Chapter Text
“How soon is too soon to text?”
Yugyeom rolled his eyes on the other side of the screen. “I dunno. Text them when you want? Why are you asking me?”
Jungkook huffed in frustration, settling on his back and lifting the phone over his head. “You’re in a pack. You’ve courted. I don’t know the etiquette for these things.” It’s not like he was impatient to talk to the pack or anything. He just wanted to know. For reference.
“Didn’t you date as a Beta?” Yugyeom replied. “I distinctly remember you telling me about some girl in high school.”
“That was when I was a Beta, though,” Jungkook said.
“Unbelievable.”
“Don’t be melodramatic! This is a serious question!”
“I’m sorry, but did you just call me melodramatic, Drama Queen?” Yugyeom brought his camera close to his face so he could look at Jungkook with one large, judging eye.
“Yugi~!” Jungkook whined. “Help me~!”
“Ugh, fine ,” Yugyeom said, moving the camera back to a more reasonable distance. “So, what, they dropped you off last night afterwards, right? Around 10, 11?”
“Uh, yeah,” Jungkook said. Honestly he had no idea when he got home; he hadn’t exactly checked his phone when he got in, being otherwise occupied.
“And it’s like… 2:30 now,” Yugyeom said, calculating. “So you can text them… Tomorrow?”
“Wait a whole day?”
“Well, you don’t want to seem too desperate, right?” Yugyeom said. “I hear that if you text too soon after a date it makes you look desperate, and that’s a turnoff.”
“‘You hear’? What, how long did you wait after your first date?” Jungkook asked.
“Mmmm, I’m probably not the best example.”
“Why? What did you do, text them two hours later or something?”
“Well, no,” Yugyeom said. “I didn’t… go home.”
“What?!” Jungkook said, sitting up on his couch.
“I stayed the night,” Yugyeom said, softly scratching his scalp in embarrassment.
“How come I’ve never heard this story?” Jungkook asked. “I’m supposed to be your best friend!”
Yugyeom covered his eyes. “It’s embarrassing. It’s not as cool as you think.”
“Now I gotta know.”
“I hate you,” Yugyeom said, peeking through his fingers to glare at the camera.
“Spill. The. Tea. Spill. The. Tea,” Jungkook chanted.
Yugyeom dropped his hand from his face with a sigh. “Ok, so I was still in high school, right? But like, senior year. We went out to a restaurant. The hyungs were all old enough to drink, but they didn’t make me.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’ here,” Jungkook prompted.
“But,” Yugyeom continued, “I felt left out, and I wanted to look cool, so I stole some of Mark-hyung’s while no one was looking.”
“But you could only steal like, a few gulps without being caught, right?” Jungkook asked, puzzled.
“But I didn’t do it just once,” Yugyeom admitted ashamedly. “By the time they caught me at it, I was pretty sauced. It was my first time ever drinking. They couldn’t get my address out of me, so Jackson-hyung carried me back to their place and let me sleep on the couch.”
“Wow,” Jungkook said.
“Don’t ‘wow’ me, you went into a pheromone high without the Alpha even touching you.”
“You know there are special circumstances!”
“‘True mates,’ yadda yadda,” Yugyeom waved a hand dismissively.
“So how soon did you text them once you finally did go home?” Jungkook said.
“Um…” Yugyeom thought. “A month?”
“A month ?!” Jungkook yelped. “How am I supposed to wait a whole month?”
“Well see, when I got home, my pack wasn’t too happy to learn why I didn’t come home the night before, and they grounded me and took away my phone for a month.”
“Oh,” Jungkook said. “You really are a crappy example.”
“Told ya.”
Jungkook thought about waiting a day, about not seeming too desperate. He certainly didn’t want to scare anyone off by looking too clingy, but he somehow felt like his whole existence was just suspended in midair, just waiting for gravity to pull him back down to the pack. No, that was exaggerating. He wasn’t that needy. It was just the waiting , and Jungkook hated waiting. He was a man of action. He was motivated, talented, and goal-oriented. Waiting was for losers.
“I guess I can wait a day,” he muttered, trying to sound casual.
“In the long run, it really doesn’t matter,” Yugyeom said. “If you’re meant to be with them, little details like how soon you texted after the first date won’t make a difference one way or the other.”
“Thanks, Yugi,” Jungkook said with a little smile. Suddenly his phone buzzed, and a little notification appeared on the screen. “Omygod,” he blurted out.
“What? What’s wrong?” Yugyeom said.
“They texted me,” Jungkook reported in a strangled voice.
