Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Over the few weeks Jungkook has known Jimin, he’s been fortunate enough to witness many of the older omega’s smiles. The hesitant ones, the curious ones, the hopeful and the bittersweet.

The one he’s wearing now is new, full of warmth and excitement.

“I promise you’ll like it there,” Jimin says, his face glowing as he squeezes Jungkook’s shoulder. “Our pack is super nice, and ever since Namjoon-hyung became head alpha, everything’s been amazing.”

Jungkook must not look convinced, or maybe his apprehension is just too obvious, because Jimin laughs self-consciously.

“Okay, so maybe this—” he gestures around pointedly at the wolves surrounding what’s left of Jungkook’s former pack, “—isn’t winning you over, but it’s just a precaution, I swear.”

The Jeons have been asked to remain in human form out of caution, undoubtedly, in case anyone happens to turn rogue as they’re getting herded to their new home. Not that that would happen—it’s mostly only the betas and omegas left, along with the alphas who didn’t put up a fight. When the Kims attacked this morning, the Jeon leader and those loyal to him were either killed or fled with their tails between their legs.

“Don’t worry, no one’s gonna be breathing down your neck like this when we get there,” Jimin adds almost nervously, when Jungkook’s been silent for too long.

Jungkook nods, if only to put him at ease. He pulls his tunic tighter around his body, a subconscious action of self-protection rather than reaction to the autumn chill. His eyes stay trained on the damp forest floor as he steps over large branches, keeps his feet steady when they pass through slippery, rocky areas. His deerskin shoes are old and unraveling at the seams, inadequate for long travel, but they’re the only pair he owns.

It’s not like he had a choice in the first place, but Jungkook still isn’t sure about leaving the only home he’s ever known for a clan where omegas are apparently allowed to address their head alpha by ‘hyung’ instead of ‘Leader.’ Jungkook feels no attachment towards any of the people who perished today, nor even for the ones he’s travelling with now, but the Jeon pack and its traditions were the only thing he grew up knowing. And now all of that’s gone.

Jimin’s nice. Perhaps Jungkook’s a fool for trusting him, but he was nice to Jungkook even after Jimin and the rest of his hunting group were captured by the Jeon clan for accidentally straying into their territory. At first, Jungkook didn’t know what to make of the group. What was an omega like Jimin doing hunting instead of tending to his home-making duties? And he had such nerve, too. His voice may have been soft but there was steel behind it, he was always quick to assert his opinions, talking back to the alphas in his group when they said something he didn’t like. 

Yet the older omega was unconditionally kind to Jungkook, who was tasked with bringing food once a day to the shed they were locked in, a willing pawn of his pack. The role that Jungkook played in their imprisonment didn’t seem to affect Jimin’s opinion of him, strangely enough, even though he must have known the Jeon alphas were demanding an impossible sum to return them to their pack. And Jungkook was too obedient, too unfamiliar with the concept of rebellion to even think about helping them escape.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t even about the money. Jungkook’s pretty sure his clan would have eventually killed the prisoners out of some sort of act of dominance. The impending bloodshed from the power struggle with the Kims has been years in the making, after all, though Jungkook doesn’t understand why his former pack wanted to expand into Kim territory in the first place. They had more than enough land at their disposal to live comfortably.

“Speaking of, I never asked how old you were,” Jimin chirps, arms held behind his back as he tilts his head to meet Jungkook’s lowered eyes.

“Twenty-four,” he mumbles.

Jimin gasps. “And your head alpha didn’t force you to mate anyone? Well, that’s unexpected. I thought he would’ve sold you off as soon as possible, that piece of trash.”

Jungkook flinches, a deep-rooted reflex at hearing uncomplimentary words towards their leader. Then he remembers the man’s dead.

“Um...’cause no one wanted me,” he murmurs.

He’s a bit ashamed of his undesirability, as he expects anyone might be. But mostly, it doesn’t matter to him that no one wanted to be his mate since he didn’t want to be anyone’s either. He felt like he could barely care for himself—how was he supposed to tend to a mate and raise a pup too?

“What?” Jimin squawks. “Why? You’re so cute!”

“I don’t...have anything to offer.” Jungkook adjusts the strap of his knapsack. He doesn’t have much in there, mostly clothes, some small trinkets he’s collected throughout his life. All of his belongings packed up in a bag, light as a feather at first, but they’ve been walking long enough that even that’s starting to feel heavy. “My parents died in a hunting accident when I was young. I-I don’t have a dowry, or status or money. And, um...I don’t...excel at any of my duties either. Anyone can cook and clean.”

Jimin rolls his eyes so hard that Jungkook worries he’ll hurt himself. “Of course that’s what those pigs care about. Well, good news for you, we have lotsa unmated alphas in our pack. Kind ones too, you’ll have your pick! I’m sure you—agh!”

Jungkook looks up in alarm at the strangled noise. He blinks at the alpha plastered to Jimin’s side, arm coiled around his neck and nuzzling his ear. Jungkook recognizes him as the one who grabbed Jimin in a long hug earlier when the rescuers came for the hunting group, and his scent matches the one that lingers on the omega’s body, laced with his own.

“Yoongi-hyung!” Jimin scolds, although he’s absolutely beaming, his grin stretching ear-to-ear. “Shouldn’t you be at the back? Protecting us like the big, strong alpha you’re supposed to be?”

The man, Yoongi, growls playfully at him. “I haven’t seen my mate in weeks, shut up and let me scent him.”

“You already did earlier,” Jimin continues to complain, but his body melts against the alpha’s and he twists his neck to give him more room. Once he’s done, Yoongi pulls away with a warm smile that has Jungkook staring. When the alpha’s gaze drifts to his, he jumps, lowering his eyes.

“Who’s this?” Yoongi asks, not unkindly. “D’you make a friend?”

“Yeah!” Jimin claps Jungkook on the shoulder. “This is Jungkookie. Jungkookie, my mate Yoongi.”

“H-hi,” Jungkook manages.

“Hey. Uh. Welcome to the pack, I guess.”

Jungkook glances up at him, surprised at both the words and the gentle, flustered tone. He can’t remember an alpha ever speaking to him like that. It sort of reminds him of his dad.

“Thank you,” he murmurs.

“Go away now,” Jimin orders, swatting at Yoongi. Jungkook gapes at his insolence but Yoongi lets it roll over him like it’s a normal occurrence, seems to be amused, even. “I have to get our maknae caught up on the gossip so he’ll know which alphas are worthy of his attention.”

“Great.” Yoongi turns to Jungkook. “You’d better watch out, our resident matchmaker’s got his eye on you.” 

Jimin smacks him on the arm. “Go. Away!”

Jungkook’s energy wanes as they continue their trek, but the alternating bouts of interrogation from Jimin and semi-comfortable silence keep him from dwelling on the weakness in his legs.

When they finally reach their destination, however, his fatigue is blown away. At the end of the forest is a massive waterfall that cascades over a sky-high cliff. And on the side of the waterfall is a small opening between the water and the rocks that leads to a maze of caves. The journey through the caves is lengthy, but Jungkook forgets about that when they reach the other side. To his wonder, he stands before an enormous valley, protected on all sides by mountains far in the horizon.

A sprawling forest fills the pitted space, and from this high up, Jungkook can make out a clearing in the middle filled with cabins. Farther out are farm lands, stretching around several big red barns. It’s evening now, the sky streaked with the setting sun's last rays of colour, and in the darkness, Jungkook can make out the twinkling lights of the encampment at the core of this—hamlet? Village? There’s one massive light in the middle of it that looks like a bonfire.

“Wow,” Jungkook breathes.

“I know, right,” Jimin says smugly. “Welcome to your new home, Jungkook-ah!”

The apprehension and fear that have been weighing on him all day lift by a fraction, and for the first time, Jungkook feels the barest hint of hope. He wonders what kind of future awaits him here. Which is ridiculous, he knows, because he’s sure that once he’s accustomed to this new place, the same monotony of duties, chores, the responsibilities of day-to-day life will set in.

But maybe it won’t be so bad, if he’ll get to do it in a place this beautiful.

Kim Namjoon somehow manages to be imposing but warm at the same time. He recites the pack pledge to the newcomers and explains the basics of how he expects the next few days to take place.

Jungkook listens but the only thing he really hears is the word ‘freedom.’ Freedom to fall into roles that best suit their skills, freedom to make friends with whoever they want, freedom to leave, should they choose to do so. Jungkook wonders why Namjoon doesn’t seem worried that any deserters would out the location of the camp, and when he asks Jimin, the elder smirks, telling him there’s no way any intruder would make it alive out of the maze of caves.

When Jungkook takes a look around the bonfire, he observes that most of the Kim omegas stand slightly behind their alphas, as is custom. Instinct, in fact. Their faces are tense, wary of the Jeons who are dirty and worn from a day of travel, but what Jungkook notices is how these omegas seem to lean in towards their mates, as if the presence of their alphas alone provide them comfort. Some of the omegas whisper to their alphas, who smile and laugh with them. It’s a heartwarming, promising sight.

Jungkook feels something unfamiliar twinge in his chest. He’s long since gotten used to being alone, never yearned for a connection to anyone. No one tried to be his friend back with his clan, let alone anything more, and he didn’t seek anyone out either. The only example he recalls of anything resembling the love in the stories he’s heard, is between his parents. When he was younger, he wanted something like what they had, he thinks. It’s a vague feeling. He doesn’t remember well.

“C’mon,” Jimin nudges him, and Jungkook jolts, realizing he lost himself in his thoughts. Namjoon has finished speaking, now going around greeting the Jeon alphas, shaking their hands. Jungkook tries not to mirror the alphas’ gawking. “I’ll show you to the omega quarters!”

He’s led around the bonfire to a large cottage where people are milling around, chatting in small groups. They collectively stop when Jimin approaches with Jungkook, whose gaze immediately drops to the ground.

“Hey guys! This is Jungkookie. He’s kinda shy but super sweet.” Jimin elbows him gently.

“Hello,” he mumbles.

To his pleasant surprise, the others chorus back their greetings, and he manages to lift his head, comforted by their now relaxed stance.

“Jin-hyung’s inside,” one of them tells Jimin, walking over. “We just finished setting up the new beds! We didn’t know how many would be coming so if there’s lots extra, we’ll just clean up them up later.” He grins at Jungkook. “Hi, I’m Yugyeom.”

“N-nice to meet you.”

“You too! Come along now, you’re the first so you get to choose which bed you want,” Yugyeom giggles. Jungkook follows him, but he tenses when he realizes Jimin’s still standing there with a proud smile.

“You aren’t coming?” Jungkook asks him, afraid despite himself.

Jimin blinks at him. “Oh, I don’t actually live here! My cabin’s super close though, just on that side.” He points across the camp. “I’m mated, so I live with Yoongi in our own place.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen. “Th-that cabin’s all yours?” It’s not insanely big or anything, quaint and cozy-looking, but if it were the Jeons, they would’ve squeezed half of their omegas in there.

“Yeah! Once you mate, you can build your own too.” Jimin winks. Then his face softens, and he puts an arm around Jungkook’s neck. “Are you nervous? I’ll come with you, you’ll totally love Jin-hyung, I promise. He’s our head omega. I hope you like dad jokes ’cause I sure don’t have the energy to entertain him.”

The three-floor cottage is larger than any quarters Jungkook’s ever seen assigned to omegas. There are neat piles of blankets spread throughout the open space and Jungkook picks one in the very corner of the first floor, close to the front door, which he suspects hasn’t been claimed due to the draftiness. It’s not a problem for him, merely a matter of wearing more to sleep. He tends to wake up early in the mornings and doesn’t want to disturb anyone when he goes out.

His instincts urge him to build a nest on the bed with his clothes, but he’s not sure of the rules here and doesn’t want to be inappropriate or intrusive, so he settles for rubbing his clothes over the bedding. They even gave him a pillow that’s so soft it must be filled with feathers. Jungkook’s never slept on such plush bedding before. He’s used to threadbare blankets, not this wonderful cushiony stuff.

The Kim pack throws a feast to welcome their new members who finally begin to loosen up, warm from the heated mead, juicy pork, and friendly company. Jungkook eats only until he’s full, not wanting to overwhelm his stomach from the rich foods, and listens to Jimin and Yugyeom gossip.

“You should totally seduce him,” Jimin is cackling, slapping Yugyeom on the back. “Just, like, go sit reeeaaal close to him and put your hand on his thigh. That’s the perfect level of enticing for you vanilla boys.”

Yugyeom puts his face in his hands and whines. Jungkook’s curiosity gets the better of him.

“Who...?” he asks.

“Bambam,” Jimin says loudly, pointing unsubtly across the fire at a tall man with a narrow face. “A beta. Yugyeomie’s totally gone for him.” Jungkook mouths ‘beta’ to himself silently. A beta and omega pairing, that’s the first he’s heard of something like that. Yugyeom squawks at Jimin’s continued teasing, but the latter seems to be getting tired of his hemming and hawing, Jimin’s lips pressing into a line as he rolls his eyes. “He’s totally gone for you too. Seriously, go talk to him before some other hoe snatches him up.”

Yugyeom groans loudly but after a bit more coaxing, he psyches himself up and stands with determination, his hands fisted in his tunic.

“Okay, I’m going,” he says, as if to convince himself. Jimin whoops at him.

Jungkook watches with his mouth half-open as Yugyeom marches over to Bambam before plopping down on the log beside him. Bambam grins at him, greeting him boisterously, and Yugyeom smiles, his hand dropping down on Bambam’s thigh. The beta’s face softens. He rests his hand over Yugyeom’s.

“Wow,” Jungkook whispers, amazed at both Yugyeom’s brazenness and Bambam’s obvious soft spot for him.

“Ah, young love.” Jimin holds his hands to his heart. “Makes me miss my dear Yoongi. Maybe I ignored him too much today, I bet he’s sulking.”

“You don’t have to stay with me,” Jungkook says, guilt creeping into him. “I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, please.” Jimin waves a dismissive hand. “I’m with him literally from sunrise to sunrise, it’s nice to have a breather every now and then.” He pauses. “Actually, we haven’t introduced you to the alphas yet, have we? Let’s go, they’ll be happy to meet you!”

“Oh, no,” Jungkook blurts out, before biting his tongue, not wanting to seem ungrateful. “Um, I mean, that’s okay. W-we don’t have to.”

Jimin gazes at him with sympathy. “It’ll be okay, Jungkook-ah. Better to meet them now than later when I’m not with you, right?”

He nearly shudders at the thought, quickly getting to his feet and brushing off his trousers. He lets Jimin grab his wrist and drag him past the bonfire over to a less crowded end of the clearing where it’s dark enough to see the stars. There’s a group scattered around a smaller campfire here, the low tones of their voices more soothing than Jungkook’s used to from alphas.

“Jungkook-ah, this is Hoseokie-hyung!” Jimin chirps, bringing him to a smiley man who excitedly slaps Jimin on the shoulder several times. “He’s one of our main hunters.”

“Hey, what’s up!”

Jungkook cowers at his loud voice, but there’s something about his grin that Jungkook thinks he likes. “Um...hi...”

“Aww, aren’t you an adorable one,” Hoseok coos. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to come to hyung, ‘kay?” He reaches up like he wants to pinch Jungkook’s cheeks but Jimin bats him away, yelling that he’ll scare Jungkook off.

The older omega takes him around the clearing, bringing him to Namjoon, who puts a weighty, reassuring hand on Jungkook’s shoulder, his dimples winking at him. And Jackson, yet another guy so loud that Jungkook has to fight off the instinct to flinch or squeeze his eyes shut every time he opens his mouth. Shockingly enough, all of the alphas Jimin introduces to him are polite and approachable, and what’s even odder is that many of them smell distinctly of power, clearly descendants of strong alpha lines. How do they keep the peace?

“It’s because our head was decided democratically, since we’re a mix of different clans,” Jimin explains to him. “Namjoon-hyung is a Gangneung Kim, Jin-hyung is a Gwangsan Kim. Yoongi-hyung’s actually a Min, and I was a Park before mating. People sort of just find their way here and decide to stay, so our pack has been slowly growing.”

Jungkook’s mind is still stuck on the first part. “G-Gwangsan Kim?” he squeaks.

“Oh. Yeah.” Jimin grins, his canines bright in the light of the fire. “There’s a few in our pack. They migrated over here ‘cause life in the stuffy capital wasn’t for them, so technically we’ve got some princelings hangin’ out with us commoners.”

“Oh, no,” Jungkook says quietly, chewing on his bottom lip. Jimin laughs.

“Hey, they’re just descendants you know, I was kidding ‘bout the prince part.”

Jungkook knows, but still. Grandchildren or great-grandchildren of the most powerful clan on earth? He can’t assimilate that knowledge with the Jin he met an hour ago. Although now that he thinks about it, Jin does carry himself with this floaty elegance, and even his scent has a certain tastefulness to it.

Jimin doesn’t make him say hi to even a third of the pack, but Jungkook is exhausted by the end of their little tour, his eyes drooping and feet dragging across the ground. He can’t remember the last time he spoke so much.

As they’re leaving to finally return to the omega quarters, Jungkook catches sight of a man sat against a log by the bonfire, his knees propped up and spread wide. One arm hangs over his leg, a cup dangling from long fingers.

He turns by a fraction, eyes locking with Jungkook’s.

Jungkook freezes. His heart leaps into his throat.

The man’s got cutting, heavy eyes that glow with the flickers of the fire. Everything about him is sharp, his cheekbones, nose, his jawline, everything except the black waves falling softly into his eyes.

He’s stunning. He’s unearthly.

Jungkook’s immediate reflex is to hide behind Jimin, but he can’t make his legs move. Then the man breaks his gaze, staring back into the crackling embers, and Jungkook’s lungs are freed. He gasps in a breath.

Jimin seems to notice who he’s staring at. “Oh, speaking of a Gwangsan Kim,” he says, and his voice is weird now, more hesitant, or careful. “That’s Taehyungie.”

“T-Taehyung?” Jungkook repeats, just to have his name on his tongue.

“Yeah, um.” Jimin’s brows furrow and he opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again. “He only looks mean, he’s actually super nice. Like, selflessly kind to the people he cares about. He’s one of my best friends.”

Jungkook waits for the “but.”

Jimin sighs, running a hand through his hair. He takes Jungkook’s wrist in his and starts dragging him away and Jungkook wants so badly to dig his heels into the ground, longing to drink in more of the beautiful man. “He’s a genuinely good person. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to approach him if I were you.”

“Why?” bursts out of Jungkook’s throat.

Jimin must read him wrong and think him concerned for a different reason, because he laughs. “No, seriously, don’t worry about him at all! He’s a great guy and a courteous alpha, to say the least.”

“Then why?” Jungkook presses. 

“He’s...” Jimin purses his lips. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but I mean, everyone in the clan knows...”

“I-I won’t tell anyone,” Jungkook says quickly, twisting his wrist to take Jimin’s hand in his own. At the surprised smile that spreads across the other’s face from the affectionate action, Jungkook feels guilty, not having meant to do anything but catch Jimin’s attention. But he just needs to know so badly.

“Hmm, well. It’s nothing unheard of, honestly. He had an intended once and she, uh, hurt him pretty badly. Basically, she was only with him for his status, so the second she found someone better, she ran off with that person instead.” Jimin frowns. “And not just her, Taehyungie’s had a string of bad relationships. She wasn’t even the worst one, actually. They—they take advantage of his kindness.” He shakes his head with a sigh. “Anyway, so now he refuses to involve himself with anyone, especially omegas. I swear he’s good, Jungkook-ah, but he won’t be nice if you try to talk to him.”

“Oh,” Jungkook says under his breath.

As they’re leaving the camp, he stretches out his senses, hoping to catch a whiff of Taehyung. And he does, he’s always had an excellent nose, it’s his single redeeming quality, but Taehyung’s scent is unnaturally weak. Jungkook can barely pick it out from the dozen other wolves around them, a trace of something like soapy, freshly washed cotton.

Still, even as faint as the smell is, Jungkook’s eyelids flutter, a breath escaping out of his mouth. It’s such a comforting, homey scent. And he has no idea where that thought even came from, because his version of home has always been a rickety hut crammed with too many omegas, an environment chilly not from the weather but from his lack of a meaningful relationship with anyone.

That night as he lies curled up in his bedding, waiting for sleep to take him, he thinks of the man.

When Jungkook leaves the omega quarters the next morning, he assumes he’s the first to wake since no one’s around. He spends an hour or two exploring the surroundings, circling the remains of the bonfire, curiously peering at the small cabins littered around the clearing and beyond.

An older, motherly omega, Hayoung, finds him drifting aimlessly and asks if he’s bored. When he dips his head, she smiles and leads him to a spacious hut that he discovers is a communal kitchen. There are wash basins stacked neatly in a corner and a space on the floor covered with a shiny material, where Jungkook assumes any game brought back from the forest is cleaned. Cabinets and shelves lining the walls are filled with jars of seasoning, spices, and stored food. His mouth waters, breathing them in.

They’re putting away the washed utensils from last night when there’s a commotion outside. Hayoung stands, wiping her hands on her apron. “The hunters must be back. Do you think you’re free to help me with the catches?”

“Ah, sure.”

Outside, a group has gathered around the boundary to the forest, murmuring happily and whooping as several wolves lug in the body of a moose. They’ve also brought some small rodents, a couple hares and a deer, and when Jungkook’s stomach rumbles, he remembers he never ate breakfast.

At the end of the procession is a wild boar, its meaty body dragging through the dirt, secured between the jaws of two wolves. Jungkook recognizes the smaller blond one as Jimin, proudly marching into the camp with light feet despite his hefty load. Next to him is one of the most gorgeous wolves Jungkook’s ever seen, a pureblood red timber, it looks like, with black fur that transitions to brown to an auburn so bright it’s almost orange. The wolf is big too, probably bigger than anyone Jungkook knows, including his former head alpha. Piercing amber eyes glint in the morning light and Jungkook quickly averts his gaze. He has a suspicion the wolf is Namjoon and doesn’t want to accidentally challenge his gaze.

Jungkook follows Hayoung over, the four of them sectioning the wild boar with fangs or knives for easier transportation. Jimin sits on his rump at Jungkook’s side, barking and wagging his tail, and the younger smiles at him.

When Jungkook sees black-brown paws at the edge of his vision, he realizes the unnamed wolf has dragged over a chunk of the boar with his jaws, as he did with Hayoung so she could carry it back into the kitchen. The full weight of the piece is nudged into Jungkook’s arms and he cradles it, struggling to stand up straight. He’s built up some muscle over the years of doing nothing but chores every day, but he isn’t used to carrying anything this heavy, and the emptiness of his stomach has really started to make itself known.

Jimin whines, immediately transforming to help him out. But as soon as he’s human, he lets out a squeak and scrambles to cover his crotch. “Fuck, I forgot my loincloth today,” Jimin hisses, shuffling backwards into the bushes. “Sorry, Jungkookie! Yoongi-hyung will murder me if I walk around naked. I’ll just—uh—”

Jungkook is in the middle of reassuring him that he’s fine, he can just halve the chunk and make two trips if he needs to, when the big wolf huffs and transforms. Jungkook drops the piece of boar entirely, barely wincing when it lands on his foot.

It’s Taehyung.

Jungkook doesn’t even have the presence of mind to avert his eyes from his body because he’s preoccupied staring blankly at his face, which is even more ethereal up close. Maybe it’s not even the face, really, as beautiful as it is. It’s the way Taehyung looks at people, and his silent but massive presence.

Taehyung ignores him, whipping off the cloth tied to his thigh to knot it around his hips. He spares Jungkook a flat, unamused glance before grabbing the boar and striding off towards the kitchen.

Jungkook stares after his bare, toned back for a couple seconds, then shakes himself out of it and runs after him.

“Um,” he says when he catches up, trotting at the alpha’s heel. But Taehyung must not hear him. Jungkook scolds himself for speaking too quietly. “T-Taehyung-ssi,” he tries again, louder.

Taehyung turns only enough to level Jungkook with cold eyes. A frown digs into his forehead.

“How do you know my name?” he says.

Something drops into the pit of Jungkook’s gut, hard and heavy like a stone, stealing his breath. Taehyung’s voice is so deep. It’s thick and warm with a husky edge, the friction of it in Jungkook’s ears making his stomach feel weak.

“Oh,” he chokes out when he realizes the alpha’s almost glaring at him. “Jimin-hyung told me.”

Taehyung sighs through his nose, his lips thinning. Jungkook shrinks in on himself.

“S-sorry you have to do this after, uh, carrying it all the way back already,” he mumbles. Clamping down on his nervousness, he scrambles up to Taehyung’s side, holding out both arms. “I can help.”

“It’s fine,” Taehyung says shortly. They’re halfway to the kitchen anyway and Jungkook wants to hit himself for offering so late. “You can go grab Jimin his pants, if you’re free.”

“Oh.” Guilt washes over him; he completely forgot about Jimin. “Right. Ah, thanks again, T-Taehyung-ssi.”

Taehyung doesn’t reply, walking off.

Jungkook tries his best not to stare as he disappears into the kitchen. He fails.

Chapter Text

Later that day after lunch, Jungkook finds out from Yugyeom that there will be another feast tonight. Apparently, it’s to celebrate Hallow’s Eve, which is why the hunters brought back so much food in the morning. When Jungkook asks Yugyeom what Hallow’s Eve is, the other omega is flabbergasted.

“Do you guys not celebrate it?” he demands. “It’s one of our favourite holidays!”

Jungkook shakes his head, so Yugyeom regales him with a historical tale of how a wolf named Byul mourned her mate’s death with such despair that the gods of the underground heard her. They arranged for an annual truce with the gods of the earth, granting her a chance to be with her mate. Each year, on this same day, ghosts, monsters, and demons rise from the dirt, the only time they’re allowed to exist in harmony with the living, and Byul’s elated howls are heard in the night as she’s reunited with her mate. Or so the story goes.

The cynical part of Jungkook whispers that if this were true, Byul is bound to be dead by now. Besides, Jungkook doesn’t believe in ghosts, monsters, or demons; he’s pretty sure the story is just the fruit of some creative wolf’s overactive imagination. He keeps his mouth shut though, not wanting to take away the sparkle in Yugyeom’s eyes, and regardless, the legend has allegedly been passed down generations and is widely celebrated. Any reason to have a feast, he supposes.

He spends the afternoon with Jimin and Yugyeom, gutting pumpkins that some of the betas bought from town earlier today. Yugyeom shoves one at him, telling him it’s his and that he should release his creative mind. It takes him several hours, but the other omegas seem impressed when Jungkook finishes carving the howling wolf, full moon, and small stars into the thick skin. Jimin tells him jokingly that the jack-o-lantern is supposed to be scary, not pretty, but he ruffles Jungkook’s hair and marvels at his artistry.

Once the pumpkin scraps and innards are cleaned up, Hayoung drops off a female omega around his age, Yura, with their group. Yura shows him how to mix dyes into melted wax to create coloured candles and he ends up making an all-black, unscented one to put inside his jack-o-lantern. She laughs, calling him a cute goth, and he thanks her even though he has no clue what the word means.

Now, while the cooking fire roars and crackles in the center of their camp, the boar slowly roasting over it, Jungkook chews on his vegetables as he watches everyone dance in circles to the melody of stringed instruments and goatskin drums. They twirl around in pairs, switching partners over and over again, laughing and singing along to the folk song. Their happiness is beautiful. Jungkook admires them but can’t find the courage to join.

Those who are eating like Jungkook or not so keen on dancing are squeezed together on the logs surrounding the fire. There’s nowhere near enough space for all of them but no one seems to care, some sitting in each other’s laps to make room. Jungkook is a bit uncomfortable squished between two betas he doesn’t know, but he puts up with it, not wanting to stand at the side to eat like someone who doesn’t belong.

After he’s cleared his plate, he continues to sit there, debating what he should do with his used utensils. He wants to get up and wash them, put them away so he and the others will have one fewer set to clean later, but he doesn’t want to leave and lose his spot. He might not be joining in the festivities himself, but the atmosphere of it all is enjoyable. He isn’t tempted to run off and hide like back when the Jeons held stiff affairs to entertain guests.

Hypnotized by the fire and dancing bodies, his mind begins drifting, and Jungkook daydreams about running through the forest in search of delicious berries. As a pup, his mother scolded him frequently for his tendency to lose himself in his thoughts, claiming his absentmindedness would get him killed one day. He can’t help it, though. He’s been oddly craving raspberries and blackberries these days. They’re his favourite luxuries in the world, and the one thing that would complete the warm, fulfilling day that Hallow’s Eve has turned out to be.

He barely notices when the beta on his right plus a few others wiggle out of their spots, leaving an empty space that’s immediately filled as people shuffle to make room at the end of the log for newcomers. But at the familiar, faint waft of soap and cotton, Jungkook jerks out of his daydreams.

Kim Taehyung is pressed right up against his side, his alpha warmth burning through Jungkook’s arm and searing into the rest of his body. His arms are crossed over his chest and he doesn’t look particularly joyous, as expected, but he also doesn’t seem uncomfortable. He’s just a blank canvas, eyes a bit droopy as he observes the festivities around them without thought.

“T-Taehyung-ssi,” Jungkook chokes, his heart thudding in his ears.

For a moment, he thinks he spoke too quietly again, but then Taehyung’s eyes slide to him. He blinks once, slowly, zero sign of recognition in his face.

Jungkook falters. He didn’t even mean to say Taehyung’s name, to be honest. It just spilled out of him.

“U-um, thank you again...for this morning,” he stammers. His fingers curl around his tunic hard and he wills them not to fidget inelegantly.

Taehyung doesn’t respond. Jungkook chances a peek up at him and flinches when he finds the alpha looking at him, impassive.

“With the boar, I mean,” Jungkook mumbles, in case Taehyung doesn’t remember. He probably doesn’t. It wasn’t a big deal anyway, it was just more convenient for Taehyung to carry the thing himself than wait for a bumbling omega to gather his wits.

To his amazement, Taehyung grunts in something like acknowledgment. Jungkook perks up at the sound, the acceptance of his thanks, and he dares to peer out of the corner of his eye at the other man again. He isn’t afraid of Taehyung, not really. Taehyung hasn’t given him a reason to fear him outside of his cold demeanour, and Jungkook’s used to that from alphas, and most other people. He’s just a little intimidated by his aura, that’s all.

Taehyung isn’t paying him any attention, eyes back on the dancers who are jumping around and kicking their legs to the now upbeat music. Jungkook gnaws on his bottom lip, wanting to make conversation but that isn’t a skill he’s blessed with. He can’t recall ever trying to make conversation before. No one likes a chatty omega, it’s what he’s been taught, but more than that, he prefers the peace and quiet anyway. He’s used to being ignored, he feels safe in the lack of attention on him and he’s never felt uncomfortable with silence like some people seem to be. He still isn’t now, but there’s a yearning inside him to speak with Taehyung. Jungkook wants to get to know him more, he wants to ask him questions and learn small things about him that other people aren’t privy to.

Before he can come up with a conversation topic he thinks he can hold, a girl is approaching them with pink cheeks. Jungkook recognizes her: Nayeon, one of his distant cousins who he’s talked to only a handful of times. His feelings for her are neutral—she’s never been particularly mean or nice to him, though he’s heard that she’s fiercely protective and loyal to her sisters and friends, so she seems to be a decent person. And Jungkook may be out of the loop with most things, but even he knows she was one of the prettiest, most sought-after omegas within the Jeon clan.

She’s too pretty, in fact. Sweet, cute, with shiny doe eyes that alphas fall over themselves for, and Jungkook feels dread sink into his stomach when he realizes that the one she’s walking towards is Taehyung.

She greets Taehyung with a shy bow, nods her head at Jungkook too, who returns the gesture.

“Hello,” she says, voice barely audible over the noise. “Um...I apologize for the disturbance. I was wondering if you’d be interested in a dance...with me...?”

Jungkook holds his breath, his gaze jumping between the two of them. They’d make a beautiful couple, Taehyung with his sharp edges and Nayeon with her soft allure. Jungkook’s stomach churns. He seals his lips together tight, refusing to let out the little sound of distress that creeps up his throat.

But Taehyung doesn’t hesitate for a second. “Not interested,” he says shortly.

Nayeon’s eyes widen and her face grows redder. She concedes with a quick bow and rushes off.

Jungkook’s eyes are so wide they hurt. He can’t imagine anyone would turn Nayeon down, especially not like that, without a hint of reserve. A part of him is relieved, so relieved that he knows his knees would be wobbling if he were standing, but at the same time, he feels his hope dim. If Taehyung would reject Nayeon, there’s no believable situation in which he’d accept Jungkook.

And this is another first, one of so many these past few days, too many. Jungkook can’t believe he wants to earn an alpha’s favour, to catch his interest. He thinks...he thinks he might like Taehyung romantically, even though he met him only yesterday.

He’s not sure why the attraction he feels towards this man is so strong, but maybe there isn’t a reason at all. Jungkook is aware that emotions are like that, untameable, illogical, but he’s befuddled by the fact that it’s happening to him because he’s never really been one to want things.

“Y-you don’t like dancing?” he asks, staring down at his feet. He notices now how dirty his moccasins look, caked with mud from yesterday’s trek, thread poking out of their sides. Embarrassed, he tucks his feet closer against the log, hoping Taehyung didn’t see.

Unexpectedly, Taehyung doesn’t pretend not to hear his question.

“I don’t hate it,” he replies.

“Oh...then why?”

“Not interested,” Taehyung states again without any particular intonation, and ends it at that.

Jungkook nods, surprised and grateful that he responded to his inane questions at all.

He picks at a piece of lint on his sleeve. Unpracticed as he may be with the subtleties of social cues, he understands well that the other wants to be left alone. But when would he ever get another chance to be near Taehyung? Jungkook doesn’t want to leave yet. He wants to be a little bit selfish just for now. And he must have worse impulse control than he thought, because words continue to spew out of his mouth without him meaning for them to.

“I-I think I’d like dancing, but I don’t know how to—um.” He takes a steadying breath. “I’ve never...this is my first Hallow’s Eve celebration.”

Taehyung’s face remains angled at the fire, his eyes settled placidly on it, but he isn’t scoffing or making to leave or anything. Jungkook bobs his head emphatically to a question the alpha didn’t ask and probably doesn’t care enough to ask, just to do something with his body because he’ll fidget otherwise. It’s exhilarating simply having Taehyung here listening to him ramble like a fool. “We didn’t have it...with the Jeons. No music, not like this. No dancing.”

Taehyung hums.

“I-I carved a jack-o-lantern. Uh, that one over there. Jimin-hyung said it’s supposed to be scary, so I thought I failed, but, um. He was nice about it.”

Taehyung’s gaze follows his finger, landing on the pumpkin that Jimin proudly lugged over to the bonfire earlier, plunking it down and rearranging the other pumpkins so everyone on the log they’re sitting on now would have the perfect view of Jungkook’s.

When Taehyung doesn’t comment, Jungkook supplies stupidly, “Th-the candle inside is black. It was fun to make.” He looks down again with a small sigh, kicking at a spot on the ground until he remembers his shoes and quickly hides them again. “I had fun. I...like it here so far.”

Biting down hard on his lip, he berates himself for the silly, personal confession that Taehyung wouldn’t hold an interest for. Yet at the same time, Jungkook thinks that at least a portion of the reason he’s enjoyed himself so far is due to the alpha’s presence, as one-sided as it may be, and he really wants to convey this to him somehow.

“Th-thank you for taking us in,” he mumbles.

Taehyung stands in a smooth motion, making Jungkook jump.

“Don’t thank me,” he says, his deep voice cutting through the laughter around them, eyes flaring like black flames. “I didn’t do anything. Thank Namjoon-hyung.”

And he leaves.

Jungkook sighs again, this time in disappointment. He wonders if he offended Taehyung somehow. Hopefully not, he didn’t seem offended.

Maybe Jungkook just annoys him.

“What are you making?”

Jin pulls his face out of the mass of string coiled all over his fingers, his cheeks lifting in a smile. “Oh, Jungkook-ah! Not much, just some bracelets.” He starts unraveling the string, dropping the tangled mess on the table. “Come, come. Hang out with hyung.” He pats the spot on the bench next to him.

Jungkook sits, keeping his hands in his lap so he doesn’t disturb the enormous pile of supplies spread over the table. With his chores done for the day and still being too apprehensive to explore the rest of the village alone, he found himself wandering the center camp until he naturally gravitated towards the dining hall. It’s the place he’s become most familiar with outside of the omega quarters over the past two weeks of living here. When he saw Jin sitting here all by his lonesome, looking busy, he thought he could help. “Um...what is all this?”

“Ah, it’s just something I like to do for the children. Minah—you know her, right? She teaches the lessons?”

Jungkook has no idea what he’s talking about. He shakes his head. “Lessons?”

“Yes, all of our pups take lessons five days a week at the school. You probably passed by it on your way here, it’s the long building with the blue doors. The kids learn math, reading and writing, textiles, wildlife, etc. Minah is the head teacher, I grew up with her in the city. She’s very bright, used to ace all of our classes.”

“I-I see,” Jungkook says, but he doesn’t really. He’s heard of school and knows that some packs educate themselves, but he wasn’t aware it could be such a structured system. The thought of these pups being given the opportunity to learn makes him feel envious and inadequate, but he isn’t about to air his deficiencies in front of Jin.

“So anyway, whenever the kids behave, we replace a math class with arts and crafts. I think it’s a good way to train their imagination, concentration, and dexterity while still being more fun than, well, math.” Jin squeaks in loud, almost obnoxious mirth. The first time Jungkook heard him laugh, he flinched and reflexively looked around for angry alphas, but everyone seemed either used to it or happy that Jin was laughing in the first place.

“Oh.” He studies the rainbow piles of string and the small metal bits strewn across the table, along with hand-drawn booklets on what seems to be different types of knots. Out of nowhere, Jungkook is hit with the pressing urge to make something himself. Not for the sake of helping or completing a task, but because he wants to create something with his own hands and revel in the sense of accomplishment when he’s done.

“I helped the others finish laundry this morning,” he stammers, pulling at his fingers, suddenly overcome with the desire to do this. “Hayoung-noona said she didn’t need help in the kitchen either, and—um—”

“Jungkook-ah,” Jin smiles, warmth in his chocolate brown eyes. “I would love to teach you how to make bracelets. And you know, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

Jungkook winces. “Okay.”

“Hey, nothing bad. I just wanted to say that I’ve noticed you’re very helpful with everyone. Jimin, Hayoung, Yugyeom, everyone’s been telling me how sweet you are and that you do a great job with everything they throw at you. I want you to know we really appreciate it. But.” He places a hand on one of Jungkook’s that he’s got twisted in his lap. “Chores are really just chores. We don’t live to do them, they’re not our purpose in life. You’re supposed to take breaks and relax, Jungkook-ah. I know the duty rotation schedule might be intimidating,” he waves a hand at the piece of paper posted on the wall of the dining hall, “but honestly, we only make that thing because there’s so many of us and it’s easier to keep track this way.”

Jungkook nods, but he’s unclear of the direction of the conversation.

Jin smiles. “What I’m saying is, everyone is flexible, we help out where needed, but no one is supposed to be busy with that stuff all the time. We fill up our free time with more...” he gestures, squinting as he searches for a word. “Meaningful things. Does that...make sense?”

Jungkook feels like his world’s been flipped upside down. He stares at Jin, unsure and a bit afraid. “What do you mean, meaningful things?”

Jin shrugs and makes a motion like he’s flipping his long hair over his shoulder. He doesn’t have long hair. In fact, it’s very short. Jungkook is confused. “I don’t know, Kook-ah, that’s up to you! What do you find meaningful? What do you enjoy doing, when you have the freedom to choose? I like to admire myself in the mirror and spend time enhancing my beauty. It’s a feat because I’m already world-wide handsome, I know.”

“Enhance your beauty?” Jungkook leans closer, his heart giving a hopeful thump. Taehyung flashes through his mind and Jungkook’s heart speeds up some more, remembering those taciturn yet beguiling eyes. Would Taehyung like him if he was prettier? “H-how can I do that?”

Jin goes still, his eyebrows shooting up. The corners of his mouth curl up. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to care about those things.”

“Oh—ah, n-no, I. Sorry.” Jungkook draws back to himself.

“Oh, sweetpea, don’t ever be sorry when you haven’t done anything wrong,” Jin croons, patting his face. “Hyung will teach you everything to know about beauty. It’s mostly about what’s on the inside, y’know? And you’ve got plenty of that already.”

Jungkook frowns, unconvinced, but Jin only laughs.

“Do you still wanna learn how to make bracelets? We can do that first, beauty lesson later.”

Jungkook sits up straight and nods enthusiastically. Jin coos some more, squishing his cheeks.

There are a bunch of different types of bracelet knots, which translates to an infinite number of bracelet patterns he can come up with. Jin tells them the children mostly do friendship bracelets, but that that’s an umbrella term and he can make any sort of pattern he likes for any sort of purpose, that there aren’t rules to art.

Jungkook practices his braiding, hitch knots, fisherman knots, and forward and backward knots on spare string first. Once satisfied with his progress, he frowns down at the abundance of material at his disposal, pondering what he should do. He’s interested in friendship bracelets, they sound cute and heart-warming.

His face heats up as he thinks about making one for Jimin, wondering if he would like it. Jungkook’s pretty sure they’re friends. Jimin’s the person he’s closest to possibly in the entire world, which is quite pitiful if he thinks about it because they’ve known each other barely two months. But he suspects Jimin took a liking to him from the start, ever since they first met each other when the older omega was trapped in the shed with the rest of his hunting group, and Jungkook opened the door to it with a tray of food in his shaking hands.

At first, Jungkook was wary of his enthusiastic, clingy friendliness, but Jimin has proven time and time again that he wants the best for him. He’s done so much to ensure Jungkook feels comfortable and welcomed, introducing him to his friends, gently guiding him through his daily duties.

Jungkook nods to himself. He’ll make Jimin a bracelet. It’s not a problem if the omega doesn’t want to wear it. Jungkook just wants to show him how much he appreciates everything he’s done, because his few, stuttered thank-yous have been insufficient.

Time escapes him as he loses himself in the craft. He selects some yellows for Jimin’s hair, pinks because they suit him well somehow, and blues for the ocean, which his hyung has sung his love for too many times to count. Jin keeps him company the whole time, their conversation light enough that Jungkook isn’t too distracted to keep up.

It’s dinnertime by the time he finishes, holding up his painstakingly woven bracelet. He’s nervous when he shows Jin, asking for his honest opinion, and the fact that his teacher appears to be genuinely impressed thrills him.

“You’re really good with details,” Jin observes, running his finger along the table beside the bracelet. “The knots are tight and uniform. Hey, I should totally make you help out with the kids!” Something inside of Jungkook blossoms under the praise.

All throughout dinner and afterwards when he’s helping clean up, the bracelet sits like a weight in his pocket, making his heart race whenever he remembers it. He runs through every possible scenario of what could happen but he hopes, he likes to think, that Jimin will be happy.

Later that night, he finally manages to catch the elder before he heads off to his cabin with Yoongi.

“What is it?” Jimin asks worriedly, letting Jungkook lead him to a more secluded area. “Are you—oh?”

Jungkook holds out the bracelet on his palm, offering it up in silence.

“Is this...for me?” Jimin takes it with both hands like it’s something precious and fragile. Jungkook nods, stuffing his hands in the sleeves of his tunic and staring off to the side. “You made this?” Jimin asks, again in that awed tone. Jungkook nods once more.

“It’s a f-friendship bracelet…” he says, swallowing hard. “And a thank you for being, um. For taking care of me.” Hidden in his moccasins, his toes curl, stretch, curl. “I know it’s not much, but...” he trails off. His palms get clammy when Jimin doesn’t say anything. “Y-you don’t have to wear it, I—”

“Jungkook,” Jimin says, and at the shakiness in his voice, Jungkook finds the bravery to look up. His hyung is on the verge of tears. “Put this on me right this second.” Jimin thrusts out his wrist, damp eyes glittering from the small fires lit around the camp. “And tie it real tight, ‘cause I’m never taking it off.”

Jungkook has always thought of himself as calm, steady, unemotional. But seeing Jimin like this gets him tearing up too, an unfamiliar stinging deep inside his nose, and his throat sticks itself closed. Jimin must see it in his face because a tear rolls down the elder's face before he quickly wipes it away.

Jungkook ties the bracelet tight. Jimin holds up his arm, admiring it with the tenderest smile, and then he drags Jungkook into a hug.

“Thank you,” Jungkook murmurs, to which Jimin only laughs.

“Thank you, my li’l marshmallow.”

Jimin giddily encourages him to make bracelets for the others too, when Jungkook shyly brings up the idea. He waves away Jungkook’s concerns that it’ll only be a bother, telling him not to be stupid.

So Jungkook goes about brainstorming designs for Yugyeom and Jin. He debates whether he should give one to Yoongi too. The alpha’s been attentive and gracious to him in that funny, gruff way of his, even promising to teach him how to hunt sometime, and Jungkook has to admit that he’s quite fond of him. But he refrains since gifting any type of jewelry, as unsophisticated as it is, to a mated alpha seems a tad scandalous.

“What’s Yugyeomie’s favourite colour?” he asks Jimin as they sit together on Jungkook’s blankets in the omega quarters. “I-I think he’d look good in red.”

“Ooh, I agree! His favourites are yellow and black, but you can always just do red, I’m sure he’ll love whatever you decide on.” Jimin studies his own bracelet with a mushy grin. “I think you have an eye for color, anyway. Did you study art with those gross Jeons?”

“No,” Jungkook mutters, and doesn’t elaborate that he didn’t study anything. He’s never studied in his life. “Uh...and Jin-hyung’s favourite colour?”

“Pink.”

“Right. Why do I feel like I should’ve known that?”

Jimin lets out a peal of laughter and ruffles his hair. “You’re learning.”

Jungkook tries not to show on his face how much that pleases him. He makes neat little piles of materials for Jin and Yugyeom’s stuff, before he clears his throat.

“And—um. T-Taehyung-ssi’s favourite colour?”

Jimin’s hand goes still. Jungkook can’t bring himself to look at him, playing with a stray silver bead.

“Taehyung?” Jimin says quietly, his arm retracting. Jungkook mumbles an affirmative. “Are you...have you been talking to him?”

He shakes his head. “O-only twice. Last time was during Hallow’s Eve. Haven’t seen him much since then.”

Jimin hums thoughtfully. He throws himself back on the blankets, his eyes boring into the side of Jungkook’s head.

At length, he says, “I just don’t want you to get hurt,” and Jungkook’s face feels like it’s up in flames, humiliated that he’s so easy to read. Ashamed that he’s chasing after someone who doesn’t want him.

“I won’t,” he whispers, but he doesn’t promise because he doesn’t know if he can keep it. Jimin smiles.

“Green. He loves green.”

Jungkook perks up. So Taehyung likes the colour of the forest. It suits him. But then any colour would go well with his jet black hair and coal eyes.

“Pretty,” he mumbles.

Jimin pats him on the head. “You’re so cute.”

Chapter Text

It’s a morning like any other where Jungkook’s woken up earlier than most of the pack. Normally, he’d go and maybe get a head start on sweeping and dusting or breakfast preparations, but he’s been keeping in mind Jin’s words about spending his time doing more meaningful things. He’s still unclear on what those might be, but all of his free time lately has been dedicated to imagining what sort of bracelet he’d like to give Taehyung. Jungkook thinks he might need to work on his ability to multi-task; it’s not even that he’s obsessed with this whole bracelet business, but he’s dipped his foot into the hobby now so if he doesn’t do his absolute best, he’ll keep himself up at night, his mind whirling over how he could’ve done this or that better.

Not to mention it’s for Taehyung. Jungkook’s not stupid, he knows the chances of the alpha even accepting his gift are close to none, but still. Still.

He’s in the dining hall now, alone in the massive open space at a corner table. The place has become something of a safe space to him. The omega quarters are nice, but he finds it difficult to relax there with someone always nearby, chatting or snoring or...existing very close to him. Everyone’s friendly, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re strangers, and Jungkook doesn’t do well with strangers.

Here, it’s empty save for meal times. Jungkook likes it.

He’s in the middle of threading a tiny silver ring through the braided bracelet when Jin suddenly crashes through the door.

“Jungkook!” he shouts across the hall, and he jumps, dropping everything he’s holding.

“Y-yes?” he asks, getting to his feet.

Jin half-runs, half-jogs over to him, taking a brief scan of the messy table. “Are you busy?”

“Um...no?”

“Do you have any first-aid experience? Do wounds make you queasy? What about blood?”

Alarm spikes through him. “No, I can help. Is someone hurt?”

Jin grimaces. “There’s been a hunting accident.”

Jungkook’s stomach drops to his feet.

“Jinyoung and Bambam left to help another pack deliver a pup, the only person we have left who’s trained in medicine is Moonbyul. We need help from someone who won’t faint on us.”

Jungkook shakes himself out of his panic, nodding vigorously. “I won’t, please let me help.”

Jin gives him directions to the infirmary, telling him he’ll meet him there as soon as he reports to Namjoon, and Jungkook immediately starts running.

Upon entering the infirmary and seeing Jimin sat on one of the beds, Jungkook gasps out loud, horror rushing up in his throat. Jimin jumps up when he spots him, hurrying over and pulling him into a hug.

“I’m okay,” he reassures, patting Jungkook. “I’ve only got a few bruises.”

Jungkook pulls back from him, reaching for his shirt and lifting it, too concerned to care about indecency. His knees go weak in relief when he sees that Jimin wasn’t lying. The patches of purpling red look painful, but they’re surface wounds that will heal completely within days.

Jimin doesn’t seem to share his relief, however, his brows pinched and mouth pulled into a scowl. Jungkook frowns. “Wh-what’s wrong?

The older omega shrinks in on himself, and it’s only when he moves to the side that Jungkook zeroes in on one person among the many in the crowded room.

“Taehyung saved me,” Jimin whispers.

The strength of the bone-deep heartbreak that crashes through Jungkook’s chest at seeing Taehyung’s bloodied torso is disproportional to how well he knows the man. They’ve spoken a grand total of two times, not counting Jungkook’s stumbled greetings whenever they happen to cross paths, and Taehyung has never been exceptionally kind or warm to him.

But he can’t bear the sight. His heart hurts so badly. He barely spares Jimin a reassuring squeeze on his shoulders before hurrying to Taehyung’s side.

The beta tending to him glances up sharply, her cat-like eyes taking in Jungkook’s trembling hands. “I’m guessing you’re Jungkook?”

“Y-yes.”

“Great. I’m Moonbyul. Go wash your hands over there. I’ll need you to wipe away his blood while I stitch him back up.”

“O-okay.”

Her eyes soften a little, thawing with her faint smile. “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

He nods and scurries away, washing his hands quickly and thoroughly. He returns to Jimin sat in the chair next to his, watching Taehyung forlornly. “You should rest, hyung,” Jungkook worries, but Jimin shakes his head and says he’s fine as long as he doesn’t move too much.

Moonbyul has pulled a cloth over Taehyung’s lower half to preserve modesty, and the blood’s mostly been wiped away to reveal deep gouges on his left side, torn through his ribs all the way down to his hip. It looks worse without the blood hiding the severity of the wounds. Tears well up in Jungkook’s eyes.

“Teeth marks?” he chokes out.

Jimin lets out a long, shaky sigh. “It was the Jeon alphas that got away last time. It was stupid of us to spare them in the first place. They’re all dead now, but one tried to sneak up on me and Taehyung shoved me out of the way.”

Jungkook’s tears brim over as he's confronted with the knowledge that his old clan did this to Taehyung. He never felt much for them before, but now he despises them with a fury that consumes him, makes him happy they’re gone forever and unable to hurt anyone again.

But it’s not the time for him to wallow in his misplaced guilt, so he wipes his eyes on his upper arm and rolls up his sleeves as he takes a seat. He takes the cloth that Moonbyul hands to him, following her instructions on how to disinfect the wound and watching the precise movements of her needle sewing the incisions closed.

“It’s not your fault, Jimin-hyung,” he murmurs. Jimin stays quiet, so he insists, “It was on them to capture you, and it was on them when they attacked you today. You were a victim, so don’t feel bad.”

There’s the sound of a watery laugh behind him, and Jungkook peers over his shoulder to find Jimin massaging one of Taehyung’s legs, gratitude in his eyes. “Thank you, Jungkook-ah.”

Jin doesn’t end up coming, probably caught up in something urgent, so Jungkook is busy all morning flitting around the infirmary with Moonbyul to attend to the other injured wolves. Thankfully, none of them are as hurt as Taehyung.

After everyone’s been taken care of, he stays to monitor the alpha’s condition and wait for him to wake so he won’t feel lonely when he does, regardless of the fact that Jimin refuses to leave his side. Jungkook wants to be there for him too, selfishly needing to make sure that Taehyung really is okay.

As he’s sitting by Taehyung’s bed, a memory comes to him out of the blue of a younger him slipping and tumbling down a slippery cliff. He cut his foot open that time. When he limped his way back to camp and went scavenging for pain-relief salve, he stumbled again and accidentally spilled a melange of different pastes on his foot. The next morning, to his astonishment, his wound was almost closed. The swelling was entirely gone. He memorized the recipe for that odd mix of pastes and has used it ever since, whenever anyone got hurt.

“Moonbyul-ssi,” he says, shuffling up to her as she tends to a cut on someone’s face. “Ah, is it okay if I go gather some ingredients? Th-there’s something I want to make.”

“Oh. Sure.” She frowns a little. “What are you making? We might have it already, you can go check the apothecary. Take anything you want but let me know if you use something up so we can replace it.”

“Apoth...?”

“Apothecary, it’s where we keep our medicines and supplies. It’s the hut right beside this one, go out the door and take a left.”

“Okay. I’m—I’m making a paste that will help heal wounds.”

Moonbyul raises her eyebrows. “You know how to do that type of stuff?”

“Oh, no, j-just this one.” Jungkook shakes his head. “I only discovered it by accident. I don’t even know why it works.” He recites the list of ingredients to her, along with the ratios, and her eyebrows climb higher.

“I’ve never heard of anything like that,” she says slowly. “But most of those ingredients have healing properties, and none of them react badly with each other. You’ve used this in the past?”

“Yes, many times.”

“Okay. Have at it, then.”

Jungkook returns to Taehyung to look at him one last time, before letting Jimin know that he’s going to go make something and won’t be back until later.

The apothecary is packed with shelves upon shelves of ingredients encased in glass jars. Jungkook locates a basket and fills it with the materials he needs, but as expected, he’s missing a couple things. He’s quite certain he’ll be able to find them nearby though, so he grabs another smaller basket and hurries out, informing Jin he’ll be back soon when he passes him on his way to the forest.

Unfortunately, without knowledge of the surrounding terrain and fauna, Jungkook takes much longer than he thought he’d need, trudging aimlessly through the forest and clawing through bushes. It’s hard to pick the ingredients as a wolf, so he has to stay in his clumsier human form, which only drags out the process.

The sun is setting by the time he gets back to the apothecary, and it takes him another hour or so to mix and grind the ingredients into the right consistency. He’s used about half of the materials he brought back, saving the rest for when he wants to make a fresh batch; for now, Taehyung is the only one hurt badly enough to use up a significant amount anyway.

At the thought of the alpha, Jungkook hurriedly cleans up his supplies and grabs the mixing bowl, rushing back to the infirmary. He’s not sure what he was expecting to have changed, but Jimin is still at Taehyung’s bedside, who looks no different from this morning, asleep, which Jungkook isn’t sure if he should be glad about. Taehyung needs his rest, but is it alarming that he hasn’t woken after so long?

“Jungkook-ah,” Jimin exclaims when the younger sits down on the stool beside him. “Where have you been? I thought you’d be back right away!”

“I went to m-make this,” Jungkook huffs, out of breath from racing here, holding up the bowl for Jimin to see the greenish paste inside.

“What is that?”

“It’s, um, helps to heal faster and relieves pain. We didn’t have turmeric in the apoth-apothecary?” Jimin nods. “So I went to the forest to look, but I got lost, and. It took a while to grind the herbs.”

Jimin stares at him with his mouth open. “Did you...were you running around all day to make this for Taehyung?”

Jungkook freezes. He hugs the bowl a little tighter to his chest, too nervous to meet Jimin’s eyes.

“He’s hurt,” he mumbles, and Jimin’s face droops with something like pity, guilt, empathy, and sadness rolled into one. Then he suddenly gasps, grabbing Jungkook’s hand.

“Jungkook!” he whines. “You hurt yourself!”

He glances down at his sore hands, a couple bruises from when he slipped while pulling the plants out of the ground, and a single cut up the side of his left hand where it caught on a branch. He haphazardly wrapped a bandage around it earlier because the dumb thing wouldn’t stop bleeding and he didn’t want to get his blood in the paste. He also applied some of the the paste on it earlier, so the cut is already closing.

“Just scratches,” he says, gingerly pulling his hand out of Jimin’s grasp. “So, do you...do you think we should put this on Taehyung-ssi now? Or should we wait for him to wake? I-I think sooner would be better, it seems to work best on fresh wounds...”

“He’s awake,” Jimin says, and Jungkook whips his head around to find Taehyung’s eyes boring into him. He jerks, almost falling off the stool, but Jimin steadies him with a hand on his back. “He woke a while ago, I didn’t wanna talk his ear off so I’ve just been keeping him company while he rests.”

“Oh,” Jungkook squeaks. He bows his head, more for an excuse to avoid the alpha’s intimidating dark eyes than anything else. “H-hello.”

Taehyung doesn’t answer. Jungkook feels his face heating up.

All of a sudden, he feels incredibly silly. Taehyung must think him a busybody, and Jungkook would be lying if he said that didn’t hurt, but it’s fine as long as the other man gets better sooner. “Are you able to sit up? M-Moonbyul-ssi said we’d need to change your bandages tonight anyway, so maybe we can do this at the same time?”

Still without a word, Taehyung begins to shift, slowly pushing up on his elbows. His face twists in a grimace and both Jimin and Jungkook scramble to help him, supporting his weight so he can lean against the wall that the head of the bed is pushed up against. Once he’s comfortable, Taehyung starts feeling along the edge of his bandages like he’ll undo them himself, but Jungkook quickly reaches out with a mumble of “let me.”

He tries his best not to touch Taehyung’s bare skin, tries to not even look at his body in a way that isn’t strictly clinical, hating the idea of making him uncomfortable or imposing on him even in his own mind. He swallows his gasp when the deep gouges are revealed once more. If Jungkook was in such pain after merely scraping his foot on a rock, he can’t imagine how badly this must hurt.

He breathes a sigh of relief upon seeing that the wound appears to be less inflamed than earlier this morning, thanks to wolves’ accelerated healing. “H-how bad is the pain?” Jungkook asks, then feels stupid because what good would knowing do? Of course the man’s suffering.

“Manageable,” Taehyung rasps. Jungkook risks a peek up at the alpha’s face and is hit with a wave of concern over his slightly laboured breaths and the sheen of sweat over his forehead. Hastily, Jungkook unwraps the brush he sanitized earlier, dipping it into the paste.

“It’ll feel a bit cool,” he warns, and Taehyung gives him a near imperceptible nod.

To his credit, the alpha swallows audibly at the first touch but doesn’t move an inch as Jungkook delicately applies a thick layer of the green concoction over his stitches. As the herbs begin to take effect, his muscles relax, relief clear in the line of his shoulders. Jungkook can feel his gaze digging into the side of his head, but he distracts himself with his work. Now is not the time for him to be entranced by the way Taehyung’s loose, wavy hair falls into his eyes.

He finishes soon enough, Jimin helping him wrap fresh bandages around Taehyung’s middle.

“Go home,” Taehyung tells his fellow hunter after he’s lying flat in bed again. “I’m fine. Yoongi-hyung will be back from town soon, he’ll kill me if he finds out I let you stay here all day.”

“Well, Yoongi-hyung can suck it up,” Jimin says stubbornly, resting a hand on Taehyung’s shoulder. Jungkook envies how easily he’s able to touch him. “You saved my life.”

“It wasn’t that dramatic.”

“Yeah it was, shut your trap.”

A deep sigh escapes Taehyung’s nose, and Jungkook feels a smile tugging at his lips. “Hyung, have you eaten?” he asks Jimin, who shakes his head. “I’ll go get food.”

Before Jimin can protest, Jungkook runs off to the kitchen. Most of the other wolves have finished dinner already, so it’s easy for him to find a tray and gather a few bowls of the leftovers. The food is cool, but he’s sure Jimin will appreciate the chicken no matter how cold it is. It’s one of his favourite foods.

Jungkook bites his lip, wondering what Taehyung likes best. Oh well, he’s injured and shouldn’t be eating anything too heavy anyway. He makes a plate of things that are easier to digest and places it on the tray as well, along with a bowl for himself.

Jimin and Taehyung are conversing quietly when he returns, but they stop when Jungkook sits down again. Jimin fusses over him, thanking him and claiming his chicken. Taehyung blinks when Jungkook offers him the plate he got for him but shakes his head and says he isn’t hungry, so Jungkook leaves the plate on the floor by the bed for later.

Jimin fills up the silence, asking Jungkook about the recipe for the paste, how he found out about it, other small things that divert his attention from how Taehyung’s lying there, buoyed by pillows, watching them speak but not contributing.

The skies outside have fully darkened when Yoongi barrels into the infirmary, heads straight for Jimin, and gathers him up in a hug. He pulls away only after Jimin’s repeated whispered reassurances before leaning down to carefully hug Taehyung around the shoulders too, thanking him quietly and shakily. For the first time, Jungkook watches Taehyung’s lips curve in the tiniest smile, his eyes closing as he lifts the arm on his uninjured side to hug Yoongi back.

After making sure Taehyung is just fine and predicted to make a full recovery within a couple weeks, Yoongi herds Jimin back home. The past few months have been rough for them both, Jungkook is sure, with Jimin getting kidnapped and held for ransom for weeks, and now this. Yoongi has been much less protective of him than Jungkook would probably be if he were Jimin’s mate, but perhaps that demonstrates the strength of their bond and trust in each other.

Although he wants to stay with Taehyung, he doesn’t want the alpha to feel forced to entertain him, and it might be easier for him to sleep without someone watching over him. So Jungkook stands, picking up his mixing bowl, which he’ll deposit in the apothecary’s freezer box on his way back to the omega quarters.

“G-goodnight, Taehyung-ssi,” he says. He isn’t expecting a response, used to not receiving one and having moved past the initial disappointment by now. Taehyung doesn’t come off as explicitly trying to be rude, so Jungkook figures he must not enjoy speaking unnecessarily, especially not with people who aren’t part of his circle.

That’s why his mouth drops open in an ‘o’ when Taehyung replies with a sedate “Goodnight.”

With a final sweep of the man and a parting nod, Jungkook flees out of the infirmary, his cheeks warm, heart racing in his chest.

The next morning, Jungkook wakes up even earlier than normal, the anticipation and anxiety of seeing Taehyung yanking him from his bed. He heads to the apothecary to fetch his mixing bowl again and thoroughly cleans the brush he used last night. On the short walk to the infirmary, he talks himself out of his nervousness, determined to be professional, because Taehyung’s vulnerable right now and doesn’t need to be bothered by Jungkook’s desire to speak more with him.

When he peeks his head into the infirmary, however, nothing can stop the way his breath hitches in his throat. Taehyung’s already awake, sitting up and reading a book. Someone must have gotten it for him. Why didn’t Jungkook think of that? Of course it would be boring to lie in bed for days.

Taehyung’s gaze drifts up to him as he approaches and the book stays opened in his hands, but his eyes are on Jungkook.

“G-good morning,” Jungkook says, standing awkwardly by the bed. “Uh. Did you sleep well?”

Taehyung closes the book now, not bothering to mark his spot, and sets it on a small round table that wasn’t there the previous night.

“Fine,” he says. “You?”

Jungkook stares. His mouth opens. Closes. Opens again. “I-I slept well, thank you,” he squeezes out.

Before he can embarrass himself further, Moonbyul appears out of nowhere, coming up beside him. “Morning, Jungkook, Taehyung.”

“M-morning.”

“Let’s re-dress those wounds, shall we? How are you feeling, Taehyung?”

“Fine,” Taehyung repeats, and Moonbyul nods.

They get to work undoing the bandages, and although Jungkook has already seen first-hand an innumerable amount of times the effects of the paste, he can’t help gasping along with Moonbyul once the bandages are off. Even Taehyung’s visibly rattled, his eyebrows raised high as he looks down at the significantly smaller wounds over his ribs. It’s still obvious that they’re fang marks, but they’re now closer to deep scratches than the mangled lacerations they were yesterday.

“Holy shit,” Moonbyul whistles. “That’s some miracle medicine you got there, Jungkook.” He nods mutely, so relieved that he sinks on to a stool. “Can you tell me the recipe again later? I’ll write it down and let the other healers know, we should always keep an extra supply for emergencies.”

“S-sure.”

She pats his shoulder. “Great job, kid. Okay, I’m gonna go check on the others. Can you finish up here?”

“Yes. Um, does anyone else need this?”

“Nah, they’ll be fine. I reviewed our stock yesterday and it doesn’t look like you made much. Just keep it all for Taehyung for now.”

“Okay.”

She leaves and Jungkook clutches the bowl to himself, sucking his lips into his mouth to keep his smile at bay. He’s so excited that he was able to help. He never thought an accident from years ago would lead to something like this.

“I’m gonna. Use this, then,” he says, and Taehyung hums, keeping still.

Jungkook paints the stuff on, happiness welling in his chest at how much looser Taehyung’s shoulders are today, obviously in less pain. Now that Taehyung is evidently out of danger, Jungkook wonders if it’s okay in indulge in his desire to learn more about him. It would be nice to be able to chat with him naturally like Jimin one day.

In the end, his small success gives him the courage to open his mouth. “So, uh, what are you reading?” he asks, gesturing towards the book on the bedside table.

Taehyung shrugs a shoulder. “Some idiotic romance novel.”

“Oh.” That’s sort of funny. Jungkook didn’t think he was the type to be into those. “Is it...interesting?”

A scoff. “It’s ridiculous. Jimin gave it to me this morning.”

“Ah, of course,” Jungkook murmurs. He smiles as he remembers the older omega recounting in overwhelming detail the love story between him and Yoongi, the struggles they encountered (Yoongi not caring what type of flowers they used for their mating ceremony and Jimin getting immensely offended), the opposition they faced (from Jimin’s mother for one day after finding out Yoongi lived a forest away, but which she immediately got over since the alpha was “so, so handsome”). “Sounds like the type of thing Jimin-hyung would like.”

Taehyung makes a sniffing sound, rubbing at his nose. Jungkook pauses and steals a glimpse of his face, wondering if he’s cold. Winter is fast approaching, the red, orange, and yellow leaves that once coated the village roads now swept away by northern winds, and the nights have gotten chilly. He frowns when he takes in the threadbare blanket draped over Taehyung’s lap.

“Are you cold?” he asks, brush poised in the air, forgotten. “Would you like more blankets? I-I can bring you some.”

Slowly, Taehyung’s hand lowers from his nose. The intensity has returned to his eyes, piquing Jungkook’s instinct to either run away or hide.

“No,” Taehyung says eventually. “Just relieving an itch.”

“O-oh. Okay.” Jungkook goes back to dabbing on the paste. “Um, let me know if there’s anything you need.”

Taehyung stays silent.

Jungkook finishes up and wraps new bandages around Taehyung’s torso. It’s difficult doing it without another person’s help since he has to lean in and circle his arms around the other’s body, but he desperately clings on to his stoicism, holding his breath so he doesn’t do something unbecoming like take huge whiffs of Taehyung’s scent. Even in the midst of his mission to not be a deviant, however, he realizes that the perfume of soap and cotton appears to be stronger today, trailed by the tail notes of something a little muskier, darker. Jungkook shakes his head to clear his mind.

