Archive of Our Own ^beta

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Taehyung’s thighs trembled in delight, the prickling pain in his stomach dulling with each passing thrust. He imagined Jeongguk’s mouth suckling and nibbling at his nipples as he himself flicked his finger over the red, sensitive nub, he imagined Jeongguk’s big hands roaming his body eliciting warm tingles everywhere they touched, he imagined Jeongguk’s hips drilling into him with a lustful, delicious force. 

The image Taehyung was creating seemed so real to him that he almost felt like Jeongguk was really there with him; touching him, feeling him, driving into him his own animalistic pleasure.

His head pressed back into the pillows as he craned his body to uncomfortable measures to get the angle just right, driving in the plastic dildo with just the right force into his prostate to make him sob from rippling pleasure. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes before rolling down his cheeks, little droplets dampening the soft pillow. His prostate was basically spasming from all the abuse as he tried mimicking the power of the thrusts he barely remembered Jeongguk having. 

Tongue lapping at his bottom lip, jaw falling slack, Taehyung screamed through a blanket of electric white that was suddenly kicked over him. His whole body shivered and jerked violently as his little cock twitched and pumped small, thin strings of cum, his hole still stretched around the dildo buried deep inside, producing copious amounts of slick pooling on the spoilt bedsheets. 

As the image of Jeongguk slowly faded away and Taehyung’s heart was once again filled with a dark, endless pit of loneliness and sorrow, he allowed himself to come down from his intense high and return to painful reality. 

Once again he curled into himself – not caring about any of the mess or the plastic dildo still planted inside of him – and let what always seemed like endless tears roll freely down his face. The world came crashing down on him like it always did, stabbing him and washing over his exhausted body like a merciless hurricane, ripping his will to pieces only to rearrange it again into chaos. 

He could still remember the smell... the taste of Jeongguk. Not only that... In truth, he could remember everything about the young alpha. Everything down to the slightest of details. Like how he would always nibble at his fingers when he was lost in thought, how he would pet Taehyung’s hair softly when no one was looking, how he would puff out his cheeks cutely when he got embarrassed or jealous, how he loved coffee but wouldn’t drink it because Taehyung in turn hated it. Fuck , Taehyung even remembered how the latter always tilted his head when someone mentioned something interesting.

All of those things and more were still carved in his mind even after three years of empty abyss. Even after three years, Taehyung could still make out Jeongguk’s every feature; every curve, every crevice, every cute, small detail such as the mole under his lip that Taehyung was sure only he cared to notice. 

Oh how he wished Jeongguk were there with him to comfort him, cuddle him, tell him that everything was going to be okay. He begged silently every day to anyone who would listen to let him meet the precious alpha again. 

He could imagine endless scenarios; endless touches, endless conversations, endless sex but it still wouldn’t be real and he knew it all too well. He yearned for the other’s touch, for the other’s caress but he was sure that he would never experience it again. 

Not after what Shownu had no doubt done to him. Even for the brotherly bond they should have shared, Shownu would never let that go. 

A shuddering sigh fell past Taehyung’s raw lips as he carefully slid the silicone dildo out of his ass, setting it down on the ruined sheets before limping to the shower. Showers always helped. Whether it be depression, loneliness or just filth, showers always helped to wash it all away and clear Taehyung’s mind. The warm water pattered against Taehyung’s heated skin softly creating an intimate, calming rhythm with which he tried to match his breathing. Exhaustion laced with relaxation wrapped around Taehyung like a blanket making his limbs feel heavy, almost numb like. 

Once he finally finished lazily washing himself off, Taehyung drowsily walked out of the bathroom – the thought of brushing his teeth totally flying past him – and headed to change the ruined sheets. 

His back ached and head swung as he sat down on the small sofa in his tiny open-plan kitchen-and-living room, heaving out a heavy sigh as he waited for Seokjin to come back. As he rested his head against the rough cushions of the sofa, he looked around his cramped apartment and found himself smiling a sad yet fond smile. 

Growing up in China, Beijing wasn’t really something to brag about. It was lonely, dangerous, frightening and so even though living in a small apartment right smack dab next to train tracks and a busy mall in the center of Seoul didn’t sound all that appealing to most, Taehyung was still very grateful. It made missing Jeongguk at least a little more bearable. 

The heavy door to the apartment soon opened and in came a smiling Seokjin with a plastic bag of groceries in one hand and a very drowsy Jeonghan in the other. 

“We’re back!” Seokjin exclaimed while setting the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter, Jeonghan already letting go of his hand to patter towards Taehyung with a worn out, wide grin. Taehyung outstretched his hands as soon as he saw his darling son and instantly wrapped them around him in a protective hug. 

“Papa!” Jeonghan exclaimed happily as he made himself comfortable on Taehyung’s lap, stuffing his face into his father’s chest. Taehyung chuckled fondly before he said a soft, “Hello Jeong-ah.” He had to fight back tears that were threatening to slip as he held his son close to him. He was so fortunate to have such a treasure in his life. 

“You doing okay?” Seokjin asked carefully as he sat down on the sofa next to the two, setting a cup of water down on the table. Taehyung regarded him with a grateful smile before saying raspily, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure my heat has passed now. Thank you so much for watching Jeonghan.” 

Seokjin waved the thanks away, “It was nothing, really. He’s such a sweetheart and you know you can ask for my help any time.” 

Even in the dim city lights of Seoul Taehyung looked upon his friend’s face and saw an ever-present, warm kindness in the latter’s eyes that always seemed to put Taehyung at ease. Seokjin just had that nature about him – the nurturing, kind nature that never ceased to light up even the most dark and hopeless of places. Most of the time Taehyung often felt like Seokjin took him as a younger brother, but then again the older was like that with everyone. It truly did amaze Taehyung that the latter still didn’t have a child nor a boyfriend or mate from what he knew. Seokjin would fit the role of a father much better than Taehyung could ever hope to become.

“So… are you sure you’re okay? You know I can tell when you’re having a hard time,” Seokjin pressed on softly for the latter to elaborate and even for the thick lump nestled in Taehyung’s throat and the dull ache of an empty abyss in his heart, he said slowly, “I just- j-just miss him.” his voice began to quiver as he tried so hard to prevent his tears from falling, “It’s been… like, what… three fucking years and i still can’t g-get over it.” And finally the long withheld tears came rolling down his cheeks as he sniffled, burying his nose into Jeonghan’s hair - who was fast asleep - before finally stating weakly, “I’m pathetic.”

Seokjin’s eyes widened in surprise at his friend’s words before he huddled closer and took one of Taehyung’s hands in his. “Never say such things about yourself. You're not weak or pathetic… you’re in love. And I’m sure that wherever Jeongguk is in the world, he is thinking about you.”

Scoffing lightly, Taehyung cuddled closer into Seokjin’s side, enjoying the comfortable warmth of the moment, enjoying the imaginary bandages that were being wrapped around his wounds even though they didn’t help much to heal them.

“He’s probably long forgotten me… if he’s still alive.” Taehyung sighed into Seokjin’s chest, wondering yet again what could have happened to his lover, a few lonely tears spilled at the very probable notion that Jeongguk wasn’t even present in the land of the living.

“Hey…” Seokjin whispered, almost like he wanted to tell the latter a secret. When he didn’t say anything however, Taehyung looked into his eyes questioningly and for a split second he saw a spark that could have ignited him back to life, could have given him long lost hope and so much more. But it was almost like the spark was a fleeting thought, a hallucination. It was like - for a millisecond in time - he had everything and then it was suddenly ripped away from him, making him believe that all that he saw and felt in that fleeting moment, was a lie.

Seokjin’s eyes were still as warm and full of passion and sympathy as ever but the spark was gone and he went on to say, “I’m sure everything will turn for the better soon.”

Taehyung has heard those words many times before, from Seokjin or from others, and just like all the other times they sounded empty - devoid of the promise they were meant to convey; an empty casket; an empty grave.

And yet, he still searched the words for another spark of that hope. And maybe he would have seen it if his heart weren’t so broken and if the walls around it weren’t so thick with hurt and void.

If only he could see. If only someone were able to tear down the walls he has built and make him see. But maybe it’s best for now that he doesn’t, since every detail must be perfectly in line for the events to unfold correctly.

Feeling his head ache from the gravity of his post-heat and just not wanting to endlessly search through this maze with no escape, Taehyung began to scent his friend’s neck and sighed as the natural, earthy scent of tea leaves steadily began to lull him to sleep, offering a darkness that would take all his pain away even if only for a night, he was glad to have it waiting for him.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

“Papa! Someone’s at the door!” Jeonghan giggled as he ran into the bedroom, hurriedly tugging at Taehyung’s gray sweatpants.

Taehyung smiled weakly at his excited bundle of joy before he let himself be dragged by Jeonghan towards the door which someone was lightly knocking on. His knees trembled and buckled under him as he hugged his sweater closer to his chest, a breath of wind sprinkling icicles onto his delicate skin even through the clothing.

Cautiously looking through the peephole on the door, Taehyung’s tensed form relaxed some as he saw the very familiar bob of rose-pink hair. Unlocking the door with jittery fingers, Taehyung swung the door open and only had a few seconds to react before the pink haired male jumped into his arms.

“TaeTae!” Jimin exclaimed excitedly as he held his friend in his arms. However he let go shortly after when he felt the latter tremble feebly, almost not being able to hold the two of them up on their feet.

A ghostly gasp left Jimin’s plump lips as he examined the latter closely: Taehyung looked awful. From the droopy, tired eyes to the empty cheeks devoid of all color, to the chapped lips, the pitch black circles around his eyes and the list could go on and on. Not to mention even though Taehyung was wearing the standard two layers of clothing in a weather that wasn’t all that daunting, he still shook like a dried leaf in a cruel fall… Jimin was nothing if not extremely concerned.

“My god… Tae! You look terrible!” Jimin commented quietly as he led the latter to the tiny, scratchy sofa, Jeonghan tiptoeing behind the two quietly, sensing that something wasn’t right.

“I-i’m fine-” Taehyung began but was cut off by a worried Jimin immediately. “No Tae, you are not-” he took a deep breath, “I swear, if this is about your job again- I told you, I can help you get a better one! You don’t have to do this!”

“Chim, we’ve talked about this. This job pays well and Hwasa always makes sure that nothing bad happens to me,” Taehyung argued. “And besides, this is the only job that helps me lay low and you know it. So… who cares if I have to… sacrifice some things.”

Jimin hurriedly got up to boil water on the rather small stove top to do something with his hands.

“But I’ve told you, you can just live at my place. It would be a tight squeeze, but-”

“No, Jimin. You have done so much for me already and I really can’t ask this of you. Besides, I need to be strong for Jeong-ah. And you said it yourself, I can’t risk getting found.” Taehyung said sternly.

“Alright, fine,” Jimin sighed out in reluctant defeat. “But you have to start taking care of yourself and that’s final! If you’re going to be here for Jeonghan, you have to be here for him in one piece!”

Jimin was right about this, though. It wasn’t like Taehyung to be so irresponsible, but life was getting more and more difficult. There was no daycare that would take Jeonghan without registration and legal documents, let alone proper health care and Taehyung wanted to be with him as much as possible but with his job that started at 6pm and ended at 5am, he had little to no time for sleep, much less proper cooking.

Jin and Jimin were of course babysitting as much as possible but the stress and fear instilled in Taehyung were slowly but surely getting to him.

He simply didn’t know how long he’d be able to last like this. Oh if he just had Jeongguk there with him… things would feel so much more right and safe. Besides, Jeonghan needed an alpha figure to look up to since he was one himself… god , things were just such a mess.

“Tell you what. I’m gonna make you some rose tteokbokki while you search the TV channels for a drama we can watch, hm?” Jimin said while carefully setting a cup of smoking hot tea on the coffee table.

“But Chim, I don't have ingredients for that,” Taehyung opposed before he saw his friend pull out a bag of groceries from his overly big handbag, a knowing smirk plastered on the latter’s face.

“Oh TaeTae, you are always so predictable,” Jimin exclaimed fondly as Taehyung chuckled and grabbed the TV remote.

“Papa, what are we gonna watch with uncle Chim?” Jeonghan asked, making his presence known, seated right in Taehyung’s lap.

Taehyung giggled before nuzzling his nose into his baby’s hair. God how lucky he was to at least have this miracle in this cruel world.

“S-stop! Papa! Ih-it tickles!” Jeonghan squirmed in Taehyung’s lap, all giggly and innocent - like the world wasn’t all that tainted by all sorts of hues of black, like goodness was still worth believing in.

As the afternoon went on, full of delicious tteokbokki and ridiculous tears spilt over needlessly sappy K-drama scenes, it sadly all neared to a close.

“I should be heading home now. I still have some papers I need to take care of,” Jimin said sadly as he gave Taehyung a quick hug before going to gather his things.

“Is it another divorce case?” Taehyung asked while sipping down the last drops of his ginger tea.

“Ugh yeah, yes it is. I swear, when I decided I wanted to become a lawyer I was not ready for the onslaught of rude individuals and their divorce cases. It’s giving me a migraine,” Jimin mumbled almost to himself before he zipped up his huge handbag and put on his baby pink coat.

“Anyway, make sure you take care of yourself and I’ll be back here after tomorrow to pick up Jeonghan,” Jimin said as he put on his black beret. “Are you really sure you want to go to work today? I mean, with your heat so close-”

“Oh my god, I’ll be fine, Chim! Thank you for taking such good care of me, but I’ll be fine,” Taehyung reassured his friend with a bright smile on his face. Although it’s annoying sometimes - having Jimin be so attentive and caring - it’s also really sweet and something that Taehyung had never had and is wholeheartedly grateful for receiving.

“Alright, alright. Take care,” Jimin said warmly before walking out the door.

Looking at the clock hung on the small refrigerator, Taehyung saw he still had some time before he had to head for work so he decided to watch another episode of the drama on TV, enjoying the warmth that radiated off of Jeonghan that slept soundlessly in his lap.

“I’ll take good care of him, Ggukie… I promise,” Taehyung whispered into the moonlight, silver strings of delicate light falling upon Jeonghan’s peaceful face. “I miss you.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Taehyung’s whole body ached and shivered as another set of arms slowly slipped from his hips, lingering slightly on the expanse of his milky thigh. Hoping that no customer would come around for a few minutes so he could relax, Taehyung slowly took in deep breaths, his bottom lip quivering and tired thighs shaking.

At times like these, he really did think of getting a different job as Jimin suggested. Just the thought of a customer meeting him on the street and recognising him - god forbid if he were with Jeonghan - terrified him but that was the purpose of the silk mask wrapped comfortably around his eyes. Besides, the wealthy men he was serving didn’t run in the same social circles as him so it would be very unlikely. And as much as he didn’t want to think about this too much, if Jeongguk were here… if they would by some miracle ever meet again… what would he think of him. The look on Jeongguk’s face would be something that Taehyung wouldn’t be able to handle. Would he think him a whore? Or maybe a slut? Just the thought of it made him sick to the stomach.

But alas, the money was necessary along with the discretion it provided.

Just then another man came, the scent of plain ash and musk filling Taehyung’s senses. Another fucking alpha , he thought as he felt the stranger’s hands grope his ass, taking their oh so sweet time with exploring Taehyung’s pliant body. Like he had all the time in the world and like Taehyung was the customer’s to hold for as long as they liked. And really, as long as it was his shift, Taehyung was anyone’s to hold… as long as they paid for it.

Knees burning from the harsh thrusts of the previous customers and many more to come, Taehyung yearned for his shift to finally be over. He was tired of making false, pleased moans on the behalf of men who couldn’t satisfy anyone else’s needs so they came to a club to get validation. He was tired of having these entitled shitheads order him to lift his ass up or look over his shoulder at them even with the blindfold, or moan louder because they couldn’t get the job done themselves.

The night went on tauntingly slow. It stretched on and on with seemingly no end. Taehyung was basically ready to beg for salvation; for any form of escape or even just a small break but it just kept on going.

As another customer was getting his fill, Taehyung felt his eyes start to droop, fatigue glancing at him from around the corner even for the sloppy, burning push and pull of the alpha’s cock buried deep inside him. It hurt less before but now that his body was too tense and exhausted, he couldn’t keep producing the same amount of slick, his rim bruised and purple from the abuse.

Fuck, I really should have taken that day off as Hwasa suggested , Taehyung thought as another painfull shudder shook his whole body which only spurred the customer on. The scowl that formed on Taehyung’s face followed by a painful wince was hidden by the silky blindfold around his eyes, his knees turning more and more raw with each taunting drag over the cushioned table.

It almost seemed like a miracle when the customer finally came with a shudder and a growl that made the hairs on the back of Taehyung’s head stand up, hips rocking forward a few more times before the alpha finally let go of him but not before stealing one last bruising squeeze to the quivering omega’s ass and uttering a few last disgusting words.

