jimin. Who doesn’t?”

Taehyung just blinks at him. “I don’t.”

“Yeah. Well…” Jungkook shrugs his broadening shoulders and gets to his feet, dusts his uniform down and appraises his handiwork so far. He can’t wait to not have to wear uniform anymore in Sixth Form. “It’s not a big deal. He doesn’t like me and maybe one day he will.”

“Kook.” Taehyung actually pinches the bridge of his nose as if he’s stressed beyond his years . “Jimin doesn’t even know you.” Jungkook shrugs - it’s fine. “Plenty of people know you and like you, Kook. Are you sure you want to keep chasing after someone who doesn’t?”

“He’s not just someone, though, Tae Tae,” Jungkook teases, finding an unpainted patch and getting to work. He smiles just thinking about him. “He’s Jimin. He smells like cookies and he makes everyone happy. I’d love to, like…” Jungkook attempts to find the word - he’s constantly trying to find this word. What exactly does he want to do to Jimin. “I’d love to know him,” he settles on.

“Just know him?”

“Yup.” Jungkook’s brown eyes glitter at the prospect. “I think we’d be good friends, you know? I bet I could really make him laugh.”

“So you just want to know him?”

Jungkook knows that Taehyung is trying to make him confess to some dirty fantasies about Jimin, but there’s nothing to tell. “Know him and have him know me, hyung.”

Taehyung can’t help but smile when Jungkook is being adorable, which is pretty much always and forever. He and Yoongi have worked hard over the past five years to keep Jungkook based in their reality - the one where Jimin clearly doesn’t return his feelings. Jimin likes Kang Jihun and has for a very long time. Despite sharing Yoongi as a best friend, Jungkook and Jimin haven’t even exchanged greetings once in their lives.

“Okay, so…” Taehyung switches tactics, helpfully handing Jungkook the brush he knows he’s looking for. “What if you actually spoke to him?”

Jungkook pauses, eyes going wide. “Like… with words?”

“Unless you’ve found another amazing way to do it, yeah.”

Jungkook tries to picture himself striking up a conversation with Jimin, and he doesn’t get very far in his imagination. “Can’t I just like him from afar?” he asks, making his tone particularly babyish.

Taehyung pulls a face. “Kook. You’re not just ‘afar’. You’re, like, on a different planet.”

This makes Jungkook laugh casually - he agrees. “Good point.”

“Talk to him, you cute fool.”

Jungkook scrunches his nose up cutely. “When I’m sixteen.”

“Why sixteen?” Tae laughs.

“Because!” Jungkook splatters his best friend with dirty paint water. “I don’t know. Gives me a year to prepare. Get myself in shape.” He’s joking, totally, flexing almost non-existent arm muscles at Taehyung, who’s lack of impression is clear. “…I’m procrastinating getting rejected by Jimin,” he says truthfully. He’s always truthful.

“If he knew you, he wouldn’t reject you,” Taehyung says kindly. He can’t resist leaning over to ruffle up his younger friend’s hair. He knows (even if Jungkook doesn’t see it himself) that he’s got alpha written all over him. Jungkook has all the makings of handsome. He’s still the cutest thing alive with his floppy, non-styled hair, bunny teeth and chubby cheeks, but Taehyung thinks he should baby Jungkook as much as he can before he goes all manly and tall and serious and he loses the chance.

___

On Jungkook’s sixteenth birthday, Taehyung reminds him of what he’d promised a year ago.

He doesn’t do anything too fancy for his birthday. His family is fairly financially comfortable, so his Moms try to persuade him to throw a party. Invite his extended family and school friends. Jungkook had thought about doing it, just to give his Moms the chance to show him off to family members they don’t really like. Family members who ignored their existence as a beta/beta couple adopting a son with an unknown background. One of his Moms would have loved the chance to get all dressed up, too, and Taehyung has grown into a party animal so he would have enjoyed that as well. Not to mention he’s been convinced for years that Jungkook has some attractive cousin hiding out somewhere, waiting to meet him and fall in love with him.

He’s sure Yoongi - who is graduating next year and going off to uni to study music - would have showed his face. His ever-adoring hyung who recently turned eighteen and presented as an alpha, surprising absolutely no one.

But Jungkook didn’t want a party in the end. He was more excited about what being sixteen would bring as opposed to the day of celebration itself.

So when Taehyung reminds him that he said he’d talk to Jimin once he turns sixteen… he does.

___

Jimin presents as an omega on his eighteenth birthday.

He has the party the day before - how could he not have a party? Most of the people who turn up, he’s probably spoken to only once before in his life. But he’s happy nonetheless watching streams of excited people flood into his home. His considerably large home, since his Mom and Dad are both surgeons.

Hoseok, Seokjin and Yoongi are all there. Hoseok presented as an omega in February. Seokjin presented as an omega a few months before that in December. Yoongi makes hopeless heart eyes at Hoseok from across the room and Jimin has to float from one friend to the next all night because of his awkwardness, but he doesn’t mind. He’s just happy to have them all here.

The loud pop music, shots of beer and stench of sweat and array of scents takes his mind off of the fact that he’s going to wake up tomorrow as something. And that something is probably going to be…

The thing is, Jimin genuinely believed he was born an alpha. Seokjin literally laughed in his face when he admitted it, but it made sense to Jimin. The stereotypes surrounding alphas and omegas were very intense whilst Jimin was growing up. It was still socially acceptable for people to shame omegas and not take them seriously. Looks alone were viewed as judgement enough as to a wolf’s status. Omegas equal weak. Alphas equal strong.

It’s not until Jimin wakes up the next morning, big eyes flashing grey, panting and breathless but feeling stronger than ever, that he realises the truth: omegas are strong. It takes a few more years for this to become the general opinion, that omegas are just as strong - if not stronger - than alphas. But for Jimin, he knew this the very moment he presented.

When he went to school the following Monday, though… it became clear that there were going to be some changes. All of a sudden, Jimin’s omega is restless. He sees Jihun - the black-haired, tall, arrogant captain of the basketball team he’s always had a big thing for - and struggles to keep up their usual game of hard to get. The will-they-won’t-they dance they’ve been doing for years feels tougher on Jimin’s omega now; all he can think about is pleasing him and appealing to him. Not really Jimin’s scene.

Seokjin cuddles a pouting Jimin and tells him that it will get better within a year or so. Once he’s had his first heat - yet another thing Jimin wants to groan about - but Jimin thinks biology is prejudiced.

“I feel like all I can think about is alphas,” Jimin says, cuddling closer into Jin’s warm arms and cinnamon scent. They’re in Jimin’s spacey, modern living room.

“So, the usual, then?” Hoseok teases, plopping down on the sofa opposite and grinning at Jimin mischievously.

Jin laughs loudly whilst Jimin tries to kick Hoseok with his foot. All that happens, though, is his cute fluffy slipper falls off. This elicits a distressed, frustrated, high-pitched wine from his pouted lips.

“Come on, Jiminie,” Hoseok laughs. He’s never really been one to take Jimin’s bad moods seriously.

“Yeah.” Seokjin runs his fingers through Jimin’s hair like the mom he basically already is. “Look on the bright side!” His pretty features relax into a smile. “The three of us could start an omega band!”

Hoseok throws his body around in his seat and laughs. Jimin has to lie there for a minute, pouting unhappily, listening to the two of them laugh and try to harmonise with each other to no avail.

Where on earth did the lie that omegas are sweet, innocent and pathetic come from? Jimin’s wolf is impatient and growly and on edge at all times.

All of this means that, when Jungkook first talks to Jimin, he’s talking to a grumpier version than he was maybe ready for.

Jungkook watches Jimin walk into the cafeteria, minus the smiles but even prettier than the last time he’d saw him. He’s carrying a banner advertising tickets to his Leaver’s Play in a few months time and a staple gun and looking around with big brown eyes for an available wall. Uniforms don’t exist in the last two years of school, so Jimin is wearing a pretty pink shirt and snug jeans.

“Earth to Jungkook,” Taehyung laughs, waving a hand in front of his face.

“Are you seriously still checking Jimin out?” Yoongi asks this, making a very unimpressed face in Jungkook’s general direction before tucking back into his burger. “What’s even left to check out after, like, twenty years?”

“Seven years,” Jungkook says very calmly, an innocent smile on his face. “I’ve liked Jimin for seven years, hyung.”

“You’re getting mixed up with yourself, hyung,” Tae teases, mouth full as per usual. “You’ve been pining after Hoseok for twenty years.”

Taehyung dodges Yoongi’s weak attempt at hitting him. Yoongi might be an alpha now but apart from a more clear pine scent and a broader frame, Jungkook can’t tell the difference. Maybe being an alpha wouldn’t be such a dramatic change for him, either?…

“Jimin looks prettier than usual,” Jungkook observes. He watches him stand up with wobbly legs on a chair, reaching up on tiptoes even after that to try and hang up the banner. Kang Jihun doesn’t exactly go running over to help him. No one does. “Something’s different.”

Taehyung and Yoongi look at each other.

“Kook,” Tae laughs. “Haven’t you heard?”

Jungkook’s eyes go wide in his classic confused expression. “What did I miss?”

“Jimin presented as an omega,” Yoongi explains with a quick eye roll. “Didn’t I already tell you?”

Jungkook looks away for a beat, eyes still wide as he tries to process this new information - Jimin is an omega. Wow. He’s - honestly - surprised. But then he’s not surprised at the same time? Does it really matter, anyway? Jungkook isn’t so sure it does, but he’s positive that society will have a different opinion.

