Archive of Our Own

the alarm rings sharp at 9 AM. blindly reaching out for his phone on his bedside table, jimin groans in frustration as he tries to turn off his phone alarm without having to look up from his pillow.

his bedroom in their family home has always faced the sun. jimin always draws his blinds shut to block out sunlight but even so the light still manages to filter in.

he starts his day with his alarm, and a retching cough as his natural omega scent hits his nostrils. it's not as hard to bear now compared to before when he was a pup and his parents had to send him to scent-free hospital isolation rooms, terrified out of their minds that his airways would close up and he'd choke to death while sleeping unless he was constantly monitored.

taehyung will be there. with that thought, jimin pulls himself out of bed and mentally readies himself to get out of the house.

he can do this.

~

jimin has been sniffling constantly since childhood, his nose constantly red from his own sickly sweet scent. eventually, his parents and he figured out he's allergic to lupine scents. and strong scents in general.

scentsickness. that's what his condition has been termed.

nobody knows how it happens and whether the disorder can be attributed to purely genetic or environmental factors. at this point, jimin's stopped caring as to the reasons for his allergy disorder. he's sick, in his first year of college and he's found his coping mechanisms.

he's needed to be on allergy medication and scent blockers which makes him giddy headed all the time. as a baby, jimin barely got scentmarked because his allergies were and are so severe that his medications sometimes weren't enough for him. his parents, absolutely freaked out they'll set off his allergies if they cuddle and scentmark him, haven't touched him in ages. jimin can't remember the last time he had actual physical contact with them.

so jimin has grown up extremely touch starved and needy for affection but all his loved ones have learned their boundaries with him. nobody is allowed to get in jimin's space for far too long or he'll get sick and develop a runny nose and cough. in some cases, a fever. the worst case scenario, he needs to be rushed to the hospital to be sedated and kept under observation.

his heats are the worst because his own scent gets so strong his blockers and meds don't work so he actually needs to be hospitalized every single couple of months his heat pops up.

but jimin is nothing if resilient and has worked through his health problems all these years. his allergies have gotten slightly better as he got older and eventually, he has begun to get okay with his own scent. but sometimes alphas who have no decency to wear blockers really have set jimin off on campus, making him fall over and cough so hard he swears the force of his hacking will bring his lungs right up.

after a week of this torture, he decided he needs to use his state-provided accommodations to be able to do his homework since jimin's... sick of getting sick from sitting in lectures.

jimin has gotten assigned a note taker for his lectures. his note taker just so happens to be friendly, popular, campus sweetheart alpha taehyung.

everyday, jimin is allowed access to the scent-free resource room on campus. to be honest, this room is a blessing for him and his poor nose. not even his own damn bedroom in his family room is this neutral and devoid of scent.

there's an area along one wall of the room with glass partitions where jimin is allowed to talk to taehyung through a phone system, his note taker and get his notes all written down for him through a metal flap.

it's like a prison. it sucks. but jimin's sickly and this works.

~

"off to meet your new omega boyfriend?"

taehyung lightly cuffs seokjin on the head, his alpha senior on the shoulder, and smiles shyly, shaking his head so his dyed brown bangs flop in his eyes and hide his embarrassment.

"shut up," he says. "he's not my boyfriend. jimin is just a very good friend of mine."

hoseok, seokjin's omega boyfriend, cackles. "leave him alone, jinnie," he coos. "look at how excited he is."

taehyung flips them both his middle fingers, grinning as he sets off in the direction of the scent-free resource room on campus.

his heart beats fast at the thought of seeing jimin and taehyung almost breaks out into an eager run.

~

taehyung is absolutely smitten with jimin and his sweet smile. jimin could be crabby. he could grumble and snap back at taehyung and taehyung would totally understand why. it must really suck to be a wolf with a severe scent allergy.

taehyung feels keenly aware of his alpha privilege every time he meets up with jimin after school to debrief him on lectures and email him other things he needs. he's getting a volunteer certificate himself at the end of his first year for helping jimin out.

but it's gotten to be more than that nowadays. taehyung finds himself going above and beyond for jimin than what's required in his volunteer note-taking duties. anything's worth it to have jimin's sweet smile and gratified exclamations of "thank you, taetae" directed at him.

taehyung could spend forever talking with jimin through the phone and staring at him through the partition. they talk about so many things. like their aspirations, and hopes, and likes and dislikes.

it makes taehyung sad when today, jimin confesses that he wanted to be a nurse.

"i want to be around other wolves," jimin says, gaze downcast. "i love talking to people. and i wish i knew what it's like to be scentmarked and held and loved. i don't even hope for a mate anymore. i just wish i had a special someone. anyone."

you have me, taehyung thinks.

he cries after that conversation. taehyung sobs quietly after he leaves the scent-free room, in the alpha restroom. he feels selfish and awful, having constantly wanted for the glass partitions to just disappear so he can know what it's like to hold jimin's hand.

taehyung, if he examines himself and his own past actions, hasn't really thought of his alpha privilege till he met jimin. but now, he is really reflecting on himself. jimin's health problems. society.

he douses himself thoroughly in scent blocker spray now. before, he uses to let his scent run free because it's a silly matter of pride. who's got the strongest scent? musky, attractive enough for omegas.... it's a stupid thing, but it is totally a thing.

the truth is, taehyung is thoroughly infatuated by jimin at this point.

however, he doesn't dare to bring up romantic intentions with jimin. it's not fair to jimin, taehyung realizes that, especially not when they're both so young and jimin's struggling with his health issue. taehyung finds himself reading up on it. scent allergies get less severe with age.

he can't be jimin's alpha. but what he can do is be jimin's friend. and slowly, taehyung realizes, it wouldn't matter to him if he can't do regular things with jimin like scentmarking jimin, holding jimin, anything alphas and omegas typically do together....

but taehyung locks away those hopes for now.

for now, he's going to focus on being the best possible friend to jimin.

~

taehyung is boggled when two months into their first semester of first year, he turns up at the scent-free resource room entrance and asks for jimin, but is greeted with no response. he waits for what feels like ages, anxiously bobbing his knee up and down.

he waits for fifteen minutes. half an hour. slowly, as the hour draws to a close, taehyung feels like an idiot, cheeks aflame, chewing on the swell of his bottom lip.

"oh," says the accomodations admin lady, a kindly alpha. "park jimin? he didn't tell you? he's not here."

"can i ask why?" taehyung asks timidly.

the alpha admin settles back in her chair, fixing him with a look of slow appraisal. "you're his volunteer note taker, yes?"

"yes," taehyung says quietly. "and his best friend."

that sounds presumptuous. he feels anxious almost immediately. he is jimin's best friend, right? jimin says taehyung is his only friend on campus. taehyung has many friends, he knows that, but a month of volunteering in, and taehyung already began calling jimin his best friend.

"he's sick," the alpha says slowly. her tone is also dismissive. "he'll be back soon."

worry kicks back up in his chest. jimin's sick enough to be hospitalized?

"he'll be okay!?" taehyung gasps out. "is he really okay?"

her gaze is pitying enough that taehyung takes a deep breath, and collects himself. is it obvious he's got feelings for jimin?

it must be.

"he'll explain it to you when he gets back," she says, and that is that.

so taehyung tries to stop worrying himself into a mess. it's the first time he's been this worried about someone he cares for, and he's also beginning to realize that the world isn't a kind place to alphas who are emotionally expressive either. or very sensitive.

taehyung is both. growing up, he quickly learned that crying wasn't something an alpha did. he's always been really soft and more childish, and he quickly learned being that way when you're an alpha would only get you socially ostracized. so taehyung's learned to hide.

over the days jimin isn't there, taehyung tries to immerse himself more into his friend circles. he jokes, he spreads his legs out. he doesn't wear his blocker for a couple of days, and tries flirting with a pretty omega man who blushes easily at his words.

he feels empty.

it's only the night before jimin's scheduled return to campus as taehyung is busy making his notes for jimin as nice and easy to read as possible, that taehyung comes to a realization.

talking to jimin is when taehyung has felt the most in tune with his authentic soft self.

~

the next day, at 1PM, taehyung takes a deep breath. a few people remarked on how he's back to his scent blockers. taehyung barely listens to any of their jokes.

he's nervous. he's so nervous his palms are clammy.

jimin is waiting for them at their usual partition cubicle. he looks pale. his eyes are duller than usual. but taehyung's relief is no less intense.

jimin is beautiful.

he looks soft and lovely in a striped pink and white sweater, his roots retouched with pink dye, and taehyung realizes with a jolt that today jimin's wearing a nude pink lipstick which makes his plush mouth look even plusher.

"hello," jimin says, soft and smiley.

"hi," taehyung says simply.

and then he rambles as he fumbles about in his bag for the notes he's supposed to give jimin. about the course content jimin's missed, jimin's postponed test dates and the college pub party that sucked-

he dares to meet jimin's gaze as he drops the notes in the flap underneath. as jimin grabs them from him, their fingers brush loosely for the first time.

the entire back of taehyung's neck is hot.

"thank you, taetae," jimin says, as usual. genuinely, sweetly sincere.

taehyung's heart and mind is a mess of emotions.

"i missed you," he blurts out, stupidly high from that bare brush of skin against skin. "they told me you were in the hospital. jiminnie. i was so worried."

his voice cracks on that last bit.

jimin looks blank for a few seconds. then his face, his sweet, sweet face softens and he looks incredibly sad.

"oh taetae," jimin says softly. "i always go to the hospital for my heat. i can't be on scent blockers then. and it makes me very sick."

taehyung is torn on how to respond to that. it makes sense, he'd thought jimin's heat might be the reason for his absence. but how do you say something comforting in regards to a situation you can't even begin to imagine for yourself?

taehyung is also incredibly tactile. not being able to comfort jimin with a hug or any simple touch is simply agonizing.

taehyung settles on being as upfront as possible. after all, it's jimin. it's easy to open up to jimin and talk to him in a genuine way about what's on his mind. taehyung decides to treat this situation in the same way.

"i have no idea what to say," taehyung admits, blushing.

"i know it's really hard for you," taehyung barrels on, feeling more and more like a useless idiot. "so i want to be comforting but have no idea what would comfort you."

jimin smiles, albeit this time it's slightly bitter. "there's nothing to say," he says quietly.

"there's nothing you could say that would make me feel better," jimin continues, his voice thick with sadness. "look at me stuck behind this partition like i'm in a prison. i'm so frustrated. i want to live a normal life like you. i want to sit in lecture halls and libraries. i want to casually flirt with alphas and let them touch me. i want to know what it would be like to be held and hugged. do you know how shitty it is that even my parents won't touch me anymore? i can't just go anywhere i want in case an asshole alpha with a really strong scent doesn't wear blockers."

taehyung looks down in shame at that. he'd been so mired in his own missing-jimin angst, he hadn't even thought how he was being inconsiderate to wolves in jimin's situation by letting his scent run free in public spaces. he's part of the problem too.

jimin's crying quietly, face buried in his sweater paw palms. he looks small, but in taehyung's eyes, he also looks like the strongest wolf he's ever had the privilege of meeting.

tears track down taehyung's cheeks too. he can't help it. he's always been a sympathy crier.

if only he could hold jimin. taehyung would never let jimin out of his arms if that was possible.

taehyung finally figures it out.

"jiminnie," he says quietly into the phone. "i have something i want to say to you."

jimin doesn't hear, his body still racked with sobs. taehyung repeats himself patiently. twice. thrice. five times.

eventually, jimin takes up the phone and holds it to his ear. "yeah, tae," he says, sniffling a bit. "what is it you wanted to tell me?"

taehyung smiles, looking at him. jimin still looks lovely, impossibly lovely even with tired, red-rimmed eyes and flushed cheeks.

"when i asked the admin about your absence," taehyung says. "she wanted a reason as to why i was asking after you."

jimin takes a deep, shuddering breath. he nods encouragingly for taehyung to go on.

"i said without thinking," taehyung says. "that you're my best friend."

jimin's face crumples into tears. "did you mean it?" he asks.

"yeah," taehyung says vehemently, nodding over and over. "you're my dearest friend, jimin. the bestest friend one could ever have."

"you have lots of friends, taehyungie," jimin says, laughing a bit. it's self-deprecating. "i can't be your best friend. i can't even be a good friend to you, not when i'm stuck behind this partition talking to you."

"no, you're such a good friend," taehyung protests.

"you listen to me," he continues hastily. "you let me be more than an alpha. i feel ... i feel more like myself and not like society's version of myself. this friendship is a safe space for me, jiminnie. and i need you to know that."

jimin's eyes hold more life after that.

he's smiling too. "kim taehyung, is this how you get all the omegas," jimin teases, but his eyes are soft and filled with lots of affection. "because if so, consider me charmed. thoroughly charmed."

taehyung's heart beats rabbit-quick in his chest.

"you're more than welcome to consider yourself charmed," taehyung teases back. "but i meant it. you're my best friend, park jimin. and you won't get rid of me that easily."

jimin rests his head on his arms, smiling big at him. his eyes are still red but he looks happy.

and for once, taehyung lets his alpha side purr in contentment. he put a smile on jimin's face again. he did good.

jimin stretches upwards with a yawn, and taehyung's mouth goes dry with the small patches of soft, pale skin exposed at the sides.

"i had a really bad heat this time," jimin admits. "my scent was so intense it made me even sicker than usual. my doctor is telling me it's not unusual in cases like mine but she's thinking my allergies will get better soon. i want to believe in her optimism."

the problem is, taehyung is also a very horny wolf. and he knows jimin gets very sick during his heats but the very imagery of jimin in a sexual context gets him heated up. he crosses his legs and wills himself to stop being such a horndog and stop thinking with his knot.

taehyung settles for pressing his palm up against the glass partition. jimin giggles at his cheesiness but presses his palm against the same spot.

"i'm rooting for you to get better," taehyung says. "but i'm here for you either way."

jimin closes his eyes and taehyung can almost feel his sigh more than he hears it on the other end of the line.

"that gives me a lot of comfort," he replies. "more than you could ever imagine, taetae."

taehyung closes his eyes too. in this moment, he's incredibly at peace.

~

"taehyung?"

taehyung shakes out of it. he's been staring at jimin stupidly for the past few minutes. jimin laughs, eyes crinkling at the corners.

jimin's wearing the cutest pink sweater crop top today with fitted white jeans.

skin, is all taehyung's brain supplies him with uselessly. skin, skin, all of that pretty, smooth, exposed skin.

he swallows hard, tucking a tuft of hair behind his ear. he can't focus, not with jimin looking this cute and pretty.

damnit. park jimin is going to kill him.