If this wasn’t hell then Taehyung didn’t even want to imagine it, for when he discreetly tried to stretch out his sore limbs he was shocked by the stiff and painful unwillingness of his body to do so. His palms were on fire but if he were to lift them, he would have to apply more pressure to his knees which couldn’t take more than they were already being put through. He had no other choice but to endure and stay put until the staff would come and get him.

He was shaking and he was so far past his limits that he was scared. He was scared that another damn alpha would come and demand things of his body that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to give (and things he was very sure he didn’t want to give but that’s besides the point).

Attempting to calm his rapidly quickening breathing that he had been unaware of holding, Taehyung tried to empty his mind of all rushing thoughts of pain and shame and took a lingering, deep breath through his nose, the noise around him canceling out.

Bad idea.

It was only then that he caught a whiff of something too dangerous, something too appalling -  mind-numbingly terrifying. It was so faint that Taehyung hoped it was just a figment of his imagination. Just a painful ghost from the past brought up to the surface by his fragile mental state. But alas, the scent grew stronger with every passing beat of his heart until it was so close that Taehyung was very sure the devil himself was in the room with him.

An icy lick ran up from the very bottom of Taehyung’s spine all the way up to his jaw, leaving icy ripples in its wake. His whole body raked with a convulsive shudder, goosebumps like thorns on roses meant to protect him from an all too terrifying and all too real threat. He could feel it. He could feel the sharp, ravenous gaze travel up and down his form as if he were a relic in a museum, as if he were just an object without free will. It made him sick to the stomach, head swinging and dizzy as Taehyung dried to hide: turn his head away from where the scent was coming from.

The first step he heard the person take made the bruises on his body come alive with fire and stabbing pressure, reminding him of all the times the person left merciless marks on him. How they made him feel hopeless, trapped, replaceable.

With the second step the scent became so invasive that scorching hot smoke of cole was forced into his lungs so fervently it knocked the air out of him making him choke on nothing but the sickening scent alone.

With the next few steps that seemed to sound out in the room as if played in slow motion, Taehyung’s fear became so prominent his scent turned from soft peaches to rotten fruit; vile and unwilling. But it didn’t seem to deter the person - in fact - it seemed to spur them on as they took further steps forward, each making Taehyung fall further and further into desperation.

There was a sudden pause of chilling silence. All of the room - everything from the guests’ chatter to the moans ringing with false tunes - was all engulfed in silence where a droplet of alcohol colliding with the ground would be the loudest sound.

Yet the slightest touch to Taehyung’s upper back that burned raw embers into his heated skin brought everything back in one blow. The room was suddenly loud. Everything hurt, his ears rung, tongue dry and throat hoarse. This is how Shownu wanted him - broken and oh so vulnerable.

Taehyung could feel tears gather up beneath his eyelashes and then slowly roll down and seep into the red silky fabric of his blindfold as the alpha refused to take his hand off, dragging it ever-so-slowly down the omega’s quivering back. Bruises flared under his touch, supple skin dipped under his coarse fingertips and Taehyung hated every second of it.

He hated how his body remembered and now coiled and writhed under Shownu’s touch. He hated how his throat constricted in fear, how his nerves tensed up and prepared for the inevitable torture. He hated that he knew he already lost… There was no way out.

Two large hands abruptly gripped onto Taehyung’s supple hips, squeezing so hard the fingernails no doubt drew blood from the porcelain-like skin. Rough fabric of slacks dragged across Taehyung’s exposed ass cheeks and puffy rim, burning and further irritating the sensitive flesh. Biting back a broken sob, Taehyung ordered himself to stay quiet by any means. He would not get a sound out of him.

Drag after slow torturous drag, the rough texture of the slacks kept on biting and scratching at Taehyung’s used entrance. Lips beginning to quiver, the omega squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his elbows giving out. Fainting was definitely the devil’s option.

The hands on his hips began dragging Taehyung’s ass back against the slacks, setting the already burning skin aflame with a sizzling fire. Hopelessness coiled inside the omega’s stomach as Shownu’s hands encompassed further expanse of his flesh with a vice grip; like they owned him, like they unjustly knew every dip, curve and delicate crevice of it - which, unfortunately, they did.

Just when a hiss was ready to fall past Taehyung’s raw lips, the hands momentarily left his body. It was a very unlikely gesture, one that let the omega take in a shaking breath, skin cooling down momentarily. He wanted to relax - after all, his body did need it - but the eerily icy presence behind him still lingered. He waited, breath held in sickening anticipation as a stabbing shiver ran under the omega’s skin, eliciting goosebumps along with it.

Taehyung’s mind suddenly swung as the heady scent of burning coal thrust itself into his lungs, one of Shownu’s treacherous hands returning to its original place. Biting back a startling cry, the omega’s heart lunged into his throat as he felt bare skin drag against his exposed rim, the inability to see making everything that much scarier.

There was a slight press against Taehyung’s puffy dry rim that brought his hips to jerk away from the sting. Ropes of steel wrapped around the omega’s chest and made it contract in fear when the hand pulled his hips back in, yet another press afflicting his raw red rim.

The pressing became urgent as did the hand that continued to pull Taehyung’s hips back against Shownu’s erection. Taehyung knew this feeling and it was one of those that he’d much rather forget for the rest of eternity. The rim abruptly caved even for the omega’s knuckle-whitening efforts against it and it painfully stretched around the alpha’s drooling tip. The invasion set off another wave of hot tears dampening the silky blindfold as Taehyung choked on an intake of breath. The sound of it was too loud for his liking and all but hoped the latter was too preoccupied to hear it.

But it seemed like he had heard it since the length pressed further inside, the unbearable stretch of the dry, used skin burning like scorching hot flames. It was getting harder to breathe for Taehyung, little hicks and chokes of air - induced by the crying - now freely ripping out of his throat. His head was spinning, everything steadily molding and bleeding into a big swirl of mess and despreration. Knees on the verge of being scraped into blood, elbows slowly but surely bending under the pressure, Taehyung was starting to hyperventilate.

It was all too much; the pain, the fear, the disgust, the shame - he was slowly succumbing to it all. His mind was caving, black splotches tainting all rational thought, bleeding into terror. Chest heaving up and down rapidly, Taehyung’s eyes blew out under the blindfold as he felt a big hand that reeked of more burnt coal coil around his throat.

He could feel Shownu’s breath against his ear as well as the constricting body heat that loomed over him. There was one last roll of the alpha’s hips before the latter’s cock was balls deep inside, the skin of Taehyung’s ass suffering a burning stretch he hadn’t felt in a long three years.

“Ready, dollface?” came the ever smug and frightening voice of Shownu.

That nickname… that god-forsaken nickname!

The hairs on the back of Taehyung’s neck stood up as his whole body went stiff, preparing for the inevitable hell that would ensue.

Before that could happen though, a thin voice rang out somewhere to Taehyung’s side, “Excuse me sir, this worker’s shift has ended. Could you please let go of them?”

Taehyung’s whole body shivered in delight at the words “shift has ended” but as the squeeze of the hand around his throat reminded him, it wouldn’t be that easy.

“I don’t think so. Go back to your job, omega,” Shownu’s venomous, commanding voice elicited painful memories within Taehyung’s already fuzzy mind, head becoming even more dizzy at the dominating pheromones Shownu was beginning to let off.

“Sir, we’re sorry, but this is not up for debate. We can compensate you in monetary value later if you wish, but let go of our employee, now!” a deeper, thicker voice of one of the guards warned. Because of Shownu’s dominant scent, Taehyung couldn’t tell how many people there were nor what was happening which disoriented him even further, chest still heaving up and down from the forceful intakes of breath.

When Shownu made no move to get off the omega, Taehyung’s tears increased, his whole body quivering and shaking from exhaustion. Please let this end, please, Taehyung begged no one in particular.

“Listen here-” whatever Shownu was about to say, it was cut off by a loud thud and a painfully strong growl. The loud, harsh sounds did nothing to help Taehyung’s state of panic as his ears began to ring with a deafening white noise.

A stabbing pain suddenly seared through Taehyung’s ass as Shownu’s cock ripped out of him along with the hand unwillingly slipping from his throat. Taehyung should have been able to breathe but his throat was still insistently constricted, only thin gusts of air passing through. Finally not being able to stand the pressure of his body, Taehyung rested his bottom against his heels as his arms stretched out before him, joints and bones aching painfully in protest.

A loud squeak pierced the omega’s ears as he felt the table he was propped on being pulled in a random direction, the trolley wheels clacking against the polished wooden floor. In a moment, the brightness from outside the blindfold darkened and the loud grunts and growls dimmed to a background noise. Taehyung’s irregular breath and rampant beating of his heart were now the loudest.

The violating scent of burnt coal wafted away, replaced by two sweet scents of his omega co-workers. There was a sudden stop to all the sporadic movement before the silky blindfold was carefully lifted off of his eyes, the dark surroundings of one of the back hallways momentarily confusing him.

Soft hands carefully skeeted over Taehyung’s shaking form, examining the blooded knees and scratched up palms.

“TaeTae, can you stand?” the sweet, hurried voice of Jisu caressed Taehyung’s ears, capturing his attention. Jisu was standing to his side, wiping away his fallen tears and slowly moving his body to lay on its side so Seungmin could inspect his bruised knees and bottom.

It took him a while to process what Jisu was asking of him and as he was going to answer that he wasn’t sure, a choked sob lunged itself out of his throat, yet another batch of fat tears starting up again. Everything came crashing down on him, finally in some relative safety with his colleagues. He was here. Shownu was here and Taehyung wasn’t such a dumb fool to think he would leave. That poor guard, god knows what had happened to him.

“Shh,” Jisu coaxed before sharing a glance with Seungmin.

“We’re gonna need to get you off this table, okay?” Jisu asked quickly, not really waiting for an answer as she grabbed Taehyung’s torso. Seungmin then carefully slid his hands under Taehyung’s thighs and they both gently lowered Taehyung to the floor, a growl-like-hiss forced past the omega’s clenched teeth. The pain was mind-numbing and the burning sensation trapped within irritated skin across Taehyung’s body flared brighter from the slightest of movements.

Ankles aching in pain and thighs on the verge of snapping, Taehyung toppled into Jisu, the floorboards seemingly moving under his feet. Seungmin was right there in a split second as he placed a hand under Taehyung’s shoulder and around his back for support, Jisu doing the same.

The two tried being as gentle as possible with Taehyung, but they had to move quickly. Shouts and yells were getting louder accompanied by faint gun fire.

Dragging Taehyung to the nearest door, Jisu knocked on it three times with her free hand before it opened right the next second revealing Hwasa and her worried expression. She took Taehyung in her arms and ushered Jisu and Seungmin inside so she could close the door behind them.

“Tae, are you alright?! I’m so sorry I didn’t send for you sooner!” Hwasa muttered into Taehyung’s hair, enveloping him in a tight hug before she let go to examine his body, eyes red with held back tears. A gasp left her mouth ajar as she hovered her fingers over small bleeding wounds on Taehyung’s hips made by Shownu. Taehyung seethed, eyes burning from all the tears, teeth forcefully pressed into his bottom lip.

“Seungmin, -” Hwasa began before Seungmin jumped in, “I’m on it. Did we buy that disinfectant?” He opened a drawer of a mahogany wood dresser, pulling out all sorts of first aid medical supplies and vials of chemicals.

“It’s all in there,” Hwasa said before she grabbed a blanket from her office chair and wrapped it snuggly around Taehyung’s still shaking body.

“Jeonghan,” Taehyung muttered and hickupped into Hwasa’s neck while he clutched onto her black flowered blouse. “I n-need to s-see Jeon-nghan.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll be with you soon,” Hwasa soothed, hand running along Taehyung’s disheveled hair, rocking his body back and forth with her own.

And as if on queue, the intricate tapestry depicting a city of ancient China that adorned the wall behind Hwasa’s desk rattled before a hidden door opened out of it and through a dark hole in the wall Jeonghan came running in, followed closely in toe by Seokjin.

A heavy weight lifted off of Taehyung’s shoulders as he was let go from Hwasa’s embrace and leaned down to catch his son - the light to his world of darkness - in the tightest hug they’ve ever shared. His joints and muscles were screaming at him to straighten up again but he refused to. His son was the most important thing in the world to him and he swore to protect him at all cost - for Jeongguk and himself. But if Shownu gets his hands on Jeonghan, god knows all untamable hell would break loose. Hell which Taehyung was not prepared to face.

“How’s it looking?” Hwasa questioned as she ripped open one of the drawers in her work desk.

“Bad. They’ve got the whole club surrounded. They’re even stationed on rooftops of nearby buildings. The only exit is now the underground garage, but we better move fast. It won’t take them long ‘till they find it, too,” Seokjin spoke quickly, occasionally stumbling over his words.

“Shit,” Hwasa handed him a bag before turning to Jisu. “Take two revolvers. Keep one and tend to the bar by the door to the hallway in the main room. Give the other to Gahyeon and tell her to sit in the dressing rooms by the other end of the hallway. The moment someone gets close to the doors, you both have permission to fire at will. If either one of you hears the other fire, warn us immediately.”

Jisu nodded her head dutifully before retrieving two revolvers from behind a statue of a dancer close by the door. She walked out without a hesitating blink of an eye.

“Tae, I need to bandage your wounds-,” Seungmin began softly before Jeonghan angrily interjected, clumsily pushing Seungmin’s hand away, “No! Don’t touch papa!”

“Don’t worry, Jeong-ah. That’s papa’s friend,” Taehyung mumbled into Jeonghan’s small ear before kissing the crown on his head, relishing the soft, protective gestures his son was giving him. Reluctantly, Jeonghan let Taehyung stand up on his still quivering feet and be carefully seated in a cushioned armchair.

Hissing from the burning sting of his irritated ass, Taehyung bit into his knuckles as Seungmin began spraying his bloody knees with a disinfectant, Jeonghan clutching onto one of Taehyung’s hands resting on the arm of the chair. The spray burned like acid even after Seungmin folded over a square of soft bandage fabric and secured it over the gashes with surgical tape, fingers moving deftly and precisely. Then he went on to briefly spray Taehyung’s scratched up palms before pressing a small container of some sort of salve into one of them.

“W-what’s this?” Taehyung questioned as he held it up with shaking fingers to read the label.

“It’s… um… for your ass. It’s a cooling balm that soothes irritated skin and helps with recovery,” Seungmin’s cheeks dusted a vibrant pink. “I’m guessing you’d like to put it on yourself, so you can use Hwasa’s bathroom over there.” He pointed to another black door behind the armchair.

“And while you’re at it, Tae, change into these,” Seokjin said softly as he handed him a bundle of clothes pulled from the bag that Hwasa gave him.

“I-i’ll try to be q-quick,” Taehyung stuttered, teeth beginning to clatter from the lack of clothing. Jeonghan was not happy with leaving Taehyung alone to say the least, but Seokjin - the angel that he was - managed to capture his attention long enough so his friend was able to slip into the bathroom unnoticed.

Once the door to Hwasa’s bathroom clicked closed, Taehyung looked over his face in the mirror; he looked terrible - tired, hopeless. A perfect image of what he felt like inside. But he couldn’t get distracted, he needed to be fast.

Quickly screwing open the white jar with the salve, Taehyung dipped his fingers in and braced himself with a quivering intake of breath. Bringing his hand down to his entrance, Taehyung tentatively applied the salve and sighed out in unexpected relief when the irritated skin began cooling down, the burning and tingling sensation slowly dissipating. He let himself take a moment to breathe and soak in the cooling effect of the salve before he spread some more over the cheeks of his ass and screwed the jar shut.

Turning to the clothes propped up on the large marble sink, Taehyung searched for the underwear first. Once he put them on along with some black, cozy ankle socks he began randomly pulling out clothes from the pile. The outfit turned out to be gray loose-fit jeans, a basic white t-shirt, a black denim jacket and a bucket hat; very ordinary and boring but meant that way. The more ordinary and regular Taehyung looked, the less attention he’d attract.

Loud bangs suddenly rustled the walls as Taehyung was in the middle of tying a pair of black running shoes. His heart skipped a beat as his breath got stuck in his throat.

“Tae, we have to go!” Seokjin busted into the room, eyes blown wide as he helped a - yet again - shaking Taehyung off the floor. He was dragged back into the office that was now in full disarray.

“Is Jimin in position?” Hwasa asked as she bent over to retrieve something from under her desk.

“Yeah, he’s ready,” Seokjin replied, out of breath.

“Then go! Things aren’t getting any prettier!” Hwasa shouted as she pulled out an antique wooden rifle painted with flowing patterns and expertly carved designs.