“You refuse to tell me anything about Jimin because you don’t want to encourage my crush,” Jungkook says matter-of-factly. “It’s all good though, hyung.” He leans back casually in his chair, psyching himself up. “You’re gonna have to eat your words soon.”

Yoongi gets vaguely defensive whilst Taehyung chuckles beside him. “Jimin has never so much as mentioned you, Jungkook.”

He shrugs, allows a teasing smile. “Well, get ready for him mentioning me twenty-four/seven after this.”

“Oh my god, Kook.” Taehyung clutches his stomach, he’s laughing so hard. “Please don’t be one of those all-talk alphas.”

Even Yoongi is smiling. “By all means…” He gestures to Jimin with his half-eaten burger. “Prove me wrong.”

Jungkook gets up. Stands up. Pushes his chair squeakily back under the table and glares very quickly at his laughing, unsupportive friends.

Taehyung tries to hide his smile behind the sleeve of his jacket, but he’s not fooling anyone. “We believe in you, Kook-ah.”

“No you really don’t.”

“I don’t,” Yoongi admits.

It kind of feels like everyone in this cafeteria is watching as Jungkook approaches the boy of his dreams. Officially now; that whole innocent, pure interest in getting to talk to and know Jimin is still there, but there’s also a strong need to be next to him. In fact, every step leads him further into that stupidly good scent, sweeter now… more cookie dough than just cookies. Jungkook tries not to salivate and he tries to come across as literally anything other than a pre-presenting wolf who has had a not-at-all-hidden crush on Jimin his entire school career.

“Um…” He wipes his hands down the front of his jeans and puts himself in Jimin’s line of sight, clasping his hands in front of him. He changes his mind. Puts his hands in his pockets. Wait. Too casual. Jungkook’s hands go behind his back. “Hi.”

Hi. Wow. Jungkook suddenly feels dizzy with the realisation that this truly is the first time he’s ever spoken to the prettiest omega in the world… or maybe it’s Jimin’s scent making him so dizzy.

Jimin looks down at him from where he’s wobbling precariously on the chair. It’s a brief glance but there’s the slightest smile in it, albeit just a pretty upturn of plump pink lips. Up close, Jungkook can in fact report that Jimin is even more beautiful than expected. There’s a dusting of freckles on his shiny cheeks, so faint they could not be there and you wouldn’t notice. His eyes look tired.

“Hi,” he says. Out of politeness, most likely.

Jungkook knows he needs to think of something less creepy to do than just stand here and watch an older omega struggle to hang up a banner… so he grabs the other end of the banner that’s currently dangling down onto the floor and tries to look kind. It’s not hard. But Jimin isn’t in the mood.

“I can help if you want?” He poses it as a careful question, confidence slipping when Jimin turns to him with a scowl ready to go. “Um…” He looks around as if seeking help. His voice falls quiet. “If you want.”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m capable of doing it myself,” Jimin snaps, taking the other end of the banner from Jungkook. They don’t even make skin contact, but the eye contact is burning. “It’s a banner, not a goddamn building. I don’t need any help.”

Jungkook isn’t sure how Jimin plans on putting up the banner with two hands full, but he guesses that’s not the point. He didn’t mean to insult his strength or his capability - he can’t actually think of anyone he knows who is more capable than Park Jimin. He should definitely probably most likely be saying this stuff out loud instead of just gawping at him and saying it in his head.

“Of course,” he manages, backing down. Jimin softens when he smells the faint sadness in his seaside scent. More like a rainy day now. “Good luck with it. I don’t mean that in, like, a condescending way. Just…” Jungkook starts to back away, feeling embarrassed for the first real time in maybe his entire life. His cheeks heat up without his consent. “Just, like, really. Genuinely. Good luck.”

Jimin huffs out a resigned sigh. “Thank you, Jungkook. That was kind of you.” He’s just sick of alphas trying to flex on him all of a sudden, and - of course - Jeon Jungkook, Yoongi’s friend, is only a kid and isn’t really much harm. He’s not even an alpha.

Jimin watches him leave and doesn’t think much of it. What’s done is done. Maybe if he thinks Jimin is mean, he’ll stop pining after him so obviously. That’d be nice.

___

When Jungkook sits back down next to his friends, he can’t help but look so dejected. Something just happened that he wasn’t prepared for. Jimin rejecting him? Fine. He expected that. Feeling more embarrassed than anyone has ever felt ever? Cool. He was totally ready for it. But…

“How did it go?” Taehyung’s face is squeezed into nervous excitement whilst Yoongi looks weirdly pitying at his side, as if he heard the whole thing already. “Did you two talk?!”

The bell signalling the end of lunch rings, but nobody makes any moves to get out of here.

Jungkook releases a pent up sigh and looks at his friends. His baby cheeks are still a little red. “Jimin knows me.”

Taehyung looks confused. “What?”

“He knows my name.” Jungkook is still very much in shock. It was a lot easier thinking that Jimin didn’t know him, didn’t see him. That meant that they just needed their perfect meet-cute. And then they’d talk and Jimin would find Jungkook endearing and interesting as much as Jungkook finds Jimin admirable and beautiful…

But it turns out that Jungkook’s not-so-hidden crush really hasn’t been well-hidden, and Jimin knows him - knows who he is and what he does - and simply just doesn’t give much of a shit.

Jungkook feels like a sixteen-year-old kid now more than ever. “Wow.” He laughs a little sadly. “I really thought he didn’t know me.”

“Aw, sweetie.” Taehyung takes Jungkook’s hand in his own, pouts and looks very sorry, his floral scent sweetening as he subconsciously tries to soothe his best friend. “I’m sorry, Kook-ah.”

“Did you really think Jimin didn’t know your name?” Yoongi asks softly. He doesn’t wait for a reply. “Kook, you’re not as invisible as you think you are. And Jimin isn’t as oblivious as he thinks he is.” Yoongi runs a hand through his dark hair. He finds the most gentle, most truthful words in the world, sourcing them right from the bottom of his heart. “It’ll be alright, Kook-ah. Don’t worry.”

Jungkook nods and smiles. “I’m fine,” he says, really meaning it. His gaze shamelessly follows Jimin as he manages to finish hanging up the banner, looking at it with a sense of pride and achievement on his face, his cheeks red from the effort. “It’s okay, hyungs,” Jungkook continues, smiling. “Come on. Let’s talk about something else.”

“Like how Yoongi-hyung needs to get his alpha on and ask Hoseok out already.”

“Not that,” Yoongi says, scowling, swatting at Taehyung’s grabby hands. “Anything but that.”

Jungkook watches his friends banter and tease each other with a bunny smile set on his face. He’s fine.

___

It’s two weeks before Jimin’s Leavers Play.

That also, of course, means it’s two weeks before Jimin leaves. Jungkook has no idea where he’s leaving to, but he knows that his final year of school will be a little less pretty without Jimin floating through the halls and clogging up his senses with cookie dough.

And Yoongi will be gone, too. Jungkook knows they won’t have a big fussy goodbye. Yoongi will say ‘see you later’ as though he’s leaving for a few hours and that’s all. The reality is that he’s going to study music at a university in America. They’ll be lucky to see each other at Christmas, if anything. Jungkook tries really hard not to think so much about that.

It’s a bit of a sombre time in general, but Jungkook happily works on the set of Jimin’s play. It’s less of a play and more of a performance, the script, music and dance numbers playing up to the strengths of the brilliant students that the theatre department will sorely miss next year. Jimin’s character is a dancer, and Jungkook hasn’t seen him dance to the music Yoongi’s been preparing yet, but it’s beautiful and he can’t wait.

He gets his wish today, when he stays back late after school to help some of the older students position the props and touch up last-minute designs of the set. Everyone goes home once it’s done, except Jungkook, who offers to tidy up alone. Sometimes he thinks he only does kind things to disprove everyone’s theory about him being an alpha, but that’s not the case at all. He’s just got one of the kindest hearts in the world. It’s that simple.

Another of those kind hearts also stayed back late today to use the stage.

Jimin stands in the very centre of the wide, worn stage, breathing raggedly. The pink has long-faded from his hair, leaving it a dusty, fluffy blonde. He’s got a few moments before the next song comes on, so he uses the time to stare at the currently empty seats of the audience, imagining them filled with smiling faces and clapping hands, all aimed at him. He imagines the lights being focused on him once more - just one last time - and he feels tears prick his eyes at the thought of leaving all of this behind.

This is an omega side effect, he thinks bitterly, scowling at nobody in particular. He’s been crying a lot more since he turned eighteen, and he’s certain it’s all down to stupid omega hormones and stupid biology, definitely not the cruel passing of time. Not the promise of change…

The song begins. Jimin allows himself a small smile, thinking of Yoongi’s talent. The beat feels like soft, deep waves hitting shore. The melody is sweet and sad and it’s got Jimin’s name written all over it.

Jimin launches himself into the routine Hoseok choreographed for him, unaware of sixteen-year-old Jeon Jungkook watching him with lovesick eyes from behind the curtains.

Each turn of his body feels right. It feels like the right thing to do. He dips himself into positions that have taken him years to master. He dances in the same way he walks - like floating. Like breathing.

Jungkook thinks that this is the most beautiful Jimin has ever been. Not just because of the way his white jumper slips from collarbone to collarbone as he spins, leaps and twists. Not just because of the golden halo the dim lights create around his head. Not just because of the purposeful intent behind each move. It’s all of that and so much more - Jungkook thinks he can feel Jimin’s emotions when he dances like this. It’s almost as though his cookie dough scent has descended onto the entire theatre, pulling Jungkook along with it.