"yeah," taehyung says, taking a deep breath. stop being this horny, he scolds himself mentally. jimin's your best friend, get it together, taehyung.

"you were saying?"

jimin giggles at him. he's smirking slightly, resting his chin in his hand.

"i start with a new therapist next week," jimin says, focused on removing a piece of dirt from the glass partition. his fingers are small and well cared for. not for the first time, taehyung wonders how they'd look like, enveloped in his.

he aches at the mental imagery.

"what did you not like about your previous therapist?" taehyung asks, pressing his finger pads up on the glass.

jimin's face lights up. this is now a game that they play. jimin has to press his fingers in the same places on the glass where taehyung does before he moves them.

"too much talking," jimin says, making a face. he cutely scrunches up his nose. "i'm getting really fucking tired of talking about the same old thing. you know."

"i don't know," taehyung teases. he moves his fingers but it's almost like jimin is anticipating his next location.

their fingers match. taehyung pouts. jimin looks smug.

"oh you know," jimin says. "wanting to be a normal wolf. living a regular life without any concerns that i'll make myself sick." looks up through his lashes. "having an alpha."

taehyung's breath catches in his throat. jimin's look is intense and penetrates his soul.

"oh," is all that taehyung says, his nape flaming hot.

"yeah," jimin says, with a small laugh. "oh."

they continue playing their game. taehyung grins as he reaches out in random locations. jimin is fast though, anticipating his moves expertly by now. so taehyung decides to take it a notch further. he stands up and begins pressing his fingers as far out as he can reach.

jimin pouts. "not fair," he complains, grabbing the phone to speak into it. "you're taller than me."

"that's not my problem," taehyung retorts back, merciless. jimin reaches up to meet taehyung's palms.

taehyung makes the mistake of looking down and promptly freezes.

jimin's crop top has ridden up in the process. his hands are pressed up on the glass partition, and like this, taehyung can see the soft, lovely line of the curve of his waist. his bellybutton. the way his jeans cling to his thighs.

jimin is so, so, so incredibly beautiful.

it's like someone has punched taehyung in the gut. he jerks his gaze back up from all of that soft, smooth skin to meet jimin's eyes.

jimin is breathing faster. shallower as well. there's equal parts hunger and sadness for taehyung to face.

taehyung can't think of what to say. what he should say.

"jiminnie," taehyung says.

jimin shakes his head. "do you find me attractive, taetae?"

taehyung swallows hard.

taehyung presses his forehead against the wall, right up against jimin's, who's got his eyes closed.

"do you want me to find you attractive?" taehyung asks him, quiet, feeling small and scared. he's trembling all over.

jimin nods. "yes, i do," he whispers. "i want you to look at me and only want me. is that selfish?"

"it's not selfish," taehyung breathes out, relief making him sweat. "you're so pretty, jiminnie. i think you're the most beautiful omega i've ever seen."

jimin laughs and lightly hits the glass partition with his fist. taehyung pretends it's his chest jimin's hitting instead. he can almost feel it. that's the thing. everything with jimin feels real. so real and bright and bold and beautiful.

that's how taehyung feels with jimin.

"liar," jimin teases. "you've got tons of wolves throwing themselves at you. but you want an omega on welfare support?"

he's only half-teasing.

taehyung swallows down his pride. fuck his stupid alpha pride. he's got to say this right or he'll never get his chance again.

"i've dated omegas before," taehyung says honestly. "and i've slept with some of them too. i've also hooked up with other alphas too and let them fuck me in secret." jimin looks up at that, but he doesn't seem repulsed. rather, his eyes are hooded in interest.

"you like that?" jimin asks. "you enjoy getting-?"

taehyung's cheeks are bright pink, heart beating fast in his chest. this isn't something an alpha would readily admit to an omega they've got strong feelings for.

but this is jimin. he deserves taehyung's truths. all of them.

taehyung nods. "yeah," he says, looking down at his lap.

"hey," jimin says softly. "taetae. look at me."

taehyung shakes his head. tears blur his vision fast.

"i think i might have ruined my chances with you," he chokes out.

jimin laughs at that, soft and kind. "my baby," he says. "look up, taetae. please, i'm begging you."

taehyung looks up, ashamed. "sorry," he mumbles.

"don't be," jimin says immediately. "i don't mind. actually, i ... find it hot?"

taehyung stares at jimin in disbelief. "seriously?"

"seriously," jimin confirms, sweet as apple pie. he's smiling and taehyung thinks he'll do anything jimin wants in this moment. he's that gone.

"you don't think it makes me less of an alpha?"

jimin looks shocked at that. "of course not," he says. "how would it? what you enjoy in bed is just that, isn't it? what does that have to do with who you are?"

an ache begins in taehyung's chest, an ache so deep it could only be satiated by jimin's mouth on his.

for days on end now, he's been jerking off to thoughts of sliding into jimin, and taking him till they've had their fill of each other. when he goes home today, he knows he'll not only dream of that but also of jimin taking him as well, sweetly mischievous and bold and brave.

i need you so much closer, taehyung thinks. but instead of frantically, passionately thinking about this, he's at peace instead. because he understands jimin's heart and mind and already feels close to them.

"then will you," taehyung says quietly. he cuts himself off and sits up straight, puffing his chest out and holds himself up with all the dignity and grace he can summon.

"will you have me as your alpha, park jimin?"

jimin's eyes glisten with tears. he's nodding.

"yes," jimin whispers. "yes, of course it's yes. it's been yes for ages, tae."

taehyung laughs wetly. "i'm going to court you, baby," he says. "well, i don't know how i'll do that, but i'm going to figure it out because you deserve good things, jimin."

"you better figure it out," jimin jokes. "i'm worth the effort, right?"

his tone is laced with insecurity.

"you're worth it," taehyung says fiercely. "you're worth everything to me."

taehyung skips the whole way home that day. his heart is alight, singing songs of joy.

jimin said yes.

jimin really said yes.

~

they exchange phone numbers. it ends up becoming something of a sweet torture for taehyung because the selcas jimin send him are adorably sexy. having figured out that taehyung definitely loves seeing him in crop tops, jimin sends taehyung selcas of him in many of them.

it's a trick question. a tease. jimin obviously knows which outfit taehyung prefers and is having fun yanking his chain a bit. taehyung groans and clamps his legs together in his bed, resolutely ignoring his morning wood.

i like you in anything, he sends back.

commit to one, alpha, jimin sends back.

bossy. taehyung likes it. a little too much. his whole face flushes pink even just over reading jimin call him alpha over text.

i don't have any preference seriously, i love them both, taehyung replies.

then i guess i'll wear the second outfit baby, thank you :*,

taehyung frowns at that. so much for him trying to play it cool and unaffected by the skin display jimin treats him to.

ah well. it's jimin.

either way, taehyung thinks jimin's stunning.

he's hit with pleasant surprise when hours later, jimin greets him at their usual spot in the scent-free room, dressed up in the crop top and leggings he said he wouldn't wear. there's a smirk on his face and his cheeks are lightly dusted with pink.

"taetae," jimin murmurs.

"hey," taehyung says back, softly. he leans back and brings the phone with him, spreading out his legs a bit. two can play at this game. jimin's got him good with the crop tops. but taehyung just has to spread out his legs a bit and take up some space and jimin---

jimin likes that a little too much, judging by the way his lips purse into a pout.

"stop that," jimin says, a little breathless.

taehyung holds up his free hand that's not holding the phone.

"stop what, jiminnie? i'm not doing anything."

jimin's eyes are greedily glued to taehyung's thighs and crotch, too distracted to reply. his tongue darts out, a flash of mesmerizing pink, to wet the swell of his bottom lip.

"what do you want, jimin?" taehyung prompts, his voice husky. "what do you want, baby?"

jimin intakes air sharply.

"you," jimin finally says, his voice bordering on a whine.

taehyung grins at him, razor-sharp. "i know you want me, doll. what else do you want?"

jimin growls on the other end of the line. it's primal, needy and taehyung relishes it.

"you," jimin finally says, his voice bordering on a whine.

"wanna sit in your lap where everyone can see on campus," jimin says. his voice is deeper. "that way, everyone will know who you're with, kim taehyung. they'll know you're taken."

taehyung curses. that's hot.

"i'm yours?" taehyung teasingly asks.

jimin looks unfairly pretty today. there's light pink shimmer dusted over his lids with the fainted hint of a smoky eye.

taehyung wants to ruin jimin's makeup so bad.

"yes, you are," jimin says. he breaks the tension between them with a toothy smile. "you're my alpha. and i am so proud of you."

taehyung melts at that, smiling helplessly in response. "pretty baby," he replies. "you're my omega too. my beautiful omega."

in a relationship like this, they've both learned that being as cheesily upfront as possible is the best way to be. not that it's hard for taehyung to shower jimin with compliments and endearments. he knows it isn't different with jimin either.

when you find someone special, taehyung penned down in his journal lately. you just know you have to do everything possible to keep them.

he slides jimin's notes under the flap and jimin exclaims in surprise when he finds a bar of his favorite chocolate too.

"you remembered."

"you did so well on your midterms," taehyung says. "you deserve a little chocolate."

he's been sliding jimin small things under the flap lately. chocolate, a scarf, notebooks, cute pens.

more things are scented strongly than taehyung's ever thought of. he has to douse everything thoroughly, including his notes with scent blocker spray before he passes it on to jimin just to be on the safe side.

"so," taehyung says, staring down at his hands. "there's something i thought we could play with. something sexual. if you want."

jimin looks up sharply at that, eyes narrowed in interest. "oh? what is it?"

taehyung flushes deep. "we don't have to do it either. i just thought since we last talked about stuff through text and you told me you wish we could experiment. i just thought it might be a big step since we haven't done anything at all."

jimin sighs. "taehyung, look at me. is it feasible for me?"

taehyung gives him a small nod.

"then tell me about it." jimin looks around, then lowers his voice. "taehyung, please. i'm so horny i'll consider anything at this point."

"well," taehyung says. he clears his throat. "i bought a vibrating plug that can be controlled through an app on my cellphone. i was thinking if you wanted to, you could wear it and i could play around with the vibrations on my phone."

jimin's eyes are dilated with arousal.

"yeah?" taehyung asks, barely trusting himself to talk.

jimin's breathing faster. "yeah," he nods. his cheeks are so pink, the blush has extended to beyond his neck and possibly down to his chest.

"okay," taehyung nods. he's trying to play it cool but his hands are shaking.

jimin's eyes have a wickedly playful glint to them.

"you're gonna make me feel good, alpha?" he says, almost purring in contentment.

"yeah," taehyung replies, his voice gruff and taking on a deeper timbre. "i'm gonna take care of you, baby."

when he goes home that day, taehyung sends jimin a text.

can i send you a nude, he messages. okay to say no, he adds, ready to facepalm into the wall at how horny he is.

jimin's reply is instantaneous. please????? i thought you'd never fucking ask.

taehyung settles down in bed. he unzips his jeans and pulls them down to his knees along with his boxers. he grabs his lube from the bedside table and upends a whole lot of it over his tip and base, keening deep in his throat at the contrast of the cool liquid on his heated skin.

he likes it wet. he's always liked it very wet, even when he's getting fucked himself. it doesn't take much time to get himself into a fully hard state from picturing jimin's warm, soft body against his, his knot shamelessly plumped out at the base, flushed red.

grabbing his phone, taehyung manages to get a decent picture of his cock and knot. he's well above average, and a fresh wave of anxiety attacks him. what if jimin thinks he's too big?

they've both already come this far. taehyung worries his bottom lip with teeth as he sends it to jimin.

he groans when jimin sends him back a picture of his crop top hiked up to reveal nipples looking swollen and perky from being twisted too hard, his pretty bare tummy and ... a decently long cock in his small hand.

taehyung throws his head back against his pillow, eyes closed.

jimin could really give him a nice, hard fuck with that cock. he would feel the burn the next day. it's so pretty, pink and nicely shaped. taehyung would love to ride him or even be taken on all fours from the back. he wouldn't mind. he wouldn't care.

the sound of his phone ringing distracts taehyung from tugging at his cock. jimin's moans, jimin's sweet, breathy little moans spill out and wash over taehyung from the other end of the line.

"tae," jimin pants. "tae, you're so big. i want to get fucked so bad."

taehyung's cock jumps in his hand at that. "yeah, baby?" he asks. he can picture it so well, jimin sweetly begging and pleading taehyung to stuff him with his cock. "i'll give it to you. i'll give you anything you want. you know that, right?"

jimin curses. "i just want you to take me hard. i fuck myself with my toys but it's never rough enough. i wanna feel it the next day, that i was wanted."

"baby, i want you," taehyung assures jimin. "prettiest omega i've ever seen. when i saw you, all i wanted to do was make you mine."

jimin sighs in response.

"you gonna be good for me and cum, baby?" taehyung demands, speeding up his stroking. "be good for me and cum, jimin."

jimin moans, the sound like music to taehyung's ears as he orgasms.

taehyung cums hard all over himself not long after, on his chest and tummy. he sighs. he's messy.

"take a picture of yourself," jimin says. "i wanna see. please?"

who is taehyung to say no when his omega asks so sweetly like that?

he tries to make it as aesthetically pleasing as possible, angling his body so the curve of his ass is visible too. jimin sighs, pleased and awed.

"if i was there," jimin says. "i'd clean you up, baby. with my tongue."

taehyung groans.

jimin laughs, and taehyung dies at the nude he gets in response, of jimin's curves and ass.

"i thought about what you said about liking to bottom too," jimin says later, after they've both showered and clean, and settled under their bed covers.

"yeah?" taehyung asks, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"i'd be very down to fuck you too," jimin says.

taehyung squeaks. jimin laughs at him, and cuts off the call, leaving taehyung's mind pleasantly reeling with that information.