“Well, um.” He gets to his feet, collecting his things. “I’ll be back in the evening then.” His voice trails off in a question, and Taehyung doesn’t agree, but he doesn’t protest either. Jungkook ducks his head, backing away.

“See you later, T-Taehyung-ssi.”

He’s a few steps away when he hears, “Hey.”

The speed at which he whirls around makes his hair fly into his eyes, and he has to hastily brush his bangs away to see Taehyung watching him calmly.

“If you bump into Jimin today, can you tell him to bring me another book?” His lips press into a line. “A better one.”

“Oh!” Jungkook bobs his head. “Yeah, sure. I-I can do that.” If Taehyung thinks he’s going to wait to bump into Jimin today, he’s so wrong. Jungkook now has a new life mission. He is going to actively hunt Jimin down and force him to bring five, no, ten books to Taehyung, and they must be widely recognized as the best books ever, no exceptions.

Taehyung grunts. He slides down lower on the bed, slumping comfortably and pulling the blanket up to his chin. Jungkook sucks hard at his teeth to keep his grin to himself. “B-bye then.”

“Bye,” says Taehyung.

Jungkook’s feet are light as he leaves the infirmary. He might be skipping. Yes, he’s pretty sure he’s skipping.

The following days, Jungkook goes through their routine as before, though they don’t speak much. To be honest, he’s too tired to attempt conversation recently. With a handful of their hunters injured, the others have been scavenging the forest in rotations to make sure food provisions remain constant, with temperatures now on a steady decline. Jungkook’s mostly been busy helping out in the kitchen, and sometimes he works late enough that he’ll have to ask Moonbyul to dress Taehyung’s wounds in the evenings.

In his meager free time, Jungkook daydreams about Taehyung, rolling around his head the idea of dropping by for an impromptu visit when he’s free, but he’s worried that would be annoying. He doesn’t want to ruin the improving atmosphere between them by being pushy or anything, so he refrains. Instead, on nights where he feels a little lonely, he lights a candle in the corner by his bed, blocking the flame with his body so he doesn’t disturb anyone, and works on braiding Taehyung’s bracelet.

On the final day of bedrest a mere week later, Taehyung having been officially cleared by Moonbyul, the alpha is sat awake like usual when Jungkook enters the infirmary.

“Good morning,” Jungkook slurs, swallowing back a yawn as he walks over.

“Morning.”

The omega’s sleepiness is blown clear out of his system by the scent that gets stronger and stronger as he approaches. It’s not overpowering in the sense that there’s too much of it, rather in that it smells so good. Jungkook has never liked a scent so much, how clean and refreshing and comforting it is, somewhat untraditional of alphas who typically smell sharp and a hint aggressive. Yet there’s a heftiness to Taehyung’s scent, the cotton weighed down by something earthy, so masculine. There’s no doubt he’s an alpha. A powerful one.

Jungkook doesn’t know why Taehyung’s scent has been getting stronger because he walked in on Namjoon wiping Taehyung down with a wet cloth once, demanding the latter to stop squirming if he doesn’t want to smell like a swamp and that it’s better for Namjoon to do it than a stranger like Moonbyul or omega like Jimin or Jungkook. So Taehyung isn’t unclean or anything.

Jungkook feels a bit dizzy from inhaling so hard while trying to remain noiseless and subtle. He can’t help it. Truth be told, Taehyung has long since been healed up enough that there isn’t even a need for bandages anymore, so who knows when Jungkook will see him after today? He should savour every detail of their time together.

“So you found out about the paste by accident, huh.”

Jungkook flinches, ripped from his silent mourning. “Uh?” he manages, blinks up at Taehyung, shocked that the other is asking about him.

“You made it by accident.” Taehyung gestures at the bowl in Jungkook’s lap. “You cut your foot, was it?”

Jungkook forgot Taehyung was awake that first time and that he heard everything. “Oh. Uh, yes.”

“Do you get hurt a lot?”

The omega continues to goggle at him, but Taehyung is as blank a slate as ever, nothing to parse from his expression. “Um...no, not really?” He has no idea where this line of questioning is coming from. The cut and bruises on his hands healed long ago and he doesn’t have any other injuries on him.

“Did you get hurt a lot when you were with your former pack?” Taehyung asks, his voice firmer this time.

Jungkook shakes his head. “No, I—just small accidents sometimes?”

Taehyung studies him for a bit, appraising. Unsure how to deal with the sudden tension, Jungkook quickly finishes up and begins gathering his things, and Taehyung sits back against the wall, arms crossing over his chest. Jungkook’s natural instinct is to dodge his sharp stare but Taehyung’s pretty much healed up now, and seeing his healthy body reminds Jungkook of how naked he is, how close Jungkook’s been to his bare skin. So instead of looking down, he forces himself to reciprocate the eye contact.

At length, Taehyung says, “You said you liked it here.”

Jungkook feels his brows scrunch up. Is that something to doubt? Does he not seem happy? “I do.”

“But your old clan didn’t hurt you.”

“No, I—”

His eyes widen. Oh, so that’s what Taehyung is asking.

“No, they didn’t, um, beat me. Or hurt me o-otherwise. They beat the others sometimes, if they...I mean, I stayed quiet, so. I was fine.”

Taehyung scrutinizes him, as if to make sure Jungkook is telling the truth. Jungkook finds that a bit disheartening. He wouldn’t lie.

“Okay,” the alpha finally says. He picks up his book. This time, it’s a well-worn one with a cover of two ribbons, one blue and one red, tied together in a bow. Jungkook can’t even guess at what it’s about.

He takes the dismissal for what it is, collecting his supplies for the last time. He goes slowly, struggling for words, for something to say that will convey his gladness for getting to help Taehyung and his hopes that he will be back to full strength soon.

Once he’s ready to go, Jungkook stands by the foot of the bed, fidgeting and frowning down at his toes.

“Thank you,” Taehyung says.

His head snaps up. Taehyung is watching him again, and if Jungkook squints, if he holds very, very still and concentrates hard enough to give himself a headache, he thinks he may see a ghost of a smile on those handsome lips.

“No,” he mumbles. “I didn’t—”

“You did. So thanks.”

Heat flares into his face like a raging bonfire. Jungkook tucks his chin against his neck. “Y-you’re welcome.”

And he hurries away, his heart jackrabbiting as it does much too often around the other man.

Chapter Text

Apparently, it’s a widely observed custom among packs to celebrate the coming of winter. Jungkook doesn’t understand because as far as he’s aware, aren’t wolves supposed to dislike winter for the scarcity of prey and added labours brought on by the cold?

Then he learns that there are festivals for spring, summer, and autumn as well, so perhaps the changing of seasons is only another excuse for celebration. He’s beginning to see a pattern.

Personally, Jungkook likes winter the most. It’s his favourite time of year, he adores the snow and has always preferred darkness to light, and he enjoys the coziness of huddling close to a fire. There’s a feeling in his gut that this winter will be his favourite one yet, since unlike previous years, he has Jimin and the others to huddle with, to depend on and celebrate with.

“The night festival’s started!” Jimin cries when he bursts into the omega quarters one evening and leaps straight at Jungkook. The younger omega has gotten used to getting jumped on by now and only lets out an “oof.”

“Night festival?”

“Yeah, in the nearby town! Let’s go, let’s go!”

So with his clothes bundled around his waist, Jungkook transforms and follows Jimin to the edge of the forest where part of the pack is already waiting, the pups barking excitedly and running around nipping at each other’s tails. Their trek through the forest is much quicker in their wolf forms. Jungkook admires the thin layer of snow covering the ground and trees, closing his eyes to breathe in the crisp air. A couple of the alphas turn their snouts up to the moon and howl gleefully, echoed by the wolves who remained in the village.

The road leading into town is already crowded with people, everyone back in their human forms to save space, wrapped up in thick furs as they drift through the streets. The town is much more advanced than anything Jungkook has ever seen. Jimin has told him stories of mysterious things like electricity that somehow give off light without fire, and Jungkook eagerly absorbed the information, thinking it a distant fantasy existing only in the grand cities he’d never travel to himself. Yet, here it is, before his eyes. This town isn’t part of the capital, not by far, but the difference from what he’s used to is still striking.

They’re navigating through the residential areas where small houses are built right next to each other, but it doesn’t seem crowded, somehow. Feels safe and intimate, instead. Jimin explains the foreign things to him as they walk: fairy lights strewn around lamp posts, looping over rooftops and around the borders of doors; special salt sprinkled over cobblestone to clear the walkway of snow.

When they reach downtown, Jungkook’s mouth drops open. He takes in the roads packed with stalls, bright with the pretty, winding lights, glowing in the gloom of night. There are so many people, more than he’s ever seen in one place, and there’s music playing somewhere, serving as background to the din of conversation and tinkle of laughter.

“Wow,” he breathes, his breath white in the cold.

“Isn’t it great?” Jimin demands, hopping from foot to foot. “C’mon, I have to show you what hot chocolate is. And marshmallows. Best invention in the world, I swear.”

“Marshmallows?” That’s what Jimin calls him sometimes, his “li’l marshmallow.”

“You’ll understand what you see them,” the elder snickers at him.

Jimin drags him around the festival, both of them cupping the hot chocolate in their hands like treasures while they explore the various attractions. They get their photos taken by a monstrous metal and wooden contraption called a camera, and Jungkook we feels excitement like he’s never before when they return in half an hour to receive a small, shiny, square paper with his and Jimin’s likenesses captured on it. In the photo, Jimin is grinning so hard his eyes are slits, holding his hand up in a wave, while Jungkook is ogling the camera with his mouth half open. They’re standing in front of the winter wonderland display, surrounded by fake snowmen taller than them, a towering Christmas tree, a sled overflowing with presents. The yellow glow from the fireplace softens their features, makes them look warm and comfy.

“You can keep it!” Jimin tells him. “We’ll take lots more pictures in the future.”

Jungkook gratefully tucks it into a pocket sewn on the inside of his pelt.

During their exploration, Jungkook spots Moonbyul getting pulled along by a loud, wide-eyed girl towards the light maze, an indulgent grin on the normally unflappable beta’s face. They also pass by Yugyeom and Bambam, whose hands are clasped together (at which Jungkook gives Yugyeom what he hopes is an encouraging smile, while Jimin makes obscene faces). The couple greets them happily, showing off the matching snowflake patterns they got painted on their forearms.

Later on, Jin pops up out of nowhere with Yoongi in tow, shoves him at Jimin, and steals Jungkook away so the two of them can investigate the crafts stalls together. The older omega asks his opinion on what looks nice, what seems fun to make, and fishes out unfamiliar coins to exchange them for goods that he stuffs into his already-bulging bag. He buys Jungkook a pair of fuzzy white ear muffs despite his protests, plopping them on his head with a satisfied smirk.

The group of four meet up together afterwards at a frozen pond, where they put on strange shoes with blades at the bottom and launch themselves on to the ice. Jungkook wobbles like a baby deer for a while before getting the hang of it, speeding past Jimin too quickly because he didn’t learn how to stop.

He finds himself throwing his head back and laughing in exhilaration as the wind blows his hair out of his face. He’s always loved winter, and now there’s ice-skating to add to the long list of reasons why. No one seems to be able to keep up with his speed, shrieking at him in laughter and throwing handfuls of snow at him when he whizzes by.

“I’m a bit hungry,” he admits after they’ve rounded the pond countless times and sprawled themselves over some nearby straw mats.

“I think I’m okay,” Jimin says as he pulls his shoes off. “I had some food with Yoongi-hyung earlier.”

“Oh, okay. I might, um, I think I’ll go look for some food.”

“Sure, want us to come with?”

“No, that’s okay, I-I can manage.”

He’s stood up and brushed his pants free of ice and snow when he remembers that he doesn’t have anything to trade for food. Judging by the coins Jin handed to the merchants earlier, the Kim pack must use currency rather than goods-trading, and Jungkook is unfamiliar with money. He doesn’t own a single coin.

Jimin seems to come to the same conclusion since he lets out an “ah!” and starts rifling through his pockets. He pulls out a cloth pouch and slaps it into Jungkook’s hands. “Here, take mine, you can use it all up.”

“What...is this?” Jungkook asks. Jimin frowns.

“What do you mean? Everyone receives a salary. We each get a split from the earnings that the pack makes from selling our meats, crafts, and other stuff in town. Wait.” Jimin frowns harder. “You haven’t been getting any?”

Jungkook shakes his head and Jimin gasps. “Oh shit! I’m so sorry, Jungkook! I’ll let Hoseok-hyung know, he’s in charge of the finances. He probably missed a few people since so many of you guys joined at once. We’ll get it sorted out, don’t worry.”

Jungkook blinks at him, then down at the heavy pouch in his hands. It’s not a big deal if he doesn’t receive the salary, he’s lived just fine all these years without any, after all. But the notion of collecting and counting coins that he’s earned by doing his part, and saving up to buy something that catches his eye—he likes it.

“O-okay. Thank you. I’m...going to go buy some food then. I’ll pay you back later.”

Jimin smacks him on the arm. “Don’t, you brat. That pouch is yours, it’s not much but you can think of it as a belated welcome present. I’ll be pissed if you try to pay me back.”

“Oh.” Jungkook smiles at him. “Thank you, hyung.”

He wanders back towards the stalls. The masses swallow him up at an alarming rate, but he makes himself brave the tides for the sake of his stomach, peering over the tops of people’s heads to see what food is offered. He remembers he smelled something really good near the entrance of the festival, so he squeezes through the crowd in that direction. His mouth starts watering when he finds the stall, and he stares down at the open steaming boxes filled with some type of rice cake. It’s cylindrical and doused in an orange-red sauce.

“Would you like some tteokbokki?” the owner asks. “You can line up here and we’ll get it ready in a minute!”

Jungkook nods robotically and shuffles to the end of the line, mouth agape while he watches box after box get packed up. He wonders how they stay so hot in the cold.

It’s almost his turn to order when he suddenly realizes that he has no idea what to do. He scrambles to open the pouch Jimin gave him and pours a few coins into his palm. There’s writing on them. It doesn’t help.

“What can I get for you?”

His head snaps up and his mouth pinches closed. “Uh.”

“First time?” the lady raises an eyebrow and pulls up a small board with more writing on it. “Here, we have lots of different flavours. What do you want to try?”

“Ah—” Jungkook takes a step back. “I’m sorry, I don’t know, um—”

“How ‘bout the original then? It’s our most popular one.”

“Oh, yes, sure. Please.”

A hand is held out to him accompanied by an expectant look, and Jungkook realizes that she’s waiting for him to pay. He stares helplessly at her hand, then the board, then the money clutched in his fist.

“Sorry,” he stammers, holding out a palm full of coins. “I’m not su—um, please take what I owe you.”

There’s a spark of understanding in the woman’s eyes. She nods, scooping up a much larger pile than Jungkook expected. He holds his breath and lets her take it, because he doesn’t know how much a box of tteokbokki costs anyway, he doesn’t even really know what tteokbokki is or how much money he’s offering to her, and he can’t hold up the line any longer.

A hand closes around the woman’s wrist.

“Excuse me,” says a low, familiar voice. Jungkook’s heart leaps into his throat as his nose fills with the muted scent of soap and cotton. He whirls around to find Taehyung standing behind him, wrapped up in a fur cloak as black as his hair, looking cozy and comfortable if not for the glint in his gaze. “Give him back the money, please.”

With eyes as wide as Jungkook’s own, the lady frowns, drops the coins back into Jungkook’s hands. Taehyung watches the movement like he’s making sure nothing is missed before shooting a glare at her. “I didn’t know a box of tteokbokki could cost over ten thousand won.” He leans in, his voice quiet enough that no one in the line would be able to hear. “I know everyone’s got their circumstances, but overcharging is bad for business.”

The woman’s cheeks flush and she looks away. Jungkook stands there for a moment, stunned.

When Taehyung leaves, threatening to get lost in the crowd, Jungkook automatically goes after him.

“T-Taehyung-ssi,” he huffs when he catches up, out of breath for some reason. Their feet sink into the snow-covered ground and he realizes it’s begun snowing again, soft, delicate flakes drifting from the gray sky. “Um, thank you.”

Taehyung’s eyes slide over to him. The alpha’s bangs have gotten a bit long, skimming over his lashes, and he brushes the hair out of his face with the backs of his fingers. Jungkook allows himself to admire his beauty for a second, but Taehyung’s next words have his stomach dropping to his feet.

“You can’t read, can you?”

Jungkook stops in his tracks. Surprisingly, so does Taehyung, who faces him, cloak fanning out like he’s got his arms crossed under it.

Jungkook’s eyes drop to the ground. “No,” he mumbles.

“They didn’t teach you back in your old pack?”

He shakes his head, lips trembling from how hard they’re pressed together. “We—only the important a-alphas learned stuff like that.”

Taehyung hums. Then he starts walking again, Jungkook trailing after him until they stop under a covered area near the border of the forest. When Taehyung gestures for the pouch, Jungkook gives it to him, blankly watching him dump the contents into the his palm.

Taehyung takes a silver coin in his fingers, holding it up so Jungkook can see. “This is one won,” he says. “The writing here represents one. I know you know how to count.”

Jungkook nods dumbly. He might not know what numbers look like in writing, but he certainly knows how to count and use whatever basic arithmetic is required in everyday life.

“This is five.” Taehyung holds up a slightly bigger, copper coin. “And this is ten. See the ‘one’ character again? The oval here,” he points, “is a zero.”

Jungkook frowns. “Why is ten a one and a zero?”

Taehyung pauses, a little wrinkle appearing between his eyebrows. “I don’t know. That’s just how it is, I guess people got tired of making up characters.”

A giggle bubbles up at the base of Jungkook’s throat, and he has to bite down on the inside of his lip to keep it at bay. It’s kind of a foreign feeling. Back when he was with the Jeons, forget laughing, even his facial muscles went mostly unused because there wasn’t much to be happy or sad about. Lately though, he’s been familiarizing himself with that tug of a big smile on his cheeks (Jimin can be unexpectedly funny).

Taehyung walks him through the rest of the money, even showing him the paper bills tucked into the side that Jungkook missed earlier. Jungkook does his best to remember everything, mouthing the numbers to himself. He’ll practice tonight before bed too. Yugyeom wouldn’t mind quizzing him, he thinks.

“Uh, wh-where are we going?” he asks when Taehyung finishes and begins to stride off. For a brief second, he wonders if Taehyung didn’t mean for Jungkook to follow, but the alpha tilts his head at him, slowing down enough for them to walk side by side.

“I’m assuming you’re hungry.”

Jungkook nods, a hand going down to his stomach. Very hungry.

“I know a different tteokbokki place.” Taehyung points at his own nose. “A better and cheaper one.”

“That’ll be eight thousand won, please.”

When Taehyung brought him to this new stall that smelled even better than the first one, Jungkook’s stomach rumbled loudly enough that he worried his companion would hear. He was so incredibly eager to get some of that tteokbokki inside him.

As Taehyung lined up, however, Jungkook became concerned that the other would try to pay for him, so he asked him what flavour he wanted and then worked up all the courage inside himself to gently nudge Taehyung aside when it was their turn. Jungkook didn’t know if the jackhammering of his heart was from openly defying—ordering? Pushing an alpha?—or if it was the proximity, but either way, here they are.

Now, Taehyung stands a distance away and Jungkook clamps down on the urge to look back at him for reassurance. He stares at the money in his palm, counting out one red bill and three blue ones. Red for five thousand, since it has a five and three zeroes. Three of the one-thousand bills. Eight thousand in total. He gives the lady the bills with both hands, and she flicks through them in a flash before handing him the two boxes of tteokbokki.

“Thank you for your patronage!” she says, smiling brightly, and Jungkook returns it, excitement and pride blooming in his chest.

He hurries back to Taehyung, his cheeks hurting from how hard he’s grinning. “I-I did it,” he breathes, showing him the two boxes. “This one’s yours.”

Taehyung accepts it. There’s something in his eyes that Jungkook doesn’t recognize, something new. A hint of warmth that makes Jungkook’s heart flutter. Or he could just be really happy about the tteokbokki, what does Jungkook know? 

“Thanks,” Taehyung says.

Jungkook watches as he opens the box and pops one of his cheese tteokbokkis into his mouth before immediately grimacing at how hot it is, steam billowing out of his mouth. Jungkook fumbles for the flask of water in his pocket, but Taehyung waves off his concern. Eventually he swallows down the food, his eyes closing in either relief that it’s gone or bliss at how good it is, Jungkook can’t tell, and this time he isn’t able to hold back the giggle.

“You’re not going to eat?” Taehyung asks, gesturing at the forgotten box in Jungkook’s hand, who is abruptly reminded of how hungry he is and begins shoveling it into his mouth. He picks up one of the pieces with his toothpick, offering it to Taehyung. But he shakes his head.

“You don’t like original?” Jungkook asks, muffled from how stuffed his cheeks are, and he flushes when he realizes how barbarically he’s acting. If Taehyung is disgusted, he doesn’t show it, only shaking his head at the question.

“Spicy,” he says.

Jungkook glances down at the orange sauce. It’s really not that spicy, more sweet than anything. He tells Taehyung so, but that tiny furrow appears in the alpha’s brows again.

“I can smell it.”

“Oh. Are you, uh, allergic to spice?”

“No, I just don’t like it,” Taehyung says in the same flat tone as always, but the near-imperceptible downturn of his lips seems almost petulant, at the same time.

Jungkook digs his teeth into his bottom lip, but when that seems like it might not be enough to keep his grin under control, he crams more tteokbokki into his mouth.

“And what does this say?”

“Uh, co-cottage...?”

“Yes, good! And this?”

“Farm...land. Farmland.”

“Yes, great. Okay, last one.” Minah flips through her book, her eyes flying over the pages with unbelievable speed. Jungkook hopes he’ll be able to do that one day too. “Can you spell ‘hatchery’ for me?”

Oh no, Jungkook remembers this, he knows he does. It’s one of the weird ones that aren’t spelled the way they sound, which he made a list of that he repeats to himself over and over whenever he has time, because when things don’t make sense, what else is he supposed to do but memorize, right?

“H...A...” he pauses, squeezing his eyes shut. “T! C-H-E-R-Y.”

Minah beams at him. “Amazing, Jungkook! You’re such a fast learner, I’m so impressed.” She draws a smiley face on the page they’ve marked his progress on and Jungkook feels like a child for being proud of it. “Great job today. Tomorrow, we’ll go over punctuation again, so think about any questions you might have, okay?”

Jungkook thanks her and she leaves with a pat on his shoulder and a wave. Shortly after, he hears Jin’s voice from outside, happily greeting Minah before the head omega sticks his head into the dining hall. “Hey, Jungkook! Are you free to help me with something?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He gathers up his books, papers, pencils, and slides them into the leather bookbag Jin gave him a few weeks ago when he found Jungkook early in the morning and asked if he’d be interested in lessons. At first, Jungkook was embarrassed and apologetic for taking up Minah’s time when she spent all day teaching the pups already, but both her and Jin were so enthusiastic about helping him.

“I’m sorry for assuming you’d know everything that everyone here knows too,” Jin had said with a wry smile after explaining the plan. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Just a matter of having different resources, you know? It didn’t even occur to me until Taehyung asked if I ever checked with you.”

Jin allegedly invited the other ex-Jeon members to join as well, but they didn’t seem interested, so it’s just Jungkook. Lately, he’s been spending a few hours every day with Minah learning how to read and write and brushing up on his math and general knowledge. There’s more pressure being one-on-one with a teacher, but it’s nice to have tailored lessons. Jungkook appreciates it so much, he isn’t sure how he should thank her and Jin.

There’s a tiny, insignificant voice inside of him that whispers how wonderful it would’ve been if Taehyung could teach him like he did with the money, but Jungkook would rather die than push such a task on him. Just thinking about how he noticed that Jungkook couldn’t read, and cared enough to speak to Jin about it is enough to have him shouting in elation. In his head. Where no one can hear.

Now, back in the kitchen, Jin is stirring the contents of the largest pot Jungkook has ever seen. He follows his hyung’s instructions on how to help out, chopping, washing, seasoning, and even frying whatever he’s asked to do. The last one is new to Jungkook; he didn’t know what fried foods were before coming here and he’s discovered a love for them.

“Is this all for the feast tonight?” he asks as he finishes arranging his tenth plate of fruit.

“Yup. Gotta have at least this much for Christmas Eve, right?”

Jungkook nods. He’s known of Christmas since he was a child, though this will be his first time celebrating it. Over the past week, he had a wonderful time making Christmas decorations with Yura, who ranted lots about how Christmas for them wasn’t about the religion like the Jeons used to teach them, but about spending time with loved ones and being grateful for the things they got to experience the past year.

Jungkook really likes the idea. He realizes more each day that he has much to be grateful for. He even thought about making presents for all the people who have been so kind to him, but Jimin caught him brainstorming one day and insisted there wasn’t a need, that they don’t have a tradition like that. “It’s sweet, and of course everyone would be ecstatic to receive anything from you,” Jimin reassured him. “But we just feel like doing unspoken-mandatory gifts for holidays seems forced. We prefer giving spontaneous presents throughout the year when the urge hits, you know?”

“By the way, the nomads are supposed to be arriving today,” Jin continues. “The guest quarters are already set up, so all that’s left are the feast preparations.”

“Oh, okay.”

A few days ago, their scouts came back with word about a nomadic pack that wandered into their forest, and after ensuring they meant no ill will, Namjoon invited them to stay for a week. Yugyeom told Jungkook that this happened often, especially during wintertime when nomads have more difficulty surviving off the wilderness alone. It’s a chance for both packs to meet new people, enjoy the festivities, and share some warmth with their fellow wolves.

Jin shoots him this provocative look, his chin pressed down and lips hooking up in a smirk. “Are you excited?”

“Yes,” Jungkook answers honestly but hesitantly, wondering if there’s supposed to be some sort of hidden meaning. "I'm...should I not be?”

“Oh, you definitely should.” Jin scuffles closer, eyebrows waggling. “I heard there were some handsome alphas this time.”

Heat floods into Jungkook’s face. He shakes his head, waving his spatula in the air. “O-oh, no, I’m...not interested in that kind of stuff.”

Jin looks like he wants to say more but mercifully holds himself back, shrugging and floating back over to his pot. Jungkook breathes a silent sigh of relief. He’s not ready to confess his feelings for a certain somebody to anyone yet.

True to word, the nomads arrive right as evening sets in. Jungkook huddles with Yugyeom off to the side, hiding behind Jimin and watching the foreign pack trudge into the camp with big smiles. They’re a lot friendlier than Jungkook anticipated, and he feels horrible for expecting them to be gruff, unyielding people based on their lifestyle. Although worn from travel, they even come bearing gifts, baskets full of meats and fruits that Jungkook doesn’t recognize, as well as soft-looking cloths of intricate patterns.

The camp has been decorated with candles of red, green, and gold, along with Christmas lights bought from town. The colourful dots of brightness circle the campground and stretch past it throughout the rest of the village, lighting up the cabin roofs. Jungkook is proud that he helped out with them, checking that the “batteries” in all the lights worked.

Yesterday, Namjoon and a couple other alphas hauled in a fir tree from the forest, roots and all, and planted it beside the bonfire. It’s also been donned in fairy lights and baubles that the pups made in school, topped by a star of a mysterious, sparkling gold material.

As night falls and the bonfire roars to life, everyone gets lost in singing, dancing, and eating. Jungkook gnaws on his chicken leg and hums along with the Christmas carols that Yugyeom’s been teaching him, loving the cheery melodies but too self-conscious to belt out the lyrics like Jimin is from beside him. Yoongi’s on his mate’s other side, already having downed too much mead. He’s a silly, jolly drunk, much more generous with his gummy grins than when he’s sober.

It’s beautiful. Everything’s beautiful, everyone is beautiful when they’re having fun. Jungkook feels blessed.

As the final notes of “Let it Snow” come to a close, the tinkle of chimes and metal triangles melting into the night, like magic, snowflakes begin drifting down from the sky. There’s a scream of delight that’s quickly joined by others, and the musicians pause for a moment, everyone stopping to prance around in the falling snow. A speck of coldness lands on Jungkook’s forehead, and he tilts his head back to marvel at the sight.

The sky is beautiful tonight, illuminated by a full moon. He turns to point it out to Jimin and Yoongi but the words die, and he grins instead at the rainbow of Christmas lights flickering over the faces of the two mates, who are wrapped up in each other’s arms, sticking their tongues out to catch snowflakes.

Jungkook feels a sudden, urgent need to find Taehyung. He wonders where the alpha is, having not seen him once the whole night. It’s not strange with the size of the camp and their pack, especially since they’ve been joined by the nomads, but he wishes he could share a part of this night with him.

It’s fine, though. He has his two hyungs with him, as well as Yugyeom and Jin and others who he tentatively calls his friends in the safety of his mind. He’s surrounded by joy, basking in the holiday spirit and the physical beauty and emotional comfort of the day; he’s had perfectly roasted turkey, hot chocolate, five different types of cheese, and yule log—and later, when Jimin drags him up to dance with the excuse that he needs to digest, he’s happy enough that his self-consciousness fades into something inconsequential, laughter bursting out of his chest.

It’s the best Christmas of his life.

Jungkook goes to sleep warm and content, but he wakes with chattering teeth.

The wind snaking in through the borders of the door is deathly cold, the same way it’s been for the past month now. Jungkook is confused for a moment since he’s never woken up because of it, before he remembers that Hayoung came around this morning to collect extra blankets for the nomads. Jungkook offered some of his, thinking he’d be fine.

With dismay, he recalls how his furs are still drying outside from the snowball fight he had with Jimin after they ate and danced their fill. A peek around the room reveals that everyone’s asleep. There’s no way he’s going to wake someone up to ask if they’d be okay giving him a blanket.

He pulls on all of the clothes he owns and curls in on himself, resigned to shivering through the night. But it gets bad enough that sleep evades him. Eventually, he decides to get up, wrapping the blankets tight around his shoulders as he sneaks out of omega quarters.

He doesn’t have a destination in mind, but his feet take him to the dining hall, enticed by the thought of sitting by one of the fireplaces inside. Thankfully, there are plenty of logs and kindling in the one he comes upon first, so he lights a couple matches and hastily throws them in.

While he waits for the fire to grow, he drags a chair over and curls up on it, tucking his toes inside his blankets with a shiver. Soon, the fire is alive, its heat a welcomed caress over his chilled skin, and he sighs in relief, letting sleep pull him under.

No more than a few minutes could have passed before there’s a voice calling for Jungkook. He jerks awake, disoriented, and is met with Taehyung staring down at him.

He gasps. “T-Taehyung-ssi!”

The man he’s been wanting to see all night and suddenly he’s here. Jungkook leaps up. His forgotten blankets fall to the floor. He scrambles to pick them up, brushing them off, heat surging to his face.

“Why are you here?” Taehyung asks. He doesn’t look like he just got out of bed, still wearing his daytime trousers and fur cloak. “It’s dangerous to keep the fire going.”

Jungkook flushes in shame. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I-I was cold.”

Taehyung surveys him anew, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t have enough blankets?”

“N-no,” he shakes his head. “I didn’t think it’d be so cold so I, uh. Gave some to the nomads.”

The sigh that Taehyung lets out sounds like it comes from the greatest depths of his chest, and Jungkook feels his face fall, unable to meet the other’s eyes. Taehyung gets to work putting out the fire, Jungkook hurrying to help him.

“Come,” Taehyung says, heading out of the dining hall. Jungkook stays a few steps behind him, too sorry for causing trouble to walk beside Taehyung, but the alpha stops and waits for him to catch up as if it’s only natural that they walk together. So Jungkook obeys, though he mentally rebukes himself in the silence.

“What about the other omegas?” Taehyung asks as they crunch through the snow.

“Um, I think they’re fine. I just—because I sleep near the door, so.”

“No, I meant why didn’t you ask them for blankets?”

Jungkook glances up at Taehyung, confused. His skin looks pale and translucent from the reflection of the silvery ground, but his eyes are as black as ever. Jungkook gulps. “They were asleep.”

Taehyung does that thing again where he scrutinizes Jungkook, a bit scary despite the utter lack of change in his facial expression. “I don’t think they would’ve minded.”

He’s right in that Jimin and Jin surely wouldn’t mind, but they don’t live in the omega quarters, and Jungkook hasn’t built up the grit to actively make close friends on his own yet. He exhales out of his nose, looking off to the side. “Yugyeom’s bed is t-too far away and...I don’t know the rest of them well enough.”

Taehyung looks surprised at this. “What about the omegas from your former pack?”

“Oh, um. I don’t really talk to them.”

“Why?”

He pulls his blankets tighter around himself. It makes him unbelievably happy that Taehyung is interested enough in him to be asking personal questions, but he’s sad that this is the topic of conversation they ended up on. “We didn’t get along,” he admits. “They were nice, but they mostly cared about things like—which alpha was wooing them and who they would m-mate. I couldn’t relate with those things so I...we didn’t have anything in common.” He frowns down at his feet, whispers soundlessly so that Taehyung can’t hear, “no one’s wooed me before anyway.” He doesn’t recall feeling bitter about this fact in past; usually he just got a bit down about it. But he does now.

Taehyung mumbles something under his breath that sounds faintly like “I see.” Before Jungkook can seize the chance to ask him something in return, they’ve reached a large cottage.

“Wait here,” Taehyung says. When he disappears inside, Jungkook gets a waft of alpha scent, dozens of them mixed together. He wasn’t aware the alphas shared one cottage as well, he thought they’d each get their own hut since no one wants to deal with disputes caused by an excess of alpha pheromones and pride.

Soon enough, Taehyung emerges with a bundle of blankets. Jungkook’s heart shoots up his throat in anticipation, though it dampens when he notices they’re scentless. He was hoping they’d be Taehyung’s or maybe smell a bit like him, but of course the alpha wouldn’t do that with how inappropriate it'd be between a pair who aren’t involved. Jungkook’s an idiot for even hoping, especially knowing Taehyung’s stance when it comes to...other people.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, taking the stack in his arms. They’re all different textures, some smooth like silk, some fluffy like down. “Are these extra blankets for the alphas?”

Taehyung nods. “We lent some to the nomads too but there’s always been an excess. You can keep these, if you’d like. We have more.”

Jungkook thanks him again. He pores over Taehyung’s handsome features once more, the imposing figure he cuts here in the dead of night with his furs cloaking him further in darkness.

“Well, um. Goodnight,” Jungkook says quietly, and turns to head back to the omega quarters.

He barely gets a step in when Taehyung suddenly says, “I’ll walk you back.”

Jungkook faces him in surprise, but Taehyung’s expression is no more than the same old impassiveness that he’s become accustomed to. “It’s late,” the elder offers in explanation.

Surely, there’s nothing dangerous to be found in the center camp, not on a trip so short. The knowledge warms Jungkook’s heart, like hot chocolate heating a sweet, soothing path down to his chest.

“You don’t have to,” he mumbles, but Taehyung has already taken the blankets from him and is leading the way to the omega quarters, so Jungkook shuffles after him, allowing himself to walk at his side without being prompted this time. He’s chewing on his lip and trying to think of a conversation topic again when Taehyung suddenly takes the top blanket from the pile and drapes it over Jungkook’s head, then ties a knot under his chin.

Jungkook’s legs continue to walk automatically but his mind is blank and he’s gaping at the older man, who doesn’t seem affected in the least.

“Don’t you know that covering your head and feet keeps your entire body warm?” he asks. Jungkook can’t tell if it’s supposed to be admonishment or joke. He’s never heard Taehyung tell a joke before.

“Th-th-thank you,” he wheezes, feeling like a silly maiden and wanting so badly to duck his face into the blanket to hide. This reminds him of that tale, what was it called? Little Red Riding Hood? No, stop, he tells himself, there’s no reason for his heart to be beating the way it is. The story isn’t even a romantic one anyway, it’s about a heartless wolf eating an innocent girl and her grandmother.

In an attempt to fill the silence and also clear his mind of its nonsensical ramblings, he blurts out, “S-so, how was your night?”

Taehyung lifts his shoulders in a shrug. “Good,” he replies blandly. “Ate lots.”

“Ah.” Jungkook sniffs, rubbing at an itchy spot on his nose. “I, uh. I didn’t see you.”

Taehyung looks at him. The intensity of his gaze incites Jungkook to meet it, but he can only manage to for a second. Taehyung can’t be more than a few inches taller than Jungkook, so why does he always make him feel like a small pup, too nervous to make eye contact, anticipating his every reaction?

“I was mostly with Namjoon-hyung and Hobi-hyung,” Taehyung says, after way too long of a silence.

“Oh. Right, makes sense.”

“You?”

Jungkook peeks over at him, flinching when he sees Taehyung still watching him. “I was with Jimin-hyung and Y-Yoongi-ssi. We had a snowball fight.”

Taehyung snorts. “Of course, what else would you expect from Jimin.”

“Why? Does he like snowball fights a lot?”

A short, sharp breath escapes Taehyung, and Jungkook realizes with mounting astonishment that he just laughed. “No, he’s an aggressive little thing, that’s all.”

Jungkook doesn’t really hear this last part, still mentally staggering from the adorably charming sound of Taehyung’s laugh, abridged as it was. Ah, Jungkook so wishes he could hear the full, untamed version. He wants to make Taehyung laugh loud enough for his stomach to hurt.

“Oh!” he exclaims, bouncing from his heels to the balls of his feet. He remembers now, there was something he wanted to tell Taehyung: “I—I’m learning how to read!”

The little side-glance he earns seems amused. “Yeah?”

“Yeah! Thank you for bringing it up with Jin-hyung, I-I’ve been taking language lessons with Minah-noona, plus other stuff like wildlife and math, I’m almost done memorizing the times table and she says I’m doing good, I study when I have time so I think I’ll...um...I’d like to read some...books, if I get good enough, and. Yeah.” His voice drifts off at the end, confidence waning when it hits him how foolish he sounded. But Taehyung’s facing him fully now, and the warmth in his eyes that Jungkook seared into his memory from the winter festival has made its return.

“I know. Jin-hyung told me.”

“Ah.” Jungkook presses his lips together, embarrassed. “About...the lessons?”

“Among other things.”

“He—talks about me?”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “And Jimin. You have no idea how much they talk about you, all they ever do is blab about how you did this and did that. It’s quite admirable of them, really.”

Jungkook shrinks in on himself. “S-sorry. I’ll ask them not to.”

They’re approaching the omega quarters. As they stop in front of the entrance, Taehyung hands the blankets back to Jungkook. His coal eyes are extra enchanting in the cloudless night.

“It’s fine,” the alpha says, hushed now. “I don’t mind.”

Jungkook stares at him, butterflies bursting into existence in his stomach. If he...if he’s reading this right, then Taehyung just implied that he doesn’t mind hearing his friends ramble about Jungkook. This must be what he meant, wasn’t it? Yes, what other meaning could there be? Jungkook doesn’t know what to do with himself.

But never mind, it’s too late for this. He shouldn’t be keeping Taehyung any longer. He goes to wish the alpha a restful night, but Taehyung beats him to it. “Merry Christmas.”

And Jungkook balks, having wholly forgotten the holiday today and—no wonder he kept feeling like he forgot something! He’s truly such a fool.

“I—uh—will you—I’m sorry,” his mouth refuses to cooperate but he forces the words out somehow, “can I just, is it okay if I grab something, I’ll be really fast?”

Taehyung blinks at him. “Sure.”

Jungkook scuttles into the omega quarters, drops the blankets on his bed, and starts frantically looting through each layer he’s wearing to find the tunic he had on earlier today. There are so many pockets and it takes forever until his fingers come across the soft tissue paper, which he pulls out shakily, careful not to fold or tear it anywhere. He kept it in his pocket on the off chance he’d meet Taehyung somewhere because today’s the perfect day, the best excuse to give it to him.

When he steps back outside, Taehyung is standing right where he left him, spacing out. Before Jungkook can lose the nerve, he thrusts the small package at him.

“M-Merry Christmas!” he almost shouts.

Taehyung visibly startles. The urgency in Jungkook’s voice makes him reach out and quickly accept the gift. He looks down at it wide-eyed, then back up at Jungkook.

“Y-you don’t have to wear it,” tumbles out of Jungkook’s mouth. “I just—I wanted to say thank you for everything and you’ve been so wonderful, and I enjoy ch-chatting with you—” he squeaks, his face blazing, is he drunk, did he accidentally consume alcohol? He wants to change his name and run away forever. “But it’s really okay if you don’t like it! I didn’t know your s-style, or—”

Taehyung has evidently given up on listening to his babbling because he carefully unfolds each layer of the purple tissue paper, then blinks down at the string bracelet lying in its depths. Jungkook’s mouth instantly loses all function, his breath trapped inside his lungs.

Taehyung looks...Jungkook doesn’t know how to describe it. Astounded, maybe. It’s not positive or negative, which is good, but the omega is so anxious that he thinks he might be sick. He could throw up right now.

“Merry Christmas, and, well, goodnight,” he chokes out, before throwing himself into the cottage and closing the door behind him.

He struggles for air, his heart fighting its way up his throat. He holds a hand to his chest, telling himself to slow down slow down be calm you’re fine. 

Long seconds later when he finally feels like he can breathe properly again, he presses his ear to the door, wondering if Taehyung has left.

He doesn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed that nothing but silence meets his ears.

Chapter Text

One morning a few days after Christmas, Yoongi knocks on the door of the omega quarters, asks for Jungkook, and tells him that they should get going. Jungkook inquires in justifiable confusion, “Where to?”

“I promised I’d teach you how to hunt, kid, did you forget?”

“No, but I thought we were w-waiting for spring?” Jungkook balks, imagining himself trying to run through the hills of snow in the forest. “Since there aren’t many animals around now?”

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “I mean, we could, but we should probably start with the basics anyway. Fishing.”

“Aren’t the lakes, uh, frozen?”

“Not all of them. And what, have you never heard of ice-fishing?”

“No,” Jungkook admits.

“Well, I guess that’s what you’ll be learning today. Go bundle up and come meet us by the south forest entrance in...say, quarter of an hour.”

“Um, should I bring anything?”

“Nah, just yourself.”

So that’s how Jungkook pulls on his warmest clothes, runs off to find Jin to let him know, and finds himself at the border of the forest in exactly a quarter of an hour. He spots Jimin first, who greets him with an arm around the shoulders, followed by Hoseok, who yells at the sight of him.

“I haven’t seen you in forever, Jungkook-ah!” he cries, launching himself at the omega, but Jungkook still hasn’t been able to get rid of that instinct to cower when alphas move too abruptly, and Jimin shoves a small hand in Hoseok’s face before he can touch Jungkook.

“Stop it, Jungkookie doesn’t know you well enough for that yet!” he scolds. Hoseok rubs his neck sheepishly.

“Sorry! We should totally hang out some time, dude.”

Jungkook inclines his head, just to be polite. He has no interest in spending time alone with an unmated alpha, other than—no, he’s not going down that train of thought. Maybe he wouldn’t be opposed to hanging out with Hoseok if Jimin came along though.

Next to arrive are two strangers that Hoseok introduces as Sehun, beta, and Kai, alpha as well as another of their main hunters. They greet Jungkook politely, which he returns.

“We have a disproportionately large number of hunters in our pack,” Jimin explains to him. “We don’t limit it to any rank or gender, so lots of people are interested in learning. The main ones are me, Yoongi-hyung, Taehyung, Kai-hyung, and Hoseok-hyung. Everyone kind of just joins the hunting group for the day if they feel like it.”

Jungkook nods in understanding. “Do you always do it in wolf form?”

“Mostly, yeah. If we’re going fishing though, it’s better in our human forms because we get less wet and, like, messy that way.”

“I see.”

They’re interrupted by two more sets of footsteps, the first the lazy, dragging ones of Yoongi, and the second—Taehyung. It’s Taehyung.

Oh, no. Jungkook can’t do this.

He spins on his heel and stares off resolutely into the distance, willing his mind to empty, empty. He is blank, he is nothingness, he is not remembering any of the events from two days ago.

“Wow, what’s the occasion?” Yoongi drawls. “Why’s every main hunter tagging along today, huh?”

With his eyes determinedly far, far away from a certain alpha, Jungkook happens to notice Hoseok’s bright grin and Kai’s stiff expression. Sehun drones, “’Cause no one’s got anything better to do.”

Yoongi snickers. “Fair enough. Let’s get going then, brats.”

“I’m literally one year younger than you,” Kai mutters, to which Yoongi tells him to shut his mouth and respect his elders.

They begin crossing into the forest and Jungkook moves like a person with rocks for joints, or a scarecrow, sticking close to Jimin’s side while his hyung’s rambling flows into his ears and blocks out any stupid thoughts his mind might conjure up.

He’s doing so well. He’s so proud of himself for not taking a single peek in Taehyung’s direction, he hasn’t even been inhaling like a normal person because he’s afraid the scent will draw him into the arms of temptation—that’s how well he’s been doing.

But then Taehyung passes by him, nearly close enough for their cloaks to brush, and Jungkook loses all resolve in an instant.

His eyes dart over to the other man’s face like a bee to pollen, drinking in the tiny smile on his side profile as he walks by. There’s no question Taehyung’s looking at Jungkook, his eyes slanted towards him only for a second, before he faces forward and strides off in Hoseok's direction.

His smile, what did it mean? It was too small for Jungkook to interpret, was it shyness, or provocation, was he teasing, was he taunting, was he happy or mocking? Taehyung wouldn’t mock Jungkook though, he doesn’t think, he believes Taehyung isn’t that type of person. Or maybe the smile was only the result of politeness borne from two people making eye contact. But Taehyung doesn’t do that. He doesn’t smile out of civility, he observes and listens, but he doesn’t smile.

This whole jumbled mass of thoughts happens in the span of a single blink, and in the next, Jungkook’s eyes are homing in on Taehyung’s wrist like he’s been trying all morning not to do, and—

There’s a circle of forest green around it. A pattern Jungkook could weave in his sleep because he practiced it over and over again until he achieved perfection, broken only by two spots of silver: a bead and a separator ring.

There’s no question that Taehyung’s wearing the bracelet.

He’s wearing it.

He’s wearing it, oh, lord.

Jungkook doesn’t notice his hand closing around Jimin’s forearm in a vice grip, but he does hear the pained squawk and miffed, “Hey, what are you—Jungkook?”

He really thinks he might be sick.

“Kookie? Are you okay? You’re kinda freaking me out here.”

A whimper escapes from his throat. Jimin’s arm tenses under his hand, and it’s only the knowledge that his friend will start shouting soon that makes Jungkook hiss out, “Taehyung-ssi. He—bracelet.”

He knows the exact moment Jimin sees what he’s referring to and connects the dots. Jimin’s watched Jungkook make multiple bracelets by now, different patterns for each but a similarity in style to be found in all of them, and besides, what other reason could there be for Jungkook to freak out?

Jimin rips his arm out of the younger’s grip only to grab Jungkook’s own arm, strangling it. “Did you give that to him?” he demands in a whisper. “Did you?”

Faintly, Jungkook nods.

“And he’s wearing it?” Jimin sounds hysterical. Jungkook’s glad he isn’t the only one making a big deal out of this, because it’s a big deal, right? A gift from an unmated omega to an unmated alpha outside of the obvious reason is near unheard of, a bit suggestive even under the guise of a Christmas gift.

And for Taehyung, alleged hater of omegas, point-blank refuser of romantic advances, to accept it.

“Oh my fucking god.” Jimin releases him to hold his head in his hands. “Holy fucking shit, I did not expect this.”

Jungkook finally finds his tongue, anxiety a coursing river inside of him. “E-expect what?”

But Jimin only continues repeating “oh my god” to himself, and Jungkook waits with bated breath.

An eternity later, the elder puts his hand on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“Okay, so,” he starts slowly.

Jungkook thinks he may be on the brink of cardiac arrest. That’s what they call it when the heart fails, right? Spontaneously? Yes, he is doing the cardiac arrest.

“If you don’t make me the best man at your mating ceremony, I will set our entire village on fire,” Jimin says matter-of-factly.

Jungkook almost screams.

There’s a buzzing underneath his skin that he thought would wear off after the initial shock, but it remains, ebbing and flowing in intensity but never leaving, exploding in his stomach every time he catches a glimpse of Taehyung.

Jimin appears to have similarly lost his wits, alternating between muttering to himself under his breath, laughing disbelievingly, laughing happily, and gazing off into space. This probably isn’t a regular occurrence but Yoongi doesn’t seem too bothered. That must be what it’s like to have a mate who understands you wholly. It’s nice. Jungkook would like to have something like that some d—no. No, no thinking about mates today.

“—can stand on the bank if it’s too cold for you, but I prefer being right in the water. More proximity, easier to catch the fish.”

Jungkook rolls up his trousers and takes off his shoes, shivering at the icy dampness of the river rocks. He imitates Yoongi’s stance.

“Good. Then you just do this,” he makes a swiping motion with his arm, “and snatch the fish outta there.”

It sounds simple enough, but what Jungkook doubts is whether there will be any fish in the freezing waters. To his surprise however, almost as soon as he steps into the water, a slippery body whips around his ankles.

“This river almost never freezes up, I don’t know why,” Yoongi says. “It’s a good source of fish. The lake we’re going to later is better for seafood, like shrimp and stuff, but that’ll be different ‘cause it’s frozen over.”

Jungkook takes a deep breath before stepping into the water. He can do this. Omegas may have the lowest body temperature out of the ranks, but as wolves, they still run hotter than many mammals out there, and it’s not that cold during the daytime anyway.

He forces himself to ignore what feels like ice blocks around his feet and feeds the entirety of his concentration into watching the fish. Seeing them approach, waiting for a chance, finding one that looks nice and big and juicy.

Not allowing himself a chance to second-guess, he lunges, grabbing his prize with both hands and yanking it out of the water. The fat, slimy fish flops around in his hands but he holds it secure, in awe of his success, marveling at the sunlight reflecting off the shiny silver scales.

“Y-Y-Yoongi-ssi!” he exclaims. “I-I caught one!”

“Holy fuck,” Yoongi says from somewhere behind him. “What the fuck.”

Jungkook turns around slowly and carefully with the fish cupped to his chest. It’s about the length of his shoulders and the width of his face. Jungkook brandishes it at Yoongi, exultant, but when he catches sight of Taehyung standing behind Yoongi with raised eyebrows, he fumbles right on cue.

Yoongi lurches forward to help him and together, they drop the thing into one of their wooden buckets. “Kid,” the older man says, staring down at the floundering fish. “You caught that on your first try.”

Despite the nerves crawling over his skin from Taehyung’s unmoving gaze, Jungkook beams. “Did I—I did good, Yoongi-ssi?”

Yoongi scoffs, his eyes rolling heavenward. “Yeah, if good means fucking amazing. I know hunters who’ve been trying to fish with their bare hands all their lives and still can’t do it for shit. We wolves aren’t, like, biologically predisposed to doing this, that’s why.”

Jungkook frowns. Maybe he just got lucky the first time then. They do call it beginner’s luck, after all.

Yoongi studies him, a hand rubbing at his chin. “You’re pretty athletic, aren’t you? Fast reflexes?”

“Um, I don’t know.” He hasn’t had the chance to test out the limits of his athletic ability before. He used to participate in the Jeons’ monthly runs, which were supposed to be a time to let their instincts be free, but they had to stick to their groups, they weren’t allowed to fly off on their own. Yoongi hums for a moment before shrugging.

“Well okay, whatever. Let’s get catching then, I told the little ones we’d be bringing back lotsa fish and they got all excited.”

Jungkook quickly waddles back into the water, eager to try again until Yoongi’s call from behind stops him.

“And quit calling me Yoongi-ssi, fuck. Hyung is fine.”

He gives Yoongi a chagrined smile. It’s the first time he’s been given permission to call an alpha ‘hyung.’ “Yes, hyung.”

“And you, Taehyung,” Yoongi continues. Jungkook whirls back around to face the river, feeling warmth creep up his neck from what he thinks might be Taehyung looking at him. “Stop zoning out and make yourself useful.”

There’s a sigh, followed by Taehyung’s deep, “Yeah, hyung.”

Jungkook listens to his footsteps fade, and without meaning to, peers out of the corner of his eye to see Taehyung get comfortable in the water a little ways off. A large, loud part of Jungkook clamors about how fun it would be to go join him, but he knows he wouldn’t catch a single thing the rest of the day if he allowed himself to do that.

He can spend time with Taehyung in a bit. When he isn’t so nervous that he can hear the beat of his heart in his ears.

A little while later, Jungkook finds himself further up the river, where Jimin’s been staked out catching these smaller but supposedly extra delicious fish. He’s surrounded by buckets upon buckets already, but with a pack as large as theirs, there’s no such thing as too much food.

“I caught a big one on my first try,” Jungkook tells him proudly, helping Jimin hold one side of the net in the water. “Yoongi-hyung said I did good.”

The tinkling peal of laughter that Jimin emits is loud enough to scare off the fish. He shuts up with a sheepish smile. “Good job, I knew you could do it. I had a feeling you’d make a great hunter.”

Jungkook basks in the praise, smiling to himself as they go through the methodical motions of scooping up the net and dumping their spoils in a bucket.

“So,” Jimin drawls. “How are you holding up?”

Jungkook looks down at the net in his arms, puzzled. It isn’t heavy, so why would he be having difficulty? “Good,” he says.

“Not—” Jimin snorts like a pig, holds his hand up to his forehead. “God, why are you so precious. I meant, how are you holding up with the Taehyung thing?”

Jungkook gasps loudly and quickly checks around them to make sure no one else is nearby. “Wh-what do you mean? I’m—there’s nothing to hold up.”

“You haven’t spoken to him yet? Wow, I even left to give you some space! Talk about wasted opportunities.”

“He—um.” Jungkook sighs. After he got the hang of fishing, the movements became reflex so he spent much too long looking down at the water and not seeing anything, replaying the interaction from Christmas Eve and this morning over and over in his mind. The more he thinks about it, the more obvious the answer becomes: Taehyung accepted a Christmas gift. And that’s it. “I don’t...I don’t want to dig for meaning,” he says. “This morning was an overreaction, I just, I didn’t think he’d wear it. I want to talk to him some more. We haven’t really spoken a lot, but um. I—” He takes in a deep breath and murmurs, “I really like him so far.”

“Hmmm.” Jimin drags out the syllable, a very deliberately neutral sound. “That’s fair,” is what he eventually settles on.

They work in silence for a bit. All the thinking about Taehyung has a question resurfacing in Jungkook’s mind though. Scents are sort of a taboo topic, it’s generally considered poor manners and improper to speak of people’s scents, how they smell or how it affects someone, but Jungkook is near bursting at the seams with curiosity. He’s just—so uncharacteristically curious about everything that has to do with Taehyung.

“Jimin-hyung?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“Have you noticed that T-Taehyung-ssi smells...” he clears his throat, “faint, sometimes?”

Jimin blinks at him. “Huh?”

“I—I have a sensitive nose and sometimes Taehyung-ssi doesn’t smell like much at all, and. I thought, maybe, it’s not a symptom of anything, is it? H-he’s not ill, right? I’m just a bit concerned, I don’t know if everyone else noticed but I hope he’s okay, I—” his word vomit slows to a stop when he notices that Jimin’s doubled over in silent laughter. “Hyung?”

“Shit,” Jimin wheezes. “Oh my god, I can’t breathe, help—”

“W-what?”

“Not literally, you—” Jimin collapses to the ground, laughing so hard he’s crying and convulsing, and Jungkook continues to stand there, concerned for his well-being. After his laughter finally dies down, still sprawled over the rocks of the river bank, Jimin flatly reveals, “Taehyung uses scent blockers.”

Jungkook’s jaw drops. “Scent...blockers?”

“Yup.”

“But I thought...aren’t those only for omegas? When we, um, if we’re about to go into heat and it’s inconvenient for the alphas if we smell too strong?”

“What?” Jimin’s eyebrows knit together. “No, anyone can use them. It’s just rubbing some powder on your scent glands anyway.”

“Oh,” Jungkook exhales. He’s relieved that Taehyung isn’t suffering from some obscure medical condition and also embarrassed that he was so worked up over something that had such a simple answer.

“Yeah. He probably put it on for the winter festival. Ah, and when you guys joined our pack too. He always, always does it when we meet new people or if he knows some clingy, obsessive person will be around. Without a scent, omegas don’t go after him as much, it saves him a lot of headache.”

Jungkook’s heart drops to his feet.

He’s...

He’s one of those omegas. One of the ones who pestered Taehyung and annoyed him even after he went through the trouble of putting on scent blockers so he could avoid dealing with people like him.

And Jungkook’s always known that Taehyung isn’t interested in fraternizing with omegas or anyone else who isn’t a friend, for that matter, but he’s only now understanding the extent of it and suddenly, Jungkook feels...dirty. He’s been selfishly chasing after the alpha. Taehyung's just been so kind, tolerating his pathetic attempts at conversation, protecting him from scammers, lending him blankets when he was cold at night, walking him back to the omega quarters.

But most people would do at least that much, wouldn’t they, if there was a helpless, illiterate omega right in front of them? Especially someone as nice as Taehyung.

Jungkook got ahead of himself.

Humiliation and disappointment weigh heavy on his shoulders. Jungkook feels like he’s wearing one of those signs that convicts get around their necks, declaring their heinous crimes for all to see while they’re dragged off to their site of execution. His would be for “the omega who used his weakness as a weapon and harassed a person who just wanted to be left alone.” Perhaps that’s being a bit overdramatic, but he’s feeling really ashamed of himself right now.

He doesn’t say a word during the whole trip to the lake, and Jimin surrenders after prodding him to no avail, granting him some space to himself.

Yoongi gives him a brief lesson on how to carve a hole in the ice and use the small net to catch shrimp, and Jungkook wanders off by himself to a spot by the edge of the lake. The ice is so thick that it would hold fine if he stacked five of himself at the same place beside the hole he carves out, but he sits on the warmer dirt instead, feeling the chill catch up to him. He probably spent too much time this morning barefoot in the water.

The thing about winter is that it silences everything around them, and normally Jungkook enjoys that, the peace and calm. He loves the coziness brought about by the soft white that blankets everything, muffling the noises of the world. But now as he sits, waiting for his net to get heavy enough with shrimp before he pulls it out, there’s nothing to do but stew in his thoughts.

A crunch of snow from behind makes him startle, and Jungkook whirls around to find Hoseok, Kai, and Sehun.

“Oh, hey Jungkook-ah!” Hoseok chirps. “So this is where you’ve been hiding!”

“H-hello.”

“How’re your catches going? Is it okay if we join you?”

“Ah, sure. It’s nice here. I’ve got one haul so far.”

“Oohhhh, awesome.”

Surprisingly, Hoseok doesn’t plop down right beside him and get all up in his space like Jungkook expected and was frankly a bit afraid of. Instead, the alpha sits down a little ways away while Kai fills the spot between them. Sehun settles over on Hoseok’s other side.

Jungkook returns to appreciating the view of the frozen blue lake and the frosted peaks of the forest and mountains beyond, Hoseok’s prattling making for just the right amount of background noise. It’s soothing when it’s not directed towards him. Hoseok’s energy is admirable, but Jungkook doesn’t have enough himself to participate in his heated debate with Sehun about the best types of bait. They’re trying for lobster instead of shrimp, which sounds exciting; Jungkook’s prepared lobster many times before for special guests visiting the Jeons, but he’s never had the chance to eat any. Jin told him that it tastes delicious with salt and butter.

“So, uh, how was your Christmas?”

Jungkook ignores the question, barely hears it until an awkward cough comes from beside him. He flinches when he discovers Kai looking at him. “S-sorry?”

“I was just asking how your Christmas went.”

“Oh.” Jungkook thinks back to the festival, then the feast a few nights ago. “It was wonderful. The best I’ve ever had.”

He watches in awe when Kai smiles big and bright. He’s quite cute when he does, like a child. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. I actually—I’ve seen you around, you know, helping Jin-hyung and stuff.”

Jungkook nods, uncertain where he’s going with this. Yes, Jin has sort of been a mentor to him lately, with everything from the basics of the chores to the private, ‘I haven’t shown this to anyone else, Jungkook-ah, it’s our secret life hack’ types of things.

Kai purses his lips, averting his eyes. “Er, I think I saw you during the winter festival too, but you were with your friends so I didn’t want to bother you.”

Jungkook stares at him. An alpha worrying about bothering him? That’s certainly unprecedented. “W-what do you mean? You wouldn’t have bothered me.”

“Really?” Kai lights up at this, his smile growing wider. “You’re okay with hanging out with me?”

Jungkook contemplates this for a moment. To his own shock, he finds that he is okay with it as long as they’re not alone, of course. Kai isn’t scary, he has this sort of softer aura, and in contrast to his somewhat intimidating face when he isn’t smiling, his scent is that of lilies. And he wants to hang out with Jungkook? There sure are a lot of strange alphas in the Kim pack.

“Yeah.” Jungkook looks down at his hands. “Jimin-hyung said I should make lots of friends.”

Kai cackles at that. “Ahh, Jimin, yeah. I remember he went around telling everyone about the pumpkin you carved. I could totally see why though, it was amazing.”

Jungkook groans quietly and covers his reddening face. Kai laughs, slapping his own thigh.

They continue to chat about random things and Kai catches a lobster in the meantime, wrenching it out of the water with a triumphant shout. He grins and puffs his chest out at Jungkook’s compliments of how delectable the lobster looks. Jungkook watches him tie up the animal’s claws before preparing his fishing stick with new lure, attempting to memorize how Kai does it so maybe he’ll be able to try it himself another time.

“I teach dance most days,” Kai’s telling him now. “My whole family’s into dance and there was always this expectation for me to do it too. I’m lucky I like it as much as I do. My brother Baekhyun’s more of a singer, he’s awesome but says he sometimes wishes he could dance like me.”

“What kind of dance?” Jungkook asks curiously.

“You know, like the ones we do during our feasts, folk songs. The other main ones I teach are waltzes, traditional sword dance, and fan dance.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Wow, sword dance sounds really cool. Jungkook hasn’t seen it before but it sounds like it’d look both elegant and lethal.

“You should drop by sometime! We have kids’ and adults’ classes. Or I could teach you one-on-one, if you don’t want a bunch of people watching.” Kai winks. “I’ve been told I’m a good teacher!”

“M-maybe,” Jungkook allows. He does want to learn the dances everyone does during their celebrations, but spontaneously joining a class sounds incredibly nerve-wracking and he feels uncomfortable learning dance one-on-one.

“Hey hey, I see y’all are getting along real well, huh?” Hoseok’s voice gets louder as he skips over. He whistles lowly when he peeks down at their respective buckets of shrimp and lobster. “You guys are good!”

“Th-thank you.”

“Go away, Hoseok-ah, we were having a good time without you,” Kai whines, and Jungkook almost smiles, but rather than act exaggeratedly put-out, Hoseok gets this sly smirk on his face.

“My bad, sorry for interrupting! I forgot you literally rolled off your bed in excitement last ni—”

“Shut up,” Kai hisses, leaping to his feet.

Jungkook watches them, perplexed.

Kai’s already lunging for him but his speed’s no match for Hoseok’s rapidfire mouth, which spits out, “Yoongi-hyung came into the alpha quarters last night saying he’d be taking you hunting and asked if anyone wanted to come along and this guy here literally got tangled in his blankets ‘cause he was that eager to come talk to you, an—OH GOD!”

Kai has shifted into his wolf form, his clothes dropping away as he dives at Hoseok, who immediately transforms too and sprints away. They chase each other clumsily over the ice, one howling in anger and the other in glee, slipping and sliding everywhere. Jungkook would find it funny if he wasn’t reeling from the information.

Soon enough, Kai returns, panting with his tongue lolling out, and Jungkook looks away politely while he shifts and pulls his clothes back on.

“So, that was. Well,” Kai says, once he’s sat cross-legged beside Jungkook again.

Jungkook takes a big breath and forces himself to meet the other’s eyes. “K-Kai-ssi,” he starts.

“Hyung.”

“Huh?”

“You—you can call me hyung,” Kai mumbles.

“Oh.” It’s kind of him to offer and Jungkook has to admit that he’s touched, but. “I-it took me two months to call Yoongi-hyung hyung,” he confesses, hoping to soften the rejection. He feels so mortified right now. He can’t believe this is happening at all, he’s never received anyone’s affections in this way before. “Um, Kai-ssi—”

“I got this for you,” Kai blurts out, thrusting out his hand. Jungkook stares when his fingers unfurl to reveal a clam.

A beautiful black pearl sits inside of it, iridescent purple and green and pink reflecting over the smooth surface. “I know we only started talking today, but I, I like you, Jungkook. I’ll prove to you that I’m a good, strong alpha. I can provide for you. I just, I hope you’ll accept it.”

A courting gift. The first of Jungkook’s life. He’s so shocked, he can’t find the words to respond.

“I—” Jungkook fish-mouths. There’s something in his hands and he remembers dimly that his fingers are still on the shrimp net. He closes them tighter over the twine, not knowing what else to do with them. “It’s beautiful, Kai-ssi. But I can’t—”

“We can go slow,” Kai says, his expression pleading. “We can start off as friends first. I know you’re shy, I’d never pressure you.”

But you’re pressuring me now, Jungkook thinks to himself. He sits up properly and puts the net aside, wiping his damp hands on his trousers. He faces Kai head-on, looking down at the pearl, shining in the light of the setting sun, and then back up at Kai.

“I’m sorry,” he says. It comes out quiet, but Jungkook hopes he can hear the steel behind it. “I can’t accept this.”

Kai’s eyes drill into his until Jungkook winces and lowers his head instinctively. He braces himself for the anger, perhaps even the violence, because he’s seen how alphas can get when they’re denied what they want.

Kai is better than that, though. He’s visibly disappointed as he tucks the clam back into his pocket, and stares down at the ice for a few seconds, his face drawn. Jungkook forces himself not to fidget, worrying whether Kai will explode, but the other man seems to collect his thoughts and when he looks up at Jungkook, he’s smiling wryly.

“I understand. Can we still be friends though?”

“O-of course,” Jungkook breathes out, and returns the smile.

On the way back home, Jimin and Jungkook are far ahead of the others who walk at a relaxed pace with their heavier loads. Normally, they’d both insist on carrying more, but Jungkook subtly pulled Jimin away because he wanted to talk to him in private.

After Jungkook tells him everything, Jimin asks, “you didn’t accept the gift?” in a tone like he’s bewildered by this, and the fact that he’s surprised surprises Jungkook. “Jungkook-ah, I know you...like Taehyung, but you’re aware that omegas are entitled to be courted by however many people they want, right? It’s just a chance for you to get to know each other better. You don’t have to take it as a serious commitment or anything.”

“I know, but...”

“What is it? You don’t like Kai-hyung?” Jungkook’s lips pull taut. “He’s handsome, talented, comes from a nice family, and kind too, from what I’ve heard. What’s not to like?”

For the first time since they’ve met, Jungkook feels a hint of annoyance towards Jimin.

“He’s not Taehyung-ssi,” Jungkook mutters.

Jimin stops walking. Jungkook does too, staring back at his hyung. Jimin’s got that look in his eyes again, the sad-empathetic-guilty look, which only confuses Jungkook more—wasn’t he the one yelling about how out-of-character it was for Taehyung to accept the bracelet, just earlier today? Wasn’t he the one joking about their mating ceremony? Jungkook’s gotten past that, he recognizes now that the things Taehyung did for him were out of kindness, which is fine, but if the reason Jimin is encouraging Jungkook to accept Kai’s advances is because he thinks Taehyung will never return his feelings, that hurts. It really hurts.