As he watches Jimin dance, he feels everything he is feeling. The vague sense of distress. He feels the longing and the hurt, even though he doesn’t quite understand it. He feels the pride and the joy and the love for dance that Jimin clearly has. Feeling his feelings isn’t enough, though. Jungkook needs to know him.

He decides to wait for the song to end, first of all. No. First of all, he should really close his mouth and stop creepily staring at Jimin. This is quite clearly a personal moment and Jungkook thinks he’s seen enough.

He turns his back to the curtain very quickly, puts his hands on his hips and blows out a quiet raspberry - what’s gotten into him?

Okay. He gets that that’s a dumb question, considering the fact that he’s been crushing on Jimin for seven years non-stop, unapologetically. But he’s always had control of those feelings. It’s never felt like such a necessity to know Jimin. He’s not completely in love with the vaguely possessive feelings that come up when he sees Kang Jihun touch Jimin’s waist in the hallway before saying something unoriginally flirtatious, almost every single day. He didn’t like that he’d automatically undermined Jimin’s strength the other day when he’d been trying to hang up that banner.

And just then? With Jimin dancing to this paradoxically sweet and sad song? Jungkook had basically been in a trance.

But whatever this new addition to his feelings for Jimin is… he’s still pretty confident that all he wants to do is talk to him. It’s just this nervous excitement to be surrounded by Jimin and his scent and his bubbly laugh. Jungkook doesn’t know why he needs it but he knows he needs it.

He runs a hand through all his hair and sighs, shaking it off for now. Maybe if he talks to Jimin again - properly this time, with real words and maybe even honest feelings - he’ll be able to shake off this weirdness for good.

Sounds like a solid plan.

Jungkook waits until the music fades and all that can be heard is soft, almost pant-like breathing.

He fiddles with the sleeves of his checkered shirt, feeling strangely underdressed when he walks onto the stage to join Jimin and his etherealness.

Jimin’s wolf has him turning around in an instant, big eyes sharp and hyperaware of somebody watching him.

Jungkook freezes, has to mentally stop himself from holding two hands up in surrender. “Hey,” he says.

Hey. Even better than ‘hi’. It’s at least one letter longer, that’s got to stand for something, right?

Jimin tilts his head in mild interest, still visibly breathing hard, skin dewy with sweat.

“Um…” Words, Jungkook. “I really like the way you dance, Jimin-ssi.” His voice sounds loud and croaky in the lights and the huge room. As far as performances go, he’s pretty sure this is one of the worst and most tragic this stage has seen so far.

Jimin’s head cocks to the other side. The next song - something much more upbeat that Jungkook thinks is meant for the very end of the play - comes on, making them both jump.

Jimin walks very quickly to the speaker where his phone is lying. He presses pause on the music and unplugs his phone completely, flicking it from one hand to the next before placing a hand on his hip and observing Jungkook, expression impassive. His breathing has evened out fully now.

He sighs when he sees the obvious nerves on Jungkook’s young face. “Call me hyung,” he murmurs without much care.

Jungkook nods. Bows. He’s all over the place. “Of course.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Jimin says, and he does feel flattered, to tell the truth. “What are you doing here, Jungkook?”

Jungkook’s face flushes red, simply from a mixture of his name falling so effortlessly from Jimin’s pink lips and having his long-term crush’s gaze unmistakably on him.

“Oh.” Jungkook gestures to the paint on his jeans as though this is explanation enough. When he sees Jimin’s eyebrows shoot up in confusion, he explains. “I work on the set so I-”

“You do?” Jimin looks surprised.

Jungkook feels his spirits take a hit. So, Jimin knows his name and that he’s friends with Yoongi, but he hadn’t noticed him? Not even once? They’ve been working on plays and performances indirectly together as part of a team for seven years, and this is the first Jimin has heard of it?

“I do,” he says a little quietly, suddenly seeing the futility of this whole thing. Jimin doesn’t like him. He knew that, but now he, like, really knows that. And… he’s fine with it. It hurts as much as you’d expect it to hurt when your dreams crumble away into dust, but he’s fine with it. “Anyway-”

“You’re good at art,” Jimin says, shrugging his delicate shoulders. He’d seen the dejection on Jungkook’s face and acted quickly, not wanting to bruise the boy’s ego in any irreparable way.

Jungkook looks surprised. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jimin smiles sweetly. “Are you going home now?”

Jungkook feels a flare of confidence now that Jimin is showing some sort of interest. Yeah, he’s interested in him leaving, but, still!

For some reason, he puffs out his chest. “Yeah,” he drawls - tries to drawl. “Did you… want to… walk with me?”

“No, Jungkook. I don’t want to walk with you.”

“Oh.” Jungkook nods too fast and goes a little bit lightheaded. “Okay. That’s fine. I just-”

“I’m not interested in you, Jungkook.” Jimin has both hands on his hips. They’re on the same stage but Jimin looks like he’s towering over him in this moment, a firm expression on his face and in his tone. “I’m trying to make conversation because we’re alone in school together after hours, and you’re Yoongi’s friend and so am I. So I’m simply being…” He searches for the word. “Nice.” It doesn’t feel like the right fit, considering the absolute sadness washing through Jungkook’s scent. “I’m not interested in you.”

Jungkook doesn’t think he needed to hear it twice, but then, maybe he did.

He lets his emotions show honestly on his face, not bothering to hide the creasing of his brow or the wobble of his lip.

Jimin drops his hands from his hips and sighs; anything he says now would be pointless. He believes every word Yoongi says to him, even the ones about Jungkook being the kindest, sweetest, most loving boy he knows. He gets it. He gets why Yoongi feels that way. But Jimin is literally just weeks away from leaving this part of the city - this part of his life - behind and embarking on a new adventure. He’s grumpy - Jihun is barely talking to him, barely returning his texts unless it’s a short reply to one of Jimin’s many, desperate, last-resort booty calls. He isn’t trying to break Jungkook’s heart but it’s surely better to break it than lead him on, right? Jimin is positive, at eighteen-years-old on a summer day in Seoul, that he isn’t about to fall head over heels for this innocent pup. What’s the point in denying it and letting him go on thinking it might happen?

“That’s okay,” Jungkook says eventually, surprising them both. He pats his knees with his hands and shows Jimin a bright smile, despite the wavering of tears in his eyes. “Thank you for being honest with me, Jimin-hyung.”

Jungkook bows his head quickly and awkwardly before he turns around and leaves.

___

It’s sure to be the last time he sees Jimin, when he finally gets to watch him perform in his Leavers Play.

He drags Taehyung along with him, as is their tradition. Although, Tae would have come anyway, just to support Yoongi one last time. Despite the way the two of them deeply tease each other, their love for each other runs just as deep, if not more so.

Jungkook told Taehyung and Yoongi about the latest update with Jimin - the one where he got completely, unforgettably rejected. He’d told them it was okay. It really is okay. He’s glad he knows where he stands with Jimin. He wouldn’t trade the last seven years of unrequited love for anything.

As tempting as it is to dabble with ‘maybe…’, Jungkook avoids it. He doesn’t wonder about what would have happened had he and Jimin been born in the same year, both eighteen-years-old right now, thinking about the next exciting steps of their lives at the same time. He doesn’t allow himself to ponder over what might’ve been had he presented as an alpha months before Jimin had presented as an omega.

What if Kang Jihun didn’t have such a hold over Jimin?

What if Yoongi had introduced them at a party earlier on in their school careers? Sometime where Jungkook could have had that meet-cute he’d been patiently waiting for?

It’s tempting, but it’s also pointless.

“It’s starting!” Taehyung stage-whispers to Jungkook as they re-take their seats. They’d just had a last-minute run to buy some popcorn and a bottle of water to share, after realising they haven’t eaten much for a few hours. Taehyung had whined about how his stomach would only end up groaning in the middle of Jimin’s performance.

The theatre is packed full of students, parents, friends of this and friends of that. Proud, smiling teachers. Sixteen-year-old Jungkook with his long dark hair and trained, awestruck gaze on Jimin as the performance begins.

He’ll always remember throughout the years that follow how it had felt at one point during that play. When Jimin had finished dancing his way through that sad sweet song Yoongi had written for him, and his eyes - tainted grey - had landed on Jungkook’s. That’s how it had felt anyway. In a lot of ways, it felt like a fitting end to their story. Pretending that Jimin had spotted him in the crowd.

___

Of course, that isn’t how their story ends at all. Not even close.

Jungkook never stops thinking about Jimin, whether it’s a romantic longing or something akin to missing a friend. He doesn’t forget the way he had danced, or that damn cute giggle and happy eye smile.

On his eighteenth birthday, Jungkook presents as an alpha. He wakes up early in the morning, clutching his bedsheets and growling low in his chest. He catches sight of his eyes in the mirror just as they flash gold, his hair a little overgrown and wavy over his forehead.

One of his Moms bursts into happy tears when he goes downstairs for breakfast that same morning, shrugging on a jumper over his lean frame, seeing their expectant faces and deciding to tell them as undramatically as possible. ‘Morning, Moms. I’m an alpha’.

Somewhere over the last two years, the idea of being an alpha grew in appeal to him. He realised that stereotypes are exactly that - stereotypes - and biology can only make up so much of what makes him who he is. The education system had let them all down, allowing children to grow up fearing who they’d be once their eighteenth birthday came around.