~

the day they plan for it, jimin feels hyper-conscious of everyone's gazes on him. it doesn't make any logical sense. his parents are both omegas with keen senses of scent as well. but they seem to be oblivious, as they drop him off to campus in the car.

jimin rests his chin covered by his face mask on his arm as he stares out the window. he doesn't have to go to campus very early. now that he's receiving accomodations, his schedule has been shortened. he comes in just two hours before taehyung's scheduled to meet him.

today, jimin's dressed up in an oversized sweater and black skinnies. he greets the admin in charge of the scent-free resource room with a bow of his head.

she smirks at him. her name is hyesun. "you look nice, jimin."

jimin blushes under his mask. he's done a smoky eye today.

he wants taehyung to desire him. outside of this room, taehyung clearly has a very social life. there are pretty omegas, probably prettier than jimin himself. and taehyung is open to alphas as well.

what does taehyung see in someone like jimin?

he settles down in his usual cubicle, where taehyung will drop down in the seat opposite him later. he's trembling. he closes his eyes and wills himself to calm down, and stop talking himself into an insecure mess.

taehyung's going to take care of him. he promised jimin that.

jimin is going to trust taehyung. scratch that. jimin trusts taehyung.

**

for the most of today, taehyung's running on autopilot. he takes notes in lectures as neatly as possible for him and jimin. he smiles and makes eye contact with his friends. he's always in looser clothing. today, taehyung's in dark jeans that cling and a fitted white shirt.

jimin's cute today. his sweater swallows up his slender frame. his cheeks are apple-red.

taehyung saunters in, settling down in his seat. he mumbles a soft, "jiminnie," and jimin relaxes on the other end of the line, smiling at him.

"taetae," he murmurs.

"here you go," taehyung says, bending down to pass the notes. he smirks when he sees jimin bend to grab the papers, and turns on the vibration function of the toy in jimin's ass, setting the dial to high.

jimin folds himself in half, papers scattered on the floor, on his side.

the tendril of pleasure that starts unfurling in taehyung's gut at the sight of jimin doubled up on the floor is viciously intense.

he lowers the intensity on his phone. slowly, jimin grabs the edges of his desk to get back in his chair, lips already parted into a pant.

"how did that last sociology midterm go?" taehyung asks casually.

jimin stares at him, pupils dilated. it takes him a moment to collect himself enough to speak.

"i think i did-" he cuts off with a choked curse when taehyung suddenly increases the intensity again.

"what was that?" taehyung asks, innocent as ever. "you seem very distracted today, jiminnie," he continues, lips pursed into a pout. "sweetheart, you aren't paying attention to a single thing i'm saying."

jimin closes his eyes, breathing harsh and fast.

when he opens his eyes again, taehyung swallows hard. jimin's smiling at him, squirming in his seat, slow and sensual.

"more," he demands. "give me more, alpha."

taehyung isn't ever going to be able to deny jimin anything he wants. he's incapable of it, and now as he turns the intensity a bit higher, taehyung thinks jimin's always going to be the one telling him what to do and how to do it. not that taehyung minds at all.

"you like this?" jimin demands to know, his voice, silky soft and dangerous. "you like seeing me like this, alpha?"

taehyung subtly readjusts himself in his pants. there's cameras everywhere on campus. but as long as they don't get their dicks out, they should be alright.

and they're not planning on it. this is just a little game to take some of the edge off for both of them.

"yeah," taehyung gruffs out. "you look stunning like this. i love making you feel good. you feel good, sweetheart?"

jimin's teeth are buried so deep into the pink fat of his bottom lip, taehyung knows he'll see indents from his incisor teeth there later. he shifts himself. his cock is half hard in his pants.

"i feel so good," jimin gasps out, as taehyung alternates between intensities.

"what would you do," taehyung asks, eyes glued to jimin's hips undulating in little circles. "if you could touch me right now, baby?"

jimin looks straight into his eyes, smiling and panting. beautiful, taehyung thinks not for the first time, gobsmacked.

beautiful and all his.

"i would kiss you and grab your ass," jimin says honestly, tongue darting out to wet his lips. "beg you to let me hump your thigh. would you let me do that, baby?"

taehyung groans.

the imagery of jimin's smaller hands full of taehyung's ass, nails leaving crescent marks all over taehyung's skin as he tries to get taehyung's cock deeper into his ass is enough to make taehyung fully hard.

he'd fuck jimin so good. jimin would challenge him the whole time, sweet and mischievous, begging for more and taehyung would give him more. he'd give jimin everything he wants.

all jimin has to do is ask.

"i'd let you do anything you want to me," taehyung manages to get out. he's still alternating the settings, edging jimin to the point of orgasm. then when it looks like jimin's going to tip off, taehyung lowers the setting again.

he does this for awhile, edging jimin. his baby, his omega.

my pretty omega. my baby. mine.

jimin begins to whine. soft, bitten-off, high-pitched, desperate sounds. he's squirmy and sensitive and overstimulated and taehyung's heart warms at the sight because jimin is clearly having the fucking time of his life.

"yeah?" jimin asks. his eyes crinkle at the sides and glint with something wicked. "you want to get fucked, alpha? you want to get fucked by me?"

taehyung blushes hot. why is it that jimin relentlessly exploits his weakness?

"yeah," he admits, breathing faster himself.

"next time, you can wear a toy," jimin teases. "and i'll be in your position instead. you'd like that, baby?"

taehyung's blush is visible beneath his tan. "yeah," he says, embarrassed and aroused beyond measure himself. "i want that too."

"good," jimin sighs out. "now make me cum. i'm close."

taehyung turns the dial all the way up to the most extreme setting. jimin's head drops onto the desk with a thunk, and he's smiling breathlessly, gripping the edges of the table as he orgasms in his pants.

taehyung lowers the setting immediately to a faint buzz as jimin comes down, his breathing beginning to steady.

"let me take care of you," jimin murmurs.

taehyung shakes his head. "no need," he mumbles, shy. "i came too."

jimin intakes sharply, and fixes taehyung with an incredulous look. "no way. are you kidding?"

"you looked so good," taehyung confesses. "i was touching myself a bit. i can make myself cum relatively untouched if i work myself up a lot. and ... i was really worked up today."

jimin's eyes glaze over. "that's so hot," he groans. "you're so hot. i wanna play with you in my bed so bad."

taehyung smiles, resting his chin on his palm. "i'll send you pics when i get home."

"you better."

hours later, after they've both jerked off again through facetime like the horny fuckers that they are, taehyung watches jimin begin to doze off under his bed covers.

he's deeply in love. he knows that now.

the thought gives him no panic.

rather, he's at peace. he's been at peace ever since jimin came into his life.

who's to say their relationship isn't as valid as any other couple? they can't touch or kiss. but this is real. what taehyung feels for jimin is the realest thing he's ever felt in his life.

they can make it work. they will make it work.

~

jimin is different today. taehyung senses it the minute he settles in his chair. a lot of stock is placed in society on alphas being able to immediately sense an omega's distress through scent.

taehyung doesn't need scent in this relationship to figure out jimin's emotions.

he doesn't know how it would be like if they could interact like other couples do. maybe if taehyung was able to /hold/ jimin, his warm, soft body in his arms, he might have used jimin's scent as a cue for emotional shifts.

but taehyung's learned to pick up on jimin's other tells. his body language, his facial expressions.

today, jimin won't directly meet his gaze. he keeps clasping and unclasping his hands.

his eyes are shuttered, and taehyung knows he is seeing an emotion from jimin he's never seen before.

anger.

"what happened?" taehyung asks into the phone.

jimin's knuckles are white around the phone he's holding.

"do you know," jimin asks slowly. "what it feels like to live my life?"

taehyung exhales. "i can't imagine," he admits carefully. "i am trying to understand it. i read up on cases like yours."

jimin presses the heel of his free palm up against his eye.

"yeah?" jimin asks, tone challenging. "so what have you learned?"

taehyung crosses one leg atop the other. he knows this isn't a test. jimin does want to tell him what's making him angry.

"i know that most scent allergies lessen in intensity over time. if they don't, then wolves have to get their scent gland removed."

"and what does removing your scent gland do?" jimin asks quietly. "what does it do to you?"

taehyung swallows hard. a wolf's sense of scent is crucial to their identity. it's how lupine society operates. scent is involved in friendships and romantic relationships.

scent is almost synonymous with identity.

"i'm sorry," taehyung says. his eyes fill up. "i don't know what to say."

jimin shakes his head. "you don't need to cry for me," he says, toneless, eyes blank.

taehyung stays silent.

"in addition to having a severe scent allergy that will render me disabled for life unless i choose to remove my gland and lose a huge part of omega identity," jimin says, still blank, eyes glazed. "i also am. well. i am an omega."

"what do you mean?" taehyung asks in a small voice. "what happened, jimin?"

"scentsick wolves are put on a waitlist to get the gland removal surgery done for free," jimin says, his free palm balling into a fist.

"and alphas get to jump the line ahead of me," jimin says, finally looking up. his smile is present but devoid of humour. "if you were sick like me, taehyung, you'd have a faster chance at living a normal life. they'd fast track you up the waiting line."

"but you're not," jimin continues, exhaling out a sigh. "here you are, with me. do you feel good hearing that? do you feel good being with me? like you're a better alpha than those who abuse their privilege?"

taehyung closes his eyes. he cries silently.

"i am having a really hard time," jimin says dully. "my waiting period has increased and my number has gone even further down the line. i have to wait even longer to get life-affirming surgery."

"i don't know what would be helpful to say," taehyung growls out. his hands shake.

he's angry too. he's so, so, so angry too. he knows jimin doesn't have the money to pay out of pocket for the surgery.

it sucks. it really fucking sucks.

"i could start a fundraiser for you online," taehyung suggests. "we could raise funds for you. i have friends. i could ask them to spread the word. we could get the money for you."

jimin looks a bit more hopeful at that.

"you'd do that for me?" jimin says. tones of insecurity colouring his question.

"even if we were just friends, i would do what i can," taehyung says, hoping he sounds as sincere as he means. "also .... because i'm in love with you, jimin."

jimin's eyes are filled with unshed tears. "oh, taehyung."

"yeah," taehyung chokes out, cheeks aflame. "so i... i will do my best to help you out." his knees won't stop bobbing up and down.

jimin presses his palm up against the partition. taehyung doesn't need scent to understand what jimin wants. if he could, he'd hold jimin's hand tightly and never let go.

he presses his palm up against the glass facing jimin's.

taehyung holds jimin's hand.

"i love you too," jimin whispers. "i love you lots."

taehyung's breath hitches. "i love you more than you do. probably."

"it's not a competition, you stupid alpha."

when taehyung goes home, he sets up the online fundraiser. he uses a picture of jimin in a bright yellow sweater.

jimin looks incredibly precious in the picture. taehyung hopes other people will see that too.

~

three months later

taehyung throws his head back against the wall. it's cold here in the hospital, and he wraps arms around himself.

right opposite him, are jimin's omega parents, holding hands between them and shooting him wary, appraising glances.

taehyung offers them a weak smile. jimin's scent gland removal surgery is a long procedure that lasts about six hours. taehyung made good on his promise. his fundraiser ended up being enough not just for jimin to get the surgery done fast but also in a very prestigious hospital.

over the last three months, taehyung's gotten to know jimin's parents. like all older omegas who remember the horrors and oppressions they had to face as youth themselves, they still give taehyung a wide berth.

one of jimin's omega fathers breaks the silence. "i had him when i was much older," he says, and sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "and we were warned not to have pups. the chances of omegas producing a pup with health problems is much higher."

taehyung's knees begin to bob up and down. if jimin was here, he'd know immediately that taehyung's nervous, because it's one of his tells.

"maybe this is our fault," jimin's other omega father says dully. "and we could never hold or touch him properly as a pup."

taehyung clears his throat, and takes a sip of his hot chocolate that he procured from the vending machine further down the waiting hall.

"you couldn't have known," taehyung says kindly. "besides, he's already here. and he's done so well all this time. he's a fighter."

"it's true," one of them says, with a wan smile. "he learned very quickly on as a pup that he was sickly. and he was distraught only for a few years when we had to isolate him when we'd have our heats. our cycles would sync up so we'd have to send him off to relief daycare then."

taehyung's heart aches at the mental image of jimin as a young lonely pup, hugging his chick plushie in an isolated single bedroom in a relief daycare center and crying himself to sleep. jimin told him all about his formative pup years in an emotionally overwhelming conversation.

even now, taehyung can barely stand to think of jimin gone under strong anesthetic drugs in that operating theater, with his throat essentially getting ripped open as prestigious omega surgeon min yoongi removes his scent gland.

he's been sitting here coming to terms with it.

once the surgery is done, jimin will have to be extensively hospitalized and monitored for a month.

what if jimin is totally broken apart mentally by his surgery? will he still want taehyung? will their relationship survive this?

taehyung chews on a hangnail and slumps further down in his seat. these aren't questions he can voice out openly for the answers. not jimin or his parents.

one thing's for certain. even if jimin doesn't want him as his alpha, he'll have a tough time getting rid of his best friend.

after a couple of hours, someone tentatively shakes taehyung awake. he stirs, yawning as he stretches his arms out, and winces at the crick of his neck. taehyung flushes in embarrassment when he realizes it's one of jimin's parents who shook him awake.

"the procedure is done," he says, tears in his eyes. "dr. min is talking to my husband."

taehyung leaps out of his seat, crossing the waiting hall in huge strides as he gets to the operating theater entrance where jimin's other parent talks to dr. min.

dr. min removes his face mask when he spots taehyung. he's a tiny omega, eyes sharply scrutinizing taehyung from head to foot.

"so you're his alpha," dr. min says.

"is he okay?" taehyung gasps out.

dr. min nods. "yeah. he did so well."

"he wouldn't stop talking about you to me or my nurses," dr. min says, with a wry smile, one side of his thin mouth upturned. "he told us we're not allowed to tell you anything he said though. so don't bother asking me. omega solidarity, you know?"

taehyung laughs wetly.

his knees give way, and dr. min makes a concerned noise as he crouches down beside taehyung on the floor.

"you worried, huh," dr. min murmurs, a hand on his shoulder. "it's okay, taehyung. you have one tough, stubborn omega in there. he did so well."

taehyung presses the heels of his palms to his eyes. "i'm so proud of him," he gasps out between sobs. "please let me see him. please. i need to be next to him."