“I—I’ll go ahead,” he whispers, and sets off at a brisk pace towards town. Jimin, understanding him too well, doesn’t call for him to wait.

There’s a small clearing deeper within the forest, about a ten-minute walk from the village. After Jungkook got back to the camp and cleaned his fishing supplies, left his catches in the kitchen freezer box, he headed back to his bed in the omega quarters and sat there for maybe an hour. The others must have long since made their way back but Jimin hadn’t come to find him, and the longer Jungkook sat on his bed, the dumber and more remorseful he felt. Of course, of course he knew Jimin never meant any harm, he didn’t even say anything worth the upset that rose inside Jungkook. It was only Jungkook projecting his own insecurities on to Jimin’s actions.

He’s not mad at all anymore, he’s not even sad from learning about Taehyung’s scent thing either—maybe just a little, a tiny amount of little—but the vague discomfort and disquiet haven’t left his mind, and it doesn’t feel right to be in the omega quarters in this moment.

So he goes to the clearing he’s dubbed his secret hide-out. He comes here when he wants to be away from the hustle bustle for a bit, sometimes to hear his thoughts better, sometimes to forget them altogether. The cozy size of the clearing gives off the impression of safety, and the place seems to remain undisturbed for the most part since he’s never seen anyone else here, which is nice.

It’s begun snowing again, so lightly that even the heaviest flakes are gentle caresses over his face. He sits on his bum, rolling the snow beside him into the body of a snowman. This is one thing he’s had years of experience with; the Jeon pups loved making snowmen, so Jungkook was often designated their snow-people-builder helper person. The practice rewards him with a perfectly rotund snowman now, with pebbles for a face and the fallen branches of a nearby winterberry bush for its arms.

When he hears the sound of footsteps approaching, his fight or flight instinct lights up despite his mind knowing that he won’t find trouble here. A breeze carries the fragrance to him, the scent he knows like the back of his hand by now, and that instinct triples in intensity. There’s no point, though. No matter how embarrassed he gets, he’d never actually want to run from Taehyung.

Taehyung obviously didn’t expect to see him, stopping with wide eyes at the boundary of the clearing.

Like always, the name forms without his permission. “T-Taehyung-ssi.”

Taehyung glances around, evidently senses that there’s no one else in the area, no danger, no purpose for Jungkook to be here except that he enjoys making snowmen all by his lonesome. The alpha steps foot into the clearing, coming towards him, and Jungkook watches, wondering what he’s doing, where he’s going, why he’s here.

“Y-you’re carrying so much stuff,” Jungkook remarks unnecessarily. The powdery snow flies up in a cloud around Taehyung as he sits down, not close enough for their legs to touch, not so far that Jungkook can’t see the moles on his nose and cheekbone.

Does this mean Taehyung’s joining him then, voluntarily? Are they at the point where Taehyung doesn’t mind hanging out with him? Jungkook presses down on his crossed legs when he realizes they’re flapping in building excitement.

Beside him, Taehyung lays down his massive net filled with fish of all sizes, followed by a bucket of fishing tools. “Some of us had to make a second trip down,” he says. “Caught too much stuff this time.”

Jungkook bites his tongue. “I’m s-sorry, I just ran off without helping.”

“It’s fine. If we needed more help we would’ve asked.”

Jungkook goes silent, still feeling bad. He finds comfort in fiddling with the stray twigs lying all around him, naked but for the small red berries still attached, stark against the rest of the winter wonderland.

“Yoongi-hyung said it was your first time doing this today,” Taehyung speaks suddenly.

“Oh. Yes, it was.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jungkook sees him pick up one of the fishing rods and pull his bucket closer to them. “Did you get to try catching lobsters?”

Mystified by how Taehyung is spontaneously pulling a fish out of the bucket, Jungkook sits up a little straighter. “No, I watched, uh, Kai-ssi do it.”

“He didn’t teach you?” For some reason, Taehyung doesn’t sound very happy about this. Jungkook shakes his head.

So the alpha hands him the rod, along with the fish. “Take the hook here, attach it to the ro—good. And the small fish, they’re called salt herring. We use them for bait, they’re the best for catching lobsters.”

He instructs Jungkook on how to hook the bait, how to hypothetically find an ideal spot for lobsters, when to pull, and how to tie up the claws without getting hurt, and grabs one of the lobsters he caught earlier to demonstrate. Jungkook absorbs the information eagerly. When Taehyung snips off the bindings of a lobster claw so that Jungkook can try himself, he gets the hang of it easily, cinching up the claw with rope in one rapid motion.

“Good?” Taehyung asks after he’s done explaining, and waits for Jungkook’s answering “good” before putting his stuff away.

Jungkook’s heart is being obnoxiously loud in his chest again, somersaulting and triple-axel spinning or whatever fancy term Jin used for skating the other day. He wonders why Taehyung went out of his way to teach him, because unlike last time with the money, Jungkook could live a very unhampered life without knowing the specifics of lobster catching.

If Taehyung could stop being so nice all the time, Jungkook wouldn’t be struggling like this.

“So,” Taehyung says, leaning back on his hands. “I’m guessing omegas didn’t hunt in your pack.”

“No,” Jungkook admits. Then, softer, “O-omegas didn’t get to do much of anything.”

Taehyung hums. His breath is ghostly in the air, even more visible now that they’re deep into the evening. “But you like learning.”

Jungkook draws patterns in the snow with a twig, a circle, a happy face inside it. “Yes.”

“Why?”

It’s an odd question. He doesn’t quite understand. Why what, why does Jungkook enjoy learning new things? Why not, though? He doesn’t necessarily think of himself of the curious type, but everything he’s been exposed to lately has been so new and refreshing. He frowns in concentration, wanting to give Taehyung a better, satisfactory, true answer, since he’s bothered to ask.

He thinks Taehyung will tire of the time his little introspective search takes, but the other waits seemingly with all the leisure in the world, eyes on the sky and lashes fluttering from the snow.

“When I was with my old pack,” Jungkook begins slowly, “Every day, I...I did things because I was supposed to. I think I was used to it. I didn’t—know how else to live.”

Taehyung turns to him and watches him without comment, head cocked.

“I didn’t have the ambition to do anything. I didn’t want anything. Sometimes, I—I daydreamed about leaving the pack, but they were, I don’t know.” Jungkook scratches at a bare spot on the ground, dirt revealed by the branch he’s poking around with. “Those were just things I thought about because I was bored, without any real desire backing them. Where would I go after leaving the pack anyway? I-I can’t live by myself in the forest, I’ll get eaten in a week. I can’t go to the city, I have no skills, no knowledge to survive there. And I wasn’t treated horribly, so there was no—urgency.”

“Yeah,” Taehyung says. It’s not an agreement, but encouragement for him to continue.

“You probably don’t remember, but, um, I—on my second day here, I told you that I liked it here.”

“I remember.”

Jungkook’s heart stutters. “I knew already, at that time. I was...I’d been looking for something more, and I found it here. Jin-hyung asked what I liked to do in my free time, so I’ve been finding things that interest me. When I—when I do extra things to help out now, it’s because I want to.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook lets out a breath, coming back to himself all of a sudden. “I don’t know why I—that didn’t even answer your q-question and I made a whole speech—”

“It did answer my question,” Taehyung says simply. “Don’t be sorry, I wanted to know.”

And something about that rings a bell, elicits a surge of enthusiasm that has Jungkook scooting closer and meeting Taehyung’s eyes, because he has his chance now, finally. Jungkook wants to know too. He’s been wanting to know Taehyung for so long.

“Wh-what about you?” he asks.

Taehyung blinks. “What about me?”

“Ah. If it’s okay with you, tell me about you too...please?”

“You want to know about me?” Taehyung asks.

“Yes.”

So Taehyung does, giving Jungkook a brief rundown of his prestigious family, his parents who are distinguished members of the Gwangsan Kim clan, their accomplishments, his brothers and sisters who are just as successful, and at first it’s interesting but Jungkook wants to know about him, not his family.

“Why did you leave and join this pack?” he inquires, to which Taehyung responds, “That life didn’t feel like me.”

“Then, wh-what do you like to do, when you’re not busy with duties and have some time to yourself?” Jungkook parrots the question Jin asked him only a few months earlier but seems like it was ages ago.

It’s Taehyung’s turn to be stumped, his eyes going round. “That’s what you want to know about?” he asks incredulously.

Jungkook cringes, wondering what’s so wrong about the question that it’s got Taehyung reacting like this. He wants to know about the significant and insignificant things of Taehyung’s life, everything in between, his favourite song, his motivations. Jin asking Jungkook what do you like to do? changed his life a little bit, and he thought it would be a good start here too.

“I-I’m sorry,” he says, but Taehyung stops him, a strange look on his face that Jungkook can’t place.

“No...no, I don’t mind. I like lots of things.”

Jungkook feels a little bit breathless. “Like what?”

Taehyung smiles, crescents taking over his eyes. He brightens a bit, words coming faster and hands gesturing as he speaks about music, singing, exploring the world. Jungkook can’t get enough of it, of him, so he keeps asking: your favourite foods? (japchae, jjajangmyeon, burgers, none of which Jungkook has any clue of what they are); do you have a dream? (I like to try lots of different things, but I’m not die-hard about anything, really, I just like the experiences); if you could be any animal in the world, what would it be? (a bear, they’re cool).

That last question makes Taehyung smile wider, just the tips of his teeth peeking out between his beautiful lips. “I think you’d make a good bunny rabbit.”

“W-why?”

As he’s done so many times in the past, Taehyung doesn’t reply, but it’s different now, because his expression is sort of sweet, and his hand comes up to brush the snow off Jungkook’s hair. The thumping of Jungkook’s heart sounds like one of those big motors he saw in town at the Christmas market, roaring in his ears, threatening to propel him into the sky.

“What’s that you’ve got?” Taehyung asks instead, nodding down at the omega’s hands. Only now does Jungkook notice that in the midst of his interrogation and ensuing anxiety—he wanted to ask everything before he lost the opportunity, the courage—he’s made a wreath, dry sprigs and red berries woven into a circle, his hands moving in muscle memory from the countless flower crowns he’s made for pups.

“I-I don’t know,” he admits. “I didn’t mean to make it.”

“Hmm.” Taehyung studies it. “It’s pretty.”

You’re pretty, Jungkook thinks. He looks down at the winterberry crown, then up at Taehyung, whose nose and cheeks are pink from the cold, a crinkle at the ends of his eyes that Jungkook’s never seen before. Unthinkingly, he lifts the crown and places it on Taehyung’s head. A pop of red against the black of his curls.

Jungkook’s chest squeezes, his smile growing until he can’t see in front of himself anymore.

And then he feels something on his hand.

Upon finding that it’s Taehyung’s hand on his, rosy knuckles matching Jungkook’s own as he traces over the callouses on Jungkook’s palm, Jungkook gasps audibly. Taehyung’s hands are rougher than his but so, so gentle. The green bracelet peeks out from under his sleeve.

Stupefied and stunned out of words, Jungkook stares up at Taehyung who isn’t really smiling anymore. But his eyes, they’re the softest they’ve ever been, quietly trained on Jungkook.

Much later that night, it’s only as Jungkook lies in bed that the dots connect to form a picture he didn’t see before: that he smelled Taehyung coming into the clearing today. He could smell the full scope of his scent, the soap-cotton followed by the musk that left a taste in the back of his throat, had his lips parting in a desire for more. And Taehyung knew Jungkook was coming today because Hoseok said so; Yoongi asked the hunters in the alpha quarters if anyone wanted to come along, and not only did Taehyung join them, he didn’t apply scent blocker.

He always, always does it when we meet new people or if he knows some clingy, obsessive person will be around, Jimin said.

But he didn’t put any on for Jungkook.

Jungkook squeals into his pillow. Quietly.

Chapter Text

When Jungkook wakes up at the crack of dawn feeling mildly unwell, he sighs and berates himself on staying outside for too long in the dead of winter. It’s strange though, because he wasn’t outside much yesterday and the most outdoors activity he’s done recently is the fishing trip from a few days ago. He’s kept himself bundled up for the most part.

The possibility that it could be his heat occurs to him, but that can’t be right because he’s not due for another couple months or so. However, he’s forced to re-evaluate this when an hour passes and his head only gets dizzier, his body becoming increasingly hot and achy. He knows the signs too well.

Jimin’s the person who knows his scent best, so he seems to notice immediately when Jungkook goes up to him while they’re in the kitchen preparing breakfast. “Pre-heat or actual heat?” Jimin asks worriedly, placing a hand on his forehead, and Jungkook rasps out, “I think actual heat.”

Jimin drags him over to Jin, who immediately escorts him to a heat hut on the outskirts of the village, close to the forest. His hyungs make sure he has everything he needs, bringing him his bedding, extra clothes, some fruit, slices of bread, canteens of cool spring water. Jungkook knows he’s safer here than anywhere else he’s ever been during a heat, but for some reason, he feels so uncomfortable. The blankets he’s slept in for months are wrong. The bare, sanitized room smells wrong and his skin feels too tight around his body.

Jimin keeps him company for a while, sitting at the edge of his blankets and running a hand through his hair.

“I know this is horrible timing, but I—I want to apologize now, before I don’t get to see you for the next few days,” Jimin says, looking much too sad. “For the Taehyung and Kai thing.”

Forcing himself to think through the pounding in his temples, Jungkook looks up at him from under heavy eyelids. “No, hyung, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t mean anything, I was—I don’t know, being dumb.”

“You weren’t,” Jimin says stubbornly. “I was in the wrong for being pushy, it’s totally your choice who you want to be courted by. You’re allowed to have feelings for anyone, okay?” He pauses, squinting at the wall. “Except for Yoongi, of course.”

The stupid joke is a much-needed relief, making Jungkook giggle despite how much his body hurts, and Jimin laughs along with him.

Jungkook’s never had such a bad heat before. His tend to be a bit irregular especially if he’s stressed, but otherwise are as average as can be; he doesn’t lose his mind with desire like he’s heard can happen to some omegas, and his stomach might ache sometimes, but not much worse than an annoying throbbing. Mostly, he only gets a bit hot and has an increased sexual appetite. Cooping himself up in a heat hut is more to protect himself from the wilder alphas, just in case, rather than a necessity.

So he doesn’t know why he can’t stop crying this time.

Jin and Jimin have been flitting about, worried out of their minds ever since the first sobs started, and Jungkook only feels more and more out-of-control as time ticks by. His mind is a delirious mess from fever as he curls up in a ball under his blankets, trying his best to stop bawling but unable to help himself.

Everything is wrong. He doesn’t feel safe. He wants to be home, he wants to go.

Jin speaks to him but it falls on deaf ears, something about dehydration. Jungkook doesn’t care. His head, his chest, his legs, it all hurts so much, like he’s gotten punched repeatedly everywhere. The cramps in his stomach are debilitating. He can’t move.

Jimin pulls the blankets off his head and talks straight into his ear now, though he has to repeat himself a few times for Jungkook to understand. “You’ll feel better with an alpha’s scent nearby,” he’s saying, and Jungkook recoils.

“N-no,” he cries. Alphas scare him, they’re violent when they lose their temper, they’re like storms, unpredictable, slaves to both the good and bad pheromones, and all they care about is themselves. “Why—why would I want some alpha’s scent, no, no, I don’t want it.”

“An alpha you like,” Jimin says softly. There’s a long, stilted pause, before, “What about Taehyung?”

Jungkook sucks in a breath. He tries to blink past the haze. “T-T-Taehyung-ssi?”

“Yeah, Jungkook-ah. I’ll go get him, we can ask him for something with his scent on it.”

The thought of Taehyung has the pain receding, just by a fraction. In the moment of clarity, Jungkook reminds himself that not all alphas are like the Jeons. No, Yoongi is kind, Kai was understanding when he got rejected, and Taehyung with his beautiful eyes, his small, private smile, gentle hands, soothing voice. Taehyung, who’s wearing his bracelet.

“N-no,” Jungkook coughs out. “No, don’t bring him here.”

“Jung—”

“No,” Jungkook begs, unearthing himself from his pillow to stare Jimin in the eye. The older omega makes a pained sound at Jungkook’s tear-streaked face. “I don’t want to bother him, hyung, please. I finally got to t-talk to him a few days ago,” Jungkook stretches out to grab Jimin’s sleeve, tugging at it. “I-I don’t want him to think I’m using my pheromones on him or something, hyung, please, don’t—”

“Okay, okay,” Jimin reassures him quickly, taking his hand in both of his and squeezing them. “I won’t go. I won’t get Taehyung.”

Relieved, Jungkook sinks back into the bed, momentarily placated even if his tears don’t stop.

He doesn’t notice that Jin left the room.

It’s the scent first, then the sight of Taehyung following Jin into the room that has Jungkook squeezing himself into a corner of the bed, making his body as small as possible. He sobs harder, shaking his head.

“H-hyung, you promised!” he cries.

Jimin looks heartbroken but Jin is unflappable as he kneels down next to Jungkook’s bed.

“You’ve been crying nonstop for an hour, Jungkook,” he says firmly. “We need to calm you down. You’re losing all your liquids, it’s dangerous.”

Jungkook burrows further into his blankets, mortified. “I—I’m sorry, Taehyung-ssi, I didn’t mean—”

“Jungkook.”

His nose is flooded with clean laundry and the heaviness of alpha, and that alone is enough for his crying to quieten into whimpers. What silences him altogether, makes him push it all away for just a bit even though Jungkook still feels like he’s on the fringe of hysteria, is that Taehyung called him by name. It’s the first time.

His eyes fly open, tears continuing to overflow and roll down his cheeks, but his focus is fixed on Taehyung. He clutches the blanket up to his face, half covering himself.

Taehyung seems hesitant. “Do you want me to leave?” he asks warily, as if Jungkook is a petrified, hurt animal.

“N-no,” tumbles out before he can think about lying.

Taehyung approaches slowly, giving Jungkook the chance to stop him, and Jungkook can only stare. He wars between the urge to shield himself, hide away how weak and pathetic he is because he hates the idea of coercing Taehyung into caring for him, and the urge to lunge forward and bury his face into the alpha’s neck where he smells the strongest. He smells so good, Jungkook feels calmer just from inhaling lungfuls of him.

Taehyung finally reaches his bed and Jungkook registers the bundle of cloth under his arm. The alpha brings it up for Jungkook to see, what seems to mostly be a stack of blankets, plus a tunic and fur.

“What?” Jungkook rasps.

“Jin-hyung said an alpha’s scent might help,” Taehyung explains patiently. “I don’t know if you’re comfortable with mine, but...and I didn’t know what type of material you preferred for your nest, so I brought a variety. You don’t have to take any of it if you don’t want to.”

Jungkook tries to raise his head, not wanting to lie here uselessly when Taehyung’s gathered up some of his things and come all this way just for him. “F-for me?” he croaks, making sure. “Yours?”

Unlike the deodorized blankets Taehyung fetched for him when he got cold that one night, these are soaked in his scent, obviously personal belongings of his. Jungkook’s seen him wear the black fur cloak multiple times. He remembers exactly how it looks with snow dusted across it, glittering in the moonlight.

“Yeah,” Taehyung says quietly, the low timbre of his voice a comfort. His eyes don’t look quite as feline in this moment, with his face so soft.

Jungkook sniffs, overwhelmed by his kindness. “C-can I really?”

“Yes.”

It’s how resolute he sounds that allows Jungkook to give in.

“Please.” He pokes his arms out of his cocoon, reaching for the stuff. When Taehyung asks him which one he’d like, he mumbles, “All of them, i-if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Taehyung tells him, smiling in that subtle, reserved way that never fails to make Jungkook’s heart leap into his throat. He sets down the stuff to let Jungkook arrange it however he wants, and the omega struggles to sit up, his arms shaking under his weight. Taehyung frowns. “Don’t get up. How do you want these?”

He follows Jungkook’s stuttered instructions to a T, erecting a short oval fortress around Jungkook with both of their blankets as well as the heat hut’s extra pillows, before laying the tunic around his back and the fur on top of him, enveloping his body. Jungkook doesn’t ask him to but Taehyung makes sure he’s tucked in well, including his feet. When that’s done, he slides back up to Jungkook, his face open in curiosity.

“Is this okay?”

Jungkook nods, biting his lip. Something still feels like it’s missing but he doesn’t want to ask for any more, not when he's already shamelessly taken so much. He releases a shaky breath into his pillow, crushed flat under his head.

He’s okay, this is good enough. The nest is close to perfection except for something he can’t figure out, there’s not enough of—just, not enough, but it’s acceptable.

Taehyung examines him, eyes narrowing as he takes in Jungkook’s form covered head to toe, shivering occasionally not from any chill but from the ache deep in his bones.

“Would it help if I...” Taehyung looks like he’s debating with himself for a moment, frowning hard. “If you don’t like this, just say so.”

Jungkook’s eyes bulge when Taehyung starts undoing the ties of his own tunic. He removes the clothing in practiced motions, revealing a thick, white, short-sleeved undershirt which he quickly slips off as well. Before Jungkook can admire his naked torso, he covers himself up again with the tunic, then offers the white shirt to Jungkook.

Jungkook takes it gingerly. His eyes almost roll back in his head from how heavenly it smells, warm from Taehyung’s skin. Jungkook’s drowning in it, floating in it. He thinks he might break into pieces and dissolve.

In jerky, desperate motions, he yanks his pillow out from under him, tugs the shirt over it, and hugs it tight to his chest, burying his face in the soft, worn material.

“Mmm,” he whimpers, satisfied at last.

From across the room, Jin and Jimin release twin sighs of relief, the latter wiping away tears of his own, but Jungkook doesn’t hear them, his eyelids fluttering at the hand resting over his sweaty, matted hair. He nuzzles into it, melting from the cool wash of reprieve that spreads through him from the touch.

“See you in a couple days,” Taehyung murmurs.

His heat lasts for an eternity, endless hours of moving like he’s trapped in molasses, aches all over his body paired with crippling physical and emotional fatigue, and he suspects it would’ve been much, much worse if he wasn’t surrounded by the essence of Taehyung. A balm for his burning body. His friends periodically come by to check on him, coaxing him to drink water and wash down morsels of food. There’s a vague, simmering desire underneath his skin to touch himself, but he refrains, refusing to dirty the things Taehyung was nice enough to lend him.

Once he’s fully sober again, Jungkook is beyond mortified. He wants to dig a hole in the ground and stay there forever, he wants to pack up his things and escape into the night.

Of course he’d never do that, but he entertains such fantasies as he washes Taehyung’s stuff twice over, submerging them in massive tubs of scent purifier.

Jin shows up while he’s in the middle of drying everything and insists on giving Jungkook a hand despite his resistance. Jungkook has never met a head omega who does so much, constantly flitting about and busy with something, making time for anyone who might possibly need his help. The man is amazing.

He chatters on about some light gossip that Jungkook missed while he was out of commission, but for some reason, it feels like they’re talking in circles, avoiding an elephant in the room that Jungkook wasn’t made privy to. But he figures it isn’t a big deal if Jin, with his personality, isn’t urgently addressing it now, and anyway Jungkook is so preoccupied with rehearsing what he’s going to say to Taehyung later that he doesn’t have the wherewithal to worry about it.

Everything is dry and clean and perfectly scentless by noon, so Jungkook gathers it all up, folds it neatly, and sets off for the alpha quarters.

He realizes he didn’t think this through as he nears the cottage. Unlike Christmas Eve, this time he’s heading over in the middle of the day with people milling about. Even though no one’s really giving him a second glance, he can’t help but feel a flush rising up his neck. It gets worse when he actually reaches his destination, his head down to avoid a group of alphas coming out of the cottage who he can feel staring at him.

He’s so out of place, and he’s nervous, anxious, a bit scared as he stands in front of the entrance. Perhaps it’s silly to be afraid when no one has ever been forceful with him in his months of living here, but his instincts are impossible to ignore, screaming that he’s in danger and stupidly delivering himself to the tiger’s den.

The door’s been left slightly ajar. There is no way he is walking in there though. He can’t see much without pushing it more open, but he can tell how unlike the omega quarters, there aren’t piles of bedding immediately spread across the space. Instead, the entrance appears to open into a common room which connects to more rooms further into the cottage.

He can hear voices, pieces of hushed conversation interrupted by barks of laughter. He knocks lightly on the door and clears his throat. “U-u-um, e-excuse me...?”

The conversations seem to dampen, but no one comes. Jungkook swivels around to take a sweep of the outside surroundings, hoping an alpha will arrive and maybe lead him to Taehyung somehow. His hope shrivels up when he doesn’t see anyone who might be able to help.

He sucks in a long, deep breath, and knocks on the door once more. “E-excuse me?” he tries to project his voice.

To Jungkook’s enormous relief, he hears footsteps. The door whips open to reveal Hoseok. Jungkook’s body sags.

“H-Hoseok-ssi,” he breathes out.

Hoseok lights up when he spots Jungkook behind his mountain of blankets. “Jungkook-ah!” he hops around and waves enthusiastically but doesn’t try to touch him, and Jungkook is immensely grateful. “Wow, what a nice surprise, what’re you doing here? What’s that you’re carrying? How come you’re here, huh, it’s pretty early!”

“Ah—um—I, I’m returning something...”

“Oh, yeah?” Hoseok takes a closer look. His eyes widen comically at the fur cloak, the smile dropping right off his face. His voice is deeper when he speaks next, enthusiasm lost and replaced with genuine surprise. “Hey, isn’t that Taehyung’s?”

Jungkook feels the blood drain from his face.

He can’t believe he was so thoughtless, so stupid. What did he think was going to happen when he came here? What’s he going to say, that Taehyung lent an unmated omega who he doesn’t have any relations with his personal belongings to help him through his heat? Because said omega was so pathetic and crying his eyes out and wouldn’t stop until he had Taehyung’s scent with him?

His feet stumble back, one step, then another, and Jungkook wants so badly to give in to the urge to run. He can return Taehyung his things another time. When no one’s around so he won’t soil Taehyung’s reputation. Just imagining it makes his heart ache, people going around spreading vicious rumours about how Taehyung willy-nilly gives away his things to omegas he doesn’t like, because he’s cold and emotionless and doesn’t mind getting their hopes up, or something. Jungkook knows how talk travels.

Before he can escape, Hoseok gasps, “Hey, good timing, actually! I think Taehyung’s in his room, want me to go fetch him?”

Jungkook stiffens.

Hoseok will go get him? Taehyung’s nearby?

That...doesn’t sound too bad. Jungkook can make the hand-over and leave immediately.

“O-okay,” he whispers.

“Well, come on in, it’s cold out here!” And Hoseok gently pulls him inside, so quick that Jungkook doesn’t have the time to react. “Don’t move, I’ll go grab Taehyung!”

He disappears and the omega is left alone. He holds his breath, back pressed against the now closed door. When he chances a look over at the other side of the common room, he spots a group of alphas, every single one with their eyes riveted on him in various degrees of question, surprise, and interest. Jungkook cowers, curling in on himself.

Belatedly, he remembers that the last tendrils of his heat smell are probably clinging to him still. He squeezes his eyes shut, hiding his face in the blankets he’s clutching to his chest.

Seconds trickle into minutes, the alphas’ gazes scorching holes into him. The silence bears down on him like a physical weight.

Jungkook is close to bolting, abandoning his purpose for coming here, when he hears the voice he’s replayed over and over in his mind the past two days.

“Jungkook?”

The relief is nearly enough to make him tear up. His stupid heat may have officially passed, but the lingering hormones make him vulnerable and emotional. He peels his eyes open to see Taehyung at the end of the short hallway, halted in surprise.

“T-T-Taehyung-ssi,” he says high in his throat, embarrassingly wobbly.

Taehyung reaches him in five quick strides, stopping right in front of him. “What are you doing here? Are you,” his volume drops to barely audible, “you’re feeling okay now?”

Jungkook nods, his eyes falling to his feet. “Y-yes, thank you. I came to r-return your, um, this,” he gestures with his full arms, “I-I’m sorry about what happened, I swear, I didn’t—I wasn’t trying to, uh—”

“Breathe,” Taehyung tells him, and Jungkook obeys.

Deep inhale, deep exhale. Once more, again.

“Good,” Taehyung sighs. “Let’s go talk somewhere else.” He throws a glare towards the group on the couches, who casually avert their gazes like they haven’t been visually dissecting Jungkook for the past five minutes.

“Hobi-hyung kept hinting that I should come to the door,” Taehyung says as he leads Jungkook out of the cottage and down a dirt path. “Sorry, I didn’t think it’d be you, I wouldn’t have made you wait.”

“Th-that’s okay,” Jungkook mumbles, calming down now that he’s not being bombarded from all sides by alpha scents and gazes, and he gulps, happy from the sentiment that Taehyung would rush for him.

Taehyung turns to him as they stop at a more secluded area, a grassy patch closer to the forest than the huts, concealed by some large trees.

“It's not okay,” Taehyung asserts, his face impassive as ever but for the subtle twist to his lips. “You were scared.”

Jungkook’s mouth opens to say something, but he doesn’t know what. It’s not Taehyung’s fault he was afraid. The alphas didn’t even do anything, Jungkook was just being anxious.

“I'm fine,” he assures, and swiftly thrusts the bundle in Taehyung’s direction. “I-I just came to give this back to you. I didn’t, um, mean to take up your time. Thank you very much for your help.” He bows low at the waist, then straightens back up, biting down on the inside of his cheek. “Normally my heats aren’t like that, so I don’t know why it was so bad this time. But, you, uh. Really helped, so. Thank you, Taehyung-ssi.”

The alpha doesn’t say anything and Jungkook fidgets, confused, worrying if he did something wrong.

“Keep them,” Taehyung finally says. Jungkook gapes at him. Taehyung raises his eyebrows, cocking his chin at the blankets. “You can keep them.”

A boulder plummets into Jungkook’s stomach.

“Oh,” he says.

He blinks several times, attempting to wrap his mind around whatever’s happening.

His heart is ahead of his mind, though, stung from the slow realization and growing steadily angrier at himself. Because why didn’t the idea that Taehyung would be uncomfortable taking back items Jungkook used during his heat ever occur to him?

“I didn’t...they’re clean,” he mumbles, desperately wanting Taehyung to understand, but he can’t bring himself to word it so explicitly, how he didn’t dirty the blankets in that way. “I-I washed them twice, they don’t smell like anything.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Taehyung looks frustrated, and now Jungkook really wants to cry. “I want you to keep them.”

He grits his teeth, determined to keep the tears at bay at least until he’s out of Taehyung’s sight. “Okay,” he chokes out.

“No, Jungkook—” Taehyung sighs harshly. “I’m gonna go grab something real quick.”

Jungkook looks at him miserably. “Huh?”

“I’ll be fast, okay? Don’t leave, stay right here.” Taehyung frowns. “Sorry you have to keep holding on to those, you can put them on the ground or something, but don’t leave, Jungkook-ah. I’ll be right back.”

He nods numbly and watches Taehyung hurry back in the direction of the alpha quarters. He squeezes his bundle tighter, pressing his face into it, drawing comfort from it even though Taehyung’s scent is long gone. He would never leave Taehyung’s blankets on the forest ground.

True to his word, the alpha is back within seconds, out of breath. Jungkook watches as he runs up to him, something colourful held carefully in his hands.

“Sorry,” Taehyung pants out. “I had to go get this.”

“This” turns out to be a...Jungkook has no clue what its function is. It looks like a box of some sort, the size a bit smaller than his head.

“For you,” Taehyung breathes out in a rushed sigh. “Oh, I’ll take those.” He collects his blankets to free up Jungkook’s hands, who hesitantly takes the box.

It’s made of wood and carved into the likeness of a stout Christmas tree. The three-dimensional shapes rising from the surface are astoundingly detailed, the ornaments, tinsel, the presents connected to the trunk. Each tiny part of the tree is painted, pine needles an obvious green and trunk an equally obvious brown, but the decorations are every colour of the rainbow, bright and free. There’s a thick coat of something over the entire thing that makes it shiny and durable-looking.

“Open it,” Taehyung murmurs.

Jungkook finds a small metal hatch on the side, which he clicks open. He gasps upon seeing the insides lined with a blood-red, cushiony material.

“Wh-what is this?” he marvels, brushing reverent fingers over the fuzzy cloth.

“It’s just a, well, fancy box, I guess.” Jungkook doesn’t think he’s ever heard Taehyung sound so tentative. “You can put whatever you want in it.”

“You—you’re giving this to me?” Jungkook stares at him. “It looks expensive, I-I can’t take this.”

“I made it.”

Jungkook’s jaw drops. He would’ve dropped the box too if he wasn’t so conscious about being careful with it. “You made this?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung’s lips press into a tight line, and now when he breaks their eye contact, it’s not to look elsewhere in interest, but to escape. He rubs at his neck, then the back of his head. “At first, I thought about making a snowman because you were...making a snowman that time, but it wouldn’t have worked as well. The arms would’ve been too fragile.”

Jungkook is still reeling. He doesn’t know what’s going on. Taehyung made him this magnificent piece of art? Snowman, he said, which was when they were in the clearing together on Christmas Day, so that means he made this in only a few days.

“I—I don’t understand,” Jungkook confesses.

Taehyung’s lips purse and he breathes out slowly, so slowly, a white stream of hot air in the winter cold. He drops the blankets to the ground. Jungkook doesn’t even care at this point.

Taehyung takes a step closer until they’re foot-to-foot, and as if he’s fighting against some great force, his arm appears to struggle as it lifts towards Jungkook. Yet, when his hand cups the omega’s at long last, he does it with a gentleness befitting the strength one might use to touch a soap bubble while striving not to pop it.

“I started gathering the materials a while back,” Taehyung says quietly into the meager space between them. Jungkook isn’t breathing, both physically incapable and loathe to do anything that could possibly ruin the moment. “Got caught by Yoongi-hyung when I went to buy some parts from Hyesun-noona,” he snorts.

Jungkook idly recalls Hyesun to be the village blacksmith. For the metal parts of the box?

“I was going to give it to you a few days ago, but you went into heat.” Jungkook watches Taehyung’s adam’s apple bob. “So I—I’m giving it to you now. If you’ll have it.” The alpha cups his other hand now too, holding him so tenderly. His inky eyes slide up Jungkook’s face to meet his.

“It’s a courting gift,” he whispers.

Chapter Text

Jungkook stares, thunderstruck. It feels like the ground has suddenly disappeared from beneath his feet.

“Courting gift?” he echoes shakily.

Taehyung nods, squeezing his hands.

“Y-you want to court me?”

Taehyung nods again, just once, firm.

“B-but—Jimin-hyung said you—” Jungkook struggles for words. “You don’t—I don’t know—”

“Wait. Did Jimin tell you about...” Taehyung cringes, but he doesn’t let go of Jungkook’s hands like Jungkook was afraid he would.

He shakes his head frantically. “No, just vaguely, like, he said you went through some difficult relationships, that those—the people weren’t good to you.”

“Ah.” Taehyung’s eyebrows screw up and his gaze drops to the floor. “That’s humiliating, that you know about it.”

“No. Why?” Jungkook cradles the Christmas tree box to his chest as he finally finds the courage to twist his wrists and grasp Taehyung’s hands back, harder than the alpha held him, afraid he’ll change his mind or leave. “They were the ones who hurt you. It’s not humiliating. Th-they must’ve been blind and horrible to do that, I—you’re—” he huffs out ragged breaths. His throat feels like there’s something stuck in it, thick and goopy, and it won’t go away no matter how many times he swallows. Taehyung’s wonderful. Who on earth wouldn’t want him? “I don’t understand why you...want to court me.”

Taehyung licks his lips, a thoughtful, guarded look taking over his face. “I know we don’t know each other very well yet,” he says slowly, softly. “But that’s what the courting process is for, isn’t it? Though I—I wouldn’t know, it’s been years.”

Jungkook looks up, finds Taehyung staring off somewhere, the corners of his mouth tipping down. Like he’s embarrassed, or regretful. “B-but—”

“Like I said, we haven’t spoken much.” His voice trails off and he meets Jungkook’s gaze now, a muscle in his jaw tightening. “But the things I do know about you, I really like, Jungkook-ah. I want to learn more about you.”

Jungkook thinks he must be dreaming. There’s no other explanation. It’s a Christmas miracle. A New Year miracle. He stares into the black pools of Taehyung’s eyes, sucking him in, his expression solemn and genuine. Jungkook’s overwhelmed and a bit off from the heat hormones still and he really, sort of, is scared he’s going to start crying.

“I accept,” he says, just to see if he’ll wake up.

Taehyung freezes, his eyes rounding like a puppy’s in the presence of food. Jungkook can’t believe he would think Jungkook could possibly reject him. In what universe would that happen?

“You do?” Taehyung whispers.

He nods, his face burning.

The alpha releases a short, sharp exhale, his mouth twitching with a tentative smile. Jungkook panics for a second when he lets go of his hands, but then Taehyung’s stepping close to him, not so much that they’re touching, just enough that Jungkook feels the brush of Taehyung’s breath against his cheeks.

Taehyung’s arms come around Jungkook’s back in a loose, hesitant, ghost of a hug, and it’s more than Jungkook could have ever hoped for, his heart threatening to thrust itself straight through his ribs. Carefully, because he’s really still waiting to wake up, he keeps his gift tucked under one arm and places his other hand on Taehyung’s lower back. He sighs out slowly, fighting against the urge to lean in enough that they’re actually hugging. As a compromise, he bumps his forehead gently against the other man’s shoulder, closing his eyes and breathing in.

The moment is over disturbingly fast for something which has changed Jungkook’s life so drastically. It would be presumptuous of him to call this a new chapter of his life, but he feels like this is what it could be, if Taehyung decides he’s worth it. He doesn’t want to get ahead of himself though, and after Taehyung walks him back, his hands shake as he stands on wobbly legs outside of the omega quarters. It’s not a dream. He’s known this whole time it wasn’t, it’s just so unbelievable that his sense of reality feels out of reach.

Once the realization sinks in, however, the only thing he can feel is happiness. Plain, pure happiness that builds and builds and overflows.

Instead of heading inside, he runs straight to Jimin and Yoongi’s cabin. He only has to pound on the door three times before it flies open and Jimin is all over him.

“Jeon Jungkook!” he screeches, smacking him repeatedly over his arms, then switches to shaking him by the shoulders when that apparently doesn’t carry enough impact. “Where have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried I was when I couldn’t find you in the heat hut, you stupid little coconut head?! God! I thought I was gonna have an actual aneurysm!”

Jungkook feels like the most terrible, ungrateful person on earth. His head was so full of his own mortification and guilt towards Taehyung that he didn’t stop to consider how Jimin would feel upon discovering his disappearance.

“I-I’m sorry.” He tugs at Jimin’s arm. “Sorry, hyung, I wasn’t thinking, I—Jin-hyung knew, so I thought he’d tell you, but that was really bad of me, I’m sorry.”

Jimin rails at him for a while longer, venting about how it was only because he could smell how Jungkook wasn’t in heat anymore that he didn’t tear the place apart looking for him, and Jungkook apologizes profusely, cowed. After Jimin runs out of steam, he gives him a final knock on his noggin before switching gears at his characteristic whiplash pace, pointing at the box in Jungkook’s hands. “What’s that?”

“Ah.” Jungkook hugs it tighter to himself. A smile creeps over his face. “Uh, it’s a...a courting gift.”

Jimin’s eyes go round. “What? Boy, you are popular! Not that I’m surprised, li’l cutie-pie that you are.” He pinches Jungkook’s cheek. “You’re accepting this one though?”

Jungkook’s head bounces with how hard he nods. “Y-yes.”

Jimin scans over the gift. “Well, it’s pretty, alright. Seems like they put a lot of effort into it so that’s good, we don’t accept anything but the best, okay.” Jungkook nods again. It is the best. “So who’s it from?”

“Um. T-Taehyung-ssi.”

What ensues is a silence so deafening that Jungkook perfectly hears the conversation from a passing couple about how “Miyeon totally dumped Joongi for his older brother, didn’t you know, it’s the talk of the town,” and he fiddles with his fingers, waiting for Jimin to process so he can share this happiness with him. What he doesn’t expect is for his hyung to literally scream, a sound possibly louder than anything Jungkook’s ever heard in his life.

“WHAT THE FUCK??!!!”

When the ruckus summons Yoongi to the door, he takes one look at what Jungkook’s holding and starts cackling.

“I visited Taehyung a few times these days and always found him chipping away at the thing,” he reveals. “The brat would just be sanding it in the middle of the night, like what the fuck. If I were still living with him I would’ve ripped him a new one.” A lump actually grows in the back of Jungkook’s throat at that, but thankfully it goes away the second he catches sight of the utter offense on Jimin’s face as he whirls on his mate, jabbing a finger in Yoongi’s chest.

“You knew and didn’t tell me?!” Yoongi shrugs.

“It’s between the two of them,” he says simply, which makes Jimin deflate.

The couple ushers Jungkook into their cabin, sitting him down in the living room, Yoongi dragging himself off to the kitchen and returning with a cup of tea for Jungkook. It’s not his first time here but he’s awed as always by the prettiness of the cozy place, the tiny, potted cacti and flowers of all colours sprucing up their tables, the woven tapestries decorating the wall. The rug under Jungkook’s feet is thick and fluffy, a shade lighter than the chestnut log walls.

“I, um, want to know more about courting,” he says when the other two have settled down beside him on the...the sofa, he thinks is what it’s called. Jimin bragged to him before about how he and Yoongi hauled it all the way back from the city as soon as their cabin was built. “I h-haven’t been courted before.”

“Seriously?” Yoongi says, while Jimin claps his hands gleefully.

“You’re gonna have so much fun,” he gushes, absolutely sparkling. Yoongi slants a look at him, amused and indulgent. “What do you wanna know?”

“Um. What...is it, exactly? What do I have to do?”

Jimin laughs brightly. “It’s not supposed to be this grand, formal thing, silly. Courting’s just between the two people involved, it’s private. Oh, and both parties are allowed to court or be courted by more than one person.”

Jungkook didn’t know that. He frowns, eyes piercing into the russet cloth of the sofa.

Yoongi snorts as if he knows exactly what he’s thinking. “I met Taehyung years ago and he’s never given a fuck about anyone no matter their gender, subgender, or how gorgeous they are. Don’t worry about that shit.”

Jungkook flushes. He wonders why now, then. But it doesn’t matter anyway, he cares most about the fact that they both seem to be interested in one another.

Though he can’t deny he’s curious; he was so stunned by Taehyung’s offer, he didn’t really stop to think, and now he’s asking himself what it is specifically that Taehyung likes enough to ask to court him.

“Okay,” he sighs. “I thought it was supposed to be a loud affair though...in my old pack, the omegas would, er, tell everyone about the alpha courting them, and what presents they gave them, stuff like that.”

“Oh my god, that’s so tacky!” Jimin groans, shaking himself. “No, no. No one even has to know, if you prefer it that way.” It’s a relief to hear, because Jungkook was worried about dealing with the pressure of everyone watching them. He wants it to be just him and Taehyung.

“Okay, I-I’m only gonna tell you guys and Jin-hyung and Yugyeom.”

“Sure, it’s totally up to you. Do you want us to keep it a secret?”

Jungkook considers this for a bit. “No, I’m... okay with people knowing, I’m just not—you know.”

“You don’t want to go around advertising it, gotcha.”

“I don’t know how Taehyung-ssi feels about it though.”

“Taehyung won’t care who knows or who doesn’t, don’t worry about it,” Jimin reassures him. “Anyway, other than that, courting’s simple. You hang out with each other and that’s pretty much it. There aren’t any customs other than the initial acceptance of the courting gift.” Jungkook thought there would be more, but this is nice. He likes the freedom. “In the meantime, you can think about some things you’d like to do with Taehyung.”

Tens, hundreds, thousands of fantasies flash through Jungkook’s mind, his imagination unleashed within a new world of possibilities. He wants to experience so much with Taehyung, go to lots of places. None of them have to be far or extravagant, he just wants to do the little stuff like going on a walk together so they can chat, and Jungkook can make better, prettier flower crowns for Taehyung. He’d definitely look like a forest faerie. No, no, something more impressive. The god of the woods, or something.

“Wanna hug him properly,” he mutters. He thinks it’ll feel really nice to be wrapped up in Taehyung’s arms. He wants the freedom to be able to hug Taehyung any time he likes. That would be the definition of heaven.

While Jimin screeches about how cute he is or whatever else, Yoongi says, “So do it. He’ll like it.”

“R-really?”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, snorts loudly. “I promise he will.”

“Yes, I second that, you officially have two votes to jump Taehyung.” Jimin makes grabby hands. “Now show me the Christmas tree thing.” Jungkook picks it up from the table, handing it to him delicately.

“Be careful with it or Taehyung will kill you and I ain’t saving your ass,” Yoongi warns, and Jimin glowers at him. Jungkook grins, a giddiness he hasn’t experienced before sparking through his body.

At lunchtime, Taehyung’s gaze catches on his across the dining hall. The alpha’s wearing his typical neutral expression, but his attention sweeping over Jungkook’s skin feels like the quiet, muted heat of a dying fire. Before Jungkook can do anything more than stare back wide-eyed and blush like a teenager, a few of Taehyung’s friends surround him and they’re swallowed by the crowd.

Jungkook feels like he’s run a lap around the camp, his lungs shuddering. It’s very dramatic of his bodily functions.

After lunch, he wipes his stack of washed utensils as slowly as physically possible until everyone but he and Jin have left the kitchen, at which point he blurts out, “Taehyung-ssi’s courting me.”

Jin screams his lungs out. It’s less of a fright this time after Jimin’s stunt. Jungkook’s starting to see for real how vehemently opposed to any of this courting business Taehyung must have been for everyone to be making such a big deal.

“Come with me,” Jin hisses and pulls him out of the kitchen, across camp to his and Namjoon’s cabin. Jungkook drags his feet, not wanting to intrude on the head alpha’s residence when they’ve scarcely spoken two words to each other, but it so happens that Namjoon’s there today.

“Hey, Jungkook,” he says with a dimpled smile, sat in an armchair with a sheaf of papers in hand. Jungkook’s amazed he remembers his name.

“Hello, Lead—uh. Namjoon-ssi.” Jin squeaks in laughter at his ninety-degree bow.

“We’re gonna have some omega time, don’t interrupt, Joon-ah!” he calls as he leads Jungkook past the living room into what Jungkook is horrified to find out is the bedroom.

Namjoon doesn’t bat an eye. “Yes, dear.”

“I—I shouldn’t be here,” Jungkook babbles, “I don’t want to intrude—”

“Oh, shush.” Jin shoves him to the end of the room and into a luxurious, cushioned chair beside a table that seems to function as a vanity. Then he hauls another chair over, along with a couple containers that he speedily grabs from the adjoined bathroom. “Okay, time for our long-awaited beauty lesson slash gossip session.”

He pops open the two metal containers, one with a green liquid inside and the other with sheets of cotton cut up into strips. A while ago, Jin gave Jungkook this cream to put on before he sleeps, which has been imparting a flattering glow on Jungkook’s skin since he’s begun using it, but they were both busy enough that the promised beauty lesson slipped out of their minds. He watches curiously as the head omega takes multiple pieces of the cotton and dunks them into the liquid.

“This is just green tea,” he explains. “It contains lots of antioxidants, which is the stuff that’s good for you. I was taught to pat tea directly into my skin, but I felt like it evaporated too quickly so I started doing it this way.” He demonstrates, taking the now-soaked strips, waiting for them to stop dripping, before carefully pasting one on each of Jungkook’s cheeks, smoothing out the bubbles. Then he takes smaller pieces and does the same for his forehead, nose, and chin.

“’s weird,” Jungkook says while trying not to move his face too much. Jin chuckles, covering his own face now too.

“You’ll get used to it. In the summer, I put the tea in the freezer box, it’s sooo nice after a long, sweaty day. I only do this, like, once a week though ‘cause ain’t nobody got that much pamper time.”

Jungkook almost frowns but he stops, not wanting to mess up Jin’s hard work. “You should spend more time on yourself, hyung.”

Jin looks like he might be smiling under his cotton mask. “You’re sweet, Kook-ah. Don’t worry about me, I’m perfectly happy. Anyway, we have to let this sit for fifteen minutes, so tell me all about you and Taehyung.” He squints. “I mean, I had a feeling after that heat fiasco, but I didn’t know you guys were that close.”

“Oh, uh...I. Um.” Jungkook gulps. “I l-liked him from the start.”

Jin squeals loudly before proceeding to dig everything out of him that Jungkook isn’t too embarrassed to say aloud. The elder swoons when he describes what happened this morning.

“Ah, sure brings back memories,” he says wistfully, wiping away a fake tear. “I remember when Joon used to get all red during our dates. He couldn’t look me in the eye, you know? One time I kissed him on the cheek and he dropped an entire butcher knife! Who even does that? He almost chopped his foot off!”

Jungkook gasps. “Oh, no.”

“Yeah, well, it was partly on me for springing that on him even though I knew how much of a klutz he was.” Jin cackles, slapping the table. “Can’t blame him I guess, what else is he gonna do when a beauty kisses him, am I right?”

They spend the afternoon with Jin telling him about their dates and how much fun they had and still have, of course, whenever they take the time off to go somewhere just the two of them. Jungkook listens raptly, enamored with the stories of their love. He wants that too, he thinks.

“Are you excited?” Jin whispers conspiratorially, nudging him. “It’s your first time getting courted, right?” Jungkook nods. “You should savour it, then. I mean, you should savour all stages of your relationship because they only happen once. Things change but they never get worse unless you let them.”

“W-what does that mean?”

Jin hums. “Maybe it’s too early to talk about this, but in my opinion, love is all about choices. I have this theory, you know.”

“Theory?”

“Well, people say, we don’t choose to fall in love, right? It just happens.” Jungkook frowns, thinks hard about it, because he hasn’t in the past. He doesn’t really know. “I think that’s true to a degree, but love is also about choosing to stay with someone, working on your flaws together so they don’t get in the way of your good feelings. Wolves mate for life, but no one says we love for life.”

“But...Yoongi-hyung and Jimin-hyung, and you and Namjoon-ssi...” They’re so in love, even inexperienced Jungkook can see it clear as day.

Jin laughs and rubs his shoulder. “Our love is deep exactly because we choose for it to be so, young padawan.” Jungkook files the line into his brain to muse over another time when he isn’t fried from the information he’s absorbed today.

But he has to wonder, “What’s a padawan?”

“Oh, Jungkookie.” Jin shakes his head. “You have so much to learn, I’m gonna show you everything there is to know about this world.”

He can’t decide between frowning and smiling, grateful but apprehensive at the tone Jin used, like he’s going to be the best mentor on earth but will inevitably scar Jungkook for life in the process. “Um, can Taehyung-ssi come along?”

“Wow, replacing me as your favourite already, huh, I see how it is. It’s literally been one day, brat.”

Jungkook carefully lays his hand on Jin’s, patting it. Jin throws it off with flair. “I don’t need your pity!”

“Hyung, you’re the greatest.”

“I know that, no need to tell me.”

The warmth of Jin’s encouraging hug (after he got over his little fit) and the equally friendly wave from Namjoon stay with him as he hurries back to the omega quarters, not having realized the skies were darkening already. Originally, he planned to go into the forest today to pick some berries, but he’ll have to be fast unless he wants to lose the daylight.

With a lantern in one arm, in case he takes too long, and two baskets in the other, Jungkook races into the forest back to the places where he’s sure he’s spotted some berries during previous treks. Luckily, he finishes filling both baskets, one with red berries and one with blue, right as the sun sets completely.

The kitchen is busy with those on dinner duty, so Jungkook requests to borrow a couple metal pans before retreating to the dining hall instead, not wanting to get in anyone’s way. After he grinds up the berries, he throws in some water and brings each mixture to a boil using the one of the fireplaces. Once that’s done, he takes the pans, covers them with cloth, and takes everything back to the omega quarters.

“Whatcha doin’?”

Jungkook startles. He’s claimed a secluded corner up on the third floor where barely anyone goes and he must’ve been too focused to hear Yugyeom’s footsteps, his friend blinking down at him now with hands on his hips. “Smells kinda fruity, are you baking something later?”

“Ah, no. I’m making some, uh, paint.”

“Oooh, paint?” Yugyeom plops down beside him. “You’re making it? I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Yeah, I kinda...I was experimenting one day and found that fruits work pretty well. We weren’t really allowed—or, didn’t have time to paint back with my old pack,” he trails off. “I haven’t done it in a while, so I thought I could try.”

“Sweeeet! I bet you’re really good, that pumpkin you made for Hallow’s Eve was legendary.”

Jungkook grins. “Thanks.”

“What are you gonna paint?”

“Uh,” Jungkook says, way too high-pitched to be unsuspicious. “I-I don’t know, haven’t really decided yet.”

“Okay.” Yugyeom shoots him a funny look but thankfully doesn’t pry. If Jungkook had to tell him that he’s been feeling inspired ever since his mind snapped a photo of Taehyung in a snowy clearing with a winterberry crown on his head, he’d have to run away and change his name.

“So...how are things with Bambam?”

“Oh, my darling Bambam!” Yugyeom hoots. He launches into a tale about how Bambam saved him from a few randy alphas who had a bit too much mead and wouldn’t leave Yugyeom alone even after his firm rejection.

“No,” Jungkook whispers, aghast. “Did they...try to be inappropriate? Were you okay?”

“Yeah, I was totally fine,” Yugyeom drawls. “They were just kind of annoying, like, kept saying they’d show me a good time or whatever,” he scoffs. “But they weren’t touchy and went away pretty quick when Bambam showed up. My knight in shining armour.”

Jungkook is relieved, but it still makes him mad his friend had to go through that. “Who was it? M-maybe we should tell Namjoon-ssi?”

“Nah, they were from the nomad pack.” Jungkook totally forgot they were still here. “I think it was just the normal idiotic alpha posturing exaggerated by alcohol. It’s fine, Jungkook-ah, if it was bad I would’ve gotten them thrown out.”

“If you say so,” Jungkook mumbles.

“I do.” Yugyeom grins. “Whoa, what are you doing, that’s funky.”

Jungkook shows him how he’s separating the remnants of the fruity bits from the dyed water with a strainer cloth, asks Yugyeom if he wants to try too. Yugyeom squeals about how the drops of red getting on his hands are too blood-like, and Jungkook laughs at him.

They look up when they hear footsteps coming up the stairs. “Oh, Jungkook-ssi, there you are.” It’s Sana, also an omega from the Jeon clan. If Jungkook remembers correctly, he thinks she might be one of Nayeon’s best friends. “Someone’s asking for you.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, downstairs.”

“Okay, I’ll be back soon, I guess,” he says to Yugyeom, who salutes him.

He follows Sana down to the ground floor. She gestures towards the front entrance, so he pads over and opens the door a crack.

His gasp is probably loud enough to alert the entire floor, but he can’t bring himself to care, flinging the door wide open. Cold air billows in from outside.

It’s strange that Jungkook can think about him so much, reliving the few memories they have together whenever he accidentally starts daydreaming, and yet still be so stunned whenever he’s met with Taehyung in real life. There’s really no getting used to his chiseled features and the sheer weight of his presence.

“T-Taehyung-ssi,” he breathes.

“Hi.” Taehyung gifts him with the shadow of a smile. He’s so handsome, especially wrapped up in his familiar black fur. Earlier today, the alpha took back the bundle of blankets, saying that if Jungkook was okay with it, he’d wash them first before giving them to Jungkook since he carelessly dropped them on the ground. Jungkook thought he’d vibrate out of his skin from the offer and agreed enthusiastically, on the condition that Taehyung keep the cloak. “I-it looks wonderful on you,” he’d managed to confess, and Taehyung had conceded.

“H-hello,” Jungkook returns, a beat too late. His naked toes dig into the wood floor. “Um...how can I help you?”

Taehyung’s smile becomes less of a suggestion, more substantial. “I was wondering if you were busy these next few days.”

Jungkook struggles to remember his schedule without getting lost in staring at the other man. He knows he’s helping out with laundry in the morning but nothing else sticks out in his memory, which probably means there isn’t anything important. Minah’s busy these days so he doesn’t have any lessons planned either. “I-I’m free after lunch tomorrow.”

Taehyung nods. “Namjoon-hyung’s thinking of making a trip to town with a few of us. Not the winter festival town, a different one closer to the city. It’ll take half a day of travel one-way and we’re staying there for a couple days.” Taehyung tilts his head, his expression calm but open. “Would you like to come? We could...hang out, the two of us—”

“Yes!” Jungkook almost shouts, then flinches, his shoulders drawing up to his ears. “I mean. I would l-love to.”

Even Taehyung seems surprised by his fervor, his mouth open in speechlessness. Jungkook wants to run head-first into a tree.

“Okay, good,” the alpha exhales. “Great. I’ll meet you by the dining hall after lunch then?”

“Y-yes.” Jungkook tries not to let his happiness and excitement take over his face, but he thinks he fails if he’s reading the twinkle in Taehyung’s eyes correctly.

“Oh, by the way, I meant to say this earlier, but...” Taehyung’s voice is a touch quieter now, and Jungkook shuffles closer to hear better.

“Yes?” he inquires.

“You can call me hyung, if you want.” Jungkook stares at the elder’s lashes as his eyelids hood by a fraction. “I don’t mind the Taehyung-ssi, it’s kind of cute, honestly.” Taehyung’s lips twitch. “But I’m courting you, and. We’re not strangers, right?”

Jungkook wonders if spontaneous combustion could be possible, because if it is, he is almost there.

“Taehyungie-hyung,” he murmurs, testing it on his tongue.

Abruptly, something in Taehyung’s face thaws, the change minute and yet so stark that it has Jungkook’s breath hitching in his throat. Idly, Jungkook thinks to himself that he really needs to find a hobby outside of studying the nuances of Taehyung’s facial expressions.

“Yeah,” Taehyung says softly and he sounds content, his voice making Jungkook feel warm and fuzzy. When the alpha reaches out, Jungkook follows the movement with his eyes, so he sees it coming but still jumps when Taehyung takes his hand in his, curling long, elegant fingers gently around it.

Jitters run up his arm and down his spine, tingling a path to his toes. He feels safe but also like he might float away if he doesn’t anchor himself to something quick. “H-hyungie,” he mumbles, craving confirmation, reassurance of some kind. Taehyung’s thumb brushes over the back of his hand, like a comfort, a wordless, fleeting touch that reverberates deep inside the cavern of his chest.

“Your hand’s cold.” Taehyung smiles. “Go inside. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“O-okay.”

Except Jungkook doesn’t really want to leave. And Taehyung doesn’t let go of him either. They stand there for a bit until Taehyung squeezes his hand.

“Go on,” he coaxes. Jungkook wants to pout, watching Taehyung’s hand fall away from his. “Bye, Jungkook-ah.”

He sneaks another long look at Taehyung, the all-encompassing darkness of night taking nothing away from his beauty. “Bye.”

A flicker of a smile, then Taehyung turns to leave. Jungkook wishes he didn’t have to go so soon, but it probably isn’t proper to make him stand there outside the omega quarters just because Jungkook wants to chat. He can’t believe they’re going to go on a trip together. With other people, but still, a trip, with Taehyung!

Struck by an irrepressible urge to—to keep him a little longer, and share his happiness with him, Jungkook lurches forward to catch his sleeve, and Taehyung swivels around, lips parted in surprise.

“I-I’m excited for tomorrow,” Jungkook rushes out, focusing on the mole on Taehyung’s nose instead of his eyes, because he’s a coward. “Um. Bye, Taehyungie-hyung.”

Miraculously, his silliness earns him a sharp exhale. A laugh, though not to mock, judging by how rounded Taehyung’s cheeks become. “Me too,” he says with a glint of shiny white teeth in the moonlight. “Goodnight.”

Jungkook releases his sleeve. “G-goodnight.”

And this time Taehyung leaves for real.

Jungkook watches him disappear into the distance with a sigh before shutting the door and twirling around, ready to soar up the stairs and gush with Yugyeom.

Instead, he’s met with the dropped jaws of dozens of omegas.

From the stairs with his head thrust out between the banisters, Yugyeom shrieks, “What the fuck?!”

Chapter Text

Jungkook doesn’t have a clue how much to pack for a three-day, two-night trip, but his nosy friend is more than happy to help him. According to Yugyeom, Bambam will also be going since they always bring a healer on these excursions, just in case, and he invited Yugyeom to come along. So Jungkook will have at least one of his buddies with him. The two omegas whisper deep into the night, too eager to sleep, Yugyeom prodding Jungkook for details about Taehyung and bursting with stories about the fun stuff he got to do the last time he went to town.

The next day after lunch, the two of them head to the meeting place. Everyone’s there already, waiting in their wolf forms. Jungkook didn’t know they’d be transforming but it makes sense now that he thinks about it; the journey through a snowy forest on human feet is a disaster waiting to happen.

He hides behind some trees and speedily removes his clothing, slipping it inside the canvas cloth he’s turned into a makeshift bag before tying it over his back and transforming. He trots over to Yugyeom, bumping against his furry chocolate side.

Hey, he hears Taehyung’s voice inside his head, instantly ruining Jungkook’s efforts to pretend like he hasn’t been overly conscious of his presence since the moment he arrived.

Jungkook turns to the big black-brown-auburn wolf standing by Namjoon a ways away, watching Jungkook with his head tilted. Similarly to him, Taehyung has a bundle tied to his back. Jungkook imagines they all look a bit silly for supposedly wild forest animals.

H-hi, hyung, he greets back as the group sets off into the forest, eyeing the distance between them. There’s this itch inside of him to get closer to Taehyung somehow but he’s kind of far off, closer to the head of the group.

To his utter delight, Taehyung slows, then stops until Jungkook and Yugyeom catch up to him.

Oh, Jungkook’s mind blares breathlessly, loud enough that everyone around them definitely heard, if Yugyeom’s choked-off laugh is anything to go off of. Jungkook’s suddenly extremely grateful that he can’t blush in this form.

Hello, Taehyung-ssi, Yugyeom pipes up in that tone he uses whenever he’s dying to say something that will ruin Jungkook’s life. Jungkook glares.

Taehyung sort of just looks at Yugyeom. His amber eyes flicker over to Jungkook for a second before returning to other omega.

Hi, he returns, a little stiffly. At Yugyeom’s fevered tail wagging, Jungkook remembers that Taehyung’s not one to be nice or polite to people he doesn’t know, so could that, by chance, mean he said hi to Yugyeom because he’s Jungkook’s friend?

As if he can sense Jungkook’s mental capabilities escaping him, Yugyeom snickers loudly, whispers, I’ll give y’all some alone time, before prancing off to throw himself into Bambam’s side.

So...what are we going to be doing in town? Jungkook asks, a feeble attempt to distract himself from the butterflies in his stomach.

We’re selling our things to the merchants first. Oh wow, his voice sounds so soft in Jungkook’s head. Metal accessories and tools sell well this time of year and they’re easy to carry, so we made a lot of them. After we get rid of those, I think we can split and do whatever we want. Taehyung flicks an ear towards his bag and Jungkook realizes that it’s probably not only clothes in there for him.

He wonders if by ‘we,’ Taehyung’s referring to the two of them. Alone. That would be nice, very nice. And nerve-wracking.

I’ve never been so close to the city before, he admits. I don’t know what it’s like.

Too many people. City wolves are snobs.

D-didn’t you grow up in the city?

Exactly.

Jungkook snorts out a laugh. You’re not a snob, hyung. A bit, um, standoffish, maybe.

Taehyung’s non-committal hum would prove those words right if it wasn’t also accompanied by a light bump against Jungkook’s leg that Jungkook blithely returns. Sure, Taehyung might not be the most welcoming person or the easiest to get close to, but Jungkook thinks he’s been trying with Jungkook at least, and that means more to the omega than anything else.

S-so, he starts, clearing his throat out of habit which he immediately feels like an idiot for because it’s not like he’s speaking with his mouth. I started a book yesterday.

You’re reading books already? Taehyung has to tilt his head down to look at him since his wolf form looms over Jungkook.

Um, well, progress is slow. Very slow. B-but it’s not as bad as I expected, I guess since I already speak the language.

What book is it?

Ah, Jin-hyung gave it to me, it’s the, uh, autobiography of this human artist. Van Gogh?

Taehyung’s ears perk up. Vincent Van Gogh?

Yes. Jungkook bounces a little on his paws. Have you heard of him?

Yeah, I really like his art. Starry Night is my favourite, I started drawing because I got inspired by it.

Jungkook gasps. You draw?

I do, Taehyung says. He sounds excited, his long canines peeking out, and Jungkook can see his tail move out of the corner of his eye. But then just as quickly, he deflates. His ears droop. I know it’s strange.

Huh? Jungkook flounders, unsure what he missed. W-what’s strange?

Taehyung’s walls are visibly coming back up, the fur on his back standing a little higher. Even though he can’t make facial expressions right now, his body language is much more apparent than when he’s human, perhaps difficult to hide since they’re more in touch with their animal instincts in this form. Jungkook feels it too, how his emotions seem bigger. He likes being able to read Taehyung but feels guilty about it when he can guess that Taehyung probably isn’t doing it willingly.

A lot of people don’t like when alphas spend time on things like art. Same with singing, and music, Taehyung says, a muffled quality to his voice in Jungkook’s mind now. He doesn’t sound sad or angry or resentful, but the quiet acceptance is almost worse.

And Jungkook gets it, he’s seen for himself when alphas are scorned for enjoying “omega indulgences” like painting or craft-making, teased if they’re too good at cooking or folding clothes, because alphas are only supposed to be lethal hunters and unwavering leaders. In their free time, they should be educating themselves with knowledge of the world or disciplining their pups on how to be dependable members of society. Their mates are helpers, assistants who take care of menial affairs to keep the household running smoothly, not lovers to be doted on. Jungkook remembers how the affection between his parents was an exception, and they were the outlier.

Or at least, that’s what Jungkook was taught all his life. He’s now seen differently in the Kim pack: Jimin helps out with the omega duties sometimes, but his main role is a hunter; Jinyoung, Bambam, and Moonbyul are the only healers in the pack and they’re all betas, none of them belonging to the more “nurturing” subgender; Namjoon is the embodiment of a capable alpha, but he is also respectful to everyone above and below him, and compassionate to the point of sweetness. Jin, well. Jin is everything at once. And each of them are committed to a loving relationship where neither party is lesser.

Jungkook likes all of this for the fairness and equal opportunity. He’s starting to believe this is how things should be. In the few times he chanced upon Taehyung somewhere, many of those were at the river after Taehyung returned from his morning hunt and dropped by to help Jin with the laundry. An alpha scrubbing clothes with them, and that was natural, everyone treated it as such. It wasn’t something that stuck out to Jungkook past his original revelation of the disparity from everything he learned, because Taehyung made himself part of the Kim pack and therefore by extension should believe in its ideologies.

That’s why Jungkook is surprised, and also a bit dismayed that Taehyung too is affected by the dumb rules too many of them are taught. He grew up in the city under the hawkish supervision of his family, so it must have been inevitable. It’s so unfair. When has an omega excelling at traditionally alpha activities or an alpha enjoying the finer arts ever hurt anyone?

We should draw together, Jungkook pipes up. I mean, I—I like painting better, but we can make art together, or something. I want to see your drawings. And hear your singing.

Taehyung is silent for a long, long moment, but Jungkook stands strong, refusing to take his words back.

Finally, the alpha says softly, you paint?

Jungkook’s bravado promptly evaporates. Saying that he paints makes it sound like he’s amazing at it or studied it or something, but in reality, all he does is dip his fingers in the remains of destroyed fruit and trace them over whatever flat surface he can find.