Jungkook got comfortable with the fact that he was getting taller and taller each month, surpassing most of the people he knows. He got comfortable with the fact that he liked the idea of being strong, that he liked the idea of standing out rather than fitting in. He got a job at a local convenience store and saved up money for his motorbike, then realised he’d need lessons before he could actually drive it on the roads. He saved up money for that, too. Found that he loved the thrill of going faster than everyone else. Loved the attention it earned him. He got his ears pierced in several places but promised his Moms he’d wait until he was older before doing anything more adventurous. Also known as: lip piercings and nipple piercings.

When Taehyung presented as a beta on his birthday a few months ago, Jungkook had been right there with him after spending the night.

“How do you feel?” Jungkook had asked in a sleepy voice, shielding his eyes from the sun. Taehyung never remembers to close his blinds.

Taehyung had stretched his arms and legs out wide, running a hand over his face and groaning. “Tired.”

“No,” Jungkook laughed, finding the pillow from under his head and whacking his best friend across the stomach with it. Their legs are almost too long for Taehyung’s bed now. Years have passed and time has changed them, but they’re still the same kids deep down. “I mean, are you an omega?”

“An omega?!” Taehyung had sat up very quickly, looking at Jungkook with mildly angry, very sleepy brown eyes. “That’s what you thought I’d be? Really, Kook?”

“Omegas are great,” Jungkook said, ignoring his outburst and stretching his own body out. “Wolf status equality.”

“Yeah, but I’m much closer to alpha than I am to omega, don’t you think?”

Jungkook blinked at his friend, who blinked back at him. “… What does that even mean.”

“I don’t know.” Taehyung pouted, folding his arms over one another. “You’re right. I’m basing it on stereotypes.”

“Naughty Tae Tae.”

“Shut up.” Taehyung made use of the pillow Jungkook had used against him just moments before. He whacked Jungkook on the shoulder to which he didn’t even flinch, just laughed adorably. “You’re so gonna be an alpha, Kook.”

Jungkook didn’t scrunch his nose up like he had done throughout all of his young life whenever someone suggested the exact same thing. Instead, he actually felt a wave of pride flow through his chest.

“This isn’t about me,” he drawled, pushing a hand through his hair, thinking about how badly he could use a haircut right now. “You don’t feel any different, hm?”

“…I feel older,” Taehyung admitted, biting his lip and staring over at the photo frame on his desk, one of him and his parents in the park when he was very little. In the picture, Taehyung is muddy and has big, squishy cheeks and a boxy grin. “…I think I’m a beta.”

“You’re a cute beta.”

“Thank you, Kookie.”

“Do you want to do anything for your birthday?” Jungkook had done what he always did when Taehyung got quiet - fill in the silences for him, give him the time he needs to think whilst he talks, hopefully soothing him with his voice. “We could do whatever you want, Tae Tae,” he teased, nudging his shoulder with his own. “Now that you’re an official adult.”

“You’re still a kid,”. Taehyung turned to face him, a grateful smile on his face as he pulled his legs up to his chest. “Kook?”

Jungkook offered his friend his undivided attention. The words came naturally after that. “You want to say that you’re worried you’re not special, right? Because you’re not an alpha or an omega. You’re a beta. They didn’t even bother to teach us about betas when we were kids, and you’re worried that makes you worthless. Unimportant.” He’d looked into Taehyung’s widening eyes, not realising the impact of his lovely honesty sometimes. “Right, hyung?”

Taehyung managed to gather himself, quickly nodding. “Right,” he admitted. “But you’re gonna tell me that I don’t need to worry, because you’re an absolute sweetheart.”

Jungkook smirked. “I am an absolute sweetheart.”

“You’re getting to be an arrogant sweetheart,” Taehyung reprimanded him, only half-joking.

“I think you’re pretty great, hyung. You always have been, and that means you always will be. And you still smell like flowers so it’s a win for everyone.”

Jungkook was trying to make him laugh, and he’d succeeded. Taehyung looked so much more comfortable now. This is why Jungkook thinks it’s best to just be honest. Tell people how he feels when he feels things for them, because it often results in this - relief.

“Precious Kook-ah,” Taehyung cooed, tickling him under his chin. Jungkook still didn’t mind that.

As an alpha, Jungkook finds that a lot of things stay the same whilst a few key things change. There’s the distinct feeling that his wolf is a part of him now - a clear, real part of him that manifests in moments of passion, anger and fear. Or excitement. Like when he receives a surprise FaceTime call from Yoongi on his birthday, and Yoongi looks at him with one dark eyebrow raised as soon as their eyes meet through the cameras. ‘Your eyes are gold, Kook’ he says, as though they haven’t not spoken for nearly three months straight. Jungkook knows he could go years at a time without speaking to his oldest hyung, and it wouldn’t change the ease and love of their relationship.

Other changes that come with being an alpha? There’s the biological stuff, of course; Jungkook can easily identify omegas, alphas and betas with his senses alone. He’s hyperaware of omegas in particular, and he has his first time with one called Melanie, a cute girl from his Art class, a month or so after his birthday. She’s tall, has pretty brown eyes and long eyelashes. More importantly, she’s witty and kind and has been a sort-of-friend of Jungkook’s since at least Year 9, when they both realised with great joy that they both liked to paint using vivid colours and imagination alone.

As far as first times go, it’s good. Jungkook is by no means a natural, and he is by no means over Park Jimin, by the way. But he can appreciate pretty omegas. That’s something that he has no trouble doing.

It goes without saying that the innocent ‘I just want to talk to Jimin’ thing has turned into something much less appropriate for dinner table conversation. Jungkook wakes up most mornings, uncomfortably hard, flashes of Jimin-themed fantasises still playing out in his head.

He hasn’t seen the boy in two years, is almost positive that he’d have gotten only more beautiful with time. He feels a feral excitement at the thought of being on even playing-field with Jimin now. He could ravish him, if he let him. Is no doubt so much taller than him now. Physically stronger. Capable of giving Jimin the pleasure he’s always deserved. He works out ritualistically at the gym, drags Taehyung along as is their tradition on most days. Jungkook watches his alpha body grow stronger and stronger through his adult years, start to ripple and glisten with effortless muscle in all the right places. Taehyung convinces him to get his hair cut, although his Moms love to ruffle it and tease it through their fingers, and Jungkook can’t deny that he’d miss having the people he loves play with his hair like that. He keeps it long but not overly so as a compromise. His scent goes from sea breeze to ocean. His voice deepens. He starts swearing more than he probably should, a hell of a lot more than his Moms raised him to. But it’s useful having a dirty mouth when there’s an omega writhing underneath you.

Pretty soon, it’s not just Melanie from Art class releasing those familiar attracted pheromones in Jungkook’s direction, and he rarely refuses an offer.

To put it bluntly, Jungkook still wants to know Jimin. He just also wants to fuck him, too.

___

Jungkook is nineteen when he heads off to university to study Modern Art.

The University of Seoul gets two new additions in September - best friends Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung, who secures a place on the Korean Literature course with ease. They excitedly move in to an apartment not far from campus together. It’s a comfortable size, has a few maintenance issues and a slightly dodgy oven, but it’s finally their own place.

Jungkook fondly remembers moving in that first day…

It’s still stupidly hot from a wild summer. Jungkook is wearing this goofy bunny smile on his handsome face, because he’d spent the day saying goodbye to his parents and promising to see them at Christmas, riding the train with Taehyung and then collecting the keys to their new shared apartment, squealing at each other the whole time.

“I can’t believe it!” Taehyung jingles the keys around his slender fingers and shoots Jungkook a wide-eyed look. Now aged twenty, Taehyung has really grown into himself. He dresses like and looks like a model, and Jungkook often paints him for that very reason. “Our own place, Kook-ah.”

“Yup.” Jungkook chuckles. “Planning on opening the door any time soon, Tae?”

“We have to let the moment sink in properly.”

“Easy to say when you’re not carrying two suitcases and three large bags.”

“What’s the point of all those muscles-” Taehyung squeezes Jungkook’s bicep for reference purposes. “-If you’re not gonna put them to use?” When Jungkook doesn’t answer, he fiddles the key in the rusted lock and sticks his tongue out at him. “Thanks for carrying my bags, honey.”

“Don’t get used to it. We’re here as equals in this apartment.”

“But butler Jungkook sounds like so much fun.”

“Butler Jungkook sounds like so much fun,” he mimics him in a squeaky tone that is nowhere near Taehyung’s deep voice. He swings one of the bags at him, pretending to try and hit him. Taehyung actually squeaks this time, escaping through the now unlocked door to their apartment.

They don’t even care that the front door creaks a little, or that the carpet in the entryway is a little worn in places. It smells empty, ready to be filled with scents of ocean and flowers. And whatever alphas, betas or omegas Jungkook already knows Taehyung will be bringing home pretty much every night.

“Holy shit,” Jungkook says, looking around with wide eyes at the spacious living area, the shiny kitchen, the reasonably tall ceiling and fresh coat of white paint. “Holy shit, Tae.”

“Since when did you swear, anyway?”

“It’s like it looks better now that we know it’s really ours, you know?” Jungkook ignores him, plops their bags and suitcases down with ease, pushes a hand through his dark hair and goes to investigate the kitchen. “Look at this!” He points at the sink and searches Taehyung’s gaze for a similar amount of excitement to his own. His ocean scent wafts happily through the apartment already.

Taehyung covers his mouth with a hand to hide his smile. “A sink-”

“A sink!” Jungkook pulls the handle forward - water gushes out. He pushes the handle back - the water stops. “Wow.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nah.” Jungkook leans back on the kitchen counter. He already feels like kicking off his boots and getting comfortable, ready to feel the dusty living room rug underneath his toes. “I’m really excited about the sink, hyung.”

“You’re not funny.”