"my team is cleaning him up," dr. min says. "and then, yes. he's all yours."

taehyung sobs harder in response. he can't stop. all the months of stress, tension and nervous anticipation are leaking out of him like a dam. he'd meant it when he told jimin to let taehyung share and take on some of his burden.

but it had weighed so heavily on taehyung too.

taehyung is a little more put together when he's finally allowed into jimin's hospital room after his parents have filed out.

nothing can mentally prepare him for the sight of jimin's entire neck and chest wrapped up securely in bandages, a bit of blood seeping through.

there's nothing different abt jimin up close but there is. somehow, he seems even smaller, swallowed up by his giant hospital bed. jimin's breathing is steady as he sleeps.

taehyung stares at him, memorizing the details he's seen either on a phone screen or through partitions.

he drags a chair in the room close to the bed, and drops in it. jimin's hand lies on top of the white hospital coverlet, an iv drip in his arm.

taehyung breathes harder, faster, as he lets the tip of his index finger brush jimin's smaller one.

after all of this time, wishing and hoping and yearning and craving and aching, he can finally do this.

taehyung rests his chin on his hand, as he slowly, worshipfully, reverently runs his index finger over every single one of jimin's smaller fingers.

he chuckles, eyes filling up with happy tears. his fingers are so much bigger than jimin's. he's known that, of course, but now he knows that with his touch.

the ability to physically touch someone you love is so powerfully affirming. taehyung will never underestimate it ever again.

"what are you laughing at, alpha?"

starting, taehyung looks up only to find that jimin's awake, staring at him with soft, drowsy eyes and a tired smile. he sounded hoarse right now.

"how you've got these cute baby hands," taehyung teases. "you're adorable, jiminnie."

jimin scrunches up his nose, a cute grumpy response, but then he winces.

"you're lucky i'm lying here with a bandaged throat and everything hurts including talking," jimin says. "or i would physically fight you for that slander."

"i love you," taehyung says quietly. "i'm sorry everything hurts, baby."

jimin purses his lips into a pretty pout. "kiss me, taetae?"

taking a deep breath, taehyung runs trembling fingers through jimin's soft hair.

his hair is soft, so soft to touch. taehyung leans over and peppers kisses all over his head. he's shaking all over, he realizes that in some subconscious part of his mind. it's just that jimin is here, a soft and sweetly tangible reality. he's here.

jimin's trembling too. taehyung can feel it, and he knows, he can feel it in his bones that months, years, decades down the road, jimin will remain just as brave and fierce, but also become still so pliant and vulnerable as taehyung presses his lips to the side of jimin's head, forehead, cheeks.

when taehyung finally cups jimin's hot cheeks in his palms, thumbs stroking soft, flushed-hot skin and presses their lips together, soft and gentle, it's not like coming home. taehyung already found a home in jimin the minute they became friends.

it's reaffirmation.

"you're still here," jimin says. he's crying.

taehyung presses their foreheads together, eyes closed. "where else would i be?"

"i don't know," jimin says, slightly tremulous. "not with a disabled omega?"

"i couldn't be anywhere else," taehyung murmurs, pressing small close-mouthed kisses over the sides of jimin's mouth. now that he's had a taste, he's never going to get enough of his fill.

"you still want me?" jimin asks, wincing as he talks but desperate.

"i want you," taehyung reaffirms. god, he can't stop touching jimin, feeling how soft his skin is. "you're not going to get rid of me. i won't let you."

jimin laugh-sobs, tears tracking down his cheeks.

"stubborn omega," taehyung sighs. "just let me kiss you."

jimin laughs some more and then winces again. his smile is big, nervous, hopeful. taehyung is so in love, he kisses that smile and as a result, jimin's teeth. they break out into giggles.

taehyung doesn't drag his mouth away from jimin's for well over twenty minutes. they kiss for a bit, then pull away, foreheads pressed together, breathing in each other, smiling against each other's mouths.

taehyung knows jimin's sense of scent has greatly diminished but as he makes sure jimin is very properly kissed, he thinks it'll be unmistakable to the other hospital staff that jimin smells like him.

the thought of jimin being unable to do that to him hurts a bit but not as much as taehyung thought it would.

it barely matters when he gets to have jimin safe in his arms now.

~

twelve hours earlier

jimin wakes up on the big day, having a panic attack. it's early in the morning. he lies curled up into a small ball, clutching at his neck, fingers curled protectively around his scent gland.

he tries to take deep, calming breaths. but they're gasp-y.

he can't do this. it's almost akin to mutilating himself. this is too much.

last night, jimin made the huge mistake of reading a severe case of a scentsick alpha who passed away hours after her surgery. he shouldn't have read anything on the online forums, he knows that.

taehyung told him not to read anything too. these days, jimin's only been able to sleep peacefully if taehyung either talks or sings him to sleep. his alpha has a very deep and calming voice. it's very soothing for jimin's overwhelmed nerves these days.

not to mention, taehyung somehow has the ability to be stoic and calm even when there's a storm brewing underneath.

it's almost taehyung has a jimin radar though because sure enough, that's him calling jimin.

"i'm scared," jimin breathes out.

taehyung hums. he looks absolutely adorable, in his matching striped pyjama shirt and pants.

"i'm going to be right there, when you wake up," he promises. "it's going to be okay, sweetheart."

taehyung gives him strength. they talk as jimin slowly gets pulls his shitscared and depressed self out of bed for his hospital visit. he strips without a second thought, and laughs when taehyung lets out an appreciative growl or two at the sight of his bare ass and soft cock.

"pretty," taehyung mumbles, as he snacks on pieces of candied ginger.

"taehyung, ginger isn't breakfast," jimin chides him gently. "please get real sustenance."

taehyung pouts at him. his hair is mussed up, eyes still closed with sleep and he looks very pliant and sweet.

they talk quietly while jimin packs his clothes into a bag for his hospital visit. taehyung teases him for not getting it done earlier. jimin grumbles under his breath. they both knew he was putting it off till the last possible minute because of extreme anxiety.

is he going to be okay? is taehyung really going to be around after jimin wakes up? is he not to find jimin's lack of distinctive scent very unappealing and leave him to recover alone?

jimin has been asking himself these questions on end.

he sits in the car, at the back with his bag, clutching the straps tightly in a white-knuckled grip. every breath is a struggle to take. his vision blurs and swims in front of him.

he struggles.

his parents help him set his things up in his assigned hospital room. jimin is startled when they pull him into a hug, scentmarking him almost aggressively.

tears pool up in his eyes.

"what do i smell like?" jimin asks sadly.

he coughs and his nose runs, predictably so. their scents are the only ones he's gotten semi-used to and even then his respiratory system runs irritated most of the time in other rooms in his house.

he knows his scent. but he likes it when they tell him again and again.

jimin hasn't worn blockers today. he can smell it himself. his throat is dry and a bit inflamed. but he wants to let his scent run free today. it's going to be the last day he has it. he thinks today is okay. he wants to grieve.

it's almost as his body knows what he's planning to do to it because his gland is throbbing a bit in his neck today. or is jimin making it up? possibly so.

he dresses up in the gown, and gets under the sheets. he clasps and unclasps his hands.

he struggles.

his surgeon arrives an hour later, a tiny omega. his name is dr. min. he's got sharply penetrating eyes and he looks clever. capable. jimin knows that he is, he did his research when he chose dr. min.

"well, well, today's your big day," dr. min says, with a grin.

jimin lets himself be poked and prodded for a checkup on his vitals. "yeah," he says, and titters nervously.

"so," dr. min murmurs. "tell me about this alpha of yours. did you know," he says, leaning in with a conspiratorial look. "my team said he's already waiting outside."

jimin lights up at that, his heart warming all over immediately.

"is he?" jimin asks, smiling a small smile. at dr. min's nod, he smiles bigger and lets himself get swabbed over his right buttock for an injection.

"he's my favourite person," jimin murmurs. "my best friend."

"i think he's my soulmate," jimin continues, blushing a bit. "i don't know want to think about what it would be like if he didn't want to be with me anymore. i would survive that. but i would be really sad."

dr. min stays quiet. "didn't you say he helped you raise money?"

jimin nods. "he did," he replies. taehyung doing that for him had made jimin so incredibly happy he didn't even dare let himself feel the full intensity of it.

"trust your alpha, kid," dr. min says softly. "that really is love. i'm almost envious."

jimin thinks about that when dr. min leaves. the nurses come in to get him up on the stretcher. they tease him about taehyung. apparently, they've been spying on taehyung who is waiting outside, and having a plenty awkward time with his ever-suspicious parents.

"you got a handsome one, huh," they say, ruffling his hair. "and he's very cute."

if jimin lets himself be smug and brag about taehyung a bit, including how big his dick is, that's not for taehyung to know.

the next time, jimin comes to, it's to the softest of brushes against his fingers and arm. his eyes shift beneath his lids. the air smells wonderfully neutral and so much lesser oppressive. there's a dull pain in his side, emanating from his neck. he can't move.

taehyung is laughing. something clearly amuses him. jimin thinks it's the cutest sound ever. taehyung gets a bit more higher in pitch when he's amused. hearing it so close, not through a phone line or internet connection, is balm for his soul.

he summons the strength to speak.

"what are you laughing at, alpha?"

~

jimin is placed under intense observation after the surgery. his throat needs to heal, that's the main part of it obviously. but dr. min insists he stay at the hospital for two weeks at least. 

the day jimin is discharged, taehyung is sitting next to jimin on his hospital bed, jimin's bag still left open and empty. taehyung folds jimin's clothes and tries to zip up his bag of toiletries, listening to dr. min advise jimin on his recovery process.

"what about sex?" jimin asks bluntly.

taehyung promptly drops jimin's tube of toothpaste.

dr. min chuckles, seemingly unfazed by the question.

"well, i would certainly advise against any strenuous sexual activity till your next checkup at the very least," he replies, flashing a blushy taehyung a very amused smile. "that's in the next two weeks and puts you at a month into recovery. which should be alright."

jimin brightens up at that. "so we can do stuff, as long as we're careful?"

dr. min cackles. "i don't see why not. not that i can stop you from doing anything. again like i said, use your discretion and be careful."

"thank you, doctor," taehyung inputs. if he sounds like he's in a mighty hurry to be done with this uncomfortable conversation, he doesn't care. dr. min grins at him, nods knowingly and continues to remind jimin about his medicines and to change his bandages frequently.

once he's gone, jimin slumps against taehyung, closing his eyes.

"tired?" taehyung asks, threading his fingers through jimin's hair with care.

a purr starts up deep from jimin's chest, and he looks up to give taehyung a pleading look, unable to talk. taehyung laughs and whispers, it's okay, baby.

jimin seems to like having his hair played with, and taehyung indulges him.

the past few days in the hospital have been pretty tiring on his omega, that much taehyung can tell. jimin's mostly slept through his days, only waking up for when he needs to use the toilet and letting taehyung fuss over him as he feeds jimin spoonfuls of mashed up food, since swallowing really hurts.

but the touching. the touching, that's been glorious.

taehyung can't seem to let go of jimin's fingers. he holds jimin's hand as much as he can. kisses every single finger, and holds them up to compare to his own. they're smaller and cuter, and taehyung giggles at the size difference, delighting in it.

it's hard to bury his face in jimin's hair and find his omega to be scentless. but taehyung's alpha finds content in other things. jimin's smile. jimin's hands. jimin's mouth. and then there'll soon be other parts of jimin's body that taehyung will be able to love and worship once jimin gets better.

taehyung noses at the side of jimin's head and sighs in satisfaction as the sounds of jimin's insistent purring only get louder.

his omega is safe in his arms.

what more could taehyung possibly ask for?

~

taehyung ends up staying over most days in jimin's room.

jimin's parents aren't too happy about this but seeing their son look so happy despite being in such a fragile state is enough to appease them.

despite having sexted jimin so much, taehyung is shy these days. jimin is so exhausted however from the pain relief medication that have sedative side effects to the point where he's lost any self-reservations about getting naked in front of taehyung.

one day, taehyung drops by in jimin's room with a tray of toast and juice. jimin's parents raise a brow whenever they open the door to taehyung at 7 in the morning, clutching onto the straps of his backpack with a resolute expression.

he's made a commitment to jimin. he's going to be a good partner and help his omega rest and recover.

jimin is lying in bed, crying quietly, fingers pressed over his bandaged throat right over his side where the scent gland was directly removed. taehyung's eyes widen in alarm but he sets the tray down carefully on jimin's bedside table, next to his phone, and lifts the coverlet so he can get in beside jimin who immediately clings, tired and emotionally overwrought.

"baby," taehyung murmurs, soothing jimin with soft forehead kisses. "baby, what's the matter? are you sad?"

"yeah," jimin gasps, eyes closed, clinging to taehyung's sides like a lifeline. "taetae. i feel so empty some days. i can't smell anything and it's like. i'm not an omega anymore. i'm not a wolf. i'm just ... an empty shell."

taehyung's heart breaks into a million little pieces at that. "i'm sorry, baby," he says quietly, holding jimin tighter. "i can't imagine how that feels like. but you're my omega, jimin. you're still my omega."

jimin's clutching a fistful of taehyung's hoodie material. "yeah?" he asks, sounding tremulous.

"yes, my love," taehyung says firmly. "you're my omega." he lets his voice dip into a growl, and jimin shivers pleasantly at the deep timbre taehyung's voice takes. "my pretty baby. mine."

"you want me?" jimin asks, desperately.

taehyung tilts jimin's chin up, and stares at him. even like this, with redrimmed eyes, and flushed-pink cheeks, jimin is impossibly lovely. taehyung is so in love.

"i want you," taehyung growls. "i want you all the time. i want you in my life."

jimin exhales.

it can't be good for jimin to be cooped up at home even if he's been advised bedrest.

"let's go for a walk," taehyung suggests.

jimin nods immediately. "please," he begs. "get me out of here, tae."

"okay," taehyung says. he stops jimin from getting up. "no, stay there. let me dress you up myself. i want to."

jimin's breathing hitches in his chest as he agrees. taehyung removes the pin keeping jimin's neck bandage in place. he sets it aside to be washed, and strides across the room for jimin's dresser where his washed bandages and supplies are kept.

with both palms sliding under jimin's back, taehyung draws him up into a seated position, and kisses the side of jimin's head as he slowly unravels the neck bandage. the cut is long and jagged, but looks like it's healing up well. taehyung cleans it up, with a cotton bud and antiseptic spray, running his hands through jimin's hair.

jimin's face is buried in his neck, and taehyung can feel his breathing. it steadies taehyung. grounds him.

he's so lucky to have jimin in his life. he loves jimin so much his heart is going to burst because it's a lot of love he carries that is firmly lodged inside his ribcage.

gently, carefully, reverently, taehyung wraps a new and clean neck bandage around jimin's neck. he pins it in place and hums in satisfaction. then he gestures for jimin to put his hands up so he can slowly pull off his omega's night shirt. with every single inch of skin exposed, taehyung lets his fingertips linger, teasing and sensual.

jimin shudders.