Uh. I just like to play with it when I’m bored. I made paints the other day but only blue and red, so I was thinking of doing a p-portrait in blues, reds, and purples.

You made paint?

Yeah, with, er, berries. I just—finger paint, it’s easier.

Hmm.

Jungkook steals a glance at Taehyung, relieved to find his fur lying flat again, a slight wag to his tail as they walk. Jungkook sidles closer to him. Might as well take advantage of the opportunity, right? Right. He coughs.

Show me some time? Taehyung’s sudden words make Jungkook jump from his guilty conscience before his question registers.

The finger paint?

And how you make it. Sounds interesting, I want to try too.

Jungkook can’t believe he cares, let alone is interested enough to try himself. It’s so cute of him to be curious about how to desecrate berries and paint with them. Oh, yes, of course! Jungkook gushes.

They walk without speaking for a bit and it isn’t uncomfortable at all, contrary to Jungkook’s expectations. But he doesn’t want to waste the opportunity to chat with Taehyung some more, so he continues, There was this other book I started yesterday. Jimin-hyung gave it to me.

Yeah? Another autobiography?

No, um, it was about a woman falling in love.

Of course it was.

With a bee.

Taehyung stops walking. What?

Jungkook nods. The bee was very charming and sophisticated.

I...see, Taehyung says. He tries to hide it, but Jungkook isn’t offended in the least by the lilting whisper of his chuckle. He gives himself a mental pat on the back.

They make camp in the forest when night descends, everyone transforming to light a small fire to cook their food.

“We’ll be putting out the fire for the night, obviously, so huddle up in your wolf forms,” Namjoon tells the dozen or so wolves after they’re done with dinner. “I’ll go on first watch, Bambam next, Sehun, etc.”

While the ones with scouting experience discuss the watch schedule, Jungkook paces anxiously around the camp. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place because to stay warm, he has to be close to someone. His first choice is Taehyung, that’s a no-brainer, but his nerves may slay him in the process. Yugyeom’s going to be glued to Bambam and Jungkook doesn’t want to be a third-wheel, but he’s also not comfortable with anyone else.

What are you doing, Yugyeom teases him when he just stands there, eyes flitting over everyone else who’s already settled down in small pods. Don’t be shy, go cling to your man.

N-not mine, Jungkook mutters.

Yugyeom rolls his wolf eyes. Listen, my omega bro, we have the lowest body temperature, you’re gonna need him to sleep properly.

Jungkook sighs, flicking at a stone peeking out of the snow with his claw. Does that mean you’re officially not letting me be your cuddle-mate?

Yup, Yugyeom chirps, absolutely guiltless, and Jungkook whines at him.

Defeated, he cautiously makes his way over to Taehyung who’s just returned from washing his hands in the river. He’s now back in his wolf form, lying with his belly on the ground, head resting on his front legs. Before Jungkook can ask or beg or be any more pathetic, Taehyung says, Cold?

Ah...yeah. His paws curl in the dirt. Can I. Can I sleep next to you?

Come here.

Jungkook shuffles over to him and sinks down to the ground, as close to Taehyung as he can get without touching. Thank you, he mumbles.

Is that gonna be enough to sleep comfortably? Taehyung asks, his tone lighter than usual, sort of playful, even. Jungkook’s torn between yelling no, of course not, can I please come closer, and indignantly sniffing, yes, quite, thank you very much, because the possibility of Taehyung teasing him like a friend makes him want to tease back.

He takes too long to answer and Taehyung must accept this for hesitation, moving closer and closer until their flanks are pressed right up against each other. Jungkook can feel his ribcage move with his breaths.

Oh lord so warm so soft fur so nice, he thinks to himself. When he hears a snort from beside him, he realizes he thought so loudly that Taehyung heard it. Embarrassed to death, he buries his nose in his front legs, but he can’t control his tail from flapping in glee—Taehyung doesn’t mind being close to him!! He lets himself snuggle up against the other wolf, curling right up into him and nudging his head into Taehyung’s neck. He breathes him in, holds his breath to keep it in for a while, then sighs out happily.

There are these little vibrations against Jungkook’s side and he realizes Taehyung might be laughing. At him. Amazing, Jungkook must be on a roll today.

He’s rapidly drifting into unconsciousness, unexpectedly worn out from the day’s journey, when he thinks he hears Taehyung speaking.

Hmm? he mumbles.

I’ll have to get up later when it’s my watch, Taehyung says, his voice quiet and far away. Sleep-addled, Jungkook whines, rubbing the crown of his head against Taehyung’s cheek. It’ll just be a quick round and I’ll come right back, Taehyung promises softly.

Jungkook sighs against his neck. Okay.

‘Night, Jungkook-ah.

G’night, hyungie.

The next morning, Jungkook is pulled out of sleep by the pleasant song of morning birds along with the not-so-pleasant sound of gasping laughter. It starts as suppressed little chortles which gradually morph into guffaws, then loud, breathless giggles that have Jungkook growling lightly. He buries his face deeper into the softness, miffed at being woken up, and takes a nice deep breath, willing sleep to return to him.

Until he realizes the softness he’s made a home out of is Taehyung.

His eyes snap open and every muscle in his body locks up. His scope of vision is all auburn fur, his nose filled with the scent of cotton. Taehyung’s awake, his head resting on his paws as he blinks languidly at nothing in particular, while Jungkook’s burrowed so hard against his body he might as well be an extra limb.

Somewhere in the vicinity, Yugyeom is yowling with laughter.

G-good morning, Jungkook squeaks.

Taehyung peers at him over his shoulder. Morning. Sleep well?

V-very.

You seemed comfortable.

Umm, is Jungkook’s eloquent response. Taehyung makes a noise that could be considered a snicker. It’s mortifying enough that Jungkook finally finds the wits to remove himself from his side. He silently screams when he sees the him-sized imprint in Taehyung’s fur.

Taehyung gets to his feet, shaking himself out, while guilt curls in Jungkook’s gut as he wonders if Taehyung lay there so he wouldn’t wake Jungkook. He’s telling himself not to fret, that Taehyung definitely would’ve moved away if it bothered him that much, when completely unprovoked and for no reason whatsoever, the alpha trudges over and noses gently at the fluffiest tufts of fur on Jungkook’s cheek. As if he’s checking up on him, confirming that Jungkook really did have a good sleep or something.

Once satisfied, he strolls away in Namjoon’s direction, leaving Jungkook standing frozen. From out of the depths of the forest, Yugyeom slinks up to his side like a sly fox. What was thaaaat? he asks salaciously, rubbing up against Jungkook’s rump. Y’all getting seriouuusss, huuuh?

Stop, Jungkook whines.

He ends up next to Taehyung again the rest of the way to town and that’s enough to put Jungkook in a good mood for the whole walk. He has to admit he’s surprised by how well they get along. Taehyung is more forthcoming in conversation than Jungkook would’ve expected, answering his questions with thought and returning with his own. When asked, he tells Jungkook about the places he roamed after leaving his family in the city, those few years he travelled until meeting Namjoon by chance one day.

He was leader of his own small pack before joining the one we’re with now. We were at the same stall trading stuff when he randomly struck up a conversation about local foods. Taehyung pauses, reminiscing. I asked him why his mate didn’t come with, and he said his omega was leading the pack in his absence.

An omega leading his pack, Jungkook marvels.

Yeah.

Is that...why you decided to join Namjoon-ssi?

Taehyung hums, a quiet, drawn-out sound. It was one of the reasons.

Upon reaching the city gates, everyone transforms and divides up the wares to sell. Jungkook follows them around, watching what they do and how they bargain prices. Mostly though, he’s busy ogling the sea of people around them, some streets wide enough to fit four horse carriages side-by-side and yet still overflowing with people, near-impossible to navigate from the sheer number of them. Everything’s so new, the vendors selling things that Jungkook’s never seen before, and the city folk dress differently too, the ladies in long, ruffled dresses, the men in slim-fitting, “sexy suits,” as Yugyeom calls them. (“I’m saving up to get Bambam one, he’d look sooooo hot,” he sighs, at which Jungkook laughs awkwardly while pretending he isn’t imagining the same on Taehyung.)

A couple hours later, everyone reconvenes to compile and note down their earnings, before they split into groups for lunch.

“I’m going for meat,” Namjoon announces, making a face. “No seafood for me, ugh.”

“I want seafood.” Sehun raises his hand. “Anyone else?”

Jungkook looks between the two groups, unsure what to go with since he doesn’t have a particular preference. He peeks at Taehyung beside him.

“What are you getting?” he asks tentatively.

“Hm, I’m in the mood for seafood.”

“Oh. Then, um. I’ll get seafood too.”

Taehyung stares at him, his expression caught somewhere between surprise, pleasure, and worry, making for a funny combination of slightly furrowed brows with a just-as-slight smile. Instead of pointing out that they could always eat separately and that Jungkook shouldn’t force himself to go along with what Taehyung wants, the alpha says, “If you like meat better, I’ll come with you. I don’t mind.”

Jungkook beams. To think that he would put aside his preferences to eat with Jungkook. He’s really so nice, Jungkook is so proud of himself for liking Taehyung. “No, I like seafood too.”

So he, Taehyung, Sehun, and an omega named Baekhyun who Jungkook suspects might be the brother Kai mentioned, end up at a seafood restaurant. The place is quiet compared to the hubbub of the streets outside, a muted, elegant atmosphere created by the dimmed lights, candlelit tables, and the subdued maroon and black decor. It’s fancy but somehow soothing at the same time.

“Digging the goth look,” Baekhyun remarks, and Jungkook agrees, if goth is referring to all this. “This place seems expensive though.”

“Namjoon-hyung told us to treat ourselves since we made a lot this time,” Sehun says, picking up his menu. “Enjoy it, I guess.”

“Aaawwesome.”

Jungkook picks up his own menu, squinting hard at the cursive. When Taehyung leans in and asks, “you okay?” he realizes he’s mouthing the words and must look like an idiot.

“Yeah.” He frowns. “I—sorry, I read too slowly.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

“Um...” Jungkook hasn’t gotten through the whole menu yet, he’s not sure what they have. He just knows he doesn’t want shrimp or lobster. They caught a bunch of those recently so he doesn’t want to spend money on more. “I-is there salmon?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung helps him flip to the right page, pointing down at a squared-off section at the bottom. “They have salmon in a cream sauce or lemon sauce. If you get the combo, it comes with soup, salad, and sour bread.”

“Oh.” Jungkook studies the combo options. He really loves mushroom corn soup and he’s never tried caesar salad before, but it sounds good. “C-can I get a combo?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung smiles. “Namjoon-hyung said to treat ourselves today.”

Jungkook’s toes wiggle in his shoes excitedly. “Okay. What are you getting?”

“Don’t know yet, haven’t really looked.”

“Ah, well, I-I’m good, you should look for what you want, the lady will probably come back soon.”

When Jungkook glances over, Taehyung’s face is tucked back into his own menu, but Jungkook knows he didn’t imagine his smile curving higher.

Sehun and Taehyung both happen to sort of be the silent, brooding types and Jungkook isn’t really close enough to the other two to be comfortable carrying a conversation, but luckily, Baekhyun talks enough for all four of them. He’s easily provoked by Sehun’s flat, sarcastic remarks, but that seems to be the beta’s purpose anyway, poking and prodding at him. Jungkook watches them in amusement, wondering if there’s something going on between the two.

After they finish eating, Taehyung pushes away from the table and tells Jungkook he’s going to drop by the washroom.

Mere seconds after he’s vacated his spot, a stranger drags their own chair to the table, right into the corner in between Jungkook and Taehyung’s seats.

“Hello,” the man says, examining Jungkook with big eyes. Jungkook gawks at him.

“...H-hi?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” The man offers his hand. “I’m Youngchul.”

“Uh.” Jungkook looks down at the hand. He doesn’t want to shake the hand of an unknown alpha, someone outside of his pack. He doesn’t want to touch him. His eyes dart to Sehun, who seems disgruntled, and Baekhyun, who’s got one unamused brow raised at the stranger, and not wanting to cause a scene, Jungkook decides to just shake it. “Hi.”

“Your name is...?”

“J-Jungkook.”

“Nice to meet you, Jungkook.” He releases his hold after too long for Jungkook to be comfortable with. The man is objectively decent-looking, with curly black hair piled on top of his head in a bun, and he doesn’t give off any creepy vibes. Still, he’s sitting a little too close and Jungkook has to resist the urge to scoot away from him. “So, sorry this is coming out of nowhere, but I noticed you as soon as you came in.”

This time, Jungkook can’t hide his wince. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Baekhyun frowning, watching Youngchul cautiously.

“And, I know this is forward,” the stranger continues. “But you’re not marked, right?” Jungkook jumps at the word, reaching for his neck. He feels a bit...violated, for some reason. “So I just, I’d really love the chance to know you better. You’re beautiful.”

Anxiety creeps up his stomach into his throat. It’s just a compliment, right? He should be able to accept it graciously, the way Jin would, but he—it’s like there are bugs crawling over his skin.

“I-I have—um,” he stammers, “s-someone’s c-courting me.”

The alpha’s eyebrows knit together. “Okay. I’d like to court you too.”

Jungkook’s mind swims in confusion and agitation. He’s about to shake his head when he feels warmth behind him, the unmistakeable presence and scent of his alpha. No, no, not his alpha. Taehyung. Taehyung’s courting him and likes him and will help him get out of this uncomfortable situation.

His body sags in relief and he twists around to look at Taehyung with hope, who’s settled back in his seat and meets Jungkook’s gaze calmly, then blinks over at the other man. It’s clear he heard what Youngchul said, but he’s making no move to do or say anything. He’s impassive. Apathetic.

Uncaring.

“Is this the other person who’s courting you?” Youngchul asks. “Hi, I’m Youngchul. I was just making a courting offer to Jungkook.”

“I know.”

“I’m sure you don’t mind?”

“It’s up to Jungkook whether or not he wants to accept,” Taehyung says lightly, leaning back into his chair, the picture of relaxation.

Oh.

Jungkook swallows heavily, pinches his thumb between the fingers of his other hand. There's a lump growing in his throat, but he forces it down. He doesn’t know what’s wrong with him lately that he gets the urge to cry so easily when he never, ever cried back with his old pack, but he refuses to let himself do that here.

He knows he’s being stupid anyway, it’s not like Taehyung confessed his undying love for him or whatever when he asked to court Jungkook. All he wanted was to get to know him better. They’re not committed or intended for each other.

Either way, what Taehyung’s thoughts are on this don’t matter because Jungkook doesn’t want anyone but him, and he’s not going to lead some other person on just because the opportunity is there.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Th-thank you, but I must reject your offer.”

There’s a suffocating moment of quiet. The next time Youngchul speaks, he doesn’t sound happy. “Why’s that?”

Baekhyun makes to stand, but he’s yanked back down by Sehun. Jungkook scrambles for an answer. “I—um—I...I’m not interested.”

“Why not?” Youngchul presses. “I’m not bad-looking, I’m very wealthy, you’ll have the freedom to do whatever you want. I’ll give you a good life, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook clamps down on the shaking in his hands with everything he has. “N-no, I-I’m sorry, I’m n-not—”

It’s when Youngchul suddenly leans forward that Jungkook loses his grip on the final threads of his pretense of civility, jerking back with a hitched breath.

He just wants Taehyung. He doesn’t want this man, he doesn’t want anything to do with him. Why won’t he leave him alone?

An arm wraps around his waist, catching him before he can tip backwards off his chair. Taehyung’s solid weight presses against his back, supporting him.

“He said he’s not interested,” Taehyung growls. When Jungkook dares to peer up at him, he finds Taehyung’s teeth gritted, a flash of red in his eyes. “Back off.”

Youngchul glares at him, a muscle ticking in his jaw, like he’s thinking about making a fuss or picking a fight.

“Back off,” Taehyung snarls, loud enough to have nearby people hushing and turning to them.

With a final scoff, Youngchul scurries away. Jungkook slumps against Taehyung, sucking in a deep breath and trying to calm his jackrabbiting heart, relief heavy in his veins.

He’s grateful until he remembers how Taehyung reacted to him receiving a courting offer, and suddenly he doesn’t want to be so dependent on him anymore. He hastily pushes himself off, frown trained down on his lap.

“You okay?” Baekhyun asks gently, reaching over to rest a hand on his shoulder. Jungkook nods, leaning into him a little. “Gotta deal with assholes like that everywhere, huh? Ah, the life of an omega.”

“Maybe we should go now, in case he returns with back-up or something,” Sehun suggests.

They ask for the bill and quickly pay before filing out of the restaurant. Jungkook feels bad for ruining the mood, but he can’t muster up the effort to join in on Baekhyun’s light-hearted chatter right now, trailing behind the pair of friends.

“You okay?” Taehyung asks, nudging his arm gently. Discreetly, Jungkook shuffles a half-step farther away from him. A voice in his mind is screaming at him for being ridiculous and petty, but he can’t help that his heart aches.

“I-I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

Jungkook shrugs. He’s never been propositioned before, but that type of behaviour from alphas is old news. It’s weirder to not have encountered something like that.

“It must’ve been intimidating,” Taehyung continues. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jungkook grunts, kicking at a stray pebble. Now that the adrenaline’s worn off and the rude man’s scent has vanished from their surroundings, he’s completely fine. He’s only a bit upset, that’s all. Nothing a night of sleep won’t fix.

Out of nowhere, there’s a hand around his wrist, which Jungkook would’ve flinched at from the too-recent memory of Youngchul touching him, except this hold is slack, a request more than any type of order.

They stop in the middle of the sidewalk. Taehyung gently pulls Jungkook towards the mouth of an alley where no one’s around.

“Jungkook-ah,” he says softly, and Jungkook at last finds it in himself to meet his eyes. Taehyung looks worried, even a hint sad. “What’s wrong?”

His teeth sink into the inside of his lip. “N-nothing.”

He can feel Taehyung inspect every inch of his face, observing, categorizing. Jungkook avoids his gaze.

“Are you...” Taehyung’s throat flexes. “Does it have to do with me?”

Jungkook says, “No,” but it comes out too delayed to be convincing.

“Don’t lie.” Taehyung’s hand is still around his wrist, tightening by a fraction. “Don’t lie to me, Jungkook. I—I don’t want you to lie to me.”

The undercurrent of vulnerability makes his eyes flicker up to Taehyung, who’s more visibly upset than Jungkook’s ever seen before.

“Does it have to do with me?” Taehyung asks again.

He hesitates, but ultimately unable to stand the thought of lying again and doing something Taehyung hates, he nods.

“Is it because I let him make the courting offer?” Taehyung asks.

When he puts it into words like that, Jungkook feels like an idiot. It’s not Taehyung’s decision whether or not he accepts the offer and it would’ve been intrusive and arrogant of the alpha to say anything there.

Taehyung didn’t do anything wrong. Jungkook just wanted to feel wanted.

The hand on his wrist slides to hold his palm instead. “Jungkook-ah.” Taehyung gives his hand the gentlest shake, wordlessly urging him to look up, his eyes boring into his. “Tell me?” Then in a small, beseeching voice, “Please?”

He says the plea like his mouth isn’t used to forming the word. Jungkook is sure he doesn’t say it often, and it’s this, along with the fact that he’s never, ever had an alpha ask him for something so sincerely before, which has him blurting out, “Y-you were so casual about it. Like it wouldn’t m-matter to you even if he courted me.”

He feels Taehyung’s thumb brush over the backs of his fingers, so very slowly and carefully, just like he did last night when he came to the omega quarters. His tone sounds equally as careful when he murmurs, “I didn’t want to pressure you.”

Jungkook says nothing.

“You...” Taehyung stops, sighs a little. “You have the right to be courted by whoever you want.”

Jungkook wants to groan in frustration. Again, again, more of this business of getting courted by multiple suitors being his right. People keep telling him the same thing and while, yes, he’s well aware, he’s confused why everyone finds him the strange one for not accepting more than one courter. He doesn’t understand why it’s necessary to be courted by more than one person in the first place, because doesn’t that just mean none of them are special?

When he thinks back now, he recalls this as the norm, young omegas running around boasting about the number of alphas they’ve got wrapped around their little fingers, and he’s always thought it ironic when omegas are widely believed to be lesser. They’re tools to maintain a household, raise a family. The courting process is the only time they’re given power, the period in their lives they’re most in control—is that why everyone insists on Jungkook accepting every offer? So he’ll make the best choice for his future?

If that’s the case, this isn’t a problem he has to face in the Kim pack; he’s observed the way omegas are treated as equals, entirely free to joke, push, even order around their mates.

And most importantly, even if it was a problem, Jungkook would choose Taehyung anyway.

The hand that isn’t being held in Taehyung’s inches out towards the other man, fingers curling around the hem of Taehyung’s tunic.

“Just want you,” Jungkook says quietly.

He hears the alpha’s breath hitch in his throat. When Jungkook looks up, he finds Taehyung’s eyes swimming with something he can’t pinpoint, but it’s positive, definitely positive. For the first time, he gets the feeling that maybe Taehyung can be scared of these things too, that he also feels vulnerable sometimes. What if he shares the same worries as Jungkook? No, what if his worries are even worse than Jungkook’s because he experienced those terrible things with other people?

A wave of courage washes over Jungkook, and gripping tighter at Taehyung’s tunic, he whispers, “I-I like you, Taehyungie-hyung.” He’s sure it’s obvious with his horrid act of subtlety, but he wants to tell him in words anyway.

Taehyung stares at him. He looks like Jungkook has achieved world peace. “I like you too, Jungkookie,” he mumbles, and his smile, his eyes, he’s so soft all over that Jungkook has to throw himself into his arms, embracing him tight around the waist and pressing his face into his shoulder.

“Only want you,” Jungkook murmurs again, so that Taehyung is absolutely, one-hundred percent, beyond-a-doubt sure. Taehyung returns the hug just as enthusiastically, gathering him up in his arms and nuzzling against his ear in a way that makes him giggle, both from how it tickles and the way happiness swells in his chest at feeling so cared for. Hugs from Taehyung are even better than he imagined, filling his heart with warmth.

When Taehyung pulls away, Jungkook wants to whine, but the alpha shocks him into silence by pressing a kiss to his forehead. He gawks.

“I only want you, too,” Taehyung tells him, smile as sweet as honey.

Jungkook ascends to another plane.

Chapter Text

Before, it never occurred to Jungkook that Taehyung might be tense around him. In his mind, the reticence was sort of Taehyung’s default state: mysterious, stoic, a man of few words who spoke little simply because he didn’t have the desire to converse.

For the first time, Jungkook begins to wonder if he’s wrong when Taehyung knocks on the door of his, Baekhyun, and Yugyeom’s shared inn room the next morning. In the span of a millisecond, he observes several things: that Taehyung’s eyes are a millimeter wider than normal and his lips curved two degrees more, minuscule differences but enough for Jungkook to notice. There’s an added looseness to his shoulders and his voice is a subtly higher tone. It might not be apparent to someone who measures emotion based on an average person’s facial expressions, but on the Taehyung Meter, he seems excited, relaxed. And this causes a tiny prick of awareness in Jungkook’s mind, planting the seed of an idea that perhaps the other man’s aloofness is only partly natural, the rest of it a crafted defense mechanism of some sort.

“Ready to go?” Taehyung asks. 

Forget being ready, Jungkook’s been nervous-pacing for the past half hour after waking way earlier than the agreed time for their—for their date. Which is the actual word Taehyung used last night, yes. But no, Jungkook’s not going to tell him about the pacing, that wouldn’t be tasteful.

“Yes,” he smiles shyly, making sure he’s got all his layers on before quietly closing the door behind him and following Taehyung downstairs, out on to the streets.

“You’ve never had jjajangmyeon, japchae, or burgers before, right?”

Somehow, through the adrenaline of being on a date with Taehyung, his stomach still manages to grumble, the greedy thing. “Are we going to try them?” he gasps. 

Taehyung raises his eyebrows. “Would you like to?”

“Yes!”

It’s a sunny day, the light reflecting off the snow and making everything sparkle. They crunch their way down to the main roads which are still empty from the early hour. Taehyung points out patches of black ice and warns him to be careful, and Jungkook must look nervous or something because the alpha even offers his arm for support. Jungkook would’ve been perfectly fine on his own but he gladly takes it anyway, loving the contact, wants to be near him at all times, his courter and his...his friend.

“Um, did you sleep well last night?” he asks, pressing close to the arm he’s captured in his hold. The fur of Taehyung’s cloak is so amazingly plush against his shoulder.

“Yeah. You?”

“I-I did, thank you.”

The smile that Taehyung turns on him feels like the sun. Jungkook read a phrase like that in the book about the woman falling in love with the bee, how a smile can be as warm and bright as the sun, and he thought it was ridiculous at the time (other than the fact that the bee could apparently smile), but he’s come to empathize with the woman as he gets to know Taehyung. Upon arriving at this revelation a few days ago, he babbled about Taehyung’s lovely, “sun-like” smile to Jimin, and Jimin called him a walking cliché. Then gave him a horrible explanation of what cliché meant, so Jungkook still doesn’t know what it means, but that’s okay.

“On second thought, I actually didn’t sleep so well,” Taehyung says slowly. Jungkook frowns.

“How come?”

“Well, Namjoon-hyung wouldn’t turn off the light because he was reading something.”

“Uh, a book?”

Taehyung shakes his head. “Correspondence from another pack. I think it had to do with territory, I’m not sure. Mostly, I was. It was because I was looking forward to our date. Today.”

Jungkook’s head whips up. He stares at Taehyung with huge eyes, who meets his gaze calmly. Jungkook doesn’t want to assume, but he thinks he’s starting to recognize the signs of the mask that Taehyung puts on now, suspects that the way Taehyung casually breaks their eye contact could be a sign of self-consciousness.

“C-can I hold your hand?” Jungkook spits out.

The alpha’s mouth opens in an ‘o’. He glances down at how Jungkook’s got pretty much his entire body wrapped around Taehyung’s arm now, and Jungkook is so embarrassed. He doesn’t know how this happened, he swears he didn’t do it on purpose. He goes to release him, but Taehyung puts a hand on his.

“Yeah, if you’d prefer,” he says, his voice like the brush of feathers, so close to Jungkook’s ear. “But I like this too.”

Jungkook stammers wordlessly for a moment before his mouth finally decides to cooperate. “Oh, um, okay, m-maybe later then?” Because he likes this as well, so he should make the most of this opportunity and reserve a chance to hold Taehyung’s hand later.

Taehyung’s eyes crinkle up from his smile. “You can hold my hand anytime, Jungkook-ah.”

A giddy shiver runs up his spine, one that he hopes Taehyung can’t feel against his arm. “Okay, I will,” he stutters out, and Taehyung turns away, his teeth biting into his bottom lip. Jungkook thinks it might be to tame his growing smile.

For some reason, he expected jjajangmyeon, japchae, and burgers to be fancy, city-people food that he would only find in a posh restaurant like the one they went to yesterday. He should’ve known better though; Taehyung has mentioned multiple times both directly and indirectly that the life of luxury isn’t for him, so it figures that his favourite foods aren’t the lavish ones either.

He takes Jungkook to the street vendors, stopping at a few specific ones and asking what he’d like to try. He orders for him but refuses to let him pay, and then they find a picnic table to spread all the food out between them. It’s a heavy meal for breakfast, but Jungkook doesn’t mind in the least.

“Jjajangmyeon is one of the only things my mom knew how to make,” Taehyung explains when Jungkook asks if there’s a specific reason why he likes these three so much. “We had maids for cooking and cleaning, but when my mom was free, she’d make it for us. Japchae was my grandma’s specialty.”

“You lived with your grandma too?” Jungkook inquires, muffled through his mouthful of noodles. He didn’t know black bean sauce could make such a difference in taste. The noodles are bouncy and flavourful too.

“Yeah. She passed away a few years before I left, though.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Taehyung shakes his head. “Uh, I didn’t know my grandparents,” Jungkook offers in return. “They passed away before I was born.”

“Jimin mentioned that your parents also...”

“Yes, in a hunting accident. It’s okay,” he quickly reassures Taehyung when he starts frowning. “I, um, made my peace with it a long time ago.”

“Must’ve been difficult though, being so young,” Taehyung sighs. They chew silently for a while. “You were alone after that?”

Jungkook glances up at him, surprised, but he supposes it’s obvious; he’s told Taehyung that he didn’t have friends in the Jeon clan. “Yes.”

“Well, now you aren’t.” Taehyung rolls a huge piece of pork that was in the jjajangmyeon towards Jungkook’s end of the plate, then another, and another. “You have Jimin and Jin-hyung and Yoongi-hyung and, Yugyeom, was it?”

“Yeah.” Jungkook smiles, picks up the biggest piece that Taehyung rolled to him and plops it right back in front of Taehyung’s chopsticks. “A-and I have. I have you.”

A pause, before a quiet, “Yeah. You do.”

A tingly heat fills Jungkook’s body from his chest outwards, flowing down to his fingers. The thing is, Taehyung might not be the chattiest person on earth, but when he does speak, he’s always truthful. And that gives his words a weight, a sincerity that Jungkook treasures. If Taehyung says Jungkook has him, he feels like he really does.

“So, um, why burgers too?” he asks, somehow managing to sound like a normal person asking a normal question that logically flows with the conversation, and not like he wants to run a lap around town screaming in glee. Excellent.

“Ah, burgers aren’t originally from around here, actually. I had some really good ones during my travels and couldn’t forget about them.”

“Is that when you went to the, er, the land of Europa?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung blinks. “You remember.”

Of course Jungkook does, he remembers everything Taehyung’s told him. “I think travelling sounds fun. I-I’d want to try some day, if I got the chance.”

“Where would you want to go?”

“I don’t know.” Jungkook picks up his knife to cut their last burger into quarters. The flavour of the sauce bursts over his taste buds when he bites into the juicy piece and his rapture must show on his face, because Taehyung exhales a small laugh at him.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Jungkook gushes, eyes wide as he wipes the corners of his mouth with a napkin. He takes another bite, then opens up the burger to goggle at its insides. “This is amazing!”

Taehyung laughs properly this time, and claims one of the quarters for himself. “Good.”

“But, um, to answer your question...” Jungkook gulps down his mouthful as he ponders, washing it down with water. “I don’t know many places. I wouldn’t mind going anywhere, it’s more about the—company, for me. Like, if we, the two of us, um. Went somewhere together. When we’re both suffering from wanderlust or something. That’d be fun.”

“Yeah?”

He looks over at Taehyung who’s wearing his honey-sweet smile again, and it’s times like these that the difference from how he was before strikes Jungkook straight in the chest. He feels like he’s passed a test, not necessarily one that Taehyung put him through on purpose, just that perhaps Jungkook’s straightforwardness about his feelings knocked down some of his walls.

Yes, Jungkook has changed his mind. He doesn’t need to be a detached, uppity, “normal” omega. If his confessions can do such great things, he vows to be more honest from now on.

They’re too full for lunch, so they spend the next few hours visiting the city attractions and other random places that catch their attention. The town blacksmith is already hard at work, the clanging of metal meeting metal drawing the pair over, and Jungkook watches curiously as the man shapes a sword out of what appears to be scrap material.

“Is this how we make daggers and pans and stuff too?” Jungkook asks Taehyung, referring to the metal wares they sold yesterday.

“Yeah, swords are harder though, they’re like an art form. The quality ones can cost millions of won.”

“Wow, millions...”

There’s a garden maze smack-dab in the center of the city that Jungkook excitedly asks Taehyung if they can explore. He tries to memorize the paths they’ve taken but loses his sense of direction within minutes—he’s always been pretty directionally challenged—so he follows Taehyung’s lead and turns his attention to the dozen different types of flowers arranged prettily along the cobble path and overflowing from the walls of bushes.

“I can’t believe these are all blooming in the middle of winter,” he marvels, sniffing at the unfamiliar flower species. He knows the names of the more common ones like the violas, but the others are a mystery.

Beside him, Taehyung takes a pink-purple petal between his fingers and rubs at it gently. “Yeah, I wonder what these are. We should steal some and ask Jin-hyung.”

Aghast, Jungkook whirls on him. “S-steal? You’ll get arrested by the police, Taehyungie-hyung.” Taehyung barks out a laugh, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. Jungkook is enthralled. “O-or maybe it'll be okay if we take one flower,” he says, deciding a petty crime is worth it if Taehyung will laugh like that. “I'll hide it under my cloak, and—”

“Oh, no, we can't have that,” Taehyung shakes his head, nudging Jungkook towards the exit of the maze. “I'm not going to be responsible for making you an accomplice, Jimin would sic Yoongi-hyung on me if you got thrown into jail.”

“But they wouldn't actually throw us in jail for taking a flower, would they?” Jungkook frowns when Taehyung only laughs some more, dragging him away by the wrist. “They wouldn't, right?”

“Shh, Jungkook-ah, if you talk about the flowers too loudly, the police will come for us.”

“You're making fun of me!”

The stores begin to open up in the afternoon, big ones selling every household item imaginable, small ones carrying specialty goods that Jungkook’s never seen before. Taehyung gets caught up in an armory shop, studying their arrowheads and bows with a gleam in his eye, while Jungkook accidentally wanders through a door connected to the adjacent store which sells tiny plants in glass domes.

He gapes at the little ecosystems and listens fascinatedly to the shop owner’s explanation of the “terrariums,” the different plants and how to keep them alive with a minimum of sunlight and water.

“Hey, there you are,” Taehyung says, coming over to his side. Their arms brush briefly before he sets a hand on the small of Jungkook’s back, making him jolt, his face warming.

“Hi, hyung.”

“I’m gonna go look for the washroom. Are you okay to stay here for a bit?”

“Oh, sure.” Jungkook nods. The streets may be busier now, but this shop is quiet and the beta lady he’s been chatting with is nice. “I-I’ll wait for you here.”

“Okay, I’ll be quick,” Taehyung says, patting his back a few times before disappearing.

“Your boyfriend?” the lady asks with a sly smile.

Jungkook flails. “No, ah—not—uh—”

“He’s courting you?”

His arms fall back to his sides. “Y-yes.”

She whistles loudly and Jungkook briefly entertains the idea of bringing Yugyeom here to befriend her. They’d be perfect for each other. “That’s sweet. Got yourself a handsome one, huh?”

“Yeah—I. Um.” He realizes he’s holding a baby terrarium in his palm and quickly puts it back on the shelf, but now that his hands are empty he doesn’t know what to do with them. He decides he needs to flee. “I-I’ll be back later, bye.”

Again, he discovers an open door at the side wall that leads to the shop next to it. He wonders why all the stores are connected here, but he’s not complaining, it’s convenient to shop around this way.

There's some time before Taehyung returns so he meanders through the racks of clothing, absentmindedly flipping through them. A section near the back that has dress shirts like the ones he’s seen the city men wear under their suit jackets attracts his attention, and wow, now he’s imagining what Taehyung would look like wearing one. These ones aren’t too extravagant, some of them silky and a tad shiny when the light hits them, some of them cotton, the patterns all simple enough to replace the shirts they wear under their tunics or even to wear alone in the summer.

He rifles through the racks, eventually settling on a deep red button-up with thin, vertical white stripes. It looks like it would fit Taehyung’s shoulders well, and he’s noticed that other than his black fur cloak, Taehyung seems to prefer pairing dark pants with more colourful tops.

He hastily pays for the shirt, requests the employee to fold it small and wrap it in nice paper, then slides the package into a hidden slit in his cloak and hurries back to the terrarium shop.

Minutes later, Taehyung finds him, a bag in his hands.

“Hi,” Jungkook says, doing his best to act like he isn’t having a minor crisis on how to give Taehyung the present. “Uh, what’s that?”

“Got something for Namjoon-hyung.” Taehyung gestures towards the shelf Jungkook happens to be standing by. “Did you want to buy anything here?”

He shakes his head, so they leave after Jungkook thanks the lady for teaching him about terrariums, adamantly dodging her teasing winks.

For dinner, Jungkook suggests they get Taehyung’s favourite foods again, or The Big Three as he’s come to call them, since today’s their last day in the city and who knows when Taehyung will get another chance to eat them. Taehyung tells him he’s had enough to last him a few months though, and asks what Jungkook wants to try, but Jungkook doesn’t have a preference. “I like all food,” he declares happily.

They end up strolling down the street until they happen upon a cute, traditional-looking naengmyeon restaurant. Taehyung shows him how to eat the toppings and how much vinegar and mustard people usually add.

Upon taking his first bite, Jungkook squeezes his eyes shut, searing the memory of the taste of these cold noodles into his brain.

“Delicious,” he sighs.

“Eat up,” Taehyung smiles. “We can get more if you’d like.”

“I could eat another two bowls if I tried,” Jungkook admits. “Yugyeomie says I have a monster appetite.”

Taehyung hides his mouth behind his fist. “Hmm.”

“S-sorry. It’s gross, I know.” Jungkook ducks his head.

“I was thinking more along the lines of cute.”

Jungkook’s noodles go down the wrong pipe, and he has to pretend like he’s totally fine and not dying when Taehyung leans over to pat him on the back. The alpha offers him his own water which he sips at daintily, ignoring his own blazing face.

Taehyung, unfazed by the disaster he is, says, “Let’s order another two bowls then,” already raising his hand to summon a server. Jungkook splutters.

“No, it’s fine! Really, I—”

“Hey, I insist. Why not? We came out to do whatever we want today.”

Jungkook fidgets with his napkin, his eyes darting up to Taehyung. “Okay.”

So they put in another two orders, and soon Jungkook forgets to feel self-conscious about the empty bowls spread around him. Because Taehyung looks content watching him eat, the alpha’s cheek reclined against one hand, his voice growing softer with the drowsiness that follows after a hearty meal. He only seems fonder the more food Jungkook polishes off.

“—and Kai-ssi mentioned something about a dance lesson,” Jungkook tells him, waving his chopsticks around. “I wanted to try but I, uh, I didn’t want to do it alone with him.”

Taehyung perks up a little. “Are you interested in dancing?”

“’m not sure, it seems fun. You know the dancers we saw earlier in the town square, the ones dressed in black? I-I thought that was cool.”

“Ah, hip hop.”

“Hip hop?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung strokes his chin. “Jimin’s really good, Hobi-hyung too.”

“Um, do you know hip hop too?”

“Yeah, the three of us used to choreograph dances for songs for fun. Not to teach anyone, just for ourselves when we got bored.”

“Ohh.” Jungkook pushes some of his bean sprouts around. “C-could you teach me then?”

“Me?” Taehyung sighs through his nose. “I’m not as good as them though.”

“That’s okay.” Jungkook grins. “All of us together would be fun too.”

Taehyung shrugs, then smiles. “Sure. I can teach you Jimin’s signature move now.” He frowns exaggeratedly in what Jungkook guesses is supposed to be an I-think-I’m-so-cool-but-I-actually-look-really-lame face, before raking his hand through his bangs, pushing his hair back. Imagining Jimin doing the same with that exact expression has Jungkook doubling over in laughter, but secretly, he thinks Taehyung’s version is way too dashing to be funny. It must be the forehead reveal.

It’s evening by the time they exit the restaurant, Jungkook feeling warm from the food and from the fact that a person can look so gratified watching him stuff his face. He’s startled from his sleepy trance when someone emerges from the once-again crowded streets and homes in on them with frightening speed.

“Hello!” the young girl chirps, plucking a cup from the tray she’s holding and offering it to them. “We’re giving out samples of our newest blends! Please try some, and if you like it, come visit us at Dreamcatcher Coffee House!”

Like a whirlwind, she’s gone as soon as she came, leaving them standing there with a paper cup each. Jungkook’s got a fragrant, dark brown drink, while Taehyung’s is a milky brown that smells sweet.

“Try it,” Taehyung says, watching with a quirk to his mouth as Jungkook takes a sip. When the omega rears back, horrified, Taehyung’s face breaks out in a grin.

“Hyung!” Jungkook laments. “What is this?”

“Coffee,” Taehyung chuckles, bumping his arm comfortingly. “Here, try mine.” Jungkook stares at both him and his cup suspiciously, and Taehyung laughs harder. “You’ll like this more, promise.”

So Jungkook takes a sip of Taehyung’s, prepared for the worst, but it turns out to be similar to hot chocolate with only a faint taste of the gross bitter coffee he was tricked into drinking. “You gave me the dark one on purpose, Taehyungie-hyung,” he complains, thrusting his cup at him.

“Yeah, ‘cause I don’t like coffee.” Taehyung smirks, shameless, nudging Jungkook’s hand back.

“Well, I’ve decided now that I also don’t like coffee.”

“Aren’t you glad to learn that? Hyung’s teaching you useful things.”

Jungkook has a really hard time keeping up his stern act when all he wants to do is giggle and hug Taehyung a little. “Not fair. Next time we get tteokbokki together, I’m getting the spiciest one.”

A call of “Excuse me!” from the street halts their banter.

Jungkook turns to find a handsome city man dressed in one of those “sexy suits” that accentuates his broad shoulders and slender legs. His gaze seems to be on Jungkook, not Taehyung, so Jungkook points at himself in question.

“Yes, you.” the man removes his top hat, tipping it in a shallow bow. Jungkook bows back out of habit. “I was wondering if you’d fancy a cup of coffee with me, gorgeous one.”

His face subconsciously twists in disgust at the thought of spending time with some random alpha—which, why is this happening again? What is wrong with city people? Why are they all so forward?—and he kind of wants to ask the guy if he’s tried coffee before because it’s utterly disgusting so why would Jungkook want to do that?

But he doesn’t get a chance to say anything before Taehyung snags him by the waist and pulls him behind him. Jungkook stares up at the back of his head, stunned.

“He’s not interested,” Taehyung says flatly, looking down his nose at the stranger.

Unlike the lowbrow from before, this man immediately lowers his eyes and steps back. “Understood, thank you for letting me know. Good day, gentlemen.” Without a trace, he’s gone like the wind, just like the coffee lady.

Jungkook ogles the spot where he was standing, mouth half open, his rib cage filled with a million butterf—no, no, hummingbirds. His heart wants to explode out of his chest. Very, very slowly, Taehyung pivots to face him, and Jungkook is kind of busy trying to regain the use of his internal organs but he’s immediately filled with worry when he sees the hesitance and uneasiness in Taehyung’s expression.

“Sorry,” Taehyung says heavily. “I wasn’t thinking. I just got—sorry.”

Jungkook remembers the coffee cups in their hands. He takes them and sets them down on a nearby patio table of the naengmyeon restaurant they haven’t had the chance to leave. People pass by them in an unending throng, close enough for their clothing to brush, but Jungkook can’t bring himself to be self-conscious of what anyone else thinks of him, of them. He adores this side of Taehyung, whose smiles have been coming more easily and who doesn’t pause every time before he speaks like he has to be careful.

“You didn’t react like this last time,” he points out curiously, taking one step closer, then another one, right into the space between Taehyung’s feet. Taehyung scowls, looking off to the side, but he doesn’t move away.

“It was an effort not to,” he says under his breath. “I didn’t want to scare you off.”

Jungkook loops his arms loosely around Taehyung’s middle. “You wouldn’t have,” he says firmly. “I-I loved it.”

The light sparks back to life in Taehyung’s eyes. His gaze pores over Jungkook’s face, careful and thorough, the apprehensiveness in them making Jungkook ever more determined. He’s indignant, really, that Taehyung could feel bad about scaring off his potential suitors after Jungkook explicitly told him he didn’t want anyone else.

“I don’t want to...take your control away from you,” Taehyung says. It sounds rehearsed, as if he memorized it from somewhere, or someone lectured him with those exact same words before.

“You aren’t,” Jungkook insists, trying to show how serious he is. “I don’t want those people anyway.” And a voice whispers in his mind that he likes the idea of giving up control to Taehyung, would love letting go and having Taehyung take care of him. But it’s too early to let out his needy side.

“Yeah?” Taehyung double-checks.

Jungkook nods hard. “F-for the rude ones, you can be meaner,” he affirms, then in a whisper, “you’d look cool doing it.”

The shy smile that takes over Taehyung’s face makes him look years younger than the way he usually acts. Jungkook admires it for the second before he’s brought into Taehyung’s chest, his face naturally falling into the crook of his neck.

“Sounds good,” the alpha says, and Jungkook tightens his arms around him with a pleased sigh.

“Thanks for agreeing to come on a date with me today.”

“Don’t thank me,” Jungkook giggles, swinging their interlaced hands. “I had a great time.”

The small road they’re on barely has any people on it, a welcome change from getting squashed by the masses while they were shoving their way out of the heart of town.

“Good.” Taehyung tugs gently at his hand until they stop a bit away from the inn entrance. They’re under some towering oak trees that have leftover Christmas lights twirled around their trunks and through their naked branches. “Actually, it was my birthday yesterday.”

Jungkook’s jaw drops. “Y—what—”

“Sorry I didn’t tell you.” Taehyung scratches his neck. “It was awkward timing since we were traveling with everyone, and I didn’t want to do anything special anyway. I just wanted to hang out together.”

Jungkook wants to protest some more; he could’ve celebrated properly with Taehyung today or gotten him a really nice present while they were here, but then he recalls Jimin telling him that they don’t do holiday or birthday presents.

“Oh!” he exclaims, remembering the shirt he bought Taehyung. He releases his hand to pull the package from his inner pocket, thrusting it at Taehyung. “It’s not a birthday present, I—I saw it and thought it would, um, look pretty on you.”

“Jungkook...” Taehyung’s eyes are as round as the moon behind him. “Can I open it?”

“Please.”

Taehyung treats the wrapping paper like it’s something precious, unfolding it with the utmost care, until the shirt is revealed.

“This is right up my alley,” he exhales, drawing a finger down one of the white stripes. “How did you know?”

“I, well, guesstimated,” Jungkook says, puffing his chest out in pride. He takes the shirt from Taehyung and holds it up to his shoulders. “Does it fit? I think it does?”

“It’s perfect.” Taehyung smiles. In a smooth motion that Jungkook could not have predicted under any circumstances, he reaches over and brushes the backs of his fingers over Jungkook’s cheek. His hands are a bit rough, but they’re more careful than anything else that’s ever touched Jungkook’s face. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

The shirt almost slips from Jungkook’s hands. His knees go kind of weak, and it must be obvious because Taehyung grabs his arm like he’s afraid he’ll drop.

Jungkook sucks in a quick breath, scrambling for composure, feigning nonchalance like he isn’t going to be replaying this moment in his mind two billion times before he goes to sleep tonight. He pouts at Taehyung’s suppressed chuckles as the alpha releases him to painstakingly fold up the shirt again, sliding it into his pocket.

“So, uh—” Taehyung lifts the bag he’s been hauling around all day, tucked into his elbow. “I lied that this was for Joon-hyung, but it’s actually a surprise for you.”

When Jungkook opens the bag, he nearly starts crying again. “Are these paints?” he asks shakily, grazing his fingers over the five-pack of brushes and a metal palette filled with blocks of colour.

“Yeah.” Taehyung clears his throat. “I was gonna take you to the stall but they were closing already, so I just bought these. We can make canvases easily back home, if you want. I thought—maybe you’d want to try something other than finger-painting. Not that there's anything wrong with finger-painting, of course, but—”

“Thank you,” Jungkook cries, launching himself at Taehyung, who catches him on reflex. “Thank you, I, I don’t know what to say, hyung, thank you so much.” He feels Taehyung’s voice against his chest through their layers of clothing, an indulgent rumble of “you’re welcome.” “I—I was going to paint you,” Jungkook confesses, squirming in his arms. “Now I have the right colours.”

A hand strokes over the back of his head. “Me? That’s, uh. That’s nice.”

“Y-you don’t want me to?”

“No, it's not that.” Taehyung pulls away, his smile shining in the moonlight. “Just embarrassing, is all. I thought you’d paint the forest, or something pretty.”

You’re the prettiest though, Jungkook thinks. But while he may be running on pure adrenaline in this moment, he’s not far gone enough to say that out loud. “Well. I-I wanna paint you.”

Taehyung leans in, and Jungkook’s lungs stop working when cool lips press against his cheek. “’m looking forward to it,” Taehyung whispers.

Chapter Text

“H-how does one...kiss?”

The sound that Jimin makes reminds Jungkook of this one specific pet cat the Jeons used to have, an old, gray-striped one with a grumpy face that had a tendency to hack out hair balls during the most inappropriate situations. Jungkook wonders how he’s doing now. Probably leaving a trail of hair balls in the hut of whoever brought him along.

“Y-you haven’t—?” Jimin gags, his knife falling from his hands. The potato he was in the middle of peeling rolls aimlessly across the kitchen counter. Jungkook frowns.

“I told you that no one’s cour—”

“Yeah, but you’ve never kissed anyone? Not even to, like, mess around?”

“Does Jungkookie really seem like the type to mess around,” Jin drawls, slicing into a cabbage with a gigantic butcher’s knife. “I bet loads of people wanted to court him but got scared off by his anti-socialness.”

Jungkook assures him that that was certainly not the case before steering the conversation back. “So, how do you kiss?”

“Well, first, you should ask for one properly. Like this.” Jimin clasps his hands in front of his chest, closes his eyes, and puckers out his lips like a fish.

“I can’t do that,” Jungkook splutters.

“Yes, you can, it’s—”

“But Taehyungie-hyung won’t like me anymore!”

Jimin’s eyes and mouth flatten into three straight lines. He turns to Jin. “Was that an insult just now? Did this brat just diss me?”

“Jungkook-ah, don’t sweat it,” Jin reassures him, pushing Jimin away by the face and pointedly handing him back his potato. Jimin takes it, muttering curses under his breath as he obediently goes back to chopping it up. “Everyone has their first times, Taehyung won’t give a crap how good or bad you are, he’ll only love that it’s with you.”

Jungkook flushes, digging his fingers harder through the tub of kimchi. “B-but I want it to be good for him...”

“Well, then I suppose you’ll have to practice lots.” Jin squats down so they’re level and shoves right up into Jungkook’s space, smirking. “With Taehyung. Since kissing isn’t something we can teach you.” Then his eyes slant over to Jimin. “Though I bet Jimin wouldn’t mind practicing with you, that pervert.”

“Oh yeah, totally.” Jimin cocks his hip in a way that’s probably supposed to be sexy, fixing a dainty hand on it and batting his eyelashes. “Always open to making out with you, sweet Jungkookie.”

Jungkook wrinkles his nose. “Ew.”

Jimin slams his knife down again. “Okay, no more hanging out with Taehyung for you, mister, you’re picking up way too much sass from him and I will not tolerate this—this teenage rebellion—”

“I’m twenty-four,” Jungkook reminds him, in case he forgot. Jimin looks like he’s about ready to throw a fit involving copious amounts of knife-waving and potato-stabbing, but then magically, as if summoned, Taehyung materializes at the entrance of the kitchen, leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

He doesn’t even blink at Jimin’s offended squawk at his appearance, ignoring him and only giving a quick nod of acknowledgment to Jin before his eyes settle on Jungkook.

“Hey,” he says softly.

“Hyungie!” Jungkook exclaims, his spine snapping straight. He can feel himself lighting up like a Christmas tree, proven by the muffled snorts behind him, but he doesn’t care, he hasn’t seen much of Taehyung this whole entire week. The first few days were bearable but the more time went by, the more he seriously considered actively seeking out Taehyung himself.

The only reason he refrained was because he knew Taehyung's been busy with something lately, and Jungkook never got around to asking his friends what the protocol for meeting up with your courter was. He didn’t know if he was supposed to wait, or if hunting Taehyung down would be over-enthusiastic.

Jungkook bounces on the balls of his feet in his crouched position, glances over his shoulder at his judgy hyungs, then back at Taehyung. He wants to hug Taehyung so, so badly. But PDA (public displays of affection, as per Yugyeom) is nerve-wracking, and he doesn’t want to make Taehyung uncomfortable in any way, especially when they’ve barely gotten to hug in private, let alone in front of other people. It’s only Jimin and Jin, but still.

Eventually Jungkook decides it won’t hurt to ask and that the teasing will be worth it. He yanks off his kimchi gloves, rushes over to the alpha, his bare feet squeaking on the hardwood as he slides to a stop in front of him.

“Hi,” he grins. “Um, how have you been?”

Taehyung smiles. His arms unfold from his chest, a hand reaching out to squeeze Jungkook’s shoulder for a brief second. “I’m fine. You?”

“Oh, uh, same old. I’m helping prepare lunch today.” He gestures around at the kitchen, then feels dumb about stating the obvious because what else could he be doing surrounded by food an hour before noon?

He tucks his hands inside his sleeves, shuffling his feet. “It’s been a while, hyung.”

“Yeah,” Taehyung sighs. Now that Jungkook’s paying closer attention, he notices how Taehyung seems a bit fatigued. “Thought I’d drop by since I have a free moment.” He looks like he could do with some rest, so the fact that he came here to visit instead of going to take a nap or something makes Jungkook’s heart run circles in his chest.

He checks behind himself again. Jimin’s muttering under his breath, something along the lines of “he’s never that excited when he sees me” although it’s unclear whether he’s referring to Taehyung or Jungkook. Both of the older omegas are leering at him as if they’re daring him to do something.

He understands perfectly that he’s willingly subjecting himself to a lifetime of ribbing, but he just can’t bring himself to care right now, so he turns back to Taehyung, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Um...hug?” he whispers, hoping Jin and Jimin can’t hear.

Something in Taehyung’s expression cracks, a light glowing to life in his eyes, and he smiles wider, opening up his arms. Jungkook barrels into him, pressing his face into Taehyung’s nice, warm neck with a happy hum. He loves how the other man’s body feels like a fortress, strong and dependable, surrounding him on all sides. Taehyung’s nose trails along his neck and Jungkook hears him inhale deeply, the proximity of his mouth to Jungkook’s scent gland making him shiver.

“You smell good,” Taehyung mumbles, almost sleepily.

“Ah, I was making kimchi!”

“Not—” He snorts, the laugh puffing against Jungkook’s hair. “I meant your scent.”

“Oh.” Jungkook exploits the chance to take enormous whiffs of Taehyung’s scent too, like he couldn’t already recreate it perfectly from memory alone if he knew how to make scents. “What do I smell like?”

Taehyung breathes in a few more times. “Milk. And...banana. Faintly.”

Curious since he obviously can’t smell his own scent and no one’s bothered telling him what it is before, Jungkook reluctantly detaches himself from Taehyung’s neck. He really wants to know but also feels a little naughty about it, talking about scents so brazenly out in the open. “Um, what’s banana?”

“It’s a fruit, yellow, long, curved like this.” Taehyung pulls away to motion with his hands. Jungkook nods, appreciating the demonstration before quickly stuffing himself back into Taehyung’s arms, enamored with the way they automatically curl around his middle.

He gazes up at Taehyung, eyes tracing over the alpha’s pretty face. Jungkook has a perfect view of his flawless jawline from this angle.

“Are bananas good?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’ve only seen the trees in some obscure parts of our forest, probably why you haven’t had any.” Taehyung’s hands idly pet down the length of Jungkook’s back, his eyes circling upwards in thought. “They’re sweet, mostly.”

Privately, Jungkook ponders if that’s why Taehyung called him sweetheart that one time. He likes it. “Wh-what’s your favourite fruit?”

“Strawberry.”

Jungkook deflates a little.

“I love banana too, though.”

He re-inflates.

An ear-splitting screech of “I can’t watch this anymore!” makes Jungkook jump. He sort of forgot they weren’t alone. “It’s too pure for me!” Jimin sobs, hands in his hair. “I’m too tainted! I’m old, I’m jaded, I—oh god, I’m basically turning into Yoongi!”

Jin lobs a wash cloth straight into his face. “Don’t talk about age in front of your elders!”

“Jimin,” Taehyung says as if he too has only now remembered his existence, his expression turning serious. Jungkook thinks this may be a good time for him to let go, but he doesn’t want to, Taehyung isn’t making him anyway so he’s not gonna. “Yoongi-hyung’s looking for you.”

“What?” Jimin stops trying to strangle Jin with the wash cloth. “Why?”

When Taehyung’s eyes narrow, Jungkook has to self-reflect on how he gets frightened when other alphas are mad but finds the same look charming on Taehyung. It probably has something to do with the fact that he strongly believes Taehyung would never hurt him. Oh, and because he finds Taehyung attractive, extremely, exceedingly attractive. “You skipped the meeting so he needs to brief you.”

Jimin scoffs. He flings the dish cloth over his shoulder without looking, and somehow it lands on Jin’s spluttering face. “Honestly, you, Namjoon-hyung, and Yoongi could take care of most of those boring-ass meetings without me. Why do the main hunters always have to join too?”

“What meetings?” Jungkook asks, glancing between him and Taehyung.

“We hold these monthly ones to talk about general pack matters,” Taehyung explains. “Usually trade routes, seasonal things that are coming up, and whatever problems there are lately.”

“There’s an anonymous comment box outside of Namjoon-hyung and Jin-hyung’s cabin,” Jimin adds. “People drop notes in it if they have concerns about anything, so we talk about those too.”

Jungkook didn’t know that. He’s so impressed, their leader is truly revolutionary to have come up with such an idea. “Who goes to the meetings?”

“Anyone’s free to join.” Taehyung shrugs a shoulder. “I usually go. Yoongi-hyung knows everything about anything, so he has to go too. And the rest of the main hunters because hunting is one of our most important tasks.”

“I’m there to screw around most of the time,” Jimin announces cheerfully, throwing his arms in the air.

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “You’re just saying that to get out of it ‘cause lunch prep with Jin-hyung and Jungkook is more fun.” He leans in to whisper into Jungkook’s ear, “Don’t tell him I said this but Joon-hyung wants him there because he’s sharp, he brings up things that don’t occur to us.” Jungkook giggles. Of course he’s well aware of how smart Jimin is.

Meanwhile, Jin sighs dramatically, flopping into one of their kitchen chairs. He’s dropped his sneery, winky act and only looks fond now. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen either of you smile like that. Or maybe I haven’t seen it before at all. Either way, it’s really nice.”

Jungkook balks. “T-that’s not true,” he says, upset that Jin or Jimin could think they’ve had any less of an impact on him than Taehyung has. He finally releases Taehyung from his death hug to float over to Jin, who scoots over on the chair and holds out one arm, flapping at him to get under it.

It feels natural for Jungkook to tuck himself into his side. His growing comfort with skinship over these months can only be attributed to the kindness and warmth his hyungs have shown him.

“I love it here,” he says, and Jin’s face scrunches up, two seconds away from cooing.

But of course Jimin has to shatter the moment with a loud awwwwww. “Aren’t you guys glad I got kidnapped, huh? All of you? Without me and, okay fine, the rest of the group I was with, whatever, this wouldn’t have happened. You’re welcome.”

Jin’s eyes roll all the way up to the ceiling. “You should’ve eaten his meals,” he tells Jungkook. “He was just lying around in a shed being useless anyway.”

“Hey!”

Jungkook can count on one hand the number of times he’s had a meal alone since joining the Kim pack. There’s always been at least one other person accompanying him to the dining hall to chat and eat with. The few times everyone else was busy, he hid out in the kitchen where Hayoung usually was because eating by himself was lonely enough, and he wasn’t brave enough to also be that one loser camped out at the corner of a table claimed by a friend group. Making conversation with the older omega or simply eating in silence was tons better.

Recently though, he’s decided to work on his courage. Knowing that big, scary Taehyung will back him up if anything ever happens makes him more willing to put himself out there. Not that Taehyung’s actually scary or anything, of course, Jungkook just likes to fantasize about his aura spooking away the bad guys on Jungkook’s behalf. Protecting him and things like that.

Anyway, Jungkook can do it. He can eat alone in the dining hall and not feel bad about it.

And he does, he thinks he’s doing a swell job so far enjoying their dinner of mashed potatoes and roast beef, occasionally eavesdropping on conversations that get too loud. In fact, he’s doing so well that he doesn’t even flinch when an omega girl he doesn’t recognize slips on to the bench across from him.

“Hi! You’re Jungkook, right?”

He stares at her with his spoon halfway up. Slowly, he eases it into his mouth. Natural, he’s going to be natural and confident about eating alone.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“I thought so!” The girl grins, looking him up and down. “You’re the one Kim Taehyung’s courting, right?”

He spits out the potatoes. “Wh-what?”

It’s not that their courtship is a secret, Jungkook just gets anxious about receiving too much attention from strangers. He isn’t sure if Taehyung is the same way or if he’s being considerate of Jungkook’s worries, but either way, for the most part, the two of them act as they always have out in public.

“W-who told you that?” he asks meekly, wiping at his mouth.

“Oh, you know, heard it through the grapevine.” She slides closer to him, raising an eyebrow. There’s some pink pigment dusted over her cheeks and her eyelids sparkle whenever she shifts her head. She’s very pretty. “So how did you make the infamous brick wall fall for you?”

Jungkook almost smiles. A brick wall, he wasn’t aware people called Taehyung that. He has no clue how he’s supposed to answer the question though, that Taehyung’s not really much of a brick wall at all, that they haven’t been courting for long so Taehyung is far from falling for Jungkook? “I-I don’t know.”

The friendly expression drops cleanly from her face, like mud sluicing off of metal. Her eyes sharpen. Jungkook instantly loses his appetite.

“You must’ve done something,” she says lowly. “Did you ask him for help during your heat?”

He gasps. “N-no! Not like that, I never, no—”

She clicks her tongue. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. He wouldn’t agree to that kinda thing anyway.” Her eyes have disappeared into slits, trailing up and down his face, his body. “I guess any man would fall for the cute, innocent act if you played your cards right, huh?”

Jungkook gapes at her. He swallows, then stares down at his hands, his earlier determination to be brave vanishing. He should have expected that people would be jealous. In fact, he probably would’ve cried for days if Taehyung found someone else to like. But naively, he didn’t foresee that they would come directly to him for it.

“Who are y-you?” he mumbles.

“Jeongyeon.”

The name doesn’t ring a bell. She scoffs at his confusion.

“I’m Nayeon’s friend. Oh, don’t get me wrong, she didn’t send me here, she’s way too nice for that. But she’s been upset about the news that Taehyung’s courting someone now, so I wanted to...” She cocks her head. “See what’s so special about you, I guess.”

Jungkook continues to scowl down at his lap, hoping she’ll leave if he doesn’t give her the reaction she wants. A stubborn part of him doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing her words have hit a nerve, because Jungkook can’t be sure why Taehyung chose him either. 

“Anyway, my point is,” she continues, entirely unaffected, and Jungkook presses his lips together. He tells himself not to run away like a coward. He was doing so well on his mission of eating alone, he doesn’t want to give up now. “I think someone like you—”

“Jungkook-ah.”

His head snaps up. Taehyung’s standing to the side with a tray of food, his smile subtle but present, a few of his friends—Hoseok, Sehun, and a couple others Jungkook doesn’t know—peering around him curiously at Jungkook and Jeongyeon.

“T-Taehyungie-hyung.”

Like mist in the sun, Taehyung’s smile evaporates. He looks from Jungkook to Jeongyeon, whose face has lost all colour, then back to Jungkook again. Jungkook doesn’t know what he sees in their body language or his expression but the next thing he knows, Taehyung is sitting down next to him, their arms and thighs pressed flush together.

“Your friend?” Taehyung asks, motioning sort of rudely at Jeongyeon with his chin.

“Ah.” Jungkook winces when her challenging gaze locks back on him. “N-not really, a-an acquaintance, k-kind of.”

Taehyung is watching his mouth for some reason, the alpha’s eyebrows knitting together the more Jungkook speaks. “Right,” Taehyung says, gaze sliding towards Jeongyeon. “I’m guessing your conversation is over.”

“Yeah,” Jeongyeon laughs lightly. “Great timing. I’ll see you around then, Jungkook. Bye, Taehyung-oppa.”

“Don’t call me that.”

She freezes, one leg under the table still, the other raised to cross the bench. “Sorry?”

Taehyung’s voice is cold as ice but his eyes are fire. “We’re not friends. Don’t call me that.”

Her face flushes bright red. “I’m sorry, um, Taehyung-ssi,” she stammers out, gives him a deep bow and quickly scurries away.

As soon as she’s gone, Hoseok lets out a peal of hyena cackles.

“Holy fuck, Taehyung, you totally scared the shit out of her,” he laughs, swiftly maneuvering into the spot she vacated. The other three follow him, sitting around Hoseok and blocking Jungkook’s view of a primarily omega-filled table across the hall that explodes with noise, the scary kind, jeering laughter and sly whispers. Jungkook shrinks back, wanting to hide from them but also from Taehyung’s friends who are blatantly eyeing him now. “That was Jeongyeon, right?” Hoseok continues. “Jiminie hates her guts, it’s so fucking funny.”

Jungkook sucks in a breath, a ball of anger gathering behind his sternum. He regrets letting her talk over him now, because Jimin doesn’t hate people without a reason. “Why? Is she mean to him?”

“Was she mean to you?” Taehyung cuts in.

Jungkook stares at him, shocked at his perceptiveness. He thought he did a decent job of keeping up his poker face.

He debates whether he should lie. He’s not trying to defend Jeongyeon, he isn’t that noble, but he doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it in front of everyone here. He doesn’t want to become one of those omegas who talk behind people’s backs and amass a following against someone while pretending to be all “cute and innocent” on the outside, as Jeongyeon called it.

But he remembers the face Taehyung made when he told Jungkook he didn’t want to be lied to, so he sighs, picks up his spoon again, and admits through a bite of potato, “A-a little.”

“Wait, what? About what?” Hoseok demands. This might be the first time Jungkook’s seen him as anything other than bubbly. He seems angry, in fact. “Let me guess, it’s you and Tae, right? Tell us, your hyungs will take care of it.”

Jungkook shakes his head. When Taehyung lets out a deep sigh, Jungkook freezes, his mind jumping to things like him being annoyed with the situation or with Jungkook, but the alpha wraps a tight arm around his waist and he immediately relaxes, melting against him in relief.

“Eat up,” Taehyung murmurs, picking at the juiciest parts of his roast beef and dropping them in Jungkook’s tray.

“Hyung,” Jungkook complains. “Stop, you hunt every day, you need meat more than I do.”

“You need meat too.”

“I’m fine.”

They might have ended up fighting to give each other all of their meat if Sehun didn’t pitch in with, “Don’t worry about Jeongyeon.”

Jungkook lowers his fork, shocked that Sehun cares enough to butt in about this. The beta chews impassively on his food, his eyes on the couple. “People like that get jealous about everything. If you’re cuter, smarter, have a ‘better’ alpha courting you. Basically if you’re happier than them.”

“Because they’re never happy with what they have,” one of the strangers pipes up. “I’m Kyungsoo, by the way. Nice to meet you.” Jungkook shakes the alpha’s hand.

“N-nice to meet you.”

“I’m Jongdae,” the other beta chirps, also offering his hand. “You know, I can see why she’d be jealous of you. The rumours were true, you really do have Bambi eyes!” Kyungsoo violently stabs him in the ribs with his elbow. “Ow! What, I’m not wrong! Stop that, you have freaking pointy elbows.” Jungkook doesn’t know what a bambi is but he figures it must be something nice if Jeongyeon is supposedly jealous of it, so he thanks him. “Sehun’s told us lots about you,” Jongdae goes on, accidentally knocking against Jungkook’s shin with his kicking feet, though he doesn’t seem to notice, passion overflowing out of each of his limbs. “He says you’re cool, you know! That’s basically the Sehun equivalent of screaming to the world about how amazing you are, in case you’re wondering.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Sehun hisses, punching him in the arm. Jungkook’s lips twitch upward.

“R-really?”

“No! I mean—” Sehun groans and Hoseok grabs him by the shoulders with a guffaw, shaking him back and forth. “Okay, yeah, you’re cool, Jungkook.” Jungkook beams.