“Guess they don’t care about seeming desperate,” Yugyeom said. “You know, you could wait to respond, that’s-”
“Gotta go!” Jungkook said and hung up the call. He pulled up the message, this time from Namjoon:
Namjoon-hyung: Hi Jungkook-ah
Namjoon-hyung: Just wanted to check in and see if you doing well
Jungkook typed, deleted, re-typed, deleted, typed something else, partially deleted it, until he could come up with a response:
Jungkook: Yes
Wait, crap, that wasn’t what he meant to send. Just one word?!
Jungkook: I am doing well. How are you?
Too polite. Namjoon had called him informally, why was he being so polite?
Jungkook: It’s nice to hear from you, hyung.
Wait, was that too eager? Should he appear aloof?
Jungkook’s panic was interrupted by Namjoon’s response.
Namjoon-hyung: I’m glad to hear that.
Namjoon-hyung: I hope you don’t mind me texting you so soon
Namjoon-hyung: Yoongi-hyung says I look desperate if I text too soon after the first date
Namjoon-hyung: He actually took away Tae’s phone last night because Tae wanted to message you at 2 am, and hasn’t given it back yet
Jungkook chuckled, relaxing back a bit. Suddenly it didn’t seem like such a big deal how long after the first date one texted.
Jungkook: I would’ve been ok with that. I often stay up late on weekends playing video games.
Namjoon-hyung: Pretty sure he was going to ask you to play Overwatch, so
Jungkook: lol
Jungkook: I’m pretty good at that game
Namjoon-hyung: I’ll make sure to tell Tae, then
Namjoon-hyung: Try to keep it on the dl from Jin-hyung, tho
Namjoon-hyung: He’s always worrying Tae’s not getting enough sleep. He steals his power cords
Jungkook: What a monster
Namjoon-hyung: I know. Harsh
Jungkook: He looks so innocent, though. He has pink hair!
Namjoon-hyung: LOL
Namjoon-hyung: Hyung is scary when he’s in parenting mode
Namjoon-hyung: Or when he’s angry
Namjoon-hyung: Sometimes when he’s aroused, too
Jungkook blushed, his thumbs frozen as he tried to think of a response.
Namjoon-hyung: I
Namjoon-hyung: did not mean to send that
Jungkook: It’s cool. Your secret’s safe with me
Namjoon-hyung: Thanks
Namjoon-hyung: You’re a pretty cool guy
Jungkook: Stop, you’ll make me blush
Namjoon-hyung: But you’re cute when you blush
Namjoon-hyung: Sorry
Namjoon-hyung: Didn’t mean to send that either
Jungkook: It’s ok
Jungkook: You’re cute too
Jungkook: And I meant to send that
Jungkook quivered, his knees drawn up to his chest, waiting for Namjoon’s response. He’d never tried to flirt before, awkward high school encounters aside. He was pretty sure he was flirting with Namjoon, and pretty sure Namjoon was flirting back. He hoped he was doing it right.
Namjoon-hyung: o
Namjoon-hyung: thakns
Jungkook: Are you embarrassed?
Jungkook: You messed up a bit there
Namjoon-hyung: I might be
Namjoon-hyung: Slightly
Jungkook: Cute
Jungkook: Really cute
Jungkook: So cute
Namjoon-hyung: You’ew going to nedd to stop that
Jungkook: What was that?
Jungkook: Couldn’t understand you
Namjoon-hyung: omg youre a brat too
Namjoon-hyung: why god
Namjoon-hyung: Wasn’t Jimin enough?
Jungkook: This is so much fun
Jungkook: I like texting you
Namjoon-hyung: Thanks
Namjoon-hyung: I think
Jungkook: Ttyl?
Namjoon: Ok. Have a good day
Jungkook: You too
Jungkook closed the thread with a smile on his face. That had gone better than he’d expected. He noticed an unread message from Yugyeom, and opened the thread.
Yugi-yum: You hung up on me!
Yugi-yum: Can’t believe you
Yugi-yum: Bros before hoes, man
Jungkook typed his response.
Kookie: You can’t shame me. I just flirted for the first time. I am invincible. I am The Man.
Yugi-yum: Good for you
Yugi-yum: But still
Yugi-yum: I will beat you if you hang up on me again
Kookie: Not that you could before
Kookie: But I’m pretty sure I can jog faster than you can waddle
Yugi-yum: I AM NOT THAT BIG YET
Yugi-yum: YOU CAN’T EVEN TELL ITS TOO EARLY
Yugi-yum: asshole
Kookie: <3
Yugi-yum: <3
--
Jungkook arrived to work Monday morning, and yes, he was a little disappointed there wasn’t a dosirak waiting for him. He chided himself - he didn’t need a lunchbox. But still… Jin’s food was just so delicious. Jungkook wasn’t looking forward to cafeteria food again.