"what shirt do you want to wear out?" taehyung asks.

"my long fuzzy pink sweater," jimin replies. his eyes are glazed over a bit, but in a good way. he looks at taehyung in such a trusting way, it makes taehyung feel like jumping for joy.

taehyung reluctantly pulls away to get that sweater and lays it out on the bed.

"pants? underwear?"

jimin takes a minute to collect himself at the mention of underwear and colours so prettily. his eyes don't look so redrimmed anymore.

"m-my black skinnies with rips," jimin says, pursing his lips into a pout. "and ... that lacey pink thong you gifted me."

taehyung raises an eyebrow at him. jimin averts his gaze, shy. "you wanna be pretty for me, hm?"

jimin looks back at him. he nods mutely. "yes," he says, in the barest of whispers.

"okay."

he brings back the pants and lace thong, laying them next to the sweater.

"lie back," taehyung instructs.

jimin does as he asks, lying back in bed, hair fanned out over his pillow, hands beside his head.

taehyung slowly pulls jimin's soft, flimsy nightpants down. he grins at the sight of jimin's briefs, a wet patch of precum staining the front of them.

"may i?" he asks, hooking his fingers in the elastic band of jimin's briefs.

jimin covers his face with his hands, and whines.

it's the first time he'll be fully consciously nude in front of taehyung. in person.

"look at your alpha," taehyung demands with a growl. "look me in the eyes, baby. tell me this is okay."

jimin lowers his fingers. they're shaking. he's smiling but it's the nervous kind.

"it's okay, tae."

god, taehyung wants to ruin jimin. he can't though, jimin is still recovering. and they have time, plenty of time. there will be lots of time for taehyung to take jimin apart bit by bit and then slowly sew him back together.

slowly, taehyung keeps his eyes peeled on jimin's as he pulls his briefs down. jimin's breathing faster but he looks aroused.

"i'm probably nothing compared to the other omegas you've slept with."

taehyung growls in warning. jimin blinks at him, insecure and heartachingly sad.

"wrong," taehyung bites out. "i want you. i only want you."

jimin sighs. "you can look," he says softly. resigned.

it's taehyung's turn to grasp at the treat that is jimin's body laid out for him, vulnerable and exposed. his body is trim, compact and thick, especially his thighs. his cock is half-hard, the tip wet with precum.

taehyung licks his mouth. "messy baby," he says softly, tutting a little. "can't put your pretty thong on you till i clean you up a little. is that okay?"

jimin keens from deep within his chest. "please, alpha," he murmurs.

taehyung brackets jimin's hips with his palms, marveling at how they fully envelop the juts of jimin's bones there.

he's unable to resist placing a few adoring kisses around jimin's belly, before he takes jimin's cockhead into his mouth and laps up all the clear liquid that oozed out all over his base as well.

taehyung slaps it all up, and sighs happily. he pulls away, grabbing a tissue from the box on jimin's bedside table to wipe him carefully clean.

jimin begins to purr. he purrs the whole time taehyung pulls his thong up his calves, over his thighs and presses his thumbs over the lacey edges over jimin's sides, caressing and stroking. next up, taehyung pulls jimin's black skinnies up his legs as well.

jimin sits in his lap after taehyung puts his sweater on him as well, legs wrapped around taehyung's waist. he's breathing deeply, relaxed and pliant.

"did you," jimin begins haltingly. "is this-? am i enough? you're so handsome, taehyung. you can have anyone you want."

taehyung gives jimin's thigh a little slap, and grins at the way jimin shudders, tightening his arms around taehyung's neck.

"good omegas don't talk like that about themselves," taehyung says. "you wanna be good for me, sweetheart?"

"ye-yes, alpha."

taehyung pulls away and gives jimin a considering look. "then be good for me," he says. "and try to love yourself before you love me."

jimin kisses him on the mouth in response. taehyung kisses him back.

he knows jimin isn't anywhere close to loving himself.

but he'll be here for the jimin the whole damn time during that arduous process.

~

they hold hands as they take circles around the park near jimin's house. they end up under a tree, jimin in taehyung's lap again.

"i want to see everything," jimin confesses, his lips upturned into a smile. "i don't want to think bad things about myself. i just want to live in the moment."

"i'll take you wherever you want," taehyung promises.

jimin exhales, and cuddles up on taehyung's chest.

he looks so small and sweet. he belongs here. taehyung holds jimin and sighs in contentment.

~

when they get back home, jimin shakes with silent, happy sobs as taehyung rolls on a condom and slowly slides in for the first time. everywhere taehyung touches him, burns.

taehyung is gentle and careful, fucking him so tenderly and lovingly, jimin feels utterly small and taken care of. cherished and loved.

it's still hard to believe that taehyung wants him. it's still hard to stop fearing that one day, taehyung will find a prettier omega who isn't scentsick and will leave jimin.

but jimin pushes those ugly thoughts out of his brain and whines as taehyung gives his cock a few tugs, making him splatter all over himself.

taehyung doesn't knot him. jimin knows why. his body isn't ready yet but he still cries to get knotted.

"alpha," jimin whines, already missing the feeling of being stuffed so full and thorough by taehyung's fat cock.

"shh, sweet baby, i promise i'll do it when you're fully healed," taehyung assures him, as he ties the condom and disposes of it into a plastic bag he will take with him before he leaves. he won't leave it in the trash here for jimin's parents to accidentally find.

jimin pouts up at him. "i can wait," he says with a sigh. "i just wanted it."

"i want it too," taehyung affirms. "but you know you gotta go on birth control, love."

jimin hugs taehyung when he drops down next to him in bed. "ugh yeah, i know," he grumbles. "why is my body like this."

taehyung's body shakes with laughter. "i can ride you," he offers shyly. "i-i don't mind if you raw me."

jimin perks up at that, the corners of his eyes curving into crescents.

"... not right now though, baby."

jimin giggles, tired and sated. he looks so cute that taehyung pretends to bite his cheek, dragging his nose through jimin's hair. giggling harder, jimin hits taehyung lightly on his bare chest.

"i love you," taehyung says quietly. "please believe me when i say that."

jimin sighs again, heavier this time. "i believe you," he mumbles. "i just love you so much, taehyung. it scares me a lot."

"it scares me too," taehyung admits, as he palms jimin's neck very tenderly.

"hold me," jimin whispers. "don't let me go."

~

six months after jimin's surgery

light peeks in through the blinds in taehyung's bedroom. it gets in jimin's eyes, and he groans in annoyance, shifting restlessly beneath taehyung's arm.

taehyung makes sleepy, sighing sounds as jimin's constant shifting only serves to make him hug jimin tighter.

taehyung's parents (he's got an alpha mother and omega father) have left for a weekend trip. they've got the house to themselves, and jimin is glad for it because when they have sex, taehyung is /loud./ he's inexplicably, wonderfully needy and jimin absolutely gets off on it.

"tae," jimin whines. "get off me. you didn't close your blinds properly last night."

taehyung grumbles, nuzzling jimin's neck. the surgery scar, a thin, long, jagged line, is still visible even after half a year. jimin hates looking at it, and is highly self-conscious.

he bundles up frequently in huge scarves or wears turtlenecks to cover up his neck. it's nice when taehyung kisses there though, but he's too careful. jimin's sensitivity there has actually increased weirdly enough post-op and he wishes taehyung would bite down and suck.

he wonders quietly on his own, as taehyung finally rolls off of him, hugging a pillow to his side instead so jimin can shutter the blinds properly, what's taehyung's hang up with not being rougher with jimin. it's been months already since his surgery.

jimin's not delicate.

jimin can take it.

he wants to be pushed down on all fours, face in his pillow, as taehyung presses up into him and fucks his brains out. instead, he's been subjected to sweet, soft missionary sex and while that's been really amazing, jimin wants more now.

an idea emerges, and jimin grins as it slowly takes root.

he spoons taehyung from behind, practically lying on top of his alpha. stroking the little hairs curled up against taehyung's nape, jimin rests his chin on taehyung's back, content at the press of their bare bodies.

this is amazing. they have sex. a lot of sex, and it's great. jimin can barely keep his hands off taehyung and taehyung is no different, an arm constantly curled around jimin's waist. jimin gets scentmarked thoroughly from top to bottom, and he knows it.

their hands constantly seek each other's too. during lectures, getting food on campus, walking back to the bus stop, they're always holding hands. a lot of people on campus recognize jimin from the fundraiser, and are nice to him as a result.

some aren't so nice, and taehyung growls in warning when entitled alphas make nasty comments.

it could be worse. jimin hasn't walked around campus with a bare neck just yet though. he's not mentally ready for that step just yet.

taehyung stirs beneath him. "what," he groans out.

"what?" jimin asks innocently.

taehyung turns his head to the side, cheek pressed against his pillow. jimin pushes taehyung's floppy bangs off his forehead.

"you want something," he deadpans.

"i don't," jimin exclaims in mock outrage. "how dare you insinuate that. here i am, happily cuddling you, and you make these false accusations."

taehyung cracks one eyelid open to glare at him blearily. jimin laughs, and leans in to press their mouths together.

taehyung isn't allowed to be this cute or beautiful in the morning. he makes jimin's chest tight with emotion from literally anything he does. he's not even that funny but jimin laughs at him all the time.

"okay," jimin acquiesces. "i do have to ask you something."

taehyung sighs. "here it comes," he says.

jimin hits his back lightly for that. "you take that back. my ideas are amazing."

"jimin, skinny dipping in the lake and getting colds right after was not your brightest idea."

he pouts. okay, taehyung has a point there. in his defense, jimin's just been so excited however. suddenly, he's able to access a lot of public spaces and nature. it's the most heady, happy feeling ever. taehyung knows this and it's primarily why he's still indulging jimin.

"no," jimin swallows heavily. "er. this is sexual. sex. something to do with sex."

taehyung shifts underneath jimin, and he moves so taehyung can lie on his back. he pulls jimin to lie on his chest.

"okay," taehyung says. "i'm listening."

jimin grins. "of course, you're listening, you horny alpha. okay, i want to edge you in public. and then i want to fuck you back here."

taehyung's breathing hitches very obviously.

"oh," he says quietly.

it's sad how much pressure society places on alphas to look, act and be a certain way. taehyung is never the one to ask if jimin can top him. till now, jimin has to be the one to suggest it. and even then, taehyung still gets so blushy and overwhelmed.

it's cute but still sad.

"yeah?" jimin asks. he waits patiently. if there's one thing he's learned with taehyung, it's that taehyung always needs extra time to process a question before he feels comfortable giving jimin an answer.

taehyung nods jerkily. his blush is evident through the tan of his skin.

"yeah," taehyung says. "yeah, okay. i'm down."

"and there's one more thing," jimin hedges. this is the part he's most nervous about.

taehyung quirks a brow at him.

"what else?" he asks.

"can i fuck you on all fours?" jimin asks, blushing himself. "i-i want to be a bit rough with you. manhandle you a bit. can i? you can say no, and we'll do what we usually do when i top, you can ride me. i love that too. i just thought we could change it up a little."

taehyung's breathing heavily. he's fully hard against jimin's thigh.

"i like that a lot," taehyung admits. "let's try it. but don't say anything mean or degrading to me when we fuck, alright? i'm too sensitive for that. you can hold me down though. i... i think i'd love that."

jimin presses his thigh down against taehyung's hot, heavy cock, letting taehyung grind up on him. he grins, razor sharp, as he watches taehyung spill out sweet, deep moans.

"i got you, my sweet alpha," he says gently, and licks his lips, like a cat who's got the cream.

taehyung comes with his palms gently kneading the fat of jimin's ass. jimin can't help but pout. he'd rather have taehyung use his nails, use those large palms and long fingers to grab his asscheeks hard.

jimin wants to be ruined.

he is nothing but patient however.

~

the bookstore is noisy. jimin rests his head on the table, and sighs. they're in the seated area, and jimin is napping lightly, while taehyung thumbs through a volume of my hero academia.

"so you're enjoying the book?" jimin asks. he's leaning up on taehyung's shoulder, and taehyung's left hand is held captive in jimin's.

taehyung nods, not bothering to look up and meet jimin's gaze.

jimin knows he's the needy lupine equivalent of a barnacle. but getting to touch taehyung, actually have that be a tangible reality is not something jimin takes for granted. besides, it's not even been a full year.

"trying to read this manga with one hand is a challenge," taehyung complains.

jimin only squeezes their interlaced fingers tighter in response.

"get used to it," he says, ever unrepentant.

for a few minutes, taehyung continues to read, till jimin begins to get annoying again, playing and tugging with the sleeve of taehyung's shirt.

taehyung looks up again, fondly exasperated. "why are you like this," he whines. "read your own book."

"i'm reading over your shoulder," jimin lies smoothly, offering taehyung his prettiest smile.

taehyung sighs, still not immune to jimin's smile, and lets jimin kiss his mouth and cheeks for a bit. then he pulls off, and goes right back to his book.

jimin pouts, but settles back comfortably against taehyung's side, feeling safe and content and cared for.

he can't smell taehyung's scent. his sense of smell has diminished. jimin would be lying if he said it doesn't bother him anymore.

but taehyung helps make it matter less.

taehyung is wearing a vibrating anal beads toy made out of silicone. the toy is wireless remote controlled and over the time they couldn't be physically together, wireless controlled toys is what they ended up using a lot.

they can sync up the toys on their devices.

some of the toys can even be synced together so they can feel what the other's feeling. jimin got addicted to the way these toys made him feel. so has taehyung too. it's now sometimes a fun game of who can hold their moans the best in public.

today is about taehyung's pleasure.

jimin has the app for the toy installed on his phone. when he plays around with his thumb on the intensity dial, randomly going from strong to weak or weak to strong, taehyung bites his lip and shifts in his seat endlessly.

it's fun, seeing his alpha's deep blush and hearing his giggly sighs. taehyung has a hard time holding his moans in public but he also gets off a lot on it. his sensitivity was really strong in the beginning and jimin wasn't able to stimulate taehyung for too long. but now, taehyung has gotten much better.

throughout their time in the mall (where wifi is free), walking around and holding hands, jimin randomly stimulated taehyung. his favorite moment was when they were on one of the escalators, and taehyung got separated from him by a few people.

it gave jimin all kinds of thrills to see taehyung clutch the rubber railing with closed eyes as jimin tortured him with the strongest intensity titled "INSANE" on the app.

today, taehyung's wearing his blocker spray. jimin can't smell it but he knows taehyung wore it. after all, he was the one who dressed his alpha up after he lubed the toy, and stretched taehyung open with his fingers till he became a whiny mess on his bed this morning, eventually, slowly sliding the toy in.

then jimin had carefully lapped up all the excess lube from taehyung's ass and whatever had dripped down to his balls with his tongue flattened out. taehyung had whined, begged for his mouth on his cock too. jimin brought his palm down on taehyung's fat asscheek and relished in the aroused moan he got in response.