“Thank you, Sehun-ssi.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“I mean, we were kinda curious about you after you turned down Kai—” Jongdae babbles on and gets smacked from both sides by both Sehun and Kyungsoo this time, while Jungkook winces. “Stop it! Anyway, yeah, I dunno if you know but Kai’s my brother. No hard feelings, don’t worry. Taehyung’s our bro-not-by-blood and you guys are cute together, so.”

“S-sorry,” Jungkook ducks his head.

Kyungsoo frantically waves both hands at him. “Ignore the idiot, Jungkook, he doesn’t think before he speaks. There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“Um, but still, I—”

Jongdae suddenly gasps, his fork dropping to the table with a clatter. “What now?” Kyungsoo demands.

“They didn’t give me my pickled radish.”

“...What.”

“Kyungsoo, come with me. Hayoung-noona likes you better, she’ll give me more if I go with you.”

“What—hey!” and Kyungsoo is dragged off without further ado. Hoseok stands as well, touting his empty tray that Jungkook goggles at because how on earth did he eat that fast?

“I gotta run, see y’all later!” Hoseok gives a two-fingered salute, then pats Jungkook on the back. “Like I said, lemme know if you need your hyungs to back you up with anything, ‘kay? We don’t tolerate any type of bullying in this pack.”

Warmth and gratitude wash over him, and Jungkook thinks to himself that it’s time to stop being intimidated by Hoseok’s loudness and actually give him a chance. “Thank you.”

That leaves only Sehun at the table with them, who looks between Jungkook and Taehyung, deadpan. “Bathroom,” he says simply, and promptly leaves.

“What.” Jungkook frowns at the beta’s tray of food, barely touched. Everyone in this group is totally unpredictable. “What was that, hyung?”

“I didn’t know Kai-hyung liked you,” comes a low mutter, and only now does Jungkook notice how stiff Taehyung’s shoulders have become, his arm loose around Jungkook’s middle, fingers pinching the material of Jungkook’s tunic. A muscle in Taehyung’s cheek twitches periodically, like he’s holding something back.

In the face of his annoyance, or upset, or distress, whatever it is, Jungkook forgets his self-consciousness.

“Hyung,” he says, tugging at the hem of Taehyung’s shirt. “’m not interested in any alpha but you, remember?”

Taehyung’s chest expands in a deep breath, and then as he breathes it all out again, his body relaxes against Jungkook’s. He blinks several times, the murk clearing from his eyes, and his arm clenches tight enough around Jungkook that it might be more comfortable for him to climb into Taehyung’s lap, and wow, now he really wants to do it. He should later, when they’re not out in public.

“When did he ask you?” Taehyung asks softly, his big hand warm on Jungkook’s waist.

“Um, I think, a few days after Christmas.”

Taehyung pauses. “Before me? He officially gave you a courting gift?”

Jungkook nods. “Yes. I-I didn’t take it.”

“Did you know I’d ask to court you too?”

Jungkook breaks out in a smile at the absurdity of the question, his hand sneaking over to hold Taehyung’s free one. “Of course not. I mean, I l-liked you and you were very kind but I didn’t think you would, um, like me too.”

There’s a strange look on Taehyung’s face. “But you still rejected him.”

“Yeah.” They stare at each other for a bit. Jungkook’s smile fades. “What does that have to with anything...?”

Taehyung’s thumb strokes over Jungkook’s tummy, a little bit ticklish, and he’s silent for a moment, the cogs in his head clearly turning.

“Hyungie?”

“Sorry.” The alpha shakes himself. “Nothing, I just zoned out for a bit.”

Jungkook doesn’t quite believe it, but he trusts that Taehyung will tell him on his own time if it’s important. “Okay.” Taehyung smiles reassuringly, flipping their hands around to thumb over the lines of Jungkook’s palm.

“So, actually I came here to ask if you’re busy later. After dinner?”

“No, I’m free. Are we—” Jungkook straightens, leaning into him eagerly. “Date?”

Taehyung smiles. “Mm-hmm. I haven’t seen you in a while.” It’s true, he hasn’t properly seen Taehyung in way too long, the time he dropped by during lunch prep was days ago and they barely got to chat before the alpha had to leave for something again.

“Why are there so many meetings lately?” Jungkook asks in a tone that he tries very hard to keep from turning into a whine.

“There’s been some trouble on our east border. Namjoon-hyung’s looking into it.”

“Oh.”

Taehyung nudges him, quirking an eyebrow. “So what do you think about camping?”

“You mean like what we did when we went to the city?”

“I was thinking in our human forms this time.”

Jungkook imagines it, a trip with Taehyung in the great wild outdoors, no outsider eyes on them, especially not Yugyeom’s annoyingly teasing ones from last time. Yes, sign him up, please. “Okay! Are we going? Tonight?”

Taehyung grins. “Sure.”

The sun has set by the time they finish dinner, and the stars are shining as Taehyung leads Jungkook through a part of the forest he’s never been to before. Their hands are linked and stuffed into the pocket of Taehyung’s fur coat because he was alarmed by how quickly Jungkook’s hand got cold in today’s freezing temperatures.

They stop at a clearing on top of a huge grassy hill overlooking their brightly lit village. The tips of the surrounding mountains are capped in white, but in the village and the less dense areas of the forest, most of the snow has already melted from intermittent days of sun. The grass underneath their feet is cool but dry, and the brisk air sharpens Jungkook’s eyesight, makes the moon radiant against its ebony backdrop.

Taehyung shows Jungkook how to set up a tent, then picks up the second one and starts unraveling it. “I brought another one, in case...” He averts his gaze. “I thought it might not be proper for us to share one.”

“Oh, uh, okay.” Jungkook feels stupid about how he has to tamp down on his disappointment. It’s not like he came expecting them to sleep together anyway, he didn’t think that far, he was just giddy about getting to be with Taehyung in a place where they don’t have to worry about other people. With the both of them living in shared spaces, there’s no privacy anywhere.

He helps Taehyung put up the tent, then they wander through the forest to search for kindling. It rapidly evolves into a competition, Jungkook laughing as he darts around the trees to find the biggest, driest twigs, and impishly pointing out the ones Taehyung’s collected that still have recently-melted snow on them.

“You little brat,” Taehyung growls playfully, abandoning his pile of kindling before setting off chasing after Jungkook with a branch of withered leaves. He yells from how ticklish it is every time Taehyung brushes the leaves over the back of his neck, but he’s not really trying that hard to get away, so Taehyung catches up almost immediately.

“Hyung!” he cries out, scrunching his shoulders up to his ears and swatting the other man away. Taehyung is relentless, capturing him in one arm and sweeping the fragile leaves all over his neck and cheeks with a grin. Jungkook squeals in laughter. “I give! I g-give, sorry, you’re the best at finding kindling!”

“Do you swear?” Taehyung smirks like an evil villain, letting his canines elongate just the slightest bit into his bottom lip and growling at Jungkook. “Swear I'm the best branch finder ever, sweetheart.”

Jungkook melts right into his chest, the alpha finally abandoning those horrible leaves and catching him in both arms. “I s-swear.”

“Good,” Taehyung chuckles. And he proceeds to grab Jungkook by the waist and throw him over his shoulder.

“Hyung!” Jungkook hisses, hanging upside down. At first, he’s mortified, the blood rushing to his head as he goes rigid in Taehyung’s grip, but as they make their way out of the forest, he gives into that feeling of safeness, relaxing with each step. It’s sort of nice relying on someone else to take him places, the breadth of Taehyung’s shoulder under his belly sturdy and reliable, the warmth around his middle reassuring. The one sad part of this is that Jungkook’s lost all of his painstakingly collected kindling. As revenge, he lets himself hang like dead weight, trying to make himself heavier. Taehyung grunts.

“You’re heavier than you look.”

“Well,” Jungkook says to Taehyung’s back, rubbing his hands over the fuzzy black fur and reveling in its softness. “That’s because I’m very busy moving around every day, hyung.”

“I know you are. What’ve you been up to these days?”

“Um, not much. I’ve been painting. With the paints you got me! They’re wonderful.”

“You said you’d show me once you were done but I haven’t seen a shadow of a painting yet.”

“Beauty takes time, hyung,” Jungkook says solemnly, repeating one of Jin’s favourite lines, which Taehyung probably recognizes because he doesn’t argue beyond a sigh and wry shake of his head. “Maybe one more week,” he adds in a mumble. He’s painting Taehyung after all, if he doesn’t spend the time necessary to make it as beautiful as possible, he’ll be so mad at himself.

“Take your time,” Taehyung says, mirth in his voice. “I was only teasing.”

The clearing comes into sight way too soon. Jungkook wishes they could’ve done this for longer, marvelling at Taehyung’s strength, loving his hold on him even if it isn’t the most romantic way to get carried around. Taehyung’s not walking without strain, but they’re going uphill now and he hasn’t faltered yet. Jungkook supposes this is what happens when you hunt for a living.

“What are you giggling at?” Taehyung asks flatly, and Jungkook giggles harder.

“I feel like a sack of potatoes.”

“Is that something to be happy about?”

“Maybe it is, if I, um. Get to...um.”

Luckily, they reach their camp before he blurts out something dumb. As if Jungkook is the most precious jewel and not, in fact, a sack of a common, unattractive root vegetable, Taehyung lowers him with care, setting him bum-down on the grass. “Get to what?” Taehyung asks quietly, kneeled beside him with the world’s cutest smile (Jungkook will accept no debate on this topic).

Jungkook sucks on his bottom lip, nervous. Then he pulls until Taehyung is sitting down too, and after a moment of deliberation, climbs into his lap and curls himself small, his legs draped to the side and cheek pressed to Taehyung’s collarbone. His arms go around Taehyung like they belong there. He basks in the rumble of the alpha’s laugh against his face.

“Would you still court me if I was a sack of potatoes?” he asks.

Taehyung makes an exaggerated thinking noise. “I like potatoes, but not that much.”

Jungkook huffs. “I’d stay with you if you magically turned into potatoes one day.”

Taehyung holds his silence. Jungkook wonders if he’s taken the silly joke too far and Taehyung’s gotten bored of it, so he’s about to ask if they can make smores now—he saw the chocolate, marshmallows, and cookies packed in his bag, and when asked about it, Taehyung revealed he was going to blow his mind with the deliciousness of smores—when Taehyung speaks again.

“Jungkook-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Why do you like me so much?”

Jungkook’s smile falls. He pulls away from Taehyung to look at him, drawing his arms back to himself. “W-what?”

Taehyung’s jaw is tense, his lips a tight line. He doesn’t seem mad, but he doesn’t exactly seem happy either. Jungkook’s mind is going a mile a minute, piecing the situation together, and it doesn’t take long to see the most likely possibility, chilling him to the bone: that Taehyung’s intimidated by the depth of Jungkook’s feelings.

He looks down at where he’s shamelessly perched himself on Taehyung’s lap. The rush of embarrassment and remorse is so strong that he feels a little nauseous. He picks himself off of the other man, who’s gone tense but doesn’t protest at Jungkook choosing to sit on the grass beside him instead.

“S-s-sorry,” Jungkook mumbles.

“Wait—” Taehyung seems confused. “That’s not what I meant.” He reaches for Jungkook’s hand, and Jungkook doesn’t mean to do it, but he flinches back.

“Jungkook...” This time Taehyung sounds hurt. “That’s not what I meant. I’m genuinely curious. I just want to know.”

When Jungkook forces a quick glance up at the other man’s face, his heart squeezes, twists in pain. Taehyung looks so sad, his fingers tapping restlessly over his leg now after being rejected.

He swallows. “W-what do you mean?” He can hear Taehyung swallow as well, audible in the silent night.

“I mean.” Taehyung stops, and then with great effort, “I don’t know why you like me so much.”

Jungkook stares at him, a maelstrom of emotions welling up inside of him: hesitance, incredulity, bewilderment. “What?” he asks.

The quiet breath that Taehyung sighs out takes with it the mask he never fully puts aside, the walls that go up within a split-second’s notice. But they fall this time and it leaves him small, his shoulders dropped, the corners of his lips pulled down with enough force to seem permanent.

Jungkook gets up on his knees. He shuffles closer, waiting for an okay of some sort, which comes sooner than he expected when Taehyung miserably meets his gaze. A hand lifts towards Jungkook, but Jungkook does him one better and throws himself into Taehyung’s arms, wrapping him up in the tightest hug.

“You don’t know why I like you?” he checks once more, and the lack of response answers his question. It’s ridiculous. He can’t wrap his mind around this, he doesn’t understand. Is this about Taehyung being uncertain of Jungkook’s feelings, or is it about Taehyung doubting his own ability to earn love? Either option breaks Jungkook’s heart. He could talk for hours about how much he likes Taehyung, he could write pages upon pages, he’s had Park “Town Gossip” Jimin himself ask him to stop on multiple occasions when Jungkook lost control and threw up his feelings for Taehyung all over him.

“I like how kind you are,” he murmurs into Taehyung’s shoulder, but he makes sure it’s loud enough that he won’t miss a word. “I think you’re scared to be nice to anyone you don’t know because they could hurt you, but you’re so kind to your friends. Y-you jumped in front of Jimin-hyung without thinking and almost died. You convinced Yoongi-hyung that you preferred a single room so he wouldn’t worry about you when he, um, mated Jimin-hyung. You—you help out with Jin-hyung whenever you can because he does too much. Namjoon-ssi too, you help him with the pack stuff even though you don’t really like it, because of your, you know, loyalty to him, and the pack.”

Taehyung doesn’t sound like he’s breathing.

“Jimin-hyung talks a lot about you,” Jungkook replies to the unspoken question. He unearths his face from Taehyung so the elder can see how serious he is. “A-and I have eyes too,” he says matter-of-factly.

“Jungkoo—”

“And you’re kind to me,” he declares, massaging Taehyung’s stiff shoulders. “No one ever used to ask me questions, you know.”

Taehyung frowns. “What?”

“I don’t think anyone cared.” He shrugs. He doesn’t mind. It didn’t matter to him in the past. “You didn’t talk to me at first, but as soon as you started, it was to ask me things like if I, if I got hurt in my old pack, or why I liked learning things. No one’s done that before. I-I mean, Jimin-hyung and Jin-hyung did, but—you’re different, obviously.” Because he’d never want to kiss Jimin or Jin, regardless of whether or not they were mated. He blushes.

Actually, Jimin asked him about this once, tentatively bringing up the likelihood that Jungkook might only like Taehyung because he’s nice to him and that’s something Jungkook hasn’t experienced before from an alpha. The way Jimin asked implied that that was a bad or misled reason for Jungkook to start liking someone.

But that’s the thing. Anyone could have been nice to Jungkook. Any alpha he’s met throughout his life, every single one of them could have been nice to him, cared for him the way Taehyung does.

The difference is, they chose not to, while Taehyung did. Even after arriving at the much more pleasant Kim pack, no one else was observant enough to ask Jungkook if he knew how to read. No one else addressed the issue in a way that wouldn’t embarrass him, but would give him the opportunity to learn.

The number of courting offers Jungkook has received is pitiful, so he doesn’t have an archive to base his assumptions on, but he hasn’t been oblivious to how all of them so far, other than Taehyung’s, were assertions. They tell him they’re talented, well-off, smart, strong, accomplished, good alphas who would give him a good life—but what does it even mean, to be a good alpha? What’s a good life as an omega supposed to look like? When those alphas ask to court him, they don’t try to find out who he is or what he wants to do, what his aspirations are or whether he wants a family, either because they don’t care, or they’re simply not giving him the choice to decide. They’d never ask how Jungkook’s day went and genuinely care about the answer.

“You protect me but always make sure I’m okay with it,” Jungkook continues, looking Taehyung in the eye. “You...you want to get to know me better instead of shaping me into someone else. And you teach me where I’m lacking without thinking that I’m lesser because of it. And, um.” He looks down at the hollow of Taehyung’s neck instead, the embarrassment catching up to him. “That sounds like I only like the things you do for me, b-but I like the ones that are just you, too. Uh, like, your smile is really nice, you know. And it’s cute that you’re curious about stuff like finger-painting. An-and when you laugh, I want to memorize a million jokes. Not Jin-hyung’s jokes, though, those aren’t funny.”

A few seconds of silence pass by, during which Jungkook slowly stops kneading Taehyung’s shoulders, still resolutely staring down in the vicinity of Taehyung’s neck. The more he thinks about what he said, the more he wants to curl up and die. He feels like he could explode out of his skin right now.

The sound of a sniffle pulls him out of his self-loathing. He feels like he can't breathe when he finds Taehyung’s eyes red-rimmed, his face scrunching up in an effort not to cry.

“Hyung!” Jungkook cups his cheeks. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m happy,” Taehyung chokes out. A couple tears escape his eyes, and Jungkook hastily wipes them away.

“W-was my speech that touching?”

Taehyung warbles out a laugh. “Yeah, a little.”

“Well, uh.” Jungkook sits up high on Taehyung’s thighs and coaxes his head into his chest, petting his pretty black curls. “You can cry if you want.” He ignores that Taehyung’s half-suffocating him with how tightly they’re curled around each other, and pretends like he isn’t aware of the muffled sniffles and wetness leaking into his clothes.

“You didn’t say anything about my face,” Taehyung says later in the evening after they’ve gorged on their smores. Jungkook isn’t going to be forgetting anytime soon the alpha’s delighted laugh when he wiped chocolate from Jungkook’s chin, smeared from when he stuffed an entire piece into his mouth. Now they’re lying huddled up in the blankets, facing each other on their sides with their legs tangled. In a single tent, of course, both having given up on the pretense of propriety after several sneaked glances at each other. “When you said all those nice things about me,” Taehyung clarifies at Jungkook’s puzzled frown.

“Oh!” Jungkook exclaims, clapping his hands twice. “Yes. You’re so handsome, hyungie.”

Taehyung pauses, eyes narrowing. “I was going to say that it was cool you didn’t say anything about it.”

“Why?” Jungkook wracks his mind for that one line Yugyeom always uses to describe Bambam. “Came for the face, stayed for the, um,” he can’t decide on what he likes best about Taehyung, “everything.”

Taehyung looks utterly speechless, his mouth hanging open. Jungkook wiggles his legs against the elder’s, a bit nervous. But he’s confident that Taehyung understands what he’s getting at. He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with the initial slam-in-the-face attraction he experienced from Taehyung’s sheer beauty, because first of all, who wouldn’t feel that way, and second of all, Jungkook likes him for so much more than that.

“I like you, Taehyungie-hyung,” he whispers, pressing up happily against him.

Taehyung breathes out slowly. Jungkook can’t see his face because he’s buried in the alpha’s chest, but it’s obvious he’s got a big grin on his face when he says, “I like you too, Jungkookie.”

It’s nearly dawn, splashes of purple and pink on the horizon. They stayed up through the night talking about this and that, and sometimes they’d offer to go to sleep for the other person’s sake, but neither would actually want to. They got bored of lying in the tent so they’re sitting outside cuddled together with a big blanket over their shoulders, waiting for the sunrise. The small fire they made blazes on, keeping them warm.

“My family doesn’t like me much,” Taehyung says, hushed. “I was too loud when I should've been quiet, or too quiet when I should've been aggressive. I didn’t care enough about the right things and cared too much about the wrong ones.” Jungkook burrows further into his side, offering wordless comfort. “My first courtship was arranged, a girl from another nice family. I didn’t know what to expect, but I came to really like her. A week before the mating ceremony, I found her with someone else.”

Jungkook bites back his gasp. He does his best to stay composed, afraid that any reaction from him will send Taehyung back into hiding.

“So I confronted her,” Taehyung goes on. “She said it was her right to be courted by however many people she wanted and that we weren’t officially boyfriend-girlfriend, so we weren’t exclusive. Technically, it was true. But I assumed we were there already since we were mating in a week. Anyway, she broke it off.”

Jungkook sucks in a deep breath, teeth gritted. “I see.”

“The next one was actually a relationship. Not just a courtship, because after the last time I was more careful. He was from a common family, so my parents opposed it. We were going to elope.” Taehyung’s voice wavers near the end, but he composes himself. “He didn’t show up.”

By this point, Jungkook’s nails are digging into his palm. After decades of work, his palms aren’t soft or delicate, but his fists are clenched hard enough that he can feel every nail.

“I thought, maybe something happened. But turns out he changed his mind. I went to look for him and he said we weren’t good for each other, and ended it.” Taehyung breathes in quietly. “My next girlfriend cheated on me. The one following her just wanted my family name. I stopped after that. I was tired.” He closes his eyes, face turned to the breeze that sweeps through the clearing. “They liked my face, or status, or wealth. I was a ‘proper’ alpha, a notch on their bedposts. I think I was a game.” He laughs to himself, a bitter but sheepish sound, and Jungkook wishes he wouldn’t force himself if it was going to be such a sad one. “When I was a kid, Yoongi-hyung went through similar things. I used to think he must be really gullible, because it sounds ridiculous when you hear it from other people.” He sighs. “No one ever thinks it’ll happen to them, and when it does, it’s hard to recover.” 

For a while, Jungkook just sits there, his face an inferno from how furious he is. He understands the spiral Taehyung must have gone down after that, struggling through the quicksand of self-doubt, thinking there had to be something wrong with him if none of those people wanted him. If they changed their minds about him as soon as they learned who he was, or decided his wealth wasn’t worth it. Some of them probably told him he was strange for liking to draw or sing. Some of them definitely told him his love and protectiveness were unwelcome attempts to control them. Frustration wells inside Jungkook’s chest, bigger and bigger and growing even more at how, of all things, Taehyung looks embarrassed right now, as if he isn’t the one who should be laughing at those morons for losing out on the most wonderful thing in their lives.

All Jungkook is able to get out is a feeble “I-I’m sorry,” before he dissolves in a blubbery mess, tears and snot and wracking sobs, the whole nine yards. He clings so hard to Taehyung that Taehyung falls backwards on the grass with an oof, lies flat on his back and lets Jungkook crawl on top of him, covering him up with his body, shielding him. “Jimin-hyung was right, t-they took advantage of you!”

“Shh,” Taehyung says, arms circling him. He strokes the back of his head. “It’s fine.”

“No, it isn’t!” Jungkook exclaims, and Taehyung laughs, timid and awkward.

He continues to weep as the sun ascends above the mountains, while Taehyung whispers to him, planting soft kisses in his hair, trying to calm him down. Outside of his last heat, it’s been a long time since Jungkook’s cried, and without hormones interfering with his mind, he remembers now how much he hates the feeling. The inability to breathe properly and the pain in his swollen eyes, the cotton in his head. He says a lot of things that he hopes Taehyung is able to make out, like how Taehyung’s precious to him and deserves all the best things in the world.

The worst of it is over by the time it’s morning proper, and Jungkook hiccups, “I-I can take care of you too, hyung. Not just you.”

Taehyung’s smile sparkles. “Okay.” Jungkook huffs into the gross, damp cloth over his chest, feeling sorry for ruining it, but at least Taehyung doesn’t appear to mind with how he’s holding on to Jungkook like a lifeline.

“It’s not fair,” Jungkook hisses. Taehyung chuckles, placating him with more pets.

“It’s fine, sweetheart. I was a lot better after leaving the capital. The little summary just now sounded really depressing, but there were good times too.”

“They're gonna get even better,” Jungkook huffs.

“Yeah.” Taehyung kisses the top of his head.

Chapter Text

They return from the camping trip to their respective quarters later in the morning, and Jungkook spends the day alternating between napping and relaying the outing to a nosy Yugyeom. None of the personal stuff though, that was meant for Jungkook alone and he’d sooner throw himself into a fire than blab about it to anyone.

The next few days pass uneventfully, with no sighting of Taehyung. This isn’t strange exactly, since Jungkook didn’t see much of the man either before they started talking. They probably eat at different times too, so it’s uncommon for them to meet up in the dining hall.

What does stand out, however, is how Jimin and Hoseok aren’t around much either, so he figures it must be the meetings again, Jimin going straight to them after hunting every morning. Once, Jungkook asks Jin if he knows what’s going on, but he’s cryptic about it, telling him not to worry and only mentioning something about a border they share with the Mins. Jungkook remembers that’s the clan where Yoongi came from, so at least it can’t be anything too bad.

One night after a late biology lesson with Minah, in the omega quarters next to his pile of blankets, Jungkook finds a cloth bundle with an envelope placed on top of it.

Most of the other omegas are asleep, so he lights a candle in his corner, blocks the brightness with his body, and peels open the parchment. Inside are a few sheets of paper, filled with so much writing it makes him a bit dizzy. He’s still a very slow reader, but his curiosity wins out so he hunkers down and squints at the broad, artful strokes of the characters.

Hi Jungkook,

I’m sorry we haven’t been able to see each other lately. I’ll come find you as soon as I have a free moment.

Jungkook squeaks, pressing the parchment into his face. Taehyung wrote him a letter! No one’s ever written him a letter before, he didn’t think it would be so exciting to receive one. The paper smells a bit like Taehyung.

I was out on a scouting trip today and stumbled across a banana tree, luckily with ripe fruit. I’ll leave a bundle with this letter for you to try. You have to peel off the outer layer to eat it. If you’re not sure how, ask someone to show you, okay? The peel tastes really bad, so listen to hyung and don’t try to eat it.

He kicks at his blankets, smothering a squeal with his hand. ‘Listen to hyung,’ Taehyung said! Oh, he’s so charming.

Opening up the cloth bundle reveals a single bunch of a yellow, curved fruit. Jungkook holds it up and sniffs at it. It does smell a bit sweet. He squirms from happiness at how well Taehyung understands him, knowing he’d get curious about the peel, and Jungkook’s good so he’ll listen to his hyung, he won’t eat it.

...But, on second thought, he’s still a tiny bit curious. Surely, it can’t be that bad, and it’s not like it’s poisonous because Taehyung definitely would’ve said so if it was. He pulls back his teeth and just barely nibbles at the peel, not even hard enough to be called a bite, really, and—oh no, Taehyung was right, it’s gross. Well, that was stupid, why didn’t Jungkook take his advice? He puts the bunch back into the cloth and ties it back up. He’ll ask Yugyeom about it tomorrow, he’s dying to finish the rest of the letter.

Anyway, you said you’ve been reading lately, which is why I thought I’d write you a letter. And because I’m not confident in speaking eloquently about this.

I’ll get straight to the point: will you be my boyfriend?

Actually, I was planning on asking you this during our camping trip, but I ended up spilling my guts about my humiliating past relationships. I didn’t want you to think I was asking out of gratefulness towards you, or that I did it impulsively because I was touched by your words and actions. So I decided to wait a bit. This way we can dedicate our first day to a fresh start.

I like you, Jungkook. I’ve never told you this, but you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Still, I didn’t let that affect me because I’ve been fooled before, and no amount of outer beauty could sway me again. It was your kindness, honesty, how hard you worked, your love for the people around you, that dragged me in. Your willingness to be open about your feelings opened me up too. I like a lot of things about you. If I wrote them all out, this letter would be too long.

I thought about waiting until we could talk in person, but I’m tired of waiting. My alpha already thinks of you as his. If that makes you uncomfortable, let me know? I won’t be upset, I promise.

See you soon,
Taehyung

“Oh my god!” Jin screams. “What happened to your eyes?!”

Jungkook pouts. “Don’t ask or I’ll start crying again.”

“Why on earth would you barge into my kitchen, in my house, if not for me to ask. Don’t lie, punk.”

“I-I’m not, hyung,” Jungkook whines, shaking Jin’s arm. “Do you know when these meetings will be done? I have to talk to Taehyungie-hyung about something.”

Jin sets down the bowl of grapes he was about to wash and rubs his chin. “Far as I’m aware, they should be finishing up by tomorrow. So he’ll be home-free the day after. Why? Was Taehyung the one who made you cry?”

Jungkook bites his lip and looks at a stain on the wall. “Um.”

“He was?!” Jin screeches at a window-breaking pitch, reaching behind himself to rip off his apron. “I swear, I’ll throw that brat to the wolves, what did he d—”

“We’re wolves, though,” Jungkook interrupts, confused.

Jin glares at him with murder eyes. “I know that, it’s just a saying, now tell me what he did!”

Jungkook sniffles, tipping his head back and waiting for the waterworks to get sucked back into his tear ducts. “He wrote me a letter,” he says wetly.

Jin stops in his tracks. His eyes narrow. “What kind of letter?”

“H-he said I'm beautiful. And lots of other n-nice things.”

“...What.”

“And he said his alpha thinks I’m his already.” Jungkook loses the battle, tears overflowing now. “I-I am! I need to tell him my omega belongs to him too!”

“...So he wrote you a letter asking you to be his boyfriend.”

He wipes away a stray tear that escapes from the corner of his eye. “Yes.”

“And you were crying all night because of it.”

“Yes.”

“Get out.”

Jungkook whips his head towards him. “What?” Somehow, a knife has appeared in Jin’s hand, which he now points unapologetically at Jungkook.

“I’m planning a feast for my dear mate who will finally be home at a reasonable hour today for our anniversary. I have ten hours to get my shit together and I am not in the mood to deal with your mushy grossness, no matter how cute you are.”

“But—”

“Get out of my kitchen. Now.”

Yugyeom, on the other hand, is much more receptive.

“Oh my god!” he screams, his voice projecting throughout the whole cottage as usual, no one batting an eye anymore at this point. “No wonder you look like a frog today!”

Jungkook frowns. “Not a frog.”

“Okay, okay, kidding.” Yugyeom shoves his shoulder, cackling. “Wait, so you know the significance of being boyfriends, right?” Jungkook opens his mouth, but he’s not sure where to start, and Yugyeom’s grin turns a bit chagrined. “I’m just asking ‘cause your guys’ traditions seem different a lot of the time.”

Jungkook nods slowly. “Uh, well, we’d be dating. And in a relationship. We wouldn’t see anyone else.”

“Uh huh.”

“And...” he can feel himself blushing. “People, um. Get in relationships when they’re sure they want to...mate with the other person? So it’s...really serious.”

Yugyeom breathes out a huge sigh of relief, pretending to wipe sweat from his forehead. “Pheeww! Okay, good! I was afraid you wouldn’t get the significance.” Jungkook pushes him and returns his cheeky grin. “So when are you doing this? Day after next?”

“Yeah.”

“How?”

“I...I guess I’ll go find him at the alpha quarters? And tell him immediately.” Yes, he thinks the sooner the better, he doesn’t want to leave Taehyung or himself hanging when he already knew what the answer would be before they started courting.

But Yugyeom scowls and stomps his foot. “No, no, no! That’s not romantic enough! Have you guys kissed yet?”

Jungkook flushes. “N-no.”

“Oh my god, this is going down in history then! Yeah, no. Definitely not romantic enough. What if he kisses you? It’ll be your first one, right?”

Jungkook gasps, covering his mouth. Will Taehyung kiss him? Oh, he’s been hoping for that forever. “W-what should I do then?”

Yugyeom shrugs, flopping backwards over Jungkook’s bed. “I mean, I’ve got tons of ideas, but you’re the one who knows best what suits you guys, right?”

“How did it happen for you and Bambam again? Becoming boyfriends?”

Yugyeom heaves a great big sigh and sinks deeper into Jungkook’s blankets. “So, I was having lunch with him and his friends at their table, you know, in the dining hall. My darling Bam said he needed to go to the washroom and I didn’t pay much attention, but then all of a sudden his friends started singing ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight,’ and he came outta nowhere with this huge cake! And I was like, oh shit, does he think it’s my birthday today, ‘cause it totally isn’t, this is so awkward, but I cut the cake like he told me to. It was red velvet by the way, my favourite. Then I found this walnut in my piece and when I opened it, a ring fell out!” Yugyeom sighs dreamily, waving his hand in Jungkook’s face as if he hasn’t shown him eight thousand times already. “See? Our couples’ ring. And he asked me to be his boyfriend.”

“Wow,” Jungkook breathes. “That sounds very romantic. And public.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t like that. A letter’s pretty awesome too, you can keep it forever. But anyway, what I’m saying is you should do your own thing, have fun with it.”

“O-okay. I’ll think about it. But, before that...” Jungkook rifles through his growing pile of belongings beside the bed, untying the cloth bundle he’s tucked discreetly by the wall. He picks up the banana bundle and turns to Yugyeom. “How do you peel these?”

Two days later, Jungkook heads to the alpha quarters bright and early when he knows Taehyung is probably out hunting, and asks the girl who opens the door to please give him the sealed note Jungkook’s written as soon as he’s back.

“For Kim Taehyung,” he emphasizes, so that everyone else in the living room hears as well. If the female alpha turns out to be untrustworthy for any reason (he bets alphas have crushes on Taehyung too), at least someone in the room will tell Taehyung he’s been by.

Fortunately though, she seems nice, smiling brightly at him. “I know. He’s courting you, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“You guys are cute together.”

“Ah. Oh. Um, thank you. I-I’ll just—” he points to the door, “be leaving now.” He bows and runs off.

At twelve sharp, Jungkook sits cross-legged in the middle of the flower field, waiting. He expects Taehyung to be a bit late as he told the alpha to “please follow the trail of my scent” to the field and that he’d be waiting here at noon.

He’s surprised to smell Taehyung’s soapy scent almost immediately, however, and Jungkook turns to find him wading through the tall bushes of pussy willow, and snowdrop, winter jasmine, viola, and a ton of other flowers Jungkook doesn’t know the names of. The elder is wearing a different fur coat this time, an ashy gray one that reflects white at certain angles, and Jungkook notices giddily how it complements his own white- and gray-spotted one. Like couple cloaks.

“Jungkook-ah,” Taehyung calls as soon as he’s within hearing range, carefully stepping through the tall stalks of flowers. Jungkook gets too impatient to sit there waiting, so he gets up and breaks into a sprint, jumping into his arms with a laugh.

“Taehyungie-hyung!” he shoves his face into Taehyung’s neck, breathing in deep before pulling back to admire the lovely face he hasn’t seen in days. “You came faster than I thought!”

“That’s because you left a very thorough trail,” Taehyung praises as if Jungkook’s done something great. Jungkook giggles and circles his arms around Taehyung’s neck.

“I rubbed my wrist on a lot of wildgrass for you, hyung.” He grins down at him.

Taehyung’s eyes crinkle, a sliver of his front teeth peeking out. “So how did you find this place?”

“Ah, it was an accident. I was searching for berries one day and the colours caught my eye. Can you believe these are all blooming in winter?”

“Yeah, it’s rare, huh. Pretty.”

“Yeah! Oh, um.” Jungkook brings up the little bouquet of flowers he made while he was waiting. “This is for you.”

Taehyung shifts Jungkook’s weight to one arm, the other taking the bouquet and lifting it to his awed face. He stares down at the mix of tiny yellow and purple flowers interspersed within the larger pink and red ones. There’s a small stalk of pussy willow on one side, its fuzzy little buds standing out among the cluster of colour. “No one’s ever given me flowers before,” Taehyung says, very softly.

A thought pops up in Jungkook’s mind, the same one he’s suppressed countless times before but that he thinks he can muster the courage to say aloud, just this once. He clears his throat. “Y-yo-you’re prettier than them.”

The reaction is better than he expected, no offense in sight, nor the apathy Jungkook thought might be a possibility given how Taehyung brought up that everyone only likes him for his face. He just looks at Jungkook with a curl to his lips.

“E-even if you weren’t, you’re still the b-best person I know,” he adds, not wanting Taehyung to get the wrong idea. Taehyung’s smile widens into a grin.

Slowly, he lowers Jungkook back to the ground, then takes a step back and adopts a more serious expression.

“Did you read my letter?” he asks, voice as gentle as the brush of leaves against Jungkook’s ankles.

Jungkook nods once. There’s no reason to be nervous, but he still is. “I would love to be your boyfriend,” he mumbles, staring down at the flowers surrounding them. “I-I’m yours.”

The ensuing stretch of nothingness settles over his shoulders, no sounds, no words, no movement. And he waits. He thinks Taehyung must be waiting too, to make sure he doesn’t change his mind or something. He would never.

And then with an eagerness that borders on ferocity, an ardor that Jungkook’s never seen from him before, Taehyung snatches him up and sweeps him straight off the ground. Jungkook yelps, before erupting into giggles when Taehyung smothers him in a tight hug.

“You’re mine now,” Taehyung whispers against his cheek. “My omega.”

A full-body shiver shoots through Jungkook, leaving him trembling, his lips parted as he breathes right against the scent gland in Taehyung’s neck. “My alpha,” he whimpers. He feels Taehyung sucking deep inhales from his neck as well, his growl so low that Jungkook feels it within his ribcage. He whines, trying to squirm closer.

“W-we should mate soon,” he says. The declaration has even unflappable Taehyung pausing before he throws his head back with a full-bellied laugh.

He traces a finger over Jungkook’s ear, mirth lingering as he teases, “Here I was, afraid I was moving too fast.” Jungkook furrows his brows and purses his lips. From what he’s seen and heard, quite a few couples are arranged to mate during their first meeting, and while the Kim pack doesn’t follow those old traditions, this doesn’t change the fact that no one’s ever caught Jungkook’s attention or heart as swiftly or violently as Taehyung has. No one’s caught his heart before, period. He chose Taehyung before the man knew he existed, and continued to do so at every turn of their relationship because Jungkook only kept discovering more and more how good he was.

So he huffs. “Not fast at all.”

Taehyung looks endeared, but unconvinced. “We don’t have to rush, baby. We can talk about that some more.”

“No,” Jungkook whines, curling his fists into the back of Taehyung’s fur cloak. Hearing his alpha call him baby only makes him more desperate, Taehyung shouldn’t have done that if he wanted Jungkook to wait. “My next heat. Hyung.”

“Your ne—” Taehyung chokes. He shuffles Jungkook’s weight in his arms, seems like he’s taking the time to organize his thoughts. “Hey, you know you don’t have to call me hyung anymore if you don’t want to.”

Jungkook finally pulls away from Taehyung’s neck to stare down at him. He’s aware that he’s being distracted, but this is such unanticipated information that he’s willing to let it go for now. “What do you mean?”

“Couples don’t usually use honorifics with each other.” Taehyung raises a brow. “You didn’t know.”

“Oh. No.” Jungkook wracks his brain. “So that’s why Jimin-hyung calls Yoongi-hyung just ‘Yoongi’ sometimes?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t the same for you guys?”

“Um, we used different honorifics. I didn’t call any alphas hyung. It was Leader, or Alpha-whoever, or –ssi.” Jungkook gulps, sucking in his lips. “So then...can I...I can call you Taehyungie?” Heat flares in his cheeks, his mouth drying up like a desert. It’s so intimate, calling someone by their first name alone. Even his parents didn’t do that, they always referred to each other as “Jungkook’s dad,” or “Jungkook’s mom.”

Taehyung smiles. “You can call me whatever you want.”

“O-okay. I like calling you hyung too, though.”

“Mmm.” With the speed of a pecking bird, Taehyung darts in and kisses him on the cheek. “Whatever you like, sweetheart,” he murmurs. Jungkook stares at him with huge eyes, his heart making a valiant effort to yank itself out of his ribs towards Taehyung, maybe share a home with Taehyung’s heart in his chest instead. “Is there anything you want me to call you?”

“I like everything,” Jungkook says quickly, his face steadily getting hotter. He can’t choose. Jungkookie alone is amazing enough, baby and sweetheart make him melt into a puddle of goo. “A-anything you want.”

Taehyung chuckles. “Okay.” They sway back and forth for a bit, idly rocking, grinning at each other like idiots. “Oh, would you like me to put you down now?”

Only now does Jungkook realize he’s still being held up, his legs wrapped around Taehyung’s waist. An egg could cook on his face at this point. Despite the embarrassment, he doesn’t want to be put down at all, but he’s heavy and Taehyung’s still holding on to the bouquet with one hand and Jungkook would hate to tire him out after he’s finished a week of those horrible meetings.

“Okay,” he says reluctantly.

Once he’s set on his feet, he gazes up at Taehyung, at his pretty wavy hair skimming past strong eyebrows. Even when Taehyung isn’t smiling, he always looks at Jungkook so softly, and it does such destructive things to his heart.

He wonders what he has to do to get a kiss. That thing Jimin did pops into his mind. It makes him internally cringe just imagining doing the same, but he’s desperate at this point and has no other point of reference, no place to start.

So he clasps his hands together at his chest, squeezes his eyes shut, and—and that’s it. He refuses to do the fish mouth thing, he can’t bring himself to do it. He hopes Taehyung understands what he’s going for. No, Jungkook has faith that he will, he’s smart after all.

The sound of a snort has his eyes snapping open. The elder is covering his mouth with his fist but he’s obviously holding back a laugh, and Jungkook frowns, his eyes dropping to the ground.

“No, no, Jungkookie,” Taehyung rushes out, hurriedly drawing him against his body, a big hand cupping the side of Jungkook’s face. “I’m not laughing at you. You were just so cute.”

Jungkook continues to frown, his bottom lip sticking out. His pride has taken a blow and now he really, really can’t verbally request a kiss. A thumb brushing across his cheekbone has him looking up, met with the charcoal swirl of Taehyung’s eyes, flickers of red in their depths.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispers.

Breath hitched in his throat, Jungkook is nodding before the question is all out, tilting his head up in wait.

Taehyung leans in, and the last thing Jungkook sees before his eyes slide shut is his alpha’s own lidded ones paired with a tiny smile on his face.

At the first touch of their lips, something that barely counts as more than a graze, Jungkook already feels overwhelmed. He makes a high noise of protest in the back of his throat when Taehyung makes to pull away, hands tugging on the cloak over the elder’s chest, and Taehyung sinks into him again for a firmer press of their mouths.

Jungkook’s heart has become liquid, crashing out of his chest like a tsunami, down to his stomach and up to his ears, muting all sound and sensation but the feeling of Taehyung. Taehyung’s mouth moves softly against his, warm as he angles their heads to fit their lips together seamlessly.

And Jungkook thinks, not even for the first time, that he loves Taehyung. 

Someday, he’s going to tell him so, but for now he concentrates on getting his fill of kisses from his alpha.

“Oh, Jungkook!” Yura glances between him and the door he’s just closed behind him like she’s making sure he’s actually walked through it. “I didn’t think you’d be coming any time soon!”

He makes a questioning sound as he unties his cloak, hanging it on a nearby hook. “Why?”

“I dunno, I think Yugyeom or someone mentioned you’d be busy lately. Something about...I can’t remember, actually.”

“Oh. Um, I’m not. Busy, today.” Jungkook forces an awkward laugh, wondering if Yugyeom told Yura how Jungkook’s been busy with his courter these days. The two of them are close and Yura’s known to be an expert dodger of malicious rumours and the people who spread them, so Yugyeom would trust her enough to hint at Jungkook’s more private matters. “What can I help with?” he asks hurriedly, taking a sweep of the tailor shop.

“Hmm, let’s see.” Yura looks around too, tapping her lips.

It’s messier today than when he was last here a week ago, the tables littered with rolls of fabric, fur pelts, buttons, fraying scraps of cloth. He spots Nayeon and some of her friends at the back, quietly conversing as they sew.

His curiosity was first piqued months ago when Jin asked him to drop something off to Solji, the main tailor of the pack. She was busy all the time with clothing repair requests or new designs, but was forever cheerful and seemed to genuinely enjoy her job. Jungkook was interested in lending a hand as a seamster, but he didn’t get around to asking when he found out Nayeon and her group were frequent helpers; he’s felt this nagging discomfort around them ever since Taehyung became his friend, especially after the dining hall incident. The way they’d look at him sometimes, or how they’d cross the road if he was coming the opposite way, and he’d feel awkward or even guilty even though Taehyung rejecting Nayeon had nothing to do with him.

But after Yura became Solji’s official assistant, she invited Jungkook to drop by if he was free and ended up showing him the ropes. Nowadays, he helps out when he can, though his relationship with Taehyung adds another layer to his interactions with Nayeon and her friends. Maybe that’s just in his head though because he doubts anyone knows they’ve progressed past courtship.

“Namjoon-oppa put in an order to fix this,” Yura tells him, holding up a mangled heap of fur and velvet. “It’s supposed to be a mantle. He was gonna make it himself as a gift to Jin-oppa, but, well, you know what happens when he tries to make things.” They share a grin.

“I’ll try to untangle it by dinner,” Jungkook says, taking the mess into his arms and prodding at it. Probably most of the stitches will have to be taken out, but at least it doesn’t look so bad that the raw material is unusable.

“Thanks, that would be a huge help. After that, all we’ll have to do is sew the shawl part to the velvet, but you can definitely leave that for me if you don’t have time.”

“Okay.” He gestures towards the only empty table left in the cabin, one pushed to the side of the room, right by Nayeon and co. “I’ll get started then.”

“Awesome!” She smacks him on the back and returns to her own work.

Jungkook walks over to the table and clears a space for him to work, putting his stuff down. Then he takes a deep breath and turns to Nayeon’s group, who are mostly facing the wall and have their backs to him. “Um, g-good afternoon.”

Nayeon swivels around first, a textbook smile on her pretty face. “Good afternoon.” A few of her friends look up as well, murmur their greetings or offer shallow nods. A few of them don’t acknowledge his presence.

Satisfied, Jungkook gets to clearing a small workspace for himself. He climbs up to sit on the table since there aren't any extra chairs, and starts rummaging through the drawers for a seam ripper.

“Can you show me how you did this corner stitch?”

“Sure, here, do you have a needle?”

“Yeah, the food was really good that time.”

“Did you hear about what happened to Joongi?”

“...tried their tteokbokki and it was so good...”

“...ah, his brother, right...”

“...have to redo the hem...”

The lull of conversation around him is comforting, drifting in one ear and out the other as he sits hunched over his project, concentrating on picking out the messy stitches without damaging the cloth. Sometimes, he thinks it would be smart to listen in on what other people are saying so he isn’t perpetually out of the loop with the goings-on of the pack, but old habits die hard. He’s spent a lifetime not caring about the people he was forced to spend his days with, and it’s more difficult than expected to break out of that now. His heart is already filled to the brim with those he holds close anyway, and there isn’t much room left to care for others.

“Hey th—oh wow, what’s all this? Holy cow, isn’t this a new record for number of pelts in one day?”

“...Yeah.”

A laugh. “Chatty as ever, aren’t you. Well, thanks for bringing them by. We’ll be able to make extra coats for the pups.”

“Mm.”

“See ya next time. Oh, actually, wait a sec!” There are some whispers, a giggle, half a squeal, before:

“Hey, Jungkook!” Yura says from across the room.

He doesn’t hear it, his mouth open in concentration as he flicks his seam ripper in practiced motions.

“Jungkook-ah?”

The call this time is accompanied by the waft of a scent, and his head snaps up. Taehyung is standing with Yura by the entrance of the cabin, the latter with a whole load of furs in her arms piled up as high as her smarmy grin, while Taehyung is visibly surprised, evidently not expecting to see him here. He and Jungkook blink at each other, owl-eyed.

“Hyung,” Jungkook breathes, hoarse from not speaking for a while. Taehyung’s cheeks are flushed from the cold and probably from running around during the hunt, his hair ruffled. Jungkook wants so badly to fly over there and hop into his arms, but the feeling of eyes drilling holes into his back intimidates him. He hasn’t seen his boyfriend in two days now. It’s not a long time. But it is.

Taehyung, on the other hand, doesn’t share his reservation, striding straight across the room, although he seems to notice Jungkook’s apprehension halfway over and slows down when he reaches him. To Jungkook’s enormous disappointment, he doesn’t pull him into a hug.

“H-hi,” Jungkook says, fiddling with the cloth. He contemplates for a bit before scooting closer to the edge of the table, closer to him.

Taehyung’s lips quirk up and he cups Jungkook’s elbow, leaning in farther than he needs to. Jungkook can’t even look him in the eye, he’s blushing so hard.

“Hey,” Taehyung says, cool as a cucumber. So not fair. “What’s that?”

“Um.” Jungkook gives the now slightly-less-tangled mass to him and watches him rotate it like he’s trying to decipher a code. “Namjoon-ssi’s mantle for Jin-hyung.”

Taehyung snorts. “Did he try making one himself again?”

“Yes...does he do this a lot?”

“Every anniversary.”

Jungkook gasps. That’s so touching, it makes him even more determined to ensure it’s perfect. “I-it’s the thought that counts,” he insists, taking the bundle back and cradling it to his chest, and Taehyung huffs out a little laugh. The fingers on Jungkook’s elbow float up to his shoulder, then his cheek, brushing over it. Jungkook presses into the touch and squints up at Taehyung.

“Hug later,” he hisses very, very quietly.

Playing along, Taehyung whispers back, “Not now?”

Everyone else within Jungkook’s immediate field of vision is making a generous effort to pretend like they’re busy, but he’s pretty sure one group off to the side isn’t sparing him the same kindness. Jungkook bites his bottom lip and attempts to move his eyeballs to the left by two millimeters, towards where said group is probably burning trenches into the side of his head. Taehyung follows the movement with his eyes but apparently gets tired of the forced subtlety because he straightens up and crosses his arms, boldly scanning the back of the room.

“Nayeon-ssi,” Jungkook whispers to him. “And Jeongyeon-ssi.”

Taehyung’s expression goes flat. Jungkook knows he isn’t trying to be mean or rub their affection in anyone’s face on purpose; he’d bet money Taehyung has no idea who Nayeon even is, and he might only remember Jeongyeon from the dining hall incident. The deliberate way Taehyung blinks at Jungkook has “am I supposed to care?” written all over it. And of course he wouldn’t care, why would he pay any attention to the feelings of Jeongyeon, who Jungkook admitted wasn’t nice to him?

But still, Jungkook wants to avoid drama or hard feelings, if possible. If there's anything he's learned from the Jeon pack, it's that attracting attention can never be a good thing. And although Jungkook has no clue whether Nayeon’s feelings for Taehyung are anywhere as strong as his own, he knows he’d want to die seeing the alpha act lovey-dovey with anyone.

Probably sensing his hesitation, Taehyung softens and drops his arms to his sides again. He curls a hand in the barest touch over Jungkook’s waist, a question in his eyes, checking that it isn’t too much. Why does he always have to be so sweet? His endless understanding only makes Jungkook want to throw his self-consciousness to the wind and glomp him more.

The sudden, deafening sound of crashing metal makes Jungkook jump and jerk away from him and his head snaps to Yura, who’s got a hand held up to her mouth in the fakest act of shock known to mankind, flapping an arm at the fireplace tongs lying on the ground. “Oh no, how clumsy of me!” she cries. “My hands slipped!”

When Jungkook catches the look Taehyung’s leveled on her, his usual apathy so deadpan it veers towards disgust, he giggles. The rush of noise from people around them actually returning to their projects instead of pretending, awkwardly picking up their conversations again, makes the silence from before twice as noticeable. Jungkook shoots a sheepish grin at his boyfriend, which Taehyung returns with a little eye-roll.

“Can I steal you for a few minutes?” he asks quietly, a hand sliding around Jungkook’s waist to the small of his back. The subtle contact somehow has the effect of making him feel owned, heat sparking over his skin. He nods wordlessly, lets Taehyung takes the mantle and set it on the table before linking their hands as they leave the tailor shop.

“Where are we going?” he asks. Taehyung smirks.

“Not far.”

Jungkook sticks close to him, nearly stepping on his heels as he’s led to the side of the building where no one ever goes, dark from the day’s waning light and shadowed by the roof.

“Wha—” is all he gets out before he’s being cornered against the wall by the alpha’s body, arms tight around his middle and keeping him from going anywhere. Then Taehyung plants a short kiss on his lips.

Jungkook’s breath hitches in his throat. He screws his eyes shut, waiting for another. Taehyung doesn’t disappoint, pressing a second kiss to his mouth, then another, and another, each one a fraction longer than the last. Jungkook slides his hands up, laying his palms flat over Taehyung’s firm chest and letting Taehyung guide him with a hand on the back of his neck, angling their heads to work their mouths together. The soft sounds of their lips meeting makes heat roll through him like lava.

He’s dizzy already when Taehyung leans his forehead against his, both of them breathing a bit too hard for a few closed-mouth kisses. Jungkook’s vision takes a while to focus back on the dark lashes and tall nose in front of him. He reaches up, tracing a finger down the bridge of his nose, and Taehyung’s eyes flick open.

“W-what was that for?” Jungkook whispers, giggling when Taehyung sneaks in another peck.

“Wanted to kiss my boyfriend,” Taehyung murmurs back, deep and smooth, and ah, he’s seriously so unfair. Jungkook shivers, rubbing his hands up and down Taehyung’s chest.

“Want more,” he pouts. He sees a flash of red in the other's eyes before they’re kissing again, harder this time, Taehyung licking over his lips until his mouth drops open. He scrabbles at Taehyung’s chest and shoulders, the first touch of the alpha’s tongue effortlessly melting him into a puddle, and it scares him how defenseless he is, how easy it is for the other man to sap away his strength. But Taehyung would never let him fall, pulling him from the wall to envelop him in his vice-like arms instead. Jungkook moans as Taehyung sucks on his bottom lip, curling their tongues together in a way that whites out his mind.

“Missed you,” he sighs when Taehyung gives him a chance to breathe, leaving kisses over the corner of his mouth, up his cheek. “Been t-thinking ‘bout you all day, Taehyungie.”

Taehyung’s groan sounds pained. “Me too, baby.” He returns to Jungkook’s lips, kissing them again and again like he can’t resist. “I was...gonna come look for you later...wanted to see you,” he confesses between kisses.

“Mmm...’m making kimchi jjigae l-later...”

“Hm? By yourself?” Taehyung murmurs against his mouth.

“Yeah, I—oh, hyung...” Jungkook whimpers as Taehyung’s tongue sneaks past his teeth again, tracing over the roof of his mouth. He clings harder to him, giving up on conversation to kiss Taehyung the way he’s been aching to these past few days. Their lips are both a bit chapped from the dry winter air, but Jungkook doesn’t care at all. He likes the humanness of it, the rawness.

Taehyung hums low in his throat before drawing back with a, “Yeah, baby?” He’s teasing now, his eyes sparkling, and Jungkook kisses him hard in revenge, but Taehyung turns it on him, tongue sliding hot and wet into his mouth.

He gasps and gets on his tippy-toes to press against the alpha desperately. But Taehyung’s smile is growing too big, and he’s forced to break their liplock with a last gentle suck on Jungkook’s bottom lip. Seeing him grin so cutely, Jungkook has to grin back too. “You didn’t answer my question,” Taehyung reminds him. Jungkook’s smile falters.

“Um...what was the question?”

Taehyung tucks his lips between his teeth in a very obvious attempt not to laugh. “You’re cooking by yourself later?”

“Oh!” He nods, slipping his hands up from Taehyung’s chest to drape his arms around his neck, playing with the short hairs on his nape. “For practice.”

“What practice?”

“Well, uh, we always work as a team in the kitchen.” Taehyung makes a noise of acknowledgment, pecking his ear. “So I...don’t really know how to make a dish on my own. I was...” Jungkook bites the inside of his cheek. “If it turned out good, I was gonna bring you some for dinner, i-if you wanted.”

Taehyung’s eyes widen and his face lights up. “Jungkook-ah, I’d love anything you made. Would you like some help? I can’t cook for my life but I could probably wash or chop stuff.”

“Oh no, it’s okay, really. I-I want to try on my own.”

“If you’re sure.” Taehyung frowns. “On second thought, Hayoung-noona’s kind of banned me from the kitchen, so I wouldn’t be able to help anyway.”

“What? Why?”

“I had this phase where I wanted to try cooking some easier dishes, but I was so bad that she kicked me out, saying I’d blow up the kitchen.” Taehyung winces. Jungkook keeps his face very, very solemn. He is not smiling. Or laughing. He is thinking about sad things, like baby birds who lose their mothers.

“I-I see.”

The look Taehyung gives him tells him he knows what he’s doing and that he’s letting Jungkook off the hook this time. “My omega, you keep yourself so busy,” he murmurs, tightening his arms around his waist.

Jungkook blushes furiously and screams inside his mind, unable to hide how overwhelmed he feels at being called Taehyung’s omega, oh no, that is so very lethal. “I-it’s so I don’t miss you too much,” he says under his breath.

“Sweetheart,” Taehyung exhales, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to Jungkook’s ear. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be!” Jungkook’s hands go to his shoulders, massaging at the stiffness there. “We both have our own things to do, it’s okay. Um, distance makes the heart fonder, as they say.” He laughs. “You know, this is why Jimin-hyung calls us sickening.”

Taehyung pulls back just so Jungkook can see him roll his eyes. “Who cares what Jimin thinks.”

“Don’t be mean, hyungie.”

“What? I meant it.”

Jungkook fakes a disappointed head shake, but he’s smiling so wide, unbelievably happy just being here wrapped up with Taehyung. Taehyung watches him with hooded eyes, cupping his cheek, brushing his messy bangs from his eyes, and Jungkook preens from the attention.

“I-I should get back,” he sighs. “Yura-noona wants Namjoon-ssi’s thing done by today.”

He feels Taehyung’s chest depress against his in his own silent sigh. “Fine. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, um, will you be in the dining hall? I can...bring the jjigae there?”

“Sure, that works. Wait, will it be heavy? I’ll help carry it.”

“It’s fiiine, hyung, I can handle a pot.”

“Okay, okay.”

They look at each other but neither makes to break their hug, limbs coiled snugly around each other.

“Hey,” Taehyung says. “If you don’t mind, could we scent each other?”

Jungkook’s jaw drops. “S-scent?”

“Yeah.”

He can’t believe the idea never occurred to him. It would be the most wonderful thing to walk around with a part of Taehyung on him, his soapy, cottony scent right there whenever Jungkook misses him.

“Please,” he whines, arching his neck. Taehyung wastes no time, burying his face right into Jungkook’s scent gland and breathing in audibly.

“God,” he mutters, holding on to Jungkook so hard that the omega can’t feel where he begins and ends. The tip of his nose digs into the gland and Jungkook feels himself turning into putty, a haze blurring his eyes. “Smell so good, sweetheart. Are you letting out your pheromones on purpose?”

“N-no—” Jungkook wiggles, embarrassed, trying to rein himself in but it just feels so nice having Taehyung pressed against him, nosing at his sensitive gland. His head is going fuzzy. Are his pheromones really leaking out? He can’t tell. “Taehyungie...”

Taehyung pulls back, takes Jungkook’s wrist and rubs it against his own neck, rumbling deep in his chest. Then he tilts back his chin in invitation and Jungkook dives at him, shoving his face into Taehyung’s neck. The explosion of scent has him moaning happily, nuzzling to soak it all up. Taehyung pets him and lets him drag in lungfuls before offering his own wrist so Jungkook can rub it against his neck too.

By the time they’re done, Jungkook is boneless, slumped against Taehyung’s chest. He wishes they could stay like this for longer.

“Jungkook-ah, you okay?” Taehyung asks softly, caressing his cheek.

“Mmm.”

“You sure you’re okay to go back alone?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook sighs, though he feels pathetically lonely thinking about going in by himself. “I-in a bit.” His legs are weak. Somehow, Taehyung reads his mind and grabs Jungkook by the thighs, tucking his legs around Taehyung’s waist, and lets the wall and Taehyung take all of his weight. Jungkook breathes a bit easier from the proximity, from getting boxed in on every side with Taehyung protecting him.

“Mine,” Taehyung whispers, as Jungkook hugs his shoulders.

“Yours,” he agrees.

Chapter Text

“For some reason, I thought you’d get less smitten after you guys got together. I see now that I was mistaken.”

At least a full five seconds pass before Jungkook remembers that he and Jimin are the only two people here, which means his hyung is probably talking to him. He turns just his head towards him, without moving his eyes. “Huh?”

“Oh my g—you’re literally drooling, boy, wipe yourself. Ugh, how barbaric.”

Jungkook snaps his jaw closed and pats the back of his hand over his mouth, flustered. There’s no drool to be found, though. He shoots Jimin a baleful look, then returns to staring at where Taehyung’s leaned against the dining table with crossed arms, listening to Namjoon speak. They make a bit of a comical picture, Namjoon with his excitable hand gestures and random spikes of volume (why did Jungkook ever think he was intimidating again?), while Hoseok randomly jumps into the conversation for a comment or screeching laugh. Every time Jin comes out of the kitchen with the next finished dish, he’ll yell at Namjoon to not swing his uncontrollable limbs everywhere because all the nice pottery on the bookshelves is new and he doesn’t care how physically impossible it is, he’ll find some way to un-mate Namjoon if he breaks any of it.

On the opposite spectrum, Taehyung could be a statue if not for his occasional thinking frown or boxy smile. He smiles more around his friends. Jungkook likes it. He thinks they should all hang out like this more often.

“You’re doing it again,” Jimin says, kicking at his thigh. They’re sprawled across the living room carpet, left without anything to do because Jin refuses to let anyone into the kitchen. He claims that as the one who invited everyone for dinner, it’s his responsibility to get everything ready on his own, but Jungkook secretly thinks it’s because he’s afraid someone will ruin his new knife collection.

“But he’s standing right there, what else am I supposed to do?” Jungkook mumbles. “You stare at Yoongi-hyung all the time too.”

“I-I do not,” Jimin wheezes, a hand on his chest. “We’ve been mated for five years, what the hell, why would I stare at him?!”

“Jin-hyung says you’re still in the honeymoon stage,” Jungkook informs him matter-of-factly, leaning back on his arms. He flops his legs around and rotates his ankles, stretching out his toes. His feet are sore from standing around most of the day, Yugyeom got roped into helping out at the bakery and dragged him with because he didn’t know anyone else there and needed someone to alleviate the boredom. Jungkook had no idea kneading dough could be so tiring.

“Ha! Honeymoon stage! Pfftt!” Jimin throws himself over the floor like a big fat starfish. “We got over that in the first month.”

“Okay.” Jungkook has learned that he has to pick his battles with Jimin, and he’s too busy watching Taehyung right now to focus on anything else.

Speaking of Taehyung, he turns with impeccable timing to lock eyes with Jungkook from across the room. Jungkook’s heart gives a mighty shudder, sending tingles running up and down his body. His first reflex is to avert his gaze but he decidedly turns back to Taehyung, because, well, why not? He’s allowed to ogle his boyfriend if he wants. Yes.

Taehyung pushes himself off the table to walk towards them, and Jungkook sits up higher, beaming at him, wondering what he’s coming over for.

“What are you, a puppy,” Jimin says under his breath. Jungkook ignores him.

As soon as he’s within range, Taehyung jabs at Jimin’s stomach with his foot, attacking his ticklish sides until Jimin gives up with a squawk and rolls far enough away that Taehyung has room to sit next to Jungkook.

“Hi, hyungie,” Jungkook grins. He waits for him to get comfortable before crawling between his legs and snuggling up against him, pressing his cheek to Taehyung’s shoulder and hugging him around the chest. He sticks both his feet under one of Taehyung’s thighs. He’s wearing these thick, fuzzy socks so his feet are perfectly warm, but he likes the feeling of hiding them under his boyfriend’s thigh anyway.

Taehyung presses a kiss to his temple. “Hi sweetheart,” he says. A sigh of satisfaction whooshes out of Jungkook and somewhere in the background, Jimin makes a gagging sound. “Cute socks.”

“Thank you!” Jungkook pokes a foot out from under Taehyung’s leg. The socks are black and gray striped with a big blue teddy bear head above the toes. “Yoongi-hyung gave them to me!”

“Yoongi-hyung?” Taehyung repeats suspiciously. “Why?”

“Oh, well, I guess Jimin-hyung mentioned that I get cold easily so Yoongi-hyung bought them, but he told Jimin-hyung to pretend they were from him because he was shy—”

“Emotionally constipated,” Jimin corrects, now stretched out face-down on the carpet for some reason.

“—a-and also because,” Jungkook rearranges his face into a Yoongi scowl, “’Taehyung’s a possessive bastard so I ain’t giving Jungkook shit until they’re mated.’ According to Jimin-hyung.”

“Truth,” Jimin confirms.

Taehyung seems at a loss for words. He glares at his friend. “You—Jungkook just said shit because of you guys.”

“What, he’s not a kid, it’s not like he doesn’t know what swear words are. I called him a coconut shithead a few times and he said it was growing on him.”

Taehyung chokes. “Don’t call him that, you—”

“Hyungie.” Jungkook tugs at the collar of Taehyung’s tunic, peering up at him. “I-I’m more interested in the possessive part.” He enjoys tales of possessive Taehyung, especially from Yoongi who has so much history with him and never misses a detail when he spills the beans.

Taehyung’s eyes dart over to Jimin, murderous, before they go blank and zone out at something in the distance. “There’s nothing to tell. I’m not possessive.”

Jimin’s face-down body starts shaking, and Jungkook is almost concerned until the grating sound of his cackles hits the air. He emerges from the carpet and points a finger at Taehyung. “Did you, or did you not pace a hole outside our cabin after learning that Kai-hyung tried to give Jungkook a courting present?” Jimin demands, like he’s a prosecutor in city court. This seems to be the opportunity he was waiting for, the perfect timing for him to roll on to his back with the smuggest smirk.

“Shut the fuck up,” Taehyung growls at him, while Jungkook’s eyes widen.

“Kai-ssi?” he echoes. “Y-you mean after I told you about him? In the dining hall?”

The arms around Jungkook’s middle loosen as Taehyung’s face droops with guilt, and Jungkook whines and drags them back. “It’s not like that. I didn’t stay up thinking about it like Jimin’s implying.”

“W-were you mad?” Jungkook asks in a small voice.

“No, no, Jungkook-ah.” Taehyung reassures him, holding him closer. “What’s there to be mad about? Just—” he licks his lips, brow furrowing. “Thinking that I took so long to come around that someone else had the chance to start liking you was...frustrating.” Jungkook opens his mouth to reply, but a soft kiss on his forehead stops him. “I was just being silly for a few minutes. I mean it. It’s totally fine now.”

Jungkook frowns hard at him, making sure he isn’t covering anything up, and Taehyung meets his gaze, unwavering. Somewhat satisfied, he shimmies his feet back out and crawls on top of Taehyung’s thighs instead, curling his legs around his waist and hugging his neck.

“Like you so much, Taehyungie,” he whispers, mouth brushing Taehyung’s ear, quiet enough that even Jimin can’t hear. He nuzzles Taehyung’s cheek and plants a chaste kiss on the hinge of his jaw. “My alpha.”

A long, not-so-steady breath escapes from Taehyung. Without warning, he rises to his feet with Jungkook in his arms, who lets out a peep as they start marching off down the hallway and hangs on to Taehyung tightly even though he knows he’s got him. “Where—”

“Hey, no fucking in my house!” Jin shouts from the dining room. Jungkook’s face goes up in flames.

“We—we haven’t—”

“We won’t!” Taehyung calls back, kicking the door closed behind him with his foot, though not in time for them to miss Jimin’s theatrical retching noises paired with fake sobbing on how Jungkook’s losing his innocence.

“Taehyungie, what—” he stutters out when Taehyung sets him down on a desk. They’re in a study that probably belongs to Namjoon and Jungkook is mortified, afraid to touch anything, so he keeps his arms and legs firmly around Taehyung. Yes, that’s the only reason he does it.

“Don’t want anyone around. You know your pheromones start leaking whenever we make out,” Taehyung murmurs, before proceeding to kiss him breathless.

Privately, Jungkook thinks to himself that Yoongi really knew what he was talking about with the whole possessiveness thing. He loves it.

Jungkook slowly comes to awareness, to warmth enveloping him and the tender touch of fingers combing through his hair, a steady heartbeat under his ear.

“—course they’d make a fuss about land now that the Jeons are out of the way,” he hears Namjoon saying in his serious leader tone, the excitable boy from earlier who couldn’t stop ranting about bonsai nowhere to be found. It pulls Jungkook closer to consciousness, his brows knitting together. “We should’ve seen this coming, honestly.”