“I must get that from you.”

“That’s not how friendship works, stupid.” Taehyung walks confidently over to join Jungkook in the centre of their new kitchen, the heels of his shoes echoing throughout the room. “It is a nice sink,” he gives.

“I told you it was.”

“Not that you’ll need it.” Taehyung stops playing with the faucet and turns to his taller friend. “You can’t cook.”

Jungkook pouts. That may be true right now, but he intends on turning it around pretty soon. He’s already got the plans in motion, in fact… “I’m joining a cooking club on campus,” he says, each word casual and easy. He fiddles with one of his earrings and then starts opening empty kitchen cabinets and cupboards, just to feel excited. “I’ll be able to make good food and new friends, all in the space of one hour on a Wednesday evening.” He turns to Taehyung with a proud grin in full swing, knowing exactly what his hyung will say next.

“You’re so cute,” he coos, as expected.

Jungkook’s grin brightens. “Thank you.”

“Aww.” Taehyung goes to collapse dramatically onto the nearest dark brown sofa, already making himself at home. Jungkook knows he’ll be the one to unpack essential stuff and order their dinner whilst his best friend snoozes happily on the sofa. He doesn’t mind at all, though. “Imagine. Soon you’ll be coming home with recipes you’ve learned from your little club.”

Jungkook can’t stop grinning. “I’ll cook something nice for us, hyung.”

“Butler Jungkook wasn’t just a dream, after all.”

“Hey.” Jungkook pretends to kick him in the stomach, but Taehyung takes advantage and pulls Jungkook’s boot right off his foot, throwing it at his chest. They giggle and scream like actual schoolchildren. “Looks like it’ll be meals for one, then.”

“Don’t be so dramatic!”

“Stop being such a shit.”

“Stop swearing at me! Oh my god.” Jungkook just smiles innocently whilst Taehyung recollects himself, sitting on the sofa by his side. “This is the start, right?” Taehyung smiles at him. “The start of our journey, Kook-ah.”

“Didn’t our journey already start, hyung?” Jungkook teases, even though he understands what he means. Of course he understands what he means.

“Our university journey,” Taehyung emphasises, glittering eyes glancing around their new apartment, taking in all of the details at once. Jungkook looks around and sees the memories they’re sure to create here. He also sees things he wants to fix, redesign and improve. He also sees his best friend, staring at him with an excited boxy grin. “Aren’t you excited?”

“Don’t I look excited?”

“You always look excited. Like, you’re either spaced out or you’re excited. No in-between with you.”

Jungkook thinks he’s a hypocrite but says nothing of it, instead opting to answer his question. “I’m excited to live with you, Tae. That’s what you wanted to know, right?”

A pause, and then Taehyung nods. He reaches up to ruffle Jungkook’s already mussed up hair. “You’re always so thoughtful and kind.”

“I’m not looking forward to the first time you bring somebody home,” Jungkook continues.

Taehyung at least looks a little sheepish. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Bullshit.”

“That’s gonna take some getting used to, seriously”. Jungkook laughs a little evilly. If anything, he swears around Taehyung just to shut him up. It’s been working like a charm for a while now. “You wanna make some house rules?”

Jungkook goes to laugh, but then he sees that his friend is serious. House rules…

“Rule number one…” Jungkook scoots back into one corner of the sofa so that he can rudely lay his feet across Taehyung’s lap. Used to it by now, Taehyung doesn’t even react. “We eat together at least three times a week.”

“Cutie.”

“Rule number two.” Jungkook counts it off on his long, pretty fingers. “I saw this thing on Pinterest? We could get, like, a teddy bear or something. He could live on this sofa.” Jungkook places a hand in between them to show this, unaware of Taehyung’s fond smile. “If one of us has an issue with the other, or if we want to talk but don’t know how to say so… we take the teddy bear and put him on the other person’s bed.” He sits back, raises his arms above his head and grins, very smug and pleased with himself. “Clever, right?”

“Adorable.”

“Obviously.”

“You can’t take credit for it, by the way.” Taehyung yawns, not bothering to cover his mouth. “You just said you saw it on Pinterest.”

Jungkook just shrugs. “Do you like the idea?”

“Yes, Kook.” Taehyung reaches out a hand as far as he can, pretending to strain. Laughing at him, Jungkook reaches a hand out in return and squeezes his fingers in his own. “I love it. Your house rules sound totally doable.”

“I’ll be a good roommate, Tae Tae.” He nods as if in agreement with his own words, fully serious. “I promise.”

Kim Taehyung has known Jeon Jungkook for years, long before he became an alpha. But even he gets shocked sometimes by Jungkook’s honesty and kindness. Being around him isn’t like being around other alphas - there’s never any sense of threat or overt dominance. Never has been. No matter how strong he gets or how capable he looks, those sparkling, innocent brown eyes and soothing ocean scent make him unlike anybody you’d ever meet.

“Does your cooking club start this Wednesday?” Taehyung asks in a quiet voice, letting go of his best friend’s hand.

“No.” Jungkook stretches and gets to his feet. He’s looking at the closed bedroom doors, excited to choose one for real and unpack everything. “Not for a few weeks. You’ll have to make do with the basics for a while, roomie.”

“Roomie.” Taehyung laughs when Jungkook makes the most suggestive face he’s ever seen, wriggling his eyebrows and licking his lips. “Ew! Go find some pretty omega to fuck.”

“You swore.”

“It’s a thing I do,” Taehyung says, rolling his eyes. “It’s my thing.”

“I’m stealing your thing.” Jungkook picks up one of the heavier bags without breaking a sweat. “Go choose a room, Tae.”

“What?” Taehyung throws him a genuinely inquisitive look. A beat of silence passes between them, and Taehyung slowly gets to his feet, as if moving too fast will break the spell. “…You’re letting me choose?”

“Does ‘go choose a room, Tae’ mean something else to betas?”

“What happened to ‘alphas, betas and omegas are all equal’, hm?” Taehyung asks, folding his arms across his chest and quirking an eyebrow at Jungkook.

Jungkook smiles. He’s definitely said those exact words before. “We can talk about it whilst I go put my stuff in the biggest bedroom-”

“No!”

“Go on, then!” Jungkook laughs, watching Taehyung scurry like a mouse towards the bedrooms down the hall, throwing back the door to the one they already fought over a month earlier. “Quickly,” he shouts in a jokey, deep voice, going to the window to watch a fluffy dog walk by on its lead, their new university campus in sight. “Before I change my mind.” He won’t change his mind. Not when it clearly means so much to his friend.

___

University life is exactly and all it is cracked up to be.

Jungkook’s first week consists of balancing parties every single night with buying art supplies he’s never even heard of and turning up to meet and ‘get to know’ his lecturers and the students on his course. He manages to ‘get to know’ pretty omegas in every one of these social situations. Taehyung has an older, male alpha home their second night of being housemates (Jungkook spends the time with his headphones securely fixed onto his head, laughing out loud at dog videos on Instagram in the darkness of his barely-furnished room). But it doesn’t take long for Jungkook to catch up.

Taehyung makes him go along to a social event for his Korean Literature course, because he’s convinced that he’s not going to make any friends. This turns out to be a false claim, as it always does. But Jungkook goes along like a loyal best friend anyway and leaves with an omega girl with long purple hair who had been wearing a sparkly dress. The sparkly dress gets abandoned somewhere on Jungkook’s floor until the following morning.

He meets another omega girl at a first-year university-organised party at one of the clubs close to campus. Jungkook ends up dancing with a lot of people that night, almost like all eyes are on him on the dance floor, which they probably are. He goes home with the girl who’d shamelessly mouthed over his scent gland whilst they’d been dancing, telling her, word for word, in a dark whisper: “let’s put that dirty fucking mouth of yours to good use, yeah?” Taehyung would have screamed in horror if he’d heard him.

Jungkook meets a guy with black hair and glasses whilst asking around at a stationery shop for suitable paint brushes. The poor guy can barely breathe without giving away the fact that Jungkook’s scent and appearance are affecting him. Once Jungkook gets closer to him to ask for help, his wolf gets more and more excited by the obvious attraction. Jungkook plays up the adorable alpha thing, all bunny smiles and clumsy and cute. He gets his number, fascinated by the way the shorter guy doesn’t really stop blushing the whole time they’re talking. After that, it’s just a matter of inviting him round on the evening, giving him a brief tour of the apartment he’ll no doubt be stumbling out of come morning time, and then taking him to bed and making it so that he never wants to leave.

The omega blushes the whole time they have sex, especially when Jungkook gets him to say filthy things in a hushed voice, lips hovering over his as he slams his blushing body into the sheets again and again and again.

After making the omega breakfast and joking around about seeing him next time he needs more things for his degree… a very judgemental Taehyung emerges from his own room wearing a lace and silk, floor-length dressing gown.

Jungkook finishes up scraping away remnants from their veggie-friendly breakfast. He’s standing in just his boxers, which had been intentionally distracting for his breakfast guest, but he throws his best friend an innocent smile.

“Morning, Tae,” he says sweetly. “There’s a plate for you on the side. I think I’m getting better at cooking already, you know.”

“Your cooking club hasn’t even started yet. How could you be getting better?” Jungkook’s response is a bright smile. Taehyung just sighs, not strong enough to fight against that. “He looked like Jimin.”

The atmosphere changes in an unnamable way.

“No he didn’t.”

“He did.” Taehyung keeps talking, leans his back against the fridge and keeps talking, unaware of the alarm washing through Jungkook’s sea scent. “He walked a bit like him. You know - that whole cute, friendly but entitled thing? And our apartment reeks of chocolate - that’s pretty close to cookies,” he sings.