"patience, alpha," jimin said then. "good things come to alphas who can be good for their omegas. are you gonna be good for your omega today?"

taehyung whined out an embarrassed yes and jimin's cock twitched in his pants.

god, taehyung's hot even now. jimin isn't playing with the app at the moment. he'd wanted to take a few (or several) moments to savor taehyung looking handsome in his cute plaid shirt and seriously focused on the manga.

he's actually enjoying the story and seems to have forgotten about the plug for now.

jimin smirks. that won't do. time to let taehyung enjoy more than one thing. after all, he's a good multitasker..

taehyung's teeth dig into the swell of his soft mouth as jimin sets the vibrations to happen as he listens to a dance track with lots of beats.

he looks around furtively, and is thankful jimin chose a time to be in the store when the noise levels are high enough to mask the vibration sounds.

his head drops down to jimin's shoulder, nosing at the thick scarf jimin's wearing. he watches as jimin moves his thumb randomly across the screen. unthinking, taehyung's palm drops down to jimin's thigh, squeezing the thick muscle there very hard.

jimin's cock jumps in response to that. taehyung's grip is rough and for a second, jimin's thumb freezes. he takes a minute to gather himself.

"you look so pretty, omega," taehyung gasps out, teeth clamping down on jimin's ear lobe. "baby, you're making me feel crazy."

jimin nearly whimpers in response, his heart beating even faster. that's so hot, and taehyung knows jimin has a thing for the verbal praise because he's kissing jimin's hair, and calling him beautiful in his deep voice over and over.

jimin nearly loses control himself. not fair. he's the one teasing taehyung. he turns the vibration intensity to INSANE again and taehyung sags against him, panting and making snuffling sounds against the scarf on jimin's neck.

he's starting to get too loud. they need to leave.

"baby," jimin says softly. "let's go. let me take you home and make you feel good. you want that, alpha? you've been so good for me, darling."

"i'm good?" taehyung asks again, needing the assurance.

"such a good alpha," jimin reaffirms, almost purring it..

taehyung curls an arm around jimin's waist and exhales in relief. jimin has turned down the intensity to a pleasantly low simmer.

he lets jimin lead him out by their linked hands of the store, and smiles.

taehyung lets jimin lead him out of the store and he smiles as he looks down at their linked hands.

taehyung feels incredibly small and taken care of. desirable and loved.

jimin will look after him. taehyung trusts jimin on that.

~

there's something about kissing taehyung that jimin will never tire of.

jimin's got taehyung pinned up against his bedroom wall, and he's kissing him roughly. the vibrator is on at a low setting in taehyung's ass, and he's making these panting, whimpering sounds in jimin's mouth, whining for more.

"please," taehyung whimpers. "jiminnie, please."

tears are running down taehyung's cheeks from all of the pleasurable stimulation that jimin is subjecting him to.

"pretty alpha," jimin whispers, pulling away. "look at you, taetae. such a sweet, pretty little thing, aren't you?"

taehyung whines in embarrassment and looks away. jimin chuckles, and kisses the side of taehyung's head.

taehyung's lashes flutter against jimin's cheek. his skin is soft and fever-hot. his breathing is laboured.

he's so small, jimin thinks, with an ache in his chest, as he rubs his palms soothingly over taehyung's sides and over the soft of his tummy and nipples under his shirt.

jimin wonders how many years of self-hate taehyung put himself through before he let himself enjoy being taken apart like this, only to then have to hide it and feel like he would never be a good enough alpha by society's harsh standards.

taehyung's weight is being supported by jimin, his legs wound around jimin's waits, his arms twined around jimin's neck. that's the other part of it, jimin is extremely strong. he knows he doesn't look it, but years of enforced isolation because of his sickness resulted in lots of days when jimin would work out angrily, frustrated to death with his own body.

all those years of workouts have resulted in him being strong, much stronger than taehyung who was aroused beyond measure when jimin threw him easily over his shoulders like he weighed nothing just ten minutes ago, and carried his alpha up to his bedroom.

he could fuck taehyung up against a wall even if he wanted to. the only trouble is taehyung isn't flexible enough to handle being in that position for too long.

jimin can handle that position himself from all the flexibility he's built up over the years. but taehyung wouldn't be able to carry him either. that's alright. there's lots of other nice things they can do instead.

he sets taehyung down on his bed and watches greedily as taehyung maintains eye contact with him and strips, pulling off his shirt with crossed arms.

"i'm gonna get rough," jimin says quietly, warming up lube between his palms and working himself up, after taehyung is fully bare beneath him, legs around jimin's waist.

taehyung exhales shakily and nods.

"are we okay to use that toy?" jimin asks.

taehyung's cheeks get pinker. "yeah," he squeaks. "did you really--this morning before we--?"

jimin smirks. "yeah," he replies, coy. "i did it. you like that, alpha? like that mental image?"

taehyung lets out a low growl. jimin's body tingles all over from that sound. it's animalistic. primal.

good.

jimin studies his facial expression carefully. he looks eager and desperate for a hard fuck, biting his lower lip at the sight of jimin's cock.

jimin grins. "what," he says, cheeky. "never seen an omega with a big cock?"

"or quite as big a mouth," taehyung retorts under his breath. jimin glares at him for that, but there's no heat to it, especially not when he bends down to kiss taehyung's knee.

"alright, turn over," he says.

jimin moves so taehyung can shift, and get on all fours. he bites his lip, at the sight of taehyung's soft, supple ass presented to him like an offering.

jimin will appreciate it. jimin will also destroy it. thoroughly.

he reaches down to pull out the toy. it's a silicone alpha cock and knot. and it's heavy, with jimin's ass-slick which he filled it with this morning.

it's going to be jimin's second cock today.

jimin settles on his knees, eyes closed as he runs the back of his fingers over taehyung's butt and the small of his back in slow, teasing caresses.

taehyung turns his cheek to the side, trembling, whining in protest, as jimin slowly pulls out the butt plug. he laughs, keeping it soft and affectionate.

"want a cock?" jimin asks, tongue darting out to wet his mouth.

"want your cock," taehyung breathes out. he looks over his shoulder to fix jimin with a sultry look, eyes dark and intense. "both your cocks."

jimin's breathing hitches. his cock is already hard, so painfully hard, lubeslick, dribbling clear precum fluid. that's really got him going.

he can't take it when taehyung looks at him like that. like he'll take jimin apart too even while bottoming for jimin.

his cock is already hard, so painfully hard, lubeslick, dribbling clear precum fluid. that's really got him going.

"gonna fuck you."

"fuck me, omega," taehyung growls out, soft brown hair in his eyes. "you better fuck me like you promised you would. don't hold back."

taehyung is loose. jimin is fully hard and even though he's above average, he can feel how easily taehyung takes him. he shudders, and brings his palms down, sharp and merciless, on taehyung's asscheeks.

taehyung breathes out a choked cry. it cuts off as jimin slaps his ass over and over.

"first class ass," jimin teases again. he snaps his hips forward once more, and taehyung sobs, sobs in relief as he starts getting pounded.

"let me--let me readjust," taehyung pants out. "i need---need to hold onto the edge of the bed. or my head will hit the bedpost."

jimin laughs darkly. he lets taehyung adjust but then taehyung's squealing out again as he gets pounded again, jimin moving his hips seconds-fast, fucking into taehyung hard, fast and rough. so rough, he thinks he's going to rearrange everything in taehyung's brain even at one point.

taehyung's back and sides are flushed hot, as jimin runs his hands over his alpha's soft skin and digs, digs, digs his nails in.

he recalls now, randomly, the days when his grief was so strong because his emotions ran high after an online sexting session with taehyung.

there was one time when taehyung shyly opened himself up for jimin, exposed his cute, tight, little hole, showed jimin how he slid in his long fingers and pleasured himself. they'd dirty talked. they'd orgasmed. they'd whispered sweet endearments and petnames to each other later.

then after hanging up, jimin broke down and cried himself to sleep. they weren't quiet sobs. rather, they were full-bodied sobs. the agony he'd felt at the lack of touch, the absolute lack of physical contact with his alpha weighed so heavy on him.

he fucks now to leave a mark on taehyung. carve a space inside taehyung which screams jimin. he fucks like he's never going to take taehyung's soft body for granted ever again in his life.

tears are running down taehyung's cheeks. he's babbling, a constant litany of words.

"baby---so thick, s'good, better than any asshole alpha who fucked me--"

"yeah?" jimin asks huskily, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "and i'm the only omega who's fucked you?"

taehyung gasps out, "yes, yes, yes, jiminnie, you're special."

jimin feels all the love he has for taehyung build in him, unfurling once again like a plant rooting itself all over again.

"want my other cock?" he asks, trying not to cry.

"please," taehyung sobs. "want your knot, jiminnie."

jimin thinks he'll never feel more powerful than in this moment, with all the love and trust taehyung's placed in him.

"relax," jimin says softly. "relax, my love. or this is going to hurt."

taehyung's head is bowed. the lines of his tiny waist are so pretty and long. he shakes his head repeatedly.

"i can take it, doll," taehyung growls out. "give it to me."

jimin watches him with concern and mostly arousal, as he eases the head of his second cock in. taehyung's crying, body wracked with overstimulation. he already came once in his pants earlier at the mall, embarrassingly on a bench in public.

"you good?" jimin asks again.

he's so aroused, slick is dripping down the backs of his thighs. taehyung must smell it because he's producing a delightfully consistent growling sound from the back of his throat.

it sets jimin's nerves aflame. taehyung never growls unless he's angry or aroused beyond measure. he knows it's considered uncouth to growl like an asshole alpha.

but this is different. these are genuine, needy responses of enjoyment to the ordeal jimin's subjecting him to.

"you like this, omega?" taehyung says, sounding so feral, that jimin shakes.

"love it," jimin murmurs. he eases in his second cock, and begins to move, undulating his body into little figure eights so both cocks are fully in, sheathed by taehyung's loose fucked out hole.

taehyung throws his head back, and howls. it's so loud. jimin giggles in response, breathless and close to cumming. so close.

"you feel good?" he demands. "tell me, alpha."

"feel stuffed," taehyung manages to get out, through gritted teeth. "but s'fuckin good. i love this. i love you."

jimin whimpers at that, and promptly cums in taehyung's hole. he pulls out slowly, wincing at the sensitivity. his balls and the insides of his thighs are covered with slick from his own clenching hole.

he needs cock himself up his ass so bad. but he can wait. today is about what taehyung needs and wants.

"jimin," taehyung begs. "fuck me with your cock. keep fucking me. i need it."

taking a deep breath, jimin pulls himself together and slaps taehyung's asscheeks hard in response. he pushes his other cock all the way in, and then begins pulling it out, enjoying the sight of taehyung's puffy hole clenching reflexively on it.

"still wanna get fucked?" jimin spits out.

taehyung nods, still crying. jimin makes good on his word, and begins thrusting the toy in at a high velocity, feeling the way taehyung's body is shaking, dripping in sweat.

as jimin eases the knot in, he snarls out, "wanna get bred by your omega? want my cum, alpha?"

taehyung sobs, hair matted to his forehead and totally wet with sweat.

"breed me," he begs. "give me your cum. give it to me, omega."

jimin's giddy, punchdrunk on love and happiness. as he slides his cock in, he eases the bulbous end of his knot in and breeds taehyung with his cumslick.

"that's right," he gasps. "take it, baby. take all of it."

one hand to taehyung's cock and he's wailing, wailing as jimin breeds and satiates him, his knees giving out as he falls face first in his pillow.

"i love you," jimin says, running a hand down taehyung's damp skin, slow, worshipful, reverent.

taehyung chuckles hoarsely. "i wanna get plugged up," he admits.

jimin acquiesces, laughing but also his traitorous cock stirs to life again at the thought of taehyung keeping his slick and cum both in his gut.

turning taehyung over, to wipe his tummy clean, jimin groans at the sight of taehyung's soft tummy bulging out a bit.

"hey, tae," jimin says, a few minutes later, as he lies on taehyung's chest and caresses his alpha's tummy. "talk to me. you had a good time?"

taehyung's playing with jimin's hair, nosing at his forehead and kissing it. god. jimin likes him so much. jimin is so incredibly happy with taehyung, it's scary.

"of course, sweetheart. it was everything i wanted," taehyung says, his deep voice sincere and sleepy.

jimin's mouth curls up into a satisfied smile. he sleeps in taehyung's arms.

he was good for taehyung.

taehyung stays awake for a bit longer watching jimin's chest rise and fall with his deep, steady breathing, biting down on the fat of his lower lip.

he sighs.

~

taehyung waits outside the omega restroom, crouched on his knees, fiddling on his phone. yawning, he covers his mouth with his right palm, as he continues to scroll mindlessly through a clothing app.

jimin's birthday is coming up in a month. it's the first time he'll spend his birthday with taehyung.

he wants to get something special for his omega. stopping on a cute yellow crop top sweater with baby chicks printed all over it, taehyung stares at it intensely as he zooms in on the fine details.

this is cute. jimin would look adorable in this sweater. he can't get enough of jimin sometimes, fuck. make that all the time, actually. especially when he's focusing on his school work. all taehyung wants to do then is get on his knees between jimin's legs, bury his face in jimin's tummy, and kiss and lick and bite all over.

he bites lightly on his knuckles and perishes the horny thoughts, when the door swings open and jimin pops out, sighing at him in fond exasperation.

"can't you wait outside in the main hall, taetae?"