“I should’ve,” Yoongi mutters. “Fucking pricks, the Min clan.”

“The envoy’s arriving in two weeks,” Taehyung says, the vibration of his velvet voice against Jungkook’s cheek a comfort, even if whatever they’re talking about sounds concerning. “We should come up with some plans before then.”

Jimin spits out a derisive laugh. “I don’t even understand why this is a problem. We defeated the Jeon pack, we get their land, it’s as simple as that. Just ‘cause the Mins’ territory happens to share a border with the Jeons doesn’t mean they have any right to the land, what the hell even?”

“What d’you expect from those fucking pricks, I left them for a goddamn reason.”

“Yeah...to mate with me.” There’s a pause there before Jimin’s tinkling giggle abruptly lifts the mood, the change in atmosphere enough for Jungkook to finally blink his eyes open. Their little group is taking up all the space on the living room sofas, the other six obviously in the middle of some sort of important talk. He must have fallen asleep right after dinner and Taehyung came and bundled him up in his lap. The blanket wrapped around his shoulders smells like Jin.

“You mean to fucking elope ‘cause they wouldn’t let me mate with you,” Yoongi smacks Jimin on the arm. “’Hey, let’s sell Yoongi off to the Lees, he’s our fourth son so it’s not like he’s good for anything but a political marriage!’”

“’Nah, fuck that,’” Jin growls in what’s probably supposed to be an imitation of Yoongi. “’I’m gonna secretly date that cute omega from the Park clan, oh what’s his name again, Jimin huh, he’s smoking, mmph, Jimin-ssi let’s exchange letters until you fall madly in love with me’—”

“’Oh, Hobi-hyung,’” Hoseok continues in a cracking falsetto. “’How’s life with the Kim pack? I heard it’s really good, that’s great for you, well anyway guess what I met the hottest alpha ever he pretends like he doesn’t care but he really does and that makes me sooo wet yeah but his parents are assholes so umm you guys got room over there with the Kims or nah’—”

“SHUT UP!” Jimin howls, and if Jungkook wasn’t awake before he definitely is now, lifting his head from Taehyung’s chest to grin at his hyung.

“You said that?” Yoongi demands, sounding at once disgusted and intrigued. “Why would you tell another alpha that you’re wet, you’re mine, you can’t go ar—”

“I DIDN’T SAY THAT, HE MADE IT UP, YOU IDIOT!” Jimin screeches, though anyone can see he’s not exactly meeting Yoongi’s suspicious gaze. Hoseok has rolled off the sofa, eyes teary as he spasms on the floor, silently mouthing ‘he said it, he said it.’

“And they call me possessive,” Taehyung mutters to himself. Jungkook bursts into laughter.

“Oh, our baby’s awake!” Jin claps his hands at him like he’s a literal baby and waves at the plates of dessert on the table, these little balls of white, pink, and green with powder sprinkled on the top. “Jungkookie, I made strawberry daifuku, you like those, right?” Jungkook sits up a bit, nodding enthusiastically.

“Don’t call him our baby, Taehyungie will get mad,” Jimin snickers.

“You shut your trap, Mr. Yoongi’s-Letters-Make-Me-Wet.”

Jimin tries to lunge at Taehyung over the table and Taehyung twists, moving Jungkook out of harm’s way, but he needn’t have bothered because Jimin’s chance at revenge is cut off by Jin who seizes him with a fist around the back of his tunic.

“If you step on my table, I will end you,” their oldest hisses.

Jimin sits back down.

Jungkook snickers to himself, cuddling back against Taehyung. “What were you talking ‘bout? Earlier?” he asks into Taehyung’s skin, nosing at his scent gland and inhaling deep.

“The Min clan wants the Jeon land, they’re sending envoys in a few weeks to discuss boundaries,” he sighs.

“Oh. The Mins are bad people?”

“Yeah. Greedy.” He gestures at the daifuku questioningly, so Jungkook points at a pink strawberry one. Taehyung’s arm tightens around him to make sure he doesn’t slip as he leans forward and grabs a plate. Jungkook takes it but he’s too drowsy to move so he stays happily curled up in his alpha’s chest, humming as he chews on the sticky mochi. He’d be embarrassed about being so clingy in front of their friends, but he’s tired and no one seems to care, they’re way too busy squabbling with each other. Jungkook checks beneath the blanket. Good, Taehyung looks comfortable, legs spread to accommodate him between them, and Jungkook isn’t cutting off his circulation anywhere, so there’s no reason for him to move.

On another note, there’s something about the visual of Taehyung’s big hand resting over his waist, his thumb dragging up and down, that makes him feel all hot inside. Not the place to be thinking things like that though.

“Wan’ some?” he asks, offering his daifuku to Taehyung, who shakes his head and runs his hand over the back of Jungkook’s head, fluffing up his hair.

“I’m good, I had two already.”

“Oh, okay. Jin-hyung, I love these, they’re so good.” Jin preens, puffing out his already super wide shoulders.

“I know, brat. I can teach you how to make them if you want.”

Jungkook smiles dopily at him. “Thank you, hyung.”

He’s barely finished eating the daifuku before sleep is pulling him under again. His head lolls against Taehyung’s chest as the alpha wipes off his powdery fingers and mouth with a napkin.

“Hey, you okay?” Taehyung murmurs, cradling his jaw. “You feel a bit warm.”

“Mmm, jus’ sleepy.”

“Wanna nap some more?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Okay.” Taehyung pulls the blanket tighter around him. “Go to sleep then, sweetheart.”

The first thing Jungkook notices when he wakes up is that he’s high off the ground and moving, and this would alarm him if Taehyung’s scent wasn’t swaddling him like a big, warm comforter.

“Hyungie?” he mumbles into the soft fur over Taehyung’s shoulder. He peels his eyes open and realizes he’s being carried, wrapped securely against Taehyung’s chest, legs around his waist. They’ve apparently left Jin and Namjoon’s cabin and are now walking across camp.

“Awake now, baby?” Taehyung asks, patting his back.

“Where we goin’?”

“I’m taking you to a heat hut.”

That has Jungkook popping up from Taehyung’s shoulder. “W-what? ‘m not in heat.”

“I know, your last one was only a month ago,” Taehyung chuckles. “But Jin-hyung said you were off, might be a cold or some kind of hormone imbalance. You were burning up.”

“Oh.” Now that Jungkook’s paying attention, he does feel a little woozy.

“Have you been eating okay?” Taehyung nuzzles his temple, swiping away a drop of sweat. Jungkook pushes into the touch with a whimper. He loves it when Taehyung dotes on him. “Sleeping okay?”

“Yeah...” Jungkook sighs. “Last time with my sudden heat, Moonbyul-ssi said it was probably caused by emotional stressors. Um, being new to the pack and everything.”

Taehyung’s little smile falters. “You’ve been stressed?” he asks, his voice dipping.

“N-not like that, just, it’s a different environment, and I lived such a bland and, like, routine life before so I think I’m. Not used to feeling so much.”

“I see,” Taehyung says, still sounding worried.

“It’s okay, I’m really happy every day,” Jungkook tells him, pressing his face into his neck. Taehyung sighs.

“Good.”

They reach the heat hut soon, and while Jungkook is grateful to have a place to himself where he doesn’t have to worry about waking anyone up if he starts coughing or sniffling in the case it really is a cold, he knows he’s going to be lonely. He almost doesn’t let go when Taehyung lowers him to the bed, his throat barely closing in time to keep the whine from slipping out.

“I’m gonna go get your blankets, I’ll be right back, okay?” Taehyung whispers, kissing him on the forehead. Jungkook tugs at his arm.

“Y-you don’t have to. It’s late, go home and sleep.”

Taehyung shakes his head. “It’ll be quick.”

“But you can’t go into the omega quarters anyway...”

“I’ll knock and ask someone to bring your things. You’re right by the door anyway, aren’t you?”

Jungkook wonders if it’s pathetic how touched he is that Taehyung remembers that. “Y-yeah.”

Taehyung smiles down at him, eyes warm, a line of heavenly moonlight through the window cutting across his face. Jungkook stares up at him with his mouth agape. “Be right back,” Taehyung promises, booping Jungkook on the chin before he leaves.

Jungkook looks at the closed door for a bit, then curls up on the big, empty bed. It’s freezing now that Taehyung’s gone. He thinks about spending the rest of the night like this and tries to ignore the hole that opens up in his stomach.

True to his word, Taehyung returns in no time at all, bearing a massive load of blankets. Jungkook is so grateful he could cry when he sees his favourites among them, the ones that Taehyung gave him during his heat. Even though it’s definitely not a heat this time, the alpha helps him build a nest anyway, insisting it’s no trouble and that Jungkook would feel more at home with one, and he even removes his inner shirt to give to Jungkook just like last time.

He crouches down beside the bed now, holding Jungkook’s hand, his face soft. “I’ll let you get some rest,” he says quietly, stroking over his knuckles.

Jungkook nods and tries not to be obvious about how much he wishes Taehyung could stay, burying his face further in the shirt-covered pillow. This much was enough during his heat, but now that he spends every free moment in Taehyung’s arms and inhales his soap-cotton scent directly from the source, it doesn’t seem like enough anymore. Still, he doesn’t want Taehyung to get sick, so he can’t ask him to stay.

“Goodnight, Taehyungie,” he mumbles, giving his hand a good squeeze. “See you tomorrow?”

“Of course.” Taehyung presses his lips to the back of his hand. “I’ll be here first thing in the morning, baby.”

“But...don’t you have to hunt?”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “They’ll live without me for a day. Sleep well, okay?”

“’Kay.”

Jungkook watches him get further away, step by backward step, until he’s giving Jungkook a small wave and shutting the door without a sound.

As soon as Taehyung’s gone, his brave facade drops and his bottom lip starts wobbling, tears welling up in his eyes. He feels stupid for it but his omega is howling, unable to comprehend why their alpha would leave when they’re feeling vulnerable. He doesn’t want us, it wails in his head, and he shoves his face into his pillow, telling it to stop being overdramatic. Taehyung likes him a lot, he knows this, Jungkook just doesn’t want him to get sick, that’s all. And Taehyung promised he’d be here first thing in the morning anyway, all Jungkook needs to do is stop freaking out for nothing and sleep a full eight hours so he can get better.

But his body refuses to listen to him and the longer sleep evades him, the more frustrated he gets, which only makes him cry more. He jams his face into his pillow. Taehyung’s scent helps, it’s just...not enough.

He doesn’t hear the knock on the door, nor the sound of it clicking open, but he does hear Taehyung’s, “Hey, ba—Jungkook?!”

He’s by his side in a flash, kneeling next to the bed with his hands cupping Jungkook’s face and thumbing at his tears. His eyes dart over him in a panic. “Baby, why are you crying? What’s wrong? Does something hurt?”

Jungkook shakes his head, blubbering incoherently. It’s so frustrating being emotional sometimes, he wishes his stupid hormones would just behave, and now he’s  madder at himself because why did Taehyung come back? He shouldn’t have, he should go, he needs his own rest.

“Shh, shh, darling, it’s okay,” Taehyung murmurs, stroking his face. “Tell hyung what’s wrong, is it your head? Do you have a headache?” Jungkook nods, scrubbing at his eyes, because his head does hurt a little. Taehyung presses his palm to his forehead. “Your fever’s still pretty bad...are you too hot?”

“C-cold,” he stammers out, grasping at Taehyung’s wrists even though he keeps telling himself to let go. Taehyung watches how Jungkook’s hands are clinging to him, and he seems to understand then.

“Jungkookie...” He lets Jungkook pull him closer. “Were you lonely?” he coos. Butterfly kisses sweep over Jungkook’s cheeks, which he tilts his head up for, wordlessly asking for more, needing it. Until he remembers and shrinks back.

“You’ll get sick,” he whines.

Taehyung stares at him. He laughs.

“Jungkook-ah, we were kissing for, what, a good half hour earlier today? If I get sick, I get sick. It’s too late to worry.”

Jungkook clamps his mouth shut. He forgot about that. “O-oh.”

Taehyung grins, brushing his thumb over Jungkook’s lips, and Jungkook kisses it reflexively. “Sweetheart,” Taehyung sighs, leaning over to press their mouths together. “I left because I thought you wouldn’t want rumours floating around,” he whispers against Jungkook’s lips. “But I came back to ask if I could stay. I’ll drag a chair over—”

“Why,” Jungkook whimpers, pulling at his arms. “Sleep here with me.”

Taehyung glances at his nest. “Are you sure?”

“We’ve already slept together in a tent, hyungie, come on.”

“Well...that’s true.”

So Taehyung removes his cloak and carefully climbs in beside Jungkook with his back facing the rest of the hut, and the omega tugs at him until he’s caged between Taehyung’s body and his wall of blankets. Shivers of contentment shake through him, the bliss of Taehyung’s arms tight around him washing through him as the elder lays kisses over the crown of his head, making his mind go foggy again. He’s never been so comfortable in his life.

Although, something Taehyung said sticks to his mind like a thorn. “I...I didn’t even think about the rumours,” he says, lips grazing over Taehyung’s neck. “Um—hyung, I get nervous thinking about people talking about us, but—you’re way more important than that. It’s only, um, I don’t know, maybe I’m overly conscious about some people, but...”

“Who?” Taehyung asks, rubbing his back.

“Um. Nayeon and her friends.”

“Why?”

“B-because she likes you?”

The back rubs stop. “Jungkook. Nayeon doesn’t like me.”

He pushes off of Taehyung’s chest and peers up at him. “Huh?”

“I don’t even know who Nayeon is,” Taehyung says with a twist to his mouth, his forehead wrinkling. “So she can’t like me. She doesn’t know me.”

“B-but—”

“At most, it’s infatuation.” His hand returns to Jungkook’s back, the rhythmic patting slowing his heart beat. “She probably just likes the idea of me.”

Jungkook frowns, thinking back to how disappointed she seemed when Taehyung rejected her invitation to dance, and the times he’s caught her watching Taehyung since, her eyes trailing after him like she can’t help herself, a sight so familiar to him that he hasn’t been able to forget it.

“And, I’m going to be honest here.” Taehyung’s lips pull taut as he gathers his thoughts. “Even if she does like me, I don’t care, Jungkook. You’re the only one I’m looking at. She’s not your friend. Are you even friends with her friends? You’re not guilty of anything, so you should live the way you want without worrying about her.” He soothes the harshness of his words with a peck to Jungkook’s nose. “Let her give up.”

The words roll in his mind for a moment, Jungkook waiting for them to settle. On some level, he’s taken aback by how cold Taehyung’s acting, how immune he can be to someone else’s feelings, because it doesn’t fit into Jungkook’s knowledge of who Taehyung is: a responsible, selfless friend; a man that the leader of the pack trusts and adores as a brother; the most caring, considerate, gentle lover he could have ever imagined. And Jungkook could feel intimidated by the gap between how Taehyung treats the people he considers his family and the people he doesn’t, but only days ago, Jungkook himself was thinking about how his heart has been so thoroughly divided and dedicated to the people he cares about that he has nothing left to spare for strangers. He doesn’t have the time, energy, or the will to hang out with other people, much less care deeply for them.

He has no clue if that’s a correct mindset to have, but it’s how he feels at this point in his life, and he finds that he doesn’t blame Taehyung at all for sparing even less of himself than Jungkook does. It’s hard to be generous when the love he once offered freely has been scorned time and time again. Jungkook thinks he understands.

And he can’t deny how happy he is that Taehyung saves so much of himself for Jungkook.

Both he and his omega preen. Taehyung is his. He belongs to Jungkook.

“You’re right, hyung,” he murmurs. He kisses Taehyung’s adam’s apple and closes his eyes, his eyelashes brushing over Taehyung’s skin. “I don’t wanna waste time worrying about other people anymore.”

“Mm-hm?”

“Yeah. Now please cuddle me harder.”

Taehyung lets out a disbelieving laugh because he’s asked for the unachievable, it’s physically not possible to get any closer. Still, Taehyung never disappoints. He practically climbs on top of Jungkook to nuzzle him all over the face, and Jungkook squeals, wriggling under him.

“What, isn’t this what you wanted?” Taehyung teases, smooching his cheeks and nose and mouth. “Isn’t it, hmm?”

Jungkook sighs, going limp from the kisses. All four of his limbs are hugging Taehyung to him, no space to be found between their bodies. “Yes,” he breathes. Taehyung leaves a lingering kiss on his lips, then a final, chaste one.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” he whispers.

And Jungkook does.

Chapter Text

His fingers and toes come to awareness first, followed by his sense of smell. His alpha’s scent permeates throughout the room and deep within the blankets and pillows that wall him in, buoying him.

Next are his arms, which he pats around the mattress, and when he realizes that Taehyung isn’t there, his mood plummets so violently that he tries to just go back to sleep. Except then he hears familiar footsteps elsewhere in the cabin, and that has him blinking open his blurry eyes.

The heat huts are bare, consisting of one large open space that holds a bed, a sofa, dining table set, small kitchen in one corner, and a door to a minimal bathroom in another. Taehyung’s standing by the kitchen counter looking through the cupboards. There are a couple trays of food in front of him that he pokes at, though Jungkook can’t see what it is from his angle.

As Taehyung continues to putter around, calmly locating plates and cutlery, Jungkook wonders if this is what being mated would be like. Waking up to each other—it would’ve been better to have Taehyung wake up next to him, though—and having breakfast together every day, with Jungkook cooking since Taehyung can’t, but knowing him, he’d probably insist on doing the dishes in return.

The massive amounts of hope and love swelling in his chest are too much for Jungkook to contain, and soon he’s croaking out, “Hyungie.” Taehyung turns from where he was setting down their plates at the table, the corners of his mouth curving up.

“Jungkook-ah. I was just about to wake you.” His morning voice is even deeper than his normal one, less smooth, more raspy. Jungkook hides his face behind his blanket, only letting his eyes peek out. He watches Taehyung fetch a cup of water before crossing the room and plopping down on the floor by the bed.

He places a warm palm on Jungkook’s forehead, humming. “I think your fever’s gone. Here, drink this.” An arm around Jungkook’s back helps him sit up and he gulps down most of the water in one go.

“Thank you, hyungie,” he says, wiping his mouth.

Taehyung pats his cheek. “Wanna have breakfast? Jin-hyung brought some food earlier. And four raw eggs, for whatever reason. I tried frying them but they’re a little burnt.”

“You cooked for me?” Jungkook gasps, but Taehyung scrunches his nose.

“I wouldn’t really call it cooking...don’t get your hopes up.”

“It’s okay!” Jungkook chirps, hopping out of his nest. “I like my eggs a little burnt anyway!”

He gets nudged into one of the chairs while Taehyung sits across from him, and Jungkook immediately clamps one of Taehyung’s legs between his calves, grinning at him. The elder sends him a wry, indulgent look and tells him to eat.

Jin’s brought full trays for them both, one piece of toast along with sausages, potatoes, a cup of milk, and a bowl of fruit for each. The eggs are on separate plates. Jungkook notices that Taehyung’s look considerably more charred, while Jungkook’s has patches of golden-brown over some parts but the black edges were cleanly sliced off. His piece of toast has peanut butter spread over one half and strawberry jam over the other, just the way he likes it. It’s a thicker layer than he usually does, a tad messy too, with some corners of the bread conspicuously bald, but Jungkook doesn’t care. He doesn’t care at all. He’s so touched but he can’t let himself cry over toast.

“Taehyungie,” he snivels. Taehyung looks a bit alarmed as he gets up and rounds the table, though he catches him instinctively when Jungkook falls into his arms. “Y-you’re so good to me.”

“Uh,” Taehyung says, bewildered. He pulls Jungkook on to his lap. “What, the eggs?”

“Yeah, and how’d you know I like my toast like that,” Jungkook fusses.

“I—we’ve had breakfast together a few times, in the dining hall.”

“You remembered?”

“...Yeah?” Taehyung says, as if it’s only natural for him to commit to memory how Jungkook enjoys his bread. 

Jungkook whimpers some more, smooshes his face against Taehyung’s ear. “Thank you.”

Taehyung chuckles warmly and sighs like Jungkook is the most hopeless thing. He strokes the back of Jungkook’s head. “You thank me for the most random things sometimes.”

“Not that random,” Jungkook retorts, because he’s always most grateful to have Taehyung’s affections.

“Yeah, okay. Your food’s gonna get cold, you know.”

After breakfast, Taehyung doesn’t let him wash the dishes. He makes him go sit down on the couch, declaring that he should rest up, and Jungkook wants to protest that he feels completely fine already. But then he gets thinking—if he plays up not being fine, will they get to stay here together all day, just the two of them?

“Um...hyungie?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you—do you think we could stay here today? If, uh, if you’re not busy?”

Taehyung finishes setting the last bowl on the drying rack and turns to him, wiping his hands on a towel. “Why?” he asks, a concerned wrinkle between his brows.

“Um.” And Jungkook throws out the idea of playing up his sickness, not wanting to worry Taehyung for nothing. “I just.” He fiddles with the sleeves of his tunic. “I-I thought it might be nice to spend the day together? Here?”

Taehyung relaxes, his face easing into a smile. “Sure. Let’s do that.”

“Really?” Jungkook rises to his knees on the couch, gripping at the back of it as he stares wide-eyed at Taehyung. He can’t believe his good fortune. He must have really done something right in a past life.

“Yeah, baby.” Taehyung comes over, kissing him on the forehead. “I’m gonna go grab some stuff from Namjoon-hyung real quick though. Do you need anything?”

“Oh, I can go wi—”

“No. Your fever only broke last night, you should stay here.”

Jungkook grins at his overprotectiveness. “Um. I have a book in the omega quarters, could I get that? And, maybe, some parchment and my paints? If that’s okay?”

“Of course it’s okay,” his boyfriend chuckles. “Got it, book, parchment, paints. I’ll be back in half an hour, probably.”

Jungkook takes Taehyung’s hand in his, tracing over his big knuckles. “I’ll be here.”

For the first few minutes after Taehyung’s gone, Jungkook lies around, spacing out, grinning to himself as he imagines playing house with Taehyung for the whole day. It’ll be so fun to pretend to be a mated couple, Jungkook has so much fodder for things he’d love to try from watching Jimin and Yoongi and Namjoon and Jin. And he’s been reading this “manga” novel thing that Jimin gave him the other day about a high school girl who lost her parents. Left alone with her baby brother, she ends up contract-marrying her teacher, who she slowly falls in love with, but they obviously have to keep their relationship a secret from everyone. Jungkook’s never been to school before, but he’s pretty sure there’s something wrong with the morality there, even if the girl’s nineteen and the teacher’s twenty-two. The storyline is fantastic, though, he can’t deny that.

He perks up, remembering the cute, coupley things they did in the manga and wondering if Taehyung would be weirded out if he tried them. Well, there’s only one way to find out, and Jungkook’s curious enough to not let his nervousness get in the way. Taehyung’s always been so receptive of everything he brings up. Surely, it’ll be fine.

He waits for the twist of the door knob, then the door’s opening and Taehyung’s stepping inside with all their things, one hand pulling off his moccasin. “I’m back, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook leaps over the back of the couch and glides to a stop in front of him. “W-welcome home, h-honey!” Taehyung’s head snaps up, his foot still halfway in the air. “W-would you like dinner? A bath?” Jungkook does a little twirl. “O-o-or me...?”

Taehyung gapes. A stack of paper slips through his grip, falling to the floor with a splat. Neither of them pays it any attention. Taehyung’s eyes are rounder than they’ve ever been, and Jungkook does his best not to combust, unable to meet his gaze for more than a millisecond at a time.

The silence that stretches between them is so overbearing that eventually he can’t take it anymore, shrinking in on himself, his heart falling into his stomach. “S-s-sorry,” he laughs. “It was j-just a joke, hyung...haha...”

“Who taught you that?” Taehyung asks, barely a whisper.

Jungkook fidgets. “I-I read it in a manga.”

There’s a creak of the floorboards, and Jungkook looks up to find Taehyung setting down the things he brought. Then he trudges over to Jungkook with a quirk to his lips.

“And what do I get if I choose you?” he asks, right as his hands close over Jungkook’s waist. Jungkook worries his lip between his teeth.

“I don’t know,” he mutters, because Taehyung obviously has him already. “But I was thinking we could...cuddle.”

A wave of relief washes through him when Taehyung starts laughing so hard that he covers his mouth, his shoulders shaking. “In that case, I choose you, honey,” he teases, and Jungkook brightens, absolutely beams at him. He launches himself into Taehyung’s arms with shaky legs and Taehyung laughs a little harder, snuggling him.

“Thought you were mad,” Jungkook says sadly, rubbing his face in the alpha’s chest.

“What?” Taehyung cards his fingers through his hair, cupping his head to his shoulder like he’s precious. “Why would I be mad?”

“I-I dunno, you froze up and I thought, maybe you didn’t want to pretend.”

“Ah, is that what we’re doing today?” Taehyung laughs. “Are we pretending to be a mated couple?”

“Yeah, i-it’s practice for the future.” Jungkook buries his face harder against Taehyung. He could be imagining it, but he thinks he can hear Taehyung’s heart picking up speed. The sharp intake of breath though, he definitely didn’t imagine that.

“Okay, honey,” Taehyung breathes out, the slightest tremble to the edges of his voice. “My dear mate. What would you like to do first?”

Despite his overflowing enthusiasm, there’s not much that Jungkook actually wants to do. For a bit, he perches his chin on Taehyung’s shoulder and reads bits and pieces of whatever correspondence he’s reviewing, but he gets bored of that soon and ends up stretched across the couch with his head in Taehyung’s lap, reading the book Taehyung brought him. The schoolgirl manga. When he shows Taehyung the scene where she waits for Mr. Teacher to get back home, like Jungkook did, Taehyung’s face crinkles in laughter. Then, very tentatively, he says, “Honey, you...realize what they’re implying with the ‘or do you want me’ part, right?”

His tone suggests that he knows Jungkook knows, so Jungkook feels no need to clarify, pretending not to hear him as he flips a page, even though he’s sure his face must be glowing red. Of course he understands the meaning behind the question. He might not have ever—been intimate with anyone, but he’s not that naive.

He hears Taehyung sigh, followed by a mutter under his breath, what sounds suspiciously like “so fucking cute.” Jungkook’s face gets even hotter.

Time passes astonishingly quickly despite them not doing anything particularly exciting. They’re not even talking for most of it, only seeking comfort from being close through small, subtle touches. Occasionally, Jungkook comes across a moving scene and nudges Taehyung to show him. A couple times, Taehyung releases a sigh, lays his head back against the couch and strokes Jungkook’s head like he’s petting a cat. Whenever he does, Jungkook gets sleepy enough that he abandons his manga to hug Taehyung around the waist and wedges his face into the alpha’s nice, firm abdomen.

Hours later, their dreamy, bubble-like paradise is interrupted by a knock. It’s Jimin, with two trays of peeled potatoes and carrots, plus onion, curry powder, and rice.

“Hello, li’l marshmallow, li’l marshmallow’s keeper.” He thrusts the trays at them. “I heard from Yoongi who heard from Jin-hyung who heard from Namjoon-hyung that you guys are having a little date today, so here’s some food, you’re welcome. Oh, and a little birdie told me that Hayoung-noona’s making something special for dinner tonight, so you might wanna come to the dining hall for that.”

“Great, thanks,” Taehyung says, and is obviously about to close the door in Jimin’s face, but Jungkook pops out from under his arm.

“Thank you, hyung.”

Jimin croons at him, ruffling his hair. “How’d you come up with such a cute date idea, huh? What nonsense did you read this time?”

“You’re the one that feeds him all the nonsense,” Taehyung quips, though his disgruntled expression becomes gruntled when Jungkook hugs his side.

“Wanted Taehyungie to myself today,” he grins. He feels boastful about it because Taehyung is willing to put aside his plans for a whole day to be with him and do nothing together. He’s so blessed. Jimin crows something about “the fall of the brick wall” while Taehyung pinches the bridge of his nose, his jaw clenched.

“Okay, bye Jimin,” Taehyung says loudly, and this time Jungkook lets him close the door with a last wave at his hyung.

“I’ll cook!” Jungkook takes the trays, marching into the kitchen. “Jimin-hyung brought the mild powder, he knows you don’t like spicy food?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung trails behind him into the kitchen. “He’s known me for too long.” Jungkook’s ears perk up. Now there’s a topic that really piques his interest.

“How’d you meet?” he asks. 

“We were young, it was some celebration in the capital, a parade or something. A lot of the clans were there. I met Yoongi-hyung and Hoseok-hyung soon after at a different event.”

“Ohh, that sounds fun.”

Taehyung smirks. “Not really, it was those rich folk affairs where people dressed up in their best silks and we had to act friendly while talking down to everyone to make sure they knew who was on top.” Jungkook regards Taehyung in horror.

“I take it back, definitely not fun.”

“Nope.”

“Wait, all four of you went to these rich people parades?”

“Yeah. Hoseok-hyung and Yoongi-hyung are both sons of Generals, they’re from lines of warriors. Jimin comes from old money. I met Jin-hyung and Namjoon-hyung much later, but you know Jin-hyung’s a Gwangsan Kim too, so Namjoon-hyung’s kind of the only ‘normal’ one. I think he’s from a family of merchants.”

“Oh, wow. I couldn’t have guessed that.”

Taehyung shrugs. “I mean, everybody acts the way they do, like dorks,” he mutters under his breath, “so it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.”

“I’m glad.” Jungkook smiles, bumping his hip. “We’re normal, boring, non-Generals and non-royalty now, and I-I wouldn’t have met any of you otherwise.”

“That’s right, baby,” Taehyung gives him a cheesy kiss on the cheek, making him giggle. “I’ll help you cut the veggies.”

“No, it’s o—”

“I want to.”

So Jungkook hands him the potatoes, onions, and carrots, instructing him on how they should be sliced while they wait for the water to boil. When Taehyung starts tearing up from the onions, Jungkook breaks out in laughter, cooing and reaching up to dab at his eyes with his sleeve.

“Shit, these are killer,” Taehyung hisses, which only makes Jungkook double over. “Honey, don’t make fun of me, I’m suffering for you right now.”

“O-oh yeah, sorry, honey,” Jungkook hiccups. “My big, strong alpha annihilating those onions for me.” Taehyung growls at him and yanks him close with an arm around his waist, nipping at his jaw, making Jungkook squeak and swat at him.

After he’s done with his chopping, Jungkook takes over, dumping the ingredients into a pot and stirring as they wait for them to cook. “Wish we had chicken,” he says wistfully. “Curry isn’t as good with only veggies.”

“It’s okay. We can make it with chicken next time.”

Taehyung silently watches him work for a bit. Jungkook tries not to be conscious about him as he mixes the curry powder into the pot, but it’s hard to ignore when Taehyung isn’t exactly bothering to be inconspicuous.

“Curry looks easy enough that even I could make it,” the elder comments from somewhere behind him, and Jungkook smiles.

“Yeah, it’s pretty fast too!”

“Mm-hmm.”

When warmth wraps around him, pressing flush to his back, Jungkook jolts, nearly dropping his stir spoon. He gapes down at the half-cooked curry, heat shooting up the back of his neck. 

They’ve kissed loads by now but he doesn’t think Taehyung’s ever given him a back hug before. There’s something so intimate about it, not being able to see the person who’s curled around him like this, and he can’t reciprocate either, all he can do is accept the affection. Maybe that’s what makes him feel so gooey and helpless—no one gives a back hug to receive anything in return, it’s just something they do when they want to touch the other person. Jungkook’s knees might be well on their way to failing him, but Taehyung enshrouding him so completely makes him feel safer than anything, shutting off the part of his brain that always has his senses stretched around him to cover his back.

And Jungkook feels silly for practically writing an essay in his head about the joys of a back hug, but he can't help that he’s melting, with Taehyung’s head leaned against his and lips grazing over his ear, drifting down the column of his neck. He thinks he would’ve slid down to the floor ages ago if Taehyung wasn’t holding him so well.

“Hyung,” he whines, his entire weight supported by the alpha. “T-the curry’s gonna burn.”

Taehyung chuckles, right into his ear, and Jungkook shivers so hard there’s no way he didn’t feel it. “I’m not stopping you from cooking, honey.”

“L-let go...”

To his utter shock and disappointment, Taehyung actually does, though he remains a steady wall behind Jungkook. Jungkook barely traps his whimper behind his teeth in time, his lips pouting out as he returns to stirring the pot.

“Sorry sweetheart, I didn’t want to ruin your hard work,” Taehyung says, so sincerely that Jungkook has no choice but to forgive him. Also because Taehyung puts his hands on his waist and places a kiss on his hair.

“Oh, by the way...” Jungkook clears his throat. “Um, sorry I was so needy yesterday. I don’t—I don’t really know what happened, but. I didn’t mean to be so clingy.”

Taehyung goes still behind him. Then he maneuvers Jungkook to face him, the omega content to abandon their food for a minute to peer up at his alpha. He’s been feeling bad about it for a while now about how needy he’s been lately, and also confused, considering he’s never been the type. He doesn’t really need things, and it doesn’t bother him when he isn’t able to have them. He’s been getting greedier, especially when it comes to Taehyung.

“What are you talking about?” Taehyung demands, pinching his cheek so gently he wouldn’t even pinken the skin. “I haven’t had such a good sleep since the time we went camping.”

Jungkook wriggles his face out of Taehyung’s hands, hanging his head. “I just, I feel like I ask a lot of you,” he says. He’s ashamed. “You take such good care of me, but I—I don’t know what to do for you because you’re not dependent like I am...”

“Baby, what? The only thing you ever ask from me is to spend time together, or cuddle.” Jungkook coughs, embarrassed. “And there’s something you don’t understand.” Taehyung cups his face in both hands, forcing him to meet his eyes. “I love doing things for you. I love doting on you. I don’t know if it’s biology because we’re alpha and omega, or if it’s how our personalities are built, but I wouldn’t change a thing.” His thumbs swipe over the delicate skin under Jungkook’s eyes, his face soft like it always gets when he looks at Jungkook. “Being the one person that you look for whenever you need anything gives me a rush, you know. And I do depend on you, I don’t know why you think the things you do for me aren’t just as good.”

“L-like what?” Jungkook asks, needing to know what he’s done to make Taehyung happy.

“That portrait of me.”

Jungkook finally gave it to him a few days ago, the painting he spent hours and hours on making sure it was perfect. Its beauty could never live up to the actual person, but he was proud of the final product, elated that it captured at least a fraction of Taehyung’s otherworldliness, which was especially dazzling in front of the backdrop of snowy forest, the winterberry crown sat daintily over his black hair. Jungkook recreated him looking out of the painting with a serene expression and molten eyes. “I got emotional thinking of the work you put into it,” Taehyung confesses, smiling sheepishly. “You’re such a talent.”

Jungkook burrows his face into Taehyung’s chest. “W-what else do I do for you?” he asks, and Taehyung laughs.

“Everything, god. Jungkook, you know I—I’m not used to being affectionate with anyone. It’s all the little things, like the way you light up whenever you see me, I...” his voice peters off. “I depend on that.”

These are among the nicest things anyone has ever said to Jungkook. The top three on his list are all from Taehyung, in fact. He can’t believe his love could have such an effect on the alpha.

“Taehyungie,” he whines, can’t think of anything to say to that. Taehyung has slowly taken over his world, and he’s so glad that it never even occurred to him to try stopping it. “I’m gonna make you the best curry you’ve ever had!” he cries, in a burst of adoration. Then he frowns, pulling away. “Wait, never mind, I’m not that confident about it. Um, it’ll just be good curry, hopefully.”

Taehyung wrinkles his nose at him before drawing him into the softest kiss. “The things you say,” he whispers, scolding Jungkook with his words but rewarding him with kisses.

At this point, Jungkook decides he’s overshot his quota of how flustered he can get in a day without exploding, and lets Taehyung finish with a last, long kiss on his mouth before pulling back. He shoos him away, knowing his boyfriend won’t be offended with Jungkook’s red ears out like flashing beacons, plain for him to see.

“C-can’t burn the curry,” he mutters, and Taehyung laughs, giving him a squeeze around the waist for good measure before floating off to set the table.

Jungkook’s made up his mind to be more productive in the afternoon, so to digest first, he wanders around the cabin, exploring every nook and cranny, pulling back the curtains to peer outside. It’s a cloudy day today. He likes this type of weather, where the sun isn’t blinding but they aren’t freezing their butts off either.

Taehyung’s back on the couch with his sleep-inducing documents again, lips pursed and wrinkles in his forehead. But occasionally Jungkook will wander by and he’ll catch Taehyung looking at him even though he was so concentrated a second ago. It’s very flattering.

He pats his belly, deciding he’s waited long enough to be able to crouch over a table for a couple hours—he tries to correct his posture every time he notices he’s slouching but he’s so used to painting like that—so he makes himself comfortable on the floor between Taehyung’s legs, back against the bottom of the couch, and starts spreading his things out on the table. Soon he’s immersed in a landscape painting of a dark green mountain with the sun rising behind it.

Every now and then, Taehyung gets up to grab water or eat a snack, offering them to Jungkook too, but he’s fine without. He doesn’t notice much around him while he works over the parchment. Somehow he ends up lying stomach-down on the floor with the painting in front of him, clapping his ankles together in rhythm with his bigger, bolder brush strokes.

A few hours have passed, maybe two or three, when Taehyung lies down beside him, also on his stomach with his chin propped in his hands. He doesn’t say much, probably not wanting to disturb him. But Jungkook can feel his gaze on the way he moves his brush and he’d always, always welcome Taehyung as a distraction.

“Did you finish your homework?” he murmurs, teasing.

Taehyung groans. “Yeah, finally.” He shifts closer to press their sides together. Jungkook lets out a happy hum. “Where’d you get the inspiration for this?”

“Oh, uh, during our trip. The sky kinda looked like this.”

“The sunrise?” Taehyung pauses. Then snickers. “I’m surprised you remember it. If I recall correctly, you were crying pretty hard about how unfair life was for me.”

Jungkook splutters, flailing. He gasps when a tiny droplet of pink lands where it wasn’t supposed to go and makes a mental note to cover it up later when the paint is dry. “I—I mean, I wasn’t wrong, hyung!” That earns him a laugh.

Taehyung goes quiet for long enough that Jungkook thinks he might be napping, especially since he must be tired from all that reading, but when he glances over, Taehyung is wide awake, watching the painting come together.

“So, how come you go to every meeting too?” Jungkook asks as he finishes up with the pinks of the sky, moving on to orange.

“Hmm?”

“You said Yoongi-hyung always goes ‘cause he knows everything about anything. Why do you go then?”

“Ah.” Taehyung exhales. “I guess I know the surrounding areas better. I spent months travelling even after joining the pack, whenever I got restless. So I drew up the maps we have for our territory, and some stuff beyond it.”

Jungkook tilts his head, blinking at him. “Oohh. You probably know more about the capital than the others too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, my boyfriend’s an important man.”

There’s a strange, amused “pffuh” sound from the air bursting out between Taehyung’s lips. “I—no I’m not. Stop. Go back to painting.”

“Hehe.” Jungkook bumps his swinging foot against Taehyung’s and gets a nudge back. “Hey, hyungie?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you sing ‘Winter Bear’ for me again?”

He hears the sharp intake of breath from beside him. “You like it that much?” Taehyung asks, sounding shy.

“Yeah.” Jungkook rests his head on Taehyung’s shoulder. “I think you have a gift for song-writing. And you have such a nice voice.”

“Stop with the compliments or I won’t sing,” Taehyung mutters.

Jungkook mimes buttoning up his mouth, and Taehyung sighs. He doesn’t bother clearing his throat, jumping right into it, a tiny hint of gravel mixed in with the smooth, soothing quality of his voice.

“She looks like a blue parrot,” he sings quietly, tentatively, and Jungkook bobs his head in support.

“Would you come fly to me?
I want some good day, good day, good day
Good day, good day
Looks like a winter bear
You sleep so happily
I wish you a good night, good night, good night
Good night, good night.”

“Good night,” Jungkook echoes, something in his chest squeezing, like his heart’s been replaced by a lemon, its sourness dissolving deep inside him. The ache spreads out to the very tips of his fingers. His hand has stopped moving, held still over the paper, and his brush is forgotten until it’s taken from him and set aside.

Then there are gentle fingers under his chin, tilting his face up for their mouths to meet. Jungkook’s eyes flutter shut, his lips parting to move against Taehyung’s in a slow, familiar dance. They don’t move to get closer to each other, and they don’t hasten the pace or deepen the kiss, but the tender movements of their mouths build a warmth inside of Jungkook.

Taehyung’s lips are soft. Always soft. Jungkook listens to him breathe. Even after all this time, it feels surreal to have Taehyung like this. Through his closed eyelids, he sees a gradual change in the light of the room, a brightening of hazy yellow. 

When Taehyung draws back, their lips part with a quiet sound.

Jungkook opens his eyes. Afternoon sunlight, its cutting brilliance mellowed by the clouded sky, has washed the walnut walls of the cabin to golden oak. It casts Taehyung’s face in warmth, softening his sharp edges.

“I love you,” Taehyung says, his expression identical to the one Jungkook painted, that serenity from when they sat together in the snow and offered tiny pieces of themselves to each other for the first time. In this light, his dark eyes are like polished smoky quartz with dragon’s fire inside of them, from that red that sometimes sparks to life when he looks at Jungkook.

Taehyung’s handsome, yes, anyone can see that. But Jungkook has also come to discover the sweetness of his smile, the adorable crinkles at the corners of his eyes when he does. How cute and endearing he can be. Jungkook will protect his heart with everything he has.

“I love you,” Jungkook whispers.

He’s never said that to anyone before, not even to his parents because he was young and didn’t know these types of things needed to be said aloud no matter how obvious they were. He didn’t know he could feel so much from three overused words, but he does. It’s like a great, yawning pit has opened in his gut and his insides are collapsing into it.

“Taehyungie.” He reaches up and touches his alpha’s cheek. “I—I meant it when I said I want to mate during my next heat.”

Cracks appear in Taehyung’s expression loving expression, blooms of vulnerability. He searches Jungkook’s face.

“You’re sure,” he says. It’s not a question. He can see how sure Jungkook is.

“Yes.”

Jungkook watches, swallowing heavily as Taehyung takes his hand and lifts it to his mouth. He kisses his knuckles without looking away from Jungkook for a second.

“It would be my honour to have you as my mate,” Taehyung murmurs with glittering eyes.

And Jungkook doesn’t cry. He doesn’t. But it’s close.

Chapter Text

“Oh, Jungkook-ah. What are you doing here?”

Jungkook glances over his shoulder and spots Jin wandering in from the other entrance of the communal kitchen. “Hi, hyung. I’m making gimbap.”

“Gimbap? Why? We just had lunch.”

“Ah, it’s for Taehyungie-hyung.”

“Tae—ohhh.” Jin slithers over to him with an evil smirk. “Isn’t he supposed to still be in town for a few days?”

Jungkook nods as he slices the gimbap into thin pieces. One of the rolls is tuna mayo, the other egg and veggie, Taehyung’s favourites. Or, well, Taehyung doesn’t like having veggies in the egg one, but he hasn’t had a loving, home-cooked meal in a week now and Jungkook wants to make sure he gets at least some healthy stuff in him.

“I-I’m gonna go visit him,” he says. The huffy, judgy noises that Jin makes don’t faze him...much. Considering he’s already been stewing in embarrassment ever since he made up his mind to go, what’s a little more? Yes, it’s a bit embarrassing that Taehyung’s been in town for business for only a week, and now Jungkook’s going to go hunt him down because he misses him and can’t wait a few more days...but he thinks Taehyung might be glad to see him too.

It’s not like he’s staying long anyway, he’ll just chat a bit, drop off the snacks, maybe sneak in a nice, long hug and some kisses before leaving. He doesn’t want to distract them from whatever they’re there for after all. Unless Taehyung asks him to stay, of course, in which case he would be thrilled to. Very thrilled.

“So how is it?” Jin asks, pulling him out of his daydream about what sort of face Taehyung might make when he sees him. “Being in love for the first time?”

The box he’s filling with gimbap nearly fumbles out of his hands, his eyes darting over to where Jin’s found a home on one of the rickety kitchen chairs. His warm smile has Jungkook’s honest feelings spilling out.

“Scary,” he admits. “It’s scary to care so much for someone.” Jin nods understandingly. “But Taehyungie-hyung, um, he makes me feel safe. I mean, physically, but also, like, I can trust him not to...break my heart.” He thinks back to the day he woke up early to see Taehyung off, how he nestled Jungkook into his arms and pressed sweet kisses over his face, laughing at Jungkook’s whines about how he’s going to miss him. “I’ll be back before you know it, sweetheart,” he said, planting his face in Jungkook’s neck and scenting him thoroughly, and Jungkook reveled in it, lying pliant in his embrace as he scolded Taehyung for spouting nonsense. Because Jungkook was already feeling his absence.

Jin laughs. “That’s really good to hear. You know, I met Taehyung after, well. After he gave up on people. But from what I’ve heard from Jimin and Hoseok, he seems like the type to love with his entire heart.” Jungkook grins. That sounds right to him. “Apparently, he’s on a whole other level for you, though. Like, Jimin still reels about it sometimes.”

He blushes. “R-really?” Oh no, now he wants to see Taehyung even more.

“Yeah. Yoongi said so, so you know you can believe it.”

Jungkook flops over the counter and cups his hands over his ears. That makes him so happy. “I-I love him,” he whines.

“Yeah, that’s old news,” Jin cackles, smacking him on the shoulder. “Anyway, I should get going, I don’t even remember why I came in here.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll probably see you at dinner, hyung.”

“Yeah, sounds good. You’re going with the others, right? Stay together, don’t wander off on your own.” And Jin leaves with a pat on his back. Jungkook frowns at his retreating figure, then around at the empty kitchen, unsure what he meant by going with the others because obviously he’s going to visit Taehyung by himself? Oh, unless he’s referring to Jimin and Yoongi, who went to town with him. Right, that makes sense.

Half an hour later, Jungkook’s stowed his boxes in a backpack and setting off into the forest. Travelling in wolf form would be faster but he’d probably mess up the food if he carried it that way, and there isn’t snow on the ground anymore so it’s not too bad. He speeds up when he reaches the town gates, so excited that he wants to go sprinting down the streets.

Once he’s actually in the heart of the town, though, he realizes that he has no idea how he’s supposed to find Taehyung. There are way too many scents for him to pick anyone out, so all he can do is hope he bumps into someone familiar. Wow, now that he thinks about it, this was really not the smartest way to go about visiting.

Without any leads, he sticks to the main roads, figuring he’ll have a higher chance of catching sight of someone there while also staying safe. Who knows what sort of creepy alpha would sneak up on him if he went into the alleys.

Hands tight around the straps of his backpack, Jungkook traipses down the street, sticking to the edges so he doesn’t get trampled by the mass of people. He tries to explore the stalls, stopping at some of them to appreciate their goods, but the anxiety at the back of his mind doesn’t let him enjoy himself. He keeps his nose up in the air, staying aware at all times.

By some form of divine intervention, as Jungkook’s passing by a fruit stall, he catches a whiff of soap, cotton, and his alpha.

In a flash, he’s racing down the street straight towards the scent, dodging between crowds of people, ducking under awnings, leaping over stray crates. His bag bounces against his back until he remembers to be careful, slowing down as he gets nearer and nearer. Finally, he spots a head of dark hair standing tall in the distance.

A squeal pushes against the back of his lips. He thinks about yelling Taehyung’s name, but no, he wants to surprise him, wants to see his shocked face up nice and close. As he tiptoes over, he realizes that Taehyung’s speaking to the owner of a stall that has of papers fanned out on its table and hung all over its posts, drawings of everything imaginable in countless different styles. The diversity is incredible, not to mention the detail of each piece. They must be selling supplies or local artwork or something.

Forgetting his plan to surprise Taehyung in his amazement, Jungkook trudges over, calling out, “Taehyu—”

Then he stops. He’s close enough now to see the girl that Taehyung’s talking to wipe away a tear.

His jaw drops.

His first guess is that Taehyung was being his normal straightforward self and accidentally said something too bluntly, like if she confessed and he rejected her without thought, as usual. But the girl is smiling through her tears, and Taehyung’s patting her shoulder comfortingly with an answering smile.

Taehyung. Smiling at a stranger. An omega. Touching them by will.

Before he knows what he’s doing, Jungkook’s stomping over and wrapping himself around Taehyung’s arm.

“Ju—” Taehyung chokes. “Jungkook?”

The girl stares back at him. She’s pretty, with a cute, dainty nose and round doe eyes. Intimidated, Jungkook shuffles until he’s half-hiding behind Taehyung, holding his arm tightly against his chest.

“H-hyungie, who’s this?” he asks quietly.

“What?” Taehyung’s still gaping at him, but Jungkook tugs his sleeve insistently, so he glances back at the girl. “Uh, this is Rina-ssi. What are you doing here, baby? Did you come to buy something?”

Jungkook frowns down at his feet. “I came to visit you...”

He hears Taehyung’s breath hitch in his throat. “You...what? To visit me?”

He nods, pouting. “Missed you.”

The heavy silence that follows makes anxiety swirl in his stomach.

Maybe he shouldn’t have come. He knows Taehyung loves him, but that doesn’t mean Jungkook should bother him when he’s busy with pack matters. Or maybe he wanted to spend some time with Jimin and Yoongi, which is fine, of course, and it’s not fair of Jungkook to impose on them by appearing without warning.

He barely bites back a whimper when Taehyung pulls his arm away, but before the insecurity can consume him, Taehyung’s scooping him up off the ground.

Jungkook yelps. When the alpha yanks him into a hug, his arms and legs automatically curl around him.

“Oh, Jungkookie,” Taehyung exhales, pushing his face against Jungkook’s cheek. “I missed you too, god. You really came all the way here just to visit me?”

Jungkook melts into his butterfly kisses, eyelids fluttering, lips parting. “Y-yeah, hyung, didn’t wanna wait another three days.” 

Taehyung groans and moves to his mouth at last, immediately angling his head for a deep kiss. Jungkook coils tight around him like a koala bear and molds himself against Taehyung’s body, melting into his heat. Taehyung’s mouth is hot and soft, makes him whimper, his toes curling in his shoes. It’s been a measly week but Jungkook feels hollow without Taehyung around to tease him and drown him in affection, always watching him fondly and happy to fulfill Jungkook’s need to be close.

They kiss for a little bit, and it’s the best Jungkook’s felt in too long, floaty from warmth and love. When they break apart, he presses his face into Taehyung’s neck, partly because the scent and partly because he’s coming back to his senses and realized that he kissed his boyfriend out on the street, in public. He’s so embarrassed.

A few seconds of awkward silence go by before he hears Taehyung say, “Uh, so this is my boyfriend Jungkook.”

“I figured,” he hears the girl, Rina, say wryly. Jungkook turns to look at her, his bottom lip bitten between his teeth.

“Sorry,” he mutters, his face blazing.

Her grin grows wider before she bursts into laughter. “Don’t sweat it. I wasn’t trying to steal your man, so you don’t need to worry. I have my own gorgeous omega husband waiting for me at home.”

Mortified, Jungkook resists the urge to hide back in Taehyung’s neck, ducking his head in a quick bow to her. He can feel Taehyung chuckling against him, and Jungkook twists back around to frown sadly at him.

“Baby...” Taehyung sobers, smoothing Jungkook’s hair away from his face. “She was just telling me about her grandfather,” he whispers, his eyes large and remorseful. “He passed away last week.”

Jungkook’s hand flies to his mouth. He turns to Rina again. “Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that,” he says. “And sorry about...um, everything else too.”

“Thank you.” She smiles. “But no worries, seriously, I think Taehyung-ssi here enjoyed your cute jealousy.”

“Adorable,” Taehyung mutters. Jungkook covers his face. “Anyway, I’m gonna go now. Rina-ssi, tell your mom she’s an asshole.” Jungkook gasps and lightly smacks Taehyung on the shoulder. He doesn’t understand why that makes his alpha chuckle at him.

“She doesn’t approve of my mating,” Rina kindly explains to Jungkook, shaking her head. “We’re both omegas so she keeps telling me to find an alpha, never mind that we’ve been mated for two years already. Yeah, I’ll just casually un-mate the love of my life, no biggie.”

Growing up, Jungkook was taught that alphas belong with omegas, and betas with betas, but living in the same pack as so many happy couples who don’t fall into those narrow categories has thoroughly schooled him on what’s right. If Taehyung were an omega and people didn’t approve of the two of them being together, Jungkook would be so upset.

“That’s not fair,” he says, scowling hard. “My hyung, um, his name is Jin-hyung. He’d probably tell you to find a new mom.”

Rina’s eyebrows leap up her forehead and her mouth purses into an ‘o.’ “Oh, goodness,” she breathes. “You’re the cutest thing I’ve ever met.” Jungkook shrinks back, is about to apologize, thinking she must be indirectly reprimanding him for his rude comment, but then she’s looking at Taehyung and declaring, “He’s more my type than you are.”

Taehyung squishes Jungkook against himself, hissing “he’s mine,” at her. Jungkook’s entire body lights up. It feels so nice to be wanted. “We’re going now, bye.”

Rina sends them off with giggles and a merry “goodbye” as Taehyung marches down the road with Jungkook still in his arms. The town’s too busy for anyone to pay attention to them, and Jungkook relaxes, abandoning his self-consciousness to savour the moment.

“You cheered her up in about two seconds,” Taehyung says, his lips brushing his ear. “Thank you.”

“Really? I, uh, I think I saw her crying earlier.” Jungkook starts feeling guilty again. “Sorry I was being possessive.”

“Sweetheart. It’s fine. You can be meaner to the rude ones, if you want.” Jungkook gasps, recognizing the words he told Taehyung before. He stuffs his face into his shoulder. “Jungkook-ah, we’re wolves, it’s our instinct to be possessive,” Taehyung laughs. “As long as you know that I’ll only love you for the rest of our lives, your tiny bouts of jealousy are nothing but cute.”

A high, feeble noise squeaks out of Jungkook’s throat. “S-say that again.”

“What, which part? ‘We’re wolves’?”

“Hyyuung.”

Taehyung sighs indulgently, his breath fanning over Jungkook’s temple. “I love you,” he whispers. Jungkook’s heart writhes in his chest.

“Love you too, Taehyungie,” he coos, snuggling into him.

They’re almost to the inn when Jungkook requests to be put down, not wanting to deal with Jimin and Yoongi’s teasing, especially because he wouldn’t even be able to be annoyed about it—if any of his friends walked in with one carrying the other in their arms, he’d comment on it too.

No one happens to be in the inn room though, and Taehyung says the two are probably out on a date since they finished their business earlier than expected.

“We were actually planning on leaving today,” Taehyung tells him as he sits Jungkook on his bed, puttering around the room, setting down his things. “So we can go back together after Jimin and hyung are back.”

Jungkook perks up. “Really? You’re coming home today?”

“Yeah. Let’s go on a date tomorrow?”

“Okay!”

“Oh, who’d you come with, by the way? We’ll have to go fetch them too so we can all go back together later.”

Jungkook blinks at his back. “What do you mean? I came by myself.”

Taehyung freezes, his hand halfway inside the sock drawer.

Very, very slowly, he turns around. His expression is blank.

“What?” he says.

Confused, Jungkook tilts his head. “I...came alone?”

He realizes something’s wrong when the blood drains from Taehyung’s face. He watches the alpha’s adam’s apple jump as he swallows, as his breaths quicken, his chest rising and falling with them.

“You...came to town alone?”

Jungkook nods hesitantly, starting to worry that he did something wrong.

Taehyung’s forehead screws up. His cheek twitches. “In your wolf form though, right?”

“N-no...” Jungkook whispers, staring up at him.

Goosebumps break out all over his skin at the look in Taehyung’s eyes and the way his jaw tightens.

“Jungkook!” Taehyung bursts out. It’s almost a shout. Jungkook flinches back, eyes wide. He’s never, ever seen Taehyung raise his voice before, not to anyone, much less to him. In a flash, the alpha’s scent has filled the room, slamming into him, screaming aggression, distress, fear.

“I-I’m sorry,” Jungkook’s stammering out before he knows what’s happening, a lump growing in his throat.

Taehyung’s eyes flash in realization and he scrambles over to him, kneeling in front of the bed and yanking Jungkook into a hug.

“I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to yell,” he rushes out.

Jungkook’s bottom lip trembles. “Y-you’re mad at me,” he says in a small voice.

“No, no, I’m not mad, sweetheart.” Taehyung sounds heartbroken, petting his hair so gently. He nudges Jungkook’s face into his neck, where his scent has rapidly calmed to its usual soothing, mild soapiness. “I was just worried.”

“About what...?”

“You can’t come to town alone, Jungkook-ah, bandits hide in the forest sometimes to ambush people on the way. If they found you, they’d hurt you, baby, and I-I—” His voice is shaking so badly that he has to stop for a second. “And with the Mins lately too, everyone’s on edge. Jimin’s told you not to travel alone, hasn’t he?”

Jungkook sniffs, wracking his mind. He’s adopted a habit of tuning Jimin out when he’s working on something that requires a lot of attention and Jimin doesn’t seem to be saying anything more important than idle gossip. If he thinks back though, he might have heard Jimin mention a few times things like, “So I went to town with Yoongi the other day even though we got into a fight the day before, ‘cause, you know, we’re not supposed to go alone,” or “I really wanted to go buy something but no one was free to come with.” Or even, “If you ever try going to town alone, Jungkook-ah, I will beat your ass.”

He clings to Taehyung, nodding guiltily. “I-I think he did...I’m sorry.”

“Shh, shh, it’s okay,” Taehyung whispers. He draws Jungkook off the bed and into his lap, rocking him back and forth as they sit there on the floor. “Just don’t do it again, baby, okay?”

“Yes, hyungie.”

“It’s only to keep you safe,” Taehyung emphasizes, like he’s afraid Jungkook will mistake his insistence for something else. “I’d never tell you where you can or can’t go otherwise.”

“I know,” Jungkook mumbles. He sneaks one of the arms that’s wrapped around Taehyung’s back up to his neck, wiping at it with his sleeve and hoping he didn’t notice the dampness there.

But Taehyung instantly pulls back. He makes a wounded noise, cupping Jungkook’s face in both hands.

“Did you—did I make you cry?” His face falls. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. Did I scare you?”

Jungkook shakes his head, humiliated by how easily he cried, dabbing the back of his hand over his eyes. “N-no, I-I was afraid that I made you mad, wasn’t afraid of you. These are just—surprised tears, I p-promise.” Taehyung continues to apologize, squeezing him comfortingly and placing delicate kisses over his cheek.

“I’m sorry, I panicked,” he says quietly, but Jungkook can hear his shame as clear as day. “If anything ever happened to you, I,” Taehyung swallows thickly, his arms tightening around Jungkook’s back. “You have to keep yourself safe. Understand?”

“O-okay,” Jungkook mumbles into his skin.

Now that the adrenaline’s drained away, his heart aches for a different reason. His normally calm, collected Taehyung lost control in a snap at the thought of Jungkook being in danger, and even though he hates that he scared his alpha like that, Taehyung’s care for him makes him want to cry all over again. “You love me a lot, huh, Taehyungie?”

Taehyung groans. “You don’t even know, baby.”

No matter how busy or stressed he is, Taehyung is always amazingly kind and doting, but for the rest of the afternoon, he’s super extra gentle as they relax in the inn room, cuddled up on the bed and catching up with each other. When Jungkook opens the boxes of gimbap, Taehyung’s face twists in shock and awe and guilt again and Jungkook can’t stand the sight, so he smothers him in kisses until his frown flips upside down and they’re both laughing. Every time Jungkook grins up at him with his mouth open, Taehyung happily feeds him a bite of a roll.

After their snack session, they don’t really have anything planned. Without food between the two of them, Jungkook becomes increasingly aware of how they’re sitting in bed together in a small, enclosed space. He considers waiting for the next lull in conversation to ask for a kiss, but with them, when they feel like talking, they can talk forever.

And he doesn’t want to wait anymore, so he ends up cutting himself off in the middle of a story about Yugyeom to crawl on to Taehyung’s lap and loop his arms around his neck.

Taehyung’s surprised for a second before relaxing against him. They exchange soft kisses, less frenzied than the ones from the market but just as warm. Jungkook hugs him, clinging around his neck, and licks shyly at the seam of Taehyung’s lips. He inhales sharply when Taehyung promptly licks into his mouth. He can feel a bit of that lingering desperation from earlier in how they’re both moving, it has him falling backwards on the bed, pulling Taehyung on top of him, and the full weight of the elder bearing down on him makes him sink into the mattress with a satisfied moan.

One of Taehyung’s hands encompasses the whole side of his face while the other strokes his waist over his tunic. His tongue is hot and insistent in Jungkook’s mouth, making his breaths go ragged. He feels so good. Would feel even better if he could get Taehyung’s rough palms on his skin.

“Hyung,” he whines, locking his ankles around Taehyung’s back. They’re pressed flush from chest to hip, the alpha’s body nestled right between his legs, and if he moves any, Jungkook knows he’s going to start making embarrassing sounds. Taehyung’s plush lips sucking on his distract him for a bit, but when they break apart to breathe, he whines again.

He reaches down to drag the bottom of his tunic higher, baring his waist, and guides Taehyung’s hand back to the skin. He shivers at the touch, letting out a high mmm when Taehyung caresses the curve of his waist.

“Fuck,” Taehyung hisses, diving back in to ravage Jungkook’s mouth. The wet sounds of their kisses and their laboured breathing fill the room.

Jungkook’s never felt pleasure like this before, not even when he touched himself during his heats, and this is only kissing. There’s always been a sense of obligation to relieving himself during heats, a means to an end. He felt lonely and hollow at the end of it. Now, he has Taehyung’s body blanketing him, his boyfriend kissing him like Jungkook is his everything, passionate but cherishing.

As Taehyung moves on to Jungkook’s sensitive neck, sucking over the tender skin, Jungkook thinks he’s had enough.

“T-Taehyungie-hyung,” he whimpers. His hips jump reflexively when a tongue laps over his scent gland, immediately making his mind blur and his limbs go limp. “Taehyungie-hyung,” he tries again.

Taehyung lifts his face from his neck, his lips red and swollen. “Yeah, baby?” he asks, brushing a thumb over Jungkook’s cheekbone. “You okay?”

He nods blearily. “A-are you sure you—wanna wait? To, um. I-I mean, the making love without mating thing...”

They spoke about it a while ago, about how they could connect their bodies before the actual mating during Jungkook’s heat. Technically, they could even mate outside of his heat, but for alpha-omega couples, having the alpha bite the omega during a heat helps to stabilize the bond. Otherwise, the omega would be immensely needy for weeks afterwards, and the alpha would be territorial to the point of violence. So it was an unspoken decision for them to mate during a heat.

But Jungkook didn’t have a preference between making love before the mating or waiting to have their first time then—he could see the appeal in waiting, but the greedy, lustful part of him wanted all of Taehyung as soon as he could have him. It was Taehyung who hesitated, saying that he wanted to do things properly, that there was something precious about experiencing Jungkook’s first time when they officially mate. “It’ll hurt less for you during your heat too,” he’d said tentatively. “I’ve heard that an omega’s first time can be painful, and I—I’d hate to hurt you.”

This time too, Taehyung falters, even though their hips are slotted together so perfectly that Jungkook can feel his hardness between his legs. It makes excitement shoot up his spine.

“Baby,” Taehyung says, kissing him hard on the mouth, just once. “God.” Jungkook admires how his thick, black lashes blanket his half-lidded eyes. “You’re so pretty and adorable and you drive me fucking crazy,” Taehyung says like it’s a complaint.

Jungkook giggles, coaxing him down for another open-mouthed kiss and tangling their tongues. It takes a minute for Taehyung to escape his clutches, muttering out a fierce “fuck.” He nuzzles Jungkook’s ear, nipping at his earlobe, but instead of distracting Jungkook, that only gets him more desperate.

Taehyung groans. “Don’t do that, you—” he lifts away from Jungkook’s squirming hips, much to Jungkook’s vocal displeasure. “Jungkook-ah,” Taehyung says, which finally makes him still, pouting. Taehyung chuckles at him. “If you’d like, it would be my pleasure to make love with you before we mate. But I want it to be back in our village, with no one to disturb us, so I can spend as much time as I want touching you. Not now, Jimin and hyung are gonna be back any second.”

Heat spreads across Jungkook’s face, imagining Taehyung touching him as he likes, with all the time in the world. He pouts harder, but relents.“ Okaay.”

Taehyung laughs hard enough for the corners of his eyes to crinkle. “I love you so much, Jungkookie.”

And, well, Jungkook can’t sulk properly if he’s being told that. “Love you more, Taehyungie,” he grins.

“What. You take that back.”

“Nope.”

“Fine, but you’re wrong.”

“Nope.”

Taehyung pinches his cheek. “Bratty baby.”

“Your bratty baby,” Jungkook says smugly. He knows he’s won because Taehyung doesn’t do anything but gaze at him fondly.

At that exact moment, Jimin comes slamming into the room with a cry of Jungkook’s name, probably having smelt him in the hallway. Then he spots Jungkook on the bed, flat on his back with Taehyung lying on top of him, and he screams, covering his eyes.

“Taehyung, you fucking immoral-ass beast, how dare you steal away Jungkookie’s innocence like this, oh god, the pheromones in here, what did you guys do, did you fuck I swear to god if you two fucked in here I’m never—”

They’ve scrambled off of each other by now, straightening their clothes and running their hands through their hair. Peering at them over Jimin’s shoulder, Yoongi has never looked so disgusted.

“Gross,” is all he says.

“Um,” Jungkook clears his throat, feeling bad that Taehyung’s getting the brunt of their friends’ attack. “Jimin-hyung, I-I was the one who, um, seduc—”

“NO!” Jimin shrieks, clapping his hands over his ears. “I DON’T WANNA HEAR IT LALALALA!”

Taehyung ignores him, combing his fingers through Jungkook’s hair, making it neat and fluffy. Jungkook beams at him and takes his hand, lacing them together.

“Hyungie, uh, I think my heat will be here in about two weeks,” he says, fiddling with Taehyung’s fingers.

Taehyung’s eyebrows dart up. “Really?” His mouth moves, counting backwards. “Oh, it’s been over two months since your last one.”

“Yeah, my heats are irregular anyway, but I usually get restless around two weeks before. So, um, it should be pretty accurate. It probably happened last time too but I was too busy, er, getting used to life here and didn’t really notice.”

“Two weeks, huh?” Taehyung’s nose scrunches up. “More than enough time for us to build our own hut.”

Jungkook’s mouth falls open.

Of course he knew he’d be living with Taehyung afterwards, but he didn’t think through the semantics. He can’t believe it, they’ll have their own little cabin together with furniture that they pick out together, and maybe a small garden outside, and he’ll get to spend every single day with Taehyung.

“Hyungie,” he keens, throwing himself at Taehyung, who catches him with a laugh.

“For our hut, there’s a basic blueprint that everyone uses but we can change whatever you like. Wanna look at it when we get back?”

“Yes!” Jungkook cries.

“...So did they just conveniently forget that we’re standing here, or?” Jimin asks Yoongi.

Yoongi shrugs. “Let’s hurry and get back already, all this talk reminds me I have something to do.”

“Huh? Today? What do you have to do?”

“You.”

Jimin’s face explodes in colour. “Excuse me?” he demands, but Yoongi just smirks and gropes his ass.

“Well, what else would I be thinking when people start talking about mating?”

“Oh my god,” Jimin huffs, though he fails to remove his butt from Yoongi’s wandering hands. “Oh my god, whatever.” And he hastily heads over to his bed to pack up his stuff.