His desk and the area around it had been cleaned thoroughly, which removed any lingering traces of spicy fish cakes, but also made him sneeze repeatedly from the chemicals. He almost wished he hadn’t applied his customary scent blocker that morning: he could have at least covered up some of the harshness with his own scent by scenting his chair. Even if he couldn’t discern his own scent, he could cover up unpleasant scents easily enough. But he knew that it was all for the best: he didn’t want Alphas hovering around and getting in the way, and if the perpetrator was monitoring him, then whoever it was wouldn’t be triggered.
Jungkook received a text message around mid-morning from Namjoon:
Namjoon-hyung: Good morning
Namjoon-hyung: I hope you don’t mind me texting you. I am well aware it goes against company policy (haha) but I don’t want to communicate anything personal over company networks
Namjoon-hyung: Jin-hyung made you a dosirak, and left it with mine and Yoongi-hyung’s at the lobby receptionist’s. He says yours is the one in red. Please feel free to get it anytime.
It was ridiculous how pleased Jungkook was to know that Jin hadn’t given up on feeding him. Jungkook had never realized how nice it was to have someone do that for you, and he understood why it was a popular courtship gift. He responded to Namjoon:
Jungkook: Good morning! Thanks for letting me know. I’ll go get it now
Jungkook: I’ll also make sure to thank Jin-hyung
Jungkook: 😊
Jungkook: Also, I’m pretty sure no one follows that policy…
He made sure to shoot off a text to Jin as promised before going down to the lobby reception. On the counter to one side of the receptionist were several delivery-type packages, and three scarf-wrapped bundles, one in black, one in pink, and one in red.
“Hi, I’m Jeon Jungkook,” he said to the receptionist. “I was told I had a delivery.” He gestured towards the red-wrapped bundle. The receptionist checked Jin’s handwritten note, noted that Jungkook was one of the intended recipients, and verified Jungkook’s identity with his ID. Jungkook also noticed a few security guards posted around the large lobby. He felt weird, that all the extra security measures were because of him, but at the same time, he felt warm and protected.
Once he was back on the elevator with his dosirak, his phone buzzed with a text from Jin.
Jin-hyung: Of course! It makes me happy to do it. I love it when people enjoy my food.
Jin-hyung: I’ll be doing this from now on, to ensure the food isn’t tampered with before it reaches you
Jin-hyung: also, if you wouldn’t mind, could you check in on Yoongi sometime this afternoon and make sure he actually eats his?
Jungkook: No problem, hyung
Jin-hyung: 💖
Jungkook blushed, but sent back “❤️.” What could it hurt?
At lunch, Jungkook found a place outside to sit and soak up some heat from the sun. Autumn was almost over, and the days were getting cold. Jin’s food, bibimbap with gochujang sauce, warmed him from the inside, both with spice and emotionally.
As promised, around two pm, Jungkook pretended to get a service call so he could go up to Yoongi’s studio and check that he had eaten. He waited until the hallway was empty before knocking, conscious of being seen interacting with Yoongi.
Nothing happened.
He knocked again, more loudly this time, hoping no one would come around a corner before Yoongi answered the door.
Still nothing.
He pounded the door one, two, three-
“Who the FUCK do you think you are, fucking bastard - oh. Um. Hi, Jungkook,” Yoongi flung the door open viciously, his speech slurred and furious, but then abruptly softened his voice and dropped his intimidating frown. His white-blond hair was mussed, and there were suspicious creases on his pale cheek.
“Were you sleeping, hyung?” Jungkook asked.
“How do you know I wasn’t working?” Yoongi shot back, gently beckoning Jungkook inside the studio but leaving the door cracked.
“Your recording light wasn’t on, so I knew you weren’t recording,” Jungkook said.
Yoongi nodded.
“Plus, I think you drooled on your chin a little.”
Yoongi slapped a hand to his face and rubbed viciously. “Brat,” he grumbled, no heat in his voice. “Should have led with that.”
Jungkook smiled. “It’s kinda cute, though,” he said.
Yoongi looked at him askance, a faint blush lighting up his cheekbones. “Is that what you did to Joonie yesterday? Called him cute?”
“Why?” Jungkook asked, his smile turning into a smirk. “Was he blushing?”