“You’re being ridiculous.” Jungkook grabs his plate and slides it across to him, hoping that he’s not blushing outwardly like he is inwardly. That omega had looked nothing like Jimin in his eyes, and he’s not so desperate that he’d pretend like he’s fucking his childhood crush instead of the sweetheart he was actually spending the night with. “They didn’t even have the same hair colour. Eat your breakfast before you go to class.”

“Thanks, Kookie.” Taehyung slides onto a stool effortlessly and picks up his fork, still a huge fan of eating big mouthfuls of food at a time during a conversation. “So you remember Park Jimin’s hair colour, then.”

Jungkook scoffs. “I remember everything about him, Tae,” he says, like saying ‘duh’. “I still like him.”

“Still?”

“What reasons has he given me to stop?”

Taehyung’s wide eyes get wider, his cheeks full like a hamster’s. “How about not seeing him for three years? Or even hearing from him?”

“That’s not his fault.”

“I mean-” It’s really hard to argue with Jungkook. He’s always so calm and sure and - truthfully? - right. “I mean, yeah. True. But…” And that’s another thing about trying to argue with Jungkook - he doesn’t interrupt. Ever the polite alpha. Even though Taehyung knows that it’s all part of his scheme - he knows Taehyung doesn’t have any valid points to make and he’s trying to embarrass him. Not so innocent, after all. “You know what I mean!”

“I have no idea what you mean, hyung.” Jungkook rolls his eyes too quickly for anyone to notice and pinches Taehyung’s shoulder through his dressing gown. “Ten minutes before your bus leaves. Hurry up.”

Taehyung embodies a grumpy teenager. “Can’t you just give me a ride on your motorbike? That will teach the snobs on my course not to mess with me.”

“You are the snob on your course,” he giggles.

“Give me a ride!”

“No way!” Jungkook dodges Taehyung’s long arms as he tries to capture him in a cuddle/attack. “Last time I took you to class, you complained about your ass hurting the entire time-”

“I’d just been pounded within an inch of my life by that guy we met at the party!-”

“I really don’t need a repeat of the details, Tae.” Jungkook makes a face, whacks Taehyung’s grabby hands away. “I’ll take you. It’s on my way, I guess.” He shrugs nonchalantly, but Taehyung raises an eyebrow at him.

“On your way to where?”

“I’m trying to be a good roommate. Stop questioning me.”

“Aww.” Taehyung’s infamous grabby hands come back with vengeance. “Come here, precious alpha.” The precious alpha in question flushes a little pink and accepts a random hug from his shorter, slimmer best friend, who immediately recoils. “Can you shower and put a shirt on in under ten minutes? You still reek of chocolate.”

“Do you wanna know why?” Jungkook teases.

“No!” Like a child, Taehyung covers his ears. “To me, you’re still a pure, innocent virgin baby. Don’t you dare ruin it.”

Jungkook just laughs and goes to take the quickest, least satisfying, least effective shower of his entire adult life. But Taehyung calls out to him before he shuts the door behind himself.

“Kook-ah,” he says softly.

Jungkook looks at him with a smile. “Tae Tae.”

“I get it, by the way.” He gulps down the last forkful of food. “I understand why you still like Jimin. I think he’d like you, too, if he saw you now.”

Jungkook forces a smile at that, but he’d be lying if he said that Taehyung’s words didn’t make him feel at least a little bit sad; Jimin isn’t going to get the chance to see him now. Their lives are on totally different trajectories - always have been - and Jimin knew all of this that day back in school when he’d rejected Jungkook before he’d even really asked a question. He knew that it was better to end it before it had chance to begin, because it was never going to begin. And it never will.

But Jungkook doesn’t let that get him down. He just hopes he feels something for someone one day that compares to the way his wolf reacts to just the mention of Park Jimin’s name.

___

Over the years of being apart, Jungkook has gotten used to random FaceTime requests from Yoongi, who he still considers one of his closest friends. No matter what he’s doing - he could even be balls deep inside somebody - he will always pick up the phone with an innocent, excited smile and a ‘hey, hyung!’ ready to go… okay, maybe he’s exaggerating with the whole ‘balls deep’ thing, but nevertheless, Jungkook is always excited to hear from his friend.

A month into university life, Jungkook is taking a night off from making omegas scream his name.

It’s Friday night, so Taehyung has somebody over. Jungkook is starting to recognise the cotton candy scent of the older alpha his best friend keeps bringing home, and he’s waiting patiently for a formal introduction. So far, all he knows is that - whoever he is - is very good at making Taehyung forget that his best friend is literally just across the hall and can hear everything.

His wolf wants to growl very loudly, already battling with the idea of another alpha making himself at home in his home - stupid, primitive, biological stuff that Jungkook doesn’t really get affected by often.

Jungkook swears his own bed is shaking in time to Taehyung’s now, muffled moans seeping underneath his door into his dark room. He’s got the blinds undrawn so that he can see the night sky gain more stars as the hours pass, and he likes the way the moonlight casts a shadow over the painting he’s got drying by his radiator. It’s swirls of the night sky itself, in more vibrant colours than the real world can offer. So Jungkook offers it through his art. He’s not sure if he’s going to sell this particular painting online, or if he likes it way too much to even think of parting with it.

The last omega he’d had over a few nights ago had commented on it during impromptu pillow talk. He’d lifted his head off of Jungkook’s warm, hard chest and blinked at the unfinished painting.

“That’s pretty,” he’d said. “It’s really unusual for alphas to be so pretty, Jungkook.” And then he’d looked at aforementioned Jungkook with something close to love in his eyes, eyes flashing green. His omega was practically ready to make a claim, and Jungkook can’t really blame him.

He doesn’t mean to sound like an arrogant bastard when he says that. He’s just had enough experience with omegas to know that they’re really surprised by kind alphas. Alphas who listen. Alphas who are attentive to their needs. Alphas who happily do one night stands, but treat them like queens or kings or both, even if it is just one night.

And they never expect it from Jungkook. He loves that - preys on that - loves to see them blink in surprise when they realise that he’s not just a fit young alpha who smells nice. He’s also the whole package personified.

The whole package personified sits cross-legged on his bed, biting his lip and contemplating going out for a run. Or maybe just a walk. He’s gotten into the habit of doing that when Taehyung has company over, and it’s really nice just to sink into his hoodie or coat (it’s getting colder outside now that they’re in the thick of Autumn) and walk around his new neighbourhood, seeing unfamiliar faces every night.

Jungkook looks away from his painting when he sees his phone screen lighting up the dark. It’s another random FaceTime call from Yoongi, and his wolf is relieved and he’s already smiling from excitement.

He rolls over onto his front, legs in the air as his eyes adjust to the intrusive brightness from his phone screen.

“Hey, hyung!”

“Hey, you crazy kid.” Yoongi has resorted to calling Jungkook this because he gets to hear about all of the fucking around he’s getting up to at university. He also likes to exaggerate their age difference now that Jungkook is an alpha and is stronger and taller than his hyung, which Yoongi claims ‘just isn’t right’.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class now?” Jungkook asks, a tiny frown appearing on his face. He’s worked out their time difference, and he knows Yoongi’s schedule a little bit off-by-heart. What can he say? Attentive alpha. “You look like you’re still in bed to me.”

“You must be seeing things.”

“I don’t think I am,” Jungkook laughs. He can clearly see Yoongi’s puffy face, sleepy brown eyes and the headboard of his bed right behind him in the camera. “What’s going on?”

Yoongi rolls his eyes and heaves a massive sigh, like Jungkook has forced the information out of him or something. “I’m sick,” he admits, and Jungkook can actually hear the sniffles in his voice now that he listens out for it.

He goes back to sitting cross-legged. “You’re sick.”

“Hm.”

“What drama are we in, hyung? What, is it life-threatening?-”

“No, you crazy kid.” Yoongi tries not to laugh at Jungkook. Jungkook tries not to laugh at Yoongi. “It’s a common cold. I don’t think I’m used to the American air yet.”

“After three years?” Jungkook asks, unimpressed, but he does miss his hyung more when he realises how long it’s been since they were face to face. Yoongi doesn’t look any different to him, but he knows for a fact that Yoongi can’t return that same sentiment. Jungkook is the one who’s changed. “Do you need me to come over and make you better?”

“Get lost.” Yoongi scowls at him through the camera whilst Jungkook simply grins. “I can make myself better.”

“Are you properly looking after yourself, though?” Jungkook asks, mildly serious. “Or are you still not exercising and forgetting to eat breakfast?”

“Don’t call me out like that,” Yoongi laughs, stretching his body like a cat, never mind a wolf. “I had my rut last week, so I think my immune system is just lower than usual.”

“You’re literally just spouting biological nonsense at me right now, hyung.”

“It’s true!” But he has no idea if it is or not. “Anyway, my boyfriend is already on my case about looking after myself. I don’t need you to join in.” Jungkook’s ears practically perk up at the mention of Jung Hoseok, Yoongi’s boyfriend of five years.

Yep. Just before they’d gone their separate ways at the end of high school, Hoseok had confessed his attraction to Yoongi. Yoongi - breathless, blushing and in awe - had done the same. The rest is history. They make long-distance, long-term relationships look like walks in the park.

Yoongi picks up on Jungkook’s silence and huffs out a breath. “Don’t,” he says. One word.

“I was just going to ask how Hoseok is,” Jungkook claims, pouting. The bed-bouncing finally stops next door, and Jungkook could kiss whatever god just made that happen. “So…” He plays up his innocent features expertly, widening his eyes and fluttering his lashes. “How’s your boyfriend, hm?”