On the walk back home, Yoongi and Jimin give Jungkook their own heated lectures on coming to town alone (and never listening to what Jimin says, but Yoongi picks at his nails for this part). Chagrined, Jungkook listens and apologizes again, but Taehyung stops his two friends with a glower before they can go too far, and they probably only heed it because they know Taehyung would’ve already panicked about the same thing.

“I’m so glad you forgot your scent blocker this trip,” Jungkook says happily, bumping their interlocked hands against Taehyung’s thigh. “I probably wouldn’t have been able to find you.”

Taehyung looks deeply disturbed by this, a muscle in his jaw twitching, but Jimin derails the dangerous path of conversation by giddily outing Taehyung. “He was actually gonna put the scent blocker in his bag because he wanted to scent you first before leaving, but he was rushing so much that morning to see you faster that he forgot the stupid thing.” Jungkook gasps. He gazes up at Taehyung, leaning his head on his shoulder.

“Taehyungie-hyung...”

“I—yeah, baby, good thing I forgot, huh?” He pats his cheek. Then, to Jimin: “Do you ever shut your mouth?” Taehyung kicks in his direction and Jimin dances away with a chortle while Yoongi snickers, making no move whatsoever to defend his mate.

They’re about halfway to the village when Taehyung, Yoongi, and Jimin freeze in unison. Jungkook continues to walk but Taehyung’s sudden grip around his wrist feels like an iron cuff, and he follows where it takes him, hiding him behind Taehyung’s back. Jimin tries to resist, but Yoongi does the same with him, and the three stand there stiffly, their expressions frighteningly empty. Jungkook doesn’t understand what’s happening.

A ways ahead of them, one large, black wolf steps out of the brush, followed by a smaller brown one. They shift into their human forms, two alphas, one a towering, hulk of a man with short-cropped black hair and a square jaw, his lips pulled up in a slight sneer. The second man is smaller but no less intimidating, with droopy eyes that would look friendly if they weren’t so...dead. They both stand with relaxed postures, unashamed of their nudity.

“Min Yoongi,” the larger man says. “Ah, and the little Gwangsan Kim princeling. Well. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Min Kangin,” Yoongi replies without intonation. “It’s been a while.”

“Sure has. We didn’t see you two during our last few talks. Why didn’t you come out and say hello?”

“We’ve been busy.”

“Is that so?” Kangin’s eyes dart over to the omegas. “With your mate? Park Jimin, was it?” He scans Jimin up and down, and Jimin bristles, standing taller. “Hmm. I can understand now why you deserted your pack. For that piece of ass, I mighta done it too.”

Jungkook expects Yoongi to lunge straight for the man’s throat, knowing how protective he usually is of Jimin, but he shows no outward sign of distress.

“Do not speak about my mate like that, Kangin,” Yoongi says simply. “Why are you here?”

Instead of Kangin, the second man speaks. “We have come with our best and final offer for the Jeon land.”

“And what’s that?” Yoongi asks. He only receives a smirk in return.

“Kibum, let’s ask Yoongi and Taehyung to escort us to their village. We should be speaking to their leader, anyway.” Kangin’s gaze drifts to Jungkook then, and Jungkook tries not to cower behind Taehyung, the only thing keeping him from whimpering Taehyung’s strong hold on his wrist. “I see you’ve found yourself a pretty one too, Kim Taehyung.” There’s a strange glint in his eyes. “You should’ve marked him when you had the chance.”

Taehyung says nothing, doesn’t move an inch. Kangin shrugs. “Let’s go, then.”

The two strangers turn to lead the way through the forest, and without the pressure of their attention on them, Jungkook releases a shuddering breath.

Taehyung whirls around, visibly distressed as he cradles Jungkook’s face in his hands. He raises his eyebrows, a silent question, and Jungkook nods reassuringly. Taehyung closes his eyes for a moment in relief. He holds a finger to his lips, telling Jungkook not to speak for the rest of the trip, which he acknowledges with another nod. And the four of them follow the Mins back to their village.

Unlike the past meetings, as Jungkook assumes because he wasn’t even aware when they happened, Kangin and Kibum cause a commotion as soon as they step past the village gates. They call for an audience, and the villagers must all have heard of the Mins or are curious enough to gather around. At first, Jungkook doesn’t understand why everyone seems to be so intimidated by them, especially Yoongi and Taehyung who aren’t afraid of anyone, but then he recalls what Taehyung told him before: that Yoongi comes from a line of Generals. The Mins are therefore a warrior clan, with an army at their command. The Kim pack is nothing of the sort, they live to keep the peace and Jungkook hasn’t seen a single fight since he came here, besides a couple drunken brawls between alphas.

Within minutes, Namjoon is stepping through the crowd.

“Min Kangin, Min Kibum,” he says with a polite smile. “I was not informed that you would be visiting tonight.”

“We have spoken four times on the issue of the Jeon land and have made no leeway, Kim Namjoon,” Kibum says, cutting to the quick. “Our leader has given us orders to bring you an ultimatum. This will be our final offer.”

“I see.” Namjoon gestures towards the cabin they use for meetings. “Perhaps it would be more appropriate to speak of this in private.”

Kangin holds up a hand. “No need. This involves the future of everyone in your pack. We figure it’s only fair that everyone else understands the terms as well.”

There’s a flicker of something in Namjoon’s eyes, but it’s gone as soon as it came. “Very well. Go on.”

“We no longer require the Jeon land,” Kibum states flatly. Namjoon’s eyes widen. Jungkook feels Taehyung tense in front of him and he curls his fists into the back of his alpha’s tunic. “We possess more than enough fertile land to feed our clan. What we will profit on is something of a slightly different nature.”

“And that would be?”

Kibum tilts his head. Kangin is the one to answer. “Omegas,” he says, teeth bared in a leer, and Jungkook whimpers, shrinking back. Taehyung’s feet dig into the dirt, as if he’s readying himself to burst forward at a moment’s notice. “We have spent years of our history fighting and have had little chance to...procreate and carry on the clan name. We are short on omegas.”

Namjoon has thrust out his jaw, his teeth grinding, but he’s somehow holding on to a semblance of nonchalance. “You are asking to mate with our omegas?”

“No,” Kangin laughs. “Gift us a few of them. We don’t need many. Maybe five. We will bring them back to our clan and they will bear our pups.”

The villagers around are frozen, fearful, horrified. Jungkook can’t believe what he’s hearing. This is so far out of his realm of expectation, not even the Jeon clan traded or stole omegas like this, it’s just not done. As “inferior” as they are, they’re still people.

“Essentially,” Namjoon says, sounding like he’s barely holding himself back. “You are asking us to sell five of our omegas for the land that we righteously won.”

“No.” Kibum smiles. It’s the first expression Jungkook has seen him make. “We are telling you to give us the omegas, or you will have war declared on you by the Min clan. I think it’s a very simple choice to make.”

“One thing, though. We will choose the omegas.” Kangin’s grin grows maniacal, and he turns, his horrible black eyes flashing from the bonfire. He points one finger at Jimin. “You will give us Park Jimin.”

Jungkook almost doesn’t hear Namjoon’s response over the sound of Yoongi’s harsh breathing from beside Taehyung.

“Jimin is mated,” Namjoon grits out. Kangin shrugs.

“Doesn’t matter. He’ll still be able to pop out kids. And one more.” This time his eyes lock on Jungkook’s, and Jungkook can’t even avoid them, frozen with fear. “That one. I’ve heard about you from your fellow villagers, Jeon Jungkook. We’ll take you.”

A deafening snarl rips out of Taehyung’s throat. He’s already got one foot forward to charge at Kangin, but Yoongi grabs him by the back of his collar and yanks him back.

Kangin looks like he’s never had so much fun in his life, clapping delightedly. “Park Jimin, Jeon Jungkook, and we’ll allow you to choose the last three. Personally, she’s my type,” he points at Yura, who flinches but stands her ground, glaring fiercely at him. “But, eh, it’s up to you.”

Kibum looks at Namjoon. The man only reaches up to Namjoon’s chin, but that doesn’t affect the strength of his aura, the deadliness of his gaze. “What will it be, Leader Kim?” he asks calmly. “Will you sacrifice your entire pack, or a few of your omegas?”

Chapter Text

They ask for two weeks to make a decision. They get ten days. It’s more generous than they hoped for but the Mins know the Kim clan has no way of defending against their pack of fighters, and so Kangin and Kibum grant them their time to think and saunter back home.

As soon as they’re gone, Taehyung gathers Jungkook into his chest, whispering consolations about how he’d never let anything happen to him and that they’ll figure a way out of this somehow. To the side, Yoongi is speaking quietly to Jimin, the omega’s hands clasped tight in his. Jimin’s face is unreadable, while Yoongi seems to be getting increasingly worked up. Namjoon appears in front of them, resting a heavy hand on both Jungkook and Jimin’s shoulders and telling them firmly that he swears on his name they won’t be sold off to the Mins.

Taehyung doesn’t let Jungkook separate from him for a second, picking him up as their group migrates to the meeting hall. Jungkook rests his cheek on his shoulder, arms hanging under Taehyung’s grip around his waist.

His mind is a mess. He’s never been so afraid in his life. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Namjoon or anyone else in the clan, but he’s doubtful that things will work out without some form of sacrifice. He knows too well that life always goes wrong when they’re at their happiest.

Jin is waiting for them at the meeting cabin, his face contorted in silent fury. Next to him is Hoseok, whose foot is tapping restlessly, arms crossed over his chest.

“I’ll leave now,” Hoseok tells Namjoon. “It’ll take me two days to get there one-way. And I’ll need a few more days to collect enough people and get everything in order.”

“Bring shooters with you,” Namjoon says, and Jungkook doesn’t understand the significance of the words, but the change in atmosphere is palpable.

“What?” Yoongi splutters. “You’re—”

Namjoon nods. “Guns and shooters. Bring enough for our backline.”

“Joon-ah,” Jin tries, but Namjoon shakes his head at him.

“This isn’t a regular territory dispute or some honourable fight. I don’t care what sort of dirty tricks we have to use, I refuse to allow a scratch on a single one of our wolves if we can do anything to prevent it. The High Council can punish me as they—”

“They won’t,” Taehyung cuts in, a hint of hope creeping into his voice. “The Mins demanded our omegas. One of them is fucking mated. That’s fair ground for us to retaliate by any means we deem fit. The Royals take traditional matings more seriously than anyone, I guarantee they won’t say a word about it.”

Hoseok nods. “He’s right. My father will approve as well. I’ll bring as many people as I can.”

“When can you be back?”

“Give me a week.”

“We’ll ambush them the night after that. The sooner the better, catch them off guard.”

“Got it. I’ll set off now then.”

“Thank you, Hoseok. See you soon.”

He runs off, and Namjoon turns to Jin. “Would you mind calling a pack meeting for me, dear? We’ll have everyone meet us outside, around the bonfire.”

While Jin is out gathering the rest of the village, Namjoon briefs Yoongi, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook. He plans to have everyone in the clan pack their bags to be ready for evacuation seven days from now, when Hoseok is due to return. Not too soon, in case any Mins are loitering in the area and the dispersing Kims alert them.

On the seventh night, all volunteer fighters as well as the back-up that Hoseok is able to bring from the Jung clan, will attack the Mins. It’s a simple and straightforward strategy, but Jungkook’s having a hard time wrapping his mind around it.

Everything is happening so quickly. He still doesn’t really get what’s going on. He doesn’t know what to think, other than that a lot can go wrong.

“Jungkook, Jimin, you two should stay with Taehyung and Yoongi at all times. We can never be too careful and I don’t want to risk anything.” They acknowledge the order, and Namjoon leaves to address the rest of the pack. The bonfire is right outside the cabin, so when Yoongi opens up a window, the four of them can hear Namjoon’s voice ring out across camp.

He cuts straight to the chase, announcing that absolutely no hand-over of omegas will occur, not only for the obvious immorality of allowing such a thing, but also for the lack of logic in doing so: if they bend to the Mins’ will this time, who’s to say they won’t return to ask for more next time? Who’s to say their ‘bargains’ won’t grow more and more despicable once they’ve realized the Kims are under their foot?

Next, Namjoon asks for volunteers to join in on the ambush, but doesn’t yet mention the Jungs’ involvement.

“Hoseok-hyung’s relationship with his family is a well-kept secret,” Taehyung tells Jungkook quietly, sat at his side, their hands laced together. “He didn’t abandon his clan like we did—when the Kim pack began expanding under Namjoon-hyung, Hoseok-hyung was sent here as ambassador for the Jungs. We built such a strong alliance that he decided to stay, and his family was okay with it since his alpha sister was heir anyway.”

“You said he was the son of a General like Yoongi-hyung,” Jungkook remembers.

“Yeah, the Jungs are a warrior clan as well. They’re the strongest in the kingdom, and they’re technologically advanced too. That’s why Namjoon-hyung said to bring guns, they have access to weapons and people who know how to use them. Wolves are strong but we can’t win against bullets.”

Jungkook worries at his lip. “The Mins are a warrior clan too. They don’t have guns?”

Taehyung pauses, and the hesitation has the hair on the back of Jungkook’s neck standing. “We’re quite sure they don’t. They’re known for being cruel and barbaric. They like wreaking havoc with their bare hands.”

Outside, several people have stepped forth to volunteer for the ambush. Mostly alphas, some betas, Jungkook even sees a couple fearless omegas and he—he can’t—it’s astounding to him, how courageous they are, to be willing to put themselves at risk.

It’s only when he takes in the faces of the group that he notices something. Every main hunter has volunteered. Every person that Jungkook has ever seen go on a hunt is there. And of course this makes sense, because hunters would have the skills and experience necessary to bring down their fellow animals, but for some reason, it just didn’t occur to Jungkook until now.

With dread, he turns to Taehyung, a rock lodged in his throat. Because he already knows what the answer will be.

“A-are you going to join the ambush t-team?” he asks, almost inaudibly.

When Taehyung’s grim eyes meet his, Jungkook feels something inside of him break.

“No.” He yanks his hand out of Taehyung’s, leaping to his feet. Taehyung stares up at him in shock. Jungkook swallows, backing away.

Taehyung’s mouth opens but Jungkook doesn’t want to hear it. He turns and walks, he doesn’t know where, he just wants to bury himself somewhere and pretend none of this is happening.

A hand wraps around his wrist, but he yanks himself out of its grasp. His head is spinning, his mind going a mile a minute, too fast for him to register anything.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung’s saying to him, but he sounds like he’s speaking through water.

“No,” he thinks he hears himself say, and he has enough presence of mind not to leave the cabin, but he finds a deserted corner and sits himself down, pressing his forehead hard against where the spot where the two walls meet.

He’s not sure how long he stays there. He starts feeling suffocated by the people hovering around him, trying to soothe him with comforting words and soft touches, but it all just distresses him more and eventually he can’t help but flee the cabin.

He knows Taehyung’s following him at a distance as he wanders through the familiar roads of the village, making sure he’s safe but giving him his space, and Jungkook appreciates it. But he doesn’t want to be around him right now, he’s afraid he’ll accidentally say something he’ll regret later.

He tries not to imagine it, but his mind won’t stop. The images flash behind his closed eyes, each more gruesome than the last.

He thinks about Taehyung bleeding, his flesh ripped open like that time the Jeons attacked him. It took a week for him to heal from that, and there will be so, so many more wolves this time. Wolves who are bigger and stronger than the Jeons, evil ones like Kangin who will take pleasure in tearing apart someone with the blood of the infamous Kim clan.

The more Jungkook imagines it, the worse he feels. His heart is going a mile a minute. His stomach roils, he thinks he might throw up.

Somehow, he’s rounded himself back to the meeting hall, standing like a statue outside of it, and Taehyung comes up behind him and leads him inside. They sit down in a quiet corner, Taehyung’s back to the rest of the room, shielding him from sight.

Jungkook clings to him, his face buried in his tunic. “You can’t,” he chokes out.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung’s desperate voice cuts through the haze. “Please, Jungkook-ah, look at me. Sweetheart.”

“Don’t go,” he insists.

Silence.

Anger and despair rise inside him like a tidal wave. He pushes off of Taehyung, whose hands shoot out to Jungkook’s arms as if he’s afraid Jungkook will run away.

“Please, hyung,” he begs, staring imploringly into his alpha’s eyes. “Don’t go, please.” Taehyung’s face crumples, his fingers curling around Jungkook’s wrists. “Please,” Jungkook whimpers, tugging at him. “W-what if you get hurt?”

“We need all the help we can get,” Taehyung says gently. “Jungkook, we can’t afford to fail this ambush.”

“What if they have guns?” Jungkook gasps, and he realizes he’s crying now, his vision a blur, tears streaming down his face. “W-wh-what if they sh-shoot you?” He thinks about bullet holes ripping through Taehyung’s body. He’s never seen a gun before, but he’s heard horrific stories of metal shards shredding through bone, or, even heads exploding—

“Jungk—”

“Please, don’t go,” he whines, crawling into Taehyung’s lap and smothering his wet face in his neck. “Please, Taehyungie, please.”

“Jungkook-ah—”

“Please!” he sobs. “I-I’ll never ask for anything e-else, please, hyungie, I’ll do anything, I-I’ll be good, pl—”

“Baby, baby,” Taehyung says, and it’s so close to a whimper that the panic only clouds Jungkook’s head further because if his strong Taehyung is whimpering, things must be really bad. “It’ll be okay, calm down, okay? Deep breaths, sweetheart. Shhh, deep breaths.”

But Jungkook is inconsolable. He sobs and shouts, he pleads and threatens, and he’s so worked up that he starts heaving or hyperventilating or something, he’s either breathing too much or not enough, he doesn’t know. He doesn’t notice Jimin and Yoongi rushing over from the other side of the cabin to help calm him down, and he doesn’t see the tears that spring up in Taehyung’s eyes or hear his frantic reassurances.

He has no idea how long it is before his mind returns to him and he finds himself lying on the hard floor of the meeting room, Taehyung wrapped around him and whispering to him soothingly.

His face feels swollen and his mouth is dry. He feels numb.

“What about me?” he rasps through his sandpaper throat, and Taehyung’s voice abruptly cuts off. “We—we were supposed to mate.”

“We will,” Taehyung says fiercely. Jungkook would laugh if he could make his face move the way he wants it to right now. Where is Taehyung finding the confidence for them to mate when he can’t even guarantee he’ll come back alive?

What if Jungkook gets left behind...what if he doesn’t have anything to look forward to anymore? No living together with Taehyung, no seeing his soft, sleepy smile first thing in the morning.

He blinks slowly at the ceiling. “I...I can’t without you anymore, hyung. Please. Don’t leave me.”

“Jungkook-ah.” Taehyung brushes his fingers over his face. He can’t feel it. “We’ll be okay. I’ll be so careful because I know you’ll be waiting for me.”

“If you die,” Jungkook mutters. “I die.”

Taehyung stiffens. Jungkook doesn’t understand what the bloom of pain on his shoulder is until he sees Taehyung’s hand wrapped tight around it, fingers digging into his flesh. He takes in the redness of Taehyung’s face and the same red lining his eyes, and the pain in Jungkook’s chest breaks through the wall of numbness. There’s a sea of regret inside him for hurting Taehyung, but he can’t bring himself to lie and take it back, because he meant it.

“Don’t you ever say that again,” Taehyung hisses, trembling from the force of his fury. “I promise you I will do everything in my power to stay safe. But if anything does happen,” he talks over the whimper that Jungkook lets out, “you have to live life the way you’ve been doing since you came here. Happily, curiously, and brightly.”

The idea of doing those things without Taehyung by his side makes Jungkook want to thrash and cry and break something. He doesn’t think he can.

It’s inconceivable how things have changed so drastically in the length of a day. Hours, not even a day. Earlier this afternoon, he was giggling with Taehyung about building a cabin for their life together, and now he’s had a panic attack over Taehyung dying. It’s ridiculous. It doesn’t feel real.

Probably, nothing will even happen to Taehyung, because what are the chances of him getting hurt when they have the Jungs and guns and the element of surprise on their side? They must be slim. They must be.

Jungkook can’t let himself think otherwise.

That night, the village is silent. Jungkook and Taehyung have been brought back to Jimin and Yoongi’s hut, where they’ll be sleeping for the next week. Jungkook offers to take one of the couches, and Taehyung must sense his wish to be alone because he only gives him a kiss on the forehead before disappearing into the bedroom with Yoongi to talk about the ambush.

Jimin joins Jungkook on the couch, and they curl up together with Jimin hugging him from behind.

“What are you thinking about?” the older omega croaks out. He sounds exhausted in that way where his body wants to give out but his mind won’t let him. Jungkook understands because that’s how he feels too.

“I don’t know,” he says. “I’m not thinking.” Jimin sighs in something like agreement. “I...I heard you fighting with Yoongi-hyung earlier.”

“Yeah.”

“Does he want to join the ambush team too?”

“He says he has to,” Jimin says, a rehearsed reply, one he’s probably been repeating to himself for the better part of the day. “He knows best who we absolutely have to kill, and who we can let escape.”

“But you don’t want him to go.”

Jimin doesn’t respond.

Time ticks by, an hour, maybe two. Jimin’s breathing hasn’t changed behind him, and Jungkook can tell by his occasional shifting that he hasn’t gone to sleep either.

“Hyung,” he whispers. “I’m scared.”

Contrary to his expectations, Jimin doesn’t give him empty promises that everything will be okay, instead confessing, “Me too.”

“W-what do you think will happen?”

“I don’t know.” Jimin’s breath fans across the back of Jungkook’s neck when he breathes out. “Yoongi-hyung and Hoseok-hyung are the best fighters I’ve ever met. Taehyung’s really good too. It’s just hard to predict because we don’t know much about the Mins, and now we’re adding guns into the mix, and—” he sighs heavily.

Jungkook folds his hand over the one Jimin’s got on his stomach, squeezing him tightly in an effort to comfort them both.

“It’s fine,” Jimin says, resolute. “We’ll tough this out. Together.”

And Jungkook nods, even if he doesn’t know how, because what else can he do? “Okay.”

When Jungkook wakes up to Jimin beside him on the sofa and Taehyung nowhere in sight, he panics. He throws himself over Jimin’s body and scrambles to his feet, cold sweat beading over his back. The kitchen is empty so he dashes for the bedroom instead, a lump growing in his throat. When he flings the door open, he’s met with Taehyung and Yoongi hunched over the desk, muttering to each other. They both look up, surprised by Jungkook’s loud entrance.

Jungkook stares at them, catching his breath. The hysteria ebbs bit by bit until it’s buried once again under the fatigue, and he presses his lips together. “M-morning.”

“Jungkook-ah,” Taehyung says, hurrying over to him. His hands flutter over his head, his face, his shoulders, making sure he’s all right. “What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head. “N-nothing, just. Um. Had a bad dream.”

“There’s chamomile tea in the kitchen, I made it earlier,” Yoongi says. “Go have some.”

Taehyung goes with him, pours them each a cup, and they sit with their hands intertwined over the dining table as they sip their tea. Taehyung’s first couple attempts to strike up a conversation fall empty between them, and he ends up just silently stroking his thumb over the back of Jungkook’s hand.

It’s not that Jungkook doesn’t want to talk to Taehyung, but he’s still feeling frazzled from panicking that Taehyung might have gone somewhere without saying anything. He’s never been so afraid of being left behind before, and a voice in his mind keeps telling him it could be permanent if something goes wrong.

Time continues to slip through their fingers, and yet Jungkook feels like he’s got an excess of it, each painful minute dragging by. Their group of six as well as other members of the ambush group spend the day in the meeting hall, hammering out routes for both the ambush and evacuation.

Jungkook can’t help with anything. He’s not only useless, but also a liability. And he’s restless, but he’s scared to stray from Taehyung’s side. The only person he feels entirely comfortable around is Jimin, who’s been uncharacteristically quiet the whole day as well, a barrenness in his eyes that Jungkook thinks might be in his too.

When his stomach grumbles, he peers out the window and sees the sky darkening to purple. The only thing he’s been doing all day is listening in on the discussions until he runs out of energy and either starts spacing out or falling asleep on the couch. He’s wasted half the day sleeping already but he’s still so tired. He’s tempted to skip dinner, but then he looks over at Taehyung who’s glaring down at the maps they’ve laid over the tables, his eyes bloodshot.

Jungkook gets up and shuffles over to his alpha’s side, pulling on his sleeve. “Hyungie?”

Taehyung instantly snaps out of his staring competition with the map. He pulls Jungkook closer with an arm around his waist. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

“Um, you haven’t eaten.”

Taehyung glances outside the window too, his eyes widening. “Oh. Did we miss lunch too?” Jungkook nods. “I’m sorry, you must be hungry. Let’s go drop by the dining hall.” Jungkook takes a look around at Yoongi, Namjoon, and Sehun, who’ve stopped talking to watch them. He bites his lip.

“I-it’s fine, I can go with Jimin-hyung. We’ll bring food for everyone.”

Taehyung scowls and gets to his feet. “No, I’ll come wi—”

“It’s okay, hyungie. We can bring, uh,” Jungkook scans the room, “Kyungsoo-ssi and Jongdae-ssi. I think they’re free.”

Taehyung’s eyes narrow, but after a bit more coaxing, he concedes, lowering himself back into his chair. Jungkook knows he must trust his friends a tremendous amount to be agreeing without more fuss. “If you’re not back in exactly ten minutes, I’m hunting you down,” Taehyung warns, and that makes Jungkook crack his first smile of the day.

“Okay.” Swiftly, he collects the other three and they head out.

The dining hall is emptier than usual but there’s plenty of food, Hayoung and her crew hard at work as always. The four of them line up with two trays each, Jungkook following after his hyungs. As they make their way down the procession line, he’s stopped.

“Let me go get the new meatballs, we’re running out here,” one of the girls tells him, and he nods. While he’s waiting, Hayoung appears at the window with a smile and half-wave, and he explains how he’s waiting for someone to grab new food.

“How have you been holding up?” she asks. Jungkook looks down at his tray.

“Fine, I think.”

“I see.” She doesn’t say anything for a while. For the first time between the two of them, it feels awkward. Jungkook wonders if there’s something she wants to say to him.

As he expects, she clears her throat, her gaze off somewhere else, avoiding his. “Jungkook-ah,” she says softly. “Do you think...is there a reason the Mins asked for you and Jimin specifically?”

Jungkook stares at her. “What...what do you mean?”

Hayoung closes her eyes, her lips pursed. “I just—it’s, odd, I’m sure you know. The Mins asked for land first, didn’t they? Why did they change their minds all of a sudden? I don’t—I don’t think it was ever about the land.”

“That...would make sense,” Jungkook agrees. He also thinks the Mins might have only used the land as a bargaining chip at first; perhaps they thought the land was worth more than their actual demand, so psychologically it would be easier to give up the omegas?

What Hayoung suggests next, however, makes uneasiness slither through his gut.

She says, “I think it’s a matter of pride.”

“P-pride?”

“Yes. I was a Min once too, you know. My full name is Min Hayoung.” Jungkook sucks in a sharp inhale, instinctively recoiling. She meets his gaze, smiling sadly. “I escaped here with my mate after we couldn’t handle living there anymore. Well, my mate passed away a few years ago, so it’s just me and my children now.

“My point is, I understand how the Mins think. They don’t care about land or status or money. For them, it’s all about their pride in the family name. The son of the clan leader escaping to elope with a Park, and thriving in a different pack without a single tie to them? They wouldn’t be able to stand that.” She sighs heavily. Out of nowhere, Jungkook notices how prominent the bags under her eyes, deep and purple. “I think they just want to take Jimin away from Yoongi to watch him suffer. And they’ve always hated the Gwangsan Kims, so they’re taking you too. It was never about the land, or lacking omegas. I’m sure they’ve kidnapped plenty already if that’s what they really want.”

Jungkook stands there like stone. He doesn’t know what to do with this information. But he thinks he understands what she’s implying.

Hayoung must see the enlightenment in his face, because her lips pinch shut and then she’s covering her face, her shoulders trembling. “I’m sorry,” she weeps. “I-I’m not trying to ask you to do anything, I p-promise, Jungkook-ah. I’ve come to...think of you as a son, you know? But I—my granddaughter was born two days ago.” She scrubs her hands over her eyes. “I’m just, I’m emotional and I don’t know why this is happening now. I’m afraid for her. Life is unfair.”

He’s spared from replying when the kitchen girl returns with the new meatballs, and she goggles at Hayoung’s teary face for a moment before dropping the food in front of Jungkook and ushering the older lady away. He’s left alone, two trays cradled to his chest and a storm in his mind.

He almost wants to escape without filling up his plates, but the thought of Taehyung going hungry is distressing enough that his hands move automatically. He’s finished piling them full by the time Jimin circles back to him.

“Hey, we gotta go soon, our ten minutes are running out,” he says. Jungkook would be relieved at the subtle teasing from his friend if he wasn’t still reeling from what Hayoung said.

“Coming,” he mumbles.

Taehyung’s got his eyes trained on the door when Jungkook walks in, and he visibly relaxes when he sees him, a faint smile growing as he approaches.

“I, um, I got you lots of meatballs,” he says, setting down the tray. Taehyung grins, spreading his legs to bring Jungkook into a hug.

“I can’t eat all of that, baby.”

Jungkook huffs. A part of him is annoyed and weirded out and unnerved by how Taehyung is able to joke in this situation. But a bigger part is grateful. He’s sure Taehyung wouldn’t be pulling himself out of his severe, concentrated demeanor if he didn’t know Jungkook was working himself to an early death with how stressed he’s been.

“Obviously it’s not all for you, everyone’s sharing,” he quips, trying for a smile himself. “But you should...get lots before it’s taken.” He knows how much Taehyung loves meatballs, it’s why he got extra.

“Eat with me?” Taehyung asks.

Jungkook’s not hungry, but he can’t deny Taehyung’s puppy dog eyes, nor the appeal of forcing him to take a break by eating with Jungkook. “Okay.”

It’s another night snuggled up against Jimin on the couch where sleep doesn’t come to him. He feels guilty that Jimin’s been staying here with him instead of on his comfortable bed, but when he brings this up, the other omega whispers that Yoongi won’t be in bed any time soon and he hates sleeping there without him. Jungkook hugs him extra tight, hoping he can compensate for a fraction of the warmth that Jimin’s missing.

“Hyung,” he says, muffled into Jimin’s clothes. “Did you know that Hayoung-noona’s a Min too?”

“...Yeah.”

“Did—did you know that her granddaughter was born a few days ago?”

“Yeah, I heard.”

Jungkook blinks at the beige expanse of Jimin’s tunic, the fabric a little rough on his face, tickling his eyelashes. “She said...the Mins don’t need omegas. They just want us to—take revenge.”

Jimin tenses against him. He sits up. Jungkook does too, and it’s dark in the room, the curtains drawn, but the fire going on in the bedroom where Yoongi and Taehyung have been stationed ever since the four of them returned from the meeting hall provides enough light for him to make out Jimin’s expression. It’s sharp, his eyes sparking.

“I know.”

Jungkook feels something pierce his chest. “You...know?”

“Yeah. Anyone who’s heard about the Mins knows. And I also know what you’re thinking, because I’ve thought the same.”

“W-what?”

Jimin puts his hands on his shoulders, staring him down. “Giving ourselves up isn’t gonna solve this, Jungkook.”

His heart stops.

“Like Namjoon-hyung said, they’ll ask for more next time. And it won’t prevent Yoongi or Taehyung from getting hurt.”

“Why not?” Frustrated tears surge into his eyes.

Jimin scoffs and crosses his arms. “Are you kidding? I can already see exactly how it’ll go. Yoongi will go bat-shit crazy. Namjoon-hyung will have to lock him up somewhere and he’ll wreck himself either trying to get out or throw himself at the Mins with some stupid plan that’ll never work. He’ll get himself killed. And Taehyung will be the same.” Jimin’s face falls. “No, he’ll be worse off. He’s weaker, emotionally. I promise you, if you get taken by the Mins, he will die, if not by some idiotic suicide mission, then from heartbreak.”

“W-what do you mean?” Jungkook can barely breathe, anxiety clogging up his throat. He grabs Jimin’s sleeve, fisting it hard enough that his hands hurt. He’s heard of wolves dying from heartbreak, but he thought those were stories, he didn’t think it could actually happen.

Jimin’s lips are trembling, his own eyes wet now too. “I don’t know if he told you, but there was this boy before, Taehyung was supposed to elope with him—”

“H-he told me.”

Jimin nods. “We nearly lost Taehyung that time, after the bastard cut him off. He almost never left his bed. He didn’t eat or sleep. He just lay there all day, for weeks, and I’d go and talk to him but it—it was like he couldn’t hear me.” He lets out a sob. “He was like a corpse, Jungkook. You know the fish we see in the markets? His eyes looked like theirs do, all—glassy and empty. It’s the most horrible thing I’ve ever been through. The most terrifying. And it’ll be worse if anything happens to you.” He grabs Jungkook by the arms, nails digging into him, his face drawn in a plea, tears spilling down his cheeks. “A person can only take being hurt so many times. I don’t think he will ever recover if you get hurt. So you have to keep yourself safe, no matter what. Got it?”

Jimin catches him as Jungkook dissolves in tears, crying into his shoulder. It hurts so badly to think of Taehyung like that. It’s a physical pain deep within his ribs that he can’t reach no matter how hard he presses over the area. He can’t allow Taehyung to get hurt.

And if he’s being honest with himself, Jungkook doesn’t know if he would have been able to give himself up to the Mins anyway, even if he didn’t take these things into consideration. That hurts him too, to realize how selfish and pathetic he is.

“I’m a coward, hyung,” he bawls, shuddering from how hard it is to breathe. “I don’t think I c-could’ve done it anyway. I’m s-scared, I don’t wanna be a s-slave, I don’t wanna be a b-baby-maker, I—I wanted to try being brave like, like the main character in a book but I’m not, I’m t-too afraid to sacrifice myself—”

Jimin crushes him in his arms. “That’s normal,” he soothes, though he’s crying too. “That’s normal, Jungkookie, you’re not a coward. You’re normal. I don’t want to sacrifice myself either. I’m scared too.”

“I don’t want Taehyungie-hyung to get h-hurt,” he blubbers. “But I can’t help him. I-I can’t do anything!”

“Jungkook-ah.”

The two omegas freeze. Jungkook hiccups, his sobs caught in his throat. Reluctantly, he pulls away from Jimin, and he stares up at Taehyung, who’s standing by the side of the couch.

His alpha watches him sadly. He opens his arms. “Come here, baby.”

Jungkook dives at him, too hysterical to speak, clinging and already starting to cry again, and Taehyung releases a shaky exhale, petting his head. “Jimin-ah,” Jungkook hears him say, turns around to see Taehyung reaching over to wipe Jimin’s wet face with his sleeve. “Yoongi-hyung’s waiting for you in your room.” Jimin’s face twists and he’s off in a flash, flying to his own alpha.

Taehyung lays them down on the couch, pressing Jungkook into the back of it with his body. He murmurs in his ear, telling him to cry as much as he wants. Being given permission to release the emotion trapped inside of him and knowing his weakness will be forgiven is cathartic, and he cries his heart out, his body shaking from the heaving sobs.

It’s over sooner than he feared, after he gets it all out. When he’s down to the occasional sniffle, calm enough to speak, Taehyung says, “Talk to me, sweetheart.” He smiles, wistful. “That’s what we’re good at, isn’t it? Talking with each other?”

This almost has Jungkook crying again, but he keeps tight reins on his emotions, shoving back the voice that keeps telling him he’s wasting Taehyung’s time right now, that Taehyung has better things to be doing and Jungkook’s being useless and over-dependent. While it’s true that he could stand to be stronger and more self-reliant, Taehyung loves him. Jungkook knows he wouldn’t think calming him down is a waste of time.

So he blurts out everything he’s been thinking the past couple days, including the stuff he told Jimin about Hayoung. “I can’t blame her for being frustrated,” he mumbles, drawing his finger back and forth over Taehyung’s collarbone, peeking out from his tunic. “I’d feel the same, if I had to put my family in danger.”

“But it’s also not your place to feel guilty about it,” Taehyung reminds him. He’s retrieved a napkin and is dabbing it gently around Jungkook’s swollen eyes, using the other end of it for his drippy nose. “You and Jimin never did anything to warrant this. The Mins are fucking assholes, that’s all.”

Jungkook sighs. He peers up at Taehyung’s calm but warm eyes. “A-are we gonna, um. Wipe them out?”

“That’s the plan. It’s dangerous to leave any loose ends. According to Yoongi-hyung, the only people worth saving are the children, obviously, and his alpha sister, youngest beta brother, and whatever other omegas they kidnapped to—have the children. Everyone else is part of the Min army and has done heinous things. Hyung even said the rest of his siblings needed to die.”

“Is that...is he going to be okay with doing that? He’s joining the ambush, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung says, but he seems sad. “It’s not as hard as people make it out to be, you know. Killing your own blood.” Jungkook shivers. “We’re wolves, after all, our loyalty will always be with our mate and pack.” Taehyung tilts Jungkook’s chin up, looking into him imploringly. “Are you mad that I’m going with them?”

Jungkook definitely was, at first. He spent a day searching for a loophole so that Taehyung wouldn’t have to go, reasoning that the addition of a single person wouldn’t be enough to turn the tides anyway. He was angry that Taehyung wouldn’t even consider not going, and he was, is terrified of being abandoned, willingly or unwillingly.

But if he were Taehyung and his skills could help him protect someone dear to him, he thinks he would do the same thing. If Jungkook could fight, and the Mins weren’t explicitly demanding for him for the most atrocious reason, he would join the ambush as well. It needs to succeed, for the whole pack. Taehyung probably thinks of it as holding Jungkook and Jimin’s lives in the ambush group’s hands, so he can’t bear the thought of not going.

“No,” he says honestly. “I-I understand why you want to go. I’m just upset that you have to in the first place.”

“I’m sorry...”

“Stop.” Jungkook pinches his bicep. “I-is there anything I can do to help? I can’t—I dunno anything about fighting or strategy or, um, the land around here, but...” He gnaws on his bottom lip. “I’ll bring you food.”

Taehyung kisses his forehead. “That’d be nice, thank you.”

“I—” Jungkook sighs, frustrated. “Is that the only thing? Can you think of anything, hyung?”

Taehyung smiles, closed-lipped at first before his teeth start peeking out too. “I run out of energy if you’re not around, sweetheart. I might need you to recharge me sometimes.”

“...Oh.”

Jungkook considers that for a bit. He thinks he gets it. He circles his arms and legs around Taehyung, squeezing him as close as he can, and he smiles when he feels Taehyung’s ‘oof’ puffed against his temple. “L-like this?”

“Yeah, just what I needed,” Taehyung groans, nuzzling his hair. “Ah, I haven’t felt this relaxed in forever.”

Jungkook tries not to feel guilty. “Um, I, I can help you relax then, these next few days.”

“Good.” Taehyung lets out this happy little moan, still unapologetically nuzzling him. “You smell so good.”

Jungkook flushes. “I-I haven’t showered in a day...”

“That’s what makes it better,” he says, smirk in his voice.

“Gross, Taehyungie, you’re gross,” Jungkook whines, and he squeaks when Taehyung grabs him and starts sweeping kisses all over his face. “Hyungie,” he sighs, lips parting, wanting a proper one. With a satisfied exhale of his own, Taehyung connects their mouths, and they both melt into the couch.

Chapter Text

At first, Jungkook figured he was being semi-imprisoned in the meeting hall during the day and Jimin and Yoongi’s cabin during the night for safety from the Mins, in case the warrior pack resorted to foul play. Later, he suspected Taehyung was trying to keep him away from anyone in their pack who might say things to him like Hayoung sort of did. And after that, he even speculated if it was because Taehyung was afraid Jungkook would run away in a valiant effort to save them.

But now that they’ve been making an effort to talk about their little predicament, Jungkook thinks he understands—Taehyung insists on keeping him nearby simply because he likes being with him.

“Jungkook-ah?” When he hears Taehyung’s raised voice from the living room, he smiles to himself. It’s the fourth time today that he’s been summoned and all the previous requests were things like “come sit beside hyung” or “are you hungry? Have a strawberry” or “just making sure you weren’t napping, you wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.”

During their first few days of Jungkook taking on his role as Taehyung’s relaxation pill, the people who don’t know Taehyung, the random ones who have been in and out of the meeting hall helping plan strategy, would look at the alpha like he grew another head. Even some of his friends seemed perturbed. Evidently, they’ve never seen Taehyung as anything other than stoic.

The threat of danger on the horizon (or impending sense of doom, as Yugyeom dryly calls it when he drops by to visit) seems to only add to Taehyung’s utter disregard for strangers now—his affection is a middle between what he probably wants to be doing and what Jungkook is comfortable with. Once again, Jungkook is left with enormous admiration and adoration for him.

“I’m in the kitchen, hyungie,” he calls back.

“Can you come here for a sec?”

He gulps back a giggle and ambles out with two cups of tea, wondering what Taehyung “needs” from him this time. But his smile drops when he sees the seriousness in the faces of the group gathered around the table, and he sets Taehyung’s tea down in front of him before taking a seat between him and Jimin.

“We’re going to show you and Jimin your evacuation route now,” he explains. “You guys will be in group three.” He draws his finger over a thick black line marked over the map, tracing it over a blue river and into the forest. Jungkook has never been good with directions, he has a hard time visualizing where he’s supposed to go with only north and south as guidance. After Taehyung describes the scenery around it for him though, he gets it quickly.

“So, um, we go past the clearing here, then?” he checks, pointing at a spot, and Taehyung nods.

“Our clearing,” he confirms.

After they memorize the path, Taehyung briefly outlines the other routes as well just so they know where everyone else will be going. Around half the pack will be spread throughout the forest, hiding, while the more vulnerable members like the elderly or children will head to the nearest town to lie low.

Lastly, Yoongi goes over the different wolf howls of the Kim pack with them, like the ones indicating safety, danger, gather around, disperse. Jungkook learned them when he first came, but it’s nice to have a refresher. “We’re gonna have a few more pack meetings to solidify the plan with everyone else, but yeah, we wanted to make sure you guys knew it all beforehand, ‘cause, well,” Yoongi lowers his voice, glancing around the room. “I don’t really give a shit about anyone else, you two need to cover your asses, got it?”

Jimin chuckles and pinches the skin under his chin. “Got it already, geez.”

Jungkook grins at them, happy that Jimin’s smiling again. The couple had a big blow-out yesterday, but they ended up resolving whatever it was with explosive yelling followed by a passionate, uh, make-out session, and Jungkook is overjoyed about it. Realistically, knowing what’s waiting ahead for them, he thinks it would be very reasonable to brood and sink into a depression for the next half of the week. But he’s glad the four of them are handling the pressure in a healthier way. Torturing themselves over something that hasn’t happened yet never helped anyone anyway. (He learned this from a person called Romeo Mountain or something in this book Jin gave him.)

“We’ve kept up a tight scout watch around our borders too,” Taehyung adds. “The Mins are nowhere close. They don’t expect us to put up a fight at all. Oh, and Hoseok-hyung sent us a messenger, they’ll be arriving sooner than anticipated, probably around the sixth day. It’ll give everyone more time to rest before we attack.”

That’s the best news he’s heard all week, and Jungkook allows himself a sigh of relief. “Everyone’s working hard,” he says, watching people file in and out of the door. Yoongi pats him on the head.

“You are too.” Jungkook attempts a smile, but it comes out a bit crooked.

“Oh, right.” Taehyung nods. “I’m gonna need you to do your job, Jungkookie.” He scoots over, patting the emptied space on his chair, and just like that, Jungkook is smiling big, squeezing himself in beside him as close as physically possible without clambering on to Taehyung’s lap, because he’s too embarrassed for that in public. Taehyung cradles him against his side, rubbing his nose against Jungkook’s jaw.

“Am I doing good?” Jungkook whispers to him, teasing. Taehyung snorts and sneaks a kiss to his ear.

“Best recharger on this planet.”

“Hehe.”

The fourth day passes in much the same fashion, followed by the fifth. On the night of the fifth, however, Jungkook starts feeling strange. Jimin, who’s flopped over him on the couch, is leaping off of him before Jungkook realizes anything’s wrong.

“Jungkook.” Jimin’s eyes are round as saucers. “You—you’re going into heat.”

The instant he says it aloud, it clicks, the tiny symptoms that were so subtle Jungkook didn’t even bother acknowledging them to himself, how he’s been feeling the slightest bit warm, or the ache in his tummy when he moves wrong.

He sits up, anxiety clouding his senses. “W-why—it’s early,” he stammers. “I’m—r-really?”

“It was probably the stress,” Jimin says, squeezing him in a hug. “What are you gonna do?”

Jungkook’s head swims. No wonder he woke up sweating this morning. His heat completely slipped his mind while they’ve been dealing with this mess, and now he’s...he’s going to cause trouble to everyone.

“I-I don’t know, hyung, what—” He chokes when he spots Taehyung walking out of Yoongi and Jimin’s bathroom, toweling his freshly washed hair. “T-T-Taehyungie...”

Taehyung whirls around at the agitation in his voice, and one sniff is all he needs before his eyes go round, his mouth falling open. “Baby,” he breathes, rushing over. “Are you...you’re going into heat?”

Jungkook nods. “I’m sorry, hyungie,” he mumbles, “I—what should I do? I-I’ll go wait it out in a heat hut, I’m sorry, t-this is such bad timing—”

“No, this is perfect timing.”

Jungkook gawks at him.

Taehyung cups his cheek, smiling.

“W-what?” he asks shakily.

“I would’ve been worried out of my mind if you went into heat later,” Taehyung tells him. “What if it happened while you were trying to escape?” He scowls at the thought. “Now is good.”

“But...”

“And we’ve finished planning everything already.” Taehyung grins, steady as always. “Namjoon-hyung and Yoongi-hyung don’t need me anymore. I can stay with you.”

“I-it’s okay,” Jungkook says, terrified that Taehyung will miss out on something. He needs Taehyung to know every tiny detail of the plan like the back of his hand so the chances of him getting hurt are as low as possible. “My heats aren’t that bad, I-I’ll just sleep, and, um, I’ll make a nest out of your clothes like last time...”

His confidence wavers when Taehyung’s smile falters, before a chilling blankness begins to creep over his face. A mask that hasn’t been directed to Jungkook in a long time.

Unease slithers into his gut, and he reaches for Taehyung’s hand. “H-hyungie?”

To his relief, Taehyung takes it. But his expression doesn’t change. “Jungkook-ah,” Taehyung says, his voice carefully level. “If you...if you don’t want to spend your heat with me, you can say so. I won’t be mad.”

Jungkook stares at him. That idea didn’t occur to him for one second. He can’t believe Taehyung would think he doesn’t want to spend his heat with him, it’s one of the things he wants most in the world. “W-what? That’s not—that’s not it.”

“What is it then?” Taehyung asks, his eyebrows drawn together, and all of a sudden, the epiphany hits Jungkook like a ton of bricks. He shuffles closer, looping his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders.

“Taehyungie-hyung,” he whispers. “Were you...still planning on mating this time?”

Taehyung grimaces. His gaze drops to the side.

“I was,” he says quietly.

Jungkook can’t tell if the gush of fire in his body is from his heat or from how much he loves him. “Me too,” he blurts out, and Taehyung stares at him, lips parted. “I—I felt stupid and, selfish about it though.”

“Why?”

“I-I dunno, just imagining we were off somewhere, like, um, with each other and everyone else was scrambling to finish stuff.”

“Taehyung’s the one who’s been scrambling to finish everything because he knew this might happen, so now it’s all done, you silly coconut,” Jimin says, and Jungkook squeaks in surprise, flinging himself into Taehyung.

Taehyung holds him close, glaring at Jimin. “You know, usually when people are having a private talk, their friends are tactful enough to leave.”

“Oh, sorry.” Jimin crouches down behind a couch so only his head is sticking out. “Go on, pretend I’m not here. I haven’t had entertainment like this in ages.”

With a growl, Taehyung starts firing every cushion on the sofa at him in rapid, violent succession, unsympathetic to his screeching. “Hey, screw you, I’m just being supportive!” Jimin shouts before finally stomping off. From the other room, they hear him tell Yoongi loudly, “Taehyung’s gonna be eating up Jungkookie for his heat, so we’ll have the house to ourselves again,” to which Yoongi drawls, “Sweet.”

“Fucking—can’t have a serious conversation with that guy around,” Taehyung mutters, and the stupidity of the situation kicks in, causing Jungkook to burst into a fit of giggles against Taehyung’s shoulder. The alpha pulls him away to look him in the eye. “Listen, sweetheart. We don’t have to mate this time. I don’t want to force us into doing anything just because it feels like there are knives at our throats.”

Jungkook studies his beloved’s warm, gentle eyes, the shadow of a smile on his lips, and the ever-so-slight, questioning tilt of his head. He knows it would break Taehyung if he said this aloud, so Jungkook will take this secret to the grave, but on the tiny, awful off-chance that something goes wrong, he wants to have given himself to Taehyung. He’ll carry Taehyung’s bite, and the alpha will be connected to him in a way no one else could ever hope to be, and nothing will be able to take that away from him.

And even if that wasn’t a concern, Jungkook would still want to belong to Taehyung as soon as possible. As long as it’s not an inconvenience to anyone, he wants to be mated the second his heat fully sets in.

“We’re not being forced.” Jungkook tells Taehyung. “We agreed long ago that we’d mate during my next heat. I’m excited, I-I don’t want to let anyone ruin this for us.”

Taehyung smiles back at him, but only halfway, a stiffness in his cheeks. “And you...haven’t changed your mind about the actual mating?” Jungkook’s smile slides off his face. He grabs Taehyung’s arm and hugs it to his chest.

“How can you say that?” he whines. He resolves to shower Taehyung in all of his love as soon as this whole fiasco is over. “You’re gonna make me sad, Taehyungie.”

“Just—making sure,” Taehyung murmurs. “I’m sorry, baby, don’t be sad.” Jungkook continues to pout, but he grabs Taehyung’s hand and gets to his feet.

“You’re sure too, right, hyungie?” he asks one last time. Taehyung stands as well, his eyes boring into him.

“I am,” he says simply. Jungkook nods.

“Okay, heat hut.” And they call their goodbyes over to Jimin and Yoongi as they march out of their friends’ cabin.

“Are you sure you’re okay to move around so much?” Taehyung asks worriedly as Jungkook pushes him down into a chair, gesturing for him to stay. “You aren’t dizzy or anything?”

“Only a little bit,” Jungkook admits. Taehyung scowls hard enough for two big wrinkles to appear around his mouth, but Jungkook hurriedly reassures him. “It’s okay, hyungie. My heats aren’t that bad to begin with.”

“...It seemed pretty bad last time. Jimin said you didn’t stop crying for an hour.”

Jungkook flushes, turning his back to him as he gets to work making a nest with the blankets they collected from the omega quarters. He layers the ones that Taehyung gave him what seems like forever ago on the very inside and begins building outwards to the pillow walls. “That was...I don’t know what happened, it was the first time,” he eventually says. “B-but I was all better after you came! And, um, this time you’re here with me, so...I’m not worried.”

He pretends like he doesn’t feel Taehyung’s gaze piercing into his back, continues to work on his nest until Taehyung says, “Come here, baby.”

Instinct makes him freeze in the middle of fluffing up his pillow. He isn’t done yet, but being on the very brink of heat has him feeling small and needy and longing to please his alpha. Although, to be fair, he always wants to please Taehyung. He loves listening to him, wants him happy and praising Jungkook all the time.

He turns slowly and is met with the fondest smile, the elder beckoning him with outstretched arms. Jungkook floats over to him and crawls into his lap, sagging into his embrace. When gentle fingers on his chin lead him into a kiss, he welcomes it with a sigh and soft, receptive lips. “’m gonna take care of you, darling,” Taehyung murmurs, and Jungkook sighs, drawing back until their mouths are barely touching. Taehyung’s eyes flutter open, shiny and gooey.

“I love you, hyungie,” Jungkook mumbles, their lips brushing with the words.

“I love you too,” Taehyung breathes. The heaviness in the way he says it makes Jungkook’s heart shudder. He’s released after a couple more kisses, and promptly scuttles back to the bed, wanting to get on with what they came for already. He finishes the nest in another handful of minutes, then plops himself down in the middle of it, sitting on his knees.

“D-do you like it?” he asks shyly.

Taehyung gets up, his eyes scouring every inch of the nest before they land back on him with something akin to pride and wonder. “It’s beautiful. Why are you so good at everything, huh?”

“Stoppp,” Jungkook giggles. He holds out his hands to pull Taehyung in. They snuggle up to each other on their sides, one of Taehyung’s arms propping up his head and the other coiled around Jungkook’s back, drifting up to play with his hair.

“Your temperature seems to be getting higher,” he notes.

“Ah, that’s normal, just a mild fever. I-I’m not delirious or anything.”

Taehyung still looks concerned, but he doesn’t press. “I’ve never been with an omega in heat before, so what—what do you need?”

Jungkook chews on his lip. He knows what the most important thing is. “L-lots and lots of cuddles.”

Taehyung laughs and pulls him closer, much to his vocal satisfaction. “Okay, I can do that. What else?”

“Uh...” He thinks for a bit. “I think Jimin-hyung or Jin-hyung will bring food, so we don’t have to worry about that, and, um, I-I just—” Jungkook wiggles against him in frustration, not knowing how to put into words the need cresting inside of him. “Hyung, want you to touch me,” he whines.

There’s an audible click in Taehyung’s throat when he swallows, his scent subtly getting stronger. He slides a hand up Jungkook’s front, up to his sternum where his tunic opens to bare skin. Then he slips just the tips of his fingers underneath, his palm warm over the base of Jungkook’s neck.

“Like this?” His voice has gone a bit gravelly. It sounds so nice and strong and comforting. Jungkook’s starting to lose focus. He’s having a hard time registering the words.

“Touch,” he mewls, yanking at the collar of his own tunic, opening it up for Taehyung, who coos at him, calming him with gentle pets over his neck and helping him undo the tie of his top.

As soon as Jungkook’s tunic is off, the omega starts tugging at Taehyung’s too. It’s his first time seeing Taehyung with his chest fully exposed, other than when they first met, way back when Taehyung didn’t like him yet and was forced to help him carry the slab of boar to the kitchen. Jungkook can’t believe they’ve gotten to this point, that Taehyung is his alpha now. He glides his hands up his man’s bare abdomen and over his chest, squeezes his broad shoulders. “H-hyungie...” he whispers.

Taehyung lowers himself on top of him, sliding both arms under Jungkook’s back and pressing the two of them into the mattress with his weight. He peppers soft kisses over Jungkook’s mouth, sweet but with enough pressure to make pleasure tingle down his spine. Having this, the kisses and Taehyung surrounding him and his hot skin pressed against Jungkook’s, already has him near sensory overload. He spreads his legs to let Taehyung sink deeper against him, lays his palms on his chest and feels his quickening heartbeat.

He can’t believe this person, the most handsome and kind man he’s ever met in his entire life, is going to be his. A wave of exhilaration and joy, and even a tiny bit of triumph washes over him.

“Pants?” he mumbles into Taehyung’s mouth, whose hands stroke a path of fire down his sides to his trousers, undoing those too. Jungkook shucks them off before helping Taehyung with his. When they’re separated by Taehyung sitting back on his heels, Jungkook makes a noise of dismay, but Taehyung shushes him, resting his hands on the widest part of his hips, thumbing over the strings of Jungkook’s loincloth.

“Can I?” he asks. His voice is so deep that Jungkook can feel it in the pit of his stomach. He nods, lifting his hips so Taehyung can pull down his last piece of clothing. He blushes furiously when Taehyung’s eyes widen at the damp spot on the underwear. Preoccupied by the reveal of Taehyung’s skin and the exhilaration of what they’re doing, Jungkook wasn’t feeling self-conscious before, but he definitely is now, seeing the unmistakeable proof of his excitement and realizing how he must look.

He snaps his legs closed and tucks them against his belly, his arms covering up his torso too. Taehyung’s attention jolts away from his underwear and back to Jungkook’s nude body, and he sets the clothes aside, his eyes glued to the omega. They trace a path up from his legs, over his waist, chest, then back down.

“So pretty, baby,” he murmurs.

Jungkook can’t remember if Taehyung’s ever made a comment about his physical appearance other than that shocking confession in his letter—no, that’s a lie. If it did happen, Jungkook would’ve seared a moment like that into his memory. And now, the rarity and rawness of the compliment does things to his mind, which is already scrambled from how busy he is between wondering if his body is to Taehyung’s tastes and admiring the alpha himself. Taehyung’s impressive shape, visible behind his loincloth, makes Jungkook’s mouth water.

“Y-you take that off too,” he whispers.

Taehyung gives him a slow smile. “If I do, will you stop hiding?” It’s the usual, familiar teasing that Jungkook has come to love with all his heart, but he isn’t gone enough to not recognize the edge behind it, to not smell the alpha musk that’s starting to dominate Taehyung’s usual soap and cotton.

In response, Jungkook shakily opens his knees. Then he unfolds his legs, feet inching towards the sides of the bed so Taehyung can see everything. He’s so embarrassed, but he...he almost likes it, baring himself to Taehyung. The sudden flash of red in Taehyung’s eyes is blinding in the dim, torch-lit room.

“Arms too, sweetheart,” he husks. Jungkook whimpers, slick sliding out of him, wetting the sheets. He doesn’t know where Taehyung wants his arms but he follows his instincts and lays them beside his head, palms up.

“Fuck,” Taehyung growls, his pupils visibly dilating. Unthinkingly, Jungkook opens his mouth, his tongue peeking out to taste Taehyung’s scent in the air. He smells so good. Jungkook wants him so badly. He wants Taehyung’s scent all over him, claiming him as his.

From the look in Taehyung’s eyes and the violent way he tears off his own loincloth, Jungkook thinks this is going to be a frenzied, feverish mating, and his heart races, eager for it. But when Taehyung crawls on top of him, molding their naked bodies together in a way that’s more to have them as close as possible and not necessarily sexual, then kisses Jungkook like he’s Taehyung’s most valued treasure, Jungkook decides he likes this even better.

He feels like he’s melting into him, his alpha’s body swallowing him up whole. His nails scratch lightly over Taehyung’s toned back as he kisses him deep, their mouths moving seamlessly. With his legs wrapped around his waist, Jungkook can feel Taehyung’s length hot and heavy against his tummy, and it’s intimidating, but he isn’t scared. He knows Taehyung will be so good to him.

“You’re so pretty, baby,” Taehyung says again, like he can’t help himself as he drags his lips past Jungkook’s jaw and down his neck. Jungkook mewls, arching back.

“W-want love bites,” he begs, pushing himself into Taehyung’s mouth. “Please, wanna be y-yours.”

“God,” Taehyung mutters. He stuffs his nose into Jungkook’s scent gland, inhaling harshly while he sucks bruises into the softest parts of his neck. The sounds his lips make against the delicate skin are quiet but filthy enough to build a fire in Jungkook’s stomach, his vision swirling. Taehyung’s mouth feels like heaven. It makes his hips jump, accidentally bumping their erections.

Jungkook moans, and more slick trickles out of him. “T-Taehyungie-hyung...”

Taehyung glances up at him with knowing eyes, but he doesn’t go any faster. He takes his time kissing down Jungkook’s body, his hands clamped over the small of his waist possessively, and Jungkook plays with Taehyung’s soft, wavy hair, though he’s careful not to pull.

When Taehyung finishes sucking little bruises into his abdomen and moves lower, Jungkook begins to tense up in anticipation. Dark eyes flicker up to him. A smirk tugs at one corner of Taehyung’s mouth. He looks so sexy like this, lying between Jungkook’s legs, a bit smug, challenging, a bit of a wild animal.

His tongue lolls out and licks a bold stripe up Jungkook’s length.

“Ah!” Jungkook’s thighs fall wider open. He’s absolutely gushing now, his bum and thighs all wet. He squeaks when a finger touches him down there, drawing circles around the source of the wetness. Taehyung makes a low, satisfied sound, and Jungkook lifts his head to find him licking his finger.

“Oh,” he whimpers. “H-hyungie.”

“You’re so cute, Jungkook-ah,” Taehyung rasps, caressing his thigh. “Can I...touch you inside?”

Jungkook moans. “Please.”

Being in heat loosens up all of his muscles, so one finger feels good, two is a bit of a stretch but amazing, and Taehyung sucking and nipping at the fleshiest parts of his thighs makes it even better. The third finger makes Jungkook gasp and arch his back, his hands scrabbling for Taehyung’s shoulders. Taehyung rubs his hip, up and down, grounding him.

“You okay, baby?” Taehyung asks, scrutinizing his face. “Doesn’t hurt?”

“Unh, f-full...” He mewls in protest when Taehyung stops. “But it’s good, hyungie, d-don’t stop.”

Taehyung complies, planting kisses over his thighs and the sensitive skin between his legs as he stretches him. The gentleness of his touch both over and inside of Jungkook has him floating in pleasure, whimpering quietly and toes curling. Unable to help himself, he keeps calling for Taehyung, needs his comforting hums and soothing whispers of how good he’s doing to tether him.

When Jungkook puts a hand on Taehyung’s shoulder and nudges at him, Taehyung immediately stops, asking him what’s wrong. Rather than answer, Jungkook rolls on to his stomach and props himself up on his forearms and knees, arching his back in what he hopes is a pretty way. Presenting himself like a good omega.

“I-I’m ready, hyungie,” he mumbles. He’s sure his face is the colour of chili peppers, but hopefully it isn’t so obvious in the dimmed room.

With a deep, trembling breath, Taehyung wraps around Jungkook’s back. His heartbeat presses right up against him and Jungkook sighs at how fast and hard it’s going, just like his.

“Let’s go slow, baby,” Taehyung murmurs, lips trailing over his ear. He nods and flips his right hand up, which Taehyung takes without hesitation, intertwining their fingers. “Let me know if it hurts, sweetheart, okay?” Jungkook nods again.

“Y-yes, hyungie.”

Truthfully speaking, Jungkook has fantasized about making love with Taehyung many times. He thinks it’s only natural when he loves him so much, and he can’t be blamed when his alpha is the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Or at least that’s what he tells himself when his mind begins wandering to daydreams of Taehyung’s hands spanning his body and the heat of them becoming one.

It’s more overwhelming than he imagined it would be, his eyes squeezing shut and mouth falling open as Taehyung presses inside him. His thighs shake but he’s held steady by a hand spread across his belly, harsh breaths fanning over the back of Jungkook’s neck.

Taehyung’s so hot inside him. Jungkook feels so full. He doesn’t know he’s making a high keening sound until Taehyung’s words reach him, “Jungkookie, hey, you okay, darling? Want hyung to stop? Is it too much?”

He shakes his head fervently and clutches tighter to Taehyung’s hand. “W-wan’ all of hyungie, p-please,” he slurs.

“Almost there, baby,” Taehyung whispers. “You’re doing so good, so sweet, my cute omega.”

Jungkook whines. Yes, he wants to be a sweet, cute omega for his wonderful Taehyung who deserves everything good in the world. He does his best to relax his muscles, accepting more and more of Taehyung into his body. After months of pining and then loving, he’s been ready for this for ages. Not for the first time since he’s started dating Taehyung, he’s so happy he was born an omega. His heats were made to connect him to his alpha.

Soon, he feels Taehyung’s hips press into his bum, and Taehyung drags hot kisses under his ear and over his neck. “How do you feel, Jungkookie?” he says, voice soft.

Mortifyingly enough, Jungkook thinks he might be on the verge of tears. Taehyung’s inside of him. They’ve never been so close to each other. He feels complete. “G-good,” he hiccups, eyes welling up. “T-Taehyungie, I love you.”

Taehyung groans and nuzzles him, rubbing his nose against Jungkook’s cheek. His hand migrates from Jungkook’s hip to wrap around his middle, so that there isn’t room for a single bubble of air between them. “I love you so much, Jungkook-ah.”

They wait until Jungkook gets impatient and shifts his bum back. Pleasure and relief spike up his spine. “H-hyungie, I—I want...”

“Okay, baby, I’ve got you.”

Their bodies move in tandem, Taehyung rocking against him and Jungkook weakly meeting the rolls of his hips. His mouth hangs open from the sounds he can’t help but make, their gasps and pants and the quiet noises of skin against skin filling the room. Jungkook feels so hot and wet, his thighs absolutely dripping. With Taehyung enveloping him so completely like this, he’s overpowered, but feels the safest he’s ever been.

“Ahh,” he moans. “Hyungie...”

Taehyung’s breaths are ragged against the nape of his neck. “Yeah, darling?” He moves with precision, careful but strong. “What is it?”

Jungkook can’t think through the haze in his mind, but he tries. “F-feel good?”

“So good,” Taehyung grunts, sucking at a spot under his ear that makes Jungkook shake.

“A-am I good?” Jungkook slurs out. “Good omega?”

Taehyung’s words sound like they’re getting punched out of him, but he enunciates clearly, making sure Jungkook understands. “You’re the best omega, Jungkook,” he groans. “I’m so lucky to have you. I love you.”

Jungkook’s vision is going white. He thinks he keeps talking, murmuring nonsensical endearments, but he doesn’t really know. His arms slowly give out until his cheek is sinking into the pillow, his little choked moans muffled against it, and Taehyung follows him down, heavy over his back. When his tongue laps over Jungkook’s scent gland, the omega keens.

“M-mate,” Jungkook hiccups. “M-my mate, ah, hyungie, w-want your bite—”

A moan stutters out of Taehyung. “You want it our first time, Jungkookie? D-don’t wanna wait ‘til later in your heat?”

“I-I’m fully in heat,” Jungkook sobs, knows it from how he feels like his brain is melting. There’s no point in waiting, their bond will be unbreakable and everlasting and he needs to be Taehyung’s already. “Want your b-bite, mate, please—”

He’s breathing a little too fast and Taehyung calms him down by turning his head and slotting their mouths together. The angle isn’t the best but Jungkook gasps in relief anyway, kissing him back like a drowning man.

Something about the way Taehyung keeps their pace controlled makes the gradual build so satisfying but intense, that Jungkook eventually has to separate from Taehyung’s lips to moan and cry.

“Oh, please,” he weeps, squeezing Taehyung’s hand, loving how he didn’t let go once this whole time. “P-please, need T-Taehyungie’s knot, ah, alpha—”

Taehyung groans, sucking on Jungkook’s scent gland now. It swells under his attention, begging for his bite. Jungkook could scream. “Are you close, darling?”

He’s beyond words at this point but he thinks his plaintive mmm gets the message across because Taehyung opens his mouth and Jungkook can feel the points of his canines lengthening, grazing over his skin.

“Me too,” Taehyung huffs against his neck, the base of his cock growing and bumping against Jungkook. “Oh, fuck.”

“Hyungie,” Jungkook sobs. “T-Taehyungie...”

“Jungkook-ah. Fuck. Fuck, I love you, baby.”

It’s those words that drive him over the edge, clamping down around Taehyung and crying out. His voice snaps up half an octave when Taehyung’s knot pushes into him at the same time that teeth pierce into scent gland, and he screams, writhing.

“T-Taehyungie!” He crushes Taehyung’s hand in his, scared by the violent rush of emotion, the heat flaring from the wound in his neck out to the rest of him, exploding in his chest.

He feels the knot expanding and Taehyung climaxing inside him. His mind goes blank, tears streaming down his face.

“Shh, shh, omega,” Taehyung is murmuring through Jungkook’s keening as he licks up the blood, sealing the wound closed with his saliva. “You’re okay, don’t cry, sweetheart, I’ve got you.”