Taehyung had no time for bewilderment as Seokjin grabbed his and Jeonghan’s hand and led them into the small tapestry staircase corridor. It reeked of old wood and gathered dust that swept up in clouds when they rushed past it. The steps were tiny and compact, the heels of Taehyung’s feet sliding and slipping down them as Seokjin hurriedly led them further down into what was probably the basement.

Seokjin suddenly stopped at the staircase’s end and swung open an old black door that flooded the compact corridor with loud commotion and many voices. Stepping out of the dark with Jeonghan glued to his arm, Taehyung was confused as he found himself standing in an underground parking lot of a shopping mall. Seeing so many people all around made his chest constrict with fear as he tugged the black denim jacket to further cover his chest, the feeling of unwanted exposure still looming over him like a shadow from the darkness.

He didn’t have much time to dwell on it though, since Seokjin began tugging them along towards a nearby parking row, the faint letter F painted on the thick white pole. Lights flickered overhead as they stopped next to a black, older model of a BMW, looking just like a copy of every other car in the parking lot; ordinary and used.

“Get in,” Seokjin ushered as he opened the backseat door for Taehyung before rounding the car and getting into the driver’s seat. Jeonghan climbed in first, his serious, protective determination breaking a little as he excitedly raked his eyes over the steering wheel and control panel in the front. Taehyung got in after him and - with a still quivering hand - shut the door behind them.

Seokjin’s fingers worked quickly as he started the engine and adjusted a few settings on the panel next to the radio. “Seatbelts, this is bound to be interesting,” he said as he clasped his own seatbelt over himself. Taehyung stayed seated by the door as he helped Jeonghan buckle his belt in the middle seat right next to him. After making sure Jeonghan was secure, Taehyung then buckled himself in and leaned over to wrap his arms around his son who melted into the embrace.

Just as Taehyung did so, ear-rippling shots rang out throughout the underground parking lot eliciting one too many screams from the civilians around. Taehyung shut his eyes tight as his breath stuttered, stress clutching at his nerve endings causing his legs to jump and jitter as he held onto his son.

Seokjin was quick to round the joystick into reverse before swerving out of the parking space, the passengers swaying along with the abrupt movement. More shots rang out behind them as glass from other car windows near them burst and shattered - a crystal chaos that cut reality into millions of scattered fragments.

The terrifying sound followed after them as Seokjin pushed the speed to its limits, frantically looking around for the white EXIT arrows plastered on the concrete floor and hanging off of the low ceiling on glowing green signes. People all around them were panicking; running back and forth before realizing they had to take cover - usually when it was already too late. It was like a live horror story, bringing back memories Taehyung would be more than willing to forget. [intermission]

A sudden bang and a shatter pierced through Taehyung’s ear like a needle through flesh. His mouth was opened before he could even register his rippling cry, Jeonghan clutching onto him for dear life as Seokjin yelled, “Stay down!” somewhere in the background.

Too much terror, too many lost shadows came to the surface; the bleeding black faces that looked lifelessly back at him, his father’s unmoving body in a pool of blood - all too fresh in his mind, the hands that used to bruise his skin, the burning coal that choked the breath out of his throat. The cry that tore at the very core of his soul and settled like a parasite in his mind, eating away at a hopeless abyss he has felt ever since… Since the day I lost you .

The colors and tinges of reality were hazy. Gray superseded black superseded flashes of vibrant sources of light.

When Taehyung finally came to, Jeonghan was softly sniffling into his shoulder as he continued to clutch onto the latter the most his little hands could manage. Taehyung brought him closer and placed an attentive kiss at his temple. Realizing that the sound of gunfire has dissipated, Taehyung slowly leaned back up and glanced out the window, relieved to see the bustling, lively view of Seoul rather than the gray, gloomy one of the parking lot.

He could watch the glowing city at night for ages; how it twinkled and sang to him the most beautiful of lullabies. He would let it take him away into a land of dreams and possibility if not for the gravity of his harsh reality.

“Damn it, work!” Seokjin spat, tone aggravated as he slammed his hand into the radio of the car. There was an abrupt shrill that thrummed out of the speakers before a thin, quiet voice replaced it. “Can you hear me? Do you copy?” Seokjin heaved a heavy sigh before turning up the volume on the control panel and picking up a small microphone that was attached to the panel by a cable, most probably a custom add-on.

“I copy,” Seokjin spoke into the microphone as he pressed the pedal to the floor, constantly darting his eyes into the rear-view mirror and back on the road. “Everything still going according to plan?”

“For now,” Jimin’s familiar voice passed through the speakers although there was something about it that was totally new for Taehyung. But he was already much too confused for the sanity of his mind so he pushed back the need to ask questions. “There’s two right on you though and more are trailing farther behind. This is gonna be interesting.”

“Tell me about it,” Seokjin murmured into the microphone before taking a sharp turn.

Taehyung took in a desperate breath as he attempted to calm his racing heart. A slight ache pinched at his forehead as he tried clearing his mind of doubtful thoughts and possible scenarios but it just wouldn’t budge. Deciding to occupy himself with something else, Taehyung leaned down to get closer to Jeonghan before he began tracing circles onto the small of his son’s back.

Jeonghan shuddered in his hold before his form relaxed, nuzzling his face into where his father’s neck met his shoulder. There was a moment of silence as Seokjin still flickered his eyes from the rearview mirror to the road and Taehyung continued to bask in his son’s closeness, mutually reciprocated.

“Papa, you smell nice,” Jeonghan absentmindedly murmured.

“Oh?” Taehyung murmured as he nuzzled his nose into Jeonghan’s fluffy black hair, his son happily hugging back in earnest.

Only when he looked up - his eyes flickering to the rearview mirror - and saw Seokjin’s blown wide eyes together with a heavy frown did Taehyung realize the gravity of Jeonghan’s remark.

His face paled as the stabbing in his head intensified, stomach steadily coiling a painful ache that churned like a candlelight flickering in the wind. The slick still wasn’t forming though, and probably wouldn’t for Taehyung’s exhaustion and nutrient deprivation. The first signs of a terrible heat were upon him.

“Fuck,” the two swore in unison; Taehyung propping his feet up on the car seat to better curl into himself for the easing of his aching stomach, Seokjin stepping on the pedal and turning yet another sharp corner.

It was a marvel how fast the ache turned into a constant stabbing pain making the corners of Taehyung’s vision blurry and leisurely loosening the will of his perception. Trying not to focus too much on the pain, Taehyung attempted to pay attention to the surrounding city of lights, watching as various signs and glowing advertisements whizzed by. Just overhead hung a huge green board illuminated by dots of white led lights. It flew past them so incredibly fast - the speed limit definitely out of the question at this point - that Taehyung could just about make out Incheon International Airport written in big, bold lettering.

“Jin! You copy?!” The speakers boomed with Jimin’s voice, tone urgent.

“Yeah, I’m here. What is it?” Seokjin asked as he picked up the black microphone.

“Problem, Shownu’s men just got to the airport. Are you close to it?” Jimin spoke quickly.

Seokjin groaned as he swerved across two lanes to take a turn off the main road, “We almost took the highway. What now? I can’t stop driving when we’re being tailed.”

Jimin’s stressful sigh reverberated from the speakers along with a couple of clicks from a computer keyboard. “For now, try to shake them off.”

There was a couple minutes of silence and a collection of frantic twists and turns around corners in an effort to lose the two black ford trucks that have been relentlessly and without-fail-so-far following them. Taehyung in the meantime inched closer and closer to his very abrupt and painful heat, eyes pinned shut as he continued to hold onto Jeonghan for dear life.

“Okay, I’ve got it. Our best bet as of yet is the Ulsan airport. It’ll take four hours to get there but you’ve already shat on the speed limits so it’ll be faster.” Seokjin huffed at Jimin’s words. “There must be a closer airport. Daegu, maybe?”

“Ulsan is the only one that has the flight time we need,” Jimin spoke apologetically yet matter-of-factly.

“Wait… the only one?” Seokjin asked wearily, eyebrows scrunching into an apprehensive frown.

“Yes. Busan’s flights are too late and Tsushima is out of the question. This is almost certainly our only chance.”

…

Seokjin took a suspenseful deep breath before he took yet another turn and mumbled, “Fuck, okay.” His eyes still continuously flicked onto the rearview mirror, sharpening as his efforts seemed to be in vain, “God, these bastards.”

Taehyung’s ears began ringing a white noise from all the stress and havoc around so he just kept his eyes closed and tried to tune everything out; all the noises, all the pain, all the thoughts and doubts. It was surprisingly easy - worryingly so. He was so exhausted he felt like he was hit over the head with a brick.

Dozing off seemed unbelievable and… scary almost. As if losing track of time and reality was giving weight to the doubts that stormed his mind, giving weight to the terrifying possibilities that can only be out-maneuvered by staying conscious in the present…

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

“Jin! Where are you guys?!” Jimin’s loud voice ripped Taehyung back into reality, ears ringing from the abrupt violation, head spinning and stomach aching way more than before.

“Almost out of Seoul, why?” Seokjin asked immediately into the microphone as he steadied the steering wheel.

“They’re closing off the main roads and highways!”

And right on cue, only a few miles ahead stood a huge traffic jam, the honking of displeased citizens very much noticeable. Whipping his head around to find any possible diversion from the highway ahead, Seokjin hissed as he saw nothing, the traffic jam inevitably getting closer.

Taehyung swallowed thickly as he forced his eyes closed again, the growing stress increasing the already crushing pain in his temples. Jeonghan exhaled shakily in his tight hold next to him but nevertheless tears that Taehyung had expected to see still haven’t fallen from his son’s eyes. He was so proud of him; so strong and capable at such a young age. So brave… just like Jeongguk…

Oh Ggukie , his whole body ached at just the thought of the name, heat-crazed and exhausted. It brought prickles of tears into the omega’s eyes as he tried not to think of it. It was not the time. Later, maybe; when him and Jeonghan were safe, when he would have enough time to properly wallow in loss and self pity. For now - even for his heat - he had to be strong. If not for himself (that much was sadly already lost on him) then for Jeonghan... For his most precious treasure in the world.

So he forced open his eyes and tuned in to the crazed honking of vehicles in the traffic jam that they’ve now also become a part of. His ears rang with a painful pressure, one that only intensified the ache in his head but also grounded him in the moment so he wouldn’t drift too far.

“ Hell ,” Seokjin murmured to himself before picking up the microphone. “Chim, you’re still following the tracker, right?”

“Right.”

“Can you find the closest diverting route from the highway?” Seokjin asked as he forcefully drove into a forming spot on the lane next to them.

“Yeah, give me a sec,” Jimin replied as a few taps on the keyboard resonated from the speakers before the connection was cut once again.

The wait in the traffic was tantalizing. Just sitting there, in that car, freedom torturously slowly slipping away. The line didn’t erupt with Jimin’s smooth voice for a while, filling the atmosphere with tension that could snap with a simple, loud heaving of breath.

Trying to occupy himself with anything but the growing anxiety bottling up in his stomach, Taehyung looked to the other side of the highway - previously empty yet now busy with cars freely passing by, headed back into the city. The traffic on the other side was much too favorable, however; nothing like the thickness of the traffic on this side. Which would mean that they’re letting the people turn around after intervals of a regular time. Time enough to check over the passengers and see if they fit the people they’re after… to see if they fit Taehyung and, undoubtedly, Jeonghan.

Shownu must have known about his son way before reaching Korea. He was much too obsessed with Taehyung not to have figured it out, let alone get his son’s picture taken by anyone who’d bargain a price.

An icy lick to Taehyung’s spine made goosebumps arise all over his delicate, porcelain skin. If Shownu ever got his hands on Jeonghan… I’ll skin him alive . An empty threat that felt so satisfying to think in the face of an almost certain loss.

“I’ve got something!” The speakers thronged the air with hope. Hope that felt all too false, all too cruel to be spoken of out loud.

“Only half a mile ahead, there’s a crossroad that leads into the outskirts of the city. It’s presumably a dead end but there is a gravel path between two old factory buildings that connects to a road further back into Seoul,” Jimin explained quickly as they neared the traffic jam, inch by terrifying inch.

“But we need to get to the airport!” Seokjin objected, eyes flicking to the rear view mirror to see their two pursuers steadily slipping closer to them through the long line of traffic.

There was a little to no pause before Jimin’s voice was back again, “I’ll find a way for you through minor roads but for now, you need to make sure you’re not caught. The city is the perfect place for evasion.”

And so they had no other choice but to wait. Seokjin made sure he slipped into the lane closest to the side so he could separate at the small crossroad, tapping his thumb nervously against the steering wheel as his gaze continued to flick into the mirror. Things were too close for comfort.

A heavy sigh fell past Seokjin’s lips as he spotted the crossroad but so did he spot the end of the traffic jam. It was far and with a small weight dropping off his shoulders he knew they’d be able slip back into the city relatively unnoticed. With a bit of luck they’d also lose at least one of their pursuers in the standing traffic but if not, it would still put some space between them.

The moment came as a sort of relief. Not that much of a big one, but appreciated nonetheless. Their car carefully eased out of the lane and whizzed by quietly into the night, the new road empty. They passed by a couple of suburban houses - windows shut and dark with everyone still fast asleep - before a tall brick building came into view, towering over them. The asphalt road seemingly ended there and yet, when Seokjin turned to the right, with the help of the front car lights he saw a gravel path that winded around the tall brick building and curved around at its end.

Everything was dead silent. The busy noises from the highway were far behind them as no one walked the sidewalks of the road and no shadow scurried over the green patches of lawn. There were only the undertones of the car engine humming as Seokjin rolled down the path and turned at its corner, noticing yet another, tall brick building stood on the other side of it.

The path between the two factories was narrow and stretched out for longer than thought possible. The dark swarmed all around them as they drove on but just as the radio shriveled with Jimin asking, “You guys out yet?” did the path open into a wide street, a glowing Lotteria shop label right opposite them.

“Yeah, we’ve just got off the gravel path,” Seokjin replied calmly as he glanced into the mirror again and saw not a soul trailing behind them. “It looks like we shook them off.”

“That’s great but we can’t get too comfortable. I’m sending you screenshotted directions onto the burner. I’m here if you have questions and you must be quick. We don’t know what else he’ll pull from his sleeve,” Jimin said as a ping sound came from Seokjin’s pocket.

The phone was ordinary looking as Seokjin pulled it from the pocket of his sweater. It was black with no major company logo printed onto it; a simple, disposable burner phone.

Opening it up and placing it at the bottom of the panel before the joystick in place of a phone holder, Seokjin pressed down the pedal and they rolled onto an asphalt road once again.

Taehyung acknowledged the change from the bumpy terrain of the gravel path as his stomach relaxed on the smooth surface of the road. Yet the relaxation was short lived; heating sizzles began surging in waves under his skin, running like lava through his veins as he felt little droplets of sweat forming at his neck. It was only a matter of time before the heat swallowed him whole, his clothes steadily becoming damp.

Heat and irritation continued to bite at Taehyung’s skin as Seokjin found his way through little streets and backway alleys of Seoul, Jeonghan having fallen asleep on his father’s shoulder somewhere along the way. Taehyung would sleep too if not for the ache that constantly kept him awake but only half conscious. His vision was blurring into a mess of color as his ears rang with indistinct noises from around him.

A shot pierced the indistinct noises as it coursed through Taehyung’s whole body, Jeonghan jumping next to him as he cried out.

The next shot shook Taehyung’s whole reality as it tilted and wavered, eyes going unfocused as his brain turned fuzzy. “ GET DOWN !” he could barely make out Seokjin yelling as he slowly let his heavy body dip down, taking Jeonghan with him, hazily making sure they were slouched away from the windows.

Bullets ricochet off the iron plates of the car, glass shattering as it scattered freely through the air. Seokjin swerved the car as he pressed the metal of the pedal down to the ground, the five black cars behind them speeding up just as much.

“ Fuck me! ” Seokjin yelled out in frustration as he took a risk by driving straight onto a forest path. He had no way of knowing if it led anywhere but the trees would provide cover.

“Seok, what’s happening? Why are you diverting from the path?” Jimin asked confusedly before the latter picked up the microphone and growled into it (the gunfire surging on in the background), “They found us, I needed cover!”

“Shit, hang in there,” Jimin exclaimed before the line was cut once again.

The forest path was dark and slowly slimmed before the car was barely able to fit within the gap of trees. It was a heaven-sent as the bigger, black cars of their pursuers came to a sudden halt a small way behind them.

Eyes flicking back onto the forest path, Seokjin squinted into the darkness and held onto his last will as he continued to roll the car forward into the trees, hoping he doesn’t meet a dead end. The car suddenly tipped forward before he saw the path turning to the left. Carefully reversing with the joystick, Seokjin brought the car up on the path again and turned into the right direction.