"just thought i'd wait here anyway," taehyung says easily, getting to his feet as he slides his phone back into the front pocket of his coat.

the real reason is taehyung's underlying fear that between the restroom entrance and main hall, someone from the alpha restroom might assault jimin. he knows he's being an annoyingly protective alpha, but he can't help himself.

plus now that jimin's stopped wearing scarves around campus, his surgery scar still gets sniggers and repulsed looks. particularly from alphas. particularly from alphas who are known to be the resident campus bullies.

he lets his palm rest on the small of jimin's back, over the bare skin exposed by his chocolate brown crop top today.

jimin's outfit is making him feel particularly crazy today. judging by jimin's smile against his mouth, as taehyung pulls him closer for a kiss with tongue, he knows taehyung is really digging his outfit today.

the soft brown material is a delightful contrast to jimin's skin, and taehyung is gripped by the mental fantasy of pressing his omega up against the wall, hiking up jimin's crop top to expose his nipples, to delight in jimin's needy whimpers as taehyung twists his nipples repeatedly, hard and unforgiving.

he takes a deep, steadying breath. he's too strong and jimin is still recovering. taehyung can't stand the thought of jimin being in actual pain because of him.

jimin's breathing faster, pink in the face, his lips looking even fuller as taehyung pulls away. taehyung presses their foreheads together, leaning in for more close-mouthed kisses, pressing his lips clumsily to the sides of jimin's mouth, his cheeks.

jimin laughs when taehyung even kisses the tip of his nose.

"what was that for?" he teases. "not that i didn't appreciate it."

"i adore you," taehyung says seriously. "and i want all your days to shine bright for you just like you do for them."

jimin intakes air sharply at that and is silent for a few seconds. "oh tae," he says, his voice heavy.

taehyung lets jimin tuck his hand in his own arm. "wanna take a walk?" he asks. "we've got an hour before our next class."

jimin nods.

there's a lake overlooking their campus. taehyung sets his jacket out on the grass for jimin to sit on. jimin's smiling at his antics, but taehyung knows he's enjoying the pampering.

when he sits down himself, jimin's head drops onto his shoulder. a few of taehyung's friends pass by in front, calling out hello. taehyung waves at them, and so does jimin.

he buries his fingers in jimin's hair, and starts playing with the soft strands, watching with satisfaction as jimin's eyes fall shut. taehyung slowly begins raking his nails through jimin's scalp, and purring sounds pour out of jimin's mouth.

lust slowly begins fogging taehyung's mind again. he starts pulling lightly. jimin's purring gets louder. taehyung bites on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from growling.

then taehyung yanks, and jimin moans out loud.

shame overtakes taehyung. he pulls his hand away immediately, and curls his arm around jimin's waist.

jimin takes a deep breath, and straightens up, to pull away from taehyung. there are two spots of bright pink evident on the apples of his cheeks.

"why'd you stop?" jimin whines. "i loved that, whe you yanked my hair."

"i shouldn't have done that," taehyung says quietly. "i could have hurt you."

jimin looks up sharply at that. "how would you have hurt me? taehyung, we had rough sex last week. i was perfectly alright then."

"that's different," taehyung retorts, wrapping arms around his knees and hugging them to his chest. "i bottomed that time."

"and? we were fine then," jimin snaps. his eyes are sharp, and cold.

taehyung shakes his head. "yeah," he says, feeling strange. "i guess. i mean. doesn't make me much of an alpha though."

jimin sighs. it's an explosive little sound. "that's what you were conditioned to think all your fucking life, taehyung. you were made to believe by society that you can't enjoy being fucked during sex."

"yeah, so you know what it's like being an alpha then, don't you?" taehyung challenges. "you have no idea what it's like to be me."

"i do know what it's like to be marginalized and made to believe what it's like to be considered inferior to alphas," jimin flashes back. he's shaking all over.

it's not cold today. but taehyung is trembling. he exhales. he closes his eyes.

"jimin," he tries, his throat tight with emotion. "baby. where are you going?"

jimin's gotten up to his feet. "to class." he holds up a hand against taehyung's chest. "don't fucking come with me! do you think i dont know what you're doing? i'm not fragile or delicate. i'm not gonna break. you're not my fucking bodyguard, taehyung."

he's got frustrated tears in his eyes, and he's hitting taehyung's chest lightly with his small fists.

"jimin, no," taehyung tries again, panic welling up inside of him. "jimin, alphas could bully you. jimin!"

jimin stalks off, his backpack bouncing on his shoulders. taehyung watches his figure become smaller in the distance.

"fuck," he says blankly to himself. "fuck."

it's their first ever fight and he has no clue how to handle it.

~

jimin doesn't pick up taehyung's calls or respond to his increasingly incoherent texts for the whole day.

the next morning, jimin doesn't answer taehyung's tentative text to pick him up from home like taehyung usually does to leave for campus together.

taehyung uses the time away from jimin to reflect on himself. he fucked up in comparing himself or his struggles to jimin's, he knows that. jimin has the full right to give him the cold treatment.

but there are some things taehyung also needs to say to jimin too.

he waits patiently. jimin will cave in and text him back eventually. taehyung just has to keep trying.

"no jimin today?" one of his friends, a younger alpha named jeongguk, asks in between lectures.

taehyung has always related to jeongguk the most. he's a bulky alpha with long hair, and he works out a lot, obsessed with the gym in campus. jeongguk is as soft inside as a mollusc however.

he was the one who helped taehyung aggressively promote jimin's fundraiser on campus.

(they hooked up more than few times. it's a thing of the past, and jimin knows. he's okay with taehyung still staying friends with jeongguk.)

taehyung gives his surroundings a few furtive glances. "no," he says quietly, looking down at his hands. "we fought."

jeongguk's face falls. jimin has become a dear friend of jeongguk's too through taehyung.

"is he okay?" jeongguk asks, tone gruff.

after taehyung relays the whole story to him, jeongguk lets out a huge sigh. his hair is so long, starting to touch his shoulders. he pulls out a band to tie his hair back into a ponytail.

"i get what he's saying," jeongguk says quietly. "but i can't say that i would have acted any differently from you. he's been through so much."

"yeah," taehyung mumbles. their faces are both pink. it's the first time he's admitted to jeongguk that jimin fucks him too. to another alpha really.

"is it good?" jeongguk asks suddenly.

"what?"

jeongguk stares at his knees. "y'know. getting fucked."

all that taehyung and jeongguk had done together was making out and exchanged handjobs.

taehyung's face feels warm. "yeah," he mumbles. "it's amazing. he makes me feel really good."

jeongguk surprises him with a hug. taehyung blinks, startled. jeongguk doesn't do hugs a lot.

"don't let him go," jeongguk whispers in his ear.

taehyung smiles a little, touched. "never," he promises.

~

jimin leans his head against one of the chains of the swing he's sitting in. it sways back and forth gently in the breeze.

it's sunset. taehyung jams his hands into his front pockets, leaning against the painted yellow wooden frame of the swing set.

jimin looks well-rested from missing a day at school. he looks calm too, which relaxes taehyung. he'd eventually texted taehyung in the evening, asking him to meet at a park near his family home.

he's also wearing a pretty mint green crop top sweater with short shorts. taehyung's eyes keep settling on jimin's exposed thigh skin.

pretty, he thinks yet again. so pretty.

"i'm not upset with you," jimin says softly. "i stopped being upset with you the minute i walked away. i'm incapable of being angry with you for too long."

there's a lump in taehyung's throat. he kind of knew that though.

"but i did want the time away from you to reflect on some things," jimin continues. "i think i've put you up on this pedestal in my head in comparison to other alphas. my mind came to a realization last night: that you're not perfect. despite what my heart says."

taehyung clears his throat. "yeah," he says slowly. "i'm not perfect. i know what kind of privilege my status as an alpha affords me. i'm unlearning things but not as fast as you want me to be."

jimin reaches out with his hand. when taehyung reaches out to intertwine their hands together, he dares to look up. jimin's eyes are still filled with soft adoration for him.

"i understand that," jimin breathes out. "doesn't mean we won't fight about this again. probably."

taehyung laughs, the sound of it tremulous. "jimin, i saw you on a hospital bed with your throat bandaged up. i know what you went through to get that surgery, but it did a number on me too. i tried my best to hide my stress. but i was crying my eyes out every night. i was just doing my best to stay strong in front of you."

jimin squeezes his hand tighter, encouraging him to go on.

"it's still not out of my mind," taehyung confesses. "i see you and all my mind screams out is, protect. keep your omega safe. even though i know through logic that you're strong and you can take care of yourself."

"i can take care of myself," jimin says firmly. "but i will be patient with you. i know it wasn't easy for you too. i should also try to understand where you're coming from."

"jimin, come here," taehyung says tightly. he pulls jimin up from the swing for a hug.

"i'm sorry," taehyung whispers, voice muffled in jimin's hair.

jimin hugs him tightly around the waist. "don't say you're sorry," he mumbles. "don't apologize for the way you can't help feeling. your emotions are valid. i really don't understand what it is to be in your shoes. but you don't fully understand what it's like to be me either."

taehyung exhales. "i'm not sorry then," he teases. then more seriously: "i want to work on it with you."

jimin sags against him at that, and taehyung chuckles, holding him up. "you better, alpha. i'm worth the effort, right?"

he doesn't sound as insecure as the first time he said that to taehyung. still-

ah. taehyung holds jimin even tighter. "you're worth it," he reiterates fiercely. "you're worth everything to me, jimin."

~

a month later

doctor min yoongi, scent gland specialist omega surgeon, 37 years old, pulls up into the usual parking lot reserved for him in his apartment complex.

he's dead tired on his feet. but the night is not yet done. he's got a birthday party to attend.

he gets out of his car, and locks it. exhaustion is wearing heavy on him. today yoongi did not get a minute to /breathe/ at the hospital. he was sent from surgery to surgery to on call rounds around the hospital.

luckily, namjoon ended his shift two hours prior to yoongi's.

namjoon moved in last month. it was a huge step for both of them. yoongi honestly had been on the fence, nearly ready to pop the question for a few months. but then, it'd been namjoon who'd tentatively, nervously, babbled about it while yoongi spooned him in his huge bed.

"i barely spend time at my place," namjoon began then, barely breathing. the tips of yoongi's mouth upturned, and he squeezed namjoon's body tighter. was namjoon proposing what yoongi had been meaning to ask all this time? "we're always together here. it's not like i can't chip in-"

"namjoon," yoongi cut him off. "stay," he said easily. "stay here with me in this apartment. pay for a smaller portion of rent if you want. be with me."

the way namjoon's whole body relaxed and went pliant against yoongi's chest was palpable.

namjoon was only 32 and the way he agonized about everything honestly broke yoongi's heart. like he thought he was a ticking bomb and his emotions and thoughts were too much for yoongi to handle, almost an inconvenience for yoongi.

he's getting better though. namjoon works as a nurse at yoongi's hospital in the terminally sick pups unit and yoongi has no idea how namjoon does it.

when they first started seeing each other, namjoon was hesitant to disclose just how much death he saw and the way it hurt.

namjoon tells him more now. that makes yoongi really happy. they're making progress. he's telling namjoon things too. if anything, this relationship has been good for both of them.

he enters in the barcode to let himself into his apartment. shutting the front door, yoongi calls out quietly, "joonie?"

no response. usually, namjoon's busy cooking in the kitchen, and yells out, "here, babe."

the silence is ominous. yoongi does not like it.

his hearing has always been remarkably keen even as a pup. as yoongi toes off his shoes and drops his briefcase to the floor, he calls out once more: "joonie?"

still no response.

the sound of sniffling is evident, however, from yoongi's bedroom.

yoongi exhales, shaky and despairing.

as he pads slowly on socked feet into his bedroom, yoongi's heart breaks at the sight of his partner.

namjoon is still undressed, and he's crying silently, staring at a small slinky black dress thrown on their bed.

yoongi's pulse picks up. that's a very pretty dress.

namjoon's worn that number before. on nice candlelit dinner dates, and then right after, yoongi's taken it right off him, and proceeded to fuck namjoon on this very bed.

namjoon's been growing his hair out too. it reaches his shoulders. he wears little pearl drop earrings now.

he's not wearing them at the moment.

yoongi's nose scrunches at the sight of a dress shirt and pants laid out next to the dress.

ah. he knows what this is about.

the party.

"hello, my love. we have about half an hour to get ready for the kids' party," yoongi says casually. "we should try to make it on time for them."

they're going for park jimin's birthday party, one of yoongi's patients on observation and now very close friend.

yoongi wouldn't have made friends with jimin outside of the hospital, had he not spotted jimin and his alpha partner, taehyung, both at an omega rights solidarity protest.

jimin had been carrying a banner with the words "STOP LETTING ALPHAS GET AHEAD OF OMEGAS FOR TREATMENT."

he was struggling to carry it and taehyung was holding a sign himself that had the same message. jimin had spotted yoongi, and his eyes had lit up.

"doctor min," he'd hollered. "help me carry this banner! walk with us!"

yoongi grinned from ear to ear. he was beginning to feel like a bumbling old fool at this protest in front of the hospital.

"i'd be happy to," he yelled back.

jimin pinned a cute pink badge on yoongi's white doctor coat. the black text on it read: "OMEGA PRIDE."

"hello doctor," taehyung said quietly, smiling at him. yoongi shook his hand, and accepted a hug from jimin.

these kids really were fucking adorable together. yoongi was so envious of what they had.

so he'd walked and chanted with them, and it'd been. nice. good. he felt years younger that day, as he sat down with them and bought them dinner at a restaurant, refusing to let them pay.

he had all this money built up from his years in the medical field and absolutely nobody to spend it on except for namjoon.

they had no money between the two of them, jimin had health issues and yet somehow, they still had each other.

what was all his money worth compared to what they had?

that day, yoongi resolved to do one thing.

to continue to let himself live and love.

and yoongi's let himself love and grow as a human. years of burying his nose in medical textbooks, operating in patients, nothing's prepared him for the hard work yoongi's had to put in a relationship.

having namjoon in his life has been so incredibly worth it.

now namjoon sniffles, and wipes at his face with the back of his hand.

"i think you should go alone," namjoon says carefully, looking down. "just. i don't know."

yoongi tugs off his socks and hops up onto his bed. he's too short to properly envelop namjoon in his arms, so he stays on his knees, and wraps his arms around namjoon's shoulders.

"it's jimin and taehyung," yoongi says steadily. "they'll never judge you. they're sweet kids."

namjoon takes a deep breath.

"yeah," he says roughly. "but there's three other friends they've also called over."

yoongi makes a considering sound. "that's true," he says. "but you know they wouldn't be friends with bigots."

namjoon sighs. yoongi knows when to back off so he does that now, pulling his shirt over his head.