He plants kisses all over the side of Jungkook’s face, patiently soothing the mass of feelings thrashing in his chest, until clarity begins to return to him.

And once the panic and anxiety ease entirely, quieted by the loving stream of whispers from his alpha and how carefully he touches him, his weight protecting him from the world, Jungkook calms enough to realize that the explosion of emotion from earlier was happiness. He feels safe and awestruck and warm, the last of the pleasured tremors tingling through his fingers and toes. Everything inside him goes silent in this moment, pleased beyond belief at being full of Taehyung’s knot, savouring the mating.

Somewhere in the middle of all that, his knees collapsed on him and now he’s lying on his stomach, a bit uncomfortable from the dampness underneath him. He’s about to open his mouth to ask Taehyung if they can change position, when Taehyung seems to sense what he needs, gingerly maneuvering them into lying on their sides and spooning him.

“Mate,” Jungkook breathes.

Taehyung chuckles, sounding utterly delighted. “Yeah, we’re mates now, Jungkookie. And we’ll be husbands after the mating ceremony.”

Jungkook wishes he could see him right now. Later, as soon as the knot is down, he’s going to turn and burrow his face in Taehyung and shower him with all the kisses.

A little while later, after Jungkook’s heartbeat has slowed to normal, he sighs, relaxing back against Taehyung. “I’m sorry we couldn’t have our ceremony before the mating,” Taehyung says, resting his face in the crook of Jungkook’s neck. “Stupid Mins, huh?”

Jungkook laughs airily, still feeling overwhelmed. “It’s okay. Don’t care as long as I can be with you.”

That earns him a wet, sloppy kiss on his cheek, making him giggle and squirm. “The things you say,” Taehyung mutters.

“But it’s the truth.”

“Stop.” Taehyung clicks his tongue. “I can only get so hard.”

Scandalized, Jungkook gasps and smacks the arm coiled around his waist. “So dirty, Taehyungie,” he says, before quickly pinching his lips together so he doesn’t giggle. His first time making love with his alpha and he’s already becoming naughty, what would Jimin say? But ew, no, Jungkook doesn’t want to think about him right now.

Taehyung hums exaggeratedly. “Why do I have a feeling you like it?”

Jungkook purses his lips and plays with Taehyung’s fingers.

“Baby’s got no comment?”

“I mean, I—” he pouts, wiggling his back against Taehyung’s chest. Both of them suck in sharp breaths when that jostles the knot. It’s such a dreamy, sweet ache, being stretched full of Taehyung, Jungkook wants to stay like this forever.

“I like it ‘cause you implied that you, um, get...aroused by me telling you I want to be with you,” he says reluctantly, face hot. He lets out a shocked oh at the twitch inside him. “H-hyungie!”

“Stop talking,” Taehyung mutters, hugging him tighter like it’s supposed to be some form of revenge. Jungkook should do this more often. “How long do your heats last, by the way? Two days?”

“Yeah, uh, the mating will shorten it though, so maybe...one, or one and a half days.”

“Okay.” Taehyung pulls a comforter over them and pecks the crown of his head. “Let’s get you some rest.”

Jungkook is disappointed because he wants to chat with Taehyung some more, but he definitely wants his mate (his mate!) to get as much sleep as possible in these next couple of days.

It takes a few minutes for them to settle down and get sleepy enough to not be tempted to talk, but sooner than he expected, Jungkook’s eyelids are drooping.

“Love you,” he mumbles a last time, and smiles when Taehyung’s answer is whispered adoringly into his ear.

The next day and a half go by with a strange, fantastical feel to them, leaving Jungkook with experiences and memories that are—misty, as though cloaked by a sheer white curtain. Still, he revels in it. In Taehyung’s soft and passionate love, the touch of his body, the warmth of his heart. Jungkook counts the seconds to slow things down, but inevitably, their time together has to come to an end.

Two mornings later, Taehyung wakes him up and tells him that Jungkook needs to get going.

It’s the day of the evacuation, their scouts having made sure that each of their planned routes are clear of threats. Taehyung and the ambush group will be setting off with the Jung wolves tonight.

Jungkook tells himself he won’t cry, but as he’s standing at the boundary of the forest and Taehyung is waving goodbye, he breaks and runs back to him, throwing himself in his arms. He wishes they could scent each other, but everyone has scent blocker on.

“Please be safe,” he blubbers, tears welling dangerously. “Taehyungie, listen to me—” He grabs Taehyung’s face, glaring up at him. “Don’t try to be b-brave, or noble, or selfless. Okay? I don’t need that. Just come back safe. I need you safe. Please, hyungie.”

“I promise I will do everything in my power to come back to you as soon as I can,” Taehyung says, his cheeks squished between Jungkook’s palms and his own eyes shiny from unshed tears.

Jungkook lets him go to dab at both of their eyes before tilting his head up for a kiss. “Better make it fast or I’ll forget about you,” he hiccups through the lump in his throat.

Taehyung laughs and leans down. “Well, we can’t have that happening.”

Jimin and Yoongi’s goodbye is a fraction as dramatic as theirs but no less painful to watch. After they’re done, Jimin takes Jungkook’s hand, and as they step into the forest, frantically waving back at their mates, Jungkook tells himself there’s no need to memorize how Taehyung looks standing at the edge of their village, tall, solid, as beautiful as ever with his curly black hair and dark eyes that turn chocolate in the sunlight.

Because Jungkook will be seeing him again soon.

Chapter Text

During winter, in the dead of night, everything is silent.

Taehyung is glad for it, that he can hear the subtle breaths of Yoongi next to himself, both of them in their wolf forms. Glad that he has the presence of his hyung to ground him. As a lone traveler, Taehyung has been in his share of fights and he’s had to be creative to get himself out of sticky situations, but the only thing he had to protect then was himself. Things are different now.

He’s scared. He isn’t afraid to admit it. Everything is riding on this ambush. They can’t afford to fail.

Kangin entered the Min leader’s hut a few minutes ago and Kibum is discussing something with someone right outside of it. Taehyung, Yoongi, and their group have been hiding behind the brush on the outskirts of the camp for the better part of the hour, waiting for the best opportunity to attack. Luckily for them, the bigshots appear to be gathering for some meeting, so it’ll make it easier to take them all out at once.

As soon as the last of them enter the hut, Yoongi signals with his muzzle. Let’s go.

They dart forwards, surrounding the building, their bodies kept close to the ground.

With a last confirming signal from Yoongi, their group bursts in through the front door,  Hoseok’s through the back.

Standing closest to the door, Kibum is the first to die. His scream gurgles into nothing as fangs tear mercilessly into his neck. Left without time to transform, the Mins scramble and shout fruitlessly. Their frail human bodies fall to the jaws of the wolves like dominoes, so easily for a pack whose very thought tormented them every second of the past ten days. Tormented Yoongi, who lived under their iron rule for the better part of his life before he defected. And now their legacy shreds as easily as paper.

Taehyung tackles one of Yoongi’s brothers who was trying to sneak up on him, and Yoongi doesn’t hesitate for a second before he’s whirling around and killing his own blood. There’s no panic or hesitation in the older alpha’s eyes—only a perfect awareness of his actions, accompanied by resolution, acceptance.

Within a minute, the dozen or so of the Mins that head the clan lie lifeless on the ground, save for the leader, who’s on his knees with Hoseok’s fangs poised over his carotid. He’s holding on to his poise as a General, not shaking or crying or begging or pissing his pants like his comrades. He looks blankly at Kangin’s corpse, the most mangled one of them all, because Yoongi doesn’t let anyone get away with insulting his mate.

You wanted to turn my omega into a slave, Yoongi’s furious voice rings in their heads, his lips curled back, spittle dripping from his teeth. The hardwood floors of the cabin creak under the grip of his claws. Were you that fucking bitter that I was living my happy-ever-after outside of this shitty clan, huh? You had to ruin me for it?

“Yoongi,” his father says, clipped. “Don’t think so highly of yourself.”

Yoongi pauses. He must be sensing the same thing Taehyung does, that it feels like they’re missing a piece. What are you trying to say? Yoongi demands.

The Min leader blinks slowly at him. “Destroying your happiness was merely a convenient side effect of our larger ambitions.”

Yoongi keeps his silence, refusing to fall for the bait.

But his father remains unfazed, eerily calm for someone who’s one twitch of Hoseok’s head away from death. “Did it not occur to you that I knew this would happen?” he asks, eyes flickering with red.

Taehyung can tell he’s trying not to show it, but Yoongi tenses, the fur on his back rising. Don’t talk in circles, bastard, he says quietly. What do you want from us?

The Min leader stares Yoongi down. A corner of his mouth lifts. “What I want...is—”

Hyung, they’re here! comes Kai’s frantic shout from outside, and Yoongi is barely able to order Hoseok to snap the leader’s neck before the rest of the Min pack is crashing through the doors. Yoongi doesn’t spare his dead father a glance, immediately lunging at the closest wolf.

Taehyung falls into position at his back, just like they practiced. It was a good idea to slather all of their faces in green paint because in the chaos, it’s hard to tell who’s who and a split second of hesitation could mean death.

The Kims can’t fight as well as the Mins, but when the rest of Hoseok’s troops rush in as well, the tide turns in their favour.

Taehyung snarls at a wolf trying to sneak up on one of theirs and bursts forward, tearing a hole in his side. It leaves his back unprotected, and he almost doesn’t duck out of the way of a snapping jaw in time, earning a set of claw marks in his ribs instead. There’s blood over the floor, smeared everywhere and making their paws slip, but Taehyung doesn’t falter, fighting his way back to Yoongi.

There’s a shift when one by one, the Mins begin to realize that they’re outnumbered, and they start retreating into the corners of the room, searching for the opportunity to escape. A few of them manage to slip away, but Yoongi is ruthless in his commands of taking out anyone they can get their teeth in.

Still, though, something feels off.

The hut they’re in may be large but it’s nowhere near enough to hold both their ambush group and every warrior in the Min clan. Taehyung can tell that the others are worried as well. They were expecting to get flooded by wave after wave of people, but no one new is entering the hut anymore.

As the last Min wolf falls, Yoongi orders everyone to get out of the hut, and they swarm out of the two exits.

Once they’re out, Taehyung takes a look around the camp.

It’s empty, silent.

He knows the omegas and other non-fighters are probably hiding in their cabins, keeping quiet to avoid provoking the Kims’ wrath, but there’s a strange feeling creeping up his spine.

Yoongi trudges up next to him, his maw red and dripping.

The fuck is this, a ghost town? he mutters, eyeballing the surrounding cabins. As far as they can see, no torches are lit across the entire camp. Taehyung can’t smell anything either. Anyone.

I don’t know if he was bluffing, but Mr. Ex-Leader did say he was expecting us to come, Hoseok says grimly from Yoongi’s other side. If that’s true, why would they serve themselves up on a silver platter?

Because we betrayed them, says a voice Taehyung hasn’t heard in over ten years.

The three of them whirl around to find a familiar wolf, graying with age but golden eyes no less ferocious than Taehyung remembers. He holds himself with a composure and elegance that the barbaric Mins could have never hoped to replicate.

Lee Sooman, Hoseok growls.

The wolf’s mouth curls in an imitation of a smile. I abandoned the Lee name a decade ago, pup, he rumbles.

Yoongi snorts. You mean they kicked you out for your ploy to usurp the clan head position.

Usurp, you say. Sooman prowls towards them. Taehyung’s breath catches in his throat when he notices the sea of glowing eyes revealing themselves across the camp, previously concealed by shrubbery and woodland.

Scentless. They were prepared.

I’ve never understood why I was punished so heavily for wanting what was rightfully mine, Sooman scoffs. I was—am—the strongest.

The Lees are a democracy, Hoseok says sharply, and Taehyung knows it’s important to keep Sooman talking to figure out his motives for whatever is going on in this moment, but his instincts are screaming at him to attack.

The rest of their group has formed a tight, outward-facing circle. There are more of them hiding, waiting in the depths of the forest, ready to launch themselves into battle in a flash. Their gunsmen are further hidden in the back line, unless...unless there are enough of Lee Sooman’s wolves that the gunsmen, too, are surrounded.

Democracy? Lee Sooman sighs. You mean complacency. If one can lead the clan to greater places, there is no reason for them not to become head.

What, so you offered an alliance to the Mins? Yoongi demands.

I did.

And then you betrayed them as well? Yoongi laughs dryly. For what?

Sooman chuckles, low and menacing. They’ve always been brutes, all brawn and no brain. But that brawn was powerful enough to maintain their position. It was a good opportunity to wipe out some of the best fighters in the country.

Now, he steps closer, and his pack members follow, what’s stopping us from conquering the West? You Kims? He laughs. I don’t think so.

The foreign wolves leap at them.

Taehyung doesn’t know who these people are, whether they followed Sooman from the Lees or if he’s gathered fellow misfits like him, but they’re almost rabid in the way they fight.

It’s carnage. Panicked cries echo in Taehyung’s mind, overlapping so that he can’t pick out any single voice. He has no time to do that anyway, no leisure to try to help anyone. Teeth and claws come at him from every angle. There is only so much he can dodge, so many times he can stretch himself out to sink his teeth into an enemy before he is attacked in return.

Without the element of surprise to back them this time, his hope begins to fade.

But he won’t give up. He can’t.

As his fangs rip through a foreign wolf, he thinks back to Jungkook, how he sounded so serious and steadfast when he said that if Taehyung died, he would too. How broken he looked when he begged Taehyung not to go, swearing that he’d be good, that he’d do anything if Taehyung would stay with him.

His mate. His omega. Taehyung can’t let anything happen to him.

Back into the hut! Yoongi roars. Defend!

Taehyung struggles to find him and Hoseok in the mass of snarling bodies. He’s able to clear a bloody path back towards them, but before he can reach them, a searing pain cuts up his flank. He grits his teeth, twisting around to throw the wolf off of him. There’s a chunk missing in his side, bleeding profusely, and sensing weakness, another group of wolves turn to him with saliva drooling out of their mouths.

Taehyung! he hears Hoseok scream. But no one is close enough to help him.

He struggles through his blurring vision and ringing ears, ignoring the pain to snap his jaw at anyone who gets close. But he can feel their fangs tearing into him, shredding away pieces of his coherence bit by bit.

Sehun bursts through the group of wolves descending on Taehyung, but there’s no helping it—there are too many of them, and soon, the both of them are surrounded, with nowhere to go.

They say that the instant before death, your life flashes before your eyes, all the moments that stand out the most.

Taehyung never thought that would happen for him. He thought his death would be slow and plain, some chronic disease resulting from age and wear, with no one by his side, nothing worth looking back fondly on. Or that it would be too quick for him to reminisce upon his life, if he got caught up in some inescapable trouble during his travels.

And he’s partly correct, perhaps. His head is dizzy from blood loss, and they’re in the middle of a battle so fast-paced that he can barely register what’s happening.

Still, he can hear Jungkook’s voice in his head so clearly.

Only want you, a bashful whisper.

I love you, Taehyungie, soft and warm, dripping with adoration.

Please come back safe, a trembling sob.

I’ll try, Taehyung promises him now. I’ll try, for you.

“You need to rest.”

Jungkook looks away from the clear night sky, in which he was attempting to find constellations to distract himself from morbid thoughts. The sound of Jimin’s snores earlier lulled him into a sort of trance, but he guesses his hyung is having a hard time staying asleep as well.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says, instead of telling him how he’s tried for hours and just can’t. He’s sure Jimin knows.

There’s a sigh from behind him before the other omega is sitting down next to him. Jungkook expects him to give him a lecture or some deep life lesson, or try to annoy him into sleeping somehow. Instead, Jimin says, “Oh, I found Sagittarius.” Jungkook perks up.

“Where?”

He points, drawing out the pattern for him, and Jungkook sees it too. “Pretty,” he sighs. “You’re familiar with constellations, hyung?”

“Yeah, the hunters have to learn for navigation purposes. We used to hunt at night sometimes, you know, like, when we got bored. Nocturnal animals taste different.”

“Really?”

“I dunno, maybe it’s just the working harder part that makes them more satisfying. Hunting at night’s no joke, lemme tell you that.”

Jungkook hums. “Maybe we can try one day, I, I think my night vision’s pretty good.”

Jimin rolls his eyes. “What aren’t you good at?” he teases, and Jungkook flushes.

“I wanna find Capricorn, hyung, help me.”

It takes Jimin a minute or so before he locates it and shows Jungkook again, who gazes up at it, wishing he could take a photo with his eyes. Its stars are especially bright and pretty. Maybe that’s why Taehyung’s a Capricorn.

Oh, now he’s thinking about Taehyung again. His heart slides down, down, all the way to his stomach, weak and heavy.

“How do you think the ambush is going?” he asks quietly. Jimin sighs through his nose.

“Well. Our mate bonds are still intact,” he says, and Jungkook flinches, his hand flying up to his mark. His heart aches imagining the comforting thrum in the back of his mind, Taehyung’s presence, dissolving into nothing. “So I’m choosing to believe it’s going well.”

“H-how long do you think they’ll be fighting for...?” Jungkook picks up a stray twig, drawing a circle in the dirt, then another, trying to make them perfectly round. “It...probably won’t take longer than tonight, right?”

Jimin shakes his head. “I have no clue.”

They stew in silence, staring up at the sky but not really seeing it. Jungkook wants to sigh, but he heard somewhere that sighing only makes people feel sadder or something, and he can’t afford that. Taehyung wouldn’t want him to be sad.

Taehyung also would probably not be happy that Jungkook’s in his human form right now, and he feels guilty about that. Technically, he and everyone else should be transformed into wolves right now. They’re stronger, faster, have more sensitive senses that way, but the members of their little escape group have been taking turns shifting back to humans while the others keep watch, because their emotions are more prone to hiking up and down as wolves.

But even as a human, of course, the worry is a constant throb in Jungkook’s chest. He knows torturing himself doesn’t help anything. It’s just hard to stop.

“Maaan,” Jimin’s head lolls back, his eyes closed. “If this were any other day, I’d be playing chess with Yoongi-hyung right about now.” Jungkook looks up from the ground.

“Chess?”

“Yeah, it’s this board game, kind of like janggi. It’s all about using your head. Strategy, y’know.” Jimin taps his temple. “Yoongi’s been teaching me. Namjoon-hyung’s a total pro, I think he and Jin-hyung were the ones who got Yoongi into it.”

Jungkook goggles at him. “That sounds fun. Is that how you spend your evenings together?” Jimin shrugs.

“Yeah, or sometimes we bake together. If we’re feeling lazy though, we just cuddle and chat.”

For some reason, imagining Yoongi and Jimin cuddling makes something flare up inside Jungkook. They’re not the touchiest couple—or to be more accurate, Jimin will hang off of Yoongi when he’s in the mood, and Yoongi will yank Jimin to him with an arm around his neck sometimes too. But they’re not exactly soft with each other out in public. Jungkook thought that was simply their relationship dynamic, but now that he thinks about it, perhaps it’s only because they like to keep their affection behind closed doors.

“What do you chat about?” he asks.

Jimin purses his lips. “Whatever’s happening in the pack, I guess. For a while we talked lots about you ‘cause you were new and cute and obsessed with Taehyung—”

“H-hey!”

“What, it’s true. That was the juiciest gossip we had in years,” Jimin cackles, rubbing his hands together like an evil villain. Jungkook pouts and Jimin laughs harder, ruffling his hair. “Why do you ask? You wanna know what I gossip about with Yoongi?”

“Not that,” Jungkook mutters, patting his hair back down. He stares down at the bare forest ground, at the millions of circles he’s drawn in the dirt. “I was, um. Just curious about mated life.”

Jimin exhales. He flops back on his back, starfishing like he always does, eyes drooping. “It’s awesome.”

Jungkook’s stomach flip-flops. “Awesome?”

“Yeah. You’re never lonely. Like, back when I was in the Park clan, I’d feel lonely even though I was always hanging out and sleeping with all the rest of the omegas.” Jungkook nods furiously, understanding that exact feeling. “And now I don’t really have a set group that I spend the whole day with, you know? But I know Yoongi will be there with me at the end of the day, and it’s—I don’t know. It’s good to know that someone is yours.”

Jungkook sighs, lying back too, and Jimin slithers an arm under his neck, patting his shoulder. “I want that,” Jungkook says wistfully.

“You’ll get to enjoy it with Taehyung.” Jimin pauses. “Not to mention, the sex is phenom—”

“Hyung!” he whines, rolling away from him. “You ruined it!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Jimin says with an audible eye-roll, muttering under his breath about how he knows Jungkook is totally horny for Taehyung so he should stop pretending. Which Jungkook can’t exactly deny, and this irks him because Jimin rubbing in his face his comprehensive knowledge about Jungkook’s uncontrollable feelings for his alpha causes him enormous pain. “By the way, Yoongi’s been meaning to ask you what paints you recommend.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve tried out a bunch of the paints from town, right?”

Jungkook hums an affirmative. Taehyung’s made a hobby of scouring the towns and cities they visit to find every small corner selling art stuff and bringing back sample material for Jungkook to try out. Jungkook’s now amassed a small collection of all sorts of colouring tools, canvases, and charcoals for drawing, which he’s been experimenting with.

“Well, Yoongi saw you having loads of fun painting and got interested. He was gonna ask you for a quick lesson on different types of paint and stuff.”

Jungkook gasps, scrambling to a seat. “Of course, I’d be happy to! I-I’ll write him a list when we get home. I have a few favourites, Taehyungie knows where all the stalls are too.” Jimin shoots him a warm smile.

“Thanks. He’ll be thrilled.”

“Oh, no.” Jungkook looks down at his shoes. “He’s helped me with so much, if there’s anything I can do, just...let me know.”

Jimin beckons him over with a hand, and Jungkook leans down curiously, smiling when the elder pets his head. “You’re a good kid, li’l marshmallow.”

“Stop...”

“I would if you didn’t make it so obvious how much you love compliments.”

“Hyung!”

The next morning, the mood in their group is heavier.

No one speaks. The ambush should have been over last night but they haven’t heard from the rest of the pack yet, and everyone is prowling around in their wolf forms, restless.

Jungkook wonders how Jin is doing. He’s in a different group from them, a little ways away across the forest. Jungkook is curious if the head omega has heard anything from Namjoon that the rest of them haven’t, especially not Jungkook because he didn’t have the presence of mind to ask about specifics while he was caught up savouring every last second of his heat with Taehyung. He gets lost in his memories of the warmth of Taehyung’s body and how gently he touched him, enveloping him, all sweet smiles and whispers and kisses.

Now that he thinks about it, he’s not even sure what role Namjoon is playing in the ambush. He’s part of the attack group, that’s obvious, but...not that there’s a point in wondering about it now.

All they can do is wait for news.

Hour by hour drags by. More slowly than Jungkook has ever felt.

They scour for food when the hunger overpowers their anxiety, catching small rodents and eating them raw in their wolf forms or finding berries and making do with those.

There’s a river nearby and thinking about parching his thirst makes Jungkook’s desert mouth dry out more, but he doesn’t want to leave his group in case news comes and they have to immediately set off. The juices from the fruit are enough to sate him for now.

He and Jimin both try to draw each other into light conversation a couple times, but neither of them is in the mood, and ultimately the attempts fall flat. They find comfort in sitting close instead, Jimin’s blond fur melting into Jungkook’s black.

“What are you doing?”

It’s the tone that has Jungkook pausing, glancing over at Jimin.

“What?” he asks.

Jimin looks like he’s seen a ghost. Or that he’s the ghost himself, he’s so pale. His eyes are enormous pools of black, and when Jungkook looks more closely, he realizes Jimin’s trembling.

“What?” Jungkook asks again, inching closer, concerned.

Jimin is visibly trying to get a grip on himself, his throat jumping harshly, lips pressed into a tight line.

“Stop,” he says gruffly, yanking Jungkook’s hand away from his neck. “Stop doing that.”

Jungkook wants to ask him what he’s talking about, a question on his face.

“Stop scratching your mark,” Jimin rasps, soothing his neck with the cool touch of his hand.

“Oh.”

Jungkook can feel the panic rising inside him, threatening to take him over. His head is suddenly filled with cotton.

“I-it burns,” he whispers, his eyes widening. “That’s why I’m scrat—w-why does it burn, hyung?”

“It’s nothing,” Jimin says quickly, too quickly, grabbing Jungkook’s other hand too, not letting Jungkook touch it. “I’m sure it’s just an allergic reaction or something. Taehyung’s fine, okay?”

“No.” Jungkook wrenches himself out of Jimin’s hold. “No, no, no.” His voice is getting to dangerous pitches, dangerous because if anyone bad is looking for them, they might hear. But Jungkook can’t help himself. He doesn’t care, he can’t help it, he can’t stop, he can’t—

“No!” he shouts, and breaks off into a sprint towards the river.

His feet pound against the dirt, shoes almost slipping off from how fast he’s going. Then he gets caught on a branch and cries out when his body is hurled forward. His knees and hands are scraped bloody, but he picks himself back up and stumbles on, ignoring Jimin’s voice behind him.

When he reaches the river, he throws himself down on the bank, gasping and sobbing so hard he can barely see. He scrubs his eyes free of the useless tears and bores down at his reflection in the water.

His neck. The mark is still there. It’s still there but it stings. It’s so red.

What’s wrong with it? Jungkook doesn’t know. What’s wrong with Taehyung?

He can’t be—no. He’s fine. He said he’d be fine.

So why does his mating mark hurt?

Jungkook cries harder, digging his nails into the teeth marks Taehyung left on him, assuring himself that they haven’t disappeared. He thinks he might be bleeding, but he doesn’t care.

As long as the mark doesn’t go away. As long as it doesn’t leave him.

His fingers trace over it, shaking beyond control.

It’s okay, though. It won’t disappear.

Taehyung is fine. 

Jungkook chants it out loud, grasping on to that single thought with everything he has. 

A while later, Jimin finds him curled in on himself, both hands over his mating mark, crying hysterically and babbling that Taehyung is fine, and he soothes Jungkook with quiet reassurances, petting his hair. 

It’s dusk when they hear the first howl. The forest is a hopeless gray, and Jungkook is lying on his stomach, head on his paws.

For a moment, everyone freezes, exchanging disbelieving glances.

Then they’re up and racing through the forest.

It was a howl calling for them to gather. A howl of safety. From somewhere in the forest a bit off of their village, but they know the village is where they’re being told to go.

Jungkook’s heart has never beat so furiously. He can barely breathe, the air whipping past his face almost painfully with how fast he’s going.

He doesn’t notice that he’s sprinted ahead of the others, his paws digging into the ground, twigs snapping under his weight. He’s glad Namjoon seems to be okay, at least, since that howl was his, but what about Taehyung?

Taehyung, Taehyung. Surely, he’s fine.

He bursts past the tree line into town, his nose pointed to the sky. But he can’t smell anyone in particular. The metallic stench of blood clogs his senses, so heavy he almost chokes.

Jungkook! he hears Moonbyul’s voice echo in his head, and he spins around, looking for her. But he doesn’t see anyone. Go to the apothecary and fetch the paste. Meet me in the infirmary.

Yes, he shouts back before speeding off.

They made pots and pots of the stuff days prior, knowing the chances of them returning unscathed were low. He transforms and yanks his bag off his waist, quickly pulling out his clothes and slipping them on. For the evacuation, they were told to bring their precious belongings with them, and out of the mass of things Jungkook has collected since coming to live with the Kims, the Christmas tree box Taehyung made for him topped them all. But Taehyung was the one who convinced him not to bring it, saying it’d make running more difficult, and that he had faith they would be returning to the village again. So Jungkook only packed clothes, and he’s grateful for his mobility now.

He’s able to fit one pot in each arm as he half-walks, half-runs as fast as he can to the infirmary. Upon barging through the doors, he almost drops the paste.

The blood stink is suffocating, dizzying. The room is packed, those with lighter injuries sat on chairs or the floor while those with serious injuries have been laid over the cots.

Not spotting Moonbyul, he calls her name, and the beta finds him, frantically motioning him over.

He’s never seen her anything less than calm and collected. It scares him how frazzled she looks now.

She’s positioned in a way to sort of cover the body on the cot, and Jungkook doesn’t pay much attention, concerned with the distress in her eyes and mindlessly handing over the pots. Until she moves out of the way and says, “Your mate.”

Jungkook stares.

He has no way to describe how Taehyung looks.

Except, perhaps, dead.

His torso is mangled. Jungkook can see things he should never be able to see outside of a body. There’s so much blood he doesn’t know how there can be more inside of Taehyung. Some of the wounds must be infected too, there’s this—this smell, and pus, and—

His stomach lurches violently, chased by a sting in his throat. It’s not until the sour taste hits the back of his throat that he realizes what’s happening and falls to his knees, heaving.

He hasn’t eaten much in the past day so it’s mostly bile, but that makes it burn more, his throat and mouth on fire. There are tears in his eyes but he doesn’t know if it’s from throwing up or seeing Taehyung—like that.

Moonbyul kneels down next to him, murmuring calming words and patting his back. She wipes his mouth with a cloth. It’s only because Jungkook hears her say Taehyung’s name that her words begin to register.

“Taehyung’s alive,” she’s repeating, over and over again. “I’ve seen worse, I can tell you now he’ll be fine. We just need to stitch him up and let our healing take over, Jungkook, okay? He’ll be okay.”

His head hangs between his shoulders. He can feel his mind descending into depths that he’s afraid he won’t be able to crawl out of, but Moonbyul gives him a hard shake.

“Pull yourself together,” she says, sharper now. “Bambam and Jinyoung are busy with the others. If you can’t help me, tell me now so I can ask someone else. We don’t have time to waste if we want to save Taehyung.”

At the thought of saving Taehyung, he snaps out of the numbing shock. He struggles to push himself back on his feet, and Moonbyul helps him, hauling him up.

“I-I c-can help,” he stammers, and she asks him once more if he’s sure. He nods, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.

“I’ll clean this up quickly,” she motions at the puddle Jungkook’s left on the floor. “Go wash up now. Make sure you sanitize your hands well.”

He tips his head in acknowledgment, swerving away so he doesn’t have to look at Taehyung, and swallows down the scream before it can reach his throat.

It takes the better part of the night to clean Taehyung, sew him up, and bandage his injuries. White strips cover most of his body. There are wounds over his arms and legs as well, and massive, purple-red bruises everywhere. Cuts and swelling on his face.

At one point he starts shivering from his fever and doesn’t stop. Moonbyul tells Jungkook to cover him up with blankets, put cool towels over his forehead, and Jungkook follows the orders, blinking the dampness out of his eyes.

Loathe as he is to leave Taehyung’s side, he helps Moonbyul out with some of the other wolves who are in bad shape. By the time they’re done, the room is brightening.

Jungkook is exhausted down to the bone. He trudges back over to Taehyung, sits down, and lays his head on the cot. He sleeps with Taehyung’s hand in his own.

It must be around noon when he jerks awake, disoriented. His neck and back ache something fierce, but he ignores them, scooting his chair up to check on Taehyung.

His breathing seems calmer and his face is still deathly pale, but he’s not shivering or sweating. When Jungkook tests his forehead temperature, it seems within the normal range. He breathes a sigh of relief.

“Hey.”

He twists around, finding Jimin standing next to him, expression grave.

“Hi,” Jungkook croaks.

“I heard Taehyungie got really hurt. How is he?”

Jungkook swallows. “M-Moonbyul-ssi said he’ll be fine.” He gazes up at Jimin. “What about the others?”

Jimin sighs, dragging over a chair and sitting down beside him. “Hobi-hyung’s fine, his shoulder was dislocated so it’s in a sling now, but it’ll be good in a day or two. Namjoon-hyung got some deep bites in him but he’s fine too. Yoongi...” he stops, lips pressed tightly together.

Jungkook’s stomach falls to his feet. He grabs Jimin’s hand in his free one, and his hyung clutches on to it as his eyes well up.

“H-hyung,” Jungkook whispers, horrified, but Jimin quickly shakes his head.

“He’s fine. His...his foot was nearly torn off. It was infected too and we thought we’d have to amputate it last night. But—we put on your paste and this morning the swelling had gone down by a lot and we were able to sew him back up, so he’s—” Jimin breaks, a sob hitching in his throat. “He’s okay now. But I—I was so scared.”

Jungkook forces himself to let go of Taehyung’s hand so he can capture Jimin in a hug. They cry into each other’s shoulders and Jungkook clings to him, relieved that the people they care about are okay, but heartbroken that they had to go through this in the first place.

“Good, hyung,” he stammers out wetly, “I-thank goodness.” And Jimin nods, sobbing.

When they’ve both calmed down a bit, Jungkook asks, “C-can I go visit him?”

“Of course. He’s not in here though, they had to turn another cabin into a temporary infirmary. Too many people got hurt.”

Jungkook shivers. He turns to Taehyung, taking a good look at him to make sure nothing’s amiss, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “Be right back,” he whispers, giving his hand a squeeze. And he follows Jimin outside.

Chapter Text

“Heey, Jungkookie.”

Jungkook looks up from where he’s wringing out his wet towel in the basin. “Oh! Hi, Hoseok-hyung. How are you?”

“Good, good, thanks.” Hoseok gestures at the chair beside Jungkook’s, the one that unofficially belongs to Jimin with how often he comes by. “Mind if I take a seat?”

“Please.”

Hoseok sits, less energetically than he usually does, wincing when he jostles his arm. “So how’s sleeping beauty?”

“Um...” Jungkook looks back to Taehyung, whose face is still a sick, gray colour, his lips pale too. But at least his wounds aren’t spewing blood anymore, and any infections around them have calmed after a day of religiously applying what Moonbyul has come to call “the Jungkook paste.” “I-I think he’s getting better,” he says, folding the damp towel into a square and patting the sweat from Taehyung’s forehead.

“That’s good. You haven’t been to any of the pack meetings.”

Jungkook frowns, feeling bad for skipping out. “Sorry, I didn’t want to leave him.”

“Don’t be sorry, silly,” Hoseok laughs. “If I were you I’d do the same. I guess you’ve probably heard everything from Jiminie already, yeah?”

He nods. As isolated as Jungkook was in the Jeon clan, even he’s heard of Lee Sooman before, the troublemaker who became a real threat once he gained a following, causing him to get kicked out from the Lee clan. He and his minions ended up like one of those cults, brainwashed to think the “system” was rigged, and destroyed any clan that got in the way of their domination.

But in the end, they couldn’t hold their own against guns. And Hoseok and Yoongi, who reportedly wiped out a good half of them by themselves.

Jungkook heard from Jimin who heard from Yoongi, that Taehyung had a hard time of his own. As a wolf of the royal bloodline, estranged as he may be, he was still freshly mated and prospering in a clan rich with land, and therefore represented everything they hated. They went after him with a vengeance. A moment of vulnerability was all they needed, but he was able to buy enough time for Yoongi to tear through their defenses, and the rest was essentially clean-up. Lee Sooman is dead now, courtesy of his inflated ego. And so is every Min on Yoongi’s kill list.

It’s a neat little happy ending, a far better outcome than Namjoon admitted he was hoping for. Jungkook is relieved beyond belief that his loved ones are safe.

If only Taehyung would wake up.

“Hey, I heard dinner tonight’s gonna be stew and strawberry daifuku,” Hoseok says, hopping to his feet. “Want me to get you some? I didn’t see you at lunch, you didn’t eat, did you?”

“I didn’t.” Jungkook lowers his head at Hoseok’s scrunched-up glare. “It’s okay, I’ll go get it myself later. Your ar—”

“Nope!” Hoseok chuckles. “It’s fine, I’ve got strong arms, dude. Or arm, I should say.” He waves the healthy one at Jungkook, who smiles. “I promised Taehyungie I’d take care of you if anything happened, so I’m gonna do just that. Or he’ll be pissed at me when he wakes up.” With a friendly pat on Jungkook’s shoulder, he skips off.

Jungkook turns to Taehyung again, taking one of his hands in both of his own. The alpha’s cheeks are sunken in, the shadows under his eyes deep. His scent is faint.

“How could you leave me to someone else to take care of,” Jungkook mumbles to him, tracing a finger over Taehyung’s jaw. “You’re so mean, hyungie.”

Of course, Taehyung doesn’t respond. It just makes Jungkook pout harder.

“If you don’t wake up soon, I—I’m gonna fall in love with someone else,” he mutters, resting his head on the side of the cot, carefully pressing his face into Taehyung’s arm. “So you’d better hurry up, Taehyungie.”

“Hi, Jungkook.”

When he sees who’s sat down next to him, he springs to his feet. “N-Namjoon-ssi—hyung!”

“Aw.” Namjoon makes a comically sad face. “We’ve hung out lots by now, I thought you wouldn’t be nervous around me anymore.”

“Sorry,” Jungkook says sheepishly, sitting back down.

It’s true that he isn’t nervous around Namjoon anymore, because thanks to Jin and his hobby of gathering everyone together for meals, they’ve been seeing each other a lot and chatting more in recent weeks. Namjoon’s even given him a baby bonsai for beginners and taught him how to care for it. The mini tree is sitting by his bed in the omega quarters now, and Jungkook occasionally drops by to give it water, make sure it’s okay. But outside of the safety of Namjoon and Jin’s cabin, around other people, there’s still this urge to respect him like the leader he is.

“I’m just teasing,” Namjoon chuckles, waving his hand. His arm knocks into the pitcher of water sitting on the bedside table, and they both gasp and lunge at it before it topples over. “Whoops,” Namjoon says.

Jungkook lets out a little laugh. “Are you here to visit Taehyungie?”

“Yeah. He looks better than the last time I came.”

“Yeah.”

Namjoon sighs, reaching out like he wants to touch Taehyung, before thinking better of it. “It’s been three days now, huh?”

Jungkook’s smile fades. “Yeah. H-his wounds are better so Moonbyul-ssi doesn’t know why he isn’t...waking up.”

“Did he hit his head or anything?”

“Um, there’s a small bump on the back, but it’s...she said it wasn’t serious.”

“Oh, well, we’ve got that going for us, at least.” Namjoon turns to him, the warmth and concern in his eyes reminding Jungkook sharply of his own mate. It’s sort of how Taehyung looks at him when Jungkook trips over something or when he gets sad that the kitchen ran out of dessert before he could get a serving. “So how are you holding up?” Namjoon asks. “You okay? Need anything?”

Jungkook shakes his head. “I’m okay, thank you. Hoseok-hyung’s been forcing me to eat and, um, Yoongi-hyung nags me when I go visit him.” Namjoon barks out a laugh.

“I can literally hear him lecturing you on how you’re so bad at taking care of yourself that a cripple like him has to do it.”

Jungkook’s mouth drops open. “How did you know? That’s exactly what he said.”

Namjoon laughs harder, slapping his knee. “We’ve all known each other for way too long. Anyway, I actually brought you something.” He reaches into his bag and rifles around. Jungkook flinches when he hears a few stitches tear. Maybe that’s why Jin’s always so busy, there’s so much to fix all the time with Namjoon around. “Oh, here!” He finally pulls out a few books. “I heard from my Jinnie that you’ve been into manga lately.”

“Wow, what’s this?” Jungkook marvels at the shiny new covers. There’s a picture of two guys, one with a straw hat, another with green hair, and a girl, all three of them wearing huge grins, surrounded by seagulls on...a boat? In the sea?

Jungkook chokes. “Is this One Piece?”

Namjoon looks surprised. “Oh, you know it.”

“Yeah!” He beams. “It’s Taehyungie’s favourite manga, he said he was gonna show me next time we go to town, ‘cause he doesn’t own it, there’s a hundred volumes or something?”

“Yeah, there are millions. I recently started collecting them, thought I’d lend some to you since you’re probably bored sitting here.”

Jungkook hugs them to his chest, staring up at Namjoon reverently. “Thank you, hyung.” Namjoon blushes, clicking his tongue and patting the younger’s head.

“You’re welcome, maknae.” He pauses, a mysterious smile creeping on to his face. “Did you know that at one point, Taehyung thought about becoming a sailor?”

“No,” Jungkook gasps. “Really? Why?”

Namjoon takes a sneaky peek down at Taehyung, then leans in close to Jungkook, whispering. “This is just between us, but I bet it was because of One Piece.”

Jungkook giggles, gazing down at Taehyung fondly and resting his hand over his. “Silly hyungie. Why did he change his mind?”

“Well, you know.” Namjoon shrugs, grinning beatifically. “Taehyung might act like a loner, but he doesn’t actually like to be alone. We’re all really happy you came along, you know. Now he’s not all by himself anymore.” Jungkook feels his face warm.

“T-thank you. I’m happy to be here,” he says quietly, squeezing Taehyung’s hand tight, and Namjoon chuckles.

“Good. Uh, anyway, I should probably get going now. My dear is working too hard again, I have to go stop him.”

Jungkook laughs. “Say hi to Jin-hyung for me.”

“Will do.”

“Is that One Piece?” someone says from behind him. Jungkook glances over his shoulder.

“Oh, hi Yugyeomie!”

“Hey.” Yugyeom saunters over, peering down at the manga. “You know Luffy dies, right?”

Jungkook drops the volume. Yugyeom throws his head back, laughing so hard he goes silent, and Jungkook smacks him on the shoulder.

“I’m just kidding,” his friend wheezes, clutching at his stomach. “Oh my fuckin’ god, you shoulda seen your face!”

Jungkook gives him the Glare of Death (Yoongi taught him exactly how to empty his eyes for maximum Death), and Yugyeom shuts right up.

“Okay, sorry, geez,” Yugyeom smacks him back. “Stop looking like I betrayed our friendship and slept with your mate or something.” Jungkook gasps so hard that his spit gets stuck in his throat.

“Wh—don’t even joke about that!” he growls, getting up and yanking his chair away so he can sit far, far away from the filthy Taehyung-stealer. He plops himself down by Taehyung’s head so he can fully block Yugyeom’s view of his beloved’s face. “Hyung’s mine!”

Yugyeom stretches his neck, leering over and around him, dodging Jungkook’s staunch defense. “Hey, ‘s not my fault your mate looks awfully fine even injured.”

“Stop that, you’re gonna make him bust a vessel,” a new voice says, Jimin popping up out of nowhere. “Also, you’re in my unofficial seat, loser, get out.”

“I came here first,” Yugyeom pouts.

There aren’t any other extra chairs in the infirmary, so Jimin sits right in Yugyeom’s lap, who groans about how heavy he is. “So how does your man feel about you coming here all the time to visit another man?” Yugyeom waggles his brows at Jimin, and Jimin looks at him like he’s roadkill, but without the pity and sadness.

“Jealous of me because he wants to come visit the ‘other man’ too,” he quips.

Yugyeom whistles under his breath. “Spicy.”

Jimin sneers. “You’re disgusting, and that’s saying something ‘cause you should see what I get up to with Yoongi in be—”

“I-I think you guys are too loud and bothering Taehyungie-hyung,” Jungkook says, covering Taehyung’s ears.

“Dude,” Yugyeom drawls. “This is the kind of stimulation he needs to wake up.” But his face softens, gaze drifting down to Taehyung, who’s thankfully got a bit of colour back in his face today. And at least his lips aren’t purple anymore, which Jungkook celebrated with a peck on his forehead this morning. “How is he though? It’s...been a while, huh?”

Jungkook’s hands slip from Taehyung’s ears, drifting down to his shoulders, which he gives a quick squeeze. “Five days.”

“Well, he looks a lot better now, so that’s good.”

“Yeah...he’s well enough that I can lie next to him at night. Only if I’m really careful though.” He mimes curling up into a tight little ball. Yugyeom puts a hand on his back, rubbing it comfortingly.

“Don’t stress yourself out too much.”

“I’m not,” Jungkook says, and he’s only half-lying. “It’s nice that I can be with him all the time.” He picks up the One Piece volume, shoving it in Yugyeom’s face. “And I’m catching up on his favourite manga! This is actually really good, I like it.”

Yugyeom gives him a condescending but somehow affectionate tap on the head. “It’s a classic for a reason, bro.”

“You’ll get to talk all about it with Taehyung when he’s up,” Jimin adds, and Jungkook smiles at them both gratefully, hoping that day will come soon.

“So how’s Yoongi-hyung doing these days?” Yugyeom asks, turning his attention to Jimin. “I’m not, you know, so close with him that I could visit without it being awkward.”

Jimin lets out a huge sigh. “He’s great. Too great. Complaining too much about this and that and when he’s not complaining, he’s a total sleep monster. But he pouts if I’m not there when he wakes up, so—”

“Okay.” Yugyeom holds up a hand. “I was semi-asking out of politeness, did not need the details of your gross married life.”

“I wanna know,” Jungkook says, looking at Jimin hopefully, and Yugyeom snarks, “Yeah, I really don’t get why Yoonmin are your model couple to look up to or whatever.”

Jimin laughs, all high-pitched and mocking as he jabs Yugyeom with his elbow. “What, are you jealous? Huh? Is Yugyeomie jealous of how domestic we are?”

Yugyeom throws him a scathing look, but the fact that he doesn’t deny it makes both Jungkook and Jimin stare at him hard. Eventually, he breaks, throwing his arms up. “Okay, okay, I haven’t had much time with Bambam lately because he’s busy treating all the injured people. But I’m not about to complain because they literally have broken bones and shit, I’m not that much of a brat.”

“Uh huh,” Jimin says, utterly unconvinced, and Yugyeom punches him in the shoulder. Jungkook frowns at him.

“I think things are slowing down these days though,” he says, patting Yugyeom on the shoulder.

“Yeah, I know. It’s fine, I was just bitching for fun.” Yugyeom grins, nodding down at the manga. “So you want any spoilers? Nami’s actua—”

“LALALALA,” Jungkook starts singing, clapping his hands over his ears, and Jimin rolls his eyes at them both.

One night, Jungkook startles awake from a nightmare. The dream doesn’t instantly fade away like they usually tend to, but he forgets about it anyway when he realizes he might have been moving around in his sleep.

That thought is enough to have him scuttling off the bed, afraid he’s hurt Taehyung. He lights a nearby candle and flips the comforter away, checking to make sure none of Taehyung’s injuries have begun bleeding, and he breathes a sigh of relief when everything looks okay.

After extinguishing the candle, he huddles back up in his chair, opting to just hold Taehyung’s hand instead. He presses it to his cheek, and kisses the bony knuckles one by one.

If Taehyung were awake, he’d probably wrap Jungkook up in his arms and kiss his forehead, murmuring to him that dreams are only dreams and that he’s safe, that Taehyung and the rest of his hyungs would never let anything happen to him.

Jungkook thought he cried himself out those first few days, but his body is always full of surprises, the tears rapidly welling up in his eyes. He sniffs, wiping them away.

“Miss you, hyungie,” he whispers, pressing another kiss to the back of Taehyung’s hand. “Waiting for you.”

The candles spread sporadically throughout the infirmary cast dark, ominous shadows over Taehyung’s face, but Jungkook finds comfort in how he can see his chest move slowly up and down. Sometimes during the daytime, he talks to Taehyung, quietly so people don’t give him weird looks, but just in case the alpha is actually conscious somehow, Jungkook doesn’t want him to be bored. And he has lots he likes to share with Taehyung too. Sadly, it’s nighttime now so he can’t do that, with the other patients needing just as much rest as his alpha.

But oh well, there’s always tomorrow. Lord knows Jungkook’s not going to be leaving Taehyung’s side any time soon.

“I love you, Taehyungie,” he says.

And Taehyung always, always says it back, so Jungkook tries not to be sad that he doesn’t this one time.

Jungkook taps his feet on the floor. He chews on his bottom lip. He sucks on the insides of his cheeks, twiddles his thumbs.

“Um...Yura-noona?”

Yura looks up from the sewing project she has in her lap, smiling brightly. “Yeah?”

“I-I’m so sorry, but...would you perhaps mind coming back at a later time?”

“Huh?” Her brow knits together. “Why, what’s wrong?”

“Please don’t get me wrong,” Jungkook blurts out so quickly his words are almost unintelligible, “I really, really appreciate you coming here to keep me company, and Taehyungie would too, I know he doesn’t talk much but he likes you! It’s just, uh—”

“Jungkook.” She raises a brow. “Spit it out.”

He hangs his head and lifts a wash cloth in one hand. “I-I have to give Taehyungie a wipe-down. Usually I do it in the morning but I slept till late today, so...”

“Oh, don’t mind me!” Yura chirps, clapping her hands. “I can help—”

“Yura-noona,” Jungkook says gravely. “I-I must ask you a question.”

She squints at him and crosses her arms over her chest. “Okay...”

Jungkook clears his throat and looks her straight in the eye. “Do you...maybe...on the smallest off-chance...possibly...find Taehyungie-hyung...” he licks his teeth, “attractive?”

She blinks owlishly at him. “Well, I possess eyeballs, so yes.”

Jungkook stands. “Okay, please leave.”

“Oh my god, Jungkook!” she yelps, laughing. “I’m not gonna try to steal your unconscious, injured man! You’re literally mated!” Then, in a smaller voice that she probably thinks he can’t hear, “If he were single though...”

“Please leeaave,” he whines, reaching out to shake her arm. “You can come back in fifteen minutes!”

Yura grumbles under her breath, cursed words that bear no repetition, but she gets up like the amazing friend and noona she is. “Can’t believe you’re trying to protect your mate’s chastity from me, god,” she mutters. “I’ve been shipping you guys from the start.”

Jungkook brightens. “Really?”

“Yeah, but now I’m hoping you two meet a filthy, scandalous end,” she hisses, before her face screws up in regret and horror. “Okay, I’m sorry, that was a joke. I didn’t mean it, at all.” Jungkook laughs, catching her sleeve as she collects her materials.

“Thank you, noona.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she mutters. “Oh wait, one more thing before I go. You know how you said you were interested in taking on some bigger sewing projects?”

Jungkook tilts his head. “Yes?”

“We had a couple requests come in, and they were—”

Suddenly she stops, her face paling like she’s seen a Hallow’s Eve ghost. Her eyes are frozen on something, and Jungkook follows her gaze, but he doesn’t see anything in particular.

“N-noona...?” he asks, shifting closer to her.

“Jungkook,” she wheezes. “I-I think—”

He blinks up at her encouragingly. “Yes?”

She gasps loudly, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh my god, Taehyung-ssi!”

Jungkook whirls around, his heart catapulting into his throat, and he takes a sweep of Taehyung from head to toe, but nothing seems different.

“What?” he demands, leaping to his feet, his hands fluttering over Taehyung. “What about him?!”

“His fingers moved just now!” Yura cried. “I swear to god they moved! I-I’ll go get Moonbyul, just—sit tight!”

He doesn’t hear her run off with a frantic cry of Moonbyul’s name, focused on taking Taehyung’s hand in his, gently so that he’ll be able to feel it if Taehyung really does move.

Sure enough, Taehyung’s fingers twitch against his.

Jungkook thinks he might throw up.

“H-Hyung?” He leans close to his face, whispering, afraid that if he’s too loud, Taehyung might somehow get knocked back into unconsciousness. “C-can you hear me?”

There’s a twitch at the corner of Taehyung’s mouth now, and the tiniest furrowing of his brow.

Jungkook holds his breath, waiting, waiting, whispering his mate’s name.

Taehyung doesn’t respond.

But it’s fine. Jungkook has been patient for over a week. He can wait a little longer.

He sits back down in his chair, clutching Taehyung’s hand in his, and starts to hum “Spring Day.” He’s heard that sometimes songs can reach unconscious people better than speaking can, something about stimulating a different part of the brain, a-and emotion processing? Jungkook’s not sure, but he’ll do anything to help ease Taehyung into wakefulness.

He’s at the third chorus when his alpha’s eyes begin to move under his eyelids.

The second-to-last line is vibrating through his lips as Taehyung’s eyes peel open. They gaze dazedly up at the ceiling.

“T-Taehyungie?” Jungkook says quietly, squeezing his hand.

Taehyung’s head lolls towards him. Blinking looks like an effort for him, and his forehead is wrinkled in pain.

For just a moment, Jungkook is afraid that Taehyung won’t recognize him—because that could happen, right, he could have a head injury or something and that’s why he took so long to wake up, even if Moonbyul and Jinyoung both diagnosed it as nothing but a bump, it’s not like they can see inside his head so how would they really know—

“J—” Taehyung rasps. “Jung...Jungkook.”

Jungkook stares at him.

Taehyung stares back. Gradually, the grimace fades from his face, replaced by a near-imperceptible quirk of his lips.

And Jungkook bursts into tears.

The check-up confirms that all is well. Moonbyul says that Taehyung healed a lot more quickly than expected, likely a result of the copious amount of time he spent asleep.

“Sometimes, our bodies do what they have to to get better faster,” she says with a shrug. “Good thing it didn’t take longer though, we were all afraid Jungkook would wither away here.” With some well wishes to the both of them, Moonbyul leaves, sharing a final knowing, relieved look with Jungkook.

Jungkook averts his gaze from Taehyung, knowing full well he’s being glared at for almost “withering away” at Taehyung’s bedside. “I-I read One Piece,” he blurts out, but from the deafening silence that follows, Taehyung doesn’t seem amused.

When Jungkook sniffles a little though, scrubbing at the sticky tracks of tears on his cheeks, Taehyung immediately softens.

“C’mere,” he croaks.

Jungkook glances at him, eyeing him and seeing how he has the strength to remain sitting and probably won’t topple over in exhaustion or anything. Taehyung pats the spot on the bed next to himself, smiling softly, and there’s no way Jungkook can resist that.

He cautiously crawls over and presses himself to Taehyung’s side with the utmost care, handing him his second glass of water.

“Here, y-you should drink more.”

Taehyung takes it, downing half before giving the glass back to Jungkook who returns it to the bedside table, which is overflowing with things he’s collected over the past week. The manga volumes, some papers for his charcoal drawing—he didn’t want to paint since the paint smells kind of strong. The Christmas tree box is here as well. It comforted him to run his fingers over the smooth surface, and the contents of it were a pick-me-up for when he was feeling depressed. Carefully packed inside are trinkets that Taehyung bought or made him, plus some dried flowers Taehyung picked for him that he pressed into a bookmark.

Taehyung’s hand trails up Jungkook’s wrist, wrapping around his forearm under the sleeve of his tunic.

“How are you?” he asks, still a bit raspy but smoother after the water. Jungkook grins wetly at him. But he’s not going to cry. He’s cried enough. Maybe.

“I’ve never been better, now that my mate is awake,” he says, honest and happy as can be, but Taehyung looks guilty.

“I’m sorry I left you alone for so long,” he says softly. Jungkook is vehemently shaking his head before he’s done speaking.

“You needed to heal, hyungie,” he insists. “I’m glad you did what you had to to get better.” This time, it’s his turn to feel remorseful. “Um, I’m sorry for threatening you.”

Taehyung blinks at him slowly. “What?”

“I-I kept threatening that I’d find someone else if you didn't wake up,” Jungkook confesses, wringing his hands, and Taehyung’s face screws up in mirth, short, sharp breaths puffing out of his nose.

Jungkook watches him in sheer wonder. He’s really the prettiest when he’s smiling. “Um...?” Jungkook says.

Taehyung rubs the delicate skin on the inside of his elbow. “Hmm?”

He blushes. “Can I kiss you?”

“Oh.” Taehyung looks surprised, but he smiles in that boxy shape of his. “Of course you can, baby, but...my mouth doesn’t taste great right now.”

“Taehyungie.” Jungkook cups his jaw. He leans in, closes his eyes. “You could taste like a swamp and I would still love it.”

Their lips slot together as they’ve done a million times by now, and relief courses through Jungkook’s body, so strong that his eyes begin to get hot again. Kissing Taehyung is always explosive, but it’s also familiar and comforting, and Jungkook would have died if he could never have this again.

“Are you really okay?” Jungkook whimpers as he pulls back, brushing Taehyung’s hair away from his face and studying the subtly changing expressions he’s missed so much. “I’m sorry...it must’ve been so scary fighting all those wolves.”

Taehyung smiles sadly. “It was. But I was more scared of not making it back to you.”

“M-me too. But you did.” Jungkook presses a hand up to his own mating mark. The burning feeling faded over the time Taehyung spent asleep, and that was one of the only things that kept his head above the water, the hope thrumming through his veins. He kisses Taehyung’s forehead. “I-I’ll protect you now.”

Taehyung smiles so widely, his teeth bright and shiny. “Thank you, baby.”

“Tell me if anything ever hurts. I can distract you.”

“Okay,” Taehyung laughs, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

Jungkook’s face scrunches up and he kisses Taehyung again. “I love you,” he sobs against his mouth, and Taehyung kisses him hard before pulling away to drag kisses all over his face.

Finally, finally, Taehyung says it back, his voice sweet as melted caramel, as warm as stretching out in the grass on a sunny afternoon: “I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Hyungie!” Jungkook lets himself be loud as he bounces into the infirmary. There aren’t many patients left in here and they’re all on the other side of the cabin, so he figures it’s fine. Taehyung lifts his head from the cot, then starts scooting himself up to a seat. Jungkook runs over to help him sit up.

Once he’s settled, Taehyung leans over and kisses Jungkook soundly on the mouth. “Hi Jungkookie. You weren’t here when I woke up.”

Jungkook’s eyebrows knit together. “I’m sorry...Wheein-ssi finished the revisions early so I went to pick them up.” He waves the sheaf of papers at Taehyung, who lights up, taking them from him.

“It looks great,” he breathes. Jungkook claps giddily. “What do you think, baby?”

“I love it!”

Taehyung smiles big at him, his eyes gooey. He pulls Jungkook over with a hand on the back of his neck and kisses him again, soft and deep. When they part, he whispers, “Should we submit these to Namjoon-hyung then?”

Jungkook nods fervently. “I-I actually met Namjoon-hyung on the way here, he took a quick look and said it’d take around a week to build, probably.”

“Isn’t that just in time for the celebration?”

“Yeah! If you’re well enough by then, we can move in after.” Jungkook grins.

For the past few weeks, their pack held off on the feast they could have had for defeating both the Mins and Lee Sooman’s rogues—it felt wrong with the casualties they suffered from the fight, and so they took that time to hold the proper funeral rites and give the mourning families time to process. The event they have coming up won’t be a feast in the traditional sense, but a celebration of life. There will still be dancing and singing and loads of great food, but the focal point will be when the families read letters to their lost loved ones, or share anecdotes of them with the pack.

Jungkook and the rest of their close-knit circle of friends are very fortunate to not have lost anyone they cared about. Jungkook thinks the horrible experience strengthened each of them, though, and their relationships with each other, and he’s glad for that. They’ll be having their own celebratory get-together, along with a very tiny, belated mating ceremony for Jungkook and Taehyung when the latter is well enough to leave his bed next week.

“I don’t care if I’m ‘not well enough,’” Taehyung says, squinting in determination. “I’m moving in with you as soon as the hut’s done.”

“Taehyungie,” Jungkook laughs, sliding off the chair and on to the bed. He snuggles into his alpha’s side, sticking his face into his scent gland. “Mmm. Actually, Namjoon-hyung said he got the best builders for our hut so it might be done even sooner than that...”

“Perfect.” Teeth nibble along the shell of Jungkook’s ear, making him squeak. “Can’t wait to have you all to myself.”

Jungkook blushes. “You can’t strain yourself yet, hyung...”

“I was talking about cuddling, what were you thinking, huh?”

Jungkook squawks and swats his shoulder lightly, and Taehyung laughs.

“So, like, are you guys ever not being disgusting, orrrr?”

“Fuck off, Jimin,” Taehyung snaps, his tone a complete one-eighty. He doesn’t even bother looking at his best friend as he continues to trail butterfly kisses down Jungkook’s neck, who’s practically purring.

“Guess that’s a no,” Jimin mutters, and beside him, Yoongi smacks one crutch loudly against the frame of Taehyung’s bed.

“We have come to visit, twerps,” he announces unnecessarily, or perhaps necessarily since Taehyung isn’t letting go of him, much to Jungkook’s embarrassment. Jungkook tries to nudge him away because he can’t think when he's kissing him, but Taehyung only murmurs a quick greeting to Yoongi before going back to what he’s doing.

“Ugh, can you brats keep it in your pants for, like two seconds?” Yoongi growls. “I haven’t gotten to fuck Jimin in weeks and you’re making me fucking jealous.” Jimin splutters.

That seems to finally get Taehyung’s attention, pulling him away from Jungkook’s neck (which Jungkook is definitely not disappointed about).

“Hyung,” Taehyung says worriedly, glancing down at Yoongi’s foot. It’s still wrapped up in bandages, but the last time Jungkook visited him, the wound had been reduced to a red line wrapping around his ankle. “Is it that bad, your foot?”

“Pfft, nah.” Yoongi waves one of the crutches around. “I don’t even need these, Jiminie’s just paranoid and making me use them.”

“It’s better not to put weight on it yet,” Jimin protests. Yoongi rolls his eyes.

“I wouldn’t have to put weight on it to fuck,” he says bluntly, and his mate groans as if they’ve had this conversation a billion times already. Half of Jungkook wants to plug his ears, while the other half is sort of interested in a morbid way, like how it’s hard to look away from people rolling down a hill straight towards a tree. Yes, this is a very specific comparison because Jungkook has watched it happen to Yugyeom once when he was trying to turn himself into a gigantic snowball.

Apparently, Jimin has no problem carrying out an argument about their bedroom matters in public. “And I’ve told you that we could have sex if you’d let me stay on top instead of always trying to roll us over and poun—”

Hands come up to cover Jungkook’s ears and turn him towards Taehyung.

“Don’t listen to their filth,” Taehyung mouths.

Jungkook beams at him, puckering his lips to send him an air kiss, which Taehyung grins so widely at that his cheeks squeeze his eyes closed.

Epilogue.

“How long does it take to put some damn cosmetics on, good god,” Yoongi grumbles, standing outside of his hut with his hands on his hips. “I’m giving you five seconds,” he yells through his open door. “Five, four, three—”

Jimin comes sauntering out, sweeping his hair back from his forehead. “Five, four,” he imitates Yoongi. “Why are you like this, Yoongi, huh? Do you ever see Taehyung rushing Jungkook, huh? Do you? Do you?”

“No, because Jungkook doesn’t make everyone wait for him.” Yoongi stabs a finger over at Jungkook, who waves at Jimin from under Taehyung’s arm, the two of them sat on a bench outside of their own hut, surrounded by their little flower garden.

“Hi hyung!” he chirps. “You’re late!”

Jimin glares. “Ugh. Why do we have to be neighbours with people who are so punctual.”

“You’re the one who insisted we build our cabin here,” Taehyung points out, merciless as ever, and Jungkook giggles.

“Are you finally ready?” Jin sighs, getting up from where he’s been sat on the ground for a good twenty minutes already, as he actually arrived early. Namjoon fusses at him, brushing the dirt off of his trousers and backpack, and Jin rewards him with a long kiss on the cheek that makes Namjoon clear his throat and stare off into the distance. “Listen.” Jin points a finger at Jimin. “I get the importance of being as beautiful as possible, but that’s why we wake up early to make sure we’re done on time.”

Jimin pouts. “Okay, okay, sorry.” He heaves his own backpack over his shoulders. “I’m ready, let’s go!” Despite their earlier bickering, he quickly takes Yoongi’s hand in his and struts off towards the head of the group as the six of them set off into the forest.

“You can’t read maps to save your life, are you sure you wanna lead,” Jungkook hears Yoongi ask Jimin as they pass them by, and Jimin tells him matter-of-factly that that’s why Yoongi should make himself useful.

Their group of friends has made it a tradition to go on a trip together once a year, with Namjoon leaving the pack to Kai and Kyungsoo’s capable hands.

It started as Jungkook asking Taehyung out of the blue one day if he ever felt the wanderlust that had him exploring everywhere before he settled with the Kims, and Taehyung told him that he didn’t—that it was nice to see something new and refreshing once in a while, but he had different priorities now. Different things that gave him a deeper happiness. (Hearing that, Jungkook blushed and plopped himself into Taehyung’s lap for a cuddle.)

Somehow, that discussion led to Jungkook suggesting a trip, but although the surrounding land had gotten much safer with the Mins gone and alliances with the Jungs and Lees who border their territory stronger than ever, Taehyung was still reluctant about travelling without some stronger form of protection for Jungkook. When they brought it up with their friends, Jimin invited himself, Hoseok, and Yoongi, while Jin lectured Namjoon about taking a break once in a while, which Jungkook laughed at because it’s not like Jin ever takes breaks either. So everyone decided to join.

And now they’re here, on their third year of the tradition. This time they’re heading to the Jungs to surprise Hoseok, who’s visiting his family. Maybe kidnap him if he’s receptive to the idea. Apparently his parents have been missing him dearly ever since he began living with the Kims, but they didn’t want to interfere with their baby son’s life so they never said anything, and it wasn’t until they helped out with the Min attack that Hoseok found this out. It’s why he’s been vacationing back to his old pack for a couple months every year too.

“I made Hobi-hyung a new one,” Jungkook says, holding up a string-and-leather bracelet with a dark purple heart sewn subtly into one of the ends, so that when it’s tied around the wrist, the heart isn’t visible unless Hoseok shows his wrist. Jungkook’s bracelets have upgraded from simple string weavings, and all of his hyungs boast his creations on their arms. Their pride and love for him are as embarrassing and loud as ever.

“It’s beautiful, swee—” Taehyung’s eyes narrow. “Is that a heart?”

Jungkook takes the bracelet and sticks it back into its pouch, which he then shoves into the inside pocket of his tunic. He points at a bird’s nest high up in some branches. “Hyungie, look, there’s eggs in them!”

Taehyung lets out a little growl, grabbing him by the waist and yanking him into his body. “Don’t try to change the subject, baby.”

Jungkook gives up immediately. “Okay, it’s a heart,” he whines. “But you know how much Hobi-hyung likes hearts, and the reason he especially loves the purple ones is because of you!” Taehyung huffs. “Don’t be jealous,” Jungkook coos, wrapping his arms around Taehyung’s middle and fluttering his lashes up at him.

To his credit, Taehyung holds on to his glare for long enough that Jungkook has to start fighting off his instinct to squirm and pout until his mate is showering him in affection.

“Fine,” Taehyung acquiesces, leaning their foreheads together. “But you’d better make one for me too.”

Jungkook pulls out a second bracelet. This one is black leather with a red heart sewn on to both ends, accompanied by a letter each, so that when the bracelet is tied together, it reads “J♥♥T” across the wrist. It’s a bit gaudy and definitely super duper cheesy, but Jungkook thinks that if anyone can pull off questionable fashion, it’s Taehyung.

“Baby,” Taehyung breathes. He unlatches himself from around Jungkook to stick out his wrist, and Jungkook ties it for him with a giggle. His giggles grow louder when Taehyung scoops him off the ground, hugging him tightly and raining kisses all over his face.

“I love you,” Taehyung whispers with those dark, molten eyes of his, and Jungkook falls into him like he does every time.

“I love you too, Taehyungie,” he murmurs, kissing Taehyung softly, pouring every ounce of his love into it.

It escalates into Taehyung backing Jungkook into a tree, the omega curling his legs around his waist as they kiss like they didn’t already spend all morning wrapped up in each other’s arms, and the others have to stop to groan and shout and hound at them.

Sometimes, Jungkook still thinks back to the night where his eyes met with Taehyung’s across the bonfire before Taehyung looked away uncaringly.

Then he’ll stare at Taehyung now and see how he turns to Jungkook as soon as he notices, brows rising in question, warmth written into every line of his face.

And Jungkook thinks about how lucky he is to have Taehyung, to love the entirety of a person so thoroughly and so deeply that it consumes him in turn.

He’s learned a lot ever since the Kims welcomed him into their pack. He’s grown a lot.

And he’s sure he will continue to do so for the rest of his life, with his doting hyungs, and his favourite person in the whole world, right by his side.