The path slowly continued to narrow and just as when low hanging branches began scraping against the roof and sides of the car, the forest opened into a field, the path ending right at the border of the trees. Heaving an unbelievable sigh of relief, Seokjin pressed on through the bumpy field to a small nearby road, thoroughly enjoying the soft, quiet swaying of the car.

“We’re fine now, it’s okay,” he spoke softly as he looked back to notice Taehyung and Jeonghan still lulling their heads low below the cracked window. Taehyung leisurely brought himself up, gaze unfocused, before he brought Jeonghan up and cradled him in a tight embrace, his son whimpering into his shoulder.

Tears escaped and softly rolled down Taehyung’s cheeks as he sniffled into the air, his mind now too vulnerable to hold back the bile memories; the gates unwillingly opened to the all too familiar darkness…

“You’re such a slut!” Shownu’s voice echoed… The darkness churned, “I-... I killed him…” “Ggukie, please don’t leave-” “I’ll be back-.. promise-” the shadows pressed on. “Your father- w-as…” “You have to pay the price!” His throat burned. “Don’t touch me-, p-please, -hick- don’t touch me!” “Mut! You belong to ME!” Everything reeked of coal and ash and… total hopelessness! “LOOK AT ME!”

“ NO! ” Taehyung’s throaty cry of despair ripped him back into reality… the soft humming of the car - deep breath in… the warmth of his son clutching onto him - deep breath out… the sweet and ever familiar scent of tea leaves wrapped around him - another deep breath in… and out.

“There you go, breathe,” Seokjin murmured softly into the night. Taehyung almost moaned as the coaxing tone of his friend’s voice caressed his grated ears. The calmness that was instilled upon him wrapped around his nerve endings, momentarily easing the pain in his stomach. Everything was a blurry mess but he wasn’t trying to make sense of it as he curled Jeonghan further into his side, sighing as a cottony softness welcomed him in its arms; sleep.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

“Tae..” a coaxing voice called to him from the darkness. It was disturbing even though very soft and pleasant. He didn’t want to be disturbed so he ignored it.

“TaeTae, wake up. We need to go,” the voice was persistent as it pressed on, becoming louder. A cool stroke of a hand brushing through Taehyung’s damp hair made the lids of his eyes crack open. The world was dark and gray as a blurry outline of his friend’s face loomed over him, smiling as he blinked his eyes fully open.

“Can you stand?” Seokjin asked as he helped a somewhat lost and confused Taehyung out of the car. Rubbing sloppily at his eyes, Taehyung whined as he stabilized himself on his two feet, the ache in his stomach suddenly lighting aflame. Jeonghan clutched onto the fabric of his loose fit Jeans at the sound of discomfort before hugging his legs. “Don’t worry papa,” Jeonghan murmured as he let go and Seokjin put Taehyung’s hand around his shoulder to provide support.

The Ulsan airport was as busy as ever even through the night as Seokjin brought the two inside the lobby. Once he brought Taehyung to a seat row and propped his friend down, he reached into his black bag and pulled out three black face masks. He first gave Jeonghan a small one so the youngling could put it on before carefully putting one of Taehyung and then slipping one of himself.

“Okay. Keep this on your face at all times, only take it off at the admission. Don’t touch anything with bare hands until we get to the plane and don’t take off the hat,” Seokjin spoke lowly as he helped a still dazed Taehyung up, Jeonghan once again clutching onto his father’s Jeans. “Here we go,” he murmured as he brought Taehyung to the ticket panel.

The ordering was simple enough and since it was a business flight at night, tickets were still available. Pressing one final button before swiping an ominous black credit card as payment, Seokjin fiddled with the fingers of his free hand as he waited for the tickets to roll out of the machine.

Snatching the tickets once they finally came into view, Seokjin pulled Taehyng towards the admission, Jeonghan hurrying to walk in front of his father, still clutching at the latters pants as a way of protection. Taehyung’s lips molded into an endeared smile as he brought a lazy hand to ruffle Jeonghan’s fluffy tuft of hair.

When the admission came into view however, Taehyung’s smile slowly dropped from his delicate features, his mind clearing enough to comprehend the situation. “But Jinnie, me and Jeong-ah don’t have a passport,” Taehyung whispered to his friend who replied back quickly, gesturing to the black bag, “Don’t worry, I have them.”

The woman who sat at the admission looked up from her computer and greeted them with a bow of her head, dark circles under her eyes signifying the long night shift. Seokjin greeted her formally and gave her the three plane tickets along with three navy blue passports. The woman checked over the tickets and passports, gesturing over to the three for them to take off their masks. A shiver raked down Taehyung’s spine as he unclasped one side of his black mask from his ear with a heavy hand. They were so close to the finish line, he could feel it. And any wrong move would mean the end. They could trust no one and if Shownu was that cunning to think a whole ten steps ahead of them - like ordering the airport personnel of the airport they were going to use to report them on sight - fate have mercy on them three.

But thankfully, the woman just nodded and handed the passports back. She then asked Seokjin to place his backpack on the weight to see if it wasn’t over the weight limit of a carry-on luggage. The little monitor above the machine glowed green as it showed a little number and unit 6 kg . Nodding for them to go ahead and saying her goodbyes, Seokjin took back his bag and led the two towards the security check. Huge metal detector machines stood in front of them as Seokjin began putting his jacket into a plastic container that would roll through a scanner as well as his bag. Nothing in his demeanor faltered as he reached into the bag and inconspicuously took something out of it, momentarily hiding it under the conveyor belt before wrapping it in a handkerchief from his pocket and bending down to send it sliding on the floor, it stopping right on the other side of the security check table. He didn’t come back up for a second, tying his shoelace up before straightening again.

Taehyung merely blinked as his tired mind didn’t know how to comprehend what he just saw before he himself began taking off his and Jeonghan’s jacket, placing them and his bucket hat into an empty container, making sure to not leave fingerprints - as per Seokjin’s orders.

There was no one around - the place empty and gloomy - as Seokjin walked through the big metal detector, followed by his two companions, Taehyung fighting to keep himself up on his own two feet. Nothing beeped as the three came through yet the security guard still patted them down, Taehyung’s senses making him shiver as the idea of anyone but he-who-shall-not-be-mentioned-for-Taehyung’s-precious-sanity touching him made the ache in his stomach burn impossibly brighter.

Once the security guard let them through and the woman sitting at the x-ray scanner gave them the go ahead to take their things back, the three got dressed again. Helping Jeonghan put on his black puffy jacket, Taehyung smiled as his son immediately went back to holding onto his jeans and standing guard in front of him. It was so endearing, really; his cute puffy cheeks scrunched into concentration, his eyebrows furrowed and mouth protruding in a little, protective pout.

A pen accidentally fell from Seokjin’s black bag as he leaned down to get it, off handedly picking up the wrapped object and slipping it into the bag along with the pen. Offering his shoulder to Taehyung once again as support, the latter took it gladly as they walked further into the complex, leaving the security check behind them. Just as the big doors shut closed behind them, Taehyung let go of a breath he wasn’t aware of holding in the first place, just moments ago realizing what Seokjin had done.

“Damn, you’re good,” Taehyung whispered to his friend as he leaned his head on the latter’s shoulder, exhaustion quickly catching up to him. Seokjin only chuckled as he checked over the tickets for the right terminal.

“Are you guys hungry?” Seokjin asked after a while walking. Taehyung’s eyes widened at the sentence, stomach giving a painful pang as his mouth watered excessively. “Yes,” both Taehyung and Jeonghan said at the same time, sounding exactly the same; unabashedly ravenous. Like father - like son.

Taehyung’s heart pranced at the mention of food as he hadn’t eaten for… he mentally counted in his head… three days. Three days?! Taehyung’s mind screeched at him until his ears rang with white noise. He really hadn’t thought that one through. No wonder he wasn’t making any slick yet. I knew it was going too smoothly , Taehyung cursed himself in his mind.

“Alright. There seem to be no problems so far, so I can go get some grub for us,” Seokjin said as he turned towards a savory food court, “Fancy some Jjigae?”

“Yes please!” Jeonghan jumped up and down adorably as he clapped his hands together, excitement present on his face. Taehyung hummed in agreement as well before Seokjin brought them to a sitting area right outside the food court. The shop smelled amazingly mouth watering and Taehyung had to keep himself from whining like a child as his stomach gave out a deep growl.

Jeonghan heard it and giggled as he sat down next to his father, making sure the chair was close enough so he could reach his hand to Taehyung’s arm.

When Seokjin excused himself to go order their food, Taehyung looked around self consciously before attempting to sniff as close to his scent gland as he could. It wasn’t going to tell him anything that important since omegas couldn’t smell their scent as much, but he knew from past experiences that if he could smell his scent, others a few meters away could smell it as well. There wasn’t really anyone around - Just them three, some tired business people and workers manning the shops - so it wasn’t anything serious. But he really didn’t want to run into the problem of having to deal with horny, entitled alphas. Just the thought of it made his already aching stomach flip.

“Don’t worry papa, you smell really good,” Taehyung just about heard Jeonghan say, his mind still floating in clouds of confusion. “Do I?” he said back after a few moments of comprehension, a soft animated smile slipping onto his face.

“The food will get here in about ten minutes,” Seokjin said as he claimed a chair at their table. “Ten minutes?! How long is that? That sounds long,” Jeonghan sulked as he slumped into his chair. Seokjin chuckled under his breath as he saw the same pout from Jeonghan’s lips copied and pasted on Taehyung’s.

There was a moment of Jeonghan just babbling on about what foods he liked the best before Taehyung whispered to Seokjin, “Do I smell too much yet?” The latter shook his head, “Not that much. I could try buying you some over the counter scent suppressants? They’re not that effective but it’ll help.” “Thank’s Jinnie, you’re a lifesaver.” Taehyung looked over at his friend in gratitude, which was waved off by an unbothered hand. “Don’t mention it.”

Seokjin left to ask around the shops for the pills but came back later empty handed - everything apparently being sold out. Taehyung didn’t mind much though, for now. His scent still wasn’t potent enough to create issues or disturb anyone, but sooner or later his scent would definitely become heavy and disruptive. Jeonghan switched from Taehyung to whine to Seokjin for the food. Luckily ten minutes had just passed and their number was called out at the food court.

“Thank you for the food!” Jeonghan exclaimed happily as he dug into the bowl of steaming hot Jjigae, Taehyung and Seokjin following suit. The salty taste of the food melted on Taehyung’s tongue as he slurped up a bite of the ramyeon noodles, his stomach mentally thanking him for the fill. The broth was rich with flavor and the satisfying thickness of the noodles sent a pleasant calmness to Taehyung’s brain, the boiled egg velvety soft in texture.

Jeonghan almost choked as he gobbled up his food, humming at the taste as Taehyung reached over to pat his back. Seokjin surprisingly took his time with his meal yet his eyes still kept ticking to the wide hallway around them. They probably didn’t have much time before Shownu’s men got to the airport. It was risky even settling down to eat food in one designated area, but stomachs were empty and they were killing time with it anyway.

Even for his fervent, most adorable greed with which Jeonghan consumed his Jjigae, he was still the last one of the three to finish, cheeks heating up adorably once he realized they were waiting on him. “Don’t choke again Jeong-ah, we can wait,” Seokjin giggled as he urged the latter to slow down. Taehyung would have reacted too if it weren’t for the fact that his system was slowly shutting down once again, another wave of a blazing heat coming all too soon. At least he got some food into himself, he would really need it.

“Alright, let’s get going,” Seokjin said as he rose from his chair once he saw Jeonghan finish a final slurp of his food. It took Taehyung a moment to realize what was going on before he raised on shaking legs and almost toppled the table right after, his body all too heavy to support itself. Seokjin was right by his side in a matter of seconds as he propped the latter back up by a hand and together with Jeonghan - who yet again clutched onto the front of his father’s pants - led Taehyung towards the check-in.

The waiting area next to the check-in was fuller than at the food court but there still wasn’t an overwhelming amount of people. Everyone sat apart from each other, checking their phones while holding onto their scarce business hand bags in place of luggage. Accept one couple, who were tucked away in a corner, hugging while aimlessly staring at their intertwined hands, content inscribed into their features.

Taehyung’s heart ached but he dared not think anything. If he thought of him now… he would only become more of a burden. He had to endure it. He saw these things many times before in a less favorable state. He could take it - at least he hoped.

Sitting down in an empty row of metal chairs, Seokjin’s foot began almost silently tapping against the white tiles of the floor, hand gripping his bag as his eyes were trained on the hallway they came from. He was getting anxious, much more than he would have liked. They’ve been in the airport undisturbed for a surprisingly long time. There was no way Shownu’s men weren’t busting down the doors of the facility right at that very moment. 

The plane was scheduled to leave in fifteen minutes which would not include boarding so the check-in was going to open very soon, much to Seokjin’s relief. And just as the thought crossed his mind, a younger man dressed in a blue and beige uniform came to stand behind the check-in desk and started up the reading ticket device. A sign lit up on the desk signaling to the passengers to begin the check-in and boarding of the plane.

Seokjin was quick to help Taehyung up before taking him to the check-in, Jeonghan trailing in toe behind them. They stood amongst the first in line, therefore the process was quick; Seokjin fished out their passports into which he slipped the plane tickets and handed them over to the employee. The man gave them a polite bow and a smile before he verified the tickets and checked over the passports. Everything seemed to be okay as he let them through, into the glass tunnel that leaned forward at a slight slope.

Taehyung stumbled forward before Seokjin hurried to stabilize him, the unfamiliar steepness of the slope giving Taehyung’s already stiff legs some trouble. Jeonghan cutely attempted to help, supporting one of his father’s legs as they ascended the hallway before finally reaching horizontal ground - the entrance to the plane.

Slight confusion furrowed Seokjin’s eyebrows as he expected to board the plane from the parking lot outside. This would be their downfall, since Shownu’s men had a direct path to the plane from the airport building itself. But no matter as he led the two further inside to get them seated in their designated seats. They could only hope, now, that everything goes smoothly. Things were now out of their own control - placed in the hands of fate itself.

Taehyung blurrily registered Jeonghan clapping his hands excitedly as he said, “I want to sit by the window!” So he let his son sit down first before he climbed into the seat next to him, Seokjin sitting in the third seat right next to the walkway.

Things yet again turned into messy splotches of color but something seemed off - more off than it did before. Taehyung’s scent definitely started spiking but that was expected. Deciding not to give it too much thought since it made his head ache more, Taehyung chose to just relax in his seat and attempt to pass out again. Things would go by a lot faster then.

It was a few minutes later that his eyes began to shut closed, breathing level as he felt himself drift away…

Until he felt it.

The stomach-churning heat that radiated off of him, the all too familiar tingling in his core that traveled from his abdomen down to his rim until a sticky wetness began agonizingly slowly dripping into the fabric of Taehyung’s soft briefs. “Fuck… no ,” came Taehyung’s whine as he curled into himself on the seat, pressing his forearms into his pulsing stomach.

Seokjin didn’t even need to ask for the saccharine scent of fruit wafted into and claimed every inch of space in the plane in a matter of wholly seconds. Heads curiously turned their way as more people boarded but thankfully no one made any comments or physical actions provoked by Taehyung’s situation. Situations like these happened more frequently than one would think but they were still uncomfortable for the majority of the parties involved.

“Excuse me, would you like a scent suppressant pill? We have them available for emergencies,” came a soft female voice out of nowhere as Seokjin’s heart launched into his throat. He turned around, startled, but calmed down when he saw a young flight attendant standing in front of him.

“That would be amazing, thank you,” Seokjin breathed out as he respectfully bowed his head.

“It’s no problem, we are at your service. I could also bring a nesting pillow, would that help?” The lady asked further as Seokjin nodded eagerly, “Yes please, thank you.”

As the flight attendant quickly scurried away, Jeonghan cuddled up to Taehyung’s side and took a big sniff of the latter’s clothes. “Papa, you smell so sweet.” Taehyung’s fuzzy ears just about managed to catch his son’s words as he smiled through a painful hiss. The innocence that burdens the minds of children. So pure - so delicately unscathed. If only the world were so as well; the darkness replaced with infinite light accompanied by a filter of a pink hue. Things would be so much easier then.

Jeonghan’s eyes turned into crescent moons as he grinned back up at his father widely, a ghost-like glimpse of dimples gracing his pudgy cheeks… they reminded Taehyung so much of… he looked so much like… him.

He had thought that it was impossible sometimes, for Jeonghan wasn’t Jeongguk’s. Moreover, Shownu and Jeongguk - the brothers by mistake of fate - looked so much unalike each other. There had never been a moment in time when Taehyung could point out their similarities, furthermore look past their differences.

“ Ggukie ,” Taehyung whimpered under his breath, a lump caught in his throat as a burn of fresh tears threatening to fall reddened his eyes. He had fallen before he even knew how it happened. If he were still present in reality, still had enough energy to comprehend what was happening around him, Taehyung would hear the concerned questioning of Jeonghan and would feel the warm press of his friend’s hand over his own.