“Very convincing.”

“I’m genuinely curious.” Jungkook tries to make his case. He can hear footsteps in Taehyung’s bedroom, and then somebody switching on Taehyung’s bathroom light. “You don’t talk about him enough, considering you’re so obsessed with him.”

Yoongi sighs again. “Hoseok is great, thank you, Kook.”

“Do you miss him?”

“Every day.” Jungkook smiles at this, his heart flutters at the thought of feeling something so genuine and amazing one day. “But we’ll see each other when I come home at Christmas.”

“Will you see me and Tae, too?”

“You sound like a kid,” Yoongi tuts, but he’s smiling, totally charmed by the younger alpha as always. “You’ll be my first stop, naturally.”

Jungkook’s wolf gets excited at the idea. He really is a little kid, in all honesty. “I’m glad you’re getting your happy ending, Yoongi-hyung.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. You’re only nineteen - don’t worry so much about endings right now, Kook-ah.” Jungkook nods enthusiastically, always willing to listen to his hyung and take his advice onboard. It’s endearing for Yoongi to see. “What have you been up to?” Yoongi asks, but Jungkook latches onto the conversation, cheeks turning a little bit pink.

“About Hoseok…” He bites his lip.

“Jungkook,” Yoongi scolds, voice low.

“Is he still close with Jimin? Answer that one question and I’ll go.” Jungkook feels like he should say something else to win him over. “Just one, harmless, totally not inappropriate question, hyung.” 

Yoongi hesitates, but Jungkook has always been able to embody a puppy dog when he’s ready and he’s never been very strong against those doe eyes of his. “Yes.” He keeps his voice neutral. “They’re best friends.”

Jungkook nods. “Okay.” The information does very little to satiate him and they both know it, so it’s no surprise when Jungkook speaks up again. “Is Jimin well?”

“Kook-“

“You don’t have to give me details, hyung. I just want to know that he’s alive and well.”

“Of course he’s alive and well. Don’t you think I would have told you if he tragically died? What the hell, Kook.”

“Okay.” Again, they wait a silent moment for the inevitable questioning to start up all over again. “… So where - exactly - is Jimin alive and well?”

“You’re kidding, right.” Yoongi looks totally unimpressed on Jungkook’s phone’s screen. He looks bored, even, all snuggled up in his bed all the way across the world. “I hope you know that you sound like a stalker.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m not subjecting Jimin to your…” Yoongi sighs. “Stalking.”

“So you guys are still friends?”

“You also sound like the world’s worst detective.”

“Thank you. Are you going to answer the question?”

Yoongi pouts, doesn’t even have to think about it. “Nope.”

“Fine. I understand.” He smiles at his hyung, uncrosses his legs, stretches out his toes.

Yoongi is staring at him, just about able to make out his expression in the dark. “… You still like Jimin?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jungkook asks with a teasing smile, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes anymore. If anything, he just feels tired. He lays back against his cold pillows and stares at the wall opposite him, the one Taehyung is trying to convince him to hang up his artwork on. “I’ve never met anyone like him.”

Yoongi doesn’t lie and say something like ‘he’s not that special’, because he is. Instead, he sighs and thinks of something wise to say. It’s all he can really do.

“Are you staying open to new people?”

Jungkook answers honestly. “Always.”

“Tried dating anyone, even just casually?”

Jungkook looks away from the camera, back towards the starry sky outside, the campus all lit up in the distance. “… Not really.”

“Well…”

“You’re right.” Jungkook nods slowly, his hair falling into his face before he pushes it back out of the way. “Thanks, hyung.”

Yoongi looks unconvinced by the smile he tries to pull off. “… I worry about you, Kook.”

“You don’t have to.” Jungkook laughs freely. “I’m totally fine. I’m great. It’s just that I like Jimin and… probably never won’t.”

They stare each other out. Yoongi scratches his nose and hums, which makes Jungkook genuinely laugh.

“See? You can’t even tell me he’s not worth it.”

“He’s not worth it.”

“Liar.”

“Fine.” Jungkook’s wolf perks up, proud to have made his hyung laugh so brightly, even though he’s sick and bed-ridden and probably missing his boyfriend like crazy right now. “You’re right. I’m a liar.”

Jungkook decides to change the subject after that. He realises that he’s putting his friend in a difficult position every time he tries to talk about Jimin with him, but it doesn’t feel like something he has any control over. The urge to know Jimin is still there, itching at his heart in a way he can’t soothe. Yoongi’s kernels of information serve as distractions sometimes.

Sometimes. But Jungkook goes to sleep that night after talking to his friend for over an hour, dreaming up scenarios where it’s Jimin looking across the room at his artwork, smiling so wide Jungkook gets to see that one crooked tooth, so close those freckles become visible. His eyes would sparkle. He’d smell like cookie dough and ice cream, intermixed with the beach because Jungkook would have spent the night scenting him and claiming his body, mind and soul. He’d sleepily say “that’s pretty, Jungkook. You’re such a pretty alpha” in that gentle, flirty voice. Jungkook would busy himself with trying very hard not to fall in love.

___

An exact week later, Jungkook goes for a walk.

Taehyung has a beta over tonight, so there goes Jungkook’s theory about cotton candy alpha actually sticking around. He’s probably going to remain nameless and faceless at this rate; Jungkook never presses Taehyung for information about the people he’s seeing, always politely waits for him to bring it up and ask for Jungkook’s unwise but kind advice. Taehyung, on the other hand, might as well read Jungkook’s journal.

He’s got his baggiest black hoodie on, the hood drawn up over his head. His hands are in his pockets, earphones in as he listens to old pop music and walks, careful whilst he’s crossing any roads. Alpha stereotypes shouldn’t be trusted anyway, but definitely not in Jungkook’s case. That’s for sure.

It’s Friday night so of course - Jungkook walks past a lot of people who are on their way to clubs or out on dates or simply just soaking up what’s left of the beginning of a year at uni. The breeze picks up every few seconds or so, and Jungkook shudders underneath his many layers. He doesn’t mind though. It’s a nice reminder that he’s really here, enjoying this quiet time alone, watching his feet step through the world in time to the beat in his headphones. It’s fun dressing up like k-pop idols and going out with Taehyung, ending up laughing all night, dancing up on some giggling omega or doing shots with some of the alphas on his course… but that doesn’t have to be every single night. Sometimes it’s nice just being in his own company. Jungkook likes to think he’s pretty good company.

He’s walking a little bit further out than normal tonight. Almost right into campus.

He thinks about the omega he’d slept with a few nights before, a girl in his class who’d complimented him on something he’d been working on, even though it was pretty basic and almost identical to what was on everyone else’s canvas. He’d switched on the alpha charm so easily. The whole time he’d been fucking her, he’d thought about what Yoongi had said. About dating someone. He’d waited to feel a spark when they exchanged numbers, even planned to message her this morning saying ‘hey’ with a winky face or something. But… yeah… he didn’t. He doesn’t. He won’t.

After looking left and right and waiting for a few cars with bleary headlights to pass, Jungkook steps lightly across the road. House music blasts out of a nearby apartment building, probably coming from the apartment with the rainbow lights spinning like streetlights. Jungkook smiles to himself, thinking about how grateful he is that he and Taehyung seem to have inherited non-uni student neighbours, thank the gods. At least he has control over whether or not he actually sleeps at night.

He walks past a group of girls who are all giggling whilst looking at their phones, clicking acrylic nails against the screens. At least three of them take in gulping breaths of his ocean scent as he walks by. A couple of them actually turn to watch him walk past.

Jungkook walks by a guy on a bike, steps further into the pavement to allow them both space. He walks past another group of girls. A group of guys. Then just one guy. Then…

Fuck.

Jungkook feels his wolf rise to the surface, all of his senses zeroing in on the person he’d nearly walked right past.

He stops as if being yanked back on a piece of string, knocks his earphones out of his ears and stares with wide eyes at the figure that decreases in size the further away from him he gets.

That sweet scent lingers in the freezing air. The stranger’s hair is light brown and fluffy. He carries himself with a certain, precise confidence that Jungkook has only seen once before.

Jimin…

“Jimin.” He doesn’t manage to stop himself in time before his name slips out like a prayer. He slaps a hand over his mouth and curses everything - especially himself - for reducing him to the weakest, most pathetic puddle of alpha goo at the sight of Park Jimin. Thankfully, Jimin doesn’t seem to hear him. He looks way too immersed in whatever mission he’s currently on, judging by how fast he’s walking.

Jungkook wishes he could shrink down in size but he can’t. He wishes he had enough wits about himself right now to go over and say hi but he doesn’t. He feels like he’s ten years old again, so he does the most logical thing a ten year old would do in this situation and crouches down behind a car near to where Jimin is standing outside of an apartment complex.

Jimin’s lilac cashmere jumper slips off of one shoulder as he reaches up a hand to his ear. Jungkook squints and looks closer… ah. He’s holding his phone to his ear, the other hand resting delicately on his hip. A silver hoop glitters, clinging to his left ear in the moonlight. Several pretty silver rings glitter on the fingers he holds his phone with. Jungkook takes in as many details as he can, eating up the images before him, the whole time thinking it’s Jimin! He’s here! Holy fucking shit.

Yoongi’s insult about him being a stalker and a shitty detective come to mind as he peers doe eyes up high enough to see Jimin without being seen himself.

The call must go through, because all of a sudden, Jimin starts talking into the noisy night. Jungkook’s wolf tries to catch every single available word like it’s an arcade game, like he’ll starve if he doesn't.