"i'm taking a shower to get ready, i do have to show my face," yoongi says. "apparently, taehyung's making dinner. it's upto you really. i won't pressure you, joonie."

he leans in to press a kiss to namjoon's cheek, and ambles into the washroom, idly stripping himself.

the hot shower spray does wonders to work out most of his tension. yoongi sighs, feeling lethargy work itself into his bones.

god, maybe he just won't fucking show up. he'll look like a prime asshole for not going but if namjoon's not going to come, yoongi actually doesn't want to go.

call him grumpy but his downtime is equivalent to time spent with namjoon settled against his side.

yoongi was looking forward to this dinner with namjoon either in his lap or against his side, his palm running up and down namjoon's thigh, teasing his promises of what namjoon's going to get later.

yoongi's dick up his ass.

they can do that here at home too.

except when steam filters out the restroom as yoongi emerges in the nude, a small towel around his neck, he's pleasantly surprised by the sight of namjoon already wearing the dress, his masc clothing nowhere in sight.

yoongi greedily takes in the exposed skin of namjoon's back.

namjoon's busy applying makeup, and grins at yoongi through the reflection of his dresser's mirror.

he's busy doing a smokey eye. he looks strong and fierce and utterly beautiful.

"hurry up," namjoon says. "you've only got fifteen minutes to change."

yoongi closes the distance between them with two giant strides. he wraps his arms namjoon's waist, and inhales the deep musk of namjoon's natural scent which he's going to douse out completely with blocker spray out of consideration for jimin's wellbeing.

jimin's doing alright without his scent gland but yoongi thinks it's better they be safe.

he presses his lips to namjoon's skin and feels rather than hears namjoon's responding shudder to his kiss.

"i'm on it," yoongi says. "i'll just throw something together."

namjoon makes a face at that. he hates yoongi's fashion but he prudently says nothing.

yoongi grins as he grabs a pair of slacks and shirt.

he's going to have fun taking namjoon apart on their bed after jimin's party.

~

jeongguk widen at the sight of the pretty wolf on jimin's doctor's arm.

his name is namjoon, and jimin told hoseok, seokjin and him about namjoon hurriedly before they could arrive.

~

"he doesn't identify as an alpha," jimin told them beforehand, looking absolutely adorable and sexy in a crop top sweater with yellow baby chicks printed all over it. a birthday gift from taehyung, apparently.

hoseok straightened up from being nestled up against seokjin's side. "oh, so he's an omega?" he asked curiously.

"no," jimin said, shaking his head. "he's non-binary. just ... please don't refer to him as an alpha, no matter what. taehyung and i have been trying to make our home a safe space for him and yoongi."

seokjin shrugged. "sure," he said easily, pulling hoseok back down, with an arm around his shoulders. "we'll be careful."

jeongguk stared at hoseok and seokjin out of the periphery of his vision as he emerged back and forth from the kitchen, helping taehyung out in the kitchen. jimin tried to pitch in too, but jeongguk steered him gently yet firmly out into the living room space.

"talk to seokjin and hoseok," he'd said simply. "it's your birthday. just relax."

jimin pouted but did as he was asked.

taehyung was cutting up vegetables in the kitchen. he smiled at the sight of jeongguk.

"hey," he said. "chicken is almost done. seokjin's allergic to garlic, right?"

"garlic, shellfish and red bell peppers," jeongguk rattled off without thinking. "hoseok's okay with anything."

taehyung slid him a sly smile. "you know so much about them."

jeongguk flushed. he knew he was pink in the face. damnit.

seokjin and hoseok made for such a good looking couple. seokjin with his full lips and doe eyes, hoseok with his sharp, delicate features and soft hair. they were a very popular senior couple on campus.

who was jeongguk in comparison? just a lonely, young alpha who depended too much on seokjin to feed him and hoseok to cuddle him. what made his heart ache especially was the way they'd taken to calling him "baby" and "our pup" lately.

it made jeongguk feel so hot inside.

they scentmarked him. they scentmarked him a lot nowadays in the privacy of their apartment when he went over to their place for friday movie nights.

jeongguk loved yet hated the way it made him so included and confused about himself in relation to them.

~

"thighs," jeongguk blurts out.

he drags his eyes up from namjoon's honey-toned legs, legs that go on for /days/, and blushes when he meets namjoon's partner, yoongi's amused eyes.

"sorry," he mumbles.

damnit, jeongguk, he chides himself, wanting to sink into jimin's family home carpet. stop being so horny. stop it. watch your fucking mouth.

namjoon blushes but holds himself straight and looks a little smug as he slowly struts into the living room.

yoongi shoots jeongguk a wink, mouths "i get it" and dutifully follows after his partner.

jimin smirks but rushes off to help taehyung in the kitchen.

jeongguk settles down on a couch in the living room, his face almost scarlet. it's only when two familiar palms press over his back, right over his spine and rub up and down in soothing motions does jeongguk realize seokjin and hoseok guided him to sit between them.

"you're okay, baby," hoseok says, out of the corner of his mouth, as seokjin makes small talk with yoongi and namjoon, attempting to set them at ease, but also deflecting the attention expertly away from jeongguk.

their touches are warm, branding. almost possessive even, but maybe jeongguk's imagining that.

they don't want him. he needs to stop torturing himself.

~

jimin relaxes back in his chair, sighing, as he watches taehyung cut up the leftover chicken into small parts to stow into a tupperware container.

taehyung hums. "you have a good time?" he asks quietly.

it was his first time cooking for a party. he's cooked before and he thinks he's mediocre at it. but jimin ate really well during his birthday dinner, including a sizeable slice of birthday cake.

taehyung knows he's thinking with his knot but the alpha in him is incredibly pleased at the way jimin's tummy bulges out a bit and is slightly distended from all the food he practically inhaled today.

fuck. taehyung wants him. he wants him bad.

jimin disappears up the stairs, but not before giving taehyung a wink and pointed look.

"i'm on the pill," he says softly. "you know what i want."

"i do," taehyung says, his pulse jumping at the very thought of what they're going to do soon.

it's not just what jimin wants, to be fair. taehyung's been waiting for this day just as much.

today for the first time ever, taehyung isn't going to wear protection with jimin. nor is he going to stop at just his cock.

jimin's going to take his knot as well.

he takes his time cleaning up in jimin's parents kitchen. they had a celebration just with jimin's parents in the afternoon, the four of them, and taehyung's proud to say that he's won their trust at long last. neither jimin or he has asked but they're gone for a day trip.

he knows they trust him to be completely alone with jimin and that knowledge makes a lump of emotion settle in taehyung's chest.

he pauses for a break in the guest restroom, to splash his face with water and takes a deep breath.

jimin has completely soaked through the lace panties he's been wearing all day. he's sitting on his knees in his bed, wearing only his birthday gift from taehyung: the crop top sweater.

he trembles involuntarily, at the click of the door shutting behind taehyung.

taehyung leans back against the door of jimin's bedroom, a smirk painted on his face as he hits the remote of the vibrator in jimin's panties pressed up against his cock yet again.

yeah, he did that all fucking night while the others were around. it was fun seeing jimin squirm and do his best to stay poised.

jimin squirms, shifting his hips a little. he gasps and whimpers.

"alpha," he whines.

taehyung unbuttons his shirt and undoes his belt, listening keenly for the vibrations that have jimin's cock steadily dribbling precum, and takes in the sight.

the skin exposed to him by the crop top, jimin's plump ass shown off by the pretty black lace material of his panties, another birthday gift taehyung saved up to buy for his omega.

it's too much but he steels himself.

taehyung settles down behind jimin once he himself is fully nude, and takes himself in the hand. slowly, he teases jimin by dragging his dickhead over the lace of jimin's panties and the small of his back, hissing at the light friction it provides.

"look at you," taehyung breathes out. "the prettiest omega i've ever seen in my life. and you're all mine, huh?"

jimin's head hangs forward, a needy whine escaping his mouth at the praise. taehyung smirks. he knows how to make jimin weak in the knees for him at this point.

"tae," he chokes out. "please."

taehyung grabs a fistful of jimin's hair and yanks him back. the curve of jimin's back is so graceful and mesmerizing.

"please what," taehyung gruffs out, snarling his words out. "what do you want, omega?"

"i-i wanna be yours," jimin sighs out like it's a prayer, eyes closed. "make me yours."

taehyung tightens his grip on jimin's hair, and places his palm over jimin's tummy bulge. he wants to breed jimin the way jimin's bred him.

give jimin what he wants. return what he gave.

"you're already mine," taehyung says steadily, lips caressing jimin's ear. the ensuing shudder he gets from jimin in response to taehyung kissing behind his ears, the skin there so incredibly sensitive, is worth everything to taehyung. "you were mine when you first saw me, yes?"

"yes," jimin moans out. "the first day i saw you i went home and touched myself, thinking about you and your pretty eyes, alpha."

taehyung's eyes widen at that confession, and the sides of his mouth curve upward against the side of jimin's nape.

"yeah," he says roughly. "didn't have to touch you to make you mine, right?"

jimin's breathing is already laboured. they haven't even done anything. every single cell of taehyung is howling in vicious pleasure at the sight.

he yanks jimin's hair again, prompting an answer.

"no," jimin gasps out. "you never had to touch me. i would have presented myself then and there for you in that fucking prison room, alpha. in my fantasies, you would watch and tell me what to do as i fingered myself open there for you."

taehyung lets go of jimin's hair and tummy and he falls forward onto his pillow with a startled cry.

"get these panties off," taehyung grumbles. "we're too broke for me to rip them off your ass as much as i want to do that."

giggling, jimin acquiesces, and taehyung smiles wryly as he helps drag them down jimin's legs.

"get on all fours for me," taehyung demands.

he could spend forever here, staring at jimin's ass, licking it, biting at the plump swells of flesh, and now, letting himself sink his teeth in and clamp down hard.

jimin lets out a high little sound. taehyung brings his palm down sharply right where he bit.

he's on a high himself, his cock painfully standing to attention. he's never been this rough or demanding with jimin in bed before and they discussed not just jimin's but also taehyung's limits going into this.

and taehyung is fucking enjoying himself.

jimin's palms have fistfuls of coverlet clenched tightly in them. he's purring from deep within his throat, as taehyung continues to bite and suckle at his asscheek flesh.

taehyung is dimly aware he's growling himself. he doesn't care. he feels free.

taehyung's mouth is wet once he pulls away to breathe, panting heavily. he looks down with satisfaction at his work. jimin's soft, plump ass is marked up properly with red imprints of taehyung's teeth.

spit drips down his chin from his mouth. jimin chances a look back over his shoulder and /keens/ at the sight of taehyung's mouth.

"i wanna kiss you, alpha," he begs.

taehyung shakes his head, feeling wild, vicious pleasure settle within him.

"good omegas wait," he says, throwing back jimin's favorite words to say during sex, right back at him. the irony of their positions being switched now is not lost on jimin who groans, when taehyung jams two thick fingers up his clenching, dripping ass.

"you're so wet, sweetheart," taehyung grunts out, jabbing his fingers in and out, not giving his omega a moment to breathe. this is exactly how he's always wanted to finger jimin when jimin's spent the whole fucking day teasing him but taehyung always held himself back.

taehyung doesn't have to hold back now. his pace is cruel, fast and unforgiving, and jimin begins crying, tears tracking down his cheeks.

"i've been wet all day," jimin sobs. "all i could think of was your fat knot, alpha. i've wanted it for ages."

taehyung's fingers are long enough and he's had months, almost a year's worth of time to figure out exactly what jimin enjoys. he pulls out all the stops now, brutally with three fingers, and jimin begins to instinctively curl away from him with a resounding wail from how oversensitive he is.

taehyung spanks him hard and jimin sobs with his whole body.

"gonna give you what you want," taehyung says. "i'm gonna breed you tonight."

it's not technically true, jimin's taking a pill that will prevent it from happening. but he still shudders at taehyung's words.

taehyung goes in raw, groaning at the hot, tight feel of jimin's ass. his nails dig into the skin of jimin's soft sides, and he throws his head, biting on the fat of his bottom lip.

"so this is how you feel whenever you rawed me," he says tightly.

jimin nods, looking back with red rimmed eyes. "yeah," he croaks out. "feels fucking amazing, doesn't it?"

"first class ass," taehyung teases, and brings his palms down on jimin's asscheeks. jimin howls but takes it, clenching around taehyung in a vice like grip.

taehyung begins to fuck into jimin, ramming his cock in. jimin cries, loud and unabashed as he relishes the feeling of being taken raw for the first time. taehyung lets himself go at the pace he's been wanting to all the previous times he topped jimin before.

it's glorious.

yea-yes," jimin hisses out. "knew you had this in you, i knew you were holding this back. fuck, alpha. go hard, please, i can take it, i can fucking take all of it-"

taehyung growls, and does as jimin begs. jimin wants to be pounded mercilessly for his birthday?

jimin will get what he wants.

jimin also begins to lose ability to form coherent speech as taehyung continues to fuck him senseless. he's reduced to a mess of high-pitched whimpers, groans and endless purring.

"im gonna slide my knot in," taehyung warns, and flips their positions so jimin's sitting in his lap.

slowly, jimin's ass stretches to take taehyung's knot. his whole body is shaking and he can barely speak.

taehyung howls. this is everything he's ever wanted in his life. jimin is everything he's ever wanted. he barely has time to choke out, "im coming," before he sighs and lets go, spilling everything he has to give jimin.

with his palm placed over jimin's tummy, he can feel the outline of his dick up jimin's gut but also all the cum he just pumped into jimin's perfect, tight peach of an ass.

jimin whines, keening from deep within his chest as he splatters himself over his thighs and tummy as well.

taehyung noses jimin's nape, holding him tight. he doesn't want to slide out. he wants jimin next to him, their bodies fused as one. jimin evidently feels the same way, because his eyes are filled with love as he looks over his shoulder to let taehyung kiss his mouth.

"my baby," jimin sighs out. "i love you so much."

taehyung holds jimin tightly. "i love you more than you probably do."

"it's not a competition, you stupid alpha."

taehyung laughs wetly, and jimin giggles, asking him if he's crying again. he vehemently denies it but lets jimin coo over him and caress his hands closed over jimin's body, like taehyung is incredibly precious.

taehyung closes his eyes. he feels small and cared for.

jimin doesn't smell like anything himself, but taehyung stubbornly scentmarks him and he's satisfied with that.

jimin is taehyung's home.

it will always be that way.