But he was just so tired… he was just so lost. If Ggukie were here , Taehyung heard his mind yearn… but it was too late. It had to be. Three years… three fucking damn years! Jeongguk could have been in the hands of Shownu. Shownu had three years to kill him and for all Taehyung knew, he did. He had no reason to think or suspect otherwise… but he was a fool. He still hoped. He had hoped for the past three years and he would continue on hoping his heart away if it meant that the memory of Jeongguk was still fresh in his mind.

The thoughts made his mind spin. He tried filling the empty void with something else but the name just kept on coming back. And soon it wasn’t only the name - soon, flashes of an all too familiar, all too loved face came to the surface. A face that he had burned into his memory so fervently all those years ago.

Soon Taehyung felt a cold surface of a glass of water pressed into his quivering palm as a small, rounded object was pressed onto his lips. Wordlessly opening his mouth as tears rolled down his red cheeks, he accepted the object into his mouth and sighed as a hand guided his own to carefully pour water into his mouth which he dutifully gulped down along with the pill.

He was already half gone by the time Seokjin maneuvered him to put a pillow on his seat below him. It was soft and fluffy which only helped Taehyung faster into a half consciousness, only one word on his mind, same on the tip of his tongue… Ggukie .

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

A scream sent prickles through Taehyung’s skin as he jolted awake. His vision was faltering as a harsh, shrill sound rattled through his entire being. His breathing stuttered as he gripped onto anything his fingers could find purchases on, heart being out of his ribcage.

When his eyes recovered a bit from remnants of sleep - however still blurry around the edges - he looked around his surroundings frantically. The many rows of seats in a rather compacted area assured him that he was still in the plane. He then shot a glance outside the little plane window; only darkness. The plane was rolling past a vast expanse of concrete, seeming parallel with the floor.

A shot out of nowhere burst through Taehyung’s entire being as his upper body leaned down on instinct, hands pressed tightly against his ears. The image of his blurry shoes on the carpeted floor of the plane went still before an unknown fog slowly invaded it, taking over in a treacherous cloud of memories long forgotten; hidden away so deep, in a chest forged of his own blood in the darkest, most remote void in his mind…

“You slut!”

Taehyung backed further away towards the bed, scalp still burning, “No, please! I didn’t mean to-”

“Shut your filthy whole!” Shownu clutched at his jaw as he spat in his face. “After all I’ve given you?! After all I’ve done for you, you still find a way to be unfaithful?!”

“N-no, I-” Taehyung tried to force out but the grip on his jaw was bone-shatteringly tight.

A cry was forced out past Taehyung’s lips as he was flung forcefully into a dresser, the sharp point of the wood digging into his hip before he collided with the ground unceremoniously, giving out a loud thud.

“God, you’re such a whore,” Shownu sneered. “Spreading your legs for anything that moves.”

The words hurt like pointed, stainless steel daggers jabbing at a spot already violated so many times before; it would be almost boring, uneventful, if not for the man he gave his heart to crying and yelping out in pain, the blood-chilling sounds reverberating through the whole facility, rattling the walls with their force.

“Get up,” Shownu ordered lowly as he turned around to unbutton his pristine black dress shirt.

Taehyung’s side protested with a jolt of pain, but nevertheless he stood, fully knowing the consequences for not following orders which would be far greater than a jab to the hip.

“If you want to act like a whore, you’ll be treated like one,” Shownu growled as he ripped the dress shirt off his big shoulders.

Taehyung’s eyes widened as he backed up, shrinking into himself before Shownu turned around and lunged forward, grabbing Taehyung by the neck.

“N-!” he yelped before the hand constricted, letting the noise die down abruptly in the omega’s throat. A hand clutched at his nightgown, tearing it from Taehyung’s violently shaking frame before he was thrown into a wall. His body was going to fall before a hand grasped at the back of his neck painfully, another calloused hand gripping onto his hips, jutting out his ass.

“No! HELP!” Came Taehyung’s scream as it ripped itself out of his throat, knowing full well it would be all for not.

“PLEASE! JEONGGUK, HELP!” Stupid and pointless for his love was screaming all the same, in the depths of the basement, surrounded by his own blood.

“GGUKIE!”

But he didn’t stop yelling, didn’t stop as their voices mixed into a symphony written by Lucifer himself. The walls would forever be engraved with their conjoined suffering.

“TAE!” The walls seemed to echo.

“Tae, are you with me?!”

The fog began to clear.

“Tae, can you hear me?”

The tight clutch of darkness steadily unfurled from his chest.

“Taetae, are you here with me?” Came the soothing voice of his dear beloved friend from somewhere next to him.

The view of his shoes cleared of the icy fog as it returned to its original, blurred-around-the-edges state. His hands were still pressed to his ears as he began to slowly sit back up with the help of Seokjin’s steady, reassuring grip.

Smooth hands coaxed Taehyung’s palms to slip from his ears before they went to hold the omega’s cheeks, thumbs wiping away the tears he didn’t even register falling.

“That’s it,” Seokjin whispered as Taehyung lifted his gaze to the latter’s face. “You with me?”

Taehyung nodded slowly, head heavy, feeling like it was filled with water. At the confirmation, Seokjin sighed in relief as he brought the latter into an embrace, head falling to the latter’s shoulder. The warmth radiating off of Seokjin was welcomed by Taehyung as it bingled with his own excessive body warmth.

“What happened?” Taehyung asked thinly after a while of comfortable silence.

There was an uncertain pause before Seokjin went on to say, “The plane was just speeding into a takeoff when Shownu’s men got to the airport. They shot at the plane to keep it grounded but thankfully the pilot was smart enough to lift off before much damage could be done.”

Seokjin’s voice was like a lullaby. It was soft and sweet as it caressed Taehyung’s ears, acting like a shield to the shrill noise of the jet engines. And it rang with hope. They were high up in the clouds by now, lifted over South Korea as they flew to wherever the hell the plane was taking them, Shownu left far behind them… at least for now.

But Taehyung wouldn’t burden his mind with ‘what if’ s any longer. Until the time came once again when Shownu would inevitably find him, he would gulp down his relative freedom for as long as fate would let him. He would keep foolishly dreaming of Jeongguk - the man who owned his heart - until his mind waned, until it withered and forgot. He would hope, he would dream and he would keep Jeonghan safe. That was and forever will be his purpose.

Within the comforting embrace of his wonderful friend and the soft weight of his son’s head on his lap, Taehyung’s eyes fluttered closed, twinkling lights still shining within them.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

The touchdown landing of the plane jolted Taehyung awake, his eyelids shooting open before fluttering closed, the space of the plane flooded with an unfamiliar, yellow light. His forehead ached as he brought his head up to instinctively look for Jeonghan.

His son had his nose pressed up against the cool surface of the window, staring in awe at the beautiful colors of the early morning sunrise; the clouds parted for the sun to begin peeking up over the horizon, painting them with a beautiful hue of pinks and oranges. A sigh left Taehyung’s lips as he saw the natural beauty before taking a deep breath of hope and (even though relative) freedom.

“Oh good, you’re awake. You feeling okay?” Seokjin spoke softly as he swiped a strand of hair from Taehyung’s eyes.

“I’m good,” Taehyung said after a while. His head still ached like a bitch, there was a layer of sweat covering his whole body making his clothes stick to his skin and his underwear was utterly soaked through, but otherwise it looked like another wave of heat had passed. He was free for a little while.

“How long was it?” Taehyung asked as he turned towards the marvelous sunset yet again as the plane whizzed by it.

“Only three hours. It’s a really quick flight to Tokyo after all,” Seokjin said nonchalantly as he gathered his belongings into the black bag propped in his lap.

There was a moment of unbelieving silence before Taehyung exclaimed, “We’re in Tokyo ?!”

Pressing his nose to the plane window just like his son, Taehyung looked out upon the vast expanse of the sea before he spotted the airport, beyond it a city he always dreamt of visiting (when he wasn’t occupied with dreaming of other things). The huge skyscrapers that towered over the rest made him feel oddly small but the wonder never ceased as he only continued staring at the colorful lights of advertising panels still shining in the early hours of the new day.

“ Everyone, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We’ll be commencing the landing shortly, ” the speakers urged above their heads as Taehyung dutifully buckled Jeonghan in before doing so for himself.

The turbine engines roared and shrilled as the plane tilted almost imperceptibly and began hurtling itself at the landing runway. Taehyung’s ears began to hurt as the plane descended altitude, the sparse clouds outside the plane window dispersing into the chilly morning autumn air.

Once the airport was close enough to make out the details of the facility, the plane touched down smoothly onto the asphalt runway, steadily beginning to slow down. Jeonghan watched everything with his eyes slightly widened in awe and his eyebrows slightly scrunched in concentration, not wanting to miss anything important that might happen.

When the plane finally came to a stop and people were finally let to disembark, Seokjin heaved such a big sigh of relief as he leaned back in the seat, letting everyone leave first. Taehyung needed a moment to pull himself together as well so he didn’t mind the stillness his friend was creating. Although Jeonghan wasn’t really pleased as he kept bouncing in his seat, mumbling words of hurry as he pointed to the lit up city of Tokyo excitedly.

That was a crazy race, one Taehyung will have big trouble forgetting; the trauma, the unexplainably strong heat and… well… Shownu. Just seeing Shownu again reopened a wound Taehyung had spent three years stitching up. He didn’t know how long it would take to put himself back together again but he knew he had to. For Jeonghan, if not for himself.

“Papa, please! Can we go now?” Jeonghan exclaimed. The question wasn’t pushy - well, not as much as one would expect from a toddler. It was as always laced with a sort of soft undertone. Always meant to comfort first; so caring even when it wasn’t his place to be.

“Yes, we should go,” Seokjin mumbled with a stutter as he rose from his seat, swinging the black bag over his shoulder. Taehyung noticed the palpable - was it excitement or nervousness - radiating off of his friend but decided not to dwell on it too much because of fear, maybe. Or maybe because of denial but who was to say. The journey took an excruciatingly long while. Taehyung and Jeonghan followed close on Seokjin’s heels as they walked out onto the asphalt plane clearing and took a small shuttle to the actual airport building.

Taehyung was surprised and delighted to know that he could walk on his own but was still a little slow, his body still slightly overheating at the physically demanding movement. Jeonghan however still remained at his side, insistently clutching onto his jeans.

They walked through the airport very quickly since they had no baggage they had to wait for, the exit was right before them in a matter of mere minutes.

A breeze of fresh gas emissions ruffled Taehyung’s matted hair as the huge glass sliding doors opened before them, a vast, multistory parking lot spreading out further. The interest of the scenery was scarce but Taehyung still let his eyelids shut to welcome the new smells and sensations. Who knew Taehyung would travel the world while on the run? Although, he mustn’t get ahead of himself. He’d only been to Korea and now newly Japan so far and being on a run from something much scarier than death was much too unpleasant of an experience.

A loud gasp escaped Seokjin’s chest suddenly, eyes going wide while rounded at the corners before he exclaimed whole-bodily, “Joonie!”

His friend jumped into the arms of a man Taehyung didn’t know - from pictures or memories, yet the unknown man wrapped his arms around Seokjin as if he owned a piece of the latter’s heart. The hug was so tight, looked so warm that it dulled Taehyung’s further growing confusion. His friend looked happy as the corners of his lips pulled up, as his nose nuzzled into the man’s chest.

Taehyung’s own mirrored smile faltered as he thought of himself in Seokjin’s shoes and the picture of Jeongguk smiling down on him- no. He refused to think about such things. His friend was happy, his friend was home . And he wouldn’t let his foolish thoughts deceive him and make his mental state hurt more than it already did. The sorrow would all come later, when he’s alone.

The embrace lasted as Seokjin relaxed further into the latter’s hold, the alluring familiarity in the scent calming him to lengths he hadn’t felt in a really long time. Everything was meaningless in the face of his love. Everything dimmed to a background shrivel as he lifted his head to look up into those deep brown eyes he would let himself get lost in all the time. And they were looking back at his with as much passion and desire he held in his own.

There was a hesitance in the air. One which should have been expected. They haven’t seen each other in so long… reaching out for something so intimate was bound to become questionable. What if he doesn’t want me? What if, after all this time, he’s found someone else that would hold his heart in place of myself? His mind was whispering to him all these doubts even for the gaze that was fixated steadfast on him. He was going to pull away, knowing he’d regret it later when suddenly there were pillowy lips pressing softly against his, the latter’s face impossibly close.

Tears pricked at Seokjin’s eyes as he closed them, letting their lips melt into each other, just as they had always used to. It was soft, warm and so very loving. An almost inaudible whine reverberated from Seokjin’s throat as his whole body shuddered from the familiar sensation. And he knew that the latter heard it when a big, warm palm found his cheek, softly tilting his head to deepen the kiss. His lover was always very tactful, knowing not to cross a line in public but the hand still tightly wrapped around his waist twitched to inch lower - to touch and to hold. Seokjin wished it did. He wished it would squeeze, caress and mark every inch of the plain canvas that his body had become. And now - after the almost bruising kiss of passion strewn with lust and, above all, love - Seokjin had no doubt that his lover would not hesitate to.

But they had matters to take care of.

It was so very difficult to pull away and stop himself from leaning back in when Namjoon chased his lips for more but he let himself drop his head to the latter’s shoulder to gulp down more of that mouth-watering scent.

“Jimin?” He asked once he deemed he had enough of the latter’s scent on him.

“He made it just in time,” Namjoon whispered back as he clutched onto Seokjin tighter, letting his forehead land on the omega’s shoulder. “We did it.”

Such a breath of relief shuddered through them both as they let themselves lull in each other’s embrace for just a little longer.

“Papa!” Jeonghan’s cry broke the two out of their merry bubble as Seokjin whipped around to find Taehyung falling to the ground.

“Shit,” Seokjin cursed under his breath, a wave of guilt prickling at his mind for forgetting about Taehyung. He was at his friend’s side in a matter of seconds, attempting to haul his body up off the tiled ground before Namjoon propped them both up, leading the two and a very worried Jeonghan to a line of black SUV’s.

“He’s in heat?” Namjoon asked incredulously as he carefully propped Taehyung in the backseat of an unspecified SUV, the omega shying away from him as soon as he was placed down. Jeonghan hurriedly climbed in right after, giving Namjoon a dirty look, puffing out his cheeks before diverting his attention to his father.

“Yeah. Started yesterday evening,” Seokjin said as he climbed into the passenger’s seat.

“Well thank god you guys made it,” Namjoon breathed out as he pressed his earpiece, signaling someone to start the engines before starting up his own and layed a big, calloused palm atop Seokjin’s thigh.

Seokjin blushed at the touch as he studied Namjoon’s serious expression; the way his brows knitted together, the way his eyes became sharp in concentration, the way his jaw clenched unconsciously as he pressed down the pedal of the car. Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen each other for so long or just because the latter was able to make Seokjin’s heart flutter every time he so much as touched him as it had been from their relationship’s very beginning. Either way, Seokjin leaned back against the seat rest, cheeks blushing prettily as the weight of the hand atop his thigh sent his mind… places.

Taehyung felt like shit. His skin was sizzling with an unquenchable fire, his stomach throbbed as his ass produced more slick that seeped into the car seat, his head was pounding making his mind fuzzy and the thick scent of the alpha driving the car was making his omega increasingly uncomfortable. It wasn’t anything against the alpha, though. His body just generally didn’t feel at ease when in close proximity to any alpha that wasn’t- Fuck! I can’t think about him right now! He screamed at himself internally.

But it was too late; he had already felt it - the iron claw trapped around his ribcage squeezing in anguish so hard his heart physically ached. He cursed under his breath as he felt another gush of thick slick pour out of him, his thighs beginning to quiver.

Taehyung tried everything to calm himself down, to eliminate the picture of pure yearning that was Jeon Jeongguk out of his thoughts but nothing was working. The eccentric city outside the car window always blurred when he attempted diverting his attention to it and everything he touched skitten out of his clammy palms when he tried grounding himself. Everything seemed so far out of reach except for the alluring image of his lover shining bright in his mind, burning him up from the inside out.

Just about when he thought he’d let the withheld tears stinging his eyes finally fall, the small, warm palm of Jeonghan’s hand slipped to rest on Taehyung’s shoulder. The added heat burned Taehyung back to the present as his heaving chest steadily slowed down. The tears fell all the same though, when his heart ceased skipping beats, when the reluctant acceptance of reality settled in once again.

He was a fool. His hope compared to reality was most probably not one and the same. But would he ever stop hoping? Never. He had to hope. For Jeonghan and for himself. Since hope kept him going, through hell all the same.