“I’m outside,” he hears him say. A shiver runs down Jungkook’s whole body at the sound of that voice. “Are you planning on leaving me out here in the cold? Or what.” Jungkook can’t hear any humour in Jimin’s voice, just bitterness and resentment. “This is bullshit. You know that right? This has to stop. I mean it this time.” Jungkook’s wolf is trying to get him to go over and wrap Jimin up in his own warmth but he resists - of course he resists. He wishes he could get a good look at his face, and he gets his wish when Jimin turns back and nearly catches him.

Wow. He’s so pretty; his dark eyes are lined with a very thin layer of brown, his eyebrows furrowed from the cold and from whatever angry emotion he’s clearly feeling towards the person he’s on the phone with. He’s wearing a lace choker around the lush, golden skin of his neck. His lips look glossy even from this distance. Glossy and pink and plump and…

Jungkook looks away, his cheeks turning red when he realises what he’s doing. Like, really realises what he’s doing.

He forces his wolf back and gets to his feet, intent on walking back home quickly before he becomes an official weirdo. If it’s not too late already.

But then he hears Jimin’s voice again, and it’s all he can do to stop and stare.

“Nice of you to show up,” he’s saying. To Jihun. Kang Jihun. Definitely Kang Jihun. Jungkook’s wolf has him turning his hands into fists at the mere sight of the cocky alpha. It feels like his body is heating up, a growl sitting low in his chest - what the hell am I doing?

Kang Jihun has cut his black hair very short. His hooded eyes rest lazily on Jimin, who looks very cold and even angrier now that he’s in front of him looking so nonchalant.

Jihun says something, but he’s not raising his voice so it’s impossible for Jungkook to hear. I shouldn’t even be hearing any of this, Jungkook thinks, but he ignores that thought in favour of eavesdropping some more.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jimin’s voice has never sounded like that before. Laced with a growl that comes straight from his omega. “You must be kidding me, Jihun. You better be kidding me. Or I swear to god you can forget about this whole fucking thing-”

“Jimin, Jimin, Jimin.” Jihun talks over him, saying his name until he - well - shuts up. “Babe. Come on.”

“You’re not listening-”

“Shh.” Jungkook watches in acute disgust as Jihun - with a stupid smirk on his stupid face and his stupid t-shirt with its stupid dumb sports logo that nobody cares about - pulls Jimin in roughly by the waist and kisses him.

Jungkook hates it. Hates how easily Jimin goes to him. Hates the sight of Jihun’s hands on Jimin’s body. Hates the fact that he hates it. I don’t own Jimin, he reminds himself, but the voice is too small to make him walk away.

“You need to calm down, babe,” Jihun is saying in a patronising tone. His hands are squeezing at Jimin’s amazing ass, and Jungkook feels a flare of jealousy and anger. “I’d never hurt you, would I?”

“You have hurt me, you asshole.” But Jungkook can hear the calmness seeping into Jimin’s tone. He’s gently returning to his normal, less angry self and Jungkook is furious. No- he means, he’s curious as to what had him so angry in the first place, only for it to dissipate the more Jihun kisses and touches him. The kisses are so sloppy and loud that they’re audible across the distance. “I hate you.”

“Hmm.” Jihun isn’t listening. He’s busy raking his gaze across Jimin’s lovely form, and then pulling him inside the building by the hand. Jimin giggles and the familiar sound does something to Jungkook’s heart. Breaks it, that’s what it does. “Come on. I can’t hear you properly when you’re wearing so many clothes.”

That’s fucking disgusting, Jungkook thinks, but Jimin disagrees apparently. He laughs like a bright light, and then he’s gone. He’s gone with Jihun.

Jungkook stands there for another minute. Just stands and watches the now empty spot where the scene had just played out. A dog barks at another dog as they walk past each other. Jungkook doesn’t want to think about whatever progress Jihun has made with Jimin’s clothes… but then he also kind of really wants to think about it. His wolf translates it all into anger, sadness and frustration.

Jimin is here. Jimin is here, at the same university as him.

His mouth is still hanging open in shock, so he closes it, comes gently back to his senses and walks home. His mind wanders even further than his feet do, but one thing Jungkook rationally reminds himself of over and over is that it’s fine. Jimin is here and that’s fine. That’s exciting, even - there’s no need for dramatics.

___

Cut to Jungkook furiously jerking off to thoughts of Jimin that same night.

He gets back from his walk to the place he now comfortably calls home. It’s dark and quiet which means Taehyung’s ‘friend’ must have gone home by now, and Taehyung must be fast asleep.

Jungkook puffs out a breath of relief, locking the door behind him and making quick work of clearing the distance from the entryway to his bedroom, each footstep showing off its own special brand of creepy creaking. He switches the light on in his room, recoils like a vampire and then switches it right back off. There’s an itch under his skin and he can’t place it. He’d told himself it was completely fine yet he finds himself unable to stop picturing Jihun pulling Jimin out of his sight. Taking him away. Taking him away even though he clearly wasn’t happy. Was so angry just moments before. Jimin and his tiny waist and perfect ass. The same perfect ass that Jihun had grabbed as though it belonged to him. It doesn’t belong to him. Jungkook is pretty fucking sure it doesn’t belong to him.

The low growl he lets out into his empty bedroom surprises him, doe eyes going wide as soon as it’s out there. The itch underneath his skin continues without any respite, and Jungkook feels like it’s all he can do to get himself out of his big hoodie, out of his t-shirt and joggers. He’s taking huge breaths but he feels breathless at the exact same time. Jimin clouds his thoughts - his voice, his giggle, the way his entire body seemed to sparkle with silver jewellery, his voice.

“Fuck.”

Jungkook falls onto his back, onto his bed. The pillows and duvet are cold but it doesn’t soothe the itch under his skin. Shoving his right hand into his boxers does, though.

He’s half-hard already just from seeing Jimin and allowing him to infiltrate his thoughts like this.

Jungkook wraps his hand around his cock and shudders out a breath of relief at the contact. The first few strokes are dry but he’s quickly leaking pre-cum, making the slide a thousand times more satisfying. But it isn’t satisfying - Jimin is with Jihun. The alpha bastard probably has Jimin’s dancer body bent into an impossible position. He’s probably filling his hole with his dick whilst Jimin whines and moans so prettily, just like Jungkook knows he does. He’s never heard him but he knows.

Another low growl. Jungkook lifts his ass off of his bed, whimpering as he tries to pull his boxers down completely. It’s made more difficult by the sticky sweatiness of his thighs. His cheeks are flushed and there’s a slightly dazed, mostly frustrated expression on his face. His eyebrows are furrowed as he pants out breath after breath in time with each stroke up and down his long, thick cock. It’s not enough. It isn’t enough. It will never be enough until it’s Jimin’s pink, smiling lips wrapped around his cock like this. All glossed up and perfect, leaving traces of strawberry lip gloss on Jungkook’s skin.

Jungkook’s chest heaves, his abs glistening with sweat, his forearm muscles rippling with power as he pulls at his cock. It’s not enough. Jimin had looked so beautiful. So stunning. So effortlessly stunning. No one compares to him. Jungkook keeps replaying the moment Jimin had turned around and he’d gotten the chance to see his face. Big, pretty brown eyes and pretty, subtle make up. Jungkook wants to fuck him until he cries and all of that pretty make up is running down his face.

Jungkook blows a mischievous lock of hair out of his eyes and feels a sob catch in his throat when his imagination finally settles on an image. Jimin lying naked on Jungkook’s bed. On his bed. In his scent. Eyes grey like they had flashed on the stage all those years ago as his omega finally takes control. Jimin teasingly biting his tongue, presenting himself to his alpha. To Jungkook.

Jungkook’s hand works relentlessly over his cock, the head becoming more and more sensitive as the image of Jimin clarifies in his mind. He imagines him begging for Jungkook’s cock. He’d give it to him in a heartbeat.

No. He’d make him wait, first. Make him wait just like how he made him wait. Made him wait for nearly a fucking decade.

“O-oh… shit.” His eyelids flutter closed. He imagines himself marking every inch of Jimin’s skin, nearly tearing his skin with his teeth, watching red marks bloom across that lush canvas. Jimin would be his best artwork yet. He knows it. Jimin would have his hands wrapped up in Jungkook’s hair, pushing him away and pulling him closer all at the same time. “F-fuck. Jimin, fuck.” 

It’s not like this is the first time he’s thought about Jimin whilst getting off, but this time is completely different to any of those other times; Jungkook has no control over himself. When his eyes reopen, they’re deep gold. Every second breath is a moan. He’s not here, alone in his room, with his best friend peacefully sleeping next door - he’s on top of Park Jimin, feeling every dip of his body with his hands and with his lips, punishing him and rewarding him at the same time. That’s all he wants. Just wants to make Jimin feel good. Knows that’s the key to making himself feel good, too. 

He bites down hard on his bottom lip to stop the loud moan that tries to get past his mouth. He’s still just about lucid enough to know that shouting Jimin’s name when he comes is not a good idea.

But he’s coming nonetheless. All over his hand and all over his chest, biting his lip so hard he draws blood, picturing Jimin. Jimin on his knees, thanking him for his cum, licking up every last drop, not wasting-

“What the fuck,” Jungkook whispers to nobody in particular. His breathing starts to return to normal, his now flaccid cock flops against his hard stomach. He blinks into the darkness with big eyes that are steadily fading back to sparkly brown instead of bright gold, cheeks still flushed red as he goes over the events of the last few minutes. “…Shit.”