“Redder than a lobster,” Yoongi chuckled, his gravelly voice sending a tiny tingle down Jungkook’s spine. “So what brings you here?”
“Jin-hyung sent me to make sure you ate your food,” Jungkook replied.
“Food…” Yoongi muttered, his eyes far away. “Hyung sent food…”
“Did you not know? You can go down to the lobby and get it,” Jungkook said.
Yoongi began rifling through the detritus under his desk. “No, I went down and got it - or rather, I sent that stupidly tall intern, what’s his name, Sam- Sae- Sanha! That’s his name… Aha !” he exclaimed, and drew out a couple containers and a rumpled black scarf. “I ate it!”
“You didn’t remember if you’d ate it or not?” Jungkook said, trying not to laugh.
“Not really,” the Alpha said, scratching his head and messing up his hair even more. “Must have ate it before I passed out. Don’t really remember much before then.” Somewhat alarmed, Jungkook decided that he would check on Yoongi every day from then on to make sure he’d eaten. He understood now why the others hadn’t seemed necessarily surprised when Yoongi had ended up in the hospital.
Footsteps and loud conversation came through the crack in the door, and Jungkook suddenly remembered that he was supposed to have limited contact with pack members at BigHit. “I should get going,” he said reluctantly. “I just came to check on you.”
Yoongi looked up at him from beside his desk, his eyes no longer sleepy, but sharp and heavy on Jungkook. He didn’t know how the Alpha did that when he was literally kneeling and Jungkook was standing, but Jungkook could still feel his heart rate pick up and his senses go on high alert - prey response. Yoongi looked him up and down slowly, and rasped, “That’s… probably for the best.”
It took a force of will to get Jungkook to move his feet, to reach the door, to open it. He bowed stiffly and whispered, “Bye, hyung.”
Yoongi murmured, “Bye, Jungkook-ah.”
Jungkook shivered as he walked away, making sure the coast was clear. He was so conflicted! On the one hand, the things Yoongi did to him with just his voice, with his eyes, made Jungkook feel delightfully submissive. Which was weird. With anyone else, he would have hated that. But not with Yoongi, it seemed. Or Namjoon, now that he thought about it. He wouldn’t mind being submissive for Namjoon. The thought made him a little giddy.
Off-topic, Jungkook.
On the other hand, he was frustrated with himself for not being able to even chat with the Alpha without being affected; he remembered Yoongi asking Saturday night, “Is this going to happen every time?” Jungkook wondered that, too. How was he supposed to get to know them all if he couldn’t get himself under control? At least the Alpha hadn’t touched him just now, or his scent would’ve…
Jungkook paused mid-step, trying to remember if he’d detected any hints of earthiness or mint in the studio. He couldn’t remember any. That was odd - usually he was so tuned into the Alpha’s scent that it was all he could think about, but his head had stayed clear in the studio. He couldn’t credit the cracked door; barely any air could’ve passed through. Puzzled, he pulled out his phone, moving to one side of the hallway to stay out of the way of any passerby, and sent a text to Yoongi.
Jungkook: Hyung, are you feeling ok?
Yoongi-hyung: Why? You just saw me. I’m fine.
Jungkook: Yeah, but
Jungkook: Um
Yoongi-hyung: Spit it out, pup
Jungkook: I didn’t smell you?
Jungkook: At all?
Yoongi-hyung: Oh that
Yoongi-hyung: Trying to be more diligent with the scent blocker
Yoongi-hyung: Joonie’s always nagging me about it, says it’s unprofessional
Yoongi-hyung: Figured it would help you out, too, so
Jungkook felt a surge of warmth burst into his chest, roll up to his scalp, and settle down in his toes. He knew enough about Yoongi at this point to understand that he hadn’t worn scent blocker to get Namjoon off his back. The two of them been working together for years, and if Yoongi hadn’t listened to Namjoon before now, he wasn’t going to suddenly obey him out of nowhere. No, Yoongi had done it to help Jungkook. They weren’t even supposed to interact at the office unless for work purposes, but the Alpha had used scent blocker on the off chance he would run into Jungkook. It made him feel giddy inside, and he was still grinning broadly when he got back to his desk.
“You’re in a good mood,” Jungwoo commented, glancing over from his desk.
“I, ah, ate outside for lunch,” Jungkook said. “I love weather like this.” Jungwoo and he chatted for a little bit about the cool weather, and it felt good, to be back on comfortable terms with his Beta coworker. Everything seemed so much better, like it was all working out, now that he was in this courtship.
Who knew?