So he took a deep breath, followed by another. He had survived three years with only the living memory of Jeongguk and if fate demanded it, he would do so for as long as necessary. Fate was cruel, he realized. It took everything and gave only little back.

The city outside of the car window was still mostly a blur but the enchanting lights in the early morning gloom reflected in Taehyung’s eyes like little starlights as he watched them whizz by. He watched people cross the already busy streets, he watched them glance at their watches as they scurried off to work. There was something poetic about the scene; those people hadn’t the faintest clue what shadows were capable of and they were all the better and luckier for it.

“We’re almost there,” the alpha spoke from the front seat after what felt like ages and Taehyung’s overwhelmed ears barely caught it. His confusion had started from the moment he had entered Hwasa’s office and it kept on piling up to seemingly no end. But it was probably better that he stayed ignorant for the intensity of his heat. Having to worry about more than what was on his plate at that moment on top of having to sweat buckets and leak an entire puddle worth of slick really didn’t sound appealing. No matter, his curiosity would make him ask questions once he was sober enough.

Glancing at the city terrain through the window once again, Taehyung saw that nothing had changed. The buildings were as tall and cramped close together as it were when they drove away from the airport and into the city. There were a couple more parks and greenery scattered here and there though, sakura trees winking from around corners - although having their leaves begin to turn red as it was the time when summer poured into autumn.

The line of black SUVs turned and twisted along one too many additional corners, the streets abruptly turning more calm and silent as the buildings around them became taller and more obscure. There was one final turn until an alleyway opened up before them with what looked to be a dead end but Taehyung couldn’t be sure with the line of black cars slowing down before them. The car came to a steady halt that smoothly rocked Taehyung forward. No one made a move to get out, though as Seokjin and the alpha stayed relaxed as they waited.

A few seconds later, the car roared back to life again and dove on through the alleyway until it passed through a garage door at the end, a wink of early morning sunlight reflecting off the black garage door hanging open up above. Everything went dark for a split second before white lights turned on, illuminating an underground tunnel that winded forth until it opened into a wide, vast underground parking lot. Cars stood ready in slots and everything looked organized and purposeful. It almost reminded Taehyung of… no. Those were dark days; a door of memories he would regret reopening.

Shaking his head to get rid of his running thoughts and some of the haziness, Taehyung felt Jeonghan shuffle closer to him. Looking over to check on his son, a smile graced his lips as he saw the latter sleeping soundly on his shoulder, a tuft of black hair hanging over his peaceful, shut eyes. The slight rock forward induced by the stop of the car only received a huff out of Jeonghan, the stressful, sleepless night having taken a toll on his small yet resilient body.

The sight before Taehyung’s eyes was so endearing and heart-warming that he didn’t notice the alpha and Seokjin getting out of the car. Only until Seokjin opened the car to the back seat and ran his fingers through Taehyung’s hair did the latter register the change.

“Let’s get out, hm?” Seokjin suggested softly as Taehyung over at him with hazed eyes, reactions lazy as he unbuckled himself and Jeonghan. He was going to take Jeonghan into his hands and climb out of the car when his limbs ached in protest, making them go limp.

“Here, let me carry him,” Seokjin suggested as he helped Taehyung get out of the car before he reached to pick up a passed out Jeonghan.

Taehyung took a moment to regain a sense of balance as he pulled the jean jacket closer around himself, the chill of the underground  - a stark contrast to the cozy warmth inside the SUV. His limbs ached under the weight of his body, sensitive goosebumps arising on every inch of his sweat covered skin.

“I can carry him for you-” the alpha was cut off by a painfully hissy growl from Taehyung the moment the omega saw the latter’s hands merely reaching over to his son cuddled into Seokjin’s side.

“S-sorry,” Taehyung choked out but his clouded mind was far from agreeing. This feeling wasn’t new for him. It was one he never could shake and never wanted to. Jeonghan was his treasure; the result of such a pain Taehyung had almost crumbled under it. So much of his effort had been spent on this priceless treasure and so much a deal more would be. It was worth it, though, for after the pain there came a purpose. Love, some may call it. Love - and they would be right.

“No, it’s only natural. I didn’t mean to disrespect you,” the alpha spoke calmly, hushed. As if he were afraid Taehyung would scurry away.

Taehyung had never received such treatment from an alpha. Well, except -

Icicles ran down the back of his spine as he pulled the jacket closer around him, his head supplying a generously strong ache. “You didn’t. I’m-” another shiver raked through Taehyung’s form as he wavered on his feet, “I’m fine, thank you.”

Seokjin immediately got to his friend’s side, moving a free hand to slip it under the latter’s shoulder for support. Taehyung curled into Seokjin’s inviting body heat right away as he tucked his chin into the folds of his jean jacket.

“Alright, follow me,” the alpha spoke as he pressed the keys to lock the car before leading the rest through the maze of pillars and parking spaces before they found themselves standing in front of what looked to be a huge, steel elevator.

The thick steel doors of the elevator creaked open at the press of a shining red button before everyone fit themselves inside. Taehyung’s throat constricted at the stuffy, hot air inside the surprisingly big elevator but willed his mind to concentrate just a little longer. He just needed to get inside and then he’d get the chance to rest, he just needed to hold on a little longer.

The lift of the elevator felt tantalizingly slow as the red numbers above the doors slowly rolled up. When a shining number 30 flickered on the screen, Taehyung gritted his teeth as his knees began to bend under his body. How many god forsaken floors does this building have?!

Not so soon were his questions answered. When the screen finally flickered to 40, the elevator stopped with a ping before the doors slid open, revealing what looked to be a very fancy foyer in the middle of which stood…

Taehyung’s breath stole out of his lungs as his hands compulsively squeezed Seokjin’s side. His eyes grew wild, pupils blown out as the forbidden door to the very inner core of his fragile heart was broken in.

Memories of endless happiness and sorrow came surging back to the surface, turning the blood underneath Taehyung’s skin to molten lava that set his veins ablaze. The comfort, the hurt, the loss - it all played before his eyes.

“ No, this is a sick trick, it has to be ,” Taehyung whispered into the thin air as he pressed his eyes closed tight. His eyes were deceiving him and cruel was the entity that toyed with the strings tied to his heart. He won’t be able to make it. This was the only card blessed by Satan that anyone could ever pull. This was the final breaking point. If this was another sick game fate yearned to play with him, he knew he would lose it. Because his heart could only take so much.

Taehyung would open his eyes and he knew he ’d be gone. Never before had his heat-crazed mind conjured up such a vivid hallucination, but he knew just like every other one that burned to dust before his eyes, he would be gone just the same. And the void that echoed the screams of his lover and ate at his broken heart would grow a heartbeat bigger.

Tears prickled at Taehyung’s eyes when the ever-familiar softness of an otherwise harsh scent of resin seemed to wrap him up in a blanket, spreading out all around him like a protective barrier from those who dared not enter. He hadn’t been able to recount on this scent he craved so much for two years, it having faded away until only the face that matched it remained.

This can’t be real , Taehyung’s mind screamed as he didn’t let his eyes drop open. He ’d be gone if he opened them and he wasn’t ready to let him go as he had done in his mind so many times before. He wasn’t ready for the aftermath; the fall from grace, the breakdown and the torturous journey of picking the pieces of himself back up just for it to happen all over again in a month’s time. Not when he was this vulnerable.

But the scent grew so much stronger and so much more inviting, Taehyung’s resolve wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

“ Please, make this stop ,” Taehyung resorted to continuously whispering, begging for the hallucination to just disappear. If not, he’d surely go insane from such torture.

Hot breath fanned across Taehyung’s forehead making his heart stop, blood drained from his face.

Cool hands found the smooth skin of Taehyung’s cheeks under their fingers, coarse to the touch - Taehyung whimpered.

The omega’s hands began shaking as the tears finally dropped past his lashes, soon wiped away delicately.

The silence was palpable.

“I’ve missed you… my beloved.”

Taehyung’s ears rushed with blood, eyes bursting open with a forceful intake of breath… and there before him - unbelievable and uncanny as it may have seemed - stood Jeon Jeongguk. 

Taehyung’s reality tilted as he looked upon his lover’s face after three torturous years of traumatic darkness.

“I-s-” Taehyung gulped, suppressing a whimper. “Is t-this real?”

Three years. Three whole years of utter emptiness, no one could possibly blame him for not believing this to be real. But as Taehyung’s eyes lingered upon the chocolate brown pools of his lover’s, waiting for the image to burn to ash before him, he grew more and more steady in the unthinkable conviction.

For the image didn’t burn nor did it waver as the latter’s unrelenting gaze began to search Taehyung’s face, then fell down to his quivering form, then found its way back up - assessing him without any scrutiny, almost trying to make sure the omega was really there. That Taehyung was real .

And god did it warm the very core of Taehyung’s soul when his lover spoke once again, the deep voice dripping of something so very powerful, ravenous, “For all the agonizing time I had to wait, it better be real.”

“I- thought you we-were-” Taehyung started, voice shaking as another round of tears threatened to fall before he was abruptly silenced by nothing if not his innermost desire. Jeongguk’s lips connected with his in a tingling sensation of disbelief and utter satisfaction. A satisfaction so surreal and breathtakingly familiar it roped a low whimper out of Taehyung’s throat as he let his own lips press back. He had waited so long for this moment, most of the time not believing it would ever come but now… he didn’t know how to feel.

He just melted into the saccharine sensation, letting his lips press firmly against the latter’s, unwavering. Jeongguk’s reply was just as eager, his lips fitting against Taehyung’s just so perfectly. Like they were molded specifically for the purpose to fit with Taehyung’s, like they were meant to slot into place reminiscent of a puzzle.

Suddenly all the feelings Taehyung was forced to bottle up inside for the duration of three years finally overflowed and tipped him forward into his lover’s hold. His chest constricted as he let go of a sob, their lips disconnecting. He finally snapped, couldn’t hold it anymore but he was so fortunate to have Jeongguk there for him again and strangely there wasn’t a single rogue thought in his mind that would echo any doubt.

Not when the alpha’s strong arms immediately wrapped him up in a tight embrace - comforting and sacred - as he brought Taehyung’s head to rest on his chest, letting him pour out all of his emotions, tears of pure relief dampening the fabric of Jeongguk’s white button-down shirt.

Taehyung’s world came crashing down on him as it always had. And yet he didn’t need to worry about picking up the pieces anymore for he had made it. Him and Jeonghan were safe, they were home .

It was worth it. All the pain, the loneliness, the suffering. It was all worth the warmth, comfort and feeling of utter safety that filled Taehyung’s whole being. And he would admit that it was kind of scary - how he had not a single doubt in his mind that he would go through hell a hundred times more just to end up here again; in his lover’s embrace, a spark igniting him back to life.

A distant voice murmured something behind them as light footsteps walked passed and disappeared but Taehyung’s mind was so far removed from the sense of place and time he couldn’t make out the spoken words. He was just enjoying the surreal closeness of his lover and beginning to notice lava starting to sizzle under his heated skin yet again. His stomach panged with an ache so powerful he would have doubled over if not for Jeongguk’s toned body holding him up.

It was a rather strange feeling since, instead of his body convulsively curling into itself, a feeling of emptiness burning at his mind as it had been during his heats before, now his body was enticed to press as physically close to the warmth radiating off of his lover as possible. Every fiber in his body screamed at him to press closer, to bury himself in the warmth, to be held by it.

The close proximity added to the heat simmering under Taehyung’s skin but unlike before, his body wanted - needed more. The burning sensation wasn’t enough as he clung to the latter’s built form, hands coming to circle around Jeongguk’s neck.

A low rumble vibrated in Taehyung’s ear as the strong arms that were wrapped around the omega’s small frame tightened. Taehyung moaned at the noise of affection, letting his head fall into the crook of the latter’s shoulder. Only then did he inhale a gulp of heady pine resin so strong, sweetened with something wholly lustful it awakened a force inside of him that sent a tingling sensation pouring into his abdomen and much further south.

Never before had he experienced such passion during his heat. He had always dreaded the nights he’d had to spend in Shownu’s bed, he had never dared to spend them with his lover even for the heart-rippling desire to do so. The times he had been alone his heats had been spent with an empty void of a foolish promise.

But now… with this much passion that already coursed through the air between them, through the touches that connected them… lord have mercy for he knew they’d both drown in the sensation, knew they’d both not mind a single bit.

Sparks seemed to ignite in Taehyung’s eyes, pupils dilated as he brought his head up to look into the chocolate pools of the latter's, swirling with lust and passion all the same.

“Alpha,” Taehyung breathed into the shared space between them, so thick with delicious tension one could cut it with a knife.

Jeongguk’s sharp jaw tightened at the plea, eyes already wild as they took in all of Taehyung, hands only bringing the latter closer.

“Yes beloved,” his lover growled deeply, voice thick and dripping with lust before he connected them in a rough lock of lips, somehow answering the desperate plea. Their lips danced against each other, remembering and reminding themselves of the feeling and taste they had been forced to forget. Jeongguk was quick to lick over Taehyung’s bottom lip for permission, the omega’s jaw going slack at once.

A shiver of pleasure coursed through Taehyung’s body as his mouth remained opened obediently, tongue slipping and sliding, following the ravenous rhythm of the latter’s. A groan of appreciation vibrated inside Jeongguk’s chest against Taehyung’s quivering palms, making the omega let go of a lewd whine which the other swallowed up greedily.

They pulled apart only when their breaths gave out, Taehyung’s abused tongue falling slack behind his red, spit slicked, pillowy lips. Catching their breaths they let their foreheads rest against each other, taking a moment to inhale as much of each other’s alluring scent as possible.

Another powerful ache to Taehyung’s stomach powered the want that had settled into every nerve ending in his body, entrance throbbing and tingling as little droplets of slick began easing out.

Jeongguk’s nostrils immediately flared at the ripening smell of Taehyung’s slick, eyes growing hazy as he leaned his head down close to the omega’s ear, leaving ghostly kisses on the shell of his ear before he spoke, “Would you let me make you mine again?”

Taehyung mewled as the latter took his earlobe into his mouth, tongue lazily laving over the soft skin. “You don’t ever have to ask. I’m already yours.”

Jeongguk’s apparent restraint fell at Taehyung’s confirmation and before the omega knew what was happening, he was already being hoisted into the firm hold of the latter. Their lips continued to mold into each other as the alpha’s deliciously big hands began to wonder and grope every inch of skit they were fairly entitled to.

Taehyung could only hold on and keep up with the lustful dance of the kiss as Jeongguk carried him somewhere deeper into the building, all the while he was massaging the omega’s plump ass, coaxing more slick to spill into the latter’s soft boxers.

A loud moan disconnected their lips as Taehyung’s head tipped back, eyes rolling into his skull as he felt Jeongguk’s fingers prod at his sopping hole through the fabric, greedy lips dropping down to nibble and suck at the omega’s scent gland. A sparkle of satisfaction blinked through Taehyung’s mind at the thought of finally being able to wear his lover’s love marks, proudly and without fear of terrible consequences. It made his omega bare his neck, head tipping forwards into Jeongguk’s shoulder. The ever-powerful scent of pine resin wafted into his nose as he took a moment to bask in it, loving how the alpha was taking him apart without even properly doing anything, the delicious scent not doing him any favors.

Yelping out in surprise, Taehyung fell into what he could only describe as the softest cushion of duvets he’s ever laid on; cloud-like. He shuddered from the lack of body heat upon him, his body now oddly cold in the strangest of ways. He let his eyes flutter open when he didn’t feel his alpha atop of him, stomach churning as his dazed mind’s insecurities threatened to take form.

Yet once he set his hazy eyes upon his lover, his whole body preened as his back arched a delicious bow off the bed. The alpha’s gaze roared with lust as it traveled attentively down Taehyung’s still vibrating form. The omega whimpered petulantly, reveling in the want that radiated off the latter, reveling in the way the latter was undressing him with his dark eyes, reveling in the knowledge that he was the subject of his lover’s desires.

“Fuck,” Jeongguk muttered deeply under his breath before he was climbing onto the huge bed and crowding Taehyung against it, grabbing the side of the omega’s face before capturing his lips in a bruising clash of lips and tongue.

Taehyung submitted in an instant once again, letting his alpha do whatever he wanted with him, whining in delight when the latter’s other hand went straight for the hem of his shirt. Warm, addicting sparks erupted under his flesh as the latter’s coarse palm ran over his pale, sensitive skin. The palm felt heavy yet possessive as it inched up Taehyung’s flushed stomach, stopping to trace the omega’s delicate ribs before continuing upwards.

Gasping into the messy kiss, Taehyung shivered as Jeongguk’s fingers teasingly ghosted over the supple flesh of his already pert nub. His lover leaned back, Taehyung chasing after the kiss only to shudder and let his head fall back into the soft pillows as the fingers began toying with the sensitive nipple; pinching and rolling.

Taehyung’s chest leaned up into the touch, the omega’s mind going pleasantly blank as his eyes connected with the alpha’s gaze - sharp and intent on capturing every detail of the latter’s alluring expression of slowly building ecstasy.

But it was becoming harder to wait, to take things slow. For the both of them. Taehyung felt how his lover’s grip on the supple flesh of his aureola became rougher, more incessant, sending hot licks of pleasure up the omega’s spine.

A beg was beginning to build on the tip of Taehyung’s tongue yet fell off in an instant as his lover’s fingers gave one last, teasing tug at the red nub before the alpha leaned down to place a kiss under the omega’s jaw. Goosebumps sprinkled Taehyung’s milky  skin as his chest heaved a shudder of satisfaction.

One couldn’t imagine how surreal it felt; to finally have his lover worship his body as such, to have him so close Taehyung burned for him to press closer, harder, further into him.

Jeongguk’s soft yet eager kisses caused whimpers to bubble out from the omega’s throat, like purrs of long-lusted-after pleasure. The soft, emitted noises only fueled the alpha’s hunger as he turned from tender kisses to rough suckles and bites, causing beautiful buds of purplish-red to flower upon the untainted skin.

Jeongguk’s coarse hand ghosted down the omega’s sensitive flesh from under the latter’s white t-shirt before it tugged the black denim jacket over Taehyung’s shoulder. A small whimper quivered Taehyung’s lips as he felt his lover retract from his neck only to place a lingering kiss upon his covered shoulder.

“Let’s take this off of you, shall we?” the alpha whispered into the latter’s shoulder as Taehyung’s whole body twitched, a mumble obscured by a string of whines given as a form of eager confirmation.

Clothes cascaded to the floor next to the bed as they both took the opportunity to remove the layers of cloth that separated them. Taehyung needed some extra help with his body so weak and aching but his lover had no objections, touches lingering on skin glossy with a thin layer of sweat.

When Jeongguk’s black slacks dropped to the floor around his feet, Taehyung felt his chest flutter as his eyes raked over the latter’s defined build. He mentally traced every part of Jeongguk’s form, taking in the details - changes that had transpired during their time apart. Sudden tears pricked at his eyes as he laid his gaze upon the new white scars that littered his lover’s body; stab marks, burns, slashes, gun wounds… one could name it all and point them out on almost every expanse of the alpha’s skin. The scars seemed to ripple and weave on his muscles, molding and shaping into a story… a story which Taehyung would be pressing to hear if not for the burning need that clouded his every whim.

Reluctantly removing his gaze, Taehyung looked up to Jeongguk’s face only to see it morphed in sorrow as the alpha stepped closer. The haze of his heat cleared for a moment as Taehyung searched to see what had caught the alpha’s attention only for his breath to halt as he was met with the sight of his c-section bruise.

A small gasp fell past Taehyung’s parted lips as the warm hands of his lover tentatively found the omega’s waist, thumbs caressing circles into the burning skin as Jeongguk deftly settled over Taehyung, knees on either side of the latter’s quivering thighs.

They shared a sudden glance - an exchange which couldn’t be described with words. Taehyung felt so whole in that moment, so loved and safe as Jeongguk looked at him with such respect and adoration. It was a look he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

Tears began to well up in his lover’s brown eyes as they looked down upon the bruise that decorated the omega’s lower abdomen. Thumbs coming to trace over the new, unfamiliar mark, Jeongguk leaned down to place a slow kiss on the left side, another on the right and a last, lingering kiss right in the center. He took his time, reveling in the way Taehyung’s stomach fluttered at the lightest of touches.

“I wish I could’ve been there,” Jeongguk murmured into Taehyung’s skin before kissing it again. “It must’ve been really hard for you.” The ache in his gravelly voice made the tears from Taehyung’s eyes finally roll down his flushed cheeks.

“It wasn’t easy, alpha,” Taehyung’s voice quivered as he brought his hands to Jeongguk’s face, bringing him up to face him. “But I always knew you’d come back to me.” A choked out sob escaped Taehyung’s throat as his thumbs brushed away his lover’s tears.

A rush of emotions surged through Jeongguk’s eyes before he captured the latter’s lips in a thick, lustful lock. Taehyung gasped and shuddered as their tongues brushed and passed, almost as a whisper of words not spoken. Of words so very hushed, words of lust and love.

The need for air felt like a traitor as their lips parted, breaths hurriedly stealing into their lungs. “I love you. Always have and always will,” Jeongguk’s words spilled out of his heart between deep heaves of breath and Taehyung’s mind fell into a red haze once again, knowing full and well now that his omega would be taken excellent care of.

To his lover’s words came a blissful whine in response as Taehyung’s quivering palms lifted up to hold onto the latter’s toned upper arms, anything to get the addicting heat of his lover’s body closer to his own. “Please, alpha. N-need you…”

“M’right here, beloved,” Jeongguk growled, muffling the deep sound into the skin of the latter’s shoulder, like oozing desperation dripping onto wet cloth. Another string of rogue sounds of lustful anticipation left Taehyung’s throat as his lover unabashedly pressed his nose into the omega’s scent gland, gulping down intakes of the alluring scent of ripening peaches glazed over with melted caramel.

It was absolute torture, but the best kind as Jeongguk continued to rain assault onto the omega’s scent gland, the skin becoming inflamed, bruising a delectable shade of purple. Finally, when the alpha deemed his work sufficient, he gave in to Taehyung’s relentless pleading and continued lower down, placing quick pecks and small kisses onto every surface of skin he met along the way. He didn’t forget to linger over the c-section bruise once more, giving it just a little extra attention with more lingering kisses and the gentlest of caresses, Taehyung’s eyes dipping back into his skull as a blissful sigh escaped him.

Feeling encouraged by the omega’s sweet sounds of feverish lust, Jeongguk traced his palms along the sides of the latter’s bare waist and hips until his fingers grazed the hem of stretchy boxer briefs. Taehyung’s form shuddered in anticipation as his lover went on to delicately tease at where the white hem met smooth supple skin, biting into the stretchy material only to snap it back with a soft pillowy slap.

“Ggukie, please- can’t take much of this t-teasing!” the quivering omega whined as his back bowed in a beautiful arch off of the bed, exposing the radiant skin of his stomach which the latter gladly placed his big palm upon, thumb caressing the supple flesh.

“M’sorry, Taetae. It’s just been such a long time since I held you like this, since I had you like this.” Jeongguk began to mutter into the flesh of Taehyung’s lower stomach, roping further groans of lustful frustration. “All spread out and beautiful for me,  all just mine for me to show you how much I’ve missed you.”

Coarse pads of the alpha’s fingers traced the hem in anticipation before they slipped beneath it and began easing the material off of Taehyung’s lithe hips, savoring seeing his lover’s body just like for the first time. He craved to see the nuances, the changes that Taehyung would have acquired throughout the time they had been forced apart, and still he knew nothing would fundamentally change, for he would love his omega just the same; forever, unconditionally.

Taehyung’s cock sprang free, a string of drool and slick connecting the tip of his shaft with the fabric of his boxer briefs. Jeongguk hummed appreciatively at the sight, giving the red, swollen tip a brief suckle before continuing to slide the black fabric off. The briefs slid over the plump orbs of the omega’s ass cheeks, drenched in fruity slick before pooling and sliding down Taehyung’s thin legs easily.

Jeongguk took his time; first nosing along the exposed flesh of the latter’s thighs before trailing love bites and purple blooms right up to the omega’s pelvic area, sending Taehyung’s head dipping back, his lower stomach quivering with anticipated arousal.

Once the alpha had enough of ravishing the omega’s supple flesh, Jeongguk finally spread open Taehyung’s legs to reveal the awaiting ring of muscle, slick gushing out in globs only for this alpha, and this alpha alone.

Taehyung waited patiently, eyes misted with lust and mouth prepared to wrap around countless moans to come… but there was nothing.

Confused and still dazed, Taehyung whined and lifted his head to see his lover staring back at him… with tears forming in his eyes, the scent of pine resin turning sour and rotten.

Everything came back in one forceful blow; arousal was pushed back as raw panic took its place. Taehyung recoiled away from the latter’s hold before haphazardly scrambling off the bed, breath caught in his throat as he tried to dissolve before the latter’s gaze.

Such a fool, he was such a fool! He was - “Unfaithful! An unfaithful slut who-” “I should share you with the rest-” You wouldn’t “YES I WOULD! And I’ll enjoy seeing you being taken apart, begging for it-” I have to leave “Don’t you even THINK about it- but you said- “I didn’t say you could” “Can’t even follow a simple fucking order - Slut… you -are you- a Whore- NO! “Yes, yes you are. You will never be anything else- H-HELP!

“I’m right here-” 

“GGUKIE, hELP!”

“Taetae, shhh,” there was a delicate whisper against the shell of his ear, soft breath fanning over the side of his face.

“Ggukie,” Taehyung whispered, lips quivering, fat tears rolling down his face in heavy streams. “Ggukie, I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. Everything’s alright, everything’s okay now. You’re safe,” Jeongguk soothed quietly, his scent of pine resin sweetening and weaving a protective blanket around the two, huddled together and pressed against the far wall of the room.

Taehyung sniffled wetly as he buried his nose into the latter’s neck, “But I’m d-dirty, I’ve-hick- I’ve been used, didn’t w-wait for you, ‘m so sorry, please don’t leave u-us.”

“Oh, beloved, I would never leave you. After three years of endless searching, I am never letting you go again, believe me.” A hand came up to pet the omega’s ruffled hair.

“Besides, you have nothing to be sorry for. You did what you had to to survive, to take care of yourself and Jeong-ah,” Jeongguk whispered into the latter’s hair, “You’re so strong, such a strong omega… my omega. ‘M so proud of you.”

There was a moment of silence disturbed only by soft sniffles and hushed sounds of soothing.

“B-but Jeong-ah isn’t even yours,” Taehyung mumbled finally, a heavy sigh leaving past his parted lips as his breath began to even out.

“I don’t care. If he’s yours, he’s also mine to take care of, as are you. I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that alone,” there was a crack in Jeongguk’s voice, full of emotion and regret.

“I wasn’t alone,” Taehyung whispered as he raised his head to peer into the latter’s jasper eyes, “I always thought of you when things were hard. I always had the thought of you with me, even though it was never truly enough.”

There was another calm pause before Taehyung continued in a whisper, as if he wished it to remain an unspoken secret, “I always thought of you when… when I was… giving myself to customers. Always imagined it being you so I would get through it.”

A sudden, low growl erupted in the alpha’s chest, reverberating through his ribcage against Taehyung’s smaller form, “I wholeheartedly understand why you had to do it, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Just a thought of someone else merely laying a finger on you… it made my alpha go feral.”

Taehyung shivered against the latter’s strong body, the dizziness and hazy lust of heat igniting back a fire in the omega’s veins. Slick began to form and pool in a matter of seconds as Taehyung began to squirm in his lover’s hold, “Please alpha, need your knot.”

A deep groan sent the omega’s head tipping back. “As much as I want to, we can’t. You’re still too hurt-” Jeongguk’s tone wavered, woven with lust before the latter cut him off.

“I. Don’t. Care. I’ve been waiting for you for three years, please don’t make me wait any longer.” Taehyung’s words were bewildering even to himself. Where he had gained such confidence, he didn’t know.

The alpha said nothing, eyebrows fixed together in an attempt to reel back his urges.

“When I was in heat,” Taehyung began softly, slowly starting to rut against the latter’s strong thighs pressed under him, “I always imagined you taking care of me. I would try to use the toys to mimic how I remembered you would do it. But it was never enough. The knots were too small and the toys too plastic, too fake.” Taehyung spat out the last word like it had personally offended him, now fully dragging his unclothed shaft against the swell of the alpha’s toned thighs.

“But you’ve never had my knot before,” Jeongguk forced out weakly, his resolve crumbling under his omega’s ministrations.

“That’s why I need you alpha,” Taehyung whispered into the latter’s ear, tone dripping like honey, “to show me what I’ve been missing.”

“You little minx, ” Jeongguk growled, in a blink of an eye picking Taehyung up like he weighed next to nothing and having him spread out across the duvet all pretty under him. The omega had only mere seconds to catch his breath before the alpha was lying in between his spread, marked up thighs, fanning hot breath over his quivering entrance. “I’m gonna enjoy taking you apart, my sweet omega,” his lover growled before, without any warning, burying his face in Taehyung’s clenching heat.

A moan pooled from Taehyung’s lips, head thrown back as a shudder reverberated through his spine. The latter’s tongue began to work miracles, soothing the irritation and burns while shooting sparks of electric pleasure into the omega’s core.

They had never done this before. In fact, they’ve only sexually indulged each other once before - when Taehyung went into heat early and Shownu was out for business in Thailand, shortly after Taehyung found out he was pregnant. It was quick as to not attract attention and it was the only thing Taehyung could hold onto the memory of when he was going through his heats on the run. It had been the best Taehyung had ever had, and yet much too frustrating. They had both agreed that knotting couldn’t be done. It would have taken too long for it to go down and pregnancy was out of the question (even for the birth control Taehyung was taking). But even for the absence of foreplay and knotting, Taehyung had felt on top of the world, truly loved and cherished by a man that he had to love in secret.

But this was another experience entirely. Jeongguk’s tongue worked insistently, lapping at the latter’s quivering rose until all words left the omega except sounds of unadulterated pleasure. Moan after moan was coached out of Taehyung until his mouth was merely open in a silent scream, until everything was bathed in white and he was cumming all over his lover’s face, whose lips curved into a smile.

Letting the latter ride out his orgasm on his tongue, Jeongguk chuckled before climbing over Taehyung once again, reveling in the beauty of his lover’s blissful expression.

“Alright, beloved?” a whisper tickled against Taehyung’s ear, taking him out of his orgasm-induced stupor.

“Yeah, but… inside, please,” these words were the only thing Taehyung could amount to as the fire in the pit of his stomach only flared brighter, an orgasm only a greater promise of a knot stretching him open and filling him up to the brim.

“Yes sir,” Jeongguk chuckled at the latter’s bossy, heat-induced tone, but nevertheless, lined himself up.

Taehyung’s breath hitched as the alpha’s tip slipped in, the latter’s hands coming to circle around the omega’s hips. The push was tantalizingly slow, easing a drawn out whine from Taehyung’s spit-slicked lips as Jeongguk murmured words of praise into his ear.

The burn was painful, but with nerve endings singed by heat and new batches of slick rushing to aid with the push, Taehyung’s thighs began to quiver with pleasure, tears welling up in his eyes as he kept them trained on his lover’s.

Jeongguk wasn’t looking any less blissed out however; his jaw was clenched as he focused on easing his length into the latter without going too fast, hips twitching to snap forward and chase the pleasure as the omega’s walls tightened around him.

Once the alpha’s dick was fully nestled inside the omega, both men sighed out in contentment, sharing a blazing kiss and giving each other time to get used to the intimate sensation.

After a while of getting used to the feeling of being full, Taehyung noticed Jeongguk getting restless as his hips stuttered and twitched for friction. “You can go ahead, alpha…” the omega said, the last word morphing into a gasp as the alpha acted on the go ahead right away.

The strokes were lazy yet precise as Jeongguk took great care to not hurt his lover, who’s eyes suddenly screwed shut at a particular angle of a thrust, lips rounding into a moan.

“Found in,” Jeongguk whispered teasingly, his smirk playing in his tone as he continued to thrust at the right angle, driving the shaking omega to near insanity.

It was all too much but in no way was it enough. “Faster,” Taehyung breathed out as his hips began falling back into time with the latter’s thrusts. The thrusts only increased the tiniest bit in speed as Taehyung whined, tears of frustration lined his lashes.

“Alpha-, please,” he mumbled out between moans of pleasure.

“Baby, I don’t want to hurt you,” Jeongguk said soothingly, pressing little pecks against the latter’s forehead as he increased the speed only a little bit yet again.

The room echoed with drawn out moans and groans as Taehyung began to slowly but surely lose his mind. Jeongguk’s thrusts never faltered, keeping up the same pace and precision, slowly bringing Taehyung to an intense high.

And finally, after what felt like eternity, the alpha’s knot began to swell. Taehyung’s toes curled at the ghost of pressure pushing against his fluttering rim, all thoughts ceasing, mouth hanging open in expectation.

“You sure you can take it, beloved?” Jeongguk forced out past clenched teeth, brows furrowed and pupils dilated in a straining effort to hold back.

Groaning in frustration, Taehyung pressed his lips against the latter’s in a rough kiss, more tongue than lips, before growling into Jeongguk’s mouth, “Push it in. Now .”

The alpha’s eyes flared at the challenge, diving in for a dominating kiss as he began to press his knot into his lover’s awaiting hole.

Regretting his demanding tone only a little at the blood-coiling stretch, Taehyung whimpered only for it to be swallowed by another ravenous clash of lips. Even for the roughness, the press was slow and tender, measured. 

The pain burned bright as the knot’s largest circumference, but subsided moments later as the knot finally… finally buried inside, whole and wrapped in delicious, velvety heat. Taehyung’s eyes screwed themselves shut, mouth left agape and thighs shaking as he finally tipped over the edge.

Jeongguk’s high followed only a few grinds later, hips and jaw locking as thick ropes of cum painted Taehyung’s insides white, effectively filling him up to the brim.

The high seemed to last forever and when Taehyung began to descend from the heavens, his chest constricted as his mind prepared for the inevitable spiral that every climax in his heat induced. He waited for the feeling of loneliness to engulf him, for a dagger of loss to nestle itself deep inside his stomach, for a wave of nausea and regret to twist around his thoughts, painting them black and blue.

And yet, only a hand wrapped around his waist, a delicious body heat enveloping him in a blanket of comfort as the scent of fresh pine resin seemed to whisper the promise of a better future.

By the time Jeongguk’s knot went down, the lovers were both too deep in the comfortable arms of sleep.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Great beams of light poured into the room through a wall of windows, casting a glow over a figure spread out across clouds of white duvets.

Taehyung shivered at the sudden warmth caressing his bare legs as his eyes fluttered open, a yawn and cat-like stretch following mere seconds later. It had been the best sleep he had had in three years with no interruptions. No creeping anxiety, no sudden bursts of fear tearing him awake, no Jeonghan…

No Jeonghan! Taehyung sat up with a sudden start, finally awake to reality. Sudden fear clenched his stomach in its freezing grasp as he rolled off of the raised bed.

“Jeong-ah!” He screamed, heading for the closest door, mind already racing with possibilities of what could have happened to him. “Jeong-ah, where are you?!”

“Tae!” Strong arms wrapped around him as his hand was twisting the door knob. “Tae, it’s okay, Jeonghan’s safe. Everything’s okay.”

A broken sob slipped past Taehyung’s lips at the all too familiar, comforting voice of his lover, tears like small crystals running down his cheeks. The events of the past day and all of the events that lead up to it flooded his mind in a whirlwind of emotion. Reality had shifted for him yet again. Not in a bad way this time, still a lot to handle nonetheless.

“There, that’s it. Just breathe,” Jeongguk soothed from above him as Taehyung’s labored breaths stuttered and slowed, body turning lax against the latter’s muscular build. The omega’s sobs turned to quiet whimpers as he turned to bury his face in the alpha’s chest, a calming rumble resonating within it.

“M’sorry,” Taehyung breathed out to which Jeongguk only shook his head and raised a hand to card his fingers through the latter’s hair.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, beloved. You can take your time. We have all the time in the world.”

The words rang with a promise so powerful it brought another set of tears to Taehyung’s eyes. Happy ones - the only one’s he wished to shed from then onwards.

“C’mon, we’ll take a bath and then we’ll join the others at breakfast,” Jeongguk said as he lifted Taehyung off of his feet before carrying him to the ensuite bathroom where a pink bubble bath shimmered in a huge marble bathtub, the room illuminated with dim, warm lighting, creating a delicate, intimate space.

The two separated only when absolutely necessary as they bathed in a comforting silence, marveling in each other's presence, soft words of affirmation and love whispered into the steamy air.

When they finally climbed out of the bathtub, their fingers pruned and bodies flushed from the hot water, Jeongguk held up a small tube of cream.

“I asked our med team for something to… help with the burning,” Jeongguk mumbled, cheeks turning an uncharacteristic shade of red. “Of course, I’ll take you to get examined right away for any injuries, but first I thought we could-” he rambled on until soft, pillowy lips delicately pressed themselves against his own.

“Relax,” Taehyung whispered against the latter’s parted lips, butterflies swirling in his belly at the sweetness of his lover.

“Thank you for getting this for me,” he went on as he slid the tube of cream out of the latter’s hands. “But… could you, maybe…” Taehyung paused tentatively, a flush rising to his cheeks as he looked up past his fluttering lashes into Jeongguk’s slightly misted eyes.

“I- YES, yes, I can do that,” The alpha stuttered, face turning a red shade darker.

Taehyung hid his smile of excitement behind a bitten lip as he turned around and leaned over the sink counter, raising up the two-sizes-too-big dress shirt he was clad in above his bubble but.

A snap was heard as Jeongguk uncapped the tube, hurried fingers fiddling to squeeze out a generous amount of cream.

The sudden coolness of the salve made Taehyung jump before it was eased around his burning entrance and a little passed the rim. A drawn out moan tipped Taehyung’s head back as the incessant, burning pain subsided, the cold quenching the ugly coals of fire.

“ Fuck, beloved. You can’t be making those sounds right now. You have to heal,” Jeongguk growled as he fought a grueling battle with himself not to push his fingers in any beeper, the other hand subconsciously going up to circle around the latter’s waist.

“But-” Taehyung began, voice already strained by arousal, before being quickly cut off.

“Trust me, I want to take you again so badly,” Jeongguk whispered against the latter’s ear, jaw set with restraint. “But your body needs time to heal.”

“Besides,” he said as he retreated his hand from the latter’s entrance before giving Taehyung a pair of boxers, “Breakfast is waiting for us downstairs.”

A deep rumble erupted from Taehyung’s stomach at the mention of food, mind already racing with possibilities as saliva rushed to pool inside his mouth.

“And that is precisely why we need to go eat,” Jeongguk chuckled, a strange, sad glint in his eyes as he looked his lover’s thin frame up and down.

Taehyung didn’t have a chance to notice however. He gave a small whine at the rejection, but his hunger took over as he slipped on the latter’s pair of boxers. His feet were swept off the floor with a sudden yelp as he was carried out of the bathroom and towards the dining room.

During the seemingly endless journey towards the delicious promise of food, it occurred to Taehyung that he didn’t really know what this building actually was. He knew it was in the city, most probably meaning a skyscraper or a multiple-story building at least and the urban view from the glass wall in Jeongguk’s bedroom would support this theory. Nevertheless, the interior was huge, presenting more as a lavish mansion rather than a modern apartment. Every room and corridor had a different aesthetic of colors and decoration, yet it all worked in symphony, connected by light wooden accents and grand lighting.

“Ggukie, I can walk on my own, y’know?” Taehyung whispered shily, cheeks radiating with heat as they passed a cluster of maids and staff along the way.

“No, not happening,” Jeongguk mumbled into the latter’s hair, a pout evident in his voice as he only brought the omega closer. “You’re almost as light as air.” There was a hint of woe in his tone which Taehyung did notice this time, but pointedly ignored.

He knew he was skinny to the point of being unhealthy. He was sure that if he took but one single step outside during winter, a small breeze would send him to the hospital in a matter of seconds. He vowed to change that, however. If not for himself, then for Jeonghan and now, newly, for his lover.

A purr erupted from Taehyung’s chest as he buried his face in the latter’s neck, soft black curls whispering along his cheek. Bright images filled with promise of the future erupted in his  mind, all including his two favorite people in the world.

“Let’s visit France some day,” Taehyung whispered absentmindedly into the crook of the latter’s neck as an image of a picnic below the Eiffel tower appeared behind his closed eyes.

“I’ll take you wherever you wish, beloved.”

A click of a door was heard before the world was flooded by loud, violent chatter.

“We still have to wait-”

“-swear to god I could hear them from my room-”

“But I’m HUNGRY! ”

“Quiet down,” Jeongguk growled, eyebrows raised as he surveyed the room. “Good, you haven’t started without us.”

There was a moment of silence, all heads turned to a still very much blushing and a being-carried Taehyung, before Jimin and Seokjin jumped up from their seat and hurtled towards their friend. Jeongguk managed to put his lover down just as the three friends enveloped each other in a tight embrace.

“We’re so sorry, TaeTae,” Jimin whispered, voice cracking.

“So sorry we didn’t tell you,” Seokjin filled in, tears at the edges of his lashes.

And Taehyung had every right to be mad. He should be questioning their friendship and their motives, but… he just couldn’t make himself, even if he bothered to try. Whatever the circumstances might have been that brought them together, they were still his only true friends that brought him back to his lover.

“It’s okay,” Taehyung murmured, bathing in the comfort of his two friends. “But you have to tell me everything, no exceptions,” he pouted, to which the two showered him in reassurance that they will indeed tell him everything.

“But first! Breakfast!” Seokjin exclaimed as he departed from the hug and took a glance around at the clock. “Where is Hoseok? Should’ve been here half an hour ago!”

“Still probably getting Jeonghan dressed. Why did we trust him with the kid?” a mean looking alpha with cat-like eyes mumbled from the other end of the room.

“Because our lovely boyfriends had to prepare breakfast and neither of us two volunteered,” the alpha Namjoon said pointedly to the other alpha as he wrapped his arms around his omega’s waist from behind. “What's on the menu, baby?”

“Your dick if you don’t go sit the fuck down!” Seokjin growled half-heartedly, cheeks turning beetroot red. “The eggs and bacon are getting cold.”

And right as Namjoon went to sit down, the double doors flew open and running in came Jeonghan.

“Papa!” He screeched as he jumped right into Taehyung’s awaiting arms.

“Jeong-ah,” Taehyung whispered as he brought Jeonghan impossibly closer, reveling in his son’s presence. “We’re finally free,” he whispered, his mind running with opportunities for his little baby boy. He could now afford to send him to daycare and give him the best life possible.

“Glad to see you again, Tae,” a familiar voice, one Taehyung hadn’t heard for a very long time, came from the door. Head snapping up, eyes blown out in wonder, Taehyung saw a tall beta standing before him, smiling as bright as ever.

“Hoby!” Taehyung exclaimed as he ran into his embrace. It had been so long but the latter hadn’t changed one bit. He truly didn’t think they would see each other ever again. Memories of his escape still rang so vivid in his mind, as if it had happened just yesterday; Taehyung stumbling into Hoseok’s office from Shownu’s beating, Hoseok helping him feign illness and getting him to a city hospital, their last goodbye as Taehyung boarded a last minute flight to Seoul.

Before he knew it, streams of tears stained his face as he held onto Hoseok for dear life. “How did you survive? I was so sure Shownu would…” Taehyung trailed off, disbelief still hesitating behind his eyes.

“I had already planned to dip some time before things got out of hand, but I couldn’t leave you behind. I promised Jeongguk I would take care of you, that I would get you out of there and send you far enough away so he could come and find you someday,” Hoseok whispered, voice strained with emotion.

After a while, they separated, soft smiles playing at everyone’s lips.

“Alright, enough chatter! I’ll bring the food,” Seokjin interrupted the brief moment of silence as he turned towards the doors to the kitchen before turning around yet again, “Sit.”

At Seokjin’s insistence, everyone finally arranged themselves around the huge dining table as Taehyung picked Jeonghan up and sat him on his lap next to Jeongguk.

“Appa! We finally found you!” Jeonghan suddenly screeched as he leaned over and toppled himself onto Jeongguk’s lap.

The alpha’s eyes widened in surprise as he held onto the little bundle of joy in his arms. Taehyung looked on, just as bewildered and disbelieving as his lover.

“Jeong-ah, how do you know I’m your Appa..?” Jeongguk asked after he recovered his composure, Jeonghan’s arms still firmly wrapped around him.

“Papa always promised we’d find you someday. He cried every time before bed and called your name when he was sleeping,” Jeonghan mumbled as he sat back in Jeongguk’s lap, head turned down as he recounted the times filled with sorrow and pain. Times that Taehyung wished to erase from the little boy’s mind. The world was just so cruel sometimes and they were so very fortunate to have someone to help them, take care of them and bring them a new, better life.

Tears threatened to fall from Taehyung’s eyes, a mirror to his lover. They glanced at each other over a mumbling Jeonghan, love being the only emotion exchanged between them. Love encapsulating trust, safety and infatuation, all wrapped up in one exchanged glance, before they leaned in to share a kiss - now fortunately one of many to come.

“ Awwww!” Jimin cooed from the other side of the table, effectively pulling the two lovers from their own little world of joy. “Yoongls, we have to do that too!”

“Fortunately we don’t have a sob story. But I can kiss you if you want,” Yoongi spoke smoothly before he leaned in and whispered something against the shell of Jimin’s ear. The small omega’s face turned peach pink as a hand flew up to cover his mouth. His alpha leaned back in satisfaction, a wolfish grin playing on his lips as hungry eyes traversed the territory that was the omega’s body.

“Yah! Put your dick away and start eating!” Seokjin yelled as he ran in from the kitchen holding huge trays of egg-and-bacon breakfast with slices of bread, ham and other delicious foods, the scent of arousal thick in the room.

Jeongguk was quick to reach for a plate and shovel on a big pile of food, but instead of himself, he placed the plate in front of Taeyung.

“I want you to eat good meals for me, can you do that?” Jeongguk asked softly as he handed his lover some chopsticks.

Taehyung blinked to keep his tears of affection at bay as he accepted the chopsticks and began to dig in. The whole table erupted with moans of contentment, Taehyung’s own mouth slightly agape at the simple yet delicious taste. Some things were going to change from then on, but one thing that would always stay the same were Seokjin’s delicious culinary skills.

Breakfast was delicious and rather loud. Taehyung was introduced to Yoongi, Jimin’s boyfriend and soon to be mate, and formally introduced to Namjoon. Although he still couldn’t wrap his head around his two best friends having secret relationships, it made too much sense for comfort. None of them ever dated, even though Jimin definitely had the emotional and sexual drive for it, which should have been an obvious sign.

Jimin also revealed that he became friends with Taehyung before he was hired by Jeongguk. Since he was a lawyer, he had often attended various meetings and gatherings dealing with the social climate of Asia. In one such meeting, Jeongguk approached him and told him that he knew Jimin’s address and he knew he and Taehyung were friends, so Jimin really had no choice in helping out. A year later, during a visit to Jeongguk's base in Tokyo he met Yoongi and the rest was history.

Seokjin on the other hand was hired by Jeongguk, which fit into the puzzle since he and Taehyung became friends later on. But even for the job, Seokjin maintained that their friendship was never false and that he would continue to prove that fact till the day he died. Taehyung didn’t doubt him, he knew Seokjin wasn’t capable of lying even if he wanted to.

Conversation came easy and in a blink of an eye, the food was wiped off the face of the earth. Everyone was beginning to make themselves comfortable and finishing their last few drops of morning Soju (because by god, they needed it), when Seokjin gasped, the loud sound reverberating throughout the room, face glued to a laptop screen.

There was a moment of silence as everyone waited for an answer. When it didn’t come and Seokjin continued to stare at the screen, hand hovering over his gaping mouth, unmoving, Namjoon finally asked, “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I- no, nothing’s wrong, it’s just…” Seokjin stuttered, eyes as wide as saucers as he raised them to Taehyung and Jeongguk.

“So, um,” He began. “You know how Jeonghan is Shownu’s child…” Seokjin’s careful tone was starting to freak Taehyung out a bit, but he and Jeongguk both nodded in confirmation. “Ehm, well, the thing is… he’s not Shownu’s.”

…

Jeongguk gulped before inquiring incredulously, “What?”

“He’s…” Seokjin continued, a wide, shit eating grin slowly spreading across his whole face, “He’s yours, Jeongguk!!!”

Squeals erupted around the table while Taehyung could only sit back with his mouth hung open, mind not yet capable of fully comprehending the news. “How do you know?” His voice seemed not to be fully his own as he asked.

“Well, before, I didn’t question it at all. Shownu and Jeongguk are brothers after all. But as Jeonghan grew older, well, you know he looks the spitting image of Jeongguk. I didn’t have time to swipe any DNA samples when we were in Seoul, but the moment we arrived I did and I sent them to the lab for testing! It’s a hundred percent legit!”

“B-but I didn’t even knot him, I pulled out-” Jeongguk turned into a rambling mess of blushing cheeks before Seokjin cut him off, “What did they teach you in sex ed?! Pulling out is not protection and precum does contain a low concentration of sperm! It’s very unlikely to happen, but…”

Tears were already freely flowing down Taehyung’s face by the time Jeongguk reached for the back of his neck and crashed their lips together. The world seemed to burst into rich shades of color as happiness danced like twinkling stars in both of their eyes.

Such a treasure, a story woven by fate was all Taehyung could ever ask for. He would have loved and cherished Jeonghan regardless, but… everything made sense now. After years and years of pain, sorrow and fear, there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Everyone piled up into one big mess of a hug with Jeonghan in the middle, shining like the brightest star of hope. Taehyung’s gaze locked with Jeongguk’s - with his lover’s beautiful jasper eyes - as a delicate whimper escaped him, “I’m finally home.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